Wendel Ashby, a scholar's tale

[Montleberry]

Born to caravaners traveling the lands around the see of Fallen Stars, Wendel was found as a toddler by a kindly old witch who came across of remains of his parent's caravan, not long sacked by bandits.

Finding the squalling toddler amid the wreckage the witch Telora could not bring herself to leave him to his fate and carried him back to her cottage in the wood not far from Marsember, Cormyr. At first intending to deliver him to an orphanage the witch soon became impressed by the bright mind Wendel possessed, even as a small child. Deciding he was "passing bright" she began to raise him as her own.

As Wendel grew from a boy to a young man he easily mastered his basic lessons in the Art. When the old witch passed some 16 years later a sadden Wendel left his studies of magic and settled down on a small farm just outside the gates of Suzail. In the town he quickly fell in love with an older woman, a librarian and archivist of the church of Oghma named Gwendelin and was married soon after.

For nearly thirty five years he live the content and quiet life of a married farmer and scholar until his wife, some fifteen years his senior, passed on. Soon after as he pondered his future as a widower he had a strange dream he attribues to Oghma calling him to service, instructing him to attend his magical studies long left aside and to travel to Candlekeep to become a priest of the Church.

Taking nearly ten years to make the journey west, often stoppin for long periods of time to learn the lore of the lands he passed through the old man, now in his early sixties finally arrived at the gates of Candlekeep.

A priest of Oghma who chooses to focus heavily on the study of the Art, Wendel now wanders the lands near Baldur's Gate learnin all he can and hoping one day to become a formal scholar at Candlekeep.
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Age: 64 (he is not positive of his age, only knowing himself to be "around 60")
6'1", 148lbs, balding with Grey hair.
Wendel is an honest, gentle and kindly person, still deeply in love with his late wife. Only those who would threaten his beloved familiar, named for his late wife, those who would seek to destroy knowledge and overt doers of evil are likely to raise anger in him.

Though he often gives the impression of age and weakness his long travel on the road have left him fit and healthy for a man of his years. He is given to speaking in a rustic manner, due to his somewhat isolated upbrining.

Due to his belief that his wife awaits him in the House of Knowledge and that he has already had a long and fulfilling life Wendel is prone to worry little when in dangerous situations. To die in service to Oghma troubles him not.