Garkun was the second-born son of a relatively minor Warrior Caste family in Iron Throne. As the warrior caste always has clients willing to pay very nicely for mercenaries, Garkun was allowed education in fighting styles, penmanship, and the basics of equipment use (whereas the mage caste has not produced anything beyond managing to break even since the Great Smith-Mage Dakhtun. Poor Greedy, may he rest in peace.)
With the recent orc attacks threatening important stralite veins (and more importantly, profitability), the Council decided to send a cadre the strongest warriors they had to investigate Reknor. Tradition dictated the eldest was strongest, but amongst the minor families, it was common practise to fabricate documents indicating the second-born (or even third) son was eldest, as the eldest by the most inviolate of laws and traditions was always heir to the family holdings. As the threat was greatly underestimated, the smith caste was allowed to bring its tradesmen to repair any minor damages the equipment might suffer on the trip, and charge their usual fees. Garkun's family gave him 10 gold for these services, but now only he and his childhood friend, Norgan have survived... below are excerpts from his diary:

Diary entry, day two of expedition
Just woke Norgan up after crawling into a hole some rats made in an abandoned tunnel. Still somewhat surprised to be alive, considering how quickly Valrun and the others from the other families were dispatched. Norgan seems a little frightened, but capable.

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A few hours later, found a bloody phial on the ground, dropped by some right-idiotic orc no doubt. Asked Elisa about it through the use of her scrying orb, she said it was "Very nice!" Apparently it gave me an "extra life" by drinking it. Not sure what that means. Norgan's shield-slamming seems to be making quick work of any foes we encounter.

Diary entry, day five of expedition
Well, that was certainly a workout. Found the ugliest orc (yes, I know, they're all ugly. But this one looks like he got hit by the ugly stick more than what the rest of these scum have.) I'd ever seen, flinging ... something unspeakably nasty at Norgan and I. Nearly killed Norgan, but the handy Regeneration infusions the caste war apothecaries made for us were able to keep death at bay. By the time we'd made it to Iron Throne, Norgan decided fighting wasn't for him anymore. Poor man. Not sure what he'd be able to do as a warrior like me, but the council now wants volunteers to go clean out Tentacle-ville... err, The Deep Bellow. Shouldn't make light of our fallen comrades like that. After the fight with Captain Ugly down there, I need some fresh air for the first time in my life.

Diary entry - Last Hope
Followed a trade caravan to the Allied Kingdom's mountaintop fortress. Nice place, found a dwarf living there from the alchemist's caste, he wanted into "The Brotherhood of Alchemists," which is apparently some grandiose organization from the way his eyes started gleaming like he was looking at a nice set of voratun gear. Better muscles is always nice, so I told him I'd like that. 'Course, I didn't like what he told me to go kill. An elder vampire, and a greater multi-hued wyrm. Well. Maybe I'll find one just lying freshly-killed by a mountain accidentally dropping on it repeatedly.

Diary entry - Derth
Followed yet another trade caravan here, to this small farming village. If I never have to smell live cow again, it'll be too soon. Don't think my diary will ever stop reeking of their leavings. Did find a shady cornac hiding behind one of the buildings, took me to their equivalent of combat trials in Iron Throne - what a complete and total pushover, these louts wouldn't have survived the first minute in the true trials. Did learn some new tricks to protect myself with my armour, though.

Diary entry - ow
My grandfather always said death was just the ultimate adventure. If by that he meant "Say hi to the Eidolon for me," then I'd agree. Strange fellow. Uh, note to self - don't try to bite off more than you can chew again. Stupid assassins. At least the human merchant was thankful. His shop had better have the best gear money can buy.

Diary entry - miserable sand pit
Well, this has been a long, strange trip. All this fighting has got me in peak physical condition, though I'm sure my old masters in the Throne would chide at how clumsily I fight. I produce results, don't I? Dumb worm queen died, and the chatty "Very nice!" halfling told me to eat the heart. I feel... more at peace with nature. Not sure how else to describe it.

Diary entry - surrounded by orc bits
Huh. Rod of Recall didn't take me back to my underwater palace that time. It took me to a field of orcs, all of which are ugly, pulpy bits now. The smell is hideous, but still my diary's marginally less pleasant smell of cow leavings persists. Got a very nice hammer from the Master in addition to this staff the orcs were after, and the leader orc had a nice little helmet on his head that I took for my own use.

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... not even a single day after leaving Dreadfell behind me (which somehow managed to cram at least two greater multi-hued wyrms inside) and losing two "lives" to those miserable little ingrates, I find some adventurers that seem to think "dwarf beard" is part of some alchemical potion they need. What does the first dead adventurer have in his backpack? A (quill bits and ink splots) scale from a multi-hued wyrm. Lousy...

Diary entry - this place, again?!
So, the elder of Last Hope told me to go search in Reknor for what the orcs were doing out in Maj'Eyal. Surprised the old coot even knew about Reknor. Found some babbling, lost alchemist, the fourth thus far. Was thinking to myself, "Just maybe this one will live." But noooooo, some idiot necromancer found a troll graveyard. Three patchwork trolls stepped out of the shadows, and deprived of my most damaging ability that hits more than one foe (since these useless lackwits don't understand the meaning of "stay out of my way when I do this!") he died rather spectacularly. I can still hear his panicky screams... or that might just be some other lost idjit. Sod it all. Only the basics in imbuing armours with gems learned, when I could have worked with the finest of gems. Worthless, stupid imbeciles. At least this fine suit of prismatic dwarven-steel platemail of the dragon is keeping ME alive. Knew that merchant wouldn't let me down.

(several pages seem to be torn out messily)

Diary entry - worthless cave full of spiders
I hate spiders. Creepy, nasty, evil little things. I will admit I was a little scared of them, but my fear of them has been replaced with something far more useful to a Berserker like me - apoplectic fury, because of some (quill bits and ink splots) "LOREMASTER" DARED INSULT THE BRAVE HEROES THAT tried to save these useless, moronic, idiotic, impotent "escort" imbeciles. HE DARES CALL US COWARDS?!!!! If I ever find this "Loremaster Verutir," I will make sure he painfully understands just how angry I am at his writings. As a side note, I should look into finding sturdier quills, these ones don't seem to hold up to my mighty penmanship.

Diary entry - there and back again
Never thought I'd see Maj'Eyal again. Decided to see what that hidden treasure was that the library in my palace kept blathering on about... found a bunch of troll whelplings and a ... lost thief... who was as powerful as me. In some place that was as challenging to him as stealing candy from a baby. Oi, their incompetence never ends. Found some nice gems by the biggest of the nasties.. hah, sod it, they're all tiny but that one was the only one that took more than two hits. Guess this Warmaster Fnord knew what kind of blade worked well. Smart orc. Orc, but smart. Dead, too, haha.

Diary entry - maze again
Paid a visit to my old stomping grounds in the Throne, overheard how a patrol went missing here. Haven't seen or heard anything since I set foot in this place again. Wait....(a very large inkstain occupies the rest of the page)

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I hate spiders. I really do. That one... that one I did not need to see. Dead now though, sliced into a million tiny little bits. Did get some amulet that REALLY AMPLIFIED THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE. HAR! Bet I'll have fun with this one in the Motherlode. Hm. Should ask and see if I'm still welcome there after that gas attack the roast orc haunch gave me.

Diary entry - forest again
Just put ol' Wrathie's bigger brother to the campfire I made. Pity all he had going for him was his size. Didn't need to do anything beyond pop a single regen infusion. Got some nice teeth all strung into a necklace off its "corpse"... hold on, Elisa got back to me.... oh by the Elder's curled toes, my Da gave me a name so ridiculously close to some long-dead orc. He must be laughing now. Sometimes I wonder about Elisa, she's always saying how every last trinket I find is "Very nice!"

Diary entry - Last Hope, yet again
Think my diary is starting to stop smelling like cow leavings at last, but then again I might just be getting used to it. Chap I gave my orb of many ways to said I needed some weird book from Telos' tower. Should be a fun jaunt. He seems like such a nice fellow. I'll be sure to mention him in my will, when this is all over.