Halcyon Rastler's page

Possessing strong Taldan features, Halcyon’s skin is a lightly tanned bronze that serves to enhance his sharp and handsome appearance. His uncharacteristic long blonde hair and blue eyes serves as an indication of a non Taldan heritage, which serves to catch the attention of everyone in a predominantly dark haired and eyed country. Typically Halcyon is dressed in well-crafted and functional attire, focusing on battlefield practicality. When traveling on the road, Halcyon prioritizes function over form and can be seen wearing tough and heavy duty explorer’s clothes with quick access pockets for his scrolls, and a thick cloak for warmth.

Halcyon is well spoken and well mannered, an after affect brought on from strict military discipline. He is intently driven to always be carrying his ‘share’ of the work and takes great care to never be seen as ‘slacking’ or doing anything other than his best. Halcyon is a very social person, able to talk to people of all walks of life and does not mind being the centre of attention. His time as a mercenary has taught him to be a decisive leader in battle he is quick to shout orders, and shape the battlefield to his advantage.

Halcyon was born in 4684 into the Rastler family through the union of Daris Rastler and Misha Kross. Daris, a native of Absalom and an adventurer belonging to the Pathfinder Society met Misha when his group hired passage on a merchant ship while travelling up the East Sellen River. Misha was onboard as a representative of a trade consortium based out of New Stetven.

Over the long trip the two became friends, and a few years later when Daris’s adventuring days were behind him and Misha was no longer required to travel so regularly they settled down together in New Stetven and started a family. Daris joined Misha her work, leveraging his contacts from the River Kingdoms and Absalom to open an entirely new avenue of trade.

Halcyon’s parents were successful enough to allow him to grow up in the heart of New Stetven, free from having to worry about his next meal, or fit into a particular future. At his father’s urging, Halcyon was enrolled in a formal academy in New Stetven to learn proper rhetoric and gain a better breadth of knowledge in hopes of being able to one day contribute to the family business.

On a lark, Daris suggested to an instructor that Halcyon be tested for magical aptitude, expecting to play a practical joke on his eldest son. What they found out however, was that Halcyon possessed an unparalleled gift in Arcane magic. As a retired adventurer he knew the impact magic could have on the world and as an indulgent father he could not but help encourage Halcyon’s interest. Halcyon took to the study of magic quickly and naturally, eventually outpacing his teachers, and graduated from the college in record time.

The years of living in the city of New Stetven made the increased of tension between House Surtova and the other noble families readily apparent as temper’s began to flare at a moment’s notice. His mother experienced the brunt of the growing division based on Issian and Rostlandian lines. Feeling concerned to what life in New Stetven would lead to, should tempers continue to boil, Halcyon made a drastic change in his life, he signed onto a mercenary company hiring out of Restov selling their services in the River Kingdoms. If there was to be a war, he would face it as a trained mage. Not as a frightened calf waiting for the butcher.

For a number of years Halcyon toured with mercenary bands improving on both his arcane and leadership skills, earning a reputation as a fearsome battlemage and a capable leader. His nearly infallible memory and attention to detail has served him well for recording the lay of land and then leading his company over it. Today, with the mercenary company having dissolved, Halcyon has returned home, looking at finding a new place and niche for his life.

Daris Rastler – Age: 52 Halcyon’s father, a retired bard and Pathfinder hailing from Absalom, now living in New Stetven working as a fairly successful broker with his wife Misha. Daris lives as a social butterfly able to charm the hardest client and befriend the grumpiest investor, striving to build long lasting and strong working relationships that will last decades. When not occupied with business, Daris is a prolific author known for several long running series of terrible breathtaking romance novels and dotes on Halcyon’s other siblings. Daris and Halcyon maintain an amicable relationship, though Daris secretly wishes Halcyon chose a safer profession.

Misha (Kross) Rastler – Age: 49 Halcyon’s mother, a sharp eyed businesswoman born in New Stetven. Misha serves as a logistical coordinator for a trade consortium based out of New Stetven, be it ships, oats, swords, or rocks, Misha will be able to find it and arrange to have it sent halfway across the world until it reaches where it needs to be. Her recent passion has been to take up duelling to help break up the stress brought on by dealing with the endless issues brought on by her work. She sees much of Daris’s old wanderlust in Halcyon and prays for the day that it finally burns itself out and he settles down. She would be hard pressed not to drop everything should she ever find out that she has grandchildren on the way.

Merris Firestein (deceased?) – Age: 60 (half-elf) A somewhat effective leader of the mercenary company – Blackfoot Brigade – hired Halcyon out of Restov and over the years taught him the art of war, keeping Halcyon close as a protégé. Merris was a once fighter of great skill and focus, however injuries and the loss of a number of comrades turned slowly Merris into a quiet and morose drunkard, most of the time. When memories of the past became far too much to bear Merris’s cups turned sour and the rage that followed was legendary. Merris was believed killed during a brutal battle that caused the company to disband due to the casualties taken, no trace of his body was ever found.

Joan Candren Age: 21 (Human) - Belonging to House Candren of Absalom Joan found herself ill suited to a life of business and trade, craving a more active lifestyle, this wanderlust lead to her eventually leaving Absalom in search of adventure. If Halcyon was Merris's right hand man towards the final days of the company, Joan was his left. Joan is a highly trained sneak thief, duelist and scout. Able to find whatever dirt was needed on a person, organization or place at a moment's notice. Her friendship with Halcyon bordered on the line of intimate, both enjoying each other’s company, but both never making a commitment. She took the death of Merris to heart, and dispersed with the company when it disbanded and Halcyon has not seen her since.
[spoiler=Enemies]
Razmir of Razmiran - The ruler of Razmiran and a self-proclaimed living deity. While potentially not directly aware of Halcyon, Halcyon’s company served a span of months directly combating against Razmiran’s expansion tendencies within the River Kingdom and was instrumental in a number of skirmishes. The pinnacle of Halcyon’s achievements was accidently single-handedly capturing and destroying a rare shipment of Sun Orchid Elixir that Rizmir orchestrated to be stolen on his behalf.

Urdul Bazzak – Known as the Black Marquis, Halcyon and by extension his family have had excessive dealings with the River Pirates under his command that prey on all river traffic. Halcyon has personally led a number of bait ships attempting to thin out the pirates on the Sellen river. Over the years a number of family friends have been wounded, killed, or ruined by the river pirate. Should Halcyon be ever given the opportunity to kill Urdul, he would jump at the opportunity, preferably after slowly roasting the man first.

Castruccio Irovetti – The Ruler of Pitax, originally hired Halcyon’s company to act as a policing force against internal unrest, largely caused by his own mismanagement of the city. When asked to open fire on a group of artists that were refusing to work, Halcyon publically refused and convinced the company leader, Merris to walk away from the contract, taking a number of the city’s artists with them.

The blast threw Halcyon off his feet and through the air amid screams from his squad. Fire blossomed around the battlefield as explosive balls landed all around the battlefield. Thankful that his reflexes and wards kept him safe from the blast Halcyon staggered to his feet and laid eyes upon the burnt remains of his squad’s sergeant and three other squad mates. S$@~. “Move it hard and fast! To the wall!” Halcyon shouted to the remaining members of the squad as he assumed command.

Flaming balls continued to be launched from a small wooden walled outpost out into the mass of attacking troops as Halcyon and his squad ran towards it, attempting to rapidly cross the growing no-mans-land before morale broke. Damn catapults are a surprise! What are they loading them with?! Arrows began to pepper the ground as they entered range of the archers on the wall. A few deflected harmlessly off Halcyon’s conjured armor barely causing him to blink. “Towards the gate!” He called to his squad, missing another member, one unfortunate enough to catch an arrow in the chest.

“Sir!” One of the squad members called out “We’re firing! Look!”

Halcyon spared a glance over his shoulder, his side had finally gotten their act together and shot off a load of rock. Wait. Was that comi- “Everyone down! Halcyon yelled as he threw himself prone - head first into the ground, his remaining soldiers following suit. The load was hastily loaded and showered the ground around Halcyon with rocks. As luck would have it though, fortune smiled on the attackers and one of the larger rocks collided with the gate, blowing it off its flimsy hinges with a crash.

“Move! To the gate!” Halcyon shouted as he picked himself off the ground for the second time of the day. With a mad sprint Halcyon arrived at the gate the same moment a group of enemy soldiers did, strides ahead of his own soldiers. With a flick of his hand Halcyon sent a dizzying array of colors flying at the enemy, causing the whole group of them to fall to the ground unconscious. His troopers finally catching up to their Acting-sergeant quickly ensured none of the enemy would rise again.

“Stay close! We need to take those catapults out of action! Halcyon shouted as they moved into the outpost. The squad moved swiftly through the grounds cutting down a number of stragglers as they rounded on the catapults. Halcyon stood with a wand in hand firing off magical bolts at distant archers on the wall. Harrold! Davidson!” He barked for two of his soldiers “Cut the centre supporting ropes of each catapult from the turning wheel! They won’t be able to reload the machines until they restring the stupid thing! What?!” He yelled looking at a soldier looking to interrupt him.

“Sir! We have more coming!” A young soldier pointed a group of approaching soldiers. "Over a dozen are coming this way!"

S&!*! It looks like we’re going to earn our pay today boys! Halcyon shouted as he conjured a slick grease in middle of the coming reinforcements and began to fire missiles from his wand unrestrained. “Lock shields! This is going to get messy!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours later Halcyon sat on a large stone some distance away from the now burning outpost, water skin in hand. The battle had been hard on the mercenary company, the catapults and the exploding shot where unexpected, and casualties were high. There were no prisoners, their client didn’t want prisoners, or the outpost. He just wanted it gone. Now it was. Another piece was moved off the board in the endless battles of the River Kingdom.

Halcyon felt the winds change, bringing a pleasant breeze. Nearby he heard a gasp and a cough. “Oh gods! What is that smell?!”

Halcyon shook his head and sighed, he couldn’t smell it anymore. “War.”