Please ignore the ears and bear spirit.
Birch
Birch
Age25
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale.
Sexual OrientationBisexual
JobBirch has spent his time fighting as a warrior in a conflict between human and orc barbarian tribes for generations. He has fought with his axe and allies in what he sees as an innumerable number of times. From small skirmishes to full large scale battles, Birch has fought in them all. While Birch lacks magical talent, or the sheer strength of some of the other barbarians in his tribe, he makes up for it with his skill with his axe and quick in his movements. Like many other barbarians, his ability to convert his rage into battle prowess allows him to withstand blows that would kill a normal man and deliver strikes that can put dents in even the toughest of armors.
AppearanceBirch’s body is covered in ritualistic tribal tattoos that cover the many scars he has received in battle. His axe is a high quality steel weapon that is well worn from use, but otherwise unremarkable. Despite his dislike of battle, his weapon is never far from his reach. Incorporated into those designs are the mark that he has at the base of his throat.
- Singing
- Stargazing
- Learning
- Magic of any kind
- Food with actual seasoning (a very recent discovery)
Dislikes- Duty
- Fighting
- Bland Food
- Broken Promises
- Dispassion
PersonalityBirch approaches all he meets with a beaming smile and his heart worn upon his sleeve. All those who meet him can tell that he is having the time of his life during this festival. The world he has known his entire life is so radically different than this one, that it is like he has stumbled onto Utopia. He is eager to try any activity or to learn about anything that interests him. In more quiet moments, however Birch retreats into himself considering the future. He will try and distract himself from making himself helpful wherever he is doing tasks such as cleaning, organizing, or weapon maintenance. If not being helpful, Birch will practice self-discipline in the form of training with his weapon. From his past spent on the battlefield, Birch does not handle surprises well and can become aggressive as battle instincts kick in which invariably trigger a massive amount of guilt once he has calmed down.
Birch has very little tolerance of deception. On the mountain, such issues in communication lead to death. As a result, he tends to be blunt and forthright even when a more subtle word is more appropriate. Birch either says what is on his mind or stays silent. As Birch is honest of the world, he expects the world to be honest back to him, with the exception of battle. He will always give someone the benefit of the doubt, but there will be hell to pay if Birch discovers he has been deceived. His trust is easy to earn, but nearly impossible to gain back.
Biggest FearBirch fears the shackles of his responsibilities to his clan. As the last remaining son of his father, his fate is to either lead his people once more to battle with the orcs or to be slain by another one of his tribes during a ritual fight for leadership. With either case, there will be more fighting and violence which Birch has no more stomach for. The most horrific part of this fear is that Birch knows that it is his future and also his present. After the festival, he will be returning back to the mountain where the war will no doubt start again.
Greatest DreamBirch came to see for himself the stories from the wandering skalds of the wondrous kingdom where love is so celebrated and the cities are peaceful. Birch is living his greatest dream at this exact moment: to see the brighter side of life, to share hearty laughter with strangers in a far off land, to learn about the mysterious magic of mages or the strange mechanical curiosities of inventors. The discovery of food prepared with the luxury of being enjoyable was a huge added bonus. Though he is marked, Birch genuinely hopes that the tales of a soulmate are exaggerated as he refuses to bring anyone else into the battlefield that awaits him. Birch is coming into this kingdom with joy in his heart even if he knows what the future holds for him.
BackgroundBirch was born the seventh son of a barbarian chieftain of the Oxhid tribe on the Mountain of Frostswallow. Frostswallow is a mountain a fair distance north of the Kingdom of Andour where the food is scarce, the winds howl only changes cadence but never stops, and the stars can only be seen better from the sky itself. The people on Frostswallow are hard and resilient to a fault, but there is another threat that has claimed the mountains for their own.For more than 100 years, the human barbarian tribes have been fighting with the orcish tribes across the mountain. The conflict falls into occasionally lulls as both sides recover from the last engagement, but it always starts again, more violent than the last time.
The barbarian tribes banded together and formed one large clan in order to better combat the orc threat. Their current leader is Birch’s father, Hawthorne and with all of his older brothers slain on the battlefield Birch is technically next in line of succession. From an outsider's perspective, this may seem like the equivalent to a prince, but in reality his position is far more tenuous. Three challengers have come forward to take his place so far in ritual combat. The belief of the tribe is that the strongest warrior should lead and it is his responsibility that the strongest prevail. Therefore, surrendering or throwing the fight is not an option. Birch does not share in this belief, after the horrors he has seen, the rare books that have come through the tribe, and seeing the effects the war have caused on his people has caused him to turn away from the traditional beliefs of the clan. He will still follow them as is his duty as the chieftain's son.
Currently, a huge skirmish with the orcs have left both forces exhausted and a temporary cessation in hostilities has occurred. Birch has taken this rare moment to fulfill a dream of his. Throughout his entire life, wandering skalds have come from tribe to tribe providing news and information through the clan and passing down the tales and songs of his people. They also tell tales of other lands and Birch was fascinated with tales of far off lands where magic and love were common and celebrated and the horrors of war are long far off.
Personality Questions1. What is their worst specific memory from childhood?
Birch felt very close to his older brother, Aspen, the sixth son of their father, they had trained together since they were old enough to hold a weapon. Aspen was what Birch aspired to be: talented, courageous, and well loved by the clan. When Birch was 16 and Aspen was 18, they were out hunting when they were ambushed by a squad of orcs. During the battle, Birch was knocked onto his back and froze up when he saw an orc blade coming down towards. In that moment, Aspen came to his aid and in the process took a mortal blow and died in Birch’s arms. The moment his courage failed him is his greatest shame.
2. What do they think of being Marked? Do they believe in it? Have they come to the festival in search of love, or for some other reason?
Birch does not want to be Marked. The idea of finding a soulmate is incredible, but to bring someone into the warzone he will be returning to, especially if this is someone he is supposed to cherish for the rest of his life is a non-starter to Birch. Avoidance will be his starting strategy with his soulmate.
3. Spirit animal?
Mountain Goat
4. Thing they’re most proud of?
Birch has a wonderful memory for songs and legends. When the wandering skalds would come to his village, Birch would spend as much time as he could with them and has learned a wide repertoire of songs.
5. Thing they’re most ashamed of?
Birch hates that he is so conflicted over his future. He sees his people are far more important than his own individual needs. Birch believes his inner conflict is selfish.
6. What motivates them?
Birch is moved by curiosity, but bound by the chains of his duties to his tribe. At this moment, his clan is the most important thing.
7. What would they change about themselves if they could?
The circumstances of his life and what awaits them after the festival. Being able to pursue his own interests like the secrets of magic or the way of the skalds with their minds and hearts filled with songs and legends. Birch would love to have that sort of freedom in his life.
8. What’s most important in a romantic partner?
Joy in each other’s company. Followed up very closely with communication, but without the delight of being in each other’s company what is the point of it all?
ExtraColor Code: aba000
