Warring States - The Europeans
These fine gentlemen are the experts upon which your future grandiose plans rely.
Don Estevam Batalha – A master artillerist with too many enemies to work in Europe, Don Estavam is a crusty adventurer, a stocky man with long hair and beard. He is talkative and expressive, and appears to be well educated despite his rough exterior. Don Estavam is a master fencer with a rapier and main-gauche, and has plainly been in a great many fights. He is also a bit hard of hearing due to his years as an artillerist.
Capitan Duarte de Silva – An older gentleman fallen on hard times, Capitan Duarte was once the captain of a Portuguese trading ship. Unfortunately, his alcoholism led to the wreck of his ship off Lisbon, and a subsequent bad reputation in Europe. Unable to find work despite his expertise in running a ship, he and Moritz fell in with the “Dons” some time ago. They have been travelling as a group since then. His alcoholism tends to come and go, depending on the fortunes of the group.
Moritz Weisel – Warrior, former Doppelsoldner in the service of various German princes. Moritz is large and strong, and deceptively fast for his size. His bearing is that of an extremely experienced warrior, and his body bears the scars of several wounds that should have killed him. He is devoted to his Portuguese friends, especially Capitan Duarte, and usually follows their lead. Moritz appears to be smart but not particularly inventive, and his usual reaction to trouble is to kill it.
Don Joaquin de Castro – Shipwright, architect, and “natural philosopher”. Don Joaquin is much more intellectual than Don Estavam but not a wilting academic. He is an experienced world traveler and collector of knowledge, speaking both Arabic and a smattering of Chinese. Don Joaquin spends much of his time scribbling into his journals, and will happily sketch portraits of the people he meets, including the samurai.
Nizam – a Malay translator from Malacca, now a convert to Catholicism. Nizam is fluent in Portuguese, Arabic, and Chinese, and numerous other dialects. He is also socially adept, and experienced at talking his European friends out of trouble. Nizam appears to be impossible to startle or intimidate, and maintains a blank, impassive expression at all times, save the very rare smile. He is never obviously armed, but is known to carry an oddly curved dagger and various throwing knives on his person at all times.
