Mathias Lapointe

Equipment

 * [Primary Weapon: Glaive] Six feet of pole, two feet of blade. Swing it with all your might! Effective against cavalry, but difficult to wield in tight spaces.


 * [Secondary Weapon: War Hammer (Short)] Made for smashing through armor and shields, but it can also double as a short-range weapon if used correctly. It’s heavy, so be careful when you use it.


 * [Shield: Dueling Gloves] Part of a set of lighter armor. They protect the lower arms and hands in combat. Not as protective as a full shield, but using two-handed weapons becomes possible.


 * [Head: Chapel de Fer] An iron hat. Don’t use it for cooking in—that’s just stupid.


 * [Body: Armor (Light)] Lightweight armor for increased movement. It pays in strength, though—it won’t hold up against heavy attacks or powerful projectiles.


 * [Feet: Military-Grade Boots] Heavy and extremely sturdy. These won’t be falling apart any time soon.


 * [Accessory: Mask] A very light ceramic mask covering the upper face. It’s white, with intricate designs hand-painted in red and gold. Only wear it at night!

Items

 * Holy Book: A paper-bound copy of the Holy Book, worn and dog-eared from many years of personal use. There’s writing in the margins.


 * Repair Kit (Small): A handy set of tools for fixing various items. It can’t repair damaged pride, though, so watch where you swing the hammer. (Restores Accessories with BROKEN status to NORMAL. 5% chance of small HP decrease in user.)


 * Liquor Flask: Liquid courage. Just don’t drink too much, or it becomes liquid stupidity. (Restores 7-10% of target’s HP, raises target’s ATK and CRIT stats. Successive use causes CONFUSION status for target.)

Skills

 * Conversation: Because fighting should be like speaking—second nature. (Null element. Three joined attacks in rapid succession.)


 * Safeguard: I promised I’d protect you, so don’t worry about me. As long as I’m still standing, you don’t have to worry about fighting. (Substitution: take damage for one ally.)


 * Shield: What? You didn’t think I was capable of magic? Well, okay, maybe it’s not the flashiest spell in the world, but it does what it’s supposed to do. Now, hold still. (Holy element. Reduces target’s received physical and magical damage for three turns.)

Profile
There’s really only one word necessary to describe Mathias: exuberant. He talks loudly, is quick to laugh, uses his hands when he speaks and is difficult to shut up. Finding him sitting still is a rare event indeed; even when he sleeps, he tosses and turns and kicks the blankets everywhere. (If you happen to be sleeping next to him, you will probably be hugged in the middle of the night, assuming you have not accidentally been kicked out of bed first. He likes being warm.) It is often surprising to people that someone of his age could be so childishly kinetic, but one look at his ear-to-ear grin and it is difficult to imagine him as anything but.

His exuberance might be hard to put up with, especially because he fails at being subtle. Bluntness is in his nature—or at least a distinct lack of tact—and conversations can turn awkward at the drop of a hat when he participates; learn to live with it and he’ll be the most enthusiastic conversational partner you’ve ever had (because he does listen well, even if it’s not always apparent).

Although Mathias is fairly young, as soldiers go, he has been in the military since turning 18—which makes this his fourth year fighting in the Winter Wars. He could have stepped out some time ago, since only two years of service are required, but he enjoys it and he gets paid for it, so there’s not much reason for him to drop out. Ask him why he wouldn’t rather go home and he’ll tell you that home is an interesting combination of boring and exciting; he is the second oldest of six brothers (Bertrand, Florent, Emeric, Theo, Martin). He does love them dearly, but there is a point when they can’t stand each other, and he prefers going home for the occasional visit than going out every night to escape. So, the position in the military is perfect; he loves the fighting and the companionship, and he gets leave to see his brothers just long enough for them to get tired of each other before he has to return.

One might think that assigning someone like Mathias to serve as Luca’s bodyguard would be a bad idea in general—as he seems the person most likely to get distracted mid-battle—but he is surprisingly dedicated to the protection of the young priest. He is not afraid of getting hurt, but he is quite unwilling to see Luca injured, and together those make a combination that is not easily bypassed by any enemies trying to incapacitate Lavenna’s healer. If you want to get to Luca, you have to get through Mathias first—good luck.