Saladin

## Biography

### Early Life

Saladin was born to peasant farmers in the town of Goldenfield in the Corlester region of Suldura. The town was governed by Baron Altreius Roshone, a petty and cruel man.

As a young man, Saladin chafed under Roshone's rule, but reluctantly followed his parents' lead, accepting and enduring the conditions of their lives. In 478 AC, however, the injustice became too much to bear when Roshone had Saladin's younger brother Ishmael killed in response to a perceived slight.

Soon after Ishmael's death, Saladin went on a hunting trip and did not return for nearly a year. When he did come back to Goldenfield, it was with a new ally - the fiend Errtu, with whom Saladin had made a pact in exchange for the power to exact his revenge.

Returning to Goldenfield, Saladin allowed Errtu to channel great power through him, but in doing so lost control of his actions. When he regained consciousness, Roshone had been killed, but so had almost all of the town, including Saladin's parents. Only his sister Gwendolyn survived, but she fled the town, unwilling to forgive Saladin for what he had done.

Taking up the sword of the slain baron, Saladin embarked on his new quest. For the next two decades, he sought to find a way to undo the pact that he had made, fighting against Errtu's control over him. He pursued mercenary work, traveling through much of Suldura, and occasionally completing the tasks that were required of him by his patron.

### The Siege of Westmarch

Saladin's advancement from his life as a traveling mercenary began when he was hired by Margrave Tiberius Falkenried to escort the margrave's son Owen to Crownport in anticipation of a siege of Westmarch by the Silver Inquisition. He accepted this job partially at the behest of Errtu, who wished for him to follow Holg and Finnbjorn, the other two mercenaries who had been hired.

After bringing Owen safely to Crownport, Saladin elected to return to Westmarch with Finnbjorn Cinderforge and his mercenary army. Along the way, it was discovered that Alys Tanner, a powerful warlock of Asmodeus, was secretly accompanying the army, disguised the wife of an officer, who Alys had killed. Saladin and his companions defeated and captured Alys. She then revealed herself to be part of a conclave of mages known as The Ruby Order, who had allied themselves with a faction of fiends opposed to Errtu's faction.

Returning to Westmarch, Saladin played a significant role in the Siege of Westmarch, invading the Silver Inquisition camp to gain intelligence on their plans, sabotaging their siege weapons, and then helping lead the Westmarch Mayakara during the siege. In thanks for his efforts, he requested a Mayakara teacher who could help him learn to use magic without the aid of his patron. He chose Velya Edrian, a woman who he had recently learned was also a warlock, bound to Errtu's ally Lisindor.

### The Faewood and Nuramek

After the Siege of Westmarch, Saladin elected to continue traveling with Finnbjorn, hoping to find information on fiends in the dwarven cities of Karekanur. They traveled by way of the Faewood and Var Kalduhr, an ancient dwarven outpost where Alys had told them a cache of magical weapons could be found. At Var Kalduhr, Saladin found Dirge, a powerful enchanted rapier.

Continuing on to Nuramek, Saladin participated in the funeral tournament for King Brynjar Stonesong, taking second place in the melee and winning a magic duel against Eridred Cinderforge. Later, he helped to hunt and kill the draegloth that had killed the king. He also helped to capture several members of the Cult of Transformation, leading to the exoneration of Valona Stonesong and assisting in her ascent to the throne.

Later, Saladin participated actively in the Siege of the Cinderforge and the defeat of the dark mage Falrik Clanless, a second member of The Ruby Order. As thanks for his help to both Valona and the city of Nuramek, Saladin was made a Lord of Nuramek, and given a position in the Citrine Tower.

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