Grizz

Grizz is a male human NPC in the Om campaign.

Gerold, aka "Grizz," is a warrior who served at Stonewatch Abbey under Goddard Brandik. When the Royal Explorers took Stonewatch Abbey he was among the soldiers that promptly defected. He assisted in the transition of control of the abbey in exchange for a large sum of gems and was later seen spending his windfall lavishly in Waymere.

## Background

Gerold is an old hand at mercenary/soldier work and acquired the nickname "Grizz" which is short for "Grizzled." By 465 was under the command of Goddard Brandik as part of his bandit company at Stonewatch Abbey.

The abbey soon saw an influx of Orlesean soldiers who fortified a nearby camp of recruits and worked to train them as well as the established bandits. Among the Orleseans was Lord Balamer the Blue.

By the month of Twins of 465 there were nearly 200 men in the camp divided into three cohorts.

## Loss of Stonewatch Abbey

On the 1st of Twins 465, the Royal Explorers sneaked into Stonewatch Abbey and captured it, slaying Goddard Brandik and Balamer the Blue as well as most of the bandits and Orleseans within. In the process, however, they triggered an alarm, prompting the troops at the nearby camp to believe a drill was being run.

The first cohort, which Grizz a part of, marched to the abbey along with a squad of Thunnish mercenaries and a squad of half elven mercenaries. There his Orlesian commanding officer saw through the Royal Explorers' attempts to claim all was well within the abbey and ordered an attack.

At that moment Noel Gorehammer hurled the severed heads of Goddard Brandik and Balamer the Blue at their feet and bellowed that the same fate awaited any man who attacked. This prompted some grumbling and distention in the ranks a and Grizz called out that he would be willing to parlay, earning a blistering rebuke from his Orlesean commander and the cohorts second in command.

From the abbey Wu Xen spied the Thuns and called to them, declaring his friendship with Korsik the Quick. The leader of the Thunnish mercenaries, Torr Nine-fingers, declared that he would parlay. This caused the Orlesean officer and his second to round on Torr and berate him, delivering a slap to emphasize his point. In return Torr and his men immediately slew both men.

## Parlay

Grizz agreed to parlay on behalf of his men as did Torr and Quintillis, the leader of the half elven mercenaries. The Royal Explorers met with the three in Stonewatch Abbey. A deal was soon struck with Torr and Quintillis and they were paid off and departed.

Grizz stated that his services were contingent on a separate deal with the Royal Explorers, stating that he had information on some Orlesean troop movements and the activities of "Bloody" Anne Adler. The Royal Explorers agreed to a private negotiation with him once the abbey was secure.

Grizz, representing the bulk of the men, informed the Royal Explorers that they had not yet been paid by the Orleseans and that the allegiance of all but the most loyal Orleseans (whom Grizz offered to execute) would secured if the Royal Explorers paid them.

Grizz further explained that there were an additional two cohorts of around 60 men each, one at the camp with a handful of non combatants and another on patrol under the command of Captain Pierre Foseaux.

## Switching Sides

True to his word, Grizz aided the Royal Explorers in securing Stonewatch Abbey. They leveled on offer to the men to either join the militia they would form to garrison the abbey, sign up to serve in the Gildornian Army, or travel south to Fernstead which was a new community and would need strong hands to help build. Grizz took the offer to the men at the abbey, and promptly executed the trio of Orlesean soldiers who objected.

Wu and Grizz then went to the men at the camp and repeated the offer, and all but a quarter of that cohort, all Orlesean soldiers, agreed. Wu ensured that this time the holdouts were arrested rather than executed, which Grizz accepted with a shrug.

Grizz introduced Wu to a fellow veteran warrior, Arnor Felkirk, who agreed to tell Captain Foseaux to report to the abbey when he returned, though he expressed doubt that Foseaux would do so. Felkirk’s fears were proven well founded and when Foseaux’s patrol returned the following day the by the book Foseaux suspected something was amiss and launched an attack. Grizz had anticipated this and along with Wu Xen and Noel Gorehammer, took command of the the first two cohorts and successfully defended against Foseaux’s men.

## Departure

Though Grizz would have been happy to continue to work at Stonewatch Abbey, the Royal Explorers had a distrust of him due to his selfish and amoral nature. They thanked him for his service and paid him with a handful of gems that Brandik had stolen from Gildornian caravans and one of the horses at the abbey sent him on his way.

Grizz immediately went to Waymere with his windfall, where he was later seen by Fern to be spending lavishly on clothes, food and drink.