Rolande's character sheet (Patreon)

Published:

2019-06-17 09:06:05

Imported:

2021-01

Content

The ninth one. I'm tired, so this'll be short. The NSFW version has a lot more text, because two entire chapters of Rolande's story are very explicit in nature. You can find this version, along with the NSFW one on the character sheets page, available at http://www.koboldadventure.com/charsheet/index.html#rolande

One new piece of fan arthas been added. Made by Metzgeray, it shows Moe as an assassin. Go check it out! Anyway, here's the trimmed down and butchered SFW story. Way inferior to the NSFW version.

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Part one: Dragons

Dragons. Dragons are a sophisticated, shrewd, noble, and fierce species. Descending from the massive ferals of old, they are the result of millenia of crossbreeding, leading to their kind becoming far more anthropomorphic in nature. Ever since they, as a species, formed their own language, the dragons have grown to become natural leaders, acting as ambassadors, diplomats and nobles all over the world. Through the ages, they have formed a massive empire in the east, spanning untold amounts of land, all ruled by the single most powerful person in the entire world: the legendary Dragon Emperor.

So large is the realm of dragons, that there is a remarkable difference between the east, and the west of the empire. In the east, where the emperor resides, the bureaucracy reigns supreme. Cities are structured and organized. The rule of the law is absolute. Honor and duty are valued above all. Heavily armored dragon knights ride their mighty steeds throughout the land, dispensing the will of the emperor, and upholding the law on his behalf.

The further away you stray from the east, the less honor-bound dragons you will find. The inhabitants of the western half of the empire, are more focused on personal wealth and prestige, than they are concerned about following laws, or being in the right. To the average dragon in the west, the ends justify the means. This has lead to draconids as a whole being perceived as greedy and self-centered by the outside world.

To the humans especially, dragons are seen as power hungry despots. An ever-present threat, permeating the upper ranks of their society, hoarding gold, spending it only to hire assassins to stab their would-be rivals in the back. Ironic, seeing as most historians would argue that the divide between the eastern and westerns halves of the dragon empire, came into being due to contact with the humans in the first place. The humans often refused to honor their side of bargains, contracts and trade deals, thus scamming their bureaucracy-bound clients out of a great deal of money, wares and even land. The once-naive dragons simply adapted to their environment, growing conniving enough to out-trick their treacherous trading partners.

Part two: The lesser evil

While the eastern dragon realms were confederating peacefully, the kingdoms in the west were too turbulent to unite. Frequent wars and rampant treachery kept the balance of power constantly fluctuating. The humans took advantage of the infighting, applying military pressure to the isolated draconic kings, forcing them to pay tribute, or face imminent retribution. Only the emperor himself had the means to stave off a fullblown human invasion. And so, one by one, the kings flocked to the banner of the growing empire of the east, relying on the mighty imperial army to dissuade any threats of force.

The kings maintained much of their autonomy, although the constant warring amongst one another was a thing of the past. The empire's expansion did not sit well with many human lords and rulers, fostering a discontent that would last throughout the ages, further degrading the already negative disposition towards draconids in the human kingdom. A lot of people, from commoners to noblemen, openly preach their hatred for dragonkind. But still, the pompous bastards are tolerated, mostly because they run a lot of businesses vital to the proper function of many major human cities and towns and hamlets alike.

Without dragons, there would be a massive void in the upper classes of society, one not so easily filled by the mostly unschooled work force of the humans. They are farmers and peasants, labourers and builders. While there are, of course, exceptions, the majority of humans prefer to follow, instead of lead. They work the fields and bake loaves of bread, but the land, the bakery, and the store where the bread is sold are all owned by dragons, who pay wages based on how well their employees perform. Natural born rulers. And with such inherent skill, comes a great deal of envy.

In more recent days, trouble brewing in the east has occupied most of the imperial army. If the humans were to strike now, they could undoubtedly overrun several of the smaller kingdoms of the west, before the emperor even has a chance to retaliate. However, such a strategic move can not be made without consulting the king. The king, who is currently on a crusade, in a land far, far away. His absence guarantees the dragons' safety. For so long as there is no king, there can be no war.

Part three: The family

But enough about history and politics. Rolande Grabgold is an anthropomorphic dragon shopkeeper, living in the beating heart of the human kingdom: Varanar. In his store, he sells everything from food to potions to armor and even weaponry. Despite the plummeting public opinion on dragons, he's managing to make ends meet and then some. If anything, the growing mutual hatred between the two largest groups in town is beneficial to his trade, concerned citizens on both sides of the fence stocking up on supplies, fearing the shortening fuse of the social powderkeg that is Varanar, will soon run out.

Rolande grew up in a big, mixed family of both humans and dragons. When he was only a few years old, his dragon-mother had an unfortunate run-in with a few hoodlums in the wrong part of town. She did not make it out alive. His exceptionally fertile and ever-lusty draconic father refused to let the incident keep him down for long. He was quick to remarry, betrothing a pretty young human girl, almost half his age. This did not sit well, with neither the draconic, nor the human communities. Rumors emerged, claiming they met in a brothel, and that Grabgold Senior himself had ordained his first wife's demise, so he could be together with his new, money-hungry fling.

But there was little to no evidence to back up these outlandish and preposterous claims. The Grabgolds were a prestigious and powerful family. People tarnishing their good name tended to run a higher risk of getting their houses broken into, their properties ransacked, their loved ones kidnapped, theirs fields salted, and their workshops burned to the ground. Needless to say, the rumors eventually died down, along with the people too stubborn to let go of the past.

Part four: Education

As years went by, Rolande's vast count of brothers and sisters ran ever-higher. However, instead of mighty, pureblood dragons, his new siblings were crossbreeds. Humans, with slight draconic features. The man of the house did not them show the same kindness that he showed his new wife, and his older kids. Instead, he viewed them as the bastard children that they were. While Rolande was attending a fancy, dragon-exclusive school, his younger human brothers were sent to work at a few of the many operations his father ran, all across the human capital.

Grabgold Senior's appetite for locals was insatiable. During his human wife's lengthy pregnancies, he'd often visit local brothels. Heck, even when Rolande's step-mom was not waiting to give birth to a new half-breed child, his father would often go on late-night walks, only to return the morning after with lipstick smeared across his face. It's not like his wife cared too much. She was simply enjoying the luxuries that came with being married to a rich, hunky dragon, even if that meant near-constant pregnancy.

Rolande himself was a bit of an introvert. Too engrossed in books and studying to care much for his eccentric father's latest escapades. Unlike his draconic siblings, who were more than happy to coast along on daddy's impressive hoard of gold, he wanted to make something of himself. To branch away from the family, and start his own business. To become a man in his own right, instead of remaining nothing more than his father's son, for the rest of his life.

So, after finishing his lenghty and thorough education, Rolande gathered the courage to respectfully request a small loan from his father, so he could start his own enterprise. He feared the old man would get upset, that one of his good sons wanted to stray away from the family business. But, instead, Goldgrab Senior was more than understanding of his own son's plight. A long time ago, he, too, started out by asking his own father for some starting funds. In Rolande, he saw himself.

Part five: Branching off

The young entrepreneur was provided not only with a sizable capital, but also with a storefront, located at the busiest street in all of Varanar: the grand avenue. Stretching from the eastern city gate, all the way to the largest of the town squares, where the bi-weekly market took place, it was always jam-packed with tourists and merchants alike. The perfect place to set up shop.

Rolande made a few deals with local blacksmiths to procure weapons and pieces of armor at a discount. Not the best stuff, but it was in decent enough shape to be sold at a reasonable price. Negotiating with foreign trade caravans, he secured a line of exotic wares. A winery, owned by his father, could provide spirits for sale. Weak stuff, since real drinks were illegal to sell outside of taverns and inns. Finally, a trip to the hamlet just outside of the city walls, ensured that his store would never run dry of food to sell.

The young dragon was all set. But, he was about to discover that running a store in the busiest part of Varanar, especially as a dragon, was not as easy as he had hoped it would be. Competition was cut-throat, some of the locals lowering prices to unsustainable margins, in an effort to drive the newcomer out before he managed to properly establish himself. But, unbeknownst to Rolande, he had an ally in this unspoken war.

His father was closely monitoring his son's venture. He wanted to see the boy succeed, almost as much as Rolande wanted to make something of himself. So, without his son's knowing, he had a few stern talks with some of the suppliers of the other grand avenue stores. Grabgold Senior was a very persuasive man. Needless to say, their rates went up. Way up.

Part six: Blissful ignorance

With other stores failing to fill their racks, Rolande's business flourished. But, his father was nothing, if not a reasonable man. He did not want to see half the city go out of business. He merely wanted his son to have a fighting chance. So, Grabgold Senior became a middleman between suppliers, and stores. He bought good at the old, cheap rates, and sold them for just a little bit more than what they used to go for. This way, Rolande could undercut the competition, while he himself could earn a pretty penny or two.

Everybody won. Or, well, everyone except for the other stores, who were forced to raise their prices ever so slightly. But still, they were able to continue to operate, a fact they were grateful for. Grabgold Senior had saved them from certain doom. It was mutually understood, that the collective merchants of Varanar owed the old dragon a favor. And so, Rolande was invited into the merchants' guild, an elite group consisting of the owners of a select few establishments, vital to cultivating commerce in the city of Varanar.

The young dragon accepted his invitation with pride. He was still under the naive assumption that he had accomplished all of this by himself. He had wisely picked local tradesman to supply his store, instead of importing goods from elsewhere. That's why his stuff was unaffected by the price hike! Due to his clever business tactics, he was invited into the guild. None of the merchants had the heart to tell him the truth.

Part seven: Wine

With his store a roaring success, Rolande learned a lesson that he had only read about in history books: with wealth, comes decadence. A quick taste-test of the weak wine he sold, soon turned into a glass per day, which in turn became a bottle at dinner. While he was never much of a people person, the dragon began to join the other merchants on their routine bar-trips after guild meetings. The joys of life awakened something inside of him. Something that had been missing for all these years.

Alas, the rest of this tale is too indecent to tell. To even insinuate that his son would, eventually, end up in several close relationships with his very customers, would be to risk the ire of Grabgold Senior. If you wish to hear the rest of Rolande's story, perhaps you should find a less reputable place for it to be shared. One with fewer prying eyes, where lewdities are commonplace.