Reinhard der Schreiber
Reinhard was born in Wunschau, the son of Henrick der Schreiber - "the scribe" - a local scrivener and scribe who performed administrative duties for Konrad, the local margrave. Reinhard's mother Berta worked as a housekeeper for a local scholar named Ulrich von Rotz auf den Wunsch. Reinhard has two younger sisters Hanna and Gisela. As child he apprenticed as a scrivener under his father, countless long days spent indoors copying various histories and texts. As he entered his teen years he began to produce the occasional small magics. He would reach out to grab something beyond his reach and it would be drawn towards him; a cold bowl of soup would warm up. These uncontrolled magics scared him enough that he did not tell anyone for fear of being labeled a devil.
Eventually one such magical manifestation was witnessed by one of his sisters, who told his mother. And his mother asked Ulrich, who assessed that Reinhard was not a devil but instead possessed some undeveloped talents for magic. Ulrich taught Reinhard several subjects beyond the instruction in magic. Under Ulrich's tutelage Reinhard learned Vallanda, Philosophy, nature lore and the basic beginnings of his medical knowledge.
At a young age he traveled south to study at the University of Insubria. He spent a few years there studying a great many subjects, history, philosophy, medicine and anatomy, various subjects relating to nature and several arcane subjects. Toward the end of his studies, he sat at the feet of Arminius of Castronegro - a famed if controversial scholar who held the Chair of Angelology at the university.
After presenting his thesis to the faculty heads Reinhard began to make plans to return home to visit his family, which he had not seen in several years, and only exchanged the occasional correspondence with. He longed to see his Mother and Father again, and to present the gifts he had bought for his sisters. He wished to speak with his mentor to whom he owes so much. And perhaps see a young woman he was close with as a child once again.
And so shortly after an earthquake struck Insubria, he bade his farewells to his professors and fellow students, and set off traveling with a merchant caravan heading north he was able to arrange transport with.
He traveled from town to town heading northwards, trading his services for food and lodging along the way.
However shortly into his travels an outbreak of plague fell upon the land. And his journey home slowed to a crawl as travel became near impossible, and outsiders were given no hospitality and treated with nothing but mistrust or worse.
He soon discovered the means to continue his journey in becoming a Plague Doctor, part of a loosely organized group of those attempting to treat or cure those afflicted, or care for those who were dying. He enjoyed his work as a plague doctor, for it gave him a nice opportunity to test and sharpen his medical skills, as well as access to a great deal of dead and dying to study other things.
Until recently he had been working to combat the outbreak in the town of Rotz, When as would happen as if by destiny an agent named Eddi representing the Wunschau town council came to town seeking to recruit it's plague doctors to come back with her. Reinhard was not difficult to convince.
Restocked on whatever supplies he could and agreed to travel with her.
When Reinhard returned, he found that home was currently begin ravaged by the plague. What has become of his family, his mentor, his childhood sweetheart, he wondered. But he had no time to seek them out, as Wolff, the local Vogt, summoned the newcomers to a town meeting, and informed them that he wanted them to find Ruprecht , a sexton, who was the last one of that profession in the vorburg of Westweg, just outside the city walls. Ruprecht had disappeared several days ago, and the door to his sacristy was locked. It was feared that there would be no one to bury bodies if the Plague returned to the vorburg full-force. Since the Wunschau council had paid Reinhard a heavy subvention to come, and as dealing with the consequences of the Plague was his calling, he quickly agreed, and accompanied Eddi, the other new arrivals from Rotz, and a member of the local militia to the priory where the sexton resided. After gaining entry into the sacristy, Reinhard and his companions learned that Ruprecht's assistants had contracted the Plague, and, as Reinhard initially thought, were put out of their misery by the sexton. They later learned that Ruprecht had survived death, and using magic, brought his assistants back beyond the grave as well. When defeating Ruprecht proved to be beyond their means, Reinhard fled the house along with his companions, set it on fire, and retreated back to the main town.
Reinhard is a sight that has become all too common these past few months - one that none wish to see and go out of their way to avoid when possible. Covered fully head to foot in dark leathers. complete with a wide brimmed hat, gloves, a full length heavy leather trench coat and the most striking piece - a mask in the style of a large birds beak. He stands there bag in one hand with a short staff in the other. hardly moving and inch. He may be looking your way but you can't see his eyes to tell if he is indeed looking at you or simply in your general direction. Reinhard wears this outfit round the clock. Beneath the suit is a clean shaven pale young man with blue eyes, blond hair and youthful boyish features.
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