Vlandar Torthal - Halberdier
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 4:10 am
First Name: Vlandar
Last Name: Torthal
Appearance: Tall and muscular, yet lean for his height
Race: Human
Age: 18
Height 6'5"
Weight: 225lbs
Eyes: Pale Green
Hair: Reddish, curly
Facial Hair Style: Stubble (thick)
Personality Profile:
General Health: Young and Healthy
Deity: Tempus/Torm (much respect to a few others)
Initial Alignment: Chaotic Good
Profession: Mercenary
Base Class & Proposed Development: Fighter (later, FB/AK/Ro split)
Habits/Hobbies: He loves the thrill of combat, and will often try to simulate it. Occasionally taking out his weapon and practicing his stances/forms in what looks like a deadly dance. Can be careless, likely due to youth, often running ahead of his comrades into danger. Also loves to drink, primarily ale and whiskey. Finds the use of magic rather cowardly in a fight, and has been known to taunt foes and friends alike in battle. Actively distrusts rich nobles and persons of governmental power, giving him issues with his views on duty.
Given his father's shady past and the the circumstance of his flight from Eshpurta, he gave himself the name Vlandar Torthal, citing it as a "strong, warrior's name". His true name he will not reveal, as it is a mark of shame for a life he tries hard to bury.
Languages: Common, Elven
Weapon of Choice: Halberd
Background:
As a boy, Vlandar grew up in a small mining town near the Cloud Peaks of Amn. His father, a miner, was disabled in a mining accident somewhere near his son's tenth year. His mother, sadly, died of disease in the early years of her son's life. Vlandar's life in the small town was not a pleasant one. Much of the town was made up of "reforming" criminals and dishonored military veterans and their families. Men with nowhere else to go but into the deep mines of the peaks, who had settled for their fate of fruitless servitude. There were brawls nightly at the village's watering hole, the sound of them almost acting as a lullaby for many of the unfortunate young ones. Vlandar's father had been accused of murder while serving as a low-ranking officer in Amn's armed forces. Rumors said that he had caught a man with his wife, another (higher ranking) officer, and put a crossbow bolt through the man's neck as he tried to flee into the night. Neither of his parents would ever speak of it, and so Vlandar always had suspicions that the rumors were closer to the truth than he would have liked. Luckily for his father, the murder was never able to be pinned on him, but he was forced to resign his post and move to that gods-forsaken place in the peaks.
That all changed when the mine he was working in collapsed. His father's legs were crushed in the cave-in, and mining was no longer feasible for him. Fearing for his family, he sent word to Eshpurta to an old friend. Vlandar had always guessed the man owed his father somehow, because the night they met hulking veteran in a smoky tavern, there was certainly no love between them. In fact, he had briefly feared the man might outright kill his father that night. It seems the man was bound to honor, if only by a shred, and so he agreed to try finding work for him in the recruiting corps back in Eshpurta. Weeks later, a recruiting caravan ordered them to go along, and just like that they left their home in the peaks behind for good. At first, his father worked as a stable hand, presumably until more strings were pulled by his old "friend". Most likely, he just wanted Vlandar's father to suffer through cleaning horse dung and living in squalor for a time before holding true to his word. Eventually though, his father was moved into quartermaster duties. He walked with a crutch now, and often the soldiers would gibe at him, calling him old gimpy and the like. The name Sergeant Gimp stuck better than most, even Vlandar would jokingly refer to his father that way behind his back.
Once their station improved a tad, his father mostly distributed new arms and armor to fresh recruits for training. As such, he had access to the training grounds, and Vlandar would often go down to watch the men train. He became enthralled with weaponry and combat, feeling a thrill just watching men fight - even in practice. In particular, he had a love for the halberd. It was a simple weapon, he knew that. Unlike the spear however, a man could make wide slashes. Great arcs of death which had a greater range than the great axes favored by savages. It gave the weapon a distinct style, a flow that looked nearly a dance when performed by masters. The pressure to enlist in the military was great in Eshpurta, from both peers and adults. Even his father pressured him to join, and he nearly did. He felt little loyalty to Amn however, and in the end he decided to leave.
He DID want to fight for a living, though. He would find his niche elsewhere. He would fight for his own virtues, not those of a land to which he felt no ties. He had heard of several orders of knights and similar mercenaries along the Sword Coast, so he decided to head towards Baldur's gate and work towards joining a cause worthy of his time and blood. He seeks glory to a point of vanity at times, but his heart is true enough. His lust for battle has always caused him to yearn for the fight, even if he fears losing himself to the bloodlust. Instead, he plans to face his thirst for battle head on, tempering it into the weapon he needs to fight back against the darkness of Faerun.
Goals:
Glory and Wealth, though both in many ways are a means to an end. He intends to make a name for himself through his skill and his deeds, hoping to be accepted into an order of knights or warriors that he has not yet chosen.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
His Father was against him leaving. It is likely, as a man of somewhat ill-refute, that he would send men to bring his son home and somehow force him into service to atone for his father's past in some way. Just as likely, men who hated his father for his crime would come looking for his son to try using against him. Vlandar has always suspected his father's past was more than a little shady, and with good reason. On top of that, he was not a gentle man and his son is not overly fond of him.
Vlandar's birth name is below:
His fear of losing himself to his lust for battle is very real, and I imagine there will be a conflict in his future where his ideals collide and he must choose a direction in life - that of a fight-loving bloodthirsty warrior, or that of a warrior who tempers his love of battle with his other morals.
Last Name: Torthal
Appearance: Tall and muscular, yet lean for his height
Race: Human
Age: 18
Height 6'5"
Weight: 225lbs
Eyes: Pale Green
Hair: Reddish, curly
Facial Hair Style: Stubble (thick)
Personality Profile:
General Health: Young and Healthy
Deity: Tempus/Torm (much respect to a few others)
Initial Alignment: Chaotic Good
Profession: Mercenary
Base Class & Proposed Development: Fighter (later, FB/AK/Ro split)
Habits/Hobbies: He loves the thrill of combat, and will often try to simulate it. Occasionally taking out his weapon and practicing his stances/forms in what looks like a deadly dance. Can be careless, likely due to youth, often running ahead of his comrades into danger. Also loves to drink, primarily ale and whiskey. Finds the use of magic rather cowardly in a fight, and has been known to taunt foes and friends alike in battle. Actively distrusts rich nobles and persons of governmental power, giving him issues with his views on duty.
Given his father's shady past and the the circumstance of his flight from Eshpurta, he gave himself the name Vlandar Torthal, citing it as a "strong, warrior's name". His true name he will not reveal, as it is a mark of shame for a life he tries hard to bury.
Languages: Common, Elven
Weapon of Choice: Halberd
Background:
As a boy, Vlandar grew up in a small mining town near the Cloud Peaks of Amn. His father, a miner, was disabled in a mining accident somewhere near his son's tenth year. His mother, sadly, died of disease in the early years of her son's life. Vlandar's life in the small town was not a pleasant one. Much of the town was made up of "reforming" criminals and dishonored military veterans and their families. Men with nowhere else to go but into the deep mines of the peaks, who had settled for their fate of fruitless servitude. There were brawls nightly at the village's watering hole, the sound of them almost acting as a lullaby for many of the unfortunate young ones. Vlandar's father had been accused of murder while serving as a low-ranking officer in Amn's armed forces. Rumors said that he had caught a man with his wife, another (higher ranking) officer, and put a crossbow bolt through the man's neck as he tried to flee into the night. Neither of his parents would ever speak of it, and so Vlandar always had suspicions that the rumors were closer to the truth than he would have liked. Luckily for his father, the murder was never able to be pinned on him, but he was forced to resign his post and move to that gods-forsaken place in the peaks.
That all changed when the mine he was working in collapsed. His father's legs were crushed in the cave-in, and mining was no longer feasible for him. Fearing for his family, he sent word to Eshpurta to an old friend. Vlandar had always guessed the man owed his father somehow, because the night they met hulking veteran in a smoky tavern, there was certainly no love between them. In fact, he had briefly feared the man might outright kill his father that night. It seems the man was bound to honor, if only by a shred, and so he agreed to try finding work for him in the recruiting corps back in Eshpurta. Weeks later, a recruiting caravan ordered them to go along, and just like that they left their home in the peaks behind for good. At first, his father worked as a stable hand, presumably until more strings were pulled by his old "friend". Most likely, he just wanted Vlandar's father to suffer through cleaning horse dung and living in squalor for a time before holding true to his word. Eventually though, his father was moved into quartermaster duties. He walked with a crutch now, and often the soldiers would gibe at him, calling him old gimpy and the like. The name Sergeant Gimp stuck better than most, even Vlandar would jokingly refer to his father that way behind his back.
Once their station improved a tad, his father mostly distributed new arms and armor to fresh recruits for training. As such, he had access to the training grounds, and Vlandar would often go down to watch the men train. He became enthralled with weaponry and combat, feeling a thrill just watching men fight - even in practice. In particular, he had a love for the halberd. It was a simple weapon, he knew that. Unlike the spear however, a man could make wide slashes. Great arcs of death which had a greater range than the great axes favored by savages. It gave the weapon a distinct style, a flow that looked nearly a dance when performed by masters. The pressure to enlist in the military was great in Eshpurta, from both peers and adults. Even his father pressured him to join, and he nearly did. He felt little loyalty to Amn however, and in the end he decided to leave.
He DID want to fight for a living, though. He would find his niche elsewhere. He would fight for his own virtues, not those of a land to which he felt no ties. He had heard of several orders of knights and similar mercenaries along the Sword Coast, so he decided to head towards Baldur's gate and work towards joining a cause worthy of his time and blood. He seeks glory to a point of vanity at times, but his heart is true enough. His lust for battle has always caused him to yearn for the fight, even if he fears losing himself to the bloodlust. Instead, he plans to face his thirst for battle head on, tempering it into the weapon he needs to fight back against the darkness of Faerun.
Goals:
Glory and Wealth, though both in many ways are a means to an end. He intends to make a name for himself through his skill and his deeds, hoping to be accepted into an order of knights or warriors that he has not yet chosen.
Possible Plot-Hook Ideas and Misc Facts:
His Father was against him leaving. It is likely, as a man of somewhat ill-refute, that he would send men to bring his son home and somehow force him into service to atone for his father's past in some way. Just as likely, men who hated his father for his crime would come looking for his son to try using against him. Vlandar has always suspected his father's past was more than a little shady, and with good reason. On top of that, he was not a gentle man and his son is not overly fond of him.
Vlandar's birth name is below:
Hidden: show
His fear of losing himself to his lust for battle is very real, and I imagine there will be a conflict in his future where his ideals collide and he must choose a direction in life - that of a fight-loving bloodthirsty warrior, or that of a warrior who tempers his love of battle with his other morals.