Played by: David Li
Character Name: Oliver Coswell
Gender: Male
Class: Cleric
Age: 30
Race: Human
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Occupation: Griffin researcher
Known Skills: Divine Magic
Birthplace: Small village
My earliest memories were of my father. Him practicing magic, making potions, and writing notes down in a large tome. He was constantly working with one thing or another. I remember one time trying to see what was in that tome while he was asleep. I don’t know how he knew but before I could even get a glance I was caught. He became very angry with me and agitated for many days after. From that point on there were very few days where not a single word would pass from his lips. There was only scorn in his eyes for me. I found life more bearable outside that place I was supposed to call home. Thankfully there were a few children around my age I could run around with, otherwise I think he would have tried to kill me earlier and in a different way that would have been successful.
It happened when I was 9 years into my life. The day was extremely cold and snow was just beginning to fall outside. I wanted to go out and play in the fluffy white stuff from the sky but my father stopped me and told me to finish eating so that I could grow up big and strong. That day he was strangely talkative and upbeat. I had thought that something had lifted from him like a bad plague or some other illness. I hoped that we would be a family and that he would love me like the way I saw other fathers with their children. With a smile on both of our faces, I ate every last scrap off my plate then went out to play.
The next day I could not move from my bed. I was sweating horribly and my head was pounding. My father was by my side most of that day giving me water, food and medicine. He was very caring it seemed and he was not at all worried saying I would feel better soon. I was steadily getting worse, nothing seemed to help. One day I recall waking to someone knocking at the door. I think it was a friend of mine seeing if I could go out to play. I went back to sleep and when I woke, a man I had only seen a couple of times around the village was at my bedside. He always looked like a kind old man out for a stroll with his wife when I saw him. He was sponging my face with cool water and chanting. I closed my eyes, feeling the days slip past me. My fever broke and I awoke to a sunny day. Before I was fully awake, I heard a commanding voice.
“Rise boy, for your end is not yet near. You have much to do.”
Never hearing that voice before I was frightened and yelled out for my father. The older man I had seen before by my bedside quickly came in and started making soothing noises and trying to calm me down. He told me that my father was gone. At first I mistook him and thought my father had perished but he clarified that he left to find help for me. I was overjoyed to hear the news of my father, but at the time I didn’t understand why it was said with a look of sadness.
The man explained to me that he was a former cleric of The Order. He left to become a Layperson in his older age.
“I was in The Order of Arnath’s Fist since I was a boy. I have asked a friend of mine to come down and talk with you. Give him a chance and hear him out. Ok?”
I only nodded at him, with what I only assume was a look of doubt on my face. He was talking like my father wasn’t coming back. He was the only family I had.
“Look how I turned out after all,” he continued with a little chuckle. “I have a beautiful wife and 3 cute children. I am not saying that the life I have is what you are destined for but ….” He hesitated, thinking about something. “The Order will teach you things and help you to grow into a fine young man. They get to wear shiny armor and wield divine magic.”
A couple of days later his friend visited my house. He was a tall man in heavy looking metal armor, clean-shaven, and stern face. My first feeling of him was he was cold, and possibly angry about something. Once we started talking I realized I was wrong. At least about being cold and later I found out why he was angry. That day he came to talk to me was my first steps toward being a Lion of The Order of Arnath’s Fist.
I saw father one more time. I was helping villages leave their home before the undead and penitent moved over them in a cloud of death. He approached me in an excited state happy to see me again. When I saw him, it looked like the years didn’t treat him all too well. The joy that was on his mouth never reached his eyes that were sunken into his skull. His overall appearance was haggard and worn out.
“Son, at long last I have found you. Quickly, we need to be away from this place.” He tried to grab me but I backed away. I was confused why he was there but I had a sinking feeling about the meeting. He was not at all concerned for anyone else there, almost with a disdainful look in his eye as people fled their homes. “Come with me. Please. They are moving this way and I do not want to be here when they arrive.”
“What do you mean? Who is on the move?” That’s when I knew but I wanted to be wrong. Only those that fought with or against the Penitent knew their movements that well. Sure they were always on the move but that village and that very moment?
“My friends, they will take care of us but we shouldn’t be on the wrong side of the line when they get here.” He moved to grab my arm again and this time I shoved him back. He lost his footing and fell on his ass. The fire of anger was in his eyes now. I remembered it well, almost like an old friend. “They said you would stay to die with these peasants.” He shouted at me while getting to his feet. “I guess that’s true. I knew I should have stayed to finish you off all those years ago.”
At that comment my legs went weak, I was shocked at his bold proclamation. That’s how I missed him chanting and throwing out his hands towards me before I was violently pushed to the ground by a force I never saw. He leaped onto me, poised to stab my face when another Lion ran full on into him striking him hard with his shield. When I got to my feet he was gone. Disappeared in thin air, I silently cursed at myself for losing focus. My commander barked out some order a small distance away and we moved out to defend the fleeing refugees.
The years have past and I have found myself a witness to some great, beautiful and terrifying moments. I am now stationed in Starkhaven where events have been unfolding inside and out.