Lightraider Academy Records

Written by:
Sir Tharkon of Krystiniak Isle
Guardian of the Light
Lightraider Academy
14 Badger Lane
Unicorn Landing
The Liberated Lands

February 03, 2001



Concerning the Background of Freedan of House Redhawk:

Freedan was a young elf raised in the elven homeland until age 9 when his father mysteriously disappeared leaving he and his mother and a little sister alone. His father had been a member of the Ke’tah guard sent to protect the elven ambassador as he travelled to pay homage to the ruling dragon of the area. After word returned home that the delegation had been ambushed enroute to the dragon’s fortress, an armed squad of elven soldiers forcefully invaded Freedan’s home searching it thoroughly before leaving with Freedan’s mother as a prisoner. For the next 3 months, Freedan was force to care for he and his sister alone as they were without father or mother. Friends of the family grew cold to Freedan’s needs and all but forsook he and his sister in those trying times until after a few weeks of malnutrition and lack of proper care, Freedan’s little sister became very sick. Finally his mother was returned to them, but only long enough to gather their belongings before they were escorted from their homeland as exiles without provision.

It was then that Freedan’s mother informed him that his father was suspected of betraying the Ambassador’s delegation on thier last journey. The reports were that they had been ambushed by a marauding band of Dwarves representing a minority faction of the Dwarf homeland that vowed to destroy the dragons and all who were loyal to them including elves. Freedan’s father was believed to have been an informant for the dwarves, known as the Starlot Brotherhood, and was suspected of aiding them in the timing and the location of the ambush. The attack was a significant event in the politics of the Elven kingdom as the loss of their tribute brought down the wrath of the dragon to whom it was being taken and set into effect a chain of events which led to a new King. Freedan’s mother had been taken by a secret branch of the Ke’tah for interrogation concerning her husband and his whereabouts. She knew nothing, of course and was finally released, but now she and her children were suspect and Elven Law was brutal concerning the punishment for a traitor; especially a military traitor. Punishment fell upon the entire family for such high crime. The only thing that had kept them from death was the lack of evidence that existed against Freedan’s father.

As it turned out, the only evidence ever given for the apparent guilt of Freedan’s father, Foran, was his disappearance and his knowledge of the delegation’s route of travel. His had been the only body not found among the dead and he was one of only two guards that knew in advance their route of travel to the Dragon’s stronghold. Therefore it was assumed that he had been in on the conspiracy and then took off with the enemy. With nothing more proven, Freedan and his family were now outcasts with no place to live.

They existed this way for many months, scrounging off of the land, until they were finally able to find a town of mostly humans and wandering peoples. They would have died there if not for the kindness of strangers who took them in and met their needs for a time. Unfortunately it was too little too late for Freedan’s little sister. She became increasingly ill until she finally died. The strangers were Salt Warriors who prayed over Freedan’s sister to no avail. When she died, they tried to comfort and explain things about the Overlord, but something in Freedan died at that time and he rejected the message these humans tried to teach. However the seeds of compassion and sacrifice were planted, not only in Freedan’s mind, but moreso in the heart of his mother, Alyssa.

Freedan sunk into a dark depression that took him to the streets and led him into the wrong company. His new lifestyle included thievery and rabble rousing. His mother was married to a human merchant who wanted nothing to do with the young man and it wasn’t long before Freedan stopped coming home.

Years passed and Alyssa found that she had everything money could buy but was left with a huge hole in her heart. She had yet to reach the end of her endurance, however. She had long since forgotten the love of the Overlord of Many Names that she had experienced so long ago from strangers. Her new husband was a good man, but consumed with lust for more possessions. Alyssa had become uncomfortable with those her husband dealt with. He seemed to make greater and greater bargains with shady characters working closer and closer with the dragons themselves.

One fateful night, 4 years after Freedan had last been seen by his family, Alyssa and her husband were returning from an evening out on the town as they were accustomed to do. This night they were returning early for reasons long since forgotten. But it turned out to be fatal, for when they arrived home they startled a band of thieves. Her husband pulled out his sword and confronted them, but they were already fleeing through windows and back entrances. Alyssa recognized one, however. It was Freedan. She called his name pleading for him not to go. He paused and turned. When his step-father saw that it was him, something inside him snapped! “You filthy little ingrate! After all I’ve done for you, you betrayed us! You’re just like your father!” With that he lunged clumsily at Freedan who spun to defend himself. But it was more than self defense that moved Freedan in the next moment, for he not only blocked the blow, but with lightning speed pulled a hidden dagger from his shirt and struck at the man who dared to compare him to his traitorous father! As the man sunk to the floor, Freedan looked across the room at the horror in his mother’s face and realized how low he had fallen. He was more than a thief and a cheat now. He had killed a man in his own home. As the realization struck, Freedan ran from the house and never returned!

It was that incident that drove Alyssa Redhawk into the open arms of the Overlord. She was left destitute again as her husband’s associates began to dismantle her assets. She was forced once again to rely on the aid of strangers in this hostile country. Once again Salt Warriors were there to help her and witness to her until she finally gave her life to the Almighty. She remained in the Dragon Lands for years after, refusing to make the pilgrimage to the Liberated Lands until her son was restored and could go with her. Thus began a prayer offensive that would rock the Western region of the Dragon Lands.

Freedan’s descent into darkness continued for 2 more torturous years. Having killed his own step-father, Freedan was plagued with more guilt than he could bare. In an attempt to bury his pain and lonelyness, he turned to the dragons who offered elixers and potions to deaden ones pain as well as pleasures that would make one forget for a time. Soon, Freedan was completely enslaved by his own wickedness and served the Dragon’s desire by removing those that opposed their schemes. He became known as “Shadow Gold”, a feared assassin for hire moved by hatred and despising life. He was known for taking some of the most foolhardy and dangerous missions the dragons could find, secretly hoping he would lose his life in the process, but he was too good at what he did and the darkness in his soul grew as he descended deeper into despair.

The mission that would prove to be his last was one in which he took special interest. He had been offered a dragon’s hoard to successfully seek out and destroy the leader or leaders of the Starlot Brotherhood, the very organization that had destroyed his life and indirectly caused the death of his sister! He had agreed to the mission without pay for he knew this was his opportunity to exact revenge and maybe gain some answers. The leader of the Brotherhood was a man known only as Cherub, an elusive figure that could not be tracked. He was a legend of sorts. No one even knew what race he was or how old, but it was his mastermind that inspired the Brotherhood in their Jihad against the Dragons and they wanted him eliminated.

The target’s trail led Freedan to a mountain fortress in the Thunder Cliffs where he discovered to his amazement that his real father was not only alive, but was himself the one called Cherub! Freedan’s hatred was overwhelming. His father truly was a traitor, not only to his own people, but to his family! He was to blame for their suffering and for Tythiana’s death! It was his fault that Freedan had become the monster that he was! How fitting that his life should be ended by that very monster. But the merciful God of his mother would not have it so. The High One had heard the prayers and seen the fasting of Alyssa and her band of brave Salt warriors. In the years since her conversion, Alyssa had risen to become the most potent spiritual leader in the Western peaks region offensively taking ground from the deceiving dragons and their minions through prayer and love of those whom they had enslaved. Now, in the Lord’s timing, that love had come to the Thunder Cliffs, bringing many of the Starlot Brotherhood to salvation, including Foran Redhawk. It was this very fact that caused the Dragons to step up their efforts to destroy this rogue organization. The Starlot Brotherhood was already too well connected through the underground. They had always been a thorn in the side of the Dragon’s, but never a serious threat because they had no spiritual power. To have that changed by the Holy Spirit was something the Dragons simply could not tolerate. Thus they had hired Freedan to be rid of their enemies once and for all.

What Freedan had not been told was that the dragons had a contingency plan should he fail. Once he had led them to the central fortress of the Brotherhood, the Dragons would release all of their fury upon it in the form of an army of goblins and orcs with orders to tear it down stone by stone! Freedan’s anger and hatred led him to hastily choose the wrong moment to attack his father. He was restrained and imprisoned. There he discovered the truth of his father’s disappearance so many years ago...

* * *

Freedan’s father had not betrayed the elven ambassador’s delegation. It had been the work of a Self-foe in the disguise of another Ke’tah commander named Jokelekan, who had infiltrated the delegations ranks and betrayed them to a band of Mound Orcs. These mound orcs had been sent by the dragons to stir up a war between the elves and dwarves that would keep both empires weakened and therefore easier to control. During the ambush, Freedan’s father, with the “aid” of Jokelekan, escaped but he suffered a mysterious concussion that left him without an identity until the two of them were found by members of the Brotherhood who took them in and eventually elevated Foran Redhawk to the highest position as Cherub. Even with the Holy one guided him as a twice-born, Cherub was blind to the fact that his greatest enemy was his closest advisor.

Jokelekan had recognized Freedan as the son of Foran Redhawk immediately and took great care in isolating him from his father lest Foran recover his lost memories. Fortunately, Jokelekan was unaware of the Dragon’s plans and did not know that Freedan was working for his masters. Instead he took sadistic delight in telling Freedan the truth and explaining how he was the true leader of the Brotherhood controlling Cherub like a puppet on a string. When the attack came from the advancing army of goblins and orcs, Jokelekan realized all of his carefully layed plans were crumbling. He had planned to become the supreme power in the Western Peaks and now his fortress was being destroyed!

Freedan had been abandoned in his cell to die, lost and confused by his raging emotions and unable to decide truth from lie. Suddenly a rock fell from the ceiling of his dungeon cell and struck the lock breaking open the door and setting him free. He rushed from captivity to find his father and settle things once and for all, not even sure now what that would mean. All he knew was that he was destined to end things with his father one way or another.

As he rushed up flights of stairs in search for Cherub, the goblins and orcs battered in the gates and began destroying everything. Freedan soon found himself fighting through a sea of bodies trying to be the first to reach his father. He would not be denied this final confrontation! He finally found his father fighting for his life. Freedan struck down his attackers and pulled his father out onto a balcony overlooking the side of a mountain pass hundreds of feet below. The door was barred and it was the two of them. For the first time, Foran Redhawk saw his son clearly and memories came flooding back. He remembered who he was and where he had come from. The memories were so sudden and so real that he dropped his weapon and fell to his knees. Freedan saw this as a trick and decided that this man was full of lies. He had determined to end his life, if for no other reason than to be rid of the pain in his chest.

Suddenly the door to the balcony burst open knocking Freedan to the Balcony rail. Jokelekan entered, bearing down on the stunned young man. The only way to go was down and the force of the attack knocked Freedan over the edge. Jokelekan would have finished him their, but for the lightning recovery of his father. Cherub grabbed Jokelekan, pulling him away from Freedan who was hanging on to the rail with one hand. Still unaware that Jokelekan was his enemy, Cherub explained that Freedan was his son hoping to stop the attack. Jokelekan took the opportunity to drive his sword into his unsuspecting “friend” mocking him for being a trusting fool for so long. Cherub’s eyes grew wide as he realized that his closest advisor had betrayed him. He sank to the floor once again as the Self-foe moved back to the railing to end the life of the son even as he had the father. As he stood over Freedan gloating over his vengeance against those who had ruined his plans, Freedan saw his father rise from the floor with a valiant effort, sword in hand and struggle toward Jokelekan with every step. Freedan began to distract the Self-foe by challenging him as he hung there until his father finally put an end to the vile creature.

Then with supreme effort, Foran Redhawk reached over the balcony rail and with his last remaining strength, hauled his son up to safety. As life flowed from his wound, Foran told his son that only the Overlord’s love could deliver him from the path of life he had chosen, that he was sorry for forgetting such a wonderful son, and that he loved Freedan. Then, removing his crest of leadership from his own neck and pressing it into Freedan’s hand, he died in his son’s arms. It was then that Freedan whispered the first words of healing his heart had known in his short life: “I forgive you, father.” And so the seed planted so long ago was watered and began to grow.


Weeks later, escaping the razing of the Starlot Brotherhood Fortress, Freedan found his way back to his mother’s home and began the journey back from darkness under the ministrations of the Salt Warriors in the Western Peaks. Their was much rejoicing at the salvation of this dragonslave who had been freed from the darkest of nightmares into the light because of a father’s love and sacrifice and a mother’s prayers and soon the Lightraider Academy at Unicorn Landing in the Liberated Lands had a new student who would now put terror into the heart of darkness as a LightRaider Scout!



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