Ulder Ravengard
Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard
Ulder Ravengard is the current Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate's Council of Four and Marshal of the Flaming Fist.
History
Early Life
Ravengard was born in 1440 in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate to a blacksmith father. Dreaming of glory from a young age, he joined the Flaming Fist at 17 and served both in Baldur's Gate and across Faerun. His service in the Flaming Fist was exemplary. Ravengard married in 1463, when he was only 23 years old. His wife gave birth to two children: Aella in 1468 and Morgan in 1473. During the Bhaalspawn Crisis of 1482, Ravengard was a Blaze in the Flaming Fist. Following the death of Abdel Adrian, Ravengard rallied the forces of the Flaming Fist to fight off the Bhaalspawn, working in tandem with the adventurers in the city and the Watch. For his role in stopping the Bhaalspawn, and because he was now the highest ranking officer in the Flaming Fist, Ravengard was made its Marshal. In short order, he would also be voted in as the Council of Four's newest Grand Duke, though he would attract scrutiny for refusing to step down as the Flaming Fist's Marshal. Over the next decade, Ravengard established himself as the most powerful Grand Duke Baldur's Gate has had in centuries. His daughter Aella followed in his footsteps and was inducted into the Flaming Fist and was promoted through the ranks extraordinarily quickly, becoming Baldur's Gate's Night Commander. Many suspected Ravengard's hand in this, but few doubted the new Night Commander's effectiveness. In 1487, Ravengard gained the allegiance of his personal agent, Zephyr, following the sorcerer's botched attempt to rob him.The Great Dragon War
In Uktar of 1491, Ravengard was approached by Marquis Jessabelle Leonin and the Breadwinners about joining the burgeoning Council of Waterdeep to oppose the Cult of the Dragon. Ravengard agreed with them, but couldn't act without full support of the Council of Four, so he gave the Breadwinners leads on uncovering Cult of the Dragon activity in Baldur's Gate in the hopes of changing the minds of the other Dukes. In addition, Ravengard told the Breadwinners that Lysara the Grin's criminal activities were connected to the Cult of the Dragon, a lie so the adventurers might root out the crime boss. Finally, Ravengard gave the Breadwinners access to her personal agent Zephyr to both aid and keep an eye on them. Ravengard was with the other members of the Council of Four and the Parliament of Peers in the High Hall when they were magically sealed inside during the Baldur's Gate Uprising. He was released after the Breadwinners killed Councilman Alexander Rake, the sorcerer responsible for the seal and the mastermind behind the uprising. Ravengard then personally led the fight to retake the city. Following the battle, Ravengard obtained Rake's Cloak of the White Dragon. Following the Council of Four's decision to join the Council of Waterdeep, Ravengard was sent as Baldur's Gate's primary representative. As part of the Council, Ravengard was wary of the inclusion of Isteval as well as Mariana Goldfinch's possession of the Gauntlet of the Black Dragon. Nevertheless, he supported giving the Breadwinners their unique authority. Ravengard led Baldur's Gate's forces alongside Jessabelle Leonin in the Battle of Hardbuckler and alone in the Battle at the Well of Dragons, emerging victorious both times. Following both battles, the Cult of the Dragon was ruined and Ravengard returned to Baldur's Gate a beloved hero.The Damnation of Elturel
For the next several years, tensions between Baldur's Gate and its historical rival Elturel, now that capital of the nation of Elturgard, increased, with members of the Flaming Fist and the Hellriders coming to occasional blows. To alleveate these tensions, Ravengard was invited to visit Elturel on an official state visit on the 2nd of Eleasis, 1498. With the encouragement of other members of the Council of Four, especially Duke Thalamara Vanthampur, Ravengard accepted. However, this visit was a ruse to bring Ravengard into the city on the exact day it would be damned to Avernus, fulfilling an infernal pact signed fifty years ago. During the confusion and mayhem upon the city's arrival in Avernus, Ravengard gathered the Flaming Fist guards he had and Hellriders that had not been transformed into the infernal Hell Knights and fortified himself in Elturel's High Hall, becoming a refuge for civilians. Aware that his status as a Baldurian may lead to objection over his command, Ravengard formed a council of surviving Elturian government officials, such as Pherria Jynks, though military affairs were left in Ravengard's hands as the most experienced commander. High Hall continued to be besieged by devils and the Hell Knights until they were rescued by the Lost Star Detectives, adventurers who had arrived in Elturel to save it after dealing with the after effects of Ravengard's disappearance in Baldur's Gate. With the aid of the Detectives, who stablized the situation in Elturel, Ravengard was able to link up with the majority of the surviving Hellriders at Helm's Shieldhall, and his forces were able to move more freely in the city to find food, supplies, and more survivors. After the Lost Star Detectives left Elturel for Avernus itself to find a way to free the city, Ravengard continued expanding the defenses of High Hall and began training any and all Elturians willing to fight. During the Battle of Elturel, Ravengard's preparations paid off when High Hall suffered only moderate casualties in the desperate fighting before the Detectives were able to finish their plan to send the city back to the Material Plane. Ravengard returned to Baldur's Gate after Elturel's salvation in 1498, finding the situation in Baldur's Gate radically changed. Liara Portyr, a Blaze in the Fist loyal to Ravengard, had assumed command over the Flaming Fist following a succession crisis and had been voted in the Council of Four following the death of her uncle Duke Dillard Portyr. The new duke Portyr willingly retired from the Flaming Fist and returned command to Ravengard, but remained in the Council of Four, nearly always voting in his favor, ironically making Ravengard's position as leader of Baldur's Gate even stronger despite his absence.Mental characteristics
Education
Ravengard was a master tactician and fighter, befitting his years of service in the Flaming Fist. His fighting skills, even into his 50's were quite renowned. His weapon of choice was a bastard sword.
Intellectual Characteristics
Ravengard was highly disciplined and precise in his actions. Despite that, he did lack the sophistication and tact of other dukes, occasionally being too blunt or forceful in his remarks.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Ravengard possessed a strong sense of duty and loyalty that informed many of his decisions. As Grand Duke, his ultimate goal has been to restore Baldur's Gate's sense of pride and glory.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Ravengard's relationship with his fellow Dukes has often been strained. During his first few years in the Council of Four, his refusal to retire from the Flaming Fist was a point of contention. In later years, his desire to affirm Baldur's Gate as a significant military, economic, and cultural power put him at odds with more isolationist and reserved members of the government. Despite this, few can doubt that Ravengard has often been the singular force uniting Baldur's Gate in times of crisis.
Among the Flaming Fist rank and file, Ravengard is beloved as a general and father figure to his men. It is no secret that his favorite activity as Grand Duke are his surprises inspections of Baldur's Gate's defenses. Among Flaming Fist officers, Ravengard has a strong working relationship with Blaze Liara Portyr, his second in command, which paid of tremendously when Portyr successfully positioned herself as Ravengard's successor when he was presumed dead in 1497, which, as a byproduct, resulted in most the Blazes disloyal to Ravengard being imprisoned or demoted for taking the wrong side in the Fist's succession crisis. Despite no longer being in the Flaming Fist, Portyr's loyalty to Ravengard is never in doubt.
Family Ties
Ravengard was particularly close to his daughter Aella, seeing her as his heir in both the Flaming Fist and perhaps as a Grand Duke. Ravengard did not make public his feelings on her tragic death during the Baldur's Gate Uprising, hosting a small private funeral. Those closest to him have noted how hard he took her death, and it gave Ravengard a drive to destroy the Cult of the Dragon beyond that of almost anyone else in the Council of Waterdeep.
Ravengard's has a strained relationship with his youngest son, Morgan, due to the latter's reclusive nature and unwillingness to learn martial fighting.
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Current Location
Species
Year of Birth
1440 CR
58 Years old
Children
Gender
Male
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Ruled Locations
Comments