Born: Taeryn Silverleaf. Now known simply as Nathan.
Father: Daelyn Silverleaf(elf)
Mother: Jancis Avery
Siblings: None
Taeryn had an unremarkable, happy childhood with is parents, the son of a locksmith and his wife. As he neared his fifteenth birthday and was about to begin his formal apprenticeship under his father, his life was shattered when he returned home one evening to find his house a smoldering ruin and his parents murdered, the victims of a roving band of orcs. With no family, Taeryn struggled on the streets until he fell in with a small guild of thieves. Having been around locks all his life, Taeryn found he had a natural talent for opening locks and was marked as a rising young talent in the guild. As the years went by, Taeryn found himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with a thieve's life, coming to hate the feeling of being a predator and taking what others had worked so hard for, yet knowing for him to let this show would earn him an unpleasant death.
Early in his twentieth year, while returning from his latest job, removing a prized collection of ivory figurines from a local artisan's lock box, he stumbled across 3 figures involved in a tense struggle. Not quite knowing why, he went to the victims assistance. During the scuffle, Taeryn was forced to kill one of the attackers, the other escaping but having gotten a clear look at Taeryn's face. After assuring himself the older man was not injured, he began to search the body, stopping with a quiet, bitter curse as he found a tatoo marking the body as a member of the local assassin's guild. He looked around, his mind racing as it began to sink in that his life was now forfeit. Knowing that time was of the essence, he managed to find out where his rescuee was staying and began to lead him there, keeping a careful watch on the surroundings. By the time they reached the inn, the man had recovered himself enough to thank Taeryn and give his name as Professor Petros Lorrimir, and express his thanks for the rescue. Having heard of the famous Professor, Taeryn couldn't believe his poor luck and quickly explained who he was and what might yet happen to them, as one of the assassin's had escaped.
While helping the Professor gather his belongings, Taeryn remembered a way out of town known only to him. Shaking his head at the Professor's urchin like grin upon hearing of this, he led them both through a long forgotten section of cisterns until they were well out of town. Once free of pursuit, the Professor took the lead, again thanking Taeryn for his quick thinking and aide. The two traveled for a week, Taeryn slowly revealing his life story as the Professor subtly guided the conversations, helping him realize how much he had come to despise his life in the shadows. Finally, as they drew near a quiet compound, the Professor told Taeryn he would never forget him and had been considering how best to reward him for the rescue and had determined that why not return a life for a life. Confused, Taeryn asked what he meant, fearing imminent danger, but not knowing where from. Putting the young man at ease, the Professor explained that the compound they were approaching was the home of a good friend, a man and his students bent on perfecting themselves through discipline of the mind and body. Intrigued, Taeryn agreed that this might be the very thing he had been longing for these last few years and thus, Taeryn was intrduced to Master Marcus. After seeing to it that Taeryn was well situated and beginning to blend in, the Professor left, mentioning in passing that there was yet one more rescue to be rewarded and that he would never forget him.
Taeryn threw himself into the training provided by Master Marcus, working hard every day, as he was late coming to the group, many of whom had been there since they were twelve or thirteen. Slowly, he began to grasp the lessons being offered, rarely in plain speech, most often couched in obscure references or multiple levels of meaning. After 3 years, the day came when Taeryn was fully initiated and granted a new name, Nathan, as a sign that a new beginning was at hand. Feeling as if he had been reborn, Nathan worked even harder, no longer struggling with the physical or mental discipline, but flourishing under the Master's gentle but firm guidance, reminding him of the ultimate goal at journey's end while enabling him to come to terms with all that had been and incorporate it into what he was becoming. He was encouraged to keep up with his previous skills as well as learning the new ones as no knowledge gained was ever useless.
One day, while in the middle of training, Nathan was called to the Master's study. Concerned at this unusual summons, he arrived to find a letter summoning him to the reading of Professor Lorrimir's will, with a reminder of a past debt that was to be paid. Receiving Master Marcus' permission to go, he set out the next day, curious at what might be waiting, anticipating the journey and all the things he might learn and saddened at the passing of such a wonder.
Father: Daelyn Silverleaf(elf)
Mother: Jancis Avery
Siblings: None
Taeryn had an unremarkable, happy childhood with is parents, the son of a locksmith and his wife. As he neared his fifteenth birthday and was about to begin his formal apprenticeship under his father, his life was shattered when he returned home one evening to find his house a smoldering ruin and his parents murdered, the victims of a roving band of orcs. With no family, Taeryn struggled on the streets until he fell in with a small guild of thieves. Having been around locks all his life, Taeryn found he had a natural talent for opening locks and was marked as a rising young talent in the guild. As the years went by, Taeryn found himself becoming more and more dissatisfied with a thieve's life, coming to hate the feeling of being a predator and taking what others had worked so hard for, yet knowing for him to let this show would earn him an unpleasant death.
Early in his twentieth year, while returning from his latest job, removing a prized collection of ivory figurines from a local artisan's lock box, he stumbled across 3 figures involved in a tense struggle. Not quite knowing why, he went to the victims assistance. During the scuffle, Taeryn was forced to kill one of the attackers, the other escaping but having gotten a clear look at Taeryn's face. After assuring himself the older man was not injured, he began to search the body, stopping with a quiet, bitter curse as he found a tatoo marking the body as a member of the local assassin's guild. He looked around, his mind racing as it began to sink in that his life was now forfeit. Knowing that time was of the essence, he managed to find out where his rescuee was staying and began to lead him there, keeping a careful watch on the surroundings. By the time they reached the inn, the man had recovered himself enough to thank Taeryn and give his name as Professor Petros Lorrimir, and express his thanks for the rescue. Having heard of the famous Professor, Taeryn couldn't believe his poor luck and quickly explained who he was and what might yet happen to them, as one of the assassin's had escaped.
While helping the Professor gather his belongings, Taeryn remembered a way out of town known only to him. Shaking his head at the Professor's urchin like grin upon hearing of this, he led them both through a long forgotten section of cisterns until they were well out of town. Once free of pursuit, the Professor took the lead, again thanking Taeryn for his quick thinking and aide. The two traveled for a week, Taeryn slowly revealing his life story as the Professor subtly guided the conversations, helping him realize how much he had come to despise his life in the shadows. Finally, as they drew near a quiet compound, the Professor told Taeryn he would never forget him and had been considering how best to reward him for the rescue and had determined that why not return a life for a life. Confused, Taeryn asked what he meant, fearing imminent danger, but not knowing where from. Putting the young man at ease, the Professor explained that the compound they were approaching was the home of a good friend, a man and his students bent on perfecting themselves through discipline of the mind and body. Intrigued, Taeryn agreed that this might be the very thing he had been longing for these last few years and thus, Taeryn was intrduced to Master Marcus. After seeing to it that Taeryn was well situated and beginning to blend in, the Professor left, mentioning in passing that there was yet one more rescue to be rewarded and that he would never forget him.
Taeryn threw himself into the training provided by Master Marcus, working hard every day, as he was late coming to the group, many of whom had been there since they were twelve or thirteen. Slowly, he began to grasp the lessons being offered, rarely in plain speech, most often couched in obscure references or multiple levels of meaning. After 3 years, the day came when Taeryn was fully initiated and granted a new name, Nathan, as a sign that a new beginning was at hand. Feeling as if he had been reborn, Nathan worked even harder, no longer struggling with the physical or mental discipline, but flourishing under the Master's gentle but firm guidance, reminding him of the ultimate goal at journey's end while enabling him to come to terms with all that had been and incorporate it into what he was becoming. He was encouraged to keep up with his previous skills as well as learning the new ones as no knowledge gained was ever useless.
One day, while in the middle of training, Nathan was called to the Master's study. Concerned at this unusual summons, he arrived to find a letter summoning him to the reading of Professor Lorrimir's will, with a reminder of a past debt that was to be paid. Receiving Master Marcus' permission to go, he set out the next day, curious at what might be waiting, anticipating the journey and all the things he might learn and saddened at the passing of such a wonder.