[hider=Maurice of Mitrowitz] [u][b]Name:[/b][/u] Maurice Messler of Mitrowitz [u][b]Physical Attributes:[/b][/u] Maurice is well known amongst his peers for his strength, and his appearance certainly does not hide that. While not the tallest fellow around, he still stands somewhat taller than your average person, although Maurice is known more for thickness of limbs rather than height; it is quite common amongst his acquaintances to liken him to a bear or a trunk of wood, often as a compliment and derision at the same time. With thick, shoulder length wavy black hair, a large, bony face, a lazy eye and unevenly tanned skin, he doesn't have the look of a city gentleman, although his blue eyes, clean shave and prominent lips bring a fairly graceful nuance to his look. His clothing is somewhat outdated, with a large hat with upturned brims covering his head, and a blue cloak, dotted with rather large stars and an anthropomorphized sun, draped over a thick and coarse white buffcoat with many buttons covering his body. Around his waist, Maurice wears an orange sash as a symbol of his former position, and hanging from his neck is a large amulet that doubles as a censer containing soothing incense. [u][b]Mental Attributes:[/b][/u] Maurice is a rather cheerful fellow, although perhaps a rather boisterous one, thanks to a tendency to see the world, and act, in extremes. While not the sharpest tool in the shed, he's fairly receptive to learning by experience, and his presence usually helps others bear experiences more positively, thanks to his uplifting demeanor and presence. He's not exactly what someone would call people-savvy; although he is aware of this and usually puts just enough distance between him and others he's recently met to stay away from possible danger, he's still not very good at reading intentions clearly. Despite this, Maurice is fairly intelligent when it comes to mechanics and mathematics. Being a visual learner, he may have problems visualizing people's intentions, but he certainly has no trouble with levers, gears and estimates. [u][b]History:[/b][/u] Maurice never had the makings of a great man. Born the third child out of eight to a family of carpenters in the city of Mitrowitz, he had to support the large family somehow. To do that, he was either going to become a cobbler, like his eldest brother, a carpenter, like his father and elder brother, or a soldier. The decision he made at a fairly young age; having seen the royal guard of the Count of Mitrowitz at parade, with their colorful flags, extravagant uniforms, steady marching rhythm and eye-catching cannons, he immediately realized that he wanted to be a part of this marvelous contraption. And he did; thanks to his constitution he was quickly accepted into the army, and although at first an infantryman, he quickly became fascinated with the 'big boom', as he called it, and managed to show enough smarts and eagerness in digging to be accepted into the gunnery corps. And boy oh boy, was it fun. His cheery demeanor and diligence to duty made Maurice a popular fellow in the gunnery corps. Although he reached his glass ceiling quick, for the path beyond was either for the nobility or for the gifted, he was content with his rank that he was stuck in, for he was now at the head of a cannon battery, and the big boom was now all his. His position gave him authority, and that authority meant that his subordinates couldn't question him as he tinkered with the cannon, and the spare materials laying around, to make more cannon-like things. Unfortunately for Maurice, firearms had long been discovered, and his creations ended up as little more than gimmicks for personal entertainment. Even more unfortunate was the result of his last experiment, to attach a rifled choke to the cannon's muzzle, in hopes of increasing its accuracy. When his invention exploded, killing one of his troops, crippling another and permanently damaging his own right eye, Maurice found himself quickly expelled from the army; he did not protest, feeling rightfully guilty for the death of his assistant gunner. He decided to atone for his sins in the Church, although his obsession with the 'big boom' never faded. Caught building makeshift cannons from organ pieces, he was relegated to a line of work where his skills and hobbies would be of more use to the Church of Light. [u][b]Abilities:[/b][/u] [list] [*]Vitality 8 - As the son of a carpenter, it's only fitting that Maurice is built like an oak. [*]Strength 10 - Maurice is a big guy. A fairly big guy, for your consideration. [*]Finesse 8 - People tend to underestimate how quick Maurice can act. [*]Perception 4 - With a lazy eye and mediocre wit, it's no surprise that he can't pick up on subtler things. [*]Intelligence 5 - Smart enough to figure out how things work. Just not smart enough to make it better. [*]Wisdom 4 - While Maurice has a strong gut instinct, he doesn't have much more on top of that. [*]Faith 7 - A simple mind makes for a strong believer. [*]Occult 4 - [i]"Well, if we can't simply blow it up, can't we just blow it up with holy water?" [/i] [/list] [u][b]Equipment:[/b][/u] 5 Points - [b]Big Boom:[/b] Built jointly by a weaponsmith, a gunsmith and Maurice himself, the Big Boom is a hefty combination weapon, consisting of a large, two handed warpick with eight integral gun barrels all pointing towards the tip of the business end. Designed to end the fight in one loud and messy hit by piercing deep into the foe with its spike, and then emptying its complete load of eight rounds into the pierced spot, the Big Boom is frankly a somewhat impractical weapon, seen as more of a gimmick unique to Maurice; yet despite its gimmicky nature, there are few things on earth that can doubt its effectiveness when it lands a proper hit. 2 Points - [b]Lightbringer's Attire:[/b] While the cloak draped over Maurice's shoulders make him look dressed like a priest thanks to its celestial pattern, the coat he wears underneath is made of thick, treated buff leather, which provides a surprising amount of defense for its unassuming look. No Points - [b]Censer Amulet:[/b] Engraved with prayers and religious imagery and filled with slow burning coals and herbs said to be effective against impurity, the Censer Amulet somewhat prominently hangs down Maurice's neck, bringing with him a faint, soothing scent wherever he goes. The scent, according to the Church elders, makes for a fairly important defense against things not of this world. [/hider]