Character name, archetype, and brief bio (1-2 paragraphs)Ashann Valeri AKA Loki, Elf Male Manipulation MagicianAshann was born irenis (classless) in the Elven nation of Tir Tairngire and knew little of his family, the only exceptions being a faint memory of a motherly face and a pendant with a Sperethiel inscription that he later took as his name. His first real memories of childhood were of the cold, wet, and rough streets of Cara'Sir (Portland), and of being just yet another starving orphan in the crowds. As one of the many social outcasts in Cara'Sir, Ashann never received a SIN, nor did he receive formal schooling. As a result he was never screened for magical potential as is customary in the Tir; chances are good that if he had undergone the trials he would have made it into one of the many magical societies present in the elven nation as his abilities began manifesting at a very early age.
With no one, not even himself, recognizing his talents for what they were, coupled with having to fend for himself on the streets of a sprawling metroplex, Ashann developed a nearly instictive use of magic; his natural charisma and force of personality paired with his magical abilities allowed him to impose his will on others, both subtly and otherwise. When the bullies came to steal the food and clothes he had convinced a total stranger to give him, his emotions were so tangible that the bullies ended up fighting each other instead. When the gangers tried to beat him up for trespassing, he wished so hard for protection that their blows struck invisible walls of energy instead of his flesh. As he grew older, however, Ashann began to suspect that his good fortune was not merely luck; the voice that had whispered to him in the dark of night for years eventually confronted him in a dream world as an entity of many forms, appearing as a raven, a colourful jester, elven twins, and others. Though he could not understand it at first, over the years that passed Ashann came to realize the power of his gift, and the two formed a bond. With the guidance of the mischievous being, Ashann initiated a series of colourful pranks and cleverly obscured heists; for several months he antagonized the police and the criminal underworld with his tricks, until at last he was cornered.
Ashann, now 21 years old and calling himself Loki after the Nordic mythical being, found himself unleashing every ounce of energy within him in a move that made his opponents quickly realize that they had vastly underestimated him. Several members of the mob began shooting at their own comrades or spontaneously caught on fire, and out of nowhere Loki appeared to multiply. Reeling from the onslaught of the now seemingly superior force, their own numbers thinning by the second, his attackers turned and fled. The last of them caught a crackling bolt of lightning as he went down, screaming out in agony before the cold steel of a survival knife drove into his throat. In spite of the adrenaline coursing through his veins and the rush of long repressed emotions driving him more than just a little mad with power, Loki realized that laying low for the foreseeable future would be wise, and left Cara'Sir that very night.
Experience level with 5eExperienced; well versed with the current rules (though I'm working on a lot of the things from Street Grimoire), and have been GMing and playing since the core book came out. Also been playing 4th Edition for 2 years.
Are you GMing a pbp game? If so, tell meNo, not at this time. I have signed up to play in several, including
Milk Can Escape (playing 5th Edition version of
Moto, a Dwarf Rigger),
Of Fire and Ice (playing 4th Edition version of
Cyclone, human cyber samurai), and
The SIN's of the Father (playing 4th Edition version of
Seijin, Elf Adept Swordsman).
Preferred play styleI prefer games that have a fair grounding in reality, meaning more film noir than action blockbuster. I also enjoy character interaction and a good story, and I'm not too fussed about rules if the GM moves things along storywise. That being said, I really prefer structure where combat is concerned.
To elaborate on story, I enjoy a good mystery even though I prefer playing combat oriented characters. I try to make sure my character can contribute somehow, even if it's just passing conversation or keeping my guard up.
Character strengths and weaknessesLoki is a bit of a wild card, as he doesn't have a lot of combat ability which is very contrary to the kind of characters I usually play. He's young and inexperienced, but with a lot of raw talent, and he's a decent con man and manipulation mage. I really enjoy the concept of the character, though he's not very optimized at all. That being said, I still think he has a lot of potential as a character.
Loki has got several contacts in [insert city here], all of whom I've built a fairly extensive background for (check bottom of the post in the thread linked above).
I'd say his greatest strength lies in the fact that he can schmooze himself in almost anywhere, and his greatest weakness is in direct combat ability, as well as a lack of supporting skills. He's spent most of his life getting by on his own, and doesn't place a great deal of trust in others, but he's also someone who loves to live life to the fullest, and who'll take everything with a bit of humour, at least until the shooting starts.
