Keldarin Oakleaf

Basic Description
A man in his early forties, Keldarin Oakleaf is not quite yet out of his prime. He is broad-shouldered, with the muscles that come from years of swordsmanship and blacksmithing. Just under six feet tall, his appearance of being rather large is more easily attributed to his mass to his height. Hair as black as a raven is upon his head, worn at shoulder length and tied back in a ponytail with a leather thong. His eyes are green, and his general appearance is rather stern, the wrinkles starting to build around his eyes from the tan the forge gives him only increasing this. He typically dresses in somber colors, and it isn't surprising to find him in gloves and an elk hide apron, with a shortsword in its scabbard at his waist.

Background
Born to a pair of Freelanders in the city of Aegisport, Keldarin was trained by his father from a young age in the proper maintenance of a smithy. The young Keldarin was a somewhat wild child, being fond of pranks and roaming away from his father's tutelage whenever he could manage.

In his teens, young Oakleaf became fascinated with the Imperial Blades, and the much more glorious life they offered a young man than the life of an Aegisport blacksmith, and when he turned seventeen he signed up with them. During the course of his duties, the young man, promising to be an excellent hand with a sword, met a young woman named Vernya Oakleaf. The two married swiftly, and their first child, a girl by the name of Reaviana, was born in 605 ATA in their home in Road's End.

Four years later, however, tragedy and celebration coincided on the fourth of Harvest, 609 ATA, when Vernya died birthing Sandrim. Though most terms in the Blades do not last longer than five years, the young man, grieving his widow, withdrew from his home in grief and the next ten years Keldarin served in the Imperial Blades, visiting his children only while on leave. Because of this, when he returned he found he had children who barely knew him, and a son who was convinced he hated him.

The retired Bladesman tried to set this to rights, by bringing Sandrim in to help maintain the smithy he opened and teaching him swordsmanship, but more often than not his son would find a way to sneak off into the woods and away from his father. Most of Sandrim's formative years were over, and there was little Keldarin could do, or knew to do, but watch as first his daughter then his son left home to wander the world.

Today, Keldarin still works his smithy in Road's End, watching the world go by and more somber than he was in his youth. He does see his son stop by in Road's End on occasion, with the latest being Sandrim coming to look into the lynching of a mage near the town, which Keldarin has been quiet about. The smith has also watched the agents of the Church of True Light come through the small town, but keeps his distance, not wanting to get mixed up in any trouble.

Point of Contact
If you'd like to play this character, contact Sandrim on the MUSH. Alternatively, you could contact Sandrim through the staffer Shiva.