Eucalius Lipitus

Eucalius Lipitus is a Tevinter Woodsman and member of the ‘High Dragons’ adventurer's company.

Appearance
Eucalius has the usual tanned, bearded and elegant exterior of most Tevinter’s. Dark brown eyes blend in with his other browned features, putting him halfway between a grimy and wooden appearance. His body is toned for endurance, relying more on long distance stamina than strength. Despite this, his arms are toned for his archery, adequate to fire a longbow at full draw power.

His garb is mostly functional, featuring chainmail and leather highlights, but the typical noble threading is overly apparent in his clothing. While the ostentatious trim and metal shine belies the camouflage, green, orange and brown tones help break up his silhouette in forests. Of note is the padded bracer on his left hand, necessary for handing aviary animals.

True to his hunting profession, he features a gnarled but balanced Yew longbow. A quiver rests over his right shoulder, indicating his right handedness. A sheathed veridium short sword is belted for self-defence, and a skinning is close at hand when necessary.

Armament

 * Yew Longbow: Stock standard to the Tevinters. Mostly used for taking down mages and slaves, its primary purpose is for taking down wild beasts of all sizes.


 * Veridium Shortsword: A dwarven trade Eucalius garnered after many years of supplying dwarven interests.


 * Skinning Knife: A thick short blade for cutting hides, skins and flesh.
 * Tevinter Styled Light Armor: As stylish as it is practical, it befits him as the Lord’s Hunter, while not being too overt in his work environment.

Abilities

 * Stealth - Combat Stealth in Forests: Eucalius is proficient at concealing and moving himself subtly through forested areas. He can apply this to urban and extraneous environments, but to limited effect.


 * Critical Shot: As the Lord’s Hunter, this necessitates taking down prey without tensing the prey’s muscles. To this end, Eucalius has been trained to aim at critical biological weaknesses - of things he recognises, at least.
 * Full Draw: The first shot should be the last shot, and thus Eucalius has been trained to put time and power into a single decisive shot.
 * Dueling: Despite his long ranged profession, Eucalius has been trained in single sword, ‘clean’ fighting.
 * Summon Owl: To assist in his tracking, Eucalius employs an owl to scout terrain, prey or hostiles. Owls aren’t physically strong enough to be used in a true melee scuffle, but are silent enough to move around quietly and steal small objects. Due to their nocturnal nature, they are highly perceptive at night, and should not be called during the day.

Skills

 * Archery
 * Tracking
 * Expert Survival
 * Wood Carving
 * Fletching
 * Skinning
 * Trap-Making: Animal Traps
 * Improved Herbalism
 * Improved Combat Training
 * Animal Taming - Birdkeeping

Biography
Eucalius was born in a standard working class Tevinter family. While the lower class was nothing to be proud of, he was born into a society that lived above a stratification of slavery. His parents were a dock worker and stewardess, a necessary set of professions in the port trading town of Qarinus. Eucalius grew up with salty air and saltier slaves, but his father treated his servants well and the feeling remained mutual.

As a Tevinter, he grew up with fantasies of bringing his family status and respect as a magister. He was absorbed in magical knowledge and its applications, doing extra reading in between school and his childhood. His sister had no aspirations of such, instead sticking close to her mother and circle of friends.

It became apparent that Eucalius indeed had no magical potential, while his sister did. Somewhat heartbroken and jealous, he ran to the nearby forests to escape the reality of his mundane life. It became obvious that what he had previously learned had no application in the wilderness outside the sheltered walls, and he was clearly lost.

Soon enough, unknown animals howled and bayed for supper in the near distance. Foliage was no protection to him, as he scrambled for his way back. The howlings faded, until they ended, until a 14 year Eucalius was found by the Lord’s Hunter and his hunting troupe. Somewhat surprised to have found anyone alone outside the city walls, they had nonetheless found him via one of their trained birds. Eucalius remembers little of the encounter, but he was escorted back to the city in one piece.

One fantasy replaced another, and one reality replaced another. Now set on becoming a tracker or hunter, Eucalius processed the tumultuous day and refocused on what he could be. Not a knight, magister or delusional boy, but one of the hunters who were masters of the tall grass beyond. While he could not really capitalize on his surface level magical knowledge, he passed what he could to his sister.

Time passed by and Eucalius soon apprenticed under the fletcher. Not directly the vocation he wanted, but was still a place he knew the hunters frequented. Day by day, he watched them come in and out, weathered and bloody from the world beyond. Soon enough, he was his own young adult, and began his second apprenticeship. He was trained under one of the aspiring hunters, learning to identify important details in the terrain and how to quickly or quietly navigate them. It would not be a few weeks until he became truly familiar with a bow and the arrows he had been helping craft.

At the age of 19, he finally became an aspiring hunter himself. Soon, the group travelled beyond familiar surroundings, and into darker, further places. Surviving an initiation of sorts, the group stranded him with little preparation. Using what he had discerned, he foraged for himself, returning to Qarinus. Whilst he wasn’t in any real danger as the hunting troupe followed from afar, he had survived independently enough for them to trust his skills as a hunter in his own right.

Eucalius thus spent his further years between fletching and hunting. He learned of more exotic arrows with almost magical effects. He learned of more elusive and dangerous animals - close and far. He learned more complicated hunting techniques, like herbology, traps, and advanced concealment in a variety of seasons.

Many years passed until Eucalius learned of a semi-dark secret. On occasion, the Lord’s Hunter would be tasked with pursuing escaped slaves; dead or alive. In any case, their fate would be a grim one. While this didn’t sit well with the Eucalius, this was a task that was ordained, and thus the closest thing to high society respect. While the current Lord’s Hunter and his troupe had been perfectly fine in dealing with the situations as they arose, the number of escapees into the local forest required every hunter on hand.

They traversed terrain in pursuit, tracing the sloppy tracks left overnight. Whenever conventional tracking failed, a trusty avian assistant would course correct them. Soon enough, they had to split up as their quarry did, and every Tevinter was for himself. Paired up to balance experience, the well seasoned Lord’s Hunter himself led Eucalius on.

It soon became apparent that they were tracking far more elves than they had been privy to. The Lord’s Hunter discerned that they had stumbled into temporary Dalish territory, and pursuit was not ideal. A little after messaging a fallback via bird, the Dalish countered. Elvish arrows struck both the Lord’s Hunter and Eucalius.

The official story is that the Lord’s Hunter was killed, and Eucalius was spared to send back a message.

A far more magical set of circumstances ensued. Before the Dalish could move in to strike the killing blow, an owl intervened, perching on Eucalius. To humans, such an act was completely inconsequential. But to the Dalish, a symbolism of Falon’Din had sent some sort of sign.

Eucalius awoke, disarmed and treated by the Dalish. While they were fully and actively prepared to kill a shem, they desired not to interrupt the god of death and fortune. The owl had stuck close to Eucalius, watching over him. While initially puzzled, one of the Dalish hunters disdainfully admitted that one of the slaves had vouched for his families treatment of elves. Not one to press his good fortune or ask too much of the Dalish, Eucalius left on tense but mutual terms. He warned them that the Tevinter Imperium would seek reprisal, but he would not betray their location.

Returning to Qarinus, he reported the half truth. The Dalish had ambushed them, and he had survived via his armor and hasty herbal poultices. The rest of the hunting party had not returned, which did not bode well. A more armored division of Tevinter mages and soldiers was soon assembled, and sent out to the last location Eucalius could ‘discern’. While they found the last camp of the Dalish in the forestry, they had already passed the border, and beyond the city’s jurisdiction. Few of the other hunters were found alive, but they eventually returned after crossing and returning from the border themselves.

Many years passed as Eucalius fully understood what had happened. He was trained more in birdkeeping by the next Lord Hunter, a necessary step given his new owl compatriot. He advanced somewhat slowly over time, but a bond of providence made them inseparable. In some surprise, the current Lord Hunter transferred to his family in Minrathous, leaving Eucalius as the new Lord’s Hunter. It was a daunting task, but one he was invariably trained for.

Soon enough, Divine Joanna was crowned. While such a Divine had no bearing on the Tevinter’s own, orders slowly fluttered from above. Tevinter would send it’s own - by their own volition - to insert themselves into the growing band of freelance mercenaries. While it was unlikely they would have information that Tevinter would not, it was an opportunity to sneak closer to the heart of Orlais’ arm of action. At the very least, a sympathetic Tevinter - preferably not a devious Magister - would be able to keep some of the Tevinter Imperium’s interests or considerations at hand.

While not completely sold on the idea of leaving behind his parents, the stipend of those who honored the missive was made clear. To become more like the hunter who led a young distraught boy out of the woods when he needed it most, Eucalius and his owl “Falon’Din” have ventured out of Tevinter and into the arms of whatever adventuring company will take them.

Friendships
Eucalius' occupation makes him friend and ally of most people he encounters - the Tevinter Lord's kitchen staff, local fletcher, City Watch, and other members of the Lord's hunting party. He has a semi-professional working relationship for the Dwarves in the diplomatic underground sector, who will frequently request tender game for important events. Eucalius also presents off-cuts to the elven slaves who work under his father. These are minor working relationships, however.

Family

 * Marcellus Lipitus: Father. A simple provider, who toiled day to day providing for his family. Worked the docks, treating his slaves fairly for the incoming and outgoing ships. Had little time to raise Eucalius or Caeparia, but supported their innate career choices. Eucalius respects the honest life he’s lived and returns from time to time with fresh game or extra silvers.


 * Ateia Lipitus: Mother. A stewardess at a logistical company. Was harsh on her children, but fair where it counted. Eucalius respected her fair judgment, but always felt she compensated for the sociatal advantages she saw magisters receive.


 * Caeparia Lipitus: Sister. Was an unremarkable but friendly sister, until she showed magical inclinations. Her new status rose her family’s status, though more from lucky heritage than effort. While he despises how easily she won approval, Eucalius considers her close family regardless.

Romance
Eucalius has not pursued any romantic attractions, though acknowledges it as the toughest hunt of all.

Allies

 * Hunting Owl: Eucalius became the mutual partner of a wild owl. After it was a piece of symbolism that spared his life, he began the arduous process of training it in lieu of other rangers. Naming it "Falon'Din" based on the Dalish words they ascribed to it, Eucalius has trained him to scout distant areas and fetch lightweight objects. The owl still has a fickle personality to it, often snooping around when not being commanded.

Rivals
Eucalius' profession is a team oriented enterprise. While there is some competition for top appraisal, Eucalius never considered any of them his rival.

Some of the tougher beasts of the forests may well fill that niche. But if there was a singular adversary, it would be the Dalish hunters who ambushed his fellow hunters.

Personality
Eucalius acts somewhere in between the dour lower class and snobbish magisters. Often the first and last one to enact a sarcastic remark, he’s one to see both the bright and dark sides of life. He takes some pleasure in his true profession - the hunt of wild game and hazardous beasts in the name of the local lords. Eucalius has been brought up to respect slaves, but on occasion, he will be tasked with the disdainful task of tracking those that escape.

Eucalius prefers a calm, precise and undisruptive approach to life and work. He aspires to a level headedness and steadiness so that he can strike all his tasks without disruption from emotions or physical tremors. The precision of his work means he aspires to some level of perfection. Not complete perfection, but a solid knowledge of the bare minimum required to achieve whatever he sets his eyes on. He also picks the path of least resistance, content to expend more time to not disturb a person, twig underfoot, or unnecessary danger.

While Eucalius has no hatred for elves, the slaves and Dalish that define his exposure to them hardly put any goodwill to their name. The Qunari retain the image of bloody and organized invaders, and that reputation will take time to tarnish. Mages have always been beyond his social circles, but their treatment of those beneath them influence his opinion of them. Dwarves have diplomatic ties to Qarinus, and trading between them has some positive curiosity and endearment in Eucalius’ eyes.

Trivia

 * Eucalius' alias is a reference to 'Owl Prowler', an informal term to describe nightime owl watchers.