Gauntlet – The Helmed HorrorThe history of Gauntlet started when he became a Lieutenant under General Strahd for a battle to reacquire the town of Barovia and Castle Ravenloft from the barbarian horde known as the Tergs. What gets left out of history telling was the fact that Gauntlet, better known as Alek Gwilym, was killed by Strahd for possibly being a member of the assassin group known as the Ba’al Verzi. Alek was left for dead by Strahd on the battlements of the castle while Strahd went to seal his pact with death in hopes to gain eternal life.
Alek wandered the real world in search of a way to somehow find and kill Count Strahd, but in the long years that followed he became a blackguard, slowly walking down the path of vengeance and insanity. Gauntlet’s sword is his only defense against his Lord’s powerful attacks and the sword now is tied to Gauntlet’s life force striving to keep the warrior alive so that he may pursue his mission to destroy the evil fiend Strahd. From the Diary of Count Strahd: There would be a price. No bargain was without one. The benefits to not age one day more was one thing, but to have Tatyana… she was worth any price. If Death wanted my very soul, I’d have given it up for her. She was springtime and summer rain, autumn color and winter stillness. And by tomorrow night she would be mine. Alek’s shadow passed by my window and I heard the sound of metal on stone like a sword hitting the castle wall. I attacked before he could call others to help, we dealt each other fatal blows, but I had Death on my side and with drinking Gwilym’s blood I healed my own wound. Alek Gwilym, valiant soldier, trusted officer, loyal companion for eighteen busy years, my only true friend, was dead by my hand, but I was unable to regret or even mourn that death. I seemed beyond such mundane thoughts this night. I felt young again and ready to continue with the rest of Death’s bargain. From: I, Strahd by P.N Elrod |