Ronald Zodge

Blaze Ronald Zodge

Blaze Ronald Zodge is the former squire of Jessabelle Leonin. and a current Blaze in the Flaming Fist.

History

A Knight's Squire

Ronald was born in Baldur's Gate in 1476. He was only a child during the Bhaalspawn Crisis, but the event left a strong impact on the young boy, who grew up hearing stories about the brave Jessabelle Leonin that slew the Bhaalspawn.
In 1490, Ronald, then only 14, worked up the confidence to approach Jessabelle Leonin about being her squire and apprentice. Leonin had experienced many such requests before and initially planned to dismiss Ronald, as the child was not very strong or coordinated. However, she was quickly impressed with his ability to manage household chores, finances, and other such matters that she was not. Leonin accepted Ronald as her apprentice, but most of his duties consisted of making meals or handling money, not quite as much swordfighting as Ronald had expected.
In 1491, Ronald accompanied Leonin to the Elturel City Fair on one of Leonin's typical excursions. There, the pair met Mariana Goldfinch, Malachor Wolfsbane, Legolass Darkblade, and Amber, the future Breadwinners. Jessabelle Leonin was impressed with the four, especially Mariana Goldfinch who bested her in jousting, and invited them to stay at her estate in Baldur's Gate while they attempted to convince the Council of Four to fight the rising threat of the Cult of the Dragon.
In Baldur's Gate, Ronald aided the future Breadwinners and Leonin in their efforts to convince the city's government and during their mourning period following Amber's death.
During the Baldur's Gate Uprising, Ronald was outside the city's council chambers when all the members of the Council of Four and the Parliament of Peers were magically sealed inside by Alexander Rake. While the Breadwinners rushed away to fight Rake, Ronald himself rushed into the city attempting to fight the cult, breaking his arm in the process. While healing, Ronald informed Mariana Goldfinch that he had received a missive that her father had fallen ill.
Ronald stayed behind in Baldur's Gate while Leonin traveled to and from Waterdeep with Ulder Ravengard. Though Leonin promised to take his training more seriously after his heroics, Ronald did not fight in either the Battle of Hardbuckler or the Battle at the Well of Dragons.

After the Great Dragon War

Following the war's conclusion, Ronald stayed with Leonin, hoping to finally receive some real training from her. However, the two started quarelling more and more, resulting in Ronald leaving her employ, much to Leonin's dismay. Instead, Ronald joined the Flaming Fist, quickly rising to a command position, in part due to his training with Leonin, and by 1497, Ronald, now Flame Zodge, was made commander of the city's Basilisk Gate, connecting the Lower and Outer Cities.
During the Flaming Fist Succession Crisis of 1497, Flame Zodge backed Blaze Liara Portyr to become the organization's new marshal. The ongoing succession crisis also left the Flaming Fist undermanned, and so Zodge hired the Lost Star Detectives, a group of adventurers that survived the presumed destruction of Elturel and were willing to work with the Flaming Fist in exchange for allowing Elturian refugees to enter the city. Zodge first had the Detectives investigate the cult of the Dead Three which soon revealed the machinations of the cult of Zariel, led by Duke Thalamara Vanthampur.
Upon Liara Portyr's arrival in Baldur's Gate, Zodge turned over command of the Basilisk Gate to her and continued to support her efforts in subdoing her Flaming Fist rivals while providing support to the Lost Star Detectives. Shortly before Liara Portyr began besieging the Seatower, Zodge was promoted to the rank of Blaze for his efforts aiding her.
In 1498, when Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard returned to Baldur's Gate and took up the mantle of marshal again, Liara Portyr, now a duke of the city, resigned from the Flaming Fist. However, Ravengard supported Liara's succession and kept Zodge's promotion to Blaze.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Ronald's hero growing up was Jessabelle Leonin, as he was just a boy when she saved Baldur's Gate from the Bhaalspawn. However, when he became her squire, he began to see sides of her that stories didn't mention. While she was brave and heroic and strong, she was easily bored by mundane matters, leaving those tasks for Ronald to handle.
Following the Great Dragon War, Ronald felt that Leonin was treating him more as a servant than a true apprentice, despite Leonin's pleas to the contrary. The two had an explosive falling out, and Ronald has not spoken to her since.

by Ashley

Jessabelle Leonin and Ronald in 1491

Species

Human

Year of Birth

1476 CR 22 Years old

Birthplace

Baldur's Gate

Current Residence

Baldur's Gate

Gender

Male

Aligned Organization

Flaming Fist