Character Full Name
Renault Beaumont
Gender
Male
Age
43
Race
Human
Height
6'2"
Weight
191lbs
Main Class
Warrior
Subclass
Spellsword [Former]
Weapon & Shield [Current]
Appearance
Renault Beaumont is a man drastically changed over the course of seven years. In his youth he looked the part of a knight in shining armor: tall, broad-shouldered, blue-eyed, and golden-haired with an air of noble grace. But now, excommunication has marked him. His hair, darkened with age, is shaggy and disheveled, complemented by a scraggly beard already starting to gray. His eyes have grown lifeless and tired, with fresh wrinkles starting to form on his face, signifying his age.
His armor, once gilded plate and white cloak, has been replaced by a worn leather brigandine and undershirt, with matching rough-hewn boots, gauntlets, and traveling cloak.
Personality Description:
A man shaped by his experiences, most of them negative, Renault is, in a word: lost. Troubled, uncertain, and penitent, who he is today is a far cry from the devout, self-assured, honorable man he was before. Embodying nearly all the virtues one could think of for a crusader of justice, Renault's banishment from The Knights of the Merciful Sword was seen as a great loss.
Thrown into the streets of Draydon with naught to his name, Renault's grief gave way to cynicism and melancholy, leaving him a shell of his former self. Plagued almost constantly by feelings of unworthiness and self-doubt, Renault has all but forsaken his former identity, refusing to cast spells or perform miracles in Tyr's name, believing himself spurned by his former patron.
Yet despite his weariness, the core of Renault's personality is still there, not lost, but buried. Beneath himself is a man of strong faith and pure heart, not forgetting the Oath he swore to the people of Draydon, though long have they forgotten him.
Short Biography:
Born to the noble House Beaumont, Renault was groomed for knighthood as far back as he can remember. His childhood stories were tales of valiant knights and noble heroes astride horseback, leaving the impressionable youth awestruck and determined to one day be a knight himself. As soon as he turned seven, Renault was given the title of page and sent to one of the castles in Draydon under the patronage of Lord Alistair, a former knight granted a noble title for exemplary military service. It was here where the brunt of Renault's training and education came from. He learned how to hunt, how to read and write, how to care for horses and armor, and eventually how to fight. The next eight years were spent in this regimen: with the complexity of his duties increasing as he got older. By the age of fifteen, Renault officially became a squire, now able to devote himself almost fully to combat training. Mastering the seven points of agilities, among them riding, swimming, climbing, fencing, and dancing. Six years later, at twenty-one, Renault became eligible for knighthood.
Now able to live out the dreams imparted to him as a boy, Renault consecrated himself to chivalry, joining others among the noble warrior elite. Spending his first few years of knighthood hunting, jousting, attending tournaments, and participating in round tables, Renault found himself feeling dissatisfied, as though he were being called to something greater than himself. That call found him, aged twenty-six, in the Knights of the Merciful Sword.
An order of paladins devoted to the tenets of Tyr, Renault believed that this was the opportunity he needed to answer this great calling. Giving up all lands, titles, and wealth and taking vows of poverty, chastity, piety, and obedience, Renault formally joined the Knights a christened Paladin: a position he would hold for ten years.
Alas, a time must come for all men to face temptation: either to resist or to succumb. Renault's temptation was named Aelena. A beautiful Elven handmaiden attending a Waterdeep noblewoman, Renault first encountered her in one of Draydon's many markets, stopping to retrieve a coin she had dropped. When eyes locked and fingers brushed, the seeds of early attraction were planted. Though seemingly insignificant, that first meeting would eventually be Renault's downfall.
Struggling with intrusive thoughts from their brief exchange, no amount of prayer or reading could ease Renault's mind. He had to see her again. Thus began a city-wide game of hide-and-seek: both parties developing more and more contrived ways to interact with each other over the course of months. A simple "Good day" and "How do you do?" spoke volumes; each overlong glance a yearning from the heart.
Finally, neither Renault or Aelena could take it any more, and met in private with open intentions. A tryst was formed: a crossing of the space between stars as the two reveled in their forbidden union. But not all things are meant to last...
In less than a year, the two were caught in what would be the start of Renault's ruin. Aelena was sent back to Waterdeep in disgrace, never to be seen again, and Renault was banished from the Merciful Sword. In one fell swoop, he had lost everything.
The last seven years of Renault's life have been a blur of misfortune and despondency. Left with nothing, he turned to drink as a means of coping, fading into obscurity in the back room of a tavern. Believing that his actions have shamed not only himself, but Tyr, Renault distanced himself from his past as a paladin; with only his memories and the few trinkets he was allowed to take as keepsakes.
Why have you come to Draydon?
First arrived as a seven year old to be trained in the ways of knighthood. For nearly the last four decades, here he has stayed.
Fighting Style:
In his younger years, Renault blended swordplay with a myriad of holy spells taught to him by the Merciful Sword. Favoring the longsword, Renault used the blade's natural versatility to his advantage: adopting either a one or two-handed grip depending on whether he wanted to keep a hand free for casting or focus solely on more powerful swings. Now, having given up spellcasting for nearly a decade, Renault uses a shield in tandem with his blade. Though somewhat out of practice, Renault's years of combat training and muscle memory still make him a formidable foe; able to near-seamlessly assume different fighting stances depending on his opponent(s).
Primary Armament: Steel Longsword
Secondary Armament: Steel-Reinforced Wooden Shield (Slightly Damaged)
Inventory Items
-Crest of Tyr (Worn under his shirt)
-Flask
-Religious Tomes (3)
-Whetstone
-Wrinkled Note (Contents Unknown)
Coin Purse: 5 Gold