Eric Harkwell, son of Dirk, was born in Raychun, in the Northern Province of Goluvia.  Raychun was a major transportation and economic hub with a large population base and influx of travelers.  Dirk Harkwell owned a stable on the outskirts of town where many of the travelers would leave their mounts while they were in town.  Eric worked in the family business as a stable boy during his childhood and early adolescence.  During this time Eric would see thousands of travelers using the stables, coming here from all parts of the world.  He would watch in awe as he saw travelers in exotic finery, knights in armour, and wagon caravans bound for the unknown world with hidden riches.  Eric would always dream of joining a caravan and head out on his own adventure of the world.  As Eric grew older he planned to one day begin his own such journey.  He began to save his money and when he felt he had enough he left his parents a note and escaped to the New World hidden in the wagon of an outward bound caravan.  Upon being discovered in the back of a wagon, the caravan leaders decided it was too late to turn around and would be to cruel to leave Eric alone in the woods days from home.  They felt that because of his training he would be an asset to the caravan and could continue to travel with them.  Eric received his wish and was able to travel the world seeing everything he felt he was missing back home.  After travelling along the caravan routes for many years, it soon started to become tedious for Eric as the once exotic locations became common to him and his grand adventure had almost run its course.  He soon started to miss the more simple life at home and to have his own place to come to every night.  Eric began to search out places along the caravan route where he might be able to start his new life.  One place they had traveled through seemed to have all he was looking for.  The town of Framlingham was small enough for him to settle in with the life he wanted and if he needed a change, the city of  Arundel was two days travel to the north.  It was perfect he thought to himself, and parted company with his friends on the caravan.

Now Eric had to decide how he was going to make his living in Framlingham.  The only employment being offered was in the local militia.  He joined this right away and soon began saving his money and planning the next chapter in his life.  It was during this time that he met his future wife, Astrid, daughter of Hilmar the Shrubber, and sister of Roger.  Their courtship continued as Eric worked with the militia.  After two years, Eric had saved enough money to buy a horse and begin to build his homestead on the edge of town.  He soon finished his tenure with the militia and started his own stable as his own father once had.  With his business now open and his land cleared to grow a small crop, he and Astrid were married.  Soon after the two had settled into their home the family started to grow.  First born was a boy, Vaugn, then Trigg, arlo, idelle, Loring, Keane and finally Ferous.  All children were raised learning the skills they all would need during their life.  All had worked in the fields and stable during their upbringing and these chores would prepare them for the future as adults.  Their father had traveled the world in his youth and they would sit for hours by the fire listening to his stories about far off lands and mysterious people.  Each one had begun to have their own dreams of what they would become when it was their turn to begin their own adventures.

Ferous, being the youngest child was always the forgotten one.  He was always too small to help and his siblings were always telling him to go because he was in the way.  This was okay for Ferous, because he liked to get away from doing the chores and would have time to play in the fields and wander through town.  As he grew older, he began to spend more and more time exploring the woods around Framlingham.  He would always feel at ease in the woods and would embrace the solitude of the quiet of nature as compared to the busy household and stable.  Ferous would begin to study the wildlife and plant life he found in the outdoors and felt a kinship to nature.  This relationship followed through in his regard to life, where in decisions are based on nature's scale of balance.

Ferous much rather preferred his solitude and would become impatient in dealing with others.  If he was by himself, his life was easier and other people were just making things too complicated with their beliefs and decisions.  He felt others were weak because of their decisions and he wanted fast thotough answers and even faster actions.  Swift and decisive.  As in nature, everything happens because it must, no decisions: life, growth, and death.  Always moving forward.  This was his way: live, do what you must to move ahead and grow, never breaking the balance, and finally death when it comes for you.  But only when you are ready for it.

To achieve this, Ferous, like his siblings, had to start his life.  His two eldest brothers Vaughn and Trigg went to Chirk searching out their paths, Arlo apprenticed with his Uncle Roger, the Shrubber, Idelle worked at the tavern, Loring joined the local militia, and Keanestayed and worked at the stable.  Ferous had to gain experience and income to make his dream start.  To do this, he also joined the militia along with his few close friends, Urgon, the Bard, Geirrod, the Paladin, and Aaron, the Magic User.  They had all grown up together and planned to begin their future together.  Each had chosen a different field of training based upon his own set of beliefs, which in turn made the group a more diverse and complete unit.  The only missing component would be that of healer and spiritual guide.  The last member to join the party would be Gerald Reck, the Cleric.  Though older than the others, Gerald brought with him, his knowledge of the harsh world outside Framlingham and own sad story of disease and drunken excess.  He was amusingly called "Uncle Stinky", due to his lack of personal hygiene and good looks.  Ferous was now able to begin his adventure with the elite fighting squad called:





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©2002 Alexandr Machula (except portion written by Paul Gaudet)