Manfred Arbustle

Manfred "Manny" Arbustle was a druid member of the Company of Eight in Tethyr.

Description
With noticeable freckles, Manfred appeared very boyish and younger than his actual age. He had sandy-colored hair and blue eyes. He dressed in olive-green or brown hooded robes, which he wore over leather.

Most people called him Manny, but he hated that nickname.

Personality
Manfred had a strong love of nature. The forest and all of its wonders gave him comfort in times of stress.

Manfred wanted to prove his valor to his fellow companions. He was insecure in his status as the youngest member of the Company and feared that others saw him as a child. For this Manfred sometimes acted sullen or rebellious.

Abilities
Manfred was proficient in the use of the quarterstaff and sling. He was a good horse rider and knew much about animals and plants.

Possessions
Manfred carried no magical items, his main "weapon" being an uncured sapling that he used as a staff. He wore leather armor and carried throwing daggers and a sling.

Relationships
He was very close to his master, Arkaneus Silvermane, and also respected Sylvanus Moondrop, with whom he became good friends. He had a bad relationship only with the Calishite mage Lawantha Silendia, because his parents taught him to not trust foreigners, especially Calishites, because his father once was captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Calimshan. He also found her arrogant and was jealous of her knowledge of the plant life of Tethyr, which was complicated by the fact that he found her extremely attractive.

History
Manfred became a druid because of his love of nature. He trained under Arkaneus Silvermane and, in 1357 DR, replaced the retiring elven mage/thief Mirthal Aendryr in the Company at the suggestion of his master.

After the rise of the new queen of Tethyr, when Silvanus Moondrop was appointed as Count of Uluran, the elf requested that his friend Manfred be assigned to remain with him at his official county seat of Uluran Keep, along with fellow Company member Paddy Stoutfellow. Secretly, Silvanus wanted to re-band the Company of Eight to ensure that the new kingdom was being justly run, and he wanted Manfred to help in this.