Daedalus
03-27-06, 06:05 PM
This is a re-registration from the old board, and I, Daedalus, am the same person as Khereth on the old board.
Name: Banazîr Ramallor
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 17 years
Appearance: Banazîr stands about 5'9". He has short black hair that is unkempt from lack of care, and a narrow, gaunt face; high cheekbones and thin eyebrows highlight a pair of piercing mist-grey eyes set wide above a narrow nose and thin-lipped mouth. His skin is pale and untanned, his build thin and seemingly weak.
Personality: Banazîr is not naturally evil, but he is not predisposed towards kindheartedness, either. He is generally too wrapped up in his own struggle for sanity to worry about the greater issues of the world. He is unpredictable and chaotic in his actions, but when he has full control of himself, he is usually withdrawn and introspective. He perceives more than most people, and uses this to his advantage when possible. His will is strong, and he would oppose any who stood in the way of his goals - had he any true goals to fight for save his own sanity and his never-ending fight against the compulsions (see History) that drive him.
History
Banazîr was born to Lenrod and Ismalla Ramallor on Midwinter's Day in Emdùl, a small farming community located on the peninsula of Alian's Finger in Antioch. He was a good son to Lenrod, but occasionally experienced bouts of depression and some madness during his later childhood. Luckily, his madness was not a violent one. This madness was generally attributed to bad spirits. One might think this mere superstition, but it was far closer to the truth than most such folklore.
When Banazîr was 16, his father died, struck down by a strange malady that the village's healer could do nothing to help. On his deathbed, just before he died, Lenrod took from a chest a sword that had been in the keeping of his family for five generations, and gave it to Banazîr with the words: "Thy madness is thy strength, but not against mortal men - against the enemies of this world, a sword is of more use." With those words, his father died.
Upon his father's death, Banazîr was inflicted with a bout of madness that lasted for over three months. Despairing and at her wits' end, Ismalla took him to a nearby monastery and asked the monks if they might cure him. The monks, however, said he was infected with an evil spirit, and said that the only cure was to exorcise him. Upon hearing this, Banazîr flew into a rage and slew the monk with his father's sword, from which his mother had not been able to part him since Lenrod's death. His mother, weeping with terror, ran out the door and all the way to the town, believing, like the monks, that her son was possessed.
Banazîr's rage faded quickly, and he walked slowly towards the town after her, in a trance-like state, his eyes fixed on the blooded blade. When he finally reached the town and walked down the street, none came out to challenge him - all stayed back, afraid of the fire that had come into his eyes. He walked to his house, where his mother lay weeping on the bed, and bent over and kissed her cheek. Then, he whispered something in her ear, and walked away from the town of Emdùl, never to be seen again. When the villagers got up the courage to enter his house and see whether his mother was all right, they found her lying asleep, apparently unharmed, with her eyes closed and a strange smile on her face.
Banazîr recovered somewhat after he left his home, and was able to control his actions, to a degree - but for several months afterwards he was often afflicted by strong compulsions. These compulsions drove him ever eastward, and he made his way through various towns, living off of whatever he could scrounge, beg, or steal. He came eventually, after a week of traveling, to the Great Divide, and entered into it, irresistibly compelled.
What happened in that godforsaken valley, no-one knows. Banazîr emerged from it broken, body and spirit, and could but stumble his way to the nearest town, a small military outpost, before he collapsed. It took him a month to recuperate fully, and even then he could not recall what had happened to him in the Divide, and feigned total amnesia, for he feared to reveal his history lest he be slain. He was cared for by the family of a soldier in the Larian military, which maintained the outpost, and in that time was taught to better wield the sword that he carried.
More importantly, however, whatever magic it was had touched him in that valley had given him strange powers - powers he grew aware of as he recuperated, but which he did not yet fully understand. In the place of his former madness and compulsions was a strange feeling, a new awareness of the world around him. He could feel the emotions of others. Facts about certain places jumped into his mind without explanation. He occasionally felt premonitions, hints about what might happen to him or to those he knew. It was as if he had a sixth sense.
Even this newfound ability, though, could not save Banazîr from his destiny. As he was released from the custody of the kind family that had helped him recover, a burning message slowly filled his soul: he must go North. He knew not whence this desire came, and ignored it for as long as he could, but it strained his will to resist. He could only relieve the compulsion by obeying it. Buying whatever supplies he could, he set out North, knowing not where his journey would stop, nor what power directed him to take it.
He knew only this: If ever he encountered the being or power that compelled him to do such things against his will, he would destroy it, or die trying.
Partial explanation of this History:
Banazîr's strange abilities, his compulsions, and his madness come in part from an as-yet unawakened spirit that cohabits his body, having entered it during his solace in the Great Divide. It was this spirit that drew him there, apparently sensing a being sensitive to the realm in which it lived. I'll provide more information on this when and if I update this profile, and it may feature prominently in any quests I decide to conduct with him.
Re-registration note: This history is partially inaccurate, and I had planned to redo it when I had the time. However, given that I am reposting this profile mostly for the purposes of completing a single quest, I doubt I will ever redo this history as I had planned. Nonetheless, it should be noted that, if I ever do decide to continue roleplaying on Althanas, this history will be subject to minor changes at the time of Banazîr's next level or whenever I get a chance to officially revise it.
Items
Andorean - A mysterious steel sword, given to Banazîr by his father as he died. It is a hand-and-a-half sword, with a blade about 33" long, well-suited for both cutting and thrusting, and designed to be able to penetrate heavy armor if thrust at a joint or weak spot. Upon the hilt is engraved the name 'Andorean', and Banazîr presumes this to be the name of the sword.
Clothing - Banazîr wears a gray linen tunic and denim breeches. He also wears an oiled leather cloak, thin but resistant to water, in wet or cold weather.
Skills
Swordsmanship - Banazîr knows how to wield a sword relatively effectively. He could not defeat a well-trained soldier or someone of like skill, but knows enough to protect himself against anyone not trained or with little experience of fighting.
Spiritsense - Banazîr is connected to another realm, one parallel to Althanas and which interacts with it, but in ways most do not understand. As a result, he can understand the world in ways others cannot. This ability may give insight into the emotions or motivations of another person, or local knowledge, gleamed from the collectivity of the minds about him, or even reveal people whom he cannot see directly. This ability is not always explicit: sometimes, he may get a mere feeling, a hunch, prompted by this ability. However, his talent is unpredictable, and Banazîr has not yet gained true control or mastery over it. As such, he can only sense the surface emotions and intentions of those around him.
Unnatural constitution - Although he does not know it, Banazîr is tougher than he appears on the outside. Were it not for this ability, he would not have survived after he left the Great Divide. This toughness manifests itself not as a resistance to wounds or magic, but rather as an ability to persevere in spite of damage or unfilled needs, and faster recovery time. For example, while most men would die of hunger after little more than a week, it would take at least two weeks of complete starvation to kill Banazîr, and he might recover from one week of starvation after one or two days of much food and rest.
Madness - More a hindrance than a skill, Banazîr's madness has haunted him since his earliest years. It seems to be less common now, but it's still there, waiting for a chance to express itself. While in the grip of madness, Banazîr is not in control of his actions, although he is usually conscious and experiences everything he does. He can resist the madness to some degree, depending on how strongly it comes upon him, but is usually as helpless as a leaf in a flood. Also, while he is mad, strange things sometimes happen around him, twists of fate, strange coincidences... however, this is rare, and nearly always has bad results, both for Banazîr and for others.
Name: Banazîr Ramallor
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 17 years
Appearance: Banazîr stands about 5'9". He has short black hair that is unkempt from lack of care, and a narrow, gaunt face; high cheekbones and thin eyebrows highlight a pair of piercing mist-grey eyes set wide above a narrow nose and thin-lipped mouth. His skin is pale and untanned, his build thin and seemingly weak.
Personality: Banazîr is not naturally evil, but he is not predisposed towards kindheartedness, either. He is generally too wrapped up in his own struggle for sanity to worry about the greater issues of the world. He is unpredictable and chaotic in his actions, but when he has full control of himself, he is usually withdrawn and introspective. He perceives more than most people, and uses this to his advantage when possible. His will is strong, and he would oppose any who stood in the way of his goals - had he any true goals to fight for save his own sanity and his never-ending fight against the compulsions (see History) that drive him.
History
Banazîr was born to Lenrod and Ismalla Ramallor on Midwinter's Day in Emdùl, a small farming community located on the peninsula of Alian's Finger in Antioch. He was a good son to Lenrod, but occasionally experienced bouts of depression and some madness during his later childhood. Luckily, his madness was not a violent one. This madness was generally attributed to bad spirits. One might think this mere superstition, but it was far closer to the truth than most such folklore.
When Banazîr was 16, his father died, struck down by a strange malady that the village's healer could do nothing to help. On his deathbed, just before he died, Lenrod took from a chest a sword that had been in the keeping of his family for five generations, and gave it to Banazîr with the words: "Thy madness is thy strength, but not against mortal men - against the enemies of this world, a sword is of more use." With those words, his father died.
Upon his father's death, Banazîr was inflicted with a bout of madness that lasted for over three months. Despairing and at her wits' end, Ismalla took him to a nearby monastery and asked the monks if they might cure him. The monks, however, said he was infected with an evil spirit, and said that the only cure was to exorcise him. Upon hearing this, Banazîr flew into a rage and slew the monk with his father's sword, from which his mother had not been able to part him since Lenrod's death. His mother, weeping with terror, ran out the door and all the way to the town, believing, like the monks, that her son was possessed.
Banazîr's rage faded quickly, and he walked slowly towards the town after her, in a trance-like state, his eyes fixed on the blooded blade. When he finally reached the town and walked down the street, none came out to challenge him - all stayed back, afraid of the fire that had come into his eyes. He walked to his house, where his mother lay weeping on the bed, and bent over and kissed her cheek. Then, he whispered something in her ear, and walked away from the town of Emdùl, never to be seen again. When the villagers got up the courage to enter his house and see whether his mother was all right, they found her lying asleep, apparently unharmed, with her eyes closed and a strange smile on her face.
Banazîr recovered somewhat after he left his home, and was able to control his actions, to a degree - but for several months afterwards he was often afflicted by strong compulsions. These compulsions drove him ever eastward, and he made his way through various towns, living off of whatever he could scrounge, beg, or steal. He came eventually, after a week of traveling, to the Great Divide, and entered into it, irresistibly compelled.
What happened in that godforsaken valley, no-one knows. Banazîr emerged from it broken, body and spirit, and could but stumble his way to the nearest town, a small military outpost, before he collapsed. It took him a month to recuperate fully, and even then he could not recall what had happened to him in the Divide, and feigned total amnesia, for he feared to reveal his history lest he be slain. He was cared for by the family of a soldier in the Larian military, which maintained the outpost, and in that time was taught to better wield the sword that he carried.
More importantly, however, whatever magic it was had touched him in that valley had given him strange powers - powers he grew aware of as he recuperated, but which he did not yet fully understand. In the place of his former madness and compulsions was a strange feeling, a new awareness of the world around him. He could feel the emotions of others. Facts about certain places jumped into his mind without explanation. He occasionally felt premonitions, hints about what might happen to him or to those he knew. It was as if he had a sixth sense.
Even this newfound ability, though, could not save Banazîr from his destiny. As he was released from the custody of the kind family that had helped him recover, a burning message slowly filled his soul: he must go North. He knew not whence this desire came, and ignored it for as long as he could, but it strained his will to resist. He could only relieve the compulsion by obeying it. Buying whatever supplies he could, he set out North, knowing not where his journey would stop, nor what power directed him to take it.
He knew only this: If ever he encountered the being or power that compelled him to do such things against his will, he would destroy it, or die trying.
Partial explanation of this History:
Banazîr's strange abilities, his compulsions, and his madness come in part from an as-yet unawakened spirit that cohabits his body, having entered it during his solace in the Great Divide. It was this spirit that drew him there, apparently sensing a being sensitive to the realm in which it lived. I'll provide more information on this when and if I update this profile, and it may feature prominently in any quests I decide to conduct with him.
Re-registration note: This history is partially inaccurate, and I had planned to redo it when I had the time. However, given that I am reposting this profile mostly for the purposes of completing a single quest, I doubt I will ever redo this history as I had planned. Nonetheless, it should be noted that, if I ever do decide to continue roleplaying on Althanas, this history will be subject to minor changes at the time of Banazîr's next level or whenever I get a chance to officially revise it.
Items
Andorean - A mysterious steel sword, given to Banazîr by his father as he died. It is a hand-and-a-half sword, with a blade about 33" long, well-suited for both cutting and thrusting, and designed to be able to penetrate heavy armor if thrust at a joint or weak spot. Upon the hilt is engraved the name 'Andorean', and Banazîr presumes this to be the name of the sword.
Clothing - Banazîr wears a gray linen tunic and denim breeches. He also wears an oiled leather cloak, thin but resistant to water, in wet or cold weather.
Skills
Swordsmanship - Banazîr knows how to wield a sword relatively effectively. He could not defeat a well-trained soldier or someone of like skill, but knows enough to protect himself against anyone not trained or with little experience of fighting.
Spiritsense - Banazîr is connected to another realm, one parallel to Althanas and which interacts with it, but in ways most do not understand. As a result, he can understand the world in ways others cannot. This ability may give insight into the emotions or motivations of another person, or local knowledge, gleamed from the collectivity of the minds about him, or even reveal people whom he cannot see directly. This ability is not always explicit: sometimes, he may get a mere feeling, a hunch, prompted by this ability. However, his talent is unpredictable, and Banazîr has not yet gained true control or mastery over it. As such, he can only sense the surface emotions and intentions of those around him.
Unnatural constitution - Although he does not know it, Banazîr is tougher than he appears on the outside. Were it not for this ability, he would not have survived after he left the Great Divide. This toughness manifests itself not as a resistance to wounds or magic, but rather as an ability to persevere in spite of damage or unfilled needs, and faster recovery time. For example, while most men would die of hunger after little more than a week, it would take at least two weeks of complete starvation to kill Banazîr, and he might recover from one week of starvation after one or two days of much food and rest.
Madness - More a hindrance than a skill, Banazîr's madness has haunted him since his earliest years. It seems to be less common now, but it's still there, waiting for a chance to express itself. While in the grip of madness, Banazîr is not in control of his actions, although he is usually conscious and experiences everything he does. He can resist the madness to some degree, depending on how strongly it comes upon him, but is usually as helpless as a leaf in a flood. Also, while he is mad, strange things sometimes happen around him, twists of fate, strange coincidences... however, this is rare, and nearly always has bad results, both for Banazîr and for others.