Although he was born and raised in the city of Restov, Dmitri Rusakova’s heart belonged to the wilderness. Growing up under the tutelage of a former swordlord, Dmitri was very skilled. In fact, he was undefeated in the sparring competitions among his fellow students. When he wasn’t practicing with his sword, he was enjoying the solitude he found only in the wide open space of the Rostland plains. As he grew older, his jaunts lasted longer and longer. He became addicted to the freedom, independence, and room to breathe offered in his commune with nature – away from the busy and noisy city life. He also found the many wonders of nature fascinating and spent many hours, not only hunting and fishing but also simply studying the flora and fauna of the plains.

One day, shortly after his 16th birthday, Dmitri was wandering the plains as usual when he saw, what at first he thought, was a herd of wild horses but turned out to instead be a small hunting party of centaurs. Dmitri froze in shock – mouth hung open. He had never before seen such creatures. They noticed him but continued on their way… all except one however. It was a younger centaur. If he were human, he would have probably been about the same age as Dmitri. He seemed just as curious about Dmitri as he was about them. The leader of the group noticed the younger one lagging behind and so called to him in a strange language. Dmitri stood awestruck until they were out of sight. Early the next day Dmitri began to track down the elusive centaurs. He was very curious about them and desired greatly to learn more about them. His searching soon became a trek lasting many days. Fortunately, Dmitri had grown quite comfortable out on the plains so food and shelter were not an obstacle as he forged ahead on his search. Finally, after a week long search, he found them. Unfortunately, they discovered that he was tracking them and it did not sit well with them. The centaurs surrounded him and took him prisoner. After some questioning the centaurs were convinced that this ‘human spy’ was nothing more than a curious and even likable young man. His friendly personality soon won them over. Dmitri felt more at home among these creatures than he did in Restov. He became fast friends with the young centaur he initially saw (named Pylenor) and spent the entire summer travelling with them. They taught him many valuable lessons about the plains and even how to speak their mysterious language (Sylvan). Sadly, as summer turned to fall, the tribe had to move to a warmer climate. Dmitri returned to the city, forever changed – having gained more admiration of life outside the city than inside.

Being such an independent tree-hugging soul, Dmitri quickly became a self-selected outcast. This ostracization made him an easy target among his peers, which was fueled by jealousy for his superior skill with the Aldori sword. During a particularly unforgettable practice combat, Dmitri lost his temper as the teasing hit on a nerve. Dmitri was blinded by his anger as he relentlessly attacked his opponent, forcing the poor fellow into a corner. His rage overcame him and if the instructor had not interfered, Dmitri would have killed the young man. Dmitri felt ashamed of his outburst, which was the final catalyst causing him to retreat to the wilds permanently. By the age of 18, he had been living off the land as a hermit for almost a full year. He would only go into Restov to occasionally stock up on supplies. His relationship with his parents was superficial so he did not spend much time visiting them.

On the most recent visit, Dmitri overheard a discussion among a couple of adventurers about a petition for an expedition into the Stolen Lands. Feeling a little lonely and bored, Dmitri decided to look into this opportunity further…

Religious View
Dmitri’s rebellious nature has led him to follow Gorum, who is more commonly worshiped among the Kellid people much moreso than his fellow Taldans… but Dmitri does not worry too much about what others think. Although he rarely visits a temple, he does pay homage on occasion to his god and mostly admires the “spirit of the battle” aspect of the faith.

After meeting the intriguing priest of Erastil, Dmitri became very interested in this religion. In a very short amount of time Dmitri decided that he liked what he heard and so decided to try this new path. He liked the focus on hunting and it felt “right” to him. Someday he should like to have a family but now was not the time. Perhaps their efforts would pay off and he could establish a plot of land for himself to raise a family, grow a farm, and hunt. He knew in his heart that it was the path for him.