Just A Young Archer
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Title: Just a young archer
Author: Therin Telamon
I was told that my brother Elric wrote a story about our grandfather. I am very certain he did not mention my name even once, as there still is a feud between us, which I hope we can resolve one day.
Let me tell you my story, and how I became what I am these days.
If you have seen me in one of the public places, such at the Luna market or at the First Bank Of Britannia, you for sure have not seen my face, as it is always covered by a helmet.
I do not only wear this for mere protection, but also to conceal what I am... as I am an elf. An elf raised by humans. Even though most Britannians have grown used of seeing elfs roaming the land, they probably have never seen an elf speaking with the accent of the people of Skara Brae.
I was raised in the vicinity of that town, and therefore am using the local accent, such as the stretched vowels that people from Moonglow and Yew like to make fun of.
I remember feeling alienated ever since I can remember.
I noticed that everyone in my family, everyone around me looked different than I did. My skin has a blue touch to it, I can see at night, and my body has a different build to it.
I did not understand this at first, neither did I understand the remakrs that neighbour kids yelled at me, or the way people stared at me when I went to town.
When I was 12, my grandmother ( Elric and me were raised by his grandparents ) explained to me that I was an elf... an orphan that they had found in a dark area of Moonglow when they visited the town.
How I got there, and why my parents abandoned me I never found out, and I dont think I ever will. I don´t need to either, as I loved my "step parents" very much, and I do believe that parents are not parents by blood relationship, but by their deeds.
Those two old humans raised me and treated me as if I was their own kin, and for that, I consider them my parents. However, it was hard to grow up that way, even though they always defended me and took good care of me.
Back when I grew up, only very few elfs were around, and even today, a lot of people shun that race, and hate elfs with a vengeance.
I never understood why, but my "stepfather" once told me "People often prefer to hate what they don´t understand."
So I learnt how to deal though they always defended me and took good care of me.
Back when I grew up, only very few elfs were around, and even today, a lot of people shun that race, and hate elfs with a vengeance.
I never understood why, but my "stepfather" once told me "People often prefer to hate what they don´t understand."
So I learnt how to deal from almost EVERYONE ( after my step-parents had passed away ), I lost interest.
I did further my education by myself by visiting the lycaeum, reading every book I could get my hands on.
Are you surprised by that ? That an archer has read a lot of books ? Well, I was shown all my life that I was somehow different, so I figured I could just embrace that and BE different.
I hear that Elric is about to join the Yew Militia. I wish him the best of luck.
Maybe we will get a chance to meet, yet I think he will do what he always does...ignore me. He hates me, and always has done so. It took me years to figure out why. He is not stupid, intolerant or a bigot. So it´s not that he hates elves.
Instead... he felt as if I took the love of his grandparents away from him... that I kinda distracted their attention from him.
I never tried that on purpose, but I am sure my grandparents sensed that I had problems dealing with life, growing up as a "bastard".
So they paid a lot of attention to me, and always had their eyes on me.
Elric got less of that attention, and had to learn a lot by himself. And to this day, I respect him for that very much.
He had much more to deal with than I did. And I hope one day I will be able to end that feud between us, to establish a bridge that will enable us to be friends.
I am an archer, as I said. And I am a proud guild member of the Yew Archers.
As you probably know, that guild is being lead by Lord Arrow Of Yew. He gave me a chance to prove myself, even though I was nothing but a snotty, hostile, unexperienced young man when he had me join the guild.
He never berated me, never looked down on me, never tried to break my will.
However, I talked to a lot of people throughout Sosaria, and so many of them know his name, and respect him deeply. Everyone had good things to say about him, and not only did this impress me, it made me proud to be a member of this guild.
I would give my life for him in battle, and so would the other archers.
He is a silent, patient and honorable mentor and leader, and I don´t think I can ever be half the man he is.
He is a wonderful role-model to go by, and trying that helped me to overcome my hostility, my arrogance and selfishness.
Without him knowing it, he taught me about virtues, that weird term I had heard humans talk about.
So I went back to the lycaeum once more to read up on those virtues, and these days, I try my best to follow them, embrace them.
The other members of the Archers are great warriors and persons as well.
I know that each one of them will look out for his guildmates, support and protect his kin in battle. I have written about two of our hunts for the
Sosarian newspaper, and mentioned how much I was impressed by this brotherhood and care.
So therefore, I don´t wanna write too much about it again. Let´s just say that I am a proud member of the Yew Archers, and will go through the most hellish of dungeons with them if I am asked to.
They taught me what being in a guild should be about, and that even in the days when people care most about profit, possessions and wealth, where murderers and cheaters roam the land unpunished, there still is valor, honor and trust.
I never cared for profit, for owning a castle or piles of gold. These concepts are strange to me, and I laugh at slobbering humans, trying to earn as much of that shiny metal that people seem to be addicted to.
I was looking for a goal in life, something to live for, and I found it in improving myself, learning, becoming good at what I do ( being an archer and hunter ) and being with my guild, helping and supporting them, trying my best to achieve the guilds goals with them.
And that is a thing to live for... a purpose that a lot of humans ( and, apparently, elfs as well ) seem to miss these days, sitting around on their horses at the bank, trying to impress younglings with their magical spells, laughing at embarassing jokes, talking about their battles, yet its sometimes hard to believe that someone who spends that much time blundering about his achievements has any other abilities but talking.
I probably sound like a hateful, bitter being, yet I am not. I am an observer, and I have different goals than the majority.
Thanks for reading my story.