Raises Hackles is my Circle of the Stars Druid. The following is what I sent to my party as I joined them. They were three sessions in when I joined and we just threw me in as if I had been there the whole time!
Family & Origin
Hailing from the Hidden Fjord Clan, Hackle’s mother was a powerful Warlock, and her father a Ranger. This led to a mostly militia style litter. While not disappointed, her parents were not sure what to do with her. From her first days, she did not enjoy her siblings' rough-and-tumble pranks and antics, which often caused her to puff out her fur in annoyance, and thus she was named Raises Hackles. Hackles' idea of play is more solitary; following an errant butterfly, watching a flower bloom, or reading the oven manual to discover how it works. Oftentimes, her parents would find her, flat on her back with her paws in the air, laying in the grass and looking at the stars. When her parents realized she was more suited for the outdoors, particularly at night, her mother used her connection with her archfey patron to send her to The Conservatory.Pre-Pilgrimage
Hackles parents sent her not many moons after she was weened, to the Conservatory. Only to discover when she arrived, that it was devoid of living creatures. The rooms still had furniture, the books were intact but some were covered in various layers of dust, and the star charts (which fascinated Hackles most) were mostly accurate. It merely looked as though someone had left for a long vacation. Hackles might have been too naive, or maybe because she did not know any better, but she simply sat down at a table and opened a book while she waited for someone to return. It was many moons before she realized no one was coming back. She remembered her mother’s urging to keep her claws sharp and though she disliked it, devoted several hours a day to practice with some of the tools around the Conservatory. She realized that though the main study was astronomy, those that studied there were well-rounded. There were numerous titles on botany, which she used to bring back to life the numerous dead plants; literature on fighting styles and the many ways to behead monsters, and languages. It wasn’t long before Hackles had read everything at least once if not twice. Though she loved to explore & kept meticulous notes about the plants that grew locally she never really wanted to wander too far in hopes that if someone returned they would be thrilled that she maintained the place so well. That was until she noticed that over time, whole constellations had gone missing. Which according to her books, was not something that happened. The Pilgrimage was something that she knew about, though she hoped to never have to go on it. Most travels involved some kind of travel by boat. Hackles drinks water and that is all the contact with it she prefers. Most would go mad with no one to talk to but that never stopped Hackles. She conversed with plants, with other animals, and even with the stars though they never answered. She knew long before she set out that the stars would continue their silence but with them disappearing, she feared more and more that soon there would be nothing left to study. Without anyone to ask and her beloved books and charts providing no answer, Hackles finally set out and get an answer to her most burning question.Catch Up
After returning to her hometown to find her parents were no longer alive, nor were any of her siblings. She is still confused as to why, for their deaths were all marked as natural and she discovered that time at the Conservatory was different from that of the rest of the world. With more questions unanswered she knew she had no choice but to head to Torpenhal, where she meets up with the party. Hackles is an unusual traveling companion. Since she has spent most of her time alone, she is often socially awkward and asks for reassurance of doing things “correctly.” For example, finding out that others bathe themselves in water was a strange discovery. To her, water is for drinking and she doesn’t much care for when it falls from the sky other than that it waters her beloved plants and flowers. To discover that people willingly submerge themselves in it to bathe rather than grooming themselves caused her great alarm. Her first battle with the group endeared them to her as she was able to put her knowledge of medicine to use. She had been unsure if embarking on this journey was a good idea and made the lovely discovery that being useful was something she enjoyed. The group discovered her disdain for being touched as whenever the monster came too close, she became more ferocious. Upon contact, she would hiss and her hackles would raise and they discovered the meaning of her name. Hackles was not a fan of the gambling den/brothel in Alesund. It was loud and made Hackles uncomfortable. She ended up finding a place on the roof where she was able to sleep away from the noise and check her maps.- Race: Tabaxi
- Gender: Female
- Physical Characteristics
- Age: young adult
- Height: medium
- Weight: medium
- Eyes: green, feline
- Hair: the darkest black, with a glistening purple hue
- Class: Druid
- Druid Archetype: Circle of the Stars
- Personality Traits: I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations. I often get lost in my own thoughts and contemplation, becoming oblivious to my surroundings.
- Ideal: Free Thinking. Inquiry and curiosity are the pillars of progress. (Chaotic) Self-Knowledge. If you know yourself, there’s nothing left to know. (Any)
- Bond: Nothing is more important than the other members of my hermitage, order, or association.
- Flaw: I’d risk too much to uncover a lost bit of knowledge.
As we have gone along through the campaign, my crew has discovered that I don't care for mind altering substances, that I absolutely LOATHE water and now boats and that I will try to avoid battle if it is unnecessary but am oddly protective of members of our party and will join in the fray to protect them. She is slowly adjusting to touching others, for example healing is okay. I will continue to post about Hackle's progress because she is my current player character and I just hope nothing happens to her. I do have a back up character, which you will learn about soon!
0 Comments