Buk (Buck)

Buk

Buk is a deep gnome miner from Stonewall. After years of tolling away deep in the mines he grew to hate it and wanted to strike out and start over. During one of his shifts he found a large sapphire gem with the rocky wall of the mine, and in the moment he decided that gem was going to be his ticket out. Taking the utmost care he concealed it within his clothes and smuggled it out of the mine.
With his shift over he went back to his homestead, grabbed a bag and packed what he could carefully hiding the gem within his belongings. He made his way past the local lumber mill and grabbed a hand axe to defend himself with and set out on his way into the wilds of the surrounding mountains.

Physical Description

Facial Features

Buk has a grizzled gray beard and bushy eyebrows.

Special abilities

His extended time in caves and below ground have allowed his eyes to adjust to being able to see in the darkness in varying shades of gray up to a range of 120 feet. The time he has spent among the rocky outcroppings of the mountains have made him experienced in the art of stealth to camouflage himself among the rocks.

Apparel & Accessories

Carries a viscous hand axe and a light crossbow.

Specialized Equipment

Buk's hand axe is a +1 viscous hand axe, while his armor is Troll Skin Leather Armor.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

After nearly fifty years tolling away in the mines Buk grew tired of that life and had come to hate it. During one shift while he was working away in a section of mine by himself he came across a fairly good sized sapphire. Now Buk had never been a thief, but he knew that this gemstone would be his ticket out. After a few moments of consideration he decided that that was exactly what it would be, a fresh start. Concealing it within his clothes Buk left the mines at the end of his shift and never looked back.
Taking the gem back to his homestead, where he could further examine it, Buk thought about life away from the mines. At home he carefully withdrew it from within his clothes and brought it close to the fire burning in the hearth for closer inspection. As he stared intently he could of swore he saw something move within the gemstone. "Curious." He mused and made plans to gather up his belongings and leave to start his new life. Packing up whatever he could take with him, Buk readied himself to leave. Extinguishing the fire in his hearth, securing the gemstone back within his clothes, and taking one last look around his home of the last fifty years he left with no intent to ever return.
On his way out of town under cover of night, Buk made his way past the local mill and grabbed an axe to defend himself from the dangers of the wilds. This was it, the beginning of the next chapter. Under the twin moons Astenna and Kynthia, Buk entered the mountains. After walking for several hours and his long day spent in the mine his body could take no more and he knew he needed to rest. Finding a small outcropping in the rocky face of the mountain to shield himself from the biting winds, he made camp and lit a small fire. Taking out the gem again in the firelight he stared into it wondering if he had made the right choice, before securing it away again and finally giving into the exhaustion his body felt and fell asleep. In the morning he checked his surroundings and found tracks of a mountain hare, and constructed a crude trap that he hoped would snare him some breakfast.
After waiting a few hours he checked his trap and found that it was still empty, leading him to the decision that he couldn't linger any longer as people would begin to notice that he hadn't shown up at the mine this morning. He gathered up his belongings and checked that the gemstone was still within his tunic he left the crude snare and headed further into the mountains. Over the next few days he masted the art of setting snares, but quickly realized he needed some form of ranged weapon and with the weather turning colder he was going to need to acquire some heavier leathers and a cloak to keep warm in the mountains. Taking stock of his surrounding he knew that if he continued east through the mountains he could reach the Dwarven city of Fellhammer. Once there he might be able to barter for supplies of worst case scenario work off the cost of the supplies.
On his journey to Fellhammer he had a dream of a great sapphire dragon. The great wyrm was there watching him and he could feel its thoughts in his head. The dragon in his dream told him not to sell the gemstone, all would become clear soon enough, and with the deep rumbling laugh of the great dragon his dream ended. He awoke to find the gemstone no longer within his tunic, but lying very near to his meager fire, glittering and ever so slightly trembling. Buk went to the gemstone and cupped it into his hands and felt something within, confused he brought it to his chest and moved as close as he could to the fire, attempting to return to sleep.
On the morn when he awoke Buk could feel a pulsing from within the gemstone and knew that he could not let the Dwarves of Fellhammer know of it. Keeping an eye out for things he could trade, he came across a vein of silver and took the time to mine it. Figuring the master smiths could make something sufficient of it he stowed the silver ore away within his pack. The next day he was set upon by a wolf and after a brief combat he managed to fell the beast with his axe, and to the best of his ability skinned it to keep its hide. Though the pelt was damaged in Buk's inexperience at least the meat wouldn't go to waste. He ate well that night and packed up what remaining meat he could and continued on his way.
Over the course of the following month Buk spent traveling to  Fellhammer, he had a few more encounters. Another wolf, a large stag,and even a small band of mountain goblins. He spotted the goblins further down the mountain, and cleverly set an ambush for them. Crafting several well disguised traps around his camp before stoking his fire closer to the edge of the mouth of the cave he was using as his shelter for the night. Knowing that the creatures would see the fire and want to attack whatever was inside, he deftly hid among the rocky surroundings of the cave and waited for them to invade his camp. Well after midnight he heard the first of his traps trigger snaring one of the wretched creatures. As the first of the goblins neared the fire, it stepped into his trip wire and sprung his trap and from within the fire a flaming spike shot out and pieced its heart. Its companions looked around screeching and chittering their strange goblin language gesturing wildly all about. Striking from the shadows he felled one with a deep cut of his axe, another fired its crude short bow piercing Buk's side. He let out a grunt and struck out with his axe cleaving the creatures head from his shoulder. With a kick he sent embers from the fire into the last ones face burning and distracting the goblin allowing him to deliver the killing blow.
Slumping down against the rocky wall of the cave he carefully removed the arrow and bandaged himself the best he could. Noting that the injury definitely made it much more urgent for him to reach his destination. He slept fitfully through the night, never allowing himself to become completely unaware of his surroundings should more goblins approach. In the morning he surveyed the carnage he wrought in his camp and took what he could from the dead goblins, acquiring a short bow and a quiver of arrows along with some crude blades. Among the dead he found a few gold and silver pieces along with a ring probably looted from one of their previous victims. As he came across the goblin that got caught in the snare trap he had set, he had the idea to try his hand with the short bow. After some time he found himself to be barely passable with it, but thought a crossbow might suit him better though for the time being it would suffice. Leaving the goblin strung up with a few arrows protruding from his corpse Buk continued on his way.
About a week after the encounter with the goblins the entrance to Fellhammer was within sight. Buk checked to make sure the sapphire was cleverly hidden away and carefully made his way down the rocky mountainside to the gates below. As he approached, two burly Dwarven guards stood axes and hammers in hand barring the gates.
"What business ye have with Fellhammer lad?" Bellowed one of the Dwarves. 
"In search of supplies and a warm place to rest fer a few days, afore I continue on my way." Buk answered in dwarven.
Looking him up and down and seeing that he didn't seem to pose any real threat the guardsmen looked to each other surprised he could speak their language. Before allowing him to pass they issued a warning "don't start no trouble here wee lad" nodding to the goblin weapons tied to his pack. "Wont go well fer ye if ye do." With a nod to each them he passed into the most oppulant underground stronghold he had ever witnessed.
As he meandered through the streets, Buk found his way to the market district. After a few moments he found his way to an arms and armor dealer and between the goblin gear, the sub-par animal hides, his short bow and the arrows he managed to barter for a light crossbow, some bolts for it, and a suit of studded leather armor to protect him in the wilds of the world. What he failed to notice as he left the shop was the individual whom had taken interest in him and was following him through the city. After making his way towards one of the smith with a smelter he sold of the silver he had mined on his way to town and in dwarven asked for directions to a tavern that would have rooms for rent. With direction to the local inn Buk tossed the smith a silver piece with a nod as a thanks and made his way further into the city.
There in the inn Buk paid for a room and a drink, before finding a seat over near the hearth to enjoy the warmth of the crackling fire. With it being only midday the common room was not heavily occupied. Glancing about the room he saw no more than five other individuals in the room besides the barmaid behind the counter all of which were unsurprisingly Dwarves. Finishing his ale he made his way up to his room to rest and dawn his new armour after taking a brief nap. When he woke he had the unsettling sense that something was amiss. Drawing his dagger from beneath his pillow he blinked the sleep from his eyes to see a large individual sitting in a chair staring at him from the shadows of his green cowl.
"Relax lad, I mean ye no harm." The figure said in a thick dwarven accent as he put his hands up in a placating gesture. "I just want to talk to ye."
Staring daggers at the hooded man Buk didn't lower his knife. "Speak then stranger. Strange that ye just be showin up in m' room if what ye say is true and you be meanin nae harm. Who ye be and what ye want wit me?"
"Names Ragryl Terbrium and I'm a member of the Wardens of the Wilds. Are ye familiar lad?"
"Neigh, spose' I'm not."
"Long story short, we're defenders of the natural world, fighting to preserve the untamed wilderness. I marked ye as having potential to join us and wanted to offer to train ye in the art of ranging if ye'd like. Saw yer werk wit the bow and gotta say yer neigh very good wit it, see ye picked up a crossbow an I be wonderin if yer any better wit that?"
"Hope so. Ne'er really used on before, but the bow wasn't fer me."
Drawing back the hood on his cloak the Dwarf revealed a bald tattooed head, a large broken nose with a jagged scar running diagonal across it onto his cheek, atop a thick ruddy red braided beard. "I'll train ye me lad. What say ye?"
Looking at the dwarf intently Buk sensed no deception, and surely if this Ragryl wanted him dead, he'd of done it while he slept. With a nod Buk said with a snicker, "Aye, but I'll need to eat and put me trousers on first."
Nodding the dwarf drew up the hood of his cloak and headed out, calling over his shoulder "I'll meet ye in the clearing outside the gates in the woods to the north at midday."

Social

Contacts & Relations

Oathun the Cunning is Buk's sapphire dragon companion and has been for nearly fifty years.

Species

Gnomes

Year of Birth

795 FOS 121 Years old

Pronouns

he/him

Gender

male

Eyes

Steel gray

Hair

gray flecked with black mid-length

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Pale

Height

3' 6"

Weight

42lbs.

Other Affiliations

• Wardens of the Wilds

Known Languages

Common, gnomish, dwarven, undercommon, and draconic