Arytiss Hexler, from The Multiverse, a roleplay on RPG

"Ary or Aury" for short, Arytiss Hexler is a mischievous, cowardly, and back-stabbing kobold that is "in it to win it," by any means necessary (and usually doesn't think twice about killing his "friends" if it means more loot).
Arytiss claims to have thought of his own, clever name (it translates to something impressive in Draconic) to replace the shackles of his Tribe's, small-minded naming-convention. (Seriously, another thief was known as Pick-Lock, a surface-droller known as Axe-Chop ((he was good with firewood)), a mage named Shock-Hand, A scout named See-Far, and a guard name Stab-Good) ((Then again, in Draconic they were really cool names, but in "common" or "english" they were just utterly...lame))
(By the way: His name is pronounced "are-E-tiss" or "are-A-tiss." He's said "Are-eh-tiss" before, too. Either pronunciation is fine with him, unless he's talking to a gnome, who will always mispronounce his name, even if s/he gets it right)

Kobolds are short, reptilian humanoids with cowardly and sadistic tendencies.
A kobold’s scaly skin ranges from dark rusty brown to a rusty black color. It has glowing red eyes. Its tail is nonprehensile. Kobolds wear ragged clothing, favoring red and orange. A kobold is 2 to 2-1/2 feet tall and weighs 35 to 45 pounds. Kobolds speak Draconic with a voice that sounds like that of a yapping dog.

In particular, Arytiss's scales (which are barely more protective then, say, human skin) are a dark, rusty, deep brown/black, with no strips or spots. His "snout" is full of sharp (but small) teeth, and his eyes a murderous red. He stands at four and a half feet, and pretty much looks like the social norm (save his "charming appearance"...A large Ego isn't always listed as a bad thing)
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(Race Notes):
Detect Magical Items (Su): A kobold's senses are more aware of magic and it’s properties. If a Kobold gets within 10 feet of a magical item, she knows that it is magical. However, she does not know how powerful it is, what school it is from, or even were it is.
Higher Dexterity but lower strength and fortitude then the typical human.
After generations of living as subterranean miners, Kobolds are very skilled in the arts of Geography (when it comes to determining rock types or good mining locations), their mischievous, cowardly, and paranoid nature has made them very experienced with crafting traps (especially ones that mostly revolve around rock and metal trappings), and their greedy nature makes them prized for their appraisal and searching/filching abilities.
They retain color vision and can see both in the dark and in the light, but bright lights or spells hurt their eyes.
Arytiss speaks Draconic, "Common," and English (and knows a few curses/swears/remarks in Gnome)
As they have "Draconic Blood," (Kobolds are actually considered a "subrace" of dragons) spell-casting is said to come naturally to them. Magicians are rarely a minority group among Kobolds.
In an one-on-one, "fair" fight between a human and kobold, they are considered "about average." Kobolds may be able to run or dodge blows for a while, but they more quickly tire and cannot punch as hard.
Some say their hind-legs are made for jumping, but really they are better for scampering or climbing.
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Arytiss has "Deft Hands" and is known as a proficient sneak. He can steal the shirt off a man and rob him blind (quite literally). Unfortunately, Wing City was much less of a "jackpot" location then it was a true challenge (which he doesn't like. He'd much rather steal something with no effort then have the satisfaction of a "job well done" from, say, a Bank Heist). His combat style is, typically, drop an illusion or distraction before flanking the enemy and stabbing them in the back, pelvis, loins, knees, or other, in-reach areas.
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(Folklore):
The kobold (or kobolt) is a sprite stemming from Germanic mythology and surviving into modern times in German folklore. Although usually invisible, a kobold can materialise in the form of an animal, fire, a human being, and a mundane object. The most common depictions of kobolds show them as humanlike figures the size of small children. Kobolds who live in human homes wear the clothing of peasants; those who live in mines are hunched and ugly; and kobolds who live on ships smoke pipes and wear sailor clothing.

Legends tell of three major types of kobolds. Most commonly, the creatures are house spirits of ambivalent nature; while they sometimes perform domestic chores, they play malicious tricks if insulted or neglected. Famous kobolds of this type include King Goldemar, Heinzelmann, Hödekin. In some regions, kobolds are known by local names, such as the Galgenmännlein of southern Germany and the Heinzelmännchen of Cologne. Another type of kobold haunts underground places, such as mines. The name of the element cobalt comes from the creature's name, because medieval miners blamed the sprite for the poisonous and troublesome nature of the typical arsenical ores of this metal (cobaltite and smaltite) which polluted other mined elements. A third kind of kobold, the Klabautermann, lives aboard ships and helps sailors.

Kobold beliefs are evidence of the survival of pagan customs after the Christianisation of Germany. Belief in kobolds dates to at least the 13th century, when German peasants carved kobold effigies for their homes. Such pagan practices may have derived from beliefs in the mischievous kobalos of ancient Greece, the household lares and penates of ancient Rome, or native German beliefs in a similar room spirits called kofewalt (whose name is a possible root word of the modern kobold). Kobold beliefs mirror legends of similar creatures in other regions of Europe, and scholars have argued that the names of creatures such as goblins and kabouters derive from the same roots as kobold. This may indicate a common origin for these creatures, or it may represent cultural borrowings and influences of European peoples upon one another. Similarly, subterranean kobolds may share their origins with creatures such as gnomes and dwarves and the aquatic Klabautermann with similar water spirits.

Almost none of this is true! At least, not as far as the kind of Kobold that Arytiss is. He's a "fantasy race" not a folklore monster or savant. His personality reflects off of the stereotypes and superstitions, but most relation from each other stop there. Most kobolds are greedy miners that stand for their tribe. The "tribe" that a kobold is in more-so counts as a "person" for being selfish. They will sacrifice anything that someone else has (unless they really want it) if it means furthering the tribe's goals. If a kobold miner is hurt while working, they usually aren't reprimanded. There is some excuse and they keep making. If they intentionally get hurt to make sure that their mining work continues, they get great praise. If they die to further a Tribe's goals or for mining, they are celebrated and special ceremonies are held by the priests and priestesses.

It is said that the word "cobalt" comes from "Kobold." The "spirits" would put cobalt in the rocks of mines of miners when they were angry, disguising the poisonous and toxin-filled ore as copper.

Grimm has provided one of the earlier and more commonly accepted etymologies for kobold, tracing the word's origin through the Latin cobalus to the Greek koba'los, meaning "rogue". The change to the word-final -olt is a feature of the German language used for monsters and supernatural beings. Variants of kobold appear as early as the 13th century. The words goblin and gobelin, rendered in Medieval Latin as gobelinus, may in fact derive from the word kobold or from kofewalt. Related terms occur in Dutch, such as kabout, kabot, and kabotermanneken. Citing this evidence, British antiquarian Charles Hardwick has argued that the house kobold and similar creatures, such as the Scottish bogie, French goblin, and English Puck, all descend from the Greek kobaloi, creatures "whose sole delite consists in perplexing the human race, and evoking those harmless terrors that constantly hover round the minds of the timid." In keeping with Grimm's definition, the kobaloi were spirits invoked by rogues.

We were about to sit down to tea when Mdlle. Gronin called our attention to the steady light, round, and about the size of a cheese plate, which appeared suddenly on the wall of the little garden directly opposite the door of the hut in which we sat.
Before any of us could rise to examine it, four more lights appeared almost simultaneously, about the same shape, and varying only in size. Surrounding each one was the dim outline of a small human figure, black and grotesque, more like a little image carved out of black shining wood, than anything else I can liken them to. Dorothea kissed her hands to these dreadful little shapes, and Michael bowed with great reverence. As for me and my companions, we were so awe-struck yet amused at these comical shapes, that we could not move or speak until they themselves seemed to flit about in a sort of wavering dance, and then vanish, one by one. -Journal entry of an European Scholar
Why Reveal yourself when you can be revered as a god by the common-folk?

Alright, this part has some credibility... (Kobolds love playing "tricks" on people, especially painful ones on taller races or Gnomes. Kobolds HATE Gnomes)
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(Role Playing notes):
Race: Kobold
Type: Humanoid(Reptilian)
Subtype: Dragon-blood or subdragon
Classes: Sorcerer (Rather then "study magic" or use "book magic," Sorcerers are the kind that seem to get spells naturally, by virtue of having Dragonblood somewhere along their line of heritage. They aren't as "proficient" in the ways of magic as a "book wizard" is, but they don't have to spend hours toiling over their spellbooks, studying and practicing), Rogue (not just thieves, but also scouts, assassins, or hard-working people that have picked up a few tricks), Fighter (...duh)
Size: Small
+1 Defense/Amor (scales)
+2 Climb, Profession(miner), Craft(trapmaking)
Detect Magic (See above)
+4 dexterity, -4 strength, -2 constitution
Light Blindness: Bright sunlight or spells (such a "daylight" or other, light-creation spells) daze him.
-to be worked on later-
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(The rest is mostly character art. This image best portrays what I had in mind for his appearance as far as legs and cranial structure. I.E., dog-legged, no horns))

Salamander shall kindle,
Writhe nymph of the wave,
In air sylph shall dwindle,
And Kobold shall slave.
Who doth ignore
The primal Four,
Nor knows aright
Their use and might,
O'er spirits will he
Ne'er master be.

A Psuedodragon named Hexildrecker (Hex for short) has recently befriended him.
This creature resembles a miniature red dragon, slightly smaller then a house cat. It is red-brown in color rather then a deep red. It has fine scales and sharp hors and teeth. Its tail is about twice as long as its body, barbed, and very flexible.
Pseudodragons typically have bodies about one foot long, with a two foot tail and weigh about 7 lbs, with a brown-red colored scales. They can communicate telepathically or through the vocalization of animal noises. While pseudodragons can bite, their main weapon is a stinging, poison tail and their chameleon-like ability. Pseudodragons are described as playful and curious with the personality of a common house cat. Pseudodragons inhabit temperate forests in the wild, but they can often be found as familiars in nearly any environment.
Rather then just speak telepathically in either Draconic or common, they can use a rasping purr (pleasure), a hiss (unpleasant surprise), a chip (desire), or a growl (anger). They can detect nearby (within 60ft.) creatures by nonvisual means (mostly hearing and scent, but also by noticing vibration and other environmental clues). Opponents the dragon can't see still get the benefit of being unseen.

A psuedodragon may very rarely seek humanoid companionship. It stalks a candidate silently for days, reading his/her thoughts ad judging his/her deeds. If it finds the candidate promising, the psuedodragon presents itself as a potential companion and observes the other's reaction. If the candidate seems delighted and promisses to take very good care of it, the pseudodragon accepts. Otherwise, it flies away. A psuedodragon's personality has been described as catlike. At times the creature seems arrogant, demanding, and less then helpful. It is welling to serve-provided that it is well fed and groomed, and revives lots of attention. The companion must pamper it and mike it feel like the most important thing in his/her life. If the psuedodragon is mistreated or insulted, it will leave-or worse, play horrible pranks when least expected. If the companion is cruel, it leaves immediately.

Personality

Ary is very strict about rules.

Wait, a back-stabbing thief that's strict about rules?!

Rules, now Laws. ("Laws are things drafted by society so us kobolds wouldn't hide spike pits in covered-up potholes in the middles of streets... So far it hasn't stopped me.")

From an outsiders point of view, Kobolds are weak, irritating creatures who lack any great intellect or strength. They are a barking nuisance that hold no real threat unless gathered in great numbers, and even then are easily cowed and dispersed.

From the inside, though, kobolds are exceptionally clever. While not particularly bright they possess a wiliness that is not to be underestimated. In part as the result of their isolation from the so-called "greater" races they tend not to think inside the box. They are fairly open to new ideas and points of view... provided they come from within the tribe. That is perhaps the only great failing of kobolds. The one point that holds them back as a species is that they are highly xenophobic. They don't trust the more powerful races... and why should they? They have spent their entire existence being used as slaves of orcs and other races who love the tunnels. Worse they are hunted down and killed en mass when discovered by the greedy, dwarves who covet the land beneath the mountains or by the hate gnomes, who are just as clever and fear the kobold, being only slightly less xenophobic of a race themselves. Kobolds don't often experience a wider world than their tribe and cave. They exist at a point of primitive survival, hating and fearing the races who hold them back.

Kobold's don't follow the whole "Star/Astrological Sign" gimmick, but if someone were to classify Arytiss, he'd be said to have some of the worst features of a Scorpio: Jealous and resentful, Compulsive and obsessive, Secretive and obstinate. He is "In it to win it (for himself)" and mostly nothing else. He wants to be rich, famous, MAYBE start his own tribe, and maybe have some infamy or renown on the side with certain groups that he doesn't exactly expect to get praise and give autographs.
Then again, most people don't celebrate great thieves, and those who do are the silent, mysterious kind working in the "underground." Who wants a little kobold's help?
Maybe he could become a famous craftsman? "'Eh...too boring."

Greed, thievery, and magic all go hand-in-hand for Arytiss. Spells to open locks, cause distractions, greed that alert him of "shinnies," and the filching ability to covet whatever he does so wish. (At least, he can attempt)

Don't call him short.
"Everyone is as tall as I, when they are lying face-down in a pit of spikes!"

Arytiss: "You call THAT a trap?!"
Teammate: "Don't FIX it! Your job is to break it!"
Arytiss: "I can't break something if it doesn't work."
Teammate: "eh....good point."

In typical, every-day action, Arytiss seems like he is reserved, if not fully taken out of the action. When in an interesting (or deemed important) conversation, his speech is smooth, fast, and occasionally punctuated with yapping or barking-sounds.

Draconic is mostly a bunch of bestial and guttural noises, body-language and non-manual signals. Some people, those who do not understand the language, think that someone speaking Draconic is simply trying to imitate an animal to intimidate them. Sometimes people trying to do just that accidentally speak Draconic...

Revered God: Kurtulmak (curr-tull-mack)
Kurtulmak is the chief deity worshipped by the kobold race. He is a member of the default pantheon.
Kurtulmak is the god of War and Mining. The other main god worshipped by the kobolds is Gaknulak the god of Protection, Stealth, Trickery, and Traps. A lesser-known kobold demigod is Dakarnok.
Kurtulmak lives in the underground realm of "Draukari" on Avernus, the first layer of the plane of Baator.
Kurtulmak appears as a 5-foot tall kobold with steel scales. His tail has a poisoned stinger on its tip, and he also wields a spear. He exudes an aura of fear, causing foes to flee in panic.
Kurtulmak tirelessly drives kobolds to make war upon gnomes, in retaliation for a prank the gnomish deity Garl Glittergold pulled on him. Kurtulmak is known to have neither compassion nor a sense of humor by anyone who isn't a Kobold.
Kurtulmak's priests wear orange scale mail and iron helms. His sacred animal is the rook.
Kurtulmak is worshipped at the crescent moon in cave temples. His temples are carved out of earth and used to house adepts, clerics, and the tribes's most valuable treasures. These temples are protected with small, twisting tunnels and a staggering array of deadly traps.
The enemies of kobolds are sacrificed to Kurtulmak monthly (under the cresent moon) in a gory ceremony.

Prayers to Kutulmak have a rhythmic quality to them that can easily be recited while swinging a pickaxe. Prayers can also take the form of battle cries and promises of revenge. "By the point of Kurtulmak's spear and the tip of his poisonous tail, I will see every member of your family perish."

In the kobold creation myth, Kurtulmak--and all kobolds by extension--owes his existence to an assault launched on Tiamat by an army of thieves shortly after she had laid a clutch of eggs. Badly injured and with her lair heavily damaged, she caused one of her eggs to hatch, thus creating Kurtulmak. The newly-hatched godling quickly began creating a defensive perimeter of traps and restoring the caverns. During the process, Kurtulmak found an egg of Tiamat's that had fallen away from the nest and, deeming it had been away for too long to ever hatch naturally, used his magic to cause it to hatch, thus producing miniature versions of himself- the first Kobolds.

Several versions of this myth exist. In the first, Garl Glittergold is said to have collapsed Kurtulmak's Hall while the kobold deity was hosting Asmodeus.

In a second version of the myth, Kurtulmak decided to carve out a great cavern and rig it to collapse, whereupon he would then play a great jest; he would invite all of the other racial deities to the cavern for a feast, whereupon he would tell them the tale of "The Violation of Tiamat's Lair." At the tale's end, he would pull out an ornate stone trigger and bury the assembled deities alive. The subsequent turn of events differs on whether the myth's teller is a kobold or a gnome, but either way Garl Glittergold stumbled across Kurtulmak's cavern and pulled the trigger, burying the God of the Kobolds in his own trap. The kobold version insists that Garl Glittergold did so because he was jealous of Kurtulmak's creation, whilst the gnomish version claims that Garl admired Kurtulmak's work and pulled the keystone out simply to see if it worked, soon forgetting all about the event.

A third version of this story is found in the book Races of the Dragon. When Io gave the secret of creation to the first true dragons, the first dragon to use that secret was Caesinsjach, a green dragon. The first kobold was Kurtulmak. Because he was the first, he was much larger than any of his kin. Because of this Caesinsjach commanded her kobolds though Kurtulmak. Naturally he ascended to a position of leadership.

When Caesinsjach told the kobolds to mine for precious metal, Kurtulmak invented the pickaxe. When she ordered them to tile her lair with gold, Kurtulmak minted the first draconic coin. And when she told them to mine precious stones, Kurtulmak taught himself sorcery to divine where minerals were located.

When Caesinsjach's lair was finished and she had become the wealthiest dragon in creation she let the kobolds go free.

In emulation of his former mistress. Kurtulmak immediately begain mining a lair for himself. Although he never asked for help he nonetheless received it. Every kobold he ever worked with came to his aid.

Kurtulmak found a spot with a near limitless supply of metal ore and precious stones. With Kurtulmak commanding the operation, it quickly became the most structurally sound and resourcefully designed mine the world had ever seen. Kurtulmak called it Darastrixhurthi, a fortress fit for dragons. Nothing rivaled it.

Garl Glittergold was not pleased. While his gnomes were playing useless games, the kobolds were busy working and were ready to emerge as a dominant race. And so with a wave of his hand, Garl collapsed Kurtulmak's mine, crushing all the kobolds inside. The other gods demanded an explanation but no deity came forward to reverse the damage done. Io, realising that no god would help, searched the souls of those who died to find Kurtulmak still clinging to life. Even buried under the mountain he would not give up on his people. Io gave Kurtulmak a choice. He would empower Kurtulmak with the strength to rebuild the mine, or he would make the mighty kobold a champion of his people for all eternity. In this latter case, the loss of Darastrixhurthi would remain, but the memory of what happened would never be forgotten.

"Kurtulmak" means "to survive/escape" in Turkish.

He is deathly afraid of Birds of Prey, but he won't admit it...

Ways to get on his good side:
An offer of coin in non-bribe fashion. No, Artyiss is not a "man of integrity," but a bribe isn't being nice. Maybe if he's down on his luck and doesn't expect a helping hand, he'd appreciate it most.
Simply being nice. After enough time, he'll break through his "wall" (he either acts like a jerk until you befriend him, or he acts like your friend until you befriend him. Wait, what? One of his many "defenses" is acting like he is your friend, which he probably isn't)
Impressing him without hurting his Ego. Methods include crafting something impressive outside of a competition between him and yourself, stealing something well guarded of high value without competing against him, or playing a very clever trick, once again, when not competing with him.

Ways to get on his bad side:
Hurting his Ego.
Threatening his Ego.
Scaring his Ego.
....effected his Ego in anyway that doesn't make it larger, essentially...

"he's sweet really, just a bit rude & has a habit of stealing things" -Moriko

Equipment

Arytiss has armor crafted from the chitin plate of giant scorpions, centipedes, bees, and other large vermin. (gun not included) It fits him, and likely only him (who else is has his height, build, and snout?), and is very light, lacking the weight or flexibility limit of typical armor. He doesn't usually wear the helmet.
Arytiss is more likely to be seen wearing his fartua jacket

(silk on the inside and woven into the outside, thin leather layer in the center). This is usually accompanied by child-sized cargo pants, great things for stealing. He has "urban camo" (grey and black) along with "woodland" (green, brown, and black) Under his jacket is a white shirt, either sleeveless, a button-up, or t-shirt. On the off-chance that he has shoes, they are usually a vibran five-finger (er, toe?)

with the "fingers" (toes) appropriately shaped for his clawed feet, or

water proof/hiking shoes. He keeps both pairs, plus a change of clothes in a bag he carries, which is occasionally used to hide a gun or for extra "obtained item" space.

This weapon can be fought with either as a sickle or an oddly-shaped knife. Normally used of amputations, Arytiss has put it to better use.

Dual Daggers, occasionally dubbed "hook daggers" for their appearance. Arytiss resents such a usual name. They are fey-bane and lawful-aligned, thus being more deadly when wielded against Fey or Chaotics.

Magic:
This is pretty much open-ended and not set in stone. Most of the spells revolve around creating "earth," shaping it, moving it, or crafting with it. There are also a few fire-based spells for combat against Fey, cold-spells to use against fire/lava/heat-based creatures that live very deep underground, and air-based spells to use to clear noxious fumes or excess methane. Kobolds feel most at home around sources of heat, which they can easily find underground, so cold/ice/snow/et cetera-based spells are useful when fighting rivals (and most Fey. Fire pretty much only works against the nature-bound aspects of the Fey).
The combat aspects of his spells aren't as effective as the shaping or mining-based ones, and those aren't nearly as effective or as appealing as his illusionary spells. These revolve around making noises, causing fake images to appear to trick enemies, and just generally wreak havoc without attacking an enemy strait-up. Also, typically, limits how much damage is done inside a mine or building.

Fey: (besides gnomes, Kobolds hates theses, too)

History

Arytiss's Tribe and interlocking Mining Shafts had gotten too big and intimidating, so large that Dwarves and Gnomes teamed up to destroy the tribe-but they split the mine-shaft fifty-fifty. The kobolds fought as well as they could, but the Gnomes got around their traps and Dwarven clerics had a large repitoir of "smites" on hand. Even more then the racial norm, Arytiss hates Gnomes and Dwarves, but rather then actually work towards revenge, he wastes his days "plotting" and scavenging or stealing for food and money.

"Arytiss Hexler is a newcomer to Wing City, and he already hated it. First of all, the streets were so hard to tunnel through, and building foundations had made it impossible for him to dig a burrow to live in. He'd have to make some "human abode" suffice. He shuddered at the thought... either that or he shuddered at the rain pelting his head and jacket. Also there was that giant...dog...man...thing that had tried to rip his tail off. He supposed there was a benefit to the place: nice clothing and finery, not to mention the giant digging monsters... although they were all made for the "tall races" that would find a better use in life testing his spike pit traps.

By falling into them.

Arytiss sighed and blew some smoke out of his snout before he looked up and down the street again. There was nothing to be had through the freezing, dense rain...besides the Neon Lights he could barely read. The first few times he'd tried peering through the horrid rain, he'd misread the sign horribly. In "human tongue" it seemed to be known as "Gambit's Bar."

Walking more quickly then before, Arytiss willed his oddly-shaped hind legs to carry him further and faster, strait into the door he saw oh-so-late. Covered in water, his scales slick and glove-shaped shoes squeaking, the lonely Kobold stumbled into the bar and tripped. <Stupid Gnomes...they think it's funny to make the door so...er...tripplable. Oh, they have such a minute, pathetic sense of humor. Not like Kobolds, we're awesome.. Sheer awesome>
Quickly, he got up and brushed himself off like nothing happened, but he couldn't hide the shivering or patheticness.

Arytiss Hexler

0 · 890 views · located in The Infinite Void

a character in “The Multiverse”, originally authored by Guest, as played by Nevermore90

Description

Personality

Equipment

History

So begins...

Arytiss Hexler's Story

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