Taphi Briddelstork (Taffy Briddle-stork)

The former wizard; Taphi Briddelstork, travels the continent of Sterravi at the beat of his own drum. He is an old man in his seventies, bald, bearded, and passionate about his research. Despite his very wizardly appearance(barring the absence of a wizard's hat), he is an artificer who tinkers and toils to wherever his interests take him. In fact. he is unable to use magic in any capacity whatsoever due to events that took place at Academia del Sola many years ago. Having undergone the Wizard's Trial, he has been Thrice Branded; banished from the academy, losing his magical abilities, and losing something else important that he cannot talk about. After his expulsion, he was forced to find a new line of work to sustain himself- so he sought to leave Sterravi and study on the isle of Xanje to discover their trade. After spending a decade on the Western Isle, Taphi returned to Sterravi with newfound knowledge and skills under his belt. The SoulSticks are his magnum opus, a thin metal alloid that can be held in one's hands, roughly the length of one's torso. The inside of the rod is hollowed out, allowing the placements of blowdarts inside. The SoulSticks' true power lies in the crystals that are embedded in the end-segments; a white radiant crystal and a black sombre crystal, both of which function as a power source for the apparatus' use. According to Taphi, the two crystals hold power wholly separate from the magic that Sterravi knows so well, rather it has the power to empower and drain one's life essence- or soul. Having spent decades powerless, the creation of the SoulSticks was a personal endeavor that he managed to create a prototype of. Although still incomplete, the prototype can be used to tap into power that Taphi has been studying for years. For the most part, he will play a support role in combat- but he has a few tricks up his sleeve that are situational. Taphi Briddelstork lived a very different life back at the Academy del Sola, whatever happened- Taphi refuses to speak of the matter to anyone. Whatever it was, concerns his research and the crystals he carries in his apparatus(See the Character Heldaph Brimstone for further details). Those events have also blessed/cursed him with a body that is near immortal. Any damage he takes that is fatal will regenerate with time, but each resurrection brings him back a little bit less- until perhaps it does not at all(saps stats and max health). To this effect, he does not wish to take any unnecessary risks. Taphi seeks to finish his research to fix the mistakes of his past, travelling with reliable companions when he believes it will benefit them both. Class: Artificer, Alchemist.