Carlos Moonbourne

### Aliases

Carlos Cliffbourne IV, High Chieftain and Warden of Iron, Taker of the Opportunity

### Relatives

Carlos Cliffbourne III (father) Gimla Cliffbourne (mother) Dugda Moonbourne (wife) Ramsey Moonbourne (son) Gaea Moonbourne (daughter) Kurt (godson), Luna Moonbourne (daughter) Selena Moonbourne (daughter) Braenus (cousin)

### Affiliation

Fang Gang, Sehanine Moonbow, Lord's Alliance, Fang Guild

## Description

### Appearance

Carlos is the classic image of a dwarf: short, stocky, and bearded. Standing slightly taller than the average mountain dwarf, Carlos was still *dwarfed* by his allies. His rough and tumble nature lead to the development of several scars on his otherwise handsome face.

### Personality

Above all, Carlos valued loyalty. Loyalty to the Fangs, loyalty to Phandalin, and most importantly, loyalty to Sehanine Moonbow. Never one to back down from a challenge, Carlos was always the first one into the fray and the last one out. His protective nature drove him to take the hits so that his companions wouldn't have to. While he demonstrated considerable growth over the course of his adventure, he still hated that son of a bitch Porto Longholes until the day he died.

## Before the Fangs

Carlos IV was just like his namesake, Carlos I. Charismatic and intelligent, he was popular amongst everyone he met. Being the great-grandson of the legendary Carlos I certainly didn’t hurt either. Because of this, Carlos IV got a little big-headed. It’s hard to stay humble when you’re the heir to a great seat of power and the most suave guy in the room at the same time. Carlos’s big-headedness gave him an invincibility complex. Nothing bad seemed to stick to him. Until one faithful day…

Surrounded by his entourage, the 30 year old Carlos (teenage to a dwarf) was spending time in the mountains of Thil Kuldor. A particularly pretty dwarf (is there such a thing?) caught his eye. Always the lady’s man, Carlos and the lady dwarf struck a deal that if he could climb to the top of the cliffside within 2 minutes, she would go on a date with him. This would be no issue for Carlos, as his strength was renowned. Carlos decided to up the ante and do it with his eyes closed. As he approached the top of the cliff, Carlos slipped. He tumbled down 30 feet and hit his head. Everything went black.

Carlos awoke two weeks later. He recovered, but something was different. He bumbled over his words and couldn’t comprehend the world around him. Carlos’s head injury caused him to lose his intelligence and charisma. Distraught, Carlos fled. His entire identity was based around his status. If he couldn’t do the simplest task, how could he lead? He took off in the night, abandoning his birthright without telling any of his family.

With no direction, Carlos wandered all over Faerûn for the next few years. He took odd jobs here and there and had a brief stint with a group of mercenaries. While dwarves are lawful good by nature, Carlos’s vagabond lifestyle brought him towards a neutral alignment. He wasn’t evil by any means, but he wasn’t overly concerned with others. His main concern was his own survival and finding a place of belonging in the world. He went on with this for the next 20 years. Eventually after leaving the mercenaries, Carlos found himself in Neverwinter. While in a tavern in town, Carlos met up with an old friend, Gundren Rockseeker. Gundrin needed help getting a cart to Phandalin...

## Lost Mines of Phandelver

In transporting the cart for his friend Gundrin, Carlos's fate was forever changed. He met up with who would soon be dubbed the Fang Gang, setting off on his grand adventure. After dispatching a few goblins, some bandits, and some twig blights, the gang came upon Venomfang, a young green dragon that had made its roost in Thundertree. As spoils from this battle, Carlos took the enchanted axe Hew and a helm made from the skull of the drake. On a stop back in Phandalin, Carlos seduced and bedded Dugda, the proprietor of the local house of ill repute. The adventure continued, and the threat of the Black Spider, Nezznar, was squashed. In a last ditch effort, Nezznar sent his armies to raze Phandalin. Our heroes efforts to protect the city held true, until a great ancient green dragon attacked as the Fangs were swept away by magical forces to the demiplane of Barovia.

## The Curse of Strahd

Barovia would prove to be a pivotal time in the life of Carlos. Tasked with gathering artifacts in to defeat the vampyr Strahd, Carlos acquired his signature weapon, the Sunsword, the sentient weapon of Strahd's brother Sergei.

His luck would soon turn in the Amber Temple, where he was afflicted with a curse by a magical staff. This staff gave Carlos a lust for power and a desire to acquire it by any means necessary. In the same temple, Carlos happened upon a sarcophagus, imbued with the power of Fekre, Queen of Poxes. Carlos took the power of this dark denizen, and gained the power to confer disease, at a cost. His soul was blackened with the curse of evil. Outhouse sensed this, and conferred with Sehanine. The party learned the grim knowledge that she could not cleanse him until they returned home to the Prime Material Plane.

Despite the curse of evil, Carlos's pride remained intact. He hated Strahd and his domain for daring to have influence over him. As the party continued their way through Barovia, his resolve to destroy Strahd remained firm.

Carlos would get his wish, as the Fangs infiltrated Castle Ravenloft with the help of the Barovians. After defeating Strahd's physical form, the party drove steaks crafted by Carlos into the vampyr's heart, loosing his grasp on Barovia and allowing the Fangs to return home.

## Shadow of the Dragon

Soon after learning the fate of Phandalin, Carlos and Outhouse made pilgrimage to Tide to cleanse him of the taint on his soul. The duo reached Tide and Carlos pledged himself to Sehanine for saving him from darkness. He would not be a true paladin and follower of her until he proved himself worthy. The party continued their journey through the cities of the Sword Coast to gather support for the Lord's Alliance.

When the party made it to Silverymoon, they learned the circumstances of Carlos's birth. Carlos's father had passed away, and he was next in line for the mantle of Chieftain. Carlos refused this offer, deeming himself unworthy. His cousin Braenus took up the mantle in his stead.

When the party ventured to Griffon's Nest, they participated in the Opportunity, a show of strength and martial ability. Carlos emerged victorious, defeating the likes of Swirvathan, Vorziros, and Zultar.

The party's exploits eventually took them to Candlekeep, the great library. Here, Carlos found and read the Book of Exalted Deeds, growing in his faith and holiness. Outhouse, however, happened upon a dark tome: the Book of Vile Darkness. Carlos's partner in faith was corrupted, turning into a wight. Desperate to save his friend, he knocked the undead Outhouse unconscious, tied him up, and brought him to Tide to be cleansed. Outhouse was saved and his recovered soul was put into a golem.

It was time for Carlos to become a full fledged member of Sehanine's grace. Rescuing his friend deemed Carlos worthy, and he was inducted into the religion. He drank from a potion that showed his flaws and mistakes, allowing him to put them in the past. In these visions, he saw Dugda, the dwarf he bedded those months ago, pregnant. When he awoke, the sword took a different form, that of a crescent moon. The sunsword had been reborn as the Moonblade. Sergei's voice spoke out to Carlos in proper, acting as a guiding force in his new paladin status. He planted a tree on Tide to represent his growth in Sehahnine's light and was off.

Upon reaching Phandalin again, Carlos sought out Dugda. He promised to take responsibility for his actions and care for the child. Over time, he and Dugda would grow close and a relationship began to blossom.

The Lord's Alliance was eventually gathered, and a meeting on how to take care of the dragon was held. The meeting was attacked by Nestra, a member of the Zhentarrime, with a baby at her breast: the bastard child of her and the young Webb. In the fight, Swirvathan hurled her through hell, but upon her return, the baby was nowhere to be seen. Carlos volunteered to be sent through the hells to rescue the boy. His attempt was successful and he took the child under his and Dugda's care. He was called Kurt and left in Phandalin.

After much deliberation, plans were made to defeat the evil Emeralizar. The party was successful in infiltrating his keep, and Carlos dealt the killing blow to the dragon. The party agreed to allow Emeralizar to return as an orb to advise them on the greater threat that he was trying to prevent: the Fiend.

## The World that Burned

Following the fight with Emeralizar, Carlos helped to organize the evacuation of Phandalin to Waterdeep. Our heroes made their way to Asylium to defeat the Rhineadune and the malicious Fiend.

During the battle with the Fiend, Outhouse was drawn into the great creature's mouth. Carlos dove in after him and the two sat before Sehanine. She gave them a sorrowful look, explaining she couldn't help them, as they were devoured by the Fiend. As hope left our heroes, the rest of the Fangs defeated the Fiend, saving the two devout from certain demise.

## Aftermath

After everything with the Fiend died down, Carlos and Outhouse made another pilgrimage to Tide to ask Sehanine what their path should be. She advised Carlos that his destiny was his own and to do what he felt was right. After tense negotiations with Webb, Carlos entrusted the child with his natural father, under the condition that he would be coming in to check up on the boy frequently.

Soon, Carlos and Dugda were wed, officiated by Outhouse and attended by all of the friends our heroes made along the way. The two would lead a happy life together, as Carlos ran the Fang Guild alongside Franz. The other Fangs would pop in from time to time to take contracts for old time's sakes. Carlos and Dugda had four children. Ramsay, the firstborn, took to artificing and the creation of magical items. He always had a soft spot for his Uncle Franz. Gaea took after Avich, spending most of her time outdoors communing with nature. Kurt would spend summers with the Moonbournes and had a proclivity for magic. His brief time spent through the hells gave his magic a fiendish, but harmless, flair, much like his Aunt Swirv. His daughter Luna was quite the gearhead, fascinated with Outhouse's mechanical form. Carlos's youngest, Selena, was the spitting image of her father. She had the same hard head and stubbornness and was always her father's favorite.

After a long and happy life, Dugda passed away. Carlos was blessed with longevity by his goddess and spent the next few decades traveling with his children and visiting his old friends. Eventually, it was time for Carlos to die. He returned to Tide and to the tree of his faith. After these many years, it grew tall with his faith and resolve. He smiled, closed his eyes and was gone.

However, when he met with Sehanine, she informed him that his works were not done and he was still needed. Before he could press for more information, his vision returned to him. The Moonblade carried the essence of Carlos and was wielded by Selena. Carlos accompanied his daughter through a long life of adventures until her time came and she passed away, elderly and fulfilled. Carlos descended into sleep, where he remains to this day.