Gabriel

Gabriel is a Blackguard Paladin, formerly of the Order of the Ebon Fist. He joined up with the adventuring party through the Adventurer's Guild in Dlek in order to push back against House Voshnar's hostilities on the west coast of Aria. He has recently begun to worship Corellon and fights a day to day battle with his past.

Story
The Order of the Ebon Fist wasn't a family, but it was all the family Gabriel had ever known. Abducted after a raid on his village before he could even remember, he was raised as a slave to the Order until he won his freedom by killing his former master. Knowing nothing else, he pledged himself to the Order and became one of its Blackguards.

The Order were worshipers of Bane; they reveled in the destruction of innocent life and were well trained mercenaries, available to whomever provided the coin. One such task given under the flag of House Voshnar was to occupy a mining village. Their orders were simple; occupy the town, enslave the residents and send the ore back to Voshnar. For two years Gabriel sat guard at the mine's entrance, watching the men of the town work their hands raw recovering ore that would only serve to enrich House Voshnar, which the Order had their way with the women.

Gabriel was in the order for the thrill of the kill; the fury he felt unleashed when he waded into battle against an armed opponent. Raping women and torturing children was never something he was comfortable with. During one session, a half-elf woman that had previously caught his eye was being beaten by another member of the Order. Feigning sexual interest, he took her aside to his tent and tended to her wounds. Not sure what had come over him, he continued to take her aside for the next few days, and he and the half-elf, Evandria, eventually came to an understanding.

Over the course of the following year, she used her magic gifts to delve into his past. She found a conflicted soul, but also peace...and elven heritage. Eventually, the two fell in love and Gabriel, determined to rescue her from further torture at the hands of the Order. As orders came from Voshnar to move out, torching the village and killing all the villagers, Gabriel formulated a plan to leave the Order and take Evandria away with him.

On the night they were to run away, a cadre of Order Blackguards intercepted them at the mouth of the eastern mine shaft exit. Lead back to town in shackles by his captain, Varkoth, he was bound against a stake in the center of town and forced to watch as Varkoth raped, then killed, Evandria in front of him. They set the town ablaze and Gabriel's last vision before passing out was of Varkoth walking away, his black armor gleaming in the flames.

Several days later, Gabriel awoke some distance from the town, sore but alive, and healed. Nearby, was a small shrine; sitting atop, a silver necklace in the shape of a crescent moon, identical to the one Evandria had worn. He gripped the necklace tightly in his fist, swearing vengeance upon the Order for what they had done.

Features
Gabriel has a tattoo across his shoulders, a black fist with bolts of energy emanating from it; the symbol of Bane that all members of the Order of the Ebon Fist received. When in combat, the bolts grow green with arcane fire as the fury within him builds. In his previous life, the burning served as an endorphic rush; now, they remind him of his past life, and the atrocities he has committed.