The Shepherd

video File:Placeholder
The Shepherd is a mysterious man who lives in the woods in the eastern region of Kaldor. He was originally just an ordinary man, but he appears to now follow the guidelines of the Emissaries of Terra. Like the Reapers, The Shepherd appears to live a vegan lifestyle. He has a talent for music, and can duel with swords on the level of a Reaper.

## Personality

The Shepherd is a kind man who cares for animals and nature. He appears gruff and somewhat curt in his speech, but this is likely because of his isolated lifestyle rather than any animosity towards people. The Shepherd seems to go out of his way to try and help people when he can, and is generally understanding, as shown when he allows Sorin to continue staying with him even after she admits to being a Reaper.

## Story

### The Shepherd Arc

While wandering along the river, The Shepherd saw Sorin Carlisle unconscious. At first he ignored her, suspecting her to be a Reaper, but he then discovered Kalia, who threatened him and asked him if he's seen Sorin. Making up his mind, he returned to Sorin and dragged her from the river, bringing her to his home and shielding her from Kalia and the other Reapers chasing her.

When Sorin wakes up, The Shepherd informs her of his hatred of the Church, and asks what she did for them to chase her. She doesn't answer him properly, so he presses, asking where she got her Reaper blade from and if she stole it. Sorin admits that the sword belongs to her, and the Shepherd decides to bet the sword against her in a duel between them.

He easily defeats Sorin, who asks him how he managed. He replies that he learned to follow the ways of the Emissaries of Terra, an ancient group that was wiped out by the early Reapers. Hiding the sword, he allows Sorin to stay with him for several more days, while he goes about his daily routine. His routine involves feeding himself and many other animals a vegan diet, collecting water and boiling it, and tending to the forest and crops, spending his afternoons playing the flute beneath a cherry blossom tree.

Sorin approaches him after several days and asks him why he hates the Church. The Shepherd gestures to the tree, which is covered in names, and tells the story of his town:

> "I used to live in a little town. It was a peaceful place, kind of like this. A village of 200 people. You should have seen the market in the mornings. When I was a young man, I lived for that. So many people, just getting together and enjoying each other's company. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows of course. The Twisted had been causing us problems. It got bad one night - a Twisted was born within the walls. It killed a dozen people before the Church answered our calls for help. A Reaper by the name of Amelia came into town and destroyed it, and we celebrated. We were foolish."
>
>
> "Within days, the priests showed up, demanding our support. In return for our devotion, Amelia slaughtered every Twisted for miles and protected us from bandits. Our little community became a Church town. Our population doubled and the protection of the church caught the attention of the few traders who still wandered this god forsaken land. But things weren't as they appeared. People were going missing. Many young men were drafted into the army and sent away, never heard from again. Many young women were chosen to be 'saints', a fancy word for little girls the priests wanted to fuck. People started to get angry."
>
>
> "As their anger grew, they started to view the Church as their enemies. And one night, the people of the town rose up. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember seeing the villagers set fire to the barracks and storm the chapel. I ran home, and hid in the cellar with my pregnant wife. The sounds of battle echoed long into the night, and when day broke it was over. I emerged from my home, blinking, and watched as the people put out the fires. The Priests surrendered, and agreed to leave town after their guards had been cut down. It was supposed to be over. We spared the Priests, and even protected them as they left."
>
>
> "A month later, in the middle of the night, I woke up to screams. I told my wife to wait in the cellar, and I grabbed my sword and rushed outside. They had come. The Reapers. I watched in horror as they burned the whole town to the ground, one building at a time. They slaughtered every living thing they saw. Men. Women. Children. Dogs. Horses. It didn't matter. As I ran home, a man with a sabre, similar to your own sword, stood in the street. He slaughtered my neighbours. An older man, three young children, his wife and his sister. And then another followed behind him, a masked man with a curved sword, he raised his hand and used his arcane magic to set the entire street ablaze. And then they moved on. I rushed into my home, and tried to get my wife out, but the flames spread unnaturally fast, and the buildings started collapsing before I could get her out. The debris knocked me out."
>
>
> "When I woke up, she, and most of the others were dead, my entire left side was badly burned, and the town had been reduced to ash. A few fellow survivors saved my life and we stayed in the care of some Vestus Scholars for a while, but eventually the Reapers came to slay them too - and in the end, I wound up here, in this abandoned town. I cleaned it up, and devoted myself to living like an Emissary of Terra. The names carved into this tree - the church will one day have to answer for their deaths."
>
>
>
>

Sorin remarked that the villagers would have lived had they co-operated, but the Shepherd replied that everyone knew their uprising would mean death, and they just wanted to die free instead of slaves to the Church.

After telling his story, he becomes aware of a group of Reapers approaching, who sentence Sorin to death.

He appears shocked to hear Sorin may have tortured the masked Reaper 7 years ago, and takes his chance to leave her to her fate - however in reality he was only going back to his house to get weapons. Saving Sorin from the masked Reaper just in time, he begins dueling with a female Reaper 1 on 1. Despite his skill, she overwhelms him with her Reaper abilities, cutting his right side and left arm, severely wounding him. Before he is killed, Sorin strikes down his opponent, and creates an opening for escape.

Taking the chance, the Shepherd leaves with Sorin, however he is slowed by his wounds, and he continues to lose blood over the course of the night. Sorin manages to convince the gateman to let her inside with Shepherd, but he promptly loses consciousness. His current fate is unknown, but he appears to have lost a significant amount of blood.

## Powers and Abilities

He is hinted at being able to communicate with nature, calling himself a Child of Earth. He is also highly skilled at fencing, being able to defeat a Reaper in a 1 on 1 duel.