Posted by Nirgal on October 30, 2000 at 07:49:18:
role + Isham Ironsword was born Kelethanos Khelios, the only child of two talented warmages.
role + At a young age he moved with his parents to Mortorn, part of a legion of elf wizards
role + sent to help the dwarves in their battles with the duergar. Kelethanos had already
role + shown promise and was to learn first hand the art of war magic. On a routine patrol
role + with his parents and a group of dwarf warriors there was a swift and bloody ambush.
role + After a furious battle only Kelethanos and his father remained alive, the latter
role + fading fast from exertion and grievous wounds. He told his son to run fast as he could
role + back to safety. Kelethanos, with tears in his eyes, begged his father not to make him
role + leave, but was interrupted by the clatter of boots from below, duergar reinforcements.
role + The young boy tried gamely to create a fireball but could not concentrate from
role + fear and inexperience. His father, with a quick spell hurled Kelethanos several yards
role + up the hall just before the duergar rounded the corner with hate in their eyes. With
role + his last breath the warmage uttered a defiant word of power and collapsed the tunnel
role + on himself and the evil warriors. Kelethanos had no time to mourn his parents for one
role + of the duergar survived the massacre. Wounded but still dangerous he closed on the
role + defenseless boy. An unearthly rage siezed the elf's mind as he grabbed the nearest
role + sword and stabbed and hacked the poor duergar to pieces. He ran back to the dwarven
role + halls still covered in his foe's blood and holding tightly to the blade. The dwarves
role + were shocked at the wild, berserker's glare the child had in his eye, and in awe as
role + they saw he wielded one of the dwarf swords, forged from iron. As Kelethanos looked
role + down for the first time at his weapon it burned his hand as if on cue.
role +
role + An orphan, he was raised by a dwarf healer and gave up his sorcery training to be a
role + warrior. From his adptive mother he learned a bit of clerical skill and was given the
role + name Isham. One day many years later she told him that perhaps his encounter with that
role + fateful sword was not some latent magic, but a blessing from the gods. Isham needed to
role + know the truth of that day, needed to have some meaning for his devestating tragedy.
role + She then told him of the Paladins, and how perhaps they could shed some light on his
role + situation, and with a sly smile, how they sorely needed a dwarf like him. Isham went
role + to his knees and hugged the old healer tight, whispering his gratitude. He got up
role + solemnly, packed his few belongings, and left the mountain that day to find his truth.