Randy's Backstory
Six years later, The small shadow of a figure in a dark green hood appears in the rafters of an elegant home. Below is the Shadow's target, a city official whose stance against organized crime had caused some... issues... for the Goblin crime boss that employed the Shadow. The target is looking over his latest proposal to stick the killing blow to organized crime in Tilith Serryl. A killing blow indeed comes, not to organized crime, but to the seated civil servant. The Shadow drops on top of the man, who is dead before he can even register that he was not alone in the room. Randy cleans government official off his wrist blade before resetting the weapon's spring mechanism, once again rendering it hidden. On the desk, Randy notices a necklace... He immediately recognizes the necklace as the Stars of the Faithful, the symbol of Lylweneth. Shocked, the halfling assassin grabs the Stars...and suddenly, memories the halfling thought he was rid of, memories of his dear friend, memories of the pair playing tricks on the the other orphans as well as the Brothers of Light, memories of days spent climbing the walls of the temple together, of nights spent without sleep, talking of what the two of them would do once they reached the capital, memories of the only family Randy had ever known, flow back into his mind, almost as fast as the tears flow onto his face. What had he become? When he was younger he had always wanted to study to be a translator for the Temple of Light! (he had a knack for learning languages) but now, he is a hired blade for some second-rate goblin slum lord. He cannot number the atrocities he had committed, not only in order to earn the trust of the city's underbelly, but to bury the pain of losing his brother. After he pulls himself together, Randy places the Stars around his neck, and is overcome with a single thought...
"Seek out the Temple"
Later that night, the Father of the Temple of Light is cleaning inside the sanctuary. A shadow appears behind him. Before the shadow has time to say or do anything, the Father says...
"Randy my dear boy. It has been a long while. How are you?"
Randy, shocked that the Father detected him, composes himself and told him exactly why he has been gone all these years. The Father pauses and says...
“I think you should see something.”
He hands Randy a letter almost identical to the one discovered under Ari’s pillow that fateful night.
“Your acceptance letter came in the day after you left, Randy. Arietor told me that he didn’t want to tell you about his letter until you got yours. Apparently he thought hiding his letter under his pillow would sufficiently conceal it until your letter arrived. That boy has always been terrible at hiding things. Not like you, it seems. If you were to ask my council on the matter -- which I assume you have since you are here -- I think you should make for the capital as quickly as you disappeared from the orphanage that night…”
The Father smiles.
"However, on your way there, I have a small request for you. Some adventurers are doing some research on the Dragons to the north, and are wanting to search the libraries of the various Light Temples for information. I'd like you to go with them to ensure that the resources of the Lady of Light are treated with respect. While not followers of the Lady necessarily, these are good people, Randy. And good people are exactly what you need in your life right now.”
Randy heeds the council of the only father figure he has ever really had, and begins his mission to accompany these mysterious adventurers.
And so, with only his weapons, his cloak, his faith, and the thought of his dear friend, Randy the halfling makes his way to the capital city. Only the Lady of Lights knows what... or who... He may encounter along the way.
