Departed Heroes:
- Gabriel Stoute - Half-Elf Fighter / Rogue / Invisible Blade
- Gentle Breese - Kagonesti Elf Fighter / Barbarian
- Drmji - 1/2 Ogre Barbarian
- Windwalker - Kagonesti Monk
- Tevin - Gnomish Bard
Gabriel Stoute - Rob Bakker
Half-Elf Fighter / Rogue / Invisible Blade
I was born some 36 years ago in the streets of Palanthas. To this day I do not know who my parents
are though some jokingly say that my father was the hero of the lance Tanis Half-elven. I myself
have never put much stock in that idea but the ladies seem to like it. I was raised by the Thieves
guild in Palanthas and for 30 years it was my home. I wasn't the best at what I did, but I did what
was asked of me and I did it to the best of my ability. Life was good under the rule of the
Solamnics. Sure they tried to capture us but in a way we provided a service for them that they
could not. We ran the sewers, you might say that it was the Thieves highway. Because of our frequent
use of the sewers we kept it clear of more hazardous inhabitants. Unfortunately the good times never
last, and when the Dark Knights came and claimed Palanthas we knew that things would change, At first
things were very quiet. We stopped most of our activities so that we could get a feel for our new
lords. Over time we began to resume our activities and it seemed that things were going to be ok
for us. And then the night of the hammers came and our world was crushed. Let me tell you of how
it happened for me.
It was 4 days before that night when I was playing cards with the others in my circle. I had been
doing quite well for myself when one of the council entered our safe house and asked if he could
join in the game. After a few hands it came down to he and myself. Unfortunately he was able to
stack more in the game than I, so to increase the stakes a little he offered me proposition.
"If you lose you will retrieve for me the Potion of Shonlay from Mistress Jenna of the Red Robes. Solo."
This would have been a difficult task even if I had the help of my circle, but to do it alone would
be beyond my abilities. I could only hope that he was bluffing and trying to force me to fold. The
only thing that I could was raise and hope that he would fold. My hand was good but it could be
beaten.
"Alright, I'll take your proposition, but I have one of my own. If I win I will do the job still
but I do it with Mulciber himself."
I had hoped that this would force him to concede but little did I know how wrong I would be. For
seemingly from out the very shadows themselves stepped Mulciber, who simply looked at me and
said, "Agreed".
At that point I was called and when I laid my cards on the table I smiled like a Kender with a
new treasure. The councillor looked at my hand, his hand then at Mulciber. He shook his head and
laid his cards face down on the table.
"You have guts my young thief and 4 days to prepare."
With that Mulciber turned and left. The councilor collected the cards and shuffled them once so
that no one would ever know if he beat me or not. I have always wondered myself, but somehow I
know that he did.
The next 4 days could not go by fast enough for me. I talked to everyone that had ever attempted
to enter the Mages house and poured over the records that we had. By the third day I had a plan
and I began to prepare what I required for it to succeed. I met Mulciber on the 4th night and told
him my plan. As usual his face was masked as much to protect him as it was to protect us. If we
didn't know who he really was then we couldn't forced to tell anyone. So during my telling it was
hard to tell if he approved of my plan or not. It seemed that he did for he made no changes to it.
We set off as soon as we finished the final preparations. The actual job went off just as I had
hoped it would but what happened next was not in the plan.
We had just finished leaving the Mage's house and were on our way back to the guild house when
we realized that something was wrong. I should say that Mulciber noticed and told me. His escort
was missing. We hastened our step for the nearest safe house in hopes that things weren't as bad
as they seemed. Unfortunately they were worse. As we neared the safe house the air was thick with
the smell of smoke. As we got closer we realized that the house was on fire and the Dark Knights
were responsible. We made our way to the next house only to find the same thing, It was on the
way to the third house that we found ourselves cornered. We hadn't been spotted yet but there
wasn't much time before that happened. I turned to Mulciber.
"Shalafi, I have learned much in my time with you and your guild. You have given me a life where
I may have not had one growing up on the streets. Now it my time to give you life. Allow me to
distract these dogs so that you may go free and rebuild the guild in hopes to avenge our fallen
brethren."
I don't know if it was my reference to him as Shalifi or my willingness to sacrifice myself for
him, but something in what I said to him filled his eyes with pride.
"I know that you favour the dagger as weapon for it's speed and stealth, so here take these 2
and may they serve you well."
I took the daggers from him and wish him luck, and with that I was off. I made just enough noise
to catch the attention of the Dark Knights and then I was at a dead run. I slowed my pace after
a moment when I realized that I mustn't lose them yet. I was able to stay one step ahead of them
for a time but my luck was running short. I needed some place to hide and I needed it fast.
Unfortunately my options were limited. It seemed as though he cursed Dark Knights knew everyone
one of our safe houses, our guild houses and our bolt holes. There was no where for me to go,
and then I had my answer. As I rounded a corner I came face to face with my salvation and possibly
my death. There a few hundred yards down the street lay Shoikan Grove. Though the tower is no
longer there the fear that oozes from the grove is still very real as are the other threats that
reside there. The closer I got to the grove more I felt the need to turn and run. I still bare the
scars I left in my hands from my finger nails as clenched my fists tightly. I was able to force
myself to enter the grove, but I could not go any deeper than a mere 5 feet. The sounds that came
from that place threatened to drive me mad. Some how I was able to lock away part of myself in my
head and let instinct drive my body. I would be a liar if I said that I didn't soil myself that
night in my run through the grove. In fact I know I did just before I even entered that place. I
don't know for sure how long I was in there for I only know that I when I finally realized that I
had stopped running that I was still in a forest but this was the non-magical forest outside of
Palanthas. Some how I had managed to escape the city and what would come to be known as the Night
of Hammers.
Few years later I received word that Mulciber had survived the night and was rebuilding the guild.
I haven't been back to Palanthas since that night so I can only hope that the message I receive
was true and he is still alive. I don't know how well I will be received by the new guild now
that I am a freelance thief. I do know that if I ever have to go back I will present myself to
them and hope my past deeds will prove to worth the sacrifices I made that night. Fortunately
in my time since that night I have made some new friends in my quest to avenge my brethren.
In fact let me tell you about them and how we all met...
Gentle Breese - Jason Coker Kagonesti Elf Fighter / Barbarian
- Family was servants to a Qualinesti house which had broken away from the main Qualinesti group.
- Family was killed along with rest of town in attack by a blue dragon - a lieutenant to the Black overlord dragon Mohrlex
- Swore vengeance against the blue's family
- Has killed the youngest blue dragon, and seen witness to the death of the second youngest - Kyracolide
Drmji(Demetri Volincroft) - Joe Jones
1/2 Ogre Barbarian
Nicholas Volincroft was a simple woodcutter, working on his families land.
While out one day Nicholas stumbled upon a wounded Ogress. Nicholas found
compassion for the wounded Ogre, and took care of her. When the wounded Ogre
regained her health she took advantage of Nicholas before leaving. Nicholas
was left for dead and his brother had to bring him to their family keep.
Months later when Nicholas had recovered he returned home to his cabin
and began working again. Shortly after returning to his cabin it was
ransacked one night with him inside. It was the Ogress again, but this time
she did not attack Nicholas. She dropped off a bundle and left. In the
bundle was a baby half-Ogre boy. Nicholas realized this was his son and
raised the boy. Demetri grew up under his fathers watchful eye as a
woodcutter. Demetri's strength and endurance made the work his father was
doing easier for him.
Life was well with the family, but other affairs were shaping. A
neighboring lord was having land disputes over the area where Demetri and
Nicholas were cutting. The neighbour sent some goons to persuade Nicholas
to leave and they killed him. Demetri saw this and attacked the killers,
killing them as well. Demetri fled to his uncles estate and sought refuge
there. Knowing that their neighbors would be furious he sent Demetri to the
North to go to the city of North Keep. On his way there he was ambushed and
captured by a group of OGres. For months they tortured and enslaved
Demetri. One night a female entered the cave where Demetri was chaned and
released him. Demetri tried to escape but one of his capturers barred his
way. Demetri fought off his attacker and made his way to North Keep. On his way
Demtri had many small adventures, usually helping those who offered him a
place to stay or some food.
Finally Demetri Reached North Keep and waited for word from his uncle. Demetri
was attacked by an assassin from the neighbor and fled the city via a boat.
After thwarting a Draconian attack on the Filtch, Demetri joined the party.
Windwalker - Melissa Murphy Kagonesti Monk - Adopted by a wealthy Qualinesti family from early age (4-6 years old)
- Her parents died in the familys service as servants
- The Qualinesti always tried to teach her to be "less wild", trying to civilize her
- Managed to teach her how to act proper Qualinesti.
- As she grew up it was discovered that she was Kagonesti, rather than shame her adoptive parents she ran away
- After running away she ended up at a Human Monk Monastery.
- She was very shaken up when she first arrive at the Monastery, and remained silent and withdrawn for a long time, reverting back to her Kagonesti ancestry. She was so shaken up from the events that brought her to the monastery that she never spoke of them to anyone, and in time began to forget a time when she wasn't there, training and learning to be more wizened to the ways of meditation (inner strength) and endurance (outer strength). - Many years passed at the monastery for Windwalker. She has had quite a few names in her life, but this one is the one that has stayed with her at the monastery. Once she had learned all that she could from them, one of the wiser monks told her to go out in search of herself and her past, so that her inner self could be more at peace. The monastery had no more they could teach her. - Upon reaching this stage of enlightenment she was granted the name "Windwalker", because in order to reach your full potential you would have to walk upon the wind to reach the clouds that only the soaring eagles could touch. So off she set to travel the world in search of her past, whatever pain it might bring back. She knew that her arrival at the monastery was not a happy one, but she wanted to find out the truth of her past, and confront her fears of it. Having heard of the fall of the Qualinesti, you have become worried about the fate of your adopted parents. You know that they must hate you for being what you are and that they would be shamed if you actually came back to them but they are your parents and you like to know what their fate was. Maybe if they did survive they wouldn't be shamed by you anymore and you could again feel the comfort of your mothers embrace.
Tevin - Shawn Murray Mad Gnome Pure Bard Tevin is a Mad Gnome that grew up as an outsider to his people. Tevin grew up around humans and elves moving from different towns and cities. He admires humans for the resolve and elves for their magical and mystic ways. While his people frown upon Magic he is inspired by it. Still with ties to his gnome heritage but, with one difference 99% of his inventions work as planned. Tevin holds no Life Quests, he is a free roaming gnome that uses his inventions to help solve problems. Tevin is the complete adventure as he has spells, brute, engineering and, inspiration. His philosophy in life is great things come in small packages. Problem solving and completion of tasks and, quests are his utmost concern.