Grissom Kell

## History

Grissom was born in the frontier hamlet of Eagle's Rest (known as The Eagle's Rest to the locals) to the headman and his wife as the youngest of three brothers. However, his very existence nearly caused a marital dispute as he did not resemble either of his parents, possessing feathery black hair and blue eyes that seemed to glow with an unearthly light. Fortunately, the midwife in attendance, a priestess of Erastil, was learned in the ways of the higher planes and was quickly able to calm their fears. After a brief communion with the Stag God, she explained that at some point in the Kell family's history, an angel had interbred with one of their ancestors and their celestial blood was passed down the line, where it lay dormant until manifesting in the newborn baby. As the

Now known to be an Aasimar, Grissom's birth was seen as good fortune rather than the ill omen it had very nearly been.

Growing up, the young celestial-kin proved to be dutiful and moral, taking to his lessons and chores with nary a complaint. He grew both stronger in body and fair of face, though he never took advantage of his natural gifts in ways that might be considered untoward, instead using them to aid his small community. As he explained it, he was often overwhelmed by an urge to simply do good for its own sake.

Aside from his otherworldly heritage, Grissom seemed to be a perfectly normal boy. However, puberty soon revealed that other things were lurking in the blood of the Kell family. At the age of thirteen, he started to grow small supple golden scales on his arms and neck, too soft to be of any actual protection, and his fingernails gained the ability to harden and sharpen into claws. At fourteen, nearby objects started bursting into flames on the extremely rare occasions when he felt strong anger.

When the last began, he was quickly taken to the local hedge wizard, a curmudgeonly old hermit by the name of Joriah. After some grumbling and a few spells, the old man quickly discovered the source. The fire of a Gold Dragon burned inside of him alongside his Celestial blood, sparking an innate talent for magic and warping his body to better accommodate his draconic heritage. Rather than allow the random acts of destruction to continue, Joriah reluctantly took the young boy under his wing to at least teach him to control his gift.

Eventually, Grissom, now nineteen, learned the extent of what Joriah had to teach. Seeing that the young sorcerer still had much more potential to grow, the old man gave him a letter of introduction to The Magic Society and bid him to join them to see it realized. Though he was hesitant to leave his home, Grissom soon saw that it was a way that perhaps he could do good on a much larger scale.

Upon his departure, his father gave him an amulet. Once it had been a mighty protective talisman, though its power had long since been exhausted and it remained little more than a family heirloom for generations. With a promise to return, Grissom left for the city of Corovon.

## Appearance

Grissom's celestial and draconic heritages have blended together to give him a striking, if not unearthly, appearance that he seems to maintain without any effort. Tall and well-built from a lifetime of physical labor, his feathery black hair contrasts sharply against his near-golden skin. Tiny scales, too small and soft to offer any actual protection, have started growing at the base of his neck and the tops of his forearms. Blue eyes that have glowed with a supernatural light since his birth have recently gained the slitted pupil of his draconic ancestor.

He dresses simply, preferring his sturdy homespun clothing to the fancier fabrics available in Corovon, though he has gained an appreciation for the warm red travel cloak he picked up on his initial journey to the capital. He usually eschews armor as it gets in the way of his spellcasting, so he relies primarily on his magic for protection.

## Personality

As a paladin of Erastil, Grissom has an intense focus on the betterment of the community around him, though sometimes to the detriment of himself. Humble and kind, he is slow to accept praise as he feels he is merely doing his duty. He does not consider the compulsion to do good that his celestial blood imposes on him to be a burden, but rather as a steady reminder of his duty.

As a self-described "mountain boy," he has yet to become fully comfortable in cities like Corovon, which are gigantic compared to his relatively small hometown.

## Friends

Eagle's Rest- No one in town can honestly say a bad thing about Grissom. As the third son of the current headman, he is extremely popular.

## Aspirations

Grissom has no overarching goal beyond mastering the magic within himself and using it to better the world.