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By Steve Gorman

The bastard son of a vacationing merchant house leader and Hakoanio (raft person) captain, Croix was left in Alabbir at the Ocean Blue resort. Raised by resort staff in an act of charity, Croix had a relatively happy childhood all things considered.

Croix joined the Church of Indolle at a young age, as a bodyguard to help repay the kindness that he was shown as a child. His youthful dream of opening an orphanage drove his early life. He was put in the charge of Far Isle's leading priestess of Indolle, Imana Terris, to serve as her bodyguard and servant. Eventually he fell in love with the kind priestess. It was his only secret from her and currently his greatest regret in life.

While on a pilgrimage to Valorilong to meet with the priests of Aghorrit, Imana's group was ambushed by a small but very powerful group of mercenaries. Their goal seemed to be the death of Imana. Croix was struck down easily by a wizard's sleep spell. He retained consciousness only long enough to see the commander of the ambushers, a man with a false nose made of silver, decapitate Imana. Right or wrong, to this day Croix believes the killers were part of an evil faction of Aghorrit's followers who wanted to prevent the joining of forces between Indolle and Aghorrit's good factions in Valorilong.

Left for dead, Croix's only thoughts were of betrayal. How could Indolle forsake the truly devout Imana?

Croix left the service of the priesthood determined to train until he never would have to rely on anyone, man or god, for help again. For a time he wandered aimlessly, and in his grief the ghosts of the dead priestess and her companions again assaulted him. Only when he was drunk could he avoid the ghosts of his past.

One day he heard tell of a wise Morakki man in the Aynayjor Mountains who had established a monastery dedicated to teaching Westerners the Morakki way of attaining mastery over mind and body. Seeking, perhaps, the means to expel the ghosts and grief from his mind, he determined to find the man and learn the Morakki ways. The old man listened to Croix's story and accepted him into training.

While at the monastery, Croix was forbidden alcohol, and his personal ghosts threatened to drive him insane, but for the kindly attention of a student at the monastery named Amhalla. Like a big sister, Amhalla worked with Croix and comforted him and talked with him and, with her help and his training, he was able to fend off the ghosts.

After a time, however, Amhalla's training was completed, and she left the monastery to return to her home, House Riverine in Dwillingir. Even though she had departed, her training and kindness had steeled Croix against his grief and he knew peace.

It was the day he learned of Amhalla's death that the voices returned and the grief of old washed over him, this time augmented by Amhalla's death as well. Croix quickly finished his training and bade his master to guide him. But the master only told Croix that he must battle his own inner demons. That no one else could do it for him.

Croix set out to Dwillingir. Ostensibly to learn how Amhalla had died and to perhaps avenge her death, possibly laying her ghost to rest in so doing. Upon learning of her death in a battle with orcs at the dwarven city of Nirzumbil, Croix sought to at least try to fill her shoes for House Riverine. Perhaps by doing so…by taking on her unfinished tasks…he could provide Amhalla's spirit with some measure of rest.

But other spirits haunt him as well. He now speaks to Imana daily, believing that her spirit has clung to him because of his love and that she was not supposed to be done with this life. He believes she was destined to be Indolle's spiritual leader in the Far Coast and that her death ripped her rightful destiny from her.

He does not know if the ghosts are real or if he is losing his mind, but either way he is a man plagued by his past.

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