:
Vorgal’s father was a noble in House Narikopolus, and even though that should not be the most defining aspect of Vorgal’s life, it was, and is. His father had done is the modern way, by making piles of money as a merchant and buying a seat in the House. He had the money for a seat in a more important House, but he was an intolerant elf and the strong faction of Elves in Narikopolus made his choice more straightforward. He controlled Vorgal much as he controlled the lesser nobles, bullying them into submission with his extensive resources. Vorgal, it seemed, was going to be a wizard.
~~~
“Vorgal, I have something for you to do.” Vorgal frowned, his father ignored him most of the time. His frown disappeared though, as his father dropped pouch onto the table in front of his books. It clinked. “ That is the fee for training under Master Wizard Aruney. You’re to go to him every day now, and learn everything you can. You’ll make this family proud by becoming a wizard that no one can stand against. The Veil name will one day be greater than Narikopolus, or even Thrune, and we’re going to be the start of it. ” Veil nodded and took the money and himself to the wizard the next day.
~~~
“Sir, if I may?” Aruney looked up from his book.
“Yes?”
“When do we get to the part about fighting?”
“You mean offensive spells? We don’t try those for some time.”
“And what about combat, like with axes, and hammers and swords?”
Aruney frowned, looking from the boy to his own wilted frame. “A wizard does not participate in something so lowly as weapon combat. His art is more refined, more cerebral, and much less dangerous if used correctly.” Vorgal wanted to say something, but knew better.
~~~
Vorgal left Aruney’s tutelage after a week. He impressed his father with knowledge he had learned and an easy cantrip, and took the bag of money each week to a new place, a contingent of Magi in Egorian. They were willing to teach him for less gold, so he took the extra coins and hid them away.
~~~
After a few months of training, Vorgal’s father wanted an update. Vorgal cast a couple of spells for him, and his father seemed satisfied. Months later though, when the spells he cast were the same strength, Vorgal’s father decided that the wizard here must not be training him well enough, so he sent him on one of the families’ merchant envoys to Riddleport. Vorgal’s father has made quite a bit of money by opening up trade contracts with the burgeoning government in Riddleport. He wasvery careful about making all of dealing completely within the law. Of course, a government could make its own laws to facilitate trade but the merchant Veil wasn’t worried about any of that.
~~~
Vorgal was crushed by the news but he had learned how to hide his emotions from his father long ago. He informed the magi of his impending trip and left to hide the last bit of his money. When he got to the chest though, he paused, counting the money he had in the chest. He knew his father’s travel rates and it looked as if it would be enough to pay for a trip to Riddleport. He returned to the magi and convinced on of them to accompany him to Riddleport, and to train him there.
~~~
The pattern continued this way, with additional trips to Darkmoon Veil in Andoran, Wispel in the Verduran Forest and even a very brief trip to Escadar.
And then his father found him out.
With dreams of keeping the family name unsullied, his father decided that Vorgal could stay as a member of the family, but he needed to learn some discipline. And so, Vorgal was sent to become a Hell Knight. Or die trying, as his father obviously wished.
