Gavin Bellest

Gavin was the second brother of the Viscount of Valrest. By Mordish law his birth made him a mid ranking noble of minimal power. But Lord Bellest was more powerful than his title. He was the Royal Shipmaster, incharge of the Kaiser's Shipyards in Port Thresthlem, a position he held for two decades. He was promoted to this position by the old Kaiser and kept it through the new reign. He was one of the Kaiser’s most trusted allies until his assassination by Ricard and the Mordish Birding Society. While he was alive, Gavin had a fearsome reputation in Port Thresthelm. This was aided by the reputation of his bodyguard Mobius, who died trying to protect Gavin.

History
Gavin was the third of four children born to the Viscount of Valrest. His childhood was a comfortable one, not atypical for a Mordish lord. He grew up learning natural science, swordsmanship, and other skills deemed appropriate for a high class Mordish boy. Gavin did not stand out among his siblings. By Mordish law his parents could choose any of their children to succeed them. Bypassing Gavin, his older brother and sister, they chose their youngest son. So Gavin did what any young lord would do. He went to college. Gavin attended Port Thresthelm University for a year, studying poetry. However he soon grew bored and transferred to the much less prestigious Dockside College. After two years studying ships and navigation there, he joined the Mordish Navy. Since Gavin was a noble, he was immediately made an officer. He captained a ship with distinction and was decorated by the Kaiser. During this time, the pirate Mobius entered Gavin’s service as a bodyguard. Soon Gavin was given command over the Port Thresthelm Shipyards. When the Kaiser died and his son became the monarch, Gavin kept his position.

Bellest was known as a loyal ally of the crown and an excellent Shipyard master. Under Gavin, the Port Thresthlem shipyards made great advancements in technology and production to create some of the finest vessels in Var’Tareen. These advancements were known to come from his strategic uses of the expensive but hardy Northern Pine, similar to the techniques used in Eabrifast. Port Thresthelm’s proximity to Carufell provided a consistent supply of the strong wood and Gavin figured out how to maximize its use with minimal lumber.

During Ghuramus of AeP 447, Gavin was killed by the Mordish Birding Society. Organized by J’Kar and carried out by Alekiai, Jorso, Ricard, Willa, and Waxwing, Gavin was assassinated in the streets of Port Thresthelm. He was lured out after the assassins broke into the Shipyards and set fire to his workshop. Though Gavin didn’t know it, Alekiai stole his most secret notes from the workshop before he destroyed it. Seeing the workshop on fire, Gavin took fifteen of his militia and Mobius, to rush to the Shipyards. About halfway there they found the main boulevard blocked off. Ricard, Waxwing, and Jorso started pelting them with arrows from behind, forcing them into a confrontation with Alekiai and Willa. Willa killed Mobius and Alekiai subdued Gavin. The northerner then dragged Gavin to face Ricard who threatened to poison Lord Bellest with Bank Robber’s Burn, a horrible acid. What Ricard actually gave him was honey. This left Gavin confused. He barely had time to understand what happened before Ricard stabbed him in the throat and left his corpse on the street.

Appearance
Lord Bellest was a tall and thin man, with greying black hair, narrow lips, and brown eyes. In AeP 447 he was nearly sixty and his age was just beginning to catch up with him. Gavin wore two rings, one golden and stamped with an anchor for his job, the other silver ring stamped with the seal of Valrest. He also wore a light grey colored jacket emblazoned with the Kaiser's seal and an anchor over it, on his left breast and work boots.

Relations
Gavin had a wife named Marie who taught natural history at Port Thresthelm University. They had three children, Mark, Carine, and Heidi. Mark and Carine both lived in Dorlon and Heidi worked in the shipyards with her father. She and Marie were not killed alongside Gavin.

Gavin employed a militia of fifty. Despite his low rank, his favor with the Kaiser let him avoid the high militia taxes. The head of the militia and his personal guard, was a tall lanky man from the Southern Isles named Mobius. He was an expert with a bow and carried a cutlass for good measure. Mobius rarely left Gavin’s side. The Islander had a reputation for dirty tricks and violence, but was deeply loyal to Gavin. The rumors say the two met during Gavin’s days in the navy. At the time Gavin was a Captain in the Mordish Navy. He defeated a ship called Leopard Fang, and days later found one of the pirates in his hold. This pirate was Mobius and he appeared to have cut a hole in the side of Gavin’s ship to stow away, a feat that would have been impossible if Mobius couldn’t hold his breath for a long time. Gavin offered Mobius clemency in exchange for service. The pirate accepted and the two stuck together as a formidable team. In addition to being a bodyguard, Mobius functioned as an assassin and spy for Lord Bellest. Mobius was killed by Willa of the Cold Storm, during the assassination.

Powers
Gavin was extremely wealthy and connected. He had many spies in the city of Port Thresthelm and the ear of the Kaiser. Some said he was more powerful than both the Count of Quarinov and the Viceroy of the city.

Lord Bellest owned an enchanted knife. This blade was given the Tidal power. It was claimed by Alekiai after Gavin’s defeat.

List of Appearances
Campaigns Supplemental
 * 1) One Crime at a Time Session Two: Revelations
 * 2) One Crime at a Time Session Three: Honor Among Thieves (Mentioned Only)
 * 3) One Crime at a Time Session Four: Rat in the Trap
 * 1) OCaaT Supplemental: Count Shevenor’s Note