A musically inclined mother, with a sense of humor and little patience with her third son, named him Fortissimo due to his *loud* crying as an infant. His father, more concerned with his business ventures than the fine arts, didn't catch the joke until it was too late, and the name stuck.

Always striving to prove himself, especially against his two older brothers, Fortissimo used his great size to much advantage. His mother tried to interest him in music, but years of lessons only allow him to pluck out a scale - if he's familiar with the instrument (a lyre in the key of C or a harpsichord). Knowing he would never get a real inheritance from his family, Forte (as his family and close friends call him) constantly vied for a military career - hoping to overtake his middle brother's traditional place. But tradition won out, and his father intended the third son to enter the clergy, as third sons in his line have for generations. Disgruntled due to years of wasted training with weapons, Forte chose to leave home. His father chose not to support him in his new endeavor, but his mother did give him a few implements of his new trade: some old armor that had once belonged to her great-uncle, as well as a distant cousin's two-handed sword. Being superstitious, she also gave him a small pouch with some garlic (five buds), wolfsbane (two sprigs), and one flask of their best olive oil. After packing some basic supplies, Forte set out in search of fortune!

Fate, however, had different plans for him. Perhaps an angry deity was taking revenge for losing a potential cleric. Or maybe it was just his own lack of foresight. Whatever the cause, Fortissimo soon found life on the road a bit harder than he had imagined. The worst was the destruction of his beloved two-handed sword. In anger, after nearly being killed by wild boar, he swung his sword at a mighty oak tree. The blow was awkward, angry, and at a bad angle. The tree is fine. The sword now lies nearby, in two pieces. Angered even more by his own stupidity, Forte almost yearns for the life of a small village cleric. Almost.

His mother, anxious at his leaving, now seems filled with dread. When will she hear from him again? Will her son fall in with the "wrong" crowd? She is angry at her husband for not sponsoring *two* sons in the military. It would have been unusual, but they could have afforded it. After all, the last several years have brought exceptional olive harvests on their farm, and the press has been busy making the oil so loved by all in the area.

But Fortissimo can not return home, at least not yet. Not until he proves himself at something. Anything. He must show them that he made the right decision, no matter how long it takes. Armed with his bastard sword and long bow, down to just a dozen arrows, and his meager supplies, he trudges on - wishing that he had rememberd to grab his battle axe when he ran from those giant rats...

Forte eventually hooked up with a horse dealer, hired on as muscle to guard her opertations. It quickly became apparent that she was not the most reputable of dealers, and as a party of intrepid adventurers battled her, Forte and Leslie (another guard hired at the same time as himself), switched sides and helped the party kill the horse dealer.

Since then, Forte has stayed with this group. They are hunted by the Katolik bishop, who appears to be an evil man intent on world domination through his church. In fleeing from the bishop's force, and attempting to unravel the mystery of the church's sudden rise in power and popularity, the group has had many exciting adventures, as well as some sad misfortunes.

After recupertating at the settlement of the horses' rightful owners, the group set off to continue their quest which Forte and Leslie both joined. Encountering a very powerful centaur, the party rescued several humans from a slave ring. Leslie died valliantly in the assault. Later, their friend Marika disappeared.

While exploring some ancient tombs, the group faced many undead horrors, but emerged victorious. Forte nearly died in those tombs, but the group carried him away, carting his comatose body by hand for several miles. Some odd elves helped heal and refresh the party, and then asked them for help. The lake, their source of life and magic, appeared to be dieing. Setting off in a boat, the group found a small island in the lake. There, they battled more undead, gargoyles, and their friend Marika, who appeared possessed by evil as she tried (unsuccessfully) to guard a magic mirror the party had found there.

Eventually, the party traveled further afield, encountering many strange beasts and interesting people. They also met a group of people who had been sent by the Bishop to find them. Most of this group eventually began to work with the party, but it took a while to build trust between the two suspicious factions. This larger group had many adventures. In the rowdy city of Threshold, one member was put on trial for wizardry, and two more died--one at the hands of a troll and the other at the hand of a treacherous wizard named Golthar who has previously--and would again--cross the party's path. It was also in Threshold that Forte killed Golthar's accomplice, Jolenta. Or so he thought.

Leaving Threshold, the group made their way into the very scary Death's Head country, a land rule by savage gnolls who apparently liked to eat trespassers. The party managed to communicate with a leader of the gnolls, but she was killed by another constant thorn in the party's side--Gactis, another associate of Golthar. Barely escaping the gnolls, the group traversed mountain gorges until they came to a large gate--on the other side of a washed-out bridge, naturally. They managed to cross to the gate, and kill Gactis in the process!

Nothing would have prepared them for the Valley of the Hutaakans. Apart from a few ancient references, they had never seen such things. Two races, each trying to extinguish the other. Not to mention, massive undead swarming all over the place, an imprisoned demon, a happy reunion..... Did I mention the re-appearence of Jolenta and Gactis, led once again by Golthar?

The party is currently involved in a major battle, inside the (formerly) grand Hutaakan temple. Although the Hutaakan priestess was able to complete the ritual to cleanse the valley of undead, pursuit by Golthar and his minions has prevented the party from resting or departing the temple. With the roof collapsing, who knows what will happen next?

Well, what happened to Forte next was not good. He managed to esacpe the collapsing roof, but on his way out the door, the evil bitch Jolenta knocked him unconscious and stole his horse. A few of his compatriots are attempting to prevent her from succeeding in equine larceny. If she succeeds, she will have to be next horse thief slain by Forte!