Captain Kelvert

January 2022

Captain Kelvert was originally a throw-away semi-bad guy in Kerr. I found him useful, so I kept him around, and later he reverted from the amoral political scoundrel he had become, to become a protector of Kerr.

Captain Kelvert

“Captain” Kelvert is in his early 50’s, a tall (6′ 3″), strong, fit man with the beginnings of a paunch. Of Kerrean descent, his hair is sandy brown with enough grey in the temples to make him look distinguished. His nose shows evidence of having been broken several times and almost but not quite healed properly, and he has a white scar along his left jaw. Instead of disfiguring him, the evidence of past fighting makes him look rakish.

The son of minor shop keepers, he joined the Kerr militia at age seventeen, to fulfill his commitment to the city, and remained in the militia for five years, rising to the rank of sergeant. He gained hard experience fighting bandits and goblinoids, and was repeatedly commended for remaining calm and in control during desperate situations. Unfortunately for him, in contrast to his actions in combat, he could be hot headed and expressed disdain for officers whose ability he did not respect.

Following a disagreement with a superior office, Kelvert resigned from the militia. He immediately left Kerr as a caravan guard and was not seen for nearly fifteen years. Stories relate that he traveled all across Trivana, and rose in rank and leadership during those years. While most stories indicate he worked for various merchant houses, rumors crop up from time-to-time that he served as a captain for at least one Pahkian warlord on the west coast.

When Kelvert returned to Kerr in his late 30’s, he was a changed man. Still cool and calm in difficult situations, he had mastered his temper, and had become a master of sarcasm in place of disdain. Referred to as “Captain” Kelvert, he was prominent around the city, having gold to support a comfortable lifestyle, but not flashing so much coin as to stand out.

Oddly enough, after a few months he entered public service with the city guard, as a sergeant. He did not remain in that position long, but was quickly promoted several times to the position of captain.

The cool-headed approach he developed in the Kerrean militia had been honed to a fine edge during his travels. He proved quite capable of dealing with powerful and well-connected drunkards. This is noted as one of the reasons for his rapid promotion. More than a few influential nobles, merchants, and craftsmen benefited from Kelvert’s quiet handling of potentially publicly embarrassing situations.

Conversely, he demonstrated that while he maintained self-control, this didn’t prevent him from effectively using his fists and boots when required. During the arrests of certain criminal groups, the Captain likewise proved exceptional with a short sword and dagger.

Kelvert proved politically and socially astute, quickly becoming an influence monger. Regardless of his title and his fighting ability, most of his income is from brokering deals, selling his influence, and sometimes selling knowledge. He is very cautious of who he does business with and protects his public reputation rabidly. While generally neutral with respect to good and evil and to law and chaos, he can act harshly in protecting his reputation. To date there is no evidence, even anecdotal, that he has seriously physically harmed others in protecting himself. However, it is commonly believed that crossing him has led to the downfall of at least a few less politically savvy men in the city, and a few women as well.

After more than a decade in service, he resigned from the guard and served seven years as the Master Bailiff for the Chief Magistrate Rosvor. That period was five years longer than any previous bailiff, and ended when Rosvor fled the city when it was exposed that he was a follower of the demi-god Tlaloc.

Additionally, Kelvert periodically teaches weapons craft at various schools, and often teaches private lessons. He is an acknowledged master of the short sword and shield, and has exceptional skill with the dagger, long sword, long bow, and trident. His students are typically sons of the wealthy and powerful in the city, and he does not teach anyone of low class. Nor does he teach dueling – the Captain teaches practical self-defense and publicly disdains dueling as a fool’s entertainment.

Despite having departed the guard years before, Kelvert is normally addressed as “Captain Kelvert”.

The Captain is good looking and charismatic, and tends to attract both women and men to his side. He often escorts higher class women around town, although his dealings are by all accounts platonic. While he is reputed to be a lady’s man, he strictly avoids liaisons with married women, or at least the wives of anyone influential, or possibly he simply has not been caught doing so.

Captain Kelvert

In town Captain Kelvert wears a Ring of Protection +2 and a Cloak of Protection +2, for an overall AC 3. Fully armored Kelvert wears Banded Mail +2 and caries a Shield +2, for an AC -4.

He normally carries a Short Sword +3, and has a Dagger +1 in his boot and a Dagger +2, +3 vs. Lycanthropes on his belt. If he is not carrying his shield he will fight with short sword and dagger. When he carries a bow he has a quiver containing three Arrows +2 and five Arrows +1.

Kelvert has a Potion of Extra Healing on him at all times, in a steel flask. He also carries a Bead of Misdirection in a belt pouch.

Following the Battle of the Marketplace, when a Shedim-led force of greymen attempted to kidnap or kill a visiting elven king, Kelvert had a change of heart. He was badly wounded by a shaxadaemon while defending the elven king, and during his convalescence reflected on his life. He was not pleased with what he saw – a disillusioned, self-centered man who cared for nothing other than himself.

He liked the person he had been as a young man, and firmly decided to become that person again.

Kelvert was approached by Kensha, cleric-first of Demeter in Kerr, and Roald, chief cleric of the dwarven god Cieldren. They had formed a secret group whose mission was to track down and acquire evilly enchanted items. The goal was to destroy the items if they could, or sequester them if they could not. A person was needed to manage the group, coordinate training of strike teams, and generally manage assignments.

This fit Kelvert’s need to reinvent himself, so he happily accepted.

Now the chief bailiff of the new chief magistrate, the Captain outwardly remains the man he was. He continues to be an influence monger and ladies man, but is more circumspect in his efforts. He also uses his contacts to quietly identify evil items to be procured and destroyed.

This page last updated: 25 January 2022

Copyright 2022 Bryan Fazekas