Family Goldner

[Astraeus 20]

Family Goldner.

The family of Goldner has always been one of lumberjack’s. It all started with Euchnaeus Goldner’s great great forefather, who supplied in the older times. This is currently the only Goldner reference known to the family. What many do not know is with what great skill and prowess the Goldner family has always carried a sword. The Goldner’s have always followed their vision that an axe used for chopping, must not be coated with the blood of others, but only the saps pouring out of trees.

The family Goldner does not prefer fighting or waging wars, but will do so when they believe or are convinced it is right to do so.

The known world of Euchnaeus.

Euchnaeus Goldner was not well known in Aegis, but supplied the cities of Alras and Al’Khazar in his time with his decent amount of lumber. Even though Euchnaeus did not supply a lot of lumber, he was seen as a lumberjack that cared for his forest and trees. A lumberjack that always delivered quality. Not always quantity. In certain times this did cause some trouble, especially in times of war, as large amounts would be preferred over carpentry wood.

Euchnaeus met lady Goldner at as a middle-aged man. He immediately fell in love with her, wanting to spend the rest of his entire life with her. He only believed that she would never think the same. When Euchnaeus was strolling alone in his woods, he arrived at the clearing. In the middle, sitting besides the small lake, she sat, singing to herself. Here follow the events of their encounter:

Euchnaeus whistled to himself as he walked down the trodden path, a bucket in each hand. He stopped for a moment, placing the buckets down at the side of a majestic oak. He had always felt a bond with this one, thus he had never chopped it down. The fine wood it could yield and the smiles of kings did not weigh up to the value the oak gave to him. Sighing, he picked up the two buckets and carried onwards to the small lake.

Arriving at the lake, Euchnaeus smelled the woody tones the trees emitted and the freshness of the lake in the center of the clearing. He inhaled deeply, to make sure this scent stuck to his senses. Scanning the clearing, for any boars, he spotted a lady. She sat there by the lake, combing her fine long brown hair with an intricate wooden brush. Blinking, he recognized her as the lady he had seen before, a few days ago. His heart began to pound against his chest. He did not know what to do. He had to get water, to cook his meal, but also did not wish to disturb the lady at the lake.

Coming to a decision, Euchnaeus slowly began to sneak towards the lake. Hearing the twigs crunch loudly under his feet, he edged slowly forward, swinging the buckets ever so slightly. A large thud was heard, when he slammed one of them into a grand pine. He softly cursed, when the lady turned around, seemingly looking what had caught the strange sound. Her gaze rested on Euchnaeus, who stood the clumsily, with the two buckets in hand. “Ello’”, stammered Euchnaeus, picking his way towards her. “Hello”, she replied with a slim smile on her face.

Euchnaeus had always ended the story here. He would then gaze in the direction of the small lake, and then looked up towards the heavens, muttering words that made no sense at all. He would then snap out of his trance and tell Astraeus to go to sleep. Perhaps he also said that to Mattheus, when he was still with us…. None can tell, as Euchnaeus chapter of life is now over, with unknown reason…

His grave can be found hidden away the forests nearby Alras and Al’Khazar in Aegis.

The tale of Astraeus.

Astraeus grew up with only his father in the forests of Aegis nearby the old city of Alras. He had no mother nor brothers or sisters that he knew of in his early years of his life. He grew up in a family of lumberjack's, his father supplying Alras with the occasional amount of lumber. Seeing that his father was his only person around him, Astraeus felt quite lonely. He wished to play around and live a child’s life, but he was never able to do so. He always had to do the important chores, whilst his father was away in the woods.

At young age, his father crafter him a wooden sword from some of the finest pine around. When Astraeus was given finally given it, he very nearly cut off his own hand. It was sharper than he had expected. Every night from that day on, he would practice the art of swordsmanship with his father. He hoped to be able to defeat him one day and make his father proud. He even had hopes of becoming the champion of a great city, felling all that dared to oppose him.

At the age of ten elven years, a book and quill were given to him as a gift for his birthday; Astraeus and his father had purchased it together, from a monk. He was meant to learn how to read and write. His father send him to the nearby village to a priest, whom taught him each morning to help with reading and writing, after a few years he was a skilled read and decent writer. He did not enjoy this, and did not see what use it could bring him. After all, he was meant to follow his father in his footsteps, as all eldest son’s had done.

When one day Astraeus arrived and the monk was not there, Astraeus rummaged around in a room he was not supposed to enter at all. The monk had told him he would banish him from the village, if he were to ever find out. What he found there was mysterious, great weapons of war and excellently crafted armor. When he was just about to try some of it on, he heard the monk. “Astraeus Goldner, what are you doing in my room, in Aerie's name!” Astraeus who had gotten a tad afraid from how angry the monk sounded, blushed and replied: “I...was looking if you were in here, perhaps.” The monk, who did not believe Astraeus at all, gave Astraeus a big shove out of his home and told him to never return. Astraeus sat on the steps, before the chapel, thinking of what he had done. Afraid to anger his father, he decided to tell him that his lessons were completed and that no payment was to be made. Astraeus then vowed to himself that he would be more careful when in rooms and more cunning to escape even if he were to be caught inside of them.

When he grew to the age of twelve elven years, his father taught him the lumberjack's trade. He was given an axe crafted with stone. Young Astraeus spent days on end in the forests, chopping away at roots and branches. Climbing in the trees to eat apples when he was famished. This is probably the time that Astraeus liking for trees began to grow exponentially. This was also the time that he began to stop practicing fighting with a sword. He had not defeated his father, nor even come close to doing so. He believed that spending his days in forests and caring for the woods, appealed to him a lot more.

He had discovered that animal, bound and hanging from a tree did not live long. This knowledge would encourage him to do certain acts in his later years. He still looked up at his father, who could fell an entire tree with one blow. One day he wished to be just as strong as he was. To be able to care for beautiful forestry and to tend to it with the best of his capabilities, that was Astraeus dream. He always questioned his father when he felled all oaks, except for one. He did not understand in these years what attachment one can have to an object or person.

The tale of Mattheus.

Mattheus did not grow up in the Goldner family. He was not taught of the Goldner’s tradition either. He was raised by a family of smiths, skilled in the making of weapons of war. Mattheus might not be the wisest of young men; he is not dumb when it comes to his passions. The climbing of tall buildings, aswell as working days on end in a forge. He prefers to make rough objects, not intricate jewelry or anything of the like.

His intellectual capacities have limited Mattheus to what he has been able to achieve this far. No one seems to clearly be able to say what caused it, but people around him think it was the banging to his head or the lack of a proper family. Mattheus got all the dirty chores to do, thus as soon as he could, left his foster family behind. Taking with him his only prized possession, a sword. His only artifact of his lost youth.

Travelling the lands, he quickly had to set sail to Asulon, due to the undead pillages. There he wanted to start a new life, build up new friendships and perhaps find his lost family members. He travelled to the trade nation of Alras, dwelled the dwarven lands, but eventually decided to settle in Roseus Aquila, a city of peace and quiet.

Exactly there in Roseus Aquila, against all odds, was the person he was looking for all that time. Astraeus Goldner, his lost brother. Both completely not knowing of this fact became friends quite quickly, although their lives were completely different. Astraeus was a skilled lumberjack and head of the guards. Although he did not seem to be able to skillfully wield a sword. He himself was only a poor smith, doing the occasional errand for Astraeus. Repairing of swords and armor, or short journeys.

When the urge for a family became too strong, Mattheus told Astraeus he was heading out again, to find his family. Putting the, until then unknown facts together, they concluded that they were brothers, also by blood. This made Mattheus as happy as could be, but he did not see the shadow it cast over Astraeus’ face. A shadow that could change into a bright light, or utter darkness….

Known family members:

Euchnaeus Goldner –Deceased

Lady Goldner –Deceased.

Astraeus Goldner –Alive.

Mattheus Goldner –Alive.

[steelersfan1221 300]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.