Soren Novak
Soren Novak (a.k.a. The Grave Hound)
Soren was born a family in south-western Bohemia. His father was an executioner for the local lord and he was to inherit the position. After Soren, took over as executioner, a new lord came in wanting to bring in a new headsman. The lord framed Soren of theft and had his new executioner behead Soren with his fathers blade. That night, Soren climbed out of a grave he had fallen into as a child. Filled with rage, he killed the lord and executioner, who had partied in Soren's home, and burnt the house to the ground. Coming to his senses, Soren ran from his homeland and encountered Lady Eta, one of the Anoterum of the DiaFotizo. Recognizing Soren as a new immortal, brought him under her wing to help him with his transition.
Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
A dark scar on his neck where he was beheaded.
An executioner by trade and death. Reborn as an Immortal, he continued his work with death as a bounty hunter. Now, Soren has joined the DiaFotizo looking for new purpose.
View Character Profile
Age
42 (at death)
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Black/Gray
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Height
5' 8"
Weight
178 lbs
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Chasing Names
The Siege of Orleans lasted another week. After helping the French and saying his goodbyes to his fellow immortals, I returned to Lady Eta to let her know that Jehanne made it Orleans but fell in combat and that the French has won back Orleans. After spending a couple days to recuperate, I left enlist in the French campaign to fight back the English to honor Jehanne's last wish. I don't know why I feel this way. The mystery of Jehanne confused me and drew me in. She helped alleviate whatever impulses I had by showing me that prayer helped! I saw angelic figures, heard angelic chorus, and witnessed the natural charisma of someone blessed by a greater power. Maybe there is a God for Christians. Every time I pull her banner out during my travels, I feel a strength, a connection. I can't explain it but she could have done great things. A part of me wishes to have seen them
The war finally came to an end after a couple years. On my return to Bohemia, I found that I had been awarded for my service to the DiaFotizo and was given access to several new resources. One being that I now could access what they referred to as their "public libraries". I took this opportunity to go looking for information on Maweth and Horsemen. I made my way across Europe accessing several records that had been translated from Hebrew referring to Maweth as the Angel of Death. There were also references to the Horseman of Death, The Pale Rider found in Revelations. This was consistent in my research as I found several connections from different cultures that drew Maweth as a character pertaining to death. One source also referred to them as the arm or messenger of Havel, a possible character that I will need to devote more time to research.
As I was making my return home, I woke up to someone shaking me awake. Jehanne. She was alive! She asked me many questions. Where were we? What happened at Orleans? I answered that the French had won the war years ago. I slowly explained that she may be an Immortal like me. How we exist alongside humanity but not fully intertwined. I told her that she had a totem which is her "origin" point, every time she dies she will come back to it. I believe that it may be the banner since that is the only thing that I took of hers that could have come back where I was. After giving her the basic rundown of Immortal 101, Jehanne returned to her home but left her banner with me.
While I was traveling, one of the boons I was given from the Anoterum were the resources to build a small estate. I had requisitioned a small monastery and farm built on my old home, over my crypt. After the war, I knew I needed to keep my totem safe. This was my way of keeping it safe. Of course, now I was given the responsibility of Jehanne's totem. Since she wouldn't join the DiaFotizo she could not give her totem to the hall and I can't give it to them on her behalf, I would have to to safekeep hers as well so there were no more surprise wake up calls. It only feels like a couple years have passed but 3 lifetimes have passed. New Immortals are coming in to this world. Reminds me of when I first met the others, when they called me the "baby". It's time for me to grow up.
I received word from Lady Eta that a captain from Spain by the name of Juan De Cartagena is sailing to find some treasure that she wants. I have been instructed to join his crew, retrieve the treasure, and bring it back to her, by any means necessary.
Siege of the Soul
Lady Eta brought in Toussine and Soren to go on an escort mission. The mission was to bring Jehanne La Pucelle safely to Orleans, which was currently under siege by the English. After meeting with her and her relief army, Soren quickly realized she was a devout Christian. To a degree where she believed that God would protect her no matter what. After a run-in with some Englishmen on the road, Jehenne pulled Soren aside telling her to pray for forgiveness for the lies he told to get them safely passed. After meeting up in a town just out of Orleans, Soren took Jehenne's words to heart and went to the church to pray and felt a weight, an spiritual weight be lifted. Soren was shocked and stood up feeling better and found Jehenne waiting for him saying that she was pleased that Soren had prayed for forgiveness. Soren was in awe of the fact that she was right and began to see what the others around her see in her.
In order to get into Orleans, we had planned to rush the gates during a meeting the enemy forces were having with the French forces inside Orleans. Jehanne initially intended to rush the encampment of 2000 but Soren managed to convince her to rush the gate. During their forward advancement, the English forces rained arrows down on Soren's company of 600. One volley heavily injured Soren but Jehanne covered him, preventing a fatal wound. In that moment, Soren saw a figure resembling a man with robes and wings protecting Jehanne. By the grace of God, it would seem, Soren's company managed to make it into Orleans with little over half the forces they started with. After taking some to bandage their wounds, Soren heard a familiar voice shouting orders. Through the midst of the chaos of wounded soldiers, he saw Nilus and Raghnall discussing plans with some French infantry. Soren's relief at seeing familiar faces was quickly mixed with confusion as to why they were in the city to begin with.
After catching up with with Nilus and Raghnall. Jehanne approached the group with the intentions to take the fight to the English. The group managed to convince Jehanne to wait a week for the troups to recover and monitor the situation outside, especially now that Nilus had kidnapped the enemy commander. However, what really changed Jehanne's mind may have been a greater power Soren noticed. During the week before the French counterattack, while doing a patrol, Soren spotted Maweth, the immortal he had killed decades prior on his first mission for Lady Eta. Soren followed him to an empty bastille and confronted him. Maweth presented himself as someone who wanted to talk and started stating facts that no one should know about him, not even Lady Eta. Maweth referred to himself as a Horseman and that he "understood" Soren. During their conversation, Maweth kept telling Soren to. "Keep your eyes open". A barrage of cannon fire cut their conversation short as Soren, uncertain of what to do with Maweth, left to regroup with the others. For the rest of the siege, Soren never mentioned his conversation with Maweth.
The week passed and the group decided on an early morning pincer attack with half their forces charging the eastern English front from the gates while another force was led out the northern gate under cover of night to attack their flank. Jehanne had one cavoite, that they gave the English a chance to leave with their lives. The English should have listened as attack went off better than expected, mostly because the mercenaries that were hired had left the previous day. Unfortunately, Jehanne was mortally wounded and rushed back to the city for medical attention. Even with Raghnall's medical knowledge, he did not have the experience to treat her wounds with 100% efficacy. A couple days passed and Jehanne's condition was deteriorating and Soren asked Raghnall to perform surgery since that was the only way she could make a recovery. Jehanne passed during the surgery due to complications. Soren, stricken with grief, covered her body and took her banner with him. As he made his way to the back of the room as the rest of the room mourned her, Soren saw light shining down on her and heard a chorus singing. Soren looked on in amazement, all his senses straining to understand what was happening. Through all that was going on, he heard a familiar voice say, "Keep your eyes open."
Witch Hunting and Apple Picking
After being informed of a mysterious Scottsman, who is the only one to leave the woods outside of Cohors, we ventured in to find him and possibly this witch, Lady Thyden. Cohors was in the middle of a witch hunt already, burning 3 "witches", the air was thick with gross. Along the way, we came across an overgrown trail where many people have walked. 5 people walked until 1 vanished. At that time, Tousinne heard bagpipes being played in the distance. We follow the overgrown trail towards the bagpipes while another 2 sets of tracks vanish. Around the trail, Soren found 6 black feathers from a crow or a raven. Could the people have been picked up like prey?
We came to a brook where the Scottsman was playing his bagpipes. Toussine was the only one who could communicate with the Scottsman. He warned us not to cross the river or he would draw the sword. He was protecting a woman across the river from the witch hunters, a Gallow Glass or a body guard, Connor McCould. The woman has crows and ravens, could match the feathers...
Nilus challenger McCloud to a duel upon the grimy rocks in the babbling brook. After a long duel, Nilus was decapitated by the Gallowglass and asked if there were other challengers. Soren stepped up. After a couple slashes, Soren almost slashed him through and the Gallowglass fell. After the fight, Soren noticed a bird flying south deeper into the forest. After healing, the party ventured forward. After about a couple hours of following tracks, the party came to a cave. The cave was surrounded by dead trees and a murder of crows that cawed and looked apathetic towards the party at first. The cave had some footprints leading out of the cave so Soren decided to follow them but ended up coming back to the group with a memory of a woman asking him questions. Then as the group was discussing what to do, the sun had immediately began to set and one of Soren's blades was at the entrance to the cave. Confused, Soren moved to grab his sword but ended up suddenly in the cave with woman who told Soren to take his group and leave. Then, just as suddenly Soren appeared out of the the cave in front of the group.
The group decided to venture into the cave and found 4 woman naked in a pit and a cauldron of black ooze. The women talked in unison and Thyden seemed to be controlling them. Ragnhall, while the others were conversing with Thyden, discovered the ooze was enchanted and managed to dispel it. Ragnhall then came up with a plan to dispel the women one by one until we found the real Thyden. However, after Ragnhall successfully dispelled one woman. he fell into the pit and fell into an enchantment. Rashidi felled 2 of the women who excreted the black ooze. The group took Thyden to the deserted vineyard and then Soren brought the woman back to the village. The next day, the group decided to have Thyden die to the witch trials and came back to the village to find the woman they had saved was burned at the stake. After confirming Thyden's death, the party made their way to back to Lady Eta's estate.
A Name Taken and Given
Soren was deep in thought on the road back to town. Thinking back on everything that had happened in his life to bring him to this moment. After meeting with Lady Eta and Sir Reinard, Soren traveled with them to their estate near Prague. Lady Eta explained how there were Immortals in the world and Soren had happened to become one. She explained there were a group of Immortals called the DiaFotizo and how there were three "factions", as she called them, and that she belonged to the Anoterum. Lady Eta's group believed that mortals were flawed in their short-sighted ways, which strung a chord with Soren especially after his death.
Sir Reinard trained Soren in basic combat and how to use the swords he had for not just chopping heads. Lady Eta and Jeffrey taught him some academics to help him acclimate to a new way of life. After a year, Eta gave Soren a writ that his new surname was "Novak" which meant "new man". The writ would help Soren find work in a field of his choosing so he can re-enter the world. After some brainstorming, Soren decided to become a bounty hunter. It felt natural for him to pick up his fathers blade and use it to mete out justice. After another couple years of training and learning, Soren Novak left Lady Eta's estate and entered the world.
Soren's path took him all across the empire, to the borders of France and Germany, and even north towards Scandinavia. Years rolled by and he had received some renown as a bounty hunter. Soren didn't talk with people unless needed because of his injury and only worked in groups of mortals when the danger was more than he could handle. Soren was pulled back to reality as his gray steed, Ash, whinnied letting him know they had arrived at the outpost. Soren pulled up to the station to deliver his most recent bounty, the head of a local gang of bandits.
The officer grimaced and said, "Always efficient aren't you, Grave Hound?"
Soren began counting the gold, "Is that what they are calling me?"
"Not a fan, I assume?"
Soren chuckled, "No, I find it quite accurate. Thank you for the business."
"Hold up a moment, Novak. There is a letter here for you. Seems like you have been summoned by nobility."
Soren took the letter and opened it as he left. It was indeed a summons. Lady Eta needs help with a situation dealing with "my kind". Immortals. Soren hopped on Ash and began down the road thinking to himself what kind of situation would bring Immortals together.
A Road Taken
6th of June 1978 AD; Lady Eta's Estate
Soren traveled for days eating what he could steal or kill. On the third day, as Soren was traveling along the road, a wealthy looking carriage came upon him and stopped. Knowing his station and not wanting unwanted to cause any problems, stopped and stood at attention for the carriage. The driver was dressed in fine leathers with a sword at his side and looked at Soren with disinterest. The door to the carriage opened up and an armored knight of towering stature exited followed by an older, beautiful lady. Soren immediately knew these people were of high nobility and bowed deeply. The lady laughed and told Soren to stand up straight. Soren corrected his position which, in his haste, revealed the scar on his neck from his beheading. The lady looked at the mark intensely before Soren pulled up clothes to cover the mark.
"What are the odds we would run into one so 'fresh' on the way home, Sir Reinard?" spoke the lady with a hint of amusement.
"Quite low, Lady Eta. From his looks and reactions, I would say he came into his awakening with the last fortnight, no week." ,said the towering metal figure who the lady called Sir Reinard.
"Notice the swords that he carries, I wonder if one of those his is totem? Or perhaps the tool used to kill him?" ,the lady mused with a knowing smile.
Soren, confused and then frightened at the last remark, blurted out, "That man killed me with my own blade! I took this as compensation!"
Soren began to pull at the steel blade but found himself quickly on his knees with an iron grip on his neck. In a flash, the knight had rounded him and brought Soren down with his swords pulled from his back.
"Was that necessary Reinard? He would not have swung it?"
"Even if he isn't trained, a sword is still a dangerous tool, even if it is an inconvenience to us my lady."
"Still, release your grip on his neck please."
The iron vice grip on Soren's neck release slowly. The knight grabbed the two swords he kicked away and began inspecting them.
"My name is Lady Eta, this is Sir Reinard of the Iron Cloth, and that is our chauffeur, Geoffrey the 3rd. What is your name stranger?"
"My name is Soren or at least it was before..."
"Before you were killed and left for dead?"
The knight handed the swords back to Soren as he came to the front of the carriage again. Lady Eta held out a hand to Soren as she said, "You are a newborn lost in a changed world. I offer this to you. Come with me and I can answer your questions, help you acclimate to your new position, and introduce you to more like us."
Soren looked her in the eyes for the first time and asked, "What are we?"
Lady Eta smiled and said, "My dear, we are Immortal."
The First Swing
23rd of April, 1274 AD; Lady Eta's Estate
Soren was born to a family of executioners in a duchy just north of Milan. One day when Soren was just a lad, his father was preparing a grave when Soren fell into it and fell unconscious. His father, Jacob, found him and brought him out flinching at how cold Soren was. However, upon being raised up out of the grave, Soren woke and his warmth returned. Fearing what had happened to his son, Jacob filled the grave and marked it with warding crosses.
Years later, Soren had taken over as executioner and was living contently. However, after his previous lord, Lord Aster Hargrave, had been appointed a new land and castle by the emperor, the new incoming lord, Lord Gregory Havil wanted to bring in his own executioner. Angry at not being able to because of the previous lords writ protecting Sorens family, Havil framed Soren for stealing his beautifully crafted sword. Soren was brought before a "trial" but only to put on airs for the people. Soren was then beheaded by his own fathers blade and buried in the warded grave he fell into as a child. That evening, Soren awoke in the grave looking up at the night sky. Soren noticed that the grave he was lying in was too "perfectly" dug, as if the dirt shifted into a perfect hole. After Soren, climbed up out of the grave and tried recalling what had happened, the grave closed behind him, appearing undisturbed as the day his father filled it. Soren then heard sounds of revelry from his home and remembered that he had been framed and beheaded by his new "lord". Filled with rage, he burst into his home to find his executioner, a guard, and "Lord" Havil. They were too drunk and in shock to respond as Soren reached for his fathers blade and claimed his vengeance from their heads. In his anger, lanterns fell and his home became engulfed in flame. Soren ran out with his fathers blade and the blade he was claimed to have stolen to watch his family burn with the bodies inside. Watching the flames dance, he regained his senses and realized what he had done and what had happened to him. Soren left with nothing but his clothes and the two swords he carried, ran.
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