Average in height and slim of frame, Arden's silhouette looks no different from the average citizen of Grenheim, though he bears the relatively smooth fingers and bright face of the financially wealthy in stark contrast to much of the exhausted working population. His father's lineage grants him pale blonde hair, fair skin, and light blue eyes while his mother's more exotic blood shapes his eyes almond and smooths away his father's strong jaw, leaving Arden's face with a delicate combination of narrow chin, rosy lips, and the soft curves of an ingénue.

Blessed with attractive facial features usually meant for the other sex and a slender build, Arden doesn't mind dolling himself up often in tailored robes and priceless jewelry to attend his family's banquets and parties, enjoying in brief durations the ability to catch almost all the eyes in a room. When with Gabe, however, the young noble prefers a simple white tunic and dark, sturdy trousers, wanting to forage into the depths of the woods alongside his steadfast childhood friend.




The fourth son of a merchant family recently come into aristocracy through marriage to a minor noble house of Grenheim, Arden was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and a relative freedom of expression compared to his older brothers. He lived carefree and curious for much of his childhood until he encountered the 12-year-old Gabriel waiting quietly at the servants' entrance to the Harwell estate. Ever careless and questioning, Arden had approached as Gabriel's father gave the mansion's assistant chef the first pick of freshly butchered game. In awe at the quantity of red, bleeding meat on display, the boy had cried out, drawing all the attention he needed.

The old hunter, not wishing to draw any noble's ire, had urged his taciturn son to play with Arden while he discussed purchases and selections with the head chef.

The two have remained friends since, with Arden waiting weekly at the servants' entrance to pester Gabe for yet more tales of dramatic hunts and crafty solutions to even craftier wildlife. In time, Arden was allowed to visit Gabe's cottage deep in the forest as long as he had servant accompaniment. By the time the teenager was 14, he had been given reluctant freedom to venture forth alone as long as he returned soon after sundown. The two had established a minor ritual at this point where food would always be ready--one way or another--when Arden visited. Either Arden brought with him a basket of the chef's finest to share with Gabe or Gabe had the day's kill prepared and cooked for his friend. They spent hours lounging with one another on free days or Arden would keep Gabe company as he fletched arrows and sharpened knives for his father.

The freedom wouldn't last, however, as his family's tenuous status as aristocracy remained a subject of scorn and rejection in the upper circles whose money derived from old blood. The Harwell family was considered upstarts at best and peasants playing at status at worst. To rectify the increasing disdain, Giles Harwell--the feared head of the family--looked for marriages of convenience to further cement the family name in the annals of the luxurious. Arden was no exception to his father's ambitions and soon he, too, found himself fending off arranged meetings and supervised dates with the girls of more reputable families.

Conniving even in his old age, Giles had arranged meetings and parties for the families of nobles who retained their status, but had lost much of their money, hinting at the Harwell coffers during negotiations for marriages. Strains of desperation snaked across both parties and there was no shortage of suitable families to marry into.

In the frenzy of socially mandatory events and parties, Arden found few moments that year to visit Gabe, though even those infrequent visits revealed that Gabe's father was unwell. Before a brutal winter struck Grenheim, he managed to bring the family of two a large basket of preserved meats and medicines, along with an unwitting mule carting along firewood, oil lamps, warm clothes. and thick fur blanketing, urging Gabe to stay safe and wishing his father well.

Blizzards raged on and off throughout the cold months and when spring began thawing the ice-packed ground, Gabe's father died in his sleep. In the aftermath of the loss, Arden was there, the breakwater that Gabe's grief needed to finally subside, until the orphaned hunter could find his way once more.

From one disaster to another, Arden was soon disowned for the offense of rejecting marriage from a powerful noble family--an offer his father had spent half a year bringing to fruition. His reasoning was simply that he felt nothing for the girl, lovely as she was. When screams and slaps could not convince him, he was cast out of the family to save face and the outcast ex-aristocrat found himself turning to the only person he hoped would let him stay. And Gabe did not refuse.

For the past two years Arden has lived with Gabe, in something of a dreamlike paradise for the now-peasant, who misses the sweets of the mansion but finds far more comfort in the steady, unwavering loyalty of his friend. They've found each other through thick and thin and both have sacrificed more than his fair share for the other, coexisting in perfect harmony. The day the emperor's missive found them, Arden had given Gabe the choice, knowing as they both did the state of the country and the fragile peace they had enjoyed until then. If they wanted something better and the emperor's mages believed they had the power to change the course of the world's state, then they would fight for it.


Arden is both insecure and strong-willed, the sort who will put his genuine efforts into something he wants to accomplish, but feels that he's never good enough to achieve it. Regardless, he'll keep at it, whether it's trying to string a bow and failing repeatedly or helping Gabe tend to the small garden behind the cottage without killing the plants. He doesn't realize it, but practice does make perfect and for all his lack of belief in himself Arden is improving in everything he insists on doing. Conversely, he has the utmost faith in Gabe, come hell or high water. Should an omnipotent deity declare that Gabe is untrustworthy, Arden would laugh in its face. To him, even a lie from Gabe is a truth to be believed until the hunter reveals otherwise.

With Gabe, Arden is a doting friend, always careful to attend to every chore and need Gabe requires after a hard day of hunting and tracking. By now the two have recognized the physical tells of each other so well that Gabe need only raise his head to ask for water and he would find a cup already by his side. Once he had settled into the less extravagant life of a hunter, Arden became accustomed to bringing the butchered meats to market, dauntless in the face of jeers and laughter whenever any old acquaintances recognized him. He's happy where he is and wouldn't trade Gabe for the world.

In what Arden considers his previous life as an aristocrat, he was superficially amicable and always able to tack himself onto a conversation without much semblance of intrusion. Capable of keeping at least a straight face even in the face of direct mockery, Arden saves his emotional outbursts and rants for visits with Gabe where he would regale the quiet hunter with all the most frustrating people and events while eating as much cake as his stomach would allow in an effort to improve his mood. His social skills haven't deteriorated--rather, with the new circumstances of his demoted status, he has had to sharpen them all the more while rumors spread and laughter follows.


Devotion.

Arden would die for Gabe, without hesitation. More importantly, he would live for Gabe as well, seeking actions in his friend's best interests as his eternal gratitude for the way Gabe neither judged nor patronized him the day he lost his social status. Arden's loyalty is ferocious and despite his normal lack of combat abilities he will always step in to defend the curt Gabe when words fail and fists fly.


Gabriel of Marvik (Gabe)







Normally, Arden has no combat prowess and falters at fighting even woodland creatures, preferring household chores and gardening to violence for the sake of some greater purpose. He's tenacious when he does get going, but hardly skilled.

As a knight, Arden turns into the dangerous beasts of the forests he so often wishes to hunt, with a supernatural twist of excessive speed and strength. Any animal form he takes is much larger and deadlier than their normal counterparts, though he has the ability to shift into smaller, weaker animals for reconnaissance. The ability comes with the natural (and enhanced) instincts and talents his chosen animal form possesses, but inflicts a more feral and primitive influence on Arden's mind. He retains human consciousness, but will find animalistic tendencies and instincts incredibly hard to resist, if not entirely impossible. When pushed too far and for too long, the only thing that will keep his mind from disappearing entirely is the magic of his Gear. At the critical point, he will recognize only Gabe and attack anyone else indiscriminately.


Hunting knives and a shortbow that he is proficient in, though he misses far more often than he likes. He still needs Gabe's help to fletch arrows and often loses his quiver.


In combat: ranged attacks, sounds/smells/lights intended to overwhelm his enhanced animal senses. As a person: anything that concerns Gabe and anyone who can throw a decent punch.




Gleipnir


Collar

Arden manifests a thin, nondescript band of silver around his neck as wide as a human finger.


The Gear grants Arden the ability to shift animal forms at will (though he needs to remain still for 5-10 seconds to fully shift and the transformations are easily interrupted should he move or be struck) and to a larger-than-normal size, though he can only shift into the forms of creatures he has already seen. Certain spells terrifyingly enhances Arden's ability at the cost of feral instinct consuming his mind, but the collar also allows Gabe to keep perfect control over his knight, even at the worst of moments.




Gabe, rainy days, cakes, cozy dinners by the fire, soft music, and learning new things.


Social rules, bitter foods, the cold, people who talk over him, business-related functions, and especially arranged marriages.


Cleaning, knitting, gardening, learning how to hunt, and pampering Gabe.


In Sickness and In Health: /KXLD. & Rythmatical - "One Day (ft. Kim Chi Sun)"
'Til Death Do Us Part: Aurora - "Running With The Wolves"

• Nice handwriting; awful poetry.
• Eats a lot more than his size lets on.
• Can hold his alcohol.
• Good at following recipes, but somehow always messes up the final dish. Sticks to simple dishes.
• Has feelings for Gabe that he will take to his grave.