Chapter ???- Meet Bran Strongbow
By Don Charboneau
Greyhawk and the Watch, two rocks of stability and consistency on Oerth for the past several centuries. As Greyhawk has grown from a small hamlet, to a town, minor city to its current state, the watch has evolved alongside. Wars have raged around the city, sometimes engulfing it, other times respecting its neutrality; through this, an independent Greyhawk has always remerged, stronger and more resilient.
While Greyhawk is perhaps more famous for its thieves, the watch has quietly and effectively done its job behind the scenes, neither loved nor loathed. Greyhawk has never experienced a military coup and while the merchants and general populace quietly grumble about the depravations of the city’s thieves, the watch has done an admirable job of balancing protection without resorting to tyranny; balancing trade with the ebb and flow of immigration and refugees.
If the watch is a quiet rock of stability within the city, the Strongbow family represents the same within the watch itself. Sebastian Strongbow joined the watch at 16, served an astounding 60 years and rose to the rank of sergeant. More importantly, he had 4 sons and 2 daughters who, combined with spouses contributed 7 career members to the watch. Tarran Strongbow (Bran’s Father), was the eldest and rose to the rank of captain (and still serves), and was considered one of the finest swordsmen of the watch in his younger years.
Tarran had two children, both sons. The oldest Alex is a watch commander and the first senior officer with the family. More politician than warrior, he was the aide-de-camp to the former Captain-General Sental Nurev before his departure in disgrace. While not implicated himself, Alex is currently out of favour and was transferred from the Citadel to oversee the watch within Clerksburg.
Bran followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and joined at 16. He demonstrated adequate physical competency, but an astute mage noted his potential. Kieren Jalucian, current Master of Guild of Wizardry & University and serving city Oligarch, was at the time was serving a brief stint in support of the watch. He mentioned to Tarran his son’s proclivity for magic. Having none of it, Tarran rebuffed Kieren’s suggestions until the elder Sebastian eventually intervened and secured Bran a full apprenticeship through the Guild of Wizardry. Bran was a strong student but was not enamoured with a life of study. Nor was his master, a Velunian Abjurist named Tyrrel Rommel who encouraged Bran to return to the watch as soon as his training was complete. Tyrrel later perished on the Furyondian front during the Greyhawk Wars.
Though not a diviner by training, Tyrrel was incredibly inquisitive and was periodically engaged by the watch on special projects. Though not especially close during or after his apprenticeship, Bran learned the same investigative discipline which served him well during his career on the watch.
Bran served on patrol for the first year of his service, as do all new members of the watch. As a mage and a member of the Strongbow clan, he worked primarily with an elite patrol responding to issues in the foreign and river quarter (prime watch hotspots). Bran proved capable both in neutralizing magical opponents and assisting in investigations (limited though they generally were). His time here built strong relationships with Sergeant-at-Arms Brak Stoneheart, Sergeant-At-Arms (former Junior Sergeant) Nicholas Vaessen, Junior Sergeant Christine Lestrade, corporal (former man-at-arms) Sheryl Bagga and man-at-arms (and twins) Robert and Doug McElroy.
After a year, Bran was transferred to the Citadel under the command of Titus Anwal, for whom he has worked for the balance of his career with the watch. Titus was the senior watch mage with the rank of commander. He was generally considered a competent Diviner, famed for his laziness and the riding of his brother-in-laws coattails (Nerof Gasgal, the current Lord Mayor). Bran proved his competence, initiative and personal motivation in a way that did not require significant oversight nor cause problems for Titus and very quickly was left to his own devices as an investigator.
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