Taylor

I am Taylor, youngest son of Reese and Ann of the clan Darkstar, and brother to Shard and Finis Cortez.

I was born in Vesper, as were my siblings. My parents operated a caravan and shipping venture, with a caravan that travelled regularly from Vesper to Minoc, then to Cove, to Britain and Trinsic, Skara Brae and Yew. Then the caravan would turn around and head back to Vesper. Ships were at the ready at the Vesper docks if needed. I was on very few of these great caravan trips, as I was so young. But my memories of the gypsies, fighters, cooks, rangers, tamers..... all that it took for a great caravan, they are with me still. One trip I took found us in Skara Brae just in time for Harvest Festival. T'was wonderful. Lumberjacks seeing who could chop the most wood, Bowcrafters vying to see who could make the best bows, Tailors sewing their best.... First time I met Roxie.

Then one day as I worked on some sewing in the Student Hostle in Vesper, Shard and Finis appeared outside. I knew right away something was wrong. I had never seen Shard look this way. He spoke to me in a strained voice:

"The caravan was attacked. Over run, really. Dad and the guards fought back the orcs for awhile, but then the air elementals came. Trolls were beating on the wagon when Mom used the Gate scroll. One of them hit her before she could step into the gate. She fell through it though, nothing I could do for her..... the last I saw of Dad..... two of the air elementals were still after him, he was screaming for us to use the Gate. There were just too many monsters there..... Too many indeed....."

Not long after that, British came to power and established the town guards and the moongates. The moongates were the end of the caravan business, and Shard, Finis and I were left to fend for ourselves. Shard travelled far and wide in his adventures with Brymen and Klaatu, and they eventually built a house on the peninsula that now holds the city of Avalon. Finis spent most of his time in Minoc, honing his skills as a miner and smith. I stayed in Vesper, mostly, and was a regular customer in both of the tailor shops there. All the Tailor Guildmasters had known and respected my parents, so they did what they could to see that I was well looked after. But in time, I developed my own wanderlust, fueled by Shard's stories of sailing the high seas and Avalon. Although I had no skills with which to protect myself, I longed to see more of the world and especially Avalon. Shard told me that if I would learn some fighting skills, he would see that I was taken to Avalon. I, however, couldn't wait. I finally persuaded two of Shard's friends from Avalon, Odin and lefty, to take me to Avalon even though I was not ready. Now that I reflect on it, I think they took me to Avalon just to get me to stop bugging them about it. They knew how Shard would react. I thought I knew. His tirade lasted most of an hour. He put many of the oaths he had heard and learned while sailing to good use. I spent some time in Avalon but it became clear that if I wanted to live there, I had to learn to protect myself. So I went back to Vesper and began training as a Fencer.

Since I always had cloth about, I also began to learn Healing. As I trained, I would test my skills hunting north of Vesper. Many times I returned to town as a ghost, but those times became fewer and fewer. Then one day as I hunted, I came upon an orc war party that had taken a prisoner.

I managed to kill all the war party by myself and lead the poor prisoner back to town. Then I knew I was ready to live in Avalon.

Life in Avalon was hard but good. I learned to sail and found myself sailing often to Ice Isle and gathering walrus hides to sew. I also had taken to learning archery, and the orcs that spawned on the icy shores made good targets for practice. I made plenty of gold selling my leather goods; life was good. And then it got better. I met Sam.

Sam the Miner Gal. Simple lass that she trooly was, she was everything to me. I was still young and shy but I know she knew how I felt about her. We shared many adventures together, and much quiet time in Avalon. I was planning to ask Sam to spend the rest of her days with me as my mate. Then my whole world turned upside down when Sam broke the news to me that she was leaving Sosaria, possibly forever. A good friend of hers had taken ill and she was going to be with her. I put on a brave face, of course, and told her not to worry. I would be in Avalon awaiting her return. The seasons came and passed. I opened and operated an Archery Shoppe in Avalon. Many told me Sam would never return, but I held onto hope. Finally, as I lost hope I also lost heart. I became cold and uncaring to the world around me.

I gave up the life of a tailor to concentrate on my life as a warrior. I left Avalon and everything that reminded me of Sam and wandered, returning to Avalon now and then to see how the town and citizens were getting along and to get Finis and Angelica to repair my armor. Twas during my wanderings that I happened across an old friend from Alvalon that had risen to some power in the Dark Tower. Ivy.

Ivy and I had been friends since I first came to Avalon. She had taken a fancy to my sewing and kept some of the clothes I made for her for many years. After a time I came to join Dark Tower. I performed and witnessed acts of evil I will not talk about to this day. I also became somewhat of a secret bodyguard for Ivy. Treachery was everywhere, and Ivy, as Tower Mistress, was in constant danger. Then the Lady Fier became Mistress of the Tower and Ivy would disappear for long periods of time. The Dark Tower moved to the newly found Malas and I found myself again wandering.

And wandered, as many do, right back to Avalon. But the city had changed. Strangely deserted, hardly a soul could be found about. I sought out my brothers and the few Avalonians that were left. Seems the glory days of Avalon had passed on during my absence. The new lands of Trammel and Malas called to adventurers and settlers, not the old, harsh lands of Felucca.

As I pondered my future, Shard bade me to travel to Trammel and seek out a guild known as Queen Shieba's Alliance. There were former Avalonians and friends of Avalon in their midst, and Jixxa, a friend as dear as family, had recently joined them. Curiousity took over and soon I had found Jixxa, and then a happy surprise upon running into my good friend Thorgrim, a Kinght of the guild! I got to know a few more of the guildmembers and, despite my still poor reputation, they were nothing but gracious to me. My decision was almost made to apply for membership in this guild and then there came the clincher. I had helped decipher a note James had left in the QSA tavern. But later I saw him in Skara Brae. It had been a great many seasons since I had seen him. "Ug" "Ug", I replied. In his orcish way he began recruiting me to join the Warden division of QSA. We left it that it should be the Queen and Council's decision where I serve. "Yub" and "Yub" settled it.

And there is where I knew my decision was made. In these fine folks, and this fine orc, I had found a sense of family again. And thus found two things I had been long missing.

My home and my heart.