Aris Blackhand
I am Aris Blackhand. I
was a Knight of the Blade but my order stripped me of my knighthood. I was a
loyal knight and aid de camp to Sir Casleon at the battle of Saarden and fought
back the undead in the Valley of the Dryad. I brought the death of many evil
cultists, but one day I witnessed a murder, the murder of my leader. I was
guarding the room of Sir Casleon as he recovered from his wounds from Thaleus.
Many months had passed since the battle, and the knight seemed to start
recovering. But one night, a shadow of death fell about the camp and I knew evil
was at work, I burst into Casleon’s chambers to see a woman with raven black
hair. Sir Casleon called out, and slumped over. I charged but she simply stepped
into the shadows and vanished. As I tried to help the knight, others entered the
room and rushed to his side. It was then that all eyes turned to me. I explained
what had happened but the shadows of suspicion fell about me.
I was imprisoned for the murder of my master and sentenced to hang but I
escaped, to reclaim my name and avenge my master. My family name was erased and
my title striped. I wandered for years hunting the lady in black, but with
little success.
Then I found the Cult of the Jack O’Lantern and they took me in. I learned that
the woman was Mechella, the Daughter of Night. They helped me and I, them. For
many years I searched for Mechella and after some time I was close to
infiltrating the Cult of Darkness but I was spotted by an older cultist. I ran
but was hunted down. A man in black with a belt of skulls named Sherman Kane
finished me off and I was forced to wear the black chains of sin, but thanks to
Erik, I was freed from my bondage and placed here in this peaceful cemetery and
Chells helped restore my good name.
My name means even less now for those that I served under in Glandryth’s Army,
the Baron Ince and brave Sir Casleon are gone. Perhaps you heard the news about
the Baron. Last fall, it was heard across the lands that the Baron was dead. His
garrisons in remote locals such as Crossroads and the like were recalled to
Cairn.
In the days when I served with him, the Baron Ince was a great man, a truly rare
breed a Noble who was actually noble. After he was blinded, he fell from grace.
He became little more than a petty warlord who zealously protected his
territories in Cairn. His men took over Crossroads and taxed the merchants for
the privilege of traveling his roads. His minions raided the Serenity Field
cemetery to pilfer its graves. They killed a member of Stonehaven’s Gray Council
when he dared to challenge the Baron’s trade policies between Stonehaven and
Cairn. In short, he shamed his good name and those of the Guardians of Saarden
that he once led until the ostracized him from their order.
Sir Casleon is even greater in comparison to the Fallen Baron. For although he
too was wounded gravely in the battle with Thaleus and although his body was
racked with unending pain from the Black Elf’s spell, Casleon DID NOT FALTER! He
was a true hero that never gave in to petty spite and self-pity as did the
Baron. If he lived today, he would still be leading the Guardians and risking
everything to protect the people of the Shadowlands. Even as a spirit, he found
ways to aid you! But now his spirit is gone taken by some dark thing! It is too
much… too much!
The event held in his name is an apt tribute to him. The Casleon Contests are
training for you all. For as he said “Some games are not simple contests. Some
games hold in them the fate of the world. I implore you to continue the
tradition of the Casleon Contests for years to come. Will you do that?
Please leave me to grieve the loss of my commander… my friend.