Leif Riverhound
Art by rainbowhammock
Skills
Total Points Available To Spend |
0 |
Physical
-Rapier [Seasoned] (4)
-Dodging [Proficient] (3)
-Dirty Tricks [Trained] (2)
Total Points In Category: 9
Mental
-Tactics [Trained] (2)
Total Points In Category: 2
Social
-Command [Novice] (1)
Total Points In Category: 1
General Information
Age: 21
Species: Giant River Otter (specific species is purely for flavor)
Biological Sex: Male
Pronouns: He/Him
Size: Extra Large
Physical Description
Leif is a lithe river otter standing significantly taller than others of his species with dark brown fur with a very distinctly marked cream-colored chest, neck, and chin, and a pair of clear, blue eyes, the color of a pure forest spring. Leif dresses in very simple, loose-fitting clothing, typically a waterproof tunic and leggings. He doesn't typically wear shoes, seemingly an odd choice to onlookers, but is a deliberate choice to give him more information about the terrain under his paws and for an easier transition to and from the water. He also wears a simple clasped shell necklace made from a scallop with a small black pearl hidden inside. A good luck charm, although he isn't overly superstitious about it.it.
Inventory and Real Estate
Leif owns a simple but well-forged side sword given to him by his mentor and a much more ornate dagger taken from an enemy. He also owns the necklace given to him by his parents. In terms of real estate, he owns a small, simply furnished home in The Barracks and Imperial Condos. He lives a very average lifestyle on par with other soldiers.
Personality
Leif generally has a cheerful and friendly personality and likes to make the most of life and have fun, but when it comes to his work, he gets serious and is all business. His high energy can be overwhelming to those who first meet him, but many can attest to the fact that he's a fierce and caring friend. He cares deeply for those around them, and while this can be a source of weakness for him, he uses this as motivation to improve and to keep himself grounded. Leif is always striving to be better, although this doesn't fully come from a place of positivity. Leif has deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and always worries he isn't strong enough to do what is necessary, although he tries to keep these feelings buried deep. Good thing then that his outward appearance of cheeriness is a facade capable of not just fooling others, but himself as well.
Even if he feels differently deep down, he is generally seen by those he's worked with as a capable leader, able to act swiftly and decisively and to devise strategies that lead to victory. Leif believes in doing whatever is necessary to get the results he wants. Despite being trained differently, Leif has a very strong disdain for ideals such as honor and fairness. He's more than willing to stab an enemy in that back, attack them while they're down, or kill incapacitated and/or unarmed foes should the need arise. As a mercenary, he obviously wants to get the job done to earn his gilder, although he sees protecting his allies and civilians as a higher priority, and this is generally what motivates his decisions on the battlefield. Even if that means resorting to... less than savory methods.
Strengths
Swift and Decisive
Cunning
Agile Fighter
Excellent Swordsbeast
Determined
Weaknesses
Nearsighted (and refuses to wear glasses)
Dirty Fighter
Emotional
Lack of Formality
Lack of Self-Esteem
History
Born on Length in a small fishing village, Leif had a very typical childhood. His family wasn’t rich by any means, but they made enough to get by. Other than fishing, the other notable feature is that this is the home of a band of otter mercenaries. They never stayed too long, but Leif always looked up to them. Leif’s mother was the sister of the leader of this group, Lothra. He would tell Leif stories of wild adventures, grueling battles, and heroic feats. He understood Leif’s enthusiasm and tried to encourage it as much as possible, teaching him swordplay and pushing him to develop his skills further. Entranced by the tales, Leif trained hard, determined to become a fighter his mentor could be proud of. His determination to always become better was obvious, fully understanding that one can always improve. Over the years he developed his skills and fighting style, deciding to fight with light and fast weapons to compliment his natural agility. Armor impeded his movements and decided not to wear it, trusting his ability to evade attacks. He felt that speed and accuracy were more important than pure power and focused most of his effort on perfecting these skills. By the time he was old enough to go off on his own, he was ready to join the mercenaries. He was no master by any means, but now he could hold his own in a fight.
The mercenaries and Leif fought in many a battle. They were typically hired to bolster the guard force in towns and villages in the area, but they also fought in skirmishes to protect them from raiders. Getting used to real combat was difficult for him. This was nothing like practicing with a friend, it was life or death. The first time he ended up killing someone he was inconsolable and even considered giving up then and there. Lothra assured him that this was normal saying “I wouldn’t trust a beast who could kill for the first time and feel nothing.” He had been encouraging Leif the whole time, telling him that one day he would be just like the heroes in the stories he told. Leif was determined to distinguish himself among the crew. He would come up with cunning strategies that made victories easier. He was able to inspire others and boost morale. He had the makings of a leader.
After a few years of fighting with them, Leif became Lothra’s right-paw beast. He was teaching Leif the skills he needed to know to become a great leader, and he was an enthusiastic learner. He forged deep connections with his compatriots, believing that trust is an important component in being an effective leader. Everything came to a head one night after a particularly heated battle. They were protecting a coastal village from a band of searat pirates and there had been heavy casualties on both sides. That night, their captain and Lothra had agreed to meet up and discuss terms for a truce. The captain and him agreed to meet alone and unarmed. Leif was worried for his safety, but Lothra insisted on following these terms. He believed that neither side would want to sour the negotiations. Leif decided to follow him anyway. What he witnessed was a civil discussion between two beasts that ended amicably. And then the second Lothra turned his back the captain drew a dagger and stabbed him. Leif, blinded with rage, leapt at the captain with wild abandon. He forced the dagger from his paws and attacked him with his fists and claws. After successfully overpowering him, Leif dragged him into the ocean, swam a ways from the shore, and left him there. He doesn’t remember whether the captain was alive at that point, but figured that the cold, uncaring ocean would take care of the rest. When he returned and shared the news, the mercenaries decided Leif would be their next leader. In one night, Leif lost his closest friend and had immense responsibility thrust upon him that he felt he wasn’t capable of.
As he attempted to settle into his new role, he changed. His trust he built of with his companions became attachment issues, blaming himself and his poor leadership when someone died. His determination to improve became a deep-seated feeling of inadequacy, feeling that no matter how much he tried he would never be good enough. He saw Lothra’s sense of honor as partly responsible for his death and gave up on it.
“What’s the point of fighting if you don’t do everything it takes to protect what you care about? A hero is strong enough to fight and win with honor intact. I must win with whatever means necessary.”
He gave up on any hope of becoming one of the storied heroes he heard so much about. They were in the minority, the few who could win with pride and honor. He was nowhere near strong enough to do that. This led to disagreements within the group, and he finally decided to leave. He took his belongings and savings and headed off to Bully Harbor to make a new life. He joined the Kreehold Mercenary Group and is trying to rise through the ranks, determined to become the leader that Lothra believed he could be, although it would be in rank only. The dagger he kept was a constant reminder of what happens when one fights with “honor”.
