About Talathel MirielTalathel Miriel - Bard 3/Rogue 2
Backstory:
Talathel was the son of a human farmer and an elven bard (of the literal "playing music" sort, not an adventurer) , and the social stigma of human/elf relationships led to them withdrawing from society as a whole. His parents bought some farmland a day away from Akleta, and sought a quiet, comfortable life. Their few farmhands were a strange band, mostly people with some manner of stigma on them, including another half-elf and a reformed thief who couldn't find a job elsewhere. They acted not only as farm hands, but as defenders of the caravan for their regular trips into town. For a farm of its size, they were fairly prosperous, and the family had a comfortable life. When Talathel was 8, they had another child, a girl named Lessien.
The Mageocracy's policies toward tariffs and security of the roads made things more difficult, money becoming tighter while not lessening the threat of bandits. When Talathel was 15, his father's caravan, which included all of the farm hands except for the ex-thief, Soren, was attacked by bandits. With nobody to tend the crops and no money, they had no choice but to sell the farm and move to Coran, as Akleta would have been too cold toward an elf and her half-elven children. The sale was not a fair one, but out of desperation they took what money they could and tried to survive. His mother resumed singing, though the money coming in was not enough to make their savings last. Before departing to find work elsewhere, Soren taught Talathel how to pick pockets and locks, and in addition to singing lessons from his mother at an early age, he tried his best to support his family. He would play on street corners or in pubs, and resorted to thievery only if he did not make enough money that night. His mother would go out during the day, when it was safer for a woman, and he would play at night, watching his sister until their mom returned home. On the farm, he had been taught the basics of archery and swordplay, and in his free time practiced with them, hoping to find work that paid better than his passion, music. When he became of age, he became a caravan guard for the merchant's guild, having been personally touched by the dangers of the road posed to caravans by bandits and seeking to prevent more lives from being ruined by it. Even though his father was never a part of it, he holds great support for their political cause as well, believing that safer roads would have led to his father still being alive. Motivations, connections:
Anda and Lessien, his mother and sister, are those he holds dearest to him. He ensures they are looked after and sends more money home than they need so that they're comfortable. Though charismatic, he has lived a very withdrawn life, and as a result doesn't know very many people. He knew the workers of his family's farm, but only Soren is still alive, and he doesn't know where he went.
He took the job with the merchant's guild largely because of the money and the goals of the organization, but he also feels that the travel can help him ply his craft as a bard. He hopes once the political situation is resolved, he would have the skills, tales, and possible renown to travel as a great bard. Personality:
Talathel is cunning and clever, priding himself on his wit and quick thinking more than his physical abilities. He has a sharp tongue on him and rarely spares people snide remarks when he feels they deserve them. In addition, he has a sense of theatricality and whimsy, often being loud and boastful. He'll spin tales and talk in a very confident tone with refined speech. It's largely an act though, a way of making himself more noticed when he wants to be so that when he wishes to evade attention and do something more roguish, it's even less expected. When he knows someone and is comfortable enough with them to drop his bravado, he tends to be quieter and more withdrawn. He'll often feign other personalities if a situation calls for it, although he is much more free to less trusted companions about its falsehood. Words and wits are preferable to blades and blood.
Aside from helping his family, he's guided by his beliefs of right and wrong, always striving to do good by people who deserve it, and only harm those who he feels wrong others. He takes issue with working with those who harm innocents, but if he sees it as a lesser of two evils situation then he will simply try to make up for it with good deeds elsewhere. His greatest fears are losing more of his family members, and taking actions that will make him no better than the common bandits who stalk the roads. Appearance:
Talathel stands at average height for a half-elf and built on the leaner side (5'9", 135 lbs.). He wears his reddish-brown hair to his shoulder and keeps it very neat, particularly to ensure it doesn't hide his ears, as he wears his parentage with pride. His eyes are bright, emerald green; inherited from his mother. Typically, he wears a cloak and his armor, though when he doesn't carry his bow he often puts an entertainer's outfit over it, so as to seem harmless. The outfit is very plain and without many gaudy colours, but is clearly distinct from a traveler's outfit. |
