La Historia de Mis Comienzos [ES]

The following is a translation of the previous text into English. The text was provided by the original author, Gonzalo Mendiverry, but edited by Innocence. As with nearly all translations, the texts may not be exactly the same, but all changes were approved by the original author.

When I was still very young, I was wandering in the forest of Loreroot with nothing to do when suddenly I came across a very strange man sitting in the roots of the tree in Stag Crossing. Although human, he seemed to have animal features. Despite his apparent age, he maintained some of the strength of his youth. His face seemed serene and kind, completely calm, framed by a carefully trimmed white beard and long hair of the same color. His eyes were deep and wise, hard-green, similar to the leaves of an oak.

His body exhibited a multitude of vividly colored tattoos, representative of all the rituals he’d been a part of. These contrasted with his plain and simple clothes, though similar to those exhibited by ancient Celtic priests, these still displayed his own style.

Despite being a strange man, I had heard about him. His name was Giledgel and he was characterized by balance and calm in any situation. He possessed a deep love for all things, the basis of pantheistic philosophy and its position of neutrality. He was fair and firm, and though his attitude toward others was usually helpful, there were specific exceptions.

Elderly people from my town told stories about him. It was said that he could change into the form of a large bird of about 1.2 meters long, similar to a hawk or an eagle, though it was impossible to identify exactly. This particular transformation earned him [it would make sense he earned the nickname after being able to change, not that he could change into a bird because of his nickname] his nickname. “Peregrine Falcon,” granted by those who knew him best; it was an appropriate name, given the bird’s nomadic nature.

The elders said, moreover, that his hybrid form was even stranger. In this form, his height increases considerably, about 25 centimeters. The main differences are the presence of feathers on his body, a strange mixture of human hands with the claws of a hawk, formidable wings, which allow flight, but not with the agility and speed of the pure animal form, and with a head that seems more like a bird’s, though it maintains some human features.

Of note is the sharp contrast produced by this transformation. His human form is of a somewhat weathered-looking old man, while the animal is a beast, agile and strong.

I was curious about this strange old man and decided to follow him. As I did not have a family, I had nothing holding me back, and this action didn’t seem to disturb him. What, in principle, should have been just a walk in the woods, suddenly became an adventure and a valuable life experience. There was no doubt in my mind that Giledgel had learned fascinating things; I began following him to indulge my curiosity, to learn more about the man and whether or not the rumors were true.