Ulfar Copperfinder

Ulfar Coinhand (Copperfinder)

Homeworld: Faerun

Home City: Sundabar

Prior to the storm, Ulfar was established in a merchant's guild which specialized in working with precious metals.  He was apprenticed to a money changer, who trained him in the balance of metals within coins, and engraving.  Ulfar was brought through the storm early in the history of Frostholm.  He immediately fell into house Copperfinder and gained employment at the Copperfinder Headquarters, upon its completion.  His job was to manage the coins coming through the mechanisms, and to have them sent to the proper vaults.  He was happy in life and loved his purpose, as it dealt with coins, which reminded him of his old world and ancestral house.  Ulfar one day felt something was amiss with the silver coins coming through the mechanisms, as the teachings of Master Bovonlir Goldmantle were recited back to him in his head about the precious metals in the coins.  After doing some research over a couple of months, he discovered the coins had been tainted.  He then questioned his superiors about where the coins go, as they were coming back tainted.  They told him to not worry about such things, as they were above his station in life.  Ulfar would not relent, and found himself reassigned to an off beat sailing ship, which occasionally transported important Copperfinder dwarves from one location to another.

Ulfar the sailor.  He learned the ways of the inner sea, and sailing in general. During this time, he became increasingly bitter, as the Copperfinder house had lost honor in his eyes.  He decided he would have to find a new purpose in life, that lived in a more proper honorable manner.  The Copperfinders however had other plans.  They kept him on the ship, with only the few ears to hear his words.  When the ship made port, he was barely allowed off the ship, and usually under supervision. It was impossible for Ulfar to inform anyone of the problem with the silver coins.  This slowly ate at Ulfar , until he finally stopped caring.  Ulfar decided that he was going to stop worrying about the dealings of the masses and important people, and begin to live as his sailing companions did, in the moment.  Several months later, while transporting Loterlug Copperfinder to Cuthbertinople, their ship was attacked by pirates.  Out manned and out muscled, his sailing ship lost and encounter.  Ulfar and his sailing mate Hougruth were given the option to join the pirate crew, or be killed.  Hougruth spit in the pirate captain's face, and immediately had his through cut by cutlass.  Ulfar decided to follow through with his most recent life decision, and opted to live in the moment.  He agreed to join the pirate crew.

Ulfar the pirate.  Now serving aboard The Black Gold, under captain Alden 'Gold Tooth' Hampton (Human), Ulfar was given the new name Ulfar Sailfinder.  Ulfar used his knowledge of Copperfinder sailing routes to assist the pirates in finding easy prey, in exchange for allowing him not participate in the combat.  They agreed and became very wealthy.  After a few combats though, and the time inbetween, Ulfar got to know the pirate crew and felt guilty for not assisting them.  He began aiding them in combat, but with skirmisher tactics.  He would use environmental features to hide, like the rigging or crates and the like, then ambush with advantage on the foe.  Ulfar learned he had a knack for this style of combat and started to feel like he had found a new purpose in life.  Finally, the ship made port in Puerta Cosa, and when Ulfar went to leave the ship, Captain Aldren would not allow him to make land.  Captain Alden stated that he was too valuable and yet untrusted enough to leave the ship.  This greatly offended Ulfar , and he realized he was just being used and manipulated again, just like with the Copperfinders.  He was forced to endure a few more combats on the Inner Sea, but Ulfar did his best to remain alive and participate only minimally.  Finally the Captain decreed they had made enough wealth, and should return to a place called Synd City.  Ulfar was confused, as he knew all cities from working at the Copperfinder HQ.  Ulfar was sequestered below decks when the ship neared a portion of the desert shore.  When he was allowed above decks, The Black Gold was on a different sea all together, and they were approaching a city he had never seen before. Here, Captain Alden did allow Ulfar off the ship with a few words.  Alden said, "Good luck," with a laugh, then said, "if you want back on the ship, we'll only be here for two days."  Ulfar knew he wasn't going to be getting back on board, which turned out to be for the best, as he received word three months later that the Lowslayers had sank The Black Gold near the channel.  Dropped off in an unknown city, with a fair portion of gold, Ulfar set about finding new work.  He was taken up by a local gang, when they offered him employment in exchange for smuggling money around town.

Ulfar the criminal.  Needing a new name, and not wanting to be known as a pirate, Ulfar took the surname Coinhand.  As he wanted to return to his roots, and it was strangely appropriate for his new occupation.  Ulfar did his best to live in the moment while making as much money as he could.  He later found out his gang worked for the New Edge Bank Syndicate, and arranged for a proper meeting. Ulfar was escorted into the Scarlet Palace and was introduced to Grinning Roderick.  From that point forward, Ulfar was in the employment of Grinning Roderick.  Ulfar did many odd jobs for him, which included collecting money from debtors and protection money.  In exchange, Grinning Roderick further trained him in the roguish arts.  Finally, Grinning Roderick told Ulfar he has impressed the bosses and he was going to be offered actual membership into the Syndicate, after one final initiation rite.  Ulfar was elated, as he would have purpose in this large city, and still be able to handle large quantities of money.  The initiation night came and Ulfar was again escorted into the Scarlet Palace.  He was brought into a dark room, where a dwarf was tied to a chair, with his head covered by a bag.  Grinning Rod grinned and handed Ulfar a dagger.  The door closed loudly behind him and was locked from the other side.  In the shadows around the room, Ulfar noticed many others as his vision adjusted to the darkness.  They stood there like sentinels, with daggers in their hands.  Poised and waiting, to witness Ulfar's devotion to the Syndicate.  Ulfar knowing he held his life in his hands here, looked upon the tied dwarf in front of him.  Ulfar had never killed someone in the manner, it had always been in battle before.  Whatever honor and pride he held within himself would vanish with the single thrust of the knife.  Ulfar looked around the room and found Grinning Rod, to no longer be grinning.  Ulfar took a breath, strode forward and plunged the knife into the dwarf's chest.

Recent history:  Ulfar Coinhand has done additional work for the New Edge Bank, but all within Synd City, as he knew the streets exceedingly well, due to his days smuggling money across the city.  Finally, Ulfar was tasked with smuggling payment to the Bastion Dry Dock in the nation of Blackaxe.  He was to pay a contact there, for whatever he was doing there.  Ulfar met and paid Lokami Leadfall for whatever duties he was performing.  Then began his return to Synd City.  Ulfar found himself at the intersection staring at two signs, one stated Avarus, the other Holzdorf.  Ulfar at that moment had an emotional experience, and found himself filled with doubt and despair.  He did not want to live this life as a murderer, constantly at the beck and call of other people, who only want to use and manipulate him.  Ulfar took the lightest steps of his life, and turned towards Holzdorf with a smile, and lit a cigar.  He knew he'd have to change his name again.

Present: Ulfar is a Hero of Thundertree, and is known for the killing of a green dragon at that location. He started a cigar business named after the event, Dragon Kicker Cigars. Even more recently, Ulfar has established the Phandalin Copperfinder Bank Branch in Phandalin, and uses it as a front to cover up his covert organization Free Lands Underground.