As of 9:17:23 EST on October 24th 2006, Cail Durris's story ended. And his ending could not possibly have been more perfect or fulfilling.
The tortured man, his entire life since the earth shattering moment when it ended for him, had been nothing but suffering, hatred and anger, leading eventually into a depression that had him reconsidering what he had made of himself, to him finally losing his life in a fit of anger at an act which violated everything he believed in.
For those who followed Cail's diary throughout, most of this shouldn't be news to you, but here it is, presented in its clearest form to date.
Cail Durris was born in Waterdeep. His parentage was unclear. His youth was really without any loving protection from caregivers - instead from the age of six he was training in combat. For most of his life, (from the time he was able to be useful and onward) he served a minor lord, and eventually through hard work and dedication to duty, became Captain of the noble's guard. By the age of 32 he'd only ever had one love interest - a persuit he looked back on for a while as folly, but never truly regretted. With a ring bought and paid for by Cail's savings, he proposed to Sasha, and left the service of his lord, to persue a quiet life in the lands outside of Waterdeep; one in which they would raise a large family. Cail and Sasha both had always wanted many children.
It wasn't to be though. 5 days after the Wedding, Cail and his bride had left the city, and were scarcely able to unpack, before a raiding party of orogs stormed the fields. A number of farmers were taken, and so too were Cail and his love. They were taken to Khun. It was there that Cail bore witness to the brutal ravaging and eventual death of his wife of less than a week. An event which in itself lasted far too long for anyone to escape unscarred. Three days, it went on, until the merciful hand of death stopped the suffering.
During their holding, they were stripped of everything of value, most importantly the wedding ring Cail had bought with his sweat and blood. The loss of the one artifact that tied him to his departed wife, and the sound of her screams haunted his dreams for months. The orog who perpetrated the crime had never even been brought to justice.
When finally he was set free, and brought to Sanctuary, there was naught for him. He had lost everything in his life of any meaning. He returned to the axiom on which he had based his life on the surface. The only reason he had been able to stomach the pomposity of the noble lord he endured. "Duty is Purpose. Purpose is Life. Life is Duty." This in mind, he devoted himself to the Watch. He had regained some semblance of use, and set to his work with a fierceness that quickly earned him respect. Still, he was lost.
He eventually found a degree of closure when he was persuaded by the Lurite priestess Mylin to do so. He, with others, departed to Fortress Khun, to retake what he had lost.
In a bath of blood, the very orog captain who had perpetrated those crimes of humanity was left dead. So doing, Cail regained the wedding ring, and finally reached enough peace that the nightmares that plagued him abated.
He never took it off after that day.
For months more, Cail endured. Even coming to accept his place as a now sergeant, in the ranks of the Watch. Things weren't peaceful, obviously, as he with his comrades in the Watch dealt with the various threats that faced the city.
He grew discontent though. In one fiery moment, in a fit of rage as Cail was wont to do, he discovered that a thug of Lower had sent an orphan child to explode itself in an effort to taunt the Watch. Enraged, Cail stormed to Lower, despite the cries of his associates to stop, and reconsider, he continued on. Confronting Dimes, he was quickly overwhelmed by the thugs and slain. His last words were those he spoke to Dimes.
[Tue Oct 24 19:24:33] Cail Durris: *barks loudly* Dimes! [Tue Oct 24 19:29:41] Johnny Dimes: You want somethin, asshole? [Tue Oct 24 19:29:50] Johnny Dimes: Could be seen as an armed invasion. [Tue Oct 24 19:29:52] Cail Durris: You're fucking right I want something! [Tue Oct 24 19:30:15] Cail Durris: I've got a problem when bloody children start blowing themselves up on my front step, shithead! [Tue Oct 24 19:30:59] Johnny Dimes: Yeah, that would be a bother. [Tue Oct 24 19:31:08] Cail Durris: *removes his helmet and throws it off to the side, nearly frothing in rage at Dimes* [Tue Oct 24 19:31:12] Johnny Dimes: [flicks a cigarette at him] Get lost before you get hurt. [Tue Oct 24 19:31:41] Cail Durris: *snarls* You're answering for this, shit. You're answering now. [Tue Oct 24 19:31:59] Johnny Dimes: What you gunna do? [Tue Oct 24 19:32:09] Johnny Dimes: You're just one ugly man. [Tue Oct 24 19:32:27] Johnny Dimes: Now piss off back to Upper before ye get corpsed. [Tue Oct 24 19:32:22] Cail Durris: *clenches his hand around his sword, raises his shield slightly* I'm going to kill your stupid ass, and pike your head in my room. [Tue Oct 24 19:32:29] Cail Durris: That's what. [Tue Oct 24 19:32:36] Johnny Dimes: Right. [Tue Oct 24 19:32:41] Johnny Dimes: Take 'im out, boys.
Cail's death wasn't in vain. Not long afterwards, Dimes' entire gang, and eventually Dimes himself, were slain in a bloody battle in the streets of Lower, as Cail's colleagues, among several others, retaliated.
It was in death though, that Cail found what he had been looking for, for so long.
---
I want to very sincerely thank the DMs for all the help with Cail they gave. Especially Howland and Arkov, who, while I know I must have gotten tiresome at points, were always more than willing to be helpful. Without them, Cail wouldn't have amounted to anything at all.
I especially want to thank Fish, because the times Cail and Salina spent together have been my favorites on the server, and were more often than not the sole reason I manage to get myself in game sometimes.
I also want to thank meow-mix, for Mylin, for much the same reason. In the early weeks of Cail, Mylin was about the only person who would talk to Cail, and without her, Cail probably never would have turned out the way he did.
And now, for a few little factoids about Cail's career:
Cail, while the second longest serving member of the Watch, had the single most arrests, by a long shot. Totalling out to 48 arrests, over 4 pages on the Arrest Log. he had 17 more arrests than the second place.
[Wed Feb 08 19:03:41] - The very first time Cail Durris was ever logged into the server.
Cail never once Full-Damage Killed anyone. In grand total, he's had executed all of 5 criminals.
Despite his reputation, Cail has only ever brutalized at most 3 criminals.
Cail's name is a composite of two characters from 'The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant' by Stephen R. Donaldson. His history was loosely (very loosely) based on Castellan Lebbick from the Mordant's Need duology by the same author. I got the name of his wife from the queen in Stephen King's 'Eyes of the Dragon'.
I guess he was never quite the Oliver Baba I wanted him to be, but Cail, while often difficult to play at times, for a variety of reasons, has always been a massively rewarding character, and I can only hope and pray other people enjoyed his presence in Sanctuary.
Cheers, to everyone,
Kotenku
