Tugroth Earthkeep

Tugroth Earthkeep was the founder of Familia Autha. When the Familia was raided in AV 1608 by the forces of Tumult Zegule, Earthkeep was nowhere to be found, and to this day no one knows where Earthkeep is or even if he is still alive.

Early Life

Tugroth Earthkeep was born in AV 1543 in the city of Oderbeck on Greth to Banra and Nemet Earthkeep, a human couple. Banra Earthkeep worked as an aide to a nobleman in Oderbeck while his wife, Nemet, owned and operated a small woodworks shop. Earthkeep was raised to take up a position similar to his father's, and attended a fairly prestigious school in Oderbeck, one which served wealthier and politically influential families and their children. Earthkeep was described as having "a natural charisma" and had many friends throughout his school years, despite his competitive nature and need to be better than his peers. By the time Earthkeep had graduated in 1563, he had risen almost to the top of his class, exceeded only by his "rival," a student by the name of Barta Swiftrest. Swiftrest went on to become a priest in a local temple, a fact which rankled Earthkeep for many years.

Earthkeep began working as an aide to a nobleman, similarly to his father, in 1564. He quickly acquired a reputation for fulfilling his duties with skill and a fervor some might mistake for mania. Within a few years, Earthkeep was recruited by the high lord of Oderbeck, Lord Renato himself, to work as his secretary. As this was a very prestigious role, Earthkeep immediately accepted and began to work for the high lord.

Role in Familia Autha

Around AV 1585, Earthkeep's standard of work had begun to slip. His behavior seemed more erratic, but not completely out of character for the rather passionate man. Before anyone became concerned, Earthkeep simply vanished from the city. The only records of what happened to Earthkeep after this disappearance was a scribbled journal and various notes scattered about the Familia Autha headquarters by Tumult Zegule. Earthkeep had become convinced that the deity of shadows, Iartus, and the abyss itself had taken a special interest in him, promising him great wealth and power if he did their bidding. As a man with great hunger for power and excellence, Earthkeep was quickly drawn in to this apparent fantasy.

Following the instructions from these benefactors, Earthkeep gathered seven other individuals to him in a cavern system high on the slopes of a mountain just west of Oderbeck. Here, he explained his plan to do the dark deity's bidding. Together, Earthkeep and his seven disciples would gather to them many powerful magic users across the world, tempting them with untold riches and more power than they could ever use. Together, they would target the Lightbringer deities of moon and sun, Metsli and Elena, and bring them down. This would weaken the other deities and allow them to take each one down one by one. The final stage was to locate the Floating Isle and release the Abyss, bringing down Galactus as it stood and setting the stage for the creation of a new world ruled by darkness.

Over the next several years, the Familia grew, word of its shadowy intentions travelling from continent to continent by travellers and members of the Familia themselves on recruitment missions. However, the organization stayed relatively under the radar of governments and heroes until its raid on the Citadel of Silence.

Despite the incredibly high security and risk of danger, Familia Autha managed to infiltrate the Citadel of Silence, bringing Earthkeep himself into the Archives. Here he was able to learn about the theory of soul anchors, physical sources and focuses for a deity's power. Armed with this new knowledge, the Familia Autha began to formulate a tangible plan to bring down the Lightbringers. While they planned their dark deeds, however, other plans fell into motion to find and stop the Familia. But before anything could happen, Familia Autha seemed to fall out of public knowledge entirely. It simply vanished into thin air.

Disappearance

A search party eventually found the headquarters of the Familia in AV 1608, in the mountains where Earthkeep and his first disciples had met. This party, led by Tumult Zegule, found evidence of a violent struggle in what seemed to be the location of a dark ritual. A search of the caverns after dispatching the remaining Familia members revealed only that Earthkeep had been investigating the soul anchor theory and the possibility of summoning a deity to try to steal it right out of their hands.

Earthkeep himself, however, was nowhere to be found. Search parties were sent to comb across the entirety of the Grethian mountains, but there was still no trace of the Familia's leader. To this day, no one knows what happened to Earthkeep. It is possible that he is still alive, hiding in the farthest corners of the world, or was spirited away somewhere during the Familia's final ritual.