Viscomte de Salle
A character for Gordon Thomas's Renaissance campaign using the Dragonlance SAGA, a card-based role playing system.
Concept
A touch of the Don Quixote in that Roland is solely focussed on the great deeds of the past and the idea that it is impossible in the modern world to recreate those deeds -- slaying dragons, rescuing maidens, etc. The age of legends is past. Science (and economics), while very interesting, has killed adventure. He is the knight in rusted amour riding a donkey.
He is the type to never refuse a maiden in distress, back away from a challenge, etc because that's how the men of old behaved. He often tries to lose himself in poetry and songs, again, because that's the ideal of courtly romance, the highest form of noble love. Only by resurrecting these ideals can the world be dragged back into the Golden Age.
Roland often gets lost daydreaming of the past and the life he could have had if he had been born back then. Gullible is not the right word -- easily influenced is probably closer to the truth. On the other hand, his vision, when not bemoaning the lost past, shows other what the world could be. Rose- colored glasses.
Attributes
| Attribute | Value |
| Nature | Stout-hearted (Helms 2) |
| Demeanour | Absent-minded (Moons 3) |
| Reputation | Adventurer (Crowns 1 + 3 quests) 4 cards |
| Wealth | Tradesman (Dragons 4) equivalent -- see note |
| Agility (Shields) | 8C (Swords 8) all shields but H and VH |
| Dexterity (Arrows) | 5C (Swords 5) all missile weapons but H or VH |
| Endurance (Helms) | 6A (Helms 6) all amour |
| Strength (Swords) | 7A (Swords 7) all melee weapons |
| Reason (Moons) | 9X (Dragons 9) no magic -- "isn't that what evil sorcerers do?" |
| Perception (Orbs) | 5A (Orbs 4) two heightened senses (Smell, Touch) |
| Spirit (Hearts) | 5B (Orbs 5) mysticism is what pure maidens and priests (Spiritualism: 25 points) do |
| Presence (Crowns) | 3B (Hearts 3) excellent leadership -- see note |
Background
The Dubacq family was, in its day, a well-respected noble clan who provided the state with ministers, royal advisers and military commanders. The loss of magic, the rise of science and mercantilism robbed the family of its reason for existence. No longer are their great battles to be fought and now new lands are conquered by ships and armies rather than by feats of individual heroism.
Wealth was, by ancient custom, divided between all sons of the family rather than all going to eldest. In this way and after two centuries of decay, Roland inherited the title (which no one at court remembers until a herald looks it up in dusty tomes) and his younger brother, Pierre, inherited a small hunting lodge in the country. His elder sister, Elizabeth, inherited the remains of the manor (only the manor -- the surrounding lands were sold off decades ago) which was used as her dowry. The family sees this as a good thing as now her husband rather than them must pay for its upkeep.
His mother, Mary, is a very proud woman who divides her time between Pierre and Elizabeth and complains about how stupid Roland is and why won't he settle down and why won't he do something to restore the family's honor and why doesn't he ... (ad nauseam). His father, Robert, is, of course, dead. Unable to be buried in the family plot (sold off nine years ago), his tall and elaborate headstone is actually wood painted to look like marble. It's cheaper that way.
Equipment
Languages spoken: Denishite, Agrisian, Tormish, Moorish, Nembian
Advantage: always trump on tasks classified as 'daunting' or above.
Disadvantage: never trump on Presence actions requiring credibility.
- Rusted Plate-mail (now equivalent of Scale amour: H -4)
- Verdigrised bronze tyche sword (equivalent of Scimitar: M +5)
- Horse
- Target shield (M: -3)
- Horse bow (M: +4)