Old World Monsters Info thread

[Charon]

This is the thread where I'm gonna put all the relevant information that I've come up with so far and where the players are going to be putting their character sheets.

Character sheets

Name:
Monster Type:
Physical description:

Background:
Personality:
Haven:
Languages:
Religion:

Powers:
Weaknesses:
Equipment:

[Charon]

History of Events

361AD- Julian the Apostate declares that the Western Roman Empire has no state religion and pushes paganistic values. Roman Emperors after this honor Julian’s ideals.

388AD- Theodosius I, upon his first year of rule, combines the Roman Empire and declares that Christianity is the true religion of Rome.

403AD- Honorius returns the Western Roman Empire to a pagan centered empire with no state religion.

406AD- The Germanic tribes cross the Rhine and spread quickly, smashing through Roman legions with the assistance of Dragons. The Western Empire crumbles under the weight of invasions.

410AD- The Visigoth’s sack Rome, the last outpost of Western Roman dominance. The Empire still exists scattered across western Europe, but it is for all intents and purposes dead.

416AD- Visigothic conquest of Spain.

428AD- Vandal conquest of North Africa.

444AD- Emperor Valentinian III is deposed by Attila the Hun, officially finishing off the remains of the Western Roman Empire.

481AD- Clovis becomes king of the Franks.

493AD- Ostrogothic kingdom founded in Italy by Theodoric

496AD- Clovis converts to Catholic Faith, the first attempt to bring Christianity back into Western Europe.

527AD- Justinian I becomes Eastern Roman Emperor.

534AD- Byzantines retake North Africa from the Vandals.

552AD- The Byzantine conquest of Italy completes, Christianity now has holds in the Frankish Empire and the Italian peninsula.

571AD- Mohammed is born.

590AD- Gregory the Great becomes Pope.

631AD- Death of Muhammed, by this point, all of Arabia is Muslim.

638AD- Jerusalem captured my Muslims.

641AD- Muslims conquer Persia.

643AD- Muslims capture Alexandria.

678AD- Saint Adalbert spreads Christianity among the Visigoths.

681AD- Establishment of the Bulgarian Empire.

698AD- Muslims take Carthage.

711AD- Muslims invade Spain.

714AD- The Dragon of Poland is killed by the Germanic and Byzantine dragons.

718AD- Second Muslim attack on Constantinople fails.

731AD- Battle of Tours. The Franks and Burgundians stop the Muslim advance.

768AD- Beginning of Charlemagne’s reign.

793AD- Viking attacks on Britain begin.

800AD- Charlemagne is crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire by Pope Leo III.

827AD- Muslims invade Sicily.

843AD- Division of Charlemagne's Empire between his grandsons with the Treaty of Verdun.

862AD- Viking state of Russia founded by Rurik.

864AD- Christianization of Bulgarian Empire, Christianity is now in most of continental Europe.

871AD- Alfred the Great assumes the throne, becoming the first king of a united England.

885AD- Vikings attack Paris.

911AD- The Viking Rollo and his tribe settle in northern France, creating the Duchy of Normandy.

923AD- The astrolabe is first used in Europe.

1018AD- The Byzantines conquer Bulgaria after 50 years of fighting.

1066AD- William the Conqueror invades England and becomes king after the battle of Hastings, England is turned Christian by the Norman invaders.

1099AD- First Crusade. Jerusalem is re-taken from the Muslims.

1118AD- The Knights Templar are founded to protect Jerusalem and European pilgrims on their journey to the city.

1147AD- Second Crusade in retaliation of the loss of Edesa. The crusade fails.

1184AD- The first Inquisition begins to purge still influential Pagan elements. Many monsters die at the hands of Inquisitor and peasant alike.

1189AD- Third Crusade following Saladin’s recapture of Jerusalem. The crusaders fail to retake Jerusalem.

1192AD- A wizard, Lord Chatouques the Great kills the Frankish dragon and dies in the process, huge swaths of land in Southern France are left barren.

1204AD- Fourth Crusade is sent to Spain to assist in the Reconquista efforts.

1295AD- Marco Polo publishes his tales of China.

1307AD- The Knights Templar are rounded up and executed by Philip the Fair of France for conspiring with monsters.

1309AD- The Papacy is moved to Rome.

1337AD- Beginning of the Hundred Years’ War.

1347AD- The Black Death ravages populations for a brief time before Wizards bring the plague under control.

1350AD- A second strain of Black Death created by a wizard comes to Europe and decimates the population.

1378AD- The Papacy returns to Constantinople.

1380AD- The United Russia is victorious over Mongol invaders.

1415AD- The Battle of Agincourt, Henry V defeats a numerically superior French army, largely thanks to the newly introduced English longgonne.

1453AD- The Hundred Years’ War ends.

1453AD- The Ottomans nearly succeed in capturing Constantinople.

1454AD- The Papacy moves to Rome, leaving Constantinople in the hands of Papal Knights.

1456AD- Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary, converts to Christianity to gain the assistance of European Christians in his fight against the Ottomans.

1458AD- Constantinople falls under attack again.

1459AD- Hungarian armies defeat the Ottomans at the Battle of Adrianople, breaking the siege of Constantinople.

1466AD- A new Inquisition begins in an attempt to better establish the greatly weakened Christian church.

1469AD- ???


Some things to point out.

1.) There were no UK monasteries built until probably the 800's and they never gained a lot of influence. Ireland is still pagan.

2.) Guns and Cannons came into use a little earlier in this time period and advanced a great deal faster thanks to wizards. Personal firearms are usually matchlock, though the more expensive and likely to break though much better (not as likely to explode, less tempermental about moist environments, easier to light, doesn't involve keeping an open flame around a lot of gunpowder) wheellock is also available. Snaplocks have been created by the English and are a well kept military secret.


A general summery of Europe:

England- Nominally Christian, England has practically formed it's own brand of Christianity with a great deal of pagan influence. Much of England has no love for the pope and there is generally a great deal of rumbling of trouble coming from England.

Ireland- A few missionaries have come to the shores of Ireland and found them to be welcome, but the majority of Ireland remains very heavily pagan.

Spain- Unified only a few years ago, Spain still struggles against the Muslims in an attempt to reclaim their peninsula in the name of Jesus and their own ancestry. The Muslims have been pushed back far, but there is still a ways to go. The Reconquista has been slowing in more recent years however as secularism spreads in a nation that is so far removed from the Pope's influence.

France- Perhaps the most loyal nation to the pope in all of Christendom, France is wholey Christian from populace to royalty. More so than any nation France bends itself to the will of the Pope and by as such garners a great deal of favor.

Italian Kingdoms- These various kingdoms are all Christian, though their loyalty to the pope depends upon what the pope had done for them lately. These rich kingdoms have come under a great deal of scrutiny by the church as of late for their considerably sparse aid sent during the siege of 1453.

Holy Roman Empire- This kingdom's royalty are easily the most loyal to the decrees of the pope and are seen as many as the 'watchdog' of Christendom. Among the populace Christianity has a rather strong hold but some pagan beliefs refuse to be snuffed out. In the wake of the moving of the Papacy, the Holy Roman Empire is best suited to defend the pope's interests, but at the same time the Holy Roman Emperor is once again wondering how much he should listen to the weak pope.

Hungary- In return for the assistance of the other Christian nations, this king has recently converted to Christianity. Many of the princes and populace however, retain their pagan beliefs though harsh laws are beginning to stamp this out.

Poland- A wholey pagan nation, they have no loyalty to the pope or any of the other Christian states. They constantly battle both the Holy Roman Empire and the Teutonic Knights based near their borders. Some nobles of Poland have converted more recently however, and daily the spread of Christianity douses the flame of their pagan religion.

Russia- Recently freed from the rule of the Mongols, the united Russia is stronger than ever before and does not look kindly upon what they see as the invasion of the Pope into their borders. Despite this the Russians look very favorably upon the city of Constantinople, and many nobles would consider conversion if not for the power of the pope.

The Moorish Sultanate- A much smaller kingdom than it once was, the Moors hold on to the tip of the Spanish peninsula jealously and have repeatedly attempted to spread towards Tunis to give them more breathing room. For as much as the Reconquista hurts relations with the local Spaniards, familiarity has removed a great deal of the contempt and many Spanish are beginning to see more in common with the Moors to the South than the French to the North.

The Mamluk Sultanate- The Egyptian Islamic Kingdom has found itself in a great dilemna. The far more powerful Ottoman Empire takes more of their territory and cities daily, leaving them to face the decision between dying on their own or calling upon the Christians for help. For now, the Mamluk have bitten their pride and called on assistance, recieving a great deal of aid from the Venetians and Sicilians. But aid continues to get further and further away as the Ottoman navy grows in power.

The Ottoman Empire- The most powerful kingdom in the known world. The Ottomans have grown in power tremendously over the past few decades, and now that they have secured the Holy Lands from the Mamluks, they have the funds to expand into Europe once again. All that stands in their way is the city of Constantinople, of which they get closer to taking with every siege. The Turks are the only army in the known world which makes use of monsters in their regular army, a prospect that terrifies many Christian armies.

The Byzantine Empire- A shadow of it's former glory. The Empire has been reduced to the city of Consantinople and a few holdings in Southern Greece that continue to thwart the advances of the Ottomans. Constantinople is the most well defended city within thousands of miles however, and has as such proved itself the better of the Turks in three sieges now, even though the Turks have come close each time. The Empire is truly living on a needle's point.

[Charon]

List of Playable Monsters

Wizards/Witches

One of the most widely spread types of monsters, they have been found in every known part of the world, they are also simultaneously the most respected and reviled. In the modern world, wizards are seen as “friends of Godâ€

[Charon]

Non-Playable Monsters

Sphinx

Creatures of immense knowledge but little wisdom, the Sphinx have plagued civilization for millennia. Usually these creatures are giants with great golden wings, the hind quarters of a cat, with the upper body and head of a woman. The Sphinx are usually giant, but have been known to shrink to fit where they want to go. To search for a sphinx is futile, as these creatures are notorious for only being found when they wish to be seen. The sphinx is very strong, capable of crushing a Grendel in full armor to pulp in moments, though they rarely use this physical strength. Sphinx are also extremely adept at counter magics. A sphinx lives for one reason, to ask riddles, and are also often found in the last place that they were wanted to be, blocking off some important pass and refusing to be moved until it’s riddle is answered. Those who fail to answer their riddle are often killed immediately, but if the riddle is answered correctly the sphinx goes mad with grief and kills itself.

Dragons

There is no creature on this plane of existence with equal or greater power than a dragon. These creatures came with thunder and fire from the lands of the barbarians and settled in Europe. These creatures wield magic equal to even the most powerful of wizards and have an immeasurable physical strength. Their scales have been known to shrug off cannon fire and it has even been recorded that a dragon picked a cannon ball out of the air and dropped it non-chalantly. A dragon’s fire melts even the hardest iron, their wings beat up gale storms, truly they are terrible beasts. Six dragons came to Europe, four now remain, and they defend their roosts quite well. From what has been seen of these beasts they are immensely intelligent, and some rumor that they very well know the languages of mortals even. Dragons keep immense hoards of treasure in their various lairs that they take from surrounding kingdoms, usually by force.

Demons

Almost nothing is known of these European abominations save that they exist. Rumors abound however that they live in the deepest reaches of hell and come out only to further their master’s plans, or their own. On the mortal plane it is unknown if these creatures have one weak mortal form, one indestructible form, if they possess other mortals, take on many forms at once, survive through multiple bodies, or many of these at the same time. Demons are said to possess a number of powers, usually relating to the bringing down of hellfire upon this world or delving into the minds of mortals, either to deceive them or to take them over entirely. Additionally rumored powers are to on a whim switch day with night or vis versa, cause strings of horribly bad luck, teleport themselves across the world or even between the realms of existence, or to open up the very earth itself to subsume victims of their wrath. The only known weakness for a demon is holy relics, which are an anathema to the creatures and those mere presence is rumored to be able to kill a demon with prolonged exposure.

The Blessed

They have been known as many things over the millennia, The Shepherds, Godlings, The Hunters, but one thing has not changed, their renown as the antithesis of all other monsters. Many of the Blessed now work for the Catholic Church as Inquisitors or numerous other functions, such as the protection of Constantinople. There do remain however a number of blessed who still worship the pagan ways and assist their communities against occasional monster incursions. The Blessed have a number of powers, for one being almost completely immune to other monsters magics while still being able to perform their own minor magic. All Blessed also have an aura around them that they can suppress or bring forward that absolutely terrifies other monsters, in some cases this aura can be so strong as to prevent a monster from even being able to move. Furthermore many of the exact abilities of a Blessed seem to shift to best accommodate the Blessed against whatever monster it is fighting at the moment. Despite their amazing abilities, the Blessed rarely live much longer than a normal human would. Despite this however, stories are told of Blessed who have died before their duty was done coming back from the dead to continue their work.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Name: Manfred, der Eiszauberer
Type: Wizard

Physical description: A man who appears to be roughly thirty years of age. Manfred wears his black hair in a shoulder length pony tail, and his well-trimmed short beard is speckled with grey. He has a slightly "off" gleam in his eye. He is typically covered head to toe in an overcoat, either light or heavy, that is integrated with a cape that reaches down just above his ankles This is not gaudily colored a simple green color. One part of his sanity that remains is his ability to shy away from looking like a schitzophrenic magpie, but he is starting to develop an attraction to shiny objects that he inwardly finds disconcerting

Background: Born a Bastard in 1396 under mysterious circumstances ( all his mother did was have premarital sex with a traveler and have a child under a series of bad omens) Manfred was born in a small village in the hills of Bavaria. Strange things happened at his birth, water boiled without being heated, and small animals recoiled at his presence. The infant was left exposed on a rock in winter. But he was not alone. Die Eishexe, Machdete found him and took him to her liar in the mountains. She raised him as her own, and taught him sorcery. She went insane, mad with power, and had to be put down by the inquisition. However, he remains, and is starting to feel the decline in his sanity his considerable power causes.

Personality: Intelligent, also ambitious and Jaded, Manfred knows that insanity approaches, and tries to find ways to stave it off. Ways that do not involve ceasing his assent to ever greater levels of power. It does not help that his thought patterns have become increasingly non-linear and he has bouts of paranoia, and hears the voice of his dead teacher, doing everything from give helpful advice to tell him to crush his perceived enemies. A nice guy other than that though. a "good christian"

Haven: Has taken residence in an abandoned roman watch tower in the Alps which has been in his"family" for some centuries. However he travels frequency

Religion: Pagan, though he does a good job of passing for Christian

languages spoken: German, Platdeutsch(bavarian dialect of german) French, Latin (vulgar and papal), Greek, italian and Portuguese, also gaelic

Powers:Manfred is an elementalist who specializes in water magic to exclusion of fire. He also has some control over earth and air. His power is considerable.

Weaknesses: As he gains in power he will become increasingly insane. And he is already pretty damn batty


Posessions: A heavy cloak, tunic, a light cloak, a longsword and flanged mace for close combat. Additionally, under his overcoat is typically worn a set of half plate, consisting of a breast and back plate, and splintmail vambraces, pauldrions, chuisses and greaves. All of this over a chainmail reinforced gambeson. The armor has runes etched into it that cause the air to circulate and keep the wizard cool. No helmet is worn, and no gauntlets are used. Other possessions include food for three days, a bullseye lamp, flint and steel, a water skin, backpack and heavy blanket and some rope. The mad mage travels light and can typically live off the land, though

[Rukia]

Krystyna Gàspàr

Vampire


Background: Sired by a direct descendant of pure Vampiric bloodlines after roughly two and a half decades of life, Krystyna is a very proud and powerful creature. Raised in a Romanian village she was taught the ways of her people. Basic rules of survival: stay out of direct sunlight. Keep away from holy items. Never feed from the dead. But most importantly, trust no one, trusting even another vampire, could cost you
your life.

The small community of vampires kept to themselves, staying under the radar. Disguising themselves as gypsies to go into local towns to hunt. Being a rather striking young woman before her change, it seemed as though the pale skin and bright eyes suited her. The men were drawn to her, and she quickly learned to use that to her advantage. She was cunning and smart, only taking the men who no one would miss. Her young youthful appearance allowed her to attract elderly woman, who often tried to ‘help a young woman in distress.’

Things were good for centuries, until she showed mercy on one human man. They met in secret and she fell in love. She trusted him, and he betrayed her. She narrowly escaped when the raiders destroyed her village. Years later, she found the man and turned him into the thing he helped kill. She now lives her life in a luxurious manner. Using her beauty and power to get what she wants.

Appearance: Tall and Slender. Waist-length dark hair. Ice Blue eyes. Her features are extremely Romanian but she is strikingly beautiful. (Think Esmeralda from Disney's Hunchback with blue eyes and longer hair.) Her skin retains a bit of its original tan color but has faded to a light olive completion.

Personality: She is a very quick thinker. She knows how use her abilities to her best advantage. Proud and very arrogant, but smart enough not to boast in the wrong places. She has become very powerful. Her once humble nature, turned fierce and unforgivable. She trusts no one and is especially wary of humans. Non-practicing Pagan.

Notable Vulnerabilities: Sunlight poses the biggest threat, if she is not properly protected. Her powers are greatly inhibited in the daylight. Silver items makes her violently ill as dose being in close proximity to holy objects her powers are greatly affected as well. If she comes in contact with a blessed item, it will burn her skin, prolonged exposure results in a great deal of damage even death. She is most vulnerable in her wolf form, unable to heal as effectively.

Powers: Full ability to shape shift into a wolf. Her bright blue eyes her outstanding trait. Ability to control a weaker mind allows her to keep ‘minions’ without the bloody mess, it also proves to be a useful tool in getting her out of trouble. Very fast, reflexes to the pint of being nearly precognitive.(Will take this out if it is too much.) Agile and strong she proves to be formidable opponent. Avoids turning into a mist but is able. Also her control over her shadow is strong but not perfect. Also has the ability to duel wield daggers and is capable of wielding a short sword.

Equipment: Carrying very little in the way of personal possessions she has as following: Two Turkish daggers, clothing, and a medium sized ornate box that holds dirt from her native country. Her carriage and horses and five men to "protect" her during the day when she is traveling.

Languages: Romanian is her first and preferred. She also speaks Italian, Greek, French. And enough German to get around. She's been around long enough to pick up snippets of several languages, but these she knows fluently.

Haven: Krystyna Moves from town to town. Never staying long enough for people to suspect her for the disapearances. She lives as lavishly as possible, normally taking over small abandoned castles or seducing then men that live there before feeding on them.

Edit: languages adjusted for better historical accuracy

[rhoenix]

Name: Agrilos Menshir

Type: Djinn, Air-aspected

Background: The child of a highly rare union between Djinn of different elements, his parents moved to the Ireland wilderness before he was born, far away from both of their respective tribes. Their tale was one of romance, and forbidden love - they decided to move so far away from either of their respective tribes to reduce to inevitable questions and condemnation from either of their families, as their families were still at war with one another.

Being raised as he was, he learned to respect all life and the delicate balance within it from an early age. Though he inherited his specialties, element, and wanderlust from his mother, his father taught him the ways of many other things - one reason Agrilos tends to be accepting of the ways of the world, no matter how strange it may be on the surface. His father, a Flame-aspected, taught him the ways of the warrior - though Agrilos does not actively follow that path, he nonetheless quickly became a quite competent fighter, mastering his human form early as a consequence.

Psychology: As a full adult now, Agrilos has inherited the wanderlust inherent within the Air-aspected Djinn. He is curious, quite intelligent, quick-witted, and has good instincts for trouble, as well as staying out of it - something which has served him well over the years. He will rarely get into a fight without excellent reason, but he is well-trained in the ways of finishing one, with or without bloodshed.

Fluent Languages: At the insistence of both his parents (his mother in particular, since she knew Agrilos would get the wanderlust eventually), he learned to be fluent in several languages. He speaks Gaelic, German, English, Italian, and Latin. He is literate in Gaelic, English, German, and Latin.

Religion: Pagan.

Vulnerabilities & Weaknesses: As an Air-aspected Djinn, Agrilos tend to get very claustrophobic if underground, or in places where the air does not move easily. He also highly values his freedom, and will stop at nothing to regain it should that freedom be taken from him. He also inherited wanderlust from his mother.

Shapechanging: Having been trained in many forms of combat from the time he was young, Agrilos had to master shapechanging quickly to become human in most of the ways that matter. In his human shape, he has silver hair and grey eyes, despite looking no more than his early twenties. He has also mastered turning into a wolf (which has silver and black fur, and grey eyes), and a peregrine falcon (grey and white feathers, with grey eyes). He is undecided as to what he will choose as his fourth shape. As for his natural form, his upper body resembles that of his human form, except with light bluish skin, and grey eyes; the lower half of his body is a furious whirlwind.

Air-Aspected Sorcery: Having spent more time learning the ways of combat, he has not studied as much as some of his people in the ways of the mystic. However he does know how to perform some useful magicks, mostly related directly to traveling or combat, such as:

- Whirlwind Armor: Summons fierce and tightly moving winds that rapidly circulate around his body. Helps to soften melee strikes from weapons, and protects against missile weapons.

- Summon Fog: Manifests a rolling fogbank that can quickly hamper visibility in the immediate area. Agrilos can see through it unhindered.

- Control Winds: Able to rudimentarily speak the language of winds, Agrilos can calm the winds, or excite them into howling gusts in the area.

- Thunderbolt: A bolt of pure lightning is flung from his eyes, hands, or with a swing of his melee weapon. Not as strong as a true lightning bolt, but able to stun a target, cause burns, and set flammable objects alight.

- Hasten: Increasing his perception of movement and time, this spell increases his movement rate, number of melee strikes, and number of ranged attack strikes. Given his current prowess, lasts for about 10 minutes, and leaves him very tired afterward.

- Leap of Winds: A gust of wind helps assist jumps, increasing the height and distance of his leaps.

- Breathe Without Air: Fresh breezes flow into his nose instead of the surrounding air, allowing him to breathe fresh, clean air in otherwise unbreathable conditions.

Commonly-carried Equipment:
- Weapons: High quality Scottish claymore, high quality longbow, hatchet, 1 long dagger, 8 throwing knives

- Armor: Chainmail shirt and leggings, buckler, leather vest with sheaths for throwing knives

- Other Items: Quiver with 20 arrows (made for longbow), traveler's satchel, flint & steel, bedroll, heavy blanket, light blanket, 2 extra shirts, 2 extra breeches, heavy water-resistant hooded cloak, 6 small bags, 2 large bags, whetstone, fletcher's kit

[The Silence and I]

Name:
John Smith

Monster Type:
Werewolf

Physical Description:
John stands 6 foot flat (1.83 meters) with broad, square shoulders and the solid build of a man who has seen his share of combat and heavy labor alike. His face is well shaped with the prominent cheekbones and carved jawline of a Northerner. His black hair is silvered with age and his light blue eyes usually seem tired. His face has aged well but there are lines around his eyes and forehead.

John wears brown and black rugged traveler's cloths and keeps a stout sword at his side and an odd segmented walking staff in hand. His pack is full of other unseen items but is not bulky.

Background:
A well traveled and knowledgeable man, John was born in rural Finland some 40 years ago. His father was English and named him accordingly. He spent his early years as a hired hand on the farms but his aspirations were greater and he traveled to Helsinki to seek excitement. There he learned the ways of common martial weapons and served as a traveling guardsman for merchant convoys. In this capacity he was exposed to the whole of Europe and parts of Asia and Northern Africa. Not unexpectedly he is conversant in several languages and is familiar with many local cultures. After his years journeying John apprenticed with a blacksmith in Helsinki and afterwards he worked as a blacksmith for several quiet years.

Then the unthinkable happened. While he had been visiting the countryside during the summer he was attacked and bitten by a werewolf. As it happened the creature was interested in other prey and in its hurry the beast left him for dead. His injury was severe and his horse had fled so John was lucky again when he was discovered and attended to by other travelers. He survived, perhaps unfortunately, and life became a struggle against those that would kill him and the mindless horror within him.

Skills
John is skilled as a blacksmith and he is able to fashion many items of metal, be they farming tools or weapons. He is also familiar with the customs of much of the continent, some more so than others (see languages for a measure of knowledge). He is competent with sword and board and is accustomed to wearing padded chain. He is also skilled with the crossbow and to a lesser degree the shortbow. John knows what to do with most common weapons but to a lesser extent than the above.

Personality:
John is very cautious about his nature and goes to great lengths to hide it from the world. He has good reason too, as it is hard to exaggerate the danger of werewolves, and he trusts no one with the knowledge but himself. He is easy to talk to although he keeps more or less to himself, and his travels have marked him as a worldly man. He is always restless and rarely stays in one place for long--part remnant of his youthful energy and part need to stay under the radar. He has no family--although he may have fathered children--and he does not seem to make friends, although it would be an easy thing to do if he allowed it. Something he prides himself on is his word. If he gives you his word he will keep it to the very best of his ability and he never gives it quickly. He is dependable and honest and doesn't much like beating around bushes.

Haven:
John travels continually, often taking odd jobs as a guard or spare hand at blacksmithing. He has no haven.

Languages:
Completely fluent (speak, read, write)--Finnish, English, German
Mostly fluent (speak fluently, not read)--Italian, Spanish
Partially fluent (mostly conversant)--French, Dutch, Russian
Broken--Arabic

Religion:
John is Christian and firmly believes he has a chance for salvation if only he can keep his rampages under control and repent for his transgressions. Then maybe with the grace of the almighty his sins may be forgiven and he be allowed into paradise. That said he is not a particularly devout church attendee--in his eyes his problem is too great for regular church attendance to really help him all that much. Still he does attend from time to time.

Powers:
John is forced to change into a savage werewolf devoid of all regulating intelligence every new moon (he is not unaware of the oddity of this, but different breeds of werewolf follow different phases) and the nights directly before and after--no matter where he is. He is not yet capable of willful transformation but when transformed possesses immense physical strength, speed, natural weapons and armor and regenerative abilities.

Weaknesses:
John, like all werewolves, is highly vulnerable to silver. Wounds caused by this metal heal normally, unaffected by his regenerative powers and he is always harmed by it.

Equipment:
A well made one-handed sword at his side; traveler's clothing suitable for cold nights outside and the rain and drizzle of the North; a well made hunting/utility knife on his belt; a chain shirt he typically wears while traveling; an odd segmented walking staff (bamboo--not many are likely to recognize the material) in which he keeps an unstrung short bow for hunting; a small wooden shield on his back and a leather backpack filled with simple items: a tin mug, about 20 feet of cord, scraps of cloth to wrap feet and hands with, a water skin, a spare knife, a large earth-stained blanket, a small book of verses, a padded bamboo tube containing 15 broad leaf-tipped arrows, a tin spoon and fork, and flint and tinder.

[Cynical Cat]

Name: Paul
Character: Magic touched orphan.
Description: skinny teenager, not bad looking, with dark hair and eyes.
Nationality: wherever another PC might pick up a lackey.
Languages: His home town's. That's it.
Personality: Unsentimental survivor. Extremely grateful for a chance to escape the perpetual hell of being a penniless orphan. Not without courage and with all the rage and viciousness expected in discarded orphan forced to survive by his wits and take shit from almost anybody while scratching out bare survival.


Background: He knows neither his mother nor his father. His age is sixteenish. He's skinny and quick and stronger than he looks (but still not that strong). He's smarter than most and has survived by begging, stealing, charity, and odd jobs. He bears odd, dark brands on his arms that he's had all of his life. Once when he was fighting for his life the power manifested and he blasted his attackers with bolts of eldritch fire. He has almost no skill and little control over his powers.

Religion: Nominally Christian. God is a distant and harsh figure.

Powers: There is a well of dark power within him. He has no idea if he's of fae descent, magically gifted, or the inheritor of an infernal pact or worse.

Weaknesses: Uncomfortable around holy sites.

Group Role: another player's servant.
Possessions: Ragged clothes, crappy shoes, rust spotted 14 inch knife of decent steel. A few pennies. Whatever his patron has given him.

[Shark Bait]

Name: Per Auf Jottenheim (rock of the giant’s home)
Monster: Mountain troll
Physical Description: tall and very muscular roughly human features dull grayish skin

Background: Beyond the northern reach of petty human squabbles fierce wars are fought over land and gold, deep in the mountains the troll kings battle to rule their underground realms and subjugate the Gnomes who work their mines. Mountain trolls should never be confused with the hill trolls sometimes known as the grendel, a Mountain troll is fiercely proud of his home and bloodline and as intelligent as any human. Living for centuries and possessing great strength and stature they must eat nearly a human’s weight in food each day gaining them a brutish and blood thirsty reputation.

Nearly two centuries ago one troll lord, Rurik auf Jottenheim rose above the others and claimed the title of mountain king taking the entire mountain range under his rule. Since that time his leadership has taken the trolls to a new era of prosperity and wealth, the king himself has been blessed with three daughters and two sons. Sadly for Per the second son tradition dictates that all inheritance of lands and assets will go to his brother upon the death of their father. Because of this Per must forge is own path in life and travel from his home southward into human lands hopeful to return with riches and tails of glory and valor.

Personality: As trolls go he is somewhat gentile, most consider him good natured though young by troll standards he seeks glory and wishes to earn a place in his father’s court.

Haven: Home can be found deep in the Jottenheim Mountains in Scandinavia, but he cannot return to his father’s hall till he has proved his worth, or accumulated sufficient wealth. So Per travels following rumors of mercenary work and glorious battles.

Languages: Norse, Portuguese, German, and Russian

Religion: Pagan with a form of ancestral worship.

Powers: Essentially he is a very strong individual, deftly wielding a sword that few mortal men could even lift. He wears the breastplate and helmet of his father which were built by subjugated dwarves for superior strength and durability. And possesses the troll’s gift for regeneration being able to heal all but the most serious of wounds within a day or two.


Weaknesses: sunlight pains him and makes him sluggish it slows his mind and makes him ill when it comes in contact with his exposed skin. The bright light hurts his eyes and to look directly into the sun would kill him, turning him instantly to stone.


Equipment: Rough clothing with a long coat usually worn, a heavy Breastplate that would stop a shot from most fire arms. He carries a large knife on his belt at all times that most would consider a sword, though he finds it more useful as a utility blade. He also carries a gigantic broad sword to large for any human to wield that has the runic names of his ancestors carved in it. On his back he carries a pack with a shield tied to it filled with a modest supply of gold as well as a good bit of food along with other essentials. ( flint, tinder, wooden mug, rope, bowl, water skin)

[Rukia]

Added in equipment and the a new ability: Dagger and swordsmanship. Added more equipment as par our GM's wishes.

[The Village Idiot]

Name: Visira

Type: Revenant


Background: Not long ago, Visira was the retianer of a very powerful wizard. Mostly a spy for a power mad man, he spent his days aquiring various items and such for his lieges' experiments. Then one day it all turned wrong. His master requested a subject for a truely insane endeavor, necromancy. Before he knew what to say, he felt a sting and his body become heavy, the pull at the corner of his eyes drew him into unconsciousness.

He awoke some time later to find that he no longer drew breath, yet he still was ... alive? No, he had become undead.. He felt the pains of hunger and knew he must feast on human felsh in order to survive. Still one of morals he headed to the cities grave yard late one night, and began to dig.

After satisfying his craving he began the journey home, only to hear the whispers of rumor that the mad wizard had unleashed his abominable creatures he called experiments, upon the city. Fearing it was of him they spoke, Visira turned and fled the city in fear that his new "life" would be snuffed out if he was discovered. Visira has yet to hear word on his creators fate, if he had finally gone completly mad, if had been driven out, or if he had finally passed in his sleep.... or even worse....

Since that time he has kept to himself, traveling around, acquiring nowledge, and looking for work where to many questions aren't asked.

Appearance: A man of about average height, slender and muscular. His shoulder length dark hair pulled back to a pony tail, and a well manicured goatee upon his face. He appears to be in his late 20's, but to look in his light blue eyes, would convey a man of at least 20 more.

Personality: Formerly a man of sublty and resource, he is a quick thinker and very versital. Well educated, curious, and very laid back now that he has time to dwell. He likes to spend his time as if a normal man, but is all to quick to move on to the next town, if he fears anyone growing too suspicous.

Notable Vulnerabilities: Magic, the very thing that binds him to his body is the very thing that could more easily tear him away again. He is very weary, bordering on scared, of wizards and witches who may tear him asunder or worse.

Powers: Not fully practiced with the delicate nature to control the ebb and flow of life. Working best on the dead, able to keep their bodies from rotting, or to bring them back together once they have been torn to pieces. These powers even extend to mortals, able to heal or inflict wounds quickly, or to slowly suck the life out of a person, or slowly strengthen them against illness and age.

Religion:Pagan

Languages: fluent and literate in French, German, and English, he also speaks Italian and Spanish.

Haven: Visira no longer has a haven, he moves from town to town, staying long enough to pick up a bit of knowledge and culture. Trying to find some place he can move into and call his own, far away from prying.

Equipment:
Armor: Dark leather armor with a chain shirt

Weapons: Simple one handed sword, 2 high quality hunting/utility knives, 2 simple daggers

Other items: High quality long black leather coat, fine leather wide brimmed hat, 20ft of rope, bed roll with heavy winter blanket, low slung simple sactchel, wooden tankard, bowl, eating utensils, flint and steel, water skin, coin pouch.

[LadyTevar]

Jhelian Elsbeth Tahalshia
Witch

Ask a Wizard who the first wizard was, or a Witch the first witch, and you'll get a thousand different answers as they tell you legends either of their family or of their homelands. Ask them of the Tahalshia wizards, and they will admit it is an old and established name, but not the first. Many will even mention that somewhere in their past, recent or not, a family member married a Tahalshian. Those that don't say so either don't know their family history, or didn't know it was a Tahalshian.

The Tahalshia Family is old, old enough to have intermarried with every Southern European noble family, and to start more than a few by randy accident. Their family legend is of a Fae and a human, meeting in ancient Italy in the time when bronze was yet to be smelted, giving birth to a bloodline blessed by the god of magic himself. The story has a ring of truth -- each generation born to the main branch of the bloodline has slightly pointed ears and a lithe grace whether male or female. Their own history has them as one of the Estrucian tribes, swallowed by the Romans and carried along as Rome became an Empire across the continent. The main family still resides in Italy, although their largest holdings vanished with Pompeii's destruction. Their long connection to the noble houses of Roman descent may be one reason the Catholic Church is tolerant of wizards. Nearly all of the Tahalshia have the touch of magic, although outlying branches may go dormant for generations before the blood shows again. Amusingly, witches revealed like this have a tendency to bump into 'pureblood' Tahalshia wizards and start a new generation.

Blackthorne Tahalshia and his wife Massiel were one such couple. A few years or so after their defeat of Cipriana Mancini, an Italian Witch who had gone mad, they were finally forced to pick a home and settle down, as Massiel was too far into her pregnancy to traverse Europe anymore. Settling in Northern Italy, the first child was a daughter, Jhelian Elsbeth Tahalshia, who was followed in surprisingly short order (for wizards) with a series of brothers and sisters, six in all, filling the small Italian manor-house where Blackthorne lived as a baronett.

Jhelian, like all Tahalshia children, came early into her powers and was taught carefully and well due the nature of the Tahalshian insanity. It was hoped by teaching the signs, the new mage was more likely to survive. From her father, she inherited a talent for nature magic, from her mother a gift of shape-shifting. By the time of her majority, Jhelian was as well-schooled as any nobleman's son in her letters and languages, and sharp control of her magic, learning a third set of spells supposedly from her dead great-uncle. Upon her majority, she was given leave to travel as she saw fit, for the Tahalshians knew the best teacher of all was the world outside. Thus far, she has learned a woman alone is thought an easy target, and has expanded her magic to shapeshift to allow her ease of travel.

Schooling
Jhelian is able to read and write in Latin, Italian, Spanish, and French. She is able to converse in German and English, and puzzle out a few simple words. Like many nobles, she was taught to be well-rounded... able to dance a ball, swing a weapon, write a poem, and converse knowledgably about many topics religious and mundane.

Appearance:
Jhelian is the very image of her mother -- large dark eyes set in a dusky, high-cheek-boned face, with dark auburn hair that glints of red in sunlight, a gift from the Muslims who invaded Spain centuries before. Her clothing is that of a pilgrim, well-made yet plain. Her weapons include a wheel-lock pistol her father had made for her and several daggers, many balanced for throwing, for when she was unable to reload.

Personality
Growing up as the eldest in such a boisterous household has made Jhelian a little more mature in some ways, with a tendency to mother those around her. This is not always a good thing, for her mother was a fiery Spanish beauty and Jhelian inherited all of her mother's passion. Her mothering can be gentle as a dove covering her eggs, or rough as a lion's tongue-lashing. Her siblings would have preferred the lion at times. She is, however, still young and untried, believing it all to be a grand adventure as in the tales of her father. The school of hard knocks is only just getting warmed up.

Religion:
Nominally Catholic, although the Tahalshias have a personal family saint, a holdover from the days when they worshiped the god of magic that first gifted their tribe. He is still worshiped as were the family gods of the Romans, with a small alcove where a candle burns and a tiny bowl of food and drink is placed. Prayers are more often than not requests to keep their mind clear of the madness.
The prayers may be working: pure-blood Tahalshian mages do not go slowly, visibly insane over the centuries. Instead, the insanity builds up invisibly as a feeling that the Tahalshian is small, insignificant, lesser than those around them or those that came before. Many Tahalshians deal with this by becoming quiet and retiring, hiding away from the world that seems so huge and towering. Others become knights errant, ever searching for a bigger better trial to overcome and prove that they are worthy.

Powers:
Primary: Weather.
This is not Air, nor is it Water nor Fire nor Earth, but the ebb and flow of clouds and sun, wind and rain in a limited area. Jhelian can be shaded from sunlight by her own personal cloud, or hidden from view by low-lying fog. A cool breeze may follow her on a hot day, or a warm one on a chill. Those who would harm her have found their hair standing on end as St Elmo's Fire dances about them. As yet, she cannot create lightning herself, but if there is already a storm, she can try to channel the lightning to strike a certain target.

First Secondary: Shapechange.
This was actually the first power to appear; as a baby Jhelian shifted to match her mother's shapechanges. The skill faded after she was weaned, only to reappear as she was taught to test her limits. At this time, she has only two shapes she uses. The first is a red fox, which gives her a sharp nose and the ability to hunt her own dinner. The second is that of the common russet barn owl, allowing her to see in the darkness and to silently fly where she wills. In both shapes her garments and items go with her, so she never leaves aught behind and is always fully dressed upon reverting.

Second Secondary: Mind
Many of the Tahalshia mages have mastered the Magic of the Mind, and even those who have not often have infectious delusions as they fall into insanity. While rumors persist that the Tahalshias are able to converse mind-to-mind, Jhelian does not have that ability. She does, however, have the ability to scan surface thoughts, as well as read the deeper sections of another's mind, although that calls for more concentration. She is also learning to separate her mind from her body and travel through the æther to view distant places. As yet, this is a fledging skill.