Sieur Ogmund, the Axe of the North

4th level fighter; S 12, D 7, C 17, I 13, W 10, CA 11; hp 45; #AT 1; THAC0 17; Dmg 1d8/1d10 (battle axe);  AC 2/4/6 (chain armor, kite shield, great helm); Languages: West Varan; AL LG

Gear: Sieur Ogmund wears dwarf-make chain and a kite shield fashioned with the anvil of the order as its boss. He carries a battle axe and an arming sword, preferring in almost all situations to use the axe.

Ogmund Holmgrinn, also known as the Axe of the North, is a lay member of the Order of the Forge Divine. He is 15 years old, born in X.497 in the Kjellan peninsula, fourth son of Greveman Varius Holmgrinn, one of the great lords of that land. He was assigned by the Order to serve as squire to Einar Skyborne, a paladin of the Order. He served in that capacity as a squire and paige to the Swords of Stock, an adventuring party based in the Tyreth region.

The Axe of the North is a quiet, steady knight, who does not lust after glory or seek great deeds, but has a personal storehouse of tales about the famed Einar Hallrson, and who has slain giants in his day. Still young, he is often mistaken as a callow youth, but is a proven warrior, capable of fighting ahorseback or in the battle line. He is known for his unshakeable courage, and if approached about that topic will often reply that nothing can be as terrifying as facing a frost giant for the first time: "The oily stink of their mail; the sight of their weapons; The things we fight today are merely men."

Friends and Enemies: Archimandrite Danil Palomnik

DANIL PALOMNIK
The venerable Danil the Pilgrim was made archimandrite of the Monastery of the Sacred Transfiguration in 1664. His appointment by the Metropolitan was the final blow in the career of schimonk Iakov Gagarin Alekseyevich, a notoriously difficult to deal with monk with an independent turn of mind.

Danil is an old man with a long history in the Orthodox Church. He was raised on a backwoods farm where he taught himself both Old Théan and Old Church Teodoran from the books his father occasionally purchased at market. Danil is known to be an exceptionally holy man, so devoted to the teachings of the Prophet that when his father was slaughtered by bandits, he did not raise a hand against them in anger. He was a captive of a band of Fhideli murderers for six years where he served as a sort of priest and confessor. When he finally escaped, he was taken in by the Church and began his long and storied career.

The latter half of his life was spent in the Monastery of the Sacred Transfiguration, and much of that was spent engaged in a particularly obscure war of theology with Iakov Alekseyevich. Both men of humble beginnings, Alekseyevich's insistence on the correct doctrinal readings of old holy texts drove Danil to fury. Danil felt that Alekseyevich, some thirty-five or so years his junior, should at least conduct himself with the basic tenets of respect. Alekseyevich, however, published his correspondences by reading them out loud at chapter meetings. Eventually, Danil cursed Alekseyevich in public and took an oath of silence until the man should be expelled from the monastery.

When the old abbot died, Iakov Alekseyevich put himself forward as a candidate. Supporting his candidacy was the abbey's cellarer, Dmitry Vasileyevich, a noble bastard from the city. By blasting his opponents as heretics, misguided, or downright unbelievers, the two men paved a way for Iakov to claim the abbacy. He won the election, and waited to be confirmed by the Metropolitan.

Danil Palomnik, unable to stomach the thought of serving the loud-mouthed Alekseyevich, had written several scathing letters to the Metropolitan before the election. When he arrived, rather than approving the results of the brothers' election, he named Danil Palomnik the abbey's archimandrate, stating reasons of "desperate measures to be taken against enemies of the Faith."

Archimandrite Palomnik responded by immediately punishing Iakov and Dmitry, removing them from positions of authority in the abbey and reducing their rank to that of mere novices. Iakov, unable to stomach this insult, began to preach against the archimandrite to the abbey's local clients—farmers, knights, anyone he could reach.

Late one evening, Dmitry was warned that the two monks were to be stripped of their station in the morning, made defrocked priests, and turned over to the Stelets for punishment as agitators against the state. They fled in the darkness, preferring the ignominy of escaping to the west than to the death-by-torture that awaited them at the hands of the Gaius' troops.

Friends and Enemies: Dottore Luigi Vasso and the Carlo Estates

Doctor Luigi Vasso
The learnéd Luigi Vasso is a canon lawyer and a doctor of the church who has served Cardinal Ernesto Denzelli de Bernoulli at the various church Conclaves throughout his life. He was also appointed tutor to the young Fortunato Ernesto di Carlo. He grew up in Numa and was admitted to an order of monks in that city in his early life. He befriended the former cardinal Giovanni Orsini (who was in line to become the Vaticine Hierophant, with a plan to return the seat of the church to Numa all in place when he died), who sent him to be trained at the cathedral school of Numa. After the death of his patron, Luigi became the professional scribe and lawyer of the newly-appointed Enersto de Bernoulli and took up a position training the young Fortunato in the Vodacce countryside.

Luigi Vasso is a slight man, standing only 5'4". He was born in 1609 and is in his 59th year. He wears the black and white robes of a Vatacine priest and the pinched glasses of a man who has struggled overlong at the reading of small text. He usually has fingerless gloves to keep his hands warm but leave them free for writing. He is always seen carrying a leather satchel filled with inks, pens, and parchments.

Father Vasso has greying hair and goes clean-shaven. His one true love in life is a fine port and some time at the end of an evening to read a book before the sun sets. He is never more content than when in Vodacce, and never more harried than when forced to be on the road. He has a deep reverence for books, libraries, and learning, and has tried throughout his whole life to impart that love (unsuccessfully) on his ward, Fortunato.

The Carlo Estates
In the central regions of the Vodacce peninsula, some 45 miles from the great city of Numa, there lies the estate known as Carlaterre. Eisen barbarians once settled this region as Numan soldiers and its name comes from an Old Eisen word meaning man (cearl). The sleepy hamlets of the region eventually give way to the di Carlo manor and its estates where Fortunato grew up to manhood. It is not far from the land of the Orenza, just over the next rise.

Upon the old half-forested estate there stands a crumbling stone manor of ancient provenance. Still mired in the ancient structure of the middle ages, the di Carlo have made minor updates to it, but it never entered the great golden renaissance of the rest of Vodacce. A single tenant farmer named Alfonzo and his family till the soil beyond the park.

There are five servants in the house—the seneschal and major-domo, decrepit Augustino, the stablegirl Olivia, and a handful of domestics who keep the manor up. Rare has been the day that Fortunato has returned to this slumbering place, preferring instead to have Augustino forward the receipts to him wherever he is staying.

Friends and Enemies: Baldassar Orenza

In the marshy and malarial lowlands of Vodacce, where the ancient city of Numa still stands and waits for the Princes to meet in its hallowed ruin to speak of peace, and of Vodacce power, there are two rival families, both alike in dignity, who have hated each other since the time of Emperor Corantine. For the Orenza and the di Carlo families, the past is very much the present.

The origins of the feud are lost in the distant past, but it seems to have been a matter of horseflesh: the Orenza patriarch, a minor noble in service to the Caligari, sold to his neighbor the Barone Theodoro a sorrel roan. That horse threw the baron's son, killing him. The baron had the horse killed and demanded restitution from Patricius Orenza, who denied him. To this day, the families remember their dislike.

However, this feud is like many of those that brew on the Vodacce mainland. That is, every Vodacce nobleman can recount a reason to despise any other. However, in recent years it has come to the forefront again in the figures of Signore Fortunato and Signore Baldassar.

Baldassar Orenza
Once a dashing and handsome young man, Baldassar Orenza and Fortunato di Carlo where unusually close for members of dynasties that found each other distasteful. While Fortunato's father, Signore Domenigo, spent most of his time on the islands attempting to improve his fortune, his mother, the Signora Lucretia, stayed on the estate. There she formed a long-time friendship with Guiducci Orenza. During their childhood, Fortunato and Baldassar were boon companions, only banished to their own houses when Signore Domenigo returned.

However, a long-lasting rivalry developed between the two boys. Baldassar was taught hard work and study, and has spent his life adhering to that rule. He worked on Syrneth digging expeditions when he was a young man, spent years building up his shipping companies (by proxy of course, no self-respecting Vodacce would engage in work), and managing his father's fortune. He is a devoted child of the Numan philosopher Cicerus and a rather staid man. His popularity is moderate, but his influence is something slightly more.

At each turn, Fortunato seemed to be given opportunity. Where Baldassar struggled and strove to better himself, Fortunato never cared much—and yet, was betrothed to a Fate Witch, and, in his usual way, vanished to go "make himself a fortune" in the north. Baldassar's despite of his one-time friend has only grown over the years.

The Barone Orenza was once slender and handsome, but is now somewhat heavyset. He wears his dark hair clipped short, and his beard well-trimmed, and is fond of red and dark purple. It is said that he drinks too much, but only when he has no work to do. Like everything else in his life, Baldassar Orenza has studied very hard at swordwork, and is a passable fencer of the Bernoulli school. He has also come into possession of a number of strange Syrneth artifacts, and has a network of merchants and informers throughout southern Theah. His one drive is to show up his childhood friend-turned-rival, Fortunato Ernesto di Carlo.

Friends and Enemies: Solmünd Morgenkraii

So, I've gotten back into 7th Sea with an in-person group. While I eagerly await the coming of the second edition (with its New World, Sarmatian Commonwealth, etc.) I figured I'd give a little writeup of some of the folks who are going to be making appearances in this game.

Firstly, let us begin with the most interesting characters: enemies.

Solmünd Morgenkraii
Like many wealthy Vendel merchants, the Morgenkraii created a crest to wear and display prominently on their seat in the Leaguehall. Solmünd is known as the Morning Raven, and lauded as a fierce opponent of piracy and a strong arm of the Merchant's Guild in the League. His family were originally furriers from Oddiswulf, but he himself became a well-known scribe and eventually bought his way into the Merchant's Guild.

In 1660, Solmünd got himself appointed to an admiralty to rid the Vendel waters of the rampant piracy that plagued her ships. From Eisen raiders to Vesten jarls, Solmünd promised to sweep the waters of Vendel clean. A particular focus was the island of Soroya, long known for playing host to Vesten fleets of longships. After spending half a year gathering intelligence, Solmünd decided to act.

He borrowed a huge sum from the League treasury and spread word that the League had just completed a massive purchase from Queen Elaine of Avalon. Six ships were laden with gold and treasure. Solmünd publicized the notion that the fleet was a symbol of national pride, having broadsides printed throughout the islands. "With this, we purchase a navy of unstoppable power!" Then, he let slip through back channels that, due to a personal conflict with Lord Mayor Thørginn Auskrai of Kirk he was unable to fully man the ships and that half of the cannon on board were mockups of wood to deter pirates.

It's true that the ships were poorly manned, and undergunned. With this in mind, he sailed them through the Soroya waters. When the Vesten raiders, unable to pass up such a prize, captured the Fury of Oddiswulf, the Hope of the League, and Theus' Bounty, they discovered untold wealth aboard. They also discovered a huge supply of Eisen liquor. In the village of Finnsulf, there was much drinking that night.

In the early watches of the morning, the Vesten bloated with their victory, Solmünd Morgenkraii's true fleet encircled Finnsulf. His men shipped to shore, cutting off all the roads out of the town. The first the Vesten ever knew of his presence was the opening salvo of the ship's cannon from half the League fleet.

Morgenkraii saw every man, woman, and child in Finnsulf put to the torch, the cannon, or the sword that day. He recovered the Vendel treasury, and let his actions stand as a lesson to the Vesten; 15 jarls were slain.

Morgenkraii is said to be a deadly shot with a pistol and a genius when it comes to logistics and tactics. He has flaxen blond hair, but dark eyes tending toward a storm-wracked gray. He wears the traditional black and white of the devout Objectionist members of the League and always carries four flintlocks on his person—two at his left hip, and two more on a leather bandolier.

Giancarlo of Venice

At Mike(of Really Bad Eggs)'s request I've done up the statistics of Giancarlo of Venice, the character from the Giancarlo stories I've been writing on and off. If I've done everything correctly, this is how it should all shake out.

Strength	7
Dexterity	12
Endurance	14
Wit	12
Charm	9
Luck	16

His height and build is Average and Thin, thus granting him a +1 to his dexterity.

He is a Gentleman (born to a moderately wealthy Venetian merchant and banker).

He is a Citizen of Venice, his family name (which has yet to be revealed) appearing in the Golden Register of those families which hold citizenship.

He has 10 base hp, with no bonus for strength, +2 for high Endurance, and +1 for high Luck, giving him a total of 13. His Encumbrance Value is a base of ten, with a -1 for strength, +1 for endurance, and no modifier for dexterity (leaving him with 10.)

Having 12 skill points (1 extra point for wit and 1 extra point for luck added to the base of 10.) He's a Gentleman, having been raised in the banking practice of his father. Spending his skills he winds up with the following spread:

Banking (costs 2 points, trained by his father)
Carousing (2 points)
Etiquette (1 point)
Languages (1 point for French and 2 points for German... not enough for Croatian, but I'll say he bought it with experience at some point)
Seduction (2 points)

He knows the Italian Style of Fencing which I believe gives him an expertise rank of 10 in the foil, rapier, longsword, baton, main gauche, and buckler. He has a +1 to-hit with a lunge or thrust, and with two extra points left over he buys expertise upgrades in rapier and longsword.

He takes the flaw of Duelist (he has not yet been able to refuse a duel!) and uses that point to buy another rank of expertise in the longsword, granting him a rating of Experienced with most of his weapons, a Scholar with the longsword, and an Expert with the rapier.

He has only 12 Livres to his person (he is always poor!) and makes no yearly income as his father gives him no stipend. His social rank began at 7, but by his carousing and mercenary work (and the dishonorable way in which he fights, etc.) I figure it's not a far shot to grant him a social rank of 5 instead.