Gentle readers, I fear I bring terrible tidings once more! Our April Session was canceled due to poor turnout. And now I just found out all of my Fridays are booked for May! Hopefully, we will be able to resume full force in June. Until then, I still have a non-contractual obligation to provide our loyal followers with some source of monthly mirth.
I am now known as Brother Blackflint, sole survivor of the Brotherhood of The One. I was born Carter Gravestone, youngest son of the Duke of Gravestone Manor. My older Brother, Cornelius, and I were knights of the realm and served in the great Crusades, which were the precursor to this last and greatest war. For 5 years, we waged a bloody war in the name of God and Country. It was then that Father passed away and we were both called home.
As the eldest son, Cornelius took the throne. He married his childhood sweetheart, Catherine, a powerful Cleric, and ruled a troubled rule. The war had taken a toll on my brother. The bloodlust in his heart that served him so well in war now threatened to destroy him from within. Catherine and I were forced to run the Dukedom while Cornelius honed his battle skills. The Dukedom prospered under our guidance, as did our love.
After Cornelius entered the gladiatorial pits, Catherine discovered she was pregnant by him. She was hidden until she gave birth to a girl named Cassandra. We sent the baby to a monastery, fearful that Cornelius would return to claim her. After 10 years of trying to conceal our love for each other, we were wed. I sold Cornelius to the fighting pits in the hope that he would die in battle as we knew he wanted. We had a son, Connor, and life was good.
When Cornelius learned of this betrayal, he led a revolution and overturned the gladiatorial pits. He then set off to Castle Gravestone. I was aware of what had happened. I sent Connor away and ordered the castle barricaded so no one could enter. Cornelius entered through a secret passage and slayed everyone and set fire to the castle. The sealed fortress had become a tomb. As Cornelius confronted Catherine and I on the balcony, the edge collapsed. Catherine died instantly from the fall, I was trapped in the burning rubble below.
For 10 years, I studied the ways and skills of the Brotherhood and became a master Cleric. Ironically, I could heal neither my physical or mental anguish. I had heard of my brother’s death and I contented myself to living out my life in the serenity of the monastery. Then I heard rumors of a warrior claiming to be Cornelius, but young again. It was then that my belief in The One solidified my faith. A repentant necromancer joined our brotherhood. I learned the dark arts from him and forced him to restore me to my full youth and strength. God was merciful, but as a penance, I still bore the scared disfigurement on my right side.
Well, that was rather. . . grim. Fortunately, their sessions were often lightened by the antics of Socool. If you haven’t guessed by now, Brother Blackflint is indeed the brother of my other featured PC, Cornelius Gravestone (see November 2016 entry: Giving Thanks). So there we have it, two brothers searching for vengeance against each other. But ultimately, doomed to failure, since I play both characters. The ultimate cat and mouse chase!
Brother Blackflint still lives on in the Crimson Empire Campaign as one of General Sterling’s council. As I shall reveal in the next chapter!