Gowain (prime)

Gowain Olberath , Human Rogue You see Gowain Olberath, The Human He Appears to be in His 80's, has shoulder length Sandy Blonde hair, Blue Eyes, and a tanned Complexion.

http://web.archive.org/web/20001029162452/http://www.1freespace.com/gowain/gowains.htm

Known Affiliations:

Mistydeep Manor House of The Argent Aspis The Order of Voln Order of Lorekeepers Wehnimer's Landing Ta'Vaalor

Last known/Current Location: Pinefar/Aenatumgana

Presumed deceased.

Husband to: Sianan Eveningstorm

Father to: Stormes Olberath - Parts Unknown Siage Olberath - Ta'Vaalor Greganth Olberath - Wehnimer's Landing Branwyn Stepchild - Parts Unknown

Gowain Olberath comes from a diverse background. He is Human, and as such thru-out history his race has been oppressed. Often treated as slaves or worse within the Elven Empire, most Humans come from less than notable beginnings. It is only recently, as of the last 200 years or so, that the Human race has come into its own power. The lands of Elanthia are now ruled by the Human Empire, but there are those within who practice the abominations against the other races of our world, with even more zealous than the Empire before.

Gowain is one of the lucky few, his ancestory never witnessed the abominations of tyranny under the Elven rule, and his childhood was never subjected to racism, and political influence. Born in Gregarthia, a land far to the north and the other side of the world from where he now resides, Gowain was born the crown prince of his lands. His father, a brilliant and generous man, ruled his kindgdom with wisdom and valor. In all of Gowain's youth he cannot recall a time of war, or hardship within his lands. As a child within Olberath Castle, he was given free reign of all the lands. He spent a happy childhood well schooled in the arts of diplomacy, and courtly ettiquette. He never questioned his ancestory, as it was taught to him that Olberath's had always possesed the lands there, and would always possess them thruout time. He was Taught of the Drakes, and how the ever powerful creatures had once rulled the lands. His lessons included studies of the Arkati, but not as gods, but as keepers of the world. He was taught also of the deceptions brought forth from the Arkati of Lornon, and while he was taught to respect the Arkati's obvious power, he was never taught to worship any as a god. The Drake, he was taught, were the rightful rulers, and one day would rise to rule again. He must never forget his allegiance to the Drake, as they would never forget Olberath's.

In his late teens, possibly as late as his early twenty's, an event occurred that would change Gowain's life forever. While he lay about the inner ward to Olberath Castle, he noticed an enormous black cloud move across the sky, blocking the sun. As he sat up to take closer notice, he saw a crimson mist begin to seemingly crawl over the outer walls into the courtyard. Screams were heard from without the castle walls, and Gowain rose to his feet and ran into the Court to notify his father of the occurrance. King Siage was already aware of the events. Gowain found him within the throne room, dressed in his finest vultite armor. The elder Olberath turned to him and spoke these words, " Stay just, and always be proud." That was the last Gowain ever heard his father say. A deafening explosion racked the castle and Gowain awoke within an alley at Wehninmer's Landing. Frightened, shaken nearly to a point of shock, but unhurt physically, a soft voice came to him telling him that all would be well, to venture forth into the town and discover his destiny.

Of Gowain's Mother, little is known. Said to be a woman of striking beauty and intelligence, it is believed she died during Gowain's birth. Recent events have changed that opinion, but no concrete evidence has been presented. Gowain's father had many consorts after her death, but never married again, preferring to honor her death by never replacing her as queen. There was born another son, of the king, who would place himself as Gowain's Half Brother. But Gowain bears within him the royal bloodline, and it is his right to assume the throne. In Gowain's absence, the Half Brother has ascended to the throne, with Gowain's blessing, and as for now, the Kingdom flourishes. Time may tell if Gowain's decision not to return to his homeland was a wise one.

Finding himself lost and alone in a strange land, Gowain quickly realised he must make himself a home. Keeping to the shadows to avoid undue attention, while he tried to solve the mystery of where he was and how he came to be there, he found an abandoned warehouse and made himself at home. Growing hungry, and without any coins, he quickly became a child of the streets. He learned to move silently, and remain unnoticed. Over hearing that others in his plight were often congregated in one particular place in town, he found himself frequenting that place as well. He became enthralled with the others there who picked locks so easily, and soon started studying the skill himself. Finding it to come almost natural to him, he decided that this would be the way of his life, and he settled himself in his new found home with vigor. Making friends of others arround him, he soon was accepted within this new land.

After a few years, Gowain found that he no longer yearned to return to Gregarthia. He was comfortable in his new home, and although occasionally he wondered of his Homelands fate, he realised that none in this new land hand heard of it, so it was obviously much too far for him to attempt to travel there alone. He wasn't even certain of its direction from there.

Sometime around Gowain's thirtieth birthday he met a young sylvan lass, and after a whirlwind romance, they were wed. Making a home for them both in the forest, Gowain settled into domestic life. It was short lived however. Gowain began to have feelings of a restlessness. His dreams were full of visions, A Powerful Black Drake, a burning fire, a sense of great loss, and he saw the face of a Banshee in his dreams. Sometimes he would awake screaming in the night, telling of a pale faced woman with long flowing hair, and fangs for teeth, who would cloud his dreams. It was this vision that prompted him to seek out and join The Order of Voln, surely, he thought, such a beast could only be undead. Little did he know just how true those thoughts may be. As these dreams assaulted him, Gowain felt compelled to return to his homeland, and seek out any answers that might lie there.

Kissing his wife goodbye, and promissing a short journey he set out. On the third day of his trip he was met on the trail by an old bent over woman, she carried a chest. It appeared to Gowain to be quite heavy, and he asked the elderly woman if he might help her with her burden. She thanked him for his kindness, and went on to explain that the box contained important documents. Land deeds to her properties, family histories and so forth, that her husband and locked inside for safekeeping. But,alas, she explained, her husband had died, and she knew not where to find the key. She traveled to The Landing to seek out a locksmith, and was afraid that she was too feeble to make the trip, carrying the heavy chest so far at her age. Having become well versed in the skill, Gowain volunteered to pick the lock for her, thereby saving her the journey. She thanked him profusely and presented the chest to him. Gowain studied the chest for a few minutes then attempted to pick the lock. Instantly he was transported to a shadowy void, full of mist. Shocked, surprised and angry, he walked for many days searching for a way out. It was then he looked into the chest and saw the parchments within. Sitting down to read, he studied them intently. They contained His Families history with the Drake, told of the terrible battles that his family had endured against Despana, and he realised why these visions had began to encroach into his dreams.

Within the void, time stood still for Gowain. When he found his way out, he realised that more than two years had passed since his departure. He rushed to his forest home, only to find the cabin he shared with his bride burnt to the ground, only one wall remained. Worried for his wife, he raced to town, and asked any and all who may pass if they knew of her and what had become of her. One person answered his plea. "She is Dead." The person pronounced, "Killed some time back during an invasion of undead." Crushed by this news Gowain spent a great amount of time in seclusion. When he returned to the landing he was a man with a renewed purpose. He would seek and destroy any and all undead within his power to do so. He took upon himself the battle with Despana, as the mother of all undead, and vowed to not rest until she was destroyed. Some say that the task has always been before Gowain to do just that, but that it was this realisation of himself that pushed him into action.

Of the Olberath family's association with the Drake little is known. In stories told by Gowain of The Drake, he tells of a time following the Ur-Daemon war when most Drakes were killed, or driven into seclusion by the insanity of fear. It is said that a group of Human nomads came upon a wounded Drake, the beast was near death, and some within the group raised their voice to slay it. One man stood against them and convinced the group that there would be no fame in slaying the great beast. Convincing the others to assist him, they tended the creature back to health. In return for her life, the Drake pledged to watch over and protect the Human and his descendants forever. That one man's name was Gregar Olberath. The Drake called herself Koalitra, and according to Gowain, she still provides him guidance and protection against Despana to this day.