Fyodor

Fyodor was a berserker from Rashemen. He was a companion and lover to Liriel Baenre. He was a member of the Black Bear Lodge fang in Dernovia.

Description
Fyodor had thick muscles that made him resemble a tall dwarf, but he wore no beard and had finer features. He had short ("carelessly cut") dark hair. pale skin, and pale blue topaz eyes. He was less than six feet tall, but his berserker rages made him appear closer to seven feet. He carried a three-foot cudgel made of driftwood and a heavy broadsword with a dull blade, which he could not properly wield except during his berserker rages. Despite the dull blade, the sword had been enchanted by his grandmother to cut only those not of Rashemen.

In 1361 DR, Fyodor, perhaps because of his proximity to rune magic or other shapeshifters on Ruathym, became a shapeshifter. His shapeshifting form was a large black bear. Like most shapeshifters, he was ravenous after his change.

Personality
Fyodor was generally very calm and serious, though he did have a quiet humorous streak. He was a hardworker, but a bit of a dreamer. His favorite adage was, "There are those who think and those who dream." He was very fond of repeating it to Liriel.

Youth
Fyodor was born in 1342 DR in Dernovia, Rashemen. He once attempted to tame a wild snowcat in his homeland.

Before he became a berserker warrior at the age of 15, Fyodor was apprenticed to Antonea, the swordsmith of Dernovia who did not survive the Tuigan Horde.

Quest for the Windwalker
Fyodor was sent away from his homeland of Rashemen in 1360 DR with a blunt sword because he could not control himself when he entered his berserker state and was dangerous for everyone to have around, even his friends. His grandmother, a wychlaran named Zofia, send him on a quest called a dajemma to find the ancient artifact known as the Windwalker. He followed it to the Underdark and met the drow Liriel Baenre in 1361 DR. They became friends and later lovers. Both fled the Underdark for the Promenade of the Dark Maiden near Skullport and started on a quest to Ruathym, where Liriel hoped to harness the power of the Windwalker. With this she wanted to get control over her drow magic and wield it on the surface while still helping Fyodor with his curse.

They got to the island with help from a pirate captain named Hrolf the Unruly. He and his pirate crew took the companions on the ship Elfmaid to Ruathym, where Liriel studied rune magic and Fyodor tried to harness his berserker rage through the Ruathym art of taking a beast's form while raging. Something was wrong on the island however, and after ending an assault from several aquatic creatures and extraplanar beasts, the First Axe of Holgerstead, Wedigar Ruthmaald, and Fyodor acted in his stead for a time. During their stay on the island, Liriel carved a rune on the tree of Yggdrasil's Child and didn't need the Windwalker amulet to use her powers on the surface any more. Due to the help of a sea elf named Xzorsh, the companions traced the creatures back to a mind flayer sorceress under the sea. The illithid was allied with one of Liriel's enemies from the Underdark, Shakti Hunzrin and the navy of Luskan. After Liriel defeated Shakti and sent her to the Abyss through a portal, the companions, with the help of sea elves released the slaves being held in the city and escaped, leaving the illithid and merrow behind to their fate. On the surface of the waves, the companions worked with the Ruathen natives to turn back the Luskan navy with their own ships and Liriel's magic.

After the adventures on the island both traveled back to Rashemen. But they were followed by enemies and in a last battle Liriel and Fyodor helped the Rashemi to defend their country against drow led by Gorlist and Shakti. During the battle Fyodor was mortally wounded and died with his blunt sword in his hand.

Family
Fyodor's father was Mahryon, the fyrra (leader) of Dernovia who was killed at the Battle of Immil Dale in 1360 DR. Mahryon was the firstborn son of Zofia; thus Zofia was Fyodor's grandmother.

Fyodor's sister was Vastish. She had many children that were Fyodor's nieces and nephews. Fyodor was quite close to all of them. Vastish once adopted a wolf pup named Ghost. Because of that, her children considered wolves friendly and her son approached a wolf in the wild, who killed him.

Fyodor was close to his cousin Petyar, the son of his uncle Simoath. Petyar hated wolves.

Sasha
Before entering the Underdark, Fyodor traveled with a horse called Sasha, who was then killed by the drow. He considered her a loyal friend and traveling companion.

Liriel Baenre
Fyodor traveled with the drow rogue Liriel Baenre beginning in the late winter or early spring of 1361 DR until his death. They became lovers, and she later became his wychlaran and was able to control his berserker rages. He died protecting her.

Novels and short stories

 * Daughter of the Drow
 * "Rite of Blood", a short story included in The Best of the Realms
 * "The Direct Approach", a short story included in The Best of the Realms III and Realms of Magic
 * Tangled Webs
 * Windwalker
 * "Answered Prayers", a short story included in The Best of the Realms III

Reference
Fyodor