ISLE SKIES
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THIRTY YEARS AGO, IN THE NORTHERN HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND,
WHERE MEN AND MONSTERS CLASHED FOR THE MOUNTAIN'S FORESTS...
During the darkest hour of a dry and chilly night, a pregnant female shifter was fleeing for her life. It was a very rare occasion for any member of the Tiogair tribe to scout or hunt alone, as their kind was famous for taking all forms of action in pairs, but man had attempted to invade their territory at nightfall with the intent and plan of ambush. Wishing to avoid disrupting the slumber of her tribe and striking sudden fear and worry unto them all with no ready plans to fight back, the woman departed from their den with the high hope of luring the poachers away from the tribe's nesting grounds. She was successful, but at the ultimate cost - the humans pursued the woman until almost sunrise, surrounding her at the highest cliffs within the region. Although greatly outnumbered, she'd refused to surrender or accept death by their hands, and so, she leapt from the mountains' edges, desperately longing for the miracle chance of survival. To her utter misfortune, the fall was far more powerful than her body and will, and she died shortly after her landing within the gorge to brain haemorrhage and multiple other severe injuries. Her body was found and recovered by her tribe two days following her death.
She had carried two cubs; a boy, whom was a posthumous child, delivered in critical condition with a stillborn twin sister from their mother's corpse by their father. Although the stripling's chances of survival seemed non-existent, and the tribe expected his death to immediately follow those of his family members', he miraculously overcame the odds and eventually recovered completely. Excited and overjoyed beyond words by his son's perseverance, his father named him Rodric, the elements of his given name meaning "famous ruler (Rod/Roder/Hrod)" and "power (Ric/Erick)".
Peace and happiness didn't last long for the Tiogair tribe, especially Rodric's family. Three months before his very first birthday, man assaulted their home once again, setting their land to disastrous and unmanageable wildfires that claimed a great number of the tribe's lives. By a small blessing of good fate, Rodric made it out alive after being founded and rescued by his uncle. Yet, of the very few that managed to escape and survive, three tribal members were captured and held hostage, Rodric's father included. The humans tormented the captured Tiogairians as a means to find out where those who had evaded being detained intended to make refuge, for they were hell-bent on bringing the tribe to extinction and staking claim to the entirety of the mountains' forests. As loyal and protective as they were strong, no tribe member broke under the dreadful ill-treatments, which resulted in their hostage situation taking the sharpest turn for the worst and costed them their lives by horrific and excruciating torture.
Not daring to risk either of their lives another time, Rodric's uncle was quick to abandon the idea of seeking out any of the possible remaining tribe members - officially rendering it dissipated - and soon relocated with his nephew to the central lowlands of Scotland, where beaches hugged the land instead of forests, and there were shallow hills and rugged landscapes rather than high mountains. Thereupon, Rodric was raised under his unmarried uncle's care, learning to fish, hunt, scout and all else in-between from his strong skill sets so that he too would someday become a successful amalgamate with his dynasty.
The years were kind to the twosome family; with each passing day Rodric became stronger and more dexterous, skillfully assisting his uncle with daily chores that were physically demanding and continually tested his energy and power. Though some days were occasionally more difficult than others - particularly when big game they hunted for food migrated away from their home - through all obstacles they carried on, and Rodric and his uncle remained supremely close, looking out for each other's well-being on all occasions. Unfortunately, like all things great in the world, their blissful lifestyle eventually began to unwind; when Rodric was sixteen years old, his uncle fell exceptionally ill to a mysterious cause, though their town's most experienced medic suspected it was a rare disease carried and transmitted by avians and fish. Within less than a week, the illness had targeted and attacked every ligament, muscle and tendon in his body, leaving his uncle completely bedridden as it had demolished his ability to both stand and walk.
Over the next month, Rodric stayed true to his work, despite longing to spend more time alongside his ill uncle. Regardless of the fact that they had always tended to tasks together, he managed his external errands and household chores perfectly fine on his own, bringing about the medicinal, nutritional, and all other needs of his uncle on top of it all. Sadly, even in the face of all medicinal remedies and treatments brought forward to Rodric's uncle, his condition did not improve, and his bones eventually disintegrated before the disease finally made it's way unto his internal organs. It was then, while in his most critical state, that Rodric's uncle finally shared the stories of his parents and the Tiogair tribe with his nephew. He accepted the the tales well, seeming to show pride for where he'd come from above all other emotions, just as his kind was famous and well-known for. "You'll do great things for and in this world, Rodric. You are the very symbol of bravery, lordliness and power - you are a precise emblem of the Tiogair tribe... and we couldn't possibly be more proud." Drawn by his last breaths, those were his uncle's final words before he surrendered to his illness and passed away into the night. At the crack of dawn, his body was cremated before his nephew and loved ones, and Rodric scattered his ashes within the heart of the Midland Valley, where the two of them had always enjoyed ranging over and tarrying about during their free time.
Although it took a great amount of consideration, Rodric eventually made the decision to leave his native land behind in order to pursue new adventures, of which brought him to the United States in Rome, New York. He didn't need to search among job opportunities very long, for Delta Lake State Park was hugely interested in him for his background and work in Scotland, and he was hired into their work force as a forestry technician and park ranger almost immediately. After a short period of time adapting and settling into his newer lifestyle, Rodric started to dabble in a multitude of new things - specifically in Bramford, a city which directly neighbored his new home - including art centers, concerts, different bars, international cuisines and various sorts of events and shows. It was during one particular sports event, a live roller derby show, that he met his very first love interest, Janis. There was immediate chemistry between the two, and Rodric took great pleasure in exploring her lifestyle as much as she did his own; they were indivisible, for the two of them never seemed to grow tired of each other's company. On Janis' 21st birthday, following a great time of courtship, Rodric presented her with an astounding engagement ring and asked for her hand in marriage. To his utter exhilaration, she accepted, and the couple was wed later on during that very same year. A very swift few years after their marriage, they purchased their first home together, where they've blissfully spent their days together ever since.
TODAY...
Rodric remains actively employed by Delta Lake State Park, and his career with them has stretched past a solid ten years of service. About every four months or so, he returns to Scotland to visit home, as well as his family's resting sites. Rodric is as attached to his wife as he has always been, continuing to explore new places and things along her side, also making appearances at her DJ and roller derby shows whenever his own schedule allows him the opportunities to do so. Although they still reside in Rome, the couple continues to spend the majority of their own time frequenting Bramford.
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Family
Janis (played anonymously) THOSE WHO DOMINATE THE WORLD HAVE NO NEED FOR CROWNS AND THRONES.
My beloved wife - with you by my side, there is nothing I cannot achieve.
