Agathon

Dwarf Male Thief 3 N

STR:14 DEX:14 CON:16 INT:12 WIS:13 CHA:5

HP: 20

Languages: Greek, Armenian, Hebrew

PP:15% O/L:50% F/RT:50% MS:20%

HiS:25% DN:15% CW:60% RL:15%

Born a disfigured hunchback to a poor Armenian couple, a debate raged around Agathon as to whether he was cursed or merely extremely unlucky. Rather than give in to despair, however, Agathon struggled against his fate, holding himself to an extremely high standard and putting himself through extremely harsh physical regimens with the intention of overcoming his disability. He taught himself to read Greek, and learned to mend pots as a trade. When he could no longer stand how his parents were shunned for his own handicap, he struck out on his own, determined to make good.

He found the world around him extremely cruel, but merely redoubled his efforts to transcend his limitations. He set the goal for himself to become the best tinker in all Anatolia, but his countenance was so severe that few would do business with him, and those who would demanded ridiculously low prices. Nevertheless, Agathon persevered, eventually finding a home in the Jewish section in Aleppo, where he became fairly well established and found the closest thing to happiness he ever experienced. It was not to be forever, though, as he wound up as the scapegoat when the rabbi’s son was accused of raping the wife of a wealthy Greek.

Agathon fled, but no matter how exceptional his craftsmanship, his ugliness preempted acceptance in any community thereafter, and he no longer felt safe among the Jewish shtetls. There followed a long period of aimless drifting from one town to the next, begging and stealing when he had to, hopelessly plying his trade. His spirits began to flag and he realized he was slowly coming to the end of his rope. In desperation he sought out the castle of some sort of dark sorceress near the Euxine who, locals said, could cure his condition if he was able to keep her bird awake for three days. He prepared himself mentally for two weeks, wracking his brains for every trick and technique he could think of to stay awake. Indeed, he performed very well, clanging pots, singing, dancing, slapping and punching himself when he got tired. At the dawn of the third day, however, he fell asleep.

It was at the bird lady’s castle that he made the acquaintance of a wizened priest who had met the challenge, but bequeathed his wish on someone else. Thinking that this generous fellow might be able to help him, and for want of anything else to do beyond suicide, he went in search of the diminutive cleric. The search took him all over Anatolia until the trail finally ran cold. He backtracked to Chrysopolis, only to find that the government was being run in part by an elf almost as ugly as he was. Eorl was sympathetic to his plight and signed him on to the Thief Takers, giving him a tinkers shop as cover. Agathon found himself the happiest he had been since his days in Aleppo, and swore his utmost to show the odd elf his gratitude in any way he could.