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Author Topic: Orelan Het, Master of Clan Orelan  (Read 2521 times)
Geckilian
Hunter of Orelan
Distinguished Engineer
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Posts: 509


NuraSen'Malog


« on: May 22, 2012, 05:05:18 pm »

Born to a pair of hunters within the clan, Het inherited their sense of adventure and wanderlust. Often wandering out to look upon the wastes, Het was reprimanded time and time again as her parents tried to instil within her a proper respect for the danger of the barren lands surrounding Orel, but always she'd try to look out at the wastes even more. Whenever they went to protect a caravan or journey to the Naralon forest to reacquaint with their graku charges Het would beg to accompany them, only to be declined. Each trader passing through Orel soon grew to be used to the little Het badgering them with question after question and many found the little jenta an amusing respite from the harsh winds and irritating sand. Even at a young age Het was headstrong, and so one day however she snuck out after her parents as they left on a routine contract to protect some traders passing through.

Before her own eyes she saw a desperate devanu attack against the caravan, what appeared to be a host of grishak led by a weary and worn sempa. Only a harsh sudden fear kept her from crying out, and that is what likely saved her life as hunter after hunter was brought down. She could only look on in mute horror as the bodies on the hunters and their graku, her parents among them, were consumed by the hungry sempa and her charges. As she crouched in the lee of a rocky outcrop, she watched as a pair of knights atop mighty grakukan charged and drove off the grishak, trampling the tired sempa as she attempted to flee from their retiribution. With the caravan safe from attack, the hunters having borne the brunt of the vicious attack, the knights once more took up their protective watch, finally noticing Het as she went to dart after them, whimpers of panic spilling from her beak. Though stern and disapproving of her actions, one of the pair felt sympathy for the jenta and took her on almost as a protégé, having known her parents.

Over the next few years Het learned under the Knight of Orelis called Mehren Speth, and all throughout the memory of her parents perishing remained with her. As she grew, so too did her resolve to become a knight and end the menace of the devanu. Once she was deemed old enough by Mehren, she went to acquire a graku of her own. It was several days before Mehren saw Het again, and to her surprise Het had not one, but two graku, though each seemed more comfortable with the other of the pair than most graku Mehren knew about. It was then that Mehren regarded Het as truly gifted, and taught her ever more of the Knights of Orelis, even taking her on many of the missions tasked to her. As mission after mission went by, Het proved her worth time and time again. Her graku responded to her commands with an alacrity that earned her respect, grudging or otherwise, from the other hunters and Mehren was proud to be her tutor.

As Het matured in to the sempa stage of her life, she forged her way in to the Naralon forest on her own without the knowledge of Mehren, to acquire her own grakukan. Though it took several cycles, Het tracked one down and set upon bending its will to her own, to force it to recognize her as a peer worthy of working with. Though it cost the lives of both her trained graku, Het finally managed to win over the grakukan and proudly named it Ophelid as she rode it back to the city of Orel. Once she arrived however she was greeted with the news that Mehren has gone out to escort a trader, and Het’s elation faded as she realized her mentor wasn’t present to witness her triumph. It wasn't long however before Mehren returned and heard Het had reappeared. Confronting Het with reprimands on her beak, Mehren was stunned to silence as Ophelid slunk from behind a hut to protectively stand next to Het. It was then Mehren congratulated Het with glee, all thoughts of punishment forgotten in the face of such an accomplishment.

Het’s popularity and respect amidst the hunters grew as she came to master the riding techniques of the grakukan, and within a few years was a preeminent member of the Knights of Orelis, even surpassing her old mentor Mehren who continued to watch on with pride. Due to the increasing devanu attacks and the nature of the fast moving hierarchy within the knights, it wasn’t long before Het was in charge of the Knights, and putting pressure upon the leading council of Clan Orelan for more resources with which to protect the citizens and traders. Through several shrewd deals and meetings, Het managed to gain a seat on the council, and approached her duty with the same regard she had for battle – head on and with little compromise. Many of the council members initially found Het to be far too headstrong and rash, but it wasn't until a chain of several devanu incursions that the council acknowledged Het's aptitude for leadership.

It did not take long for Het to win over most of the council with her ideas and strategies, and, as she matured in to the Kopa stage of her life willingly, he assumed control. For the last several years Orelan Het, who adopted the clan title upon gaining the head seat upon the council, has been an uncompromising voice in the meeting chambers, his deciding vote shooting down those he deems too optimistic and supporting those who voice practical advice. With time came temperance, and Het had been moulded in his youth from constant skirmish, protection and raids. Carrying a stare said to be even fiercer than that of his grakukan Ophelid, few in the Clan openly oppose him.

As Het has aged, so too has Ophelid. Scarred and worn from a life of battle against all manner of beasts marshalled by the devanu and the devanu themselves, Het's mount is a grizzled and patient wall of scaly strength. Many times without instruction Ophelid has saved Het's life, and the favours have always been repaid in kind. Though it's never truly possible to tame a grakukan, Ophelid is the closest anyone has gotten and, though taciturn and oft grumpy, seems utterly loyal to Het. Thanks to Het's guidance and advise, many of the mounts of the Knights of Orelis are actually Ophelid's progeny, another fact that fills Het with fierce pride.

The demanding nature of Het's role keeps him from the skirmishes against the devanu, as indeed so too do his advisors and close friends for fear of his safety, though the grizzled fubarnii openly regards their protective concerns as scornful. It is with great pride that Orel’an Het guides his adoptive successor to the Knights of Orelis, Kaderac Hef, and due to his upbringing he leaves the main defences of the clan as well as trading to others who he acknowledges are more learned in their respective areas. Even so, with all his roles and duties, he keeps Ophelid well fed and trained, for he knows that the moment a coherent foe materialises within the devanu threat, he will be needed at the front, fighting for his clan once more.
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