Drystan
Appearance
He is a man who is both in his prime and at the peak of physical conditioning. He is relatively tall and has a muscle-bound form - though not at the cost of his athleticism, primed to maintain a balance between strength and agility.
With wavy, raven locks, he tends to keep his hair on the longer side on top - often long enough to collect it on a knot, whilst a fade runs down the sides and back. His skin is tan, a bronze hue to it despite his tendencies for layers - a fact which only makes his unusually pale eyes all the more striking, a glacial shade of blue that borders on white.
His features are sharp, and often carry a stern expression with them. His cheekbones stand relatively high, and straight nose crowns over full lips, which in turn are set upon a strong jaw.
These, however, are not often seen, beyond his perennial scowl, for more often than not the man wears a mask that covers the lower half of his face, usually coupled with a hood to further conceal his identity.
These, together with his armour, do a half-decent job of disguising probably the two most striking features about the man: his scars, of which he sports a tapestry, and the many, many runes that have been etched upon his flesh (some of which will be discussed in more detail in the magic section).
Favours dark colours and lighter armour, reinforced over strategic places, not just to protect his vitals, but important runes.
Personality
Stoic. Aloof. Brooding. Rude. Ruthless… Arsehole.
These are but a few of the adjectives that people use to describe the man. And not necessarily in that order.
To say that Drystan is not good with people might be an understatement. The Knight does not seem to care much for what people think of him, and in turn, tends to come off as abrasive and standoffish. This is not necessarily out of a desire to antagonize others, but often, a result of him being brutally honest and unrepentant of his opinions. His confidence in himself can easily be perceived as arrogance, and his pragmatism rarely seems to account for people’s emotions.
Furthermore, he seems to inherently distrust everyone, including his fellow knights and even his superiors… Or at the very least, he does not lend his trust with any semblance of ease. This is to the point where the Knights of Dawn he has been partnered with oft request they be assigned a different partner during missions. Which… does not seem to bother him all that much, as the man seems to prefer to work alone, and has been known to set off on missions and ‘side quests’ of his own, given the chance. Extremely self-reliant, he will rarely give anyone the benefit of the doubt twice.
This behaviour, almost anathema to the faction and the vow of the original knights, has earned him many a scolding, and even threats of being removed from the order. He is no stranger to doing chores and tasks, sometimes menial and sometimes significant, as a form of ‘punishment’. In fact, he would have likely been kicked out if it weren’t for two facts:
Firstly, Drystan has proven to be an exceptional Knight of Dusk. Beyond his tendency to wish to go ‘solo’ he is extremely disciplined and diligent. When not on the job, the man is in a state of near constant training and study, and he is a conscientious planner - the kind of guy who has contingencies for his contingencies.
In addition to this, is he an extremely accomplished combatant and likely one of the last true rune mages around, which coupled with his vast knowledge of beasts, monsters, demons and all things ‘slaying’, has proven of great use in his missions time and time again. So much so that many agree that if he weren’t so damned difficult, he would’ve been promoted to Knight Pursuant some time ago.
And secondly… Though he might not care what others think of him, Drystan definitely seems to care about others. Well, maybe not about their feelings, but certainly about their general well-being. The Knight Sworn has repeatedly demonstrated a will to face the worst the world of Arethil has to offer for the benefit of those who can’t or won’t stand for themselves. He is dismissive of the dangers he faces if there is a chance that he can make a difference, and there is little doubt that, should he be expelled from the order, he would continue to venture against the creatures of ‘dusk’.
Moreover, for all his bad qualities, he seems to have a few good ones. He is quick of wit and has a sharp, if dark sense of humour that some enjoy, especially when it’s not targeting them. He can be very well spoken and cordial when need be, despite his penchant for swearing and cursing, and for all his disagreements with the order, none can truly question his loyalty. For now.
Ultimately, Drystan is complex beyond his reputation, and to truly know him, one would have to be willing to scrape beyond it - something which he actively discourages. What most knights might agree on, however, is that despite his gruffness, and the doubts surrounding him (read biography), when it matters most, Drystan carries out his duties honourably… and is a good man to have watching one’s back.
Skills
Student of the Blade: Drystan lives and dies by the sword, and is considered a consummate swordsman. Even without the use of his magic, he is a very accomplished fencer, capable of holding his own against masters of the blade. His fighting style could be described as ‘adaptable’, typically relying on speed and precision to parry and counter his opponents, but capable of sacrificing a measure of finesse when raw power is called for. Together with his near-daily physical conditioning and studies, he devotes a considerable amount of his time to training his skills as a swordsman.
Kicker of Butts: Whilst Drystan truly shines with a sword in his hands, he’s trained in a variety of martial disciplines, and is adept with a number of common weapons, should the need arise. Still, deprive Drystan of his magic and his weapons and he is still an extremely dangerous individual. He is remarkable at hand-to-hand combat, and knows a tonne of ways to hurt, incapacitate, maim and indeed, kill his enemies without the need of external aids. Having something sharp or blunted item to hit them with is just a bonus.
Parkour, parkour!: Drystan is an athlete of the highest order, and capable of extreme feats of traversal at his baseline, particularly thriving in urban environments. This, when coupled with his magic, makes him capable of some truly superhuman feats of movement, allowing him to briefly run over vertical surfaces, jump extreme distances and survive massive falls (elaborated upon in the magic system).
Walking Encyclopedia: Drystan knows a lot of stuff. Particularly about things that want to hurt others, and about how to hurt others. He is also a polyglot, though it is unclear how many languages he speaks (at least three, if you count runic as a language). Amidst this sea of trivia, he has also gotten a pretty deep hang on physics, biology and more specifically anatomy, within the realm of Arethil’s current technological level. It’s a lot easier to break or enhance things if you understand how they work, right? Ever since joining the Knights of Anatheum, he’s been encouraged to turn some of this knowledge towards the healing arts… But it is safe to say you probably don’t want him as your doctor.
Decent Shot: Drystan has a bow. Drystan can shoot a bow. There’s not really much more to it. He’s not Robin Hood, though he does cheat by using runes to see better and further, make the draw easier and do nasty things with his arrows (more in gear and equipment).
Secret Artist: Drystan is surprisingly good at drawing. One would need to be, to carve, draw and otherwise surgically inscribe all those complex runes, but Drystan has taken it further with his knowledge of anatomy and careful study of his surroundings. He carries a book upon which, aside from writing copious notes, he is prone to sketching. All for the sake of research, of course: you better not suggest he enjoys it, or Gods forbid, has a sensitive side.
Rune Magic Drystan’s primary discipline. Where most people consider learning runes a waste of time, Drystan has become just about as ‘fluent’ as they come when it comes to this dead discipline.
This makes him capable of creating surprisingly complex and sophisticated patterns, which in turn, makes him capable of some pretty ‘big’ spells, assuming he has the materials and means necessary at hand. This, however, requires a lot of time and preparation, often proving inefficient next to other disciplines which can achieve similar results without all the prep work.
Whilst this is not to say he cannot still perform some minor magicks with relative ease, Drystan is still, in essence, a battle mage. As such, he has taken this dead discipline and refined it to the best of his abilities, using it to turn himself into a veritable menace in the battlefield, his body becoming a canvas for magical enhancements.
Through the use of runic tattoos, Drystan has given himself a myriad of physical augmentations which he can activate at will - assuming he is willing to pay the price. Most of these are designed in such a way to be as efficient as possible, both in terms of output and energy consumption. Still, this is a very complex feat of ‘magical engineering’, for lack of a better term, and is not without its dangers and downfalls.
Moreover, he has a highly specialized sword called Remorse, which was designed specifically for his unique combat style, acting, effectively, as his own personal battery and arcane focus (but more on this later).
It should be noted that these are not in a state of perpetual activation, and are generally activate by Drystan’s will, barring a couple of exceptions.
(Note: This is a work in progress, and might suffer slight edits as I develop it and get feedback from others)
Runic Tattoos
Drystan has a veritable host of esoteric markings on his person, which are the primary way in which he takes advantage of this discipline. Here is a list of some of the more prominent ones:
Runes of Transferral
Cost: Self-sustaining, in theory, as they replenish the cost paid and more.
Location: Left and right palms, stretching out and locking around his wrist in a circle.
The purpose of these runes is to siphon magical energies in order to fuel his magicks. Drystan is terribly aware of the delicate balancing act his magic requires, and has very little intention of inviting the Herald over.
Drystan is capable of leeching off sources of magical energy and ‘auras’. In fact, the whole concept of these runes is inspired in aural magic, and for all intents and purposes, follows its rules in broad strokes.
It should be noted that Drystan cannot siphon massive amounts of energy with ease, or without risking burning himself out in the act. He will often require his sword to pour the excess into it.
He also can’t siphon complex energies from beings without being close. For example, if there is an open flame, Drystan can likely snuff it out at a fair distance to leech the energy for himself. He can’t, however, siphon the life force and the inherent magical energy from a sentient being without being very, very close, if not in direct contact. This would also prove a struggle: whilst Drystan can likely siphon the life force of a basic animal with certain ease, more powerful, willful and indeed, sentient beings are likely to become aware of what he’s attempting, and fight him off before he gets a chance to steal more than a pittance.
He is also incapable of nullifying incoming magic this way, although he -is- capable of redirecting some of their power. Say a mage hits him with a massive fireball: Drystan would, in theory, be capable of absorbing some of the destructive energy headed his way and redirect it to another one of his runes to protect himself. This, of course, relies on his reflexes and quick thinking.
The siphoning runes are one of Drystan’s primordial runes, and his entire design revolves around their use. Having both disrupted would be very, very bad news, as it would render him unable to efficiently acquire energy to pay the price for his magic.
Runic Sight
Location: Magic circles inscribed upon his corneas. Yikes.
Cost: Individually, the effects are relatively inexpensive, so long as he doesn’t keep them up for extended periods of time.
Drystan has tattoos on his irises. Seriously. This, coupled with how pale they are, make for a sight that is pretty hard to get used to.
But aside from putting people off they do have, of course, magical effects.These are a chain of extremely complex runes which can activate in part or conjunction, depending on Drystan’s needs. They cover three main functions:
*Fun fact: Though nowhere near as precise as Drystan’s, which likely involved some magical shaenanigans, corneal tattoos are a very real, very old thing that actually has therapeutic and medical applications.
Runic Hearing
Cost: Relatively inexpensive
Location: Small strings of runes that go down the side of his neck, starting behind his ears.
Pretty straightforward. Drystan can hear really, really well. Often used to spy. Could use improvement, however, as loud noises can hurt him and he gets easily overwhelmed by ambient sound. He still hasn’t figured out a way to focus them, so he uses this sparingly.
The Runic Aegis
Cost: Medium to deadly.
Location: All of his left shoulder and arm.
The Aegis, like its name suggests, is a complex weave of runes that allows Drystan to summon a magic shield of swords from his left arm. At its most basic, it is an invisible force field that, as logic dictates, requires more energy the larger it becomes, especially if he keeps it up. Drystan can make the Aegis about as big as a tower shield without running into problems. He could, theoretically, make it larger, but not without paying a considerable cost.
The Aegis is valuable not only for its incredible capacity to shield him and others, but as a tool to surprise his enemies. Drystan can effectively generate small shields to stop or even ‘swat’ his enemies’ weapons away before countering.
As a last ditch defense, Drystan can also use the Aegis to envelop and cover his entire being, making himself virtually invulnerable. This, however, is extremely inefficient in terms of cost. According to his own calculations, he might able to keep it up for 3 seconds -if- he is not using any other magic simultaneously and has near-full reserves of energy to draw from - including those he’s stored in Remorse (read gear and equipment). Any more than that would kill him, and he has never actually tried to do it: he’d have to be extremely desperate to survive… At least long enough to kill his foe.
The Aegis is also not unbreakable. It is -very- resilient, but powerful enough magicks can break through it, and it only really defends from tangible forces. The Aegis wouldn’t defend him from a curse, or say, a psychic attack.
The Chain of Consciousness
Cost: Low to deadly
Location: All along his spine
These tattoos are a series of linked chains that play off each other, and all deal in augmenting Drystan’s capabilities to superhuman levels, putting his nervous system in overdrive and pushing him beyond his body’s natural capabilities.
These runes are not all or nothing: they work, in a way, much like dials would, allow him to increase their effects in increments.
One is capable of making him move extremely fast, so much so that it would be hard for the common, human eye to follow him at full output. Another is capable of boosting his strength to inhuman levels, capable of lifting his own weight many times over and striking with the proportional strength. Another yet enhances his reflexes, giving him quicker reaction times and space to breathe - something which is often necessary to avoid burning himself out.
Individually, these runes are manageable when used in short bursts, and assuming he doesn’t go all out every time. In conjunction, at lower levels, he can even sustain the use of several for a while, and he has trained himself to be able to efficiently maintain a slightly ‘augmented state of being’, allowing him to become a somewhat preternatural fighter for a few minutes at a time. However, at full capacity, they can turn Drystan into a god of war when used together… for a couple of seconds, before he completely burns out and the Herald comes to claim him.
Lastly, one of his runes acts as a fail-switch. If Drystan suddenly loses consciousness, either due to trauma or drugs, this runic circle at the base of his neck will force his body to flood him with adrenaline after about thirty seconds (as doing so immediately would likely be very bad for his brain, not to mention he hasn’t quite perfected the ‘science’ behind this). This will wake him up rather violently and immediately put him in fight or flight mode.
Grounding runes
Cost: Self-sustaining to medium, depending on their use.
Location: Beneath his feet, stretching to his ankles. On his fingertips and… well, toetips.
If this sounds slightly familiar, it’s because it is: Drystan’s grounding runes are a modified version of his siphoning runes.
These runes have two effects: one is anchoring him to the ground. Or really, any surface. Drystan can, effectively, use these to actually climb surfaces, like a medieval Spider-Man.
“But this has nothing to do with his runes of transferral,” I hear you say. And you’re absolutely right. But the ones on the underside of his foot do behave similarly, absorbing the kinetic energy from impacts and distributing it as energy to use for other magical shenanigans.
It basically stops Drystan from breaking his legs if he falls from too great a height - and yes, he knows how to roll and distribute the energy of a fall, but there’s a reason you don’t see people jump from impossible heights and just shrugging it off with a roll.
Plus, superhero landings rock.
Other: Drystan likely has other tattoos, or space for more tattoos, which will, for now, remain undefined or uninked. As he stands, he is already a considerably powerful individual and I want him to have space for growth, without burning myself out creatively or writing myself into a corner, or pushing him into the realm of overpowerment. Also, I'm not 100% on some of these 'spell' names, liable to change as inspiration strikes,
Cost: Self-sustaining, in theory, as they replenish the cost paid and more.
Location: Left and right palms, stretching out and locking around his wrist in a circle.
The purpose of these runes is to siphon magical energies in order to fuel his magicks. Drystan is terribly aware of the delicate balancing act his magic requires, and has very little intention of inviting the Herald over.
Drystan is capable of leeching off sources of magical energy and ‘auras’. In fact, the whole concept of these runes is inspired in aural magic, and for all intents and purposes, follows its rules in broad strokes.
It should be noted that Drystan cannot siphon massive amounts of energy with ease, or without risking burning himself out in the act. He will often require his sword to pour the excess into it.
He also can’t siphon complex energies from beings without being close. For example, if there is an open flame, Drystan can likely snuff it out at a fair distance to leech the energy for himself. He can’t, however, siphon the life force and the inherent magical energy from a sentient being without being very, very close, if not in direct contact. This would also prove a struggle: whilst Drystan can likely siphon the life force of a basic animal with certain ease, more powerful, willful and indeed, sentient beings are likely to become aware of what he’s attempting, and fight him off before he gets a chance to steal more than a pittance.
He is also incapable of nullifying incoming magic this way, although he -is- capable of redirecting some of their power. Say a mage hits him with a massive fireball: Drystan would, in theory, be capable of absorbing some of the destructive energy headed his way and redirect it to another one of his runes to protect himself. This, of course, relies on his reflexes and quick thinking.
The siphoning runes are one of Drystan’s primordial runes, and his entire design revolves around their use. Having both disrupted would be very, very bad news, as it would render him unable to efficiently acquire energy to pay the price for his magic.
Runic Sight
Location: Magic circles inscribed upon his corneas. Yikes.
Cost: Individually, the effects are relatively inexpensive, so long as he doesn’t keep them up for extended periods of time.
Drystan has tattoos on his irises. Seriously. This, coupled with how pale they are, make for a sight that is pretty hard to get used to.
But aside from putting people off they do have, of course, magical effects.These are a chain of extremely complex runes which can activate in part or conjunction, depending on Drystan’s needs. They cover three main functions:
- Eagle’s eye: Drystan can, essentially, emulate the eyesight of a bird of prey, seeing detail from very far distances. This is very useful when he needs to spy on someone or is hunting a creature, as well as when he’s using a bow. It took him a lot of practice to get used to this one, and he still finds it somewhat disorienting, often needing a moment to adjust.
- Night stalker: Pretty much darkvision. Darkvision is a fairly common trait amongst several species and creatures, and to Drystan it only seemed smart to add it to his arsenal, once he figured out how to make it work.
- Aural detection: Though most practitioners of aural magic can ‘read’ auras without the need of any kind of aid, Drystan is not a traditional practitioner and struggles with it. This, coupled with the fact that he relies on aura detection to find energy sources pushed him to figure out a more efficient method of detecting energy. When utilizing this rune, Drystan can more easily detect all the potential energy sources around him for him to draw upon.
*Fun fact: Though nowhere near as precise as Drystan’s, which likely involved some magical shaenanigans, corneal tattoos are a very real, very old thing that actually has therapeutic and medical applications.
Runic Hearing
Cost: Relatively inexpensive
Location: Small strings of runes that go down the side of his neck, starting behind his ears.
Pretty straightforward. Drystan can hear really, really well. Often used to spy. Could use improvement, however, as loud noises can hurt him and he gets easily overwhelmed by ambient sound. He still hasn’t figured out a way to focus them, so he uses this sparingly.
The Runic Aegis
Cost: Medium to deadly.
Location: All of his left shoulder and arm.
The Aegis, like its name suggests, is a complex weave of runes that allows Drystan to summon a magic shield of swords from his left arm. At its most basic, it is an invisible force field that, as logic dictates, requires more energy the larger it becomes, especially if he keeps it up. Drystan can make the Aegis about as big as a tower shield without running into problems. He could, theoretically, make it larger, but not without paying a considerable cost.
The Aegis is valuable not only for its incredible capacity to shield him and others, but as a tool to surprise his enemies. Drystan can effectively generate small shields to stop or even ‘swat’ his enemies’ weapons away before countering.
As a last ditch defense, Drystan can also use the Aegis to envelop and cover his entire being, making himself virtually invulnerable. This, however, is extremely inefficient in terms of cost. According to his own calculations, he might able to keep it up for 3 seconds -if- he is not using any other magic simultaneously and has near-full reserves of energy to draw from - including those he’s stored in Remorse (read gear and equipment). Any more than that would kill him, and he has never actually tried to do it: he’d have to be extremely desperate to survive… At least long enough to kill his foe.
The Aegis is also not unbreakable. It is -very- resilient, but powerful enough magicks can break through it, and it only really defends from tangible forces. The Aegis wouldn’t defend him from a curse, or say, a psychic attack.
The Chain of Consciousness
Cost: Low to deadly
Location: All along his spine
These tattoos are a series of linked chains that play off each other, and all deal in augmenting Drystan’s capabilities to superhuman levels, putting his nervous system in overdrive and pushing him beyond his body’s natural capabilities.
These runes are not all or nothing: they work, in a way, much like dials would, allow him to increase their effects in increments.
One is capable of making him move extremely fast, so much so that it would be hard for the common, human eye to follow him at full output. Another is capable of boosting his strength to inhuman levels, capable of lifting his own weight many times over and striking with the proportional strength. Another yet enhances his reflexes, giving him quicker reaction times and space to breathe - something which is often necessary to avoid burning himself out.
Individually, these runes are manageable when used in short bursts, and assuming he doesn’t go all out every time. In conjunction, at lower levels, he can even sustain the use of several for a while, and he has trained himself to be able to efficiently maintain a slightly ‘augmented state of being’, allowing him to become a somewhat preternatural fighter for a few minutes at a time. However, at full capacity, they can turn Drystan into a god of war when used together… for a couple of seconds, before he completely burns out and the Herald comes to claim him.
Lastly, one of his runes acts as a fail-switch. If Drystan suddenly loses consciousness, either due to trauma or drugs, this runic circle at the base of his neck will force his body to flood him with adrenaline after about thirty seconds (as doing so immediately would likely be very bad for his brain, not to mention he hasn’t quite perfected the ‘science’ behind this). This will wake him up rather violently and immediately put him in fight or flight mode.
Grounding runes
Cost: Self-sustaining to medium, depending on their use.
Location: Beneath his feet, stretching to his ankles. On his fingertips and… well, toetips.
If this sounds slightly familiar, it’s because it is: Drystan’s grounding runes are a modified version of his siphoning runes.
These runes have two effects: one is anchoring him to the ground. Or really, any surface. Drystan can, effectively, use these to actually climb surfaces, like a medieval Spider-Man.
“But this has nothing to do with his runes of transferral,” I hear you say. And you’re absolutely right. But the ones on the underside of his foot do behave similarly, absorbing the kinetic energy from impacts and distributing it as energy to use for other magical shenanigans.
It basically stops Drystan from breaking his legs if he falls from too great a height - and yes, he knows how to roll and distribute the energy of a fall, but there’s a reason you don’t see people jump from impossible heights and just shrugging it off with a roll.
Plus, superhero landings rock.
Other: Drystan likely has other tattoos, or space for more tattoos, which will, for now, remain undefined or uninked. As he stands, he is already a considerably powerful individual and I want him to have space for growth, without burning myself out creatively or writing myself into a corner, or pushing him into the realm of overpowerment. Also, I'm not 100% on some of these 'spell' names, liable to change as inspiration strikes,
Gear and Equipment:
Remorse: Remorse is a feat of magical engineering, deviced expressly to suit Drystan’s magic and combat style.
Reminiscent of elven designs, this slightly curved longsword is both his weapon of choice and his battery: Remorse is his own take on an arcane focus, for lack of a better term. It’s hilt has a rune of transferral of its own, which couples with the ones on his hands to transfer energy from his body to the blade, and vice-versa.
Whilst Remorse has a tiny, self-replenishing magic well of its own -a result of a certain magic element used in its construction- its true use is to have the excess magical energy that Drystan absorbs with the runes of transferral stored for later use.
It also has the benefit of being able to create some magical effects of its own to burn away excess magic. Catching flame is a classic, but the number of runic patterns etched upon it might hint at further capabilities. An expert in rune magic might even understand, at a glance, that Remorse is likely to be a lot more resilient than other mortal-made weapons, so long as it is fed energy during a strike or parry.
Remorse is still liable to overheating and disintegrating if he channels magic through it too frequently and fervently, but furthermore, Drystan has to be conscious of how much energy he stores within: too much, and he runs the risk of ‘bursting’ it. Too little, and he may be forced to rely on his own personal stores. And of course… he has to be careful, as taking too much stored energy from it too quickly could backfire and burn him instead.
Note: This will be refined and turned into a full magic item of its own. I will be looking for input and feedback, hopefully from someone willing to take credit for helping in its creation.
Purpose: A longbow with a pair of very simple runes which make the drawing tension of the string negligible, allowing him to draw faster and consuming less stamina than he would usually require. Much like Remorse, it also has a rune of transferral akin to the ones on his hands, which allows him to transfer the energy required for the runes to work, though it isn’t a great deal compared to the other funky things he gets up to (and in fact, Purpose would literally burst into flames if he poured too much energy into it).
Purpose shines when used in conjunction with rune-etched arrows, as he is capable of getting fairly creative with those… but often sticking to the basics. Drystan is primarily a melee combatant, sure, but he isn’t proud or stubborn enough that he won’t make bad things go boom from afar, given the chance.
Undisclosed Magical Substance: Drystan often carries with him a vial with some manner of ink to power his spells. It is unclear what this might be, or how he acquires it, as he is very private about his process.
Biography:
Drystan joined the Knight of Anathaeum somewhere between the ages of sixteen and seventeen, discovered by one Syr Bayani, follower of the Loch.
Though older than a lot of recruits are when joining their ranks, his exceptional talent for combat and unusual knowledge of rune magic, coupled with his desire to fight dark forces across the lands seemed to make him a good fit for the order, already bearing all the hallmark traits of a Knight of Dusk in the making.
Where he came from, or learned such things, is shrouded in mystery, as the youth did not much care to speak of his past. However, there is a running theory, in part due to his accent (which he has since made active efforts to eradicate), in part due to his extensive skill set, given his age, and in part because the boy stiffened whenever someone spoke of Vel Anir or their Dreadlords.
Hot-headed and reclusive, it took a while for the young man to make himself at home at the Astenvale Monastery, and he never did seem to entirely fit amongst his peers. Nevertheless, he passed his trials with flying colours when the day came, and was promptly placed in the Sanctum of Dusk.
Ever since, Drystan has rarely set foot on the monastery, only returning from his quests to report and briefly resupply, before taking on new quests and heading out again - more often than not with a new travel partner.
Unbeknownst to him, and despite his relative youth, Drystan has been considered to become a Knight Pursuant of the Loch on two separate occasions, but was ultimately discarded due to his lone-wolf tendencies. After all, the Knights of Anathaeum have enshrined teamwork as one of their core tenets. For all his worth as a Knight Sworn, it seems he has much he has yet to learn.
Note: His biography is, in my head, A LOT longer and filled with complexity, but I’ve decided against elaborating because 1) This bio is already super long and 2) I want to give other players a chance to inject themselves into his story, rather than setting everything in stone.
Strengths:
Physical: Drystan is an athlete at the top of his game, and enjoying his best years. The man is, quite literally, built for violence and efficiency, a result of over two decades of constant training and conditioning towards those very ends.
Intellectual: Drystan is a very knowledgeable individual, and arguably possessed of a particularly high intellect. He is possibly one of the most versatile rune mages in Arethil: not only is he unusually versed in a ‘language’ and discipline that are all but considered dead, but he is also terribly creative when it comes to its uses. He is also very well versed in matters of anatomy, not because he is a particularly good healer, but because he has been primed to know how to hurt people and things.
Social: Drystan is… Well. He’s a pretty good looking dude. Genetics have been kind to him in this regard, and though many might be put off by scars, tattoos and generally sombre, when not intense demeanour, he is still an aesthetically pleasant individual, if you can see past that. Also, whilst not the most pleasant of individuals, he isn’t oblivious to the fact that people tend not to like him, nor is he tone deaf to social context, and is capable of begrudgingly reining in his lack of tact if absolutely necessary.
Magical: Drystan is capable of complex magic, given enough time, resources and preparation. With his runic tattoos, he is capable of going into overdrive physically, as well as aid himself with a host of minor magical effects (this is discussed in great detail throughout the sheet, no need to reiterate ad nauseaum).
Psychological: Drystan boasts an inordinate amount of willpower, and quite simply, refuses to give up or concede to adversity. He is very confident in his own capabilities, and a very assertive individual who is prone to getting things done, for better or for worse. Moreover, his tendency to look for the worst in people also means he sees the best in them, and he may be prone to giving surprisingly solid advice from time to time: through gritted teeth, of course. He is also capable of withstanding pain and torture far beyond what a normal individual might. Gee, it’s almost like he was inducted and trained to be some kind super shady magic operative from a young age.
Weaknesses:
Physical: Drystan’s use of rune magic to augment his physical traits has its toll, particularly when it draws from his own energy. He often needs to sleep and eat exorbitant amounts after particularly taxing missions, and it is theorized that he may be shortening his natural lifespan by magically pushing his body beyond its limits. Whether true or not, what is certain is that he puts a tonne of stress on it.
Intellectual: Whilst Drystan is undoubtedly a highly intelligent and well-read individual, his knowledge seems highly specialized, and he is sometimes caught wanting in rather basic things. For example, he seems largely unfamiliar with a variety of popular children's games and common folk tales. Fun, in general, seems to be outside his purview. Someone also had to explain to him how trees and plants reproduced, despite the fact he was already a young adult at the time. Until then, farmers were pretty much wizards, as far as he was concerned.
Social: This is a big one. Sombre and stoic, Drystan comes off as extremely rough around the edges, and is not afraid to hurt other people’s feelings- He is blunt and dry in his deliveries, and at times even derisive. This has negative consequences not only in his personal life, but in his profession, as he has been held back in the order for fear that a higher rank might just encourage his desire to rely on no one but himself instead of rising to the occasion when leadership and guidance is required. The sad thing is, Drystan might actually make a pretty good leader and teacher if he got over himself - the ass.
Magical: Drystan is not as overtly powerful as some other spellswords, at a glance. His magic requires lots more preparation than other disciplines and can prove extremely time consuming, to the point where it is considered obsolete by most of his peers. It can also be seriously disrupted with relative ease (for example, if he is stabbed over a runic circle, that pattern is disrupted, preventing it from doing its job and essentially nullifying it.). Lastly, should his reserves run low, it is very possible for him to burn himself out by using his own life force to pay the price for his craft.
Psychological: Drystan has some very deep seated and buried trauma. It doesn’t take a genius to see this. Despite the fact that he seems surprisingly well put together (all things considered) the amount of crap he’s been through as a Knight of Dusk alone would take its toll on anyone, and he is no exception. His body may sport many scars, but it is likely the wounds in his psyche and soul that truly pain him still.
Physical: Drystan is an athlete at the top of his game, and enjoying his best years. The man is, quite literally, built for violence and efficiency, a result of over two decades of constant training and conditioning towards those very ends.
Intellectual: Drystan is a very knowledgeable individual, and arguably possessed of a particularly high intellect. He is possibly one of the most versatile rune mages in Arethil: not only is he unusually versed in a ‘language’ and discipline that are all but considered dead, but he is also terribly creative when it comes to its uses. He is also very well versed in matters of anatomy, not because he is a particularly good healer, but because he has been primed to know how to hurt people and things.
Social: Drystan is… Well. He’s a pretty good looking dude. Genetics have been kind to him in this regard, and though many might be put off by scars, tattoos and generally sombre, when not intense demeanour, he is still an aesthetically pleasant individual, if you can see past that. Also, whilst not the most pleasant of individuals, he isn’t oblivious to the fact that people tend not to like him, nor is he tone deaf to social context, and is capable of begrudgingly reining in his lack of tact if absolutely necessary.
Magical: Drystan is capable of complex magic, given enough time, resources and preparation. With his runic tattoos, he is capable of going into overdrive physically, as well as aid himself with a host of minor magical effects (this is discussed in great detail throughout the sheet, no need to reiterate ad nauseaum).
Psychological: Drystan boasts an inordinate amount of willpower, and quite simply, refuses to give up or concede to adversity. He is very confident in his own capabilities, and a very assertive individual who is prone to getting things done, for better or for worse. Moreover, his tendency to look for the worst in people also means he sees the best in them, and he may be prone to giving surprisingly solid advice from time to time: through gritted teeth, of course. He is also capable of withstanding pain and torture far beyond what a normal individual might. Gee, it’s almost like he was inducted and trained to be some kind super shady magic operative from a young age.
Weaknesses:
Physical: Drystan’s use of rune magic to augment his physical traits has its toll, particularly when it draws from his own energy. He often needs to sleep and eat exorbitant amounts after particularly taxing missions, and it is theorized that he may be shortening his natural lifespan by magically pushing his body beyond its limits. Whether true or not, what is certain is that he puts a tonne of stress on it.
Intellectual: Whilst Drystan is undoubtedly a highly intelligent and well-read individual, his knowledge seems highly specialized, and he is sometimes caught wanting in rather basic things. For example, he seems largely unfamiliar with a variety of popular children's games and common folk tales. Fun, in general, seems to be outside his purview. Someone also had to explain to him how trees and plants reproduced, despite the fact he was already a young adult at the time. Until then, farmers were pretty much wizards, as far as he was concerned.
Social: This is a big one. Sombre and stoic, Drystan comes off as extremely rough around the edges, and is not afraid to hurt other people’s feelings- He is blunt and dry in his deliveries, and at times even derisive. This has negative consequences not only in his personal life, but in his profession, as he has been held back in the order for fear that a higher rank might just encourage his desire to rely on no one but himself instead of rising to the occasion when leadership and guidance is required. The sad thing is, Drystan might actually make a pretty good leader and teacher if he got over himself - the ass.
Magical: Drystan is not as overtly powerful as some other spellswords, at a glance. His magic requires lots more preparation than other disciplines and can prove extremely time consuming, to the point where it is considered obsolete by most of his peers. It can also be seriously disrupted with relative ease (for example, if he is stabbed over a runic circle, that pattern is disrupted, preventing it from doing its job and essentially nullifying it.). Lastly, should his reserves run low, it is very possible for him to burn himself out by using his own life force to pay the price for his craft.
Psychological: Drystan has some very deep seated and buried trauma. It doesn’t take a genius to see this. Despite the fact that he seems surprisingly well put together (all things considered) the amount of crap he’s been through as a Knight of Dusk alone would take its toll on anyone, and he is no exception. His body may sport many scars, but it is likely the wounds in his psyche and soul that truly pain him still.
RP hooks:
It is always a bit intimidating coming into an established world, especially one as big as Arethil seems to be, with a new character who is part of an established faction.... But(t)! Some neat RP hooks have made themselves apparent as I wrote him, for whomever wants to bite and help me make him feel more like he’s already a part of it!
You can reach me through the site or on my discord, Errant#3792:
- Drystan has been a member of the Knight of Anatheum for a decade now, give or take. Maybe you’re one of his superiors, tired of his ‘Maverick’ shit and asking for his badge and his gun - I mean, his accolade and his sword? A Knight of Dawn who wants to have traveled and had some adventures with him? Or just someone he met during one of his missions? Hit me up! I love bouncing ideas off other RPers, and wouldn’t mind having some shared tales to indulge in and built upon.
- Drystan is not a blacksmith. Someone needs to have crafted his rather unique blade - or at least helped him in its forging! If you would like for your character to be that individual, and maybe even help me refine the concept, please, reach out!
- The ‘ink’ used in the majority of Drystan’s runic tattoos is no simple dye. If you have a character who might provide the materials for it in exchange for some manner of boon or agreement, I’d love to collaborate. My hope is that a fae of certain power, perhaps even a Duannan, might have entered into a pact with him, and supply him with their blood, or something to that effect. But! I’m open to other creative venues. Even more… demonic ones. Would love to have this be explored with player and not an NPC.
- Speaking of ink. He also needs someone he trusts to etch those designs in places he cannot reach or cannot trust himself to engrave. Whilst this could be the person from the former hook -as magic most definitely needs to be involved for some of these ‘runic tats’- the position is also open for artistic sorts! The task of tattooing these is very sensitive and requires a surgical hand. Drystan would only allow someone he actually trusts explicitly to do these.
- If you’ve gotten here, you might already know that Drystan’s history heavily implies he was an up and coming Dreadlord before he ditched his former masters in favour of another kind of life. Perhaps he was a childhood friend? A rival? A fling? Someone with whom you have a score to settle? I’m open to all kinds of shenanigans. Even being hunted and caught, in order to explore some darker themes.
- If I missed something but you’re still like ‘hey, our characters probably have some kind of history’ I’m still open to discussion!
