Hey, Scribes! Today, we have a backstory for a Death Monk who is rejecting the usual monastic teachings. Let us know what you think!
Alistair Bloodbane was different from his siblings from birth. His life, although just moment old, was a struggle. When he was born, he often got extremely sick and required hours of care from the strongest clerics in town to heal his body. His mother was extremely worried for her baby boy, always on edge when he so much as made a wrong noise. She watched over him like a hawk trying to protect him from the outside world.
There was a monk that was traveling through the small city. He ran into Alistair’s mother who was frantically running to the cleric’s office. Cain introduced himself to the mother and asked why she was so frantic. She explained that her baby boy was constantly deathly ill and needed the attention of the cleric weekly. The monk took one look at the baby and nodded.
“Ma’am, I am afraid I have some bad news. It seems your baby has a terminal illness. I don’t know what kind but the healing from the cleric isn’t enough. If you allow me, I can keep your son’s illness at bay back at my temple. Will you allow me to take your son?”
His mother thought it over, but agreed under one condition, “Can I please come and visit my baby boy?” Cain agreed and lead her out of the city. On a small hill right outside of town was a massive temple. They walked in and he showed her around.
“If I keep this boy with me, I am almost 100 percent certain I can keep his sickness at bay. He can have a normal life here with me,” He explained to the mom. She gently kissed the boy’s head before handing him over. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “I will be back, my baby. I love you so much.”
From then on, Alistair grew up under Cain’s watchful eye. His mother’s visits started becoming less and less frequent until she stopped showing up altogether. Cain found out that she died from unknown causes, but he knew it was from a broken and heavy heart. Somehow, he was able to keep the symptoms of his illness at bay. He taught the boy the way of his religion and how they don’t fear death. When Alistair was around 11, Cain finally told him the story of his upbringing. He told him about his illness and how he believed that it would eventually kill him someday. Cain taught him how to keep his symptoms at bay and how to stay as healthy as he could.
But, death scared him and he grew to be afraid of the outside world. How can I just sit around and wait to die? What kind of life is this?! He thought to himself one day as he was having a bad coughing fit. This isn’t right. If I’m going to die early anyway, I want it to be on my own terms. Not by some illness. I can’t just sit back and accept my fate!
As soon as Alistair turned 16, he left a note for Cain to find. It read,
“Cain,
I know you’ve taught me to be unafraid in the face of death. But, I am. I’m terrified. I can’t just wait around for my body to finally give into my sickness. I need to live the life I’ve always wanted. Thank you for taking care of me.
I’m sorry,
Alistair”
He left the note on his bed and snuck out one night, never to return. He needed to figure out how to beat this illness. He wasn’t going to let this sickness rule his every life. He didn’t want to die! He wanted to go out and see the world and all it has to offer. Alistair swore to himself right then and there that he was going to beat this sickness or die trying!
The original idea was brought to us by Alexander Eiffel. It was written and edited by us, Bards of Lore. We take no credit in the creation of this character.
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