HISTORY & EVENTS
Hagritch chose to leave Verdanta not because he sought a better life - such a thing was impossible, and something he himself is incapable of doing - but to capitalize on the Waking World's existing, quiet turmoil. Retrieving human riches and returning them to Verdanta are sure to yield a significantly more handsome sum than if they were simply recycled into human hands. The job is nothing new to Hagrtich, who has always been a nefarious, slippery thing since he was a juvenile. Obviously, this hasn't built him the best of reputations, but he continues anyway because the coin is what matters. Like others of his people, Hagrtich is exceptional in practically all things physically related. He is strong, fast, agile, and possesses keen senses that can pick up far more than other Beastfolk. He possesses a forked tongue, which he can flick occasionally, to draw in the scents of his surroundings and map them, even beyond what is immediately in front of him, by detecting its heat and scent. His eyesight lacks defined color, but is no less sharp, and can adjust as necessary to see underwater, in the dark, or during daylight. It is most efficient for him to be on all fours to move the fastest and stealthiest. Hagritch's skill of remaining eerily quiet and still are practices comparable only to his kin, other reptiles. And while he would sooner flee in being confronted rather than fight, if he is to choose the option to do so, he is well-prepared. His claws are capable of carving trenches through the toughest of irons, packing a belying level of raw strength beneath his lanky appearance. Hagrtich's jaws are especially dangerous. He makes an active habit of consuming bone and carrion, and in fact, has a penchant for human flesh. Aside from bone-breaking force and a fierce grip that risks tearing off a piece of his attacker if they are to struggle wildly enough, Hagrtich also carries a lot of toxic bacteria in his teeth and saliva. Both could infect the wound, cause nausea, sickness, and even vomiting, but in itself cannot be classified as venom. This potency is very dependent on him having enough saliva to deliver a sickening bite, along with the time it takes for bacteria to develop in his mouth if he isn't (or hasn't recently) consumed a rotting carcass. As such, he can usually only deliver a maximum of three bites that risk causing sickness before he runs out of saliva. An alternative to this would be to projectile vomit his stomach contents at an enemy, which is something he can do, but risks losing a significant amount of stamina if he chooses. Because of his ability to ingest bone matter and rotting carcasses, Hagrtich's stomach acid is especially hot and corrosive. It cannot melt metal surfaces very quickly, but will eat through flesh, bone, and bark relatively easily. The initial burn effect does not last forever as the acid cools over time. To help replenish bile and stamina, Hagritch can eat something. He can projectile vomit a total of three times consecutively over brief pauses to allow his body to recover. When vomiting, some of the stomach acid and bacterial buildup in his jaws will fuse together, allowing for one or two bites with double the potency. His tail is prehensile and can be used almost identically with his other limbs with its ability to curl and grab onto something. It can also be used to lash against enemies with the strength to shatter a full-grown tree into splinters. Hagrtich's way of judging an item's value is not specific. He will gladly take anything he sees that a person deeply cares for. Family heirlooms, gifts, prized possessions - even a severed body part may suffice, especially if Hagritch has personally retrieved it himself. Nothing is off the menu, especially not actual things of value like jewels, gold, or currency. Being what he is, Hagrtich does not possess any actual loyalty to the Verdantan monarchs, or the realm itself for that matter. If it were to disappear, he would simply find somewhere else to move and strike deals. But the monarchs themselves do not know that he feigns himself loyal to their authority, convincing them he is like all other Beastfolk. In reality he despises them, and thinks them vain, snobbish, and undeserving of their titles. The royals are selfish in that they possess nepotism for their respective species, and often disregard others. They sit in their combined power and wealth, convinced their rule is peaceful, while their kin wallow in unrest and inequality rooted in a societal atmosphere that contradicts itself, the rights of its people, and gives almost complete power to the royals exclusively. Each monarch is prideful, blinded by tradition, and always seeks to reinforce the Beastfolk's superiority (the one thing Hagrtich doesn't mind). Hagritch actively double crosses people to get what he wants, including the very guild he is actively employed under. And despite being somewhat meek, still withholds his race's pride and culture deep at heart, and will fight and kill if he deems it necessary. Hypocritically, Hagritch's pride within his people is also partially false by his willingness, in spite of knowing how rare their kind is, to kill, and even cannibalize them. He believes humans to be quite pathetic, and enjoys mocking them, but is still mindful of doing so openly. His confidence wavers most when he is facing multiple people at once, which despite his usual recklessness, actually reinforces more tactical, pragmatic behavior that warrants his survivability.
