Raylon Banesmere

• Name: Raylon Banesmere

• Alias: Ravensbane

• Race: Human

• Year Born: 4976 AoC

• Kingdom: Drakhaelm

• Campaign: Introduced in The Teen Evil Campaign, appearing in various others

• Major Character Specific Campaign Developments:

Raylon Banesmere, formerly and professionally known as "Ravensbane" was the first one to take on a young Rouxi Pendragon as apprentice.

Before this, however, he was simply a specialist, famed and renowned for his skills in leading adventurers and explorers through dungeons, caves, and any other place covered in traps, hidden behind locks, and trapped behind puzzles. He was a happily married man, with a young daughter beginning to show aptitude for his very same craft, and he was a happy, contented man.

Till one day he accepted an odd job request that took him out further and longer than he'd done previously, however the money was too good to pass up. Everything seemed normal and legitimate, and the job even went off without too much of a hitch, and weary, he returned home.

To find his wife and daughter brutally murdered.

Consumed with hate and despair, tracking down the culprits sent Raylon down a dark path that turned his previous talents to things much more malicious and illegal; things he'd never considered previously ever engaging in. Things that brought down the ire of the Ravenlord. To this end, Raylon preferred to avoid the cities that would bring too much attention, and years later, it was while camping one night in the wilds that brought him to a meeting with a desperate, half starved young tiefling girl aged about eleven years old.

While settling down for the night, he noticed a slight rustling in the bushes near his camp. He took notice, however when no other sound caught his attention, he laid back and pretended to sleep. Through half closed lids about an hour later, he witnessed the cautious approach of a half starved waif creeping into his camp and attempting to steal his food. He noticed the raw talent, and the desperation. He also noticed she was about the same age his daughter would've been, had she still been alive.

Once the girl was preoccupied rummaging through his packs, he sprang his trap and caught her tight as she squealed, kicked, bit, scratched, desperately trying to worm herself free. When this didn't work, she turned to pleading, persuasion, and diplomacy just as quickly. With calculation. It was then, against his better judgement, that he decided to take her on as apprentice, and teach her everything he had learned. All the things he would've taught his daughter, and worse. He would make sure young Rouxi had all the tools necessary to survive a cruel and uncaring world.

Rouxi spent three years under his tutelage, absorbing everything he had to teach her like a sponge, working on making professional connections that would last her entire career, including introducing her to the accomplished, shrewd, and widely respected fence known as Rat. He taught her the art of the sleight of hand, of stealth, and manipulation. He taught her tactics, networking, patience. He taught her how to build connections, disguises, and reputation. And he taught her the importance of self over all.

After three years, Raylon began becoming concerned that Rouxi was forming an attachment, something he'd tried to steel her against from the start. To protect her from the pain of losing one you love. He created a plan to force her into betrayal. At about that time, the duo had managed to pick up a third party; a young kayal (fetchling) named Drosil.

During a long planned heist, Rouxi was caught by a local guard before things were set to go down, and given the choice of taking a pay off to give up Raylon or jail time, Rouxi took the bribe. When the time came for the guards to rush in, Rouxi and Drosil ran, leaving Raylon behind to be taken in by the guards and hauled off to a jail sentence. Little did they know this was his plan all along. Rouxi had finally passed the final test and cut ties.

After this Raylon spent a short time in jail resting before decided to split, and then continued on his way by himself after. It was many years before he would cross paths with Rouxi again.