Bio

Samuel Gallaudet has lived in Barton his whole life. His father painted for a living and his mother sang, mostly as a hobby, but would occasionally perform at taverns and such for extra gold. With a love of art as such an integral part of his family, and given that both his parents were devout followers, Samuel learned to worship Shelyn from an early age. However, this was a rare quality, and Samuel’s devoutness cast him away from many of his peers, and he often felt left out. His desire (and inclination) to give long speeches on various subjects also turned many potential friends away (due in no small part to the unintentionally criticizing nature of his speeches). Still, he was a polite, well-mannered boy, and his natural (if unusual) charisma brought him two friends: Thoril and Jader BearCharger. The three stuck together like glue. Jader’s penchant for mischief often risked getting the group into trouble, but thanks to teamwork, and Samuel’s warnings, they usually made out just fine. Samuel also attempted a friendship with the young Elf witch Xanadu. Her sharp mind and sarcastic tongue both intrigued and confounded Samuel. But still, though not as close as Jader and Thoril, Xanadu became his friend.
When Samuel was in his early teens, on the cusp of young adulthood, his father left Barton to sell his paintings in a nearby village. The same night, there was a great pounding on the Gallaudet’s door. When Samuel’s mother opened it, she screamed. There stood Thoril BearCharger, sweating and panting, with Samuel’s half-conscious father leaning on his shoulder. Samuel’s father was beaten and bloodied, his paintings stolen by bandits. Luckily, Thoril had been out late hunting, and had managed to chase off the bandits and save Samuel’s father, though the art was long gone. Samuel knew then that he could no longer stand idly by while watching his friends protect others and be so…so brave. Such complacency was no trait of a student of Vurbane’s School of Wizardry and Warriory. The next day, Samuel sought out the captain of the town guard, and implored him to teach him the ways of the sword. So began Samuel’s quest to serve as a paladin of Shelyn, to protect his home, his family, his friends…and to find in himself in the courage he always longed to have. He felt it stir in him, deep in his gut and soul, and now was the time to bring it to the surface.