G’eldatar D’Vosh
G’eldatar was born into the House D’Vosh, the largest and most powerful Lolthian house in Blackspire, and thus the world. D’Vosh is currently divided into four lineages, and since G’eldatar can trace himself through the female line directly back to his great-great-great-grandmother Jaazahn, which makes him something of a minor noble, and thus his name means “Spider Prince”.
- Bahkeesial – Matron Mother, and High Priestess of the Church of Lolth, she is favored by the dread goddess above all other servants, and as such wields incredible power both magically and politically.
- General Nessika – she is supreme commander of Lolthian domestic security, and also commands the Kavalosh, the elite male soldiers in service to the Church
- Jaazahn – G’eldatar’s ancestor is the oldest living Lolthian noble in Blackspire (she’s rumored to be over 1000 year old) and is responsible for most of House D’Vosh’s business enterprises. She has money in arboretums, darkwood, rulp, as well as poisons and drugs.
- Lord Viran D’Vosh – Bahkeesial’s oldest living son, who’s created a dynasty of his own. His descendants often claim descent from the Bahkeesial line, but since they’re descended through the male line, they are considered to be of lesser status (though still equals of the Nessika and Jaazhan lines).
Now, it was to Jaazahn’s great shame that her line had given the least number of sons and daughters to Lolth’s Church, so when G’eldatar began to display the traits of true Lolthian nobility, she saw to his training to enter the Kavalosh, going so far as to gift him with one of their dreaded blades. Though some Kavaloshi rise high, becoming personal bodyguards to high clerics and powerful nobles, more often they find themselves relegated to eternal guard duty at the Cathedral of Lolth, where they stand at attention for 18 hours straight for years upon years without end. To G’eldatar, whose mind was one of the brightest in his entire family, the life of a Kavaloshi seemed like a death sentence.
Now as a young elf, G’eldatar showed particular curiosity (and talent) for the alchemical processes Jaazahn was invested in, though actually working with them oneself was frowned on (“We’re investors, not craftsmen like House Thathis…” Jaazahn would say). G’eldatar felt compelled to pursue the life of an alchemist, despite Jaazahn’s intentions to give him over to Nessika for induction into the Lolthian order. Though his great-great-great-grandmother did not decide to punish him for refusing the Kavalosh, neither would she give him support, and as such G’eldatar found himself no longer welcome in the D’Vosh fortress, and cut off from his inheritance.
Now, the Academy of War Magic was far too old fashioned to take the pursuit of alchemy seriously, so G’eldatar was forced to attend the College of Necromancy to further his alchemical studies. Fortunately G’eldatar was accepted to the College on merit alone, something few other Lolthians can boast. He was forced to give up many comforts to pay for his schooling (tuition is 100 crowns/level/year + 100 for every level you gain during the year) but his talents impressed many of his instructors, and he was shown some of the wondrous and terrible secrets that bridge the gaps between alchemy and necromancy. He even studied under the illustrious Professor Benjamin Raspbone, a wight necromancer who sits on the College’s board, and has a reputation for casting death spells on students who irritate him during lectures, or worse… fail his class. On more than one occasion G’eldatar’s grades blew the curve on an exam enough to result in some classmates “failing out”, but Raspbone in particular was impressed with the Lolthian, and taught him the secrets of preserving his organs, as well as gifting him with a set of masterwork field chirurgeon’s tools. Raspbone is also rumored to be the head of a secret society of necromancer elites called the Fraternity of the Fleshless (sort of the Skull and Bones of the college) but if that’s true, he has never shared any details with G’eldatar. G’eldatar also befriended another student with similar interests, a vampire named Hanjat who was the “son” of the Caliph Rahzeen, a Vampire Prince who also has an interest in the production of drugs. Hanjat always wore a pin in the shape of a silver crescent, but never explained its significance to G’eldatar.
Despite his many advantages, G’eldatar was always in need of money to fund his schooling and experiments, and as such began a side business as a traveling salesman in Grumchucker’s Square, the section of the city known for its mercenaries and pit fights, so it had plenty of injured (or soon to be injured) potential customers he could sell his elixirs too. Additionally G’eldatar theorized if someone recognized the potential of his alchemy, he might be able to land some lucrative mercenary gigs, and earn a great deal more than he could from the back of his zombie pulled wagon selling cures on the street.
It was during this time G’eldatar encountered a doppelganger actor named Maelik Kileam. G’eldatar had actually seen the doppelganger years before play the lead role in a production of Damon II by Jhikspar D’Vosh (sort of the Lolthian Shakespeare) at Blackskull Hall (the year House D’Vosh paid for the production) and thought he was wonderful. The doppelganger had come to Grumchucker’s Square to get a little real world experience as a mercenary and the two became drinking companions. Apparently Maelik Kileam had somewhat fallen out of favor with the acting community after the most recent production of Damon II angered a number of Lolthian Houses, and Blackskull Hall had been the victim of arson. G’eldatar himself on the outs with his own House could certainly sympathize.
Now, most people considered G’eldatar to be just another snake oil salesman hocking bogus curatives, but recently he had a medusa for a customer named Melaria. Not only did she recognize the potential for G’eldatar’s wares, she thought he was vastly underestimated. Melaria was an experienced mercenary with two powerful companions, a troll named Marv and a vampire woman named Solina. G’eldatar made it known to her his curative elixirs could be very valuable to a mercenary group like hers, but that he also knew how to use the Kavaloshi blade hanging from his belt as well, and that he was interested in work. Melaria has since begun inviting G’eldatar along with them when they go drinking at a local tavern in Grumchucker’s Square called The Bloody Coin. There is no end to the excitement one can have with an alchemist as a drinking companion, and on occasion G’eldatar also invites Maelik Kileam along, who’s a very entertaining companion as well… and so hopefully when work comes along, they’ll all be included. Even more recently they’ve all been joined by a blue dragon named Stormtooth that somehow Melaria convinced to tag along. Needless to say, having a blue dragon for a drinking companion now means their crew always commands the seat of honor when they visit The Bloody Coin.