| Kerinar Darganth was born a noble, a peer of the realm. His parents were favored members of the court and their family of strong elven stock. He was a dutiful child and his first years were spent solely among the elven nobility enjoying the social status of his parents. He was taught the arts noble of society, had the pursuits of genteel instilled into him, and he easily flowed into friendships and early alliances, with his peers. Upon reaching the age of 15 he was deemed fit for company and was sent to the elven academy to learn. There he was formally taught languages and music, religion and history, his figures, and basic strategy. He continued to develop socially and was introduced to the lower classes, the commoners, artisans, and the N�Tel�Quess, those not of the people. His elven classmates were of a wide range from twelve years to twenty-five, all children in view of the long-lived race. Here, he was also taught the rudiments of combat with sword and knife, bow and spear, and magic. As members of the nobility, and his peers, were afforded the best tutors, the finest rooms, and were given more chances for error than their lower class brethren. These special treatments, along with praises lauded upon them, were all seen as their due by the arrogant noble scions. They paid no more attention to it, than they would the administrations of servants. Unfortunately for the young nobles, this attitude breeds resentment by those of lesser status. It wasn�t long before there were slights, insults and eventually fights. Following the rash of violence, the privileges of rank were stripped from the noble children, and they too were treated no better than their now peers. This incensed the elite children, but here, away from their families, they had only the names they made for themselves to stand on. For the first times in their lives they had to work to achieve that which had been handed to them before. They were forced to expand their views and horizons, and they were forced to think. The lesson was always taught to every class, to teach that any can fall from grace, and that any can rise up. Kerinar took the lesson to heart, and worked harder than his peers to regain the status that had been his. The new social rankings were determined by their standings in their classes. Some aspects of the lessons were easy for the young elf to absorb, while others were more difficult. His hard work, though, was paying off. He was quickly becoming the brightest student in his academy, and all his instructors lauded him with praise. In perhaps fifty years he would be a prime candidate, of his own standing, for membership among the elite once again. � � � � � � � � � � Had Kerinar possessed the aspirations of a scholar, bard, a noble fighter, a war leader, or even were he to renounce all and fall to the path of a rogue; his childhood would have been all he needed. However, he aspired to the noble order of Bladesingers. He worked hard to gain the recommendations that would be needed to achieve his goal. As one of the leaders of his class he was well on his way to that achievement. Sadly this was not to be the path for the young elf. His father was one of few diplomats for the elven court. Usually his duties kept him within the borders of the elven lands, but if he was sent outside those borders, many times Kerinar and his mother traveled with him. In this, Kerinar traveled far, becoming versed in many other cultures and beliefs. This had two effects on the young elf. The first was that it forced on Kerinar other peoples and new lessons. He learned that diplomacy and parlay when used properly could resolve more than a blade drawn in anger. The history, geography, religion, and languages that he had been taught were all put to use and were expanded. However it was the second effect that Kerinar resented. For every year that he was away from his teachers, was another that he fell behind his peers. In his na�ve youth, he blamed the other peoples for his lack of training. Many times he failed to see what they could teach him, for their civilizations were below those of his people. When he was twenty-five years old, he had been at the academy for 10 years and was his completion was in sight, not just something to be dreamed about, his childhood training was ended. A large branch of Elven nobility had been living on lands that were under the protection of a Dwarven kingdom. The elves were on an exodus, traveling from those lands to the ancestral lands with all of their retainers. The family was brutally attacked on the road. Though the warriors fought well, and accounted for more than twice their number, the fell to the last. There were few survivors, but the tales of their fall were horrible. They told tales of betrayal by those they thought friends, tales of fierce battles, and tales of their children being ridden down for sport. And finally of some of their women and surviving children being chained and lead off. The surviving elves blamed the dwarves for failure to protect them. The dwarves replied with blaming the elves for bringing violence to their lands. Kerinar�s father, family in tow, was sent to the dwarven capital city. Kerinar was pulled from the academy, and he knew that he would not be back this time. His father was going to be attached to the dwarven court for some time. One of his duties there was to stress the importance of not committing resources to the wrong endeavor. The real culprits had to be brought to justice, and the missing elves found. Under Kerinar�s father�s leadership both parties worked in tandem. Eventually they were able to bring the culprits to justice. Though many of the missing elves were never recovered. His father stayed with the dwarves, to keep the peace between the two nations vibrant and green. While there, Kerinar practiced with the best of the dwarves. He studied with the dwarven clerics and sages, worked among the smiths and masons, and battled the dwarven warriors. Though he picked up some things, his belief in elven superiority kept him from truly learning. The dwarves and their meditations, their styles, and their tactics were excellent for those of their stature and build. But for the taller, thinner, elf many of their teachings would mean discomfort or even death. Kerinar was unhappy in the caves of the dwarves, he longed for the sun, the moon, and the open sky. He longed to get away from the dwarves and their tempers and superstitions. After he had been there for perhaps three years, and was twenty-eight, he learned of a fairly large human settlement nearby. He had had some contact with the shortsighted humans. He made a trip there, and though he found them barbaric, he knew that and found that he could live there for a time. At that point, he decided to forsake the tunnels of the dwarves and the close presence of his family. � � � � � � � � � � The town was centered on a fort, really no more than a border guard post. But the buildings were so different from the easily flowing style of the elves and the strong rooted designs of the dwarves, that he thought it another world. With his parents grudging blessing, and permission from the town, he built a small house on the outskirts. At first he was seen as an oddity, almost an outcast. Looking back he would remark that it very much like the reception that the N�Tel�Quess received from the elves. While living there, he started training alongside the city�s watches in combat and tactics. He learned all he could from its weapon masters, and began teaching them all he knew. One, named Barnard, was an old and wily warrior. He taught Kerinar a few maneuvers that, though would be eschewed in formal combat, could be effectively used to keep oneself alive if pressed. Barnard also ground precepts of honor and the warriors code deeper into the young elf. It was while living there he finally stopped viewing the humans as lesser beings and truly began to accept them. Though he still deeply believed that elves were the better race, he learned much tolerance, and even formed a few close friendships. He was finally on his path to maturity. Among the small folk and the humans, Kerinar lived for twenty-five years, just as long as he had lived among the elves. Finally, at the elven age of fifty, he received summons back. An uncle of his agreed to foster him and when he was ready present him to his Liege, the Head of the Blade-Singer order. Though it briefly pained him to leave his family and his new life behind, he knew it was for the best. He was ready to return to his home and his real training. After twenty-five years, his exile was over. � � � � � � � � � � Upon his return to the elven capitol he re-immersed himself in his training, to the exclusion of almost all else. To start his re-learning, he went back to the academy where he had started so many years ago. There he again had the finest tutors, but they weren�t just from the noble class this time around. Also there, he taught others all that he learned; further ingraining the training and lessons he received. For seventy years he honed his skills with the blade, and the bow, and his own magic. He practiced with many different weapons and learned different styles, forms, and even ways of thinking. He sought out only those magic�s that he could use in combat, fully knowing that he would never be a wizard, he wanted, needed the edge, that magic could bring. When he could get away from the academy, he would seek out the best instructors, or he used his family�s name to grant him access to pathways that would normally be closed. He left the elven lands for months at a time, while pursing this or that lesson. His whole life was dedicated to learning, and to his eventual goal. Alongside his single minded training he set the barest time necessary for fostering the pursuits of the noble, and the alliances that he, and his family, might someday need. He went to dinners, parties, and dances, in many cases just long enough to be seen there and meet the hosts. If his behavior was considered odd, well he had been out of the kingdom for some time, and some of the barbarous habits must have rubbed off on him. � � � � � � � � � � Finally the day came, he was presented to the Elven King and the Head of the Blade-Singers. He and thirteen others, ranging from eighty years old to Kerinar's one hundred-twenty, were presented. A tourney was to be held, to wean the ranks. Each knew that only four would be chosen and the rest would have to wait another twenty-five years. Kerinar knew that if he failed and was not accepted, the dream that had kept him going for the last 100 years, that which he had sacrificed life with his family, and his childhood for, would have slipped through his fingers. In the end, Kerinar�s single-minded pursuit paid off and the last seventy years saw themselves vindicated. He was among the four that were chosen as additions to the ranks of Bladesingers. They were bonded in friendship or in blood, and each knew that in times of need they could rely on each other for whatever came. Though the Blade-Singers are a small brotherhood of the elite, those that pass a tourney together are especially close. Kerinar from knew the three others all before the tourney. They were, Caanabli, Richan, and Alesan. Caanabli was from a family that was allied with his, he and Kerin had shared many of the same instructors, and both were part of the same entrance class at the academy so many years ago. The second was Richan, the youngest aspirant and also Kerinar�s only rival in the tourney, and the only other that matched his skills. They had both been out to be the best, and their final duel was talked about for many months. The last was Alesan, the only female to enter the tourney that cycle. Her family, though noble, was on the decline, and she was their last hope. Though not as talented with weapons, her skill with music and magic ensured her acceptance into the ranks of the Bladesingers. It also promised an excellent future for her. After the tourney and some time to rest, the four set out to gain practical experience and knowledge of the lands surrounding theirs. Though they started out together, they knew that each would be called a different way. Slowly the group separated, for each had their own agenda, and their own private quests, each departed with the wish to meet again someday, and the knowledge that they would, be it in this life, or the next. The last to part ways were Kerinar and Alesan, separating near a town that had been ransacked by bandits, he went one way and she the other. Though they wanted to stay together, they both knew that they could cover more ground apart. Before he left though, they exchanged gifts, he gave her a silver harp, he had received it as a gift from the dwarves once, and though he was never proficient with it he kept it with him. For him, she plucked forth a rose one that was beautiful to behold. Enchanting it she encased it in silver. When next he found a town, he had it made into a clasp, one that he wears to this day. � � � � � � � � � � Fifteen years he has spent traveling the length and breadth of the lands. He has returned to his elven home many times, but the road or mission always calls him forth again. Kerinar has made friends as an ambassador, has made enemies as a war leader, and has made allies in both situations. He has spent time protecting the borders of his homeland and has brought the fight to those that beset him. Though he still possesses his view of elven superiority, at times he has even given private thanks for the lessons in diplomacy that he received at the hand of his father. On occasion he has used his mind before his sword and was able to avoid some needless killing. Normally though, he does not shy from battle and when he draws his blade, he has upheld the training and legends of his brotherhood. |