Talon Karde

Variant Human Swashbuckler - Rogue

## **Appearance**

Talon is only 28 years old and stands at 6 feet tall and weighs 195 pounds.

Most would describe him as a wiry guy. He's deceptively strong from his time pulling ropes and cannons around sky-ships.

His hair is dark, eyes green, and skin tanned and weathered.

## **Background**

An excerpt from his personal log book:

Growing up in the Empire of Cirathea under the rule of Kazmar II was not easy and made even more difficult by a large poor family. As the 8th son of 12 children, I was often forgotten or overlooked. We all worked odd jobs and none of us went to school. Finally at the age of 12 I had enough and ran away from home. To the capital where I enlisted in the Cirathean Navy as a deckhand.

I quickly learned to love the sea and even more so flying on the clouds. I served for 6 years on RNC Amalia and learned all about the latest naval gunnery, technology, and tactics. Despite being quick to learn and hardworking, the Cirathean Navy is in no way an egalitarian force. Only those noble born can become officers. I had no hope. Harsh discipline combined with few prospects of advancement made me grow to resent my superiors.

One day, close to my 18th birthday, we entered the area near the Sovereign City of Wamor. The ruler there, Baldar Silveraxe, had long held out his independence from the Ciratheans and other factions. We were sent to remind him of his weakness and bend him to the will of the Empire. During the ensuing naval and air battle my ship was damaged heavily and our engine wizard was killed. As the other wizards struggled together they managed to, somewhat safely, land us on the water. Tragically, the fall and ensuing crash to the ocean caused chaos onboard and we were unable to respond to the savage cannonade from the nearby fort.

As the chaos ensued, I climbed over the bodies of my fallen comrades and dove into the water. As I swam for the shore, I knew that for the first time in my life I was really and truly free. I came up onto the beach and surrendered to the defenders. Since many of them were former naval sailors that had also escaped, they did not welcome me with lead or steel but rather with whiskey and rum.

The battle had been won by the defenders of Wamor, but only barely. As a newly freed man, I found myself drawn back to the sea/air and I signed onto a cargo ship, The Thylacine for, what I thought, was a long haul voyage. Instead, I learned that I had joined a smuggler’s ship. We were hauling contraband into the Cirathean Empire! As my luck would have it, the ship and crew were good and we made it in and out without incident. It was afterwards, when they paid out the shares, that I realized how worth it this could be.

For the next several years I sailed with the Thylacine and worked my way up the ranks. The captain and crew were happy to teach me all the tricks of the trade. On our last voyage I was elected to be the first mate by the crew. The captain gifted me a pistol and repair kit in recognition of my accomplishment.

Our last voyage together was unfortunately one of tragedy. Our run in to Cirathea went without incident, but on our way out was another story. We were set upon by three pirate corsairs. After a valiant attempt to outrun them we were forced to stand and fight. The Thylacine was built for speed and not combat so we were in trouble. The pirates, angered at having to work so hard, were brutal in their attacks. We lost our our Engine and our Helmsmen and crashed into the sea. The keel broke on impact most of the crew died on impact. I only managed to survive by staying close to our Shield Wizard. In the end I am the only survivor of that ill fated voyage. I managed to salvage a small life boat and make it to land near Wamore.

## **Personality**

Generally an outgoing person, Talon always seems to know where good card game or tavern will be in a port. He's a story teller and isn't afraid to stretch the truth a bit to make himself and his crew look better.

## **Party Relationships**

### **Brath'oul Clerebore**

Talon and Brath'oul became fast friends when they saved each other from certain death at the hands of a Golem in Taham. Since then they always seem to find, and save, one another when the blades are drawn.

### **Rinari Inys**

Talon had a mixed relationship with Rinari...She beat him in a particularly high stakes game of liars dice taking his coveted pistol as her winnings. Talon was particularly angry about this as she never even attempted to learn to use it. Upon her death, Talon recovered his pistol finding it still loaded with the same shot and powder he had put there weeks earlier.

### **Scurbiron Nûlbara**

Talon has seen Skurb do some impressive things over and over again. Whether it's taking extreme amounts of combat damage or somehow talking with a cricket, Talon is simply impressed by the somewhat mysterious Dwarf.

### **Unkgill**

Talon isn't subtle about his feelings fro Unkgill...While he's ok with getting hammered occasionally he frowns upon constant drunkenness. Unkgill seems to feel the opposite and wants to hang around with Talon.

### **Iryn Vehlarath - Who?**

There is a deep part of Talon's memory, buried deep, where he can vaguely remember knowing a Triton. It's not something he thinks about in his waking hours but in his deepest sleep he can sometimes recall a whisper of a dream.

*Iryn is still relatively new to the Corsair's crew and Talon was initially quite suspect of the "strange fish lady." Since proving herself, recently, in combat, pirating valuable cargo/ammunition, and helping the party find a the hidden smuggler's lair, Talon seems to respect her abilities quite a bit. He was particularly impressed by her powerful druid magics.*

### **Pollae**

Talon has immense respect for Pollae's combat abilities, especially since they often practice shooting together. They don't really interact much past that, but who knows what the future holds.

## **NPC Relationships**

### **Zorudak, a Half-Orc Pirate**

Talon spent a night in the Brig, with Brath'oul, and came to see Zorudak as more than just a grizzled old Half-Orc. The long night conversing with the old guy made him respect his experience as a smuggler and pirate. Talon is actually really sad that Zorudak didn't make it through their encounter in Biburh. He'll never let on, but he had hoped to learn more from the old guy.

### **Nicolas, a Human (v) Thief**

Talon is wary of Nicolas, despite him being his main contact with the Taham thieves guild. The saying 'no honor among thieves' is true in this case. Their relationship is purely one of business at this point.