Rolo Fulington

I was born in 1421, in the town of Nel in Sun Kingdom. My dad (Darg Rolo Fulington) was working three jobs (blacksmith, leather worker, and bodyguard) to take care of my mom, me, and my twin sister. He was very good at his smithing job, as a follower of Dorand he often made tributes of his most finely crafted weapons and armor at some of Dorands temples. In 1426, when my sis and I were only five years of age, our mom died of a terrible sickness. At nights I would sometimes hear dad grieving his loss, and I would realize that I too was grieving.

Two years later dad bought a blacksmith shop just south of Lan's port, where he started tutoring my sis and I in the ways of Dorand and his fine craftsmanship. Shandra (my sis) and I were expected to work together to have made a good weapon every month for tribute to Dorand and our dad would also make something while helping us out from time to time. Needless to say, as we were only seven our smithing was hardly worth fighting with. Dad would tell us that Dorand saw it as just as much quality for the work we put into it. Dad not only made tributes to Dorand, but also made many weapons and armor to sell and support us.

In early 1431, when I was almost ten years of age my dad was getting good money, at least for a blacksmith, and I always daydreamed of becoming a great blacksmith and warrior. My dad was now considered one of, if not, the finest blacksmith in Sun Kingdom. Shandra and I now each worked alone for our tributes to Dorand, and our steel was much sturdier than before.

Mid 1433, I was twelve, and still trying to master blacksmithing, when my dad was offered a blacksmith job by the queen's war adviser at Sun castle. We packed our possessions in the carriage and started on the long journey. Only to be attacked by bandits along the road. My father saw twelve of them coming, stopped the wagon and immediately ordered Shandra and I to hide on the bottom of the wagon. They said something to him when they stopped, they were saying stuff about his head and a toll. They were all young, maybe 21 at the most. My dad was 43 and he had learned to protect what he held dearest back in the dark ages. They drew there weapons and WHAM! one of them swung at him, but with quicker speed than I have ever seen, my dad pulled out one of the strongest steel katanas that he had made, just in time to deflect the attack. They were all getting at him now, he could barely make a swing here and there as he was busy deflecting and dodging there attacks. One by one they fell down and crawled away, and the wagon was ruined, the horses gone. We gathered what we could and put it on our backs as we started walking. Five days later more bandits, from the same clan this time in the twenties came on horses toward us. Dad told us to run, and, after hesitation, run we did I looked back for a split second, and saw dad trip one of their horses.

Days, even months had passed Shandra and I were lost, dad had never caught up. We were in a forest I had found a knife with the supplies we carried, as well as some fairly tough string, and a hatchet. With these I found a flexible tree, cut off a limb and carved a bow. I carved some arrows out of the hardest wood I could find. It now fell to me, a boy barely almost thirteen years of age to take care of Shandra and myself.

Over two years had passed and sis was getting very ill. I was looking for civilization or a cure for many days without sleep. Shandra was out cold when an elf of the forest finally found us and escorted us to her camp, near Spear Lake, not too far away, but well hidden.There she treated Shandra with medicine and elven tea, and she gave me some food. She introduced herself to me as Flora Algoner. I learned that the elves here have been aware of our presence for about a year, and when Shandra got sick they started debating whether to bring us here or not, for they new what greed and corruption could be lying in the heart of a human. For many weeks we did not feel very welcome at their camp, and Flora was the only one that would even make eye contact with us. I would sometimes hear them chatting at night, when they thought I was asleep, "They're lucky Flora has much influence here." and, "How do we know they are not escaped convicts looking for a place to hide?" they said more than that ,but most in elvish.

One year later, Flora was leaving and did not know when she would return. The elves ,a little ,but not much, more friendly now, would check on us in our tent from time to time. One of them saw a Katana, the only successful one I had ever made. I had not smithed since I was twelve and it was one of my most prized possessions, that I had been planning to offer to Dorand. The elf said his name is Rogon Alonnre and that I could probably become the blacksmith in camp's helper, I was only 16 years of age. Not long after, another elf arrived in camp, and Rogon introduced her as Valia Algoner , Flora's older sister. Valia had kind and warm green eyes, just like Flora. She was very efficient with both Katanas and Longswords, both of which she offered to train us, and by offered I mean even if I didn't want to, I didn't have a choice.

Two years of hard training, and little sleep. Shandra and I could understand and, to a certain extent, speak in the elvish tongue. We were now 18, and on our way to mastering both blacksmithing and fighting. Flora had finally returned and had received a heroes welcome from all the elves, Valia most of all. When she had learned of my training she immediately wanted a demonstration. She wanted me to just hit her once with a longsword, while she deflected with a dagger. It took about four hours, but I finally cut her leather armor on her leg. After that she told me that we had potential, at least for a human, and decided to help train us.

One more years had passed, I was 19. I had decided to complete my training and learn Elvish then go help the people at Fort Vehl. Rogon, being a powerful wizard, offered to teleport me there, once my training was complete. He did make it clear that the Elves here were a long way from there and ,therefore, had no power to help me. Directly or indirectly, they had no power to intervine once I left Sun Kingdom no matter what. Shandra was making good friends with the elves and teaching them a lot about Dorand, and blacksmithing. She had decided that this was her home and she wanted to live here for the rest of her life. 1441, i'm 20 and Rogon had been tutoring me in the Elven ear. I would spend most of my day just training and learning the elves language. I would find little time spend with Shandra, or to help the blacksmith. Rogon was a very wise elf that had traveled most of the world and could speak a multitude of languages. I only requested to learn elven, for any more than that would take many years to learn them all.

21 years of age. My training is nearly complete, and I have been studying the elven ear for a couple years now. Rogon said I was nearing the end of my study as I could speak elven fairly well now.

Now 22 my training is complete and we had built a temple for Dorand near the elf camp. Shandra staying and I am going to Fort Vehl. We said our farewells and Rogon gave me a teleport.