New Year, New Me – Day 10

Serenn – Tiefling Paladin of Vengeance – Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

Serenn’s history is a mess. He was abandoned by his mother when he was born, and probably would have died if not for the local fence that took pity on the baby boy. He was raised as the man’s own son alongside his natural born daughter. He grew up steeped deeply in the criminal culture that surrounded his father’s work. Thieves and pickpockets of every species and background had loosely organized themselves into a guild within the area. His father would help move the goods they brought in. What he didn’t use to enrich the lives of him and his children, he tried to give back to the community and enrich the city. Serenn and Deeta were soon common sights in the city streets, sometimes working with the “guild.”

It wasn’t long before the city got very dangerous. When he was a young man, a group of slavers moved into their section of the city, having taken it by force. A lot of the people that Serenn had grown up with were either forced out of their homes, enslaved, or simply killed. While they had occasionally dealt with a criminal element rougher than the simple pickpocket or second-story man, these slavers were so beyond anything they had dealt with. They were completely unprepared. His father tried to ingratiate himself with the slavers, offering them his services at a deep discount. Instead, they took Deeta. Enraged, Serenn went after them. He caught up with the slaver that had his sister and caught him by surprise. He bashed the man’s head in with a cobblestone, but he didn’t see the man’s backup until it was too late. Deeta was faster – and the dagger that was meant for Serenn slipped between her ribs instead. Serenn killed the second slaver and wept while his sister bled out in his arms. It was then and there he swore he would become the vengeance on not only these slavers, but become the vengeance for those that were incapable of taking it themselves. A furious power blossomed inside of him as his sister breathed her last breath.

It wasn’t long before the watch came around asking questions about the two dead slavers that were left in the alleyway. His father was hauled away in irons when his sister’s body was found lying in state in the back room. This time, Serenn didn’t weep. He knew his father had given up his freedom so that Serenn could have his. He took what money his father had stashed away from the family, purchased what weapons and armor he could, and left the city under the cover of night. His mission was clear. The path to completing his mission however was not…