Hiraken the Swordmaster

Appearance

A tall, and broadshouldered, while at the same time being quite agile and nimble, (What do you expect, he does live in a forest), mann with a long mane of tangled dark blonde hair and small dark brown eyes, which seem to flit everywhere. A grisly scar adorns his left cheek, courtesy of his fathers murderer, a bloodseeker, a being summoned by dark mages to do their evil bidding.

History/Background

Brought up by his father, Ishmar, the previous guardian and protector of the Hinderwood, Hiraken was taught from an early age how to wield a blade effectively so that he might one day be able to take up his fathers mantle and continue the life he loved so much.

Ever since his father allowed him into his private armoury, the hall of a hundred blades, rather aptly named, filled with weapons, some of them Ishmar forged himself, others he bought or was given and others he would take from enemies who disturbed the forest. Hiraken has been very partial to the large silver handled scimitar that his father retrieved from a passing orc warlord. A blade Hiraken fell in love with instantly.

He would spend hours under his fathers tutelage honing and perfecting his skill, as the years went by and his skills increased, he grew into a man and at just 23 years old slew a manticore that plagued one of the neighboring villages.

Barely three months had passed since the battle with the manticore, when sitting by the chair nearest the fire sharpening his scimitar on a whetstone his father staggered through the door, blood pouring from a deep gash in his side, in his last remaining minutes Ishmar told his son what had happened and made him promise to hunt the monster down and destroy it.As his father lay there dead on his bed Hiraken spoke the ancient rites his father taught him, which would preserve his body and keep it from the wild animals and insects, until he could get it to the Grove of Gaia, the burial place of the first in the line of protectors, who kept this forest. Afterwards Hiraken vowed never to rest until he had found his fathers killer, it was while he was in one of the local taverns in a nearby village that he heard a rumour of a beast sounding exactly like the one his father described to him on his deathbed. He got up and went over to the bar, bought two glasses of the strongest ale the house had to offer and sat himself at the table the storyteller occupied with his listeners. When he first sat down he got a few odd looks from the other listeners, who made nothing more of him, to them he was just another wandering adventurer, but the storyteller recognized him and greeted him and asked what he could do. Hiraken questioned him at great length over the beast he described, and when he gathered all he wanted to know, the storyteller asked him why he wanted to know he explained. After hearing the events he looked away in horror, and offered his condolences.

"If i can be of any assistance just let me know"

"Thank you", Hiraken replied "but i should be fine", several days later he found his prey the creature was rampaging through the forest, when Hiraken saw it he roared out his challenge determined to get revenge on his fathers murderer, the beast turned and stared at him taken by suprise that anyone would dare to challenge it.

Before it had a chance to reply, Hiraken was already charging towards it scimitar raised high above his head. Several hours later the pair where still at it hammer and tongs, Hiraken received a slash across his left cheek and the beast was heavily wounded. After about another twenty minutes he finally managed to slay the gigantic beast, taking its horn as a trophy to show to the people of the village, before leaving he noticed some thing strange, just as he was about to leave the area and head for his fathers house in the forest, the body of the beast sank into the earth as if it had never been there. This startled him, he did not expect the creature to have been magical, most enemies lay dead where they were and didn't disappear, leaving a feast for the local wildlife.He made nothing more of it and proceeded on his way home, to sort his wound out and to show the horn to the village elders.

The Grove of Gaia

The grove of Gaia is an ancient place deep in the heart of the Hinderwood where all the Guardians of the forest are laid to rest once their service is ended. Ga was the first of these, he set the code which was to be followed for the next 500 years. Since then many generations have been added to their number, Ishmar being the most recent.

Ishmar

Ishmar grew up in the village closest to the forest, working as a blacksmith, he would forge weapons for the local Watch and Militia, and also for the occaisional adventurer needing a new blade.Whilst he was out in the forest gathering wood for his fire, he was attacked and badly injured, and would have died where it not for the then guardian of the the forest saving him.The Guardian offered to help him and Ishmar readily accepted, leaving his old job in the village to help the forest guardian.Ever since his master passed away Ishmar has been the carer of the forest keeping it like his master before him and the way Hiraken would in years to come.At 28 he found himself a wife and almost a year later Hiraken was born, sadly his wife was murdered in the forest by a band of wandering outlaws.Since then it has just been the two of them in the forest, until Ishmar passed away.

Guardianship

Being guardian of the forest means many different things to Hiraken.

He can be mainly found wandering through the forest making sure everything is safe and well, ridding the place of the occasional bandit and unruly beast.

He will also offer his assistance to passing travellers who are on their way through the forest, protecting them and guiding them them the shortest way towards their destination, once they are out of the forest he will part with them giving them directions to were it is they want to be going.

One of the things he has far fewer people coming to the forest for is his tutelage, for every now and then people will come through the forests in search of him, asking that he help them further their skills as a warrior. His reputation grows rapidly as more and more people come looking for his help, however he will only ever have one student at a time.

Special Equipment

Hiraken fights with the scimitar he fell in love with when he first laid eyes on it, it is well crafted and almost perfectly balanced. With a handle inlaid with pearl.He doesn't have any special equipment as such but he does have the remains of his fathers sword "Kaina", a long diamond edged katana which his father swore by all the time. He keeps these fragments in a metal box with a well fashioned lock on it that would be very difficult to pick.Hiraken wears a well worn suit of studded leather and doesn't ever carry a shield.

Roleplaying Notes

Hiraken can be involved in almost any scenario you could possibly think of, as long as there is a forest with a few nearby villages, (alter for campaign as desired).

Plot Hooks

A stolen box.Somebody has entered his home and stolen the box containing the remnants of his fathers sword, the reason is unknown and he is getting increasingly angry.

He will pay anybody greatly to have his precious box returned to him. He would also like to find out why the perpetrator took it.