[hider=Col Ward][h1][center][color=white]Reign:[/color] [color=yellow]Kingdom Come[/color][/center][/h1] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.pngp[/img][/center] [color=white][b]Name:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]Col Ward[/color] [color=white][b]Age:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]19[/color] [color=white][b]Ethnicity:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]Caucasian[/color] [b]Occupation:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Squire[/color] [b]Appearance:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Col is a young man with physique that can be described as a swimmer's build; wider shoulders and more narrow hips. He stands at 5'10 with toned muscle. His complexion is white though he can tan in the sun. He has brown hair and eyes. Col sports multiple scars across his forearms, chest with the most prominent being across his face.[/color] [b]Background:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Col was born to a merchant family in the city of Milborne to Nichol and Eda. He grew up swinging wooden swords with the other children. He was enraptured hearing about the songs and tales of the minstrels and bards of the taverns. Even when his father forbade him from going there, so he could learn the family trade, he found ways to sneak there anyway. Col did not want to be a merchant, but wanted to become like one of the knights of renown. Heroic and chivalrous. Nichol saw his son's desire, but his birth forbade him from entering any kind of knightly office. That all changed one day at the age of 15 for Col. He woke up early to practice with his dull sword in the woods outside of the city. As they practiced a man rode on horseback at a breakneck pace towards the city. He was wearing a chain mail hauberk and had a sword at his side. He clutched his side as if he were injured. Col hid behind a tree and watched as three armed assailants rode up behind the first man. They wore scarves around their faces with clubs and other budget weapons. Col knew them to be bandits. Exiles of the towns and cities. They had no government except their own primitive societies. The man rode past Col as the three gained on him. If Col didn't act quickly, the rider would most likely be overtaken. Fear gripped him and kept Col from moving. He wanted to do something, [i]anything[/i] to help. This was his chance! He had to help this man, or die trying. He would not be stuck as a merchant's son. He would be something more. A spark ignited inside him. A slight push. Just enough to get him to leap out from the tree. The riders were surprised to see a young man with a sword ambush them. Without thinking, Col swung his sword [i]hard[/i] as the first rider rode past him. The masked bandit met the blunt weapon to the chest and almost toppled off his horse. His stirrups barely kept him in the saddle as he hunched over in pain. Col's practice had paid off. Unfortunately, he didn't know much about the ways of combat, just enough to swing a weapon [i]really[/i] hard. The other two riders ran right at him as he tried to hide behind the tree. But before he got a chance, Col was clubbed in the head by the second rider. He yelled out and fell to the ground as everything went black. The last thing he saw was two men dismounting and walking up to him, weapons in their hands and hatred in their eyes. When Col came to, he was in a bed by a fireplace. A man was sitting in a chair nearby, tending to the flames. It was hard to tell but it appeared like it was getting dark from how little light was shining through the window. Col's head was wrapped in bandages and he had a horrible headache. The man turned out to be the rider who was fleeing the bandits earlier. His name was Rolfe Nash. He was a knight of the local lord Bryce and had been scouting the forest with his squire. His squire did not make it. They were ambushed by the bandits and Rolfe had barely gotten as far as he did before Col had intervened. Sir Rolfe had turned after seeing Col's bravery and engaged the two bandits in combat. Unfortunately, not before they had slashed Col's face with knives and beat him into a bloody pulp. Rolfe had managed to cut one of the men down as the bandit was distracted with Col. The other attempted to flee, seeing as he was the only one left standing. Rolfe let him escape and tended to Col's wounds. As for the other bandit, Rolfe tied him up and carried him and Col into Milborne on his horse. Col had been in a local inn, recovering from his grievous injuries. His face was horribly scarred. Those bandits hadn't intended to kill him, just to make him disfigured. His head throbbed with a concussion. Sir Rolfe looked on Col with a sense of awe. He asked him questions when Col was ready to speak about himself. Col told him everything about his upbringing and background. His desire to become a knight and do heroic acts. Rolfe listened intently without saying a word. Finally, he gave Col the offer of joining him as his very own squire. The act was unprecedented within the region. Only men born of knightly descend could become knights. Rolfe saw something in Col and was willing to break the rules to bring him under his wing. The nasty scars never truly healed, but Col considered them a badge of honor for the sake of becoming a knight. His parents were hesitant at first, but eventually allowed young Col to be Rolfe's squire in training. Over the next 4 years he served Rolfe well. He aided him on missions, learned many different forms of combat, riding, jousting and archery. He was no expert in any one area, but was solid in several. Rolfe was also a learned man and taught Col about the intricacies of philosophy, theology and politics. A knight was meant to be more then a dumb warrior, but a man of many intellectual talents as well. These were Col's most glorious days yet, doing what he loved for a man worthy of respect. At the age of 19, Rolfe and Col were out on a mission for lord Bryce. They were scouting a neighboring countryside for potential disturbances when they were attacked by the largest wolves they had ever seen. They came suddenly with little warning. Their teeth tore through Rolfe's mount before they had time to react. They went down as Rolfe drew his sword. Col turned and drew his as well doing his best to cut down the beasts. Rolfe's horse was bleeding and ran off into the countryside away from danger. Surprisingly, the wolves did not give chase. Their attention was fixated on Rolfe. Col charged swinging his sword at them, but they paid him little mind. They avoided his movements and snarled at his mount. The horse was terrified of the wolves and tried to run off. Rolfe ordered Col to escape as he swung at a wolf. Col was adamant to stay by Rolfe's side. However, at his master's continued commands, he bitterly did as he was told riding off. Once again, the wolves did not give chase. The last thing he saw was Rolfe's shining sword and a pack of wolves lunging at him. When Col arrived in Milborne, he told lord Bryce what had happened. Bryce ordered a hunting party to go forth and find Rolfe as well as these giant wolves. In the meantime, Col was to sit tight and recollect himself. The only reason he was even allowed to be a squire was at Rolfe's insistence. Even with Col's experience, his future was uncertain. There were many stuck in their old hierarchies, for better or worse. Col sincerely hoped Rolfe had somehow managed to survive. Whatever the case, he intended to find out.[/color] [h2][center][b]Personality[/b][/center][/h2] [color=white][b]Demeanor:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]Col is a man of unstoppable drive and will. He goes for his dreams with abandonment, even to his own peril. He cares for others and in courageous fashion, will fight for them willingly. If he feels stuck or trapped in any way, physically or otherwise, he does everything in his power to get out. He hates rigid hierarchies and wishes they would be replaced. He has a love for philosophy, enjoying the inner parts of things and ideas that others easily overlook[/color] [color=white][b]Likes:[/b][/color] -[color=green]Philosophy.[/color] -[color=green]Combat/Swordplay.[/color] -[color=green]Learning new things.[/color] -[color=green]Knights - Honor/Courage/Justice[/color] -[color=green]Battles.[/color] -[color=green]Reading.[/color] [color=white][b]Dislikes:[/b][/color] -[color=red]Rigid, stale systems.[/color] -[color=red]His scars.[/color] -[color=red]Tedious, repetitive tasks.[/color] -[color=red]Criminals.[/color] -[color=red]Public events.[/color] -[color=red]Following orders without any reasoning.[/color] [color=white][b]Skills:[/b][/color] [b]Combat:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Col is well practiced on many different skills of combat. Swordplay, archery, horseback riding, and others. He is not amazing in any, but is proficient in all of them.[/color] [b]Knowledge:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Due to Rolfe's emphasis on learning, Col has learned how to [i]learn[/i]. Reading, philosophy, politics and current events are things he is pretty knowledgeable in.[/color] [b]Courage:[/b] [color=forestgreen]Col has an almost otherworldly ability to push past fear. He is able to perform even under great pressure and pain.[/color] [color=white][b]Dreams:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]Col dreams of one day becoming a knight of valor and renown. He wants to make a difference in the world and rid it of criminals and things that would harm others. To do that, he must utilize skill in combat. But he also realizes that knowledge is very powerful. Protecting order may come at the edge of a sword, but keeping that order comes at the end of a pen.[/color] [color=white][b]Relations:[/b][/color] [color=white]Rolfe Nash:[/color][color=forestgreen] Rolfe is perhaps the most important person in Col's life. He has taught Col essentially everything he knows and is the reason Col was able to live part of his dream and become a squire in the first place. Col is determined to find Rolfe, dead or alive, no matter how difficult [/color] [color=white]Merlin:[/color][color=forestgreen] Merlin is a gift from Rolfe and treated accordingly. The horse perhaps the most valuable of Col's possessions and the two have been together since Col became a squire, they are quite used to each other and work well together.[/color] [color=white]Lord Bryce:[/color][color=forestgreen] Well Col doesn't know Lord Bryce very well, as a squire he is subservient and knowledgeable about his lord. In addition Lord Bryce allowed Rolfe to make Col a squire in the first place, so he too is responsible for some of Col's good fortune.[/color] [color=white]Nichol:[/color][color=forestgreen] Col's father. Although the two of them didn't quite see eye to eye on what Col wanted, when Rolfe offered for Col to be his squire his father permitted it. Col respects his father despite their differences.[/color] [color=white]Eda:[/color][color=forestgreen] Col's mother. Though not the most outspoken person in Col's life, she is still his mother. Sometimes, knowing that someone out there loves and supports you no matter what can make all the difference in the world.[/color] [color=white][b]Gear and Goods:[/b][/color] [color=forestgreen]Col owns a set of chain mail hauberk, a leather helmet, a quality longsword, bow & arrows, and other bits of makeshift leather armor across his arms and legs. He also owns a horse named Merlin.[/color] [b]Unknown:[/b] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/i6fLcHF.pngp[/img][/center][/hider]