TheReturnOfTarahin

Troll

Chieftain, Drehk Tribe, Dragon faithful

"In other words, someone who tries to take control of a situation, does so badly, and reacts poorly or violently when the group tries to take control out of their hands. Someone who deals with unconrollable situations by asserting their own rules and regulations that they can control, despite the fact that they are making the situation worse." -- Rob

"If I were to challenge Ben, I would say play someone completely and utterly emersed in something dynamic, unpredictable, and relevant (like a political argument, a diplomatic struggle, a war, a gang turf-conflict, etc.)" -- Nathan

For centuries, no dragon has been seen on Shem. The dragon faithful of Shem have slowly dwindled in power. Only a very few still follow the Dragon Paths, the roads of Discipline, Majesty, & Might. Only a few carry the strength of mind, body, & soul that drives the dragon faithful.

Tcharad was born into the Drekh tribes to a storm troll woman & a fire/high troll hybrid man, making him a mutt troll of some considerable breeding. As the Drekh tribes believe firmly in the amalgamation of the trollish races (as opposed to the Bradr tribes, which believe in segregation of the trollish races), Tcharad was admired for his diverse background.

As a child, he was one of the many troll children who played with the strange visitor Martin Lilac on his visits to the tribe. Though Martin never stayed long enough to get close to the others, he was always well liked.

His father was a mighty chieftain? amongst the tribes, & thus, he was amongst those brought to the city Drekh-katan when the Great Sounding occurred.

The Great Sounding was the hammering of the massive gongs of Drekh-katan, calling the leaders of the Drekh tribes to a meeting of great importance. Two hundred troll leaders arrived, representing 30 tribes. Tcharad, having just come of age, served as his father's assistant, & they were called to the great temple on the night the Last Dragon appeared.

It was a dark, cold night. The war drums were sounding on the plains & in the mountains, for the Bradr tribes and the Drekh tribes were ever at each other's throats. The gongs of Drekh-katan still reverbrated. The fire pits poured smoke into the sky, & the priests prayed constantly. It had been decades since they had displayed any real power.

Twelve of the hundreds of troll leaders were called to the temple that night, lead to the top of the temple by a lowly forest troll acolyte, named Ar-Drekh Zul'zakat. He stood on the roof of the temple, surrounded by the twelve he chose, & began madly chanting the Dragon Chant, a historical chant detailing the rise of the dragons & trolls as allies in Ages past.

As he came to the end of the Chant, a shadow fell over the gathered. A beautiful beast out of legend swooped down & landed gracefully on the tower nearest them. Larger than imaginable, more graceful & beautiful than anything they had ever seen, a dragon looked down upon them. Its scales glistened in the dark night sky, the smoke obscuring the color. It spoke,

"I heard your chant over the many miles, Prophet. I have come."

To this, Zul'zakat bowed low & spoke, "Your time draws near, Massaeraean. Tell us where the next Keeper is."

Massaeraean sighed, shaking the tower upon which he perched, "There is no other, Prophet."

At which the Prophet, Zul'zakat, cried out in shock & agony, "You cannot be the last! The prophecies speak of the Uprisi--" Only to be cut off by a savage blow from Rajender Zul'chtharn, a warrior amongst the Twelve. A fight broke out, & Tcharad's father Grenzek Zul'kren was slain before the dragon, Keeper of the Faith, bellowed a stop to the violence & plucked Zul'chtharn from the midst of the Twelve. "Traitor!" he roared, hurling the troll into the fire pits.

"I have come here this night because my time is near. There are no others beside me on this world. I have looked from the bottom of the seas to the reaches of the moons. There must be a Keeper of the Faith, & there also must be a race of dragons. The Uprising the Prophet spoke of is real. It will come, but one amongst you, amongst the Twelve chosen, must take up the title of Seeker, & find a way to restore us. The Dragon God is slumbering & cannot be awakened til his People are returned, & they cannot be returned until a Seeker brings them forth. That is the prophesied Uprising."

He paused, his gaze sweeping the gathered leaders. Four lay dead or dying on the roof of the temple, & two were bound by their fellows for standing with the Traitor. The dragon ordered them thrown into the fire pits as well, then picked up the fallen body of the Prophet. Laying him carefully onto the roof, he removed his amulet & staff.

The five remaining Chosen looked to the dragon, who said, "To each of you I shall give a mission, one that will bring about the Uprising & the Unification. Chieftain Erkrenak Zul'atan, to you I give the duty of leading the Drekh tribes. For you, I give the Prophet's headdress. Take it & wear it as a mark of your leadership. Rimmask Zul'atan, brother of Erkrenak, I give to you the duty of uniting the Faithful. For you, I give the Prophet's holy symbol. Bear it as a mark of your calling. Haraas Zul'shashar, to you I give the duty of building the new Temple of Krennar," and all the Five of Twelve made the Sign of the Dragon at the speaking of the holy name, "for this one will fall when I do. For you, I give the Prophet's hammer. Use it to fashion the Temple's supports. Chieftain Drorga Zul'drorg, to you I give the duty of bringing my body to the Halls of Ernogemous. To you give..." He rasped for breath, "The Prophet's staff... Tcharad Zul'kren, you are young & unlearned, but you are all that is left. Stand & take the Prophet's amulet. You are the Seeker. Restore dragonkind! Find the Scion of the Sun!"

And with that, he rolled off the tower, crashing into the side of the Temple...