Mark
07-25-07, 11:19 AM
Name: Mark Freedman
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Appearance
Mark is an individual of indistinct features, a fact that gives him no pause for complaint. With very short brown hair upon his crown and peppering his jaw, he is just under six feet tall and weighs hardly 160 lbs.; the young man’s stature is unimposing but clearly suited for mobility. A pale complexion has resulted from a majority of his years being spent indoors during the Salvic winters, but recent times of traveling have begun to develop a more weathered appearance. Perhaps the most striking trait of Mark’s is found upon his mostly nondescript face: dark brown-red eyes that occasionally shine deep garnet.
Behavior
Dispassionate, calculated, cautious—or at least that’s what he tries to be. As a 20-year-old young man, though, these traits do not come naturally. A youthful idealism may cloud his thoughts occasionally, as might a provoked temper. Mark has observed the superiority of the strong and cunning, so in the spirit of self-preservation and competition, he tries to model his behavior after that of a hunter. He strives to remove himself from systems of exploitation so that not only is he unexploited, but also so his success is not indirectly held up by the exploitation of others. For all of its merits, the rule of civilized law does not signal a step away from the law of the jungle. Rather, for Mark, it is built upon that wilderness and for a variety of reasons could come crashing back down. Thus, he has made it his purpose to learn the rules of this elaborate game to avoid his own subjugation by businessmen, bureaucrats, or outright thugs. In his mind, only when he helps himself can he help others.
History
Mark has mostly forsaken his past. He grew up comfortably in feudal Salvar, thanks to the sweat and blood of a lesser class. His childhood consisted of swallowing the king’s propaganda and shooting targets with his wealthy extended family. Upon reaching adolescence, he finally pursued his own education and shed his dependence on the subjugation of others—when he did these things he began to understand how the world spun. Refusing to live off of others’ misery and to acquiesce to the powerful, Mark found himself heading eastward from Salvar and his family via a trade vessel. He ended his journey in the sprawling port of Radasanth with a new name (he’s not very creative) and a yearning for a fresh start. Talk of the civil war was what drew him; the island’s society was being renewed and overturned, perfect conditions for him to establish a comfortable spot in whatever social structure turned out. It was too early for him to know which side had the upper hand, and thus, which side he would commit to.
Skills (follow craftsmanship-like rubric)
Survival—Although he wishes to learn, Mark has hardly any experience in wilderness survival but can hunt easy game. His instincts are mainly oriented toward civilization; he can hold his own in a close battle by means of agility and evasion, and is knowledgeable of escaping the physical and rhetorical traps of men. Though he does not necessarily use his expertise in a similar manner as a thief, Mark’s talents of quickness, stealth, and escape artistry are a notch above your average rogue.
Awareness—A particular skill closely related to his survival prowess, but nevertheless deserving its own explanation. Having a political and economic curiosity and a loathing of being duped, Mark has developed a rogue’s sixth sense. The foe could be a lying individual, or a thief skulking about, or even a magician working false impressions. His ability of sniffing out these traps is currently “above average” among similar practitioners, which means that Mark is almost never caught unaware or fooled without at least a fleeting sense of wariness. That said, awareness is not omniscience, and even a sense of a caution can be misleading of the danger’s nature.
Marksmanship—He has been around multi-piece ranged weapons for most of his life growing up in Salvar. Despite having been trained in the use of a bow and arrows, Mark was never quite interested enough to develop his skills past most novices (two notches below average). Having a weapon on hand, whether or not one knows how to use it well, still sends a message to would-be predators, so Mark continues to wield his Salvic bow.
Equipment
Bow—A composite recurve bow that is approximately three feet tall; its size allows for increased maneuverability, but it does not have the range of a longbow. It is constructed of the usual bone-wood-sinew of other composite bows, with materials found in Salvar: buffalo horn, imported yew wood, and deer sinew held together with the gelatin of fish gas bladders, improving its resistance to moisture.
Arrows and quiver—Mark has a quiver attached to his belt that can carry about twenty arrows, depending on the wood used for their construction. Sometimes he opts to sling it over his back for ease of movement. Quiver is currently full (20 oak arrows).
Miscellaneous—A flask for water, a pouch for beef jerky, a kit for iron lock-picks. Cotton clothing is his preferred attire and broken-in leather “sneakers” protect his feet. A hooded, wool cloak is used against the elements or suspicious eyes.
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Appearance
Mark is an individual of indistinct features, a fact that gives him no pause for complaint. With very short brown hair upon his crown and peppering his jaw, he is just under six feet tall and weighs hardly 160 lbs.; the young man’s stature is unimposing but clearly suited for mobility. A pale complexion has resulted from a majority of his years being spent indoors during the Salvic winters, but recent times of traveling have begun to develop a more weathered appearance. Perhaps the most striking trait of Mark’s is found upon his mostly nondescript face: dark brown-red eyes that occasionally shine deep garnet.
Behavior
Dispassionate, calculated, cautious—or at least that’s what he tries to be. As a 20-year-old young man, though, these traits do not come naturally. A youthful idealism may cloud his thoughts occasionally, as might a provoked temper. Mark has observed the superiority of the strong and cunning, so in the spirit of self-preservation and competition, he tries to model his behavior after that of a hunter. He strives to remove himself from systems of exploitation so that not only is he unexploited, but also so his success is not indirectly held up by the exploitation of others. For all of its merits, the rule of civilized law does not signal a step away from the law of the jungle. Rather, for Mark, it is built upon that wilderness and for a variety of reasons could come crashing back down. Thus, he has made it his purpose to learn the rules of this elaborate game to avoid his own subjugation by businessmen, bureaucrats, or outright thugs. In his mind, only when he helps himself can he help others.
History
Mark has mostly forsaken his past. He grew up comfortably in feudal Salvar, thanks to the sweat and blood of a lesser class. His childhood consisted of swallowing the king’s propaganda and shooting targets with his wealthy extended family. Upon reaching adolescence, he finally pursued his own education and shed his dependence on the subjugation of others—when he did these things he began to understand how the world spun. Refusing to live off of others’ misery and to acquiesce to the powerful, Mark found himself heading eastward from Salvar and his family via a trade vessel. He ended his journey in the sprawling port of Radasanth with a new name (he’s not very creative) and a yearning for a fresh start. Talk of the civil war was what drew him; the island’s society was being renewed and overturned, perfect conditions for him to establish a comfortable spot in whatever social structure turned out. It was too early for him to know which side had the upper hand, and thus, which side he would commit to.
Skills (follow craftsmanship-like rubric)
Survival—Although he wishes to learn, Mark has hardly any experience in wilderness survival but can hunt easy game. His instincts are mainly oriented toward civilization; he can hold his own in a close battle by means of agility and evasion, and is knowledgeable of escaping the physical and rhetorical traps of men. Though he does not necessarily use his expertise in a similar manner as a thief, Mark’s talents of quickness, stealth, and escape artistry are a notch above your average rogue.
Awareness—A particular skill closely related to his survival prowess, but nevertheless deserving its own explanation. Having a political and economic curiosity and a loathing of being duped, Mark has developed a rogue’s sixth sense. The foe could be a lying individual, or a thief skulking about, or even a magician working false impressions. His ability of sniffing out these traps is currently “above average” among similar practitioners, which means that Mark is almost never caught unaware or fooled without at least a fleeting sense of wariness. That said, awareness is not omniscience, and even a sense of a caution can be misleading of the danger’s nature.
Marksmanship—He has been around multi-piece ranged weapons for most of his life growing up in Salvar. Despite having been trained in the use of a bow and arrows, Mark was never quite interested enough to develop his skills past most novices (two notches below average). Having a weapon on hand, whether or not one knows how to use it well, still sends a message to would-be predators, so Mark continues to wield his Salvic bow.
Equipment
Bow—A composite recurve bow that is approximately three feet tall; its size allows for increased maneuverability, but it does not have the range of a longbow. It is constructed of the usual bone-wood-sinew of other composite bows, with materials found in Salvar: buffalo horn, imported yew wood, and deer sinew held together with the gelatin of fish gas bladders, improving its resistance to moisture.
Arrows and quiver—Mark has a quiver attached to his belt that can carry about twenty arrows, depending on the wood used for their construction. Sometimes he opts to sling it over his back for ease of movement. Quiver is currently full (20 oak arrows).
Miscellaneous—A flask for water, a pouch for beef jerky, a kit for iron lock-picks. Cotton clothing is his preferred attire and broken-in leather “sneakers” protect his feet. A hooded, wool cloak is used against the elements or suspicious eyes.