Gaunter

Gaunter is a human bard.

Background
Born to high birth in the desert fortress of Oasis, Gaunter was once a paragon of this foreign culture. In a society that revered bards to the level of priests, ambitious Gaunter became court bard to the Merchant-King at a young age through a combination of dedication and cutthroat means. Gaunter elevated court culture with his charm and dealt with the Merchant-King's enemies with subterfuge and illusory magic.

He served in this capacity for some time before a strange birth took his interest. A tiefling babe was born to a foreign mother and a sailor, both humans. He watched the spectacle of their branding in the square. Intrigued by this birth, and appalled by the superstition of the authorities, he used his position to intervene on the behalf of Dankemus and his family.

He continued his work for some time, bringing meager means of survival to the mother and father of Dankemus while the tiefling was just a babe. He began to take responsibility for the family as they could not take care of themselves because of their status, a rare act of genuine kindness from Gaunter.

Years later, when Dankemus had come of age, Gaunter paid off a local harbormaster to allow some of Gaunter's goons to steal a foreigner's ship in order to send Dankemus away safely to a more tolerant refuge. Just as Gaunter's plans were sold out to the authorities, he discovered Dankemus's mother had suddenly become feeble of mind, unable to speak or do for herself, and Dankemus's father had accused Dankemus publicly of poisoning her.

Thus, by a twist of fate, Gaunter's benevolent scheme collapsed, and he was stripped of his position. It was by the order of the Merchant-King whose culture he helped to instill that he and his charge was sent on the Walk of Bones, away from Oasis and into the desert, a sure death for most.

But the resourceful Gaunter took young Dankemus across the wastes to a port city after months of scavenging the desert. They used the last of Gaunter's fortune (what he could sneak away from Oasis) to secure a ship to Capital where they could scrounge for survival and create a new life away from Oasis and its Merchant-King.

It was in Otumat that they found Gandar and Illbrew and agreed to join their caravan guard for a portion of the profits.