Nerezar Stoneshaper
Age: 143
Gender: Male
Appearance: Nerezar is of average, unimposing height for a dwarf, and he's not incredibly musclebound. He's lean and athletic - again, for a dwarf - and dresses in rustic but practical clothes. He favors a white tunic, a buckled orange gambeson with white sleeves, dark gray pantaloons, and a white cloak with a hood.
With his heavy eyebrows, thick hair and his single-braided beard that extends down toward his chest, Nerezar strikes a humble working class appearance at first glance. His eyes are a dark reddish-brown, and they have the gleam of patience and wisdom in them. His face shows emotion rather subtly, and he's not prone to grand gestures or exaggerated prose. His voice is low and rumbling, and his knuckles jut out a little further than most. His fists certainly look uncomfortable to get punched by.
For equipment, Nerezar brings a spear for a weapon, his chisel and hammer, a fancy knife, and a set of drums. He also has some basic traveling supplies as he has been thinking of embarking on a journey ever since his wife and child died. These supplies include cookware, rope, flint, tinder, a blanket, a hip flask, a lantern, some oil, and a needle and thread for fixing his things. He also has a journal he plans to record his travels in, and he brings a private stash of ale, some mushrooms, and cave bat jerky.
The most notable possession on Nerezar's person is the silver locket studded with black diamonds which he wears about his neck. The locket is carved with runes which translate roughly to "Broken is my spirit, but your memory makes me whole." Inside is a wall of translucent quartz behind which is a picture of his wife and daughter.
Skills and Flaws: Nerezar has deft fingers and a creative mind. He has always had those qualities; it's largely why he made such a good architect, and why his sculptures are so refined. His attention to detail and his skill with a hammer and chisel have earned him much respect.
Nerezar is also quite a clever fellow, quick to learn new things and to solve problems. He is a lover of stories, too, and has carved more than a few stories about life in Thrillem into stone. History is very important to him.
However, for all his cleverness, Nerezar has no military training. He is not skilled with any weapon, at least not yet. He could learn to become a skilled warrior, but for now he won't be much help in a fight.
Nerezar lusts for gold just as every other dwarf does, but he hungers for knowledge as well. There is certainly greed to it: he desires to know more about the world, and to record for his people everything he learns. It is hard to say whether he loves gold or knowledge more, but both arouse in him a more cutthroat streak.
Interestingly, while Nerezar may not be a skilled warrior, he requires less sleep than most to function just fine. For this reason and for his keen vision he makes for a good watchman.
Nerezar is a patient, quiet man who prefers to drink alone and tell stories rather than sing. He likes to listen to others, however, and will sit and listen if someone is weaving a good tale.
Perhaps most importantly, Nerezar is very knowledgeable about masonry and buildings in general. His eyes can spot any faults in stonework, and he can determine what manner of rock was used in its construction easily. After all, he is of the Stoneshaper family. Fashioning things from the earth is his job.
Background: Nerezar, son of Nobezar, was born into the Stoneshaper family. As their name suggested, the family was known for working with stone. They were masons and builders who had been constructing new structures within the halls for generations. As such, Nerezar knew from an early age what would be expected of him, and it was not to his liking.
Nerezar was an inquisitive youth whose interest was more in runes, history, and murals than it was in sculpting or building. He favored the written word and studied writing every chance he could. He was curious about how the dwarves came to settle in Thrillem, in what lay beyond the halls of Thrillem, and he sorely wanted to know about the strange peoples that dwelled above the ground. However, as he grew older it was made very clear to him that he had to put the family craft first, especially if he wished to raise a family. Nerezar did so under the pressure of his family, working first as a mason, then a sculptor, and finally becoming an architect.
Nerezar's proudest work as an architect was the construction of a new archway that led to the Hall of Records, a work of art as much as a means of holding up the cavern. Its design used two tall dwarven statues with billowing robes to form the space around the gate, and their outstretched arms touching one another formed a walkway that led to the upper sections of Thrillem.
Nerezar was a very successful architect, and he started a family of his own. He married within his trade, as was tradition, and he and his wife had two children. He still felt secretly stifled by his inability to break from tradition, but he loved his family very much. He was content to stay in his profession because it paid well, and he was eager to tutor his children.
It was not to be, however. A rival of Nerezar's tried to kill him by sapping the ceiling above his house to cause a massive cave-in. Thankfully, Nerezar was away when the deed was done, but his family was not. They were crushed beneath stone. None of them survived.
Though the perpetrators of the crime have long since been dealt with by the courts, Nerezar has stopped pursuing his old trade. Indeed, he has become something of a recluse in the two years since the murder of his family, and he finds a certain yearning for something new stirring inside him. He is still melancholy and grief-stricken, but now that he has had time to mourn he realizes how short life can be, and he wants to take some chance to see more of the world beyond Thrillem. Nerezar wants to go on an adventure.
Miscellaneous: Nerezar is not a skilled musician, but he plays the drums with his hands.
Nerezar likes his ale when it has a fungal taste most, though he's heard rumors of these things called "ciders" and "rum" on the surface world and is interested in giving them a taste. Likewise, he's curious about food that grows on trees, and he's interested in seeing trees in general.
Nerezar's need to sleep only a few hours gives him plenty of time to write in his journal while others sleep. He prefers to sleep a little before others do so he can rise as they start resting, giving him plenty of time alone with his pen and inkwell.