Novak Belasch

Novak is a Lost Hrothgar, tall and solidly built, with a shock of silver hair and pale blue eyes. Often seen around the Wayfarer's Rest tavern and inn, along with various establishments in and around Ishgard, Ul'Dah and other major cities in Eorzea, the Hrothgar is a travelling sellsword by trade. The man is noble in nature, soft but firm in tone, with a gentle, almost fatherly caring that comes with age.

### Early Life

Novak was born in Martrvje, a coastal city in Bozja, to wealthy parents who'd wanted him to stay in the city for good, not leaving to pursue great adventures or make a name for himself. And he did stay, for a time. Maintaining a humble job as a dockworker, employed by his wealthy father's shipping company. He watched many trading vessels enter and leave, yearning and longing to one day set sail to see greater borders and far-off lands.

### The Burning of Bozja

Then the Garlean Empire invaded. Nothing was ever the same. At first, Novak and his family didn't particularly care about the news, their home city having been far from the borders and they trusted their nation's military to deal with the problems. But when the bombs fell in the city centre and airships spreading fire and brimstone flew over their skies... Novak ran. Fearing for his life and caught off guard while on shift at the docks, he stowed away on the first merchant ship he saw that was moored there. When it left Bozjan shores for presumably the last time, Novak never looked back. At least, not at first.

### Life in Eorzea

Novak took to life on the open ocean easily enough, after having spent some time getting his sea legs. The ship, named the *Mercy*, was a merchant vessel that travelled to many parts of the world. Doma, mainland Eorzea, even Bozja for a time. Their purpose was trade and travel; ferrying goods of all sorts around the star for merchants to buy and sell, transporting precious cargo and, oft times, people.

He took to his new job in earnest and soon earned his place as the quartermaster's assistant and one of the ship's guards. A decade flew by without major incident, though the *Mercy* naught once went back to Bozja for fear of Imperial interception and capture. Novak's wanderlust, as sated as it was from years spent on the open ocean, still yearned for greater things.

And so, on the tenth anniversary of his stowing away aboard the *Mercy*, Novak left. He set foot on dry land for the first time in ten years in the port city of Limsa Lominsa and began the next chapter of his life there.

The large Hrothgar made his way to Ul'Dah after some time spent wandering the roads of Eorzea and quickly made a name for himself as a large, fuzzy gladiator. His time with a sword and shield meant that he soon became the subject of multiple requests for caravan guard contracts. He took each in kind, getting paid and moving onto the next one. Times changed and the Final Days came and went.

Calamities rose and fell and still Novak kept working. But when the world came to know peace, it was also when Novak came to know Farren, meeting the Viera on a merchant ship that was coming from Thavnair.

### Present Day

After joining the Wayfarers during their early days setting up as a free company, Novak has found himself with much more work than he had previously and a lot more free time. He's made a lot more friends and has even gone on record to state that the Wayfarers and his closest friends are his newfound family on Eorzea.

The big cat has also taken up a different sword in the form of a katana, following recent trips to Doma to train in the Samurai arts. He is still learning swordplay and the ways and methods of their fighting style, but the Hrothgar is most at home with a blade in his hand. And even more recently, Novak has gone home to Martrvje to visit his family, or what was left of it after the war.

Only to find that they had passed on in the many, many years it had been since he left. He had been left a sizeable fortune in a will, but gave it back to his home city so that they had more funding to continue repairs of important infrastructure.

Novak took one thing from home back with him to Eorzea: a red jewel inscribed with a family crest that he entrusted Farren with come the year's winter seasonal celebration. The Hrothgar now spends his time working simple contracts from time to time, occasionally stopping by the Rest to take a break and check in with friends.

###### References List

https://novakbelasch.carrd.co/ (Character Carrd)