Arlo Thistleknott, Kender Entertainer Arcane Trickster Rogue
Name: Arlo Thistleknot
Character Concept: Arlo is a melee rogue with some magical oomph. He serves as the skill monkey. His spellcasting supports his primary function as scout and stealthy character.
Race, Background, Subclass Class: Kender, Gambler, Arcane Trickster Rogue
Description: Arlo is a twenty-five-year-old male Kender. He typically wears his brown hair in a topknot (of which he is very proud); when it isn't tied up, it falls well past his shoulders. His clothing tends to change constantly, since he is constantly picking up or forgetting articles of clothing. However, he has done a great job of keeping up with his studded leather armor. His favorite colors are blue, green, and yellow, and many of his clothes are those colors. He had a wonderful pair of yellow boots, and they were great at keeping his feet dry. However, he misplaced them a few months ago. He hasn't given up looking for them. Maybe someone picked them up when he forgot them?
Arlo is cheerful, curious, and helpful, as all good Kender are. He keeps his pouches filled with interesting objects, and he likes to pick up things that people left behind so that he can give them back. Arlo can be forgetful, especially when it comes to his belongings. However, he does have a longer than average attention span for a Kender. He loves to make maps and study his spells. He's often disappointed that the Mages of High Sorcery he meets don't want to let him look at their spellbooks and rarely look at his. He is always happy to lend a friend a paperweight, interesting feather, or spell.
Origin: Arlo is from Kendermore in the Kenderwood.
Your Character’s Plothook: Arlo recently went on a trip to Hylo to see if his Uncle Trapspringer was there. Uncle Trapspringer wasn't, but Arlo met many cousins he didn't know he had. They're all looking for Uncle Trapspringer and have promised to keep in touch. Arlo was on his way home to Kendermore, but he is stuck in Kalaman because of the Dragon Armies. He narrowly avoided a draconian patrol that wanted to make him into a stew. Someone needs to do something about these bullies who are making life difficult for all the Kender, and everyone else, living in Ansalon.
Past is Prologue: Arlo was born in Kendermore to parents who had mostly finished their wanderlust. He had a happy childhood filled with brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles a mixed into a single loud, rambunctious family unit. The only sad part of his childhood was Arlo's Uncle Trapspringer. Uncle Trapspringer was clearly a beloved part of the family because everyone told stories about him. However, Arlo never met him, and no one else in his family remembered the last time they'd seen Uncle Trapspringer. While Uncle Trapspringer was clearly a very capable Kender, Arlo grew increasingly worried about him. Once everyone mostly agreed that Arlo was old enough and knew enough to embark on his own journeys, Arlo went in search of Uncle Trapspringer. Unfortunately, he has yet to find his uncle during his seven or eight years of wandering.
What Arlo did discover was magic. A few years ago, Arlo was passing through Solace, and a Mage of High Sorcery left her spellbook behind. (Arlo vehemently denies the wizard's accusations that he stole the spellbook.) Arlo knew that the wizard would want her spellbook back, so he kept it safe for her. He'd always wanted to read a spellbook, but wizards never let him, so Arlo did peak. The wizard didn't come back for her spellbook in the next three days, so Arlo decided to take it to her. He didn't know where she was going, but everyone knows the Mages of High Sorcery like the Tower of Wayreth. Arlo decied to take the spellbook there. He studied it along the way, and to his delight he learned to cast a few spells. Surprisingly, the Forest of Wayreth permitted him to find the Tower of High Sorcery. Once there, he returned the spellbook, demonstrated his magical prowess, and asked to take the Test of High Sorcery. The Conclave refused, noting that Kender were not allowed in the Tower of Wayreth, just as they were not allowed in the Great Library of Palanthas.
Arlo thought that was rude, but he wasn't going to let some stick-in-the-mud mages keep him from studying magic. He began to create his own spellbook, and he vowed to find another Tower of High Sorcery where he could take the test. The only other one he knew of was in Palanthas, so he traveled there. He never reached the Tower of Palanthas. While he isn't afraid of anything, the Shoikan Grove proved to be his match. Arlo couldn't make it through that haunted forest to the Tower, even though he certainly didn't run away in fear. He wouldn't do that!
Since then, Arlo has tried two more times to take the Test of High Sorcery at Wayreth. The mages aren't sure why the forest keeps letting him find the Tower of Wayreth, but it does. Par-Salian, the head of the Conclave, has kindly but sternly refused to let Arlo take the test both times. Arlo heard that there used to be a Tower of High Sorcery in Istar, so he tried to find it. Unfortunately, Istar wasn't on his map. He finally learned that Istar is now at the bottom of the Blood Sea. Sadly, Arlo has now conclusively proved to himself that he cannot breathe underwater, despite considerable effort to teach himself how. Arlo realized he'd forgotten all about his dear Uncle Trapspringer and decided to take a break from his studies to visit Hylo. Unfortunately, Uncle Trapspringer wasn't there either, so he decided to head back to Kendermore to visit his family. It seems as if the way east in blocked by some bullies calling themselves the Dragon Armies, so Arlo is stuck in Kalaman for now.
Truths, Rumors, and Lies:
- [True Rumor] Arlo is friends with the wizard Par-Salian. "Friends" might be overstating their relationship, but Arlo certainly thinks of Par-Salian as his friend. Par-Salian views Arlo with amusement. He enjoyed all three of his conversations with Arlo, even if he would never let a Kender into the Tower of Wayreth.
- [False Rumor] Arlo found the Greygem of Gargath. When Arlo found his lucky stone, which is grey and shaped a bit like an ear, he briefly believed that it must be the Greygem. He even told a few of his cousins, which is likely how the rumor started. Arlo has reluctantly admitted to himself that he isn't the owner of the Greygem, although he would like to be. Instead, his lucky stone is a Stone of Good Luck.
- [True and False Rumor] Arlo defaced a wizard's spellbook. Technically, this is true. Arlo took copious notes in the spellbook he found to help him understand the magical writing. These notes did make the spellbook unusable for its original owner, but Arlo maintains that his emendations improved the value of the spellbook.
Include at least two of the following in your application:
Deity: Branchala. The Song of Life doesn't expect you to do all your worshipping in a temple. You can worship Branchala by smelling the roses or singing a song or giving someone a really nice present. Plus, Branchala likes Kender, and not all of the other gods do.
Is Might Right? No! People shouldn't be able to boss everyone else around just because they're bigger and stronger. Leadership should be shared, because you never know who will have the best idea. Everyone deserves to make their own decisions and to do what they think is best.
Music. The Moon and the Seven Stars. I imagine this is what Kender music sounds like.
Wings that Cross Time. This hopeful, driving theme represents Arlo's personality to me. It's bubbly and upbeat, but there's depths beneath that surface as well.