Appearance:
Grayson is a large Human although even stronger than he looks. His sandy brown hair and light brown skin defy his dark tan, which only exists due to his time spent working in the sun. His hands are obviously well used from his days as a laborer. He usually wears a huge sheet of chain mail over which he has a dark blue hooded tunic with a red dragon on the front. If the adventure requires, he wears a dented set of plate-mail armor. On his back he has a huge two-handed platinum sword with a dragon's head on the pommel. He wears two throwing axes, one on his back and one on the right side of his belt. A large pouch his belt (left side) contains all his possessions. One look at him and it is obvious that he is of low birth. His boots are well worn as are the rest of his cloths.
History:
Grayson does not have much of a family history. He was found as an infant, naked and abandoned in an alley of a very small town. The town was suffering through a long drought and figured this abandoned child was a bad omen. The local mob hoped that his sacrifice would appease the gods and save them from their suffering. As he was about to be sacrificed, the town lord appeared in the town square (square\market place\ mud hole) and put a quick end to the craziness. He did this not out of pity for the baby boy, but due to his fear of what the ruling lords would think of his lack of control over what they deemed as a few foolish people.
Thus Grayson was taken back to this low-level lord's tiny wooden fort where he would grow up as little more than a slave. He spent all his time on the menial labor that freed up the lords two older boys to practice towards their goal of knighthood. Graysons main purpose was to tend to the animals and till the ground. The work was physically tough but mentally lacking. Fortunately for Grayson, he was genetically coded to be a very big and strong man. His work in the fields and stables only enhanced his strength. He was not, however gifted with massive brain-power. He is not stupid, but he is not many levels above Forest Gump. In another time and place he would be considered a dumb jock that doesn't really like sports.
Not a soul in the town would have anything to do with Grayson and said little to him other than to ridicule and make fun of him. He hated them. His only friends were found in the stable. He found that he loved animals because they didn't care about his lack of intelligence. He would spend most of his free time caring and talking to the animals.
Grayson's other past time was spent as a battle dummy for his older step-brothers. Many an hour he spent with a long stick warding off the attacks of these future honorable knights. Grayson's brothers didn't care for him much more than the town's people but it was more of a pity for a stupid boy than hatred. They mockingly told him that he would be their squire, which he foolishly took serious. Unfortunately for his brothers, he grew and grew while they did not. He eventually was able to beat back attacks from both of them at once. He became very adept at using the massive swords used by huge fighters but his step-father never saw fit to teach him the honorable weapons such as the lance. Fate took a big turn on day during harvest time. A large group of bandits and pirates decided that this town would be easy pray. While Grayson was working by himself in the fields a few kilometers away, they bandits struck. Grayson didn't have any idea until he spied a plume of smoke rising in the distance. He raced to his wooden fort home to find it in ashes. His step-father was found crucified and two sons slain at his feet. Not a soul from the town was spared. The tears slowly came down his face for he didn't know what to do. He pulled his step-fathers two-handed sword from the body of his brother and he caries to this day. Near the gate he found the family flag, in the mud where the battle colors were stricken. From the flag he made the blue and red tunic that he wears over his chain mail armor. From his town he left not knowing where he would go next.
Grayson made his way to the nearest town and put out what little skills he had for hire. That meant taking care of animals or fighting. He began with caring for horses but was forced to defend himself when a customer refused to pay. It was soon clear to all that his fighting service was more useful than his husbandry skills. It didn't take long before he was offered money to aid the locals with some brigands that were harassing local merchants. With success came more business and Grayson found himself busy.
With time, boredom over took him and Grayson decided to move on. There were rumors of war in the borderlands and Grayson traveled to the capitol to enlist. Military life suited him well, where the biggest and strongest rule and little brainpower is needed. He excelled and became proficient in the pike, cross bow, and long bow although he still prefers to close with his enemy. This is also were he picked up his trusty steed.
With need to transport his huge frame and equipment, many horses were tried. The truth is all steeds failed and Grayson was resigned to walk or ride wagons (usually the former). Grayson's luck changed, however, as his ragtag group entered the Army's main encampment in the borderlands. Among the wild horses was a palomino stallion larger than any war horse the trainers had ever seen. They complained openly that the stallion was not trainable. Even more his attitude was damaging the other horses. They laughed in Grayson's face when he asked to speak with the horse. "It is a horse not a woman," they laughed.
"Horses don't require conversation to get what you want." All exploded with laughter, but Grayson ignored them as he closed with the awesome animal. They are right, Grayson thought immediately - this horse is untrainable. Still, the horse let Grayson approach and they looked each other in the eyes. Despite being the only horse that looks down on Grayson, with soft spoken words, they came to an agreement. The trainers were happy to be rid of the monsterous animal and Grayson finally found an animal with the strength to carry him.
The wars went on for nearly two years and Grayson's range of experience widened. After being discharged he took Bigboy (his new horse) and set off for fame and fortune. It didn't take long until he was employed. However, things were not as easy as he expected. They adventuring groups grew smaller and the dangers grew larger. Many times he was wounded and barely escaped death more than once. On one such mission he met his second best friend.
The mission was a setup from the beginning. His group was sent into a death trap. As they marched through a swampy forest, they were ambushed by a huge group of giants. All fought valiantly but Grayson lost conscience as he watched one of his comrades literally lose his head. He awoke to find himself bound to a large tree at the edge of a campfire. He could see dwellings flickering in the shadows. Worse were the remains of other adventurers and their belongings littering the area. Grayson was groggy and about to give into fate when something popped into his mind. His attention was drawn to a sword lying close to his feet. This all silver colored two-handed sword was bigger than even his own sword and seemed to glow as it lay there. The thought, no, command came to him to try and reach it. Grayson expended all of his strength trying to grab the blade with his foot and was about to pass out when the sword almost seemed to move towards him. So light, he was able to slide it up to his hands. Grayson cut himself as he cut himself free from his bands. With new found strength he turned to flee and bumped right into a smiling giant. With all his strength he lunged at his adversary and was shocked to see him fall.
As Grayson ran through the woods he heard the alarm go out behind him. To this day he doesn't know how he got the strength to escape, but he found his new sword has a mind of its own. It seems throw thoughts into his mind. Great, Grayson thought, an independent horse and now an independent sword. It took over a year and more than a thousand gold pieces to make a scabbard into which he could enter the sword.
With his special sword and horse Grayson continued to make a name for himself. The riches came also, and Grayson even bought a farm near the town he grew up in. Although not overly wealthy, he spends more time there now as adventures worthy of his experience grow fewer. He is a humble sort and mainly enjoys the company of his animals. Inside he maintains an inner desire to re-establish the old keep and his boyhood settlement, which still lies in ruins.