Boranex "Nex" Raat'kala

Raised in the slums of Malleon's Gate, this new adventurer is constantly trying to turn over a new leaf.

## Appearance

Just slightly taller than the average goblin standards at 3 foot 8, he sports uncooperatively wavy black hair that is mostly held in place by a slathering of gel. He often wears a pair of mismatched small gold ringed earrings with a few rings on his fingers. He tends to wear clothes that are a little tattered and worn, usually an old yellow leather jacket and a pair of brown trousers, and a pair of boots in significantly better condition than the rest of his outfit. On the anterior of his left wrist is a stylized RTR, the symbol of the Rust Tower Runners, a Malleon street gang.

His fighting style is somewhat like a bare knuckle fighter, though his jabs are made dangerous by the pair of katars that hang off his belt. Nex won the push-daggers off an elf in the lower wards a few years back. The set was beautifully crafted, adorned with rubies and plated with gold. In the years since, the gems and precious metal have been stripped away and sold, leaving the katars relatively plain looking.

## History

Best that they can tell, the Raat’kala family have been in Sharn since before the arrival of Malleon the Reaver. Boranex Raat'kala was born and raised in a large and poor household in the Malleon's Gate district of Lower Dura, the second oldest child of Leon’ie and Tunee Raat’kala. He spent his youth as many poverty-stricken goblins did, performing petty crimes, looking to impress local gangs. He quickly gained a reputation for his big mouth and eagerness to prove his worth.

Early in his criminal years, Nex and his partner Holloway performed a series of B&Es, looking for things to steal and sell. On one of these burglaries, Nex uncovered a pair of Boots of Speed. He tried them on, loving how they made him feel and imagining how much they would help him in the future. Unfortunately, while he was testing them out the owner returned. Nex made a run for it, managing to get away from the owner and the city watch. During his escape he wasn’t quite used to the speed the boots provided and crashed into a crowd of people on a bridge. One pedestrian fell off the bridge into the depths below. In shock, he watched the man fall into darkness before blazing away. This wasn’t a part of Sharn where people could afford preventative measures or helpful wizards cast Feather Fall on those who tripped. Nex considers this his first kill, and it wouldn’t be his last.

As the Rust Tower Runners gained more of a reputation around Malleon's Gate, Daask began taking a particular interest in them. They were contracted out for various jobs by the gang and did it willingly. Usually it was simple small jobs, but the Runners wouldn't turn down a kill order or a fight if the gang needed it done.

His life took a turn for the worst when his older brother, Boranel, was killed by a rival gang. With the brother that he had always looked up to gone, and four younger siblings turning to him as the new role model, Nex quickly did his best to turn his life around. He kicked around for a few years working at various shops, though didn't stay long, and often relapsed into small crimes with Holloway to bring in some extra coin when times were tight. During each of those relapses, he'd be offered a spot in Daask, but each time he'd decline.

He was eventually hired at a local smith's shop run by Foddouk Soranath, and in addition to payment, the Last War vet taught him swordplay. Though he was scolded for his dirty fighting style, full of trips, rolls, and feints, the smithy couldn't argue against his effectiveness.

One morning, in late 998, Nex arrived for work but the shop had been burned to the ground; Food was nowhere to be found. However, that night he was approached by Morxus, the Daask boss with a different offer. An invitation to the Wayfinder Foundation. No strings attached, he said, but Nex knew with him there were always strings. He declined, but found when he got home that evening that the invitation had been shoved into his bag, alongside an address of a retired Wayfinder in the upper city.

Out of curiosity, he followed the address, finding a gigantic mansion, larger than every home he'd ever lived in put together. If he could find a place in this organization, work a few jobs, and retire even in Middle Dura? That'd be worth whatever Morxus would ask, right?

### The Last War

Nex stayed far away from the War. Even if he wanted to fight, his criminal record barred him from applying. He didn't particularly care who won, seeing the war as a petty squabble over who gets to wear the fancy hat. Long as Sharn was left well enough alone, he was fine with whatever happened.

### Invitation

Purchased by Morxus from Imre, Nex didn't earn his invitation in the typical way. As it was bought under the table, Nex lives in concern that he'll be found out and kicked out from the Foundation. In fact, he sees it as an inevitability. But he's doing all he can to earn as much gold as possible in the meantime.

### Experience

In terms of adventuring experience, Nex's portfolio is empty. He's never been out of Sharn, and has only taken a skycab a handful of times. He's never been on a boat, in an airship, or even to the Skyway. But the parts of Sharn he has been to? He's explored every nook and cranny, knowing the city like the back of his hand.

### Motivation & Future Goals

Despite his sometimes abrasive and cocky attitude, Nex is a family man, through and through. He wants to be a good role model for his family and for his community, because he never had one growing up. He intentionally lives in the Wayfinder dorms to save on rent, and keeps to a very tight budget. Every extra Galifar he has goes into savings to ensure his younger siblings have the possibility of a higher education. When that's full, he plans to help to pay for his family's living expenses too, to help them get out from under the thumb of the Daask boss Morxus.

### Secrets

**Ailurophobia.** Nex is terrified of cats due to an experience with a stray behind his house while he was growing up. This directly confronts his general air of bravado.

### Plot Hooks

**Wroann's Trinkets.** After becoming a Wayfinder, Nex's sister Wroann made him promise that every time that he left Sharn he had to bring back a souvenir from the exotic locale for her.

**First Kill.** During a routine burglary, Nex and his new Boots of Speed made his escape over a bridge and careened into a crowd of people, sending one over the edge. They fell into the city’s depths and weren't saved (as far as he could tell) by a token or a helpful wizard. This person is probably dead. Unless they’re not.

**Daask.** Due to the area they grew up in, Nex’s family has always been heavily involved with Daask. His brother was a full fledged member, and Nex was well on his way until Boranel’s passing. However, he’s doing his best to put the gang-life behind him, and pull his family up. Unfortunately, those he’s trying to save them from don’t let their hooks fall out easily.

**Morxus' Influence.** Nex owes his adventuring career to the Daask boss. While he hasn't asked for anything yet, it's entirely within the tiefling's methods to wait for the perfect opportunity to call in a favour.

**Shaarat Kurar.** Passed down from parent to firstborn for generations, this ceremonial knife is etched with the image of boats and flames, and dates back to the time of the humans' conquering of Khorvaire. Enchanted by a vengeful golin'dar, it glows in the presence of those descended from Malleon the Reaver and is meant to exterminate those with his blood. It was once held by Nex's older brother, Boranel. At this point, Nex has no intention of using the knife for its intended purpose.

### Relationships & Family

**Leon'ie Raat'kala.** The Raat’kala patriarch, Leon'ie is a history teacher at a small mostly-goblin school in Malleon’s Gate. He has done his best to teach his children about the history of their people and of Breland, remaining undeterred by Boranel and Boranex’s uncaring.

**Tunee Raat'kala (née Vusgaate).** The Raat’kala matriarch, Tunee was a soldier in the Brelish army who was injured in battle and discharged. She is unable to work due to her injury. Despite this, she has managed to raise five children and instilled in them the importance of martial ability, ensuring they could defend themselves on the rough streets of Lower Dura.

**Boranel Raat'kala.** Oldest brother, born in 978 YK. Ran with Daask through his teenage years. He was a role model to Nex and inspired him to found the Rust Tower Runners. Boranel lived the glorified gangster lifestyle around the streets of Malleon’s Gate. He didn’t care a ton for his family. He tried to pull solely himself out of poverty and didn’t help his family much. Died at 14 (992 YK) while protecting Morxus from an assassination attempt.

**Brask Raat'kala.** Middle brother, born in 983 YK. A member of the Sharn watch. Brask attempts to be a good cop, but turns a blind eye toward Daask affairs due to his familial connections.

**Kason Raat'kala.** Youngest brother, born in 986 YK. Kason is an up and coming hip-hop artist, using Crystals to make a new style of music.

**Wroann Raat'kala.** Born in 988/989 YK. The youngest and only daughter of the Raat’kala clan. Nicknamed Junkrat by Nex, she's incredibly smart and on a Daask-sponsored scholarship to Morgrave University.

**Holloway.** A halfling in his early 20’s who was a childhood friend of Nex, the two ran together as the co-founders of the Rust Tower Runners. He is the only person from his former life of petty crime that he still speaks to by choice. Nex has attempted unsuccessfully a few times to pull Holloway out of the street gang lifestyle, though recently he has begun to climb the ranks of the Boromars, and doesn’t speak to the Daask-associated Nex quite as openly as he did before.

**Morxus.** A tiefling mob boss from Daask. Boranel died protecting him from an assassination attempt. Since then, Morxus has helped the Raat’kalas get by on their expenses, much to the parents’ and Nex’s personal disdain. Purchased Nex's Wayfinder invitation as well as funding Wroann's education. No strings attached.

**Foddouk Soranath.** A last war vet who ran a blacksmith shop in Malleon’s Gate. Disappeared when his shop was burned to the ground, with Nex believing that he was tossed from the nearest bridge by Daask thugs. He helped to teach Nex how to duel. His mother taught the basics, but Foddo helped teach actual tactics.

## Personality

**Personality Traits**

* I bluntly say what other people are hinting at or hiding.
* I'm confident in my own abilities and do what I can to instill confidence in others.

**Ideals**

* Community. We have to take care of each other, because no one else is going to do it.

**Bonds**

* No one else should have to endure the hardships I’ve been through.

**Strengths**

* I am quick and decisive, and do whatever it takes to win.

**Flaws**

* I’d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair.

## Completed Missions

### Insert Mission Name Here

(Describe anything from the mission that particularly impacted your character, any achievements, allies or enemies acquired, etc.)

## Crunch

### XP & Gold Log

*This transaction list must include all finished expeditions and the gold/XP earned for each, as well as all expenditures (what you bought and for how much).*

### Inventory

* Boots of Speed
* Backpack
* Ball Bearings (1000)
* Bell
* Candle
* Clothes, Common
* Crowbar
* Dagger
* Hammer
* Katar (2) (refluffed shortswords)
* Lantern, Hooded
* Oil (flask)
* Piton
* Rope, Hempen (50 ft)
* Shaarat Kurar (trinket - refluffed dagger)
* String
* Studded Leather Armor
* Thieves Tools
* Tinderbox
* Waterskin

### Character Sheet

* https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/ColinM9/characters/35386938 ​​​​​