Character History - Alexander Elric

Unfortunately this took a little longer than a week to put together. However I didn't want to post it "unfinished". This is mostly unedited.

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So, you want to learn more about me, eh? About my past? The Grand Adventures of Alexander the 'Gypsy King'? I'll let you determine how grand a tale it is.

I grew up amongst a typically Gypsy family; large and on the move. We travelled all over Aerune, from Trechelle, to Avanlei, through Rhoemurgh and even through old Naporea. My father was a Gypsy Elder, his father's before him a long twisting line of Gypsys. He held little influence with the council but was well respected. My mother's family, hail from Avanlei, I have been told that at some point in their history they were servant's to the Galanar family of Avanlei. Try as I might however I have never been able to find any records to prove such, if this occured it was likely more than four generations ago. When my mother joined the Gypsy caravan with my father she became our resident herbalist, teachings that were passed on from her mother, a Druid of the Green. I learned much from my parents, and spent the majority of my time with family, both immediate, and extended. However the time comes when everyone must leave home.

I was young and foolish, as everyone must be, and I had heard of the Free Commons of Belik Hills that gained its freedom from the tyranny of Mhurkiel. Being young, rebellious and freshly incensed with the History of the Gypsies, I made it my mission to go to Belik Hills and at the very least witness the freedom they had won for themselves. Some of my mother's family, the Richardsons, live near the southern border of Avanlei so I was familiar at least in part with the territory surrounding the town. I didn't tell my family where I was going. They were both loving and supportive and didn't ask too many questions. As Gypsies they understood that sometimes the wanderlust took people and demanded that they go on their own journey. They only demanded that I send word from time to time so that they knew I was still alive.

Fortune smiled upon me in my travels. I met a lovely woman on the road through nothern Rhoemurg, by accident. She was a Bayastri Shoathri from the highlands by the name of Vaalen Shadowstrider. I stumbled across her camp in the middle of the night. She had most obviously heard my approach and lept out of a nearby stand of trees in her animal form hoping to scare me off. It would have worked except, I tripped over some roots in my fright and was unable to run. Towering over me, a mass of sleek black fur, coiled muscle, and bared claws she allowed me to explain my intentions.

After a few tense moments we determined that our goals were similar. She was also travelling to the Free Commons in Mhurkiel, however she intended to enlist with a company attempting to free slaves. Initial misunderstandings aside, she had a pleasant personality and an intense sense of justice. We became fast friends over the course of our journey through Rhoemurg and southern Avanlei. I discovered she was from Locksmoor, and she always wore a thick Scarlet red ribbion in her hair. Shortly after we crossed the border into Mhurkiel we had a brief run in with some local Ruffians in a small town; I inadvertantly claimed her as my property to avoid a confrontation. She did not seem to be bothered by this, I knew at this point that we had indeed become close.

We stayed at the same inn within the free commons throughout our stay. Vaalen joined a company that was fighting to free slaves from Mhurkiel, using Belik Hills as their base of operations. Eventually she convinced me to join as well. We worked with the company on a regular basis and helped to liberate several slaves. Typically I helped with transporting those who were liberated out of Belik Hills and Mhurkiel; I was not as skilled at sneaking, deception or combat as others within the company. When we were not assisting the company we spent our free time enjoying each others company, and working odd jobs together to pay the Innkeeper.

The end of our second year in Belik Hills was nearing its end. Our relationship was the strongest it had ever been. Feeling confident one evening, I proposed to her. She accepted. There was a Druid in the area Vaalen had come to know well, we went to see her the next day and performed the ceremony. Happily married, Vaalen and I lessened our involvement with the company for a time, allowing us more time to enjoy our new lives together. It was the greatest time of my life. I was married to a strong, beautiful woman, we were living our lives as we saw fit, and fighting for what we believed in. What more could a man want?

Months passed, life was good. We were approached by one of the memebers of the company. There was a large scale mission taking place in a few weeks. A large number of slaves were to be liberated from a single master and they needed the help of all that were willing. We agreed to help. The weeks passed quickly in a flurry of planning and strategizing. It was truely a massive undertaking, we planned to evacuate the slaves from Belik Hills five or so per wagon, one wagon per day. With the projected numbers it would take us almost a week to get them all out of town. As the day approached, we said our temporary goodbyes and Vaalen and the others who were doing the liberating trickled out of town as was common practice. They would gather as the appointed place within the wilderness the night before the mission was to commence.

I was tending to the wagons we would use to evacuate the slaves when I heard the shuffling approach of someone who was obviously injured and limping. It was Cedric, a friend and member of the company. We had been on many missions together, Vaalen Cedric and I, he was a woodsman from Naporea, a Ranger I think, and better than I in a fight. His face was ashen, as he approached he held one bloodied hand over a gash in his side.

"Cedric!" I moved to assist him, but he waved me off.
"Alex ... run. We've .... Betrayed." His breathing was laboured.
"But you're..." I tried to help him again but he shoved me away.
"Too late for me ... Poison." His limbs were starting to stiffen and slow he lacked his normal grace.
"But... What about the others?" Cedric leaned his weight against me a moment, his voice little more than a raspy whisper in my ear. Cedric simply shook his head. He angled me towards the side entrance of the stables with his last steps.
"Go!" With his whole weight against me Cedric shoved me towards the doorway. I felt his fingers trail across my shoulder and heard the heavy thud of his weight crash to the ground. I turned long enough to look over my shoulder and see his still form, blood beginning to pool beneath him, and then I fled.

I lept upon the first horse saw and proceeded at a somewhat casual trot away from the City. I held on to my composure as long as was possible, so as not to look as though I was fleeing for my life - which would have been a dead give away for someone who was looking to stick something pointy and metal into my flesh. Finally when I could no longer supress the instinct to flee I urged the horse into a full on gallop and we disappeared into the night.

Vaalen and I had planned for this. We had designated a place where we would go if we had to flee the town. It was distant enough from eveything that it would likely not be found by any passers by. I sent the horse on its way back towards Belik Hills and made my way into the wilderness to our appointed spot still scared out of my mind.

I reached our meeting place and I waited. She will come here. It might take her some time but she will meet me here. I repeated it over and over in my mind. We had planned for this. She will come. My heart jumped at the sound of every woodland creature, at every shift and russle of branches. Vaalen will come. I just have to be patient. I laid awake until late in the evening staring up at the stars thinking that as soon as I slept she would arrive. As soon a sleep took me she would sneak up upon the little hollow I was resting in and nestle herself in beside me. I would be awoken by the warmth of her body and the soft silky touch of her hair against my cheek as had happened so many times before. Sleep would approach and then anticipation would brush it away. Eventually sleep took hold, my only company was the cold wind and the stars above.

I waited in the wilderness for nine days. After three days I began to scavenge what food I could during the dusk and dawn hours and construct a temporary shelter to help avoid the rain. I was greatful for the teachings my mother passed on to me long ago when I had wanted to be a herbalist like her and for the things that my father had taught me about living in the wilderness. I was forced to range further and further to find food enough to sustain myself.

On the tenth day I gave up hope. I had to leave the shelter. Not knowing what happened was worse than knowing that she had died. Maybe she was dead. She might have been injured, a broken leg would slow her down quite a bit. It was possible that she was only half an hour away. Perhaps she and the others had fled into Old Naporea instead of north into Avanlei. Perhaps she had been captured and enslaved by the Masters they were attempting to liberate the slaves from. Of all the possibilities that was the worst. She would have fought to the death before she allowed herself to be enslaved. I would not let myself believe it at the time, but now that I am more distant from the event I can see that this - or something similar to it - is the most likely outcome.

Gathering what meager supplies I could, I left the temporary shelter behind. I headed north East to Rhoemurgh toward my cousins Sasha & Grum Volsung's home. I had shared many stories about my cousin Sasha with Vaalen. She knew that were I to run into trouble, I would go to Sasha. It was a long jounrney, thankfully I was able to join up with a passing caravan for a good portion of the trek. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had been left alone with my thoughts on the road for so long. I stayed with Sasha, Grum and their young children for a few months off and on, though I never strayed far from the area.

In the time I spent there Vaalen never came calling. Sasha and Grum told me stories about Shadowfane and all of the strange happenings within. I thought, what better place to silently wait for whatever fate might come than in Shadowfane? If she couldn't find me in Rhoemurgh what better place to find a wandered than the land that eventually calls to all wanderers? Perhaps I might even learn something about the fate of Vaalen Shadowstrider.