Quintus the Triumphant
Thief, soldier, athlete, gladiator, champion, lord – in Quintus’ young life, he has been them all, full of dogged determination and battle skill. His rise has been meteoric and many predict he is due for a fall from glory, but for now, the legend of Quintus the Triumphant is going strong.
In his earliest years, Quintus spent his life begging and scrounging for scraps. Later in his childhood, he turned to thievery. Scaling walls and fences, bashing his way through locked doors, fleeing across rooftops and through maze-like alleys, and occasionally brawling with the authorities, all served to build up his physique and resilience. After being jailed several times, he was banished from Tilshire.
Quintus wandered north and arrived at Felwin’s Gate, entrance to the High Elf kingdom of Aravia. There he was questioned and his criminal past was revealed, and the Elven authorities ruled that he could only receive asylum if he joined their foreign auxiliary corps. With lash and brand the Elves beat Quintus into an acceptable soldier, and he fought many battles.
On a rare occasion when his overlords permitted him rest, Quintus traveled to Aravia, the capital city that shared its country’s name, while it was celebrating the quadrennial tournament known as the Aravian Ludothon. Dazzled by the glory to be won, Quintus signed himself up for as many events as he could, without consulting his superiors. Thanks to his hard and physically-demanding life, he was outstanding at them all. When his Elf handlers finally found him after he failed to report back in time, he was a new crowd favorite.
The calculating Aravians decided that, rather than punish Quintus, they would exploit him differently. He was removed from military service and shipped to the place that even the haughty Elves admit is the premiere gladiatorial venue in Teleria: the Arena City of Velyzar. There he was to compete in the more dangerous and spectacular blood-sports offered year-round, wearing the colors of Aravia and representing their national glory on this stage.
Quintus, used to being shunted from land to land and role to role, had no problem adapting. Soon he was winning battles and building on his previous fame from the Ludothon. He proved so successful that he came to be called the Triumphant, and accumulated great personal wealth.
But even this was not the end of Quintus’ journeys. Tossed about on the tempestuous waves of fate, Quintus longed for stability. When he felt ready, he announced his retirement from the arena and left for Anhelt, where he took up residence in Kaerok. There, he spent a considerable amount of his time, money, and influence convincing a Duke to sponsor him as a vassal and grant him a plot of land. Aravian agents soon found out, but they were too late to stop Quintus without risking an international scandal. He had bought himself a noble title, and now was a Banner Lord. Though he is scorned by other Lords with more distinguished pedigrees, Quintus remains defiant.
