Grinstall was born 308 years after the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer to Rostil and Liefla (who's maiden name was Astiar) Westing. Rostil was a Paladin and Liefla was an Empath. Rostil had joined the Paladin Guild in the year 276 and Liefla had joined the Empath Guild in the year 289. They were married in the year 300, after meeting in Arthe Dale a year earlier. Rostil was born in the year 228 and Liefla was born 8 years later in 236. Liefla was born in Riverhaven, but she moved to Crossing one year after joining the Empath Guild. Rostil had always lived in Crossing, but was often away from home fighting off invading creatures. Rostil's father was a Cleric, and his Mother was a Commoner. They both lived into their 300's. Liefla's parents were both Empaths. However, sadly, Rostil and Liefla did not live past their 100's. During the Gorbesh Wars Rostil walked the Starry Road, I do not know how or even exactly where. After Rostil had not returned for two days, Liefla sensed there was something wrong. Being in the field to help the wounded, without thought, she went looking for Rostil. However it was to late to save Rostil and she died near her husband after being ambushed by archers... Rostil had died at the age of 126, and Liefla at the even younger age of 118. Grinstall was 46 when his parents died. Before they died, Rostil and Liefla had a large house in the center of the Crossing. Grinstall lived there until shortly after both his parents were killed. Grinstall sold the house after upkeep became to expensive for him. The money from the house soon ran out though and Grinstall, still distraught from the sudden changes in his life, was looking for ways to support himself. Grinstall's Elothean friend Archenoone said that he was going join a guild and recomended that Grinstall do the same so that he could learn skills to provide for himself. Grinstall joined the Ranger's guild because of his basic need for survival skills to get by without relying on much of anyone else. However, the Ranger guild and it's lifestyle did not appeal to Grinstall as he hoped it would, and he soon found himself missing the city that he lived in all his life. Grinstall dropped out of the Ranger guild after a short period of time. Rebellious against the ideals of the guild that Grinstall believed brought about the end of his parents (the paladin guild), he refused to join any type of conventional combat guild such as the warrior mages, barbarians, or paladins. Grinstall soon heard rumors about a "thieves guild". Curiosity and agreement with many of their ideals soon lead him to attempt to find the hidden guild. A newcomer to anything criminal, Grinstall had a difficult time finding the guild. Some persistance, half truths, and a few mistakes later though he managed to find his way into the guild. After a while in the thieves guild Grinstall realized that many of his other guildmembers rathered be associated with blatant murderers, cutthroats and thugs than the more romanticized version of a thief that he believed guilded thieves should be. Grinstall now refuses to acknowledge that he is a member of the guild unless he is actually inside the guild haven, even to fellow thieves. Instead of sticking to being a stereotypical thief Grinstall decided the only way for him to be happy was to set up his own rules. Grinstall always had much faith in the power of the 13 and started associating himself more and more like a cleric, but has no ambition to join the cleric guild. Grinstall now does not consider himself as just a thief, but rather multi-associated. He is a friend to all that give him a chance and an enemy to those who intentionally wrong him. Vindictive, strong willed, and blunt but friendly, Grinstall has taken on the role of his own phylosophical creation: The Shadow Reverend. Grinstall believes that opposition is temporary and that the only requirement to greatness is hard work and patience. If one thing can be said for sure about Grinstall, it is that he is focussed in both his anger and ambition.
Grinstall doesn't have any remaining family, at least not that he currently knows of. His family had been a small one to start with. His grandmother on his father's side walked and his grandfather faded. A few years after Grinstall reported that their daughter was dead, his grandparents on his mother's side had faded after moving to Aesery. However, it is possible that Grinstall might still have an Uncle in Ratha. The Uncle is or was on his father's side of the family. The Uncle's name was Venglen and at one time he was a warrior mage. No word has been heard from Venglen since the death of Grinstall's parents. Grinstall has not seen Venglen since he was 40 and Venglen was visiting the Warrior Mage's guild in the Crossing. Venglen had always been a bit eccentric and quick tempered. The last substantial news that Grinstall heard about Venglen was from Rostil who told him that Venglen had gotten drunk and killed someone in a bar fight in Crossing and was arrested. When scolded by his guildleader about the arrest "giving the guild a bad reputation", Venglen promptly told the guildleader where he could shove his guild. Rostil, ashamed by his brother's actions which had quickly became the gossip around Crossing, had a falling out with his brother. Since then no one has heard from Venglen but it was assumed that he went back to Ratha since he had lived there much of his life and there was no warrior mage guild there. It is possible that Venglen married and had children, but Grinstall has lost track of him completely. With the sale of his parents house after their deaths, it is unlikely that Grinstall and Venglen will ever meet again (if Venglen is even still alive), but stranger things have been known to happen.
(forgive the lack of spacing)
~Grinstall
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Give in, it's the Spanish way.
