Akraelyn's Background
Preface: This is a very old background, written when Ashta Harrud and so forth was little more than an idea for a desert city. If it conflicts with existing facts in any way, feel free to reshape it. The purpose of this story is simply to give a sense of Akraelyn's character, and the circumstances that shaped it.
Mortal background
Akraelyn was born into a poor family, in a small shanty town near the southern border of Nendor. His parents brought him up as best they could, feeding him stories of the heroic Champions when real sustenance was nowhere to be found. When he was eight years of age, the town was invaded by slave-traders from Ashta Harrud. The town was burnt to the ground, and the living were taken as human cargo back to the desert city. There, he was sold into the service of a merchant prince, who started to have him trained, much like a trainer breeds a greyhound. In time, Akraelyn grew strong, and found blood and victory in the gladiator pits. But this was not the life he wanted. The deaths of his opponents weighed heavily on his soul, and he prayed nightly that he might be rescued from his torment. And so he lived for many years, sustaining himself on his prayers and his hopes. Finally, he was granted salvation, when a member of the prince's harem took pity upon his plight. She had him smuggled out by way of the city's sewer systems, and he soon found himself on a wagon, bound for Var Bandor. There he wandered aimlessly for a time, living off of what little he could beg. Finally, he was granted work as a scholar's assistant. While working under his master, he learned a great many things, including how to read, and the lay of the land. Confident in his own abilities, he set out to do what little he could to right the injustices he had faced as a child.
Recap of Mortal Life Akraelyn's real life didn't begin until he was roughly 20-ish. He joined the Champions young and remained a simple soldier for quite some time, most notably during the period of Sidaleth's ascendancy. He further served under the Leadership of Sirrindiln, during which time the Coven made its way into the world. Sirrindiln vanished soon after, and Akraelyn was left to defend the Tower on his own, for the most part.
After a time, he reluctantly accepted the position of Leader from Jolinn, and took to rebuilding the forces of the Tower. After a time, the Coven began to recede, and Akraelyn considered his duties as leader to be complete. He relinquished his position as leader, passing it down to Eladriemir. After a short grace period, he retired to a fishing village* with his friend Sance. After a time, he realized that he could never be satisfied with a quiet life, and returned to the Tower to train young applicants.
* It was established in the First Act of the Gyel-Xan arc (the coming of Kyez-Ralin and Avistis rescuing Yesa using the Chalice of Jolinn) that Akraelyn and Sance had actually gone off to wander the planes, using their magic and swordplay to explore places and worlds previously unknown. Akraelyn actually became aware of some of the events surrounding the return of Kyez-Ralin, the spawn of Sothmogga, Vaeshir's Ascenscion, and the Coming of Converu, actually returning to warn the then-leader of the Champions Avistis.
He stated that he and Sance had encountered a dying messenger, sent with a message for Avistis, that he should "Find Truth in Dreams". It was assumed the messenger was from Converu, telling Avistis that the Chalice of Jolinn's location could be found in Dream. It is equally likely the message was from Sabanthe, who sought to quell the rising power of the Spawn of Sothmogga and Kyez-Ralin, both of whom were largely disruptive influences to her own plan.
