Leif

Leif was born on the day his clan was attacked by orcs. The orc warriors greatly outnumbered them and soon drove the dwarves into the living quarters of the mines, where a furious battle broke out. At the last moment Nari, a dwarven smith, managed to save little Leif and his mother from the orcish sabers. After several hours of fighting the orcs were driven back by reinforcements arriving from the other clans, but many dwarves were killed and a large part of the treasure was plundered.

So Leif was born into joyless times, when his family lost its property. His father Fuin, a goldsmith, had to give up his craft and hired himself out as a mercenary protecting merchants on their trading journeys. Because he was often away, Leif was raised by his mother and later also by Leif's savior, Nari.

Nari grew fond of Leif as of his own son, whom he had lost in the orc raid. He also grew close to Leif's mother, Darena, and had a son with her, Mervi. When Fuin one day returned from his travels, he discovered that he had been betrayed, and to protect his honor he challenged Nari to a duel, in which he killed him. Then he cast off his wife and stepson and took Leif away. He never returned to his native halls beneath the Artharian Mountains.

Fuin continued to earn his living protecting merchants, and it was then that he began training Leif in the art of combat. He taught him to handle a war axe and wear chain mail, and initiated him into the secrets of his craft, goldsmithing. Leif had an unusual talent and working with gold came easily to him, but the profession of goldsmith did not appeal to him and his father needed him in his work.

After fifteen years of hard life, Leif grew into a mighty warrior, and he and Fuin began to be hired even by more important merchants. On their journeys they visited many towns and villages, and Leif gained several friends and acquaintances among merchants, soldiers and adventurers. As their fame grew, the journeys became ever more demanding and the value of the cargo higher.

On one of these journeys, in a narrow gorge, a band of robbers ambushed the caravan. With the very first volley of arrows they cut down most of the escort. In the ensuing confusion the robbers threw themselves on the surviving travelers and slew them to the last man. Under their swords, weakened by a hit from a poisoned arrow, Fuin finally fell too.

Only Leif, who managed to escape into a nearby forest, survived the massacre. The next day he returned to the place of the ambush, but found only smoldering wagons and dead bodies gnawed by wild beasts.

In his heart Leif swore terrible vengeance on all robbers by Dwatah, the god of the dwarves. Without a single backward glance he left the dead bodies and set out toward the nearby town.