I.Q.	15		K'traal Toreck
M.E.	13
M.A.	9		Race: Elf	O.C.C. Ranger	Alignment: Scrupulous
P.S.	22		H.P.: 21	S.D.C.: 50	Exp. Level: 1
P.P.	18		P.P.E: 16	I.S.P.: 21	Psionics: Minor
P.E.	17		Age: 31	Sex: Male	Wt. 193 lbs.  Ht. 6'9"
P.B.	22		HtH: Martial Arts	From: Timero Kingdom
Spd.	20		Disposition: Paternal, overprotective of others, especially towards young people

Birth Order: First of twins   Background: Scholarly and educated <rich>   Racial Hostilities: Harpies

Environment: Religious community, strong ties to the Church of Light.

Father's name: Foren   Mother's name: De'lila   2nd born twin: K'trel   3rd born sister: Se'cora

Art Drawn By Ron Nutter
"De'lila!" The man's voice was hardly heard over the crackling sounds that filled the air as he rushed into the creaking house. A large crash of thunder was heard as the floorboards of the old, wooden house exploded in a fiery flash of blue light. Foren covered his eyes as a shard of wood embedded into his arm. In a scream of pain, he lowered his arm and continued on his way. He could now see the roof of his one story cabin being ripped away as if some hand reached down and tore it off. He looked towards the greenish-blue sky and said a quick prayer to Ra. There was still no rain that he could see. There were large bolts of bluish energy shooting from cloud to cloud in the sky. The winds roared with a deafening cry as a large tree flew over the house.

"De'lila, where are you," he called out again, still with no answer. He then saw the source of all the wind. A gigantic pillar of cloud barreled in an awkward pattern towards the village. "What in the name of the Light could have caused this," Foren muttered to himself as he made his way deeper into his home.

He tried to open the door to the kitchen but he noticed that something was holding the door from opening. Slowly, he backed up and charged for the door. With one solid crack the door flew open and revealed the partially destroyed room. As with all the rooms, there was no one in there as well. Just as he was about to barge into the next room, he noticed something caught between the table and the floor. A slip of paper stuck out with some writing on it. De'lila's writing! Quickly, Foren grabbed hold of the slip of paper and read it hastily.

     Dearest, I have gone to the market to pick up a few things. Se'cora and K'trel also came with me for a bit. K'traal should be in his room when you get back. Don't worry about me, I'll be home before supper. Can't wait to see you again, my love.

          De'lila.

With a start, Foren quickly tucked the note into his pocket as he ran to K'traal's room. "K'traal?!" The words left his lips as he crashed into K'traal's room. He stood in disbelief when he saw his son, lying there, on his bed, unconscious. He darted over to his son and took him in his arms. He noticed that K'traal was faintly breathing as he held him.

Suddenly, without warning, the far wall tore away from the house as the giant pillar of wind took it up into it's blue, crackling spire. Surprisingly, there was little wind as the pillar approached. Crouching there, holding his son, it enveloped him and all was dark.

Blue bolts of energy crackled around the two as they lied there in the soft grass. Slowly, one of the figures stirred as the crackling ceased. Waking with a soft moan, he propped himself up on his elbows. Putting his hand to his head, K'traal wearily stood up.

With a brief look at his surroundings, he saw that there were many trees in the area. Being at the edge of a large forest, K'traal could see a large plain spanning across the landscape. For a moment, he hadn't noticed his father lying next to him. He quickly gained his senses and rushed down to his father.

K'traal was no more than twelve years of age. A young boy with dark, brown hair. He easily stood five feet tall. Fairly tall for one his age—even for an elf. "Father?" K'traal gently shook his father's shoulder as he looked down at him, hoping he was all right. "Father, are you all right?" He shook him once again. Foren woke with a groan. Slowly his lips parted and voiced a word. K'traal wasn't very good at reading lips, but he knew his mother's name wherever he saw it. De'lila.

With a start, Foren opened his eyes only to see his son hovering above him. A smile parted both their lips as his father took in a deep breath to draw away the weariness of his forced slumber. "Where are we," were the first words out of his mouth since the whole ordeal. "K'traal, how did we get here?" After looking around for a moment, his eyes went back to his son.

"I am not sure, father. One moment I was at home, studying. The next, I heard a loud howling sound, as if the wind picked up. And now, I find myself…" Abruptly K'traal was cut off by a horrible shrieking sound. For a few moments, all was silent. Nothing was heard to give any notice to who, or what, made that sound. "What was that?" K'traal looked out toward the meadow, possibly where the sound came from.

Foren slowly stood up and took a longer, more thought out view of their surroundings. "I am not sure. One thing's for certain, though. I don't want to meet up with whatever it is." In deep thought he stepped forward a few paces. "It looks as though nighttime will be on us soon. We should probably find some shelter, a town, perhaps."

Off to the left, K'traal caught a brief glimpse of a dirt path. It seemed to be well traveled, and if K'traal wasn't seeing things, he knew he saw wagon tracks dug into the ground making it appear well traveled. "Father, what about that road over there," he asked, pointing in the direction of the path.

With a glimpse away from the field, he looked upon the path and said, "I guess that's the most logical way we could take." With that he moved towards the path. "Stay near me, K'traal. Whatever it was that made that sound, didn't sound too hospitable. We best keep our eyes open for any trouble. There is no telling where we could be."

**********

For a few hours the two traveled the road. The sun had already set and night had come, shrouding the land in it's dark cloak. They have been out of the forest for about an hour now, traveling through a bare plane. Trees scattered themselves here and there along the great stretch of land. Overhead, K'traal could see a large moon illuminating the sky. Odd how the moon looks a tad bigger than I remember it… K'traal's thoughts trailed off as he saw a shape dash past the moon. A silhouette of some sort. Large, winged, almost hawk-like. Thinking it could have been nothing, he continued on with his father, not caring to look towards the sky anymore.

Another half hour passed as they walked and walked. Still with no sign of any sort of town, they were rather disappointed in finding another forest up ahead. As they approached, each made out a soft, orange glow coming from the trees. Nothing too obvious, but K'traal knew a fire from a distance when he saw one.

Both K'traal and Foren looked at one another and without a word, made a dash towards the light. "Hopefully whoever it is has a hospitable disposition," Foren called out. They neared the edge of the forest and began to slow down when a large creature suddenly landed directly in front of them, knocking both father and son backwards, into the ground.

The smell of decay and defecation soon filled the air as the monstrosity loomed before them. The body of the creature looked to be some sort of monstrous bird while from the breast upward appeared to be that of a hideous woman. With wings for arms and talons for feet, and standing seven feet tall, this creature didn't look like anything K'traal had ever seen in his entire life. It's shriek pierced the elves' ears as it made it's way towards it's new found prey.

Finally coming to his senses, Foren frantically looked around for something he could use as a weapon to defend himself. Unfortunately, nothing could be found that would have been of any use. With a grin, the creature darted towards Foren, slashing it's claw at his belly. Almost without thinking, Foren dodged out of the way, pulling K'traal with him.

Landing with great grace, the creature quickly turned it's attention back to it's prey. Foren instinctually put K'traal behind him, slowly backing away from the monster. "What do you want," he cried out, still backing away towards the forest.

The thing just let out another shriek, advancing even closer to the two.

"K'traal," Foren swallowed hard. "If something happens to me…" He slowly regained his composure. "If something happens to me, I want you to run."

"But Father…" K'traal started.

"No, no arguing. Know that I will always love you, my son. And I don't want anything to happen to you. This situation doesn't look good." The beast approached with a grin, as slow as the two were backing off. "I will need you to get home to mother and tell her about what happened if I don't get out of this. Ok?" K'traal was momentarily stunned. "Ok?" He repeated, only more demandingly.

"Father…" The whisper was so faint, that even K'traal had difficulty hearing it.

Just then the creature took a new stance and started towards the two at a quicker pace. Foren pushed his son towards the forest. "Run, K'traal!" Taking up a fighting stance, Foren waited for the attacker to come to him. K'traal did as his father requested and ran to the forest as fast as he could, crying. As the beast approached, Foren thought of everything he had lived for. His sons, his daughter, his beloved De'lila. "De'lila…" The words hung in the air as the two hundred pound monster crashed into him. Foren quickly absorbed the blow, taking only minor bruising. He quickly retorted with a sharp roundhouse kick to his attacker's ribs, causing it to fall back slightly. "I don't know what the hell you are," he cursed at it while he delivered another blow to it's body with his fist this time, "but I sure as hell won't let you take my family without going through me first!"

The battle was nearly flawless on Foren's part. With renewed energy, Foren defeated the large bird. In the process, though, he had broken at least two of his ribs and a large slash across his upper-left arm. He noticed that the battle had taken him away from the forest a few dozen yards. Running to the forest as fast as he could, in his condition, he didn't even notice the figures approaching from above until it was too late.

He was at least ten yards from the forest when K'traal came out to meet him when another one of those creatures came and tore a large gash into his stomach, dropping him to the ground, yet keeping him alive. K'traal fell back with absolute horror. The creature turned around in midair and landed next to Foren, forcefully kicking her fallen prey towards K'traal.

To K'traal's horror, his father landed right next to him, almost on top of him. "K'traal…" Foren's life was clearly nearing it's end right before K'traal's eyes. Coughing up a little blood, Foren regained a bit of strength. "Remember… my son… Remember to tell… tell your mother… and the… the other's…" The winged creature started to approach again. Pain ravaged Foren's face as he tried to talk. "Tell De'lila… that I… that I love her… And that…" Without warning, the creature lifted it's massive claw and swiped the head clear off of Foren's shoulders.

K'traal, not believing what he just saw, sat there in disbelief. "Father…? Father…?!" Suddenly, an arrow flew from the forest and struck the beast square in the heart, sending it toppling backwards. Not allowing any recovery time, another arrow, and another, came hurling from the forest, striking the beast each time in a vital area. Soon, three more emerged. The final one striking the last blow. The creature was dead.

A figure came running from the forest. He had a long bow in his hand and a leather quiver hanging from his waist. Seeing the corpse of the boy's father lying next to him, his pace slowed. Taking the shocked boy in his arms, he guided him back to his camp.

**********

Nineteen years past, and K'traal's training was long past being over. He had learned a lot there was to learn about the wilderness from the man who took him in those many years past. He also learned that the world he was in was not his own. And he strived to find a way back, no matter what the cost, so that he could return to his family and deliver his father's message.

Since then, Drake has grown old. K'traal stayed with him to care for him for such a long time. While going out for water one day, he ran into a traveler who had washed ashore from the icy river. Concerned, he brought this traveler back to his home. Little did he know that this traveler would get him in some of the most dangerous travels of all time. His name was Rashidi, and his companions came looking for him. Who knew that helping them out on a quest to save the world would bring him back to his own home world? And that is how things came to be as they are today.

K'traal is played by and submitted by: Sir Edrick a.k.a. [SMC] Neptune (Co-Level creator for SMQ)

Sir Edrick is currently in the middle of writing his first book called A Heroes Awakening. Are ya interested?  Well, I can't distribute what he's written already of course, but I've had the opportunity to read the first few chapters, and it's looking to be great.  I can however give you his E-mail address, and you can ask him questions about the book, or plead with him for the book if you're interested.