Created in 955YK (43 years ago), Bedouin was one of the first Warforged ever created. His name at the time was, of course, not Bedouin – this name he took a later time, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves; his name was “Crown Guard” for he was created specifically for an ir’Wynarn family of nobles close to the throne of Breland. He was to guard their youngest daughter, Abella. He was a gift specially made and commissioned by the Cannith followers of the Silver Flame and, thus, blessed by the flame.

Abella was 3 at the time and grew quite fond of her new Warforged companion. At first he was not very happy with his position as a glorified baby sitter, but the years went by and slowly he grew to like Abella and her family.

Although many of the nobles frowned upon having such an “older” model – after all, his model was a prototype – Abella and her family loved him and, although they had many chances and the means to do so, never replaced him with a newer model Warforged. They thought of him as one of the family.

Abella grew to be a beautiful young woman and, as with women of her station, was married to a noble man – a Cyran, Rayyan – for political reasons and moved to Cyre in 971YK(27 years ago). As part of the arrangement Crown Guard was to go with her as her guardian and that of her children to come.

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A child was not far behind. In the latter part of 971YK Abella bore Rayyan a daughter – Alhana. Rayyan was furious that Abella did not bear him a male heir. His true colours showed from that day on. He was an evil man and cared little for anything other than power and wealth. Alhana to him was a reminder that he had no male heir. Fearing for her safety, Abella asked Crown Guard to become Alhana’s sole guardian. Reluctantly he agreed. Abella was safe enough with Rayyan’s guards for he needed her to bear him another child.

As Alhana grew older, Crown Guard was her only friend. She was not allowed to leave the keep since Rayyan wanted nothing to do with her or her Warforged guardian. They quickly became close and had many adventures slaying dragons and monsters and riding unicorns. Alhana was as high spirited as her mother was.

In 978YK (20 years ago), having had no luck with another heir, Rayyan grew even colder. One day, he asked Abella to join him on a ride through the countryside. When he had finally returned Abella was not with him and his cadre of guards. They had been “ambushed” and Abella was killed. Alhana was only 7 at the time and didn’t truly understand what had happened. Crown Guard blamed himself. He knew that, had he been there, Abella would still live and Alhana would not be crying for her mommy at this moment. He vowed to never leave Alhana’s side and allow what happened to her mother to happen to her.

A few days later, after a very short and “touching” ceremony, Rayyan had the family abruptly move. Having no love for the Warforged and knowing he would not leave Alhana alone, he had his men “take care of him”.

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Several weeks later, Simon, Abella’s brother came to visit not knowing what had happened. Finding Crown Guard there deactivated, he repaired him and asked him to explain what had happened. Crown Guard told Simon about Abella’s death and about the Reidran visitor – in the weeks before Abella died, Rayyan had been seen speaking to a man dressed in strange clothes speaking with a strange accent. When Alhana had asked her mother who that man was she told her he was a Reidran Ambassador.

He also told him of Rayyan’s treachery and sudden decision to move. After searching through what few papers and letters found around Rayyan’s office – left behind in his haste, Crown Guard’s fears came true. Rayyan had take Alhana to Reidra. Crown Guard quickly grabbed his weapon and shield and headed for Sarlona. Not even five minutes down the trail he noticed something on the side of the path. There, covered in dust, was Alhana’s favourite teddy-bear – Fuzzy. Crown Guard knew that Alhana would not have left Fuzzy behind like this and took it so he can give it to her when he found her. What happened to Abella would not happen to Alhana. He would find her and save her from her father.

While making his way to the nearest port, he was waylaid by a group of Hobgoblins. He woke up in what looked like a laboratory.
“I hope you’re alright. We saved you from a group of slavers that had captured you and were trying to sell you.” This from a very beautiful woman standing in front of him. “But it is also lucky that you have found us. We have a proposition for you.”

For almost 2 years, experiments were conducted on Crown Guard.
“We must find a way to give your people the ability to dream. Every race with a soul dreams.” Crown Guard had never given the concept of a soul much thought, and over the last 2 years it has been on his mind every day. He hated having to put his search for Alhana on hold, but for some reason he could never bring himself to leave. Something inside him kept telling him that this is where he belongs.

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“RUN!” he comes back from inactivity with a start. He could have sworn he heard a voice. Nothing… must have been his imagination. He goes back to sleep.
“Leave this place..” a flash of images fills his head; it’s dizzying. The voice sounds as if it’s a whisper from a far off place.
“… danger.. you must leave.” Again he awakes. Is this a dream? Is this what Kayelle, the woman experimenting on him, was trying to bring out in him? He decides to keep this to himself for now, somehow knowing that it would be dangerous to share this information with her.

A few nights go by with the same “dream”. The voice is getting louder and the visions stronger.

One night… “Warforged.. friend.. my name is Novakri. You are under the influence of these beings calling themselves the Inspired. I have slowly been able to unravel their hold on you. You must flee this place. You put yourself, your race and the entirety of Eberron in peril. Seek out Chanaakar at Kasshta keep in Adar on the continent of Sarlona to the East. He shall explain everything. You must go now! Hurry!”

The flood gates open… Alhana! Rayyan.. Abella… it all comes back to him. How could he have abandoned his quest so easily? How long has it been now? 2 years…?

Not knowing what else to do, Crown Guard makes his way out of the compound where he was. It proves easy enough since his “hosts” had assumed, and correctly so until now, he was there “willingly”.

Miles and miles away and weeks later Crown Guard finally finds himself in Kasshta Keep. During his trek Novakri explains a little of who she is in his “dreams”. She tells Crown Guard that she is a Quori and has been in hiding and has not been able to connect with the Kalashtar. The deaths of her previous hosts had severed her link and made it impossible for her to contact anyone. When her last host perished, she thought she was lost, but the Silver Flame protected her for some reason. The experiments that the other Quori were running on Crown Guard, along with his Silver Flame origin, inadvertently “opened” a doorway for her inside him.

He was disappointed to find out he still could not dream but what she told him of the other Quori scared him more than the inability to dream.
“Your race could prove to be the greatest weapon against the Quori. Your inability to dream makes you the perfect soldiers in our fight and a great threat to theirs.”
As his trek comes closer to ending Novakri’s connection to him grows stronger and she eventually becomes able to speak with him even during his waking hours. She explains to him that in her weakened state this is the most she could do for now. It’ll take years for their connection to grow stronger.

Most of the Kalashtar and the Keepers of the Word are confused after Crown Guard tells them of his experiences. They are at a loss… on one hand he sounds insane, Warforged shouldn’t be able to host a Quori and Novakri has been lost for centuries but, on the other hand, he simply knows too much to be lying. Many want to believe but are hesitant to do so. Only Chanaakar truly believes that there is truth to what he says. Chanaakar convinces the rest to adopt Crown Guard as one of their own. They are reluctant but happy to have another soldier on the front lines of the fight against the Dreaming Dark. They believe they have a great weapon in Crown Guard… a weapon that cannot dream; and what cannot dream, cannot be turned against them.

For 8 years Crown Guard fought side by side with the Kalashtar. He even adopted their language and their religion. It was very easy for him to learn the Kalashtar language; almost as if he already knew it. He also has knowledge of certain things he didn’t even know he had.

As he has adopted the Kalashtar as his new people, so have they adopted him as one of theirs. To commemorate this they have gifted him with a name of honour – Bedouin.

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More recently, a bold plan has been put into action.
The Kalashtar and their allies grow weary of simply reacting to Quori incursion and threats.
Novakri and Chanaakar have heard rumours that the Quori have found a way to counteract the Path of Light and of an outpost on the Western edge of Reidra where mere days from now their plan will be put into motion.

Bedouin and many of his Kalashtar brothers are sent to sabotage the Quori efforts and arrive just in time to disrupt the ritual.
Unfortunately, this disruption causes a rupture and the whole outpost (including everyone inside it) gets pulled in.
The last thing Bedouin sees before being pulled into a million directions is Abella being pulled back from the keep’s window by a very familiar man.

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Waking up minutes…? hours…? days…? later Bedouin finds himself alone in alley of a strange and large city, one of his Kalashtar brothers standing over him.
It seems that Bedouin had been inactive for over 10 years lying in a pile of discard and his brother just luckily came upon him.
He tells him that they are in The Cage, the City of Doors, a name somewhat familiar to Novakri.
Some of his Kalashtar brothers are in the city as well, but many, many more are still missing. The portal that brought them here scattered everyone and everything all over, including Abella, Rayyan and the Keep.

All is not lost though! There is news! In this world, belief is everything. Belief in something, in an ideal, can shift reality to mimic that ideal. This reinforces that the Path of Light is the path to salvation.
If the world is actually so mutable that mere belief can change it, then finding a way to literally will the Dreaming Darkness into something else entirely should also be possible. The Inspired have too strong a hold on Eberron for it to be likely swayed, but the multiverse is so much bigger. If the multiverse can believe that values of law, justice, and good should be the natural state of things, then a corresponding change in Eberron should be seen as well.

Novakri also believes that, should the avenue present itself, there are many Quori rebels still in and around Dal Quor that never made it out with the others, either captured, hiding, or trapped.

But… How does one even begin to shift reality or find a way to Dal Quor? Daunting tasks to say the least.
Is there even a way to leave this.. The Cage? To go back to Eberron?
Should he leave? His eyes weren’t lying to him when they saw Abella and Rayyan…

Recovering from his muddled state he’s finally able to put it together. It had been more than 8 years. Alhana would have been almost 16 years old. Her resemblance to her mother is uncanny!
But what was she doing at that outpost? Why was Rayyan there?
Abella’s ghost still haunts him and the thought of Alhana being in danger occupies his mind every waking hour. He must find her, but will he recognize her if he sees her? Another 10 years have gone by since he last saw her… she’s 26 now. Will she even remember him?

Novakri seems to believe that, while it may seem the two paths lead in different directions, they are one. The Reidran ambassador had the stink of the Inspired about him and she believes that whatever Rayyan’s involvement with the Inspired is it can’t be good for Alhana.

Goals:

• Find out what Rayyan’s involvement with the Inspired is and what the plans for Alhana are.
• Rescue Alhana
• Find the portal and key to Dal quor.

While not adventuring or attempting to further his goals, Crown Guard is writing and publishing a series of short stories revolving around his adventures which he sells in order to fund his many endeavors.

Description:

Having been built for royalty Crown Guard was spared no expense. Gold and platinum trim adorn his plating in intricate designs.
Being created more than 10 years before Warforged became widely available other means were used in his creation. This can be seen in his more streamlined design and the psionic runes adorning his body. A power crystal is also embedded in his chest.
Novakri’s presence is also visible sometimes. A palpable and visible psionic aura in the shape of a Duulora Quori can be seen surrounding Crownguard, moving with him, at times of strong emotions usually associated with rage, aggression, and fury.
Finally, Crown Guard wears the Red of Alhana’s house, his house; his old tattered and torn cloak and tabbard.