Jean was never the smartest nor the strongest, although he was quite good looking his features were rather rough regardless. A path of laborer was his life and he was sick of it. Most of his friends enlisted or went to college but he was too poor for college and the Militia rejected him, Jean had one choice after all that so he became a grunt one of the better things that he learned from his father.
"Hey!" Tim grabbing Jean by the shoulder roughly, Tim was a big guy and that's an understatement the two hundred and sixty pound black man that just manhandled Jean was one of those guys that could break you as easily as he bend iron coupled with a deep masculine voice most where intimidated or jealous of his build. However Jean was not he has known Tim for a year now and quickly became his friend well rather quickly.
"man I am gonna deck you next time" Tim just laughed and stared into Jeans eyes "so we can finish that fight then?" letting go of Jean the massive man just relaxed against the wall of the forge, Jean wasn't a small man in his own right. A lean muscular body with a tanned appearance usually got him lucky more than a few times but compared to Tim he resembled a kid at best even with his beard.
"maybe if you fought fair" Jean snapped at Tim feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"Yo I don't want to chance it, who knows what moves you've got" Tim, was a boxer back in college or so he says, rumor is he fought dirty and got kicked out which makes sense considering the time the two squared up.
"Whatever man I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow" Jean turned to walk out of the shop when Tim yelled after him.
"Exam day?! I hope you are ready, man I'm rutting for you".
With that Jean stepped out, the smell of sweet pine entered his nose and relieved him from the smell of the forge room. Blacksmithing wasn't his first choice but it pays well enough, plus Tim is a great person to work under in the time that he has taken over the shop Jean learned a great deal about forging both weapons and tools.
After three years of blacksmithing Jean was finally ready to start his career. Andorf was a good size mountain town with an excellent income through trade and mining but it's pride was in the pines. Andorf was in the middle of a great pine forest and although it made terrible firewood the town used the trees in most of its buildings more of tradition than necessity, because of the great trade lack of resources did not exist.
The town had one problem that plagued it rather often and that was disappearances, the mountains were perilous and any inattentive individual would find themselves lost among the tall pines exposed to the elements. For this reason the town had a Special task force assigned to search and rescue any troubled travelers, obviously most assume it's just search and rescue so what is so special?
Bandit tribes, a common enemy of civilization more so in Alari than other regions, the task force as a result had to be combat trained and recruits were needed to expand the power of such an organization. Jean saw his chance here.
Jean now had recently turned 22 and had begun cursing himself for lack of personal progress. He walked down a side road towards the task force's HQ he had never felt so nervous it was as if a riptide was surging through his gut, without missing a beat he progressed determined to pass the Exam and be trained by the most powerful swordsmen in the region after all becoming a member was seen as a great honor.
A member is sworn to the town as a protector and as a result received discounts throughout the town, the people thought them to be elites by how many bandit raids were destroyed at the walls with few casualties sometimes non at all.
After an hour Jean reached the compound at the other end of town, a white stone wall with red trim surrounds the compound and the entrance that stood in front of Jean was a very sturdy looking black iron gate. the whole sight filled Jean with awe, he's passed by a number of times in the years he lived in Andorf but such a remarkable construction must surely be considered a fortress. Jean realised he was gawking like a fool and was bound to be late if he didn't move, and with the first few hesitant steps Jean started moving forward again.