Fulgar the Bold

Rjuvik » Fulgar the Bold

Called Fulgar the Bold by admirers, and Fulgar the Bloodhanded by enemies
Male Rjurik Fighter 8/ Rogue 6; CR:14
King of Rjuvik
Criminal Lineage
Minor Bloodline of Brenna, 14
CE Medium Humanoid

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VP/WP 85/1
Init
Languages Rjuven

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AC , touch , flatfooted
Fort + , Ref + , Will +

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Speed ft
Melee Atk + (damage /critical, weapon)
Ranged + (damage /critical, weapon)
Base Atk + ; Grapple

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Abilities Str 16, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 17
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Expertise, Far Shot, Leadership, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse (Sword, short), Weapon Focus (Sword, short), Weapon Specialization (Sword, short)
Skills: Appraise 5, Balance 3, Bluff 9, Climb 13, Craft (Trapmaking) 3, Decipher Script 3, Disable Device 3, Disguise 3, Escape Artist 5, Forgery 2, Gather Information 10, Handle Animal 1, Hide 5, Intimidate 6, Intuit Direction 3, Jump 5, Listen 5, Move Silently 5, Open Lock 1, Pick Pocket 1, Profession (Sailor) 1, Read Lips 1, Ride 4, Swim 5, Tumble 1, Use Magic Device 1, Use Rope 1
Special Qualities: including linked blood abilities
Description: , lbs
Possessions:
Italicize feats and abilities followed by a brief description
Typical Dialogue:
"It's the Druids who prevent the people from embracing my rule. Those meddling dogs deny the king his people's love."
"What does Hulak think I owe him? His duty is to serve. If he lacks resources, tell him to bring his lords into obedience."
"Cuthwin thinks he can run the Scarlet Glove better than I? Where is that fool? I will give him something to temper his ambitions!"

Biography:
Fulgar is apparently the son of the leader of reavers who controlled the trade in Yvarre, compelling a share of the income of the local craftsmen. The family was cast out by their kinsmen for their banditry and criminal mischief, the family then roamed the land as reavers, preying on merchants and travelers. They sailed the coastal waters attacking mercantile shipping, demanding tribute under threat of stealing the whole cargo. Occasionally they organized raids and went aviking, raiding towns along Rjurik and Anuirean coastlines.

Fulgar seems to have succeeded his father as leader of the reavers, because two decades ago Fulgar challenged the old eorl, Norvlad Varrward, to abandon his protection of certain towns from the reaver's extortion. Norvlad summoned his housecarls and along with a few adventurers they rode out to Fulgar's bailey. Finding it abandoned they pulled down the walls and burned them along with the longhouses inside. Fulgar adopted the attitude of submission and agreed to meet with Norvlad. Approaching him with outstretched arms to demonstrate that he was unarmed, Fulgar moved to embrace Norvlad. However, Fulgar knew how to draw a concealed dagger in the flash of an eye, and stabbed Norvlad intending to steal his bloodline and his bonds to the province.

Wounded critically, Norvlad fell to the floor. Fulgar proclaimed himself eorl before the stunned housecarls, then fled quickly. Norvlad was treated by the local druid, who was able to cure his injuries. Unfortunately, an infection set it and the druid was helpless to cure it. Norvlad summoned his sister, Dagny Varrward, and her daughter, Vaetilda Varrward. He invested his niece, the infant Vaetilda, with his bloodline and his bond to Yvarre. He then advised his sister and her husband to flee into Svinik or Stjordvik by an overland route. Norvlad died of fever shortly after.

Dagny and her family quickly made way toward Bjarnheim and her husband's family in Svinik. Fulgar, aware of what had transpired attempted to invest himself with the province, but the ritual failed, and Fulgar blamed young Vaetilda's investiture. He sent his thugs out to capture the fleeing Dagny and bring her back so that Fulgar could claim his prize. Fortune intervened, and a kind skald approached Dagny at an inn where they had taken shelter, and advised them to abandon the road, and go north before again traveling towards Bjarnheim. Because of this advice, the family escaped Fulgar's men.

In the meanwhile, Norvlad's housecarls rallied around the banner of his infant heir, Vaetilda, and attempted to hold the province for her. Each swore an oath to die protecting the child's birthright. Fulgar's men battled the housecarls several times, and were forced to abandon the field each time. Fulgar began to tattoo a bat on the left hand of every armorer and smith in the province, demanding obedience, or killing them if they refused. Most submitted or fled the province. Fulgar controlled access into Yvarre by sea and on the roads, so the housecarls were forced to fall back into Svarkannek as far as Vadsa and Berwick to have their arms and armor repaired. During the winter, while the housecarls were in Svarkannek, Fulgar was successful in his investiture of Yvarre.

Shortly afterwards, one of his assassins found Vaetilda, but only killed her father before being forced to flee. Dagny was now convinced that there was no safe place she could take the child, so she sought out the druid of Bjarnheim and asked him to hide the child in secret. The druid took the child to Stornomark, in Jankaping, where the High Druid of that realm arranged to have the young girl raised as a orphaned noble woman, and ward of the King of Jankaping.

Now in possession of Yvarre, Fulgar possessed the income of his reavers as well as the tax revenues of the province. He taxed the people as much as he could without driving them into rebellion. He provided very little justice, using the power of the law only to control the people.

TO BE COMPLETED: * continue with how Fulgar took the whole realm and his conflict with the skalds.