Bastion Ferdinandson

The Black Axe tribe was once a feared and brutal clan of feral Minotaurs that killed as they wished, and terrorized a large territory surrounding their mountain homes. Their leader was the largest and fiercest in the tribe, a brute believed to poses giants blood in his veins, and wielding a massive axe of obsidian. Traktus Giantblood, wielding this axe as his symbol of leadership, united the beasts into a war party, and began to raid and pillage the countryside. Sweeping down from the mountains like a wave of death on moonless nights, thundering across the land like a herd of red eyed bulls, they would attack any town or village they could find. These brutal swift attacks were known as the "Nights of Thunder". The survivors of these attacks fled to other towns, seeking refuge from the bovine hoard, their numbers growing everyday as more settlements fell. Until finally one last province remained. Known as "Deus Portum", it was believed that the small town was protected by a divine presence, they were wrong. Soon it became clear that the town was a trap, a location left alone to draw in the last of the refugees. Historians refer to the night as the 'Executioner's Moon', and it is when the axe fell on Deus Portum. When the hoard rushed in, they filled the sky with smoke from the burnt fields. However, while the defense of the town ultimately failed, it proved strong enough to break the hoard, and impress it's conquerors. The town was not protected by gods, but a divine presence was there. Celestial blood ran through the families of Deus Portum, granting it's guardians extraordinary powers to heal and smite evil, but eventually their shields failed. The army broke through, and swept into the town, only to find resistance even there, the people resolving to fight against their doom. Raiding and killing without remorse, it looked as though there would be no survivors. But then the killing stopped, the blood-lust subsided. One of the strange divine blooded protectors had succeeded in felling Traktus, his axe falling to his second. Seeing how weak their numbers had grown, the new leader ordered a retreat. Along with the kidnapping of every women of celestial blood they could capture. This strange blood bested them that night, but it would belong to the Black Axe Tribe next time. The town burned to the ground, and the asimar were taking to the tribes home, forced to bear the children of these monsters. But, what was not known then was how strong the divine influence would be. The Minotaur and human mix was weaker physically than their forefathers, but possessed a higher intellect than before. As well as a tempered desired for conquest. They fought, they killed, they wielded their divine power for the tribe like intended, but the tribe did not partake of war again. Always for one reason or another they maintained a tentative unspoken peace. Time passed, new generations were born, and the blood further mixed. No longer were they simple brutes. Lead by a new breed of chiefs, they began to develop law and order, becoming less chaotic and evil. However, the need to fight continued, but now the Black Axe simply fought to protect their territory rather than conquest. In the end, the divine blood had won. Until... The Dread Brothers tribe challenged the Black Axe's current chief, Ferdinand. Having adopted the name from the human stories, he was known for seeking peace between his clan and the new human settlements, and offering his warriors as guardians of the people. The Dread Brothers saw this as weakness, and sought to take the lands for themselves. At first they wouldn't oppose the Black Axe warriors directly, killing them while on patrol or in ambushes, eventually becoming more bold with each attack. As they murdered Ferdinand's followers, they began to rally their own, until they held enough authority to challenge the chief for leadership. Ferdinand could not refuse, and by ritual and custom accepted the challenge, agreeing to dual the eldest brother, Trakban. However, while they would use customs for their own gain, Trakban held no remorse when his brothers Turrus and Arkan helped him with subtle poisons and spells. Ferdinand the peace bringer was slain, Trakban Stormhand became the new leader, and his brothers his most trusted enforcers. Their first act was to send the last of Ferdinand's warriors to their deaths, their second to share the women among their own followers. All accepted Ferdinand's wife, whom Trakban claimed as his own. The brutal new leader taking sick pleasure in the idea of conquering all of his former rivals holds. But he didn't know that his final conquest was already with child. Testra Truthspeaker was every bit Ferdinand's equal and partner, smart as she was beautiful. She knew she was pregnant with her husbands child, and quickly moved to convince Trakban it was his. He fell for her ruse, and when the child was born had no choice but to let Testra care for it, choosing to try to corrupt the son against the father. However, as the calf grew, he was clearly not as big or strong as the other calves with pure blood parents. Calling him a runt, Trakban cast him from the tribe at the age of eight, declaring that if he could survive he would be worthy to rejoin his kin. His true intent was to let the boy die, or let his brothers kill him. He didn't care. But, Testra, in her wisdom had already trained and prepared her son for this day, and as soon as he was cast out he fled south. Through luck, training, and his would be assassins failed attempts to kill him, they lost his trail. But his escape was a mixed blessing, for Minotaurs are prized by humans, and he was captured by slavers. He was safe from Trakban, but had lost his freedom as he was marched into the unknown. For the best price the slavers took the boy to the capital, Axadria city of silver. And for a Minotaur, the coliseum. The sell was easy enough, even though the boy was still a calf. He'd make good cannon fodder, and would learn quickly... If he survived. As luck would have it though, his first match was against a monk named Somriel. It was the man's final match, one last victory, and he would earn his freedom. But, when he saw the child, he refused. He would not kill the young boy, even for his own freedom, and instead took the burden of training him. He could always earn his freedom later.