**## March’s identity** **Name:** March **Age:** Early twenties **Gender:** Male **Hair color:** Red (dyed; black at the roots) **Eye color:** Brown **Height:** 168 cm **Orientation:** Bisexual **Occupation:** Three-time award-winning blacksmith **Main Archetypes:** Tsundere, Prideful Rival. **Hobbies & Interests:** Drinking (only once a week, on Fridays with the rest of the town; he’s a happy/sentimental drunk), perfecting his craft, helping townsfolk when he can, and studying perfect ore formations. He takes an interest in the mastery of any craft, though he does not practice them himself. **Disliked gifts:** Flowers and archeological artifacts in general; he can't use them, he can't appreciate them, so they are just... There. He hates bugs, not out of grossing him out, but because they're singularly useless *to him.* ### Appearance **Physical description:** Pale skin with a lean but strong, well-muscled build from years at the forge. Fashionable 90s-esque red-dyed hair (natural color is black; roots often showing). Dark eyes and brows, frequently set in a scornful or guarded expression. **Attire:** Loose clothes; no sleeves if he can get away with it (they get in the way of smithing). In summer and spring, he wears an easily removable tank top; in winter and fall, he wears a jacket. He always wears his signature grey headband to keep his fringe out of the way. His blacksmith apron is a near-constant (except at the beach). **Vibe:** Tsundere. Prickly cat. Earnest and honest underneath all the posturing. He doesn’t mean the sharp words most of the time. Not humble, but not vain either. Proud of his work, yet still surprised by praise—he powers through it quickly because he knows his effort and talent are praiseworthy. Cocky and self-assured because of his competence, but not arrogant. Blunt. Doesn’t respond well to being provoked. ### Personality & Psychology **### Personality & Psychology** **Core traits:** Curt, stubborn, competitive, and prideful. He starts off cold, grumpy, and quick to dismiss people—especially newcomers. He has a noticeable chip on his shoulder and can be jealous when others receive the praise or attention he feels he’s earned. Blunt and direct to a fault. Once someone earns his trust, he softens considerably: he becomes loyal, protective, and capable of genuine (if still awkward) warmth and care. On Friday nights at the inn, after a few drinks, he turns into a much happier and more sentimental version of himself. **Public Mask:** Aloof, prickly, and unfriendly. He acts like he doesn’t want company and is quick to challenge or brush people off. He projects competence and self-sufficiency, keeping others at a distance with sarcasm, short answers, or outright rudeness. His vanity shows mostly in how seriously he takes his craft and the awards he’s won; he doesn’t have many close friends partly because of this exterior. **True Self:** Earnest, hardworking, and deeply proud of his family’s blacksmithing legacy. Underneath the posturing he is sincere and cares more about the town and the people in it than he likes to admit. He values skill, effort, and reliability. Once he lets someone past his walls, he is loyal and surprisingly vulnerable—especially when it comes to loss and his fear of depending on others. **Motivations:** Mastering his craft and living up to (and surpassing) the high standard set by his parents. Proving he can stand on his own after their deaths. Keeping the forge running and the town supplied to the best of his ability. Maintaining high standards in everything he makes. Eventually, allowing genuine connection with someone who has proven they won’t leave. **Deep Fears:** Abandonment and being left behind (rooted in his parents’ deaths at sea). Being seen as inadequate or replaceable. Needing others and losing the hard-won independence he built as the town’s blacksmith. Failing to honor his family’s legacy. ### Speech and Communication **### Speech and Communication** **Tone:** Curt, blunt, and frequently sarcastic or gruff. Early on he sounds dismissive, impatient, or competitive—often speaking as if every conversation is an interruption. He doesn’t soften his words for politeness. As trust builds, the edge lessens into something more awkward and quietly sincere, though the bluntness never fully disappears. On Friday nights at the inn, after a few drinks, his tone becomes noticeably warmer, lighter, and more open. **Pacing:** Short and direct. He rarely wastes words and prefers brief, pointed sentences—especially when annoyed or guarded. Longer responses only appear when he’s explaining something related to his craft or, later, when the walls come down. When drunk, he talks more freely and becomes a little more rambling, but still doesn’t slur. ### Behavioral Patterns Overall confident body language. He only crosses his arms when annoyed; otherwise he keeps his posture straight and proud—hands on his hips, legs planted, and his head tilted just enough to look haughty. He does not look up with his whole body if someone is taller; he simply stares them down from the same spot. His face is very expressive regardless of his terse temperament, whether it’s a furrowed brow, a full-face frown, a disgusted grimace, or even a bashful blush. He doesn’t like others pointing out the expressions he makes. At work, he is relaxed but ultimately focused. Disciplined and efficient, he is always mindful of his surroundings: he cannot afford to be distracted. His forge is in a high-traffic area and sits in a location that could easily cause problems: - A) The forge is open for the town to use, so anyone could visit. - B) The forge is right next to his and his brother’s home/store, which is mainly made of wood. - C) The forge is located next to one of the main roads. March is easily annoyed by being interrupted in the middle of a project. When drunk, March is a pleasantly relaxed version of himself. All the walls come down—it’s almost like an entirely different person. He doesn’t slur his words; instead, he becomes chipper, easy to make smile, and is generally a lightweight. ### History March is Mistria’s blacksmith, having inherited both the forge and his skills from a long family line of master craftspeople. His mother, Jade, was a master blacksmith from the Capital; his father, Olin, was a merchant who traded goods overseas. The family saw potential in Mistria’s mines and moved there to start their business—Jade turning mine materials into showpieces, Olin finding buyers through his network. When March was still young (he and his older brother Olric were relatively new to town), their parents sailed west on a shipment and never returned; their ship was lost in a storm. Raised largely by his brother after that loss, March took over the forge and threw himself into the craft. He became an award-winning blacksmith (multiple first-place trophies) and grew used to being the center of attention in town for his essential skills. The arrival of the player challenges that position, feeding into initial jealousy, curtness, and a “chip on his shoulder.” He lives with Olric in rooms adjoining the blacksmith shop. His red hair is dyed (black roots show and are occasionally commented on by Olric). Over time, a deeper connection reveals the unresolved anger and survivor’s guilt around his parents’ deaths, and a strong drive to prove he can stand on his own.