This post is part of a series following my adventures as a Game Master in a campaign I’ve homebrewed. My hope is that it provides both entertainment to readers and inspiration for those that have yet to make the leap to being a GM.
Tony grew up in the Rockside family, participating in the family business. And business was booming. The Rockside family has much history in Elderglen. So much so that the area within Elderglen is known for his family’s business. They didn’t get to where they were in status through legitimate means. The Rockside family business appears to be benevolent on the outside, participating in and funding various city improvement projects, but the more lucrative business is arms dealing and drug trade with the help of the Merchant’s Guild.
The city of Elderglen, of course, is aware of these activities. Fortunately for the Rockside family, most of these occur outside the city walls and therefore is immune to the law of the land. The minor infractions that do seep into the city is often overlooked by local law enforcement as the Rockside family has been paramount to the success of the city, the city’s defenses, and the arms for the city. This symbiotic relationship is not without friction.
There are parts of the city where people spit at the mention of the Rockside family name. These are part of the lower class of society within the walls. The down-trodden and the poor. The most vulnerable population affected the most negatively by the side effects of the Rockside family business. Through drug trade and access to arms, more crime occurs in this area of Elderglen and more law enforcement is necessary to maintain the peace. Ironically, the arms that both the citizens and law enforcement have are supplied by the same people.
The relationship between Elderglen and the Rockside family is not one sided. The city has been known to call upon certain skills the Rockside family has acquired over the years. Silencing opposition, handling problems, and dealing with issues in a… less than legal fashion, the council has leveraged the relationship with the Rocksides for years and this relationship has been mutually beneficial. The city has seen uprisings dissipate when certain rebellious leaders have been found slain. The city has hired protection details during diplomatic activities where certain discussions required the utmost discretion. The Rocksides have always been on standby for less than legitimate tasks that require a certain level of obscurity.
Tony is one of the children of the Rockside family. He has helped with the family business since he was a child. While his parents were able to shield him from the less legitimate aspects of the business, he has always been helpful in planning certain details of the more legitimate side of the business.
By 17, both of Tony’s parents were found slain in his home. Since then, Tony has been on his own. Discovering the illegitimate side of the business opened Tony up to opportunity to survive. By the time he turned 18 he was already involved in caravan protection detail duty learning about the wilds as he protected caravans. The Merchant’s Guild also made Tony aware of the type of business his parents were into with the caravans. He also learned the Rockside family name was known in other parts of the wilds. This knowledge led Tony to establish and maintain contacts within the gun running business.
In his early 20s, Tony established and ran a successful arms dealing operation. He delivered arms to anyone who ponied up the cash. This, of course, led to some interesting encounters with some of the more nefarious groups of the wilds. It also led to arms dealing competition as Tony expanded his operations.
Eventually, a new player entered the arms dealing trade. This new competition was very violent and very chaotic. They were able to get the attention of Tony when one of his operations completely disappeared. Upon investigating the matter personally, Tony met his competition, Eva Erickson. She had a job for him. Not one to turn down cash, Tony accepted, unknowingly sealing his fate. Not much is known about Eva. Even Tony only met her once. But soon after he started what would be the last gun running operation he would ever handle, Tony and his small crew of protection were ambushed just outside the area where the deal would have gone down.
After Tony woke up, he realized the extent of damage that had befallen him. Every single person in his group was horrendously slain. The amount of extreme violence turned his stomach. When recalling the events that unfolded before he blacked out, he realized they never had a chance. The ambush was almost definitely a setup and the weapons were all gone. If this hadn’t been a setup, he knew he would be dead. Eva would soon be looking for him to claim the cash that she almost certainly knew he didn’t have. Fearing for his life, Tony returned to Elderglen to pack up his things and flee.
While planning his escape and ultimate disappearance, Tony caught word of a new project the city was planning. It promised exploration of the wilds, a new city development, and hope. Tony jumped at the chance to get out of his dire situation and set off to be part of something. More importantly, it would get him safely out of the city. Tony left for Project Hope…