Karl Grimfell

Born in early 410 DR – sickly, small and with blood already split in regard to him in the form of his mother's death, Karl was not expected to live long. He was abandoned soon after by his father, a drunkard and thug, on the streets of Zazesspur in Tethyr. Luckily for the babe's sake that his unusual skin tone caught the eye of a Justiciar of Tyr, a Lady Imora, who promptly saved the newborn from what would have likely been a horrible death. Lady Imora placed the child into the care of the orphanage that ran at the site of the Fortress Faithful, just south of the city of Zazesspur.

While being taken care of at the orphanage, Karl's unusual silver skin and hair hue soon was discovered to be akin to those of an Aasimar and his birthmark in the form of a hammer that laid upon between his shoulders was soon seen as the mark of Tyr. The marking caused a major shift of how he was viewed, from simple poor orphan to a chosen one. His whole future was being plotted out by senior members of the church before Karl could even sit up right on his own.

The years flew by and his health steadily bettered and he became strong enough to enter the learning school for those who would some day join the clergy or knighthood. It was during this time he would meet Emma, a girl whose fate would be interwoven with his own. The two quickly became inseparable and Karl grew protective of Emma, who was small shy and meek. Though this was to change for a period of time when Karl reached seven years of age. As Lady Imora chose Karl, following a series of mock fights between the children, to be her page in the next steps of his training.

During the first few years of his training as a page he would not see much of Emma as Lady Imora held an estate to the north of Zazesspur and would not permit him much free time. Though as he proved himself worthy of her efforts toward him, Lady Imora would allow him to visit the other children, including Emma, at the Fortress Faith. By the time Karl reached his fifteenth year, Emma and him had spent much time together and often spoke of “what if” plans and the likes.

At age sixteen, Karl became Lady Imora's squire in name and rank and officially traveled alongside her throughout the realms as she did her business as a Justiciar of Tyr. Whilst away on a mission with his Lady, Karl would find out that Emma had been chosen to be an Acolyte of Laws for a small priestly order that remained primarily within Zazesspur, an order called the Order of the Merciful Hand. While he was happy for her, he often was left with questions about his own fate as it always felt he was being led around.

Karl's world would change at the age of nineteen once more, once more due to violence as well. Continuing his service as Lady Imora's squire, the two traveled alongside members of the Knights of Holy Judgment and Merciful Sword in a joint operation to hunt down a devil lead cult and rescue, if possible, any prisoners. Once they reached the location of the cult, a trap was sprung by the devil and its men and all hells broke loose as the knights fought back to back to survive the onslaught. In the chaos of the battle, Lady Imora took several wounds – two of which would prove fatal later on but not before witnessing an enraged Karl channel a divine smite against the devil. While not enough to slay it right out, the wound allowed the Knights of the Holy Judgment to catch it and finish it off. During the remainder of the battle, Karl would remain at his knight's side and defend her when she no longer was able to fight. His actions and bravery would earn Karl a knighthood with the Knights of the Holy Judgment following laying Lady Imora to rest back at her estate.

Over the course of the next several years, Karl's reputation as a knight would shine brightly as he was a grand example of the types of paladins that the Tyrran faith could and would produce. The only thing Karl cared for more in the world was Emma, whom he would finally marry and be happy with for a time being by his twenty-fifth year. The two often would be spoken about by friends and onlookers as such a loving pair and they almost radiated an infectious happiness.

Despite their love and vigorous efforts though, the two could not conceive a child. Medical experts among the Tyrran locations believed it was Karl who was unable to father, perhaps Tyr did not wish him to at this time or a side-condition of being an Aasimar. Whatever the reason, it was the only shade on the loving pair and Karl wore it heavily at times especially as the two got older and Emma would no longer be capable of safe child-bearing in a few years.

Nearing their twenty-eighth year, Karl learned of a specialist in regards to helping those troubled couples conceive. The expert lived as a natural healer in a home near the Neverwinter Wood, south of the Neverwinter River. Deciding it was worth a look into, Karl and Emma began their journey to the city of Neverwinter, an incredibly long trip by wagon. Before departing, Karl was informed that while in Neverwinter he could report to the Hall of Justice there and upon return, he was to meet with a representative of the Hammers of Grimjaws as it was said Tyr passed favorable judgment on Karl.

The journey there brought the two closer together than they ever were before seemingly and they helped many on the road over the long months they traveled. Eventually reaching the famous city of Neverwinter and the Hall of Justice, they were eager to make their way to the healing expert. Though the city was rife with rumors of a devil known as Jydiar raising an army nearby and one could feel the tension within the walls to know people were not taking it lightly. Karl offered his blade to the Hall of Justice and they began to scour the nearby territory to find this devil before it could launch an attack.

During one of the searches, Karl and his group came upon the healing expert's house but soon discovered imps and other devil-kin guarding the location. After some time studying the situation, they decided it was best to attack swiftly and see if anyone survived within. What should have been a quick battle, began to drag out as small gateways opened and more and more devil-kin poured out. Just as the group was going to withdraw and seek more numbers, a large Gelugon with two smaller Abishal (a red and a black) emerged from the house. Karl quickly assesses this must be Jydiar and his guards, though before sharing this with the others, several prisoners are dragged out. It is clearly made up of another search party and most are covered in wounds but one notably prisoner isn't, Emma.

The Gelugon demand surrender or forfeit their lives, Karl and the others refuse to go down without a fight. Two men are sent to the city, away from the battle as quickly as they can run under the dosage of an invisibility potion in order to get reinforcements. The name of the Triad is invoked numerously as divine smites as the paladins attempt to thin the herd of devil-kin to reach both the leaders and prisoners.

Jydiar begins to execute the prisoners in response to the attack by the patrol group. As he moves closer and closer to Emma, Karl becomes once more enraged and wings of metallic feathers rip from his back as he leaps over the remaining host to reach Jydiar and his guards. Caught off-guard, Karl manages to slay the black Abishal with a smite but is sent flying into a nearby tree by the other, breaking his new wings. Before he is even able to get up, the creature is on him and is beating him with a studded great club and each wack is causing his world to be a jumble of blurs and colors. He hears Emma scream as she is picked up by Jydiar who looks over her body. His body broken and bleeding, he manages to disable the Red Abishal a moment with a pommel strike to under the chin. Channeling his last strength he utters a prayer to Tyr and dives forward toward Jydiar, his sword readied and hurls it at the blur he believes is the ice devil's head and falls to his knees.

Emma falls to the ground, unmoving as the large creature stumbles and falls to the ground next to her. Crawling to her, Karl shakes her and shakes her. She remains unmoving, all he can do is hold her and cry out. The battle still rages all around him and the Red Abishal approaches, enraged at the tenacity of his mortal. He keeps praying to Tyr to allow him to save her, at least her but there is no response and soon the agony begins.

~~
The enraged Abishal begins to spew no less than hellfire upon Karl's back, melting his armor and burning his flesh away. There is no help coming, all he can do is shield Emma's body in what most likely is a vain attempt to protect it. As bone begins to become exposed and Karl's grip on consciousness begins to fade rapidly he hears a voice offering him help.

“Bit of a pickle you're in friend. Normally I don't do this, but I like your dedication with things you find important. That's a great quality friend, great. I'll save your Emma, keep her nice and safe. Won't let them Devils get her, no sir. But you'll owe me pretty big ya know....like real big. Ya know?”

Suffering from mind numbing pain, blood loss, and oncoming death, Karl nods and just utters a weak, “Yes...do it....save her...please...”

The voice sounds as it smirks, “Oh of course friend. She'll be right as rain. And you and I, we'll talk more later.” With this, Emma vanishes from Karl's grip just as the hellfire consumes his whole.
~~

Darkness and emptiness exists for Karl for an unknown amount of time, though it is likely hundreds of years given the amount of dirt and soil that laid resting on top of him. Somehow, Karl digs himself out of this mound and eventually emerges into the full sun of day, it makes him feel strange – not quite painful but not quite nice either. As he looks down at his hands he sees metallic skeletal hands tipped in claws and the rest of himself as metallic bones, any and all clothing and flesh gone. He tries to breathe but feels no breath and no chest movement, nothing. He tries to spit to find no liquid in his mouth, no tongue for that matter either. Suddenly he notices he has no hunger pangs or thirst, no fatigue, doesn't even notice how warm or cold it is. No heartbeat. He tries to pray and feels and hears nothing. He is forsaken, he is undead.

Suddenly out of thin air a man appears. Tall, thin, well kept. Neatly combed hair, brown, no facial hair. Clothed in a strange outfit, looking to be three blue pieces – an outer jacket buttoned across an inner vested shirt and a belted pair of trousers. Including a strange bit of cloth from his neck hanging down across his chest, over the shirt, tucked in behind the vest, but behind the jacket. Wearing a short rounded hat of sorts, a pair of short laced leather shoes, and carrying a cane and a leather box by a handle.

“Long time old friend. Hope you've had enough of a nap, as we have much to do, indeed we do, my friend. You see, and you'll learn to pay attention quickly, you owe me and give what I am doing for you? Oof, friend, oof. You'll be paying me back for aeons.” The man says with a pleasant tone, a smile on his face. Karl just arches a brow and nods for him to continue.

“Right right. You desired Emma, dear Emma, to be safe. And she is, she is the safest she will ever be. -snapping his fingers together he summons an image of her sleeping peacefully in a large crystal- As you see, my friend, she is safe. And as long as you do what I tell you. -his tone is more hard and serious- She will remain so. If you don't, well, rather not have to explain it to you,friend.” Karl nods, seemingly unsure if he can even speak.

“We are near Neverwinter City, we will be heading there shortly and you will acquire me lunch. You will kill a young woman and place her on a table for me to consume while you watch.” Karl shakes his head and seems to try to display refusal. “To be expected, just know I do not enjoy giving her bad dreams. -he snaps his fingers and the crystal cracks just slightly, Emma begins to scream and cry before going back to sleep-”

Karl steps forward, a hiss forming from his tongueless mouth. The man just laughs and shakes his finger, “Now now friend. Do as you are told and we will get along fine. Refuse me and she will suffer. Disappoint me too much though, and this game will be over. But let us be off. Oh here. -places Karl into a suit of armor covering him head to toe with a blade at his side-”

Over the course of the next few days Karl attempts to refuse only to see Emma suffer, eventually he gives in and kills a thief to appease the man. True to word the man consumes the thief woman in a gory display and pats Karl on the head. And it comes to pass each day the man wants at least one dead body for food, sometimes two. Sometimes he wants to watch them fight. Other times he wants to see Karl try to eat them. Days turn to weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Karl no longer feels anything when he kills and seems to actually enjoy it. These new changes appease the man and he grants Karl some tidbits of power and time to enjoy looking at Emma.

Over a hundred years pass as Karl is no longer the Tyrran he once was and is now his own form of tainted evil. He murders, steals, corrupts, enslaves, and worse. All to appease his master, a strange man who allows him to call him Thomas. Karl has grown powerful and stronger than he was as a paladin.

That is until at least Thomas and Karl both experience the Dream...