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Hey guys,
I totally get if you want to bot me or write me out. Regardless, thanks for such a good time.
"I'll take deep night watch. But I don't like those tracks disappearing. Keep an eye to the trees, just in case." Dhaene intones to no one and everyone with the experience of someone that had been caught unawares in the past. With a shrug, he finds a comfortable tree to lean against a bit of a distance from the fire and lets himself drift off to sleep, his crossbow close at hand.
Dhaene stays to the back of the group, not loading his crossbow, but prepared in case this all goes pear shaped. He's a little surprised that the old human proved so eloquent, but glad he did. For a moment, he thinks to open his mouth to offer some platitudes of his own, but thinks better of it, instead scanning around them to make sure their group isn't caught unawares.
Dhaene takes a moment to stretch his shoulders a bit and gestures to Theodorus. To his new elven and half-orc companions, he says simply "Doesn't look like we'll have much time to work out any kind of plan. Games' afoot." He smiles a bit, but it's one of anticipation if a little bit of mirth as well.
Dhaene idles near to Ascian where he could talk to her without too many overhearing. "Do ye mean the monastery near the crags? It's been abandoned nearly 800 years or so. From back when Droskar's Crag blew its top and the Rending began. Ther'll be no dwarves there. You lot could try talking to the dwarves in Five Kings. But if you go to Taggoret, I can't go with you."
Over the last couple years, Falcon's Hollow had been something of a respite for the dwarf between working jobs for the Bellflowers near the Vale. But it'd seen far better days. Despite his frequent visits to the town, none of the folk approaching old Laurel's cottage were familiar. None of them had helped him ferry freed slaves through the tunnels to the north, nor been party to the less than legal jobs Casovallo usually set him up with- that last part was probably a good thing. "Ain't no one here to hurt old Laurel, lass." The dark-haired, dark-garbed dwarf shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders as he steps from the shadows left of one of the larger oaks, his hands far from his weapons to lessen any blow of his words. "But she's prolly the only one that knows what ails this place." "Dhaene," he says simply, a hand extended to the flame-haired elf.
Here's my (Doctor Mono) submission, Dhaene Blackoath. I'm not married to the build as a thug rogue, but it's more to facilitate his backstory, so I can rebuild easily if we need something different (Bard, Swashbuckler, Fighter, different type of rogue, etc.) I've included his backstory in the character info, but I'll drop it here too. The Black Oath:
The second of five sons of the Tyr Blackhammer, Dhaene should have lived a life of priveledge among the dwarves of Taggoret. His family was wealthy, he had the best teachers of lore, hammer, and blade. And the quick-witted youth was already a skilled enough artisan by his gladdringgar that Dhaene had considered a path on the road of the coin, trading with dwarves and humans outside the city. But Dhaene's eldest brother Ghyn, fell awry of the Thane's eldest son, Anvron, over matters of oath, land, and coin. The inevitable grudges resulted in the death of Anvron Highhearth and a mortal wound to Ghyn. The Blackhammers were able to afford the assistance of the church to save their son, but a war between the Highhearths and Blackhammers would have torn Taggoret asunder. Likewise, dishonor on the Blackhammer house would have ruined Taggoret's economy nearly overnight besides reducing the greatest of Taggoret's noble houses.
A different remedy was needed. As devout followers of Kols, family honor was of paramount importance to the Blackhammers, and Dhaene in particular. As second son, Dhaene stepped up to claim responsibility for his brother's crime, absorbing the dishonor in exile that would have been burdened on his family. He was given the epithet, Blackoath, and cast out of Taggoret forever. For the next few decades, Dhaene Blackoath worked with the Bellflower Network to smuggle slaves out of Cheliax and through the Five Kings Mountains to safety, often spending years in the countries that bordered his lost home. Though Taggoret was forever closed to him, Dhaene spent much time fighting for and influencing dwarven clans throughout the Five Kings, even befriending humans and elves in their political infighting.
Questionnaire: Goal 1: Since being cast out of Taggoret, Dhaene is a dwarf with no home. He does not feel worthy of one, but seeks to earn a place of comfort and welcome.
Goal 2: Dhaene is painfully aware that politicking has arranged for both his exile and the Blackhammer clan's dishonor. But so far from Taggoret, he has no way to prove it. A secret the character keeps from others: Dhaene had been betrothed to Hara Highhearth before the debacle that caused her brother's death. Though theirs was an arranged marriage, there was real friendship and developing closeness between the pair before he was cast out in exile.
Important people: Gyhn Blackhammer: Dhaene's eldest sibling and closest friend in his youth. Dhaene would do anything for his brother, even going so far as to accept dishonor to make sure Ghyn kept his and the Blackhammer clan's position among dwarven noble society in the Five Kings Mountains secure. Ghyn is not a good brother. Hara Highhearth: Hara was betrothed to Dhaene before his exile. She is obstinate, strong, and arguably the best axe in all of Taggoret. And Dhaene was besotted with her. But since his dishonor, their betrothal is null, and she is poised to rise to become thane with her brother's unfortunate demise. Penn Halfheart: Penn is an escaped slave of Cheliax, and leader of a small sect of the Bellflower network. The halfling took a young Dhaene under his wing to help focus his talents into building traps and ways of hiding escaped slaves in the mountains. He often hires Dhaene to act as an enforcer or planner for his crews. Vilim Casovallo: Vilim is a varisian gang leader. For a time, he would hire Dhaene to assist in some scheme or another, but Dhaene had a tendency to balk at the less savory of Vilim's plans. Sometimes, he plies Dhaene with coin. Sometimes, the dwarf is a target. The relationship seems to sour by the day. |
