Aehrick was born of a mortal woman and a celestial father. The clergy that raised him would explain that his mother was a Templar of extraordinary accomplishment that had been granted the coupling as a boon for a lifetime of unwavering service. So important were her works that she left the child in the care of the men and women of the Iomedae's chuch as soon as she was fit to return to them.
As soon as he was old enough to understand that he'd been abandoned, Aehrick resented her for that-- but that was a slight that paled in comparison to the attitude of the clerics, priests and paladins he was surrounded by growing up. At best he was an extraordinary being of great potential to be molded and shaped but more often (and far worse) he was lauded as a fated savior or a creature of some great destiny. Lastwall was a land of pious crusaders and the servants of Iomedae the brought up the gifted young half-man had great trouble seeing Aehrick growing into anything short of a paragon of virtue to lead endless charges against forces of darkness.
His training within the church began at a young age and he could little deny the aptitude he displayed at almost every task-- but he often found that he was trying harder to restrain the power and potential budding inside of him than to harness it. Even today, years later, Aehrick would be hard pressed to explain if this reluctance was a manifestation of youthful rebellion, fear of what inhuman thing he might become, or a desire to slough off the chains of destiny and become his own man. As soon as he was old enough to travel the roads alone within raising too many questions (and had learned to suppress some of the more obvious physical manifestations of his bloodline),the prodigal student fled his his monastic home.
His few possessions and some coins stolen from the Poor Box were enough to see him through the trip and it wasn't long before he met with a caravan on the trade roads and bought passage in the back of a bouncing, mule-drawn wagon. He'd sat huddled between crates and sacks of all manner of trade goods those first few days, head low and face hidden under the cowl of his woolen cloak. Praying that his luck would hold out and his warders wouldn't find him, Aehrick rode out the rest of the trip and then bought passage on another caravan, then another after that, a simple cabin on a merchant caravel, and so on. There was little rhyme or reason to the paths he chose, simply making sure as to not double back and relying on chance to get him some place he'd never be found.
Out from the border kingdom of Lastwall, through Nirmathas' patrolled forests and into the unaffiliated city-states of the Varisian frontier he went. Making every effort to keep his profile as low as possible. Helping when he was expected to and keeping out of the way when he wasn't needed.
Outside of his final destination-- the last of his coppers spent securing him a spot walking with a guarded caravan of luxury items headed for a noble's home-- Aehrick and his traveling companions were waylayed by bandits more desperate than smart. While there was never question as to the outcome of the encounter, the young man's unexpected contribution in the life-or-death melee earned the attention of a few of the guardsmen and upon arriving safely within the settlement walls a recommendation was made and he was offered a position in the town militia.
The next years passed slowly, time crawling by with little to do in a relatively secure town on a well-traveled trade route. An excess of idle hours led to his playing (and subsequently running) games of chance. It wasn't long before he'd earned the nickname of 'the Oddskeeper' for his unusual lucky streak and exceptional proficiency at gambling. Over time the name stuck solidly as a surname and Aehrick never saw any reason to fight it. After a particularly slow night, a healthy amount of drinking, and some unusual reflection Aehrick came to acknowledge Calistria-- a name he remembered well from his studies-- as his patron deity and the next day he made arrangements for a holy symbol of his new Lady to be brought in from the closest major city.
He'd been paying morning devotions to Calistria for a few years when the plague came to the town, fast and hard. The symptoms were freshly identified as relating to something sinister just as the elderly and very young were succumbing to it. By the time the council could decide on how best to proceed it was already too late. A few scant days after the first casualty, Aehrick was leaving the village of dead plague-victims behind, his back bathing in the warm glow of the cleansing conflagration.
A day's travel by foot from the settlement he found the rider they'd sent for help, dead and covered with flies. He used his last jar of lantern oil to burn the man he'd played cards with once a week since he'd come to the village and tracked down the dead man's wandering horse. He road in circles through the surrounding wilderness searching for clues-- camped raiders, the unexplained appearance of a wizard's tower, the abandoned site of some dark ritual. Looking for anything that he might link to the tragedy but coming up with nothing. He expanded his search, looking to the closest settlements for sign of a similar plague and finding nothing.
At his wits' end he sought answers in his devotions, praying for guidance-- a simple bit of luck. The thinnest of threads that might make itself apparent for him to follow. When he feel into his dreams that night it wasn't fickle Calistria that answered his calls, however, but the warm embrace of Iomedae's light. Even in his desperation for help he recoiled at the familiar smells and sensations-- reminders of his time in the temple. Still, he'd asked for divine guidance and once granted it wasn't a simple thing to escape.
He awoke in the alleys of Kaledun, his possessions strewn about him in the filth just as they had been on the grassy knoll of the lights woods he'd stopped to rest in. He chased off the beggars and orphans before they could steal everything of value, gathered what remained of his wealth, weapons, supplies and tools and set off into the alien landscape with the stoicism only cultivated in those told they are born of the heavens into man.
Unfortunately, days have passed in the exotic city and the trail only seems to be getting colder. His funds all but exhausted and with very little (especially information) available here for free, Aehrick might have to accept gainful employment for the time being and put revenge on hold.
Expanded in a couple places throughout the background. Cemented that Aehrick's bloodline is tied closely to Iomedae and that his homeland is Lastwall. Also copped out and went with a very literal Deus Ex Machina to get him to Kaledun. I was thinking about it and I like the idea that Aehrick can 'earn' his wings somewhere down the road-- maybe once he stops running away from who he is or finds a way to reconcile both halves of his being. Whatever.
