Magnus Faust
From GURPSworld Wiki
A young man of charm and wit, Magnus Faust is a performer and storyteller who keeps lodgings in Rotbrueck town. He sometimes acts as a business agent for Sir Philip Parsons, particularly in matters of livestock and game hunting.
Description
Clean-shaven, dark-brown hair and brown eyes. Always wears a cloak, which he often opens theatrically when entering a room. Known for his near-constant storytelling and compulsion to gamble and carouse all-hours. While he does not have the reputation of a fighter, he is known among townsfolk for being slow to anger but swift to end an argument, a quick and deft hand with both knife and insult.
Age: 23 years old
Height: 1.77 m
Weight: 68 kg
Biography
Magnus was given his ostentatious name by his father, a soldier who reveled in the glory of the past. His father also took Magnus for long walks in the woods while telling stories of history and war, instilling in the boy both a deep reverence for nature and a love of good stories. At night his mother would tell him tales of kings and royalty, giving the boy a sense of fantasy to accompany his history.
When his mother died, ten-year old Magnus was apprenticed to the estate of Sir Philip Parsons. As he does with many of his charges, Sir Philip provided tutoring and other education for the boy, but Magnus was a bit too much of a daydreamer for rigorous studied. He did show a talent with animals, proving particularly good with horses, and at the age of fourteen was formally apprenticed to the chief groomsman of the Parsons estate. He worked several hours a day with horses but continued his studies under Sir Philip (though at a considerably different pace than other students). Magnus has not heard from his birth father in over thirteen years, and believes the old soldier to be dead. He considers the groomsman Jakob Faust to be his father and shows the man the loyalty and respect of a good son.
At the age of twenty Magnus was released from his apprenticeship and allowed to decide his future for himself. He elected to remain with the Parsons estate and became one of Sir Philip's business representatives, primarily dealing in horses and other livestock but also handling other matters as Sir Philip decides. He also honed his talents at acting and storytelling by performing for some of the local families, as well as for the patrons of various taverns. He is known about town as a man fond of drink and women, with some skill at the card table. His near-constant storytelling has earned him the nickname "Silvertongue," though only his best chums dare call him this to his face as it could be considered an insult.
Since his childhood Magnus has shown considerable interest in legends and myths, particularly those concerning dragons. This interest was of course inspired by his parents' stories, but during his studies with Sir Philip he would devour every bit of information he could discover. It was, in fact, this curiosity that drove Magnus' limited scholarship more than anything else. This eccentricity is dismissed by most as the trait of a storyteller, but his closest companions know that Magnus truly believes dragons once existed (unlike most people, who believe them to be a myth, or at best an exaggerated description of actual beasts).
Around town, Magnus is reputed to have a gift with nature, which some ascribe to magic. Others say he is simply knowledgeable due to his studies and the amount of time he spends alone in the woods. His storytelling and bardic skills are widely known, and he makes a decent living entertaining noblemen and townspeople alike.
Notable Talents
Acting, Animal Handling (Equines), Broadsword (with Counterattack technique), Diplomacy, Expert Skill (Bardic Lore), Fire Eating, Knife, Knot-Tying, Lasso, Literature, Merchant, Performance, Poetry, Public Speaking (Storytelling), Riding (Equines), Savoir-Faire (High Society), Streetwise, Whip (with Entangle technique).