Vankeshtad

Vankeshtad was a dragonborn druid that served as a competitor to Rover Custard Augustine in the Archon election of 134WD.

## Description

Originally from the Savage Creek Hills, the dragonborn Vankeshtad was most famed amongst the city for their charitable efforts in the regions of Estaemarl and Clayrose, engaging in all manner of activities from counselling to common labour. Through their efforts several streets of the region have been revitalised, although this was ultimately a cover for his true motive of being in the city.

Vankeshtad had been approached by agents of the Archfey Ilena, also known as the Alicorn Queen, to try and retrieve a Chromarind Heart Tree believed to have originally resided in the now-accursed eladrin city of Vibur Nhum, now in the collection of the Hall of the Virtuous.

## History

Vankeshtad first entered into the knowledge of the adventurers of Amber Run when it was announced that he was one of the major competitors to Rover Custard Augustine in the upcoming election for the new Archon of Pylodes. Vankeshtad quickly became popular amongst the Praised Caste with policies focusing on improving housing for the poorest in society, ensuring fair pay in mandated at a minimal value, as well as the more controversial stance of rejecting further trade deals with both Howell Holdings and Curious Couatls Caravans in favour of cultivating exclusively local talents and skills in place of cross-continental factions. He followed this up with the unveiling of his "Vankeshtad's Vegetables" campaign, provisioning vast quantities of locally-grown produce, with carts filled with cabbages, leeks, parsnips, chards and onions positioned strategically around the city near stentors proclaiming his manifesto.

Vankeshtad's campaign to supply vegetables to the populace hit a bump in the road after fungal blooms tarnished much of the stock. Vankeshtad nonetheless pivoted skilfully, provisioning the ruined crops for fertiliser and animal feed while organising lessons on agriculture and horticulture hosted by farmers and fieldhands from across the Concord, each of which is celebrated for their skills and knowledge. At this time, Rover Custard Augustine reached out to Vankeshtad to offer him aid in replenishing his supplies, forging an agreement of mutual respect between the pair.

When in the city investigating disappearances of the pet cat of the gardener Tolas in 134WD, Halla-Highreign, it was discovered that Vankeshtad was responsible for *Awakening* a number of beasts, using their small size and covertness to aid him in scouting out the winding tunnels beneath the city of Rydoon to find an entrance to the storage tunnels beneath the Hall of the Virtuous. After several months of searching, with the window closing - owing to his musing that he would no longer be able to visit the isle of Peroda after the election was over - they made their push to sneak into the Hall to retrieve the Heartgerm of a Chromarind Heart Tree originally planted in the eladrin city of Vibur Nhum. With newfound allies in the form of a group of adventurers the party managed to slink past the guards - including a stone giant - into the storage halls proper, narrowly evading detection on several occasions. After their sneakiness came to a sudden end, Vankeshtad was, like the rest of the party, heavily wounded by the activation of a combustion-based defence activated by a Duergar Soulblade, but managed to persist by transforming into a Moorbounder.

### Death

After Sigmund's investigations of the activation system gathered the attention of an unseen entity assumed to be the Antiquarian, they moved with haste, stumbling past - and then entering a room found to be the housing for the Chromarind Tree. Ódóvir managed to retrieve the Heartgerm, but as Vankeshtad motioned for the party to follow in their flight from the halls, he was struck by an unseen effect, crumbling him to dust and ash.