Manlet the Magnificent

**Manlet the Magnificent** is a player character in *Shazza's Angels*, serving as the bard of the Dwarfbusters.

Charismatic and entertaining, Manlet is a lifelong musician who was married and settled with a family until tragedy occurred. He returned to playing music, but became an alcoholic to cope with and repress the trauma. Manlet eventually met and bonded with another halfling, then a dragonborn, replacing what was lost.

## Appearance

Manlet is a male lightfoot halfling with light-tan skin, brown eyes, brunette hair that is wavy and shoulder-length, and a trimmed goatee. His clothing consists of a long, burgundy shirt with brass buttons and puffed shoulders featuring a red lansquenet pattern, held by a black belt. He also wears a white undershirt, grey trousers, taupe gloves and dark brown boots.

## Personality

Manlet is larger than life, able to capture the attention of all around him with ease. He has no allegiance other than to himself—and his party, by extension—and will preserve himself before anyone else. However, he excels in motivating others to live as he does and does not wish harm upon them; in fact, Manlet bonds easily with like-minded individuals. Manlet lives in the moment, but is always prepared for an easy escape, should the moment turn sour. Despite his personable nature, he resorts to theft to survive when his music is not enough and works in tandem with Lothar to steal from tavern patrons; in addition, his frequent intoxication impairs his judgment and abilities, often causing Manlet to become confrontational with others or disruptive to missions.

## Abilities and Skills

As a halfling, Manlet is inexplicably lucky and courageous: he can escape comprimising scenarios with ease and is not intimidated easily. Although not gifted with superb strength, Manlet's charisma outshines all others; he exudes confidence, charms imposing enemies, and spellbinds audiences with his music. Manlet is capable of deceiving targets without fault and persuading them to grant him with whatever he wishes. His musicianship is mastered to the level of playing his lute to cast spells in a variety of situations.

### Combat

Manlet is capable of defending himself, a necessity after his first deadly encounter, and has taught himself to become adept with various swords; however, Manlet's purpose in combat is to support his allies, using his oration or music to inspire, revitalise, or inhibit attempts to charm or frighten them.

### Equipment

* **Shortsword**: A simple shortsword, this is Manlet's primary weapon in close-ranged combat.
* **Dagger**: An iron dagger, this is effective for deceptive attacks when Manlet's range is limited.
* **Light crossbow**: An uncomplicated crossbow, Manlet uses this weapon against distant enemies.
* **Lute**: Not a direct weapon, Manlet's lute is his spellcasting focus, as well as his signature instrument.

### Spells Known

* **Cantrips**
	+ Mage Hand
	+ Mending
* **Level 1**
	+ Charm Person
	+ Comprehend Languages
	+ Cure Light Wounds
	+ Disguise Self
	+ Summon Monster I
	+ Ventriloquism
* **Level 2**
	+ Invisibility
	+ Tongues

### Other Skills

Manlet is a polyglot, able to speak and sing in all known languages as a result of his extensive travelling; this includes thieves' cant, learned from Lothar in order to enact their schemes. Despite being drunk oftentimes, Manlet can maintain a sharp mind and detect clues for an investigation, and is a proficient medic with a particular talent for amputation and reattachment.

## Biography

### Early Life

Born in Warringtonia, a hamlet near Rycest, Manlet was a travelling bard until he became married and fathered two children. A few years after the birth of the second child, Manlet's wife took an interest in black magic, concerning the halfling; one night, he discovered his wife had sacrificed their children in a dark ritual, revealing herself as a witch. The two fought, and Manlet was forced to kill his wife, suffering both physical and emotional scarring. Manlet, uncertain of how to process his trauma, returned to playing music across the land, but developed an addiction to alcohol and used his music to hypnotise tavern patrons in order to steal from them.

Manlet returned to Rycest and encountered a young halfling named Lothar Naxdrann, who had fled from the witchers of Kaer Morhen and was left with nothing. Sympathetic, Manlet adopted Lothar and introduced him to a life of roguery. The duo began touring taverns and concocted a successful scheme: Manlet enthralled patrons with his entertainment, while Lothar picked their pockets and procured other valuables. Their luck ran out when they attempted to steal from a goliath and his companions, but were caught in the act and fled the town. One evening, Lothar and Manlet enacted their plan in The Zanzibar in Gongorr, but encountered Whedabith, a large, black-scaled dragonborn, that took an interest in the two halflings. This event was the formation of the party that would become known as the Dwarfbusters.