Hewnog Fox Hengeyokai Ranger

Backstory

I was born in a Mountain forest a fair distance North East of Kistan. My family had lived and
defended the grove for generations, but I wanted more. Long before my family considered it
prudent, let alone appropriate, I left the glen. I traveled for weeks and finally ended up
Ragesian. I was young and my human form was that of a child, I had learned that many lands
were cold towards you orphan waifs. In Ragesian I heard rumors of a rich land to the east. The
rumours told of a rich land ruled by the elves, and even if the tone wa that of disapproval from
the people, I remember my parents talking of elves, of how most respected the land. So I
started toward that famed land.

I reached The City of Gate Pass and stopped my eastwards journey. I had decided to briefly
stay in the city when I was snatched up into a gang. I was just walking when a man asked me
where my folks are. I told him they were dead (the common lie I told to people). The man told
me he was from an orphanage and that the city law was that I would need to go to his
orphanage. I didn’t believe him, but the young human with him said the same thing. I decided
that I should go with the man, after all I could just slip away if this was a trap. The orphanage
appeared to be just that however. The rundown build was typical of the district, but it at least
tried to be clean and the other children seemed happy enough. I quickly discovered that not all
was as it seemed. The “orphanage” was the base for a gang of pickpockets. I was told that we
(the children) were not allowed to leave, and would receive smaller rations until we were trained
and working for the Boss. I was not happy with this arrangement and attempted escape. I was
caught by one of my roommates before I could even leave the room. I was locked in the “Bad
Box” (a room with no windows and only a roof hatch for a door) when the Gang was broken up
by someone (I would later learn the thieves guild did not like unauthorized outfits operating in
their city). I was offered a chance to stay be the new “bosses” but I fled.

I had traveled not very far at all before being caught again. This time by a old lady. I was hungry
and was attempting to take a cheese from a shed when the old lady who owned the ranch
caught me. I old women didn’t scream, or beat me, no she invited me inside for dinner. I
cautiously followed. The old lady introduced me to her husband at dinner. The ranch master
declared he would take me into Gate Pass and turn me in as a thief. The Old lady convinced
him to wait until the next market trip instead of making a special trip. The old man agreed. I was
told that if I fled the Old man would hunt me down with his dogs. I was terrified of dogs (as any
good young fox should be). I swore not to run, and the old man and lady set me to helping out
around the ranch. The market day came and the old man told me to watch the missus while he
was in the city. I was confused but agreed. That evening I asked the Lady when the guard
would be coming to take me. The Lady told me that I reminded her if her brothers son, and that
she had convinced her husband to take me in as a ward. I didn’t understand, she explained that
she wanted to take me in as her own. I asked why, and she told be her only child had died
young, and her husband and her wanted a child. I hesitantly agreed, it was the best decision I
could have made.

A few years passed and I had settled in at Uncle's Ranch. I couldn’t bear to call my adoptive
parents father and mother, but Aunt and Uncle I could manage. I kept my true nature hidden
from them, although I remember more than one comment from my aunt about how the foes had
stopped raiding the hen house (of course they would what fox would challenge me for territory).
It was a surprise when uncle told me I was old enough to learn to hunt for the pot while out with
the goats. I didn’t disagree and so learned the basics of human hunting. Soon I was bringing
back strings of hares and birds (Uncle didn’t need to know that hunting in my natural form was
easier than in the human form) Uncle declared me a natural. I was happy at the Ranch so of
course fate would find a way of messing it all up.

I later learned that they are called living spells. A spell that a wizard accidentally (or maybe not
so) modifies and goes awry, worse semi-sentient awry. The lightning spell hit our Ranch like
well a lightning bolt from a clear sky. One blink and the goats were killed, another and the coup
was in flames. Fortunately for Aunt and Uncle the Bolt jumped then to the cheese house. We
got out of the ranch cabin and way enough so that the bolt didn’t harm us and it set about the
ranch. We returned a few days later to find it all destroyed and the living spell moved on. Uncle
declare himself too old to start again and decided to see if a friend would take us in. Master
Gauwalt Bowe agreed to host my Uncle. Master Bowe was impressed in my hunting ability and
declare he would teach me to hunt bigger game than rabbits. And so my second introduction to
the wilderness began. Master Bowe should me how to track and hunt. I enjoyed my time with
him, then the Ragesiani came.

Gate pass was invaded and occupied by the Ragesiani. Master Bowe was not happy with the
new owners of the city, and declared himself for Gate Pass. He was injured during the invasion,
but his spirit was not defeated. Master Bowe started to use his skills in the wild to scout, spy and
when needed kill the Ragesiani. I became his assistant. See a fellow who can turn into a fox has
a easier time out foxing (see what I did there) patrols and carrying messages. The trick also
helps in sneaking up and arranging the doom of small patrols. Arrow ambushes and clever traps
each helped a little bit with the war effort. I was particularly happy with the elimination of
Imperial spellcasters, having never truly forgiven arcane magic users for the spell that destroyed
my ranch. I spent time reading books until I was quite adept at punishing those who meddle with
the arcane. The resistance was happy with our work, and (at least I would like to think) the
Imperial sorcerers all feared an arrow in the night.

When the Ragesiani were driven from our lands the resistance continued to use me as a
courier, spy, and later a scout. Until the year I left home that is. Master Bowe told me that I was
finally old enough to make my own way. He told me that as a young man I could put the skills he
taught me and my knowledge of the area to use. I agreed, my nature wanted me to move on
from Master Bowes house, even with running messages and parcels I had spent just over 50 of
my 62 years in or around Gate Pass. But my loyalty to Master Bowe, Aunt and Uncle, and to the
people in the resistance that I knew keep me from fleeing to far. I went to my postmaster and
told him of Master Bowes instructions the Postmaster handed me a letter and told me that it was
to be read then burned. The instructions were simple, become an adventurer, but remember my
friends, and seek out Torrent in the Poison Apple Pub.