Oran

Oran was a founding member of Goldband until his death at the battle of the Orc camp. Resembling a bear in both stature and temperament, he specialized in the use of Enlarge Person which he triggered through the use of a magical ring he would use to prick his finger.

## Background

Oran was just an average boy. Overall scrawny, and slightly awkward with his stringy dark hair and often broken glasses. His father was a simple woodcutter, and his mother sewed. Hailing from a small logging village on the river, Oran didn’t have big city dreams. He liked his simple country life and wanted to grow up like his father to be a woodcutter.

 Little did Oran or his father know, but Oran’s mother was secretly studying alchemy/potion making. One day, Oran came across a small vial that fell behind the bookcase. Being a pretty pink candy color, and being the foolish child he was, he decided to drink it. It didn't taste like candy like he hoped, but other than a little tingle, nothing really seemed out of place. He threw away the vial and continued with his life. One day when playing outside in the woods with his friend, he tripped over a log and cut open his arm. The feeling of bleeding sent him in to a rage that he had never experienced before and Oran ripped his friend apart with strength unnatural for a boy his age. After a few minutes, his vision turned from red back to normal and saw the horror of what he had just done. Petrified and confused, he ran out of the woods crying. His mother saw him running and she embraced him. She knew what must have happened but she couldn't let her husband know. She tried to convince the boy that they must have been attacked in the woods by some creature or devil.

For a while, Oran believed her. His mother kept him inside and out of harm’s way. He wondered why he was no longer allowed outside. Yes, he was scared of the beasts in the forest, but why couldn’t he help his father at the mill? Oran’s father questioned his wife’s sudden overbearing nature, but ultimately wrote it off due to the story of the creature attack. Secretly, Oran’s mother lamented her mistake in making that bad potion, but still hoped to try to find an antidote.

One crisp fall day, a band of strangers rolled in to town. Oran’s hometown rarely received visitors, so their presence was well known. While planting some flowers out in the yard, he saw these men having a heated discussion with his father down by the river at his log launching platform. Oran ran down in concern for his father. All he could make out in the rabble was the mention of taxes and something about the river being contested. One of the thugs shoved Oran’s father, which he returned with a blow to the jaw. Oran tried to intervene, but was shoved by a thug in to a crate with a nail sticking out of the side. The nail cut in to his leg and he went into a rage. By the time Oran had bitten the neck of the man who shoved him, two more thugs jumped on Oran from behind and pinned him from behind. Even with all the added strength, he couldn’t break free from the two large men. Their leader knocked Oran’s father out cold when he tried to pull one of the men off the boy.

Oran woke up in a cold sweat on a riverboat headed downstream. His hands were bound and his body was sore. He could recognize the men that were arguing with his father. The leader came up to him and said that he was impressed with Oran’s burst of strength. That would fetch a high price on the fighting market. Oran would be put up for sale at the slave market the next day when they reached their next port.

When Oran was forced up on the block, the leader of the band of thugs told the story of Oran’s mighty display of strength. Since Oran was a young, fairly scrawny boy, the first bid was reluctant. An older gentleman in a traveler’s robe put up 65gp which wasn’t contested. Oran went to meet his new owner. He introduced himself as Edgar. He reassured him that he wouldn’t be harsh. However, Oran would be making him some money.

Edgar took the boy back to his house. It was a modest hut on the outside of town. Inside was full of supplies (which Edgar didn’t recognize as alchemy supplies). Over the next few months Oran was the subject of multiple tests and spells, but was treated fairly. Edgar assured Oran that once he made 50x the cost that he paid for Oran’s life, he would be given his freedom. The thought of seeing his parents haunted his dreams at night but gave him hope.

Over time, Oran realized his new power and got better at controlling his actions. He was taught how to channel his magical energy and cast a few spells. He was trained in sword fighting and basic hand to hand combat. After 3 years of training, Edgar brought Oran to the local arena and signed him up as an independent fighter. Oran was extremely nervous but the thought of seeing his parents again pushed him forward.

After winning the day’s fights, he was given the chance to compete in a wild card round against one of the arena’s most renowned fighters, Kai Vergo. Oran was shaking when he stepped in the ring, but nobody showed. The crowd booed and Oran was led back in to the training room. When he met with Edgar, he was beaming with a pocket full of gold from the previous matches and the forfeit. Edgar handed him a bag of supplies. Oran was free to go lead his own life, on one condition. Edgar handed him a simple silver necklace with a small clear stone on the end. Edgar told Oran that if the stone ever lit up that he would again need his help.

Oran left the arena with his bag of few possessions to go reunite with his parents. When he got back to his small community, the homes were empty without any valuables left behind. Oran ran back to his childhood home. There were no signs of his parents. Their things were missing. On the table was carved “Aerilon”. Oran had no idea what had happened to his parents or his community but he vowed to find them again and kill the men who had taken him that day.