Kasim Areth
Kasim Areth is a fool.
Though he prefers to be called a Jester, there is no mistaking his profession. Kasim travels around the world of Arethil as an entertainer. He holds himself with a regal bearing, wearing a mask and performing in front of only the richest nobles and the most powerful Kings.
His shows are something whispered of in the great manors of Arethil. No matter the city, no matter the King, Kasim is almost always invited to an event when he has made his presence known.
He travels within the inner circle of nobility, flirting with women, chatting with men, and involving himself as deeply as he can in all levels of politics.
Personality
Kasim very vocally describes himself as a Kingmaker. He is boisterous, loud, and arrogant beyond any pale of the imagination. Despite this the young man seems to hold a certain quality of charm, and the pure joy and mirth that he seems to carry at all times help off set his rather obvious narcissism.Though he is self centered, this does not manifest in the way one might expect. Kasim doesn't tend to put down or insult others, unless he finds them particularly annoying. Instead his ego manifests itself in an almost natural showmanship, a need to call attention to himself through various means. This is endearing to some, though others find it rather obnoxious.
Despite this boisterous personality, it is very clear that beneath the service lays a different Kasim.
Like a switch the young man's personality can flip in an instant. Though he hardly ever shows it, the more stern Kasim is somewhat mystifying to observe.
Skills and Abilities
As a Jester, Kasim holds many talents that have gained him the accolades of both rich and poor. He is capable of commanding the attention of a crowd, connecting and creating a flow with his words that seems to mesmerize all those listening. He has a commanding presence about him, a certain self absurdness which he uses to draw in those around him.Augmenting this charisma is Kasim's vast knowledge in the inner-workings of most royal courts and noble houses. Weaving his way through most social situations, Kasim easily forms a rapport wither everyone from maids and Kings.
The young man is clearly at home within the circles of nobility, and he makes friends easily enough wherever he goes.
This is not to say that Kasim is perfect of course, his rather boisterous personality and disregard for others has earned him dozens of enemies over the years. There are some people, and entire species, who cannot stand a man like Kasim, and this has more than once come to bite him in the ass.
Magic
Kasim is extremely talented and learned within the arts of Rune Magic.
Seen as simple tricks by most magicians, the young man has a deep knowledge of the Runes and how to use them. More than once court Scholars and mages have noted Kasim's mastery over the ancient magic art, though most often they seem simply bemused by his practice of something so outdated.
Because his magic is born of the Runes, most practiced sorcerers do not even see Kasim as a fellow Mage. Though he may understand the Runes better than they, the practice is simply so ancient that they most often place the young man's Discipline as parlor tricks and nothing more.
This judgement, however, does not at all seem to bother Kasim. In fact he is most often amused by the reaction of mages to his runes, and during his performance he often hurls taunts and insults directly at those who would discredit his talent.
Oddly enough, more than once a court mage has accused Kasim of practicing more than just the Runes.
Appearance
From first look it is very apparent that Kasim takes quite a bit of care in order to present himself in exactly the right way. His clothes are perfectly matched and unwrinkled, his robes pristine, and his hair slicked back. He carries himself in the same way as the nobles that he surrounds himself with, back straight, shoulders squared, and chin held up high.This way of carrying himself allows him to blend into the world that he chooses to occupy, standing tall with the richest merchants and wealthiest Kings.
Oddly enough, the styling of his clothes does not match his homeland. There is no trace of Vel Anir within Kasim's robes, and in fact his style of dress is far more drawn from the eastern side of Epressa in the islands of Sheketh.
Of course this appearance is carefully cultivated. Though no one is quite sure how he manages to keep himself together while traveling on the road, it has been suggested more than once that Kasim utilizes his magic to keep everything about himself just right. Whether or not this is true he won't admit.
Biography
Relatively little is known about the history of Kasim Areth.When asked about where he came from or what his origin is Kasim has a tendency to tell a different story each and every time. He wanders through an embellishing story that seems to get grander at every turn, telling how he fought dragons, spoke with the Kivren, and chased a princess across half of Liadain.
Few people every get even pieces of the truth from Kasim, and when they it is mostly when they point out truths first. More than once a merchant or noble of some sort has noticed his trademark Anirian features, and once this is found Kasim generally admits to at least his homeland.
These small pittances of truth however are all that can ever be pulled from Kasim. Most of the time he weaves a tale around himself, drawing those listening in so far that they don't even remember their original question.
This is another way that Kasim has managed to largely ingrain himself within Noble Society. Every place he visits he has a new story, and that story always somehow pertains to where he is. Nobles, Merchants, and the upper-class in general enjoy these tales, and it is a way to bring himself into the fold. No one every particularly cares to learn out more about him, and those that do find only a wall of charm and lies.
Despite his weaving and cutting through conversation, there are a certain few facts about Kasim that still linger.
Though his name is mostly associated with the east, those that have visited Vel Anir can easily mark his features as being from there. Along with this his way of speaking as well as general knowledge mean he's been educated, and of course his mastery of Rune Magic is rather unique.
These facts all add together, though what conclusion they bring is up to the interpreter.