Rolen Fairwind was born into a family of cartwrights and carpenters in Alchester, where the clang of hammers pounding nails and saws cutting wood filled his childhood. His father, a respected craftsman with an eye toward business, instilled in Rolen a deep appreciation for the wagon trade and traditional wood crafting techniques. From a young age, Rolen exhibited a natural affinity for engineering and design, often sketching blueprints for new carriage concepts or helping construct wagons that would rumble across the plains stretching hundreds of miles from Kallendor along the myriad trade routes.
As Rolen matured and took over the family business, he became a savvy entrepreneur, reaping the benefits of the thriving carriage-building industry. However, while he found success, he was also perceptive, realizing that the winds of change were shifting toward the skies. During a lively discussion about the future of transportation at a tradesman’s gathering, Rolen first heard the whispers of airship travel. This burgeoning industry held limitless potential. Rather than resist the change, he embraced it, redirecting the resources of his family’s carriage and wagon-building business into airship manufacturing. This bold decision positioned him as a pioneer in the industry, allowing him to ride the crest of this new wave in commerce and travel.
In his professional ascent, Rolen crossed paths with Mara, a vibrant and talented artist whose creativity seemed to illuminate the world around her. Enamored, Rolen relentlessly pursued her, charmed by her passion for art and the ability to see beauty where others saw none. Once they married, Rolen believed he had found a muse to complement and enhance his life, but their relationship would soon be tested.
"The venture was a damn hopeless effort, many told me. A damn hopeless—” Mr. Fairwind looked to the room’s darkest corner. “Grom, what do you call that?”
Rolen’s steward slithered from the shadows. “Call what, Mr. Fairwind?”
“A damn hopeless effort!” Rolen huffed. “Pay attention, Grom!”
Before Mr. Fairwind’s greasy-haired steward could respond, I said simply, “A forlorn hope.”
Rolen shot up. “That’s it! A forlorn hope! You could learn a thing or two about paying attention from this man, Grom. Why, Mr. . . . ? Whatever am I to call you, anyway? If we’re to do business, I must call you something.”
- THE ASSASSIN’S DILEMMA
As Mara’s artwork gained traction and recognition, Rolen’s initial pride in her accomplishments turned to jealousy and resentment. Uncomfortable with the attention she received, he perceived her rising fame as a threat to his own success. Rolen had always worn his ambition as a badge of honor, but the thought of being overshadowed by his wife gnawed at him, sowing seeds of doubt and insecurity in his heart. Instead of supporting her artistic journey, he grew increasingly critical and controlling, struggling to accept that her achievements were her own, separate from his.
This internal conflict strained their marriage as Rolen became conflicted. At once, he was a brilliant businessman, yet increasingly resentful of the person he once adored. The same eyes that once twinkled with admiration for Mara’s talent were now clouded with jealousy, discontent, and a need for control. His relentless pursuit of success left little room for understanding or compromise, pushing Mara away when she needed his support the most. Rolen’s desire to be the sole focus of admiration in their lives drove a wedge between them, shattering the once-harmonious relationship they had built.
Despite his external success in the airship industry—expanded trade routes and a flourishing business—Rolen Fairwind found himself entangled in a web of emotional turmoil and isolation. Caught up in his jealousy and fear of inadequacy, he became driven by the need for recognition, unwilling to acknowledge the partnership that had once inspired him. As his enterprise grew, his personal life deteriorated, leaving him to grapple with the bitter irony of a life full of success but devoid of genuine connection or fulfillment.
FIRST APPEARANCE
Rolen first appears in The Assassin's Dilemma (Assassin Without a Name Prequel).
