The Book of Mortals

Rhaedryn

Rhaedryn never knew his parents.
An orphan, he was forced to take care of himself.

His guide was the one thing that all bi-peds are capable of. The one and only thing that seperates civilized bi-peds from the savage monsters. Reason. He was taught to read and write at the "Home for Lost Children." But that was the extent of his education. His mind demanded data. To process. To reason out. He read so many books. Having no guide, no formal training and education. He constructed a code of life, a philosophical ethic for himself in order to have a purpose, which wasn't pointed out to him like it was to the more "lucky" boys and girls who recieved formal educations at a formal school. After years of intense meditation. He reached several conclusions.
1. Reason is the only reliable guide.
2. Achievement is the only way to measure a man's worth.
3. Skill is the most noble and sacred thing possible to man.

With those conclusions, he studied magic and music. The two of his favorite past times. He composed songs, playing them magically on his lute. Songs of the achievements of Man. Great architectual buildings, Great swordsmen, Great writers, just about Great anything. When he reached the age of twelve, it occured to him that it would be impossible to achieve the fullest potential in more than one thing. Magic, or Music...He had to choose.

"A Man earns money by practicing his Skill." He thought.
"Money allows people to practice their skill."
"Money...it's the product of Man's struggle to achieve the greatest thing he can..."
"People who strive for what I have concluded to be the most noble and sacred thing, must be allowed to do just that."
"Somebody has to protect that..."
"I cannot protect that with music...therefore I choose Magic."

Having reached a conclusion, Rhaedryn trained brutally for 8 years.

During Rhaedryn's 8th year of training, he encountered a half-elf named Samaodrin. Samaodrin noticed Rhaedryn skill, and after a long exchange of view points, he concluded that he must have Rhaedryn in in guild of Assassins.

"It makes perfect sense..." Thought Rhaedryn.
"I will be paid to perfect my own skill, and protect those who earn money, by using their own skills."
With that Rhaedryn was initiated into Inferno, the Assassin Guild.

The next couple of years were pure joy for Rhaedryn. His skill grew closer to perfection. He achieved a comfortable wealth by doing what he loved. He was introduced to Aldrich, the Inferno Guild Leader. Aldrich and Rhaedryn had many long discussions about skill techniques, ethics, and visions of Utopia. Rhaedryn thought that Aldrich was the father he never had.

After the first initial years, people began to notice Rhaedryn. Many of them hated him. They saw what they could never achieve and it drove them to comit a terrible crime. They gang banged him. This event shattered Rhaedryn's extended euphoria.
"I've seen this sort of thing before, Rhaedryn." said Aldrich during an evening discussion.
"They're people who hate the Skilled because they can never achieve it."
"They're known as Gimps."
"They use the most cheeziest tactics they can think of to destory anybody who might achieve more than they ever will."

"That's the most monstrous thing I've ever heard of!" Replied Rhaedryn.

"Well...I want you to understand that they exist and that no matter how skilled you are, they will rape you."
"The trick is to not let it touch you. You have something they never will. Skill. They're can never take that away from you."

Rhaedryn thought about this for a long time.

During the next 2 years, Rhaedryn was gang banged more than anybody in the history of existance. The idea that a person could hate life and all it's possible achievements so much, simply would not compute in his system of thought. Rhaedryn, who never lost a fair battle, was constantly gang banged by large groups of Skill-haters.

After long evenings of intense thought, Rhaedryn came to a conclusion. "I cannot defeat them alone. My skill has nothing to do with it. They will torment me for the rest of my life. I can only try to do as Aldrich suggested. To not let it touch me..."

But Rhaedryn knew that he couldn't do that. Something so irrational could not be shrugged off. The gang bangs persisted rampantly. After a crushing Vampire + Druid + Cleric + Ranger rape-fest, Rhaedryn asked Aldrich to remove him from the Assassin's guild. Although Aldrich disagreed, he knew there was really nothing he could do. Rhaedryn had to learn to not let it touch him.

"I cannot let this interfere with the Guild's reputation." Rhaedryn thought. "There must be SOMETHING I can do to fight it..."
"They hide in the Temples when they are faced with a one versus one battle...until their friends arrive..."
"There must be a way...there MUST be a way..."

With that, Rhaedryn considered his future plans.

Rhaedryn eventually re-joined Inferno. The simple solution to his problem was to avoid his enemies when they were too overwhelming.

For several years, Rhaedryn continued to tune his body and perfect his mind. His training went quite well, and he was happy. He pondered what a relationship was like, and after a rather bad experience with a woman, he concluded that it was a waste of time. So he continued to train.

One night, Rhaedryn and Aldrich were discussing the current state of the Assassin's Guild and some possible changes that would benefit the Guild. "The powers that be have sent some complaints." Said Aldrich.
"So I have some changes in mind..."
"By the way...how close do you think you are to perfection?"

"...Very Close..." Replied Rhaedryn.

At that moment, a Dark Man entered Aldrich's chamber and stabbed him in the back. Rhaedryn immediately jumped into the battle, defending Aldrich to the best of his ability. Together, Aldrich and Rhaedryn fled to Arinock, where the battle continued. The Dark Man was more powerful than anything Rhaedryn had ever seen. They fought for a long time. It was the most intense battle Rhaedryn had ever fought. The Dark Man's poisoned weapon severely crippled Aldrich's ability to cast spells. He was also skilled at effectively keeping the battle a one versus one situation at all times.

The Dark Man trapped Aldrich at Melancholy's Chamber. Rhaedryn could do nothing but wait outside the room...hoping that Aldrich could flee. When Rhaedryn heard Aldrich's death cry, he flung himself at the Dark Man, throwing every spell he could think of. The Dark Man took some severe blows, but Rhaedryn knew his fate. He was simply too powerful to defeat. The Dark Man pummeled Rhaedryn's head with a powerful sap....everything went black...