Talek Nal

Talek is a Tiefling Cleric devoted to Avandra. Talek has a dark and mysterious past, and has hinted to the party several times that he has been involved with some rather seedy actions before they knew him. In the short time that they have known him, however, he has shown a devotion to doing good deeds, protecting those who he deems good natured, and seeking out and dispatching evil-doers.

**A Dark Past Revealed**

During a recent trip, Talek opened up with the group about his mysterious past. Talek was kidnapped and raised as an acolyte to a long-thought extinct Tiefling death cult. **The Cult of the Pact** - led and largely made up of descendants of the Tiefling warlocks who made the original pact - are still bonded to their one true god - Asmodeus - overlord of the nine hells.

Talek spoke of another cultist named Reaven. He and Talek were brought up around the same time - not friends but rivals with a healthy respect for each other's abilities. Reaven always feared Talek as a threat to his position as he only craved power and rank, while Talek was a true believer - he lived only to serve The Thirteen as they might command. For this, Talek went on to reach the rank of Knife of the Pact, while Reaven went on to lead their chapter as its ranking officer. They were both prized by The Thirteen.

Talek explained he had had one secret from The Cult of the Pact - a wife who was once a target of The Cult of the Pact - a target whom Talek had failed to kill. Kalla was to be a sacrifice to their god and punishment to her father, for he disobeyed the will of the Thirteen. Smitten with her, Talek instead saved her life and brought her to safety, killing two other Knives of the Pact and faking her death to cover up his shameful deed. He returned a hero, having left no witnesses behind to tell the tale, or so he thought.

Thinking he effectively covered his tracks; he took to living a double life and married Kalla in secret. Unaware of his dark membership, she was led to believe her Tiefling husband was a traveling mercenary, not a murderer.

**The Breaking**

Little to his knowledge, Reaven, who loathed Talek for his favor among the Thirteen and threat to his position, sought to discredit him at all costs. He discovered Talek's secret and bided his time. Once revealed to the Thirteen as a traitor to the Pact, Reaven was given the honor of eliminating Talek. Had it been Reaven who lost The Way of the Pact, it would be Talek who would be sent to exact retribution in turn. He sent Talek away on a suicide mission, then ordered the sacrifice of Talek’s wife in a blood ritual while leaving him for dead. Talek did not fail in his mission, but returned to Reaven with grave wounds, only to discover the true intent behind the mission.

Upon discovering the death of his wife and confronted by Reaven, Talek fled from The Cult. Mortally wounded from the mission he shouldn’t have survived, Talek was near death. He let his wits guide him, losing consciousness after days spent running; he collapsed in the wilderness. This is an event in his past he refers to as **The Breaking**, as it severed his connection to Asmodeus and in turn, he was stripped of the gifts of strength and magic from his former god, rendered a weak and powerless warrior.

**Avandra's Favor**

After what was likely days spent unconcious, Talek awoke in a monastery where he saw a banner on the walls, resembling 3 curved green lines, one over the other. As his vision cleared, he saw a monk in the corner, seated with his hands patiently at his sides. He spoke first.

*“I wasn’t sure you would wake up.”*

Talek knew of this God they worship. Until recently it was the enemy of his own.

*“Do you know who I am?”*

*“Surely.”*

*“Why haven’t you killed me?”*

*“We don’t deal in death here.”*

*“…why?”*

*“My god is of the realm of change. She saw you and pitied you. She commanded us to shield you from Them.”*

Talek’s recovery was long; his severance from Asmodeus cost him everything. His powers, including that of healing were diminished. After six months at the monastery, Jolen, the monk who saved his life, sent him on his way.

“There’s nothing here for you, Talek. Now you must atone. Travel the world and do good in Her name, and you will gain the favor of Avandra. She goes with you.”

Talek began wandering the realm, for months he had wandered from township to township, city to city, performing whatever task She presented him, knowing it was the only way to save his soul, and, he hopes, the forgiveness of Kalla.

**Moving Forward**

After explaining his backstory to the group, Talek showed them a faded tattoo on his right hand, the symbol of Asmodeus, with a fresh tattoo of the Symbol of Avandra covering it, symbolizing his rebirth as an acolyte of Avandra. This new context seemed to put some of the group's concerns related to his past to rest. While it was still concerning, his drive to atone for his past, yearning to set things right by destroying the Cult of the Pact and commitment in service as Avandra's champion demonstrated a stronger, more trustworthy picture of this troubled Tiefling, or so he hopes.