Appearance

Physical Description

He is not a strong man by any means, but he is quick and precise, exactly what a sharpshooter needs.

Body Features

He is missing two fingers on his right hand. On his gut is a massive amount of scar tissue, a reminder of the skirmish that put him out of action.

Identifying Characteristics

On the back of his right hand is the red sword mark of the Mars Arcanus.

Special abilities

Glyphic magic, his masterpiece of arcane pioneering.

Mentality

Personal history

Born in Fetter's Fork to a weaveress and a drunkard, the young Sigismund spent his days with other children rather than his parents, and became known for independence and problem solving. In early life, with no prospects for anything greater, Sigismund joined the Dragoons, the military arm of the Ancellan Federation, and served as a skirmisher and pathfinder. For years, he fought the dwarven forces of the Hillsbane Holdouts, helping to inch Federation power further into the North. Afterwards, he was called to the South-West, where his skill as a scout and skirmisher was invaluable in observing the North border of Ouroborian Empire, and repelling their own scouts and forays. His soldiering ended with the loss of two fingers on his sword hand, and a stab in the gut. He survived the wound, but with two fingers missing, he was judged unfit, and recalled. He his remaining years training recruits, in which time he learned to shoot and spar with his offhand. Offered admission to Officer's school after a particularly costly conflict reduced the number of experienced soldiers, he declined, electing to try his hand as a mage and, through a friend, gained admission to Valewyrk Academy, studying in the Mars Arcanum.

Education

He was a lower-middling student, but supplemented his mediocrity in arcana with martial skill, bastardizing incantations and spells to bring about his desired effects. He wrote his final paper on the work he did, and submitted it to the academy. The professors were shocked, both at his activities and apparent success in altering spells, but judged that this was not what he was taught and rejected his paper, failing him. They then confiscated his notes, and expelled him from the academy. And thus, the first human Swordmage was forgotten, and resigned himself to mercenary work. And that's where he is found today, far from home, without work, and spending what coin he makes on inks as he struggles to rebuild his notes.

Employment

Joining the Ancellan Dragoons at 19, Sigismund served for 9 years. Nearly seven years of this was spent in the mountains, in a scout regiment called the White Owls. There he served as a scout and pathfinder, navigating the mountain paths and fighting the Holdouts. After that, he was transferred to a skirmisher regiment to the south of Ancellus, nicknamed the Snake Oilers. There he fought the Ouroborians before being pulled out of commission for an injury. He spent the remainder of his time in the Dragoons training recruits before retiring at the age of 28. For the past three years, he's served as a mercenary in the employ of Ephraim Sylnoa, the governor of Ardenscourt. After leaving that job, he joined his current party and acted as a violent seditionist and anti-establishment terrorist.

Mental Trauma

Years of war has left him unbroken, but exhausted.

Intellectual Characteristics

He's intelligent, but too impatient to commit time to study. He'd rather put time into doing something active, like experiments or tweaking.

Morality & Philosophy

If fighting for a nation's belief all his life has taught him something, it's that ideals aren't worth killing over.
 
For all his conniving and all his bastardy, he's a man of his word. He knows what betrayal is, and doesn't like making others endure it as well.

Known Languages

He's fluent in dwarvish from his time fighting the Holdouts, where knowledge of the language would allow him to navigate negotiations or surrender. After arriving in Ardenscourt, he began to learn elvish. His elvish is fair, but no where near the level of fluency he has in dwarvish.

Personality

Motivation

Gold and his research. He has few people that he cares about, and most of them live far away. For now, all he wants is the money and time to continue his studies of magic.

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Your secret is safe with my indifference."
 
"Bullet’s are cheap, friend. What’s your life worth?"
 
"You’ve got one foot in the coffin already, sure you wanna take another step?"
 
"Everything you’ve done so far’s been one big joke. I just hope you have a good punchline."

Social

Birthplace

Fetter's Fork

Current Residence

Ardenscourt

Contacts & Relations

Derrett Calwen: A former Mars Mage turned dragoon, the opposite of Sigismund. He gave up his wand and turned toward martial combat. A member of the Indies, he was a part of Sigismund's mercenary crew, and the only survivor (aside from Sigismund) of the ambush in the forests of Ardenscourt.
 
Eliza Redgrave: Former lover. She helped Sigismund craft his main theory on glyphic magic, but warned him not to share it with the Academy. After he did so and was expelled, they separated.
 
Bleetus: A horse doctor and former combat surgeon. Sigi owes him a few favors, and vice versa.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Sergeant at Arms

Wealth & Financial state

He makes a fair amount, but spends it just as fast.

Family Ties

His mother, Jocelyn Vern. She began as a weaveress, married to Sigismund's father, a drunkard. After his death, she began to claw her way to a position that befit her intellect and tenacity. Now, years later, she is the Mayor of Fetter's Fork.

Religious Views

He doesn't like gods. "If you stop tellin' people it's all sorted out after they're dead," he'd say, "they might try sorting it all out while they're still alive."

Mannerisms

When speaking, he is coarse and surly, but most of the time he prefers to listen.

Speech

He sounds like a typical lowborn Federation citizen, though his accent isn't as strong as he makes it out to be.