Udema (Character)

Udema Tristhollow is a Player Character (PC) within the current iteration of the campaign. He is played by Sebastian, and is a Chosen Undead Bard.

Character Profile
Udema is a Chosen Undead, with traces of his (former) human self showing through his attire and leftover visible flesh. Possessing ash-grey, shoulder-length hair, Udema hides most of his facial expressions and features using a white skull-shaped mask. His eyes show through the mask, revealing yellowish-brown irises that resemble opal gemstones. He often grins, but maintains a strict facade through his mask.

Udema often wears a colourful robe, with golden epaulets that hang over his shoulders. His outfit resembles a military band uniform, but with colourful streaks of red and yellow down his torso adorned with golden, yet rusted, buttons. This uniform is preserved through magical energy, and is a remnant of his old occupation as a human performer. He wears brown, worn-out leather boots.

His main weapon is a flute adorned with silver engravings and a dragon sculpting wrapped across the main body. Udema uses this flute to charm others, make attacks, and perform in general.

Personality
Udema is generally extremely inquisitive - questioning to the point of annoyance at times. He is often seen questioning others he deems suspicious, and will not hesitate to tease out the truth either through coercion or performance charming. When performing his cantrip "vicious mockery", Udema often relies on personal insults and jabs at the target's physical appearance, displaying a sarcastic, almost vicious side from being on the receiving end of insults for many years as a performer. He is also a narcissist, often believing himself to be a leader to the party and always wresting control over the party from whoever else is dominantly leading. Beneath this facade, however, lies a terribly lonely man who is desperate for company.

As of session 6, he has begun to show signs of a crush on Hollyhana, often putting her needs above his own. However, these feelings do not seem to be reciprocated. He retains cordial relationships with Woody Loody, Kairon, Luna and Helios, but does not seem to hold them in high priority.

He has affinity towards Spectral Beings, Spirits, Mysterious Creatures and any Undead creatures.

Backstory
Led by the Spectre Rivana Grippengale, Udema Tristhollow accepted a quest within the haunted Furcalt's Mansion. After fighting through various mutated animals and henchmen, Udema finally came face-to-face with the deranged sorcerer Furcalt. At that point, he realised that Rivana was unable to move and assist further, as the Skittish Devil in the mansion had actually murdered Rivana years ago on an adventure gone awry. Rivana begs Udema to kill Furcalt to release her from her suffering. Initially thinking nothing of Rivana's request, Udema engaged in combat with Furcalt within the Mansion's study. However, Furcalt, with his knowledge of the Ethereal Plane and the creation of portals to and fro the region, proved too much for Udema in terms of pure sorcery and physical skill, creating a large portal in the middle in an attempt to summon spectres and other foul creatures to aid him. However, with slight cunning (and perhaps, stupidity), Udema jumped into the portal to the ethereal plane of his own accord. Then, he looked out of the portal and aimed a magic missile at the wand generating the glyphs that held the portal ajar. With a loud war cry, Udema sealed both the door to Furcalt's study and the portal to the Ethereal Plane, trapping Furcalt in the study forever, doomed to die.

In the Ethereal Plane, Udema's flesh slowly rotted, revealing his bones. Udema spent the next 50 years playing his flute for the lost spirits within the plane, not knowing that all this time Rivana has stayed within the mansion, amassing energy to reactivate the portal glyphs. After what seemed like forever, the portal reopened and with a flash, Udema returned to the study, the now limp spirit of Rivana fading away at the table edge after reactivating the glyphs. After a brief exchange, Rivana faded away in the bard's arms, her spirit dispersing into different orbs of light that scattered across the lands. Having someone die on his watch, and in his arms, Udema was touched by Rivana's efforts and wanted to express his thanks, but could not manage to say anything. Udema was devastated by this loss, and thus vowed to bring Rivana's spirit fragments back and resurrect his only friend.