Faerdorcha "Freddy" Maercair's page

Faerdorcha had a thirst for adventure from the time he was born. As the scion of a noble family, he was tutored by only the best teachers in Absalom for whatever field he sought to chase. Magic, swordplay, academia, and music were all filled into his itinerary, his parents eager to watch him succeed at anything he set out to do so that he could bring glory to the family. And for a child, he was oddly okay with spending so much time in private lessons, enjoying what he was learning and spending much of his free time reading anything he could find. In his teens, he won archery competitions between the young nobility of Absalom, but the trophies didn't make up for the fact his magical talent, while certainly potent, was not enough to be considered for the city's prestigious academies, and no lesser establishment would do. There were still doors open, but they pressed him harder on his other pursuits as a result.
As he grew, he began to realize that his parents' push for him to excell at whatever he attempted was for their own benefit more than his. They were grooming him to become great so that their name could work better, and had already arranged a marriage for him with the daughter of another noble family. What in his childhood he believed to be their pride in him for each thing he learned, each report about being ahead of his age in his areas of study, was in fact self-congratulatory. He was a tool for them and little else. Far from the first rebellious teenage noble, he nonetheless began sneaking out at night, taking eager advantage of everything he'd learned to help him escape into the night, where he would sing in grimy taverns for a few coins. He didn't need the money at all, but to him it was a rejection of his upbringing, singing in the worst-reputed alehouses in town for pocket change.

In adulthood, he began to hire himself out for small jobs in the city, usually protection or retrieval. While not an intimidating beast of a man, he was shrewd and clever, using his magic and weapons in concert with his wits to get the job done. If anything, his lean build worked to his advantage, his opponents underestimating him and ending up flat on their face because of it. His magic may have been disappointingly little in his parents' eyes, but it was perfect for trickery and aiding his allies, which quickly seemed like a more and more lucrative way to take jobs; lifting others with his song, due to his mixed education leaving his spells and swordplay both a little on the lighter end of matters. There were plenty of warriors plying their trade, but few who could provide his variety, which proved to be his greatest strength.

When he wasn't taking work, he was living the carefree life of a barely-adult noble, throwing money around, drinking and partying. At least until the wedding plans were set for his 20th birthday and his parents began to more rigorously push him into deciding his fate. He had no affections for the woman, who was kind and fair but not somebody he could connect with, and he'd grown resentful of his parents' plans for him and own political machinations. His work had earned him connections, and a spot as caravan guard that would let him see the world and escape his family, to depart the day of his wedding. The night before his birthday he gathered up his weapons, armor, tools, and a pair of adventurer's clothes--signaling his departure from a life of luxury and hopefully earning him a little more time to escape.

Leaving his family and the life he knew behind, he moved aimlessly where work took him, getting hired for adventuring parties in need of his skills or support. In major cities he often lingered a while and soaked in as much work as he could before hopping onto another well-paying caravan job and moving on again. Even when they weren't fighting, he would often sit on the egdes of wagons, singing road songs when his companions could bear to listen to music for days on end. It let him see the world and experience life in a way that finally sated his wanderlust. Experiences he couldn't even fathom in his high-society comfort gave him stories to tell and songs to sing, and let him further hone his skills in a real, productive setting.

His latest job involved escorting a caravan along the Coast Road. It certainly sounded interesting enough, and he'd yet to see Geb, but was very eager to see it for himself. So, picking up his bow, he took the job and set off.

Realizing his wits and charm are his greatest asset, Faerdorcha plays up his charm as much as he can. He insists the most distant of acquaintances call him 'Freddy', acts foppish and jovial whenever possible, and keeps spirits high. It not only plays up his role, but often leads to his opponents not taking him seriously as a threat, which is precisely what he wants. Despite seeming like he takes little seriously, even when in danger, beneath that smile is a clever man who will press any underhanded advantage he can take, and who takes threats very seriously. He just won't show it.
A little crude and fairly uncomposed, he acts in a way he knows is unbefitting of his upbringing, to distance himself as far from it as possible. For as open as he is to telling stories of his adventures, he keeps his childhood vague or lied about entirely, wanting to put it out of sight and out of mind. It's a time of his life he's past and fully ready to pretend didn't happen. Especially with a few years on the road under his belt.