Avanion

So you want to hear my story eh? Hmm...good, drinks on you while I flap my lips for a bit. Let me see...as far as I know from what i've been told, my mother was French and my father a Briton, I know not how they met. Apparently my father was a highwayman of sorts, and robbed from anyone who crossed his roads. He quit that business when he met my mother and tried his luck at farming. Seems he wasn't the best at it, but they made do and eventually my mother gave birth to me. Unfortunately, she died in labor, and my father the cowardly son-of-a-bitch he was...ran off and left me alone. I was taken in by a wandering Friar who found me lying in the abandoned house of my parents. The Friar, Brother Mustaine, brought me to Camelot and raised me there, teaching me the ways of a Friar as I grew.

I showed great skill with the staff, and even managed to best my adopted father once or twice, although I was scolded for such as he said I fought "dirty". One kick in the face and I have to put up with him naggin' at me for the rest of my life... Anyway, I lacked heavily in the other regions of my study, and found even the simplest healing cantrips difficult to do, although I was slightly better with the spells of Enhancement they showed me in class. Brother Ethelbad was kind of boring, I fell asleep a lot in class, took many a whipping's for it too hehe. Eventually, the day came and I was allowed to join the Defenders of Albion and become a full fledged Friar, best day of my life, I can still remember the look of satisfaction on Brother Mustaine's face when he saw that I overcame my heritage and actually made something of myself unlike my father.

Ahh yes...my father, early in my travels I was delivering some food supplies from Camelot to the guards near the twin towers north of Ludlow when I was attacked by a highwayman myself. I defended myself naturally and easily killed the old fool when he left me no quarter for me to show him mercy. Turns out later, it was my father whom had attacked me and I killed. Second best day of my life. That was about a year ago and here I am still, traveling the lands and practicing my skill with a staff. Brother Mustaine passed on due to old age a few months ago and I've felt a little lost without him, but I'll get along. I guess it's time I find a little direction in my life 'eh? Well, that's my story, no dragons, no maidens, no my parents died to Hibernia or Midgard scum and I'm out for vengeance, just me, my staff, and a cowardly father who didnt care enough for me or my mother to be a man and raise me properly. Anyway, I had best go now, thanks for the ale and uh...I'll take this last one for the road."

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Walking in from the rain, Avanion seats himself in his usual corner and orders a mug of ale. A familiar face greets him, Daisy, one of the barmaids who works here and is always talking to the Friar. Setting his ale down, she begs him to tell her about what new and exciting adventures he’s had…

"Damn Daisy…you already proddin’ me for more stories eh? Well…geuss I could talk a bit, nothin’ better to do for the time, just don’t let the barkeep catch ya slackin’ off alright? So where did I last leave off again…oh yeah, was talking about my becoming a Friar and setting off for my journeys. Well, quite a bit has happened since that time, I’ve grown quite a bit stronger and even met some actual friends!

Yeah yeah…don’t go getting’ all dumbfounded, even I can find friends to trust sometimes, I trust you not to water-down my beer don’t I? Anyway, bout the folks, they’re a damn good bunch, hail from some other land though, Austria methinks it was, I don’t remember the whole story, had one hell of a hangover when their…Lord…was fillin’ me in on their history over a few mugs hehe. Well, Balar, the Lord guy, is a good man. What can I say? I like ‘em. He doesn’t remind at all of the other "Lords" and "Ladies" i’ve met in my journeys, he doesn’t treat me as an inferior…a peasant. His wife, Delora is a good woman, almost regal and majestic, but still down-to-earth enough similar to Balar. She’s also pretty wicked with her lil’ elemental beasties. They ever come to join me in an ale here I’ll see if I can get her tipsy and show ya them mean lil’ devils sometime.

Back to the whole band, the Fellowship of Ellenar they call themselves by the way, there’s more of ‘em I get along with too. Taal, this half-baked in the head minstrel who introduced me to Balar, is damn fun to be around, and can get me around quicker than anyone too. Got some good memories of wandering through the country-side, bashing any evil beast that moved, drunk out of my skull and her bitchin’ at me the whole time I was goin’ the wrong way hehe. Then there’s Breogan and Katiebrie, ‘nother hubby and wife type pair, and they’re like kindred spirits to me. Hell Breo can actually go head-to-head with me on ale tippin’! Though we both kinda pass out around the same time hehe. Kat’s a good woman and a blast to adventure with, calls me her "Little Brother" all the time. Oddly enough, doesn’t actually bother me any, almost feels good to be accepted like that. Getting’ all mushy now dammit…

There’s also Nihtan, sneaky lil’ guy he is, but I think he shows some damn fine potential to be a great infiltrator. Anyway, theres plenty more to the Fellowship crew too, Raivyn, Rhydoc, Winerose, Rhidd (big ugly guy with a mean lucerne, just don’t tell em I said ugly hehe) and more than I can remember right now…must be the brew I geuss. Speakin’ of which, my mugs empty and the barkeeps spotted ya, best you get back to work…and bring me a few more rounds Diasy, got thoughts flowing through my head like wildfire and I’ll need that ale…"

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Personality: Avanion is basically an easy-going guy with a lot of bad times and memories. He always tries to make the best of everything so as not to upset those around him and to act as a pillar of strength, but often times he’s just as pissed and frustrated as everyone else. He’s a little callous at times, and typically holds little trust in people. The ones he does trust however, he is more than willing to lay everything down to do whatever he can for them. Avanion is also not a very pious Friar. His skills with a staff are second to none, but he finds even the simplest of chants a task to do. His faith is edgy, and he puts more value into a person’s dedication and skill brought by their own hard work than he does in any "miracles" of God. This has put him at many odd’s with the Church, who have almost gone so far as to label him a heretic. They don’t however dispute his efficiency in dealing with any task that has been assigned him, and he is allowed to stay because of that. Avanion is also a heavy drinker, but no one quite knows why. Some think he’s slipping off the deep-end with his own soul-searching for answers as to why God doesn’t answer his prayers, or perhaps it has to do with his family, and the hatred thereof. He still hates his father more than anything, and seems to resent himself for being born and berates himself constantly for being weak and thereby slipping into his fathers shadow. Avanion is still pretty young, only 21, but has already had more experiences than men twice his age, and is still trying to find his niche in the world that God has meant for him, or to carve out his own if need be.