Post by Baird on Feb 4, 2017 10:49:34 GMT -8
Race: Human
Appearance: Baird is average height with white hair he pulls
back into a ponytail and pale blue eyes. As an aspirant knight he wears silver
armor with a light blue cape but carries no sword of his own. The armor is
solid but light all things considered. Far more than his father he takes after
his mother in looks. He lacks muscle and the physique of a knight but he still
carries himself with dignity even if his confidence wanes.
In the eyes of others he tends to be seen as a happy guy but
in private he tends to be far more pessimistic and it shows on his face. He
usually bears the bruises and pains of his training and attempts at
self-improvement.
Personality: In public Baird is a happy go lucky person that
nothing can get to. He is endlessly determined and has garnered the respect of
his peers but the disdain of many others due to his constant failings. His lot
is that of a normal man trying to step into the world of gods and he knows it.
Among equals he is skilled with a sword, spear, and even an axe having
practiced with all of them. But even to them his weak constitution gets in his
way. He reveres the Knight’s Order and his father with the highest regards and
the fact he cannot stand among them as a member maddens him.
In private Baird is a quiet and introspective person who has
taken to his studies of the world and the art of summoning. It is perhaps the
only thing that sets him apart from the rest of humanity. He often laments his
lot in private but is too ashamed of his own feelings on the matter to reveal
so.
Family: When he is with his mother he is at perhaps his
happiest. She is the one who taught him how to summon and the concepts of magic
but he tends to ignore her pleas for him to focus on becoming a mage instead of
a knight. His stubbornness shining through. The one issue aside however he has
full faith in her and takes her wisdom as one might a sage. With his father
things tend to be far more strained. To say that King Leon does not care would
be wrong but to say he does not have hope for the boy would be accurate. Baird
has his resentments but much of his determination is earning the man’s respect.
History: Baird was born into greatness. His father was the
Lord of Eredil and the Master of the Knight’s Order. His mother was a renowned mage
and summoner. High expectations were on Baird from a young age and for a time
it seemed as though he would live up to them. His skills with a blade were top
notch and he never neglected his own studies. The one area of learning he
struggled in was magic. He could never quite produce the results of any
significance. While it was known he was intelligent and skilled it soon became
clear he lacked the talents to become great.
As a teen he trained directly under his father in the hopes
that his abilities would surface latently but they never would. Eventually his
father had to end his apprenticeship deciding he would never be able to be a
part of the order. So he joined the local guard. Among the normal soldiers he
proved himself to be at the top. Among peers he was an excellent soldier and
tactical mind but the shadow of the elite loomed ever over him. At the annual
tournament to recruit new members into the order he showed his skills but could
not compete against the overwhelming power of his opposition. He lost in the
second round quite easily.
In the aftermath he redoubled his efforts straining both his
body and his mind. He took to practicing magic under his mother once again but
could never quite progress. It was as though he reached peak performance or his
ability was funneled reducing effectiveness. A little over a year and another
failed tournament passed when he managed to summon forth a blade from his
magic. It possessed no special properties but it meant he could improve.
He resolved himself to walk the path of a mage knight; an
elite group among the Knight’s Order itself that specialized in magic and
weaponry who numbered less than ten. His father being the only one of them he
knew by name. At this declaration his mother revealed to him his summoned
weapon lacked the qualities of a mage knight’s. It was just a normal weapon
produced by magic but not made of magic, nor was he strong enough to create the
corresponding armor as well.
He would not be deterred and redoubled his efforts no longer
carrying a weapon of his own opting to summon one whenever in need. This
further excelled him above his peers but never into the realm of the elite. For
the third time he would compete in the tournament and he would use everything
at his disposal to outthink his opponents. No trick of feint was beyond him and
he utilized the field in every way he could. He attained five victories over
far stronger opponents this way before exhaustion and another skilled adversary
won. Surely he proved himself worthy! His father looked upon him and turned his
back to him, a clear refusal. No matter how his ability grew he lacked the strength
to stand among the elite. That is what it told him.
He was oddly calm afterwards. He felt no sadness, no rage,
nor resentment, except towards himself. He blamed himself for this. He
proceeded to try and force improvement. He pushed as much magic through himself
as he could in an attempt to ‘bypass the funnel’ and nearly killed himself. He
damaged his internal organs and tore apart his muscles nearly dying if not for
his mother’s treatment and a servant who found him convulsing on the floor.
He was forced to take it easy and recover in bed after this
and the treatments went well. He recovered in full but his mother and father
refused to train him further. In fact he was told he should become a scholar
and not a soldier or knight. His life as he saw it was forced to close before
it could begin properly but he would not be deterred. After his studies
concluded each night he would summon a blade and train anyway. The damage to
his body recovered in full but he found he was more susceptible to sickness and
other ills despite this. He is now 16 and a fourth tournament is approaching.
He has decided to enter once more and now he must win.
Combat: Baird has skill but not strength. He utilizes
terrain to gain any advantage possible no matter how small. His skills with
weaponry is commendable among his peers and he is even considered to be gifted
but he just can’t compete like others should. He wears armor but relies more on
evasive maneuvers and crafty weapons to take his opponents by surprise.
Skills
Summoning: 1
