Arandur Windmere, "Longtooth"'s page

About Arandur Windmere, "Longtooth"

Inspired by Orlando Bloom

There are archers and there are rangers and then there is Longtooth, the man who never misses. Among even the rangers of Kyonin, his marksmanship is without peer. Some of the humans of Greengold even whisper that he is a living demigod, born from Old Deadeye’s loins.

The truth, however, is that Longtooth’s origins are a bit mundane and perhaps, to some, rather sad.

He was born Arandur Windmere, son of General Tandriel Windmere, leader of Kyonin’s western army. Shortly after the birth of her son, the General returned to her duties in the west and only saw her son sporadically throughout his childhood. Tandriel was a Purist, believing in the superior nature of traditional Elven parenting, where children are raised in cold, communal settings away from the confines of single family homes.

Arandur only saw his mother seventeen times throughout his entire adolescence. On his 70th birthday his mother came home with a bow and arrow and told her son that it was time to learn the family trade.

From that moment forward, against his will, Arandur was placed in a military barracks to begin ranger training. Everyday, without fail, he rose with the son and practiced archery. If he missed, his meals were denied to him. If he hit his targets, he would be given a head nod of satisfaction from his instructor. The instructor, who never gave his name, was later introduced to him as his father on the day that Arandur graduated from his military training.

This was the extent of his relationship with that man.

In the end, it was the cold and distant family life that formed Arandur’s outlook on Elven Culture: he hated it. Hated it’s cool elitism and unfeeling serenity. He strained for a chance to leave behind his mother’s high expectations and Kyonin’s smothering elegance.

His chance came during an attempted invasion by Razmiran, when the False God sent a small force of soldiers to burn the city of Greengold to the ground. As the human citizens fled in terror from the city. Arandur and his ranger force stayed behind to cover the evacuation.

As his fellow bow men were killed all around him, only Arandur was able to remain standing.

After the commander of the Army Razmiran saw that just a single bowman stood between them and the city, he laughed and called out to his foe, “What are you going to do to stop us, little long ear?”
Arandur replied, “I intend to bite you.”

“Bite us?” The commander laughed, “From up there?”

Arandur strung an arrow to his bow and fired it into the Commander’s left thigh. As the soldier fell from his horse in agony, the young elf shouted: “I have long teeth.”

The Razmiran Army retreated the next morning and Arandur Windmere became known as “Longtooth, Terror of Greengold.”

The Queen of the Elves asked Longtooth what favor the crown could grant him as a show of appreciation. Longtooth simply asked to be discharged from his position and given passage from Kyonin. “Where will you go?” the Queen asked.

“Anywhere but here.” He replied.