Ricardo Tiberium

Oustomia Player Character, played by Nalla.

Mythweaver's Sheet

Nalla's Character Logs

Excerpts from Ricardo's Journal

## History

Ricardo Tiberium is a man of humble origins and quiet ambitions. Though touched with an adventurous spirit early in his life, as so many often are, Ricardo can claim no noble heritage or otherworldly touch to spur him on to adventure. He is simply a man, relying on his strength of will and the tenacity of mankind and a good heart to push him onward.

Born the the son of a Haven dockyard worker and a barmaid with a large family, Ricardo's early childhood was fairly easy. Despite having seven brothers and sisters by the time Ricardo came of age, there was always food on the table Sure, some winters were hard if the ports were empty and with few travelers on the road to leave tips to his mother, but no one went hungry. Being raised in a family rich in love, if poor in wealth, did allow Ricardo to escape from the worst of the streets. In his early years he would help out his mother and later his father at their work where he could. However, it was on his tenth birthday that Ricardo began to show an interest in the church, particularly the tenets of Iomedae's faith. While his family was not terribly religious, Ricardo began to spent much of his free time at the Temple, scouring through the books they had and filling his head with the wonders and teachings of Iomedae, and a few other gods. A few short months later he requested that his parents allow him to abandon his families work and take up the life of an acolyte in training at the temple. Reluctantly, his parents agreed that if this is what he wanted, they would support him.

Ricardo's studies would take him from the dirty river docks of Haven to the sheltered temple's and vaulted buildings of Haven's Elite, putting himself in an environment he was unfamiliar with. Still, all was not terrible for the boy from the wharf. He took to his studies quickly and while always lagging behind the children of more affluent families, young Ricardo did have a distinct advantage when it came to training with the sword and the fist. Having spent his young childhood working and having a mountain of a build compared to other children, Ricardo came to be respected in his early teens as one of the promising youths of the church, if perhaps not as a learned acolyte, maybe as a paladin or war cleric. Both of these positions appealed greatly to Ricardo and he strove to achieve high marks on his tests and high regards among his teachers. Alas, Ricardo's aspirations were doomed to fall short as by his 16th day he had failed to develop any kind of divine spark of magic that would allow him to carry out the duties of a cleric or a paladin. Despite this he strove to achieve his dreams, even as the rest of his age group of acolytes passed him by, each being risen from acolyte to priest or cleric or paladin of the faith. Finally, by the age of 20 it was decided that perhaps Ricardo never would develop the skills needed to achieve his dreams. Ricardo graduated from his duties of an acolyte and was passed onto the Temple Guard, a force of well trained fighters and guardsman who patrolled the temple grounds and the nearby streets.

In complete honesty, Ricardo did not mind the rank or the position. The church paid well and he was able to live out the calling of Iomedae's faith in his appointed role. Certainly, his life was more comfortable than that of his still growing family, and he was able to provide them with small support each year from his earnings. Ricardo was content, and existed, performing his function as a guard in one of the nicest and crime free districts of Haven. He...enjoyed the work but it was not what he had dreamed for himself, what he had wanted. It did not feel like he was out in the world making a difference in peoples lives, all he did now was break up a barfight or two or catch the occasional criminal. He was not happy here, his ambition was dead.

Everything changed in the fall of 1002 when The Kingdom of Egron was sending an expeditionary army through the Elf Gate to Jiyu to aid in the ongoing efforts to depose the demon emperor who ruled the planet of Sheng. Lord-Crusader Stonehammer, the High Paladin of Iomedae in Haven would be leading the forces and was gethering a force of clerics and paladins to bolster the military ranks of the Egronese forces going through the gate. It was in this army that Ricardo felt the stirring of his soul. Here was a way in which he could make a difference in the world, here was how he could serve The Inheritor in a way that brought her light against the evil of this world. With his gaze aloft to the heavens and a newfound step in his pace, Ricardo requested the transfer, adding his name to the growing list of holy crusaders gathering to march through the Elf Gate with Lord Stonehammer.

With a heavy heart at leaving his family, but a newfound purpose in his soul, Ricardo departed Haven on one of the many Egronian military transports bound for the elf gate. The trip was harsh. Ricardo had never truly been on a ship before aside from loading and unloading transports and spent most of the trip sick, particularly after they had entered the ring of storms surrounding the Elf Gate. Ricardo was sure that the waves were going to topple his ship over and send the whole crew and troops to a watery grave! However, with a bit of luck and Iomedae's guidance, the ships made it through the storms and entered the Elf Gate, making their way towards the recently liberated capital city of Jiyu which would be the armies base of operations for the time being. During the whole trip and on the armies march towards the capital, Ricardo put his mind to the test, studying the strange language of Sheng and learning to speak the language competently, if not yet mastered.

Arriving in the city of Jiyu on Kuthona 10th, 1002 Ricardo quickly went about his assigned duties, helping his brothers and sisters in arms establish an efficient and defensive camp in one of the many abandoned districts of the city with the rest of the army. Normally, Ricardo can be found here, going about his daily jobs with quiet efficiency or taking up guard work in the nearby districts, scouting them out and protecting the camp. When off duty, he can usually be found exploring the many foreign districts and tastes of a culture wholly alien to him.

## Appearance

A towering frame and a body honed from long years of drills and training in Haven have sculpted Ricardo to tower imposingly over the masses of mankind.  Despite his bruising build and lack of what most would call a terribly handsome cut, Ricardo places care in making himself as presentable as possible. His hair is cut short and slicked back with his angular cheeks framed by a well trimmed and combed beard. Proudly displayed on the pommel of his weapons and hem of his cloth tabard lie the crossed shield and longsword of the Holy Inheritor Iomedae, declaring this man a sword sworn to the lady's service.

## Personality

Ricardo Tiberium is a straight faced man who tends to put his job before his personal feelings. This is not to say he is cold or a loner, in fact quite the opposite. However, years of training and schooling in the church of Iomedae and now through the military have turned Ricardo into a driven, goal oriented person, and the success of his mission and those of his Church and Country do come before his personal goals. Still, those who are able to spend time around Ricardo when he's not on duty or able to see through it would find a doting young man with a warm heart and clear mind more than willing to share a drink with you, play a game of ball with some street kids, or 'break up' a fistfight as an excuse to get involved in one.

## Friends

So far, there is no one among the people of Sheng whom Ricardo could feel safe in calling among his close friends.

## Acquaintances

Chiyoko (Chi): Chiyoko is a young Sheng girl whom he met on a scouting mission to a fort east of the city of Okibo. The girl puzzles Ricardo, as she seems to be some sort of halfbreed. Not in the likes of being a half elf or even a dhampir, but one of what he can only guess is a wolf spirit of some sort. On top of this, her mannerisms suggest that she has only recently arrived in any kind of human society. As a result, he felt somewhat protective of the girl throughout the duration of their mission and more than a little curious about her.

Whitefang: Whitefang is a strange kobald whom Ricardo is more than a little suspicious of, knowing the history of kobalds and their interactions with mankind. However, Whitefang has more than proven himself to be a valiant fighter and accompanied him throughout their mission to Okibo, nearly dying on several occasions. First in a wildfire against oozes, and secondly during the flight from the Green Dragon nest where Whitefang valiantly cut the creature down and managed to crawl back to the fort throughout the night. This act has left a lasting impression on Ricardo and while not yet a friend, he is predisposed to liking the little draconic fellow.

Nabilla: A dark skinned catfolk from the deserts of a land known as Osirrian. She proved to be a rather entertaining character to talk with during their travels from Okibo and though their time together has been brief, it would be a lie to say it was not enjoyable.

Cedrig Hammersworn: A proud dwarf who accompanied Ricardo on the scouting mission in Okiba. An excellent marksmen with a bow and an interesting traveling companion.

Xerxes: A man who has pledged himself to the service of Desna and a fellow godly companion through and through. Ricardo feels some what in debt to the man who helped him recover from potential doom at the hands of oozes on their travels. Ricardo respects Xerxes and would readily accept another mission at his side should Iomedae and Desna bless them to cross paths again.

## Enemies:

No one individual has yet to be counted among the enemies of Ricardo Tiberium save the heretical dark forces of the Oni Emperor and any who would count themselves among the legions of evil who mean harm to the light of the world and the good people of the land.