Harul Safan was born in Absalom, where he spent much of his life. Born to two teachers at the Arcanamirium, Absalom’s premier magical academy, much of Harul’s childhood was focused towards acceptance at that school. Having been blessed with his parents’ intellectual abilities and a keen eye for understanding the mathematics underlying magic, Harul was readily accepted to the school. He began his first year with an already solid understanding of magical theory, and even the ability to cast a few minor cantrips.
While most who attended the Arcanamirium studied traditional wizardry with a focus towards creating magic items, Harul’s childhood had him ahead of where others were. With the standard course material proving to be simplistic to him, Harul began looking for other, lesser known courses that might provide a challenge. In that quest, he eventually came upon a little-known field program run by an Elven wizard named Arvalus Sylvain. Arvalus believed that the best way for aspiring wizards to achieve their potential was by venturing beyond the halls of the college and into the world. He had designed this program to feature frequent excursions to other parts of Absalom, as well as teaching students skills that didn’t rely on magic.
For Harul, this program represented an actual challenge. Magical theory was something he’d been taught all his life - how to splint a broken leg or live off the land was a completely new experience for him. Arvalus required students to learn how to craft things that weren’t magic items, and Harul found engineering principles came so easily to him that it was easy to transfer those ideas over to stonemasonry. Arvalus seemed particularly pleased by Harul’s choice, and encouraged him to research methods through which magic could be utilized to strengthen stone and build long-lasting, highly durable structures. The principles intrigued Harul, who immediately saw the potential in defensive fortifications, as well as for structures in regions hit by particularly severe weather events.
Harul’s parents were worshippers of Nethys as the god of magic, and it was no surprise that Arvalus was, as well. However, Arvalus belonged to another sect known as the Scutum Arcanum, which focused their worship on Nethys’s protective and creative aspects as a means of utilizing magic to safeguard the people of Golarion from all dangers, from the mundane to the magical to the planar. Throughout the course of his education, Harul came to hold similar beliefs, and so joined the group. His parents didn’t particularly care, but they did begin to wonder if his magical talents were being maximized to their fullest extent. Regardless, he eventually completed his education and graduated.
After graduation, the Scutum Arcanum dispatched him to LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED in order to assist in building a library that would double as a temple to Nethys. Providing him with some funds and supplies for the journey, Harul left Absalom for the first time, first by boat, then over land. [BACKSTORY DIVERGENCE: OPTION 1]On the way to LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED, Harul stopped in INSERT VILLAGE HERE to rest for the night. While he was there, the world was suddenly shattered. Unable to continue on to LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED, as he was now in what amounted to a small pocket dimension, consisting of the village and some of the surrounding hinterlands. Stranded, he decided to make the best of it and pitch in, first helping to calm the populace and then applying his knowledge and skills to help them survive. He was a skilled potion maker, and when the LOCAL THREAT decided to attack the village, he helped them defend and fortify it, treat injuries in the aftermath, and rebuild the damage. [BACKSTORY DIVERGENCE: OPTION 2]Just a day after his arrival in LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED, the world was suddenly shattered. Trapped in LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED, the planned library construction was quickly abandoned as the local government did their best to calm the populace and prevent them from rioting. [Insert events in LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED that Harul had to deal with here.][END BACKSTORY DIVERGENCE]
In what free time he had, Harul was able to determine that the world had been magically shattered. Based on the teachings of Nethys and his own divinations, he suspected that someone had tried to replicate the feat, but was unable to do so. To Harul, that was unsurprising - Nethys was likely more powerful than whoever thought they could follow in his footsteps, and ascending to godhood had shattered him. This fool had instead shattered the world, and hopefully died in his attempt. It was the least he deserved. Now, if only he could find a way to repair the world…
Appearance and Personality:
Dressed in relatively normal, well-made traveling clothes with sturdy boots, a hat, and a warm cloak, Harul looks less like a wizard and more like an ordinary traveler. Even his quarterstaff is more of a walking stick than it is a magical implement.
Possessed of a friendly nature, Harul takes seriously the duty of protecting those under his care. His keen, analytical mind allows him to quickly assess a situation, and determine how he can best help - even if that means doing nothing.
