The Warder - Part I

[Adriorn Darkcloak]

I was asked to repost this old biography, so here it is. Hope you enjoy it.

I was born in Zhentil Keep, the son of a Mage, approximately 40 years ago. Even as a child I knew that place was evil, and I remember spending many nights outside the city resting atop a tree falling asleep just watching the stars and nature in peace. My father, a somewhat unpopular man in the Keep now that I think back, wanted me to become as "powerful" a mage as he was, but not too powerful. Treachery was very commonplace in the Keep, even amongst blood relatives. But I began learning the Art, beginning with basic reading and writing skills. I was, and still am, not a very bright person I think, so the process was slow, and I grew tiresome. I found myself wanting to spend more time outdoors than indoors, candles and artificial light never appealed to me as much as the brilliance of the sun and the moon, and it was no comparison. On my thirteenth birthday, I believe it was the Year of Storms, I left the Keep; just ran off in the night, with my books, my dagger, and my clothes. I decided to see the world from the outside, not from the inside of some tower. But I see now the foolishness behind what I did. For even if I had experienced alot in the Keep, more than most youths of my age, I had not the knowledge of the outside world I thought I possessed. After several weeks of travelling westward, barely maintaining myself on the occasional rabbit or fruits I would acquire, I was attacked by trolls. I was not prepared for the size or power of trolls; sure I had killed a goblin or two while at the Keep, but these were not goblins. They surprised me at night, three of them, I can almost remember the initial rotten odor that invaded my smell. I managed to cut one arm off a troll before I was hit savagely from the side, and knocked, barely conscious, onto the hard ground. After that, the next thing I saw was the inside of some dwelling, and a tall, rather strong woman, missing one eye, standing next to an aged, yet kind-looking man. That was two days after the encounter with the trolls; they later told me they had been wandering the forest looking for those trolls, when they ran into my ugly green friends and I. They saved my life, and for that I owe Jenna and Monlier alot more than they believe. Monlier soon found out about my interest with the outside, and how fascinated I was with nature in general. He began teaching me about it, how the animals, plants, sun and moon are all inter-twined together to form something short of perfect. Something which some people believe must be protected above all else, and worshipped accordingly through Mielikki, their goddess, and now mine. I became one of those people, a Ranger, and for once I was engaged in something I enjoyed doing, something I chose to do. Jenna told me once about the city of Waterdeep, a city I had heard much about while living in the Keep, but she told me about it from a different side of the coin. My interest in going there grew, and having heard that there were others like myself there quickly made up my mind, and my decision to travel there. I parted with my two dearest and oldest friends, and set off north towards the City of Splendors.
Ten years passed quickly, for me it as a time of growing, both in knowledge and power, as well as in my soul. I became good friends with others who believed in the same basic principles as I, and who enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed theirs. Lothair, a powerful warrior-priest, Kyto, a priest of the gods, Nomarack, a ranger like myself, Sjesko and Lork, two friends of different magics who shared many an adventure with me, Redigar, a good friend, as well as a Druid, and protector of the forests, Kaela, a colleague of Lothair, and a good friend, Marda, one of the halfling-peoples' clerics, Jerthal, a priest of good as well as the leader of my future guild, the Crimson Sigil, and many others whom I shall always remember in my heart for the kindness they showed me. All I met in Waterdeep, and shared many joyous, tearful, horrific, and grand moments with. They each taught me a lesson of some kind, and told me never to give up what I believed in. For that, I owe them more than they can understand.

Time crept over me like a blanket over a newborn, and soon my skills in the ways of combat, nature, people, and the Realms increased tenfold. But I think I received my greatest gift from M'lady the day I rescued a young barbarian from the spells of a company of evil mages much north of Waterdeep. Althought I was aged severely by the curse of mage, none escaped my fury, and the barbarian lived. I took him as my own, and attempted to teach him the ways of Mielikki, and give him the knowledge I possessed. But I should have known, that a child cannot be taught what his heart wishes not to learn for he was after all a barbarian, and his heart was not in the forests. But, unlike my father, I understood, and taught him the art of sword fighting as best as I could. He named himself Drenin, and even today he comes and shows me he still loves me, and asks for advice about the world around him. I almost regret not being able to have done that with my father.

I continued to live in Waterdeep, and managed to continue my exploration of the Realms, even though my age loomed over me. I saved, aided, and rescued many a young adventurer, as I once was, from the fate I was almost doomed to when young. But as most creatures of the Realms, we are also plagued by diseases, such as greed and jealousy. Some did not take liking to my ways and beliefs, and even my own ranger brothers began accusing me of deviating from the path of Mielikki. My disliking of rules and set beliefs did not appeal to some, and they began calling me "darkcloak", both after my unconventional actions and beliefs, and the black cloak of magic I would constantly wear about my body. People feel they should make fun of those that are different or better, and they will find something about that person, more far-fetched than one can believe, and use it against that person to injure or mock them. For me that cloak represented a huge gift from Kyto, and a sign of friendship. The cloak I would not, and have not, stopped wearing. Both as a sign of friendship to Kyto, and because my beliefs or clothing-style wont be changed by childish and ignorant remarks by others. So I ignored them, for I knew, as my friends did, my actions were always true to my heart, and never did I do an evil act to any. I turned around and accepted their taunt, and began going by it, calling myself Adriorn Darkcloak. I do not try to approach evil with pity, but approach it with anger and always headfirst. I do not follow rules or norms which idiots have set forth upon me. My rules have been given to me by M'lady, and no mortal will tell me any better. I have gained many friends throughout my life, and even a son. I have protected many from evil, and aided in its demise. My heart lies with my friends, my son, my land, and all the people in it which have overcome greed in order to remain true to good. I will forever be

Adriorn Darkcloak, a Ranger to the people.