Written by player:

Ketharion Longstem was like many of the Kagonesti Elves in Southern Ergoth. He spent most his days in the forests that he called home. From a young age he was taught the ancient druidic ways of his people. His father instilled in him a deep love for the natural world, and a healthy fear of it. He felt the hum of power in everything around him but no matter how hard he tried he could not access it; almost as if the departure of Habbakuk after the Cataclysm had woven a veil over the land sealing the power within. Still his bond with nature was very real and he hoped one day to unlock the power that he felt was just out of reach. Although he would occasionally venture in to populated towns, mostly for trade, he found their paved streets uninviting, and their walled buildings downright oppressive to be in for too long. One habit the more “civilized” peoples had that he did enjoy, perhaps too much, was a good wager over a game of cards. His father, who was an adviser to Chief Beldroth Bearpaw leader of their small tribe in the Southern Forest, would always warn Ketharion not to get involved in the peoples’ games, and of the troubles it could bring. But Ketharion never knew when enough was enough. 

One day, after a particularly good night of cards Ketharion and his close friend Kolvar Bearpaw were on their way back to their forest home when multiple robed and hooded figures leapt from the trees above them in an ambush. Their attackers were as quick and as graceful as wild cats and quickly overwhelmed Kolvar. Ketharion knew this was a fight he could not win but still with all his might he swung his quarter staff, that had a thick vine from his forest tightly wrapped around it stopping three inches short of the ends, at the assailant to his right. The next nearest attacker lunged at him as his partner crumpled to the ground, but just in time Ketharion whipped the vine from his staff at the assailant. The vine wrapped around the hooded figure and with twist and a pull, he sent the attacker bowling in to the men behind him. With that opening he bolted in to the forest and disappeared among the trees that were his home. Once he was sure he was no longer being pursued he returned to his Tribe and frantically sought his father and the Tribal Chief Beldroth Bearpaw. “They took Kolvar!” Ketharion shouted as he approached, “we were attacked at the forest’s edge and they took Kolvar!”

After a brief, out of breath explanation, the normally peaceful Kagonesti began tearing through the forest after Ketharion who was leading the way back to the forest edge. With an almost feral exuberance the Elves readied themselves for battle as they pursued whoever had broken their peace. Their chief’s son had been attacked and taken or worse… Once they reached the clearing and the trees thinned out Ketharion looked west toward the coast and his heart sank. A ship was unfurling its sails crewed by the same robed and hooded figures that had attacked him only minutes before. He hoped Kolvar was on board the ship because the alternative was too much to consider. 

Chief Beldroth Bearpaw blamed Ketharion for the loss of his son and banished him from their ancestral home deeming him a Dark Elf and stripping him of his family name. He wasn’t sure where to start looking or how to hunt a quarry he knew nothing about, but he was determined to find Kolvar and bring him back home, or else make those responsible pay for their crimes. He charted passage on to a ship using the winnings from the game of cards, and as he handed the steel over guilt wracked his slender frame. He had traded his friend’s safety for that steel, and it had cost him so much more in the aftermath. The captain of the ship was a Minotaur that went by Feroz Irontide. He was pursuing a Cridheolc vessel heading north to lands unknown to Ketharion. They arrived at Hargoth, as good a place as any to start his search for the unknown, so Ketharion thanked Feroz and departed in pursuit of Kolvar’s abductors. In Hargoth rumors of a slave trade piqued his curiosity and he set off for the port town of Haligoth ran by criminal syndicates and thugs; just the kind of scum that would trade life for steel. 

After a long journey he arrived at Haligoth at midday. Not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, Ketharion waited for the cover of nightfall so he could slip in to the city undetected. He found a crop of trees just outside the city; being back amongst the trees was bitter sweet. He was reminded of his home and those he was forced to leave behind but reconnecting with nature filled him a sense of comfort. To pass the time he recalled his father’s lessons of the ancient druidic ways of his people. He could still fell the ever-present humming of power in the land and he reached out for it once more. This time though, something was different! The veil had been lifted and the power of nature responded to his call! 

Just then a hooded figure came walking down the road, a human man judging by the size. On his robe was the same symbol he had seen on Feroz Irontide’s ship, the symbol of the Seekers known as the Cridheolc. If what he heard was true, these Seekers were abducting people, forcing compliance, and killing all who resisted. With a flick of his staff, Ketharion sent the vine that he had wrapped around it at the unsuspecting Seeker. This time though, the vine was alive with power. It wrapped around the man’s legs and squeezed tightly. As he fell, Ketharion did his familiar twist and pull, but a surge of magical energy coursed through the movement and the Seeker went flying nearly double the body length of Ketharion and slammed in to the trees. After checking if the man was still alive, Ketharion rummaged through his belongings and found a few steel pieces, a dagger with a curved blade, and a wax sealed letter with the symbol of the Cridheolc as its stamp. Breaking the seal he read, “We have taken the town of Hearthcrest and its inhabitants now serve us with willing zeal. Their labors will further our cause just as we planned. Praise and glory to Cridheolc!” Taking towns by force and enslaving innocent people to further their cause, these Seekers were a problem that needed to be dealt with. Ever since he left his forest home things had drastically changed and he needed answers; Kolvar’s safety and possibly the peace and safety of the world at large were at risk. Stunned by the power he just wielded and deeply suspicious of these Seekers and their “cause” Ketharion resolved to make a trip to Hearthcrest.

Update: Ketharion would eventually locate his friend, Kolvar - but things were not as expected. While pretending to be agents of the Dark Queen's Blue Army, Ketharion and his companions sailed to Blodehelm in search for an Irda who had been taken prisoner, according to Arrigus, a mage of the Black Robes. And it was there, that Ketharion made the heartwrenching discovery that his best friend, Kolvar had been abducted by the Dragon Army, in hopes of gaining information about the Kagonesti elves. Kolvar was badly tortured, his ears severed, his face scared, he was then traded to the Derro - the dark dwarves. It was believed he perished there, however, the captain of the Human Black Dragon Army (Captain Rel Twomoon)  took favor upon Kolvar and arranged his release - and Kolvar took on the name of Herric (meaning Forsaken in Elvish) and made him the Dragon Highlord for the information he provided about the Kagonesti Elves in Southern Ergoth and their defenses. When Ketharion confronted Kolvar when he was alone, Kolvar told Ketharion to leave and warn the people - it'd do no good. Ketharion attacked Kolvar, and in the chaos that ensued, despite repeated attempts of Kolvar telling Ketharion to depart to warn his people (one might speculate that despite being the Black Dragon Army Highlord, he did not want to kill his friend) - however, Ketharion pushed them both out of a two story window, and during the fall, Kolvar plunged his sword into Ketharion's chest. Unable to reveal their ability to heal, Feroz put Ketharion out of his misery.