His name is Balor Gruff. He’s nearly seven feet tall. Where
he comes from, originally, is unknown. He was found by an Errantry patrol as a
baby, abandoned or lost in the forest, and was brought back to Fable, where he
was cared for and raised. He was given the last name of Gruff because this was
the only sound he made as a baby. As for his first name, one of the Errantry
knights thought that this odd-looking creature resembled a dog he’d had as a child, named Balor.
It wasn’t clear to anyone what race or species Gruff
belonged to, so he was just known by the catch-all term “wildman.” He certainly
looked wild enough, with his shaggy hair and a face that has been described as
a cross between a lion and an ill-tempered pug dog.
Balor embraced the name of wildman. The alternatives
were not to his liking, especially the word “ogre,” which he often hears people
whispering in fear as he goes by.
Those who know him well don’t bother about what to
call him. What matters to them is that Gruff is a knight of the Errantry, a
friend who has proven his courage and loyalty on many occasions. There are
times when he can be impulsive, and reckless, but his heart is in the right
place.
If there are any other wildman living in the Realm,
Balor Gruff has never met any of them, though he would like to, so that he
would no longer have to alone in the world. And then he would find out for
certain just what, or who, he is.
Image by T Wharton
No comments:
Post a Comment