Archives: Wiki Pages

PLAYED BY: Violet Carpenter
CHARACTER NAME: Quille Nightflower
GENDER: Female
CLASS: Rogue
AGE: 26
RACE: Human
HAIR: Blond
EYES: Blue
OCCUPATION: Traveling merchant and herbalist.
KNOWN SKILLS: Quille is a skilled forager and trader.
BIRTHPLACE: On the road in Faedrun.
APPEARANCE: Wears comfortable clothing.
RELATIONSHIPS: Quille maintained close relationships with several of her missing caravan mates, including her parents and her partner Caster.
RUMORS: “Seems lost…” “Were you just in my stuff?”

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: While though she was born in Faedrun, she does not remember it. She was born on the road while the undead rampaged the lands and spent her first year either on the road or in a boat. Once she got to Mardrun, her family were able to get by with just enough to support themselves and have some niceties.

Quille was a traveling Soujourner and part of a small caravan which delivered supplies during the war. One evening, the group was set upon by Grimward raiders. During the attack, she was separated from her companions and has been searching for them ever since.

Currently, she is living on the fringes of society just trying to survive and get back to her people. She is also looking for a reliable group of people to work with while she is on her own. She is a merchant, so finding a group where she can peddle her goods and find trade connections is also important to her.

She is wary, slow to trust, but loyal. She is also nosy and curious.

Name: Ethan Cox
Character name: Ivan Axel
Gender: Male
Class: Warrior
Age: 17
Race: Human
Hair: Brownish black
Eyes: Blue
Occupation: Mercenary/Freelancer
Known Skills: First aid, throw, duel wielding, armor proficiency, and improved armor proficiency
Birth place: The small Aldorian port town of Cool Water
Notable traits: Eager, arrogant, looks for fame, riches, and adventure. Cares little about where he goes and even less who he’s with. All he’s truly interested in is money and fame.
Appearance: Large, stocky, tough, and big.
Relationships: Knows most of the Rangers and most of the people within Crows Landing.
Rumors: None (As of yet.)

Bio:
Eon is Ivan’s father; Ivan’s mother was left back on Faedrun due to the lack of room on the ships.
Eon, “Hmmm. I hear there’s a civil war going on between the Ulven and there’s a Syndar leading Mordok up north.”
Ivan, “It sounds like a fun time had by all.”
Eon, “If I were 18 years younger, I’d head right to the front lines. I might just come out with something when all is said and done.”
Ivan, “No shit?”
Eon, “Fame, power, riches, and maybe some stories for some of those future children of yours.”
Ivan, “Going on about that future shit again are you father; but that does sound like a good deal.”
Eon, “Hey, I hear the Rangers are looking to build an army here in Crows Landing. I wonder if they have any room for someone like you within their ranks.”
Ivan, “Are you saying that I’m a problem?”
Eon, “No. But do you remember what your mother used to say?”
Ivan, “Hmm?”
Eon, “Boy, is your head made of iron….”
Ivan, “And your brains out of lead or what? Yes father, I remember.”
Eon, “Good. At least I know that not all of your brains are made of lead.”
Ivan, “Ha. Now let’s get back to work. We don’t have all year you know.”
Eon, “You know, our family has had a long history of soldiers and warriors.”
Ivan, “I know, but isn’t that how you lost your leg in the first place? Fighting in the front lines; killing penitent?”
Eon, “Yes, and what fun that was. In the few battles we did win; my fellow soldiers and I would just bathe in the spoils of war. Enemy armor, weapons, loot, and from time to time, silver. It was a gold mine.”
Ivan, “Yes, but you still lost your leg!”
Eon, “Yes, but if I hadn’t lost my leg when I did, I would have never met your mother.”
Ivan, “I know, but still…”
Eon, “If you’re not going to join the Rangers for our family honor then do it for your friends here at Crows Landing. Do it for money, fame, and the possibility of power.”
Ivan, “Humph. Fine, I’ll enlist.”
Eon, “That’s my boy. It’ll be fun, trust me.”
Ivan, “You know you’re going to be the death of me someday.”
Eon, “I Know.”
Ivan, “Come on. Let’s finish up with this house. It isn’t going to build itself you know.”

Played by: Ian Loebl

Contact Information: imloebl@gmail.com

Character Name: Al Mafajjar

Full Name: Nasih Al-Dawla Anwar Ibn Hilal Al Mafajjar Al Saresh

Gender: Male

Class: Mage

Age: 34

Race: Human, May’Kar

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Grey-Blue-Green

Occupation: Researcher and Adviser

Known Skills: Magic & Lore

Birthplace: Saresh, in the May’Kar Dominion

Appearance: Wears a long black coat and a strange red-lined mask, as well as a gold headdress. Usually in close proximity to Al Haddad

Notable Traits: Reserved, but is easily amused. He loathes mere mention of the Cult of Anguish or Penitent, but does wish to understand the strange magic that they used. Devoted to Serai and the May’Kar, and ready to stand up for their best interests.

Relationships: Member of Boş Mezar, and Citizen of Serai. He is a nephew of Abdul Qahhar Husam al Din.

Bio:

“Follow not thine uncle’s folly” These are the first words that I remember my father saying. The scene is preserved in my mind as though it happened yesterday, though in truth it occurred over 30 years ago. We were standing in Saresh, beneath one of the great minarets. A priest was crying morning prayers from the top, and a crowd was slowly gathering to listen. On the steps under where the prayers flew down on the wind, my father stopped and knelt down in front of me. He had a gravely serious expression on his face. From within the robe that he was wearing, he produced a strange mask that I had never seen before. It was white and covered half the face, just as his did. However, it was covered in tiny black cracks, and, of greater note, it had red lines under its eye and on its forehead. I asked my father what it was, and he told me a little of its twisted history. Evidently, it had been created for my uncle to wear in order to cover the facial deformity common to men of our family, conveniently not possessed by me. It started on a noble path, but fell to a dark one when my uncle became a part of the Cult of Anguish. There my father stopped telling me anything, and when I asked him about where he had obtained the mask, he would not answer. All he told me afterwards were those five words, which I remember to this day. After this rather strange event, my childhood was spent in Saresh, exploring and learning. I loved the city. It was a paradise on earth, and I would never have given it up for any reason. The great oasis was one of the wonders of the world, and it pained me in a horrible way to leave it. However, one must do what one must. When great troubles arose in the Dominion, my family and I left Saresh when we could, and went to the northern forests of Vandregon to hide from persecution. It was there that we eventually met Al Haddad and his group. We linked with them on their journey, and came to the new continent of Mardrun alongside them. When Serai was established, my parents threw themselves into the work and played a role in aiding the process along. I also worked very hard to create a new home for the May’Kar on Faedrun. It was what I started living for. When I was invited to become one of the Citizens that help to shape the policy followed by Serai, I was filled with pride. It is now my great duty to aid Al Haddad and the other Citizens in the governing of Serai, and the actions taken by the Boş Mezar. Through this, I pray that this mask comes to represent the work of Al Mafajjar, and not the dishonor of Abdul Qahhar…

Played by: Arron Singkofer

Name: Akyr

Gender: Male

Age: 22

Race: Human

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Blue

Occupation: Things and such

Known Skills: First Aid

Birthplace: Faedrun

Appearance: Average Height, Pudgy

Notable Traits: None

Bio: I don’t exactly remember what happened to my family on Faedrun. I know my father, mother, and I made it out. I apparently might still have an older brother, along with a sister. Haven’t seen them in years.

I remember being sick a lot on the boat.

The first few years on the boat were “learning” experiences for me. I had to watch my mother stitch up my father more than she’s had to re-stitch my pants. When New Hope had settled, my mother found she had a knack for helping people stop hurting. My father, on the other hand, got into the tavern business and encouraged a couple of fights here and there. I got to practice my own stitching skills on the drunks after my mother taught me. After a bit, my father tried to branch out into underground things. Mostly getting some small time rumors, maybe a job to give out.

I didn’t find out the whole “underground” side of things until I started to work more heavily at the tavern. My father became ill for around a year so my mother would have me either taking care of my father while she worked at the tavern or had me work it while she took care of my father. When my father recovered, we’d both be working all day, though I’d spend half my day with my mother and the other half with my father.

I don’t live in New Hope anymore, I moved to New Aldoria. I took a job from my father to help with some caravan work. I only did a few trips with them; learned how to patch someone up quick and temporarily. I met quite a strange couple of people. I learned a lot from an old man and his grandson while I was in the caravan. I think the grandson’s name started with a B. I can’t recall it for the life of me, and I’m kind of glad I can’t. The old man was mild tempered but the young man was always angry. He was large and bear-like. But I talked to the injured mostly.

As of now I’m looking for some new faces to call friends, and to yell at when they get injured.

Mostly yell at when they get injured.

PLAYED BY: Hawk McClurg

CHARACTER NAME: Lucy Griffendail

GENDER: Female

CLASS: Mage

AGE: 22

RACE: Half human/Syndar

HAIR: Blonde

EYES: Blue

KNOWN SKILLS: Arcane Mage

BIRTHPLACE: Aldoria

APPEARANCE: Short in stature, broad shoulders, mostly wears green, muscular.

RELATIONSHIPS: Granddaughter of Vazra

Bio:

When I was a young girl my father would tell me great tales of my grandfather, “The man who traveled through time and space”. He was a grand mage looked up to by some and resented by many. A fond wizard of sorts really.

My father once told me the story as to how I was born. My mother went into labor much too early and was in great pain. My father said the amount of pain he witnessed his beloved wife and mother of his first unborn child go through made him nearly go mad with panic. He didn’t know what to do. The only thing he did know was that his mother would know what to do. He told me he went on a short journey into the dark forest to find her. You see, my grandmother was what you would call a hermit of sorts. She stayed in the woods for the most part, according to my father, never really venturing into the town. Some of the town’s folk were afraid of her but not my brave father. After he had drug my grandmother out of the house and out of the woods, he had to let her be alone with my mother. Unfortunately, after she did all she could, my mother died during childbirth. My grandmother held me and wept. This saddened my father, delving him into a depression that he couldn’t seem to shake. My mother had died and all he had was me and my grandmother.

Throughout my youth as I grew older, I could see the sadness my father held on his shoulders. He would occasionally go speak with grandmother, but told me I could never meet her. I never understood why and when I would ask, my father would always answer vaguely.

I remember the day my father disappeared though… My father left the house at the normal time that he did every other week on Wednesday afternoon for the market. It was mid fall, winter slowly making its way, but the sun still made its way to the earth with its motherly warmth. Then night fell and my father still had not come home. Being 6 years old, I didn’t know what to do so I panicked and left the house to search for him. It being nearly dark, I quickly realized that it was a bad idea to leave. I had nobody to help me look for my father either. First, I ventured into the village asking anyone I saw if they’d seen my father but nobody could say they had. I remembered my father talking about my grandmother sometimes. He had said she lived in the forest somewhere but it would take forever for me to find her house. It was the only option though because I needed my father. He was all I had. He was my teacher, my friend, and my father. So I had to get over my fear and go into the woods. I searched for a little shack till dawn break. Exhausted and hungry, I sat down at the base of a mighty oak.

That’s when I saw it. Deep into the forest between the trees, I swore I saw a roof reflecting the blue of the morning. I got up and started to run a shambling, tripping run, but I ran none the less. I tripped about half way there and fell, slicing my knees open on a big jagged rock buried in the dirt. I got up, tears filling my eyes, blood running down my legs, and dirt all over my pretty dress and hands. Walking up to the old shack, I saw candle light through a crack so when I got up to the door I tried to push it open but it was locked. I knocked… Nothing. I yelled… Nothing. I banged as hard as a six year old girl could smash her fists on a door. Giving up in the middle of the woods, the early rays of morning shining through the trees, I started to cry, sliding down the door panel. There is where I fell asleep…

Until I got woken up by falling inside the shack, looking up at a grizzly old woman. She looked at me like I had just fallen into her house or something. She asked what I was doing, I asked frantically where my dad was, she asked what I was doing, and I asked if she’d seen my father. Finally she looked at me, grabbed my shoulders and whispered in my ear that my father was dead. I slapped her right across the face, being feisty and six, not having that as an answer. I screamed where is he?! She grabbed me and brought me into her shack.

“First off. Why are you even here? These are awfully dangerous woods for a little girl. You must’ve walked all night.”

I replied, “I’m not afraid of anything. I want my father and I’m willing to do anything till I find him. I want to know if you saw him since yesterday.”

She looked at me with a somber look, turned around quietly and grabbed a letter on her table, handing it to me. “Read this.” I looked at her and blinked. “I can’t read.” Dumbfounded, she looked at me and said, “For goodness sake girl, your father didn’t teach you to read?” I replied, “I’m six.” Exasperated, she sighed at me. “Fine. Fine. I’ll read it to you.”

She unfolds it and proceeds to read:

I had to leave you Lucy. I know you’re my only daughter. I know I’m all you have but I see a great future in you. You’re beautiful, strong, and one day you will be powerful. I left because I will weigh you down with my sadness. I don’t want you to resent me, or hate me, but I know you will. There is one thing I must ask of you. I see in you the ability to follow in the footsteps of your grandfather, Vazra. Our family has long held that he did not fall in his fight with the Death Knight. I have personally heard accounts of a bright flash of blue light surrounding both of them as Vazra alone vanished from the field. If there was anyone who could have survived such a thing, it would have been Vazra. If you work hard at expanding your mind, you may be able to reach some of the great peaks of power Vazra tread on before he left us. You may be able to discover his fate… My mother, your grandmother Sheila, will help you. Do not shy away from her. She is an odd woman, frightening even, but listen to your grandmother. She will teach you and help prepare you for this quest. She will tell you when you are ready. You must be steadfast and smart. Never forget that I love you Lucy. You will not understand why I left you now, but one day you will.

I angrily wrinkled up the letter and threw it at the door. I started to uncontrollably sob, curling up on the floor. Sheila picked me up off the floor, stood me up and glared at me. “I didn’t necessarily agree to be a babysitter but your father asked me and I promised I’d raise you. Now stop crying and toughen up. You’re not going to get anywhere on the floor crying, you’re not a baby.”

Jumping forward seven years, I’m thirteen and grew up in the woods with my grandmother. I can, however, read fluently which is glorious. I found I love reading. I have my things packed for the quest I am about to go on. My grandmother tried to teach me how to wield a sword. Let me tell you, that woman does not do well as a teacher. But I took in her lessons nonetheless. She got mad at me once in a while, not that I didn’t deserve it most of the time, but I took it like an adult. Life is hard with a crazy woman, but here I am strong, smart, and most of all ready. I do not hate my father. He did what he did out of care, not spite or anger, and I still love him and know he’s watching over me.

My grandmother told me of the fond, secretive love between her and Vazra. Vazra vanished before my father was born. Oddly, she didn’t hate Vazra. She was just saddened by him, but loved my father anyways, in an odd, standoffish kind of way, but still love.

One day mid training my grandmother suddenly stiffened and informed me that we were taking a trip to the coast and that I should bring everything that I found valuable. While I found this odd, I packed my few prized possessions and followed her down the road. After a few days travel we came to a port city and my grandmother marched us straight to the docks. Once there she found a man selling passage on a ship to Mardrun and passed him a small bracelet I had never seen before. He looked at it dismissively until she placed it in his hand and it suddenly shone with mana. “This will do.” is all he said, then he pointed to the ship. My grandmother started shoving me towards the ship despite my protests as her plan dawned on me. “I need to find out what happened to Vazra.” I shouted. She slapped me across the face and forcefully whispered into my ear. “Things have changed on Faedrun, it has become a place of death. You won’t be able to find out what happened if you are dead. The time to search for his fate on Faedrun has passed. If you have any chance to find out what happened, it must be in the New World.” With that, my strength left me and I allowed myself to be lead to the gangway. Good bye Aldoria, let my search begin.

PLAYED BY: Matthew Bean
CHARACTER NAME: Erasmus Acadius
GENDER: Male
CLASS: Cleric
AGE: Mid to Late 30’s
RACE: Human
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Blue
OCCUPATION: Engineer
KNOWN SKILLS: Building structures and fortifications
BIRTHPLACE:Some camp tent in a campsite long forgotten.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:
“So you want to hear my story? Why? Because it will fill your life with joy to know more about me? Pfft! Or maybe you have a grudge to settle? Not the first and won’t be the last. In either case, you’re buying the bärenfang! Well, since you found me, you already know my name is Erasmus. I am the son of an itinerant millwright. These days, I simply trust in the spirits to put me where I need to be.”
“As a child my family traveled between Aldoria and Vandregon. My father taught me how to build watermills, windmills, and when work was lean, how to build adits. Since you have that confused look on your face, you should know that all these structures are crafted from wood, so I learned the skills of a carpenter. When metal parts were needed, I learned how to find bog ore, smelt it, and to forge the parts needed.”
“When I was in my teens, my father deemed I was as qualified as any journeyman millwright… my father’s name? What does that matter? He is gone and you’re not paying for his name, so let the dead rest in peace. While I enjoyed the work, I wanted to build something more lasting. I wanted to build bridges that would last the ages! I wanted to lay foundations that could bear greater loads for mills. Well my father was disappointed that this was the path I wanted to take. But he also knew that if he didn’t say yes, then I would have simply left and learned the ways of the stonemason on my own. He said that it was my mother in me making me want to go my own way. He gave me his blessings and wished me the best. That was also the last time I spoke to him…”
“Let’s see, I joined the Aldorian Stonemason’s Guild in 245…maybe 246, the year really does not matter. After six grueling years as an apprentice and journeyman stonemason, I was ready to prove myself by taking the Master’s Test. I was commissioned by the Guild to craft a bridge over the Vetluga River. While the Vetluga wasn’t a wide river, the river flow was fast moving and it made ferry crossings difficult.”
“At that time, tavern rumours had been rife with stories of new lands discovered, of the walking dead growing ever bolder in their battles, and of a King or Duke or some other royal muckety-muck dying suddenly and mysteriously. For the most part, everyone considered them to be foolish tales to scare young children to bed.”
“Well, the work to build the bridge was progressing at an acceptable pace. I was glad that the bridge would be completed in time for the fall harvest. Merchants and supplies would be able to travel to market, and I would have finished my bridge and would be accepted as a Master stonemason. However, as time progressed, necessary building materials, food, and wages were not arriving in a timely manner. The work slowed to a crawl and finally stopped altogether. The craftsmen and laborers left the encampment daily in search of food or left to find work elsewhere. Finally, construction on the stone bridge ceased. I was forced to make a decision. I had to choose either to stop the construction altogether or to use other materials to complete the bridge. The decision was really simple; I chose to construct a wooden deck across the stone bridge’s falsework. This would allow foraging parties to expand out to the other side of the river to bring back supplies to what was left of the building parties, their families, and other camp followers.”
“A fortnight after the first foraging parties were sent out, men started wandering to the river crossing. These men bore the colours of various Road Warden garrisons and carried the wounds of battle. When we tried to ask what happened, the survivors were incoherent as to what had occurred and only mumbled that the hand of death was stretching out across the land. I ordered the camp fires stoked and those with the worst injuries tended to. For the others, broth and bread was provided. As the day progressed, villagers and refugees began arriving seeking passage across the Vetluga. The refugees all bore similar stories; the bodies of the dead had risen up and now walked the land of the living. I could see the look on people’s faces as they started to really grasp the situation at hand.”
“The next morning, the first frosts of winter could be seen on the ground. The work crews, foraging parties, their families, camp followers, and refugees were all looking for answers and directions. A few warriors of those who had thrown off the fugue of the horrors that they had seen and endured urged me to immediately destroy the bridge and run away. The refugees pleaded to leave the bridge standing so that their loved ones could cross the riverand flee the encroaching nightmare.”
“What was I supposed to do? I knew that the bridge would be a vital crossing point for any refugees, but I also knew it would be a beacon for the advancing scourge, as it could also cross the Vetluga. Well, I simply had no choice. I was not going to condemn those survivors who made it to the crossing, but I was not going to leave a passable bridge to be used for the dead to walk across either.
“It really became a simple choice. Those leaving would pack lightly and head out as soon as possible. Those willing to stay behind were ordered to gather up bundles of wood as quickly as possible, which would then would be attached to the falseworks and coated in pitch. This would make the bundles and falseworks highly flammable and quick to burn once the bridge had been fired. On the opposite bank, I ordered gabions to be assembled and to be placed to form a wall. In front of the gabion wall, I had a ditch dug to slow any advances on the simple wall and bridge.”
“Since we didn’t know how long we had, we worked at a frantic pace. I was so tired, but I made sure that teams worked in shifts to preserve their strength. When I was sure that all the tasks were completed, I finally allowed myself to get some sleep. I do remember that when I laid down in my bedroll, I was asleep as my face hit the pillow. After what may have been a few hours, I awoke screaming and yelling. Staggering from my tent, I noticed that sun was just rising. I was surprised to see in the flesh that the rumours of the undead were true. I watched in horror as refugees were being dragged down as they panicked and scrambled to cross the bridge.”
“I remember donning a buff coat, grabbing a simple shield and a worn sword from my tent and running to the bridge to help reinforce the defenders. I had never used a sword at that time, all my experience had been hefting various axes used to cut trees and lumber, or mallets and mauls for stone working. While I didn’t have the finesse of a trained warrior, my strokes were solid and devastating when they connected. Time seemed to slow as the fight continued and more and more joined the slaughter.”
“The red haze of killing was broken when I smelled smoke. At first, I didn’t realize where it was coming from. Eventually, though, I was able to step back from the fight and had the chance to look around. I was shocked to see the bridge had been fired without my order. I realized that we had few choices, we could burn to death trying to cross the bridge if we did not run now, stand our ground and face the Undead, or leap into the freezing current of the Vetluga and hope we did not drown. There was only one choice… I ordered a retreat from the bridgehead.”
“As planned, the flames quickly engulfed the falseworks. I was told later that when I had leaped clear of the flames, there was a brief golden aura surrounding me that the flames licked over. While I was able to cross to safety before the last of the wood frameworks collapsed and the bridge crumbled into the Vetluga, some men made the same leap as I, others could not and instead choose to jump into the river in a desperate hope that they could swim to safety.”
“I lumbered away from the flaming bridgeworks, covered in soot and the foul effluent. My heart was finally realizing what my mind told me…all was lost. I discovered a young man, barely out of boyhood, standing near a brazier ordering soldiers to kill any person swimming across the river. I could not believe that I was hearing orders being given to kill the survivors clambering out of the water. I asked what he was doing, and the man calmly informed me that he had fired the bridge and was ordering the killing of all those wallowing in the river. These men were either cowards failing in their duty or were the enemy. In either case, the Gods would know their own and claim their souls in the afterlife.”
“I must have stared like a simpleton and could only stammer out “what…?” the man simply stated that as a Baronet of the Kingdom, it was by his lordly decree that all present would stand and fight for the Kingdom of Aldoria. Those who refused to fight, no matter what the situation, were to be executed as cowardly traitors! Rage, anger, and disgust crept up from my gut, slowly sweeping over me like a wave. I don’t what happened, but something finally burst through what little self-control I had left and I let out a pure bestial roar of anger! I did not stop when I stove his head in…I hacked into his lifeless corpse and rended it into bloody chunks. When the light of reason returned to me, I knew that what few defenders were left would not, and could not, stand and fight. We grabbed what supplies we could and ran for our lives.”
“While I was utterly disgusted with this example of the nobility, I did have the presence of mind to take the fool’s signet ring, coin purse, and a few other items that supported any claims that this arrogant bastard had been a Baronet. Having experienced other problem nobles and seen the corruption of the feudal system, it was time to forge a new path.”
“The survivors and I ran for three days, only stopping long enough to eat biltong and hardtack, towards the garrison at Drakensberg. At that point, the survivors just needed a direction and a glimmer of hope. It was another two days away, but between a lack of supplies and the cold we could not last much longer than four or five days.”
“Unfortunately, at that point two days from Drakensberg we started seeing smoke rising in the direction of our goal. Then we started coming across refugees from the garrison. They said that they were overwhelmed in the middle of the night. As the dead had no fear of the dark, they just shuffled out of the darkness and took the gatehouse to the city.
“A Sergeant of the garrison, with hollow eyes, looked to me and asked, “My Lord, what shall we do now?” I had not the heart to correct him, but I could not deceive these people. Here were one hundred and fifty or more souls needing direction. I looked around and asked “Are you willing to fight to survive? Are you all willing to do the things that it will take to survive? If so, we will fight!”
“For 18 months we fought, destroying parts of the horde, other times losing friends and loved ones. We came to understand two things. The horde was becoming larger and harder for us to fight. The second was that nobility were cowering behind high walls and expecting others to fight for them. Yes, there were knights and lords that fought and died to protect others, but all we saw and heard was that they were cowards.”
“More and more, we heard rumours of lands that were free of the Undead, So we as a group decided that we were done fighting a losing battle and we marched to Walvis Bay. By this time our group numbered forty. The port was busy with activity, men loading cogs, caravels, longships, and a multitude of other vessels.”
“Taking advantage of the dead Baronet’s signet ring, I was able to find a captain and crew that would sail to Mardrun with forty passengers, supplies, and cargo. In return, he received 382 silver coins, a promissory note drawn on the good Baronet’s estate, and an offer of exclusive shipping rights for three years with the Baronet and his factors in Mardrun.”
“SO, that is my story. Anything else, cub? Or are your fingers twitching to draw that blade at your side?”

Played by: David Li
Character Name: Oliver Coswell
Gender: Male
Class: Cleric
Age: 30
Race: Human
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Occupation: Griffin researcher
Known Skills: Divine Magic
Birthplace: Small village

My earliest memories were of my father. Him practicing magic, making potions, and writing notes down in a large tome. He was constantly working with one thing or another. I remember one time trying to see what was in that tome while he was asleep. I don’t know how he knew but before I could even get a glance I was caught. He became very angry with me and agitated for many days after. From that point on there were very few days where not a single word would pass from his lips. There was only scorn in his eyes for me. I found life more bearable outside that place I was supposed to call home. Thankfully there were a few children around my age I could run around with, otherwise I think he would have tried to kill me earlier and in a different way that would have been successful.

It happened when I was 9 years into my life. The day was extremely cold and snow was just beginning to fall outside. I wanted to go out and play in the fluffy white stuff from the sky but my father stopped me and told me to finish eating so that I could grow up big and strong. That day he was strangely talkative and upbeat. I had thought that something had lifted from him like a bad plague or some other illness. I hoped that we would be a family and that he would love me like the way I saw other fathers with their children. With a smile on both of our faces, I ate every last scrap off my plate then went out to play.

The next day I could not move from my bed. I was sweating horribly and my head was pounding. My father was by my side most of that day giving me water, food and medicine. He was very caring it seemed and he was not at all worried saying I would feel better soon. I was steadily getting worse, nothing seemed to help. One day I recall waking to someone knocking at the door. I think it was a friend of mine seeing if I could go out to play. I went back to sleep and when I woke, a man I had only seen a couple of times around the village was at my bedside. He always looked like a kind old man out for a stroll with his wife when I saw him. He was sponging my face with cool water and chanting. I closed my eyes, feeling the days slip past me. My fever broke and I awoke to a sunny day. Before I was fully awake, I heard a commanding voice.

“Rise boy, for your end is not yet near. You have much to do.”

Never hearing that voice before I was frightened and yelled out for my father. The older man I had seen before by my bedside quickly came in and started making soothing noises and trying to calm me down. He told me that my father was gone. At first I mistook him and thought my father had perished but he clarified that he left to find help for me. I was overjoyed to hear the news of my father, but at the time I didn’t understand why it was said with a look of sadness.

The man explained to me that he was a former cleric of The Order. He left to become a Layperson in his older age.

“I was in The Order of Arnath’s Fist since I was a boy. I have asked a friend of mine to come down and talk with you. Give him a chance and hear him out. Ok?”

I only nodded at him, with what I only assume was a look of doubt on my face. He was talking like my father wasn’t coming back. He was the only family I had.

“Look how I turned out after all,” he continued with a little chuckle. “I have a beautiful wife and 3 cute children. I am not saying that the life I have is what you are destined for but ….” He hesitated, thinking about something. “The Order will teach you things and help you to grow into a fine young man. They get to wear shiny armor and wield divine magic.”

A couple of days later his friend visited my house. He was a tall man in heavy looking metal armor, clean-shaven, and stern face. My first feeling of him was he was cold, and possibly angry about something. Once we started talking I realized I was wrong. At least about being cold and later I found out why he was angry. That day he came to talk to me was my first steps toward being a Lion of The Order of Arnath’s Fist.

I saw father one more time. I was helping villages leave their home before the undead and penitent moved over them in a cloud of death. He approached me in an excited state happy to see me again. When I saw him, it looked like the years didn’t treat him all too well. The joy that was on his mouth never reached his eyes that were sunken into his skull. His overall appearance was haggard and worn out.

“Son, at long last I have found you. Quickly, we need to be away from this place.” He tried to grab me but I backed away. I was confused why he was there but I had a sinking feeling about the meeting. He was not at all concerned for anyone else there, almost with a disdainful look in his eye as people fled their homes. “Come with me. Please. They are moving this way and I do not want to be here when they arrive.”

“What do you mean? Who is on the move?” That’s when I knew but I wanted to be wrong. Only those that fought with or against the Penitent knew their movements that well. Sure they were always on the move but that village and that very moment?

“My friends, they will take care of us but we shouldn’t be on the wrong side of the line when they get here.” He moved to grab my arm again and this time I shoved him back. He lost his footing and fell on his ass. The fire of anger was in his eyes now. I remembered it well, almost like an old friend. “They said you would stay to die with these peasants.” He shouted at me while getting to his feet. “I guess that’s true. I knew I should have stayed to finish you off all those years ago.”

At that comment my legs went weak, I was shocked at his bold proclamation. That’s how I missed him chanting and throwing out his hands towards me before I was violently pushed to the ground by a force I never saw. He leaped onto me, poised to stab my face when another Lion ran full on into him striking him hard with his shield. When I got to my feet he was gone. Disappeared in thin air, I silently cursed at myself for losing focus. My commander barked out some order a small distance away and we moved out to defend the fleeing refugees.

The years have past and I have found myself a witness to some great, beautiful and terrifying moments. I am now stationed in Starkhaven where events have been unfolding inside and out.

PLAYED BY: Mike Tukiendorf
CHARACTER NAME: Merrik Koska
GENDER: Male
CLASS: Rogue
AGE:36
RACE: Human
HAIR: Dark Brown
EYES: Brown
OCCUPATION: Pickpocket, thief, survivalist, hunter, assassin if price is right. All around thug.
KNOWN SKILLS: Pick pocket, hunter, rudimentary knowledge of poisons and antidotes.
BIRTHPLACE: Valinate, in the Kingdom of Richtcrag
APPEARANCE: Unshaven, dark clothing, shifty eyes, paranoid
NOTABLE TRAITS: Always looking for something that isn’t there. Always tense. Dark clothes
RELATIONSHIPS: Was aligned with Daven’s Reach, but when Percival Von Borscht wanted to make Daven’s Reach a legit settlement, Merrik decided to leave town, thinking that he wouldn’t be wanted. He befriended Marcus Clearbrook and traveled south to New Hope. Where hearing about The Broken Blade from Marcus, Merrik decided to meet Volrok Hinrich to see if he could join the Broken Blade.

RUMORS: With being affiliated with Daven’s Reach, people usually talk and it’s not the good kind of talk. People think you’re a murder and a thief, well they’re right! I probably have a few warrants out for my death, or capture, in the cities of New Aldoria and Crow’s Landing.

BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY: I was born in Valinate to a mother who was a whore. I never knew my father, hell it could have been half of Richtcrag. My mother didn’t have the time for me, to her I was just another urchin that she had to deal with. Most of the time the mad’am of the house took care of me. Either because my mother was working or was too drunk to do anything. The Madam, as she liked to be called, was a ruthless and uncaring woman. The only reason I was able to get food from her was because I was good at ‘retrieving’ things. I had a gift, a deftness, that allowed me to steal items without being caught, or if I was caught I was able to run away. Good thing Valinate was a maze of back alleys and blind spots. In my spare time I would wander into the sewers and find my way through the tunnels making note of escape routes and what entrance led to where. That is where I met Jack. You see Jack was a mercenary by trade, but by night he was a wonderous smuggler. He taught me how to fight and that was to never fight fair, for fighting fair would get you killed. So I learned always exploit a weakness, always take the cheap shots, to never give up, and you might live to retire. At least that is what he would say, though he never really explained what that word meant, but I bet it got boring.

I was about 20 when the Undead Scourge came and I was forced to quit my profession as a smuggler/thief in Valinate. I killed one of the sailors on a large ship leaving port and assumed his identity. There I held my own, learning some basic knots from the sailors along the way for the many months till we landed in what is now New Aldoria. I fell back into my old ways and got caught a couple times. The new world didn’t have as many hiding spots as the old world, and I hated it! I had to leave New Aldoria in the dark of night with a couple bodies in my wake. I don’t intend of returning, but if I do, it will be with a new identity.

I moved up the coast to Oarsmeet. At the time, Oarsmeet was a great town to lay low or to use as a base of operations. The Prince made short work of that. Remind me to send him a card laced in nightshade, the ass!

I then moved up to Daven’s Reach. That is where I have been working on my hunting, herbablism too. Now that Daven’s Reach is going to be a civilized town, I decided it was time for me to move again. The current management wasn’t to my liking. I guess I will see where this Marcus Clearbrook fellow takes me. Hopefully somewhere good, for his sake.