Bio

I was born in Parsa, in the Emirate of Makistan, in the Emirates of Ylaruam. My father was a landed man but not popular or large in politics. He had acquired the wealth to become landed by trading abroad. He used to trade in furs that his brothers would get in the mountains. During his travels he was exposed to much of the outside world that most Ylari had never seen. He was accepted at first when he came back and set up in Parsa because he brought with him wealth from the outside. But he also brought ideas from the outside, which quickly made him unpopular.
He married his cousin and they had me as their only child. My father saw that he was becoming hugely unpopular and went with me to Selenica, a city in Darokin. There I was to be educated so that I would not end up like the fanatical bigots that the other Ylari were. I hated it there. I felt entirely outcasted. My father was back in Parsa most of every year. School was especially hard, I had to learn Thyatian, and then study for hours.
But all that changed when I was 12. My father was murdered by some tribesman for not being faithful enough to al-Kalim. The money ran out to keep me at school in Selenica, my mother had to return to live with her side of the family, and I was taken in my one of my uncles. He lived in the foothills, and would journey into the mountains to hunt for a living. He would hunt beasts for their fur and hides, but he would also hunt the mountain humanoids and his rivals. He knew all of those mountains by heart, and would even venture into Darokin and Karameikos, those boarders, being lost in the mountains. He showed all of this to me, and taught me much. But if I thought my life was hard before I had no idea. At first I was a cushy little school brat, and my uncle let me know it. Fighting for my life was much harder than any school work. I made it though. Being Ylari and a quick learner, I figured out that the less I talked, actually the less I did anything but what my Uncle told me to, the better off I was. I spent a lot of time on my own, because my uncle was off doing things, or wanted things done, or just didn’t want me around. So I became quite self dependent.
One reason my father had done so well when he fist started living in Parsa, was that my uncle was somewhat of a local hero. My uncle didn’t show up there often but when he did he always had boasts to bra, trophies to show, and gold to spend from the pockets of his enemies. He was renown as a fighter. He used, spear, bow and knife while hunting, but he also carried a sword for fighting. After my father was killed, he went and slew the murderer. That way as soon as I returned from Selenica he presented me with the head of my father’s murderer and the blade that slew my father. It was really just a long knife, not a sword, but the blade that killed my father was the first weapon I had. I used it because my uncle made me for a few years until it broke because it was of poor quality. Then my uncle got me a sword of my own, which he trained me with. He taught me that words were often unnecessary, and calm was important in any medial task. The only time he really showed emotion was in a fight. He taught me how to dig inside to harness my rage and anger, so that I might deal more effective and devastating blows to an enemy.
At 17 I went out on my own, older than most would have left, but because I was schooled until 12, my uncle had more work to do to bring me to manhood. Living with my uncle had taught me many things, most of which shaped who I am, but one of which I despised. The ylari xenophobia was rampant all around. I had hated my foreign education at the time, but after years with ylari, I realized how much my education had changed me. I was frightened the first time I saw magic. But I grew accustomed to it and then missed it horribly after I left Darokin. I spent time hunting and fighting in the southwest mountains (but out of my uncle’s way) but I grew weary of the ignorant ylari. I valued my heritage as making me a strong person, but I disliked the ways of the people. So I crossed the mountains. I had no wish to return to Selenica, and the people there had no wish for a big gruff ylari to come visit them. So I ventured into Karameikos.
I adventured around for a while, but found no real place to settle down. I met many people, most of whom didn’t like the look of me. I stayed in a few adventuring groups, mostly small bands of ruffians who would go do minor heroic things, and then go press the locals for money for their deeds. I always wanted more power and wealth, but the people I was associating myself with were not going to get me there. After encountering some knights who I aided in defending several travelers from some brigands, I realized that I needed to move up in the world to get the power I wanted. In the fight I had done just as much as the knights, but afterward no one knew I had helped, they took all the credit.
I need to do truly valiant deeds, and I need to find a group with whom I can grow as a worrier and as a hero in the eyes of others. If I can gather together enough wealth, I can go off and make a home in the mountains, or wherever else I want. I want to learn the culture of others, but I do not wish to bring culture to my people as my father did. I want to use the knowledge to better myself and my strength. I want to use my strength to aide the people, for the people are the ones who shall lift me to riches and glory.

I have met a group in Specularum who have an air around them that I seem to have been drawn to. It is as though more than just their own destiny is around them, but that of others, the world and al-Kalim are tied in as well.

For more see: Entries in the private journal of Hakim Abdul