About Aleister CrumbBackstory:
Aleister tired of his colleagues. They’re minds were dull and they’re research stale, no one took any risks trying to discover anything, they merely replicated and refined the past work of truly brilliant individuals. Things had improved a bit when he started going out on expeditions personally, it gave him a release. Hacking through jungle with the grim sort that would risk life and limb for the promise of coin in pocket; not only could Aleister explore the possibilities of ever-rarer reagents but he would find himself fondly reminded of his youth.
Aleister was born to a poor family, the Crumbs scrounged what money they could to live in the sort of run-down shack found in the depths of Absalom’s slums. Aleister was ridiculed as a boy and could never find friends, but one day a friend found him. Drook, a young half-orc, approached the young Aleister with words of kindness and the two quickly became inseparable. Aleister was a bright boy but his parents could never afford the necessities of education but Drook showed him how to sneak and steal about the city and, eventually, it was Drook that showed him how to stuff a textbook under his shirt and hastily leave the bookshop. Once he was able to procure the books and tools needed Aleister soaked up any knowledge he could find. He taught himself the theory of architecture and the art of tunnelling, the crafting of intricate mechanisms and the twining of spells. For all his learning, though, it was the art of alchemy, the explosive potential of the natural world, that most fascinated Aleister’s young mind. He pored over books to reveal the secrets of how seemingly natural components could combine to create astoundingly unnatural results. When Aleister heard of the new continent his mind swam with the secrets it promised. He pleaded for funding so that he might lead an expedition but was met only by the stern looks and tittering of foolish old men. He sat in his study amidst the heady fumes of his trade and contemplated his dilemma, he could leave the security of the academy, that which he had worked for all his life, in favor of the dangerous unknown, or he could stay behind and risk stagnating within its stone walls. Luckily for Aleister, his old friend had already decided for him. While Aleister had flourished Drook and floundered; he excelled in little and drifted into a series of low-paying jobs and petty crimes as he entered adulthood. Recently he seemed to have settled down, finding a steady job as a cook in one of the city’s cheapest taverns, but it wasn’t long until he started making bad decisions again. A powerful crime lord was after his life and he had nowhere to turn, except to escape to the sea. When Aleister heard his friend’s decision to join the voyage to the new continent, being hired on as a cook, he realized he couldn’t allow him to go alone; Aleister quit his position at the academy, packed what books and belongings he could and braced himself for a long sea voyage. **I decided not to go into the events of the trip because the backstory was already quite long. That said, if I'm selected I might fill in that time, particularly if interactions with someone else's character seem promising Appearance:
Aleister is thin and scrawny, his clothing puddles around him and sags in places where the alchemical ingredients weigh down the cloth. His straw-like brown hair isn’t long but it is unkempt, he looks in need of a trim. His brown eyes peer curiously from behind circular spectacles. Often his thin fingers drum impatiently against whatever surface is handy. Personality:
Aleister is not good with people. His isolated childhood, and the bullying he received, have made him both shy and defensive. Once someone is clearly a friend however he is able to relax and be himself, often becoming a fiercely loyal friend. The one element in which Aleister’s awkwardness does not hold true is in the realm of intellectual debate, where he will freely criticize those he believes are being stubbornly foolish. Aleister’s most defining trait is probably curiosity. He yearns to discover as much as he can of the world, particularly as this pertains to his study of alchemy. This has begun to manifest, on several of the recent expeditions which he has been a part of, as a willingness to risk his own safety if a discovery might be the result; he is not foolhardy but also tends to place the principle of exploration ahead of his own wellbeing. Growing up poor Aleister is often drawn to help those less fortunate, often trusting that greatness come from humble beginnings. For similar reasons he is also lenient towards those who break established laws or rules, within reason, as he understands that for some these restrictions are more severe than for others; condemning the theft of bread is very different when speaking to a hungry man than it is when speaking to a glutted one. Connections:
Aleister's primary connection is Drook the Cook (it rhymes!). If I end up writing more about the journey I could see more developing but Drook is the only person he set out knowing well. Goals:
Aleister's goals are mainly to explore and discover new aspects of the world, particularly as that pertains to his alchemical studies. He is also concerned about helping the settlement develop in general, but he has a particular interest in the well being of his friend, who often has a hard time staying on the right track.
Drook mostly joined the voyage to escape the wrath of a criminal back home. However, he is somewhat excited about setting down roots in a new place, as he has never really considered anywhere to be a 'home'. This excitement is tempered slightly by his feelings that Aleister has only accompanied him because of concern, which makes him feel like a burdon to his best friend. Statblock:
Aleister Crumb
Male Expert 1/Alchemist (Mindchemist, Grenadier) 1 NG Medium Human Init +4; Senses Perception +6 --Defense--
--Offense--
--Statistics--
Equipment (audit):
studded leather armour 25gp (20lbs) Shortbow 30gp (2lbs) Dagger 2gp (1lbs) Backpack 2gp (2lbs)
100 gp total (59lbs)
+100gp of downtime capital |
