Avos

Avos the Fisher was the leader of the Quippers, a street gang in the Scab, a notorious slum of Selgaunt, in the late 14 century DR.

Description
He usually affected the appearance of a regular Selgauntan fisherman, dressing in their typical garb consisting of a sleeveless tunic, slop-hose, and sandals. Yet these humble trappings did little to belie his true nature; his hulking, thuggish bearing exuded brutality and arrogance. His blond hair was short-cropped, his skin was light, and his pig-like eyes were pale blue.

He spoke Common, thieves' cant, and Aquan.

Personality
Avos was a bully at heart with loyalty to no one. He was merciless and cunning&mdash;traits that allowed his gang to prosper. He was also keenly aware of what was in his own interests long-term, and so would not betray someone capriciously, lest the Quippers acquire a reputation as untrustworthy. That would be bad for business.

He enjoyed showing off his combat prowess and would not shy away from inflicting violence on others. He liked challenging disloyal Quippers and certain captives to duels. In such cases he would try to force his opponent into fighting in his own particular style: dual-wielding a short sword and a fishing gaff. Since he himself was a master at this style&mdash;and nobody else ever practiced it&mdash;he often had an enormous advantage.

Relationships
He had a galltrit pet named Snitch whom he had captured and trained since it was just a pup. Avos used Snitch to discreetly spy on others and, occasionally, to cheat in duels.

Many members of the Quippers resented Avos's iron-fisted leadership, but very few dared to criticize him openly.

History
Avos was born among Selgaunt's fisherfolk but ran away at an early age to join the city's underground. His prodigious strength and aggressive manner earned him a successful career as a robber and killer-for-hire. Over time, he joined the Quippers, where he eventually seized leadership by killing their previous chief in a duel.

As of 1372 DR, the Quippers had a secret alliance with the noble Talendar family. When Ossian Talendar approached Avos for assistance in destroying House Uskevren, the gang leader was happy to oblige&mdash;for a reasonable fee. The Quippers first attempted to kill Shamur and Thamalon Uskevren directly in the woods outside Selgaunt, but the pair managed to produce an unlikely escape, unbeknownst to Avos, who assumed they had died.

A few days later, Shamur and Thamalon returned to Selgaunt in disguise to investigate their attackers, which eventually led them to the Scab and the Quippers. The Quippers immediately grew suspicious of these newcomers asking too many questions, quickly subduing them and bringing them to Avos to be questioned. During his interrogation, Avos came to realize their true identities. Before he could kill them both, Shamur challenged Avos to a duel in front of the assembled Quippers. Avos obliged but insisted they fight with his signature weapons: the short sword and fishing gaff. Despite the advantageous weapon selection&mdash;and an attempt to cheat using his his pet galltrit &mdash;Shamur beat Avos with relative ease. Defeated, he had no recourse but to let Shamur and Thamalon leave.