Ayden is much older than he appears...chronologically. As a lad he spent what to him seemed like a decade amongst his distant Aelfing kin learning to use the innate Magic abilities he inherited from his ancient heritage. When he emerged from the Aelfing's enchanted homeland he found that a century had passed in the meantime. A child of the Faendradi Clan, Ayden is an excellent bowman and also has several mystical abilities stemming from his mixed-race bloodline. He can change things into other things, hide himself from the senses of others, and is gifted with extrasensory perceptions. Being able to see a mile, turn invisible, make arrows from twigs, and sense the unseen is pretty useful!

Ayden was a playful and strong-willed toddler, quick to learn when it suited him, and impossible to tempt if he didn't because whatever toy or treat he wanted he would simply transform from some household object. It became his most practiced skill early on; even when he didn't want something specifically changing tools and decorations into Other Things would generally stir his parents up into an entertaining frenzy.

The Druid Targon recognized the depths of Ayden's potential early and immediately felt that this boy had a destiny. Everafter he acted as a distant monitor of Ayden's development, stepping in when Ayden's parents found the difficult child almost too much to manage, granting wisdom and counsel to insure that when the time came Ayden would be ready to be of service to his fate.

Eventually Targon took Ayden to visit the Aelfing enclave hidden within the lands of the Faendradi clan and made some pact with the fickle fey to take in Ayden to be trained in the proper use of his Aeldenari gifts. But Aelfing are inscrutable; rather than rush themselves to spend time with a quickly-growing young mortal magic was applied to slow time for Ayden. A full century passed while Ayden was among them, but he only aged a decade.

In his century among the Aelfing Ayden learned much about the nature of his powers, and refined them. He also learned how to dissapear from sight and to sense the unseen. He also learned elfy woodcraft and archery, the ways of stealth, and how to track a quarry.

Returning home Ayden found little had changed among his people's culture...but they were much reduced in number. Not due to war, nor famine, nor disease...rather his people were simply fading out. The Druid Targon had passed away while Ayden was among the Aelfing, but his successor was waiting for Ayden with a revelation; the council of Druids had come to the divine realization that Ayden was to be one of a prophesied group from an ancient lore known as the Nine Arrows, and was needed to go on a Great Faring. Surely this must be the destiny Targon had forseen?