<strong>Aren Gralnirson</strong>(http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=705846)<br/><div class="floatleft">(http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121221135508/wiedzmin/images/0/0f/Geralt_w_witcher_2.png)</div><strong>Biography:</strong>Aren Gralnirson is from frozen lands of frost barbarians, he was raised by his family who were simple fishermen. However, during most harshest winters when Aren was just seven a white dragon assaulted family's hold and dragon killed everyone....expect Aren who had been snuck into small narrow gap in founding stones to elude both dragon's senses and it's frigid breath which froze his family members into frozen statues which dragon then devoured in his sight....only his father's advice to 'keep quiet at all cost' kept him quiet as he watched his family slaughtered.<br/><br/>After dragon left, Aren half-naked started run through the freezing tundras to try reach nearest Jarl's hold. He started suffer hypothermia, he collapsed and woke up and he noticed he had been saved by a dwarf! The dwarf was a hermit spirit of his kind and unusual one who prefers the freezing open tundras to the security of underground and prefers hunt game in the surface. He had found Aren in the frozen fields laying there half-buried in snow and it had taken good week or two before he woke up.<br/><br/>Aren spend good two years with the dwarf and over time he gained his trust and respect, learning dwarf's name was Durnik Stonearrow (http://www.elfwood.com/art/s/a/sabrar/archer_d1.jpg). In age of nine Aren had learned many things from Durnik and in that time he had decided he will slay the dragon responsible for slaying his family! Durnik respected that decision but over two years he had used up all his tolerance for company (he was hermit for reason after all), so he delivered Aren to nearest holding and through talking with his friend he got Aren a good mentor in Valdrin Froljnbulr, a cleric of Kord. Valdrin took Aren in and taught in ways of warrior, be swift to act and be sure and hard in his strikes. Teach into ways of Kord and take reverence from him. However Aren despite his strong strength showed a uncanny mind for tactics, so Valdrin shifted some point focus from warrior into tactics; as besides strong body you need clever mind if Aren ever wishes to slay dragon....and unlikely he does so alone. So Aren became a marshal; a captain, leader by age of 17.<br/><br/>Then he took group of hunters (including calling in his old friend Durnik) to hunt the white dragon which has plagued already years in the local frozen wastes and forcing farmers and fishermen abandon their homes. Aren and his party found dragon's lair and there they lured dragon from lair into a trap laid out by hunters, overall half of the group perished but they survived and so did Durnik who had done killing blow. Aren became a much celebrated dragon-slayer (and so did his crew) and they enjoyed all luxuries of such reputation. Durnik as the one who slew the dragon was the one who chose what to take from carcass and he choose skin it and take dragon's hide as his trophy (significance of this comes only later on).<br/><br/>Then in age of 18 it was 6098 SD and then appeared a mighty warrior called Vatun the Risen God. As King Ralff called on his forces, Aren was with him and he was part of the horde, leading fellow country men in battles in two year campaign of conquest and battle! Until King Ralff called to stop the bloodlust madness when Vatun commanded Ratik to be next target, Ralff exposed Vatun to be Iuz himself but it cost King's life and so his seventeen old son, Hundgred, heritages the crown. Because of his deeds before and during the war, Aren was chosen to be part of king's personal soldiers in his holding. Four years later twenty four years old Aren (and few other closest) soldiers are led in to secret that Hundgred had smuggled mages into his palace and they are teaching his trusted advisors children magic?! Aren was given offer to study magic, but like most his kin he has natural distrust to the art. However he did not decline to study magic to simply know what it is (but not use the art). Not to mention arcane knowledge is useful when you want know weaknesses of some monsters in region.<br/><br/>However, because of his partly open mind to study magic and showing remarkable learning speed for civilized manners, he drew attention of young king's wife, who was eight years senior to the king but was only five years senior to Aren (a much more acceptable age gap). Aren and the queen had a affair and it was (eventually) found out! Hundgred being furious about it is slight understatement and he was ready challenge Aren on the spot in a honor duel in name of Kord! However, his wife succeed talk him (and Aren) out from it and instead just banish Aren; as duel would exposed the affair to public and Aren was too well respected by fellow soldiers to suffer ordinary execution. So Aren accepted his punishment and left from lands of Frost Barbarians for good. He met then in border Durdrin, who had come say his own farewells to him but he also gave him two parting gifts; A fine admantine bastard sword (which Aren later named as 'Slayer') and enchanted breastplate made from the very hide of the dragon which Aren slew! A very valuable gifts and mementos from his homeland. Since then he has traveled widely as a mercenary for hire, protect villages, slaying monsters and so forth. He had formed a small band of fellow mercs who followed his lead.<br/><br/>Along his journeys he met Victoriana, as a damsel in distress in hands of orcs who had raided her wagon and she was desperately defending both her virtue and life from shattered wagon which was on fire and orcs waited her run out of magic and come out to be butchered or captured. Aren swiftly dealt with the orcs with his small band of warriors and rescued her, out of gratitude Victoriana offered more lasting position as her sergeant-in-arms (and also spot in her bed). Aren had been since then been Victoriana's fighter champion.