A couple more odds&ends characters from my archives. These two tip a bit more towards the “odd” end of the scale.
Alessia Elessair:
Elf Paladin/Undead Hunter – Rapier or Elven Dueling Sword
Alessia is essential an elven paladin with high-functioning autism. She serves a lawful neutral god of Death (Pharasma in Pathfinder. Kelemvor in Faerun). She is explicitly a hunter of necromancers and undead, although she will defend against other threats should the need arise. And she is as single-mindedly dedicated to that task as it is possible to be.
Alessia is very elven in her unhurried, long-term view of events. And very un-elven in almost every other way. She is stoic, methodical, single-minded, focused, and absolutely and totally dedicated to her cause. She performs her daily rituals exactly the same way every day. She executes every mission her way, on her schedule, according to her own methods. And she will NOT deviate from the plan unless the entire effort is rendered obsolete by superceding events..
Alessia generally prefers to work alone. In part because hunting undead is dangerous work. In part because her surveillance and preparations require extreme patience and discretion. And in part because she simply has difficulty working with people. People find her aloof. Uncaring. Distant. She clearly *does* care, as evidenced by the extreme level of effort she is willing to spend protecting innocents during the course of her missions. She simply doesn’t express that in terms most others recognize.
She never approaches any task with any more urgency than is required. She takes the time to completely understand the context, prepares meticulously to meet the threat, and then ends it. Mercilessly. Un-ceasingly. Until the infestation is completely and utterly eliminated. She has no interest in letting a few odd stragglers and apprentices escape, forcing her to return and repeat the process in a scant few decades.
Alessia’s fighting style is much like her general demeanor. She moves exactly as much as necessary, uses precisely the force required – and no more. She is fully capable of moving at blinding speeds, but completely unhurried if that is not necessary. Fighting her can be exceedingly frustrating. She consistently moves *just* enough that your thrusts barely miss. *Just* enough that your slash whistles over her head rather than through it. And then calmly takes advantage of the opening you just gave her. It feels like she is doing nothing at all, barely even moving. But you are breathing heavily, bleeding from a half-dozen strategic stab wounds, and her hair isn’t even mussed. And she’s still watching you and waiting with the same emotionless expression.
“russian elf woman wielding a thin magic sword, in motion, athletic, tanned skin, mid 30s, blue eyes, stoic, unhurried, straight white hair in chignon cut, angular face, black cape,black jacquard coat over black leather armor”
Skirritt:
???? Fighter/Thief, Tinkerer – Blunderbuss
This is one of odder characters I’ve ever made, dating back to PNP before I’d even heard of CRPGs. He’s got physical aspects of a variety of rodents, and the mentality of a tinkerer. He’s about the size of a dwarf, and what he’s carrying is essentially a makeshift blunderbuss.
Skirritt was an escapee from a Transmuter’s Tower. He didn’t really know what he was. He made his way to the tunnels below, and basically lived off the refuse from above. He used all the broken bits of things from above to build whatever he felt he needed. He taught himself to read from scraps of discarded manuscripts and letters. He learned to speak by sneaking up and spying on workers near the tower. And he would steal the occasional novel when he was feeling particularly adventurous.
He had a very unique view of the world. Everything was new and different to him. Everything was exciting. Since he didn’t know what many civilized things were *actually* intended to do he used them for all sorts of odd purposes. And once he made his way out into the wider world, he just kept with what he knew. He saw no reason that his uses for various implements of civilization were any less valid than anyone else’s. So if a priceless antique looked to him like the perfect chamberpot, that’s what it was. Conversely his prized possessions, carefully protected with awe and reverence, were a child’s toy soldier and single piece from long forgotten wooden puzzle.
I no longer even remember any of his travelling companions. I don’t remember them being particularly oddball or exceptional. And he certainly hasn’t made it into any CRPGs that I can recall. But he was simply fun to play – both as and with.
variations on “humanoid nutria, large cranium, elongated snout,large ears, curious expression,carrying long makeshift blunderbuss with a thick barrel,tinker, hunched back, long strong legs, ragged leather armor, wraps on forearms and legs”
Leave a Reply to atcDaveCancel reply