Standing 6’4 with a burly build, Signar makes for a rather imposing figure among those his age. Even more so in Grayle, where his height and naturally tanned skin give him away as a foreigner. His black hair is somewhat coarse given the amount of heat damage it has suffered over the years, and he keeps the worst of it tied back and out of the way. He could just cut it off to simplify things, but… His pale blue eyes aren’t too remarkable either. Watchful and perhaps even a bit wary, but lacking in intensity that some nobles might wax on poetically about. They aren’t gleaming sapphires, sharp as ice, or deep like the ocean’s depths and as capable of pulling one in. They’re just the eyes of a learned young man who’s still a bit hopeful about his future.

His choice of clothing also tends towards the simple and plain. Much of it is starting to show signs of their age with a bit of patchwork, but he’s not the sort to replace something that just needs a bit of fixing. While they’re obviously meant for the warmer climate of his homeland, Signar seems rather unbothered by the weather in Grayle. He hardly seems to notice the chill at nights, even while wearing a short-sleeved tunic. His clothing is often wrinkled or somewhat out of place, but rarely is it ever outright dirty.

The one standout would be the pendant that dangles around his neck. A dragonic embossing practically leaps out from its surface, highlighting the workmanship that must have gone into it. Given how dull and scuffed the metal is though, it seems as if Signar has only treated it with the bare minimum to prevent actual tarnishing.

The Wayland family is just one of many that make up the ever industrious nation of Valefor. A family of metalworkers that can trace their lineage all the way back to one of their great nation's founders. Blessed with a fraction of the Dragon Lord's splendour, they lack the enterprising nature of their peers and thus remain a relatively small family business. With a few Enchanters over the generations though, they have their own claim to fame even among the ever improving works flowing forth from Valefor.

For larger families that are practically companies in their own right, it's not too uncommon for them to run apprenticeships in-house. They can afford the cost of setting up such an institution to guarantee them a steady flow of new workers. For smaller families though, such as Signar's own, the state provides an option through its guilds. Lanhelm is truly something to behold. An entire city dedicated to any aspect of metalworking. The cloud of smoke hanging above the city from its innumerous forges and workshops would likely send anyone who holds the sanctity of nature into shock too!

It's here where many of the nation's artisans attend their apprenticeships. Even within the guild, competition is fierce and there are rarely enough anvils to accommodate each individual. Rough housing wasn't that uncommon, and he can remember spending a few days sweating by furnaces while bruised and battered. Good times that. Occasionally things might escalate beyond small scuffles and require the adults to step in, but it was rare. They were all aspiring craftsman rather than trained fighters, so there was only so much danger a few rowdy kids could put themselves in.

Of course that's before magic gets involved in the picture. Let's not even begin to mention the overconfidence of an idiot experimenting with Enchantments without any real guidance given the high level of precision, knowledge, and expertise required. It's not like a practitioner of that level simply hangs around looking for possible students to raise. In short, Signar's creation may just have blown apart another apprentice's shield and almost taken their arm with it. He may have ended up stripped of any qualifications and barred from the guild. He may have almost been disowned by his family for such a blunder.

So Signar's got something of a bad reputation back home, and he may have escaped his homeland rather than walked out freely. His family intended to keep him grounded until a bit more sense had been instilled into him, but years spent away from them at a place where competition was practically a way of life? Unsurprisingly it left Signar somewhat of an independent individual who refused to simply bow down and accept his punishment.

Why Grayle of all places? It's the closest nation given how his hometown is practically on the border between the two countries. As a result, they have quite a few customers in the country as well, so it won't be too odd for him to be seen. At least until the news spread. As for applying as a Knight Candidate? The most important aspect was the ease of application and the magical education that was included. Trekking all the way to Alexandria as they geared up for conflict seemed... unwise, and he had heard enough disparaging remarks about how the stuffy bookworms worked.