Private Manik Targin (updated)

Name - Manik Targin

Gender - Male

Age - 26

Race - Human

Tribe - Erpheronian

Occupation – Sergeant in the Nyermersys Guard

Title - Guard of Nyermersys

Overview – Seven years with the Nyermersys Guard has seen Manik honed from a simple farmer into a true professional soldier. He has attained the rank of Sergeant by skill and hard work and now commands a squad of ten guards.

Physical appearance – Slightly taller than the average Erpheronian, Manik stands at 1.9 peds, weighing in at 2 pygge 1 heb, with a firm muscular build which speaks of a good balance between speed and strength. Manik has brown eyes, short brown hair and not striking, but handsome features on a bold face. When someone meets Manik for the first time, they will meet a stare of intelligence, and shake a calloused strong grip.
  When on duty Manik wears a linen shirt with a dark blue tunic over top and charcoal leather pants. Upon the shoulder of his tunic is a miniature version of the coat of arms of Nyermersys and three orange chevrons to denote his rank as sergeant in the guard. He also wears nor’sidian leather gloves and boots. Manik’s armour consists of vambraces and short greaves made of hardened leather dyed norsidian along with a polished steel cuirass and open face steel helm. Attached to a norsidian belt around his waist is his favourite part of his uniform, a simple but well made classic Erpheronian war sword just over a ped in length.
  Off duty, Manik can be found wearing a cheap but well made yealm beige (basically white) linen shirt and ithild (greyish) wool pants, with eophran brown leather boots, all in the typical low class Erpheronian style.

Personality – Manik tends to be quite friendly and sociable, especially to those who are so back. Living in a small farming community, Manik has grown up with a very tight group of friends, which makes him very loyal to those that he does consider close companions.
  Although his family is poor, Manik lives up the classic Erpheronian as a Proudman. He does not take this trait to the point of arrogance by any means, but considers himself anyone else’s equal, and will not feel intimidated or lessened by the presence of say a noble. He is smart enough, however, to show proper respect to avoid confrontation.
  Growing up on a farm has also had other effects. All his life he has been taught that “With hard work comes reward.” And apparently it stuck; Manik is characterized as a hard worker, and is fully willing to put in a good days hard work if he feels it’s worthy.
  Manik is adamant about following the values of generally being a good person, protecting those who cannot protect themselves, being a good and loyal friend, and always speaking the truth. He is also a firm believer in order, and doing his duty, and that following orders is key to military success. The unfortunately reality is these two views do not always suggest the same actions and can cause some inner tension for Manik.
  Manik is intelligent with a quick mind and is a fast learner. He is quickly able to decipher the strengths and weaknesses out of any problem. He often enjoyed blacksmith puzzles or a good game of stones (chess) at the town tavern with anyone who was willing to play. Unfortunately, Manik’s sharp intellect has mostly gone to waste during his life, as he has no trace of formal education, having to learn from his parents, or by himself. This has changed somewhat since coming to Nyermersys, and with the few resources available has started learning his letters.

Strengths –

Physically fit – Manik is both stronger and quicker than the average Erpheronian. Working long hours on the farm and then intense training as a guard has rendered him in top physical condition, with high agility and endurance.

Intelligent – Although he does not possess a great deal of knowledge, Manik is a quick learner, and loves strategy and logic problems or puzzles.

Trained Solider – Manik is a professional solider trained in various mainstream weapons forms, his best being erpheronian short sword and shield. His ability with a quarterstaff which he has trained with since a child is also superb. He is also well instructed and drilled with military tactics and is fluent in command of his squad of ten men be it for urban crowd control or against military opposition. Because the emphasis of his training and weapon style has been on group fighting tactics his skills show much more in such situations.

Weaknesses -

Bad Wrist – Manik sustained a small wrist injury while training but without downtime he ignored it and because it was never rested, it is a lasting injury. Manik’s wrist sometimes gives him twinges of pain, but mostly it is ignorable until prolonged use of the wrist.

Follows Military Protocol – Manik is a guard and a believer in doing his duty and following the rules. Sometimes these rules conflict with his own values but being a believer and knowing the consequences of disobeying he will act as his superior officers have outlined he must.

History – Manik grew up on a small farm southwest of Nyermersys. Born as the oldest son in a poor family, Manik had never experienced anything in the way of wealth. As soon as he was old enough to help, he was working on the farm with his father. Growing up, he cherished the time that he could play with his friends, going to town, or hunting with his father.
  Manik had never traveled far from his home, never having enough money or time to make a trip to Nyermersys worth the cost. He had only been as far as a village 2 days ride away with his father in order to purchase some new farm equipment.
  Like all the other boys, Manik also played fantasy games in which they would fight with play weapons. Manik frequently played with such wooden weapons in his spare time, but quickly found that he was much more skilled using the quarterstaff, and subsequently trained with it more. It also worked out that a quarterstaff was easy to make, since Manik certainly had no money to purchase any kind of weapon, he had to make them himself.
   All of his family’s money was spent on the necessities, clothing, food, and tools to farm. His family had a poor plot of land, and enjoyed very little luxuries. Despite the fact that poverty marked every part of Manik’s life, he still felt fortunate. His family was a happy one, they had the necessities and they had each other, and that was enough.
   Usually the oldest son would have left the farm earlier than 19, but Manik’s father and brothers needed him to help with the work a little longer, until they could do it without him. Plus, he didn’t have any moeny to purchase a plot of land on his own, nor a woman to settle down with. He had had girlfriends and such, but none that he had considered spending his life with.
  By the time Manik was 19, some of his friends already had their own farm, some a wife. It was time for Manik to leave the farm. His brothers were finally all old enough to run the farm without Manik, and as long as Manik stayed, he would never acquire enough money to buy his own farm. The only way was to go to the city and find work in which he could save up money and come back. So when the big work time in the spring was finished, Manik gathered up what little possessions he had, said goodbye to his family and all his friends, promising to return, and started walking towards the place in which he was sure he could find his future: Nyermersys.

The following is history which are actual RP’d events…

Manik’s first day in Nyermersys was an eventful one: He had his money purse stolen. He was attacked by a drunken guard named Herkel and challenged to a spar by another guard Certhigo. He was introduced to all the different personalities of Sergeants that would be his instructors. He ate dinner with Lt. Farrel in the officer’s mess. And finally Manik was admitted to the guards.
  Now under the command of Sgt. Thom Henderson in a squad of 10 guards, Manik starts of his first day as a guard. Only his second day in the city, and his first 15 minutes on duty, the Royal Attendant to the late King Cedric of Voldar, a man named Lycheus comes through the gates. Before Sgt. Henderson escorts Lycheus to see the Earl Legiramond, Lycheus gives his horse to Manik. This is not out of generosity, however, the horse is injured and ill-kept, and Lycheus has no need or want for it. Matter of fact, Lycheus abandoned it just before he approached the gate.

The following was again constructed for an updated CD…

It has now been seven years that Manik has been a guard of Nyermersys. They have been enjoyable enough, rewarding as well, but hard. His past sergeant, Thom was a man that demanded the best of the men under him and trained them constantly to get it. After three years Manik was made Corporal as Thom’s second in command and no one begrudged him the somewhat early promotion. After five years it was clear that Manik was next in line in the guard to become a Sergeant but it took over another year before he received the promotion.

During this time Manik has become well versed in military doctrine. The commanding officer of the guard was no fool and made sure the troops under his command were ready for both trouble from inside the walls during patrol but also ready as an experienced military force in the field. Manik has become a formidable soldier in single combat but really shows his strength when coordinating men in groups.

This life has also come at a price. The physical toll has not been tremendous - he is a man in his prime - but he bears many scars. One injury is his right wrist. He took an injury while training and never took the time to let it heal. As a result sometimes his wrist twinges but mostly bothers him after prolonged use.

Through the years Manik has made friends, enemies and brothers in arms. He has gotten to know the locals and is indeed accepted as one himself. He spends most of his time on duty, or training even on his own time. The rest he spends with friends, relaxing over ale, getting excited over ale, and conversing with young women over ale, all as young men are want to do. He would like to start a family but is not sure, and anyways has not found someone yet to do it with. Manik is content with his life and spends his day to day working hard and enjoying life in the city.

Weapons – Usually while on duty throughout the city he will carry: a simple but well made classic Erpheronian war sword just over a ped in length on his left hip, a cudgel and a dagger on his right hip, and a quarterstaff 9 feet long he made himself out of ashwude. The quarterstaff isn’t the usual fare of the guards, but Manik has been superb with it since childhood. He prefers using it or the cudgel because they are easier to use without seriously injuring people. The quarterstaff he uses outside where its extra reach comes in very handy and the cudgel for indoors and close quarters. However, typically when on duty at the gates, walls, castle or the fortress he will forgo the quarterstaff and cudgel and bring a kite shield with the coat of arms of Nyermersys on it.

Belongings - Unless he is traveling, most likely all he has on him is a money pouch, a water skin, and some small foods for snacking. Everything else he would keep in his quarters at the garrison.