Gennison Braveheart Du'var

[Gennison]

The Character Sheet:

Gennison Breakheart-Du'var

Age:19

Race: Shifter (Were-Cat)

Physical Description:

Gennison stands at 5'11, just barely missing the 6'0 mark. His brown hair is trimmed to a comfortable length that it would not impair him in battle. His green hazel eyes are the only obvious give away that he is a shifter, the iris pure black that become slits as the light dims. His nose is average in size with a point, and his lips and full. His skin is tanned from constant exposure to the sun, and his body is cut with muscle and scars from constant training. He is a handsome lad to say the least.

His clothes, when off duty, consist of a loose white tunic, trousers, and boots. He wears a leather belt that serves to hold a dagger, a coin purse, and a two seperate pouches to carry assorted objects. Across his back is usually strapped his dwarven blade, Steel-edge.

Possessions:

Steel-edge: A true dwarven made gladius, 30 in (2.5 ft) in length, forged by Gennisons friend Brimly. The blade is double edged with a tapered point. The grip is firm and the knobbed hilt is decorated with Brimly's family crest. The blade is registered with the city, he was able to expedite the process by going through his uncle.

Dagger- a simple dagger, used for combat or common chores.

Marn Guard Armor- a full description can be found in Setting under city guard.

Small home- Gennison owns a small home that he shares with his younger brother Dreamer in the residential district. This place has running water and sturdy doors, what more can you ask for. It was provided for by the Du'var family.

Powers or Strengths:

Were-cat- Gennison can shift into a brown domesticated cat. Gennison is unaware of an ability to shift into a combination of the cat and human form. Could be used for plot later.

Improved senses- Gennison's eyes require only 1/6th of the light that humans require to see. Gennison can hear sounds at a much broader range than man, but is not as acute as when he is a cat. Same as the smell, Gennison can perceive smell at a far greater level than man, but it is not as good as when he is in cat form.

Cat-reflexes- Gennison has the reflexes of his cat form, able to move faster simply because of his natural ability. He will land on his feet in a fall, and react to actions quicker than a common man.

Fighting ability- Gennison is proficient in wrestling, short swords, and daggers. He is not skilled with weapons that require two hands, nor can he use a bow or crossbow.

Steel-edge: The blade is lightweight despite its firm craftsmanship. It is neigh unbreakable, and in the hands of its intended user, it can resist magic and cut through minor spells. That being said, magic cannot effect it due to its dwarven craftsmanship. It cannot be altered nor destroyed by mortal magic. That being said, if Gennison were to find an immortal or godly being, and survived the event with a broken blade, only dwarven craftsmen could repair it since magic cannot alter or effect the blade.
Example/further explanation: As an example of the use and limitations of this weapon. As stated, it cannot be altered nor destroyed by mortal magic. It prevents magic from stopping it, so the blade has to touch the magic itself to have any effect. If a fireball were to be hurled towards the wielder, the blade would have to block the attack to have an effect. If the fireball would touch the wielder, the blade would provide no protection. So spells that effect the wielder personally, the blade can offer no protection against.

Dwarven training- Gennison was mentored and trained by a stock dwarf by the name of Brimly. That being said, the lad can drink almost anyone who isn't use to dwarven ale under the table, having a high tolerance for alcohol. Gennison can speak the dwarven language and understand it, if not for a few minor misinterpretations. He can also identify metals used in armor, and identify their weaknesses.

Open and Friendly/sociable- Gennison is a friendly guy, he walks around with a smile, and is optimistic. He takes life in strides, and is fairly accepting of people and their problems. This makes him an easy guy to talk to, and helps him to be fair and impartial. Do not confuse this with an inability to be brazen and inappropriate, remember that he was mentored by a dwarf.


Weaknesses and Flaws:
Silver- like all shifters, Gennison is effected by the touch of silver. It damages him when touched, and damage done can not be healed by the improved healing powers of a shifter.

Eyedrops- One of the few perks of having a brother with magical talent is what he can do with that magical talent. Using fairly common components and a bit of magic, Dreamer has been able to wipe up a concoction that can changes the users eye color to a per-specified color. The eye drops only last for four hours at a time, since the concoction is still fairly new. Dreamer has yet to design a set of eye drops that will last longer, so Gennison is forced to take the drops regularly if he is to keep up his ruse as a normal human.

Dreamer- Gennison protects his brother and his fatal secret. As his brother, Gennison would go to any and all lengths to protect the boy from any form of harm, putting even his own life on the line. Since the boy is a mage by birth, if anyone in Marn were to discover that Gennison was protecting the boy, death could be the concequence for the both of them.

Innocence- Gennison is worldy and mysterious, that seems to make the women swoon. Unfortunately, Gennison is shy in the presence of women, having preferred his duty to his brother before flirtations. As is, he has not officially "become a man", as he has been teased, and finds conversation difficult at times. He does not make this particular fault obvious, as to avoid more teasing.

Good Guy Complex - Gennison saw the effects of his mothers two lovers, both of them leaving her with a child to care for and a broken heart to mend. That is the source of Gennison's weariness around women, he doesn't want to be one of those men one day. He hates those men.

Cat-hormones- In contrast to his innocent, Gennison is pushed by his cat hormones to mate. So its not uncommon for him to get lost in the physical aspects of a woman, sometimes making it even more difficult for him to keep a conversation. If left unchecked, as it has been, it will eventually become too much to handle. Oh boy!

Secrets- Sometimes they can really suck, creating much unneeded stress, especially when they concern matters of life or death. Gennison has to keep the knowledge of his shifting and his brother's magic away from his extended family, the guard, and the public of Marn. If not, it could be what tightens the noose on both of their necks. No pressure.


Family:
Mother Isabella Breakheart-Duvar (deceased)
Father (Unknown)
Brother- Dreamer Breakheart-Du'var -15
Uncle: Robert Du'var- 39
Aunt in law- Rosemary Du'var- 26
Cousin- Robert Du'var jr. 12
Cousin- Bella Du'var- 5

History:

20 years ago, Isabella Duvar ran away from home. She was a beautiful sixteen year old woman, born to a noble family with investments in music and instrument construction, who had been avoiding marriage for years. Her personality and rebelliousness did not compliment her appearance, and her lower noble family found it hard to give her away. They were determined to rise up in the world, and were finally able to find an old widower who was more than happy to have a young beauty occupy his bed. Isabella was unable to fight out of this situation, and was eventually forced to extremes. She ran away from home, taking what she could fit onto one horse. Her family wouldn't know she was gone until the next afternoon, by then it was too late.

It wasn't long before Isabella came upon a traveling gypsy caravan. Isabella struck a deal with their leader, bargaining her best jewelry and her experience with instruments for sanctuary amongst them. The deal was sealed, and Isabella Du'var became Isabella Breakheart, a joke since her beauty would surely break more than a few hearts in her life on the road.

Breakhearts she did, many wandering vagabond and visiting gentlemen would attempt to charm their way into Isabella's heart....or at least her bed. None would prevail, until she found herself in the company of a charming traveler who introduced himself as Fabio sly. It was obvious this man was a trickster of sorts, but his natural air of mischief and charm caught Isabella's eye, and eventually her heart. Fabio spend some time amongst the caravan, and subsequently, Isabelle's bed. Yet the road would eventually stir Fabio's attention elsewhere and he would leave Isabelle with the promise of seeing her again. She never saw him after that. Tragic as it may be, on any normal circumstances Isabella would be fine after a few weeks. Yet these weren't normal circumstances, Isabella wouldn't be fine for another nine months.

Gennison was born a healthy young man, not a single problem in delivery. It took a few days to adjust, but the whole Caravan treated him as if he were their own. It wouldn't be for several weeks that Gennison first shifted. It was all very simple, Gennison was crying beside his mother, whom tried to block him screams with her soothing voice. Then, he was a cat within moment. It scared the ever loving piss out of isabella, and she wouldn't calm down for several hours. Luckily the caravan was home to a mixture of assorted creatures and beings. It was explained what Gennison obviously was, a were cat, and was deducted that it came from the father. Isabella took the surprise in strides, and would eventually become accustomed to the change.

Gennison grew up like another normal child, healthy and full of life. As a first child, Gennison was a blessing to his mother. He was not without his fits, but he did not stir enough trouble to become a burden. He did raise hell when Isabella's second man came and went, but what four year old likes another man drooling over his mother. Isabella would become pregnant by this man too, and thus nine months later his brother was born. Isabella would name him Dreamer, an odd name for a child, but not so odd as to stand out amongst Gypsies.

Unlike Gennison though, Dreamer was not as keen to run around as children did. He was content with being coddled until he could read, then would shut himself away in a book. Like Gennison though, Dreamer was very much different than any normal child. Right around the age of five, Dreamer would heal a baby bird who had fallen and broken its wing on the earth. Gennison wouldn't have believed it had he not been the one to see it. Isabella took this in strides as well, and would make sure that the boys understood that Dreamer's gift must be nurtured in secret.

So Gennison would keep this secret, protecting his brother. Inspired by the idea of protecting his brother, Gennison took up the practice of various fighting styles. Practicing blade skills whenever the caravan would need and could afford guards, and wrestled with the boys and men of the towns they would pass by. Gennison was strong and quick, and thus even as a teenager, would rarely lose amongst the commoners he fought with. Then came Brimly.

Brimly was a stocky dwarven guard that the caravan hired for protection. He came to about Gennison's mid-drift, and had the muscle strength of an oxen herd. The dwarf did not take to Gennison at first, hearing of his ability to shift amongst the caravan. Brimly would eventually become the boy's somewhat mentor and companion though as he was amused by the boy who spent his moments attempting to wrestle a dwarf instead of flirting with the woman who would swoon for his attention. He saw the heart in the lad, and the ease he would handle life and its problems. He still hated the whole cat-business, but wouldn't trouble the boy with nothing but words. Harsh words. Loud words. Usually while he was kicking the young boys ass in a wrestling match.

Brimly was the first to introduce the boy to real ale. Getting the boy shit faced drunk on real dwarven liquor until the young lad could handle it like any dwarf...or at least close to any dwarf...child. That being said, the boy learned to handle his liquor. Brimly would also teach the lad enough about smith work that he could identify metals and the armors they make...and the weakness they can hold. He also talked about his culture amongst the boy, and imprinted the dwarven language into the lad's brain until he could scream, "I give I give" and "i'm a sissy girl" in dwarven tongue. All in all, Brimly became the lad's closest companion for years.

The two would depart on Gennison's eighteenth birthday, the dwarf holding off on returning home long enough to celebrate the night with his young companion. That night would go down in record as one of the most memorable in Gennison's life. The night Gennison (almost) drank the dwarf under the table, The night he (finally) beat Brimly in a wrestling match, and the night the dwarf gave Gennison a dwarven blade. Dwarves don't part with their craft for anything less than a fortune, or a true bond.

The blade itself was a gladius of 22.8 in (1.9 ft) in length, forged by Brimly himself. The blade was double edged with a tapered point. The grip was firm and the knobbed hilt was decorated with Brimly's family crest. The blade was lightweight despite its firm craftsmanship. It was neigh unbreakable, and in the hands of its intended user, it would defend against magic. A Dangerous weapon indeed, not saying it could defy all the unimaginable power a mage could throw, but it would stand to parry bolts of magic and minor shields.

This was truly a priceless gift.

Gennison accepted his own weapon from his friend gladly, and it wasn't until Gennison began to cry after a few too many ale's that night that Brimly knocked the boy upside the head, thus ending the eventful night.

The next few months were quiet after the dwarfs departure. Gennison's life adjusted to the loss of his friend, but he wasn't disheartened by it, rather hopeful to meet him once again.

Then Isabella fell ill, and despite what Gennison or Dreamer did, she would not get better. Acknowledging that trouble she was in, she instructed her boys to take her to Marn, to return to the family she had escaped. The Caravan took them as far as they could afford, before the boys departed from the caravan for the first time in their short lives. It would only be a few days extra travel from there until they came upon Marn. The boys already knew the law against Magic in Marn, having avoided the city itself before. Now they entered the city to find one of its lower noble families.

It turns out that luck would favor them on this task, as questioning any city guard on the whereabouts of the Du'var estate would lead them to the office of Robert Du'var, Sergeant of the city guard. Robert was suspicious of the two boys entering his office, claiming to be the children of his long lost sister. It wasn't until he was holding her frail body in his arms that he believed them. She was very sick, too far gone that even Doctor Sehkhara could not heal her. She was alive for only a few more days, long enough to make peace with her brother, ensuring he would care for her children, and making Gennison promise to protect his brother.

Isabella Du'var died in the middle of the night, painless.

Gennison was hit hard, he had expected the Du'var family would be able to heal his mother. Now he was left with nothing but his brother and a memory. For the first year or so, he would cry at night when his brother was asleep. His brother never cried.

Left with responsibilty of two young men, Robert took the two boys under his wing and helped in his own way. He gave them both the Du'var name when they registered as citizens. Than he push the boys to learn a trade or search for an apprenticeship somewhere. Gennison quickly found that his skills were suited towards a position in the guard and discussed it with his uncle. The man agreed, and Gennison began his training later that week.

That was nearly a year ago, and Gennison has been training vigorously to rise amongst his peers, and become better equipped to protect his brother. He does everything he can, even acquiring a small home for himself and his brother. The Du'var family objected to this, but Gennison would not be swayed, so they relented to assisting them financially when Gennison could not afford anything in the nicer parts of the district. They had running water and sturdy doors, what else could you need?

Marn was a much different place than Gennison should have expected, having been exposed to many races and religions, he was taken back by the obvious hatred amongst people. Magic was a cursed offence, as was any race seemingly "below" humans. It was not a personal problem for Gennison nor his brother, seeing as they looked as human as the next (human) guy. It did give him a sense of tension though, seeing as these were the people he was supposed to protect. He grew to be wary and distant of topics concerning religion, rather to avoid the topic instead of having to play the odds.

So Training and protecting his brother, things were very straightforward for Gennison. Things may become a little more complicated now that Gennison has been accepted as a guard, and allowed to go on patrols, thus diverting his training towards work and leaving much more time for freedom open....

And so our story begins....

[Saruna]

Ah, one thing I noticed -- how does he keep people from noticing his eyes and giving away that he's a shifter?

Steel-edge is a very powerful weapon. Exactly how much can it protect him in battle? Does it counteract any kind of magic or does it have to be an aimed spell, like a fireball, that he has to get the sword in the way of? If a fireball the size of his head was coming at him, what would happen to it? If you had a battlemage trying to, say, still the blood in his veins, would the sword be able to do anything?

Has he registered this weapon with the city? It's illegal to own unregistered magical objects.

A minor thing but a neat tie in -- the major magical doctor within the city is Metarie Sehkhara. Perhaps in this section:

It turns out that luck would favor them on this task, as questioning any city guard on the whereabouts of the Du'var estate would lead them to the office of Robert Du'var, Sergeant of the city guard. Robert was suspicious of the two boys entering his office, claiming to be the children of his long lost sister. It wasn't until he was holding her frail body in his arms that he believed them. She was very sick, too far gone even for the mages to heal her. She was alive for only a few more days, long enough to make peace with her brother, ensuring he would care for her children, and making Gennison promise to protect his brother.

You can replace 'the mages' with Doctor Sehkhara. So long as Metarie doesn't mind that would also give your character a connection to her -- he'd have prior experience with her.


One little thing, I see it pretty often -- I think the word you are looking for is 'wary' rather than 'weary'? Weary is when you're tired and want to take a rest from something, while wary is being cautious of potential threats or dangers. You feel weary, while you are wary.

The rest looks good!

[Saruna]

Approved.

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