Caleb Albarn Woeher, a Beggar and a Chooser

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Caleb Albarn Woeher, a Beggar and a Chooser

Post by SuneTV » Mon Sep 09, 2019 11:27 pm

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There are no heroes, or villains.
We are all men doing what we must.
To survive, or to achieve our goals.
You may vilify me for the choices I've made.
But know, many others would have done the same.
I am not evil.
I am just a man who will bring down my brother at any cost.

Chapter 0: Prelude

The Woeher family was never one to suffer. The father ran a trading company that had ties all along the sword coast, and their family rarely suffered or saw crisis within their finances. The family boasted both parents, much in love and happily running the empire together; Their eldest son Valkeen, named after the Goddess of Commerce Walkeen, was a ranking soldier who commanded a small division at war; Their youngest, their daughter Molly who was a innocent thing not yet out of her adolescence; Then their middle child, Caleb. Just barely 16, and an aspiring thespian who had put more time in plays and acting than he did social interaction. Caleb was always the more socially reserved of the family, often being lead about by his younger sister who was eager and not afraid to speak to anyone, or travelling with their mother when she went shopping to be around people more comfortably.

It was never questioned that Valkeen would inherit the family trade when their father retired and the wars had settled. Often letters came of Valkeen telling of his battles, and his victories. Their mother always telling the tales to friends and family alike. Caleb always looking up to his brother, envious of his confidence and strength while he was the socially lacking and weak teenager he was. When word that Valkeen would be coming home hit, the family had already prepared to welcome him with open arms, getting many of their friends to help throw a small party for him. When he rode up, still in his armor and bearing his colors with pride, the streets were alive with sound of song and joy. However, the merriment did not last. Soon other soldiers from the war showed up, and began to tell the truth of Valkeen's actions.

Valkeen was far from a soldier with pride. The methods he had employed to secure his victories often forced his men to do deplorable things. Using severed heads of the fallen as ammunition to sew terror into enemy forces, forcing outlaying towns and villages to surrender resources and lodgings for threat of being assaulted, even poisoning water sources to deny the enemy access to water. Ultimately, he had been stripped of his rank, his titles, and was meant to face imprisonment before he managed to escape into the night. All of the letters he had wrote them fabrications of the real truth, he had became a ruthless warmonger. They were now facing a horde of people standing by, throwing fruit and insults at Valkeen, before their father stepped forward. He slammed a bag of gold into his son's hands, and told him to leave. No longer welcome in the family. Valkeen, still being pelted with food and his colors ripped from him by the soldiers present, left without a word. Molly and Caleb watched, Molly unable to comprehend what was going on, and Caleb speechless to what had transpired.

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Months passed with no more word from Valkeen. The family had moved on, though often still had to deal with comment or insult related to their eldest child. Caleb had left to join part of a production, getting a leading role in a play he'd been practicing for months. The night he returned home however, he only found ruin. The night of his return he found raiders in mass attacking his home. What ones weren't actively looting and destroying it were in the streets fending off guards or harassing nearby people. In the center of it stood Valkeen, staring at the chaos with little emotion. Bandits spoke with him, and brought him things from the home of worth, making it clear Valkeen had hired them to raid his home, taking back what he was robbed of. Three bodies laid in the snow, coated in blood, and Caleb knew instantly what this meant.

Caleb ran that night, fleeing into the night before finally tiring out. Falling asleep in an alley, waking to the prodding of a guard for him to move on. He returned home, to find it all but rubble and ash, the bodies all being collected and turned to the cemetery to find their final peace. He attended the burial, but after that he silently dissapeared. He walked off into the woods with no words, no thoughts of what would come next... But someone had been watching, and something would continue to follow him. From here Caleb found himself far from where he had been, his clothes now tattered and his face coating in dirt as he ended up in a port town. He found himself begging, sitting on corners and taking what handouts he could get from the sailors and patrons, and usually also the attacks of their drunken merriment or otherwise harsh ways. He had never known socializing well, and just accepted the lumps.

This was until his visitor whispered to him. Why take the abuse, when he could learn to give it back? Whispering for weeks about the power he could have if he played their game, and for some time Caleb was able to ignore it. Then the voice mentioned revenge... Caleb was weak, and without help how could he ever hope to strike back at the man who took everything from him? Caleb finally took the voice's offer, and asked him how. The voice guided him deep to the woodlands, where Caleb found no beast would come close, before revealing himself. It was a Fey who called himself Sparrow, one of the winter courts. He made his offer clear to Caleb: Become a plaything for his queen, to become a source of entertainment for her and her court when she grew bored, and he would be given the opportunity to gain power enough that would lead him to vengeance.

Caleb accepted.

He dropped Woeher from his name, going by his middle one for the foreseable future. His looks were so coated in his ungroomed state that few actually recognized him. He took to travelling, guided for a short time by Sparrow before the fey lost interest, but he was never alone. Often whispers from Fey would come, pushing him to do things for them. Usually harmless albeit entertaining things, small theft, chucking rocks at people or windows, or causing barfights. It was small amusements for the fey to push and see how far he would go to honor their contract with him, and when he resisted he was pushed and chastized by them. However, when they felt he would listen without resistance, they began to back off, only calling on him when they felt a true display could be made.

Caleb grew into... Well, if it wasn't for his poor grooming, a fine man. He was a bit stronger from his travels, but looking at him would make most people shrug him away. He had long since developed an accent, trained from years of theater work, to further hide his origins. LEarning to mask as much of himself as he could so no one would know him from his past. He had taken to begging for all his coin, but also began learning (Albeit through trial and error) how to survive in the wild. He'd started turning his interactions with the Fey into small jokes, laughing and jestign with them despite how much he had learned of the deal he struck, as he knew their Queen, his Queen, would just as likely push him to murder as she would save him from death.

Fate wanted to be entertained, however. When Caleb took refuge on a vessel to sleep one night, he had no idea he would not only be forced on a journey, but wake up stranded in Skaljard....


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Sidestory: Valkeen's Fall
Insulted, damned, tossed aside, and robbed of what was his... Valkeen had never felt so low. He had fought, he had did what was necessary to win. Who were they to damn him for his actions if it meant victory? They were cowards. They were weak. And his own family? Throwing him to the dirt like this!? It was nothing short of disgusting. Valkeen had no intention to take this laying down, he had no desire to know defeat. Even if it meant he would have to burn everything down to achieve victory...

The months of silence he spent avoiding lawbringers and bounty hunters. Breaking into people's homes and putting them to the sword, and remaining there until he was forced to leave. Bleeding them of their wealth and devouring their supplies before moving on again. The month of travel to the mountains ensured he was carrying coin ontop of coin when he came across the bandits there. After putting the less... Amicable ones to the sword, he made them an offer. He presented all of his coin to the bandit leader, and made it clear: He had so much more, and it would be theirs if they helped him take down the family that had spat him aside.

They took his offer, and when they attacked his home there was little quarter. Anyone who was in their path was struck down; Guards, civillians, children, animals, it did not matter to them. When they found his house they descended upon it with a fury, fire being thrown into any window they could see to drive out those inside, men running inside to start looting before anything too valuable would burn. Valkeen remained outside, letting them do his dirty work, letting them kill his family and tear it all down. When the bodies of his family were brought out, he waited for Caleb's but it never showed. He pushed them to keep looking despite the slowly burning house but eventually they pulled away, taking all that they could on the back of stolen carts and fleeing back to the mountain.

As far as Valkeen knew, he had regained the lost pride of being damned by his family, and officially severed his name. Valkeen was all he was now."
Last edited by SuneTV on Tue Sep 10, 2019 1:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
"Well, my social anxiety is getting the best of me. I'm taking a walk; goodbye."
Roleplayer of Caleb Albarn

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Re: Caleb Albarn Woeher, a Beggar and a Chooser

Post by SuneTV » Tue Sep 10, 2019 1:35 am

Chapter One: Skal and New Beginnings

Entry: 17 - 7 - 154
Flamerule - Summertide

Two weeks in Skal. Two weeks since he was found on the vessel as it docked, and pushed off into the cold lands. He had no coin to charter a ship back, and more so the ones who he had unknowingly stole a ride from would not be willing to sport him back unless he paid double fare, so here in the frozen wasteland he would now remain. What gold he had on him was spent on warmer clothing, bundling himself up with fur and sticking by the fire. He hadn't ever lived in the cold, and the first few days was fighting the cold (The sickness as well) and learning tips from the people who lived there. However, he still often found himself sleeping in patches of mud under awnings and huddling up to what fires people left roaring.

Desperacy did hit, and he began taking writs to help with... The rat problem. Often taking work to clear out the storage areas of vermin with all of his amazing magical power. He was thankful that none of the Queens Court came to harass him over it. But he was making enough coin to survive, and he was being ingored by most in the village to ensure he wouldn't be harassed anytime soon. But peace never lasted forever. Eventually, some people began to question him, his accent, his past. He dodged around questions as best he could, all the while trying to ponder what to do next.

Sparrow came to visit, and the two sat out in the forest talking, drinking, and playing dice. Sparrow began to tease Caleb about his situation, even refering to him as Ratbane to mock him more, before he began to push that Caleb wasn't using his gifts to their full potential. Starting to list off all the things he could do to ultimately not just demolish his foes but gain whatever he desired from the villagers. Caleb of course shunned the idea, pushing the thoughts aside before Sparrow left in anger, taking Caleb's dice and food with him.

To his suprise, after several days just taking care of vermin, he was approached by a small band of who planned to deal with a necromancer. To date, he had made note to play off his magic as scroll magic, and they offered to not only take him but did not complain as he took his share of scrolls and coin along the way. Caleb's healing was... Unending, and with their focus on battle he was able to heal them nonstop without question, still claiming it was all scrolls. The party included the Paladin Valinar, The Mage Diawn, and the barbarian Kreathos. By the end of the journey, Caleb's pockets were full of gems, scrolls, potions, and coin which would... Honestly, just be converted into scrolls for summoning.

But when they returned to the village, the barbarian Kreathos was met by a man from his past. A man named Tito, who... Among lacking any social graces, had came to collect a debt. Kreathos fled upon sight of him, but Tito did well to not only make threats to Caleb and his friends, but make them infront of many. While others tried to calm down the scenario, Caleb took the threats to heart. Already steeling himself for the worst. They went to find Kreathos, and soon Tito had found them too. The man's threats were made double, and Kreathos was slowly pulled into a discussion of his honor and debt to Tito meaning he would have to raise arms against Caleb and Valinar.

Caleb was ready to pull back... Then SHE came. A whisper to his ear, a push for him to stand strong and strike down Tito. He knew only one woman with this voice... His Queen desired entertainment. After steeling himself, he began to prepare wards, a plan in mind... And then Tito struck before Caleb was ready. But Caleb had made a request, he asked for his mistress's aid in the battle, and when Tito's blades found blood, he also found the hand of Caleb's goddess striking him down. To Caleb, it was a show of her precense... To her, it was the beginning of a game more than likely. Valinar and Kreathos had been present, and speachless, of what had happened. They had heard the whispers, but could not make out what was said.

Caleb was ready to tell them as much as he felt he could. Wanting to let them know just enough to understand he wasn't something wicked, but one of her Fey had an eye on him. A warning was made, in form of a clucking chicken speaking in the animal way to Caleb, before Caleb just let the topic die. As he went to rest, another of her court gave him praise, and let him know. The Queen had no desire to see him die any time soon, and if she continued to see his progress as a good boy, he would find himself touched by more blessings like that one.

After this, Caleb turned to study. Learning what he could about Tailoring so he could help with Skal's lack of an actual tailor, and managed to save up enough coin to buy himself a room in the lodge going forward. He curled up in his bed, sleeping peacefully for the first time in what felt like years, while somewhere he knew the fey were keeping a close eye on him.


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Sidestory: What Became of Valkeen
Savages. He had fallen to relying on savages. Once they returned to the camp, coin began to be split among the raiders while he stared down at them with disgust. The leader offered him a place among them, seeing how far he would go to gain, and Valkeen accepted. That night was celebration, vices being lived out until everyone fell asleep either drunk as could be, with a partner or two in arms reach, or both. Valkeen had indulged only as much as he wanted before he had turned in briefly.

But he didn't sleep long. Soon raising to move through the camp, putting his blade through all of the sleeping drunkards. Raider, captive, or servant. Eventually turning on what few guards remained awake, and then the chieftan himself. Taking all the coin he could and replacing his damaged and old armor with anything that was better, before stealing a carriage and leaving. He had to find a new empire to make for himself, and he was not going to let it be some backwood primitives eager for coin over else....
"Well, my social anxiety is getting the best of me. I'm taking a walk; goodbye."
Roleplayer of Caleb Albarn

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Re: Caleb Albarn Woeher, a Beggar and a Chooser

Post by SuneTV » Tue Sep 17, 2019 1:14 pm


Entry: 24 - 9 - 154
Eleint

Something Caleb had began to learn was that Skal bred arrogance, overconfidence. Many of the people he began to meet in the comings months all were so proud of their abilities, usually lacking any idea of humility in the process. It wasn't something he rather enjoyed. He had always despised the idea that someone was the best, the idea that there were no dangers or threats. Everyone he met like that always found themselves crashing down, and hard. People who could make themselves dragons, or deemed themselves unmatched in physical or spellborn prowess, all seemed to flock here. Sadly, he was not innocent from this.

Caleb grew arrogant as well, the more he spent time with Kreathos and Valinar. Slowly falling into the belief that he was safe he stopped remembering to manage his spell use, his eyes often left glowing for long periods of time before he remembered to focus the glow away. This came to head when they began travelling on a mission with another Paladin, one who actually knew the signs of the warlock. Caleb managed to keep his composure when she attempted to out him, lieing to save his image, but ultimately he was sent away. Kreathos and Valinar however stood by him, believing his side, and from there Caleb slowly began to just twist the image of the Paladin as a liar, thought it helped she stole the other's loot from venture. But he began to use his magic much less around companions.

Thankfully, even without his magic he was often asked to join others out in the wild, usually residing in shadows and looting what they left on the ground. Valinar and Kreathos continued to be very close and dutiful friends. In addition, he began an ongoing friendship with the Guardian, Fulgrim. While he had to put his magic on hold for now, he wasn't feeling any slowing of progress. His room and residence even began to improve his health, his usually grimey and smelly self now managing to find a bath every couple of days.

Many had began asking for his craft, and as always he was rewarded in their own ways. Some with coin, some by bringing him things or buying him things, others by getting to know him. Soon, Caleb had been making names with several of the village, for better or worse. Of course, he found many he did not stand, but most of them he could tolerate at the least. Then... The sister of Tito showed up. The elf who had been dragged to hell by Caleb's Goddess was now being sought by his sister, an equally racist and unpleasent moonelf. He managed to buy time by telling her that her brother was killed for trying to kill an innocent civillian, but she has decided vengeance is the only answer. Thankfully, many stand by Caleb, but he was still certain she was going to find a reason to kill him...

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Sidestory: What is love?
One of the odder things Caleb met on his travels was an energetic little Halfling girl who, among asking him for help on a deal of things, began to poke and prod at Caleb's life. Not just minor questions either, but everything from his birth home to his love life. It made him uncomfortable, both as he wanted to keep a great deal of that a secret but also because Caleb realized just how.. boring he was. He had never dated, nor did he really know what ot talk about without riding on other's conversations.

But one good she did, aside from an extremely embarassing post on the city board? She pointed out that Caleb had been ignorant to a lot of social cues he was not aware of. From there it was... Awkwardness. The week that followed was... Accidentally, full of scenarios that brought him back to their topic. Some accidental flirty moments, a friend changing in plain sight, a dinner with a friend. Caleb was stuck... Thinking about his bachelor status far too much.

Thank god he eventually forgot it all and managed to move back to regular thought. Praying no one else brought up dating to him again....
"Well, my social anxiety is getting the best of me. I'm taking a walk; goodbye."
Roleplayer of Caleb Albarn

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