Dakkon Blackblade - NPC

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 06/29/2004)
All artwork owned and copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast
Dakkon Blackblade
Illustration by Richard Kane Ferguson. ©1993-2004 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

History

During the bloody Elf-Dwarf War, there were many heroes and villains, each fighting for one side or the other. Some of these heroes became disillusioned as their side delved too deeply into forbidden and dark magic, while villains flourished in the desperate atmosphere that the war created. However, in this war of two powerful civilizations, there were many smaller groups. A few chose sides in the war while others tried to remain neutral, like the Titans, but some tried to profit from the war. Mercenaries and mercenary armies quickly formed as the war dragged on. As the war entered its final stages, but still a many years before the fall of the Golden City of Baalgor, one mercenary leader rose above the rest and became a legend in his own right. That mercenary was Dakkon Blackblade.

Dakkon Blackblade was born as Dakkon Thued the son of a poor peasant in what would become the Western Empire. At an early age he showed a natural aptitude for fighting and ruthlessness and when a mercenary group moved through the region of his parents' farm, he ran away and joined them. Dakkon quickly moved up through the ranks of his mercenary company as the continuing Elf-Dwarf War took its toll. By the age of 24, he was considered one of the leaders of his company, but a failed assault on a Dwarven fortress killed everyone in the company but Dakkon Thued and ten other mercenaries. Taking command of the remaining soldiers, Dakkon decided to form his own mercenary company and quickly made a name for his company in special missions and helping regular troops organize their operations. However, even though he and his company, which still consisted of the ten survivors of the previous company, were well known in the region they operated in, the north-western part of the New Kingdom, there was little to indicate that Dakkon would become a legend.

To many people Dakkon Thued was a mercenary captain. Highly skilled to be sure, but nothing truly exceptional. This all changed when Dakkon and his small group were hired to organize the assault on the Elven fortress of Delaetan Tae. Dalaetan Tae had resisted previous sieges and assaults by the Dwarven armies and in desperation they hired Dakkon and his troops to organize their next assault. Within a matter of days, Dakkon had written up entirely new battle plans, but a pivotal part of his plan called for him and his men to lead a daring raid into the fortress hours before the assault was to begin and to sabotage several of the key defenses in the fortresses. Although Dakkon and his group completed their mission, they were discovered by the Elves and attacked. Three of Dakkon's men were killed within the first few minutes of the attack, but Dakkon and his remaining soldiers held off the Elves until the Dwarven assault began three hours later. When the dwarves finally reached Dakkon's location, they saw his men exhausted from the hours of fighting and they saw Dakkon Thued standing near a pile of almost five hundred dead Elves. To honor Dakkon's victory at Dalaeton Tae, the dwarves awarded him the Black Blade, which became his signature weapon.

Although Dakkon, as a mercenary, switched sides many times during his involvement in the war, he remained highly respected by both sides. As a mercenary commander, he fulfilled his contracts to the letter and afterwards, he considered himself free to sign contracts with anyone willing to pay. He helped the Elves slaughter Dwarves, he helped Dwarves slaughter Elves, and he helped Human nobles slaughter their enemies. As his successes increased, so did his reputation. Near the end of his career, now known as Dakkon Blackblade, the mere presence of him and his men on the side of any army was often enough to force the other side to withdraw or run in terror. However, as with all Humans, Dakkon continued to grow older and eventually his group faded from sight following one of his most legendary operations, the destruction of the great Dwarven fortress city of Monac Gilead, one of the largest Dwarven cities of the time. The destruction of the fortress city by the outnumbered and under equipped Elven army enshrined Dakkon Blackblade's name in the annals of history forever, or at least for as long as the Elf-Dwarf War is remembered.

Appearance

At the height of his abilities, just before his victory at Monac Gilead, Dakkon Blackblade appears as a ruggedly handsome Human male with long black hair and dark brown eyes. Although his body and face are covered with the scars of years of battles, Dakkon remains attractive, with a meticulously shaved face and good teeth. When not in combat or in his armor, Dakkon could easily be confused for a farmer, as he often wears the clothing of a commoner and with the exception of his scars, there is little to give away his warrior nature in how he carries himself without his weapons and armor.

Dakkon Blackblade is a completely different person while wearing his armor and wielding his sword and shield. When in his armor and wielding his weapon, Dakkon's stature changes and it is obvious in the way he moves and holds himself that he is an experienced warrior. The grace with which he moves often comes as a surprise because of the bulky armor he wears. When wearing his helmet, much of Dakkon's face is obscured, leaving only his mouth clearly visible, at least until the full face guard is put in place. In combat, Dakkon seems to undergo another transformation. He revels in combat and the death and destruction that comes with it, finding peace and happiness among the death of his enemies of the moment. Without his face guard, the large toothy grin he wears in combat is eerily visible, along with his eyes, no longer dark brown, but red, as if reflecting the color of the blood that he is spilling on the ground.

Statistics