Player: Killian (backup character)
Race: Human
Class: Ranger
Appearance
Timtam wears their sun-bleached hair in a loose, messy braid, kept out of their face by a cloth headband. They wear a dark green tunic over black pants and leather boots, with a leather drawing glove on one hand and a forearm protector on the other. Their quiver and longbow are slung over one shoulder, and a sash is tied around their waist so thoroughly covered in stains that its original color is known only to Timtam themselves.
Character
Timtam is relentlessly upbeat and altogether too pleasant for the grim landscape around them. They have used their expertise in flora and fauna to hone the basics of survival — tracking, hunting, even some medicine — but their true passion is crafting unique and delicious meals out of whatever they can scavenge. They are always an open ear for anyone looking to vent their troubles, and are more than happy to have a heart-to-heart with someone over their home cooking; the fastest way to the heart is through the stomach, after all.
But for all the deep conversations, heartfelt advice and rapt listening, Timtam rarely divulges anything of substance about themselves. Their sunny disposition gives the impression of an open book, yet very few people — if any — could tell you a thing about their past. The few details they have let slip concern a little sister they love dearly. They very pointedly make no mention of parents or any other family.
Origins
Timtam grew up in a small town with little of note. Their parents had always wanted a big family but were unable to have another child, until at last, almost fifteen years after Timtam was born, they had a second: Jaffa. At first the little family was happy, and Timtam bonded with their sister immediately, feeling fiercely protective of her across the wide gap in their ages.
As Jaffa grew, though, she did not act the way their parents expected. She was far too quiet, and seemed overly fascinated by the neighboring forest and by any creeping, crawling thing that wandered out of it. Timtam was more than happy to join her on late-night excursions into the dark woods, but their parents only grew more concerned — and Timtam began to overhear them talking with the neighbors about changelings. Knowing full well how people deal with fey children, Timtam ran off with Jaffa late one night.
They sought out a fey village for Jaffa’s protection. The fey could neither confirm nor deny that she was one of theirs, but they agreed to keep her safe — a kindness returned for a kindness. They still allow Timtam to visit, and over those visits Timtam has picked up the fey language along with a great deal of knowledge about the wilds. Timtam always tries to stay upbeat and optimistic for Jaffa’s sake, and delights in bringing her back whatever new and adventurous food they have concocted out on the road.
The Gloaming
Timtam came to Marin’s Hold on their never-ending quest to discover new ingredients, hone their cooking, and put some good comfort food in front of people along the way. They are undaunted by the horrors of the Gloaming and find the novelty of its flora and fauna genuinely exciting.
Most of their time in the village has been spent chatting with locals at the Crayfish Tavern, where they have offered the owner free hours serving and bartending in exchange for personal time experimenting in her kitchen. Timtam has been well received by the denizens of Marin’s Hold on the whole — though one person swears they heard them whispering to themselves in the kitchen late at night, in some sort of fey language.
In Session 4 Timtam turned up exactly where Killian placed them: in a smock and hairnet in the Crayfish’s kitchen. When the party paid for a feast, Ysolde Brack bellowed for Timtam and sent them running to the Castellan’s cellar for his finest wines and to the huntsman for beef and venison; Timtam came back laden with Southern Kingdoms vintages, dwarvish mead and a tray of paper-packeted teas, fired up the charcoal stove, and roasted meat for the whole party. Not yet played.
GM Note
Killian suggests Randoah of Oak as the natural connecting point if the party needs an in-fiction reason to bring Timtam in: both have ties to a fey village that took them in. Whether Jaffa’s village is Lyohna, Randoah’s village of weavers and basket-makers, or a third settlement entirely is unsettled — as is whether those two are the same place to begin with. Killian is explicitly open to adjusting any part of the backstory and did not want to make decisions for anyone else’s character.
Magic is outlawed in Marin’s Hold, and the road in is lined with crucified witches. Someone in the village has already heard Timtam speaking fey in the tavern kitchen — a live thread whenever it is wanted.
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