Peter Bucolo

## Character

Peter Bucolo was a Human Druid in the employ of Expeditious Expeditions. Leaving his trusty mule Meatball in the care of Sir Tinnitus.

## Death

Peter was killed on Feb. 22, 2017 by Venomfang. His search for prolonged life his ultimate downfall.

## Backstory

Peter grew up in Elturel, but spent most of his youth outside the city walls. He had an unceasing interest in the flora and fauna of the world around him, and spent countless hours in the various forests that surrounded his home. Of course the Forest of Wyrms and the Werewood were no place for a young boy to be travelling along, but luckily for him, his father Ensael's work as an alchemist gave Peter ample opportunity for excursions.

It was on one fateful day when Peter was ten that his life changed. He and his father were in the Werewoods looking for rare mushroom caps to create a powerful potion. As they felt they were nearing the location of the elusive fungi, a pack of werewolves attacked. Peter's father could hold his own but was no warrior, it would be impossible for the two of them to fend off an entire pack. Peter decided that he would not go down without bringing a few with him.

He steeled him self as the werewolves descended on him and his father and when the point came where he could almost smell the breath of the first beast, he passed out.

When he awoke, three wolves were dead, the rest had scattered, and his father was lying on the ground nearby. Ensael was breathing, but barely. He had deep cuts down his back and right arm, and his clothes were dripping with blood. Peter surprisingly found himself completely unharmed. Remembering his father's instructions, he searched the woods around him and was able to find herbs to help his father get back on his feet.

Over the course of hours Ensael relied on his son to get him back to Elturel. Healers did what they could but some damage cannot be undone. And while they were able to save his life, they were unable to save his right arm. Ensael understood what this disability would mean not only to himself but to his family. There was no way that Ensael could possibly keep up with all the responsibilities he had with only one arm, and his competitors knew it.

Ensael had been left a highly desirable storefront in the center of Eltruel, one that afforded a high number of customers, but also an incredibly large amount of work. So it fell to Peter to do all he could to help pick up the slack left by his father's missing right arm. Despite both of their best efforts, work was falling behind. Ensael knew that if they were going to keep up, someone had to be hired to help run the shop until Peter was old enough to handle things on his own.

Ensael petitioned the alchemist's guild, and it became apparent that membership did have its privileges. Samuel Hornell was nearing 20 and eager to make his name as an alchemist. He worked hard, suggested innovation, and the three of them thrived. Sam was an orphan, and the three of them formed an unorthodox family, but it worked.

As Peter aged, Ensael was able to entrust more and more of the business to both him and Samuel. They grew closer and over time, the two men began making the trips to the forests that Peter used to make with his father. Ensael never again returned to the Werewoods and he never spoke of the day Peter saved his life.

The years wore on and the three couldn't have been happier. Peter found a love of cooking, wines, and the company of others. His father encouraged him to take on a wife, but Peter never felt that he needed the love of a wife when he had his father, his guildmates, and Samuel. He had his fair share of women companions, certainly, but he was enjoying himself too much to consider a family.

When Ensael finally retired, he revealed to Peter the secret of how the two of them survived all those years ago in the forest. Just before the werewolves tore them to shreds, Peter had turned into a bear and fought the beasts off. Peter apparently had druidic powers within him, and while he wished his father had revealed the truth to him sooner, he still loved and respected him.

Peter spent the next year engrossed in study about the druidic arts. He wasn't overly interested in pursuing druidism as a full time thing, but he did want to learn more about the potential he had within. When he learned that a powerful enough druid can slow down the aging process he began to entertain the notion of adventuring and honing his craft.

Peter had been feeling the effects of age lately. He had gained some weight, and he wasn't as fast as he once was, but becoming a powerful druid could lead to centuries of merriment. Peter decided to let Samuel hire on a new apprentice and have full run over the shop in Eltruel. In the summer of his 41st year, Peter set off North along the Trade Way, attempting to join with a group of adventurers that suited him.

He ran a few jobs with various outfits, but none seemed to be quite a fit. When he reached Neverwinter, he thought that it might be time to give up and begin searching for power as a druid on his own. But it was there that he met Sir Tinnitus duFeliway, who was able to offer him a spot in an up and coming adventuring group called Expeditious Expeditions, and from there Peter began his new life.