D&D Character: Tullox, Half-Orc Barbarian

 "If you keep talking, I'm going to smash your teeth out. Understand?"

Background: Tullox was the result of a drunken night of passion between members of two different clans in the wild lands north of Gallanburgh. A Winter Solstice gathering led two lonely souls, an Orc woman called Bagrak and a Human man called Grum to seek solace in each other's arms, and the Half-Orc arrived eleven months later, born on a surprisingly hot summer's day. His parents welcomed him with open arms, having married at Summer Solstice, and he was raised within his mother's tribe. A matrilineal group, they followed the philosophy that every adult was responsible for helping raise children and that the children were a sacred trust from the gods. While they warred and plundered when it was the season to (mostly indulging in cattle rustling with neighbouring clans, with the occasional raid south into "civilised" lands), there was an atmosphere of peace, love, and acceptance within the clan. 

The young Half-Orc was a natural athlete and spent most of his childhood outside (even during the winter), running and climbing in nature. He grew big fast and took after his mother in the muscles department. He was six when his father started to teach him how to fight, sparring with him all through the summer and into the winter. The next year, his mother took over, and the young Barbarian began to lose... a lot. After a couple of years, he was drilling with the other youngsters, fighting mock battles against the older kids in the valley the clan called home. 

It was a happy, rambunctious, childhood full of adventures and with few boundaries. The boy grew quickly and learned to hunt and gather food. He learned the songs and chants of his people, including the long family tree of mothers and fathers that went back generations. By the time his beard came in, he knew his whole lineage and could recite it from memory. He knew, too some of the old stories of the spirits and his clan's dealing with them. Under his parents' guidance, he venerated each of the totem spirits in turn to keep them at his back in battle. 

His first taste of battle came when he was thirteen. His mother told him it was time to fight and he joined a small group of raiders under her command. They headed southwest into a rival clan's territory to rustle animals. Rushing into the place where the other clan kept their livestock, the party came under arrow fire as the other clan's warriors detected them. While his mother and friends got the animals moving, driving them forward with loud whoops and other sounds, Tullox found himself guarding their rear. Battle followed quickly, as he clashed with other warriors - most of which were striplings like himself.  The fight seemed to be going well until something hit him squarely on the back of the head and he slumped into darkness. 

Upon waking he found himself in a cell, stripped to his loincloth with an older Orc male Lurog, watching him. Seeing him awake, the Orc explained he'd been taken captive and would work for the clan until his own returned the stolen animals, or until a year and a day had passed - whichever came sooner. Set to work, under the supervision of older Orcs. For the first time, Tullox learned that his mixed heritage wasn't always accepted, often being mocked or scorned for his human side. He was even beaten up by his captors, though Lurog always patched him up and took care of him. There was no word from Tullox's own clan and he grew used to the life he was forced to live - fixating upon the final day when he would be free. 

In the Autumn his captors held a market and Bagrak came to visit, bribing Lurog for an hour with her son. She explained that the elders of his own clan weren't willing to trade for him. It wasn't personal, but business and he had to understand that while she and Grum missed him, they were powerless to act. Shocked by this, Tullox fell into a depression. While he'd appeared resigned to his fate, deep down he'd carried a hope that his kin would come to the rescue. 

He grew bleak and heartsick, stopping eating and losing his spirit. Eventually, he simply stopped and sat staring into the distance. Lurog, concerned by this, called for the Orc Shaman to come and minister to the stripping. They made a vigil over him - using both spirit magic and healing concoctions to try and make him better.

Spiritually, Tullox wandered a vast tundra locked in winter darkness until he reached a huge mountain that rose above the flat plain where the totems dwelled. The eagle spirit wheeled above the peak, while the bear spirit lived in a cave high up on the mountain. The young Half-Orc climbed the mountain and entered the spirit's cave. He's never told anyone about what happened but he woke suddenly, on winter solstice. 

The Orcs recognised that something had changed in the youngster and Lurog arranged for him to rest and then start training - explaining to the Chieftain that their captive... um, guest, had encountered one of the great spirits and had a destiny. Fortunately, the Chieftain believed him and ruled that while Tullox had to work for his keep, he would be permitted to train in the axe until the day he would be released. This set the pattern for the next few months, with occasional shamanic trances as Lurog, Tullox, and the Shaman tried to divine the young Half-Orc's path. Eventually, they admitted that the only thing they could tell was that he had to go south where he would meet a "family of spirit" and forge his legend.

When his release date came, Tullox returned home, leaving with a double-headed axe Lurog had forged for him. He spent months with his kin, working the land and waiting for a sign. It came the next winter solstice; he woke from a dream where a bear led him south in search of honey. That day he bade his family goodbye and headed south, eventually ending up in Gallanburgh. 

Physically, Tullox is big, strong and has long black hair. He wears a thick beard to make himself look older - and is conscious of his youth. He wears several piercings on his ears, with piercing being a ritual among his tribe to show that he is an adult. 

As always, you can download Tullox's character sheet here. He's free to play or to use as an NPC to anyone who wants to. 

Next week we'll be back to Scion, with a Teotl Scion who works as a fortune teller in the Big Easy.