Remus Corcianto

*"Never met a corpse that liked to stay put." - Remus, when asked about his life's story.*

## History

Remus had the unfortunate luck to be born in the country of Ustalav, a country still beset by untold horrors and troubles even after the fall of its lich tyrant. His parents were but humble peasants, lucky enough to live in one of the mostly stable provinces left over in the east, known as Soivoda. While it was true they did not need to live under the thumb of an undead lord any longer, the nobility constantly waging petty battles over power and control preyed on their sanity and strength of will.

Remus, like many peasants, never received a formal education. Instead he was put to work hunting for food, and he quickly learned to never stay outside during the night. The lands of Ustalav were still yet haunted by the victims of wars past - both in undead form and ghostly wail. He had a few close calls before he learned to rely upon the aid of the family horse, who he named Thunder for the sound of its hooves upon the ground. With Thunder's speed, and the use of the family hunting rifle, Remus soon learned to be an able hunter of the lands.

However, such a humdrum existence was not in the cards for him. While he never did attend school, he still learned of Ustalav's troubled history, which troubled him deeply. His people had once been proud, shining examples of what a nation could be. How could they be laid so low after all the promise they had had? After the fall of the Whispering Tyrant, his country had fallen into even further in-fighting and even to the present day the remaining "nobles" continued to squabble and fight over what scraps of power still existed. The royal line was dead, and with it so had died the promise of a once great nation.

But Remus was a stubborn man. He knew that while there was little he could personally do, someone had to do *something.* Sitting around and waiting for a hero to show up again, like had happened so often in Ustalav's past, merely annoyed him. He left his home, taking Thunder and his gun, with him. He decided he would take to the roads as a Warden, chasing down both the banditry hiding in the misty woods as well as safeguarding travelers between cities.

This would be his gift to his country, a feeble attempt to help restore some of its power. If the roads were safe enough, perhaps wealth could be restored to the country. If he killed enough bandits and destroyed enough undead, perhaps the people would become less despondent. It was all incredibly unlikely, but he had no choice but to try.

His favored area was the Furrows, a blasted hellscape left behind by the most recent of Ustalav's civil wars.

The area teemed with undead, and woe betide any traveler careless enough to get lost within its borders. He routinely patrolled near and on the edges of this area, warning away travelers and containing the undead that occasionally ventured forth from it. He eventually built up a bit of a name for himself as someone to be looked for in times of trouble. It did not hurt that he sought supplication of an unlikely divine source, that of Cayden Cailean. Most would have picked him a follower of Desna for his guarding of the roads, but Remus preferred Cayden's love of freedom and adventure. Such a yearning for liberty appealed to the man who had seen his country beset by oppression and cruelty, and his approval for just causes lent power to Remus will in the dark lands of Ustalav.

During a routine patrol of the Furrows one day, Remus heard cries of alarm - and fury. Riding Thunder into the ash coated lands, he spied two strangers who had wandered into the trenches of the old battlefield. They were surrounded on all sides by the undead and maddened fey of the area. Cursing the curiosity of 'tourists,' Remus charged into battle, Thunder's hooves crushing and throwing aside undead in his path as he blasted a clear way to the two women under attack. The strangers, however, were no meek peasants, and to his surprise joined into the battle he had started with the surrounding enemies.

All three cut a furious swathe through the corrupted creatures attacking them, and when a way was cleared, Remus provided covering fire as they made their retreat. When at last they were safe, Remus grouchily interrogated them as to their purpose in his country. They explained who they were - Azda and Ixora, Kellids from the neighboring country of Numeria. They had fled their country for reasons of their own, and the group soon discovered a disturbing commonality between them: both of their countries had once held great promise, only to fall victim to the evils of oppression and injustice.

The group ended up sticking together, for the other two had nowhere else to go and Remus was reluctant to leave them to their own devices in a strange land. The leader, Azda, expressed an interest in the firearm that Remus used as well, leading to Remus teaching her how to best make use of her natural dexterity and quick reflexes with a pistol. Eventually the three of them attained the same renown Remus once had - a group known for protecting those in need, who could be called upon for aid in times of great trouble.

After some time, however, they grew restless. Now that Remus had someone to talk to, he began to formulate a plan for a new country. One that would not make the same mistakes that Ustalav or Numeria had. But there was no room left in the world for a new kingdom, and it seemed for a while that his idea was a pipe dream, even if Azda and Ixora supported such a thing.

That changed when rumors of a new continent appearing reached them from passing travelers. A wild, untamed land, only settled by a single Chelaxian settlement and another containing Minotaurs, of all things. There was room yet for a better country, one of freedom and justice. One perhaps not *quite* as anarchic as Nirmathas, but certainly with the same spirit.

The three of them packed what little belongings they had and set off on the long trek to this new land. Remus, for his part, grimly determined to finally achieve his dream.

## Appearance

Somewhat slim and very pale, Remus is the picture of your average Chelaxian. In fact, were he to don a cartoonish cape and a pair of fangs, some might mistake him for a vampire! His face is marked by the many battles he's had against the undead roaming his country, and his eyes hold a haunted gaze that speaks of untold horrors witnessed. The thousand yard stare is a typical look on him, but it would be a fool who would mistake such a thing for a weakness.

## Personality

A quiet man, Remus isn't much for talking. That's not because he *dislikes* talking, but because he spent so long on his own with only Thunder to talk to he's somewhat fallen out of the habit. He doesn't tend to smile often, and very rarely has anything good to actually say. Still, he's always had a fondness for teaching others, as shown by his eagerness when it comes to teaching firearms drills.

Beneath his cool exterior lies the burning heart of a patriot. Remus still wishes his old country could become great once more, but he knows such a dream is far-fetched. He makes use of this determination to fuel him in battle, imagining that every evil-doer and foul foe exterminated brings him one step closer to achieving his goal of becoming strong enough to unite Ustalav once more.

## Friends

Azda - a companion for several years now, Azda is one of the few to have Remus's trust and respect. Though he doesn't usually have too much to say, the two seem able to almost predict each other's actions in the course of battle.

Ixora - a loyal cohort of Azda's, Remus doesn't quite trust her as much as Azda, but respects her use in the field of battle. He'd gladly invite harm upon himself to spare her from danger, considering she never was quite able to catch up to either of them.

Thunder - Remus's loyal horse and constant companion. A fearsome horse that can frighten foes quite readily, it responds almost immediately to Remus's commands and regularly puts itself in harm's way to defend him.

## Enemies

Remus has no named enemies in particular, though he harbors a hatred of undead in all forms. This is understandable, given his prior experience with such creatures.

## Aspirations

Remus has many dreams and goals, but there are two primary ones.

Firstly, establishing his own settlement on this new land as a marker of peace and a sign that Ustalav has not completely fallen by the wayside. By doing this, he could call himself nobility and establish a path towards respect in his home country.

Secondly, he desires to attain the greatest of strength he possibly can. He will need the highest of divine favor and most skill possible if he wishes to help Ustalav re-establish itself again. This untamed country might yet provide him the foes he needs to grow that strong.