Despite where he ended up in life, Baldric Stren was born into every possible privilege known to the Gran March. The eldest son of Lord Baron Astratis Stren, Baldric had the blood of one of the oldest and most noble families in all provinces, despite their small size in both wealth and lands. The Strens had ruled the Gran March town of Strensall since the foundation of the Knights of the March. They had faithfully and dutifully carried out their obligations, and as such enjoyed a sterling reputation in this modern age. Had he wished it, Baldric could have pursued any course that he wanted. He could have joined his father at court, and learned the ways of the monarchical bureaucracy. He could have joined the clergy, and risen high into the upper echelons of the Cuthbertine church. Or he could have followed the path of coin, and expanded his family's holdings in Hookhill or the far cities of Keoland. Or he could have done nothing at all, and lived fat and happy in endless hedonism as only a spoiled noble can.

But Baldric chose to serve the crown instead. Long had the young lad grown up hearing tales of his great grandfather, who had been the Grandmaster of the Knights of the Watch. For as long as he could remember, he had been lulled into sleep with visions of old Bernward's deeds, and dreamed of the glories that he would have some day. Despite resistance from his father, Baldric eventually got his mother, Aldona, to convince his father to let him pursue his young dream. Astratis had wanted to groom his son for his personal machinations, but saw the benefit of having another member of the family winning honor and prestige for them after so many years. So at the age of twelve, Baldric moved into the Knights of the Watch chapterhouse in Hookhill. The Order dictated that he would serve as Squire to Rembert Collinae.

Some Knights treat their Squires as little more than glorified servants. But not Rembert. He was a true Knight of the Watch, through-and-through. For near a full decade, Baldric's life was a grueling and unending quest for martial and spiritual perfection. Every tool of the knightly arts was made known to him, and he eventually became as comfortable in the saddle as he was on his own two feet. And while Rembert may not have been a kind or forgiving master, he was a fair and honorable one. There was a trust and respect between the two that even death has not severed. For Rembert's last act on Oerth was to promote him to full knighthood status within the Watch, before he succumbed to consumption of the lungs. For his part, Baldric took these lessons to heart, and promised himself that he would never break his vows, or dishonor the memory of his teacher.

During his time as a Knight of the Watch, Baldric served honorably, and with distinction. Among his finest deeds were the slaying of the great Gorebull, a demon-worshipping Minotaur raider, that had been terrorizing the Nirdal-Shiboleth Road, and the winning of the Aoidthane Tourney in Lortenford. It was there that he unsaddled the famous knight Hasrand Dorh. But Baldric's real tests began when the Troll Wars descended upon the Gran March. Like most of the Watch, he was dispatched to the north to fight the dread invasion. But conventional warfare did not go in the way of the defenders initially. Almost Baldric's entire company was butchered, leaving but a handful of survivors. It was after that gruesome day that Baldric fell in with a group of colorful characters. And despite all odds, a year later, this unusual group had been instrumental in definitively ending the wars.

After the initial wave of adulation and ceremony, Baldric quietly retired from the Watch, and returned to Strensall. For he was a humble soul, that was uncomfortable in the spotlight. So he returned to his ancestral lands, and began teaching his father's bannermen all the fighting techniques he had learned during the wars. Baldric in essence became House Stren's Weaponmaster. And he also started shadowing his father more, learning what he could for when that hopefully far off day of his father's death came, he would be ready to take over. And he was just giving some thought as to maybe begin courting some young maiden in the next few years, and start his own family. But then the Commandant got in contact with the powerful knight...</tt>