Sinister, sly, deadly – that’s how best to describe the cast of Blackguards. It’s time to take a peek at the characters of the upcoming turn-based RPG.
Takate, a former slave and gladiator, makes a formidable, yet dangerous companion. Born and raised among the tribes of South Aventuria’s vast jungles he learned all the skills one needs to survive in the unforgiving wilderness.
He was a promising young warrior, but during his rite of passage slavers abducted Takate and brought him to the arena of El’Halem.
The cruel world of sand and blood taught him to fight and to kill. During the first years, he served as whipping boy and sparring partner for the veteran gladiators. However, he fairly quickly joined their ranks, becoming as successful, efficient and lethal as they were; if not more. The other gladiators, who belittled him at first, now fear Takate. Whoever doubts the deadly grace of this fighter won’t live long enough to tell the tale…
Takate spent half of his life on the bottom of the barrel, fighting in an arena to entertain ‘civilized’ people. Being the champion, though, has its benefits. Takate is rewarded with things other pit fighters can only dream of. A champion, for example, never has to share his women…
Even among the Blackguards, Takate makes an outstanding fighter and killer. Cold blooded as he may seem, however, he does have problems keeping his hatred for the pompous upper-class and especially slave traders in check.
You don’t have to be a tough gladiator to be dangerous, though. Niam and her younger sister Salva, both half elven bastard children of a local baron, never had it easy. Both were cast out and disowned after their mother’s death and Niam wholly committed to raising and protecting her sister.
As soon as Salva was old enough to take care of herself though, Niam gave in to her long suppressed lust for life. Bad company and excessive sprees lead her to dreamweed and a severe addiction to a herb named gods-sage. To afford her addiction, she became a poacher, selling pelts in town. She fled to the wilderness, where the long arm of the law couldn’t reach her, leaving her sister behind.
Niam walks between two worlds ever since. She loathes being a poacher, but she has a knack for it and the drugs don’t come free.
On the flipside ,the call of the big towns is much more appealing to her: here she can fully succumb to the tempations of her dreamweeds.
Shortly before Niam encountered the other Blackguards, Salva vanished without a trace. She returned, however, a mysterious, yet terrible illness had befallen the half elf. She was catatonic, and lost her voice as well as her own will. Ever since, Niam desperately tries to find a cure.
Quite early during their adventures the Blackguards meet a formidable and powerful opponent in Master Urias ay Kalamal.
Very few have earned the Horas Empire’s respect as he did. Urias served under Empress Amene during the battle of the Troll Gate, fought the Thorwalians and lend his aid to thwart the red cough that ravaged Drôl. For his outstanding services, the Empress bestowed the title of count upon him. Urias owns a country estate near Neetha, and made it a hoard of arts and philosophy.
The aged hero was nearly devastated by the death of his daughter Elanor. He will do all in his power to hunt down the apparent murderer and won’t rest until he sees him sway lifeless from the gallows for his crimes.
But nobody who arrested the murderer survived to bear witness. With the help of dark magic the murderer, in the company of several other convicts escaped the dungeons of Neetha.
And now it’s on to the player, walking in the boots of a suspected murderer, to prove their innocence to Elanor’s father and the people of their home.
Blackguards Screenshots:
Blackguards is available as of November 19th, 2013 for PC and Mac.
