Silvius of Innspa

Silvius was a half-elf bard, raised by his human mother in the town of Innspa and the surrounding forest. From a young age, he was immersed in music and song, learning bits of magic from the elves, druids, and others he encountered in the forest. His mother, who never spoke of his elvan father, had always told him that his father was a charismatic man with a dark side.

Despite his mother’s reluctance to discuss his father, Silvius always suspected that his father was a drow, one of the dark elves who lived in the depths of the forest. He knew that his father’s dark side was the reason he was no longer around, and this fueled his hatred of the drow. Surviving in Innspa with only his single mother was hard on Silvius. Although through the grace of Ilmater and the temple, Silvius learned to embrace the light and darkness.

As he grew older, Silvius’s reputation as a musician and storyteller grew, and he became known throughout the region for his music and songs. His tales of adventure and bravery, although exaggerated, made him something of a folk hero amongst the humans and elves of Innspa. He continued is dedication to Ilmater and the mission to help those that are broken and guide others through the shadows.

Despite his reputation, Silvius was not untested in battle, having fought in numerous conflicts over the years. His skills as a bard and his mastery of magic, which he learned from the College of Lore, made him a formidable opponent on the battlefield.

The nobles of Innspa and the surrounding region sought out Silvius for the battle agasint the giants, knowing he would record the stories so they would be forever in the annals of history. They knew if the team survived that this tales, if properly told, would be remembered for generations to come, and would be a permanent part of the history of not just Innspa, but Greyhawk as well.

Silvus, along with all of Innspa, was impacted by the previous wars. During the Greyhawk Wars, the Northern Army launched a widespread attack on various realms, including Innspa and Almor. In response, Nyrond assembled the largest force in its history, leaving crops to wither and bandits to roam free. In order to contain Ivid’s armies, Nyrond signed the Eastern Pact of Alliance with various allies, but the Theocracy of the Pale refused due to Nyrond’s “heresies.” As a result, the Scarlet Brotherhood was able to take control of Idee and Onnwal. Meanwhile, Irongate and Sunndi were too geographically isolated and embroiled in their own struggles to offer assistance under the Pact.

As the war raged on, Almor was eventually defeated, and by the end of 584 CY, Nyrond was relying on aid from the Urnst States. When Ivid V was assassinated and then reanimated, the resulting massacres in the Great Kingdom prompted Archbold, the leader of Nyrond, to launch counterattacks against the Army of the North between Womtham and Innspa. However, these attacks were hindered by the political chaos and lack of support. Herzog Grenell, the leader of the North Province, rebelled against the Overking in an attempt to stop Nyrond, and together with the orcs of the Bone March, he was able to halt the Nyrondese armies in the Flinty Hills. Although Archbold was unable to advance further against the combined armies, he refused to break off his assault. Meanwhile, the South Province also seceded, resulting in the fragmentation of the Great Kingdom.

The Greyhawk Wars took a heavy toll on Nyrond, with an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 people killed in battle and a significant financial cost that led to heavy taxes. Approximately 120,000 people also fled the realm in search of work or safety.

Silvius, having fought in the Greyhawk wars and living through the pain of their aftermath, is determined to stop the war with the giants before it expands and tell the tale as a warning to othres that there are heroes who will stop future attemps at ruining the peace.