Brisk

Brisk

Brisk is an extremely old Eladrin wizard and founding member of the Hand of Mana. He was a central figure in Banesmark Crisis, though his soul was stuck in a soul trap for most its events.

History

Founding the Hand of Mana

Brisk was born in the Feywild sometime around the year 650 CR, by the Faerun calendar.
By the 800's, Brisk was an accomplished and powerful wizard. It was during this time the mortal Dead Three achieved godhood. Bane, who had ascended into the god of tyranny, used his newfound power to craft an insidious mark that would forcibly capture the minds of mortals, having set his sights immediately on the entire Material Plane. This magical mark, the Banesmark as it would come to be known, led to the decades spanning Century of Strife, as any humanoid bearing the mark could be controlled by Bane himself.
To combat the new god, Brisk aided in the formation of the Hand of Mana, a group of Faerun's most powerful magic users. These mages began fighting against Bane's forces where ever they appeared. This group, in coordination with a variety of standing armies, religious orders, adventurers, and gods, angered by Bane's overt moves, managed to halt Bane's conquests.
Following the end of the wars, Brisk and the Hand of Mana shifted focus to erasing any and all knowledge of the Banesmark, recognizing that such a powerful tool risks throwing the world into chaos once again. Through manipulation of official histories, magical memory wipes, and coercion, the Banesmark faded from history.
Over the next few centuries, Brisk traveled and studied, continuing to operate as a respected member of the Hand of Mana. By 1496, he had taken a position in Castle Never as Dagult Neverember official arcane advisor.
Around 1494, Brisk struck up an unusual friendship with Robyn Goodfellow, a pixie working as an adventurer for the Neveren Shepards, as the two regularly bonded over their shared fondness for their birthplace, the Feywild. As a sign of their friendship, Brisk gave Robyn an official writ of protection, following Robyn's near capture by opportunistic kidnappers.

The Banesmark Crisis

On the 22nd of Flamerule, Brisk's homunculus was present at the Neverwinter Gala , thrown to commensurate the founding of the Neveren Alliance. During the early hours of the gala, the Heroes of Saltmarsh managed to secure an audience with the actual Brisk in his study, as they were told by Keledek that Brisk might know about the strange mark they had found on the Emperor of the Waves. Recognizing the Banesmark, Brisk used a vial of Sovereign Glue to trap the adventurers, with the intent of erasing their memories. Before he could, Brisk was attacked by disguised agents of the Twilight Monastery. The wizard was killed and the monks captured his soul in a Soul Trap, as their master, S'gothgah, wanted to ensure no member of the Hand of Mana were able to put two and two together and learn about what he has doing. However, the Heroes of Saltmarsh freed themselves and killed the assassins, reclaiming the jewel holding Brisk's soul. Unsure of what to do with it, the adventurers anonymously gave it to the Neverwinter Guard before departing the city.
Brisk's soul languished in the God Trap for months, until Dagult Neverember decided to ask Laeral Silverhand of Waterdeep for assistance. In Uktar, the Blackstaff, Vajra Safahr, arrived in Neverwinter and was able to revive Brisk. Brisk informed his fellow member of the Hand of Mana about his worries concerning the Banesmark and the two of them resolved to meet with Keledek and the Heroes of Saltmarsh, though Vajra traveled to Saltmarsh in disguise, in order to meet Micah Pierce and Necian Arrzen to gauge them as people.
On the 17th of Uktar, Brisk had a tense reunion with the Heroes of Saltmarsh, though he agreed with the Blackstaff that things had progressed far too much to consider erasing any memories. He explained the adventurers that the Hand of Mana was formed to stop the Banesmark, but nowadays their attention was focused on many different conflicts. Ultimately, Brisk explained that the Hand of Mana would follow the situation cautiously, as they didn't want to tip off S'gothgah about how much they knew.
On the 27th of Nightal, Brisk returned to Saltmarsh, ostensibly as an ambassador of the Great Neveren Trade Fleet but in actuality to learn what the Heroes of Saltmarsh had uncovered. Mogran Oredelver told Brisk of the plan to insert a Sliver of Bane into a Kraken and of their plan to trick the town into thinking the Banesmark was a Shadowfell parasite. Realizing the dire nature of the situation, Brisk departed back to Neverwinter to sound alarms.
Following the Attack on the Neveren Trade Fleet, Brisk and a detachment of the Neveren Navy arrived to calm the panicked sailors and restore order. Brisk explained to the panic stricken men the "parasite" that had affected them and downplayed the Sliver of Bane's involvement, claiming it was an aspect of Bane but neglecting to mention the potential it had to become a Banespawn.

Later Life

Following the Banesmark Crisis, Brisk returned to Neverwinter. He continued to serve as an active role in the Hand of Mana and struck up an unorthodox friendship with Mogran Oredelver, who had joined the order's ranks.

Mental characteristics

Employment

While Brisk has worked for and with a variety of courts and rulers of the centuries he's been alive, he currently is employed by Lord Dagult Neverember in a mutually beneficial arrangement, being given all of the resources at the lord's disposal and positioned in an up and coming power to monitor any dangerous or worrying uses of magic.

Personality Characteristics

Personality Quirks

As an eladrin, Brisk was prone to severe mood swings, depending on his current seasonal appearance. However, a general sense of haughtiness remained despite his outward appearance, in part due to his extreme age and mastery of magic.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Brisk does not hold a formal leadership role in the Hand of Mana, but he is the group's oldest member, which gives him a great deal of leeway and respect amongst his peers.
Though the exact nature of the relationship between Dagult Neverember and Brisk is unknown, it is clear that the two appear to have great respect for one another. Many have speculated as to why a respected master of magic would work for a human noble, but Brisk has never given a straight answer.
While he seldom enjoys the company of others, Brisk has been noted to form unusual friendships. One such instance is with Robyn Goodfellow, and the two of them regurarly meet up for tea or casual conversation and discuss their Feywild home. 
In addition, in the years following the Banesmark, Brisk struck up and unusual friendship with Mogran Oredelver, who joined the Hand of Mana not too long after the crisis ended. The two have been noted to spend hours discussing arcane theory, leading to more than a few arguments that were quickly forgotten the next time they met.

Current Location

Neverwinter

Species

Eladrin

Year of Birth

650 CR 848 Years old

Birthplace

Feywild

Gender

Male

Aligned Organization

Hand of Mana