Risus Lankhmar: Nivek the Upright

My careful rereading of Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories continues at a snail's pace. Not that the books are slow reads... far from it. It's just that I really have very little time for reading in my busy schedule. When I am reading, it's taking longer than normal because I'm writing down notes on such things as characters, setting details, the practice of magic in the stories, and especially Lankhmarian cliches. The idea is that I'd eventually put together some kind of Risus Lankhmar material for the blog.

Well, thanks to a reader's interest in a collaborative Mythic GME/Risus project, I may launch into some actual Lankhmarian Sword & Sorcery sooner than expected. What follows is a possible character for a Play-By-Post game.

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Nivek the Upright

Description: Nivek owes his apparent height to a slender, muscular build and a ramrod-straight, almost regal posture. Looking at him stride confidently into the Golden Lamprey or into services at the Temple of Aarth, one would think that he was the scion of one of Lankhmar's great families. Appearances deceive as his serious blue eyes and ruggedly handsome good looks help mask the sordid reality of his gutter-upbringing and modest success as a second-story man in the notorious Thieves' Guild.

Cliches: Second-Story Swordsman of Lankhmar (4), Tenacious Street Fighter (3), Former Street Urchin With Dreams of a Better Life (2), Amateur Occultist (2).

Lucky Shots: [] [] []

Hook: Inconvenient Conscience

Languages: High Lankhmarese, Low Lankhmarese, Pigeon Lankhmarese, Thieves' Cant. may know other languages with a TN roll vs. Amateur Occultist.

Tools: A matched pair of slender weapon-blacked shortswords (worn crossed on his back and named Wasp and Hornet); throwing knives in each boot; his official Guild dagger in a sheath in the small of his back; a fine set of lockpicks and thieves' tools; a silver wire bracelet that doubles as a garrote; a black leather sling (worn tied around his arm); a dark-leather satchel with silk rope and other climbing gear (and room to spare).

Other Equipment/Possessions: A humble but well-maintained flat in the Tenderloin District (containing a small but impressive library of scrolls and occult tomes).

Tale: Nivek is one of two children of a prominent grain merchant. A happy childhood was shattered when his parents perished in a fire and he was forced into the streets with his younger brother. Even with superior wits and physical prowess, life was a terrible hardship until he was taken under the wing of Rork, a notorious fagin of the Thieves Guild. Nivek learned all he could from his guild superiors and quickly graduated to more prestigious second-story work, all the while shielding his brother from the ugliness of Guild life. His brother, Varis, still relies on protection and financial support even though he is now a respected religious sculptor with work on display up and down the Street of the Gods.

Nivek was ideally suited to the life he would have led as the son of a grain merchant. He has a regal bearing, a keen mind, a fine sense of honor, and rarefied tastes. With his sense of duty and appreciation for justice, he would have also made a fine Watch Captain. As it is, he makes the the best of his life in the Thieves' Guild, trying to pretend that he is a part of a great Lankhmart tradtion. He really is a traditionalist at heart. He has great respect for the laws and customs of the city, even the unwritten laws of the underworld. Unfortunately, he is almost constantly forced to face the corruption and hypocrisy that rule the day. Though he is an accomplished (and very talented thief), he lacks the moral flexibility that is required to advance within the Guild. In fact, it is only a matter of time before his "Upright" nature will bring him into conflict with his superiors.

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Second-Story Swordsman of Lankhmar: Breaking, entering, climbing, tumbling, picking locks, finding/removing taps, tossing a grappling hook, moving silently, hiding in shadows, fighting with swords (especially matched shortswords), swashbuckling, having a deep familiarity of the City of a Thousand Smokes.

Tenacious Street Fighter: Kicking ass through sheer grit and determination (usually with whatever weapons are on hand); being extraordinarily tough; having enough street sense to know when he's in danger.

Former Street Urchin With Dreams of a Better Life: Surviving in an urban environment; hiding from danger; running away; scrounging food and other useful items; knowing his way around the city slums; social climbing.

Amateur Occultist: Being well-read; speaking (or at least reading) esoteric languages; recognizing and countering common magics; casting minor spells from scrolls or tomes; recognizing creatures of legend.