Arizu Valbis

## Bio

Arizu grew up in gnomish lands in northern *Therinox*. His clan was mostly known for selling great riches and finds you’d find by delving dungeons or exotic jewelry. This caused a group of gnomes to form a town where they lavished themselves in showing off their riches and belongings. The town began a tradition that is a form of a rite of passage for gnomes who become 30. The pilgrim for this rite of passage was to set out into the world for 10 years and find as many treasures as they can find. Arizu set out and eventually stole many treasures from towns and settlements to return to his family. Eventually, Arizu’s affairs took him to southern Therinox where he attempted to loot treasures from the settlements that the *Undead Scourge* destroyed.

## Adventures

Arizu awoke one morning in a tavern in *Rohndur* which was a mystery to him as he couldn’t recall the prior day or how he got to where he was. He learned that a “man in knight armor” delivered him and *Ghrolok Stonecrusher*  to the tavern and set out. After the two communed and attempted to raise money to travel off of the island, they learned that magic was afoot as they teleported back to the island after paying a barge fee. The group then met *Elder Dragon Rider Cobalt Ulphul* who explained that they were shackled to the island by a mysterious force in the *Fade* and instructed them to free themselves of it if they wished to leave. Arizu and Ghrolok managed to discover the source of their binding and destroyed it which simultaneously transported both of them into the Fade. Colbalt utilized a *Lens of Fade Sight* in order to see them to bring them back onto a boat and set out to take them to *Elder Dragon Rider Kaiden Armov* to explain their misfortune.

Arizu met with Kaiden who made a deal with him in exchange for information that they desired from each other. Arizu obliged and set off to acquire an artifact Kaiden desired called the *Razer Onyx* located somewhere within *Bervaque*. After spending some time investigating the whereabouts of a skullduggery organization named *The Black Hand*, Arizu made a deal to acquire the *Tome of Ten Thousand Deaths* in exchange for possession of the Razor Onyx. Arizu traveled to the *Scarlet Crypt* and looted the tome along with many other valuables, but learned of its nature after being met with *Darius Leopold*. With his newfound vampire companion, Darius lead the group to the remnants of the Scarlet State and allowed them to loot the state’s secret coffers while striking a deal that they would pay for the Razer Onyx instead of trading the Tome of Ten Thousand Deaths. The group eventually made their way back to Bervaque and queried the Black Hand to pay for the Razer Onyx in place of their original deal, which they reluctantly accepted but at a high cost.

Arizu traveled back to Kaiden’s *Dragonscale* encampment with Darius and Ghrolok to hand over the Razer Onyx. Once they bestowed the artifact to Kaiden, he told unveiled many mysterious regarding their true origins which Kaiden refers to them as *Phoenixborn* - seemingly immortal abominations of the Fade. Kaiden offered his knowledge once more to the group, but tasked them to seek out someone among a roaming satyr society. The group contested in a game of Materialization Shiritori to determine the leader and headed to the *Cursed Barrens* in search of a satyr named *Cragorshx* who belonged to a roaming satyr society. The party managed to successfully trek the Cursed Barrens and found the roaming satyr society, but quickly discovered that all the satyrs were named Cragorshx. After some investigation, the party waited for the satyr they were looking for and left the cursed barrens with him. Cragorshx took the party to *Raven’s Crossing* to purchase materials for a ritual which the party performed and he introduced them to the *Dreamscape*. Once the party awoke, he instructed them how to return to the Dreamscape and parted ways. Ghrolok then guided Arizu and Darius back to Kaiden before encountering the Divination anomaly in central Therinox.

When greeted by Kaiden once more at his new location, Kaiden took Arizu and Ghrolok to *Caelum* where they witnessed most of the Elder Dragon Riders meeting to discuss recent events. Upon returning, Kaiden commissioned another job for Arizu and his companions. They were to investigate the wealth behind the *Darkleaf Clan* as Kaiden suspects them of abnormal Fade rituals. Kaiden teleported Arizu, Darius and Ghrolok to a Dragonscale fort near Calnlian where they met Jaeger Mjoltnir who briefed them on their mission. The group had a hard time determining their course of action, but eventually made their way to the clan’s village after learning information about them from merchants in Calnlian. Ghrolok bartered with *Hualthir* to bestow 50,000 gold upon the clan in exchange for the location of a beast he believed to be the source of the clan’s wealth and the abnormality in question. *Shelaighleh* then guided the party to show them their hunting grounds where they saw the beast which turned out to be a *Fade-Embedded Hydra*. Ghrolok sought counsel with the dragonscales and determined that they would slay the beast which caught the attention of the eavesdropping Shelaighleh. She didn’t mind that the group planned to slay the hydra, but insisted they do it while she was clan warden and that they agree to let her join them in their adventurers. The group agreed and slayed the hydra before returning to Kaiden with Shelaighleh in tow.

Arizu, Darius, Ghrolok and Shelaighleh returned to Kaiden to report their resolution of slaying the hydra at a crucial time for the Dragonscales. It was the eve of the assault on *Mount Spire* which Kaiden instructed the group to partake in the battle by traveling along the right flank. During the battle, the group was roughed up significantly until an *Undead Giant* nearly killed them by smashing them into the ground. Arizu and Ghrolok mysteriously were transported into the Fade right before the moment of impact where they were chased by wraiths. Mysterious *Fade Knights* came to their rescue and killed the wraiths, then one turned to Ghrolok and whispered “Devourer” before Kaiden suddenly appeared and struck it down. The two were teleported to safety back in the dragonscale forward camp along Mount Spire where they communed and reflected on the battle. Arizu and the group were then charged to delve a temple that the Dragonscales had uncovered and was expected to have some connection to *Elder Dragon Zinnath*. The group left Shelaighleh behind due to her great injuries and were instead aided by their newfound companion *Lucian*. The temple in question was sealed by a demonic seal which Lucian lifted and the party delved the temple through magical darkness until they reached a *Baphomet Cultist* guarding the temple’s treasures. The party defeated the cultist and Arizu looted extremely valuable gems of *Ehlonna*. Upon exiting the temple, the party was assaulted by a Fade Knight who mysterious materialized nearby. The group was quickly overwhelmed which Darius lured the creature away for the party’s escape. They then rendezvoused back at the camp and debriefed with Kaiden. The group then successfully thwarted Zinnath’s ritual by destroying his well of power during an epic showdown involving the Dragonscales, Kaiden, *Elder Dragon Rider Lilith Marrow*, *Elder Dragon Venia*, Dragon Inquisition and the Fade Knights. The battle took a large toll on all involved.

Arizu and his companions returned to the Dragonscale forward camp. Ghrolok had a newfound mission to seek out a notable temple in northern Therinox which the group conveniently was free to make their way towards.

During their travels to *Yh’farian Alliance* territory, Arizu and his companions stumbled upon a port town named *Kelthnir’s Crossing*. They discovered the party leered against the supernatural and tried to find a map of the north to guide them. Ghrolok instead hired a guide named *Yestow* who ironically, Arizu gave his real name to. Darius became chased down by witch hunters which required the party to save him.

Yestow guided the party across *The Frosted Steppes* for roughly a fortnight before they eventually found the temple of Chakra that Ghrolok’ sought after. After bidding farewell to Yestow, *Muladhara* manifested to the group and escorted them throughout the temple while regailing them in world lore regarding events during the *Divine Power Struggle* world era. Muladhara created a portal for the party to enter, which they did but found themselves in the Dreamscape rather than the Fade. Befuddled, the party returned and set back out to temperate climate after achieving Ghrolok’s goal. Darius murdered Ghrolok in his sleep due to an intense confrontation during their travels in the Frosted Steppes and also murdered Arizu while setting Shelaighleh free.

## Player Written Backstory

The name is Arizu Valbis. I am from the hills of Qufax. Qufax was made from gnomes coming across the land and getting together to either sell or show off their collected treasures. The hills became so popular from so many gatherings that it became a town. With that traditions started to form. One tradition is when a gnome reaches maturity age which is 30 years old. Gnomes can live between 350-400 years old. The tradition is when they reach maturity they are to seek out for 10 years to find their own treasure to either trade or show off in Qufax. When we set out there is no good bye or any big celebration because of all the business around the hills and 10 years for a gnome feels like 3 years for a human. This is where my story begins. So when I was getting prepared my family just gave me the minimum to set out.  It was my turn to set out in the world to find my treasures. I went from town to town borrowing treasures that I see. With this became a lot of enemies. Towns were telling other towns that Arizu Valbis was on the wanted list. So I found a way around the situation to change my name from town to town to avoid conflict. Once I get into a different town I stop and mail the items to the hills so it is stored in a den till I get back. If for some mysterious reason I am caught borrowing a item I will try to persuade my way out. I do know when I am in a bind and will give it back if necessary. The easiest way to get treasure is that a play my instruments at the pub and either what for customers to either be in high spirits or persuade then to let me hold onto their possessions. If I become close to people then I will not borrow from them. I do not favor any race just get depressed if there is nothing to take. My alignment is Neutral Evil. My deity is Garl Glittergold known for luck, protection and trickery.