James Alexander - 3.0 Update
Quote:
It had been brought to my attention that some people are unhappy with the fact that this profile hasn't been updated to 3.0 standards. As such, I've taken the liberty of updating.
Name: James Alexander
Age: 24
Race: Amran (Human)
Hair Color: Sandy Blonde
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5’ 8â€
Weight: 165 lbs.
Occupation: Knight
History:
James was born the second son of House Alexander, the youngest of Amra’s six noble families. As a possible heir in line of succession to House Alexander’s throne, James was raised to be a knight of House Alexander and defender of the nation of Amra. While part of his training as an Amran noble included hours of lessons on chivalry and formality, James was most enthusiastic about the military aspects of knighthood where he excelled in tactics and combat. James was much relived when his older brother Christian succeeded in passing Accolade, the Amran ceremonial ascension from child to adult, and was formally recognized as heir to the throne of House Alexander.
Following the ascension of his brother Christian, James devoted himself fully to his studies in combat, eagerly anticipating the day when he would face Accolade himself. Like all Amran nobles, James trained with a personal man-at-arms, a gritty veteran named Conall. Conall had been a mercenary before swearing allegiance to House Alexander following the creation of the noble family by James’ grandfather. The man trained James in the traditional Amran knight’s weapons of broadsword and bow. At James’ request, Conall also trained the young noble in the use of the spear, typically regarded as a peasant’s weapon, since the spear was the symbol of House Alexander, a reminder of the position his grandfather had held prior to his promotion to the ranks of noble.
When the time for his Accolade came upon his, James was eager and enthusiastic. James entered the ceremonial tournament with a warning from Conall that the other five houses of Amra weren’t particularly fond of House Alexander, seeing them as upstarts who had upset the precarious balance of Amran politics. James found the general distaste for House Alexander present but not overwhelming until he met with Aaron Metzger, a young man from House Metzger, the richest of Amra’s noble families.
Aaron was determined to see James fail in order to bring shame upon House Alexander. He worked throughout the weeklong Accolade to bring James down, but James weathered the storm. On the last day of the tournament, frustrated that his attempts to bring down House Alexander’s champion had failed, Aaron tried to poison James during the final melee combat. James survived the attempted poisoning and when the incident came to light House Metzger took the full blame. In shame, Aaron fled from Amra, vowing vengeance.
As James celebrated the completion of his Accolade, news of the assault of a dark army reached the capitol. The border keeps of the minor nobles had been swept aside by a force of mercenaries and unholy creatures under the command of a sorcerer of prodigious power, the dark sorcerer Kal’Necroth. James was appointed a sergeant for the king’s infantry and sent to the front lines where he distinguished himself.
During the Battle for Amra, James once again ran into Aaron Metzger, who had joined Kal’Necroth. The Amran army held Kal’Necroth’s forces at a standstill until Aaron showed up with Kal’Necroth’s living weapon, a man that had been transformed into a creature called a Revenant by Kal’Necroth’s sorcery. Aaron’s forces swept through the Amran ranks, bolstered by demonic forces and led by the Revenant. Sensing the collapse of the front lines, James sounded the retreat of his forces and faced off against the Revenant in personal combat.
In the fight, James was severely wounded and would have been killed if Conall had not intervened. The old mercenary had sworn allegiance to serve James personally and had accompanied the young knight into battle. Conall sacrificed himself so that James’ men could pull him back with the rest of the retreating army.
James was brought to Illium, Amra’s City of Light, where the medics could tend to his wounds. James tried to warn the defenders of the threat posed by the Revenant, but no one paid heed, thinking the city too well defended to be threatened. Within a week, the gates of Illium fell and fighting spilled into the streets. James, still wounded, marshaled the defense of the Temple of Leon, where he faced off against the Revenant once again. Throughout the fight, James fought with a fervent determination, denying his injuries, until the Revenant was cast from the temple steps.
James’ stand against the Revenant allowed the priests in the Temple of Leon to safety flee with the temple’s most holy relics, and in honor of this, James was deemed to be a Leonine, favored of Amra’s lion-headed god. The King of Amra promoted James to General and James, now known as the Lion of Amra, set to work pushing the forces of Kal’Necroth back.
Kal’Necroth’s army had been demoralized when the Revenant had been defeated, but the creature could not be killed and returned soon after. The superiority of James’ fighting force and his tactics were countered by the savagery of the Revenant and the two armies once again found themselves at a standstill.
James had almost given up hope of defeating his unstoppable enemy when word reached him that the Revenant had somehow broken free of Kal’Necroth’s control and destroyed the dark sorcerer and his command. Filled with a renewed hope, James once more surged forward against the confused and leaderless army. The remaining forces were no match for the Lion of Amra and were scattered to the winds.
The celebration of Amra’s victory was great, but James could not enjoy it. He examined the reports that told him the Revenant had survived, even in the wake of Kal’Necroth’s defeat. James swore vengeance upon the Revenant, vowing that he would see it destroyed once and for all. That night, James packed his equipment, left a letter detailing his resignation and the reasons, and left Amra on the trail of the Revenant.
Appearance:
James is a rugged young man, the softness of youth chiseled away in the frontline battles that he has endured. Handsome features have been weathered down, and though he is still attractive, he looks older than he is. James wears his sandy blonde hair loose and keeps it neat, though not short. His skin is tanned from hours in the field and his hands are rough and calloused from years gripping a sword.
James wears a rough suit of field plate, which he prefers over the more ceremonial full plate typically used by Amran knights. When travelling, James keeps his sword at his hip and carries his shield strapped on his pack.
Personality:
James is smart and calculating. He is a quiet man, though not unfriendly. He maintains strong beliefs in the code of chivalry that is expected of an Amran knight, but understands that sometimes victory requires bending the rules a little. James is a pious man, though he doubts his position as a Leonine, one of Leon’s favored.
Skills:
Swordsmanship - As a knight, James has spent years with a sword readily at hand and is quite skilled in their use. His preferred weapon is the knight's broadsword, but he can use similar swords just as well.
Shield Defense - As a knight, James was taught the art of combat while defending with a shield, which he carries with skill.
Spear Combat – Though typically thought of as a peasant's weapon in Amra, James was drilled in the use of the spear as a way of maintaining a connection with his family's roots.
Archery – All Amran knights must train in archery as well as swordsmanship. While James prefers to fight in melee, he is skilled in the use of a bow.
Tactics - While all knights need to be versed in leading military units, James has an inborn aptitude for military tactics that few can match.
Poetry - Amran knights are encouraged to develop other areas of expertise than fighting.
Theology - Amran knights are revered as warrior priests and James has been well versed in the worship of the guardian spirits revered by the Amran people, specifically Amra's prime guardian Leon.
Attributes:
Tactics Commander: James studied combat and tactics extensively while training, and had the chance to reinforce those skills during the Battle for Amra. Comrades fighting on James’ side may fight with a coordination and skill above what they normally possess while James is not fighting and can direct them in combat.
Leonine: James has received the favor of Leon, the lion-headed God of Amra, and can call on his favor one per thread to boost James’ resolve. When using this, James can ignore the effects of moderate wounds for two posts, though significant or debilitating wounds still affect him.
Equipment:
Steel Field Plate – Field plate offers less protection than full plate mail, but gives the wearer a little more freedom of movement and isn’t as heavy. James' field plate consists of a breastplate and guard plate for the arms and shins, bound together with heavy leather and chainmail. Field plate still counts as heavy armor. James’ field plate is worn from use throughout the Battle for Amra, but is well maintained. A lion crest adorns the chest of the breastplate.
Steel Broadsword – The traditional weapon of a knight of Amra, James has carried this sword since the completion of his Accolade. James sees it as more than just a weapon and will do almost anything to get it back if it is lost.
Steel Kite Shield – Large steel shield that James uses to defend when fighting with his broadsword. James’ crest, a lion bearing the spear of House Alexander, has been crafted onto the front of the shield.
