Before the Beholder

Kai'Rel Alblight

I was born in a small town.  The name is not worth remembering.  It was always me and Ma at home.  Pops was a soldier.  A good man.  He believed in his job.  Always said that it is a bad world and we need to make it better for those who cannot.  He was a fool.  When shit goes down humans always look for the nearest monster to blame.  And what did they see?  The brave soldier?  The town guard who protected the town for 13 years?  The man who had a bad leg from saving a kid from a goblin? No.  All they saw was a black scaled dragonborn and an easy mockery of a trial.

Of course, they came calling.  Mayor's daughter found dead.  Barely recognizable from the acid burns.  I'd call us out too.  The worst of it was that we knew.  We knew they were coming.  We could've left.  We could've run.  But no.  Pops believed in the system.  Pops believed that justice would protect him.  Pops believed the trial would only reveal his innocence.  They weren't listening.  They killed him.  They killed a man who protected them.  Believed in them.  Stood up for them.  Turned his back against the begs and pleads of his family.  Because he believed in them.  And they killed him.

Wasn't much left in town for us after that. Ma had no work experience.  No one was going to take care of the "Murderer's" family.  So we left. I was six years old when Ma took us to Baldur's Gate.  We landed in the slums desperately trying to find work.  We thought our luck took a turn for the better when she found work... We were wrong.

There was a poorly painted sign that read "Kadana Oils".  He introduced himself as Kadana.  Zarris Kadana.  A male Tiefling acting like an angel.  He showed "pity" to our situation and offered to help make use of our "racial advantages" in order to turn a profit.  Offered Ma a position distilling acid.  Don't know how? "I'll teach you for a price."  No money? "I'll give you a loan." Oh, need materials to help distill acid?  Need a storefront to sell your acid?  Need a place to stay?  Need food?  "Don't worry, Kadana will give you a loan."

He gave her so much and asked for so much more in return.  It was no time at all before Ma was unable to maintain her debts.  Couldn't make the payments.  Thank the gods for the law!  They, of course, would do the right thing and save us from this monster.  No.  We are the monsters.  The local authorities gave Kadana my mother's freedom."Indentured Servitude" is just a candy coating on the ugly truth that we were slaves.  Kadana owns us.

That was almost 15 years ago.  Living conditions have only gotten worse.  Every now and again we'll get lucky and manage to build up some funds... But if Kadana finds out those funds somehow seem to go missing from are raggedy old hut.  The first couple of years weren't as bad... It was year 4 when things took yet another turn for the worse.  That's when the abuse started.

I would do anything to free my mother.  It was an unimaginable blessing when I happened to be cleaning the back stockroom.  I was dusting when my hand hit the orb.  That was the first time I heard him.  "You will do."  The orb has the spirit of a silver dragon in it.  Said his name was Ydradar.  He told me that he'd give my wealth and power beyond my wildest dreams.  All I had to do was help him.  Now, I'm not much good to anyone... but for Ma?  I had to try.

I accepted his deal and he ordered me to take the orb in both hands.  I grabbed it and it nearly tore my body apart.  It felt like someone took every vein and muscles in my arm and tore them out.  I remember the pain.  I remember the deafening roar of my own screams.  I remember the silver light.  I remember the cold... cold beyond what I could've imagined was possible.   And then I was on the floor.  Some time had passed.  I was not the same. The fine claws akin to all Dragonborn were much larger, sharper, and could retract into my fingers.  My skin was thicker.  Tougher. But my arms.   My arms had silver streaks up and down my arm. It almost looks like silver lightning.  Almost.

I thought the hardest part was going to be convincing Kadana to let me go seek my fortune.  I tried to spin it so that I could collect materials for his shop.  Make more money then that way.  He just laughed.  Just laughed and said, "be my guest."  The actual hard part was leaving Ma with him.

Ydradar told me to go to a town called Greenest.  Please wait for me Ma.