Mortimer Van Locke

Mortimer Maximilian Van Locke IV (aka Morty, Larazod, and Mortimer Viletongue) is a Vampiric Bard of some reknown and the former Mayor of Westcrown.



Early Life
Everyone has heard of the Van Lockes. For good or ill, the powerful and controversial family has managed to spread their influence throughout the world. To call them 'old money' would seem an understatement; indeed, it is difficult to remember a time when the Van Lockes were not extravagantly wealthy, though the origins of their vast riches are vague. Though rumors of illegal activity have all but been confirmed by several members of the family, the Van Lockes have been able to afford a level of comfortable legitimacy. They are an ever-present installation at high-society functions, and though there is undoubtedly a whiff of something unsavory about them, only a fool would speak poorly of any of their kin. They are the very epitome of aristocracy, and have produced a countless number of accomplished mages, politicians, and scientists. Mortimer was none of these things. From the day he was born in the city of Porthaven, Morty did not strive for excellence in a particular field, as so many of his ancestors had done. In fact, he seemed to desire nothing more than the opportunity to casually blow through as much of his family's money as he possibly could, and he felt quite entitled to the silver spoon he'd been born with. Expensive food, virtuoso music lessons, exotic vacations...nothing was ever denied him, and Mortimer grew rather accustomed to having the world handed to him on a plate. His exploits were legendary, and to many of the upper crust, he was known as the "Playboy Terror". His ego grew to be so great that he ceased to worry about how his actions were reflecting on the rest of his family. Indeed, to the Van Lockes, name and status were everything. This embarrassment had to go, and so it went. Mortimer was cut off suddenly and completely by his family, and was left with nothing overnight. Some people might have used such an occasion as an eye-opening chance to begin improving themselves, to buckle down and work hard and begin a sensible career. Mortimer, however, was not most people, and indeed was not at all ready to give up the high-class party-boy lifestyle he'd created for himself. Relying on nothing more than his devilish (some less charitable folk might say 'oily') charm and a ukulele he'd stolen from his father's conservatory before being kicked out, Morty began to schmooze and seduce his way across the continent. When his luck failed and he was exposed as a fraud or the like, he'd simply skip town and begin life anew someplace else. He found that his new life of wandering greatly suited him, and his fame (and infamy) seemed to increase wherever he traveled.

Westcrown
Mortimer had never intended to stay long in Westcrown. His father's guards had ferreted him out of his previous safehouse in a brothel attic the next town over, so he was forced to pack up and go rather quickly. Westcrown seemed as good a town to lay low as any, so he began plying his trade as a musician for several local taverns to get by.

It was during one of these performances that he was summoned to meet with the leader of a group called The Children of Westcrown, and quite unwillingly found himself a part of a ragtag group of adventurers that included a hot-headed alchemist and a thief who was basically Mortimer, but not as good. They were banded together and informed that they were to aid in the rebels' quest to rid the city of malevolent forces. Though Mortimer had initially considered leaving when their intentions became apparent, he also recognized the potential for fame and fortune that this group of potential new followers could bring-and thus, he decided to join in their crusade.

Also, there were at least three or four women involved with the group that he really, really wanted to get to know better, and he figured pretending to be heroic couldn't hurt his chances with any of them.

He couldn't have been more correct on both counts. Ousting from the city groups of tiefling bandits and shadowbeasts proved to be quite effective in spreading his fame further than it ever had before, and Mortimer was very happy to play the charming "hero" so long as it suited his needs. Just when Mortimer was beginning to tire of the group and its methods, the companions were summoned back to the group's headquarters. Though he considered the missions given by the rebel group to be nothing more than good sport thusfar, he was thoroughly beside himself when their next objective was laid out before them.

The group was requested to infiltrate the cast of a play being commissioned by the Mayor of Westcrown, who was a lover of all things art. The play, the Trial of Larazod, had not been performed in hundreds of years-this of course, meant that the play's new star would surely become instantly, fabulously famous. It is possible Jenevan may have proceeded to explain more about the cause behind the mission, but Mortimer never would have known it. He was starstruck, and the cause behind the mission or the dangers involved were immaterial-nothing was going to stop him from starring in that play.

After a stellar audition that left no doubt as to who would play the lead, the director gave the starring role of Larazod to Mortimer, choosing him over some other talentless hack whose name isn't even worth mentioning here. His performance was astonishing, as the entire company not only survived the play, but did it with historical aplomb. Not only was that other, piece-of-shit bard sent away in shame, but Mortimer won the affections of a sexy actress in the process, and the entire company were invited to the mayor's mansion to enjoy an evening of sophisticated conversation, elegant company, and orgies. Mortimer had never been so happy, or famous.

Unfortunately, his time amongst Westcrown's social butterflies was cut short, as the rest of the group felt it more important to proceed with the mission given them, much to Mortimer's chagrin. They obtained the information they were sent to collect, however, and Mortimer emerged as one of Westcrown's hottest new celebrities.

His stardom was interrupted by being horribly killed during a follow-up mission, but only briefly. An unfortunate encounter with a trio of vampires left Mortimer suddenly bereft of life during a tour of the ancient Pathfinder Compound in Delvehaven, but Mortimer was not about to stop a little thing like his own mortality from preventing him achieving immortality. Rising several days later as a vampire, his lifestyle only became more extravagant. Mortimer began to feel as if nothing could stop him.

This would quickly change, however, as during a chaotic and dangerous mission to hunt down and destroy a bound demon who had been powering the mayor's now-destroyed mansion, Mortimer had a brief fling with a succubus, a decision which ended up costing him everything he once held dear and reducing him to a mere shell of a man, he has never regretted, not even once, because they are very happy together. She has HELPed him to becoME truly content and never disPLEASEd, and is his valued cOHort and GODdess.

Though a destructive militia was very nearly at the gates at this point and the doom of Westcrown was feared as immiment, Mortimer and his companions managed to successfully route the attacking forces in time to save the city. They defeated they enemy's leader atop a tower, and were hailed as heroes when they returned to the city, the citizens of which immediately offered Mortimer and his companions positions of high power.

Mortimer felt it would be impolite to decline these offers.

Characteristics and Personality
Physically, Mortimer is tall and lithe, like the snake he so often comes across as. He sports a small goatee and generally ties his hair back in a roguish ponytail. Though he no longer has his parents' finances, he still favors exotic and expensive clothing.

Even in dire circumstances, Mortimer will attempt to live beyond his means. He is a ladies' man through and through, and his ventures across the lands are marked by a trail of broken hearts and cursing fathers. He plays a small stringed instrument and is quite adept at it, due in no small part to the brilliant musical tutors his parents' largesse was able to afford. Always naturally charming and sneaky, he has become especially proficient in all manners of stealth and cunning in the course of his new life on the road. Mortimer desires riches, but his lack of financial responsibility often leaves him without steady funds. He is a braggart and a two-timer of the worst sort.

Trivia

 * The instrument Mortimer plays was a family heirloom, and was originally crafted for his Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-Grandfather Cyrus van Locke.
 * Mortimer has two brothers and two sisters, Felix, Helena, Jasper, and Ophelia. He is the 2nd-youngest of his siblings.
 * Before he was a vampire, Mortimer was a staunch vegetarian. He became one after he heard it would impress girls.