Character History I was born in the mountains near the city of Calaunt, on the shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars to Trakis and Dralem Darkstone. It was my duty while growing up to go out and chop wood for fires and such. I did this for about 25 years; while I chopped my father, Trakis, taught me about gems, their value and how to tell if they were good or not. Being that gems were usually found in the mountains I quickly learned where to walk and where to avoid. When I was about 45 I decided to go out on my own; using the knowledge my father had given me, I became a gem appraiser in Calaunt, working out of the shop of gnomish master carver/inlayer Santrin "the Skilled".
I did this for about 7 years when an agent of Duke Iritar "the Dark" came to me asking about a gem; when I told him its value and offered him 5 gold for it (honestly, it was really worth that little!) the agent became FURIOUS with me and accused me of trying to steal the gem by offering a bad price. Despite Santrin's protests of my innocence, I was arrested; Duke Iritar had me sold as a slave to a pit-fighters' guild in Thay. In the gladiator pens you quickly learn what to do...and what not to do, for if we stepped out of line the guards would beat us with rattan sticks (the Zulkirs of Thay did not want any scars on their gladiators save those earned in the Arenas). I stepped out of line a lot, and after a while the punishment sticks would literally break on my leathery skin. In the Arenas, I learned how to put on a show without getting myself killed. I became skilled in rope use, and jumping and tumbling skills were a must, for if you did not put on a good show you had "stepped out of line".
This went on for about 20 years until the guild lost me to a rival in a poorly-placed bet. On the way to the town I was to be sold at, we passed through a mountain. I knew that there was unstable ground ahead so I started to lag behind; that's when it happened. There was a sinkhole right where 5 out of 6 guards were standing. The earth swallowed them whole; about 4 slaves went under also. That left 1 other slave and myself alone with 1 remaining guard. Needless to say we killed him and unchained ourselves. We threw his body into the hole with the others and went our separate ways. Though my travels of the past 3 years have taken me away from the site, I still return to the sinkhole now and then, wondering if someone will return to the surface. My appraising skills have earned me enough cash to outfit myself with the armor and weapons I had become so familiar with in the Arenas. I now seek employment as a mercenary sellsword, though if the opportuinity arises I will fight for the roar of the crowd as well. |
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