Helion

Jake's Character

A dragonborn with golden dragon ancestry usually seen with his companion Andusk.

Background Story
Helion grew up in a city, bordering an endless sea. Helion ran away from home voluntarily when he was very young, when he perceived that he was the cause of some poverty his family was experiencing. He loved them very much -- his parents and his twin sibling, to the point where he sacrificed himself and ran to another city before fully understanding what the situation was. Besides, he felt he could handle it.

On the journey to another city, he befriended a somewhat interesting mouse. It had white fur, a white tail, black eyes, but it had a faint golden line that started on its left eye and ended on its left side in a swirl that stood out when looked at closely. Helion named him Andusk, for his overall brightness when under the light.

Andusk kept him company now that he no longer had social interactions with his family. They grew close as they lived in a city far from where Helion came from. Andusk was mostly left to its own devices, but came back from time to time to keep Helion company.

Independence came easy to Helion, but survival did not. A golden dragonborn stealing? Might as well shine a beacon on him wherever he goes. A cloak helped while he was younger, but he was growing larger by the day and a cloak will not hide his stature. Using twigs and pieces of string he made a makeshift bow and some sharpened sticks as arrows. It worked to quickly grab some light fruit when the arrow was tied to a string.

Archery came naturally to him, and he liked it, so he focused on his archery skills, taking better bows when he came across them. He never forgot his pal Andusk though and continued bonding like that for several more years. Eventually, Helion and Andusk were able to understand each other.

Helion noticed that the mouse mysteriously lived way longer that it was supposed to, but he doesn’t care much about that. Andusk is Helion’s best friend.

Campaign of Empty Truths Prologue
Andusk and I were hanging out in a tavern in the city of Axeshell. If someone would look over, they would only be able to see a large dragonborn in leather armor sitting in the corner with dinner, and two cups. One ale and one milk.

Andusk, a little creature that he is, is a mouse that lived with me for as long as I remember leaving my home. Faint golden swirls on his body can be seen on his white fur, visible only with a very close inspection, and the eyes that are seen are a shade of cyan with a hint of intelligence unseen in small rodents such as these. His age is even more of a curiosity to me than that of his appearance. A normal mouse lives less than 7 years. I currently lived about 34 years so far, and Andusk himself has been with me almost 30 of those. However, since he has been my faithful companion for many years, I let the curiosity slide and never questioned him. Oh yes, I can communicate with him and let him do whatever he wants, if it was not too distracting. Sometimes, somehow, I feel that the things he does in his own time is for the betterment of our lives. But he’s just a mouse, isn’t he?

My home city is a city quite far from where we are. Traveling from different settlements, I do some laborious jobs for coin, but spend only a few. I did not need much, but it was so I can probably own a farm near my home city in the future. I was tired of living off the streets, especially a slightly socially awkward thing with golden scales like me. The streets were where I learned to do a bit of makeshift craftwork from time to time, especially bows and arrows, but I feel like I can apply it to farming equipment if need be. Money I can earn without taking it from unsuspecting passersbys.

I have not been in Axeshell too long. I got a couple of decent jobs as a laborer, earning myself some silver. Just…not enough for what I want. I stayed around for about two weeks and was planning to move on soon as I heard there was some forces starting to move within the city. I do not need more complications; it is something I am tired of. I turned my head watching a dwarf head my way. But complications arrive anyway…

Campaign of Empty Truths Part 01
“Hail there friend! Grab some whiskey(?) with me,” the dwarf spoke jollily. He was holding two mugs of it.

I looked at the dwarf in silence, my mind giving nothing but a Huh? To be honest, the dwarf surprised me. If I kept to myself, people tend not to bother me. It wasn’t that I meant to be so unfriendly, it’s mostly the shock of how to respond. I must have stayed quiet too long because he placed the mug of alcohol on the table and slid it towards me. “Its on me!” the dwarf merrily said.

''The heck do I do with this? Andusk said that alcohol can mess with the mind, but I don’t want to turn down the dwarf.'' I did what I could do and that meant I took the mug and downed it whole. I slammed it down on the table and stared silently at the dwarf. He probably introduced himself somewhere in there, but I didn’t catch it. Thanks! I did not know whether I said it out load or just thought it. In any case, the dwarf asked “So whatchu here for?” before taking another swig. The dude was nice enough, but I still don’t know him that well and Andusk scurried somewhere while we were talking. I quickly look to where Andusk was but was no longer there. I’ll just go with “I’m waiting for 2 companions of mine.”

“Is that so?” the dwarf pondered. A silence lingered between us.

Maybe the dwarf finally noticed that he won’t get much out of me in this encounter, so he turned away and talked with the other patrons. ''Finally, he left me. He was oozing is charisma that I do not have.'' I’m not good at socializing, nor deceiving anyone. So the best I could do tell the truth, a little skewed as it may be and enjoy the time I had to myself.

A little after, I overheard him talking to a human nearby me. “So watchu doing here?” or something equivalent to “what’s your story.”

The human went ahead and introduced himself, “I’m ___, I’m a mage looking for coin.” I couldn’t comprehend what his name was at the time, so I resigned to designating him the mage.

He was went on telling that he was scammed and in need of some coin or something like that. Since that dwarf gave me something nice, I’ll give the mage a task to.

“Hey mage!” I called out to the mage. He looked this way. “I have a task for you.” Well since I cannot spare too much I’ll just have him grab a mug of milk from the bartender. He came closer.

I gave him 5 copper coins and said “could you grab me some milk from the bartender? I’ll let you keep the change.”

He gave me a look, then my table, and finally look of confusion at me again. Probably wondering why I need another glass of milk. I didn’t think Andusk wanted only one glass of milk.

“Ok sure…” He eventually gave and went and grabbed the mug of milk. As soon as the mug hit my table, Andusk came in through the window and started sipping the milk, dangerously close to falling in. The mage looked surprised but quickly left probably thinking he had bought milk for a small rodent. ''Hmm, maybe not a good image for a mage. Well he is 2 coppers richer at least.'' I remembered Andusk as he was enjoying both mugs of milk.

Oh hey Andusk, what have you been up to?

Andusk replied to me almost telepathically ''oh I was just scurrying around and looking for that Jorn person you mentioned a while back. He should be here soon.''

That was way too quick, you were probably just at the other tables taking scraps of food again… just ask me Andusk, I can get a plate for you from the tender…

''Nonononono! I mean, well, yes I was but that isn’t the point!'' Andusk said.

And how do you even know what Jorn looks like? I asked telepathically.

If you mean that suspiciously mysterious grey-haired man that just walked in, then that’s him. I look in the direction of the door.

That might be him. I quickly glanced at the other patrons for their reaction. It would seem this person caught the attention of the two that talked to me earlier. That mage and the dwarf. ''That’s definitely him. Andusk follow the dwarf, he is probably the friendliest there and listen in the conversation they are about to have.'' I messaged Andusk.

Will do! I could see Andusk eyeing the food at the table they are probably meeting at.

Andusk went scurrying toward the table, taking care to stay hidden.

I took another look at Jorn. Jorn was facing my way, looking straight into my eyes, then to Andusk. ''I guess he knows now. He’s pretty sharp. I hope he doesn’t do anything rash.''

He looked back to the group and answering their questions. Andusk went ahead and kept the dwarf company, sometimes eating food scraps that reached the floor. The dwarf looked uncomfortable but Andusk doesn’t seem to care.

“I’m here to offer you a job, one that will pay handsomely should you succeed.” Jorn said. “However, before I will say any details, I will need you to agree to the job.”

''Hmm, a mysterious man offering a large amount of money to do a job with no details… Sounds like a death sentence to me. But between the potential amount of money and the idiots looking like they are going to agree just like that, I guess I have to step in.''

“Before we agree, I want to be paid some money upfront and know how much” I walked up to the table where Jorn and the 2 others were. Jorn might have smiled a bit, but the mage and dwarf seemed to just accept that I seemed to have just joined in the conversation. This seems a bit fishy, should I just leave now?

“Of course, would 300 gold between the three of you suffice?” Jorn asked.

I though hard whether I wanted to accept the offer, and the other two appear to have thought just as hard.

“I accept.” I responded. Might as well, if the upfront money is as good as this I might be able earn enough for a house to be feasible. I looked at the dwarf, then the mage. ''And though these people look a little worse for wear, and a little eccentric at times, I think I could rely on them a bit. At worst, Andusk and I can leave and disappear.''

“Good. Well, follow me. I’ll lead you to the one who hired you.” I almost forgot that Jorn was just a contact.

---

We followed Jorn down to the sewers and navigated through it. It was dark, but at least it was dry. No much from the usual stink above ground. Andusk just scurried everywhere. the dwarf might have seen some traps, but I don’t remember. (A/N: Lazy, I know)

Finally, Jorn led us to some stairs and informed us, “this is as far as I will go” he might have said something else and we went to the bottom to what seems to be an underground tavern.

The tavern looks a little worn down, and learned the drinks they served where watered down, as the dwarf asked the bartender for some whiskey. The owner doesn’t want the workers getting drunk while waiting for work. Not too good for business.

I went straight to the seat in the nearest corner, while Andusk went and scouted the place out. Hey Helion, there is something strange around here.

What could it be? I asked.

''I do not know, but just keep that in mind. They left the food stores within easy reach. I’ll grab a bread or two soon.''

''That glutton. Might as well take a closer look at the patrons of the tavern.''

I looked across the tavern and saw the dwarf trying to talk up a person in the opposite corner of the bar. I asked Andusk to listen in to their conversation, but Andusk just arrived as the person the dwarf was talking to stood up, presumably a woman, as she looked around and said “follow.”

The dwarf, mage, and I followed the woman to a wall, where she promptly walked through. ''Woah! An Illusion eh? Andusk go see what’s on the other side of the wall.''

Me?

Yes Andusk, it’s safe, that woman walked through it and you should be able to also.

Fine.

I watched Andusk quickly run into the wall and disappear.

Is it safe? I asked Andusk.

Sure is, just an old man and that woman that just walked through.

I nodded but whether the mage or dwarf saw, they chose to enter it anyway.

I followed them in and was greeted to a small space where the old man, the woman, the mage, the dwarf, Andusk and I where put in.

''With this many people, the next thing that was on my mind was why wasn’t it hot and stuffier than the tavern. Then my next thought was –''

“You may call me Ruepart, I’m the leader of the Praetorians, and this woman here is my helper Hollow. The reason we gathered you today is to help up with a little opportunity. A very powerful mage is leaving his tower for the first time in a long time. We want you to grab artifacts for us and anything else looted is yours.

He’s leaving in a month or so, but his tower is heavily guarded. But you may start with the recently imprisoned Ruby Syndicate members that were caught. They may be helpful in this heist. Also here are your upfront coins each.”  He said, very heavily summarized from what I remember. (A/N: Also lazy, I know)

The group now joined with Hollow, which I assumed to be a type of rogue. We headed towards the prison in the area controlled by the Law, where are going to meet with some syndicate members…

Notes:
Written in the perspective of Helion. Because of the nature of story and limited knowledge the characters have of the overarching plot, Helion and the narrator will be unreliably telling the story from memory. Just like the bards of old.