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Feb. 22nd, 2004 07:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dewingedWell, there's that all-dwarf game starting RL on Friday, so I hammered out a history for my GM this morning for kicks.
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Kevendithas (Kev) Battleheart
Race: Dwarf
Sex: Male
Height: 4'3"
Weight: 173 lbs
Eyes: Dark Brown
Hair: Black
Alignment: Neutral Good
Class: Tinker 1
With a clan name such as Battleheart, one would expect a tradition of mighty warriors, and defenders of the Dwarven nation that are stalwart, true, and steady.
Which is a basic truism of the Battleheart clan. They are good-hearted folk, but once in a while, there's someone who doesn't quite fit the mold the assembled clans have of a given family. Those 'black sheep' are usually given respect should they be good people, but are usually also handed a wide berth, seen as eccentrics or perhaps somewhat insane and left to their own devices.
And in Kevendithas Battleheart's case, he wouldn't have it any other way.
He was born the sixth son to Andrathus Battleheart, a known Guardian of Moradin, and named for an ancestor that lived over two millenia ago. Dwarves, being heavy on tradition, are known to keep names in the family, especially if the legends about the previous bearers of the name are still told around the forge-fires. His mother, Dinakara, was a known Battle-Maiden of Haela Brightaxe herself before...mostly settling down with a husband and a small clan of ten children of her own. Kevendithas (Kev) is the sixth son, and the ninth-born, so he is not near in the line to inherit the clan title.
For which the rest of the Battleheart clan is breathing huge sighs of relief.
He was, in the stereotypical sense, a curious child. Where his brothers and sisters were more geared (mostly) towards the traditions put down by generations of battle and glory, seeking to become warriors and godservants in their own right, it was Kev who would constantly question what was going on. Where the ancient tales of Battlehearts past were accepted, he would ask why, and how? How did Melkaras Battlehammer IV hold off the Goblin Horde through the Main Gurnath gate, when it's an open cavemouth easily ten dwarves wide? Was he as wide as ten dwarves, then? It was when he started asking such questions in public that his family sought to quickly hush him. (Reality: It was what the story said. The details were no matter, save for the glory).
It was when he was nearing his fortieth name-day, and his family at a loss of ideas of what vocation he should take, when an answer was found. Kev was a bright, near-brilliant young dwarf, but tended to use his natural skills to see how things worked, as opposed to using them for what the clan thought was more practical pursuits (such as battle plans). He was intelligent enough to be considered for the path of the Magus, but he found it unpalatable. There was no sense of how it worked, and the explination of 'Its' magic' did not sit well with him at all. Once he was found dismantling his eighteenth crossbow in a row (in an effort to see how it worked, and how to improve it), an answer was found. Or, they found him, specifically, since words gets around the Dwarf clans fast.
The Techsmiths had heard about young Kev, and approached Andrathus, as CLan Head, and explained that the curious dwarf might do best if he had learned their craft. Most of the Dwarves see the Techsmiths, or Tinkers, as eccentrics who constantly take things apart that don't need to be taken apart (if it works, why ask why, after all), and create more disasters that an entire clan of fire-happy Magus-Dwarves. But, the arguement was compelling enough, and it seemed to fit young Kev, so he was sent off to study with the Tinkers.
Now, the clan beliefs of the Tinkers are close, but not entirely true. There comes a certain madness with the desire to break things down into their component parts to see how they work, but their reasons have an honor all their own. They respect the Arcane magic (The Art) and the magic that their priests wield (the Power), but the Tinkers also know that only a select few are capable of wielding such abilities. What the Tinkers do is create items that /any/ dwarf can use, in the goal to advance Dwarven society as a whole. They seek NOT to replace or surpress any kind of magic, but seek to show the strength of the dwarves who cannot use such powers.
For the next few decades, Kev was taught the ways of the Tinkers. He learned skills in crafting objects with great skill, from weapons to small clocks. The Tinkers value education above all else, right above being skillful with one's hands. He was taught the ways of combat, as are all dwarves, as well as using his intelligence in that regard should the need arise.
It was about four months ago when Kev was sent on his first expidition, as an assistant to Jabocus Ironground, a Tinker of some renown. Jabocus was going with a dwarven expidion to explore an old Dwarven city recently found while mining, and to see what objects can be brought back to discern what happened to the dwarves. While there was the occasional encounter with zombies, and a few goblins who had taken up residence in the ruins, the party did return mostly unscathed.
Kev's contribution to the expidion mostly involved carrying Jabocus' items around, which Tinkers-in-training are wont to do. But, the party came across a locked door which Jacobus could not break. In a fit of bravado (hey, why not try and do the clan proud?), Kev volunteered to take a stab at it, and opened the lock where the Senior Tinker could not, much to the amusement of the other Dwarves. Kev looked in, and saw "a lot of broken furniture. Think there was an old broken mirror inside as well." They locked the door, and moved on before they went back to the Dwarven city they hailed from.
(Note: Kev does not know this. What he saw in the room was a Mirror of Opposition, which caught his reflection for an instant. Considering the magic around the mirror was ancient and fading, it took a while, but the last magic the mirror had created an evil duplicate of Kev, who has since gotten loose. Plot point to throw at us later in the campaign.)
Since their return, Kev's actions and bravery during the expidion were his final test, and he has graduated to full Journeyman Tinker status. And just in time, because the assembled Clans have decided to send an expedition force into unknown lands, to see about mining possibilities. When they came to the Tinkers, it was Kev who voluneteered himself, and the group was assembled, and sent off to parts unknown...
.
Kevendithas (Kev) Battleheart
Race: Dwarf
Sex: Male
Height: 4'3"
Weight: 173 lbs
Eyes: Dark Brown
Hair: Black
Alignment: Neutral Good
Class: Tinker 1
With a clan name such as Battleheart, one would expect a tradition of mighty warriors, and defenders of the Dwarven nation that are stalwart, true, and steady.
Which is a basic truism of the Battleheart clan. They are good-hearted folk, but once in a while, there's someone who doesn't quite fit the mold the assembled clans have of a given family. Those 'black sheep' are usually given respect should they be good people, but are usually also handed a wide berth, seen as eccentrics or perhaps somewhat insane and left to their own devices.
And in Kevendithas Battleheart's case, he wouldn't have it any other way.
He was born the sixth son to Andrathus Battleheart, a known Guardian of Moradin, and named for an ancestor that lived over two millenia ago. Dwarves, being heavy on tradition, are known to keep names in the family, especially if the legends about the previous bearers of the name are still told around the forge-fires. His mother, Dinakara, was a known Battle-Maiden of Haela Brightaxe herself before...mostly settling down with a husband and a small clan of ten children of her own. Kevendithas (Kev) is the sixth son, and the ninth-born, so he is not near in the line to inherit the clan title.
For which the rest of the Battleheart clan is breathing huge sighs of relief.
He was, in the stereotypical sense, a curious child. Where his brothers and sisters were more geared (mostly) towards the traditions put down by generations of battle and glory, seeking to become warriors and godservants in their own right, it was Kev who would constantly question what was going on. Where the ancient tales of Battlehearts past were accepted, he would ask why, and how? How did Melkaras Battlehammer IV hold off the Goblin Horde through the Main Gurnath gate, when it's an open cavemouth easily ten dwarves wide? Was he as wide as ten dwarves, then? It was when he started asking such questions in public that his family sought to quickly hush him. (Reality: It was what the story said. The details were no matter, save for the glory).
It was when he was nearing his fortieth name-day, and his family at a loss of ideas of what vocation he should take, when an answer was found. Kev was a bright, near-brilliant young dwarf, but tended to use his natural skills to see how things worked, as opposed to using them for what the clan thought was more practical pursuits (such as battle plans). He was intelligent enough to be considered for the path of the Magus, but he found it unpalatable. There was no sense of how it worked, and the explination of 'Its' magic' did not sit well with him at all. Once he was found dismantling his eighteenth crossbow in a row (in an effort to see how it worked, and how to improve it), an answer was found. Or, they found him, specifically, since words gets around the Dwarf clans fast.
The Techsmiths had heard about young Kev, and approached Andrathus, as CLan Head, and explained that the curious dwarf might do best if he had learned their craft. Most of the Dwarves see the Techsmiths, or Tinkers, as eccentrics who constantly take things apart that don't need to be taken apart (if it works, why ask why, after all), and create more disasters that an entire clan of fire-happy Magus-Dwarves. But, the arguement was compelling enough, and it seemed to fit young Kev, so he was sent off to study with the Tinkers.
Now, the clan beliefs of the Tinkers are close, but not entirely true. There comes a certain madness with the desire to break things down into their component parts to see how they work, but their reasons have an honor all their own. They respect the Arcane magic (The Art) and the magic that their priests wield (the Power), but the Tinkers also know that only a select few are capable of wielding such abilities. What the Tinkers do is create items that /any/ dwarf can use, in the goal to advance Dwarven society as a whole. They seek NOT to replace or surpress any kind of magic, but seek to show the strength of the dwarves who cannot use such powers.
For the next few decades, Kev was taught the ways of the Tinkers. He learned skills in crafting objects with great skill, from weapons to small clocks. The Tinkers value education above all else, right above being skillful with one's hands. He was taught the ways of combat, as are all dwarves, as well as using his intelligence in that regard should the need arise.
It was about four months ago when Kev was sent on his first expidition, as an assistant to Jabocus Ironground, a Tinker of some renown. Jabocus was going with a dwarven expidion to explore an old Dwarven city recently found while mining, and to see what objects can be brought back to discern what happened to the dwarves. While there was the occasional encounter with zombies, and a few goblins who had taken up residence in the ruins, the party did return mostly unscathed.
Kev's contribution to the expidion mostly involved carrying Jabocus' items around, which Tinkers-in-training are wont to do. But, the party came across a locked door which Jacobus could not break. In a fit of bravado (hey, why not try and do the clan proud?), Kev volunteered to take a stab at it, and opened the lock where the Senior Tinker could not, much to the amusement of the other Dwarves. Kev looked in, and saw "a lot of broken furniture. Think there was an old broken mirror inside as well." They locked the door, and moved on before they went back to the Dwarven city they hailed from.
(Note: Kev does not know this. What he saw in the room was a Mirror of Opposition, which caught his reflection for an instant. Considering the magic around the mirror was ancient and fading, it took a while, but the last magic the mirror had created an evil duplicate of Kev, who has since gotten loose. Plot point to throw at us later in the campaign.)
Since their return, Kev's actions and bravery during the expidion were his final test, and he has graduated to full Journeyman Tinker status. And just in time, because the assembled Clans have decided to send an expedition force into unknown lands, to see about mining possibilities. When they came to the Tinkers, it was Kev who voluneteered himself, and the group was assembled, and sent off to parts unknown...