Character concept by Luke Parish, all rights reserved.

Architect of FireStorm
Var Gauf

Current Status: Summer, 1331 Avard. Reed continues to serve as Lok Magius' master of information. He also acts as the head-mistress Brin's secretary, though some feel Reed may be the true master of Lok Magius. As such, he stays in contact with the other members of FireStorm: Ta'Crae Sandrider, Kaisume Setatoro, Commodore Seamus, Jandor Firelight, Gundar, Ahira Bandylegs, Genecelot Foresthene, Malkir, Kelmok Nightstrider, Genesee Shalamarteen, and Lilac.

A man of lean build and a hard face, he gives the impression of barely contained energy, patiently waiting to erupt. He wears black trousers and boots, as well as a black shirt that covers his torso down to the black gloves on his hands. On a bandoleer expertly hidden beneath his vest are nasty-looking black daggers. To detract from the black daggers, and give the appearance of normalcy, he keeps a regular eating dagger in his belt, and another throwing dagger in one of his boots. His brown hair is kept cut very short and faded, and his eyes change color with his moods – and sometimes, at will. Only an expert could hear that his boot heels are hollow, or know that there are retractable blades built into his boot toes, or note that he wears garrote rings on his fingers.

Kieth grew up on the streets of the Holy City of Karmen, working for the small-time crime lord known as Kavrun. He earned the nick-name “Reed” because of his dirty fighting style, bending out of an opponents reach and making his weapon appear as little more effective than a long reed. He also used a highly lethal poison known as dalath, imported from the distant Laekenala Jungles. Kavrun was bought out by a powerful trading syndicate, and Reed was sent to the syndicate's headquarters to detail them on Kavrun's resources and people. Too late, Reed realized that the syndicate operated on the other side of the world, and he spent nine long months at sea, before arriving at the trading syndicate – Gideon Enterprises' headquarters at Thayer's Rock in Rakore. The letters that Reed had been ferrying basically handed him over to GE, and the thief only cared that he was paid more.

One of his assignments was to infiltrate Vridara, and find a rumored mage in that nation. Reed later found out that it would also be a test of his servitude to the Inquisition, and to GE. Reed found the mage, a girl named Brin, and began the long and arduous task of saving her life from the Inquisitor nation. Barely escaping to Rakore, he became her guardian, for he knew her better than anyone. One careless mistake nearly cost the mage her life, when Reed accidentally left one of his poison vials in the bath. The half-elven woman used every bath oil and soap except for the poison by sheer luck, and the incident left the thief shaken. His burgeoning romance with the mage shook his world, and he vowed never to use poison again. A subtle change in attitude turned him from an uncaring and wild little rogue, into a lethal defensive machine. He took up the ancient mantra of the var gauf, and became a powerful proponent of Gideon Enterprises, Rakore, and freedom for all mages. In so doing, he earned the title 'Architect of FireStorm'. He and Brin were among its first members.

When Lok Magius was founded, Reed was right there behind Mistress Brin as she became known, standing in the shadows. Since then, he has been her faithful servant, while still keeping an eye on the pulse of FireStorm and intelligence operations in Rakore, occasionally speaking with his one-time master at GE.

Reed has the quiet confidence of a lethal veteran. His color-changing eyes sweep over everything, missing little, though they bear a brooding, smoldering mood. Reed waits for the unthinkable to happen at every turn of the way, preparing against everything he can, to better protect Brin. Though he vowed never to use poison again, he saves the last two daggers with dalath poison on them against the day when desperation calls for a violation of oaths. His pensive moods also prevent him from expressing his affection for Brin, and he definitely seems not to get along with her familiar, a parrot named Oliver. Though if push came to shove, he would save the parrot – for Brin. Reed speaks Common, elven, Vridaran, thieves' cant, and Sholin.

3rd-Level Slate Var Gauf
STR 14, DEX 18, CON 14, INT 16, WIS 11, CHA 9
AC 4, THAC0 18, HP 17
WPs: Expertise in thrown daggers, Bridelan style (hand-to-hand), 2nd-level Fugohan style.
NWPs: Read/write: Common (secondary skill), tumbling, rope use, tightrope walking, seamanship, falling, jumping, spellcraft, prestidigitation.
Thieving Skills: OL 43%, F/RT 10%, MS 90%, HS 95%, CW 75%, DN 45%.