Athander

Athander

Various Surnames: "Long Ridge", "Duveran"

Ability Scores

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
17 (19)	15 (17)	14	14	15	17

Stats

LVL	HP	ALN	AGE	HT	WT
1st	X	LG	20	X	X

Background

Childhood at Duveran Keep: Athander was born in the northernmost coastal region of Abanasinia in an area called Long Ridge. A Solamnic-speaking area under the Solamnic city of Caergoth's cultural, economic and even partial political control, it was a largely idyllic childhood. He lived at his family's small castle and estate in Long Ridge called Duveran Keep, growing strong and free there in the family clan's sprawling farms and rural properties. At the castle he heard bards sing and his martial grandfather and uncle speak of Old Solamnia, and of the tales of knights and heroes, especially from before the Great Cataclysm centuries prior.

Early Teenage Years at Crossing: However, upon his teenage years, his long absent father returned and took he, mis mother and his younger sister to the nearby port town called Crossing. There his father, Norton, had become a successful merchant and dealer in precious gems and jewelry. Norton was his father's second son, and not standing to directly inherit, had left the family's more martial tradition to enter into mercantilism. Norton had come to think little of his own father's chivalric roots and career, and explained to Athander that in that way lay the past, and that people in the world loathed the Knights of Solamnia. Norton set Athander to work with his nimble little hands, having him taught how to set gems in jewelry, cast gold and silver, and cut jewels out of unshaped stones. As the years passed however, Athander chafed under his father's attitude towards life. He saw the unhappiness of his mother Athandra and the increasing haughtiness and urbanization of his sister Nolia, and longed to return to Long Ridge.

When Athander was 16, his father Norton suffered a major financial set-back due to a series of bad investments and loss of merchandise at sea. Near ruin, he turned to drink and beat Athander for his growing resistance to Norton's vision for his future, and for his continued bearing as a cavalier of the old family tradition. At last Athander ran away to his uncle and grandfather. For several happy months he stayed there, but at length his father appealed to the law and sent agents to bring Athander back to Crossing. Athander thought to resist his father's summons, but he had learned that in his absence his mother had died from disease. Crestfallen, he was taken back to the city.

Crossing to Haltigoth: Marrying his sister to a rich merchant in the city, Norton received new employment opportunities as that merchant's agent in the far-off Estwilde city of Haltigoth. A miserable voyage across the New Sea brought father and son to a large and decaying port city. Already under the influence of the forces of evil from nearby Neraka, Athander was appalled by the poverty, misery, callousness and cruelty the had poisoned much of the city. Norton grew fatter, angrier, drunker and richer in the city, benefitting from the traffic of illicit goods. Hearing rumors of freedom fighters and heroes in the Estwilde hinterlands, Athander sought to run away a second time, but he was once again captured by his father and then badly beaten. Threatening to run away again to his grandfather, Norton gleefully informed Athander that his beloved uncle Enthon and Enthon's son had been killed by bandits, and that at last Athander's grandfather Norwin had died of heartbreak. Being now the rightful owner, Norton declared his intent to expel the remaining female members of the family and to sell the Duveran estate so that he might use the proceeds to live in luxury in Haltigoth and grow his mercantile business. At last Athander could endure no more and struck his father until he fell, unconscious but not dead.

Flight, Capture, Escape: Knowing his father's agents and friends would find him if he tried to take ship, Athander fled by foot on the old coasting road. After several terrible nights he arrived at ruins of an old and abandoned city which he knew to be called Gwan. Having heard that a band of heroes made their outpost there among the ruins, he entered the dead city, looking both for what he might find there, and so as to escape the agents of his father who were already looking for him. However, instead of riches or heroes, Athander found a trap, the foul gulley dwarves who had made the trap, and a sinister black robed figure who threatened to use him for some terrible experiment. Hanging upon the wall in the gulley dwarve's dungeon, just as the malevolent figure threatened Athander, two armored figures appeared and fought off the dwarves, their monsters and their cowled master. Before more dwarves came, they freed Athander and led him to escape on their horses well outside the city.

Kharthen and Amdor: Leaving him with supplies and direction, Athander appealed to the mercy of his saviors, not having anywhere else to return to. Stoic and grim, the two men warned Athander he would be far safer somewhere else, saying that their road was harder than Athander's, and that he best make his peace with his father and live his life. Athander expressed his despair at reconciling with his evil father and his desire to be like them, heroes. They declined this description, saying that they were both marked men, and that the ways of knighthood and heroism were in the past, save for those who were willing to die for a principle and a dream. The leader said that even if Athander believed in such things, he obviously did not have the heart for it, or otherwise he would not have been so easily taken and defeated by petty forces of evil. They ordered him to go home once more, then rode off. In tearfelt defiance Athander ran after them through the plains for a time. When all his strength was gone he collapsed in the wilderness. Then, when his hope was lost, the two horsemen returned in the moonlit night. In harsh words, the leader asked if Athander believed in the old gods. He said he did. The leader responded, saying that if Athander wished a life of hardship, danger and likely death, and that if he was willing to obey implicitly all that his companion Amdor commanded, he might come with them. So Athander did, riding up the junior man's horse. When Athander asked his riding companion what was the name of the leader, he did not answer, saying only that his own name was Amdor, and that the other man's name was not for him.

The House of Amdor: Athander rode with his two new companions for several days until they reached a chain of low mountains, and there passed the township of what Athander would later learn was called Bleakstorm. After another day, hidden well and deep within the mountains, they came upon a forlorn and isolated stone-walled ranch with two houses upon it. Athander was settled with Amdor in the larger of the two stout houses, and introduced to Amdor's large and industrious family. Amdor quickly set Athander to task with ranching and farming duties, and he was treated harshly although justly. Every meal he sat at the end of the table with the martial looking Amdor saying nothing to him. Although seemingly a commoner, Athander noticed that Amdor's home demonstrated signs of nobility, with splendid ancient armor upon the dining hall wall, and swords held often and well by Amdor's three older sons. But the nameless leader stayed to himself mostly, living in a smaller house alone. Often he would see to his well-weathered equipment and to his horses, and spar with the elder boys of Amdor. He would also often disappear with Amdorian, the eldest of Amdor's boys, riding off alone out of the mountain valley, being gone for weeks and even months at a time. Amdor would occasionally test Athander with harsh tasks. But he was also fairly religious, and would speak of these things to Athander, and question him as to the nature of his faith, presenting him with various ethical dilemmas. At last, when Athander was emotionally exhausted after months of servitude to Amdor, he asked when he might ride with the mysterious and grim leader who Amdor still refused to name. Amdor said it was very bold and presumptuous of Athander to ask such a question, and asked him if it was not honorable enough for Athander to serve a man like Amdor's master, for in his laborious service to the ranch he made what he did possible. After this however Amdor took Athander to the nearby town of Bleakstorm to buy and to sell goods, and to hear news of the darkening tides coming from the east.

Amdorian: Amdorian and the yet still grimmer and thinner leader returned. Soon afterwards, Amdor announced he himself was leaving, and that he would be giving his son Amdorian command over the homestead. Athander was to obey what Amdorian said without question if he ever even hoped to be of service greater than his current position. Although Amdor's family had until then been kind if curt, when the two older men rode off, Amdorian became truly authoritarian over Athander. His way with the horses was never good enough, and his tasks with maintenance of the ranch were never proper. Amdorian, who was only some five or more years older than Athander, would rap him on the knuckles with a stick, and although kindly in a certain sense, his seeming discipline was so harsh so as to drive Athander to the end of his endurance. Several times Amdorian would say at the head of the dinner table that perhaps it would be best that Athander return to the city, and cross the sea to go south again to safer lands. He would explain to his mother and younger children that Athander was not the best with the horses and beasts, and that perhaps it would be best if he be set to other work. But Athander remained steadfast in his determination, saying he wished to ride with his father Amdor, and that his father would find him worthy one day. Amdorian would simply nod. Amdorian set up lancing games for his two younger brothers, which Athander would arrange but was not allowed to participate in. After months of this, with Amdorian pressing him ever further, at last Athander could endure no more, declaring he would no longer endure Amdorian's harsh tasks and criticisms, even if he were to strike him. Amdorian then threw to Athander a wooden sword, telling him at least he would give him a chance before he beat him out of his father's ranch. Twice Amdorian beat Athander to the ground, Athander refusing to yield. But although Amdorian fought all the harder the third time, as if he were going to kill Athander with the wooden sword, Athander fought with all his might. Athander fell to the earth again, but Amdorian smiled and let him rise. "By the gods, you have a stout heart Athander. Stout enough for my father."

House of Uth Thalden: Amdorian revealed to Athander that his father Amdor was by right Lord Amdor Uth Thalden of Hartford, in Old Solamnia. He revealed that they had been in exile for some years. His noble family, House Thalden, had a long tradition of knightly service in the Order of the Crown, but the peasantry of his lands had grown so suspicious of the Knights of Solamnia that although he had served as a squire and was worthy of his spurs, his noble father having left his family in disgust at the behavior of his ingrateful peasants