Donovo Flameglade, teacher at Wagner Orphanarium
Cursed Scion of a Merchant Family, Pursued by Hunger Both Figurative and Literal
Donovo Flameglade
I'm of the belief that while the complexities of mortal lives gain, the pinnacle of what we may achieve has long since plateaued here on Tairos. Whatever we do now is only to lessen the pains of future generations as the protracted death of these lands are drawn out.In Ghal Pelor the third son of a merchant family was dispatched to university to study in order to diversify the family's expertise into the illicit trade of artifacts. While finding himself well suited to the studies and adept at the practice of archaeology, Donovo ultimately found the pursuit of women and Ghal Peloran Red to be significantly more interesting. Completing his studies, albeit a couple of years later than initially expected, would have sufficed for the grand designs of the family Cooperative, but a hot and dry Moradin's Ire caused a premature run on stockpiled grain and preserved vittles while the drought sparked a minor famine. The coffers running dry necessitated the elders downsizing of plans and staff. Credentialed or not, Ghal Pelor isn't well known for its dearth of ruins, unexplored depths, or warehouses filled with ancient works waiting to be identified and appraised. Cast out and penniless, a charming demeanor will not carry one very far without the ability to apply it to a productive end, so Donovo took up the path of one of the oldest professions known in every land, swinging weapons for someone. Having the fortunate circumstance of tutors as a youth, he took up the sword with caravans, vessels, and explorer's guilds and earned some respect for his work ethic and easy going nature. He learned the proper way to secure cargo, how to anticipate a raid, where to best spend his coin on drinks and the cheapest flophouses. And this loutish life of short terms and drinking would have been have been the sum of his adulthood, until the Coperative came creeping back with an opportunity; apply both sets of skills cultivated in life thus far to a plan resembling the original purpose, working as an agent within an upcoming well-funded reconnaissance mission into the far west, the old gnomish ruined lands surrounding the drownyards. 15 years long away from the old tendrils of family work was enough to lessen the bitter taste left with his summary dismissal, and considering the expedition would skirt far from The Queen's Scar and then travel by charter from Rylan to within a fortnight's march from the ruins, there wasn't an extreme risk to take until they arrived. Donovo, regrettably, agreed. Years before High Point Township was anything besides "College" of Magic lunacy to be avoided at all cost, the trek was to head from the Ghal Pelor Farmlands, straight across the Rylan Plains to Rylan, but sustained Kobold assault and lack of Old Balmoran road kept changing the charted path further north until a stop at Talbot looked to be the only course for salvation due to depleted supplies. Talbot being a community lacking protective structure of laws resulted in nearly as many losses as the kobold's plains assault, and departing before any more common room brawls could claim lives or loss of expedition property, through the haunted Rylan Woods to Rylan itself. Nearly to the actual starting point, Donovo was confronted with the details of the true job he was hired for, the Cooperative had been subsumed in the intervening years by the Black Thorn Society, and after having proved his martial skills in the trek thus far they would require his other skills separately from original intention of force. The small charter fleet made landfall in the far west and the Black Thorn cohort set off immediately with the intention to return in secret to a prearranged ship back to Rylan. They explained to Donovo there was rumored to be a gnomish test site for an ancient technology but would necessitate differentiation by age of the site and any damage inflicted by the intervening centuries. Intrigued by the new goal and preferring to keep his back free of dagger wounds, he quickly agreed to fealty to his new masters and set off through the untamed jungles of the coast. The location was an ancient charnel house, dozens of broken gnome skeletons littered the inside and outsides of the ruin with consistent traces of Sahuagin investigation, but the stone underground was sealed tight against the the aquatic horror's incursions. Acting quickly with Donovo translating pieces of undamaged gnomish notes carved into metal, the clues left explained the experiment performed here as a desperate attempt to restrain the cohesive force of the killer aliens described as The Hunger. Using arcane force and ingenuity cruelly unique among grave robbers, the Black Thorn were able to crack open the sealed parts of the now-tomb and the mix of stone and metal surfaces adorned with script yielded rapidly to smooth polished surfaces and significantly different style of architecture than Donovo had ever encountered before or since. The tube-like tunnels descended deeper and deeper into the earth where the chill of subterranean passages rendered the group's hot jungle garb wildly inappropriate, and they ventured on through sealed portal after another until their brazen demolition of defenses left them no option but continue to seek their treasure, unbeknownst to them as an unseen pull on The Hunger's devotees brought at first faint horror to the raider's ears, the Sahuagin's wild cries revealed that they knew the facility was open and they were pursing the interlopers through the passage at that very moment. The realization that there was no going back immediately caused a free for all among the Black Thorn forces as they deployed reserved manacite, puissant scrolls, and dire weapons into subsequent layers of shielding of the final barrier to their prize. The ultimate ward overwhelmed by greedy powers, its dissipating magic allowed a gout of water from the beyond inky blackness, expelling a final truth many of them would learn in their lives; the tunnel was directly connected to the waters of the Drownyards itself as the receptacle needed the conduit available to siphon off the power of The Hunger. Tremendous volumes of waters unloading into this final monitor room crashed as quickly as the opening would allow, pushing the unluckiest of the robbers directly back into the clutches of the arriving watery demons, and in the chaos of all this, the prize itself was set free from the containment and crashed directly into Donovo, knocking him unconscious.
Deep Madness Cover by Yuan Change
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Donovo has worked an impressive number of contracts as an underboss in the Ghal Pelor area. Since his miraculous survival, he has wandered eastward from the old Gnomish lands attempting to return back towards familiar civilization but has spent time in Talbot and Rylan on both legs of his journey.
Education
The Ghal Pelori universities of higher learning note that Donovo completed his studies successfully, albeit unimpressively, within the field of Archaeology. Other studies have included carousing, spirits, and swinging a sword effectively.
Failures & Embarrassments
With much of his life behind him, Donovo hasn't found reason to settle down in one place yet. Lacking something a simple as consistent friends as a fixture in his life has been disappointing to him.
He is at peace with his inability to develop better wits and intellect vis a vis books and skills associated to self-disciplined instruction, but having been imbued with power and having the chance to learn more about how magic works is something he struggles with immensely.
Species
Ethnicity
Age
46
Children
Pronouns
He/Him
Eyes
Blackish-Blue
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned
Height
5'10"
Weight
160 lbs
Other Affiliations
