“Grampa, who’s that?” A small child, tugging on his grandfather’s sleeve, pleaded with the elder. They stood in the market, basking in the heat of the local blacksmith’s shop – the aforementioned shop’s owner, hammering out some work or other, being the object of the boy’s inquiry. The older man smiled.
“My son, that man is Darion; Darion the Redblade. He’s a blacksmith… these days.”
“Grampa, he looks… he looks different.” The grandson frowned, his visage torn with childish confusion, the inability to express himself with the correct vocabulary. His grandfather chuckled, placed a hand upon his shoulder, and spoke.
“He is different, my child. He’s a warrior.”
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Fate, by nature, is a fickle mistress – she begins most stories one way, and then changes their course a thousand times before they end. This tendency can produce one of two things: a broken tragedy, or a tale so epic that it rocked the foundations of history. Most people belong to the former category. This story, however, is of the latter’s ilk.
In the outlying lands of some unknown state, near the shore, once laid a peaceable, rural village – the village of Durhn. Not more than five hundred people lived in Durhn, making it exceptionally small, as well as reliably serene. The people of Durhn farmed, raised their families, and occasionally traded with the larger towns and cities that seemed so far away. Nothing ever changed, and they liked it that way.
Of all the inhabitants of Durhn, only two were truly notable: Aaron Ragnar, a blacksmith, farmer, and retired soldier, and Darion, his son. Aaron’s wife had died giving birth to Darion, and as such the man had raised his son alone. Darion was an intelligent, strong-willed child, and even at a young age helped his father with all of his labor. By the time the boy was ten years of age he was an apprentice blacksmith and an experienced farmhand.
Darion’s childhood is in no way extraordinary. He played with the other children of Durhn, often going on “adventures” throughout the farmlands, and often told his father of the fabricated tales he had partaken in once he returned home. His father always laughed, nodded, and told him he had been a “brave, brave warrior.” Darion loved his father, and obeyed him always, because Aaron had raised him to be strong, loyal, honest, and all things a man should be.
Fate, as it has been said, it fickle. She may begin a story as a peaceful, happy one, and not half way in reverse the tides. This tale is one of those instances. One year, on the first day of summer, the pirate vessel Blooded Rapscallion landed upon the shores of Durhn. The ten-score men who crewed the ship left the boat, and using the cover of night, took the village by surprise. They ransacked the town, burning, breaking, murdering, and raping, no mercy within their agendas. Only one man stood in their way: Aaron Ragnar, the simple blacksmith, fifty years of age, a freshly forged broadsword in one hand, and his old militia shield in the other.
One would think that a single man, upwards in his years, would have fallen quickly to two hundred vicious pirates. Aaron Ragnar, however, had been an expert swordsman in his younger years, and more importantly, had something worth fighting for. Darion, his son, was hidden away inside a smithing oven. The father fought valiantly, sending some thirty men to Hell before he himself fell. Darion spent the night crying, cold and alone, inside an iron box.
Darion awoke the next morning to an unearthly quiet, the normal lowing of cows, bleating of sheep, and pounding of a smith’s hammer removed from his ears. Not even the birds sang. The boy climbed from his sanctuary, covered in soot, and looked upon the carnage that had been wrought. Everyone he had grown up with – the women who fussed at him for never being clean, the boys he had wrestled and played with, all of them were dead, their corpses burnt and strewn across the village streets like bales of hay in a field. Darion didn’t cry. He couldn’t. He had cried all night, and his eyes simply would not allow him… but deep down, he had wished he could.
Aaron’s son found his father atop the forge’s roof, where he had taken his last stand. The man’s body was broken, covered in lacerations from head to boots, arrows protruding from his chest, shoulders, legs, and sides. For the longest time Darion simply stood there atop the thatch roof, staring at his father; his teacher, his mentor, his confidant, his best friend. It may have been hours. It may have been days. Whatever was the case, at some point in time Darion stooped over his father’s lifeless form, took hold of the battle-worn broadsword, and left Durhn.
From there the story is vague, and it is suspected that much of the young Darion’s adventures have been riddled with myths and fabrications, making them more legends than they are history. However, what is known is that Darion eventually found the Blooded Rapscallion, and he sent every last one of its crew to Hell – and the ship itself to the bottom of the ocean. He has many titles under his belt – Master Craftsman, Mercenary, Retired General, Dragonslayer, Anti-Mage, and even husband. To this date he will tell most people who ask that his fame is undeserved, and those titles are of a past life; but it is obvious upon seeing the man: He’s still the man he was. He’s still a hero.
Name: Darion Ragnar; Darion the Redblade; Darion Redblade
Race: Paragon [Human]
Age: 42
Personality:
To truly describe Darion’s persona, one must know the Code by which he lives. Upon seeing the warrior, one would conclude that the man is both cold and stern, his visage normally expressing little or no emotion at all. Those that do know him, however, know that he is simply reserved, level-headed, and speaks only when necessary. Darion is slow to anger, but quick to act, and his level of morality and sense of justice would lead one to believe he would be good knight material. This is not the case. Darion’s code is not one of holiness, righteousness, or goodness. It is one of justice, honor, and discipline. To be simple, Darion’s world is perceived as a constant battle, but not one being fought between good and evil. Instead, the world is a consistent war between justice and injustice, honesty and lies, valor and cowardice, compassion and mercilessness. Darion is extremely judgmental, but only of one’s actions – never of their appearance or creed. People tend to follow Darion, sensing his strength of character.
Appearance:
Standing six feet and four inches tall and weighing a solid two hundred and sixty-six pounds, Darion Redblade is the embodiment of the word “powerful” – his body is much like that of a modern-day bodybuilder, yet appearing more “naturally” crafted. His shoulders are impressively wide, as well as containing the correct height and depth to frame his torso (and proportionally fit his tree-trunk arms). “Barrel-chested” doesn’t quite cut it when describing the blacksmith, his chest having the perfectly symmetrical, flat shape; his chest has the nice “ledge” at the bottom, hanging over a set of exquisitely chiseled abdominals. The tendons between his pectorals are semi-visible, reminiscent of steel cables beneath silk. His arms are large, but proportional to the rest of his form, biceps and triceps exceptional in shape and form, as well as being constantly discernable – even while he is at rest. A back that is used to heavy lifting, farming, and combat training is clearly going to be well-muscled, and Darion’s is, his laterals having a rather heavy, defined look to them. The body of a true athlete (or warrior) is a balanced one, and Darion is no exception: his legs are just as impressive as his upper body. His thighs are vaguely similar to stone pillars, and his calves are complimentary to those “pillars” in their size and definition. Atop the warrior’s astonishing physique is pulled a coppery, sun-kissed layer of flesh.
Darion’s face is rugged, yet handsome, his jaw square, his cheekbones high, and his brow level. His hair is kept shoulder length, the dark, reddish-brown locks usually pulled behind his head in a crisp ponytail. A set of peridot-green eyes are set below his solid brow, resting at the apex of a straight nose. His lips are colored and healthy in appearance, and normally surrounded by the dark shadow of stubble that the rest of his face wears. A set of straight, pearlescent-white teeth are set within his mouth.
On the average day the blacksmith is seen dressed as just that – a blacksmith. A simple, tan-colored tunic, brown trousers, and a black leather apron, all duly covered in soot (as well as his face). On occasion, he is seen wearing a suit of armor and a sword, both of which are awe-inspiring, to say the least, and are of his own craftsmanship.
Equipment:
Most notable of Darion’s equipment, excluding his personal effects, are his arms and armor.
Dragonsteel Armor: The armor of a dragonslayer, Darion’s platemail is something few people have ever seen the likes of. Consisting of a helmet, breastplate, shoulder-guards, thigh-guards, and boots, the entirety of the set is crafted in similar design: iron grey metal with platinum-colored designs bordering the edges and decorating the center of each piece, normally of a celestial design.
The helmet is a single piece, the faceplate forged to be a part of the whole item. It has a crescent-shaped slot for vision and is decorated so that the visor is the center of a single set of angel wings, both surrounding the visor-slot and extending up, out, and to the sides. The wings are intricately detailed, the platinum metal accenting the feathers within the wings.
Darion’s breastplate is made of a single piece of metal that covers his chest, upper abdomen, and upper back, and has a silvery-grey crest upon it (being his family crest, a single sword with angel wings extending from either side of the hilt). Either pectoral is outlined in platinum.
His shoulder-guards are large, quarter-spheres, attached to his body by leather, buckled straps. Their circumference is outlined in the same platinum that pervades his platemail, and many long, three-inch wide banners of silver cloth hang from the inside of the right shoulder-guard, all cut like a pendant in an elongated diamond shape and decorated with his family’s crest – the banners end at his elbows. The left guard has dragon’s teeth welded into the bottom, pointing downward, encircling the bottom of the piece of armor.
As for the gauntlets, they cover his hands completely, making them appear somewhat larger than they truly are. The celestial motif continues here, as well, a single wing curling up off of his wrists, extending back parallel with his arms. These wings are also intricately detailed, the same platinum metal accenting them exquisitely.
Darion’s thigh guards are made of multiple parts, allowing for greater movement, but pertain to the same design rules as the rest of his armor – and his boots follow. This armor, when worn, makes Darion Redblade look even larger than he already is, increasing his height by three inches and his width by two. In it he looks regal… and intimidating.
The Redblade: The Redblade is the only truly enchanted weapon Darion has ever crafted. The greatsword is seven feet in length, one and a half of those feet being it’s thick, leather-wrapped handle. Its blade is eight inches wide, and has a single blood-groove, extending from the hilt to six inches before the tip. The blade itself remains a constant width from hilt to point, the point gracefully tapering off at the last foot of metal. The hilt is a simple block of metal, barely wider than the blade itself, and perfectly perpendicular to the hilt, only about two inches in breadth. The hilt is a foot and a half long, wrapped in worn, brown leather, and ends in a simple, round pommel. All in all the tool weighs a hefty 230 pounds, and normally rests within a leather scabbard strapped diagonally across the dragonslayer’s back.
Knife: Slid into Darion’s right boot is a simple, single-edged short sword that the man uses as a knife. The weapon is sturdy, of Darion’s own craftsmanship, and of excellent proportion. The handle is a simple oaken design, wrapped in leather, and approximately seven inches in length. The blade is flat, nondescript, and about a foot in length. It is not enchanted, but a great tool and useful in close quarters, when The Redblade is not appropriate.
Abilities:
Epic Being: Darion, being a Paragon of the human race, is more than a simple human – he is a true superhuman, a legend, a larger-than-life hero that obeys few of the laws of his specie’s nature. His strength is nigh immeasurable, comparable to that of giants and dragons, yet contained within a form that would easily betray that fact. Along with such, Darion’s body is overtly solid, making him completely immune to disease, allowing him to shrug off most poisons in little time, and allowing him to take ten times the punishment of a normal mortal. As well, the blacksmith warrior can survive wounds that would kill most any other man, his body able to heal much faster than an average human. His speed isn’t proportional to his strength or endurance - as far as melee combat goes there are few who can match the speed of his sword arm. Darion’s race is, in essence, “Hero.”
Dragonslayer: Darion was for some many years a dragonslayer-for-hire, and as such his body has become accustomed to rather extreme conditions – even above and beyond his natural toughness. Due to frequent exposure to the various breath weapons of dragonkin, as well as having to live under often harsh circumstances, Darion’s body is rather resistant to the effects of cold, acid, and most of all, heat.
Experienced: Age has its ups and downs, pros and cons: you grow in knowledge and wisdom, but your body weakens. This is not the case with a paragon, however. Paragons live generally much longer than their normal kindred, thus making the “prime” of their lives around what others would call “middle-aged”. As such, Darion is as experienced and knowledgeable about life, blacksmithing and combat as a man upwards in his years, yet he maintains a remarkably strong physique.
Unshakeable: Aaron Ragnar raised his son to be a man, and a good one at that. One of the most important qualities of being a man is being independent, strong-willed, and focused. Darion took to this lesson early in his childhood, and has honed it down to a deadly edge since, his sheer willpower allowing him to resist many assaults upon his mind and person. Incantations of a mentally-affecting nature are hardly effective, if effective at all, upon the stalwart soldier – and if they are, it is a true testament to the power of the caster. It has even been said that Darion has negated a death-spell before, using his immense will to defy the laws of both nature and magic to preserve his life.
Dragonsteel Armor: Dragonsteel is manmade steel that has been forged within the flame of a dragon’s breath, and through such a process has been made harder than diamond. The metal itself is heavier than average, about one and a half times the normal weight of whatever the item would be, but the quality of the metal is well worth that fact. As well, the metal is highly resistant to magic and the elements, deflecting most low level spells and dampening higher level enchantments.
The Redblade: The Redblade was crafted one part of Darion’s deceased father’s broadsword and one part the center of a fallen star, forged with the same process as dragonsteel, making the blade indestructible (as far as anyone can tell). As well, the blade has been made with Aaron Ragnar’s trademark, the Infinity Edge, a razor-sharp edge that “lasts ‘til infinity”. The Redblade, due to its weight, size, and craftsmanship easily bypasses most armors, splitting dragonhide as if it were tin. As well, due to the impeccable balance of the blade, the sword can be thrown javelin-style and maintain an excellent level of accuracy. Most significant, however, is the sword’s innate enchantment, coming from the craftsmanship and the components through which it was created: the weapon is capable of damaging creatures that are ethereal, incorporeal, or resistant to normal weapons, since the sword in itself isn’t a normal weapon.
Knowledge:
Darion has walked many paths and lived various lifestyles. Throughout his life he has always sought to strengthen himself, and the most basic way to grow in strength is to grow in wisdom.
Combat: Darion is a literal master of combat. His skill with a two-handed sword and a longbow are unparalleled, though he is well versed with all other weapons as well. Darion has the natural ability to think during a confrontation, allowing him to improvise and adapt to each situation rather well. He is also knowledgeable of hand-to-hand combat.
Hunting: Having to fend for ones elf in the wild forces certain skills upon a person, one of those being the acquisition of food. This simple skill, combined with years of dragonslaying, has made Darion quite the tracker, and he is able to follow and hunt nearly any type of beast on feasible terrain.
Blacksmithing: It is arguable, but Darion may be one of the best metalworkers to walk this plane. His knowledge of enchanted materials and methods of forging allow him to craft items that are both beautiful on the stand and powerful in the field. The Infinity Edge, his father’s trademark, is passed down through Darion, and he applies it to nearly any weapon he forges, giving the tools an extremely durable, long-lasting sharpness. As well, the dragonslayer invented dragonsteel, steel forged within the flame of a dragon’s breathweapon, and is often sought out to craft something of this nature. Dragonsteel products, though much heavier than their steel counterparts, are as dense and durable as diamond.
Arms and Armor Crafting: There is more to weapons and armor than hammering ingots into a finished product, and Darion knows this. Thus he has educated himself in the arts of bowyering, leather tanning, and sewing, all to compliment his immense skill with the smithy's hammer.
Farming: Though he uses it very little, Darion knows his way around a farm quite well. In fact, he has all the knowhow required to own and maintain his own farm, having grown up on one.
War: Many a time Darion has been a part of the phenomena known as war, and many a time he has been entrusted as a ranking individual. This has lead to the development of a keen sense of strategy, both in skirmishes and epic-sized confrontations. Not only that, but Darion’s leader nature allows him to inspire those around him, performing feats they otherwise might have shied away from without a solid form of motivation.
Beastology: A warrior can't be effective on the battlefield if he doesn't know his opponent, and Darion has made it a point to educate himself upon all of the various cultures, strengths, weaknesses, habits, and other miscellaneous information concerning the races he has done battle with. He is no scholar on the matter, of course, but he does retain a practical, combat-useful level set of statistics for each of his past foes.
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Originally Posted by Witchblade
