Bleater
09-18-07, 08:33 PM
Updates are in an oh so sexy shade of Carribean Green
Name: William Caprus Steinbock
Age: 37
Race: Capra Nubiana (Goat)
Hair Color: Tan/Black
Eye Color: Yellow
Height: 5' 1" bipedal (usual), 2' 1" quadripedal
Weight: 118 lb
Occupation: Engineer
Languages: Caprian (Goatspeak), Elven, Tradespeak
Personality:
William has an air of sophisticaton about him, often speaking with a british accent almost to the point of cariacture. He likes operatic music, hot tea, fine cigars, and brandy immensely. He is very intelligent, though can be stubborn as a goat (pardon the pun). As with people born under the western zodiac sign of the goat- Capricorn- William is ambitious and patient. As with those born under the chinese zodiac sign of the goat, he is creative but introverted and a meticulous perfectionist. He absolutely hates when people shorten his name to "Billy." He is a bit sarcastic when dealing with the common humanoid races; due to an underlying bitterness over years of scorn and prejudice from them. He is also very sympathetic, a bit of a softie. He loves young children and elderly people. And he often sees soldiers and swordsman as brutish and uncivilized. He has a fascination both with magical arts as well as mechanical technology. Where he has had a generally aloof and meek demeanor before, William has found his patience worn more and more thin lately, and is more likely to stand up to opposition than back down and run as before.
Appearance:
William just like what he is: a walking, talking goat. He has dark tan fur with a black streak running down his chest. He has another black streak that runs from his nose straight up between his eyes and horns and to the back of his neck. He also has a pair of horns that are 18" long and curve back over his head. He has cleft hooves which he has learned to use for gripping object, though he lacks the manual dexterity of humanoid fingers. He has a keen sense of fashion (another trait shared by those born in the Year of the Goat), and generally wears a tailored silk vest. Regretably, it is much too difficult for him to find properly tailored pants or shirts that fit his frame, and he is unable to tie a necktie with his hooves. He does however wear a monocle periodically, it is kept tied to his vest by a thin chain.
History:
I do say, it really gets my goat- no pun intended- that knowledge is so oft overlooked these days. Academics is a scholarly pursuit, and should be revered, but these young rabberdasher kids- again, pun not intended- these days only seem interested in learning to swing a sword. Barbaric. Give me a good book and a nice brandy any day over that savagery.
Once an intelligent human student who enrolled at Istien University at the age of 14, William hoped to learn the wonders of bardic magic. However, a student who he had become study partners with changed that. The other student was learning transmutation, and stumbled upon a spell much too powerful for him. While he succeeded in the casting, it had a disasterous result- he irrevokably transformed William into a goat!
While he retained his intelligence, his knowledge of magic, and the ability to speak human tongues, he was vastly changed and spent the next several years trying to adapt to life as a talking goat. A scholar, he kept his refined airs as he became acclaimated, considering himself a gentleman who merely looks slightly different than other people.
Ah, yes... learning to deal with the "public". I never was a social butterfly, but becoming a candidate for the local fair's livestock show will put a damper on a gentleman's social graces rather quickly. It took time to learn how to get along with this lot again, but someone of my refinement and graces always finds a way.
Despite dealing with judgements and prejudices from the people around him, William learned to integrate back into society, and resumed his scholarly pursuits, changing his focus from magical arts to engineering. He was a brilliant pupil and took to his studies meticulously, earning high marks and a degree in Engineering. He moved and got a job in Anebrilith, where he worked on helping to improve and maintain the irrigation system of the city. He bought a house there, and was enjoying his life, despite the few irritations he would run into from rare but recurring discriminations. His fascination with technology continued, and at the same time his interest in magic rekindled. He studied both, and had contemplated the idea of trying to integrate them together: designing technology that utilizes or runs off of magic. This pursuit however, has been fruitless thus far.
My dream has been futile up to this point, but it drives me. If I cannot find my answers at home, I will have to emigrate for the time being. This is a dream I must realize if I am ever to find fulfillment.
Several months ago, his interest in expanding his knowledge in engineering led him to leave Raiaera and travel to Ettermire to study the advanced technologies there. Due to rising tensions and war preparations, he has been prevented from leaving Alerar to return to his homeland. While forced to remain in the nation, he has not been officially improsoned, nor has he officially tried to flee. Thus far all attempts have been for legitimate and legal immigration, which have not been successful; nor does he expect they will.
While his nation of origin ws not publically known- at best he would be a refugee or hostage, at worst he'd be executed- he had roused a few suspicions with his requests to leave. Having been approached by several "officials", he believes he is being held in order to help Alerar in designs against Raiaera, as well as prevent his knowledge of their technologies from reaching his homeland.
War. How profane that three letters have turned me into a prisoner without a jailer, living in a cell without bars.
William's suspicions were proven right. The Aleranians were watching him, and noted the few times he tried to slip through the border back to his homeland. While conducting some personal research, he was finally approached. Though he fled the first encounter, he found himself trapped when he was approached the following day; he was detained by official guards and brought to a facility for interrogation. There he was faced with Herzog Scalaar Kresk, a government official for Alerar who began making inquiries into his attempts at exiting the nation. Despite rough treatment from the guards and the watchful eye of Kresk, William managed to convincingly decieve the official enough to get out of the rough spot.
Weeks later, though, Kresk would have him. Called back in to answer for himself, William had found that the Herzog had done further research and knew the truth about his Raiaeran heritage. Rather than risking the political snafu of having an academic held as a political prisoner, Kresk approached William after two days of torture with a proposal: To sever his ties to Raiaera and defect to Alerar in exchange for amnesty. In addition, William was to lead an Aleraran military force into the Gisela contest, though the reasons given to him were deceptions to push the proposal along. Ultimately, William accepted the terms, giving up his allegiance and reluctantly becoming a citizen of Alerar.
Skills:
Silver Tongue - Having used the practice of lies to survive two interrogations- one while being tortured- William has used his knowledge of magic to come up with a way to enhance this skill. For one post per thread, the spell allows any lies William may tell to be automatically regarded as truth. This spell does not change someone's perceived reality, so if the lies are directly contradicted by physical evidence, the subjects will see through the lies. Likewise, the lies must be at least somewhat believable, otherwise they would similarly fail. Some examples of what would succeed might include William claiming an event happened but fell momentarily out of someone's recollection ("But I already paid for this meal, remember?") or plausible situations ("Your business partner's been skimming money from you"). Examples of what wouldn't succeed might include obvious falsehoods ("But you don't even have a sword at your side to attack me with") or nearly impossible circumstances ("I'm the King of Alerar, I'm just in disguise") Per the name of the spell, when William uses it, a silver colored streak appears on his tongue.
Bleat - This spell is activated as it's name suggests; Steinbock opens his mouth and lets out a loud bleating roar. This bleat is much louder than a usual goat's, and creates a small cone [extends roughly 10 feet] of magic waves. A person struck by these waves gets the sensation that they are weighed down and that their limbs are very heavy. This reduces the speed of all physical activity by roughly 30%. In addition to magical slowness, they tire more easily, as they are having to exert their muscles more for physical activity. The effect lasts about 10 minutes. Using this spell makes Steinbock's throat sore, rendering him unable to use it again for several hours. (Unable to use more than once every 10 posts maximum.) This spell is considered both Earth Magic and Bardic Magic, and has no effect on those immune to those magic types.
Digestive Fortitude - Due to his very strong teeth and digestive tract, can eat anything of a hardness equal to or less than tin. Because he has four stomachs, anything he eats that cannot be digested can be safely regurgitated with no ill effects.
Engineering - Being a brilliant engineer, he is able to design and oversee the production of machines. More recently, he has been refining his knowledge to be more specialized in aeronautics, through studying airship (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53148&postcount=2) and zeppelin designs (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53148&postcount=4). Simple machines such as a crank-wheel or pulley system could be designed in a day or two. Moderate creations such as a furnace or water piping would take about a week. Advanced technologies- such as seige engines or steam machines- would take between two and four weeks to design, and likely require cooperation of other engineers.
*Note that he cannot create the machines himself, merely design and create schematics or bluebrints for them.
Running - Though he prefers walking bipedally, if on all fours he can run at roughly 1.5 times the speed of an average human.
Equipment:
Golden pocketwatch with chain.
Leather satchel for carrying books.
Two books on Basic Magic Theory, One book on Industrial Design
Box of cigars
Monacle
Tailored, blue silk vestwith two pockets and gold buttons.
His home in Anebrilith will be seized once word of William's defection reaches Raiaera, and auctioned by the state. Therefore, he loses that from his possessions.
NPC:
Scalaar Kresk
Nationality: Aleranian
Title: Herzog
Race: Drow
Location: Ettermire, Alerar
Titled as a Herzog (a mid-ranking official) for Alerar, Kresk is a reoccuring character who often acts as William's antagonist. Having been his interrogator and the one responsible for his amnesty agreement, Kresk is often comparable to being William's nemesis: He's powerful enough to put William into unpleasant situations, and the goat can't seem to get out from under his thumb. While not inherently evil, Kresk is a stauch nationalist, and as such feels he must contain and punish William for his prior deceptions and his Raiaeran origins. Kresk's skills displayed are largely only charisma and diplomatic finesse, though it's an underlying assumption that he is from a military background. Due to his political power and title, Herzog Kresk does have a small contingent of personal guards that he commands for protection and to handle his errands (numbering roughly a half dozen).
__________________
Level 0
I do say, my good man, would you happen to have a cigar on you?
Quests:
-Hiding In Plain Sight *complete*
-Venture Into The Dark
Name: William Caprus Steinbock
Age: 37
Race: Capra Nubiana (Goat)
Hair Color: Tan/Black
Eye Color: Yellow
Height: 5' 1" bipedal (usual), 2' 1" quadripedal
Weight: 118 lb
Occupation: Engineer
Languages: Caprian (Goatspeak), Elven, Tradespeak
Personality:
William has an air of sophisticaton about him, often speaking with a british accent almost to the point of cariacture. He likes operatic music, hot tea, fine cigars, and brandy immensely. He is very intelligent, though can be stubborn as a goat (pardon the pun). As with people born under the western zodiac sign of the goat- Capricorn- William is ambitious and patient. As with those born under the chinese zodiac sign of the goat, he is creative but introverted and a meticulous perfectionist. He absolutely hates when people shorten his name to "Billy." He is a bit sarcastic when dealing with the common humanoid races; due to an underlying bitterness over years of scorn and prejudice from them. He is also very sympathetic, a bit of a softie. He loves young children and elderly people. And he often sees soldiers and swordsman as brutish and uncivilized. He has a fascination both with magical arts as well as mechanical technology. Where he has had a generally aloof and meek demeanor before, William has found his patience worn more and more thin lately, and is more likely to stand up to opposition than back down and run as before.
Appearance:
William just like what he is: a walking, talking goat. He has dark tan fur with a black streak running down his chest. He has another black streak that runs from his nose straight up between his eyes and horns and to the back of his neck. He also has a pair of horns that are 18" long and curve back over his head. He has cleft hooves which he has learned to use for gripping object, though he lacks the manual dexterity of humanoid fingers. He has a keen sense of fashion (another trait shared by those born in the Year of the Goat), and generally wears a tailored silk vest. Regretably, it is much too difficult for him to find properly tailored pants or shirts that fit his frame, and he is unable to tie a necktie with his hooves. He does however wear a monocle periodically, it is kept tied to his vest by a thin chain.
History:
I do say, it really gets my goat- no pun intended- that knowledge is so oft overlooked these days. Academics is a scholarly pursuit, and should be revered, but these young rabberdasher kids- again, pun not intended- these days only seem interested in learning to swing a sword. Barbaric. Give me a good book and a nice brandy any day over that savagery.
Once an intelligent human student who enrolled at Istien University at the age of 14, William hoped to learn the wonders of bardic magic. However, a student who he had become study partners with changed that. The other student was learning transmutation, and stumbled upon a spell much too powerful for him. While he succeeded in the casting, it had a disasterous result- he irrevokably transformed William into a goat!
While he retained his intelligence, his knowledge of magic, and the ability to speak human tongues, he was vastly changed and spent the next several years trying to adapt to life as a talking goat. A scholar, he kept his refined airs as he became acclaimated, considering himself a gentleman who merely looks slightly different than other people.
Ah, yes... learning to deal with the "public". I never was a social butterfly, but becoming a candidate for the local fair's livestock show will put a damper on a gentleman's social graces rather quickly. It took time to learn how to get along with this lot again, but someone of my refinement and graces always finds a way.
Despite dealing with judgements and prejudices from the people around him, William learned to integrate back into society, and resumed his scholarly pursuits, changing his focus from magical arts to engineering. He was a brilliant pupil and took to his studies meticulously, earning high marks and a degree in Engineering. He moved and got a job in Anebrilith, where he worked on helping to improve and maintain the irrigation system of the city. He bought a house there, and was enjoying his life, despite the few irritations he would run into from rare but recurring discriminations. His fascination with technology continued, and at the same time his interest in magic rekindled. He studied both, and had contemplated the idea of trying to integrate them together: designing technology that utilizes or runs off of magic. This pursuit however, has been fruitless thus far.
My dream has been futile up to this point, but it drives me. If I cannot find my answers at home, I will have to emigrate for the time being. This is a dream I must realize if I am ever to find fulfillment.
Several months ago, his interest in expanding his knowledge in engineering led him to leave Raiaera and travel to Ettermire to study the advanced technologies there. Due to rising tensions and war preparations, he has been prevented from leaving Alerar to return to his homeland. While forced to remain in the nation, he has not been officially improsoned, nor has he officially tried to flee. Thus far all attempts have been for legitimate and legal immigration, which have not been successful; nor does he expect they will.
While his nation of origin ws not publically known- at best he would be a refugee or hostage, at worst he'd be executed- he had roused a few suspicions with his requests to leave. Having been approached by several "officials", he believes he is being held in order to help Alerar in designs against Raiaera, as well as prevent his knowledge of their technologies from reaching his homeland.
War. How profane that three letters have turned me into a prisoner without a jailer, living in a cell without bars.
William's suspicions were proven right. The Aleranians were watching him, and noted the few times he tried to slip through the border back to his homeland. While conducting some personal research, he was finally approached. Though he fled the first encounter, he found himself trapped when he was approached the following day; he was detained by official guards and brought to a facility for interrogation. There he was faced with Herzog Scalaar Kresk, a government official for Alerar who began making inquiries into his attempts at exiting the nation. Despite rough treatment from the guards and the watchful eye of Kresk, William managed to convincingly decieve the official enough to get out of the rough spot.
Weeks later, though, Kresk would have him. Called back in to answer for himself, William had found that the Herzog had done further research and knew the truth about his Raiaeran heritage. Rather than risking the political snafu of having an academic held as a political prisoner, Kresk approached William after two days of torture with a proposal: To sever his ties to Raiaera and defect to Alerar in exchange for amnesty. In addition, William was to lead an Aleraran military force into the Gisela contest, though the reasons given to him were deceptions to push the proposal along. Ultimately, William accepted the terms, giving up his allegiance and reluctantly becoming a citizen of Alerar.
Skills:
Silver Tongue - Having used the practice of lies to survive two interrogations- one while being tortured- William has used his knowledge of magic to come up with a way to enhance this skill. For one post per thread, the spell allows any lies William may tell to be automatically regarded as truth. This spell does not change someone's perceived reality, so if the lies are directly contradicted by physical evidence, the subjects will see through the lies. Likewise, the lies must be at least somewhat believable, otherwise they would similarly fail. Some examples of what would succeed might include William claiming an event happened but fell momentarily out of someone's recollection ("But I already paid for this meal, remember?") or plausible situations ("Your business partner's been skimming money from you"). Examples of what wouldn't succeed might include obvious falsehoods ("But you don't even have a sword at your side to attack me with") or nearly impossible circumstances ("I'm the King of Alerar, I'm just in disguise") Per the name of the spell, when William uses it, a silver colored streak appears on his tongue.
Bleat - This spell is activated as it's name suggests; Steinbock opens his mouth and lets out a loud bleating roar. This bleat is much louder than a usual goat's, and creates a small cone [extends roughly 10 feet] of magic waves. A person struck by these waves gets the sensation that they are weighed down and that their limbs are very heavy. This reduces the speed of all physical activity by roughly 30%. In addition to magical slowness, they tire more easily, as they are having to exert their muscles more for physical activity. The effect lasts about 10 minutes. Using this spell makes Steinbock's throat sore, rendering him unable to use it again for several hours. (Unable to use more than once every 10 posts maximum.) This spell is considered both Earth Magic and Bardic Magic, and has no effect on those immune to those magic types.
Digestive Fortitude - Due to his very strong teeth and digestive tract, can eat anything of a hardness equal to or less than tin. Because he has four stomachs, anything he eats that cannot be digested can be safely regurgitated with no ill effects.
Engineering - Being a brilliant engineer, he is able to design and oversee the production of machines. More recently, he has been refining his knowledge to be more specialized in aeronautics, through studying airship (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53148&postcount=2) and zeppelin designs (http://www.althanas.com/world/showpost.php?p=53148&postcount=4). Simple machines such as a crank-wheel or pulley system could be designed in a day or two. Moderate creations such as a furnace or water piping would take about a week. Advanced technologies- such as seige engines or steam machines- would take between two and four weeks to design, and likely require cooperation of other engineers.
*Note that he cannot create the machines himself, merely design and create schematics or bluebrints for them.
Running - Though he prefers walking bipedally, if on all fours he can run at roughly 1.5 times the speed of an average human.
Equipment:
Golden pocketwatch with chain.
Leather satchel for carrying books.
Two books on Basic Magic Theory, One book on Industrial Design
Box of cigars
Monacle
Tailored, blue silk vestwith two pockets and gold buttons.
His home in Anebrilith will be seized once word of William's defection reaches Raiaera, and auctioned by the state. Therefore, he loses that from his possessions.
NPC:
Scalaar Kresk
Nationality: Aleranian
Title: Herzog
Race: Drow
Location: Ettermire, Alerar
Titled as a Herzog (a mid-ranking official) for Alerar, Kresk is a reoccuring character who often acts as William's antagonist. Having been his interrogator and the one responsible for his amnesty agreement, Kresk is often comparable to being William's nemesis: He's powerful enough to put William into unpleasant situations, and the goat can't seem to get out from under his thumb. While not inherently evil, Kresk is a stauch nationalist, and as such feels he must contain and punish William for his prior deceptions and his Raiaeran origins. Kresk's skills displayed are largely only charisma and diplomatic finesse, though it's an underlying assumption that he is from a military background. Due to his political power and title, Herzog Kresk does have a small contingent of personal guards that he commands for protection and to handle his errands (numbering roughly a half dozen).
__________________
Level 0
I do say, my good man, would you happen to have a cigar on you?
Quests:
-Hiding In Plain Sight *complete*
-Venture Into The Dark