History
In the beginning, Ismahel was destined to be a slave.
His parents, and their parents before them, had the misfortune of being born in Kenash. They were not of the illustrious Dynasties or even the Freeborn. But rather, their places was in the fields under the boot of their "betters." Yet, they were not fooled by the delusion of one day "earned" their freedom. They believed that they could snatch liberation for themselves by throwing in their lot with those who directly opposed the Dynasties: the Rujaro. For quite some time, Ismahel's parents dragged their feet on making a break for the Rujaro's embrace. It was only when his mother, Agar fell pregnant that they formally hatched a plan. Under the cover of night, Ismahel's father, Ibrahim, reached out to the rebels. He offered his life as a warrior in exchange for helping his wife and unborn child escape Kenash for good.
The Rujaro accepted and an attempt for escape was made. Yet, on that night, the masters were tipped off by a fellow slave. Hounds were sent after the fleeing couple and their Rujaro contact - the escape was compromised. So, Ibrahim split from the group in order to meet the hounds head on. In doing so, he gave his wife and their contact room to escape. For this attempt, however, there was no mercy for Ibrahim. He was made an example of immediately and lynched for daring to seek freedom. His death, however, was not in vain. Not only had he managed to allow his wife and the Rujaro contact to escape, he also inspired the rebels to honor their original agreement.
So it was that Agar was introduced to a Freeborn trader who was sympathetic to the plight of the slaves: Joseph. He was a man malformed by complications at birth, but held a silver tongue and a true knowledge of commerce. Agar would ride along with Joseph as he embarked out of Kenash. During their months of travel, the pair got to know one another very well. And Agar treated Joseph with genuine kindness, not simply kindness out of obligation or gratitude. This, in turn, caused Joseph to develop feelings for the escaped woman. And, by the time Ismahel was due to be born, he offered to take her as his wife and to adopt her unborn child as his own. Agar happily agreed.
Thus, Ismahel was born in the safety of Riverfall in a rented space. From thence, he was raised on the road and lived the life of a trader. As he grew, he was surrounded by the sights of Sylira and Cyphrus, but ultimately found joy in nature. During boyhood, he would wander around their camps and explore the lands about. He would chase birds and butterflies, but seldom catch them. Then, as he got older, his fascinations with nature came in handy to the caravan. Where his mother would weave and his father would deal, Ismahel would handle cuts, scrapes, and other minor issues that arose on the way. What's more, wherever they stopped, he would pester the local herbalist to show him a thing or two.
Sometimes this earned him a pat on the head and some knowledge...at others, he was scotted away like a nuisance.
By the time Ismahel was a man, he was confident in his knowledge and abilities. But confidence in bandages and teas meant nothing in the face of deep illness. Whilst traveling towards Riverfall, Joseph began a ragged cough. This was not the first time Ishmahel encountered what he thought was a seasonal chill, so he brewed the same herbal teas as usual. Yet, this time, there was no relief. In fact, his cough only worsened. No matter what Ismahel tried or offered, Joseph's cough only seemed to dig into deeper. By the time they reached the city, Joseph was a shell of his former self. The local healers examined him and advised the family of his grim fate. What ravaged his body was no mere cough - and it was too far advanced for them to offer any cure. Only relief as he moved into the next life.
Agar, distraught, lashed out at her son. While it was not his fault, his failures to catch or stop the disease was hurled in his face. Ismahel was cut deeply by this. He tried to understand that he was not truly the target of her fury. He tried to explain that Joseph was also stubborn and always tried to hide when he was ill to the last minute. But nothing he said or did could quell his mother's wrath. Her rage continued until Joseph passed on; and at that point, it only got much worse. Agar not only lashed out at her son but actively pushed him away. She demanded that he get out of her presence each time he greeted her. She spoke only in single words, if that, otherwise.
In time, Ismahel, burdened with his own sorrow, guilt, and frustration, took her request to heart and departed from her presence. His first inclination was to rely upon his father's trade relationships to join a caravan. Then, he could go back on the road, just like before. But...that was not enough. He knew, eventually, his path would cross his mother's again if he chose this option. Thus, he chose to go where none would know his name. He boarded a trading vessel bound for a relatively new colony across the sea, intent to figure out his life anew from there.
So it was that Ismahel arrived in Syka.
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