Birth and Life

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Born in the Undergound to a poor dwarven couple, Jalil was unwanted by his parents. His father, Korell, was a very unsuccessful thief who spent most of his days in trouble with the law, his mother, Gildeth, was without a job, a beggar, who already had many children to support and certainly could not support another. After much debate between the two, his father not caring to wait for a couple to adopt and despite protests from Gildeth, took the infant Jalil and threw him in a trash bin near the entrance tunnel to the Underground, forgetting he even existed.

A full day passed until Jalil was found in the trash by a human couple on a sojourn to the mountaineer shop in the Underground. Neither of them could believe what they had found and were disgusted by the lack of respect for life. They immediately took the abandoned infant home with them to Arborea and claimed him as their own child, giving him the name Jalil with the last name of Falin, after their human lineage. His human mother, Liliana, was a kind and caring woman, an herbalist who spent most of her days in the forest gathering herbs to make potions. His human father, Vano, was a strong and resilient miner...both were devout followers of Asral, yet neither of them forced their religion on Jalil, preferring that he find his own true path to faith. As Jalil grew from infancy, his father began to teach him the ways of mining, and because of his dwarven heritage, quickly surpassed his father in skill, and for a long time, was content to spend his days deep in the caverns and mines collecting precious ores and gems.

Of course, over time Jalil's parents grew older and eventually passed away soon after his 40th birthday. Jalil had not, at this point, decided which faith he wanted to be a part of, and after much grievance over the loss of his parents, he set out to start exploring the world and find his path in life. It was around this time that he met Vurdijak Yoon, a skillful Ranger who showed Jalil the ways of the world and adventuring. They ended up good friends and went on many hunts with one another over the next few years, until one day, Vurdijak seemed to disappear off the face of Forostar. Shortly after his friend's disappearance, he blacked out.......

Picking Up the Pieces

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Jalil awoke shivering, confused and surrounded by carnage on the tundra. Two corpses that he could not identify lay on the ground, spears protruded from their neck and stomach, blood soaked the snow around them. One was dressed in a black robe, the other, some sort of forest garb. He couldn't remember anything from his past except his name, Jalil Falin. With no friends and no known family, he set off across the tundra. He wandered endlessly across mountains, forests, all over the wilderness. His mind was lost...searching for something.
Years passed. Everything that had happened to him since he woke on the tundra had been like a foggy dream, as if he hadn't really been in his body and he was just now returning after all these years. As he snapped back to reality, he became more observant of himself and his surroundings. His body was skinny and malnourished, he was in dire need of a warm bath and a barber. He was in full chain mail, carried an axe and a backpack...he must have been fending for himself somehow, he wasn't quite sure how.

Later that night, as he slept, he dreamt of a mighty battle between two men. They fought with spears to their deaths. An image of blood soaked snow was burned in his mind as he was jolted awake. He looked around and at first saw nothing but the trees and underbrush of the surrounding forest. On a second glance he saw a shadowy figure amidst the trees. He didn't feel threatened at all, he felt he needed to follow it.
For hours, he chased this shadowy form through the forest until he came upon a small stone structure. The shadow was gone and replaced by a voice in his mind...it seemed to guide his steps into this building. Once inside, he saw a statue of Asral and approached it. The voice became much clearer. He could feel it was the voice of Asral...
“My child...you seek answers to your past. Your answers will come through me, for I am the god of war and death. It is through these two things only that true change in life can occur, whether it is real war or a spiritual war...a physical death or an emotional one. With proper devotion and determination you will have the answers you seek. I can offer you strength and an honorable vengeance. If you are devoted enough, I will grant you the means to fight against those who stole your life and who would steal it again.”
“What would you have me do my lord?” Jalil asked.
“Go to the great city of Elvandar. Once there, seek out an elf by the name of Iliol...you will be of great help to each other in the coming years. When you find him, you both must devote yourselves fully to me. Only then will your life truly begin.”

It was the fires of Asral that had been guiding him all those years through the wilderness to safety. Jalil collapsed on the floor near the image of Asral and slept for a time. He woke renewed with purpose, left the temple and found himself at a crossroads next to a magnificent sparkling tree which he found strangely familiar. Everything he had seen since he left the wilderness seemed familiar to him. He must have been here before...
Following the road signs led Jalil north toward Elvandar where he made his first real contact with another living being in years next to the fountain in the city. After a refreshing drink of water and a few minutes rest, Jalil was approached by Iliol, who introduced himself and offered Jalil some food, which he gratefully accepted. Iliol displayed his knowledge of the arcane, played some songs on his lyre and shared stories from his past, while Jalil recounted what little he could remember of the events leading up to his arrival in Elvandar. Jalil was intrigued by this elf...who, according to Asral, was supposed to be of some help in finding the answers to his past, a past that had only one clue, the two corpses on the tundra...

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To Be Continued....

-- JalilFalin - 14 Nov 2008