Sniper

Kardel Sharpeye was born deep in the mountains of Knollen where, since time immemorial, Keen Folk have survived by hunting the strange, cliff-dwelling steepstalkers above their village, shooting them from a distance and collecting the carcasses where they fell. Sharpeye was among the best of these strange mountain keens for whom projectile weapons are but another appendage, and to shoot is as natural as to touch.

On his day of summoning, when he was to gain full standing in his village, Sharpeye took the ancient test: a single shot from the valley floor to strike a beast down from the cliffs. To miss was to be dishonored. With his entire village standing vigil, Sharpeye took his shot. A steepstalker fell,the crowd cheered. But when the carcass was collected, the village grew silent, for the elders found that the bullet had pierced its glittering central eye then fallen to be clenched in the steepstalker's mandibles. This ominous sign was the literal opening of a dark prophecy, foretelling both greatness and exile for the gunman who made such a shot. Sharpeye the Sniper was thus, by his own skill, condemned to make his way apart from his people--and unwelcome back among them until he has fulfilled the remainder of the prophecy by attaining legendary stature on a field of battle.

Kardel Sharpeye はKnollen の山深い谷底で生を受けた。そこに住むKeen 族は有史以来、自分達の村の上の崖に住む奇妙な生物を狩猟して生き延びてきた。 彼らは遠くから射止め、獲物が落ちた場所に出向いてそれを回収する。もう一本の腕であるかのように銃を使い、手で何かを触るかのように自然に射撃を行う 種族の中でも、Sharpeye は誰より狩りが上手かった。

村で一人前として認められるようになる成人の日、Sharpeye は谷底から一撃で崖上の獣を撃つという古の試験を受けた。失敗は不名誉を意味する。村人全員が見守る中Sharpeye は引き金を引き、崖上の獣が落ちると、観衆が歓喜の声を上げた。しかし、獲物が回収されたとき村中は静けさに包まれた。長老達が見ると、弾丸は獲物の光った目を打ち抜き、下あごに刺さっていた。この不吉な予兆は、その一撃を放った狙撃者の優秀さと追放を意味する暗黒の予言の始まりであった。Sharpey、別名 Sniperは、自分の能力によって一族から糾弾され、村を出ることとなった。戦場で伝説的な存在になるという残りの予言を満す時まで、彼は故郷に帰ることは出来ない。