Inhabitants of the world. Any need for illustrations?

[12rounds]

Name: Marcus Sicaros
Race: Human
Location: Tavor, Akron


Years ago Marcus was a prominent and respected Aldamar's Arbitrator circling the areas of Lesser Groam just west of the Beastlands. Then one night he met a sinister group of three travellers - two of whom were possibly bearers of The Plague. A battle of words ensued and very soon the travellers resorted to violence. They were all killed by Marcus who was acting out just to save his own life. One of the travellers was carrying a small red disc - securely wrapped in cloth - in his bag. After Marcus touched it, his former life ended and he began a new life. One that is full of wrath, vengeance and revenge that he shares with a malignant spirit bound into a living shield. Aldamar was abandoned and the ideology of Hastur embraced.

Marcus continued to right wrongs - except he didn't care about justice anymore. Now it was all about the thrilling mayhem that ensues when revenge is served. Each act of wanton violence pleased the shield and it started growing in size. Marcus was able to detach himself from the shield for short periods of time, but like a flame calls for a moth, the bound spirit called for Marcus.

The living shield is intelligent and vengeful. It has capabilities way beyond that of an inanimate object and it's black thoughts are all over the mind of whoever is currently wearing the shield. Marcus does not see himself of what has become of him - a black soul of destructive violence who envelopes his actions and indeed his existence in ludicrous notions of "But I just served the justice!". The living shield feeds from it's host but also gives the host an array of powerful abilities that are akin to magic. They even share some sane moments when they talk to each other like any couples do. Of course the only one who verbally speaks is Marcus; the shield speaks directly into his mind.

Marcus has become a traveller himself. He seeks out situations, people and places in which he can find reasons to do violent actions. Did the farmer's wife sleep with the neighbour? Kill them both! A child threw a rock at a dog? Decapitation is a fitting punishment! He now resides in Tavor dousing his miserable existence in beer while waiting for yet another reason to kill someone. What he may hear is that many of the citizens are still talking about what Baron Dunden LaFleur - the richest man in Raedis - did to his wife Maria and how he never received any kind of punishment for his deed. After all, Maria was from Tavor and her family still mostly live in Tavor. Including her brother Evan who has become obsessed with ways of how to serve cold steel between the baron's ribs...

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[Steel General]

Cool! Reminds me a bit of the lead singer from the cartoon Metalocalypse.

[Ascension]

Nathan Explosion

[Gandwarf]

Very cool character and background! The shield looks awesome

[12rounds]

Name: Mortimer Grabdur
Race: Dwarf
Location: Morton, Thrubmorton Fens


Mortimer is a deer hunter. He is one of the best hunters in a big area that begins from Thrub in the west goes all the way into Mullion in the north and Monkton Monastery in the south. He is a close friend of count Ludwig Morton - the ruler of Morton. He spends most of the year in the swamps and forests - mostly alone - and perhaps a month or two of every year he stays in Morton. The deers are not always plentiful and Mortimer also avoids hunting when the animals have their breeding time at hand or the young ones to feed.

As an experienced hunter Mortimer also personally knows pretty much all the other regulars who travel through the woods and swamps - hunters, mercenaries, rangers, outlaws and such. Even some lizardmen some of whom he knows personally although their means of communication is limited to grunting signalling with hands. He has no beef with anyone unless he gets attacked first. Mortimer is thus an important source of information in the affairs of swamps and forests. He knows where big game is plentiful, which rivers are swarming with salmon, where lizardmen tribes have their camps placed, what valleys outlawed bandits call home and even where to find edibile berries, healing herbs and fresh water. This information is also hard to get: one would have to first find Mortimer and then convince him to give up that information. Mortimer is careful with what he speaks (and to whom) and avoids giving away too much or too detailed information. He knows that the only way he can fully focus in his profession as a deer hunter is to keep the number of enemies as low as possible. And this is best achieved by not ratting out to strangers.

Mortimer is a no-nonsense kind of pragmatist. He doesn't much understand the elaboracies of complex planning and rather tries to keep things simple and straightforward. He gets bored easily if forced to sit still for even short periods of time and is a notoriously bad listener. One story in Morton tells how Mortimer once fell asleep during a feast which count Ludwig Morton was kind enough to offer to a few dozen of his friends. The guests coerced Ludwig into retelling how Morton city guardmen's (lead by the count himself, to boot!) dealt with a giant rat infestation that bothered the city for several months. Before the story was halfway through, a loud and hearty snoring echoed in the feasting hall and forced Ludwig Morton to raise his voice to make himself heard over the sleeping Mortimer.

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[RPMiller]

Great stuff as always, but I do have a question regarding Mortimer. Is there a reason you have the bolt points sticking up?

[Gandwarf]

Maybe he isn't wearing a quiver, but some kind of belt? Wouldn't want the points sticking down then. Although he should watch his head also at the moment
Maybe this guy is just crazy...

[12rounds]

Yeah well ... I was thinking about a rigid carrying case for 6 bolts. It's attached to the shoulder strap. Because we're talking about a heavy crossbow, it doesn't matter how much time it would take to reach the bolts - most of the time reloading is going to go cocking the crossbow anyway. In all fairness he could have the bolts hidden in a bag, but I thought this just looked more cool.

[Redrobes]

Nice one Kimmo, I think this character would be just the sort to be in and around Morton. I was rolling up a 4e Dwarf and wanted a heavy crossbow. This character would have been perfect. 'Would have been' and not 'is' because there is no heavy crossbow in 4e any more. I always like them too. Anyway, super character pic.

[RPMiller]

Yeah well ... I was thinking about a rigid carrying case for 6 bolts. It's attached to the shoulder strap. Because we're talking about a heavy crossbow, it doesn't matter how much time it would take to reach the bolts - most of the time reloading is going to go cocking the crossbow anyway. In all fairness he could have the bolts hidden in a bag, but I thought this just looked more cool.

Whatever the reason, having the sharp ends pointing out is just crazy unless he intends to somehow use that configuration as part of some sort of demented charge attack where he lowers his head at the last second and tries to stab his target with the bolts.