NAME: Dengi Caskax



HAIR COLOR: Auburn
EYE COLOR: Green
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Dengi possesses a full set of gold teeth, each one individually etched with runes to keep the teeth in perfect condition. Immediately noticeable, as he tends to snarl or bare his teeth when he talks. Also sports a lightly glowing runic tattoo on the right side of his head.

SCARS AND BIRTHMARKS: Has a rough scar that starts on the left side of his upper lip and ends just below his left eye. His right brow has a thinner scar going across it, but it's thick enough to leave a noticeable gap in his eyebrow on that side.

DESCRIBE A STRANGER'S FIRST IMPRESSION UPON MEETING THEM.

A rude, loud-mouthed glory-hound with a penchant for drinking and a racism-filled vocabulary fouler than a rotting whale's stomach. Most definitely someone the average person probably wouldn't want to be around.

WHO ARE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY? WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE DO THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH?

Has friends and family in the hold where he grew up, but ever since he's "left" he's been able to find company with mostly mercenaries and other unsavory sorts, mostly because they're the only people who tolerate him.

WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE HAVE THEY LIVED SINCE THEN? WHERE IS HOME?

Dengi was born on a volcanic island closer to the world's cold north. This island was home to a prosperous, if isolated, Dwarven mountain-hold. Dengi has and always will consider this place his one true home. Everywhere else is just a stop on the way back.

WHERE DO THEY GO WHEN THEY'RE ANGRY?

To the bottom of his ale horn, to whatever narcotics he can smoke out of his pipe, and to scummy bars.

WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST FEAR? WHO HAVE THEY TOLD ABOUT IT? WHO WOULD THEY NEVER TELL?

His biggest fear is dying a forgotten dwarf, rotting unnoticed in a place nobody will ever find him. He once told a girl he bedded when he was drunk and emotional and has never again let this slip out. He would absolutely never tell anyone else, as it would shatter the raucous facade and bravado he shows to the rest of the world.

DO THEY HAVE A SECRET?

If you ask Dengi why he left his hold, he would tell you that he left to find glory and wants to return to his people a hero. The truth of the matter is, he was exiled, cast out by his noble family into the surface world his people knew almost nothing of because he slaughtered the helpless heir of a rival noble family after a heated debate and several mugs of ale. He was always the rowdy and vulgar Dwarf he appears to be, but beneath it all lies a hidden layer of anger, resentment, and determination.

His true quest is to redeem himself in the eyes of his people by returning to them as a glorious warrior. Dengi believes (perhaps even incorrectly) that if he accomplishes this and shows how useful he can be, his people will take him back in.

WHAT MAKES THEM LAUGH OUT LOUD?

A lot of things, actually. Dengi has a very loose sense of humor and most things (even if they're not that funny) can elicit a chuckle out of him. However, the only time he's bellowing with laughter is when he engages in drunken antics with others.

HAVE THEY EVER BEEN IN LOVE?

He had a significant other of several years before he was exiled. He thinks about her every day, and with every wench and prostitute that he takes to his bed he only wakes up feeling more and more regret. He cannot and will not ever be able to truly shake this feeling.

DESCRIBE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR THEM TO PART WITH.

Pretty much everything that he owns. Dengi is avaricious compared to the average person and struggles to part with even a single coin.

LOOK DOWN AT THEIR FEET. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE.

Armored leather boots with a spackling of old, dried blood around the front of the soles. The boots look like they might have been the peak of dwarven leatherworking in the past, but now, they're about as run down as the dwarf who wears them.

WHEN THEY THINK OF THEIR CHILDHOOD KITCHEN, WHAT SMELL DO THEY ASSOCIATE WITH IT? WHY DOES IT RESONATE?

Ale. Dengi spent much more of his childhood in his family's brewery than the kitchen (for the young dwarf was captivated by the industrious scope of it all), and a whiff of freshly poured ale is enough to make him harken back to these simpler times.

DESCRIBE ONE STRONG MEMORY THAT HAS STUCK WITH THEM FROM CHILDHOOD.

He remembers witnessing another exile when he was in his early teens. He does not remember the context of the event, but now that he has found himself on both ends of the experience, the sight burns ever brighter in his mind when he thinks about his own exile. In a way, the memory makes him hope that he'll someday meet that other exiled dwarf so they can share a pint.

WHAT DO THEY WANT MOST OF ALL?

Dengi Caskax's greatest desire is to be accepted into his ancestral home once again. He despises the surface world and wishes to return to the company of dwarves.

RIGHT NOW, IN THE FIRST MOMENT OF OUR STORY, WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM?

Mercenary work is a fleeting occupation, and for some reason, work is scarcer for Dengi than it has ever been before. Nearly penniless now, his only true possessions is the equipment on his back. He needs to find some sort of way out of this slump before he finds himself sleeping on the streets with an empty stomach.

NAME: Hatori Ghande
HAIR COLOR: Black
EYE COLOR: Brown
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Long, sleek black hair that is normally kept in a topknot. High quality oriental silks that are a part of his garb. Excellent physical conditioning. Generally appears to be a samurai.

SCARS AND BIRTHMARKS: Vertical scar across his left eye.

DESCRIBE A STRANGER'S FIRST IMPRESSION UPON MEETING THEM.
Despite purposely appearing quite intimidating, Hatori is actually very well mannered and extremely respectful to everyone he meets. Being raised strictly by the code of Bushido, he never hesitates to help others in a time of need, even when it might be an inconvenience to himself. Those who take the time to know him soon learn that he is actually a very friendly and deeply spiritual person.

WHO ARE THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY? WHAT SORT OF PEOPLE DO THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH? Having been orphaned when he was just a child, Hatori never met his biological mother or father. A shogun picked him up and placed him under the tutelage of a samurai after staying at the orphanage for the early years of his life. Growing up, he spent most of his time training his martial arts and studying philosophy with the other proteges.

WHERE WERE THEY BORN? WHERE HAVE THEY LIVED SINCE THEN? WHERE IS HOME?
Hatori was born on a feudal island covered in grassy plains and sparsely decorated with massive volcanoes. He lived in a small, quiet village while training to become a samurai. Having been banished from his home, recent years have seen him wandering the bamboo forests and staying with a kind old hermit.

WHERE DO THEY GO WHEN THEY'RE ANGRY?
Although he rarely becomes angry or even agitated, he finds that meditating while watching the sun rise in the morning soothes his soul and fills him with inner peace.

WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST FEAR? WHO HAVE THEY TOLD ABOUT IT? WHO WOULD THEY NEVER TELL? Perhaps his biggest fear is to be locked away in a prison somewhere, the years of his life withering away whilst unable to practice his samurai art and bladesmanship. Not too many people know about it, but he certainly wouldn't mind telling anyone who has earned his trust.

DO THEY HAVE A SECRET?
After eventually learning that his father was a drunk who contributed nothing to society, and that his mother was a harlot, Hatori buried any hopes and dreams of seeking out his biological parents. After all, they had left him when he was just a baby and it was his sensei that raised him and became his father figure. He has never talked about this revelation with anyone, instead just keeping it bottled up deep inside himself.

WHAT MAKES THEM LAUGH OUT LOUD? Although he usually maintains a calm and quiet composure, any outrageously silly comedy will still manage to get a chuckle out of him, especially after his demeanor is relaxed a bit with sake or wine.

HAVE THEY EVER BEEN IN LOVE? After becoming a full fledged samurai, Hatori fell madly in love with a beautiful geisha, and still thinks of her on occasion even to this day. They shared many nights together admiring the stars, but eventually their difference in social status and Hatori's solemn duty meant they could not be together. Still, when he has acquired a fair amount of wealth and has become the greatest warlord in the land, he plans to seek her out again and rekindle their relationship, if it isn't already too late.

DESCRIBE THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE HARD FOR THEM TO PART WITH. His most prized possession by far is Hallowed Moon, the katana that he was presented with upon becoming a samurai. It was created specifically for him by the best blacksmith on the island, and is irreplaceable.

LOOK DOWN AT THEIR FEET. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE. Tabi wrapped around his feet and ankles as he stands on comfortably carved wooden sandals. Above that, his legs are wrapped tightly with cloth, and sturdy but flexible shinguards are strapped just below the knee.

WHEN THEY THINK OF THEIR CHILDHOOD KITCHEN, WHAT SMELL DO THEY ASSOCIATE WITH IT? WHY DOES IT RESONATE? The smell of fresh rice and seafood resonates strongly within his mind. It was plentiful on the island and actually quite delicious, even when he lived in the orphanage. One thing he will always miss from his home land will be the food.

DESCRIBE ONE STRONG MEMORY THAT HAS STUCK WITH THEM FROM CHILDHOOD. Although he has many fond memories, one that he will never forget is the day he first picked up a wooden sword. A handful of other samurai were training that day, absolutely mesmerising him with their skill and finesse. After sparring with his mentor and being easily defeated, it became his lifelong goal to improve and become the greatest swordsman in the land.

WHAT DO THEY WANT MOST OF ALL? To become the best swordsman in the land, to honor the code of bushido and protect the weak, and to eventually return to his home and adopt a protégé from the orphanage, like the shogun had done for himself so long ago.

RIGHT NOW, IN THE FIRST MOMENT OF OUR STORY, WHAT IS THEIR BIGGEST PROBLEM? A corrupt emperor has recently taken over his home kingdom and banished the samurai from their lands, claiming that they are no longer needed. The emperor, in a preemptive strike, banished them because their concept of bushido contrasted so greatly with his own greed, hubris, and lust for glory. Being greatly outnumbered and outmatched by the kingdoms massive army, the samurai had no choice but to leave and start anew. With their very way of life being threatened, Hatori hopes to eventually ally with foreigners from off the island that can help he and the other samurai overthrow the emperor.