Torin MacGregor

From AmtWiki

Lord Man at Arms Torin MacGregor Iron Keep, Blackspire

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Aliases

  • David Quist
  • Cedar Branch
  • Oliver Closov
  • Austin Hegaard
  • Ruarc O'Gorman
  • Al Mighty
  • Ba'al Saq

Biography

Affiliated Groups

Belted Family


Notable Accomplishments

Classes at 6th level

Titles

  • Lord Given by Queen Christiana of Blackspire 2009

Masterhoods

More Information

An Epic Tale of the Great Torin MacGregor

A Fictional Autobiography


I was born at a young age from my mother, as was customary at the time, and I believe it still is. Our village bordered the savage lands of the Bear Clan; at least that is what the other clans called them.

The Bear Clan was called this because they were strong bodied, noted to be fierce on the battlefield and had very broad faces. Their stories were numerous, and the tales of their magic were fantastic. Though I can only find record of one battle they had fought where they had sat up on a hill, out of arrow range, and threw rocks down on their assailants. I hear there is another Clan of Barbarians in the Kingdom of the Desert Winds in the Land of the Desert Rose, also known to be the Bear Clan, I can't be sure, but I don't believe they have any connection.

I spent the first few years as a child before I decided it was time to grow up. I was a young hunter gatherer with ambitions to become a great warrior. As a child I was never truly afraid of the Bear Clan. The nights I anxiously woke up could never have been out of fear they were attacking. I was never truly afraid; I just respected them and their abilities. At least that is what I told myself, many times.

As a man of the age of four I started learning new things. My instructors taught us that "Right is right, and left is wrong" so when she discovered I used my left hand for most things she took it upon herself to teach me to be right. As a result I was clumsy and awkward for the next several years, till I became a competent right hander.

As the third child of five and the second son of three, I had to learn to dodge the wrath of man I called my father, the overburdened leader of our people. I found out later in my life that my true father was Hian MacGregor, arguably one of the greatest warriors history has ever known. He battled the Clans barehanded for years before he decided it was easier to just pull up a cedar tree and brush them away as a painter would a bad stroke, or pick up a boulder, throw it and get five to ten opponents at a time. He became fond of using a cedar branch that was strong and sturdy. He loved the aroma and it was pleasant to carve. But alas, I never knew him. I was truly a bastard son of greatness. He was said to have died as a willing sacrifice at the hands of the Master Shaman of the Bear Clan to protect our people and future generations. It was rumored that he did this to ensure my safety from the machinations of the man I called my father.

My mother preferred to stay hidden from the people, after word of her infidelity with my true father. She had many problems with my father. He was a cruel man but a coward. She led a secret resistance against him by sending anonymous letters with instructions to my "fathers" enemies. This cruel man found out and killed her in her sleep. I became the orphaned son to anonymity at the age of eight.

It was at that time I decided it was time to leave. Having been grown up for four years, it seemed appropriate. I packed my things and a few items of value, and hit the road. I then took upon me the sir name of my father.

It wasn't long before I encountered a traveling group of scholars that taught me to read and write. They encouraged me to learn magic and healing. They discouraged fighting yet still taught the use of a sword. They taught patience and wisdom in ways no other had ever seen. It was gentle and purposeful. They identified my temper as my greatest weakness and trained me constantly to control it. I was trained this way for two years before tragedy struck.

When my father found that I had liberated a few ill-gotten gains he sent a contingent of men to return his goods. They tracked us diligently knowing that returning empty handed was not an option they would survive. Unbeknownst to me the scholars had known all that was going on. They knew who had sired me, who had raised me and what I had done. They also knew that we were being followed and why, and had taken precautions against being caught. It was our misfortune that the contingent had in their employ one of the most tenacious scouts in the land. After two years we were discovered and attacked. The contingent was fierce, but surprisingly the scholars were worthy opponents. The scholars threw balls of fire, ice and lightning at our attackers and they went down one by one. When melee commenced the scholars proved to be superior in battle, slaying five of the enemy to every one the enemy could kill. It was our bad luck that they outnumbered us five to one. Soon all on the battle field were dead or dying. I was spirited away by one of the initiates, a young man by the name of Ba'al Saq.

He was a strong young man, stout in stature. He warned me that I was being chased by dangerous people aside from my father. They knew who my father was and wanted to make sure that his lineage did not continue. He told me he had a plan to ensure my safety. I must change my name till I am fully grown and travel the world. He foresaw events and decided that I should drop my name Torin MacGregor till my travels end, and take on several names. He had a list of names I should go by and rotate their uses. Each had a meaning. David (meaning Beloved) Quist (meaning Branch) was a tribute to my true father and his favorite weapon; Cedar Branch was used for the same reason. Oliver Closov was used as a reminder that muscle goes far, but charm goes farther. And if all should go awry, I should take on the name of the initiate Ba'al Saq.

Ba'al Saq told me to travel through the lands of the Mongol to the cold lands of Siberia and Kamchatka, sail through the Sea of Okhotsk to the Chinese Empire. Travel through these lands to the coast of India; sail from island to island in the Indies, return to the continental travels in Persia, to Egypt, south through Ethiopia to the end of Africa, north along the Atlantic coast to Morocco, and cross the Straights of Gibraltar. Traverse Europe from Spain, to Turkey, to Denmark, sail to Iceland and then to Ireland and Scotland, the origin of my true father. Throughout these travels I will traverse between realms, times, and realities. He told me my travels will end when my journey begins. I will know when this happens when I reach the land known as Iron Keep in the Kingdom of Black Spire.

Shaken, I grabbed what few possessions I had and scurried off through the woods. I knew I had a long way to go, and not who will follow.

Thus concludes the beginning, the end has yet to come. My tales to follow will be stories of certain notable moments in my travels. They will not be told in any order or chronology, but as my mind is brought to a place or time that will hopefully inspire your interest.

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