As of 12/8/97
Lawful Good Fighter / Axemaster
Created by
Mike Smith
Kneeling before the Council of Kings Teeth are two burly
Dervatear. The one to the right is Toric Rutarin, Axemaster initiate. The other is
Syric Taron, WarPriest of Tseld. Both have their heads bowed as the five
council members finally turn back to them.
Minister Notur looks at the two for a long time, measuring their
worth as best he can. After what seem to be moments neverending, he speaks with a voice like
gravel. "You have each been summoned here for The Test, the final hurdle in
gaining that which you seek. But I feel that it will not be the final test you will
take. Toric, your desire is to become an Axemaster as your father is, your
grandfather was, and so on, going back three more generations. And Syric, you are here because it is tradition that a WarPriest accompanies the
Axemaster initiate; both to help him, and to be judged worthy by Tseld. Lord
Korin says that Toric is ready, and Speaker Dragar of the Order of Tseld
says that Syric is also ready."
Pausing for a moment, he approaches the two. "Moments from now, you
will embark on a great quest. Each of the council members here today have had
a vision. After discussing what we have seen, we have concluded that deep
beneath the city there is an increasing menace to our people. You are to
journey below and there you will find a growing number of orcish vermin. They
are rallying behind a priest of their own and they worship an evil god."
Letting this information sink in, Larodin Notur continues. "We know from
our visions that these orcs are preparing for an attack on our people. We also
know that they have been taking citizens of our city prisoner and using them as
slaves to make weapons for this attack, since they are too lazy to make them
themselves."
Scowling at the very idea of slavery, he shakes his head and then goes
on. "For the two of you, The Test is to stop these orcs. We don't know how
you are to do it, but we do know that you can." Pulling a chest out from
beneath the table, he sets it on the floor in front of Toric and Syric. Opening it,
they see their new weapons, blessed by Tseld: a short-hafted hammer for Toric
and a warhammer for Syric. Picking them up, Notur hands them over to the two.
Turning, he rejoins his fellow council members and says, "Council member
Glotar will escort you to the bottom-most section of the city, and show you the
Bottom Gate. Remeber the lessons you have learned, and learn the ones that
you are sure to encounter. May Tseld guide you, now and forever."
The rest of the council members leave the room, leaving just one, Glotar,
behind. He waits patiently while Toric and Syric gather the gear they
brought in anticipation of taking The Test, and then, without a word, he leads
them out the front door into the underground city. Taking ways that neither Toric
nor Syric know of, they travel down, deeper still into the city. A short time later, they
come to a massive iron door. Whispering words that can only be heard and
forgotten, Glotar touches the door. A soft sighing sound is heard and the door pops
open. Making way for the two Dervatear, Glotar finally speaks. "Your destiny
awaits."
Toric Rutarin is a very tough looking dwarf. He has dark brown hair and beard
and has dark, almost black, eyes. He wears his splint mail beneath a purple
cloak. The only weapons he appears to be carrying are axes and a heavy
crossbow. The short-hafted battleaxe is strapped to his chest with leather
straps and the rest are hanging at his waist: 3 throwing axes at his right hip
and a hand axe at his left. All seem well cared for and sharp enough to shave
with, though no Dervatear worthy of his beard would ever think of doing so.
Toric comes from a long line of warriors, going back some six generations. All
belonged to the House Guard of the King. From an early age he dreamed of
one day wearing the red cloaks of the Axemasters, as the House Guard is
known. But the path to becoming such an elite warrior is long and dangerous.
Toric has always known this, and accepts it. It's the best way to weed out
the weak from the strong.
The training begins at the early age of 25 - just a shortbeard. At this age the
young Dervatear became something like a squire to Korin Lyrrast. In return for
doing menial tasks for Korin, Toric was given instruction in the use of the axe and
shown how to behave in a manner appropriate for an Axemaster. This training
continued for 15 years when, as was the case for all Axemaster trainees, he
was required to enter the military.
Toric enjoyed military life, every aspect of it; from late nights standing watch
to long marches for the sole purpose of learning to march correctly. All of this
was necessary for learning to take orders and teach patience, as well as to
build endurance. This stage of training lasted for 20 years. Toric, though,
spent 25 years learning all he could, and then he moved on to the next aspect
of his training.
All Axemasters must prove that they are the bravest, toughest, and most
worthy of the Dervatear. Some are able to prove these things in the military if there
happens to be a war going on, but such was not the case for Toric. The Dervatear
Kingdom had been at peace for more years than Toric had lived. So Toric had to leave and seek adventure to prove himself and then become a true
Axemaster. Shortly after his 65th birthday, Toric packed his belongings, said
his farewells to his friends and family, and struck out into the world beyond
the kingdom.
Check out Toric's Stats
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