Full Name: Aerathanis Dwin'raesh (pron: Air-ath-on-is Dwin-ray-sh)
Nicknames: Na’milon
Race: Elf
Gender: Male
Age: 180 or about 30 in human years
Hair: Ash Blonde
Skin: Pale White
Eyes: Gold
Height: 6’ 2"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Place of Birth: The lush forests of Siilara. His clan controls the centermost location of Siilara known as Teresta Vel’ai.
Appearance: As elves go, Aerathanis does not particularly stand out when it comes to looks. It is rare for elven-kind to be considered unattractive and he is of no exception. Although toned, he does not appear overly muscular. He is quite trim for his height, possessing broad shoulders and a slim waist. Standing at about 6’ 2”, he is taller than most. His hair is a long, ash blonde, pulled to the back of his head in two taut ponytails, one just above the other. The bottom most tail reaches down to the nape of his neck, the one just before it stopping about half the length of the lower.
His skin is pale white. His eyes are gold and intense with a stare that could freeze one’s heart if you gazed upon them for too long. Almost never smiling are a pair of thin pale lips. The middle of his face houses a small nose that is somewhat pointed and slender, matching his dignified features. His exposed ears are pointed towards the sky and he has a strong jaw line, with a face as smooth as polished glass.
Oddly, he has a rather intimidating appearance but is somehow pleasant to look at.
Occupation in the frontier forces: Guard/Medic/Researcher
Gear of choice:
Armor: Elvish armor. He is armored moderately, wearing sturdy leather boots of a pale silver hue with light pieces metal forged into them. The metals are painted in a pattern of dull gold and deep crimson which cover the toe and sides of his foot as well as the circumference of the front of his legs. The boots stretch up to his knees, where once again light pieces of metal are forged into flat and rectangular shin guards. His leggings are reinforced leather, also pale silver in color, with a wide belt buckled at his inner thighs. His breastplate is the same dull gold and rich crimson as the rest of his armor. The armor is not bulky but more fitted and compact, with a piece on either side that protects his upper thighs. To complete the matching set, is a pair of gauntlets made similarly as his boots, also with elbow guards.
Weaponry: Talaenar, a sword that is long and polished. The sword looks as if it has rarely been used but upon closer inspection, one would notice that it is slightly worn, just very well taken care of. The hilt has the same gold color of his armor, the base of which houses a small ruby colored jewel. The jewel absorbs magic energy over time. His scutum style shield is probably the heaviest piece of equipment to carry but it is almost unnoticeable to him after years of toting it around. The shield also matches his armor in terms of color, dull gold on top, dark red on bottom. It is decorated with the picture of a rising sun in the center. To the lower left of the sun is a silver crescent moon and to the lower right of the sun is a red star.
Other Items: He also carries some elvish coin, his journal and a twig from the Coia tree, sacred to his kingdom.
Personality: Aerathanis is a quiet and conservative individual, spending much of his free time in his journal, rather than giving in to self indulgence. He exudes an aloof and superior air which sometimes gets him into trouble but those who bother to get to know him are pleasantly surprised by his civility. Due to his serious nature, he isn’t one for fun and games. It would take more than a life time to hear him crack a joke and almost as long to see him laugh at one. He can be a little awkward in social settings, having spent much of his life in isolation and then constantly traveling. He also tends to struggle with inner turmoil, never really seeking outside help with his fears, troubles or concerns. He has never been romantically involved with anyone but has come to realize that he prefers the company of other men.
He is proficient with a sword and shield although his particular training favors use of the later. His swordsmanship is above par, he would be able to out duel a common swordsman but he is a master by no means. His fighting tactics rely heavily on his shield. With a shield, he is a defense specialist. He is also adept in using his shield offensively. With the ability to use light magic to a mediocre degree, almost all of his spells require use of his shield. He can also heal minor injuries, anything more than that is out of his league.
Positive Personality Traits: Chivalrous towards others and fearless in battle, he ready to stand against a horde of foes to protect that which must be protected. He is a benevolent man and cannot ignore the pleas of those in need.
Negative Personality Traits: He doesn’t appear to be very approachable and gives off an air of superiority. He can be blunt and direct which may come off as him being cold or insensitive but he just doesn’t know any better.
Misc. Quirks: He likes to sing when he thinks no one is listening and actually has a wonderful voice.
Likes: Order, Sunrises, Trees, Good natured People, Scenic Overlooks, Animals, Justice, Honor.
Dislikes: Indecisiveness, Cowardice, Oppression, Depravity, Dishonesty, Injustice, Vampires, Necromancers, Demons, and the Undead.
Hobbies: He enjoys reading, especially information on other races.
Paired character: Febuari
Fantastico
Connection with paired character: Guardian (He behaves like more of an authoritative figure than a bodyguard). As part of his pilgrimage, he has to find a partner, someone with whom he can travel to Ialdia. Shani was probably the last person he would have expected to pair with, given the stark differences in their personalities. Truly, he considers her more of a nuisance than anything but it was her innocence and inexperience that drew him to her and it was her impressive recklessness that compelled him to want to protect her, partially from herself.
History: Aerathanis was born to the house of Dwin'raesh known to produce warriors and knights for his clan. Normally, he would have been raised in the way of the sword and with luck, been appointed to serve his lord or lady in whatever capacity they saw fit. To a lesser degree, he would have been made a soldier and tasked with the role of protecting their home from outside threats… however there was a slight exception to this cycle. Every couple hundred years or so, when certain conditions are met, someone is chosen during childhood to become “Na’milon” and trained as a Paladin. Instead of being trained in the ways of the warrior, they are sent away and follow the distinct style of the soul and shield, an ancient and mostly symbolic practice. Aerathanis was that -lucky- child.
In his youth, Aerathanis resented this role because instead of following in the footsteps of his brothers and sisters, he had to follow a different path, one not tread very often nor one he thought useful. The whole Paladin of light role was more of a tradition if anything, stemming from some ancient lore of the elves. While it did instill some sense of unity and high spirits for their clan, it was mostly a pointless undertaking, culminating in a pilgrimage which when completed marked the beginning of a year long celebration.
Barely into his teenage years, he was sent away for training, deep into the Storm Wall Mountains. His teacher, Baelora, became more than a mentor, she filled the role of mother and father. She was an older woman, several times his age, who had completed the Pilgrimage many years before and it would be he who surpassed her when the time came to mentor the next Na'milon. Life with Baelora was difficult to begin with, in truth, her mentoring was more rigorous and precise than if he were to be trained as a knight or solider. Not only did she teach him in the ways of combat, she also molded his mind and spirit in the ways of the Paladin, instilling in him Confidence, Honor and Resolve. After he reached maturity, he and Baelora would occasionally visit the nearest monastery. There he was trained in the use of light or soul magic but the time spent there was never extended. Besides brief introductions, he was limited to interactions with a chosen monk for lessons in magic. Baelora would then help him perfect the technique that allowed him to integrate the magic he learned with his mastery of the shield.
When he and Baelora finally returned to their clan, he was almost immediately summoned by the Lady of their house and given his task. It was his duty to complete the Pilgrimage to Ialdia by joining the exhibition force and attempt to eradicate its curse, or at least bring back with him some useful information for the scholars. He questioned his Ladyship’s decision to begin the pilgrimage now, expressing his desire to remain with his people, where he thought he would be more useful. Unfortunately, his Ladyship thought differently and felt that by going on this pilgrimage, he would “bring a light of hope back to their people”.
During his pilgrimage, he was able to visit the Sachia base camp. He thought himself fortunate to be able to witness one of their rituals, where the young Raevan were required to complete a trial in order to prove one self ready to join the expeditions. Finding a sparsely populated spot to join the spectators, he whipped out his small journal. It wasn’t until a young female Raevan appeared, showing extraordinary skill and determination, that he stopped writing.
Without even knowing her name, he could almost tell her life story, just by watching her movements. She surpassed all the other applicants but did so by showing a total disregard for her own life. It infuriated him that someone so young and talented, could risk so much so easily. He could see the potential in her, however such talent would be wasted if she continued on such a reckless path. In all his years traveling, no one had ever provoked such strong feelings in him and against his better judgment, he took it as a sign. When the time was right, he approached Shani, kneeling and placing a fist to his breast. “My lady. My name is Aerathanis Dwin’raesh, Paladin of Teresta Vel’ai. If you allow me to be your partner, I vow to protect you on our journey.”