Fire Knives - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Fire Knives

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
teabeeyea
Jun 13, 2009 7:02:29 Hi! After twenty 26 years of gaming, I am new to Forgotten Realms!

I have opted to play a Elven Fighter "Enforcer / Gladiator" to a criminal gang. My GM has told me that I am working for the "Fire Knives" of Westgate. Anybody have suggestions/information to help me RP this.
#2
fabius_maximus
Jun 13, 2009 7:05:26 What time period you're playing in? It's pretty odd that an elf would be working for the Fire Knives, since they are a bunch of exiled cormyrean nobles. But I don't know how they have changed in 4e.
#3
teabeeyea
Jun 13, 2009 7:47:09 The time period is about 100 years after the most recent god's war. As for why I am working for the fire knives... I was a gods war refuge that was willingly press ganged into their service for the gladiatorial arena of Westgate.
#4
sfdragon
Jun 14, 2009 4:28:56 organizations
hmmm, lets see, the pre plague stuff is in the frcs, lords of darkness and champions of ruin(I'd imagine).

post plague, maybe the frpg and frcg.
#5
yakman
Jun 14, 2009 21:22:21 in 4e, which i believe is the period you are playing in, the Fire Knives are essentially a political faction of cormyran-origin. they were originally cormyrans who plotted against the king, and were exiled/fled to westgate. they were assassins, who plotted to regain their old holdings in vain.

since the ToT, they've reformed their image, and are now on what appears to be fairly good terms with cormyr.

their leader seeks to make himself king of westgate, and is opposed by the commoners and apparently, a shou gangster.

as for role playing, you are on the side of the aristocracy, one that is allied to the pre-eminent power in the Sea of Fallen Stars, and which is on the ascendency. you are sure of yourself, and the destiny of your employers. play your cards right, help the right people, and you'll be granted great things.
#6
lord_karsus
Jun 15, 2009 11:28:03 -Lord of Darkness and Champions of Ruin are the most recent sources for information about the Fire Knives.
#7
suin_bahhar_02
Jun 15, 2009 16:56:02 I'd try to get a feel for the elven side of that character that the character walked away from. Wich elven settlement are his ancestors from? Why would an elf devote his life to shady underground arena fights? Does he even know he fights for some human nobles cause, who has ties with a realm overseas?

Perhaps this is "just a phase" he is in. Or he was gangpressed. Or he is infiltrating the knives for the elves in the nearby fey forest.

Entering the Fire Knives goes in stages. Put the first rule is dont cross them when you're inside or you'll see red. They used to have a strict code to follow, in the 15th century realms my guess is these rules are a lot more lenient. After the initiation comes the inspection period wich can last a long time aswell.

I think it might be appropiate your character might be only in the first few stages of the initiation. This way the way the Fire Knives assassins work will become apparent through your own DM's mind.
#8
teabeeyea
Jun 16, 2009 4:35:15 Thanks...As for the background: I don't have much material on the fire knives or Wheloon which is why I posted. But here goes for the background. Please pardon the grammar and spelling. I've not fully edited this yet.

Edhelchir (elf lord) AKA Scar was born some 115 years ago in the shadow of Mount Talath. His father Arodanu (Noble Male) was a minor elf chieftain and paladin of Corellian. His mother Galadves (Radiant Wife) was a cleric of Angharradh. As a child he was constantly belittled by his older brother Morven (Dark Man) who was a short tempered barbarian. Even though Morven was some eighty years Edhelchir's senior, Morven felt his status in the tribe was threatened by calmer, and more loved Edhelchir.

At the age of 15, the Spell plague hit and destroyed Halruaa which resided on his tribes southern border. Elfharrow was turned from lush woodland, to barren desert. Worse yet, Arodanu and Galadves ancient and mystical ties to Correllian's land caused them to be striken just as the land had been. To a lesser extent Edhelchir was spells scared as well. But being young and adaptable, he learned to turn it into and advantage. Cursing the gods for what had transpired, Edhelchir fled the cursed land that was once his home.

Not possessing the skills of a ranger, he took to The Golden Road and headed north - away from the destruction. First to Shaarmed, then onward to Isabeleth. But he would not get there on his own. While crossing the Firesteep Mountains he was overcome by the cold and thin air of altitude. It was the slavers that caught up with him. Oh, they where quite nice about it really. The options where simple really, either freeze to death in the thin air or become a slave. He was sold for a quick profit in Isabelleth.

For several years he traveled The Golden Road enslaved to caravan merchants from Ormpetar. They ran the Arrabar to Isabelleth porting goods from the Lake of steam to the Vilhorn Reach. Eventually his master Hosana Philemon died of old age. He willed that Edhelchir was to be freed. But Hosana died with many debts, and the debtor's challenged the will. Rather than freedom, Edhelchir was to be sold once again. The highest bidder was a Gladiatorial pit boss from Westgate named Nutunio Saterinio. Nutrunio paid almost twice what others thought the fair market bid was. But Nutunio saw what others did not see. That a Tatoo Laiden Wild Elf Savage would draw a huge crowd in the Westgate area. So it was onto the ships and sailed, with training to take place above decks while in route. When they arrived in Westgate Nutrinio was more than presently surprised.

You see his master had thought that Edhelchir would provide a climatic end to his prizefighters - Haralamb the Butcher's career. Something wild and memberable. A last horah as it where before Haralamb earned his freedom through bloodshed. But Edhelchir had different ideas. Upon arriving Edhelchir insisted on making his own weapons and armor. He got some cow skin and beat its brains in using a club..leaving the hair still on. He got a pole and crafted a stone tipped spear with a wooden hook behind the blade.

The more that Edhelchir worked, the more that Nutrinio was pleased. Nutrino wanted a true savage and he was getting every bit of what he wanted. But in truth, Edhelchir was just applying the lessons he learned from his old master. Value is nothing but marketing. So three days before the fight Edhelchir went shopping. No, he wasn't going out to buy stuff. Rather he was going out to rough stuff up. Out into the forum he went overturning tables, insulting the powerful in elven. Did I mention that he didn't bath after tanning all that leather? Then as he would leave an area Nutrinio would tell the crowd...'Scar face is going to fight Haralamb the Butcher tomarrow.', and on cue Edhelchir would trip over his own spear. It was all marketing you see.

The day of the fight came an the area was full and there where crowds outside the gates hoping to see Haralamb Butcher the arrogant savage that had insulted the town the day before. Lay on was called and Edhelchir climbed up into the stands and let out a great war cry. Then to the guards astonishment Edhelchir cut a thong and all of his armor fell right off. There he stood in all his Corellian given glory and a spear. Never before had someone dared fight a death match butt naked, his prominate scar clearly showing. Haralamb was dumbfounded. While Nutrinio let lose a fast prayer to Gond that Edhelchir would win. A guy this dramatic could not be passed up. But there was a method to all of this foolery. Against someone like Haralamb armor was going to do Edhelchir no good. It could only serve to slow down the elf.

A quick jump and a tuck role and Edhelchir was back on the area floor and in the fight. Haralamb raised his waraxe and charged. Edhelchir just shifted out of the way. Again a charge and a shift. Each time Edhelchir mocked his opponent by slapping him on the rump with the butt of the staff. Haralamb was enraged, but Edhelchir's theatrics had already managed to steal the crowd. "Scar Scar Scar Scar Scar" they shouted. Then Edhelchir did the unthinkable. He turned his back on Haralamb. The crowd stood to their feet and gasped in anticipation. Edhelchir ran. Then it happened, Edhelchir's feet caught on fire. It was a blue white flame that no one in town had seen before, and only a few had heard rumors of. Edhelchir had mastered the spell plague.

Around and around the arena they went until the weight of Haralamb's plate armor caught up with him. Then Edhelchir stopped. Haralamb was tired, enraged, and was not thinking very clearly. So, he did what he had always had done. But Edhelchir was ready for him. A quick sidestep, and pow. Haralamb was on his back. Edhelchir had the clear advantage, and he had one his first fight.

Edhelchir respected his opponents and spared each of them that he could. So rather than kill them, he fought the way that he had been taught as a child. To fight to the advantage. So he mastered the art of knocking his opponents prone at his feat. Thus makinging it clear to all observers that he had the advantage, and was the clear winner. He thus became known in the pit as "Scar the Merciful".

That nickname is a misnomer really. "Scar" could care less about being merciful to humans. Rather it came out of shrewdness. By sparing the life of his opponent, the other combatant owed Scar a life debt. Scar to that to the bank, and resold the defeated slave to the highest bidder. Oh he was challenged on this from time to time. But again being the streetwise pointed out to the city magistrate that while a slave can not "own" a slave, nothing in the law prevented a slave from owning the "RIGHTS" to a slave and profiting from the sale of those rights. Thus in less than a summer, Scar had earned enough gold to buy his own freedom. Scar missed the excitement of the pits. But not the lonely nights locked in a slaves cell. He was on his way to enlist in the games again as a freedman when he was stopped by a "sponsor".

Terminus Gemini was his name. He was impressed by the business like attitude Scar had taken with him to the pits. He was even more impressed that such street smarts came in the form of a wild elf. The proposal came down thusly. Scar could enter the pits if he wanted. Terminus would "sponsor" him. Meaning that if Scar was injured or killed, Terminus would pay to have Scar healed and or raised - once. "Wow. the thrill of the pits and no risk? What is the catch?" The catch was of course that when the Fire Blades needed something that required a little bit of muscle, Scar would be that muscle no questions asked.

Most of the time it was the usual gamgling or brothel debts to be collected. Drug runs. It was one of "jobs" that really made life interesting for Scar. You see he was escorting a band of peasants though Cormyer when the party was challenged by a brash band of purple dragons. Apparently the band had not paid the travelers tax. Then things got more interesting. Rather than pay the tax the "peasants" turned to fight the purple dragons. In went down about noon. The first thing to go down was the sun. Then things got real quite. Scar awoke to find that he was surrounded by two dead purple dragons, and a dead priestest of Shar. Yep, the whole don't ask questions thing got him hooked up with a band of Sharist. Well, it was off to Wheloon...

Ten years and more than a few interrogations later Scar finally managed to escape from Wheloon, and join the party.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 teabeeyea Jun 13, 2009 7:02:29	Hi! After twenty 26 years of gaming, I am new to Forgotten Realms! I have opted to play a Elven Fighter "Enforcer / Gladiator" to a criminal gang. My GM has told me that I am working for the "Fire Knives" of Westgate. Anybody have suggestions/information to help me RP this.
#2 fabius_maximus Jun 13, 2009 7:05:26	What time period you're playing in? It's pretty odd that an elf would be working for the Fire Knives, since they are a bunch of exiled cormyrean nobles. But I don't know how they have changed in 4e.
#3 teabeeyea Jun 13, 2009 7:47:09	The time period is about 100 years after the most recent god's war. As for why I am working for the fire knives... I was a gods war refuge that was willingly press ganged into their service for the gladiatorial arena of Westgate.
#4 sfdragon Jun 14, 2009 4:28:56	organizations hmmm, lets see, the pre plague stuff is in the frcs, lords of darkness and champions of ruin(I'd imagine). post plague, maybe the frpg and frcg.
#5 yakman Jun 14, 2009 21:22:21	in 4e, which i believe is the period you are playing in, the Fire Knives are essentially a political faction of cormyran-origin. they were originally cormyrans who plotted against the king, and were exiled/fled to westgate. they were assassins, who plotted to regain their old holdings in vain. since the ToT, they've reformed their image, and are now on what appears to be fairly good terms with cormyr. their leader seeks to make himself king of westgate, and is opposed by the commoners and apparently, a shou gangster. as for role playing, you are on the side of the aristocracy, one that is allied to the pre-eminent power in the Sea of Fallen Stars, and which is on the ascendency. you are sure of yourself, and the destiny of your employers. play your cards right, help the right people, and you'll be granted great things.
#6 lord_karsus Jun 15, 2009 11:28:03	-Lord of Darkness and Champions of Ruin are the most recent sources for information about the Fire Knives.
#7 suin_bahhar_02 Jun 15, 2009 16:56:02	I'd try to get a feel for the elven side of that character that the character walked away from. Wich elven settlement are his ancestors from? Why would an elf devote his life to shady underground arena fights? Does he even know he fights for some human nobles cause, who has ties with a realm overseas? Perhaps this is "just a phase" he is in. Or he was gangpressed. Or he is infiltrating the knives for the elves in the nearby fey forest. Entering the Fire Knives goes in stages. Put the first rule is dont cross them when you're inside or you'll see red. They used to have a strict code to follow, in the 15th century realms my guess is these rules are a lot more lenient. After the initiation comes the inspection period wich can last a long time aswell. I think it might be appropiate your character might be only in the first few stages of the initiation. This way the way the Fire Knives assassins work will become apparent through your own DM's mind.
#8 teabeeyea Jun 16, 2009 4:35:15	Thanks...As for the background: I don't have much material on the fire knives or Wheloon which is why I posted. But here goes for the background. Please pardon the grammar and spelling. I've not fully edited this yet. Edhelchir (elf lord) AKA Scar was born some 115 years ago in the shadow of Mount Talath. His father Arodanu (Noble Male) was a minor elf chieftain and paladin of Corellian. His mother Galadves (Radiant Wife) was a cleric of Angharradh. As a child he was constantly belittled by his older brother Morven (Dark Man) who was a short tempered barbarian. Even though Morven was some eighty years Edhelchir's senior, Morven felt his status in the tribe was threatened by calmer, and more loved Edhelchir. At the age of 15, the Spell plague hit and destroyed Halruaa which resided on his tribes southern border. Elfharrow was turned from lush woodland, to barren desert. Worse yet, Arodanu and Galadves ancient and mystical ties to Correllian's land caused them to be striken just as the land had been. To a lesser extent Edhelchir was spells scared as well. But being young and adaptable, he learned to turn it into and advantage. Cursing the gods for what had transpired, Edhelchir fled the cursed land that was once his home. Not possessing the skills of a ranger, he took to The Golden Road and headed north - away from the destruction. First to Shaarmed, then onward to Isabeleth. But he would not get there on his own. While crossing the Firesteep Mountains he was overcome by the cold and thin air of altitude. It was the slavers that caught up with him. Oh, they where quite nice about it really. The options where simple really, either freeze to death in the thin air or become a slave. He was sold for a quick profit in Isabelleth. For several years he traveled The Golden Road enslaved to caravan merchants from Ormpetar. They ran the Arrabar to Isabelleth porting goods from the Lake of steam to the Vilhorn Reach. Eventually his master Hosana Philemon died of old age. He willed that Edhelchir was to be freed. But Hosana died with many debts, and the debtor's challenged the will. Rather than freedom, Edhelchir was to be sold once again. The highest bidder was a Gladiatorial pit boss from Westgate named Nutunio Saterinio. Nutrunio paid almost twice what others thought the fair market bid was. But Nutunio saw what others did not see. That a Tatoo Laiden Wild Elf Savage would draw a huge crowd in the Westgate area. So it was onto the ships and sailed, with training to take place above decks while in route. When they arrived in Westgate Nutrinio was more than presently surprised. You see his master had thought that Edhelchir would provide a climatic end to his prizefighters - Haralamb the Butcher's career. Something wild and memberable. A last horah as it where before Haralamb earned his freedom through bloodshed. But Edhelchir had different ideas. Upon arriving Edhelchir insisted on making his own weapons and armor. He got some cow skin and beat its brains in using a club..leaving the hair still on. He got a pole and crafted a stone tipped spear with a wooden hook behind the blade. The more that Edhelchir worked, the more that Nutrinio was pleased. Nutrino wanted a true savage and he was getting every bit of what he wanted. But in truth, Edhelchir was just applying the lessons he learned from his old master. Value is nothing but marketing. So three days before the fight Edhelchir went shopping. No, he wasn't going out to buy stuff. Rather he was going out to rough stuff up. Out into the forum he went overturning tables, insulting the powerful in elven. Did I mention that he didn't bath after tanning all that leather? Then as he would leave an area Nutrinio would tell the crowd...'Scar face is going to fight Haralamb the Butcher tomarrow.', and on cue Edhelchir would trip over his own spear. It was all marketing you see. The day of the fight came an the area was full and there where crowds outside the gates hoping to see Haralamb Butcher the arrogant savage that had insulted the town the day before. Lay on was called and Edhelchir climbed up into the stands and let out a great war cry. Then to the guards astonishment Edhelchir cut a thong and all of his armor fell right off. There he stood in all his Corellian given glory and a spear. Never before had someone dared fight a death match butt naked, his prominate scar clearly showing. Haralamb was dumbfounded. While Nutrinio let lose a fast prayer to Gond that Edhelchir would win. A guy this dramatic could not be passed up. But there was a method to all of this foolery. Against someone like Haralamb armor was going to do Edhelchir no good. It could only serve to slow down the elf. A quick jump and a tuck role and Edhelchir was back on the area floor and in the fight. Haralamb raised his waraxe and charged. Edhelchir just shifted out of the way. Again a charge and a shift. Each time Edhelchir mocked his opponent by slapping him on the rump with the butt of the staff. Haralamb was enraged, but Edhelchir's theatrics had already managed to steal the crowd. "Scar Scar Scar Scar Scar" they shouted. Then Edhelchir did the unthinkable. He turned his back on Haralamb. The crowd stood to their feet and gasped in anticipation. Edhelchir ran. Then it happened, Edhelchir's feet caught on fire. It was a blue white flame that no one in town had seen before, and only a few had heard rumors of. Edhelchir had mastered the spell plague. Around and around the arena they went until the weight of Haralamb's plate armor caught up with him. Then Edhelchir stopped. Haralamb was tired, enraged, and was not thinking very clearly. So, he did what he had always had done. But Edhelchir was ready for him. A quick sidestep, and pow. Haralamb was on his back. Edhelchir had the clear advantage, and he had one his first fight. Edhelchir respected his opponents and spared each of them that he could. So rather than kill them, he fought the way that he had been taught as a child. To fight to the advantage. So he mastered the art of knocking his opponents prone at his feat. Thus makinging it clear to all observers that he had the advantage, and was the clear winner. He thus became known in the pit as "Scar the Merciful". That nickname is a misnomer really. "Scar" could care less about being merciful to humans. Rather it came out of shrewdness. By sparing the life of his opponent, the other combatant owed Scar a life debt. Scar to that to the bank, and resold the defeated slave to the highest bidder. Oh he was challenged on this from time to time. But again being the streetwise pointed out to the city magistrate that while a slave can not "own" a slave, nothing in the law prevented a slave from owning the "RIGHTS" to a slave and profiting from the sale of those rights. Thus in less than a summer, Scar had earned enough gold to buy his own freedom. Scar missed the excitement of the pits. But not the lonely nights locked in a slaves cell. He was on his way to enlist in the games again as a freedman when he was stopped by a "sponsor". Terminus Gemini was his name. He was impressed by the business like attitude Scar had taken with him to the pits. He was even more impressed that such street smarts came in the form of a wild elf. The proposal came down thusly. Scar could enter the pits if he wanted. Terminus would "sponsor" him. Meaning that if Scar was injured or killed, Terminus would pay to have Scar healed and or raised - once. "Wow. the thrill of the pits and no risk? What is the catch?" The catch was of course that when the Fire Blades needed something that required a little bit of muscle, Scar would be that muscle no questions asked. Most of the time it was the usual gamgling or brothel debts to be collected. Drug runs. It was one of "jobs" that really made life interesting for Scar. You see he was escorting a band of peasants though Cormyer when the party was challenged by a brash band of purple dragons. Apparently the band had not paid the travelers tax. Then things got more interesting. Rather than pay the tax the "peasants" turned to fight the purple dragons. In went down about noon. The first thing to go down was the sun. Then things got real quite. Scar awoke to find that he was surrounded by two dead purple dragons, and a dead priestest of Shar. Yep, the whole don't ask questions thing got him hooked up with a band of Sharist. Well, it was off to Wheloon... Ten years and more than a few interrogations later Scar finally managed to escape from Wheloon, and join the party.