The Dwarves are an ancient and storied race, originating on the mountainous continent of Cerril at the turn of the second century. A race crafted from the stones of the great mountains, the Dwarves worship their creators, the elder Titans. Revered throughout the realms as a race of master smiths and miners, they produce the finest metalworks found anywhere in the world. A hearty and resilient race, Dwarves can live to 1000 years of age, and most do. Of all the races of the realms, Dwarves hold dear the importance of kinship, believing that a bond of blood is stronger than the hardest metal. 

Known for their loyalty and strength, the Dwarves serve as the defenders of the kingdom of Cerril, protecting all of the goodly races from the encroaching hand of the Orc nations that run rampant throughout the lands. Due to this constant threat, all Dwarves learn the ways of combat from a very young age. Because of their strong belief in kinship, young warriors train alongside the same squad of warriors for the entirety of their life, developing a strong personal bond with one another. This tactic ensures that all Dwarves fight with the belief that each unit of a squad is indispensable, and as such, fight with an unparalleled ferocity and determination.

In recent years, the kingdom of Man has begun rebuilding along the coasts of Cerril. The Dwarves viewed this encroachment as an opportunity. Being a primarily mountain dwelling nation, they saw the Human’s as an opportunity to expand their trade and influence to greater heights and sought diplomacy with the race of Man. The Dwarves vowed to protect the Humans and allow them to settle the forests and coastal lands of Cerril in exchange for trade in goods and services from their newly formed colonies. And so, in recent years, the Dwarven homeland has seen the greatest prosperity it has known since it’s birth, finding itself a strong and influential ally among the race of Man.

Since their allying with the kingdom of Man, many Dwarves have begun moving out and starting up families and businesses among the Humans. A few influential Dwarf families have even established their own surface cities, eschewing tradition and seeking to grow their influence.

With this outward movement, the Dwarves have recently come into contact with the Elven nations. Although the two races did not see eye to eye at first (Elves being a naturally distrustful race) they have come to develop a tentative acceptance of one another. For unlike the race of Man, Dwarves hold a great respect for the Elves devotion to their ancestral homelands, understanding the importance of tradition and kinship. Because of this understanding, the Dwarves remain relatively tolerated by the vast majority of Elven nations, who view them as harmless traders and honorable guardians.

As it stands, the Dwarven kingdoms are in an era of growth and prosperity, reaping the benefits of both a strong trading economy and even stronger allies. However, although many Dwarven families have begun striking out from the ancient mountain homelands, the movement remains small. Most Dwarves still cling to the sanctity of their ancestral homelands, determined to hold onto the traditions from which they have forged their lives. For the bond of kin is one that cannot be broken.

     The youngest and most ambitious of the races. Originating in the kingdom of Dekim, a lush and varied land of forests, deserts and mountains. Unlike the longer lived races, Humans do not have the luxury of time on their side, their lifespans usually no longer than a single century. As such, Humans have made great leaps in technology and magic over the course of their history, establishing themselves as some of the finest architects, engineers and magicians of the realms.

     However, over the centuries, the ambitions of Man have led to very serious consequences. Their once prosperous kingdom of Dekim lying in a state of ruin, the result of years of war and disaster brought on by the ceaseless drive of the fledgling race. They have torn asunder the once bountiful lands, stripping it of all it’s natural resources and rendering much of the lands uninhabitable. In an attempt to save what habitable lands remained, The Council of Elder Magi sealed off the western lands through the use of powerful magics over four centuries ago. Nowadays, what few men remain in the kingdom of Dekim lie shrouded under a cloak of sorcery, attempting to rebuild their once prosperous realm.

     Those of the race of Men not granted passage into the Magi’s haven were left to fend for themselves in the inhospitable east, and over the next hundred years thousands were forced to flee their homelands in search of new lands. Refugee’s flocked out of the kingdom in droves, entire states of Men forced to relocate their lives and rebuild their empires. As the years passed, the various Human empires set about rebuilding their power in the kingdoms of Tirman and Cerril. 

     The first Human establishments to pop up following the exile from Dekim occurred along the coasts of Cerril, the mountainous kingdom of the Dwarves. The kingdom of Men established a series of port cities running the length of the continent. The Dwarves, being an exclusively mountain dwelling culture at the time, allowed Men to build their cities in exchange for the establishment of trade routes for their goods and services. Through this peace, the kingdoms of Men and Dwarves prospered, the Humans working the coasts and forests and the Dwarves tending to the mines. Their symbiotic relationship has flourished over the decades and in the last several decades the races of Men and Dwarves have begun living side-by-side in their respective cities, further strengthening their allegiance.

     The second Human establishments, within the kingdom of Tirman, were far from the success stories of those in Cerril. When Man landed on the coasts of Tirman, they set about establishing a series port-cities and building up a prosperous maritime culture. However, as the populations of men continued to grow, they were forced to strike out from these coastal colonies and begin establishing communities within the densely forested mainland. It was during this time that they first met the Elves of Tirman, an ancient and protective race.

     Although peaceful in nature, the Elves saw the forests and wilds of the realm as sacred land. As the kingdom of Men continued to strip away the forests and defile the homelands of the Elven kingdom, battles began breaking out between the two nations. War lasted for many decades with the Elves refusing to relinquish their forests and Men unwilling to halt their expanse. As time progressed, both nations grew weary of the bloodshed and met to establish a treaty. In the treaty, the Elves agreed to relinquish a few regions to the race of Man in which they could build their farms and villages, utilizing whatever the land provided in exchange for an end to the fighting.

     And so, as time has passed, the kingdom of Men has continued to spread its influence throughout the realms, establishing themselves as a powerful and influential force within the world. They have established prosperous communities on each of the realms great nations and continue to grow in power daily. Relations with the Dwarves are stronger than ever, and the treaty with the Elves has remained mostly intact. However, not all look upon the race of Men with friendly eyes. Even now, many of the once powerful Elven factions would seek to bring ruin to the nation of Men, removing their blight from the realms and returning Tirman to nature.

     The eldest race of the realms, the nation of Elves have endured for millennia. Originating in the densely forested kingdom of Tirman. Due to their ancestral affinity with nature and the druidic arts, the Elves serve as the wardens of Tirman’s wilds. Naturally skilled hunters and trackers, they have subsisted as a hunter-gatherer society for centuries, living harmoniously with nature. A generally frail race, what they lack in physical strength, they compensate for with their grace and intelligence, unrivaled in all the realms. The Elves are the longest living of the realms, averaging a lifespan of 3000 years, some reaching as old as 4000.

     A naturally xenophobic race, Elves hold little love for the other nations, especially the kingdom of Men whom they view as a blight on the realms. Until recent years, the Elven kingdom had lived in seclusion, free of the corrupting reach of civilization. However, as the nation of Men’s greed continued to grow, contact with the outside world became inevitable.

     Over the last two centuries, the Elves have begun mingling with the other races, more out of necessity than for any personal desires. With the influence of the kingdom of Men growing, and their alliance with the Dwarves an ever increasing threat, the Elven kingdoms have found themselves in a bind. In order to preserve their ancient homelands it has become necessary to align themselves with the interests of these rival nations. Without diplomacy between the kingdoms, war would continue unchecked. And so, after years of fighting between the nations, the Elves and Men have formed a tentative treaty between themselves. In this way the Elven nations have ensured the safety of the vast majority of their sacred lands in exchange for a few key human and dwarf settlements located across Tirman.

     However, not all of the Elven kingdoms agree to this compromise. As such, several prominent resistance movements have sprung up over the last several centuries, all concerned with stemming the tides of Men. Not content to simply turn over their ancient homelands to these foreign invaders, many would rather fight and die than see their cherished home burnt to cinder and rebuilt in the image of Man. 

     And so, with the Elven nations divided, many younger Elves have begun fleeing from their ancestral homelands in an effort to make lives for themselves within Human and Dwarf society. As more Elves leave behind the lands of their birth in an attempt to assimilate into these new nations, the Elven kingdom has begun to fracture and separate, spreading itself thin. The once great and powerful Elves now stand on the edge of destruction, it’s nation divided by war, both internal and external, and it’s youth abandoning the homeland in droves.

The race biographies are coming along nicely. For the sake of this particular novel, I am going to simply focus on three of the many races of the realms. While Elves, Dwarves and Men will be the only ones receiving bios, they will by no means be the only ones present. However, since the majority of my story will focus on members of these specific factions, it seemed pertinent to give some background to help flesh out why certain characters are the way they are.

With that said, I’ve got all three written out in scatter shot as a big tangled web of ideas and thoughts. I feel like there is a lot of interesting ideas contained in them, and look forward to tightening up my thoughts and fleshing them out in the next day or two. Once I’ve had some more time to sit down with each of them I plan to post them all one day apart, so be ready for that.

Hopefully you all stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Matthew

P.S. If you read this: follow, reblog, like, comment. Spread the word and help my writings reach a larger fan base. You’re all lovely, and I can’t thank my few followers enough!

Now that I am coming to the end of my character biographies, I thought it would be pertinent to update my audience to what I plan to do next.

First off, I want to address my crafting process.

I know it seems weird that I have labeled each and every one of my blog entries with a different parenthetical denotation. I do not want to confuse anyone with this strange system, so let me explain! With each entry, I spend approximately two days on them before they get published. My first day, I free-write for about half an hour to an hour, just getting out any ideas I may have for a character in a big, jumbled block paragraph. This serves as a way for me to just get down the thoughts that are running amok in my brain. Once this step is finished, I put the character on the back burner for a night. When I come back to the bio the next day, I work on refining what it is I’ve scatter shot the night before. At this point, I take whatever ideas I like and flesh them out a little bit more, breaking the wall of text into clear, concise paragraphs. Once this part is done, I publish my blog as a (1st Draft) and begin free-writing my next entry. This way I am continually working on at least two different pieces in varying phases.

(1st Draft) Notation

All the (1st Draft) marker means is that I have decided a piece is good enough to post, but it is by no means perfect. When an entry has this notation next to it, it simply means I am still going to be making changes to the story of the character. I may make a few small changes here or there, tighten up some grammatical mistakes, or even overhaul entire sections! Once I’ve had a chance to step away from one of these pieces and come back to it with a fresh perspective I will move it to a (2nd Draft) notation.

(2nd Draft) Notation

At this point, an article is at the point where I am happy with all of the major events of the characters life and times. During the (2nd Draft) phase, I will go through and maybe make a few small changes to names and places, and probably tighten up the syntax, diction and grammar. However, at this point the bulk of the creative process is over. Once I am happy with this phase, the piece moves into the (3rd Draft) phase.

(3rd Draft) Notation

A (3rd Draft) notation is a nearly complete entry. At this point I am satisfied with just about everything I have written. However, I feel that it’s necessary to go through and correct a piece one final time once I’ve nailed down all the creative specifics and ensure that the piece reads well. Once I’m convinced I’ve done close to as good a job editing grammar, spelling and punctuation as I can these drafts will move into a (Final) piece.

(Final) Notation

Pretty self-explanatory, these articles are ones I consider complete. At this point I have locked down all the details and done the best I can at fixing up my grammar, spelling and punctuation. These pieces are as close to perfect as I feel I can get them. However, that doesn’t mean that these pieces are completely off-limits. While you will most likely never miss out on anything major by never reading a (Final) draft more than once, it is possible I will decide down the line that something isn’t quite how I want it and modify it a little. So please do check back every now and then with these old entries to see if anything has changed.

So now you have a little better understanding of how I go about crafting my blog entries. With this knowledge, I hope you continue to check back often to see what has changed and how I’ve spruced up any particular entries you may have liked!

And now a glimpse into the future.

With the character bios all but finished (I may add one or two more down the line) I thought you might like to know what I plan on writing next. I feel that every good fantasy story needs not only a strong cast of well-developed characters, but an equally strong setting. And so it is with this idea in mind that I am going to start working on some location and race bios over the next several weeks. These bios will hopefully give you a little bit of background lore on the world that my characters inhabit. It should help you to better understand why certain races are the way they are, what the world looks like and the creatures that inhabit it, and how each setting will play a role in my upcoming novel.

So please, stay tuned over the next few weeks while I slowly develop the foundation of my novel one block at a time.

• Sex: Female
• Race: Human
• Age: 29
• Eye color: Teal
• Hair color: Blonde
• Height: 5’6”
• Weight: 140 lbs
• Profession: Thief Lord

     The child of a middle-class merchant family, Elly Carrow spent the greater part of her childhood in relative comfort. Brought up under a classical education and a warm, loving family, she spent most of her youth ignorant to the troubles of the world. However, at the age of 13, her father passed away mysteriously, leaving her and her mother alone and penniless. Following his death, Elly’s mother spiraled into a debilitating depression, culminating in her suicide on the eve of her daughters 14th birthday. With her parents dead and no other family to look after her, Elly was placed into an orphanage where she would spend the next three years of her life.

     During her stay at the orphanage, Elly was subjected to unimaginable horrors. Forced into prostitution by the priests who ran the orphanage, she learned quickly the harsh realities of life. Unable to prevent the abuses levied on her by her supposed guardians, Elly had no choice but to submit. By the age of seventeen, her once optimistic and carefree demeanor had been replaced with a cold and callous disposition.

     At the age of seventeen, Elly was sold by the priests of the orphanage to Marrick Carrow, one of the four Thief Lords of Dalmorn. Over the next several years, Elly served Marrick as both courtesan and thief, working the cities red light district. It was during this time that Elly began planning to escape from her life of slavery and prostitution. The years of cruelty and torture she’d endured had numbed her to pain, strengthening her into an shrewd and resourceful opportunist.

     By the age of twenty-three she had used her feminine wiles to position herself as Marrick’s principle mistress, providing her a favorable position within the guild and a respect that came with her proximity to it’s famed leader. However, Elly was not content to remain lapdog to the man who had forced her from one life of prostitution to another. And so Elly devised a scheme that would secure her future, setting her free of Marrick’s control.

     Three years later, Elly and Marrick were set to be married, the culmination of years of planning. That May the two held their wedding ceremony within the halls of the Carrow estate. Elly knew that the night of their wedding, caught up in the ecstasy of marriage, Marrick’s defenses would be down. This would be here only chance at freedom. And so it was, during the consummation of their marriage vows, Elly took Marrick’s life. 

     Three years have passed since Elly usurped the title of Thief Lord of the Carrow guild from her late husband. Things have remained relatively peaceful within the guild since that day. However, rumors that Elly has recently come into possession of an ancient and powerful druidic relic have spread quickly throughout the kingdom. With rumors comes unwanted attention, attention that is sure to invite trouble upon the house of Carrow.

     An ancient druidic order originating around the founding of Tirman, The Verdant Hand follows the teachings of Valdis, the Mad Druid. Largely shrouded in secrecy, the Hand has operated behind the scenes for centuries, protecting the sanctity of the wilds from the ever increasing reach of the nation of Man. Originally a peaceful organization, over the last several decades the followers of the Mad Druid have become increasingly hostile in their vigilance. As the kingdom of Man grows larger, and their destructive expansions a more potent and wide-spread threat, the worshippers of Valdis have been forced to strike out directly in order to maintain their protection over the ancient druidic homelands.

     Under the guidance of the Three Disciples of Valdis: Bartolo, Cambrin, and Descard, The Verdant Hand have begun expanding their sphere of influence outside their ancient homelands, building up splinter cells within the city-states and principalities of Tirman. It is through these growing networks that the Hand has been able to increase their attacks against kingdom of Man. With their numbers swelling and their influence reaching deep into the heart of the kingdoms underground, the Hand are one step closer to putting an end to the kingdom of Man’s ever-growing corruption.

     In the past several years, the Three Disciples have set in motion a plot that would wipe the kingdom of Man from Tirman’s surface, setting right the natural order of the wilds and reclaiming the ancient homelands in the name of the Mad Druid. Through their vast networks of information, the Disciples have learned of an ancient relic, once belonging to Veldis himself, that has fallen into the hands of one of the four thief lords of Dalmorn. With the power of this particular relic in their control, the Disciples would wield power enough to see their plans through to fruition.

     And so with this information in their possession, the Three Disciples and their Verdant Hand have set out for the port-city of Dalmorn in the hopes of recovering the heirloom of Veldis. Once in control of the relic, it would be but a matter of time before the Hand will have stemmed the tides of Man, once and for all. 

• Sex: Female | Male
• Race: Wood Elf | Wood Elf
• Age: 180 | 180
• Eye color: Azure | Jade
• Height: 5’7” | 5’10”
• Weight: 150 lbs | 175 lbs
• Profession: Druid | Druid

     Last of the Three Disciples of Valdis, Cambrin and Descard are fraternal twins. The younger siblings of Bartolo, they were raised alongside their brother as porteges of the Mad Druid. The twins took to their teachings quicker than most of the other druids of the Hand, displaying an innate affinity to the wilds. At the young age of 50, Cambrin and Descard had already perfected the art of shapeshifting; usually the last ability taught to disciples of the order due to the dangers associated with transformation. Their incredible abilities and relation to Bartolo helped secure them positions of influence within the order. It was known throughout the Hand that Bartolo and his twin siblings had established themselves as the chosen Disciples of Valdis.

      In her adolescents, Cambrin gained a reputation as a cold and calculating sadist. Her affinity for torture making her the most feared of the Three Disciples. She possesses a fanatic devotion to Bartolo and his agenda, one verging on obsession. Following her brother’s rise to power after Valdis’ death, it became her goal to ferret out all those who opposed his rule. During this time, she donned the mantle of judge, jury and executioner and through her guidance, her and Descard were able to quell the flames of rebellion within the order. Her purge of those who challenged Bartolo was the move that sealed his seat of power.

     Never far from her side, her brother Descard is known as a mischievous and malicious trickster. An elf who revels in the thrill of combat, taking great pleasure in both dolling out and receiving pain. Known to possess a short fuse and violent disposition, Descard jumps at every opportunity to fight, no matter how immense the odds against him. However, what he lacks in finesse he makes up for in sheer ferocity. During Cambrin’s purge of dissidents within the order, Descard was tasked with submitting and delivering to “justice” the individuals who opposed Bartolo. So skilled was he at the task, that those he sought to deliver often met their judgement at the end of his blade.

     With their brother’s dominion secured, the twins instituted themselves as Bartolo’s personal guard and enforcers of order within the Hand. They are directly involved in all critical operations within the organization, personally leading their fanatics into battle. Where one sibling is found, the other is surely close behind. Their cunning, cruelty and overwhelming ferocity in battle have ensured their positions of power within the order, commanding the respect of all those within The Verdant Hand.

     Cambrin and Descard have recently been tasked with uncovering the exact whereabouts of the relic of Valdis, rumored to be in the possession of one of the four Thief Lords of Dalmorn. It is with this goal in mind that they set out alongside Bartolo and a contingent of elite Hand fanatics for the famed port-city. The siblings will stop at nothing to discern the relic’s resting place, leaving a swath of death and destruction in their wake if the need arises.

• Sex: Male
• Race: Wood Elf
• Age: 230
• Eye color: Amber
• Hair color: Grey
• Height: 6’2”
• Weight: 165 lbs
• Profession: Arch-Druid

     Eldest of the Three Disciples, Bartolo is a figure shrouded in mystery. Born within the ranks of The Verdant Hand, he spent his childhood studying the druidic arts under the guidance of their founder, Veldis the Mad Druid. Known for his cruelty and fanatic zeal, Bartolo made no secret his willingness to go to whatever lengths necessary to preserve the druidic homelands. During his youth, he frequently clashed with Veldis, often disagreeing with the Mad Druid’s methods of maintaining the sanctity of the wilds against the expansions of Man. Although his opinions differed from those preached by the Mad Druid, Bartolo held a great respect for Veldis, viewing him as a wise and powerful, if not somewhat misguided, leader and father figure. 

     However, with the passing of Veldis, the future of The Verdant Hand fell into question. Bartolo was just reaching his first century of life at the time, and quickly made clear his desire for total control of the organization. Having been the favored disciple of Veldis, few opposed his claim as natural successor to the position of Arch-Druid. Over the next several years Bartolo transformed The Verdant Hand from a peaceful organization of druids to an aggressive and warlike group of fanatics hellbent on wiping clean the corruption of Man from the face of Tirman.

     Many of the elder druids of the order opposed the violent methods preached by their new leader and sought to depose him from the position of Arch-Druid. However, Bartolo lived up to his reputation as a cruel and malicious ruler, and with the help of those loyal to him, set about eliminating all who stood in opposition to him. With the naysayers silenced, Bartolo shifted his focus on growing the strength of the Hand, extending their influence outside of the ancient druidic homelands of the wilds. Over the next several decades, Bartolo set about establishing a vast network of splinter cells located all over the towns and villages of Tirman. Through these various chapters, Bartolo was able to keep constant vigil over the kingdom of Man.

     The Hand now stands at it’s pinnacle of power. Bartolo is readying preparations to see his grand plan through to completion. With information that a lost artifact of Valdis has fallen into the hands of one of the four Thief Lords of Dalmorn, Bartolo has set out alongside his siblings, Cambrin and Descard, and a small contingent of elite Hand fanatics for the famed port-city. They will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the recovery of this ancient relic, and finish what Bartolo started so many decades ago. If he should succeed, the Kingdom of Men’s time in the spotlight would come to a swift and devastating end.

• Sex: Male
• Race: Dwarf
• Age: 178
• Eye color: Hazel
• Hair color: Black
• Height: 4’4”
• Weight: 215 lbs
• Profession: Cleric

     Finn was born in the mountains of Cerril, within the capital of Havendarrow; a dwarven stronghold and famed mining complex located north of the Jaggedspire Pass. At a young age, Finn was drafted into the service of Brotherhood of Drumaldi, God of the Forge. He spent his early years honing his skills under the tutelage of the finest clerics the Order had to offer, perfecting the holy arts. His innate abilities and unwavering faith helped him rise swiftly through the ranks of the Order, and at the young age of 100 Finn donned the mantle of High Cleric of Drumaldi.

     As High Cleric, Finn spent many years training disciples in the name of the Forge God. During which time, he led several highly regarded expeditions into the surrounding Jaggedspire Mountains to combat the growing orc threat led by Grumansh Flamemane, a vicious orc magi. Grumansh had managed to subdue a legion of goblin and orc zealots hellbent on conquering Havendarrow in the name of the Goral, God of Chaos. On one such expedition, Finn and his clerics had come across a caravan overrun by Grumansh’s fanatics. However, what first appeared to be a caravan in need of rescuing, turned out to be the complete slaughter of Grumansh’s forces at the hands of the caravan guards, led by Alexel. Seeing such a skilled display of tactics and combat ability, Finn approached the caravan, requesting an audience with Alexel. Upon learning that the caravan was headed to the city of Havendarrow, Finn volunteered his services for the remainder of the journey. 

     Over the next several years, Finn and Alexel built up a mutual respect and admiration for the each other, often fighting side-by-side, defending Jaggedspire Pass from the ever-present orc forces. It was these exploits that secured the route between the lowland villages and the capital of Havendarrow over the next several seasons. However, when Alexel left the Jaggedspire Mountains to test her skills along the Scintillating Coast, Finn stayed behind. His duty to kin and king outweighing his longing to join his friend.

     However, it has been several years since Alexel left to seek her fortunes as a bounty hunter, and Finn has begun hearing rumors of a terrible blight affecting her home kingdom. So it is with a sense of duty to his old friend that Finn sets out from his home in Havendarrow for the Scintillating Coast. He hopes to catch Alexel and offer her whatever assistance he may. For he knows she cannot ignore the news coming from the west for long, and even now may be running headfirst into a battle she cannot hope to win.

• Sex: Male
• Race: Dusk Elf
• Age: 155
• Eye color: Grey
• Hair color: N/A (Bald)
• Height: 5’5”
• Weight: 145 lbs
• Profession: Thief

     Fendrus was born in Aubrelen’s Vale, the nocturnal forest home of the Dusk Elves, located within the kingdom of Tirman. Brash and independent, Fendrus spent his youth gaining a well-earned reputation as a prominent thief and trickster among the Vale elves, constantly running afoul of authority.

     In his early years, Fendrus came to prominence as a leading member of the Evendusk Syndicate, a guild of thieves and assassins operating to overthrow the ruling council of Aubrelen’s Vale. However, when a plot to get their hands on a coveted artifact belonging to the Vale elders was met with failure, Fendrus was made scapegoat for the crime. So in an effort to avoid execution and escape with his life, Fendrus fled. He wandered for many weeks, eventually arriving in Segrist Marsh, far to the south.

     It was here that things began to improve for Fendrus. While making the passage, he was set upon by local highwaymen. After a brawl that ended with the death of several of thieves, their leader among them, Fendrus determined to make a name for himself in the marsh. He spent the next several years in the pass, building a reputation as a skilled and intelligent highwayman. He gained a loyal following and was living well, preying off the merchant caravans that made the pass through Segrist Marsh; traveling between the villages of the north and the port city of Dalmorn in the south. However, as time wore on, Fendrus’ actions gained the attention of the local magistrates, who in turn placed upon him a substantial bounty. With such a large price on his head, it wasn’t long before several of the more opportunistic members of his group began plotting ways to collect. So, yet again, Fendrus found himself fleeing a position of wealth and power in an effort to save his own life.

     After escaping the marsh, Fendrus set out for the port city of Dalmorn. He had heard stories of the thieves guilds that ruled the port and thought it his best bet at finding a home for someone of his particular talents. His gamble proved beneficial and within his first month in Dalmorn, Fendrus had found work running odd jobs for the various Thief Lords. Over the next five years, Fendrus steadily climbed the ranks of power within the city, establishing himself as a skilled thief and competent businessman. All the while, building up a substantial network of contacts and surrounding himself with powerful allies.

     It is because of these accomplishments that Fendrus has been able to keep himself safely at the top for many years. However, as he has learned many times in the past, one never stays on top for too long. Power often brings trouble and with the kingdom of Tirman in a state of chaos over the rumors of a blight in the north, Fendrus’ day of reckoning is swiftly approaching.

• Sex: Female
• Race: Human
• Age: 27
• Eye color: Emerald green
• Hair color: Auburn
• Height: 5’10”
• Weight: 155 lbs.
• Profession: Mercenary/Bounty Hunter

     Born the daughter of the ruling family of Aldra, capital of the kingdom of Tirman, Alexel grew up a child of privilege. Provided the best education and training available, Alexel spent the majority of her childhood traveling under the tutelage of various masters; training in both the practical and intellectual arts. Upon her return home at the age of seventeen, Alexel found herself discontent with her lot in life. The years spent traveling the kingdom, strengthening both body and mind, had left her restless. She was unwilling to sit and wile away the years as a daughter of the ruling class, watching as her years slipped away. At age eighteen, Alexel determined to pack up and leave the sedentary life of a ruling noble and set out for the neighboring kingdom of Cerril.

     Over the next nine years, Alexel plied her skills in various odd jobs throughout Cerril. As a skilled tracker and rider, Alexel spent several years as a mercenary and caravan guard protecting merchants traveling through the Jaggedspire Mountains; a treacherous expanse of mountains serving as the only passage for caravans making the trip from the lowland villages of the south to the capital of Havendarrow in the north. She spent her time fighting alongside the Havendarrow dwarves and caravan merchants, working to stem the rising orc threat in the region. After a few years of building a name for herself within the pass, Alexel’s wanderlust returned and she sought a change of scenery. With the merchant season coming to a close, Alexel set out to the south, seeking the comfort of the sun-bathed Scintillating Coast.

     The Scintillating Coast was an ocean trade route that served as the only means of passage between the kingdoms of Tirman and Cerril. For centuries, the pass had been ruled by the pirates that stalked its waters, preying on the merchant and passenger ships making the passage between the two empires. 

     It was during her tenure as a bounty hunter aboard the ships of the Scintillating Coast that Alexel became aware of trouble back in her home of Aldra and the surrounding city-states. News had arrived that the kingdom was overcome by a blight; that the ruling families had walled themselves within the safety of their fortresses and castles, leaving the populous to suffer: alone and helpless. Upon hearing the news that chaos had erupted back home, she determined to return to the kingdom of her birth and find out for herself the truth behind the rumors.

     So, after nine years of self-imposed exile, Alexel is finally returning to the land of her birth. However, the circumstances of her return are far from ideal. And so it is with a heavy heart that Alexel set’s sail for the port city of Dalmorn, the first stop on her journey home.

     I suppose it would be pertinent to take a moment and explain the goal of this blog. I’ve recently come to the decision that I want to start writing a novel. Writing a novel is a very serious undertaking, a decision that takes a lot of time, planning, hard work and dedication to accomplish. These are all attributes that I have the ability to possess, but often find myself neglecting in favor of such vices as sloth. So, in an effort to counteract my slothful nature, I’ve decided to focus on piecing together my novel in “episodes”.

     Over the next year and a half, I plan to construct a novel from start to finish. I will begin by giving some character bios for all of the main characters of said novel. Once I’ve established the who, I’ll provide a quick overview of the world in which I plan to place them. Once I have the who, where, and when, I will focus on crafting the what and why. In order to accomplish this, I plan to craft a novel, one chapter at a time, via this blog.

     I have concocted this plan simply as a means of helping myself to focus my concentration and craft a story I can be proud of. However, if I gain even one fan over the course of this experiment I can say that I accomplished more than I set out to.

    So stay tuned, and please, enjoy.

- Matthew