Nicholas

[Nicholas]

Name: Nicholas
Age: 75 (Appears 25)
Race: Human
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 180lbs

Personality:
Fiery. Even before his pact, Nicholas was passionate about all things that he involved himself in and often takes an “act first, ask questions later” approach. Some might label him as a troublemaker but it is never his intent to cause trouble, rather it seems to be a byproduct of his headstrong nature. Overall, his intentions are honorable and well-meaning but as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

History:
His story is one that is rarely, if ever, talked about. Nicholas was a nothing; a nobody. He didn’t even have a name until he was well into his second decade of life. He was a mage’s steward who spent his days cleaning bedchambers and dusting shelves, praying for an exciting life not unlike the ones of those who walked the cobbled roads of the place he called home. Home, in fact, was a place that no longer existed. At least, you won’t find it on any map. He came from a place of magic, a secretive place that kept its location well-hidden from outsiders. Those that were born with the gift became mages and wizards, and those who could not – well, they were put to work in menial jobs or outcast to the desert. Nicholas was of the latter; a powerless whelp fit only for slave work.

He spent his years being tossed from house to house, guild to guild, doing whatever was required of him to keep a roof over his head and food in his mouth. Finally, he was assigned to the headmaster of one of the mage guilds as his personal steward. It was here, in the shadows of a place he was forbidden from entering, that a bargain was made in desperation; a pact with a creature who had successfully enticed him with a promise of a power he so greatly coveted in exchange for a little bit of life. At the time, Nicholas didn’t have the intellect to truly comprehend the words or what kind of dangerous being he was dealing with so he accepted with little hesitation.

Salamander. Vulcanus. Ifrit. It was known by many names but in the end, it was a fire elemental. An elemental that Nicholas had willingly taken into his body in order for them to both thrive. Whether it was self-defense or intentional maliciousness, the place he called home was razed to the ground. The ashes of its buildings and people were scattered to the desert winds when the magical barrier that protected its location fell, leaving it to become nothing more than a fading set of ruins beneath the hot sands.

Now, both free from the shackles that bound them, Nicholas and Salamander, not-so-affectionately known as Sal, roam the world in order to find their purpose.

Appearance:
Nicholas bears the appearance of a regular human being. In times of great duress, his veins will glow like smoldering embers while his eyes appear to burn with fire, giving vision into the elemental that resides within.

Skills:
Acrobatic – Nicholas is quick for his size. He has spent a great deal of time running and evading sticky situations. He’s well versed in running, jumping, tumbling, and climbing.
Magic Affinity – His pact with the elemental allows him to sense when magic is at work and when other magical beings are nearby.

Abilities:
Living Flame – The pact with Sal grants the ability to produce fire at will. This fire can be controlled and manipulated by Nicholas and is not harmful to him but is to others.

• Strength: Equivalent of a lit match or lighter.
• Can be created from anywhere on his body.
• Once it leaves his touch, it acts as any ordinary fire and can’t sustain itself without fuel.

Combustion - The ability to produce controlled explosions of varying strength by manipulating the oxygen in the air around a given point. Ignition of the altered oxygen results in a heavy, bomb-like detonation large enough to consume a small house, yielding concussive (explosive) and fiery (heat) damage within the explosion.

• Damage Type: Heat/Explosive. Strength: High.
• Requires a source of heat to ignite the condensed oxygen.
• Can’t be used in unfavorable weather. (Rain, snow.)

Hot Blooded (non-combat) – Another boon of the pact is an increased resistance to heat/cold. Whether it is the scorching heat of the desert or the frigid cold of the tundra, Nicholas doesn’t feel the temperature differences quite like he used to due to his changed body temperature.

• To others, always feels like he’s feverish. Hot to the touch.
• Not impervious to elements but is more comfortable in radical temperatures. (Comfortable regardless of weather.)

Longevity (non-combat) - Nicholas ages slowly due to the magical influence of his elemental patron.

Equipment/Weapons:
Nice clothes
An extra set of less nice clothes
A large leather backpack
Notebook filled with handwritten notes
Half-melted, broken compass