Forum

[Morrow]

Dexter Black was born into a life of servitude to an orc servant woman named Fema Fraksha. They served together in the house of a wealthy family in the Sunrise section of Sasserine. He led a sheltered life compared to most young half-orcs. His mother told him his father was the grandson of a heroic pirate named Nate Black. Sometimes she would sing him songs about his heroic ancestor, but she spoke little of his father. From time to time his mother's friend Misa would visit and Dexter would play with her son Garnham, who she told him was his half brother. When he was about ten he left the home of the family he and his mother had served all his life when he was apprenticed to a master carpenter named Rook.

Ashe got older he started to get into trouble. People would pick fights with him for no reason. He usually won. Whenever it seemed like he was about to lose, a wild energy would overtake him. He would get his second wind, and start fighting with renewed vigor. Eventually the few ruffians who made their way to Sunrise learned to leave him alone.

At 21 years of age Dexter is good natured, and still a little naive. As a journeyman carpenter he still lives in his master's home, still visits his mother once a week, and sees his half-brother Garnham when he can. He spends most of his days harvesting lumber for his master or selling his master's wares in their small shop. He spends his evenings with his friends, sitting outside one of the taverns of Sunrise where for some reason the tavern keepers let him drink for free as long as he sits outsider near the door. His life has settled into a comfortable routine.

"Maybe too comfortable," he said tohimself in a rare introspective moment, patting himself on his slowly growing potbelly. The crowd in the tavern broke into a song about a great pirate who stole a cannon from a war vessel, and sold it to feed hungry children living in an orphanage. Dexter thought about his great grandfather's exploits, and his own life, and felt like maybe something was missing. Maybe someday he could be a great hero too. His master would laugh whenever he talked like this, and send him out to gather lumber.

Dexter looked down at his axe, which he had leaned up against the wall. There was a small old woman standing there. She was smaller even than his axe. When she held out a letter to him he squatted down so he could look her in the eye. "What's it say?" he asked, adding "I don't read." She read it to him and he thought about it. "Okay. Tell your boss okay, I'll be there." He smiled, "Thanks". As the old halfling woman walked away Dexter quietly whispered tohimself "Festival Street and Blue Skink Lane, Festival Street and Blue Skink Lane..." He didn't want to forget the address.