"Greatest Hunter in Castle Leydford." ― Anonymous
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The Story of Baylor[]
Baylor was a Half-Beorning born in Haeloth. He was driven off with his brother, Alcanor by Beorning Hunter's from his own clan after they butchered their parents. Crossing the border into Arilaand was no simple task, for as soon as their pursuers lost the trail, Red Orcs came down from the mountains and mortally wounded Baylor's brother in a fight for their lives. Alcanor with his dying breath told him the truth of his bloodline, that Baylor was not his Father's son, his mother was involved in an affair with another race.
Years passed, Baylor wandered Arilaand as a Hunter, though he was only in his early twenties, he had met a knowledgably human trapper in the Cagovia Forests named William Paul Heustice who, in Baylor's mind, would rival even the greatest hunters of the Haeloth. When Baylor was thirty years old he found himself in a broken down shack outside of Leydford, much of his past a haze to him.. the crippling addiction to alcohol not helping. His lifestyle was very reserved until he met a human Blacksmith, Arn. The two would become close, Baylor even took a liking to the apprentice dwarf, Morgrim, which was very rare as Beornings and Dwarves never get along.
Over time Baylor grew to know much of the populace in Leydford, he'd fight alongside them against creatures from the depths beneath the castle, orcs & goblins.. even Tree Ents. Here Baylor witnessed the raw terror strength of a true Beorning, Fjal, a giant of a Beorning who in his final moments transformed into a great bear. Baylor tried to find his fellow Beorning with Morgrim, but they arrived too late. Fjal had fallen. Baylor bitterly and angerly wept from the loss, he was the only Beorning in Leydford and cursed that he had been so weak he couldn't have fought as Fjal did. He cried out into the wood, cursing and laughing almost driven to hysteria. And that is when Banir heard his pleas. The God of Triumph watched this Half-Breed grovel in the dirt, cursing himself for all his worth. Whether it was out of amusement or for reasons unknown, Banir humored the Half-Breed and gave him a task, to burn the body of Fjal and take his Ashes to the highest temple peak in Haeloth, only there, would he be worthy of Banir's Strength.
This was around the time The Empire was making preparations to invade Arilaand. Baylor knew of the Empire, knew what they'd do to Half-breeds and Beornings within their coliseums. He had no desire to allow the Empire to destroy the life he had made in this human country with his friends. As a vow to be a better man, he swore off alcohol until the war would end. Baylor also took a deadly head wound from a troll club a week prior. He forgot how to speak common, he had trouble remembering people or what happened in the past week from all the fighting. However, once again, Banir's eyes were drawn to the half-blood once again and gave him yet another test, a javelin fell from the heavens as a great bear emerged from the snowy woods of Leydford. There Baylor fought the great beast until it was felled. Baylor's memory and wounds were mended by Banir upon completing this small test. This boon would serve him well in the fights to come.
The siege was drawing to a close, the empire surrounded the small Castle on all sides, but there was a way out, supposedly. An Advisor to the King named Falgrith, who had several Leydfordians run errands for him in the past, put together a group to take into the mines to look for an "Archway", a magical device to transport person's across a great stretch of land. The King Aleus holding back the Imperial Lines, Prince Gavus of Arilaand and a few remaining survivors of Leydford including Baylor, raced into the mines, cutting their way past the hordes of mushroom menaces until they reached the Archway, they lost both the dwarves, Morgrim his good friend, and Nikolas the Tavern owner, the one who helped ween him off of alcohol.
In this final endeavor, the remaining King's men formed a line to safety get the Prince and the Advisor through the portal using a magical artifact. The rest of the Leydfordians were left to die. There in the darkness with only a few torches to see the enemies in front of them, Baylor, Arn and friends fought against the monstrosities to buy the Dryad time so she use her magic to open the portal. It worked, as the enemies closed in, the rest of the Leydfordians survived and somehow ended all the way in the Western Forests of Cagovia within some small ruins. There the party celebrated whereupon Baylor took Lisa Hollycarver, the Tavern Keeper's adopted daughter as his Ward.
Season 2: Adwick[]
A year passed, and the Leydfordians once again found themselves together in the capital city of Arilaand, Adwick. Baylor went into apprenticeship as a Butcher and would occasionally be paid to throw fights in the fighting pits hosted by the Brass Skulls. Fights weren't exactly legal, but then again, he knew the guards got a fair chunk out of them by looking the other way. The Empire was still at war with Arilaand, pushing as far as Ambershire and Oakenbrook. But Baylor had other plans, he had grown tired of fighting in wars by humans, he had a purpose, a task given by Banir The God of Triumph. He had made up his mind that when he had saved up enough, he would head North to fulfil Banir's Will.
At this time, Baylor met Yrsa and Ulagi, two full-beornings who were both old and wise. He learned much from them about Haeloth and his culture from Ulagi, Yrsa due to her own detriment, saw Baylor as a son. Together these two would be drawn together almost like magnets, going on ventures into the Badaria forests to clear it of orcs and Imperials. On such a venture into the Badaria Forests, Ulagu began to turn feral, his fighting and bloodlust progressed to a point where the need to survived played in his ears as a cacophony of drums. After taking more and more mortal wounds, Ulagi transformed into a feral wild bear. Baylor was beside him and urged the others to run as he grit his teeth and prepared himself for death. He called out to Ulagi in Hagvir-Togg, the ancient language of Beornings, urging him to listen and hear his words. Whether it was Banir or Ulagi's own will to fight the beast within, Ulagi listened and stood next to Baylor, he would only attack what was in front, the Knights of the Empire in Golden armor. Together they slew many an Imperial Soldier, it was a bloodbath. But they took their stand, and let nothing pass them until Ulagi transformed back into himself.
Season 2: Cagovia's Spiral of Death[]
This wasn't the last time this would happen. On a venture into the Cagovia Spiraling Ruins, Yrsa's survival was also tested and she too, heard the drums and transformed. Baylor was mortally wounded, near death. Ulagi was holding back Yrsa with his bare hands, for what seemed like forever, neither would back down, but upon seeing Ulagi mortally wounded, Baylor stepped in and once more, put his trust in Banir and shouted out in Hagvir-Togg the word: "Stand" to the beast once called Yrsa. For a fraction of a second as Baylor held out his hand toward her defiantly forgoing his own safety, the bear did not yet strike, there was hesitation the she-bear's eyes flashed briefly and then.. Baylor was on the ground in a pool of blood, a deep claw gash across his chest. But there in the dark as the beast left them to wander out into the caves, Baylor would not yet die. He was mended as well as Ulagi, Yrsa's bloodlust was sated and she turned back into her normal form.
They continued down the spiral to yet another Archway which was red a glowing, the mushroom mutated men continued to pour out from it and in the center, a Corrupted Dryad. Lisa had broken both her legs and was tasked to keep her on his back as he fought. The waves were unending and though the party managed to closed to portal somehow, they were all near death. The only light in the darkness was the green light from Iyendil, the Dryad healer. Something at that moment snapped inside Baylor, and as it did so, Banir himself couldn't help but grin. Baylor threw his weapons aside, began tearing into the enemy, throwing rocks and broken weapons with no training, though a half-beorning with no ability to transform into a bear for his own survival, here deep within the caves with a ward he needed to protect and all his friends falling around him he forwent any sense of self-preservation. In this moment as he trashed around, imitating a wild beast, he wasn't stuck in here with these mushroom abominations, they were stuck in here with him. He could hear the drums.
However, sometimes courage and raw strength and the will to survive is not enough. Wounds amounted, blood started to flow ever faster. And Baylor was sent tumbling into the polluted cave's pool managing to just throw Lisa off of him toward the others before sinking to the bottom. There for the first time that day, silence, a sense of peace as darkness began to close Baylor's eyes and water filled his lungs. This was the end.. had it been any other Beorning.
Baylor rose from the pool and crawled his way onto the shore, a mushroom shredder with claws for hands tore into his right leg but Baylor wasn't about to be dragged under once again, he kicked off the mushroom's head with his other leg, muscle, bone and flesh tearing as half his lower leg was ripped off. The pain was great, but so was the pain and guilt of failing his God. Collecting a sword on his crawl back to the Archway and his friends, Baylor propped himself up against one of the pillars and continued to swing his sword around wildly, Lisa was also beside him on the ground as he had no the strength nor leg to carry her, yet she also fought as he fought, tooth and nail. A stab to the leg, to the shoulder and through his side and yet, he still chose to stand loosely against the pillar as mushroom men tried to cut him down. The Dryad's light was fading, Yrsa and Ulagi had been mortally wounded or cut down he couldn't tell, there was so much blood in his eyes all he could do was feel the one next to him, knowing what had to be done next. For he knew he wasn't getting out of here alive. He pushed Lisa close to the Archway's alter as spears and talons ripped into his chest just as helped arrived..
Arn, Raeyln, Kyler & others arrived just in time before the horde had slaughtered nearly everyone. Everyone that went down into the caves first was near death, Baylor's wounds were desperately tended to in an attempt to save his life. But in the end, blood is blood and when there isn't enough, there is nothing that could be done.. had it been any other Beorning. But Baylor just wouldn't die, the others watched as the majority of his wounds began to clot by themselves with little aid. He was exhausted and in no fighting condition and had to be dragged all the way up and out of the spiraling ruins. He gave Morgrim's hammer to Ulagi who, despite everything, was still in fighting shape. Up until this point, despite all that had happened, no-one had died, until the ascension out of the caves.. Here Ulagi would fall to his inevitable death as well as a Duergar named Torgrim. Once again, Baylor was not strong enough to assist where it counted, once again, he had lost a brother.
Season 2: Resolution[]
Baylor fell into a great depression around the time after he lost his leg, he was of little use to nobody and felt despite the fact he is alive, he had failed Banir. But this was not so, Banir spoke to Baylor on a mountain top for some time and eventually Baylor knew what must be done, he must abandon Adwick's fruitless war and focus on the tribes up North, for they have begun to fight amongst themselves and something darker moves unseen. The opportunity came when reinforcing Oakenbrook, a cannon shell landed near him on a tower and he threw himself from the river below, deserting Arilaand's conscripted army.
Feeling guilty Baylor visited Adwick one last time to see his friends to let them know he was alive but they should remain secret. It is here Baylor ran into Oligah Dagfinn, a Beserker of the North looking for his brother. In Leydford, there was a great bear attack on the village and the bear was killed, it was discovered later that it was in fact a feral Beorning and Baylor's friends had cooked and eaten it. Therefor Oligah was out to murder all the ones involved in the killing of his brother. However, Baylor was clever and deceived Oligah into thinking only one was responsible and that he would bring him to Adwick in 3 days time. On the third day after Oakenbrook, a cloaked figure appeared in the training grounds of Adwick. Oligah made ready to kill this individual, only finding it to be Baylor. For Baylor blamed himself for Oligah's brother's death.
This made no difference to Oligah, all that was in his heart was vengeance. They fought brutally for thirty minutes, Oligah's intend to take the head of Baylor, whilst Baylor trying to reason but also fight valiantly. At long last the final blow was decided, he had bested Oligah.. but Baylor was dying, the wounds were too great. Oligah demanded him to finish it claiming there would be no satisfaction until all his brother's murderers were slaughtered. A task too simple, and all honesty would have been the easier route most would take to end it once and for all.. had it been any other Beorning.
But if there is anything we have learned from Baylor he isn't just a beorning. There he told of his brother's death, Banir's task, the war of the north and why he wouldn't kill Oligah, for Oligah was misguided, his brother and him were driven from the north and his tribe scattered, the one responsible was the King of The North. Baylor fell to the side as Yrsa rushed over to him finding him to be on the brink. He was barely breathing, she rushed him to the only person she knew that could save him. The Dryad. He had seconds, but the dryad granted him a special gift and all his wounds and fatigue were healed. There he said his final goodbyes to everyone including Lisa.
After losing the duel and having conflicting thoughts, Oligah began to ride his horse out of Adwick, only do find Baylor on the road as if no fight had taken place. Oligah couldn't believe his eyes until Baylor told him every scar he had on his body was where Banir said: "Not Today", including the scar from Oligah's axe. There he made a promise to Oligah sealed in blood, that when the time comes and he fulfills Banir's will, the head of the Northern King will be Oligah's, thus avenging his brother. There Baylor gave Oligah his first task, to find scattered tribesmen throughout Arilaand, arm them and bring them to me at the northern border. With that, Baylor gave him a golden coin which he helped steal within Oakenbrook, Oligah's gave him his horse and Baylor set off to the North.
Season 2: Banir's Will Made Manifest[]
Now in the north with a dozen or so beornings of like-minds set on uniting the north, Baylor continued to the highest peak within Haeloth. Not before setting up a pillar to remember Alcanor his fallen brother. After spending the night by the light of a warm fire, they were ambushed by Red Orcs and Frost Trolls, bravely they fought off the horde or invaders to their homeland. Afterwards, Baylor and Oligah parted ways, as for the next part of the journey, he needed to do alone. Oligah continued northbound, gathering beornings and northmen as he went, whilst Baylor scaled the mountains, there he ran into a crazy shaman who in the middle of the night tried to kill him before tumbling off the edge of a cliff. Baylor didn't think much of this at the time, perhaps the shaman knew going to the temple as a half-blood was a great and felt the need to cleanse the unclean who knows..
Regardless, Baylor made it to the temple after being harassed by many an orc and Draugr. He had the ashes, and that is all that mattered. He decided to take a breather and rest.. or so he thought, when several of his friends rushed through the heavy door of the temple. He was both surprised and uplifted to see them alive, even though he almost ran Soma the Surgeon through.
There with his friends to witness, Baylor offered the ashes of Fjal to Banir, and Banir spoke to him and was heard by all. There in the heart of the temple, Fjal appeared and told Baylor to make it worth it before touching him and disappearing. Instantly Baylor was thrown nearly to the ground as his eye flashed blue and teeth became fangs and his hands claws. The wooden leg fell to the side as a new one began to form as well as a new eye in his right socket. It was extremely painful as raw divine power burned its way into Baylor very soul, making him whole. And thus, Signe Gudruun was made and nobody dared deny that there was no God of Beornings.
They group fought their way down back to Yrsa's Village where she was to duel her husband's murderer. There, Yrsa's survival was tested along with the chieftain. Both of them became beasts, but the she-bear had the advantage. Having taken a potion before the fight and being the lighter of the two, she overpowered the current Jarl overtime, fatiguing him greatly as Signe watched them fight to the death. Yrsa was victorious despite it coming very close. The She-bear turned to the group of onlookers who were no longer friends and approached only to have Signe extend his hand and speak in Hagvir-Togg, knowing this time, he had Banir's favor. "Stand". The Beorning She-Bear instantly froze as the command was given, Signe approached and whispered her to come back as she has passed this trial. And so, she did.
Jarl Yrsa then put clan Majör under Baylor's leadership, which he begrudgingly accepted thanks to some advise from Arn. There he would continue to build up the village along with Penny, a farmgirl who was able to find a seed of corn that grew in winter. Nobody knows what came of Baylor after this as no word has come from the north. Only time will tell us the next chapter.
Attributes[]
- Major - “Thick Skin” Long nights filled with drinks and partaking in frequent bar fights has turned Baylor into something of a Brawler. His hands are rough and calloused, capable of dealing heavy blows upon his enemies. He’s quite resilient against bludgeoning attacks and his blood clots rather quickly. This ties into his stamina.
- Minor - Decent Survival Instincts. Having been on the road and wildlands most his life, Baylor possesses a good bit of knowledge of the world around him and is usually able to hold his own when it comes to hunting for food, cauterizing a wound or avoiding unnecessary dangerous encounters.
- Minor - “Handy-man”, when in need of desperate coin Baylor won’t shy away from any sort of work requiring basic knowledge. Mucking out horses? Not fun but he’ll do it. General upkeep repairs on a house? Roughly cut meats? Sure.
Detriments[]
- Major - Alcohol Withdrawal, Baylor now suffers from intense gut pain and night terrors. Quitting the drink and taking a mortal wound to the side comes at a price, this character can no longer sprint for more than a couple minutes. After running a great distance he is fatigued and will probably pass out.
- Minor - "???"
- Minor - "Live For Her", Baylor has taken Lisa under his wing. He has not adopted her, but promised to watch out for her. Should any harm come to Lisa or those she holds dear, Baylor will go as far to kill or throw himself into harm's way to protect her.
Gallery[]
