Mishka is a character that stands close to his creator. In this self-written story, we meet an experienced swordsman and thoughtful shopkeeper who yearns for a life full of adventure. His background, clothing, equipment, and character are inspired by personal experiences with LARP, tabletop roleplaying games, fencing, music, and social psychology.
Justin Deffner takes the reader along in the creation of Mishka and shows how elements from everyday life find their place in a medieval-fantasy world. This creates a recognizable character with a comfortable shop, a quick sword, and dreams that reach far beyond his hometown.
Backstory
Mishka was born as the son of a happy merchant couple who had built a good living. They owned a small shop where they sold equipment to adventurers, and Mishka spent hours in the shop listening to the stories of the customers who came by.
At fourteen he had saved enough money from his work in the shop to hire a local city guard who taught him the basic fundamentals of sword fighting: footwork, distance control, and mastery of both the edge and point of the sword.
Now in his mid-thirties, he still trains intensely with the sword and dreams of a life full of adventure, while running the shop he inherited from his parents. Most of the time he can be found behind the counter, lute in hand, daydreaming about dangerous expeditions. He has never actually ventured further than his own hometown; for deliveries to destinations beyond a few kilometers from the city he uses couriers. Yet he continues to dream of distant, magical lands. Perhaps one day he'll find himself in the right place at the right time, but for now he is content with the life he leads.
Description
Mishka has fair skin with freckles and is approximately 170 centimeters tall. He has a small belly that reveals he lives a comfortable life, but his hands and feet are still surprisingly quick. He usually wears a tunic with a doublet and belt (the Renaissance Doublet Geoffrey or the Velvet Doublet, both from Celtic WebMerchant) and fights with a side sword and buckler.
For the past few years he has also taken up the lute. In his spare time he plays it while adventurers browse through his shop looking for new equipment.
Mishka is relaxed and balanced in character. Through years of dealing with rough adventurers, he knows how to choose his words carefully, but he is also socially strong and reads situations and people well.
Inspiration
I've been playing LARPs and tabletop roleplaying games since my teenage years. But there was one thing I had never done: play myself. So I decided to translate myself — a man in his mid-thirties with an average build and lots of sword experience — into a first-level character in a tabletop RPG.
I was born into a middle-class family, so I translated that into a merchant family. At fourteen I started Olympic fencing, so Mishka also learns to fight at that age.
In my everyday life I run a sports photography business, so I made Mishka the owner of a shop he has inherited. About three years ago I started playing ukulele. I deliberately chose a model that looks like a lute so it fits well within my LARP and re-enactment groups.
Plus, I am constantly looking forward to the next event I can
Post comment