Cald Ashby
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 6:33 pm
"And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you..."
Full Name: Cald Ashby
Birthplace: Beregost.
Appearance:
Race: Human
Age: 28
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 185lbs
Eyes: Forest Green
Hair: Raven black, immaculately cared for.
Facial Hair: Goatee
Languages: Arcane, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Halruaan.
Weapons: Wit and Intellect. The Weave.
Physical Features:
Cauliflower ear from childhood bullying. Deep scarring along his left shoulder, where the arm begins.
Skin Tone: A healthy pink, though it's obvious his exposure to the sun is limited.
General Appearance: Cald carries himself with a relaxed posture. When he moves or approaches a person he typically enters well within an acceptable level of separation in an attempt to make the conversation awkward for the other party. He however avoids doing this when in the presence of "important" or "notable" persons. He takes great care of his nails, his goatee is well trimmed, and his clothing of the finest make. He oft carries a faint scent of charcoal or ash about him due to his alchemical work, which he takes great pains to cover up; typically with oils.
Items of Importance, often seen.
- A burnished and worn canary diamond which he often holds in a free hand during casual conversation.
- He wears the robes of Candlekeep.
- A compartmentalized satchel bearing many alchemical supplies, a mortar and pestle, dozens of empty vials, and a wealth of scrolls.
- An Red-Colored Ioun Stone which orbits about his head, though whenever he would be in a precarious situation the stone would return to his pack, deactivated.
Description: Cald carries himself with pride. His tone of speech is oft-sarcastic and arrogant; serious and to the point around strangers. Around those whom he is comfortable with he maintains a more light-hearted approach. It would be obvious that Cald is either an Arcanist, a Sage, or an Alchemist. He carries on his person an array of equipment that would belong to one of such a profession.
Cald's Biography
Deity: Claims to be a follower of Azuth.
Profession: Candlekeep Alcolyte, Linguist, Researcher of the Plane of Shadow, Negative Energy, Reviled Magicks.
Class: Wizard, Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep, Archmage
Pastimes/Behaviors/Vices:
-Cald, when not absorbed in his research... or traveling with Khalee, would typically find himself at a higher class "establishment" frequented by the more seedier individuals of the Realm.
- He enjoys gambling, drinking, recreational drug use, and enjoys watching arena fights. For all of his vices, he is fiercely loyal to Khalee, even when inebriated, and any advances that may occur would be turned away with little thought.
- His experimentation and research having turned to a slightly less "dark" path, Cald still flirts with destruction on occasion, typically self-inflicted. He is often an "Ends justify the means" type, though the murder of innocents is generally where he draws the line. In his mind, that's what Enchantment spells are for, anyways.
- He often justifies his actions, should they be less than accepted ethically, as being required to protect those whom he cares for, and in part, the stability of the realms.
- He is known to be self-serving.
History and Biography
Cald grew up as an only child to a wealthy family. His Mother died during child-birthing, and his Father doted on him beyond what he should have. Cald was rarely told no, and his upbringing and general wealth led to his childhood peers wanting nothing to do with him. Due to his intellect and wit and general fascination of Magic, he begged his Father, a devoted Lathanderite, to let him Apprentice under a local Wizard once he reached his teenage years. His father acquiesced, under one condition... Cald would join his father at morning prayers on a weekly basis. Cald agreed to these terms to appease his Father, though as time passed his appearances at the Church became more and more scarce... Until he eventually stopped attending all together.
After nearly a decade of tutelage under the less astute, but far more knowledgeable Wizard, Cald had begun to master the concept of manipulating the Weave, and had even mustered a few cantrips. His arrogance guiding him, he felt his instruction in Beregost had come to an end. Taking his inheritance with him to Baldur's Gate, he purchased the rarest and most unique tome he could find!... With the hope of gaining access to Candlekeep. Unfortunately, the barrier of entry to Candlekeep itself is quite high; the tome he purchased already in the annals of Candlekeep's massive library...
His hopes dashed, his inheritance spent, and a now useless tome in hand, he decided his best path lie in the Flaming Fist; a Battlemage within the Fist by the name of Gabriel. His next hope for quick ascension. He joined their ranks as a Wizard, supporting their outlying patrols as a minor asset. Unfortunately, quite like Candlekeep, Gabriel himself had quite the high standards. Having no desire to train what he viewed as a power hungry Mage with more Vices that Noble traits.
Having his plans within the Flaming Fist fail to come to fruition, he knew better than to leave the Flaming Fist before his term was complete. Luckily, for once, this would lead Cald to a stroke of good fortune...
While on a small sortie to exterminate an uprising of Undead on the edges of the Werewoods, Cald's unit ran into a powerful Necromancer, the man behind the uprising itself. Luckily, the Flaming Fists reputation is well earned, and though there were many casualties, they were successful. As the Clerics tended to the grievously wounded and triaged the dead and dying, Cald's fascination with the powerful Arcanist got the better of his good judgement. In the chaos, he removed the dead mans journal and spellbook....
T'was only a chance meeting within the darkest recesses of Faerun that saved Cald from his own lust for power. The stirrings of love drawing the man back from a terrible path... His soul and body saved by a woman both beautiful is soul and body, the pair made their way from the darkness into the light... Baldur's Gate their destination.
Cald's plans within Baldur's Gate:
- Finally gain access to the Library of Candlekeep.
- Regain the control of the Weave he possessed in the past.
- Establish a Laboratory in Beregost or Baldur's Gate.
- Re-establish a connection with his estranged Father.
- Protect Khalee from whomever might threaten her well being, whatever the cost.
- Learn of the current power structure of the region and how he might best gain a foot in the door.
- Create a Potion to extend his life without dabbling in Lichdom, an Alchemists ultimate work.
- Avoid the sins of his past. Cald has been involved in some shady dealings, and he most assuredly would like to avoid the consequences of those actions.
Misc. Facts
- Cald has dabbled in Necromancy in the past and has a predisposition for taking the quick route to power.
- Cald has a tendency to act rashly. His intellect leads him to believe that he has -all- the right answers.
- Cald is known to leave to chance major decisions in his life... Be it the flip of a coin or even a game of riddles to decide serious, heavy consequence decisions.