Terric Gambol

"This town is a shithole, but I love it despite this. I love these people." 
A young and curious traveler who made his way to Leydford with nothing but a sword, a lute, a handful of copper, and the clothes on his back, Terric is a spirited youth. He lacks the comprehension most others have of the norms of social hierarchy, and is wholly innocent to many of the daily difficulties others have learned to live with. If asked about his past, he becomes cautious and evasive, quickly looking to steer the conversation elsewhere. He performs at the local tavern daily, as well as out on the streets, in the hopes of calming or cheering the hearts of those who call Leydford home.
= Backstory =
Terric was born east in lands claimed by the Theozzian Empire. Raised by a doting mother and a militaristic father, Terric received training both in practical arts, and swordplay, from a very young age. Never once questioning the ways of his homeland, Terric's father - a high-ranking member of the Theozzian Inquisition - had groomed his son to follow in his footsteps. This would ultimately fail, as Terric's mother made the boy sympathetic to those beneath him, seeing them as in need of protecting, his strength meant for acts of good before glory. This resulted in Terric, upon coming of age, taking actions which shamed his father in front of the imperial high court, bringing their loyalty into question. Defying Imperial rule in an act of dissension, Terric attempted to free elven slaves from a torture prison. His actions, however, resulted instead in the deaths of every single person within, both guard and prisoner alike. Terric's father, in a bid to restore confidence in his loyalty, sentenced his own son to death by execution. Rather than see her son killed, however, Terric's mother stole him away in the night and bade him flee west to safer lands. He ran without aim for months, fearful every step, before collapsing outside of the tavern outside Leydford castle. Terric has settled into this new home with apprehension. He knows his father will be hunting him down, and he hopes that by staying outside the empire's borders, he will be able to stay alive.
= Season One =
After settling into a life under his new name, Terric quickly found himself on amiable terms with several of the local townsfolk. The environment was far different from the life he had known growing up, and he often found himself lacking understanding of aspects of daily life those around him seemed to take for granted.
In the early days, his disconnect from the town saw him find a kindred spirit in a local drifter, a drow named Kyler. As neither were locals, and both felt out-of-place, they ended up gravitating toward one another more often than not. Since Terric lacked the prejudices of the other townsfolk, their friendship became strong in short order. However it would not be until after a hunger-fueled riot broke out among the townsfolk, resulting in the loss of many lives, that Terric would begin to realize that the west was not the safe haven he had hoped. Seeing the pain and resolve experienced by those around him, most notably that of Katrina, his fellow tavern worker, made him consider seeking a way to aid the town. Thus he chose the only thing he knew for certain: he offered to teach Katrina how to fight, so she might defend herself or those around her. In the days that followed, the two would train together nearly every day, and when an imperial inquisitor came looking for Terric, Katrina proved integral to his successful evasion of the man. She asked few questions, and offered him her full, unwavering trust. Slowly, the two became close, and in time, Terric came to learn of matters of the heart. Thanks to words offered by Cade Shilbrook and Seravith, he came to realize he loved Katrina deeply, which is why he chose to tell her the truth of why he was being hunted by the empire: that he was the son of the imperial high inquisitor, and that his actions of rebellion cost the lives of dozens of state troops, and even several innocents, when he attempted to free those enslaved by his homeland. After struggling to accept it, the two were able to move forward, having grown stronger together as a result of this reality.
However, Terric's inherent fear of the east, and his growing fear of losing those close to him, had not abated, and when the town was attacked by bandits, and Kyler, his closest friend, taken, Terric took a dark path. A captured bandit was interrogated for information, and Terric participated willingly in torturing the man. In his mind, his fear was so great that he was willing to dehumanize this "enemy" to spare himself guilt. He would do anything to retrieve his friend, and avoid the worst coming to pass. In doing so, however, for just a moment, he became the very thing he swore never to be: his father. Katrina witnessed the entire event, and it destroyed her trust in him almost in its entirety.
In the days that followed, most of the town came to despise Terric, and he very nearly gave into the shame, were it not for Kyler, safely escaped from his captors, pulling him aside and grilling into him the importance of learning from your mistakes, so as to prove through actions that he is not who they say he is. Thus, despite the leers, jeers, and glares he received daily, Terric strove to do everything he could for the people of Leydford. Despite her loathing of him, Terric continued to love Katrina with his entire being, and left flowers on her bed every day.
However, in short order, someone would let slip to the inquisition that Terric was still in Leydford, and they came looking once more. This time, however, there would be no escape, so when Seravith chose to sell him out, he understood, and accepted his fate. With the cries of an unexpectedly inconsolable Katrina behind him, Terric walked, hands bound, out in front of Leydford's palisade with the inquisitors, and was shot twice with Flintlocks, his body dragged away into the woods.
Despite this, the boy survived.
Caged for days and treated horribly, Terric would be found nearly 6 days later in the border town of Dawnmire by Arn, Cade, and Katrina (who had been in the town for unrelated reasons). After being broken free and spirited away from the town, Terric was brought back to Leydford, his natural endurance allowing him to pick up a sword once more. He had been given a second chance at life, rescued by the very people he believed would never come for him. His old sword and scarf adorning Katrina, and a ring he had been making, completed and in her possession, Terric resolved to continue where he left off, and protect the home he found in Leydford, against the coming empire, against his past.
It would not last. In a desperate bid to find a possible ace-in-the-hole against the sieging imperial forces, Terric joined a party led by Myrindal Thesalor into the mines beneath Leydford. His reasons were simple: Kyler and Katrina, the two people most precious to him, were going down there, and they all knew of the dangers that awaited: bipedal creatures of fungus that would kill wantonly. Through the dark depths he fought hard alongside the party, but as they eventually tried to make their escape, Terric was mortally wounded trying to shield Katrina's unconscious form with his body. Shortly after escaping the tunnels, his injury caught up to him, his lungs punctured by his own shattered ribs. He collapsed to the ground, drowning in his own blood. As those around tried desperately to find a way to save him, he weakly called to Kyler, and holding the drow's hand, spoke three words:
"Keep her safe."
And then he was gone."They are family to me, and I will protect them, come what may."
= Attributes =
*Major - Unexpected Bladework: Terric’s youth and lack of worldly experience give the impression he is helpless. However, he possesses a level of one-on-one swordsmanship skill beyond his years, able to best most opponents in a fair fight with ease.
*Minor - Strong Constitution: Terric grew up in conditions which promoted his physical growth. He has developed a very healthy body, and does not succumb easily to illness.
*Minor - Athletic: Being on the road for months prior to arriving in Leydford has greatly improved Terric’s endurance. He is able to travel overland faster than the average human, and has good stamina, even for a youth.
= Detriments =
*Major - Hunted: Terric’s actions in the empire prior to his departure brought into question his family’s loyalty, and sullied his father’s name and place in the inquisition. In a bid to earn favour with the crown, Terric’s father put out a bounty on his own son. Terric is to be killed to prove his father’s loyalty. 
*Minor - Illiterate: Terric has always struggled to grasp the written word, even when genuinely trying. He gave up young, never remedied this, and does not even know his basic letters.
*Minor - Drowner: Terric never learned how to swim. Despite his athleticism, if he falls into a lake or river he will quickly begin to drown if he is not aided.
=Gallery=
=Links=
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Category:Humans
Category:Fractured Thrones Characters
Category:Maple Sage's Characters