Gaetan of Avenmark
Prowler Gaetan Yordis (a.k.a. Silver-bolt of Breland)
A Prowler trained and raised by the legendary Aeriendel, SIlver Sword of Sharn. Gaetan utilizes his curse turned gift of lycanthropy and his trusty crossbow Quicksilver to protect the inhabitants of Breland from the monsters that lurk in its dark recesses.
Physical Description
Special abilities
Able to transform into a werewolf and retain control of himself.
Apparel & Accessories
Possess an invisibility cloak manufactured by the goblin artificer Ziggy Arcingwind.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Born to unknown parents and raised by the Prowler Aeriendel
Gender Identity
Male
Sexuality
Heterosexual
Education
Educated by his mentor Aelrindel in the ways of Prowlers.
Employment
Varies as he takes on contracts.
Taboos
Killing or hurting those he deems innocent.
Personality Characteristics
Personality Quirks
Will occasionally switch into elvish when frustrated.
Hygiene
Tries to keep himself clean, but can often spend days traveling.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Mentored and raised by the Prowler Aeriendel. Member of the neutral Prowler monster hunter guild
Family Ties
Birth family is unknown.
Religious Views
Currently agnostic but will answer that he believes in the Silver Flame when asked.
Social Aptitude
Gets along with most people and has a good sense of humor.
Mannerisms
Tends to rub the top of his right hand when in thought or worried.
Hobbies & Pets
Plays the lute gifted to him by his mentor as way to entertain oneself when on hunts by himself.
Speech
Will sometimes use the odd elvish saying or phrase.
Wealth & Financial state
Varies depending on amount of work.
Gaetan, born 974 YK to unknown parents. Raised and mentored by the Prowler Aelrindel, the Silver Sword of Sharn. Member of the Prowler guild and graduate of the School of the Wolf
View Character Profile
Alignment
Chaotic neutral
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Prowler.
Age
25
Date of Birth
1st of Zarantyr, 974 YK
Birthplace
Rural Breland
Children
Current Residence
Always traveling
Gender
Male
Eyes
Brown (left) icy blue (right
Hair
Black
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tan
Height
5 ft 9 in
Weight
150 lbs
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First Stop, First Tower
Therendor 15th, 995 YK
We’ve made it to First Tower. I don’t know if that’s much of an accomplishment considering that it’s a stone’s throw away from Sharn, but Rana or “Mockingjay'' as she has me refer to her in public (I told her that that does not exist and she told me “whether or not it exists I do and I like the name therefore it exists.”) sure as hell seems in high spirits anyway. We got here around the afternoon and she spent most of the rest of the day sketching the eponymous First Tower and the surrounding Dhakanni ruins. She has some fascination with the old empire I can’t quite wrap my head around. I mean I love old dilapidated ruins as much as the next guy, but not to the point of spending hours drawing them in meticulous detail. Anyway, once she had her fill the sun had gone down, so I suggested we stay the night at the local inn “The First Stop '' (how long did it take for them to find that name?) as First Tower is the last bit of civilization before Wroat. She thankfully agreed and before we settled in our rooms we drank and discussed the trip for a bit.
It seems Nowhere is a few miles due south of Hatheril where the lightning rails cross. With that in mind the route I suggested is to simply take the OTR through Wroat all the way to Hatheril then follow the rail south to the meeting point. (I’d rather avoid Woodhelm if we can help it as going through Dragonwood to get there will slow us down.) With my optimal route in mind and without any hiccups we should get there towards the end of the month.
Tomorrow morning we’ll set out early and should reach the halfway point between here and Wroat come nightfall. Have to see how’ll “Mockingjay'' will hold up though, she’s never gone on as much as a hike before so this will be quite the change of pace. Afterall, It is much easier to sing about and praise the spirit of adventure than to put one foot in front of the other for hours on end. That is something I learned the hard way in my travels with Aelrindel. Yep, mostly hours of mind numbing silence broken by the occasional “You’re falling behind Faolain”. Eh well if I’m being fair to the old man they weren’t all bad. I always loved the nights he felt it was safe enough to play his lute and sing. It was a side to him that many never got to see and he always looked at peace when playing. A peace that I myself always wanted to have, but well fate decided differently. I don’t know, maybe this trip will actually do me some good. At least I’m not by myself and Rana seems interesting (if a little irritating).
The Surprise
2nd of Therendor, 999 YK
Greetings Old Friend. It's been a little while since I've had a breather to sit down and write. Due to that a lot is going to be said and seeing how even I haven't sorted out the mess yet in my head, it's likely to come out as a jumble. That being said, let's start where we left off two days ago. The plan to infiltrate the Cogs went smoothly up until the point we encountered the so called "Butcher". A fouler being I've never seen, and I reckon neither have you. You were always more apt at recalling the more obscure monsters of the Prowler's Bestiary, but I don't think whatever it is located in some long-forgotten corner in the library. He stews a soup that stank of death and defilement, but to the others it smelt as the finest of cooked meals. Seeing as how the butcher was flanked by NRF and we were at a disadvantage as we have been effectively ambushed, we decided to make a break for the Cogs proper. We were in danger of being overwhelmed when an old mentor of the officers "Faldren" flanked by more of her former students rescued us. Now we have left the frying pan, but in actuality instead of reaching safety we have leapt into the fire.
The Syndi's were a mess. Faldren, her students, and that Ulyvar of hers (turns out they are engaged) shackled up with them as a survival tactic and to try to rescue the trapped refugees that remain. The issue is that as competent as Faldren and her company is that they are being restrained by the Syndi's bureaucracy. The Syndi's are having a military command problem as they wanna keep their democratic structure when there's a crisis that requires decisive action. It doesn't help however that Faldren hates the Syndi's and believes that their cause is inherently false. That simply anyone can do what they do, and they should take whatever pay thrown at them. Yeah, she's insufferable and probably holding Ulyvar's family hostage to secure the marriage. Regardless, we've found Ulyvar, but he isn’t willing to leave until after the NRF storm the Cogs. A probable bloodbath will ensue if the syndi’s are as disorganized as they are when that happens, so we have sort out the mess.
Faldren and Ulyvar explains that there are two pressing problems regarding the defense of the Cogs. First, the Syndi’s are in disarray and not capable of organizing a proper militia in response to the attack. Second, even if they could organize, they lack the proper armament. We have a lead on a supply depot that was supposed to receive a shipment of weapons, but the issue regarding the politics of the Syndi’s is going to be a little trickier. We would have to get the votes needed to form a war council, and that would require convincing the various party coalitions. Ahh gotta love politics. To spare you boring political talk we make a bunch of empty promises and manage to get the votes needed. All we need now is to find the missing weapons and supplies to arm the militia. If I only knew what would happen next. That my life which had already taken a turn for the strange, could now rival the imagination of an eldritch horror.
The plan to retrieve the weapons was to take a cart on rail to where the depot is to see if the supplies made it. Simple enough right? It was until we got off the cart.
We came to crossroads, and we were trying to decide which way to go when she suddenly teleported around the corner exuding necromantic and lich energies (we’re gonna have to have a chat later). We follow her, find the entrance to the depot, and find it to be filled with undead. Knowing it’s a trap but having no other recourse we enter. This is where everything changed. As we start the mad dash for the supplies and begin fighting the “shard zombies” (as they aren’t your typical 25 gp zombies but have been fucked with by the butcher), I have an inkling to use the Mark to launch a firebolt as they might be weak to fire. The second I let it go I feel a searing pain emanating from my hand and I pass out. I awake on something akin to a beach of sand and glass with a spere off in the distance with distinct strands connected to various figures I don’t really recognize except for one a girl which I saw among the refugees. I’m approached by woman blonde with green eyes telling me to find the person I recognize for the “convergence”. It was at this point I realized that this was the “mother” I’ve heard so much about. She continued on to say that I’m about to meet an associate of hers and to accept the deal that they propose, or I will die. That’s when I awoke to see the fight still progressing. We manage to kill off all the zombies and then Faldren arrives to say that the butcher is weakened and is upstairs within the depot.
Now let me be clear; I had no intention of handing off whatever person I was to find off to these assholes. However, when we met the butcher, I had this unnatural fear take hold of me. That if we were to fight the butcher then we would not win. Maybe I was wrong, but I rarely am about this sort of thing. So, when we met the butcher, we talked and held our blades. Turns out Marky is another link in the plans of the fuckwits and so is the girl I need to find, so the butcher offers a deal. Marion and I (as I can locate the girl effectively) bring to butch tomorrow and we will be spared (for the time being). We agreed but only as a measure to come up with a plan for dealing with the butcher and saving the cogs. We now have the weapons we need. We just need to find the girl in order to protect her from the machinations of the triumvirate.
We return to the Cogs to debrief and to find the girl. I manage to locate her through the mark somehow and I spot her with two kids. I approach trying to come up with the right words to say. I mean how do you tell a kid that their life is no longer going to ever be the same? However… when I got close enough and we lock eyes something happened. I felt as if I have been searching for this kid my whole life but didn’t know it until now. That all the other possible variations that my life could have taken were inconsequential as I stood there locking eyes with destiny. The kid, whose name is Dahlia was also scared because she had seen me in a dream, and along with the woman I met before which she says looks like an older version of her (I agree which raises another bag of worms). We managed to convince Dahlia that we’re going to protect her from those that mean her harm and she followed us to Ulyvar’s bunker within the Cogs. The plan being for Niko to fake being Dahlia during the handoff giving us a chance to get close and ambush Butch. What a clusterfuck right?
The Kid
1st of Therendor, 999 YK
Greetings Old Friend, I've just finished going over this map I've... appropriated from an NRF officer. Who's the NRF and how did I get this so-called officer's map? Well let's start where we left off yesterday. We're dropped onto the lower levels of Sharn and following Deme's instructions we head towards the Broken Crown Inn over in Firelight. Not a minute goes by before we wandered into a pile of shit. We stumbled onto six members of the NRF kicking the shit out of a dumbass who got himself caught carrying a book extolling syndicalism. I have no patience for this political BS essentially: NRF hate warforged and the Syndicalists, the Syndicalists love the working folk and hate the NRF. Upon seeing this Durne and Frost take it upon themselves to get involved, thereby dragging the entire crew into it. Marion tried to calm everyone down, but the uh negotiations devolved into a brawl. Just like that. One life for the meager price of six, and as a bonus our mission has been made nigh impossible. Long story short, we killed the bastards, saved the Dumbass, Marion spontaneously grew a Dragonmark, and I nabbed the leader's satchel before we book it before reinforcements came. While we were heading towards the Broken Crown, we learned that Dumbass' name is Thelonius Brayson a half orc/elf who couldn't be more than 17. He was naturally freaking out, but we assured him that we'll protect him for now and that he can stay with us for the night at the Broken Crown. Niko or "Lady Caroline" and I went inside first to ensure the safety of the rest of the group. We played the friends of Deme card and talked to the owner; a man named Destir Zenden. He was nice enough and gave a basic overview of the NRF, the Syndicalists, and the goings on of Sharn. Apparently, the workers of the Cogs have gone on strike for higher wages, and there's word of a potential edict from the Queen declaring the strikers traitors; thereby voiding both their wage increase and naturally their lives. Gotta love the eternal plight of the working stiff. Does one lick boot or instead gets their head stomped in by some nice and expensive plate ones? Anyway, eventually Destir hands us the keys to nine rooms and a meeting area for us to use. Then we invited everyone in and planned our next move. The kid deigned to inform us and Niko's familiar confirmed that we're currently being tracked by what he calls an NRF (probably Triumvirate but he doesn't need to know that) enforcer known only as "The Butcher". That since his (the kid's) blood and some of the crew's was left at the scene, Butch is able to track us. Great now our cover which was broken into tiny pieces, has just exploded leaving a crater the size of Mournland. As a result, the kid suggests we link up with the Syndicalists down in the Cogs, as they can properly protect us and potentially help track down Ulyvar. Fuck out of any other ideas we resolve to sleep the night in shifts and make a break for an entrance in the morning. Hence the map I mentioned in the beginning. It's a patrol map and I was going over it for safe routes to a Cogs entrance. Now that we're all caught up Old Friend, shall we get to why I can't sleep? It's not for lack of trying my friend. It's 3 in the morning according to this desk clock, and I've spent a fair amount of time pouring over a map and I am exhausted. You see when we encountered those NRF jackasses beating on the kid I... I thought we should have left him there. He had nothing to do with our mission and in fact saving him could have (and has) endangered it and us as a group. Our mission, the thing I'm getting paid to do, isn’t to right all the world's wrongs nor save every hapless bastard on the side of the street. It's to save Ulyvar and return back to Gift. Nothing more; nothing less. Yet, as I listened to the kid and got a glimpse of the passion he holds within his heart for that inane cause of his... he reminded me of someone I knew. Someone who would've without hesitation or ulterior motive have jumped in to save his ass. Just because it's the right thing to do with no regard for their own skin. A person who not too long ago set out on a quest to save the world from the monsters that stalk its dark corners. Who was excited to be lauded as a hero and savior of man. A person who was able to sleep at night and recognize themselves in the mirror. I hope I see him again one day.
Drawings
The kid, Wolf school medallion, a younger Gaetan
Return to Sharn
28th of Olarune 999 YK
Here I go once again into the unknown to my probable death. Hey, but at least this time it’s actually for something right? I can at least say I died for a cause instead of for a hefty coin purse Imma blow on drinks and cards, but I digress. Day started with a knock on the door of my royal suite with only slight damp in Last Gift’s barracks. A courier saying that Reggie has invited me to a big meeting around midday. I took the opportunity to ask about this “Ashatari” I’m supposed to meet regarding the mark and the courier said that she’ll be at the meeting as well. How… convenient. Anyway, I decided to head towards the mess hall to pass the time till the meeting. I haven’t had a home cooked meal in weeks and I was craving for some real food. To my surprise I spotted Demetrius there and I proceeded to strike up a conversation with the old rogue. According to him there has been some shit going on in Breland since I’ve been away. Good ole’ King Boranel has been assassinated and princess Eliri is now Queen Eliri. The shit I miss sometimes. Though I think perhaps this time it’s for the better. Who knows what I would have gotten into had I been in Breland at the time. Anyway, when he mentioned that the Queen had been saved by a particular group of Brelish military officers, I had a sneaking suspicion that he was unknowingly referencing those officers I met yesterday. I voiced this and he bet me 50 crisp gold coins that I was wrong and if I was wrong he would get Riposte. Naturally, I took the bet. I might not always be right, but my hunches are rarely wrong. After we were done chatting I headed over to the meeting hall and took a seat next to crew from yesterday. Reggie started his speech announcing that our team Ash, Frosty, Durn, Niko, Marion, and I are a formal team and will be sent out on a mission. To be honest I was more invested in my flask, but the look on Kherrad’s face after Reggie was done was priceless. We met with Reggie and he explained the mission in full. We are to retrive “Devan Ulyvar” a person of some importance to the Officers and of some importance to me (he is my coin after all). He’s located Sharn and that's about all we know. Also, (this is the icing on the cake dear friend) during the briefing I asked Ash to look at my mark as I’ve been told to. After examining it she told me that I’m ethereally bound to an entity. I still don’t even know how to process that information and she told me that hours ago. One crisis at a time Gaetan. I tried asking her later if she can find out who I’m bound to and all she told me was that she’ll ask her mentor when we return to Last Gift (more like if). But I digress dear reader. After the meeting was done Durn and I took the time to head off to the forge for a buckler. After all I am going to in all likelihood be fighting more humans and I would appreciate the extra protection. The smith there “Tiberius Stormsworth” was willing to make one and I used the bet money to pay for it (thanks for your contribution Deme). I took one of their shields to tide me over in the mean time. After I was done at the forge we all met up at the Noir and headed off to Sharn. Still in the air now but it won’t be long till we touch down. I feel… Going have to cut this short old friend. Seems we’ve landed.
The Day My Life Ended
27th of Olarune, 999 YK
What have you gotten yourself into Gaetan? Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t what Demetrius ultimately brought me to. First, after I was finishing up the last entry, I was overcome with the urge to sleep and down I went into the Black. I awake to have the Captain lording over me smoking his pipe, and apologizing saying the sleep was a way of ensuring the safety of his employers. He then tosses me a blue scale saying the it’s the emblem of the “Conspiracy” , and that I have an audience with his bosses. Now knowing that I have without a doubt entered a situation that is over my head, I went along him. After all, I still needed answers and I wouldn’t get any if I was uncooperative.
The captain then led me out of the hold of the ship and onto where we docked. The sight I saw when I came out of the Noir... I am not sure mere words can describe it. We were on a giant floating island on which sat a massive library the likes of which I have never seen before. The captain then explained that this island was called the “Last Gift” and that we’ll have to wait before the other members of my meeting arrive and so we waited. Him sitting there smoking his pipe and me trying my best to capture the majesty of my surroundings.
After a while the other members arrived alongside an escort by a lackey of some supposed importance and what I guess is their superior. The lackey, a Githyaki, introduced himself as Kharrad and proceeded to escort us to the meeting location alongside his silent Dragonborn superior. While we were walking I noticed that my medallion had zero reaction to “Gift” even though the place was obviously magical in nature. Perhaps this is the function of a magical defense mechanism? A question for later. Anyway, we arrived to a waiting area before the meeting room. It was here that the secretary there mentioned the superior’s name as “Durnehvirr” and told us all to wait for our time to meet the person who summoned us here.
Before we could all sit down, the one human they refer to as “Marion” left to find a shitter; which was strange considering they hadn’t seem to have the inclination not seconds before. Regardless, Marion left leaving me with who I learned were “Niko” a half-elf, “Emilia” a Dragonborn, and C4l3b a war forged who they refer to as “Caleb”. I noticed they were all wearing Brelish military officer uniforms and all knew each other. After further questioning I learned that they all went to that military academy in Breland together, and had recently gone through quite an ordeal the exact nature of which is still unknown to me. After some inconsequential chatter and Marion’s return, we were called into the meeting room. In there sat two people a half- dragon scientist named Cynella and the headman (or at least a high ranking member) named Regiophios.
We all took our seats and the meeting began. Reggie first addressed the officers and they said there piece. That Marion seemed especially pissed about something. Anyway, I didn’t pay much attention to their part of the meeting ,but two things did stick out to me: the mention of “The Triumvirate” and “Mother”. This triumvirate probably being the organization that Blair’s a part of and this Mother is perhaps the head? Anyway, their part of the meeting ended with them joining the “Conspiracy”. Then came my turn. Reggie offered me more platinum than I’ve ever thought of ever attaining in my wildest dreams to accomplish two tasks: Kill Blair and to find the organization responsible for the changeling behind the Noir incident. If I refuse they’ll send me on my way, wiping my memory leaving me without a care in the world. Sounds like bliss! However! Nero is still alive and is being held by the bad guys. Fuck my life. Oh and also I mentioned that Nero referred to the mark as the “coordinate” to Reggie. That egg head then took a look, mentioned something about “Alchemical symbols” and that tomorrow someone named “Ashatari” will examine it... whatever the fuck that means. The meeting ended when Reggie wanted an answer to his question regarding my agreement to the contract.
I asked for time to think on it, and he gave everyone (besides me and egghead) scales to signal their initiation into the “Conspiracy” and keycards to rooms. The Officers got to stay in one of the library towers while I’m stuck here in the barracks.
So to sum it up: it indeed seems I’m swimming in the shit... no let’s be honest I’m drowning in it. From the second the Captain started talking about conspiracies and memory wipes I was ready to reject any and all offers. This was sounding too similar to the Blair incident, and I was keen to not repeat the same mistake. I just kill monsters. Nothing more nothing less. Have I ever wanted more than that? Maybe... but all this talk of secret organizations, prophecies, betrayal, and causes makes my skin itch. All my instincts are telling me to take the memory wipe with gusto, continuing on my merry way. Who would blame me? But Nero... he needs my help. That’s what convinced me. I’m not going on a half-assed quest akin to a knight-errant to accomplish some “greater good” for king and country. I’m not doing it for the platinum either (though if I’m being honest it’s a nice bonus). I’m risking my neck for a friend... plain and simple. If I get “Lone Wolfed” well fuck it I guess. Maybe one day I’ll be able to figure something out. Maybe get Aelrindel to
vouch for me? Regardless, in a sea of infinite possibilities I arrive at this moment of critical decision. A decision that will irrevocably change my life and potentially lead to its end. If that happens I just hope Aelrindel understands why I did what I did. That I decided to take the lesser evil for a friend.
Lingering thoughts
-Ask Reggie for an advance for equipment
-Ask Reggie about Blair and Nero
-Ask Reggie about crew
-Ask Reggie about Triumverate
-Find out more about the Conspiracy
-Caleb seems determined to be my friend.
-Emila acts strangely around me
-What is Marion upset about?
-What does Aelrindel know about the mark?
-Contact Aelrindel
Drawings
A drawing of Last gift made on the bench. sketches of: Emilia, Caleb, Niko, Marion, Durnhevir, Cynella, Blowhard (Kherrad), Reggie, and Demetrius. Detailed drawing of the Mark notating possible recognizable alchemical symbols. A cartoon of me smashing Blair over the head with a platinum ingot
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