Toran - The Broken Shield
Information
- Name: Toran Kaine
- Selvath Name: Torliän of Clan Treesong in East Selvaria
- Fin'ullen Name: Torän Old Sea Krakaine Bel-Saal Solleria-Tol Visëu
- Other Names: Gareth Lochlan, Korm Melph, Petior Raine
- Heritage/Culture: Half-Fin'ullen (Half-Selvath)
- Age: 46
- Born Sex: Male
- Gender and Pronouns: Male (He/Him)
- Sexuality: Bicurious
- Religion: Agnostic
- Occult: N/A
- Occupation(s): Veteran, and occasional Sellsword
Detailed Information
- Idea: Toran isn't the smartest man ever, but having lived a hard life already, he has experience which makes up for his smarts with wisdom. Mainly Toran is seen by others as a hulking, but private person and lonesome, who keeps to himself but offers himself up in return as either an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or a voice to offer suggestions through. Many more know him as a sad man too, or believe it, even if they never get it confirmed. Of course, the rest who know his past, have other opinions of him, either as a honourable servant who fell through tragedy, or as a drunken criminal who caused problems for everyone around him.
- Religion: Toran is non-religious, letting Gods, Priests and their followers be as long as they aren't trying to force their religions onto others, or going on rampant crusades against anyone that isn't like them. Personally feels like Gods just use others for their own greater games, and would rather avoid being trapped and used in such worship and service. But, even then, he understands that faith and myth offers hope to the hopeless, and answers to those who are lacking them. Either way, Toran does at least have a little respect for Estellon, due to his lover's worship of Melca and his Elvish ancestry.
Appearance
- Eye Colour: Green.
- Skin Colour: Tanned.
- Hair: Crew cut dark brown hair with a thick beard.
- Height: 6'6.
- Body Type: Strongman.
- Additional Features: Toran is missing his left eye (covered with an eyepatch), his right ring finger, most of his right leg and left forearm. He has additional scars across his body from all manners of weapons.
Detailed Appearance
- Mutations, Scars, Tattoos and Unique Features: Toran's most notable scar is the one running down his face, leading to his missing eye, taken long ago. This however is covered by a simple eyepatch. Of course, one cannot mention his missing eye without mentioning his lack of a leg or forearm too, nor mentioning his missing right ring finger removed in separate instances. Other than that he has tonnes of scars from all manners of creature, environmental attack and general strikes from people. He also has a singular tattoo around his ring finger stump, looking like thorns.
- General Appearance: A massive broad shouldered and muscular, if weathered, man, Toran stands at 6'4 and his physique rivals even Eronidas. He has tanned skin, and a thick beard, with his dark brown crew cut. He has a broad chin, and a face with a gentle curve, and has pointed ears. Often he wears simple clothing, or simply go about, though it is often relatively athletic clothing too, showing off his muscle well, and being good enough to not impede movement in a scuffle. The only piece of jewelry Toran has on him at all times is a simple piece of cord around his neck which holds his and his fiance's former engagement rings. Alternatively, Toran can also be seen wearing his old armour, ready for conflict. This armour is in black, gold, yellow and red and (if need be) can have a helm looking like a bull which he wears.
- Alternative Forms: N/A
Proficiencies
Hobbies and Talents:
- Athletic
- Alchemy
- Medical
Language:
- Common
- Altalar
Mechanics:
- Animal Masters: You can communicate with wild animals in your presence, but they cannot have plot-relevant information or information that would otherwise be metagaming or character-revealing. You can summon a plant and bark-matter mount from the forest anywhere, or call upon a Regalian deer to stride to you as a mount. Finally, you can turn wild beasts into temporary familiars. This may not work on Event Animals. (Half-Selvath)
- Forest Masters: You can (within reason), change how you are perceived, or how others perceive the forest around you while out of Combat. This can include producing animal sounds that imply the presence of predators, disappearing in the canopy as you jump from tree to tree, and generally making the forest a hostile place to be for unwelcome guests. Whatever is done, cannot confer combat benefit or pre-combat positioning. (Half-Selvath)
- Wood Singer: You can use song, music, or hand gestures to reshape wood and other plant-like materials in any shape you like, for example, jewelry or weapons. Other good applications for this are as furniture or decorations inside houses, or to address in-the-moment needs while in the forest, for example by creating wooden bowls, or chairs to sit on that sprout from the roots in the soil. (Half-Selvath)
- Fin'ullen can breathe underwater without any Abilities, and can also see perfectly underwater without it blurring their vision, allowing them to stay submerged indefinitely.
- Fin'ullen can perform great feats of strength out of Combat (carry multiple people, throw boulders etc.). They also gain +5 in out of Combat dice roll Strength competitions.
Combat Style:
- Attack: Strength
- Defence: Constitution
Strength: 7
- Oceanic Adaptation
- Veteran Sentinel
- Veteran Parry
- Steady Body
- Stampede
- Resilience
- Concussive Blow
- Weapon Throw (Melee and Veteran Investment)
Constitution: 5
- Iron Will
- Shield Taunt
- Shield Slam
- Shield Snare
- Shield Cover
- Shield Impact (Shield Investment)
Wisdom: 0
Intelligence: 0
Dexterity: 3
- Theft
- Escape Artist
- Rogue Disguise
Faith: 0
Magic: 0
Charisma: 0
Plot Hooks
- Old Ceardia: Toran's parents were from Old Ceardia before its collapse. Perhaps your character's parents were too, or your character was? If so, perhaps your character knew Toran's parents in some way, or grew up around Toran through that joint connection.
- Crookback, born and raised: As a child, Toran grew up in Crookback. At first he was a simple child performer with his mother, and then he became an orphaned criminal. If your character also grew up or lived around Crookback during this time, perhaps they have interacted with him during this time, or were friends or enemies of his. Perhaps his antics have affected your character in some way during this time too.
- Many Faces: Throughout his life, Toran has used different names and faces when doing his criminal and vigilante based deeds. Going by names such as Gareth Lochlan, Korm Melph, Petior Raine, he has interacted with a number of people in that guise. Perhaps your character has been affected by or interacted with one of these names in the past. Perhaps they even "worked jobs" with him. How did these things go for your character?
- Mercenary Time: After jobs went bust for him, and realizing he could make more coins as a mercenary, he served as an auxiliary during wartime and did jobs for the state during such events as the Bone Horror Crisis, the Clicker Crisis, the High Command Invasion and the Renita Invasion. Perhaps your character served with him, or was a mercenary during those events, working with him that way. Perhaps your character even interacted with him during those events. If so, what was your character's opinion of him, and what impression did he leave you with?
- Rena Sophia: Toran was, before her death, engaged to Rena Sophia. And, after her death, Toran went into a spiral of depression and rage. If your character knew and was friends with her, perhaps your character met or knew Toran too. If so, what was your character's opinion of the duo together, him in general, and what he became after her death?
- The Broken Times: After returning from more wars domestic and foreign in hopes that structure could bring his life back into shape, Toran only sunk further into self loathing and depression. Becoming a two-bit thief again, he hurt people in many ways…including his employers. This ended up with his fake names being kicked out of criminal circles and him even getting beaten the snot out of…and losing limbs. Perhaps your character worked with one of his aliases during this time, or was harmed by them. What does your character think of them from this time? How did he affect your character? Additionally, perhaps your character was ordered to deal with Toran before, either as a lawbringer or as a criminal. If so, how did your character deal with him? Were they one of the ones who removed his eye, finger, arm or leg?
- Beggar: After all that happened to him, and having nothing from his addictions and failures, Toran now exists as a beggar, hobbling around with a simple crutch and singing for passersby. Has your character interacted with him during this time, either as a fellow pauper or as someone passing him by? Perhaps your character knew him before his current state. What are your character's thoughts on him and how did they interact with him?
Backstory
- Toran was born in Crookback to a Selvath performer (named Eyfa) and alchemist Half-Finullen father (named Bran). Living in a humble home they tried their best to do the best for their child. And, in turn, Toran tried to do his best for his family too, even while very young, helping his parents around the house and in work in the simplest of ways. He especially focused on his sickly, and mutated father. His parents were refugees from Ceardia who had survived its destruction after all. Toran had hoped this could give all of them a better life. But Crookback, as it always has been, had other plans and one night Toran awoke to his father dead and his mother crying over his body. His mutations had taken their toll and finally finished him off.
- Toran was placed into an orphanage by his mother after that to keep him safe, as she made her way to unsafe places. She felt a failure for abandoning her peoples ways, a need for vengeance against demonkind and had no funds to keep Toran alive. But Toran was still too young to understand. He simply saw his mother leaving him with no good explanation after his father died. He felt more alone than ever. Was it something wrong with him? Did he not try hard enough? Was he not good enough? This resentment for himself moved toward a drive to do better. Though that drive did little to change his lot in life. Time after time, attempts to adopt him disappeared, and the orphanage slowly fell under due to bills. Now homeless and without a loving family, this sent him into a downward spiral.
- This spiral led him to begin working with criminals, especially being a stocky lad and keen liar. He had no other options in his eyes, and was trapped in that life. This turned his need to do better into resentment to his parents, making up stories of how his mother murdered his father, how his parents were abusive, how they had fed his little sister to a Marken to save themselves, how he was used by them a battery used in Oblation Magic, or how his parents were both dead and forgotten. All to spit on their memories and be anyone other than himself. He used other names like Gareth Lochlan, Korm Melph, Petior Raine and otherwise to remove his true name from himself, and wallow at his lot in life. In his mind his parents had left him trapped here in a life of ruin.
- Eventually, this life fell apart for him too. One too many jobs went bust and the work dried up. But, Toran had at least gained skills to begin doing new work. Venturing into New Town, he began working as a mercenary to find himself some coin, one way or another. And he got quite good at it. In fact, he was even praised for some of his acts during this time, fighting for the Empire both domestically and overseas as either a mercenary auxiliary or conscripted soldier. He felt valued, even if he didn't entirely understand what the wars were about. He began to feel like he had finally escaped his past, even if he was just another cog in the Imperial machine, seeing his actions as a net good for his homeland.
- But all his fighting eventually caught up to him. Failed skirmishes, mass death and the loss of his eye broke down Toran's mental health, and he was officially retired by the state. Unable to work, and still in shellshock, he began to see himself for what he was. Not a life, but a tool in the games of greater powers. And that became even clearer with events like the Bone Horror Crisis and Renita's invasion, proving that there were greater powers still than the nobility. But he still held out hope he could make Regalia a better place, and that not everyone was out to use him, working as a spy for the Kade's during Renita's reign and meeting his to-be fiance, Rena Sophia.
- In meeting Rena, he found a kindred spirit, and in caring with her for her son Lief, he understood now why his mother had done what she had, and the things his father had done for him. He knew now that they would have done anything to protect him, as he now would do anything to protect Lief and Rena. Reclaiming his old name, he returned to work in earnest after Renita was defeated, ready to head off hence to fight for Regalia in the Second Elven War…only for his beloved to be executed by the state. Broken by the events after this, and with Lief's father trying to claim the boy, Toran took the babe to Rena's extended family afterward, leaving him with them and returning home, now jaded against the Empire itself who, in his eyes, had betrayed his beloved.
- Upon his return, he focused no longer on the domestic, and worked abroad solely as a free agent. He had been shattered by the events, becoming a bitter and jaded man to the Empire. But he hoped in trying to aid in the resolution of conflicts he could offer something. But wars, as always, brought nothing but death, and with further damage to his person and mind, he returned to Regalia even more of a shell than before. He spent his days after that jobless, resorting to crime again to survive, and becoming an addict and drunk to wash away his woes. He even took up his old names here and there again too, simply as he was disgusted with what he had become, and did not wish to sully the man who Rena had found connection with.
- Eventually, as it had before, things went wrong for him again. More jobs went bust now because of him, rather than bad luck. This led to his personas being outcast in the criminal community one by one, and him often laying beaten in the street. In the last cases he even got maimed, before being dragged to the metropolitan to keep them off his back. And, after finally being arrested and placed in prison, he was eventually tossed out on the street. With no money, he became a beggar, and now exists on the streets as he had as a child. But now with no prospects.
- Toran has slowly gotten back on his feet however, despite it all. Despite still hating the Empire for the most part, certain acts of kindness from strangers and proof of worse out there gave him the strength he needed to try and begin getting work again. But this would take time and expensive prosthetics. For the moment he simply begs, hoping to be given the chance to rise up again and do some good in the world. Not for the Empire, but for the people in it.
