Byrne

Byrne was a companion to Roderick during the Jurich Order War in 1000 AE. He served as a soldier, trainer, and friend to Roderick and his Grand Army. Before meeting Roderick, Byrne served as a mercenary for several contractors, but was largely discredited by his former employers after trying to protect someone he had been contracted to kill.

## Early Life

Byrne was born an only child in the farming village of Tai on 5 Lorlund 954 to a poor farming family. His mother died in childbirth, forcing his father and ever-aging grandmother to take care of him as an infant. When Byrne was 5, his grandmother passed away, leaving his father alone in caring for the child.

At the age of 7, Byrne was put to work on the farm, despite his protests to his father. Byrne used any excuse he could find to avoid farm work, choosing instead to hide by the creek and play swordfight with sticks. He was always captivated by tales of brave men and women joining the Order of the Sword to protect and defend humans; his dream was to join them in that fight, but his father always refused his dream, saying that he needed Byrne to carry on the family farm.

On Byrne's 14th birthday, his father (reluctant to let his son leave) spent all of his life's savings to gift Byrne a cheap dulled sword with the promise from Byrne to stay and work on the farm with him. Ecstatic with the gift, Byrne happily agreed; his father even agreed to let him leave work early everyday to practice his swordplay.

Come the age of 17, Byrne yearned to put his practice to use and begged his father to let him leave, each time being told no. After several months of asking, Byrne finally decided to leave on his own. His father caught him sneaking out with all of his belongings, including the gifted sword. His father fought with him to stay, and when he threatened to beat Byrne for disobeying, Byrne swung the sword into his father's bare leg, breaking it. Helplessly lying on the floor, Byrne's father broke into tears as Byrne stepped out, leaving the gifted sword next to his father. He heard his father from inside the house yelling "Don't leave me. Please don't. Not you too." as Byrne continued to walk.

## Mercenary Work

Byrne set out for the city of Par Seelee, eager to join the Order of the Sword charter there. Upon talking to the leader of the charter, he was quickly rejected after speaking of the events with his father. For months, he continuously went to the charter to try to join again and again, living in an alley and eating stale and rotting food the whole time, and was rejected every time.

Eventually, Byrne heard of mercenaries who would make money protecting people and caravans. Too prideful to return to his father, Byrne decided to join a mercenary company to help people. He quickly found it to be far dirtier than he had ever heard tales of, but he was certainly one of the best. After years of climbing and falling the ranks, Byrne came to lead a division of the company.

In 977 AE, war broke out between Vllanderen and Nantwich, proving good work for Byrne and the company, which was consistently contracted to supplement armies and protect caravans. With a newfound appreciation for the work they were doing, Byrne outperformed every other mercenary in his company and took more and more work. He quickly became rich, since he spent hardly any of his money and instead saved and stored it in a secret house he had purchased for cheap.

At the age of 30, in 984 AE, the company celebrated their victory in battle, and subsequently the payment it rewarded, when Byrne met and fell in love with a local barmaid. Byrne paid the tavern keeper to let her off for the night, and the two spent the night roaming the city and exploring the surrounding land together. From then on, Byrne would visit her every time his work brought him to Rutherglen.

## Death

Byrne's life was ended in combat in the realm of Vad as he followed his friend, Roderick, alongside his other companions Sylvan and Axina into battle against The Helm and approximately one hundred of his minions.

After intense fighting, Byrne would die at the hands of their old enemy, Alfrick, the Helm's right hand man. Roderick soon avenged his death by defeating Alfrick for the third and final time.

Despite this, there are varied reports that Byrne yet lives and can be seen walking among the living, especially in Lostwell. Some even have reported seeing him and Roderick together. However, it is unsure whether these ghost tales are the result of lies, mistaken identities, or crazy people.