Verik Despir

[Snarfy]

First Name: Verik
Last Name: Despir

Appearance:
Race: Deep Imaskari
Age: 24
Height 5'11'
Weight: 189lbs
Eyes: Greyish blue
Hair: Bald

Personality Profile:
General Health: In poor health(See below).
Deity: Shar
Initial Alignment: NE
Profession: Mercenary.
Base Class & Proposed Development: Bard/Assassin/Ghost Faced Killer.
Habits/Hobbies: A good vocalist, competent player of the mandolin, and collector of string instruments.
Languages: Common, Drow.
Weapon of Choice: Any slashing weapon, preferably longsword.

Background: Verik hails from a remote settlement not far from Deep Imaskar. Like most of his race he holds a fascination for the magical arts, but he never quite felt that wizardy was his calling. A rare visit by a passing svirfneblin skald named Kribble swayed his arcane interest towards the bardic magics. The deep gnome gave a performance so captivating that Verik offered himself as a bodyguard for the wandering bard in the hopes of learning the bardic craft from the gnome. Kribble agreed and the two became fast friends, traveling together for almost a year.

After a long trek one night the pair decided to make camp in a small cavern and share a few drinks. Unfortunately their careless musical careening and laughing caught the attention of a dark elf lurking nearby. A cloud of darkness descended on the two friends moments later, and Verik felt a crossbow bolt shear into his left cheek and pass through his mouth to explode out the other side. After a few agonizing moments the magical darkness dissipated, and Verik opened his eyes to the sight of the drow standing over Kribble holding a wicked blade covered in crimson. The gnome, throat slit open from ear to ear, let out bloody gurgle and twitched one last time before slumping over, dropping his prized mandolin. The drow, thinking the fight won and with his back turned to Verik, leaned over to collect the fallen instrument, only to receive a slice across his calf from the enraged Imaskari who had, miraculously, resisted the drows poisoned bolt. The drow fled, limping off as fast as his wounded leg would carry him. For many hours Verik pursued the drow through the a maze of tunnels and caves, the residual traces of poison and visions of revenge consuming his thoughts.

Despite his wounded leg, the drow started to gain some distance. Just as Verik thought he had lost the dark elf he heard a bone chilling wail from down the tunnel that sapped all the strength from his limbs. Peering fearfully around the bend the Imaskari saw something that would change him forever: the murderous drow that had killed his friend was slumped to the ground, and floating before the dark elf was the ghastly translucent form of a long haired woman... a banshee. With morbid fascination the Imaskari looked on as the female phantom drained the drow of all life with yet another dreadful wail. The awful and horrific beauty of the banshees wail was one of the most terrible and perfect things Verik had ever heard and, even as he felt his chest being crushed and his life force being drained from him, he couldn't turn away from the nightmarish sight. It was in this moment of profound terror that Verik had a true realization: the fear that resides in the hearts of all mortal beings was the most dangerous weapon one could ever wield. The banshee then turned her gaze on Verik, the ghostly womans hollow eyes boring into him was the last thing he saw before he blacked out.

Some hours later Verik awoke to an empty cavern, save for the emaciated husk of the drow and Kribbles mandolin. By some strange twist of fate the banshee had left him alive. In a near delirious state he then scooped up his friends instrument and slowly made his way off in the direction of Sshamath.

Goals:
Simply put, Verik wishes to master the art of fear. He seeks to discover a way to manipulate the fear in the hearts of others and use it to kill in the same way the banshee killed the drow.

Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
Verik wears a mask to hide the wounds on his face, and the banshees wail has left him with respiratory problems. The murder of his friend and the experience with the banshee have traumatized and desensitized him, drastically altering his perceptions on the value of life.

He deeply desires to see the surface as he has heard stories of the theater and of the proliferation of bardic magic in the surface realm.

[DM Grave]

Reviewed - XP Rewarded