Appearance

Identifying Characteristics

Bronn's build is stocky and clearly dwarven, but at 5 feet even they are generally taller and larger than the average dwarf. Most people are unaware that Bronn has medium-large breasts which they bind under their clothes. Their facial features are delicate and elven, with large wide-set eyes and a long nose, but the full effect is partially obscured by a long and well-kept pale blue beard.
 
Bronn stands out in a crowd, especially when they're towering over other dwarves.

Apparel & Accessories

As a ranger, Bronn carries their worldly possessions on their back (other than keepsakes which have been stored back in Mirabar with their mother). They wear plain, comfortable traveling clothes, a long grey cloak, and leather boots, with their long hair braided away from their face and their beard either braided or gathered into clumps. They carry and are proficient in using a dagger, a longbow, and a spear. They also carry a walking stick—really just a branch they picked up in the woods, with intricate patterns carved into the top.

Special abilities

Bronn is a novice spellcaster.

Mentality

Personal history

Bronn was born Bronwynn Stoneshoulder in the year 1408, in the mixed dwarven and human city of Mirabar. They were raised entirely by Riswynn Stoneshoulder, their mother, who was a dwarf of great wealth and standing in the local Stoneshoulder clan. Bronn's father, Laucian, was a moon elf who was a frequent visitor in Mirabar's pubs and taverns—little else is known of him, as he moved on to parts unknown some five years after Bronn's birth. Riswynn was happy to raise Bronn alone with the support of her clan. The Stoneshoulders were known primarily as stonemasons, and at only 50 Riswynn was well known for her skilled work, a passion which she passed on to her child. Bronn was treated as an oddity by the Stoneshoulder clan—though never outright rejected, due to the community's deep-running respect for Riswynn, they never felt fully accepted in the society which was so important to Riswynn.
 
Bronn shared their mother's affinity for stonework. They spent their early life working their way through the ranks of the Stoneshoulder clan under Riswynn's guidance. The shape of their career was often affected by Riswynn's political ambitions. Bronn served their apprenticeship under Gwallter Stoneshoulder, an elder who proved instrumental in getting Riswynn elected to the Council of Sparkling Stones in 1435. While Bronn enjoyed their craft and worked hard to become a skilled stonemason, they disliked politics and business, and resented the parties and social schemes Riswynn frequently involved them in.
 
In 1489, as Riswynn began to plan for her own retirement, she redoubled her efforts to involve Bronn in her political career and advance them into her own position someday. This led to a conflict between them, and Bronn ultimately decided it was time to leave Mirabar behind for a time and seek their fate in the world beyond.

Employment

Pre-1489, Bronn was employed as a stonemason in the Stoneshoulder clan of Mirabar. Since leaving the city, they have worked as a ranger, eager connect with nature and to help those in need in each place they visit.

Accomplishments & Achievements

During Bronn's difficult first winter alone in the wild, they were stalked for several days by a wolf who was starving and desperate enough to go after such large quarry. They evaded the wolf narrowly several times, hoping she might lose their scent and give up. Eventually there was a confrontation, and Bronn killed the wolf after a harrowing struggle. They were saddened by the circumstances but grateful to the wolf in the end, as the meat left on her bones and her thick fur helped Bronn survive until they reached the next town. They keep one of the wolf's teeth on a cord around their neck, as a reminder to themselves that they are more capable than they sometimes realize.

Intellectual Characteristics

Bronn can come off as dreamy, distractible, and even naive or incapable to others, especially to traditionally practical dwarves. In truth they are capable of deep thought and intelligence—it's just that they tend to have different priorities than the people around them. They have a high level of common sense and awareness of the world around them, snapping to attention at the first sign of danger. But when the danger passes, don't be surprised to find Bronn wandering off the path, distracted by something beautiful or unexpected.

Morality & Philosophy

Bronn believes strongly in the right to self-determine—each person has the freedom to live as they choose. Because they have been a misfit in their own culture for so long, they are aware on a fundamental level that one's clan does not determine one's true nature, and so are relatively resistant to the forms of prejudice they were raised to believe (especially racism against orcs and goblins, and prejudice against Mirabar's rival city Mithral Hall).
 
In other words, Bronn is a live-and-let-live kind of guy. That's not to say they're apathetic—they have a strong drive to help those around them and contribute to community whenever they can. But they are firm that they will determine their own destiny, and protect the rights of others to do the same.

person.sexuality

If Bronn lived on modern Earth they might be considered demisexual. Sex is of intermittent interest to them, and they tend to form infrequent and closely intimate sexual relationships with others over long periods of time. They are non-monogamous, and have no interest in settling down or homebuilding with one person only—if they ever decide to "settle down" in a traditional sense at all. Instead, they have a small number of lovers who are devoted friends, with whom they will resume sexual relationships when they are in the same location (and sometimes in letters). Gender is of very little importance.
 
As a young person, Bronn's role model for sexuality was limited to Riswynn, who was staunchly unmarried but frequently leveraged her wealth and desirability for political gain and encouraged Bronn to do the same. Bronn spent many uncomfortable nights in their early life gently deferring marriage proposals from dwarves important to their mother's career. Because of this, they have never had any interest in marriage or a traditional life.

person.gender_identity

In Mirabar, under their given name Bronwynn, Bronn was understood as a female dwarf and lived within those strictures as taught by their mother. Outside of dwarven culture, due to their beard and practical way of dressing, Bronn is often understood and treated as a man, which can give them an advantage in certain situations. In truth, they have no personal connection to the idea of being a woman, man, or anything else, and they usually let others' assumptions about their gender go.
 
Bronn has met people in their travels who, for various cultural reasons, use gender neutral pronouns to refer to themselves in Common. They have adopted the same practice among their trusted friends.

Known Languages

Common, Dwarvish, Elvish*, Orc
 
*Self-taught, very spotty.

Personality

Motivation

Bronn is motivated by a drive to understand the world and their place in it, and a deep wanderlust which they have always felt.

Likes & Dislikes

Likes: Mountain vistas, whittling, meeting new friends, good stories, animals, their own company, good food, good weed.
 
Dislikes: Anything to do with business or politics, polite society, spending too much time in cities, judgmental people, sweet talyth.

Virtues & Personality perks

Bronn feels their sense of justice deeply and cares genuinely about the people they encounter on their travels. They are accepting of a wide range of people, races, and cultures.

Vices & Personality flaws

Bronn can be skittish around new people and slow to trust. They are most likely to gravitate towards and feel more immediately comfortable around obvious misfits in any situation. Despite their desire to meet new people and see the world, they can hold back and end up isolating themselves when their fear of judgment from others gets the better of them.
 
Their tendency to daydream can also get them into trouble.

Hygiene

Bronn bathes...well, as often as they can. They're out in the wilderness a lot of the time, and they'll bathe in a stream if it's warm out, but in the frozen upper north it's not worth the frostbite. At least once a month they like to stay in a tavern and have a real bath.
 
Most important is Bronn's beard and hair. They keep their beard oiled and groomed as well as they can, and they brush their hair and trim dead ends regularly. When they spend more time around others, they braid their hair and beard more conciously.

Social

Birthplace

Mirabar, far northern Sword Coast

Current Residence

Here and there

Contacts & Relations

• Riswynn Stoneshoulder: Mother. The two parted on somewhat strained terms, but Bronn is still in correspondence with her and could reasonably ask for aid if they were in great need.


• Ulric Arikson: A human resident of Mirabar's Luskan District, who works for family members who own stables. He and Bronn had an intermittent sexual relationship for a period of several years, ending when Bronn left Mirabar. A devoted friend.

Wealth & Financial state

Out in the world, Bronn carries small amounts of cash and lives mostly off the land. However, they stand to inherit a massive amount of wealth upon Riswynn's eventual death. They have the better part of a century before they'll have to make a decision about what to do with it.

Religious Views

Bronn is a follower of Marthammor Duin, dwarven god of wanderers. They never gave thought to religion during their life in Mirabar, but became a follower when they chose to leave home and found they needed the reassurance of ritual. Their spiritual connection to Marthammor Duin is new and relatively weak, but their religious practice is important to them.

Social Aptitude

Bronn's daydreaming, shyness, and odd appearance combine to make them seem cold and unapproachable to many on first meeting. Once they open up, however, they are a warm and genuine presence and capable of cultivating deep friendships.

Hobbies & Pets

Bronn loves cats. The cats in Mirabar are domesticated descendants of local wild bobcats—they are large, with tufted ears, thick fur coats, and stubs for tails. They took care of many such cats during their early years, the most recent being a gray-white barn cat named Moonbow, after the elven moon goddess.