A A R O N || S I D E L
"Iâll never be in chains again."
"Iâll never be in chains again."
P H Y S I C A L I T Y
Appearance
Hair: Aaron has dark brown hair that falls right past his chin and just barely touches his shoulders. It seems to always be straight and neat, though he swears it is not because of any personal upkeep.
Facial Hair: Though he has yet to grow a full beard, Aaron is often seen with enough wisps of hair on his face to show that he has the potential. Depending on the situation he will be more or less clean shaven.
Eyes: Dark and deep brown eyes that more than one casual onlooked has drowned in.
Build: Not particularly large in overall size, Aaron hides lean muscles and fast reflexes behind his seemingly thin arms and often baggy clothes. Both a combination of a life of poor nutrition and genes, he has never been able to put on bulk and instead just becomes more and more of a secret powerhouse.
Skin Tone: He has a notable tan, not quite dark enough to be a farmer but certainly someone who is not a noble. Aaron is rather proud of the so-called âexoticâ look that his skin gives him.
Height: A rather respectable 6â 0â
Weight: Just over 180 pounds, not including armor or weaponry.
Voice: Aaron has a deep but soft voice that rarely is raised in anything but joy and laughter.
Handed: Naturally right handed, he is competent with his left.
Body Markings: Aaron has his former masterâs seal burned onto his left side. He keeps it perpetually covered with a cloth underneath his usual clothes. If asked, he changes the subject. Few people have ever seen it.
Scar Tissue: Various scars mark his body; after all, he was once a gladiator and no one escapes that realm untouched. None, however, are fairly notable for any given reason.
Unique Body Features: None.
Name
Aaron Sidel
Nickname
Air (a shortened version of his full name, few people feel comfortable or bold enough to call him that)
Title
The Slave Mercenary
Race
Human
Visual Age
26/27
Factual Age
26
Gender
Male
Sexual Orientation
Homosexual
Mage Ranking
Noram
Class
Former Slave, Mercenary
M E N T A L I T Y
Personality
Aaron is fun. Simple, really, when put that way. He enjoys being able to relax and not have to worry, finding entertainment wherever his travels may take him, and he isnât shy about inviting ahem company along with him. It doesnât even have to be elaborate: he is simple to please. Just some good food and atmosphere and heâll be laughing and joking around with the best of them. Suddenly a stranger who just walked into your inn is your best friend. Thatâs Aaron.
And he knows it. He plays up his charm, his good looks, the fact that he can read situations so damn well, and has people eating out of his hand. Aaron wouldnât call himself manipulative of course, because thatâs such a negative word, but he certainly knows how to play a crowd. The way he sees it, nobody really doesnât anything against their will. He just knows the right way to encourage people, thatâs all.
Loose morals have never really hurt anyone too much, Aaron has long since decided, and it isnât like he goes around killing children or anything. Which, if he were to be completely honest with himself, heâd probably do if paid enough. But thatâs not really a topic of conversation to have over a pint of ale so it rarely comes up⊠then again, in the mercenary business, well, everyone has done something theyâd rather not talk about.
It probably helps that Aaron is willing to do whatever it takes to further his own goals. He could be called single-minded, but he much prefers the term dedicated. And yes, he is most certainly dedicated to seeing his former master dead at his feet. Isnât that what every slave wants?
Moral Alignment
Chaotic Neutral
Motivation
He wants the rebellion to succeed only as far as to kill his former master. Otherwise heâll work for the highest bidder and the person most likely to further his own goals. Donât ever say Aaron doesnât have priorities.
Fears
Enclosed Spaces; Aaron was kept in an underground cell for the majority of his life, so it makes sense that he isnât a huge fan of similar places anymore. Even particularly small rooms can cause him to start to panic, heart beating just a bit faster and palms growing just a bit slicker.
Chains/Bondage; Similarly, he feels sick even looking at a fellow human in chains. Though he understands that some people, such as criminals, deserve their fate, others make him want to run his sword through the nearest noble. Aaronâs been able to control the urge so far.
Drowning; Memories from when he was first being trained, as his former master put it, still haunt Aaron in his sleep and one of the most prevalent is the sensation of being repeatedly held underwater for some disobedience. While he can swim rather well, he really doesnât enjoy putting his head (or any part of his body) under a liquid unless itâs for good reason.
Likes
Money; What can he say, heâs a sucker for anything thatâs shiny. But really, Aaron has a huge soft spot for coin. He knows how important it is and heâs all too willing to fall into the category of yet another human whoâs willing to let an object rule his life. Or, rather, multiple small objects.
Weapons; Say what you will of it, but Aaron just doesnât feel comfortable without at least a dagger in his boot and his sword in his hands. He even sleeps with his weapons. They are reliable and wonât let him down in a tight situation; he would know. And, well, that simple fact makes them better than a lot of people heâs known.
Music; Aaron might seem like a hardened mercenary, but he really does have a bit of culture in him. He enjoys the simple pleasure of a local bard just as much as the more elegant court musicians that heâs heard while on various jobs. Essentially anything with a tune to carry is, if you would, music to his ears.
Dislikes
Nobels; In all honesty, there is no group Aaron hates more than those born in positions of power. He does not trust them and he rarely respects them. Fear? Perhaps. But nothing else.
Noise; Interestingly enough, Aaron abhors unnecessary noise. A marketplace full of chatter is one thing, but a house full of babbling maids is another. While he can appreciate the gossip for the easy information it provides, thatâs about the end of his pleasure.
Strengths
Willpower; Aaron is nothing if not determined and stubborn when he makes his mind up. That being said, often times his decisions are motivated by money which means they can be changed just as easily⊠but when something else is the deciding factor, well, good luck stopping him.
Charismatic; Heâs an incredibly likeable fellow and he knows it. Aaron is more than willing to play up every and any aspect about himself, physical or otherwise, in order to secure a job or finish it on time. And, as is apt to happen, if a job goes south⊠well, he can always lie his ass off and hope to get away with some semblance of a good reputation.
Patient; Despite what one may think, Aaron can actually be infinitely patient if he has a goal in mind. By far the hardest part for him is actually having a reason not to charge headfirst into a situation, but when given enough of an explanation then he is willing to wait for however long it takes.
Weaknesses
Emotional; It is important, however, to note that Aaron is a being ruled strongly be his emotions. While he has mostly trained himself out of it, he still has flashes of anger, passion, sorrow, and happiness like just about everyone else. It is not easy, per se, but it is possible to catch him off guard or throw him off his balance by surprising him or playing with his emotions.
Uneducated; As a slave for most of his life, Aaron hasnât exactly received quality schooling. While he certainly has tried to teach himself, he still is sorely lacking in anything other than physical skill.
Magic; Aaron has never displayed even the smallest amount of talent for magic, nor has he ever faced it in any combat situation. He really would like to keep it that way.
Is your character literate? In what languages?
Aaron only knows how to read the minimum of human/common, in that he is able to read most contracts and knows when heâs being paid enough. Otherwise his skills in this category are sorely lacking.
Aaron is fun. Simple, really, when put that way. He enjoys being able to relax and not have to worry, finding entertainment wherever his travels may take him, and he isnât shy about inviting ahem company along with him. It doesnât even have to be elaborate: he is simple to please. Just some good food and atmosphere and heâll be laughing and joking around with the best of them. Suddenly a stranger who just walked into your inn is your best friend. Thatâs Aaron.
And he knows it. He plays up his charm, his good looks, the fact that he can read situations so damn well, and has people eating out of his hand. Aaron wouldnât call himself manipulative of course, because thatâs such a negative word, but he certainly knows how to play a crowd. The way he sees it, nobody really doesnât anything against their will. He just knows the right way to encourage people, thatâs all.
Loose morals have never really hurt anyone too much, Aaron has long since decided, and it isnât like he goes around killing children or anything. Which, if he were to be completely honest with himself, heâd probably do if paid enough. But thatâs not really a topic of conversation to have over a pint of ale so it rarely comes up⊠then again, in the mercenary business, well, everyone has done something theyâd rather not talk about.
It probably helps that Aaron is willing to do whatever it takes to further his own goals. He could be called single-minded, but he much prefers the term dedicated. And yes, he is most certainly dedicated to seeing his former master dead at his feet. Isnât that what every slave wants?
Moral Alignment
Chaotic Neutral
Motivation
He wants the rebellion to succeed only as far as to kill his former master. Otherwise heâll work for the highest bidder and the person most likely to further his own goals. Donât ever say Aaron doesnât have priorities.
Fears
Enclosed Spaces; Aaron was kept in an underground cell for the majority of his life, so it makes sense that he isnât a huge fan of similar places anymore. Even particularly small rooms can cause him to start to panic, heart beating just a bit faster and palms growing just a bit slicker.
Chains/Bondage; Similarly, he feels sick even looking at a fellow human in chains. Though he understands that some people, such as criminals, deserve their fate, others make him want to run his sword through the nearest noble. Aaronâs been able to control the urge so far.
Drowning; Memories from when he was first being trained, as his former master put it, still haunt Aaron in his sleep and one of the most prevalent is the sensation of being repeatedly held underwater for some disobedience. While he can swim rather well, he really doesnât enjoy putting his head (or any part of his body) under a liquid unless itâs for good reason.
Likes
Money; What can he say, heâs a sucker for anything thatâs shiny. But really, Aaron has a huge soft spot for coin. He knows how important it is and heâs all too willing to fall into the category of yet another human whoâs willing to let an object rule his life. Or, rather, multiple small objects.
Weapons; Say what you will of it, but Aaron just doesnât feel comfortable without at least a dagger in his boot and his sword in his hands. He even sleeps with his weapons. They are reliable and wonât let him down in a tight situation; he would know. And, well, that simple fact makes them better than a lot of people heâs known.
Music; Aaron might seem like a hardened mercenary, but he really does have a bit of culture in him. He enjoys the simple pleasure of a local bard just as much as the more elegant court musicians that heâs heard while on various jobs. Essentially anything with a tune to carry is, if you would, music to his ears.
Dislikes
Nobels; In all honesty, there is no group Aaron hates more than those born in positions of power. He does not trust them and he rarely respects them. Fear? Perhaps. But nothing else.
Noise; Interestingly enough, Aaron abhors unnecessary noise. A marketplace full of chatter is one thing, but a house full of babbling maids is another. While he can appreciate the gossip for the easy information it provides, thatâs about the end of his pleasure.
Strengths
Willpower; Aaron is nothing if not determined and stubborn when he makes his mind up. That being said, often times his decisions are motivated by money which means they can be changed just as easily⊠but when something else is the deciding factor, well, good luck stopping him.
Charismatic; Heâs an incredibly likeable fellow and he knows it. Aaron is more than willing to play up every and any aspect about himself, physical or otherwise, in order to secure a job or finish it on time. And, as is apt to happen, if a job goes south⊠well, he can always lie his ass off and hope to get away with some semblance of a good reputation.
Patient; Despite what one may think, Aaron can actually be infinitely patient if he has a goal in mind. By far the hardest part for him is actually having a reason not to charge headfirst into a situation, but when given enough of an explanation then he is willing to wait for however long it takes.
Weaknesses
Emotional; It is important, however, to note that Aaron is a being ruled strongly be his emotions. While he has mostly trained himself out of it, he still has flashes of anger, passion, sorrow, and happiness like just about everyone else. It is not easy, per se, but it is possible to catch him off guard or throw him off his balance by surprising him or playing with his emotions.
Uneducated; As a slave for most of his life, Aaron hasnât exactly received quality schooling. While he certainly has tried to teach himself, he still is sorely lacking in anything other than physical skill.
Magic; Aaron has never displayed even the smallest amount of talent for magic, nor has he ever faced it in any combat situation. He really would like to keep it that way.
Is your character literate? In what languages?
Aaron only knows how to read the minimum of human/common, in that he is able to read most contracts and knows when heâs being paid enough. Otherwise his skills in this category are sorely lacking.
C O M B A T || P R O W E S S
Rating System
[Perfect] - [Excellent] - [Good] - [Above Average] - [Average] - [Below Average] - [Poor] - [Very Poor]
[Perfect] - [Excellent] - [Good] - [Above Average] - [Average] - [Below Average] - [Poor] - [Very Poor]
Combativeness
Hand-to-Hand Combat: Excellent. After almost a decade in the Pits, Aaron is pretty damn good at fighting with his hands. He doesnât hold back and he isnât above fighting dirty.
Melee Combat: Good. Though he uses mainly swords he does know how to swing an axe and heâs handled spears before. Aaron is familiar with most melee weapons and the general strategies behind them.
Ranged Combat: Above Average. Not his specialty in the Pits, since killing from a distance wasnât considered enough of a source of entertainment, but he can use throwing knives and heâs tried using bows before. Heâd prefer melee weapons though.
Magic Combat: Very Poor. Aaron has literally no skill with magic, having never been exposed to it before.
Mounted Combat: Poor. Though he has since learned how to ride a horse that doesnât mean he likes fighting on them. The fact that he has to focus on controlling another being and using his weapons is what really throws him off.
Class Skills
Tough: Aaron has had more injuries than anyone his age reasonably should have and he can handle a lot nowadays.
Pain Tolerance: There really isnât much that can be thrown at him that is worse than what heâs already gone through; Aaron is incredibly confident in his ability to outlast any torture. That being said, he isnât about to test this theory.
Liar: After years and years of being a slave and later becoming a mercenary, Aaron has developed quite a talent for lying and getting away with it. Essentially itâs second nature to him.
Spells/Powers
None
Racial Abilities
Adaptable: Whether itâs from his years in the Pits or just sheer natural talent, Aaron has always been particularly good at changing things up and just rolling with whatever life happens to throw at him.
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E Q U I P M E N T
Items
Aaron tends to carry around his weapons, a pack of food, a few bandages, and a purse of coins. He doesnât really need much else; he gets his employers to pay for the rest.
Accessories
Weapon
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Longsword
Material: Steel
Ammo: N/A
Length: Five feet long
Weight: Roughly four pounds
Weapon Description/Info: A typical steel blade with a leather hilt. He cares for it dearly.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Rapier
Material: Steel
Ammo: N/A
Length: About five feet long
Weight: Roughly three pounds
Weapon Description/Info: Aaronâs more specialized sword for when he needs to blend in with higher class crowds.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Dagger
Material: Steel
Ammo: N/A
Length: Four inches
Weight: Just under a pound
Weapon Description/Info: A plain dagger kept at his belt.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Dagger
Material: Iron
Ammo: N/A
Length: Four inches
Weight: About a pound
Weapon Description/Info: A plain dagger kept at his belt.
Weapon Name: N/A
Weapon Type: Throwing Knives
Material: Steel
Ammo: Three knives
Length: Four inches each
Weight: About two pounds
Weapon Description/Info: Aaron keeps three on him at any given time. Thereâs one on each hip and a third hidden in his boot.
B A C K G R O U N D
Group Affiliation
Currently? Whoever is the highest bidder.
Marital Status
Unmarried
Relatives
Aaron assumes all of his past relations are dead; even if they arenât, he doesnât remember their names.
Origin
A small town in what is now Dorelith, known as Lacma.
Social Rank
Mercenary/Former Slave
Occupation
Mercenary
Bio/History
Aaron was not born into slavery, unlike many of the people he would come to know as companions and, in some ways, allies. As a child he was happy, at least if his vague memories are anything to go by. He can sometimes close his eyes and hear a womanâs laugh and a man singing, though the tune is lost to time. On other occasions he can feel the warmth of late summerâs sun striking his back or shoots of corn under his palms. But those are all distant images and feelings, almost as if he is watching someone elseâs life and not his own.
What he does remember is fire. The blistering heat enveloping him, the smoke curling around and threatening to choke him, the sound of his sobs coming out of his body as he shook from fear. Aaron doesnât remember why, but he imagines that it had something to do with the Queenâs armies coming to his town and burning down where they thought rebels were. He does remember the feeling of chains around his neck, wrists, and ankles for the first time in his life. He will always be able to remember.
He was seven when he was taken from his home, along with ten other boys and teenagers from his town, by a slave master named Helios. The man separated his new found slaves by build and age. Aaron, who was tall even then, was put into a category for physical labor. However, for better or for worse, his master saw something in Aaron and began to train him as a gladiator to fight.
The first creature Aaron ever killed was a goat. He snapped its neck with his bare hands. As a reward he was allowed to sleep with only his ankles chained and he got a bit of extra food. Aaron soon learned that if he did what the master wanted him to, no matter what it was, then he would be given things to make life a little more bearable. So he did what made sense: he fought and killed and he grew up learning the best way to hold a sword and the fastest way to escape from a headlock. Aaron wasnât a particularly strong fighter, but he was clever and he was quick and he learned things faster than others his age. Above all else, though, he lived.
Aaron can recount the details of his experiences, the torture of having his head shoved in a bucket of water over and over and over again until his tears and screams threatened to drown him more than the people holding him down, the way his heart grew numb after every tentative friend was killed in fights for some faceless rich manâs entertainment, the fact that he could easily be taller and larger if not for the fact that he never ate a full meal in the first twenty years of his life⊠Yes, Aaron could tell anyone what it was like to be a slave but he prefers not to. He doesnât need to remember it and he doesnât think itâs important. Itâs in the past. All that matters is the now.
Of course he also wants to keep secrets of his escape to himself. He doesnât want to talk about how he managed to seduce a rival of Helios, another slave owner who had his eyes on Aaron for more than just another gladiator. And he definitely doesnât want to talk about how he was able to kill the other man with a dagger hidden in his clothes, stole the money and weapons off the body, and was out of the city before his escape was even noticed. He was twenty two years old.
It was hard and he had to rely on his wits and the fact that people were willing to look away for a little bit of incentive in order to make his way around. Aaron may have remained goalless, wandering around the continent with only the barest idea of what to do with his life, except he saw a poster offering a large reward for anyone able to track down a certain criminal and bring him to justice. After that? Well, Aaron knew he had a specific set of skills and if he had to use them to make moneyâŠ
Why not?
