Anhard Laskaris
Appearance
When not wearing his Nerakan garb, Anhard is a fairly nondescript man of average build. An astute observer would note that his skin is weatherbeaten and sunbleached, a norm for those who spend much of their life on the sea, and he is tanned even beyond the olive complexion that is the norm among the Gardielese. His hair is kept short, slicked back with grease in a short mohawk, or simply shaved entirely if there's been a rash of lice on the ship. He has no particular affection for facial hair, but generally sports a trimmed beard, as is traditional among Nerakan men.
But there is more to a man than physical appearance alone. Anhard moves with the grace of a dancer, careful, purposeful steps and a measured, perceptive gaze, with the slight bow-legged gait of a man used to staying upright in heavy swells. He is a hard man to catch off guard, and yet seems to be at ease in most environs, as if he is trained to blend in to a crowd.
Most of the time though, Anhard wears fairly traditional Nerakan garb, an oilcloth hooded cloak, a Tricorn (a symbol of rank and status), and a thick leather coat over functional clothes and high boots. He also typically wears a brigandine jack beneath his coat, plus a steel gorget and armored gauntlets when expecting a fight. and when at sea is only ever seen with the mask that identifies him as a Frater ta' Vojt. He still has the crescent axe that marks his former status as a Lictor, and also typically wears a wide tapered 'short' bastard sword and always conceals at least two daggers on his body.
But there is more to a man than physical appearance alone. Anhard moves with the grace of a dancer, careful, purposeful steps and a measured, perceptive gaze, with the slight bow-legged gait of a man used to staying upright in heavy swells. He is a hard man to catch off guard, and yet seems to be at ease in most environs, as if he is trained to blend in to a crowd.
Most of the time though, Anhard wears fairly traditional Nerakan garb, an oilcloth hooded cloak, a Tricorn (a symbol of rank and status), and a thick leather coat over functional clothes and high boots. He also typically wears a brigandine jack beneath his coat, plus a steel gorget and armored gauntlets when expecting a fight. and when at sea is only ever seen with the mask that identifies him as a Frater ta' Vojt. He still has the crescent axe that marks his former status as a Lictor, and also typically wears a wide tapered 'short' bastard sword and always conceals at least two daggers on his body.
Skills and Abilities
Kaptan: Anhard has spent much of his life on the ocean, and he is a excellent sailor and ship captain, as well as a capable tactician both at sea and on land.
Nerakan Sorcery:
Nerakan Sorcery:
- Weather Manipulation: Anhard's skill in the navigators art could be considered a hobby at best. He can feel the changing wind, and see the shift of waves, but he has nowhere near the mastery of the art necessary to summon a squall or drive a whirling gust forward. Given the secretive nature of the Navigators Guild, it is unlikely he will ever learn much more in this school of magic.
- Water and Wood: Deckmages belong to no formal order in the City of Nerak, but all the merchant houses and various fleets spend considerable effort to keep their ships well supplied with trained deckmages. Versatile and capable manipulators of wood, water, and fire, deck wizards magical traditions are largely informal, seen as an apprenticeship like any other of the more complex naval trades. As a rule, the Fraters ta' Vojt spend considerable time learning magical arts under deckmages. Deckmage sorcery is typically fairly simply and practical, with quick, immediate effects. In battle they can temporarily strengthen a section of the hull, or help guide a ballista bolt, or grappling hook and so on. Outside of combat they have many uses, whether it be making difficult repairs to a vessel, basic healing, or even emergency actions like hoisting a sail via magic.
- Ciphery: The secret art of the Frater ta' Vojt involves drawing power from the mathmatical truths of the world. It is an unusual form of magic, with a great deal of emphasis on communication and the transmittal of information. The most visible example of it is a practioner drawing geomantic glyphs or formula in the air, taking energy from the laws that bind the world together and making said glyphs into reality. It could be seen as a 'slower' form of magic, with limited practical use in combat.
Personality
Twenty odd years in service to a corsair state beholden to a raging god of storms can make for an odd soul. As a boy, Anhard found himself enamored by the ocean, and years later he remains bound to it.
Anhard could also be considered a Nerakan patriot, or at least as close to such a thing as is possible. He has fought to preserve the city's freedom before, and he will likely do so again.
In a fight, he is a dour and calculating fighter, not prone to shouting or boasting. His orders are given quickly and he expects to be obeyed
But like any good sailor, he is no stranger to merrymaking, though he has a dark sense of humor not uncommon among those who fear and revere Karofels. He has a dark, sometimes cruel wit, but he can also be surprisingly charming, and his sarcasm is as often endearing as it is biting.
Anhard is ultimately an ambitious man, and his attitudes towards others are deeply affected by this. He cares deeply for his ship and crew, but in the end they remain just a tool for his own advancement, and he would sacrifice them all if it meant a clear and tangible benefit. He is not a cruel man for sport or pleasure, but he is perfectly capable of evil acts if it serves his ends. He is not a gambler though, nor prone to taking unnecessary risk, learning Ciphery tends to make a man calculating sort.
Though he is not terribly fond of the Shark God, Anhard has, over the years, come to terms with his worship of the unforgiving deity. He firmly believes that the bounty of the sea must be taken by force, and he respects any who have the strength and resilience to weather a raging storm.
Anhard could also be considered a Nerakan patriot, or at least as close to such a thing as is possible. He has fought to preserve the city's freedom before, and he will likely do so again.
In a fight, he is a dour and calculating fighter, not prone to shouting or boasting. His orders are given quickly and he expects to be obeyed
But like any good sailor, he is no stranger to merrymaking, though he has a dark sense of humor not uncommon among those who fear and revere Karofels. He has a dark, sometimes cruel wit, but he can also be surprisingly charming, and his sarcasm is as often endearing as it is biting.
Anhard is ultimately an ambitious man, and his attitudes towards others are deeply affected by this. He cares deeply for his ship and crew, but in the end they remain just a tool for his own advancement, and he would sacrifice them all if it meant a clear and tangible benefit. He is not a cruel man for sport or pleasure, but he is perfectly capable of evil acts if it serves his ends. He is not a gambler though, nor prone to taking unnecessary risk, learning Ciphery tends to make a man calculating sort.
Though he is not terribly fond of the Shark God, Anhard has, over the years, come to terms with his worship of the unforgiving deity. He firmly believes that the bounty of the sea must be taken by force, and he respects any who have the strength and resilience to weather a raging storm.
