Bear Man
07-24-09, 04:34 PM
Basic Facts
Full Name: Eskra Pitsiark
Race: Human (Skavian)
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Languages: Salvic, Some Tradespeak
Class: Barbarian Shaman
Religious Beliefs: Pagan
Appearance:
”So a scrawny Skavian walks into a hut...no, really, it could happen!” – Old Salvic Joke on the improbability of a wimpy Skavian.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Height/Weight: 6’4”/183 lb
Description: Years of living in the harsh, unforgiving regions of northern Salvar have brought Eskra the typical brawny, massive physique of Skavian men. Muscles bulge along his arms and legs, his neck is thick as a redwood, and punching his abdomen is like punching granite. Like most of his countrymen, his body is covered in scars and knotted and gnarled skin, from countless hunts and battles with monsters.
By no means, however, would he be considered "handsome". His nose has been broken countless times and is seriously crooked. Numerous gashes seriously deform his face and, far from making him look daring, interesting, or mysterious, simply look repulsive. Finally, he smells. Bathing is considered unhealthy and unnatural in the tribe where he comes from, and after months of wearing and exercising in the same sweaty clothing his scent has become so thick that it practically congeals.
His face is set in a perpetual frown, a grimace he only changes on the rarest of occasions. His hair is thick and shaggy, and for the most part remains braided roughly behind his head. His eyebrows are thick. None of this, however, is as striking to outsiders as his clothing.
Eskra’s typical garb includes a large and hairy bearskin pelt which he wraps around himself and hoods over his head. The head of the bear is intact, except for its tongue and eyes which have been cut out. Beneath the robe, he wears thick shaggy clothes made of animal hides—ill suited to warmer climates, but perfect for the freezing icelands of the north.
Personality
”The Urodans are weak...we are strong. We have to be strong.” – Eskra Pitsiark
Traits: As his body has become hard; so has Eskra’s personality. He is brave, and good—taking no pleasure from the suffering of others—but he is also unemotional. Rarely is the barbarian angry, or sad, or even happy. Always he is a pragmatist. Practicality may seem strange for one so used to dealing with the spirit world, but to Eskra that is the epitome of practical. The spirits are real—there is no question of it in his mind—and therefore communicating with them is nothing but practical.
Foreigners may think him stupid because of his stunted abilities to speak Tradespeak, but by no means is he unintelligent. Even among his own people he is frequently stereotyped as a dullard thanks to his large size and appearance--and is frequently mocked as such. This bothers him greatly, but he bears it. He's surprisingly adept socially. Being Shaman of a tribe requires people-skills and charisma, as does any job involving doctoring and frequent interactions with people—spirits and villagers alike. His limited knowledge of Tradespeak hinders him somewhat in this respect, but not entirely.
Personality Flaws: Eskra is completely lacking in imagination and creativity. In some ways this helps him; it gives him greater fortitude and makes him nearly fearless. However, when it comes to complicated plans and problem solving, this deficiency presents a problem. He is entirely single-minded in the pursuit of his goals, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not. He doesn't understand art, and while he has some vague appreciation of natural beauty it's hard to imagine him sitting and staring at a sunset.
While he is somewhat social, he also has frequent problems. Subtlety is a foreign concept to him, as is humor. His lack of humor and extraordinary single-mindedness prevent him from acting as an effective leader, though he would like to be.
Shamanism & Pagan Beliefs
”We don’t believe. We fear.” – Anonymous Shaman on the beliefs of the Skavian people
Since it is central to his character, a brief overview of Eskra’s clan’s specific religious beliefs and practices will be given here.
Role In Society: The Shaman in Eskra’s clan fulfilled an essential role. As the clan’s central conduit to the spirit world, the Shaman is with his people from birth until death. He names babies, giving them strong ancestor-spirits and shaping their future life. He presides over the funeral-pyres for the dead. When food is scarce, the Shaman speaks with the spirit-god of that animal (be it caribou, rabbit, or fish) and pleads for more to be spared for the sake of his people. Finally, the Shaman heals sickness—casting out the soul-eating spirits that are believed to cause disease.
Humans: Human Beings are believed to have two souls. The life-force, or personal-soul, is what animates a person and gives him his personality. The ancestor-soul, or name soul, is inherited with a person’s name. Members of Eskra’s clan are always named after deceased relatives, because it is believed that their name-ancestor will then watch after and look after them. Communication with that ancestor can grant a person their skills and strength.
Animals & Nature: Animals are very respected by Eskra’s people. All animals of a single type (say, bears) are believed to share a single great animal spirit, that can be communicated with or prayed to for help and guidance. When a hunter kills an animal, unless he observes the proper truly needed the animal to die, he could be cursed by the great animal spirit. This foul deed could bring bad luck upon the entire clan—which only the Shaman could remove by pleading with the spirit.
Spirits: Eskra’s people believe that animals have spirits, humans have spirits, ancestors have spirits, and even some places have spirits. There are evil spirits not tied down to any place, who suck out the life-force of human beings and cause sickness. Beyond that there are only two Great spirits. One is the Great Good spirit (Aru) and the other is the Great Suffering spirit (Sila). These can be prayed to as well (Aru most commonly, Sila by more evil-minded people) but more often Eskra’s people trust the animal-spirits and ancestor-spirits to help them in day to day matters.
Spirits present a great danger to the people of the northern lands, as do monsters. As such, the pagan beliefs do not seem like a normal religion in most respects. The people believe because they have to, as a natural reaction to their harsh surroundings, not because of pomp or ceremony or the promise of some idyllic afterlife.
Skills
Lesser Spirit Communion: Eskra can find and communicate with certain spirits. These spirits are everywhere—in trees, rivers, and the like especially. Other cultures have many names for them: naiads, dryads, ghosts, will’o’wisps; they’re all the same to Eskra. Whether or not the spirits will want to speak with Eskra is a another matter entirely. Many nature spirits are fearful of humans, who attack their lands with axe and fire. Others still (such as the great spirits of large forests, or oceans) hold the puny human Shaman far beneath their notice. Still, seldom can Eskra not find a single friendly spirit to ask for information.
Certain friendly spirits will help him to the best of their abilities. A tree spirit, for instance, might bend its branches to help block an enemy slightly. If he saved a bear cub, the great bear spirit might aid him in some small way in the future. Unfortunately this only has limited use, as the spirits willing to help him are so weak. Some day he hopes to hold palaver with the great spirits of the forests and the land itself; but he is not yet experienced enough for that.
Ancestor’s Rage: Eskra’s namesake, Eskra the Bear, was a great Berserk hero of the barbarian people. Through his ancestor-spirit, Eskra can channel this ancestor’s power...to some extent. In the heat of battle, when his adrenaline is pumped up high enough, Eskra can channel this spirit to become twice (2x) as strong as a regular human. This ability can only last for a few minutes, which in battle can be translated as two posts.
Heart of the Bear: Growing up in a harsh environment has granted Eskra additional fortitude: he is slightly more hardy and resistant to pain than other humans. Cold barely affects him at all, especially with the help of his thick clothing.
Greataxe Skill: Eskra is moderately talented with the greataxe, his weapon of choice—about as skilled as any average soldier who picked up the weapon. He knows a few techniques, but his skill with the weapon is not as refined as some of his warrior brethren. He has focused his training on the spirit-world, and his practical weapon knowledge is therefore limited.
Wilderness Survival: The forest is a natural home to Eskra, and he knows the flora and fauna well. He can hunt, build a fire, make a lean-to, and pick edible roots very well.
Spirit Healing: Eskra was his village’s doctor as well as shaman, and as such he has learned a few things about healing. He can heal minor cuts and abrasions by healing the person’s very spirit. (This ability can only be used twice per day). He also has some small knowledge of plants and poultices—but only those found naturally in his homeland.
Weaknesses:
Fear of Magic: The people of the northern tribes don't generally use magic; in fact, they frequently resent it. Some people might point out that he himself uses magic, his shamanism, but he would heartily disagree. He sees spirits and the like as perfectly natural, whereas "arcane" magic (the kind involving throwing fireballs and the like) is sneaky and just plain unnatural. It's more than dislike, though. In battle against mages, he has been nearly crippled by this phobia. Only his stubbornness and greater fear of dishonor have kept him from fleeing.
Sluggishness: Being big and strong and, well, BIG, has its advantages...and its disadvantages. Eskra cannot run particularly quickly, especially in his restricting clothing. In battle, speed is frequently key, but his large limbs mean that his reaction time is slightly below average.
Inventory
Greataxe: Strapped to Eskra’s back is his weapon of choice, a large iron greataxe with a sturdy oak shaft.
Sack and Survival Items: Eskra carries food and waterskins, flint and tinder, a hunting knife, and a small hatchet (useful for cutting large branches off trees but not for fighting) in a sack tied loosely over his shoulder.
Other Objects: Eskra carries with him several objects of vaguely occult and natural significance (the jawbone of rabbit, a sliver of oak from an ancient tree, a shiny rock he once found, and the like). He uses these as focuses for his rituals, as good luck charms, and as offerings to spirits.
History
Eskra was born and raised in the lands of northern Salvar. As a baby, he was chosen for the life of a shaman and given the name of the great hero of legend, Eskra the Bear. As he grew, it turned out that the name had been apt in more ways than one. He quickly grew into a large and strong boy, pious and attuned to the spirit world.
Growing up in the North is not easy, and most children die before the age of ten, but Eskra survived—more than that, he thrived. As a teenager he helped in the defense of his village and trained as a warrior and a Shaman. When he was twenty, the old Shaman died, and Eskra took his place.
At first, things were tough. Eskra was very young and inexperienced, and could scarcely fill the shoes of his predecessor. Still, he perservered, and fairly quickly learned the ways of his people. Eventually he became a decently respected and powerful leader of his tribe.
Then, oddly enough, things got...boring. Eskra settled into a routine. Things were peaceful for a few years, and his talents largely went unused. The same few miles of ice and forest again, and again, and again, got tiring. Eskra longed for adventure. Wasn’t he named after a hero of old? Couldn’t he hunt for great beasts, search for lost artifacts, battle great foes? But no, he was trapped in a tiny village, healing four year olds with scraped knees and chatting with the spirits of pebbles.
Finally, something happened to change all that. In his sleep, completely unawares and unprotected, Eskra was teleported hundreds and hundreds of miles away. Maybe teleported isn’t the right word, he was drawn. Drawn far away, to the island of Scara Brae...to the Citadel and a life with more adventure than he could possibly have imagined.
Full Name: Eskra Pitsiark
Race: Human (Skavian)
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Languages: Salvic, Some Tradespeak
Class: Barbarian Shaman
Religious Beliefs: Pagan
Appearance:
”So a scrawny Skavian walks into a hut...no, really, it could happen!” – Old Salvic Joke on the improbability of a wimpy Skavian.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Height/Weight: 6’4”/183 lb
Description: Years of living in the harsh, unforgiving regions of northern Salvar have brought Eskra the typical brawny, massive physique of Skavian men. Muscles bulge along his arms and legs, his neck is thick as a redwood, and punching his abdomen is like punching granite. Like most of his countrymen, his body is covered in scars and knotted and gnarled skin, from countless hunts and battles with monsters.
By no means, however, would he be considered "handsome". His nose has been broken countless times and is seriously crooked. Numerous gashes seriously deform his face and, far from making him look daring, interesting, or mysterious, simply look repulsive. Finally, he smells. Bathing is considered unhealthy and unnatural in the tribe where he comes from, and after months of wearing and exercising in the same sweaty clothing his scent has become so thick that it practically congeals.
His face is set in a perpetual frown, a grimace he only changes on the rarest of occasions. His hair is thick and shaggy, and for the most part remains braided roughly behind his head. His eyebrows are thick. None of this, however, is as striking to outsiders as his clothing.
Eskra’s typical garb includes a large and hairy bearskin pelt which he wraps around himself and hoods over his head. The head of the bear is intact, except for its tongue and eyes which have been cut out. Beneath the robe, he wears thick shaggy clothes made of animal hides—ill suited to warmer climates, but perfect for the freezing icelands of the north.
Personality
”The Urodans are weak...we are strong. We have to be strong.” – Eskra Pitsiark
Traits: As his body has become hard; so has Eskra’s personality. He is brave, and good—taking no pleasure from the suffering of others—but he is also unemotional. Rarely is the barbarian angry, or sad, or even happy. Always he is a pragmatist. Practicality may seem strange for one so used to dealing with the spirit world, but to Eskra that is the epitome of practical. The spirits are real—there is no question of it in his mind—and therefore communicating with them is nothing but practical.
Foreigners may think him stupid because of his stunted abilities to speak Tradespeak, but by no means is he unintelligent. Even among his own people he is frequently stereotyped as a dullard thanks to his large size and appearance--and is frequently mocked as such. This bothers him greatly, but he bears it. He's surprisingly adept socially. Being Shaman of a tribe requires people-skills and charisma, as does any job involving doctoring and frequent interactions with people—spirits and villagers alike. His limited knowledge of Tradespeak hinders him somewhat in this respect, but not entirely.
Personality Flaws: Eskra is completely lacking in imagination and creativity. In some ways this helps him; it gives him greater fortitude and makes him nearly fearless. However, when it comes to complicated plans and problem solving, this deficiency presents a problem. He is entirely single-minded in the pursuit of his goals, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not. He doesn't understand art, and while he has some vague appreciation of natural beauty it's hard to imagine him sitting and staring at a sunset.
While he is somewhat social, he also has frequent problems. Subtlety is a foreign concept to him, as is humor. His lack of humor and extraordinary single-mindedness prevent him from acting as an effective leader, though he would like to be.
Shamanism & Pagan Beliefs
”We don’t believe. We fear.” – Anonymous Shaman on the beliefs of the Skavian people
Since it is central to his character, a brief overview of Eskra’s clan’s specific religious beliefs and practices will be given here.
Role In Society: The Shaman in Eskra’s clan fulfilled an essential role. As the clan’s central conduit to the spirit world, the Shaman is with his people from birth until death. He names babies, giving them strong ancestor-spirits and shaping their future life. He presides over the funeral-pyres for the dead. When food is scarce, the Shaman speaks with the spirit-god of that animal (be it caribou, rabbit, or fish) and pleads for more to be spared for the sake of his people. Finally, the Shaman heals sickness—casting out the soul-eating spirits that are believed to cause disease.
Humans: Human Beings are believed to have two souls. The life-force, or personal-soul, is what animates a person and gives him his personality. The ancestor-soul, or name soul, is inherited with a person’s name. Members of Eskra’s clan are always named after deceased relatives, because it is believed that their name-ancestor will then watch after and look after them. Communication with that ancestor can grant a person their skills and strength.
Animals & Nature: Animals are very respected by Eskra’s people. All animals of a single type (say, bears) are believed to share a single great animal spirit, that can be communicated with or prayed to for help and guidance. When a hunter kills an animal, unless he observes the proper truly needed the animal to die, he could be cursed by the great animal spirit. This foul deed could bring bad luck upon the entire clan—which only the Shaman could remove by pleading with the spirit.
Spirits: Eskra’s people believe that animals have spirits, humans have spirits, ancestors have spirits, and even some places have spirits. There are evil spirits not tied down to any place, who suck out the life-force of human beings and cause sickness. Beyond that there are only two Great spirits. One is the Great Good spirit (Aru) and the other is the Great Suffering spirit (Sila). These can be prayed to as well (Aru most commonly, Sila by more evil-minded people) but more often Eskra’s people trust the animal-spirits and ancestor-spirits to help them in day to day matters.
Spirits present a great danger to the people of the northern lands, as do monsters. As such, the pagan beliefs do not seem like a normal religion in most respects. The people believe because they have to, as a natural reaction to their harsh surroundings, not because of pomp or ceremony or the promise of some idyllic afterlife.
Skills
Lesser Spirit Communion: Eskra can find and communicate with certain spirits. These spirits are everywhere—in trees, rivers, and the like especially. Other cultures have many names for them: naiads, dryads, ghosts, will’o’wisps; they’re all the same to Eskra. Whether or not the spirits will want to speak with Eskra is a another matter entirely. Many nature spirits are fearful of humans, who attack their lands with axe and fire. Others still (such as the great spirits of large forests, or oceans) hold the puny human Shaman far beneath their notice. Still, seldom can Eskra not find a single friendly spirit to ask for information.
Certain friendly spirits will help him to the best of their abilities. A tree spirit, for instance, might bend its branches to help block an enemy slightly. If he saved a bear cub, the great bear spirit might aid him in some small way in the future. Unfortunately this only has limited use, as the spirits willing to help him are so weak. Some day he hopes to hold palaver with the great spirits of the forests and the land itself; but he is not yet experienced enough for that.
Ancestor’s Rage: Eskra’s namesake, Eskra the Bear, was a great Berserk hero of the barbarian people. Through his ancestor-spirit, Eskra can channel this ancestor’s power...to some extent. In the heat of battle, when his adrenaline is pumped up high enough, Eskra can channel this spirit to become twice (2x) as strong as a regular human. This ability can only last for a few minutes, which in battle can be translated as two posts.
Heart of the Bear: Growing up in a harsh environment has granted Eskra additional fortitude: he is slightly more hardy and resistant to pain than other humans. Cold barely affects him at all, especially with the help of his thick clothing.
Greataxe Skill: Eskra is moderately talented with the greataxe, his weapon of choice—about as skilled as any average soldier who picked up the weapon. He knows a few techniques, but his skill with the weapon is not as refined as some of his warrior brethren. He has focused his training on the spirit-world, and his practical weapon knowledge is therefore limited.
Wilderness Survival: The forest is a natural home to Eskra, and he knows the flora and fauna well. He can hunt, build a fire, make a lean-to, and pick edible roots very well.
Spirit Healing: Eskra was his village’s doctor as well as shaman, and as such he has learned a few things about healing. He can heal minor cuts and abrasions by healing the person’s very spirit. (This ability can only be used twice per day). He also has some small knowledge of plants and poultices—but only those found naturally in his homeland.
Weaknesses:
Fear of Magic: The people of the northern tribes don't generally use magic; in fact, they frequently resent it. Some people might point out that he himself uses magic, his shamanism, but he would heartily disagree. He sees spirits and the like as perfectly natural, whereas "arcane" magic (the kind involving throwing fireballs and the like) is sneaky and just plain unnatural. It's more than dislike, though. In battle against mages, he has been nearly crippled by this phobia. Only his stubbornness and greater fear of dishonor have kept him from fleeing.
Sluggishness: Being big and strong and, well, BIG, has its advantages...and its disadvantages. Eskra cannot run particularly quickly, especially in his restricting clothing. In battle, speed is frequently key, but his large limbs mean that his reaction time is slightly below average.
Inventory
Greataxe: Strapped to Eskra’s back is his weapon of choice, a large iron greataxe with a sturdy oak shaft.
Sack and Survival Items: Eskra carries food and waterskins, flint and tinder, a hunting knife, and a small hatchet (useful for cutting large branches off trees but not for fighting) in a sack tied loosely over his shoulder.
Other Objects: Eskra carries with him several objects of vaguely occult and natural significance (the jawbone of rabbit, a sliver of oak from an ancient tree, a shiny rock he once found, and the like). He uses these as focuses for his rituals, as good luck charms, and as offerings to spirits.
History
Eskra was born and raised in the lands of northern Salvar. As a baby, he was chosen for the life of a shaman and given the name of the great hero of legend, Eskra the Bear. As he grew, it turned out that the name had been apt in more ways than one. He quickly grew into a large and strong boy, pious and attuned to the spirit world.
Growing up in the North is not easy, and most children die before the age of ten, but Eskra survived—more than that, he thrived. As a teenager he helped in the defense of his village and trained as a warrior and a Shaman. When he was twenty, the old Shaman died, and Eskra took his place.
At first, things were tough. Eskra was very young and inexperienced, and could scarcely fill the shoes of his predecessor. Still, he perservered, and fairly quickly learned the ways of his people. Eventually he became a decently respected and powerful leader of his tribe.
Then, oddly enough, things got...boring. Eskra settled into a routine. Things were peaceful for a few years, and his talents largely went unused. The same few miles of ice and forest again, and again, and again, got tiring. Eskra longed for adventure. Wasn’t he named after a hero of old? Couldn’t he hunt for great beasts, search for lost artifacts, battle great foes? But no, he was trapped in a tiny village, healing four year olds with scraped knees and chatting with the spirits of pebbles.
Finally, something happened to change all that. In his sleep, completely unawares and unprotected, Eskra was teleported hundreds and hundreds of miles away. Maybe teleported isn’t the right word, he was drawn. Drawn far away, to the island of Scara Brae...to the Citadel and a life with more adventure than he could possibly have imagined.