Gareth Velahrn, the Runaway Shadow
First Name: Gareth
Last Name: Velahrn
Nickname: ~
Appearance:
Gareth is taller than the average half-elf and he has a rather fit build compared to most of his kin. While he carries all signs of someone who isn't a stranger to the battlefield, such as scars all over his body, fresh and old, wind-tossed hair and unkempt facial hair; his most memorable feature is the unpleasant piercing stare he has.
Usually he can be seen in his dusty, dark adventuring gear, a battered breastplate with ragged leather clothing and a dark cloak. He always looks ready to fight, but mostly he rests his pair of longswords on his back, hides a dagger in his boots, while his belt is full of attached pouches, wands, scrolls and vials.
Race: half-elf
Date of Birth: 3rd day of Summertide in 1325, the Year of the Great Harvests (28 yo)
Place of Birth: Teziir, southern coast of the Dragonmere
Height: 6.2ft / 188cm
Weight: 209lb / 95kg
Eyes: dark green
Hair: wind-tossed, dark brown
Facial Hair Style: full stubble
Personality Profile:
He tends to be quiet and stoic, sometimes just plain cynical, but when he sets his mind on something he turns out to be quite stubborn. While he has trust issues, when he does give his word he goes to any lengths to keep it.
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"Wise man always treats a stranger with respect for he could be gazing on the face of an enemy"
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General Health: For someone who's always on the move, it's good.. . .
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Deity: Mask / previously Helm
Initial Alignment: Lawful Evil
Profession: mercenary, bounty hunter
Base Class & Proposed Development: Fighter/Rogue/Assassin
Languages: common, elf, chondathan, aglarondan, cant
Weapon of Choice: longswords, one finely crafted to be extremely sharp, one made of alchemical silver with a fire enchantment, and a dagger made of cold iron.
Habits/Hobbies:
-He scratches his chin when thinking.
-Due to a really bad experience he doesn't drink anything alcoholic, but for reasons, he still has a few bottles stashed in his backpack.
-Some might call him superstitious as he often pays lip-service to various deities, such as Beshaba for an example, but there's one thing that he hates the most and that's when his plans go awry.
-His favourite helmite saying is "Careful planning always defeats rushed actions in the end."
Background:
Gareth was born in Teziir from half-elven parents who thought the life of travelling tradespeople was not for newborn children and they just couldn't afford to give up their business in Cormyr, so they left him in the care of the local Church of Helm. While they sent donations to the temple regularly, they never visited their son.
Half-elves and orphans in general have something in common, they rarely have easy childhoods, and life among helmite clerics and mercenaries was definitely not an easy one, but at least the young Gareth learned the importance of discipline and order. While he was a quiet child, and a good student when it came to martial lessons, he was still a well known troublemaker around the town, mostly thanks to his childlike zeal and the bad habit of trying to follow the example of local mercenaries.
After a few years when he was considered ready to leave he joined a mercenary group that mainly protected caravans along the Trader's Road, exterminated marauding orcs in the Gulthmere Forest and basically traveled between Teziir and Westgate, that quickly became his second home.
Thugs and thieves, assassins and mercenaries, life in Westgate was nothing like in Teziir. Cunning, quickness and stealth were the most important virtues of anyone who wanted to make a living there. Gareth learned this the hard way, but at least Westgate wasn't short of people who're happy to teach him a lesson.
It happened after a day of hard work when he drank more than any sane person in his place should and that's how he got himself kidnapped by a group of local thugs who tried to extort money from anyone willing to pay for him. It really looked like Lady Doom wasn't amused by him, because the next day when the newbie didn't show up at their usual meeting spot his mercenary band left town with their current employer. Luckily for him in a reversal of fortune he didn't end up in pieces and managed to escape when another group of cutthroats ambushed his captors.
Years later, when it was his band that got ambushed, he found out that his saviors were none other than people who worked for the local crime lords, the Night Masks, who tirelessly rooted out other independent groups to completely rule the underworld of Westgate, but that's a story for another time.
//After a very long time, in 1353 DR the Night Masks became the secret rulers of the city of Westgate.//
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"A simple job, just think about the big payout, they said. They forgot about the most important rules of this business, value professional integrity above all and never leave loose ends."
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Goals, Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts: . . .
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His father's name is Jean and his mother's Erestiea. As travelling merchants they do business all around the Dragonmere with their caravel called, Elysalian.
His parents named him Gareth, meaning 'Gentle' and later during his time with the mercenary band he took the name Velahrn, meaning 'One who Wields Blades' in elven language.
When his parents left him at the Temple in Teziir the helmite clerics were paid in advance to take him in. While they sent donations to the temple regularly, they never visited their son.
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His patron deity was Helm, but during his years (and training) in Westgate he had to learn to live in the shadows. Some of his maskarran colleagues might've influenced him, but helmite teachings will always have a place in his thoughts thanks to his upbringing. Helm teaches "Be vigilant. Stand, wait, and watch carefully." while Mask says "Wealth rightfully belongs to those who can acquire it." in some twisted way it might make sense to someone to "punish" those who weren't vigilant enough.
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When he got kidnapped, did it really happen because he looked like easy money or maybe it had something to do with his parents? They could be smugglers or just simply merchants with wrong business partners, but one thing is certain, there are various crime gangs that have deep rooted connections with Cormyr. (Fire Knives)
He doesn't know why did his team deserve to be wiped out, as they weren't some big shots, just regular mercenaries, hireable guards and bounty hunters. On their last job they had to protect a warehouse and the cargo in it, until a caravan was ready to leave with it before daybreak. They were simple contractors on guard duty, but on paper the job paid well. Maybe too well.
Gareth made his escape from Westgate with the contents of his late band's treasury (roughly 100 bags of gold). Someone might think he doesn't deserve it, just like he and his companions didn't deserve to "work" freely in the city. So, while life goes on and he is not ready to go out of business, he must still maintain a low profile.
That being said, he doesn't have a grandiose goal in his life. Just enough riches to have an easy life and enough power to keep it that way.
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"They say, trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target, but never forget, the shadows can be your useful allies, but never your trusted friends."
//opinions and critique are always welcome, feel free to share your thoughts in a PM//
