Specialists / Grogs / Covenfolks

This thread is for the stats and background of the various specialists, grogs and covenfolks of the covenant. Each should be reasonable statted out.

The first message will be updated to provide an index to the individual posts, along with a quick summary.

Each character should list his current stats, the in-game time of the last update, and an advancement log at the bottom of the post that allows deconstruction of the character to its initial stats.

The companions:

  • Alips: The wife of Praxiteles.
  • Amelie: The wine merchant who manages one of the covenants' source of income.
  • Gregor: The magical cooper who manages the secondary source of income of the covenant.

The covenfolk:

  • Laurent: The chamberlain, recommended by Henri De Tours.
  • Eberhard: A scribe and translator, who acts as the librarian for the covenant.
  • Antonio: An Italian bookbinder.
  • Sophie: A noble-born illuminator with a young daugther.
  • Sophronia: A loremistress, brought from Thebes by Praxiteles and still learning the local language.
  • Karl-Franz: The lame bone-setter
  • Demetrius: Fancies starting a vineyard, but couldn't find backing in Thebes. His production efforts have been stellar, but his quantities have been minuscule. He will be preparing wines for the covenant only, but they will be spectacular.
  • Clothilda: A seamstress, married to Ulric.
  • Andrea: A female carpenter.
  • Caspar: A leatherworker.
  • Guda: A sturdy female stonemason.
  • Marie: A brewer.
  • Luca: A local boy enamored of Praxiteles and his Art. His father is a glass maker, who recently relocated to the area since the beech trees in this area have restored themselves, and their previous location had exhausted its supply of birch.
  • Monica: Is the personal cook and maid for Praxiteles and Ailips. She is beautiful and shy, a brilliant cook but humble. Visiting Jerbiton will attempt to steal her away from Praxiteles...

The grogs:

  • Hans: Captain of the grogs, curly-haired and dark-skinned from his arabic mother.
  • Marcus: A grizzled sergeant in charge of training the new recruits.
  • Emelric: A younger sergeant who often lead the grogs protecting the magi when to travel abroad.
  • Rheinhart: A young shield grog eager to please the magi.
  • Adolf: An experienced shield grog with a tendency to stutter when nervous.
  • Ulrich: An older grog, round-faced and almost bald, suffering from near-sightedness. A former accountant turned soldier and a gossip. Married to Clothilda the seamstress, who also works for the covenant.
  • Ortolf: A former woodsman, branded as a poacher, who scouts for the magi.
  • Lambert: An exile from France, trying to fit in.
  • Ilsa: A female brawler, savy in the ways of the city.
  • Katherine: A tall female fighter, with a bright smile and expressive face. Petronius' usual shield grog.
  • Merbot: An outstanding but arrogant fighter.
  • Ludwig: A very good archer who likes brewing fine ale, but who is intelorant of slovenliness.
  • Leon: As his name implies is as brave as a lion and was given to Praxiteles as a shield grog. Unfortunately, Praxiteles is adept at avoiding situations calling for combat, and the two have found that they share a love of good food and wine and seek to outdo the other.
  • Edgar: Aedituus' shield grog.

Eberhard
Scribe and translator

Background:
Eberhard was the second son of a textile merchant of Bremen in Saxonia (northern Germany). Although his father loved both of his sons and tried to be fair, he was plagued by doubt that his younder wife at cheated on him and that Eberhard was the result. No matter, since Eberhard's much older brother Karl (born from the father's first wife) was always destined to become the owner of the family business. Still, their father tried to find a place for Eberhard and decided his younger son should be educated enough to help in the business, so he sent him at an early age to a Benedictine monastery to be taught his letters.

Unfortunately for young Eberhard, his father died of a fever just a few years later. Karl, not very fond of his younger half-brother, told the monks to keep the young whelp and refused to pay any more for his half-brother's education. The monks, trying to show Christian charity to the orphaned boy, kept schooling him in Latin, Greek and scribing. Yet, anytime something went wrong at the monastery they noticed that young Eberhard was nearby. And as the years went by such incidents accumulated, until the abbot decided to send the young man away.

With little resources and no family to help him, Eberhard tried to find work as a scribe or accountant for a merchant house. Unfortunately, whenever he would finally find some work he got blamed for any incident and soon sent away. So it is that he eventually accepted employment from unsavory people and moving to their isolated community (the covenant of Triamore). Even there he wasn't free from blame whenever accidents happened, but was able to make a life there. He even befriended one of the strange magi (Petronius) living there. When he was asked to leave with him to establish another such community, he felt this might be his chance to prove his worth to this new friend.

Age: 21
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int +2, Per +1, Str -1, Sta 0, Pre -1, Com 0, Dex +1, Qik +1
Virtues: Clerk, Piercing Gaze, Sharp Ears
Flaws: Judged Unfairly, Offensive to Animals, Weak Characteristics

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Bremen (merchants) 2
  • Artes Liberales (grammar) 2
  • Awareness (searching) 2
  • Brawl (fist) 2
  • Chirurgy (diagnosis) 1
  • Civil and Canon Law (Saxonia) 1
  • Language: Ancient Greek (Artes Liberales) 4
  • Language: Latin (Church) 5
  • Language: Low German (Saxon) 5
  • Medecine (apothecary) 1
  • Profession: Scribe (neat hand) 5
  • Teaching (Profession: Scribe) 1
  • Theology (history) 1

Saga Notes:
Although as a mundane scribe Eberhard is reasonably skilled, Petronius plans on spending at least a season training him in Magic Theory and eventually teaching him to decode his personal script. That will allow Eberhard to decode his lab notes and make copies of books for the covenant.

Advancement Log:

  • Year 1:

Hans
Grog Captain

Background:
Hans was born and raised by an Andalusian wandering troupe of amusers and acrobats, of which his mother was part. At a young age, he was involved in the activities of the troupe, both those of amusing the peasants they visited, and the more shady ones involving picking pockets and petty theft that supplemented the troupe's income. During his childhood, his mother would spin tales about his German father, a knight escorting a visiting noble, who had charmed his mother. Hans fantasized about travelling to Germany to join his long-lost father and becoming a great knight himself.

So it was that when his mother died from a winter fever, young Hans decided to leave Iberia. Charming and befriending a travelling scholar, he set out with the old man throughout Europe, learning from this educated benefactor. And always moving closer to Germany. Unknown to him, the man was a magus of House Jerbiton, who saw potential in Hans as a leader of men. Bringing back the youngster to his covenant (Oculus Septentrionalis), he had him begin training as a grog. Eventually Hans' dream transformed into the ambition to become a reknowned leader of men for a covenant. He learned all he could, including his letters and Latin good enough to interact with magi. He was at once disappointed and excited when he was provided to a new covenant as a gift -- disappointment that he needed to start over at a new covenant, but excitement because this could be his chance to prove himself. So now he he striving to organize the turbs as efficiently as possible, and has little tolerance for indiscipline or anything that could reflect badly on the magi.

Appearance:
With his dark olive skin and black curly hair (worn semi-long), Hans' arabic blood is quite obvious to anyone who looks at him. Of medium height and delicate build, he is far from the stereotypical warrior. His open smiling face and penetrating dark eyes are quite striking, however, making him quite popular with the women. He usually wears a white tabard over a tunic, with a longsword buckled around his waist.

Age: 38
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Str +1, Sta 0, Pre +2, Com 0, Dex +2, Qik +2
Virtues: Custos, Educated, Improved Characteristics, Inspirational
Flaws: Ambitious (minor), Outsider

Personality Traits: Ambitious +3, Brave +1, Charming +3, Leader +2, Loyal +1

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Andalusia (Valencia) 2
  • Area Lore: Germany (Lorraine) 2
  • Animal Handling (horses) 1
  • Artes Liberales (geometry) 1
  • Athletics (acrobatics) 2
  • Awareness (alertness) 2
  • Bows (shortbow) 3
  • Brawl (dodging) 3
  • Chirurgy (setting bones) 2
  • Folk Ken (grogs) 2
  • Great Weapon (pole arm) 2
  • Guile (disguise) 2
  • Language: Arabic (Andalusia) 5
  • Language: French (Norman) 3
  • Language: Latin (Hermetic usage) 3
  • Language: Low German (Flemish) 4
  • Medecine (apothecary) 2
  • Profession: Soldier (organization) 1
  • Ride (battle) 1
  • Single Weapon (longsword) 7
  • Stealth (sneak) 1
  • Thrown Weapon (knife) 2

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Equipment: Longsword, buckler, metal reinforced leather hauberk, dagger, throwing knives (in boots).

Saga Notes:
Hans was built as a low-powered companion (4 points of Virtues/Flaws) instead as a standard grog. He could be further developped by a player willing to have him as a companion.

Emelric
Grog Sergeant

Background:
From his early age, Emelric has been in contact with magi, having been raised in a village close to the covenant of Fengheld. His family occasionally served the covenant as charioteers, transporting goods to and from the fortress as required, often going as far as Quedlinburg for supplies. So Emelric grew up with oxen and chariots, grogs and other covenfolk. So when young Emelric grew up into a strong and level-headed lad, he was recruited for training as a grogs. His even temper and rational mind made him good at solving disputes, so he quickly gained the respect of his peers and superiors.

Unfortunately, Emelric also had a fondness for a good mug of ale, which often made him do stupid things. Thus one day, when escorting a maga to a meeting with faeries, he partook in too much drink from the hosts and gravely insulted the faerie Queen. She cursed him with the inability to drink alcool. Now, if he drinks any alcoolic drink, no matter how watered down it is, he quickly becomes violently sick, and is left without his voice for the next day -- instead he brays like a donkey whenever he tries to talk. This makes him the subject of many jokes from other grogs, as he now resigns himself to drinking milk most of the times. Except that the urge to drink ale still haunts him -- every so often he fails to rein in those urged and makes an ass out of himself again.

Appearance:
A muscular young man, Emelric has blonde hair and grey eyes, with a warm smile and a rough voice.

Age: 27
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int -1, Per 0, Str +2, Sta +2, Pre +1, Com -1, Dex +1, Qik +1
Virtues: Custos, Clear Thinker, Rapid Convalescence
Flaws: Busybody, Lesser Malediction, Nocturnal
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Calm +3, Drinker +1, Loyal +2

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Saxonia (roads) 2
  • Area Lore: Koblenz (roads) 1
  • Animal Handling (oxen) 3
  • Athletics (running) 2
  • Awareness (alertness) 2
  • Bargain (lodging) 1
  • Brawl (punch) 3
  • Carouse (getting drunk) 2
  • Folk Ken (soldiers) 2
  • Great Weapon (long spear) 5
  • Leadership (grogs) 2
  • Language: French (Norman) 3
  • Language: Low German (Saxon) 5
  • Profession: Charioteer (ox cart) 3
  • Single Weapon (short spear) 5
  • Swim (river) 1

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Equipment: Short spear, round shield, metal reinforced leather hauberk, dagger.

Amelie

Characteristics: Int:+1, Per: 0, Pre: +2, Com +1, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik 0
Size: +0; Age: 22 (22); Decrepitude: +0; warping score: +0; Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues: Ghostly Warder, Privileged Upbringing, Puissant Ability: Leadship, Social Contacts (Merchants), Well-Traveled
Flaws: Tormenting Master (abandoned employer/husband), Meddler (major), Non-combatant
Personality Traits: Loyal 2, Persistent 1,
Reputations: Trouble-maker 1 (merchants around Trier)

Abilities:
Native Language, French 5
Animal Handling (horses) 2
Area Lore (Mosel) 3
Artes Liberales (arithmetic) 3
Awareness (body language) 1 (5)
Bargain (wine) 3 (5)
Carouse (staying sober) 1
Charm (older men) 2
Civil Law (business) 2
Craft (Permancarious) 2
Etiquette (nobility) 2
Folk Ken (townsfolk) 3
Guile (hiding emotions) 1
Intrigue (contracts) 3
Leadership (inspiration) 2 +2
Living Language (German, Rheintal) 4
Organization Lore (Merchants Guild) 3
Profession: Merchant (wine) 4
Survival 1

The only daughter of a successful wine merchant, Amelie enjoyed traveling with her father, Emile, while her mother, Marie, remained at home, worried that she would not find a suitable husband for her daughter. Emile kept Amelie with him on his travels as he appreciated her advice and her ability to manage the drovers and other workmen who accompanied them. Amelie was eventually married to Emile's less-than-expert assistant, Julien, who doted on his new wife. Although fond of Julien, Amelie never felt particularly devoted to her husband, but played the part of the dutiful and loving wife, as this enabled her to continue traveling with her father and Julien.

Tragedy struck when Amelie's parents and Julien were killed in a fire. Amelie survived and tried to continue the business, but inheritance laws being what they are, and public attitudes about a woman in charge of a business eventually forced Amelie to sell her family's remaining stock. It did not help that Julien's devoted ghost remained behind, trying to give advice and help. Amelie traveled a bit and thought about joining a convent, but the idea of being so confined conflicted with her upbringing. As her funds dwindled, she took a job with a permancarius in Trier, at the recommendation of the wine merchant, David, who knew her father. She proved adept not only at the new work, but also at managing the people around her. The owner, Florian, also recognized and started using her talents with the bookkeeping, and decided to have her marry his own son, a rather loutish young man named Armin. Between her own dislike of Armin, and the ghost's weeping that she should marry another, Amelie started feeling a little confined again. She fled the marriage and the work, and made the acquaintance of a group of magi who offered to set her up with a wine business in Koblenz.

Julien (Amelie's dead husband and ghostly warder)
Characteristics: Int: +1, Per: +2, Pre: 0, Com +2, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: +0; Age: (20); Decrepitude: n/a; Confidence: 1 (3)
Personality Traits: Protective +2, Morose +1
Might: 10

Abilities:
Area Lore (Rhine Gorge) 3
Artes Liberales (rhetoric) 3
Awareness (keeping watch) 2
Charm (first impressions) 1
Dominion Lore (angels) 1
Folk Ken (townsfolk) 2
Latin (Church ceremonies) 2
Living Language (French) 5
Living Language (German, Rheintal) 4
Medicine (anatomy) 3
Organization Lore (Merchants Guild) 1
Philosophiae (natural) 2
Profession: Merchant (wine) 1
Second Sight (ghosts) 1

Powers: Physician's Eye, 5 points, Init 0, Corpus: as the InCo spell.

Before becoming a merchant, Julien was studying to be a doctor, but needed to abandon his studies. Upon his death, his ghost took on the attributes of his original profession. This, along with his current condition has made Julien a little morose, with a tendency to comment on the mortality of those around him.

Rheinhart
Grog

Background:
Rheinhart was born of a lowly woodcutter family living near Koblenz, but on the eastern side of the Rhine. He has always been a trusting soul and will usually comply to whoever tries to convince him of something. He was introduced to magi indirectly when the new covenant was being built -- he was one of the laborers hired to clear the area of trees and restoring the palisade. While working there, one of the grog sergeants (Emelric) saw the way the young man handled an axe, and figured he might be easy to train him to be a good shield grog. So Emelric explained to Rheinhart that a life as a grog was much easier and exciting than one as a woodcutter. Young Rheinhart is in awe of the magi, and will do almost anything to please them. He has even begun learning Latin, so that he can serve them better.

Appearance:
Although very young, Rheinhart is fairly tall and quite strong. His black hair is kept long and gathered in a ponytail, with strands often pulling free to obscure his eyes. His face is a bit rough and tanned from outdoor life, but is open and thrusting -- he could not keep it from showing his emotions even if his life depended on it.

Age: 16
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int -1, Per -1, Str +2, Sta +2, Pre 0, Com -1, Dex +1, Qik +2
Virtues: Custos, Luck, Puissant Single Weapon
Flaws: Incomprehensible, Optimistic, Weak-Willed
Personality Traits: Brave 0, Loyal +2, Optimistic +3, Trusting +3, Weak-Willed +3

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Koblenz (forests) 2
  • Animal Handling (oxen) 1
  • Awareness (forest) 3
  • Bows (shortbow) 1
  • Brawl (punch) 2
  • Carouse (staying sober) 1
  • Charm (innocent) 1
  • Folk Ken (peasants) 1
  • Language: French (Norman) 3
  • Language: High German (Franconian) 5
  • Language: Latin (understanding orders) 2
  • Music (sing) 1
  • Profession: Woodcutter (oak) 3
  • Single Weapon (heater shield) 3+2
  • Stealth (natural areas) 1
  • Survival (forest) 1

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Equipment: Axe, heater shield, full leather scale armor, dagger, whistle, heavy knife, sharpening stone.

Katherine
Shield Grog

Background:
Katherine ("Kat") was born in northern Saxony, in a family of fishers who plied the marshes along the Ems river. Her step-father was an abusive man who regularly beat the child and her mother. He molested her until one day she stabbed him with a fishing knife (she still has this knife) and ran off into the marsh to hide. She survived there for over a year, hiding in the marshes and moving upriver. One day she was caught trying to steal supplies by Margarethe, the grog captain of Irminsul, who was travelling downriver with the magus Albertus. Margerethe took her in and tamed her.

Eventually Katherine expressed a desire to be able to defend herself and began martial training. She is mostly self-taught, having little patience and even less thrust in others. Following the example of Margarethe, she became a shield grog and was assigned to protect the apprentice of Octavius during his travels. When Petronius left Irminsul, Katherine travelled with him, since the young magus has never expressed any interest in her as a woman -- only as a shield grog.

Kat has sworn never to give in to any man and have little thrust in them. She strongly believes that she will lose the respect of her fellow grogs if she gives in to their advances, so she rebuffs any advances. She also will react strongly whenever she sees a man being abusive of those weaker than themselves (mostly women but not always).

Appearance:
Kat is a tall muscular woman with long brown hair and sparkling light brown eyes. Although her face is a bit angular, she is quite beautiful in her own way, although she is mostly unaware of it.

Age: 26
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int -2, Per +1, Str +2, Sta +2, Pre +1, Com -1, Dex +2, Qik +1, Size +1
Virtues: Custos, Large, Learn Single Weapon from Mistakes
Flaws: Continence, Oversensitive (abusive behaviour), Poor Student
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Loyal +1, Determined +3, Trusting -2

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Elms River (hiding) 2
  • Area Lore: Germany (roads) 1
  • Area Lore: Koblenz (taverns) 1
  • Athletics (jumping) 3
  • Awareness (searching) 2
  • Bargain (lodging) 1
  • Brawl (punch) 3
  • Carouse (staying sober) 2
  • Folk Ken (peasants) 1
  • Language: Latin (Hermetic usage) 4
  • Language: Low German (Saxon) 5
  • Profession: Fisher (marshes) 2
  • Single Weapon (heater shield) 6 -- Learn from Mistakes
  • Stealth (sneak) 2
  • Survival (marshes) 3
  • Swim (underwater) 2
  • Thrown Weapon (knife) 1

Equipment: Longsword, heater shield, chain mail hauberk, dagger, throwing knife, fish knife, sharpening stone, fishing line and hooks.

Combat:

  • Dodge: Init: +1, Attack --, Defense +4, Damage --
  • Fist: Init: +1, Attack +6, Defense +5, Damage +2
  • Kick: Init: 0, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +5
  • Knife: Init: +1, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +4
  • Dagger: Init: +1, Attack +7, Defense +4, Damage +5
  • Longsword & Heater Shield: Init: +1*, Attack +11, Defense +12, Damage +8
  • Longsword: Init: +2**, Attack +10, Defense +8, Damage +8
  • Throwing Knife: Init: -1*, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage +4

*Includes Burden penalty of 2 for encumbrance
**Includes Burden penalty of 1 for encumbrance (absence of the shield reduces Encumbrance by 1)

Soak: +8 (+2 without armor) Encumbrance: 2 (7)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-6), Medium -3 (7-12), Heavy -5 (13-18), Incapacitated (19-24), Dead (25+)

Karl-Franz the Bone-Setter
Last Update: saga start.

Karl-Franz
Characteristics: Int +1, Per +1, Pre -1, Com -1, Str 0, Sta +3, Dex +1, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 23 (23), Height: 168 cm, Weight: 72 kg, Gender: Male
Virtues and Flaws:
Affinity with Chirurgy,
Wise One,
Figurine Magic,
Ability Block (Martial),
Lame (Penalty: -6 on moving quickly and agility, -3 Dodge and -1 combat),
Busybody

Abilities:
High German 5 (About wounds & violence)
Folk Ken 3
Low German 4 (Saxon)
Artes Liberales 1 (arithmetic)
Figurine Magic 4
Latin 3 (academic usage)
Medicine 3 (physician)
Chirurgy 7 (binding wounds) (2)
Apothecary 3 (treating diseases)

Combat:
Dodge: Init: -1, Attack --, Defense -1, Damage --
Fist: Init: -1, Attack +0, Defense -1, Damage +0
Kick: Init: -2, Attack +0, Defense -2, Damage +3
Soak: +3
Fatigue levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)
Equipment:
Encumbrance: 0 (0)

The son of a mercenary and "camp follower", the future of Karl-Franz seemed simple to guess - ofcourse he would follow in his father's foot steps and kill people for money. It was not to be. The young Karl-Franz turned out to be singularly unable to learn any sort of weapon, injuring himself more often than successfully hitting even a dummy!
It was when the Karl-Franz managed to cut himself in the leg with an axe so badly the healer set it would probably never heal properly that his father gave up and told the buy to "do something with yourself - anything, as long as I don't have to look after you any more!" and walked out in disgust.
And so the young Karl-Franz apprenticed to the healer. He has been looking for a place to live and settle for some years - one calmer than a mercenary camp and preferbly with less threat to life and limb.

While Karl-Franz cannot exactly read, he does now his letters and can puzzle out a simple text given a bit of time. Just don't ask him to read anything with his hands behind his back though. He has convinced himself not only that he would love to go to one of the big universities to study medicine and become a proper doctor, but also that his game leg prevents this 'dream' from ever happening.

Marcus
Grog Sergeant

Background:
As far as anyone knows, Marcus was born a soldier, and soldier is all the profession he's ever had. None of the other grogs dare ask about his past, and the Greater Alps covenant who volounteered him to join the new covenant's turb isn't talking. The only thing that gives a hint about his past is a slight Bavarian accent.

His past, however mysterious, has left its mark on Marcus' body and personality. Over his long career, he has lost his left eye and bears disfiguring scars. Having seen other comrades die from a variety of causes, he is obsessed with training his charges to be ready for anything. No longer in his prime years, he has become a training officer for the new turb. His personality is abrasive and gruff, and he imposes a grueling training regimen upon his subordinates. But he does everything he asks his men to do and leads by example. The recruits quickly learned to respect him. And although fear is also laced into that respect, it is more because of the endless tasks and physical training.

Appearance:
Marcus is a dark-haired (shot with grey) man past his prime, lean but physically hard and fit. If age has slowed him down, he hides it well and none of the younger grogs have noticed. The left side of his face is extensively scarred and his completely white blind eye gives him a frightening apprearance. His remaining eye is a light blue.

Age: 47
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Str +2, Sta +2, Pre 0, Com 0, Dex +1, Qik -1
Virtues: Custos, Enduring Constitution, Inspirational
Flaws: Disfigured, Missing Eye, Obsessed (training grogs to be ready for anything)
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Loyal +2, Abrasive +2, Dsciplined +3, Gruff +2, Sharp +3

Decrepitude: 1 (0)
Effects of Aging: 2 Aging Points in Str, 2 Aging Points in Sta, Qik dropped from 0 to -1

Abilities:

  • Athletics (marching) 4
  • Awareness (alertness) 3
  • Bows (shortbow) 3
  • Brawl (punch) 4
  • Great Weapon (staff) 5
  • Leadership (inspiration) 4
  • Language: French (Norman) 4
  • Language: High German (Bavarian) 5
  • Language: Latin (magi) 4
  • Language: West Norse (Danish) 1
  • Language: West Slavonic (Czech) 2
  • Profession: Soldier (training) 4
  • Ride (in battle) 3
  • Single Weapon (heather shield) 7
  • Survival (forest) 2
  • Swim (river) 2
  • Teaching (soldiers) 2
  • Thrown Weapon (javelin) 3

Equipment: Short sword, short spear (javelin), heather shield, partial chain mail, dagger, soldier's kit.

Combat:

  • Dodge: Init: -1, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
  • Fist: Init: -1, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +2
  • Kick: Init: -2, Attack +5, Defense +2, Damage +5
  • Dagger: Init: -1, Attack +7, Defense +3, Damage +5
  • Shortsword & Heater Shield: Init: -1*, Attack +12, Defense +11, Damage +7
  • Shortsword: Init: -1*, Attack +11, Defense +7, Damage +7
  • Longsword & Heater Shield: Init: 0*, Attack +13, Defense +11, Damage +8
  • Mace & Heater Shield: Init: -1*, Attack +12, Defense +10, Damage +10
  • Javelin & Heather Shield: Init: -2*, Attack +7, Defense +6, Damage +7
  • Staff: Init: +1, Attack +9, Defense +7, Damage +4

*Includes Burden penalty of 1 for encumbrance

Soak: +8 (+2 without armor) Encumbrance: 1 (8)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, 0, -2, -4, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Adolf
Grog

Background:
Adolf was born and raised in Durenmar, and spent most of his years in that covenant. He was deemed suitable to become of grog and trained as a shield grog. Always a calm child, as he became older he developped the same humble attitude as his parents displayed (an effect of being raised in the strong magical aura). He was designated to become a grog of the new covenant, an honor he feels he doesn't deserve.

Whenever Adolf is submitted to stressful situations, his usual stutter gets really bad, which frustrates him to no end. He is also quite sensitive to taunts about it, and has gotten into many fist fights because of that. He likes the calm of the deep wood and has developped a talent for setting snares for hares and other small game during his long walks.

Appearance:
Adolf is a black-haired man with dark brown eyes, a bit taller than most but not particularly muscular. He is obedient and unquestioning to magi, and easily bullied by others.

Age: 26
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int -1, Per 0, Str +1, Sta +2, Pre -1, Com +1, Dex +1, Qik +2
Virtues: Latent Magical Ability, Warrior
Flaws: Afflicted Tongue, Covenant Upbringing, Humble*
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Loyal +2, Outgoing -2, Humble +3, Sensitive to Taunts About Stutter +2

Warping: 2 (24 points total)
Effects of Warping: Humble minor flaw

Abilities:

  • Animal Handling (horses) 2
  • Athletics (jumping) 2
  • Awareness (keeping watch) 3
  • Brawl (punch) 5
  • Carouse (power drinking) 2
  • Charm (maids) 2
  • Folk Ken (grogs) 1
  • Hunt (snares) 3
  • Language: French (Norman) 1
  • Language: High German (Swiss) 5
  • Language: Latin (understanding) 4
  • Organization Lore: Order of Hermes (Rhine) 1
  • Ride (speed) 3
  • Single Weapon (heather shield) 6

Equipment: Short sword, heather shield, partial chain mail, dagger, small sharp knife, light rope.

Combat:

  • Dodge: Init: +2, Attack --, Defense +7, Damage --
  • Fist: Init: +2, Attack +7, Defense +8, Damage +1
  • Kick: Init: +1, Attack +6, Defense +6, Damage +4
  • Dagger: Init: +2, Attack +8, Defense +7, Damage +4
  • Shortsword & Heater Shield: Init: +1*, Attack +10, Defense +11, Damage +6
  • Shortsword: Init: +2**, Attack +9, Defense +7, Damage +6

*Includes Burden penalty of 2 for encumbrance
**Includes Burden penalty of 1 for encumbrance (Load reduced by 2 without a shield)

Soak: +8 (+2 without armor) Encumbrance: 2 (7)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Ulric
Grog / Accountant

Background:
Ulric was born and raised in the city of Mainz from a well-off family of merchants. He spent his early years learning to balance the books, but unfortunately his family was struck by sickness while he was in his 20's and the business crumbled. Although the death of his parents, brothers and sisters made Ulric sad, he decided that this was a sign that he should see more of life than books, and he decided to travel. So he hired out to a small company of professional guardmen, traveling with caravans of goods through Germany and France, helping the company negotiate good contracts while learning to handle weapons.

When the company eventually disbanded, Ulric travelled back to Germany. The fact that a recent head wound caused him to easily become dizzy when travelling on a wagon meant that it was time to settle down again. He spent some time in Koblenz, a city that he liked and wanted to settle in. While trying to get hired as an accountant to the town, he met a strange gentleman who was unsuccessfully trying to get an audience to local authorities. Ulric gave some tips to the man who, impressed, hired him on the spot. So it is that he became a grog. His new employers are strange and all, but he gets to see things that few do.

He is married to Clothilda, who also works for the covenant as a seamstress. They do not have children, much to their disappointment.

Appearance:
Ulric is a fairly ordinary man, with a round face and quickly going bald. His remaining hair are mostly grey, and he wears a small mustache. He weak eyes mean that he often squints when trying to perceive things at a distance. (Note: If they weren't out of period, he would probably wear small round glasses.) His demeanor is open, friendly and always positive, and he just loves to gossip. During his recent years in Koblenz, he has developped numerous contacts and knows the people of the city well.

Age: 41
Last Update: Saga start

Characteristics: Int +1, Per -1, Str +1, Sta +1, Pre 0, Com +2, Dex +1, Qik 0
Virtues: Clerk, Gossip, Warrior
Flaws: Carefree, Motion Sickness, Poor Eyesight
Personality Traits: Brave +1, Loyal +1, Carefree +3, Curious +2, Friendly +2
Reputation: Gossip 3

Decrepitude: 0 (0)
Effects of Aging: None

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Cologne (merchants) 2
  • Area Lore: Koblenz (personalities) 3
  • Area Lore: Mainz (merchants) 2
  • Artes Liberales (geometry) 2
  • Awareness (searching) 2
  • Bargain (haggling) 2
  • Brawl (dodging) 2
  • Charm (being witty) 2
  • Civil & Canon Law (contracts) 2
  • Etiquette (town officials) 4
  • Folk Ken (townsfolk) 2
  • Great Weapon (spear) 4
  • Language: English (gossiping) 4
  • Language: French (Norman) 5
  • Language: High German (dialects) 6
  • Language: Latin (academic usage) 4
  • Medecine (anatomy) 2
  • Philosophiae (moral philosophy) 3
  • Profession: Accountant (merchant) 4
  • Single Weapon (short sword) 4
  • Theology (history) 2

Equipment: Short sword, round shield, partial leather scale armor, dagger, scribing kit and ledger.

Combat:

  • Dodge: Init: 0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
  • Fist: Init: 0, Attack +3, Defense +2, Damage +1
  • Kick: Init: -1, Attack +3, Defense +1, Damage +4
  • Dagger: Init: 0, Attack +5, Defense +2, Damage +4
  • Shortsword & Round Shield: Init: -1*, Attack +9, Defense +6*, Damage +6
  • Shortsword: Init: -1*, Attack +9, Defense +5*, Damage +6

*Includes Burden penalty of 2 for encumbrance
**Includes Burden penalty of 1 for encumbrance (Load reduced by 2 without the shield)

Soak: +4 (+1 without armor) Encumbrance: 2 (6)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Gregor the Cooper

Background: Gregor was born and raised in the city of Speyer, in Swabia (southern Germany). He learned the cooper's trade from his father, who taught him to use shape and infuse wood to make barrels both mundane and magical. The young Gregor was rebellous and wished for a more adventurous life, however, so at 17 he joined to army of Frederick Barbarossa and was a foot soldier for the next 6 years, being part of Barbarossa's campaign in Poland to gain control of Silesia in 1163. Gregor's great strength was greatly priced for a soldier, but his career was cut short when his right leg was severely wounded in a river crossing turned bad. Unable to continue as a soldier, with his taste for the adventurous life now laid to rest, and having to take care of a fallen comrade's family, Gregor returned to Germany to take up his father's trade again. Spending most of the wealth accumulated while campaigning, he managed to complete his training as a cooper and became a journeyman. His military past was often a hindrance, as other craftsmen looked down upon him. But through hard work he developped his abilities, delving into the magical secrets his father had taught him. That same military past, however, led him to make contact with magi of the Order of Hermes through their grogs. He entered into a partnership with them to set up a cooperage in Koblenz for them, after establishing his own position with the cooper's guild in that city.

Appearance: Although only slightly taller than average, Gregor is strongly built with a barrel chest and thick arms. But his strength is even greater than his stout build suggests, particularly when he exerts himself. His black hair (which he wears long to hide his missing left ear) is just beginning to be sprinkled with grey, and he wears a thin beard. His hooked nose has a noticeable scar, which does not detract from his solid and imposing presence. His heavily callused hands bear the numerous small scars from his fighting days. He walks with a pronounced limp, his right leg having healed badly from the crippling injury that ended his days as a soldier. He has a deep voice, slightly raucous from years of yelling on the battlefield.

Age: 35
Characteristics: Int 0, Per -1, Str +5, Sta +2, Pre +1, Com +1, Dex +2, Qik 0

Virtues: Mythic Cooperage (Major Supernatural), Guild Master, Great Strength x2, Improved Characteristics x2, Reserves of Strength, Warrior
Flaws: Ability Block (Academic), Dependent (fallen comrade's family), Fear (Drowning), Lame, Missing Ear, Overconfident (Major)

Personality Traits: Brave +2, Deliberate +1, Hardworking +3, Loyal +1

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Abilities:

  • Area Lore: Koblenz (merchants) 2
  • Area Lore: Poland (Silesia) 1
  • Area Lore: Speyer (craftsmen) 2
  • Athletics (marching) 2
  • Awareness (keeping watch) 2
  • Bargain (hard sell) 3
  • Brawl (scuffle) 4
  • Carouse (storytelling) 2
  • Charm (first impressions) 2
  • Chirurgy (bind wounds) 1
  • Craft: Cooper (wine barrels) 7
  • Folk Ken (townsfolk) 1
  • Language: French (Norman) 3
  • Language: High German (Swabian) 5
  • Language: West Slavonic (Polish) 2
  • Leadership (in the shop) 2
  • Organization Lore: Koblenz Cooper Guild (politics) 2
  • Single Weapon (military hammer/mace) 6
  • Stealth (hide) 1
  • Thrown Weapon (javelin) 3

Equipment: Military harhammer (mace), heather shield, partial chain mail, javelin, dagger, woodworking tools.

Combat:

  • Dodge: Init: 0, Attack --, Defense +3, Damage --
  • Fist: Init: 0, Attack +6***, Defense +4***, Damage +5
  • Dagger: Init: 0, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +8
  • Military hammer/mace & Heather Shield: Init: -1*, Attack +12, Defense +8*, Damage +13
  • Military harhammer/mace: Init: 0**, Attack +12, Defense +6**, Damage +13
  • Javelin (thrown): Init: -2*, Attack +8, Defense +3*, Damage +10

*Includes Burden penalty of 2 for encumbrance
**Includes Burden penalty of 1 for encumbrance (Load reduced by 2 without the shield)
***+1 for scuffle (non-lethal combat)

Soak: +8 (+2 without armor) Encumbrance: 2 (8)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: Light -1 (1-5), Medium -3 (6-10), Heavy -5 (11-15), Incapacitated (16-20), Dead (21+)

Mythic Cooperage (Major Supernatural Virtue)
You have a magical affinity with the craft of cooperage. You can imbue the barrels (or other items created using this craft, such as tubs, churns and buckets) with minor magical effects. These powers can work in three different ways.

First, you can improve the item itself. The bonus provided by Superior and Excellent Quality items is automatically increased by 1. This has no effect on how long it takes to craft the item.

Second, you can imbue an effect into the item that will affect its content. This can be an effect that preserve or improve the content (thus mostly Creo effects). The active effect only lasts as long as the content remains into the barrel and the barrel remains sound, although its consequences may be permanent. Thus, a wine aged within a barrel that improves its quality remains a high-quality wine even after it leaves the barrel, and flour kept fresh by a cask does not spoil immediately upon being taken out of it. The Ease Factor of such effects is 15 + (3 x effect magnitude). These items take twice as long to make.

Third, you can imbue an effect into the item that will transfer into the content, so that when the content is used the effect is activated. The transfer of the effect to the content is a long-term process, taking 1 season per magnitude. Once the item has imbued its content once, it loses any magical power. The Ease Factor of such effects is 15 + magnitude of the level (treating all effect as if they had Personal range). These effects cannot have a duration longer than a month and cannot use raw vis. These items take five times as long to make, and may require specific materials to create. These effects are essentially charged items, with 1 charge per gallon of the container.

The above Ease Factors are modified by the size of the item, and other factors, as follow:

  • Pin (4.5 gallons) 0
  • Firkin (9 gallons) +1
  • Kilderkin (18 gallons) +2
  • Barrel (36 gallons) +3
  • Hogshead (54 gallons) +5
  • Puncheon (72 gallons) +7
  • Butt (108 gallons) +9
  • Has imbued this effect before -3

An example would be an effect providing a +2 bonus to longevity of those who consume the wine contained in a barrel (requiring 1 gallon per month). This would be the equivalent to a level 10 effect. A pin (enough for 4 months) would be an Ease Factor of 17 and would take 2 weeks to craft.

Another example would be a barrel of grain that allows an animal to ignore the effects of Fatigue for a day. This would be a level 20 effect (Base 10, +2 Sun), so an Ease Factor of 19 for a pin (4 charges).

I've transfered pretty much all of the info from this thread to the wiki. All characters related to the covenant are listed and accessible from the covenant's page (under the "Inhabitants" section), while a broader list that includes characters from outside of the covenant is displayed in the Characters selection in the navigation menu to the left of the screen.

You can still detail additional specialists, grogs and covenfolks here and I'll transfer them to the wiki, or you can create them directly on the wiki (I suggest copy-paste-modify from existing pages).

very nice!

EDIT:
I'm fiddling a bit about with making a local noble for a companion.
Does anyone have any comment, suggestions for where such a character would be based or objections to the idea (in part or full)?
Please tell me if so.

I've added descriptions for the binder and illuminator on the wiki.

Will update the "table of content" of this post soon. Over the last few weeks I've added quite a few mundanes.

Didn't we discuss this somewhere. Something about him being a minor noble without much political/temporal power due to the bishopric? I can't find it, but I swear it was discussed.

He was discussed.
I'll provide a few more details when I have the time (unless someone else does so before then)

In the character discussion thread, starting here.