Salvador Bekez

**Salvador Bekez** is human male paladin (formerly fighter) played by Marko.

## Biography

### Early Life

The child of two refugee Macrodonians, Salvador was born in a small village, not far from the Infinite Caliphate-Vallistian border in the year 3E:1066. His parents spoke little of their past but had fled Macrodonia due to turmoil of the Macrodonian Civil War when various noble houses had vied for the title of Pharaoh. Merit, Salvador’s mother, was a tailor and Bek, his father, from a long family tradition of miners. The family legend was that his ancestor had been the one to discover the Sablium deposits that guaranteed Macrodonia’s victory in the War of the Kaarth King almost two hundred years ago.
Before Salvador’s birth, his refugee parents converted to the Church of Ralom in an attempt to fit into their new homeland. They gave their son a traditional Vallistian name, despite his ancestry. Having arrived in the midst of Vallistian independence from the old Empire of Caruillin, his father served in battle and as a consequence was granted a small plot of land by the new King of Valliste as a reward. The land, though poor for farming, had mineral wealth, enough to give the family a decent living. The father's dream was, however, to discover Sablium like his ancestor, and he never lost sight of that goal.

They all lived on the family plot and would frequently travel to nearby Valencia for shopping and schooling for Salvador. In Salvador's late teens, his father began to play with alchemy, and his mother did say that it would be the death of them. His father said that he was trying to find a way to synthesise Sablium so as to realise his long-held dream. He did hear his parents speak of warding the house, and when he raised this up with them, they brushed it off.

In 4E:22, When Salvador was twenty-six, he was working in the mines when an explosion was heard. He rushed out of the mines to find that his home had exploded and that his parents were no more. He remembers the day vividly as there were smouldering green flames around the house, but there was a unique smell that he never smelt before in the air. Although this broke his heart, he knew that he needed to survive, and so he took over the business. Here he became very charismatic and became well known around the greater region for his generosity and helping those in need. Salvador has always sense that there was something dark within him, but never spoke of it.

### New Allies

In 4E:28, he was an attendee of the masque at Vestang Manor, and one of the few to avoid being drugged and kidnapped. He would later form the Raiders of the Lost City with five others who avoided being drugged, and together they would journey to the Valley of Death, defeating the priestess Neheshru and rescuing the captives. Salvador discovered a strange sablium Zargon Statuette, which he kept secret from the others.

After a week of rest and recuperation their next mission was to the Sunless Citadel, to find out the fate of the missing Defenders of the Oasis. Here they encountered a tribe of kobolds and goblins at war, all under the control of a corrupted druid named Belak. They defeated him and destroyed the Gulthias Tree he controlled, but were unable to rescue the missing adventurers, having to return to the oasis with their corpses.

Upon their arrival in the oasis, however, they discovered a Qardleean raiding party had attacked the settlement, heavily damaging the smithy and escaping with stolen loot, including a valuable dragon scale shield. Pursuing the Qardleeans in the desert it was discovered the bandits were led by Turgut's brother, Firouz. Turgut tried to reason with his brother, but the confrontation escalated into violence, and Firouz's regrettable demise.

### Serving the Marquesa

They returned to the oasis where they received a summoned from the Marquesa. She took them on as a sponsored group, instructing them to return to the Valley of Death and lost Cynidicea, and recover the crowns of King Alexander and Zenobia as well as escorting the archaeologist Vanessa Mackelroy. Once they reached the ruins they encountered the spellweaver superiors of Aravax there on a mission of their own, and after finding the reception frosty they were shocked to hear Vanessa's screams as she was abducted by goblins and dragged towards the Ziggurat of Cynidicea. Giving chase, the heroes discovered a secret entrance to the structure. Inside they encountered living Cynidiceans, first of in the person of the Brotherhood of Gorm.

The meeting with the Brotherhood turned violent, and though the Raiders were able to defeat the warriors, the leader, Kanadius, escaped down a trapdoor. The Raiders gave chase, probing deeper into the lower levels of the ziggurat. a Cynidicean priest of Zargon. In the third tier, the Raiders of the Lost City encountered a Cynidicean priest named Theodeus and his acolytes. At first the Cynidiceans believed the Raiders to be demons, but they they were temporarily mollified by Salvador approaching them in an attempt to communicate.

Unfortunately for Salvador, Theodoeus and his followers tried to sacrifice Salvador to Zargon. Luckily, Salvador's companions were able to rescue him and Theodoeus was cut down and killed by Turgut. The group continued their exploration, and discovered the hidden tombs of Alexander and Zenobia. After defeating the tomb guardians, they recovered the crowns of the dead monarchs.

### The Obsidian Eye

Upon returning the crowns to the Marquesa on their return to the oasis, the group spent a week or so in downtime. During this period they encountered a group of Banu Zankar investigating the death of Firouz. Deftly avoiding responsibility they defused the situation, and heard rumours of a strange new black obelisk and a mysterious group of slavers. Their new acquaintance, Samuul, sent an Orschan mercenary named Charnos to investigate, and at first it seemed this was successful, with Charnos returning with a captured and trussed captive, but it turned out to be a trick.

A battle against three jackalweres ensued, and after the Raiders defeated them, they found their origin to be the Obsidian Obelisk that they had heard of. They travelled there, finding the Qardleean captives excavating the obelisk under the watchful eye of ten monks. Freeing the captives, the Raiders led them to rise up against the monks, killing them, and gaining access to the interior of the obelisk. They were confronted by Durakka, Hector's brother. After a bribe, Durakka let the group pass, abandoning his employers to their fate.

Inside the obelisk they encountered the figures known as Harbinger, posing as worshippers of Zargon before ambushing and defeating him. They descended to the lower levels of the obelisk, meeting Mio the Scorpion, also convincing her of their allegiance to Zargon. They penetrated the final level, retrieved the Obsidian Eye and defeated its guardian, a giant crocodile. The obelisk crumbled around them, and they barely escaped with their lives.

### Treasure Hunter

After rest and recuperation at the oasis, the group next set out in search of the treasure of Salamanca, following a partially completed map they had acquired in their travels. After being ambushed by a group of bandits led by Tonja, they arrived at the besieged town of Valencia, Salvador's childhood home. In exchange for information leading to the rest of the treasure map, they agreed to help Padre Juan Silva drive off the bandits that held the town in thrall.

After discovering that the bandits were led by Durakka, they offered the bandits a hefty bribe to leave Valencia in peace. From there they followed Padre's information to the Escudor Territorial Prison, where, disguising themselves as guards, they infiltrated it in an attempt to find the third piece of map. A battle ensued, and they were nearly killed by the prison's formidable warden Ramirez.

Though they defeated him, the prison was still swarming with guards, but they made their escape after recovering the map piece. From their they went to the city of Puerto Mia, via Valencia, hoping to recover the final map piece, which they surmised to be in the possession of Count Misael Castillo. Shortly after their arrival the town held a festival, with a private party at the Count's villa. These festivities were used by the Raiders of the Lost City to enter the villa, and abscond with the Sablium Falcon and the final piece of the map. They uncovered the treasure of Salamanca, including the Crook of San Hector and returned to Ashinana's Oasis, where the Marquesa made good on her promise, and named Hector Bishop of Cynidicea.

### Return to the Lost City

Once the formalities were complete, the group departed the oasis on another expedition to Cynidicea, hoping to discover the fate of both Vanessa Mackelroy and Aravax's superior, Miramyar. Within the ziggurat they were ambushed by Mio the Scorpion, who attacked them backed up by Cynidicean allies. They overcame her and continued their descent. During their explorations they experienced a strange vision of a man in red who called himself San Nicolas. He congratuled them on their progress so far, and gifted them with magic items before disappearing.

They reached the fifth tier of the ziggurat, and encountered the spirit of a Cynidicean priest named Demetrius. Taking intermittent control of Hector's body, the spirit urged them to defeat his Zargon-worshipping brother, Darius, pushing the Raiders of the Lost City forward until they encountered the evil cleric. Darius had the lost archaeologist Vanessa Mackleroy imprisoned, and once the Raiders defeated him they liberated her and rushed her to the surface, hoping to return her to the oasis. In the ruins of the city they were ambushed by a large force of Orschans and a tremendous battle ensued, in which the Raiders were victorious - but only just.

### Into the Caliphate

After making the journey home, they returned Mackleroy to the Marquesa and then set out for the distant city of Qar Arrid. The merchant Samuul had arranged a rendezvous between Arturo and the Qardleean Princess Yasmin. On their way they encountered the tribesmen of the Banu Zankar, who explained that a diplomatic meeting between the Qardleeans and the desert elves had gone awry, and there was evidence of foul play. With no of the participants returning alive except Valanthe Dunewalker, the Banu Zankar had assumed her guilt, and scheduled her for execution. When the Raiders of the Lost City objected, the Sheikh of the Banu Zankar gave them five days to collect evidence of her innocence, and directed them to the ruins of Telar.

The group explored the ruins, uncovering secret passages underneath Telar's sphinx, and also delving into the remains of Telar's palace. It was here that Aravax lost his life, pummelled to death by a dozen animated statues. The group's resources were so depleted that resurrecting Aravax was impossible. While still coming to terms with their friend's demise, the party heard a voice crying for help nearby. Following the sound, they discovered a number of prison cells. As well as a desert elf and Banu Zankar tribesman they discovered the kobold Meepo, who they had met in the Sunless Citadel. He had cut his ties with his former tribe and set out on his own. Freeing him they let him join their group, where he soon proved his mettle in battle against an annis hag named Scrofula and an earth elemental.

Deep beneath the ruins they discovered the true evil lurking in the ruins - the efreet Nizaar al-Rasul, Arturo's warlock patron, who they inadvertently freed and let escape, but not before he turned the surviving members of the diplomatic mission into horrid oozing whelps of Zargon. The Raiders of the Lost City were able to save the life of Turgut's brother, but Karalis Dunewalker, Abbad's grandfather, was left behind in the ruins in his cursed shape as the desert sands reclaimed the place.

The group returned to camp, where Abbad's mother was set free and Arturo broke his pact with the efreet, choosing instead to look inside himself for the power he always hoped was there. Salvador swore the Oath of the Watcher, a solemn vow to fight the creatures that would invade the world. The Raiders of the Lost City continued on their journey, and arrived in Qar Arrid without further incident.

Not long after their meeting with Samuul's contact Ali, the group was ambushed by assassins. Though they survived the incident, they were duly shaken, and no wiser as to who wanted them dead. They found an inn to rest and recuperate before attempting to infiltrate the harem the next evening. Attempting subterfuge, the situation descended into chaos when a group of gargoyles arrived, seemingly intent on kidnapped Yasmin for their own purposes. Their master was identified only as Firouz al'Algarin, an individual sharing a name with a long dead Caliph. With the distraction provided by the attempt to kidnap Yasmin, another group of gargoyles broke into the harem and absconded with Salima, the youngest and favourite wife of the Emir.

Despite the efforts of the Raiders in foiling the first kidnapping attempt, the abduction of Salima meant the group was hauled before the Emir. Using a cunningly disguised poison, he successfully blackmailed the group into pursuing the fugitive gargoyles into a ruined palace in the desert.

They discovered that Salima's kidnapper was indeed the former Caliph Firouz, and that he had been cursed by the wizard Nazir al'Azrad and transformed into a beholder, his mind twisted. Aided by the ghost of his personal scribe, the Raiders were able to brew a potion that cured his madness (but did not restore his form) and then assisted him in travelling to track down Nazir and lift the curse for good. Once they defeated him, the curse on Firouz was lifted, and the Raiders of the Lost City were able to return Salima to the Emir and receive the antidotes to the poison.

### Return to the Sunless Citadel

Upon the group's return to the oasis, Salvador fulfilled his promise and married Kella. At the same time the oasis was host to a group of kobolds recently expelled from the Sunless Citadel. Upon hearing that Orschans and Cynidiceans had taken control of those ruins, and that the wyrmling Degalla had been kidnapped, the Raiders of the Lost City quickly hastened to the Sunless Citadel to investigate.

They defeated the high priestess Zaranna in battle, but Degalla had already been taken away to Deep Cynidicea. They followed the trail there, through the Lower Caverns and then, infiltrating the Temple of Zargon, rescued Degalla from beneath the nose of Danacretes. Hector used the Flail of the Desert Kings to transport them all to distant Macrodonia.

The group found themselves at the ruins of Khamsa's Temple, and within the ancient structure was the petrified remains of the ancient king Khamsa, guarded by a medusa and her family. In the ensuing battle, the Raiders of the Lost City defeated their enemies, but a newcomer arrived: Paphoset, a worshipper of Zargon. Paphoset tried to escape with the Flail of Desert Kings and the Circlet of the Adder, but the Raiders saw through his deception, and defeated him and destroyed the circlet. After acquiring any treasure remaining in the ruins, the Raiders headed off to nearby Akharin Sangar.

After a week in the city, the Raiders experienced the festival of Shabe Taabaan, where the moon at night shone with the radiance of the sun at noon. A group of anarchists known as the Ashen Heirs disrupted the festivities, inciting a purple worm to attack one of Ahkarin's Sangar's marketplaces. The Raiders helped dispatched the beast, and as a consequence were recruited by
Artavazda, the angelic leader of the Brightguard. After a chase of suspected Ashen Heir members, the Raiders were contacted by Laleh Ghorbani, Abbad's aunt. According to Laleh, the Brightguard was using the Ashen Heirs as an excuse to crack down all dissent in the city, and after the Raiders dealt with the Ashen Heirs they assisted Laleh in rescuing her sister from the Brightguard prison. Pursued by Artavazda and his soldiers, the Raiders managed to escape with the assistance of their acquaintance Kap via a magic portal to Ashinana's Oasis.

The oasis was under attack by a force of goblinoids led by Konkar, an aggressive warrior chieftain mounted on a mammoth. Most of the settlement was in flames, with the survivors holed up in Vestang Manor. The Raider killed Konkar and drove off the goblins, saving most of the townsfolk.

### The Gathering Storm

Three months later, the oasis hosted the Festival of St. Hector, which included the annual Challenge of Champions competition, arena fighting, and a grand feast attended by King Fernando diValliste and the royal court. This feast was interrupted with an attack by animated suits of armour as well as a mind flayer. In the heated melee, the mind flayer cornered Turgut, and devoured his brain, killing the warrior instantly. There were other victims, including the King, and Arturo's father, the Count of Calarno. As a result, Arturo departed the group, bringing their numbers down to four.

In the following week there were multiple thefts in the oasis. Both items were sablium relics, the Zargon Statuette and the Obsidian Eye. With the assistance of two new allies, Tehrak of Mokeria and the Cynidicean Aletheius Gnosis, the Raiders hastened to Cynidicea, and descended into the tunnels below the Ziggurat to find them. The culprits were discovered, Dorn and Vanessa Mackelroy, but even after defeating them the Raiders had to rush to the lower levels to recover the relics. When they finally did so they discovered, much to their horror, that they had been used to unravel the last of the wards keeping the Great Old One Zargon in his prison. Even in his weakened state, Zargon was almost a match for the Raiders, and upon his death his body melted until only his horn remained.

Aletheius advised the others to contact the Brotherhood of Gorm for what to do next, and once they had reconciled with Kanadius, the Brotherhood instructed them to meet with the other two anti-Zargon factions: the Magi of Usamigaras and the Warrior Maidens of Madarua. After meeting with the oracle Ankhara the Raiders realised they had to dip the horn of Zargon in the volcano known as Zargon's Eye or the Great Old One would regenerate in less than twenty-four hours. To do so they had to fight more minions of Zargon, including a rematch with Nizaar al-Rasul. Even after this harrowing encounter all they had achieved was buying themselves some time, a month or so.

They teleported back to the oasis to rest and recover but received some startling news: The Marquesa had left to marry the King in Vallanzik. With the leadership of the oasis vacant, the dastardly Count Misael Castillo now claimed the place and warned the Raiders to leave or face his wrath. He punctuated this threat with the headless corpse of Juan Silva, Hector's mentor.

Refusing to let the count dictate the terms of the battle, the Raiders left the oasis and launched a surprise attack on the Escudor forces at the Valley of Death. Taking the count by surprise they defeated him handily, and returned to the oasis. There, with the help of the spellweaver Jazeela li'Alsairan, they discovered that it would be possible to bind Zargon once more if they could find a relic of the Ancient Ones. Clues led them to a book by the explorer Alkazaar, which in turn opened a portal somewhere far south where they encountered a unique golem known as the Sapphire Sentinel.

Letting the golem lead them, they travelled to the Cliffs of Haruun and then on to the ruined city of Azumar. Here after a battle with the dracolich Zikzokrisha they recovered the Wistarni Scroll, and hastened back to the oasis to prepare for the ritual.

But the forces of Zargon had not been idle - a massive army now marched towards the oasis, and the mission to bind Zargon became a race against time. After a ferocious final battle against Orschans, Cynidiceans and aberrations, the Raiders were victorious, and Zargon was sealed away beneath the church. Victory at last.

### After Zargon's Fall

King Carlos diValliste named Salvador as the new Count of Escudor, and Salvador, his wife and child, relocated to Puerto Mia to take on their new roles.

## Notable Possessions

Salvador wields *Shatterspike*, the blade once owned by Sir Braford and carries an enchanted shield made from the scale of a brass dragon. He also carried a Zargon Statuette before he lost it and it ended up in the possession of Ashinana Vestang. He also has possession of an ancient Cynidicean blade named *Shocker*.