Torvel Hawke

Knight of No Banner, Protector of Madame Selentis

Once a sworn knight of Verbobonc, Sir Torvel Hawke has long since fallen from grace. Haunted by the shame of his family’s ruin and bound by oaths of loyalty to Lady Nysera Krivaltis (now operating under the alias Madame Selentis), Torvel lives as her guardian, bodyguard, and commander. Though age and disillusionment weigh heavily on him, he clings to a code of honor that sets him apart from Nulb’s rabble. In this lawless village, his armored presence is both a symbol of legitimacy and a reminder of the Viscounty’s failure to maintain order.

Loyal Knight and Protector of Lady Nysera

• Weathered, scarred face, streaked with gray in his once-dark hair.
• Wears battered half-plate with a faded tabard stripped of heraldry — a knight without a house.
• Keeps his longsword immaculate, the last vestige of his pride.
• His bearing is stern, though tinged with fatigue and bitterness.

“You think this village lawless? You’re wrong. There is law here — hers. And as long as I draw breath, that law will be upheld.”

Background

Sir Torvel Hawke once bore arms under the banner of Verbobonc’s lords during the Uprising of the Temple of Elemental Evil. A minor knight of Oeridian descent, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Emridy Meadows with unflinching valor, but his fortunes collapsed in the war’s aftermath. Torvel lost his lands and inheritance to debts incurred during the campaign. Stripped of patronage, he drifted from mercenary service into obscurity, until Lady Nysera Krivaltis — disgraced noblewoman in exile — extended him a lifeline.

When Nysera fled Verbobonc under the alias Madame Selentis, Torvel swore himself to her cause. Though no longer bound to any recognized heraldry, his knightly oaths became hers. Today, he stands as her sword and shield in Nulb, training her personal guards and enforcing her will against pirates, brigands, and rival cult factions.

Role in Nulb

• Protector of Madame Selentis: Torvel is her shield and enforcer, ensuring her survival against rival pirates, bandits, and Temple agents.
• Commander of Selentis’ Guards: He drills and leads her small band of enforcers, turning brigands into disciplined soldiers.
• Figure of Authority: To outsiders, his knightly demeanor lends Selentis’ operation a veneer of legitimacy, though locals know his power is hollow without her.

Motivations

• Redemption: Torvel dreams that through protecting Selentis and rebuilding her power, his own legacy of shame may be forgotten.
• Order Amidst Chaos: He despises Nulb’s lawless cruelty. By serving Selentis, he believes he is at least shaping order out of madness.
• Survival: Torvel knows that without Selentis, he would be hunted down as a traitor knight. His fate is bound to hers.
• Guardianship: Above all, he sees himself as her shield — the one who will stand against pirates, assassins, and Temple rivals.

“My blade has tasted battle for decades, but I wield it now for a single cause—your rise, my Lady.”

Personality

• Loyal and Stoic: Torvel’s loyalty to Nysera is unwavering, and he remains a calm and steadfast presence in her court.
• Pragmatic: While he holds himself to a code of honor, he is willing to compromise his ideals to ensure Nysera’s survival and success.
• Mentorly: Torvel acts as a mentor to Nysera’s men, shaping them into a disciplined force amidst the chaos of Nulb.

Motivations and Goals

• Restore Nysera’s Honor: Torvel’s ultimate goal is to see Nysera restored to a position of power and legitimacy in the Viscounty of Verbobonc.
• Protect the Manor: He views Nysera Haven as a stronghold of Krivaltis’s legacy and will defend it with his life.
• Navigate Nulb’s Dangers: Torvel seeks to protect Nysera from the many threats of Nulb, from rival leaders to Temple agents.

“Your ambitions will not grow without roots, Madame Selentis. Let us plant them deeply in Nulb, where no rival may unearth them.”

Relationships & Factional Ties

• Madame Selentis (Lady Nysera): His sworn liege. Their bond is more than political; he serves her as knight, confidant, and conscience.
• Temple of Elemental Evil: Distrusts Hedrack’s priests and the prophets, but tolerates them so long as they serve Selentis’ designs.
• Pirates & Bandits: Views them with contempt, though he often must negotiate or fight alongside them. Has clashed personally with Captain Tolub’s crew on multiple occasions.
• Viscounty of Verbobonc: A traitor in the eyes of his homeland, his survival depends on Selentis’ alias holding.

Roleplaying Torvel Hawke

• Voice: Clipped, weary, but firm — the voice of a soldier who has endured too much.
• Bearing: Even in taverns, he carries himself as if still at court; a knight’s habits are difficult to unlearn.
• Conflicted NPC: PCs of noble or lawful bent may find in him a tragic mirror — a knight who compromised everything for loyalty.

DM-Only Section

Secret Past

• Tainted by Betrayal: Torvel fought at Emridy Meadows under Verbobonc’s banner, never knowing his liege — Lord Krivaltis — had secretly supported the Temple. When the Krivaltis name was disgraced, his service under their banner stained his honor by association. This shame still festers, leaving him desperate to reclaim dignity through loyalty to Lady Nysera (Madame Selentis).
• Haunted by the Temple: Though he despises the cult, Torvel recognizes that Nysera’s survival depends on its protection. His greatest fear is that by serving her, he is once again tying his fate to the Temple’s inevitable downfall.
• Living a Lie: In Verbobonc, he is presumed dead alongside Nysera. Should his identity be revealed, he risks execution for treason or exile as a dishonored knight.

Conflicted Loyalties

• Knight vs. Survivor: Torvel clings to his knightly code but has compromised nearly every oath in service to Selentis. His sense of honor constantly grinds against the pragmatism needed to survive in Nulb.
• Temple Tensions: He mistrusts Romag, Belsornig, and the other prophets, yet cannot openly oppose them. His private disdain for cultists could provide a crack in Nysera’s carefully constructed alliances.
• Fear of Losing Selentis: More than honor, he fears losing Nysera. Without her, he has no cause, no purpose, and no protection from Verbobonc’s justice.

Potential Plot Hooks

• A Test of Loyalty: Temple agents may try to bend Torvel to their will — forcing him to choose between betraying Selentis or facing his own ruin.
• Crisis of Conscience: If Nysera descends deeper into cruelty or corruption, Torvel may rebel, confide in sympathetic PCs, or even seek redemption by turning against her.
• The Forgotten Knight: PCs who recognize him as a former Verbobonc knight could force Torvel into a moral reckoning, reopening old wounds of loyalty and disgrace.
• Redemption or Ruin: Torvel represents a volatile wild card — a knight who could either rally to aid the PCs if they appeal to his honor, or stand as Selentis’s deadliest shield if they threaten her.