Theodoric Elucardson

A nomad for most of his life, Theodoric Elucardson is the only known son of Elucard Aeldhelm. His father was highly intelligent despite his nomadic lifestyle and so passed down his knowledge onto his son over the years. At twenty-three, Theodoric was forced to flee from the tribe his father created and seek refuge within the settled regions of Kylorne.

Adolescence
Theodoric was born into a life of constant movement. Many years before, his father, Elucard, lived on a farmstead within a realm now many miles away. Elucard's parents were poor, but Elucard was naturally intelligent and found himself inside of a book for much of his life before it was stolen away from him when his farmstead was raided and he was forced to flee. In fear, Elucard never stopped moving. He would never stay anywhere more than a day. It was when he was in his early twenties when he stumbled across a tiny village of locals and met the love of his life. This village is where he would stop for over a year for close to a decade. Here, he would have Theodoric. His only son would become his obsession and soon after his birth, he would finally leave the village in fear of his child's life. For the rest of his life, Elucard taught Theodoric everything he knew and even got him new books from local towns. Elucard would also amass quite a following. In just a few years, he had a couple dozen men women and children who joined his nomadic life. This tribe would grow to almost one hundred by the time Theodoric was fifteen years old. By this time, he had mastered the nomadic skills of hunting and foraging. His father had also taught him on a lot of topics such as mathematics, philosophy, and statesmanship. Theodoric also learned important skills such as carpentry, masonry, and metalworking from the hundreds of hamlets, towns, and the few cities that the tribe had visited. Theodoric aspired to settling down and using his developing skills to make a better life for those of his tribe. Elucard aspired this as well, but always told Theodoric that the right moment would come when the tribe could settle. When that was he would never find out.

Adult Years
By the time Theodoric turned twenty-three the tribe had been thriving. Over the last few years, Elucard began using his intellect to turn his followers into a merchant caravan. This would turn out to be the height of the tribe's prosperity as it would bounce around the continents purchasing and selling goods. Soon, the now merchant tribe would be well known within the realm and not only by those who favored them and their trades. There were those who saw the tribe as a great whale of gold to plunder for themselves and the tribe would find itself frequently followed by shadowy folk. Elucard's success would be his eventual downfall when these folk finally gained the bravery and level of greed to mount a large assault on the caravan. Caught completely unaware and untrained against such a foe, the tribe would be slaughtered on a night now known as the Night of Blood and Bone to locals. They were slain in the thousands with great blood rivers and lakes forming in the valley they were ambushed within. While pushing his son into a nearby thicket, Theodoric's father was struck in the back by an arrow and fell to his face, perishing instantly. Theodoric would have no time to mourn. No time to bury the dead as he ran as fast as he could into the woods hearing the screams of his family in the night. One he would never forget.

A Thousand Steps and a Thousand Voices
Theodoric would spend the next couple of months within the forest. Unknown to him was that this particular forest was named the Forest of a Thousand Steps. No one had ever returned after entering these woods. Even after deciding to turn around towards the direction of the attack proved no use as he just kept walking for miles and miles which seemed impossible to him. After weeks of nothing but trees, he would finally break the treeline into a clearing within the forest. At the middle of the clearing held an enormous obelisk of overgrown blackened stone. The monument called to him, yet each step he took was more difficult than the last. He did not remember when he began walking towards it, but he was already halfway and not able to move anywhere but forward. At the final laborious step he had finally reached the pillar. He reached out his arm and only with a gentle touch of his hand was he teleported somewhere else. Or so he thought. The grassy soil under him was replaced by an unseen floor covered by a black mist. The trees in the distance disappeared and the bright blue sky was now a deep gray. The only thing that changed about the obelisk was it's lack of overgrown roots and vines. Here, he seemed able to move freely and started towards the monument once again, but a voice behind stopped him.

"Theodoric."

He spun. Before him was what he could only describe as a heavenly figure bathed in white light. All he could do was stare.

"The Black Crown awaits you. Theodoric the Burned." It seemed to speak with a thousand mouths at once.

"Who are you?" He could only ask.

"Evrieth." with a pause, "You are a peculiar. Being here as a wanderer." The being glided towards him.

Stepping back, "What is this place?"

Stopping in front of him, it spoke in a singular voice. One of pureness. "Let me show you."

With a swift movement the being placed it's hand on his head and his mind went blank. Then. Everything. His mind was suddenly filled with answers. Answers about the Black Crown. About Evrieth the Annointer, About the Grave Spire.

Present Day
Theodoric stepped out of the forest and into a gleaming meadow. He was much different than before he entered the forest, but he felt good. He also realized he had no idea how much time had passed, but at that moment the sun was just about to set beyond the horizon. A new life was ahead of him.

Arrival at the Reach
After travelling east for weeks, Theodoric had finally stumbled across civilization. As he came up a hill he glanced down in a grand lake which glittered a dark blue. Oddly, the lake appeared to have some massive stone structure attempting to cross it. From where he stood it looked run down and beaten by the weather, but on top seemed to be the start of a village. The structure was a marvel, but he forced himself to look away and across the lake towards the other side where a small town sat at the crossroads of two rivers. Being the first settlement and possibility of real food, he started down the hill and began crossing the great bridge. After a long walk, Theodoric finally got to the end and stepped onto the other side of the lake. He could not see the town anymore, but he did see the fort that seemed to belong to it. Coming around to the front of the fort, Theodoric spotted a small campfire outside where a man sat hunched over adorned in full armor and blue draping. The man greeted Theodoric and after some talk, he discovered the man to be Argon of the Reach. Enjoying the environment, Theodoric decided to accept Argon's offer of refuge and was housed within a small cabin that overlooked the river. Theodoric would stay here for the coming days, but his duty to his father and his new teachings found within the forest would leave him yearning for his own land.