Corylea said:
Granted, the GM was a bastard and a warped one at that... Makes me wonder just WHAT happened in those missing years.....
The missing years? I'm sure they're important, but think about what's happened already!1. His original family died, and they died when he was young enough that he tells Geralt, "I barely knew them."2. He has to run for his life from barghests.3. His foster-mother, Caroline, is torn apart by barghests.4. He has a vision/is possessed by something and levitates in the air and spouts a lot of scary stuff, which has gotta be a pretty traumatic experience.5. He's taken in by a witch who feeds him drugs to keep his visions at bay long enough for him to sleep.6. He's forced to get in touch with the essence of the Beast and to speak for it.7. He's stolen from Abigail by the Reverend, who beats him and who tries to warp his mind.8. He's given to the Salamanders by the Reverend, where he's to be taken to Vizima and experimented on.9. He's alone in the world for a time and eventually ends up in Vizima, where something happens that causes him to need a hospital.10. He's kidnapped from the hospital by Salamanders.11. He watches Geralt chop a bunch of Salamanders into small, bloody pieces.12. He goes to Triss or Shani for a short time. If he goes to Shani, she doesn't know what to do about his magic but is tender towards him. If he goes to Triss, she gives him some magic instruction but emphasizes discipline over affection. In either case, he's missing a big chunk of what he needs.13. His home is raided by Salmanders, and he sees his latest foster mother fighting for her life.14. He runs away from the Salamanders but is captured.15. He teleports away, and while it's to a nice place, it's another new, unknown place. 16. Alina takes him in, but Julian recognizes that Alvin needs things that he and Alina can't give him, so this home -- like all the others -- will be temporary.17. Geralt "keeps an eye on him," and he watches Geralt engage in several battles.18. He's taken hostage by Toruvriel's band.19. The Order attacks the village, and he witnesses the beginning of a bloody battle.20. He teleports to an unknown place (and possibly time) again.21. Throughout this time, he continues to have visions and to hear the ugly and violent thoughts of the people around him.I know kids are resilient, but that's a hell of a lot -- far, far too much for anybody to grow up to be normal and/or sane! Even if he teleports to a nice family and is raised lovingly thereafter, the kid has been traumatized over and over again, all in a very short space of time. And the continuing trauma of hearing other people's evil thoughts -- even if he'd been raised in a stable, loving household for his entire life, I'd think that would be enough to send a person 'round the bend.