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Alexander von Carstein
Road worn and weary, a stranger from an unknown land is seen to arrive in town seeking shelter, warmth and food. Though clearly a healthy, able bodied and adult man, he takes up this demeanor as an older, poorer cripple in order to attract less attention than if he were seen as "strong" or "leader material". Instead, he is just another face in the crowd.
Appearance
Alexander is made of a tall but balanced and efficient frame, upon which is draped muscle, sinew and flesh that has seen many decades of hard-earned living. Calloused hands, corned feet. Old creaky knees and rattling shoulder parts.
And that's just the easy stuff. Many are the battle-scars and old wounds that this road-man has nursed through dark and lonely hours in the night, where noone else is around to hear you or help you.
A shock of obsidian black hair is most oft combed back or else shaved with a knife's edge. His dark hair rarely reaches past the shoulders, but more importantly it is properly cared for and oiled so as not to become a liability or nuisance.
Last but certainly not least are the tattoos and engravings all over his body, even including his face. These are anything from shapes, to symbols, to words and numbers written in at *least* half a dozen tongues.
When the Old Wanderer walks, soft chimes and bells jingle with his every step - a consequence of the five ringed staff he walks with, and several other noise-makers secreted away in his hair and on his person. A sort of reverse alarm, that would hint to others of his approach -- if they knew how to listen.
The Staff of Five Rings is also good for bonking, when young students refuse to sit still and learn.
And that's just the easy stuff. Many are the battle-scars and old wounds that this road-man has nursed through dark and lonely hours in the night, where noone else is around to hear you or help you.
A shock of obsidian black hair is most oft combed back or else shaved with a knife's edge. His dark hair rarely reaches past the shoulders, but more importantly it is properly cared for and oiled so as not to become a liability or nuisance.
Last but certainly not least are the tattoos and engravings all over his body, even including his face. These are anything from shapes, to symbols, to words and numbers written in at *least* half a dozen tongues.
When the Old Wanderer walks, soft chimes and bells jingle with his every step - a consequence of the five ringed staff he walks with, and several other noise-makers secreted away in his hair and on his person. A sort of reverse alarm, that would hint to others of his approach -- if they knew how to listen.
The Staff of Five Rings is also good for bonking, when young students refuse to sit still and learn.
Skills and Abilities
1. Trained mage in the schools of Necromancy and Illusion. Less so trained in others. Has a rather specific dislike of / towards the school of Divination. Alexander prefers to believe that we are in control of our own destinies -- let fortune tellers and hedge witches peddle talk fate and destiny.
2. Handy with a sword and even just knives. Too handy. Two humble steps backwards handy, just in case one of those hidden blades was put there for you specifically. What was the saying? Always carry a knife into any room you breach in case you have to kill everyone in that room. Or if there's cake.
3. Learned polyglot that knows enough to know that he doesn't know anything at all, really. What he does know is that time is his ally, and where he applies himself will tend to prosper more oft than where he does not -- despite anything else going on outside the sanctity of his mind.
4. Alchemist / Gardener, both by actual practical routines of sourcing, activating and delivering poultices and potions and by mere fascination and love for things that grow green and tall and strong.
5. Speaker for the Dead. Bread and butter of his "business" as a traveling hedge-sorcerer. Every town always has someone who wants to tell off that one uncle they never liked one more time before they kick the bucket too. Then I'll sell their nephews and nieces a way to talk to their elders, and so the cycle shall continue.
2. Handy with a sword and even just knives. Too handy. Two humble steps backwards handy, just in case one of those hidden blades was put there for you specifically. What was the saying? Always carry a knife into any room you breach in case you have to kill everyone in that room. Or if there's cake.
3. Learned polyglot that knows enough to know that he doesn't know anything at all, really. What he does know is that time is his ally, and where he applies himself will tend to prosper more oft than where he does not -- despite anything else going on outside the sanctity of his mind.
4. Alchemist / Gardener, both by actual practical routines of sourcing, activating and delivering poultices and potions and by mere fascination and love for things that grow green and tall and strong.
5. Speaker for the Dead. Bread and butter of his "business" as a traveling hedge-sorcerer. Every town always has someone who wants to tell off that one uncle they never liked one more time before they kick the bucket too. Then I'll sell their nephews and nieces a way to talk to their elders, and so the cycle shall continue.
Personality
Alexander is typically reserved and distant, but is more than able to keep up a conversation and run circles around half the people who would bother trying to speak with him.
Find him in a good mood by waiting until you hear that thunderous laughter of his. Then hope you can sneak one in between his ribs, a little sticker to say "hey, real world calling! pain! ouch!" and then he'll come back to ground level. Usually. Whether that is good for you or bad for you remains to be seen.
A bad mood is when he hasn't laughed in a while. Sadly, sometimes it can be a long while between such laughter. Alexander considers a life without laughter to be not worth living.
Find him in a good mood by waiting until you hear that thunderous laughter of his. Then hope you can sneak one in between his ribs, a little sticker to say "hey, real world calling! pain! ouch!" and then he'll come back to ground level. Usually. Whether that is good for you or bad for you remains to be seen.
A bad mood is when he hasn't laughed in a while. Sadly, sometimes it can be a long while between such laughter. Alexander considers a life without laughter to be not worth living.
Biography & Lore
Alexander von Carstein is a wandering monster-hunter, witcher, soothesayer, rain-maker, shaman and warlock all rolled into one. Sporting a strong frame and a custom-tailored underplated surcoat for those especially claw-friendly creatures, he roams from kingdom to kingdom, from tribe to tribe, simply allowing the paths of life to unfold before him as if he had nothing but time and nowhere to go.
All aboard, then?
Sometimes going by the True Name "Selzurius", Alexander von Carstein makes his living on the road. His personality helps see to moving on swiftly from even the most grateful hamlets and burgs. It is one thing to defend Humanity and the innocent against those things which stalk us in the dark of night.
It is another thing to live amongst Humanity and their ilk long enough to realize they are no better than the beasts braying out in the forests for blood and darkness.
So Alexander threads the eye of the needle right in between both worlds. More than just a man in more ways than one, but not really part of society - not even with a family. The other side of course is where he walks in the footsteps of monsters and fiends, burning that which he finds unclean and slaying those who he deems unworthy.
A loosely-stapled piece of parchment on the local taverns and work-wanted boards revealed several hand-drawn renditions more or less depicting the following offer of contract and service.
"Monster Hunter, Witch Slayer, and vanquisher of Bogeymen. No exorcisms. Fees are set on a case-by-case basis. Investigative services are also available at a reduced cost if no damage needs to be done.
I will investigate the evidence fully, so anything you want me to know you'd best be up front about it or keep reading someone else's shot to the wind. Good luck."
All aboard, then?
Sometimes going by the True Name "Selzurius", Alexander von Carstein makes his living on the road. His personality helps see to moving on swiftly from even the most grateful hamlets and burgs. It is one thing to defend Humanity and the innocent against those things which stalk us in the dark of night.
It is another thing to live amongst Humanity and their ilk long enough to realize they are no better than the beasts braying out in the forests for blood and darkness.
So Alexander threads the eye of the needle right in between both worlds. More than just a man in more ways than one, but not really part of society - not even with a family. The other side of course is where he walks in the footsteps of monsters and fiends, burning that which he finds unclean and slaying those who he deems unworthy.
A loosely-stapled piece of parchment on the local taverns and work-wanted boards revealed several hand-drawn renditions more or less depicting the following offer of contract and service.
"Monster Hunter, Witch Slayer, and vanquisher of Bogeymen. No exorcisms. Fees are set on a case-by-case basis. Investigative services are also available at a reduced cost if no damage needs to be done.
I will investigate the evidence fully, so anything you want me to know you'd best be up front about it or keep reading someone else's shot to the wind. Good luck."
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