Aspirants of the Diamond Throne

Born not far from the city of Thayn, in the foothills of the Elder Mountains, Arric was destined, like his father Helg and his grandfather Petros for the life of a Greenbond. Arric however was not so an apt pupil.

At his fathers request Galen, a local magister, accepted him as apprentice. Arric was less than welcoming of the rigid code of study and training required. Truth be told he never ever performed the training exercises as per instructions. Instead he just “saw” the answer in the words on the scroll and just “did” the word. On the day of his Naming, it became clear to all that Arric was destined for other paths. Galen saw this immediately sent Arric back to his father with a letter of introduction to Charic Garron, a clock maker and runethane in Thayn.

Helg brought his son to Thayn on his 13th birthday. He stopped at the stall of Kaimra Daycord, a sprite and fellow greenbond, where he purchased a small wooden pendent of a dragon rampant. This he gifted to Arric as he presented his son to the clock maker. Arric settled into his new quarters with some trepidation. He did not know it but when Helg left him for his return home, it was to be the time Arric would see him alive. The official story was that Helg was caught in a rockslide, but Arric did not believe this. Helg was a greenbond and a mountain man.

Arric’s pendant is now inscribed with runes, as is his hands, feet and temples. The tattoos are mere decoration but they please Arric and do lend him an air of mystery.
The pendent rune, however is not a decoration. He knows it is magical but neither he nor Charic know what type of rune it actually is. Arric is convinced it is to his benefit but Charic is less sure.

Charic has taught Arric many things, including using runic magic to create/find/arm and disarm complex traps. This aspect of the calling is Arric’s favourite. This is closely followed by his interest in clocks. Charic was the apprentice of the famed clocker maker and runethane Fistan Degem in De-Shamod. He has told Arric that when he leaves his tutelage, he will present him with a letter of introduction. Should he find himself in De-Shamod he will find a good welcome.

Arric has little interest in the politics of the land. The Diamond Throne is probably better in human hands but Arric has no particular issues with Giants. So far so good. He is fond of the faen but finds Litorians and Sibeccai a bit strange. Uniquely, and this he cannot explain, he finds Verrik a complete mystery. He continually wonders about these thinkers and what they are all about. The root of this fascination is as much a mystery.

Arric, to this day seeks answers to the death of his father. He seeks answers to the riddle of the pendant. He seeks knowledge of the Verrik. Most of all however, he thirsts for knowledge of the runes.

Voern Grey Shadow had travelled from the Harrowdeep on the understanding that the Bounty Day festival in Gahanis would feature an interesting ceremony for the faen. A female quickling was planning on ascension to the spryte form. He felt he would learn something from the experience at least, hopefully finding some other interesting individuals with which to continue his travels.

Ke-Herram had wandered for some time, somewhat aimlessly adding his sword arm to the defence of caravans, towns, local lords and whoever would take him on. At the Bounty Day festival he hoped to take part in the first Shu-Rin ceremony for a young giant. He did not really have a plan in mind, but he hoped to hear word of his elder brother, Ke-Werrik, who had left his family home years before in search of magic.

Salesat also searched for magic. His burnt fur and scarred visage was testament to some torture or other hard travail in his past. But he was silent on the matter, saying only that it had happened on his naming day. His search was for his hope, a way of restoring his vitality and the strength of his feline limbs. Although the tribes had gathered for their own portion of the festival, Salesat was keeping well away from the Litorian tents.

Migar was quiet about his past or his reason for being in Gahanis, other than the obvious pleasures of a festival. He tried to cut his own particular dash through the crowds as he also searched for a way of earning some coin to keep him in the style to which he had become accustomed.

Born the second son of a Jerad spice merchant the young Targan begun his education at age 10 apprenticed to a magister who resided in the southern hills. Before his first half year was complete, however, Targan received word of the death of his father. Bandits attacked the merchant while on caravan to Xavel. When Targan returned for the funeral he learned that the death was at the hands of the sibeccai brigand Eritic the Invincible. He marked the name and vowed to avenge his father’s death. He suggested to his brother that a mission into the southern hills was the best answer but his brother was against it. He was more committed to carrying on the business. Targan and his brother had strong words and even came to blows. The atmosphere in Jerad was very tense until Targan left to resume his studies. Targan left his brother on poor terms as his caravan left for the south. Targan reasoned that he would seek advice on mounting a mission of justice against the brigands, when he eventually reached his master. Surely he, of all people, would help him redeem his father’s dignity.

On the second day out of Jerad, bandits attacked Targan’s caravan. Although the guards fought bravely the bandits overran the caravan in very short order. Targan was captured and dragged before the band’s leader. It was Eritic the Invincible. Targan’s temper exploded and he lunged at the sibeccai. With his hands about to close on the bandit’s neck Targan was pummelled senseless by the sibeccai’s henchmen. Targan awoke in chains among a group of similarly bound individuals. Taking stock he found himself caged. He listened to the ambient noises and soon came to a sickening conclusion. He was captive at the slave markets of Khorl. Cursing his misfortune he realised fate was best served waiting for a good opportunity to escape. The slave cages were too strong and too well guarded.

In due course, Targan’s group were presented for auction. The buyers were unimpressed and trade was slow. A factor eventually purchased Targan for the paltry sum of 106 gold. The factor took him in charge and shipped him west deep into the southern Elder Mountains. There he placed Targan into the household of the mojh magister Dorogar.

In Dorogar household the slave keeper Strappe took the new slave under his wing. Strappe was a particularly nasty individual and he took a particular interest in humiliating Targan at any opportunity. Targan's saving grace, however, was that he was literate and this meant he was often assigned duties as a scribe or as librarian. It was at these times that Dorogar’s first noticed the youth. Normally Dorogar would not have paid the slightest attention to his slaves, but he became intrigued by his newest slave. He could clearly see the way he keenly performed his duties when related to the quill or the library. His writing style was particular cursive and notable. Targan’s other duties were sluggish and almost always ill performed. When Dorogar questioned the youth he discovered Targan's history as a magister apprentice. Dorogar was appalled. As a practitioner of the Arts, Dorogar considered all magisters, even apprentices, as being a cut above. He tested Targan’s knowledge and his abilities. It quickly became obvious that the boy was destined for magehood. He immediately declared the youth released from servitude. Instead he placed Targan under his own tutelage and granted him apprenticeship. That was seven years ago.

Targan view of the enigmatic Mojh changed with the passage of time. Initially, when he was first presented to the household Targan believed he had been delivered into the hands of a demon. Dorogar’s behaviour soon allayed that fear. Bit by bit Targan’s prejudicial belief that all mojh were evil incarnate were shown to be clearly wrong. Apart from the purchase of slaves, he never saw the Mojh perform anything even remotely evil. All he ever saw of the master was magical study and the reverence of his dragon gods. Targan‘s respect grew with the passing years. As his ability with magic grew he began to see the mojh view of the world in a bit more of a sympathetic light. He saw Dorogar’s intense study and passion for magic and this he admired greatly. It reflected his own feelings. Such admiration was a frequent emotion as Targan grew through adolescence.

Two years ago Targan asked the master to assist him in becoming a mojh. Dorogar was pleased but warned the youth of the consequences and forbid the transformation for at least a year. When the year passed, Targan was even more adamant and Dorogar assented this time. Eleven months ago, Targan became Mezezar the Mojh.

Mezezar gained his staff within a few months and thanks to Dorogar a small grant of funds to begin his own search for the secrets of magic. Mezezar’s first stop was the town of Khorl. There he sought to equip himself with a small laboratory and also to seek the whereabouts of an old friend: the bandit that killed his father and sold him into slavery seven years before. He sought the sibeccai, Eritic the Invincible.