[CHAR] Into the Dark

Xander Hsine

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Xander Hsine was born in the small hamlet of Pyre, in the southern region of the Midlands between the Cherafir River and the Glandrather Forest. He was just shy of thirteen years old, an age some might still consider tender. Further introduction in Xander’s history would suggest otherwise. At such a young age, love was never a consideration but there had been talk of a marriage amongst his parents - perhaps to the carpenter’s daughter or maybe even the blacksmith’s. His father was a member of the hamlet’s small dedicated guard leaving himself alongside his mother and sister to maintain the small farm used to assist in feeding the small population of the hamlet. Xander Hsine is a medium sized human male that stands just shy of sixteen hands and weighs in at about ten stones. 

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Xander often times acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he is kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. Xander hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society. He may be young, but his actions combine a good heart with a free spirit. 

While Xander could only be considered loosely pious, he does believe in the same deity that everyone else in Errandil follows. It goes by many titles; the Uncaring, the Protector and Preserver of Life, Dweller on the Horizon, the Watchful Protector, the Scourge of Battle, the Soul Forger, the Bringer of Darkness, the Shining One, and the Whispered One. Depending on which part of the world one encounters its clergy, they may be good or evil. Regardless of titles or alignments, one name is prevalent in the common tongue across the land - Yggdrasil. As Xander was raised, Yggdrasil represented all that was good in their lives as the Protector and Preserver of Life. In times of sowing, they would make offerings to Yggdrasil praying for a great harvest. In times of travel they would pray for a watchful eye to keep them safe on their journey. And on the occasions swords were drawn, they asked that Yggdrasil be righteous and just. However, after the atrocities that befell Pyre Xander now believes otherwise. Yggdrasil is the darkness that plagues the lands of Errandil. It is Yggdrasil’s emanating darkness that plagues the land and its influence that corrupts the living into terrible beasts that afflict the land. Xander is not a pious individual. He would rather rely on himself and others than pray to Yggdrasil for assistance in any form. 

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 Author’s Notes: Please be kind enough to omit his floating appearance as well as the dragon’s eye amulet dangling from his neck. These aspects will play no part in the character’s portrayal.

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Before Xander began his journey, the boy lived in the small hamlet of Pyre. It was a rural community under the protection of Orthreloth with very little to offer the Kingdom outside of bodies if the horns of war ever rang across the fields of the Midlands. It was but a few bodies at that. He lives with his parents and his older sister in a small farmhouse that was quite suitable for their needs but would certainly leave a city dweller with something very much so to desire. Like his parents, Xander spent his days either tending to the fields or training with his short sword to become a member of the Guard upon coming of age. While his mother and sister would train to act in times of emergency fighting when they needed to, he as his father did would fight to protect the hamlet whenever danger threatened. A mediocre farm at best, Xander did as he had too while growing up to escape the punishment of his father for not tending to his homestead duties. However, he felt his true calling was that of the blade and subsequently devoted as much time as possible to swordplay and athletic activity to ensure his ability to protect the people of Pyre would never be questioned. While he was quite average in stature for his age, Xander proved to do exceptionally well with his short sword. 

His familial background was quite typical as well. His grandparents, even his great grandparents were buried in the same hamlet that he grew up in. Xander came from a line of farmers and hamlet guardsmen. His uncle was a skilled craftsmen, trained as a cobbler but was drawn to the fabulous life of big city living. Xander was never lucky enough to learn from him. An old family tale tells of his maternal great grandfather participating in a march through the Massif during an expedition to destroy Gilgondorin, but the truth of that story only Yggdrasil knows. Overall, the young man has a rather mundane family line.

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Most importantly to Xander, quite frankly the thing he values most is his older sister. She is the reason he ran away from home. Fallen ill from poison of the darkness acquired when the dark forces of Yggdrasil invaded from the forest, the hamlet clergy who doubled as physicians deemed her unable to be cured. They deemed their only form of action would be to make her comfortable through the terrible ordeal she was bound to endure for an amount of time that no one could possibly determine. However, a book found in the Lords home told of a way that may save his sister from the darkness and perhaps himself from the affliction already suffered as well. While both herbal and arcane in nature it is the only route visible to Xander. He values this knowledge and he values his sister enough to disobey his father, flee his home and journey to acquire the things he needs to save her. On the same note, his greatest fear is returning empty handed knowing that while his motives were pure he wasted what little precious time he had left with his sister on a fool’s errand. Learning that his entire trip was all for naught would be devastating to his fragile psyche. It is something he rarely thinks about directly, but that potential sense of failure slowly naws at the back of his mind. 

Overall, his attitude and approach to life are quite simple. How could a young adolescent boy overcomplicate such a simple thing. Life is an adventure. A dangerous, life threatening adventure where you have to make tough decisions on a whim, sometimes at the tip of a sword. Xander has to trust his instincts. Making friends and enemies as he sees fit. He will journey to the ends of the planet to achieve his goal, using his own moral compass to determine his way. He is willing to accept help, but not at the expense of his mission. And he is willing to help based on that same understanding. 

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While young, Xander still possess valuable strengths that a party may find explicitly useful. His stature is quite typical for his age but his ability with a short sword (used in his left hand) is quite formidable though it does not necessarily offset the lack of physical strength when compared to a seasoned warrior of greater age and experience. His agile defenses and evasive maneuvers may be able to offset his lack of strength but once again that quick foot movement can only work as long as he can move. Physical strength is his most difficult weakness to overcome. It is only seconded by the lack of experience that makes Xander a viable victim for any who cross his path. He is just almost thirteen and still has very much to learn. Quite frankly, common sense can only take him so far. He can improve his fighting skills by training every day. He can grow in strength by doing the same. But learning things like reading people in daily interactions, combat, or shady situations is not something that can be learned by training but only experience. It will be a task that cannot be overcome overnight.

Finally, one of his most potent yet miserable strengths is his very own touch of darkness. It is visible on his face, a small patch of chromatically black scales with a metallic sheen. But it is most notable on his left arm, from the tip of his middle finger to his left pectoral, the same chromatically black scales with a metallic sheen. However, his arm is certainly more pronounced with thick plates and spikes of what appears to be  some sort of exoskeleton or daemonic armor. It resonates with the subtle hue of glowing red embers in various places simulating what might be considered some sort of biological material. In onlookers at the very least it generates apprehension but at the very worst, it can provide a reason for the mob mentality to take over with murderous intent. For what better option is there than death for what cannot be easily understood? The piece is tougher than iron, defending against the edge of a blade or the flat of hammer like a shield. There is some arcane resonance within as it can resist Yggdrasil’s might with a certain ward like power. Truthfully, little is known about this appendage. The clerics of his town were unable to ascertain any legitimate knowledge from books or observation, let alone any concept of treatment. Of course, the world of Errandil is quite large. Someone has to know something.

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Blackfridayrule One Who Plays With Fire

A Man Is No One A Faceless Man
