Anchor, The Goliath Paladin https://dicecloud.com/character/gvgny6tpQ5MjXuh3M/Anchor Anchor grew up living with his tribe near The Spine Of The World, the glacial mountains of the Sword Coast. From a young age his role in the tribe had been determined, and he spent the first fifteen years of his life being raised in the art of Adjudicating. For those unfamiliar with the tradition, adjudicators helped to settle disputes between others in their clan. Anchor, at the time known as Goren Icebridge, took well to his studies and showed great promise of being a fair and reasonable adjudicator. As he entered his teens, however, Anchor began to grow jealous of his fellow tribesmen and their tales of combat and glory out in the wilderness. During one harsh winter season, a caravan arrived at their encampment. They had gotten lost in a storm and were horribly off course from their destination. The tribe offered to take them in until the storm passed and they could be on their way. Goren and many other young Goliaths sat with these travelers as they shared their stories around the warm fire. One of these travelers, a retired sailor by the name of Blake Tideshrew, told tales of his time at sea on the vessel, The Raving Maiden. Goren sat there with stars in his eyes as he imagined a life at sea, exploring the world and fighting all manner of monstrous sea creatures, which Blake went into great detail about when questioned. As the storm cleared and the caravan prepared to part ways with the tribe, Goren had come to a decision. Not even bothering to discuss his departure with his Chieftain, Goren left. The caravan was glad to have him, as both a guide for the immediate area and as a guard, whose mere presence would be enough to keep most small time threats from bothering them. Eventually, the caravan arrived at their destination, the City of Neverwinter. There, Blake was quick to hook Goren up with the current captain of The Raving Maiden, Captain Lionel Tiger. Goren was hired immediately and was taught everything he would need to know to help keep the ship afloat. Unfortunately, Blake had not been entirely truthful as to what kind of ship The Raving Maiden was. For nearly 25 years, Goren Icebridge served under Captain Lionel Tiger, who was known as one of the most feared pirates along the Sword Coast. Goren had some reservations about stealing from innocent merchant ships and raiding poorly defended port towns at first, but now far away from his tribe and those who taught him right from wrong, his fellow pirates easily turned his thoughts to the glory of conquest on the open sea. Eventually he earned his new name, Anchor, for being strong enough to throw an anchor onto an escaping vessel and pull it back to where his fellow crew could jump aboard. Anchor's career as a pirate ended in his mid 30's. That day started just like any other, with Captain Tiger choosing their bearing, and declaring an attack on the weakest ship they saw first. As fate would have it, this ship ended up being a small passenger boat carrying a group of clerics from Candlekeep. As The Raving Maiden neared their prey, Anchor laughed as he saw these clerics stay above deck and start praying while the crew of their ship did nothing to try to escape their pursuers. Captain Tiger, wanting to at least have a bit of fun with today's hunt, ordered Anchor to perform his famous trick. "Perhaps a show of our strength will scare some sense into them!", he shouted. As the ships grew closer, Anchor picked up the ships anchor and began to spin it over head. Then, once close enough to make the toss, Anchor saw that the clerics had stopped praying and he realized that their eyes had all become blindingly bright. **SHA-KOOM** Divine energy shot down from the heavens, tearing through the sails, then Anchor, then the hull of The Raving Maiden. In that moment, time froze for Anchor. He could feel himself falling through the decks of the ship beneath him and then into the murky blue even further below. The light from that divine strike grew darker in the distance as consciousness faded Anchor. It was then, on the brink of death, that Anchor heard a voice. "So far from home, earthen one. These icy waters are far too warm for your blood. You have brought nothing but violence and suffering to those who've traveled peacefully through my domain, and for that you have been brought to me." Anchor could not reply, but he could hear the words clear as day over the sound of rushing water past his ears. "I can save you. I can send you back to dry land and fresh air. At a price. There will come a time when I need you and the skills of which you were born for. Until that time, return to the shore, and never again spill the blood of the innocent." The next thing Anchor experienced was the feeling of his face slamming into a sandy beach. He found himself floating on a plank of wood, which he could only assume was part of his ship (he never asked around as to the fate of his Captain and his crew). Trying to stand, he fell, and realized that he could barely put weight on his left leg. After being found and cared for by a wandering Tortle healer, Anchor swore to keep true to his promise to the Sea. Never again would he commit an evil act, and with all his might, he would try his best to prevent others from doing so as well. Once healthy enough to do so, Anchor pledged his life to the Gods of the Sea, unsure of which one it was who spared his life and set him on this path. Now in his 50's, Anchor has joined a caravan on its way to Nightstone, where he was asked by members of the Emerald Enclave to use his training as a mediator to help with the talks between the denizens of Nightstone and the Ardeep Forest.