Crom Cortega
Crom Cortega is a Paladin of Eldath, an order known for quiet wisdom. Crom is super quiet and wise. No, for real, though. Look at him over there in the corner of the tavern, being so quiet and wise he is practically sweating with it.
Just outside the rustic woodland village of _________, peopled mostly by elves and half-elves, sits a small temple to the elven goddess of peace, solitude, and nature, run by a middle-aged half-elf, half-human priest named Arlo Cortega. Arlo is a devout, soft-spoken, warm-hearted soul who was definitely voted, "Least likely to bang an orc," back at seminary. And yet. Here we are. Here Crom is.
Or rather, there Crom was, left on the porch of Arlo's stone cottage as a child, clutching a a ragged orc battle-doll (meant to teach children the vulnerable points of the body) as if it were a wooby with a note pinned to his tunic that said, "CROM. YERS."
Is Crom Arlo's? Arlo has never said different, and Crom definitely has elf in his genetic woodpile. Sure, it's possible there is some human in there, though no one has a clue what is his life span might be.
Crom dreams of drums and stomping. He has vague memories of a loud nomadic childhood and a growly, violent, loving mother. Specifically, he remembers clinging to her leg while she swung a wooden plank around, beating the hell out of some larger children who had hurt him.
Crom at the temple. He suspects they were his siblings, and he believes she brought him to his father because he was too small and weak to survive his own family and life in that roaming band. He feels this as his failure more than her abandonment. He also feels way too small, even as he squeezes through slender elven door ways. The delicate elven cups shatter in his hands, which means he also feels unwieldy and too big. He has big feet he tries to walk softly upon and a huge, deep voice he uses to make raspy whispers.
He has never quite fit anywhere, but he loves his dad, and Eldath, and dogs, and nature, and life. He is an optimist with big heart for underdogs who tries to do the right thing. He dislikes bullies and underhanded types, and this includes Dan Shagger, with all his brags about pretty witches and potion-roofies. At the same time, part of his dislike for Dan was envy----Dan has travelled, and to Crom, Dan seemed so at ease with himself.
When he heard a pair of young people who live in or near his village are heading to Oddwall, he offered his sword and shield, packed a lunch, and set off with them.
