Ali Harper's page

Rachael (Ra - Shell), was a beautiful young woman , no-one was surprised when she caught the eye of a prominent Noble despite her low birth. But when she became pregnant before a year was out, the noble threw her onto the streets. She turned to her best friend, a hunter named X, he took her in and a relationship slowly bloomed between them. It was not love but for Rachael after being burned by white-hot passion she found it reassuring. Unfortunately the Lord was not happy with his Bastard being born, especially when rumours of his own wife being barren started circulating; thus he had his men hound them out of the city.

The heavily pregnant Rachael and her husband X went South to the unexplored lands. It was a hard journey, especially for ones as poor as them. The tracks were barely rideable and the weather hard. But X know of an old trappers hut that they could stay in. Rachael was apprehensive but overjoyed at the thought of her child.

It was one of the worst storms in recent history the lightning fell like rain. A bolt struck outside the couples new house. When she gave birth it came as a shock that the childs eyes were milky, was this a sign that the Gods were displeased like the storm or an Omen of great things? The years passed swiftly.

Rachael & X's love slowly unravelled, she felt trapped in this hut whilst he felt she was ungrateful for all the thing he had done and sacrificed for her. She poured all her love into her child, teaching Ali(?) as much as she could. Rachael especially taught the child about its real father, but much of this was through the rose coloured spectacles of time. That eventually he would take Rachael back and marry her. X was not cruel to the young bastard, in fact he loved the kid in his own gruff manner. His style of teaching was more that which does not kill you makes you stronger. Thus little Ali learnt 'fathers' wood craft.

The winters became crueller especially after X fell & broke his leg after a drunken night on the acidic produce for his still. Rachael became sick, but despite selling their meagre possessions for what medicine they could she fared no better. X started filching to make more money, but by Ali's 15th birthday Rachael had passed on. X started to spend more time away from the house not able to stand being in the same house as where his unrequited love passed. X also started hanging out with a bad lot they enjoyed his moonshine and one Summers eve he told the teen that he was just leaving. He never returned. The blind kid had managed to survive on his own admirably, when one night he was awoken by the smell of burning.....the house on fire.

Now the kid wanders the forest...only a small mouse for company.

1. What is your full name?
Ali Harper

2. Where and when were you born?
The haunted woods of Gnarlmarsh a wild a desolate place. Ali hasn't really travelled too far from their reaches. Although he has been with his Father to Oleg's before, which was a wonderful experience.

3. Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

Rachael - An idealistic, romanitic woman. She fell in love with her knight, but it turned sour. So she fell back to her friend and left with him to start a new life. She eventually died of a wasting illness, but first she taught her child everything she knew.

X (step-father) - possible bandit a honest if gruff man who over the years has been beaten down by the hard-life. So in the end decide to take the easy way out and joined together with the bandits? or simply left for new pastures.

Lord in Brevoy - an honourable man but prone to womanising. When his wife found out about him getting a bastard on another, she was furious. So against his judgement he made sure the mother left the city.

4. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
None, but he would have loved to have played with more people as a child. He feels quite isolated, not just by his blindness but also by his environment. Sometimes other youths' would come over with their parents (trappers), but the children mostly felt ill at ease with Ali. (like visiting elderly acquaintances when you were a child)

5. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
His blindness is the most obvious one. However he likes animals and is not adversed to letting his friend Mousey crawl over him. He likes to sleep under the stars and doesn't mind some harsh weather.

6. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
It would have to be when his mother fell ill, this is when his life turned around for him before this despite the cold relationship between his parents he thought that that was normal. Or they would at least find that spark that his mother talked about with her 'Lord'.

7. Who has had the most influence on you?
Ali's step-father; Ali felt how he disintergrated after the death of Rachael. Before that he was a gruff man that cared for a child that was not his own despite Rachael filling Ali full of ideas about his real father. He taught the child about wood crafts, stayed with him and helped him listen & over-come the problems that his sight brought. The kindness that the gruff man gave him, still brings tears to ALi's eyes. Ali hold no bitterness over the man leaving.

8. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Surviving in the wilderness, albeit not brilliantly. But he has managed to overcome his problems and tried to survive moving around. He really doesn't know exactly what he is going to do now, in the back of his mind he know that he is slowly dying alone in the woods but that is too depressing a thought so he ignores it.

9. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
It would have to be when he killed a dog, a stray hound was running around the forest. Ali was starving he lured the dog to him and he grabbed it by the shoulders and slit its throat he could feel the wet blood running down his hands and the sharp salty tang of it assailed his nostrils for days. He could hear its soft wimpers and shuddering of its breathing as it quickly died. Ali ate well for the next few days but it tasted like ashes in his mouth.

Despite being of a hunting/ farming background Ali doesn't really kill or eat meat. Because of his lack of sight he hears them breathe, their heart beat and empathises too much with them.

10. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
None, he hardly knows what the authorities are. He heard a Lord sent a sheriff out here at one point as his Father was grumbling about it, but most of his knowledge of Laws are from romantic stories his mother told.

11. What do you believe makes a successful life?
Having helped people, not just physically but inspired them to be better. Even if thats in small ways.

12. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
He knows that he is isolated but an invisible barrier from the rest of the world. This makes him afraid to tell people his true feelings, but at the same time he has less of an idea what is exactly appropriate so when he does open up it can be too personal.

13. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
There are lots of things that he would refuse to do under most circumstances, however he has less regard for self if he believes it is the final resort to help someone. But generally these would come with significant consequences. If we are talking specifics, then, probably nothing would be off-limits however afterwards he would regret his actions and need to atone.

14. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
Dying is simple living is difficult. Everytime Ali will get into a fight he knows there is a chance of his death. But taking things to extremes, Ali would do them for his soul-partner, that one person he believes completes him making him a better person. Also he will die to protect a person or principle if that is something he believes strongly in like, protecting those isolated by age, illness, weakness and disease.

15. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
Rachael - she gave him life for that his is eternally grateful. She taught him, read to him, told him the proper way to worship the Gods. Even after her death he still feels he can hear her singing to him at night.

16. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
Step-Father - he gave up his life to protect Ali's mother. Taking her wawy from the big city and its oppressive political cage, albeit to a wicker cage in the woods.

17. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
Ali has few friends he knows a few people in the area and they recognise him walking around with his father. Upto GM discretion. Currently his best friend is a small black rat called 'Mousy', it runs around him living in his blanket and eating from his palm. He met him whilst waiting for father to return to the house. Other friends Ali did know a few of the locals and a few people his age but they always kept a distance, even if Ali wished it could have been closer.

19. Have you ever been in love?
Never in romantic love. Never had a partner. To Ali schooled on tales of chivalorous knights, swooning maidens love is a perfect union on mind, body and soul. It is something he wishes to attain but feels he is unworthy of deep in his soul. He wishes that he could have to sort of perfect love that his mother Rachael described with her Lord (even though it was different in reality). Of course all of this is mostly sub-concious rather than a concious longing.

20. What do you look for in a potential lover?
Trust, Fidelity, Honour are the backbone of any tryst but Ali is picky and wishes to find someone worthy rather than sowing his oats.

21. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
He was taught the proper manner of protocol and diplomacy with others therefore prefers to resolve conflicts through working through them or evasion. Outright conflict is something that tends to frighten him actually because with loud voices and tempers fraying, he cannot be sure if violence will erupt and he is afraid of being caught completely defenceless.

22. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
Ali does actually like to tell people that he is comfortable with what he thinks shuld be done, this does not mean he is correct just that he can be stubborn. Leadership can be a way of asserting himself in a world that is alien to him, a good way to make sure things are done right. Ali also sees it as a way to change things and help people, which he would love to do more of.

23. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
A large group of people does not frighten him unless in a confinded space, within reasonable limits and noise levels he can deal with them as smoothly as a few people. Since he cannot see he feels less intimidated by their numbers. However if thing get out of control then this scenario would absolutely break him. But Ali really has not been around too many large crowds. The largest was when he was young and there was a market day and everyone turned out to sell their wears, even a Varasian caravan showed up. His mother & father was happy this is his favourite memory.

24. Do you care what others think of you?
Tes, in certain ways he wants people to like him their approval is some measure of self-worth. That what he is doing, has done is acceptable or just that he is a nice person. There is nothing better than a hug and someone telling you how great you are. Although Ali knows that this is not the only factor in life that matters, especially as people judge by superficially and being alone for so long he has got used to a lack of outside praise.

25. Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?
Since his step-father turned to drink, Ali sees it as a bad thing. He has only rarely tried full strength alcohol, although watered wine is a staple because water is generally full of 'nasties'.

26. What, if anything, shocks or offends you?
Most activities of the urbane peoples will shock him. Ali is a small town boy isolated from the harsh realities and hedonistic activities of peoples.

27. How do you deal with stress?
He loves to play the flute, he is not very skilled. However his mother taught him all sorts of interesting songs, romantic and haunting ballads that made ALi shed tears of joy and sorrow in equal measure. He would love to be able to sing or play like that.

28. What is your greatest strength as a person?
His adaptability and resolve to overcome the obstacles placed before him.

29. What is your greatest weakness?
The fear of the unkown, he knows how vulnerable he is to the world and the beasts that inhabit it. Therefore he puts his armour on and disguises himself. Thus he can keep his true emotions and person safe.

30. What are your reasons for being an adventurer (or doing the strange and heroic things that RPG characters do)?
He knows that things have to change; he does want anyone to be isolated, die of illness alone in their beds with nobody to care for them. He wants in the way of the young and naive to change the world make it into his vision of how it should be rather than the dark place he feels it to be.

31. What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?
Selfishly he would love to find love, that someone who rides in to help in a fairytale way. But even more than that (because he is not sure he would deserve that & is afraid that it would be a lie like his mothers was), he wants to transform at least a small area of it into something safe, a haven where people are free to act, work, love and live. Without being isolated, taunted or teased.

32. If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.
Firstly repent all Ali's sins. Then try to help as many people in the time left, mostly though reminding them how precious life is. And if possible throwing caution to the wind and living on the edge.

33. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?

Ali would love to be remembered for helping change peoples lives, to have had at least a positive mental influence on them. To make people realise that they are special, one of the truely amazing things that live on the earth capable of so much more than you would think possible.

Out of the underbrush a dark figure walks it takes a moment to realise it is human, because of his bedraggled nature. Long obsidian tresses are pulled back into a long greasy tail stained with mud. The emaciated youth walks with a certain caution as he approaches his pale skin dappled with mud. Certainlly this young man cannot be more than a teen as he hails you with a high pitched but resonant voice. A thick leather tabard covers most of his body only bare bony arms and legs sticking out, a relic of an ancient war it hasn't kept well. Moldy patches spot over the rotten leather, though its thickness hopefully should protect the occupant who seems unused to the heavy garment you judge from his movements.

As he approaches closer his face turns to look at you. The young man looks pretty and almost delicate, malnurishment bringing out his cheekbones and his face is caked in dirt from the forest. But what strikes you the hardest about his features is his eyes. White and cloudy the iris is milky although under you can see the palest blue as a Thrush's egg. He stares at you as if he may not be able to see you physical form but he can see into your heart.