The story of Darkwood begins long ago in the great grasslands of Tabadol. Darkwood was born into a nomadic tribe of cloud giants who split from the man cities many years ago. They roamed the land free as herders and hunters, being excellent in the skills of survival. They traveled over many lands, making camp for a week, then moving on to new land. Darkwood being very young and having many siblings had to compete for food. He learned soon to be very quick and mastered the survival traits of the tribe. Darkwood became an able "Wood Warrior" and was by rite given a name by his uncle. It was a tradition among the tribe for one to be without a name until he or she was named by a elder for a trait shown. His skin was that of a dark copper color; he could blend in with the bark of a tree with ease when he hunted.

Darkwood's tribe approached a new land, that of a forest of crystals. This land was ruled by the nation of Albator, that of warrior mages seeking powers beyond mortality. The crystals in this forest were a great source of mana. When drained, this allowed the mages to tap into huge pools of energy. A great amount of labor was needed to mine these crystals from the crystalline woodland. Darkwood's wandering tribe happen to be a excellent source of needed slave labor. The warrior mages battled the tribe with ease, and enslaved it to mine for their source of mana. Darkwood was worked hard along with his brethren, pushed to the very limits. Soon a large part of the tribe rebelled, they were cut down quickly. Darkwood's parents and respected elders were part of the slain. One day he was beaten nearly to death while stumbling. He healed, and one day out of rage killed five of his guards, broke his shackles, and fled. He ran for days, deep into the forests.

He stumbled upon a group of rangers who took him in. Proving to be a strong ranger himself, and eager to learn, they taught him well. The band of rangers were masters of hit and run combat, and soon Darkwood bested even them. Soon he heard the call of the crusades and sought to join these brave elite warriors of the land. They battled the very magics for which he had a burning rage. Soon he became one of them, and battled hard against the tower of Arcana. His rage fueled him when fatigue set it, and he never let his fury die. Fate dealt him a ironic hand, and he fell madly in love with a grey-elf of stunning beauty. The one who held his heart was one of the very Archmagi he battled daily. He remained true to his code, but tried to make his love, Qabala, give up her magics. He could not. Both remained loyal to their causes but loved each other deeply. Soon they married, each taking a vow not to do harm to each other, but to pursue their loyalties.

The very house Darkwood believed in fell to dishonor, and the shame was hard for him to endure. He challenged Archmages to duels, fought cloaked figures bravely, and battled on. One day the unthinkable happened. A group of Crusaders took the Crystal from Arcana, luring Qabala into a deathtrap. They ganged her and attempted to kill her merely for loot. Darkwood was torn at the sight of this unfair contest. Should he let this disgraceful attack go on? Should he go against his house? What was the more honorable action to take? This drove him near mad, but he could only uphold honor. He grabbed the crystal and ran to the Tower of Magics. He fought the Preserver without a flinch, and died with the crystal in hand. He hoped this would open the eyes of his comrades to their shameful attack. It did not. Feeling ashamed of the choice he was forced to make and disgusted with what his house had become, he left. He battled magics alone, and fought the cloaked men with ferocity. He sought out traitors to the honor of his house and tried to battle them. Soon this was not enough, and sorrow took him. He became closer with his wife, and deeper in his religion of freedom.

Over time dreams from Barsak calling to the sky played over and over as he slept. He prayed to the heavens over this. Soon the gods pulled him up, and he became one with the great sky. Seeing his devotion to honor, he became part of the Pantheon. In order to be immortal, Darkwood made Covenant with the great Lord Styx. He could no longer share a marriage with Qabala and lose memory of who she was. He would remember a woman he loved but never who, always having a empty sad spot in his heart. The Crusaders plummeted further in disgrace. Nycholas was beaten horribly in battle and trapped in another plane. Seeing this, Darkwood made another pact with Styx to lead the Crusades to honor again. The pact cost him his face being shredded. It is a ghastly sight. Now Darkwood leads the great house of Crusader, seeking to promote honor and the ways of fair combat to the land. Darkwood takes the sign of the Living Battleaxe, for he is the Wood Warrior in the sky.