My name is Yllohm son of... Taefal. But that is not important. The taint is what is important. It rips us open to bind us like the disobedient dogs we are. Do you know where you were born? It must be nice, for I have no idea. Taefal was the only father I ever knew as he raised me deep in the forest grove at Stedding Gamamiel. From an early age I had been curious, adventurous even... and that's how it all happened.

1] One dark night
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay, I'll admit it. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have decided to camp outside under the trees that particular night. As I lay thick and drowsy in a peaceful star-filled slumber, something woke me. It was my brother, I was only 17 or so, I don't really remember him. He was screaming. That's when it started, the oncoming rush of dark twisted man-shapes.
I dove for the ditch before they came, running crazed like wild horses. Brandishing wicked oddly-shaped swords, hideous axes and long jagged, hooked spears. Black as night they ran by me, huddled shivering in the forest like the coward I was. Good for me. Worst of all that night came next, a faceless monstrosity, carrying a pure black sword of evil. As one of the shadowspawn addressed him roughly, he snapped at it, backhanding it across the face. That Fade drove the Trollocs into my home, I hate that Fade. Not as much as I hate his master though.
One of the village elders had come looking for me amidst the chaos of the Trolloc horde. He brought a horse for me and one for himself. "C'mon Yll," he said, "make for the ways, I'm headed for the next Stedding to warn them. Make for Tar Valon and don't ever look back." I did as I was told, screams haunting that shadowy ride through the ways.

2] Tar Valon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next few years of my life are a hazy blur. Wandering the streets of Tar Valon I picked fights with everyone, Darkfriends, City Guards, a Drill Sergeant even! I grew proficient with a twin-blade tarwas blade one of the last male Aes Sedai gave me, a twinkle in his eye. "Learn to use this, Yll it may well be your only comfort."
Needless to say I was driven from the city as a young adolescent turning once again to the ways for escape I fled to Stedding Gamamiel.

3] Stedding Gamamiel
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No more than a few hours passed in the afternoon on the green at the stedding before a stonemason came up to me. "I haven't seen you around here before, why don't you come share my fire and stay in my house for now."
Taefal was a wondrous, caring man. He taught me the way of the leaf which I rejected in adolescent rebellion. He was a persistent teacher though, so one day we rode east to meet a friend of his who was a Taardad Aiel. That man gave me the workout of my life for a week or so. The Aiel taught me how to use a spear (my twin tarwas isn't much different when it comes down to that), and how to avoid being hit in combat. He was very wise. He wished me luck and then we left to return to the Stedding. A few short years later when I was 73 Taefal gave me his blessing to leave, long as I promised to return. That I have done on numerous occasions, for my father is funny, and makes a mean cup of grass tea which we'd sip at over a game of stones.

4] The Whitecloak
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I left Tar Valon a second time I saw a man gasping for breath at the side of the rode. He was accompanied by four soldiers in gleaming steel armor. The man wore a pristine white robe with a sun on the left breast, crossed by a shepherd's crook in red. Just as we were about the get acquainted, some Warders came over the ridge shouting about what would happen to those who butchered Aes Sedai. We turned to face them I with the man's sword and my tarwas in hand, and four soldiers wielding longswords. The warders fought hard and I caught many wounds before the three that survived turned heel and ran. The twisted corpses of the other five and three of the soldiers littered the road, covered in slick blood. "I'd be honored if you'd escort us to Amador, friend Ogier."

5] A child of the Light
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've noticed in the years since then that there aren't a lot of Ogier in the Children. But I don't have time worrying about it, for I am in the command of a lieutenant in a small garrison near Manetheren. There are rumors that the Trollocs will invade soon, and we are under orders not to let them breach Amadicia's border. May the light prevail! I will not rest until every Trolloc from here to the blight rests in a crumpled pile of broken bones. If that takes me to Tarmon Gaidon, so be it!!

6] Present Day
I know you're thinking that most Ogier become say a Craftsman, or a Bard or a Druid, something pacifist and pedestrian. Let's just put it this way. As a child I was thrust head first into the battle, and I found that it brought me peace to fight for the light. There are probably those that are outcast by their culture everywhere, and it may be against the interest of order. As for me I say, Let chaos reign!

TOP

"What is this?" The old ranger muttered to himself as he came upon the injured she-wolf, standing over a bundle at the base of an old oak. With a shake of his head the ranger bent to the wolf and asked in the way of the wolves "how is it with one?" The wolf briefly perked her ears and then with a growl spoke "tend to the man-welp" and limped off into the thick underbrush. It was then with surprise that the ranger realized that the bundle was in fact a child, and though barely newborn he looked as big as some of the older toddlers! and where did you come from little one?" he asked to the child, who was not about to respond. Shockingly the child gazed up at the ranger with piercing eyes, which seemed to gradually change color from grey to a light blue. With a shake of his head the ranger took the child back to his village...

"Corwin!" Shouted a voice, snapping the young teens eyes away from the pond where the deer had been drinking. The boy was up in a flash "yes master?" he queried as he ran towards the voice. He stepped around a tree and heard the sound of an arrow buzzing though the air. Immediately his defenses came up, his skin turned bark-like and he dropped to his side, ducking left. "Excellent!" his masters voice rang from a treetop...

..."hmph you keep getting bigger and bigger!" Master exclaimed with a smile "you may even have some of the old titan blood in you!" Corwin grinned, thinking it a jest. "Well master, titan or no I wish to stay here and help protect the forests as a ranger like you!" The masters smile faded and he sighed. "If anything were to happen to me you should make your way to New Manetheren, there is much in the way of old and new blood, many wonders, many evils, many goods. Your powers would be useful to some people. Now get to bed young un...."

...The young man toyed with the light fuzz on his face as he watched the new spring unfold. The animals were just coming out and warm light spread across the branches. With start the nearest animals ran deeper into the forest and Corwin suddenly placed what was wrong. Smoke! Corwin knew that meant raiders. Corwin quickly slipped off the branch and headed for the village...

...As he neared the village Corwin could already smell the burning flesh. It was a foul taste in his mouth, choking him. Smoke made his eyes burn, but also made his resolve to save his village increase. "I won't let them get away with this!" He muttered to himself; fear dragged at him, in spite of his resolve. As he neared the centre of the village a grim sight met his eyes: The villagers were all dead, save a few women who wore blank looks of one who is no longer mentaly there. Some children were hanging from a tree, obviously killed while trying to hide, many were burned in their homes, on for sport by the honourless men. With this site came an overpowering fear, and Corwin turned back the way he came to find a hiding place. As Corwin begain stumbling away from the site, it was almost if he could hear the wails of the children, and the jeers of the raiders, taunting him for his cowardice. Safety obtained, Corwin wept...

...The raiders were leaving now and Corwin came out of hiding. He went to his masters burnt bones and clenched his fists. His fear was still there, but now a burning rage was boiling in his veins, blotting out the fear, they WOULD pay, and as he issued a cry of rage; it seemed the very earth cheered him on. Thunder resounded through the ruins of the village...

..."it was a good raid Jamiar" the scruffy man told his leader. "They had many different animal pelts" his leader nodded anticipating the lovely coin he would get for them. Just then he heard thunder, but no rain. "Thats strange," said the leader, "there were no stormclouds on the horizon" Just then a blinding flash filled the tent the two men were sitting in, Jamiar felt himself flung like a ragdoll into the air. Time seemed to stop, there was no sound. Then with a resounding jolt of pain Jamiar was brought back to reality, he was lying flat on his back some twenty meters away from where the tent once stood. All that remained of the tent was a charred hole in the ground. Standing up, Jamiar went to the centre of the crater, turned to the shocked men and said: "well boys, looks like i'm in command now, and i'm safe, as we all know that lightning doesnt strike the same place twice." As he finished the sentince he saw a second blinding flash, and the world went away...

...as the lightning finished Corwin made his last count out loud: "198, one lightning bolt for each man." As he said this he felt a wave of lethargy overcome him, and he stumbled toward where he knew to be a decently high cliff. "let nature take the village, it will anyway...."

...Corwin walked to the edge of the cliff, 'what reason to live?' As he thought, his heart clenched in pain from the loss of all his loved ones, especially his master. Then he remembered the last words of his ranger master, spoken early that morning: 'Corwin your affinity with nature surpasses my affinity for even my bow. I release you from your apprenticeship as a ranger, go out Corwin, and become a druid. You will uphold nature, and know this; nature is not evil, nature is swift in punishment, and nature can be harsh, but never evil.' Corwin responded to the memory with a whispered "I cannot master, this pain is too much for a mortal to contain." He moved his leg to make that final plunge into sweet bliss, but something was holding him back. A muffled growl sounded behind him, and as Corwin turned his head to look he saw a wolf had a hold of his footware. With a scowl Corwin begain to shake it off, then stopped, a look of wonderment upon his face, as a second wolf begain to speak to him.

"One would advise you not to jump off of there, as you cannot fly, yet."

Corwin shook his head, this wasn't like the old legends spoke of where the wolf spoke directly to your mind.

"Much was lost in the breaking of the dreamworld, mayhap you should try to fix it?"

Corwin realized he had been thinking out loud and so continued with: "What am i to do about the dreamworld? I have no talent with such things."

With a ammused yip the wolf said "ah but you are Ta'veren, as are many these days. That may make a difference." The wolfs voice turned slightly impatient as it continued, "Now go, if you will not do this for the world then do it for the wolves" and with a small nod the two wolves vanished back into the trees. With a sigh Corwin turned back from the cliff and begain his journey. For the wolves, for nature, he would do anything.



Corwin Morrindale has a large mistrust for most humans, a fact he hides with a friendly, if odd, behavior towards strangers. Due to his affinity with nature, Corwin also became entranced by man made objects, and thus became an artificer after completing his druid training. He developed an idea that may help restore the dreamworld, but will not speak of it untill he manages to repair the portal stones. This is because, he says, if you were to repair the dreamworld as it stands now you would be mixing several dreamworlds from different realities into one world, which may cause further harm to the original dreamworld. He realizes that due to his titan ancestry he could not exist in the fully restored world and accepts that fact, saying that nature crys out against the current configuration of the world.

Physical Description: Corwin wears his cloths for funtionality and comfort rather then fashion, and looks to be a cheerful vagabond. His eyes reflect light to show his mood, a light blue meaning he is cheerful, and grey to show unhappyness or anger. He is very tall for a human, due to the small amount of titan blood in his veins.

Religion: Corwin follows nature, not a religion. He follows Talen and so states that if the portal stones are restored they will be reworked in gold. He also has an affinity with Volo, and so states that the stones symbol for the restored 'primary world' will be volo's symbol.

Corwin's symbol is a oak tree with a lightning bolt behind it.

TOP

It happened, he was weak, he was hungry, he was thirsty, an old monk took him into his home and cared for him, the monk taught him all he knew. Unfortunatly the monk was taken, kidnapped, Arethra was taken also, but he broke free, night and day the chaos cleric hunted for the kidnappers.

Arethra has a long mane of hair, a scar down his left cheek, a souvener of a battle before the Wheel of time. The monk was found, dead, three years ago, now Arethra fights for evil still hunting the monks kidnappers.

"one day, master, one day they shall pay!" Arethra said.

He entered the wheel of time. He was bullied, he was killed over and over again. he began beheading anything he killed, always worked alone, never wanted help. People never took him seriously when he told them, when he warned them. Now they all pay. They hurt, they always forgive.

He made a journal:
"Master Lien has been kidnapped, I'll kill the kidnappers. I'll search for Rinn Ath'nalo, ask him for help, I'll seek all evil and take their lives, then I shall one day become the greatest evil sourcerer, one day the kidnappers will be killed at my hands, one day, somehow."

The next page
"They do not listen, I have warned them, that there is danger ahead, they won't listen, what do I do? I'll seek Rinn Ath'nalo, he'll help me."

The rest of the book was covered in something that looked like blood. You could only see the name, Master Lien, scratched on the inside of the cover.

Arethra followed people, helped people they helped him, he found the book buried in the runes of an old house, this is where they murdered him, Master Lien had a note tied tightly around his neck:

"To who ever reads this, we have killed the monk, we will kill everybody else, Arethra prepare to die, I have a gift with monsters, animals and people, I made them all evil, you won't win, I shall. The Master of Darkness"

That is how he knew, he is after the Master of Darkness.

TOP