Back Stories

[Wheels]

Otto is a Hellhound! You cannot train or domesticate these firebreathing monsters. A creature of nearly pure magic Otto is Wheels pet, familiar. Wheels found Otto as a small boy while Otto was a puppy. The little hellhound was being tormented by fire drakes. Wheels rescued the pup and the pup has been his silent guardian ever since. Otto once prevented Wheels from dying using his own spirit to prevent it. Needless to say this big dopey scary monster is beloved by Hildegard too.

[Wheels]

The Prince is no more. He is now King Nor of the Lake region. He came to the institute at the command of his father the King. Nor was unhappy with the order and tried to flee. Wander was hired to bring the reluctant prince to school. After some bumps in the road the Prince became an avid student and was popular with his class mates. He even had a romance with a Centaur Princess named Fury. After the tragic death of his father Nor asended the throne. His first task was resting his kingdom back from his fathers unscupleous advisors and rescueing his mother, which he did with the help of his freinds Star, Fury, Plug, Dark Eyes, Jib Sail, and Beb He is now a great ally of the Institute and much of the High Elf intruige directed at the school has subsided.

[Wheels]

Dark Eyes is a bat. One of the side effects of magic’s return was the uplift of several animal species on Terra to a sentient level. These races have been persecuted by other races especially the high elves who have a particular dislike of the bats. Dark Eyes was the assistant to her tribe’s healer an old bat of little skill. Dark Eyes quickly learned all the old bat had to teach her so she traveled to the city known as the Mall. Once there she tried to buy supplies and more importantly healer texts to increase her skills. The High Elf owner of the big healer supply house ignored the young bats pleas and refused to sell anything to Dark Eyes. As fate would have it a Master healer from the Institute came in to check on the Institute’s orders when she came upon Dark Eyes. Hearing of the bats predicament she closed the Institutes account and took the young bat as her apprentice. Dark Eyes thrived as the mysterious master’s apprentice. The world librarian once called her the knowledge sponge. Dark Eyes fell in love with a stranger from another world named Brian. Brian an albino black bear disappeared as quickly as he appeared. Dark Eyes was almost killed by Ironkeel’s Right Arm during the Great War (Crossover war). Baby just managed to save her but in so doing altered Dark Eyes appearance forever. The changes also enhanced Dark Eyes magical abilities. She can now transfer healing ability from the unworthy to the worthy. She has a second sight that manifests itself as a cat that Dark Eyes herself does not understand, she can project a protective field and she has sharp spines in her wings elbows and head that she can use to defend herself. On an adventure in time and space Dark Eyes is reunited with her Brian and becomes pregnant. They are once again torn apart shortly after the adventure. After giving birth to Robert she is lost in time in an ill advised attempt to rescue Brian. She returns to the Institute with a ten year old son thirty years old and much wiser. A master healer to boot.

[Hogan]

You know, this is some really great background information to read, and it would look dashing on a castpage!

Say, what about having the text cleared up, adding a picture, and presenting the new cast-cards on the site on days where you are not able to get the update done (just read your comments on the latest strip)... that way there will BE an update to keep people entertained.... and judging from the text you presented here, nobody will object

[ghostrunner]

not at all

[Wheels]

Not a bad idea perhaps I will.

[Wheels]

Rixxi Sandpebble is a Halfling dwarf mix. She is one of the most accomplished rogues on Terra. The one eyed temptress was a force for good during the pointless civil war and she became friends with Gogo during some untold adventure. Gogo and Rixxi ran into each other at an inn where Wheels Ironkeel and his staff had regrouped after a battle with the Malls underworld and the rogue Paladins. Wheels was wounded and drugged so Hildegard took it upon herself to hire Rixxi to take the vacant Rogue department chair. Rixxi Sandpebble had an ulterior motive. She was fascinated by a retired Paladin named Boat Ironkeel that she had heard about and met at the Inn on that day. She put here mind to winning the old bachelors’ heart, and she did. While on a quest with Boat the couple found themselves at the world library. Rixxi found a fascinating artifact on display and when she touched it , it reacted and became her new eye. The artifact was an Oculus a rare simbiot that gives Rixxi enhanced magical abilities. Rixxi can see magic and track it, in addition she has enhanced strength and endurance. Boat asked Rixxi to marry him and she said yes. She is the consort to the Goddess’ Champion.

[Wheels]

Plug is a rogue of an unknown species. Some have called him an imp and others have labeled him a mutt. Plug himself avoids the question. Plug was a resident of the streets in the “bad sections of the city called “The Mall”. He became an adept sneak thief and ran with a gang of smaller creatures including Halflings, Kobols, and Boggels to name a few.
One day Plug made the most fortuitous mistake of his young career when he tried to relieve a Dark Paladin of his purse. The Paladins name was Nytedge. Nytedge captured Plug,and recognizing Plugs talent hired him as a spy and informant. Plug excelled at the work and provided Nytedge and his fellow heroes with invaluable intelligence. Unfortunately Plug was betrayed while he was investigating a Paladin order that had gone bad and was using threat and extortion to further a religion centered on a spirit known as the false goddess. Plug was caught and beaten nearly to death. He was rescued by Moonlore and Gogo who were on a shopping trip at the Mall. Nytedge realized that with Plug being compromised that his usefulness for gathering intelligence was at an end. Partly to protect Plug and partly as reward him, Nytedge enrolled Plug in the Institute of Magical Studies. There Plug excelled learning the rogue arts from his new master Rixxi Sandpebble. Plugs non-imposing stature and good-natured appearance are his greatest asset as people hardly notice him and underestimate him, a potent weapon for a rogue.

[Wheels]

Apothacari is a butterfly fairy, healer, and leader of the “Stars of Paragon. Cari is a good friend of Wheels Ironkeel and Bay Krieg. Along with her band of heroes that include Panzer Krieg and Paladin Nytedge she helps protect the city known as the Mall. The Mall is a true melting plot of races and is the Terran center of commerce. By consequence it is also the Terran center of crime. Cari has helped out with the Institute on several occasions where healers were needed.

[Wheels]

Nytedge is a Dark Paladin of the Minotaur or Tauren race. During the wars that took place on Terra Boat and Nytedge fought against each other in several battles though they did not know of it until years later. They have great respect for each other’s skills and have become good friends. Today Nytedge is a member of the Stars of Paragon and he is the team leader Apothacari’s second in command. Nytedge is the Druid Porsche’s boyfriend . As a consequence he visits the institute whenever he can. He has counseled the new Paladin Jib Sail Ironkeel on some of the technicalities of being a Paladin and has made many suggestions on how Jibby should write the new bylaws of her order. Nytedge is a force for good.

[Wheels]

Star Ironkeel was born to wood elves Star was abandoned in the forest. This act was common among Wood Elves who would leave babies in the forest if their birth resulted in the death of the mother. As fate or the Goddess would have it two dwarf hunters discovered the child before she succumbed to the elements and predators. They took the child and raised her as their daughter. The dwarfs were of course Hildegard and Wheels Ironkeel. Star grew up happily with her Dwarf brother and sisters until Wheels Sent Star’s brother Bollard on a secret mission. Bollard did not return. Jib Sail, Bollard’s twin, was overcome by grief and blamed her father for Bollards loss. She ran away from home. By this time Binacal, the Ironkeel’s eldest daughter had married Rudder Hardbottom and they were at sea. Wheels, Hildegard and Star moved to a small dwarf village where they lived for a short time when a High Elf press gang arrived. Wheels and Hildegard were away tracking a wounded beast and Star was supposed to be in school. The village elders refused to allow the elf press gang to take the few remaining able body dwarfs away to serve in the army. The Elves were infuriated at the refusal and torched the village. No one in the school survived. Wheels and Hildegard hunted down the Elves responsible and made them pay the ultimate price. They never returned to the village. But Star was not dead. She had skipped school that day and although she had survived the fire she was caught by the elven press gang and beaten nearly to death. A dwarf hunter named Crunk found the half dead little girl and took her to a nearby dragon lair where she was nursed back to health.

Stewart is a dragon he was hatched as all dragons are. But Steward had a unique destiny. On his hatch day he spied an adolescent wood elf and was immediately drawn to the poor orphan girl. The girl was Star Ironkeel. They became Dragon and rider. Star’s dragon rider name became Windstar as is the dragon rider custom. Squadron leader Wind Siren trained Star and Stewart to be Dragon riders. Stewart and Star were top of their class due mostly to Stars light weight and to Stewart’s great strength. One night Star received the gift of magic and became a mage. Fire and ice roared through the caverns of dragon lair that night. The great dragon Royal Mother was thrilled with her luck. She now had a Dragon riding Mage in her lair. Wishing to capitalize on this new resource Royal Mother sent the team to the newly formed Wizard Council’s Institute of Magical Studies where Royal Mother had heard that the great Mage Gogo was a professor. When Star and Stewart arrived at the institute they found it was run by non other than her adopted parents Wheels and Hildegard Ironkeel. Far from dead as she had thought for so long. The Dragon rider and her mount went on to become student instructors at the institute and have come very far in their studies. Royal Mother is very happy. A little secret. Dragon riders and their mounts are telepathic and live for thousands of years barring accidents. Another little secret. Many of the situations that led to the Ironkeels and Star reuniting came about due to the manipulations of a ghost names Whisper Song.