[center][hider=The Huntsman] [h1][color=f26522]Bardulf Siegfried ⋆ 32 ⋆ Male ⋆ Human[/color][/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/7bJJgAm.jpg?1[/img] [hr] [h2]Appearance[/h2] Bardulf is a simple man, with not much in the way of "flair" in his attire aside from some trophies adorned across his necklace from his bigger kills as a huntsman. His face can be stoic, but get the man talking and you'll learn he has some expressions to show. He usually slouches, leans, or sits whenever he is in public, as he tends to try and "hide in plain sight" by habit. All of his hair is slightly unkept, but still clean, with a slightly wavy texture to it. His body has a few scars from his time hunting, and his hands and feet are rough and calloused. His diet gives him a filled out physique, but his job makes sure to keep him in shape, giving him defined muscles but not on any exaggerated level like a body builder or professional athlete. His body overall is rather slim, yet still packs enough power to surprise any potential rivals of his. His voice is surprisingly calm, with a tenor-level rumbling present as he speaks most of the time, disregarding when he raises his voice. [b][u]Height:[/u][/b] 5'11" [b][u]Weight:[/u][/b] 175 lbs [b][u]Hair Color:[/u][/b] Brown [b][u]Eye Color:[/u][/b] Purple [b][u]Skin Tone:[/u][/b] Moderate tan [hr] [h2]Psychology[/h2] [b][u]Likes:[/u][/b] ⋆ Nature, whether its land, animals, and even plant life ⋆ Woodcarving/carpentry ⋆ Hunting/Tracking ⋆ Sight-seeing ⋆ Sneaking/hiding (if alone) ⋆ Giving back to others ⋆ Practicing his spear-work [b][u]Dislikes:[/u][/b] ⋆ Needless killing ⋆ Large parties, particularly fancier ones ⋆ Nagging/judging ⋆ Climbing ⋆ Feeling useless [b][u]Fears:[/u][/b] ⋆ Losing his family for good ⋆ Growing old ⋆ Starving ⋆ Heights (mainly falling) [b][u]Sexuality:[/u][/b] Bisexual [hr] [h2]Personality[/h2] Bardulf growing up was never much of a social creature, treading the line of being a hermit in some cases. However, with the help of his family, he was encouraged to break out of his usual cold-seeming shell and socialize with those around him. Nowadays he tries to be social, but always finds himself looking for brief moments of solitude to clear his head and think to himself for a time. Despite this colder demeanor, Bardulf does care about others, even if he might not always be the greatest at expressing it. When given the chance, he likes to provide what he can, whether in the form of being an ear to listen to, or some form of physical favor. His blunt nature does not rub well with others at times, but in time he's begun to learn a little subtley with his words. So while he may seem rude, he does mean the best. Bardulf lends himself to a more level-headed style of thinking, trusting his base instincts to move himself before he can think sometimes. Being a man of the woods, it was often those who acted first that would win any struggle. He has faced down several larger creatures, bordering on ludicrous with some of his hunts, but he always takes care to never "bite off more than he can chew". His more cautious side tends to show when he is with others, but alone he will often act curious, wander, explore, and follow his whims. He remains calm in most scenarios but is fierce when it comes to protecting someone he likes, refusing to let himself hesistate and cause any loss. This is all true for when he is in his own element, out in the woods, hunting. However in a more urban setting, Bardulf is much more vulnerable than he would seem. Still leaning towards the quiet side, he can be rather anxious to approach at first. He treats most situations with extreme caution as to not be labeled some kind of social outcast. Bardulf has a surface level of practical things, and has begun to branch into a more people-oriented knowledge, but still has a lot to learn in the ways of speech. What levels of charisma he has does not stem from his mouth, rather from his actions and what he can do for someone rather than what he can tell them. In spite of this, he does enjoy a good joke, and will not pause to let out a muted chuckle if someone were to deliver a good line to him, even if it may be on the harsher side. He believes that he should remain calm and keep his voice soothing, so he tries to keep a low-level of enthusiasm as to not "scare" anyone he is interacting with. [hr] [h2]Background[/h2] [b][u]Occupation:[/u][/b] Gamesman, mainly hunted for his immediate family as a primary food source [b][u]Living Immediate Family Members:[/u][/b] His daughter, Nathalie (age 11) and mother, Ella, (age 52) still live in the German countryside, circa 1560. [b][u]Dead Immediate Family Members:[/u][/b] His wife died in a tragic accident when she was 32, and his father, at age 55, succumbed to a sudden and strong sickness, later determined to be the flu. [b][u]Current Companions:[/u][/b] None, but has been thinking of finding an animal companion [b][u]Current and Past Lover(s):[/u][/b] His wife, Kristine Siegfried. [hr] [h2]History[/h2] Bardulf grew up in the countryside, born in the year 1528 into a small village that resided in the eastern half of Germany. His father hunted game for the villagers and his mother is seemstress that repairs fabrics and sews clothing for the younger children in town. Bardulf didn't make enemies with the other kids, but he wasn't adept at making friends either. He mostly kept to himself, hiding in far off places, even so far as walking along the treeline rather than play with the other kids. His father,Gregor Siegfried, took it upon himself to show the boy some skills so that, come adulthood, he wasn't seen as some sort of "mooch" on the townsfolk. He taught Bardulf how to hunt, carve and make weapons (speficially spears and bows), as well as how to track down prey. His father always stressed a few key points and lessons to the young boy as he showed him the dangers of the woods that Bardulf so readily approached at such an early stage in his life. Bardulf learned about the balance of nature, and was told to only hunt what was needed. No more, no less. He discovered the dangers of the forests, from the large obvious threats to much smaller, conspicious dangers. Taking these lessons to heart, Bardulf perfected his hunting skills during his teenage years, to where he could match his fathers level of professionalism, though some would say it helped that Gregor was beginnig to age away from his prime. As he grew older, Bardulf's mother would take her own role in guiding the young adult towards a more promising social life. He showed him some finer clothes, and would often invite him to come along to social outings so he could experience the bustling activities within the village rather than "staying hidden away in the woods day and night". Bardulf begrudginly followed along his mothers examples, and would improve himself bit by bit. This would later help him meet and eventually marry his future wife, Kristine, who he met by the age of 16. They crossed paths at a festival held in the center of town and as if it was meant to be the two talked practically every day until nightfall. After a few years of this, Baldur learned to open himself up more to others, especially Kristine. By the age of 20, Baldur had resigned himself to spend the rest of his life with his soon to be bride. As a test of his ability to start and provide for a family, he built his own house in the nearby woods, still holding onto his own tendencies of isolation, but wanting to stay close enough so the village was a short walk away. Within the next couple of years, he and Kristine had a cabin in the forest to call their own, with a baby girl on the way. For the next decade, the two regularly stopped into town, traded the meat hunted by Bardulf and some pottery that Kristine would make in her free time. An honest living, just the way Bardulf was raised and the way he enjoyed. It wasn't until Bardulf turned 32 that he would see his first personal tragedy. He had witnessed deaths before, both animal and human alike. But seeing his father slowly pass on due to an illness that no one could cure proved to be damaging to the man. However, with the support of Kristine, he found the strengh to honor his father's memory and began to provide for both his wife, daughter, and now mother. Then, in a twisted turn of fate, Bardulf would face another test of will. This particular night, the game he had hunted took longer to trade than normal, as well as the pots Kristine had made throughout the week. As night fell, Bardulf, Kristine, and Nathalie began to make their way back to the cabin, when Bardulf felt a chill run down his spine. Just outside their cabin door, one of the largest bears he had ever seen had wandered by, and its gaze turned towards the family. It all had happened so fast. Bardulf remembers it all in a blur, an exchange of claws, and his trusty halberd. But one slip up was all it took for the bear to strike the man and have him at the animal's mercy. His wife couldn't watch any longer, and did her best to intervene, and ultimately was struck and killed by the bear before Bardulf's eyes. In a last ditch fit of rage, the man picked up his weapon and managed to strike the animal under its neck, causing it to flee. But the damage was done, and Bardulf could only crawl to his wife's lifeless corpse as he now lost 2 of the closest people he knew. Weeks later, Bardulf, having healed from his wounds despite still having a nasty scar, was making another trip towards the resting place of his deceased wife. He held a bouqet of flowers that he had found in the wild, wanting to clear his head like he always does. Since the incident, he had moved back to the village with his mother so he could help take care of her, and she take care of Nathalie. He found himself lost in thought, not even realizing the shimmering golden circle appearing in his path. His eyes glazed over, he simply walked into the portal, only realizing that after so many paces, this wasn't the forest he knew. He looked up and saw a pale figure standing before him, welcoming him to the land of Avalia. After an animated back and forth, he learned of the plight of the light elves, and his giving nature sprung forth. If it meant going back home, he would do what he could to help the people here, and return safely to his mother and daughter. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ [h3]Combat and Magic: [/h3] [b][u]Strength:[/u][/b] 6 [b][u]Speed on Land:[/u][/b] 5 [b][u]Speed in Air:[/u][/b] 0 [b][u]Magical Ability:[/u][/b] 3 [b][u]Dexterity:[/u][/b] 8 [b][u]Weapon Proficiency:[/u][/b] 7 [b][u]Stealth:[/u][/b] 8 [b][u]Ability on Avalia:[/u][/b] Electrokinesis [/hider][/center]