The Riven Lands

A lean, athletic Elf with the kind of quiet confidence that comes from spending decades in dangerous wilderness. His forest camouflage clothing is practical rather than decorative, showing the wear and repair of someone who lives rough. Carries a composite bow crafted from rare Thornwood timber and multiple hunting knives, each designed for specific purposes. Ritual scars on his hands and forearms mark various forest ceremonies and successful hunts. His green eyes hold the patient intensity of a natural predator, and his movements have the fluid economy of someone who wastes no energy on unnecessary motion.

Pragmatic and survival-focused with a complex relationship to forest conservation, Dex genuinely believes the forest belongs to those who understand and respect it rather than those wealthy enough to buy hunting licenses. He maintains many traditional ranger values about protecting the forest's long-term health while rejecting human laws that ignore natural balance. Takes pride in his superior woodcraft and tracking abilities, viewing legitimate rangers as bureaucrats who've lost touch with real forest wisdom.

Dex Swiftarrow hails from a long line of forest wardens who have protected Thornwood for eight generations. When new conservation policies favored wealthy hunting preserves over traditional forest management, Dex lost his official position. His deep knowledge of animal behavior, tracking, and woodcraft made him invaluable for poaching operations targeting the same protected creatures he once guarded. He justifies his crimes as maintaining natural balance, believing that wealthy hunters who buy licenses lack understanding of proper forest management, while his illegal hunting follows sustainable practices learned over centuries of family service.