AppearanceRace: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Birthday: 83rd of summer, 516 a.v
Birthplace: Ravok
Appearance: Standing at a clean 5’8” in height, Artigan is neither large nor small, thin nor muscled; he’s got enough strength to use in everyday life, but not quite enough to show through clothing. Dark-skinned and strong-featured with brown eyes, he has warm sort of attractiveness about him that lends well to socializing – made even more noticeable when he has the money to indulge in fine clothes and accessories. His hair is long, kept in thin dreadlocks that can be let loose or tied out of the way depending on his needs.
In terms of clothes and outward appearance, Artigan generally has two default states: professional, in which he is groomed, well-dressed and sociable, and working, in which he is a disheveled, roughly-dressed mess as he draws up and assembles the various trinkets demanded by his job.
Character ConceptCreative, passionate and a lover of people – a combination that some might think better suited to a musician or entertainer than a gadgeteer, but one that fits Artigan Crowley well.
Artigan is, at heart, a creature of curiosity. He desires to understand, but more than that, he desires to create; like a painter moving from canvas to canvas, Artigan seeks out potential in the world around him, through inventions, through conversation and through magic. Few things bring him more pride than making something new, especially if other people get to see it too. He is quite social, after all, and praise isn’t lost on him.
To a lesser extent, Artigan’s constant hunt for potential extends to people. He is quick to befriend anyone that can make him laugh, and he likes to help his friends when he can. His job sometimes introduces him to useful faces, and he'll introduce his friends to those faces if he thinks it will help – he likes to see good people move up in the world.
Artigan loves and worships Rhysol, as any good Ravokian does, although he prefers to display that devotion through action rather than prayer. Rhysol is the root and seed of the city and protects them from all harm, and Artigan will do what he can to help things along by reporting crimes, helping his neighbors and volunteering his skills if they are needed. He holds deep respect for members of the Black Sun and Ebonstryfe, and will make a point to thank them for their work if he happens to have a conversation with one.
Character HistoryGrowing up, Artigan’s life had its own unique blessings.
Born as the second child of three to two researchers, Artigan has always had close access to knowledge. His father, Aurellian Crowley, was a scientist at the Kelvic Research Institute, native to Ravok and with no experience or desire for anywhere else. His mother Lune Crowley, though technically a slave, had deep roots in the Institute of Higher Learning where she had spent a large portion of her life as a lab assistant. While their lives were not luxurious, they both had something equally valuable they could pass to their offspring: education.
Each of the three Crowley children respected knowledge in their own way. The eldest brother, quiet and serious, sought to emulate their father in every way and become a scientist at the KRI. The youngest sister found value in numbers, which she mastered and began using to understand business and mercantile. As for Artigan… there was some difficulty deciding.
His habit of daydreaming and idle scribbling made his progress a bit slower, but his mother noticed and rectified quickly. While she didn’t outright outlaw the two things, she did demand that they either leave the teaching area or be used constructively; if necessary, she would sit right next to him and monitor his work to make sure he remained focused. Though it frustrated him, Lune Crowley was not cruel; outside of lessons, when Artigan was allowed to draw and dream to his heart's content, his mother would always take time to praise his pictures and listen to his wandering thoughts.
Though Artigan had many thoughts in his head, a common thread among them was magic – world magic in particular, inspired by stories of his mother’s past work in the Institute of Higher Learning. He was, from an early age, fascinated by the idea of making things of power, and was completely attentive whenever he could wheedle a magic lesson out of his mother. Although happy that her son was taking such a keen interest in magic, Lune's knowledge was basic and could only take him so far; they were not a family of great wealth, and magic was an expensive craft.
By the age of thirteen, Artigan’s mother could no longer satisfy his curiosity. Armed with a keen memory and a willingness to work, he found employment as a scribe at the Owl’s Den. It left him literally surrounded with knowledge that he was not only allowed, but ordered to read and transcribe. The pay was pitiful, which was Artigan’s only obstacle; he loved his work, but he wanted to practice magic and a scribe’s wages were no path to that end.
And then, as if Rhysol had heard his dilemma, Derian Articai walked into the Owl’s den carrying a child’s toy that could move on its own.
Derian Artecai was a gadgeteer, old and childless but still spry and agreeable. He and the young Artigan took a liking to each other immediately. When Derian explained the workings of the little contraption he’d brought, Artigan paid attention and learned. After a few more visits to the Owl’s Den, a few more gadgets and a few more small lessons, Derian took Artigan on as an apprentice.
The following years were idyllic. Artigan had the creative mind mind necessary for a gadgeteer and the patience to back it up, but more than that, he had passion. The world had physical laws that could be used to make machines, almost a magic in its own right, and Artigan thrived.
Three years later, when Artigan was seventeen, his father passed away from sickness. Though the Crowley family was saddened, there was a quiet sort of pride; Aurellian Crowley had lived well, and his contributions to science had been significant. Though they were sad that he was gone, it went without question that he would have been happy with his life.
In the meantime, his will granted his wife her freedom, and his money and estate besides. Lune took it in stride, but decided to turn and leave the house to the oldest of the children, along with half of the inheritance. She wasn’t young anymore, and with her husband gone, all she wanted was to retire comfortably. That was exactly what she did.
Life settled quickly after that. Artigan’s brother was accepted as a researcher at the KRI, while his sister found work with the government where her talent with numbers would be well used. Artigan continued his growth under Derian, watching his mentor age and accepting that it wouldn’t be long before he lost him, too.
It happened two years later, when Artigan was nineteen. Both master and apprentice knew when the coughing came that it would be Derian’s last illness, but despite this, Derian remained stubbornly happy about his lot in life; he had few regrets and preferred Artigan be the same. As a final show of affection, the old gadgeteer finally gave Artigan the knowledge that had been driving the young man mad since the beginning: how to make creations move by themselves. There wasn’t much that could be taught in the short time they had left beyond the basic principles, but Artigan didn’t begrudge his mentor for it. On the final night of Derian’s life, Artigan sat by his bedside and debated hotly that a hole in the wall looked like a naked woman, and not a dancing rabbit as the old gadgeteer claimed. When morning came, Derian was gone with a smile on his face.
Artigan took care of the funeral and saw that the old man’s assets were entrusted to the Black Sun. A few weeks later, he made his mother and brother aware of his plans to move out. His mother offered to help find a suitable home, but Artigan refused; although gadgeteering wasn’t as expensive as magic, it still required too much investment to settle down immediately. Reassuring his remaining family that he would be fine on his own, Artigan gathered up the funds he had saved and left.
LanguageFluent Language: Common
Basic Language: Ancient Tongue
Poor Language: None
SkillsStarting package: 20 Alchemy, 10 Gadgeteering, 5 Animation, 5 Drawing, 5 Carpentry, 5 Metalsmithing. Racial bonus: 15 Magecraft.
Skill | Total | RB | SP | XP | Proficiency |
Alchemy | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 | Novice |
Magecraft | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | Novice |
Gadgeteering | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | Novice |
Animation | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Novice |
Drawing | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Novice |
Carpentry | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Novice |
Metalsmithing | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | Novice |
LoresMetalsmithing: how to make bronze
Ravok: City Layout
Possessions
possessions
white cotton shirt
black cotton pants
plain cotton undergarments
black wool coat
leather boots
waterskin
backpack
wooden comb
wooden brush
1lb soap
razor
1 week's rations
eating knife
fork
spoon
12oz cup
8" bowl
tea kettle
5lbs tea leaves
1pt honey
flint + steel
gadgeteer's kit
blank book
quill
1oz black ink
10 sticks of charcoal
100 candles
standing candle
199 gild mizas, 8 silver mizas, 2 copper mizas
ledger
item | transaction | remainder |
starting package | +100gm | 100gm |
housing cash in | +500gm | 600gm |
NHC apartment w/ balcony | -240gm | 360gm |
gadgeteer's kit | -150gm | 210gm |
leash | -1gm | 209gm |
book,blank | -3gm | 206gm |
quill | -5cm | 205.9.5gm |
1oz black ink | -1gm | 204.9.5gm |
charcoal, 10 sticks | -5cm | 204.9gm |
candles, 100 | -1gm | 203.9gm |
candle, standing | -2gm | 201.9gm |
12oz cup | -7cm | 201.8.3gm |
8" bowl | -4cm | 201.7.9gm |
fork | -1cm | 201.7.8gm |
spoon | -6cm | 201.7.2gm |
tea kettle | -8sm | 200.9.2gm |
5lbs tea leaves | -1gm | 199.9.2gm |
1pt honey | -1sm | 199.8.2gm |
3lbs salt | -4.8sm | 199.3.4gm |
1lb dried apples | -1gm | 198.3.4gm |
bread loaf | -2cm | 198.3.2gm |
cheese hunk | -1sm | 198.2.2gm |
spring wages | +728gm | 926.2.2 |
spring expenses | -135gm | 691.2.2 |
PC slave | -450gm | 141.2.2 |
linen shirt x2 | -4sm | 140.8.2 |
linen pants | -8sm | 140.0.2 |
linen undergarments x2 | -2gm | 138.0.2 |
wool jacket | -6sm | 137.4.2 |
wool scarf(fine wool) | -3sm | 137.1.2 |
bed(poor) | -1gm | 136.1.2 |
Heirloom: "Druva," female mixed breed dog – Imperial Watcher x Bozderon Shadow Dog (value: 45gm)
Artigan came across this dog on the streets of Ravok, born to a female shadow dog that had bred with one of the local guard hounds. Enamored with the strong, sleek look of the offspring, Artigan took one of the pups for himself before the rest were removed from the streets. Courtesy of those willing to train in exchange for coin, Druva is very well-behaved and responds well to basic commands. Although she doesn't know much beyond "sit," "stay" and "come here," Artigan loves her dearly and is quite proud of her.
HousingLocation: Ravok
House: NHC Balcony Apartment.
"They are uniform in size and contain the basic furnishings such as a bed, table, a couple of chairs, a small wardrobe, some shelves, a wash basin and a small iron brazier as well as a complimentary chamber pot. Lucky individuals or those who pay a little more, can attain a cubicle facing a canal which makes disposing of chamber pot waste easier and grants a person a small two-man balcony overlooking the canal."Thread List