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Table of Contents
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Carlos Gutierrez
guitar player, carefree carouser, lady's man, agent of fortune, old soldier, and Roberto's oldest friend
Age: 52
Current Date: Spring 1242
Chronology: Born in 1190, became an almogavar in the Sergovia Company in 1205 at age 15 and meets Roberto, migrated to Normandy with Roberto in 1220 at age 30, came to Bibracte with Roberto in 1227, Spanish Rose 1228, Alabaster Lioness (Pedro dies), Heracleion, Ibiza, the Garden, Heracleion again, City of Brass, the Garden again, War in the Roses, more wenching in Ibiza, then today in 1242 at age 52
Statistics
Characteristics: Int +0, Per -1, Com +0, Pre +2, Str -1, Sta +0, Dex +2 (1), Quik +2 (1)
Size: -1
Decrepitude: 0 (2)
Warping: 0 (1)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Personality Traits: Loyal +1, Brave +1, Loves the Ladies +2, Relaxed +3
Reputations: Incorrigible Womanizer 2 (Local, men), Sensitive and Discrete Lover (Hermetic, women)
Virtues & Flaws
Virtues & Flaws: Custos, Hermetic Experience, Lightning Reflexes, Venus’ Blessing, Warrior; Dutybound, Lost Friend (Pedro), Optimistic (Minor), Small Frame, Weakness (women)
Combat
Athletic Dodge: Init +2, Def +4
Fistfight/Grapple: Init +2, Atk +6, Def +6, Dmg -1
Regular Knife: Init +2, Atk +7, Def +7, Dmg +1
Herrero Long Knife aka Excellent Shortsword (with Magic Buckler): Init +3, Atk +8, Def +4 (+6), Dmg +6
Thrown Knife: Init +2, Atk +8, Dmg +1
Soak: +3
Fatigue: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, ko
Wounds: -1 Lt (1-4), -3 Med (5-8 ), -5 Hvy (9-12), Incap (13-16), Dead (17+)
Abilities
Spanish-Aragonese 5 (rhymes), Iberia Lore 3 (legends); Andorra Lore 1 (the keep at Arans), Animal Handling 2 (horses), Artes Liberales 2xp4 (music), Athletics 2 (acrobatics), Awareness 3 (details), Balearic Islands Lore 2 (Ibiza), Bargain 3 (fence), Brawl 4 (knife), Carouse 4xp8 (drinking songs), Catalan 4 (sing), Charm 4 (ladies), Chirurgy 1 (combat injury), Concentration 2 (pay attention), Faerie Lore 1 (bargains), Flemish 3 (slang), French 3 (talking to women), Folk Ken 3 (covenfolk), Guile 3 (innocent face), Hunt 1xp5 (trap), Intrigue 3 (gossip), Latin 4 (Hermetic), Leadership 4 (hair brained schemes), Legerdemain 3 (tricks), Magic Lore 2 (wizards), Music 5xp8 (guitar), Normandy Lore 2 (magi), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (Roberto of Flambeau), Profession-Scribe 1xp1 (letters), Profession-Seaman 2 (avoid hard work), Profession-Soldier 4 (shield grog), Ride 2 (travel), Single Weapon 6xp26 (short sword), Stealth 3 (hide in shadows), Survival 2 (forage), Thrown Weapon 5 (knife)
Equipment
Equipment: Herero’s Long Knife, Silk Shirt of Protection, throwing knife, Latin guitar, another knife, crucifix, third knife, buckler, utility knife, purse (12 silver coins), extra knife
Encumbrance: 1
Special Items
Buckler of Wooden Steel: Lesser Enchanted Item (24qp)
This magic buckler shield was crafted by Aelianus of Verditius back in Novus Mane. It is crafted of wood and covered with leather. The covering is not part of the enchantment, but bears the symbol for Novus Mane upon it. The enchantment, which can be activated or deactivated upon verbal command, grants a +1 bonus to the shield’s defensive value.
Init 0, Atk 0, Def +2, Dmg 0
MuHe20 Aegis of Unbreakable Wood
R: Per, D: Item Concentrates, T: Ind
Unlimited Use
(Base 4, +1 Conc; add five levels for Item Maintains Concentration, add ten levels for Unlimited Use)
Herero’s Long Knife: Excellent Weapon (12qp)
This qualifies as a Short Sword, but the look and style of it is that of a long dirk (or proto rapier). It is made of Toledo steel and is one of the early works of Pedro Herero. As a weapon of Excellent Quality, it provides a +2 bonus to Attack and Damage.
Silk Shirt of Protection: Lesser Enchanted Item (17qp)
A finely crafted silk shirt of Egyptian design, this provides a +3 Soak Bonus to the one wearing it.
MuAn14 Doublet of Impenetrable Silk
R: Item, D: Constant, T: Ind
(Base 4, +2 Sun; plus four levels Constant)
Background
Carlos was a young almogavar (shield grog) that was recruited by Joel Muniz around the time Roberto was apprenticed. They served various duties together as their master's private guard, and accompanied him on various escapades. They have fought alongside each other in many skirmishes and have participated in battles (they were at Las Navas together), plus many several other adventures grand and trivial. After Joel's death at Las Navas, Carlos entered Roberto's service as a trusted right hand man. He followed Roberto during the Shadow Wars, and afterward migrated to France along with him; first to Novus Mane then Bibracte. Now he has come with him to Ibiza, and is enjoying the culture and conditions he has discovered.
Carlos is the same age as Roberto (a few months younger actually), and they have known each other for more than twenty years, over half their lives. For most of that time, Carlos had to struggle to overcome Roberto's Gift. It wasn't something he could ever get used to, but he managed to learn to look past it and see the man behind the magus. Roberto has the Gentle Gift now, but this has not affected their relationship at all. He figures he finally *did* get used to it. When meeting other magi for the first time, he is accustomed to the discomforting presence and has learned to expect it and will be patient until he can learn to handle that individual. Familiarity goes both ways. Carlos will often joke with Roberto in vulgar ways, and if he has a better grasp of the situation at hand (usually a social one), he has a tendency to take control and steer Roberto in the direction that is best.
Carlos knows how to work fight, but he would much rather play and love. He is also pretty lazy. In metagame terms, Carlos is simply not motivated enough to be a companion, for even in his frivolous activities he is laid back. He knows how to sing and play guitar with competence, but he is not good enough to be an entertainer. He knows how to scrounge a living as a rogue and a thief, but he would much rather have honest easy employment. Though he is a veteran fighter who has shed blood, he always tried to pull the easiest lightest duty he could; and though he is a skilled swordsman, he isn't what you would consider a front line soldier. He is still in pretty good shape, but he is past his prime. Fortunately, Roberto does not employ him as a soldier or shield grog. Still, the man knows how to fight if need be. He is lithe and wiry, and though small, he is fast and precise with his strikes.
Carlos is also blessed with the sort of rugged good looks that ladies seem to find attractive, not too hard or too soft, and he has aged well. He has black hair and olive skin, clean shaven, and a smile full of clean intact teeth with no visible cavities (a rare thing in the middle ages). He is most alive in social settings, especially when ladies are present. He can get a crowd going singing rounds of drinking songs, or entertain them with a ballad or a flamenco on his guitar. His fondness for the ladies and they for him can sometimes lead to trouble. The only stronger desire in him is relaxation. Some may call him a moth drawn to a flame, but those who know him well say he is more like the flame drawn to the moth, for his skill in the art of romance is almost magical, a mystery even he does not understand completely.
Carlos is Roberto's oldest friend, and he is his. They have adventured together many long years, seen triumph and tragedy, shared laughter and levity and have gained rewards and made sacrifices together. Recently, on the Alabaster Lioness expedition, Carlos and Roberto lost another dear friend, Pedro Herrero.
