Hrosskell Veinneson was born the fourth son of seven, to father and chieftain
of the Veinneson clan, Hreidmar, and mother Herdis. His first three brothers
fell in combat between clans, while the second three died to the harsh
winters at the foot of the Netheril mountains. Still, living in a clan
community, he grew up with many cousins, many of whom were as close to him as
brothers - the closest of these cousins being Hakkon Guinneson and Heimgard
Olafsson.
During his childhood, Hrosskell showed exceeding skill in not only combat,
but the arts as well. At the age of seven, he bested his second oldest
brother, age twelve, at a traditional festival of combat, by this time, he
could already read and write fluently in both his native barbaric tongue as
well as the common language and dwarven. At his father's behest, he left the
mountains for the city of Silverymoon, where he would receive further
education, as well as training in the career of a fighter.
Always quick to learn, Hrosskell mastered the lessons he was taught in the
temple of Tymora in Silverymoon within a year of arriving at Silverymoon, he
left for the City of Splendors, taking with him the basic skills of a soldier
and the knowledge of yet another language - the vitals of elven. Before he
left, he had learned enough to trade with the local and regional bands of
elves that inhabited Silverymoon and the surrounding forests.
Upon arriving in Waterdeep, Hrosskell soon realized he was not ready for the
civilized life contained within its walls. He left after a brief stay,
finding his way to the Misty Forest, where he lived as the archetype of the
noble savage. Dressed in little more than bear hides and bearing a crudely
forged axe, he spent the next two years in solitude, his routines filled with
the hunt and the drills he had picked up in his brief stay at the Fighter's
Guild in Waterdeep. During this time, it is said that he worshiped both the
Earthmother aspect of Chauntea and the wild embrace of Mielikki.
At the age of twenty, Hrosskell returned to Waterdeep, where he learned of
his father's deteriorating condition. He began to study materials on life and
death, and took his first interest in Kelemvor. A chance occurrence with a
minister of the Lord of the Dead changed his life forever: he learned of the
comfort in death, as well as the general dogma of his Lord-to-be, and
embraced it from the start. After a period of grieving and meditation over
his father's death, he announced his intention to serve the God of the Dead,
and began his quest for faith.
During a visit to the mansion of a powerful lich with his comrade Oebo
Burntbeard, the Lord Kelemvor spoke to Hrosskell in a vision. Kelemvor told
him to defeat the beasts within and proof of his sword's devotion, and he
would be inducted into the Church. After five days, Oebo and Hrosskell put
all the undead within the mansion to rest, including the lich himself. From
that day forth, Hrosskell's mind and body were devoted to the God of the
Dead.
It is now at least forty years from that cold winter day. Hrosskell has grown
old and gray with time, but his sword-arm still bears the sword of his Lord,
however, now it is a different blade: Blightbane, once called Undeadblight,
and colloquially known as the Sword of the Doomguides. A world of adventure
and experience separates him from the boy he was, but the Doomguide he is now
serves with the same, fresh passion he has always felt for his God.