Post by sacoroth on Jul 27, 2012 15:50:12 GMT -5
Background:
Cadman Datten was born to a camp follower of the White Stag mercenary troop originally stationed out of Silverymoon. His mother often sold her services to the men of the camp, and out of one such agreement, Cadman was born. Never having known his father, their being too many possibilities out of the men his mother had done business with; Cadman took on his mother’s last name.
Cadman was quickly abandoned to the mercenary company by his mother once he was capable of walking as well as having a decent verbal repertoire at the age of 6, as she had other priorities in her life in order to provide for herself. As a toddler in the company, most of his first years revolved around following the troop, taking orders from the elder children who taught him the use of several instruments which were used to boost morale and set a cadence when the White Stag trekked out to a new assignment.
During these younger years, Cadman was often used to entertain his elders with drinking games, which would quickly deteriorate him in to a drunken stupor at his young age. Just as often, Cadman was sent off to try and woo women on the soldiers’ behalves to entertain them as well as give them an opening to talking to these women. Much of Cadman’s social behaviors which are loathed by those who do not know him, his drunken debauchery, often stem from these years in the camp.
As he grew, Cadman became more prominent as a young member of the troop, becoming a senior member of the instruments for the troop, receiving regular lessons on weapons manipulation, and when on assignment, being used as a messenger to relay messages between commanders or the troop and its clients.
As Cadman entered his mid-teenage years, he was made in to a full-fledged soldier of the White Stag, placed in to a squad of soldiers and in to a life he’d been getting ready for since childhood. Shortly after his promotion as a full member of the company, the White Stag was handed a rather large sum of gold for a new contract to patrol the lands outside the perimeter of Citadel Adbar against orc threats.
Several months in to their patrol assignment, word was passed down from the White Stag leadership that the company was to foray in to orcish held lands in order to assess the recent lack of orc activity near the citadel. During this patrol in to enemy territory, the company found little resistance for the first two days. Upon the third day, the company came upon a heavily fortified orcish encampment.
The White Stag made camp outside the encampment and began to prepare siege equipment, seeing little activity inside the encampment, it was decided that it was best to be rid of the threat before returning to the Citadel. However, as the sun rose the next day, the company found itself stuck between the fortified encampment and a large orc force, appearing to have returned from recent raids. A battle ensued, and the White Stag attempted to take up a defensive stance and slowly move out of the area.
As they attempted to leave the region while under heavy combat, more orc raiding parties arrived, cutting off all chances for the company to escape. Cadman as well as other younger members of the troop were given several mounts as well as given care of the children of the company in order to attempt to punch through the enemy lines and try to contact outside assistance. Cadman as well as two other company men and several children were able to get out of the encirclement, one of the two other men later dying to pursuing orc war parties.
Upon arriving at Citadel Adbar, the dwarven leadership was notified. While some few other survivors trickled back to the safety of the Citadel after escaping the battle, a scouting party was sent out to assess the remainder of the White Stag, but found nothing but carnage upon the battlefield and it was decided that the company had been lost with no chance of recovery.
Deciding there were no prospects left for him in Citadel Adbar, Cadman left for Silverymoon in order to find yet another mercenary company to join. The story of the battle had already reached ears of the White Stag’s competing mercenary troops by the time Cadman arrived in the city. He found himself condemned, having already been branded the reputation of a likely coward after being one of the few survivors left of his company, and so found his services unwanted wherever he went.
Attempting to forget his misery for the next several months, Cadman went from tavern to tavern in Silverymoon, drinking his troubles away as well as what coins he had left. One day in one such tavern, Cadman began talking to a barmaid, whom he at first was simply trying to bed, but who he learned had come to despise her work for her father. The woman, Fiona, quickly came to the conclusion that Cadman and herself would be better served to start their own mercenary company. He at first agreed, still of the mind of attempting to bed her, but instead over the next several years, the two established a reputation as hired swords, and later gained yet another hand with a priest of Tempus, Kenneth, who joined their cause and solidified their faith.
After their first several years, the troop came to the conclusion that they should move south, and decided upon Cormyr as a good destination. Upon their arrival, they gathered some work from several different clients and began establishing themselves. However, with recent strife with other members of the company, Cadman has shifted towards freelancing mercenary work on his own. Problems with the troop having escalated, he has even begun to question his faith in Tempus and several choices in his life. Whether he remains on the path he has followed for the better part of his life has yet to be determined as his mind races with thoughts of different possibilities to gain wealth and reputation in these new lands.