Legends of Belariath
Barador
The Killing
"Nooooooo!!!"
The scream filled the Thorgrath valley,
cutting through the icy wind, searing through the heavens and boring into the
bowels of the damp earth. The still of the cold, bleary morning filled with
gray skies and a light icy drizzle was forever wrecked as if the earth itself
thrashed and quivered like a living thing in agony. The blue Pari fluttered and
flew away from the surrounding trees, the wind howled in, snapping trees like
twigs, shrieking and blowing. The boy was only 7 years old. Born to Banedicktor
Ironwill and Sophia Eorbarad of the Thorgrath snowed-capped mountains. He saw
it from the small barn window, not 100 yards away. Yet there was nothing he
could do about it. It was too late.
Banedicktor Ironwill had retired from King Thadeus' service 7 years ago, where he was the leading Knight and Man at Arms. He started his farm in the country to get away from the years of warring to raise a family peacefully. But trouble followed him eventually. The lands had become a miserable, desolate place for all the Kingdom of Galligrath since Thadeus' death, the throne taken over by the wicked King Aeolius. Aeolius' men arrived early that morning, to collect taxes for the fourth time that year. "I don't have any more to give to Aeolius' purse! Have I not given everything I had already?" Banedicktor had refused to pay more taxes, for he was already on the verge of being a pauper. He stared them back in the eye, standing tall and proud. That's when a dark figure moved forward towards Banedicktor and Sophia - Lajaren Darksword, Man at Arms and right-hand man for Aeolius. He came forward a few moments later, from behind his men - without a word, without mercy, he swung his sword, and left both Banedicktor and Sophia beheaded on the ground. Young Barador saw everything with his own eyes, hiding in the barn where he had gone to check on the horses.
Young Barador charged out of the barn with a pitchfork, the only item he could find in his innocent fury. He stabbed the three-pronged farm tool into the first two men on the horses that stood before him before being whipped to the ground at Lajaren's feet as he swung the richly decorated hilt of his sword into young Barador's scalp. The force of the strike was enough to send him sprawling back on his back near the bodies of his murdered parents. Crying out in pain and agony, he glared back into Lajaren's eyes with blood and revenge in his eyes shining like the bright sun of Galligrath. The evil shaman laughed in the boy's face, as if all this had been a jest, amusement for his temperament. But he saw the fire that raged in young Barador's soul, a fire he had only once since in Banedicktor Ironwill's eyes in the battle of Gromwell Meadows, where Thadeus' armies had won miraculously, while Lajaren was a young archer.
"Take him back to my castle" He ordered his men, who quickly grabbed and bound young Barador, and strung his protesting body over a saddle "He can be a slave toy for Dragorded" At that moment, Lajaren had seen his own worst enemy in the boys eyes, but was too proud and arrogant to admit to it, and decided to keeping him near would be better to break his spirit.
Growing Up
Young Barador grew up in Lajaren Darksword's castle with his son Dragorded Darksword, who was about Barador's age, give or take a few moons. Dragorded was raised on riches and luxuries, spoilt and spiteful, whereas young Barador was raised on his leftovers and slept in the dungeons below. From the start Dragorded despised Barador as unwelcome company, and made sure his life was miserable. He treated him like a toy and nothing more, a pet in his sadistic games. On one warm sunny afternoon, Dragorded made Barador a living stand for an orange on his head while Dragorded practice archery, but luckily came back with only 3 arrows having pierced his flesh.
Lajaren had a strict regimen for Dragorded to learn the art of battle and sorcery, and Barador was made to accompany him in all his lessons, though he stood aside and was only allowed to watch. Barador return to the dungeons at night where he was locked up and chained to the wall. When the guards would go to sleep, Barador would practice what he had learnt with twisted and branches and twigs for a sword.
The weaponry lessons were given to Dragorded by the best fighters in the Kingdom of Galligrath by men who were directly under the command of the merciless shaman Lajaren. At age 13, Dragorded and Barador started to spar with actual weapons, many a times going on for hours as the instructors watched. Barador learnt to wield the Short Sword, the basic weapon of all warriors of Galligrath. Approximately twenty to twenty-two inches in length from hilt tip to blade tip, the blade is doubled-edged, and leaf shaped. Barador learnt quickly to use the Galligrathian Short Sword to his advantage for thrusting and close combat, its point giving it excellent armor penetrating properties. With time, as his body grew stronger, Barador took a preference from the Long sword, which is commonly used by the warriors of Galligrath. Approximately 36 inches in length, the forging of these "long swords" follows the pattern of the swords in the Damascus style. In this method, many billets of steel, both hard (high carbon) and soft or flexible (tool) steel are beaten together under heat and folded back upon itself and beaten flat again. This is repeated many times. This folding creates a blade with both a tremendous amount of flexibility, and one that is virtually unbreakable. It also, when treated with a mild acid solution, reveals the pattern formed by the layers of the different steels. This pattern is different from blade to blade and gives the sword its unique appearance. Barador skilled himself to use it as a slashing weapon, often to batter an opponents shield to bits.
Barador would accompany Dragorded on hunting expeditions, where they would hunt Purri and Cayla (deer and lions), and soon became skilled at using the spear, lance and longbow. The lance became is preferred choice of hunting weapon from saddleback, a long slender spear, eight to ten feet long, carried in the right fist, and is flexible and light. Used primarily for thrusting and stabbing. Black in color, they are made from the poles of young tem trees, and so flexible that they may be bent almost double before they break.
Not one for missile weapons, Barador preferred to spend more time with sword fighting than archery, but he did learn to use the crossbow well, mainly for hunting. The Galligrathian crossbow consists of a heavy, flexible bow of tempered steel, 18" across (when drawn), mounted on a heavy wooden stock about two feet long, with a trigger mechanism built into the shaped handle. He learnt to use several types of arrows - spiked, smooth tipped or broad bladed arrows, striking with enough force to penetrate wooden walls, doors, armor shields or living beings with relative ease.
As he reached his 23rd year, Barador was moved to the employee quarters of the castle, where he was no longer shackled at night. There, he continued to practice with knife throwing and the skillful of use of daggers in close-contact battle. The Galligrathian dagger is a narrow double-edged blade 9 inches in length and is mounted on a shaped handle of bone. It is honed to razor sharpness, and its blade tapers to a needlepoint. He learnt to use it primarily as a throwing knife, although it is also perfectly functional as a hand weapon and general utility knife.
The sorcery lessons with the alchemist's of Aeolius's Kingdom were at first boring for young Barador, which he saw with much skepticism. Once, Dragorded burnt young Barador's hair and fired an arrow tipped with a sharp metallic point at his face, leaving a permanent scar at his left corner of mouth, starting at his lip and dropping down in a curve 2 inches. With time, young Barador learnt to appreciate sorcery as an equally important art of attack and defense in these dark lands. Over the years, he spent many nights reading the scrolls of Thombold Albieb, the greatest of writers at the time and the most revered and feared authority on spell casting and alchemy.
The Present
Having come to age at 30, Barador went out on a journey of discovery, out into the open world, to find his spirit and to harness it. He came upon Nanthalion by chance, and by the time had used up most of his savings, and had lost his horse in illness. He decided to stay for a few days and ready himself for the last leg of his journey, and is currently a resident in Nanthalion. He finds the place peculiar in many ways, but tolerable. He works at the weapons shop as an apprentice, and guards the Healers' Guild at night 3 times a week, and can be found at the Inn at most morning where he breaks his fast before going for his daily exercise to the arena. Beware, for he has learnt to fight, to deceive, to cast spells, and to charm his prey into seduction. Barador currently wanders alone seeking power, taking any innocent prey that entices his fancy. He is cunning and lethal, though may appear deceptively friendly. He chooses to use power and influence for good or evil as it appeals to him at the time and takes no sides - or prisoners.