Sithis of the Clan Thelis’Thale

Race: Dragonborn
Class: Paladin

Appearance

Sithis is a 6′6″ Dragonborn with scarlet colored scales. He typical wields a glaive in battle and wears hide armor covered by a worn out traveling cloak. Upon his forehead, there is a white painted marking in the shape of a hammer, a symbol of his faith to the god Moradin. Hanging from his belt pouch is a net containing a small skull.

Backstory

Sithis’s story began before he was even born in the village of the
clan Thelis’thale, far to the north of the Dwarven stronghold of
Hammerfast in the Dawnforge Mountains. After the fall of the Kingdom
of Arkhosia, the distant outposts and colonies of the once powerful
Dragonborn empire fell into terrible chaos. In the remote Dawnforge
Mountains, the Thelis’thale, Ren’kasha and Chale’enthis clans,
separated by tens of miles of rugged terrain, fought for the resources
found in the mountains. It is not know what event sparked the Blood
Feud between the clans but for two centuries a series of brutal
battles were waged for precious farmland and water springs.

It was during this time of warfare that the nature of the clans
themselves changed. Without steady contact with the civilized world,
the clans began to withdraw into themselves and embrace caste based
tribalism in order to survive the harsh environment. The honored
warriors of the clans spent much of their time in the hostile
wilderness on a Sacred Hunt, returning with trophies and stories of
the great battles they waged. The hardy workers of the clans toiled
endlessly to provide sustenance, materials and equipment for their
fellow clansmen. And the elders, those warriors and workers who had
survived long enough for their thick hair to change to grey,
diligently recorded the exploits of the clan, channeled and taught the
younger Dragonborn their heritage and how to become useful members to
the clan.

All of that changed when a contingent of Dwarven Paladins, led by
Traskel Bronzehammer, searching for a mythical temple within the
Dawnforge brought the word of Moradin to the Thelis’thale clan. The
Book of Moradin lead to a philosophical revolution within the clan
weary of never-ending warfare and isolationism. The Dwarves, believing
that it was their mission to heal the rift between the clans, took
their message of unity to the other clans as well. Within several
weeks, representatives from all of the clans convened and drafted a
peace treaty that called for unification of all the clans and an end
to hostilities between themselves. To this day, the Bronzehammer
Treaty forged through oaths to Moradin and their shared histories have
brought peace between all of the Dragonborn living in the Dawnforge
Mountains.

Nearly a century later, Sithis was born into a reinvigorated clan that
had merged the teachings of Moradin with their tribal ways. The
honored warriors were now Paladins of Moradin and the Sacred Hunt
evolved to the Sacred Quest, where all Dragonborn must test themselves
when they reach the age of 15 and determine their position within the
clan.

When Sithis came of age, he began his Sacred Quest by leaving on his
first solo hunt.  He was given the emblematic weapon of the
Thelis’thale clan, a glaive, 50 ft. of rope and a small net and then
he wandered into the wilderness. During this time, Sithis used the
skills he was taught to live off the land and journey through the
mountainside. One day while foraging he spotted a lone diminutive
goblin attempting to cut a rabbit loose from one of Sithis’s rope
traps. Sithis charged towards the goblin, surprising the startled
creature and impaling him on the end of his glaive instantly killing
him. It was then that two other goblins sprang forth from the
surrounding brush with weapons drawn and murderous glee in their eyes.
Sithis, not about to back down from a fight, roared at the goblins
and, using his dragon breath, sprayed them both with acid.  The
goblins, having never seen a Dragonborn as frightening as Sithis fled
in terror. Sithis, looked down upon his first true kill and began the
Ritual of the Hunt, whereby he prepared the goblin’s skull as a
trophy.

He journeyed back to his clan village and presented his trophy & story
to the tribal elders and then without resting, Sithis immediately
entered the Temple of Moradin for the remainder of the Quest. The
elders of the village in turn all began questioning Sithis on the past
achievements of the clan, the achievements of his bloodline and of his
faithfulness to Moradin. Sithis, though he was tired and malnourished
was able to recite key passages of the Book of Moradin and his
history, enough to at least pass. The elders then lit several braziers
surrounding Sithis and ignited pungent incense. Sithis became aware of
a tingling with his hands and feet as he inhaled the strange smoke.
From around him, he heard ritualistic chanting and became aware that
the final part of his Sacred Quest was starting. The chanting rose up
to a crescendo and within the smoke the forms of two Dragonborn and a
Dwarf coalesced. Sithis was unprepared to see that the two Dragonborn
figures were his father and grandfather, both fallen warriors of
Moradin , joined by the figure of Traskel Bronzehammer himself. After
getting over the initial shock, Sithis bowed low in respect to the
honored dead and they in turn began to speak to him. The ghostly
figure of his grandfather commended Sithis on attaining the title of
Paladin and for his bravery during his first hunt. The figure of
Bronzehammer then told Sithas that his destined place was not at home
with his clansmen. That Sithis was to journey far to the west, to the
city of Fallcrest where he would continue to serve Moradin and fight
for the greater good of all people. And as the apparitions began to
fade from view, it was Sithis’s father who spoke last, telling Sithis
to trust in his instincts and to never forget his beliefs even when
times are at their darkest. Sithis, finally succumbing to exhaustion
and intoxication passed out.

When Sithis awoke the next day within his home, he found that all of
his gear was already prepared for his journey. He donned the thick
hide training armor that was originally his father’s and shouldered
his traveling pack. He picked up his glaive, as well as a heirloom
handaxe that had passed through his family’s bloodline and walked out
the door. He was startled to see that many of the elders were waiting
for him outside, holding the ornamental white paint used on the most
revered warriors. Sithis kneeled his scarlet scaled 6’6” presence in
front of them so that they could decorate his forehead with the hammer
symbol of Moradin as well as line the sides of his head ridges with
the paint as well. Once this was done, each elder in turn offered
Sithis the blessing of Moradin. Sithis then rose up and walked proudly
out of his village, not looking back, only looking ahead, first to
Hammerfast and then on to Fallcrest.