Ulster Caebrek

> "You are just a whore who brings death instead of pleasure. Someone still gets pricked with a sword in the end!"
>
> The Wanderer

**Ulster** was a notorious mercenary who fought for the Phoenix Corp and later of the League of the Preservation of the Current World Order. Considered small even by Dwarven standards, Ulster was stronger than men three or four times his size.

## **Appearance & Character**

Ulster stands just under 4 feet tall, but is stout and with a muscularly filled out build. He wears a thousand scars and scabs from the battles he was fought in. Ulster cannot grow a beard, a subject that he has received much mockery from.

## **History**

Ulster was raised in the small mining town of Caebrek. He grew up working in the mines, working long and laborious shifts. Whilst Ulster was still young, the Phoenix Corp stormed Caebrek and enslaved all of the residents there. Ulster fought bravely and many of the senior members of the Phoenix Corp felt he should be put to death. However his reckless nature was admired by the group’s leader, Tauril, who took the dwarf on as his cupbearer and attendant.

At first Ulster resented Tauril and dreamed of slaying him, enacting revenge for the Fall of Caebrek. However as the years went on Ulster and Tauril grew incredibly close, with Ulster becoming Tauril’s close friend and confidant. The two would drink alone almost every night, with Tauril confessing to many of his most grievous crimes and sharing many of his dark thoughts with his new best friend. Tauril also taught Ulster to read and write and trained him at arms, with Ulster becoming a promising protégée of Tauril’s.

Ulster also grew close to a female wood elf by the name of Shula, who had enlisted voluntarily to the Phoenix Corp. She at first did not act very warmly towards Ulster, but eventually grew close to the dwarf. The two grew so close they became to become intimate with each other, the most unlikely couple you would find. However as Shula and Ulster grew closer, Tauril grew jealous of their close relationship. In response he would separate the pair as much as he could, finding meaningless tasks for Ulster to be in charge of in order to break them up.

During the Fifth Elven-Dwarven War the Phoenix Corp were controversially hired by King Sari’essence of Bah’Jia to lift the sieges in Naekrundaer, Vordaruhl, Birram and Mar Olihm. The Elven siege of these Dwarven strongholds had been going on for years, with the self-sufficient and highly fortified mountain cities standing firm against the Elven blockade. The Phoenix Corp’s tactic was to storm the city, regardless of how many lives would be lost, with the Ash members of the Phoenix Corp leading the front line, whether they would die as cowards or slay a few dwarves it did not matter, their numbers and suicidal advance would reduce the defender’s numbers enough for when the Phoenixes advanced followed by the Elven Order, the defenders would be weak enough to be taken.

The Phoenix Corp took Naekrundaer within a month then moved on to Vordaruhl surrendered the city within a fortnight of the Phoenix Corp’s attack. It was outside the walls of Birram where Ulster met a future friend by the name of Peren Siannodel. The young half-elf had earned a knighthood for his part in the Battle of Ilhogrin and was drunk on the valour of war. The two became unlikely friends, with Peren an advocate of honour and honesty and Ulster very much the opposite. The two would drink and debate for hours on end during the war, which made Ulster question his own morale code.

Together Ulster and Peren broke the siege of Birram, which was the deadliest of all the battles within the Fifth Elven-Dwarven War. The Phoenix Corp’s campaign there latest for near on six months and became known in the history books as The Slaughter of Birram. The Phoenix Corp were relentless in their attacks and in the end completely overwhelmed the desperate, starving and exhausted defenders of the city. As the siege of Birram went on Peren became more and more distant with Ulster, horrified by the actions of the Phoenix Corp. Ulster himself was distraught, knowing the anguish he was causing on his own race of people. Ulster never truly recovered from the trauma of the Slaughter of Birram, feeling guilty for the rest of his days for his impact upon the Dwarven race. When finally the Phoenix Corp marched on to Mar Olihm, the largest and most defensive city of them all, they did not even need to unsheathe their swords. As soon as the dwarves of Mar Olihm saw the Phoenix Corp camp outside their walls, they surrendered the city – fearing that another Slaughter of Birram might occur on them.

The surrender of Mar Olihm marked the end of the Fifth Elven-Dwarven War and King Sari’essence made good on all the promises he’d given to Tauril and the Phoenix Corp. Each ‘Phoenix’ within the company would be anointed a Knight of the Elven Order (a very contentious decision amongst the Elven populace), Tauril would be granted the duchy of Seeliegate and a seat in the Seldarine Senate of Bah’Jia, representing Gadhelyn, the Elven God of Independence and Outlawry. After witnessing the horrors at Birram and with the righteous words of Peren Siannodel ringing in his ears Ulster decided to reject his knighthood and leave the Phoenix Corp. A decision which enraged Tauril.

Tauril’s restoration into the Elven nobility was all he’d ever dreamed of and the fact that his best friend did not share in his delight had dire consequences. Tauril cursed his former friend and threatened that if he ever saw him again he would kill him where he stood. Ulster was deeply saddened by Tauril’s reaction. Ulster proposed to Shula and asked her to accompany him in a life away from the Phoenix Corp. However he had asked too late, Tauril had proposed upon hearing of Ulster’s desire to leave and Shula had said yes. Despite her feelings for Ulster, she knew a life as an Elven lady would be better than any life she could muster with Ulster. Ulster left the Phoenix Corp an emotional wreck.

For years he travelled the continent of Hellios, selling his sword wherever he could. Undertaking quests, fighting in various battles for coin. That was until he heard of the culling of the Phoenix Knights from Bah’Jia. It turns out Tauril had continued his murderous and vile ways, despite his promotion to the Elven bureaucracy. King Para’gon Sari’essence had issued a warrant for the deaths of all known members of the Phoenix Knights and rescinded their knighthoods. Ulster worried for Shula and even for Tauril and began to investigate what may have happened to them.

His first port of call was Seeliegate, the great seat of the Qualanthri family where Tauril and his ancestors had ruled from. He found the castle swarming with the Elven Order and whispers of Tauril disappearing into the shadows. Ulster did find Shula, placed under house arrest, in childbed giving birth to Tauril’s child. The two reconciled with each other and confessed their mutual love, Shula expressed her regret at having spurned Ulster for the Tauril, who she had grown to hate over the course of their marriage. Shula gave birth to a healthy baby tiefling boy, who she affectionately named Ulster. However several hours after Young Ulster’s birth she died.

Ulster was heartbroken, after finally thinking that he’d spend his life with Shula – she was taken away from him. Ulster left the new-born in the hands of the Elven Order. They promised that he would be raised to become the Duke of Seeliegate and fostered with another Elven duke, receive a proper education and upbringing. Ulster then began to hunt after Tauril, with the intention of enacting revenge upon the misery he had caused Shula.