When Garulf was a young boy, his grandmother, Eleyna called him into her room. "When I was a young girl, my father told me this saying 'Where there's a will there's a way.' Now I give this advice to you," she whispered hoarsely, Garulf bent down so that he could hear better, "life is like a river. When a river comes to an obstacle, it erodes away at the obstruction until it finds a way to go through it or around it to continue its journey to the sea. So also will you face obstacles in your life. It is your courage, strength and above all your will that will show you and help you to find the way past those difficulties."
Garulf never forgot those words and long after Eleyna had died, her advice lived in his heart. Her wise words helped him along his way in life as he advanced through the army, displaying feats of such bravery and courage that he soon won wide reknown throughout the land. However it was his wisdom and mercy that elevated him to the status of hero and it was not long, before he had become Lord Lieutienent of the army and advisor to King Boroldo, king of all lands from the sea in the west to the monstrous mountains fo the east.
By the age of thirty, his life was at its most blissful, he had a beautiful wife with a young son of three years and a baby daughter, newly born. He was a happy and prosperous man, respected by all and loved by many.
Alas, it is often at the height of happiness that tragedy strikes and so it was when Garulf's family returning on a visit from his wife's family in the south that her carriage was set upon by thieves. The driver pushed the horses on, but the wheel of the carriage came off and the carriage fell down a ravine into a river. That day, Garulf lost his family, his happiness and his sanity.