Micah Brightsmile

Micah Brightsmile was boisterous Dwarven Cleric of Sune, who, after receiving a religious awakening many years past, came to Khaldred in order to bring joy and beauty to the settlers and keep the people safe to the best of his ability. He was head priest at the Place of the Scarlet Rose before his death at the hands of a cambion.

Background
Micah, like many dwarves before him, was born and raised a craftsman.

From an early age, Micah spent his days in the forge, trying to craft a great deal of items to contribute to his legend and status. To be a dwarf was to create, and to this Micah was no exception. However talented he proved, however, Micah lacked inspiration. He could easily replicate a craft from a book, or create something of great utility. But what eluded Micah was the ability to create great beauty from nothingness. That was what he wanted more than anything.

His skills at replication paid the bills, however. Micah became well regarded inhis local community, if not famous. He married, and had four children. He loved them all, and his life was a comfortable one. But Micah, for all he had, was not truly happy. Much of his life passed by in what seemed like a whirlwind. He grew old, his beloved Ellyra died to the plague, and his children moved on to find families of their own. Micah became ever the more alone, and still he toiled in the forge.

Still, that great creation eluded him. Then one day, a stranger visited Micah’s shop. Nobody knew the man, only that he had come from out of town and was in need of help. He wished for Micah to craft something for him, a strange artifact that he seemed desperately in need of. Micah’s craftsmanship was up to the task, and Micah delivered to him the strange device, receiving a thousand thanks in return. That night, tucked away in a dream, Micah saw what had imagined the gods must have.

Before him was nothingness, and yet there were so many possibilities. Micah saw himself shaping creation itself, creating each little dewdrop and each sweeping canyon. He saw the flow of waters a thousand years in the future, and the raging of fires planes away. But foremost of all, Micah saw the people. Each man lived his own little perfectly sculpted life, bleeding into the next. Each was a mark of creation’s finest art. He watched as his creations grew to trust one another, grew to love and start their own families. Each act of kindness was a masterpiece.

And Micah wept, for it was beautiful.

The next morning, Micah packed up his scant belongings, selling his forge to an old friend and taking to the roads. There was beauty in the world, and there were things good and just. He did not need a forge to create something great. He only needed a kind word and an open heart.

And so he went, crafting love and kindness wherever he went.

Adventures in Khaldred

 * 1) (14/02/21)

I travelled with a group in order to find a group of adventurers, who'd gone missing down in the South. It was a rather difficult journey, and I admit I let my temper get the best of me at least once along the way. Eventually, however, we did make it to the camp. One of our companions seems to have fled, but we were able to rescue the last survivor, an elf. Poor young man just wanted to get home.

On the path, we ran into some ogres, but we also had a few stranger encounters. We ran into one of the Imperial Inquisitors, whom Akuma, the fled companion, seemed to have some sort of grudge with. He didn't like Ruttgrub much, and neither did the next group we ran into. Some crazed sorceress. Ruttgrub said he didn't know anything about it, but I'm still not sure. He seems to be of good stock, I suppose, so I'll believe him.

Along the path, however, I heard the Everqueen call to me. A grove in the distance. We were under something of a time crunch, working to get those who had been lost back. I would like the chance to see that grove again. It felt wrong of me to pass over it, but it was what needed to be done. With luck, Sune will explain the situation.