[sblock=ranger 5, human]I awoke with a start, it was dark except for a single candle. I had not lit anything, but there it was. By the smell of it it was a tallow candle, not beeswax like at the Estate. Of course there were also a few ever-lites cast on stones and set in lamps at home but those were expensive. I had stole one and it was wrapped in a dark clot in a pouch. But who had lit the candle - Scratch that: Who had brought the candle?
A grunt comes from thee corner and it is as if the stone had came to life as a dwarf who was resting in a nook stirs to the sound of movement, "You are awake, Boy" Comes a voice resembling the sound of dry gravel being ground together. It wasn't a question, just a statement. "You camped in one of my caves. You might have heard of me, I am called many names: Mushroom, Stone, Cave-shadow, the list is long as I have been around quite a while. I use to be friends with all 4 of your grandparents when they were young. Helped them get the family riches while staying alive. Did they ever tell you about me? Probably no . . . . "
Then it came to me, he was Brentnor Stoonechild. I realized who he was and blurted out, "Your Ol' rockhead!!" Oops. I didn't mean to call him that. What excitement I had diminished as a wisp of smoke in a storm's gale. That is what gramps always called him, right before he was smacked on the arm by grams. "Sorry sir, I didn't mean . . . . ."
"Yes you did, and I know who calls me that. I earned that name fair and square so don't you fret none at all about that.
I also know who you are. Your th' lad who has run away from home. Every one is looking for you. Not every day a noble's son goes missing. I also know what an ass you dad is, learned it from being around those silverspoons who hang out at the castle. I see you ain't wantin none of that and I can honor that. But you will not survive without some real life lessons."
And that is when I found out how hard life really was. The old druid took to me as his own child, but his fathership was one of discipline and training - of respecting the land above and below ground and a life of sacrifice. and of respecting others. That was 10 years ago, I was 12 then and knew everything there was to know. Then as each year went by I found out I didn't know anything. So here I am, having survived growing up x.
I have survived a few battles, and a few searches. One such battle was against the goblins who poured out of the caves that Brentnor and i were wandering in. We chose to hide, let them pass and attack from behind. I used a bow, he summoned wolves and such. We had followed them and easily guessed where they were headed. There were militia on one side of the gobs and we on the other. Dead to a one those gobs were.
Another time, this was after my druid mentor had set me loose upon the world, I was hired to lead a posse for a bandit leader a hobgoblin by the name of 'shadow' as he called himself. He and a few other hobgoblins had banded together with some highwaymen - mercs who found a more lucrative profession - And as I was tracking him and his folk, I figured out we had ourselves a traitor. someone was leaving markers as to our passing and the hobgob had men tracking us. There was an ambush, and only half of us survived. We defeated them, sent them running with their tail between their legs, all 4 of their survivors to our ten survivors. We brought back all of the dead, mercs, hobgobs and townsmen, what they had on the dead bandits and the knowledge of the traitor.
Turns out the whole family was in on the banditry, passing on information on merchants and what not and then getting well paid for it. The family was put to trial, hanged and their riches of ill gotten gains given to the town folk who lost men on that posse.[/sblock]
