3. Marshal - He_who_lives_a_thousand_lives

Marshal - He_who_lives_a_thousand_lives


  • Character Name: Marshal
    Account Name: He_who_lives_a_thousand_lives

    Born in a small town in Mulhorand, Marshal's early years were filled with violence, starvation, and abuse, for he was born into the service of slavery, and was not treated well. His master was a fat old merchant who would force the child into dangerous encounters with rats, cats and other strange creatures. Marshal was raised to fight, all he ever knew was eating, sleeping and fighting. At 5 years old Marshal was entered into his first fighting competition, where he brutally killed another 4 year old boy. The old merchant would reward Marshal with gifts and treats for having won fights, sometimes it was nothing more then sugar candy, other times is was a gift of new cloths, or shoes. Marshal learned that the better he fought, the more praise he would recieve from his master. This was not lost on him, and he began to practice on his own, learning to fight, dodge, avoid, and remain calm through it all. Fleeing was not an option, so he would become the best fighter he could. At 12 years old his master entered him as a gladiator at the local arena. Marshal fought harder then he had ever fought before, some of his opponents had been gladiators for many years, and he found himself overwhelmed by their sheer experience. Marshal placed 8th overall, and was not killed in the events, but his master was not at all pleased. He beat and whipped Marshal into unconciousness, insulting him the entire time. Marshal was helpless to stop the beatings, and just went inside himself to find the resolve to endure the pain. Then came the next year, and Marshal was entered into the competition again, this time a little more practiced he placed 6th overall and still did not die in the fighting, although many many men did. Marshal was again beaten and whipped for failing, but he was not allowed to pass out. He was forced to feel the pain, and forced to focus through it, to hear his masters words while he was in extreme pain. Again and again they beat him, throwing salt into his wounds, and using herbs and other salts to keep him awake through it. Eventually the pain left, he lost feeling in his body entirely, his mind slowing to understanding, and he jusst listened. His Master stopped the torture and allowed him to rest and recover. Marshal was determined to win the following year, to never again have to face his masters full wrath. It wasn't until he was in the ring fighting the last years champion that he truely realized how wise his master had been. All that torture and pain was again relived at the hands of his rival, he was cut and bashed and beaten, but although his body was beaten Marshal still stood to face his opponent. His mind focused past the pain of his wounds and he began to understand his opponents technique. He dodged, and blocked, and avoided… buying himself enough time to find an opening. The opening did not come... his opponent had to many years experience fighting in arena's that he had learn to close his openings almost immediately after making them... if Marshal didn't find a way to break through he was surely going to die. So Marshal made his own opening... he swung low allowing his opponent to easily block and counter, the counter came and the mans rapier found it's blow on Marshal, it pierced into his mask and through his eye into his head. Marshal had him, the rapier got stuck, and Marshal jabbed his longsword deep into the man's chest from point blank. Marshal had taken a lethal blow in order to deliver a fatal one...

    Having lost his eye, he began to bleed all over the ground... he found the resolve to pull away, and the two locked opponents broke apart. Marshal remained standing as his opponent fell to the ground dead. The crowd cheered, and roared... chanting "Marshal! Marshal! Marshal!".... his master was not so pleased. Marshal was provided healing, and allowed to rest.. his eye lost he was blessed with a horrific scar. His master waited for the healing to finish and then explained to him that a one-eyed gladiator was of no good to him. How would he fight if he couldn't see his opponents. He was then sold to a slaver, and put in a cage on a caravan, and he left mulhorand. As luck would have it, not many people are interested in a one-eyed ex-gladiator with no skills, and his slaver could not find a buyer. Many years went by, and he was brought through all sorts of back way trade routes, through all sorts of markets...

    5 whole years had passed and still a buyer could not be found, till one day word came down the slave line that if a buyer could not be found in the next market, that he was to be executed for sport in an underground fighting ring. Marshal never made it to the town... Out from the forest along the side of the road it came, it's gaseous acidic breath filled the area around the cages, killing most of the guards in the first pass.... A large Green passed a second time, and Marshal passed out...

    Who knows how many hours or days he lay unconcious, but when he came too a local patrol of human guards were removing the left overs of the battle from the road. Luck would have it after he passed out, the cage he was in was overturned and broken to bits, his helpless body laying under the rubble was saved from the mouth of the Green. There were no other survivors. The guards helped him onto a horse and brought him to town. They listened to his story and gave him a suit of leathers and a sword and explained slavery was illegal in Corymr, and he was now a free man. They sent him off outta town, with 3 silver in his pocket, the leathers and a sword and told him never to return. He listened...

    Marshal walked for many days down the road, he passed through many villages and towns, until eventually he left Cormyr and entered the Silver Marches. He found a band of mercs and joined up, for to him, all he had ever known was battle, so why now change... Many years he spent as a merc and many battles he fought against or for various organizations throughout the silver marches... working for coin, and treasure he realized too much of what he could be making was going to his commanders. He left, vowing he would only ever again work for himself, and for his pockets, no longer would he be slave to anyone, or call anyone master again. He ventured North.

    Marshal boarded a ship and set sail, a merchant's ship headed for Hoarsgate. A great storm errupted and his ship was sent way off course to eventually crash upon a reef, and began to sink. Marshal was pulled under by the ship's wake and began to drown. He awoke upon the shores of Narfell near a city called Peltarch. A guard explained to him how to get papers and the laws of the town. Marshal made himself a citizen, and began to look for suitable employment. He found a flyer posted at the local tavern. "Fight Night" in the town of Norwick. "20 gold entry, prizes and more"... He made his way to the town, where he discovered Adventurers of all varieties, much more skilled then himself. He entered the competition, and even made a few coins, but he knew if he was to stay in these lands, he would surely need to train alot harder.

    And so begins his training and adventurers throughout the lands of Narfell, what dangers and wonders are in store for this ex-gladiator. What organizations will try to recuit him, who will offer him the most gold, and will he have what it takes to endure the test of time... Only the future knows what is in store...

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  • ICC

    reviewed, xp pending