Awesome Ranger and adventurer. You’ve probably heard of him.


Born in Carglade, a small village, if you could call it that. Really just a few houses isolated from any one kingdom. We were so out of the way it doesn’t even appear on on a map. They say that the day he was born an enormous storm the likes of which had never been seen, blew havoc across the land. After it had passed, despite the unthinkable destruction of the outlying farms and forests, the town of Carglade itself remained miraculously untouched.

Griff never knew his original parents and was raised by a couple who lived in the village. He was told from a young age that his parents were both cursed and were banished from the land. His foster parents never really took a shine to him and he was given over to a local tanner to be apprenticed from an early age.

His new Master was a very knowledgeable but cruel man, Griff resolved to learn all that he could from his position and plan to leave whenever he had no more reason to stay. Years passed and Griff put up with the horrid conditions he lived in, with the ceaseless toil and beatings. His only reprieve from this world was the times when his Master drank himself into a stupor and Griff could sneak out and spend most of the night in the woodlands, tracking animals and learning all he could about nature. When back in the tannery, he did his work diligently and practiced making armor from the hides.

Eventually, his Master began to go on journeys that lasted for days, returning with a full coin purse and a cart laden with food and spices. Curious about this he tracked his master for 2 full days and nights before arriving at an enormous city. Having never seen a city before he was taken aback by the sheer scale of things and how so many people could live in one area. Using his tracking skills and charm he eventually found somebody who knew where his Master was and he proceeded to the local armory. Upon entering he witnessed his Master trading the armor Griff had made in his spare time to the armorer for what he (and anyone else in Carglade) would consider a lifetimes fortune. Apparently his skills were better than he suspected.

Griff took this as a sign and decided to remain in the city and start his new life there. After several weeks living rough and in filth, he realised that it was seemingly impossible to find employment or a kind person in these places. Vowing to avoid cities for the rest of his days, he left and made his way out to the wilderness where he at least had a chance to make it on his own.


After many months of living quite successfully on his own in the wild, Griff happened upon a cabin deep in the woods. Having not seen another soul since he left that godforsaken city, curiosity got the better of him and he slipped inside. The last thing he felt that night was a sharp pain in the back of his neck and the thud of his own body hitting the floor.

He awoke the next day in bindings being watched by a tall middle aged man with long greying hair and an unkempt beard. After a lengthy interrogation, he was deemed no threat and released, it seemed the man was as suspicious of people as Griff himself had become. Despite the initial hostilities, Griff took a liking to the man and kept returning with game he caught and traded this for stories and company. It transpired that the man was a former Ranger, his vocation being ended when he took an arrow to the knee. This made it difficult to walk, let alone track, hunt or fight. The stories the old ranger told transfixed Griff and an idea was kindled in him, this is what he wanted to do. A deal was reached with the old ranger that in return for providing meat, skins and upkeep of the cabin, Griff would be taught all of the secrets and tricks of the trade. He would be a ranger, and better yet, a ranger unaffiliated with any guild. Free to roam and seek employment or adventure as he saw fit.


Never speaking of what he learned during the ten years spent with the old ranger, Griff moved on once he had learned all that he could. Taking work scouting for militias and escorting groups through dangerous areas was well paying and kept him busy but he still craved to do more with his abilities. Seeking more fame and fortune he found himself frequenting small towns and specifically taverns, despite his mistrust of people, in order to hear the rumours and legends of the lands. Griff assumed that following up on these clues would be lead him to his goals. Eventually after many dead ends and false leads, he located a tomb which had not been totally ransacked. Inside he came across a conjurer and adventurer named Koll, who had been trapped by an ancient lich who was draining the very life essence from him. Without thinking, Griff launched into a savage attack which took the lich by surprise, but ultimately did not kill him. An epic battle ensued which took all of Griff’s skill and training just to stay alive, ultimately seeing Griff slay the lich and free the conjurer. So grateful and impressed was Koll, he bestowed upon Griff an enchanted cloak which would always bring him good fortune, and the two decided to seek treasures and quests far afield to the north, where other mercenaries and so-called adventurers would not dare to travel.

Griff and Koll traveled far and wide over the following years, slaying monsters, cheating death and seeking forgotten treasures. They amassed a fortune in coin and magical artifacts and their names were known all over the northern lands. Seldom would they enter a town and not have their reputation precede them. Griff began to grow accustomed to this lifestyle until the day he awoke to find that Koll had vanished during the night, taking everything they had worked for and left Griff with nothing but the clothes on his back.


Forging a Legend GavinDoran