Sitting at the bar in Pegoís slamming back some ale Sylven Tobias begins to ponder on what brought him to this exact time and place.
Looking into his half-empty mug Sylven starts to let his mind wonder back in time. Playing swords with sticks with his twin brother Longdref behind his fatherís stall in Blackvine while his father collected a few sterce selling salted to fish.
His fatherÖ. A small frail man who always yearned to offer more to his wife and sons was always quiet his head downcast when they arrived home and sit down in there modest shack with few luxuries and not much on the table to eat.
His MotherÖ. Dainty and frail like his father but with bright blue eyes full of joy and love. She would always cheer his father up by telling him how well he had done this day no matter how much he had earned they were safe and warm and had food on the table and each other and thatís what really mattered.
His BrotherÖ. His twin in all ways they were inseparable as children.
Sylven sighs looking in the bottom of his now empty mug and sitting it on the bar for re-fill. Taking up the full mug and taking a long drink he sends his mind back in time again.
Sylven remembers the sad look in his fathers eyes and the hidden frown behind his mothers smiling lips when on his sixteenth birthday he told them we was going to set out on his own to earn his way in the fair city of Iridine.
Longdref had insisted on coming with him but Sylven refused saying that he must stay and help his father with the business for now. Longdref didnít like this idea and Sylven could tell but being his twin he knew Longdref understood that he must become a man of his own and he couldnít do that with his brother looking over his shoulder.
Sylven took up his few meager things and his mother slipped him some rations and a few denar to help him out. He waved to his family and said ìI will return someday a new man, a strong and wise man and I hope a rich manî Sylven smiled and walked out the door and headed to a friends house whom slipped him a tin gladius to take on his journey. His father frowned upon his sons fighting with sticks so Sylven had to sneak the gladius not wanting his fathers disapproval of weapons weighing upon his shoulders.
Sylven journeyed for a few days camping and enjoying the open skies and the fresh air before he came upon the great walls of the fair city. Sylven made his way into the city and was amazed at the glorious sites that besought his eyes.
Finally landing at the Stone Toga Inn he was looking at the board for work of some kind of work when another new man to the fair city noted his gladius and approached him. ìWould you like to join me on a hunt into the sewers?î Sylven turned the mans direction and said, ìcan I earn coin hunting?î The man nodded and beckoned Sylven to follow and follow he did. Within minutes he was in the underbelly of Iridine, filth assaulted his eyes and the stench was almost unbearable. Sylven was having second thoughts when he was suddenly attacked by a large brown rat. The fight continued and was joined by two creatures he came to know as osecars and a large sewer snake. Sylven and his newfound friend were losing and he was injured and bleeding badly. They retreated and returned to the surface His new friend found a couple of healers that saved his life. The healers gave him some advice telling him what kind of protection to wear when hunting the vermin of the underworld and where to get it. Sylven not being one to give up went and bought some shoes, a belt and leggings and went right back in now seeking revenge he began to slowly chop through the vermin learning more of how to fight as he went.
Sylven finishes off his ale and orders another now starting to feel the full effects of the ale he grins and thinks back once again.
While wondering the cities of Iridine Sylven came upon the Coliseum and some strange pits close to them. Always being the adventurer he climbed down into the pits and came upon a lone warrior with a tin axe assaulted by white rats with crimson splotches. Sylven asked the man if he could use some help and the man nodded to him. Sylven waded into the battle with a fury and before long the rats were dispatched. The man introduced himself as Myouiijita and offered to share the hunting spot and the spoils with Sylven. Sylven gratefully accepted being almost out of coin and making little to nothing from rat pelts Sylven eyes brightened gloriously when Myoiijita offered him a pale flaky mineral.
The light that shone in his eyes over that mineral was nothing compared to the beaming light in them when another new person to the city walked into the pits where they hunted. Aericia A lovely lady with a gleam in her eye and in her heart Sylven knew he had found a new friend again when she smiled and curtsied. They hunted together that day and Myouiijita showed them both something of the city.
Sylven started to earn money hunting now and buying better weapons and armor and training constantly he stayed in touch with Aericia and Myouiijita and eventually moved to Monlon renting a room at the Amulet INN and hunting the mines and swamps, the vale and the bandit woods.
Sylven takes a long drink of ale and ponders on the bandit woods.
He was attacked while fishing at the boulder and almost killed by a lone forest bandit. Since then he has had a hatred for those bandits hunting them and running to aid any in need of help in those woods.
Sylven looks in his empty ale and places it on the counter. Heís now a locksmith as well and between hunting and smithing doesnít have much time for these kind of pleasures.
Sylven sighs and stands tossing some coin on the counter and grabbing an ale for the road.
Sylven walks out the door and heads to Apulaís or wherever his lifeís journey will take him next with ale in his hand and his gladius by his side.