Krusk
Born after an orc raid.
Mother survives and is survived by
Mercenary troop picked up.
Mother (Lena) dies in childbirth
Foster father Grunbert gives the child his name: Garzhûl (misfortune in Orcish)
Grunbert only tells the following about Garzhûl's mother:
copper hair
kind woman
Grunbert promised Lena that he would raise Garzhûl, but he never says why
Grunbert hates Garzhûl:
blames Garzhûl for Lena's death
says Garzhûl he should have died in her place,
personifies Garzhûl as a bringer of bad luck
Garzhûl can lift a sword at 6 years old
Grunbert places Garzhûl in Manfred's (mercenary) care
Manfred trains Garzhûl and four other orphans
The orphans: Tarik (11), Mark (9), Karl (10).
The boys are trained to blind obedience; anyone who doesn't obey or gives up is taken out of bed at night and beaten by the other four.
Anyone who refuses to take part will be beaten up next time.
Manfred “visits” the boys at night – Grunbert knows it and doesn’t do anything
The children learn to be silent
Garzhûl is in his first mission at the age of 9 (as a half-orc, he is roughly at the physical level of a fairly strong 13 year old)
Garzhûl gets his first blackout, after which Manfred is dead
Garzhûl has to flee
Over the next few years, Garzhûl changes mercenary groups
Garzhûl has blackouts every now and then, and each time he wakes up between corpses.
Garzhûl is 14 years old and strong as an ox thanks to his orc blood.
Garzhûl spends his years fighting.
His blackouts are becoming more frequent
increasingly come outside of the battle.
Garzhûl learns through stories what happens in these blackouts:
Garzhûl attacks and brutally kills everything within reach
Garzhûl works for a lower noble who wants to outdo a competitor
Garzhûl is supposed to take possession of a village on the competitor's territory
Garzhûl does so, the villagers surrender but complain
the village mayor's son insults Garzhûl
Garzhûl hits him, Mother intervenes
Soldiers drag you away, husband interferes
Friends come to help, son hits Krusk with a spade
Garzhûl beats him to death, beheads him and nails his head to a standard
Villagers protest and the mercenaries try to hold the village by force
There is a massacre and no villager survives
Garzhûl is nicknamed "Butcher"
Garzhûl is now finally legally wanted
Garzhûl flees, works away from the war zone as a day laborer for farmers (Dereck, Lisa, Tom & Alice), leaves his hair and beard standing so that he cannot be recognized.
Garzûhl stays with the farming family for a long time and during this time he thinks about his life.
Garzhûl repents
Garzhûl is recognized and arrested;
Mercenaries who want the reward on his head threaten the family.
Garzhûl surrenders to protect the family and allows himself to be taken away.
Waiting for death in the dungeon, he is visited by a half-orc
Half-orc is called Krusk
Krusk is older than Garzhûl and belongs to the Order of the Silver Rose.
Krusk heard that he surrendered, asks why: remorse.
Krusk offers Garzhûl a trade:
The service and duty to protect people as atonement for his actions and as a price for his life. Garzhûl agrees.
Garzhûl makes a vow to himself, Krusk gives him two rings in which the cornerstones of his vow - peace, innocence, wisdom, patience - are engraved.
Krusk buys Garzhûl free and wants to make him a candidate for the order.
The two have been traveling together for a year
Krusk dies during an attack when he catches an arrow with his body
Garzhûl is desperate
Garzhûl's paladin abilities awaken
The injury is too severe, Krusk dies despite everything
Garzhûl takes Krusk's place, telling everyone Garzhûl died.
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