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Name: Amsel, thirdson of Amhern
Race: Man (Haradrim)
Occupation: Treasure hunter, thief, and occasional hireling, but he prefers to introduce himself as a profiteer.
Appearance: Amsel is a dark-skinned man of average height, and quite a bit skinnier than most, lacking muscle definition. As with other men from Harad, Amsel has an Arabian look about him, although, considering he keeps himself covered in facial wraps, it's often hard to see his face. Brown eyes and very short (almost buzzed) black hair adorn his head, and a thick layer of stubble covers his chin.
Amsel dresses in the garb of his Harad tribe, wearing loose red garments with light scaled armor covered in tribal markings. As is customary for males in his tribe, he covers his face (sace for his eyes) with a black facewrap, wearing a red cloth headwrap over this as personal preference. A valued treasure he received from his father, he is rarely seen without his golden scaled gauntlets and boots, into which his pants and sleeves are tucked. A necklace ornamented with oliphaunt ivory hangs around his neck, supporting a pendant that indicates his status as a diplomat of his tribe.
Background: Born to the chief of a small Haradrim tribe, Amsel wasn't destined for much. Typically the first son of the chief will be his successor, and the second son becomes the leader of a cavalry lance, while the third son either becomes a common warrior or occupies some small diplomatic position, and is generally left to his own devices. Receiving very little support from his father, Amsel spent much of his youth with his mother, and as such didn't take as much of an interest in the art of combat like his peers. Amsel, being free of the expectations placed upon his brothers, would often leave the cover of the tribe for weeks at a time to simply go exploring, something that his father never quite approved of.
At sixteen Amsel was made an emissary of his tribe, who would communicate with neighboring tribes and outsiders on behalf of his people. At first Amsel enjoyed the job, as he was able to experience the cultures and customs of other tribes and he learned quite a lot about the heritage of the Haradrim people, but he soon tired of all the duties of a diplomat. While visiting a tribe far to the north, Amsel defied the orders of his father to never leave Harad on his own and traveled out of the desert for the first time in his life. It was here that he experienced what the rest of Middle Earth had to offer; lush forests, clean rivers, and treasure and finery beyond his imaginings. It was then that Amsel grew greedy; he'd wasted his youth running around a barren desert; he deserved to live in the north, free of scorching days and frigid nights, of hunger and death, of famine and poverty.
When he returned to his tribe, his father was not pleased with Amsel's excursion to the north, and had him formally exiled from the tribe as punishment. Amsel, however, was more than happy to leave, as he was finally free to pursue wealth, which is what he'd wanted all along. For many years Amsel traveled around Middle Earth seeking treasure and riches, stealing prized artifacts and fencing them for coin, although he kept a few for himself. His reputation as a no-good thief and his heritage as one of the Southron have made him difficult to trust and even harder to befriend, so he largely keeps to himself. Money is his best friend, and he almost always fights for self-gain.
He has recently taken interest in reclaiming Mirkwood due to Sauron's presence in the area; considering the Dark Lord had a fondness for crafting magical items of great power (and value), Amsel believes that Mirkwood will be a treasure trove of artifacts ripe for the taking.
Personality: Amsel does not even attempt to exude the cold, hardened exterior commonly associated with the Haradrim. Condescending, arrogant, and accompanied by a ridiculous sense of self-entitlement, it can be very hard to get along with Amsel if he doesn't respect you. Earning his respect requires a lot of one of two things; money or power. He's a very verbose person if need be, and is quite good at talking his way out a bind, for lack of a better term, mostly due to being the son of a Haradrim chief.
Equipment: Amsel's scaled armor allows for a heightened freedom of movement at the cost of less protection that heavier armor can afford, but he prefers to avoid being hit in the first place.
Forgoing the typical Haradrim preference of bows or scimitars, Amsel carries one of his most highly valued treasures into battle; a sword meant to be wielded by a newly crowned chief, forged as an offering from an accomplished Haradrim swordsmith. However, the blade was deemed unsatisfactory by the chief, who then ordered the swordsmith and his family killed. The blade was discarded and fell into disrepair, until Amsel stole it from a roving peddler and had it restored. The signature of the swordsmith, Marken, is engraved near the middle of the blade, giving the sword a great deal of value to fellow Haradrim, but meaning little to the other men of Middle Earth. The blade is sheathed in a scabbard wrapped in bandages attached to his back, a peculiar choice, as this is the fashion in which bandits typically carry their blades, not swordsmen who prefer to wear their weapons at their waist.
Inventory: Amsel carries a lockpicking set, a small multi-purpose knife with tribal beads and trinkets dangling off the hilt, a short length of sturdy rope, a small map of Middle Earth, a waterskin given to him by his mother when he became an emissary, and a pouch of caltrops. Believing that a backpack would only slow him down, Amsel has affixed all these items to his waist, save for the knife, which is sheathed on his thigh for quick access, and the caltrop pouch which is kept on the other thigh in the same place. His wallet, which is brimming with gold, is kept under the folds of his garments, strapped to his body with the utmost care so as to avoid it being lost or stolen.
Traits:
Thievery: Whether it be picking locks or pockets, moving silently, breaking into houses, or simple sleight of hand, Amsel is an accomplished thief from his years of toil as a treasure hunter.
Agility: Amsel is a fast runner and a skilled acrobatic, allowing him to flee pursuers and avoid traps and hazards with relative ease.
Stamina and Endurance: Years spent in the hard deserts of Harad have weathered Amsel against the elements. Able to go without food, water, and rest for much longer than others, Amsel is hard to take down and recovers from injury faster than most.
Weakness: Amsel is not a very strong young man, as evidenced by his frame. Lacking both upper and lower body strength, don't expect him to be cracking skulls or doing any heavy lifting. In combat he has to act defensively, and rarely goes on the offensive at all.
Inexperience: Amsel never received formal sword training, and as such is not a particularly skilled fighter, meaning he's better off avoiding combat altogether if he can't get the element of surprise or otherwise have an advantage against his opponent.
Diplomacy: Due to his status as a diplomat, Amsel commands a firm grasp of most of the common languages of Middle Earth, and is especially skilled in using common-tongue as well as the many dialects of the Haradrim people.
Originally Posted by Mattmanganon
