Tark Zelhardt

**Tark Zelhardt** was a Leobische nobleman, Duke of Rynburg and Head of The Zelhardt Family. He was the only son of Duke Ulter Zelhardt, commonly referred to as *Der Zelige Löwe* (The Zealous Lion).

Tark was born and raised in Rynburg, Leoben, and remained there for most of his youth. As the sole rightful heir of the Duchy and The Zelhardt Family, he was to be one of the more influential individuals in the entire kingdom. However, before this future could come to fruition, Tark was disowned, as well as incarcerated at his father's command. The actions that led to this punishment would remain unknown to everyone but Tark himself. As such, he was bereaved of his heirship, and officially no longer a Zelhardt by name. But by fortune and misfortune, all who knew of this truth as a definite lost their lives shortly after it happened, excluding Tark. While he was imprisoned, his parents were assassinated by assailants still unknown.

Tark went on to become a devout servant of the Church of the Heavens. He was said to have found alleviation in piety, and took upon himself the role of a missionary. His allegiance to the Church of the Heavens was stronger than most, and during his later active years in the service of the Church, he traveled to El Deya, following a supposed vision from the angels. There, he was caught up in the Asevian Invasion, and became one of the five individuals hailed as the heroes who defeated the dire threat, the likes of which had not been seen since the Heartstone Crisis.

## History

The latter is the archetype Tark Zelhardt diligently committed to during his lifetime.

### Childhood and Adolescence

Tark was born in the later days of August, during a night described as "...so quiet the only noise heard was Tark's mother’s anguished noises as she birthed him." He was the firstborn and only son of Ulter Zelhardt, the *Herzog* (Cmn: Duke) of Rynburg, one of the most influential and largest Duchies in Leoben. As the son of a pious nobleman, little time was wasted before he was put before the teachings of the heavens, and within his first few years of life, he was indoctrinated to the Church's ways. Tark had an unending appetite for tales of great battles, and the stories of the ever powerful angels who ruled from above. This appetite grew only more as he aged.

Along with the teachings of the church, Tark was taught a variety of subjects essential to those of his like - heirs of great power and influence. Through a formal education from some of the most intellectual scholars in all of Leoben, he gained an expertise in the areas of diplomacy, rhetoric, and philosophy. Alongside this, Tark learned of warfare - both tactics and personal combat. In fact, his caretakers often wrote of his escapades, sneaking away from lessons in natural science and mathematics to spar with the Castle Guard in the training courtyard.

His education went well during his childhood, and so did his relationship with his family. His father and mother put aside much of their time to care for their only child, and showered him with love and support. If Tark wished to play, he was given the toys he wanted, and other children were brought to him. If Tark wished to hunt, his father would send out his best hunters to teach him.

Like many children who were equally spoiled, he gained a great ego, and a narcissistic and narrow point of view. His care for the archangels who ruled the heavens dwindled, and he no longer sought satisfaction in purity. In his adolescence, his mind was instead focused on indulging in the pleasures of mortal life. He was said to have snuck out of the Schloss Zelhardt countless times, partaking in brothels and benders. In the meanwhile, his relationship with his father, became more strained with time, and eventually, their relationship was in such a bad shape that they ceased to address each other. This strain on their previously healthy relationship culminated in the disowning of Tark, at the hands of his father, who not only is said to have taken away his right to the Duchy of Rynburg, but to have also incarcerated him. While his father seemed to express some regret after the incident, it became considerably harder to mend the actions taken, as rumours spread quickly among the nobility, and soon afterwards, most of the city of Rynburg was convinced that Tark had lost his right to the throne. Disowned by his father, and the people, Tark remained in incarceration for several weeks.

Approximately two months after the incident, Tark was said to have been transported from his cell to the main hall of the castle. There, laid the mangled corpses of the Duke and his wife, the parents he had previously held so dear. The sight was later described by the Garrison Officer "..as if the carcasses had been thrown to rabid dogs." The unknown men hit him to the floor, and left him with a bloody dagger. Tark, in deep sorrow after the sight of his murdered parents, fled the scene, and swiftly left Rynburg, as well as his whole life, behind. The guards, who later arrived after having been diverted by a false alarm, noted the disappearance of Tark, but officially declared him dead, noting in personal writings that it was highly unlikely Tark had committed the murders, or that he would have gone untouched by the assailants.

Tark travelled along lesser known roads and paths out of the Duchy, and continued down to the southern coast, where he promptly purchased passage on a trading ship, which took him to many destinations around Esria, desperately trying to find a new reason to live and a new place to prosper, and forget the ordeals he had gone through to get where he was. A disowned noble, with little to no actual worldly knowledge, and a name that held great weight, but one that he couldn't bear out of shame and regret. Dead in the eyes of official documentation, he had within the span of a few months gone from one of the most promising individuals in the Kingdom of Leoben, to nothing, no one. As the only memory of his past, he had taken his father's old greatsword, *Rynder*, with him. But other than that, he erased all that he had once been.

### A New Chapter

During his travels, Tark met an old ascetic, who rekindled Tark's piety after long discussions aboard the ship that were transporting them both to the capital of the Kingdom of Medira, *Ámbar*. As their short time together ended, the ascetic directed Tark to the Cathedral of St. Rafael, a place where he could create the new life he so desperately sought for. He convened with the leaders of the Mediran church, and swore allegiance to the Church of the Heavens. He took upon the position of missionary, wishing to spread knowledge of the solace that the Angels could offer, and had given to him in his time of need. He continued to travel a great deal, but now with a purpose, and a meaning to his actions. He journeyed to most corners of the Astrian continent, spreading the words and teachings of the Old Tome to everyone who would listen, and found great contentment in helping those in need of assistance and advice, like that given to him by the old ascetic some time before his travels under the banner of the Church of the Heavens.

After reconvening with the leadership of St. Rafael, Tark's inherent expertise in combat and tactics was found too important to be squandered on missionary work, and he was reassigned to work alongside the Mediran army as a clerical adviser. He assisted in any matters pertaining to the Church, and ensured that the will of the Angels, and their devout followers, was properly portrayed to the leadership of not only the Mediran army, but also the very leading figures of the entire Kingdom at certain points. Whilst Tark still found much bliss in being the zealous tool of the Angels, the meddling in politics and bureaucracy often bored him, and ever so often he missed adventuring and experiencing the beautiful world that is Esria.

During a certain night, spent in his dwelling in the Clergy Quarters of Ámbar, Tark received what he believed to be a vision given to him by the Angels themselves. He could remember a mere scant of what he had been shown, but a specific name had etched itself into his mind—*El Deya*. At first, he doubted himself, as he had become exceedingly humble with age and with his time as a simple missionary. Alas, the possibility that it was in fact a vision granted by the Angels gnawed on his mind for days, from dawn till dusk, during prayer, and during important discussions. After careful deliberation, he decided to bring the subject to those who led the Churches' work in Medira, and ask for their opinion on the vision.

He convened with the Clergy of the Cathedral of St. Rafael, and had his vision interpreted by the most respected members of the church. He gained permission to travel to the land of El Deya, to investigate the reason for the vision, as the clergymen indeed believed the vision was from the angels, or at the very least important enough to investigate.

He made his way to Masara, a Port city on the south-west coast of El Deya. A rapidly expanding centre of commerce and cultural diversity, Tark found great interest in learning from the populace about the land he had previously never set foot in, as well as other cultures, stories, and goods. He came in contact with the local centre of clerical workings, the Parish Church of St. Adna, and told them of his vision, and what he wished to accomplish during his stay in their homeland. He was greeted with open arms, and directed to speak to Zarak Al-Ahmad, a local businessman and provisioner of information and ventures.

Through Zarak, Tark learned of the Tomb of Marratan, an ancient structure built by the people of El Deya long ago. It had been unearthed shortly after he had arrived, and he signed up to the venture as a way to learn more about the native beliefs, in hopes of finding the reason he was directed to the faraway land.

## Appearance

*The following is a description of Tark's appearance during his 40's, as written by a colleague in the Cathedral of St. Rafael:*

A man of many winters, Tark's weathered face is evidence of the many years he has travelled, and what he has seen during those years. However, with a strong jaw and a chiselled facial structure, he redeems himself from the wrinkles that have taken their place upon his forehead and below his eyes.

Tousled, of a medium length, and of a dark gray shade, his hair clearly shows his age, and whilst not all of it has changed from its original black colouring, most would find it easy to conceive Tark as no youth. Situated on the lower parts of his face is a scruffy beard, hairs much more gray than those atop his crown. Whilst slightly unkempt, it remains neat and thick. His midnight blue eyes, combined with an inquisitive gaze, makes him moderately attractive for his age, and inflicts a demeanour compromising of vigilance and assuredness.

His body itself is brawny, formed by a focus on endurance and combat, but also due to a constant strain from various straining tasks. Standing at 1,88 m (6'2"), his posture is that of a weathered soldier, despite having never been part of such an organisation. His musculature is exemplary for his age, and if he were to be judged purely on his ability to endure blows and exertion, few would imagine him to be over 30 summers of age.

## Equipment

### Armour and apparel

The armour Tark wore during his later years was a combination of various pieces he had found use for through ventures and battles. It was made up of several kinds of thick, hardened leather, joined with slightly heavier metallic components. Crafted by leobische armourers, it was of a high quality, and cost him heavily. His chest area consisted of a gorget, a vest, a tunic, a hauberk, and a breastplate. The gorget, which was made of brown, boiled leather, was worn to protect against any attacks made above his more armoured chest. The vest was black in colour, and was made with studded leather. It formed the outer shell of his cuirass. Below it, a hauberk, carefully crafted, ensured safety from various weapons, but was not the last line of defence. Beneath it lied a breastplate of thin metal, which protected against those few weapons that would go through the rest of his armour. Lastly, he wore a tunic, which covered up his arms and acted as a protective skirt for his legs. The remainder of his armour consisted of leather boots, supported by metal greaves, and his gloves, which were studded.

On his belt hanged several pouches, which contained various miscellaneous items that were too important to leave in his backpack. Along with this, a smaller copy of The Old Tome hanged in a tight buckle, there to ensure he could utilize it whenever necessary. When he was traveling or in need of cover from the elements, he had a cloth cape that hanged over his shoulders, held by golden symbols of the leobische herald lions.

### Weaponry

Within an adorned scabbard, placed on his left side, sat his greatsword, a most valuable possession. It was crafted for Tark's father by the late Queen Elena's royal armorer, after he supported her in the Leobische Civil War. Based upon the name of the duchy, the sword was fittingly named *Rynder*. With an intricate, two-handed grip, an elegant crossguard, and a pommel in the shape of the **Blume von Ryn**, it was easy to see the amount of effort put into the weapon's creation. As a masterwork of leobische martial technology, few swords could match it, and as the sole reminder of his heritage, it was always by Tark's side.

Although rarely used, Tark also carried a crossbow, nicknamed *Herzpierer*, as a safety measure when range became a considerable problem. Even though he much preferred the blade to the bolt, it became a dear possession that Tark never left behind.