Like Smoke on the Wind (Phyr Level 4)
Level 1 updates in blue.
Level 3 updates in red.
Level 4 updates in dark green.
Name: Phyr Sa'resh (Feer Sah-resh)
Age: 99 (considerably older, though he will not admit it)
Race: Drow
Hair Color: Grey
Eye Color: Blue
Skin Color: Azure
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 157 lbs.
Occupation: Professional Ghost
Personality
Once an energetic youth with a lightning wit and silver tongue, Phyr's mind is as sharp as ever but his body lags behind. Althanas has taken its toll on the drow, and it shows through the omnipresent bitterness in his eyes and voice. Despite this, he is stubbornly, often aggravatingly polite. Although he has a good heart deep down, he is bitter on the surface, manipulative, and willing to exploit those he deems unworthy.
However, since leaving Underwood and resiging his post of Captain of the Watch he has quit drinking completely, inciting a significant increase in his mood, skills, and abilities.
Appearance
Two things set Phyr aside from the main population in Corone: the dark azure color of his skin, and the fact that his right arm ends at the biceps. His shirts and jackets are normally knotted at the elbow or else missing the arm completely. He wears simple clothes most often except when others cajole him into ceremonial garb, and keeps his long silver hair loose or tied back. True to the token of his race Phyr is naturally slim, but sickeningly so due to malnourishment. Perhaps the only noteworthy thing about his appearance is his shocking deep blue eyes, which seem to have seen as much as the sky itself.
Phyr also has a tattoo on each side of his neck, angry red letters that say “prisoner†in Aleraran and Salvic. These are physical reminders he bears to his long years in jail cells in the respective countries. Although his garb is often random and ratty, he nearly always makes sure to keep the tattoos covered up, usually with his long silvery hair.
Skills
Light blades: Once an expert with lightweight swords and daggers, the loss of his dominant arm crippled Phyr's fencing skills. Although his grizzled head still houses a great knowledge of the art, his overall ability is average.
Aleraran Firearms: Phyr was an expert marksman with short and long guns during his time as a soldier. The loss of his right arm and the long years have reduced his skill level considerably.
One armed musketeer: Phyr is capable of loading and firing a musket with only his left arm. Not currently applicable as Phyr does not own a musket.
Practical Hand-to-hand combat: Although many Alerarans forsake the art for their technology and magic, Phyr received advanced unarmed combat training at a young age. In spite of the absence of his dominant arm he employs enough dirty tricks and unexpected attacks to make him dangerous at close range. Training with Joshua Cronen in Underwood has increased Phyr's melee fighting skill to the point he can best larger opponents swiftly using his lone arm and whatever else may come to hand. He employs the Aleraran Military Strategy of strike first, strike well, keep striking in most combat situations, but is a surprisingly well versed and vicious grappler at close range.
Military Experience: Having started out as a grunt and worked his way up to junior officer in the Aleraran Military, Phyr has all the basic skills one would expect from a trained soldier. Things such as survival, information assimilation, and camouflage are second nature to him.
Animal affinity: Having undergone the rudimentary Dragoon training in Ettermire, Phyr is capable of working with most mounts so long as they are properly trained to accept a rider.
Engineer: As a young adult Phyr apprenticed under a clockwork mechanic, and later studied the designs and concepts for Alerar's most advanced technology such as steam engines and airships. Though he could certainly not build these great devices, the training gives him unique insight to the way things work. Phyr has also found he is able to easily bypass most Coronian and Salvic locks because of his superior mechanical understanding.
Gunsmith: Having started as a weapon smith during his military career, Phyr knows how to design, make, and maintain basic firearms such as flintlocks, muskets, blunderbuss, and other single-shot weapons.
Master Tactician: A champion of strategy games since childhood, Phyr's rise through the ranks of Alerar's military was nigh unprecedented, and the powers that be had him earmarked as a potential general until his untimely arrest. Although he was never promoted past junior officer the drow has years of experience planning and executing military and covert operations.
Silver Tongue: Phyr's vast experience dealing with beings of every kind and the fact that much of his life has depended on having the right allies has made him a very persuasive individual.
Languages spoken: Aleraran and Common (Tradespeak), as well as some Salvic and Orcish picked up in various prisons.
Coronian Politics: Having spent some time as Captain of the Underwood Watch during wartime, Phyr developed an intimate understanding of the social elite, politics, and military strategies of Corone.
Coronian Lore: During the Adventurer's Crown Phyr became intimately familiar with many different regions across Corone, as well as their flora and fauna. He has become well versed at navigating the country as well as living off the land.
Abilities
Greater Perception: Phyr can see approximately twice as well as an average human, even in the dark. Phyr's hearing is twice as accurate as the average human. His other senses were dulled by long prison sentences.
Greater Endurance (x5): The long journey from Salvar built lasting stamina into Phyr's ancient body. While he is still a shadow of his youthful self in some ways, he can push himself much longer and harder than ever before, even when the odds are fully against him.
Greater Speed and Strength x1.5: Cutting back on alcohol, eating healthier, and generally living a healthy active life have contributed to making Phyr fitter than ever before. His training with Joshua Cronen has also paid dividends to his speed and reflexes in combat.
Metal Manipulation: Through extensive work (and the frustration of being reduced to one hand) Phyr has learned to manipulate small amounts of metal. He may manipulate up to five pounds of plynt or lower tiered metals. In this way Phyr can telekinetically repair devices or reload weapons where his single arm handicaps him, as well as pick most locks and levitate items. He can also quickly sharpen/clean metal tools and do a number of other mundane things.Phyr's range of control is approximately a 5 meter radius around him, and he now has the ability to soften the metal he controls. Softened metal will retain all its other properties, so for example a thin bladed sword might function like a metal whip, but wide-bladed swords and bludgeons would become less useful. Phyr may use this to reduce impact from melee attacks or thrown projectiles, but anything that moves as fast or faster than an arrow would be too quick for him.
Shadow Manipulation: When Phyr is standing still or moving very slowly in a shadowy or dark area, he is capable of increasing the thickness of the shadows around him so only a character with increased perception who looks closely would see him. Use of magic is minimal enough to not be detected or considered true "shadow magic", this ability is more a representation of Phyr's unique ability to remain unseen. Phyr is now capable of summoning shadow or increasing the size/changing the shape of existing shadows. These can be used as distractions or hiding places. Phyr is only capable of controlling a body of shadows as large as two horses, and creating more than one "shadow illusion" at a time may cause him to lose focus. 10 meter radius range. Phyr's shadows now have the ability to contain the sound of his heartbeat/breathing and his body odor, making him all but undetectable in shadowy areas.
Shadow blinders: Phyr shoots a ball of shadows at an opponent with the speed of an ordinary arrow. If the ball strikes any part of their body, shadows are adhered to the opponent's face as an opaque blindfold that wears off after 1 minute but can only be removed sooner by arcane means. The "blinders" block the target's vision during the minute. Once a shadow blinder is adhered, Phyr does not need to focus on it anymore. Usable 12 times per IC day.
Shadowstep: Once per IC day Phyr is capable of teleporting from one shadowy place to another. This can be used to cross an ocean or continent if he knows the place he is going to intimately, however such a great step would be completely exhausting. Typically Phyr uses this ability for in-room teleportation, and this can be used in sequence with his ability to summon/manipulate shadows, allowing him to shadowstep in places where shadows do not naturally occur.
Shadow drain: Phyr summons a bank of shadows around or near an enemy or group of enemies, and dark ethereal tendrils reach out to touch them. The tendrils are slow, moving at 0.75x ordinary human speed, and can be avoided, but if they make contact they drain part of the target's life force, cutting their endurance for the day in half. Multiple drains on the same target are not possible. Any actions the target performs for the rest of the day will be twice as physically and mentally taxing as normal. Usable three times per day for up to a minute at a time, with a maximum of four tendrils.
Equipment
Heavy iron bayonet
Hardwood walking stick (black eklan) which becomes a short spear w/bayonet
Iron hip flask
Pepper spray armlet: a six shot pepper spray armband with two shots already used. The contents of the cartridges is equal parts powder and liquid, and provides a chemical burn anywhere it meets skin, most severe in the face/nose/eyes/mouth, quite similar to Earth pepper spray. It resembles a short bracer, is made mostly from yew and steel, and must be re-designed in a quest in order to be "re loaded". It was designed to be worn on a Coronian's wrist, the revolver-like mechanism operated by the hand. Phyr wears it on his stump instead and can use his opposite hand or his metal manipulation to operate the mechanism.
Flintlock Cutlass: (purchased here) A smallsword with a standard crossguaurd and a single smooth-bore barrel lining the flat of the blade. Device and handle in dehlar, blade in plynt.
-10 steel and 10 iron smooth-bore ammunition (ballshot)
-Black powder sufficient for 20 shots
History
Phyr grew up a child of Alerar's working class, studying hard in his classes and gazing at the technological wonders behind shuttered windows as he walked home each day. Being one of the few drow who excelled both physically and mentally, little could stand in the way of his dreams of becoming the greatest inventor on Althanas. As a young adult he apprenticed himself to a master mechanic, and learned to build and create all manner of things. When his interest eventually turned to weapon building, the papers and theories he published brought Military officials to his doorstep. Recently married and expecting children, and still seeking greatness, Phyr enlisted. His progression as a gunsmith and soldier paralleled that of some of Alerar's greatest Generals, and as a junior officer Phyr received the specialised training and dangerous covert missions reserved for the most promising among his peers.
Unfortunately, another drow of similar potential and skills found a way to fast-track his career by stealing an invaluable shipment of Adamantine and framing Phyr. This not only cemented the wicked drow's fortune but moved him up the military hierarchy. Unable to prove his innocence or produce the stolen ore, Phyr was arrested on charges of Treason. But the death penalty never quite found him. Instead he was imprisoned, first in the dungeons of the Royal Palace but later transferred to prison across Alerar and the Northlands. At first the torturous treatment seemed like a punishment worse than death, and Phyr clung to his memories of love and glory like a drowning man to driftwood. He soon realised that the intent of his treatment was not to kill him but to break him, to force him into subservience so his talents could still benefit the Crown. This catalysed the adoption of his impetuously polite attitude and the abandonment of his former allegiances. Although he still harbours fantasies about exposing the true traitor, re-uniting with his family and redeeming himself in the eyes of Alerar, they are compartmentalised deep within the cold, logical enigma that is Phyr Sa'resh.
In They've All Forgotten You Phyr attempts to escape a secluded, high-security Salvic prison despite the presence of Coronian Ranger Christina Bredith, whose strange presence is replaced by her uncanny interest in the one-armed drow. (Judge's Choice)
Christina pursues Phyr throughout the Northlands in the current project Another Day Colder, using all of her cunning in a vendetta to bring the sickly convict to justice.
After escaping from Salvar and a harrowing sea voyage, Phyr establishes a living as a beggar and informant in Radsanth. Via Dolorosa follows him and fellow antihero Wynken as they individually seek to exploit an Aleraran arms smuggling operation. The mysterious and lethal Kron Sha'keth makes an appearance as a demon among villains.
Having fled Radasanth and the wrath of Kron Sha'keth, Phyr encounters Joshua Cronen in Your vices are in Order. The drow and the demigod share a drink before finding themselves joined in a desperate attempt to save Underwood from a shadowy, half-crazed assassin. (Judge's Choice)
Presently Phyr resides in a room of the Last Night's Maiden, an inn near the Peaceful Promenade in Underwood. He regularly works out of Town Hall, and spends a suspicious amount of time at a nearby logging cabin.
After a harrowing night in which he lost the best woman he'd met in sixty years, Phyr resigned his post in Underwood and returned to Radasanth as a beggar. His lack of penchant for the drink drove him to distraction however, and he has taken to fighting at the Citadel for free meals and as a means to pass the time and meet potential benefactors.
In the Adventurer's Crown Phyr played a key role in defending Gisela from the cat-person invaders, and also traveled across the continent in the company of some well-known characters. This brought a significant amount of unwanted fame to his name, and this invariably led to the Aleraran spies and bounty hunters who are after him being able to successfully track him down, so Phyr went on the run once again.
