Fester

Fester
The Adviser

“There is always room to improve oneself. Never let anyone tell you that fate, nature, or the deities themselves have limited you. You may find yourself outsmarted, outmaneuvered, outperformed… but all it takes is a willingness to change to turn the tables and come out on top. If you are willing, I can bring about that change for you.”

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Who is Fester?

Fester is a quiet and analytic dragon. He sees learning opportunities in every experience, and can often come off as absent-minded or contemplative when one interacts with him due to his tendency to be distracted by his thoughts and observations. When one does manage to have his full attention, he is stoic in manner and curt in phrasing. He communicates far more through body language than words, saving his ability to enunciate for dire circumstances or for crystal clarification.

Although Fester is rarely rattled and can do just about anything with a calm, straight face, within him burns a passion that seems to make him incapable of making light of things. There is an intensity to everything he does that ranges from serious to fanatical, and is most apparent when he is performing alchemical experiments or interacting with his mate Nox. Those who have caught him in a rare moment of investment see a dragon on the edge of madness, unable to control the emotions he usually keeps thoroughly contained.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fester’s hobbies include the study of alchemy and combat training; the former sates his obsession with mutagens and the latter aids in the defense of himself, his laboratory, and most importantly Nox.

Place in the Parade

Fester’s role within the clan is twofold. First, he serves as Adviser to the Grand Marshall, effectively making him second-in-command. When the Grand Coucil of all the clan’s leaders assembles, Fester’s words carry more weight than others, and his job is to aid the Grand Marshall in choosing the best course of action in any given situation with regard to the input of his fellow leaders.

Second, and perhaps his preferred position within the clan, is the role of Head Alchemist. When not called to council, his job is to oversee the studies and experiments of the clan’s alchemists, as well as conduct his own. Having personally formulated almost every mutagenic serum the clan uses can be attributed to him, and given that much of the clan’s alchemical research revolves around mutating dragons with the intent to improve them, his is a role that has earned him much respect within the clan.

Joining the March

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Paranormal Activity

What makes Fester’s magic unique is its reciprocating properties. Whereas Nox—and most other members of the clan—prefer to get the first strike on their opponents, Fester makes his presence known… and then waits. He braces himself and allows himself to be struck, his large Ridgeback wingspan allowing him to shield himself easily. As he takes damage, his focus sharpens and his energy concentrates, until every sharp edge of his Ridgeback body is coated with virulent disease. Then, he simply lets loose in physical combat until the magical energy runs dry and the process begins again.
While it wouldn’t appear that such magic would have use outside of combat, Fester uses it as one of his primary sources of strains to test and create new reagents for his mutagenic serums. Additionally, when latent, his magic turns inward, effectively making him a carrier of all sorts of nasty bugs. One of his favorite parlor tricks is to use that trait to sicken himself out of unfavorable tasks, only to be right as rain some hours later.

In addition to his born magical ability, Fester also serves as the clan’s alchemist, and spends most of his waking hours in his study. Within the confines of the pestilent carriage is his cauldron, which is crafted from the flesh and bone that grows in the Scarred Wasteland like foliage. It is built and treated to resemble a miniature Wyrmwound, roiling with pestilence and highly mutagenic properties. From this cauldron he devises everything from the mutagenic serums the clan uses instead of scrolls to abominable familiars and chemically-treated apparel.

Mutation



Originally, Fester came to the clan as a small and generally unimpressive Fae. He spent most of his time hiding away from the larger members of the clan, for fear of being seen as unworthy and unfit for being a Plague dragon. Although he was still fiercely devoted to and protective of Nox, he could do very little to aid her beyond squeeze into tight spaces and keep an eye out for threats. Thus, he felt he could be a much better guard with a physical prowess to match that of his magical, and began to study ways to mutate one breed of dragon into another. Baptizing himself in his cauldron of volatile bile, he emerged as a Ridgeback, and donned his striking orange armor proudly.

Since becoming a Ridgeback, Fester has grown simultaneously more stoic and more emotional. While he rarely shows expression on his face, the rest of his body language has become much more animated, and his bursts of emotion during fits of passion are much more fanatic. While most dragons of the clan tend to avoid him due to his off-putting demeanor, those who learn how to read him find that very few things truly bother him. The things that do, however, turn his dial from zero to a hundred in an instant.

Familiarized

Paradise Zalis

Familiar

These creatures subsist on a diet of fruit. Their ability to spread seeds across a range is vital to their jungle ecosystems.

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Bismuth is Fester’s one and only familiar, and can be typically found perched upon the Ridgeback’s shoulder or faithfully carrying the end of his cape as he moves. The zalis is every bit as quiet and calculating as his master, though when in his cage in Fester’s library he is known to sing a soft—some say sorrowful—tune. This leads many to believe that the bird misses his freedom, but the truth of the matter is that Bismuth is one of the most loyal familiars of the clan, and would never dream of soaring the skies without the comforting gales of Fester’s wings beneath him.