Fact and fiction are something not easily discerned when it comes to this boisterous contemporary  researcher of Kuglim origins (said to be born in 1629 a.S.). In fact many would claim that this is part of Turik’s charm, well if not charm then odd curiosity at least. The famous Kuglimz Battle-Leader Drogo is one of the few to have actually traveled with him when he has returned to his homelands, and according to Drogo he is “more fun than an unbroken kev’lor and more slippery than a greased up ho’shi”. Whether that may or may not be a glowing recommendation is still under consideration. But it can definitely be said that Turik adds a little bit of his own spice to court as he regales the noblemen with wild tales of frozen lands, giants, and fearsome water beasts, and he shows the noblewomen how men in the Northlands keep warm on frozen nights. It is rumoured that he made the acquaintance of Masterbard Judith of Bardavos, however, when asked about him all she does is smile and murmur, “One must meet him, if for nothing else then for the experience.” Turik has also spent time with Talia of the Shendar, seemingly trying to woo her as he has so many of the women in New-Santhala, but she just seems interested in learning of the different ice tribes, much to Turik’s dismay.

Appearance. A man of varying appearance, just as he is seemingly a man of varying stories. When he first came to New-Santhala he was dressed in furs of unknown colours, the indiscernible colour was due to the ragged dirty state that they were in. He claims to have shed much of his clothing during his journey south, as it became ever warmer. Over these furs he wore a cloak of some material that he claimed came from a northern ice beast as he called it. Once again this is unknown and the cloak quickly disappeared before anyone could truly look at it, supposedly it was too shabby looking to be around so many finely dressed people, at least so he said. His black beard was long and rather matted with knots throughout it, and his hair was in a similar state as well. A permanent squint makes it difficult to determine the colour of his eyes, but they appear to be a dark brown. Finally, a too oft broken nose and somewhat crooked teeth finish off this memorable appearance. It must be noted if he had not so originally intrigued the grate sage Artimidor he would have surely been shown out of the capital, if not to the dungeons.

During his first stay he cleaned up rather well, it is rumored that his many mistresses competed against each other to buy him fine clothes and other baubles. In no time at all his beard was finely cut and oiled in the latest fashion along with having his hair finely dressed, though it had to be cut quite a bit to get rid of the filth that was in it. Turik has made several trips back and from Santharia to the Icelands Coast and back since his first visit in 1658 a.S. Every time he has brought not only new stories, but also new items of clothing. Some of these he has bestowed as gifts to his many lady friends, but others he wears. Several of the more notable items include the torc he wears that is supposedly made from two joined canine teeth of an ice giant. There is also a bracelet made of panels of shupsh beak interspread with a clear type of gem that he says are known in the Icelands Coast as “The God’s Tears”. Truly he has a story for every item, and is always willing to share those stories.

Personality. What can be said except that when one meets him you will never truly forget him. At one time he is convincing and brings you close to him, and at another he has deep held secrets, some of which may very well be yours. While not the most attractive of men in the least, there is a quality about him that draws women to him. Every woman says they are drawn to him for different reasons. Some say his confidence, some his mystery, some say it is the skills he so well imploys. Though on the last of those reasons it is common for the woman to then giggle a little and tell another woman that she should find out for herself. It must be said that there is a cunning genius behind his squinted eyes, for the way he weaves his stories along with the way he gathers people to him is quite a skill.

Biography. Turik gives his date of birth as 1629 a.S., making him only thirty-five years of age, however different people speculate that he could be as old as his mid forties. It is hard to determine his exact age due to the wrinkles around his eyes, which he says he got from having to constantly squint against the glare of the sun off of the ice while he was amongst the icetribes. When one asks him of his early years all you can get out of him at first is, “A plague, a pestilence, that is what Barsalon is, ah but it is home”, and then he will smile his crooked smile and launch into a tale of those who inhabit that town. For to understand Turik, first you must understand the place he comes from. Barsalon was once a town built upon the hard work of settlers and dreamers until it was destroyed by the Rhom-Oc orcs in 1880 b.S. It has been rebuilt since then, though now only thieves, murderers, and others that make up the dregs of society inhabit that town. According to him though, the environment only heightened his survival skills and allowed him to live when many a time he should have died and his treks through the Icelands. This feeling of debt he gives to this festering place surely has its own stories, though oddly enough these are ones he refuses to tell. One thing he does do though is take the city’s name into his own and thus chooses to be known as Turik of Barsalon.

Travels to the Icelands Coast. At the age of twelve Turik apparently simply got tired of living there and wanted to see the world outside, there are rumors though that concerns a few murders and him being one step ahead of being another one of those murders. One courtier asked him with this tale, and all Turik did was smile a nasty smile and say, “One must never dig into what another man buries, for he may end up buried as well.” Of course all this did was fuel more talk and interest in the man. Anyway, after leaving Barsalon he went north as there were rumors of people up there. So, since west only lead to the Rhom-Oc orc, eastward was only wastelands, and well he just liked the idea of going north, so he did. Taking nothing more then the clothes off of his back he somehow scrounged, scavenged, and barely made his way to the frigid north. It is somewhat unclear how he survived, but survive he did.

Exact details of his time up in the Icelands Coast during the next few years are vague overall. It seems that he was taken in by a nearby icetribe whom he lovingly refers to as the “Not quite so smelly tribe”. From this naming of the tribe it must be assumed he was somewhat offended by the lack of bathing common in the area. Well, it did not take him too much time to join them in having a rather noticeable smell. Of course during this time he spent quite a bit of time vanquishing fearsome creatures, rescuing somewhat fair maidens, and terrorizing the ice giants. Concerning the stories he has about those specific situations he is full of details, on the rest of the eighteen years he spent there though, there is not a lot. However it is amazing how the details seem to flow out when a good looking member of the female variety starts asking questions. Whether these are details made up at the spur of the moment to keep the interest of whomever he is talking to, or that the details are real, but he just doesn’t place as much importance upon it.

Santharia Calls. Sometime in the year 1656 a.S. Turik got what he calls, one of his wild hairs, and decided that he had spent too long in the north and was tired of being cold. So, there was nothing to do except to head south. Once again he claims to have just made his way southward to New-Santhala over three years. More likely though, and he doesn’t say anything to dissuade these rumors, is that he stole whatever he needed on the way. This supposition comes from whispers throughout different lands of a wild man haunting areas and preying upon herds and the cottages of herdsmen. Since this all happened around the same time Turik made his way south it can be inferred that this “wild man” was indeed him. After this exhaustive, though he says leisurely and somewhat amusing, trek he finally makes his way to New-Santhala in 1659 a.S.

Whatever he had found along the way seemed to have made it into several large sacks that weighed down a rather bedraggled and upset looking pony. One of these bags he took with him and first attempted to go straight to the palace, though apparently the guards dismissed him, though one tossed him a coin in pity for his appearance. Without doubt the coin was readily accepted, he then made his way to the chambers of Artimidor Federkiel. The sage nearly ordered the guard to take him away, as he was so unseemly in appearance. However, after presenting a bag of preserved parts of different animals, along with numerous sketches of what the rest of the animal looked like before their pieces were removed, he caught Artimidor’s attention. One of the most fascinating pieces in his stench filled bag was the beak of a shupsh. Artimidor’s interest in him is what first launched him into the court's eye.

The Santharian Court's Favourite. For the next year or so he was the highlight of court, he impressed, cajoled, and manipulated the whole of the nobility to accept him, even the king has been heard saying, “It is the unusual ones like Turik that showcases how Santharia is a place for all”. Many a women and many a fine bauble became his during this time. Near the end of this time though, he felt that his grip started to fade as one group of nobles began declaiming his stories as lies and were no longer amused by his ways. Some of the male nobles especially objected to his stories of an icetribe led by women, such an obvious lie was just too much for these respectable men. So, knowing when to leave, Turik promptly announced he would return with more information so he might further enrich the lives of Santharians. This little bit of political savvy allowed him to go with a fanfare. In time, the court forgot about Turik and moved on, as the court is ever prone to do. Turik though, had not forgotten the wonders of court and all of the trappings along with being a court favourite.

Proof of the Icetribes. Out of nowhere one day in 1662 a. S. Turik showed up again. Since he decided to clean up before presenting himself this time, he was quickly recognized. Not only was the court shocked to see Turik again, but it was even more surprised to see the embarrassingly clad woman. The females stared, for the woman he brought with him did not even have all of her personal parts covered, while the men’s eyes widened in amazement. With this new proof of the icetribes Turik had been talking of, along with a cart that was a northern sled with wheels attached to it, he was catapulted to fame once again. Amongst some of the new treasures he returned with were some desiccated giant remains, a few bags of clear gems, some religious carvings, and a fair amount of furs. Now famous once again he had even more stories for the telling, the one in highest demand was that of the woman he arrived with. He tells it simply as, “I went to visit one of the many tribes, savages really, and to my dismay I saw a beautiful women being held in near slavery. What was I to do but destroy those who captured her and rescue dear Minóki Kíuru. After saving the poor beauty, I could not leave her near those brutes, so I brought her to civilization.” This story has made him even more popular with the women, for truly he must be such a gallant and brave man.

Importance. On occasion Turik attempts to go back north, though it seems the needs of the court invariably keep him there. After all, who else is there that is quite like him? He will readily tell you that there are none. He is still a rogue amongst the women and idealized by some of the younger nobles for his daring adventures. The stories and items he brings from the north have helped spur a desire to adventure. This along with the coming of Drogo has caused many a researcher and noble to go forth and discover all that there is to find. Even the king has gotten caught up in all of this, treaties with the Kuglimz have been made, and passage north opened up for all of those intrepid adventurers. While one can not say that Turik is responsible for all of this, he in his own ways has helped.