Gerald Cutter

Gerald Cutter is the warden of Farlough, a small merchant town. He is an ex-soldier of the Timberfel Toa, and spends his retirement managing a motley band of guards, bickering with other members of the town council, and bashing together the heads of stubborn merchants who don't like taxes.

Son of a Cutter
Gerald Cutter was born in a small Pa in the outskirts of Ngarohere to a Shar father and Tangata mother. He was raised a cutter, venturing from the safety of the Pa's walls to fell trees to sell to the Timberfel lumber guild. On the very edge of Ngarohere, Gerald and his people never came under attack from the Taniwha during his life, but the threat seemed ever-present.

A Military Man
At the age of fifteen, Gerald signed up for the Timberfel reserves, lured by the promise of coin and the chance to hone his fighting skills. He enjoyed and excelled at his training, so much so that when his two years of service was up he signed on to the Timberfel Toa, the city's permanent military force. He was placed in the Vanguard, the division responsible for operating outside the city proper.

Gerald, alongside his comrades, saw action against petty criminals, bandit raids, and occasionally Taniwha. Usually the lizard folk retreated at the approach of groups of well armed and armoured soldiers, but clashes did happen, usually without survivors; Taniwha are not known for their honour, and usually only attack if they are confident in quick, vicious victory.

It was during this time that Gerald met his wife, Felicity. Over the years, they had five children, although two have since passed away.

Gerald was eventually promoted to Ariki of his squad, commanding the half-dozen Toa in their endeavours. He was awarded several medals during his service, including a crown heart, for exemplary service to the throne of Timberfel, when he saved the life of Tane Matoa, a relative of the Duke of Timberfel, now the general of the Timberfel Toa.

Liberation of Kawhiro
Gerald and his squad were among those deployed to liberate Kawhiro. A group of bandits had sabotaged the Pa's defences, letting a group of Taniwha in to slaughter many inhabitants. With most of the combatants dead, the bandits slipped in and captured the Pa and its people, planning to sell them as slaves.

The mission was a success; striking in the dead of night, the Vanguard easily overwhelmed the bandits, who were still reliant on the crippled walls for defence.

Although the liberation was a success, with minimal casualties, the commotion of battle lured back the Taniwha. Seeing this, the Vanguards divided themselves; two squads escorted the villagers to safety, while Gerald's squad, alongside another, held off the Taniwha. They managed to drive the Taniwha off, even after being ambushed by a second group, but at a heavy cost; Gerald lost all but one of his squad, and two men from the second squad were lost as well.

Retirement
Gerald retired from the Timberfel Toa after Kawhiro, haunted by the massacre of his soldiers. He at first moved to Rivermouth, but eventually moved to Farlough "when [he] became sick of seeing Ngarohere on the horizon".

Today he serves as the warden for Farlough, in charge of the town's guards and representing their interest in the council, which he helped to create. His wife and three children live with him, with his eldest daughter serving under him as a guard.