D&D Character: Fidelity Carson

 "Honestly, you'd think they'd protect their valuables a bit better, there only used six guards and four traps."

Background: Fidelity grew up in a loving but poor family in Ballenmouth, where the river Ballen enters the Dalthem Sea. A bustling port with a lot of financial power in the area, Ballenmouth has strong trade links with Gallanburgh, which lies about fifty miles away to the northwest. While the university city is devoted to knowledge and magic, for the most part, Ballenmouth is an industrial hub, bustling with trade, artisanry, and crime. 

Crime caught Fidelity's attention as a young woman, and she began to pickpocket in the Griffin Market and lift small items from market stalls. In time this attracted the attention of two people, Silver* a preeminent member of the local Thieves' Guild, and Watch Captain Talbot McGregor who was in charge of the Market Guard. Within weeks both these figures intruded into Fidelity's life in very different ways. 

The first to make contact was Silver, following Fidelity home from the market after the young woman had spent a morning stealing and cornered her just before she entered her street. The thief's pitch was simple: first, Fidelity was breaking the Guild's regulations by stealing without being a registered thief, second, she clearly had talent. If she agreed to test her skills, she could win a free year of training and apprenticeship and no more would be said about the dues she owed. If the young woman didn't agree, she'd best be out of the city by nightfall or she'd be a legitimate target for the Guild's leg breakers. 

Fidelity agreed to the tests, though she was more than a little put out by the way Silver had approached her. Thus, her path into the Thieves' Guild proper and her subsequent exile from Ballenmouth began. 

The next night, she undertook the first task: to steal Talbot McGregor's keys and get copies made before returning them to the watchman. This task was intended to test her resolve, her willingness to tangle with an authority figure, and her sincerity in working with the Guild. It was also a test of her ability to plan and execute a caper, and to her credit, Fidelity managed the task well. She disguised herself, bumped into McGregor as he was returning home, stole the keys from his belt, and took them to Amicus Fitch, an artisan on the Guild's books. Fitch made the replacement keys, and then Fidelity placed them outside the Market in such a way as to make it look like they'd fallen from the Watch Captain's belt. After his initial panic, the Captain looked like a fool for losing his keys, and most people forgot all about it. McGregor, however, didn't. Instead, he began to pay more attention to his charge, ordering his troops to be more vigilant. 

Fidelity's second task was to steal the Market Bell's clapper. This bell was rung at the start and end of every market day, and removing it would create problems.  The young thief's solution was to borrow the set of keys she'd had cut, hide in the market in such a way that nobody would evict her from the premises, and then steal past the Nightwatch, take the clapper and let herself out. 

The next day, the Market was in chaos (which nicely covered another - much bigger - job that Silver had created). McGregor became convinced that the Griffin Market was being specifically targeted by the Guild and contacted them to demand that it stop. The Guild, of course, neither confirmed nor denied what was going on, but promised that the matter would be investigated. Unsatisfied, the Watch Captain decided to set a trap, contacting an old friend of his, Farun to assist with crafting an illusory gemstone and convincing one of the market traders - a well-regarded jeweller - to place it on sale. 

Soon enough, word reached Fidelity that she had another job - and that Silver had forbidden her to use any of the methods she'd used in the past few jobs. She had to break in and out again, as well as liberating the stone. Her solution to this was to climb onto the Market's roof and jimmy part of the glass roof open before lowering herself down to the floor. She chose to do this at a shadowed point, hidden behind a horticulturalist's stall. Then she sneaked out to the jeweller's stall and set about breaking in through the layers of security they'd set up. As soon as she started, McGregor closed in - Fidelity fled and the two engaged in a running battle across the market floor. 

Eventually, she escaped and fled home - only to find Silver waiting for her. She explained what had happened, and the older thief took it in, nodding in places as they considered the situation. Eventually, they said the deal was still on, Fidelity had shown her talent and she was expected at the Guild's training grounds the following morning. Finally, Silver produced a small pin badge bearing the image of a magpie, giving it to Fidelity. It was a sign she was now a Guild Initiate and she should wear it at all times - albeit discreetly. 

The next three years were taken up with training, learning everything from better ways to pickpocket, how to pull a second story job, running cons, embezzling, mixing poisons, potions, and elixirs, shadowing, dodging, fighting, and even assassination. Fidelity made friends, developed crushes, and was startled to discover she liked both men and women - though she usually chose to date women because they were more fun to talk to. During this time, she took to dying her hair pink, acquired several piercings, and began to frequent The Prismatic Spray, an LGBT+ bar in Ballenmouth's docks area. She took a young Dwarf woman - Thruda Fireforge - as a lover, and they set up a home near Fidelity's family. 

Eventually, Fidelity graduated from training and went to work. She carried out a series of burglaries across the city, and even outside it, travelling to Gallanburgh at least once and meeting the people who would go on to form the core of the Bright Blades. 

Her life changed dramatically when she returned to Ballenmouth after a period away. She returned to the city and was contracted to steal something from the Griffin Market. A magical blade was on sale and someone wanted it - she never knew who as a factor (a bland-looking Elf who was fond of grey suits and always wore gloves - he gave his name as Marilion Yescander). In reality, this fixer was another of McGregor's tests as the man had grown paranoid about security. Fidelity took the job, diving into the market and braving improved security to make the snatch. As soon as her hand touched the sword's hilt, she triggered a high-pitched wailing and guards rushed in. She fled again, but McGregor caught her and they engaged in battle. Outnumbered and overwhelmed by the Watch Captain's troops, Fidelity was dragged off to jail and thrown in a cell. 

She was left alone for several weeks before Silver contacted her with the good news that her release had been secured. Unfortunately, because the job hadn't been sanctioned by the Guild (despite the Elven fixer's assurances that it was), Fidelity had lost her privileges and it would be best if she left town. It wasn't that she was exiled from the Guild, only that she'd made enough enemies that they were having a field day over this mistake. Others might follow, and they might be fatal. Fidelity took the hint. 

Now, she operates out of Gallanburgh, working with the Bright Blades (of which she has become a leader), and enjoying a relationship with Talisker Sexton an Elven Wizard. 

Appearance: Fidelity is a human with tanned skin and brown eyes. She dyes her hair pink and sports many piercings. She wears leather armour and carries a sword, though she prefers to fight with daggers. 

As I have with the other two characters, I'm providing Fidelity's character sheet and she's free to use (she is only a basic character, I should add). Please feel free to download and play her. 

*You may notice I haven't fleshed out Silver, that's because I wanted to leave them for DMs, GMs, and other people who run games to shape. Personally, I see them as an older Elven woman who's a high-ranking member of the Guild, but your version might be different.