Description
Armored in thick dull-gray steel plate, a storm giant determinedly surveys
his surroundings. Despite his bulky armor, the giant moves with the
practiced grace and the solemn attitude of a priest confident in his faith.
Beneath an immaculately groomed closely cropped beard, his visage belies the
attributes of one who has endured trial and tribulation, and while young for
his kind the seeds of age and hardship are clearly taking root in the slight
outline of crow's-feet at the edges of his eyes.
The giant's white locks, kept in a myriad of intricate tightly woven braids,
are held back from his forehead by a thin twisted black strap of cloth, a
ceremonial hammer woven into its center rests on his brow.
A long flowing black hooded cape edged with embroidery of three interwoven
lines of gray, blue, and silver falls from the giants shoulders over his back
Well oiled gray steel chainmail under lays the giant's plate armor, its links
glinting with a dull sheen in the reflected light. The giant stands stolidly
his thick hands resting upon the pommel of his weapon.
Role
Beginnings
Added Sat Apr 24 14:05:11 2004 at level 1:
Born into the family of a guardsman of the Storm Giant King, young Ryldain
was small for his race.His mother perished in his birthing. His father was
not there to hear his first cries as he was dispatched with his brigade to
reinforce the warriors holding the ever-disputed fronts on the peaks of
Kidana Rah. He never returned to their home in the depths of the Aryth.
The mid-wife gave Ryldain to his aunt and uncle to care for, and he became
the youngest of three children in their family, their cousin-brother.
His uncle, a priest sworn to pacifism, imbued the teachings of the healers'
to his sons, and while Ryldain displayed promising ability in physical
training, his proficiency with the arts of healing and protection were meager
in comparison to that of his cousin-brothers.
Ryldain persisted in his studies despite his perceived shortcomings. Though
the kindness of his kin never allowed them to berate him, he could sense
that his failings shamed them.
He longed to excel, and while he owned his mistakes and weaknesses, he never
accepted the notion that he himself was a failure.
As Ryldain grew older, and began to understand the concepts of perception
and of self, and of good and evil, he finally grasped onto what he felt was
the root of his trials. He had been trying all of his life to fit in where
he had been placed, and the revelation that he had the ability to determine
his own path elated him, it also brought pain.
The realization that it meant he would have to break the ties that had bound
him to his Uncle and his ways was hard. As Ryldain expressed his newfound
understanding to his uncle the old giant absorbed his words with a sigh of
understanding, and a nod of begrudging contentment. He told Ryldain of his
father, and their father, Ryldain's grandfather, and for the first time told the
young giant of how they had perished and why. Again, Ryldain was granted
revelation that brought elation and sorrow, while his uncle's kind acceptance
of his decision was soothing, its balm was not strong enough to quell the
fire he could feel growing deep within his heart. So with his uncle's prayer
of benediction, Ryldain set out into the world to find his path.