Gahl the Raven

Details

Description

Gahl was an unreasonably strong and skilled warrior, far superior in both physical capabilities and skill than most of the warriors in the land. He was known far and wide as Gahl the Raven, or simply The Raven, for the crest that was emblazoned upon his armor and weaponry. He first fought for Arkhan Vaelin, and was a true believer in Arkhan’s goal to unify the lands and forge a Kingdom from the warring fiefdoms.

Background

Gahl was born on Aiengust 28th of the 1,055th year in the 1st Era of Man on Ayrelon, somewhere near the southern borders of the northern Kingdom of Tellrindos. His mother stumbled into Uldenheim, nearly dead from exposure. While attempting to save her life, one of the priests found an infant wrapped tightly in the fur bundle she’d been carrying.

After her passing, Gahl was raised by the priests of the church of Galrath in Uldenheim, and was named Gahl in homage to their god, due to his large size and physique, even at a young age. By the age of fifteen he was already six foot tall (183cm) and far stronger than even the strongest men in the city’s militia. Maldrim, leader of the Uldari Fiefdom’s militia, pulled Gahl out of the church’s care and began training him in the art of war, turning him into the town’s most prized champion by the age of seventeen.

He served the Uldari ruling family until age thirty five, in the year 1090 of the 1st Era. After disagreements with their treatment of the people, and handling of outsiders, he left to seek other ways to protect the people, driven by the teachings of the church of Galrath; specifically its focus on Justice. He spent many years fighting bandits and small Toor scouting teams, saving wandering traders and merchant caravans all across the northern territories.

In 1105, at age fifty, he rescued an Afyr emissary from an attack by a band of Toor, winning the favor of the Afyr. The emissary brought him before Queen Nilanna, who allowed him to live and train with the Afyr in thanks for his actions. During the next two years he bonded with black Griffin named Ahks’Rashi and learned the ways of the elven Griffin Rider, protecting Vey’Thugohn and Kydari in many battles with the Toor, and encroaching human armies.

Arkhan Vaelin visited Vey’Thugohn in 1107 to ask Queen Nilanna for assistance in unifying the lands under one rule. She declined, refusing to merge her Kingdom with any led by humans. Kyrilis Nandari, then Wyk (defender) of Kydari, had escorted Arkhan from Kydari village to Vey’Thugohn and after witnessing Queen Nilanna’s denial of support, protested. This caused her loss of title as Wyk’Kydarian, but opened the door for her to take Gahl’s place as a defender of Vey’Thugohn. So, she conscripted into service as a Griffin Rider, taking Gahl’s place so that he was free to join Arkhan Vaelin.

Arkhan’s forces grew over the next few years. They fought with each of the fiefdoms, slowly overcoming them and bringing them under his rule, all thanks to Gahl’s mastery of the field of battle. Five years into the campaign, Arkhan and Gahl began rounding up Toor tribes and forcing them into service as laborers, which served to both dismantle their military might and aid in the construction of Fel’Rechaun and Fel’Vizsiour, two schools designed to bring Humans, Elves and Dwarves to common ground.

After completing what they thought was a final campaign to the south, Gahl was granted lands near Mooncrest to establish a home, where he also met and fell in love with his soon-to-be wife, Eilianna. Just when Arkhan was ready to announce his victory and declare the founding of Arkhania, Uldenheim rebelled and Gahl was recalled to help defend Arkhan’s schools.

During the ensuing battle, the Toor slaves rebelled and began killing their way off of Engle Plateau. Arkhan was forced to retreat, leaving the Toor to break free and gather their strength, with assistance from Uldenheim. What followed was nearly a year of open war, with neither side gaining much ground. At what would become the final battle under Arkhan’s leadership, the Toor were finally driven back and nearly defeated, but victory was stolen from the human armies as Arkhan was murdered in his tent by his second wife.

Their dreams of a unified Kingdom in ruins, the armies scattered, and almost everyone returned to their original fiefdoms. Uldenheim had won their succession, even at the cost of so many of their own men.

Gahl returned to Mooncrest and married Eilianna, fully intending to live out the rest of his days in peace. His fame caused routine disruptions to their lives, as countless youths arrived and begged him to train them. In the year 1119, Orluhnd Vaelin visited and begged Gahl to join him in completing his father’s mission. Eilianna, having watched his pain grow over the previous years, encouraged him to pick up arms and finalize his dreams.

Though Orluhnd and Gahl would ultimately be successful, founding the Kingdom of Arkhania, the cost of their victory would be Gahl’s own life, at the hands of Orluhnd’s other general, a Toor named Drakahl (see Prologue, Bathed in the Blood of Ravens).

Timeline

• 08/28/1055 1E - Birth

• 12/03/1055 1E - Arrival at Uldenheim, death of mother

• 10/01/1070 1E - Conscripted into service, Uldenheim, Uldari Militia

• 08/28/1072 1E - Champion of Uldenheim

• 11/02/1090 1E - Leaves Uldenheim, becomes ‘The Raven’, Hero of the North

• 04/27/1105 1E - Saves Afyr emissary, travels to Vey’Thugohn, rewarded with elven training & service

• 08/07/1107 1E - Joins Arkhan Vaelin

• 11/03/1112 1E - Meets and marries Eilianna in Mooncrest, is given lands by Arkhan Vaelin

• 12/04/1112 1E - Gahl recalled by Arkhan Vaelin

• 01/03/1113 1E - Arkhan is murdered, armies collapse, Gahl returns home

• 03/19/1115 1E - 1st son’s birth: Arcturus

• 09/04/1116 1E - 2nd son’s birth: Octarian

• 05/23/1119 1E - Gahl called up by Orluhnd Vaelin, Arkhan’s son, joins War of the Wilds alongside the Toor who betrayed his own tribe, Drakahl

• 09/09/1120 1E - Final battle of the War of the Wilds on Engle Plateau. Drakahl murders Gahl

Character History

Gahl was created specifically for Bathed in the Blood of Ravens, and never appeared in any pen & paper campaigns.