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===Howie and The Antidote===
===Howie and The Antidote===
{{Spoilers}}
The ship chartered by the ALF-NB arrived in Cutler Cove immediately after the successful operation against [[Rockerluck]] had concluded, meeting the returning soldiers and Group 7422. One of the first people to spot the arriving ship was Gerardanson, who also recognised Howie. Howie, who could not recall punching Gerardanson at first, offered the extremely angry ex-general a [[Dibble|bowl of soup]] as an apology, which Gerardanson refused.  
The ship chartered by the ALF-NB arrived in Cutler Cove immediately after the successful operation against [[Rockerluck]] had concluded, meeting the returning soldiers and Group 7422. One of the first people to spot the arriving ship was Gerardanson, who also recognised Howie. Howie, who could not recall punching Gerardanson at first, offered the extremely angry ex-general a [[Dibble|bowl of soup]] as an apology, which Gerardanson refused.  
Howie met the rest of the group, learning that Klaes had died shortly before their arrival. This solidified Howie's belief that the letter was long gone. They stowed away in a caravan chartered for the victorious party to [[Revixot]], where they intended to gain [[Matolara]]'s audience to bring attention to the situation in Sylthe and get Basillera to send relief supplies. At [[Arginor Ashven|Arginor]]'s party, they were assisted by [[Kiorend Weffr]] and [[Tarot Sagebend|Tarot]].
After Matolara gave a half-enthusiastic promise for aid, Howie followed the party to their encounter with Matolara and Haymer, where they overheard discussion of Basillera's old ruler being apparently [[Avenir|poisoned]]. The discussion of sending an investigation team to Woodhollow, and Howie's suspicions that a new war between Basillera and Ante conflict could be imminent, lead Howie to decided to accompany the party. Howie suspected that the mission to Woodhollow was intended to recover a poison for Matolara to use against the [[Aya Amberthorne|Queen of Ante]].
Howie followed the party to Woodhollow as part of the [[Woodhollow Division]]. Howie encountered [[Idari Archbrand]], recovering Klaes' letters. They found themselves increasingly at odds with Gerardanson who seemingly disregarded his comrades' safety, such as injuring [[Rift]] with a falling sword. Howie also attempted to recover artefacts from Woodhaven, which they hoped might lift the spirits of the refugees with the rest of ALF-NB.
During the battle with Avenir, Howie was forced to choose between saving [[Clemond]] (whom they had grown to respect) and saving [[Gelecek]], ultimately only saving Gelecek. This would prove to be a heavy weight on them for years to come.
Howie was not particularly impressed with [[The High Druid (character)|the High Druid]]'s decision not to reabsorb Avenir's body, even though doing so could greatly speed up the restoration of Woodhaven.
Upon returning to [[Erumita]], Howie was intending to leave the Antidote and make their way back to Ante. However, the opportunity presented itself when [[Jaux Auborin]] mentioned the upcoming wedding of Abby Amberthorn and Kamo Okremore. Howie attempted to convince the Antidote to travel to Ante to investigate, and prevent the death of [[Slasstian Mendrow]] who Howie respected. Ultimately, the decision was made (over soup at the [[Twin Blade Tavern]]).
The Antidote journey to Ante through Elixis. While stopping at a home belonging to the [[Archbrand Family]], Howie stole several pieces of jewellery intending to sell them later as funds for the ALF. They used the name Lyss Cadogin while crossing the Antan border, with the fact that the name wasn't recognised confirming their suspicions that Lyss (and likely Tallas too) were dead, not captured.
Upon arrival in [[Aucteracten]], Howie escalated the [[Mission of Manors and Mangoes|raid]] on [[Addileena Andressi]]'s home by kidnapping Andressi, although they were convinced to turn her loose.
Upon reconnecting Kiet Kiet and the ALF cell in Aucteracten again, Howie was given a secret objective to assassinate Kamo Okremore, who came from a prominent Aigrotian family. Kiet Kiet believed that this would be a blow to Ante, but also serve as a warning to Aigrotians willing to collaborate with Ante. Howie agreed to the task.
During the wedding, Howie managed to plant a hidden explosive on Kamo. They later spoke with Kamo personally after she left the main celebrations, comforting her and convincing her to return to the wedding. Despite genuinely enjoying the conversation, Howie resolved to complete the mission and detonated the explosive immediately after reentering the wedding hall, killing Kamo. They then hurled a glass bottle of sludge from Nycen at Jaux, who was organising the festivities, striking her in the face and injuring her, before fleeing the manor with [[Idari Archbrand|Idari]].
Separated from the rest of the Antidote, Idari and Howie sought refuge in Howie's father's house on Saffron Street, spending the night in Howie's childhood room. The two had a deep conversation, with Howie coming away with more understanding of what the members of the Antidote were fighting for.
Despite this, Howie resolved to leave the group the next day, as they reconvened at the tavern where Kiet Kiet and Mendrow had last spoken to the Antidote. However, upon learning that Mendrow had departed to [[Winter's Nails]] and was likely in danger, Howie decided to accompany the Antidote for a little while longer.
They learned of Mendrow's death at [[Arginor Ashven|Arginor]]'s hands, and after encountering [[Caladrin/Character]] were teleported back to [[Lorecia]] and then Basillera.
Howie accompanied the Antidote to [[Scaenapulcra]], motivated by a desire to protect their friends (especially Idari) and avenge Mendrow even if they personally did not believe that Caladrin was capable of what he claimed. Howie fought against Arginor's reanimated corpses, and assisted [[Tarot Sagebend]] in dispatching Mendrow.
After Gerardanson stabbed Rift in an apparent betrayal of the Antidote to gain Caladrin's favour as Arignor's replacement, Howie attacked the ex-general, wounding him badly. However, Kiorend was able to kill Arginor and the rest of the party broke the fight between Gerardanson and Howie.
===After Spireloft=== 
As the rest of the Antidote tended to their wounds and collected the dead, Howie took Gerardanson aside and told him they believed ''he'' was the most dangerous person in the building: someone willing to follow orders from corrupt source. Gerardanson asked if Howie intended to kill him, but Howie let the ex-general go.
The wandered outside and encountered Idari. They confessed their reasons for sticking with the party, and Idari that he believed the Antidote to be over. Howie told him of his past, and the disastrous attack on the Liberation Movement that had left Tallas dead, but also expressed his gratitude to Klaes for what the wizard had unknowingly done for the ALF.
Howie left Idari and the Antidote behind. They retrieved Slasstian Mendrow's corpse, and carried it through Scaenapulcra on foot in a generally eastern direction. They found a [[Basilleran Military]] outpost, stealing a horse from the seemingly lobotomised guards which they used to carry Mendrow. They named the horse [[Criminal (horse)|Criminal]], a nod to Gerardanson's accusations.
Howie and Criminal travelled through Ante, encountering two deserters from the military named [[Greeves]] and [[Eckenburl]]. Eckenburl gave Howie a vial of strange liquid which they used to cremate Mendrow's body, whose ashes replaced the fluid through a mechanism Howie did not understand. They bid their farewells from the deserters and continued east.
===Reforging the ALF===
In the years after their return to Aigrot, Howie through themself back into the running of the ALF. The letter from Klaes had allowed Kiet Kiet to reconnect with the other cells, some of which had begun to gather new recruits.
Howie also remained in contact with Idari Archbrand, whose sympathies to Aigrot grew to the point that an ALF cell-in-exile was founded at the Twin Blade Tavern. They were also contacted by [[Tarot Sagebend]], who took up arms alongside the ALF.
Five years after the events of Spireloft, Howie contacted Gerardanson Durand. <ref> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h8FOEnGSkuaSduUdipUdcyxTxiG-TIU-JAMTe4vXJTw/edit?tab=t.0 </ref>
==Relationships==
* '''Gerardanson Durand''': Howie had an extreme dislike for Gerardanson, often reminiscing of their missed opportunities to kill him.
==Equipment and Abilities==
Howie wore a suit of '''Aigrotian chain main''' that covered their full body and came with a hood. They had inherited this from a fellow farmworker while in Aigrot, as the worker had no children to gift it to. While they typically did not wear this during their time in hiding, they began wearing it more often after joining the Antidote. Howie often wore magenta clothing while not wearing their chainmail, the colour of Aigrot.
Howie's weapon of choice was a '''collapsible glaive''', which they could fold down to store in their pack. They favoured hard-hitting attacks rather than fencing.
In battle, Howie focused on coordinating their fellow fighters rather than attacking head on, unless an opportunity presented itself for a strike that would cause sufficient damage to prevent a counter-attack.
==Trivia==
* Howie enjoyed soup, especially the soup made by [[Dibble]].
==Appearances==
*'''Spireloft: Chapter VI, XII-XXIV'''
*'''Howie's Epilogue'''
*'''Spireloft Aftermath'''
== References ==


[[Category:Spireloft]]
[[Category:Spireloft]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Spireloft Characters]]
[[Category:Spireloft Characters]]