FISHERMAN OLD TOM
Humans AzariaFisherman
"The sea gives and the sea takes. I've learned not to ask for more than she offers.""
Identity
- Residence
- Azaria Port, Fisherman's Wharf
- Civilization
- Humans Azaria
Appearance
• Physical: Weathered and bent with skin like old leather and hands gnarled from decades of hauling nets. His face is deeply lined, each wrinkle a story of storms survived and fish caught. His white hair is thin and wispy, and his eyes are faded but still sharp. • Clothing: Wears practical clothing in drab colors, always smelling of fish and salt. His boots are worn soft from years of deck work. A woolen cap covers his bald head. • Distinguishing Marks: His hands are permanently stained with fish scales; he walks with a pronounced limp from a shark bite.
Relationships
- Family - His wife is dead; children who moved inland and rarely visit
- Allies - Other fishermen; the fishmongers who buy his catch; the tavern keeper
- Rivals - Younger fishermen with better boats; officials who want to regulate his trade
Personality
- Traits: Quiet and contemplative, deeply knowledgeable about the sea, surprisingly philosophical, fiercely independent
- Mannerisms: Spits tobacco when thinking; touches his shark-bitten leg when the weather is changing
- Voice: Rough and gravelly, with the cadence of someone who spends most of his time alone
Daily Life
Rises before dawn to check the weather and prepare his small boat, spends the day fishing the coastal waters, and returns to sell his catch at the evening market. Evenings find him in his favorite tavern, drinking ale and telling stories to anyone who'll listen. He sleeps in a small room above the fish market.
Secret
He knows the location of a sunken ship carrying treasure, but he's never told anyone because the sea claimed too many lives the last time someone went after it.
Story Hooks
- 1 He's seen something strange in the waters and needs help investigating
- 2 His fishing grounds are being poached and he needs help stopping it
Narrative Value
Source of nautical information; quest giver; atmospheric character; represents working-class life ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════