Hardships, Trials, and Tribulations

My first destination? Eria. I stepped into the unusual looking gates of the human and dwarven city, harmony at its best. These two races could put aside past and present problems so that their community could grow without racist beliefs. Stubborn as the dwarves may seem, they had much to teach without words. I learned the importance of tolerance at that old city. Though I wouldn't fully comprehend, I still had hate for the minotaurs. After only a week, I had to leave. So much more of the world was to be explored. In Bar-gith, a dark forest west of the dwarven-human state, I stumbled upon a group of fighters that called themselves the Black Knights. They concidered everyone their enemy, and would attack someone on sight. But that day, one would learn, like I did, that there is always someone bigger. Although trained, I was still young. The fight ended in a draw, and a valuable lesson was laid down. That draw would force me to set a new goal for myself. I would seek out all of the great fighters of the world, and learn all of their greatest strategies for my own use. Rumors circled around the dark forest of an evil man, attempting to conquer St. Augustines beautiful castle. In an instant, I was on my way back to the other end of Bar-Gith.

Just outside the northern part of the forest, a giant castle was laid perfectly front of me. Screams of agony and pain were all that could be heard. I knew the men and women in there were suffering, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to help someone I had never met. I wasn't of their race, their blood didn't course through my veins, and better yet how would they respond when they see my appearance? With a guilty concious, I made my way eastward, towards the night fires of Eria glowing in the sky. Before the main gates, I went south, where I had never been before. I soon found myself in a giant black swamp and had snuck past a group of orcs defending their camp from a young haran. Peering at the two strange races fight, I couldn't help but wonder why. Oddly, it reminded me of my home. Katrins and Minotaurs fighting for...well? For land, for freedom...for the right to live another day. Once again, I left the scene of a fight, without the guilt this time. Now, I was to go farther south, into the unknown world of the katrins. Life began to pick up, as the swamp turned into a forest, and a well traveled road showed me my way. With half a days travel, I found civilization. It came in the appearance of a trading post of some sort.

"Windy Bluff, eh?" I asked while walking through the north gate. Making my way to the square, I found a giant array of people. And out of the corner of my eye, I saw a minotaur. "DIIIEEE!!". I spent the next 6 months in jail for the murder of Derease. Punished for an action that should have made me a hero amongst my brethren. Another lesson learned in my youthful state. Instead of showing me some crazy invention the tinkering mage, Justen Time came up with in his sleep called a "Guilotine", they decided to ban me from the city. And so, I made my way out of the east gate directly into a range of mountains.

For some reason, I found this intriguing after a few days. The life in the mountains was freedom to a soldier. I was taught in the jungle to kill for food, while wildlife here is at an abundance. As I was venturing the Pardor, I found a cave filled with more orcs, but obviously of no relation to those in the swamps. These were more war adept. Actually, they had noticed me living in their territory, and had been watching me hunt. An elder eventually approached me, and tried showing me some of their language. I never had much of an education, but he did his best, and we got by. After a few visits, their chieftan came out of the cave. The others acted awkward, and most left the seen. This guy was obviously startled by my presence. He probably thought I was a mountain lion born as the spawn of Seluctruh. He didn't take to kind to me. I could tell when he challenged me to a fight to the death. I graciously declined, but his ignorance pushed him farther to attack. I could go on and on about details of the fight, but those aren't important, are they? Let's just say that towards the end, he had the upper advantage until I knocked him out with a giant rock. It was kind of cheap, but more than that, it was luck. After a few looks around at the orcs that remained outside, I think they decided it was time for me to leave. And so, I made my way east once again.

"Robbers...", echoed through my head. They were everywhere here, as if there were commonfolk to rob. I stumbled upon one drinking from a string, and he seemed approachable. We fell into deep conversation of current events, and even talked about some in the past. He told me he wasn't a robber, but an assassin. He was sent east, beyond the pardor range to assassinate someone of great importance. But since his employer only gave a name, no race or description, he was forced to kill everyone he saw, rather than ask questions. Luck, once again, saved my life. It seems fate would have it, the would be assassin was heading to Kettin for supplies, and didn't mind showing me the way. All the way southward, along the side of the pardor mountain range we ran into other assassins and mingled. I learned a valuable lesson about what not to do as a mercenary, just by watching them.

I found Kettin on my own, after my guide was 'assassinated'. It was rather small. And...above ground? I had always thought the dwarves stuck to the underground scenerio. I found work as a blacksmith, fashioning swords, and sometimes teaching young dwarves how to defend their lives. It was common to know such things in Kettin, because Trolls were a constant threat for generations. The king of kettin called upon me, as the night before the trolls managed to raid the castle. He pleaded for me to retrieve his kidnapped daughter. I doubted she was alive, but the job did pay well, so I began my search for their home.

A foul stench soon found me, and soon, I found it. It was a pile of trash, and even a few body parts. After being chased in circles by a swarm of giant bees or something. Their hive was in one of the two small caves in the rocks beyond the pile of trash, so I ran into the other cave, in desperate hope. There, I found a worse enemy, trolls throwing rocks down on top of me. The stings were extremely painfull, but the rocks didn't make it any better. I was filled with venom and rage, and let loose a yell as I slammed into the rock while running around wildly. The wall crumbled, and I fell through it into another room. A hole was in the center of this odd cavern, so I jumped down, hoping to lose my many trailers. And it worked, not one bee followed me. A troll walked past me, grunting as if it were an intelligent greeting. I suppose they didn't mind my presence, so I strolled freely. I watched a tournament or something. Two trolls killing each other. It was by far one of the greatest fist fights I had ever seen. The ground sometimes shook. Since everyone was watching the fight, I could flow about, mostly unseen. I walked into what seemed to be a crude laboratory. There was a rock as a table, and a few plants and bloodied knives laying around. A short and rather thin troll was kind of chuckling to himself when he'd utter incomprehendable jokes. When out of nowhere, an ugly dwarven girl walked up to him and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheak. She didn't get kidnapped! She got rescued! I talked to the girl about it, and even talked to the little troll. I quickly realized that some things aren't as they seem. The girl ripped a piece of cloth from her cloak, and gave it to me to give to the king. I lived in Kettin for a few years working hard as a blacksmith and never did I make such money as what that piece of cloth brought me. The king was sad to learn of his child's death, and prepared to wage war. He asked me to lead an army of his dwarven soldiers, but this was starting to remind me of the war with the minotaurs. Once again, it was time for me to venture elsewhere.

I journied south, and showed a ranger where the caves were, and then kept walking. I found Aina and learned to manage as a pirate, sort of. Well, not really a pirate, but I did load ships up with ale, stealing most of the ale in the process. I was caught stealing, and lost that job. Never again would I steal. It only affects things in a negative manner. Aina was most boring now. The humans seemed to have no problems in the world, and only domestic drama occured. I set out once again to explore the unknown world.

Windy Bluff kept ringing in my mind, but would the people there recognize me after all these years? I decided to go westward before going back to the Bluff. I came across a small town between two mountains. It only had two gates, as the valley served as the side walls. It was poorly located and could be invaded easily. But steps away, I learned that is exactly what happened. Ogres over took the town. They drove humans into hiding, and those that weren't hiding, were forced into slavery. Looking around, I found some humans willing to trust me. All of them were asking me to kill someone or something for them. One even asked me to destroy the deity of the ogres. All this overwhelmed me. Not even the humans were safe in this world, and everyone hated someone, or someone hated everyone. The longer I stayed, the more I was begged to fight. But these weren't my people, and I had nothing to benifit. It was as if I was forced to flee, if I wouldn't fight.

Without hesitation I was on my way. I went down out of the mountains into a forest. In the forest was a giant haunted lake. At night, when walking by it I could hear sounds coming from underwater. They sounded like someone chanting a religious mantra, and other voices screaming as if they were dying. Ghosts were to much for me, but also the lake was occupied by Fulg. A good man at heart, but rather...strange. Deeper into the western woods I went. Until the ghost sounds turned into footsteps, and footsteps turned into elves. I had found an elven warrior a little younger than myself. We conversated, trading war stories and good times. I asked who the elves fought with. But he told me that they fight everyone. Not in wars, but individuals, and that's why the elves are always scouting their forests, looking for intruders to find out if they come in peace or not.

In time, I would learn of all races within the realm. And deal with them all, most in awkward positions. Some races decided I couldn't be of them, and others couldn't understand why I would always leave and come back later. I've dealt with many trials, and beatin valiant foes. I've lost insane battles, and lost my many religions. I've preached from one end of the continent to the other, and all the time I knew what I was looking for. And everywhere I went, I saw it. But I was blind. I was searching to justify what I had done in my past. Now, I'm closing in on five hundred years old. And I realize, everyone makes mistakes, and everyone learns from their mistakes. If they don't better their futures from the experiences of their paths, then they're doomed forever. I've accepted this, and it is this that I go on day by day. Perhaps now, I can go on with my life and teach others that are willing to learn.

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