Interview with a Gok

Aurora Steelwind

This interview was performed while on adventure on the Plane of Rue, around the campfire after dinner.

Lets start with a brief description of Gok. (Insert picture if possible)

I am a tall male Elf, average looks, long dark hair. Bronze dragon skin armor, Star-silver hand and 1/2 sheathed over shoulder, Main-Gauche sheathed at side, Long Black cloak.

When and why did you join the Seagate adventurers Guild?

I am 450 – I came to the guild in 799AP by the Western reckoning. I had an, err, parting of ways with my Grove. The guild seemed a logical place to... resolve the dilemma which I was left. I seek the gateless gate.

Could you elaborate on this 'Gateless Gate' and why you seek it?

There is among the Elves knowledge of many ways. Some of these ways lead to great power and also darkness, such things are better not spoken of but the demons and maybe even the dragons before them sort such power and were corrupted. However other ways lead to different ends.

There was a belief among my people that madness in an individual was a community event. That the individual had been gifted the madness of the community in order that it find clear expression and healing. Thus enlightenment for the community could be uncovered through the suffering and eventual triumph of the individual who is acknowledged though out as a gifted seer.

I could not tolerate such a view, why should I bear their madness though I. So I came to Seagate – where rampant individualism reigns. The way of the gateless gate is an Elven way though it is not the way of my people. It is also, I have found, not the way of the Vampires who are in reality no better than the demons or the dragons.

Ah. So .. The Gateless Gate is another term for Seagate. Anyway ... Moving on ...I understand you are a Celestial Shadow Mage, what would you consider you have specialised in?

Actually I am a Celestial mage of all four disciplines. However it is true I was until recently a Shadow mage and I am dark aspected still. You could say am primarily a warrior and I have specialised in the Shadow support and warrior, magic's. Shadow blast magic's are crap and if you are starting out you would do well to avoid them.

What other areas/spell/weapons do you specialise in?

I am a Master Warrior and carry a Holy Sword. I am also somewhat adept at the err unmentionable arts such as spying among other things.

What do you do whilst not adventuring - any hobbies?

Hobbies? I am now and have always been totally devoted to destroying Undead and Daemons.

Please describe a highlight of your career so far. For example, defeating a dangerous foe, best death, best magical item/ability gained.

It would have to be the recent events surrounding the seeking and destroying of the Rat Clan in Sanctuary on behalf of the Luna Empire Titans. We dispatched a number of daemons back to hell, including one I accidentally released from a rune scroll which was hunting me personally.

Another Highlight was the guild attack on Carlson's Switch last year.

Which places would you recommend visiting, and conversely, any places you would recommend avoiding.

Visit places with daemons and undead and slay them. Avoid the sewers of Sanctuary.

Why are you still an adventurer and what motivates you to join, or form a party?

I will keep adventuring until I am sure I am safe at which point I will return to my Grove. I am motivated by the possibility of one day being awarded Smartest adventurer – when I am I know you will be seeing things my way and my work here will be done.

I have to admit, with your reputation of being reckless, that I was rather nervous when I discovered that you were in this adventuring party. Do you consider this reputation to be justified?

This is almost completely unjustified. In fact some parties try to control my every move, however those in the know co-operate with me – I never act without thought as is often imagined however once things start I prefer to roll with the punches than play it safe.

I think Guild parties are generally much too worried about safety. It sickens me that so called adventurers are so terribly cautious.

The only problem that people have with me is that I act and then respond to the result of my actions – I think this scares people who have signed a contract to be bound together as a group. Although I would have to say that I did used to be just a little reckless.

And, what event would you consider to be the point at which you gained that reputation?

There was a large patch of daemon ash, we had decided it was worth some money – I used a huge sack to collect the ash while flying with shadow wings. A bunny adventurer held the end of a very long rope in case it all went pear shaped. When it all went pear shaped the bunny adventurer was dragged into the ash with me which drained life. Long story short, it all worked out fine though my smashed hip pained me for quite some time.

Is it true that you were a vampire at some point? What happened for you to gain this ability and how did you subsequently lose it?

Yes I have been a vampire in several guises. I was eaten by a were-vampire wolf, and gained some terrible afflictions which made me easily sunburned, and gave me teeth, and a certain hypnotic attraction (incidently on the same adventure I joined the Micheline's as a lay follower). Later I was killed by a Vampire and became a fully fledged Were-Vampire/Elf able to change forms (I was a Gabrealite at the time).

Is it also true you are now a dedicated Follower of the Powers of Light?

Several years ago I pulled this Holy Sword from a stone (motions to star silver hand-and-a-half). Its masters are the great Yavanna and Varda of the light. A great desire and searching for the light awoke in me. It, and the evil I was afflicted with, did battle. It was a kind of madness to pursue the human gods for they, I discovered, are empty caricatures. Eventually I came unto the brink, at which I forsook all, plunged the sword back into stone and embraced the darkness of the Vampiric affliction and the long night.

A while later I ventured into the dark circle on behalf of the Titans where I lost all control and turned on the party I had sworn to protect. In shock, I went to the titans and admitted I was a Vampire and needed help, they smote me down. I went back to the sword seeking aid, and pretending I had changed my ways, retrieved it – but it lied to me saying that it had cut my souls cord and that I would die if I did not extinguish the Vampiric blood that ran through my veins within 3 days.

So we travelled to the Shriven Hills and there the Shrivers Shrived me to within inches of my life taking not just the Vampirism but every skill and god given gift I possessed. After accidentally releasing the daemons meant for them upon myself, we negotiated a deal with the shrivers whereupon I was restored less the Vampiric evil.

The Sword admitted it lied and in penance it summoned Varda and Yavanna to me. I can commune with Varda and Yavanna though they were unwilling to pact me until I have proved myself worthy. I am bound to hunt down and destroy the very evil I know from first hand experience. Never to lie and to enter the darkness never again, except to destroy it.

Strangely I feel better like some bad dream has ended.

Anything else you want to say to the guild populace?

Thank you for your time and effort.