[Character Application] Lokisk (aka Swan)

Race, Looks & Personality
Name: Lokisk ("Swan")
Gender: Male
Place of Birth: Shorewich
Looks: Lokisk is an albino, although it's not immediately obvious as he tends to wear a hooded cloak at all times (in winter he wears a red cloak lined with white wool, which can be reversed if he's trying not to be seen amongst the snow). He has long white/blonde hair with a short beard. His eyes are, when clearly visible, crystal blue (oddly, within the darkness of his hood, they tend to look darker). His clothing beneath the cloak are typical dark green and brown leathers. On his right forearm he has rarely seen tattoos in the shape of swirling flames, that upon even closer inspection obscure a brand mark in the form of a stylised flame symbol.
Race: Human
Religion: The Mother, but close to embracing Pan.

General Information
Why are you in Port Town?
Lokisk rarely comes to the town itself, though he does occasionally have news to report to the Shoreguards (and may be one of the individuals who has sighted orcs to the south), or items to pick up from the town. The Yuletide festivities always remind him of his childhood, and whilst that brings happy memories it also reminds him of what he lost, and he rarely lingers for long.
What is your wealth level?
Basic. Lokisk mostly lives off the land, but supplements this with work for the Shoreguard and some of the more isolated inhabitants of the wilderness, delivering messages or goods.
Describe your current circumstances.
Lokisk hasn't seen anyone from his childhod for years, and is generally known as Swan nowadays. He lives in a small cabin in the Great Frozen Beyond, typically working as a messenger or ranger. People who've dealt with him before will often spot his signature red cloak through the snow from a distance, and so know to expect him. When not actively employed to deliver news or items he still enjoys travelling and exploring the wilderness, though he'll tend to keep off the roads and wear his cloak reversed, so as to better blend in with the snow. Lokisk is intensely curious about normal people, and how they live their lives, feeling forever marked as an outsider, and something of a freak, even if he has proved himself a useful one. His branding and tattoos were all inspired by symbolism tied to the Mother, but although Swan has followed that belief to a degree, to better understand the seasons and cycles, in more recent years he has had more dealing with followers of Pan.

Skills
Nature Lore (Basic)
Healing (non-magickal) (Basic)
Small Blades (signature weapon - knives) (Basic)
Tracking (Apprentice)
Navigation (Apprentice)
Survival (Journeyman)

Background
Lokisk was born in Shorewich thirty three years (and a half) years ago, child of a local barmaid and a sailor from lands unknown. Born an albino, and bullied for his appearance from a young age, he never had the support of a good family around him (an older brother, Marin, used to bully him). One summer, at the age of fifteen, he was picked on by some of the local kids whilst outside the town boundaries. They had been terrorising him for years but on this occasion Dirk, one of the older boys, decided that Lokisk was a freak in the eyes of the Father, certainly not worthy of becoming a real man, and would better serve the Mother, perhaps as a sacrifice. Some of the kids were reluctant to have Dirk cut Lokisk's throat but, after considering the options, he opted to 'purify' him with a brand in the shape of a flame.

When the other kids returned to town a severley traumatised Lokisk was rescued, from the side of the road, by Korell, a ranger of sorts who had witnessed the event from afar. Lokisk, feeling there was nothing really for him in Shorewich, stayed with the man out in the wilderness. He lived a simple life, living in keeping with teaching of the Mother with his appreciation of the seasons and the cycles, but in more practical terms he served as a warden in the wilderness, keeping an eye out for predators that ventured too close to the farms, or the occasional bandit or raider who encroached in the area. He taught Lokisk a little of his faith, helped him to recognise his strengths, and compensate for his weaknesses. At the same time he felt that Lokisk was perhaps safer away from prying eyes, and so he grew up in isolation, learning basic survival skills but having little to do with other people. It was Korell who first called Lokisk "Swan", and it was a name that Lokisk embraced to signify his leaving the past behind (although, in his mind, he is still Lokisk - the Swan is a mask that allows him to be someone other than that child the other kids used to taunt). It was also Korell who gave Lokisk his tattoos, to disguise the brand mark and to help him embrace the change, as much a phoenix as a swan.

When he was twenty one, Korell left the hut, and never returned. Lokisk has always assumed that he died somehow, as he had fully been expecting Korell to return from the town with supplies. For several days and nights Lokisk refused to leave the hut until hunger forced him to leave, to hunt for food. His first kill was messy, bloody, but Lokisk gave praise to the Mother for helping him catch his kill. Slowly Lokisk began to make the cabin his own.

Lokisk built a reputation for himself over the following ten years or so as the mysterious figure Swan. Slowly at first, as he was hesitant to talk with people. But, over time, he found that he had skills that he could offer others, that did not require lengthy conversation. He was physically fit, and keen-eyed (which Korell always considered something of a miracle considering his albino heritage). Mostly he does what he can to get by, to earn enough money to buy supplies he cannot hunt or forage for. He tends not to go out of his way to talk to people otherwise, but he has a dark simmering resentment for how he was treated as a child, and this sometimes finds release when dealing with bullies (conversely, he will sometimes take someone who is hurt or lost under his wing til he can get them to safety).

Lokisk rarely gets visitors (usually he is visiting others), but he has struck up an aquaintance with a follower of Pan who recognises him as an outsider, and subtly encourages him to think a little bigger. He has mostly been encouraging Lokisk along the path that explores art, as he has a lot of 'alone time' to dedicate to it (admittedly, his artwork owes a lot to his understanding of the Mother's teachings).

Indicate items of note you own.
Signature red cloak (hooded) with white wool on the reverse
Sturdy leather clothing (dark greens/browns) and well worn boots
Three knives, of different size (used for hunting)
Simple wooden jewellery (spiral and flame motifs)

Are you a veteran? Be aware you still need approval for your situation in this game. How did you survive the 10 yahren after the War of the One?
Not a veteran character. The War of the One was at a time when Lokisk was still young, and the past ten years or so have been spent in the wilderness (Lokisk knows precious little about the war itself, as he has had more pressing things to concern himself with, particularly since his mentor disappeared).

Hey Lokisk, nice sheet When you get approved let me know if you want to have a connection to Hex. They share some similarities in looks, where they live and what they are doing. Cheers

Same with Niamh - they are likely at least aware of each other by rumor, but if you have other thoughts let me know!

Cool. I'll wait for approval to run ideas past you. I figure your characters will probably know 'Swan' in some capacity, but he's not a man of many words (at least initially). He has limited experience of human contact, so forgive him if he starts off a little two dimensional. :-)

You are approved. Moving the sheet to the correct forum. Set your wealth at basic.

Cool.

Hex and Niamh, as my sheet has been approved without any amendment I'm happy to have had your characters have encountered Swan on the road, running an errand for someone (or you may have just passed the red hooded figure as he hurried in the opposite direction). Potentially he might have spoken to one of you (or both of you at separate times) at one destination or another, or picking up something at one of the markets.

Sounds good to me. Hex would have at least stopped and talked to you, even if just in passing. Cheers