"Well, since you bought dinner, and this great ale, I suppose I can tell you how I came to be a druid, protector of nature, and a Wright, someone who cuts up nature for the furthering of civilization. I know, it is crazy. It is like fire mixing with water, or earth and sky! Actually, that is precisely why I exist. Because unless they mix, how could there be life? What is between the earth and sky? Why life of course! So that is why I am a protector of nature, as well as an architect of civilization. Keep minimize the destruction of nature, while providing the needs of civilization.
That, and I got caught while in my first year of apprenticeship, chopping on the wrong tree, to fix a mistake. My punishment was a second apprenticeship! But to a water druid! Better than death, which is what would have been prescribed if I was any older. Ended up the tree was sacred, but I had only scarred it, not slain it, and so my master Vinsilik, a half elf water Druid, offered to train me, as my punishment for nicking the tree. My shipwright master, Corbin, he didn't like the idea of losing an apprentice, said it would only be punishment if I had to do both apprenticings, and so the Tribunal decided that I must finish both apprenticeships, or forfeit my life.
Well, now I am a journeyman shipwright, and an aquatic Druid! Hm, seems my mug is empty."
"No, sorry. I can't speak Elven. I can speak Gnome, which very useful when your suppliers of lumber are all Gnomes, like ours in Cassomir. Of course, learning is easier when you are friends with a few. I was the anchor in the group. I would say their parents didn't approve of me, but they were all apprentices to the lumber yard master, and Gnomes are never bigoted, or so I understand.
But I haven't seen them in a while, and shan't for at least a year more. As a journeyman, I have to get some experience under my belt, and I want to learn about the other ship classes, not simply Taldan Galleons. That is why I am in Absalom, looking at the ships tomorrow, and see if I can get my name on the roster of one of the western voyaging ships, as a carpenter, and I have some surgical skills to. I can repair the ship and the crew!"
"My folks? Well, didn't really know my mother, a pretty Kelish woman, according my dad, who couldn't hold a job down after Scarlett took mom. He handed me over for apprenticing, and would stop by every once in a while at first, but by the time I was eleven, he stopped showing up. Don't know where he is, or even if he is still alive. Master Corbin said he signed on with a crew for a trade galleon, but he might have been trying to make me feel better. Granddad is still around though, he still works in the yards, and tough enough to survive until I make it home, eventually."
"Who do I worship? Well, That is a simple question with a complex answer. My order is officially part of the Green Faith. You've never heard of the Green Faith? Well, they believe in primordial nature, and worship it. It has been around since the Elves were young in this world. The family has an image of Gozreh next to Torag, and smaller icons of Erastil, Sarenrae, and Desna, but Grandpa sticks to Torag and Gozreh for his tithes. I do give offerings-who doesn't?-to those and Cayden Cailean and Pharasma, for protection since I travel now, but honestly, I honor the souls of whatever ship I guest.
Of course ships have souls, all true sailors know this, and I honor their primordial... How do they have souls? Simple. They are built with work and sweat and blood put into them from men, or elves, or whomever, and that mixes with the spiritual essences of the trees that were felled to make the lumber for their keels, planks, rails, yards, and masts. And when a ship is completed, and given a figure head, and placed into the water, well, that is her birth, and the commisioning ceremony is her anointing, and she lives! As I understand it, some weapons have spiritual essences too, yes? That's what makes ancestral weapons more powerful, right?
"What's my real reason for leaving Taldor? Exploration and adventure not good enough? Well, you see, the Green Circle, they decided that they were still angry about the whole sacred tree defacing, from fourteen years ago, and the friendlier members decided that it would be best, if I were to be sent, to Sargava, to look into the missing druid that was sent there five years ago. And as long as I come back with an answer, it doesn't matter how long my travels take me."
A Memory:
"Mr. Borton-" The sailor stops short, as the 1st Mate of the Wild Bloom put up his hand.
"Let the Druid be, Captain's orders. The Captain figures that since we have had good luck with the weather this entire trip, what ever the druid is doing must be working, and so we should let him be." He looks forward to the figurehead where Thoubert is "praying", though from what he's overheard of his "prayers", it seems as almost the druid was flirting with the figurehead. But weather has indeed been clear, with an excellent breeze, and so unless...
He stops at the sound of a man's singing, some sea shanty it seems, about a man who loved his ship so much, he wedded it. He almost shouted to hush, then realized it was the Druid! The Druid was now singing love songs to the ship! Now, the first mate has seen everything.
"As long as he doesn't start trying to bed the figurehead, leave him be." The Captain says, stepping up next to the First Mate.
"Aye, and if he does?" Mr. Borton wondered aloud.
Wait until he is done, and then send him to me. The Captain replies. I really hope he doesn't, I don't know if I'd ever live that one down. Please Mr. Wright, don't try to bed my ship. He sighs, and turning to head aft, he places a hand on Mr. Borton's shoulder, "I'll be on the aft balcony." And with that walks off the quarterdeck.
"At least he has a decent singing voice, not great, but not horrible either." The crew man says, not having moved since he first arrived to snitch on Thoubert.
"There is that, at least." The First Mate replies.
"Don't you have some work needing to be done?"
appearance:
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 200 lb.
Hair: Brown, collar length
Eyes: Green
Description: Thoubert is a tall man, usually happy, yet knows when to be serious. He is fond of his wide-brimmed hat, with it bright Gnomish flair of a feather, for it was a parting gift from his Gnome friends. He carries with him a small trunk, in which is all his worldly possessions: a set of carpentry tools, a hammer, a change of travellers clothing, a change of artisan's clothing, and a healers kit.
He wears leather armor, under his cloak, and a scimitar is strapped to his side, along with a dagger, and a sling, with a pouch for a few bullets.
