Ginger Bells

Ginger Bells

he/him x 103 x  werewolf

Appearance

In human form, Ginger is a rather plain looking man. His skin is dark, his hair is long and black, and although he stands at a little over six feet tall, he has a habit of slouching to make himself appear smaller. His only features of note are the scar beneath his left eye, and the porcelain prosthetic he wears in place of his right arm, pale white and painted in with blue flowers and gold trim on every joint. Despite its delicate appearance, it is surprisingly sturdy, and operates just as well as his original arm on most days, although the enchantments do require time to strengthen if he overworks it. The only other notable feature, which he maintains between both forms, is a small, round silver bell that he wears around his neck, the mark of his family. he frequently stuffs a small piece of cloth into it to muffle its sound while he's working, but can often be heard jingling gently around town on his days off.

As a wolf, Ginger is a much more imposing figure. He stands at a little over five feet, and although it's significantly shorter than his human form, he manages to give off the impression of a much larger creature. His fur is dark and shaggy, and only stands to make his broad form look even broader. His prosthetic arm grows to match this form, although it does not change shape, giving him one very human hand. When he runs, he often balls it into a fist and runs on his knuckles, finding that to be the easiest way to go. Although he still lacks dexterity with his other paws, that one hand gives him a bit of an advantage in following prey, be they person or animal, up cliffs and trees, a truly terrifying sight to behold.

Personality

Outwardly, Ginger seems mild and detached. He is known for being slow to anger, and generally laid back. As a Leader, he does his best to make himself open and welcoming to all those who work under him, and can often be found waiting with a pot of tea and a gentle smile for those who need his guidance. Those unfamiliar with him often find it a bit unusual that someone so lacking in presence and passion alike should be in a leadership position, and he does little to enlighten them when asked. Those who have been around him for some time realize, however, that cultivating a bland and unassuming attitude is part of what makes Ginger best suited for his job. He has very little trouble walking in and out of places that are otherwise rather difficult to enter, if only because he blends in with the people who actually belong there. He has a way of talking for a very long time about things of little consequence, so that by the time he begins to press for more important information, his target hardly realizes they've moved on from the weather. He is, in all things, sharp and observant, but covered over with a layer of softness that is hard to see past. While it would be accurate to call him a wolf in sheep's clothing, he does find the moniker to be a bit annoying, and has kindly requested those around him not to refer to him as such. 

Although he is best known for his lowkey demeanor, Ginger does have a passionate side. He is fiercely loyal to those under his care, affectionately referring to them as his pups. There is very little time for him to consider starting a family, and so he considers the Order his family, and will protect them as such. He is intensely driven once he has a goal in mind, and has been known to track a target down for as long as it takes, often neglecting his own health in the process. If he cannot get what he needs passively, he will force his target to run, and then he will chase them into the ground. If they refuse to run, he is not above ripping his goal from them, be it information or justice, with his teeth. There is no task he will refuse, even if it would be better for him to back down. This stubbornness is easily his most exploitable weakness, and has over time cost him his arm and nearly an eye. Over the years, he has learned to reign this in a little, but he still finds it altogether too easy to fall into the allure of the hunt. 

In addition to his family at the Order, Ginger is loyal to the family he was born to. The Bells have many branches, and his was held in very little regard, part of what lead to him developing the determination to claw his way to a better position, even at the cost of his own health. The main value instilled within him from a young age was to Serve the Family and Maintain and/or Improve the Good Name of the Bells, something he has always strived to do. However, as his involvement in the Order of the Raven increased, and as he worked towards attaining his leadership position, he has found it more and more difficult to balance his loyalty to his family with his loyalty to the Order, and he has spent many sleepless nights wondering just what he would do if their goals were to suddenly go in different directions. As things stand, protecting Felnova to the best of his ability is serving the family, but the Bells often shift their allegiances suddenly, and the thought of such a thing happening fills him with a deep dread.

Abilities

Average Joe- While some of Ginger's ability to passively learn information or access places he shouldn't be comes from his personality, he does possess a certain magical ability, one he was unaware of for much of his life. He is capable of activating a kind of field of Absurd Normality around himself. Those features which should, by all rights, make him stand out, are suddenly difficult to notice or remember. Those who encounter him often struggle to describe him later, although he has several clear defining features. They only express that they spoke to a truly unremarkable man, and while they're certain they should be able to recall something more specific, they never quite can. This ability does not grant him any kind of memory manipulation, nor does it aid him in convincing the other party to tell/do what he wants, but it does make him much harder to track down after the fact. It also tends to lose its effectiveness over many uses on the same person, and so it is pertinent that he finish his missions as quickly as possible, before they begin to piece together some description of him. 

Lend A Hand- Although the arm and its size changing abilities were created by an artisan, the durability and dexterity of the arm are both Ginger's work. He can use the arm just the same as a "normal" arm without having to think too much about it, having spent some time learning the magic necessary to do so. He also has some minor defenses which, layered over each other over many months of hard work, makes his arm just as tough as his armor. As he takes blows in a fight, or bangs it up against things while running and climbing, those defenses wear away, and he must take the time to set his arm aside and build them back up again before he can return to work. For this reason, he does his best to set aside time at least once a week to stay up late and improve his arm, so that he never has to worry about it breaking should he be called upon unexpectedly.

The Bells Family Name

Many long generations ago, there was a werewolf who dedicated herself to eradicating evil from the Realms. She traveled across each one, striking down villainy wherever she found it, and gaining many enemies along the way. At long last, her many enemies banded together to strike her down once and for all. They found her at her home, a humble cottage out in the woods, and demanded that she face them all in battle. She emerged from her home in her lupine form, adorned with nothing but a ring of bells around her neck, and said that any who could knock even a single bell from the string she wore could have the honor of killing her and ending her crusade. For days she fought, taking down one villain after the other, and still none could get a clear strike at her neck with their weapons, nor could their magic strike one off, for she was wise in the ways of the arcane as well as physical combat. At last, the final opponent fell. The fight had attracted the attention of the Gods, who, impressed by the skill of the warrior, gifted her with the surname Bells. This name and symbol has been passed down to all those of the Bells family ever since, who wear both with pride.