Anvinder grew up in a small subjugated dorn city to the north. He lived with his father and grandfather. His mother had long sense past away. Anvinder's father was a mercenary for the shadow. He was tall even for a dorn and had long hair which he always made sure was braided and well kept. He would be gone for months at a time. During which time his grandfather would take care of him.
His Grandfather had at some point lost his leg and the use of one of his arms. He never let a day go by without shaving his head. He was always bitter towards Anvinder's father and made a point never to look him in the eye. sometimes when he thought anvinder was asleep he would pull out his old chest from underneath the floorboards. Anvinder never could see much of what was inside but one item grandpa always pulled out was an old bastard sword. Anvinder would beg his grandfather to tell him storys but grandfather refused to. It wasn't until Anvinder pulled out a knife and shaved off his hair right in front of grandpa did he finally give in to his requests. He told him about the shadow and how it had corrupted everything it meant to be a dorn, how his own people had failed to stop the shadow and about how he and others tried to do something about it but had failed as well. The storys filled Anvinder with a fire, we wanted to do something about it but he could see no way.
It wasent untill Anvinder turned 20 that he found his answer. That year Anvinder's father was late in returning by nearly 2 months. Anvinder had long sense Gaven up on his father, seeing him as a lackey to the shadow. Then one day a group of orcs led by a legate entered the city. Draging Anvinders father behind them. He was beaten to a pulp. The legate proclaimed that he was a traitor and an insurgent. They dragged him into the middle of the the city and were preparing to hang him. Grandpa first stared in amazement. Father made no attempt to proclaim his innocence but rather laughed at and spit on the legate. Grandpas expression then was overcome by shame, anvinder knew the feeling for he too had refused to look his father in the eye, he too had stopped talking to him and all the while his father had always taken it without a word. When his father saw the look on grandfathers face he began to laugh, he died with a smile on his face.
Grandfather flew into a rage and charged the legate. He moved amazingly fast and brought the legate down to the ground. Then he pulled out a knife he had hidden and by the time the orcs got to him it was too late for the legate. the orcs wrestled the knife from him and hung him along side father. Anvinder fled from the scene and returned home.
The legate was dead so it wasn't likely he was going to be tracked down too soon. Anvinder quickly opened up the floorboards and retrieved the chest. He took inventory of the equipment that lay before him. Some leather armor, his grand fathers sword, a backpack, and at the bottom was a amulet made of bone with a crest of a closed eye on it. He quickly packed it all into the backpack and put on the amulet.
He ran.
He ran for days until at last sleep finally found him. He had a dream that he was in an ever expanding field and before him was the entire dorn nation. Everyone was bound by chains pleading for his help. "What can I do?" he pleaded. His grandfather had failed because he was too direct with too few people. He father had fail because he had been too direct and never made enough of a difference. Then in his vision he saw the legends of old rising up. Heroes that his grandfather had told him about. They rose up and cut the chains that bound everyone, then the people started to rise and follow a dorn who lead the way. Anvinder knew only one thing about this leader, it wasn't him. He was strong, tall, and charismatic. Anvinder was too small and he lacked the ability to charm people. He wasn't this person, but he would find this person and he would serve this person until the dorns were free.
When he woke he revived a renewed sense of purpose and he knew what he would have to do. He would spread the storys of old. The legends would free peoples minds like it had freed Anvinders and would prepare them for the day when he found their leader.
"So are you ready to learn more?"
Anvinder turned around to see his grandfather floating beside him.
"Yes, tell me everything."
Grandpas ghostly form touched a stone and it lit up with light.
"I think its about time I told you about the nature of magic."
He then talked as the walked into the night. Anvinder listening patiently as always.
