Roak Vandine

Roak Vandine is a Dwarven Cleric of Jiion, goddess of Righteousness and Revenge. Acting as an "Inquisitor", a religiously motivated bounty hunter, he joined The Hippogriff Five in their quest as it began.

Early Life
Roak was born 198 years ago in Castleton into a blacksmithing family. They lived in the cities poorest district, but managed to scrape by from selling their wares. When Roak was young he trained under his father to become a smith, with the plan on taking over the family business.

However, with Roak being young and rebellious and the family being poor, it didn't take long for Roak to fall into a life of crime. He fell in with a group around his age, quietly undertaking petty crimes to help make ends meet. Gradually the group started to take on larger crimes that made Roak uneasy, but his option to leave was soon removed.

Sadly, when Roak was 20, the smithy and home burned down. In a short time span Roak lost his family, his home and his future. At that point the only people he knew and trusted were his fellow gang members. Living in the small apartment that the group had operated out of, Roak settled entirely into a life of crime.

Crime Time
While Roak had voiced issues with the gangs leader about how serious the crimes were becoming he had always taken part. As it turns out his restraint had been considered a thorn in the gangs side for a while, and the boss had an idea of how to deal with him. The group enacted their largest heist: a small bank on the far side of town. While the plan was going well, one of the crew killed a guard for "no good reason". Fleeing the scene with numerous watchmen in pursuit, the gang leader fired a crossbow bolt into Roaks leg, forcing him to drop in place to slow down the guards.

Roak's trial was short. The testimony of many witnesses confirmed that he was involved, but not the one that killed the guard. The pursuing guards also confirmed his cooperation at the end of the chase. With the case being clear, Roak spent the next 10 years in prison for his involvement. After his release, with no home, no money and nobody to reach out to, Roak was forced to live on the street. However, a chance meeting would soon change his life.

The Call of Jiion
One night, seeking shelter from a storm, Roak looked for shelter in a church of Mugorism. Inside he met Anders Lockhardt, a priest of Jiion. The two talked about the betrayal that Roak had faced, and the role that Jiion played in revenge. It was in this meeting that Roak found his calling, and he began learning Jiion's ways from Anders. After getting his bearings as a member of the church, Roak systematically hunted down the members of the gang that betrayed him and brought them justice (or vengeance, depending on the circumstances). Finally able to let go of his past, Roak fully devoted himself to Jiion in order to bring the same resolution to others that he had felt. The next 165 years travelling and doing Jiions work as he went, though he spent a great deal of his time with Anders, his mentor and friend, in Castleton.