Varek

Character: Varek, a mercenary swordsman, formerly of the Tiger
Claw clan.

Rank: Erstwhile guard officer in Bisgen
Sex:M
Race: Altanian
Homeland: Altanis
Age: 24
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 202 lbs
Colour of - Hair: - Eyes: - Skin: Dark Brown, Brown, Tanned
Appearance: A weathered man with a broad and impassive face.
Hair and a rough beard both cropped short - this is done
regularly to avoid being gripped in a fight, but Varek's tribe
were warriors, not barbers, so he often looks a bit scruffy!
Clothing: Armour is a sleeveless scale coat reaching halfway to
his knees (slit for riding), metal greaves on the lower legs.
Right arm is bare except for a bracer, whereas the left is
cased in steel, a gladiator-style shoulder guard and
articulated metal plates leading down to his spiked gauntlet.
Beneath this Varek commonly goes shirtless, wearing loose
trousers tucked into leather boots (think of most any pirate
movie)
Demeanour: A pragmatic man, shaped by hard military expeditions
since a young age. Uncomplaining in the face of death and
privation, but prone to grumble about quality of food, ugliness
of women, luck with dice etc when times are good.

Motivations: Following a rather unsuccessful campaign fighting
pirates on the high seas, Varek was destitute and had to take
service as a guard officer in Bisgen - this was somewhat of a
step down from more active pursuits, despite being the best
fighter of Parre's men he quickly became bored. The pay never
seemed to add up to enough for him to leave, so the opportunity
to join the adventurers in looting and reaving was very
welcome. Like most mercenaries Varek wants enough gold to live
like a king, albeit for a short stretch, and like all the best
soldiers he wants to drive his enemies before him, win mighty
battles, and hear the acclaim of fellow warriors. Parre may not
be too glad to hear that he's not returning to her service, so
Varek may need to keep on the move and watch his back . . .

Background: Mercenary - as an old campaigner accustomed to
eating boot leather and making forced marches, Varek has +2 to
endurance. (Hey, is this ok? I understand I apply a +2
endurance bonus for being an altanian as well, so I am willing
to change this to 'Guard' and have an intimidate bonus instead,
rather than being accused of gaming the system) Varek left the
Tiger Claws when he was 14 on a horse and with a sword that
weren't necessarily his (depending on how you look at it).
While Altanian tribes have no feudal hierarchy, the boys of any
tribe likely to excel are the sons of prominent warriors - and
Varek's father was a worthless drunk, derided to his face by
better men. Varek's mother wouldn't even take him as a husband,
so young Varek grew up seeing his father at a distance and with
contempt. In training, play and the esteem of the tribe, he was
always lagging behind boy with better families and blood,
denied his true potential. Eventually, realising he would not
rise to glory among them, he picked a quarrel, beat a rival
half to death (hence the horse and sword) and rode out. If he
ever returns there, he swears it will only be to show he's
capable of whipping the three best warriors of the tribe single-
handed - he has no desire to end his days in the plains when
there are cities and civilizations across the wide world to
satisfy his desires.