Player Name: Joe Hamblin
Name: Rowan son of Brom “Battle-Born”
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Class: Warrior
Occupation: Mercenary
Skills: Armor Proficiency, Improved Armor Proficiency,
Thrusting Weapons
Character traits: Enjoys drinking, gambling, war, and luxurious living. Spends money quickly to enjoy the moment rather than the future. Slight prejudice against Ulven since the Ulven Civil War. Worships the Elder deities of Richtcrag.
History:
Rowan was born to Brom “Battle-Born” and Helena in the year 236 in a small village on the mountainous border between Richtcraig and Aldoria during their flight from Richtcrag in its fall.
Brom “Battle-Born” served as a Battle-Rager in the Broken Blade Union. Helena accompanied Brom as a camp follower – Shortly after birth, Brom “Battle-Born” and Helena fled to Aldoria to escape the Penitent and the undead as they laid waste to Richtcraig.
Once across the mountains and safely in Aldoria, Brom and Helena roam the countryside, raising Rowan to the best of their abilities. Thankfully, their life out in the wilderness is a brief one as Brom hears rumor of his company further south. The quickly made haste and rejoined the company, resuming their previous rolls.
Once Rowan was old enough, Brom started training him in the ways of both spear fighting and swordplay. Making sure that the child drilled daily and trained at every opportunity. While this went on, the camp lifestyle slowly became part of Rowan’s identity: drinking, enjoying finer things, and gambling. While he may have been too young to join in on such things, it was the aesthetic that sold him on the idea of this is how a mercenary should be.
However, life like this eventually ended in a cruel and abrupt manner. One day while training with his father, Rowan heard the screams and then saw people feeling as the Penitent started to attack the camp. Brom and many others from the company grabbed arms and armor and stormed to chase off the raiders, leaving Rowan behind. When the Penitent was driven off, among those that were found dead was Helena. To this day the image of her body being burned on the pyre is seared into Rowan’s mind, along with that feeling of loss.
From then on, Rowan worked as a squire for the company and trained daily. This was his routine for years. However, one day the company commander came back with a grim look in his eyes. The Broken Blade Union, a mercenary Union headed by the Broken Blade Company was disbanded by majority vote. The Commander states he is confident that they will be able to survive without the safety net that the Union provided, but will understand if others wished to split from the company. Brom “Battle-Born” was one of the few that decided to go on out on their own, taking Rowan with him. It was some time, but eventually they made it to the capital city of Aldoria and began to take up work for caravans and guarding minor nobles.
That life was what Rowan then knew for four years, living and enjoying the lifestyle along with this father. Then one day the blood red banner of a silver hand grasping a broken sword entered the main gates, followed by around two-hundred-forty-eight hardened Íoclaochra of the Broken Blade Company itself. Both Brom and Rowan watched from the crowd as the lines of pikes, great swords, shields, and countless other weapons came into the city, making its way towards the Royal Palace of the King of Aldoria. Brom then told Rowan to stay home, and came back late that night that he was able to get both Rowan himself passage to the new world on one of the boats leaving in the next two days.
However, on the second day at evening, the Army of the Undead marched upon the gates of the city of Aldoria, just as Rowan was boarding the boat. When he turned around the wooden plank was raised and his father was on the other side.
“In order to get you passage, I had to stay and fight with the rest of my fellow mercenaries… Good luck son! I know you will do well!” Yelled Brom “Battle-Born” as Rowan started to sail away.
Along the way with over to the land called Mardrun, a terrible storm wracked the small fleet of ships. This very storm caused Rowan’s ship to become separated from the rest, but thankfully beached right near the budding settlement of Newhope. During that time Rowan went straight to work and joined the Newhope Militia, with which he stayed a part of, even when it became a standing army during the First Contact War between the refugees and the Ulven. He stayed even longer and fought for years in the Ulven Civil War against Clan Grimward. During his time he earned many notes of commendation, and even was promoted to the rank of Sergeant within the Newhope Army. He stayed only a few years after that though, feeling the pull to go out and adventure like he once did with his company, father, and mother. So one day he turned in his paperwork stating his retirement, took what money he was owed, sold the rest of his belongings, and bought himself some new armor, weapons, camp gear, and fine wine.
He was traveling through the settlement of Davin’s Hold, slowly making his way north when he heard tell of the Broken Blade Company and its growing settlement called Balie Onoir. He quickly made sure to join with a passing caravan as a guard and slowly made his way towards Aylin’s Reach, to seek out the company that once marched through the streets of Aldoria’s capital.
When Rowan arrived in Baile Onoir he made his way into the Drunken Cardinal as he was desperately in need of some good ale. Upon entering the tavern, Rowan noticed a big red bearded man. This man was a boisterous fellow, who appeared to hold the attention of most of the tavern’s patrons. After a few stiff drinks Rowan challenged the red bearded man to a game of dice. When challenged the man appeared excited at the chance to best this cocky traveler. During the game, however, there arose a dispute over the rules. A brawl quickly ensued between the two. After getting a few hits in Rowan exclaimed,“Is that all you got ya red bearded bastard!” The man smiled and swung with a quick right hook. The force of the punch was so strong that it was like getting hit by a boulder hurled by a catapult. Rowan dropped to the ground dazed and confused. The red bearded man began to roar with mirth, then Rowan began to laugh, and then the entire tavern began to laugh. The red bearded man then reached down to help Rowan up, and stated, “That’s what we call a Broken Blade hello.”
“What a coincidence.” Rowan exclaimed, “I’m looking to join the Broken Blade’s!”
“Then you have come to the right place. I’m Volrok ‘Battle-Born’, commander of the Broken Blade Company.” said the Man. Rowan, realizing his mistake, dropped to a knee, and begged Volrok to accept his apology, and requested an opportunity to join the Company. Volrok chuckled and said,“You’re going to have to learn to fight better than that if you want to survive in my Company, but I’ll give you a shot to prove what you’re really made of.”