It was assumed by everyone that Stinger would follow the ways of his mother and become a disciple of the gods, one of the divine Clerics of drakenwood. However Stinger seemed somewhat uninterested in the ways of the clerics, with their strict religious laws and sinless nature. He was a bit of a rebel you might say, probably acquired through his blood from his father. So then the people of Drakenwood spread rumors that Stinger was to become a Rogue, but he was no thief, nor could he kill or do much wrong to anyone that didn’t deserve such things. Stinger was in quite an odd predicament, he was a 43 year old halfling and part of no guild.
Then one day while fishing in mirror lake stinger met a young satyr named Raisraes, a member of the monk guild. Stinger was intrigued by Raisraes’s free attitude towards life and was fascinated with his fighting style. Raisraes told Stinger everything he wanted to know about the monks, and they became quite good friends. Stinger became a monk the next day, much to his mother’s dismay, and began his martial arts training immediately. He spent most of his days running through newbie forest killing small badgers and what not, feeling quite unstoppable, until an unfortunate incident with a large goldfish that nearly cost him his life. Stinger eventually reached the time in his training that everyone comes to when he left newbie land. He became a well known and liked newbie guide, helping the young ones of Drakenwood, staying away from the Goldfish I might add. Until one unfortunate day changed his life.
When Stinger had still been in newbie land he met another young monk named Prince, the two were similar in many ways and hunted together frequently. They formed a close bond that they retained even after leaving newbie land. One day while they were hunting in the wandering woods, a shadowy figure snuck up on the two monks, and leapt into sight, killing Prince nearly instantly. Stinger in a sudden flood of sadness and anger ran at the Rogue channeling his Chi energy into an attack. Yet the rogue was fast, much more dexterous than Stinger, and his attack missed. Then with a taunting laugh the rogue countered Stinger’s attack, slicing him across the cheek and down the right of his neck. Stinger fell to the ground unconscious, and through some miracle the Rogue left him there to die, so he thought.
Stinger awoke with an injured body, but his pride had been injured more in the process. He had been too weak to protect his friend, not to mention himself. Nor was he able to avenge his friends death. Hate and anger consumed him as he staggered to his feet. He looked into the sky and began screaming, anger coursing through his veins. He vowed to never be that helpless again, he renounced his ways as a monk and then, hoping that some of his mothers magical attributes had been left to him, he went to the warmage tower seeking to learn the magical skills of powerful Warmages.
Stinger’s grandfather Tskaaron, a cleric double guilding as a warmage was there. Stinger told his grandfather with a good deal of contempt and anger still residing in his voice what his plans were. Tskaaron, being a devoted cleric, was somewhat ashamed of his grandsons actions, and his reason for becoming a warmage, and did not want to help him. However after pleas from Stinger, he agreed to help his his kin.
His training seemed to show no signs of magic abilities at first, which agitated Stinger and perplexed his family, all made up of clerics and druids, all with magical skill. Tskaaron formulated an idea however, and incited Stinger about his weakness to do nothing to the Rogue that had assaulted him and killed his friend. In a fit of rage with his grandfathers words Stinger lost self control and blasted, his grandfather with a magical missile. Stinger’s anger began to grow worse until he realized what he had just pulled off. Even though the missile hadn’t even hurt his grandfather, he had used arcane magic. Stinger’s time as a warmage had begun.
The young mage loved his new found powers, he had become stronger in battle then he had ever thought possible before. Yet this new power began to taint him, Stinger slowly became more and more evil, casting out any thought of rule or order. He mocked council openly and killed rogues. Stinger had finally gotten what he wanted, at least what he thought he wanted. The day council issued bounties on his head was the day Stinger began to really realize the consequences of his actions. The bounty was claimed just two days later; he then figured his punishment was over, but it had just begun. Little did Stinger know the rogues were plotting their revenge on the young mage and those he held close. Stinger began being followed by rogues, stalked, attacked, mugged, nearly everything the rogues were known for. Yet that wasn’t the end, they murdered his wife and his mother. Enraged, Stinger began killing a rogue for every deed done on to him by them. This, he discovered, was a mistake.
One day while he was in the forest, two highwaymen jumped from the darkness of the trees and attacked him. Stinger grinned in pleasure, he could teach these Rogue a lesson once and for all. He held up a hand to cast burning hands but his spell fizzled, failing him in some fit of madness that Stinger had never witnessed before. He then looked up at the rogues in horror as they lept towards him as he realized his magic powers had abandoned him. Stinger fell to the ground and yelled out for help, all his boastfulness and anger leaving his body and turning into shear fear - fear of death. Suddenly the forest seemed to come alive as a bear and two wolves leapt from the trees attacking the rogues. Stinger stumbled back in fright of the creatures at first and then realized they were helping him. The rogues, surprised to say the least, stumbled to their feet and ran from the animals. The wolves growled and followed but the bear turned around and walked over to Stinger, looking him in the eyes. Stinger couldn’t move, paralyzed by his fear; but then the bear did something no man would ever expect, he nuzzled Stingers face and licked him and then turned around, romping back into his forest.
Stinger sat their on the forest floor for the rest of the day, trying to figure out what had happened, the animals of the forest had saved his life, and for what? He had never done anything to help them, that would change. Stinger Kaste decided then, that he would dedicate his life to the forest. Protect it and those that inhabit it...
And whe be unto the fool who dares to harm it...