Ceraph

Background "I have come to a foreign land. In the blink of an eye, I have traveled from the land of my home and my birth to a strange place I have never seen before. But I cannot seek my home, cannot return to the land of my people, not yet.' "I was raised by my father. Before I was born, he served in the Sacred Tribe, Tsar Orisu’s elite private guard. He told me of great adventures and conquest. What he never told me about was my mother. After I was born, he was no longer able to travel with the Tsar’s entourage. It was then he became a blacksmith in a small village. As a soldier, he always felt the steel could speak to him, as a blacksmith it continued to tell him how to forge it into the best swords, daggers and arrowheads in the plains. His steel became known as Kahzakian Steal (thinking similar to Damascus Steel). Periodically, his former companions would stop into our village to attain my father’s prized work. During these visits, I would get as many stories out of his old friends as I could. Eventually I even began to hear about my mother. Evidently, she was a lady-in-waiting for an elfish queen who was traveling through the plains and met with the Tsar on issues of state. Somehow my mother attained the consent of her queen to leave and travel with father. It wasn’t long before I was born. Sadly, my mother died during child birth. I suppose that is why my father never spoke of her. The memory of her still hurt, and I was a constant reminder of that, even so, he did his best to raise me. Teaching me his trade and even teaching me to fight.' "As I reached adolescence I became more interested in the fighting than the blacksmithing. I wanted the adventures my father had. But he kept telling me that it wasn’t my time. Eventually I grew to hate him for it. I began sneaking out, but I would never get very far before he would track me down and bring me home, until one time he didn’t. I tried to keep going, but I wondered where he was and why he hadn’t caught me yet. After a few days, I turned my horse around and rode home. When I returned to the town, I found it in disarray and the bodies of the villagers scattered everywhere and floating above it all was the ominous glow of a portal hanging in the air. I looked around to see if I could find my father but the only thing I found in his forge was an eye carved into his anvil; it appeared to be a logo of some kind. I heard a noise in one of the dark corners and a goblin jumped out at me. I grabbed the nearest weapons I could find, fortune had it that I grabbed Glory and Sorrow, a pair of short swords my father had crafted, the jewels of his collection. Even with my small ability I turned the goblin away. He broke from the fight and dashed through the portal. I hesitated. The portal seemed to remain open for an eternity. I wanted to follow but fear gripped my feet tight against the ground. Just as my courage pooled and I began to step through the portal I was knocked to the ground by a steely gray wolf. I later awoke in the room of an inn, far from my home. From the 2nd floor window it seems the Inn in which I reside is surrounded by large stone buildings, the likes of which I'd never seen. As I said earlier, I am in a land I've never seen. People from many walks of life wander the streets below. I believe I may have seen a dwarf. Lost. Everything, I've ever had is now gone. I do not know where to go from here…" As those thoughts finish their course through Ceraph's mind, the door to his room opened and in the jamb stood an elderly asian fellow. "You, come with me, no questions, just come," he said. Ceraph began to follow, but stopped when the man pointed abruptly to the familiar blades hanging on the coat rack. After gathering the blades he followed the strange slant-eyed man down through the inn through the bar/restaurant and it's motley inhabitants with their suspicious glares. He was then led hastily through the city streets to a small dirt hut in the middle of a park, where he was instructed to wait outside. Moments after the wicker hatted man entered the hut, a saddled horse wandered to stand near Ceraph out from the darkness beyond the trees encircling the hut. Before Ceraph had sorted out his thoughts, his guide reappeared and gave the half-elf rapid directions to mount the steed and ride out of the north gate of the city and follow the main road north. Sensing Ceraph unsure, the oriental assured him that they would meet again on that road and that Ceraph would be fine. Perhaps following his dreams of adventure or some other deep-seated motivation calling, Ceraph mounted up and rode as the pale-skinned man bade him. Personality Ceraph is just moving into adulthood and has very few life experiences and is therefore he is very unsure of himself. Also, being uprooted and put into a new situation has left him very off kilter. His initial experiences will dictate how he channels these emotions, either rage or something more constructive. Rage & Sorrow Twin short sword crafted by Arrad. Even though they were crafted from the same ore, Rage tinge of red to it and Sorrow a tinge of blue. When heated, their perspective colors glow brightly and continue to glow in the heat of combat. Sensing something special in the blade Arrad put more work into these swords than any other, the level of craftsmanship is unmatched with very delicate and intricate engravings of vines and flowers along the hilt and scabbards. NPCs Arrad (age 79 at the start of the campaign): Ceraph’s father. From the Followers of the Dawn tribe, the second son of the chieftain and trained to be a mighty warrior, eventually served Tsar Orisu in the Sacred Tribe. Being the most trusted of Orisu’s inner circle and the bravest fighter, he acted as the group’s field commander (mid-evil equivalent) until he left the Tribe to raise Ceraph. Ceraph is unaware of the exact events that lead to Arrads departure of the Tribe, he is under the impression that it had solely to do with raising a young child, but there maybe more at play. It is also unclear if he received permission to leave from Orisu or if he deserted. Though Arrad is in his twilight years he is able to hold onto life with a remarkable tenacity. Arrad did assign Bansem to run the forge when he retired, however Arrad still handles the business side of things and still holds the secret to Kahzakian Steel. Arrad transitioned into fatherhood easily eschewing the violent warrior persona for more of a kind and gentle teacher and mentor for Ceraph. Tsar Orisu (age 65 at the start of the campaign): The famed child Leader of the Nation of Kahzak. He is the oldest son of Torir, the chieftain of the Moon Son tribe. Torir died in battle and Orisu assumed the role of chieftain for the tribe, with Torir’s brother Quaon acting as Orisu’s advisor. In the first several months Quaon and Orisu worked to unite the five tribe of the Raj to fend off the invaders creating the nation of Kahzak and appointing himself Tsar. After 4 years of his reign Orisu had driven the last of the invaders out of Raj. With the tribes seeing the benefit of working together, and scared of another invasion, they kept their allegiance to the Tsar. It helped that he ruled with a relatively laissez-faire attitude. He spent most of the early years adventuring with his the Sacred Tribe in search of adventure and spoils. He didn’t fully settle into his role as ruler until his uncle died. Most of his reign has gone well, the people of Kahzak are either ambivalent or content with his decrees, but in recent years he’s become more radical in his policies. Quaon Orisu’s uncle. As a natural genius at military and political endeavors, Quaon did all in his power to place Orisu at the head of all the tribes and teach him how to reign. Quaon’s presence is shrouded from the general public and can be noble or corrupt at the storyteller’s discursion. These proclivities would most likely transfer to Orisu in some fashion. Quaon passed away with Orisu firmly entrenched as leader of the people of the Plains of Raj. Ceraph’s Mother Largely unknown to Ceraph, even her name. Theoretically a member of a royal elven court left her charge to be with Arrad and died in childbirth. The Sacred Tribe Tsar Orisu’s elite personal guard was initially established to protect the Tsar during the invasion. Made up of the four the strongest warriors from the tribes (given Orisu was of the Moon Sons, none of the Sacred Tribe hailed from their numbers), they all renounced their pervious loyalty to their individual tribe and swore fealty directly to the Sacred Tribe and Orisu directly. The members and Orisu developed a deep brotherhood fighting for one another as they would for their own family. After the war and Orisu’s life was in less peril, they began adventuring at Orisu’s behest. Seeking grand quests and fighting the strange and magical creatures. As Orisu has aged and become increasingly concerned with power, the Tribe has become his secret hands in handling matters that he cannot trust other’s to deal with. Even the membership, which previously held great honor and the names were know by all of Kahzak, is now steeped in secrecy. Original Members of the Sacred Tribe Orisu: Leader of the Kahzaks. Of the Moon Sons Arrad: The favored of the tribe, acted as Orisu’s lieutenant until his departure. Of the Followers of the Dawn Inekelo: On the field of battle he was a large brute, giant among men, whose strength was matched by none in the plains. But off the field was kind and gentle, with an almost child like grace. One of Arrad’s best friends and would still stop by to see him after Arrad left the Tribe. Of the Steel Bloods Thaust: The oldest of the initial members, was an accomplished battle-mage. Always one step ahead of his enemies with just the right spell to cast at just the right time. Could be devious in his methods, but largely trusted by his compatriots. Of the Black Hands Skels: In a land of horsemen and rangers he stood above all others with his survival skills. A master archer and rider, Skels could always be counted on to hunt down dinner, when all other would have given up. Of the Stone Hearts Villagers Minor NPCs that impacted Seraph’s life… who are now probably dead. When Ceraph returned to the village he didn’t have time to look through every body. So he only assumes that these people are dead. Bansem: One of Ceraph’s childhood friends, being a full-blooded human, he outgrew Ceraph and took over Arrad’s forge. Kinia: In her teens when Ceraph came to the village, she became a surrogate mother for him. Wordar: The village idiot. Seriously, this guy is retarded. Ceraph probably picked on him. Culture and Geography The Nation of Kahzak The Nation of Kahzak is a loose affiliation of five nomadic tribes: Black Hands, Followers of the Dawn, Stone Hearts, Moon Sons and Steel Bloods. Members of Kahzak are expert horsemen. Since the Plains of Raj are a largely inhospitable place there are very few permanent villages, most people travel the planes following game. For centuries the tribe wandered trading or skirmishing with the others when they would meet. Those few villages would farm, raise horses and make weapons to trade with the wanderers. When outside influence descended on the Tribes of Raj, the young Chieftain of the Moon Sons, Orisu, banded the Tribes under the singular banner of the Kahzaks and drove the interlopers from their lands. Orisu, now late in life is in his 63rd year of his reign. The original tribes Even though the citizens of Kahzak have begun to consider themselves all of one nation, they still identify with their original tribe to some extents (similar to a Montanan considers himself to be American, but different from an Idahoan). Black Hands: Staying mostly to the southern plains, the Black Hands were known for their powerful magics they received from the mysterious lands further south of Raj. Followers of the Dawn: Consolidating mainly in the east. The followers of the Dawn worshiped Davos, their sun god. Typically very resolute and hardworking. Stone Hearts: Mainly roaming the western plains, the Stone Hearts are known as the most care free of the tribes. With an oceanic coast, the currents keep the winters warmer and the summer’s cooler. Wild plants and game are more plentiful here than any other part of the Raj, therefore, there are even fewer permanent villages in comparison to the rest of the tribes. Moon Sons: The most transient of the tribes, they would wander all over the plains, never settling in one place for long. Because of their wide travel the Moon Sons developed into somewhat of a merchant class Steel Bloods: From northern more mountainous region of Raj, where the summers are short and the winters are hard, the Steel Bloods are the staunchest and hardiest of the tribes, with little time for frivolous endeavors.

Initial Character Sheet Media:Ceraph.gca4 Description Ceraph stands 6’2” and weighs 190 lbs. His half-elven heritage hides a great deal of his natural strength, although he is noticeably strong and well built. He has a naturally light complexion with stark white hair, which stands in contrast to the darker looks of the Kahzakian people (a gift from his mother), but his skin has tanned from long years in the sun. He dresses in the flowing cloaks of his people, keeping his hood pulled to hide his pointed ears. Chronology -18 – Plains of Raj are attacked by outside invaders -10 – Tsar Orisu, unites the 5 tribes under one banner to fight off the invaders. Orisu is 12 at the time, advised primarily by his uncle Quaon. -8 – Arrad, joins Orisu’s Sacred tribe, he is 16 -6 – The invaders are driven out of Raj -1 - A royal Elven party travel across the Plains of Raj, Arrad meets Ceraph’s mother. 0 - Ceraph is born, Arrad leaves the Sacred Tribe and becomes a blacksmith 0-35 - Ceraph is raised by Arrad happily 18 – Tsar Orisu’s uncle Quaon dies. Orisu continues his reign, and slowly increasing his power 28 – Arrad appoints Bansem, a friend in the village, to run the forge until Ceraph is old enough to take over. 36-53 Ceraph begins acting out and seeking adventure 53 - Ceraph runs away for the final time turns back to find the village destroyed and his father missing. He jumps through the portal to begin the real adventure