Taryn Larcell was born from his mother, Kienda, a farmer's wife. Early on in Taryn’s life, he served and worked with his father. After crops and cattle disappeared, his father and many men went to search and reclaim them. Taryn convinced his father to allow him to come along. Upon discovering that the people of Jaasden had taken them, his father stood up and took charger, creating a small militia to go reclaim their property. His father, Inditha, was slain in the battle of Yeneth Fields, defending his village from those of Jaasden. Taryn was not permitted to go along with the men as they left, but felt as if he should. Reluctantly, he stayed behind with his mother. 

“Protect the village, and when we return, I will bring you your own dagger. So that you may learn to fight and defend, as any man should.” That is all his Father said to him.

After the battle, only 4 men returned. Javen, Taryn’s best friend, had also lost his father and his oldest brother. Together, Taryn and Javen ventured to the battle field, in hopes to find living, but were met with only a sickening feeling of darkness over the field. As they glanced, they only saw the slaughter in front of them. From what they could tell, they men of Shvet had been lured into a trap. Many of them were shot with arrows. Most of those arrows were coated with a thin bluish slime. Taryn found his father, lying on the ground, his steel dagger in his hand. Fighting back the mixture of feeling, he took the dagger and the sheath from his father’s belt. He looked up and his tear clouded gaze met that of his friend. With only a glance, it was known both families had suffered the same fate. From there on, at only the age of 14, Tayrn and Javen trained to become Reapers, the elite combatants of the Resveld race, so they could become warriors. They we determined to do this, so no others would have to go and fight to protect them. 

When they reached the age of 21, they journeyed to the Kingdom of Resveld to prove their skill and power to the training school of Reapers. Taryn was armed with a crude hand-crafted bow, Javen’s brother's sword, and his own father’s Steel blade. When him and Javen arrived, they requested to meet with the head captain of the Armies of Resveld. The Resveld in the meeting hall began laughing as soon as they entered, and only allowed them to meet if they would promise not to hurt themselves when they tried to prove themselves. With a hearty laugh, he let them pass and called a low-ranking Sargent to meet with them. They were both asked to draw their swords, and both were promptly stuck down, ridiculed, and sent away. As they turned to leave, Taryn’s bow was stripped from his large pack and broken over the knee of the Sargent. 

“Next time, don’t waste our time with toys” Bellowed the Sargent.

The embarrassment and pain of defeat come over them so they left to the wilderness, to become Rangers of the many Great Resveld Forests. In the elements, they lived for 489 suns. They survived on the fruits, plants, and animals of the plains and forests. They trained to challenged themselves physically and mentally. Quitting was not an option as the vision of the broken bow on the floor and the laughing sargent was burned into their thoughts.  On the 490th Sun, a flock of birds bolted from the fields as a group of men on horses rode towars their fire. They could see the glow of their torches in the sunset before the men themselves. Very quickly, what appeared to be a hunting party of Meladrin, was upon them. Circling them, one man dismounted his horse and then all the rest followed in suit. Without speaking a word, all nine men drew their swords and moved without reason. Taryn immediately drew his sword but was overcome by four of the men and beat to the ground. Taryn looked up and saw Javen has suffered the same fate. Both were thrown to the ground and held down by two of the men. As Taryn attempted to struggle, he felt a large blow to the back of his head, and then silence, followed by overwhelming pain, and for a brief, hour long moment, peace came over him. Then darkness overcame that. He woke up to a single vision, the slit throat of his best friend. The screams and yells fell to no ears and had no purpose. As he pushed himself up, he found he could not. Looking to his left hand, his pinky was gone. The bone pertruded from his bloodied hand.

From that moment, revenge and justice was all that lingered in his mind. His Finger and other scars would heal, but never the scar that was left in his mind and heart. Upon hearing of Elantris, that was his goal. He would honor Javen and he WOULD become a reaper. His trials have proven him to himself, and he knew they would prove him to the others. He would go to Elantris, challenge a reaper to a duel, and he would win. After another year surviving and living with his pain, he packed his bags and started walking. He knew he would get there eventually.