[hider=Gèrard Castello][color=F92D00][h1][u][color=F92D00]G[/color]èrard [color=F92D00]C[/color]astello[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h1] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/LmFThoj.jpg[/img][/center] [sub][h3][u]30[/u] | [u]MALE[/u] | [u]PARRENCE[/u] | [u]ARCANE - ??? - ???[/u] | [u]PRIEST[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] [center][i][b]“Fire washes sin off the soul.”[/b][/i][/center] [sub][h3][u]C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] There is not much to say about his appearance, for Gèrard is not a man you recognize for his heroic stature. He possesses a fair skin tone and adequate musculature. He has a stern face, and his head is clean shaven. Gerard dresses like a typical Rezaindian priest, and is rarely seen wearing anything but the robes of his order. To his allies, Gèrard may appear aloof. Unless there is a goal to accomplish he rarely has much to say, and sometimes even appears bored by regular conversation. The only times he seems to speak at length are when he is praying or giving someone instructions. He is truthfully very introverted and feels more at peace doing what he wants to do without the suffocating presence of others. His social circle is small, but each relationship is quite deep. Gèrard is a warrior now, but his scholarly nature still remains. He has not let hubris consume him, and is always prepared to accept new knowledge. What he lacks in youth he makes up for with persistence and discipline. When attempting to understand a new concept or learn a new skill, Gèrard can spend hours toiling away in his study or practicing wherever is convenient. He is not above asking others for assistance in this respect, and he even seeks the expertise of commoners when necessary. Despite being a fairly reserved person, Gèrard exhibits a darker side when battling against the Eskandr, for it is they who set him on the path of vengeance. He feels a sick sense of satisfaction any time he manages to kill one of them. Drudgunze is exempt from this hostility, though Gèrard doesn’t necessarily trust the cousins of his sworn enemies. He justifies his wariness by pointing out the number of Drudgunzeans that have pledged their services to Hrothgar. [sub][h3][u]B A C K G R O U N D[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] As the fifth son of the noble Castello family, Gèrard had no expectations of inheriting his family’s lands or titles. Like any nobleman, he could have wormed his way into a comfortable seat of authority via bribery and nepotism, but in pursuit of self actualization Gèrard turned his eye towards a more virtuous lifestyle. At the age of 13 he declared to his family his intention of becoming a religious scholar, and with no reason to refuse his parents arranged for him to join the Stresian priesthood. It was known that on the Ensollian coastline, there lay an ancient landmark that existed since the times of the old empire. It was a Stresian monastery, home to a group of thaumaturges that sought complete understanding of the natural elements. The reclusive researchers living there were reluctant but, after receiving a generous donation from the head of the Castello family, the servants of Shune agreed to raise young Gèrard as one of their own. Maybe they figured he would soon grow tired of the ascetic lifestyle and go home, leaving them with plenty of gold with which to pursue their studies. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Gèrard was happy there. He secretly hated living under the expectations of the nobility. Away from the pretentious feasts and stuffy etiquette, the youngest son of the Castello family was able to flourish and focus purely on his personal development. After a few weeks went by it became clear that the nobleman was there to stay, and the monks began to teach him in earnest. Gèrard drank in knowledge like water. He was not some stereotypical genius, but he was unusually determined in his studies. He always had a disturbing number of questions to ask his mentors, and their frustration grew to the point where they had to take turns each day to supervise him. When they eventually grew tired of answering his endless inquiries, Gèrard holed himself up in the library and read books until the crack of dawn. And so his life went for many years. Gèrard spent his 14th birthday there, and on the same year he awakened to the Gift. When he was given the wheel test, many of his teachers were embarrassed to find that their student was stronger than they were. Then his 15th went by, and his 16th... he was old enough to become a sworn member of the order, and he did so with pride. Once in a while he would leave the monastery to fulfill his Stresian duties, like collecting newly recovered texts or investigating some mystical ruin. His regular visits to his family slowed by the time Gèrard was fully grown, and soon he was communicating with them solely through letters. This bothered no-one. He was never the favorite child. At the age of 26, Gèrard was deep into his study of Arcane magic. He had become a Luminary, the fourth highest rank in the order, and when Tristan and Misha came to the monastery it was decided that he would be their master. The three formed a unique bond together. As the years passed, the two apprentices came to treat each other like siblings, and in a way Gèrard was like their father. Where he used to take pride in his own growth, he now found joy in theirs. While he was always strict with his students, the young master cared for them deeply. Their peaceful lifestyle was not destined to last. A year after Gèrard met his students, the monastery was suddenly attacked by an unforeseen Eskandr raid. Under the concealment of powerful magic, a warband carrying no flag stormed the complex and began killing everyone who resided there. Why had they come? Were they weakening Parrence in preparation for a full scale invasion? Did they desire the knowledge stored within the centuries old library? There was no way to know. The Eskandr asked no questions nor did they answer them. Every Stresian on the premises was summarily executed, and everything of value was plundered. A scant few managed to escape the raid, including Gèrard and his two apprentices. That day was the first he had ever used his magic to kill another human being. He had no choice after all. He couldn’t let his beloved students die. Arrows were incinerated in midair and berserkers were cooked inside their own armor as Gèrard fought desperately to break the Eskandr encirclement. When an opening presented itself, the three broke out and fled into the nearby woods. They were not pursued. It was possible that the pirates had gotten what they came for and simply went back home. The escaped found shelter further inland in a nearby town, where they numbly secluded themselves while processing their great loss. A detachment from the local lord attempted to investigate the smoking heap that was once a monastery, but all they found were corpses. No clues were found about the invaders save for their nationality, for an Eskandr longboat had been abandoned on the shore. It was without question a traumatizing event for the three, but Gèrard suffered the greatest heartbreak of all. He had known the scholars there for over a decade. He knew every single one of their names. He knew their hopes and dreams. They were truly his family and they were now gone forever, including the place he once belonged. Gèrard failed to overcome his grief and move on. As time passed he became obsessed with the idea of vengeance, and though he bid his students abandon him and live their lives peacefully they would not do so. Underneath a darkening sky, the trio made a pact with each other. They would avenge the fallen as one. And so, after days of travel, they prostrated themselves within the halls of a Rezaindian monastery… [sub][h3][u]I N V E N T O R Y[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] ❖ An ironwood staff inlaid with a crystal sphere ❖ Several bottles of oil and other flammable mediums ❖ An inscribed steel sword of Eskandish origin ❖ A light leather bag containing provisions ❖ The Book of Wrath [sub][h3][u]T H E G I F T[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] [i][b]Blood type: Blackblood, Truecaster[/b][/i] [i][b]Preferred School: Arcane[/b][/i] [i][b]Secondary Schools: ???, ???[/b][/i] [i][b]Wheel rating: 4[/b][/i] Gèrard is a well rounded magician, but he greatly favors Arcane over other schools. As an expert pyromancer, fire and light are like clay in his hands. He has a strong grasp of both offensive and utility spells which makes him competent in any sort of engagement. He often uses special oils and flammable liquids to help augment his casting when there are no significant sources of heat available. Gèrard has exhibited several spells thus far such as channeled arcane lances, light refraction, fire walls, and dragon’s breath. There is still much more in store. Using other types of magic in battle is something Gèrard has considered and will likely pursue as the war continues, especially after he duels against other elite casters and learns their tricks. He simply needs more opportunities to apply his magical studies to real combat. [sub][h3][u]S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] ❖ [i][b]Stresian Thaumaturge[/b][/i] [i]Gèrard’s theoretical understanding of magic is far higher than the average hedge wizard. While the bulk of his study has been in pursuit of Arcane mastery, he understands the principles behind the other magic schools well enough, and may eventually add them to his repertoire given enough inspiration to do so. The potential of his spells are limited only by his imagination and mana capacity. [/i] ❖ [i][b]Learned[/b][/i] [i]Being a son of nobility and a former Stresian, he is highly educated by the standards of this era.[/i] ❖ [i][b]Daring[/b][/i] [i]He has repeatedly demonstrated willingness to engage enemy champions, regardless of their level of strength or the number of soldiers defending them. [/i] ❖ [i][b]Bilingual[/b][/i] [i]He learned the language of Eskand in order to insult its people in a tongue they can understand.[/i] [sub][h3][u]W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] ❖ [i][b]Truecaster’s curse[/b][/i] [i]Like all who possess this blood, Gèrard’s spellcasting options are defined by the energy sources that he can find or make for himself. [/i] ❖ [i][b]Average swordsmanship[/b][/i] [i]Though he carries a blade, Gèrard isn’t a top class duelist. He cannot win a fight against a more skilled swordsman without resorting to magic to bolster his offense.[/i] ❖ [i][b]Untested[/b][/i] [i]Until Hrothgar’s invasion of Parrence, Gèrard’s fighting experience mainly came from training and skirmishing with poorly equipped coastal raiders. He still has much to learn about the art of magical combat.[/i] ❖ [i][b]Vengeful[/b][/i] [i]He has an[/i] [b][i]extremely[/i][/b] [i]negative view of southerners. Only the most unlikely circumstances would keep him from trying to attack them on sight.[/i] [sub][h3][u]C O L O U R C O D E & O T H E R[/u]__ _ _ _ _[/h3][/sub] ❖ Red Rezaindian ❖ He is a distant ancestor of Charles Castel, [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/187336-the-hourglass-order/char?page=2]Yalen's[/url] adoptive father. ❖ [i][color=F92D00]F92D00[/color][/i][/color] [/hider]