A character backstory, for a D&D game I am in.  I wanted to tie the personality traits of the character into a long term goal.  The character sheet is at the end. It was a fun little bit to create. I hope you enjoy!

Walking the Path,

Chris

---

In the early days of my life, I spent my time looking for things. Now, as an adult, it seems I am doomed to continue, but now I look for people. Usually bad people, but really just anyone that folks will pay for me to bring back – or down. I don’t really care if they are dead or alive as long as I get paid.

I am not about the money, really, as it is just a means to an end. I am working my way towards a larger goal – my mother’s necklace. Many years ago, I lost it in a discussion with some humans over the lost City of Palindja – its a real place, I tell you – and it got bad. We ended up fighting, and they stole everything I had on me, including the necklace. I know what you are saying, it’s just a thing, right? Why get so bent?

Well, its really several things. First, it’s fucking mine. That should be enough. But, as you clearly don’t think so, then let me give you a little more, my friend.

You see my mother told me about the City of Palindja, the ancient city of my people, when I was just a kit.  I used to listen to the stories and I believe that is how the Great One gave me my gift of wandering. When I finally decided to leave home, she gave me the necklace as a token of her love and remembrance.

“Seek,” she said, “keep this with you always, as it is a reminder of my love for you and the Great One’s guidance over your steps. May it one day lead you to the City of our ancestors.“

I have kept it in a place of reverence every since.  In the many days that followed up to the day it was taken from me, I learned another small fact about this token of love from my mother. It was an actual map to the City! Granted, there were several things I needed to get there, like a divining rod of some sort, and “6 hands to open the door,” but those are easy once I get the necklace back.  I have been tracking those thieves for months and when I find them, I won’t be my usual jovial self.

In the meantime, I am hunting folks for money, in the hopes that I can find a clue about those that took my necklace. I know their faces and names, but the names were fake, of course.  Still, I will find them.

Seek will find them.

Seeker of the Old City (Seek), Mastermind Rogue

 I cannot find who made this picture, so if it is yours, please let me know so I may credit you.

“Petyr!”

I was startled from my sleep by my Grandmother’s voice, a shrill overly loud bellow that I had heard way too many times since my Father left.

“Peeeeetyr!”

“What, Nama?  I was sleeeping!”

“You are supposed to be at the south woods hunting with the others!  You must do your part along with the others. There is no better archer in the wood than you! Get off your hinds and help!”

“I forgot, Nama!  I’m going!”

My nature was one of fun and adventure, and the drollery of hunting for food was never that exciting.  The prey never had a chance once I got them in my sights.  With a few seconds of focus with my Father’s bow, there has yet to be an animal that could move fast enough to avoid my arrow.  Add to that my skills as a scout, it was usually me talking them all down and the others dragging back the meat.

That was the way of the Faun. Hunt and play.  Isn’t there something else?  I have to find something better.

——————————————————————

I sometimes miss my Nama and the others as I travel into the Human lands, but I am fascinated by all of the new things I have learned.  I don’t understand their worth, but I love the shiny things they call “gems” and “coins” and I am collecting as many as I can.  I was also able to trade some of them for a new quiver that creates arrows!  It weighs less and I never run out of arrows now.

I get some strange looks from folks as I am the only Faun in the area, but no matter.  My father taught me how to deal with folks like that.  I can still hear his words:

“Drinking and Love, Sword and Arrow, son.  These are the only ways to deal with trouble.  Try the First, and end with the Second if they won’t have any.”

So, that is how I live.  I go from town to town, looking for work to get more shiny toys, and maybe a little Elven or Human “alone” time.  I really love the Elven women.  They know the meaning of time in bed.  They aren’t in a hurry like the Humans; slow and steady, as only an immortal can do it.  I’ve spent a week in bed with an Elven woman and it was over too soon.

Well, I think I am hungry, so I’d best hunt something down.  I seem to have forgotten enough rations after leaving that last town.    It’s only a few hours out, though.  I might be able to boost a few coins and get a meal there.  We’ll see how it goes.

——————————————————————

Meeting Dareos has been life-changing.  Beyond the obvious benefit of having a Healer about, he has started to change my way of thinking.  I haven’t stolen from anyone in nearly a month and I never forget rations or supplies anymore.  Well, I forget them, but he always seems to remember for me.

I have to admit, I took a few shiny stones from the last group of Orcs we killed out in the wild, and I haven’t told him.  Before, I never would have thought twice about it.  Now, he’s got me thinking that I might have been wrong for hiding it.  And what’s worse, if I tell him now, he’ll shake his head in that disapproving manner and then just forgive me!  He won’t even be angry at me.

I am not sure if I can stay around him and not become someone else.  He goes after causes and such, and helps folks that deserve an arrow in the head.  Lately, I have been pausing before finishing off creatures that are down after we fight something.  It hasn’t stopped me yet, unless Dareos tell me to, but I don’t appear to be as wild as I once was.

I don’t yet know if I like it, but I know he has my back and won’t desert me, even if I steal from him.  I think I might stick around for awhile yet, just to see how things pan out.  Those caves we went into were really too much for us without some tougher folks along for the ride.  Now that we are headed back to town, I need to make a decision.

Should I stay or should I go?

——————————————————————

GURPS Stats: Petyr Goodfellow (261 points)

ST 13 [30]; DX 14* [60]; IQ 11† [20]; HT 12* [10].
HP 13 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 14‡ [5]; FP 12 [0].
5’8″; 185#

Templates and Meta-Traits

Faun (Dungeon Fantasy; p. DF3:8) [20].

Advantages

Appearance (Attractive) [4]; Enhanced Tracking 1 (Multiple Lock-on) [6]; Heroic Archer [20]; Outdoorsman 2 [20]; Signature Gear $3,500 (Elven Longbow) [7]; Trading Character Points for Money $1,000 [2]; Weapon Master (Bow; one specific weapon) [20].
Perks: Fast-Draw (Arrow); Fast-Draw (Shortsword); Quick-Sheathe (Shortsword); Strongbow; Unique Technique (Double-Draw); Weapon Adaptation (Smallsword to Shortsword); Weapon Bond (Bow). [7]

Disadvantages

Absent-Mindedness [-15]; Curious (12 or less) [-5]; Delusion (Mother was a Nymph; Minor) [-5]; Greed (15 or less) [-7]; Overconfidence (9 or less) [-7]; Sense of Duty (Adventuring companions) [-5].
Quirks: Bowlegged; Code of Honor ((Steal a little less, Help folks a little more)); Incompetence (Dancing); Minor Handicap (Bad Shoulder); Sings when bored. [-5]

Melee Attacks

Brawling * Punch (14): 1d-1 cr.  Reach C.
Brawling * Bite (14): 1d-1 cr.  Reach C.
Brawling * Kick (12): 1d+1 cr.  Reach C,1.
Shortsword * Swing (14): 2d-1 cut.  Reach 1.
Shortsword * Thrust (14): 1d+1 imp.  Reach 1.

Ranged Attacks

Longbow ST 19, Elven (19): 1d-2 imp.  Acc 3.  Range 0 in / 0 in.  RoF 1.  Shots 1(2).

Skills

Acrobatics (H) DX [4]-14; Bow (A) DX+4 [16]-18§; Brawling (E) DX [1]-14; Camouflage (E) IQ+4 [3]-15¶; Carousing (E) HT [1]-12; Cartography/TL3 (A) IQ [2]-11; Climbing (A) DX [2]-14; First Aid/TL3 (Humanoid) (E) IQ+1 [2]-12††; Gesture (E) IQ+1 [2]-12; Hidden Lore (Faerie Lore) (A) IQ-1 [1]-10; Hiking (A) HT [2]-12; Jumping (E) DX [1]-14; Knife (E) DX [1]-14; Knot-Tying (E) DX [1]-14; Lockpicking/TL3 (A) IQ [2]-11; Merchant (A) IQ [2]-11; Mimicry (Bird Calls) (H) IQ+1 [2]-12¶; Naturalist (Earth) (H) IQ+1 [2]-12¶; Navigation/TL3 (Land) (A) IQ+1 [1]-12¶; Observation (A) Per-1 [1]-13; Pickpocket (H) DX [4]-14; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-14; Sex Appeal (Elf) (A) HT [1]-12‡‡; Sex Appeal (Human) (A) HT [1]-12‡‡; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4]-12; Shortsword (A) DX [2]-14; Singing (E) HT+2 [1]-14§§; Stealth (A) DX [2]-14; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per+1 [1]-15¶; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per+1 [1]-15¶; Tracking (A) Per+1 [1]-15¶; Traps/TL3 (A) IQ+2 [8]-13.
Techniques: Double-Draw (Bow) (H) [0]-18; Dual-Weapon Attack (Bow) (H) [3]-18**.

* Includes +1 from ‘Faun (Dungeon Fantasy)’.
† Conditional -5 from ‘Absent-Mindedness’ when concentrating on another task.
‡ Includes +2 from ‘Faun (Dungeon Fantasy)’.
§ Conditional +1 from ‘Weapon Bond (Bow)’.
¶ Includes +2 from ‘Outdoorsman’.
** Includes +2 from ‘Heroic Archer’.
†† Conditional +1 from ‘First Aid Kit’.
‡‡ Includes +1 from ‘Appearance’.
§§ Includes +2 from ‘Musical Ability’.