[hr][hr] [center] [b]LORD BERALD HASTLON[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/BdCn7nu.jpeg[/img] A prominent nobleman in the region of Scardale and a member of the provisional council. Berald is one of the more hawkish councilmen who has repeatedly advocated for the reclamation of Scardale Town for the nation. With a deadlock among the council and Khelvos Dermmen paralyzed with indecisiveness, Berald has decided to take matters into his own hands - hiring mercenaries and agents to establish a foothold in Scardale Town with the goal of weakening the malignant forces that have sunk their claws into the capital. Stoic and short-spoken, Berald is a hard man to read and not prone to grandstanding. Whether his designs at hand are born of a sense of duty to his people or strictly for personal gain and glory is yet to be realized. [hider=ACT ONE] Lord Berald Hastlon stands before the mercenaries and adventurers he gathered at his family estate in Chandlerscross. He presents them with his offer; an expedition of sorts east with the longterm intention of reclaiming Scardale Town, the fallen capital city, from the chaotic and evil forces that have claimed it in recent years. Berald lets the hirelings that choose to accept his offer and enter his employ stay the evening at his estate and then the next morning they all depart - their destination the encampment of Berald’s spymaster who is overseeing the efforts in Scardale Town. [/hider] [hr] [b]BRECK[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/vMtd0Mq.jpeg[/img] Born to a humble ranger and his wife, Breck at a young age would become a ranger as his father had been. Quickly proving to be a natural tracker and Hunter as the years passed, Breck became quite renowned as a woodsman in Chandlerscross. He later joined the army and was made a lead scout. Breck’s military life was short-lived however. Despite being a fine scout and a capable fighter Breck’s hot temper and tendency to speak out of line to his superiors saw him disciplined more than once before finally being dismissed. After his dismissal Breck would make a living as a hunter as well as a guide and bodyguard for travelers and at times offered his services to nobles and mercenary bands as a scout. After the fall of Scardale Town, Breck was hired on as a spymaster by Lord Berald Hastlon and has proved himself worthy of the title. [hider=ACT ONE] After leaving Chandlerscross and traveling along the River Ashaba the Iliskra, Leon, and the other hirelings all reach Breck’s encampment after a short, bloody fray with a band of brigands. Hearing of the attack Breck sends scouts out to search for a nearby bandit encampment and after paying the hirelings their “signing penchant” on behalf of Lord Hastlon, Breck insists the hirelings all get some rest and prepare for their coming mission. [/hider] [hider=ACT TWO] The morning after their arrival Breck sends the new hirelings as well as a number of his men east to Scardale Town. Most of their number are to meet up with the leader of the city watch holdouts while others are appointed to special tasks throughout the old capital, namely disrupting the efforts and machinations of the other three major groups in the city however possible at this time. Iliskra, Leon, and their dwarven companion Ibdur are directed to try and make contact with the old thieves guild of the city and ideally infiltrate and take it apart from within. [/hider] [hr] [b]LEIFAR WINGUR[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/gbnlNuy.jpeg[/img] The third son of the Wingur noble family of Chandlerscross, Leifar showed an aptitude for the arcane and esoteric knowledge by his eighteenth year. As he would inherit little being the youngest of three sons Leifar’s parents and certain other members of his family were more than content with letting him leave the estate behind to study among the wizards of the tower. Leifar would show and interest and natural pension for illusion magics and has risen to be Scardales’ most adept illusionist. Leifar is best described as a man both hard-nosed and attentive but also droll and eloquent. [hider=ACT TWO] Leifar is briefly introduced just before the hirelings all depart from Breck’s hidden encampment. He is responsible for the elaborate illusion spell that keeps the camp hidden and also is acting as an unofficial advisor to Breck on matters magical. It is revealed that Leifar’s fellow mages in Chandlerscross are unaware of his affiliation with Lord Hastlon’s grand plan for reconquest of the capital. [/hider] [hr] [b]IBDUR[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/YYvusW8.jpeg[/img] Ibdur is originally from a small community near the town of Priapurl in the Eastern Heartlands. He is the sole illegitimate child of a dwarven mercenary and a tavern wench - the former of whom took him in, somewhat begrudgingly for responsibilities’ sake. Ibdur’s father was a Tempuran Rauthat, a swordmaster of Tempus. Ibdur was raised as a proper Tempuran, harshly and taught the ways of a warrior by his father and his fellows. After the death of his father in particular Ibdur became more zealous in his faith to Tempus - determined to outlive and outdo the life and successes of his parent. His greatest ambition is to become a Direhar, the famed guardian priests of Tempus’ holy sites and great temples. As an Arahar of Tempus, a battle-chaplain, Ibdur acts as both a warrior and a cleric - healing the wounded, calling forth the blessings of his god, and staving off magical foes in some cases. All this when not swinging his twin axes in a berserker-like fury. Ibdur is a callous, brooding dwarf whose only true loyalty is to his god and the very basic tenants of being a Tempuran. He fights for only the strongest liege and has no patience or pity for those he sees as weak or uncertain. [hider=ACT TWO] Ibdur joined Iliskra and Leon after Lord Hastlon’s force of hirelings is sent into Scardale Town. The dwarf personally slew the half-orc thug Gunalar when Iliskra and Leon saved Zilaster from him in an alleyway and has stood by them in their efforts to subtly undermine both the Ashaba Talons and the enigmatic Shagarm in southern Scardale Town though he shows his disgruntlement at all the underhanded subterfuge over open battle. [/hider] [hider=ACT THREE] Ibdur remained behind at the Dragon’s Tail when Iliskra and Leon left with Elthel and her fellow Talons to encroach upon Jadarl’s estate. [/hider] [hr] [b]ELTHEL[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/XBadWsU.jpeg[/img] A native of Scardale Town, Elthel has been with the thieves of the Ashaba Talons since she was little more than a young girl. A skilled thief, a silent killer, and having eyes all over the streets Elthel is invaluable to the Talons and at current is the right-hand woman of Zilaster. Elthel is fiercely protective of her leader and her fellow Talons and just as severe in her suspicions of outsiders and “wild cards”. Through war and plague and even the near total collapse of the thieves guild Elthel has remained loyal and intends to see the Talons survive the trials they face and return to their former status as the most powerful organization in the region. [hider=ACT TWO] Elthel is rescued along with a wounded Zilaster by Iliskra, Leon, and Ibdur after being cornered in an alleyway by Gunalar - a half-orc gang leader employed by Shagarm. Gunalar is killed in single combat by Ibdur. After getting Zilaster to safety Elthel - with help from the former three - wiped out the remains of Gunalar’s gang in their hideout. Elthel promised to make contact with them soon after disposing of Gunalar and his men’s remains. [/hider] [hider=ACT THREE] Elthel sneaks into the Dragon’s Tail tavern early in the morning to meet with Iliskra and Leon. After an exchange of information on Shagarm’s supposed right hand, a man named “Jadarl”, Elthel requests Iliskra and Leon’s assistance in infiltrating his estate along with Firoz and Willory. Iliskra and Leon agreed to the job and followed Elthel. Despite intentions to scout Jadarl’s mansion and wait until night to sneak inside a blizzard proves to be an ideal cover for a daytime intrusion. Elthel however goes missing before the group even gets inside the mansion and is not seen again. - Even during their escape. [/hider] [hr] [b]WILLORY[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/nmoVYXI.jpeg[/img] Willory grew up in the streets of Scardale Town and was all but destined for a seedy life. An orphan he was loosely raised by a small community of halflings that lived on the southern side of the capital in the poorer district. He developed his sticky fingers at a young age, starting with simply stealing extra food from stores and market vendors. Eventually he turned to being a cutpurse and not long after a home invader. Driven out by his halfling kin for his indiscriminate thieving nature Willory eventually joined the Ashaba Talons and quickly instilled himself as one of their best infiltrators and burglars. Willory fits every archetype of a halfling, being lighthearted as oft as he can be and having a penchant for good music, strong drink, and revelry of all sorts. [hider=ACT TWO] Willory is first encountered outside of Gunalar’s “mansion” by Iliskra and Leon, the halfling brought along with his close friend and partner, Firoz, to aid with wiping out the remnants of the half-orc’s gang. Willory helped with disposing of the bodies after but showed great displeasure at good kegs of ale being used to hide corpses in. [/hider] [hider=ACT THREE] Willory accompanies Iliskra, Leon, Elthel, and Firoz for the infiltration of Jadarl’s mansion. After entering the mansion Willory and Firoz skulk about the second floor with Iliskra but find nothing of value. The three then joined Leon up on the third floor and the group breaks into Jadarl’s laboratory. As Willory and Firoz are breaking into a wall safe in the laboratory Iliskra realizes too late that the safe is a trap and a stone of alarm hidden within the safe is triggered when Willory touches it. Willory escapes out the window with Firoz as well as Iliskra and Leon before the guards arrive. Willory and Firoz flee into hiding without the now vanished Elthel after escaping Jadarl’s estate. [/hider] [hr] [b]FIROZ[/b] [img]https://i.ibb.co/RTqjZgW3/IMG-2201.jpg[/img] Originally from Alaghôn, the capital of Turmish, Firoz was forced to flee his homeland after angering the wrong nobleman who was relentless in his pursuit of bloody vengeance against the young thief. Firoz journeyed north by ship having bought passage aboard a merchant vessel bound for Sembia. The ship berthed in Yhaunn and from there Firoz journeyed north into Scardale where he found safe haven from his past in Turmish. Firoz soon enough fell in with the Ashaba Talons where his skill at picking locks, disarming traps, and sneaking into even the most secured manor or shop saw him quickly rise through their number. Firoz is loyal to the Ashaba Talons without question and has served the guild well for eight years now. [hider=ACT TWO] Firoz is first encountered outside of Gunalar’s “mansion” by Iliskra and Leon along with his close friend and partner Willory to aid with wiping out the remnants of the half-orc’s gang. Firoz’s lock picking and skill at disarming traps were useful in breaching Gunalar’s rook and hidden stash unscathed. [/hider] [hider=ACT THREE] Firoz accompanies Iliskra, Leon, Elthel, and Willory for the infiltration of Jadarl’s mansion. After entering the mansion Firoz and Willory skulk about the second floor with Iliskra but find nothing of value. The three then joined Leon up on the third floor and the group breaks into Jadarl’s laboratory. As Firoz and Willory are breaking into a wall safe in the laboratory Iliskra realizes too late that the safe is a trap and a stone of alarm hidden within the safe is triggered when Willory touches it. Firoz escapes out the window with Willory as well as Iliskra and Leon before the guards arrive. Firoz and Willory flee into hiding without the now vanished Elthel after escaping Jadarl’s estate. [/hider] [/center]