|
This week's COTW installment is actually a set of eight
characters built around a single story idea - seven
travelling performers, and the sadistic demon that toys with
their psyches. The format will differ slightly, the content
in six separate posts. All contents of all segments (c)
copyright 2000 Volker Bach; this is segment four of six.
THE CHARACTERS, CONTINUED
Alean the Singer; small, mousy musician and songstress
Total Points: -5.5 Points
Age about 20; 5'3"; about 100 pounds; a tiny and
fragile-looking young woman, with non-descript brown hair, a
few missing front teeth and surprisingly deep green
eyes.
ST 8 [-15] - thrust 1d-3, swing 1d-2, fatigue
10
DX 10 [10] - basic speed 5.5, move 5, dodge
5
IQ 13 [30]
HT 10 [-] - hit points 8
WL 13 [-]
ADVANTAGES: Charisma +1 [5]; Literate [10];
Musical Ability +3 [3]; Voice [10].
DISADVANTAGES: Appearance (Unattractive) [-5];
Combat Paralysis [-15]; Edgy [-5]; Murder
Addiction [-60]; Nightmares [-5]; Sense of
Duty (Aigla) [-5].
QUIRKS: Hesitant to show emotion; Eager to learn things;
Fears violent or bad-tempered men; Hums to herself when
working; Sensitive about her missing teeth. [-5]
SKILLS: Area Knowledge (Vaestar kingdoms)-13 [1];
Artist-14 [6]; Bard-16* [2]; Beverage
Making-12 [.5]; Calligraphy-12** [0];
Cooking-12 [.5]; Crossbow-10 [.5];
Diplomacy-14* [2]; Enthrallment (Persuade)-13
[2]; Enthrallment (Sway Emotions)-14 [4];
History-11 [1]; Literature (Theatre Plays)-10/16
[1]; Musical Composition (Flute, Harp and
Dulcimer)-14*** [0]; Musical Instrument (Harp)-16#
[4]; Musical Instrument (Flute)-15# [2];
Musical Instrument (Dulcimer)-15# [2]; Musical
Instrument (Drum)-15# [2]; Occultism-11
[.5]; Oral Literature-13 [4];
Performance-15* [1]; Poetry-12 [1];
Savoir-Faire-14* [.5]; Singing-16## [2].
*includes +1 from Charisma and +2 from Voice
**default from Artist
***default from Musical Instruments
#includes +3 from Musical Ability
##includes +2 for Voice and +3 for Musical
Ability
LANGUAGES: Vaestar (native)-13 [0]; Yilande-11
[.5]; Turani-11 [.5]; Sandari-12
[1].
EQUIPMENT
Alean owns a harp, flutes and dulcimer - or rather, she
treats these instruments as her own, even though the troupe
actually paid for them. She carries a small flute in a
beltcase almost anywhere she goes. Beyond this, she dresses
simply and sensibly in non-descript clothes. She has a
belt-knife, but it is not intended as a weapon and it is
unlikely that she would fight anybody.
BIOGRAPHY
Fate's sense of irony is often quite blunt; Alean -
sensitive, gentle and gifted - was born to a wealthy but
stupid, cruel and hot-tempered father who tried to mold her
into his idea of the perfect daughter with savage beatings.
Others might have broken, but there is steel underneath
Alean's gentleness. She resisted with a quiet stubbornness
that drove her father to new heights of rage. His death,
when she was fourteen, came as a relief to the young girl.
It was not to last; her uncle - who inherited the estate -
sexually abused her. After a few months she could bear it no
longer and resolved to kill herself.
Fortunately, that was when Aigla - then still on her own -
passed through the village. Imaginative, carefree and gifted
she was a revelation to Alean and the frightened girl poured
her heart out to this stranger. Aigla was appalled and
resolved to get Alean away by hook or by crook, and she
managed, for there is real magic in her. For all the misery,
uncertainty and discomfort of a life on the road, Alean was
happy for the first time in her miserable life. When they
joined the troupe later that year she had found her home and
soon became a great asset for the Mummers.
Alean came as something of a surprise to Mother Soreny. She
had first thought that the girl would be good, at best, for
menial work and some singing, but her unique gifts soon
convinced the old woman that she merited an act of her own.
Her music and singing - both as accompaniment to others and
in their own right - are highly successful. She is even
popular with Njala and Kendrik, if mostly because she will
do their share of work without complaining. Nonetheless she
trusts few people - Aigla before all, and Ragan, whom she
admires for his strength in adversity and sees in a romantic
light. She is determined to write a song about him someday
and tries to get him to tell her more about his past. Since
he is much too honorable to take advantage of her
fascination, and they both need to talk about their
experiences badly, the two may come to be quite good for
each other.
ENCOUNTERED
As one might expect, Alean tends to be quiet. This is a pity
since she is really an accomplished conversationalist with a
wide range of interests, but with her kind of past who could
blame her? She simply takes longer to trust people enough to
let her guard down than most people are prepared to expend
on getting to know her. Around friends she is talkative,
though guarded. She will not discuss her past, her emotional
state or her fears and hopes with anyone but Aigla, who has
come to be something like a surrogate mother to her. Those
with well-developed protective instincts will find her
irresistible. Fortunately, Alean does not object to being
protected. She needs all the covering she can get.
On stage is where Alean excels. Her songs, her music and
performance are her emotional outlet and she puts her all
into them. Unbelievably gifted and committed to her art, she
is as exceptional as they come. PCs experiencing her art for
the first time will be quite overwhelmed, and may well be
subjected to one of her Enthrallment Skills. (She never uses
them to any purpose other than entertainment, but her songs
often have rough drunks weeping into their beards.)
Ragan, the Hunchback; a man scarred, inside and out
Total Points: 159.5 Points
Age about 40; 5'6" (6'2" at full height); 200 pounds; a
compact, thickly-muscled man wearing a scowling expression
on his badly scarred face, with bushy eyebrows, dark hair
and beard, and a prominent spinal deformity.
ST 13 [30] - thrust 1d, swing 2d-1, fatigue 12
DX 13 [30] - basic speed 6.25, move 7*, dodge
7**
parry
(karate) 10**, parry (2-handed Sword) 9**
block
(medium shield) 11**
IQ 12 [20]
HT 12 [20] - hit points 13
WL 14 [-] - fright check 16
*includes Running bonus
**includes +1 from Combat Reflexes
ADVANTAGES: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5];
Literate [10]; Strong Will +2 [8]; Weapon
Master (Two-Handed Sword) [20].
DISADVANTAGES: Appearance (Ugly) [-10]; Bad Temper
[-10]; Delusion (I am cursed as a punishment for
Hubris) [-10]; Hunchback [-10]; Murder
Addiction [-60].
QUIRKS: Always goes armed, openly if possible, secretly if
need be; Uses military slang; High-strung; Doesn't like to
talk about his past; Protective of Alean. [-5]
SKILLS: Area Knowledge (Vaestar kingdoms)-13 [2];
Armoury-13 [4]; Axe/Mace-13 [2]; Bard-11
[1]; Blind Fighting-12 [4]; Broadsword-14
[4]; Camouflage-12 [1]; Cooking-12
[1]; Crossbow-16 [8]; Fast Draw (Sword)-14*
[1]; First Aid-12 [1]; Karate-14
[8]; Kiai-13 [8]; Knife-12 [.5];
Knife Throwing-12 [.5]; Leadership-12 [2];
Orienteering-12 [2]; Packing-12 [2];
Performance-12 [2]; Polearm-13 [2]; Power
Blow (Two-Handed Sword)-13 [6]; Riding (Horse)-13
[2]; Riding (Mule)-13** [0]; Running-10
[1]; Savoir-Faire-12 [1]; Shield-14
[2]; Shortsword-12*** [0]; Stealth-13
[2]; Strategy-11 [2]; Survival
(Woodlands)-12 [2]; Swimming-13 [1];
Tactics-12 [4]; Teamster-11** [0];
Tracking-12 [2]; Two-Handed Sword-16 [16];
Wrestling-14 [4].
*includes +1 for Combat Reflexes
**default from Riding (Horse)
LANGUAGES: Vaestar (native)-12 [0]; Yilande-10
[1]; Turani-11 [2]; Sandari-11 [1];
Yngling-11 [1]; Hethoumian-10 [.5].
EQUIPMENT
Ragan owns a bastard sword which he cares for with almost
religious attention (1d+5 imp, 2d+4 cut, two attacks per
round in his hands!), a fine misericorde dagger (1d+1 imp,
2d-2 cut), a mail shirt and gambeson (PD 3, DR 4 to torso,
abdomen, upper arms and thighs) and a pot helm (PD 4, DR 4
to top of head). He is the only true warrior in the troupe
and knows well how to handle all this gear. Most of the time
he will be carrying at least his dagger, and often also his
sword, but he is armored only when he expects to fight (or
it is required on stage). Otherwise he wears simple but
good-quality clothes - mostly black.
BIOGRAPHY
Ragan was born to the yeoman-retainer of a count and a
maidservant and brought up to life in the retinue of a
warlike nobleman and condottiere. Strong, fast and fit he
was given over to armsmasters at an early age and - to the
joy of his proud father - rose to become a man-at-arms. His
fierce determination to excel at arms and his particular,
almost preternatural gift with the greatsword opened avenues
to advancement and young Ragan, lance commander at 25, had
reasonable hopes of being made a knight, even winning a
fief. Thus he went out into the world to win fame and
fortune, and though his dreams of nobility came to nothing
he became a mercenary commander of some renown. His prowess
was famed and he boasted of it freely.
Then he met Black Annis, a witch who made a living by
blackmailing petty nobles and yeomen. Being hired for the
purpose he slew her, but soon after he fell ill with a
strange fever. Strong and healthy, he did not die then, but
his back was deformed horribly. He was convinced that this
was the dying curse of Black Annis, a punishment for his
arrogance and vainglory. Sobered and shaken he renounced the
profession of mercenary soldiering and went out into the
world to atone for his misdeeds by protecting the weak and
living with the lowly.
Ragan did not as much join the Mummers as turn up. He
travelled with them for a stretch, helped them with daily
chores, taught them to use their weapons and eventually grew
to be a fixture of the troupe. Since he is slow to pick up
the skills of a performer he is mostly employed in
supporting roles, though he plays villains and monsters
quite admirably. His greatest value is his intimidating
presence, though - no man has dared to rob or bully the
Mummers with Ragan hovering in the background.
The appearance of Alean gave Ragan a welcome focus for his
intense need to protect and aid the helpless. He has made it
his personal task to ensure nobody hurts the little girl,
and has made as much clear to Kendrik whom he mistrusts.
When a travelling minstrel who had temporarily joined them
and taught Alean some music tried to force himself upon her,
Ragan broke upon the couple and - to the horror of the
onlooking Mummers - killed the man barehanded with three
carefully aimed blows. This incident caused a lot of tension
within the troupe, but it was decided eventually that he
could stay irrespective. Nonetheless, Kendrik has taken an
active dislike to him from that day onwards.
ENCOUNTERED
Ragan is not the type to talk freely to strangers, or indeed
to friends. He does his work well and willingly, usually
more than his share, and in return requests the courtesy of
being left bloody well alone. Since he tends to be gruff and
easily irritated this is granted readily. He is not exactly
antisocial, but he comes fairly close. On top of this there
is an almost palpable air of menace surrounding him. Ragan
is a killer, and he makes that very clear. He does not find
any pleasure in the act, but he feels no remorse either and
anyone who gets in his way badly enough can be expected to
be dispatched with consummate professionalism. Of course,
many fantasy PCs are like that, so they may not have too
many problems with him.
When he wants to be, Ragan can be friendly and accommodating
enough, and when he regales audiences with tales of war and
daring he is almost charming, if a bit amateurish. But
that's work, and he does not often make the effort offstage.
He is an appreciative audience for all kinds of tales and
songs, but unless you're interested in fighting techniques
he won't be doing much talking. Teaching combat is the one
thing he develops real enthusiasm for, and the impressive
fighting abilities of the troupe are to a great degree his
work. He is particularly keen that all train to use the
crossbow, but everyone who wants to learn to fight from him
is welcome to.
- written by Volker Bach
(volker_bach@public.uni-hamburg.de)
- editted and formatted by andi jones
(andi@angelwerks.com)
|
