Character History
Beleg is the only son of Beorn and Caitlin Cuthalion. Beorn and Caitlin were itinerant musicians when Beleg was born. They traveled across the realms performing music, dances and theater for the nobility and common folk alike. It was inevitable that Beleg would become part of the performing troupe. As a young boy, Beleg danced, sang, played the recorder and entertained with his parents and a small band of artists. He traveled with this group, going from fair to fair and celebration to celebration, visiting both small hamlets and large cities. Beleg's parents became very well known musicians and when Beleg was 10 years old, they received an appointment as court musicians to the Arch-Prelate of the Temple of Thor. They traveled across the Fjord of Ice to the citadel of Rockholme, the site of the Grand Temple complex and the See of Thorngrim, Arch-Prelate. Beorn and Caitlin grew in the favor of the entire court as they were not only very talented, but good and gracious people. This popularity, coupled with Beleg's unusual size, shaped the events of Beleg's young adulthood.
Beleg's extraordinary size made itself apparent when he was seven years old. By the time he was eleven, Beleg was well over 5 ft tall. At thirteen years of age, Beleg was plagued by the usual trials of adolescence. His voice cracked when he tried to sing and his lack of coordination made dancing impossible. Suddenly Beleg was not the cute and talented son of the famous musicians, but a gangly, self-conscious giant of a boy. He was the object of ridicule from the court jesters and the young members of the nobility, who rejoiced in teasing him about his unusual size and lack of coordination. He soon became depressed and withdrawn. Being concerned for the well being of their son, Beorn and Caitlin were delighted when Thorvald Ironarm, a Paladin from the court offered to sponsor their son into the Temple's warrior college.
Under Thorvald's tutelage, Beleg thrived. He studied and practiced the arts of warfare, tactics, philosophy and theology. He also dedicated himself to the sect of Forseti, god of Justice. If the truth were told, this decision was greatly influenced by the embarassment and humiliation he felt as a young teenager at court. Beleg has never forgotten how it get to be ridiculed unjustly. This made the decision to follow the long road of Paladinhood and enduring the loneliness of solitary journeys much easier for the young man. As he matured, he rediscovered his talents for, and love of, music. His voice changed from the crackling pubescent tenor to a deep, rich, baritone. He performed with his parents as often as his dutied permitted.
Beleg completed his studies at the war college and was assigned to the Guard of Haakon, Vice Priest of the Temple of Forseti. It was during this time that Beleg met the lovely Rosamund, niece of the Vice Priest. Beleg was part of the force that escorted the Lady from her home in Hillsgard to Rockholme. During this journey, while crossing the Inner Sea, the ships of Haakon were attacked by raiders. A furious battle ensued. The forces of the Vice-Prelate fought valiantly against overwhelming odds, but after an hour of vicious combat it became apparent to the commander that they were to lose this fight. He called his mage, had him cast fly and invisibility on Lady Rosamund, and bid the Lady to fly to the shore. Next, he called together his remaining commander and gave them the choices available to them, to surrender and at best face slavery, to try to swim for shore or to fight to the last. Unanimously they chose to fight. It was also decided that the five strongest swimmers be chosen to make an attempt for shore.
Constantine, Turin, Carl, Erik and Beleg were selected to attempt this task. Stripping off their armor and tying a few small weapons to their bodies, the young men dove over teh side and made for the shore, some five miles distant. Constantine was struck by an arrow and died not 100 yards from the ship. The remaining four escaped the notice of the raiders and managed to swim nearly a mile before the next disaster struck. A giant creature from the depths swallowed Turin whole and sheared a leg from Carl. Erik and Beleg continued swimming, followed hauntingly by the short lived screams of Carl. As Erik and Beleg struggled toward shore, the sea began to take it's toll again. Fatigued, coupled with the water that was very cold even in mid-summer, began to riddle the young men with cramps. They were mightily tempted to slow down or float to rest their aching muscles. But they knew that the cold water was more dangerous than muscle fatigue and so they continued. When they were only a half mile from shore, Erik's strength failed him. Beleg tried to help his companion but to no avail. Erik was lost to the sea. Beleg managed to make shore but was too weak to do more than drag himself beyond the high tied mark. Exhausted from grief and his fight with the sea, he collapsed into a semi-comatose slumber.
He awoke to the feeling of being dragged across the rocky beach. Opening his salt swollen eyes, he looked up to see none other than the Lady Rosamund pulling him by his sword belt. Groaning, he tried to get to his knees. Rosamund looks at him and said, "Good, you're awake. I didn't think I would be able to get you off the beach before they got here." She pointed back toward the sea and said, "Look". As Beleg struggled to his feet, he looked toward the sea and saw the outline of a sail about a mile from shore and heading in their direction. Rosamund reached into her satchel and pulled out a vial. "I didn't dare try to give this to you while you were unconscious," she said, pulling the stopper and handing the vial to Beleg. "It's a healing potion. Hurry up and drink it before those filthy vermin get here." The two then swiftly headed inland toward the foothills. They knew that their situation was serious, but not hopeless. While they were not expected to reach Rockholme for a fortnight and so a search for the Lady Rosamund would not even begin until then, and Beleg was unarmored and armed with only a short sword, the Lady Rosamund carried several potions, a tinderbox and iron rations in her satchel. If they could avoid the raiders, bandits, wild creatures and other dangers of the unknown wilderness, they stood at least a chance of being rescued.
The next few weeks were a nightmare of fatigue and fear for Rosamud and Beleg. They hid by day, sleeping with one eye open for fear of being discovered and traveled by night. Beleg added guilt for the drowned Erik to his kaleidoscope of emotions. Rosamund did her best to convince him that he had done all he could for his companion, but Beleg was not persuaded. The two were able to hide successfully, aside from a brush with an angry bear and a run-in with an orc scouting party which left 4 dead orcs and Beleg with a wicked gash in his leg that was healed by the last of their healing potions. After 17 days in the wilderness, they were located via scrying by a small, but heavily armed group from Rockholme. Their rescue from the wilderness was complete. But Beleg was not out of the woods emotionally.
He was tortured in spirit. Not only had he fallen in love with the Lady Rosamund, a lady of noble birth forever out of his reach due to his station and the more of his culture, but his hellish swim to shore had left him with an extreme fear of water, especially the sea. He dared not tell anyone of his feelings for Rosamund and was ashamed to discuss his fear. He went about his duties consciencously but with little enthusiasm. His private time was spent listlessly. He seldom gathered with friends or family and on the rare occasion when he played music, it was always a sad melody. That he was deeply troubled was obvious to all who knew him, including his superiors in the Temple. In order to purge him of his malaise, it was decided by the Preceptor that Beleg should begin his soul journey and travel to the distant land of Cormyr. The Soul Journey is a ritual that all the disciples of Forseti embark upon. The soul-journer travels along to far off lands to battle evil, serve the cause of justice and discover the eternal truth. These journeys last for at least a year and often as long as five. So Beleg set off for his Soul Journey with his love, his fear and his music.
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