Roran



He was abandoned not too long after birth so not much is known of his blood family other than the part about him being a Razorclaw Shifter. Of course, this was not fully known by the family that raised him nor anyone in the village in which he was left, although, there were always plenty of rumors. All found out about his condition and all rumors were laid to rest when several boys got to calling him names in a more aggressive manner than usual. A fight broke out and after taking a few hits from the boys he became so enraged he transformed. The boys were so stunned that before they got a chance to get out of the way two of them had suffered deep wounds that would leave scars for life. Fortunately, or as he thought later, unfortunately, he had the sense to stop himself from attacking the boys and ran off home.

The village of Fianna was small and out of the way. A place that was founded by men and women who sought to get away from ... well ... from everything. That was several generations ago, though. There are several hundred families in and around the village and not even half are descendants of the original founders. The reputation of being a quiet out of the way place has attracted many newcomers looking for an easy going place to retire or raise a family in pursuit of a simple life.

This is exactly what Rhys was looking for. He had lost his left arm in the service of a Nobleman, Lord Zephram. His tasks were often dangerous and not always considered exemplary in nature. Without his arm it became impossible to continue performing his shady duties. His knowledge was then a liability to his employer so he knew he had to disappear before he was dispatched by his replacement. He found his way to Fianna where he took up a wife and started a family on a farm just outside of town. He had three children when the strange gypsies showed up. Cathan was 12, Evaine was 9 and Joram was 4.

It was quite rare for transient travelers to come to Fianna as the town was quite literally at the end of the road. The gypsies spent their time there trading goods and showing off trained animals and more or less creating a frenzy Fianna hadn't seen in quite some time. One night a pair of slaves were brought out as part of the entertainment. They were shackled in chains that seemed unusually heavy for people of their size. Then several of the gypsies started to taunt them and beat the slaves with whips. Many villagers were horrified by this and shouted out as the slaves were receiving blow after blow. Their cries were soon squelched as the slaves lashed out roaring and clawing at the attackers; the slaves had transformed and taken on tiger like features. The gypsies started laughing and pointing and cheering as the slaves settled into pacing at the length of their chains. Many of the villagers remained incensed, formed a group and ran the gypsies out of town the next morning.

It was nightfall when the sounds of a wailing baby were noticed. It was found wrapped with ratty old blankets in an alleyway off the town square near where the gypsies had made camp. Rhys was just leaving the town watering hole when a woman came running up with the unknown child in her arms. As it was getting late he offered to take the baby in for the night and return in the morning when riders could be sent out to bring the child back to its parents among the gypsies.

The next day a small wagon and a few horsemen set out after the caravan. Hyford, the next town, is seven days travel from Fianna and there are no other roads to speak of. This group made it in five and not once did any of them see signs of the gypsies they were hoping to catch up with. No one in Hyford seemed to know anything about the gypsies either, they hadn't even seen them before they appeared in Fianna.

By the time they returned to Fianna rumors were rampant and escalated further upon finding out the gypsies were nowhere to be found. A town council was convened to decide what to do about the abandoned youngling. In the end, Rhys offered to take the boy in as his own and named him Roran. Though there were many who wanted to cast the boy out as they feared only evil could come from such suspicious circumstances.

Much of this was not known to Roran until after the fight had changed him. When he arrived at home Rhys sat down and told Roran the complete story behind his coming to live in Fianna. Roran was 17 and all he thought he knew was now torn away and replaced with uncertainty.

The next few weeks were even more trying as the village was in an uproar over Roran's heritage and the status of the boys' injuries from the "horrible incident" as it was now labeled. The town debate over what to do was headed towards locking up Roran for good or possibly worse. Roran stayed holed up at home while Rhys went in and out of town to keep up with the news.

One day Rhys came home from the village with news that the townsfolk of Fianna were out for blood. Rondel, one of the boys in the fight, had a wound on the side of his face become infected and was now blind in his left eye. Rondel was one of the ringleaders in a group of kids who were constantly teasing, tricking and ridiculing Roran wherever and whenever they could. Roran was almost happy at hearing that this had happened but he also fully understood that the Rondel's family and the families of the other cohorts of Rondel's would now stop at nothing to have revenge.

Rhys brought Roran out to the barn where, after moving some hay and other tack around uncovering a large chest, he opened his cache of equipment he had left from his time in the service of Lord Zephram. Most of the best pieces had already been given to his children but there was still some leather armor, a few throwing daggers and such. Rhys then handed Roran a fine long bow and said it had been imbued with magic to make it more powerful and accurate. Once Roran was equipped, Rhys gave him a map and told him to go and find Sholto, a friend who would be willing to help out and take Roran in for a while.