Set-ai (ca. 300 AC - ? AC) was a mountain man who lived around the time of the War of the Lance. He was a grizzled man in a heavy cloak made of white rabbit pelts who had piercing blue eyes. He had streaks of gray hair, bushy eyebrows, and a think, neatly trimmed beard. His face, neck and shoulders were large and powerful looking, and he appeared to have lived roughly for most of life. Set-ai was a hunter and a tracker, even a mentor to young adventurers. He only killed when necessary yet he was proficient in many weapons such as swords, bows, the staff, and the exotic weapon, the dragonclaws.
Early Life[]
Set-ai was born in the mountains of Northern Solamnia and spent his early years hunting and tracking with his father. Once he reached adulthood, he left his mountain home and found a wife. Soon they had a child together and time for a bit was good. That is until the War of the Lance started. Set-ai was worried about the safety of his family and sent his wife and son north to live with his father, but they never made it.
This loss changed Set-ai and encouraged him to fight the evils in his lands. During the war, his unit spent a lot of time in Solamnia. Set-ai fought well and was given leadership of a squad in the war, made up of Bloody Bob, Zack, Bucky, and Serina. After their lookout fell asleep, they fought off fifty Goblins, leaving ten of them fleeing from combat.
Set-ai had survived the war and left the war-stained fields for the relative peace of the Vingaard Mountains where he could take up hunting once more.
The Great Hunt (353 AC)[]
Set-ai retired from the battlefield and went about doing what he loved, hunting. He heard stories of a monstrous beast that killed ravenously in the Coastlund region of Solamnia. This story was too much for the old man to ignore so he traveled to the high mountain passes and roamed the forest hunting the Beast.
During the winter of 353 AC, Set-ai watched as a band of thieves, called the Highland Rangers, captured a group of young travelers. He watched as the men tied them up and threatened to make sport with one of the women of the group. Finally, he could not watch any longer. With the help of one of the young travelers, named Davyn, Set-ai managed to free the group. Davyn, and his companions, Sindri Suncatcher, Nearra, Catriona Goodlund, and Elidor, were about to start their journey again when Set-ai had pity on them for they did not know how to survive in these wintered mountains. With a good heart, Set-ai agreed to escort them down the mountain to safety.
As the group traveled, Set-ai started to teach them how to survive. He taught lessons on the splitting of firewood and guard duty. He also taught the young knight, Catriona Goodlund, at better ways to fight with the sword. Within a few days, the young group of heroes was more capable at survival. As they reached the end of the mountain trail, Set-ai heard the call of the Beast. In an act of sacrifice, Set-ai lured the Beast away from the young heroes while they made their way to the village of Potter's Mill.
The Beast Attacks[]
Set-ai tracked the Beast, fought and lost against its fury. Instead of killing Set-ai, it dragged him back into its lair and went off hunting once again. He laid there for 3 days bordering between life and death until he was rescued by the young heroes, Davyn and Elidor. Davyn and Elidor had slain the Beast only to watch it turn into its true form, Davyn's father. Set-ai, barely alive, offered Davyn comforting words as the teenager cradled his dead father. With the young heroes help, they got Set-ai back to the village to recuperate. They had saved the village of Potter's Mill from the fury of the Beast.
The Aftermath[]
In the aftermath of the battle, Set-ai decides to retire from hunting, heal, and planned to stay in Potter's Mill and look after the orphan, Mudd and his sister. Before the young heroes left, Set-ai asked for the Dragon Claws back from the knight, Catriona. He took the older ones and gave her a set of new dragon claws and a whetstone to keep them sharp.
References[]
- The Dragon Well pg. 31-36, 38-40, 42, 44, 45-49, 51-52, 55, 61, 66-67, 106, 170-171, 193-194, 211, 220