Trumek

A half-orc ranger PC. Trumek 'the younger' was adopted by the renowned bounty known as old man Pines, from who he took his name. Pines thought him everything he knew about catching outlaws and other people who don't want to be found. Above all, Trumek sought to emulate his master's professionalism and dogged determination.

While Trumek was not at all in touch with his orc heritage, he still chose to fight with an orc double axe. He noticed that playing up his ferocity made him more intimidating to humans, a useful trait for a bounty hunter.

He passed away while looking for treasure on a ghost ship. He was killed by the mindflayer captain, who ate his brain.

Stories involving Trumek:

(Shortly after the first adventure)

It's a quiet evening at Old Man Pines' homestead

One of his hounds runs up to the gate and barks, but stops when he recognizes Trumek.

Trumek scratches the big hunting dog behind his ears and lurches to the house.

The old man is sitting on his porch catching the last sunrays of the day.

Trumek sits down on the porch with a deep sigh.

'I gotta say boy, you looking a tad gray in the face, more'n usual that is.'

'Leeches.' grunts Trumek.

'Leeches!' laughs the old man. 'That's what ye get fer taking a swamp job!'

The old mans laugh turns into rattling cough that leaves him speechless for a while.

'Not sounding too hearty yourself there, did you stop smoking like the healer said?'

'No way I'm taking orders from a healer while me guts are still in me belly.'

He starts packing his pipe as if to protest the tyranny of healers.

'You're a stubborn old man, you know that?'

'Damn right I know that, yer not the first to say so and ye won't be the last. Anyway how's old Celilix?'

'He's seen better days, a hag took an interest in him, almost killed him...'

'Hags?!' the old man growls and spits on the ground. 'I dealt with some hags in my time, I thought we got 'em all. But I guess there will always be more outlaws, and more work fer the likes of us.'

'They also took his daughter, but we got her back.' Trumek says.

'Pfwah, I know about 'her', that's less of his daughter than you're my son. Honest folk shouldn't involve themselves with the fey, nuthing good will come of it.'

'So, we should've left her with the hags?' asks Trumek.

'I... I dinnae say that.'

They watch the in silence as the sun sets over Undahar.

[When Gunar brings his corpse home.]

The bloodhounds howl and whine in the distance.

‘Yeah, that’s him,’ Old Man Pines sighs,‘most people in our line of work don’t get to reach my age, but it still gets me to see a young’un go like that.’

He turns to Gunar. ‘Thanks, for bringing him here. Yer the half-elf, eh? I remember him talking about you. I didn’t approve of the boy’s little adventures with you folk.’

‘From the sound of it, that band’s filled with thieves ‘n looters. The exact sort of people I taught the boy to catch all his life. I suppose it was a rebellious phase of sorts.’

The Old Man is quiet for a few moments.

‘But you, yer different, a real soldier who keeps an eye out for his comrades. Or so the boy said anyways. If that’s true, we need more people like you. This land won’t be civilized by the laws as written by gods or men. What will bring order to this place is the bonds between good men, that’s what civilization is truly based upon. The boy knew that and I hope you’ll remember it too. In any case, if yer ever in need of people with my kind o’ skills, me and me crew owe you a debt for what you did for us.’

As Gunar leaves, the Old Man sits by the body for a while. He gets out his pipe and tobacco and start packing his pipe. He stops and stares at the pipe… and puts it away again.