Ganelon Wyrmire

The impoverished blacksmith from Nourt.

Appearance & Personality
Ganelon is a sturdy bearded blacksmith from Nourt. He wears nothing but his rugged leather garments and his old blacksmith apron, still stained with soot and coal. Being a poor wanderer one would think he'd have some sort of backpack with essential supplies, but not Ganelon. The only equipment he wears is a satchel with what little food and drink (alcohol) he has, and a set of axes that stands out on his person. On his back, he keeps his greataxe, a two-handed monster capable of cleaving any heads clean off. On his waist he wears two hand-axes, capable of being wielded for devestating effect when dual-wielded. Finally, in his apron he keeps several throwing-axes, well balanced and able to be brought out at a moment's notice. What stands out with these axes is that they're surprisingly well maintained and shines brightly when the sun reflects off the steel. Regular folk believes he has stolen the axes from somewhere, but in truth the axes are Ganelon's most priced possessions. He sharpens them, cleans them and maintains them so that they keep their brilliant quality despite his poverty and appearant (by the smell) alcoholic abuse.

Ganelon's personality is a grim one. The dark sacks under his eyes testify to lack of sleep and hint at his depression. Ever since his last family member died he has turned to alcohol to keep him sane, which sullied his reputation and led to his eventual impoverishment. Despite being depressed, the alcohol makes Ganelon quite talkative and social to strangers, though in no way merry. It was not until he met a young girl in Pylonthia that gave him a coin to spend on a meal and a bath that his mood eventually started to change.

Early life
As a boy, Ganelon grew up on a farm and being the only son had to help out a lot more than his sister with the heavy lifting. It was just him, his parents and his sister. They lived in a quiet village in the western end of Nourt, away from the bustling of the bigger cities and towns. Eventually Ganelon would become old enough to work at the local blacksmith's, after having emplored his father. This led to him having to hire extra hands for the farm however, but he was glad he could let his son pursue something he wanted to do.

Years passed, and eventually Ganelon took over the blacksmith business after his master promoted him and passed away. This dealt the first blow to Ganelon's mental health as his one mentor in the world dies, but he wouldn't let it break him. He told the Gods it would take much more than that to break him... And it did.

Only months later, his father falls ill and dies shortly after. Ganelon had to employ hands in the blacksmith to help out his family. His sister had taken over the farm since their mother was growing old and mentally unstable from her husband's death, and Ganelon lended what financial and physical aid he could, but even this was not to last.

Mid-Life
Working the forge still, Ganelon found it hard to spare any time for his family. A royal order came in, issuing a huge shipment of military equippment needed for the Nourt Military. Ganelon had to work day and knight with his apprentices to meet the deadline, and thus had to prioritize work over his family.

This came to be his biggest regret in life.

While he was busy, Ganelon's sister had to go out hunting alone, and was caught by a band of brigands. Raped and murdered, she was left in the woods to rot. When news reached Ganelon that his sister was missing, he launched a two-day search mission that would ultimately result in the finding of his sister's body. Ever since that day, he blames himself for his sister's death. He took his mother to his own house and sold the farm, and took to alcohol to soothe his nerves. In his dreams, he still sees the body of his sister laying in the dirt as he found her.

Eventually, he could no longer work the forge as effectively as he used to. When eventually his mother died of old age (presumably), his employees scrambled together a bit of money to buy the smithyof Ganelon's hands and continue the work themselves. The money was soon spent on alcohol, and Ganelon left the village never to return again.

Xelorian's Wrath Campaign
Year 403 after the Great War, Ganelon found himself in Pylonthia. He had been broke a long time, and when intoxicated he had the idea of travelling there to make some money off of the quest bureau. While there however, he was too poor to even keep himself drunk and his smell irritated some other adventurers that were standing in the queue to the Quest Buraeu. Tossing Ganelon out of his place in the queue, the Nord stumbled up to the fountain. Sitting down on the edge, he noticed a young girl next to him. A trader or something, by the looks of it, and an Elder Human at that. Introducing himself to the girl, Evangelyne was her name, the girl saw it fit to spare a silver coin for the old Blacksmith to get a meal and clean himself at the nearest inn, and so he did. Grateful beyond belief, Ganelon returned and vowed to repay the girl for her kindness.

Several others soon joined the queue, and under strange circumstances Evangelyne and Ganelon were stuck together with a Dwarf, a Gralt, an Elf, a Half-Elf, an Orc and another Elder Human. After awkward introductions the group declared themselves a group and ventured into the Quest Bureau.

While their adventures through the Quests provided by the bureau are interesting in their own, such as the Dwarf splitting from the rest of the group and a Baroness' cat being slain, these are tales for another time.

On the last of their Quests, the group of misfits were tasked with guarding the border in Partuck. They inspect caravans coming and going, question travellers of their reason into the country and let people in or kee pthem out depending on their business. This is where the story unfolds.

A caravan approaches. A prison escort, by the looks of it. The carts are barred shut and locked tightly, indicating high-priority prisoners. Probably very dangerous. Even though the escort guards protested, the group decided to inspect the shady-looking caravan and opened some of the carts to look at the prisoners before letting them into Partuck. This was their mistake. Out from one of the carts came a thick mist, a dark laughter, and overwhelming power. The cart exploded, injuring several of the group and killing some of the escort guards, even taking two other carts with it. Xelorian was free.

In the aftermath and confusion, a dark figure approached, probably from one of the destroyed carts. Beloath, the Gralt of the group and possibly the only one Ganelon befriended closely other than Evangelyne, rode one of the horses at the figure in a charge, and sliced him. To no effect, to everyone's surprise. The figure asks: "Why?", but nobody answers. Several others strike at the figure, but none seem to even harm the man. He asks again, "Why?". Eventually the group gives up, and decides communication is the best approach. Awkwardly, the man wasn't dangerous despite his otherworldly undeath. He introduces himself as Jon, a dark warrior who once fought with Xelorian, now against him.

Explaining to the group that Xelorian is trying to destroy the world to ascend to power above the Gods, Jon urges the group to join him in his quest. The group have to abandon their quest given by the bureau and the Orcish border-guards of Partuck to join the dark warrior in their attempt to defeat Xelorian and stop his madness.

Jon sends the group all around the world, but during the last two assignments, he takes Ganelon with him, who by then had pledged himself fully to Jon's cause, and leaves for other lands. Battles go about all over the world by now. This period is covered in the "Ganelon's Redemption" section.

Evangelyne journeyed home to Pylonthia after Xelorian's release. She was not strong enough, a simple trader as she was, to battle the dark legions that Jon intended to fight head on. After Ganelon had ventured with Jon he had embraced his religion, becoming a light-wielding warrior of retribution. Ganelon had become a Paladin. Called back to Nourt, Jon ordered him there to wait for the rest of the group to arrive, which they eventually did. The nation was engulfed by war, and the armies scrambled to meet Xelorian's dark footmen. The group arrived, and together drove the legions back to Pylonthia, where Xelorian had made his stronghold. Through battle and blood, they made their way into the city and launched an offensive at the citadel, now inhabited by the Dark Arch-Invoker himself.

The final battle came, and although wounded and tired, the group managed to strike hard and true at the heart of evil that day. Xelorian was vanquished, but his plans not yet toppled. The moon came crashing down, threatening to destroy the world as they knew it.

Through selfless sacrifice, Ganelon and Húrka offered their lives to fuel the magic that would launch the moon back where it belonged.

Ganelon was no more.