Or the Hunchback previously known as Thekrian the Thick

"Let this land of Doom no longer restrain you. Let you wander now and forever more in untold places at the edge of the World. For you will journey through Daig and beyond before your soul finds rest in the sacred lake. No more the solace of Cairis by your side, no more the name Wise, but now Ragnek Stormcrow, Wizard of  Day. Put your past behind you, for you are twice reborn."

- Ischandi the Wise.

In 2614, 13 years after the Evermore War of the Far North, Ischandi the Wise began recreating his "Wise" - 5 Wizards bearing a part of his soul and therefore a part of his power. Like a hand,  Ischandi again craved his five fingers.

First to be chosen was Phazil, then Elric the young. Third though was Thekrian and below is his story.

Thekrian was deformed and plain ugly, with a club-foot, a hunchback, protruding brows and a thick square jaw. Coupled with premature hair loss, a hideous gap-toothed “grin” and a tendency to drool, he ended up abused by half the population of Citadel Wrothmor and pitied by the other half. Life for Thekrian was hard, but the Kori of Aiah always told him death would be worse;"There’s no place in Elondil for a monster. "

They say your mother died in childbirth and your father died of shame when he saw you. And that’s the very nicest thing they say. You were born, if indeed born is the correct word, on the slopes of the Mountains of Gard during a particularly savage storm. The exact account of your birth has been passed on among Kori at Wrothmor for over twenty years and got worse each time.

Apparently your mother was a local whore, or as Doom would call it, un-sworn woman. She managed to upset several wives by luring their husbands away to her mountain cabin. Some of the women persuaded the local herb woman to concoct a potion that would give your mother a painful miscarriage and that’s how it began.

Your mother loved you, (you were of course unborn at the time) and resolved to mend her ways and raise you as a fine man, (she prayed for a boy). Unfortunately her dreams were dashed when the birth began prematurely and she grew very sick. The Kori say it is a miracle you were born at all, twisted and deformed as you are. A miracle that cost you your mother’s life.

Well as all good Kori would do, seeing a monster, they left you to die out there on that mountain slope and for five days and nights you wailed your lungs out, scaring off the most hungry of wolves. Finally a wandering shepherd (you can never normally find a Whailin shepherd when you need one) came across your lumpy body and took pity. He carried you further up the slopes to a blind woman living on her own. Even blind, the woman felt your ugliness, but sensed some kinship in your helplessness, as she too had been outcast. She chose to keep you and raise you.

Perhaps it would have been better to die as Yilla was a ruthless woman, despite being blind. She would beat you with a stick and make you do all the laborious tasks. As there was no one else to share your life, you stayed with her out of desperation, slinking back to the cabin with nowhere else to go, ready for whatever spiteful punishment she chose for amusement.

When you were old enough, she took you to the town of Wrothmor. It was then you finally realized the extent of your difference. You were a monster to the people there, a laughing stock and character from bed-time tales of horror.
Occasionally people took pity on you, throwing scraps from their windows as they would for a rabid dog, but mostly it was stones or sticks, foul words and curses. Not even the Kori opened their hearts to your plight and the world turned away from poor Thekrian the Thick.

You had to earn scraps somehow. Deep down, despite the cruelty of the town’s children and wicked, bitter Yilla, you always found the heart to go on. After all, the Kori said you’d definitely be going to hell in Daig, so death would have no welcome mat for you. So you began utilizing your physical skills. You were a hard worker, with the constitution of an ox. You never seemed to get sick and would work hours longer than the most stalwart men. You also had a knack of carrying rocks, perhaps because of your oversized hands.
This made you an excellent wall builder. In fact by the time 2616 comes along, you’ve almost single-handedly built a wall around the town approx twelve feet in height. A fantastic achievement, if it wasn’t for the kids pissing down on you from on top of it.

Even more amazingly, you seem to have made some friends in the citadel. A girl once gave you some flowers; her name is Elesandra. She is absolutely the most exquisite thing you’ve ever seen. Also, a man called Pater always says hello and a few of the very young children enjoy it when you chase after them growling like a troll.

Generally speaking, the people of Wrothmor have grown accustomed to your presence. They don’t squirm when you walk by and don’t think twice if you stop to inspect some discarded offal. Sometimes hunters come and use your nose and attention to dung for tracking bears or wolves.
Life has begun to get better. Especially with old Yilla falling out of her bed stone dead. This opens up all sorts of possibilities.

Thekrian's liberation from old Yilla proved to be short. Within half a day he found himself mistaken for a troll and run off a cliff by hunting dogs. Smashed against rocks, poor Thekrian prepared to take his last breath but fate decided enough was enough and intervened.

Ischandi the Wise descended from the sky on his Tower bridge and shletered Thekrian's soul within the pure light of his own. Thekrian was reborn and reshaped by Ischandi's will, becoming Ragnek the Wise.

See Living Dark for more information

Kerri was born in the state of eastern Daas, in the country of Esium. Her father Mahet was the Maze keeper of Cabal - a land poised on the edge of the Suraanese Empire.

Cabal had been designed to fend off any land attack by Suraanese forces; its land turned into a perfect battleground filled with trenches, pits and other nefarious traps.

As a daughter of Mahet, Kerri spent much of her childhood in Cabal's underground maze. Traitors, prisoners and Suraanese invaders would be teleported into the maze by Lord Araith of Cabal. It was Mahet's duty to rearm and service all of the maze's deadly traps.

Suffice as to say, Kerri learned a lot about intstruments of torture and death. The Daasin people were never one's for tact.

From the time of the fourth age of Kryll, world of Science and Sorcery conflicting. In a time before the rise and fall of Anomia. From the mists of the ancient scrolls of the flying citadel. Rising from history I tell thee O' master that hither came Androth of Krondor, Master of Storms and slayer of the EdgeWorlders. His tale is long and treacherous filled with people who hath molded the heart of the world and cast out the deformed maladies that afflict it's crust. He trod the lands of people far from his birthplace and his tale is long. I his scribe, relate his story...

Your home country is Koranande, a place of plains, forests and hills. The country itself is very wild and hard to survive in. Though many barbarian tribes and hunting clans wander or live in it's enclosures.
You were born in the Ethagar tribe, numbering over two hundred people and one of the smaller, less power hungry groups. With a stockade and outer wall of wooden stakes, the tribe's main holding consists of about thirty huts with the leader's being centre most.
You were the youngest in your family and had six older sisters. Rebi, Surlyss, Kerin, Kerlyss, Zoola and Berness. Your father was the clan leather worker and your mother a clan cook. Life in the tribe was hard, as everyone had jobs to do and had to work hard for the tribe's survival. As you were not nomadic your tribe had to farm the surrounding land and harvest it for food.
The tribe always lived in fear of attack though and it only had a few able warriors to defend it. Women in your tribe's culture had no place in the field of combat.
One such attack happened when you had reached your eigth summer. A tribe which Ethagar had been in a long feud with attacked to gain food to last it the Winter. Your warriors, including your father, drove them away.
Your father Hurr was a tall man, 6'7' with long platted brown hair. He wore many animal leathers and wielded a bastard sword in fights. However he was nearly always passive and friendly, seldom holding grudges or bad moods with anyone lasting more than a day. He also longed for a son and when you were born he immediately started teaching you the business of leather working and the tribes laws and ways.
Your mother was caring and kind. She stood 6'1'' tall and had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was very wise and often organized many of the women in the tribe, holding meetings and voicing opinions to the men, even if they were ignored.

Your major lessons were to treat all people with respect until they give you reason otherwise. To protect women as they are needed for overall survival, but not to let them get too involved in men's business. To fight, only when provoked or when your death or someone else's is involved and that it is better to cripple than to kill.

At the age of eleven when your sisters were all over 13, the oldest being 19, you were given the test of learning, where you were taken out into the wilderness and left for one week to survive. You built a shelter and managed to even survive a vicious snake bite to your left leg which left a scar.
You were kept away from the sisters for a while as they were courting and they often got annoyed with you and teased. So you stayed with your father.

At the age of twelve, in the winter when snow lay across the land, a group of horsemen rode into the village killing and burning. They were heavily armored in chain and plate, appearing very skilled in fighting. Accompanying them were three other men. One a tribesman by the looks of him, huge over 6'6'' and very well muscled, he had black hair and a dragon tattooed over his chest. Another of the three was totally armored from head to foot in plate mail. ( A rare thing for a barbarian civilization ) and the third had a black robe with a steel mask across his face. This person appeared to be the leader of the group. They rode under their flag of a black background with a burning eye in the foreground. Your tribe was slaughtered as they went from one place to another. Apparently searching for something. They stopped at your father and he killed four of the strongest, protecting your mother and three of your sisters. But he was felled by sorcery from the black robed man. Your mother and three sisters were brutally raped and then killed. Only you, Kerin, Berness and Surlyss escaped as you had not been in the tribe compound, but out hunting. However you witnessed all that took place. Everyone in the compound was slain, even babies and small children.

You and your sisters fled in grief and tried making it to another friendly tribe. You traveled for days but had to leave your sisters to hunt. As fate would have it, the world seemed to conspire against you that day as you were captured by nomads and taken to be sold to another man of dark colored skin and small height who spoke in a strange tongue.
Your journey took you to another land next to Koranande called Azzmul, a place of Jungles and strange wild animals and customs. Your master made you his personal slave, but his constant whippings and punishments could not quell the anger and hatred that your tribe's massacre had brought about. Finding you too much to handle at 15 years old, your master sold you to a gladiatorial pit fighting school where you fought others of your own age for entertainment.
The pit's themselves were fifteen feet in length and ten feet deep with spikes and sharp items around the edge to prevent pit fighters climbing out.
You killed to survive in those horrible years but made many friends of other pit fighters and they grew to respect you and look upon you as their spokesman and leader. Many things were provided including food and women. 
The owner though had it in for you and made you fight for some noble's entertainment your best friend in the pits, a man of dark tan called Roodey. You would not kill him and attacked the guards. But were soon overpowered and locked up to be thrown to a Ghera beast. A large six legged creature with a mouth that could snap magical steel.  You were thrown into the pit with the creature and wounded badly. But when the creature was upon you, you struck a miraculous blow to its head and rammed your spear through it's mouth and into the brain.
The pit chiefs were furious as no one had killed a Ghera beast before. The prize had been freedom for the pit fighter since 100 Ta. The pit organizer though ignored ancient pit custom and ordered you to be speared to death. The rumor soon got back to the other gladiators and Roodey escaped from his cell, freeing the others who came out to your defense and between the lot of you, you managed to escape, pursued by guards. 

You split with many of the other gladiators and went with Roodey through the jungles to try and make it your escape to Koranande. Dodging native traps, and actually becoming one of the Shurmera tribe, as an honorary member, you traveled with these strange people through the jungle, and used their man-power to get you through the Azzmulian guards that were after you. You and Roodey eventually after much sweat and dodging cannibalistic natives, broke out into a clearing one day where you found a tigress being attacked by some hunters. For a second you thought the tigress had called out to you for help. So you drove off the hunters, to Roodey's horror and went to help the tigress. Who also to Roodey's horror, didn't attack you. The tigress followed you and Roodey to a city and then changed into a bird. You soon realized that it could keep changing into anything up to man sized.
At this and several other cities you and Roodey went on a spread of thieving where you conned a captain out of his money to start up an army.  Stole a powerful merchants wagons of furs and assaulted a holy temple. Your companion talking and traveling everywhere with you, in many different forms. As a slave woman, as a tigress, and a falcon. It was at this holy temple that you and Roodey stole a lot of money, which Roodey was always interested in, and a sword which was entombed, blade downward in a block of blue crystal. The blade was expertly engraved with runes and stories of it's history which you could not decipher.  The hilt was of black metal and the hand grip was entwined with a dragon like creature.
Making quite a name for yourself, the guild of thieves began sending out assassins to get rid of you and Roodey, but Roodey persuaded you that the only way to solve it would be to raid the thieves guild and kill the guild master. Which you and Roodey carried out with daring and skill.
It was from killing a visiting mage that you picked up a dagger, weighted very much on the hilt end and with many small grooves across the blade, crisscrossing in no apparent order. The mage had come in behind you and before he had had time to react, he was lying in a pool of his own blood.
With enough money to rejoice and buy almost anything, you and Roodey went to the port of Cusoti on the Azzmul coast and set sail with a group of bandits hearing that life on the sea was fun and full of prospects. Your companion traveled as your slave woman, though she was never anything close. It is on the open sea that you first learnt of your power. When readying to plunder a merchant vessel you were fighting with the guards of the ship. It was already stormy and the ship rocked too and throw. In the height of the battle when you saw your companion in serious trouble you were struck by lightning and thrown to the ground by the impact, the area for several feet around you seared to blackness and broken. However you felt tingling all over and found that you were still alive. After the battle, your companion was safe and you were awed at by the crew as being favored by their gods. Although some thought you were a devil. You joined another pirate vessel with Roodey and companion and carried on plundering and pillaging. You became good friends with captain Korelius Macrem, a Tolnedran legionnaire and owner of the pirate vessel, The Ravager. You sailed around the Ansylanian coast to the west coast of Koranande and eventually bade farewell to Korelius and set ashore with the others. He gave Roodey though, a helm and to you he gave a buckler of magical properties Roodey told you. Korelius did not know this when he gave it though.
Gathering money you, Roodey and Companion bought a ship and crew and set sail for the continent of Sul where you landed in Glantra at the sea port on the southern coast of Specularum. Here, you and Roodey got up to things again and once more you felt your power. 
It was in a minor battle between some Marlonian raiders and Glantrian Legions of which you had temporarily fought with. You were struck by lightning from a storm once more, this time instinctively holding out your hand to the bolt. It sped through you for several seconds and you felt great power and near invulnerability from it. In the battle you were very powerful and the Marlonian raiders fled before your anger. Hearing of your goodly actions, you were approached by a band of righteous men of the Iron Fist. They wanted you to join with them and help get rid of bandits and evil creatures inhabiting Glantra. Roodey said that he wanted to travel to the Angarak Kingdoms to the west and try to pick up some more money so you and he parted. You were now 23 turns old.
You learnt of a mage who owed you a favor that the front shiny face of your buckler could detach and be thrown at people up to a range of thirty yards. And upon striking the target could discharge a quantity of energy. That it could also shed light and enthrall on lookers by it's many rotating colors.
You traveled with these men for two turns and then took to exploring Sendaria and a few places in Arendia. Staying at Lioncitel for a year lending your services to fighting back Marlonian Raiders from Black land's border. Here you knew a commander Eury Klaymon who led part of the fighting force.
It was here, lurking suspiciously in Lioncitel monitoring the royal palace that you spied a black robed man watching six people leave the palace by a side entrance. Four men and two women. You followed the black robed man to where he met several face scarred people secretly in a small house and spotted a burning eye emblem on one of them. They spoke at length and then fled Lioncitel by not well known routes to the border, you in pursuit. They then began traveling fast across Algaria after splitting up into two groups. You took the one crossing the plains as it would be easier for you to follow.

As seen from my master's account of the first impression gained of his traveling companions. He held them with little regard...

After following this party of strangers, I stumbled across a traveling group of people on the plains. They introduced themselves to my presence and paid me little homage.
A small stocky Elf of which I know little of still, called Dayel gives me little attention. I deduce him to be a good bowman and the is strongest in the group. His attitude to me is that of an enemy. I must beware.
A young man called Tonn, strange to me as he appears as a warrior though wears no armor. Little more can I write as he is noticeably of little importance.
A beautiful lady healer called Trinniarna - or Trin - who my astute senses noticed to be part Elven. She is polite to me, but I feel she would not know such common knowledge as the use of a dagger or sword.
A female barbarian of Koranande called Orana,  apparently of an inferior tribe because they allow her to fight and yet another female who needs protection from the country Algaria called Kirinox. A place near to mine in many ways who can track well. She lusts obviously after the elf, Dayel.
A very strange Cleric of Peloris called Elindor who seems a bit confused. He can prey to his god and act holy as well as attack and maim with ferocity akin to an avenging spirit.
Lastly, I speak  of the strangest one of all in the group. A small man of well tanned skin resistant to the rays of the sun. He is very lithe and agile in his movements and uses weapons even I, well versed in most odd weapons of destruction, have never seen. His name, Dobbax and his skill is I guess, one that uses shadows and stealth.

As is known in history, my master joined these people to protect the women and also because they were going in the same direction.

You went with the party across the plains of Algaria and traveled with them for a total of six days. This brought you to the mountain fortress of Aldurford. Capital of Algaria. Here there was trouble getting in due to Orana misbehaving and violating certain Algarish customs. It was Kirinox who got you and her in though.
After staying at an inn, trouble soon began. Elindor went missing. Dobbax brought back news of a strange encounter with an old man. Later that night you discover Dayel is at the root of an inn burning down and you demand compensation from him for the inn owner.
After diving into the flames and rescuing a trapped citizen, you were approached by a beautiful women, claiming to be quite impressed with your courage. She walks you back to her house and treats your burns from the fire. There you fall asleep with your Companion told to watch.

Androth after his first great battle ;-
There lay Androth Krondor at the base of the devil's horns. The area around him charred. The smell of burning flesh assailing his nostrils. Smoldering corpses of Shukenyai warriors scattered hundreds of feet in a radius from his form. His left arm, a stump, as well as both his legs. The vile Vambara poison coursing through his body and nulling all feelings of pain or emotion. His vision blurred and bathed in blood. 

Recollecting on the height of the storm. He had reached up to the heavens and cried a word. This word had  come unbidden to his lips and in a loud cracked voice had he challenged the heavens with it. And the heavens had replied by arcing their power down into a funnel of light. A great sizzling bolt of pale blue energy that struck at his remaining hand and coursed through the bloody fingers. Down his arm and into his body. For many seconds had the power crackled through his veins and wrap itself around his entire inner being. Throwing back his head and causing spasms to his body. His flesh had burnt and his equipment melted. The ground had blackened and the cries of Shukenyai had  filled the air in a horrifying choir of death. Their bodies being almost instantaneously obliterated to ashes.

Now he lay... alone and in pain. And for two passings of the night sky did he remain. Until through his blurred vision did a woman appear unto him. Seemingly hovering before him and garbed in a gossamer gown, almost transparent to his eyes. Her skin was like ivory and her figure like a dream of a God. Her face, the clarity of diamond yet as soft and colorful as a rose in full bloom. With a faint smile she waved her hand and he noticed the wind on his face and no ground at his back. And that the woman was no more, but in her place flew a mighty white horse with great feathered wings. And with seemingly great speed did the horse thunder through the turmoil of the residing storm without a care for the boiling sky or thunderous growls of the Gods.

And so at last did Androth of Krondor awaken on a soft feathered bed and find himself to be in the care of Peloris - God of healing, strength and light. And here at their greatest Temple in Vo Mimbre did he rest and recover. Now it was within the Priests powers to restore those limbs that were lost, but after many months. Having one arm remaining, did they concentrate on his legs. They developed him a harness made of stout wood and gave him supports so that his confines be enlarged. And with this aid he did move amongst the worshipper's of the caring God and did receive great care from them. And the time past slowly for him as he had no idea of his friends fates. But slowly he healed and his legs regrew by powerful magic, until they were nearly as good as before. 

And then he did practice the art of violence to retain his strength and prowess. And this did shock those of innocence, so he was given a place of privacy, where to fester his anger and vengeance. And this time was not spent foolishly, for he took dangerous errands for the religion known as Pelorism. And he always arrived at the destination, regardless of bandits or marauders along the route. And he was often seen helping to build in the Temple and replace broken walls. And his strength gave great awe to the others around him.

Now it came to pass that he learnt of Elindor's death at the hands of the Sardionites. And he mourned for his lost friend. Though to him did appear a visitation one night in a dream. And the figure in that dream brought great peace with him. The figure spoke and with his words, were the aches healed.
 "Know ye PowerMaster and hatcher of doom, that time hath not touched my child Elidori for he has been taken spiritually to my brother Mara's bosom. He shalt return upon the sixth rising of the sun hence forth and will bear the mark of my brother upon his soul and his mortal body. Seek him in the cemetery of Maragor and interfere not in his second rising. I Pelor have spoken..."
 Now when Androth awoke and went to service as had become common practice. He was stopped by many high priests, apparently on verge of fainting. And they did look at him strangely and say that he had the mark of a visitation upon him. Wearing off, but still abiding quite strongly. And he spoke of his dream to them, feeling it strange. And they spoke of their beloved Elindor and said that Peloris had spoken of rebirth. They said that Androth should go now and hasten to Marlonia - Land of Death, and abide their till the spoken time. And Androth left with a swift mare and a purchased sword, immediately. His flight to Marlonia, as if he were chased by all the hosts of the Abyss. And crossing past the mountain guards and down into the valley beyond, did Androth go until he saw two trees of a golden hue on the horizon. Amidst the emptiness of the barren plains. Approaching the two trees, he received a feeling of peace and everlasting love. And here did he settle down and sleep the night.
 The dreams of that night were plagued by people dying and being slaughtered. Of endless misery and grief. Upon starting suddenly to wakefulness, he saw that it was morning and that something strange lay at the base of the tree. Something wrapped in green robe. Upon investigating cautiously, he found that a person lay inside and the person was at first unknown him. However upon closer inspection, it was seen to be Elindor, though slightly different in appearance than to before. And with shock Androth noticed that Elindor was breathing.