Emerson Santori-Valcouth
Emerson Santori-Valcouth
Emerson Santori-Valcouth is a human sorcerer of draconic heritage, who was raised in the capital of Keldan, Sanctorus by his adoptive family. A large and ever-curious man, Emerson seeks knowledge wherever he can find it. He is innately adept at the arcane arts, and has traveled across large swathes of both Keldan and Eregoth.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Large but healthy
Facial Features
Large, aquiline nose. Pointed black beard with two silver streaks that connect and reach down to mid-chest.
Identifying Characteristics
Silver scales that run along the right arm and to just below the shoulder, reflecting his draconic heritage.
Special abilities
A variety of spells as befits a well-trained sorcerer, he is particularly fond of:
Enlarge/Reduce
Levitate
Detect Magic
Ray of Frost
Apparel & Accessories
White robes with two blue stripes down the torso that flares out below the belt, ending at the knees. Brown explorer's backpack and large belt that are both adorned in a plethora of scrolls, books, and other useful items. Pouch of sling bullets, a sling, and two daggers.
Specialized Equipment
A notebook journal filled with queries and observations on all manner of topics and to individuals of arcane interest. This might very well be Emerson's most prized possession.
Reilly Medlow, a sentient wand of paralysis. Constructed of connected finger bones 11" with a purple amethyst tip.
Wand of Magic Missile
A practical mountain of scrolls, collected over a life of travel.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Emerson was born to unknown parents in an unknown location roughly around 1911. The name Santori was found on the cloak he was wrapped up in when he was found by agents of the Eldritch Council of Keldan later that year, washed up on the shore of the island of Sanctorus. Immediately the child that would become Emerson was identified as bearing the innate power that marked a draconic heritage sorcerer, though his past is a total mystery beyond the name. Seeing potential in the child, the Eldritch Council gave Torlan Valcouth and his family guardianship over him, and he was named Emerson Valcouth. The purpose of the guardianship was to raise Emerson as a powerful mage loyal to the Eldritch Council, and this explicit purpose has always chafed with Emerson ever since he was told of it.
Torlan raised Emerson with a strict devotion to the stated purposes of the Council. He viewed Emerson more as a state project than as a child under his care, ultimately coming off as cold and unfeeling towards the child. His wife, Sara, however, was much warmer towards Emerson, and recognized that he was a child in need of a nurturing hand. She would be responsible for fostering the love of learning that has typified Emerson's life ever since, as well as being a model for goodness he could aspire to. Emerson received his first personal notebook from her on his seventh birthday, and has cherished the moment ever since as a foundation of his ability to express himself. Kella Valcouth, Torlan and Sara's natural daughter, was four years old when Emerson was brought into the household. She took in Torlan's lessons much more than Emerson ever did, but nonetheless cared for her adoptive younger brother whom she felt protective over.
As he got older, Emerson diligently studied under Sara's wing, spending many days and nights poring over old scrolls and tomes in her library. He also spent time with his sister Kella, who constantly trained to hone her fighting skills so that she could make up for her lack of arcane prowess with physical might. While Emerson did not see the need to train as intensely as his sister, he still enjoyed sparring with her to learn what few lessons he could. Torlan's discipline on his children did not waver as they grew up, however in time Emerson came to understand the motives behind it and appreciate them even if he did not believe in them as wholeheartedly as Torlan did.
Ultimately, it was Torlan's connections and mission combined with Sara's fostering of Emerson's skills that helped him find his place in Keldan once he was old enough to leave the house. After graduating top of his class in Sanctorus, the young mage was thrust into the power struggles typical of the seat of the Eldritch Council. There, he would follow in Torlan's footsteps for a time, moving between the various Pact-Lords and addressing their issues. Later, this led to a career in problem solving in the courts of many Pact-Lands, that would see Emerson travel across most of Keldan solving disputes where he could. Emerson's crowning achievement in this endeavor was planned to be a temporary solution to Bloodwar-related strife in the Infernal Pact-Land. Owing to his ignorance of religious and extra-planar affairs, however, Emerson proved incapable of compromising adequately between the ever-capricious fiends and their subservient warlocks, in the process only expanding the ongoing conflicts within the Pact-Land.
Following this diplomatic failure, Emerson was tasked by the Eldritch Council with other affairs, and he was assigned as an arcane investigator. His new mission would be to infiltrate Keldan's long-time enemy Eregoth, and to find sources of arcane power there that the foolish and proud nobility had overlooked in their superstition towards pact-magic. With little choice afforded to him regarding this reassignment, Emerson bade farewell to the Valcouth family, and departed for Eregoth. He was smuggled in by ships flying the colors of House Medici, whether they were actually Medici or not is unknown to Emerson, and he made landfall in House Rancourt lands before traveling inland. Hitching rides with traveling merchants, he eventually reached the new mining town of Emril in the western tip of Lord Fenheart's lands. There he established his residence, where he made himself useful by identifying magical items and with translations. He used Emril as a base to observe the types of things that could be unearthed in the hopes of finding artifacts of power, where he also became the acquaintance of Banthyr Theas, a crown-sanctioned warlock.
Life in Emril came to an abrupt halt with the arrival of the Silvershields, who were sworn to House Oakenshield and tasked with razing the town to the ground. Fleeing the destruction alongside a group of refugees, Emerson made his way into the hills to the east, where he and Banthyr met up with a Tabaxi cleric, Dust, and a dwarf barbarian, Winchester, who had recently emerged from caves under the hills while fighting against Yuan-ti for House Fenheart. Together, the group harassed Silvershield attempts to hunt down the refugees, with Emerson levitating and then enlarging a boulder which was launched forward against the soldiers to make them turn back. In the following days, Emerson continued to assist his newfound allies with protecting the Emril refugees, fighting his way through woods crawling with undead as well as the burned out village of Ashwatch, which was full of ethereal undead. While the rest of the group made their way into the ruined keep, however Emerson detoured into the nearby woods where a mysterious presence called to him. There, he found an old mausoleum guarded by a ghast, which he was able to overcome with the help of the unknown presence, which turned out to be the spirit of Reilly Medlow stuck in a wand. The long-dead former warlock in the wand has been Emerson's companion ever since.
In a few more days time, the group arrived at House Fenheart's seat of Aynor. Emerson spent the time surrounding the Battle of Red Lake using the city's resources to study what he could and to soothe the tensions of the people, however he did not take part in the battle itself. Despite this, he was teleported at the culmination of the battle to a new location along Beaked Bay in eastern Eregoth, alongside Banthyr, where they found themselves in the company of Adalbart of the Circle of Light. Adalbart explained to them the dire situation that Eregoth now found itself in, and requested the group's aid in ensuring that House Rancourt did not fall to vampiric influences from the 14th Lord. Accepting Adalbart's quest, Emerson and Banthyr soon met with the Firbolg Gordon, an acquaintance of Adalbart, who helped them defeat a bodak servant of Lord Valkar, sent to kill the group as they were responsible for slaying the vampire-spawn Arthon Cadmus in Ashwatch. Emerson then participated heavily in the capture of Fort Ostel alongside Banthyr and the heir of House Rancourt, Theodore and his retinue. Emerson nearly fell in battle after suffering the full blast of a lightning bolt from a Hobgoblin Devastator, but was quickly resuscitated by his companions while Banthyr laid the Hobgoblin Warlord low thanks to Emerson's enlarge spell.
The aftermath of the taking of the fort has given Emerson the ear of House Rancourt, and he was last seen heading out into the Deep...
Education
The Valcouth family lived in the capital city of Sanctorus. While there, Emerson studied magic, with a focus on understanding linguistics to better comprehend the nature of spells. Emerson's adopted mother was a librarian and his adopted father was a magical arts teacher for the Eldritch Council, and their skills contributed heavily towards his education as well as his methods.
Employment
Emerson's first real employment was as a librarian assisting his mother with the handling of magic tomes, scrolls, and other arcane writings. He was later hired directly by members of the Eldritch Council to venture to Eregoth to pursue magical items and lore that would be beneficial to Keldan. His efforts are focused on wilder regions that might contain lost lore.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Graduated top of his class in arcane studies in the capital city of Sanctorus, which brought him further into the attentions of the Eldritch Council as a useful aspiring mage.
Master linguist, trained in six languages.
Spent 8 years acting as a diplomat and troubleshooter between the Pact-Lands of Keldan.
Successfully blended into Eregothian society despite being an infiltrator from Keldan, and using this further his own goals as well as the goals of the Eldritch Council.
Helped a large band of refugees from Emril following the destruction of that town by the Silvershields by keeping them safe and lifting their spirits on their way to Aynor.
Retrieved a sentient wand containing the soul of Reilly Medlow from a crypt outside the ruined village of Ashwatch, which was once used by the 14th Lord himself to paralyze his rivals before feasting upon them.
Assisted in the taking of Fort Ostel from the Hobgoblin Shining Legion, clearing the area for use by Adalbart of the Circle of Light and opening relations with House Rancourt.
Experienced the Feywild.
Failures & Embarrassments
Tried to soothe tensions in the Infernal Pact-Land between devils and demons for the greater benefit of Keldan, but failed to grasp the magnitude of the extra-planar conflict known as the Bloodwar.
Mental Trauma
Increasingly affected by the sentient wand that he carries on him, as it contains a very powerful and willful soul who was bent towards evil in life.
Intellectual Characteristics
Supremely curious, astute note-taker, aggressively empirical and scientific, strives for objectivity, obsessed to the point of distraction over anything arcane
Morality & Philosophy
Everyone should be free to pursue their passions until they do something stupid.
Taboos
Things that impede on people's ability to express themselves and pursue their dreams.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Emerson seeks to discover the meaning behind the name Santori, which he believes is tied to his draconic heritage. He wants to some day learn or meet his true parents, and why he was lost to them. Despite this, he cares for his adopted family, and is concerned for the safety of his mother and sister. He also has a vested interest in his mission from the Eldritch Council, and it sates his curiosity towards the arcane.
Since arriving in Eregoth, Emerson has been troubled by the ongoing slavery and persecution of warlocks, as it goes against his personal morality.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Well-versed in etiquette, though this sometimes breaks down when the arcane is involved.
Ignorant of religious history.
Likes & Dislikes
Loves the smell of fresh ink and parchment, meeting new creatures whether sentient or not, testing the limits of magic, and new experiences.
Growing weary of travel food and would prefer to have a proper meal, disapproves of overly-authoritative methods.
Virtues & Personality perks
Patient, curious, polite, diplomatic
Vices & Personality flaws
Overly-eager particularly with the arcane, loves unhealthy food and can be indulgent
Personality Quirks
Strokes his beard a lot, particularly when lost in thought.
Always has his notebook at the ready in case something of interest comes up.
Hygiene
Wishes he could bathe more, the wilds of Eregoth do not afford the same amenities as his home in Keldan's capital. Prefers to present himself well, owing to his past as a diplomat.
Social
Contacts & Relations
As a former middle-man for members of the Eldritch Council, Emerson is directly familiar with the power players of Keldani politics. While not on a first name basis with them, he nonetheless knows the best protocols for making arrangements and settling affairs across the Pact-Lands.
Family Ties
Sara Valcouth, adoptive mother. Librarian in Sanctorus. Emerson's preferred adoptive parent, who helped foster his curiosity and build upon his strengths in his youth.
Torlan Valcouth, adoptive father. Secretary working for the Eldritch Council in Sanctorus. Torlan was a model for authoritarian methods in Emerson's youth that he did not appreciate.
Kella Valcouth, adoptive sister. Officer in the Keldani military, stationed in the Southern Bulkhead. Preferred by their father, Kella has a martial aspect and protected the younger Emerson when they grew up.
Religious Views
None to speak of, Emerson sees the divine as an oddity because it is less tangible than most things. He doesn't disapprove of religion or believers in it, but doesn't think it is for him.
Social Aptitude
Adept at reading his audience, picks up on social queues quickly, although occasionally overcome by curiosity, bringing out his notebook to satiate his own intrigues.
Mannerisms
Tries to cater conversations towards people's interests and strengths.
Hobbies & Pets
Reading, writes on his experiences, dreams of publishing full books regarding his experiences.
Wealth & Financial state
Emerson considers himself wealthy in knowledge.
Current Location
Species
Year of Birth
1911
34 Years old
Birthplace
Unknown to Emerson
Children
Current Residence
None, previously Emril
Gender
Male
Eyes
Blue-Grey
Hair
Black with silver streaks, shoulder-length
Height
6'1"
Weight
300 lbs.
Quotes & Catchphrases
"Can I ask you some questions?"
-every time he pulls out his notebook
Aligned Organization
Character Prototype
Harrison Ford dressed like Gandalf
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