Morgan Hawke

Morgan Hawke, in a (very) rare serious moment...

*"To a short life, but a merry one!"*

- Morgan Hawke, many, many times.

## Overview

### **Physical Appearance**

Morgan has the typical Hawke look: black hair that sees no other comb but fingers (be they his own or those of a lover) and the wind itself, dark eyes that alternatively sparkle with delight or pierce like a ballista bolt, and a short beard desperately hanging onto the right side of 'kempt'. All of which, combined by a tall and well-muscled frame, makes him - in his own words - utterly irresistible.

### **Personality**

To Leandra's great exasperation, Morgan inherited his father Malcolm's wit and ready tongue. It genuinely seems impossible for him to take *anything* seriously. Which makes the moments when he does so utterly terrifying. For one should not confuse his levity for buffoonery or apathy. Move him from such a state and he becomes truly vicious, as only one who has lived his life can be.

### **Talents and Skills**

Morgan is a well-trained (Malcolm was no slouch), but unorthodox mage. To him, his magic is just a part of himself, as much a bit of him as his hands. So he uses it with more akin to muscle memory, than the conscious choice of spells and counter-spell. It makes for an effective fighting style, but is utterly infuriating to any 'proper' mage.

As an apostate, Morgan also learnt to protect himself without recourse to his magics, becoming an accomplished boxer and knifeman. His preferred weapon is, however, a polearm. They disguise magic staves so well, after all.

Beyond his combative skills, due to the life he led since initially leaving home, Morgan also knows how to sail a ship, climb rigging in the midst of a gale, can outdrink a dwarf, and can sing every shanty and tavern song from here to Par Vollen.

Finally, as many as a lad and lass from here to Par Vollen will attest, he absolutely knows what he's doing beneath the sheets....or on a desk...or up against an alley wall. He's good, suffice it to say.

## Biography

### **History**

Born the son of an apostate mage and an absconded noble, Morgan did not possess what you could call a 'normal' upbringing. Seemingly constantly on the move, Morgan never really had 'friends'. People liked him well enough, he had that kind of winning nature, but he never really had time to get close to them. But he was happy enough, especially when Bethany and Carver came along and he had other children to play with that weren't going anywhere.

His magic manifested, as it often does, at about the age of eight and prompted another move. After that, near every day it seemed was given over to training in both the use of magic and its concealment. Always being the oldest new boy in town, he also quickly learned to be quick with his fists and - at a push - a stick, either in defence of himself or his little siblings.

Eventually, at the age of seventeen, Morgan decided to leave home. His argument, accepted by his father, was that having three mages in the family was just asking for trouble. So, reluctantly, he left his parents and little siblings behind and struck out on his own. Knowing he needed to find a place in the world where his talents would not be noticed, or even cared about, he headed straight for Denerim and - with what was left of his coin - booked passage on a ship. His destination: Llomerryn.

Reaching the home of the Felicisima Armada, Morgan quickly found himself competing in tavern boxing matches for coin, just to get by until a captain took him on. Said captain was Dudrik Rono, one of the few Dwarf Captains amongst the Raiders of the Waking Sea. Despite his origins, Captain Rono was a respected leader, known to be able in command of his ship, the *Seadrake.* Nevertheless, the dwarf was never anything more than a middling player within the armada, due to his stubbornness on taking on the more 'distasteful' jobs that his more powerful confreres did - namely slave-running and the ransoming of captured innocents (captives taken in open battle, however, was a different matter).

Rono took his new crewman on because he saw him flatten a man with one blow then charm his mates into a drinking session, but what cemented his place upon the *Seadrake* was when - in a running battle with an Antivan naval galleon, Morgan ended the fight in an instant by conjuring a great stone out of nowhere and hurled it with all the strength of a Qunari dreadnought's guns, holeling the galleon under its waterline and taking her out of the fight. The reveal of his magic shocked the crew, but not a one turned on him, knowing the usefulness having a mage on deck would be.

For the next nine years, Morgan served with distinction aboard the *Seadrake,* fast-earning himself a reputation as a good hand, a great fighter, and one of the best to go drinking with once ashore. Whether on land or underway, his winning ways earned him the first friends he'd ever known, as well as the respect of his captain, who eventually named him captain of the ship's vanguard - the leader of the first men over the rails. The previous holder of the post didn't mind, having had his head taken off by a shot from a stone-thrower on the top decks of a Rivaini cutter. During this time he managed to snag for himself a little mabari pup, which only added to his offensive capabilities. The *Seadrake's* cat, however, was less than impressed with Flint, as he became known.

However, upon arrival in a small trading port at the mouth of the River Dane for a routine refit and resupply, Morgan heard worrying news whilst in a tavern as he walked out of the rooms of a rather feisty redhead: a Blight had risen in southern Ferelden - the last place his family had been.

Explaining what he had heard to Rono, Morgan was released from his service aboard the *Seadrake,* but not from the affection of his mates. Bundling his small amount of personal possessions over his staff and with Flint at his side, he sped south, hoping to reach his family before the Darkspawn did.

The rest, they say, is legend...

## **Relationships**

(To be expanded, but how his family, friends, and companions see Morgan)

Malcolm Hawke - beloved mirror image.

Leandra Hawke - exasperating, but loved son.

Bethany Hawke - idolised elder brother.

Carver Hawke - resented absentee brother. Ends up in friendship, though.

Varric - best friend. Took the friendship route.

Isabela - comrade, drinking buddy, and lover (though without either of them ever saying 'love' to one another). Quasi-mix of friendship and rivalry.

Sebastian - a godless man, but not a bad one. Rivalry.

Aveline - infuriating nuisance she can't imagine being without. Rivalry, naturally.

Fenris - honored friend, lover, confidante, and mentor in learning how to smile. Pure friendship.

Merrill - utterly uncompromising on both blood magic and her obsession, but kind and friendly when such things don't come up. Rival, but a warm one.

Anders - a painful reminder of what he used to be, opponent of his wider schemes, and the man who eventually kills him. Rival to the end.

Flint (Mabari) - Beloved master, giver of treats and scritches, and leader into fights with nice, tasty throats to be chewed.

Hope - a true kindred Spirit, for all he tries to hide it.

## **Miscellaneous**

### **Likes:**

* Favourite drink - Antivan dark port, preferably from Gennellen. But in truth, he'll drink anything.
* Favourite food - honey and spice-glazed suckling pig. But having survived on hardtack, he'll eat anything so long as it isn't crawling with maggots. Doesn't mean he won't complain about it though.
* Favourite song - 'Antivan Ladies', though it's a close one.

### **Dislikes:**

* Treachery.
* Spiders.
* Blood magic.
* Slavery.
* Piety.

## **Gallery**

* Sample Photo
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