Ruuk’s Vengeance

April 11, 2010

My name is Ruuk, born and raised in the City-State of Nageo on the western coast. I was living
there until my 21st birthday and training myself in the Arts of the Streets. By the time I reached
my 8thbirthday, my parents told me that from now on it was the time for me to work for my life.
Work meant stealing the food I wanted to eat and everything else I needed. Life wasn't easy
and I learned quickly, that if you want something, you better take it before someone else does
and I was really good at it. As a matter of fact few of the other kids were as good as me, and by
my 12th birthday, I had a small crew of loyal kid thieves, who went out on the streets and into
the bars and pubs and came back with the goods I made a life with. At first I still cared about
my parents and when I had something to spare, they wouldn’t have to fear hunger. This
changed when they tried to steal from me, because it was easier to steal from your own son
than to go out and actually steal for a living. I let them do it for some time, waiting for them to
make a mistake. And as soon as they did, I was upon them and quick in my judgment. I was 15
when I decided to have my own parents killed in front of a crowd, making an example of them.
Nobody would ever again try to steal from me. My own people didn’t, because I paid them well
and the other street gangs were too afraid to cross me. I made myself a reputation in the
streets of Nageo. By the age of sixteen, I already had my fair share of fights with bigger, more
established gangs from other parts of the city. No sane person would have tried to cross me, or
those who picked up the remains off of those I left in my way. Shortly after my seventeenth
birthday though, the Cities Council approached me with an offer I simply could not refuse. They
heard about my skills in the streets and about my way of leading a band of thieves in an
environment, where leaders are most likely replaced within days, if not hours, because others
think they are either better or can make a better profit. I had my fair share of those, but no
dagger would pierce my back and I was longest in command of the lower city since old Brakk
died nearly 4 centuries ago. I was about to join the Kamestiri, along with nine of my best
comrades, the single most feared Warriors, who were there to protect Nageo from its enemies. I
wasn't as much as a warrior, I was hired as a Spy and Torturer, my lone job was to get
information or suppress information, which in the last case, most likely ended in the demise of
the person who held the information. It was different from my street life, but the rewards were
greater and sleeping is a lot more comfortable, when you don’t fear to have your jugular cut by
the time you awake. I did visit many old friends or foes of mine in the streets, but also local
nobles or merchants, where when visiting the latter often rewarded me with a big increase in
my own pockets. By the time I turned twenty I was approached by the local guild of assassins
and offered a horrendous sum in order to kill one of my most loyal employers - the Head of the
Council. Since I don't care as much about others, as I care about myself - I accepted and went to
plan how I would achieve this feat without making myself a target. After a full year of planning
and scheming, I finally fulfilled my contract with the assassins and after they paid me and I
made sure everything was in place for my leave - I ratted them out for killing the Head of
Council and my kamestiri brothers swept the place and every possible connection to me with it. I
then boarded the first ship I could find and made my way to Baldur's Gate, where I wanted the
money the guild offered me transferred to. A local merchant and friend, if you could call him
that, was keeping track of all the money I made with the various jobs and assignments. Two
years later the Prince of Nageo was found dead, slain by a single crossbow bolt. He was a
weakling, who thought he could take over the city, after the Head of Council is dead. While

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 Ruuk’s Vengeance
April 11, 2010

outer enemies were waiting for a chance to attack Nageo, he had his own dispute with the
Council going on, and in an attempt to show his strength, he sent out nearly all kamestiri after a
band of bandits, who raided a small farm few miles out of the city. It was an ambush, but the
prince was too proud to see it, and so the kamestiri got swept away by an army waiting for
them. Only a few survived, and most of those who did, were sold as slaves or crippled. While the
enemies of Nageo still lurked in the shadows, few months after the kamestiri were betrayed by
the foolishness of a single man, a single crossbow bolt shot from a terrifying range has slain the
person responsible for the end of the kamestiri. It was not my doing, but I know the one who did
the job, because it was me who trained him. With the Council weakened and the Prince dead,
with no heir to the throne - Nageo was quickly overtaken by their neighbors and the Kamestiri
vanished and became more of a legend than a truth. In Baldur’s Gate I lived a great life with a
lot comfort in it, beautiful women and friends in high places. My only fault was, that I trusted
the wrong people after so many years of being very patient in finding out who to befriend or
not. One night few months ago, I was upset by five assassins, who came into my room at night. I
still managed to fight them off but I knew this was the last day of my old life. I am forty-two
now and not the youngest. Street Life was easier before but experience goes a long way. So I left
my old life behind me and with only my old Kamestiri Uniform and Weapons out to new
adventures and to kill the one, who’s responsible for this. After all, I think you shouldn't rest for
too long - and I did. Time to shake the rust off me and prepare for vengeance.

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