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Isdren, the Brave Youth

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Drozga, the Aged Keeper

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Matilda, the Glowing Barkeep

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Burtin, the Injured Artisan

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http://i.minus.com/jhdff5lmjEIEO.jpg

Bastia, the Sly Vagrant

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Guthrik, the Venerable Orc

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Rorsi, the Coward Drunk

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Jozanta, the Worried Matriarch

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Bessia, the Sheltered Daughter

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Smock

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Weasel2

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Background and Concept Elements

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1.) The Birth of a Bladewoman -- Born in 3E Y137, Cassia comes from noble lineage in the thalassocratic Imardin. Her father was a very educated man, serving as an assistant to one of the foremost Bishops, as her mother served The Goddess by being part of the Clergy. Cassia was the fourth of five children, the last brother dying very young from a strange sickness. Cassia's older siblings were being groomed rigorously for similar occupations within the church and state, but the young girl wasn't amused by the concept of being a priest or some politician.

2.) A Youth of Training, Rites, and Unorthodoxy -- From a ripe, young age, Cassia knew full well that she would not fit in with what her family seemed to adhere to career-wise. She watched with hidden enthusiasm at the holy warriors of Imardin, wishing one day to perhaps be a woman of the blade herself. Fortunately, her parents saw this and instead of guiding her toward their own interests, they decided to give her a chance. Between them, a politician and a priest, Cassia's parents allowed her to focus her studies less on the religious rites and the laws and administration of Imardin and more on knightship, defense, and devotion. Although never having as deep a bond with Elys, the Goddess, Cassia underwent the ceremony of rites preceding military training that was required of every soldier, knight, guard, or officer.

3.) Growing Distant -- A young woman of marrying age now, Cassia continued with her training, her interest in becoming an officer of the Imardanian corps, her backup plan becoming a guard-captain of Ellisport. Doing well in her studies and her training, Cassia's parents warn her to not take her success in stride, but to give thanks to The Goddess and ask for guidance. The young woman, growing distant from the mysterious Goddess, instead attributed her success to her own, individual doing. This displeased Elys, who then had a part in Cassia being denied for active duty with the Imardanian Corps, as well as the City Guard, much to the young woman's dismay.

4.) I Told You So -- With the harrowing news that all of her training was for naught, Cassia's parents were annoyed with her, blaming her lack of prayer and gratitude toward The Goddess as the reason for her failure. Angry and feeling cheated, Cassia is jaded by the monotheism, falling even further from The Goddess.

5.) The Outside World -- Despite her inability to join the military or guardsmen, Cassia's parents wish her well and supply her with a decent amount of finances in order to do a bit of traveling. Having never left the continent, she decides to explore Forelle, stopping at a few of the islands and taking in the culture, sights, and environments. Along the way, she learns of many of the differing Forellian religions, seeing how different the theism works in different areas of the realm. She burns through her money, however, since she is a little overzealous at taking in the sights.

6.) The Last Stop -- Cassia's coffers, dwindling for months, finally come to a shocking end during her time in Vizidel. In a new kingdom with different culture, she is urged to fit in and find employment so that she doesn't starve, so that she can eventually make it back to Imardin. Uninterested in becoming a mercenary, she instead works her way into the Brennesian City Guard, also known as the Watchmen. The pay is enough to keep her on her feet, able to afford a small apartment by the docks.

7.) The Rise to Renown -- Essentially unknown and a foreigner, Cassia has a hard time at first getting used to the new land, her language strengthening. However, her tenacity and commitment to serving Vizidel and her people cause her supervisors to give her due recognition. Some of the town-people smile when they walk past her, feeling safe and content to have someone as competent as her patrolling the streets of the bustling city. She is trained under some of the guard-captains, being groomed to possibly become one herself many years down the road. Over several months of being a Watchman, Cassia manages to put to rest many tavern fights, lock up thieves, and be a personal escort for a few foreign advisers that travel through Vizidel. Her hard effort gives her supervisors something to praise her for.

8.) Disaster Strikes -- When things are looking up for Cassia, her supervisor, Guard-captain Grautus is murdered in cold blood by an unknown killer. Spurned by the shocking news and huge blow to the Watchmen, they launch a massive investigation, with Cassia taking the lead. She vows to find and hang the criminal who put her mentor into the ground. Hiring on Marcus Aemilianus, Vizidel's "All-seeing Eye," the Watchmen are led on an investigation by the man that uncovers many confusing clues. Unfortunately, despite her efforts, the investigation leads to many dead-ends and Grautus' death is unsolved, the case shelved.

9.) Cassia, Captain of the Watchmen -- With a large gap in the command of the Watchmen, Cassia's efforts and tenacity are finally rewarded when she is abruptly promoted to take the place of Grautus. This was a bittersweet victory for the young woman, as the pain of losing her mentor combined with the inability to bring his killer to justice bites hard at her. However, she is finally in a position of leadership, something that she has sought after for years.

Goals

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1.) Cassia would like to see Grautus' murderer put to justice one day, if she ever finds him.

2.) Cassia would like to travel again sometime, once she has enough funds to. However, she has grown accustomed to Vizidel and Brennis as a whole, so the traveling would only be temporary.

3.) I want Cassia to be able to save as many of the townsfolk as possible, suffering as few of losses as she can.

Secrets

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1.) Cassia, bitter a the murdering of her mentor and supervisor, was egged on one evening by a thief who had been surrounded. Rather than try and arrest him peacefully, she was very impatient with him. Despite the man acting first, Cassia put him down with ease, with little remorse.

2.) Unbeknownst to Cassia, Marcus the P.I. is actually who murdered Grautus.

People tied to Cassia

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1.) Kithrik, one of the Watchmen. He was one of Cassia's first friends in the city. He is known to be friendly and loyal to the people of the city, which is why Cassia took to his personality. They had the start of some sort of romantic relationship.

2.) Grautus, the fallen Watchmen guard-captain. While their relationship was quite formal and professional, Cassia is disappointed that he is gone.

3.) Cassia's family is supportive of her decisions, even if they do miss her. While stalwart worshipers of Elys, they are open-minded and appreciate Cassia's desire to travel, disappointed slightly by her negligence toward The Goddess.

4.) Marcus Aemilianus was a previous ally of Cassia's as they worked together to solve the murder of her mentor and captain. They have only seen each other a few times since the many months, mostly because both have been busy cleaning up the city... or letting it bleed.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

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1.) Cassia is naturally skeptical and a bit untrusting of others. She is quick to argue, but not to no end. She is not crude, but sometimes her manner can rub some people the wrong way.

2.) Cassia has a soft spot in her heart for helpless or defenseless people. For this reason, if Brennis should be attacked or invaded, Cassia would have no hestitation in joining the militia to combat the enemies. She will go out of her way to protect others that cannot protect themselves, possibly straying into her own harm.

3.) Cassia has a very poignant memory of playing with her younger brother before he died from illness, one that has stuck with her for years. They were playing in one of the courts of Ellisport, the spring air humid and breezy. Sometimes she wakes up at night in a cold sweat, with a pained curiosity of what her younger brother would be doing now had he not passed away so early.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

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Family: Cassia's family was the slightest bit overbearing, but they gave in and let her do as she chose, being the black sheep of the group. They respect her actions but are disappointed that she lives distantly from them in a culture unlike their own.

Class: Born into the upper class, Cassia now lives life with not a terrible lot of pay, something that she doesn't mind. As long as there is enough to keep her belly full and her armor polished, she is content.

Profession: An honorable member of the Watchmen, and recently one of the many captains of the group, Cassia oversees the day-to-day operations of the city and ensures the safety of the interstructure.

Institutions: Part of the Watchmen.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

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Primary: Cassia feels that she lives to serve the people around her, ensuring their safety. Through this manner, she feels like she is useful, something that gives her personal satisfaction.

Secondary: Cassia despises evildoers, and locking up or otherwise punishing wrongdoers is something that the young Watchman takes very seriously. She has a desire to make sure that criminals are given their due justice.

Tertiary: Cassia would like to make something of herself, much as her parents did in their careers. Guard-captain is the first and biggest step toward that goal.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

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Short-Term: Since Cassia is very new to being a guard-captain, she wants to ease into the position well, without having too much pride.

Medium-Term: Grautus' murder must be solved, but if only there were more clues...

Long-Term: Cassia needs to return back to Imardin at some point to visit her family and share the news of her successes.

Important Features

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Deadly Draw: You gain CA against opponents TENT when you pull or slide them adjacent to you.

Heavy Blade Expertise: You have a +2 bonus to all defenses against OAs.

BACKGROUND AND CONCEPT ELEMENTS

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Personality: Very much raised on the streets, Elene acts cute and innocent right up to the point where she sticks you with a knife and steals your monies.

Appearance: Elene is a dirty, ratty 14 year old girl. Having lived on the streets for nearly her entire life, she is very thin and unkempt.

Birth and Early Life: Born the bastard of a brothel whore and an off duty guard, Elene was never really a wanted child. Her mother tried to care for her for a time, but in the end the woman left her child in the gutter. Luckily, the rat gang running the area found Elene, and she was brought into the fold to be raised as another urchin.

On the Streets: After several years of gang life, Elene managed to raise herself to a position of relative importance. She had an easier time of it, as she didn't need to pay a tithe anymore. The young thief also began taking other less fortunate urchins under her wing, befriending them and protecting them as best she could.

Rivals: Soon, Elene had enough kids under her care that she was essentially running her own little rat guild. She slowly split off from the original gang, and her group, now known as The Creep, claimed their little piece of the city of Vizidel.

GOALS

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1.) Elene wants to expand the influence of her gang, with the ultimate goal being total control of the city's underground.

2.) She also wants to use The Creep to rescue other urchins like herself, and preserve the abandoned children.

3.) I would like to see The Creep gain influence and take over a majority of the city.

SECRETS

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1.) When she gets an opportunity to do so, Elene often attacks the more "robust" brothel clients. They give good coin, and she hopes to give them a taste of their own medicine... with the point of a knife.

2.) Elene's father has recently been tasked with culling the rat gangs in Vizidel.

3.) Elene's mother blames her for the difficulties that she went through. The wench has convinced herself of this to the point that she hates Elene.
etc

PEOPLE TIED TO ELENE

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1.) Sara "Dollface" - Called such due to a large scar curving down her cheek, Dollface was the first member that Elene took under her wing. She is considered second in command of The Creep, though Elene never announced official positions.

2.) Garth - A seemingly independent street urchin that Elene has occasionally come in contact with. Despite him rarely being seen plying his trade, the boy always seems to have a few coins on him. She has attempted to recruit him to her gang, but Garth has yet to answer her.

3.) Several of the city guards have scores to settle with Elene, as she has emptied the purses of more than a few. She has been careful to hide her appearance from them, but they still have a general idea of who she is.

4.) The Dagger Dogs - The gang that Elene broke off from. They're not exactly happy with Elene for her desertion, but there is contention among the ranks as to if they should go after her and make the girl pay. Some are looking to defect to Elene, while others will probably act independent of the gang and go after her.

MEMORIES, MANNERISMS, AND QUIRKS

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1.) Elene's earliest memory involves watching her mother cry after having been beaten by a particularly violent client.

2.) She remembers clearly the day her mother left her to the streets, having been barely more than two years old at the time. She can still see the look of stony indifference that her mother wore as she turned her back and walked away.

3.) Elene is a kleptomaniac, due to an early start on the life of a crook and the impulsive need to have enough money for a tithe at all times.

4.) Only ever subdued when required to be, Elene is otherwise charging around constantly, making those that notice her dash past wonder what the hell is going on. She once accidentally started a riot this way.

BACKGROUND - FAMILY/CLASS/PROFESSION/INSTITUTIONS

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Family: Her real parents being all but nonexistent in her life, Elene was instead raised by a group of cutthroat urchins. They only taught her enough to live. She had to fight for survival.

Class: Lowest of the low, essentially. Being a gang leader has it's merits, but as The Creep is a new gang, Elene faces both the challenges of maintaining a foothold in the underground and the social ostracizing brought on by being a bastard child.

Profession: Leader of a minor rat gang in Vizidel. While small, they're good at what they do and are slowly gaining territory.

Institutions: The Creep. Elene's rat gang.

DRIVES - PRIMARY/SECONDARY/TTERTIARY

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Primary: Survival. Being an outcast means having to constantly struggle to sustain yourself, and it only gets more difficult when trying to manage a gang.

Secondary: Greed. Elene may have started off just trying to survive, but the years of thievery have ingrained a desire for things that she doesn't have. The allure of money and the doors it opens also contributes to this.

Tertiary: Revenge. Remembering the pain on her mother's face after being beaten, Elene wants to prevent that from happening. She "disciplines" the rowdier brothel clientele that she comes across, and hopes to use the influence of The Creep to help enforce this.

GOALS - SHORT-TERM/MEDIUM-TERM/LONG-TERM

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Short-Term: Enlarge The Creep and settle the feud with Dagger Dogs.

Medium-Term: Remove threats to The Creep, preferably through non-violent means, and expand the gang's territory.

Long-Term: Take over the city's underground.

NPC WISHLIST

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CEDRIK DAGLEN

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A mercenary sailor on temporary hiatus between jobs. He is known to be terrifying in a fight.

TALISA ROKAS

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Poacher turned Watchman, Talisa has a reputation as one of the best shots in the city.

KEREN REEVES

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The quintessential tavern drunk. He was quite the brawler before the booze took over.

GRANNY KOPRIN

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The old lady down the street. She's lived in the same house for nearly 60 years, so long that most of the locals think she's been there forever. Bakes as a hobby, and makes the best damn food in the whole city. People would always ask her why she didn't open an inn or bakers shop, but she would always smile and say "Well, young'un. I guess the thought just never came to me. Another cookie?"

Granny's husband died a few years back and her children never come to visit anymore, leaving her to fend for herself, though most of the locals left her alone because she gave them free food. Recently, however, some thugs broke in and threatened her, so good ol' granny beaned 'em with her trusty rolling pin. "That'll learn 'em to keep away from my bread. It was rising."

Just recently, there was a lot of screaming and loud noise outside, which woke granny up. She wasn't too happy, and now these green eyed mooks keep banging on her door and she's had just about enough of that.

Important Features:

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Human Defense Bonus: +1 bonus to Ref, Will, and Fort.
Bonus Feat: Extra feat at lvl 1
Bonus Skill: Extra trained skill at lvl 1

Sneak Attack: When you make an attack with a light blade, hand crossbow, shortbow or sling and hit an enemy granting you CA, that enemy takes extra damage based on your level. You can only deal this damage once per turn.

Code: Select all

+------------------+
| Level  1-10: 2d6 |
| Level 11-20: 3d6 |
| Level 21-30: 5d6 |
+------------------+

Weapon Finesse: When you make an MBA, you can use Dex instead of Str for the attack and damage rolls. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls of weapon attacks made using light blades, hand crossbows, shortbows or slings.
First Strike: At the start of an encounter, you have CA against any creatures that have not yet acted in that encounter.

Surprising Charge: When you make a charge attack against a target granting CA to you, the attack deals an extra 1[W] damage if you hit with a light blade or spear.
Improved Initiative: You gain a +4 bonus to initiative.
Light Blade Expertise: +1 bonus per tier to attack rolls made with a light blade and +1 bonus per tier to damage rolls on attacks made with a light blade against targets granting CA.

Background and Concept Elements

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Nicknames: Liviana goes by both Liv and Livy as well.

Personality: Liviana is generally sweet and polite, although, as she is accustomed to being pampered and getting her way, she's a bit of a brat at times. She believes in displaying etiquette and manners at all times. She is charitable to those less fortunate as she often volunteers to care for the sick at the Temple of Aurelia. She also really enjoys to be sassy with people that bother her. She can often be peppy and really giggly if she gets excited.

Appearance: Liv is about 5'7" tall and 120 pounds, so she is obviously slender. She has beautiful, long brown hair that flows elegantly in the evening breezes. She has striking eyebrows that help define her gaze, which she makes with her crimson-appearing eyes. She always wears a necklace with the symbol of Aurelia. Although she has access to plenty of dresses, she most often wears blue ones, as it is her favorite color.

Early Life: Liviana was born to the King and Queen of Brennis and quickly became the most pampered child in the kingdom. Early on, she met her best friend Porcia. The two would often play in the castle gardens on warm days and swim by the sea on the especially hot days. They instantly became best friends forever and could not be separated.

The Princess of Brennis: Growing older, Liviana became able to really enjoy the perks that come with being a princess. She often attempted great balls and feasts all over the kingdom and beyond. She was even assigned a personal guard for her protection, who she took a fancy to. Without a care in the world, she just lived to have fun. Famous throughout the kingdom for her beauty and fashion, she was quickly adored by the kingdom.

Aurelia's Radiance: On a mysterious eve, Liviana collapsed while on the way to a royal feast. Her parents quickly rushed her to her bed and summoned the most renowned healer on the island. The man confirmed that Liviana had fallen ill with a deadly disease and did not have much time left, and nothing could be done about it. Heartbroken that their child was about to perish, the King and Queen carried Liviana to the Temple of Aurelia as a last hope, as miracles often happened there. Lying on a stone bed in the temple, a priestess chanted some holy words and a ray of golden light shone down from above, and Liviana quickly recovered.

Spreading the Light: Greatly impacted by her experience with Aurelia's healing grace, Liviana now devotes much of her time to spreading the word of the Goddess. She frequently volunteers at the Temple to show her respect and thanks to the miracle maker. She now believes that Aurelia is always watching over her and keeping her safe from harm, so she wears a pendant of Aurelia at all times.

Goals

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1.) Liviana wants to marry Felix and rise to be the Queen of Brennis.

2.) I would like her to survive so she can bring Brennis back to its former glory as its queen.

Secrets

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1.) Liviana sneaks out of the castle to volunteer at the Temple of Aurelia, aiding in taking care of the sick.

2.) Her slightly younger brother Claudius, wishing to be king, is formulating a plan to do away with her so he can ascend to the rank of King of Brennis.

People tied to Liviana

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1.) Porcia Calvus, Liviana's best friend, has been very close to her since they were young children. Although Porcia is no princess, she is the daughter of an extremely wealthy merchant. From a young age, the two were inseparable. Even now, the two rather go a day without speaking to each other. They're practically sisters and their friendship will no doubt last forever.

2.) Liv's personal bodyguard Felix is extremely close to her. He is sworn to protect her, and he does a good job at it, so she trusts him greatly. In addition, as he is close in age to her, and he is ruggedly handsome, she has a minor crush on Felix. They occasionally exchange harmless flirts, although this side of their relationship must be kept private lest someone find out Liviana has fallen for someone less than a nobleman.

3.) Her brother Claudius doesn't directly hate Liviana as a person, but he hates that she will be queen one day while he'll be stuck as a prince. Because of this, he wants to get rid of her in whatever way is more easily possible, be it killing or kidnapping or whatnot. Liviana, on the other hand, has nothing against her brother, and loves him because he's just that: her brother.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

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1.) Liviana is a devout worshiper of Aurelia, wearing a ring with the goddess' symbol on it and spreading her beliefs.

2.) Liviana greatly remembers her first "date" with Felix, in the castle gardens in the midnight hour. It is her fondest memory of him and she smiles whenever she thinks of it.

3.) Whenever suddenly spooked, she hiccups rather than screams.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

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Family: Liviana is a member of the royal family of Brennis. She has a younger brother, Prince Claudius, and her parents are King Maximus and Queen Hadriana Arvina of Brennis. Her parents love her and care for her greatly, and they often take her on diplomatic trips to prepare her for when she becomes queen.

Class: Liviana was born into royalty, being the daughter of the King and Queen of Brennis. Due to this, she has had wealth and prosperity for her entire life. Eventually, she will be crowned queen and will rule the island, as her family has been doing for generations.

Profession: As a princess, Liviana doesn't need to work. She instead spends her time with leisure, leaving the labor of everyday life to others.

Institutions: She frequently volunteers and attends worship at the Temple of Aurelia in the heart of Vizadel. She is also a member of the High Society of Brennis Club, which plans events for the most privileged of people.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

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Primary: Happiness: Above all, what Liviana wants most is to be happy in life and to have fun-filled, great experiences.

Secondary: Love: Liviana wants to be free of the social restraints that forbid her from pursuing Felix. She wishes to marry the handsome guard and live a long, happy life with him.

Tertiary: Power: Although not extremely important to her, she wants more power so she can spread the fine grace of Aurelia to all the inhabitants over the island.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

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Short-Term: Liviana wants to attend an upcoming ball in Imardin. As the social event of the season, she can't afford to miss it.

Medium-Term: She would like to show others the divine graciousness of Aurelia as well as dispel the worship of Elys.

Long-Term: Liviana would like to eventually be crowned Queen of Brennis and lead her people to even more years of prosperity.

NPC Wishlist

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Felix, Personal Guard to the Princess

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Felix is Liviana's personal guard and romantic interest. He is sworn to protect Liviana at all times, both due to his oath as a guard and as her love.

Valeria

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Valeria is a somewhat reserved woman, often preferring to keep to herself. If need requires it, though, she will speak her mind. She's a cook at one of the local taverns in Vizidel.

Nero the Fisherman

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Nero is a fisherman in town to sell his daily catch. As he spends most of his time outside of the city, he doesn't fit in well with city folk and prefers the solitude of the sea shore.

Important Features

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Battle Cleric's Lore: You gain a +2 shield bonus to AC, and you have proficiency with scale armor. In addition, whenever you use a cleric healing power to allow a target to spend a healing surge, that target gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.

Holy Symbol Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls that you make with a holy symbol. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. When you attack an enemy with an implement attack using a holy symbol, your enemies cannot gain combat advantage against you until the start of your next turn, unless you use a power or ability that states that you grant combat advantage.

Power of the Sun: You gain a +2 feat bonus to Insight checks. When you use a power associated with this feat and hit an enemy with it, that enemy gains vulnerable 3 radiant until the end of your next turn, after the power's effects are resolved. The vulnerability increases to 5 at 11th level and 8 at 21st level. (Lance of Faith)

Old Soldier Armor

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Background and Concept Elements

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Early Life: Marcus was born a commoner to a peasant family in a small and insignificant village in Brennis. As a boy he was made to work the fields around or do other odd jobs around the village, just as all the other boys were made to do. When he came of age he joined the Brenissian army, again just like the other boys.

The Army: There was always a war going on somewhere during Marcus' enlistment, so there was never a dull day for the young soldier. He enjoyed the training and sparring that came with being a soldier, and he took a special sort of joy in killing his opponents when he got to participate in battle. What he didn't enjoy was being injured, and understandably so. Most of the time he was good at avoiding injury, but in one battle he was caught by an arrow that managed to take out his left eye. After that day he lost his love for battle, and shortly afterwards he deserted.

Homeless: As a deserter Marcus was a wanted man, and as such had no real way to return to his home. Instead he found his way to the city of Vizidel with some refugees, pretending to simply be an unfortunate civilian casualty of war. With no history to rely on, Marcus had to make do as a penniless beggar, living off whatever he could find and taking what few jobs people would offer the deformed man.

A Life of Crime: As time went on, Marcus grew knowledgeable of the streets and side streets of Vizidel, as well as its inhabitants. As a homeless man he had a lot of time to observe the day to day lives of many people, and he began to notice trends. These trends gave way to opportunities, opportunities that Marcus learned to exploit, and a life and love of crime began.

He began to burgle houses as they were empty, and pilfer the pockets of the unwary. He even, on occasion, would murder for other 'low-lives' if the price was right. He was never caught. He learned early on that even the best plans could go wrong, so he took to committing his crimes while wearing one of the first items he had stolen - an intricately carved steal helmet. The few people that spotted him fleeing the scene of a crime came to refer to him as 'the Masked Man' and in time the name became well-known throughout the city.

Two-Faced: Recognizing that a life of crime with no base of operation was not going to cut it for long, Marcus began to think of a front for his operation while looking for a place to live. In the quiet Calepha district he found just what he was looking for, an old store-front that had fallen into disuse. Using some of his ill-gotten gains, he purchased the store and fixed it up.

Within a few months, Marcus opened the 'All-seeing Eye,' a private investigation firm. The idea was that Marcus would commit crimes, and then advertise his services near the homes of his victims. If hired, he would then use the stolen goods to setup an elaborate case ultimately pointing to some poor, unknown wastrel. If not hired, he would fence the goods. Either way he made a profit.

It has been years since the 'All-seeing Eye,' opened, and Marcus has so far made quite a name for himself. However, the Masked Man has still never been caught despite numerous attempts. To most, the two men are arch nemeses, with the latter always barely out-smarting the former. Little do they know that the two are one and the same person.

Goals

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1) Marcus wants to amass substantial wealth, and eventually become a major player in Vizidel politics.

2) I would like Marcus to achieve a position of leadership, whether that be as the head of the survivors or something else.

Secrets

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1) Unbeknownst to the people of Vizidel, the 'Masked Man' and Marcus the PI are one and the same person. The people of the Caphela district would likely be shocked and appalled to find that one of their most trusted investigators is also one of their most notorious criminals.

2) There are people in Vizidel who know of Marcus' past as a deserter, and have not said anything due to the service his PI firm provides for the city.

2a) One of the people in Vizidel who knows of Marcus' past is the man who removed his eye, an ex-comrade in battle who tried to kill Marcus in the confusion but only managed to graze his head. You (grom) are free to pick the reasons he had for hating Marcus, as I would like it to be a surprise if (when?) he ever shows up in game.

People Tied to Marcus

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1) Mathilda, the barmaid - Marcus is a regular at the Guilded Mare, and Mathilda is one of the barmaids. She is a bit sarcastic and kind of plain-looking, but the two seem to always be dancing around mild attraction to one another.

2) Garth, the urchin - Though he is now a more respected member of society, Marcus remembers what it is like to live on the streets and tends to be fairly generous to the peasants he comes across. Garth is an orphan boy he is especially fond of, and the man tosses him a coin or two every so often for food. They rarely talk, but they know one another.

3) Liza, the guardswoman - Many of the guards in the Caphela district know and respect Marcus for his work, but Liza is not among them. She thinks he is a fool, and sees his inability to catch the Masked Man as proof that he is not nearly as good of an investigator as he claims to be.

4) Lord and Lady Winthrop - Lord Winthrop is a wealthy merchant in Vizidel, and Lady Winthrop is his incredibly particular wife. They were some of Marcus' very first 'clients' as a PI, and helped to spread the word of his skills when he was just getting his feet off the ground. They rarely acknowledge him in public, but anytime one of their friends has an issue they are quick to direct them to Marcus. He makes sure these issues are fairly common.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1) The battle that took Marcus' eye constantly haunts him, both while awake and asleep. He is rarely affected by his murder victims, but the sudden loss of sight that accompanied that fateful arrow has stayed with him forever.

2) With no peripheral vision on his left side, Marcus often has to turn his head to the left to see what is happening. Sometimes it happens purely out of habit, sort of like a tick.

3) Despite it leaving him permanently deformed and causing a massive shift in his life, Marcus still greatly appreciates the Brennis military and its history and memorabilia. He has a small collection in his house of armors and weapons from different time periods, things he has slowly acquired from his victims over time.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family: Marcus had many siblings and extended family members in the village he grew up and and other nearby villages. However, he has not had any contact with them since he enlisted in the army, nor would he even really know what they look like. For all intents in purposes, he no longer has a family.

Class: Marcus is of a middling class in Vizidel. He lives in a decent area, but his place is nothing fancy. It is much better than what he used to have, that much is certain.

Profession: Officially, Marcus works as a private investigator. Unofficially, he is an ex-solider and a career criminal.

Institutions: Marcus owns the All-Seeing Eye private investigation firm. Due to the nature of his work, he also has some close ties to the city guard of Vizidel.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: Wealth and Power. Marcus' ultimate goal is to be a prominent person in Vizidel, and he plans to achieve this through any means necessary.

Secondary: Fear. The constant looming fear of being discovered, both as a deserter and as a wanted criminal, forever hangs over Marcus' head and keeps him cautious and wary of getting too close to people.

Tertiary: Love. Despite his fear of getting close, Marcus does hold out hope that one day he will find a woman to settle down with. It is the reason why he is as close as he is with Mathilda, even if that is still far from becoming anything substantial.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

[SHOW]

Short-Term: There is a man named Bill the Toad, an odd and slimy little man who has been encroaching on Marcus' territory in recent weeks. The next job he plans will be to frame Bill and hopefully get him put behind bars for awhile.

Medium-Term: Garth has some connections throughout the city that Marcus plans to eventually make use of to expand further from the Caphela district. He hopes to eventually have enough high end clients that he can move the All-Seeing Eye to a better location, with a closer proximity to more valuable targets.

Long-Term: It may takes years, or even decades, but Marcus would like to eventually become some form of nobility, or perhaps even gain a position as an officer in the city guard. Wealth alone is not enough without the power to use it properly.

NPC Wishlist

[SHOW]

Marcus Nemesis

[SHOW]

The man who took Marcus' eye, and hates him. I left the details of his life for you (grom) to decide in an early section of the bakground, so for now I have nothing really.

Professor Mortimer

[SHOW]

A renowned academic in Vizidel, who teaches at the finest academy in the city. He is knowledgeable on a vast array of subjects, but is incredibly difficult to get along with.
http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/ ... 7cwvi5.jpg

Lady Winthrop

[SHOW]

One of Marcus' first clients, and a very particular noblewoman with exotic tastes. Her husband can be dead or not, I don't really care.
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/ ... 4et6ir.jpg

Carmen

[SHOW]

A street performer who travels with a caravan of other performers throughout Forelle. Her primary talent is fire breathing, though she can also swallow swords and juggle a bit.
http://adrian-w.deviantart.com/art/Fire ... -321478047

Hodor

[SHOW]

Hodor
http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/ ... 6dqm2m.jpg

Nancy LePoup

[SHOW]

A visiting dignitary from Imardin. He mostly deals with imports and exports, and was visiting Vizidel to work out a new trade agreement. He hates his name but is too proud to change it, and by extension harbors a lot of animosity towards his parents.
http://kir-tat.deviantart.com/art/Rheyn-167502318

Important Features:

[SHOW]

Dark Menace: Whenever I make a weapon attack against an enemy granting me CA, the enemy takes extra damage equal to my charisma modifier (+3)

Spirit of Vice (Domination): Once per round when I have THP, I can take a free action to do damage to myself right before making an attack roll against a target. The damage is equal to my charisma modifier (+3), and I can then gain an attack bonus to that attack equal to the same amount.

Power of Skill: +1 to untrained skill checks, and I can use Valiant Strike as an MBA.

Power of the Storm: +2 to intimidate checks. When I use Valiant Strike, I can choose to change its damage type to thunder (the power gains the thunder keyword and loses the keyword of its former damage types). If I do this, I gain a +2 bonus to the damage roll.

Devout Protector Expertise: I gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls made with a one-handed melee weapon, and a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls made with a holy symbol. While I use a shield, my allies gain a +1 shield bonus to AC.

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

Childhood - Athena was born to a fairly poor family on Brennis. They didn't have much and she developed a want for the finer things in life fairly early in her childhood. Puberty hit and Athena soon discovered ways of acquiring what she wanted, flirting with the boys in her village to get them to do her bidding.

Vizidel - Athena eventually got bored of life in her small village and moved to the city of Vizidel, looking for a different and better life. Originally renting a small room above a bakery, before eventually acquiring a decently sized town house in one of the nicer districts in the city, the Calepha district .

Beauty - Athena is incredibly beautiful and is well aware of the fact. She regularly uses her beauty to get what she wants, often wearing quite revealing clothing.

Inn Serving Girl - Athena first worked in an inn when she moved to Vizidel, The Officer's Dirk. It was an Inn by the docks of Vizidel, and mostly catered to sailors on leave while in port, with a nicer room upstairs for any officers. She worked long hours and earned little pay, carrying food and drink from the kitchen and bar to patrons. Drunken sailors would never be considered the most sophisticated group of people, and Athena was no stranger to lewd comments or the occasional groping, however she did pick up some knife skills watching men playing five finger fillet and other knife games. She first encountered other courtesans here, meeting with the officers upstairs. Athena admired their class, compared to that of the common whores who would service the sailors.

Courtesan - While working in the Inn, Athena befriended a group of courtesans and, impressed with their lifestyle, she eventually saved enough money to buy some nicer dresses and joined them. She was naturally gifted at seduction and quickly gained a reputation and status. Presently she is one of the most expensive courtesans in the city, which still doesn't stop her being able to pick and chose her customers.

Goals

[SHOW]

1.) Athena wants to advance her standing in life as much as possible. Ultimately hoping to find and marry a nobleman.

2.) I would like her to survive and find someone she does want to marry (not necessarily as high of status as she perhaps imagined). Or if she does die I would like to experience the feelings of love, she makes men feel for her, before the end.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1.) Athena does this one thing... With ice cubes...

2.) The son of a rich trader, Ricard, from Athena's village (See people tied to Athena) now also lives in Vizidel unknown to Athena.

People tied to Athena

[SHOW]

1.) Athena's mother and father still live in her old village, although they are unaware of their daughter's lifestyle.

2.) Athena's best friend, Caprica, is also a courtesan and was one of the group Athena befriended when she first moved to Vizidel.

3.) The son of a rich trader, Ricard, in Athena's village became infatuated with her. Naturally she took advantage of this, however one day he caught her with another boy and vowed to ruin her life in revenge.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1.) Athena will often, play with her hair, curling it around her fingers. Usually she does it while flirting, however if she is deep in thought, she will tend to do it without realising.

2.) Athena's home has many flowers growing around it, up the walls and in hanging baskets. Everyday she will pick one and place it in her hair. For this reason she is not fond of autumn and winter months, due to the lack of flowering plants, and much prefers spring and summer. A gift of flowers in autumn or winter is guaranteed to win her over very quickly.

3.) Athena will always remember the first boy she liked. He was the son of the village's Lord. He was dashing and handsome, with perfect long brown hair. She would watch him train for hours on end, and dreamt of their future life together. However he never once paid attention to Athena, due to her class, and she eventually moved on, but not without making her hate her humble origins.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family: Athena is the only child of a family. They lived in a small village on the Isle of Brennis where her Father is a blacksmith.

Class: Athena was originally of a fairly low social standing however she has managed to elevate herself to a higher class of Brennisian society.

Profession: Athena is a courtesan. While it isn't really a formal job, companionship is her only source of income, whether it be in the form of gifts or actual payment.

Institutions: While not a member, she has attended a couple of events hosted by the High Society of Brennis Club as a guest.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: Athena's main motivation in life is to better her standing in anyway possible, usually with the use of her womanly attributes and talents.

Secondary: Money is another factor in what drives Athena and comes hand in hand with her primary motivation as money tends to lead to power and influence, her primary drive in life.

Tertiary: Fun. Athena, while being a calculated person, is fun loving. She greatly enjoys what she does and often gets excited for big events she may be attending.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

[SHOW]

Short-Term: Find a safe place and some way, or some one, to defend herself.

Medium-Term: Survive the outbreak in Vizidel.

Long-Term: Find and marry a noble or a rich and powerful merchant.

NPC Wishlist

[SHOW]

1.) Dunirk, the Blacksmith.

Appearance

[SHOW]

2.) Ralena, The Tavern Wench

Appearance

[SHOW]

3.) Garth, the Barstool Wielding Bartender.

Appearance

[SHOW]

Important Features

[SHOW]

Multiple Arms: Once per turn, you can draw or sheathe a weapon (or retrieve or stow an item stored on your person) as a free action instead of a minor action.

Natural Jumper: You are always considered to have a running start when jumping.

Torpor: Rather than sleep, you enter a torpid state. In this state, you remain aware of your surroundings, and you require only 4 hours of torpor to gain the benefit of an extended rest.

Light Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a light blade. In addition you gain a +1 bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks that you make with a light blade against a creature granting combat advantage to you.

First Strike: At the start of an encounter, you have combat advantage against any creatures that have not yet acted in that encounter.

Sneak Attack: When hitting an enemy granting combat advantage to you, that enemy takes extra damage of 2d6+3.

Son of Alagondar: While flanking an enemy, your allies gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls against that enemy.

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

Goals

[SHOW]

1.)

2.)

Secrets

[SHOW]

1.)

2.)

People tied to Rath

[SHOW]

1.)

2.)

3.)

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1.)

2.)

3.)

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family:

Class:

Profession:

Institutions:

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary:

Secondary:

Tertiary:

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

[SHOW]

Short-Term:

Medium-Term:

Long-Term:

Important Features

[SHOW]

.

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

1) Birth - It's not often that births in the woods are recorded, or even heard of. When Redros was born, he was surrounded by wood, by bark and leaf. The dirt was his floor, sticks were his crib, and leaves his blanket. His parents didn't have much, hardly even a shack. Yet, they were skilled hunters, and whatever they hunted went towards providing him with the bare minimum of a normal life. Furs replaced leaves, logs replaced sticks, and his house started looking more like a home than a simply mess of cobbled together materials.

2) Early Life - His father taught him how to hunt early, and necessarily so. There's not much that can be bought when you live alone like they did. His father taught him how to use the crossbow, how to aim for a deers heart rather than it's head, how to cut and clean various animals, what berries can be eaten, everything he'd need for when he was alone. When the time came he was sent out into the woods, nothing but a bow and a few arrows, and told to last for 7 weeks, using nothing but his wits. He came back with a bear he hunted for his family.

3) Later Life - As a young man, Redros was continued to improve his hunting and survival skills. His sales of furs and meat along with bodies for medical boards to study animal biology has kept him afloat. He keeps his stock of bolts and his crossbow at home when he heads for civilization, as a common courtesy. No one wants to see a grizzled man with a crossbow walk into town. At least, not one that smells like he's been alone in the woods too long, which he has.

4) The Spirits of the Hunt - For Redros, his father taught him more about hunting than he could really know. Through his father and mother, he learned of the spirits that guide a hunters bow and keep the balance of nature in line. There are moments when he thinks he can see them, a white glow around an animal or a soft light breaking through the trees to show him a rare fruit or plant he can use. Whatever the case, whenever he fires his crossbow, things happen. His targets stumble as if hit by a tidal wave, or their eyesight fades like they were in the darkest of nights.
Whatever his secret is as to why he can do this, he's keeping it to himself for now.

5) Appearance - Redros has a bit of gray in his hair, and his skin is slightly tanned from years being outside in somewhat lit environments like forests. His clothes are simple and unobtrusive, neither preventing or giving any mobility, designed more to be functional than flashy.

Goals

[SHOW]

1) To show that his skills in hunting are useful in an urban environment as well as in the forest. He hopes his natural survival training will bring him and the group greater success than if they were alone.

2) To try a new character design and see if I can stick to it. I'm thinking Redros will be less sullen and less exciteable, and more stoic and wise, an information giver. We'll see how I do.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1) When Redros was a child, he once hunted a wolf through the forest. He followed it for a while, needing the meat and the furs. When he brought it down though, he walked over and the beast stood back up. It looked at him, the bolt sticking out of it's side, ignoring it's pain it nuzzled his hand and walked past. To this day, a small mark lasts on his hand, a small pawprint of the spirit.

2) Once while his food supplies were low, he shot and killed a man in the forest he thought was a sports hunter. He took the mans possessions and left him there, believing it to be poetic justice that this man would be consumed by the forest. In the kingdom, the Captain of the guard had gone missing that day, having gone on a hunt in his spare time. This was the man Redros killed.

People Tied to Character

[SHOW]

1) Cassios Belenus - Redros often sells his meat to this man at a decent price. He would call it a discount compared to what other hunters would ask for, and as such he has created a solid repertoire with the man, often giving him choice cuts before other venders.

2) Lusia Caranta - In town there is a woman that helps make leather into clothing, hammering out the leather to make it flat before sowing things like sheepskin into the inside to make it warm for winter. For a while now, Redros has fancied her, but he doesn't tell her. He has barely shared much in terms of words with her.

3) Neloso Belaech - Neloso is a young man that Redros once helped during his hunting. The man had caught no animals that day, and was out of money, needing to get something in order to pay for his living. Redros watched him for a few moments before coming to assist him, shooting a deer, a wolf that was stalking the deer, and a rabbit watching. He walked away, leaving the animals and the man there. Neloso took it as an insult to his ability as a hunter, and now wishes to prove that he is a better hunter than Redros, any way possible.

Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

[SHOW]

1) He never brings weapons into a home or into a city, no matter the dangerous environment of the city. As such, he will leave his weapons at the door as a sign of meaning no ill will.

2) His father taught him that all life deserves respect, as it has fought hard to survive as long as it has. Anything that defies that respect, undead or even just people, he feels deserves his hatred.

3) He treats his crossbow as a tool of balance. He often refers to those he's hunted as having died so that the balance of life may be kept, and as such he never hunts anything that he feels may cause an imbalance with its death.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family: Deceased Father and Mother: By now his mother and father are long dead, buried someplace out in the woods where nature will reclaim them.

Class: Lower- Middle Class: Redros, although not one to live alongside society, does have some wealth. He spends most of it purchasing just what he needs, bolts, repairs for his equipment, new equipment. Things he thinks he'll need. The rest he puts away for later.

Profession: Hunter: He's a hunter in the broadest of terms for society. He lives in the woods and hunts only what he needs to survive based on the season and his own experiences. Besides that, he doesn't really deal with actual people that much.

Institutions: None: Redros is a loner. He's lived on his own since he was young, and because of it he doesn't claim to be part of any group.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: Ensure the balance of nature any way possible.

Secondary: To prove that he's a decent hunter, and that it is with the help of the spirits that he has managed to survive.

Tertiary: The code of ethics that his family instilled in him. Never harm a living creature unless you need to. Use everything. And honor nature in all its forms.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

[SHOW]

Short-Term: Protect those he cares about.

Medium-Term: Hunt enough that he can survive the coming seasons, either through selling furs or gathering meat.

Long-Term: To protect the balance of nature through his actions, and to never break that balance with overhunting or gathering.

NPC Wishlist

[SHOW]

1) Roland Lalt - Fighter, member of the broken guard forces in the city trying to continue serving the kingdom and those within it.

2) Rictumal Tarmikos - Wizard, studying magic in town before the zombie attack. Now he studies them to find weaknesses and ways to break their assaults.

Important Features

[SHOW]

Speed Loader: Reload a crossbow with a minor action to a free action.
Crossbow Expertise: +1 to crossbow attack rolls. Ignore partial and superior cover. Total cover still blocks.
Improved Initiative: +4 to Inititative
Bloodbond: Grants Encaging Spirits Power and allows Shifting as a minor action.

Background and concept elements

[SHOW]

Pre hobo-life

1) Birth - Tobias Stan was born Charlie Brent, son of Blacksmiths Grant and Molly Brent. He was a healthy baby boy, 7.5 pounds with his mother’s red hair.

2) Early Life- Charlie Brent was a strange child, always going on adventures when he should be working on his chores or helping around the forge. Sometimes while working on his chores or helping around the forge. He was a polite lad, always helping when he could however.

3) Later Life- Soon Charlie was married to a wonderful woman named Ember and had two children. A quiet boy named Simon and an outgoing girl named Luna. He took over as blacksmith from his parents and was still rather goofy.

4)The end of Charlie Brent - One day while visiting his father’s grave at around 7:00 P.M, he saw what looked like a murder happening. Charlie quickly attempted to stop it, and managed to at least save the man. Only to be violently thrown at one of the graves head first. The last thing Charlie saw before falling unconscious was the murderer running off, saying he’ll “be right back”.

Hobo life
1)The Birth of Tobias Stan- When he awoke, it was in the middle of the night. Charlie remembered nothing. Not his name, his family, his work, nothing. He knew somehow that he had to get away from the graveyard, run to somewhere, but couldn’t remember where. He looked at the grave which his head was against and saw the name “Tobias Stan”. Thinking that would work as his name, he ran from the graveyard. He ended up outside the city, still running. Not knowing why, just that he had to.

2) Early Life - Tobias’s early life post graveyard was that of travel, work, and relearning basic knowledge. He took the Hobo way to heart, as it was the only way that he could use. With a grave name, and a lack of a known past, it was hard to find proper, easy work.

3) Later Life - Tobias soon found himself dressed in what ever he could scourge up, eating anything he could find, working at any place that would take him. Still not knowing his name or past, but not really caring as it wasn’t very important.

4) A job opportunity- One day, Tobias heard about a job that was happening at Katala in about a month, and as a result made sure to find a boat that would take him over there in exchange for work. Now he just had to wait a month. Easy as eatin’ pie.

5) Appearance - Tobias is a man of average build and height. His clothes are full of patches and he has a full, unkempt beard. He has calluses on his hands and feet. He speaks in what sounds like a southern drawl. He is also very, very tan.

6) Personality Traits - Tobias Stan is a mix of the classic gentleman, amnesiac, hobo, jokester and oddball. He is kind and polite to people he meets, doesn’t remember much about his past, isn’t afraid to get very dirty, has a good sense of humor, and sometimes is working on a different wavelength than everyone else.

Goals

[SHOW]

1) Tobias wants to see the world.

2) I kinda want Tobias to live long as possible, as hobo is something I haven’t done before.

Secrets

[SHOW]

1) Tobias Stan stole his name from a crumbling gravestone.

2) Tobias was married, had kids, and was left for dead after a fight in the graveyard.

People Tied To Character

[SHOW]

1) Gummy Jack- The hobo that taught him the basics of hobodom. Little bit wacky. Won his last name in a poker game.

2) His Parents, his wife Ember and his children, Simon and Luna- His forgotten family.

3) The Masked Man- the Masked Man primarily goes after wealthy and influential people, though they are not his only victims. it's unknown exactly how many he's killed, but it's spanned years and the guards and PIs alike have failed to apprehend him.

The masked man is gunning for Tobias as he is a loose end.

Memories, Mannerisms, And Quirks

[SHOW]

1)Tobias wasn’t the best at travel at first. In fact, he got sick at least seven times when traveling by sea and in fact lost count how many times he’s been lost when traveling on foot. He is extremely embarrassed about this.

2)Tobias is quick to remind people what the difference between Hobo, Tramp, and Bum.

3)Tobias gets flashes of his life as Charlie, but it’s usually a second or two.

4)Tobias often mentions rules that he claims are rules of the Hobo way. Often seemingly out of the blue.

5) Tobias sometimes speaks in third person.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

[SHOW]

Family -Tobais’ family is the family he had as Charlie.

Class - Working Class as Charlie, underclass as Tobias.

Profession -Charlie was a blacksmith but now as Tobias he’s a hobo.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

[SHOW]

Primary: The Hobo way is what drives Tobais the most. Especially rule 1. “Keep moving, and find good work.”

Secondly: Not dying is the second closest at what drives Tobias. Not a lot of people like hobos.

Tertiary: Finding out what happened to his memory is the third thing that drives him.

Short/Medium/Long Term

[SHOW]

Short Term - Meet people. Talk to people. Get work.

Medium Term -Travel and follow the hobo way.

Long Term - Find any clues to his lost memory.

Background and Concept Elements

[SHOW]

Appearance: For the most part, Tomas looks like an ordinary teen-aged boy. He has short, somewhat messy auburn-brown hair, and a lightly freckled face, as well as an almost ever-present smile. His most defining feature, though, are his eyes. As a result of a magic experiment, his irises are different colors. His left eye retained its ordinary brown, but the right had become extraordinarily blue.

Personality: Given the unfortunate experiences he's had to live through, it's surprising how happy Tomas is. Although he wishes for more, he's still happy with what he has, and will spread his cheerful nature to others. He can be a bit timid and sensitive some of the time, having lived in harsh captivity for a few years in his youth, but he's slowly stepping from his comfort zone. Being used to large audiences, Tomas can fairly easily become comfortable with new people. He does enjoy a little mischief every now and then, but only to an extent. Being surrounded by many interesting folks in the circus, he isn't quick to judge on appearance, preferring to get to know a person before making assumptions.

Early Life: Tomas was born on a particularly cold day in a slum on Cru'un. His parents were impoverished, but in typical fashion, decided to bring children into the world to experience the same poverty. Life was tough for the family. With seven siblings, there was rarely enough food to go around. Instead of being happy for beautiful children, Tomas' parents were unhappy and rather unpleasant to be around. As a result, Tomas found it hard to be happy. The years weren't all bad, though. He at least learned how to speak, but that was probably the only positive. His unhappy parents were relatively mean-spirited to him and his siblings, taking out their own misfortunes on the same people they had forced into the world. Everything changed, though, when a dignified man came knocking on the door of the family residence. When he was about five years old, a man named Johan Langström arrived at their home. With pouches of coin, he offered to purchase one of their children, the one of his choosing. Tomas' parents, caring little for their children, took the man up on his offer, and soon enough, Tomas was carried from his family home, never to see his parents or siblings again.

The Test Subject: Tomas soon found himself in a a much nicer home than he'd ever seen in his life. The first year wasn't terrible, with a tutor teaching Tomas how to read and write in both Gleiosian and Common proficiently, while Johan silently worked in his lab. Unfortunately, after this year, things drastically changed, and for the worse. Moved from a cush, warm room in the main home, he soon found himself in a mediocre dormitory with many other children, and many more restrictions. A confused child, Tomas had no idea what was going to happen, and was overcome with fear. His fears were realized as he was led to the laboratory, where he was restrained in a chair. Frightened from the experience, he kept his eyes sealed shut for most of the ordeal, but he remembers odd sensations and bright lights. Such experiments continued occasionally, about once a month. Every other day, he sat in sorrow with the other children, just counting down the days til it was time again to be used as a test subject.

Special Eyes: On one stormy evening, Johan decided to try a particularly ambitious experiment, and he selected Tomas to be the worthy subject. As the intentions of the experiment were unknown to all but Johan himself, Tomas was extraordinarily nervous. There were rumors among the captive children that the experiment was malevolent in nature, and would surely end in death. Tomas feared for his life as he was escorted into the laboratory. But with no choice, he laid down upon the examination table. Quickly, Johan got to work, a giddy smile painting his face as arcane bolts shot from his fingertips. About a quarter of the way through the experiment, a large bolt of lightning struck near the home, followed by the enormous crack. It was enough to cause Johan to jump, leading to a bolt of magic to shoot into Tomas' left eye. Irritated that he had made such a rookie mistake, Johan aborted the rest of the experiment and let Tomas return to his room. Although his eye felt strange, it appeared to be normal, so he went to sleep as usual. Upon waking the next morning, he found himself with the new coloration. Astonished yet amazed, Tomas didn't know what to do, so he simply attempted to keep going about his life as normal, while keeping his eye hidden to prevent unwanted attention from the other children.

A Daring Escape: In the three years that Tomas had spent within the confines of Johan's walls, he had noticed that some of the children had begun to disappear, particularly those who had been subjects in blundered experiments. Though it wasn't immediately after said failed tests, it wasn't too terribly long. Knowing fully well that people don't just disappear without a trace, Tomas made it his mission to get out of there before he had the same fate. After a few days of planning and packing what few belongings he possessed, he silently left the dormitory, saying goodbye to no one. From there, he stalked the halls quickly and quietly until he was greeted by the rear door. Upon opening it to make his escape, he was face-to-face with one of Johan's lackeys, who shouted out that there was an escape attempt. Reacting quickly, Tomas dashed the opposite direction but found himself trapped from Johan himself. Enraged and preparing a magical deathblow, Johan was about to put Tomas down for good. Panicking, the boy dashed and slid between the man's legs and sprinted down the hall. He ducked out an open window just before an arcane bolt could strike him down. Knowing he wasn't fully safe yet, the young child, alone in the world, made his way towards town.

Magnificent Mutar: Although Tomas had escaped Johan's grasps for the present, he knew he couldn't stay in town. He had already spotted some of Johan's men patrolling the streets. Attempting to remain unseen, he followed a family, with children similar to him, around the town. Their path led him to the sound of delightful music and color tents in the horizon. His eyes were filled to the brim with wonder, having never seen such a spectacle. Throughout the day, he wandered about the circus grounds until he was found by a concerned dwarven woman. Her concern grew after she learned he didn't have parents, or any caretaker for that matter. She took him to Mutar himself, asking what should be done with the boy. Mutar instantly noticed the boy's peculiar eyes and saw potential profits. With this, Tomas was inaugurated into Magnificent Mutar's Traveling Circus, with the dwarven woman, Halda, caring for him. As part of the circus, Tomas bade farewell to his homeland of Cru'un, as well as Johan and his influences. Although he was scared of what was ahead, he was happy too, to finally be free.

Presenting Tomas: After leaving Cru'un, the circus traveled to the island nation of Brennis, where Tomas would have his first act. Originally, Tomas was thoroughly confused when Mutar had told him what he was going to have to do for audience members. Why does he have to let people stare at his eyes, he wondered. Although uncomfortable, he got through it, and his act continued that way everywhere he went. Sometimes to make the show more interesting, Tomas would have to wear a mask, with it being said he was a mutilated boy with the eyes of two people. Although such claims were false, he didn't care. He wasn't the one paying anyways. Despite feeling like a completely normal child, and being one for the most part, he was still treated like a circus freak, though he received more respect than the severely disfigured folks. He continues to be a popular attraction at the circus, with hundreds staring into his spectacular irises every show day.

The Traveling Circus: For seven years now, Tomas has been a part of the circus, traveling around the globe to any major city that wants to be entertained and amazed. He continues to stare at the masses, letting them gaze into his eyes with wonder, though it's still a little weird. After so much time in the circus, its members are his family, and he cares deeply for almost all of them. He gets to travel the world surrounded by people he actually likes, and he is genuinely happy. Currently, the troupe has returned once again to Brennis to entertain the fine folks of Vizidel. With so many stops in Brennis, due to its central location in Forelle, he picked up on the local language, much to the delight of those unable to speak it in the troupe. Now they could ask him to run errands, as he'd have a much easier time than solely relying on Common. Although it can be a bit of a nuisance sometimes, it does give him a chance to explore the city on his own.

Goals

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1) Tomas wants to get out of the circus business and live a happy, normal life, without everyone staring right into his eyes all the time.

2) I'd like for Tomas not to get into the place that Liviana did, where it doesn't make sense for the character to continue on without breaking character. Also, it'd be nice for him to survive. He has special eyes.

Secrets

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1) Tomas once almost gouged his abnormal eye out, in an effort to be done with being treated differently, but in the end, he backed out. He doesn't want others to know that he almost went so far as to commit bodily harm just to feel normal. Although it was years ago, and he's much more comfortable with his physical attribute now, he is still ashamed that he almost did it.

2) Johan intends to retrieve Tomas the next time the circus is in Cru'un, using severe force if necessary. He'd do it sooner, but that would take away precious time from research and experiments.

People Tied to Tomas

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1) Halda the Bearded Woman is simply a dwarven woman with a lot of hair. Down on her luck within the Dwarven Kingdoms, she ventured outside, where she was soon recruited by the circus. She's been with the troupe for years upon years, amazing crowds with her facial hair, despite such hair not seeming too unusual to her. To Tomas, she has been a mother figure, which he desperately needed after years without one. She watches out for him and comforts him if he's frightened or worried, and all around does everything a mother does for their own child.

Appearance

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2) Arnold the Human Parrot is not actually a parrot, despite what he's advertised as. A young man who was down on his luck, Arnold decided to join the circus. It seemed like it'd be fun, he thought. Unfortunately, this led to him being dressed up as a bird each and every show. Squawking around on a stage wasn't exactly what he had expected, but it's better than starving. A flamboyant man, Tomas finds him amusing on off-times and enjoys his company. Arnold treats Tomas as somewhat of a little brother, and watches out for him, while simultaneously giving him a hard time.

Appearance

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3) Ulf is one of Tomas' closest and oldest friends, having known each other since Tomas was born. Tomas takes Ulf with everywhere he goes, and seeks comfort in the stuffed wolf. It was Ulf's comforting embrace that got Tomas through the harsh nights in Johan's custody. Although Tomas is now in his teenage years, he couldn't think of getting rid of Ulf.

Appearance

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4) Calliope is a young member of the circus, and also one of the most terrifying. She has a fierce temper and hates almost everyone in the troupe. Most avoid her anyways, as she has been discovered torturing and mutilating small animals on multiple occasions, each time with a wide, sadistic grin on her face. She doesn't have an act like the others, so she's mostly just a horrible liability. But she's a little girl, so they can't just kill her.

Appearance

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5) Johan Langström is the wizard that had owned Tomas for many years of his life. Johan bought many children to do his arcane experiments, and ignored all sorts of ethics. A cruel man, Johan only cared for his own discoveries and successes, not flinching over any lost life along the way. Tomas has a deep hatred for him, and Johan hates him as well, though he hates all his test subjects. Tomas escaped, though, which infuriated Johan. What days he doesn't spend on magical experiments he spends seeking out other subjects, or gloating.

Appearance

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Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks

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1) Tomas has two different colored eyes, or heterochromia as no one in this setting would call it. This is the result of an arcane experiment done on him by Johan. Whether the experiment had other effects is unknown, but the eye change has already had a big enough impact on his life.

2) Tomas remembers the first time he was put on as an act. He was so uncomfortable that he began to tear up, and the audience booed him off the stage, as the tears obscured his eyes. He's a lot more comfortable now, though it's still kind of a creepy experience, having people stare directly at you.

3) On days off from performing, Tomas likes to go out an explore the town the troupe is in, sneaking around the creating mischief. He finds it a lot more fun than just sitting around the camp all day, though he has to be careful not to be seen by townsfolk, lest they frenzy over his eyes before the performance day.

4) Tomas' actual last name isn't Langström. He didn't really have a last name at birth, but instead was given the surname of his master, Johan. Johan did so to make himself seem benevolent, as if he was adopting impoverished children rather than buying them.

Background - Family/Class/Profession/Institutions

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Family: Tomas' real family gave him up when he was about 6 years old, and he holds a deep resentment for them, as they released him into the care of an evil man. Tomas' real family now has become his circus family. For the most part, they care for each other and love each other. There of course are some exception.

Class: Being part of the circus, he isn't exactly living the dream or even close to being in the higher social classes. He's sort of lower class, but he at least isn't starving to death and resorting to thievery. He at least isn't looked down upon as other, deformed freaks in the circus are. Most are just fascinated.

Profession: Tomas is a carny, but his specific profession, if you can call it that, is standing still and letting people look at his eyes. He is a circus "freak" even though his eyes seem about as mundane as any ordinary eyes.

Institutions: Tomas is part of Magnificent Mutar's Traveling Circus, and has been for the past seven years.

Drives - Primary/Secondary/Tertiary

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Primary: Fun/adventure: Being locked inside for two years made Tomas realize that a life without new experiences and good times isn't a life worth living, so he tries to have enjoyable experiences.

Secondary: Family: The circus family is fairly tight-knit, so Tomas would do almost anything for them.

Tertiary: Money: Tomas eventually wants to get out of the circus life and live well, and he needs money to do that.

Goals - Short-Term/Medium-Term/Long-Term

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Short-Term: Perform his act on the island nation of Brennis.

Medium-Term: Travel more of the world and see its great sights.

Long-Term: Exit the circus and create a better life for himself.

Important Features:

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Mantle of Elation: You and each ally within 5 squares of you gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls for opportunity attacks, and a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks. With Ardent Surge, the target gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls until EONT.

Group Diplomacy: You grant allies within 10 squares of you a +1 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks.

Light Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a light blade. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to the damage rolls of the weapon attacks that you make with a light blade against a creature granting a combat advantage to you. Both of these bonuses increase to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level.

Outraged Vengeance: Allies gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls against any target granting combat advantage from your ardent outrage power.