In the next couple of months I will hopefully be starting to play a new game written and created by a couple of mates of mine. Due to the nature of how players are selected for games though, there’s no guarantee that I’ll end up in said game. I have come up with a character already though, so thought i’d share it here for anyone else to use just in case I’m not so lucky. This will probably be the only post I do on here that is setting specific, but feel free to change anything to make it fit into your game world of choice.
The Raphelian empire is still seen as an upstart compared to older empires of Uma. Looked down on as if by a member of the landed gentry to a Nouveau Riche family who never the less had a substantially larger fortune. Within the empire, families were springing up that wanted to be part of a new wave of aristocracy, to show off their wealth by purchasing land and titles with the new found wealth they had acquired through trading and piracy.
The Di Grogori’s are one such family, and their little nest egg was built up by sponsoring a entire fleet of “Privateers” to raid up and down various coastlines while carrying official letters of Marque. Now into its third generation since achieving notoriety and enough wealth to have their activities classified as business, most of the family are happy to survive on the earnings from their various investments and sea trading incomes. Kantrel is less than satisfied though, and feels that sitting idly by while the servants bring you sweetmeats and mead is going to soften his family up.
He is still only a young man – barely passed his 19th year in fact – but he has a plan. He will learn to earn his living with a sword, and return to his family home bringing honour to his name and a sizable fortune too. This sounds like a bold plan indeed for one so young and inexperienced in the ways of the world, but he does have a back up: to die trying.
He has completed a year long tutoring with a master of the long blade and is making his way to the border of Dummoni and Pelosia, a hotly contested strip of land that has been fought over for decades by the two nations. More than regular armies though, it is a home for some of the greatest – or at least better known – mercenary companies. Although the young lad sees no long term future in fighting a never ending war whilst lining the pockets of the generals of the free companies, it is a perfect proving ground.
His final goal is to become a hired duelist. When a rich fool, drunk and boisterous offends someone and is called upon to answer for this slight against honour, they will have little choice other than to agree or be shamed. Rather than risk their own lives though, they would pay through the nose for a second who would keep their own honour intact, and hopefully win the duel while they were at it. This is not a job a wet behind the ears boy can be paid to do, but a man who has survived a year in one of Uma’s most hostile military environments? That is a man who can set his price.
His journey starts while wearing his simplest attire, topped by cheap leather armour with an old rapier in a battered scabbard on his waist. The last thing he needs is for anyone in the free companies to think they could gain financially from accosting him. So he hasn’t shaved or bathed for days, and is heading to a port city far from his home and family. He has enough coin to pay his passage and a little besides to keep him fed until he arrives.
When he gets there the name Kantrel will be all he has, even the family name might give too much away, and he is determined to make it on his own and prove his worth. Otherwise, it’s back to plan B.
Using Kantrel in your game.
OK, I know that because this one is for a game that doesn’t yet exist, and as such a lot of details might not be applicable, but the broad strokes should be useful for just about any fantasy/historical game.
- Since he begins his plan as a traveler, he could easily be met on the road with promises of glory and riches awaiting those who follow his idea.
- There may even be some members of his family out there who want him back, and could pay some money for his safe return, or maybe even to ensure he dies in a blood soaked field.
- Meeting him in a blood soaked field, early on in his plan, he will be keen to prove himself and is very likely to pick fights with people in a D’artagnan fashion.
shortymonster
Hello there, learned reader. My name is not shortymonster, but since we will soon become firm friends, feel free to call me Shorty. I am a well versed and well traveled gentleman gamer, with no particular favourites in regard to system or setting, playing or GMing. You can also find me at my personal RPG blog.
Kantrel is hiding something, Shorty…