Farin the Cursed

Written by JWtheMapper

Farin

The Legend

As recorded by Logan the Scribe, 893DA with additional notes by Doth the Scholar, 1004DA

Few people from Valit ever become more than a farmer, shepherd or craftsman and fewer still are recorded as anything other than a date on a gravemarker. One such man became more than both, an apprentice blacksmith with little more than the tools of his trade, a love of intricate designs, and a heart longing for companionship who would become one of the most reviled townsfolk in the history of the small village.

This is highly speculative and the details from this part in Farin's life are widely debated based on what he was willing to discuss.

— Doth

Farin's journey to infamy began after he uncovered a piece of Star Steel with an incomplete rune on its face of such complexity that it quickly became his sole desire to replicate and improve upon it with every waking hour. People in learned circles knew that there was power in the runes when completed just right but unfortunately they were still far from understood in many of the smaller towns and villages. This particular rune would later be named Farin's Folly since it was his tinkering that activated its power.

After several years of working to develop the runework, Farin set out to complete a request from a wealthy patron to inlay the rune with emerald and promised Farin that he would be well rewarded for his effort. What Farin did not expect was that the patron would have a very young and exceptionally beautiful wife, Charis, who would take interest in the handsome blacksmith.

The family name of the patron and the lover are mysteries as most records were destroyed in the fire.

— Doth

As the patron was well into his old age, Charis would send secret letters to Farin, begging to help her end the marriage and that her true love would protect them from any challenges after her husband was out of the picture.

Several weeks of travel and bartering with merchants from across Junsson left Farin frustrated and longing for his home, not to mention the letters he was missing from his lover. On the 97th day of his journey he was approached by a man with a message, the patron had died and Charis was expected to take over the fortunes of her husband. The message was clear, return to Valit and to Charis and they would marry, but only if he returned with the completed amulet as his gift to her as was promised by her late-husband.

It just so happened that his return would be swift since that very day he managed a trade with a jeweler for one of the most perfect emeralds he had ever seen and began working quickly to finish the amulet for his love.

Some records infer that the trader was none other than Shar of the Blackhands but so far there has been not concrete evidence linking the two other than both seemed to be in the same area.

— Doth

This is where history picks up on the folly of Farin, what he did not realise was that the rune he had been working on so long was one of body, an previously unknown version that, when inset with the emerald, acted as a wilting catalyst spreading a magic plague from the moment he completed what he considered his finest work. Several days after Farin had left the small village of Hornhold villagers began dying of a mysterious illness. This followed him from one small hamlet to the next, townsfolk becoming sick and then dying painfully from the untreatable magic disease.

Once he returned to his love he discovered that he was too late, Charis had chosen another lover from the wealthy merchants who had more to offer than a talented but rather poor blacksmith. He presented her the amulet which made her quite happy but was spurned from her promises of love and marriage and cast aside, back to his mundane life at the forge.

Unfortunately, the magic of the amulet began working in Valit and news had begun to travel that there was a mysterious disease traveling from Hornhold. The new lover of Charis was the first victim followed by Charis herself before taking the household. The estate was empty and deemed unsafe to enter but Farin was determined that the amulet belonged to him since he was unable to have Charis he would keep his greatest creation.

The details of Farin's life from here are poor as a fire destroyed the home of the patron shortly after the death of the household but we do know that Farin recovered the amulet and fled Valit. Several cases of the wilting desease spread to neighboring communities but we have been unable to determine if this was because of Farin himself or others who crossed paths with him and the amulet.

— Doth

Redemption

Farin himself would turn up nearly 146 years later, a dessicated husk of a man with the amulet worn so long it was a part of his mouldering form. He had spent the time working to undo the power of the amulet and developed a counter for the runework he had accidentally created. Unfortunately, he was too late for many of the smaller communities who were decimated by the disease as he passed through.

His contribution to the understanding and mastery of this single rune would allow for new healing runes to be developed from his research. When he met with the Cabal of Body he presented his findings and allowed them to study his decrepit form.

More like decomposing.

— Doth

Unfortunately, he was unable to completly disable the amulet he had created and was unly able to nullify its power by sacrificing his own body to its power. He trusted the Cabal to lock his body away as final penance for all of the suffering he caused but with the single warning that the amulet must remain with him.

Lets just hope that they buried him somplace deep and lost the key.

— Doth

Year of Birth

722 DA 564 Years old

Circumstances of Death

Hidden by the Cabal of Body c. 893DA

Birthplace

Valit