Eradan of Gondor. Born Eradan Duilin Kipling to Denethor and Gilraen Kipling.
He is the youngest of the two Kipling sons. His older brother by three years is Miccah. He was always a happy child and the most joyful of the two brothers. He was strongly influenced by his grandfather Eldacar. He would spend most evenings with Eldacar. While most children his age,and even his brother, were off doing what young children of Gondor did, Eradan was off learning what his grandfather called "the lighter side of life". Eldacar taught his grandson how to play a lute and they played music often when they got together. Eradan grew to love music and he could sing quite well. (Fitting that his middle name of Duilin means "river song").
When Eradan was thirteen, Eldacar died. That was a dark time in his life and for a while the happy and joyful child did not smile. He even refused to speak to anyone for several months. Uncertain of a solution and hoping to lift Eradan's spirits, his mother decided to take him to see his older cousin Anarion (who at the time was at the Shire). Like Eradan, Anarion had been close to Eldacar when he was younger. Gilraen thought that if anyone could help Eradan it would be him.
The plan worked..sort of. The Shire trip did change Eradan back to the happy and joyful child that he had been, but not because of Anarion. Much to the dismay of Gilraen, Anarion was not interested in helping Eradan. Not all was lost though. Eradan met two wide eyed and merry young hobbit brothers Meriadoc and Merimac. Simply known as "Doc" and "Mac", the two hobbit brothers would come to befriend Eradan and they soon became his best friends. Eradan soon learned that hobbits were most passionate about four things in life. Friendships (or love), food, ale and music. Doc and Mac inspired Eradan to pick up his lute again and sing. The three became so close that the hobbits were like brothers to Eradan...only tiny and with hairy feet. Eradan became known as "Kip" and that is a nickname that would always remain with him.
When Eradan became of age conflict began to arise between him and his father. Denethor thought that his youngest son's "bard" aspirations were, in his words, "about as useful as your mother's liripipe". Denethor wanted Eradan to put aside his singing and musical whims for something more practical. He pushed Eradan to travel to Rohan and train to become a knight at the Westfold Legion. Finally Eradan gave in and went seeking to train as a knight in Rohan. He was rejected at Westfold and advised to go seek training in Lebennin, a town in his native land of Gondor. Upon arriving in Lebennin, Eradan soon realized that he would not be training as a knight there. The training available was warrior training and any male could train if they were large in size and strong. This disheartened Eradan at first, but he went ahead with the training. He kept his cheery disposition and soon became known as "the bard warrior" by the other men training.
Eradan returned home after training. After hearing that Eradan had gone through warrior training instead of knight training at Westfold, Denethor wasted no time expressing his disappointment. Eradan knew that his brother had always been favored by their father and that had never really bothered him before. Now Eradan had finally had enough of his father's harsh demeanor toward him. He left Gondor and returned to the Shire, where he reunited with Doc and Mac. He remained there for five years before setting out as a traveling adventurer.
Eradan came across one area known as the Limo Desert. He remained there for three years, the longest he had settled anywhere since leaving the Shire. Yet he knew that he wasn't ready to settle down permanently. Once again he set out as a traveling adventurer.
To which another chapter unfolds............
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