Emmahil (em – mah-heel) HollySword’s story begins with his conception, and the issues surrounding it.

	His father,  the human noble Erik HollySword, of the noble house HollySword named for their  founder a famous ranger, was a fairly typical middling noble.  He was always a very reliable sort, and had a strong sense of justice and honor.  He was known keeping his word and his standards no matter what the cost,  and this drew the attention of the father of one Gloria Hartor, a very prominent human noble.  The Hartor’s were 3rd in line for the throne, behind only the immediate royal family and one cousin, and seeing the merit in Erik Gloria’s father Sebastian Hartor  started the process of arranging the marriage of his daughter with Erik.  They had met and courtship began, and both families were very happy with the match.  It was a significant step up in prestige for the HollySwords,  and an influx of new blood and a staunchly moral force and reputation for the Hartors.
	Gloria and Erik seemed to get along well enough, though both were fairly young and shy, and distant at first.  The date was set a year from the day the arrangement was announced, giving the young couple a fair amount of time to adjust to one another.  In one of his frequent trips into town on family business, since the HollySwords were master vinters, he stopped by one of the more upscale taverns in his normal supply route negotiating price on several barrels of fine reserve.  Business went in his favor due to a blight on some of his competitors vines, and he celebrated a spectacular deal by buying a round of one of his families nicer vintages for the tavern.  The patron’s toasted his health and were quite  merry, and everything seemed to be going well.
	A young elvan seamtress by the name of Valanthe Lostacia was present, delivering some fine feastday clothes for the tavernkeeper, and she graciously took a round so as not to be rude.  Marvelling at the wine she asked the tavernkeeper where it was from, and she directed Valanthe to Erik.  The elvan seamtress complimented his family’s wine excessively, claiming it rivaled products from her ancenstral homeland.  Though not of noble birth she had previously had some fine wines from her people and this was superior.  Emboldened by her compliment he asked her to join him, ordered a bottle of the finest of his family’s wine the tavern had, and had her try it.  His youthful pride at a glorious high, he nevertheless saw a business opportunity to expand his market and proceeded to ask about the wines of her homeland.  Multiple bottles of varying vintages were consumed, and after long hours, and more than a little inebriated, they took a room at the tavern to themselves.  They knew it not then, but Emmahil was conceived that night.
	Erik late the next day, to a rumpled and wrinkled bed, but otherwise alone.  The scent of jasmine was escaping the sheets and he fondly reveled in it, then his brain woke and he realized what had transpired.  He felt devastated and that he had betrayed his honor, his family’s, and defiled hers.  He hurriedly dressed and rushed out the door.  He went to his parent immediately and confessed apologetically to them, and then asked them to accompany him to the Hartor’s estate.  They met a confused Lord Hartor who was upset but nonetheless impressed by his honesty.  His condition was Erik tell Gloria himself and he would base his response off of that.   Erik readily agreed and went forthwith to her parlor to inform her.  Gloria was upset but would not let a single lapse of judgement end their courtship.  Relieved Erik informed  all the parties and things proceeded apace.
	Gloria  grew rather fond of him over the next few months, and things appeared to go swimmingly, but after about three months Erik’s manservant directed him to the HollySword formal sitting room, where a visitor scented with jasmine awaited  him.  He was confused and nervous, but cordial.  After a brief discussion of wine, of which she mysteriously refused, Valanthe told him she was pregnant and he was the father.   She did not want money, notoriety, or anything from him, but she felt he should know and whatever measure of involvement he wanted he would have, but her business was doing well and she could easily support both of them.
	Erik was flabbergasted, but he knew what he must do.  He took her by the hand and led her to his parents.  He informed them that they were going to be grandparents and that he would not father a bastard and taint his family’s name.  Valanthe told them all there was no need but he would have none of it, nor would his parent.  They dreaded the effect the news would have on the Hartor’s but agreed it was the right thing to do.  Valanthe was invited to the HollySword manor to stay for a while whilst they journied to the Hartor lands.  She declined but conceded to have a serving woman and a pair of household guards care for her as needed until they returned.   She was unsure of what was happening and had no desire to marry, but if that is what her child’s father wanted then she would accept because she knew of the stigma the child would face already.  She was not excited by the prospect but seemed resigned.
	At the Hartor estate they immediatey saw Lord Hartor and told him of the nullification of the engagement.  He was confused and a little angry, and asked for reasons.  They told him of their son’s intent to not father a bastard and harm his or his familys name,  and he was even more impressed than he had been before.  Sad for Gloria who had taken a rather strong liking in this young nobleman, but he understood.  He offered to foster the child as needed and keep the matter quiet so nothing would happen, and they could proceed as needed.  He even offered to formally adopt the child in secret as a bastard of the Hartor line from some distant cousin, and do more as needed, just to keep things going as they were.  Erik and his family lauded his generosity but would not go against their own ethos and their family motto “Honor in all things.”
	He was upset but understanding, as he was a magnanimous lord, but he insisted that Erik tell Gloria himself.  Erik agreed, he had planned on it, and with a heavy heart he approached her chambers with her father.  She greeted them both with a majestic smile and a massive hug each and was animated even more so than her usual self, which is why the somber attitude of the most important men in her life stuck her as odd.  She asked what ever is the matter.  With a heavy heart but a clean conscience Erik told her of the cancellation of their engagement and the reasons thereof.
She was shocked, angry, and disappointed.  She railed at fate, cursed the gods, and wondered if they could just “Eliminate the problem.”  Erik and Lord Hartor borh were shocked, and her father reprimanded her sharply, causing her to become petulant.  “That is not our way nor shall it ever be as long as these lungs draw breath.”  Lord Hartor explained that he had offered much more reasonable measures and they had been turned down.  He greatly respected the HollySword’s integrity and that is one of the  main reasons he had agreed to the match.  She growled at Erik and said “Your honor ruined what would have been the best thing that would ever have happened to you.  We have words too.  ‘Justice shall be served’”  She then asked them both to leave.
Lord Hartor cautioned her to not confuse justice with vengeance and to temper her anger and try to see that this had nothing to do with her.  She sneered and closed the door on them.  Lord Hartor apologized for her rudeness and asked Erik to forgive her in her greif.   Erik readily agreed and apologized for hurting her, which he loudly said to the closed door, which was then followed by a large thump as something was thrown against it.  Lord Hartor was embarrassed enough for three men and walked with Erik back to his parents.  He made sure to mention that they need not worry about retribution and looked forward to future business and other dealings, but he wanted to give his daughter time.   The HollySwords respected his stance and agreed and left.
A short while later, Erik married Valanthe, and Lord Hartor even sent a splendid selection of gifts though his family could not attend.  His health started to fall rapidly and he managed to only arrange a match for Gloria with a cousin of the royal family.  Distant in succession though closer than Gloria, he nevertheless married into House Hartor since he was far enough removed to not be relevant to succession and as a member of house Hartor he would be an important figure as opposed to just a distant cousin.
Emmahil was born a while after,  and though Valanthe and Erik’s relationship was strained in many ways, they came to care for one another and overcome many troubles together.  She kept her business, and her husband’s contacts helped it to grow, as did his business with her input and contacts among the elves.  There were many whispers about her low birth, the audacity of a noblewoman working like a common laborer, and more so about the son they had very quickly after the marriage.   It never amounted to more than whispers however so they both were content to smile and continue on and live their lives.
After the passing of Lord Hartor, whose sudden illness was as mysterious as it was incurable, Gloria took over House Hartor, and started doing what she could to disrupt the HollySword’s businesses.  She bought  many competing vineyards and worked to undersell the HollySword brand, but thought she was successful in making large amount of cheap swill for the more common tavern, the quality of the HollySword brand carried more merit.  It was all the neighboring elves, and most nobles would drink or serve.  So Erik and Valanthe continued to be successful despite her meddling.  They gained a reputation as some of the finest winemakers in the kingdom and their market kept expanding.  As a young man Emmahil often went with his mother to visit the elves or with his father when visiting more human dominant lands.
Emmahil chafed at the steady schedule and yearned to explore, to fight, to live life on his own terms.  He took to carrying a rapier and dueling to answer slights offered to him, and deliberately put himself in position to be slighted on numerous occasions.  He frequented the rougher part of town and made more than a few friends, and a similar amount of enemies.  He spent so much time with the local ne’er do wells that he picked up a wide array of more base skils, and learned to lie, cheat, swindle, steal, break into places, and find out what is really going on in town.  He learned to fight dirty and is pretty good at it.
One day at yet another noble function with his father, trying to not be bored, he was accosted by a lovely if aging human woman who asked him of his opinion of her family’s wine.  He took a sip, spat it out and said he’d tasted better  one copper ales in the poor part of town.  It left his mouth numb slightly which was puzzling.  She seemed more upset by him not swallowing than his assessment or his spitting.
A very effeminate man came up and seemed to take offense to him speaking to his wife that way, and he gladly offered to duel him to first blood.  The man, one Clarence Hartor, accepted and almost as soon as  Clarence took his stance, Emmahil ran him through the leg where he fell with a very undignified scream, then saw blood and proceeded to pass out.  The Lady Hartor seemed annoyed at her husband and angry at Emmahil for not letting himself get stabbed by someone of obviously higher social station.  She remarked as much as he told her “Old lady, here’s a tip.  Never let anyone else make the first move.  End it before it begins.  And for the love of the gods fire your vinters they are horrid.  His Lordship fancypants there will need new leggings, that much blood isn’t coming out short of magic.  I can recommend a fabulous seamtress however.”
Gloria went purple in the face as he said this and looked about to explode.  The arrival of his father seemed to diffuse this situation a bit, and Erik looked almost as shocked as she did.  He apologized for his son’s hubris, and offered reparations, but she simpered and said it was her husbands fault, but would he be so kind as to walk her to her coach.  Erik declined which set her off again, and she coldly said “I would expect one such as you to know nothing of treating a woman right.”  Which angered Emmahil who was about to do something, when his father held up his hand.  In a calm measured voice Erik said “I have apologized Gloria, and moved on.  You should as well.  There is too much life to be lived to dwell on the past.  I hope you find your happiness.”
This stunned everyone into silence, but Gloria who sniffed and walked away shouting for someone to gather her husband.  Emmahil was confused and on the way back he received a lesson in his history.  He was shocked and appalled, and asked why he did not learn of this sooner.  Erik explained he didn’t want his youthful wrathfulness to cause him to do something drastic and regrettable.  However he may just have.
In the following weeks the efforts of the Harthors to undercut them seems to wane, but Emmahil is having none of it.  He spends even more time carousing, but seems to be searching for information and secrets of the nobility. The biggest news  is an entire branch of Clarence Hartor’s former family dies of a sudden onset of plague.  It effects a large portion of nobility in the capital as well, and as a result Gloria is now 3rd in line to inherit the throne.  Increasingly more taverns and places Emmahil frequents seems to not want the swaggering braviosi anywhere  near.  He is forced further and further  afield, and reacts poorly.  He is rarely home, staying away from his family and the stain on their name.  Not because he cares, but because he is angered that he wasn’t told his origin sooner so he could quell anyone speaking of it with a blade that much sooner.  He knows fighting, wine, women, thievery, and generally skullduggery, but not peace.  He is an angry youthful thrill seeker who really doesn’t care for most anyone or anything except his self and his mother who remains a fiercely independent elf irregardless of the rest of the nobility’s  ideas.
During this time, Emmahil feel in with a Halfling named Pip.  She was his mentor in thievery, and after his almost forsaking of his home he has worked with her often.  He can be muscle, con man, breaking and entering, or recon depending on need.  His first official job after Pip said he was ready was breaking into a secure home and lifting a valuable necklace and pair of rings.  He kept one ring as his cut, a square cut emerald that he wears nearly always, Pip kept the other matching ring, and the necklance of rubies was fenced immediately.  They belonged to a rival of Pip’s, another Halfling leading her own gang of misfits names Kiki.  It was supposedly one of her safe houses.
Kiki’s gang deals more with extortion and blatant thuggery, and once the theft was found out they had a good ol’ fashioned allyway scrap.  Emmahil, Pip, Knuckles, Smiling Jim, and Twitchy Jasper met Kiki, Tab, Flast, and Beyor.  Though Pip’s gang is bigger Kiki’s is stronger and the fight was close.  Smiling Jim got knocked out early, but Emmahil and Knuckles managed to do most of a rout  on the remainger, almost killing Beyor and hurting the rest fairly badly, the city watch came and everyone dispersed, but Smiling Jim was taken into custody but had been taking out so fast they thought he was a helpess bystander.
In the weeks that follow multiple skirmishes and robberies take place, but after a few scares first time they back off and just focus on knocking each other out, robbing the unconscious bodies, and dispersing.  Though things have been escalating lately, but so far Pip’s crew is winning through guile more than force and Emmahil has yet to be knocked out.  His rapier and his ring are well known by most as being markedly his, which infuriates Kiki, and makes them too hot to steal for  now.
He stand 5’6”, has emerald green eyes and brown hair.  He usually wears a rumpled and worn but immaculately clean and perfectly tailored noble’s outfit in shades of steel gray and green, with red accents  and Siver Trim.  His house emblem, a sheaf of grapes over which is superimposed an unsheathed point down sword with a holly berry for the pommel, is always present, usually on the upper left chest.
Various thugs and ruffians are his enemies and his allies, but Gloria Hartor hates him with a passion.  And will do everything to bring down him and his mother, though she still harbors an obsessive feeling on ownership and entitlement to his father.  She tried to poison him with the wine, her  husband’s blade was poisoned, and she is responsible for killing her father and the plague that put her near in line to the throne.  Clarence is a simpering idiot who knows only that she told him he would rise with her, but don’t ask questions .  He doesn’t and he was quite visibly upset at the deaths of most of his kin.

Notable enemies:

Thul, half orc sailor.  Lost a fight after losing in cards.  Emmahil cheated, but denied it when accused.  Emmahil beat him with steel as well.  A bully who holds a grudge.
Emil and Amil, gnome farmers.  Brothers.   He openly mocked their crude and terrible wine (bought by Gloria) served at a tavern he used to frequent.  Good folk, but not used to being disrespected, they know their crops weren’t great but the wonderous Lady Hartor bought them out when times were rough.  Loyal duped commoners who made the most out of a rough start.
Kiki, Halfling rogue.  Rival of Pip(see below), and target of many thefts, cons, and break ins as part of a running gang war in Emmahil’s hometown.  Hasn’t spilled openly into the streets but tensions are mounting. No full scacle assaults yet.  Hates Emmahil for letting it be known that her ring is one of his “prized family heirlooms”.
Tab, Flast, Beyor, thugs working for Kiki. Human, Human, Dwarf.  A few scrapes with Pip’s gang, robberies, etc.  Beyor especially hates Emmahil after nearly dying to him in their first scrape.

Allies:

Valanthe and Erik HollySword, his parents.  Know a bit of his rogish way (a very small amount) and Erik disproved heavily, but he always has a place to go home to.  Valanthe tacitly approves of his choices and has been the large moderating force in Erik.  Though most of the rest of the nobility shun Emmahil and Valanthe mother and son are actually quite close.  And he takes it as a point of pride to never let his clothes get too dirty as a sign of respect for her.
Pip:  Named after her skill with manipulating dice, leader of a thieves gang and  mentor to Emmahil.  This Halfling often passes as a male child to trick the gullible, and may harbor feelings for Emmahil, seeing in him a way to escape her rough lot in life.  Yer choice.  Emmahil is of course oblivious either way.  Her gang focused more on burglary and cons, less rampant thuggery. More “civilized” than Kikis gang.
Smiling Jim:  Human con man.  He taught Emmahil to lie and cheat in games of chance, but he is one of the most agreeable people in the city  and even most of Kikis gang likes him.  His days as a rooftop burgler are well behind him but he has  never lost a game of cards (according to him.  Proof has yet to be found though).  He won’t dice with pip though, bemoaning “That one time at the Steely Lion.  Thought she was a lad with a bit more coin than sense I did.  Never saw someone that deft at dice rolls.  Swear it was magic.”
Knuckles: Half orc barbarian.  He’s a brawler and muscle of Pips gang, but though he seems fairly stupid, its (mostly) an act and he is much brighter than he appears.  Known for his skill with brass knuckles (hence the name), he bounces at a tavern (the Sleeping Sheep) in a rough section of town that has a reputation as a very rough brothel.  Its also the home base of Pip’s gang.  She has a deal with the Madam.  No one steals from the brothel and lives, and if someone manages to get away, Pip will cover the amount.  To date no one has, at least for long.  Does charge 10% finders fee if things get messy.  Lady Paramor (the madam), agrees.   Knuckles taught Emmahil how to fight dirty and fight to win.
Twitchy Jasper, Gnome Rogue.  A very easily startled gnome, Twitchy jasper is an expert burgler, amazing at creating distractions, and a damn fine pickpocket.  He also continuously tries (and fails usually) at alchemy.  Its one of the reasons he so jumpy, every pop and fizz could be trouble.  He has an excellent mind for anything mechanical or intricate, and is a person to go to if you really need to get past a door.  No promises that there will be a door left.  Or a room.   Or a hallway.