Group: Order of the Black Hand
Barony: Kingfield
County: Marchwood
Duchy: Winchester
Race: Drow
Killed by demons of the Broken Spoke while aiding the Wolf Faction
Obituaries
Graf, House Mortimer
I wish I had gotten time to get to know Thessias better. He was a quiet man but very strong and sure of what was right. He earned the sword of Honor when he duelled for it while the Harts was questing for all the seven swords of Waylund and that is how I got to know him a bit more than just a fighter who was strong in battles. He was good at fighting and good at pulling back and mending his armour so he did not need me to fix him up too often. When Thessias died his pattern was just settling after he became a paladin. He seemed to be good at finding a quest for himself and setting out to get it done and not letting nothing get in his way. When things didn’t go brilliant he did not let it get him down but he just kept on trying. We need more people like Thessias and I am sorry that the Order of the Black Hand have lost him.
Thessias Darkblade, son of Valen Darkblade, was raised by his father in Winchester. He trained regularly and listened to stories brought back by a young human, Thane, who served Valen when he was at the meetings of Nations. Thane’s stories made Thessias idolise his father, learning to use sword and shield as he did and devoting himself to his Ancestors. Thessias also heard of the Harts and the Pendragon throne, which he swore to serve.
When Valen died and his brother Tzar’khan joined the Tarantulas, Thessias left the safety of his home and took his rightful place as a servant of Albion through the Order of the Black Hand. At his first Gathering, there were many deaths in the faction, including the Regent, Robert Mortimer, who Thessias had been charged to protect.
This encouraged Thessias to train even harder over the winter period. He came back to the Harts stronger and fought valiently against any opponents that stood against him and travelling with the Armourers to cleanse a corrupted forge.
At the Great Edrejan Fayre Thessias acted as Ambassador to the Tarantulas and Vipers, however due to a vicious fight between the two factions and Thessias’ family ties to the Tarantulas, he never spoke to the Vipers. When the Tarantulas and others who saw the threat the Vipers posed formed against the Vipers the Harts stayed neutral, however, Thessias joined them; attempting to take vengance for the deaths of Robert Mortimer, Lady Rowena and Saul D’Arby. The battle ended in a victory and there was much rejoicing, as the Harts had had two of their most dangerous foes weakened significantly.
A rite was performed to bind guardians to the 7 swords and the knight, Cuthbert Charenten, was unable to attend to fill his role as Guardian of the sword of Vengance. An Ancestral being had come to see the guardians and give them a task, and he asked for a seventh guardian. Thessias stepped forward to take the role. Thessias was knighted, Sir Thessias Darkblade. It may have been the Ancestors themselves that delayed Cuthbert and allowed Thessias to take his place. His next steps, only time will tell.
Gentleman’s Register, 1111