Born in a barn near a small town in the Spine was no surprising thing. The Strigi Raaka of the Spine were rarely accepted into towns, and even then almost always required to leave before dark, none trusting of the night-eyed Raaka. On the road for the first several decades of his life, he learned to love all growing things and slowly developed a pacifistic view on life. He found joy in solving conflict peacefully, and eventually joined up with a small order in the mountains once his views came to clash too much with the clanmaster.

During his stay with the order, his peace grew. He tended several rare mountain plants by reaching their hiding places by flight; and he grew more in his knowledge of magic, history, and art. He knew his life was meant to be here. Then one day, he found the shrine.

It was a small stone alcove on a mountain’s top, the climb near impossible. From his lessons both with his people and at the order, he knew it had to be ancient Raaka construction. Within, there was a burial slab with a pristine sword lying flat atop it, and behind the slab, a small altar with carvings of a great bird, wings spread over a fleeing people.

Knowing the ancient customs for such a site, Rekh left and gathered up the rare herbs of the mountains and made an incense. Returning, he burned the mixture and drowned in its visions. He does not remember all that occurred in this state, and still is recovering pieces to this day; but when he woke from his stupor many days later, he knew the blade, and how to enable its powers of disruption. But the visions also told him of a great evil that Harut say from her mountain.

Flying down the mountain, he confronted an evil wizard that had attempted to enthrall a nearby village. The ensuing victory was the first of many. Over many a long year, he has vanquished many foes. He always finds his way to that mountain at least once every decade; and the world now knows of Harut’s influence once more.

The Ancient Dweller