Artus Goldfinch
Baron Artus Goldfinch
Artus Goldfinch is the former baron of Salt Lake and father to the famed adventurer Mariana Goldfinch.
History
Artus Goldfinch was born in Salt Lake in 1439. As the eldest child, he was the one poised to rule the minor settlement. He took that to heart, both seeing Salt Lake as his birth right, but also understanding how unimportant the small town was and desiring to improve his own prestige. In 1469, Artus married Enya, the daughter of another minor Amphail vassal. Three years later, in 1472, Enya gave birth to the couple's only child: Mariana. Mariana would prove to be a problem child for Artus, because of her stubbornness and unwillingness to focus on academic pursuits, in favor of martial ones. Artus also helped raise his nephew, Gabriel, who quickly became Mariana's best friend. By 1488, Artus had begun considering magical and supernatural ways to expand his family's wealth and influence. His secret study of the Salt Lake Temple of Akadi revealed that they temple was guarding the precious Eyes of Akadi. Artus made his way to the temple, posing as an acolyte of Akadi, and managed to steal one of the Eyes. This action enraged the temple's guardian, Akadi’s Wrath, who created a drought in Salt Lake as retaliation. Artus hid the Eye he had stolen in a secret room in his manor, unable to properly sell or study it until the drought passed. In 1490, Artus's daughter and nephew, Mariana and Gabriel, unaware of Artus's crime, attempted to end the drought by force. For their trouble, Gabriel was crippled and Mariana was scarred. Artus then sent away his impertinent daughter to Gregory Tumbleton University as punishment. As the drought worsened, so did Artur's health. By the beginning of 1492, he was bedridden. While he was distracted by his declining health, many of his peasants organized into the Plowshare Militia with the goal of overthrowing Artus and seizing the land of Salt Lake for themselves. They launched their uprising in Hammer of that year, forcing Artus and Enya into house arrest, but not killing them out of fear of reprisal and a desire to be better than him. Within a month, the forces of Amphail besieged Salt Lake. Hearing of her father's sickness, Mariana returned to Salt Lake with her adventuring party, the Breadwinners. After they learned of the situation, the adventurers began to attempt and mediate a peace before the army of Waterdeep arrived. During their time in Salt Lake, the Breadwinners discovered the stolen Eye of Akadi. They returned it to the Temple of Akadi, and, due to his role in causing the crisis, convinced Lord Dauner Ilzimmer of Amphail to revoke Artus's barony, passing the title to Mariana. Since the Siege of Salt Lake, Artus has been imprisoned under house arrest in Amphail, with comfort befitting former nobility but with restrictions to his freedom and unable to leave the grounds.Social
Family Ties
Enya has remained by Artus's side throughout his imprisonment. Despite their marriage being one of political allegiance, she doggedly believes that it is her duty to assist her husband as a it is, or was, his barony.
Artus's relationship with Mariana continues to be tense. Mariana visits Artus in his imprisonment, but two the often butt heads, having fundamental differences on their ideas of furthering Salt Lake's importance and prosperity.
Artus viewed Gabriel as a potential replacement for Mariana, as he grew more level-headed following his confrontation with Akadi’s Wrath. However, the two have barely spoken since the Siege of Salt Lake.
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