First Name: Tristan
Last Name: Ebonhawk
Appearance: Most often dressed in plain brown wizard robes. He carries a staff in his right hand that he uses to help him walk, although its quickly clear he does not require it. On his hip is an exquisite dagger along with numerous different looking wands and small vials.
Race: Human
Age: 55
Height: 167 cm
Weight: 82 kg
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Jet black, with grey beginning to slowly creep in
Facial Hair Style: Often has short stubble but never a beard or clean shaven
Personality Profile: Usually reserved and quiet but can be kind-hearted at times. He chooses his words carefully, thinking upon the repercussions they could have. Like his words, he is reserved in battle and does not draw from the Weave unless it is necessary, always mindful of the consequences. Although, he has been known to be impatient and annoyed at times which can lead to him being careless with the Art.
General Health: Barely in shape, yet can be energetic and youthful at times
Deity: Mystra (occasional prayers to Azuth, Deneir, Oghma)
Initial Alignment: Lawful Good
Profession: Scholar, Magician, Preserver of knowledge, Seeker of higher arcane knowledge
Base Class & Proposed Development: Wizard Scholar Archmage
Habits/Hobbies:
-Often can be found at one of the local libraries or wizard towers (Candlekeep, Doron Amar, Gullykin, High Hedge) delving into some book or scroll
-Enjoys going to scenic areas nearby and smoking his pipe, more than likely invisible and warded to avoid detection and ensure his solitude
-Wandering around the Coast, occasionally helping adventurers that he deems ‘goodly’ people
-Will hopelessly follow the Harper Code of protecting the innocent from tyranny and maintaining the Balance between people and the wild
Languages: Common, Elven (can understand a number of other languages)
Weapon of Choice: Prefers to use his words, however if that fails, being an ex-War Wizard he knows how to win battles using the Weave.
Background: (Please keep in mind this character is an RCR and started out at level 17-18 thats why I did such an older character with a long history)
Tristan was born in 1292 DR in the port city of Marsember within Cormyr. The bastard son of a low noble, Lord Ebonhawk, his mother, a local mask dancer. As a child he spent much of his time at the docks, watching the boats come into port and listening to the sailors stories of battle upon the high seas. Just before his eighth name day, Tristan’s mother was stabbed to death by a drunk patron. She had never revealed who Tristan’s father was. Luckily, the young child did not remain an orphan for long. Lord Ebonhawk secretly arranged for Tristan to be the new stable boy at the Ebonhawk estate. Over the next three years Tristan and his father spent more and more time together. Lord Ebonhawk, being a minor wizard, even taught Tristan a few Cantrips that he could use to prank other members of the staff at the estate.
Late one evening, Tristan was awoken to a women’s scream just outside the Ebonhawk grounds. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Tristan went to investigate the noise. He came upon the scene of a clearly drunk man about to force himself upon a young servant girl he recognized as working for another noble house nearby. As Tristan slowly approached the man, he began casting the Daze cantrip his father had taught him years earlier. Just as the man turned to look at Tristan, the spell took effect and the drunkard promptly toppled over. Tristan hardly had anytime to register what he had done before two Purple Dragons happened on the scene accompanied with a Wizard of War. The Wizard quickly whisked Tristan away to the nearby Conclave to recount his story in full, and under more than a few spell effects to ensure he told the tale true. When it was deemed he had spoken every detail, Tristan was sent before the Second Assistant to be sentenced (casting spells without a license is illegal).
Leaning back in his chair, the Second Assistant saw an opportunity, he saw that Tristan was willing to risk his own safety to protect a citizen of Cormyr. Rather than punish the young boy, he invited him to become a novice Wizard of War and undergo the arduous training of becoming a full fledged battlemage. Without hesitation, Tristan accepted, and over the next five years went through the four trials that every War Wizard must pass: the Magical Way, the Tactical Way, the Physical Way, and the Religious Way. Finishing the Four Ways, Tristan was given the title 'Helping Magic Hand of Cormyr' (lowest position of an official War Wizard). Before being accepted however, Tristan was summoned to speak with the Royal Magician Vangerdahast, for one last trial. In their conversation, Vangey revealed to Tristan who his true father was, believing that no War Wizard should have any secrets that could be used against him and cause harm to the Crown. Although Tristan was shocked, he was relieved to know his true heritage and held no ill will towards his father who had helped him and treated him with kindness as a child.
With the growing Cormyrian Navy needing more Magicians to assist against pirates, Tristan was assigned to a small corsair stationed in Dawngleam responsible for scouting pirate movements in the Dragonmere. Over the next decade, Tristan gained a reputation for being a fair and just man to those he encountered, often offering assistance to vessels in need. However, Tristan held many misgivings about his fellow War Wizards, particularly after witnessing numerous mind reamings on pirate captains (a process that often left the victim a vegetable, destroying their mind). Unlike most of his War Wizard collegues, Tristan wholeheartedly believed in the teachings of Mystra. He saw the Weave like a farmer sees a field, something to be tended and preserved. (“One will only receive from the Weave what he gives back to it”) Over time, he began to secretly despise his brothers abuse of the Weave and pray every night in his chambers that Mystra would help guide them.
Despite his disapproval of some of his brothers’ methods, Tristan had been stationed on one of the Crown’s finest ships. However, his whole life would change one night in Dawngleam while the dreadnought Fiery Red was in port. It was 1321 DR and Tristan had stepped onto the deck for his ritual high-moon smoke. While packing his pipe, his eyes caught a familiar face boarding a small corsair farther down the dock followed by a group of hooded figures. Stowing his pipe away, he set off down the dock to investigate.
“My dear Vallaria, you and your hooded friends going for a late night sail ‘bout the harbor?” Tristan called out as two of the hooded figures were about to cast off the ship's mooring lines. Vallaria was a local bard that performed frequently at the most popular inn in Dawngleam. That being where the majority of the Cormyrian Navy was stationed, Tristan had known Vallaria since he had first come to the city over a decade ago and considered her one of his closest friends outside of the sailors who served with him. Startled by the familiar voice, Vallaria turned to face Tristan, smiling thinly.
“Come now Tristan, surely the Crown won’t miss one of its smallest vessels.” Vallaria approached the rail of the ship, closest to where Tristan was standing and in hushed whisper, quickly explained their plight. The Zhentarim had attempted to take over Berdusk and the group she was escorting was going to help rebuild and defend the city, should the Banites decide to attack again. Initially hesitant, Tristan knew Vallaria would not lie about the tale she weaved, at least, not to him.
“I understand the urgency of your plight, but I can not allow ye to steal a vessel of the Cormyrian Navy.”
Vallaria responded with a quiet laugh. “Of course ye can, you’re going to come with us...I know you Tristan Ebonhawk, I’ve seen your prayers in the night to the Lady of Mysteries praying to help your misguided brothers. Do ye truly believe this is how you should spend your life, watching as fellow War Wizards abuse a gift.” Shocked and caught off guard, it took Tristan a moment to say anything.
“How could y-..Whether what you say is true or not, I made a vow to protect Cormyr and its people against evil.” Vallaria stepped over the rail next to Tristan, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“Then make another vow, Tristan. Mystra gave you the gift to protect all people, not just Cormyrians. In your heart, ye already have come to this conclusion.” Vallaria then opened her hand, lying in her palm was a silver harp pin with a crescent moon surrounding it. Squinting, it took a moment before Tristan recognized the symbol he had only seen in books he read.
“We are going to reorganize at Berdusk. Come with me...help us correct the imbalances in the Realms, put your gift to work your heart truly believes in.” Stepping up onto the rail of the ship, Vallaria turned and offered Tristan her hand.
Sighing slowly before grinning at Vallaria, Tristan took her hand and jumped over onto the corsair with Vallaria landing next to him. “Every ship in the Cormyrian Navy does need its Magician, but somehow I don’t think I’ll have that title after tomorrow.” The group of Harpers all let out a quieted laugh, and Tristan bent over to Vallaria, planting a kiss on her cheek and whispering in her ear, “Thank you.”
Upon arriving at Berdusk, Tristan was interviewed and accepted into the Harpers after swearing the proper oaths and performing the proper rituals to Mystra (and after Vangerdahast agreed to some Senior Harpers that Tristan would be released from his responsibilities to the War Wizards but exiled from Cormyr).
His first assignment was to accompany Vallaria to the Silver Marches and assist Harpers in establishing an outpost in Silverymoon. In addition, the pair were to take a small barge up and down the Rivers Surbin and Rauven, shuttling and protecting fellow Harpers.
This continued for over a decade and a half until around 1339 DR, when the couple received word to make haste to the High Forest and make contact with a harper tracking a Drow surface party. Having received messages similar to this before, they were on their way swiftly and made contact with Kyre, a half-drow Ranger of Sylvanus, within a few days. Kyre reported that the surface party was from Chad Nessad and numbered near four or five score of males and females. She believed the group was searching for old elven magic known to be hidden somewhere in the forest.
The trio spent the next year tracking, scrying, warding, hiding, and even starving at times to follow the surface party’s movements. Thus far the surface party had been incredibly unsuccessful at doing anything then waylaying a few small caravans and plundering their meager holdings.
Following the party in the forest one evening it began to rain, and continued to rain for the next tenday making it near impossible for Kyre to track the group and making matters even worse, Tristan had exhausted his spells a few days into the storm. For the next five days the Harpers lost contact with the surface party and believed them to be lost for good, however when the storm let up, Kyre picked their trail up and found them holed up in an old fort. Tristan scryed upon the location and found the three leaders all celebrating in the lone turret of the fort, the commander of the surface party, a priestess of Lloth, holding an amulet he had never seen before.
Reporting what he had seen to his fellow Harpers, Tristan incorrectly assumed that the amulet had to be one of the powerful elven items that the Drow were searching for. Knowing that there was an entrance that led to the Underdark half a day from the fort, the trio decided they had to act quickly to prevent the Drow from leaving the surface with such an item.
Without much difficulty they infiltrated the fort and appropriated the amulet from the half-drunk leaders, but were discovered while attempting to make their escape. In the ensuing battle, Vallaria sacrificed herself by closing the gate behind Kyre and Tristan, leaving her to fight the Drow alone but ensuring her fellow Harpers could safely escape.
Sadly, upon later inspection the amulet was indeed magical and powerful but not the high elven magic they were sent to guard and not worth the life of such a good Harper and certainly not worth the person Tristan had come to love. His incorrect assumption weighed heavily upon him and he openly admitted his mistake to his superiors, accepting their judgement and the consequences. Rather than remove Tristan from the order, he was sent to the Library of Deneir in Berdusk to assist the Head Librarian, in addition, he would also spend time in Silverymoon helping the new library at the Lady’s College. However, Tristan was stripped of his rank and demoted to the lowest rank of Those Who Harp (this included him having to hand over his Harper Pin).
Accepting his new station, Tristan found solace and some peace in his work, but in 1347 DR his mission in life would once again change. While putting away some large tomes on Transmutation in the Library of Deneir in Berdusk, Tristan was interrupted by one of the city messengers who handed him a letter with a Harper seal, a seal he had not seen in a many years.
The contents of the letter explained that the Sword Coast was in dire need of assistance. The recent war with Amn has left cities and communities weakened and easy to prey upon. Furthermore, the recent victories over the Alhoon by the combined forces of Sshamath and Zhentarim has caused much concern with what havoc such a relationship could cause. After outlining the various details of the mission, the letter stressed that Tristan would not be returning to field duty if their had been anyone else they could send and if the Harpers had not deemed the area in such dire need. Without warning, the letter took a sudden personal turn insisting that this was his opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of the Harpers and in the eyes of Mystra. While reading, Tristan could not help but think that this letter had to be written by someone very close to Vallaria for not many people knew such personal details about him. The letter ended stating that this is what Vallaria sacrificed herself for and this was his chance to repay her. Hardly needing anymore persuasion to do his duty...at the bottom of the letter is was signed by Kyre. Tristan knew immediately that he had to answer this call and could not falter at this opportunity.
He quickly packed the few things he owned, said his goodbyes to the few people he had befriended at the Library, and set off for the Sword Coast to help restore the Balance.
Goals:
-Prevent evil and tyrannical organizations from preying upon the innocent and suffering people of the Sword Coast
-Help organizations that are spreading knowledge of the Weave for ‘goodly’ reasons (Candlekeep, Doron Amar Arcane Academy, Gullykin Wizard Tower etc)
-Redeem himself in the eyes of Mystra and the Harpers after his previous failure
-Seek and preserve higher arcane knowledge
-Maintain the Balance (following objectives)
---->Investigate Sshamath and their relationship with the Zhentarim
---->Ensure success of City Relief Effort
---->Use his nautical background to combat pirate activity
---->Assist with the rebuilding effort of Beregost
---->Monitor the Thayan Enclave in Baldur's Gate
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
-Still has never met his father or any of his relatives
-Has not seen Kyre since after the their mission together
-Somehow ends up helping people he believes are ‘good’ and could be deceived if played properly