Greysleeve (prime)
Greysleeve Streambank was a wizard, sometimes called a War Mage, well known in certain parts of Elanthia (particularly Icemule Trace, Pinefar, and Ta'Illistim). A particularly strong half-elf with an addiction to grey clothing (including his trademark dusty grey linen-covered shield with a painting of his father as the blazon, as well as silver-embroidered dusty grey leather armor), he was a bit unusual in his hunting tactics.
His unusual preference was for a haste/longsword/shield combination, in contrast to other War Mages who seemed to prefer two-handed weapons. He also performed enchanting, and was a member of House Brigatta. He also enjoyed assisting other adventurers, particularly the young, empaths, clerics, House Brigatta members, and War Mages like himself.
He was also a Master of the Wizard Guild, having achieved this distinction through the practice of Alchemy, following in the footsteps of his love interest, Arlia.
He proclaimed himself to be a member of a mysterious organization known as the Anla'shoq (this word has also been used as a title signifying such membership, though on one occasion he called himself "the Anla'shoq Na", possibly a special title denoting a leadership position). He had, on a few occasions, discussed parts of the background and purpose of this organization, but no other members were known to exist.
Enchanting and Alchemy Services
Greysleeve provides enchanting and alchemy services for the public at the following rates:
Minor Enchanting:
(per item 0-4x. Pricing for partially enchanted items to be discussed.)
- General Public: 40k
- House Brigatta members: Store price of necessary potions. (Currently about 17k.)
- Enhancive or Sancted items: FREE (but customer must provide or purchase the requested amount of pre-tempering potion.)
Turnaround time is estimated to be 5-6 weeks. Contact and status reports available by AIM.
Some pre-enchanted armors (full leather, double leather, brigandine, chain hauberk) are available immediately at a slightly higher cost.
Major Enchanting:
Not currently available due to scheduled projects.
Alchemy:
Will brew any Wizard alchemy recipe within current skill level. Customer must provide all ingredients (excepting the base), and the following number of coins:
- General Public: 500
- House Brigatta members: 250
- Wizard Guild members: 100
Cost for items requiring CHANNEL steps will be tripled unless the customer can provide a cleric with Well of Life (308).
Will also purchase any available ingredients from local Wizard Guild at double shelf price.
Contacts for any services may be made in game or by AIM (SN: Greysleeve). Player is commonly available from noon-2 AM ET Wednesday and Thursday and midnight-2AM ET the remainder of the week.
Behind the Scenes
The player of Greysleeve has played Gemstone on and off since late 1997, when he was introduced to it by his college roommate (the player of the former Enfar Broheel, a similar War Mage, but one using blunt weapons). The surname Streambank is a play on the name of the city he lived in at the time, Riverside, California (which is located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles). The name has been retained, although the player moved away in summer of 2000.
At present, Greysleeve is level 77, mainly engaging in enchanting and completing his training in Alchemy. He has recently been promoted a Master of the Wizard Guild, and is attempting to complete the last 3 or so ranks in Wizard Potions.
An earlier biography, going in depth into the character's backstory, is available below from the House Brigatta site (currently offline). The shield and leathers mentioned above are both altered and enchanted (the shield by Psionix to 9x and the leathers (by Grey himself) to 6x, both before the enchant rules were changed).
When Greysleeve was between approximately levels 22 and 55, he was based in the Icemule Trace and Pinefar region, where he often socialized with the clerics and empaths at the temple and at TC, and occasionally frequented the picking well, and was therefore very well known. He then moved to Ta'Illistim, becoming a bit more reclusive, and is often found in the Brigatta lounge in the Lost Home when not at the Dais or hunting. Recently, having outgrown his latest hunting area (Griffin's Keen), he has returned to the West and temporarily focused solely on enchanting and alchemy.
He still possesses (in his locker) a fluffy grey toy demon, which was given to him by Enfar as a gift upon earning his title. He has a small collection of RP trinkets such as this; his favorite is a silver kaleidoscope.
He is also the player of several other characters - Slatesleeve, a young (40) fogging cleric; Kaithairenne (an empath), Triskane (a warrior), and Duplolas (a TWC bard) all currently based in Icemule Trace or Wehnimer's Landing and around 20-30 trainings, as well as a couple younger characters he chooses not to reveal here. All are members of House Brigatta.
Greysleeve's player currently owns two Player-Run Shops (one under Slatesleeve's name in Icemule Trace, and one under Greysleeve's name in Mist Harbor) and is mainly concerned with the production and sale of 4x combat gear and various wizard alchemy products. (Purchases or special requests may also be made via AIM SN: Greysleeve).
Detailed Biography
Lord Greysleeve Streambank
The story of Lord Greysleeve Streambank - or, as most refer to him, Grey - begins many years ago with the capture of the elven schooner "Hirojen" by Captain Lucas Streambank of the privateer "Firewhip", in which the "Firewhip" was sunk and the "Hirojen" lost a mast. The crew of the "Firewhip" took the "Hirojen" to port and repaired and refitted her, naming her the "Sword of Stars". This is the name by which it would become famed in the coming years.
The "Sword of Stars" was primarily a privateer ship, but it did also make trading runs to various places. One of these was to an elven port on the eastern shores of our continent, where they took on a passenger for a large sum paid in elven-wrought silver jewelry. This passenger was a runaway elven handmaiden named Lenice, who swiftly fell in lover with Captain Streambank, and upon their return to the western seas they went to the gates of the landing, as it was in those days, and were married by a cleric there.
The voyages of the "Sword of Stars" are well known and their telling belongs to another tale, but two incidents are important. One was the combat three years after Lucas and Lenice's wedding, against the pirate ship "Theseus". In this combat Captain Streambank had a close call against the captain of the "Theseus" in a swordfight and, though he did not lose his arm, he did lose the sleeve of his favorite grey satin shirt. That very night, after the battle had been won, the "Sword of Stars" laid anchor in a sheltered bay known as the Riverbed, for the dry riverbed that opens into it. Aboard ship that night Lenice gave birth to their only child, a boy whom Captain Streambank, remembering his exploits earlier in the day, named Greysleeve.
Seven years later, after "Grey" had been sent off to the Anakin Swordfighting Academy to mastert the use of blades in combat, the "Sword of Stars" was boarded and burned by pirates aboard the fast schooner "Deathbreeze". During this combat Lenice was killed, and Captain Lucas Streambank's fate is unknown but he has not been seen since. When word reached the Anakin Academy it was decided to keep it from Grey so that he would continue his studies.
Grey's interests, as he grew into a teenager, leaned more and more toward the elemental forces, especially the manipulation of time to gain advantage in combat. To such ends, when he was 17 he left the Anakin Academy with only his clothes, cloak, and rapier to his name, and travelled to a small town near the landing. There he became the apprentice of a young master wizard, and also the protector of his workshop. Grey used his swordfighting skills on numerous occasions to prevent thievery, and his master in turn taught him of the elements.
When he was 22, Grey's master killed himself and destroyed the workshop due to an explosive incident caused by a failed enchanting attempt. Now without home or work, Grey decided to become an adventurer and learn more of the elements on the road to glory. He set out for the Landing, and there he slaughtered many beasts, each more hideous and dangerous than the last, until he became powerful enough that he could expertly manipulate time itself, and even the locals began to call him Lord.
It was during this growing up that many crucial things happened in Grey's life. Having not a family, he was adopted by Lord Enfar Broheel, whom he calls uncle, and has also acquired a surrogate family of "cousins" and "children" which includes Lord Leiarres, a famous healer of Icemule; his uncle's son Rocklin Siltplain, and his own adopted children, Slatesleeve and Annika. He also joined House Brigatta, seeking a place where he would feel at home, and in furtherance of his studies and combat arts he made a pact with certain evil forces in town. This he does not regret, saying that even the nicest of people have a dark side to their personality.
After earning his fame and his title, Grey became quite a traveller. Since his 17th training, when such choice became available, he has made it a personal tradition to train in the town of Solhaven, and as of this writing has trained there 15 times. His mastery of time has long been complete, and he uses his power as what he calls a "chronomage" to slow down time and then assaut his opponents relentlessly, killing even the most resilient beasts he faces in a matter of seconds. When a blade is insufficient, he has also the option of his spells, some of which can summon raw elemental forces and hurl them at his opponents, such as fire, lightning, water, and acid.
After earning his 23rd training, Grey has spent the majority of his time - and nearly all his hunting time - in Icemule, though of late he has been attempting (without much success) to hunt in the easier portions of Pinefar. He has developed many friendly relationships with the healers and clerics of Icemule, and now thinks of both the Landing and Icemule as home.
However, whenever he travels long distances... he always thinks of it as "from" wherever "to" House Brigatta, or vice versa, and the directions he has memorized all begin or end at the house's front door.