"Smirk"

Emet "Smirk" Prentus is a human fighter from the city of Dovenium.

## Early Life

The city of Dovenium is widely considered to be one of the centres of civilisation in the world. Its bustling port supplied its vast markets with goods from every corner of the world, and these markets generated coin in vast quantities. A trickle of this wealth flowed into the very city itself, likes seeds from which grew temples to dozens of gods, palaces that strained to stand out above their peers and, perhaps most importantly, a University which became the envy of the world.

High walls surrounded the city, beacons of defence, wealth and exclusivity. There is no greater juxtaposition to this symbol than Underwall; a settlement of wooden structures leaning haphazardly against Dovenium's walls. The flow of wealth stops short of this shanty town, as does the compassion of Dovenium's rulers. More than once, during sieges, the buildings of Underwall have been torched by the city's own defenders to deny the besieger's their shelter or cover.

The Old Oxen Road runs through Underwall and into the Oxengate district of Dovenium. As merchants make their way through the makeshift settlement on their way to market, they are often met with the smell of baking bread. Those that follow their nose encounter Ayla Prentus and her small bakery.

Emet Prentus was born into this environment, raised in the shadow of wealth that was so far above him that for many years he did not consider that perhaps such heights could be climbed.

His mother woke early and worked hard and his father, a soldier in the city's army, was away more often than he was at home. At a very young age, Emet was essentially raising himself.

Underwall proved too small for a young Emet, and he could often be found within the city walls with a roving band of half-wild children like himself. Exploring the city with the inexhaustible curiosity of youth, Emet and his friends fancied themselves the masters of the secret places of the city. Even so, some places remained impenetrable. Chief among these forbidden places was the University, perpetually guarded by the towering, belligerent city guards that reminded Emet so much of his father.

A fascination fuelled by youthful rebellion and curiosity haunted Emet even into his teenage years. Even as his band of companions dwindled, the duel attritions of maturity and poverty condemning the poor souls to lives of work or crime, Emet was often found skulking around the University. Acrobatics, stealth and deceit proved unequal to the diligent city guards who ever thwarted Emet's attempts to find a way inside the University.

As he grew, Emet began to realise that it was not just curiosity which fuelled his attempts. Or rather, it was curiosity, but curiosity on a scale which even Emet struggled to grasp. A curiosity which could not be satisfied with the scant intellectual tools that Emet's upbringing had afforded him. The University represented to Emet the thing he desired most in the world; knowledge.

Yet the guard were ever-present, ever-alert and ever-damned-where. They were like wardens, keeping knowledge locked up behind bars to keep the public safe from its corrupting influence. It became evident to Emet that he could not beat the guards.

And so he joined them.

Still mostly a child when he joined, he spent years in training. He learned how to swing a sword, fire a crossbow and take a blow upon a shield. In an ironic turn, he also learned one more thing; how to read and write. His quick mind and eagerness to use it where noticed by one of the officers training him. He spent his mornings and afternoons training his body, and his evenings training his mind.

In time Emet found himself standing guard at the University he had spent his youth attempting to break into. He found pleasure in simply walking the vast halls and chambers of the centre of learning, but soon it was not enough. He began to spend what free time he had in the library, devouring as much information as he could. History in particular fascinated him; particularly the incomplete "Complete Histories" by Annis of Laven.

His constant presence at the University, as both guard and unoffical student, inevitably lead to friendships with those lucky enough to call themselves true students of the University.

Having achieved one dream Emet found himself forging a new one; a grand ambition to make true the name of Annis of Laven's masterwork. Grand plans of excavations and exploration, reasearch and interpretation, and of recognition, filled Emet's dreams, but he well knew that, unlike his boyhood plans, these were never to be fulfilled. He settled into what he knew would be his life and while his mind sparked with desire, he felt some sense of contentment.

Yet it could not last.

Emet received little warning, just a terse command to gather his belongings and gather at the Old Oxen Road. It was only as he was marching away from Dovenium and Underwall that he learned that war had arrived and called his name.

## "Smirk"

After being transferred to the army, Emet was placed with a squad of soldier led by Sergeant Thick. He met the other squad members: Tu'penny, Goblin, Palms, Princess, Lump and Solo. He quickly realised that no one used their real names. He introduced himself, but, upon noticing a small scar Emet had picked up in his youth that caused his face to pull into a faint smirking smile while at rest, the other soldiers quickly took to calling him "Smirk." While at first he found the name insulting, in time he came to embrace it.

A rival city-state, Orcade, had declared war upon Dovenium. Knowing they could not hope to defeat the larger city in open combat, the Orcadian army had begun attacking the small towns and villages that provided Dovenium with crops and resources.

For months Smirk found himself marching for days at a time, before spending several more days guarding one small settlement after another. Yet they never seemed to catch the Orcadians or cut them off. Smirk fell into a new routine and in time began to build relationships with his squad mates. He discovered that Tu'penny was a Sorcerer, although not particularly powerful, that Solo had a pet wolf (he insisted it was just a big dog) called Tumble, that Lump had knowledge of explosives gained from time in Blackrock, that Palms had been training to be a doctor before being drafted, that Goblin had never actually been caught stealing from the Dovenium bank despite the rumours, that Sergeant Thick had once held a much higher rank and that the old man who everyone called Princess was perhaps one of the most dangerous men on the continent.

Princess warmed quickly to the young Smirk, but found his swordsmanship unacceptable and insisted on teaching him. It became evident quickly that Princess was an incredible fighter, his movements were faster than Smirk could follow and his strength was overwhelming. Smirk improved greatly, although he never got close to being as good as Princess.

The day of the battle started like any other; with hours of marching and relaxed conversation. However, the atmosphere changed when the scouts rode brought news of the massacre at Redtower and the Orcadians camped a mere mile from the town.

Smirk saw little combat in his first battle, his squad was amongst those held in reserve. Only towards the end of day did he find himself face to face with an enemy. Goblin died later that night despite the best efforts of the healers, but Palms survived his wounds. Smirk almost felt guilty for coming out of the conflict unhurt.

Battles became much more frequent after that day. In open fields or amongst burnt buildings, Smirk's sword felled dozens of enemies and through it all he took no worse than bruise or cut. His squad was less lucky. Eventually only Smirk, Princess, Thick and Tu'penny remained of the squad.

Smirk had been aware from Dovenium for nearly a year when the Battle of Clayton took place. It was the first time he had ever seen truly powerful magic used in battle. An Elf woman in black and gold robes showed up during the fighting on the side of the Orcadians. She ripped apart the Dovi lines with spells of fire, ice and darkness. Dovenium's own spell casters were completely outmatched by the new foe and her bodyguards. The Dovi forces buckled quickly and one line fled, only to be chased down and slaughtered.

All seemed lost, until Princess turned to Thick and whispered something to him. The Sergeant looked solemn as he nodded. The old man turned to Smirk, "Alright kid, listen. You're not meant for this life. You have dreams, I can see it. Trust an old man with too many regrets; go chase that dream."

With those last words Princess charged the Elf spell caster. It took a few moments for anyone to react; the surprise of the old man's charge caught everyone off guard. Arrows began to rain down on him, but they seemed unable to find their mark. Fierce spells that had immolated entire lines of troops raced towards Princess and as it collided with him a cry of anguish from Dovi lines seemed to mark the old man's death. Yet a flaming figure appeared moments later, finally in front of the Elf woman's bodyguards. A blade flashed with unnatural speed and dead bodies lay where there had once been soldiers. Even from a distance it was evident that the Elf had experience a great deal of fear. Another fiery spell exploded centred on Princess already burning form.

In less than a minute the Elf and her guards were dead by the blade of Princess, a burnt, smouldering figure riddled with arrows that had continued to rain down upon him. He stood for a few heartbeats and took a step towards the remaining Orcadian force, before finally falling.

The rest of battle was no less fierce and by the end of the day Sergeant Thick had breathed his last. Once again Smirk had survived nearly unscathed, physically. The word that came that night was the final straw in a decision that had been coming for a long time; the war was over, Dovenium and Orcade had signed a peace treaty two days prior.

## Called to Adventure

After barely escaping with his life, Smirk dropped out of the army and resolved to take Princess' words to heart and pursue his dreams.