the snowflake project

Name: Achi

Age: 20

Height, Weight, Body Type: 6’2″ (not a giant, but taller than most), 220lbs, mesomorph

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color, Style: Dark brown, almost black; short mohawk in the beginning, changed later to shaved bald

Skin Tone: Ruddy

Physical Condition: Heavy and muscular – fleshy but powerful

Distinguishing Features: Symbol of The One God tattooed on his forearm, later a scar where it was burned away.

Physical Imperfections Most Likely to Change: Tattoo replaced by a scar

Gestures: Running his hand through his hair (or later over his bald head); Pinching the bridge of his nose when frustrated

Ethnic Group: Kavasatran

Family Background: Achi doesn’t know his family – he was given to the Dragon Temple as soon as he was weened. He is the third child in his family – all third children are, by custom, given to the Temple.

Religion: Achi is a Dragon Monk, and worships The One God – but later abandons his religion in favor of serving Gurik Sal, the enemy of The One God

Parents: Achi’s parents were fishermen – they were killed in the imperial invasion.

Siblings: Achi’s two older brothers were both killed on their parents’ boat.

Neighborhoods: Achi grew up in the Dragon Temple. When he visits the city, he sticks to his errands, usually in the market square. Once in a while he feels drawn to the coast. In the mainland, Achi spends his time in the field with his men, or in Saaltiva or the imperial courts in the capital.

Income: After Achi receives his first promotion in the imperial army, he ceases to be an indentured slave and begins to earn a salary. That salary quickly grows as he rises in ranks until he is earning at a rate equal to the produce of the land of a high noble.

Growing Up: Achi grew up with Kos in the Dragon Temple. He was always quick to follow the rules and obeyed without ever questioning authority.

Education: Achi received a well-rounded education in the monastery that included a heavy dose of religious indoctrination. He learned to master his physical body and his mind.

Skills, Talents: Achi is powerful and compelling, possessing a great deal of charisma, rooted in his intimidating stature – he is adept at making people see his point of view. Achi is also an accomplished hunter, and frequently provided game for the Dragon Monks of Kavasatra.

Short and Long Term Goals:

• Survive in the army
• Obtain power
• Find a new focus to live for
• Destroy Kos (seen as a threat to his power)
• Spread the empires forces out as thinly and remotely as possible

Short and Long Term Wants and Needs:

• Aryenne
• Freedom from the prison of bitterness and hate

Introvert/Extrovert: Achi is an introvert who forces himself (with great discomfort) out of his shell when he needs to.

Eccentricities: Refuses to be waited on by anyone taller than he is.

Type of Temperament: Nervous (held tight under a facade of calm), quick to judge and react.

How He/She Handles Anger or Rage: After losing his idylic life, Achi finds a lot to be angry about. He flies into a rage fairly easily, often with violent results. Achi’s is a cold rage – more about action than bluster.

Admirable Traits: Strong survival instinct.

Negative Traits: Motivated by fear; easily abandons morality in the face of trouble.

Habits: Minor substence abuse, increasing over time.

Prejudices – Good and Bad: Achi sees people with a lower quality of life than he had as being less than him.

Things that Irritate: Weakness in others.

Things that Make Character Uncomfortable or Embarrassed: Any reference to his origins or the fact that he isn’t born nobility.

Most Painful Things in Life / Traumas from Past: Achi watched his parents die in the initial attack on Kavasatra.

Political Leanings: Achi transforms quickly into a staunch imperialist – as long as he has a sufficient amount of power over people, he’s happy.

Sense of Humor: Achi’s sense of humor hinges on the bitterness he feels. He laughs at his own misfortunes and those of others.

Fears: Achi’s afraid of losing control of his life. He spends a lot of effort and time setting up careful systems of control – and he’s terrified they’ll collapse. He’s also afraid of the brotherhood, even though it is his main benefactor.

Phobias: Xenophobia – Achi, like many others, takes the stories of the other races to be horror stories.

Friends: Kos, until they part ways.

Enemies: Kos; The Council of Kings.

Major Problems to be Solved (At Least Three): Survive in the military. Kill Kos. Disperse the Imperial army.

Solutions to Problems (At Least Six): Killing the prisoners that Kos refuses to kill. Abandoning his beliefs in favor of military principles. Set up a “sure thing” deathmatch in the arena. Hunt Kos in the wilderness. Create false rebellions in outlying regions. Use magic to intimidate the emperor.

Lessons Learned: Look out for number one. You have to step on people to get ahead.

Chronology of Actions from Beginning to End of Story (One to Twenty):

• Goes to town with Kos
• Witnesses attack
• is injured
• Helps Kos rescue shopkeeper (conscripted)
• Trains on ship
• Kills POWs
• Joins the brotherhood
• Travels to Saaltiva to kill Kos
• Meets Aryenne, falls for her
• Goes to Temple of the Giant
• Makes a pact with Gurik Sal
• Travels to Saaltiva to collect Aryenne
• Moves to imperial capital
• Appointed the emperor’s military advisor
• Falsifies reports of rebellion
• Compel’s emperor with magic to send forces far and wide
• Ride’s out to parley with Kos
• Fight’s Kos, loses
• Flees