Age: Unknown to him (26-27yo)
Race: Half-Elf
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 170lbs
Physical Description: Tall & gaunt, Talon walks & speaks softly. Used to solitude he attempts to remain nondescript, striving to avoid drawing undue attention to himself. Scars crisscross his body and, while most of them are hidden by the armor, gloves, and black-hooded cloak he habitually wears, when exposed they contrast starkly against his pale, almost translucently fair skin. Framed by mid-length black hair his youthful face bears the marks of a hard life. The haunted look in his deep brown eyes and the sword-cut scar that runs the length of his face from left cheek to chin mar his otherwise handsome features and lend him a somewhat wild and dangerous aspect. While he does his best to conceal the marks he bears the telltale scars of prison shackles on his wrists and a slave brand of one of the lesser Pirate Kingdoms on the back of his right hand.
Possessions:
1x: Black Leather Armor (High quality but worn & oft repaired)
-Ribbed Cuirass w/ pauldrons
-Metal-reinforced bracer on left wrist
-Greaves
-Boots
1x: Horn-tipped Compound Recurve Bow (Currently lacking string)
-Empty Quiver
-No Arrows
1x: Bastard Sword (Of unusual elvish design, thin, possibly enchanted)
-Scabbarded across back w/ Bow & Quiver
2x: Curved Hunting Knives
-Worn at belt.
2x: Small Throwing Knives
-One at small of back behind belt
-One tucked in right boot
1x: Belt Pouch
- Flint & Tinder
-Thieves Tools (Picks, Wax Ball, String & Hook)
- Compact Pipe w/ ball of Poppy Tar
1x: Knapsack
-Thin Bedroll & Blanket(a few coins wrapped inside)
-Whetstone
-Single Tallow Candle
-Half Flask of Dwarven Brandy
-Small Mortar & Pedestal
-Foraged Herbs for healing & stamina
-2x small books(Compendium of Magic Creatures & a Encyclopedia)
Powers or Strengths:
- Well Educated: With a fondness for reading. Interest in History, Geography, and non-human cultures.
- Multi-linguist: Fluent in several dialects of Elvish & a half-dozen human languages. Also has a gift for quickly learning the basics of new languages as he travels.
-Hardened Survivor: Having spent the past decade travelling the continent's underbelly, through foreboding wildernesses and the slums of great cities, Talon has become intimately familiar with and inured to suffering. With hunger, pain, and the harsh bite of the elements often his only companions he has developed a higher tolerance for pain and is tougher than most.
-Rogue: Forced to live for years on the fringe of society, Talon has subsisted on his wits alone. Often resorting to criminality to live he has by necessity become an adept thief & burglar. Naturally stealthy he has also learned to manipulate locks of moderate complexity.
-Light on his Toes: Whether it's running, jumping, or basic acrobatics his experiences as a fugitive & thief have made Talon quick on his feet when unencumbered by travelling gear and deceptively fast with his blades, fists, or feet in a fight.
-Capable Swordsman; Specializing in the use of his hand and a half.
-Skilled with a bow(Able to hunt for food if necessary)
-Self-Taught Knife-fighter and Brawler(Some might call a "dirty fighter")
-Noble Upbringing: Although you'd never guess based on his current vagabond appearance or outlaw lifestyle Talon was actually raised amidst the pomp and circumstance of court life, and if the situation warranted it could once again take up the mantle of a high lord to mingle with peak society.
-Former Squire: As is typical of nobleborn Eyropan sons, adolescent Talon was squired to the finest cavaliers in his father's retinue. Under their strict tutelage he learned to ride and utilize a variety of weapons and armors. While he doesn't posses the abilities of a fully-trained knight he does posses a thorough understanding of warcraft, tactics, and a basic familiarity with multiple fighting styles(ie maces, axes, polearms.)
-Animal Lover: Good with horses and hounds although he has rarely owned either over the years. Animals seem to like & trust him, and he in turn finds they put him at ease in a way other people do not.
Weaknesses:
-Thin White Duke: Naturally slight of build to begin with, years of malnutrition and hard living have left Talon whipthin. While he posses a lean muscularity, needed to draw a bow or climb through a second story window, he simply doesn't have the mass to compete with any large warrior in a match of brawn. While somewhat offset by his cunning and speed he is at a serious disadvantage when contesting with a muscle-bound opponent in plate or mail armor.
-Cursed & Damned: Plagued by misfortune throughout his life and forced to stray ever farther afield from the morality with which he had been raised Talon considers his soul damned and as such attaches little value to his own life, considering redemption to be forever out of reach.
-Former Slave: Bearing the marks of his former bondage all over his body there is no way for him to hide he is an escaped slave. From the scars of floggings crisscrossing his back to the prominent chattel brand upon his hand, he carries the stigma with him everywhere. Few are the communities that would permit one such as him to live openly in their midst and almost non-existent are the opportunities for legal employment. Even supposedly tolerant communities with no or limited slavery tend to shun him out of shame.
-Loner: Due to his tragic history of exploitation and it's attendant shame he has become completely self-reliant, eschewing companionship in favor of a solitary life. He trusts no one and finds it almost impossible to work or live with others.
-Depressed: Prone to brooding and fits of melancholy Talon spends days on end bemoaning his plight.
-Insomniac: Most nights Talon is unable to sleep, instead prowling the night, and or brooding. Constantly fatigued, the cost has been high, with him suffering routine insomnia's damaging effects on his mind, body, and soul.
-Nightmares: When he is able to sleep he is plagued by vivid dreams, often reliving the worst moments of his tragic formative years. Recollections of brutality and betrayal ensure that any sleep he does get is hardly more peaceful than the rest of his violent life.
-Alcoholic: Like many people who have suffered significant trauma, Talon's search for succor regularly takes him to the bottom of a bottle. Requiring regular droughts to make it through the day his addiction is years old and a firmly entrenched part of his daily routine. He's developed a slight tremble in his left hand which only liquor can dispel and is prone to irritability and cold sweats if long denied.
-Drug Addict: Talon's first experience with narcotics came as a slave; with his first masters using forced poppy dependence as a means of "breaking-in" new stock. Quickly becoming addicted he has remained so for years, only occasionally attempting to get clean. Talon's need for a fix has many times gotten him into trouble and he has been know to show the reckless poor judgement of a career addict in search of his next high. He is currently in one of his more stable periods, relatively in control of his urges, he only smokes his pipe to sleep. Still.. he's never more than one bad decision away from a serious relapse.
-Paranoid:
History: (be descriptive with your history, this is what tells us if you're capable of putting effort into your writing.)
***WORK IN PROGRESS***
Feel free to comment. Any input, if graciously given, is welcome! 