Marten Thorn
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Name: Marten ThornAge: 27
Race: Human
Date of Birth: 79th Vhalar 690
Marks: Velduris (Lore, Approval)
Factions Joined: None
Languages Spoken:
Fluent: Common
Conversational: None
Broken: Xanthea
Appearance
Marten is of an average height at 5"7, composed of wiry muscle. The most striking feature of his face is his pair of bright green wolf eyes, a symbol of the fact that he is part of Karem's pack. The hair on both his head and chin is dull brown though his head is starting to show flecks of grey. His mouth rarely lifts into a smile, and he rarely deviates from his usual impassive expression. On the rare occasions he does show his teeth, usually when enraged, Marten's set of fangs are revealed.
Marten is nearly always accompanied by his wolf familiar, Elias. Elias is slightly larger than a regular wolf, with a heavy coat of black fur.
Personality
Marten is a man who enjoys solitude, happy to spend time alone for hours upon end. Often he can be found humming to himself while he carves small pieces of wood into the shape of animals. When interacting with others he is efficient with his words, rarely speaking more than he needs to. This often leads to people thinking he is sullen, whereas in truth he is just a serious person not fond of extravagance. Occasionally his dry sense of humour will float to the surface, usually accompanied by a small smile, but this only tends to happen among those he knows well. He approaches situations cautiously, not prone to rash or impulsive decisions. This means he can appear indecisive, but when a quick decision needs to be made he will do so.
Marten is a moral person, but puts the most worth on those within his community. Strangers are also treated with caution until he has a good read on them. He will usually only go out of his way to help complete strangers if they are in dire need, but has a soft spot for children. Marten's opinion of most people changes very slowly once it's formed. Although slow to friendship, once such a bond has formed Marten is fiercely loyal, protecting the interests of those close to him as if they were his own. Those who help contribute to the community earn his trust much faster than those who act entirely for their own good. Those marked by Karem or Moseke are also held in high regard, unless they do something that he seriously disagrees with. Pointless killing, of both animals and people, is one of the few things that raises his anger; which once stoked burns furiously. Arrogance and selfishness are traits that annoy him and once Marten has decided that he does not like someone, it is difficult for them to change his opinions.
Marten's general philosophy on life is a simple product of where he was brought up: Take only what is needed, waste as little as possible. Those who act in a manner not in line with this philosophy are sure to earn his disdain.
History
Marten grew up in the city of Desnind, surrounded by nature. His mother was a bowyer, making powerful bows for the multitude of hunters that inhabit Desnind. His father was a woodcarver, making pretty furniture and sculptures. Marten tried his hand at both as he was growing up, wishing to emulate his parents, but he found that he was not particularly skilled at either. Once he was old enough, he was taken out into the surrounding area to learn to hunt. He took to it quickly, showing a natural aptitude for the bow. He grew up worshipping Moseke,
as do nearly all who originate in Desnind. These ideals shaped his personality, his view on life, and the way he conducted himself while hunting.
In his early twenties, Marten went travelling for several arcs. He crossed the ocean to Ne'haer, then spent time travelling between the cities on the Western continent. He soon discovered that much of the rest of the world had very different views from the people of Desnind, some people even hunting for sport; something Marten struggled to comprehend. He made his living hunting, learning to survive out in the wild as he travelled between cities. It was during this time that Marten met Karem. Marten freed a wolf who had suffered at the hands of a cruel human, and so was granted the mark of Velduris. Although many of the new experiences were exciting, he longed to return home to Desnind and so headed back by boat. He had learnt much during his travels, but it was with relief that he found himself among the trees of his home city.
While he had been away, his father had passed away from a sudden illness. Understandably saddened, Marten's memories of his travels are tinted with pain, often wishing that he could have spent that time with his father instead. This pain has dulled over the past arc, but now he often spends his free time carving wood. It makes him feel like he is connecting with his father, and occasionally provokes bittersweet memories.
Marten now spends his time living a simple life, with no particular desire to leave Desnind again. He brings in food for the city, stalking through the Makubwa Lori in search of prey. If required, he is ready to protect his home from any who seek to harm it.
Housing
Marten lives in a 400 square foot tree-house. Inside there is one bed, two chairs, one table, two knives, a set of six plates (assorted), one chest, two heavy fur blankets, and a green Iyọ lamp. Sitting on the table is a rough carving of a wolf, which he acquired when he returned to Desnind.