Arin and Tarooos
Born Arin of Shallow Waters, a kind man, and a lover of nature and a deep thinker. Arin is a ranger type lover of the deep woods with a strong sense of justice and fair play. Eventually strange forces swirled around his leadership and much to this humble, flawed man's shock, he found himself king of a great state called Free State. It spread its mighty arms out, growing on the principle of freedom, embracing the Free States Refrain.
And behind him, always, a silent giant if a warrior, in a black skintight Marion, Tarooos.
Neither of their stories are secret, though they are often forgotten. Free State went on after Arin Abdicated and would disappear for a decade or two. Every time he returned the King would step down in his favor. He would rule again, then leave to travel again.
Tarooos was a constant presence behind Arin. At his side always. A 7' half-orc, he was raised in an orphanage till he was tossed into a stream to die at age 12 by a priest unable to handle him. There a young Arin, fresh on his rangers path found him. Caring for him, the pair traveled and shared many adventures together. Tarooos's loyalty is legendary. While not talkative, he can be very gentle and prefers to settle fights with fists and feet rather then weapons. Tarooos has demonstrated several psionic abilities but only on extremely rare occasions. The fact of their existence has made many a dangerous man wary in his presence.
Tarooos was raised by the Cult of Athena and fought his violent side while learning to give it direction and purpose.
Tarooos has a companion sparrow that has long outlived the usual span of years for a songbird.
Arin's drawback is that he goes on long drinking bouts and suffers from deep despair. For some reason at these times he seeks out the same tavern, or its shadows. Its a small dive bar called the Slim Pickings, in Monrovia, California of the Earth/Urth worlds. This place has 4 booths and 20 seats at the bar. A dartboard and a jukebox. The local customers come and go and a few regulars seem to always be there. Even with regular clientele its hard to imagine how the place gets-by financially. It gets by because every decade or two a traveler comes and drops a chest of gold on the owner's family with only a handshake that they will keep the Slim Pickings open and more or less unchanged.
Tarooos sits at the bar at these times drinking ice water while his master pines.
Both Arin and Tarooos are adamant about not being part of CHAD.
