Dandarrion Brokenhill's page

It is a little after noon and inside Orak’s Bathhouse Dandarrion soaks in a stout wooden tub relaxing, the warm water soothing the knots in his back. Another watch, he reflects as he begins to drift off, his mind wandering and reflecting on his life.

His earliest memories are of words, the tone, pitch, and melody of his mother’s rich and vibrant voice. But for him words were much more than a harmonious verse or well-constructed sentence, words were alive, thick sensual, and intoxicating. Words were a mystical force that touched his soul to its very core, a thing of beauty. It wasn’t until he was about eight years old that he realized most people did not understand the spoken word in this way. It was true that most people enjoyed a good conversation, but they got the same enjoyment from watching a horse race or partaking of a fine meal. No for him words were pure joy and they were like a force that communicated with his very essence.

Dandarrion was born and raised amongst the tightly packed streets of Cauldron’s central rung by his parents Marcus and Selli. His father, Marcus, was Corporal in the City Guard and was known by all to be a fair and reasonable man. Dandarrion remembers his father as a large man, with an even larger laugh, who loved expensive wine, and was always restless at home. Selli his mother was… well she was magical. No matter the circumstances it seemed that she was always smiling, or humming or singing. It seemed as if she was always in a good mood. But most of all she enjoyed life and found joy even in the common drudgery of everyday life.

They were a family of modest income but they enjoyed the cosmopolitan lifestyle offered by living within the walls of Cauldron. Originally, Dandarrion was to attend the Bluecrater Academy with funds his family had been saving for years. Dandarrion looked forward to his tenth birthday and the opportunity to get some book learning, as his mother put it. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, that coin was needed elsewhere when his father was assassinated by a traitor named Triel.

This travesty changed the small family’s life forever. With debts mounting and creditors calling Dandarrion and his mother were left to their own devices. Desperate Selli went to her deceased husband’s family for help but was turned away without a copper. Apparently, prior to marriage, his father was a favored younger son of the Taskerhill family but was disowned when he broke off an arranged marriage to marry, Dandarrion’s mother Selli, who was a decade his senior and one of the servants of the household. His father changed his name to Brokenhill and he and his wife faced the world and made a modest life together. The only acceptance Dandarrion received from the Taskerhill’s was from his grandmother who would send him a secret note from time to time. Although recently he has met and started to get to know Ryan Taskerhill one of his cousins who is a cleric.

Soon the money saved for his education was gone and his mother was forced to find work to help make ends meet. Through dogged determination she found the opportunity she was looking for and went back to work cleaning the floors at the Bluecrater Academy. Dandarrion’s mother was a born opportunist and wouldn’t let her impoverished condition deter the dream she had for her son. As she cleaned the floors of the Academy he spent time among the books.

Books! What alive, colorful, and vibrant things. Books were a place to forget about your troubles, a place to share your dreams, and they never failed to lift your spirits. Dandarrion took to the learning like a fish to the water, the library became a home away from home for him. When he wasn’t running around the streets he could usually be found squirreled away in the stacks with his nose in a book.

So his book learning began in earnest and he learned the power and magic of words. He flourished in this environment and grew in knowledge and wit. Not only were there books about history and engineering but there were books on body language, diplomacy, etiquette, religion, and numerous other subjects. He learned the stories of the Hell Knights, Dwarven Sky Citadels, Pathfinders, and too many heroes and distant lands to name. There were Taldorian Epics, and Elven Ballads as well as treatise on human behavior. He learned to recite entire poems, discourses, and plays from memory. There were map of forgotten places and secret things. Looking back, he would say that his time spent studying under his mother’s watchful gaze was the most enjoyable part of his life.

Unfortunately, soon after his fifteenth year, Dandarrion took to running with a gang of local toughs, known locally as the Alleybashers, in order to help supplement his family’s meager income. Well the inevitable happened, when he was sixteen, and he got caught trying to steal a cask of Brandy. Fortunately for Dandarrion the guardsmen recognized him, remembering who his father was, and instead of being branded a criminal he was offered a job with the town guard where he has been employed for the last three years. Recently the power of words that he had recognized his whole life began to manifest in him. Some of the guardsmen attributed it to being well read or well bread, but Dandarrion has come to realize that it is something more, something magical.

Roused from his reminiscing by the cooling water Dandarrion begins scrubbing his weary feet as he thinks, that would have been a great ending to your story; drowned in a bathtub. Over the next several minutes Dandarrion quietly finishes his ablutions and gets out of the cooling tub. He stands their naked for a few seconds and lets the water run off his well-muscled body onto the cold stone floor before he grabs a towel to dry himself off with.

When Dandarrion finishes dressing he observes himself in the dusty mirror of the bathhouse and smiles at his likeness. It is a contagious grin that made it hard for people to be angry at him. Dandarrion mused that while he was almost 20 years old his reflection looked younger and carefree. You would never guess I just spent the last twelve hours standing watch at the gate, Dandarrion thinks to himself. He stood a little over 6 feet tall and was well muscled like a race horse, broad in the shoulders and narrow at the waist, and he carried himself with an air of confidence and the swagger of a veteran. It must be the noble blood, he muses to himself.

As Dandarrion continued looking at his reflection he notices his eyes, they are the same color as an emerald, but it is more than their color that draws his attention, his gaze appears dancing and alive. His eyes are set in a well-proportioned and lightly tanned face which is framed by wild flowing hair, the color of a fawn’s hide, with a small strip of hair the same color sitting below his lower lip.

Dandarrion finishes getting dressed by pulling on his chain shirt, a gift from his grandmother, then strapping on his sword and picking up his shield. Perhaps I’ll stop by the Tipped Tankard before turning in, he considers as he makes his way out of the bathhouse.
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APPEARANCE
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 210lbs
Eyes: Green
Hair: light brown
Age: 20
Occupation: Guardsman
Residence: Town Guard Barracks (Area 6)
Appearance: Dandarrion stands a little over six feet tall with a lean but well-muscled build, he looks younger than his years and carries himself with carefree manner. He is good looking and lightly tanned with green eyes, which sparkle with mischief and shoulder length light brown hair that always looks askew. His face is clean shaven with a small patch of hair under his lower lip. Dandarrion is usually clad in a well-made chain shirt with a sword strapped to his side and a shield within easy reach.

Dandarrion walks into the common room of the Tipped Tankard and sees the familiar faces of several guardsmen scattered around the room. There is a tangible feeling of weariness that fills the room. they work us like dogs with all these extra shifts. It eventually will wear on everyone, Dandarrion concludes.

He orders an ale and takes a seat with several of the guards. I don’t know how many more time I can man the gates watching other people get to live, Dandarrion ponders as he raises his mug to his lips. Oh well I’m not manning the gates now, thinking as he looks at those around the table. “Howdy mates,” he greets his compatriots as they nod sullenly back at him. He takes another sip of his ale and offers, “We couldn’t even catch a cold tonight.”

“I’d settle for a cold instead of these sore feet,” replies a guardsman who is missing his two front teeth.

“Maybe you can get the rat catcher to rub your feet,” Dandarrion says as he winks at one of his tablemates.

There are a couple of muffled laughs but one of the guards interjects, “You can’t tell me all this work and low pay isn’t getting to you, your highness?”

Dandarrion smiles at the man and then replies, “Now friend you might think my lack of complaining is a sign of being content with the situation but the way I look at is that we are all still alive and should enjoy it while it lasts.” after taking another swig from his mug he continues, Yes we face trials, yes it is hard, but we are hard men who are up to the task. Will we falter? No! Why because we are Brothers in arms.” He stands up and raises his mug while he toasts, “To Brothers in Arms.”

His companions reply in unison as they lift their glass, “Brothers in arms!”

A cheer goes up and a couple of the guardsmen slap Dandarrion on the back. He takes a second and basks in the adulation of his peers. Before you know it there is a jug being passed around as a bawdy song is being sung throughout the tavern.

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PERSONALITY
Dandarrion is friendly, outgoing, and gregarious by nature. He would rather make a friend then an enemy, however he his quick to defend his friends. He is quick of wit and inquisitive, always looking for the why of everything. Unfortunately his mouth is equally as quick as his wit, which has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion.

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Character building: Dandarrion Brokenhill
Primary Motivation: Beneficence
Secondary Motivation: Play

Emotional Disposition: Calm
Moodiness: Even Tempered

Core Traits
Outlook: Confident (Optimistic)
Integrity: Industrious (Conscientious)
Impulsiveness: Focused (Controlled)
Boldness: Daring (Intrepid)
Agreeableness: Warm (Agreeable)
Interactivity: Entertaining (Engaging)
Conformity: Freethinking (Heterodox)

Mother – Selli, works cleaning floors at the Bluecrater Academy. He sacrificed much to raise Dandarion with a proper education. This include book learning as well as regular church attendance at Pelor’s temple.

Father – Marcus, deceased, guardsman who was murdered by the traitor Triel.

Town Guard Dandarion has been a member of the guard for approximately 3 years. While he is under worked and underpaid he enjoys the comradery and rough and tumble humor of the guard as well as the feeling of pride associated with keeping the city safe. Although recently he craves something a little more fulfilling. One of his favorite parts of the job is getting to meet new people as he patrols and mans the gates. One of his companions of note is Skylar Krewis. Who turned out to be loyal and brave young man, he is a fair-minded and understanding soldier who had a brief but fruitful adventuring experience. Skylar started a new career with the Town Guard looking to settle down and marry in Cauldron.

Bluecrater Academy – As a youth Dandarrion could often be found here with his nose in a book. While he was not officially a student here most of the staff and students know him. (There may be some resentment from the students and/or staff towards his unofficial status.)

Alleybashers – The gang of toughs Dandarion used to run with. He has had the occasional run in with them over the years but nothing to dramatic.

The Taskerhill Family - [Dandarrion’s fathers family, after being disowned he changed his family name to Brokenhill] Dandarrion has had virtually no interaction with the Taskerhills save for the infrequent missive from his grandmother. More recently he has developed a relationship with his cousin Ryan, a local cleric about his age.

Ryan Taskerhill – Cleric of St. Cuthbert and recent friend of Dandarrion. They met three years ago and have had an occasion to go out and share a pint now and again.

Meeting Ryan

Maxim Snapchance – Dwarf who works for Garthûn Imports and is the nephew of the Patriarch of the merchant company Adrick Garthûn himself. The company provides exotic liquors, tobaccos, sweets and seafood to those with deep pockets and a taste for the expensive and unusual. Maxim usually handles the delivery of shipments outside of Cauldron's walls and day-to-day protection of his uncle's interests. Dandarrion met Maxim investigating some break-ins at his uncles interests where Maxim was asked to oversee co-operation with the Guard.

Jurann A feisty half orc sorcerer that Dandarrion has encountered on many occasions at the Bluecrater Academy. They both felt like outcasts there and Dandarrion has a soft spot for volatile half orc. Both often be found sharing a drink with together.

Ikkyu Ikkyu and Dandarrion first met when the guard cleared out some undead from a warehouse. They later met again at the Shrine of Pelor where they had frequent debates on religion and philosophy.

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RELIGION
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Deity: Pelor (Sarenrae)
Dandarrion rarely finds time for regular worship but drops by the shrine on occasion. He always makes a special effort on feast days and holidays. Dandarion always enjoys watching the reenactments of the battle between the Dawnflower and the god Rovagug during the Sunwrought Festival. He carries a copy of the religious text The Birth of Light and Truth and often reflects upon the tales told there in, as he enjoys its emphasis on redemption and overcoming trials.