by Balian Martell on July 16th, 2014, 12:48 am
Appearance
Balian has always been lean built. Being more tall than broad, this has never been more pronounced than when his height shot up faster than the rest of his body could keep up as a result of puberty. As a result, for most of his adolescence Balian was considered overly thin. Thankfully as he grew older his growth spurts calmed down and the rest of his was allowed to catch up. Now at the age of 21, Balian has managed to develop some muscle tone and mass, thanks to largely his time within the order. He however cannot be considered among the strongest, simply being healthy and physically fit.
He doesn't consider himself to be overly good looking, more average should the question be posed, however he is somewhat proud of his blue eyes, which stand out against his lightly tanned skin and honey brown hair. In all his face tends hover between that of a boy and a young man, with a light stubble growing along his beard adding to the look. Ever since his journey from Syliras to River fall, he has allowed this stubble to grow into a light beard, its sandy color matching his hair.
Balian can usually be found wearing his favorite tunic, a burgundy shirt open at the collar along with his trousers and boots. Otherwise he would be wearing some combination of his leather armour; either in full regalia, or merely wearing his bracers and grieves. He carries two daggers with him, and, if outdoors in the wilderness, he will always have with him his bow. While not some one that could easily stand out from the crowed, his overall appearance could still be considered attractive, especially if given the chance to mature.
Personality
Merits
Curious: Balian has always been curious, taking every opportunity he could to play and explore outside the walls of the Outpost as a child. As he grew older, he ventured further and further from the walls, a habit supported by his father. Now, this curiosity had evolved into a desire to see new places, meet new people, and learn new things
Adventurous: In efforts to sake his curiosity, Balian takes what opportunities he can to wonder around both within the castle and with out. His desire to explore will often time override his better judgement and that can lead him into some interesting situations.
Traditionalist: Coming from a long line of Knights has instilled a sense of Duty and Tradition within Balian, as can be seen in him following the footsteps of his forefathers by joining the Order. This respect to the family tradition often clashes with his other desires, most notably his desire to go explore the world, leading to some internal conflicts.
Flaws
Indecisive: His internal conflict between following tradition and following his own desires has manifested itself in the form of general indecisiveness. He now not only second guesses his own motivation, but most decisions that he makes, especially ones that pertain to the order. He fears that by following one path will inherently push the other away. Since he has not resolved his internal conflict, he puts off making any lasting decision until the last possible moment, and even then he is hesitant.
Aspirations
Explore the World: Balian has always wanted to expand his horizon. As a result his natural curiosity had led to the development of wanderlust, albeit at an unconscious level. One thing that Balian does know for sure is that he is restless as long as he stays within the walls of Syliras.
The recent move to Riverfall has allowed him to begin his exploratory desires.
Beliefs
Life and Death Balian has never given much thought to the concepts of Life and Death, thinking them no more than part of the natural cycle of all living things. Just as all creatures are born, so too do they die. He spends more time worrying over what to do with his life than its significance.
Family One could say that Balians Family has defined him for the majority of his life up until now. Coming from a family with a proud tradition of serving the Order, following the family tradition was all but set in stone. That's not to say that he resents his family in any way; on the contrary, he loves both his parents dearly, as they have shown nothing but love and care for him.
Religion Being the son of a knight, Balian has been well acquainted with the patron gods of the Knights of Sylir for some time. That being said, he does not hold them in any sort of special regard, doing only what is necessary as a squire for the order. He is largely apathetic to the idea of religion; his few attempts to gain religion have always gone unanswered. The truth is that Balian has yet to find any god that he would feel compelled to worship.
Magic Balians knowledge of magic is only that it exists. He knows no discipline, and does not know enough of it to actually interest him. With the sole exception of the attack in the Fall of 514, he has yet to encounter it.
Law Balian has been surrounded by the concepts of Law and Order, and probably knows more about it than the average citizen of Syliras. Not only is the entire society ruled by the Knights of Sylir, Balian, being the son of a knight, grew up surrounded by its members. He has a general respect for it, as it keeps the peace and allows society to function, but he also knows that laws only go as far as the people who enforce them. He knows too well that the knights, who's job is to enforce the laws and keep the peace are only people, and are often times flawed unto themselves. While he may respect the Law and the order that it brings, he feels that it stifles individual freedom. Last edited by
Balian Martell on June 19th, 2017, 12:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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