[Characters] Tulius Kaddren

[Thamewolf]

 

Name: Tulius Kaddren
Gender: Male
Age: 18

Alignment: LN? (He has little respect for authority, as his background shows, but he has a strong personal code of honorable combat such that when he fights someone, they will know he is there and be able to defend themselves. Once the fight has begun, however, if they cannot keep hold of their weapon or anticipate his tricks, that is their problem. His honor requires only that fights begin equal in terms of readiness)

Race: Human (Chelaxian/Varisian mix)
Campaign Trait: Alabaster Outcast. Serpent Runner.
Class: Fighter (Buckler Duelist archetype)

Appearance: Tulius, like the others in his immediate branch of the Kaddren family, takes more after the Chelaxian part of the bloodline than the Varisian. As such, he has pale skin, eyes such a dark brown they are almost black, and hair the color of a raven. He has medium-length hair that he often keeps pulled back out of his face in a ponytail. Before a fight, he would always put it into a top-knot. Less to get ahold of. For similar reasons, though he does not make the effort to stay clean-shaven, he keeps his beard short. He regularly gets hold of it and cuts it with a knife a short distance from the skin. His flesh bears no scars, as his only fights have been in the arena, thus he was never so far from a cleric as to not be healed before scars could form. Some might call him handsome, in a rugged sort of way, though he is far from captivating in his appearance. He often wears an armored coat of excellent quality, which has the Kaddren crest expertly embroidered into the back (as well as on a smaller patch on the front). With somewhat cheaper craftsmanship, Tulius has arranged two red serpents (similar to the cindersnake totem of the Sklar-Quah Shoanti, and also evoking the Serpent's Run) crossing like swords over the crest in both locations, something he thought would be fitting for his own house in exile. He carries a well-made buckler and a wicked-looking falcata with him.

Background: Tulius Kaddren--the name evokes respect, even fear, within the city of Magnimar. Well, the surname anyway. Tulius is a man of noble blood, the Kaddrens being one of the founding families of the city, and he was raised in the lush surroundings of the Kaddren Villa in the Alabaster district. Perhaps these surroundings were also in some way responsible for Tulius's current position as exile of said noble house. But then, perhaps the problem has always been within him.

The path to Tulius's fall from the family's graces began innocently enough. The Kaddren Villa is close enough to the Serpent's Run that as a boy he would often hear the fighting and cheers from the family garden, and he made his way to see the events as often as he could. What he most loved were the gladiatorial combats, especially those between the fierce Shoanti warriors, and he became irrevocably obsessed with the idea of becoming a gladiator himself. If he had been born an Indros or a Derexhi, this might not have been a problem, the love of combat soon channeled to Family interests. But alas, Tulius was born a Kaddren, and Kaddren are to love knowledge and magic, not combat.

Tulius was expected, like all Kaddrens, to travel abroad to a prestigious magic school, there to gain knowledge and bring it back to the family. What he did was quite far from expected. After refusing to leave, he went a step further, joining up with gladiatorial events in the Serpent's Run. He did not join the Decathlon, to which all noble families contribute, nor even the respected monthly combat held by city watch. Tulius started with the lowly events, training and competing alongside the likes of commoners and Shoanti--a disgrace. In response, he was declared exiled from his family. Whether this was permanent, or simply a brief attempt to teach him a lesson, it has most certainly become permanent now.

As Tulius garnered more and more victories, he became arrogant and boastful (despite the fact that he was winning in the lower classes of events). He began to openly mock his family during the events. This, they would not stand, particularly not his spiteful elder brother Zaneric, who despite his relative lack of talent still towed the family line. The events could not be fixed, that would draw the investigation of Jorston Droaeb, who runs Serpent's Run with a fair hand. But it was arranged so that he had no fights to win. Opponents would mysteriously drop out, events would be cancelled. Tulius's brother all but told him they were behind it, and he was humbled. Though he briefly considered trying backalley fights in less reputable parts of town, Tulius realized that just as he would never find happiness with his family, he would never find his true calling in the arena. That was when he joined the Pathfinders. He now has a sense of greater purpose in addition to his obsession with the glory of honorable combat.

 

Tulius has always had a complicated relationship with his noble heritage. In many respects, he always had more of an admiration for so-called "savages" and "commoners" than for his own class. Due to his childhood love of gladiatorial combat, he has a deep admiration for the Shoanti people. In fact, Shoanti is his second language, since he had some of the servants' children teach it to him when he was a boy so that he could understand what the Shoanti gladiators were saying to each other in the arena. During his brief stint in the Serpent's Run, Tulius even managed to befriend a few of the Shoanti, bridging a gap of deep distrust and even hatred between the two races.

At the same time, before his exile Tulius would never shy away from using his family's wealth and influence for his own desires, joys, and comforts. Even after the exile, he continued using the name to influence others when convenient, though since his latest encounter with his brother he now does so only if he feels it to be the best option. As someone who enjoys both the company of the common folk and the luxury of nobility, Tulius can simultaneously feel at home in both worlds, yet belong to neither.

 

Zeldania Kaddren- Mother. Though not born to the Kaddren family, she fit in perfectly. A brilliant wizard, she excelled (some would say even above Tulius's father). Unfortunately, she was often absent, and so was not much of an influence on either of her children, apart from selecting their tutor, a fellow Varisian. She is now likely permanently absent, as she was on the same vanished expedition with current house matriarch Zimandi Kaddren's parents.
Gellicus Kaddren- Father. Gellicus is brilliant, if largely withdrawn from the world, obsessed with his work studying the outer planes from a distance. He set high standards for his sons, but was not attentive enough to guide them, nor to notice Tulius straying from his standards. Gellicus is so caught up in his work he doesn't even notice how mediocre a wizard Zaneric is, trusting his "good son" to manage the affairs of his branch of the house. He signed off on Tulius's exile, with disgust for what a failure Tulius had become to follow the ways of their house, but he does not dwell on it.
Zaneric Kaddren- Elder Brother. Zaneric, despite his lacking talent, always wanted very badly to rise in status within the house. Because of this, he was at first pleased by Tulius's diversions, as it meant less competition for him. Recently, he has taken the opportunity to further ingratiate himself by "defending" his family against the shame of Tulius's mockery, manipulating his brother's exile.
Zuntano- Tutor. An elderly man hired by Tulius's mother to educate her sons. He is a knowledgeable man and a good teacher, and he did the best he could with the boys. Zuntano still lives, though he is quite old, and his position in the household is diminished now that the boys have come of age and Zeldania has vanished.
Akrun- Childhood Companion. Child of one of the Shoanti servants, Akrun taught Tulius the Shoanti language. They were not truly friends, and Tulius lost track of the boy in his teens, but remembers him fondly.
Jorston "Axetongue" Droaeb- Though Tulius knows he's probably just one face among many that came through the arena to Jorston, Tulius will never forget the old dwarf, nor the opportunities he gave.
Belchedi- The first Shoanti gladiator to accept Tulius. Being the only gladiator in Magnimar of the Shiikirri-Quah (the Hawk Clan that deals most diplomatically with outsiders) this was to be expected. Belchedi was of a higher class of fighters, there to train newcomers. He is learned in combat styles from many different cultures, and it was Belchedi who chose the falcata and buckler style to suit Tulius's skills. Belchedi has moved on, traveling, and Tulius does not know where he was bound.
Hafrar and Belgrev- Fellow gladiators, and brothers hailing from the Sklar-Quah (the Sun Clan, most vicious and xenophobic). They hated Tulius at first, hated everything about him. Yet by the end, he had earned their respect. And after Tulius risked life to intervene when they were outnumbered in a fight stumbling back from a tavern in Underbridge, they called him brother. It was the proudest moment of Tulius's life to that point. (Up to DM to decide whether they are still around and what role, if any, they might play)

 

Tulius is enjoying an afternoon in the Bazaar of Sails, leaning over to inspect a new belt he's thinking about purchasing, when he feels a yank at the cord around his neck. The following relief of tension tells him it's been cut. He curses, spinning, his dark eyes scanning the crowd and locating the young cutpurse running away as his hands reach to his neck to what he knows will not be there. When he was cast out of his family, they told him he could no longer wear the Kaddren signet ring. He had taken it off, but in defiance had pocketed it instead of giving it back, later putting it on a cord around his neck to remind him of where he's been. There it has remained, until now.

I'm either exceptionally quick today, or he's new at this... Tulius thinks as he easily corners the youth in an alleyway. There the thief stands, mid-teens probably, but still man enough to put up a fight, dagger still clutched in one hand and the cord from the signet ring in the other. He seems to be looking all around as though hoping for something to get him out of this. Tulius unsheathes his wicked-looking falcata as he approaches. "I don't think you want to fight me, boy" The moment Tulius closes distance, the cutpurse drops the dagger. Tulius smiles. "That's better. Now open that fist and give me back my property. NOW!" He grabs the youth's collar and stares him in the eye. "Do you know who I am? I am Tulius Kaddren!"

The cutpurse looks away, then holds his hand up with open palm to reveal the ring, but just as quickly it flies from his hand, floating away from Tulius. "No you're not!" calls a nearby voice, dripping with venom, "You are Tulius the arrogant bastard of no house and no allegiance." Recognizing the voice, Tulius turns to see his brother Zaneric leaning in an open doorway, snatching the ring from the air. The two always looked quite similar, all told, save that Zaneric had a full beard and kept his hair loose, while Tulius had a rough shave and kept his jet black hair tied back out of his eyes.

"Hello brother." Tulius says coldly. He picks up the whelp of a cutpurse by the scruff and shoves him back out of the alley before turning to face his sibling.

"I'm not your brother, Tulius. You've dishonored the family in public, remember? Fighting alongside those Shoanti dogs and mocking us afterwards. You're no longer one of us." The two brothers stare, coal black eyes locked in anger.

"I have more honor than you'll ever have, Zaneric." Tulius replies, spitting on the ground. "So tell me, now that you've found the Pathfinders more difficult to bribe than gladiatorial contestants, have you arranged all this to lure me here and kill me?"

Zaneric's face is a mixture of disgust and annoyance. "I wouldn't lower myself, Tulius. I just thought it was time I took back the signet of our family from the likes of you."

Tulius tightens his grip on his falcata for a moment then relaxes as he sheathes it. "Take it then. I have no use for it. I'll go beyond the likes of you all on my own." He turns to leave the alley, but pauses, looking over his shoulder to meet his brother's gaze. "You know Zaneric, neither of us is fit for the Kaddren name. I simply had the courage to admit it."

 

I'm going to list how I was trained in each skill I have training here for character background purposes (and occasionally for my own use later)
Acrobatics- Watching and training with other fighters in the arena taught him this.
Intimidate- Tulius learned quickly that one does not impress the Shoanti through flowery words, but bold challenges followed by action if needed.
Knowledge Engineering- The only tutored subject Tulius really paid much attention to, on account of his tutor, Zuntano, using military examples.
Knowledge Dungeoneering- Listening to tales of ruffians and adventurers in taverns or in the arena taught him a thing or two.
Knowledge Local- Tulius loved to explore the city, even beyond the Alabaster district, and he also admired the local Shoanti people
Knowledge Nobility- Born to the Kaddren family, he absorbed this knowledge despite his intentions.

Common: His first language
Shoanti: At a young age he made one of the Shoanti servants' boys teach him so he could understand more of what was said in the arena
Varisian: His tutor, Zuntano, a Varisian, taught him this as part of his studies, quite frustrated that he was more interested in Shoanti and learned it first.

Personality: Tulius is clever, inquisitive, and often arrogant. Standing alone, those qualities would seem to make him fit quite nicely with his family of mages. However, all of that was channeled at an early age towards other pursuits (his family would say lower pursuits)--combat, the arena, the culture and tales of the "lower" castes of the city. Even without such passions, he isn't as intelligent as most of the Kaddren family (though truth be told neither is his brother), though he remains smarter than the average person. Despite his intelligence, he doesn't always think things through in the long term, and sometimes makes brash decisions. He can be quite serious when it comes to honor or combat, and especially when the two meet. Yet, he also likes to have a good time, to drink and celebrate and enjoy what comforts he can.

Likes: Combat techniques (whether the exercising or the viewing of), Shoanti culture, glory in battle, fine wine and food, women, lively, boisterous people

Dislikes: Studying subjects he finds boring (anything unlikely to help him in battle or help him enjoy himself), being chided for his decisions or pursuits, trickery and treachery (except in combat, where tricks and misdirection are a valid technique, the expert use of which should be respected), cowardice

Quirks: His passion for Shoanti culture and gladiatorial combat influenced his life in an unusually strong way, enough to be considered a quirk, his resistance to learning certain things even though he has far more than the base mental capacity required to do so, his arrogance (while humbled from what it once was) is still something he struggles with

Phobias: Tulius has no phobias in the common sense of the word, although you might say he has a fear of failure. If he personally sets out to do something and fails he takes it harder than many.