Welch

## Background

Official Welch Art by Jack Kaiser

*"I'm a little nervous going to the docks because there's a lot of people here that don't like me because I kinda kidnapped their princess. That's a long story and not as complicated as it sounds." ~ Welch*

Welch is a messenger in the City of Alivast, working directly under the command of Doros. Once a simple commissioner, he has since become a civilian worker and Private for the Alivast Guards who is technically a message runner, but brings a specialized set of skills to Doros' squad, such as rapidly climbing walls and running rooftop to rooftop to traverse the city and the ability to use thieves' tools. In his first appearance, he helped apprehend a group from the United Clergy of Orun which attacked the Unexpectables.

Welch has a somewhat checkered past, expressing a degree of the amusement towards his current association with law enforcement. Before joining the guard he was a criminal who did other peoples' dirty work for cash, though he drew the line at murder. He also collects a significant amount of information which he appears willing to share for payment. This includes criminal activity, specifically Alivast's own criminal underground. The exact degree, if any, to which he is associated with The Underbelly remains somewhat unclear.

Welch used to be a smuggler of magic items and other contraband at some point, though he was never actually caught for anything more than petty crimes and this lack of a serious criminal record is part of the reason he is able to serve as a guardsman.

## Personality

Welch has lived a long life in a short time, and his demeanor reflects it; He reacts with sedate, almost sleepy indifference to events around him. The only thing that ever really makes him uncomfortable or alert is his past or reactions to things he's done in it, which he tends to try and keep under wraps due to the myriad of things he's done; mundane or kingdom-threatening or otherwise. When asked however, he will sometimes spin fanciful tales to keep the details as vague as he can or to throw the person listening off.

## Relationships

### Avryman

Avryman knows Welch and presumably employed him in the past. Welch doesn't seem to be interested in re-establishing the relationship.

### Doros

Doros is the commanding officer of Welch's squad. It is unknown if Doros knows or even cares about his less than legal skills. Welch claims that he joined the guard when Doros saw him take down multiple assailants in an alleyway, though the validity of these claims is questionable.

### Greckles

Welch and Greckles had a chance to work closely when the Unexpectables assisted Doros in solving some outstanding cases. The two teased each other over failings (Greckles having difficulty climbing, Welch failing to pick a lock).

### Borky and Task

*"And I thought working with Doros was hard..." ~ Welch*

When Welch gets a chance to work with Borky and Task, he is almost speechless with how dumb Borky is and greatly appreciates Task's ability to keep him somewhat in check.

### Robin

Robin and Welch often run into each other while working as they are both messengers serving commanders in the guard.

## Trivia

* When asked if he was a member of The Hungry Bois, Welch was momentarily confused by the name, then remembering them as "Maurice and his gang." As he never actually answered the question, it is still unknown whether or not he was a former member, though his willingness to still provide the Unexpectables with information after learning they had killed them suggests he did not feel very close to them.
* Welch always has a toothpick in his mouth
* Sebastian Strong gave the Unexpectables a magic stone that will send up a signal that Welch will see and respond to. Fans immediately christened it the Welch Signal.
* Grenelda Spine-Snapper once offhandedly mentioned that they "kept Welch." What she means specifically has not been explained.
* His design draws influence from smug, bad-boy characters played by Antonio Banderas, and Flynn Rider from the Disney movie Tangled.
* MontyGlu was embarrassed to admit that his name came from a package of Welch's fruit snacks when she was brainstorming names.
* Welch got an arrow in his butt from Task's friendly fire giving him more in common with the party.
* Welch has kidnapped a princess at some point. The specifics are unknown other than that he was hired by the princess' people.
* Because of the princess incident, Welch knows a lot of tritons.