Art by: fabianrenschThe Humble Merchant
Name:
The elderly man goes by many names. The Merchant. Mr. Smiles. Old Man. But most of the younger people in the guild simply refer to him as Gramps, with which he seems to be fine. He abandoned his real name long, long ago, before even joining the guild. If he even remembers it, he’s not inclined to share.
Race:
Human
Age:
Somewhere in his seventies or eighties, probably. Gramps stopped keeping track of this around the time he gave up his name.
Gender:
Male
Appearance:
In a world of extraordinary people, Gramps seems to simply be...well… extra ordinary. He stands at about five foot four inches. As for weight, he seems a bit pudgy, but not unhealthy. His skin is like rough leather, hanging off his body in places where gravity and time have taken their toll. His hair relocated from his head to various places on his body. His chest. His back. His nose. His ears. His eyebrows. Really, just about anywhere except for chin and scalp. Go figure.
His clothing is rather unassuming as well: simple trousers or robes. Really, anything light is a plus. The man tends to travel on foot quite often, carrying his wares with him. The last thing he needs is heavy clothing on top of all the other weight. For footwear, it depends on the region. Usually he’ll either go barefoot or with sandals, but if it’s particularly cold or wet, simple leather boots will do.
Of course, anyone that knows the man knows that regardless of what he’s wearing, Gramps is going to have two things. His incredibly oversized, well-crafted pack and the conical hat, slightly rounded at the top, with plain blue cloth hanging around the sides to protect his head from the weather. And the damn pom-pom at the top. Don’t ask him about it. Really. He’ll just smile that annoying smile of his and not answer. It’s annoying.
Skills:
Barter - A merchant by trade, Gramps is no stranger to the art of bartering. He always seems to end up on the better side of a deal, whether he’s buying or selling. After all, who’d expect a sweet old man to be swindling them? Of course, this requires Gramps to be excellent at reading, writing, and mathematics. And outside of his handwriting becoming a bit worse with the years, and his eyes having a bit more trouble making out the letters on the page, his mind hasn’t lost it’s edge.
Negotiation - Related to his bartering skills, Gramps has no trouble transferring his skill to nonbusiness situations. His experience with people over the years have given him a good sense of how far he can push people before they push back. And, y’know, throw in a lie or two and everything’s golden. If there’s something that he needs to have or wants to know, Gramps is going to get it. One way or another.
Toxic Knowledge - Gramps has an intricate knowledge of various poisons, their effects, their application, their antidotes, etc. ...what? Thought this was just a feeble old man? In Yasuragiha? C’mon, now…
Human Anatomy - The old man also knows quite a bit about the human body. How it works, what it can withstand, what it cannot. It’s strengths. It’s weaknesses. He knows very well how to keep a body going...or…
Assassination - ...how to break it. Gramps may in fact just be a feeble old man. He moves a bit slower than he used to, and his body isn’t as strong as it may have been once. As such, he’s not likely to engage in combat in the traditional sense. His battlefield is one of minds, rather than arms. But should he fail to get what he needs, or if it is required of him, he knows how to take a life without said life knowing what is happening. Poison is his preferred method of execution, but if need be, more barbarian methods can be employed. A knife in the back. A fire under the bed. Use your imagination. Now, while Gramps has plenty of experience ending human lives, spirits are a different game altogether. Many of them shrug off his poisons, and he cannot engage them up front… but sometimes all one needs to do is get creative. Ohohoho~
Espionage - Gramps has a knack for seeing or hearing things he shouldn’t be privy to. Many people tend to overlook the harmless old man, as either a simple merchant, a useless drunk, or what have you. The man has an honest gift for hiding in plain sight. Though not everything can be attributed to being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes he’s got to get people to talk. Lies, drinks, and a harmless appearance do wonders there. Whatever the old man must do to get the information, he will do, regardless of the moral or ethical implications. Information is power, worth far more than any simple trinket.
Sabotage - Not quite as relevant in his current line of work, especially with his age, but Gramps in his earlier days had a way with getting himself into places of power when working on assignments. And from there, he was able to shut down a lot of resistance towards the guild, enabling other guild agents to work more efficiently in certain less accepting regions. Nowadays, he’s usually a bit more restricted, for obvious reasons. Not that he’s lost his touch. Spreading lies or misinformation can be effective too. And inciting an uprising or riot is always a blast. After all, who needs to fight with a hidden spirit when one can simply turn all of their friends, neighbors, and loved ones against them, giving them no option but to go with the guild?
Powers:
Magic? Spirits? Too flashy for his line of work. After all, Gramps is just a simple old man. He never any tricks as a young lad, and now well...he’ll just leave the theatrics to the younger folks.
Weapons/Equipment:
Various Poisons - Gramps always carries a number of different nasty substances with him. Great tools, those poisons. Incredibly effective, and easily concealable. Not all of them are lethal or dangerous though. Many are, but just as many serve more mundane purposes. Sleep-inducing toxins and basic anesthetics are in his arsenal as well. Gotta be prepared, no? And some friendly advice: if he is after you, don’t piss him off. He’s the one that decides whether to use the quick, silent, painless poison, or the agonizing shit that’ll cause the skin to peel off, the organs to boil, all over the course of days. Now granted, the more effective stuff usually needs to be ingested or injected, but the man will find a way if need be.
Knife - If push comes to shove, Gramps does usually carry a knife somewhere on his body. It’s a last resort, obviously. It’s looks every bit a simple knife used as cutlery. It’s just...much, much sharper. If he’s resorted to using the knife, he’s probably not too happy, though.>/list>
Bio:
Anyone that meets Gramps will quickly learn that he’s an alright fella. Always smiling, seeming so jolly, calm, and carefree. A kind and caring paternal figure towards the little ones, a silly drinking buddy for the older ones, and much to the chagrin to the older ladies, a bit of a lecherous old man. Of course, even that’s simply done in good jest. Nothing serious about the man, right? Just a harmless old fella hanging around the guild.
…
But those same people have never seen the man in action. That beneath that jolly persona lies a cold, calloused killer that wears the same smile. They’ve never witnessed how cruel and methodical he can be. They’ve never known how easily and effortless he can take a life and not even bat an eye. Of course, there are those in the guild that HAVE worked with the man and HAVE seen the monster in the man. But even those people, having witnessed his actions firsthand, couldn’t say why he is how he is. Any attempt to question his methods, his feelings, or his past is answered with a smile and a joke. It may be frustrating to some, but most have just come to accept this as the norm. After all, he is efficient. Deadly efficient. And if it ain’t broke...
But who exactly IS the man known as Gramps? It’s hard to say, really. He has never stuck with a single name, assuming whatever identity he needs for the mission at hand, and throwing it away just as easily. His age isn’t even much of a clue. He’s old, of course, but he can’t even give an exact number. He’s been with the guild for ages though, but one would need to consult either the Council’s records. Or an older, older spirit, but that can be unreliable, leaving one with just a number of different accounts from a number of different witnesses, and a stubborn old man that refuses to confirm nor deny any of them.
It’s speculated that Gramps was likely an assassin or some sort of political agent in his earlier days, given his particular skillset. If so, it’s odd that he would leave that to work for Yasuragiha. He doesn’t seem to hate spirits. In fact, he acts towards them just as he acts towards anyone else.
But who can really tell what he’s thinking behind that smile?
As far as guild work goes, Gramps doesn’t often undertake assignments that seem likely to involve hostile spirits. Much too troublesome, those. The big, brutal ones he leaves to the younger, rougher crowd. They’re always looking for a fight, so have at it. Now, if he is asked to join, he’ll usually agree. If his talents as a support agent can make a job easier, he’ll gladly jump in, with the understanding that if things come to blows, his allies are on their own. Fighting just isn’t his forte.
No, his speciality lies with the hidden ones. The ones that think they can pass as humans. That simply will not do. Gramps’ success rate with these jobs is staggering. And while he usually works solo, he’s more than willing to take on any curious younger guildie, just to let them observe it. If they can figure it out on their own and learn a thing or two, great. If not, oh well. He’s not going to explain it if they can’t understand.
