Dahkneth was born to Kalonis and Catherine Shilmenah, in what would be about the 196th year of the Republic. Kalonis, a native of the kingdom of Aestiva, was a tribune in the Leagueís armies. His wife, Catherine, a native of the city of Iridine, was a medic in the army as well. Dahkneth was the first of their children, but a second son and a daughter were born a few years later.
The Shilmenah family prospered in the city of Aestiva for many years, although not quite of patrician standing, they were considered some of the higher commoners. Their ancestry was filled with military officers and soldiers, some of great prestige, while others remained fairly unknown.
From about the age of five, Dahkneth was constantly in training. During the early mornings, he would do his chores, then spend the next couple of hours in weapon training. After training, he ate a short breakfast, then he would go to the academy until late evening with his brother and sister. At the age of twelve, he began attending a military academy, by order of his father. He excelled in his training, never resenting the life that had been decided upon for him at his birth, and all went well, until one fateful dayÖ.
While having dinner at their home in Aestiva in around the 211th year of the Republic, a knock was heard at their front door. Kalonis stood up, opened the door, and was met with a gruff looking soldier. They spoke for a few moments, then the soldier left. Kalonis returned to the table, a disturbed look on his face, and he whispered something to Catherine. Dahkneth remembers what his father told him next well, ìYour mother and I have to leave now. Weíll be back in a few daysÖ Dahk, look after your brother and sister. Make sure they train like theyíre supposed to.î He then went to his room, gathered his battle armor into a sack with a few other belongings, and left, Catherine following close behind him. They never came backÖ.
A year after that, Dahkneth enlisted in the Aestivan army, and spent the next several years fighting for the League. His cohort was stationed on the front lines of the war with Iridine, and every day was spent either battling or marching. He remained a ranker for a short while before being promoted to sergeant, and soon after that, a subaltern, but he never made it further than thatÖ. Having spent the last two years constantly in battle, he had seen many of his friends and comrades brutally killed in battle. It was almost too much for him to bear, but he never gave in, until one dayÖ.
During the winter season of the 215th year of the Republic, Dahknethís cohort had finally received reinforcements. An older soldier, a sergeant, approached Dahkneth, glancing over him briefly.
ìDahkneth Shilmenah? Wouldnít happen to be the son of Tribune Kalonis would ye?î The soldier asked.
ìYes, I amÖ. Why do you ask?î Dahkneth replied.
The soldier frowned slightly and paused for a few moments before saying, ìI served under your fatherÖ. I was with him the night he died,î he paused again, ìHow about we step inside the officers tent? I have much to tell you, sir.î
The two officers stepped inside one of the tents, and the old sergeant continued his story. He spoke to Dahkneth about the night his father had diedÖ. How Tribune Kalonis had been betrayed by one of his own centurions and murdered right before his eyes. All of the officers that had witnessed the horrendous scene were sworn to secrecy, to speak lies about Kalonisí death and say that a spy had infiltrated their ranks and killed him. The sergeant begged for Dahknethís forgiveness, and was met with a cold nod, sensing how angry Dahkneth was, he excused himself and left Dahkneth to think for a while.
The next day, Dahkneth was nowhere to be found, however one of the sentries that was guarding the palisade gate was found dead.
Dahkneth approached the gates of the city of Iridine cautiously, wondering if he really wanted to move to the capitol city of the enemy he had fought for so longÖ. But the words the sergeant had spoken to him that night reassured him that this was what he wanted, filling him with a strong desire for vengeance. He passed through the gate, giving a brief nod to the guards as he passed them, and entered into IridineÖ.
It was nothing like what he had expected. The city was 10 times grander than any of the stories he had been told about it. The streets were bustling with crowds of sizes that he had never before seen. Peddlers and traders stood about, selling their wares on almost every corner. Great buildings rose up into the sky, rivaling even the architecture he had seen while growing up in Aestiva. But like everything in life, the bad came alongside the good, often in equal amounts. The city was filled with a magnitude of crime, the likes of which he had never seen. In Aestiva, thievery and murder was only a minor problem, and often the punishment for such a crime made most people think twice before even considering committing them. But here, thievery and murder were a common thing, too common for his liking.
During his first nights in Iridine, he spent much of his time patrolling the alleys, searching for thugs and brutes which plagued the area. Having no Iridinian currency, he was forced to do so in order to survive. The citizenry had made a practice of this, many of them making a living off of it themselves. Rather brutish, but if it would keep him from starving, so be itÖ.
One night, a small group of the thugs and brutes surrounded Dahkneth. Despite his extensive training with weaponry, they managed to wound him rather badly before he killed one of them and ran. He knew that he must find a healer, and quickly at that, or he would likely dieÖ.
Dahkneth arrived at the Stone Toga Inn and asked for a healer, a beautiful young lady, smiled at him and told him to have a seat. After the lady had patched him up, he asked her for her name. ìCaracaya Danas,î she replied.
From that night on they became very close friends, hunting together and just hanging out. Eventually a relationship developed and Dahkneth had fallen in love with herÖ. Much later, they were married outside the Temple of Ereal in the harbor districts by Constable Oxalicus, and have remained married to this day.
During the first few months of his arrival in Iridine, Dahkneth was always getting in trouble. Often spending the night in a jail cell for being a vigilante, or getting into a bar fight after drinking rather heavily. But his marriage to Caracaya changed much of this.
He began to shape up and start acting like a more civilized person, he got involved with a few guilds and started to make a name for himself in the city. He spent a few months in a guild called the Knights, which he later took over during the leaderís long absence from the city. However the guild later fell apart after a few rumors spread and the guild was condemned as murderers. He then joined the ranks of the Falcons, a group of fighters and mercenaries which was established to help defend the city from attacks. He stuck with them for a long while, but eventually this guild began to fall apart as wellÖ.
Late one night in the winter season of the 216th year of the Republic, Dahkneth walked into the Stone Toga Inn. Glancing over at the board hung from the wall, a piece of parchment caught his eyeÖ it was a recruitment notice from Legio I.
ìThis is your chance, Dahk, your chance to finally avenge your fatherís deathÖ.î Dahkneth thought to himself. And he wasnít about to let this chance slip by like all the other ones.
A few nights later, the first recruitment session began. Dahkneth arrived early along with several other citizens, and soon the meeting began. A subaltern by the name of Wallace Octavian was in charge of the recruitment. He seemed a bit strict at first, but a good officer who knew what he was doing.
Having been through a recruitment process similar to this one, Dahkneth was used to the shouting and yelling of orders and all the drilling, a few others had problems with it, but eventually they caught onÖ or they got kicked out. After a few hours of lecturing and instructing, the subaltern dismissed the meeting. Dahkneth walked away, a smile on his faceÖ knowing that he would soon have his vengeance.
Two years had passed, Dahknethís class was finally graduating from the recruit period. After many long days of marching and fighting, they had finally made it. From a class of forty-five, nine new legionnaires were accepted into the ranks of Legio I, Dahkneth being one of them.
Currently he is a Sergeant in Wolf squad of Legio I, he has yet to find the man who murdered his father, but he has heard reports that the man is now one of the main war-lords of the LeagueÖ He still vows to avenge his father, no matter how long it may take, and how much blood must be shed to do soÖ.
**Note to site staff: Just wanted to tell yall to replace the old biography with this new biography of Dahkneth. Decided the other one wasnít very good and that I needed to write up another one. Thanks.