Testla Ravenheart

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Testla Ravenheart was born in the tiny Gnome village of Zurich, in the Kingdom of Harquin. He eventually left home and joined an isolated temple of Garl Glittergold. One day, Testla was given a mission to help a band of Centaur druids rid their forest of undead, accompanied by several of his kin. Testla and the Centaur fought valiantly, scarring the Lich who controlled the undead horde with a shower of holy water. However, they were simply outnumbered, and many Gnomes were slain. Testla was forced to retreat. Still remembering the carnage, Testla swore vengeance against the undead, vowing to kill the Lich who brought death to his comrades. For his bravery he was awarded a riding dog; a St. Bernard which he named 'Harvenger', after his dear friend (and brother to his childhood sweetheart, Abigale), Harven Skyroot. While tracking down his Lich nemesis, Testla stumbled upon the rest of the Old Heroes of Fallow by chance, and joined them.

The Ring of Three Wishes

While trekking through the Desert of a Thousand Curses, Testla discovered a ring embedded with 3 sparkling rubies. Each of these rubies granted a single wish, but the ring was also cursed. Testla was cursed to love the ring above all things, and he could not make a wish, for one of his precious rubies would vanish. Testla jealously guarded the ring, until the day he could use it.

The Ritual of Lichdom

After the coming of Veralith, and the onset of the darkness, Testla knew that he would not survive the coming cold, so he found a Holy Lich that he had met earlier in his travels, and undertook the ritual to become a Holy Lich himself, binding his soul to the accursed ring, sacrificing his humanity (or Gnomanity, rather) for the good of mankind, and also to fulfill his vow of revenge against the Lich who killed his friends from the temple. Having lost his mortality, Testla became immune to the curse of his Ring of Three Wishes. He then wished for the following: 1) A bag of infinite gold (It only produced 1 gp per day). 2) The ability to change his appearance (primarily so no one would know of his undead condition). 3) To give Harvenger the ability to teleport anywhere (including different planes). After using up all of the wishes, Testla replaced the rubies with diamonds, and proposed to Abigale Skyroot. Testla and Abigale were married within a month (They never bore children because Testla is a Gnome and Abigale is a Halfling. Also, Testla is a Holy Lich: I don't think his reproductive organs would work). 'Abigale, as long as you wear this ring, I will never leave you.' said Testla, slipping the ring on her finger. Abigale fell under the ring's bewitching curse. She would never remove the ring from her finger. She would take it to her grave.

After many battles and years of strife, the Old Heroes fought Veralith, and Testla delivered the killing blow, sacrificing himself in an explosion of radiant energy. Testla's body was not found.

Weeks after the death of Verilith, Abigale Skyroot paced worriedly across the floor, fondling her wedding ring. She turned to continue pacing when she felt someone grab her hand. She turned to see Testla standing before her.

A few days after Testla's return, he left home to finish one loose end. He went in search of the Lich who killed his friends nearly 30 years ago. Using the Lich's scars on it's arms and face, Testla had a mage scry for the Lich. Riding on Harvenger's back, Testla flashed in, slashing at undead minions as he went, scattering them with rays of holy light. He dismounted Harvenger and charged at the Lich. A brief battle ensued, Raising his Holy Avenger for the coup de grac, Testla deactivated his illusory mask, reveiling his undead visage. 'Did you think you could kill one of you own?!' Testla yelled as he dispatched the Lich. He scried for the item the Lich's lifeforce was bound to, retrieved it, and destroyed it. 'It is done!' said Testla. 'Finally, I can rest...'

After slaying the Lich, Testla began his official retirement and lived a life ofleisure. Together, with Harven Skyroot, he wrote a book detailing the Testlinian Dogma, titled, 'The Adventures of Skyraven Rootheart'. He also built a vault deep underground; a vault with no entrance and no exit (unless of course you have a blink dog). Inside, he hid all of his treasures and hung the bag of infinite gold upside down inside the vault. It has been producing on gp a day ever since.

Briefly coming out of retirement, Testla was visited by adventurers claiming to be from the future. They explained that The demon prince the Undead, Orcus, and the god of lies and undead, Vecna, were conspiring to absorb Verilith's untapped power, and to kill the Raven Queen and steal her power, taking over the domain of death. The Old heroes united once more, going into the future to slay Orcus. Vecna was defeated,thoroughlybeaten by Testla, his plan ruined. All seemed to be well until Zook stole Veralith's power to become the new god of shadow.