The elves of Fayland water wreaked havoc on the orcish raiders, who had snuck over the snow line in the twilight of early morning to attack Springley Downs. Luckily, Romi's raccoon friend had warned them in time, and the orcs' ancient foes had rained death upon them from the trees. The majority of the raiding party had been wiped out in the first five minutes, and then it was just playing hide-and-seek through the trees.
They had missed one, though: a craven, tusked thing with oddly white skin and pink eyes who stole away from the main group and into town, looking for some fun in the pre-dawn light. He found it in the form of Liddia, the wainwright's eldest, who woke up at the noise and had gone to fetch some water. Her father struck the thing down with a broken axle, but the damage had been done.
They named the child Boon as an attempt to change his fortunes, but his fledgeling tusks had torn his mother irreparably, and she died that night despite Father Brelden's best efforts. Liddia's father cast out the spawn immediately, declaring it cursed by the Lords. Brelden disagreed, and took in the mewling, white-skinned thing, determined to show him heaven's mercy.
Boon was ridiculed and hated by everyone, and only Father Brelden's heavy-handed protection gave him any respite. He grew like a weed, then like a tree, towering over everyone in the village by 13. His hair was greasy and white, his eyes red and brooding. There were scars on his face from when the other childrens' ministrations became violent, and one of his tusks was chipped at the end from a well-thrown stone.
Eventually, Father Brelden couldn't handle the boy anymore. He was too strong and angry, and fought against the restraints placed on him. Master Coman the innkeeper finally offered to take him in as a stable boy, and working with the animals seemed to bring Boon a measure of peace (or perhaps it was just the heavy labor that tired him out). Still he grew, and eventually the other children stopped picking on him, frightened of his fierce demeanor and incredible strength, speed, and endurance.
Secretly, the village elders hoped he would be taken by wanderlust and leave in the dead of night. They wouldn't throw him out, as that would be cruel... but they would sleep easier knowing he was gone.
