Guild Mistress General
Conceived in 1980 in the backstreets of Shriekspire to a local whore and, rumour has it, a high up member of the Outriders Guild, Abbey was handed into the guild based on the strength that “Backstreet Bess” her mother remembered the guild insignia and ranking of the Orc that came to her one Earthnew night. The stories are presumably true, the blood of an Outrider must flow through her veins so skilled in their arts is she but that is not what she attests her true mastery too: Abbey was born in the Abbey of the Blessed Day, hence her name, and grew up on the scraps that her mother’s pimp threw her way. By the time she was five Abbey was more than proficient with a shiv, dirk, short sword and belaying pin, she could get through pretty much any tavern door, locked or otherwise and travelled unseen down the back alleys and cut throughs of the Great City.
However half way through her sixth year she was caught by Gifford Lance, Captain of the Frozen Men and tried for the murder of Danny Way, the very pimp who had abused her mother for many years.
Despite the sentence being commuted to manslaughter prison beckoned for an extended ten year appearance and not something that she could walk away from. Gifford however had other ideas, seeing in the girl great potential and that the killing was of mercy to her mother rather than due to a murderous nature. So he offered her up to the guild with his own blessing and under condition that she was his responsibility. She did not let him down and the relationship that the two fostered has been of great benefit to the guild houses in the Bitter Vale. She rose through the ranks very quickly, her work ethic, sense of responsibility and unfailing ability to sense a trap, set up or lie have seen her through all kinds of peril. According to legend she once stared down Quinn Shadowreaver himself at a public function in only her first week as Guild Mistress. The truth of that particular statement is very much in contention and certainly Mr Shadowreaver refuses to comment. Either way she is not a woman to trifle with and, as mentioned, her relationship with now Commander Lance is one of Father/Daughter structure. She has ears to the ground, through him, across the Royal Basin with regards to all things criminal and equally woe betide any criminal who wishes to push their luck to far on the streets of Shriekspire.
Under her leadership the Guild have weathered a number of storms: The financial crash of the Dragon Empire, Esan, Basin Trade Routes in 2010, the Rhygahrean War, the Cataclysm and the Hukerethian troubles. All of these have challenged the financial validity of the Outriders and equally placed a plethora of increasingly challenging and dangerous missions on their plate. Her Guildsman have great faith in her, something that she cherishes highly and works hard to maintain whilst her appearances on the Table of Swords are less common than some would like she still keeps up appearances. It is hoped that she will remain in her role for many years to come but her advisors have noted that her static position has led to much nostalgic wishing for the old days and a return to the field, specifically the streets that she so misses.
Holly Goodall
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