Nose Ring

Total Encumbrance = 2. Fatigue = 34 (36 – 2). Leather armor. Iron scimitar. 4 Javelins carried on zebra or wyvern. Values in parentheses are with Damage Resistance Intensity 13 active (from Maculus). * Left arm is actually a hook — treat as lost for HP purposes but functional as a weapon.

* Nose Ring has at least 2 javelins with Damage Boosting Intensity 5 cast on them by Maculus. These do 1d8+1d3+5 damage.

Worship Seven Mothers x1, Sanctify x1, Spellteaching x1, Divination x5, Armoring Enchantment x1, Excommunication x1, Dismiss Magic x6, Extension x4, Heal Wound x5, Spirit Block x2, Strengthening Enchantment x1, Warding x1, Command Lune x1, Mind Link x4, Madness x4, Mind Blast x1, Reflection x2, Soul Sight x4.

Agility −4: Climb 52%, Dodge 88% (−ENC), Jump 76%, Ride Horse 93%, Ride Wyvern 37%, Swim 66%, Throw 75%.

Communication −6: Sing 71%, Intimidate 43%.

Knowledge +2: Animal Lore 33%, Craft Tattoo 51%, Evaluate 33%, First Aid 84%, World Lore 21%.

Manipulation +5: Conceal 52%, Devise 19.

Perception +7: Listen 37%, Scan 87%, Search 81%, Track 51%.

Stealth −7: Hide 71%, Sneak 67%.

Magic +2: Ceremony 46%.

New Pelorian 46/07, Tarshite Sartarite 11/—, Pavic 15/—.

Nose Ring typically carries about 10L, often in clacks. 8000L ransom from the Lunar government.

Special Items: Bronze hook has a Bladesharp 8 matrix with the condition that only "Healed" Initiates of Danfive Xaron may use it; Nose Ring no longer uses spirit magic, so the matrix goes unused. He may choose to give it to the next genuine "Healed" Danfive cultist he meets, especially if that initiate also lacks a hand.

Two magic point storage matrices, tattooed behind his knees — 14 points and 7 points.

A tiny chip of Truestone, mounted on a heavy silver medallion, worn around his neck on a thick chain.

Bronze nose ring piercing his septum is a Strength 3 matrix. It was once a finger ring of a very large dark troll.

Nose Ring's Coder cloak has no magical augmentation, but the silver clasp is a fine piece of work, shaped as a moon rune and etched with religious scenes. This gift from Anderida is worth 700L.

Nose Ring grew up the hard way in the back alleys of Torang. As he grew older, his criminal pursuits became increasingly callous and brutal. Lunar justice is pragmatic; when convicted of his crimes, Nose Ring had the choice of initiation in the Danfive Xaron cult or lifetime service on the Emperor's galleys. He chose Danfive Xaron and enlisted in the infamous Punishment Legions. Although a reticent convert at first, as the years passed Nose Ring became filled with self-disgust and loathing at his crimes, and began to diligently apply himself to the cult's teachings. After nearly two decades (during which he lost various body parts for various infractions, including a hand and an ear), he emerged a "Healed" member of the cult, and was free to return to society. Nose Ring's skills were not unnoticed, and he was quickly recruited into the Coders.

Nose Ring keeps little of his huge salary, instead sending it back to support the Blessed Torang No. 6 Foundling Home and Borstal, a Teelo Norri charitable institution set up to care for the unwanted children of the streets. He may also be moved to support similar worthy causes in the places through which he travels. Nose Ring cannot read, and although Anderida has patiently taught him for over five years, he has made little headway beyond laboriously signing his own name.

The Truestone: Many years ago, Nose Ring recovered two pieces of blank Truestone on a secret mission. On his long return to civilized territory, he chewed off one of his own fingers in frustration while resisting the urge to cast the few points of divine magic he knew into them. He turned both pieces over to the grateful Lunar authorities. Although it remains property of the Empire, the authorities gave the smaller piece (a tiny splinter) to the Coders. Anderida took the truestone sliver in her hand and cast all of her divine magic into it before giving it back to Nose Ring. Nose Ring now never sacrifices for divine magic of his own, lest he says (holding up the stump of his right little finger), he "ever finds another piece of truestone." Instead, he ploughs his gained POW into enchantment tattoos. In recent years he also gave up using spirit magic.

Appearance: Nose Ring is tall and bulky, clean-shaven with long yellowish hair slicked back with oil and tied into a tight knot. Only Anderida knows that Nose Ring actually dyes his hair, due to sensitivity about going gray. She wonders why someone so hideous would be so vain about such a detail. Nose Ring's hair conceals his missing ear, but his severed hand has been replaced with a large bronze hook etched over with countless tiny runes. Nose Ring's entire body, including his face, bears an array of enchantment tattoos, in a variety of styles ranging from crude runic emblems to intricate pattern work. He also shows a multitude of scars, ranging from tiny nicks to great welts. These serve as reminders of penances and disciplinary procedures during his service in the Punishment Legions. Nose Ring heavily favors his right foot — another legacy of his time in the Danfive cult. Nose Ring's teeth fared little better; most of the teeth on the left side of his face are gone. He soft voice comes as a surprise for someone so brutal looking. In fact, he sings gentle hymns very well when the urge strikes him.

Personality: Nose Ring's nature is a testament to the powers of the Danfive Xaron cult. Where there was once cruelty and anger, now he knows compassion and inner peace. He might be described as reserved or even shy, and when he speaks it is slow and measured. At leisure, Nose Ring typically may be seen adding yet another tattoo to his body, or at his reading lesson with Anderida. One of his many penances involved emasculation, and he is no longer attracted to women.

The unrelenting severity of his service in the Danfive Xaron Punishment legions has given Nose Ring great tolerance to pain. Double his CON rolls when incapacitated or attempting to be heroic.

Residence: Nose Ring stays at the Teelo Norri Poorhouse (R-94), where he can always find a bed for the night and potato bread, onions, and date mush in the morning. The other unfortunates and down-and-outs who stay there know better than to mess with any of Nose Ring's possessions, and newcomers quickly learn about him. Nose Ring does not seek any special attention from the Teelo Norri sisters, but they always give it to him anyway. Anderida has tried putting Nose Ring in a variety of other accommodations, but he always gravitates back to the poorhouse.

Relationships with Other Coders: Nose Ring genuinely loves his fellow comrades (even Maculus) as they are the family he never had. He cherishes Anderida most deeply of all, and his self control would be momentarily lost if she was slain. Nose Ring might even check himself back into the Danfive legions if the actions he committed while in a rage were bad enough.

Moonflower: Nose Ring is one of the few initiates in the Lunar Empire to possess his own allied spirit. The Imperial Overlord himself awarded Moonflower to Nose Ring as a reward for past services, in particular his recovery of the Truestone. Moonflower is bound into an enchantment tattoo on Nose Ring's thigh. As Nose Ring no longer uses magic himself, Moonflower casts it on his behalf. She has access to the Truestone's array of divine magic.