Hashan Lamont was just a baby when he was washed up in a basket on the Bank of the Khorotas River in Poitain. An Aquilonian child who carried strange tattoo's of ancient text all over his body. No one knows where he came from or who sent him down the river but he was found by a husband and wife of lower-class Aquilonian Heritage on a day that started his life and his destiny...
The wind swept briskly through the long grass and summer leaves of that day, the Aquilonian couple were taking an afternoon walk as they did every day when they heard the faint crying of a baby over near the river side. The couple were shocked to find a baby, of around 1 years of age , laying in a basket washed up on the muddy bank of the river lodged between a tree root. This was no ordinary baby... they immediately noticed strange black writing on it's body, however, they could not read it. Paying little attention to the markings the couple took the baby as their own and bought him up in their Hut in Poitain. Rumors swept across the town of the boy with the 'mark', many thought he was a sign from the gods, others thought he was destined to be a mage of great power. But his foster parents just thought he was special, and they tried to hide him from the towns gossip and their prying eyes for many years...
A misty morning in the Town of Zingara, which borders Poitain, thick fog envelops the streets and little noise pollutes the air apart from the occasional burp and groan of pirates who slept on the ground recovering from the night before. Goran Keshnik, other wise known as 'Kesh the Defiler', sits in his House-Boat just on the outskirts of the town wallowing in his greed of riches and flesh. One of his skulking advisers approaches his right ear with a soft and devious whisper, "He has been found, sir, Poitain north east of the ruins of Khorotas." A foul grin unfolds from Kesh's unsavory mouth, which sparkles with a few golden teeth amongst others which are rotten and cracked, "Gather the men, we ride, now!"
The sun was shining in Poitain and Hashan, now a young man, steps out of his hut to feel the warm breeze on his face. "Another glorious afternoon..." He says as he looks into the sky with a smile. Soon after a local walks passed starring at him with squinted eyes, Hashan looks down to see his shirt is open revealing his mysterious tattoo, he quickly buttons it up and turns away from the local. Long has he been the subject of discussion in Poitain, though most thought it was just rumors. Hashan closes the door of his home behind him to find a mysterious parchment attached by a nail just above the door knob which reads, "Hearken to me, all will become clear soon, when you hear the words 'knowledge is the path to infinity' you will have found your sanctuary" He did not understand or trust this note and threw it away. Hashan knows all too well of the stories about him, he has even heard that some people seek to kidnap him believing his tattoo is of great importance. "Probably a trick..." he thinks to himself while walking off from his home heading towards the river bank while deciphering a scroll, something which he enjoyed doing in his spare time. Hashan often visited the local library and researched ancient writings. He had an interest and a thirst for knowledge.
Hashan, while walking in the afternoon sun, makes his way down the riverside and finds himself in an all too familiar place. The place he was found in a basket. "If only i had the answers..." he mutters to himself whilst looking down at the old tree roots which saved him all those years ago from drifting off to a probable worse fate than that which had befallen him. A husky voice replies from the distance, "If it is answers you seek, i can help you there... dear boy" Kesh says as he approaches Hashan drawing his rusty cutlass with a group of pirate thugs trailing behind him. Hashan gasps and recoils at the sight of the pirates, "Who are you? What do you want? It was you who left the note on my door!" As Kesh moved close to Hashan he grinned and swinged his cutlass downwards upon Hashans chest, slightly cutting his flesh and tearing his shirt to reveal the tattoo. "So, It is true, I only require the text my boy... I won't lie to you... This will hurt..." Kesh says in wicked tone. As the pirate leader prepares to slice the skin from the boys body the whistling sound of arrows soars through the air and the groans of his thugs are heard one after the other as they are thrown backwards from the arrows high impact upon their flesh. From the river bank, behind the pirate leader, stands a man draped in a hooded robe accompanied by 4 rangers all bearing the same symbol upon their clothes. Kesh yells at the top of his lungs at the mysterious figure just before one of the mans rangers fires an arrow which lops his right ear off. Screaming in pain and grabbing his head he dodges another arrow and runs off into the wilderness.
Hashan, eye's wide with curiosity and gratitude, stares at the mysterious man who offers him a single sentence, "Knowledge is the path to infinity... My boy" the mysterious man lowers his hood with a smile. "I am the Dorini of the Clan of Lore of the House of the New Dawn, and we have been researching your stories for a while now. The boy with the mark." Hashan couldn't believe what was happening, "But i know nothing of these writings... How..." The Dorini is quick to interrupt, "You soon will, this is what we do and we will happily accept you to accompany us back to Kathia where we will study this text and teach you everything you need to know. You have a gift, even if you do not know it yet. The House of the New Dawn will instruct you and hone your abilities until you become a true lore-master of our guild." Hashan was overwhelmed and knew in his heart that this was the path that he was destined for, he offered the Dorini a nod and after traveling back to his home to say goodbye to his foster parents and collecting his scrolls and research he headed off to his new home... to Kathia... to the House of the New Dawn.
A Story by Shadoloo Tan.
Subject: A Day in the life of...Lore 
Tue May 13, 2008 12:32 am
