Cooper

Cooper is the guard captain in the village of Carran in the Grey Valley and the husband of Portia. He is the father of Irving and personally led the defnce of Carran against a gnoll raid.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Cooper is a 5'5" human man with dark brown hair. He has brown eyes, one of which remains covered by an eyepatch. He wears studded leather armour accentuated with black drake scales.

### **Personality**

Cooper is strong willed and confident. He is polite and respectful to those who he views deserve it and attempts to be kind as much as he can, though he does have limits. Cooper is a skilled warrior and as such, remains unafraid to put himself into harms way to protect his family, particularly his son, Irving.

Cooper's alignment is Neutral Good.

## **Biography**

### **Lifelong Soldier**

Cooper grew up as a warrior of Tal'Dorei, fighting as a young recruit during the Echoes Crisis in Emon. Post Echoes Crisis, Cooper was stationed in Fort Daxio as a guard, where he met Portia, a former member of the Council of Echoes and now a prisoner of Tal'Dorei. While imprisoned at Daxio, Portia befriended Cooper who became a personal guard to her due to her good behaviour and compliances. This friendship developed over time into a mutual attraction that neither party was able to act upon.

In 830 P.D. Portia was approached by Roland Songsteel who expressed a wish to hire her to assist in the Grey Valley Project as a form of parole for her good behaviour in the prison. Once Portia agreed and expressed interest, Roland and Ariawyn Vennan spoke before courts on her behalf, eventually convincing the judges to allow Portia freedom, on the condition that she be accompanied by a guard as a parole officer. Ariawyn recognised the attraction between Cooper and Portia and suggested he be the guard to accompany her. The courts agreed and Portia and Cooper joined the first settlers of the Grey Valley Project.

### **Newfound Purpose**

Now free of the watchful eyes of the courts and other guards, Portia and Cooper quickly developed a relationship and were married by Irril Manais in early 831 P.D. Cooper and his new wife then found themselves a purpose in taming and breeding the Drakes native to the Grey Valley to assist in a variety of roles within the valley. Portia's first two successful drakes that she grew from hatchlings were a red Guard Drake that she named Scarlett and a Moon Drake named Janus. Scarlett became a loyal Guard Drake, hunting and fighting at Cooper's side like a trained bloodhound, meanwhile it became clear to Portia that Janus had some form of learning disability, becoming easily distracted and preferring solitude. Portia also found that she was pregnant with Cooper's child and she gave birth in mid 832 P.D. to a half dwarf son that she named Irving.

In 834 P.D. a few of the settlers, led by Irril Manais and Helfi Stonecutter, left Yana to travel towards the mountains at the side of the valley and establish a mining colony that they named Carran. Portia and her family joined them, with a mining colony having more use for her drakes and the mountains being a more suitable terrain to raise the new drakes in.

### **Grey Frontier**

In 840 P.D. Carran was beseiged by a pack of gnolls, attempting to reach the mine which had suffered a collapse under mysterious circumstances. Cooper led the defence of the town, assisted by the other guards and Scarlett. Meanwhile, Portia remained in her home to protect her young drakes and Irving. Cooper fought hard, slaying several gnolls before he was badly wounded. He would have been slain if it had not been for the timely arrival of the Sterling Rams who fought off the gnolls and saved Cooper's life.

He later met the group and discussed the town's defences with them before happily reuniting with his wife and son. The Sterling Rams saw Cooper once more after they emerged from the mine, now planning a rearrangement of the town in case of further attacks.

## **Relationships**

### **Portia**

Cooper initially came to know Portia while she was a prisoner. Nevertheless, the two developed a very strong relationship that eventually blossomed into love. Cooper and Portia married one another and have a son together, they are very supportive of one another and work together like a well oiled machine.

### **Irving**

Irving is Cooper's son. He loves the boy and fights to protect him above all else.

### **The Sterling Rams**

Cooper respects the Sterling Rams as warriors and remains thankful for their aid in defending Carran from the gnoll raids.

## **Equipment**

Cooper has a unique fighting style, opting for a Trident and Shield combo. He wears studded leather armour that has been enhanced with scales from a black drake, making it resistant to acids.