Cas

Cas is one of the original Dawn Treaders. He is one of the Godmaegen, born of the discarded grace of Sitariel. He currently suffers from amnesia of his distant past and cannot access his Godmaegen powers. Presently, he is traveling with the nefarious ice sorceress Digoria Antica and the ever meticulous cleric Alodel Erwer. He is currently journeying with the duo into the temple of Casgoroth to uncover secrets of his past.

Description
Despite his origin, Cas is anatomically a human. He is large among his kind, at 6'3" and 250 pounds. In his earlier days, his hair was nearly brown. As time has passed, it has become more blonde. When transformed, it is nearly white. His eyes, however, have maintained their sharp green hue across his life. Cas is well muscled and lean, playing much to his companion's chiding him as a lunkhead.

While often caught in a less adorned state, he always wears his battle-worn chainmail and carries his Twin Swords of Fury into battle. He is also currently sporting a pair of less than masculine Boots of the Winterlands that were a gift from Digoria after leaving her allies stranded for the time being. Cas has jokingly named the furry boots Ted and Fred because he believes they look like bunnies.

Personality
Cas is righteous, but reckless at times. He is an intelligent combatant but often makes foolish errors when his blood isn't pumping. He tends to be sarcastic and resistant to authority, primarily when said authority is haughty. He can be a bit unforgiving if he feels that his companions are being taken advantage of or his kindness is being abused. He also becomes grouchy and sharp-tongued when starved of food, alcohol, or daylight. Despite his flaws and brutish size, Cas is kind and willing to put himself at great risk to help others whom he deems allies or the innocent. He can also be accepting to a fault of those he considers friends. His amnesia leaves him secretly distressed and he worries about having to part ways with his companions over ideological differences since he has nobody else. He is also concerned by the fact that nobody from his past has even attempted to make contact with him. This has caused him to wonder what kind of a person he must have been before losing his memory and is compounded by the nightmares that plague him during sober sleep. The dreams are never very clear, but always violent and unfailingly end with him looking into his own eyes. The face behind those eyes shadowed but covered in the blood of the innocent.

Abilities
As Cas is a Godmaegen with melee leanings, he has access to much of the combat prowess of a fighter with some of the divine abilities of a paladin. He is thus skilled in martial combat, swinging the immense Swords of Fury with relative ease.

Dual Wielding
Cas is accustomed to using two weapons in combat. Being ambidextrous, he can use his "off-hand" just as easily as his other. This allows him to surprise his foes and deals large amounts of damage in a short time. As his skill has grown, he has also learned to defend himself with his weapons almost as well as if he were carrying a shield.

Healing Touch
While his access to his godmaegen powers are limited, Cas can access some of his divine power to heal himself and his allies by channel this energy through a touch.

Divine Smite
As with his healing touch, Cas can also channel a bit of his divine energy through his weapon to increase the weapon's impact upon a foe. If he can regain his former abilities, this energy will flood his weapons constantly and he will be able to further enhance it by channeling his soul font energy into it.

Combat Prowess
Even with his unwieldy weapons, Cas is able to strike deadly blows twice as often as many other combatants.

Determination and Resistances
Even with a large part of his powers locked away, Cas still maintains the physical and mental resilience of his true nature. His determination protects him some the allure of the false and fear of the mighty. He is also stubborn enough to continue even when overworked. His body is also somewhat more resistant than the average man. He is immune to natural disease and is less affected by poisons and foul necrotic energy.

Godmaegen Angel Powers
Though locked away, Cas has unknowingly developed some of the powers associated with his founder's original state.

Messenger
When channeling his divine energies, Cas assumes the likeness of an angel. When he assumes this divine form, he sprouts glorious feathered wings from his back and his skin takes on a heavenly glow.

Mercy
While in his divine form, Cas could show mercy on the dying. He can help the friendly off the brink of death and help to bring quick and painless death to the mortally wounded enemy.

Possessions
Cas wields the Twin Swords of Fury, massive swords created by Headrig the Blacksmith by splitting The Fume Greatsword in exchange for a pair of Silver Gauntlets that Cas used to don to greatly increase his strength. In their stead, he has acquired a much less potent Ring of Strength. He also sports a Ring of Bravery and Boots of the Winterlands. Cas has also snagged a Bag of Holding and a Krampus Sack to store and transport items and people, respectively. Final possessions of note are the Lens of Truth and a pair of Figurines of Wondrous Power. The Lens allows the user to read any nonmagical language and the Figurines allow the user to call on a Dire Wolverine.He has also recently acquired a powerful Silverbow that carries the chill of winter on its arrows.

Origins
While in most ways a human, Cas was not born in the typical manner. His creation was similar to others known as Godmaegens. That is a response by Ein Sof, The Infinite, to the extrication of unwanted aspects by divine beings and the like. His founder was the angel Sitariel, who shed his grace in pursuit of power. The essence of his grace was reborn as a human. Cas was "born" as a full-grown man. This likely lends explanation to his occasional childish antics.

The Mad Manor of Astabar
Following Cas's most recent bout of amnesia, he encounters a quirky half-elf named Link in a bar in the town of Duncraid. The two become friends as they share drink and Link passes on the tragedy of his past. Cas, having no memory, sympathizes with his new ally's loss of his roots. The bartender speaks of the Mad Manor of Astabar outside the town that could house some valuable secrets. As both Link and Cas are starved for money, they decide to investigate the Manor the following day. Link hits the sauce too hard and is still unconscious when the decided time arrives. Cas gets anxious and decides to scout ahead and let Link catch up. He is able to navigate a large portion of the Manor solo, but is wounded when fighting the former owner's imp familiar and rests. When he arises, Link has finally arrived and the two continue to explore. They finally encounter a doppelganger posing as the sorcerer Astabar and barely defeat it. In doing so, they acquire a mysterious locked box that they are unable to open. They gather all the treasure they can find and return to Duncraid and later set out for the nearby town of Havelwood.

The Cave of Wonders
Cas and Link first meet Digoria in The Tavern Inn in Havelwood. Cas is pestered by pseudodragon and tries to hunt it down in his drunken state. Meanwhile a hooded lady questions Link about the duos trip into the Manor and advises them to seek out the Cave of Wonders. The pseudodragon and the hooded lady subsequently leave and the barkeep gives them more information on the Cave. The pair decides to heed the lady's advice and seek it out. They once again encounter the woman and her pet in the cave and learn their names are Digoria and Chuck. The group traverses the cave together, finally encountering a medusa in its deepest chamber. Cas is unfortunately petrified during the encounter. However, upon fitting the magic box from the Manor into a similar groove in the chamber, a Djinn is summoned and grants each of the group a wish. Link kindly restores Cas, who subsequently asks the genie to grant the pair powerful weapons. Cas is rewarded with The Fume Greatsword at this point. The catch is that the legendary weapon is far too powerful for Cas to presently wield to its full potential. After escaping the crumbling cave, Cas is convinced to accompany Digoria as she may have allies that can help restore his memory.

Shatterhull Isle
Digoria lure's the group with promises of treasure and power to Shatterhull Isle. In reality, she has the ulterior motive of training the group to declare a challenge against the drow mage Ellion Stryfe. Several harpies and a water elemental later, she comes clean and also is disappointed to admit that they are still not strong enough for the trial at hand.

The Fane of the Drow
The group continues its near aimless search of power and the past in Tristram. They are hired by a group of dwarves who needed help regaining the ancestral home, which has recently been the battleground of drow and duergar. The group sets out to retake the caves, encountering much resistance from both rival groups along the way. They finally succeed, thanks in no small part to a dwarf named Balfador who joins them and an elven cleric named Alodel who they rescue from the drows' clutches. They return to the surface battered and tired after reaching an impenetrable crypt deep below the dwarven city.

A Link to the Past
The group returns to Tristram after Link decides its time to return to his homeland. They return to the Kokiri Forest to speak with the Great Deku Tree, the protector of the forest after bickering with Headrig the barkeep and blacksmith and traveling through the Lost Woods.Cas and Digoria assist Link in acquiring three spiritual stones and discover that the Great Deku Tree has fallen. Through use of the spiritual stones and a magical ocarina, Link awakens the spirit of the Great Deku Tree, who reveals the hidden truth of Link's origin. This strange event causes a reaction deep in Cas's psyche and he is overwhelmed psychologically. He collapses against the stump of the Great Deku Tree and does not come to until Digoria and Link return from further exploration of the forest. At a dead end for now, Digoria convinces the party to return to Tristram for the time being.

There the group is able to gain an audience with Corros the archmage. This is cut short by an assault on the city. Cas and Link end up plunging into the tunnels beneath the city to capture a mage impersonating Corros's apprentice after murdering the young man. They then discover Digoria rampaging through the city slaughtering innocents and foes alike, as she was maddened by the mage's accursed magic. Corros takes her into custody after the fact, where Cas pleads for her pardoning, on account of her instrumental help in ridding the city of the invaders.

Superunknown
The group decides to build some funds doing "easy" jobs in town after Cas learns that Headrig may be able to split the Fume Greatsword into something more suitable to Cas's style. Cas saves Link from nearly being eaten by ghasts and later helps Digoria prevent the summoning of a hezrou demon. After Link's disappearance, Cas and Digoria depart for Ensteig to speak with Corros the Archmage, partly for clues on Link's whereabouts and partly to learn about an army gathering in the east near Caldeum. Cas engages Altorin, the Captain of the Guard, in a friendly sparring match and quickly overwhelms him, thanks to catching him off guard and a hearty dose of good luck. He also must intervene when Corros and Digoria's own duel gets out of hand and she is nearly killed, were it not for Cas's smooth talking.

The pair learned of the complications with the armies arising to the east and more about Ellion after Digoria receives a Chuck-delivered letter from Alodel and Balfador. The duo then marches to Ellion's castle with the backing of Altorin. They ascend the tower and finally encounter an Oni after Digoria has pursued her usual habit of running off. He and Altorin best it, but then find Digoria nearly dead in the clutches of the vampire spawn Phage. Amidst the battle, a white dragon interrupts the conflict by trying to crumble the tower. Cas is nearly killed when he follows his brave and sometimes foolhardy nature by attacking the beast. Phage escapes during the ruckus and a one-sided conversation ensues between the dragon's master, the goddess Jadis, and Digoria. Following this, the group makes their way to the caverns underneath the keep where Digoria reclaims her ship, The Entropy Tide.

The ghost ship carries the trio to Lut Gholein, where Cas donates his favored silver gauntlets to Headrig through Fara, a local paladin blacksmith and friend of Headrig's. She informs them that Corros is in danger and the group must seek him out to obtain the final piece needed to transform Cas's weapon. Cas and Altorin return to Enteig and are attacked by who they believe to be Corros upon entering his tower. In truth it is the oni under Phage's command in disguise. The situation grew more dire after they discovered Corros's mangled body. With both the oni and Corros dead, the group regroups in the Archmage's old study, where they uncover the item needed by Headrig, a note to Altorin, and the Fey Ring of Atlantis. Cas is caught with his pants down after an Erinyes chartered to capture him busts through the window while he is urinating and takes him hostage. She is persuaded to pursue a better arrangement with Altorin assuming he is prompt in his delivery. Altorin reaches Digoria and persuades her with the news of the Fey Ring to liberate Cas. She returns with Alodel and the demilich Zultan Kulle to find Cas half-naked and nearly dead. Like a true champion, he kept his sharp tongue through all of the resultant beatings. Cas is freed, and the party is subsequently assaulted twice: once verbally by the townsfolk for the trouble they bring and once physically by a pair of Flinds looking for trouble in the city. After attaining victory, the group rests and immediately departs, trying to put the tragedies of late behind them.

Of Mice and Men
The newly formed group of Cas, Digoria, and Alodel head to Tristram to pick up Cas's new weapons and fulfill the pact that was made with Kulle to save Cas's life.While in Headrig's tavern, they recruit the assistance of a pair of mercenaries: Gachev and Natalya.The group ventures into Tristram Cathedral and completes the bargain of restoring Kulle to full Lich status. Luckily, they also acquired another Fey Ring from a mummy lord's sarcophagus as well. Headrig later informs them that, Lut Gholein has fallen in the absence of Altorin and the Iron Wolves. Cas and Alodel decide to try and help the city. Digoria, however, remains behind. The duo, with Gachev's help, rescues the Sultan of Lut Gholein, Jehryn The Sultan then shows them a vision of Digoria's misdealings with Kulle and some fiendish entity, and promptly advises them to see to the safety of Caldeum, for an army has gathered there to open the Abyss.

The trio follows the Sultan's advice and sets out to assist the city, unknowingly walking into a trap. However, the party is more than adept at slaying the masses of ghouls before them. They work their way through the city, saving several Iron Wolves in the process. They find themselves in a dead-end chamber covered in blood to form ritual markings. At its center is Ellion Stryfe about to sacrifice Altorin. Cas manages to stay the drow's hand with a forceful bluff, although Altorin is still fatally wounded in the ensuing combat. Alodel manages to draw him away while the rest battle Ellion. The tide turns when the drow unleashes a devastating cloudkill spell that terrifies Gachev and the Wolves, causing them to flee. Cas and Alodel stand alone against the mighty necromancer. Cas is knocked unconscious holding Ellion at bay, but the distraction allows Alodel to hit the foe with an exploding prayer bead that mortally wounds him. His death, however, completes the ritual. Through the interference of the god Myrkul, the ritual malfunctions and the Abyssal gate is only partially opened. Alodel is able to revive Cas and Altorin, but hasn't the strength to revive the injured Wolves. Cas however refuses to leave them behind and carries them out the collapsing building with the Krampus sacks. Outside, they discover Digoria facedown amidst what was formerly an army of ghouls.

Savages
After parting ways with Gachev, Altorin and the Iron Wolves in Lut Gholein, the heroes sail to Kingsport. Here they are intercepted by a bard called Big Red. Seems Altorin again needs their assistance, this time in a town called Stulpe. The group obliges and travels with the bard to the city where they meet its ruler Lord Herre. He explains that savage armies are gathering in the regions surrounding the city. They arrive much sooner than expected and besiege the city's three gates. The group quickly responds, taking out a sizeable chunk of the army at the west gate, comprised of goblins and hobgoblins. They move to south gate and repeat, this time slaying bugbears and gnolls. The trouble arises when they join the Iron Wolves at the North Gate. This army has man sized soldiers in the form of orcs, but also has much larger and nastier things: ogres, giants, and trolls. Even battle-weary the group manages to give the townsfolk ample time to push the horde back and seal the gates. Lord Herre showed his gratitude with a generous reward. This was not enough, however to satisfy the group. The ruler had let slip previously a reference about a magic item of immense power within the city that both his family line and Corros's had sworn to protect. At further prodding the Lord explained that he didn't know the item but he did fear that the parties after it were far beyond common mortals. The group decides that it was time to pay old Corros a visit, what was left him anyway.

The Darkening of Ensteig
The heroes venture back into the Kokiri forest on the way back to Ensteig and rescue several townsfolk from magically locked cages. They are informed that Karasu has taken hold of the town and the farmers agree to help them sneak in. They use the secret tunnels to enter Corros's former abode, were Cas reads a journal of victims denoted as blood samples. Further in, they discover Phage playing with Corros's skull and engage her. During combat Link reappears and attacks Cas, apparently having turned coat to the other side. Cas cripples Link, but has difficulty bringing himself to slay his old friend. He asks Alodel to finish the job. This is cut short however, but an arcane horror lobbing a fireball into the middle of the group, killing Link. Afterwards, Phage is defeated and captured using the Krampus Sack. She requested they take her to the Forest Temple. The groups acquiesces, cautiously, as they must return to the Forest, as they learned that Corros's remains, including the missing jawbone is located there.

The group returns to the forest and is assailed by a strange man, temporarily paralyzes Cas and warns Alodel to leave. Immediately afterward they discover Digoria held as Cas was. He takes advantage of Digoria's rigidness and tips her over, payback for the several pranks in the other direction. He then picks her up to carry her until the paralysis wears off. Inopportunely, a Bheur hag was responsible for Digoria's afflict and attacks. Cas, who is unarmed at the time, thinks on his feet and spears the hag with Digoria's rigid body. Who is subsequently liberating from the condition. The group battles the hag with another of its ilk. They succeed without too much trouble and locate the rest of Corros's remains. Through Alodel's divine magic, they learn what they can from Corros's memory about Stulpe's treasure being the Eclipse Ring and Karasu's interest in it. They proceed to the Forest Temple and release Phage. She betrays them as expected and tries to don the armor of Karasu's sire, Baron Von Strahd while the group is struggling with Karasu's animated armor. Phage is thwarted, however, and forced to flee with the incomplete armor. The group returns to Entsteig and successfully rids the town of monsters. They then dispose of Karasu's coffin and Alodel begins casting a series of wards to protect the town while they begin the founding of the guild.

First Lights
The trio decide venture out in search of old allies to swell the guild's roster. They encounter Big Red the bard on the way out. He agrees to join and help them find the others they seek if they help him acquire a special ingredient for his namesake brew. They do so in the Squirrel Forest, where the group combats countless squirrels, including a ginormous one.

They next seek out a trio of allies in Tristram. On the way, they seek shelter from a storm in the Salwhn Manor. Here they fell victim to a vile curse that left Cas fighting for his life through the night as a Frankenstein-like monster.The journey then takes them to a town called Randora to find Altorin and the Iron Wolves. Here Cas brawls well with the mind-controlled town guard, but is helpless against the illithids pulling the strings. Luckily, Digoria and Alodel are able to resist the psychic might of the creatures until Cas is able to regain his senses and rejoin the fight.

The last leg of the quest takes them far to the east, to the land of the orient. Here the group encounters an old oriental mystic and sage, named Wang Lung, who swears Cas looks familiar. He directs them to a buried temple a half-days journey away. The group battles oni and other foreign creatures here, liberating Natalya and Gachev in the process. The group is nearly defeated by a void beast after the monster fells Cas, twice. They manage to conquer it with the help of some talismans found hidden in the temple. Upon returning to Entsteig, a farmer named Jeremiah greets the group. He promises unprecedented information on Cas's origin.

Heart of Darkness
Jeremiah tells the tale of finding Cas on the brink of death and witless several months prior. He took Cas in and nursed him back to health. He began asking Cas his name after he regained consciousness, at least for a short while. Cas only responded by repeating the phrase Cas Goroth. Alodel recognizes the name but cannot recall exactly what it is, so the group takes to the library and discovers Casgoroth as the name of a shrine buried deep in the Torajan jungles. The group treks through the undergrowth, battling beasts long since extinct in many parts of the world, and comes upon the village of Kultakala. Alodel and Cas impress the residents of the small jungle hamlet with their magic by feeding the hungry and healing the sick, so they agree to guide them to the temple. Just before entering, Cas notices the strangest white winged lion starkly contrasted against the jungle growth, but is unable to get closer. The group then enters the foreboding temple of Casgoroth.

The group finds a labyrinth unfold before them in the first floor of the temple. Hidden in the twists of the halls they battle several groups of Yuan-Ti and a pair of minotaurs. They find several keys scattered throughout guarded by elemental-themed traps. Upon reaching the central chamber with the help of magical warping pools, they find a large spiral staircase leading to a primitive, locked door. The keys seem to fit nonspecifically into the door and they proceed to the second floor. The upper floor has eight chambers surrounding the central, each with a theme related to one of the primal forces. Each chamber also contains a golem that presents a chunk of its own material after the group displays the solution to the golem's riddle. They fit the materials into the dais in the central chamber and the hear the mechanics open something downstairs. When the group goes to investigate, they discover an eye golem awaiting them. The trio defeats the construct and proceeds to the basement level of the temple.

The basement appears to have been the quarters for some kind of priesthood and their slaves. Now it is abandoned by all but scavengers, like oozes and carrion eaters.Signs of combat cover many of the chambers, and Cas begins to act strangely, complaining about being very uncomfortable there. The group discovers the vile nature of the priesthood as they explore, finding demonic idols and logs of horrific experiments performed on the slaves. Unfortunately, Cas has his armor ruined in combat with a nasty ooze creature. This, coupled with his semi-delusional state, causes him to be swallowed whole by two different creatures. While Digoria and Alodel continue to explore, Cas wanders off to the high priest's chambers and takes a nap. When the others return to find him, he has trashed the room and discovered a hidden passage leading to the caves below.

The caverns contain shrines and spirits guarding the secrets of the eight primal forces. Each of the trio faces a challenge related to the primal force of their own choosing. Cas opts to take on the challenge of the Celestial Force and faces an Ancient Titan. The titan grants Cas temporary armor to even the field, although Cas only barely wins the fight. After the Celestial Force is unlocked within him, Cas regains his lost memories and subsequently his Godmaegen powers. He rushes off to discover the spectres of the twins, who blame Cas for their untimely and brutal death by sacrifice. Cas recalls that Sitariel is responsible for their death and rushes off to the temple's upper level to activate the dais lift to the temple's zenith. Here he calls on the fallen angel to settle the score. His plan is a blunder, however, as Cas is no match for Sitariel. After being soundly beaten, a solar shows up to distract Sitariel while the others get away. Izalea and Charlemagne also appear and drag Cas, Alodel, and Digoria to safety at the Twilight Company's camp in the jungle. With much to process, Cas and both groups set out for Entsteig to regroup and recover.