Oldhin

Oldhin was introduced in the Adventures in Middle Earth, Episode 1.

## Backstory

**Origins Cloaked in Shadows**

Little is known to the origin of Oldhin as his parents were claimed heroes of their time when he was but a seedling in the forest of elves. Told that he was “touched by darkness” that caused his skin to be darkened compared to his fair brothers and sisters of Mirkwood. The elves decided to mark the body of Oldhin with a ritual to help ease his “shadow-soaked skin” to prevent the order of the shadow to reach out and claim him.

Without a family of his own, Oldhin found a way to become close with everyone. He spent much of his time studying the hunters of Mirkwood, being in awe of their ability with the blade and bow. Instantly he found a passion worth something and studied endlessly on the technique of Archery and Elven Blade Dancing specializing in the art of grace and elegance with both. Although his skill with the blade was impressive, it was his ability with the bow that earned him the praise of Master Archer.

With much of his time spent with the Elves of Mirkwood; in celebration, hunting, or general practice, there was always something calling out to him. This lead him to move from a protector of his home to a hunter of the shadows. He studied the beings that were aligned with the shadow, going out further than most to eliminate the threats as close to the source that he could manage.

The more that he would hunt them, the more that the shadow would call out to him. He believed this was the curse of his shadow-soaked skin urging him to join. As many enemies as he took out, it never silenced the constant whispers of darkness. So much so that his hearing had become attuned to the sound of danger, and particular the sound of shadows.

Oldhin continued to live this way, slowly become more and more drawn to the hunt of the shadows and less connected to his home and his people. He would spend extended periods of time out of his home to explore, to learn, to study, and to hunt and this created a small separation from the people he once called family.

Eventually he was confronted by an elder, one who sought to bring the truth to young Oldhin and provided him an insight that he never considered. Oldhin discovered that he was not an Elf of Mirkwood touched by the shadows, at least not in the way told to him. Provided the knowledge that his mother was indeed one of them, an Elf, but his father was not from Mirkwood nor was he an elf. The sacrifice that they made was had granted Oldhin the chance to stay within the protection of his people, as before then he was an outcast with his parents.

His perception of events has been torn learning that people were not kind to him out of passion for a family member, but out of obligation and fear of what Oldhin might have been. His father was not from these lands but further south, where the shadows claimed. He knew the truth but had no desire to confront it and repressed it. This was until the shadows whispered to him once more, but this time the tone was not one of threat but one of familiarity. Learning that he was not hunted to be eliminated, but to become one with the shadows shifted his alignment.

Oldhin continued to study the shadow in order to understand it, no longer afraid of what it might do to him. He accepts his fate that one day the shadows will claim him, but until that day will do all that he can to leave carnage through their ranks. Eventually he spent little to no time in the safety of the Elven King’s Hall and dug deeper into the shadows. This was the case until he came across a man traveling with a young female hobbit. Something about the man revealed a darkness about him and the whispers urged him to follow. Oldhin decided in that moment that it was time to face the whispers and follow them, so that eventually it will lead him to the truth of his origin.