Saved by a wish courtesy of the court of Rend from a permanent lycanthropic state; once a great privateer and sailor, and an avid adventurer, he sailed the world on his vessel, the Ashweaver and brought many treasures home to his native black coast and his familie's estate at Kerrigan.
Christopher Black is the older brother of Erron Black, a former werewolf, Captain of The The Ashweaver and at one time the leader of adventuring party called The House of Black.
Christopher grew up in Kerrigan, a small city around 80 miles west of Saltspire. The Black Family are descendants of Khoraline Monthaven, who was at one time a princess of Kaldore; she had an affair with Taric Ballaste, king of the 4th age. Taric was married at the time, and already had 7 potential heirs. He asked Koraline to move to the country side of the Black Coast, far away from the Atlan throne and raise her bastard son there; the boy was named Andris Black, for the region in which he would hold the title of Duke. Thus, The line of Black began; Andris Black's grandson Saldoric would go on to become the Bloody Baron of the Black Coast during the Age of Madness, he carved a swath of slaughter up and down Andrim's west coast to expand his lands and eventually proclaim himself Baron of what is now referred to as The Barony of The Black Coast. The Trade Council of Black Bottom would carry out the assassination of Saldoric Black in the 38th year of the Age of Madness.
Following these events, The house of Black was disgraced by the public. Saldoric's brothers and even his heirs made several public apologies and reparations to the council, reducing their lands to just the small sliver of property that Kerrigan is today and their financial status to less than stellar. Saldoric's brother was stripped of his title of Duke of Kerrigan and Kerrigan began paying taxes to the trade council. For many generations the house of black slipped down a path of further trouble and ruin until the Age of Heroes came; in the 10th year of the Age of Heroes, Fiona Black gave birth to Christopher Robin Black; and he would become a hero of the age. In the 16th year of the Age of Heroes, Erron Black was born, and the two were inseparable. Chris's father Tibrus had instilled the tenants of Tempest, the god of honor into him, and protecting his brother was a duty Chris took very seriously in his youth.
Shortly after Erron's birth Tibrus was killed defending Kerrigan from slave raiders, by Chris's 17th birthday Fiona had fallen very ill, she would eventually pass from natural causes; Christopher as the eldest was trusted with the property, the leadership of the city and what was left of the Black family's treasury. Chris abandoned his responsibility, running away and leaving a very young Erron and their butler, Chaunce to manage a lord's responsibilities on a baker's salary. Chris fled to Black Bottom where he joined a whaling vessel called The Bad Traveler; there he studied under captain Fredrickson Moldo, a veteran of the Kaldorian Skirmishes. Chris returned to Kerrigan in his 23rd year and promised to Erron and Chaunce to right the wrongs of not only his past, but of their families; swearing to redeem the name of the House of Black.
Chris made the decision to spend nearly everything left in the coffers to purchase a ship, this ship was a Galleon warclass vessel, used in the Kaldorian skirmishes before peace with the empire was established, it had won every encounter. This vessel would become the most famous ship in all of Andrim, for a time; Dubbed the Ashweaver, by Christopher, for its ability to "carve through the black sea as if it was drifting through a cloud ash instead of water". Chris began working as a Free Lancer for the Black Coast, as he traveled up and down the black and took many jobs ferrying dangerous cargo to the islands in the deep, he met many companions and fellow freelancers who allied themselves with him for either one or two jobs, or some staying on for several years. These adventurers became known as The House of Black, and their deeds were famous across the Black Coast as daring, brave adventurers, smugglers, privateers and protectors
mainly working out of Saltspire where he would become known as "The son of Saltspire" for his heroic efforts in defending the town against many threats, particularly his slaying of a Black Dragon during the Age of Peace. during this time Erron served as a deckhand on the Ashweaver, before he would leave to join the Order of Dusk and Dawn.
as years went by Chris continued to care for the people of Kerrigan and Saltspire, adventure with friends both new and old, and comfortably receding into his brother's shadow. By Chris's 38th birthday Erron had emerged as a capable tournament fighter, winning several of the Festival tournaments and holding court with Barons and lords and bedding noblewomen. Chris was happy to just continue sailing The Ashweaver.
As the Age of Peace drew to a close on Andrim; Erron and Christopher grew more distant, Chris was aware Erron had been pressured to join a new group called The Invisible Legion, but had declined; Erron emerged in Saltspire one night seeking his brother; the two sat and talked and drank in The Blind Harpooner as they had done when they sailed together on the Ashweaver. Chris left the bar in front of erron as he wrapped up the tab, Erron stepped out of the Tavern to see chris bloodied by an axe, and gargling through blood for air.
There was a reason Erron had kept his distance from Christopher for many years, a secret he had kept from him outside of his allegiance of the Iron Lord. Erron had inherited Lycanthropy and had become a werewolf. Erron wanted to save his brother, he only knew one way to do so, he cut his hand open and transformed into his wolf form, pressing the cursed blood into the open wounds. The reaction was immediate, Chris convulsed and writhed on the ground until he emerged in his own werewolf form. To Erron's horror however; Chris was not himself, only the animal instinct of the wolf seemed to remain, and moreover Chris seemed unable to return to human form, even after the night had passed.
It took Erron 3 days to capture Christopher; he managed to get him back to Kerrigan and constructed living quarters for him in the dungeon. Chaunce, though old was still able to assist in the day to day needs of Christopher, providing him meat and water and even occasionally wine through a slot on a barred door. Chaunce would often sit and talk to Christopher while he ate, Christopher remembers these conversations only in his dreams. Though the wolf had full control of Lord Black's body, it was clear some part of Christopher remained, giving hope to the pair they would eventually find a means to turn him back.
Erron would ally himself with Ajax The Invincible , who promised him a way to cure his brother, eventually. After decades of waiting, Erron began to realize eventually would never come; that he would likely die serving the Iron Lord. As these thoughts began to permeate his mind, he attended an auction in Barrel Hollow , and became aware of Auberdine "Dean" Callisto Callisto Oden "Dok" Suv Noelle Keshal and Mora Tel Mithryn. He saw them again when he was in his invisible legion alias disguise at The Tea Leaf in Bettigar Keep , and then was approached by the party formally in Gravesford to join them on an expedition to Avaraak Sul; The events of this expedition lead to Erron defecting from the Legion and joining the forces of Castle Rend, it would also eventually lead to a wish spell being cast upon Christopher that would free him from his nearly 60 year turn as a werewolf.
Chris was cured 3 days before Ajax decided to sack Kerrigan in an effort to draw Erron out or see if he was truly dead, not being able to contact him for some time sense he journied into the Deep Roads and The Night Below. Erron and Chris fled as Chaunce sacrificed himself to cover their escape. Chris was in a mental fog, and far from his former self, barely able to function or speak. It took many months for him to begin to remember himself, and seemed to make little to no progress in this regard until he was back aboard The Ashweaver.
Chris sailed the Ashweaver with Erron and the Rendians for several months and began to seem like himself again, he was seen wielding his House of Black jacket and double scimitars at his hips after the group rejoined him to journey to Azalon
Christopher grew up in Kerrigan, a small city around 80 miles west of Saltspire. The Black Family are descendants of Khoraline Monthaven, who was at one time a princess of Kaldore; she had an affair with Taric Ballaste, king of the 4th age. Taric was married at the time, and already had 7 potential heirs. He asked Koraline to move to the country side of the Black Coast, far away from the Atlan throne and raise her bastard son there; the boy was named Andris Black, for the region in which he would hold the title of Duke. Thus, The line of Black began; Andris Black's grandson Saldoric would go on to become the Bloody Baron of the Black Coast during the Age of Madness, he carved a swath of slaughter up and down Andrim's west coast to expand his lands and eventually proclaim himself Baron of what is now referred to as The Barony of The Black Coast. The Trade Council of Black Bottom would carry out the assassination of Saldoric Black in the 38th year of the Age of Madness.
Following these events, The house of Black was disgraced by the public. Saldoric's brothers and even his heirs made several public apologies and reparations to the council, reducing their lands to just the small sliver of property that Kerrigan is today and their financial status to less than stellar. Saldoric's brother was stripped of his title of Duke of Kerrigan and Kerrigan began paying taxes to the trade council. For many generations the house of black slipped down a path of further trouble and ruin until the Age of Heroes came; in the 10th year of the Age of Heroes, Fiona Black gave birth to Christopher Robin Black; and he would become a hero of the age. In the 16th year of the Age of Heroes, Erron Black was born, and the two were inseparable. Chris's father Tibrus had instilled the tenants of Tempest, the god of honor into him, and protecting his brother was a duty Chris took very seriously in his youth.
Shortly after Erron's birth Tibrus was killed defending Kerrigan from slave raiders, by Chris's 17th birthday Fiona had fallen very ill, she would eventually pass from natural causes; Christopher as the eldest was trusted with the property, the leadership of the city and what was left of the Black family's treasury. Chris abandoned his responsibility, running away and leaving a very young Erron and their butler, Chaunce to manage a lord's responsibilities on a baker's salary. Chris fled to Black Bottom where he joined a whaling vessel called The Bad Traveler; there he studied under captain Fredrickson Moldo, a veteran of the Kaldorian Skirmishes. Chris returned to Kerrigan in his 23rd year and promised to Erron and Chaunce to right the wrongs of not only his past, but of their families; swearing to redeem the name of the House of Black.
Chris made the decision to spend nearly everything left in the coffers to purchase a ship, this ship was a Galleon warclass vessel, used in the Kaldorian skirmishes before peace with the empire was established, it had won every encounter. This vessel would become the most famous ship in all of Andrim, for a time; Dubbed the Ashweaver, by Christopher, for its ability to "carve through the black sea as if it was drifting through a cloud ash instead of water". Chris began working as a Free Lancer for the Black Coast, as he traveled up and down the black and took many jobs ferrying dangerous cargo to the islands in the deep, he met many companions and fellow freelancers who allied themselves with him for either one or two jobs, or some staying on for several years. These adventurers became known as The House of Black, and their deeds were famous across the Black Coast as daring, brave adventurers, smugglers, privateers and protectors
mainly working out of Saltspire where he would become known as "The son of Saltspire" for his heroic efforts in defending the town against many threats, particularly his slaying of a Black Dragon during the Age of Peace. during this time Erron served as a deckhand on the Ashweaver, before he would leave to join the Order of Dusk and Dawn.
as years went by Chris continued to care for the people of Kerrigan and Saltspire, adventure with friends both new and old, and comfortably receding into his brother's shadow. By Chris's 38th birthday Erron had emerged as a capable tournament fighter, winning several of the Festival tournaments and holding court with Barons and lords and bedding noblewomen. Chris was happy to just continue sailing The Ashweaver.
As the Age of Peace drew to a close on Andrim; Erron and Christopher grew more distant, Chris was aware Erron had been pressured to join a new group called The Invisible Legion, but had declined; Erron emerged in Saltspire one night seeking his brother; the two sat and talked and drank in The Blind Harpooner as they had done when they sailed together on the Ashweaver. Chris left the bar in front of erron as he wrapped up the tab, Erron stepped out of the Tavern to see chris bloodied by an axe, and gargling through blood for air.
There was a reason Erron had kept his distance from Christopher for many years, a secret he had kept from him outside of his allegiance of the Iron Lord. Erron had inherited Lycanthropy and had become a werewolf. Erron wanted to save his brother, he only knew one way to do so, he cut his hand open and transformed into his wolf form, pressing the cursed blood into the open wounds. The reaction was immediate, Chris convulsed and writhed on the ground until he emerged in his own werewolf form. To Erron's horror however; Chris was not himself, only the animal instinct of the wolf seemed to remain, and moreover Chris seemed unable to return to human form, even after the night had passed.
It took Erron 3 days to capture Christopher; he managed to get him back to Kerrigan and constructed living quarters for him in the dungeon. Chaunce, though old was still able to assist in the day to day needs of Christopher, providing him meat and water and even occasionally wine through a slot on a barred door. Chaunce would often sit and talk to Christopher while he ate, Christopher remembers these conversations only in his dreams. Though the wolf had full control of Lord Black's body, it was clear some part of Christopher remained, giving hope to the pair they would eventually find a means to turn him back.
Erron would ally himself with Ajax The Invincible , who promised him a way to cure his brother, eventually. After decades of waiting, Erron began to realize eventually would never come; that he would likely die serving the Iron Lord. As these thoughts began to permeate his mind, he attended an auction in Barrel Hollow , and became aware of Auberdine "Dean" Callisto Callisto Oden "Dok" Suv Noelle Keshal and Mora Tel Mithryn. He saw them again when he was in his invisible legion alias disguise at The Tea Leaf in Bettigar Keep , and then was approached by the party formally in Gravesford to join them on an expedition to Avaraak Sul; The events of this expedition lead to Erron defecting from the Legion and joining the forces of Castle Rend, it would also eventually lead to a wish spell being cast upon Christopher that would free him from his nearly 60 year turn as a werewolf.
Chris was cured 3 days before Ajax decided to sack Kerrigan in an effort to draw Erron out or see if he was truly dead, not being able to contact him for some time sense he journied into the Deep Roads and The Night Below. Erron and Chris fled as Chaunce sacrificed himself to cover their escape. Chris was in a mental fog, and far from his former self, barely able to function or speak. It took many months for him to begin to remember himself, and seemed to make little to no progress in this regard until he was back aboard The Ashweaver.
Chris sailed the Ashweaver with Erron and the Rendians for several months and began to seem like himself again, he was seen wielding his House of Black jacket and double scimitars at his hips after the group rejoined him to journey to Azalon
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