This is Leosin Todd. We bumped into him whilst at the Harper's in Everlund, and this is what I've learned about him since then. Leo was born and raised in the small City of Ormath, south-west of Gulthmere.
He is the first and only son of George & Catilan Todd. George was Ormath's best tinkerer and specialised in the design of locks - from banks to safes to Nobles front doors.
Leosin would often help his father in his workshop, who would often say his small nimble hands were perfect for the intricate tasks.
Catilan was the adopted daughter of Osaw & Nyali Agolo from Chult. It wouldn't be until later that Leosin discovered that his biological grandparents were members of the Red Wizards of Thay. Throughout his childhood, his mother spent most of her time teaching Leo to read, write and the lore of Azuth & Mystra. She stayed clear of giving up too much information on Leo's biological grandparents but would often talk of Osaw and Nyali and how she would love for Leosin to meet them. The name Catilan is thought to have been the name of the first of Mystra's avatars.
On the 7th of Nightal 1475, Leosin was asleep following one of his Mother's stories only to awake a few hours later to the screams of his neighbours. Rushing to the window he couldn't see anything for a dense black fog. George burst through his door telling him to run and meet George and Catilan at a nearby well outside of town! Leo rushed to the rear of the house and fled the town through the forests towards the well. Days passed before Leo decided to try and get to another town. Leo stopped at a small stream to get a drink, out of the corner of his eye he noticed a carriage. As he got closer he noticed this very large and muscular man wearing blue and white robes taking a rest in the back of the carriage. Desperate, Leo seized the opportunity to grab some food just inside the window of the carriage. As his hand travelled over the threshold of the windows, what sounded like a handbell being rung in Leo’s ear bellowed out and around the carriage. The man grabbed Leo's arm and pulled him into the carriage. After the man calmed down, he introduced himself as Theodor Trussvis. Leosin told Theodor where he was from and instantly you could see Theodor's face drop and immediate realisation what had happened. Theodor was travelling to the Seat of Knowledge then on to Baldur's Gate, he decided to take Leosin with him until he could figure out what to do with him.
Upon reaching the Seat of Knowledge, Leosin was left in the charge of Mirian Goddard who would end up becoming like a Mother to Leosin. Within the Seat of Knowledge, children, who must be at least ten years of age, are received as potential proteges from various locations from around Faerun. Usually, Nobles or students who excel in the arcane arts. The Channelling invitations and testing are only performed once every 20 years and it so happened the next one was to be three months after Leosin's arrival. Mirian campaigned for the age requirements to be slipped just once to allow the 9-year-old Leosin to join, stating that within a few months he would soon turn 10 anyway.
Initially, Leosin was turned down as a candidate to join the Channellings month-long selection process until Protector of the Seat, Archmage Haruek Tharass' letter of acceptance was presented to Mirian. Leosin tried incredibly hard in all challenges that were presented to him within the Channelling, so much so that at the end of the month-long event he had amassed more points than anyone else in centuries and was subsequently given the choice of joining either the Guard or the Scholars. Leo chose to join the Scholars.
Leosin’s questions, wealth of knowledge and interest in magic piqued the interest of Archmage Haruek Tharass even further, a human Wizard whose charge is to ensure the safety and well being of the Seat. Haruek decided that he would make Leosin his apprentice, which had not happened in a very long time. It was here that Leosin learned of the depth and importance of the Seat. It was common knowledge that there were magical items and literature of great importance held within the Grand Library’s vaults, but it was not widely known that items of great evil and power were entrusted to the Seat to ensure they are stored away safely and beyond harm's reach.
Many areas of the Seat were restricted to only the high ranking members of the Seat, but now that Leo was Haruek's apprentice he would often help Archmage Haruek by accompanying him into the Grand Library to be his scribe and to keep him company.
Leosin was well liked with the Seat of Knowledge. His position as the apprentice of the Archmage made him well known. The Grandmaster Yoqala Gestra, a elderly woman who was once a high ranking Wizard, also took advantage of Leosin’s interest in magic and his ability to give good insight on topics of less importantance in and around the Seat. Over the next 14 years Leosin learnt a great deal from the Archmage, his dear friend and mentor. So much so he had multiple books of spells at his disposal. He had even asked the Archmage for help to understand what it was he saw all those years ago back in Ormath. Haruek would often shoot it down as an overactive imagination and reaffirm that it appeared most people died to weaponry probably wielded by men. The attacker(s) on Ormath were never found and the city rebuilt with a larger guard force presence.
Leosin had learned well and fast but Mirian suddenly took ill, so Leo spent a lot of his time studying and working from her quarters ensuring she was comfortable and well looked after. Mirian passed away in the following 6 months. Leo was devastated, he loved her like a mother and she him, like a son.
One night Leosin was covering Guard Duties on the bridge, he did this sometimes as he liked to ponder in the silence of the mountainside until a young woman approached the bridge. She was very beautiful and made Leo very nervous as he hadn't spent much time around women of the same age as himself. She presented a letter from First Reader Murdane Methos with an appointment scheduled on it. This was not unusual as he often had Ladies of the Night visit him in his bedchambers. One of the other guards told Leosin to escort her to Murdane's chambers, so he did. Leosin returned to his post with the Guard until very loud alarm bells started to ring, they were similar to the bells ringing out of Theodor’s carriage back when Leosin was 9 but far louder. Leosin was instructed to fetch the First Reader and then return to his quarters. Leosin rushed as fast as his feet would carry him to the chambers of the First Reader, and found him naked, gagged and bound to his bed. Leosin cut him free and helped him to his feet. Murdane grabbed Leo by his arm and threatened that if he ever spoke of this to anyone he would ensure Leo would never step foot in the Seat of Knowledge again.
The next day, Leosin and Haruek were studying together in the Grand Library trying to figure out what had happened the night before, when members of the Guard arrested Leo and presented him to the Grandmaster. Grandmaster Yoqala Gestra stood furious on the other side of her table, and accused Leosin of stealing magical artefacts from the Grand Library. Before he could protest his innocence, Yoqala bombarded him with evidence. Witness statements suggesting he was seen acting strange around the Grand Library and that he had been accompanied by a strange woman visitor in the middle of the night. Leo tried to plead his case, stating that none of this was true and that it was all fabricated. Leosin had wanted to inform the Grandmaster that is was actually the First Reader who had taken the visitor, but he was not about to accuse a high ranking member of the Seat of anything. The final piece of evidence that was provided would be the one to secure his exit from the Seat. The gift Theodor had bestowed upon him all those years ago was found at the location of the stolen items.
Leosin was banished from the seat henceforth, stripped of all his possessions apart from the clothes he was wearing. Everything he had to remember of his family and Mirian was confiscated. Devastated at the loss of his second family, he was cast into the snowy mountains, not to return until he had proven himself worthy.
Traveling down the mountain towards a nearby village, Leo received a message in his mind from his mentor, Haruek. “I know you that you are innocent, Leo. It pains me that you hide information, you have your reasons I am sure. Look under the tree near the crossroads. Take care Leo, I’m sure we’ll speak again.” Leo hurried down the hill and found a package at the bottom of the mountain attached to a staff stuck in the ground. Inside the pack was a letter with information about an attack on the Temple of Tyr in Neverwinter and an adventuring party with ties to the event and the death of the Giant Queen, with a suggestion to keep a low profile when investigating the Temple and to take care. Along with gold, tinkers tools and a small spellbook with a few spells known to Leo he set off to rebuild his name and reputation and prove his innocence.
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