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Olwyn ap Juntho Neutral Good Male Half-elf
Level 4 Wizard (Transmuter)
Str 9 Dex 16 Con 13 Int 17 Wis 15 Cha 15 Hit Points: 12 Status: Dead The morning sun cast light into his room. Frosty breath hung like smoke in the chilly morning. Almost absently Olwyn murmured “videar nul famulus,” while making gestures beneath his blankets with some string tied to a bit of wood. With a smile he watched wood being carried by an unseen force from the stack of firewood into the fireplace. A slight crease of eyebrows and a spark ignited the tinder. Soon a fire roared and heat seeped into the room and into Olwyn. All he could do was smile sweetly.
Things of late were not as sweet as his smile told. Thinking back on the past week, Olwyn’s face turned dark with worry and frustration. His eyes darted to look at a folded piece of parchment lying innocently atop the bed chest. Remembering he closed his eyes slowly…
Things were normal two months back. He studied with his mother; an elven sorceress named Fein ap Juntho. They lived in Challsea where his mother settled after the death of his human father, Arawc. Fein provided a good life for Olwyn and his twin sister Elm. She encouraged them to follow their hearts and seek out their desires, as she had with Arawc.
Olwyn remembers the stories of the father he never knew. Uncertain of his feelings, but feeling the loss of never knowing him. Arawc was from a small village on the boarders of the United Kingdoms. Not many people know of this village hiding near the Crescent Mountains. Arawc was a woodsman and part of the local defense for his town. During a particularly severe winter he made out looking for help to bring food to his village. He became lost in the winter storm and was found near death by elven hunters. They took him back to their village, Juntho.
The elven leaders were concerned for the safety of their settlement and decided to cast him out. Fein heard news of a human in Juntho and investigated. Arawc was still unconscious from the frostbite and fever. She convinced the leaders to let him stay in Juntho until Spring. The leaders agreed, and Fein took Arawc under her care. She was curious about humans and wanted to learn about them. Days later when Arawc finally awoke from his fever he was grateful for his life and enchanted by the beauty of Fein. He pleaded with the elves to help his village. With Fein’s help he convinced the elves to help him bring food to his village.
After a few weeks they were ready to set out. Fein was growing attracted to Arawc as he was to Fein. During these weeks they became lovers and explored the meaning of love.
A score of elves along with Fein and Arawc set out to Juntho. Upon arriving there the humans were furious that Arawc brought the elves to their village. Arawc did not understand the hatred his village elders had for the elves and tried to convince them the elves were here to help. It was found out that Fein was Arawc’s lover, which did not aid the situation. A young human defender was spying on two elves that went hunting the following day. The elves found game and in a jealous fit the human shot an arrow at the elves. The missile struck into the chest of one of the smiling elves. He died later that day. It was not proven how the elf died, and this did not cause relations to be any easier. The elves pressed for justice. In a riotous rage fueled by fear, hunger and jealousy, some of the humans attacked the elves. Arawc and three elves where killed in this fight.
Grief-stricken and shocked at the outcome Fein and the remaining elves fled back to their settlement. Weeks later Fein left her village in search of answers. She traveled South into the human lands. Along the way she discovered she was pregnant with Arawc’s children.
She found her way to Challsea and became a well-known and wealthy sorceress. Olwyn and Elm were raised with her love and knowledge. Fein still seeks to understand why her husband was slain.
Elm studied the martial arts and became interested in a local group that encourage people to help themselves and find their own inner strength.
Elm...
“Why?” so simple a word, but spoken with such emotion that anyone would have to give pause. Olwyn glanced at the fire and buried himself deeper under the blankets.
Six moths ago Elm had left Challsea to travel with her companions of inner strength to their Learning Center in Wereskalot. Olwyn remembers the day she left as a happy day full of hope and laughter. Now he can only curse it.
Olwyn opened his eyes again and bid his unseen friend to bring the folded parchment to him. It floated near him for a good fifteen minutes before his courage bid him take it.
Holding his breath, his fingers slowly unfolded the note. Tears began to sweat out of his eyes…
Good family of Elm
Your sister and daughter, Elm, is no longer allowed to write letters to you.
It has been brought to our attention that this is best for her continued learning. Do not attempt to contact or visit her.
The Learning Center...
Elm would never want her family to stay away. She just wasn’t like that. Olwyn had an instant feeling of ill when he first read this note…
One month ago he convinced his mother that he should travel to Wereskalot to find her and find out the situation from Elm in person. Fein hesitantly consented.
In the dead of winter Olwyn, a papered city-boy and scholar, was traversing the wilderness. He came well supplied with spells, food and blankets, but was terribly uncomfortable. This was not his first journey away from home so travel was nothing new. He often traveled to other towns to study books of all sorts. As a boy he was interested in maps and studied cartography with a map merchant that lived on his street. Alchemy was another passion of his youth. With the numerous resources his mother provided him with hours of alchemical experimentation. Luckily his mistakes never blew up her lab, well almost never.
Life was not completely care free from Olwyn and Elm. Being half-human they were often picked on as children for being different that most everyone. They both have some bitterness and as a result are slow to becoming trustful or friendly with most folks.
One such incident that Olwyn never recovered from almost killed him. Three bullies dragged him to the top of a guard tower in Challsea and held him over the edge. Elm saved him by alerting the town guards who promptly stopped the incident. Olwyn can not stand heights to this day.
Elm seemed to have a better time dealing with people outside of their home than Olwyn did. He made books his friends. His favorite subjects being poetry, magic and maps. Fein also taught him her ancestral language of Nelaoni to give him a better understanding of elven ways, through thinking in the evlish language.
The call of breakfast through the inn’s hallway stirred Olwyn out of his reminiscing. Deciding to stop ignoring his hunger he dressed and gathered his equipment. He intended to leave town and return home without Elm.
Walking into the warm commons of the inn he was greeted with suspicious glares and whispering. He was used to it, but Wereskalot seemed almost overly suspicious of strangers. After finding an empty table he drank his tea and became lost in thought of the past day…
Upon arriving in town the guards did not allow him to enter. He decided to leave and come back later. Using a visible illusion he distracted the two guards and slipped past them into Wereskalot. The Learning Center was his destination, but he knew nothing of this town. Stopping a man in the street he received directions to the Learning Center.
When he reached the building it appeared abandoned, but a scholarly fellow answered when he knocked on the door. He told Olwyn he knew nothing of a young elf lady named Elm from Challsea, that in fact Olwyn was the first visitor in months. Puzzled Olwyn pressed be allowed to enter the building. The man did not allow him and threatened to call the city guard if he did not leave. Confused and frustrated he left. That night he found this inn…
Olwyn felt a tug on his purse and instinctively clutched it while breathing the words, "color fontus" and tossing colored sand through the spreading fingers of his other hand towards the pick pocket. The rest was a blur to most patrons of the inn.
Not only was the thief knocked unconscious but two city guards that were dining nearby. Unfortunately there were three more guards that stood outside the range of the spell.
"Wonderful," muttered Olwyn. << BACK
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