Alvar "Rex" Zosimus's page

6/level (class 4, int 1, human 1, background 2) +0 favored,32 Total
Armor Check -1 (-2 if shield)

*Acrobatics +10 [6] (-1 if shield)
Appraise +1
*Bluff +11 [6]
*Climb +7 [1] (-1 if shield)
*Craft +1
Diplomacy +1
Disable Device N/A
Disguise +1
*Escape Artist +5 [1] (-1 if shield)
Fly +1 (-1 if shield)
*Handle Animal +10 [6]
Heal -1
*Intimidate +10 [6]
Knowledge (arcana) N/A
*Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5 [1]
Knowledge (engineering) N/A
Knowledge (geography) N/A
Knowledge (history) N/A
*Knowledge (local) +5 [1]
Knowledge (nature) N/A
Knowledge (nobility) +7 [6]
Knowledge (planes) N/A
Knowledge (religion) N/A
Linguistics +5 [1]
*Perception +8 [6]
Perform +1
*Profession N/A
*Ride +5 [1] (-1 if shield)
*Sense Motive +8 [6]
Sleight of Hand N/A
Spellcraft N/A
Stealth +2
Survival -1
*Swim +7 [1] (-1 if shield)
Use Magic Device N/A

Coin Purse: 72 gp, 7sp, 5cp

+1 Chainshirt
Masterwork Wooden Snarlshield w/Spikes
Short Sword
Sap
Sling
Bullets (15)
Javelin (2)
Longspear
Masterwork Manacles
Outfit, Peasants
Masterwork Backpack
Bedroll
Beltpouch
Flint and Steel
Iron Pot
Mess Kit
Rope
Soap
Torches (10)
Trail Rations (5)
Waterskin
Cloak

Physical Description
Alvar’s appearance is quite rough and rugged. His arms and face show countless scars from his many fights. However, the worst of his scars are from the many lash marks on his back. His hair has grown fairly long and his face in unshaven. This is an intentional choice on Alvar’s part, as he has no interest in being recognized by anyone from his old life. If shaved and cleaned, he could probably look like a respectable nobleman once more. Physically, he is of an imposing size. His clothes are little more than rags, but his armor and weapons bear the ostentatious style of a performance fighter and a bright red cape hangs from his shoulders.

Life Defining Events
1. Alvar was born into a life of great luxury and little responsibility. His uncle, Ansaldo Zossiumus, was a man of great power, with much land and many subjects. The rest of the family just lived off of his wealth and influence. With an abundance of energy and little to occupy himself, teenage Alvar’s favorite activity was sneaking out disguised in peasants clothes to the tavern on the outskirts of his uncle’s territory where he could drink, gamble and get into bar-room brawls. He kept this game up until shortly after his twentieth birthday when things went very wrong. While he was getting into trouble in the tavern, raiders attacked and killed or captured everyone in the tavern. Alvar was knocked out and taken far away.

2. After being captured, Alvar was sold into slavery, along with many of the other captured people. Due to his youth and strength he found himself forced into arena fights. One of his earliest fights and by far his worst was a fight with a Tyrannosaurus. While he was able to defeat the creature, it was only because he was fighting alongside a bunch of other strong fighters, many of whom he had bonded with in captivity. He was the only survivor. The event earned him his nickname “Rex” and enough popularity with the audience to not be sent into any more “death sentence” fights. Still, he carries a heavy guilt about the other fighters who died; many of whom he considered to be better warriors and better men than he was.

Quirks/Habits

Pride of a nobleman - Despite having the appearance of a common mercenary, he still carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who never had to question their place in the world. He values his dignity and struggles to understand those who would easily surrender theirs. As an enslaved fighter this has caused him a massive amount of trouble over the years.

Fights like a cornered animal - As an unwilling arena fighter, surrender was rarely an option. Because of this, Alvar's fight or flight reflex has been firmly tuned to fight. He can be persuaded to flee, but rarely thinks to do so on his own. He is more than willing to fight dirty when he feels threatened and while killing his opponents brings him no joy, the accidental death of someone who tried to kill him would not keep him up at night.

Loves the outdoors – Even as a child, Alvar hated being cooped up in his house. After spending years in captivity, his dislike for enclosed spaces has only grown. There have been very few occasions for Alvar to be outside in the last several years, but he has cherished each one. He longs to have a moment alone in an open field.

Secrets
Known - Upon being captured, Alvar starting using the fake name, Harris. He did this because he didn't want his captors to realize his worth in ransom money and he didn't want the other captives to turn him in. Now that years have passed, almost everyone who knew him as Alvar Zossimus believes him to be dead. A small handful of people, who think they are in the know, believe his name to Harris. Everyone else knows him by his arena nickname, Rex. Only one other captive, the former tavern owner who knew Alvar to be nobility before the raid, knows his true identity.

Unknown - The great game draws all manner of wealthy and influential people as audience members. So, it's not all that shocking that someone who knew Alvar to be Alvar is an audience member. If they can see past the beard, the scars and the lost years, they may very well recognize the young man they once knew. Alvar has no desire for his family to find out he's alive and certainly doesn't want his captors finding out his true identity.

Relationships:
Family - Alvar's family is fairly large and very wealthy. His uncle, Ansaldo, is politically important and some his more ambitious cousins have used Ansaldo's connections to gain their own positions. However, for the most part his family are the idle rich. Both his parents, Arlo and Rhonwhen Zossimus, are still alive, as is his younger sister Tamyra Zossimus. However, they all assume that he was killed during the raid. Though his temporary freedom might give him the opportunity to reconnect, Alvar has no interest in letting his family know he is alive. The raid opened his eyes to the fact that his uncle had spent large amounts of money ensuring the safety of his own home and family from an attack, while his subjects were entirely exposed. As he listened to the complaints of his fellow captives, it became clear that this was a pattern. His family lived in luxury, while the peasants struggled. Ashamed of his part in this, he has no interest in returning to that life.

Friendly - Alvar's only friends are the other arena slaves. His bond with them is strong, though often heartbreaking, due to the average life expectancy of an arena fighter. However, his closest ally is a man named Guiscard Arthurs, a former adventurer and the dwarven owner of the tavern that was raided. Arthurs knew that Alvar was a nobleman before the raid and it was on his advice that Alvar began lying about his true name. Over the years, Arthurs has become a sort of father figure, teaching Alvar how to fight and trying to keep the young hot head from getting in trouble with their masters. Even if freed, Alvar would want his friends to also be free, especially Arthurs who is well past his fighting prime.

Hostile - Alvar has nothing but contempt for the people who have kept him prisoner and forced him to fight. However, recently he has been sold or loaned (he's not really sure which) to a new master. This master is not interested in watching him fight beasts in the arena, but instead has gang-pressed him into fighting alongside him in Ibith's Great Game. This upset Alvar at first, as it separated him from his brothers in arms. But once the rules of the game were explained he saw a rare opportunity. The rules allowed any team member to defect to another team. So he did. Publicly. The tournament officials have honored his request and he has managed to earn a sort of freedom. However, while his former team leader can do little to dispute this, he is clearly livid and not willing to just forget about his perceived property. Also, Alvar might have "forgotten" to return the leader's pack that he was forced to carry...

Goal
Alvar was forced to enter the great game and coming in had no particular goal other than to survive. However, now that he has defected from his team and gotten away from his captors, his primary goal is to gain his permanent freedom. He knows that they will come after them, so he plans to use the tournament to gain money and connections and put himself in a better position to oppose them. Once the tournament is over, he plans to use those resources to free the other captives.