Abid

> *Perfect justice is the will of my Master.*
>
>

Abid is the slave of Arao, and resides in the Evergreen Grove with Sigarni and Dagonet.

## Life Before the Grove

Abid grew up on a relatively arid world where power struggles were constant and inevitable. His parents, Leto and Jessica, were put to death for 'crimes', though just what they had done to merit such a punishment is unclear. Abid was enslaved as further punishment, and his owners were exceedingly cruel to him. In addition to physical tortures and every other manner of abuse, they experimented on him. In his wrists, they implanted retractable bone knives capable of coating themselves in acid, in his heels, bony spurs coated in paralytic venom. They put razors in his teeth, and broke him down in mind and body until he existed only to do what his betters commanded. Then, having made a weapon out of him, they grew to fear him, and sold him to the first Caravan that visited their world.

Abid was purchased by the Fighters Guild, though at first it was only for his pliant nature, his other 'talents' having been conveniently not mentioned by his previous owners. His obsequious nature both needled Arao and intrigued him, and eventually the aloof Praefectus deigned to speak with the slave to attempt to learn more about him. His first action was to turn up his nose at the rags that he wore, and, angered that the Guild had not seen fit to adequately clothe him, he took the shirt off of his own back and commanded the slave to wear it. Thus began their relationship.

Over time, Arao found that while he could never completely understand how thoroughly Abid committed himself to obeying, that he could appreciate it, and began to feel affection for Abid as well as loyalty. A slave's mindset had been so thoroughly set in Abid that the slave feared the day that the soft-hearted Praefectii of the Guild would free him, and begged Arao to never let it happen. Arao therefore took Abid as his own slave, promising that he would never free him, and that when Arao himself died, Abid would be slaughtered and placed in the grave with him. In reality, Arao would have freed Abid at any moment, had he simply asked, and had made provision in his will for such to be done as well; however, he also could sense the need that Abid had to be owned by another, and therefore commanded that the edict to kill Abid be enacted, if the slave did not choose freedom after all.

When Arao went to live with Sigarni at the Grove, he took Abid with him. They gave Abid his very own room in a garret upstairs, though true to form, Abid views the room as Arao's, and all possessions that he is given as Arao's as well.

## A Willing Weapon

Abid has referred to himself as Arao's Dagger, and has expressed a willingness to always be sharp. As a result of this, when opportunity arose to kill a psychopathic criminal known as The Beast, Arao tasked Abid with it, commanding him to make the man suffer. Abid carried such out, though this did not prove to be without consequence. Some months later, the same poison was used, targetting Arao, though Abid fell victim to it instead as he intercepted the gift that had been meant for the Praefectus. The resulting efforts to save him can be found in the Quest for the Phoenix.

Abid is obedient to all freepersons, though the one person whom he obeys above others is Arao. Perhaps the only creature he loves more than Arao himself is the wolfhound Dagonet, with whom he converses as if they were of equal intellect, and refers to as 'the honorable Dagonet'. For his part, Dagonet in turn seems extremely fond of Abid, and often spends his nights sleeping at Abid's side up in the garret.