Sikander Steelestone

Sikander Steelestone (a.k.a. The Simple)

Sikander Steelestone Proud Kin of the Angelborne Son of Gallinor Son of Quintus Son of Thuldain Of the Great House of Shalmar the Pure A dwarven fighter and former professional soldier. Now sits as the self-appointed head of the Axeholm Brigade.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Short, stocky, muscular build consistent with that of a frontline soldier.

Body Features

His face is of a ruddy complexion, weathered and worn. There are deep creases around his eyes and in his forehead, an indication of his tendency to laugh frequently and heartily.

Facial Features

Long black beard with gray specks peppered throughout it. There is a faint scar above his left temple.

Identifying Characteristics

Sikander bears a tattoo of a clover on his right forearm.

Apparel & Accessories

Wears a ring that has a coin embedded within in. It bears the beaming image of the goddess Tymora. Sikander also carries the insignia of his former legion although he displays it on the rarest of occasions. He carries several decks of 'death cards'. Custom-made cards that he leaves on the corpses of his fallen enemies. He carries Skybreaker, a hand axe that was given to him under mysterious circumstances. The axe is believed to have been in his dwarven family for generations, going back further than even Shalmar the Pure.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Sikander Steelestone has enjoyed a good life growing up in the enigmatic Angelborne orphanage. He was surrounded by his elven parents and a racially mixed group of fellow orphans. He lives to tell a good story, share a new joke, and raise a celebratory toast! However, despite his tendency to enjoy the merriment of tavern living, he has established himself as a deadly adversary, once blades are drawn. After his return to Waterdeep from the notorious Battle of Highmoore, he returned to Angelborne Manor to discover that it had been abandoned. After scouring the streets of Waterdeep, he heard rumors that they were headed north, to Neverwinter. He set off in pursuit not knowing what he would find. Over time, and through some good fortune he was able to locate some of his siblings. They explained that The Cherry Blossom Society had taken control of the family and had either enslaved, exiled, or exploited his family members. He is now looking for the remaining family members, including his parents. He is on a singular quest to ultimately bring his mortal enemies to their knees before he ends their existence.

Education

Educated by a private tutor, Jendora el Jabour in the ways of dwarven traditions, however, there was also a special focus on the traditions of other races and cultures. Most notably the various elves of Faerun and beyond.

Employment

When not on campaign with one of the local brigades, Sikander worked as a hired blade, usually escorting merchants along the Sword Coast.

Accomplishments & Achievements

An experienced soldier, he received several commendations and military medals including: Eadro's Horn of Valor The Shield of the City The Fury Blade of Gil-Galusha He has recently established a small but rapidly growing mercenary operation based out of the ruins of the old dwarven fortress of Axeholm.

Failures & Embarrassments

There is one moment from a battle long ago that still haunts him. He doesn't speak of it as this single choice resulted in the deaths of many lives, including his entire squad within the 21st. He also feels a sense of guilt for failing to protect his family sufficiently.

Mental Trauma

Guilt, shame, and regret regularly make their presence known during moments of deep reflection.

Intellectual Characteristics

He is a curious soul. He is most curious about the lives and outlooks of others. Unlike most mountain dwarves, he has little interest in coins, gems, or other precious metals. He is more interested in understanding the lives, priorities, and temperaments of others.

Morality & Philosophy

He is committed to spreading goodness to others as Lady Tymora wills it. He interprets 'goodness' as bringing laughter, good fortune, and merriment to as many souls as possible.

Taboos

Eating vegetables is the clearest way to align oneself with the chief devil, Asmodeus himself.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

He is motivated to spread joy and merriment. This is overshadowed by the very serious business of rebuilding The Angelborne family tree.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

He has an odd ability to be highly persuasive at some of the most irrelevant moments. This causes him to leave a lasting impression on those he meets. He is not proficient at comprehending certain words. If someone insults him using words he doesn't understand, he typically takes it as a compliment. He is very uncomfortable out in the 'Wild', forests, and fields. He is much more at home in big cities.

Likes & Dislikes

He enjoys city living. The bigger the city, the more comfortable he is. Oftentimes, a warm meal (preferably one he's prepared) and a crowded tavern are all that's needed to make him happy. He strongly resists evil acts that exploit and harm those who are unable to defend themselves. He becomes very animated when witnessing cruelty being performed on others.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Has established business contracts with the trade guilds in the following villages and towns: Phandalin Triboar Westbridge Longsaddle A former member of the adventurer's party, Ora Vitae, he now travels with one of his sisters Anya Galanodel.

Family Ties

Angelborne family members Father - Bomalath (Half-Elf) Mother - Talara (High-Elf) Chindaron - Brother (half-orc brother/twin) Choz - Brother (half-orc brother/twin) Saje - Sister (High-Efl) Thomas - Brother (Human) A'flora - Sister (halfling) Kathra - Sister (dwarf) He is closely aligned with the demi-goddess Qiseria, and can be speaking with her frequently throughout Waterdeep.

Religious Views

He has pledged himself and sworn vows to Tymora, the goddess of Luck. He also honors the great father of all dwarves, Moradin The Soulforger.

Social Aptitude

He is often accused of missing social 'Qs and speaking impulsively on regular occasions. Typically he is most at home in taverns when he's regaling an audience of friends, or strangers with a tall tale. In spite of his tendency to be 'quirky' and somewhat off-putting to some, he has the ability to speak wisdom into the lives of others.

Mannerisms

He always smokes his dragon-head pipe as he weaves his tales. Periodically, he'll pull his ring, with the smiling of face of Tymora staring at him to his ear, presumably to hear her counsel.

Hobbies & Pets

He loves to cook whenever he gets the opportunity. When visiting taverns, he'll even go as far as to force his way into kitchens to assist the staff.

Wealth & Financial state

His family is well connected within the ruling classes and merchant classes of Waterdeep. Although not wealthy, he has grown accustomed to an enjoyable life of good food, rare ale, and comfortable lodgings.

Sikander Steelestone; proud son of the Angelborne; member of the 21st Legion out of Waterdeep; proprietor of "The Lucky Dwarf "gambling den founder of the Axeholm Brigade.

View Character Profile

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Honorary & Occupational Titles

The Simple

Age

118

Birthplace

Waterdeep

Children

Current Residence

Fortress Axeholm

Gender

Male

Eyes

Dark black

Hair

Black hair with streaks of silver

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Olive

Height

4.5 ft

Weight

145 lbs

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Let the dice fly high!" "Seven Hells!" "Remember the Rules!" "T'is only hubris if I fail." "Don't worry, I'll do the talkin'."

Related Reports

Known Languages

He speaks Dwarvish, and Common, and has an impressive lexicon of Orcish cuss words.

Forsworn

Begin writing yourDistant memories filled his mind, even as he fought for his life against the mysterious attackers. Surrounded by two katana-wielding foes he heard echoes of his former sergeant barking commands… “Damnit Steelestone! If you move like that in real battle, you’ll be skewered like an Orthalion stinkrat! Parry! Parry! Strike! Counter! Finish!”, the gravelly voice of the sergeant bellowed. “Aye aye Cap’n!”, the young soldier blurted breathlessly. “Curse you if you call me that once more! Again! Parry! Parry! Counter! Strike! Parry! Finish!” He desperately fought off the two sparring partners, with their four wooden practice blades in the small training ground. The dwarf was inexperienced with armed combat and briefly hesitated with each action. A deadly habit that the sergeant was committed to breaking. “Parry! Parry! Strike! Counter! Strike! Par…” Pulled to the present his enigmatic enemies landed several blows, one glancing off his armour but two more piercing through, causing him to cry aloud involuntarily. Parry. Parry. Strike. Parry. Counter. They were quickening their strikes and he was unable to keep pace. A blade glanced across the top of his head and blood burst forth. Momentarily losing his focus he dropped to one knee and raised his axe to defend against the inevitable blow. A different voice spoke from within. Deeper. Confident. Irritated. In a fleeting moment, Sikander glimpsed a butterfly briefly float in front of his eyes and briefly land on the haft of his axe. It blazed a fierce ember glow from its wings which appeared to be alight with dancing flames. “Damnit Steelestone! Get up and tell me… where in the five hells did you get that cursed armour?!? By the Stone, you meddle with dangerous things! Parry! Parry! Strike! Counter! Finish!” Sikander Steelestone rolled to his side and narrowly missed the killing strike. Rising to his feet he raised his axe and briefly noticed a single red rune on the blade that glowed briefly before disappearing. It was the dwarven rune kalash-shokrin with a definitive single meaning. Forsworn.

An Ominous Reflection

Sikander rejecting the prospect of much-needed rest, spends the night in solemn reflection, muttering quietly to the darkness of Hobb’s Occasional Pub. The bugbear snores softly and wakens once to utter, “The stars are teeth.” Sikander smokes his pipe in silence, as a forgotten childhood memory, resurfaces. His older sister, A’flora read to him in hushed, nervous tones, from the worn, well-read chronicle which bore the familiar dwarven runes. Tᚺᛖ Sᛖcᚱᛖᛏ Hᛁᛊᛏᛟᚱy ᛟᚠ ᛏᚺᛖ Dᚱᛖᛁᚷᚾᛟᚱ: Vᛟᛚᚢᛗᛖ II The Secret History of the Dreignor: Volume II “A generation after the disappearance of the DR---GNOR, the dwarven king, Molashion the Humble forged an alliance with the elvish queen Sylmare Thephara I, within the Icespires foothills. They believed that the combination of their two peoples’ reputable powers could locate, unearth, and unlock the potent technology of the DR---GNOR. This alliance began excavating near an abandoned mine believed to be of ancient origin. For three years, they dug and delved with pick, shovel, and sacral fire, burrowing ever deeper. This great work lasted until one night, Molashion the Humble had a dream. In it, he was working feverishly in the exact tunnel as he and his allies. His pick struck a mishappen stone and suddenly a fiery bird emerged. It spoke to him and promised that the next day, he would uncover what he was looking for but to be wary of the lust of the elves. For the elvish Queen could not be trusted and would do treacherous things if she secured the ancient treasure first. Molashion woke and quickly summoned his commanders. Advising them of the elvish intention to betray them, he ordered that the elvish camp be sieged immediately. However, Sylmare Thephara also was gifted with a similar dream, and she summoned her commanders to do the same. The two forces rushed towards the other’s camp in the dead of night. They fought ruthlessly, showing no mercy to one another. Blades, lighting, fire, and arrows converged, and bodies quickly lay strewn between the two camps. With each hour, the sky darkened further, chasing away the dawn. After several hours of fighting, the king and queen lay dead and there were only ten survivors – five elves and five dwarves. Gazing upon the mass slaughter they sheathed their weapons and withdrew from the battlefield. However, before returning to their respective people, each of them claimed to have seen six figures standing at the mouth of the now-abandoned mine. They were unarmored and clothed in robes that glowed like embers, with the pattern of a flamed bird upon them. The faces and stature resembled the characteristics of dwarves and elves – an ancient, unheard-of intermingling of the races. The mysterious figures, as raised their arms and pointed a command for the survivors to leave immediately. The bodies of the fallen remained exposed to the elements, as a macabre memorial to the foolish ambitions of those who search out secrets that they shouldn’t. As of this writing, no soul has returned to that mine, and the northern alliance of elves and dwarves remains broken.” Returning to the present, in Hobb’s Occasional Pub, Sikander snuffs out his pipe and glances towards the bugbear as he moves to the stairs. “The stars are teeth indeed. And the white hart dines alone.” Sikander returns to his room, getting whatever sleep he can. The sunlight comes far too quickly.

A Vow to the Laughing Lady

Lady Tymora, known as “Lady Luck,” was a popular choice of deity amongst many professions, most notably those in the military. For every soldier knew that survival was a combination of training, fitness, alertness, and good fortune. You never knew when a stray arrow would strike you during the random chaos of battle. Sikander Steelestone's spiritual journey started casually enough when a traveling bard visited The Dancing Dragon and sang about “The Lucky Lady”. The songs were often followed uncharacteristically by earnest conversations about the merits of following her path and listening for her will. Knowing that he would need as much luck as he could get to survive the dangers of military service, he initially made a simple commitment to speak no ill of her. Originally, he didn't feel particularly lucky although he did start to notice a strange occurrence that repeated itself several times. On the nights that he would gamble (which was almost every night), no matter how poorly the dice rolled for him, he always seemed to leave with a full pouch of coin. This mysterious pattern of good fortune followed him into battle where he seemed to have a knack for knowing when to duck, parry, feint, and swing. Was it a matter of training and practice, or was it divine fortune? Sikander decided that he would formalize his commitment to Tymora by speaking vows to her in “The Great House of the Gods” temple complex in Neverwinter. He had witnessed many ceremonies where people had sworn sacred oaths to their gods. These always included a commitment to uphold law, order, and mercy for the sake of the powerless. Noble vows but not aligned with the nature of Tymora who valued a form of kindness that was exemplified by boldness, risk, courage, and flair. He consulted the few clerics that he could find to determine what sort of vow would please “The Lady.” When the day came, he walked intently to the Great House to perform his ritual. The temple was empty. Not a priest, cleric, or devotee in sight. Sikander saw a young boy with a large grey rabbit in his arms, lingering around the temple doors. He asked for him to come inside and witness what Sikander was about to do. The young boy, Henric not fully comprehending, joined Sikander only after the dwarf offered him gold in return. Sikander Steelestone stood before the smiling marble statue of Tymora and lay his weapons at her feet. Taking a calming, deep breath, he spoke his vow: Blessed Tymora, grant me your fortune and favor. I dwell in the shadow of Your goodwill and kindness. Your laughter and goodwill greet me daily. I am a soldier of fortune. I am a herald of good health. I am a guardian of hope. For those bound by caution, I will bring daring. For those bound by boredom, I will bring adventure. For those bound by blandness, I will bring curiosity. For those bound by apathy, I will bring purpose. Where there are corrupt schemes, I will bring purity of force. Where the scales of chance are uneven, I will bring balance. In preparation and prayer, luck is my closest friend. In conviction and action, I will move with boldness and certainty. If I should fall, I commit to rise again, a better man. Blessed Tymora, grant me your fortune and your favor. I pledge myself to your will. After speaking the words, he reclaimed his weapons, tossed some coins to Henric, and entered the bustling streets of Neverwinter. And it was at that moment that he heard a familiar voice from behind him along with an amused giggle, “Tee hee hee. Silly dwarf. This is going to be soo much fun. Tee hee hee.” He didn’t turn around for he had heard that same voice on a previous occasion long ago before and knew, that trying to identify the source would be fruitless. He walked the streets, now with a beaming smile across his dwarven face. For at that moment, Sikander Steelestone was reassured that, Blessed Tymora had accepted his vows and that he was now officially in sacred service to her. This was going to be fun!

The Legend of the Dancing Dragon Tavern

A long time ago when Waterdeep was a small but growing trading post on the Sword Coast, there lived a halfling couple. Davlin and Jamya Merrycrest dwelled a mile from the coast surrounded by fields and forests. Davlin a maker of children’s toys; Jamya was renowned in the surrounding farm areas for her mutton and rabbit pies. Several times a week they would travel into the trading post to sell their wares, often making a comfortably modest living. One day as they were preparing to load up their small cart and wagon with their toys and meat pies, a very strange creature appeared. A gnome, wearing a wide-brimmed cavalier hat, bearing three long multicolored griffin feathers approached them quickly. He was donned in a long bear skin trench coat with thick black fur around the collar and cuffs. Carrying a small pack on his pack, his face was flushed, and he was breathing heavily. The gnome bowed briefly before them and amongst the deep breaths, introduced himself as Corver Luckycraft. Glancing nervously over his shoulder, he explained that he was being chased by brigands who were attempting to kidnap him and sell him for ransom. He pleaded with the Merrycrests for shelter within their humble home until the brigands had passed. Davlin and Jamya, wrung their hands nervously but they knew that the Halfling Code of Hospitality prevented them from denying his request. As they prepared to respond, Corver saw the look in their eyes, smiled appreciatively and pushed his way past them into their single room home. They shrugged their shoulders and continued to load Davlin’s wooden toys, while Jamya’ pies remained inside their home, to be brought out and loaded just before the pair would leave for market. A few minutes later the sound of galloping horses approached from the distance. Three human males wearing plate mail, that was either dented, mismatched or missing pieces rode up to the Merrycrests. One of the men gruffly demanded if they had seen a gnome matching Corver’s description. Ever the quick-witted one, Jamya announced that they had and then she proceeded to share with great detail what he looked like. Knowing that humans didn’t have the patience for the details that most halfling stories included, she went on to explain the origin of gnomes as well as their preferred diets. In fact, she took the opportunity educate them with as much lore around gnomes as she knew. Losing their patience, they turned their horses in the direction that Jamya had pointed to. When they were out of sight, Davlin affectionately kissed his clever wife on the cheek. They then entered their home to reassure Corver that he was now safe and should leave in the opposite direction from where the men went. But as they walked through the door, Jamya let out a horrified scream. For there, sitting at their table was Corver Luckycraft finishing off the last of the pies that were prepared for market. He smiled broadly and praised Jamya for her cooking skills as Davlin comforted his wife, knowing that they would be ruined without the selling of those pies. Corver wiped his chin and reassured them that he was an honorable gnome and that he would repay their generosity. Although he admitted that he had only one single coin on them. Urging them to sit with him he reached into the side pouches of his pack. As he did so, several oddities fell onto the wooden table. A jewelled looking glass; a unicorn horn; and a small book, the size of fingernail. He removed a single copper coin and showed it to the sorrowful pair who tried to console each other. Although the metal was dull, each side of the coin displayed a clear image of a dragon, wings expanded, looking forth menacingly. Corver explained that this copper coin would not only make them wealthy but also anyone around them. His eyes suddenly burned brightly, and he urged them to watch closely. Unconvinced, they reluctantly watched. He placed the coin upright on the old table so that it sat balanced on its thin edge. And then the gnome blew on it as forcefully as he could. At first nothing happened but Davlin and Jamya did take note that the coin didn’t fall under his breath. It stood in place perfectly in place, upright until, much to their surprise, it began to spin slowly. It increased its speed a little more until it was going so fast that they could see both sides of the coin as it spun perfectly in place. Eying Corver questioningly, the gnome let out a laugh and urged them to watch the dragon-emblazoned coin. He reached into his coat pocket and displayed a wooden flute, which he promptly brought to his lips. As he played a simple but merry tune, the coin jumped into the air, once, twice, thrice and even more. The coin bounced across the table to the rhythm of the song. When Corver stopped playing, it landed on its side and continued to spin around. He smiled and explained that this phenomenon would more than compensate for the loss in pies. As they asked him how this would happen, he smiled, got up and left with a bow, thanking them for their hospitality. Once the gnome left, the couple looked at the spinning coin on the table confusingly. It was an impressive sight, but they didn’t understand how it would make them wealthy. Until the next day their neighbours, the Dapplebottoms came by with their eight children. They asked if they could come in and see this strange dragon coin that an odd gnome had told them off. Davlin and Jamya, enjoying the company of others happily welcomed them into their small home, where the coin still spun as it had done so the previous day on their table. While in the home, the children were captivated by the coin, especially when Davlin began to sing an old halfling song. The coin bounced around as the children giggled. The parents, however, were enraptured by the aroma of Jamya’s next batch of freshly baked pies. Between the rich scent of the food and the mystical coin before them, the Dapplebottoms were bewitched. They offered to buy all of the pies, bring some wine and enjoy the afternoon with the Merrycrests. The couple embraced and wept together in joy and relief. Soon the word spread far and wide around the outskirts of Waterdeep of Davlin and Jamy’s magic coin and their rich food. People came and they welcomed them wholeheartedly. Their guests grew so numerous that eventually the Merrycrests had to expand their living space and turn it into a tavern. As the years passed Waterdeep expanded its reach to the countryside, neighbourhoods started to form around the Merrycrest’s tavern. Buildings were constructed nearby, and businesses moved in. Soon the Merrycrests’ and their tavern were no longer in the countryside. They were now in Waterdeep proper. The Merrycrests had children and one day, their young daughter Yomia was intently watching the dragon coin jumping across the same table that it had lived on from the first day. She asked her mother why the dragon always danced to music no matter the instrument. Jamya didn’t know how to answer but she did take note of her daughter’s observation. And from that day on, the Merrycrests renamed their tavern to the name that it is known of to this day. The Dancing Dragon tavern stands proudly and that coin has not stopped spinning… save for a jig, whirl and the occasional pirouette.

Player Handbook

Sikander Steelestone