The life of a child is supposed to be full of fun and adventure. A time of exploring caves, catching bugs to play with, and running through the tall field grass. However not all children have the chance to live such a life, and Rothgar was one of these children. Instead of playing, Rothgar had to fight. Instead of exploring caves, he was forced to sleep in them. When Rothgar caught bugs, he ate them to survive. As for the grass, he used it to line the rags he considered clothes. He lived day to day, moment to moment. Never knowing what would happen next, or when and where his next meal was coming from. All of this, because of Orcish greed.
When the Orcish armies were looking to invade Selledore, they sent out raiding parties to scout out routes for the oncoming horde. When the Orcs invaded, as most armies do, they pilliaged, took prisioners, and of course slaves. One of the earliest slaves was a young woman known only as Maggie. She was taken captive when the Orc scouts raided her village near Tualend. Thus beganm the worst time in her life. The Orcs have never been known for their kindness to prisioners, and Maggie felt the brunt of this abuse. She was put to work as a miller, grinding grain to help feed the hungry invading horde. The only interruptions to her constant work and toil, were the repeated rapes and beatings.
No more than a year after her abduction, a small ray of hope was brought into Maggies horrible existance. She gave birth in secret to a tiny baby boy. Maggie went on with her life as best as she could; knowing full well that the chances of her infant son surviving in such an inhospitable envirionment were slim at best, so she set it upon herself to do everything she could to protect her infant son, no matter the cost. Maggie was strong, but her half-breed son proved even stronger. After three years of scraping by, eating scraps, living in the slave pens, and barely surviving, something amazing happened. The armies of Gideon and Selladore combined to defeat the Orcish horde. The Orcs were defeated and their retreat tward the Bloodskull Barony was in full swing.
When the Orcs fled to the Free Nations, they cut all the baggage they could manage. The Orcs realized they could ill afford to keep all the prizes they had collected in their conquests. In order to make haste, the Orcs began a process of ethnic clensing within their ranks. The slaves were the first to be taken. Killed in mass and left to rot where they fell, the trail of bodies littered the path to the Bloodskull Barony. Hundreds and thousands were murdered to insure the survival of the Orcish horde. Next in line for this holocaust were the shame of the Orcish clans.
While women were prime candidates to be taken into slavery, they had no use once the orcs were defeated. These women bore the brunt of this queling, but perhaps worse was the fate of the halfbreed bastards these women bore. These halfbreeds were seen as no use to the surviving hordes, and were looked upon with such scorn and disgrase that death seemed to be a blessing. Fate would smile upon Rothgar for the first time in his miserable existance. The commander in charge of this quelling felt pity on his halfbreed brothers, who had no choice in being brought into this horrible situation. The commander set his slaves free, let the halfbloods go, and continued on to the barony.
At only three years of age, Rothgar was set free into the fields of northern Gideon. Alone and frightened, he stumbled through the fields for three days, before encountering another living soul. When Rothgar saw the human, he could not believe his eyes. This man shined with a radience Rothgar could visably see. Having never seen such a beautiful sight in his life, Rothgar was drawn to him.
When the bushes began to rustle, it got Aarons immediate attention. Having seen his fair share of combat, he was always on alert for possible danger, and whatever approached him, did not seem to have any fear. Drawing his longsword, Aaron awaited the inevitable attack. Poised to make a preemptive strike, and hoping to end the fight quickly, Aaron was shocked when out of the bushes rushed a dirty, scarred and battered child. The young child showed no fear as he ran into Aarons now awaiting arms. Rothgar clamped onto him with a strength that betrayed his puny form, and refused to let go until long after they were safely within the church.
At this point in Rothgars life, things seemed to finally be looking up. The priests and clerics tended his wounds, filled his belly, and after much reassurance, managed to coax his story out of him. They were all amazed to see that such a young child had survived for days on his own. However to Rothgar this was little different than the daily fight for survival he had dealt with all his life. Seeing this child had no family, and no place to live, the priests made him up a room, and set about the task of raising him.
After that, Rothgar set into a fairly standard routine at the church. He tended gardens, shined candelabras, and did lots of other odd jobs around the church. He attended chapel, and a school set up for him by the priests. They made it their goal to fill the young child with knowledge,and taught him how to read and write the Common tounge. They also taught Rothgar of the wonders of the goddess Aesia, and her compassion for all beings. In return for all the priests and cleric of the church had done for him, he did all he could for them, including teaching them to speak Orcish. With the help of his new family, Rothgar began to understand that his life was no longer that of a worthless slave, but of a faithful follower and devout servent of Aesia.
As the years wore on, Rothgar devoted his life to the service of his goddess. The priests taught him Aesias word, as well as all they could about the outside world around them. They also taught him the all important skill of martial combat. Knowing full well that a devout servent must be able to defend his beliefs. This proved to be Rothgars true calling in service to Aesia, and proved to be a way he could finally repay the Aarons good deed in taking him in. After years of training, countless hours of prayer, a special test of his worthiness, he was ready. Rothgar was initiated into the order of the Selladorian Paladins of Aesia. A shining light born of the darkness of the Orc wars.
Rothgar has recently left the church where he was raised and trained. While Aaron taught him most of what he has learned, many other people have held heavy influence on his life. One of there men was a cleric, who took Rothgars distate for the Orcs, and turned it into a deep hatred. This solidified his undying hatred for the Orc race, but also made him question if the blood in his own veins, somehow tainted him. He wishes to attone to the world for his heritage, and hopes to make peace with a society which may never accept him.
While he has been taught to keep himself under control in the most intense of situations, Rothgar cannot deny the rage that is bred into him. He is able to harness this fury and use it to his advantage at key moments in combat. While he looks little different than most other Half-Orcs, that is where the similarities end. Once people speak to him they realize that he is an intelligent, wise, and very charming young man. He is aware that most people are not accepting of his kind, and tends to keep further from most social situations than others might. However if one were to take the time getting to truly know Rothgar, they would see that he speaks through his actions. He is kind, generous, and giving of himself in many different ways.
Rothgar has recently been sent to the Selladorian Free Nations in order to help establish The Red Legion. He hopes to prove himself as not only a warrior, but a true knight of Aesia. Spreading the word and drawing followers to the cause. |
