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Info - Bruce Coldwell
Oct. 15th, 2034 08:02 pm
Bruce Coldwell
— Dungeons & Dragons: Descent into Avernus —
"Not a one of us is a tragic fellow."
Other Physical Traits.
Brucie has something of a 'Thousand Yard Stare' and he tends to dress like he's a wasteland drifter(because he is).
IC Permissions.
Background.
Bruce Coldwell (I didn't realize until much later that it sounded like Bruce Campbell) is an orphan of the Sword Coast of Faerun in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. Raised in Beregost's local orphanage, he found out quickly that he had to make himself useful or he'd be turned out on the street and starve. Learning how to hunt from a few traders, he'd earned enough and learned how to read before eventually moving to Baldur's Gate and conscripting for the Flaming Fist as a book-keeper's assistant since he was diligent enough to keep up with their demands and eventually gained his own spot and residency in the city as a citizen.
In the events of Descent Into Avernus, a Flaming Fist captain forcibly recruits him into field work with a number of other civilians under the threat that he would be executed if he declined. Throughout the campaign, Bruce worked with a group of adventurers who were similarly pushed to work for the Flaming Fist before they eventually were given one last threat by their Captain: To descend into Avernus and rescue the city of Elturel from damnation after it had been pulled in by an unknown disaster.
Though Captain Zodge's efforts to gain renown by taking credit for the adventurer's efforts would surely give him what he wanted, the many threats lodged against them built up resentment that deepened when they were convinced to go through that portal. Throughout his journey, Bruce worked with devils, befriended monsters and turned himself inside-out all in the hopes that he could help the people of Elturel and return to Faerun so he could murder Captain Zodge for forcing him into that damnable adventure.
*Spoilers for Descent Into Avernus*
Avernus was a test for Bruce and his fellow adventurers. Each one of them had enough experience to survive in combat so they were able to endure a few hardships going in but there were losses. Their group was able to secure the Sword of Zariel through a number of deals with devils and great treks through Avernus to significant places that would allow them to unlock a deific creature's memories and connect them to Zariel--the one ultimately responsible for Elturel's fall and a fallen angel turned devil. Their hope was to either defeat or convert Zariel back to being an angel, which seemed like a hopeless task to Bruce.
After making deals with numerous devils, they gained the most favor from Mephistopheles and Bel who lent their aid to them in the final conflict with Zariel. A paladin in their ranks took hold of the Sword of Zariel once they found it and, to Bruce's horror, his mind was wiped and replaced with a new personality through Zariel's former divinity which allowed them to reach Zariel in her fortress and confront her directly.
Their group was in conflict. Some wanted to kill Zariel and some wished to save her. Bruce wanted to end her life given every cruelty he'd learned about her in their time in Avernus. In their final battle, the ones in favor of saving her were able to talk her down and allowed her a chance to redeem herself from her fall. Zariel lost her fiendish appearance and regained her divine power, leaving a vacancy in Avernus that was shortly filled by Bel. The paladin who took Zariel's sword wasn't able to regain his freedom of mind and was instead made into a divine attendant to serve under Zariel as an angel.
As Zariel went to remove the spell that had kept Elturel bound to Avernus, Asmodeus himself came before them to praise them for helping in sewing chaos that would keep the blood war continuing in chaotic fervor even longer as a result of their excessive actions in working for so many devils in direct conflict with one another.
Bruce, as well as the rest of the group, declined Asmodeus' offer to be made into an arch-devil to replace Zariel in governing the war in Avernus. Instead, he returned to Faerun, markedly different from the person he used to be and worse off for it. Zariel gifted him with a feather from her wings in promise that she would come to his aid if he ever needed it. He's unable to discard the feather, finding it will always return to his possession no matter how much he loathes her. His story ends with the town of Elturel celebrating their return and with him promising that he'd kill Captain Zodge... who sent missive, promising he would visit Elturel to reward the group handsomely for their efforts.
Personality.
Bruce can best be described as a particularly bleak and sardonic person upfront, dragging his feet in any given social interaction. His ideal night's accessories to relax are a strong drink, a game of poker with peanuts, a long and hot bath and a warm bed to sink into afterwards. Particularly sly out of necessity, he takes copious notes about supernatural creatures in his Unending Journal and is in a constant state of 'survival prep' in which he'll readily bribe, beg and make deals with just about anyone to guarantee he'll make it to the next day.
Outwardly, and at the start of most conversations, he's very polite and formal as he prefers to present himself as rational even when upset. In the moment, his approach to any situation is to feign indifference and, when confronted with hostility, to withdraw in any way possible. Overall, Bruce is a very negative person and copes with stress by lying and deflecting when at all possible. For a number of years, he lied about having a wife and child out of Baldur's Gate to avoid being wrangled into gatherings when he worked for the Flaming Fist and would make up stories about family events to give the impression that he was better adjusted while spending a lot of time by himself in the quiet section of bars.
He can be a very sullen and bitter person towards anyone who blames others for their shortcomings, thinking that every action one takes is their own personal responsibility. It's foundational to who he used to be--that being quiet and unassuming is the most certain way to protect one's self. He used to believe keeping his head down would protect him in life until he met Zodge, coming to believe that some people were simply meant to be used by others.
He'd a diligent record-keeper and kept a great deal of notes about various devils and their deals in his ledger. While he used to be a particularly quiet and easily scared fellow, he was taught quickly that cowardice and straying from violent options among infernal company was suicidal. He now knows to 'Swing first'.
Brucie would fight the urge to ever say as much but he likes people who take own up to their own actions whether they're good or evil or they had the best or worst intentions. He'll support them from start to finish, assuring them that he's perfectly fine doing the horrible things for them if they need doing.
Other Details.
Brucie is a Gloomstalker Ranger and Inquisitive Rogue. He's got a bunch of magic items but eh...
