Interview with Holland Wellhouse

Part One: The Younger Years

So, tell me about your childhood. Things like where did you grow up, what was your family like, and so on.

I had a very good childhood. My parents just had me and my older brother Killian, no sisters thankfully, to deal with. We were a terror, always into things. We lived in the city of Durin, in the kingdom of XXXX, a city of no real importance. My father was a merchant of modest means, but had an open heart, he paid for Killian and I's private tutoring to ensuring we were educated and had a chance at a better life. We always were a close family, I have missed them since I left the Realms.

Now I would like to focus on some of the specific memories you have of your childhood, significant or memorable events. Tell me about one or two of them.

{smiles} I will always remember the night that I met my first Master, the Mage Funjur. It was a dark and stormy night {smile}, I was returning home from one of my tutors, I must have been about 13 or so. Usually I ran straight home but I enjoyed the rain and skipped along when I saw some figures in an alley. Pausing at the alley, I peered in to see three men kicking and beating a fourth man on the ground. My gasp must have alerted them because they paused and looked in my direction.

I did the first thing that I could think of. I pointed directly at them and turned my head to the right as if I was talking to someone that those in the alley couldn't see. 'There they are Sergeant Wildorth, they are beating and robbing a man.' I had hoped that these cutpurses were locals and knew of Wildorth. You see, Sgt Wildorth was not the brightest of the city guard. He had a tendenacy to crack a few skulls and then ask questions of the unconscious perpetrators; one who really liked his job.

Obviously one of them did know Wildorth and I tried not to smile as his eyes widened and he pulled the others away down the alley to make their escape. I carefully and cautiously moved down the alley, ready to run if the assailants returned, to the cloaked man on the ground. When I reached him, I bent down to help him to his feet, 'Sir, are you okay? I can get help.' I was totally unprepared when his hand shot out and took an iron-strong grip on my wrist. A wave of energy seemed to surge between the two of us, I almosted fainted. This is when I heard the first words from Funjur that I will always remember, 'Such power.' he mumbled through split lips before passing out.

Who were your role-models or heroes when you were younger, and why?

I was weaned on stories of gallant knights and damsels in distress. Killian and I would reenact the stories my mother would tell me. I worked hard at trying to build the strength and muscles to become such a knight but while I was in good physical condition, I was in no way strong enough to carry all of that armor and weaponry. Instead I studied and read.

You have chosen to become a mage. Why did you choose to become a mage or what events lead you to follow that path?

Well, you recall the man in the alleyway that I spoke of earlier, yes? Well, I half carried, half dragged him the rest of the way home to my house. By the time we crashed through the door we were both soaked to the bone and covered in mud. My mother quickly took charge of my 'package' as I told my father what had happened. I recall my father scowling at me when he heard of the risk I took but his scowl quickly was replaced with a smile as he ruffled my hair, 'That's my boy, smart thinking.'

I followed my mother to the guest room to see her cleaning the man up. Underneath his cloak he was wearing normal clothing but had some sort of sash or vest. She took it off of him and handed it to me. It had several pockets sewn into it filled with small items. I set it aside but not before I caught a smell of various herbs and other aromas.

About five hours later our guest awoke. I quickly bounded into the room when I heard him moving about. He looked right at me and said, 'Thank you for your help little wizard, I thought I wasn't going to see another day.' I helped him sit up when my parents came into the room. The man introduced himself as Funjur the Mage. It seems that Funjur was visiting from a nearby city and had been lured down the alley by his assailants under the ruse of someone was hurt and needed help. The first blow was to the back of Funjur's head and he wasn't able to concentrate enough after that to cast any spells.

I was sent out of the room at this point but I learned afterwords that Funjur had told my parents of my magical affinity. After some apprehension my father acquised and placed me in Funjur's care as his apprentice. I traveled with Funjur back to his humble home and started my apprenticeship. Funjur was a Mage Specialist, an Invoker, and taught me in the same school.

Adventurers have notoriously short life expectancies, yet you have obviously chosen to become one. Why?

{Snort} 'Short life expectancy'. That is one way of putting it. I have already seen several of my companions fall under the sword. Why did I chose it? Hmm, that is a good question. I spent seven years with Funjur and learned all that he could teach me. I needed some life experiences to bolster and augment my book studies. Magic really opened my eyes to the a world of possibilities. Becoming an adventurer seemed the best way to gain the experience and wisdom that I sought. I would have to admit that I have done things, been places, and met people that I never would have, had I stayed in my father's merchant house.

Part Two: Personal

What kind of experiences did you have before joining the Company of the Silent Star? Things like adventures, affiliations with groups, and the such.

{Shifting in his chair} Immediately after leaving Funjur I joined a forming adventuring Company, the Red Hands--a group of new green adventures full of fire and life. {Voice becomes strained} There are only two members of that Company alive today. One way or the other soon there will only be one.

That seems interesting, would you be willing to expand on that?

No.

Ah, I see. Um, well, what other affiliations have you had?

{Shakes his head as if to dismiss bad memories} I have served on several ships before landing with the COSS. I also joined the Bralian Mage's Guild. Maybe someday, if I prove worthy, I will be asked to join the Fireball Alliance.

What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you have?

I have dabbled with the culinary arts since I was a youth. Usually I am the one that cooks the meals on ship. I enjoy the creation of a fine dish; some of my fondest memories are of helping my mother in the kitchen.

Other than that Funjur taught me the basics of engineering and over the past few years I have picked up the skills of navigating and powering a 'jammer.

Many people have a short creed or moral statement that helps them to guide their actions. What is your philosophy on life?

Keep your word, never break faith and preserve balance.

Now that you are older and well-traveled, who are your current heroes and role-models and why?

I have learned a lot since my youth. I know now that not everyone has honor and that damsels are flighty with their affections. I no longer have any heroes or role-models; I live my life for myself.

What are your goals, and what are your dreams? (goals = fully expect to achieve, dreams = would like to but aren't holding your breath)

My goals? I have but one personal objective. No, I don't want to talk about it. As for my dreams, {Slight smile} I would like to be asked to cook a meal for Heigar the Reigar.

Part Three: The COSS

When did you join up with the COSS and why?

I am an original charter member of the COSS when we flew under House Moune. Since then, we have fulfilled our obligation to the merchant house and fly for ourselves. I joined because I needed to feel a sense of belonging, something that I missed.

In your own words and opinion, what is the goal or purpose for the COSS?

{Laugh} Depends on what time of day it is. It would seem that we change our purpose every few hours. We have not really examined our intentions in this light. We are more focused on profit earning than trying to fulfill a larger ethos. Perhaps this will change and we will find something to rally behind, but for now we have enough enemies.

Please tell me about some of the memorable events you have experienced with the COSS. I would like at least one general event that stands out in your mind and one that stands out for personal reasons.

We have had several encounters, but the one that sticks out the most and the one that I feel best about telling you was during an attack on the FLOWFISH. This was before the COSS came into existence but the majority of the current members were present. Our attack was disjointed, I cast a spell that ensnared one of our number; one of our members used a disguise that was good enough to fool the FLOWFISH captain and was attacked because of it. All in all, it was a disjointed venture but we were triumph in the end. I think that is quite fitting as a general theme that runs through all of our encounters.

Something that I still laugh about when I think about it is our resident Chaos-Master Itapate, the so called 'highest-ranking shaman of Coyote on Bral' though I would guess that since he is probably the only one, his self-proclaimed title fits. He came to me after one of our encounters and asked if I could use my magics to clean him and his clothing. Happy to oblige, I did so, first soaking him down and then cleansing him. I think that I did a fairly good job as well. There was a little snag though, perhaps Chaos influenced my magics, but {Chuckling and laughs interspersed with words} for some reason Italapate's long hair turned a bright shade of purple, {Laughing hard, tears from his eyes} can't imagine why. I wonder how long it took for him to notice.