Dirk!

(As reposted from the Google Group)
Backstory

Dirk never knew his birth parents. He was found as a baby on the side of the road, one dark and stormy night, by Tarn Darkhammer and his young daughter, Theresa ("Tessa" to a young Dirk). Tarn had been a fighter and adventurer in years past. But his best days were behind him, so he had married and settled down in a small village called Alro as the local blacksmith. Tarn's wife and own infant son died during a complicated delivery. So with a little prompting from his daughter, he took pity on the obviously half-orc child he found that night and raised him as his own. Of course, Dirk was picked on by the other children in the village. At least, until he outgrew them (which didn't take long). But he didn't have many friends except his "father" and "sister" whom he was very protective of. When he was big enough (again, didn't take long) he started helping the smith at his forge, as well as learning the basics of combat, etc. from him. Then, when he was around 13 or 14 (pretty much full grown for a half-orc) a raiding band of orcs swept through Dirk's village. Tarn was killed defending their home. Dirk's raw fighting prowess impressed the orc chieftan, one Thorak Dreadscar, who decided to keep him as a slave. Thorak was the leader of the Gorefist tribe, a particularly brutal and rapacious tribe of orcs. Tessa also managed to survive, but was captured and sold to slavers by Thorak, ending up Kord knows where. This weighs heavily on Dirk to this day, not knowing what has become of his closest friend. He still keeps his eyes open for any sign of his sister in his travels.

Dirk lived among the orcs for a year or two. Thorak used him primarily as entertainment in gladiatorial fights. Much to Thorak's pleasure (at the time) Dirk quickly distinguished himself as a natural fighter. Though he was a lowly half-breed and a slave, he managed to gain some small amount of respect with his fighting ability. This translated to some small freedoms, or at least less abuse. Still, his days among the orcs left him changed. The treatment he was subjected to, and inflicted upon others, hardened his heart. While he despised his orc masters and their brutality, it was through that brutality that he found a sense of purpose and self-worth, as well as some insight into the beast within him. He managed an escape while traveling to a fight, killing his captors and fleeing into the wilderness. Thorak still thirsts for his blood, since one of Dirk's handlers was the chief's oldest son. Dirk has been on his own ever since, making a living as a mercenary and adventurer for hire, while trying to balance his orcish rage and his human soul.