Jollan

Rites Of Passage (a High Fantasy/Forgotten Realms Adventure)

Name: Aiden Folkvar

Age: 15

Race: Human

Apperance: A little tall for his age and has large bone structure. He has toned muscles that are well on the way to forming into an impressively built adult. His jaw is squared with a hint of fuzz starting to come in on his upper lip. His hair is light brown and kept in a crew cut. He has Hazel eyes (green in center to brown on edge). He wears plain boots and brown pants, and has a plain black tunic. He has a few scars on his arms from his work.

Wants to be: a Blacksmith

Teacher/Father: Gurick Folkvar

Person he cares about: His sister Fiina. She is seven years younger than him and ill. Aiden tries to keep her entertained while he can. Even though she is bedridden, he can every now and again take her around town to see how things are outside the house.

equipment:

Hider

1.he has a belt with a pouch that he keeps two small books in. one is a journal where he writes down exaggerated things that happened to him for his sister. The other has a collection of pressed flowers that he thought she would like.
2. A "survival kit" crafted and gifted to you by your father. It is formed of a leather sheet, 3 ft long 1 ft high. Into the leather are sewn pockets which contain a variety of useful items--a 3 ft length of very fine wire, a 6 ft length of sinew twine, 5 finely barbed metal fish hooks, 5 small fine barbed steel arrowheads, 2 large steel arrowheads, a "pocket knife"--steel blade 2 in long folds into an antler handle, a flint/steel set, 3 pieces of fine parchment the size of the palm of a hand, a grease pencil, a stick of charcoal, rolls up like a bedroll.
3. A detailed horse figurine (keepsake).
4. A carving of a tiger eye (keepsake).
5. basic outdoor cooking set.
6. shoulder & head cloak

brief history:

though a little long

Aiden had a mother (Helena), a father (Gurick), and one little sister (Finna). His father was a blacksmith by trade, and his mother stayed at home to take care of his sister. Growing up, his father has been teaching him how to smith anything from nails and axles, to swords and shields. Whenever his father went out to hunt, Aiden followed, taking in everything he could. He had shown Aiden some things with a sword, but it was too big for Aiden at the time, so Gurick decided he would just show him how to use a dagger until he was old enough to use a sword. Ever since he could remember, Aiden has been keeping a journal and flower log for Fiina. It was what he did on the few times he was able to relax and not work. He started when she was born and has made a couple volumes by now for her. They lived this happy way until he was fifteen years old.

One night, the small village they lived in was attacked by some small group of bandits looking to make some quick money. The bandits worked quickly, going from house to house, burning and pillaging as they went. Aiden's family was one of the first houses hit. The thatch roof caught flame as a torch was thrown on top of it and the door sealed shut. It seemed that bandit's were trying to avoid as much fighting as possible by burning them down with it. Gurick quickly grabbed an wood cutting ax took it to the door. When he broke through, he gave the two bandits that were blocking the door in a big surprise, though before they could react, they were dead. The roof collapsed as Gurick came back inside to get everyone out. Finna was found hiding under a low table and Aiden was calling out to his father. The mother was knocked out cold and had an injured leg from the support beams falling down on her. Gurick moved the massive timber off of her and hefted it to the side. He picked up Helena as slung her over his shoulder. In his other massive arm he cradled Finna, passed out from the smoke, and turned to Aiden. "follow me and don't leave my side," he commanded. Aiden nodded his head and stuck to him like a shadow.

They bolted from the house trying to get away to a haven not far off in the woods where they could hide and take shelter. It was often a place Aiden and Gurick used while hunting. Unfortunately, the bandits heard the roof crash and looked toward the house and saw their two dead comrades at the door. The bandits' archers started taking shots at the family that ran out. only a few of them went after them. After all, they still had a whole town to work on.

The arrows landing around Aiden and his family gave them an even greater sense of urgency. They picked up the pace, and they were out running the few bandits who were following, but they never looked back. They got to the safe haven, but it seemed only three arrived. When they stopped to rest Gurick laid his wife down to find that an arrow had hit her while she was unconscious and she has died.

Aiden, his father, and his sister made it to Harrowdale a few weeks later. Gurick seemed to be cut off from the world. He got a job as a blacksmith in town, but he didn't talk much except to his children. Finna still didn't grasp the concept of death, but knew she wasn't here anymore. Her health seemed to get slightly worse now that Helena was gone. Now with his mother gone. Aiden took up the chores and taking care of Finna on top of his duties with his father. They didn't hunt anymore because they decided it would be better if they just bought their produce from the market.

class skills:
hunting, using a dagger as a weapon

life skills:
reading, writing, smithing, hunting/gathering, fishing, basic arithmetic (money-wise at least), using a dagger as a tool

Regional Skills:
troll lore--appearances, types, calls, habits, signs, methods of disposal of a variety of trolls. These are taught to all residents of Twiddledale as trolls are a common problem in that area.

Abilities:

Hider

1.) battle cry--doesn't mater what you holler but when you charge into a fight it gives your allies a burst of strength or speed that helps them either escape or get a second wind to continue fight or flight or break free frm a hold, etc. You can only do this right when you first join a fight.
2.) tracking/trailing--you trailed the bandit for some time and doubtless grew even more familiar with how to track a human through the woods, what is out of place and what is normal, etc. You may not always know WHAT you are tracking but you are now much more adept at trailing it whatever it is.

clues: Sarah's ornate dagger, tiger eye carving