My second submission
Dabuk Tigerstorm, Stalker
Stats: ½em / 5th level ranger (Rillifane), 2nd level stalker / chaotic good
Personality: Somber, serious, and slightly jaded
Weapons: Dagger, shortbow w/ masterwork arrows
Gear: Leather armor, breeches, tunic, hard-leather boots, hooded cloak, backpack, waterskin, belt pouch, plus any wilderness survival essentials. Dabuk is practical when it comes to being prepared.
Magic: Short sword +1; curved blade with etched runes along the length of the blade.
Species Enemy: Ogres
Description: Dabuk is very average looking for a half-elf (Cha 11), tending towards non-descript clothing. He is hardened, like a soldier that has seen way to much combat (Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15). His face would be able to express many masks of emotion, but those feeling would never touch his soul. He is calculating and has strength of will (Int 15, Wis 14). He doesn't trust or love easily but is loyal to his family, especially his grandfather.
Background: Dabuk grew up without a mother and a father that he hardly ever saw. His split heritage allows him two places that he calls home. His mother was a forest elf druid from Woodknot, Eiithinia Starchild, and his father is the human ranger, Garth Tigerstorm. Both were heroes in the Second Ogre War.
From a young age he was closer to his grandfather than anyone, which ultimately lead to Dabuk joining the Tiger Guild in the Kingdom of Thallin. The young half-elf thrived in the city and applied his natural wilderness talents in the city as well.
In fact, Dabuk is as a good a tracker as his father in the wilderness and can also out-track most of his fellow guild members through the streets of Fruen. However, he shines the most when in the forests around Woodknot. Not that he's been allowed there since the Therani Clan Elders cutoff the region from the rest of Harqual.
This has annoyed the young ranger, as he is no longer able to visit his mother's druidic grove. And he would be heartbroken to find out that Woodknot has been overrun by fiends that have defiled the region around the grove. And while it still stands, it won't be long before the wards put in place, to protect the grove begin to fail.
Dabuk hates ogres with a passion due to the fact that it was a group of ogres that killed his mother and his Aunt Lisa-Ann. He is positive that ogres were also responsible for the death of his Uncle Kevin, after the man disappeared trying to locate the ogres that killed his wife.
Telling Moments in his Life (Taken from my Story Hour)
In the following passage, Dabuk’s cousin Bactra Redwind shares ‘the memory’ of Dabuk witnessing his mother’s death with their friend and traveling companion, the gnome Thessa.
From the Journal of Bactra Redwind
Two nights have past since Rikin staggered up the hill. In those two nights we rested in relative peace. Nothing came out of the night to stalk us. We all agreed that Thessa's god was with us those nights and we named the small mound of earth and grass Baervan's Hill in honor of the God of Wanderers. Thessa was touched by our gesture and marked the hill as holy to her God.
We left the hill several hours ago and have been traveling non-stop towards the eastern coast of the continent. Thessa told us that while the desert does stretch nearly to the coast the conditions wouldn't be as hostile in that direction. Only time will tell...
...We reached the shore just before twilight making camp near the water but far enough away not to be caught between the land and the sea, just in case.
The sea air is doing wonders for Mesik's recovery. He limped for a while but has steadily been getting better. Rikin isn't doing as well but hasn't complained. He's definitely different then Dvalin. More reserved. More calm.
Thessa calls the waters off the coast the Karmine Sea. My tutor in Woodknot always referred to the great sea beyond the Sunus and Thunder Mountains as the Sea of Deep Waters. Thessa has never heard of the Karmine Sea being referred to with a different name. Something else that I'll have to discuss with the Elders once we're home again.
We watched as the sun set over the water. It was an amazing mixture of colors over the water...
...The next morning brings the dawn over the Great Expanse. We continue north along the coast with Dabuk in the lead. He is becoming more distant as we go further and further north. I was expecting it.
Thessa didn't understand. I tried to explain it to her later that night as the others slept during my watch.
"Dabuk's mother was killed by ogres when he was very young. He watched it happen. He was never the same after that. The news of ogres being on the move is obviously upsetting him."
"Poor dear, I wish I could do something to ease his pain."
"Thessa," I put a hand up shaking my head. "Don't even mention it to him."
"But surely you realize such hate is going to be the death of him."
"Yes, I know." I pulled my cloak around myself more tightly. Dabuk had insisted that we not light a fire.
"Well then don't you and his family owe it to him to try and help him."
I sighed shaking my head. I'd heard the argument time and time again. I watched my cousin as he slept. His breathing was steady but his twitching body gave away his pain to those that knew what to look for.
"He is dreaming about it right now."
Thessa stared at Dabuk with heart-felt concern in her eyes. "It's that bad."
"Yes," I leaned back staring at the stars. "He shared his dream with me once. He's been having it almost every night since that day."
"Tell me."
I looked at her unable to hold back the tears. "It will get into your soul. You'll never be able to get it out."
"Tell me."
"All right," I studied my cousin carefully making sure he was still dreaming. I beckoned the gnome priestess closer to me. She sat next to me. I took her hand.
"What you are about to experience isn't for the weak of heart. I am not a storyteller. I am a wizard. How I know these events is through Dabuk's eyes. Through what he saw that day and his dream... his nightmare."
"You mean you're going to actually share his dream with me. How is that even possible?"
"It is an elven ritual that allowed me to feel what he felt, see what he saw."
She seemed frightened by that and with good reason. I had begged Dabuk to share his pain with me to understand him better. He had tried in vain to warn me against it but I had persisted.
He and I agreed that if anyone else wanted to know the truth they would have to learn it from me through the power of my magic. Every person who had asked to know this pain had backed down when they learned what it truly meant to 'feel his pain'.
"If you don't want to do it I understand. Sometimes I wish I had never asked him."
"No, I want to do this. It is the way of my God to know those who you travel with. Know them like you know yourself. I must do this."
I was in shock. Thessa squeezed my hand nodding for me to continue.
"I-I really hadn't believed you'd go through with this. Now might not be the best time. It is my watch. The ritual puts me deeper than the Reverie. I won't be able to break it once we've started."
"Well, then wake up Dvalin. He's suppose to be on watch next."
"That really isn't fair to him."
"You're afraid."
"Damn right I'm afraid." Even though the air was cool I was starting to sweat.
"I thought you said I could if I wanted to."
Great, now she was making a liar out of me. "Fine. I'll wake Dvalin."
I found my legs with difficulty. My knees were trembling. I couldn't believe it. I stepped around the others to where Dvalin was snoring softly. I poke him in the ribs.
"Huh...<snort>... what, who?" Dvalin grabbed me by the arm. "Is it 3 o'clock already?"
"No," I knew he was going to be pissed. I whispered to him what Thessa was determined to do.
His eyes bug out. "Did you explain it to her?"
"Yes."
"She's either very brave or completely nuts." Dvalin shivered and not from the cold. "How anyone could want to experience another person's nightmares is beyond me."
"I agree. But she is insistant. I need you to watch the camp."
"Oh damn," Dvalin rubbed the drool out of his beard. "I knew you were going to say that. Go on boy. Just take away from the camp. Down by the sea maybe."
"All right." I looked back at Thessa shaking my head...
...Thessa and I had walked down to the shore together. I tried several times to talk her out of it. She wouldn't give, not an inch. I had to admire her courage.
The ritual could be dangerous to the weak-minded. Not that I thought her mind couldn't take the strain. But it was still dangerous. She was a gnome not an elf. I had been pretty sure that it wouldn't work with someone without elven blood. I was wrong.
We sat in front of each other her hands in mine. I guided her into the deepest parts of my mind. Soon there wasn't any difference between Dabuk's thoughts and our own...
..."Momma," Dabuk pulled on his mother's skirt. "When is pappa coming home?"
"Soon dear," He and your uncle have work to do."
Dabuk wished his pappa wouldn't go away so much. He missed him. But his work always seemed to come first.
"Bad nasties?"
"Yes Dabuk," Dabuk's mother looked towards the north with a frown. "Bad orcs and ogres."
Dabuk knew that meant his pappa wouldn't be home soon. He sat on the ground next to his house. Well, it wasn't his house really. His pappa built it. He just lived there. His aunty was there too. She always stayed with he and his momma when pappa and uncle went to fight bad nasties.
His mother looked at him shaking her head. "If you're going to mope around. Can you please do it inside? You're going to depress the forest."
"Aw momma," Dabuk rolled his eyes. His momma was one of the elven folk. She had a thing about trees that he really didn't understand. "Trees don't get depressed."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew them."
Dabuk gave up and went inside. The house was a small log cabin near the southern edge of the Great Forest. Dabuk's father, Garth, chose the spot because it was away from the constant skirmishes that continued to flare up after the Second Ogre War ended.
It was clean, neat and spartan. Real boring for a boy barely old enough to tie his own boots.
"Dabuk," The boy's aunt was sitting next to the hearth. "Pestering you're mother again are you?"
"Aw aunty," Dabuk sat down on the floor in a grumpy lump. "It ain't fair. Pappa's never home."
"Isn't dear, it isn't fair."
Dabuk couldn't help but roll his eyes again. "Fine. It isn't fair."
Dabuk laid down his arms and legs flailed out. He hated it when his Aunty Lisa corrected his words. Like it mattered out in the wilderness. He wished he was in Fruen visiting grandpa. At least there was always something to do there.
"Lisa-Anne!" Dabuk's mother cried out from outside.
"Momma?" Dabuk knew that tone. She used it when he wandered off once. His momma had been really worried.
"Eiithinia, what is it?" Dabuk's aunt turned towards the door just as his mother came rushing inside.
Dabuk sat up looking out the door. He didn't see anything out there to be so worried about.
"We have company." Eiithinia scooped up her son closing the door of the cabin.
"Who?"
"Not who, what!"
A gutteral cry came from outside to the west.
"May the North Gods protect us." Dabuk saw fear in both there eyes.
"Ogres."
"B-baddies?"
"Yes my son. Baddies."
Dabuk was scared.
"We have to flee into the forest." Dabuk's aunt was becoming hysterical.
"That won't do any good. I know the forest but you don't sister. Besides, I can't leave. This is my home.
"Dabuk, I need you to go down into the cellar, all right?"
"No! Momma, I want to stay with you!" Dabuk tried not to cry. His pappa told him it wasn't good to cry.
"Dabuk! I can't protect you and your aunt. You'll be safe in the cellar. The baddies aren't smart enough to look for you there if you are completely quiet. I need you to be brave."
Dabuk was blubbering. He wanted to be brave for his momma. But he didn't want to be away from her either.
"But momma... baddies!"
"I know son," She hugged him then handed him to his aunt. "Lisa Anne, I'm counting on you."
"I-I understand."
"Momma!"
Eiithinia grabbed her sword, bow and quiver heading back outside. She slammed the door shut, while her sister locked it from the inside.
A gutteral roar shook the cabin.
"Momma! Momma! Momma!"
"Dabuk! You have to be quiet!"
Dabuk's aunt shook him until he stopped yelling. She threw open the cellar door forcing Dabuk down into the darkness. She slammed the trap door shut pulling the cabin's small table directly over it.
Dabuk watched through the cracks in the floorboards not making a sound. He couldn't have even if he had wanted to.
He heard another gutteral roar and then his aunty screamed. He couldn't tell what was real anymore. The thing roared again and again. Then another roar joined the unholy chorus. He heard the wooden logs crack watching as his aunty screamed again trying to climb out the back window.
She shrieked as a huge hand grabbed her through the window pulling her outside. Then Dabuk heard something he'd never forget the rest of his days. His mother screamed. Then he heard a loud cracking, tearing sound, as the ogres howled in triumph.
He felt the cabin shudder as they ripped away the logs. Then he saw them. They stood higher then the cabin was tall, much higher. They were ugly, inhuman beasts. They ripped the top half of the cabin completely off. They threw out all the furnishings scouring the small dwelling for anything of value.
Dabuk felt death beside him that day. He was sure they'd find him. They howled again in unison and Dabuk clamped his mouth shut while covering his ears. Fear ran through his spine into his heart.
He sat there for hours not moving. Night was coming but the ogres hadn't left yet. He couldn't hear them but he could smell the burning flesh. He forced himself not to cry. He had promised his pappa he'd not cry. He had promised his momma to be brave.
The beasts grunted at each other for hours making sounds like horrible laughter. He gritted his teeth balling his hands into fists. He shook with rage, tears streaming from his eyes. His hands began to bleed where his nails cut into his own flesh.
Then the beasts were gone. He knew it because he couldn't smell them any more. Yet, he didn't move. He sat there in the darkness all night hating...
...Morning came. The dawn pierced through the cracks of the cabin floor unhindered by the shattered roof. Dabuk felt the heat of the sun but felt no comfort or relief. He pushed open the trapdoor with all his strength.
What he found no boy should ever have to see. The burnt logs, the blacked earth, the bones - flesh eaten away. He fell to his knees crying not knowing which was his mother and which was his aunt. He threw up, the stench burning his lungs and eyes.
He was cold, shaking and alone for the first time in the world.
"Momma..." He whimpered. Then he felt it again. The rage burned in him and he screamed at the sky.
"I will kill them all! I will wipe them from the land wherever I go until none are left anywhere! I pledge my life and my soul to this! I will carry my hate as a banner and my rage as my sword! This I swear to my dying day!"
Then all is black...
...Thessa cried out in pain. She was shaking and Bactra grabbed a hold shaking her. She fought him trying to pull away screaming "Momma, Momma, nooooo!"
"Thessa! Thessa! It's over. The ritual is over. You're safe. Please..."
She blinked. "B-Bactra?"
"Yes, it's over."
"No," Thessa shook her head sobbing uncontrollably. "It will never be over."
"He warned you," I knew his voice even with the waves crashing against the shore. "But you just couldn't let it be."
"Dabuk," Thessa was panting for air. "I'm so sorry-"
"Save it!" Dabuk rose his voice his rage coming to the surface. "I don't want you're pity or your sympathy. What I want is for you to kill as many of them as you can when the times comes."
"I-I don't know if I can."
"Oh you will. There's no avoiding it now. It's like my cousin said. It's in you now. You'll never get it out."
"I'm not you!"
Dabuk laughed his voice echoing with wrought madness across the water...
----------------------------
This passage from my Story Hour depicts Dabuk praying at his mother’s sacred grove, speaking to her in a soliloquy.
The Great Forest, Woodknot, Eiithinia's Rest:
At the same time Bactra stood on his balcony, Dabuk could be found kneeling amongst the fallen leaves and soft earth of his mother's sacred grove. His legs and knees were numb but he hardly noticed. Only here was he ever near peace. Only here could he still be close to her.
A magically shaped oak in the form of Rillifane stood to his left with a equal of Corelleon on his right. They towered over the grove as sentinels guarding his mother's soul and the forest she loved. A small birch magically shaped in the form of his mother stood in the center of the grove. The Elders had dedicated it an the entire grove to his mother after her death. Renaming it Eiithinia's Rest.
"Mother," Dabuk spoke for the first time in five hours of praying. "Can you hear the trees today? They miss you."
The half-elven ranger was shaking his breath forming mist in the cold night air. But still he refused to move.
"Two more of the beasts are gone, mother. In time, they will all be gone. I swear it. I will make them pay for the pain and the death they cause.
This new war is a gift from Rillifane. I can feel it. Soon the hordes will know my name. Fear it. They won't have anywhere to hide from my rage, my vengeance.
Father thinks I am obsessed. If I am then I learned it from him. He hates orcs like I hate ogres. He never shows them mercy and I understand. And yet, he associates with one of the beasts! This Kellin One-Eye! An ogre, mother! One of his best friends in the world is an ogre!
He betrays us. I wish I knew why. Has the beast enchanted his mind somehow, mother? It doesn't make sense."
Dabuk raises his head staring at the Life Tree of his mother. He wished his life had been but a dream and that he would wake to find her standing over him. Smiling at him in that way that told him everything would be ok.
"Their deaths are not enough! I will not rest until they all gone and the evil one that spawned them with them! I will not yield. Someday, I will stand in heavens and destroy Vaprak himself! I swear it! Do you hear me Vaprak! I will come for you someday! I SWEAR IT!"
Dabuk was shaking uncontrollably. He fought to stay on his knees but could not. The grieving boy turned man lied down fetal, shaking. The trees wept for him.
"The trees miss you, mother." Dabuk whispered in the darkness. "I miss you."