Ravin Thornfable's page

Ravin was born in Korvosa, the son of Irlana, a Chelish sorceress who'd escaped Chelish slavery by hiding on a cargo ship to Korvosa from Corentyn. His father, Miro, was a con man of the Cerulean Society and a Bellflower tiller, one who helped escaped halflings find a safe place to lose themselves in Korvosa, away from the Hellknights and the other dangerous trappings of "Little Cheliax". Irlana was taken by the young rogue who helped her set up her new life, and began a relationship with him, being caught up in the romance of it all. She set herself up with a small magic shop, and was initially able to get herself established almost entirely by taking commissions for the Society.
Ravin grew up near the docks of Old Korvosa amongst the families of halfling sailors, with the time away at sea being the perfect cover for his father's long cons. On the rare occasions that he was home, Miro would regale the boy with the fantastical stories of his adventures and schemes, spoiling the child with his newfound coin, buying him little gifts and trinkets. Ravin wasn't the most popular child in his neighbourhood, being considered a spoiled "rich" kid -- at least by the standards of fishermen and cargohands. To compensate, Ravin was a bit of a braggart, telling tales of his father's connections and his mother's great magical prowess and how she'd passed her bloodline onto him... and how he would use his magic and connections to punish the unwashed kids who pushed him around..
This behaviour led to Ravin getting into a fight when he was 8 when an older boy challenged him to use that magic to stop him. His mother, scared for her son's safety, moved them into an apartment nearer her shop in the Midlands and enrolled the boy in the bardic college, filling his days and trying to give his imagination a better outlet. She also told Miro that he could no longer see the boy, as he was clearly a bad influence. She stopped taking Cerulean commissions and instead dedicated herself to spending more time with him, telling him stories about her old life and the harsh realities of being a halfling in Cheliax. All in all, these changes in his life suited Ravin well, he was delighted for the extra attention, enjoyed living in a better neighbourhood and attending school where his fellow students were more appreciative of his imagination. More that that, htough, he was was pleased to hear tales - both at home and at school - of people overcoming challenging circumstances, or real darkness, and becoming heroes. These tales were just fuel for his already active imagination.
Unfortunately for Irlana, Miro didn't comply with her wishes -- frequently convincing his son to skip out on his lessons, taking him up into the Shingles, instead -- showing him a whole different side of Korvosa, while being sure his mother wouldn't find them. It was on one of these outings when he was thirteen that Ravin met a young Half-Orc named Sakor the son of another member of the Cerulean Society with dreams of overcoming all the prejudices and joining the Sable Company. Something about hearing these big dreams resonated with Ravin, reminding him of the stories he loved the most, and the unlikely pair became best friends.
Together, Sakor and Ravin explored the city -- generally avoiding getting into too much trouble due to the combination of Ravin's quick tongue and Sakor's strong fists. It was during this time that Ravin saw Korvosa for what it really was -- how it could crush the dreams out of its people, how it seemed to thrive on the notion of a permanent underclass. Worse, he began to see the signs of how "Little Cheliax" still clung not only to simply Chelish traditions like summoning Imps at the Academae, and maintaining order with Hellknights -- but to Chelish values as well. ...even if the slaves here were called servants, at least officially. He realized that the stories and civilization in which he'd been raised were, in far too many cases, simply a thin veneer that the entitled could wrap themselves in to protect themselves... and, worse, that too many people of the city here all to happy to have be wrapped around their eyes and blind them from the realities.
Still, despite his terrible attendance record, and the growing disillusionment that caused him to turn even the greatest of oratories into wry satire, Ravin managed to complete his formal education and graduate. His mother, now generally serving a higher class of clientele was able to use her contacts to get her son a few commissions, working for various lesser houses of the Dock Families, trying to cement his place in society. Ravin generally enjoyed the wine more than the company on these occasions, and his performances were generally acerbic and critical of the noble's hypocrisy, riding a very fine edge and stopping just a hair's breadth short of insulting his hosts, the Peerage Review, the King and his wife.... until the day he'd learned that Sakor had been killed.
His friend had pursued his dreams, and while a penniless half-orc would simply not do as a member of Sable Company, he used the rules he'd learned from the Cerulean Society, and followed the money to House Jeggare, taking a job as a member of the House Guard, nominally connected to the Korvosan Guard, with promises that he would be well-trained, well-equipped and have the chance to make a name for himself, eventually earning the right to ride the Hippogriffs. However, instead of serving a nobleman like the late Montlarion Jeggare, Sakor found himself part of a small patrol group and being ordered by a sadistic, corrupt captain into doing the very sort of brutish thuggery he'd hoped to avoid. Sakor refused to beat protection money out of a refugee, and was forced to watch his patrol beat the woman to death... and then arrest the "beastial half-blood" for her murder. Sakor was quickly hung for his crime on the testimony of his fellow patrolmen -- it was quick military "justice", and he never even got to stand before the arbiters.
That day, Ravin was set to perform at a large noble's ball, telling the tale of whatever anniversary or other it was that made the day worthy of a ball, according to Korvosa's nobles. Instead of telling that tale, however, he told another one. One of a gentle half-orc with a noble spirit and a dream ... and how that nobility of spirit contrasted clearly with the noble titles of all those present.. including members of the Peerage Review and two of Korvosa's magistrates. The outrage and shock at the halfling's biting commentary was so high that Ravin actually managed to leave the building before the shouts for his arrest began. Having nowhere to turn, he fled to the Shingles, finding his father and using his Bellflower connections to smuggle his son out of the city -- to a place where the long reach of the Korvosan peerage wouldn't have much sway, where he could wait out their anger until the next outrage distracted them.
With all that, there was only one possible destination. Ravin was on a ship to Magnamar before dawn, armed only with his wits, a few coins he'd had on his person.... and some of his father's old gear.