Jarek Blackwell was born on the Steel Islands, a rugged and lawless territory where crime and piracy were woven into the fabric of life. Growing up in this harsh environment, he quickly learned that survival required more than strength. It demanded cunning, adaptability, and an unyielding will. The stark realities of life marked his early years on the islands, where lawlessness thrived, and every day was a struggle against the forces that sought to exploit the weak. Jarek witnessed the harsh consequences of unchecked ambition as rival factions clashed in violent power struggles, and his parents’ tenuous existence left a lasting impression on him. The chaotic world around him shaped his understanding of morality. In such a place, he often found that the strong survived while greed devoured the weak.
As a young man, Jarek felt the pangs of ambition coursing through his veins, fueling a desire to rise above the treachery surrounding him. When the opportunity arose to apprentice under a master sorcerer hunter, he seized it without hesitation, yearning for a life defined by purpose rather than desperation. Leaving the Steel Islands behind, he stepped into a world of arcane knowledge and deadly skills, learning the intricacies of hunting those who wielded magic. His mentor imparted invaluable lessons on the delicate balance between power and restraint. Still, Jarek found himself drawn to the darker aspects of their craft, namely the mastery of life force-draining weaponry, including the feared depleters.
Jarek’s training hardened him, equipping him with the skills necessary to pursue contracts on behalf of the Sorcerer’s League. This organization sought the raw life force of other sorcerers, witches, and powerful spellcasters. In his eyes, taking life force energy was not murder but a necessary transaction in a world drenched in magic. With their abundant reserves of power, wizards were targets of opportunity, and Jarek had little remorse for his actions. Each contract he fulfilled only reinforced his belief that he was meeting a need—a calculated exchange that strengthened the League’s influence and fed the growing demand for magical resources.
“I’m likely here for the same reason you are, Mr. . . . ? Would you care to grace me with your name?”
“Blackwell,” he said, crossing his arms. “Jarek Blackwell.”
He made no effort to introduce the other two, and I didn’t ask, figuring Blackwell was the brains and the other two, who were dressed much more plainly, the muscle.
“I very much doubt you and I are here for the same purpose, Mr. Tollwood,” Jarek said. “But I recognized the type of man you are the moment I saw you inside.”
“Oh?” I asked. “What kind is that?”
“A hunter like me.”
- THE ASSASSIN’S DILEMMA
As he advanced in his profession, Jarek partnered with a savvy goblin named Bookul, whose sharp wit and resourceful nature proved invaluable. The two became a formidable team. While Jarek handled the physical confrontations with sorcerers, Bookul provided strategic advice and navigated the complexities of the magical underworld. Despite the brutal nature of their work, their bond blossomed into a camaraderie built on shared experiences, black humor, and a mutual understanding of the darkness that lurked within their chosen paths.
Jarek Blackwell operates on the fringes of morality, ever the pragmatist who navigates the gray areas of life with steely resolve. While his past in the Steel Islands shaped him into a ruthless hunter, he harbors an understanding that the world is often a relentless cycle of predator and prey, where only the cunning earn their place. In his pursuit of power, Jarek continues to delve into the depths of sorcery, knowing the dangers that lie ahead but relishing the thrill of the hunt.
FIRST APPEARANCE
Jarek first appears in The Assassin's Dilemma (Assassin Without a Name Prequel).
