The Next Emperor (closed)

Started by mj2002, November 09, 2014, 12:47:24 AM

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Rave

#75
Why make a champion, when you can make the Prince of Thieves?  :P

Hope he's acceptable! Let me know if he needs any editiing~





    Full name: Malek -
    Title or rank: The Prince of Thieves.
    Home region: Capital Slums.

    Age: 23.
    Appearance: Malek is a toned and lean young man, who stands at a firm 6 feet sharp. His height is the least noticeable thing about him, as the rest of his appearance certainly calls for attention. His hair is as scarlet as blood, grown long and flowing to curtain his face. His eyes take the same colour hue as his hair, a slightly brighter red emitting from the iris. It is an odd coloration of hair and eyes, yet he never questioned it. His teeth are white, exceptionally so, a trait not common among lower born humans within the capital. He is often dressed in bright golden jewellery, none of it he bought, all of it stolen. He is quite handsome, with a beautiful face and a firm body structure to rival any of the kingdom's warriors and champions.

    Combat ability and experience: Malek is the crowned king of dirty fighting, based off of his profession and line of work. He is an experienced martial artist, yet as many masters would tell you, has tainted the combat techniques he's learned by infusing them with dirty and 'Un-honourable' tactics. He is famous for fighting without honour, caring very little or outright disregarding the concept of it. Winning is everything, and victory is not always achieved cleanly or honourably. It rarely is. It is not uncommon for him to aim right at your most sensitive areas, or use cheap and dirty tricks to get the upper hand. All this is not to say his fighting skill alone is weak. He has an unmatched skill with a sword and daggers, his weapons of choice, usually coated in different poisons. His hand to hand combat is formidable, his techniques focusing more on evasion and using the opponents strength against them rather than requiring brute strength. As founder and acting prince of the Thieves Guild, he has experience managing and dictating hundreds of members beneath his command. There is no loyalty among thieves, and as such he has survived too many attempts on his life to count. He is combat ready and possesses acute situational awareness, with the ability to lead from the shadows and achieve long lasting results.

    Personality: No one knows Malek's true personality per-say, simply because it is always fluid and ever changing. One could say his personality depends on the person he is talking to, and the situation he finds himself in. If talking to, for example, a princess, Malek is charming and seductive while maintaing a gentlemanly facade. If talking to an enemy or a threat, he is often arrogant and taunting, choosing to play mind-games and using trickery to purposely anger and annoy his opponent. Generally, how you approach him determines his personality towards you, yet one thing is for certain, never trust him with anything.

    Background and history: In the very back of his memory, since the very first thought was found in Malek's mind, he had no one. No parent to speak of, no family, no family friends or relatives. The streets of the Capital's slums were his parents, rats and scavengers his family. He was unlike all the other orphans within the capital, since they either had their parents killed or were simply abandoned by them. Malek on the other hand, had no memory of parents to begin with, and had no interest in finding out who they were. From simple research, he concluded early on that whoever gave birth to him left him to the streets at no later than a tender age of two years old. How he survived since then, he concluded was up to strangers' pity and pure instinct. His will to live.

    Learning to steal was like learning to walk, a necessity if Malek was to ever make it. The local orphanage and homeless shelters were often occupied or out of food by the time someone as small as him at the time made it to the front of the lines, and as such he had to rely on his own to find food and water. He would make frequent trips to the market place, studying, watching other thieves trick and lie their way into a free meal. He memorized everything he saw, everything, and applied it until he achieved the same results. For a long, long time, he had no name. To anyone who say him or knew him, he was just 'another orphan'. That is until he realized that living day to day, stealing basics and sleeping on the pavement was something he had outgrown, a life he was not willing to continue living. He gave himself a name, Malek, which ironically translates to 'King' in a foreign language he'd heard a travelling merchant speaking. He began searching for people like him, children like him, who knew no parent or were abandoned. People who had to steal to survive, to kill to survive, and recruited them all.

    Small groups turned into bigger groups, techniques and skills were shared and subsequently taught by Malek to others who joined his ever growing companionship. With age, came experience, and with experience came grander and harder tasks. Simple thievery turned into much, much more. As such, Malek founded the Thieves Guild at age 17, a haven for the shady and un-clean, a place where all thieves, assassins, and hit-men would gather to look for jobs and contracts, to find common interests and partners, to hone their skills and find a place to practise newly learned techniques taught by the very thieves gathered in the guild. It was a sanctuary for those who were deemed too wicked, too unclean for the capital and its champions. Malek himself had no expected what he started to grow into such an encompassing sanctuary within the slums of the capital, and yet it brought him fortune. Exiled masters of martial arts would teach him how to fight in return for their safety within the guild, swordsmen and assassins would show him how to stab and assassin, poison makers would demonstrate how to craft their potions and venoms.

    Yet the most important resident within the thieves guild was an old man, who showed up at Malek's gates looking for a home. The man was a clergyman and a priest, who had abandoned the church after the death of his wife and his subsequent loss of faith. The old man taught Malek the very basics of magic, slight of hand trickery, small flashes of light, useless to many yet priceless for a thief. It was with that, that Malek's teachings were complete, and he could comfortably run the thieves guild as he gained loyal followers and experience.

    The next few years were spent establishing the Guild's foothold in the capital. It was like a virus, taking root within the kingdom and spreading its disease. Bribery was rampant, and Malek had many officials and judges under his thumb, taking constant payment to turn a blind eye to the guild's activities. Malek had influence, influence over the city and perhaps some of its politics simply because of how easily it was to corrupt people. The temptation of money, whores, safety from capital punishment, all of these things were easily enough offered and in return, Malek got amnesty. His wanted posters were everywhere, littering the city's walls, yet no one dared report him knowing his money was in the soldier's pockets, and their head would be severed as a result of trying.

    The high capital, the people his money could not bribe however, issued him a title and a higher bounty: The Prince of Thieves, Wanted Dead or Alive, the reward being a single wish granted by the emperor, no matter the price. His reputation grew and so did his infamy among the slums, becoming a cult legend within the streets. People claimed he was not human, others claimed he was demon-born, and rumours spread about him. Yet none of it bothered him, Malek was only after one thing from the start: The abolishment of the nobility system, and of course, a seat of power. It was a reckless dream, but he dreamed to take the Emperor's seat, and then...no longer would he have to bribe, no longer would he have to steal and kill to live, no longer would his guild, his family, would have to hide. They would instead, rule.

    Luckily, news of the tournament came, the winner having a chance to become Emperor himself and take a princess' hand. Oh what a chance that was. A few forged documents here and a few bribes there, and Malek was 'Prince Abaddon of Gareth, Republic in the East', contesting for the position among the other champions. And hey, if he could steal a few golden necklaces and a few hundred coins in the process, it's better than nothing at all.

    Strengths:
    • Leader of a Thieves Guild, thus having many combatants and greedily loyal men beneath his command.
    • Basic use of Magic.
    • Experienced Hand to Hand combatant and swordsman.
    • Influence, bribing and blackmailing several people in authority to turn a blind eye to his actions.
    Weaknesses:

    • Infamous: His reputation may cause people to know some of his moves/techniques.
    • Wanted: Higher officials who cannot be bribed may want to arrest him, if recognized by them.
    • Physicality: While he is leaner and muscular, he is built for agility. Brute strength warriors may damage him if they land a hit.
    • No loyalty among thieves: Self-Explanatory. Vulnerable to betrayal.

    Other traits: Cunning, Witty, Charming, Ruthless, Leader, Charismatic, Greedy.
    On/Offs: Same as Player's. (See Signature).[/list]

    mj2002

    Great addition, feel free to post it in the character's thread!

    Rave


    mj2002

    Quote from: Rave on November 19, 2014, 12:42:54 AM
    Awesome! I shall.
    I'm looking forward to seeing you're character roam the streets of the capital. Can you work within the existing locations (marketplace, champion's district, etc?) or would you have suggestions for a setting that fits better for your character?

    Rave

    I can certainly find a place for him to pop up, no worries!

    mj2002

    Quote from: Rave on November 19, 2014, 12:51:13 AM
    I can certainly find a place for him to pop up, no worries!
    Also, if you can find the time, be sure to read through the Discussions topic!

    Lynnette

    Quote from: Rave on November 19, 2014, 12:51:13 AM
    I can certainly find a place for him to pop up, no worries!

    Diannelle just became open in the marketplace. Same profession as well as where they live, they would likely be decent friends. I don't plan on having her a part of a guild though.
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    Rave

    Quote from: mj2002 on November 19, 2014, 12:54:35 AM
    Also, if you can find the time, be sure to read through the Discussions topic!

    Oh goodness, looks like I have a lot of reading to do!

    Quote from: ReaperDouble0 on November 19, 2014, 01:06:28 AM
    Diannelle just became open in the marketplace. Same profession as well as where they live, they would likely be decent friends. I don't plan on having her a part of a guild though.

    That certainly seems likely! It wouldn't surprise me if they were indeed friends, or know each other in some way. I'd be happy to talk about possible connections, I am popping in a little late so I could certainly use some!

    And naturally not every thief has to be part of the guild, membership is quite optional :P

    Drake Valentine

    Not to nitpick, but I was under impression Empire was more European. It seems silly for martial arts being taught unless character itself was foreign to learn such. I do not see it common place

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    mj2002

    Personally, I'm fine with stretching the setting to allow martial arts to be considered part of the culture. Perhaps its an uncommon technique thats not practised by many since most prefer weapons?

    Drake Valentine

    Quote from: mj2002 on November 19, 2014, 01:43:40 AM
    Personally, I'm fine with stretching the setting to allow martial arts to be considered part of the culture. Perhaps its an uncommon technique thats not practised by many since most prefer weapons?

    If that is case, it tends to take away from foreigners having potential different fighting styles if similar can be just as learned in Empire itself or surronding areas of its influence of territory. Weapons or weaponless, martial arts can still be incoporated into either; so essentialy it doesn't matter if people choose weapon training  If it is a pratice anyone could easily partake or have edge in such styles within Empire.

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    Birchleaf

    In Europe, unarmed fighting styles never developed to the same extent as in other parts of the world for the simple reason that Europeans were never successfully disarmed by their governments. Hence, anyone who wanted to learn to fight used a weapon to do so, because even a pointy stick is more deadly than the fists of most humans. In the Far East though, the peasantry were stripped of all weapons, leading them to develop unarmed combat if they needed to fight back. That is why traditional 'ninja' weapons are modified farm tools.

    Since our empire is based on Europe, the locals had no need to develop any unarmed techniques more advanced than boxing, because if you really needed to kill someone or rebel against that jerk noble, you used a sword. Or a dagger. Or a spear. Or an axe. Or something. Hence, they are not going to be good unarmed combatants. Why bother when weapons are overwhelmingly superior?

    mj2002

    I'm personally still fine with a character having learned 'martial arts', but we can still assume it's going to be little match against an armed person who isn't a complete idiot at fighting. I'd still like to hear feedback on this position.

    Question Mark

    Quote from: Drake Valentine on November 19, 2014, 01:40:23 AM
    Not to nitpick, but I was under impression Empire was more European. It seems silly for martial arts being taught unless character itself was foreign to learn such. I do not see it common place

    This is the danger of Fantasy.  Just because some of the technology in the setting is superficially similar to our own 13th century Europe does not mean that all aspects of society are similar.  For example, the Empire has a Senate, there has been no mention of knights or a chivalrous code (although such a consideration hasn't slipped my mind when planning out the Faith), and feudalism is being phase out at an earlier point.  I'll be honest; it feels quite nitpicky to single out unarmed combat in this already anachronistic mess.

    Upon further thought, mess isn't the right word.  One of the beautiful things about fantasy is that you can screw real world history and take the setting in new and interesting directions.  There was a brief exchange in the Discussions thread about how we shouldn't limit ourselves by real world precedent, and I think we should stick to that course.

    Quote from: Drake Valentine on November 19, 2014, 02:06:02 AM
    If that is case, it tends to take away from foreigners having potential different fighting styles if similar can be just as learned in Empire itself or surronding areas of its influence of territory. Weapons or weaponless, martial arts can still be incoporated into either; so essentialy it doesn't matter if people choose weapon training  If it is a pratice anyone could easily partake or have edge in such styles within Empire.

    The Empire is huge, and fighting styles are bound to vary due to distance, tradition, climate, and history.  For example, consider real-world English longbowmen, French cavalry, the early Turkish grenadiers, and the Scandinavian raiders, all existing at roughly the same time but distinct due to tradition and the current political climate and military technology in their home regions.  Given the size of the Empire, I think it's reasonable that a Capital noble would see the fighting styles of a foreigner and a citizen from the outskirts of the Empire as equally strange and exotic.

    Quote from: Birchleaf on November 19, 2014, 02:18:46 AM
    In Europe, unarmed fighting styles never developed to the same extent as in other parts of the world for the simple reason that Europeans were never successfully disarmed by their governments. Hence, anyone who wanted to learn to fight used a weapon to do so, because even a pointy stick is more deadly than the fists of most humans. In the Far East though, the peasantry were stripped of all weapons, leading them to develop unarmed combat if they needed to fight back. That is why traditional 'ninja' weapons are modified farm tools.

    Since our empire is based on Europe, the locals had no need to develop any unarmed techniques more advanced than boxing, because if you really needed to kill someone or rebel against that jerk noble, you used a sword. Or a dagger. Or a spear. Or an axe. Or something. Hence, they are not going to be good unarmed combatants. Why bother when weapons are overwhelmingly superior?

    This is fascinating, and I've never thought about this.  In response to your last sentence, I'd argue two reasons: it may be culturally relevant (I.e. "Only cowards use steel when they have their fists") or it may be practical (i.e. You can never get caught if you never own a weapon).

    Quote from: mj2002 on November 19, 2014, 02:35:10 AM
    I'm personally still fine with a character having learned 'martial arts', but we can still assume it's going to be little match against an armed person who isn't a complete idiot at fighting. I'd still like to hear feedback on this position.

    Agreed.

    TheHangedOne

    On the topic of martial arts, I'd like to point out that while it's traditionally been linked with Japan, and some times China, the term martial art itself can be applied to almost any form of combat. That could be European fencing, Japanese staff fighting, Philipino knife fighting, Greco-roman wrestling, USA special forces CQC, Russian kick-boxing, Scandinavian axe-fighting, Zulu tribe spear-throwing... etc., etc. I hope I'm not nitpicking too much.

    And if there's something wrong with the term 'martial artist' itself, you could always choose something that is exactly the same, but sounds different. Brawling expert? Fisticuffs champion?  Probably a few others (though those things, themselves, are also a martial art).
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    Although the term martial art has become associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, it was originally referred to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. The term is derived from Latin, and means "arts of Mars", the Roman god of war.

    Personally, I would just call it unarmed combat, since that's basically what it is: combat without using armaments (weaponry).
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    mj2002

    Quote from: Rave on November 19, 2014, 12:51:13 AM
    I can certainly find a place for him to pop up, no worries!
    And he has, good stuff!

    Ontan

    I've a minor champion in the works - he'll be done tomorrow!

    mj2002

    Good stuff.

    My own posting rate is going down because Im experiencing some busy days. I hope to be back at it properly soon though!

    Ontan

    #94
    As promised, the character! Let me know what you think - if everything gets approved, I'll post it over to the character thread.


    Petrov Leonid, minor champion

    Full name: Petrov Leonid
    Title or rank: Baron of Novogelsk
    Home region: In terms of geographical distance from the capital, Novogelsk might not be the Empire’s most distant frontier, but paradoxically it’s one of the most isolated. Located on the very brink of what’s considered habitable, Novogelsk is a cruel landscape of tundra and taiga, and the choppy seas surrounding it are impassable for most of the year. Worst still are the local tribes: all too often, a trade ship would arrive in summer only to find the Empire’s solitary garrison had been razed by barbarian warlords the previous winter. After decades of botched governance and half-hearted expeditions, Novogelsk (and its inhabitants) has only just been placated in recent years. It’s quickly becoming known for its whaling and fur trade, rather than being a place where disgraced officials are sent to die.

    Age: 28
    Appearance: The product of a noble upbringing in a harsh climate, Petrov gives the impression of being refined and cutthroat at the same time. His equipment is functional first and decorative second, and much of his apparel follows a similar philosophy. As a concession to his temporary return to civilisation, Petrov keeps himself immaculately groomed whilst in the capital.

    Combat ability and experience:
    A place of dark winters and scarce settlements, combat in Novogelsk centred on ambush and attrition rather than full scale war. While the fighting might’ve lacked the scale of pitched battle, it was every bit as pure in its ferocity, and Petrov is no stranger to bloodshed.
    Though professionally trained, Petrov’s combat style has a ‘slipshod’ element that places it somewhere between knightly discipline and dirty fighting. It’s a rough breed of combat, where shields and heavy boots are used as often as weapons themselves. Petrov has a disdain for swords, as thick furs were worn by everyone from professional soldiers to lowly farmers, rendering cutting weapons useless. Crossbows, spears, and maces were instead the order of the day, sometimes used on foot, at other times from the saddle of rugged ponies that carried men across the ice. 

    Personality: Blunt and vivacious, clever and humorous, it comes as no surprise to learn that Petrov grew up on the Empire’s remote borders. His rough manners and endless bravado amuses some and infuriates others, though most people will concede that he’s reliable in his own way, and can be counted on to carry out the difficult or unpleasant tasks that nobody else wants.

    Although he lives up to many of the expectations surrounding frontier citizens, Petrov isn’t quite as shallow as he first seems. Beneath his arrogance and mischief lies a remarkably spiritual soul, and while his interpretation of the True Way incorporates a lot of local customs and strange variations, it’s clear he’s a zealous believer in the Empire’s Faith. He’ll use numbers and concrete information to make a final decision, of course, but that doesn’t stop Petrov seeing portents and omens in all sorts of everyday details.

    Background and history:
    Born to a house of minor nobles, Petrov had the dubious fortune of becoming a squire to an aging lord just months before the latter’s spectacular descent into scandal. The lord was subsequently appointed as Novogelsk’s ruler, and while this was ostensibly a position of some authority, even a fool could see the assignment for what it truly was: exile. Novogelsk was a desperate place, a veritable prison where the dishonoured were sent in the hopes that their deaths might accomplish some small use. By all accounts, the lord’s punishment was well deserved… but unfortunately, it was his entire household that shared his burden. When the lord left, he took with him his family, servants… and young squire, Petrov.

    It was common knowledge that Novogelsk was a death sentence for Imperials, that the Empire only affected a few hopeless colonisation attempts to dissuade foreign powers from claiming the wretched wastelands for themselves. Weighed down by this knowledge, most of the Imperials stationed there quickly turned to corruption or despair. The lord, for his part, chose alcoholism to ease his misery. Ironically, this would prove to be the source of Novogelsk’s salvation: as the lord’s drinking became steadily worse, his squire took over an increasing number of the lord’s responsibilities. Petrov went from relaying his master’s orders to making them on his behalf, and it soon became clear that he was far more adept at the task than his lord ever was. By the time the lord finally managed to get himself killed on a barbarian’s spear, he had no sons of his own to survive him, and there was little enough complaint when Petrov took over as steward. 

    Although his gift for logistics was certainly helpful, it was coin and faith that ultimately bought victory for Petrov. Realising that the native warlords could only ever be fought to a standstill, he instead turned his attention to converting them. Petrov wasn’t the first to try this, of course, but he was willing to get his hands dirtier than any of his predecessors. His actions found traction in the very worst of the natives, the Kveldulfs. Part refugees and part brigands, the Kveldulfs scratched out a wretched survival only through banditry and slave raids against their betters, and even the other tribes despised them… but there were advantages to their impoverishment and desperation. Petrov found that a little coin could buy a tremendous amount of loyalty, and the desolate people latched on to the Empire’s Faith like a drowning man seeking flotsam. The concept of rewarding slavers and bandits didn’t sit well with everyone back at the garrison, but Petrov insisted they were merely “unenlightened” rather than evil. What started as an alliance of convenience quickly turned into something more substantial. A second front opened up, and armed with a vast reserve of cheap (and expendable) militia, the Imperial garrison was finally able to subjugate the province’s unruly warlords. In the end, surprisingly few native settlements were put to the torch: religious conversion and intimidation did most of the work. A hybridised version of the Faith took hold – traditional worship mixed with the odd animal deity – and Petrov eventually declared that the natives were no longer enemies of the Empire.

    He was far less forgiving of enemies within his own ranks, however. Even after the conflict had ended, the gallows were fed an ample supply of necks to snap. Officers who fabricated expenses to feather their nests, deserters who abandoned the Empire’s cause, the many corrupt officials who abused their remote station… in Petrov’s eyes, these traitors could only find redemption at the end of a rope. As one chapter of bloodshed closed, another opened up, and Petrov’s grim campaign to root out corruption earned him as many enemies as friends. In the end, it had the desired effect. Novogelsk’s sordid reputation has since been purged, and now even the locals think twice before stealing livestock or dodging a tax.

    Despite his success, Petrov remains something of a controversial figure. Priests and nobles talk of how he ‘reconciled’ the natives and stamped out corruption, but others see an honourless hypocrite who colluded with bandits and turned on his own. In either event, he managed to solve one of the Empire’s long standing nuisances by taming Novogelsk, and nobody roused themselves to complain when the desolate little province was given to him as a reward. Novogelsk has since become a modestly prosperous territory, and while its violent edge persists, its whaling and fur trade brings a decent amount of gold each year. Pilgrims sometimes visit to see the sacred shrines constructed by converted natives, and under Petrov’s protection, most of them make it back to civilisation in one piece.

    Strengths:

    • Shrewd administrator: Cunning as a fox and thorough as a grinding wheel, Petrov has an undeniable talent when it comes to administration, law, and the caprices of governance. A knack for sniffing out duplicity has served him well in all three fields. Were it not for his sorry lack of diplomatic tact, he might’ve done well in politics.
    • Tough: Struggle and discomfort are constant companions in the tundra, even for nobles, and a decade of living there can turn a person to iron. Beneath his groomed façade, Petrov’s boundless stamina and ability to shrug of small injuries make him a worthy opponent for any combatant.
    • Crusader: Incorruptible and passionate, Petrov’s biggest accomplishment was a symbolic one: bringing the Faith to Novogelsk. He might’ve picked up a few pagan trinkets along the way, but his conversion of Novogelsk’s natives has landed him in good stead with the Church. He also ensures that a good portion of the region’s newfound wealth heads back to their coffers, and while the Church’s approval isn’t for sale (obviously!), it does display a commendable degree of loyalty.

    Weaknesses:

    • Tactless: Always one to speak his mind when silence will suffice, Petrov’s strength lies in uncovering deceit, not practicing it. His enemies find it easy to predict his next move - usually because he brazenly declares it in front of the biggest audience he can find - while his allies often withhold sensitive information, rightly fearing that he couldn’t keep a secret to save someone’s life.
    • Small fish: With meagre (albeit infamous) landholdings and a retinue that borders on non-existent, Petrov doesn’t have a great deal of political capital at his disposal. What little he has is more the product of goodwill and notoriety rather than actual power.
    • Doomed undertaking: Were he to win the tournament, charm the ruling authorities, and somehow marry all the princesses through a complex time-sharing arrangement, there would still be good cause to doubt Petrov’s candidacy.  Politically divisive and diplomatically lacking, it would take a council of lunatics to appoint him ruler.

    Other traits:

    • Controversial: Is it magnanimity or dishonour to strike an accord with former bandits? What about the brutal execution of corrupt countrymen? Petrov tends to polarise opinions, especially when it comes to his own action.
    • Good with animals: An endearing but largely useless quality, Petrov likes animals, and they like him. It’s just a pity he doesn’t extend a similar affection to his fellow person.

    On/Offs: See the link!

    Personal guard #1

    Full name: Kaia
    Role: Guard, advisor, trophy, and a dozen other things besides.
    Notes: A Kvedulf auxiliary, albeit one that’s been scrubbed up for appearances back at the capital. Of Petrov’s two guards, it’s hard to say which is better behaved.
    Appearance:
    Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

    Personal guard #2

    Full name: ‘Lord’ Renko the Third
    Role: Bodyguard and best friend
    Notes: The second half of Petrov’s underwhelming entourage is his faithful wolfhound, Renko. Loyal, perceptive, and smart enough not to speak: as far as minders go, a noble could do much worse.
    Appearance:
    Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

    Birchleaf

    Well, I certainly approve. I find the fact that you describe him as embarking on a 'doomed undertaking' especially interesting. Do you see him as a dark-horse challenger that might win it all anyway, a courageous underdog whose story is not notable because he wins, but because of how he perseveres despite no chance of victory, or perhaps an outsider that a champion with a higher chance of an Imperial Crown could eventually recruit as an ally? Feel free not to answer, or give a really vague answer of course. Though I am curious, surprises are pretty good too.

    mj2002

    Feel free to post your character sheet in the appropriate thread and start posting! Your chararacter looks very interesting!

    Ontan

    #97
    Quote from: mj2002 on November 25, 2014, 06:11:37 AM
    Feel free to post your character sheet in the appropriate thread and start posting! Your chararacter looks very interesting!

    Great! I look forward to getting started.

    Quote from: Birchleaf on November 25, 2014, 01:51:50 AM
    Well, I certainly approve. I find the fact that you describe him as embarking on a 'doomed undertaking' especially interesting. Do you see him as a dark-horse challenger that might win it all anyway, a courageous underdog whose story is not notable because he wins, but because of how he perseveres despite no chance of victory, or perhaps an outsider that a champion with a higher chance of an Imperial Crown could eventually recruit as an ally? Feel free not to answer, or give a really vague answer of course. Though I am curious, surprises are pretty good too.

    Vague answer it is!

    I wanted to make a character that fulfils a slightly different role in terms of storyline. Major champions will be the main contenders, of course, but minor champions like Petrov present a wildcard. Every good story has someone like Petrov: he’s the local cop who’s always a step behind the main characters, or the recurring henchman who appears on the mastermind’s behalf, or the squad member who doesn’t get much screen time, but gets to fire the rocket launcher in the big action scene.

    Terrible analogies aside, you hopefully get the idea. Petrov’s an underdog whose role will change depending on opportunities and relationships presented by the main players. Beyond that... it'd be a spoiler to go into specifics.