Sage Faolanskind

Category:Najer
Category:Characters
Sage Faolanskind is currently a citizen of Fallem, in the Kingdom of Zeril. They are the previous mayor of Ohjan.
They are a paladin of the god Tyrnan, of the Þrasarrist belief.
== Background ==
Not much is known about the origin of Sage Faolanskind. What little knowledge of the past that we have is shrouded and mystery and secrecy. No one knows for sure where they came from, no one knows why they came. However, though facts are scarce, legends are aplenty. The people tell stories. Stories of survival, of honor, and of war.
== Facts ==
Faolanskind is someone who has long wandered. Although their original home is unknown, they leave a mark on everywhere they go. Recently, on Rathnir, they served as the guard captain for Wobambi on Sea, as a councilor for Kijaro, and as mayor and military leader of Ohjan. Since arriving in Abexilas, they have settled in the town of Fallem.
There are some things that we can be certain about in relation to Sage. Although not very creative, they do like to build. When Segra threatened Kijaro, it was Sage who spent hours going around the town, building new fortifications and reinforcing those fortifications that were built badly. They have been known to build forts and watchtowers wherever they go. However despite their tendency to build, they only build practical things, things for defense. It is unknown why this is.
They are known to be cunning and deceitful, but not untrustworthy. They will never lie to you. Never. However, they have been known to omit the truth when necessary. They are often working in the shadows, behind the scenes in the major events of the world. Although Sage has been known to play both sides of a conflict, they won't break a promise. If one can get Sage to form an agreement with them, that agreement lasts.
When the citizens of Rathnir left for Abexilas, Faolanskind went with them. Whilst they remain on good terms with the members of the Rathnir nation Najer, they did not follow them to resettle, instead finding a new nation to live with.
The final piece of information we know is that we don't. Sage is shrouded in so much mystery that it is impossible to truly separate fact from fantasy. We can not know how Sage will act, as they are unpredictable. There will always be those who try to make sense of them, but as of yet, none have succeeded.
== Legends ==
It is to legends that people must look to learn of Faolanskind. They may be true, they may not, but they are as close to fact as one may hope for in this instance. 
=== The Hunter and the Wolf ===
The story of the hunter and the wolf is arguably the most important of all the legends surrounding Sage Faolanskind. It is, as best anyone can tell, their origin. Legend has it that one day, long ago, in the far north, there lived a hunter, by the name of Sage. Every morning Sage went out into the woods to bring home food for their family. One day, as they were stalking a deer, they are discovered by a group of wolves, stalking the same deer. There appeared to be two adult wolves and a pack of young pups, being taught to hunt. The wolves startled the hunter, and so Sage jumped into a fighting stance, ready to defend themself. The wolves had no intention of fighting and were not aware the hunter was there until they came across him. However, since their pups were there, they could not risk this hunter being near them. So they attacked. Sage managed to survive, killing all the wolves in the process, except for one of the adults, who was grievously injured. Sage however, thought they were all dead, and returned home, taking the dead adult wolf with them. That evening, Sage's family ate well, for the wolf was very nourishing.
About a month later, Sage was coming home with a fresh deer when they heard something. A howl, followed by a scream They rushed home, but it was too late. A lone wolf had come and killed their entire family. Distraught, Sage raised their bow to take down the wolf, but they paused. They recognized this wolf. It was the one that survived. In a moment of understanding, Sage lowered their bow. The wolf approached, but surprisingly, it did not attack. Instead it lay down and rested its head against Sage. The story goes that Sage then lay down next to the wolf and there they lay, not moving, for 9 nights. At the end of it, their souls had merged and they arose, half-wolf, half-human. The wolf became known as Faolan, meaning "little wolf".
=== Broken Promise ===
Faolanskind is a warrior, and like any good warrior, they have a weapon. Some time not long after the time of The Hunter and the Wolf, Sage wandered around and found a small village, isolated in the wilderness. Because it was such a beautiful place, calm and peaceful, they decided to settle down and live the rest of their life in peace. Whilst they were there, they found love. A huntress by the name of Fianna. Faolanskind, being a hunter, often encountered her in the woods and was enamored with her grace. As they kept encountering each other, they started to connect with each other and look forward to the next "accidental" meeting. When they confessed their love for one another, Faolanskind made an oath, swearing to protect Fianna from all threats, great or small. They lived happily together for just one month, before disaster struck. 
This disaster came in the form of Bödvar, a monstrous bear, as tall as fifty men. Bödvar came from the mountains, where human mining had disturbed his rest. Angry, the bear searched for the people who had angered him. In his path, he found this village, wherein lived Sage and Fianna. Bödvar, seeing humans, whom he hated so much, attacked the village in the night. People ran screaming, but the bear was faster. In an effort to protect her village, Fianna ran out of her house to fight Bödvar, foolish though it may be. Drawing her bow, she fired at the bear, but her arrows could not pierce his skin. As Bödvar bent down to kill yet more people, Fianna hit a lucky shot, piercing the bear's eye. Now the bear took notice of her. Enraged he swung at her, killing her instantly. 
Faolanskind has just arrived at the scene when Fianna made this fatal move. Seeing her die, they let all thoughts clear their mind, drew their sword, and charged. One small being, fighting a giant monster. They started to hit the bear, but one again, Bödvar's fur was too thick, and Sage's sword could not pierce it. Sage kept hitting, striking with such force that their sword shattered in their hands. Unfazed, they drew their dirk and began to climb, steadily making their way up the bear's leg and to its head. Bödvar attempted to fling Sage off, but they held on tight. When they reached the bear's head, they took their blade and thrust it through the bear's ear, reaching all the way into it's skull. With a great cry, Bödvar fell. 
There were no celebratory cheers. Faolanskind was the only survivor from the village. They went to Fianna and picked her up. They carried her to a lake and gave her a warrior's funeral, sending her out on a burning ship. They then returned and grabbed an axe. With the axe they cut out one of Bödvar's claws. Taking the claw, they spent three months forging a new sword, stronger than any steel. They named this blade Broken Promise, so that they might never forget their failure that day.
Category:Traveler's Era