KENRICK SCIAN | NIGHT HUNTER

He was born of the union between Clan Queen Catriona Skye and her War Chieftain, Angus Skye, as is the custom in Mór Dúnáeð. To unify the Clan Queen with her War Chieftain in such a way is considered strategic diplomacy for regional interests. This served to prevent dissension between the leading members of the clan. Oftentimes this union to create life was just that, a political necessity, but in this case, Angus truly loved Catriona.

After the passage of ten moons, Laird Kenrick Skye was welcomed into the world. Queen Catriona vested survival rights to Kenrick for Finlay Bay, Skye Clan’s seat of power. Kenrick’s birth offered several opportunities for the clan to establish a lasting unified government within Mór Dúnáeð. A meeting between Angus Skye and Darran Lewis, the War Chieftain of Clan Lewis, led to an agreement that the boy would be sent to serve Clan Lewis upon his fourteenth year. This would establish clan unification and hopefully prevent civil unrest in the future.

The small child was unaware of how much his presence could affect the region he was born into, he simply clung to his mother for a sense of security. He represented so many things to so many people. His blood was a union of the Athair and the Tirdyn who not so long ago waged a vicious war with each other over the rights to the land. Kenrick symbolized all that Mór Dúnáeð stood for; the unification of the Athair and the Tirdyn to become Áeðish, Tir Glas becoming Mór Dúnáeð under a tri-clan rule, and the promise of singular governance for all the clans. Some whispers even spread that he may be the Eldkóróna prophesied by the Seeress Aisling, or at the very least that he would be the one to find the child. The weight of his region weighed heavily upon Kenrick’s shoulders before he ever took his first step upon the land.  

Catriona charged her head advisor, Ard’Dru’va Gordain, with the education of the boy. Gordain was long-lived and had served Clan Skye ever since it was founded by Chieftain Ronan Skye. In fact, he was the one who advised Catriona’s predecessor, Clan Queen Mórag, to adopt her as an heir. He taught Kenrick to read, write, and reason.

Most of Kenrick’s youth was spent under Gordain’s judicious eye. The Ard’Dru’va instilled in his pupil a respect for the Old Gods, particularly Aydan and Athna the principal deities of Mór Dúnáeð. Kenrick showed a propensity for clairvoyance likely inherited from his maternal grandmother the legendary seeress Aisling. Gordain kept this information to himself as it was undesirable to reference Catriona and Kenrick’s true lineage.

Refusing to speak about the issue did not prevent the boy from suffering prophetic night terrors. In an effort to alleviate the boy’s symptoms, Gordain developed a sigil to block Kenrick’s extra-sensory perceptions. Catriona and Angus agreed to the procedure and joined Gordain in the ritual. They began under the full moon coinciding with the feast of Aydan. Gordain meticulously tattooed the sigil upon Kenrick’s face. War Chieftain Angus was a harsh man of few words, but even he told his son he was proud of his strength after the ceremony's completion. From that day forward the boy slept undisturbed. 

Even the most important children must be allowed to play and Kenrick was no exception. He spent most of his free time getting into trouble with two local boys Murdach and Kerwyn Mairnéalach. They would swim off of the coast of Port Lagan and play pranks on any unsuspecting passerby. Kenrick enjoyed this time the most because this was when he didn’t have to be someone special. He enjoyed the water of the Áð Eilífu until one fateful day in his thirteenth year.

Murdach and Kerwyn were still breathless when they found War Chieftain Angus, they ran all the way to tell him Kenrick was attacked. It was a rogue BlueFin Fæ that got him, the claw marks were unmistakable. Angus was enraged that a foul Fæ almost cost him his only son. Queen Catriona had to expend all of her influence upon Angus to prevent him from waging war right away. She sent Ard’Dru’va Gordain with a detachment of Trodach warriors to speak with Hákarl Fæ in Blackwater Cape. Even the Ard’Dru’va was emotionally charged by this passage of events and addressed Hákarl with less than his usually amicable demeanor.

The leader of the BlueFin Fæ understood the weight of the situation and truly valued the armistice with Clan Skye. He offered a bundle of Toto fruit to Gordain, which much to his chagrin calmed the Ard’Dru’va greatly, and the head of the BlueFin Fæ in question. However, none of the aquatic Fæ would take responsibility for the attack. Gordain was left with no choice, but to perform a divination spell. He had with him some of the blood-stained clothes Kenrick had been wearing and he used them as a basis for this spell. In mere moments a Fæ with traces of that same blood in his claws was pulled from the crowd by preternatural forces.

The Ard’Dru’va instantly cast a sigil upon the Fæ that snarled on the ground before him. The sigil invoked the power of Athna, the Old Goddess of destruction and vengeance, and an unholy fire consumed the Fæ. Gordain thanked Hákarl for the Toto fruit and for his compliance with justice. The charred remains were presented to Queen Catriona, War Chieftain Angus, and Laird Kenrick. This satisfied the heated emotions and cooled tensions. Kenrick never ventured into the unwelcoming sea again. 

His fourteenth birthday celebration had come and gone. He walked next to his father in silence for quite some time. He had already kissed his mother and Queen goodbye and even received a full embrace from the often cold-natured Ard’Dru’va Gordain. Now he walked the road to Trygáll next to the most stoic man he had ever met.

The boy knew that it was an honor and a privilege for him to learn and serve another clan to help engender peace, but he wasn’t happy to leave his home. The journey from Port Lagan to Trygáll took about three whole days on foot. The Queen insisted that they leave their horses and take the time to travel together. Angus hadn’t said more than three sentences to Kenrick since they left though. Kenrick kicked at rocks as he walked an unfamiliar road toward a life he did not know. He imitated what he saw and remained as stoic as possible, for a fourteen-year-old. 

When they arrived at Eryn Móraí Castle they were met by War Chieftain Darran of Clan Lewis. Kenrick watched as the men shook hands and said a few words to each other. Angus began to walk away, but before he left he placed a firm hand on his son’s shoulder. “Watching you grow has been one of the few pleasures I have known in life. Go make your own story now, and when you’re ready come home and tell it to me” Angus said with a subtle shake in his normally steady tone. Kenrick refused to look back and watch his father walk away. He looked directly at War Chieftain Darran; he focused on his future. “I will be ready to journey when you say” Kenrick tried to deepen his tone as he spoke to his new Chieftain. Darran smirked ever so slightly and nodded to acknowledge the young man. 

The journey from Trygáll to Ennis Valley was awkward. Kenrick was not accustomed to anyone who spoke quite as much as Chieftain Darran. The man was energetic and charismatic; the polar opposite of his father Angus. Darran seemed to want to fill the silence with comical dialogue about anything really. Once they approached Fort Kægán, Kenrick grew increasingly nervous. This would be his new home now, at least until he reached the end of his indentured service. Darran took him to meet the leadership of Clan Lewis.

Kenrick saw a fierce young woman with hair bright like fire and he was captivated. She was young still, barely eighteen, but already the Clan Queen. Her name was Airleas and the more he saw of her the more deeply he fell in love with her. A Clan Queen and her War Chieftain are promised to each other though. It would be a complete taboo for Kenrick to approach her at all. He decided from the moment that he met her that he would simply love her in silence and never let it be known to her. That day he also met Ard’Dru’va Fagen and Máistir Scian; the latter of the two would become his teacher in the ways of hunting. His first day in Fort Kægán was uneasy, to say the least, but he saw that this place could be full of promise for him.

Nearly two years had passed and Kenrick was now sixteen years of age. He had spent his time solely dedicated to his Scian training. Máistir Scian was relentless and expected perfection from all of his students. Kenrick wasn’t alone in his suffering through. He had made good friends with his peers Kinnard and Tara. The Máistir seemed keenly focused upon him though. Over the past week, he had been operating off of limited sleep and iron rations. His body was beginning to defy him and falter noticeably.

He refused to quit, however and attempted to complete the task set out for him. He was hunting a Wild Hare and struggling to focus through the exhaustion. He never even saw the Rock Ram that plowed into him. The wild territorial beast attacked after Kenrick lost direction and ended up crossing over into Bramm Downs. Luckily Kinnard and Tara found him before Clan Harris did.

They got him back to Fort Kægán and sent word for Ard’Dru’va Fagen to visit him. Fagen was a well-versed healer and saw to the boy's wounds. In the process, he got a closer look at the Sigil-Craft upon his face and recognized his friend Ard’Dru’va Gordain’s handiwork. He realized then how special Kenrick must be. Fagen sat outside of the boy’s hut for several days waiting for him to awaken. The entire time was put to good use as he hand-carved an Amulet of Aydan. When Kenrick’s eyes finally opened he saw the amulet waiting for him.

Kenrick knew that the Máistir had been especially hard on him all those years spent training, but he never relented. Laird Kenrick Skye would never submit to a challenge, least of all one designed to break him. He would turn eighteen next moon and the time had come for his final initiation into the Scian Order. War Chieftain Darran met with Kenrick, Kinnard, and Tara before first light. He prepared them for their journey and introduced them to his friend War Chieftain Mannis of the Southern Clan Harris. Together the five of them traveled into the treacherous Scáthach Woods.

In order to graduate they needed to best a Shadow Walker and claim its pelt. The woods were chaos incarnate and it didn’t take long for the fear to set in on the young hunters. Darran and Mannis disappeared from sight and the initiates were left to fend for themselves. They quickly became disoriented and it didn’t take long until they heard the snorts and growls of a Shadow Walker.

The demonic beasts plagued these woods and it was a Scian’s duty to keep their numbers culled. An explosion of violence erupted forth from the murky fog as a Shadow Walker launched itself toward the hunters. Its body was sinewy with gangly arms and a dense coat of mahogany fur. Its hind legs twisted into stunted, but powerful coils of muscle. The eyes seemed to glisten a blood red and its flattened muzzle was filled to the brim with jagged teeth and foaming drool. Its powerful jaws snapped at each of them as its claws swiped with amazing reach. Kinnard was slammed against a tree screaming.

Tara rushed in, placing her spear into the beast's side as Kenrick leaped onto its back anchoring himself with his axe. He attained his balance and quickly drew an arrow letting it fly into the creature's skull. With the release of a barking yelp, the Shadow Walker slumped to the dirt. The three young friends began the arduous task of removing the abomination’s pelt. Darran and Mannis found the young hunters as they were exiting the woods. The Chieftains carrying multiple pelts themselves congratulated the new Scian hunters, and their initiation was complete. 

Kenrick traveled with his fellow Scian to Trygáll. He had not seen it since he was fourteen and his father left him with Chieftain Darran. They came to attend a Clan gathering at the behest of Clan Queen Catriona Skye, Kenrick’s own mother. The very sight of her sitting next to his father was overwhelming. Catriona pleads with all the gathered hunters and warriors to answer the call to the Quest of Fire. Seeing this as his chance to make his family proud, Kenrick gladly accepts the entreaty. He saw Chieftain Angus nod in approval as he set off in search of the Eldkóróna. 

Kenrick, Kinnard, and Tara ventured deep into the Scáthach Woods. They defeated several Shadow Walkers as they charted a course north. Rumors had plagued the land for some time that a dark sorcerer made the frozen waste his home and that he had the children of Mór Dúnáeð kidnapped in an attempt to find the Eldkóróna. They would make it to Lann Spéir and find this madman. They knew that if they could do this then they could likely find the child of prophecy within his keep.

As they ventured into the tundra they were forced to hunt for more pelts to keep warm enough to move. Eventually, they happened upon a sight beyond comparison. A towering castle framed in a furious blizzard. No sooner than they decided to continue onward, they were attacked by a tremendous bear-like beast. No skill they possessed was a match for the monstrosity. Kenrick fell to the ground with blood and blurred vision as he saw the creature rip Kinnard to shreds. He struggled to maintain consciousness, but no willpower was strong enough to save him that day. 

Kenrick began to open his eyes, his head fit to burst. Pain surged throughout his body as he realized he was shackled within a cold iron cage. He quickly attempted to assess his surroundings. He saw Tara strapped down to a strange table with some kind of odd tube fed into her body. A glass container of eerie green liquid was being forced into her veins. His shock was muffled under the muzzle fitted to his face.

All he could feel at that point was rage and terror swirling around inside his chest. He saw infants contained within glass containers floating in some kind of fluid that allowed them to breathe. Lumbering men patrolled the room, their skin a slate blue lifeless hue. Just as he felt a fire in his own veins and his vision began to blur again he saw a man in regal armor slowly approaching him. “You show great promise …” the armored man said as Kenrick blacked out again.    

Kenrick wakes up to find himself laying on cold stone flooring near a broken iron cage. He searches the room for Tara, but finds no trace and hears the guards nearing him. He locates his clothing and rushes out into the endless cold. He runs for as long as his legs would carry him and then pushes further. For days he traveled until he could see a fort in the distance. He collapsed a few hundred yards from his goal. He is found by two Torwynn guards near Bloodwyn. He slowly wakes up and accepts their hospitality. They feed him and ask him where he came from, but when one of them shows Kenrick a piece of jewelry crafted from the dark ore a vicious change comes over him. Kenrick relentlessly slaughters them.

When he wakes covered in their blood he realizes that the dark sorcerer had cursed him. He could not return to Clan Lewis for fear that he would hurt Airleas and he would never return to his father with nothing but tales of shame and failure. With no other options in mind, he traveled south, further into the strange land of Torwynn. If he was to rescue his ally and put an end to the dark sorcerer of Lann Spéir he would need help. 

Many moons had passed and he struggled to keep control of his own body. He noticed long ago that a particular bird had followed him here all the way from Bloodwyn. He didn’t mind it though, in fact, he fed it when he made a good kill in the forests. He took to calling it “Aderyn” which basically meant bird. He found it to be humorous and he needed to laugh. He made his way into a town named Windsor and quickly located the closest mead hall…