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The Hollow
11-06-13, 12:00 PM
Basics



Name: It has no name.
Age: Unknown - Based on Host
Race: The Hollow
Hair Color: Long & Jet Black
Eye Color: Black Sockets
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 175 lbs
Occupation: Enchanter, Witchdoctor

Personality:
It is a very curious and calm creature. It has endured for years, experiencing much, but remembering so few details. Its body, if you will, moves with a ghastly flow as if eternally tired. It is not uncommon to see the being observing from the corner in complete lack of motion. When engaging in conversation, its words can be cryptic, blunt, or completely off-topic. The most used words to describe its motions and behavior is naturally eerie.

Appearance:
Its body can change depending on the host it possesses, but one single trait will prominently distinguish it form others - the bark mask. This mask always remains, and the hosts are named "The Hollow". Never will it have visible eyes, and its also known for wearing as little clothes as possible. Depending on how long it has bound to the host corpse, runic markings or tattoos can be seen spreading from the crudely shaped half-mask to the upper torso.

His current form is an athletic middle aged male showing scars of battles witnessed. Long, straight black hair runs down to his middle back.




Skills



Enchanting:
This being is capable of reverse engineering and restructuring formulas for enchantments. Unlike the Bazaar with its seemingly limitless supply of core ingredients, this one must hunt and gather his own by means of blood or coin. Much like a smith forges a blade, enchantments are a factor of skill, time, effort, and finesse.

Foul Play:
This being is not a stranger to a fight, but does not care for primitive weapons. It is, however, familiar with the use of its fists, elbows, knees, and legs including their effective use in a skirmish. If a little bit of an edge is needed, it may employ the use of a small blade or stiletto.

Carving:
This one has the innate knowledge of working materials into crude tools, totems, and charms. It is masterful in it's ability to engrave designs and symbols into most media, whether physically or magically.

Reading:
It has existed for longer than it can remember. I may not retain knowledge as well over this time, but it can recognize varying text. It has a natural talent to decipher script into other vernacular although it may not be able to comprehend the contents.

Language:
It has learned many tongues and has heard many words. The knowledge imparted upon it was vast through time, but alas, with each new host body it has lost these ancient secrets. The only thing that remains is its ability to know a language and transpose it into another. Unfortunately, the subtleties of context and inflection may impair a true translation.

Appraisal:
This being is capable of discerning the identity and function of old or ancient items. It can feel and enchantment or divine its function. Unfortunately, it may not be able to explain the item's purpose or origin. It also cannot discern a market price as it cannot discern what going rates are.

Lore:
It can recognize and differentiate many forms of flora and fauna, mainly by what is used for its ingredients. It knows what is edible or deadly even though it doesn't need to eat.




Abilities



Eternal Existence:
This being is forever existent. It is has become a dark shadow or energy that has bound to a simple, yet indestructible mask. Without a host corpse it cannot effect the world through touch, sound, taste, or smell. If the host body expires, it will only be visible as a floating mask upon a phantom shade. It can travel for years or centuries without a host, but should it find one to its liking, it will enter through the eyes to take physical form. The host it possesses must have their eyes open, for it cannot enter through the shut, sealed, or destroyed. This binding of ethereal to flesh is not everlasting. Its mask can only stave off decay and rot for a limited time. The length of which is visibly determined by how much of the hos body is covered in runic scripture. This writing will crawl across the body until it has encompassed it's entirety at which point this being is forced out of it. The remaining body will decay rapidly and be reduced to dust within a matter of a few minutes. On average, it can hold a physical form for a little over three moons, or one season before having to seek another. If the host body becomes damaged beyond operation, it will also be forced to leave. That being said, this being is unable to feel pain and succumb to poisons. It will, however, be affected by the disruption of magic and can be forcibly dispelled from a corpse. At present, this one can only inhabit human sized creatures no larger than an adult orc and no smaller than a ten year old human. If it so desires, it may take form in animals (http://piratepad.net/ep/pad/view/ro.KSpo5DQrtYh762er/latest), however, those bodies are less practical and difficult to animate with any combat finesse. This one must become familiar with whatever host it takes, thus spending a minute or so acclimating. During this time, it is incapable of fine motor skill and useless in combat.

Energy Disruption:
It was born of energy and magic, bound to a timeless wooden mask. Although it cannot affect the world without a body, when it has animated its physical form, it is capable of disrupting the flow of energy in others. It is capable of this by touch, but only knows how to awaken the ability through forceful blows. Upon contact, its attacks are with an extra punch. Upon the living, dead, or animated these blows possess an additional stun felt immediately, but dwindles quickly like the pain of a normal blow. It can manifest as a headache, blurred vision, ringing ears, delayed movement (in non living) or slight knock back. Since this being is only as capable as its host, the actual contribution to a skirmish is minimal. It has no desire to fight, but will do so if it desires to remain physical.




Equipment



Armour:

Rags (clothing to cover sensitive bits)
Weapons:

Steel Stiletto
Miscellaneous:

Indestructible, Timeless, Enchanted, Bark-Wood Mask




History



How long has it been? I can’t seem to recall the beginning. Emptiness and darkness is all I have come to know as fact. I used to have my own body. That much seems familiar to me. I remember the symbols. These symbols could do amazing or horrible things. They were everything to me. I think they are why I’m stuck like this. I know the symbols on my mask, the only thing constant in my memory. Was I male or female? I don’t know. Whatever body I decide to wear is who I am, I suppose…

I want more than this. I want to remember. I want a purpose.

That’s what I’ll do, yes! These puppets I command; I will use them to discover the truth. I need to remember what I have lost in the darkness. I want to serve something more than just existing. These creatures of Althanas will give me what I need – they must have some information. Their trade involves these magicks I seem know. I need to seek its origin. I must stop being a shade.

I need to live.


This is a very vague character, but I would like to paint the backstory, name, and details through character growth. The intent is to recall it's origin and restore itself to a permanent living body. I don't want this character to be anything combat special, but more of a scholar. I'm completely open to suggestion and modifying for more clarity.

Max Dirks
11-07-13, 09:11 AM
Very cool character, Hollow.

Obviously you won't be able to take over a PC without their permission, but I think we should put some basic limitations on the types of NPC vessels Hollow can enter. For example, at level 1, if you wanted to enter a wolf, I think we could allow that, but I wouldn't be keen on him entering a 30 foot tall dragon. Let's put a size restriction on the vessel (e.g. humans and animals smaller than humans) and a decay rate. It might be easy to base this on the life span of the host. The longer the life expectancy, the longer it can last. I'd also like to have you add an additional limiter regarding the time it takes to transfer between living beings. The last thing I want to see at level 1 is a pack of wolves coming up on an adventurer that you can jump in and out of after each attack.

Please make the changes I've requested.

The Hollow
11-07-13, 12:04 PM
The decay rate for an average human was put in terms of three moons or three months. This should be good enough for maybe a few threads or so. It may be difficult to maintain an up to date appearance on the profile and I was wondering if you could allow some access to it after archiving. I expect a resounding "no" for multiple reasons, but as an alt, I have no need to make it all-mighty or make unapproved changes. I suppose I could go through character updates every time, too. Figure it would be less work.

Anyway, I added details describing type and sizes it can assume and added a "learning" delay for taking over a new host. This should allow any assaulting player to destroy the new host before it can move properly. Plus, these hosts can not be alive. They must be dead and "vacant". I would like to lock that learning delay in for all future levels. I highly doubt I want it to possess anything besides normal human corpses. I hadn't thought of possessing a PC, but they would have to be dead, not buried, not horribly destroyed, and not horribly decayed. Needs to be fresh and in "usable" condition. Could be a fascinating story arc, but chances of someone permitting that - 0.00001% give or take. XD They would have to agree with complete abolition of the character after it was done with it. So, although interesting, it's very unlikely.

Let me know if you need anything else elaborated upon. Feel free to offer input too.

Max Dirks
11-08-13, 09:50 AM
In order to keep it fair, I'm going to need some clarification.

The reason I'm having you do this is because certain animals give major advantages over others. For example, an eagle can fly & a turtle can swim. A cheetah can run faster than three men and a fox has greater perception than four men (per Wikipedia). All of these animals are smaller than an Orc (which seems to be your current upper limit), so I'm going to have to ask you to specify the types of animals you can enter. I don't need you to list each one, but I need more finite restrictions than size. Thank you sir.

The Hollow
11-08-13, 11:26 AM
Since I'm not too partial on keeping the character as an animal or would I ever want to use it in a fight, I can see the potential story value in it.

Please click the "Animal" link to be taken to restrictions and specific animals. No flight allowed. All possessed animals operate at 50% potential. Options for sea travel - no fish. No exceptionally large creatures. No human hybrids. No magical abilities. And again, the host body must be dead and unaltered. Therefore, "young" fauna is exceptionally rare compared to adults. Animal breeds must be large enough to fit the mask over the eyes. If the mask does not fit, it cannot be possessed. If these are still to vague, I will remove the animal aspect all together. I don't intend combat use until level 10+.

Max Dirks
11-08-13, 12:20 PM
You and your Piratepads.

I'm approving you a bit strong, please do not powergame!