Help with Craft (Biography)? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Help with Craft (Biography)? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Insignia)
02-06-05, 06:09 PM Greetings...

I’ve been playing this character for a few sessions now, and I’m not too happy with his background... I’d love to improve it (in all aspects), so feel free to play with it as much as you like. I really need all the help I can get. Here’s where we stand:

Name: Arthil Tallis (currently presenting himself as A. Shadowshield)
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Class: Rogue/Fighter/Assassin
Level: 3/2/1
Deity: Mask
Alignment: Lawful Neutral (L4G1)
Height: 5’7’’
Weight: 149 lb.

Bio:
Given birth in the City of Splendors, Arthil lived the pampered life of a young noble. He had only the finest tutoring available, and attended only the most expensive schools. His every desire was granted, every whim fulfilled. His father, Lord Erchild Tallis (a mage of considerable power), died just before he was born, so Arthil grew quite close to his mother over the years... Cathleen knew nothing of how to govern complex family affairs, so she one day decided to marry Melvin Dimtorch, her suitor and (seemingly) quite a good opportunity. Arthil never liked him, but everyone thought it was simple childish jealousy... The man didn’t take much time to show his real face, however. Under the charming facade he was a nothing but a penniless, cruel, self-centered gambler who molested young Arthil and his mother, driving them to near-poverty over the course of two years. The only thing left was the grand family manor, infused by powerful magic which Melvin feared greatly. Unable to go on, Cathleen killed the man and committed suicide, leaving Arthil completely alone...

With virtually no one to turn to, the last Tallis soon found himself on the streets. It was difficult for one so inexperienced to survive in the harsh environment, and he had to learn everything the hard way... But he did learn, and one day was recruited by none other than Rowen Thirdeye (expert swordsman and a poisonmaker of some repute), a very important figure in a secret guild named “Blades of Intrigue”. It was an elite organization of spies and assassins, elusive and secretive to the extreme. They operated throughout Waterdeep without anyone knowing of their existence or location (no small feat, to be sure). Arthil learned much under his new mentor, and quickly ascended through their ranks... They were rather honorable, following a strict code of conduct, and Arthil finally found some much needed comfort in all the darkness that marked most of his life. Rowen was the closest thing to a father he ever had, and Arthil owes him everything he knows. The man reputedly spent over a decade in the Underdark, but he never wanted to speak of his time there. Arthil learned many things about the Drow and their customs beside him, as well as their secret sign code, which proved to be quite useful on many missions.

Three years passed, the elderly guildmaster died, and the entire network was caught in a wild internal war over leadership. Rowen claimed neutral ground, and soon was killed (it is yet unknown, but people say he was poisoned, as luck would have it; none dared confront the aged ranger openly, that much is true). After this point, nothing mattered... Arthil decided to hold still and seek vengeance at a later time. Patience would be his greatest ally, the man thought. The guild changed considerably when Caleb Ninefingers took over. The former “master of coins” was a minor player in the game, and he’s rumored to have been backed by someone with far greater influence, perhaps Shadow Thieves seeking to re-establish their power in the city, or even the dreaded Zhentarim. Arthil never got a chance to find out, however, having ignored a direct order (to kill the innocent daughter of a traveling merchant who declined Caleb’s offer on the import of certain “rare flowers”). There was soon a generous bounty set on Arthil’s head, so (after having to fight away the first few contenders) he sent an anonymous letter to the authorities (detailing the guild’s location, current operations and the like) and boarded the first ship to Baldur’s Gate. There he assumed the identity of A. Shadowshield, a wandering weapon-collecting warrior from the far north, who soon got the nickname “Shade” (a lot to do with the way he looks). In a few weeks, he gathered a joyful crew of disbanded adventurers, soon recruiting them on a “noble mission to discover ancient blades of tremendous power” (referring to the “Shattering Swords of Coronal Ynloeth” – this was an improvisation based on some legends he picked up on the streets of Waterdeep), later spicing it up with promises of glory, gold and women. The newly formed “Company of the Shackled Raven” then headed towards the forest kingdom of Cormyr (perhaps the safest place to hide), and that is where our little adventure begins...

Now, I beg you to forgive my English... I’m well aware of the many grammatical errors I must’ve left translating the text above, but I hope it’s understandable enough.

Anyhow, if you see something that doesn’t fit or is illogical (or can be improved in any way), please, let me know... I want to make it as complete as possible. All comments are welcome. :D

Thank you for your time,
I
Trydan
02-07-05, 05:04 AM Wow... nice background. :cool:

However, I am really curious... how did the "Company of the Schackled Raven" get its name?
Insignia)
02-07-05, 08:12 AM You really think so? Heh... Coming from you, that's quite a compliment. :)

I read some of your articles, and they're really good. This is average at best, but thanks anyway. Any ideas on how to improve it?

P.S.
It took us quite some time to think of something good, and since our wizard's insane raven familiar got "arrested" at the Cormyr border for insulting the local guard (you don't want to know the details, but it took us nearly a week to get him out), the name seemed only appropriate. :p
Trydan
02-07-05, 08:40 AM It took us quite some time to think of something good, and since our wizard's insane raven familiar got "arrested" at the Cormyr border for insulting the local guard (you don't want to know the details, but it took us nearly a week to get him out), the name seemed only appropriate. :pLike most character backgrounds, they improve dramatically once you start prodding and quesitoning a bit. This is now actually getting really interesting and, despite what you say, I do want to know the details of why and how that familiar was arrested. I mean... how do you arrest a bird?

This is the sort of thing that I like, and the sort of thing that really helps bring a group together. Sometimes it is the little anecdotes (sp?) that make things so much fun, and give the group a sense of cameraderie that helps keep the game "alive". In some ways, such things are much more interesting that "my character was born in <name of some obscure place> and lost his parents because of ...".

And in any case, the "Company of the Shackled Raven" is such a cool name.
Insignia)
02-07-05, 10:41 AM Thanks, I like to think so too. :D

Ah, it all happened on a long summer day... 'twas second of Kythorn, if memory serves me right, and the caravan we were on just moved into the forest kingdom.

We were stopped not long after, having reached the closest Purple Dragon guardpost. A coterie of knights, closely followed by some war wizards, demanded to inspect our gear (which they did quite thoroughly). After this procedure, we paid for the adventuring charter necessary in order to carry weapons within the kingdom, and tried to move on. However, Arc (the familiar) didn't quite enjoy having them roughly examine his "tender crystal palace" (in truth a plain wooden familiar carrier), so he started passing snide comments, moved on to mocking the war wizards as incompetent, and finished with attacking one of the knights, all the while screaming some nasty curses at Lady Alusair herself (to say that this wasn't the wisest idea would be a huge understatement). His master, completely unable to control this violent outburst (even after he was warned to), simply stood there, bewildered.

Lacking any proper procedure regarding such incidents, the angry war wizard (apparently being as mad as the raven himself) took matters into his own hands, "arresting" the bird at the spot, with all the appropriate paperwork. Nauril (the master) tried to reason with the wizard, but he nearly got himself arrested in the process. Despite all common sense (and a dragon's hoard of apologies from us), Arc was teleported to Suzail "for trial" (I barely managed to bite back a roaring laughter at this point). So, we rode to Suzail.

There we finally managed to clear things out, and continued the adventure. The familiar was locked in his "tender crystal palace" for something over a month as a sign of our gratitude for the gold and time spent to free him, and bears a tiny silver shackle strapped to his leg to this very day... as a reminder. :embarrass

By the way, I agree. The little anecdotes can really bring life to a campaign, and they're usually the only thing we remember from past games. :)

I

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Insignia) 02-06-05, 06:09 PM	Greetings... I’ve been playing this character for a few sessions now, and I’m not too happy with his background... I’d love to improve it (in all aspects), so feel free to play with it as much as you like. I really need all the help I can get. Here’s where we stand: Name: Arthil Tallis (currently presenting himself as A. Shadowshield) Race: Human Gender: Male Age: 22 Class: Rogue/Fighter/Assassin Level: 3/2/1 Deity: Mask Alignment: Lawful Neutral (L4G1) Height: 5’7’’ Weight: 149 lb. Bio: Given birth in the City of Splendors, Arthil lived the pampered life of a young noble. He had only the finest tutoring available, and attended only the most expensive schools. His every desire was granted, every whim fulfilled. His father, Lord Erchild Tallis (a mage of considerable power), died just before he was born, so Arthil grew quite close to his mother over the years... Cathleen knew nothing of how to govern complex family affairs, so she one day decided to marry Melvin Dimtorch, her suitor and (seemingly) quite a good opportunity. Arthil never liked him, but everyone thought it was simple childish jealousy... The man didn’t take much time to show his real face, however. Under the charming facade he was a nothing but a penniless, cruel, self-centered gambler who molested young Arthil and his mother, driving them to near-poverty over the course of two years. The only thing left was the grand family manor, infused by powerful magic which Melvin feared greatly. Unable to go on, Cathleen killed the man and committed suicide, leaving Arthil completely alone... With virtually no one to turn to, the last Tallis soon found himself on the streets. It was difficult for one so inexperienced to survive in the harsh environment, and he had to learn everything the hard way... But he did learn, and one day was recruited by none other than Rowen Thirdeye (expert swordsman and a poisonmaker of some repute), a very important figure in a secret guild named “Blades of Intrigue”. It was an elite organization of spies and assassins, elusive and secretive to the extreme. They operated throughout Waterdeep without anyone knowing of their existence or location (no small feat, to be sure). Arthil learned much under his new mentor, and quickly ascended through their ranks... They were rather honorable, following a strict code of conduct, and Arthil finally found some much needed comfort in all the darkness that marked most of his life. Rowen was the closest thing to a father he ever had, and Arthil owes him everything he knows. The man reputedly spent over a decade in the Underdark, but he never wanted to speak of his time there. Arthil learned many things about the Drow and their customs beside him, as well as their secret sign code, which proved to be quite useful on many missions. Three years passed, the elderly guildmaster died, and the entire network was caught in a wild internal war over leadership. Rowen claimed neutral ground, and soon was killed (it is yet unknown, but people say he was poisoned, as luck would have it; none dared confront the aged ranger openly, that much is true). After this point, nothing mattered... Arthil decided to hold still and seek vengeance at a later time. Patience would be his greatest ally, the man thought. The guild changed considerably when Caleb Ninefingers took over. The former “master of coins” was a minor player in the game, and he’s rumored to have been backed by someone with far greater influence, perhaps Shadow Thieves seeking to re-establish their power in the city, or even the dreaded Zhentarim. Arthil never got a chance to find out, however, having ignored a direct order (to kill the innocent daughter of a traveling merchant who declined Caleb’s offer on the import of certain “rare flowers”). There was soon a generous bounty set on Arthil’s head, so (after having to fight away the first few contenders) he sent an anonymous letter to the authorities (detailing the guild’s location, current operations and the like) and boarded the first ship to Baldur’s Gate. There he assumed the identity of A. Shadowshield, a wandering weapon-collecting warrior from the far north, who soon got the nickname “Shade” (a lot to do with the way he looks). In a few weeks, he gathered a joyful crew of disbanded adventurers, soon recruiting them on a “noble mission to discover ancient blades of tremendous power” (referring to the “Shattering Swords of Coronal Ynloeth” – this was an improvisation based on some legends he picked up on the streets of Waterdeep), later spicing it up with promises of glory, gold and women. The newly formed “Company of the Shackled Raven” then headed towards the forest kingdom of Cormyr (perhaps the safest place to hide), and that is where our little adventure begins... Now, I beg you to forgive my English... I’m well aware of the many grammatical errors I must’ve left translating the text above, but I hope it’s understandable enough. Anyhow, if you see something that doesn’t fit or is illogical (or can be improved in any way), please, let me know... I want to make it as complete as possible. All comments are welcome. :D Thank you for your time, I
Trydan 02-07-05, 05:04 AM	Wow... nice background. :cool: However, I am really curious... how did the "Company of the Schackled Raven" get its name?
Insignia) 02-07-05, 08:12 AM	You really think so? Heh... Coming from you, that's quite a compliment. :) I read some of your articles, and they're really good. This is average at best, but thanks anyway. Any ideas on how to improve it? P.S. It took us quite some time to think of something good, and since our wizard's insane raven familiar got "arrested" at the Cormyr border for insulting the local guard (you don't want to know the details, but it took us nearly a week to get him out), the name seemed only appropriate. :p
Trydan 02-07-05, 08:40 AM	It took us quite some time to think of something good, and since our wizard's insane raven familiar got "arrested" at the Cormyr border for insulting the local guard (you don't want to know the details, but it took us nearly a week to get him out), the name seemed only appropriate. :pLike most character backgrounds, they improve dramatically once you start prodding and quesitoning a bit. This is now actually getting really interesting and, despite what you say, I do want to know the details of why and how that familiar was arrested. I mean... how do you arrest a bird? This is the sort of thing that I like, and the sort of thing that really helps bring a group together. Sometimes it is the little anecdotes (sp?) that make things so much fun, and give the group a sense of cameraderie that helps keep the game "alive". In some ways, such things are much more interesting that "my character was born in <name of some obscure place> and lost his parents because of ...". And in any case, the "Company of the Shackled Raven" is such a cool name.
Insignia) 02-07-05, 10:41 AM	Thanks, I like to think so too. :D Ah, it all happened on a long summer day... 'twas second of Kythorn, if memory serves me right, and the caravan we were on just moved into the forest kingdom. We were stopped not long after, having reached the closest Purple Dragon guardpost. A coterie of knights, closely followed by some war wizards, demanded to inspect our gear (which they did quite thoroughly). After this procedure, we paid for the adventuring charter necessary in order to carry weapons within the kingdom, and tried to move on. However, Arc (the familiar) didn't quite enjoy having them roughly examine his "tender crystal palace" (in truth a plain wooden familiar carrier), so he started passing snide comments, moved on to mocking the war wizards as incompetent, and finished with attacking one of the knights, all the while screaming some nasty curses at Lady Alusair herself (to say that this wasn't the wisest idea would be a huge understatement). His master, completely unable to control this violent outburst (even after he was warned to), simply stood there, bewildered. Lacking any proper procedure regarding such incidents, the angry war wizard (apparently being as mad as the raven himself) took matters into his own hands, "arresting" the bird at the spot, with all the appropriate paperwork. Nauril (the master) tried to reason with the wizard, but he nearly got himself arrested in the process. Despite all common sense (and a dragon's hoard of apologies from us), Arc was teleported to Suzail "for trial" (I barely managed to bite back a roaring laughter at this point). So, we rode to Suzail. There we finally managed to clear things out, and continued the adventure. The familiar was locked in his "tender crystal palace" for something over a month as a sign of our gratitude for the gold and time spent to free him, and bears a tiny silver shackle strapped to his leg to this very day... as a reminder. :embarrass By the way, I agree. The little anecdotes can really bring life to a campaign, and they're usually the only thing we remember from past games. :) I