Zander Bastiaan
04-16-09, 01:39 PM
Name: Zander Bastiaan
Age: 28
Race: Half human, half merfolk
Hair Color: Chocolate
Eye Color: Aqua - will change with the sea
Height: 6’5
Weight: 190
Occupation: Sailor, Treasure Hunter
Personality: Zander is charming but rather reserved, introverted as though considering everything for that extra few seconds before speaking. He’d make an excellent ship’s captain, but is quite satisfied with taking direction from someone else. There’s an echo of sorrow behind the smiling façade, but his calm aura and devil-may-care attitude makes one think it’s only an illusion. In a fight, he seems to have little concern for his own skin, and fights with quiet determination, rather than the typical flair and flamboyance of his fellow sailor.
Appearance: One wouldn’t notice the fine gills behind his ears, or the strange metallic sheen to his skin at first, because she would be distracted by his strangely hypnotic eyes and crooked smile. Wind blown dark hair frames a handsome face, shadowed by stubble. Zander has a lithe, muscular swimmer’s body, toned and slim. His clothes are not shabby, but are rather plain. He usually wears a linen shirt with a simple leather vest or trench over it and leather breeches, along with simple leather boots. He is covered in shimmering copper scales from above his knees to just below his navel and attempts to keep these covered when possible.
History: In Dheathain’s port town of Talmhaidh, the mermaids like to play. They come ashore, dressed in the colors of the sea to work their magics on the men gathered in the taverns there. To the amusement of the Fae, many a sailor has lost his heart (and his wallet) to a lovely mermaid lass who disappeared with the tide at morning’s light. 29 years ago, a young ship’s captain came ashore after long months at sea and met the girl of his dreams, a gorgeous dark haired girl who glowed like she was made of gold and ebony.
The captain stayed in port for weeks, postponing the departure of his ship, “Rhapsody”, longer and longer, locked away with the beautiful dream that had charmed him completely. Unlike so many of the seafolk, she did not leave to return to the ocean after beguiling him and taking what she wanted, she fell in love with him almost as much as he loved her, but he did not know her secret. He loved her beyond any measure he’d known he was able, completely mesmerized by this angel. A morning came though, when the young man awoke and the girl was gone. Unlike every other morning over the last month she was in his arms when he woke, she had gone. He went downstairs and she was not there either, but a note awaited him at the desk:
“My love, I cannot stay. The sea calls me. It is my home and I am dying without it. Please understand.”
He was lost without her, but had no excuse to remain in Talmhaidh any longer. He gathered his crew and they returned to the sea, transporting luxury goods and the occasional aristocrat all over Althanas. But his heart remained in Talmhaidh, ever wondering about the girl who had stolen his heart. He tried to avoid the port town, it hurt too much to return there without her, but eventually it became unavoidable.
As soon as the Rhapsody pulled into port, a small messenger boy ran up the gangplank, seeking out the captain. The young man had a package waiting for him at the inn where he’d met the mermaid nearly a year prior. Trying not to hope, the captain rushed to the inn, praying that his love would be waiting there for him.
She was not, but a letter and a small bundle did. As the small bundle began to cry, the captain read the letter that had been pinned to the blanket wrapped around the child within:
“This is our son, Zander. He cannot stay with me, for I am of the merfolk and he would be outcast and hated. I love you still, but I could never…”
The letter ended, and the captain pulled the blanket away from the face of this child who was supposedly his own. Her eyes stared back at him from the face of the beautiful child. Whether the child was his or not, he could not walk away. The child blinked solemnly at his father, then smiled brightly and struggled a fat little hand out of his blanket to reach toward the young man who picked up his son and hugged him to his chest.
There was little question that this child would be raised by the crew and the captain. They spoiled the child with toys but also hardened him and taught him about the sea which he took to - as expected. The crew may have suspected what the boy was, but only his father knew the truth that his son was special. Zander loved the sea, he learned everything he could about sailing, navigating by the stars, all the rigging, what was land and what was a cloud bank, anything the crew could teach him.
When he was thirteen, they had anchored Rhapsody about a mile away from the shore of a balmy island off the coast of Dheathain in order to get fresh water and some fruits, and possibly hunt for some meat to stock the galley. A dangerous coral reef blocked them from getting any closer. Zander chose not to go inland with them, but instead waited for them to leave on the longboat and then went for a swim. His father had taken him swimming before, and he had discovered that with the gills behind his ears, he could breathe underwater. With a graceful dive off the back of the ship, Zander cut through the water toward the sands beneath, schools of bright tropical fish swimming frantically away from him.
Zander knew that the coral reef beneath them had taken several ships in the past, and he lazily swam downward toward the flowery forest of reef below the shadow of Rhapsody. He knew had a few hours before the crew would return. It was nearly twenty minutes before he actually found anything of interest, beyond the beauty of the ocean itself which caressed him like a familiar lover. The waves rolled above him like storm clouds in the sky, and curious fish swam up to him occasionally. But as he swam over a rise in the ocean floor, he found what he had been looking for.
A brilliant galleon shone in the sunlight filtering down from above him. With a grin he swam to it and invaded the abandoned vessel. A startled octopus slid away from him as he looked excitedly around. His father would be pleased with him, and for once he would prove that he was useful to the ship as more than just a cabin boy.
His father was beyond panic when Zander climbed up the rope ladder that hung down the side of the ship and swung drippingly onto the deck, his pockets overflowing with jewels and coins. The boy’s bright smile and innate charm instantly erased his father’s anger at having been so frightened, and the sight of such riches had everyone stunned.
“Where did you find that?” his father gasped, “Where in the world did you go?”
Zander lifted a handful of coins from his pocket and handed them to his father, smiling at his father’s wonder. Then he turned his face in the direction of the galleon he’d found, pointing.
“About a quarter mile that way,” Zander replied, “There’s an Alerarian galleon that sank - I think it might have been royal.”
For another ten years Zander’s father and the crew of the Rhapsody sailed the seas, gathering unheard of treasures and riches. They would sell their findings to museums, nobles, churches, whoever found their treasures to be of the most value. Eventually Zander’s father had so many treasures to find homes for that he decided to turn Rhapsody over to his son so the newfound family business could continue. To his father’s surprise, and that of the crew, Zander politely declined. He had no desire to be master of anyone, least of all these men who had all raised him. Instead he insisted he remain as a simple crewman, and his father gave over the ship to his first mate.
As sailors are wont to do, Zander had his fun in port, money making this a bit simpler for him. Of course his beautiful face, eerie eyes, and the innate charm of the merfolk made it disappointingly easy. Women flocked to him, innkeepers offered their best rooms, barmaids pledged their undying love. Zander began to wonder if he could ever actually be loved or if it would always be that false love created by the magic of the merfolk. Slowly, the already quiet young man retreated further within himself, his only true love that always kept her promises, the sea.
Skills: Underwater breathing - because of his merfolk heritage, and the small gills behind his ears, Zander can breathe underwater indefinitely.
Swimming - A natural skill for one who is half merfolk, Zander can swim for hours without tiring.
Sailing - Zander is a skilled sailor, including navigation and rigging.
Sword fighting - An average swashbuckler, although Zander hasn’t been involved in many actual sword fights, he was taught by some very skilled fighters aboard Rhapsody.
Charm - Zander thinks of this as more of a curse - yes, he can almost always get his way, and if nothing else the person who he speaks with likes him. Unfortunately, he feels he can never trust the emotions of another as they pertain to him.
Equipment: Steel cutlass, dirk; compass, star chart, sextant; Bastiaan family seal ring
Age: 28
Race: Half human, half merfolk
Hair Color: Chocolate
Eye Color: Aqua - will change with the sea
Height: 6’5
Weight: 190
Occupation: Sailor, Treasure Hunter
Personality: Zander is charming but rather reserved, introverted as though considering everything for that extra few seconds before speaking. He’d make an excellent ship’s captain, but is quite satisfied with taking direction from someone else. There’s an echo of sorrow behind the smiling façade, but his calm aura and devil-may-care attitude makes one think it’s only an illusion. In a fight, he seems to have little concern for his own skin, and fights with quiet determination, rather than the typical flair and flamboyance of his fellow sailor.
Appearance: One wouldn’t notice the fine gills behind his ears, or the strange metallic sheen to his skin at first, because she would be distracted by his strangely hypnotic eyes and crooked smile. Wind blown dark hair frames a handsome face, shadowed by stubble. Zander has a lithe, muscular swimmer’s body, toned and slim. His clothes are not shabby, but are rather plain. He usually wears a linen shirt with a simple leather vest or trench over it and leather breeches, along with simple leather boots. He is covered in shimmering copper scales from above his knees to just below his navel and attempts to keep these covered when possible.
History: In Dheathain’s port town of Talmhaidh, the mermaids like to play. They come ashore, dressed in the colors of the sea to work their magics on the men gathered in the taverns there. To the amusement of the Fae, many a sailor has lost his heart (and his wallet) to a lovely mermaid lass who disappeared with the tide at morning’s light. 29 years ago, a young ship’s captain came ashore after long months at sea and met the girl of his dreams, a gorgeous dark haired girl who glowed like she was made of gold and ebony.
The captain stayed in port for weeks, postponing the departure of his ship, “Rhapsody”, longer and longer, locked away with the beautiful dream that had charmed him completely. Unlike so many of the seafolk, she did not leave to return to the ocean after beguiling him and taking what she wanted, she fell in love with him almost as much as he loved her, but he did not know her secret. He loved her beyond any measure he’d known he was able, completely mesmerized by this angel. A morning came though, when the young man awoke and the girl was gone. Unlike every other morning over the last month she was in his arms when he woke, she had gone. He went downstairs and she was not there either, but a note awaited him at the desk:
“My love, I cannot stay. The sea calls me. It is my home and I am dying without it. Please understand.”
He was lost without her, but had no excuse to remain in Talmhaidh any longer. He gathered his crew and they returned to the sea, transporting luxury goods and the occasional aristocrat all over Althanas. But his heart remained in Talmhaidh, ever wondering about the girl who had stolen his heart. He tried to avoid the port town, it hurt too much to return there without her, but eventually it became unavoidable.
As soon as the Rhapsody pulled into port, a small messenger boy ran up the gangplank, seeking out the captain. The young man had a package waiting for him at the inn where he’d met the mermaid nearly a year prior. Trying not to hope, the captain rushed to the inn, praying that his love would be waiting there for him.
She was not, but a letter and a small bundle did. As the small bundle began to cry, the captain read the letter that had been pinned to the blanket wrapped around the child within:
“This is our son, Zander. He cannot stay with me, for I am of the merfolk and he would be outcast and hated. I love you still, but I could never…”
The letter ended, and the captain pulled the blanket away from the face of this child who was supposedly his own. Her eyes stared back at him from the face of the beautiful child. Whether the child was his or not, he could not walk away. The child blinked solemnly at his father, then smiled brightly and struggled a fat little hand out of his blanket to reach toward the young man who picked up his son and hugged him to his chest.
There was little question that this child would be raised by the crew and the captain. They spoiled the child with toys but also hardened him and taught him about the sea which he took to - as expected. The crew may have suspected what the boy was, but only his father knew the truth that his son was special. Zander loved the sea, he learned everything he could about sailing, navigating by the stars, all the rigging, what was land and what was a cloud bank, anything the crew could teach him.
When he was thirteen, they had anchored Rhapsody about a mile away from the shore of a balmy island off the coast of Dheathain in order to get fresh water and some fruits, and possibly hunt for some meat to stock the galley. A dangerous coral reef blocked them from getting any closer. Zander chose not to go inland with them, but instead waited for them to leave on the longboat and then went for a swim. His father had taken him swimming before, and he had discovered that with the gills behind his ears, he could breathe underwater. With a graceful dive off the back of the ship, Zander cut through the water toward the sands beneath, schools of bright tropical fish swimming frantically away from him.
Zander knew that the coral reef beneath them had taken several ships in the past, and he lazily swam downward toward the flowery forest of reef below the shadow of Rhapsody. He knew had a few hours before the crew would return. It was nearly twenty minutes before he actually found anything of interest, beyond the beauty of the ocean itself which caressed him like a familiar lover. The waves rolled above him like storm clouds in the sky, and curious fish swam up to him occasionally. But as he swam over a rise in the ocean floor, he found what he had been looking for.
A brilliant galleon shone in the sunlight filtering down from above him. With a grin he swam to it and invaded the abandoned vessel. A startled octopus slid away from him as he looked excitedly around. His father would be pleased with him, and for once he would prove that he was useful to the ship as more than just a cabin boy.
His father was beyond panic when Zander climbed up the rope ladder that hung down the side of the ship and swung drippingly onto the deck, his pockets overflowing with jewels and coins. The boy’s bright smile and innate charm instantly erased his father’s anger at having been so frightened, and the sight of such riches had everyone stunned.
“Where did you find that?” his father gasped, “Where in the world did you go?”
Zander lifted a handful of coins from his pocket and handed them to his father, smiling at his father’s wonder. Then he turned his face in the direction of the galleon he’d found, pointing.
“About a quarter mile that way,” Zander replied, “There’s an Alerarian galleon that sank - I think it might have been royal.”
For another ten years Zander’s father and the crew of the Rhapsody sailed the seas, gathering unheard of treasures and riches. They would sell their findings to museums, nobles, churches, whoever found their treasures to be of the most value. Eventually Zander’s father had so many treasures to find homes for that he decided to turn Rhapsody over to his son so the newfound family business could continue. To his father’s surprise, and that of the crew, Zander politely declined. He had no desire to be master of anyone, least of all these men who had all raised him. Instead he insisted he remain as a simple crewman, and his father gave over the ship to his first mate.
As sailors are wont to do, Zander had his fun in port, money making this a bit simpler for him. Of course his beautiful face, eerie eyes, and the innate charm of the merfolk made it disappointingly easy. Women flocked to him, innkeepers offered their best rooms, barmaids pledged their undying love. Zander began to wonder if he could ever actually be loved or if it would always be that false love created by the magic of the merfolk. Slowly, the already quiet young man retreated further within himself, his only true love that always kept her promises, the sea.
Skills: Underwater breathing - because of his merfolk heritage, and the small gills behind his ears, Zander can breathe underwater indefinitely.
Swimming - A natural skill for one who is half merfolk, Zander can swim for hours without tiring.
Sailing - Zander is a skilled sailor, including navigation and rigging.
Sword fighting - An average swashbuckler, although Zander hasn’t been involved in many actual sword fights, he was taught by some very skilled fighters aboard Rhapsody.
Charm - Zander thinks of this as more of a curse - yes, he can almost always get his way, and if nothing else the person who he speaks with likes him. Unfortunately, he feels he can never trust the emotions of another as they pertain to him.
Equipment: Steel cutlass, dirk; compass, star chart, sextant; Bastiaan family seal ring