PLAYED BY: Elias Lambert
CHARACTER NAME: Talmore Kard
GENDER: male
PRONOUN(S): he/him
CLASS: Warrior
AGE: 17
RACE: human
HAIR: brown
EYES: hazel
OCCUPATION: Blade of Sol Specialist
KNOWN SKILLS: Combat, tactics and strategy, dabbles with hunting
BIRTHPLACE: near the docks of new hope
APPEARANCE: an armored and scruffy looking teen, carries a very recognizable shield
NOTABLE TRAITS: fought as a young kid in the Gladiator arenas of New Hope.
RELATIONSHIPS: The Blades of Sol member
RUMORS: why was he a gladiator, and if so why did he stop performing
BIO / BACKGROUND HISTORY:
If you care to ask, my life was and is a case for serious speculation of the sanity of myself and the people around me. Pull up a chair, and a beer, and I’ll tell you my tale.
It all began 17 years ago when a small boy was born on the docks of New hope. I’ve always loved to explore. As a lad, I would run down the docks of my home and greet the fisherman that returned with the daily catch. I remember quite vividly my boyhood daydreams of one day exploring beyond the edges of the maps and seeing what I might find there. But with age came the reality I couldn’t simply sail off into the horizon leaving my family and friends behind. I would have to settle for barely scraping by on money from working at my father’s smithy. I was just 15 when I saw my first show at the great gladiatorial arena of New Hope. By the end of the first fight, I knew this was the profession I truly wished to pursue. Later that day, I tracked down the proprietor and host of the arena, a surly old Syndar by the name of Yvan Ixil. At first he was not eager to hire a teenager to fight in his arena, but after a few pints of ale he agreed under one condition; he would decide the fights I was to partake in. And so it was, I would get out of bed, run to the arena, and train. I learned to fight with swords, axes, spears, shields, and many more. I would take breaks only to eat and sleep.
I remember it was a sunny day in May when Yvan interrupted me during axe training. “You’re ready lad,” he said “tonight’s fight is very relaxed. There will be few spectators, and you will use the sword and shield as your weapons. The fighter you will be facing is Cillan Vox. He is known for underhanded tricks, so watch for those”.
When the time came, I walked through the training area and into the main fighting ground of the arena. Vox stood still on the other side of the arena, spear and net clutched in his hand. Without warning, he rushed forward. I met him in the center of the arena floor. He opened by throwing his net on my sword arm. I tried to shake it loose, but it seemed to be sticking to me in some way. I didn’t feel any pain until I looked at my arm. There were small metal barbs built into the net, and the more I struggled, the more it would cut. I took his follow up blow on the shield and tried to swing my sword at him. White hot pain stabbed through my arm, so I let it go limp at my side. I was driven back across the sand by a flurry of thrusts from his spear.
As I was being driven back, I devised a plan. Not the most sound plan, but it would do. As he thrust out again instead of blocking, I threw my shoulder against the shield and slammed it into the spear. It tumbled from his grip onto the ground, he immediately dropped to the ground to pick it up. Just as he righted himself, I slammed my shield into his head as hard as I could. Vox fell to the ground, unconscious. The scarce crowd cheered rather quietly for the arena, but for me, it seemed louder than any other sound I had ever heard. When I looked down, I saw the net drenched in blood. When I made it back to the training area, Yvan tended to my wounds, removing the net as well as cleaning and stitching my wounds. As he did, he prayed to Solar, the god of the sun, to preserve me.
After that, I fought almost every night at that arena. I became quite proficient in tactics and strategy, and for a year I was happy. Until the war came. I remember the day that a squad of armed soldiers arrived at the arena and began to train us as real soldiers.
Yvan knew I was not prepared for war, so one day he smuggled me a pouch of coins and a spare sword and shield, then he sent me on my way. I don’t hold it against him, but nevertheless those months of unemployment were among my hardest. My father had retired from the forge at almost the perfect time, so there was no job for me to fall back on. I did odd jobs around town for a while, but that began to bore me, and the pay was too inconsistent to live off of. Soon after my sixth rejection from a potential job opportunity, I realized if I wanted to find work that wasn’t mining or smithing I would need to seek it northward. So I packed my meager possessions and put every scrap of money I had into provisions, then I departed as promptly as I could. It wasn’t long until I crossed into Nightriver territory, stopping at towns looking for work on occasion. When none were found, I would continue on. I continued my trek and soon found myself on the border to Goldenfield, moved through Goldenfield and Spiritclaw, mostly staying on the shoreline until I crossed the border of Aylin’s Reach.
The first town I ran across, I had entered in need of provisions and supplies. I sat down at the bar, waved the bartender over, and asked if they knew of any work for a former gladiator of New Hope.
He leaned in and whispered conspiratorily “Not presently, but north of here is a place called Lumiria. The Night Owl tavern, in its basement, was an arena of sorts. If it’s fighting you like, that’s the place for you.”
I thanked the man and left the tavern. Finally, a new arena. A place to hone my skills to perfection. I almost ran the whole way to Lumiria. When I arrived five days later, I made it straight for the Night Owl tavern. I approached the innkeeper and asked about the arena.
“It’s less of an arena” he said, “and more of a… private combat club.” He then pointed me to the stairs.
The basement smelt of liquor and sweat. A crowd covering the walls stood on their raised benches, leaning towards the fenced off area in the pit of the basement. Within the fences were a pair of combatants, engaged in a fistfight.
“Not really what I was expecting, but good enough” I whispered to myself.
One of the contestants collapsed after a particularly sharp right hook to the jaw.
“Any of ya’ brave enough to be my next victim?” the victor shouted.
“I will” I shouted over the crowd.
“A boy?” He laughed, “well come on down here then.”
I walked calmly to my opponent, he threw a jab at my head that I ducked under. I took the opportunity to maneuver under his guard and punch him in the side of the head, making sure that one of my knuckles slammed into his temple. Needless to say, he collapsed.
I fought for the next hour. By the end I was sore and tired but felt on top of the world. After the fight I was approached by a man in a blue outfit. “Hey kid, I’m one of the captains with the Blades of Sol. We could always use another fighter, or helping hand, or whatever. If you’re interested, go talk to Elzerith. He’s the golden Celestine Syndar who is usually in the offices, he runs the show.”
So I did. For a few days, I looked around Lumiria for Elzerith. Just as I was about to give up, I spotted a man who fit his description giving a speech about the Light of Sol in the town square. After his speech, I intercepted him as he was leaving the marketplace and explained my situation to him.
“Ah, Seymore sent you. This one must inquire if one had a relationship with Solar prior to interaction with Seymore” Elzerith inquired in the strangely roundabout Syndar mannerisms rumors whispered of.
“Yes, my martial trainer back in New Hope was a worshiper of Solar, and many of the healing magicks he performed to restore my health were done in his name.”
Elzerith studied me for a moment, “You are more than welcome to join our group. Should you be willing, we shall teach you more of Sol and his ways, as well as be taught the tenets of the Blades of Sol.”
And so I spent my first few weeks in their company studying Sol. At the end of that small time, I signed my name with their group. Ever since, I have been traveling in their company. I haven’t a clue where my story will go next, but I know that I’ll be ready for it.