Gladys

### Aliases

Talons of the Tit, Macil, Gladyeon, Arthanè Goldstone, Tinosa, Thea of Almayta, Anassa Gladys

### Affiliation

Nameless Brotherhood, Crimson Wings(formerly), Mikhael Strand

## Physical description

### Eye color

Crimson

> *"Life, death - what's the difference then?"* ~ Gladys, on the Void.
>
>

**Anassa Gladys** (formerly known as **Talons of the Tit**) is an Elven female in the service of first the Crimson Wings, and afterwards the Nameless Brotherhood. Taciturn, curt, pragmatic yet compassionate, she guides herself by a self-imposed code of morality that avoids killing in any circumstance. Having rejected her former life as an elite assassin she was absolutely devoted to stopping the plans of Lord Ilyan Iskaar to bring the Shadows of the Horizon to Thressos and later ensure his actions would never be repeated again. She is the current leader of the Nameless Brotherhood.

She is also, alongside Noerin, the writer of the 'Void Crisis Testimonial'.

## **Appearance**

Gladys is a tall, slender, yet athletic woman of crimson hair. She bears the Elven facial tattoos for most of the graver crimes on her face. Her skin is pale and her facial features angular and noble, belying coldness, not helped by eyes as red as her hair. The ring finger on her right hand is conspicuously missing. Her left arm is replaced by a Dwarven-style, prosthetic mechanical arm that she usually covers up with the sleeves of whatever gown she is wearing currently. Gladys is often seen wearing the fine white shirt,cloth pants,flowing black hooded cloak and tall boots bequeathed to her by Mikhael Strand on the day of her supposed defection,stained with the cursed blood of Glaurum. She also later on adopts a suit of plate armour, including a salet helmet with a visor and red plume atop it. While possessed of a haunting beauty, being drawn into the role of the "Talons of the Tit", for her inviting form, Gladys cares little for her physical appearance past hygiene.

## **Personality and Traits**

Gladys before breaking away from the Crimson Wings was almost emotionless,prioritizing her mission's completion before everything else. Even then she had an interest in the way people related to each other and the ultimate fate of one, once they had finished their life. This in time evolved into a great compassion for everyone living and a desire to assist others and relieve their suffering, as evidenced by her frequent attending to other people's issues, as a hobby. She enjoys the simple pleasures of life such as good food, the beauty of nature and restful sleep to the fullest when she can acquire them. She has a keen distaste for worship of the Gods, holding them accountable for the detestable cruelty inherent in all interactions between beings in the natural order.

Having broken away, Gladys has now developed a hatred for misery and injustice, seeking to fight it in whatever form it takes. She is wracked with guilt for having brought so much misery into the world and claims to seek to bring joy into it and some good with her life.Soft-spoken, quiet and collected, she only lashes out at others when they show their negligence for human lives. Gladys has sworn off killing and thus avoids harming her enemies all too badly when fighting. She often goes out of her way to assist those who cannot help themselves, trying to make sure to teach them to care for their own well-being. Gladys possesses a certain sardonic wit, often making use of jarring gallows humor. Regardless of this, she is warm if strangely distant with others. She is compassionate to a great extent, trying to in some way positively affect any suffering person she comes across, having at first done this simply as an exercise in reproducing emotions properly, but after coming away from the Crimson Wings - as genuine acts of kindness.

However with this being said, Gladys is not unopposed to violence as a means to an end, seeing as oftentimes the world is simply too cruel to be affected by anything else. While refusing to kill, she is capable of maiming, usually avoiding hands and eyes, seeing robbing someone of their ability to make things or perceive the world as too cruel. She derives a certain joy from fighting with opponents she considers to be deserving of violence, her long-honed violent instincts awakening at such moments. This aspect of her personality is also the main reason she subscribes to Glaurum's teachings, seeing it as her calling to fight those powerful beings that trample on the weak. She is however not incapable of mercy, at least to human enemies, especially when begged for it.

Sometimes her cold pragmatism when it comes down with dealing with enemies can be shockingly cruel as when she offered to dismember Blavir upon discovering he was a werewolf. Gladys is open-minded and willing to listen to novel ideas, consider, and accept them, if they prove to be beneficial. She is however not all too imaginative, preferring simple, pragmatical solutions to ones of grander scale. She finds megalomania rather distasteful, considering it a very powerful catalyst for the perpetuation of suffering.

## **Powers and Abilities**

Gladys was a well-rounded, versatile fighter capable of both being a fearsome enemy in open combat as well as proving a slippery foe capable of using trickery and evasion to undo her foes.

### Physical Aptitude

Her Elven heritage alongside the years of rigorous training that the Crimson Wings have put her through has moulded Gladys' body to a state of almost inhuman perfection. She has great endurance and can run at a high speed for long amounts of time. She also possesses incredibly fast reflexes and impressive spatial awareness. Her elven heritage also gives her the ability to see well in almost complete darkness.

### Weapon Mastery

Gladys claims to be able to use every common type of weapon in the kingdoms of Man well, and this appears to be so. While she prefers a rapier for its versatility, backed up by six throwing knives she keeps all over her body she has also used a chain-scythe, a greatsword and a crossbow at different times throughout the campaign.

### Elven Magic

Having been taught ever since her birth to expand upon her race's magical potential she is capable of reaching into it to perform various spells,such as summoning lighting, cloaking her and her companions in shadow, changing her appearance by bending light around her face and healing others' wounds. While seemingly powerful it takes a lot of her strength for her to cast her spells and she is forced to be sparing in their use. Having awakened to the threat of the Shadows of the Horizon she is capable of sensing their very presence in an area around herself.

### Assassin Training

Gladys has spent most of her life training to dispatch people with deadly efficiency and grand flare, as well as to navigate and survive both in the harsh wilds of the Rotpearl and in the bustling cities and towns of the Union. Even if she has vowed to herself to no longer kill she is still an expert tracker and hunter as well as a capable infiltrator using many disguises and a set of seemingly harmless items concealing weapons - such as a cane that hides a rapier and a large white parasol that contains a heavy crossbow.

### Denial

Having broken Glaurum's gift on a lead golem she has acquired a magical spear made of a piece of the False God's power that is bound to her own body. It takes the form of a red, almost crystalline battle-spear that she can manifest at will. While light its very presence can rend materials. As well as that, upon its user's command it can grow into the bodies of her enemies tearing them from within. She named the weapon "Denial" for its symbolicity of her unwillingness to bend to injustice and cruelty and her will to fight against it and deny it to her last breath.

### Ring of Wrath

The Ring of Wrath is a powerful magic artifact that can be used as a whistle to enrage animals that hear its call. The sound can also be enclosed in bubbles of the user's spit that can be attached to surfaces as a sort of time bomb to release the sound around a specific target, thus leading animals to swarm to it and try and destroy it. It was given to her as her signature weapon as part of the Crimson Wings, but she carried it into her exile and service to the Brotherhood.

### Greaves of the Flying Knife

A pair of enchanted leather greaves lent to her by Lord Maroyan Sharper, they can generate astral knives that can be thrown at the user's will. One of them was lost after her left hand was chewed off by a Mouth of the Void in the battle of Harvest Keep.

### Prosthetic Arm

After the Harvest Keep incident, Noerin gifted her with an artificial arm made in the Dwarven ways. This loss turned into a gain, as the grappling hook installed in her artificial limb allows Gladys an unparalleled level of mobility and many openings to strike from a vantage.

### Armour of Vereeni

The Armour of Vereeni was the ancient bronze panoply that the Lord of Pride had once worn and that Gladys had looted from the False God's armoury. Ornate and bearing the symbol of the Sun on its chest, it was imbued with the god's essence and could produce a flash of brilliant light at the user's will.

### Featherfall Ring

A common magical ring imbued with the ability to slow the wearer's falling and prevent injury to them. Acquired as a giveaway from Lord Sharper to better facilitate her mission.

## **History**

### Before the events of the campaign

At some point about 200 years ago the woman now known as Gladys was taken as an infant from her parents (presumably on the Rotpearl) and initiated into the Crimson Wings. Raised as a valuable slave assassin she was taught only to serve. She was trained to use every common type of weapon(and some uncommon ones),and was dubbed the Talons of the Tit. As Talons of the Tit she spent a good amount of time being sent to kill various high-profile targets using the Ring of Wrath. Some years after her initiation she began doubting the rightness of her calling and thus sought(under the pretext of understanding emotional manipulation better) to acquaint herself better with her fellow man. As so in-between missions she tried to assist various people with their small problems. 19 years before the current time she met a young Mikhael Strand ,trying to run away from home,during her passing through Loneport and convinced him not to,although at this point her desire to escape her masters had almost levelled out with her fear of denying them. Washed together into the mass of such excursions into the lives of people this particular encounter was forgotten by Gladys.

### The Void Crisis Campaign

#### **"Voyage to Ber Vokofri" Arc**

*"You knights of the Union honor oaths, I know, so I can swear my allegiance to you, if this will ease your mind."* ~Gladys, swearing perfidious loyalty to the Brotherhood of the Nameless

Her first encounter with the group that would later come to be the Brotherhood of the Nameless was when she was dispatched alongside the Talons of the Vulture - a chain-scythe-wielding assassin to kill Mikhael Strand and Senetius of Striecht during their passage alongside the Green Pearls. Being instructed to land on a small island in the archipelago she and her colleague ambushed their entire party,with Gladys herself,putting a voluminous cloak on and awaiting Senetius near a lake and proclaiming that he was being tested,while throwing the cloak off. She used her Ring of Wrath to call down all the various animals on the island atop him and his companion Edith. Soon enough Mikhael and Lithiel joined the fray,with Lithiel taking on the Talons-of-the-Vulture alongside Senecius,while Mikhael and his squire Hammer pursued her into the forest. After setting a herd of elephants on the knight ,while she was pursued and a pod of killer whales on the group as they tried to escape on their boat back to the ship they had been travelling with she was defeated by Lithiel's fire magic. Before passing out she managed to bite her ring finger off, swallowing the Ring of Wrath.

Having been knocked unconscious she later awoke in the hold of the trading ship her targets had been travelling on. She was questioned by them,yet was unable to divulge any information past the location of the training facility of her order on the Rotpearl and that she was sent to kill them,as she did not know it. She also shared the name of the Claws of the Hawk - the most powerful of the Crimson Wings. As an attempt to finish her mission she appealed to Mikhael's love for oaths,seeing that he was a knight. She undertook the Blood Oath,swearing herself into the Brotherhood of the Nameless,and personally to Mikhael Strand,saying that he now owned her life. An argument broke out between her captors about how to name their new companion,with Lithiel insisting on Tinosa - the elven word for ''tit'',and Mikhael simply calling her ''Gladys" over and over. During this time Mikhael also gave her a change of his own clothing and let her use the enchanted chain-scythe of her fallen companion. He told her as much as he understood of the dangers of the Shadows of the Horizon and lent her ''Shades Beyond Our Comprehension" as well. Later during the day,while pretending to be seasick Gladys threw up her Ring back into her possession and stealthily used it to try and lure sealife to the boat. The next day,after passing Elva her plan worked and the Malavathan - the great lightning serpent attacked the boat. Playing innocent she pretended to assist the Brotherhood in their fight against it as it wrecked their boat. During the battle as she began making her escape she was noticed by Senecius,as she tried to plant a bubble of sound from her Ring,on him. Acting quickly he detached the bubble from his cloak and threw it back at Gladys attracting the Malavatan onto her. Being almost swallowed whole,she used the chain-scythe and the ring to attract various sea life to the monster and float away-almost dead. At the brink of death and having failed her mission she realized that she valued her life. As so she concluded - others did as well,maybe even more than she did. Managing to make it to the Rune Shore the realization that now was the chance she had awaited to desert her masters was upon her,and that her life was hers for the living.

Once ashore she swore to herself to find Mikhael Strand and seek to mend her treachery to the oath she gave him,as well as assist the cause he introduced to her ,coming to see the true horror of the Shadows as she acquainted herself with the book she was given,and before herself she swore to guard other lives as she does her own and value them in the same way.

#### **"Man's End" Arc**

*"I, Gladys swear by my freedom, by my life and by the name that I truly own, to protect the realms of reality from the forces beyond and to strike down those who would assist the Shadows of the Horizon in destroying this world."* ~ Gladys, actually swearing loyalty to the Brotherhood of the Nameless

After acquiring weaponry suited to her tastes, stealing it from a travelling caravan she made her way to Man's End, where she had been told that the Brotherhood was seeking to go. Arriving before the party she assumed the guise of ''Gladyeon"- a male Elven wanderer and swore her blade to Mirinin. Later she tracked Mikhael, Lithiel and Senecius through the city and when they were attacked by The Talons of the Hawk she intervened at the last moment, nailing a knife through his head and disappearing into the shadows, unable to face Strand with the things she had done.

After this she returned to Mirinin's mansion and attended a briefing given by the wizard to the group, the rest of the Brotherhood being joined by the enigmatic one-armed young wizard Opinor Corydon and another newcomer- a blind wanderer from the Runelands named Shia. During that briefing Mikhael showed suspicion towards her disguise and forced her to reveal her actual identity. Upon that Mirinin was ready to evict her from the organization, with only the timely intervention of Mikhael insisting he was giving her a second chance to do good on her oath to him stopping the wizard from doing so. Taking this chance she ,alongside Shia swore herself via the Blood Oath to the Brotherhood, this time swearing with the name she had chosen to keep as her own-Gladys.

With Mikhael being kept behind alongside Lithiel so Mirinin could do research on them ,she alongside Opinor, Shia and Senetius set out to the island of Sacris to try and break through the Imperial blockade of it and retrieve the artifact of the False God on it - Glaurum the Lord of Sacrifice. However during the party's initial wandering through Man's End for supplies they ran into a suspicious group of hooded men that on Gladys' suggestion they tracked to a mansion in the city. Using her Elven magic and Senecius' infiltration skills they broke into the place, followed the men into an underground shrine and much to their horror discovered they had run into one of Ilyan Iskaar's secret hideouts, when Gladys discovered a Mouth of the Void chained in a side corridor of the sanctuary. They watched as he used the item - an enchanted spear of some kind to part a bucket of water and speak of his intention to use it to break the Imperial blockade on the isle of Sacris. As they tracked him upwards into the mansion Senecius decided to attack him for reasons unknown to Gladys.

Even ambushed and outnumbered four-to-one lord Iskaar proved to be a fearsome foe, Gladys discovering that her blades passed through his frame and that he could move faster than the eye could track and attack when reasonably he would be unable as well as channel the powers of the void. After setting the mansion aflame the party hurried into the yard, with Gladys attempting to get everyone to evacuate as the battle was going unfavorably, while Senecius pressed the attack,giving Opinor an opening to issue a Sending to Mirinin to alert him of the current situation. Severely wounded, Iskaar managed to escape and set a group of Dawn cultists and the Mouths of the Void on the group. Gladys and Shia fought valiantly to cover the severly wounded Senecius and Opinor. Еntering a fight with both the mansion's guards and the Mouths which used their pressure field to knock out almost everyone ,only the timely return of Mikhael and Lithiel saving them from being devoured whole. Upon arriving Gladys gave a situation report of Iskaar's new weapon which sent Mikhael into a blind rage, as it turned out the weapon had been the Strand ancestral spear- Hrithspel. Senecius, still seeking to destroy Iskaar for reasons not entirely clear to Gladys offered to help Mikhael in chasing him down. Mikhael also borrowed Ruin-which he had gifted to Opinor. As Mikhael, Lithiel and Senecius hurried off to chase Iskaar Gladys managed to convince the mansion's guards to join the Brotherhood's cause using the argument of their former master having set the monsters of the Void,he had not previously told them about on them,and their lives being endangered now that they knew the truth. Recruiting their help she, alongside with Shia and Opinor returned to Mirinin's own mansion and conducted a search of the city, while Mirinin departed to pursue and try and intercept lord Iskaar provided he had fled.

#### **"Sacris" Arc**

"I swear - the next time we meet, I will kill you." ~Gladys to Zetheniela

Upon combing the city clean alongside her companions and discovering nothing, Gladys alongside Opinor suggested the party follow Mirinin in the pursuit of Lord Iskaar. Upon tracing his and the rest of their allies' path alongside the shoreline they were followed by a mysterious armored rider. In one of the many fishing hamlets ,overcrowded with large crowds of refugees they finally confronted said rider, who turned out to be of orcish descent. Claiming to have come from the direction of the recently transpired cataclysm he introduced himself as Dustin -a paladin of the Four who had seen the events that had occurred in the fishing hamlet upshore. After describing to the party what he had seen, they all agreed to go there with him. Gladys was reluctant to allow this clear outsider and potential spy into their midst, but was overruled.

Riding into the abandoned fishing hamlet they scoured the place for clues as to the events transpired,that according to Dustin's description included a ''tall man being confronted by a young girl,Senecius an armored rider, a wizard and some priestess then killing the young girl with some magic spell, that made rocks rain from the sky ,annihilating the priestess and trying to flee as Senecius and the armored knight chased him down, which culminated in the tall man and the knight ganging up on and murdering Senecius". As they reached a bloody downpour began,drenching the entire place in crimson, forcing the company to take shelter in a nearby tavern. Upon this odd,dog-like creatures appeared and attempted to subdue the party. A battle joined as the beings attempted to drag the orcish stranger into seemingly another dimension. After some fighting in which the stranger proved his merit as a warrior the demons were repelled and the party could now scout out the hamlet.

With Dustin's disturbing description, the arm of Lithiel of Yandae poking out from under the edge of a giant boulder on the beach and a worrying letter left behind by Mikhael Strand alongside Ruin which Opinor reclaimed the party came to realize the worst had happened- their leader and his aide had been killed and so had been their allies. Mikhael- a man known for his unfaltering devotion and iron will had seemingly betrayed them.

As Gladys pored over the letter she was struck with a realization. She revealed to the party that she had spoken to Mikhael before ,during her time as a member of the Crimson Wings, going over their brief tryst in Loneport 19 years ago and noting that their relation could be of potential use. With Opinor proclaiming that he,alongside with the two guards they had recruited from Iskaar would return to Man's End to salvage what they could of Mirinin's research documents they parted. Apprehensively Gladys agreed to take Dustin with them on their voyage to Sacris, sailing across the bay with one of the boats left behind by the villagers. Arriving on the shore they noticed an Imperial ship docked at the island's port and a set of tracks indicating a large group of men led by a woman in the sand of the beach. Shia, much to Gladys' annoyance went ahead and presented herself to the crew of the Imperial ship, which almost jumped to arms at the sight of the party, but was convinced that they were of no threat. They told them that the island was currently being searched by an Imperial party, that severe disaster had transpired and that they better leave. Ignoring this, the Brotherhood promised to depart,only to go around and seek an entrance into the temple inside of the isle's rocky cliffs.

Entering the temple revealed a bloodbath ,with stray monk corpses laying around and rivers of blood, seemingly already molded into the antechamber's structure overflowing. Forging on deeper they encountered several undead abominations ,including what seemed to be the remains of the Imperial search party and a grotesque starfish-like monstrosity made of conjoined corpses. After an exhausting battle ,the pary separated as Gladys saw it fitter to rest and heal her injuries while Dustin and Shia,being firm believers in the Gods were adamant on forging on. After half an hour of rest Gladys caught up to them,only to discover that they had become engaged in battle with what seemed to be living blood serpents in the ruined central complex. She rushed to assist them, but during the fight Dustin swallowed a considerable amount of the blood that flowed into an underground river. As they fought the creatures off an Imperial cleric came to assist them and helped them up to a bridge that led deeper into the temple. As this happened Dustin flew into a berserk rage for seemingly no reason, demaning to ingest more of the blood that flooded the temple.

With the help of the Imperial cleric that introduced himself as Panagiotis they managed to restore Dustin's sanity,but not before being forced to hunker down in a chamber in the ruined depths of the temple and rest for a while. During their rest Panagiotis confided in them that he had been part of the Imperial expedition to the island, and that it indeed had been wiped out. As they gathered their strength a group of mysterious travellers entered the chamber, and seemed to have a bit of trouble advancing further into the temple,their path blocked by debris. The party hid and observed them as their leader- a cat-woman used some magical power to lift the debris aside and clear a path. While Gladys, Dustin and the severely exhausted Panagiotis argued to let them pass, Shia, disguising herself as one of the local monks, rushed out and confronted them, forcing the rest of the party to reveal themselves. The woman introduced herself as Zetheniela and urged the entire group to leave as well, further arousing Gladys' already existing suspicions about her working for lord Iskaar, and as so the elf invoked the name of Mikhael Strand claiming to be his bonded servant. This elicited further suspicion from Zetheniela, with her disclosing that Mikhael had left for Magistris. After a few more heated exchanges the situation deteriorated and the party found itself facing the full wrath of Zetheniela's telekinesis and the assault of her retinue of Void cultists and hired blades. In a pitched clash the party barely managed to defeat the magician, forcing her to retreat, but not before she had crushed Panagiotis with a rock. Before Zetheniela escaped, Gladys vowed to kill her.

Shortly after Zetheniela's escape another group of travellers entered the chamber. They presented themselves as a Union expedition sent by Lord Huung to investigate the Lord Iskaar's activities. Their leader introduced himself as Sir Spanner Igel and his companions with the names of various lesser Union landed knights and younger sons. The mysterious female with them simply told them her name was Mariah and refused to reveal her face. Gladys and the rest of the party agreed to go with them in tracking Iskaar to the peak of the temple, exchanging information about the enemy's servants they had encountered. Upon ascending upwards they passed a treasury that Dustin proposed they plunder, which was met with sardonic mockery by Gladys, highlighted the absurdity of a holy man robbing a monastery and firm refusal by Shia. The joined groups made it to the entrance of the temple's topmost service chamber and watched as lord Iskaar ordained a tall, swarthy-looking man to stand guard while he advanced up, leaving with him multiple seemingly unconscious prisoners of war. As the party discussed what to do Gladys reached out to feel beings of the Void and much to her horror felt one straight in their midst. Sharing this with the others Mariah revealed that she was in fact Teena Iskaar - Lord Iskaar's daughter. Having no further time to dally left, Gladys proposed she ambush the guardian and take him out quickly, covering the rest of the party's advance. Taking one of the vast greatswords they had looted from the Knights of the Four they had fought that had been cursed by the False God of the isle's unholy blood, suspecting it to be enchanted she advanced on the guardian.

Unfortunately for her her assault was sensed and she was interdicted, forcing the rest of the group to join her. The man, introducing himself as Streno the Immovable made himself known to be a kinsman of Shia's. His martial arts alone proved to be a harsh obstacle, but the battle only became worse when upon crushing a mysterious crystal the prisoners of war conjoined into grotesque, burrowing abominations, which the Union party took on as Gladys, Shia and Dustin focused on Streno himself. As Streno demonstrated that due to his bond with the Void he could not die,reconstituting from every injury inflicted upon him the battle seemed almost forlorn. However Dustin using quick wit pulled down one of the statues in the chamber onto him, throwing him down into a nearby fissure and ending the battle.

Upon the battle's ending, Shia managed to rescue one of the Imperial prisoners out of an abomination's body, which looked in a severely damaged mental state. Gladys went forward, embracing him firmly and reassuring him of his safety with them, while he confided in the party that his name was Catherius and recounting that he had had a near-death experience, seeing the court of Ve, only to be drawn away from it to the mouths of ''unearthly beasts''. Handing him the greatsword of the Knight of the Four and instructing him to guard and assist her wounded companions as best as he could Gladys and the rest of the party left him, hurrying upwards to chase down Lord Iskaar.

Going upwards they ascended to the very top of the mount on Sacris discovering a vast red figure kneeling amidst the corpses of what appeared to be Iskaar's retinue. Approaching the figure, it demanded their intentions and rose, confirming that it was indeed Glaurum, Lord of Sacrifice which the party had come to seek. He explained to the group that Lord Iskaar while having seemingly stolen his artifact was unable to steal his power as he had managed to bleed it into his very body, no longer relying on the power of the artifact. He engaged in a lengthy conversation with the party as Gladys asked for answers to the many questions they had about the Void, the False Gods and the Gods. Glaurum went into a harsh philippic against the brutality and selfishness of the Gods, and the cruel and unusual punishments that he had suffered at their hands. He condemned humanity for its foolishness, but upon being made aware of the Union's existence somewhat rescinded his statement, wishing to investigate that further. He proclaimed that the Gods themselves were awaking and that he would seek his brothers in arms - the other False Gods - and conquer this world. Touched by his story Gladys proclaimed her own hatred for the order of the world, created by the Gods with the weak being trampled on and suffering being indelible from every aspect of it. She expanded further saying that she sought to simply unmake all this if she could. Glaurum, seemingly impressed by her determination bequeathed upon her what he called "a piece of his power" - a glowing crimson orb. He explained to the elf that if she defeated an enemy superior to her in a duel it would relinquish its power to her, imbuing her weapon and empowering it. Dustin showed his scorn and distrust for the False God, even calling him a detestable demon, while Shia seemed to have gotten lost in though. Growing tired of their questioning and having given his gift to Gladys, Glaurum gathered his strength and flew off to the north.

With the temple seemingly being drained of the cursed blood the party went down and after Gladys admitted she had no objections to burglarizing the treasury, having simply joked with Dustin they did just that, acquiring significant wealth. For the rescue of Catherius and their brave incursion into the temple the Imperial ship docked on the shore's captain agreed to drop Gladys and the rest back onto the mainland. During that time Gladys talked to Catherius, asking him about the feeling of having a family. Upon landing ashore they reunited with the Union party and agreed to head back to Man's End to reunite with Opinor, if possible.

#### **"The Brotherhood Consolidated" Arc**

Upon landing ashore, Teena Iskaar explained to the group about her condition and the way the child given to her by Senecius related to Lord Iskaar's plans, as well as revealing that Sharper had in his possession a magical map that revealed the location of any and all False God artifacts, so long as they were not sealed, that she had stolen from her father.

Upon arriving in Man's End, Gladys and the rest found Mirinin's mansion cordoned off by guards and Opinor missing. After sneaking into the mansion and investigating they discovered Mirinin's secret study, a final artifact not lost and not stolen by Iskaar and his notes, as well as traces of what implied Opinor and Stillen's struggle against an unknown pursuer.

Via Igel's connections, the party was teleported to Knifepoint where Lord Maroyan Sharper held court. There, the party agreed to spend some time studying the documents, diaries and artifact in order to gather some semblance of where to go next. A few days into this Sir Igel and the rest of his companions reported that they must depart to defend their fiefs in the north as a declaration of war from the Empire was delivered to Sharper who also made to call his banners and ride off. During that time Gladys acquired for herself a set of concealed weapons - a blade hidden in a cane and a crossbow hidden inside of a large parasol. With Dustin's help, Lord Sharper also lent her the Greaves of the Flying Knife. Alongside Teena and the court wizard, Gladys studied Mirinin's notes and concluded their best bet would be to seek out the necromancer known as The Shadow Of Destruction that made his home in Harvest Keep. However, one night Shia appeared in her chambers while Gladys was bathing and initiated a conversation about the implications of what Glaurum had said and requested that Gladys hold her, with which she reluctantly complied. Shortly after that Shia left, leaving Gladys severely puzzled and worried for the outlander's mental state. Unease only mounted with odd noises being heard across the castle during night-time and various small animals being mysteriously killed.

When on one of the final days Gladys found out that the map had been stolen, she and Shia made it to the wizard's study. She attuned her senses to seek for a demon and found one hiding in the castle's premises, then ran to alert the court wizard, only to unfortunately discover that it was him that had been the demon. After dissolving into a floating mass of stony shards, it attacked Gladys and Shia, which dashed off to find Dustin. After a lengthy skirmish the creature enveloped Shia in itself and seemingly kidnapped her.

Alongside Dustin and Teena ,Gladys tracked Shia up to the nearby mountains, sharing one of the many meatballs that Dustin had been keeping, having taken them from the kitchen much to Lady Iskaar's abject horror. Upon tracking Shia to the summit, they discovered her sat in a griffin's nest with an odd-looking black-and-white cat in her lap. Upon confronting her, Shia let the group know that the demon was actually her child, Mia, sending everyone into shock. As Gladys' arguments and Dustin's pleas fell on deaf ears, the demon awoke, unfurling from the cat and letting the group know that he had been gestated in Shia after being injected into her at Sacris by Zetheniela. At this, Dustin simply attacked and Gladys followed him. Battle joined with the demon, alongside Shia which fought on its' side. With the help of Teena Iskaar, which greatly wounded Shia in a flurry of cold rage at her treachery and the intervention of the very Gods at the side of Dustin, the demon was defeated. Upon this Shia broke into tears and went to leave, confused and shamed, having tamed the family of griffins living on the summit. Too shocked at Shia's treachery, Gladys could not interfere, and neither could Dustin, Teena Iskaar being bashed against one of the nearby rocks on the glade by the demonic being could not do anything as well. Shia proclaimed that she was going to seek her own truth and flew off on the griffin's back.

Utterly defeated the two remaining members of the party carried the unconscious Teena Iskaar back to the castle at Knifepoint, and left her in the care of the healers there, seeing as she had sustained a head injury that left her in a half-conscious state. Counting their losses and taking Mirinin's notes with them, Dustin and Gladys were teleported to Greenflow and from there they went on their way to Harvest Keep. Before departing Dustin and Gladys undertook a different blood oath of fraternity, vowing to protect, guide and care for each other in the face of all dangers.

#### **''Emilbell" Arc**

*"While it pains me to say it - we'll be forced to destroy the joints on both his arms and his legs."* ~Gladys, on containing the captured Blavir

Dustin and Gladys made their way into the Imperial hinterlands in which Harvest Keep was located and spent a few days travelling further in. One night during their rest in an abandoned village Gladys picked up on a conversation being led nearby and alerting Dustin opted to investigate. Spotting a diminutive black being and a well-dressed young man conversing nearing her and Dustin's resting spot she tracked them carefully. As they made to enter the ruined mill they were spending the night in Dustin confronted the two, with Gladys coming to speak to them as well. Upon the black creature introducing himself as Ytril and the young elf as Noerin they let the two members of the Brotherhood know that they worked for the Shadow of Destruction and that they were on a mission set by him.

As the conversation began turning adverse due to Noerin's gall a horde of flaming undead descended upon the group. Gladys utilized her newly discovered ability to summon lightning to dispatch most of the creatures. The battle finished and this prompted Noerin to explain to Gladys and Dustin about their mission to retrieve a being known as a ''Flame Yaviin'' and asked for the two for their assistance. Gladys and Dustin agreed, seeing this as the only way to gain the necromancer's trust.

Trekking their way to a nearby village they discovered a large congregation of undead and the aforementioned Flame Yaviins, which the group engaged. Despite her best efforts Gladys was knocked out halfway through the fight and awoke to find the battle won and their mission seemingly accomplished with Dustin having acquired some form of other equally valuable artifact instead of capturing the Flame Yaviin.

Afterwards the party went to Harvest Keep and dined with the Shadow of Destruction- a mysterious wizard that wore a skull mask that he refused to take off. He let the group know about his endeavours in trying to create a portal to the Void with Noerin's assistance. During the dinner Noerin's condescent and smugness already began to grind on Gladys and Dustin's nerves. Gladys offered to assist the Shadow who introduced himself as Dlob with his research on the materials that they had scavenged from Mirinin.

After about a day of inaction Dlob let the group know that the Imperial Tetrarchs were making a move from Godsworn to Emilbell seemingly carrying some form of artifacts contained in lead coffins and at Gladys and Dustin's behest the group chose to attend to that matter first, leaving the tracking down of Mikhael Strand, assumed to be instrumental to Lord Iskaar's plans for a slightly later stage. They planned to coax the Tetrarchs to divulge information about their intents, at least according to Gladys' suggestions. At this time the constant bickering between Noerin and Dustin that in her eyes reduced both to immature childishness was already beginning to irritate the usually serene elf severely.

The group set out the next morning and was teleported in the middle of the Godswood by Dlob. The same night they were attacked by orcs in multiple intervals with Gladys being forced to sortie out nude, as the attack came while she was bathing. The group managed to fight the orcs off with Gladys using her ability to induce rending fear greatly helping. After a few uneventful days the group made it to a cliffside where they set up camp again.

The group at length discussed their approach to the Tetrarchs and had a lengthy argument about the group's name, Gladys falling into complete frustration and sardonic remarks, one of her exhausted quips becoming the official name of their organization- The Nameless Brotherhood. After agreeing on a rough plan of action they proceeded through the Gods' Pass where a stone eater and his stone basilisks attacked the party. Gladys fought bravely but the basilisks' gaze petrified her just as she finished gouging out the eyes from one of them.

Much later Gladys awoke in the Tetrarchs' audience chamber, having been revived by the Tetrarch of Sai- Celesia, which she thanked profusely, feeling a bit off about owing her life to one of the most powerful servants of the Gods. Being caught amid an already begun discussion Gladys was in essence roped into being sent by the Tetrarchs to find and subdue the Black Fingers-a mysterious organization making their home in the city and seemingly possessing a powerful artifact. During the time the group had to prepare Gladys and Noerin broke into the off-limits section of the Ebony Tower's library, with Gladys succesfully stealing multiple tomes regarding the Void and the origin of humanity by using her Ring of Wrath to distract the guards.

The group began by tracking down Black Finger contacts, with Gladys tracking one member while the rest of the group conversed with his partner. She made it to the supposed entrance of the hideout only to somehow be knocked unconscious. The party found her and let her know about the initiation ritual, which Gladys was apprehensive about performing. During this time Noerin dropped the name of Senecius in front of a spell merchant, revealing to the group the fact that Senecius was involved with the Black Fingers. Afterwards, Gladys slapped and reprimanded him for hiding information.

With the help of Mufflestep-the Black Finger that had set up their initiation they made their way to Blavir- seemingly one of the organization's leaders. They met him in a lavish tavern and after Dustin threatened him the entire tavern's staff and customers alongside Blavir who turned out to be a werewolf attacked the party, Gladys spending the battle taking out the enemy crossbowmen. After they defeated Blavir, Gladys prevented Mufflestep from escaping, opting to recruit him into the Brotherhood. As Blavir was all too sizable and looked like he could break out of regular restraints easily, Gladys proposed they destroy the joints on his limbs, but in the end the group simply tied the werewolf up and dragged him back into their hideout.

There they interrogated the man, but not managing to acquire any information relevant to the mission from him, with Dustin brutally murdering him after realizing that he had been involved in the killing of his family,and that the False Goddess Beshaba was patron of their order. Then the party went back to the Tetrarchs where Dustin proposed a plan to smoke the Black Fingers out. Gladys' part in it was to sneak into their hideout and find the artifact they held. At this time she cut her hair short, much to Noerin's dismay, in order to better disguise herself. After explaining to the wizard that hair in fact grew back she left, being led by Mufflestep to the sanctuary's entrance alongside Ytril. She used her magic to disguise herself as a gaunt, plain-looking man named Macil.

With the help of Mufflefoot the two bypassed the sancturary's protection, with Ytril unfortunately unable to follow them. Inside they were led to a large metal gate with a vast metal statue above it and a man guarding it. With neither Gladys nor Mufflestep being able to fool him, the man activated a vast lead golem which attacked the pair. Discarding her disguise she dispatched the man, but discovered that her spells and attacks did absolutely nothing to the hulking abomination.

Fleeing across the sanctuary the two found themselves in front of a locked gate, which Mufflefoot agreed to pick. Gladys saying that she would distract the golem went out and decided to try and use Glaurum's Gift against the creature. Surprisingly the power trapped inside of the artifact was able to incapacitate the golem and ultimately kill it, dissolving and embedding itself into Gladys' body. Shortly after she was contacted by Noerin, letting her know that they had made their way into the hideout as well. Going into the central chamber they began rummaging through whatever things had been left behind by Baptiste. Feeling a trap, Gladys sensed the presence of four other humans in the room and made to warn Dustin, sadly failing. The Black Fingers attacked and surrounded the group, with Baptiste himself entering the chamber. The party managed to convince him to talk to them, with the Stepfather letting them know that he knew vast amounts about the Void and the False Gods and that he had in fact murdered Dustin's parents. On the surface all agreed to assist him in his escape from the city.

Being made aware as they walked that the False Gods had assaulted the city Gladys did not intend to let Baptiste leave. As they made it out and to the city's main gate they found themselves facing another False God-Lissandra the Lady of Serpents. Gladys used this opening to lure her to their location and offer the artifact encased in Baptiste's arm to her. With the goddess accepting Baptiste tried to flee only for Gladys to manifest the power of Glaurum's gift and casting the glowing red spear,nail him to a street corner as all of Emilbell burned around them and giving the Lady of Serpents an opening to rip the man apart and claim the artifact. Gladys thanked Lissandra and requested to see Glaurum which soon appeared. After the False God again thanked them for their assistance and showing apparent pride in Gladys having brought his gift to good use he let her know that he would come to her side if she was ever in dire need and she prayed vehemently enough. Just as that happened a vast winged shape descended from the sky and engaged in battle with Metaron at the centre of the city much to Gladys' dismay.

As everything crumbled the party saw this as their signal to leave, putting Emilbell behind them and heading back for the teleportation circle.

#### **"Into the Night" Arc**

*"Mikhael Strand, I have finally found you!"*~Gladys, before escaping from Harvest Keep

Making it back to the teleportation circle the party was at first alerted by Dlob about a possible informant in Hillgrove named Johnnyn Kart. At the circle itself a man claiming to be Dlob appeared. Instantly suspicious of him both Gladys and Dustin set upon him rending questions with Gladys' about the name of one of the guards at Harvest Keep springing her into action. After she defeated the wizard the party interrogated him, and as they realized their current plan was compromised made their way in a roundabout fashion to Tadjnik ,posing as an elven trader with his wife and entourage, Gladys taking up the alias Arthanè Goldstone and putting the fine clothes she had bought back at Knifepoint to good use.

As they stayed in Tadjnik Gladys used her senses to feel a group of void entities closing in on their location. Тhe party attempted to flee on the back of Noerin who turned into a giant eagle, only to be chased down by the Amorphous Pursuers-demons that could switch between liquid, gaseous and solid forms. After a harsh battle with the demons, during which Gladys was almost killed the party defeated the creatures and made their escape from Tadjnik.

Making it to the Dustwoods the party was taken in by Lord Daron Lillypond - Dustin's old contractor and friend. Shortly after making their home at the place and while beginning to consider their next move they ran into a large group of elves that seemed to wish to speak to them. At this Noerin turned oddly defensive and finnicky and even tried to deceive them with magic, by creating a clone of himself. The elven group, after an agreement by the Brotherhood to follow them took them to a tavern and explained to them that they were sent by the Elva government to also fight Lord Iskaar after a disturbing incident in one elven village. The Brotherhood agreed to assist them.

Before the two groups parted ways the elves called Noerin into their room of the tavern, while asking the others to stand outside, arousing Gladys' suspicion. Yet she was unable to overhear anything. On the next day Lord Lillypond offered Dustin a contract on a mysterious woman named Matilda that had been taking away regular partners of his away. The group agreed, needing the money.

Upon travelling to the village this Mathilda resided in they saw a large mansion, which after some asking around they realized was her residence. Gladys and Ytril snuck around through the side and climbed up onto the roof, where they faced a peculiar glasses-wearing assasin which they dispatched, before descending further in, almost dying to a series of incendiary traps. Trapped in the middle of the mansion with no real backup Gladys and Ytril hid in a wardrobe, both severely wounded among various luxurious dresses. After hearing some ruckus from downstairs the pair in horror saw what could only be Matilda - a stunningly alluring blonde woman, of unnatural features with Noerin of all people in thrall, as well as a larger group of servants. At this, Gladys acquired an idea, and using one of the tacky butler outfits she and Ytril had found in the wardrobe disguised herself as one of seemingly Matilda's thralls, and after the woman walked off, going off about intruders she wandered out. After a sordid flight through the mansion, she and Ytril ran into Dustin, only to be intercepted by Matilda and her thralls, and to find out that she was a succubus. As Gladys found herself surrounded along with her two allies by Matilda's thralls, Dustin rushed Matilda's position and dealt her a nearly lethal blow, telling her to give up and leave. She yielded, vanishing and the bounty hunters were released from her enchantment,

The Brotherhood burned and looted the mansion, Gladys with sorrow realizing that the glasses-wearing assasin on the roof had died of the wounds she had inflicted on him. Gladys sought to at least attend to the assasin's funeral asking Deron of his name and if he had any family. Later on the night of that day Gladys went out and fought off two would-be rapists and murderers, as desperation about being used by the elves washed over her.

After purchasing a suit of plate armor for herself she and the rest headed to investigate Harvest Keep. Upon arriving they found the teleportation circle trapped and were attacked by Void Burrowers and Mouths of the Void ,which managed to knock out Gladys. After waking up she realized in horror that her left arm had been bitten off. Panic washed over her, as the group rushed out from the castle, barely holding on for dear life. Upon exiting into the courtyard, Gladys could overhear Mikhael and what seemed like Zetheniela speaking at the gatehouse, and tall, black silhouettes, taller than the mountains lining the horizon on the backdrop of the crimson, cloudy sky. Noerin used his magic to lift Gladys up and she confirmed that this was indeed Mikhael Strand, and that he had went over to the side of the enemy.

The party fled and hid in some nearby bushes, Noerin beginning to prepare a teleportation circle, bound for Knifepoint. As that happened, Mikhael and some armored riders began nearing them, prompting Gladys to open her arms and proclaim that she had finally found Mikhael to him in a loud voice, just before they teleported away.

Shortly after they arrived there and with some coercing managed to discover the whereabouts of Teena Iskaar which had recovered from the concussion inflicted on her by the demon. There they ran into Dlob as well, who spoke to them of his escape from Lord Iskaar's captivity, and of the help he had received from Opinor and Stillen . While incredibly skeptical of Noerin and his allegiances Teena and The Shadow of Destruction were glad to join the Brotherhood in their foray into the heart of the conspiracy-the captial of the Union of Free Dominions - Magistris.

#### **"Magistris" Arc**

*"Who do you seek to love you? You push everyone away, making people fear and hate you, and now you want to kill the one person who could love you unconditionally still left in this world! You don't have to do this and die alone."* ~Gladys, attempting to chastise Talimor Dekatt out of killing his brother

Upon arriving in Magistris, Gladys already felt unease at Noerin having to be the group's guide. They settled down in a tavern known as "The Black Rose", with which's proprietor Noerin was friends. Much to Gladys' gladness and surprise Noerin and Dlob offered to build her a prosthetic arm using their knowledge of dwarven technology. With the help of Ytril they drafted blueprints and provided her a replacement for her missing arm soon enough.

On the very next day Gladys drew Teena into a complex plan to eke out Noerin's true intentions, convincing the young woman to fraternize with the wizard to lower his guard, after the two found a temporary hideout in an abandoned house in the outskirts, while she under a series of disguises would first research the trail of his academical research. Then under the disguise of a priestess of the Four from the far city of Almayta who in her fire-gazing augury and her dreams had seen visions of the Azure Wizard and had went on a pilgrimage to find him ask around to learn more information of him and of any hints of his possible collusions with the elven government. Luckily for Gladys she soon enough ran into one of the elven spies-the ginger-haired Spionin, drinking in a nearby pub. She decided to listen in on his conversation with the soon-to-appear Lharliel - another elven spy. Gladys thus discovered that their "Boss" was meeting an informer in a metal foundry in the city outskirts.

Making her way there and deeper in she observed a curious sight - Noerin, only dressed slightly differently waited on some man. With the man - a portly courtier of the Lord Gornik appearing only to be reprimanded by Noerin about bringing some form of allies with him. Noerin then pointed out to Gladys and one other person that he knew they were there. Gladys unwilling to break her cover stood where she was, only to watch some giant dwarven automaton be called forward by Noerin and rip the man apart, killing him instantly. Before she could act another man - who also was Noerin - even wearing the same clothes stumbled from the shadows and began screaming at the other.

That other, it seemed was called "Talimor" and was of some relation to Noerin. Gladys then ran out of her cover to confront the two, only to be told by Talimor to leave. Instead she chose to attack, assisting Noerin in his conflict, only to discover much to her woe the power of Talimor's magic and his Automatic Hunter to be too much for her and the other elf's combined efforts. After a short and vicious battle the two were captured by the elven spies.

During her captivity Gladys was drugged and interrogated in order to disclose if she was working for Lord Iskaar then sedated.

Much later Gladys was awoken by Teena Iskaar in a damp and dark sewer somewhere under Magistris, with a battle raging about her - it seemed her allies had hunted the elves down and were currently engaging in combat with them. She rushed into the fray, confronting Talimor who seemingly had been betrayed by Spionin, also present. Talimor had become vehemently enraged and had began berating Noerin for both being weaker and for being the sole reason he had not received any love during his life. While fighting him Gladys attempted to reason out of him whose love he was to earn by apparently murdering his brother. Sadly her words fell on deaf ears and before being knocked out Talimor sicced his Automatic Hunter on everyone present in the sewer, seeking to do anything and everything to ensure his brother's death. Fleeing into a rage the Hunter maimed Lhariel and Spionin severely. Upon this happening Gladys used her prosthetic arm to position herself atop the Hunter and destroy its weapon array, while Noerin and Dustin finished it off.

But before she could rest Talimor woke up and pulled the unconscious Noerin into his arms, threatening to kill both himself and his brother, as only thus he would be free. He was, however dispatched by Teena. Seeing Spionin still somewhat alive Gladys rushed to his side and pulled him into her lap, using her healing magic to stabilize his condition, with some help from Dustin. After being brought back from the brink of death, the elven spy thanked the group and dragged Lhariel's body off, leaving the scene. After this the group headed back into the city, with Noerin growing quiet, yet satisfied at the transpired events, having taken his brother's body with him.

The party fixed themselves up and Gladys volunteered to accompany Noerin on his affair to repatriate and entomb his brother's body, offering her genuine sympathy to the younger elf's plight. After their foray into Elva Gladys offered Noerin to drink with him when they came back into their hideout, glad to have had her doubts about his allegiance cleared.

Unfortunately for her plans, Dlob who had went out of the city for a few days to retrieve the artefact of Gurumush whom he had hidden before even heading into Magistris had come back, and a wizard ally of Noerin - Grevant whom had been involved in their rescue was present so time was not afforded for idling. Ytril had also said, that after his integration into the local cartographer's guild he had discovered that some large structure was being built on one of the city plazas. After additional snooping it was discovered that the Great Lords of the Union would be holding a festival in honor of the Union's traditions in half a week's time. Iskaar was to be heavily involved, and as rumors went - even the main organizer. As a response to this the Brotherhood began working to infiltrate the festival in order to be able to curtail any shady activity Iskaar was to undertake, fearing a human sacrifice to the Shadows. Gladys was tasked with impersonating the lead actress in a play detailing the way Iskra gave fire to humanity - a myth important to the Union and its values of freedom. Meanwhile Opinor, Dlob and Teena would infiltrate Lord Iskaar's manse in the city and try and retrieve the void portal that had been stolen from Harvest Keep. After Noerin abducted the actual actress and acquired her copy of the script, Gladys familiarized herself with the play. Spionin sought the group out at that time and offered the elves' genuine help, having taken control of the organization. During this time the group also met Shia, who apologized profusely for her betrayal and sought to make herself up back into the organization, yet was rejected by Gladys and Dustin. She still expressed a desire to help, and said she would assist them even if not able to rejoin.

Soon the day of the festival dawned and Gladys infiltrated the play successfully. Before the play began she attempted to confront the present Zetheniela, and hoped to be able to see Mikhael. At the end of the play, during which no real suspicious activity transcended Lord Iskaar began a long and passionate speech about how the Union had grown weak and how he would restore it with the help of the Shadows. Noerin began a heated debate with the lord and Gladys saw that things would begin to turn sour, as Iskaar ordered the arrest of Shartt Gornik - the head of one of the Great Houses and Dustin - disguised as one of the Obsids also in the play rushed offstage to rescue him. Before Gladys could assist Noerin, Shia appeared, stating her intent to stop the elf before she could interfere and revealing that she was simply another form of the Hellstone Swarm. Hypnotizing Ytril into assisting it and grasping Gladys in its clutch all seemed lost. Gladys in her desperation dragged the swarm out onto the stage to try and expose Iskaar's activities thusly. Iskaar, while also accusing the elven government of its meddling did resuce Gladys, using Glaurum's artifact to destroy the demon, and also offered Gladys the opportunity to come with him. She denied and with Noerin and Ytril escaped the scene by the skin of their teeth.

Shortly after, they reunited with Dustin who had rescued the Lord Gornik,and made it to the elven hideout. Dlob had been killed by some creature of Iskaar's and only through Noerin's timely intervention in inserting the artifact into him was he saved. After this, the group split into two parts with the elves, Opinor and Dlob teleporting to Knifepoint, while Dustin, Gladys, Noerin, Ytril, Teena and Stillen were to head to the Dustwoods. While escaping, the party was intercepted by Lord Iskaar himself, alongside some Amorphous Pursuers. He proved too much of a match for any of the Brotherhood and they barely elapsed him, with the help of Noerin's eagle form, after Iskaar dropped multiple large stones onto them. After escaping Magistris the group teleported to the Dustwoods.

#### **"Lengthening Shadows" Arc**

*"And so my oath to you is fulfilled, Zetheniela."~*Gladys, upon killing Zetheniela the Lifter

Shortly after fleeing from Magistris Gladys and the rest made their way to the Dustwoods once more, teleporting to the lord's castle, and only barely escaping, after Noerin mistakenly said that they served the Lord Lillypond, as he took him for the reigning lord of Dustwood. Afterwards they hid out with Lord Daron Lillypond again for a while, who was enraged by Noerin putting him in severe danger by revealing their cooperation with him to the Lord Gale - a bannerman of House Iskaar. Gladys stood aside and with Noerin planned the group's next move as Dustin dealt with his friend.

On the next morning the group returned to Knifepoint, where the reality of the situation was laid out - Lord Maroyan Sharper had withdrawn his forces from the border where the conflict with the Empire was taking place and intended to begin a civil war with Iskaar for what was the fate of the world. And the Nameless Brotherhood soon put their own plan into action-they intended to collect one last artefact from the False Gods. They intended to hunt down Vereeni, with the help of all their members and close allies - including Opinor Corydon, Teena Iskaar, Stillen and The Shadow of Destruction.

They first set out to Man's End via teleportation and there met an acquintance of Noerin's - Leminin Dustbrother. Soon after the Brotherhood went into a tavern, where Gladys drank herself into fainting, letting herself relax for the first time since the time she had left Knifepoint for Emilbell. She later awakened in a public bath, still dizzy from her drunkedness, realizing that Dustin and Noerin had gotten into a bar fight in her absence. After flying through the Runeland desert for days, the group finally found an abandoned village with a desolate statue of a winger monster in the square. As they approached, it came alive and greeted them, asking them if they wished to see its master - the eternally radiant Sun. It decried Stillen's presence and refused to allow him an audience. Gladys ignored the messenger's words and after a stern warning about needing to see its god impaled it through the chest with Denial. After this the Brotherhood took off to the northwest and soon came to see a vast city with an imposing pyramidal temple in its center. They were attacked by a swarm of the messenger-creatures. Fighting them off they next saw the shape of a profane ball of fire rise from the pyramid - Vereeni had come out. The Brotherhood fought with all their might, with Dlob and Opinor distracting the Lord of Pride, while Teena, Dustin and Gladys fought his titanic servants as well as the swarms of flying beasts, across the streets of the city. As almost all of the Brotherhood's resources were exhausted Noerin managed to defeat the False God with a powerful burst of destructive magic. The Brotherhood took the glowing, crystalline brain of the god and warned the denizens of the city - beings enchanted by the False God's magic into being his subjects to disperse and seek their homes.

The Brotherhood then rummaged through Vereeni's temple, requisitioning his wealth for their war chest and sending his scribes to seek the other False Gods. After this they, alongside Gladys returned to Knifepoint once more and there were let to know that their assistance was required with the taking of Brinewash - a town loyal to House Iskaar that blocked the passage of troops from both the Union and what elven troops Spionin had managed to muster to the Black Pool. With the proposition by Dustin being to teleport into the castle and open the gates for the troops, Gladys added that not letting their allies even know of the plan and simply ordering them to attack at a certain time would be ideal, so as to match the storming of the castle with the time the Brotherhood would open the gates.

Amidst the night the Brotherhood teleported into the castle and fought their way across its three towers, flinging a guardian golem from the top of the teleportation circle tower, killing much of House Salen's household guard ,and chasing down the Lady Salen, depositing Teena Iskaar near the gate in order for her to open it only to be stopped by her court wizard Malvul and some new sort of demon that Lord Iskaar had invoked-the Amethedron, a floating polyhedral prism that fired beams of disabling energy, that the court wizard claimed had been gifted them by Iskaar to serve against their enemies, denying that he was invoking the Void to destroy the world,but instead-to help the Union. Gladys managed to lure one part of it, as it split apart to a balcony that overlooked the sea, but was defeated by it and only by the timely intervention of Dustin and Noerin could manage to survive. With the Amethedron dealt with the Brotherhood turned their attention to a small boat making its way out of the castle. Gladys identified it as carrying the Lady Salen that they were after and with Ytril attached to her back leapt from the precipice and attempted to take out the lady's guards as she fell, only to mistakenly hook herself to the sea floor, while Ytril mopped the situation up. After this, they returned to the castle and introduced themselves to the commander of the assailing forces and rested in the now taken castle.

Soon enough with Noerin's suggestion the Brotherhood agreed on their next venture. They would kidnap the fiancee of Lord Sanguor Blutt- Nethwyn of Morrell and use her as a bargaining chip to remove the forces of House Blutt from the war and make taking on Lord Iskaar easier. They set out to Bloodgate, disguised as members of the household guard of the Blutts and with some limited difficulty managed to enter the city, Noerin posing as a wizard from Loneport to help the party gain entry. Their plan was almost ground to a halt, when the court wizard of the Blutts denied them entry. After some arguing on Noerin's side the group agreed to upon the court wizard's request to wait for him in a tavern nearby. Waiting, Gladys tried to sense if any Void presence was in the city and sensed a whole group of them nearing their location, which had suspiciously empty for the last half hour. The Brotherhood quickly devised a plan that involved Ytril setting an armory near the castle on fire and using the ensuing commotion to teleport over the walls and breach the castle. With the plan in motion Gladys and the rest snuck into the courtyard, and only through some careful manipulation managed to make their way to the chambers of Nethwyn. Thinking their mission half a success, they relaxed, until Nethwyn before their eyes, revealed her true, beast-like form. Zetheniela-one of Lord Iskaar's closest followers had intercepted them. Gladys scrambled to bar the door, only to be stopped by Zetheniela's cultists. Before she could act, she was suspended to the corridor, leading up to the chamber and could barely act during the fight. With Zetheniela's concentration being finally broken she managed to rush into the room, only to see the cat-woman be defeated and dragged through a portal by one of the cultists, which Gladys followed into it, alongside Noerin and quickly dealt away with the cultist and finished Zetheniela off-fulfilling her promise made on Sacris. Afterwards, she and Noerin barely returned to the tower in which the initial confrontation had taken place, Gladys seeing that Dustin had been affected by some mind-altering magic, but still managing to get him to escape, with the help of a magical item that had been acquired from Zetheniela, reuniting with Ytril on the way. Upon their return to Brinewash an elven cleric was hired to remove the curse that had rendered Dustin almost catatonic and then Gladys, along with the rest resolved to join Lord Shaprer's host as he marched on the Black Pool.

#### **"Shores of the Void" Arc**

Arriving in Lord Shaprer's camp, Gladys rested awaiting a war council to take place as in the sky a manifestation of the Shadows appeared and almost sent the soldiers into a panic, and she with the rest of the Brotherhood's help managed to calm them down. Shortly after she and the rest of the Brotherhood were called forward to discuss their role in the upcoming battle that would take place at the shorest of the Black Pool-as Lord Iskaar had shut himself up in the castle at Bryaglee and there would most likely perform his ritual. As the council took place an echanted guard entered the tent and heralded Matilda's appearance, which disturbed the assembly. After some time spent explaining the situation, Gladys went out to confront the succubus and learned that she had met Mikhael in Bryaglee, but had been chased away by him in a cold rage. Afterwards she announced her willingness to help their cause, to which Gladys agreed, so long as the succubus would follow the Brotherhood's guidance. Returning to the council it was agreed that a small party would infiltrate the castle and assassinate Iskaar, as the battle raged and the forces inside of the castle were distracted, using Gladys' magic which could allow small team to walk on water to use the lake itself as an entry point. In the end nine volunteered- Gladys herself, Dustin, Noerin, Ytril, Opinor Corydon, Teena, Dlob,Silentstep(who had been brought as Lord Daron Lillypond had joined the host) and Spionin. As the host came closer to the Black Pool the night of the infiltration dawned.

After sneaking up to the shoreline under the cover of night and taking out a guard tower to manage to reach the water and make their way to the Bryaglee castle. Making their way to what they knew was a concealed exit, they sent Ytril forward to investigate. He came back with news of a knight with a glowing yellow spear guarding the entryway with some additional armed men and cultists. Gladys, upon this sprung into action, devising alongside Dustin a plan to rush into the small cavern at the water's edge and confront the man inside herself- for she was sure this was Mikhael Strand - the one she had sworn fealty to. The one she sought to rescue. Running into the cavern the party split into two teams-one to engage the enemies at the back-and another-composed of Dustin, herself and Noerin to confront Mikhael and if possible bring him to their side. Landing amidst Mikhael's two compatriots she was engaged by Strand himself who demanded that she be captured even as the rest were to be killed. Refusing to strike at her sovereign, she instead went for his guards, which soon were taken off her hands by Dustin. Yet Hrithspel - now truly wielded by Mikhael proved to be a sordid obstacle in the path of the Brotherhood. As she avoided Mikhael's strikes she reminded him of her oath to him and how she wanted to protect him from harm, rebuking the knight's assertions that Lord Iskaar wished the best for the world, and assuring him that choosing to not die at Lord Iskaar's feet at the Fishing Hamlet (especially after learning of Senecius' betrayal) did not mean that he was beyond redemption. Soon enough the knight turned on his allies and the battle was won-entry into the castle secured, but not before Spionin's death in the maw of one of the Mouths of the Void. The group, now joined by Mikhael continued, cutting their way through a Lignopendent, numerous guards and some cultists which for a brief period sent Gladys to the Plane Inbetwixt. During one of their rests Gladys prayed to Glaurum, seeing a lone island in a lake of blood with a single white tree in a vision as she did, and summoning him to the battle. Later on the party was almost crushed by Lissandra-Lady of Serpents as they made their way up. On the way upwards they went into the museum-hall of House Aleren, from which the castle had been taken. Inside, they were greeted by more Void cultists and some repulsive half-stone creature, which they soon all recognized as Streno the Immovable, still not dead but having lost his mind after Sacris. As the Brotherhood engaged it, another Amethedron floated into the room and Gladys went into battle with it, using some form of enchanted blade kept in the museum, which released immense heat, then burst asunder as it was stabbed into the demon. She finished it off by lodging Denial into a crack in its crystalline body, then using that as a lever to crack the monster open, by dropping down on it. As she did this Streno was trapped under the body of the restored ship in the middle of the room by Dustin's efforts. Tired from the battle, the Brotherhood rested.

Soon enough the group found themselves facing the entrance of the Void stone tunnel that led to the bottom of the lake, which Mikhael had explained was made with the help of Hrithspel. There the Brotherhood parted in two, leaving Opinor, Silentstep and one of the guards of the castle which had joined their cause, after almost being killed by a cultist behind, due to how wounded they were. Moving down the crystalline tunnel, the group made their way through a tangle of crystal spikes growing out the walls and into a wide chamber, at the end of which they could vaguely hear Iskaar chanting. Before anyone could act, a large crystal levitated off its pedestal nearby and revealed itself to be another demon, wracking the Brotherhood with terrible mutations-forcing Gladys's skin to crack and rocky protrusions to sprout from under her skin. As this happened more of the Approachers appeared and one dragged Gladys into the Plane Inbetwixt, which oddly enough cured her mutations. She demanded in the Void tongue an explanation for what the creature was doing. Upon failing to get that she managed to out maneuver it and in one fell strike of Denial-destroy it and be returned to the Prime Plane. There the battle continued poorly, until Dlob, rushed the creature and using his artifact destroyed it, killing himself in the process. With this steeling their resolve, the Brotherhood went forward to confront Iskaar, finding him at an altar with the artifacts and Teena's newborn daughter. Gladys and Dustin assaulted him frontally, as Teena stole her child back, and Mikhael and Noerin were crushed under a rock created by Iskaar. Yet the ritual had already begun, and a pillar of black light erupted from the altar, swallowing Teena and her father, just as she passed her child to Ytril. Gladys struggled, seeing Dustin get swallowed up as well, as she dragged Mikhael from under the rock and struggled her way up the corridor, leaving all behind. Yet Mikhael's unconcious body weighed her down enough so the pillar could swallow them as well.

Gladys then saw herself rise beyond the world and see the sun and moon in their eternal revolutions around it, before finally awakening on a dark shore, tall figures wading a black sea in the distance, Mikhael trying to awaken her. After some seeking in the pitch-blackness the Brotherhood reunited and tried to get their bearings, beginning to surmise that they had all died, and that this was the base of the Mountains of Ve. They then moved upwards, beginning their climb across the mountainland, meeting a group of dead human soldiers, which still bore their wounds and looked much more ghostly than Gladys and her companions. Another thing that Gladys soon discovered was that Vereeni's artifact was usable in this plane, confirming that they had indeed found their way into the Void. Trekking through the mountains, the group ran into a gate of sorts, guarded by an elemental of Ve, made of living stone with glowing eyes. After a quick confrontation and a refusal for the group to be allowed to pass, Gladys and the others fought the creature, barely making it through the gate. Pushing further, they found themselves in a deep forest, where once more, they were attacked by the Amorphous Pursuers, with Gladys again assisting. As the battle ended, Ytril rushed ahead, only to come back and report on seeing what Gladys and the others could piece together as the banishment of Xi. Pushing further ahead, a misty shore leading up to a stone village, that no one could identify showed itself. Going straight into it, Gladys and the rest were led further into the mist by Dustin, discovering that there were no real discerning characteristics on the inside of the houses, as if all the furniture had been modeled from some kind of smooth stone. As Dustin led them further in, chasing some shadow, Gladys and the rest observed a shadowy version of recent events play out, for this was the Fishing Hamlet - and in it could be sene Senecius' betrayal of the Brotherhood and the death of Lithiel and Edith for certain at the hands of Lord Iskaar. Shortly after this event, some sort of shadowy demon assaulted Mikhael, pulling him to the ground, and as Gladys rushed to help him, she was assailed with a vision of Lithiel, that accused her of her past crimes. Confessing to them and claiming that she would never forget or forgive herself for having killed so many, but would not stop in her quest, because of them, Gladys fought her guilt off, and helped the others get rid of their demons.

Walking out of the village, the Brotherhood was again placed somewhere else - this time a bright lakeshore, where under a peculiar tree, the group rested and regained their strength. During that time Mikhael invited Gladys to come and serve him when the conflict was concluded, with her accepting. As everyone finally recovered, a movement was spotted by Ytril and chased down by the group, with Gladys soon seeing it to be a little girl, holding some sort of void crystal. Assuming the girl to be Iskra herself, she gave harded chase, only to be transported to yet another different place - this time a hilly grassland, covered in darkness. Finding their way to a nearby village, the group observed a mixed population of obsids and humans which were busy condemning the same little girl. Gladys opted to go save her, being rebuffed by Ytril on the basis that the past could not be changed. Still Dustin acted as well, and the Brotherhood soon strode among the obsids, ready to fight them. Before anything such could occur they found their location changed again. This time it was a much darker, gloomier hilly location and the party was drawn to a large flaming tree - and in front of it Iskaar himself awaited, alongside two cultists. As they approached, Gladys confronted him on the essence of his plan, and on the nature of death, with him answering that death meant consumption by the Gods. Gladys countered this, by insisting that mere existence in the Void was as bad as death and a coward's way out. Their argument was cut short, by Iskaar himself, declaring that they needed to be stopped and hand over the child they had stolen from him. Battle joined and Dustin was trapped inside a kiln made of magically conjured stones, while Noerin was knocked out. Gladys scored a series of hits on Lord Iskaar with Denial, almost killing him, but being knocked down in the process. Finally as she came to, it became clear that Lord Iskaar had once and for all been defeated. The Brotherhood once again rested, and then after some arguing agreed to explore the Void further. Once again going to walk, after passing through some tall grasses they discovered a large tree in front of which obsids could be seen slowly shedding their outer skins of stone. Approaching, a giant creature, half-woman and half-animal emerged from the tree and engaged the Brotherhood in conversation. The entity which proved to be the goddess Xi, in an earlier point in time, asked the group about what they were and Gladys explained that they were human, leading Xi to reveal that humans were created as a source of soul energy for the gods and that the world itself was fashioned from a destroyed Shadow of the Horizon by the gods, which were a form of obsid creature as well, and that only through the constant sacrifice of souls could the world be maintained as the gods did not wish to siphon more energy from the Void. Gladys was distraught at this and repulsed by the callousness with which Xi mocked her own creation, letting them know that they were mere tools. After this revelation, the Brotherhood wandered again, this time into a shallow lake stretching out for seemingly eternity. Pushing further in, a glowing figure was spotted in the distance. Ytril made to swim towards it, while Mikhael rushed, trying to stop the black horned one and help their escape. Gladys watched in terror as the figure rapidly manifested behind Mikhael and with a fell strike, pulled the man's heart out - his form crumbling to dust. The figure turned out to once again be Iskaar - somehow revived by the fire of Iskra, with which he had been burned. As he approached, Gladys exclaimed her animosity towards him, bereft of her pity. Unfortunately she was also quickly defeated.

As she came to, she saw the limp bodies of her compatriots, Ytril and Noerin scurrying for the artifact of Vereeni. She struggled to get to Mikhael's remains, unable to voice her desire for him to be revived, aware that both Dustin and Teena had also fallen. As Noerin made the choice to revive Teena, Gladys clutched Mikhael's breastplate in which his ashes had pooled up and sang to him the lullaby she had sung on the cliffs of Loneport all those many years ago, finally breaking down in tears. After this ,alongside with Noerin, Ytril and Teena she carried Dustin's corpse out through a passage that had opened up, leading back into Bryaglee.

#### **After the Void Crisis**

Upon returning, Gladys and the rest were informed that the battle had been won by the rebels' side, with the Empire being repelled after the False Gods had been invoked, and that two weeks had passed since the Brotherhood's vanishing, with them being taken for dead.

Gladys firstly attended Dustin's funeral in Dustwood, then returned Hrithspel to Mikhael's only living relative she knew of - Sofia Gale of Hillgrove. Afterwards she tracked down Johnnyn Kart in the Magistris prison he had been put into after his defeat and inducted him into the Nameless Brotherhood. She also sponsored the building of a memorial in Loneport to the perished members of the Brotherhood ,and those that had helped them along the way - Mirinin, Edith, Tain, Clara, Artonis, Lithiel, Hammer and Mikhael, and Brown Tom as well. She then commited herself to the expansion of the Brotherhood and discovering the true nature of the gods. In the span of the next twenty years she recruited various new people into the Brotherhood, including Scintillifer Blackbranch, the Onomancer.

### The Golden Invasion Campaign

#### **"Sea of Bones" Arc**

Gladys appeared, alongside her subordinate Sir Valen, in Gaaraa Rost where she was temporary staying undercover. She met with the Maiden of Thorns' crew (beside Theodore Ashwood, whose end was met before reaching the city) in a small house in the meeting point of the Research district and the Housing district.

She explained her mission in Auresia - the attempt of Noerin on the life of Lady Teena Iskaar and his subsequent disappearance, presumably related to the war with Auresia, the new rise of the Black Fingers (presumed to have been demolished in 2005 by her and her companions) and the strage disappearance of all the False Gods but Shayla (or what is assumed to be her). She asked Lukkas Gale, Lina Iskaar and Aglar, as well as later on Arlik, to assist her in the Brotherhood's endeavors, so long as their mission corelated with her own.

## **Relationships with other characters**

Gladys always strives to be understanding and compassionate in her interactions with others, showing generosity and care whenever it is possible and when it is appropriate. She is more than willing to be open about her past and beliefs, seeing no strong need to hide any of it. She tends to be cordial, and subdued yet often blunt in her interactions, preferring to pose the harsh truths first so that misunderstandings do not deepen.

### Mikhael Strand

Having known the lord as a child and having sworn herself to him later, not knowing this had been the child she had lead away from abandoning his parents, made this one of the more complex relationships Gladys had. She viewed Mikhael with both certain pity and admiration, seeing him as having the potential to be a truly great man, due to his character , but also seeing the many flaws and weaknesses he had. She professed her intent to seek him out and turn him back from the destructive path that he had chosen to undertake as she had done once before. The interactions between the two that actually transpired in the span of the campaign were mainly cordial with Gladys once pointing out to Mikhael the obvious enamoration Senecius felt to Edith, when Mikhael teased him about attempting to seduce Gladys in front of the cleric. She was somewhat harsh on herself for having betrayed her oath to Mikhael at first and saw the whole incident as a catalyst for her own redemption. After Mikhael's death she was reduced to tears, crying out that she ought have died in his stead.

### Dustin, Son of Ogust

While at first skeptical towards Dustin's honesty in his desire to assist the Brotherhood she came to realize the paladin's good nature and earnesty, after he risked his life to save hers and Shia's multiple times. After this point she grew fond of him, understanding that he could be trusted. Despite that, even through their blood oath of fraternity the two are often at odds ideologically as Gladys detests the rule of the Gods, while Dustin cherishes them. As the two share their passion for good food and fresh air they usually spend quality downtime together.

### Shia of the Rune Nomads

Gladys was a bit awed by Shia's initial serenity and devotion, but slowly came to be worried for her as they journeyed further together and also annoyed at Shia's frequent illogical decisions and her blind willingness to trust anyone the party met. She was pushed aback at Shia's direct sexual advances on her and shocked into stupor at the outlander's betrayal. Refusing to loathe Shia she instead chose to blame Zetheniela for it, vowing to kill her.

### Noerin Dekatt

Gladys was consistently wary of the young wizard, finding both his self-importance as well as his unfounded lust for power repulsive, having confronted Noerin on several occasions about what makes him eligible for godhood, and disliking his belief that one could simply learn enough to become a god,and the idea of a mortal thinking he was worthy of divinity. Regardless of that she understood the inexperience that comes with young age and thus didn't judge him too harshly. She found his awkward advances towards her slightly annoying at times and comical at others, such as the time he opted to try and use restoration magic to reattach the hair she had cut, letting him know that hair can grow back. Later upon discovering of his troubled past she grew to pity him instead for his harsh lot in life. It could perhaps be said that both Noerin's ability to be honest with Gladys about his deep needs and in turn her unwillingness to let him court her as he would a woman led to Noerin's going rogue.

### Ytril

She finds the diminutive creature curious and is more than willing to listen to the tales about his homeland, when he recounts them. While unsure of his reasoning for joining the Brotherhood she is willing to chalk it up to eccentricity.

### Glaurum, Lord of Sacrifice

Having first met the False God at Sacris Gladys has gained an almost reverent attitude towards the entity, seeing truth in his words and greatly appreciating his boons given upon her. She is willing to defend his position in arguments and feels that maybe he is a being worthy of divinity.

### Teena Iskaar

After fighting the Shadows with the young scion of Iskaar for a time, Gladys has grown to respect and deeply trust Teena, confiding to her about her doubts and plans ahead of time on multiple occasions.

### Ilyan Iskaar

At first Gladys regarded Lord Iskaar with fear as she saw in him the will of the otherworldly powers and in her first encounter with him could do nothing to harm the man. She kept this fear of him, until their final confrontation when upon revealing the limitations of his plan she began to pity the man. After his slaying of Mikhael Strand ,this being the first profound loss she had felt she in the final moments before Iskaar's death grew to despise him, for his pettiness.

### Shade of Annihilation

Gladys was impressed by Dlob's magical prowess and knowledge at first and then came to genuinely like the man, after more of his personality was uncovered, feeling both admiration and compassion for his plight. She was severely distraught when he sacrificed his life in the fight against the Void shard.