Giogioni Wyvernspur[9] (Giogi for short[10]) was the head of House Wyvernspur, a noble house of Cormyr in the mid–14th century DR, and one of the very few family members who were able to transform into a wyvern.[5]
Description[]
Giogi was quite tall, 6 feet and 3 inches (1.9 meters) and thin. His features were far different from the majority of those of his family, lacking the hawk nose, pale skin, blue eyes, for a softer set of features. His face was long, his hair - sandy brown, brown eyes, and tanned skin from traveling and spending time on the open road.[5]
Giogi wore leather breeches, a purple shirt with a sash and half-cloak, and battered brown boots. Giogi came across as a bit of a fop, but his muscle tone and fighting prowess proved differently.[5]
Personality[]
Giogi was straightforward, naive, and simple in battle and in life, even more so in his youth. Giogi did not really excel as a tactician, he did compensate for it with his bravery. When faced with overwhelming odds, he simply pulled his foil out and went into combat, especially when his friends or family members, even the ones he disliked, were in danger.[5]
Casual observers often though Giogi to be foppish and foolish. But unlike many of his peers and family members, he was kind, compassionate, honorable, and very courteous with women. Due to his honesty and naivety, he often missed irony and sarcasm. He was well versed in etiquette but being around nobles, or faced with exercising courtly traditions left Giogi feeling out of place. Therefore, he often preferred to stay silent at family gatherings and similar social situations. He often escaped his noble duties, traveling with his wife, close friends, or just his horses. He often had long one-sided conversations with his favorite mares.[5][11]
Giogi's social awkwardness was only exacerbated by his bad luck. Ever since his childhood, he'd been in countless misadventures.[5]
Abilities[]
Being of noble birth, Giogi was privately tutored in horseback riding, heraldry, as well as in the use of fencing foil, dagger, and horseman's mace. He was a talented animal handler, especially when dealing with horses and donkeys.[5]
Giogi was capable of transforming into a wyvern when he was in possession of the mummified wyvern's claw, aptly named the Wyvern's Spur, that was an heirloom in his family. Only one in every generation was capable of this transformation.[5]
Possessions[]
Giogioni was an aspiring adventurer at one point, and had a full backpack of expensive and sturdy adventuring gear. Part of his outfit was a rugged pair of wide-brimmed knee-high boots, unbecoming for a man of his status. They were the most comfortable pair of boots in the Realms, according to Giogi himself.[5]
Giogi kept his money and valuables in the wondrous belt pouch that turned anyone other than himself into a donkey were they to open it (the effect lasted for 1–100 hours). He kept a collection of expensive potions on himself, namely potions of healing and potions of heroism.[5]
When adventuring or on a special mission for the crown, the Wyvern's Spur was in Giogi's possession, allowing him to take on his wyvern shape.[5]
From 1357 to 1358 DR Giogi was in the possession of the Finder's Stone, but he did not utilize the artifact's many magics.[5][12]
Giogioni Wyvernspur also always carried a flask of hard liquor called Rivengut on him. Both he and his wife Cat enjoyed its potent kick.[13]
Giogi loved animals and owned at least two horses named Daisyeye.[14]
Relationships[]
Giogi's awkwardness, longing for adventure, and years of bad luck and misadventures made him something of a black sheep among his family. His aunt, Dorath Wyvernspur, often criticized him and called him a fool in stern affection towards him. Aunt Dorath, the matriarch of the clan, raised Giogi from a young age and often tried to dissuade the young man from adventuring in fear of losing him the same way she lost his parents...It was unclear which scenario was worse in her eyes. Giogioni's favorite family members were Cousin Freffie, and Freffie's young wife Gaylyn. A winter past Freffie's wedding, Giogi's new absolute family favorite became his newborn niece Amberlee Wyvernspur.[5]
After a long adventure together, involving a family secret, an evil wizard, and a missing family heirloom, Giogi married a spirited wizard Cat, one of Finder's daughters and sister to Alias.[5]
History[]
Childhood[]
Giogioni Wyvernspur's childhood was pack-full of misadventures. He once released an angry efreet from a bottle that he found in Uncle Drone's laboratory in the Redstone Castle. Another time, he tried to fly off the castle's roof using only pigeon feathers. A traumatic event in his childhood was when he was accidentally locked inside the family's crypt and met the undead wyvern tomb guardian who recognized Giogi as being kissed by Selune (being able to use the Wyvern's Spur to transform into a wyvern). The Selune's Kiss was the reason Giogi suffered from nightmares as a child, the dreams of flying, hunting, and consuming prey.[1] The most traumatic event of all though happened in his adolescence when he accidentally let Aunt Dorath's pet land urchin be eaten by a snake. The event Dorath never let anyone forget. Closer to his adult years, Giogi made a drunk decision to go skinny-dipping in the Wyvernwater... on the Midwinter Day.[1][5]
Azure Bonds[]
In 1357 DR, Giogi, along with the rest of his family, attended his Cousin Freffie's wedding to Gaylyn, daughter of the Sage of Suzail Dimswart. While trying to impress the tipsy Minda, who'd been continuously goading him to do his impression of King Azoun Obarskyr IV, he complied, triggering an attack by the construct assassin Alias- someone whose face he'd become familiar with in the near future- as the power of her magical azure bonds compelled her to attack the source of the king's voice.[15][16]
Though Giogi survived, another guest, Darol, received a slash to to his face, and Minda began swooning over him instead, much to Giogi's disappointment, as he'd spent all day trying to impress her.[15][16]
Later Giogi, traveling back to Immersea, faced the ancient red dragon Mistinarperadnacles Hai Draco who sought Alias. The dragon gave the young noble an ultimatum: help find the sellsword woman, or become second lunch, first lunch having been Giogi's horse Daisyeye. Giogi was sent to negotiate on Mist's behalf with King Azoun Obarskyr IV himself for information about Alias in return for the dragon's departure from Cormyr, to which the king reluctantly agreed, and the dragon went on her way .
Giogi ended up having to repeat his Azoun imitation to the king himself, to Vangerdahast Aeiulvana's delight. Azoun, concerned about the assassination plot, tasked Giogi to travel to Westgate to find more information on the mysterious woman bearing the azure bonds; while traveling by boat, he encountered the sinister sorceress Cassana, who looked much like an older version of Alias. Immediately after the explosion of the god of rot,Moander, Giogi encountered Alias again outside of Westgate; Alias proposed to borrow Daisyeye II and pay him back later, and the frightened Giogi complied. Alias later left the horse at the Jolly Warrior Inn where Giogi was staying.[17]
Giogi did not learn much from the wedding debacle and got into trouble a few months later in the town of Tilverton.[18] elHaving been recruited for his skill in imitating Azoun's voice, he accompanied Vangerdahast and the king's court, allowing the disguised king to mingle with the townsfolk while Giogi took his place.
During one of Giogi's public appearances, while speaking to the crowd from inside the royal carriage, a group of adventures also branded by the azure bonds were magically forced to attempt to assassinate the "king." [19] While the adventurers fled from the overwhelming might of the king's guards and Giogi survived, his cover was blown, leading Vangerdahast to drop any protection given to young Wyvernspur, assuming he was no.longer threatened; this was incorrect, however, as he was captured by the assassin guild of Fire Knives along with Azoun's daughter Alusair Nacacia. Eventually, the adventurers of the azure bonds helped the princess and young Wyvernspur to escape capture and learned the story of Alias and her similar predicament.[20]
The Wyvern's Spur[]
Giogi's next big adventure came a year after his meeting with Mist the red dragon. He was summoned by his aunt Dorath to the Redstone Castle in Immersea after a family heirloom—the Wyvern's Spur—was stolen from the family's crypt underneath the castle. Uncle Drone was convinced that the culprit was trapped inside the crypt due to its magical defenses. Giogi was tasked with visiting the crypt, even though he was mortified of the undead guardian. Even though the guardian could never hurt a Wyverspur while killing anyone else. He ventured into the castle's catacombs with his new donkey named Birdie (Olive Ruskettle, who was polymorphed into a burro after opening Giogi's magical belt pouch). After unfortunate encounters with his cousin Steele Wyvernspur, bloodsucking stirges, a drunk bugbear, and scavenging kobolds, he met a shadowy wyvern, the crypt's guardian who seemed to remember Giogi from the time he got locked up in the catacombs. The wyvern guardian set him on the intruder's trail, Cat, a young and spirited wizard. Cat was sent by her evil master Flattery Wyvernspur who forced her to marry him so she could bypass the guardian and steal the artifact. Cat was also one of Alias' sisters, something she did not know, and she already was a member of the Wyvernspur family. The young wizard held no love for Flattery and was serving him out of survival instinct and fear. She revealed to Giogi that the artifact was already gone when she got trapped inside the crypt. Giogi and Cat quickly started getting along, bonding over their encounters with the crypt's monsters. Being a gentleman, Giogi offered Cat protection from Flattery as she failed to complete her mission. He also offered her a guest room at the Redstone Castle.[1]
Soon after that, Olive resumed her natural form. As a donkey, she was free to listen and observe akin to a master spy, and she was going to use that information. On top of that, Olive realized that the Wyvern's Spur was in the bag of holding in her possession. Olive inherited the bag from her friend and companion Jade who was disintegrated by Flattery for attempting to pick his pockets, shortly before the Wyvernspurs were notified fo the theft. Jade, like Cat, was another sister of Alias, a Wyvernspur by birth, she was able to get inside the family crypt and steal the artifact, before getting killed by the evil wizard who confused Jade with his lackey Cat.[1]
Olive used her harper pin, she received from Finder Wyvernspur as a gift a year prior, to pose as a Harper investigator. Giogi, of course, remembered Olive and easily believed her bluff. The halfling "Harper" remembered that Alias had a permanent misdirection spell woven into her being and hoped that Alias' sisters had it as well. She passed the artifact to Cat, thinking it was the safest place for the Wyvern's Spur to be, and told the spirited wizard it was a magical talisman.[1]
Giogi's red wyvern shape.
Flattery was not the only Wyvernspur who wanted to get his hands on the family heirloom. Cousin Steele wanted the Wyvern's Spur for himself as well. He thought Cat to be the real thief and threatened her with a dagger. He found the heirloom among Cat's possessions. When Steele was caught threatening the young mage by other members of the family, he jumped out of the window, assuming we will be able to fly with the Wyvern's Spur in his hands. He didn't fly. He was saved from death by Cat's feather fall spell, recovered the Spur, and delivered it into Giogiani's hands. The young Wyvernspur wanted to return it back to the family crypt. The crypt wyvern guardian revealed the Wyvern's Spur's history and magical powers to Giogi. The artifact was only usable by the family members blessed by Seluné with the Seluné's Kiss. The Wyvernspurs usually had one person per generation favored by the goddess and able to assume the shape of an unusually large red wyvern. Giogi's father, Cole Wyvernspur, was one of the lucky few, he used the artifact to adventure and take on missions for the crown defeating villains and saving innocents. Giogi learned to control the transformation by remembering his childhood dreams.[1]
In his last resort to own the Wyvern's Spur, Flattery attacked the Redstone Castle and took Giogi's new favorite family member hostage, the newborn baby niece Amberlee Wyvernspur. Aunt Dorath was taken as well. He demanded Giogi to surrender the family heirloom and his rebellious servant Cat. Giogi, of course, complied. Remembering his conversation with the crypt guardian, Giogi asked Flattery to let Dorath bring the Wyvern's Spur to the villainous wizard. Flattery did not know that the matriarch of the Wyvernspoor House was one of the family members Kissed by Selune, but she refused to use the gift that killed her nephew, Giogi's father Cole Wyvernspur. The young nobleman asked Dorath to use the Spur and rescue the newborn. Aunt Dorath assumed her wyvern shape and escaped with Amberlee. Cat and Giogi attacked Flattery and his undead minions. Olive passed the artifact from the escaped matriarch to Giogi. The red wyvern, Giogi, clashed in the skies over Immersea with the blue dragon, Flattery's new magical form. The battle to the death was won by Giogi, he killed the infamous evil wizard who was responsible for his father's demise, earned his family's adoration, and respect of the crown.[1]
Giogi married Cat soon after and they both took over leading the Wyvernspur house to prosperity. Giogi and Cat split their time between Immersea and Suzail, at the times of crisis aiding King Azoun.[1]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- Wyvernspur (house)
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Curse of the Azure Bonds
- Novels
- The Finder's Stone trilogy (Azure Bonds • The Wyvern's Spur) • Cormyr: A Novel
- Referenced only
- Tymora's Luck
- Video Games
- Curse of the Azure Bonds
- Card Games
- AD&D Trading Cards
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (February 1990). The Wyvern's Spur. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 3. ISBN 0-88038-902-8.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (February 1990). The Wyvern's Spur. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 10. ISBN 0-88038-902-8.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (February 1990). The Wyvern's Spur. (TSR, Inc.), p. 7. ISBN 0-88038-902-8.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (February 1990). The Wyvern's Spur. (TSR, Inc.), p. ?. ISBN 0-88038-902-8.
- ↑ Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), p. 113. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (2000). “After the Dragon: The Kingdom of Cormyr Today”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #5 (Wizards of the Coast) (5)., p. 64.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (April 1998). Cormyr: A Novel. (TSR, Inc.), p. 265. ISBN 0-7869-0710-X.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (April 1998). Cormyr: A Novel. (TSR, Inc.), p. 262. ISBN 0-7869-0710-X.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 284. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 300. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (February 1990). The Wyvern's Spur. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 7, p. 93. ISBN 0-88038-902-8.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 109. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 79. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), chap. 10, p. 109. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Kate Novak (October 1988). Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 295. ISBN 0-88038-612-6.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and George MacDonald (April 1989). Curse of the Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 978-0880386067.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and George MacDonald (April 1989). Curse of the Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 16. ISBN 978-0880386067.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and George MacDonald (April 1989). Curse of the Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 978-0880386067.