Trampo Crushem
It was another night of drinking at the Elven Eleven. Trampo was knocking back a few with a new friend he approached earlier in the night. The dwarf named Minmock had recently been kicked out of the guild he worked for and had left his wife for another who swindled him out of his home. They had spent the night drinking, talking about how life moves you without your control. Now it had reached the point in the night where Trampo was about to head to bed when Minmock asked if Trampo had a bed for him. With sadness in his voice Trampo said that he did not live in the city. However, Trampo did know of someone that offers a bed for those that need it. This person lives just past the North Gates outside of the city. During the long walk from The Warrens Minmock asked Trampo what his story was and how he ended up where he is in life. Usually when asked about his past Trampo will avoid the question or come up with a noble backstory to make him look better. Instead this is what he said:
“Hmm, where to begin...I was born in the Northern part of the Frost Desert but that was only because my parents were helping my second brother. He has a business that helps people track down rare plants that survive the cold. Like a tour guide for merchants, I guess. I don’t really know much about him though. Most Loxodons have quite a few kids in a lifetime and we don’t need much parenting growing up since we are naturally wise creatures. So when I say my second brother that means he was the second born in the line. I am the 10th brother in a line of 12 siblings. I have four brothers and seven sisters. Most of which I have never met before.
Anyways we didn’t stay long, living there only 4 or 5 years before we headed to my parent’s home near the borders of Garourisson and Le Villeloup. That is where I lived for 150 years. If you don’t know much about the area, those two territories have been at war for a long time. You probably already heard that but what most people don’t know is the border is not controlled by either of them. It has actually been controlled by a green dragon named Arkcavus the Grave Garden. Not really something that either side would like the other territories to know. The dragon takes bodies slowly, mostly travelers in the Dust Marsh or those that risk traveling through its home. It has never expanded it’s domain so instead of dealing with it, they pretend that it isn’t real. Since traveling through the Dust Marsh is certain to either have you run into raiders or face the dragon's undead horde, people rather travel through the Jussie Mountain. That’s where we come in. My parents have tasked themselves to help escort people through the mountain and are the leaders of the village that we lived in. My first dad travels up and down the routes looking for lost travelers in the snow and leads them to the village. My second dad is the village’s…’chief’. It is the closest word in common that comes close to it. Basically he helps keep the village neutral with the two factions and travels to Garourisson and Le Villeloups for diplomatic reasons. I am actually not sure how it all works. My mother is a Cleric of Glu’nionox, the Goddess of Travel and Winter. She was a great caregiver for me, all the people in the village and those who lost their way. Although, in my opinion, a little bit too much. The three of them still live there.
I needed to leave there. My parents wanted me to be there to help them help people. Not really what I wanted to get into. I wanted to get more involved in the world. I wanted to live like there is no tomorrow. So I left the village. I travelled down the coast into the Garourisson territory where I found my first city. I think the city’s name was something like Wind’s Edge or Fire Cliffs, I don’t know but it was where I got my first glance at adventurers.
The city has a port that holds sailors that travel all across the continent. It was heavily controlled by their military force. At least that was the case when I was last there. If you ever go you need to go to the Standing Man Mango, great mango mimosas. It is also where you go to find a captain looking for hands to work. I had met the group Standing Ground there. They had found work as mercs on the same ship I was on. A very interesting group there was a tiefling rogue, a goliath sorcerer, a kobold wizard, a human fighter, and Ma-naw-min-a Mad Maker the artificer. I never knew what the Mad Maker was. They always wore a painted balck golden mask and a heavy black cloak. They are really the only ones that I actually remember the name of. Anyways, the human fighter warmed up to me and asked me to join the group. Him and the others, besides the Mad Makers, were what I call the 'Old Guard Adventurers' , people in the dangerous line of work due to some morality ideas. It never made much sense to me in the end. The Mad Maker never talked but they spoke more with their actions then their words. As we traveled down the coast to the Clouded Island, we went on many different adventures on their way to fight some necromancer that was corrupting the forest. During those adventures the OGA’s would spend a lot of time trying to find the best solution to make sure there was the least amount of collateral damage. This is while Mad Maker would start tinkering. What always ended up happening is they would take so long trying to decide what to do they had to do a rush plan. The Mad Maker always knew that, which is what they were tinkering on, the fastest most direct plan possible. Usually involved melting walls, burning buildings, or making things explode. The plans would usually cause a couple of casualties which the group would scorn them for but couldn’t say much because it did more good than bad.
For 50 years we traveled the landscape looking for them. The Clouded Island is a crowded natural maze of plants and animals. We found out that there is a black tree there that the necromancer’s powers seeped into the world...this is where things get fuzzy. I know we found the tree. It is hard to describe because walking into the tree was the last thing that I remembered. I woke up in a forest near the City of Prescott with new clothing and a cart with Wonder Trunks painted on it. I also had the mask of the Mad Maker. I wandered through the forest until I came upon a large house. It is the house we are heading to at the moment. Leven is a wizard that helped me realize that there was a magical block to my memories. Although, he couldn’t determine if it was placed upon me or was some sort of magical trap. I didn’t care either way. I am never getting those 100 years back. I was more interested in knowing more about the mask. Leven said that is magical but it was more advanced than he knew. He has been researching it ever since then.”
Trampo goes silent besides the crunch of the gravel beneath he’s and the dwarf’s stumbling feet. The dark purple gothic mansion stands tall and imposing with dark red doors.
“We’re here friend.”, the dwarf tumbles to the door and begins to slam his fist on the door. Trampo steps behind Minmock taking out his dagger and slamming it to the back of his head. Minmock’s body slams down on the front doorstep. “Leven! I got another one!”
“Hmm, where to begin...I was born in the Northern part of the Frost Desert but that was only because my parents were helping my second brother. He has a business that helps people track down rare plants that survive the cold. Like a tour guide for merchants, I guess. I don’t really know much about him though. Most Loxodons have quite a few kids in a lifetime and we don’t need much parenting growing up since we are naturally wise creatures. So when I say my second brother that means he was the second born in the line. I am the 10th brother in a line of 12 siblings. I have four brothers and seven sisters. Most of which I have never met before.
Anyways we didn’t stay long, living there only 4 or 5 years before we headed to my parent’s home near the borders of Garourisson and Le Villeloup. That is where I lived for 150 years. If you don’t know much about the area, those two territories have been at war for a long time. You probably already heard that but what most people don’t know is the border is not controlled by either of them. It has actually been controlled by a green dragon named Arkcavus the Grave Garden. Not really something that either side would like the other territories to know. The dragon takes bodies slowly, mostly travelers in the Dust Marsh or those that risk traveling through its home. It has never expanded it’s domain so instead of dealing with it, they pretend that it isn’t real. Since traveling through the Dust Marsh is certain to either have you run into raiders or face the dragon's undead horde, people rather travel through the Jussie Mountain. That’s where we come in. My parents have tasked themselves to help escort people through the mountain and are the leaders of the village that we lived in. My first dad travels up and down the routes looking for lost travelers in the snow and leads them to the village. My second dad is the village’s…’chief’. It is the closest word in common that comes close to it. Basically he helps keep the village neutral with the two factions and travels to Garourisson and Le Villeloups for diplomatic reasons. I am actually not sure how it all works. My mother is a Cleric of Glu’nionox, the Goddess of Travel and Winter. She was a great caregiver for me, all the people in the village and those who lost their way. Although, in my opinion, a little bit too much. The three of them still live there.
I needed to leave there. My parents wanted me to be there to help them help people. Not really what I wanted to get into. I wanted to get more involved in the world. I wanted to live like there is no tomorrow. So I left the village. I travelled down the coast into the Garourisson territory where I found my first city. I think the city’s name was something like Wind’s Edge or Fire Cliffs, I don’t know but it was where I got my first glance at adventurers.
The city has a port that holds sailors that travel all across the continent. It was heavily controlled by their military force. At least that was the case when I was last there. If you ever go you need to go to the Standing Man Mango, great mango mimosas. It is also where you go to find a captain looking for hands to work. I had met the group Standing Ground there. They had found work as mercs on the same ship I was on. A very interesting group there was a tiefling rogue, a goliath sorcerer, a kobold wizard, a human fighter, and Ma-naw-min-a Mad Maker the artificer. I never knew what the Mad Maker was. They always wore a painted balck golden mask and a heavy black cloak. They are really the only ones that I actually remember the name of. Anyways, the human fighter warmed up to me and asked me to join the group. Him and the others, besides the Mad Makers, were what I call the 'Old Guard Adventurers' , people in the dangerous line of work due to some morality ideas. It never made much sense to me in the end. The Mad Maker never talked but they spoke more with their actions then their words. As we traveled down the coast to the Clouded Island, we went on many different adventures on their way to fight some necromancer that was corrupting the forest. During those adventures the OGA’s would spend a lot of time trying to find the best solution to make sure there was the least amount of collateral damage. This is while Mad Maker would start tinkering. What always ended up happening is they would take so long trying to decide what to do they had to do a rush plan. The Mad Maker always knew that, which is what they were tinkering on, the fastest most direct plan possible. Usually involved melting walls, burning buildings, or making things explode. The plans would usually cause a couple of casualties which the group would scorn them for but couldn’t say much because it did more good than bad.
For 50 years we traveled the landscape looking for them. The Clouded Island is a crowded natural maze of plants and animals. We found out that there is a black tree there that the necromancer’s powers seeped into the world...this is where things get fuzzy. I know we found the tree. It is hard to describe because walking into the tree was the last thing that I remembered. I woke up in a forest near the City of Prescott with new clothing and a cart with Wonder Trunks painted on it. I also had the mask of the Mad Maker. I wandered through the forest until I came upon a large house. It is the house we are heading to at the moment. Leven is a wizard that helped me realize that there was a magical block to my memories. Although, he couldn’t determine if it was placed upon me or was some sort of magical trap. I didn’t care either way. I am never getting those 100 years back. I was more interested in knowing more about the mask. Leven said that is magical but it was more advanced than he knew. He has been researching it ever since then.”
Trampo goes silent besides the crunch of the gravel beneath he’s and the dwarf’s stumbling feet. The dark purple gothic mansion stands tall and imposing with dark red doors.
“We’re here friend.”, the dwarf tumbles to the door and begins to slam his fist on the door. Trampo steps behind Minmock taking out his dagger and slamming it to the back of his head. Minmock’s body slams down on the front doorstep. “Leven! I got another one!”
Children
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