Description
Before you is a large, bull-like creature, twisting horns protruding from his
massive head, their tips shod with steel to prevent them from breaking off or
becoming dull. The color of storm clouds, his entire body is covered with fur
that seems to shift from gray to almost black, depending on how the light
strikes him. His forearms and shoulders are covered with scars, some from
blades and others obviously old burns. The acrid smell of smoke and fire
seems to hang about him, as though he spends a good deal of time in front of
an oven, or a forge. Given the size of his muscles, you assume he isn't a
baker. Looking more closely, you see that there is a ring of skin around his
neck where the fur is missing, as though it has been burned so badly hair
will no longer grow there.
Role
The True work of a Villager Smith of the Paragon
Added Wed Jan 9 09:24:27 2008 at level 51:
Wiping the sweat and soot from his brow with the back of a massive,
burn-scarred hand, Tahrlaw peered into the flames of the hearth, watching the
blade he had been working on for the last hour heat once more, colors
shifting from dull orange to white hot.
The sounds of young villagers sparring drifted in through the wide open doors
of the Forge, the ring of steel on steel a comforting, familiar sound to the
minotaur. Pausing to watch the the match, grunted in amusement as one of the
fighters tried to perform a complicated maneuver with his blade and ended up
nearly dropping it instead, receiving a blow from his opponents fist to the
face that sent a shower of blood droplets flying through the air.
Tahrlaw turned back to his work.
Pulling the blade from the flames with a long pair of tongs, the horned beast
ignored the thick leather gloves hanging on the rack and began to pound the
hot metal, sending showers of sparks flying through the air, gritting his
teeth as some landed on his forearms and hands, channeling the pain into
controlled rage, lending his blows greater force. Suddenly he stopped,
sensing that his work was complete, for now, and plunged the blade into the
barrel of oil, sending up a great billow of acrid smoke. Using a clean rag,
he wiped the oil from the blade, placing it on a rack of other unfinished
swords.
"Now then," he thought to himself, "It's time to work on forging the other
blades of the Village."
Closing the door on the forge, he headed out to the young Barbarians, still
sparring, to try to correct their form and hone their techniques. Perhaps
this day he would take them to fight the vicious Skeletons on the Mount. A
bit of a challenge to test their temper.
The true work of a Smith of the Paragon is not simply in the creation of
inanimate objects, but in the shaping of the future, and the forging of those
who will contribute to the changes the Smith desires to make in the World.
The Subject of Honor, so popular among Villagers
Added Tue Dec 18 09:55:31 2007 at level 42:
Honor.
How honorable was the wizard that collared Tahrlaw before he was even old
enough to defend himself?
Where is the honor in holding someone against their will, using magic to bend
their thoughts and actions?
Tahrlaw is far less concerned about honor than in the death of every mage he
can get his hands on, the grudge he holds powerful and eternal.
It is one thing to honor a brother of the Village by standing aside while he
fights his own battle, if he so chooses. It is another to let the cursed
wizard escape with his life, should he win.
To willingly stand aside and let a wizard live brings dishonor to the memory
of his enslavement, and to the dwarven smith who risked so much to free him
from the cursed magic collar.
Reflections on the Forging Process
Added Tue Dec 18 08:13:19 2007 at level 42:
Having watched Ysaloerye carefully as she worked within the Forge of the
Paragon, Tahrlaw spent the next few hours contemplating what he saw, trying
to figure out what the Goddess wanted him to see that wasn't obvious. Pacing
around the empty Village, hooves ringing on cracked and bloodstained
cobblestones, the thick-skulled beast reflected on the many battles he had
fought, won and lost, in his time.
His usual course of action was to work himself into a frenzy and lose himself
in the haze of battle lust, intent on tearing the head of his opponent from
his shoulders. Unfortunately, more often than not of late, it had been his
own head that was left lying on the ground, bested by elder enemies.
Suddenly, it hit him.
"Well shave my arse with a rusty duergar-forged blade!" he exclaimed his
curse echoing among the empty huts.
"If battle is the forging process, I can't be shattering what I'm trying to
forge every time I put it into the furnace!"
Thinking about Ysaloerye's single mighty blow with the largest hammer in her
forge that shattered the glowing fork, Tahrlaw realized that if he is to
improve himself, he needs to approach his battles with more care. A skirmish,
in which he survives, is akin to heating the metal in the furnace and
beginning to hammer it into shape with careful blows. A blade, or piece of
armor, takes many trips to the furnace and many blows of the hammer before it
is ready. Putting too much force into the blows upon the anvil, trying to
work the metal too fast, will only destroy it. So to had Tahrlaw been
destroying himself with each battle, overzealous in his commitment to death,
be it his own or his opponents.
Reflecting, and learning from your battles, then, is akin to the quenching
process. Being hardened by your experiences, each shaping you into something
stronger, is for naught if you don't learn and remember. So too, will a blade
not hold its temper if not quenched at the proper time.
Muttering angrily, frustrated by his own slow wit, Tahrlaw took up his
weapons and trotted out of the Village, heading for Akan, a cold drink, and a
word with his Goddess.
A glimpse of life in the Village
Added Thu Dec 13 09:49:20 2007 at level 34:
Grunting in pain, Tahrlaw threw himself down onto the cot in his
crudely-constructed hut, a bloody rag pressed firmly to the ragged hole in
his side. The sounds of battle had been replaced by the moans and cries of
the wounded, which the huge minotaur disregarded in lieu of his own
condition.
The foolish Imperial thief who was responsible for the hole in his side was
dismembered, his skin removed and hanging on the wall of Tahrlaw's hut to
dry. Chuckling to himself, the minotaur recalled the look of surprise frozen
on the dead human's face. The puny bastard didn't have a chance, having only
enraged the huge beast by sticking him with that tiny needle of a dagger.
Feeling woozy, Tahrlaw glanced around the hut for another rag to try and stem
the bleeding when his eyes fell upon the small shrine to Ysaloerye. A table,
upon which rested a tiny iron anvil, the slender finger bones of countless
wizards, and a mug of ale, which Tahrlaw refilled with fresh brew daily.
At the same time, there came an cry from outside and the sounds of clashing
blades again filled the air. Eyes flashing angrily, Tahrlaw uttered a prayer
to the Paragon that his rage would burn hot enough to blot out the pain.
Digging his fingers into the wound in his side, the beast bellowed long and
hard, allowing the pain to flow through him and fuel the white-hot rage that
always burned in the periphery of his soul. Taking up his blades, he dashed
outside and back into the fray of battle, greeted by the screams of the
wizards who had thought him too injured to fight.
A scar to remember
Added Wed Dec 5 20:42:06 2007 at level 11:
The dwarf had had him kneel before the anvil, leaning over the large piece of
steel so that the collar was resting on its surface. Placing the tip of his
strongest chisel carefully, the smith raises his hammer and brought it
crashing down with a mighty blow. There was a bright spark, an great
outrushing of breath on both of their parts, yet the collar was undamaged.
Not willing to give up, Tahrlaw insisted that the dwarf try again. Knowing
what needed to be done, the sooty smith spat.
""There be only on way I can think t'get this done. We're goin' t'heat the
collar up, first. Til it's cherry red, I'd think."".........
Gingerly touching the dirty rag tied like a makeshift bandage around his
neck, Tahrlaw winced as he trotted down the street, headed for Seantryn's
south gate. Grinning grimly, he cherished the pain the throbbing burn brought
him with each step.
Luckily for the wizards, the volume and intensity of the rage that came
spilling from Tahrlaw ensured that they felt little pain as they died, skulls
crushed by his crushing onslaught, their death swift.
Dropping to his knees amidst the wreckage, Tahrlaw offered a silent prayer to
the Goddess Ysaloerye, giving thanks for the flame of rage that burned
undiminished for all those years, giving him the will to survive. Asking for
the strength to keep that fiery rage banked and glowing until it is needed
once again, to end the life of another sorcerer.
Having no where else to go, Tahrlaw returned to the smith and remained with
him for some time, learning what he could of the trade, offering his labor,
freely given, in thanks for his freedom.
Trial by forgefire.
Added Wed Dec 5 17:01:23 2007 at level 11:
*CLINK* *CLINK* *CLINK*
The sounds of the blacksmiths hammer hitting the anvil drew Tahrlaw like a
moth is drawn to the flame. Seeking the light of freedom, but likely finding
only death.
For a few months now Tahrlaw had been considering his options. Consumed by
rage yet unable to let it free upon the mages he detested so much, he set his
mind once more to the problem of the collar. Certain, now, that he couldnt
overcome the compulsion charms placed upon it, he was out of ideas. Until he
heard the sounds of the blacksmiths forge.
Stepping up to the wide double-doors, closed his eyes and let the hot air,
acrid smells, and noise pour over him, so unlike the quiet solitude and order
of the keep that was his prison. He cleared his throat.
A stout, soot-stained dwarf with a singed beard and leather apron glanced up
from the anvil, obviously annoyed at being bothered.
Well, out with it. What is it ya need, then? Shodding? Slipped a hoof?
Tahrlaw peered down at the stubby smith, took in the strength in his arms and
the fire in his eyes, and felt hope for the first time since he was born.
Gesturing to the collar around his neck, he committed himself to freedom, or,
failing that, a likely death. Prevented from even asking for someone to
remove the collar, he only hoped the smith understood.
Looking grim, the dwarf glanced to the street behind Tahrlaw, beckoned the
minotaur inside, and closed the double doors behind him.
Ten years of Bondage
Added Wed Dec 5 16:29:14 2007 at level 11:
For nearly ten years Tahrlaw served in the small keep south of Seantryn Modan
that his master and a number of other sorcerers inhabited. First trusted only
with menial tasks and cleaning, the Wizards faith in the binding spells
placed upon the collar grew until Tahrlaw was frequently trusted with more
important errands, often going to Seantryn for spell regents and other
supplies. In addition, seeing the necessity of having armed guards due to
recent bandit activity along the roads, the Wizard saw to it that Tahrlaw had
weapons training as well, in the event that he should need to lay down his
life for his master.
For ten long years, Tahrlaw raged. Despite numerous attempts, he could never
manage to remove the collar himself. He couldnt even overcome the compulsion
spells placed upon it to lift a finger to try. Unable to vent his anger and
frustration, prevented from lifting a finger to harm his Master, he channeled
all of his energy into the martial lessons that the trainer hired by the
Wizard provided. His wizard master, thinking Tahrlaw to be firmly his
creature and loyal servant, beamed with pride when he saw the Minotaur
excelling beyond his wildest expectations at the fighting forms. Little did
he know that his perfect slave would be the instrument of his death.
The Birth, and Beginning.
Added Wed Dec 5 15:50:57 2007 at level 11:
***SNICK!***
The first sound he remembers. The sound of a latch closing, the latch on the
collar the robed ones placed around his neck. He was young - just hours old,
new and nave, yet already a killer. He doesnt remember the exact event of
his birth, but he remembers looking around the hilltop soon after they placed
the collar on his neck, seeing the sacrificial altar, with the bloodied and
rent corpse of a woman laying upon it, and realizing that he was somehow
responsible. And not caring, not really. At that moment, his attention was
focused upon the foreign feeling of the metal around his neck, seeming to hum
at a pitch just below the range of his hearing.
Come, beast. You are ours, now, a short man in robes said, beckoning with a
slender finger to Tahrlaw.
Struggle as he might, he found himself unable to resist the command of the
man, felt compelled, even, to please the man by obeying as quickly as
possible. And in a small corner of his mind, he felt the beginnings of a
smoldering flame, a flame of rage at his impotence, his inability to refuse,
held fast as he was by the collar around his neck and the spells placed upon
it. Turning his back on the corpse of his mother, he followed the man, whom
he would be forced to call Master, down the hill.
Tahrlaw never noticed the second corpse, lying sprawled upon the ground on
the other side of the towering stone altar. The charred remains of a
Minotaur, only the head intact, with a look of lust turned to surprise
forever frozen upon its bovine face.
Smiling happily, the robed wizard picked his way down the hill back towards
his keep, extremely pleased. Eying the newborn minotaur tottering along
behind him, awkward, yet already possessing the strength of most adult
humans, he couldnt help but chuckle to himself.
The perfect slaves, these beasts, he said to himself, As long as theyre
taken young, before theyve grown stubborn and headstrong with their
freedom.
As the unusual pair disappeared into the tree line at the base of the hill,
the crows and coyotes began their feast near the altar. Soon, nothing but a
few bones and a pair of huge, spiraling horns remained, lying forgotten on
the blood-stained ground.
PK Wins
Dec 6, 2007 |Lv 16|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Starth vs 2: Naerzghul (37%), Tahrlaw (62%, KB)
Dec 9, 2007 |Lv 22|Darsylon|Vadisoa vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 10, 2007|Lv 27|The Eastern Road|Mynakkelsinn vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 10, 2007|Lv 27|BattleRager Village|Eilorh vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 27|South Dairein Settlement|Hgrukl vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 28|The Eastern Road|Shulyzara vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 29|The Drogran Hills|Shamaro vs 2: Tahrlaw (54%), Aritu (45%, KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 29|The Drogran Hills|Celaer vs 3: Tahrlaw (24%,KB), Seffer (32%), Aritu (43%)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 31|Voralian City|Fortor vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 31|The Village of Azuremain|Shulyzara vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 33|The Eastern Road|Arionen vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 33|Domain of Eternal Night|Harros vs 4: Fjarn (24%,KB), Tahrlaw (27%), Cezar (28%), Aritu (19%)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 33|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Caliana vs 2: Tahrlaw (77%,KB), Aritu (22%)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 33|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Caliana vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 33|The Dwarf Forest|Harros vs 2: Fjarn (52%), Tahrlaw (47%, KB)
Dec 13, 2007|Lv 34|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Hgrukl vs 2: Khartaneth (14%), Tahrlaw (85%, KB)
Dec 13, 2007|Lv 34|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Celaer vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 14, 2007|Lv 37|The Grove|Renner vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 14, 2007|Lv 37|Voralian City|Fortor vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|BattleRager Village|Bruthamontis vs 3: Yevandr (51%,KB), Tahrlaw (32%), Philisrhynga (15%)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|The Eastern Road|Auvena vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 42|BattleRager Village|Aldonius vs 2: Tahrlaw (18%), Yevandr (81%, KB)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 42|BattleRager Village|Liriana vs 3: Yevandr (27%), Tahrlaw (20%, KB), Philisrhynga (52%)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 42|Galadon|Asjik vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 43|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Sanil vs 2: Tahrlaw (24%,KB), Philisrhynga (75%)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 45|BattleRager Village|Naiya vs 2: Tahrlaw (6%), Philisrhynga (93%, KB)
Dec 19, 2007|Lv 46|The Eastern Road|Philisrhynga vs 2: Tahrlaw (0%), Eoria (100%, KB)
Dec 20, 2007|Lv 46|Valley of Veran|Liriana vs 2: Tahrlaw (35%), Darascus (64%, KB)
Dec 20, 2007|Lv 46|Galadon|Liriana vs 1: Tahrlaw (100%,KB)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|The Eastern Road|Zholgrom vs 2: Chrichuk (62%,KB), Tahrlaw (37%)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|Galadon|Sousidan vs 2: Tahrlaw (89%,KB), Dejek (10%)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|The Circle of Rites|Aritu vs 4: Sananto (19%,KB), Tahrlaw (2%), Fjarn (0%), Yevandr (77%)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|The Circle of Rites|Fjarn vs 4: Sananto (16%), Harol (20%, KB), Tahrlaw (15%), Idril (47%)
Dec 23, 2007|Lv 48|East Sumner's Road|Farasulie vs 2: Abari (2%), Tahrlaw (97%, KB)
Dec 24, 2007|Lv 48|The Eastern Road|Pexi vs 2: Tahrlaw (87%,KB), Yevandr (12%)
Jan 5, 2008 |Lv 51|BattleRager Village|Zridv vs 3: Yevandr (27%,KB), Tahrlaw (65%), Idril (6%)
PK Deaths
Dec 7, 2007 |Lv 19|The Vale of Arendyl|vs 2: Daonar (59%), Ruvah (40%, KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 28|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 2: Garhilterbac (26%), Celaer (73%, KB)
Dec 11, 2007|Lv 31|BattleRager Village|vs 2: Illieway (96%,KB), Seffer (3%)
Dec 12, 2007|Lv 31|The Frigid Wasteland|vs 1: Ambra (100%,KB)
Dec 13, 2007|Lv 34|The Nexus Island|vs 1: Celaer (100%,KB)
Dec 13, 2007|Lv 34|The Nexus Island|vs 3: Ambra (36%), Celaer (57%, KB), Krakac (5%)
Dec 13, 2007|Lv 34|The Shrine of Chaos|vs 1: Harros (100%,KB)
Dec 14, 2007|Lv 37|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 1: Zanadir (100%,KB)
Dec 14, 2007|Lv 37|BattleRager Village|vs 1: Harros (100%,KB)
Dec 15, 2007|Lv 38|The Battlefield|vs 2: Thylxevv (29%), Arkuss (70%, KB)
Dec 15, 2007|Lv 40|The Past Grove|vs 1: Zanadir (100%,KB)
Dec 15, 2007|Lv 40|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|vs 2: Ahnia (81%,KB), Krakac (19%)
Dec 15, 2007|Lv 40|Valley of Veran|vs 1: Dejek (100%,KB)
Dec 16, 2007|Lv 41|Galadon|vs 2: Drayes (66%), Mutik (33%, KB)
Dec 16, 2007|Lv 41|The Open Plains|vs 2: Iltch (0%), Krakac (0%, KB) *Assassinated*
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|The Eastern Road|vs 2: Xanata (97%,KB), Jayse (2%)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|The Grove|vs 1: Celaer (100%,KB)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|BattleRager Village|vs 1: Xanata (100%,KB)
Dec 17, 2007|Lv 41|The Eastern Road|vs 1: Meylin (100%,KB)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 42|BattleRager Village|vs 2: Kostyan (40%,KB), Bruthamontis (59%)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 43|Arial City|vs 2: Meylin (79%,KB), Philisrhynga (20%)
Dec 18, 2007|Lv 46|The Imperial Lands|vs 2: Eoria (93%,KB), Zridv (6%)
Dec 19, 2007|Lv 46|Eaststride Road|vs 1: Kostyan (100%,KB)
Dec 19, 2007|Lv 46|The Eastern Road|vs 2: Eoria (17%), Bruthamontis (82%, KB)
Dec 19, 2007|Lv 46|The Manor|Tahrlaw committed suicide
Dec 19, 2007|Lv 46|The Eastern Road|vs 1: Llorenz (100%,KB)
Dec 20, 2007|Lv 46|The Dragon Sea|vs 4: Kudesnik (34%), Nolyek (8%), Darascus (57%, KB), Liriana (0%)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|Lost Elven Vaults|Tahrlaw committed suicide
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|BattleRager Village|vs 3: Sousidan (19%), Zholgrom (8%), Chrichuk (71%, KB)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|Hamsah Mu'tazz|vs 1: Chrichuk (100%,KB)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|Hamsah Mu'tazz|vs 1: Llorenz (100%,KB)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|The Circle of Rites|vs 5: Harol (36%,KB), Gyubnuka (2%), Fjarn (7%), Aritu (3%), Yevandr (50%)
Dec 21, 2007|Lv 48|The Circle of Rites|vs 2: Harol (45%), Yevandr (54%, KB)
Dec 23, 2007|Lv 48|The Nexus Island|vs 2: Boggligz (70%,KB), Farasulie (29%)
Dec 30, 2007|Lv 48|Ar'atouldain|vs 1: Renkasha (100%,KB)
Dec 31, 2007|Lv 51|Voralian City|vs 1: Werzidian (100%,KB)
Dec 31, 2007|Lv 51|The North Road|vs 3: Nwaereth (40%,KB), Farasulie (53%), Iltch (6%)
Dec 31, 2007|Lv 51|The Sea of Despair|vs 2: Ahnia (43%,KB), Nwaereth (56%)
Jan 1, 2008 |Lv 51|The Jade Mountains|Tahrlaw committed suicide
Jan 4, 2008 |Lv 51|The Jade Mountains|Tahrlaw committed suicide
Jan 4, 2008 |Lv 51|BattleRager Village|vs 2: Nwaereth (66%,KB), Farasulie (33%)
Jan 5, 2008 |Lv 51|Dra'Melkhur|Tahrlaw committed suicide
Jan 5, 2008 |Lv 51|Bramblefield Road|vs 1: Feilinal (100%,KB)