So after my campaign with Tiny Corvo the stab happy spider halfling came to an end, we started a new campaign with new characters and way ahead in time in an alternate timeline thing. Very Fallout-y, but in a good way. Short version is, we all got to build our own little towns and communities. And I... kinda made a cult based off the Jesters from Darkest Dungeon.
The College of the Jester is a bard college, one that specializes in making both entertainers and survivors. I'll likely post more detailed stuff about them later, but they essentially live to make as many people happy as they can before Cthulhu and his companions come back and smite us all. And let's just say Jingles is not exactly a stable graduate of the College. But hey, Cthulhu invading your nightmares every night will drive anyone a little bonkers.
So here's my new character, Jingles, introduced in a sheet very similar to the one I just filled out for Tiny Corvo!
Name: Jingles (Ralrai)
Age: 32
Sex: Male
Species: Hellfire Tiefling
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 145 lbs
Appearance Features: crimson skin, vibrant blue eye, small horns over each eye, midnight black hair, fangs more than teeth. Very lanky, minimal muscle to him. Several battle scars on his body, few tattoos to commemorate his big adventures, over half of the left side of his face burned horribly from acid, left eye glazed over and defunct.
Behavior and Personality: hyper, joking, manic, and mildly sociopathic. Jingles is almost always laughing quietly to himself or out loud at the ridiculous world. Ready with a joke or amusing observation at all times, never takes things seriously. Typically playing some kind of music on his lute or bagpipes during down time, for entertainment or further mastery. Knows how to be damned charming in his own weird way, convincing people to like him either with kind jokes so they like him, or scaring them into agreeing. Values a person's happiness and smile over their lives, reflects this in how he talks about/to people. Has zero concern for someone's life or well-being, especially if he can make them happy before they die.
Skills: lute/bagpipes/viol/drums player, gifted performer of music, decent comedian for roasting people, scaring people, decent with magic, combat with magically upgraded blades, distractions, lightening the mood, cheering people up.
Weaknesses: can't take things seriously, no strength, can't read people, half-blind, difficulty calming down his mania, minimal ability to tolerate pain, easily distracted, terrible survivalist, animal instinctively run away from him.
Likes: fun, performances, music, adventure, death-defying feats, using magic to get his way, making others smile and be happy, scaring people who think they're above that.
Dislikes: seriousness, safety or complacency, hypocrites, cults, people who worship other gods, unhappy people, not getting paid.
History:
Ralrai was born an outcast into his family of wanderers: a tiefling from half-elf parents and the only out of his four siblings to show the infernal legacy on his mother's side. This was only furthered when it became apparent that he could not wield a bow as the rest of them could, making him almost useless in hunts. Even when he could charm or steal his way into supplies, he was never going to be accepted by his family. This came to a head one evening in his teens, and the bottle of acid he offered to his father was instead poured back onto his face. Disfigured, terrified, and now blind in his left eye, Ralrai left his miserable excuse of a family to try and make a living in small towns that dotted the country side. It was by no means a pleasant experience, but he made due off the pity of others, as well as selling himself as a walking joke with traveling amusement groups. And when times were particularly tough, he simply took what others refused to give.
Soon after he turned 19, he found himself on a caravan guarded by a Jester in training and his teacher. He fell in love with the concept: a hardened survivor, always happy and joking, never caring about how terrible his life was. Convincing these costumed men to take him back to their castle, Ralrai was never lied to about what it would take to make him like the others. He didn't mind losing his memory or what remained of his sanity: what good had it done him? And so he learned of the Elder Gods, of the Jesters, of the fate of the doomed world. This knowledge helped him forgot his past life. And for the first time in years, he smiled and laughed.
At 21, fully accepting the moniker of Jingles from the Kenku caravan he protected while training, he set off to bring merriment and a touch of needed destruction wherever he could. A noteworthy Jester, though never legendary like Pennywise and Dismas, he helped spread a certain reputation for Jesters being terrifying and suicidal in combat, but wonderful to stick with around campfires. He eventually came into possession of a magical lute, one of the rumored Instruments of the Bard, after its previous owner met her end at the hands of a giant. Killing the creature single-handedly, no one in his company argued when he claimed the beautiful instrument. He's never let Jessie, as he lovingly refers to her, out of his sight since. Those who tried to change that never lasted long.
He will never forget the tenants of his college: Enjoy his life, bring merriment to many, even if some must die for this to happen. Ensure you are paid, fed, and comfortable. But always seek the dangerous and ill-advised. The end is coming anyway: might as well take a few risks to enjoy things in the mean time.
Clothing/Personal Style: lives in his patchwork Jester costume almost constantly, has one spare to change into if the other needs to be washed, a very loose and soft costume to sleep in. One back-up for the mask that's not magical, only to be worn if the normal one is being tended to. Never allows anyone to see the man under the costume.
Goal: To cheer up as many as possible before Cthulhu rises again.
Profession: Jester and Longwalker; professional entertainer, bodyguard, monster hunter (sometimes), and courier.
Personal quote: "No one ever taught you what you should really be afraid of, did they?"
Theme song: How Far We've Come, Matchbox Twenty
Favorite food: roasted bird
Favorite drink: whiskey
Favorite location: College of the Jester
Favorite weather: cold, enoug to justify him playing with fire.
Favorite color: red
Least liked food: standard, normal bread.
Least liked drink: cheap ale.
Least liked location: very religious town he passed through years ago, no drinking, everyone too uptight, small town with no fun.
Least liked weather: extreme heat.
Favorite person: no one in particular. Getting too hung up on one person ruins the sense of adventure.
Least liked person: no one in particular. Most he doesn't like he ends up killing.
Friends: Arwen closest to best since college days, Atlas in a joking/competitive kind of way, few other people here and there.
Relations: still has four sisters, Delanys, Cophira, Elenphye, and Venyaries, and father, Osnan, but no memory of them; several short term girlfriends in the Jesters and in the various communities Jingles performed in; good friendly, working relationship with almost all Jesters.
Enemies: anyone who happens to get in his way, no real lifelong enemies.
Significant other: Arwen, kind of. Long time separated, but both want to meet again
Orientation: straight