Gwendivere Beckett

The Ranger of Legend

Gwen in her Sojourney Outfit

## Description

An agile fighter and a renown hunter, Gwendivere gained notoriety during the Bandit Uprising, leading a squadron of Knights and Rangers into the fallen keep of Frostmarch. There, Beckett's squadron helped turn the tide of the battle and earning the respect of the King himself. After the devastating battle, Gwen returned to her home, settling into the town of Ashenholde and quelling smaller level bandit activities in Ishera.

After a decade out of serious action, Gwen's instincts have pulled her into the call of war again, following the Hero into the encroaching chaotic events of the Main Story.

## Biography

### Early Life

Gwendivere and her family grew up in Dunborough, eventually leaving the city to reside in a quiet home in the woods. She was incredibly close with her younger, twin sister, Ellewyn, and her Father, Darwin. Darwin was an expert hunter who trained the two girls to wield a bow by the time they were 6. The two were inseparable as children, with their parents often finding the twins in all sorts of mischief together. Elle would always pull Gwen into her trouble, but Gwen was happy to be scolded as long as it would make her sister laugh.

When they reached 15, Gwen and Ellewyn both attempted to enter the Ranger Academy, something they had both dreamed of since they were children. Although nearly matched in skill, Elle's lack of focus cost her the entry to the Academy, and was told to try again during the next entrance exam, in a year. Gwen decided to withhold her acceptance into the Academy in order to make her sister feel better, although it pained her greatly. A year passed and Gwen had helped Elle focus in time for the entrance exam, which they both passed with flying colours.

#### Ranger Academy

Through their studies, Gwen found her sister finding more enjoyment in the social aspects of the Academy rather than the practice and teachings. Where Gwen was acing all of her practical and knowledge examinations, Elle was struggling to balance her social life alongside her exams. Gwen eventually decided to pull Elle aside and offered her tutelage, attempting to assist her twin by studying alongside her. Gwen put hours of effort into her sister's studies, but still found herself being put to the side when it came to her new friends in the Academy. This clique of friends also struggled in their studies, and Gwen knew they would never pass their final examinations and graduate.

One night, Gwen insisted Elle stay in and study instead of heading to the tavern with her friends, but Elle argued and the two got into a heated argument that ended with Elle leaving Gwen to study by herself. Ellewyn and Gwen had slowly drifted apart by the time they were 18, with Gwen focusing on her studies and Ellewyn finding more fun in making friends amongst their peers. On the eve of their graduation, a fire broke out in the Hunter's Hall, causing the destruction of years of knowledge the Ranger's had passed down. Elle's friends were caught in the blaze and blamed her, stashing the tinderbox used in her cabin. Elle was cast out less than day before her graduation. Elle begged her sister to vouch for her, but Gwen decided to put herself first, and chose not to get involved in the investigation, wounding her sister and creating a rift between the two that would never truly heal.

Elle was expelled from the academy, leaving Gwen by her own devices. Gwen became bitter over their row, frustrated that Elle couldn't have just listened to her advice. She slowly began to focus on herself and her survival, which helped her become a brilliant military strategist and earned her honour amongst her peers and particular notice from the Brigadier - the leader of the Ranger's Academy.

### Renown Ranger

Over the years, Gwen grew distant from people around her, after her father's passing, she found a comfort in her own work, preventing robberies and infiltrating bandit activities where she was stationed, in the Highlands. On her 22nd birthday, she received a letter from Ellewyn, informing her that she had joined a scholar's voyage to the west, beyond the Great Sea in search of new land to discover. Gwen found herself surprisingly hurt by the departure, and fell further into her isolation.

For 10 years, Gwen jumped from station to station across the continent, discovering lands that she had studied but never been able to view in person. Her knowledge grew, and she became an incredibly renown Ranger General.

#### The Bandit Uprising

When the Bandit Wars began, Gwen was given a squad of Rangers and Knights who were tasked with responding to urgent Bandit activity across the continent. One of the Members, Allain, was in awe of Gwen's reputation, much to her disdain. As the war pressed on, she came to admire his prowess in battle. Allain was a brilliant strategist, one who thought of all the pieces on the board, not just the fight. Although Gwen herself was a brilliant strategist, Allain's Knightly tactics helped her overcome her (albeit small amount of) shortcomings, ensuring that no villagers would come to harm and the job was done with minimal risk to her team. He had a big heart and warmed to her over time.

Gwen's ruthlessness was eventually called forth when during a raid, she prioritised taking out the Bandits escaping the village over saving a wounded villager. Allain and Gwen argued relentlessly, but eventually came to a head and Gwen found herself humbled by him.

The two had a bumpy road for the next few operations, but towards the end of the Bandit Wars Gwen and Allain set time aside to talk about their feelings, something Gwen couldn't do with her sister. Gwen opened up to Allain for the first time in years, and found herself pouring her heart out openly in front of him. He made her feel welcome, unjudged; and most importantly - he listened.

Allain and Gwen slowly found themselves feeling warmer towards each other, not romantically, but in comfort. Allain found someone who enjoyed his humour, and Gwen found someone who she felt she could trust for the first time in years. As the Bandit War finally came to its climactic battle, Gwen and Allain spearheaded a covert assault on the rear of the castle. Gwen's headstrong strategy landed them in hot water and Allain was confronted directly with a Veil Cultist. The dark wizard cast a fireball which struck Allain in the leg, searing his lower body and rendering him paralyzed. Gwen's force defeated their enemies and retreated, attempting to tend to Allain's wounds. Although stable, Allain was stuck in a coma, and Gwen found herself falling back into her isolation.

When she received word that Allain was awake, she went to visit him every day for a month, struggling to cope with her guilt.

### Return to Ishera

She returned to Ashenholde as a hurt, but strong Ranger, and outlived the rest of the Rangers in the village, and is a well known threat amongst the Bandit clans of Ishera. Gwendivere harbours a deep resentment towards bandits because of her losses.

## Weaver Storyline

### Chapter 1: Banding Together

You arrive in Ashenholde and meet Gwendivere and Castine, the two Rangers who are in charge of dealing with the bandits in the County. Gwen asks for your assistance in dealing with some of the raids the bandits have conducted, helping the residents of Mahony and Pagestone and defending them from attacks. While delivering goods to the town of Durne, the village is attacked by a large swathe of bandits. After defending the town, Gwen notes that these bandits are all from different clans that don't usually all operate in Ishera.

You eventually head to Dunborough and relay your reports to Captain Ralfe, the Captain of the Dunborough Guard, who asks you to investigate the work of the bandits. Ralfe helps you plan bait in the form of a travelling cart of goods which is inevitably ambushed and raided by the bandits. Gwendivere leads the party and follows the bandits to a location in the south of Ishera and discovers the camp. Whilst overlooking the camp, you overhear the bandits mention that three of the larger clans have banded together to attempt to take over Dunborough. The clans are identified as the Copperfingers, Snatcher and Reapers. The bandits are working together with a group of cultists identified as the Veil Weavers who seem to be pulling the strings from behind the scenes. While listening in on the conversations, the attack on the capital is confirmed to be taking place in 7 days.