PDA

View Full Version : [Backstory and Character Concept] Jorundr Hrafn-Veurr, Scout



Crow
2007-09-14, 11:27 AM
The hardened mercenary. A veteran of numerous conflicts from exotic locales the world over, he has a plan for any contingency. Whether you are a local lord who needs to put down some ungrateful rebels, or an outcast revolutionary looking to bloody the nose of the King's men, this man has the skills and equipment to get the job done right. As a fast and stealthy scout, he can infiltrate the enemy's territory in preparation for an attack, or harass and bog down enemy troops and supply lines with equal efficiency. But remember, even though he may agree with your politics, his eyes are set firmly upon the bottom line, and his services aren't cheap.

Fluffy Puffs:

Jorundr stands at average height, with an athletic build. His blonde hair betrays his northern heritage, and his green eyes are arced by peculiarly dark eyebrows, which turn slightly downwards towards the outside of his face. Jorundr dresses in the attire of his trade, and the cloth of "everyday" people as the situation permits, but when "dressing down" is sure to tie a plain-looking leather cord around his waist, which acts as a sling in a pinch.

After serving many years in the armies of the Jarls of the northlands, Jorundr retired to live the simple life of a family man with his wife, Svala. After having met in the market in her home town of Valdyrsal, the two were instantly smitten, and were married before the call of war would take Jorundr away once more. They have a son and daughter, Magnus and Svala respectively, ages 5 and 7. When at home, Jorundr helps his wife tend crops and livestock, and teaches his children the skills of riding and wilderness survival. Unfortunately, Jorundr's skills are in high demand, and local rulers often come to him requesting "advisory" assistance which requires he be away for weeks, sometimes months at a time.

Jorundr learned his skills in the army, where he started out as a lowly forager for the professional fighting men. On one foraging foray, he came upon a wounded Huscarle, who had been ambushed by enemy soldiers and left for dead. Jorundr removed the man's armor and hefted his bulk onto his shoulders, carrying him 6 miles back to camp. The Huscarle made a full recovery, and was so impressed by Jorundr's feat of strength and endurance, that he offered him a position in the Jarl's scouting corp. After a 7 year stretch of fighting, peace settled in the north, and Jorundr met his now wife Svala.

Jorundr's moods run the gamut from friendly and talkative, to aloof and quiet, which some mistake for gloomy and depressed, due to his tendency not to smile when his face is at rest. He is a fierce defender of his friends, and those who have earned his respect, which are often one and the same. Jorundr is practical, and unafraid to voice his opinion when he feels things are not being run properly, or when in his opinion, somebody doesn't know what they are talking about. Suspicious by nature, this makes Jorundr is a difficult man to lie to, and unfortunately makes it difficult for him to find new friends. He can talk up almost anybody, on any subject, and is adept at gathering information, but gives little himself. Jorundr must conciously tell himself to look somebody in the eyes when shaking their hand. The hands can kill, and he has a difficult time not keeping them in sight when meeting new people.

Valuing fitness, Jorundr keeps his body in good shape, and is a stickler for eating healthy, a trait he goes through great pains to instill in his family. For Jorundr, exercise is a recreational activity, and he feels it improves his health, and his mood. In addition, he is always craving new knowledge, and will pick up books covering vastly obscure and esoteric subjects of all kinds. A typical afternnon for Jorundr consists of exercise midday, followed by quality time with his family. When on campaign, he will grab some obscure book to master while sitting around the camp on cold nights. Through his rough and tumble years in the army, Jorundr found that he sometimes had to "turn off" his conscience to cope with some of the things he was asked to do. While working, this is still common practice for Jorundr, and the Jorundr at camp is far different from the same man at home with his family.

Unsatisfied with the role of a farmer, Jorundr believes that he has been blessed with skills that go beyond those of a farmer in what they enable him to accomplish. This drives his spirit for adventure, and has been a part of him since that day when he happened upon the wounded Huscarle, and will continue to do so for many years.

Crunchy Bits:

Jorundr is a 3rd-level Scout.

Dizlag
2007-09-14, 12:30 PM
Kudos to you Crow. A very interesting and enjoyable read. I could picture Jorundr carrying Huscarle six miles back to camp. Nice imagery there.

Overall, very well done!

Dizlag

Citizen Joe
2007-09-14, 12:49 PM
I like this story much more than some of the others out there. It is still a bit of a wall of text, but not insurmountable. It seems like some of those paragraphs could be rearranged more chonologicaly.

I especially like that he has a life outside of adventuring and that he's only level 3. I can relate to him easily and makes him a likable character.

Crow
2007-09-14, 01:03 PM
I like this story much more than some of the others out there. It is still a bit of a wall of text, but not insurmountable. It seems like some of those paragraphs could be rearranged more chonologicaly.

I especially like that he has a life outside of adventuring and that he's only level 3. I can relate to him easily and makes him a likable character.

I was trying to seperate it into;
Description>Family>Skills/Background>Personality>Habits>Purpose
I've never put together a background in print, I always keep it in my head, but I will get better with practice.

I did jump around chronologically though now that I look at it again, and it did go a little longer than I expected. Should I shorten it? (or just print it in a smaller font! ;)

Citizen Joe
2007-09-14, 01:20 PM
Big walls of text are a problem if it is an info-dump. If there is a logic behind the data or a story in there, then it becomes more palatable for the reader. I made a suggestion for a warforged background to be in the form of a engineer's log, that makes it seem like you're reading a real thing, giving the character more of a basis in reality.

You might frame your backstory as an intelligence report from a spy, or a progress report for the local authorities or something like that.

Its just that people aren't databases. So if you can provide the information in a manner so it is a 'real' thing, people can form relationship with that character.