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The Illustrious Xanthos
Xanthos's Earliest memories were of a troubled and tormented childhood. He recalls sleeping on a rotten blanket thrown into the corner of a sparsely furnished house. There were holes in the roof and walls, barely protecting him from the elements. Mealtime was no pleasant memory either, gruel was the main staple but sometimes he would be able to pick through the remains of a rabbit or raven that his father caught in the wood.
The most vivid memory of his childhood was one trip that he took with his mother and father to Britain. He was amazed at the size and beauty of the buildings and the various people he met in the city. He noticed that his mother and father were walking rather quickly and not being able to keep up in the crowd, found himself falling behind. He kept calling for them, but they did not acknowledge his cries.
Xanthos wandered the streets of Britain, collecting the discarded items of adventurers and merchants he sold them back to the shopkeepers and used what little money he received to buy food. He slept under the bridges in town to keep from getting harassed by the guards. Finally he gained employment as a stable hand, working for room and board. He slept in the stables among the horses and ate what was provided with no complaints.
As he got older, he made friends with a member of the warriors' guild. He spent countless hours cleaning and polishing the tools of their trade. Late at night, when no one was looking, he practiced the moves he saw them perform on the training dummies. When he was old enough the guildmaster asked if Xanthos would take up an apprenticeship as his squire. Xanthos declined stating he would set out to make a name for himself on his own.
He gathered his belongings and set out on the road leading east to whatever adventures lay before him. He hunted animals and ate the meat, tailored hides into armor and made frequent trips back to Britain to sell the goods. He saved the money for he knew to wield the finest weapons and don the strongest armor he would need to amass a small fortune.