Achille De Luca
Achille De Luca is a merchant originally from the Chondathan city of Arrabar. De Luca is a clean shaven man both in beard and hair, and is slightly overweight from a life of excesses, his face seems to be almost permanently locked in a harsh sour expression, with a bulbous nose and two blemishes on his left cheek. Perhaps unsurprisingly, De Luca wears a symbol of Waukeen, The Coinmaiden, patron deity of merchants, peddlers, and smugglers.
De Luca made his name through his auction house situated in the very center of Arrabar, trading both in mundane goods and luxuries, though De Luca's fame would be cemented through his trade in antiquities. The De Luca House's emblem consists of a gavel and block within a circle surrounded by a laurel wreath with a coinpurse perched atop the circle.
De Luca's auctions are famed even as far off as the Sword Coast, with collectors trekking great distances to gain the opportunity to bid on The De Luca House's treasures, not to mention attention-seeking nobles gaining the chance to bid in his events for bragging rights. This, combined with his already admirable wealth has brought De Luca a position as nobility in all but title, with his events quickly becoming a melting pot for any noble of character, each of whom gives De Luca another 'in' to the intimate circle that is Faerûnian nobility and politics, which he seeks to exploit at every opportunity.
Some time prior to 1493 DR De Luca received a request from Dagult Neverember, the current Lord Protector of Neverwinter, to move his auction house to the city; in return his business would be subject to a preferential tax rate... 1%... De Luca moved to Neverwinter in early 1496 DR after construction efforts and furnishing of the new 'De Luca House' were completed in their entirety, including the property's impressive vault. De Luca held a private auction at the newly completed De Luca House in Neverwinter on Ches 19 of 1496 DR, the day of the spring equinox, marking the beginning of Spring. All participants had lobbied to be included in the auction and were required to provide statements of collateral to confirm that they were indeed blue-blooded enough to afford the house's offerings at this particular auction.
Events of 'The De Luca Job':
On the night of the newly constructed De Luca House's inaugural auction on Ches 19, 1496 DR, a group of thieves masquerading as guests of De Luca and his house staff broke into the De Luca House vault and robbed a great deal of the treasures within. Other guests confirm that shortly before the auction De Luca met with the Elven merchant Brandyl Orbryn (in fact the Elven criminal Luka Iquibrill in disguise), and his manservant 'Brick' (in fact the Goliath enforcer Nostag Gumeel) seemingly to discuss the sale of a metal statue they had brought with them the very same metal construct was seen later that night bounding through the streets following the criminals as they escaped through the streets on a stolen wagon. The Elf posing as Orbryn and his Goliath companion are believed to have not acted alone, with a number of other individuals spotted fleeing with them. It is also believed they were assisted from within De Luca's own staff, as the time it took them to gain entry to the vault was considered too expedient not to have been assisted from within, with the false Orbryn and his compatriot disappearring from the auction floor in the middle of the event's intermission. It was not until Orbryn and his compatriot were missed that suspicion was aroused, with guests attesting that De Luca entered his office and emerged bellowing in a state of anger and panic that the auction was off and to summon the watch. While some of his men removed the guests, De Luca and a large number of his household guards stormed the vault to stop them, that is when the sound of an explosion rocked the building and the panicking guests fled. It is unknown what precisely went on, however, when officers of the Wintershield Watchmen arrived they found the vault's defenses cracked wide open, the main vault in a state of disarray, and De luca and his guards dead, the Watchmen also discovered a hidden passage beneath the vault made up from old Neverwinter's disused sewerage tunnels which had been blown open with explosives, presumably for the thieves to escape. A few days after the robbery a man claiming to be one Enzo De Luca, Achille's twin brother who disappeared, and was thought to have died some years prior, presented himself before Dagult Neverember, carrying with him a filigreed silver box. The man explained who he was and presented the papers held in the box, his deceased father's will among others, naming him as the sole heir to the family fortune, and thus, the De Luca House and its collected treasures.Relationships
Species
Life
1453
1496
43 years old
Spouses
Siblings
Enzo De Luca
(Brother)
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Brown
Hair
Shaven
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Fair
Height
5'11"
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