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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Eccles" data-source="post: 489022" data-attributes="member: 5675">Ah yes. And I neglected to include the character histories for Rand Stormseeker and Braddoc, the last fighting dwarf of the Rudenheim clan:--------------------------The Story of Rand Stormseeker Family History:The family Rand was one of the richest in all of Merrydale for almost a century. From Clearwater to Merry Falls they owned over three-dozen farms and employed some two hundred people. All that ended when a Vampire infestation laid waste to the entire region and changed the Dalelands forever. Over the coming years the folk of the newly renamed Daggerdale left he region in droves forcing the Rand's to move or even sell many of their farms. Enter the Van Cei Family. The Van Cei's were also wealthy farmers but where the Rand's became wealthy by treating their workers fairly and paying them an honest wage, the Van Cei's become wealthy through dishonesty and murder. Crop burning, bribery, false clams of necromancy (The Rands have had a long relationship with Sorcery) and many more where used to undermine and weaken the Rand family. By the time of the Zentarim invasion the Rand family only owned two farms both of which where captured by Zentarim troops and used to fuel the war effort along with the Van Cei's who aided and helped the Zent's by feeding their troops and betraying any folk who showed signs of descent. When the revolution came the Van Cei's fled the region spoiling the soil and poisoning the wells on their way leaving the common folk to try and rebuild their lives. Personal History:The last Rand, Stormseeker was always a little bit strange. When other children where out playing in the fields Stormseeker (Or Firstson as he was called until his sixteenth birthday) was busy exploring his growing arcane powers or zapping the village cat. He took his adult name after being struck by lightning during the worst storm in living memory and walking away without a mark on him.Friends: The people of ClearwaterEnemies: The Van Cei family--------------------------------The Life and Times of Braddoc Rüdenheim Braddoc Rüdenheim is a young Shield dwarf, just 55 years of age.  He lives with his grandfather in a small flat above the blacksmith’s Smithy in the town of Clearwater His clan has been unintentionally un-rooted, for reasons that will become clear later 1. Relatives, Trainers, FriendsBraddoc Rüdenheim has family and associates as described in the following sections. 1.1. RelativesBraddoc Rüdenheim has two surviving family members, although one is missing. His grandfather, Rengaard is an ancient, taciturn old dwarf who regales Braddoc with tales of yore. Braddoc’s elder brother, Delgaard, is the missing member of the family, having left to search for surviving members of the clan. More laterThe rest of Braddoc’s immediate family (mother, father and younger sister) were all either killed during the disaster where the clan stronghold was lost, or died of injuries soon after1.2. TrainersBraddoc has a trainer in the town of Clearwater, who has been teaching him the art of war. Gort Caranras, a grizzled dwarven Fighter veteran and Clearwater’s Smith has been instructing Braddoc in the techniques of organised war, and the proper use of hammer and tongs! 1.3. FriendsBraddoc counts Gort amongst his friends. However, he also has a friend in Whitewolf, a human Bard of a barbarian tribe from the far North-West. In addition, the Rüdenheim clan has traded with the people of Clearwater for many decades (they breed sheep). 2. Likes, Dislikes, Fears and FoesLikes: Few. The rest… In a word, many. Examples follow. 2.1. Likes and DislikesBraddoc likes the following: Gold and gems, especially crafted into jewelry. He also likes: Ale, dwarf spirits, harmonic dwarven bardic singing (think: Welsh choir), architecture (especially anything on a grand scale: temples and the like), and well-crafted arms and armour. Braddoc dislikes: Wine (and wine drinkers), elven choirs (all eunuchs!!) forged or simulated jewelry (would offend any dwarf) and any arms or armour enhanced by magic (lazy, and usually showy to the point of unusable). 2.2. FearsLike many dwarves, Braddoc has a distinct dislike of magic. However, in Braddoc’s case this may well be slightly pathological when it comes to possession enchantments. Loss of voluntary control due to charm-type spells will almost certainly trigger a ‘rage’ if possession is unsuccessful; or a ‘rage’ as soon as possession ends, if it is successful. It is believed that this reaction is due to Braddoc being forced to murder old and infirm dwarves during the disaster at Rüdenheim stronghold. Braddoc will not discus this matter, so further confirmation is not possible2.3. Foes: TraditionalDwarves have many traditional foes; the Rüdenheim clan is a very traditional dwarven clan. Braddoc has been known to join up with raiding parties hunting goblins, hobgoblins and orcs. He’s also offered to join in the hunting of bugbears and trolls, amongst others, but has yet to be accepted.2.4. Foes: SpecificHowever much Braddoc hates other races, he reserves his most cold-blooded fury for ogres, as it was an army of ogres lead by an ogre mage, who committed the atrocity at the Rüdenheim clan stronghold. However, Braddoc has since discovered (from Rengaard) that it was likely that the ogres were under instruction from a greater evil. That source was known only to come from the Underdark, and Braddoc has sworn to uncover the truth, when he has the wherewithal to survive a journey to the ‘Dark Pits.’ 3. Last WordThe attack directed from the Underdark on Rüdenheim stronghold may have been aimed at eliminating an elite cadre of dwarves that were suspected of being resistant to magic. It was believed, by surviving members of Rüdenheim, that all these dwarves were killed in the attack. However, in conversation with Whitewolf, Delgaard discovered that some of the older human barbarians had similar abilities (Whitewolf called them ‘Forsakers’). Delgaard promptly set off in search of the missing dwarves, who he believed must have taught the humans. No news of Delgaard has been heard for five years, and it is Braddoc’s wish to search for him as soon as he has either the skills to survive alone, or a group to join up with who is heading in the right direction (north, south, east or west from Clearwater…).</blockquote>

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