Wait...what?
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Name: Silas "Sil" Corby
Age: 20
Height and Weight: 159 cm (about 5'2"), 52 kg (about 115 pounds)
Personality:
In a sentence: Silas is so clever he is stupid.
He may seem simple due to his love of laughter and penchant for reckless behavior, but he has a sharp mind and an intuitive knowledge of how things work. Many brush him off because of his childish, curious nature, and they regret it. This silly little man has more than a few nasty tricks up his sleeve, including, but not restricted to: Trip-wire traps that cover you in paint, Oils to make you slip on perfectly stable ground, powders to make you smell like a skunk ( or roses, for the gruff gentlemen) and liquids to make you pass gas for hours, should it be slipped into your mead- and those are the nice ones he uses on friends.
For all of his craftiness, Silas is not always the most observant. He frequently gets caught up in the moment, or wrapped up in the discovery of some shiny new object. This does not mean, however, that he cannot wrest his attention span under control long enough to have a serious discussion or battle.
Brief Biography:
About twenty years ago, a handsome, rugged blacksmith was wandering through the marketplace when the sweet sounds of a lute reached his ears. Following the melodic plucking, he found himself staring at the most perfect woman he had ever seen- a Romani dressed in bright patterns, perched on the edge of the communal well. Intricate tattoos graced her hands, trailing geometric patterns up her forearms. It was love at first sight. Gentle words were exchanged in low voices, all but drowned out by the dulcet tones of the lute. That night, the blacksmith laid the gypsy woman on his bed... Oh, but you wanted Silas's story.
From this probably far less romantic meeting, Silas was conceived. His mother stuck around for a few years, but a town is no place for a transient Romani. Thus, Sil was left with his father, who raised him to be a blacksmith as well. This was all fine and dandy until Silas was about eleven, when he started to make some friends who were not so upstanding. Being the naive boy he was, Sil was easily duped into committing petty crimes with the young band of ruffians. Being small and light on his feet, he was perfect for slipping through windows. His nimble fingers were quick to train as well, and he soon was adept at lock-picking. He thought is was all great fun, despite knowing he was breaking he law.
One evening, Silas's "friends" were targeting the workshop of a local alchemist, one who concocted tinctures and oils for the ails of the little folk. After deftly popping the hinge on the window, he slipped inside. The goal was to get in, get out and split the goods
(oil of slipperiness, good for pranks)- simple. Except, when he righted himself, he found two aged brown eyes staring at him.
That is how he met is good friend Herbert. Herbert was patient, kind, and had a good sense of humor. Knowing full well the intended uses for the oil, The old alchemist gave Sil a bottle of it, as well as a jar of technicolor powder. That was enough to pique the teen's interest in the art of manipulating magic substances. While this interest did not stop Silas from continuing to steal for a year or two, it did make the process a lot more fun.
Now an adult, Silas has four years of alchemical training under his belt, plenty of practice with contraptions and locks, as well as some weapons training and smithing skills. Nearly a year ago, he set out from home, much to his father's chagrin, to become an adventurer. Surely someone has use of his varied skills.
Do they know magic:
Not technically. He is quite fond of playing with magical substances, but cannot cast any magic missiles (not that he doesn't want to, of course.
Pew pew).
Weapons:
He typically dual-wields a short sword and dagger, but is very adept at using a sling, which is one of his preferred methods of doling out potions and powders. Speaking of, he keeps everything from liquid fog, to poisons, to garlic powder in various vials, packets and (his patented) clay baubles. His talent with a blade is limited, and as such, he would much prefer to pelt his opponents with a concoction or toss down a smokescreen and make a hasty exit. It should be noted, however, that his dagger is a custom weapon. While it looks fairly plain, it actually has a hollow in the hilt, and a small channel that allows liquids to flow down the blade. This makes it overall a weaker weapon, but with the right tincture, one swift strike is all you need.
Skills/Powers:
Thieving skills- Silas is adept at finding ways into places. He can pick most locks, fiddle with hinges and is small enough to slip through narrow gaps. He also has a good eye for traps, and can disarm most any common style. Along with this, he has a fondness of creating his own traps. It should be noted, however, that while he has these skills, he rarely uses them now, as he has not needed to rely on them for some time.
Alchemy- Silas has a travel chest filled with bottles, jars and parcels full of varied mundane and magical powders and liquids, as well as the tools needed to mix them. He keeps a few of his favoured concoctions on his belt, and can easily mix both healing and harming tinctures, provided he has a stable working surface and access to a flame.
Common concoctions- [spoili]
Offensive:
Night-night!- This mix can be in either powder or liquid form. As a powder, it forms a fine mist that covers a three to five-foot area, depending on humidity and other conditions. Once inhaled, most man-sized or smaller creatures are slumbering peacefully within five minutes. Sluggishness sets in within one minute. As a liquid, it can be slipped into drinks and cause the same effects in roughly the same amount of time. It may take longer to effect larger men.
Bless you- This particularly nasty powder is his most simple: finely ground dried garlic. It causes nearly any creature to start coughing, sneezing and weeping as the strong herb assaults their senses. It's effects are immediate, and last for hours as the victim cries the powder out of their mucus membranes. Causes temporary blindness of both the eyes and nose. Those subjected to this also taste garlic for days. Does not go well with cake.
Alchemist's Fire- This slick, bright green liquid ignites upon contact with air. With a long burn-time and the likelihood of it clinging to anything it splashes on, this oil is quite dangerous. Particularly effective when thrown at an enemy's feet. (Burns for up to an hour, longer if there is sufficient airflow.)
Big Boom- One of his more devastating devices, this is what one could consider a true "bomb". Rather than simply being thrown, this wood casing has a cotton wick that must be lit. After you do so, throw and run. Blast radius depends on the size of the bomb. He typically makes them on the smaller side (blast radius of about twenty feet). He uses these as a last resort and only ever has three at a time, as making them requires a clean, level work space and quite a bit of time.
Posions- While some may disapprove of their use, Silas finds these rather indispensable for combat against strong opponents. He has four types he concocts: Neurotoxin (Causes the inflicted to feel a burning pain and have muscle spasms for up to one full day), paralyzing (causes the inflicted to loose all of their strength and control of their limbs for one to three hours), stone (causes the inflicted to go rigid unable to move their body for up to thirty minutes), and tranquilizing (causes the inflicted to become sluggish and/or pass out for up to two hours). He keeps these toxins in small wax cartridges, which are to be inserted into the hilt of his dagger.
Defensive:
Oil of Slipperiness- This is a classic, and the first thing Silas learned how to make. This oil takes weeks to dry, and is tough to remove from clothing. It also does not absorb readily into most surfaces, making it a rather useful substance for long battles or trapping a corridor. When a vial of it is smashed upon the ground, it creates a slick that can cover up to six feet in diameter, depending on the texture and slant of the surface.
Liquid Smoke- This dark liquid simply creates a thick mist when it comes in contact with the air. The obscuring screen can cover up to twenty or thirty feet, but is susceptible to forces such as a light breeze. Dissipates over the course of roughly ten to fifteen minutes, less in windy conditions.
Flash Pellet- When thrown or struck sharply, these small bead-like explosives create a blinding flash in a roughly ten-foot radius. Blindness effects all who did not cover their eyes for up to five minutes, more if the surroundings were/are dark.
Boom Sticks- These small, hollowed out sticks are not exactly dangerous, but can sting if they break on your skin. When thrown sharply, they break open with a very loud crack. Causes ears to ring for less than a minute, unless used around a being with enhanced hearing.
Bark Skin- This strange, slightly gritty salve is used to toughen the skin. Once applied, it must be given half an hour to fully absorb. Once it has, the one using it is more resistant to minor damages. It is particularly effective against negating burns.
Healing:
Just a flesh wound- A healing salve meant for minor injuries such as shallow cuts, scrapes and bruises.
Priest in a bottle- A healing salve for more serious injuries, such as arrow holes, sword wounds and warts.
Liquid stitches- If all else fails, this sticky goo will hold your guts in until a real healer comes along. Great stuff if you don't mind smelling like a pine tree.
If you can't stand the heat...- A salve meant specifically for burns. Silas uses this one a lot.
Oops- This tincture may taste foul, but it could save your life. One ounce of this mix can stop the effects of mild poisons and slow the effects of stronger ones.
Misc:
Alchemic Acid- used to reduce metals and stones into a usable liquid by simply dropping them into a vial of the acid. Can also be used to melt most metals and stone if a decent quantity is poured directly onto them. Harmless to any other substance. ( It tastes terrible, by the way.)
Glow Powder- A slightly sticky, resin-like dust that glows faintly when agitated by touch or heat.
Freeze Powder- A granulated powder that looks quite like salt. A sprinkle of this can freeze a cubic foot of liquid with just a few stirs. Any liquid begins to defrost after about half an hour, depending on conditions. Other uses include drastically reducing the burn time of Alchemist's Flame and giving someone frostbite.
Titan's Glue- This waxy goop is the ultimate glue. If properly applied, the bond it creates cannot be broken by any physical means.
Ultimate Solvent- This thin oil is the opposite of Titan's Glue, and is one of the only things that can safely unbind whatever was glued.
[/spoili] Starting concoctions:
Night, night!, Bless you, Neurotoxin poison, Oil of slipperiness, Liquid Smoke, Just a flesh wound, If you can't stand the heat..., Oops, Alchemic Acid and Glow Powder.
Combat- Silas prefers to use his trusty leather sling to deliver annoying and harmful blows to foes (ha. rhyming). For liquids, he crafts wooden shells lined with wax. When they strike a solid object, they burst along a center split, splattering the contents on anything near. For powders, he makes casings out of fine clay and ash, which shatter upon impact. These can be particularly devastating, as many of the powders agitate the lungs and eyes, effectively disabling an opponent. Of course, he also has his dagger, which uses liquid-filled wax cartridges to deliver poisons with the push of a button.
Physical capabilities- Though he lacks physical strength, Sil is quite agile and acrobatic. He is good at tumbling, jumping and climbing, and has a strong sense of balance for when a task requires steady footing. Much of these skills are due to the man's inability to simply sit still.
