Once upon a time, I was a younger man. It seems a silly thing to say even if it’s true. Wisdom is bought with youth and foolishness as its price. Who can say if the trade is worth it? I was trained as a mystic knight of Etraxia, a land so far beyond the Eastern Blight that no man has ventured there and returned. The world from which I came is one of chaos, power, and madness, where gods run like wild dogs through the street. It is a place ruled by the strong, where every man is either servant or master. As a child, I dreamed there must be something more, and once I came of age, I journeyed across the vast wasteland until I reached the Kingdom of Ellystria. While I could have been a respected lord in my own realm, I found a greater purpose using my runic talents in the fight against the evils that threatened this peaceful foreign country. In my youth, I found danger and adventure at every corner, facing villains and lurking demons as a wandering hero. I found the company of friends who became my family and we fought together more than once to save the world. But only a young man believes he can save the world. An old man knows the world must save itself.
So, that is what I became. The years have taken their toll in gray hairs, creaking knees, and a collection of follies and sorrows. I wish often that I could have my youth again, not a yearning for virility but for the chance to teach that young man I once was what really matters in life. Instead, I impart my insight and guidance to those with the will and the bravery to fight for the world they love. When I look in the eyes of younger men and women, I see the same courage and determination to be heroes, not yet dimmed by the tragedies of time. I have traveled the country, rejoicing in the peace earned by the sacrifice of generations of good men and women, not warriors or magicians. This world has taught me a lesson unknown to even the wisest of Etraxian scholars. The divinity in living things is not in their strength, but in the goodness of their souls. These are the people who change the world, not conquerors or lords with heavy hands and hollow hearts. I know now that an encouraging word is more powerful than a bolt of lightning or fire from the heavens. I hope one day, perhaps at the sunset of my mortal sojourn, to offer my journal and memoir to the people of Etraxia, to inspire them to follow in my footsteps. But perchance there is a fight or two left in me before my time is come.
Armor of Sorrow 