Who is Captain Rocco Deparle ?
Captain Rocco Deparle is the half-dragon grandson of President Snake Deparle of Secomber. He is captain of the trading vessel the Maven IIa, a Principal of the OGRE Emporium and Shipping Company (formerly Throg’s Trading Company). He is also the current leader of the Silver Knot adventuring company. Rocco was trained as a youth to be both a ranger and a wizard. Owing to personal tragedy, he did not complete his ranger’s training. His aptitude did not lie in magical studies either, and Rocco never achieved the understanding of magic his mentor, Myth the Master of Mysterious Magicks, desired. He has matured into an accomplished streetfighter and a passable wizard.
Being a hero is the only thing Rocco has ever really excelled at. He is known publically as Captain Rock.
Description:
Rocco stands 5 feet 10 inches tall.
His stocky frame holds a mass of over 1000 pounds due to his half-dragon heritage and his super-power of armoured skin. Rocco’s skin is a mystical combination between living steel and living stone. He has ice-blue eyes and is hairless. Rocco has a charming, melifluous voice and impeccable sense of fashion – traits that he uses to compensate for his monstrous appearance. He is usually very well dressed, even when in his work clothes. He wears an adventurer’s harness of his own design that holds his spell components as well as many useful items of equipment. While he wears oversized fencing blades, Rocco almost always fights with his hands or improvised weapons. What magic he casts is generally subtle in its manifestation.
Personality
Rocco began play with an outlook described as violent, suspicious, materialistic and vain. He is however, and more importantly, also selfless, brave, wise and kind. Many of these traits cancel each other out. The evil he faces in his superheroic adventures have made him a default alignment of Chaotic Good through his opposition to these dark forces.
Rocco is a hero because he readily acknowledges his gifts and hence his responsibility to others. He’s the ‘real deal’, readily 'taking the hit' for those who cannot.
Socially Rocco’s exuberance is tempered by a vulnerability to being mocked for his appearance. This leads him to hold back amongst strangers unless he is confident of their opinion of him, or the situation is one that means such luxuries as vanity need to be cast aside. He is protective of friends and strangers alike.
In combat and stressful situations Rocco often takes charge, as he is capable of keeping his head in a crisis and has, even if just through his education, more experience than most of those around him. While he is a capable general and leader, Rocco favours a ‘hands on’ approach. He usually calls out orders and then charages in, relying on his comrades to follow his orders regardless of his own position in the battle. Rocco’s leadership roles stem from the widely recognised fact that he is wise beyond his nineteen years. He has witnessed first hand both terrible acts of evil and inspired acts of heroism. The heroes of his youth were: Krull Ironshell, who taught him martial arts and more importantly how to be a hero; his grandfather President Virchill 'Snake' Deparle, who taught him the values of justice for all, service to duty, and of the importance of honour; and the mysterious mage called "Myth", who was his mentor and father figure. All are now deceased, although Rocco keeps their memory alive in his words and thoughts.
Powers
As a half Steel-Dragon Rocco possesses an incredibly tough hide that allows him to shrug off great amounts of damage and reflect damaging attacks. He is also extremely strong and enjoys a robust constitution. He has inherited his Dragon father's ice-blue eyes. Rocco has always believed that his piercing gaze is capable of magical feats. Rocco has also developed the ability to manipulate the energies of settlements and cities, allowing him to mysteriously teleport around settlements, enigmatically draw strength from cities, and even astonishingly use the city itself as an offensive weapon. Rocco was trained in martial arts and mystical manipulations, and is also a skilled tactician.
Recent Events
OGRE's Emporium
Rocco ran away to the sea. After a month's working the coastal runs around Mythtropolis Rocco signed on at Throg's Trading Company (recently bought out and renamed OGRE's Emporium. Rocco became the captain of the Maven II when he saw that none of the recruits were willing to undertake the task - Rocco had learned some of the skills required during his time at the Daggerford Academy and during his month at sea. He led the crew well, though not expertly, and earned their trust through his obvious care for his charges. At worst, the company employees who serve under Rocco think,
Rocco became a Principal of what was then Throg’s Trading Company when the previous owner was found guilty of criminal charges and imprisoned in a faroff Realm Beyond The Sky. Together with the other Principals, Rocco used his contacts and personal wealth to remove the debts from the company and keep it solvent during this crisis of management."He may be a monster, but he’s our monster."
Rocco’s ship, the Maven II, was docked during the vicious Storm Season while its captain adventured on land with the Silver Knot. It could be suggested that the crew of the Maven II had an easy time of it. However their captain expected them to help out with other company business and hold themselves in readiness for work and adventure. Rocco leads his crew from the front. He expects them to be willing to mirror his own readiness to combat danger. Many of the ship's crew risked life and sanity to battle the M'Wander spawn that recently attacked the company, a demonstration of bravery that made Cpt Rocco very proud of his crew.