Name: Nansemond Drake
Age: 25
Gender/Race: Human Male
Role: Independent Scholar
Bio:Nansemond Drake grew up in a privileged borough of the capital of the Isilum Commonwealth. His parents, Chester Drake, and his wife Teresa were career politicians and later, amateur Shatterzone enthusiasts. On a highly publicized expedition to the Shatterzone, the airship, disappeared. The Order of Progress declared the ship, all hands, and Chester and Teresa Drake lost. Nansemond, still a young man was sent to live with an obscure uncle who died a few years later.
Grief stricken, Nansemond threw himself into his studies with zeal. He became fascinated with the nature of the Shatterzone, the artifacts and curios, the cults and shadow-lurkers. He began to believe that his parents might still be alive, somewhere in the Shatterzone-and made discovering what happened to them his lifes mission. He became obsessed with the Order of Progress and its work-the artifacts and relics they possesed haunted his mind. Over the next few years Nansemond would achieve only lackluster academic success, graduating 173rd in his class.
Nansemond disappeared after school for two years. He resurfaced in high society only recently, attending minor functions and scholarly debates-Long enough to learn of the newest expedition to the Shatterzone-
Personality: Before his parents died, Nansemond was a happy, good-natured young man filled with positivity. In the years that followed he became withdrawn and crestfallen. He rarely attended classes. In the few months before the expedition, Nansemond seems to have renewed enthusiasm, characterized by the optimism of his youth, despite an unexplained limp, which he compensates with a black cane.
Equipment:
- 3 leather-bound notebooks, 1 large for sketching, 2 smaller for recording notes. All 3 have the initials N.F.D embossed in silver lettering on the front.
- Various pencils and pastel colors kept in a leather folio. Stylus and ink.
- 1 experimental photographing box, various accompanying parts
- Leather cloak, hiking boots and waterproof jacket
- Sword-Cane. 38" long. Steel blade concealed in a standard cane. The pommel is black iron about the size of a lemon.
- Small snub-gun with 2 shots.
Skills: Scholar-Nansemond knows more about the Shatterzone than your average bumpkin. He is also aware of the inner workings of high society and academic bureaucracy. He studied the natural sciences at university.
Arcane Tendencies-Nansemond has studied magic (unsanctioned by the Guild) for the past 7 years but was limited to what few sources he could find on the streets-he is by no means capable of casting magic, but given the proper information could probably figure it out quickly.
Fencing-A skill his father insisted upon learning, Nansemond studied with the best teachers money could buy until his parents disappeared. After school he learned how to
really fight on the streets and less-than-reputable establishments of the capital city.
Appearance: A tall, but well-framed young man. He keeps his face clean shaven, and his short hair combed perfectly. His features are aristocratic, with a long thin nose and high eyebrows above two bright brown eyes. His teeth are straight and white and he has a habit of biting his lower lip when in thought. He dresses in black grey or brown and carries a cane, which for all appearances he relies on immensely.
