Klaus

—Mariam, about Klaus

**Klaus** is an Owlin berserker barbarian and the party’s main damage-dealer. He is played by Ratt\_iish.

He is a mercenary-for-hire with a mysterious and troubled past. He has joined the party to find Gundren Rockseeker- only to be met with more questions than answers. His background as a wrestler has given him a strategic mind, and a damaged one tainted by bloodlust. His surly and violent nature has been softened somewhat over the adventure, but Klaus still struggles to maintain balance between his sense of fairness and his darker impulses.

## **Description**

### Appearance

Klaus is a 5’ Owlin, whose appearance is loosely based on an Eastern screech owl. His body is covered in auburn feathers, speckled with white, gray, and charcoal ones around his face, feet, and wings. His wingspan is roughly 6’~ so his arms look long and gangly in contrast with his stocky, muscular frame.

His body is littered with scars from battle. The most notable ones are the ones on his face, wings, and his missing talon. He has black sclera and yellow irises- and does not blink very often.

### Personality

*Arc 1*- Klaus does not talk often, choosing his words carefully as he uses actions to communicate more than words.

He is afflicted with a bloodlust and visions of his violent past, and often loses his temper over small things, especially when that small thing is caused by Mariam.

Klaus is cunning and is quick to think strategically in combat- although most of his plans end with brutal violence.

He is also prideful, and believes in an eye for an eye. After Saffron saved his life, he both resents him for ‘stealing his kill’, but also takes personal responsibility to return that favor. Throughout the campaign the lengths that Klaus will go to protect those he cares for become more apparent and terrible- often putting others' lives beneath his friends without much thought.

Underneath it all Klaus is very troubled. Unaware of the ways years of trauma from his dear ol’ dad have changed him- he is very used to being treated or seen as an animal or a tool of violence. He hates it when people try to be polite and walk around eggshells around him- and is more comfortable when people are visibly distraught by his appearance.

Naturally he is not in touch with his feelings, and he starts to believe the reason he is so ill is because of his Owlin shape, and not because of his lifetimes of trauma.

His rage/frenzy is triggered in many different ways, but the most common ones are

* The sight/smell of blood

* The sounds of someone begging for their life

* Being restrained

* Being called Beast

* Taking bludgeoning damage of some kind

* Mariam Azure

*Arc 2*- Klaus slowly warms up to the rest of the party, and little bits of his personality shine more and more.

He has a growing interest in magic, both because of his party members and his ever-growing need to become human. Ultimately his quest for strength is tied to his need for control, and the magic ties into it.

His surliness towards people who are physically weaker than him has softened. After seeing townsfolk trapped in the Mansion he has this sudden need to protect those who cannot do it themselves. This has even allowed some sort of companionship- even a friendship with Mariam, as Klaus’ shift from hatred to indifference of Mariam has led to them bonding.

## Biography

### Background

Klaus is from Sleetwall, a decrepit city with its main form of entertainment being immoral fighting rings. The more oddball the fight is the more popular it becomes- and what is stranger than an owl man?

Klaus has few happy memories with his father Risto- and the ones he believes are happy are deeply troubling. Being in juvie, taunted by children (who believed a molting Klaus was a boy with rabies) is one of them.

When he developed his inhuman strength, Risto started putting him in the ring- and Klaus earned the ring name ‘Beast’. This was a terrible time in Klaus’ life, as the near daily combat worked him into submission- and his bloodlust only grew with every match he was in. The menagerie of opponents has led to Klaus’ uncanny ability to sense different races weak points- (I.e Go for a dragonborns throat, etc)

His final fight was with a tiefling named Zerus- whom he killed in his first rage. Terrified of his father and what life he would lead if he stayed- Klaus fled the city.

A few years pass and he develops a business relationship with Gundren Rockseeker.