Darius Vaezal, Lord of Coin in Ruvale
The Beggar King
Human
Faction: Nobility / The Thieves' Guild
Age: 28
Description:Darius Vaezal is a rather tall man of lithe build, standing at about six feet and two inches and weighing only 140 pounds. His face is marked with subtle scars from his youth, and his body matches. His facial hair is always properly trimmed, and his hair is typically combed back to allow it some length without appearing particularly improper. His eyes are a strange light gray bordering on pale blue, and his hair is an oakish brown that reflects in the sun. Darius' wardrobe consists of various shades of red and gold when operating in an official capacity, but keeps dirty cloaks of greens and browns when operating as The Beggar King. In this alternate persona, he also wears a hood and a cloth over his nose and mouth to obscure all but his eyes.
Personality:Darius has always been described as "too kind for his position," yet retains some of the trappings expected of a man of noble status. He has always had a soft spot for the poor and disenfranchised, bearing too much empathy for his own good. He is the sort of man who will spare a coin or two for all those who ask for one, and would give his own cloak off his back to the homeless if it were not deemed "improper." He is rather non-confrontational, choosing to appease aggressors whenever possible. When forced to fight, Darius fights dirty and does whatever is necessary to ensure he is not the one to draw blood... not again. On the other side of things, Darius has an unshakable belief that his actions are the most righteous. He comes across as "holier than thou" to most, and can become irrationally irate when anyone suggests otherwise. While his anger never reaches the point of wishing to strike another, he has been known to put some merchants in Ruvale out of business for standing up to him.
"Class": Rogue/Noble
Motivation: Darius wants to see the Kingdom care for its peasants and poor with more respect and care.
History: Darius Vaezal is the first born son of Duke Raendal Vaezal of Ruvale, the current ruler of the southern city. The Vaezal family has been in power for the past century. Prior to this, a separate ruling family had been in power. The foolish Duke thought himself more powerful than the King and attempted to use the port's economic power to strong-arm himself into a more prominent position. Needless to say, that family's name has been eradicated from the history that was taught to Darius. The Vaezal family, a noble family in their own right, were granted the seat of power in Ruvale. Darius, the son of the fourth Vaezal Duke in Ruvale, was born a few weeks early. It was a miracle that he ended up surviving his time as a toddler. He was constantly sick during this time, but managed to pull through.
The Duke, and Darius' father, had an obsession with strength and power. He had the best swordsman in the city, Tywin Yurn. The Yurn family had long been disgraced following the choice of Darendal Yurn, personal bodyguard to the Duke, sided with his master over the King. Tywin's role as Darius' tutor was the perfect opportunity to bring grace back to the family name, and possibly earn a role as a bodyguard for the Duke's family. So Tywin taught the boy everything he could through dangerous practices and training. Darius' body is marked with the products of these exercises on his face and all over his body. By the time he was sixteen, the Duke was tired of seeing his son failing to become a master in swordsmanship. An ultimatum was given on his sixteenth birthday: his son had to best his teacher in a duel, or Tywin would be stripped of whatever he owned and exiled from Ruvale. Tywin, wishing to retain his status, allowed Darius to win the duel. The Duke saw this as a sign that his son needed no bodyguard, meaning that Tywin ended up practically where he started before the whole affair began. Darius was a better duelist, but he lacked the stamina and strength to become good enough to best anyone with military training.
From his youth, Darius promised himself to never suffer pain as he did under the tutelage of Tywin. The young boy became obsessed with arithmetic and the art of persuasion, and was gifted with a brilliant tutor by the name of Roshal. He was a poor philosopher who offered his lessons to the boy for free, and brought up the young noble to become the empathetic and caring man that he is today. Darius learned how to bring peace into a hostile situation and the art of reaching a deal in business. At the same time, Roshal learned of the unjust nature of the Kingdom. He was shown the suffering of the poor, and Darius' heart was swayed. When Darius turned 20 and earned his position as the Lord of Coin, he continued his contact with Roshal. Roshal revealed himself to be "The Beggar King," the leader of the Thieves' Guild in Ruvale.
Roshal passed the mantle of The Beggar King to his protege, Darius around this time. The Thieves' Guild was much smaller, and focused almost entirely in the Ruvale at the time. Over the past eight years, Darius has managed to build up the Thieves' Guild to a sizable number, increasing its operations and influence. Agents of the Guild have been established in all major cities among the population's poor. Roshal has been kept as an official adviser and servant of Darius, helping his former student to balance his life between work and play.
Strengths:Rich: Being the Lord of Coin for a rather wealthy city in the southern reach of the Kingdom, Darius has access to a vast sum of wealth. It isn't limitless, but his role in the Thieves' Guild also gives him access to a network capable of getting him the supplies he needs for whatever personal endeavors he supports.
Quick: While not strong, Darius is exceptionally quick. He can run with the best of them, and his lack of armor or heavy equipment makes it easy for him to outrun those who wish him harm. He can't move quickly for a long time, as he tires quickly.
Silver Tongue: In order to keep himself out of danger, Darius often employs his skills in diplomacy and negotiation to reach compromises. This comes in particularly handy when negotiating business arrangements, but also serves him when trying to bribe officials as The Beggar King. While he is at times full of himself, he tends to swallow his pride just enough to make a necessary deal.
Weapon Training: Darius does know how to use a rapier, saber, or dagger in a pinch. He isn't particularly good with such weapons, but he is better than the average noble bureaucrat.
Weakness:Cowardly: If Darius can find a way to talk his way out of a fight or escape one altogether, he will. He has a severe aversion to pain, and would be willing to let another take punishment than himself.
Weak: Physically, Darius is rather weak. The greatest extent of his strength is his ability to climb a moderate distance with effort. His lack of muscles makes him rather easy to overpower.
Empathetic: At the end of the day, despite being cowardly... Darius always does the right thing. He will do what he can from the background to save those he cares for and to make sure the impoverished are cared for... even if it bankrupts him.
Morally Superior: Darius views himself as a paragon of morality, and violently casts out any doubts on his moral superiority over everyone. If one questions his motivations or choices, Darius responds by viewing said individual as an enemy for life. Once in his poor graces, it is unlikely you can ever get on his good side again.
Secret Criminal: While he is openly the Lord of Coin, his secret affairs as The Beggar King make him a target. If anyone found out who he truly is, Darius would certainly be executed for the crimes he has been responsible for, both against the Kingdom and against many of the lords and merchants he calls friends.
What is your character's greatest flaw?Darius' greatest flaw is the unnecessary danger that comes from trying to live a dual life between helping balance the finances of a city and act as the leader of an illegal and subversive organization. He can't stop himself from acting and helping those in need... and it will certainly lead to his death one day. Whether he dies before or after the current King is toppled is yet to be seen.
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