Post by Mathias Shaw on Feb 1, 2009 21:04:49 GMT -5
Name:
Mathias Shaw
Age:
33
Gender:
Male
Faction:
SI:7
Position:
Guildmaster
Magical branch:
None
Appearance:
Mathias is unassuming, despite being quite possibly the deadliest man in Stormwind. He stands 5' 7" with short-cropped yellowish hair the color of flax. He grows a full-on goatee. His face is unscarred, and appears surprisingly carefree for a man of such import. However, if you gaze into his deep brown eyes, you can see that he is not totally exempt from the sorrows of the world.
Though not exactly handsome, as he appears a little mousy, Mathias powers through most situations with fiery charisma and total self-confidence. Principle, and the desire to serve as an example for his guild, has lead Mathias to maintain his sleek rogue's build, even though his responsibilities rarely see him doing any field work.
Mathias is usually garbed in traditional roguewear, often a white suit of leather armor, sans helm or hood. Though the suit contains dozens of miniature scabbards capable of holding an arsenal of knives and other killing tools, these are noticeably empty, with the exception of the left hip-holster, which contains a wickedly curved short sword. In addition, a piece of black cloth replaces one of the suit's pauldrons, threaded through with several dozen red strings.
Personality:
Mathias is a likable man. Always quick with a smile, and always quick with a joke, Mathias attempts to make light of most situations, no matter any inner turmoil he might have on the matter. Though he outwardly appears friendly and sincere, he is actually a deep brooder who can act on a hairpin trigger. He constantly assesses a situation for danger, preparing to spring into action at any moment. He is kind to all he meets, even as he assesses their level of threat and combat abilities, a skill he is quite adept at, even at his young age.
Futhermore, his carefree exterior is a front for a deeply hurt soul. Years ago, Mathias suffered a massive betrayal from which he never quite recovered, and he now nearly incapable of trusting someone. He has few close confidants, and despite being almost constantly surrounded by friends and employees, he is a lonely soul. He often contemplates ways to kill the people around him as quickly as possible, as both a self-defense mechanism, and to pass the time. Indeed, this has come in handy several times.
Despite all this, Mathias is a good person who genuinely tries to like the people around him, despite his traumatized psyche. He is a startlingly good judge of character, and an excellent speaker. He is good at making small talk, another skill honed during his life as a rogue and assassin. He is also capable of imitating many personalities, a very important skill for assassins.
Weapons/Items:
Though he has no magical equipment, Mathias always carries around a wickedly curved short sword. In addition, he may arm himself with knives, various kinds of poisons, both in vials and needles, a small hand-crossbow, and various other tools of his trade.
He will typically dress in roguewear, a sleek form-fitting white-leather suit, but has an extensive wardrobe that allows him to blend into nearly all situations.
Strengths:
Mathias is absolute epitomy of the Shadow-walker, a man who is only seen when he desires, and can strike at any moment, from any direction, at any time, no matter the location. He is quite possibly the deadliest man in Stormwind, and easily the most skilled rogue in the Southern Kingdoms, rivaled only by Edwin VanCleef. He is always prepared for combat, his reflexes approaching their physical extremes. Though not the strongest, his speed is unrivaled, and he knows hundreds of fighting styles for dozens of weapons, as well as unarmed combat. He has access to many kinds of poisons, and is a somewhat adept alchemist.
Flaws:
Mathias is a deeply scarred individual. The betrayal of his best childhood friend, a man he regarded as his brother, has left an indelible impression on his psyche. As time goes on, he slowly grows increasingly paranoid. He finds trusting people nigh-on-impossible, with his confidants limited to his aging grandmother, Pathonia, the founder of SI:7, who raised him and taught him all he knows, Waltion Freemoore, Pathonia's right-hand man and the closest thing to a father Mathias has, and Varian Wrynn, his liege, and in Mathias' eye, the only person beyond Pathonia and Waltion who is outside suspicion.
History:
Mathias was borne to an elite assassin in SI:7, the daughter of Pathonia Shaw, the founder, and then leader of the rogue guild. Before Mathias was two months old, he was an orphan, his only living relative his grandmother. Mathias knows little of his mother, and Pathonia is not particularly eager to discuss the subject. He is also unaware of who his father is. Since the death of his mother, Mathias has been raised by his grandmother, and Waltion Freemoore, her major-domo. Mathias has long suspected that there was more between Pathonia and Waltion than the strictly professional. He grew up like much of Stormwind's youth, though rumblings of war came out of the Black Morass, and as the years passed, Pathonia was increasingly absent, leading her operatives as spies, scouts, and assassins against the growing might of the orcs. At the age of 11, he met the man who would change his life forever. He met Edwin VanCleef.
By the time he met Edwin, Mathias was already a member of the lowest rung of the SI:7 ladder. Edwin VanCleef was a roof-walker, an adept thief who specialized in defeating mechanical traps, even at his young age. Still, he was little match for the prodigal grandson of the founder of SI:7, and when Mathias caught the boy attempting to pick his pocket, he caught the boy's hand. He ran, and Mathias gave chase. He caught up to him, but perhaps saw something of a kindred spirit in him, and allowed him to escape. They met several times in the proceeding weeks, eventually becoming friends. Mathias taught Edwin, even as his grandmother taught him, and the boys were always fierce rivals. He found out that Edwin was only a thief at night. During the day, he was apprenticed to the City's Guildmaster of Stonemasons. Edwin proudly proclaimed that he had already designed several structures that the guildmaster had taken credit for. Then the horde surged out of the Morass, sacking the city in a single night. Mathias fled with the other survivors, to find Edwin among the refugees. They stayed in Lordaeron for a time, but moved south to ruins of Stormwind as soon as the horde was driven back by the Sons of Lothar.
During the war years, Mathias became increasingly active in SI:7. His first kill came at 14, the blood of an orc scout the first to whet his blade. Others soon fell to the prodigal heir. Corrupt Alteracian noblemen, Bandits from the hinterlands, a troll witch doctor out of Jinta'alor, even an orcish warchief, died under the lightning-quick knife and deadly sword of SI:7's heir. He rose through the ranks of the guild during these years, rising on his own merit rather than any connections he might have to the leadership.
When Mathias and Edwin returned to Stormwind, they were boys no longer. Mathias was an elite assassin now, and Edwin was guildmaster of the Stonemasons in all but title, and Edwin lent his considerable skills to the rebuilding of the city. Edwin lent his powerful mind to such projects as the Cathedral of Light and the great curtain walls. But all was not well in war-torn Stormwind. The few remaining nobles had had their fortunes decimated, their houses shattered. They deemed it unnecessary to pay the masons for their services, for surely the men had done it simply to assists their country, hadn't they? The guilds were enraged, and they rioted. The Nobles orded the city guards to throw them out, with force if necessary.
So they did. Camped outside the city gates they had built, the masons were despondent. Edwin climbed up onto a hillock, and addressed the assembled guildsmen. He lead them away, to where, at the time, the city guards and noblemen did not know. But soon, caravans to the newly-rebuilt city began getting ambushed, as frequently as not, by disturbingly well-equipped bandits, bearing the insignia of the Stonemason guild. Investigating, Mathias found the source of these incursions, a camp deed in the Elwynn Forest, where men built like masons performed the duties of bandits. Mathias snuck into the central tent, the largest and most well appointed, poising himself, dagger raised, over the sleeping form of the man that must be the leader of the bandits. The man's eyes flicked open, and Mathias found himself staring into the face of his oldest childhood friend. He was stunned, and hesitated. Edwin recognized him as well, and dashed out of the tent, alerting his dreary guards. They rushed in, and Mathias still in a daze, dispatched them both. Then he cut his way out of the tent, and vanished into the night.
Mathias was distraught. His loyalty was to Stormwind, to the crown, and his best friend, his only true friend, was now a bandit lord, dedicated to bringing down that very establishment. He warred with himself, but there was no true contest. He was a loyal operative. He would do as he was ordered. He would not hesitate again.
Five years later, Pathonia passed mastership of SI:7 onto Mathias. Though extremely young, none among the guild doubted Mathias' skills or his ability to lead. It had been ten years since then, and Mathias has been waging a covert war on the Defias since that day, though he cannot focus the full efforts of his guild on the matter, for operatives are always needed elsewhere. He is a scarred soul, and has never truly recovered from Edwin's betrayal. He no longer has the capacity to trust, leaving him always on edge, always alert. This has taken a toll on the man, and he has grown increasingly paranoid.
RP Sample:
Mathias slipped into the alley, dove behind the pile of bricks about a dozen meters down with a quick roll, and was pleased to note that his tail followed him in, waiting an entirely unprofessional minute before he stepped around the corner to search for his quarry. The man was good, Mathias noted, but he was like a house cat hunting a lion disguised as a mouse. Mathias noted the three other shadows that stepped in a moment later and cursed himself. He had only noticed three.
Still, when the tracker stepped to within two meters of his hiding spot, he swept around his hiding spot, rolling along, drawing his scimatar in a graceful arc into the man's throat. The man staggered back, his hands feebly attempting to staunch the blood fountaining from the main artery. The others reacted swiftly, drawing concealed weapons with practiced ease, a short sword, twin daggers, and a rapier, he noted. The tracker collapsed, and almost in unison, the rapier-wielding assassin fell with him, the dagger Mathias had thrown using the falling corpse to hide his actions embedded in his right eye. He rushed forward, vaulting over the fallen body of the first man to bring his scimitar down at throat level of the dagger-wielding assassin, to find the man's blades there to meet him. That didn't stop the Guildmaster from driving the ball of his foot into the man's groin and nearly decapitating him as he fell. He turned to the final assassin, just in time to bring up his scimitar to block the sword swinging for his head. He riposted, and to his surprise the man managed to bat away his blade, ducking low for a sweeping cut. He jumped the blade, aiming a kick at the man's knee, and was again surprised, as the man leapt back to avoid the blow. That didn't stop him from bringing his sword sweeping around low, neatly cutting through the man's knee and leaving him sprawled in the alley filth.
He wiped his scimitar clean on the coat of one of the dead assasins, before drawing his dagger and placing his knee on the lone survivor's chest. "Who sent you?" he whispered, placing his face close enough to the man's head that he could hear the assassin's shallow breathing. "Was it Edwin? Did he train you? What was the reward he promised you if you returned with my head? A place at his side? All the gold you could wish for? Speak up, man!" The man coughed, sputtering for breath, the terror in his eyes beginning to glaze over in pain. Mathias stabbed the man in the thigh. "You're going into shock. Stay with me. Tell me what I need to know, and I'll make it quick." So the man told him what he needed to know, and more besides. At the end of the man's crazed, fearful rant, Mathias simply stood up, and walked away. The man coughed fitfully again, and yelled after him "You promised!"
Mathias turned back to the man. "Huh. Look at that. So I did." With that, he vanished in to the shadows.
Mathias Shaw
Age:
33
Gender:
Male
Faction:
SI:7
Position:
Guildmaster
Magical branch:
None
Appearance:
Mathias is unassuming, despite being quite possibly the deadliest man in Stormwind. He stands 5' 7" with short-cropped yellowish hair the color of flax. He grows a full-on goatee. His face is unscarred, and appears surprisingly carefree for a man of such import. However, if you gaze into his deep brown eyes, you can see that he is not totally exempt from the sorrows of the world.
Though not exactly handsome, as he appears a little mousy, Mathias powers through most situations with fiery charisma and total self-confidence. Principle, and the desire to serve as an example for his guild, has lead Mathias to maintain his sleek rogue's build, even though his responsibilities rarely see him doing any field work.
Mathias is usually garbed in traditional roguewear, often a white suit of leather armor, sans helm or hood. Though the suit contains dozens of miniature scabbards capable of holding an arsenal of knives and other killing tools, these are noticeably empty, with the exception of the left hip-holster, which contains a wickedly curved short sword. In addition, a piece of black cloth replaces one of the suit's pauldrons, threaded through with several dozen red strings.
Personality:
Mathias is a likable man. Always quick with a smile, and always quick with a joke, Mathias attempts to make light of most situations, no matter any inner turmoil he might have on the matter. Though he outwardly appears friendly and sincere, he is actually a deep brooder who can act on a hairpin trigger. He constantly assesses a situation for danger, preparing to spring into action at any moment. He is kind to all he meets, even as he assesses their level of threat and combat abilities, a skill he is quite adept at, even at his young age.
Futhermore, his carefree exterior is a front for a deeply hurt soul. Years ago, Mathias suffered a massive betrayal from which he never quite recovered, and he now nearly incapable of trusting someone. He has few close confidants, and despite being almost constantly surrounded by friends and employees, he is a lonely soul. He often contemplates ways to kill the people around him as quickly as possible, as both a self-defense mechanism, and to pass the time. Indeed, this has come in handy several times.
Despite all this, Mathias is a good person who genuinely tries to like the people around him, despite his traumatized psyche. He is a startlingly good judge of character, and an excellent speaker. He is good at making small talk, another skill honed during his life as a rogue and assassin. He is also capable of imitating many personalities, a very important skill for assassins.
Weapons/Items:
Though he has no magical equipment, Mathias always carries around a wickedly curved short sword. In addition, he may arm himself with knives, various kinds of poisons, both in vials and needles, a small hand-crossbow, and various other tools of his trade.
He will typically dress in roguewear, a sleek form-fitting white-leather suit, but has an extensive wardrobe that allows him to blend into nearly all situations.
Strengths:
Mathias is absolute epitomy of the Shadow-walker, a man who is only seen when he desires, and can strike at any moment, from any direction, at any time, no matter the location. He is quite possibly the deadliest man in Stormwind, and easily the most skilled rogue in the Southern Kingdoms, rivaled only by Edwin VanCleef. He is always prepared for combat, his reflexes approaching their physical extremes. Though not the strongest, his speed is unrivaled, and he knows hundreds of fighting styles for dozens of weapons, as well as unarmed combat. He has access to many kinds of poisons, and is a somewhat adept alchemist.
Flaws:
Mathias is a deeply scarred individual. The betrayal of his best childhood friend, a man he regarded as his brother, has left an indelible impression on his psyche. As time goes on, he slowly grows increasingly paranoid. He finds trusting people nigh-on-impossible, with his confidants limited to his aging grandmother, Pathonia, the founder of SI:7, who raised him and taught him all he knows, Waltion Freemoore, Pathonia's right-hand man and the closest thing to a father Mathias has, and Varian Wrynn, his liege, and in Mathias' eye, the only person beyond Pathonia and Waltion who is outside suspicion.
History:
Mathias was borne to an elite assassin in SI:7, the daughter of Pathonia Shaw, the founder, and then leader of the rogue guild. Before Mathias was two months old, he was an orphan, his only living relative his grandmother. Mathias knows little of his mother, and Pathonia is not particularly eager to discuss the subject. He is also unaware of who his father is. Since the death of his mother, Mathias has been raised by his grandmother, and Waltion Freemoore, her major-domo. Mathias has long suspected that there was more between Pathonia and Waltion than the strictly professional. He grew up like much of Stormwind's youth, though rumblings of war came out of the Black Morass, and as the years passed, Pathonia was increasingly absent, leading her operatives as spies, scouts, and assassins against the growing might of the orcs. At the age of 11, he met the man who would change his life forever. He met Edwin VanCleef.
By the time he met Edwin, Mathias was already a member of the lowest rung of the SI:7 ladder. Edwin VanCleef was a roof-walker, an adept thief who specialized in defeating mechanical traps, even at his young age. Still, he was little match for the prodigal grandson of the founder of SI:7, and when Mathias caught the boy attempting to pick his pocket, he caught the boy's hand. He ran, and Mathias gave chase. He caught up to him, but perhaps saw something of a kindred spirit in him, and allowed him to escape. They met several times in the proceeding weeks, eventually becoming friends. Mathias taught Edwin, even as his grandmother taught him, and the boys were always fierce rivals. He found out that Edwin was only a thief at night. During the day, he was apprenticed to the City's Guildmaster of Stonemasons. Edwin proudly proclaimed that he had already designed several structures that the guildmaster had taken credit for. Then the horde surged out of the Morass, sacking the city in a single night. Mathias fled with the other survivors, to find Edwin among the refugees. They stayed in Lordaeron for a time, but moved south to ruins of Stormwind as soon as the horde was driven back by the Sons of Lothar.
During the war years, Mathias became increasingly active in SI:7. His first kill came at 14, the blood of an orc scout the first to whet his blade. Others soon fell to the prodigal heir. Corrupt Alteracian noblemen, Bandits from the hinterlands, a troll witch doctor out of Jinta'alor, even an orcish warchief, died under the lightning-quick knife and deadly sword of SI:7's heir. He rose through the ranks of the guild during these years, rising on his own merit rather than any connections he might have to the leadership.
When Mathias and Edwin returned to Stormwind, they were boys no longer. Mathias was an elite assassin now, and Edwin was guildmaster of the Stonemasons in all but title, and Edwin lent his considerable skills to the rebuilding of the city. Edwin lent his powerful mind to such projects as the Cathedral of Light and the great curtain walls. But all was not well in war-torn Stormwind. The few remaining nobles had had their fortunes decimated, their houses shattered. They deemed it unnecessary to pay the masons for their services, for surely the men had done it simply to assists their country, hadn't they? The guilds were enraged, and they rioted. The Nobles orded the city guards to throw them out, with force if necessary.
So they did. Camped outside the city gates they had built, the masons were despondent. Edwin climbed up onto a hillock, and addressed the assembled guildsmen. He lead them away, to where, at the time, the city guards and noblemen did not know. But soon, caravans to the newly-rebuilt city began getting ambushed, as frequently as not, by disturbingly well-equipped bandits, bearing the insignia of the Stonemason guild. Investigating, Mathias found the source of these incursions, a camp deed in the Elwynn Forest, where men built like masons performed the duties of bandits. Mathias snuck into the central tent, the largest and most well appointed, poising himself, dagger raised, over the sleeping form of the man that must be the leader of the bandits. The man's eyes flicked open, and Mathias found himself staring into the face of his oldest childhood friend. He was stunned, and hesitated. Edwin recognized him as well, and dashed out of the tent, alerting his dreary guards. They rushed in, and Mathias still in a daze, dispatched them both. Then he cut his way out of the tent, and vanished into the night.
Mathias was distraught. His loyalty was to Stormwind, to the crown, and his best friend, his only true friend, was now a bandit lord, dedicated to bringing down that very establishment. He warred with himself, but there was no true contest. He was a loyal operative. He would do as he was ordered. He would not hesitate again.
Five years later, Pathonia passed mastership of SI:7 onto Mathias. Though extremely young, none among the guild doubted Mathias' skills or his ability to lead. It had been ten years since then, and Mathias has been waging a covert war on the Defias since that day, though he cannot focus the full efforts of his guild on the matter, for operatives are always needed elsewhere. He is a scarred soul, and has never truly recovered from Edwin's betrayal. He no longer has the capacity to trust, leaving him always on edge, always alert. This has taken a toll on the man, and he has grown increasingly paranoid.
RP Sample:
Mathias slipped into the alley, dove behind the pile of bricks about a dozen meters down with a quick roll, and was pleased to note that his tail followed him in, waiting an entirely unprofessional minute before he stepped around the corner to search for his quarry. The man was good, Mathias noted, but he was like a house cat hunting a lion disguised as a mouse. Mathias noted the three other shadows that stepped in a moment later and cursed himself. He had only noticed three.
Still, when the tracker stepped to within two meters of his hiding spot, he swept around his hiding spot, rolling along, drawing his scimatar in a graceful arc into the man's throat. The man staggered back, his hands feebly attempting to staunch the blood fountaining from the main artery. The others reacted swiftly, drawing concealed weapons with practiced ease, a short sword, twin daggers, and a rapier, he noted. The tracker collapsed, and almost in unison, the rapier-wielding assassin fell with him, the dagger Mathias had thrown using the falling corpse to hide his actions embedded in his right eye. He rushed forward, vaulting over the fallen body of the first man to bring his scimitar down at throat level of the dagger-wielding assassin, to find the man's blades there to meet him. That didn't stop the Guildmaster from driving the ball of his foot into the man's groin and nearly decapitating him as he fell. He turned to the final assassin, just in time to bring up his scimitar to block the sword swinging for his head. He riposted, and to his surprise the man managed to bat away his blade, ducking low for a sweeping cut. He jumped the blade, aiming a kick at the man's knee, and was again surprised, as the man leapt back to avoid the blow. That didn't stop him from bringing his sword sweeping around low, neatly cutting through the man's knee and leaving him sprawled in the alley filth.
He wiped his scimitar clean on the coat of one of the dead assasins, before drawing his dagger and placing his knee on the lone survivor's chest. "Who sent you?" he whispered, placing his face close enough to the man's head that he could hear the assassin's shallow breathing. "Was it Edwin? Did he train you? What was the reward he promised you if you returned with my head? A place at his side? All the gold you could wish for? Speak up, man!" The man coughed, sputtering for breath, the terror in his eyes beginning to glaze over in pain. Mathias stabbed the man in the thigh. "You're going into shock. Stay with me. Tell me what I need to know, and I'll make it quick." So the man told him what he needed to know, and more besides. At the end of the man's crazed, fearful rant, Mathias simply stood up, and walked away. The man coughed fitfully again, and yelled after him "You promised!"
Mathias turned back to the man. "Huh. Look at that. So I did." With that, he vanished in to the shadows.