zakor1701d

Hado spent his early years with his family and three (!) brothers traveled as nomads, occasionally selling the various plants and herbs that his family foraged. As followers of Ohowaki, Hado's parents trained him well in the knowledge of flora and fauna of (area), instilling in him not only an oral tradition of Wood Elven stories, but the ability to read them. Of the four offspring, Hado showed the most promise as a hunter, and he trained extensively with the bow, even excelling in its use, though in his heart he felt that his interests might lie in the Green Priesthood. Thus, the early years were spent traveling around the southern parts of the land, visiting hamlet, village, and the occasional city, selling plants and herbs that were foraged on the routes between. While traveling near Brandybrook, Hado and his family were foraging in preparation for a negotiation with one of the halfling businessfolk that often bought their goods. Whilst separated from his family, but still within whistle-shot (a signal method), he heard the whistle of alarm, and returned to his family, running to investigate. Even though he was not in need of his bow, as he was just foraging for "edibles," he had brought it with him. Nevertheless, the bow was of little use to him, and even wound up serving as a detriment...As Hado approached the small encampment where his family had established itself, a tripwire sent him to the ground, and a blow to the back of the head left him temporarily dazed. As Hado awoke, he found that his bowstring had been used to tie himself up, tying his hands behind his head and to his neck in an extremely painful and tight knot. Hado was forced to use his ears rather than his eyes, and he listened to the sounds of a human giving directions to what he estimated was a group of about five or six orcs. Using the finely tuned ears of an elf...Hado was still unable to hear or even smell the distinctive marks of his family members. They seemed to be nowhere nearby. Lying there for what seemed like an eternity, but which more likely was around twenty or so minutes, Hado heard the human order, "Take that one and head to the docks, I'll take these with me." (So, they are alive, at least a few of them!). Hado was thrown into the back of a two wheeled donkey cart, and was led downhill over an extremely rocky path by what seemed to be a blind donkey, until the water was reached. Hado heard, "For an ELF? I'll give you thirty!" "But you promised fifty!" "Look at him, he's not even fully grown. What will I do with him? He won't row worth a damn, he probably can't even swim. He's a liability. Take thirty or hit the road." "Fine, thirty it is." Shuffled from donkey cart to the boat like a sack of grain, Hado now found himself being rowed out to sea, or to lake, or to the ocean...wherever he was. "Oh crap!" Hado heard, as the sound of three arrows striking in rapid succession struck the man that had previously assessed him as "worth thirty." He heard the body splash into the water. Still immobilized, Hado waited, and he heard another boat pull up along side him. "Careful with those knots, they are tight and when the string breaks it will whip!" The human that had freed him from bondage looked to be around fifty years of age, and the other one warning him appeared to be about thirty. "Well, you got to the worst place to be ever, at the right time. We've just revolted." Hado inquired, "you've done what?" "We've just revolted and taken over the slaver (slave ship) Tangueray. All of the slavers are dead, only the navigator is alive...and that's only until we reach port." "What will you do with me," asked Hado? "Nothing. You're a free man, er, or, elf. We might need some help sailing, though." "Where are we headed?" "We're headed to (), it's a massive city, very well fortified, but our papers and our flag will get us in, and we'll get off the boat, dressed as their sailors, and integrate back into the city as free men. What say you?" "I'd be foolish not to go along," Hado smiled slightly.