Himo of Astera

Himo is a male wood elf ranger.

Himo does not remember the name of his village - only the smell of burning pine and the screams of the dying as fire consumed everything he had ever known.

When he was just a toddler, the forest settlement where he was born was raided and destroyed - whether by orcs, humans, or something fouler, he never learned. The only memory that remains is the feel of his mother's fingers slipping from his as she placed an iron key in his hand and pushed him into a hollow log, whispering one last word: "Run."

And so he did.

Himo wandered alone through the ancient woodlands of the world, barefoot and barely more than a shadow. The forest was kind, in its own way. Foxes didn't fear him. Birds would warn him of danger. He learned to survive, to listen to the trees, and to move without being seen. Eventually, he followed the smoke trails and scent of food into a city (Astera) on the forest's edge - a sprawling, indifferent place where the stone streets were as cold as the people.

There, Himo became one of the invisible. A street urchin. A rooftop whisper. A pickpocket fast enough to not get caught, and clever enough not to pick the wrong pocket.

But life on the streets also taught him about cruelty. Hunger. Corruption. People who preyed on the weak.

It was during this time that Himo began to develop a personal code. He started watching over the other street kids, teaching them to climb, hide, and steal only what was needed. When a gang of thugs began extorting the urchins, Himo made sure their leader disappeared into the night - and never returned.

An old half-blind ranger named Tharivol noticed the boy's potential. Instead of turning him in or ignoring him, Tharivol offered him something rare: guidance. The grizzled elf taught Himo how to track, how to fight with precision, and most importantly, how to protect instead of just survive. He spoke of the balance of the wilds, of the importance of watching from the shadows and striking only when needed.

For the first time, Himo had a mentor. A purpose.

Now, as a full-fledged ranger, Himo walks the line between civilization and wilderness. He still feels the pull of the streets - the pain of those who have nothing, of children like he once was. But he also knows the value of the wild, and he defends the natural world as fiercely as he would a hungry child in an alley.

He is quiet, observant, and deeply protective - not of nations or crowns, but of people. The forgotten. The lost. Like he once was.

Chapter 1

Gimble and Himo slept in and missed going out on patrol with the rest of Team A. The two of them got into some mischief of their own. They don't talk about it.

Chapter 2

Total Treasure