Ulysses Reginald Debussy Mal'shakar

**Youth**

Born in the year of 3083, Ulysses Reginald Debussy Mal’Sharkar faced a mix of adversity and comfort throughout his life. As a product of a mixed-race marriage, the human Beauregard Debussy found himself disowned and disavowed from the noble Debussy/Rasmus family when he chose to marry No’nar Mal'shakar. They were given a chance to retire from their naval positions in stead of being dishonorably discharged by the then Commodore Portia Debussy-Rasmus out of disdain that her child would lie with an orc. With No’nar and Beauregard finding themselves at a loss of funds, they moved into a home within the orcish ghetto of G-rash bay known fondly as New Orc City. Due to No’nar’s cooking skills and Beauregard’s business sense as a sea merchant, they were soon able to quickly establish themselves into an almost middle class. By the time he was 10, No’nar’s restaurant and patisserie ‘Hell Hath no Curry’ and become extremely popular and due to the influx of wealth, led them to move and rebuild towards the edge of the New Orc city not far from the market district. Around that time, Beau’s textile business ‘A Stitch in Time’ became solid enough he built an office on the top floor of the restaurant next to what became their family home.

Due to their newfound wealth and status, Ulysses was reluctantly admitted into the Imperial Naval College for Gorpspipotaliariouverash Bay. He soon found himself being bullied by many of his classmates for not just his race, but his class as well. Going from a school of namely orcs and goblins to one with many full humans, elves, and gnomes was a bit of a shock. While G-Rash bay was slowly becoming more integrated, Ulysess was the only person of Orcish descent in his graduating class. Though there were still Orcs admitted into the naval forces, they were rarely admitted into the college and often needed to work harder to be promoted than any collegiate counterparts. His wit and penchant for pranks often got him in trouble with the other students, and quickly became the bright child who would often slack off. The bullying only got worse when the class bullies Cecil and Edward learned that Ulysess was their cousin. Their pure human ancestry was a point of pride for them and their father Hiram (Beauregard’s brother).

While the two tried to make Ulysess’ life a living hell, and unexpected friendship with a young woman Scarlett and her twin brother Rhett Debussy (his cousins from his aunt Abagail, and her half-elf husband), became his saving grace. Unlike their other cousins, Rhett and Scarlett were kind to Ulysses growing up. Both tried to reassure their mother Ulysses should be welcomed back into the family, but Abagail refused to consider him such falling prey to her mother’s whims as she was already on thin ice for her marriage to an Elf. Despite the growing tension within the family, Scarlett, Rhett and their half-elf half-dwarf friend Penelope Baldreck convinced Ulysess to stay in school so he could take the naval exam at an earlier age. While Ulysess was aware that the Debussy name held a great deal of fame due to his grandmother, he was uncertain if he would be admitted any promotion outside ensign due to his family’s disinheritance.

**Naval Career and Early Adulthood**

 By the age of 15, he was offered the ensign position on the ship “Wet dreams” and quickly moved up the ranks. By the time he turned 20, he had already gained the rank of captain and was rival in strength and leadership only to Scarlett and Penelope. There is no doubt the role Scarlett played in setting up Penelope and Ulysess since as far as she was concerned, the two of them had a clear chemistry. By the age of 22, Penelope and Ulysess were wed, with some initial resistance from her father Commodore Blagg Baldrek . While Blagg was a strong-willed commodore who worked hard to help the people of G-rash bay, he still held some prejudice against the Mal’Shakar... or perhaps it was for the former commodore’s family.
While their union was strong, the bay began to face a new incursion. Blagg's old comrade Rolen, a former Admiral of G-rash bay had gone AWOL. At first, the relief that the fiendish Shadar Kai bastard’ may have been dead, strange occurrences began happening around the bay. Pitch black tentacles began attacking ships and rumors of a fanatic cult began brewing, all around Rolen’s name. It was around this time great strife began to occur for the navy. There were several well-known fleets who had been rumored to have turned to piracy, and many officers were imprisoned and given dishonorable discharges as the constant attacks from the Tendrils of Rolen lowered morale.

 When he was 26, Ulysess began secretly working with the best pirate in the bay known as the Shadow Weaver after the loss of his 3rd fleet to the Tendrils. While at first considering that outright piracy with his station may not be in his best interest, Penelope dropped the bomb that she was the Shadow Weaver, and asked him to join her as her as first mate on the ship. Now known as the Wolf of the Bay or sometimes called the Wolf Spider, Ulysess became first mate under his wife’s (now leading a double life as vice-admiral of the navy as well as a pirate captain) ship the Spindle. A large portion of their piracy became an act of sabotaging the Tendrils of Rolen. While they often saved many ships, they were merciless to many of the excessively wealthy merchants of the bay. When he was 29 and Penelope 32, they welcomed their first child Bram Mac’cous Mal-shakar Baldreck into the world. Penelope took a short leave from her role as a naval officer to raise Mac’cous, but remained in the shadows as she commanded her now small pirate fleet. While she spent much of her time raising their son, she passed on the title to Ulysses while working at home in the shadows.

 Ulysess penchant for tricks and gambling made him an excellent pirate, and his suave charisma kept anyone from questioning his motives. While Commodore Baldrek had been kinder to pirates and privateers in the past, the growing pressure of the noble houses within G-Rash bay and their own want for power had created a tension within the legal system, making the legal forces within and around the navy more harsh. While Ulysess was able to keep up the front of being an unmarred naval officer on his way to a position as Vice-Admiral under his wife, his plans for secrecy were thwarted when his ship was captured by the Tendrils of Rolen in a smuggling job gone awry. After a tense battle at sea, Ulysess ship and crew were captured to be sacrificed to Rolen. Ulysses using his charms, managed to convince the cult to let him join. After 3 months trying to infiltrate the cult and nearly getting to find the hiding place of Rolen, he was found by the Bull Ship headed by General Cecil Debussy who immediately arrested Ulysess for piracy and fraternization with the enemy. With a bit of help from his wife, the crew who was imprisoned by Rolen was able to escape under Cecil’s nose, which further frustrated his cousin and complicated his situation.

 **The Trial, the Verdict, and Life Before Godless**

 The trial of Ulysses was all the news among the citizens of G-Rash Bay. The first man of Orcish decent to become an Admiral was now in handcuffs as the royal navy was crumbling under the stronger pressure of open criminality, as well as the question of whether he was working for or against the Tendrils of Rolen. While many of his character references cleared his good name and good intentions, the internal pressure of the Debussy family, specifically especially since Hiram Debussy had begun to pressure commodore Blagg to promote his son Cecil. His grandmother Portia, who had greatly ignored his existence for most of his life, had made a special appearance in court just to drag his name. The pressure forced Blagg to put a harsh sentence on Ulysses, citing instances of nepotism (a hypocrisy clearly not lost on Blagg). Hoping to allow some lenience to his kin, Blagg offered a plea deal for Ulysess if he would give up the names of the crewmates within his piracy ring as well as the name of the Shadow Weaver, as bringing the weaver to trial would help the situation. Deciding to protect his wife and the name of the commodore, he refused. As the day of his execution neared, Blagg decided to take pity on his son-in-law and struck up a deal. Prove yourself to be a good man worthy in the eyes of Zagyg, and you can return home. Confused as he was well aware of the chaotic nature of the god, Blagg said I think 10 years in exile will do just fine with a wink.

 Leaving behind his 8 year old son and wife, Ulysess left port with a small gift given by his mother and father. A small sending stone and a wealth of coin to survive as he sailed to Breton. He spent 4 years among the believers of Zagyg before making his way through the dragon spine to Gaul in an effort to help spread some good will through chaos and get closer to home in his remaining years of exile. All was well when he reached the city of Beleth. Feeling comfortable in his lifestyle and gambling abilities, Ulysses planned to spend his last 4 years in a state of peaceful relaxation until the sky went black and the demons attacked. Quickly regaining his sense of leadership, he rounded up a large group of citizens and brought them into the temple Pelor. While he created a small altar of Zagyg near the church for those less wanting to bring in a traditional god into their life, the 3 months of the incursion were difficult. He helped many citizens, but a great deal more were lost due to irregular meteor storms. Ulysses begrudgingly at first, helped in the repair of Beleth. While his name wasn’t as well-known as it is in G-rash bay, there is no doubt that many citizens as well as the authorities of Beleth know his name. While that hadn’t bothered him much, the recent edict around the faithful in Gaul has made Ulysses mildly anxious for his inevitable return home in the coming months as he is so close to the end of his sentence.