Rothox the Hornless

Rothox was born illegally. Demonblood children were forbidden in Yulandi until only a few years ago when the now-deceased Emperor decreed them and other races created after The Rebirth legal. It's unknown as to how the mutation occurs, whether it happens randomly or an actual demon is involved with the conception of the child. In Rothox's case, his mother never told anyone how he was conceived. All demonbloods born in Voria, the North Eastern Kingdom in Yulandi, are owned by the same slave owner that owns the parents. If they are free-born then the child is taken once they are old enough and put into slavery. The parents, in both cases, are put to death. To this date, no demonbloods have had children of their own.

Iloxia, Rothox's mother, was a slave to Lord Dunlan senior. She was one of many that worked in his platinum mines in the Trezen Mountains. She, a human, had Rothox in secret, and a guard that had grown to like her, aided in getting him out of the mining camp. In order to help in hiding his identity, they had his horns shaved down. The guard took him to the city of Meirgrand, however, he was unable to raise him. He was forced to leave the child at the doorsteps of an orphanage. The orphanage noticed his tail and shaved horns instantly. Luckily, the lady in charge, Sister Gladis, felt compassion towards him. For his first few years, Rothox lived in the attic of this orphanage, but he longed to go out. Every day Sister Gladis came to visit him and taught him the teachings of Omnitheos. She also reminded him that he must stay hidden and not let the other children see him.

Occasionally one of the other orphans, one that was a little older than he, snuck up to see him. Sometimes bringing treats or toys to play with. He was his only friend, his name was Kadrin. One day Kadrisn stopped sneaking up to play with him. Once Rothox was old enough he figured out how to pick the lock to his attic room. It was that day he left, stealing a couple of days' worth of food. Rothox made the streets is home. Stealing and living at night while sleeping during the day. He had made a home at the lowest level of the city, hiding where no one cared to look. It was hard at first to hide his identity until he figured out how to tuck his tail up and grew the courage to shave his horns.

Just before his tenth birthday or what he figured was his birthday. It was the day Sister Gladis said he had arrived at the orphanage. He decided to go out during the day. He pulled his hood up, tucked his tail away, and went out. He found his mark within the hour and started to follow him. A slender man, wearing a nice cloak. After tailing the man for twenty minutes he made his move, quick and practiced, the dagger was out and cutting but the purse was not there. Instead, Rothox was met with a firm grasp on the wrist as the man grabbed him and pulled him into a nearby ally. The man wasn't mad but rather he was smiling. He later learned his name was Sullivan Cathos, leader of the local installment of the Umbral Society. Sullivan had been watching his work over the past few months and was impressed. He asked Rothox to join his group. Rothox was eager to learn from him.

For his initiation into the society, he had to steal a book from a local lord's private chambers. Wherein upon his success, he would receive the mark of a member. The book was of no concern to him but Sully was very excited to have it. It was a ledger containing all the gold shipments into the city for the next month. That following month, Rothox made more money than he had ever seen.

He stayed with the society through his youth and into his early twenties, until the government caught Sully. Sully had been trying to steal a platinum cart. He had said that after that job they would have had all the riches they could ever need and would be able to leave the life. Sully had the whole thing planned out perfectly, except he had no way of knowing that the cart was protected by a powerful wizard. Someone had tipped them off. The entire team was either killed or captured. Sully was among the captured. Rothox was told to stay away from the job. Sully had thought it too dangerous of a task. During their time together Sully had become a bit of a father figure to him. After his capture, Sully was sentenced to hang. The day arrived and in anger, Rothox rushed the hangman to no avail. He was caught and luckily he did not kill any guards, as that would have meant certain death. They arrested him and sent him to the Snake Prison in Sesseras.

The prison was essentially a giant hole in the ground with tunnels branching off the large hole where each prisoner had their individual cells. Named the Snake Prison because the guards used snake venom to make some of the more fearsome prisoners docile. He was in prison for two years before finally escaping by using the tooth of a snake to pick the lock. He killed two guards with that same tooth before escaping into the open plains. He traveled to the coastal town of Pelos where he met a young captain, Geralt Hilth. He begged him to take him on his next voyage. Eager to be an extra deckhand. Reluctantly he allowed Rothox to work his way on his ship to Realt, a small fishing village on the other side of the continent, and most importantly another Kingdom. The journey was long and hard but he was at least free.

They sailed north through the Endless Ocean and around the edge of Yulandi, past the Finger Tip Isles. After a couple of months at sea, they made it to their destination. It took slightly longer as Captain Hilth made sure to navigate the long way around the Isles of Storm. Even though they had avoided the perils of the storms around the Isles. A large blizzard hit them as they sailed into Realt. The ship veered off course scraping the hull against a shallow reef. The ship did not take on water but the hull was weakened. The hail tore holes through the sails. Somehow they managed to make landfall. Fortunately, their shipment was secure.

The whole time Rothox contemplated revenge for Sully's death. He was sure that the lord they had stolen the ledger from had set the whole thing up. Lord Jirax was a mining lord, one of a few in Merigrand. He suffered financially for months at the hands of Sully and Rothox. Lord Jirax had gotten his revenge but Rothox knew he would return one day and exact his revenge for Sully.

A dockmaster that helped get them into the harbor had hoped they had come to aid in the town's monster problem. Intrigued Rothox inquired further, he could use the coin. After thanking the young ship captain he headed to the nearest tavern.

The narrow path along the canyon was slow going. Lafamar used a faintly lit lantern to guide him. Beyond that, around them was darkness. It was as Rothox said, treacherous. Once in a while Lafamar would stop and hold up his finger to his mouth. Then proceed again after a few seconds. When the sun began to rise he stopped at a natural cavern. There wasn't much else to do in the cavern but wait for dusk. They were half the way to the bottom of the canyon, where they would then travel to the slums where Rothox had lived as a child. Sitting in a circle they ate some of the supplies they had carried from the cart. Happy to be lighting their overburdened loads.

Alissa had noticed Rothox liked to fiddle with something he hung around his chest. He was doing it now. His hand was twisting an item under his shirt.

"Rothox, what is that?" she asked as she sat down beside him. Harim and Erigos were discussing payment to Lafamar, as the halfing tried to eavesdrop on their discussions.

He instinctively pulled his hand from his chest and picked his head up. He twirled his necklace when thinking, it was a habit he subconsciously performed. He didn't even notice half the time.

"What's what?"

"That thing you always play with around your neck."

"It's nothing, just a trinket from my past."

"Can I see it?" Aliisa asked. She was always so curious. Rothox still hadn't figured out if it was all an act or she truly was this innocent.

"Umm, sure…" Rothox tugged the string and removed the end of the necklace. Dangling by the thread was a thin, two-inch-long tooth.