Vinegar Tom is an opportunist and mercenary from Eastern Talanas. He is known to be active in the northern areas of the Tormvald Plateau, particularly in and around the town of Orst Aerie.

Tom's Story

Little is known of Tom's earliest days. Whether he remembers things or doesn't, it doesn't matter as he doesn't like talking about it. It is surmised he came from somewhere in the Central Barrier Hills on the Atalassia island of Talanas and that he was not yet of age when the Hordes came to his homeland to recruit. Tom thusly avoided the fighting during that conflict.
 
Many of his neighbors and acquaintances left their homes early in the second decade of the Current Age to go fight in favor of the so-called Night King but Tom did not. He had no stomach for abject conflict without standing to gain from it so he instead opted to play both sides.
 
Tom went into smuggling supplies and weapons for both sides of the war. He even traded in more elicit goods and that gave rise to his cover as transporter of pickled food goods. This proved especially useful for masking the more sensitive goods he traded in. It also gave rise to his nickname.
 
The operation proved successful. So much so that Tom quickly has a small group of associates. As the war wound down though, one or more of those associates brought it all crashing down. The group was betrayed during a supply run to the city of Talanas. Trapped, Tom was forced to give up everything to save his own skin.
 
Though he never learned for sure which of his associates betrayed him, Tom suspected that a fellsworn entertainer named Blackjack Aggathorn was, at the very least the mastermind of the scheme. He had no proof though so, nearly destitute, he headed east to see about his future opportunities.

Tom's Descriptions and Mannerisms

Tom casts a visage that is equal parts grizzled veteran, awkward and gangly interloper, and stalwart brawler. His seven-foot frame is bigger than even most of those of his hobgoblin ancestry and he might look at first glance like he's all limbs and clumsiness.
 
The reality is quite the contrary. Tom is a fearsome fighter, albeit an opportunistic one. He's had enough success doing so to know that one often stands to gain more from avoiding a fight than they do from wading in blades swinging.