Cole Hale, Servant of Asmodeus's page

Cole was born in the NE of Talingarde. His mother a beautiful woman and his father a loyal soldier and follower of Mitra. Cole was raised to believe in Mitra as well, but in his love of history he found out about how Talingarde used to be with temples to Asmodeus across the lands. He learned of the great purge the kingdom lead against these temples smiting them from the lands. Still curious of what Asmodeus was and meant he talked to his mother and father. Cole’s father comes from a long line of loyal servants of Mitra and the Kingdom, like his father before him and his father before him. He told stories to Cole of the triumph over these temples by his great grandfather, and to not speak of Asmodeus outside of the telling of these stories. His mother simply would smile and speak to how her family had nothing to do with either side really and Cole would be better focused on studying Mitra. Cole knew she was hiding something but couldn’t put his finger on it and she seemed adamant in keeping whatever it was hidden. To reinforce this Cole was sent to a monastic temple dedicated to Mitra.

Cole accepted the training but never fully bought into the belief of Mitra. It was here in his time of meditation and reflection that he received a vision. He shook it off at first thinking his mind was just playing tricks on him. The next week he was plagued with these visions in his sleep. Each one becoming more clear than the next. He saw men fall around him bearing the holy crest of Mitra, as he took knee before a great horned demon. He still didn’t know exactly what this meant, but it had seemed to open up the latent wickedness in his heart. The visions continued. The next led Cole into the mountains. It was here he met a servant of Asmodeus. No words were exchanged. The creature embraced the boy and bit into his neck. After the creature vanished into mist. The wickedness in Cole's heart stirred and he now felt alive for perhaps the first time ever. He returned from the temple both bitter and resentful. He now felt contempt for his father and the others that blindly followed the Sun God.

Upon his return Cole was forced into service and put under his fathers command. He did fine, but knew the military was not where he wanted to be. Now more curious than ever he tried to press his mother for more information on what she was hiding. He went as far as of accusing her of worshiping Asmodeus. She became very defensive and called upon his father to intervene. His father beat him into inches of his life, daring the boy to threaten his mother again. This was the final push the darkness in his heart needed.

Cole recovered and pretended to be the good boy his parents wanted. His father was quick to buy in and promoted Cole under his leadership. Cole used his new position to gather information on the patrols. It seemed an order had come down to his father to take his unit to aid a neighboring town that had fallen under raids from the goblinoids. Cole asked that he be allowed to go ahead and scout a day or two ahead. His father proud of the initiative allowed it. Cole went ahead, but he did so not as a scout. He had managed to steal a small supply of weapons and some light armor. He rode out with this in tow. He then arranged a meeting with a small raiding party. He offered up the weapons and armor and the time when the reinforcement would be coming. He even assisted in coming up with the ambush plan. All he wanted in return was to be alive and able to leave with his father who he wanted alive, but bloodied and beaten. The deal was accepted and executed. The goblins did turn on Cole, but this was expected. He had a plan in place that allowed him to escape with his nearly dead father in tow. He showed up at home dropping the body in front of his mother.

"Now you will tell me what I want to know or you will watch him die."

His mother now in tears dropped before him begging for her husband’s life.

"I will tell you, just please don’t kill him. Not even your father knew of this. My grandfather was a high priest of Asmodeus. He passed the teachings to my father. He was killed in the purge and my father kept his worship hidden, trying to pass it to me. I turned from this path to have a family. It was only when I could not become pregnant that I used these teachings. Through dark ritual I called upon Asmodeus to bless my family. He did this by coming to me in the night. He took me to bed, and the next day I was with child. I thanked him, but soon turned on the teachings again. I am a follower of Mitra I turned my back on my family and Asmodeus. Mitra is the light that will protect and lead us. Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to know?"

"Yes mother that will do. How dare you turn your back on the teachings? I will take up the true faith. I have felt power running through my veins. You were a fool to hide this from me. Now you will pay as well. I will take my place beside my true father and bring this country to its knees."

With these words he embraced his mother and strangled her. He then slit the throat of his father. He covered the scene by hanging his mother with some rope from the rafters with a kicked over chair bellow her. She was clutching a bloody dagger. He then wrote out a note of confession of her secret worship of Asmodeus and how she finally was fed up of living with a follower of Mitra. She took advantage of him returning in his weakened state. She was then overwhelmed with remorse and decided to end her own life as well. Cole now had everything in place, but what he didn’t know was his father’s unit survived and bested the goblins when the town militia came to their aid. They found the weapons and armor and got some of the goblins to confess in exchange for not being put to death. They returned to find Cole leaving town. When he was confronted they took him in to custody for the capital crime of High Treason. It wasn’t until later his father and mother’s bodies were found. He is now being transferred to Brandiscar where he awaits his death, but he knows now it is his duty to bring the worship of Asmodeus back and follow in his great grandfather’s path. He will see these pathetic dogs of Mitra bow before him one day.