D&D Backstory: Varas

I’m going to be playing a new character in a D&D campaign I’m in with some friends, I wrote the backstory to send to our Dungeon Master so I figured I’d post it here too as I’m pleased with it!

Backstory

Varas had a reputation as a bit of a rascal from a young age. He spent his formative years in Port Catamon, a bustling port city situated on the shores of the Sword Coast, renowned for its thriving trading community. Varas was naturally drawn to the water and spent much of his time along the shoreline, familiarising himself with the vessels and tools utilised by the dock workers and fishermen. Tragically, his parents passed away during his youth under mysterious circumstances that were never fully explained.

Domi, the head of The Emerald Defiance, a notorious group of thieves, was once known as Dominus, a former knight and protector of the city who ultimately succumbed to a life of crime in the underworld. Domi often masqueraded as a fisherman on the docks, engaging in illicit trade and smuggling activities with other unsavoury characters. It was during one such encounter that Domi encountered Varas, who was an orphaned youth. Recognising the boy’s plight, Domi took him under his tutelage and inducted him into the guild.

Before long, Varas became deeply entrenched in the criminal underworld, leveraging his innate charisma and wit to build relationships with the community of thieves and smugglers in the area. He swiftly earned a reputation as a masterful rogue with a way with words, adept at outsmarting his adversaries and emerging victorious. Whether utilising his powers of persuasion or his deft swordsmanship and agility, Varas repeatedly triumphed over his opponents and made off with their illicit treasures.

Within the gang, there were individuals who envied Varas for being chosen by Domi as his mentee, instead of them. These members believed that it was their entitlement to climb the ranks and assume leadership in the future. As a result, Varas’ rivals in the guild conspired to implicate him in the murder of a prominent politician within the city, with the intention of strengthening their own power and control.

Under the cover of darkness, Varas infiltrated the infamous House of Harmony brothel and crept into the designated chamber where the intended victim was resting. With the coast clear, he moved stealthily, ensuring to make no noise, and swiftly slit the throat of the unsuspecting target using a deadly, toxin-coated blade. The poison took immediate effect, rendering the victim immobile and unable to scream out for help as they slipped into the eternal sleep.

As Varas gazed upon the lifeless visage of his latest victim, his heart sank as he recognised the identity of the person he had just dispatched. Overwhelmed with fear and dread, he understood that he could not risk facing the inevitable accusations and punishment for his crime. To evade a lengthy jail term or even a more severe fate, Varas realised he had no choice but to flee the city and escape its grasp. He remained uncertain about what befell his mentor Domi in the aftermath.

With no other options, Varas stole away in the night, taking with him the companion who was with the target. A dark and mysterious woman, Tegan. Together, they fled the city and set sail for parts unknown, determined to start a new life far from the reach of their enemies. But even as they left Port Catamon behind, Varas knew that the shadow of his past would follow him wherever he went, and that he would have to stay one step ahead of those who sought to capture him and bring him to justice.