Appearance

Facial Features

Sharp, almost dragon-like facial features.

Physical quirks

His irises have a diamond shape similar to that of a dragon.
His skin has a subtle dragon scale pattern.

Apparel & Accessories

Wears a typical wizard hat, a monocle, a large crafted necklace and several rings. He also has a large book that is normally hung from his belt and satchel over his shoulder. The monocle and book are secured under his school robes via a chain.
 
(see character sheet for details on equipment)

Mentality

Personal history

Born to a powerful magical family in his home culture, he was expected to carry on his family's legacy as a talented mage, but through all his magical tutoring and training, while he could summon the magical energies, he couldn't actually control them well enough to cast even the most basic cantrip. What he could do (and do very well) was channel the magical energy into objects, imbuing them with effects similar to that of a spell. Unfortunately, his parents saw these creations as a waste of time; toys and curiosities, and nothing more.
His parents got him enrolled him at Ioth Academy, being graduates of the institution themselves, hoping that he would come back with true a true wizard, worthy of his family name.
 
The staff recognized that his affinity for artifice was valuable, even if his parent's didn't. Despite the staff's best efforts, he continued to focus on using artifice to mimic the "real" magic that wizards and sorcerers like his parents practice. The Artifice class hasn't changed his view of being an artificer, but it has made him a lot better at it.
 
He likes to hang around students who he sees as role models for becoming a wizard, such as Kraius, as so can learn from them.

Education

Before Ioth, he received private magical tutoring focused on the direct casting of spells, from which he only learned some basic theory, but never learned to actually cast spells. He was able to nurture his gift for artifice on his own, however. He also received typical noble level education in mundane subjects, like history, Elvish, and social customs.
 
At Ioth, he took Elemental Studies, Runic Alphabets (he was really impressed by the way Alyx owned the teacher), and Artifice. He claims he took Artifice because it was so new and interesting compared to his normal magic, and it has let him be more comfortable practicing artifice more openly, but only because he can say the projects were done for class.
 
Thanks to the study habits he developed from his early tutoring, he is able naturally excel at his studies, and is, of course, a natural in his Artifice class.

Accomplishments & Achievements

He has been able to reproduce a limited number of spells using artifice in a way that, to a casual observer, makes it look like he is casting the spell like any other full spellcaster.
With a combination of runes and magic channeling wires and circuits that direct the flow of and manipulate magical energy, he has been able to create impressive magic powered devices that often hide their true potential.
Devices include

• Spellbook that preserves its contents against age, fire, and water damage, is secured by a runic combination lock, and can search, interpret, and display any information contained within on the inside cover.


• His first year crafting project was a necklace capable of producing a thunderous wave of sound that damages enemies and knocks over objects.


• His artifice class project was to reproduce the effects of bardic healing magic through pure magical infusion, something he's been successful at with arcane magic, but never bardic magic. He successfully taught himself bardic magic theory, magical string theory, primal music, and even a basic music theory over the course of developing this infusion, and was able to craft a ring capable of reproducing the effects of the Bardic Cure Wounds spell.

Failures & Embarrassments

The way his magical dragonblood heritage manifested in him made it impossible for him to control and shape magical energies into a spell like a 'real mage.'

Mental Trauma

When he left for the Academy, his father told him to come back a great wizard, or don't come back at all.

Intellectual Characteristics

Incredibly studious and book smart. Understands how magical energies are shaped into spells better than most wizards.
From a strictly magical standpoint he's like a savant - essentially incapable of normal spell casting, but gifted at artifice.

Morality & Philosophy

With enough study and skill, artifice can produce spells just like that of a wizard or sorcerer.

Taboos

Actually calling himself an artificer is beneath him.
He is hesitant to let anyone examine the magical items with which he casts his wizard spells.

Known Languages

Common and Draconic due to being from the dragon tribes, Elvish was taught as a part of his non-magical home tutoring.

Personality

Motivation

He wants to live up to the expectations of his parents and his family legacy, which right now means being the best "wizard" he can be.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

For some reason, he is incapable of accumulating the magical energy needed to cast any type of spell, however this is offset by gift of being able to imbue magical energy into objects.
To 'cast' a spell, he must develop and use a device that can reproduce the effect when supplied with raw magical energy drawn from his dragon blood. This requires a detailed and precise understanding of the way the spell matrixes control, shape, and transform magical energies that far surpasses any of the requirements for the classes, and even rivals some of the masters in this particular aspect of arcana.

Vices & Personality flaws

Has been instilled with the belief that being an artificer is shameful by his parents.

Personality Quirks

Feels uncomfortable with lying, but is good at "half truths" and "technically the truth"
Will start endlessly talking about something he knowledgeable in once he feels a little comfortable and he senses and opening, the apologize when someone has to shut him up, making him uncomfortable again.
Will write down any information (usually theory) about magic in his "spell" book for future reference.

Social

Birthplace

Guluar Tribe

Current Residence

Ioth Academy - The Ring - Tarselmoor House - rooming with Kraius

Contacts & Relations

Kraius - Pre-codex, Ned hung around him and admires his knowledge, dedication, and general wizard-ness. One of the only people in Kraius's group to stick around through the founding of The Codex, is now a friendly acquaintance with Kraius, which makes Kraius his closest friend.
Alyx - Admired the way he stuck it to the Runic Alphabets teacher, now looks up to him as one of the leaders of The Codex.
Athalor - That kid that torments Kraius, and dislikes him mostly due to peer pressure. If Ned could be bothered to form his own opinion, he would probably respect Athalor for both his charisma and the fact that he beat Kraius in a duel.
Garnet - That weird girl Kraius has a crush on.
Arianna - Vaguely positive opinion of her. Doesn't actually know that much, except for the usual rumor an innuendo.
 
Artificer Gang - Likes them individually, but the least weird one is the fairy, so it does nothing to make him want to stop pretending to be a wizard.
Lex - The weird loner girl that he's shared classes with several time. Likes her vibe, likes her horns. Tried talking with her a few times, finally got to spend some time with her while helping with her 4th year project. It was kinda hot.

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Heir to House Winterclaw

Wealth & Financial state

Family is about as wealthy as you can get without outright ruling a Dragon Tribe. They don't send him anything that isn't supposed to be related to his studies.

Family Ties

House Winterclaw is headed by his father, a powerful and respected dragonblooded sorcerer, who is very stern and traditional. His mother is a skilled and powerful wizard who is more empathetic, but still accedes to her husband on most matters. Living up to his family's wishes is everything to him.

Religious Views

Worships the White Dragon [insert better name than "Arcticana" here]. Will often uses phrases like "By the White Dragon" and such to express surprise.

Social Aptitude

Not actually that bad, but he gets uncomfortable when talking to new people, and will fall back on being formal and polite. He has trouble feeling comfortable being casual around people. (Kind of like Simon Tam)

Mannerisms

Tends to become stiff when nervous. Prone to getting defensive, then talking himself in circles, and revealing the truth when pressed on a lie, just about the only lie he can maintain is that one that he's a wizard, but only because he's convinced himself of a broader than generally accepted definition of "wizard".

Hobbies & Pets

He pretends the eldritch cannon in the form of a drake he crafted is his familiar.

Speech

Educated, he was tutored as a small child by the finest tutors in his tribe.