Canis Absalom

Canis Absalom, seen with the five Treasures of The Sea King he currently has acquired.

## Family

### Parent(s)

Unknown

Canis Absalom is a suffocati refugee from the Shadowfell. After centuries of suffering, Canis led a failed rebellion and was exiled to Veiltouria. He now strives to live life to its fullest, and ensure all those who walk the earth have freedom.

> *"It doesn't matter what it's the God of. It doesn't matter how old it is, or what its plans are. I am a free man. No God, King or any other thing alive or dead can tell me otherwise. So if Shog-Ammonoth has some grand design to snatch me up and take my freedom, let him come. Before I die every man, woman and child breathing will know my name. They will know that Canis Absalom stared down the God of Fame, looked into its eyes without fear, and that the God blinked first. So fuck him, he wants me, he knows where I am."*
>
>

> - Canis Absalom
>
>

## History

### Yishagoth

Born in the Great Slave Mines of Yishagoth, Canis Absalom's first years of life were ones of bleak submission and tireless work. The dark magic of Yishagoth bled all joy and sensation from the young suffocati. For years he toiled in the darkness, his body and mind under constant assault from the slavers of the mine. The slavers used poisoned food and water to keep their slaves meek and easier to control. Eventually, the humiliation and life of nothingness proved to much for Canis and he began to plot his escape.

Starving himself, Canis began to feel the poisons effects on his body lessen. When he felt strong enough he staged his escape. Using stolen mining tools fashioned into weapons, Canis led a revolt, slaughtering the slavers. Sensing victory, he led his fellow slaves towards a portal to Terra Aletheia.

Before his people could escape, an immense Shadow Dragon unleashed by the slavers decimated the suffocati slaves. The only survivor, Canis was left for dead by Ythgashnar's forces. After the battle, Canis managed to survive long enough to attempt an attack on Ythgashnar, ruler of Yishagoth and owner of the mines. Fearing for his life, his banished Canis to Veiltouria, cursing him to never again set foot in his homeland. The suffocati rebel now found himself alone, in an unfamiliar world.

Shocked at the sheer color and vibrancy of his new found home, Canis swore to himself that he would live life to its fullest. He would fight for all the fame and fortune this land had to offer, and nothing would stand in his way. He had to live the life of thousands of his people, or else there sacrifice would mean nothing. Obsessed with having his name live on forever, Canis began his quest for glory.

His first step was claiming the Black Mako.

### The Black Mako

When drinks are passed around the table and stories begin to be swapped, it is an inevitability that a tale of The Black Mako will be told. The most famous ship in all of Veiltouria, the Mako commands a reputation borne from bloodshed and history.

Built in an age when the lands were wilder and the oceans more so, the Black Mako was the ship of a famed corsair and captain. His name lost to time, this captain led his crew through the most dangerous waters, always without a scratch. It soon became known as the luckiest ship on the 5 seas. This growing reputation eventually drew the attention of Shog-Ammonoth itself. The Deep One, hearing the tales of the untouchable sheep, dispatched its Krakens and watched with cold detachment as the ship and all its crew were dragged into the Great Deep.

The famed crew soon became lost to legend, the years leaving their names and stories in the dust. Soon, the Mako itself became little more than a myth, a tall tale told by sailors as warning to not draw the attention of The Deep One. None dared search for a ship owned by the God of The Sea. That is, until a young pirate fresh into Veiltouria heard the stories.

Canis wanted nothing less than all the world had to offer. Hearing the stories of the luckiest ship ever built, the suffocati searched far and wide for any sign of the Mako. It soon became clear the ship was in the Great Deep itself. Undeterred, Canis swam out into the ocean, singing his own praise and glory all the while. After ten days and ten nights of constant swimming and singing, he drew the attention of a Kraken of the Deep One. Quickly drinking a potion of water breathing, Canis prepared. As the great beast came to drag him below, Canis struck. Impaling it in the brain, Canis rode the creature into the depths, watching with an icy defiance as the Kraken returned to its masters personal domain. There in the very heart of The Great Deep, Canis found the Black Mako. Hidden on the sea floor with all of Shog-Ammonoth's forgotten treasures, the ancient vessel strained for release. It yearned for the freedom of the open waters.

The young pirate would oblige.

Cutting the ship free, Canis used the currents of the depths and his Kraken victim to pull the ship to the surface. Pursued by other monsters of the deep, Canis could only laugh maniacally, The Black Mako exploding onto the surface in glittering spectacle of color and light. Deep below the surface, Shog-Ammonoth called its Krakens back. This young elf who had stolen from it had earned its ire, yes, but it would wait. It would consume his glory and fame when it reached its greatest height. And so, the rivalry of The God of The Sea and Canis Absalom began.

Returning to Crows Nest at the helm of The Black Mako, dragging the corpse of a deceased Kraken behind him, the legend of Canis Absalom began to form. Cutting the flesh from the Krakens bones, Canis adorned his ships prow with its skull and spine. He would proudly display his victory over The Deep One, hoping to provoke its wrath ever further. None would dictate his fate but himself.

### The Old Captain

   After stealing his ship, Canis explored the ancient vessel. On board, he found many treasures. A spyglass that showed what would come to pass. A jeweled key that shone like a sapphire and blazed with divine energy. Most treasured of all was an amulet; Kaldúraudi, the Amulet of The Sea King. A portent of things to come, Canis donned the amulet and knew he would claim all The Sea Kings treasures, if only to spite the God who made them. Continuing to explore the ship, Canis descended beneath the ships hold, deep into its interior. The ancient spells and magic that were woven into every detail of the ship were strongest here, and it was here that Canis found his most shocking treasure. Half rotted away beneath the waist, undead and eternally preserved, was the former captain of The Black Mako.

Waking the zombified sailor, Canis found the being had forgotten its own name, but not its knowledge of the sea. Making anchor at a tucked away cove, Canis spent months under the tutelage of the undead captain, learning every trick and detail it had learned over the course of its adventures. Canis made details maps from the knowledge, as well as extensive books and journals. When he had learned everything he could from the captain, he rose and raised his blade to its neck.

Holding his tutor at his swords edge, Canis gave it two choices. Find deaths sweet release at the end of his sword and end its suffering, or join him in his journeys and sail the seas like it once did. The undead captain laughed, becoming the first member of Canis Absalom's crew.

With a ship under his command, Canis set about hunting down the most dangerous warriors and impossible quests. On his near rampage through the East, Canis' name began to be spoken more and more. His act of killing the Lich Marvakon earned him reputation in stretches of The Northwyld. His robbery of the great Dragon Obstinath was whispered about throughout the Westfold. When he dueled and defeated Emperor Malikull of Devilsarm, all of Forestsedge knew his name.

Over the course of his adventures, Canis set about freeing a great number of slaves. Despite his cavalier and carefree attitude towards life, slavery became something of a hatred of the Shadar-Kai's. Canis felt that all should be free to live whatever life they wanted. Only in taking away that freedom could one be truly evil. Destroying slave ships and interrupting their markets, many freed and former slaves joined the crew of The Black Mako, intending to aid their savior in freeing other slaves.

His war against slavery put him in conflict with many other pirates, who relied on the taking and selling of slaves to make their living. It soon came to pass that Canis cared little for the etiquette of pirates, engaging and killing many famous slaver captains.

It was these deeds and hundreds more that eventually drew the attention of The Brotherhood of Valor, one of the greatest group of adventurers in the history of Veiltouria.

### The Brotherhood of Valor

When the Brotherhood came to Canis, seeking help and a ship in their quest to stop The Cult of Shog, Canis declined. While he would have enjoyed disrupting The Deep One's plans once again, he knew his continued existence was enough to defy the God. However, when The Brotherhood mentioned that The Cult had claimed to have found Jökúblad The Sea Kings Blade, Canis agreed to aid their quest.

Setting off with The Brotherhood, Canis would come into conflict with most of their members, the leader of the group Ace Haelstrom most of all. Ace and Canis would clash many times over the course of their travels, with Ace thinking Canis to be a selfish and glory obsessed criminal. In return, Canis viewed Ace as a stiff and uptight warrior focused more on enduring life than living it. Only Razar Asaltaor, the Brotherhood's Tabaxi Shadow Monk, truly appreciated the lifestyle Canis lived.

The Brotherhood sailed north along the coast, The Black Mako navigating the treacherous waters with ease. Along their journey they battled the Cult of Shog many times, though always failed to capture their leader, the nefarious Tylar Pharn. They tracked the sorcerer via rumor's to an island far into the open ocean. There, they finally cornered their foe.

They found Tylar in the midst of a grand ritual, sacrificing thousands of slaves. Despite killing many of the Cult, Tylar was able to complete the ritual. He summoned forth an Avatar of Shog itself, a monstrous behemoth with the direct touch of its creator. The Brotherhood watched in horror as this Avatar of a God was unleashed upon the world.

With its corrupting gaze, the Avatar was able to drain the vitality and life force of its victims with just a look. After losing many members of The Brotherhood, Canis teleported himself and Ace to the creatures neck. Having blindfolded himself, Canis cut his way through the gills of The Avatar. Together with Ace, the pair leapt into the creatures throat and tore it asunder.

The Avatar, unable to breath and choking on its own blood, crashed to the water. Stopped only a few feet from Veiltouria, The Brotherhood could only sigh in relief at the averted crisis. They watched with joy as Canis emerged from the creatures lolling mouth, blood soaked but alive, only to realize Ace did not survive.

Having defeated The Avatar, The Brotherhood returned to the sight of the ritual, hoping to destroy Tylar once and for all, though in his own hubris he had used his own soul to fuel the Avatar. The temple itself was abandoned, all the terrible weaponry and artifacts of Shog-Ammonoth the Cult had gathered left behind. Amidst the treasure, Canis found Jökúblad. Looking through the powerful weapons and magic items in the vault, the rest of The Brotherhood agreed to destroy everything contained within to protect Veiltouria.

Collecting the items in one large pile, Razar turned to Canis, asking him to hand over the sword. Smiling sadly, the monk realized that Canis had left, taking the sword with him.

### The War of The Horns

Following Emperor of Illithien Amon Mordai’s declaration of war against Devilsarm, The Guardian Council put together an invasion force spearheaded by Jotunn shock cavalry and supported by the most elite warriors of Illithien, a specialist infantry force of Horned Devils and Pit Fiends, supported by the artillery of Kha-Li-Daz.

Despite this mighty force, the formidable and enchanted gates of the capitol city Devilschair would prove an almost impossible challenge to circumvent, unless the walls could be breached through stealth and guile. To that end, Jaeger arranged a meeting between Canis and Mordai, hoping Mordai could convince Canis to aid in their war.

Despite Mordai’s disdain for Canis’ attitude and the shadar-kai’s lack of respect in the Emperor’s abilities, the two came to terms regarding stealth incursion into Devilschair itself. Canis’ prodding and jabs eventually incited Mordai enough that he would force himself to participate in the mission, which had two goals: Raise the gates of Devilschair and assassinate the Emperor of Devilsarm himself.

Under the cover of darkness the duo successfully infiltrated the city, the tense nature of their relationship resulting in a competitive and dangerous game of one upmanship, in the process the pair gaining a significant degree of respect for one another.

After raising the gate, and fighting their way through to the citadel itself, Canis and Mordai eventually slaughtered their way through the Emperor’s elite guards and challenged Malikull himself. The two warriors and their foe battled throughout the citadel, laying waste to its foundations. Wounded and near defeat, Malikull attempted to flee, before Canis shot the Emperor. Seeing a chance to manipulate events in their favor, Canis pushed both Mordai and Malikull through the citadels highest window.

The two tieflings fought mid-air, with Mordai eventually vanquishing his foe and arch-enemy in front of the combined forces of The Guardian Council and Devilsarm itself. As a result, he was seen as the unanimous and legitimate ruler of both Iillithien and Devilsarm.

Canis then cornered Malikull’s bride Aurillia Demoroth, the true power behind the throne and self appointed next of The Nine Emperors. Aurillia attempted to flee to Ax Maboloth, but Canis pursued her into the fiery realm of Schemes. As he crossed the threshold, he felt an oncoming presence following behind him. Turning, he found himself face to face with Mordai, who was intent on ending the threat of the Demoroth line once and for all. The duo then began their hunt for Auriliia in the realm of Ax Mystia.

## The Deckhands

Canis' closest crew members and adventuring party are a group known as The Deckhands, their name given to them as a slur by their former foe Sloan. Close friends and staunch allies, The Deckhands accompany Canis on every adventure, either on the sea or over land. Powerful warriors and mages in their own right, when they are united they are a force they are an incredibly dangerous threat to anything in Veiltouria.

The groups members are:

* Felkir Blackheart: The ships First Mate and Canis' right hand man.
* Alexei Dashkovari: The ships navigator and stealth operative.
* Flint Cinder: The ships demolitions expert.
* Griphook: The ship wright and carpenter.