Jake Narmolanya
10-07-07, 07:17 PM
Re-registering the renowned archer.
EXP: 5000 (it was more than this, but all I remember is Jake was level 2. If necessary, I’m sure a few people could vouch for me.)
GP: 2000
Level 1 Updates in Green
Level 2 Updates in Red[/Red]
Name: Jacob (Jake) Narmolanya
Age: 17
Race: Half-elf
Alignment: Neutral
Gender: Male
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 131 lbs.
Eyes: Bright Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Occupation: horsethief/amateur demon hunter
Appearance
Since beginning his adventures on Althanas, and with the Bandit Brotherhood, Jake’s appearance has changed considerably. There are two purely white scar marks on his well-tanned neck. The marks are small circles, about half the size of a dime, and getting them nearly cost Jake his life. They came from an encounter with a vampire, in which Jake was bit. Fortunately, he slew the vampire before it could drink his blood. These marks are on the left side of his neck, and he has two matching ones on the palm of his right hand, where he clenched the teeth tightly in a fist.
Besides his scars, Jake has changed a good deal. He has grown two inches to accompany his 16th Birthday, and gained about ten pounds. The gain in weight is mostly muscle mass, but he does not have any real muscle definition yet. The boy’s entire growth happened in his legs, which have stretched out the two inches. His hands and feet have also grown slightly. The freckles on Jake’s cheeks are fading, but are still there. He looks as slim as ever, but his fair skin has now become nicely tanned, and stays that way due to the long hours he spends outdoors.
Jake has come to grips with the fact that he is a half-elf, and it is beginning to show. His ears are slightly pointed, if less than an elf’s ears are, and he is beginning to develop some of the elven beauty (or handsomeness, as he prefers to call it) which runs in his veins. All in all, he’s got to be the cutest kid on Althanas.
Jake finally seems to have grown up a bit, and is beginning to look less like a boy and more like a young man. His torso stretched out a good inch, making him seem less awkward, and on a good day, he might be able to turn a woman’s head.
Generally Jake can be found seated upon his horse, Gunner. Gunner is a small horse, with sturdy legs. He is mostly brown, with an odd white pattern on his nose and ankles. Jake’s clothing varies, from wool and linen to silk and sifan cloth, depending on his mood. One trait which he is rarely without is his cloth cap, which generally contains his unruly brown hair. Unless he has taken it into his mind to wash himself, Jake’s face is normally somewhat dirty, mimicking his hands and fingers.
Personality
Jake has many traits which make him a unique character.
Innocence- Jake nearly always has a certain “air of innocence” about him. His freckly cheeks and brilliant blue eyes help this especially. Jake’s natural innocence has gotten him out of tight situations more times than he can count.
Perpetual Happiness- Jake is seldom seen sad. He can most definitely feel sad, but it will take him only a moment’s distraction to forget all about his sorrow. Since he has seen so little of the world, it takes only a small thing to fascinate Jake, or improve his sentiment.
Charismatic- Whether in a group of friends, one on one, or meeting a stranger, Jake is always friendly and easygoing. He can be viewed as “the life of the party” in any group from kids his own age up to adults. The only time that Jake gets nervous around people is when he is in a large group of people he doesn’t know.
Infatuation- Jake, at his young age, and as immature and naive as they come, is known to fall in love at the drop of a hat. Any pretty girl who smiles at him can win his heart instantly, and he will at once commence his attempts at “courting” said maiden. Unlike many other boys however, Jake does not turn red in the face and mumble when a girl looks at him. It is then that he will become most articulate, and begin talking a mile a minute in hopes of striking his loved one’s interest.
Devil-may-care- This is not a trait Jake has naturally. It is something he strives for. Jake will often try to act like nothing bothers him. This falls in with his infatuation. The more beautiful women there are around, the more Jake will try to remain impartial to what goes on around him... “cool”.
Easy Going- Jake is very easy going. It takes a lot to make him angry, and he is forever being known for not holding grudges and giving everyone a second chance.
Instinct of a Thief- Jake has always loved stealing things. One might almost call him a kleptomaniac, except for the fact that he does need what he steals. Normally. But even when he was a child and living with a rich family, Jake could never resist snatching the fat purse hanging off of someone’s belt.
Reckless Exaggerator- Jake adores telling stories, and being the centre of attention. If he is telling a story about himself, he is known to “spice things up” a little. He didn’t stomp on the guard’s foot and run- he feathered six swordsmen with crooked arrows from a broken bow, and escaped by a second!
Storyteller- As aforementioned, Jake adores telling stories. His tendency to exaggerate has made him quite a good liar. He can lie straight faced with the best of them, and will often tell lies when he doesn’t need to-just for the fun of outwitting someone.
Prankster- Jake cannot resist playing pranks on people. He is particularly attracted to duping those who are snobbish or full of themselves.
Inventory
*1 liviol tonfa, taken from a slain demon.
*1- nihon redwood re-curve bow
*10- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, standard broadpoint iron (tier 1) arrowheads
*11- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, armor piercing steel (tier 2) arrowheads
*5- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, flaming arrowhead (rags soaked in lamp oil)
*5- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, blunt steel (tier 2) arrowhead
*24 Titanium and Cyper arrows, standard broadpoint, purchased at the Bazaar.
*12 Titanium and Cyper arrows, specially designed to pierce armor, purchased at the Bazaar.
*1- oak (tier 1)/tanned leather bracer for left arm
*2- extra bowstrings
*1- lump of beeswax
*1- yew (tier 2) collapsible fishing pole
*2- extra fishing line and hooks
*1- tanned leather/canvas backpack
*1- cloth cap
*1- coil of rope (20M)
*1- fine wool cloak w/silk interior, “Narmolanya” embroidered between shoulders
*1- iron (tier 1) three-pronged grappling hook
*1- horse (“Gunner”), saddle, bridle etc.
*1 Iron dagger, with a five point star engraved in the hilt. A gift from “The Sheriff”.
*1Paperback novel on Demon Hunting, written by a man named Tawn.
*Items purchased at RH Outpost: Thick wool blanket, bag of tinder, novel on Wilderness Survival (How not to die out of doors.)
*Eagle Feather- A fine quill made from a golden eagle’s feather, this is one of Jake’s most prized possessions. The quill has several magical properties (See skills/talents.)
*Various garments made from wool, linen, silk, sifan cloth
Skills/Talents
Archery- Jake knows how to use different kinds of bows. He knows how to take care of them, how to find the right size for himself, and how to make/repair bows and arrows.
Last Updated: Level 2 Marksmanship- Jake is an excellent shot with a bow. Shooting is the only kind of fighting he really excelled at before he left home, as he simply enjoys and dedicates himself to his bows and arrows. He can hit a bullseye which is two inches in diameter nine out of then times from up to forty paces. Jake’s skill with a bow has advanced further over time, and he can now hit the same bullseye from about 60 paces, as well as the fact that his form/style has become very professional.
Last Updated: Level 2 Swordfighting- Jake was trained with many different kinds of blades, but never really excelled at using them. His training mostly involved longswords. Despite all his training with them, Jake never became a good duellist. This is mainly from lack of confidence. When faced with a foe, Jake has no trouble shooting his enemy with an arrow, but grows nervous as soon as it comes to melee combat. For this reason he is apt to forget the proper forms and stances while fighting, often resulting in injury. Some experience with a blade, and, even more so, a crash-course in the art of the sword from Damon Kaosi has advanced Jake’s skill. He is now slightly more confident with a blade.Jake is now above average with a blade, and has improved greatly. His improvement comes from a good deal of practice “in the field”. He has also learned to use the liviol tonfa as a wooden fencing stick, mainly for defence and disarming.
Horses- Jake is an excellent horseman, and enjoys riding horses. He has such a natural “way” with horses that it resulted in his way of living-stealing them.
Agility- Jake’s slim form gives him great agility. He is able to perform feats which would greatly trouble most adults, such as scaling walls and trees, climbing ropes and avoiding obstacles. This ability is also a great asset to Jake in fighting. Since he is not great at melee combat, his strategy often involves dodging attacks, running away then shooting his foe from a safe distance.
Persuasive Talker- Whether he is trying to convince someone of something, lying, begging, or just talking, Jake has a definite way with words. He isn’t often caught when stealing horses, but up till this point he has always managed to talk his way out of any sticky situations.
Tactics- Although he has not had any field experience whatsoever, part of Jake’s education included combat tactics. He knows all the basics, as well as many finer points, but will soon discover that real combat is different from that drawn upon maps.
Trickster- Jake has an incredible knack for playing practical jokes or duping people in a manner that actually works. He will often use these methods to snatch purses or wallets from people’s belts while they are distracted.
Stamina- Like all athletic young boys, Jake seems to be able to run all day. Of course he can’t actually run all day, but he can run for a good period of time at a decent speed.
Hunting/Tracking- Jake relies on small game for many of his regular meals. He is adept at tracking, killing, skinning and cooking animals of all sizes, but he tends to stick to the smaller ones. After all, who can eat a whole deer?
Fishing- For variety, Jake can also fish quite well. When bored, he has been known to throw bait into shallow water and stand waist deep with an arrow on his bow, hoping to shoot a fish. However, when he does not have an entire day to waste, Jake can fish using his pole very well.
Intelligence- Jake is smart. Yup.
General Knowledge- One of those little kids who seem to know something about everything. Once again however, Jake will soon discover that knowledge in books is different from knowledge gained from experience.
Demon Knowledge- After reading a lengthy book written by a renowned demon hunter, Jake has a fair knowledge of different demons and how to kill them.
Quill Abilities: Jake’s magical quill can do the following;
-Function as an ordinary quill
-Point to any demon within 100 yards, after Jake says “Lead me”.
-Take 1 ability from the corpse of a demon which Jake himself has slain. Jake will then be able to use that ability through the quill. This must be done within 5 minutes of the demon’s death. After the ability is taken, the Demon’s corpse will fade to nothingness.
*Current quill abilities...
1) Fiery Blade- With a thought, Jake can transform the quill into a sword of fire. The hilt of the sword is made of iron, with a leather wrapped handle, and was once the hilt of a longsword which was broken. The blade now has the strength of [color=red]Damascus, and this strength will continue to grow as Jake levels. The fiery sword provides about as much light as a torch, and has superior cutting/offensive powers to those which an ordinary metal would have. (See link “The Beginning: A true demon-hunter’s weapon” In sig for these.)
2) Doorway Travelling Ability- Jake stole a rather uncanny travelling skill from the last demon he killed. This is to create a doorway in front of himself. Normally, the door will be plain oak with a brass knob, but with a little concentration, Jake can work up something fancier. Anyway… An identical door to the one Jake creates will appear wherever he wishes to go, and upon going through the doorway, Jake will travel to this place. There are, of course, several rather frustrating limitations, which Jake has not yet discovered.
--Style 1: A Short Hop
Taking “a short hop” as Jake will one day call it, is to create the second door somewhere close enough that he can actually see it. This is useful for travelling short distances quickly.
--Style 2: Long Stride (Jake made up these names, not me.)
Taking a “long stride” is travelling someplace not directly in Jake’s line of vision. In order to travel there accurately, though, he must have either been there before, have had it vividly described to him, be able to see a picture etc. If Jake doesn’t know exactly where he’s going, he can end up getting lost. Also, if someone describes a forest clearing in not quite enough detail, Jake could end up in a similar clearing in the wrong forest.
Uncanny Dodge- To the casual observer it might just seem like Jake was lucky. Which he is fairly often, but… never mind. One way or another, Jake has developed superhuman reflexes. At this point the ability is still developing. Jake does NOT have superhuman speed. Only when he is reacting to something, like, for example, a barracuda trying to hamstring him, does this ability work. Jake’s reflexes have become roughly twice as fast as the average person’s. This helps him in avoiding projectiles, defending himself in battle, and makes him a force to be reckoned with at the game of Spoons.
Weaknesses
Infatuation- Doesn’t matter whether it is a pretty young girl or a beautiful woman, if she smiles at Jake, he might just do whatever she says.
Urge to steal- Jake has sticky fingers. If he sees something he would like, or even something that looks interesting, he will be filled with the insane desire to steal it.
Lack of confidence- If faced by a large group of people he does not know, Jake’s façade of charm and good naturedness can fail. For this reason, Jake prefers keeping it one-on-one with strangers. (reduced)
Lack of Battle experience- Depending on the situation, Jake may become horrified at having killed another human being. If challenged by a monster/demon of some sort, he would most likely do okay. But if he kills a human or humanoid (elves, dwarves) Jake is liable to freak out. (reduced)
Magic
Handful of fire- With this talent, Jake merely produces a handful of fire from thin air. This really has no other use than lighting up a dark space, starting a fire, or lighting one of his fire arrows. Or giving someone a hotfoot.
History
YEAR 1
Jake’s mother was an elf. His father was human. Simply enough, the two got married and purchased a country residence in Concordia. Jake was their first and only child. Just a little after Jake was born, his parents heard that the Mindless were becoming active, and decided that to be safe, they should move to a larger, better defended city. They packed what they could, and prepared to be on their way. As horrible luck would have it, a small party of Mindless decided to attack the city they were moving towards just as they gained entrance. The Mindless broke through the Guard at the city’s walls, and fighting reigned inside of the city. Jake was lost from his parents- an infant of just a year old, wrapped in his father’s cloak with the family name embroidered on it. As the city guard repulsed and defeated the Mindless, one of the guards found Jake laying just inside of a back alley. This guard in particular worked for a middle-classed noble’s house. The husband and wife were now middle aged, but in their young days had adopted and taken care of many children. The soldier decided to present the child to his employers. The wife was delighted, and lit upon the idea of another baby instantly. The husband was somewhat less-than-delighted, but wanted to keep his wife happy. They named the boy “Jacob”, but he kept his own last name, the word embroidered on his cloak- Narmolanya.
As he grew up, Jake lived a fairly normal life for a boy growing up in the household of a Lady and Nobleman. He was almost always restricted to the manor they lived in and the grounds. He never really wanted to leave, anyway. The ground were large, and he could practice archery, ride horses, and run and play to his heart’s content. His “mother” wanted to ensure that he had a proper education, and had him learn many things. His adopted father didn’t want the boy to become a “sissy”, so saw to it that the guards taught him to shoot and fight. Often as not, it would be the adopted father himself who taught Jake how to fight.
When Jake reached fourteen and fifteen years of age, things started to go wrong. His “father” always seemed frustrated and angry. Frustrated that Jake was not confident enough with a sword. Frustrated that Jake, often as not, beat him at archery. Frustrated that Jake was always around. Most of his anger seemed to be centred around Jake. Jake’s adopted mother tried to ensure him that it was not his fault. But he thought it was, and so it entered Jake’s mind that he would run away.
Jake always intended to run away, but there were always so many distractions. He nearly forgot about the backpack of useful items and garments he had stowed away in the manor’s stables. Over time, the idea of running away left his mind. Then abruptly, everything changed.
One night, Jake’s mother and father had a terrible argument. They were in the room directly beneath Jake, and the boy could hear everything they said. His father clearly wanted him gone, wanted nothing to do with him. It seemed all his mother could do was deny letting Jake go, and cry.
It was at this time that Jake remembered the pack he had hidden so carefully in the stables, and his horse, With those, he could get far, far away, where he wouldn’t trouble anyone. Such is the dream of every young boy, and snatching his bow and quiver from their pegs on the wall, he headed for the stables.
Jake met his parents in the hall. He is still not old enough to really realise it, but his father was quite drunk. It seemed that the man was going to attack Jake’s mother, and Jake cried out to stop him. The man turned and seeing Jake, in his drunken stupor, lunged for the boy. Before he could get close, Jake had feathered him in the left leg. He had snatched for a blunt headed arrow, but in his panic had found instead an armor-piercing steel-headed one. The arrow nearly went through his father’s leg, and the pain and liquor combined caused the man to faint.
Horrified at what he had done, and at what his mother would say, Jake ran to the stables and departed, taking with him his horse, his bow and arrows, and his pack of necessities.
For the past month Jake has lived in a small fort he built in Concordia, near several small villages. He now spends most of his time hunting, fishing, stealing, and playing pranks on people.
Jake now lives with the newly-formed Brotherhood, formerly the Bandit Brotherhood. After months alone in the forest Concordia, he is glad to "belong" somewhere, and is looking forward to work with his chosen division, the Shadow.
More recently, Jake has given himself the task of hunting down a series of demons, out to disrupt the balance of Althanas. Between this and the upcoming clan war, Jake is very busy. Most likely, the outcome of the clan war will decide the boy’s near future.
EXP: 5000 (it was more than this, but all I remember is Jake was level 2. If necessary, I’m sure a few people could vouch for me.)
GP: 2000
Level 1 Updates in Green
Level 2 Updates in Red[/Red]
Name: Jacob (Jake) Narmolanya
Age: 17
Race: Half-elf
Alignment: Neutral
Gender: Male
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 131 lbs.
Eyes: Bright Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Occupation: horsethief/amateur demon hunter
Appearance
Since beginning his adventures on Althanas, and with the Bandit Brotherhood, Jake’s appearance has changed considerably. There are two purely white scar marks on his well-tanned neck. The marks are small circles, about half the size of a dime, and getting them nearly cost Jake his life. They came from an encounter with a vampire, in which Jake was bit. Fortunately, he slew the vampire before it could drink his blood. These marks are on the left side of his neck, and he has two matching ones on the palm of his right hand, where he clenched the teeth tightly in a fist.
Besides his scars, Jake has changed a good deal. He has grown two inches to accompany his 16th Birthday, and gained about ten pounds. The gain in weight is mostly muscle mass, but he does not have any real muscle definition yet. The boy’s entire growth happened in his legs, which have stretched out the two inches. His hands and feet have also grown slightly. The freckles on Jake’s cheeks are fading, but are still there. He looks as slim as ever, but his fair skin has now become nicely tanned, and stays that way due to the long hours he spends outdoors.
Jake has come to grips with the fact that he is a half-elf, and it is beginning to show. His ears are slightly pointed, if less than an elf’s ears are, and he is beginning to develop some of the elven beauty (or handsomeness, as he prefers to call it) which runs in his veins. All in all, he’s got to be the cutest kid on Althanas.
Jake finally seems to have grown up a bit, and is beginning to look less like a boy and more like a young man. His torso stretched out a good inch, making him seem less awkward, and on a good day, he might be able to turn a woman’s head.
Generally Jake can be found seated upon his horse, Gunner. Gunner is a small horse, with sturdy legs. He is mostly brown, with an odd white pattern on his nose and ankles. Jake’s clothing varies, from wool and linen to silk and sifan cloth, depending on his mood. One trait which he is rarely without is his cloth cap, which generally contains his unruly brown hair. Unless he has taken it into his mind to wash himself, Jake’s face is normally somewhat dirty, mimicking his hands and fingers.
Personality
Jake has many traits which make him a unique character.
Innocence- Jake nearly always has a certain “air of innocence” about him. His freckly cheeks and brilliant blue eyes help this especially. Jake’s natural innocence has gotten him out of tight situations more times than he can count.
Perpetual Happiness- Jake is seldom seen sad. He can most definitely feel sad, but it will take him only a moment’s distraction to forget all about his sorrow. Since he has seen so little of the world, it takes only a small thing to fascinate Jake, or improve his sentiment.
Charismatic- Whether in a group of friends, one on one, or meeting a stranger, Jake is always friendly and easygoing. He can be viewed as “the life of the party” in any group from kids his own age up to adults. The only time that Jake gets nervous around people is when he is in a large group of people he doesn’t know.
Infatuation- Jake, at his young age, and as immature and naive as they come, is known to fall in love at the drop of a hat. Any pretty girl who smiles at him can win his heart instantly, and he will at once commence his attempts at “courting” said maiden. Unlike many other boys however, Jake does not turn red in the face and mumble when a girl looks at him. It is then that he will become most articulate, and begin talking a mile a minute in hopes of striking his loved one’s interest.
Devil-may-care- This is not a trait Jake has naturally. It is something he strives for. Jake will often try to act like nothing bothers him. This falls in with his infatuation. The more beautiful women there are around, the more Jake will try to remain impartial to what goes on around him... “cool”.
Easy Going- Jake is very easy going. It takes a lot to make him angry, and he is forever being known for not holding grudges and giving everyone a second chance.
Instinct of a Thief- Jake has always loved stealing things. One might almost call him a kleptomaniac, except for the fact that he does need what he steals. Normally. But even when he was a child and living with a rich family, Jake could never resist snatching the fat purse hanging off of someone’s belt.
Reckless Exaggerator- Jake adores telling stories, and being the centre of attention. If he is telling a story about himself, he is known to “spice things up” a little. He didn’t stomp on the guard’s foot and run- he feathered six swordsmen with crooked arrows from a broken bow, and escaped by a second!
Storyteller- As aforementioned, Jake adores telling stories. His tendency to exaggerate has made him quite a good liar. He can lie straight faced with the best of them, and will often tell lies when he doesn’t need to-just for the fun of outwitting someone.
Prankster- Jake cannot resist playing pranks on people. He is particularly attracted to duping those who are snobbish or full of themselves.
Inventory
*1 liviol tonfa, taken from a slain demon.
*1- nihon redwood re-curve bow
*10- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, standard broadpoint iron (tier 1) arrowheads
*11- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, armor piercing steel (tier 2) arrowheads
*5- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, flaming arrowhead (rags soaked in lamp oil)
*5- oak (tier 1) arrows, goose feather fletching, blunt steel (tier 2) arrowhead
*24 Titanium and Cyper arrows, standard broadpoint, purchased at the Bazaar.
*12 Titanium and Cyper arrows, specially designed to pierce armor, purchased at the Bazaar.
*1- oak (tier 1)/tanned leather bracer for left arm
*2- extra bowstrings
*1- lump of beeswax
*1- yew (tier 2) collapsible fishing pole
*2- extra fishing line and hooks
*1- tanned leather/canvas backpack
*1- cloth cap
*1- coil of rope (20M)
*1- fine wool cloak w/silk interior, “Narmolanya” embroidered between shoulders
*1- iron (tier 1) three-pronged grappling hook
*1- horse (“Gunner”), saddle, bridle etc.
*1 Iron dagger, with a five point star engraved in the hilt. A gift from “The Sheriff”.
*1Paperback novel on Demon Hunting, written by a man named Tawn.
*Items purchased at RH Outpost: Thick wool blanket, bag of tinder, novel on Wilderness Survival (How not to die out of doors.)
*Eagle Feather- A fine quill made from a golden eagle’s feather, this is one of Jake’s most prized possessions. The quill has several magical properties (See skills/talents.)
*Various garments made from wool, linen, silk, sifan cloth
Skills/Talents
Archery- Jake knows how to use different kinds of bows. He knows how to take care of them, how to find the right size for himself, and how to make/repair bows and arrows.
Last Updated: Level 2 Marksmanship- Jake is an excellent shot with a bow. Shooting is the only kind of fighting he really excelled at before he left home, as he simply enjoys and dedicates himself to his bows and arrows. He can hit a bullseye which is two inches in diameter nine out of then times from up to forty paces. Jake’s skill with a bow has advanced further over time, and he can now hit the same bullseye from about 60 paces, as well as the fact that his form/style has become very professional.
Last Updated: Level 2 Swordfighting- Jake was trained with many different kinds of blades, but never really excelled at using them. His training mostly involved longswords. Despite all his training with them, Jake never became a good duellist. This is mainly from lack of confidence. When faced with a foe, Jake has no trouble shooting his enemy with an arrow, but grows nervous as soon as it comes to melee combat. For this reason he is apt to forget the proper forms and stances while fighting, often resulting in injury. Some experience with a blade, and, even more so, a crash-course in the art of the sword from Damon Kaosi has advanced Jake’s skill. He is now slightly more confident with a blade.Jake is now above average with a blade, and has improved greatly. His improvement comes from a good deal of practice “in the field”. He has also learned to use the liviol tonfa as a wooden fencing stick, mainly for defence and disarming.
Horses- Jake is an excellent horseman, and enjoys riding horses. He has such a natural “way” with horses that it resulted in his way of living-stealing them.
Agility- Jake’s slim form gives him great agility. He is able to perform feats which would greatly trouble most adults, such as scaling walls and trees, climbing ropes and avoiding obstacles. This ability is also a great asset to Jake in fighting. Since he is not great at melee combat, his strategy often involves dodging attacks, running away then shooting his foe from a safe distance.
Persuasive Talker- Whether he is trying to convince someone of something, lying, begging, or just talking, Jake has a definite way with words. He isn’t often caught when stealing horses, but up till this point he has always managed to talk his way out of any sticky situations.
Tactics- Although he has not had any field experience whatsoever, part of Jake’s education included combat tactics. He knows all the basics, as well as many finer points, but will soon discover that real combat is different from that drawn upon maps.
Trickster- Jake has an incredible knack for playing practical jokes or duping people in a manner that actually works. He will often use these methods to snatch purses or wallets from people’s belts while they are distracted.
Stamina- Like all athletic young boys, Jake seems to be able to run all day. Of course he can’t actually run all day, but he can run for a good period of time at a decent speed.
Hunting/Tracking- Jake relies on small game for many of his regular meals. He is adept at tracking, killing, skinning and cooking animals of all sizes, but he tends to stick to the smaller ones. After all, who can eat a whole deer?
Fishing- For variety, Jake can also fish quite well. When bored, he has been known to throw bait into shallow water and stand waist deep with an arrow on his bow, hoping to shoot a fish. However, when he does not have an entire day to waste, Jake can fish using his pole very well.
Intelligence- Jake is smart. Yup.
General Knowledge- One of those little kids who seem to know something about everything. Once again however, Jake will soon discover that knowledge in books is different from knowledge gained from experience.
Demon Knowledge- After reading a lengthy book written by a renowned demon hunter, Jake has a fair knowledge of different demons and how to kill them.
Quill Abilities: Jake’s magical quill can do the following;
-Function as an ordinary quill
-Point to any demon within 100 yards, after Jake says “Lead me”.
-Take 1 ability from the corpse of a demon which Jake himself has slain. Jake will then be able to use that ability through the quill. This must be done within 5 minutes of the demon’s death. After the ability is taken, the Demon’s corpse will fade to nothingness.
*Current quill abilities...
1) Fiery Blade- With a thought, Jake can transform the quill into a sword of fire. The hilt of the sword is made of iron, with a leather wrapped handle, and was once the hilt of a longsword which was broken. The blade now has the strength of [color=red]Damascus, and this strength will continue to grow as Jake levels. The fiery sword provides about as much light as a torch, and has superior cutting/offensive powers to those which an ordinary metal would have. (See link “The Beginning: A true demon-hunter’s weapon” In sig for these.)
2) Doorway Travelling Ability- Jake stole a rather uncanny travelling skill from the last demon he killed. This is to create a doorway in front of himself. Normally, the door will be plain oak with a brass knob, but with a little concentration, Jake can work up something fancier. Anyway… An identical door to the one Jake creates will appear wherever he wishes to go, and upon going through the doorway, Jake will travel to this place. There are, of course, several rather frustrating limitations, which Jake has not yet discovered.
--Style 1: A Short Hop
Taking “a short hop” as Jake will one day call it, is to create the second door somewhere close enough that he can actually see it. This is useful for travelling short distances quickly.
--Style 2: Long Stride (Jake made up these names, not me.)
Taking a “long stride” is travelling someplace not directly in Jake’s line of vision. In order to travel there accurately, though, he must have either been there before, have had it vividly described to him, be able to see a picture etc. If Jake doesn’t know exactly where he’s going, he can end up getting lost. Also, if someone describes a forest clearing in not quite enough detail, Jake could end up in a similar clearing in the wrong forest.
Uncanny Dodge- To the casual observer it might just seem like Jake was lucky. Which he is fairly often, but… never mind. One way or another, Jake has developed superhuman reflexes. At this point the ability is still developing. Jake does NOT have superhuman speed. Only when he is reacting to something, like, for example, a barracuda trying to hamstring him, does this ability work. Jake’s reflexes have become roughly twice as fast as the average person’s. This helps him in avoiding projectiles, defending himself in battle, and makes him a force to be reckoned with at the game of Spoons.
Weaknesses
Infatuation- Doesn’t matter whether it is a pretty young girl or a beautiful woman, if she smiles at Jake, he might just do whatever she says.
Urge to steal- Jake has sticky fingers. If he sees something he would like, or even something that looks interesting, he will be filled with the insane desire to steal it.
Lack of confidence- If faced by a large group of people he does not know, Jake’s façade of charm and good naturedness can fail. For this reason, Jake prefers keeping it one-on-one with strangers. (reduced)
Lack of Battle experience- Depending on the situation, Jake may become horrified at having killed another human being. If challenged by a monster/demon of some sort, he would most likely do okay. But if he kills a human or humanoid (elves, dwarves) Jake is liable to freak out. (reduced)
Magic
Handful of fire- With this talent, Jake merely produces a handful of fire from thin air. This really has no other use than lighting up a dark space, starting a fire, or lighting one of his fire arrows. Or giving someone a hotfoot.
History
YEAR 1
Jake’s mother was an elf. His father was human. Simply enough, the two got married and purchased a country residence in Concordia. Jake was their first and only child. Just a little after Jake was born, his parents heard that the Mindless were becoming active, and decided that to be safe, they should move to a larger, better defended city. They packed what they could, and prepared to be on their way. As horrible luck would have it, a small party of Mindless decided to attack the city they were moving towards just as they gained entrance. The Mindless broke through the Guard at the city’s walls, and fighting reigned inside of the city. Jake was lost from his parents- an infant of just a year old, wrapped in his father’s cloak with the family name embroidered on it. As the city guard repulsed and defeated the Mindless, one of the guards found Jake laying just inside of a back alley. This guard in particular worked for a middle-classed noble’s house. The husband and wife were now middle aged, but in their young days had adopted and taken care of many children. The soldier decided to present the child to his employers. The wife was delighted, and lit upon the idea of another baby instantly. The husband was somewhat less-than-delighted, but wanted to keep his wife happy. They named the boy “Jacob”, but he kept his own last name, the word embroidered on his cloak- Narmolanya.
As he grew up, Jake lived a fairly normal life for a boy growing up in the household of a Lady and Nobleman. He was almost always restricted to the manor they lived in and the grounds. He never really wanted to leave, anyway. The ground were large, and he could practice archery, ride horses, and run and play to his heart’s content. His “mother” wanted to ensure that he had a proper education, and had him learn many things. His adopted father didn’t want the boy to become a “sissy”, so saw to it that the guards taught him to shoot and fight. Often as not, it would be the adopted father himself who taught Jake how to fight.
When Jake reached fourteen and fifteen years of age, things started to go wrong. His “father” always seemed frustrated and angry. Frustrated that Jake was not confident enough with a sword. Frustrated that Jake, often as not, beat him at archery. Frustrated that Jake was always around. Most of his anger seemed to be centred around Jake. Jake’s adopted mother tried to ensure him that it was not his fault. But he thought it was, and so it entered Jake’s mind that he would run away.
Jake always intended to run away, but there were always so many distractions. He nearly forgot about the backpack of useful items and garments he had stowed away in the manor’s stables. Over time, the idea of running away left his mind. Then abruptly, everything changed.
One night, Jake’s mother and father had a terrible argument. They were in the room directly beneath Jake, and the boy could hear everything they said. His father clearly wanted him gone, wanted nothing to do with him. It seemed all his mother could do was deny letting Jake go, and cry.
It was at this time that Jake remembered the pack he had hidden so carefully in the stables, and his horse, With those, he could get far, far away, where he wouldn’t trouble anyone. Such is the dream of every young boy, and snatching his bow and quiver from their pegs on the wall, he headed for the stables.
Jake met his parents in the hall. He is still not old enough to really realise it, but his father was quite drunk. It seemed that the man was going to attack Jake’s mother, and Jake cried out to stop him. The man turned and seeing Jake, in his drunken stupor, lunged for the boy. Before he could get close, Jake had feathered him in the left leg. He had snatched for a blunt headed arrow, but in his panic had found instead an armor-piercing steel-headed one. The arrow nearly went through his father’s leg, and the pain and liquor combined caused the man to faint.
Horrified at what he had done, and at what his mother would say, Jake ran to the stables and departed, taking with him his horse, his bow and arrows, and his pack of necessities.
For the past month Jake has lived in a small fort he built in Concordia, near several small villages. He now spends most of his time hunting, fishing, stealing, and playing pranks on people.
Jake now lives with the newly-formed Brotherhood, formerly the Bandit Brotherhood. After months alone in the forest Concordia, he is glad to "belong" somewhere, and is looking forward to work with his chosen division, the Shadow.
More recently, Jake has given himself the task of hunting down a series of demons, out to disrupt the balance of Althanas. Between this and the upcoming clan war, Jake is very busy. Most likely, the outcome of the clan war will decide the boy’s near future.