Lupdels

Lupdels Del'Albaum
Status	Active
Race	Rakash
Gender	Male
Guild	Bard
Instance	Prime

Appearance

You see Lupdels Del'Albaum, a Rakash.
He has crystal green eyes, a grizzled greyish-brown coat and a slender tail.
He appears to be ancient.

He is wearing a regally high-collared black robe trimmed with complex copper piping, some silver wire-framed spectacles with streaky ocean-blue lenses, a deeply hooded cloak of charcoal grey silk lined in inky black, an elegant asini ring set with diamonds framing a polished round black disc, and a cambrinth pick.

About

Lupdels was born in 356 AV, shortly before the Rakash arrived in the Five Realms as refugees from the Necromancer Lyras. His father became a merchant in the new world and would continue to move the family around without settling down permanently. While Lupdels was still very young, his father died due to old age, as Lupdels was the product of a second marriage for his father, who was already advanced in age when he married Lupdels’ mother.

His mother would settle down in the Crossings, finding work where she could, and learning the ways of the other tenants in the apartment where they lived. Eventually she would marry again, once more to an older merchant; a Human in the Trader’s Guild. He was willing to help find work for young Lupdels with other merchants and craftsmen as a young errand boy delivering news and updates on the market.

In this way, Lupdels has been exposed to many of the races of the realms, but he was restless with his rootless existence. While it was expected that he would become a Trader, Lupdels turned to the Bard Guild for a sense of history, heritage, and tradition. As a curious young Rakash, he was captivated by the stories of Aaron Albuam, author of Journey to the Forbidden West, published while he was a young teenager. While these tales did not include stories of the Rakash homeland in the west of Kermoria, Lupdels was drawn to join the Guild of this brave and charismatic adventurer.

Over the last fifty years, Lupdels has distinguished himself as a dedicated member of the Bard Guild, while still being a cosmopolitan explorer of the Realms. From Langenfirth to Shard, Ratha to Forfedhdar, he has continued to travel. While currently a citizen of M’Riss in the eyes of existing legal authorities, he has often been known to disappear for years on end, with no more explanation than "I have been following in Aaron Albuam's footsteps."

Lupdels is a member of the Rakash pack Sfek Vauns Arotru.

Life Events

450. Wild Magic Player Story: The Price of Catching a Thief.

448. Presented his extensive knowledge of dragons to a lecture hosted by the Grey Dragons.

439. Alongside the ongoing Events regarding the Dragon Priests, gave a lecture on dragons based on the writings of the Bard Albuam titled Imagine Dragons.

436. Pledged support to the Trickling Sun faction of the Merelew, as their focus on harmony and opposition to the defilement of Necromancy resonate with Lupdel's increasing focus on the pollution and corruption of Elanthia. Given the title Depth Preserver in recognition of his service.

435. First place winner in the Magic Symposium hosted by the Lorethew Mentor Society. His contribution linking the relationship of dragons to their domain to the World Dragon to Elanthia, noting the analogy of the corrupting influences from sorcery to Necromancy to Summoning, raised concerns and brought about a first place prize.

434. Participated in a bold, experimental attempt to open a portal to the Plane of Electricity. Concerned by the successful result, would go on to further develop theories regarding the threat of extraplanar corruption on Elanthia.

Beliefs

A child of Rakash refugees, raised on the streets of the Crossing amidst many other cultures, and a member of the Bard Guild, storytellers and historians for all of Elanthia, Lupdels above all follows an opportunistic syncretism. The Rakash Enelne combines with Faenella, Tamsine, and Albreda. Coshivi and Kuniyo blur together.

Speculation & Theories

As a Bard and someone not shy to share his thoughts and opinions, a few topics that Lupdels is known to be interested in.

Dragons

Lupdels is fascinated by dragons and has speculated about ways to encounter them. He would be interested in any sightings of dragons, or ideas on how to track one down. He has theorized that wilderness areas, perhaps in Forfedhdar, could attract them. Any Ranger with a deep knowledge of the wilderness areas of Forfedhdar would be welcome to converse with Lupdels.

Corruption in Elanthia

Between his research into the domains of dragons and his support for the Trickling Sun faction of the Merelew, Lupdels is concerned about corruption in Elanthia. Not just from sorcery and Necromancy, but Lupdels is worried about extraplanar leaks into Elanthia from the portal to the Plane of Electricity and the influence of Holy and Lunar mana. He would be open to any likeminded individual proposing experiments to determine the impacts of these forces.

Dragon Priest Cult

As part of his research into the World Dragon and Dragon Priests, Lupdels is interested in the figure Sh'kial, who he will at times refer to as "gentle Sh'kial." Based on conversations with the Bard Guildleaders, Lupdels suspects that there's more to the early, pre-Dzree existence of the Cult than is commonly recorded in history. Perhaps there is research that can be done to uncover these secrets?

Bard Guild History

Although the fall of the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star and the persecution of the Bards by the Dragon Priest Cult has eliminated much of the origins of the Bard Guild, Lupdels has half-formed theories based on what is known. He is curious about Ferdahl Thaerine Plaintale, the Elothean who brought her people into the Empire, as she was also a Bard and was linked to the founding of the Bard Guild in Riverhavne. The timeline looks something like:

-903 Reign of Ferdahl Thaerine Plaintale begins
-866 The Imperial Board of Wizardry is established
-863 The College of War Magic receives Board of Wizardry sanctioning
-861 Ferdahl Thaerine plays some role in establishing the Bard Guild in Riverhaven
-859 Ferdahl Thaerine brings Elotheans into Seven Star Empire

Lupdels is interested in what factors assisted Bards in surviving as an independent entity, instead of being consumed by the fellow elementalist Warrior Mages of the time. What contributions did Thaerine make to Bards, and was her interest in joining the Seven Star Empire linked to her interest in establishing Bards as a force? Bards with an interest in their own history are invited to share thoughts.

Segolthia

Less a theory and more a cultural observation, Lupdels has at times been known to refer to Segolthia, which he sees as a cultural zone that transcends the legal borders of the provinces and includes the heavily Elvish influenced areas adjacent to Ilithi: Ain Ghazal in Forfedhdar, Ilaya Taipa and Leth Deriel in Zoluren, and M'Riss in Qi'Reshalia. Lupdels has an interest in Elvish musical instruments.

OOC Inspiration

A lot of Jonathan Carnahan (The Mummy), also Dr. Venkman (Ghostbusters), part Autolycus (Xena & Hercules)--and all things Bruce Campbell for that matter--and a small dash of Mundungus Fletcher (Harry Potter). He's like Indiana Jones, but able to speak Hovitos.