Gondegal

Gondegal, the current leader of The Circle and The Shadow Insurrection, grew up in the kingdom of Cormyr. His family were minor nobles, governing a small holding, but he longed for a grander life, and took up a career as a sword for hire. With only a few impatient sessions of formal training, he quickly became a great swordsman, mainly through natural skill, determination, practice, and observing others. He soon amassed a small fortune by fighting for whatever cause could afford to purchase his skills.

In the Year 1352 DR (Dalereckoning), Gondegal attempted to carve a kingdom for himself, centered on the city of Arabel, one of Cormyr's three major cities. It was to extend north to the Desertsmouth Mountains; south and west of Wyvernwater and the farms outlying from Eveningstar; and east to Tilver's Gap and the mountain passes. But "Gondegal's reach was in truth no longer than his blade." Although a valiant warrior and a masterful general, Gondegal was not much of a king. He could not hold any of the territory against the might of Cormyr, Sembia, Tilverton, and several of the Dalelands. He had made powerful enemies by his actions, and his army was no match for such an alliance. Gondegal ruled for less than a season, though he reigned officially in Arabel for scarcely eight days. The remainder of his rule was spent fighting here and there against one foe or another in the lands he claimed. His troops were largely mercenaries like himself, and his treasury of seized goods was large for a single man, but small for an army and was soon depleted. One night Gondegal's force simply melted away before the advancing troops of Cormyr, and was gone. King Azoun IV retook Arabel on that morning without wetting a blade, and Gondegal vanished into the wilds.

Traversing an area of foggy marsh to escape his pursuers, Gondegal stumbled between two mist-enshrouded stone pillars, and eventually emerged from the thick fog in Falkovnia. At first, Gondegal was intrigued by the militaristic nature of life under King Vlad Drakov. He did not approve of the atrocities committed by Falkovnia's monarch, but he was an experienced general and understood the need for order. In time, however, he saw that Falkovnia's order served only the evil whims of Drakov himself. He plotted to take control of Falkovnia, but had learned from his failure in Cormyr. This time, he was determined to be seen not as a conqueror, but as a liberator. He would depose Drakov and the populace would rally around him. But though his goals were nobler this time, his failure was the same as in Arabel. He escaped capture, but his allies and organization were crushed before they could even begin their coup. Escaping the armies of Falkovnia, Gondegal fled to Darkon, Drakov's most hated enemy. He hoped to find sanctuary there, and perhaps an ally in the form of Azalin Rex. But before he could seek audience with the Wizard-King, three vampires attacked him, and despite his great skill, he fell in battle. but he did not die.

He awoke, badly wounded, and being nursed by to health by the squire of a powerful knight named Helna Vladinova. She was a member of The Circle, a Knight of the Shadows, and a champion of the downtrodden. In the months it took for him to recover, in a small cabin in Lamordia, he spoke at length with her about her calling, and by the time he was well enough to leave her care, he had decided that his life had gone astray. He began to realize that there was important work to be done in this strange land and that people like Dame Helna were doing it. He resolved to join The Circle and become a Knight of the Shadows; he took the plight of the Falkovnians to heart and made their welfare the focus of his life. He has vowed not to give up on his war with Drakov until one or the other of them is destroyed.

He is sometimes known as "The Lost King" or "The Lost King of Arabel" and draws a great deal of inner strength from the fact that he has at last found a calling in life. His dedication to The Circle is absolute, and his loyalty to the Falkovnian people is unconditional. This devotion is a far cry from the cynicism and self-interest that were apparent in his youth. He now fights only those who serve evil. Even more importantly, he has discovered how to grant mercy to a fallen foe and how to feel compassion for those who suffer from evil rulers. He has also taken a liking to the idea of being a "hero," and finds the respect and admiration directed toward him by the Falkovnian people to be far more rewarding than any power he'd pursued in the past. Should he one day triumph over Drakov, he no longer has any interest in ruling Falkovnia, but would instead find some other land that needs a defender of the oppressed, an ally of the weak, and continue the fight against oppression elsewhere.

Statistics

Fighter 10, Knight of the Shadows 6, Chaotic Good

Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue

		Champions of the Mists Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II
		Champions of the Mists - p47 Realm of Terror - p98 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - p145
		Champions of the Mists - pp47-49 Realm of Terror - p98 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - pp144-146
		Champions of the Mists - pp47-49 Domains of Dread - p36 Realm of Terror - p98 Ravenloft Gazetteer Volume II - pp144-146
		The Lost King