Player Name: Eric
Name: Ketraq Nec’Atel
Age: 208
Race: Undead Human
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 86lbs
Physical Description: Ketraq is but a visage of the healthy, sturdy, and vibrant young man that he can now barely recall. As he wanders the land, many that come across him recall only a sorrowful image of tattered clothes resembling styles of centuries past and the slight resemblance to a man that has lain under the soil for many years. The features that might distinguish any other man have become either unrecognizable or unfamiliar and not much can be said of his appearance. The only apparent clothes wore by Ketraq are a series of tattered rags that vary only by the shade of gray that has faded into each piece, and a dark cloak the can be used to cover most of his features is he wishes to be inconspicuous.
Possessions: The only accessory carried by Ketraq is an odd sword constructed from what seems to be wood that has been blackened by fire. Around his neck hangs a small symbol that he is unable to recall the origin or meaning of.
Powers or Strengths: Ketraq has been dead almost 200 years, all nerve ending are beyond decay and he is unable to feel pain. There is also no need to eat. While his own fighting skills are minimal, the sword he carries cannot be cut by any metal. Aside from the mysterious magic that returned him to life, Ketraq is unaware of any magic that he has control over.
Weaknesses: While light is not as devastating to Ketraq as it is to vampires, excessive sun will drive him mad and cause great physical weakness.
History: Ketraq’s began life as he knew it in the small village know as Shim. It was here that he grew as the son of a local farmer along with his 3 brothers and one younger sister. Acquiring a strong work ethic and bit of education throughout the years, it was Ketraq’s own dream to travel the world and experience life beyond a small farming community and the rarely visited city nearby. It came a time in Ketraq’s 20th year on Pal Tahrenor that drought struck the farm still run by his father and destroyed an entire season of crop. Feeling useless when help was no longer needed to tend and harvest crops, Ketraq decided to no longer burden his family as an extra mouth to feed and left to seek alternate work to support his family.
Venturing into the nearby city of Marn, Ketraq first sought employment by the city guard that his father had spoken so highly of (even if his mother despised them in every way). He soon discovered that he lacked many of the traits sought for in a city guard and was quickly turned away with the laughter of veteran guards at his heels. Not having any other clear path to follow, Ketraq spent several nights on the streets of Marn, refusing to return home with less than he had left with. It had been almost 2 week before Ketraq came across a posting for armed escorts for a group of merchants wishing to travel beyond the protection of Marn’s city guard to some of the smaller villages around the countryside of Thar Shaddin. Ketraq quickly approached the merchants and was directed to another man that would be in leading any escorts that were hired. The man briefly informed him that they would be willing to hire anyone since not many were willing to travel far from government protection. Ketraq informed the swordsman that he had no previous experience using a sword or any other weapon aside from a simple scythe and other farming equipment. This did not seem to bother the other man who told Ketraq his first weeks pay would be used to supply him a weapon and he even offered to give a few lessons before the journey began. While Ketraq was nervous about venturing beyond his home lands, and the eagerness of the merchants to hire someone with little experience concerned him, there was no way he could pass up any chance for work when his family was in need, especially when the work paid 30 Bishani a day.
Work began the next week on a trip to a small unnamed village 2 days travel from Marn. Connor, the man who had hired Ketraq, followed through on his promise of sword lessons and Ketraq now felt he could at least defend against a small attack even if he was not too sure about taking on the offensive. The travel went smoothly the first day which was expected since they were still within the control of Marn’s government. If was not until the next day that trouble occurred. A small group of 8 bandits surprised the group and Connor quickly called the hired men to arms. Ketraq, still unsure of his own ability fell to the back of the ranks and the 3 more experienced fighters quickly handled 5 bandits. The other bandits seeing an unexpected obstacle in their plan retreated from the path. As the merchants returned to their carts and the fighters began to clear the fallen bandits from the road, Ketraq noticed one of the escaped bandits had come up behind them. He attempted to alert Connor but it was already to late, behind the first bandit followed the other 2 leading what Ketraq recognized as a troll. Just as others sighted the danger, the troll had already come within striking of 2 of the merchants other bodyguard and they soon lay on the path with a noticeable dent in their skulls. Connor ran to engage the beast and Ketraq knew it was his duty to do the same but panic at such gore that he had never experienced in his life tore through him and he was unable to move. It was not until Connor and the merchant both lay dead at the troll’s feet that Ketraq knew he was doomed. Finally coming to his senses he ran, as fast as he could and as far as he could. Not paying attention where he was going and driven only by fear, Ketraq ran until he could not breathe and passed out. As he began to regain consciousness, Ketraq could hear voices not to far away. Before his eyesight returned, he though he heard one voice say, “Only a fool could stand useless in battle and attempt to flee only to run in a complete circle back to where the battle was.” Ketraq seemed to recall something of a battle but was too groggy to put anything together. “Just let the troll have his fun while we get what we came for” Ketraq caught another voice. Ketraq also recalled something about a troll. Just as he began to put things back together, Ketraq began to open his eyes to see only the enormous hand of a troll, then nothing. Ketraq lay slain by the beast and the bandits did little more than push his body into the weeds aside the path.
(188 years later)
Ketraq woke, if you can call it waking when you were never truly asleep. The first thing he saw when opening his eyes was the dark night sky dotted with stars. The sight seemed familiar to Ketraq but he did not truly recognize anything. He sat up to find a figure cloaked in black departing the area near him. In an attempt to call to the figure, only guttural sound escaped his mouth. If the figure heard, they paid no attention and was quickly lost from sight. In a rush, memories began to fill Ketraq’s mind. Nothing that made sense only fragments, images, names, places all jumbled in mass confusion. Looking closer at his surrounding, Ketraq found himself sitting in a long wooden box next to a freshly dug hole. As he began to register, Ketraq did not understand why he was in a cemetery let alone lying in a coffin next to a fresh grave. As he looked closer at himself he noticed the obvious effects of decay that had overcome both his clothes as well as the skin underneath. Disturbed by this image but unable to make sense of anything, Ketraq looked closer and found a medallion attached to a chain around his neck, and a sword made of black wood lying next to him in the coffin. While much of his surrounding were beginning to be somewhat recognizable as know features and object, the symbol on his neck and the strange sword were completely foreign to anything Ketraq could search his mind for. After sitting in place for what must have been hours, Ketraq decided to go in search of more answers, taking with him the wooden sword, Ketraq stood in the box and began taking unsure steps away from this area.
Walking for some time Ketraq came upon a small farmhouse with candle lit windows. Approaching the door Ketraq again tried to speak, this time strained words came out as he requested to know if there was anyone inside. A silhouette in appeared in the window holding a crossbow shown in the candle light. The shadowed person demands to know who is there and waves their crossbow menacingly. Ketraq gives his name and moves into the light from the candle. Upon seeing Ketraq’s appearance, the shadowed person yells curses of magic and vampires and lets loose an arrow directly into Ketraq’s chest. Not sure how he is still standing or even why he had been shot in the first place, Ketraq turns to run as another arrow falls into his arm before he is out of sight.
From here, Ketraq begins his quest to discover where he is, who he is, what happened to him, and why he is what he now finds himself to be.
Ketraq Nec'Atel
Your character will be approved but i have one question and one suggestion.
The question is about his appearance. In his story you describe his flesh rotting away but in the physical description he's just described as nondescript. Is the flesh on his face normal or is it rotting off? Same for his hair and eyes. Dead people's eyes turn white, perhaps his have too. You should put more into his appearance so other people know what they're dealing with.
The suggestion is just a style edit for your story, which I do like. The second last paragraph changes tense from past to present and while a shift like that can make sense it's done a little awkwardly.
Your avatar also doesn't do any justice to your style of character. But that's just an obvservaion and it's up to you.
The question is about his appearance. In his story you describe his flesh rotting away but in the physical description he's just described as nondescript. Is the flesh on his face normal or is it rotting off? Same for his hair and eyes. Dead people's eyes turn white, perhaps his have too. You should put more into his appearance so other people know what they're dealing with.
The suggestion is just a style edit for your story, which I do like. The second last paragraph changes tense from past to present and while a shift like that can make sense it's done a little awkwardly.
Your avatar also doesn't do any justice to your style of character. But that's just an obvservaion and it's up to you.