Name:
Landon "Lan" Peddle
Age:
Nineteen (October 15th, 1996)
Occupation:
Conservation Officer
Physical description:
Lan is pretty much your average young adult of ordinary awkwardness. He's a slightly tanned Caucasian who's used to looking down to most people from a height of 6'0. He usually sports baggy clothing that gives him somewhat of a lanky and awkward appearance, despite being more than moderately in shape. He doesn't bother to brush his wild mange of medium brown hair he seriously prefers to keep smothered beneath a knit cap.
His features are rather prominent though his mother always told him he just hasn't grown into them yet; Ears that are just a little too pronounced, a nose that's just a tad too bulbous, eyebrows that are just a bit too thick. Paired with a dull jawline and a bored look in his eye, most people take him to be a little slow at first. Especially since his posture is terrible and he seems to be in a constant hunch.
His features are rather prominent though his mother always told him he just hasn't grown into them yet; Ears that are just a little too pronounced, a nose that's just a tad too bulbous, eyebrows that are just a bit too thick. Paired with a dull jawline and a bored look in his eye, most people take him to be a little slow at first. Especially since his posture is terrible and he seems to be in a constant hunch.
Background:
Lan hasn't been a part of Baptiste River Valley for long, having just recently move in a year prior, just in time to finish school. Originally from the southwestern edge of the United States, the sprawling forest and farmland was a nice change of pace from the desert wilderness. His Father, Dalton Peddle, had accepted a job opportunity in the growing valley community, one that paid adequately well. The move didn't bother Lan much, never one for many friends anyways, let alone a love life.
Land's father was a Game Warden, or specifically titled a Conservation Officer, and had been since Lan was little. His mother always said that's where Lan got his love of the outdoors. Despite the fact that his mother, Wauna Peddle, decends from a tribe of Northern Californian Indian known as the Miwok. Somewhere between ventures with his father and learning about his mother's culture, Lan found himself disconnected from those around him.
Which in turn lead to something of an awkward school life at best, Somewhere between loner and outcast. Baptiste Valley proved to be no different, especially being the new kid so late in the year. Lan rarely took up invitations to hang out, and has never been to any of those wild parties most teens dream about. He'd much rather spend his evenings hiking the trails and his weekends camping out beneath the stars.
Since he was old enough to draw back the string, Lan's always found an interest in the bow. Both of his partners being survivalists, though of different calibers, Lan's learned a lot of different techniques from modern survivalism, to ancient Mowikan practices, including how to fashion his own rudimentary bow and arrows. Admittedly he's picked up a lot of skills from his mother, from archery to herbs and poultices, foraging, and the like. Lan never quite gained an interest with firearms, much to his father's dismay. However, to become a Conservation Officer Lan not only had to take training for them, he's also required to carry one. At best, he feels comfortable with a pistol.
Most of the practical skills he picked up from his father, other than learning about life and being a man, involved late evenings of woodworking. Lan's comfortable in a shop, and knows how to use the tools from helping his father fashion wooden constructs. It was something of a hobby that got passed down to him, at first Lan wasn't big on it, but eventually completing odd jobs for the community and helping renovate a few homes here and there it grew on Lan as a side passion. Alternatively it helped bolster his carving skills, especially when it came to fashioning shelters and tools on longer camping expeditions.
A few months before everything really took a turn for the worst, Lan was living the life he'd always dreamed of having. Following his father's footsteps in becoming a Game Warden, traversing and living among everything the outdoors had to offer. Early in the year he even managed to place first in a small archery competition, and was looking forward to participating in the regional event.
Lan and father had been somewhat disconnected from the pandemic sweeping through their lonely little valley. Sure, they'd heard of the reports and rumors, but they were deep in the wilderness when it seemed things began to breakdown. They had been hot on the trail of a group staked out somewhere in the Vand Wilderness, some miles south of the Addisson Salt Mine, following up on reports of illegal off-season hunting.
It wasn't unusual for them to disappear on long trips like this, especially over summer breaks from school. Now that he was fresh out of the academy, it had been something he and his father had been looking forward to. Chasing down a band of criminals was just an added dash of excitement. Their real purpose was to locate, report, and let the actually police force handle it.
However, plans went astray when the found a campsite containing only bodies, curled in the death throws of what must have been immense pain. That very same evening, Dalton's "Cold" and "Allergies" seemed to be showing symptoms of something much worse. It struck Lan as surreal, watching his Father uncontrollably switch from violently hacking out puffs of blackish powder, to vomiting his earlier meal. It was that kind of thing people always told themselves, when something affected the world you always told yourself that it was far away. It could never happen to you.
Lan cried harder than he had in years that night, beneath the twinkling stars, his body hovering over the freshly turned earth of his father's grave.
Land's father was a Game Warden, or specifically titled a Conservation Officer, and had been since Lan was little. His mother always said that's where Lan got his love of the outdoors. Despite the fact that his mother, Wauna Peddle, decends from a tribe of Northern Californian Indian known as the Miwok. Somewhere between ventures with his father and learning about his mother's culture, Lan found himself disconnected from those around him.
Which in turn lead to something of an awkward school life at best, Somewhere between loner and outcast. Baptiste Valley proved to be no different, especially being the new kid so late in the year. Lan rarely took up invitations to hang out, and has never been to any of those wild parties most teens dream about. He'd much rather spend his evenings hiking the trails and his weekends camping out beneath the stars.
Since he was old enough to draw back the string, Lan's always found an interest in the bow. Both of his partners being survivalists, though of different calibers, Lan's learned a lot of different techniques from modern survivalism, to ancient Mowikan practices, including how to fashion his own rudimentary bow and arrows. Admittedly he's picked up a lot of skills from his mother, from archery to herbs and poultices, foraging, and the like. Lan never quite gained an interest with firearms, much to his father's dismay. However, to become a Conservation Officer Lan not only had to take training for them, he's also required to carry one. At best, he feels comfortable with a pistol.
Most of the practical skills he picked up from his father, other than learning about life and being a man, involved late evenings of woodworking. Lan's comfortable in a shop, and knows how to use the tools from helping his father fashion wooden constructs. It was something of a hobby that got passed down to him, at first Lan wasn't big on it, but eventually completing odd jobs for the community and helping renovate a few homes here and there it grew on Lan as a side passion. Alternatively it helped bolster his carving skills, especially when it came to fashioning shelters and tools on longer camping expeditions.
A few months before everything really took a turn for the worst, Lan was living the life he'd always dreamed of having. Following his father's footsteps in becoming a Game Warden, traversing and living among everything the outdoors had to offer. Early in the year he even managed to place first in a small archery competition, and was looking forward to participating in the regional event.
Lan and father had been somewhat disconnected from the pandemic sweeping through their lonely little valley. Sure, they'd heard of the reports and rumors, but they were deep in the wilderness when it seemed things began to breakdown. They had been hot on the trail of a group staked out somewhere in the Vand Wilderness, some miles south of the Addisson Salt Mine, following up on reports of illegal off-season hunting.
It wasn't unusual for them to disappear on long trips like this, especially over summer breaks from school. Now that he was fresh out of the academy, it had been something he and his father had been looking forward to. Chasing down a band of criminals was just an added dash of excitement. Their real purpose was to locate, report, and let the actually police force handle it.
However, plans went astray when the found a campsite containing only bodies, curled in the death throws of what must have been immense pain. That very same evening, Dalton's "Cold" and "Allergies" seemed to be showing symptoms of something much worse. It struck Lan as surreal, watching his Father uncontrollably switch from violently hacking out puffs of blackish powder, to vomiting his earlier meal. It was that kind of thing people always told themselves, when something affected the world you always told yourself that it was far away. It could never happen to you.
Lan cried harder than he had in years that night, beneath the twinkling stars, his body hovering over the freshly turned earth of his father's grave.
Skills and Talents:
Nature Boy: Between his parent's teachings growing up, and official training at the Conservation Officer Academy, Lan has an immense understanding of how to rough it in the wilderness. This skill extends from crafting shelter, foraging, hunting, tracking, a bit of modern herbalism, and so forth. This also includes skills for fashioning tools and traps.
Apprentice Woodsmith: By no means a professional crafter, Lan does have a decent talent when it comes to working with wood. Years of refurbishing furniture, small remolding projects, and crafting things from scratch has given him enough experience to be good at this craft, if not a little better. This has also helped him when it comes to rudimentary tool making out in the wild.
Man of the Hunt: Much of his wilderness skill-set comes from the passion of hunting. Though his mother has taught him to respect the life he takes, Lan has always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. This has made him proficient in various styles of bow use, though he is best with a compound. He's wise in the ways of stalking his prey, masking his scent, and moving like a wraith. He's light on his feet, fast enough to chase, but also patient enough to wait. Additionally he knows how to properly utilize most game to the fullest. On a minor note, because of his profession, he knows how to use a firearms despite not being very good with them at all. He's most comfortable with a pistol, and that's to say, just barely.
Wise Man: Probably a trait instilled into him from his mother, Lan is pretty good when it comes to critical thought and strategizing. He knows how to think ahead, and prepare for the worst in most cases. A lot of his medicinal practise comes from teachings from his mother, those of the Mowik Medicine Men of old. Like those same men from his mother's stories, Lan knows how to buckle down and remain stalwart in tough situations. Sometimes the best choice is a tough choice to make, and doesn't leave a lot of room for debate.
Weaknesses and Faults:
Wildman: Since Lan is so heavily involved in isolated nature ventures, and working at home with his family, he has very little practical experience when it comes to the normal social world. He's missed out on a lot of social norms and trends, and quite a bit of human interaction. He's not exactly a people person, and his conflict resolution skills are probably sub-par at best. Social skills are definitely one of his weak points.
Technobabble: Because he's rooted so firmly in the natural elements, Lan's understanding of modern technology is pretty poor. He knows how to work a phone for the most part, but was never one to sit down at a computer or gaming console. He doesn't really know any other trade skills, including the maintenance of his own vehicle. He's probably changed a tire maybe twice in his life, let alone the oil. If It's not related to the outdoors, or crafting wood, it's unlikely he has anything more than basic understanding.
Lone Wolf: Lan is best when working alone, with the exception of his father. He never really trusts or relies on anybody else, and at times suspicion will get the better of him. He's kind, and cares about other people, but he's always been taught to look out for "Numero Uno".
Weapon of Choice: When it comes to weapons Lan is really only good with one thing, his bows. He's decent with a pistol, despite how uncomfortable he is using it, and could probably wield a knife with adequate potential. He's also scrappy, though mainly because he's nimble. Otherwise, he's got no real potential outside of archery. Using a gun makes him uneasy, and he's a poor shot anyways. He's not exactly very strong, so when it comes down to a brawl he's pretty dependent on a lucky shot. Any other weapon is probably better in anybody's hands rather than his.
Apathetic Duress: Like many people his age, Lan tries to remain stoic through any and all hardships. He bottles up his emotions and tucks them away in a deep dark place, feigning apathy over feeling negative emotions. And like most people who do this, Lan has a breaking point. It could simply be the buildup of emotional stress, or perhaps a random trigger, but eventually all walls crack and crumble.
Personality:
Lan isn't much at a first glance. He's knowledgeable in his respective areas, but because he's so disconnected from society he tends to be rather quiet and soft spoken. He's pretty bad at social cues, and is prone to speaking absentmindedly without too much thought. Some would call him abrasive, saying things in a forward manner, but in reality he's more than likely talking to himself, speaking his mind of a sorts.
Emotionally he's rather calm, and takes the hits as they come. He's good at focusing on an objective, and isn't likely to quit without good reason. He's a driven individual, especially when it comes to himself, but also mild-mannered. He cares about people, despite how disconnected he feels around others.
Emotionally he's rather calm, and takes the hits as they come. He's good at focusing on an objective, and isn't likely to quit without good reason. He's a driven individual, especially when it comes to himself, but also mild-mannered. He cares about people, despite how disconnected he feels around others.
