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[Rags]

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Ragnar awoke early, before dawn, and looked around his still darkened home. The house was larger than any he had ever lived in and was a gift from the Emperor for his service as a soldier in the Blackmarsh Empire. It was a grand gift and also a nod to his service in the Infinite Mercenary Company that was the precursor to the Blackmarsh military. He sat up on the edge of his bed and grimaced slightly as his knees cracked as he bent them. He was getting old. Who was he kidding? He was old.

In his prime Ragnar had mastered all the weapon skills at one point or another. He had started his long life of fighting as a warrior and still bears many scars from those times. His forearms are a network of criss crossed scars from duels and battles long past. He sported a jagged scar down his face from a blow that should have killed him when he was young. He even sported several bite marks from battles with the Stormreavers. Ragnar still lived while most of his foes were long dead. He had enjoyed his time as a mercenary. Before he had joined Stormhaven, long ago, he had been a mercenary. His mentor, Uriah Heep, had found him and given him a home. At the time he was a cocky youth who proudly bore his Chaos shield in service to Lord Blackthorn. Fighting had always been his life. Nothing compared to the joy of battle once the Battle-Rage took over.

In Stormhaven he had found a home and many friends. He was made Emissary to Evermoore and started a life long friendship with his Battle-Brother Talon. He brought Talon to Stormhaven, as did the allure of the Queen, and the rest is history on that front. He had enjoyed his time in Stormhaven. He had never been a particularly virtuous man, always considering himself as neutral as possible as he disliked extremes either way, but he was fiercely loyal to his friends so Stormhaven had become his home. In Stormhaven he had commanded the elite Division of Templars and was widely feared by his foes. He found the allure of magic and never turned away from the arcane arts.

Then something happened. He can't remember what but he was gone for a long time. Many swore that he had been killed. All he knows is that there is a large chunk of time that he cannot remember. He showed up one day, to a mysterious land mass previously unknown to him called Malas, at the door of his Brother, Talon's, new fortress. He was greeted warmly by Talon but many others in Sanctus had distrusted him. He was reunited with some old friends and eventually was made Talon's Kingsguard and advisor. Then Talon disappeared and Ragnar was left aimless yet again.

He took to drink too heavily and was eventually found by Cal Hurst. Cal said he had heard of him and challenged him to do better. Ragnar, having no more ties to Sanctus now that his brother was gone and he had trained Talon's progeny, Cyrus and Cyrus's cousin Vian, left to be a masterless mercenary yet again. He was reunited with the joy of battle again and his arcane skills reached new heights. After the Infinite Mercenaries were disbanded Ragnar took a break to do some traveling and relax and then joined the Blackmarsh Military under the command of his old mercenary captain, Cal Hurst.

Ragnar became Cal's first Spellbinder and embraced the newly rediscovered Mystic arts. He wielded a blade again and looked admirably at his Planesword, Ulfbrandr, as it sat on it's pedestal on his wall. It had a faint white glow as it hummed with power and Ragnar felt an overwhelming urge to brandish it and go to battle. Ragnar enjoyed playing the slightly addled old man while in public but his friends knew it was a ruse so his enemies would underestimate him. He knew Cal worried that he would take to the drink again but he had stayed sober for a long time.

Ragnar never enjoyed living alone and had taken a Gargoyle refugee named Volund into his home. Volund was a master craftsman and incredibly strong but also incredibly gentle. Ragnar had saved him from a pack of feral orcs and ever since then Volund had sworn to be his man. Now he acted as Ragnar's servant and helped mend his weapons and armor. It was a good relationship as Ragnar was never much of a house keeper or craftsman nad he enjoyed the company of the giant Gargoyle.

Ragnar looked out the window of his home and saw the sun rise over the water in Cove. It was going to be a good day.