Murtano Laorte, son of Aurelius and Catherine Laorte, rulers of the lands of Tannisbury.

I grew up as the middle child between my older brother(Damian) and younger sister(Allessandra ). My brother and I trained under our father in the arts of warfare, and knightly virtues. Living on the border between the civilized lands and the wilderness, our lives were never dull. Constant invasions by the Orcs of the White Hand kept all of us busy. We grew up hard and we grew up fast, because if you didn't you were soon dead. My brother, Damian, was a natural leader and took readily to the tactics of war. I, on the other hand, was more apt as a holy warrior or paladin if you will. During the slow times Damian and I attended the royal university to learn the arts of ruling, war, etiquette, and other lordly virtues. Unfortunately for Damian, he did not take well to school and thus left to fight with father in the fields. I on the other hand studied fervently to be the best in all my classes. In the end I graduated at the top of my class, and actually attained the rank of Captain in the royal honour guard. (A rank only attained once before by my father 20 years earlier.)

Sad to say, while I was attending school the invading Orcs made a pact with the Goblins of the Fell Forest. They swept in from flanking postitions and destroyed my father and brother on the field of battle. Before they fell though, they routed the invaders with a cunning and spectacular split V formation that decimated their ferocious attack. My father and brother took the point positions and so inspired their troops that the story of that battle is still told in awe by many today.

I returned home to my mother and sister to unhappily take the throne of Tannisbury. Thereupon I decided to form outposts and guard towers with a intricate spiral pattern so that no tower was out of sight of any other two. This set up such a defensive wall that anytime the Orcs or Goblins tried to attack, our forces had time to assemble and crush them before they even got started.

With the safety of my homeland secured, I ventured to the lands of Neverwinter and looked to create bonds with powerful allies. I tried in earnest to join the fabled Knights of the Round Table, and joyfully I was accepted on March 13th in the year of '96 AD.

I'd trained several squires, all of whom made me very proud.  Melazar, ErdrickKE, and PAW McGloin held a special place in my heart as they gave so much back to me in return.  I learned much from all my squires, and pray that to this day the world finds them happy and healthy.

Time passed quickly as I gained in ability and rank within the knights, and eventually I had held almost every council position.  One knight-mage grew special in my heart, and soon thereafter the Lady Felena MacRorie and I were wed.  We adopted two young children Aylianna Al'Maren and Forbius, and enjoyed life.  It was a happy time, one filled with wonder and joy.  Soon we'd found out that we were to have a child, and that she would be a powerful mage in her own right.  Felena's bond with the child grew daily, and in late November (the 27th) our dear Seanessy was born.