A Midsummer Night's Story: Thalias

Thalias

Background
Thalias is king of the fools’ troupe which counts about 35 fools and gypsies. He took over the title from the old king of fools, Ragnvald. Thalias and the fools travel around all of the Moot (and a bit more) where they entertain, tell stories, trade and deliver news. They are generally held in good regard.

Description
Thalias is an atypical halfling in every way. He is a quite complicated person who usually is in more than one place in his thoughts. He is a manipulator, a charmer and a charlatan but also a dreamer and a benefactor. He is a gypsy and a unique mix of thief, circus artist and social safety net. He is the king of fools who leads a travelling gypsy troupe.

Personality
More than anything, he is driven by instinct. He rarely has one single plan or one single motive, but follows his hunches and makes up the plan as he goes along. However, he will usually have considered many possibilities, and navigates among them with a strong sense for achieving as much as possible, in a peculiar balance between obtaining personal wealth, creating stories, entertaining the people and helping the weak while cheating the rich.

Goals
Thalias has come to the feast to seduce Mirriam. Why, he does not quite know yet. It is just a hunch. Perhaps it is a means to achieve something more, perhaps it will turn out that he has come for something entirely different, or perhaps it is important that Mirriam does not choose a groom. The apple grove is a compelling place full of stories, and Thalias is certain that a grand story awaits at the upcoming feast.

Relations
Thalias often relies on the wisdom of the old king of fools, Ragnvald, but also wants to prove himself and show his own abilities. He is not much for Brunhilde the fortune teller, but Ragnvald appreciates her advice so he does too, officially. Thalias places more trust in Pus, the crippled court jester, mostly because Pus is clever and deceptive, and at least he recognizes that.

Thalias has some knowledge of the area and knows that Mirriam’s father is wealthy, that there is good opportunity for trade here, and that Jarn (the young brewer and one of the three suitors) is an important halfling in this area.

Extras
You will also play these characters:

Gudrun, Mirriam’s mother
Protective, controlling and careful.

Gudrun is married to Jens, and they have two daughters, Mirriam and Janni, who are a couple of brats you need to keep an eye on. She does not always feel secure about their decisions, since they are both too spoilt. Mirriam’s mother is responsible for planning the feast and wants everything to work out well. She wants to marry off her daughter, but only to the best of the best of men. No scoundrel will get her daughter. And preferrably, he should be able to provide some direction for her. Jens and Gudrun have agreed that they want Jarn as their son-in-law, as he is the best candidate (and because he is not a daredevil and a scoundrel, but a nice boy).

Jens, Mirriam’s father
Sensible, cautious and pragmatic.

Jens is married to Gudrun, and they have two daughters, Mirriam and Janni, who are both as good as the day is long. They are two little angels with angelic dispositions, and they are sure to make him proud. Jens owns the apple grove and several other properties. He is about to find a good husband for his daughter, and pass the apple grove on into safe hands, thereby securing the family’s future. Jens and Gudrun have agreed that they want Jarn as their son-in-law, as he is the best candidate (because he makes such a fine cider). But Thalias would not be a bad son-in-law, either, since he is so well-connected.

Jarec, the professor
Academic, absent-minded and a mean swindler.

Jarec was a professor of archaeology at Altdorf University until he got nicked nicking the artifacts. He is human and has travelled with Maximilliam for a long time. He has studied this area’s history for some time and is pretty certain that the apple grove is a kind of shrine to an ancient religion. And that a good amount of treasure must lie beneath it. Those treasures should go to someone who can appreciate their value … himself. Jarec knows an incredible lot about a lot of things and is good at solving riddles and interpreting old writings. And he is way too meddlesome.

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