Sample Character - Clovis

NAME: Clovis

AGE: 30

SHADOW OF ORIGIN: Blythe
Blythe is a Shadow at the heart of the Enclaves. A place of beauty and tranquility, with formal ceremonial. Valuable in trade, it has long been looked at covetously by Karadon.

SEX: Male (but really, his answer to this would be … as frequently as possible)

HEIGHT: 6' 2

WEIGHT: 180 lbs

HAIR: Dark auburn, thick curls

EYES: Hazel

APPEARANCE: a lithe fighter's body. Very athletic, often giving the impression that he has too much energy to contain within his form.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY / ETC:
Clovis, like his twin sister, did not have a very good start in the Enclaves. Born and raised in Shadow, they were ten years old (in Karadon terms … in terms of the Shadow they were raised in, they appeared to be in their late teens) when they were seized by the Lord of Shadows and brought to Karadon to be held as to be held as sureties for their father's good behaviour. Thus, from the beginning, Karadon was less their home than their prison - one that was luxurious, and where they were treated royally … but, nonetheless, as royal hostages. This has, inevitably coloured their view of life.

No-one knows what they think about their captivity - they very swiftly learned that to mention this at all might lead to a terrifying explosion of wrath from one of the Rulers. So they learned to keep their thoughts on this - and on other matters - to themselves. Of course, they do have each other … and no-one should forget that the twins stick together - even if they have different amusements and friends in Karadon.

A word for Clovis might be "flamboyant". He has wit, charm and grace - whether on the dance floor or in the fencing ring. He is a skilled. However, he appears to do it by natural talent … for no-one ever sees Clovis lift a blade to practise his skill. He is excellent company - witty and amusing. He has a beautiful singing voice too - rich, mellow and seductive. And therein lies the rub.

Simply to class Clovis as gay is to seriously under-estimate his sexuality. Clovis takes lovers of both sexes - as and when he pleases. He has a cheerful hedonism with regard to love and romance (and one night stands) that has proved surprisingly popular … although not necessarily with his fellow courtiers in Karadon. Indeed, some suspect that Clovis takes pleasure in being deliberately outrageous.

SKILLS:
Primary: Swordfighting. Clovis is devastatingly good with any form of blade. In extremis, he can snatch up a poker and defend himself pretty competently with that.

Secondary: Agility. To some extent this goes along with the fighting - as Clovis favours a fairly flamboyant style (although he can be fast and ruthless too). But he can also climb trees, the sides of buidlings, or any other obstacle he is presented with.

Tertiary: Musician. Clovis has an attractive singing voice - and can accompany himself competently on a wide range of instruments including (but not exclusively) lyre, guitar, piano, tabor and drum, shawm, bagpipes, glockenspiel - and a strange Shadow instrument called a cantelouvre.

ELEMENT:
Fire - Pyromancy

ELEMENTALS:

1. Fist of Flame: Engulfs the fist (or anything held in the fist) in flames. Useful as torchlight or to make a flaming weapon.

2. Passion's Flame: Makes the target feel a rising lust for someone or something of the player's choice

3. Fire burst: Creates an explosion of light and sound

4. Tale of the Ashes: Lets the player see what the ashes s/he touch originally were, and how and when the object was burned.

5. Fire Reach: Able to reach a hand in to the heart of a fire

DISADVANTAGE:
Clovis is subject to fits of black depression, which leave him almost suicidal. In addition, he can be almost criminally reckless.

HOPES AND FEARS:
Clovis quite passionately wants revenge on those who captured him and his twin. Anyone who has made them suffer will be made to suffer ten times as much. Oh yes.

EQUIPMENT:
Clovis has all the equipment that might be expected of a young nobleman in Karadon. Everything, however, has been supplied by those he sees as his enemies.

Most important to him of all are his swords, won as prizes in competitions.

He also carries his cantelouvre.

Return to How to Create a Character

If you are interested, this is how Clovis looks in a conventional Amber game:

STATISTICS

POWERS

Psyche 10
Endurance 7
Strength 20
Warfare 57

Pattern 50
Power Words 10
Attunement To Jewel 10

ARTEFACTS / CREATURES

Brand's key 5
Pattern Blade - Primal Damage (Creatures of Chaos) (16 points) The scabbard is a deep black, intricately traced with a design that reminds one of a spiderweb glistening with dew. The hilt is a mix of a strange dark metal curling around an opalescent surface, akin to mother of pearl. Light ripples across the blade, like watered silk. A bright shining metal that seems to hold rainbows of light within its very depths. The edges look razor sharp and there is a faint whispering sound as it is pulled from the scabbard, like a breeze through spring trees.

PERSONAL SHADOWS

Shadow - Ashbury 1 (control of content) 2

ALLIES

Amber Devotees
Brand 6
Delwin 6

Chaos Devotee
Richard 4

Amber Friend
Genevieve 2
Bleys 2

Court of the White Flame Friend
Shadoania 2

Point set aside for allies - 18

GOOD STUFF 1
POINTS POOLED 0

DESCRIPTION / BACKGROUND

Parent: Brand
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 180 lbs
Hair: Dark auburn
Eyes: Hazel
Colors: Dark grey and cerise
Personal Shadow: Ashbury (Think Haight-Asbury and the Castro in San Francisco 1976-1980. The time of Harvey Milk and Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City - in other words, pre-AIDS, hedonistic, tolerant)

What Is He Known For?

A word for Clovis might be flamboyant . He has wit, charm and grace - whether on the dance floor or in the fencing ring. He is a skilled fencer - and Bleys' favourite student. However, he appears to do it by natural talent for no-one ever sees Clovis lift a blade to practise his skill. He is excellent company - witty and amusing. He has a beautiful singing voice too - rich, mellow and seductive. And therein lies the rub.

Simply to class Clovis as gay is to seriously under-estimate his sexuality. Clovis takes lovers of both sexes - as and when he pleases. He has a cheerful hedonism with regard to love and romance (and one night stands) that has proved surprisingly popular & although not necessarily with his fellow Amberites. Indeed, some suspect that Clovis takes pleasure in being deliberately outrageous.

Return to How to Create a Character