Jan van der Hoeven: Living forever is a dream that is pursued by many humans. After all, they share their world with many beings that live far longer. But while certain archmages seem to have found unique processes that lengthens their alloted time on this world by decades or even centuries, true immortality remains elusive for most of humanity.
Which is why Rondhavener alchemist Jan van der Hoeven attracted a lot of interest when he announced one fine spring morning in 1124 NA that he had perfected a potion that gave the one who drank it immortality, and that he had already tested it on himself. Most people dismissed this as yet another "get-rich-quick" scheme designed to fleece people who really should know better, but nevertheless, a lot of people had high hopes for this potion.
The next night, van der Hoeven's lab burned down under mysterious circumstances. He claimed that this had destroyed all his lab notes, and that he would have to start his research all over again. After he asked for money that he could use for his research, he was denounced as a charlatan by the city council and run out of town.
That was nearly three centuries ago - and van der Hoeven is still alive. He has lost most of his alchemical skills in the meantime, and lost interest in alchemy in general, but his potion apparently worked as advertised and has kept him alive for all those years. Now various evil - or just ruthless - people and organisations take turns at kidnapping him and forcing him to re-create his research. Before he gets anywhere, his "patrons" are attacked by another group, and the cycle repeats itself. Sometimes he escapes in the confusion, but never for long before another group is on his trail.
Some observers have speculated that his longevity - especially in light of all the dangerous people who are after him - is thanks to the "protection" of a deity with a particularily wicked sense of humor. Others just believe that he is very, very lucky - or unlucky, as the case might be.
