Sir Alaryn Rose's page

Mao was born in a kriel of the Gnarls but have no memory of such thing. When he was just an youngling of about 2 years, he and his twin brother were kidnapped by a group of thugs while traveling near Five Points towards Ogunholt in Ord. Almost all of his kin were killed during the attack and the surviving members were sold as slaves... the lucky ones and too soon to remember a thing about their lives were sold to criminals on Cygnar's major centers while the others were sent to Cryx. Mao and his brother were among the lucky ones, both sold to a mob boss in Corvis.

As soon as he could walk and understand orders, Mao and his brother Vrag were put to work. Fed only with disgusting scraps, Mao and his brother would have most likely perished if not for their trollkin natural resistance... they once heard that full-bloodied trolls could eat and drink about anything, even rocks... aside from rocks, the brothers were fed almost everything, and amusement for their captors.

Not even their names were their own. Too young to have remembered their original names, the brothers were given names by their captors... something that sounded like a trollkin name but with no powerful or respectful meaning. As the brothers grew older and stronger, they also grew more rebellious. Used to be punished and enduring everything their captors used against them, the two start to fancy some ideas about freedom.

Always eager to take advantage of his assets, Niger Ulvrac, the brothers' boss decided to use their strength and rebellion in a different kind of labor: pit fights. In the beginning Mao hated his boss even more but as he start to fight, and win, he actually started to enjoy this new life... he was still a slave but at least this time he could feel a small fraction of glory. Opponent after opponent Mao and Vrag raised to the halls of fame of the underworld, the Twin-Thunders they were called, and even managed to win a couple fights against stronger creatures.

Due to their strength and prowess, the brothers managed to reach the final combat during the Blood Games, and thus should fight among each other. After an arduous fight, Mao defeated his brother and amid the cries of the criminals watching it, the pit bosses decided to change the rules... the winner should kill the loser and thus win his freedom, denying would result in the death of both contestants. In the middle of the fighting pit, the brothers did the Tohmaak Mahkeiri one last time, and just before Mao crushed his brothers head, he vowed to avenge him, to live for both of them.

After leaving the pits, Mao discovered two things: first that he would not be able to directly face Niger, not with all his man behind him, and second that the live of a free man in poverty was not much different from that of a slave. To survive, Mao did what he had known for the last couple years... he fought. Even outside the pits, he was astonished to discover that not only illegal money could be made by killing someone. He joined a group of bounty-hunters and just after a couple years he was already working by himself, having acquired his own notoriety.

It took about seven years for Mao to feel ready to face Niger. He planned his moves, walking the streets of Corvis in secrecy, and looked for information about Niger and his gang. Once he was ready, Mao put his plan into action, eliminating a couple of Niger's enforcers before facing the man himself... on the final moment, Mao found himself not facing Niger, but someone else entirely, led into a trap and just by plain luck he was able to escape. In the end, someone had come for Niger earlier and the vile man was long dead... the new boss, still displeased by some of Niger's most loyal man, used Mao to get rid of them.

Lost in his thoughts and with his vengeance denied, Mao found the first hole in Corvis underworld and drunk as if the world would end. Amid his stupor, some men tried to kill him in a poorly disguised bar fight and if not for a young man's help, Mao would have been dead now. Owning the man (Milo Dresden) his life, Mao promised him 7 years of work, be it as a bounty-hunter, pugilist professor, contact or even bodyguard... meanwhile, he is trying to discover who paid for his death.

Step 1: Write at least 5 concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
* Mao is huge, big even for trollkin standards, and his rough life taught him how to take advantage of the fear he impairs on the others.
* On his left arm, Mao has several cigar burns on his flesh, one for each men he killed. In the beginning these marks served him two purposes: to serve as a warning to the others and thus helping him to survive; and later as a 'business insignia' to attest his deeds. He isn't specially proud of them but they work quite for his intent.
* Mao isn't a long-term planner. Raised as an slave, the most distant future he can imagine himself is a couple months ahead... thinking about anything beyond is a waste of time in his opinion... why plan too much ahead if you can't be sure you'll be even alive?
* Unlike other Trollkins, Mao isn't a follower of Dhunia simply because he had never been exposed by his kin ceremonies and teachings. Instead, he follows the Scion Roth... the only being to apparently help him a couple times. Even so, he isn't really devout and would probably abandon his faith if needed.
* As a trollkin without a kriel, Mao missed the connection of his kin even if he isn't aware of it. Those who earn his respect and loyalty are treated as his family in his mind, even performing the kulgat for them.
Step 2: List at least 2 goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
* Mao doesn't play ahead of time with only one exception. In his dream, one day he'll be able to leave the dirty streets of the cities behind and move to a kriel to build a life for himself. Despite his dream, he does nothing to actually achieve it.
* As I player, I'd like for Mao to actually complete his revenge on Niger (see below).
Step 3: List at least 2 secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
* In truth, Mao really doubts he will be able to live away from the cities... he has a complicated hate/love relationship with the underworld of big cities.
* Niger isn't actually dead and the new leader of his gang is simply one of his underlings, a necessary measure after many murder attempts against him. Niger is aware of Mao and was the one who paid for his failed assassination attempt.
Step 4: Describe at least 3 people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
* Milo Dresden: The once young man saved Mao's life and now the giant feels he needs to pay him back.
* Marcus Galbert: A friend bounty-hunter and former colleague. Mao have come to regard him as almost a brother.
* Niger Ulvrac: His former owner and boss of a dangerous gang in Corvis. Niger wants Mao dead for trying to kill him.
Step 5: Describe at least 3 mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
* Mao loves to smoke his cigars but isn't really picky of their qualities... he recognizes a good brand but would not refrain from smoking if he only has some crappy brands with him.
* Mao has a strong and powerful voice, almost incapable of speaking in a low tone or whispering. He was told more than once that if he was raised within a kriel, he'd definitely be a fell-caller.
* Mao can't pronounce the 'L' sound from 'cleaver', using 'R' instead (Creaver).