In early 573 TR Genin met on the island of Keboth the Aleathians escaping the murderous Theocracy of Tekhos. He led them through the Indatha Straights and up to the mouth of the Horka river where they founded Thay.
Soon thereafter he blazed a trail through the Anadel hills and the Osel valley to create an overland route from Thay to Tashal.
Apart from local legends and the fact that he was a Melderyni mage this is all that is generally known of Genin.
Scholars know somewhat more.
Genin was born around the turn of the fifth century in Melderyn. Neither the exact location of his birth nor the identity of his parents are known. The first likely mention of him is of a Genen of Semet becoming a Mavari at the Cherafir Savoryan Chantry in 505. He must have been a brilliant student as by 509 he is refered to as a Shenava. Of course, it is possible that the references are to another man. There are no known Semets anywhere on Hârn. Also, no known copy of Genin's Petition of Excellence exists and yet it is known that he was a Viran by the 520's.
Almost nothing is known of what he did during the first fifty years of his life - most references to Genin speak of his travels during the second half of the sixth century. It seems that for many years he visited almost every part of Hârn, becoming friends with a number of famous inhabitants including Noron.
An often cited source is The Life of Genin which, it is widely agreed among scholars, is often sensationalising and inaccurate. In particular, the book talks of Genin's death on the sides Mt. Sofyn, while fighting the gargun from the Pyxyn complex in the year 592. The fact that Pyxyn lies on the other side of the Sorkin mountains does not lend authenticity to the account.
The Life of Genin ends with a description of how a Hru friendly to Genin picked up his body and took it back to Noron's house. This part of the story is also questionable seeing that Noron has on numerous occasions refered to Genin as his missing friend.
Many Thayian also expect Genin to return in their hour of need. Indeed some suggest that it was he who was responsible for the turning back of the Orbaalese fleet in 707.
Nelarin was born to a wealthy and educated Aleathian family and, as a fifteen year old boy, was one of the Aleathians who undertook the Odyssey. It was during this time that Genin met and befriended Nelarin. When, after founding Thay, Genin decided to move on, Nelarin joined him in his travels. It is with becoming Genin's apprentice in 574 that Nelarin's journals begin.
The first book speaks of how Genin and Nelarin blazed the trail from Thay to Tashal. From the journal entries it is clear that Nelarin found the travels hard at first but was determined enough to carry on the work. The next couple of years the two spent in relative comfort, travelling around Melderyn. Nelarin speaks at length about the training he received from Genin.
Once Nelarin became a Lyahvi Satia-Mavari the two began to travel over Hârn and parts of western Lythia. At times one day's entry will mention being in eastern Hârn and the following day the two are in Tharda. Never, however, is the method of covering such vast distances so quickly mentioned. Most of the mysterious and rapid journeys can be located as taking place between somewhere in the hills to the west of Thay and the heath south of Menekod. Also mentioned are many of the Hârnic chantries that existed at the time.
Often, the entries speak of Nelarin and Genin staying with Noron whom they describe as having a rough humour which hides a fine mind. It is clear that Noron has great respect for the older mage and the two are good friends.
The first journal ends in 582 about a month after Nelarin is accepted as a Shenava. It ends abruptly with Nelarin saying that he continues the entry in the next book of the journal.
The second book indeed does take up straight from that spot and continues on in much the same vein. Unlike the first journal, however, not all its pages are covered in writing. Rather, the final entry speaks of how Nelarin was brought by Genin to Noron's house after surviving an accidental total release of a spell he was casting. The entry is quite long and mentions that the two were on their way to Tontury Lake when the accident happened. Although the tone is quite positive these are the last words that Nelarin wrote. The entry is dated 589, 12th of Kelen.
Genin's goal was Ilmen Marsh where he met and spoke with several Ilme. They were able to inform him of the location of an ancient Khuzan outpost near the source of the Ilmen river. Following up on that information he investigated the outpost. Finding the place deserted he bound the doors shut with his magic and sought out a chamber where he could lie in peace until he felt Melderyn needed him once more.
Unfortunately, years after Genin fell into his deep slumber, the outpost came under the Shadow of the Bukrai - an Amorvrin found the complex and entered it. Finding the Khuzan catacombs it built a temple to Morgath and began to create undead from the Khuzan remains. When it came upon Genin's chamber it attacked him before he could completely awaken. However, in assailing Genin, even in his somnolent state, it took on more than it was prepared for. He managed to force it out of his chamber but it had struck deeply and Genin's life slowly drained away. With the last of his energies he managed to bind it within the outpost, banishing it to an eternal half-life forever out of touch with Morgath. And there it and the other undead stay, guarding the secret of Genin's death.