Full Name: Vidar Blackwind
Name Meanings:
Vidar – “Forest Warrior”
Blackwind
Race: Human
Heritage: Illuskan
Origin / Background: Flaming Fist Mercenary / Hunter of Monsters
Class: Ranger
Archetype / Paragon Path: Warden
Profession: Adventurer / Gatherer
Alignment: Lawful Good (LG)
God / Religion: Torm (Patron Deity)
Personality Traits: Righteous, Dutiful, Loyal, Dedicated, Protective, Inquisitive, Compassionate, Emotional
Conditions: Spellscarred
Relationship Status: Married,
Wife: Nadia Evendown
Children:
– Son: Ivan Blackwind
INTRODUCTION
Vidar Blackwind was born in Baldur’s Gate, a bustling place of commerce, trade, opportunity and diversity. But, like most cities, also a place of raging crime, crooked politicians, and failing policies masked by supposed good intentions. As an inspired young recruit in the Flaming Fist, Vidar sought to make a difference in Baldur’s Gate and the Lower City. Serving as both a mercenary and part of the police force, Vidar’s duties included defending the city from outside threats, as well as keeping order and deterring crime among its own citizens. Years into his service, however, Vidar’s righteous vision begins to fade. The stark divide between the Upper and Lower City causes increasing tension and hostility. And operating from the underworld, the ever shadowy arm of “the Guild” proves to be a hopeless reminder of who is really in control. With no true justice or turnaround in sight, Vidar starts to question just who is he really protecting and by what means. As animosity escalates and violence is on the rise, quelling potential riots and uprisings become the norm. And it is one particularly brutal and violent incident that leaves a lasting mark on Vidar, finally convincing him to give up his hopes for the city he called home.
And so, having witnessed enough elitism, oppression and political manipulation, even from the ranks of the Flaming Fist, a disillusioned Vidar quits the company and decides to escape city life.
Jaded by the corruption among his comrades and within Baldur’s Gate itself, Vidar turns to the life of a Ranger, immersing himself in the wilds and wandering the more uncivilized landscapes of Faerûn. There he begins making a living by hunting down monsters and beasts that are terrorizing the forests and nearby villages and towns. This line of work continues on for Vidar, until he comes across an injured yeth, and instead of killing it he mercifully tends to its wounds and helps it recover. The yeth returns the favor by becoming Vidar’s loyal and protective companion. It also sparks a curiosity in Vidar. He becomes intrigued by the unnatural, twisted creatures that have come through the link to the Far Realm. In learning more about them he crosses into reports regarding the Spellplague, and Vidar finds himself drawn to the issues in Neverwinter, specifically the Chasm and its plaguechanged aberrations.
With that, Vidar journeys to Neverwinter and joins the fight in the Chasm, helping to push back the plaguechanged and forming a bond with Scar Company. There, among the small, tattered unit of spellscarred and disfigured men, Vidar finds more dedication, respect and honor than he ever did with the Flaming Fist. In contrast, he discovers more comradery and integrity in this band of outcasts with jarring, monstrous appearances, and the irony of it makes a deep impression on Vidar. Somehow in the most forsaken, devastated section of Neverwinter he feels his faith in people renewed, his desire for companionship and connection restored.
Though suffering an injury to his arms during a battle with aberrations, Vidar ends his time in the Chasm on a high note, and a promise to still help Scar Company and bring them supplies when needed. Before he leaves, one of the soldiers advises Vidar to not let aberrant hides go to waste, and suggests selling them to someone in the city. As Vidar takes his advice, he asks around in Protector’s Enclave and is pointed in the direction of a
workshop near the Seven Suns Coster Market. It is there that he meets the recently-appointed Master of the shop –
Eamon Richwood.
Vidar also becomes interested in one of the women employed there – an adventurer named
Nadia Evendown who has tracking and pathfinding skills and works as one of the workshop’s gatherers. Beautiful but seemingly cold and distant, Nadia speaks few words if any at all, and avoids discussing anything that isn’t business-related. This makes getting to know her a difficult challenge for Vidar, but one he decides to commit himself to. As a Ranger and adventurer himself, Vidar takes a job as another one of Eamon’s gatherers. While still bringing supplies to Scar Company when he can, most of Vidar’s time is spent at the workshop and the gathering tasks he is assigned. Much of his hanging around at the workshop is in effort to catch Nadia before and after an assignment. These moments are rare as Nadia doesn’t linger long at the workshop and is always eager to get out of the city. Though his initial attempts at conversation with Nadia aren’t very successful, Vidar continues to try to talk to her and spend time with her whenever possible. To more actively pursue her, he even begins to join her on tasks, becoming a persistent traveling companion she didn’t ask for and doesn’t easily warm up to.
Still cold and uncommunicative during their travels at first, Nadia gradually starts to accept Vidar’s presence. Her frigid and stony demeanor begins to show the slightest cracks of a sense of humor, and perhaps something even more tender. When encountering danger in the forests she demonstrates concern for Vidar, and over the course of their time together she becomes protective toward him just as he is protective of her. And so, as Nadia’s walls slowly come down, it’s progressively evident that she feels and cares for Vidar, despite her lacking to verbally or physically express it.
While Nadia still remains distant, and staunchly guarded about her past, Vidar confides in her his own inner demons, largely his time in the Flaming Fist in Baldur’s Gate. His confessions to her stir her emotions even more, pushing her to act on the deepening trust and feelings she has developed for him.
(Read the rest on Vidar's character page on my website.)
Social
Birthplace
Baldur's Gate, Faerûn, Toril
Current Residence
Near Neverwinter Wood, Faerûn, Toril
Contacts & Relations
Nadia Evendown
(Human Rogue / Ranger)
Ivan Blackwind
(Human)
Nadia Evendown
(Human Rogue / Ranger)
(Human Ranger)
Religious Views
God / Religion: Torm (Patron Deity)
Hobbies & Pets
(Female Yeth)