I've been playing Dungeons&Dragons on and off since 1982 or so. In the last game I was in, the Dungeon Master, George, didn't want us to just have a bunch of numbers on a paper by way of characters. He wanted us to have a history written for the character as well. I was going through some papers today I found my character's history. It's Sebastian, a gay elven duelist.
Once, there was a traveling sideshow, a circus if you will. It had acrobats, illusionists, strong men, clowns, strange and exotic animals and creatures. It traveled all over the countryside, year round, entertaining poeple wherever it stopped, whether small hamlet or nation's capitol.
One day, outside the wagon of the show's owner and his wife, a pleasant plump couple known as Vern and Alice, there was discovered an Elven baby, just days old. The child was wrapped in a blanket and in a baket. No parents could be found, there weren't any Elven settlements nearby. They hadn't seen Elves up close before, and were anxious around the child. And since they were a supersitituous people, the strange and unexplained manner of the baby's appearance worried them. Vern feared for the chiled's safety if it were to be left in the village. Since he and Alice has no children of their own, they took the Elven baby in, as their own. They amed him after Alice's father: Sebastian.
Sebastian grew up around the performers in the show. He was well liked by the show's members. He worked around the show, mostly in a go-fer capacity. But he was agile and dexterous, and he enjoyed the tumblers and acrobats the most. The boy was with the show for barely 8 years when he joine the acrobats' act, despite his young age. With his abilities, love of attention and natural charisma, he was a corwd pleaser. Sebastian loved his circus life.
As is with elves, he aged much slower than humans. So his friends and family began to grow old and retire or die. Even Vern and Alice. But for each performer a new one joined. And the side show continued. Some of the newer performers knew some...less savory skills. It was from one of these that Sebastian, always wanting to learn something new, got to know how to pick pockets. It was a lucrative side ventur. He worked the crowds sometimes that were watching them. But he soon realized he was jeopardizing his livelihood, so he quit doing it generally. He still used it though to impress friends or small groups.
Eventually, through death and retirement, the only person Sebastian really knew well was an aged gnome illusionist, Gnar. He was working the sideshow because, even though he was still an impressive illusionist, his age precluded him from his first love, adventuring. Gnar would regale Sebastian with tales of his younger years, adventuring with this or that party, and the monsters and treasure he had seen. Sebastian was fascinated. After a tim, with heavy heart, he bid goodbye to the sideshow, and Gnar, and struck out on his own as an adventurer.
His first several years were as a rogue, using his abilities learned in the circus to help a few parties of adventurers. Once, they crossed paths with a duelist of extraordinary dexterity, skill and swordsmanship. Sebastian was hooked. He bought himself a rapier and practiced relentlessly with ts. Then he struck out again, joining a few groups as a resident fighter.
He never stayed with one group terribly long. His wanderlust itched at him, and he craved new things, excitement and fun, and he would travel somewhere new and join another group. Eventually, to his delight, he became skilled enough to specialize in just being a duelist. And as such, he still travels the countryside, where ever he can find fun and excitement.
Back with the circus, when he was younger, Sebastian realized he was sexually attracted to men, not women. He neithr hid this fact, nor wore it on his sleeve. His friends and family knew, but made no big deal out of it. Traveling as they had, they had seen many different things, this was just another of them. In his adventuring exploits, he generally has kept this fact secret, not that he's ashamed, but just out of the realization that most of society is not as enlightened as the sideshow people. He knows what is expected of people of his class, sohe enjoys flirting with attractive females when he meets them but he doesnt pursue the issue. And of those women that pursue him, he backs off gently, saying he must protect their virtue or reputations or something of the kind. Frequently, it just makes the women want him more. By keeping his secret, however, Sebastian is by no means celebate. Nearly every center of civilization he's been to, he's been able to find a stable boy, squire, farm hand, artisan or foppish dandy that he can enthrall with his tales of daring-do, and befrend, and eventually coax into his ned for the night. And of course, Sebastian is gone come morning. He is a rogue, a rake, after all.
Sebastian is very laid back about things He has a thick skin and doesn't react impulsively to insults, verbal attacks or challenges. Generally, he views himself as a about all that, better than that. He is first and foremost a fun seeker. If he's bored or if something's dull, he has no qualms about letting others know it's boring and dull. While he enjoys combat, he does it for the fun. He's not combat crazy. He does not crave battle and charge into it without thought. It's no fun to lose, and even less to die. But he does enjoy a good parry and feint.
Sebastian is not an especially religious elf. The worship of Fharlanghn and Olidammara were chiefly the performers' chosen deities. When necessary, Sebastian has been heard to utter and oath to Fharlanghn before something particularly challening.
And there you have it.
POLT
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