The Lowaan Clutch
In the winter of 9025 the clutch of Lowaan Adunar began to hatch. The first three made their way out easily enough, the next two eggs jostled against each other before tumbling open and the sixth seemed a bit stuck until on of the more curious siblings gave a helpful nudge. Finally Lowaan had a chance to find the elusive peace she had sought all her life. As an accomplished fighter she had seen enough conflict and wanted to raise a clutch of young lizards who could seek their own paths without being buffeted by the goings on of the Free Cities and the Fen. However, she knew to be wary of the Clutch's Curse, though she would never admit it, and would work to prepare her children to fend for themselves and live off the land.
For the first year she and her mate raised and cared for them but he eventually returned to his people. He left behind little as Lizardfolk fathers often do for the clutches but Lowaan had learned a new appreciation for the old ways from him and his clan.
She put that into practice when teaching her oldest. She taught him about how fragile life can be and the ways a healer can safeguard it. She taught him about death and it being not an ending but another path that has its own branches. As the oldest it would be his responsibility to guide the group along their path and to do that he would need the guidance of Semuanya. His devotion as a Cleric would light the way for them all.
Lowaan knew they would need to be able to live in the modern world as well, the old ways would serve them well but eventually there is something you need that cannot be found on your own. Whenever she left their swamp to get supplies she would bring one of the clutch along. Some of them were more curious about the outside world than others and would request to go more often. The second oldest would request most often, she was fascinated by the people of Laun Ce and the way they spoke, but most of all she loved the songs she would hear from the tavern. Lowaan saw the spark in her daughter's eye and would take her to hear the musicians play in the tavern. Eventually Lowaan spoke with them about acquiring an instrument and lessons so her daughter could follow the path of a Bard. She would be the one to inspire her siblings to go out and see the wide world.
With six young ones to watch over Lowaan could be forgiven for the freedom she gave the clutch, often they would wander in twos or threes and sometimes on their own. The two oldest were often a pair, the two younger boys were nearly inseparable, and the younger girls were happy to be left to their own games. While the oldest helped mom and the boys tussled with each other the girls would play hide and seek, straying further and further into the woods surrounding their swamp as they grew more confident. One day the youngest came back crying that she couldn't find the third. When Lowaan went out to look for them she searched for hours. How could she know the third had stumbled into a pixie's mushroom ring and was having the time of her life chowing down and chasing pixies. Once the pixies realized the little lizard wasn't going to leave them alone they put her to sleep hoping she would leave once she woke up alone in the dark. When she awoke she was alone in the mushroom ring bathed in the light of a full Penthe. When Lowaan found her staring up at the moon, she saw her daughters love of nature. As a Druid she would be their anchor to the natural world, with her fascination for plants, animals, and all creatures.
As the clutch grew Lowaan would test their bodies as well as their minds. Hunting was a skill they would all need, and one Lowaan insisted they learn. The three oldest would use their gifts of magic to aid in the hunt, but the younger boys did not care for that method. They relied on strength and stealth to catch their quarry making a contest to see who could bring down the most impressive beasts. One favored the direct approach, overpowering his prey with brute force, while the other preferred to stay in the shadows and strike at the opportune moment. Their competitive streak would stir the pot and ensure the clutch didn't stagnate. Lowaan saw their potential: the rage of a Barbarian and the cunning of a Rogue. With their skills the clutch would have some muscle to keep any outside threats at bay.
The youngest saw the lessons Lowaan had shared with her siblings and did her best to learn them all. Lowaan saw the watchful eye of her youngest daughter, she saw the focus and determination of a budding warrior and the desire to keep pace despite being smaller. Of all the clutch she was the first to be named, as they grew she remained the smallest and so they called her Kosj. Lowaan thought to train her with a bow but as small as she was Kosj had trouble pulling it back far enough, so instead her little marksman would use a crossbow. But that was not all for Kosj, she wished to be like her older siblings who had all found a spark of magic. Kosj spent most of her time with the third so the magic she learnt was also rooted in nature's power. Lowaan impressed upon Kosj the importance of watching over her siblings and how much stronger they would be together than alone. Kosj would be the Ranger who kept them together in the world no matter what may come their way.
For nearly a decade Lowaan taught and trained her children and in that time all of them found their name. The oldest grew his magic as a cleric and would be the one to heal them after a difficult hunt and so they called him Irisvar. The second shared her fascination with the outside world as she practiced her music and song as a bard and came to be called Mirik. The third came into her power as a Druid and would take many different animal forms to help them appreciate what the natural world had to offer and so they named her Throden. The twins continued to compete with each other and wore their names as trophies of their skill: Harkaj, the Barbarian and Thurkear, the Rogue. Kosj never felt as honored by her name but as she developed her skills as a Ranger she felt more confident that size was no reason to underestimate anyone. Eventually a day came when Lowaan announced she was leaving them, they were confused but their mother assured them this was the way things are meant to be and not a week later, she was gone. She left confident they would be able to keep each other safe guide each other and find their path in the world.
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