Athos found out at an early age, that he was rather unusual for an elf. He was quite happy playing off in the woods by himself and when put into group play with the other children, quite often found that they irritated the ever-loving shit out of him. Many of the elders hoped he would grow out of this, but as time went on and he learned more about his people, his feelings toward them only worsened.
Athos found elves to be racists, prideful, stuck-up, fools boasting about the past as though it were some badge of honor to wear to ones grave. And from what he learned about elven history, many of the idiots did just that. Waring with themselves in the Crown Wars over foolish nonsense only be driven into the forests by the human kingdoms. Of course they meant to retreat as the Crown Wars taught them the folly of war, but they still whined about their glory days. Even so much as they continually spoke down about the other races who had obviously flourished and bested them in most ways that mattered. But beyond all that, elves were somehow better than the other races. Oh the reasons were plentiful, their cities are awful, their laws unjust, their life spans so short, the excuses for elven superiority were aplenty and it all just struck Athos the wrong way.
Then there were the Drow! Oh gods they could go on about them. The boogie men of the sword coast, sure they were bad, but they were still elves. Not all of them were born evil, okay, well most of them, but just like all surface elves were born good either. It was the environment and society they were forced to live in that shaped them! That argument nearly got him ran out of the academy before he was ready to give them the finger on his own. He loved studying, so he let the argument go and kept his opinions to himself before his graduation. Regardless he did manage to graduate and with honors at that. His people had hoped he would go one to become a cleric or mage, as he had excelled at nearly every subject. Not surprising to some, he instead packed his things and gave his people a hearty fuck off! before wandering into the wilds. His family were rather aloof to begin with so they barely paid his departure any mind. He imagined this was for the best really as much of his detachment had originated mostly from his parents. He loved them, but he wasn't naive enough to believe they or any of his siblings would overly miss him. And he was right.
With that chapter of his life done with, Athos wandered not only the forests, and eventually over to the Sword Coast, even venturing into it's cities at times. With his knowledge and curiosity he soon learned the ways of nature and the magic that could be found there. He discovered a few druid circles, which were mostly composed of humans and halflings which fascinated him to no end. He learned that they all shared a similar love of the natural world and had the knowledge to draw power from that. Unfortunately that was where a lot of the similarities ended. He found it difficult to tolerate some of their varied ways and so he never bothered joining a circle. Some of them were a little to militant about protecting the woods or the animals. Some swore off all meat, some ate only meat, others ate only fish, others ate only plants, just to be hated by the ones who ate only meat and vice versa. It became kind of ridiculous at times.
He did find that he enjoyed the company of certain races though, and Humans and halflings were by far some of his favorite people. Humans were the most varied so they were usually fairly fascinating, though dangerous at times. But as far as halflings were concerned, once Athos was asked by a dwarven acquaintance who wasn't an overly grumpy fellow, at least for a dwarf, why he liked Halflings so much.
Athos responded simply, "They love good food, have the best pipe weed, and don't overly bitch about things they can't control."
His dwarven friend nodded solemnly and seemed to understand the sentiment.
He eventually found himself in the forests and groves outside the great city of Waterdeep where no others and laid claim. So he decided to settle for a while to practice his magic and craft in relative solitude. Every seventh day however, he would wander through the boughs, into the meadows, and down the lonely dirt roads to the city. There he would make his way to a tavern he had come to be rather fond of called The Yawning Portal. There he would spend a day or two having a bit of stew or roast, drink several pints of ale, listen to some decent music and enjoy the stories of travelers and adventurers. Then he would stroll back to his grove again to return to his studies and the next week repeat his little ritual. All in all it made him quite content, but there was still an urge that was starting to grow in him. He felt that soon, if he did not put his skills and magic into a practical use, he might come to the end of what he could learn in his mixed solitude.
This idea played in his mind as he walked into the Yawning Portal at the start of the weeks end for his customary meal and beer.
Athos found elves to be racists, prideful, stuck-up, fools boasting about the past as though it were some badge of honor to wear to ones grave. And from what he learned about elven history, many of the idiots did just that. Waring with themselves in the Crown Wars over foolish nonsense only be driven into the forests by the human kingdoms. Of course they meant to retreat as the Crown Wars taught them the folly of war, but they still whined about their glory days. Even so much as they continually spoke down about the other races who had obviously flourished and bested them in most ways that mattered. But beyond all that, elves were somehow better than the other races. Oh the reasons were plentiful, their cities are awful, their laws unjust, their life spans so short, the excuses for elven superiority were aplenty and it all just struck Athos the wrong way.
Then there were the Drow! Oh gods they could go on about them. The boogie men of the sword coast, sure they were bad, but they were still elves. Not all of them were born evil, okay, well most of them, but just like all surface elves were born good either. It was the environment and society they were forced to live in that shaped them! That argument nearly got him ran out of the academy before he was ready to give them the finger on his own. He loved studying, so he let the argument go and kept his opinions to himself before his graduation. Regardless he did manage to graduate and with honors at that. His people had hoped he would go one to become a cleric or mage, as he had excelled at nearly every subject. Not surprising to some, he instead packed his things and gave his people a hearty fuck off! before wandering into the wilds. His family were rather aloof to begin with so they barely paid his departure any mind. He imagined this was for the best really as much of his detachment had originated mostly from his parents. He loved them, but he wasn't naive enough to believe they or any of his siblings would overly miss him. And he was right.
With that chapter of his life done with, Athos wandered not only the forests, and eventually over to the Sword Coast, even venturing into it's cities at times. With his knowledge and curiosity he soon learned the ways of nature and the magic that could be found there. He discovered a few druid circles, which were mostly composed of humans and halflings which fascinated him to no end. He learned that they all shared a similar love of the natural world and had the knowledge to draw power from that. Unfortunately that was where a lot of the similarities ended. He found it difficult to tolerate some of their varied ways and so he never bothered joining a circle. Some of them were a little to militant about protecting the woods or the animals. Some swore off all meat, some ate only meat, others ate only fish, others ate only plants, just to be hated by the ones who ate only meat and vice versa. It became kind of ridiculous at times.
He did find that he enjoyed the company of certain races though, and Humans and halflings were by far some of his favorite people. Humans were the most varied so they were usually fairly fascinating, though dangerous at times. But as far as halflings were concerned, once Athos was asked by a dwarven acquaintance who wasn't an overly grumpy fellow, at least for a dwarf, why he liked Halflings so much.
Athos responded simply, "They love good food, have the best pipe weed, and don't overly bitch about things they can't control."
His dwarven friend nodded solemnly and seemed to understand the sentiment.
He eventually found himself in the forests and groves outside the great city of Waterdeep where no others and laid claim. So he decided to settle for a while to practice his magic and craft in relative solitude. Every seventh day however, he would wander through the boughs, into the meadows, and down the lonely dirt roads to the city. There he would make his way to a tavern he had come to be rather fond of called The Yawning Portal. There he would spend a day or two having a bit of stew or roast, drink several pints of ale, listen to some decent music and enjoy the stories of travelers and adventurers. Then he would stroll back to his grove again to return to his studies and the next week repeat his little ritual. All in all it made him quite content, but there was still an urge that was starting to grow in him. He felt that soon, if he did not put his skills and magic into a practical use, he might come to the end of what he could learn in his mixed solitude.
This idea played in his mind as he walked into the Yawning Portal at the start of the weeks end for his customary meal and beer.
