Personality While Garren has been known to exaggerate his past exploits, and even lie about some of them, he is generally a very reliable and trustworthy person. Though, he is exceptionally defensive regarding both his past and the true nature of his magical abilities, and will quickly avoid the topic should someone catch on to his fables and try to pry deeper. For that same reason he refuses to remove his armor, afraid of being recognized or of being mistaken for an undead should his magic corrode his body (Though the effects are temporary).
In battle, Garren fights as if he has a death-wish. Rarely backing away from a fight, the proud ex-gladiator will stand against almost anything that threatens his life or the life of his companions. That isn't to say that Garren will blindly charge into battle, but if he believes his death will save lives or offer glory in any sense, he might just take the risk.
History
Born in the small town of Hramerstead in Sirrendyl, Garren lived a relatively peaceful life wanting nothing more than to be a paladin of the Lawbringer Order, like his mother once was. When he came of age, the order accepted him for training and so his first real adventure began. For years he trained, but could not produce magic - and what was a paladin without their magic? Garren pleaded to the gods for the ability to heal others, and one of them listened. He was granted the ability to heal, but at the cost of needing to drain the life of another creature in order to accomplish the task. Once the paladin order discovered this heretical gift, Garren was exiled from the order and was threatened with execution should he ever return to the sacred ground of their temples.
Garren fell into a depression following his exile, angered and disgraced by his own insolence. He had begged the gods for his gift of healing, but now he begged only to be killed where he stood. The local arena seemed like the perfect place to be for this. However, Garren claims that once he set foot in the arena he instantaneously felt at home, his spirit emboldened with the strength to fight. It makes one wonder just how much of what he says is true.
In reality, he was never allowed into the paladin order despite his mother's achievements. Angered by having been denied entrance to the Lawbringer Order, Garren saw the arena as the perfect outlet for his emotions. His first arena fight was a sort of opening act that preceded a duel between "Alban Le Cannibale" and "Hanne Vulkaan", two well-known gladiatiors at the time. Garren pleased the crowd well enough that he continued to receive challenges, and so he fought again and again, match after match, growing in popularity for four years before he became known as "Garren The Unbreakable".
For the last three years of his life as a gladiator, Garren believed that he was helping people to forget their worries and distract them from their fear of the rot. Though, as it would turn out, the arenas may have done too well at their job. Sirrendyl fell into shambles not long before Garren heeded the call and embarked on his journey to join The Conclave at Venridge, leaving Garren to believe he had failed his homeland.
Weapons
Knochenbrecher - Otherwise known as "Bone Crusher", this foreign-made flanged mace is the choice weapon of Garren. Possessing the ability to extend into a deadly flail and retract back into a mace at the press of a button, this devastating weapon was specially designed for the spectacle of the arena.
The Eviscerator - A longsword with a slight leaf blade, once belonging to a gladiator which named himself "Takarr The Eviscerator". Garren bested Takarr and claimed his blade as a prize in return for sparing his life.
Magic
Overextension - When Garren reaches the physical limits of a normal human, he can force his body to withstand and keep himself in the fight. Although this ability provides an excess of adrenaline, it also causes a strain on his body. If used for a prolonged period of time this ability will damage Garren's body and cause physical deterioration.
Sapping Touch - Garren can touch another creature to sap the life energy out of them and restore his own, reversing the deteriorating effects of Overextension. Freshly killed corpses can be used to some effect, but aren't as efficient as draining live creatures. When used to reverse deterioration, this ability will exhaust Garren depending on how much energy he consumes to repair his body.
Other
Eisen Haut - More than just armor, Garren's Eisen Haut has become a sort of home over the years he spent as a gladiator. Enchanted with magic that allows the armor to self-repair after battle, Garren hasn't removed the Eisen Haut since the day he first donned the armor.
Post Example The roar of the crowd was deafening, and the sunlight blinding through the hefty metal gate. Garren's heart pounded, his blood rushed, his armor clanked. Never before had he fought an opponent as skilled as that which he would fight on this day - the King of Sirrendyl's own champion, "Ghyral Van Kroulger, The Crimson Axe of Fauldusk". Taking a deep breath, Garren turned to look at the only other person in the room. She was plainly dressed, with simple armor over her clothes and face hidden beyond a visored helm, wielding a halberd and standing at attention against the wall. Drawing his Knochenbrecher and gripping its handle firmly, Garren spoke. "I'm ready. Signal tha gate."
The woman then turned to face the gate, pulled out a horn and gave the signal. Shortly after the gate began to rise, clanking as it did. Once the gate was high enough Garren walked out into the light, and the roar of the crowd became overwhelming. Slowly the monotonous roar transitioned into a chant calling the name of the king's champion. Eyeing the massive crowd, Garren banged his armored wrist against his chestplate to make a loud clanking sound three times - he believed it to be good luck - and twirled his knochenbrecher in his hand. His heartbeat rose, his breathing quickened, and his eyes narrowed upon the gate at the arena's opposite end.
Several minutes passed, and the gate did not rise. No champion appeared from within. The crowd grew quieter and quieter, until finally Garren let out a frustrated roar. "COME OOON!" He bellowed, banging his fist against his chest three times once more. "FACE ME, YOU COWARD!" He continued to yell, pressing the switch on the hilt of his Knochenbrecher to release the chain and extend the mace into a flail.
By now, the crowd had begun to whisper. Some had already begun to leave their seats and head for the exits. Then, just as Garren turned to observe the crowd another horn sounded and his opponent's gate began to rise. However, the gladiator that emerged from within was no champion of the king. The crowd booed and hissed, and Garren was outraged. Turning to the king, whom was watching from the shaded seats, Garren threw down his knochenbrecher and yelled. "Your champion is naught but a coward, and you are but a fraud! You have no respect for the gladiators code! No honor-"
"Horse shit." Came a voice.
"Excuse me?" Said Garren.
"Your story. It's horse shit." The voice replied.
Turning away from the entranced crowd around him, Garren turned to look toward the back of the tavern in which he was sitting, spotting a man and two women clad in armor sharing a pint with one another. Returning his attention back to the drunkards whom had been listening to his tale, Garren began waving his hand to shoo them off. Standing up, he leisurely walked over to the table which hosted the individuals that so rudely interrupted his story time.
"Alright, which one of you was it? Just who do ya think you are, huh?" Garren questioned, eyeing the hands of all three of them. Their hands did not move.
"Van Kroulger would never back down from a fight, and you should know that." Said the man, glaring angrily at Garren from under his helm.
"Not to mention he got her first name wrong..." Retorted one of the women. "Typical, for such a big talker."
"Hey... hold on for just one fucken moment. I'll ask again. Who tha hell are you? And, eh, for that matter... how tha hell do ya know if my story is horse shit anyways?" Garren replied, slightly annoyed by their rather nonchalant tones.
"He doesn't even recognize her. One of the few surviving gladiators of Sirrendyl's collapse, and certainly one of the most heroic of all. Apparently saving the King's life makes you a coward, or am I mistaken?"
"Like I said, typical. I bet I could cut him down right now, wouldn't be such hot shit then, would he?"
The third woman then raised her hand to quiet her friends, looking to Garren. Through her visor he could see nearly emotionless eyes staring back, eyes which he recognized almost immediately.
"Van Kroulger? It's been a while" He stated, annoyance suddenly absent from his voice.
"Figured you'd be happier to see me, you lousy bastard." She replied with a sly smile. "Thought you'd talk some serfs drunk off their asses into believing I was some sort of coward, did you? Or have you forgotten I gave you the fight of your life, and am the very reason you were given that epithet which adorns your name to this very day, sir "unbreakable"?"
"Ah, no, well you know how things are. The taller the tale, the better it sounds." He said with a chuckle.
"Mm... indeed. Just don't forget the part where the dragons attacked and we put aside our differences to fight them, aye?" Van Kroulger replied, the four of them laughing together.
