Topic: The Family

Artemus Kurgen

Date: 2006-05-20 19:51 EST
The centuries seemed to pass in the twinkling of an eye as the Kurgen's lived and died, protecting and guarding the sleeping Chimara. As the times changed so to did the Kurgen's. Over time many races were brought into the fold of their bloodline. Elves, dwarves, humans, and even a few beings with fey blood coursing through their veins. A million lives and countless generations joined the Kurgen clan. Each new member adding to the geneticly magical gene pool of their unique bloodline.

Over the years the guardians of the sleeping Chimara slowly isolated themseves to one race that seemed to grow and multiply faster than the others.....human's.

With each new being born into their family the variety of animals that they could change into grew and grew, until any number of beastial transformations were possible.

AFter a while the clan started to dwindle in size until only a few remained. All that remains of the family today...are two brothers. They are twins in appearance, but they could never be more different.

Artemus Kurgen

Date: 2006-05-20 19:52 EST
Sylus with hair as dark as a raven's feather and as soft as silk took the path of the blade early in life. Seeing the affinity he had for swords, Bremmen, his father, apprenticed him to one master after another. By the time he was in his middle teenage years he knew more about combat than any other person his age. Though he was taught to use all forms of weapon, he came to prefer the scimitar. However, not wanting him to be ignorant, his mother put him in the care of a local wizard to make sure that he knew not all battles could be fought with steele alone. It was evident he had a natural instinct and adeptness for spells as well. Taking on the belief that the future could take what you have away from you, Sylus lives his life from day to day, treasuring every waking moment. Like those that came before him, he too had an animality, the beast lurking within this knightly hearted man is the wolf.

Then there is the younger brother, Artemus. This blonde haired, gray eyed cynic was born two years to the day and time after Sylus. Unlike his brother who took the path of the blade, Artemus went the way of the mage. Though he was taught to use a sword, Art's true passion was manipulating the aether. It was evident in his childhood that he would be a spell caster, and not a sword slinger. He had a gift for sensing when disaster was approaching. Seeing his gift for magic and his attuned nature with the animals and the land, his mother apprenticed him to a druid of Mielikki, the goddess of the forest. He studied dilligently under the strict teachings of the druid. Using his own beast, the leopard, a creature of the forest, Artemus soon became quite proficient at tracking and following animals. He even tracked an elf by pure accident, a ranger no less. Sensing he was ready, his master annointed him in one of Mielikki's holiest groves. From then on he devoted his life to the goddess of the wood, he even met the goddess, though he knows not why she chose to show herself to him. Over the years, he became cold and calculating, despite the efforts of his family and teacher to keep him pure.

Though their minds were polar opposites, Sylus and Artemus were closer than they let on. Planning their own fates, the pair chose to go their separate ways for a time. Leaving their aging parents, the boys left for separate parts of the world. Sylus headed for the city of Kelvar to make a name for himself, and a name he made. His sword skill soon brought him into the attentions of the royal family. Doing their bidding, he did what his lord had not courage to do....he killed all who opposed Lord Anglemar.

Meanwhile Artemus traveled the world, learning its secrets and many of them he wished he had not. Through his many adventures Artemus' power grew as did the number of spells he had at his disposal. On one of his travels he came across an interesting felpur. His senses told him that this being was different from it's kin. It had an unusual jewel embedded into it's chest. For no reason at all the creature attacked Artemus. Tears in his eyes, the younger Kurgen slew the felpur and took the jewel from it's chest. Something told him it would be important in the future. How right he was.

Artemus Kurgen

Date: 2006-05-20 19:53 EST
Strange events and vague rumors eventually pulled the brothers from their lives of darkness and misadventure to the land of Rhydin. Sylus, a quest... Artemus, a dark secret he learned of their family's shadow shrouded history. Neither knew of the other's presence in the city for many weeks. Not until Artemus made a vital mistake. He passed himself off as Sylus when he met the Queen of Eldicore.

The queen had all ready met Sylus but because of their identical looks she too had been fooled. Her anger made Sy chafe and put Artemus into hiding; they had both been banned from Eldicors borders. The wedge had been hammered into place and the cracks in their brotherly friendship began to spread.

For months they spoke to each other only once or twice. Sylus found respite in the Duel of Swords and the arms of a gray haired vampire for a time and Artemus was drawn to the Isle of Twighlight and to the place that called him to the land of Rhydin. Kurgen Keep. The power he felt resonate from that great stone structure made his knees weak and his mouth dry. Why had no one claimed this place as their home or fortress he wondered. From the look of the tower it had been abandoned for a long time. He approached tentatively...for an odd reason the wards about the door parted easily and he went inside.