'Hereward the Tall'

The ruins of Amon Min, Enedwaith, as it is seen today.

Although the kindred of monster slayers which Ebold belonged to was by no means a formal organisation, the group holds several well-established traditions as law. Perhaps the most prominent of these traditions is the manner of recruiting new slayers. Typically, an experienced, travelling slayer does not actively seek an apprentice, but rather takes the opportunity when they come across a downtrodden and willing teenager, usually a male but not exclusively. The apprentice then accompanies their mentor for roughly two years, in this time assisting in bounties, which simultaneously teaches the behaviour of monsters as well as the proper methods for safely eliminating them.

This traditional method was indeed the way Ebold became a slayer. His mentor was Hereward the Tall, a Rohir who probably hailed from the Westfold, (even Ebold was never certain of this). Hereward found Ebold aged sixteen at his remote home-town in Eryn Vorn, Minhiriath, while he was travelling on the Great Hunt. Ebold's apprenticeship was mostly completed on journeys around Enedwaith and Dunland, and towards the end in the far western reaches of Gondor; Anfalas. Aged eighteen, Ebold (then named 'of Cardolan') left the care of Hereward and went alone east, towards Dol Amroth.

Curiously, it seemed that Hereward the Tall had more in common with the Dunlendings than his native Rohirrim. Indeed, he even spoke the dialect of the Ox-Clan and was well respected among that people. On several occasions, Ebold proposed travelling east into Rohan, but Hereward had always refused without giving reason. Perhaps this suggests he was an exile, or otherwise unwelcome there? In a sense, it seemed absurd for Hereward to be a fugitive, as the man was led by morals and resembled the old king Elendil for his saintliness as much as his height.

Hereward and Ebold met only once more after their initial parting, three years later, again in Dunland. Together with local warriors they slew a great gwiber which had flown down from the hills and nested in the Pren Gwydh, but this was to be the man's last victory, as he was terribly wounded in the battle. Years later still, Ebold discovered Hereward died in Galtrev just a few weeks later, and was given a warrior's funeral.