Sieltis was born in a small village in the west of Taldor. His elven father was part of a travelling troupe that passed through the village on their way to the capital. At first his human mother tried to keep him away from the other children, seeing in him a reflection of what she thought of as inappropriate behavior on her side. After enduring the jibes of people all around him and being unable to find a proper job for some time after reaching adulthood by human standards, Sieltis joined the party of a recruiter for the local lord's army.
Short and stocky for a half-elf, he went through training easy enough, but found he had a certain problem with eye hand coordination. Even though his fingers were nimble enough for him to play the lute with his eyes closed, he managed to drop his spear in front of the knight-captain of the unit, nearly stabbing his horse. His soldiering career would have been cut very short, if not for the old drummer of the unit, who stepped up and offered to take the "clumsy boy" on as an apprentice. The drummer reckoned his soldiering days were close to an end anyway, and he assured the captain that "the boy never dropped a musical instrument".
It was probably out of greed that the captain agreed with the drummer's offer - it was more expensive to get a new drummer from the bardic academies of Oppara. Sieltis started his apprenticeship with a vision of artistic success and future fame, but soon realized that almost nothing had changed. He was still supposed to train with the unit, but now he had to spend his evenings learning the beats from the old drummer, Malor. However, his boredom quickly evaporated as he learned there was way more to leading the step of the unit than hitting a piece of stretched leather with a stick. A drummer had to see and understand how the unit moved, how the terrain changed the step of the soldiers and what he could and had to do to keep the rhythm of the march. The young half-elf was soon completely enthralled into the art of the drummer.
Several years later the old Malor passed away and Sieltis became drummer of the unit. He observed his brothers in arms and the way they walked and talked. He took note of the rhythm of a fight, first from the training routines, then in real combat. What to others seemed complete chaos, to him was a sheet of music. Slowly, he began to play this music as he observed or took part in training and fights. He never let go of his drum and started using his hands, instead of the wooden stick Malor used. The music of battle seemed to channel his strength and a rage he had not experienced before. In time the other soldiers in the unit started feeling the influence of his music, as this was no more mere drumming for keeping in step.
The knight-captain watched the changes that the unit experienced as Sieltis grew in skill. He did not like the effect the new drummer had on the discipline of the others in a fight. His fears were confirmed when, in a skirmish near the border, the whole unit charged forward like wild animals, chasing the enemy patrol for several miles. When finally he managed to make them obey orders again, he immediately discharged Sieltis and told him that if he ever saw him again he'd run him down with his horse, just like he deserved years before.
After wandering the country the half-elf settled in the small village of Heldren, becoming one of the village guards. He kept playing the music of war, hidden in the trees of the Border Wood, as it had now become a part of his soul.
Description: Sieltis is quite short and stocky for a half-elf (5'6" and 150lbs)and usually wears armour at all times. He also carries a large pewter mug strapped to his belt, which has belonged to his mentor, Malor the drummer. On several occasions it had doubled as a weapon, one that he has become quite good with.
10 minute Background:
-Step 1: Write at least 5 concept elements
1) short cropped light brown hair
2) wears a small war drum strapped under his right arm and a sword and the mug under his left
3) if an item is longer than 5 feet he is bound to drop it at some point
4) he does not speak much, preferring instead to observe
5) looks for a rhythm in everything (hoof beats, rain, creaking of wooden buildings, etc.)
-Step 2: List at least 2 goals for the character.
His goal: To make the music of war known to the people, who he thinks live their lives without ever touching such powerful emotions.
My goal: To reunite him with his father and see what he thinks about his twist on music.
-Step 3: List at least 2 secrets about your character.
He knows: That he really left his home to join the military because he could not stand watching his mother accuse herself of impurity every time she looked at him.
He does not know: That he shares his father's name.
He does not know: That Melor's mug had something to do with his death.
-Step 4: Describe at least 3 people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
Hostile: The knight-captain of his unit in the Phalanx.
Friendly: Crage, his best friend from his home town, who has left for the capital to become a builder before Sieltis left.
Friendly: Varina, a neighbour in Heldren, whom Sieltis feels attracted to.
-Step 5: Describe at least 3 mannerisms
1) Always uses his own mug to drink
2) When walking around, travelling, or just thinking deeply, he unconsciously taps a beat with his fingers on the drum, which (usually) reflects his mood
3) His posture is never relaxed, he always sits straight backed and stiff, as if expecting a military inspection. The only time he relaxes is when he play the "music of war".
