How about I make an NPC character sheet for this guy and say we came over on the boat together? If that sounds good to you, describe this guy to me in a little more detail, specifically in regards to his occupation. How did he afford the boat ride, or was it his boat y'all rode on? I'll handle the rest, assuming you want to go this route.
I think they'd probably have gone their own separate ways. But now that I think about it, the boat thing is pretty important. I'm thinking that bartering for passage with animal skins and/or rare herbs is the most realistoc option.
I like your character a lot, and your writing is easy to read.
There are only a few things that need tweaked. His race would be "Beastfolk: Highland Cow", and his faction would be "Giant Foot Tribe: Bighorn".
I'm going to say his species, on average, lives to be about 125 years old. This explains why he would look young in human form despite being in his late teens. That being said, can you simply put his age down as a number? (E.g. "17")
Also you didn't put any Key Items, which you don't need. However, I could imagine that traveler could have given him a weapon, staff, amulet, or something else if you would like, and it can be a magic item of some sort. I leave that up to you.
Finally, how long would you say it's been since he left Numgam? This will help me with deciding his starting coins.
He's basically fresh off the boat right now, no money to speak of (probably).
Alright, here's what I got so far. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Name: Mougin Bighorn Aliases: None
Race: Beastfolk - Highland Cow Age: 17 Gender: Male
Appearance: Mougin is huge, as all giant foot tribesmen tend to be, though not as large as some species, and somewhat small even when compared to members of his own tribe. The bighorn tribe were originally a cattle species from the highlands, sporting sturdy builds and thick, fluffy fur to block out the wind. Mougin's coat of golden brown fur is particularly fluffy, and his eyes are large and brown. Besides his height, there is little that differentiates him from his brethren, though he usually wears clothes, whereas they do not. When he takes human form he turns into a surprisingly small (rather average for humans, but not any less surprising) and youthful form, though his voice is still very deep.
Crystal: N/A
Current Location: K7, Riotifu port town. Current Status: Active. Travelling, discovering more about human society.
Personality: Mougin is quiet, often going days without saying a single word or noise. When he does, he usually does so in simple sentences, partially because he likes being efficient, and partially because his grasp of human language is still fairly loose. He thinks a lot and prefers to be cautious, carefully planning his actions before moving. Unfortunately, this means he can take a long time to come to a decision. He is rather intelligent for his species but is prone to misunderstandings due to a lack of experience. As a result, his common sense often leaves much to be desired. Finally, Mougin doesn't get angry very often, but he can be quite stubborn at times.
The Giant Foot tribe are often thought to be gentle giants, unworryingly living their lives away from outside influences. And, well, that's mostly true. The Numgam continent is a blessed land in many respects, and there is a rich variety of tribes occupying the continent's every environment. In the center of the continent lies The Mountain (that was what the tribes called it, because it was the only mountain they knew), an immense rock that towers over the forest beneath it. A somewhat barren environment, it is nonetheless occupied by several different tribes, most notably the Bighorn tribe. As descendents of highland cattle, they were well suited to the barren, rocky environment and took quite well to it, though not as well as the nearby mountain goat tribe. Nevertheless, they settled, ate, and prospered. and eventually, Mougin was born.
At a young age Mougin had already explored the whole mountain range, and was promptly bored. Despite looking like just another Giant Foot beastman, he had been born with what most wouldn't have for their entire lives - a burning curiosity. Unfortunately for young Mougin, there was nothing around to sate his curiosity. Rocks, trees, birds, and little else. With nowhere to turn to, he retreated into his mind. After thinking, and thinking, and thinking some more, he became a strange person to his tribesmen. Day in and day out he sat on the mountain and stared into the horizon as he thought. At that time, a traveller appeared on The Mountain. He introduced himself as a philosopher and stayed with the Bighorn tribe for a time. Most of the tribe didn't want anything to do with him, but Mougin stuck to his side like glue. They interacted with each other for most of the traveller's stay, and when he finally left, Mougin also left. He had decided to journey to the lands of the humans, where he believed that he would be able to finally satisfy his curiosity. Most of his tribesmen had never so much as stepped off the mountain, but his steps were light. There was a world of possibility out there, just waiting to be explored.
Key Items:
Traveler's satchel
Strength
Stamina
Observation
Strength of the Earth: Draws power from the ground beneath. The stronger the substance below the user, the greater the conferred strength, although metal floors will not allow their strength to be drawn. The user must be touching the floor to be able to use this ability.
Breath of the Wind: Listen to the voices carried by the wind. In places where air flows, this skill allows the user to listen to faraway speech as if it was nearby. Poor airflow will make it difficult to hear.
Heart of Fire: Draws out the heat of the heart to warm the user. Useful for keeping warm in cold nights, and to make the user sweat into unconsciousness in summer. If, for some reason, they need to do so.
Coins: 20
Large pants Beastman sized pants. Pants are essential in human society, after all.
Normal clothes Normal sized human clothes, for the rare occassions when Mougin takes a human form.
Not sure what kind of power level we're working with in terms of magic, but I tried to err on the weaker side since I'll probably be more of a physical guy.
Cool, will get a character sheet up soonish. Oh, but first, did you want us to start in a particular city or is anywhere fine? I'll be putting my character in a place where humans are regardless.
Oh, now that I think about it, what's the lifespan of beastmen like? I'm thinking about what age my character should be and I'm wondering when a beastman reaches maturity.
"Ah, you caught me!" Germaine said, exaggeratedly feigning defeat. Inwardly, however, he was shocked. To think that thing inside the bundle of rags was a human all this time. Truly surprising.
Less surprising was the financial states of his new companions. With the world being in the state it was in, prosperity was pretty far from the grasp of most people. Not to mention the fact that people who sought work weren't usually those with lots of coin. Privileges of a freelancer, he supposed. Unfortunately for this strangely varied group of freelancing adventurers, the guards wanted that very coin that they most likely lacked. And they were likely expecting more than what had appeared. Expectations are poison to the mind, his mother always used to say, and they would only lead you to ruin. Germaine doubted these orcs would appreciate her wisdom, but he could use their expectations to his advantage.
"Here is my purse, good fellows." He announced, grandly revealing a coinpurse from within his sleeve. "But I doubt you would be happy with this amount. So here." One hand held a coinpurse while the other fished around inside his jacket, soon emerging to reveal another fat-looking coinpurse. Holding both pouches int he air, Germaine took a step forward before quickly stopping. "Ah, but wait, my companions have not paid their dues yet, have they? Please wait a moment." Moving both pouches in one hand, Germaine rummaged through his jacket pocket and then his pants pockets, producing yet another purse each time. "For the lovely lady and the... verbose older gentleman." He explained, smiling. "And while we're here..." Germaine turned around and performed a quick count before returning his hand to his pockets, turning over a few more pouches. "This should cover everyone, no? I'll entrust these to you, dear guards, so please don't be to harsh to my friends here..."
Finally, craddling a pile of pouches in his arms, he began to walk forward. But, suddenly, he tripped, sending the pouches flying. One of them split open, spilling its contents onto the muddy ground. What emerged were white pebbles, seemingly shining in contrast with the brown mud, though they were nonetheless a far cry from the golden coins traded in the realm. But, in the eyes of the guards, those stark white pebbles glittered like gold, looking for all the world like the treasure they so desired.
Oh, so that was their game then. A rather common one, as far as they went, but certainly effective. Greed and force were fantastic partners, strolling together hand in hand with the backing of authority. Common as it was, there were many strategies to counter it, though most of them were unusuable at the moment. Greater authority, greater force, appeals to reason... He had too little information to work with.
Time for a little trickery, then.
"It's alright, it's alright. Let's see here..." Germaine said, reaching into his pockets. The actor had not made much of an attempt to hide his coinpurse as it bulged against the material. Perhaps that had gone a ways in stimulating the guards' greed. Nevertheless, his hand dipped into the cloth pocket before coming back up... empty. He made a show of turning both of his pockets inside out, before holding his empty hands in the air. "I'm so sorry my burly friends, I seem to have misplaced my coinpurse." Germaine said to the orcs.
"Aye, it could certainly be worse." The actor muttered. It was a quiet response to a quiet statement by a blue skinned fae that was probably not intended for his ears. He heard it nonetheless, and he agreed - things could have been worse. If it had started raining earlier, Germaine would probably have ended up thoroughly soaked to his socks. As it stood, he would arrive in front of his client only moderately soaked. Perhaps he should curse the gods for the foul weather, but it was, he supposed, as much his own fault for not wearing a coat.
Germaine breathed deep. Rain brought the smells of the city into sharp relief. Goeta was a city he had wanted to visit for a long time, for the sights of the southern shores, if nothing else. It had been a long way from where he had started, and the anticipation had led to expectations. A little voice in his head reminded him that expectations led to disappointment, but the actor wasn't disappointed just yet. Like so many cities in the realm these days, Goeta's atmosphere was bleak and full of soot. Even so, the city had a rich atmosphere. Goeta was alive, and it held many secrets. Or so his instincts told him.
Germaine looked around at the motly band around him. Even for one as well travelled as he, it was rare for him to see one of the fae, let alone two elves at once. Different species of elves at that. And they weren't even the strangest members of the group. More than likely, their reasons for being here was even stranger. The actor couldn't help but smile in spite of himself. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the city, or his love of drama at play, with the tension in the air, Germaine couldn't help but smile. He could feel anticipation in the air. Something would happen soon. He wasn't sure what would happen, of course, or how big it would be, or if he would be caught up in it. But where was the fun in knowing everything?
As some of the group began to talk to the guards, the actor turned to the blond haired demon and began to thank him. "I thank you for your timely intervention my good fellow, without which I would have assuredly been sold." Germaine said. "But, if I could ask..." He threw a glance back towards the door, observing the guardians arrayed menacingly on either side. "Is it safe to assume that things are not going according to plan?"
❏ BIRTHPLACE: Acies. His hometown has been thoroughly destroyed, as is common of villages in the area.
❏ CASTE: Theatre/entertainer
❏ AFFILIATIONS: Actors' guild, unaffiliated underworld contacts, the Church of Truth
❏ GOALS: Needs to find someone and retrieve a stolen book.
_______________________________________________
TALENTS: ◆ Acting: Germaine is quite the actor and can practically disappear into a role. He often uses this skill in conversations, drawing people in with a performance so that they let their guard down.
◆ Dexterity: Having been a street magician in his youth, Germaine is well-versed in sleight of hand tricks, and is very good at tasks that require precision of the hands.
◆ Observation: He rarely misses social cues and, after some time, he can find weaknesses and strange patterns in someone's behaviour.
EQUIPMENT: ◆ A black cane, with a sword hidden inside. For self defense purposes, of course. ◆ Medicine pouch with first aid supplies, just in case. ◆ Golden mask, unadorned, with an impassive expression.
Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ A man only slightly taller than average, Germaine nonetheless has a unique presence. With silver hair and kind eyes, he can settle in anywhere he goes. Ever the gentleman, Germaine puts a lot of effort into his appearance. He has various sets of dress shirts, vests, and coats that he cycles between. A hat is important, of course, and he has a good many hats. He always seems to carry the same cane, though.
Personality ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Germaine is always polite and open, but somewhat insincere. He can talk your ear off in a conversation but is not one to initiate very often. He seems to avoid talking about himself, and when he does, he's rather dismissive of the past. It's difficult to say how much of Germaine is genuine, though if you ask him, he will insist he isn't hiding anything of great importance.
Arcana ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Major: Judgement
Germaine's Arcana manifests in the ability to produce sight-based illusions. To affect a target, he must be in their line of sight. The clearer he is in their eyes, the easier it is for him to work his magic. Once he embeds an illusion in the target's mind he can leave their sight and the illusion will continue until its natural end, though he can't create a new illusion for the target unless he is still in their sightline. He has the ability to project an illusion to everyone in sight, but doing so drains him very quickly.
Minor: Golden Mask
When worn, the mask allows the user to alter their own voice. They can pitch it higher or lower and increase or decrease the volume. Additionally, the mask allows them to project their voice, making it seem like it's coming from elsewhere.
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