Raider became an orphan early in life; his parents, like numerous other goblins from the united tribes, had joined forces with the grey mage, serving as mercenaries or soldiers in his ranks to try to reclaim their ancestral lands.

It was soon after his parents passed away that he was taken in by Trolsk, a goblin magic user in the service of the grey mage, claiming to be a distant uncle on his father's side.

His uncle's prestigious role granted him the opportunity to observe the inner dynamics of the grey mage's inner circle, which he frequently took advantage of by eavesdropping on conversations in the war rooms or interacting with the warrior caste, much to his uncle's irritation and displeasure, often pulling him away to pursue his magical studies.

Although his education under his uncle primarily centred on academics and arcane matters, it was through his relentless questioning that he learnt of the forgotten histories, bloodlines, and magics of his heritage.

Perhaps due to a misplaced longing for his culture's grand past and heightened learning, he cultivated a sense of superiority among his peers, even inadvertently starting to imitate mannerisms of his foes to appear dignified.

The betrayal​

In those moments, he had paid little attention to his uncle's persistent urging to control magic; maybe it ought to have acted as a sign of what was ahead. Every form of magic comes with a cost; this was the final and most important teaching from his uncle to Raider, a lesson for which they both eventually bore the price.

He attempted to use Raider as a sacrifice to claim his magic for himself, but it backfired, claiming his uncle's life and ultimately making Raider the victor, though not without consequences.

As a result of this event, Raider gained a heightened awareness of magic, capable of detecting, perceiving and interacting with it in ways that few can, yet unable to control or invoke its power without endangering himself, ultimately wearing armor that offered some protection against its impact.

Raider developed a deep distrust of magic, opting instead to wield the sword, pledging his allegiance to the grey mage, and whrowing himself in one battle after another until he became one of the few remaining generals as the grey mage's armies collapsed.

The escape​

The tides of battle had shifted; the enemy, in their hubris, chose to destroy their territories rather than surrender them to goblin possession. They had unleashed something akin to a plague, one that scorched the earth, rendering it barren except for the dead or Changed, now arisen to consume whatever was left.

The fools thought they had it under control, but Raider sensed signs that it was just a matter of time before it turned against them. As the grey mages' armies were defeated one after another, Raider began making his own preparations.

He'd known of the runestone beforehand, the grey mage's means for escape and his plan to sacrifice his loyal followers as he made his getaway, abandoning whatever remained of his forces to endure persecution or be destroyed by the Changed.

As the collapse of the final stronghold appeared inevitable, he, currently serving as the grey mage's lieutenant, was naturally there to personally guide him to “safety,” and he’d grabbed at the opportunity with both bloodied hands, leading as many as would follow him through the gate.

Home​

Having left behind their former homeland via the runestone, his new clan, after an arduous and perilous journey, has recently settled in a seemingly long-abandoned fort ruin located in the swamps. He remains hopeful that this new setting will provide the assistance his people need to rebuild greater than that which they left and signifies a new start towards his quest for power.

[/h][/h][/h]