From the nomadic life of the Rovers of the Barrens to a business owner in the Free Cities of Greyhawk. Arman has lived a full life for a human, yet he still yearns to fulfill his childhood dream of saving his people.

Age: 42
Date of Birth: 1st Coldeven
Gender: Male
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black, greying, dreaded, bearded.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation: Dark
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 180lb

Appearance

Physical Description

Tall, broad shouldered, well muscled.

Body Features

Weathered skin, callused hands.

Facial Features

Stern eyes, warm smile, chiseled bone structure.

Identifying Characteristics

A tattoo on his back stating his lineage.

Physical quirks

Scratches his beard when in thought.

Apparel & Accessories

Prefers comfortable clothing fit for travel as an underlayer and sleeveless dark colored robe overtop, hooded to keep the sun off his face.

Specialized Equipment

Wears various pieces of jewelry, some magical or as magical components, some as a means of identification.

Special abilities

A powerful and learned mage specialized in transmutation; the changing of properties of existing materials and meta-materials.

Mentality

Personal history

534: Born to Giza Uruuk and Svenna Garda of the Fox Clan of The Rovers of the Barrens Nomads. Shortly after, the now named Arman Giza receives his lineage tattoo and is given to the Lion Clan.

540: Arman lives through his first raid on his people by the bandit lords and their followers. At the age of 6 Arman learns what it feels like to starve, and the loneliness of never seeing some of his siblings again.

550: Arman tries to fight during another raid on his people, but finds he is hopeless at it and is almost killed.

551: Arman tries to introduce the idea of infrastructure and farming to the clan representatives but his uneducated attempts are ignored. He decides to leave and pursue and education before trying again.

552: Arman arrives in the Free City of Greyhawk. Arman needed to enroll in the Guildhall of Architects and Stonemasons, however he was short of the tuition. Arman sought work as a tradesman and apprenticed at the Carpenters Guildhall.

556: Having save up as much coin as he could over the last few years, Arman finally had enough for the tuition for the Guildhall of Architects and Stonemasons. He spent his time here learning the theory needed to understand how buildings stay up without collapsing in on themselves, etc. and how to build everything he needed from the very basics if resources weren't readily available. Meanwhile, he kept working as a carpenter on the side, meeting a lot of people interested in the same things, and saving coin simultaneously.

560: With all of his knowledge and skills now up to par, Arman set out to the barrens to reunite with the nomadic clans and make a more educated presentation. Unfortunately he was met with the same response from his own clan leader and was mocked, never even getting a chance to present to the other clans. "Still too much fox in you to be a proper lion", are the words that the leader said to him. "Trying to be clever when you need to be strong in the barrens", and other variations were whispered under breaths as he walked by. From that point on, Arman was known as "Red Mane" by the Lion Clan, insinuating that he was weak and cowardly like a fox rather than a lion. Arman returns to Greyhawk dejected.

564: Arman has spent the last few years working as a construction worker and making friends, especially with the half-orc folk who remind him of his siblings. Tired of having wasted the knowledge he spent years learning, Arman attempts to start his own construction company with some of his close friends. Unfortunately he is unsuccessful, most of the people he hired are half-orcs who seem to be discriminated against and it is hard to find work. The company "Red Mane Foundations Co." is barely breaking even. To bring in more business, Arman decides they need something other companies don't have and decides to learn magic, specifically transmutation, and enrolls at the Grey College.

568: Arman has since finished the initiate years of magical education and is a fairly capable wizard in his own right. He was praised as having a lot of potential for transmutation and the passion to follow it through. Having this reputation has helped somewhat with his company which has been running smoothly although still not making a lot of coin. Arman spends almost the next decade rectifying this and with his knowledge of materials, theory, and new magical capabilities, the company becomes a booming business.

574: Red Mane Foundations Co. has since become most well known for constructing reliable and affordable homes en masse in the slums quarter of Greyhawk, allowing the poorer folk to live in better conditions. This has earned the company a lot of gratitude and coin. Unfortunately it is around this time that one of the homes constructed by the company has collapsed and injured a couple. They state that a support beam just disappeared into thin air. Arman as a wizard specialized in transmutation, and in charge of the construction of the house, is suspected of cutting corners and is held responsible. The company's reputation disappears as fast as it came and is left once again struggling to survive.

575: Arman has tried everything he can to get the company back into the black, but it is loosing coin far faster than it is making any. Having had to lay off many of his workers, has tanked Arman's personal reputation too and he resorts to desperate measures. Arman asks for a loan to get things back on track, but is turned away from various money lenders. Eventually he makes his way into the shady parts of the city and find someone that takes an interest in him. They seem to be from the Thieves Guild, but Arman is certain he can get the business on track to pay them back in the year they give him.

576: Fortunately, Arman was correct and the company, while not making as much coin as it used to, has made enough to keep it afloat and to pay back the loan he owes. When the day comes around to pay back the loan however, the members of the Thieve's Guild demand more interest than was agreed upon. Arman tells them that he can't do that and they get ready for a fight. There is a short fight and various members of the company's construction crew get involved trying to help Arman. Unfortunately the Thieve's guild are too strong and many of them are killed while Arman is kidnapped.

Education

4 years studying architecture and stonemasonry at the Guildhall of Architects and Stonemasons.
4 years studying transmutation magic at the Grey College.

Employment

8 years as a carpenter with the Carpenter's Guildhall.
4 years working construction with various companies.
8 years as an architect and business owner of the Red Mane Foundations Company.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Came to the city of Greyhawk as a nomad with nothing and made himself a successful business.

Failures & Embarrassments

Tried and failed twice to convince his people that they could have a better life. Was given the nickname of "Red Mane" by the Rovers of the Barrens, signifying his cowardice.

Mental Trauma

Saw many of his parents and siblings murdered or kidnapped as a child.

Intellectual Characteristics

A deep thinker. Often tries to think of the far reaching consequences of his actions and sometimes misses what's important in the present.

Morality & Philosophy

Pain, emotional and mental included, and anything that could lead to it is a bad thing and should be avoided if possible. Those that suffer such pains so that others don't have to are to be respected. Those that cure such pains are to be exonerated of all but the worst taboos.

person.sexuality

Straight.

person.gender_identity

Male.

Taboos

Cannibalism. Sexual misdeeds. Slavery.

Known Languages

Common
Orcish

Personality

Motivation

Desperately wishes to save his people, even if they don't believe they need saving.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Savvy at construction and has immense material knowledge and the skills to apply it.

Likes & Dislikes

Likes to build things, using both magic and mundane means.
Likes money, mostly as a means to further his goals.
Dislike anything that threatens his goals.

Virtues & Personality perks

Cares about his people so much that he'd work himself to death if it meant they thrived.

Vices & Personality flaws

Often believes that his plans are the best as he think more about the future but forgets more immediate responsibilities.
Is so afraid of death because it means he won't save his people.

Personality Quirks

Scratches his beard and paces often when in thought or bored.

Hygiene

Very clean at all times. Believes there is no reason not to be as he has magic that can do as such at any time instantly.

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Tue 11th Jan 2022 05:22

An excerpt on the dynamics of the Zodiac Clans

by Arman Giza

A few of my companions have asked about what life is like in the Barrens. Instead of telling them each the whole story multiple times, I have instead decided to write this so I may save time by handing them this letter to read. Especially so as our party tends to rotate members in and out...

Each of the Clans are based on the animals in which us as nomads call the months. As such there are 12 clans;

Fireseek's Tiger Clan - Nimble Warriors
Readying's Bear Clan - Strong Warriors
Coldeven's Lion Clan - Skilled Warriors
Planting's Frog Clan - Apothecaries
Flocktime's Turtle Clan - Spiritual Guides
Wealsun's Fox Clan - Politicians
Reaping's Snake Clan - Medics
Goodmonth's Boar Clan - Cooks
Harvester's Squirrel Clan - Foragers/Traders
Pathwall's Hare Clan - Caregivers
Ready'reat's Hawk Clan - Scouts
Sunsebb's Wolf Clan - Army

Each of the clans are self sustainable and barring their specialty are almost identical, as we consider ourselves one people despite living apart for most of the year. The one part of the year in which we are not apart is during the spring time. This is a time in which each of the clans convene on our ancestral oasis, near the center of the barrens (*note 1). As spring approaches the wolf clan sends out a small number of their own to each of the clans to escort them to the oasis. Upon arrival, our Lineage Festival begins.

During the festival any child that was born during the time in between festivals, that has also survived being preyed upon by the Bandit Lords and their armies, is formally given their name and lineage tattoo. Males are given their first name by the leader of the clan they were born into and given their father's name as a last name. Females are given their first name similarly by the leader of the clan, and given their mothers name as a last name. Their names, their parents names and the clans each were born to are then tattooed onto their backs and enchanted to grow with them. Finally the child is gifted by the parents to the clan of the month they were born on. Unlike the parents of children I have observed in my time in Greyhawk, this is a somewhat joyous occasion rather than a tearful one. Most parents plan the conception of their children based on when they will be born, so as to give their child the best opportunity they can.

Other than this festival there are very few opportunities in which one can be adopted by another clan. One of the most accessible exceptions is placement into the Wolf Clan as a part of the Army. Most that choose this are contrarily, not from any of the warrior clans as they see it as beneath their skillset.

Notes:
*1 - I suspect the reason we are given reprieve by the Bandit Lords during this time is so that we may replenish our numbers and swell our stock of goods for them to take from us.

Arman's Journal Ordered oldest to newest

Companions in my travels.
28 Dec 2021 06:49:02

An excerpt on the dynamics of the Zodiac Clans
11 Jan 2022 05:22:08

The major events and journals in Arman's history, from the beginning to today.