// starting his development journal with is character app... **all times in this timeline are reffering to when the character was first made**
** 1 Year ago **
I was so carefull on my last assignment. It was the young son of the Patriarch of a rival house. I had set up the perfect spot to pick the boy off. I waited untill he was within range and sent a poisoned arrow thru the boys heart. Mass panic ensued and I slipped away admist the chaos. This made the 6th child dead by my arrows. All sons and daughters of high ranking members of rival houses. Up to this point no one knew what house was behind the assassinations. Rumors spread (most were spread out from my house) that it was the work of an "assassin for hire" not attached to any one house. These rumors might not have been beleived if it wasnt for my 4th target. A young girl from my own house that also fell to my arrow. The Matriarchs' own daughter! I should have known that she (the Matriarch) wasn't to be trusted. If she was so willing to sell out her own child... selling me out was an easy thing for her to do. I should have questioned what was to be gained in taking these lives... but I learned at a young age not to ask questions. Most were answered with a whipping.
** A few hours later **
I was jumped by several dark elves just before making it back to my house. I caught a glimps of one of them. By the hells!! It was my own house guards!!! I was bound and my head covered with a hood. They struck me on the back of the head... it hurt like hells but it did not knock me out, though I played along as if it had. I was taken to some assembly area, many were there... I assumed leaders or representatives of the other houses that had I had killed people from. I heard her voice.... My house Matriarch denying that I was a member of her house and I heard the others stating that her capturing me would secure her a place of good standing with all other rival houses. I gave no sign at all that I was awake and heard every word... *he swears to himself* Her day will come. I was ordered to be taken away to some prison, then another blow to the back of the head... this one apparently did knock me out for I came to much later chained to the floor of my new hellish home.
** 9 months ago **
I awoke to a kick to the ribs... I was unlocked from the shackles on the floor and taken away to some hellish room. The stench of rotting blood and flesh was almost too much. I was beaten daily in this room and asked whom I was working for, not once did I tell them. They would never beleive me anyway... that lying wench had all her bases covered already. I should have seen it comming I guess. Eventually they grow tired of beating me and getting no answers. A hooded figure enters the room and pulls out a simple piece of wire with short sticks attached to each end. I am asked again who I was woking for... and after no answer the hooded figure quickly wraps the wire around the base of my right index finger. He begins to twist.... the pain is unbelievable yet I do not cry out my Matriarchs name. After enough pain I black out, waking what seems like days later in my cell... my right hand now one digit short. A bloody poorly bandaged stump is all that remains of my right index finger. I think to myself....My life as an assasin for my house is now over. I have no hope for accuracy now with my finger gone. From the time I was able to draw back a bow I had shown better than average skills with it. My house Patriarch saw to my training he showed me how to use posions of various spiders to kill my targets that much quicker. He was a strict teacher, and I was a good shot. Yet I recieved a lashing when I was less than an inch from dead center on my shots till I was perfect every time....*sighs* Thats all gone now. I must start over. But where? Another house? No... I will just end up with the same fate when opportunity comes and I am to be sold out once more. I am going to the surface. It is there I will start over again. I know my way well enough. I've filled several contracts on surface dwellers. Now how to get out of here?
**6 months ago **
I think they have gotten tired of beating me. No one comes to check on me but once a week or so to toss me moldy bread and toss water into my cell. I am to be left here to wither away and die, I am sure this is my fate now. This is fine with me.. for it has given me the time to try and get stronger. Each day I've been doing what excersize I can within my cell trying to get stronger for the chance of freedom. I beleive I am stronger now than when I was first locked up in here. Moldy bread doesnt fill ones belly... but the rats that come into my cage to eat it while they think I am asleep give me decent sustinace to keep me strong enough for my chance at freedom.
** 3 Months ago **
I awoke to hear fighting outside the prison. Having no window to the outside I could not see what was going on. But I could hear voices. Many were not dark elven. It souded like these people whomever they were were killing their way thru the prison. It must have been some raiding party from the surface. I had heard of them before... comming to The Deep looking for riches mithril, emeralds and such. They must have decided to raid the place I was being held captive on their way. I heard fighting outside my cell. The door to my cell flung open. It was one of the guards, I could see he was hurt badly as he slammed the cell door shut behind him. Apparently the coward had chosen my cell to hide in. As he backed away from the door I grabbed him and with all the force I could muster I strangled him to death. As his lifeless body hit the floor in front of me my gaze quickly snapped back to my prison door... it was open again and in the doorway stoon a man... a human. He looked the situatiuon over seeing the dead guard at my feet. I didnt know what to say...so I stood there staring back at this man. I thought sure he would run me thru with his sword... but as another person passed by they yelled for the man to follow. They took off down the hall apparently to fight more guards. I guess I wasnt a threat to them. Kneeling down over the dead guard I took his keys and unlocked myself from my chains. This was my chance... the chance I had been waiting for. I took to the shadows and left the prison. I knew of a few routes to the surface and I will stick to the easiest one for me to go and stay unnoticed. On the long and slow journey to the surface I cant keep the memories from flooding me. Thoughts of my time spent becoming a silent arrow killer and trying to come to grasp how it was all thrown away at the whim of my heartless, treacherous Matriarch. It made me beleive that my mentors death.. the then house Patriarch was anything but a simple poisoning that was pinned onto one of the house servants.... I bet that wench was to blame for that as well. Her day will come.... After all I was taught by the Patriarch. He showed me the ways of the Prince of Spiders, and I became a follower... to what end would her betrayal go? I swear that one day... she will get what she deserves. I just pray that it is me standing over her as she takes her last breath on this world.
** The Journey thru the The Deep **
Leaving my cell I see dead guards all over, they had been stripped of their weapons and valuables.... I know because I checked for the same things on them all! My plan was to follow these surface dwellers out of The Deep. For I knew I stood little chance in sneaking that far on my own. The trail of my dead kin was a clear sign of which way they went... I spotted them just a short distance away from the prison. I did my best to stay hidden from them, and for a few days I managed just that. This was just perfect... these surface dwellers would clear me a safe path out of here. I managed to trail them for what seemed like days. Little did I know they were onto me. I was creaping up behind them as they were finishing off a dark elf patroll. Suddenly a figure in robes spun on his heels chanting some spell and pointing in my direction. I tried to duck all they way behind the rock I was watching from behind.... HELLS!! I cant move at all!! This was it... they were going to slay me just as they had the patrol I knew it. I closed my eyes and waited to feel steel pierce my skin. Instead I heard a voice... it was the man who saw me strangle the guard.
"You! You were the one I saw in that prison arent you?" *he pointed his sword at me... blood was still dripping from the tip of the blade* What did you do to get locked up in that prison?
I tried to nod but the spell I was under left me unable to even do that so I spoke.
Yes.... that was me. What does it matter why I was locked up.. just kill me or let me go. I was only following you because I wanted to make it to the surface. Clearly I am no match for you and your companions. So, kill me or let me go.
The man glared at me and called his group members close... the one who put the spell on me gathered with them but never took his eyes off of me. After a few moments of speaking in hushed voices the man stepped away from the group and spoke.
I could have easily gutted you were you stood in that prison, but I didnt. I watched you kill that guard.... What did you do to get locked up. Answer this question and you might live to see the surface.
I told him what I felt he needed to hear...I said I was a soldier who was senteced to be locked up for not following orders. I showed him my right hand and the missing index finger and said this was my punishment for not killing a human child when my group was on a surface raid. I poared my heart and soul into the performance too... a yound hafling female in the group clearly let out an "Awwwww" ... as I told my sad tale. As I finished the story... I said...
Well there you have it. Now then.. are you going to kill me now or let me go?
The group huddled once more then the one who had me bound by a spell uttered some words and I could move once more. They offered me into their group and said they would help me reach the surface. I thanked them falling to my knees.... I tell you I should recieve some sort of medal for the performance I put on to those sorry surfacers. The remainder of the trip was quite plesant.. they offered me water, food and everything. I grinned as I traveled with them and I thought to myself. I hope all the other people on the surface are as gullable as these fools.
We finally reached the surface... thankfully it was night so I had little trouble adjusting to the light conditions. The group offered to take me with them to a nearby city. But I asked them not to... I said I was afraid others in the town would not treat me as kindly as they had. I told them I was going to find a quiet corner or the world and live out the ramiander of my days in peace and freedom. And sure enough they let me go my seperate way... but not before insisting I take more food and water with me... Did I mention how much I am going to enjoy taking advantage of these surface fools? I waved to them and walked off into a quite part of the nearby forest. I almost felt like I needed to bathe myself after being with those people. It was a means to an end though... I am sure I will have to do such performances again in the future.
**Within the past week or so**
*Sneaking thru the Forests near Vehl he spies a young man napping by a tree stump, he's probably in his mid teens. It would appear that the young man had been out hunting small game with a crossbow* And so it begins * Sszylbryn whispers quietly and he stays to the shadows, drawing a small blade. Slowly creaping up on the youth and at the correct moment he cups a hand over the young mans mouth. He whispers in his ear as he stabs him.* Thank you for the crossbow.... boy *he releases the young mans lifeless body and it crumples to the forest floor, he takes his crossbow, a supply of bolts and goes back into the deeper parts of the forest* I will stay hidden as much a possible and practice my accuracy with my new method of Silent Death. For this is my life, it is all I know, and all I wish to know. I care not who hires me, nor whom my target is. No one is safe from the Silent Arrow Killer..... *he curses in dark elvish* well Silent Crossbow Bolt Killer now... but that just doesn't flow at all.
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