[@TheLazarus] My character

[hider=Sir Elric Orstein, High Dragoon to Lord Dunston Hawke]Name: Sir Elric Orstein, High Dragoon to Lord Dunston Hawke
Age: 30
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Country of Origin: Falke
Appearance: Elric cuts an imposing figure, standing at an even 6 feet tall with a perfectly sculpted body due to the rigorous training he has undergone for most of his life.  His skin has a healthy tan to it and shows off his impressive musculature due to much of his service in the Dragoons being spent outdoors bearing heavy equipment for hours on end.  He keeps his jet black hair cut short on top of his head and rarely allows it to grow on his face for more than a day or two without shaving if he can help it.  His dark gray eyes are set deep within his face and are often shaded by the overhang of the hawk helmet of the High Dragoon, making his expression often difficult to read.  This is not helped by the fact that he is naturally rather stony-faced to begin with.
Personality: Elric's training in the Dragoons has instilled within him a fierce loyalty for his comrades in even the direst situations, and now, as High Dragoon, he employs a policy of leaving no man behind.  His training with the Dragoons has also taught him valuable leadership skills, but also the humility to submit to the authority of a superior officer (although in his role of High Dragoon, the only superiors he has are Lord Dunston Hawke and King Frederick Highclaw III).  That being said, he is not above questioning orders that he thinks are foolish or go against his morals or code of honor.  Concerning his code of honor, Elric believes in dealing fairly and honestly with all people, even if they do not give him the same courtesy.  He will not attack an unarmed enemy, nor will he attack an enemy who is unable to defend himself as such would be unfair.  As for honesty, he will never say anything that is blatantly untrue, but that doesn't mean he will necessarily reveal the whole truth about something.  His speech is often guarded, and he will often take time to consider his words before responding to any query, choosing just how much it is wise and polite to reveal.  However, he is not above being sarcastic or even downright rude in his speech and dealings with people he finds distasteful, especially if he is under no social or hierarchical constraint to be kind or polite to them.  In general, though, Elric is a kind and altruistic person to most people he meets unless they should do something to somehow prove that they do not deserve his kindness.
History: Elric was born the second son of Count Cedric Orstein IV, a minor noble in the lands of House Hawke.  With his brother, Cedric V, the heir apparent to the county of Orstein and betrothed at birth to the daughter of a wealthy Baron, Elric was somewhat more free to choose his own future.  He could not inherit his father's county (nor did he really want to, for that matter), but nearly any other option was available to him: he could marry into another noble family and become a count or baron himself; he could join the army as either a knight, archer, or dragoon; or he could set out and forge his own life anywhere else.  In terms of the first option, that was how the house of Orstein became nobility five generations prior when Gareth Orstein came from Miraheim and married a widowed Countess who bore for him a son and heir to the county, Cedric Orstein I.  Regarding the second option, many second and later sons of the house of Orstein had chosen that route and had served the Lord of House Hawke and the Falcon King with valor and honor.  Regarding the third option, this had been chosen a few times among the sons of House Orstein, most recently by Elric's uncle Edward who had undertaken a holy pilgrimage to find meaning in life and had eventually come to Palaven where he now serves the Church of the One.  Regarding Elric's disposition to these options, the first was wholly unappealing to him - while Elric did hope to one day to get married, he had no aspirations of being nobility.  The life of a nobleman, while certainly comfortable, involved far too many duties that simply did not suit Elric's personality.  The third option likewise did not appeal to Elric.  Elric was an adventurous man who had traveled to a few of the other kingdoms of Aerion in his youth, but Falke would always be his home, and he had no desire to simply wander through the kingdom until he found an appealing prospect.  The second option was much more to Elric's liking as it allowed him to serve the kingdom that he loved, gave him a stable life, and offered the possibility of adventure.  Therefore, at the age of sixteen, Elric left his home for the nearest garrison and enlisted in the Dragoons.
Qualifying for service in the Dragoons was no easy task, and many prospective soldiers didn't last one year through the training.  Those that did last usually took four or more years to complete all the training and fitness requirements to finally qualify for service in the Dragoons.  In fact, there had never been a candidate who qualified for the Dragoons at a younger age than 20 years.  Therefore, it was quite a surprise when Elric, through much hard work and perseverance, donned the arms and armor of the Dragoons at the age of eighteen, just over two years after beginning the training.  Elric's ambition did not stop there, however.  He served faithfully in the Dragoons for the next twelve years, quickly ascending the ranks of the military branch until achieving the rank of High Dragoon in only ten years, a feat unheard of in the entire history of the Dragoons.  Since the establishment of the Dragoons, no one had ever achieved the rank of High Dragoon in less than fifteen years, and no one had ever achieved the rank before age 40, yet Elric did both, to the amazement (and occasional jealousy) of all his comrades.  Now, with the turmoil in Aerion and the prophecy of the Monks of Ekilore, Elric, with the blessings of Lord Hawke and King Highclaw, sets out for Ekilore to hear the prophecy of the Monks and do his part to save not only the kingdom of Falke, but all of Aerion.  He has no idea what any of this may entail, but he is determined to do his part because if the people who love their land won't take a stand to save it, who will?
Weapon Preference: Elric is most skilled with his spear, a long, barb-headed pike, but will often start a fight using his bow and arrows until the enemy comes into spear range, at which point he will switch over to his spear.
Side: Knights of Ekilore[/hider]