Adraniel Calmour Backstory

In his early twenties, Adraniel worked as a mercenary, often escorting caravans of goods from town to town for coin. When a wealthy merchant approached Adraniel requesting his protection for a larger than usual sum of gold, Adraniel could not refuse - despite finding it odd that he was being offered so much.

While on the road, the caravan was methodically and efficiently ambushed, with all escorts being slaughtered. Adraniel only survived through feigning death, although he was gravely wounded. As he lay on the side of the road awaiting death, for the first time Adraniel seriously pondered the afterlife and if this was truly the end. He regretted not being religious and recalled his childhood friend and his family, who he previously thought were ignorantly devoted to the Goddess Sarenrae. But now Adraniel lamented his lack of piety and feared that if the afterlife existed he would be condemned by the Gods.

As he felt himself slipping further away, Adraniel was barely cognizant of approaching footsteps and as he disregarded it as a pre-mortem hallucination, a face entered his vision. A chestnut haired woman knelt over him, gripping the pendant hanging around her neck and fervently speaking. However, Adraniel could not hear the words she was speaking; his senses were failing him. He felt a warmth flood through his body as his vision faded to black, regretfully accepting his own passing.

More talking. The first thing Adraniel became aware of was two voices, nearby, discussing something he could not make sense of. The second thing he became aware of, was that he was aware. He wasn't dead. He opened his eyes to find himself in a basic, bright room consisting of white, marble walls and ceiling. The pain that was present in his body when he was last conscious was no longer present and he brushed off the matching white sheets covering him. The voices were coming from the other side of the single doorway into the room he was currently residing in.

As he climbed out of bed, the door opened and the same chestnut-haired woman who he had seen before losing consciousness entered the room, with an elderly man standing in the doorway.

Adraniel soon found out that the woman, Lucel, was a cleric of the church of Sarenrae - where he was currently residing - and she had barely arrived in time to save his life with magic and prayers.

Adraniel regarded this as a miracle, and considered it impossible to be a coincidence, as he had thought of Sarenrae and regretted his disregard of religion as he lay on death's door. As a result of this, with the help of Lucel, Adraniel became a devout follower of Sarenrae, combining his newfound worship with the martial prowess he had developed as a mercenary to become a Paladin. Over the years, his relationship with Lucel transitioned from gratitude, to friend, to wife and they lived out the next decade in peace, sharing a mutual affection and respect for the Goddess Sarenrae.

However, when Adraniel was 32 years old, he arrived home from grocery shopping to find the front door of his house ajar. He entered to find the place a wreck, and fearing for his wife, he rapidly searched through the house, eventually arriving at their shared bedroom. He hesitantly opened the door to find a scruffy, dark haired man holding a knife to Lucel's throat. And before he could so much as blink, a line was drawn across her neck and blood cascaded onto the floor. A moment of shock was quickly replaced with a flood of anger, and Adraniel launched forward, smashing his fist into the murderer's jaw. In a flash, he disarmed the infiltrator and without hesitation plunged the knife into it's owner's temple. After the rush of adrenaline had subsided, Adraniel was overcome by despair at the loss of his beloved wife, and he prayed that she would live comfortable in Sarenrae's care.

Contrary to expectations, his faith in Sarenrae did not waver, as he viewed his faith as the foundation of his relationship with his late wife. He maintained his strong devotion out of respect for her, and honoured her memory by continuing to worship The Dawnflower. However, his mind was permanently shaded by the loss of Lucel and the act of revenge he had committed in a blind fury. While his faith stayed strong, Adraniel became more reserved and stoic.