Stewardt Wellesley

Stewardt Wellesley
15 yeas go, the Aldora clan of humanity contained a group of citizens who were dedicated to the Order of Voln. The leader of this group of citizens was a paladin named Westmarch Wellesley. The elders of the Aldora clan tasked Westmarch to take his people to Icemule Trace and begin a new Voln monastery/fortress similar to the one at Wehnimer’s Landing. With him, they sent a high cleric of Lorminstra and several acolytes and paladins.
Tracking clan Aldora’s activities, was an evil human necromancer named Pentegarn. He discovered this settlement plan and hated everything dedicated to Voln. He learned of the route Westmarch would take through the cold north and planned a massive ambush to destroy Westmarch and his caravan of settlers.

Westmarch had a young son named Stewardt. He was 5 years old. He placed Stewardt on the lead wagon, seating him next to a fine old friend that directed the wagon’s horses.As the caravan passed through a cold and narrow mountain pass leading to the tundra, massive numbers of rotting undead creatures descended from the mountain slopes to the left and right to envelop the caravan. Pentegarn slowly walked down the slope behind them as he directed the attack. Westmarch skillfully rallied his men to defend the caravan. Although they fought valiantly, the numbers of undead foes were too numerous. One by one, Westmarch’s men fell. As they fell, the undead beasts began to climb aboard the wagons and kill the women and children. The undead beasts even began to devour the horses. Seeing all was at loss, Westmarch worked his way over to the lead wagon and pulled Stewardt off. The good old man who sat next to Stewardt managed to grab a shovel and slowly climb off the wagon to stand with Westmarch. With a sharp barking voice, Westmarch ordered Stewardt to run for his life and pointed to an escape gap in the line of enemy. Westmarch and the old man then turned to stand their ground to cover Stewardt’s escape. They were soon torn down, but Stewardt did not turn around to watch. He just kept running through a pass for dear life. As he ran, he could hear the wicked cackle of Pentegarn off in the distance.

Lost, alone and very cold, Stewardt’s tears began to freeze on his face. He could only stay warm by continuing to walk closer into frozen territory. Then, ahead in the distance, he saw a group of eight well armed adventurers approaching! Stewardt had nothing. They were his only hope. He ran screaming and crying to them. A young lady cleric of the group knelt down to take screaming Stewardt into her arms. Her name was Ghrayce. She held and comforted Stewardt as two large leaders of the group named Murkshev and Olgretein identified the group as a White Haven patrol, and listened to Stewardt tell his story in a crying voice. They then told Ghrayce to fog little Stewardt back to Icemule while they moved forward to investigate the ambush site.

When the group came to the ambush site, they found only the empty line of looted wagons. No bodies where present at all. They could tell there was a struggle by the blood-stained snow in combination with broken weaponry and torn cloth and hides. They then searched the perimiter in an attempt to find anyone at all, but found nothing. So they returned to Icemule.

In Icemule, Ghrayce reclothed and fed little Stewardt. She took him to the town mayor, explained what happened, and found Stewardt a boarding home for orphans in the city. There, Stewardt grew up in Icemule Trace and received care and public education through the kindness of the city. As he continued to grow, he frequently stayed in touch with Lady Ghrayce and the White Haven family. He was determined to be a Voln paladin like his father Westmarch. White Haven started him off as an adolescent with a wooden sword and gave him some basic fighting instruction. He also went to the City Temple to worship and learn about all of the gods.

At the age of 16, it was determined that Stewardt was old enough to begin his paladin training. He was then given some basic gear and began to fight easy things like rats in the town well. He got a little better and better until he decided he wanted to travel to Wehnimer’s Lading to join the Order of Voln. A travel guide took him there and soon he was a new young Voln Paladin. He traveled back and forth between the Landing and Icemule and developed strong friendships with Ghrayce’s brother Keelson, and a giantman warrior named Fyrful. Through Fyrful, Stewardt was introduced to a warm and loving family called House Onoir. There Stewardt stands today!