Legends of Belariath

Taurn

In the far north near the edge of the great forest and the foothills of the Iron Mountainslies a village, it was here he came from. His mother an elven ranger traveling throughout the land, was caught in a sudden winter storm and had nearly frozen to death when Taurns father a warden of the forest, a protector of the land, had found her. Risking his own life he’d brought her back to his parent’s home and to his mother, the local herb grower and minor healer. It took much of the winter for Taurn’s mother to recover from her injuries, his father visited her often and love blossomed, they were married in the spring.

Taurn was born just under a year later; he was the last thing his mother saw as death claimed her moments after his birth. His father grief stricken over the loss of his love, spent much time away from home, perhaps Taurn reminded him too much of his mother?, or perhaps he blamed his newborn son for her death. Taurn would never know, since his father was killed in a winter storm when he was barely eight. Taurn was left to be raised by his grandparents, Tolan a furniture maker and Lilly a grower of herbs and minor healer.

His mother’s brother came to visit him when Taurn was ten. He told Taurn many stories about his mother as a girl and gave him a sliver hair clip of hers, the only item he possesses of hers. After that his uncle would come to visit twice a year near the solstice’s spending several days with him, Taurn learned much during these visits about tracking, hunting, woodcraft, and even his mother’s people. His uncle tried to teach his language to him, but with no one to practice with his skill would degrade.

Taurn spent little time in he local village as a boy his unusual eyes and pointed ears marking him as different, the children there taunted and abused him calling him half-breed. As he grew older one girl, the Millers daughter found his looks exotic she said, but when her father caught them in an embrace she claimed Taurn had forced himself on her, things became increasingly difficult for him after that and when his uncle came to visit the next time Taurn left with him. As they traveled his uncle spoke of a place called Nanthalion where many people of mixed races lived, it was a dangerous place but one also full of opportunities. They camped outside town not wanting to enter town at night. The next morning Taurn awoke to find himself alone his uncle had left sometime during the night, he pack his few belongings up and headed down the hill and into town.

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