About Charles HawthorneOverview Professor Charles Ulysses Hawthorne, born Stigrim Kazagun, has always been an outsider. He was orphaned at a young age, although to this day he does not know how or why his parents died, and has never attempted to find out. He left his home city of Taggoret shortly afterwards, feeling that he wasn't meant to live his life surrounded by stone and metal. While Hawthorne has some appreciation for tunnels and stone (he finds darkness highly soothing), he honestly prefers the open air. Even as a child, he was more likely to wander in the mountains than to explore the tunnels beneath them, and he has a fondness for hiking in hills and mountains to this day. Hawthorne doesn't fit in with other dwarves, who often feel slighted by his change of name and departure from his homeland. Even among those who do not know his story, dwarves have a difficult time understanding his fascination with living things as opposed to solid stone and metals, and find him unsuitable for conversation on any topic they bring up short of plants. Other races see him as just another dwarf who needs to lighten up and enjoy himself a bit. He doesn't even fit in with other druids, who find his tendency to work with the less verdurous aspects of nature to be at best strange, and at worst a betrayal of their ideals. Other blight druids, on the other hand, tend to be too violent and death-obsessed for Hawthorne to feel comfortable around them. The only place Hawthorne really feels at peace is in the company of plants and fungi, or with another who shares his affection for nature without judging him for his specific interests. To most anyone else he is the epitome of a gruff dwarf, with spiteful sarcasm and cynicism thrown in for good measure. This means of interaction with his surrounding world has heavily shaped his life. Despite having lived for over a century and a half, Professor Hawthorne has had few friends. He used to move from place to place frequently, studying at half the universities from Highhelm to Riddleport, and doing research in nearly as many forests, swamps, and hills along the way. Hawthorne did train under a druid, and in fact attempted to learn the druidic way on several occasions, each time feeling that he just needed a little more time to really understand it. In the past few decades, as Hawthorne has been in Ustalav, and more specifically Virlych, his potential has finally been fulfilled, albeit somewhat twisted by his interest in and exposure to the less-than-healthy land. Current Events Hawthorne has been long removed from civilized society, having spent the past two decades years of his life engaged in researching the dead lands of Virlych and developing his newly discovered powers. The death of Petros Lorrimor, one of Hawthorne's (very) few real friends in the entire world, was one of the only things that could have convinced him to make the journey to Ravengro, as he has been quite enjoying his almost complete lack of contact with the outside world. Despite his dismissal of most other beings, Hawthorne is loyal when his friendship is earned, and he feels he should pay his respects to the professor despite personal discomfort. He also (although he would never admit it) has been somewhat shaken by the realization that with the death of the professor, it is likely that not a single person cares at all about him. He is considering giving the world and the people in it a second chance. Professor Lorrimor Hawthorne and Lorrimor met for the first time at a university in Magnimar, where Hawthorne had recently completed his professorial training and was conducting research in the Mushfens. Hawthorne, impressed by the scholar's breadth of knowledge and tales of adventure, became friends with Lorrimor, and ended up traveling with him on his next journey to Ustalav, having become fascinated with the tales of the blighted land that could be found there. The two parted ways after arriving, and while they did correspond from time to time, Hawthorne did not see his friend again until six years later, when the professor was trapped by a rockslide in the Hungry Mountains, far from any beaten paths. Purely by chance, Hawthorne was hiking nearby, and discovered his friend near dead from dehydration. He was able to save Lorrimor, and the incredibly unlikely rescue solidified their friendship. During the next few years Lorrimor consulted with Hawthorne several times on matters of mysterious natural occurrences as well as generic botany, but over time Hawthorne became more and more deeply involved in his work with Virlych, and more cut off from society. During his most recent monthly trip to town for supplies, Hawthorne received the news of Lorrimor's death and the summons to his funeral. Further Information Personal Information Deity: None
Combat Information Initiative: +5 [+3 dex, +2 trait]
Attacks: sickle +3 (1d6+1/x2)
Race and Class Information Traits: Reactionary [+2 initiative]
Racial Traits: Darkvision 60ft.
Feats: Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Class Features: Nature Bond [Night domain]
Spells Prepared: 0th
1st
Skills: Heal +8
Gear and Encumbrance Gear: — traveler's outfit 5lbs.
Total Cost: 116 gp, 1 sp, 9 cp
Cash on hand: 3 gp
Carrying Capacity: Light: 0-43lbs.
Current Weight Carried: 83lbs. |
