Born a commoner child in Grimforge Mountain, Raegin was quite average for
a dwarf. His upbringing was average, his toys were average, his parents
worked average jobs for average pay. His only exceptional trait was his
exceptional mediocrity at combat. As much as he tried to compete with his
own age group he always soundly beaten. After being held back in combat
school for the third time an embarrassed Raegin couldn't bring himself to go
home and tell his father. So he hid. Hid in the only place he knew
wouldn't turn him away, the Cathedral of Grimforge Mountain.
Sitting in a dim corner pulled up into a ball, Raegin wept. He wondered how
he could ever live and work in a place that mocked him. Mocked his
failings, mocked his ineptitude.
Late in the evening Haula Demish, the head-priest of the Cathedral, slowly
and silently approached the now silent ball of Raegin. He stopped just one
foot away and cleared his throat loudly, "Hrrghg." Raegin started and looked
up. He scrambled to his feet and stammered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry."
Haula smiled gently and said, "There's no need to apologize, my child. What
brings you to the Cathedral?"
Raegin hesitated for a moment before admitting, "I... I failed again. I've
been held back in combat school for the third time, and I can't face my
parents."
Haula nodded sympathetically. "It's okay to fail, my child. It's a natural
part of learning and growing. The important thing is to not give up and to
keep trying."
Raegin looked at the head-priest with confusion, "But I'm no good at
fighting, what else can I do?"
Haula chuckled, "There are many paths in life, my child. Just because
you're not good at combat doesn't mean you can't excel in other areas.
Perhaps you have a talent for crafting, or maybe you wish to join the
clergy. You won't know until you try."
Raegin's eyes lit up with hope, "Really? You think I could be good at
something else?"
Haula nodded with a kind smile, "I do. And as long as you keep an open mind
and keep trying, you'll eventually find your calling."
With those words, Raegin felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He knew he
had a lot of hard work and soul-searching ahead of him, but for the first
time in a long time, he felt like he had a chance to succeed. And he had
the kind words and guidance of Haula Demish to thank for it.
Description:
At about five feet tall and quite stocky, bordering on chunky, this
bearded fellow looks have recently washed. His face is smooth, with plump
red cheeks and thin lips barely visible under his mustache. His large ears
stick out slightly, accentuated by a perfect finger-width trim separating
them from his brown beard. His eyes are also brown, with small flecks of
gold visible in just the right light. His hands are reddish, almost chapped
looking from the frequent washing and his fingernails are very well
manicured and clean.