James 'Jim' Crowley of Aisenberg

## Summary

Jim Crowley was born the son of a noble father and a peasant mother in a town that did not approve of their marriage. Jim's mother was a sorceress and his father mortal. In his homeland, those who practiced magical arts were hunted down and exterminated regardless of their affiliation with evil. For much of his early life, Jim was left alone as the town watched and waited to see if Jim would become some evil monstrosity. Without ever being truly nurtured, as it takes a village to raise a child, never truly grew into the nobility lifestyle. Instead he shined... exactly nowhere and also showed ineptitude at exactly nowhere.

In fact Jim was so painfully average that most people that didn't know who he was mistook him for another commoner when he was dressed properly and others mistook him for a fraud. It wasn't until Jim made his way into the local library one fateful morning and began to study monsters that he became somewhat of a notable legend.

Jim's history was based in the fires of knowledge and logistical book keeping. As Jim learned more and more about monsters, he began hunting them and though he was not the most skilled adventurer he was the adventurer that would force monsters to fight on his terms, on ground that he controlled, under terms that he desired. The methods in which Jim commanded the battlefield became well known and very rapidly. With a small amount of money he eventually earned just enough money to make his way to the new continent where he began to make a name for himself yet again.

His first mission involved fighting a small company of Deathmarch, eventually fighting a group of demons and subsequently being summoned multiple times by some forgotten deities. With the riches he managed to secure from these quests, Jim opened a guild hall where he began to sell not only goods but also knowledge that he had secured to teach new adventurers to fight more intelligently.

Over time he fell in with a particular group of adventurers such as Iroha Nightscorn, Sa'ran Diksly and Horned One whom he regularly relied upon and confided in. He named Diksly his treasurer for the Adventurer's Guild and also his second in command. Iroha, a bard, he became infatuated with and when he eventually asked her for her hand in marriage she said yes; making Jim one of the happiest men alive.

Through their adventures Jim visited places like Avernus; the uppermost layer of the Nine Hells. It was there where his faith was truly tested as Jim saw many of his comrades come close to dying if they didn't die and Jim himself was brought to death's door multiple times. He eventually came through and became a warlock in the service of Pelor; brandishing holy power similarly to how his mother had done. His father, during this time, was killed in battle against the Deathmarch.

Eventually Iroha was slain by Jim's hand after being turned into a vampire; devastating him and sending him away from his homeland of Libertatem shortly after the end of the Deathmarch campaign. He went to many distant lands; becoming stronger with each passing moment as his faith in Pelor deepened and his abilities became more and more pronounced. When he returned to Libertatem he found the Calbanian Empire still healing its wounds from the campaign almost ten years later.

Jim set about assisting in the reconstruction of the great empire as the Lord of Aisenberg where he kept mostly to himself and was content merely to watch the books of the land. Almost all nobles and most of the common folk of Libertatem knew Jim at least by his name by this point though his noble house remained low in power. He met many peoples during this time as many folks needed him to provide insight into their own quests or to provide assistance or housing. Most notably he met Cordelia and Valerie; the latter of whom he became friends with after a party member of hers burned her with magic and maimed her until a cleric was able to restore her body. He became romantically involved with Cordelia though at some point she simply vanished and he lost track of her location; further reinforcing the idea that Jim was to remain alone in this cruel world.

## Description

Jim stands just above six foot with barely an inch to spare. His skin is white, his eyes are green and Jim looks remarkably average otherwise. It is more accurate to say that Jim used to look remarkably average. One day during his travels he became inexplicably stronger than he had been before, wiser and more charismatic. He still retains many of his painfully average features and it is all too easy to lose Jim in a crowd if the observer isn't paying attention.

## Personality

Jim is generally more concerned with avoiding a fight than winning one despite his capabilities in combat. In battle Jim is fearless almost to the point of being reckless; getting close to the enemy whenever possible and harassing them with quick strikes and skirmishes. He is also capable of being kind and selfless though Jim is not stupid. If a business deal does not benefit Jim, he will press the other side or outright leave the deal on the table without a second thought.