New Character Submission - Dynisan Ander

[Vipre]

Character: Dynisan Ander
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Classes: Fighter
Race: Human
Alignment: True Neutral


Biography:

Born and raised on the south-eastern edge of the Silkwood Forest early life for Dynisan was difficult. The shortage of food and lack of sunlight in the Dark Age had taken it's toll not only on the land but his body and the bodies of his family leaving them weakened and frail. His father Rionar suffered most of all, insuring his young son and wife had something to eat even if he had to go hungry for days to do so.

At the age of seven Dynisan's father taught him the basics of hunting small game with a sling and how to use a spear to collect frogs and lizards for food. He was tasked to spend most of his time hunting whatever he could find in the forest and ponds near his family's home that his mother could make into a meal to keep them alive. When not scrounging for food he would watch his father at the forge making replacement tools for himself, his neighbors or the occasional part for a travelling merchant's wagon from scraps of metal. Those tasks paid little but Rionar gladly accepted any bit of coin or food they would offer as even the smallest of rations helped their starving forms. Though Dynisan loved watching the craftwork, the sight of the gaunt man sweating in the heat of the fire broke even a child's heart and left him with a lasting sense of guilt at being too weak to better aid his parents in those bleak days.

In spite of the hunger, the darkness, the cold and the daily struggle to stay alive his mother Evelyn insisted he take the time to foster a desire for learning beyond the necessities of survival. She sought out local clergy and passing scholars, trading work scrubbing floors or washing clothes so they would give her son lessons in reading, writing and local lore. She would tell Dynisan quite often that he could achieve anything he wished but he first had to develop a thirst for knowledge.

In those dark times, many adventuring groups would pass through their small community on return from expeditions deep within the Silkwood in need of armor being patched or weapons repaired. Often while waiting for the work to be completed members of the groups would take pity on the wisp of a child and try to cheer him with tales of ruins filled with treasure, lost artifacts, strange unbelievable creatures and, most notably, the tales of dragons and the great deeds done to bring about the fall of an evil man named Blood. One warrior even carved Dynisan a child-sized wooden sword and showed him a few basic thrusts and swings. Heeding his mother's words, Dynisan would ask the groups who came after to teach him more. They would chuckle at the scrawny boy and his wooden blade but there was always at least one among them who'd give the child a tip or two on it's "proper" use. With each passing group Dynisan grew in his knowledge of swordplay and he would sometimes succeed in talking a party's halfling member into a light sparring match. One day after several losses he was handed a buckler, a tiny shield by human standards on the equally tiny boy it was a perfect fit, he was taught how to attack with one arm then pull the shield in front of himself to block the incoming blow. Though he never won the matches he took to heart any advice for improvement he was offered.

Eventually things changed, as they must, and the sun returned to give life to the world. This was both a blessing and a curse for young Dynisan, for while a new bounty sprang from the ground allowing him to fill his stomach for the first time, he had never known a world of direct sunlight and at times it would make him ill. With several years of good food and the hard work that it's energy fueled however that effect would fade. He started putting on muscle and grew taller and healthier until those past days of a sickly little boy scraping by in the dark became a distant but never quite forgotten memory.

As he aged he learned he was able to hunt more effectively if he used a bow instead of his sling but found large ones too unwieldy. He settled instead for the shorter variant and though he was never that great a marksman with any of the weapons the ability to hit targets with better accuracy than he could using his sling made it worth the effort.

Despite the love he held for his home and family Dynisan was never totally content. His heart longed to see the world beyond his small hamlet. His curiosity burned like fire from all those stories he'd heard as a child. He wondered if there were really ruins filled with lost artifacts hidden deep in the wood whose edge he'd only scratched as a boy. The older he grew the stronger the pull became. Dynisan's near constant distraction wasn't lost on his parents and on the day of his nineteenth birthday his father sat him down on their small front porch.

He said, "I know son that your heart isn't that of a farmer." Smiling faintly as if remembering old friends he withdrew an item Dynisan had never seen before, wrapped in a well woven piece of cloth. He unbundled it to reveal a nicked and scratched longsword. "I too felt that lure of the unknown when I was young and was barely older than you are today when I set out to learn what this world held. I saw wondrous things but I also saw the darkness that dwells in mans heart. I met many great companions on those travels, some of them retired to distant kingdoms, others died defending the innocent and there may yet be a few who are still out there protecting the world from evil."

"This blade I carried into many battles, then came the day that I met your mother. She showed me a different adventure and with it the joy of creating a home and family. Regardless of the hardships we've had to face I have no regrets, the adventures in my first life helped me become the man I am in this one. They gave me the skills needed to see us through those dark times and have allowed me to sit today across from a son who fills my heart with pride."

"Now I give you this simple blade and my blessing, choose your own path, become the man you're destined to be. Just remember that there is more than one kind of adventure to be had in the world. Keep your eye opened and you may one day find the road to the greatest adventure is the one that leads home."

With that his father handed him the weapon, a small leather journal and a pouch of gold for supplies. His father's sword at his side Dynisan stopped to kiss his mother's cheek and began down the small path leading away from home and toward the future.


Appearance:

While not overly so, this young man has the muscular build, broad shoulders, and healthy tan of someone who has spent many days working outdoors. His kind face is graced with a faint lopsided smile and his gentle green eyes glide over whatever sights there are to see with open curiosity. In a "delicate" situation however he has the sense to avoid looking too close at things not meant for public scrutiny and in combat his face and eyes become a study of the term "serious".

He's rarely seen without a longsword at his hip, carries a large shield across his back (if armored) and appears none too pleased when asked or required to disarm.



Average height (5'-9") and weight (185lbs); green eyes with brown flecks; Shag cut brown hair with a natural subtle wave; No visible marks or scars


Personality:

Generally keeps his word but will break it if keeping it requires doing something he strongly disagrees with.
Will not lie to those he trusts or sees as good at heart, has no problem lying to those he sees as untrustworthy or evil or if he feels it's necessary
May or May not attack and kill an unarmed foe.
Never harm an innocent
May threaten/rough up people for information.
Will not kill for sheer pleasure.
Will not help someone only to kill or rob him.
Works well in groups, but dislikes confining rules and 'red tape'.
May or May not follow the ways of honor, authority, and self-discipline.
May or May not take dirty money or items
Never betrays friends
Can at times be loyal to a fault
Due to his youthful curiosity and lack of experience sometimes gets into situations over his head.
Urge to explore new places
Drawn to trade work, especially metalworking, and has a strong interest in weapon and armor design
While not opposed to magic he puts more faith in a good blade a solid shield and sturdy armor
Dislikes spiders and the undead but finds stories of vampirism oddly intriguing

[darkstorme]

I'll hold off on a formal review for the nonce, since you're more or less after suggestions to fill in the blanks here. With that in mind, I'll do what I can.

By definition, pretty much every community in Layonara is a farming community. It may not be the principal occupation of the region, but food doesn't tend to travel as well in quasi-medieval society. So you could find farms by almost any town on the map. Haven, Fort Wayfare, even Hlint would do if you're looking for a town to grow up by.

As for the Dark Ages - they were rough on the world. Equatorial regions stayed fairly warm, but the lack of sunlight still made for lackluster crops. More temperate regions suffered a minor ice age, with long, cold winters and chilly summers, and total extinction of some plant species. Starvation was rampant, and money was scarce because what little most had was being spent on food. For your average citizen, the return of the sun signaled an end to some of the worst hardship they would have endured. For those born during the darkness, the sun was an astonishing boon, the likes of which they had only heard of. It would be difficult for Joseph to lead a childhood without want... not until he was 11, anyway.

His father could easily have been a soldier in the militia of whatever town you decide to have Joseph grow up by. It would, however, indeed make little sense for him to go into farming after the Dark Ages began, except for subsistence. That decision's up to you, though.

Having his mother being a librarian would be tricky; books are not commonplace in Layonara. There's no movable type, so a single book would cost more to reproduce than most peasants see in a month. To be a librarian would be to be in the service of someone very well off; the question, then, would be why she left such a position of security for the uncertainty of farming/trade.

Finally, as to what tales a bard might tell - there were lost artifacts, great deeds done, and, most notably, the tales of dragons and the fall of Blood. Even in the darkest times, it was the Bards who often reminded folk that under Blood, things could have been worse.

Hopefully, this will help you fill in some of those blanks. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. When you're ready for review, post again to this thread.

Thanks!

[Vipre]

What are your thoughts on the Alignment based on the Personality section? I see him somewhere between True Neutral/Neutral Good/Chaotic Good. Though he has nothing against authority unless it's clearly oppressive.

Also while he's respectful and would express his favored god if asked, I'd not consider him a devout follower of any particular dogma.

Thanks again darkstorme

[Vipre]

Edited and formally submitted.

Thanks to everyone who pitched suggestions, you know who you are.

[Vipre]

Revised and expanded bio slightly, most notably the character's name has been changed.

Might not be important but could the thread title be edited to match?

[darkstorme]

Hi there, Vipre.

Sorry for the delay in reviewing this again.

On the whole, great! You clearly put a lot of thought (and asked a lot of questions) into this character.

My one concern has to do with his "lean". While the alignment system of Dungeons and Dragons may be a bit restrictive, we do ask that people stay within it. There is a surprising amount of flexibility in the alignments, but there are a few sticking points.

Torture is one of them. A person with the Good descriptor will never torture. Not for information, and certainly not for revenge. Doing so is an alignment violation. If pressed, a Neutral Good individual might threaten... but it would be an act. Torture is abhorrent to a Good individual.

Likewise, we may have a small disconnect regarding the definition of "dirty" goods or items. A "dirty" item is one whose acquisition involved misfortune to an undeserving individual. An item stolen from a hobgoblin camp, for example, would not be dirty. An item stolen from an honest merchant, on the other hand, is dirty. An item for which an undeserving individual was mugged and killed, is dirty.

If you wish to keep these points, I suggest you opt for True Neutral, in place of Neutral Good, as the behaviour is totally out-of-keeping with the Good alignment.

Other than that, Dynisan is ready for approval. So once you arrive at one decision or another, you should be good to go.

As a final aside, all characters start with the same things - no special items or inherited weapons. So while Dynisan can treat the longsword you will eventually buy as one handed down by his father, you will still have to buy the weapon.

[Vipre]

Two clarifications for me and I'll be set,

An item stolen from an honest merchant, on the other hand, is dirty. An item for which an undeserving individual was mugged and killed, is dirty.

I would not be doing the stealing, mugging and killing obviously, as such is having a strong suspicion an item someone's trying to sell me is stolen and buying it anyway considered "dirty" and more appropriate for True Neutral alignment?

Also, I'm not really feeling the torture angle so I can happily drop that, but if angered or pressed to the point where my avatar does make a threat, he is serious and if pushed farther will follow through. Would that also play more as TN?

My only concern is the good acts will usually vastly outweigh the bad so what would happen if I selected TN and rescued one too many lost puppies?

[darkstorme]

The problem, I think, lies in the Good alignment.

If someone came up to your character from a shady alley, and offered to sell you some gems at a cut rate, while nervously looking over his shoulder... and you still bought them, that would likely be True Neutral. (Unless it's an evil city, in which case, it's a bit of a tossup.) In other words, if something is obviously stolen or obtained through illicit means, or was otherwise sullied by obtainment by means that would harm another... then a Good person could not buy or accept the item in good conscience. It doesn't matter whether they personally were doing the mugging or killing. A strong suspicion would be enough for them to turn it down.

Likewise, a Good character shows compassion, even to his enemies. A Good character could not be reasonably "pushed" into torture by any means other than massive extenuating circumstances. Torture, for any reason, remains an alignment violation for a Good individual.

If a TN individual acts Good all the time... they might wind up as Good. But if they're prone to losing their temper and committing acts for which a Good individual would condemn them, those will likely just balance out the Good.

It remains your choice.

[Vipre]

I'll edit it to TN then. While I may creep closer toward good as time passes, I feel TN is probably the most accurate starting point.

Also I understand about the sword, I was certain I'd have to do it that way from the start.

[darkstorme]

Right, then. Dynisan Ander. Well-intentioned, but with dubious morals.

Welcome to Layonara!

Your character has been approved.

Server address is west.layonara.com
Password is layoplayer

Some final notes on character creation:

• Please note that racial adjustments for players with subraces are skin based and thus get applied after getting in game.
• Only two ability scores can be less than 10 and only one can be less than 8 after racial adjustments
• Brownies, when selecting a head, the head you choose on the halfling selection will correspond to that numbered head for elves (for example, clicking right 6 times on the head selection during character creation will take the 6th head when clicking right on the elf creation)
• Half-giants and ogres, please ask for a GM (type /dm Anyone here?) if you would like to change to a custom skin.

Have fun!