Biography of
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hile slowly overcoming the tragic loss of his parents a year after his marriage (mostly in part to
the loving and supportive care of his wife Salenna) the young couple moved forward with their
lives and fell away from Snome family matters and responsibilities. While initially outraged at the
lack of commitment to the business that Arrabas had patiently raised Jorel into, his Grandfather
did little to intervene with the couple’s desires. Arrabas wrongfully assumed that Jorel was still
mourning the death of his parents, and would eventually return to the fold. But that was not to be
the case. Far from it. Rather, the couple began their dream to start a family, and seek fame and
fortune that they could call their own. Their first task was to make themselves independent of the
family holdings. It was here where Salenna took the initiative. Using her knowledge of scribing
and the copying of books and written texts and combining that with Jorel’s instincts of commerce
and finance, the two took the gamble to start a small business within the bustle of Waterdeep’s
Castle Ward. That first year was difficult, with all of the couple’s money and savings invested in
the slow, sporadic operation they had founded. But slowly, the couple made a name and place
for themselves; contracting with the City’s Administrative Branch and the Guild of Scribes. But
by the end of that first year, by sheer genius on the part of Saleena, an exclusive deal was struck
with The Order of Magists and Protectors; the Mages Guild of the City. This agreement brought
prosperity to the couple, and would eventually lead to an honourable reputation for their small
business. A boon that made the couple successful and happy. During this time, Jorel slowly
learned the skills of the trade, always under the careful and patient eyes of his beloved wife. But
the couple also learned humility when they learned that Salenna was unable to bear children; a
distressing revelation. But that was accepted by Salenna, if not so easily by Jorel. Salenna
made it an important point that they be thankful for what they had and for each other. Due to her
insistence, following that revelation, she made a point that the couple make offerings and give
prayer at the Shrine of Oghma, feeling that they must give back for the rewards and blessings
that had been bestowed upon them. Jorel, not being an overly religious man at that time, made it
his duty to honour his wife’s wishes and so the couple made regular visits and contributions.
ver the next few years, the couple lived happily, even though there continued to be random
deaths within the family hierarchy; an odd fate that while painful, did not touch the couple
directly. Even with their desire for children denied by the fates, they found other means to make
their lives meaningful, often by improving their business and reputation within the community of
scholars and scribes, and with several of the Guilds of Waterdeep. As their duties and
responsibilities within the city grew, there became less time for travel and family matters or for
personal pleasure and enjoyment. Thus, for their 5th anniversary, they made the time for a
vacation, and took a special trip to Calimshan, with an indirect stopover within the walls of
Candlekeep. That was a highlight that the couple reveled in, having been granted special
visitation by a letter of recommendation from Lady Mhair Szeltune, the resident Guild Master of
the Order of Magist and Protectors of Waterdeep. While limited in their time, the couple were
overwhelmed and learned many important aspects that would come to improve their vocation.
And as a whole, the vacation proved to be a welcome change for the couple. Upon their return,
they used much of the knowledge they had gleamed from their vacation and from Candlekeep to
good practice. With that behind them, life continued to bode well for the two, and for the next
8 years, it was a time of happiness, joy and continued prosperity. But that was to quickly change when
the fall of the Gods struck in 326 NR. Commonly referred to as "The Time of Troubles", this was
to become a chaotic and terrible time. A time when the gods themselves were cast down from
their divine status by the unbeknownst overgod, Ao and when magic itself became uncertain and
unpredictable; simple spells often ending in catastrophic results. Greatly weakened in power, and
forced to walk amongst mortals, the avatars of the Gods were forbade to return to their powerful
immortal status until they learned humility. Growing bored, and learning of their mortality, they
wreaked havoc upon the lands and warred amongst themselves, attempting to destroy their
enemies and usurp power from the others of their kind they faced or cornered and caring little for
the lives of the mortals whom they commanded and herded as cattle. This war between Good and Evil
often caused great devastation wherever it reached. It was this period that became the
blackest and darkest hours in Jorel’s life, as this war amongst the gods touched Waterdeep later
that year.
t was to become a great shock and disaster to the city of Waterdeep. For unknown reasons,
only later to be discerned and realized, the city held far more significance in the battle of the
gods than any could know at that time; for it had been chosen for hiding one of the three known
"Celestial Stairways"; the other two, hidden across Faerûn within the locales of Shadowdale and
Tantras. These were significant items placed in the realms by the great Overgod Ao for the
purpose of allowing the avatars to climb to the heavens and resume their rightful places as
omnipotent and powerful immortals at the proper time; following the recovery of the Tablets of
Fate. These two tablets, mischievously and secretly stolen by a triumvirate of gods, Myrkul,
Bhaal and Bane, listed the names of all the Gods, their powers, responsibilities and duties.
The theft was the purpose of the Gods infirmity and banishment to the face of Faerûn.
Enraged by the theft and the insolence to his dictates, the Overgod punished each of the gods
themselves and refused forgiveness until the tablets were recovered. This is what unwittingly
caused the Godswar. The city of Waterdeep, as for the rest of Toril, rocked with chaos because
of these events. Due to the retrieval of one of the tablets, (brought to Waterdeep by a band of
heroes who had recovered it), and the appearance of the avatar of the god Myrkul within the city,
(whom wished to recover it from this band of heroes whom had taken it from it’s hiding place within his
realm), a rift to Hades was inadvertently opened and an great army of evil denizens under the
command of Myrkul himself, wreaked havoc upon the citizens and structures of the city.
Overwhelmed by the hordes of evil denizens lurking about the city, the forces of good did battle,
a bloody and costly battle where the fate of Waterdeep and all Toril hung in the balance. A
force of three thousand city guardsmen, watchmen, hastily mustered militia and hired
mercenaries, Force Grey, The Elite Griffon Riders, and the Wizards of the Watchful Order
attempted to defeat the evil assault and turn the tide of destruction. Eventually the battle was
won. Meanwhile, the brave group of adventurers whom possessed the second tablet of fate met
and faced the avatar of Myrkul. After a pitched battle, they proved victorious, defeating the evil
god. But following the destruction of the avatar of Myrkul in the battle, an evil, murky fog settled
across the city, (the legacy of Myrkul) slowly settling to the ground. Wherever it touched, trees
and plants turned brown and withered, life was smothered, and people choked and died. It was a
terrible means to great death. Many more casualties resulted from this doom than through the
pitched battles fought within the city itself. And as if cursed yet again, the Snome family faced
another loss; one more close to home and devastating; Saleena, Jorel’s greatest love, his reason
for being, and his faithful and honoured wife became one of the many unfortunate victims of the
deadly plague. And upon the realization of his eternal loss, Jorel succumbed to a state of sorrow
and misery, entering the darkest and bleakest moments of his life.
ollowing the end of the devastation and the return of the Gods to their rightful place, the
Time of Troubles came to a close. But Jorel had much hardship yet before him. Unknowing what
to do next, and filled will sorrow, he fell into a terrible depression and remorse for the loss of his
wife. Finding no further means for living and unable to deal with the pain and sorrow, he fell into
a state of continuous, drunken misery. Taking solace with drink, he used such to forget the pain
and slowly squandered away everything that the couple had built with their lives; his life falling
deeper and deeper into ruining chaos. Such was a trying time, for he lived in a state of near
constant drunkenness. For almost a year, he lived in such a state. It did not take long for things
to fall into nothingness. First, the business went...being sold off in bits and pieces. Contracts
were lost and business ties severed. After that, came the selling of their home and all of its
contents as the city took everything on behalf of those who demanded collection of his debts.
Practically everything was sold to pay off his drinking debts as well as the debts outstanding to
his creditors and the neglected legal obligations. His grandfather, disgusted by Jorel's state of
mind and weary of his disheveled notoriety, refused to assist with the payment of such debts,
and abandoned what meager chance Jorel had for being considered heir to the family patronage.
Today, the only item he has from his former life that survived the mass liquidation is his beloved
tankard...the very gift Saleena had given him during the celebration of their wedding fest,
inscribed with her eternal vows of loyalty. Once all was done, Jorel had nothing left to call his
own and was forced to take residence with his brother and sister in law and their family in the
spring of 328 NR. For a time, he managed to improve his standing, drinking less and attempting
to look forward. But what occurred during the celebration of Midsummer in 328 NR, something
that even to this day remains something he does not claim or try to understand, changed his life
and had a resounding impact on the course he would follow for the rest of it.
Back to the Courtyard.
