Looking Beyond Darkness

(A character related post to my current character Arik'thain)

"In the time before he took his adventuring career the young man known as Arik'thain was actually the well liked and respected son of his Father Erik'theran. Arik'thain was the son of his father and his fathers first wife. She passed giving birth, and Arik'thains father took a new wife the following year. As was custom, he took a noble wife who had been widowed, and adopted that family into his own. The woman was young and beautiful, and had two sons of her own. Baerus and Nictul where there names. Arik'thain grew up with his two older brothers and knew his fathers second wife as his own mother. All was well, until Arik'thain started growing. Arik'thain was bright, well thought of, attractive, and interested in politics and the merchant business of his father. Arik'thains brothers were crude looking for nobles, and were not well thought of among his peers. Arik'thain still protected there name however, always looking out for his family, as was his duty. According to law, the first rightful child of any family would inherit the family name and wealth when he came of age, unfortunately for his brothers, they were not considered the first rightful child, since they were born outside of the orignal family name. It is unknown if the following was set up, or if it happened by chance, but Baerus and Nictul were accused of stealing a few items from a court wizard hailing from the Gallitrode University. When there room was searched, the items were indeed found, and the two were arrested for the theft. Hearing of this, Arik'thain made an appointment with the wizard who had been stolen from, and told him that he had always been interested in magic, and had mentioned as much to his elder brothers, the two probably stole the items to give to Arik'thain as a gift. The wizard told Arik'thain that he would be willing to have the matter dropped if he agreed to study under him in the Gallitrode University under the Rite of Indenture. To preserve his family's name he agreed, giving up the rite to inherit his family's name or property, or to achieve any status other than wizard. He left his family home shortly after to pursue his studies. His brothers were cleared of any crime, and Erik'theran's second wife became heir to the household once Arik'thains father passes away. Being a male dominated country, the household would thus go to the elder of her two children, Baerus. Arik'thain never mentioned the incident during his studies, and only had the highest of regards for his family, including his beloved brothers. It is said that he would only talk about his wish to someday join his family and help it prosper to its fullest. He talked optimistically that opportunity's could be created with foresight and effort, and that he had the will and determination to see that his family's future, as well as his own, would be secured. "