About "Machete" Mateo“Machete” Mateo
Confiscated Gear: chain shirt (100/25), 2 machetes (20/4), 2 saps (2/4), thieves’ tools (30/1), 50’ silk rope (10/5), belt pouch (1/.5), canteen (2/1), grooming kit (1/2), shaving kit (1.5/.5)
Backstory: The fourth of five sons (and youngest of the two illegitimate boys) of a wealthy Chelaxian colonist, the young man who now calls himself Mateo grew up on his father’s vast sugar cane plantation on the northern coastline of Sargava. When he came of age, the young man’s father (Zaltan Camzarran) had him trained to become a hunter of runaway slaves. The cruel plantation master didn’t expect his bastard son to instead run away himself. Mateo changed his name and then changed his future quarry, opting to become a bounty hunter. In Eleder he got his first commission: Apprehend a crazed murderer named Sylvia Lonegan, who’d escaped justice by fleeing on the high seas. Rumor had it the woman had fled on a suspected pirate vessel, so Mateo booked passage to the pirate haven of Port Peril to start his search for her. Alas, Port Peril is a large city with dozens of docks and several pirate ships moored there at any one time. In fact, his quarry was indeed in port, but Mateo didn’t learn Lonegan’s ship’s name until it had already once again put out to sea with her amongst its crew. The informant who gave him this belated lead—a lovely little Chelaxian lass who went by the name of Jetsam (or just Jet, the color of her short glossy hair)—was a dancer, mud wrestler, and entertainer in a gentlemen-of-fortune’s club called Port-o’-Catcalls. She promised to keep her eyes and ears open, however, should the Wormwood return to port (as was likely…eventually). For five months Mateo took odd jobs in the pirate city (including some for his sneaky, ambitious, and morally-murky minx), during which time he fell for the lovely Jetsam. He rather doubted she felt the same way about him, but she always treated him in a sweet (yet somehow salacious) manner. And she’d been fair and honest in her dealings with him. Then Jet sent him a note saying that the Wormwood had just arrived back in port and was moored at Bloodspear Pier; while some of her officers had visited Port-o’-Catcalls, Jet suggested that its crew would be more likely to visit a tavern called the Formidably Maid or a more modestly-priced brothel called Girta’s Gals. Deciding that a pirate woman would be more likely to frequent the bar than the brothel, Mateo began casing and frequenting the Formidably Maid. He found Sylvia Lonegan—who now used the moniker “Slippery Syl”—and began plotting a way to separate her from any other crewmates in the tavern. He decided that perhaps by wooing her he could get Syl alone, and though the woman seemed initially cold and suspicious toward him, before long they were sharing a pitcher of mead at a small corner table and laughing like old friends. If only I had something to slip into her drink! Mateo thought bitterly. Ironically, he was still waiting for the alcohol to affect his quarry when he himself suddenly found it hard to breathe, the tavern began to spin, and he slumped over unconscious as whatever she’d slipped into his drink took effect…. Appearance: Fairly tall, muscular, and fit, Mateo keeps his long hair under some manner of control. Currently styled with cornrows and dangling braids, dreadlocks are not out of the question in the future should the young man desire a change of style. Mateo often changes the style and amount of facial hair he wears; with the prospect of life as a pirate swabby before him, he’s leaning toward a full beard at the moment…. Mateo dresses in simple shirts and cut-off breeches most of the time, wearing his chain shirt over such attire when the situation warrants it. Motivation: Freedom to live a life that is his own is what drove Mateo from his father’s plantation. Being away from the man’s cruelty is just a bonus. While he despises his father, Mateo developed a taste for the trappings of wealthy living (though he experienced precious few of those firsthand). Not wanting to waste the ranger training his father’s tutor bestowed upon him, Mateo hopes to be successful as a bounty hunter…or whatever other profession the future has in store for him. Upon waking up in the Wormwood’s hold, things have changed drastically. Foremost in his thoughts is whether his beloved Jet might have betrayed him; if so, his stay aboard the Wormwood will likely be a very short and painful one. The presence of other press-ganged captives gives him some hope, however, that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time…that he was being targeted even as he targeted Sylvia Lonegan. The thought of life as a pirate…Mateo’s intrigued. It would offer a measure of freedom if he were to become an officer or even captain. And the promise of wealth unimagineable…. There could be worse fates. The key right now is to stay alive long enough to see what develops. Favorite Color: Browns and tans
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