Ketaal

A senior member of the Wayfinder team, Ketaal has been a part of the organization for just over 5 years. His mastery of artifice and keen archaeological insight make him an invaluable member of any expedition.

## Ketaal

### Quote

"And if we rushed in with no plan, on the heels of a known criminal? Khaavolaar, you are worse than Aida."

### Affiliations

Wayfinder Foundation, Gurrthau Draal, Sharn kalashtar

## Personal Details

### Homeland

Paaldan Draal, a Dhakaani enclave in the Byeshk Mountains

## Physical Description

### Remarkable Features

Dagger scar through right hand, massive scarring over his shoulder blades and down his back, and on the soles of his feet, extensive tattooing covering his entire left arm, including hand.

## Appearance

Ketaal wears a heavy, dark brown leather duster along with dark or neutral colors. He's got a set of finely made adamantine half-plate underneath it, and you can see various spell foci hanging off of various chains and string from the inside of his jacket. His left arm and hand heavily tattooed with hundreds of interlocked dhakaani warding geometries, Gatekeeper sigils and abjurative runes. Intelligent amber eyes flicker back and forth, and there's a pair of flasks hanging off of his belt; a tarnished and battered bronze flask and a steel one covered in blackened leather. He has a dagger scar through his right hand, and a platinum ring sits on his right ring finger. His short buzz of coal black hair contrasts with his orange skin, and a small khyber dragonshard wrapped in byeshk wiring bobs joyfully around his head, brightly glowing with cerulean light.

## Fluff

### History

Ketaal was born in the small Dhakaani enclave of Paaldan Draal in the Byeshk mountains north of Droaam. He left the enclave just over a decade ago, with the last wave of Brelish citizens retreating behind the Graywall Mountains, because he was fascinated with the few craftings left in his clan by the *daashor*, but he knew that he wouldn't learn anything more than what he'd already gleaned from them. He learned to hate and identify the creatures of Xoriat above any other enemy, knowing that it was them who were responsible in large part for the fall of the Empire.

Upon leaving the enclave before the age of twenty, he found himself caught up in the last wave of Brelish refugees. As he traveled with them, helping them fight off raiders, he eventually was extended an offer to join the Brelish army, where he spend the next several years.

It wasn't until he met Professor Archibald Ferrinbarrow, who asked him to join him on their next expedition to Xen'drik, that Ketaal truly began to learn of *history*. Also on this journey was a massive, adamantine-plated warforged that the Professor had bought for the express purpose of this trip. They bonded, and Ketaal considered Relic one of his closest friends for years. Unfortunately, the Professor never made it back to Khorvaire, but they discovered when they returned to the mainland that he'd left them posthumous invitations to join the Wayfinder Foundation, in case he didn't make it back.

After the death of Professor Ferrinbarrow, Ketaal spent more time in the Sharn chapterhouse, eventually becoming a more regular member instead of only traveling with a specific senior member.

### The Last War

Ketaal joined the Brelish Army, recruited by the commander of the King's Rangers as he helped with the retreat of Brelish citizens before the age of twenty. He spent the next five years serving in the Army, before being honorably discharged a year after 4 year term ended, having attained the rank of Sargent. His work was mainly located near Wroat, in a specialist engineering division.

### Invitation

Professor Ferrinbarrow, Ketaal and Relic's mutual mentor, recommended both Wayfinders for full membership after traveling with them for several Xen'drik expeditions. It was in his will, after he died on his final expedition, that they be extended invitations to become full members of the Foundation.

### Experience

In addition to knowing lost secrets of artifice that cannot be matched by modern Khorvaire, he served in the Brelish military for years before serving with the famous Professor Ferrinbarrow on a dozen expeditions to deepest Xen'drik. Ketaal brings a keen eye, remarkable grasp of arcane theory and his array of potent offensive and defensive artifice to the fore.

### Motivation

Ketaal seeks to increase his knowledge of artifice, especially recovering the secrets of Old Dhakaan. He also developed an interest in the secrets of the ancient Empire of the Giants and their fantastical works of magic. More recently, he has begun to examine the crystalline matrices of psionic power that the kalashtar manufacture and use.

### Future Goals

When Ketaal joined, he hoped to uncover lost secrets of artifice, specifically from old dhakaani sites, but with a growing interest in other traditions. As the years have gone on and he's had many opportunities to seek out the ancient sites and texts, his goals have grown. Today, he has also become invested in the Shadow War between the kalashtar and the Dreaming Dark on account of Aida Ruel, as well as a more personal concern/care for her.

### Enemies

* Ketaal has a fiercely antagonistic relationship with Professor Schwarzvald of Morgrave University, a well known scholar of the Dhakaani Empire.
* The Daughters of Sora Kell have apparently taken an interest in Ketaal, and he has sworn vengeance against an oni in their service for the assassination of Ivello d'Medani, a deceased Wayfinder and friend.

* He also used to hold a great deal of respect for Drag (a major Daask player in the underbelly of Sharn), but they lost each other's respect in a conversation in Stormreach where Drag wouldn't take Ketaal's word, and insulted his heritage.

* Aktavi, a du'ulora quori loyal to the Dreaming Dark has added Ketaal to the list of Wayfinders that he has a personal vendetta against. Aktavi is not quite sane, and is incredibly dangerous.

* The Court of All Flesh is a daelkyr cell that has attracted Ketaal's interest.

### Allies

* Havakhad and the kalashtar of Overlook in Sharn are loose allies of Ketaal, as he has helped them on a few occasions.
* Baateren and the dar of Gurrthau Draal are solid allies, having given Ketaal the title of Ambassador.
* Ruutan, a aged ghaal'dar blacksmith dwelling in the lower reaches of Sharn, is secretly a member of of the Kech Sharaat, and has helped Ketaal before, in addition to supplying him with *korluaat.*
* Volen Torrn is a member of House Tharashk in Sharn, who tends to the Gatekeeper shrine in Carosten Park. She is a member of the Valshar’ak Seal, a group secret even from most of Tharashk that's dedicated to supporting and teaching the ways of the Gatekeepers and opposing the forces of Xoriat.

### Acquaintances of Unknown/Unreliable Loyalty

* Treska is a young medusa girl that Ketaal befriended in Tell No Tales, who will eventually take control of a Droaamish warband that Ketaal, Ivello and Séula helped her guardian Andar, a minotaur warlock, seize control of.
* Talhana is an Edgewalker of Riedra, an elite member of a force that deals with extraplanar threats to the Empire. Ketaal bonded quite strongly with her, and though she betrayed them in the end, he *sent* her after the mission and realized that she could not be relied upon... so long as she remained under the thumb of the Inspired.
* Pyruun is the mysterious queen of the Labyrinth of Ohr Kaluun, the immortal (?) queen of the tieflings that reside there. She has a common foe with in the form of the Inspired of Riedra and the Dreaming Dark that controls them, but she stole away Aida's memories and they brought in a "prisoner" (see above) who betrayed them all into her seat of power.
* Relic. Enough. Said.

### **Downtime**

Item Creation: *Insignia of the Infiltrator*

*Ketaal absent mindedly tosses the small ingot of flametouched iron that he’d just bought in the air as he walks down into the Cogs, in the vicinity of Shamukaar, Navi busily floating around his head. Finally, he’d managed to get the last elusive metal that he’d been searching for weeks to find. Even the Riedran crysteel had been easier to come across (mind you, there were a half dozen pickpockets with considerably more funds after he got it).*
*But the Church of the Silver Flame guards its metals well, and it was only his affiliation with Mik’hael that got him this small ingot, even if he’d had to pay three times its’ weight in gold for it. But with this final piece, he finally had the last component needed to create an item that would let him speak any language as if it was his mother tongue, though it was limited to a single language at a time. The Cannith artificer who’d sold him the template called it an* Insignia of the Infiltrator. *Ketaal called it a useful tool, especially given how many different places he’d been in and how it would have been useful to speak the native tongue.*

*Stopping by Shamukaar, he hired a three of Drag’s more dependable folks to watch his back as he headed down even further into the industrial area of Sharn, near the manifest zone to Fernia sitting in the bowels of old Ja’sharaat. Here, he had rented a forge for the day that drew heat from* Khaar Draguus, *the blood of the dragon in the old tongue, the lake of molten rock that sits down in the depths of the city.*

*With Drag’s men guarding his back, Ketaal loses himself in the crafting process, melting together the steel base of the insignia with the rarer, more mystically charged materials: flametouched iron from Thrane, orichalchum from Xen’drik, crysteel from Riedra, and many more. He spoke ancient words of power, learned since he was but a small child at his uncle’s forge, as he hammered the small form into the desired shape, a rough ovoid. Once he had finished the alloying and shaping of it, he drew his dagger and sliced his palm, letting the blood fall freely onto the hot metal, searing the blood and filling the air with a copper-tinged scent.*

*As the metal cooled over the next few hours, he inscribed dozens of charms of strength, cohesion and knowledge into the hot metal, filling the air with a steady arcane thrum of power. It was only when he was half blinded by the innumerable cerulean seals and sigils that he’d drawn over the past day that he sighed and wiped his hands upon the heavy leather apron that he’d adopted in favor of his normal brown duster. He tossed the small metal ovoid into a light acid wash as he discarded the apron and grabbed his jacket. He reached into the acid bath with his byeshk hand and rinsed it one final time in a sulfur-tinged water rinse before admiring his handiwork. The slim metal shape apeears to be plain steel, but every time the light catches it, he can see a different color flash across it’s surface, from the dark gunmetal of adamantine to the lustrous purple sheen of byeshk.*

“Raat shan gath’kal dor. The story stops but never ends.”

*Ketaal flips his newly acquired insignia like a coin before stashing it in one of his many, many interior pockets of his duster as he signals Drag’s men that he’s ready to head back up to Shamukaar. He could* really *use a drink.*

(( **Spends 39 downtime dots and 1200gp to create an *insignia of the infiltrator****.* ))

Item Creation: *Ketaal's Amulet* (Refluffed *Lost Crown of Belsimer*)

**===SCENE: Overlook smithy, just after sunset===**

Sparks fly as Ketaal brings the hammer down onto the anvil again, lighting the darkened forge.  Instead of Coldflame Keep, Ketaal is working in an open air smithy in Overlook, cool night air flowing in through the light privacy screens.  The low sounds of rhythmic chanting in an unknown tongue is carried on the wind, along with the sharp scents of cloves and curry.

Across the anvil from him, Aida sits on a raised platform, eyes open but distant beneath sweat-soaked brow, dim light shining forth from them.  Her breathing is slow, regular, echoing each strike of the hammer on the anvil. Beside her sits an elderly kalashtar man in a similar pose, his gaze of blue light seeming to be elsewhere.

Underneath the *ghaal’dar’s* careful eyes, an amulet is slowly taking form.  Even through the heat, the distinctive purple-white of crysteel is clearly evident.

**===SCENE: Carosten Park, several months ago===**

The green grass stretches out before them, the roar of the waterfall behind them.  A *ghaal’dar* and *khoravar* sit in silent conversation.

Aida studies her hands, her fingers twirling a blade of grass back and forth, back and forth. <And if the Dreaming Dark seeks *you*, not me? I cannot always be with you to shield from their control. Extending such protection when we are apart is a skill far beyond me.>

Ketaal is silent a long moment. <Beyond you, perhaps. And I lack the knowledge. But beyond *us?* I do not know if it would work, but I have studied hundreds of defensive matrices, many of them inherently flexible. And your mind instinctively guards against the threats the quori and similar pose. I am unsure that we could create a buffer as potent as Aveth is for you, Aidaveth... but perhaps something singularly focused to guard against charms, or to protect my mind from psionic burn would be within the realm of possibility. But...we may have to speak to Havakhad once more.>

Her eyebrow twitches almost imperceptibly. <Are you willing?>

<For you, Aidaveth, there is no trial too great.>

Aida sighs deeply. <Despite your dislike of Havakhad, he...he is an honorable man. He carries a heavy weight, that of truth piercing darkness, and leading a thousand other lights, lest they be extinguished. I do not envy him the load.>

<*Muut* is an eternal weight. But that does not excuse what he *did*. I came, open and without malice, and he stole your secrets from my mind, Aidaveth.>

<I suspect he knew my secrets from the day I first visited the enclave. And...the survival of the line of Aveth is a matter he has cared about for twice my lifetimes. It was not my secret to bear alone.>

<I will not deny that he bears a heavy weight... but there must be lines that you are not willing to cross. This far, and no further. Else what separates us from the aberrant deviants of Xoriat or Dal Quor?>

She fixes him with a sad smile. <And tell me, what would you do if needed to save me from the Dark? How many lines would *you* cross?>

Ketaal's mental silence is answer enough as he moves to embrace her tightly. <No more than you would to save me.>

<Indeed. No more. And so, let us not judge one frail old man and the lines he crosses, fighting to preserve an entire people--myself included--before Darkness takes them. Before it takes me.>

<And so, I am willing to face any trial. Including self-righteous old men who think they know better than everyone else around them.> Ketaal’s ears twitch indignantly.

Aida smiles faintly. <Yes, perhaps we should go visit a very *wise and honorable* old man. I wonder - will he even be surprised at the visit, or be awaiting us?>

**===SCENE: Overlook at dawn===**

The forge is in a fusion of Adaran and Brelish fashions - open to the air, but with rolled up screens for privacy.  The first rays of the rising sun are just beginning to light the forge as three people enter - a tall *ghaal’dar*, a slim *khoravar* and an elderly, but still hale, kalashtar man.  Ketaal places a familiar worn blue bag, emblazoned with the Wayfinder Foundation seal on the side, on a bench at the far end of the workshop and extracts a scroll from his duster. As he reads from the scroll, he walks around the area, tracing complex symbols as he walks, making a web of cerulean light around the area.  Finishing his circuit, he flicks the circle of runes hanging in the air and they all shatter simultaneously, though a barely fog of blue settles in the room for a few minutes before vanishing. Ketaal flicks an ear in satisfaction. “And now, none can overhear, even if they wished to.” He turns to Aida, adding, “We will be safe here, Aidaveth.”  Her eyes widen in gladness, hearing him speak that word aloud for the first time in the shelter of the *private sanctum* Ketaal has crafted around them. “*Mazo*,” she responds with a smile. “Safe.”

Aida and Havakhad then look on as Ketaal takes an assortment of tools and objects from the *bag of holding* and lays them out on a bench at a side of the open-air forge.  He lays his tattooed hand on an ingot of purple-white, oddly crystalline metal.

“This is Riedran crysteel. I obtained it from a contact who had already... acquired it for their own purposes.”  As Aida raises an eyebrow, he solemnly assures her, “There is *no record* of me, or anyone else, having purchased it.”  He then gestures to several small, but valuable dragonshards.  “Siberys dragonshards. From my research, and confirmed by you, Havakhad, they are known to enhance and capture psionic energy.”

Ketaal looks inquiringly to Havakhad. The elderly man nods his head in approval, “You have gathered what is necessary.  Now, the project before us--and before *you*, for it must be crafted by the ones who bear it--is well known among my people.” He glances to Aida, then rephrases, “Among *our* people.” Aida gives a tentative smile as the seer continues. “Typically, such an item is crafted to allow two or more kalashtar to join their minds, becoming greater than the sum of their parts.  A *metaconcert* allows each to lend their minds to the support of the other, both for defense against intrusion, as well as enhancing psionic ability. In this case, however, we are altering the design, allowing one kalashtar, Aidaveth, to singularly lend her mind to the support of another person.” Ketaal frowns, but does not speak.

Havakhad emphasizes to Aida, “The kalashtar crafting such an item *must* maintain an acute mental focus for the whole process, strengthening the link between their minds while centering upon the materials being imbued. In this case, I will join with you to guide the process--lending both my knowledge as well as support for Aidaveth’s inner work, as Ketaal does the outer work. You *cannot* falter, Aidaveth, or the work is lost. Are you ready?”  He looks intently at first Aida, then Ketaal, as if gauging their dedication to the trial ahead.

“*Mazo*,” Ketaal answers without hesitation.  Aida pauses with a flicker of doubt, then answers softly, “Yes. I… *we* are ready.”

Havakhad settles upon a woven mat on the ground, gesturing for Aida to take a seat near him. She awkwardly folds her legs under herself in imitation. He gazes into her eyes for a moment, then the two kalashtar, as one, close their eyes.

Ketaal looks down at the tools and materials assembled before him, and takes a deep breath before tossing a hand out towards the forge, and snapping his fingers, lighting it instantly.  “We begin.”

**===SCENE: Overlook, many long hours later===**

Ever since daybreak, past sunset, and long into the night, the *ghaal’dar* has been at the forge, guided by the occasional silent direction of the elderly kalashtar seer whose mind touches both him and the *khoravar*.  Ketaal has slowly shaped the intricate amulet through a mixture of Dhaakani mastery and magic, passed on from the *daashor* of old.

Meanwhile, Aida and Havakhad have been far more still and silent, but no less involved. Aida’s mind, supported by that of another far more skilled, has traced a thousand times the path between her mind to Ketaal’s, while ceaselessly touching the unfamiliar presence of crysteel and glowing dragonshards.

With a sigh, Ketaal finishes the last pass and staggers, nearly losing his balance. A wave of his tattooed hand and a hiss is heard as the amulet starts to cool. Reaching for a nearby jug of water, Ketaal pours it into his mouth, letting it overflow and cool his sweat-drenched body.  Licking cracked lips, he grabs a pair of tongs and drops the amulet in a specially prepared bath to quench it.

“Aida, it is done. You can stop.” Ketaal calls over, but becomes concerned a second later when she doesn’t respond, still lost in a trance.  He walks over and gently touches her shoulder. Her eyes snap into focus, darting first to Ketaal, then Havakhad.

“It is finished?” She does not wait for an answer, for she knows what they have done, instead confirming to herself, “Yes, it *is* finished.”

Havakhad returns his focus to the moment as well, smiling in approval. “You have both done well, but there is yet one more thing to be done. The division.”  He cautiously rises, unfolding his aging limbs, then moves slowly to the water bath containing the amulet. As he fixes his eyes upon it, the small medallion rises in the air, seemingly of its own accord, then drops into his open palm. Havakhad shows no visible sign of discomfort from the heated metal, gazing intently upon the amulet as his eyes flash with a brilliant blue that echoes in the dragonshards below.  Havakhad turns to Aida, extending his palm. “Separate the two halves,” he prompts. Aida and Ketaal look at the solidly-forged object in bewilderment, then she tentatively reaches out a hand to take the amulet, surprised to find it has cooled to near body temperature within seconds. As she grasps it, the amulet slides apart, as if sliced perfectly down the middle, each siberys shard split cleanly in half. The back half flashes with a mirror finish.

Ketaal raises an eyebrow in surprise, taking one half and inspecting it with a critical eye that quickly transforms to approval. He pulls two cords from his pocket, deftly slipping one through a loop on the divided amulet, then tying it around Aida’s neck.  He then takes the remaining half of the amulet, stringing it on the cord, then tying it around his own neck. As he finishes, letting it settle on his chest, the dragonshards on both amulets flare with golden light for a heartbeat.

Ketaal takes a deep breath before looking at the kalashtar elder and nodding before bracing his body.  Havakhad’s eyes flash, seeking a path into the *ghaal’dar’s* mind. Aida feels a slight pressure upon her own, and Havakhad’s eyes glitter with satisfaction. “The link is strong. Well done.”

Aida staggers to her feet, legs numb after long disuse. She presses her forehead to the amulet on Ketaal’s chest, then embraces him. She hears his voice rumbling deep within, “We did it. Now, I am warded by your amulet, just as you are warded by my ring. Well done indeed, *paaldaask.*”

**===Crafted a (refluffed) Lost Crown of Besilmer with Chae (Aida Ruel).  Used 70 downtime dots and spent 4275 gp.===**

Aida’s amulet is just fluff and does absolutely nothing, Ketaal’s operates as follows:

*Ketaal’s Amulet* (requires attunement)

You gain the following benefits while wearing the amulet:

* You have resistance to psychic damage.

* You have advantage on saving throws against effects that would charm you.

* You can use a bonus action to inspire one creature you can see that is within 60 feet of you and that can see or hear you. Once before the end of your next turn, the inspired creature can roll a d6 and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. This uses 1 charge from the crown. It has 3 charges, and it regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.

## Wayfinder Expeditions

#### **Tell No Tales**

Ketaal went to the Lhazaar Principalities with Ivello, Quarion, and Séula to hunt down a rogue (former) Wayfinder. After capturing her, they brought her back to Droaam, where Ketaal met three figures from his nightmares - the Daughters of Sora Kell.

#### **Entombed Arcana**

Ketaal investigated an ancient Dhakaani dig site in old Ja'shaarat, below The Cogs in Sharn with Cade, Amber/Su and Relic. They found the artifact, but it was guarded by Emerald Claw undead and soldiers. Fighting their way through, they encountered Schwarzvald again, more unhinged than the last time Ketaal saw him, working with the Claw. After a brief skirmish, they claimed the artifact which they discovered was closely linked to Mabar. Deciding that leaving the artifact (which was disrupting the Sharn manifest zone) was too dangerous, they transported it to Fairhaven to store in the Foundation's vaults. Along the way, the ran into Dala Arand, an old acquaintance of Ketaal's form his days trying to publish his work at Morgrave University. They invited her along, and she found her way into a researcher's position in the Foundation as they deposited the artifact in a Wayfinder Vault.

#### **Welcome to the Jungle**

Ketaal accepted the mission from Boroman ir'Dayne to accompany a group of Wayfinders to rescue the crew of Washburne d'Lyrandar, with the understanding that then Washburne's captain would owe the Foundation. They make their way to Stormreach, where Ketaal defenestrates and kills an elf named Edgar for abusing his girlfriend (over which he feels no remorse). They fight and kill an undefeated oni in the Red Ring, making local celebrities out of the Wayfinders, and saving Sue, the Captain's bosun who has the lead on the Captain's location - on board a Riedran vessel heading back to Sarlona soon. They manage to catch them and Ketaal disguises himself as a Beasthide Shifter that was called out as 'Fang' before they assault the ship itself, eventually rescuing the captain and the girl Rowan, who was the primary target of the Riedran abduction. Ketaal was faced with the hard choice of killing the unconscious Inspired captain. He took the man's life with great regrets, however, unable to stand being the reason for any future deaths the man could cause and causing risks for their own escape.

#### **Hunting**

Ketaal's contact among the Kech Shaarat of Sharn, Rutaan, sent him and Aida on a mission to investigate a possible aberrant threat in the small town of Owl's Perch a few days outside of Sharn. After a brief investigation, it became clear that the mayor of the town had been replaced or changed by the touch of Xoriat. A brief skirmish later, Ketaal's arm had been regrown. He got Aida to sever it immediately, but it regrew once again over the course of the next week, and she convinced him to keep it after spells and exposure to byeshk revealed it to be untainted. They got his Gatekeeper contact in Sharn, Volen Torrn Tharashk, to help him in tattooing as many protective and containment runes as they could think of onto the arm, from the tips of his fingers to well onto his torso.

#### **Return to Riedra**

Ketaal accompanied Aida (along with Thak, Ekt Johnsmith and Cicero) to Riedra once again to help Shiaali out. Aktavi, a du'ulora that was her assigned quori spirit, had been getting more and more aggressive, possessing her body despite the best protections of the Brelish government. They went off to the mysterious fallen kingdom of Ohr Kaluun, to meet with a hidden queen who could hide from the Dreaming Dark to hopefully learn her secrets and potentially align the Brelish government with her. Along the way they captured a Reidran Edgewalker named Talhana. Aida and Ketaal befriended her, Ketaal in particular identifying strongly with her. They took her through the trials of the Dark Six that they were forced to endure, and eventually she betrayed them at their moment of triumph. Upon their return to Khorvaire, Ketaal *sent* her and realised that she could not be trusted... while she remained in Reidra under the thumb of the Dreaming Dark.

#### **Into the Darness**

Although he acted as the client in this mission, Ketaal was nonetheless a valued part of this expedition. He was contacted through Kechs Sharaat and Volaar by the Kech Gurrthau, a secretive enclave that required the help of an experienced *daashor* of old Dhakaan. Along with a few trusted members, he solved the enclave's problem and was named the representative of the enclave in the Sunlit Realms, firmly cementing his obligation to them and finally *belonging* to a Dhakaani enclave once again.

## Secrets

Ketaal lost his arm to a trap in a Su'lat ruin near the Obsidian City. He lost his arm near the shoulder to a flame-edged blade trap, that Relic saved him from dying from by pulling him out of the way. He was unfortunately too late to save his arm, however. It was actually Relic who advocated giving him a warforged prosthetic, regardless of the infection potential, while the wound was still fresh. Lacking a cleric with them, the wound predictably got massively infected and Relic had to stay by his side for three days and nights as he rode out the fever. Ketaal considers Relic his *shava*, and will go to very far lengths if Relic is involved.

Ketaal was recruited by King Boranel himself into the Brelish Army, where he worked on mostly classified military engineering projects, including projects that lead to the death of civilians of all nations.

Ketaal is still terrified of the Daughters of Sora Kell - Sora Maenya actually *ate* his grandfather before Ketaal was born. He survived the trip out of Droaam, but he still has nights where he wakes in a cold sweat at the memory of meeting the Daughters; in perfect, razor sharp detail. He has occasional nightmares of Sora Tereza in the background, watching, as Maenya or Katra take starring roles. He's not at all sure if these are nightmares or the work of spells.

Over the past few months, Ketaal has formed a close friendship with fellow Wayfinder Aida Ruel. One night, he attacked her after she revealed her telepathy to him, thinking that she was a fleshwarped agent of the daelkyr. She proved to him that she was not by allowing him to stab her through the hand with a byeshk blade, which is anathema to the servants of Xoriat. He felt as though he had done her a grave dishonor, and fled into the night. The next night, Relic, Ivello and Aida discovered him in the *King's Head*, a military dive that Ivello knew that Ketaal frequented. Aida confronted him while Ivello held back Relic. Ketaal had a identity crisis, and demanded that Aida let him die as a a dhakaani should and let him commit ritual suicide. Aida demonstrated her understanding of the *dar* concepts of *atcha* and *muut* and convinced him to let her choose the method of punishment, stabbing through both of their hands. In showing how much she understood him, they formed a close bond and became good friends....and more...

Ketaal not only knows about the circlet containing the quori from Going Rogue, but he also knows that Aida is actually Aidaveth, and that she "inherited" it from her dear former lover.

Ketaal is *deeply* untrusting of his new arm, though the tattooed sigils ease his mind about the arm considerably.The arm is clean of any taint (checked by Ketaal and the Gatekeeper Volen Torrn), but that doesn't mean that Ketaal trusts the damned thing.

Ketaal has been adopted by the secretive dhakaani enclave of Gurrthau Draal, which harbours the Line of Eren, a *ghaal'dar* line that bonded with the fleeing tsoreva quori Eren.

## Personality

**Personality Traits**

* "I put on a rough facade to prevent people from getting close."
* "No one gets left behind, no matter how big of idiots I think that they may be."
* "I have an extremely dry sense of humor."

**Ideals**

* "I hold tight to the ancient Dhakaani concepts of *atcha* and *muut*."
* "Respect is earned through action and deeds, not through titles or bloodlines."

**Bonds**

* "I will stand by my cohorts to the bitter end."
* "I have created weapons of war and mass destruction, and I swore to never do so again."
* ~~"My *shava*, Relic, is my most most trusted companion. I trust him with my life.~~
* "I will not die needlessly, but if it comes down to it, Aidaveth's life is more important than my own."

**Strengths**

* "I am loyal to the point of death."
* "There is Right, and there is Wrong. Shades of grey exist, but these are Truths to me."
* "I do not let the opinions of others influence how I see myself."
* "I am the proud son of the Blood of Old Dhakaan. I may bend, but I will not break."

**Flaws**

* "I default to punishment and shame over forgiveness."
* "My thinking tends to be heavily black and white, right or wrong."
* "I am unaware of many of the customs of the Galifaran nations"

**Triggers**

* Getting/seeing someone fleshwarped by a minion or by the daelkyr (see Hunting downtime)
* Getting stuck with a daelkyr symbiont
* Seeing anyone, especially one that reminds him of himself or Aida, getting beaten.
* Hags. Just... *hags.*
* Seeing Aida losing control of her own mind to another entity. Mind control like *suggestion* is bad, but she's still in there somewhere. Wondering if she's lost entirely would be worse.

## 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

* 2121.5 galifars
* *Ketaal's Amulet (Lost Crown of Belsimer* and *Ioun Stone (intellect))*
* *Duster of Holding*
* Lapel Pin of Elvish manufacture (and gifting comprehension of the language).
* *Ruby of the warmage*
* Adamantine Half-plate
* Healing potion x1
* Healer's kit (10 charges)
* *Glove of Storing* w/ steel shield
* Scroll of *revivify*
* Dagger
* Artificer's Tools
* Inventor's Kit
* Traveler's clothes
* Single platinum ring
* Two-person tent
* Smith's tools
* Steel flask wrapped in blackened leather
* Battered bronze flask of Dhakaani manufacture (trinket)

### Character Sheet

* Current Sheet, current as of January 21st