Music

Absolutely HORRIFIC singer. With a deep gruff voice and completely out of tune, he sings out loud at the top of his lungs! He can't help but love his sea shanties, even if everyone else in the room wishes he'd shut his can.

On the other hand, Garen has a way with little instruments! He especially enjoys his hand-made ocarina and flutes.

When Garen was a young boy… his father would oft regale him of the many ventures of his pirating days. How he and his crew were a most fearsome lot as they sailed the seas, taking as they pleased and visiting many an unknown island where treasure awaited. All embellished as they were, but much of it still just as true!

But by the time Garen had been born, he had settled down in the Southern Sea Isles with his Ma and her family. Piracy was swiftly under threat from the nearby shores lawmaking. The highs of once was no longer worth risking nor jeopardizing that of his crew. His last voyage would be here and any thereafter… upon official visits to Aldenard to secure medicinal supplies.

So as thrilling and exciting the prospect of being a pirate like his Da would have been… Garen instead dreamed of being an adventurer.

He would follow his Da onto his boating trips. A variety of journeys that consisted of visiting the northern continents or as close to home as securing fish for family and trade. That where business lied for his family while his Ma remained at home, cared for by her parents when they were aways. Many a time they would encounter tribulations on the open seas, whether it be other pirates, stormy weathers, come what may… Garen found himself thrilled and enraptured regardless. There was so much out there!

Adore his family and home life as much as he did; Garen was wont to travel the realm over.

Starting the Adventure

As Garen entered his adulthood years, he secured himself the means for travel. He inherited his father’s old boat, fit enough for a small crew himself if he wanted for one! With what funds he had acquired, he gave the ship a fresh paint job, new fixings and all. His dream to leave would come at long last—with promise that he would return on the occasion and fill the family in on his ventures. With some coin besides, if all went well.

Thus did he set sails for Aldenard. There where he would secure himself a place of lodging and a safe place to keep the boat as he traveled the lands in search for what might come his way. Not a clue in his mind as to where he wished to start, but knew that he would have need for much more coin along the way. He became a hired hand for the odd job as he crossed the continent. Performing each task in growing strength as he learned the way around a blade. Nothing spectacular, but enough to get things done.

The moment he reached the shores did he find someone he dared hope to call something more. Someone who would inevitably join him on his journeys and missions across the realm. A traveling fortune teller of all things! No only did they have the charm and know how for coin earning, they were a healer of sorts—the kind that read the stars and knew well what they foretold. He and Garen would occasionally be chosen for joint missions that required more than one person. But more than that, they found they had quite to romantic interest in one another…

Betrayal

Slowly but steadily however did Garen grow in name. Word of his deeds and accomplishments spreading across the land by word of mouth. With no particular allegiance, he started to get job offers of higher report. Requests to join certain associations, grand companies, the works. A startup company hoping to be the bridge between the Alliance and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn was brewing—the Crystal Braves! Their every goal and creed ticked off all that Garen could have ever hoped for in a company. For an adventurer like himself to be a hero…

Dreams clouded logic as he joined hands with the company for hope of steady income and a new place to call home. That which lasted oh so shortly lived… Backstabbers. Traitors. Unloyal to the person which dared hope for so much with this passion project. Garen caught whiff of what was going on when all was far too late and in the thick of things. In the midst of the Banquet’s “operation”, Garen was the one who turned round and fought against those he thought to be his compatriots. Rather than sully his good name any further, he turned coat and slayed the traitors one after the other. Found himself to be one of the few that earnestly joined for the cause—though he was later asked to join the Scions for his efforts, he denied their offers. He would not suffer to be burnt again.

Penitence

Thus did he find solace elsewhere. One of the alliance leaders offered Garen a way of repentance for what had happened, to erase his name from ever being acquainted with their sorts. He would become the bodyguard of a newfound padjali, budding and limitless in their connections with the forest. Garen was the only one who fit the bill for being strong enough to fend off any would be pursuers of ill-intent—he happily accepted the opportunity. It gave him the chance to away from society for a time as well.

Garen remained jaded and uninterested in all things surrounding him for a while. It was with this padjali’s help did he learn to trust again, as they learned each other’s boundaries and persons. Connecting with nature and relinquishing all responsibilities save for the one before him did many wonders. In this way could he reset. Start anew. Go back to his dream before: To simply be an adventurer and nothing more. The price for fame simply wasn’t worthwhile.

Onwards

Though his job eventually came to a close some years later, he had grown as a person. Learned more about the ways of the land and the joy in keeping with small company. He mellowed out and wandered the realm with renewed vigor. Back to the life of a basic wandering sellsword who’s name meant nothing to most now. Though now he had a number of close friends and partners who remained besides him. Cheering him on and helping him in his endeavors.

Garen set sights for farther shores. Of Thavnair, Kugane, Othard, Sharlayan—he wished to visit and see all. Avoiding the ongoing wars and troubles of the world like the plague whilst enjoying the cultures and wonders of the places he would see. In the Ruby Seas specifically did he find both joy and woe. Haunted by the local tithe wanting confederates, but having come across the Kojin whom bestowed upon him their special ability to breathe beneath the waves—for he was compatible and capable of taking the power upon himself.

He settled upon a new desire in life… to connect with the tribes of each continent. For he found better company in them than he did of most of his kind. Ever did he always wish to bridge connections with others. After doing so with the elementals of the shroud, mayhaps he’d finally found his calling.

Homeward

Word soon came however of how things were going back at home where his family resided. Things weren’t looking well for his sickly mother and everyone wished for him to return home before it was too late. Garen dropped everything to get there in time. To care for his Ma in her final days whilst taking care of the younger siblings. She ended up passing peacefully, but the pain of loss hung heavy amongst them. His grandparents especially, whom had lost their only daughter to the illness they could only keep at bay for so long.

Garen remained in the southern sea isles for a time. Catching up with his father and helping around the home. Learning more about his younger siblings in depth and caring for the elderly couple in their time of need as well. In the time that he was there, he also secured himself his own little home to call his own. Extra space from him, his loves, and the family when they would come visit. Peaceful and tranquil, yet another getaway from the world as everyone recuperated.

It was back home where his Da decidedly took him under his wing and taught him more the ways of his younger days. Of his combat style, of information he had picked up in his pirating days, of so much more… but most importantly, he had a number of old decrepit maps that he’d never acted on. That he dreamed of one day fulfilling until he settled down. With all of this in Garen’s hands, he knew next where he wished to depart.

…To the New Worlds.

Ship's Crew

What with how the realm was advancing nowadays after the Final Days had come and gone (luckily missing the isles in its wake), Garen set his sails for new goals. A bigger ship was in order. His Da would be joining him and suggested a crew for the upcoming journeys. His old crew was well divided and gone on in their lives, so it was up to Garen to round up fresh blood… and to settle upon a major creed for which they would follow and exist.

That which Garen settled on for himself, he would rekindle in this new dream of his. This desire to become the bridge between all tribes of the land in their negotiations for a better livelihood. He who had already bonded with the Sahagin and the Kojin—mayhap he would take it a step further. His crew would be a specialized lot. All whom have dealt with the ways of the local tribes and advocate on their behalf. There were already a few friend he could call up, a few other persons he had in mind to join.

Emrys had bonded with the Ananta on their travels. Totsuka with the Ixali. Young Luin with the Kobolds. Seiseito of the Vath. Kojin with… the Kojin! Olyxio and Mogcan, while actual tribe folk of their own, walked a person glamoured life amongst the land dwellers and lived the best of both worlds. A motley crew if Garen had ever seen one, but it would be a start for so, so much more.