Draegan the Undying
Appearance
Draegan once stood tall and proud as a wandering knight. Since his dark rebirth, however, he stands crooked, stooped over as if burdened by an invisible weight. The very manner in which he carries himself is unnatural. He walks with a strange gait. He drags his massive sword on the ground in his wake. His bones are charred and ashen with soot, blackened by fire. His eyes are two glowing blue orbs of flickering flame. Within his chest where his heart would be if he were living is a magical core of blue flame that can explode with power, wreathing his entire body in a raging blue fire. This core can also issue massive quantities of black smoke which escapes through the spaces in his bones and his armor. Once polished and fine, his plate armor now is tarnished by soot and battered by countless battles. His helm, which entirely covers his head, resembles a fierce dragon. When traveling, he will opt to wear a hooded cloak to keep the elements off of him. In his undeath, he will sometimes wear either his helm or the hood and a scarf to conceal his undead nature.
Skills and Abilities
Eternal Flame: A magical core lies where Draegan's heart used to be, which provides the magical energy needed to keep him animated. The core acts like a furnace that converts souls into magical fuel. Everything and everyone that Draegan kills has their soul sucked into the core to be used as fuel. Draegan's soul is also inside of the core, and whenever he is defeated, he may rise again at the expense of a part of his own soul. Losing part of his soul erodes both memory and emotion and makes him more and more like a mindless undead. The core cannot be destroyed until Draegan's soul is entirely consumed as it a manifestation of his powerful will. This also makes Draegan extremely resistant to any form of mental manipulation unlike other undead.
Undead Body: As a magical being with no flesh, Draegan cannot feel pain. He cannot be hindered by weather effects. He does not need to breathe, eat, drink, or sleep. He cannot grow fatigued or tired from physical exertion. Draegan cannot be poisoned either.
Eldritch Efficacy: Infused with eldritch magic, Draegan possesses monstrous strength rivaling even the Giants. His speed and reflexes are unnaturally keen, his massive sword a blur when he wields it. This makes it difficult for even the most skilled opponents to keep up with him. Unfortunately, for all his speed and strength, his body is under constant strain, which makes it vulnerable to attack.
Hellfire Mastery: Harnessing the flames from his core, Draegan infuse searing blue flames into his attacks. He can coat his body in them as an extra protective layer. He can coat his sword his sword to inflict burns that attack the body and spirit. Additionally, he may project and manipulate his own flames as he sees fit. He is immune to the effects of his own power.
Will of the Dragon: By voluntarily choosing to consume his own soul all at once, Draegan gains the strength of Dragons. He his flames become as potent as the Dragons of old, and above all, he will not fall until the last of his soul is consumed entirely. When this happens, Draegan will die his Final Death, never to rise again.
Personality
In life, Draegan was a lively, personable man. He knew what it was like to be one of the little people, having grown up on a farm in a village near Vel Anir. He believed in the merit of hard work and being kind and generous to others. After joining up with the Anirian Guard, he believed in protecting the people, not waging war to domineer over them. After a particularly brutal deployment in the Guard and further disagreements with the philosophy of the Anirian government, Draegan decided to take up his sword and become a wandering knight on the road, helping those he could along his travels. He was discharged honorably and set off to see what the wide world could offer him. He made coin doing odd jobs for the troubled people he met. Monster exterminations, eliminating bandits, etc.
Draegan upheld his personal code of honor with a rigid hardheadedness the likes of which was extraordinary. Many of his friends would describe him as stubborn to fault. Once he made up his mind, there was little anyone could do to change it. Though despite his bullheaded ways and code of honor, he wouldn't blindly leap into danger. He was smart and had the wherewithal to listen to his friends' advice. As the years passed, he grew increasingly pessimistic about the treatment of the people by the large cities and world powers. It was only when he met Magnan Smithson and learned of his idealistic view did Draegan feel hope again. He admired his friend's vision and sought to help him achieve it no matter what it cost him.
In death, Draegan is much more subdued than he was in life. Though his personality remains, he struggles to reach the same depth of emotion as a Death Knight. This is only further worsened by the deteriorating condition of his soul. Still, he remains as noble in death as he was in life, still seeking to better the lives of the little people.