Thomas Daere

Ser Thomas Daere is a Craftsman of Kelmarth and is the current commanding officer of The Craftsmen of Kelmarth's Shinrin Outpost.

## Early Life

Ser Thomas is the son of Ser Telekles Daere, who during his lifetime was commander of the watch at Eiriond, the fruitful valley. With these connections Ser Thomas advanced quickly through the ranks and was expected to nearly inherit his father's position of commander. He was instead offered the chance to accompany Lord Jakku Shinrin Senior to map and scout the jungles of the lost Garmutoh province. Ser Thomas, being young and adventurous jumped at the chance to join the expedition at the age of 18.

He helped blaze the first road to Shinrin and ended up devoting his life to the small settlement. Spending so much time away from home, he saw his father rarely in his 2nd and 3rd decades. And despite being offered many brides by his father, since none wanted to move to the camp that was Shinrin at that time, he stayed single.

## Orc War

Lord Shinrin Senior fell in the first surprise orc attack on Shinrin and Ser Thomas was present for that battle. He was grievously though not permanently wounded by an axe in that first raid. Upon recovering, the chain of command in disarray, Ser Thomas set out with some of the other young men to retrieve Lord Shinrin's body. They were unsuccessful but did manage to find and rescue the young Lord Jakku Jr from the Orcs who were going to sacrifice him to their war-mongering one-eyed god Gruumsh.

Ser Thomas was promoted after leading his first mission from second lieutenant to captain and given a chevron to add to his personal heraldry to commemorate his bravery. He was then put in charge of defending and holding the old Shinrin trading post while the scouts ran to get help.

In those days the signal towers were very crude things and but could pass on an SOS back to Carden Maldor and so the tiny force prayed to any gods that would listen that the reinforcements would arrive soon.

Ser Thomas was successful in holding off two more orc raids by stock piling dirt and water in the buildings to aid in extinguishing the fires the orcs tried to start on their homes.

Eventually the griffon knights of Carden Maldor arrived and reinforced Shinrin while the Cartenius Legion arrived from Syndera in Carden Maldor. 1000 fighting men strong and under the leadership of General Kaletor it did not take long for the orcs to disappear into hiding.

Ser Thomas badly wanted to join the orc hunting parties in the jungle but his previous injuries forced him to stay behind in Shinrin. General Kaletor's men were not well equipped or trained for the jungle. Disease, monsters and orc ambushes harried them as they searched the jungle for orcs. They eventually captured a Shaman called Ruuknar and returned him to Shinrin where Ser Thomas was put in charge of watching over him. Ruuknar had claimed he wished to make peace with the humans and return the remains of their "chief."

Ruuknar was able to send messages to the various Blackheart Clans and slowly their surrender was organised and one of the terms was that Lord Shinrin's remains be returned. Lord Jakku had his father's remains recovered and put in The Tomb of Fallen Warriors in Shinrin which Ser Thomas promised would always be kept safe.

## Later life

Ser Thomas's father died during the devastating rise of the Red Cord and it was for his funeral that Ser Thomas last travelled to Carden Maldor.

About this time he also oversaw the training of the next generation of Craftsmen in Shinrin. He trained both Ser Selwyn Cooper, Gothar Ironmark and most of the current members. A few old veterans of the Orc war are still stationed at Shinrin and serve Ser Thomas but they spend most of their time treasure hunting in the jungles and many have passed away practicing that dangerous profession or have retired back to Carden Maldor with their riches.