Post by Macha on Jan 3, 2015 2:21:35 GMT -6
fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2015/003/e/6/candenicon_by_llawll-d8ce9ba.png
Inquisitor profile, finally! I hope he's alright! I've spent a lot of time figuring him out! Character Name: Canden Lavellan
Age: 29
Sex: Male
Race: Dalish Elf
Class: Mage
Specializations: Rift Mage | Shapeshifter
Favored skills: Stone Fist | Storm Magic
Hobbies: Learning about the histories of Thedas (particularly about elves), exploring the wilds, practicing magic and magical theory
Background:
Canden’s father, Assan, was born a mage into the Lavellan clan where they traveled in the northern forests of the Free Marches. But a mage’s powers are not revealed at birth, and before those first sparks flared to life in his hands at twelve years old, he had dreams of being a hunter. From the moment he was first able to hold a bow, he was a creature of the forest, stalking and sneaking through the trees and grass, eager for any target within reach of his arrows. Most elves are at ease in the forest, but for Assan, the highest branches of the trees and the soft cushion of the underbrush were more home than his own aravel. An unfortunate preference, considering his best friend’s aversion to the wilds away from the clan camps. Emerion’s abilities as a mage had manifested young, and he had been slated as their Keeper’s first at an alarmingly early age. With much of his time spent studying Elvhen lore and the duties of a Keeper, he had little time to explore forests and the wilds, and was not as home in them as many other elves were. For Emerion, Assan easy confidence with a bow and quiet love for the natural world was a beautiful glimpse into a world he felt he wasn’t a part of. He idolized Assan, and would follow at his heels at every opportunity.
But when Assan magic manifested at last, the life of a hunter was lost to him — indeed, his entire clan was lost to him. Their Keeper already had her First and a Second waiting in the wings, and they could not safely harbor another mage in their midst. At the next meeting of the clans, she asked to the Keeper of another clan, a dear friend of hers, to watch over their child and to make their clan his home. It was agreed, and at fourteen, Assan became the First to another clan, leaving the Lavellan clan and Emerion forever.
Young hearts don’t heal easily, but they are quickly swept up in other matters, especially in the life of one as hectic as Emerion’s. Several years later, he succeeded as the clan’s Keeper. As a leader he was cautious and even a little paranoid, but he was well-loved by his clan, and their best interest and happiness was ever in the forefront of his mind. In turn, the clan accepted and took in stride their young Keeper’s caution, hoping he might grow more confident with age and experience.
Communication between clans is notoriously limited, but news of tragedy has a way of spreading, even if just in bits and pieces. Emerion was never able to discern the details, but the facts of it were enough—while camped close to a human village, Assan’s clan was attacked. Many elves lost their lives, including Assan himself and the elf he had fallen in love with. There was no recovering from a blow so heartbreaking as that, and Emerion and his clan mourned the loss of one who had once been their own. But if there was to be any light to be found in such darkness, it was this: the young child left behind by Assan and his wife had survived. Emerion begged their Keeper to return the child to his father’s home clan, and having sustained such an emotional blow herself, the Keeper agreed.
From then on, the child Assan had named Canden lived and grew in the Lavellan clan.
Because he had no living parents, the entirety of the Lavellan clan became a sort of surrogate family for the young elf. Like his father before him, Canden was most at home in the forests, and took the bow as well. He was a friendly, obedient child, but much more reserved than his father had been—his self-confidence was of a much quieter sort, and though he was eager to please, he was happiest wandering the forests on his own. When he was seven years old, while wandering in the woods near camp, a halla in the trees startled him, and the shock of it sent a shock of stormy magic lacing down his fingers. Like his father, Canden had stumbled upon his birthright as a mage.
Without a First of his own, Emerion took Canden on as his successor. At times, the similarities between father and son were too much for the Keeper to bear, but they also made him fiercely protective of Canden as well. He was a patient teacher, and Canden a willing student, showing clear signs that he would be a capable First.
Canden understood that, for whatever reason, his Keeper had taken cares to avoid him as much as possible over the course of his young life. With the logic of a child, he’d assumed it had been through some failing of his own. Once he was taken on as First, however, he learned that that was anything but the truth. Training together, learning about Elvhen lore and coming into his own powers, Canden at last became close to his Keeper. He learned about his father, about what had happened to his mother’s clan and the events that had brought him, in a roundabout way, back home. Canden was quick to pick up on the control and use of his magic; he was curious about the stories and legends of their Creators and of the Elvhen ancient past. He learned about the plight of the modern elves, and how it would one day be his responsibility as a Keeper to ease that pain.
There were times where the rigors of responsibility became too much, and he would disappear into the woods for days on end (after warning his Keeper that he would be gone, of course). In the quietude of nature, he listened and learned a new magic, the magic of plants and animals and of the earth. He taught himself, in those private moments how to stretch the magic into his arms and legs and eyes and chance them all, how to take on the shape of other creatures. It was a difficult, complex and wild magic to learn, but with time and with practice and with patience, he learned.
After that, prowling the woods as a wolf or flying through the trees as a bird became his preferred escape from the pressures of leading a clan. His cautious, paranoid teacher dealt with his own stresses by being constantly working, always thinking of ways to help the elves that made up his family. For Canden, peace was found by taking time, every so often, to be alone with himself in the woods, patrolling and ensuring the safety of the clan from the outside. In that way, he was able to balance duty with his own sanity and mental health.
The clan withstood Blights and revolutions, keeping almost entirely out of the affairs of humans. However, eventually, even the Dalish can no longer ignore a world so rapidly changing. Emerion, afraid that the world was on the edge of changing far more drastically than anyone was willing to admit, knew that they must be prepared for whatever was to come. When he came to the conclusion that they must find out what was to be the fate of the Conclave—and what it might mean for the elves of the world—Canden volunteered to be the “representative” to make the journey. Despite worry and misgivings about what that might mean, for both the clan and for Canden himself, Emerion agreed.
And so, Canden began the journey to meet with all the dignitaries of the human world at the Conclave.
Personality:
Canden is a good-natured, pleasant elf. He is generally agreeable with almost anyone he comes into contact with, and is quick to try and dissolve conflicts and arguments. His posture—always just slightly hunched in on himself, shoulders drawn and head just slightly bowed—suggests a sort of reservation about the world around him; he is much more comfortable on his own, but will inconvenience himself if necessary if someone were to ask him for a favor or for his time. His smiles are small, and on occasion might even be described as pained or wincing. Many human ways are strange to him, and he often finds himself simply being swept along for the ride, smiling to brush off its unfamiliarity. Despite that, he is actually quite comfortable with himself and is confident and assured of his own abilities—it is merely a quiet kind of confidence, the kind that neither needs nor desires boasting or attention.
He isn’t the kind to make jokes or tell stories, preferring to listen to the people around him with a smile, but he always seems ready with a clever comment in return, at the very least. His training as First and preparations to become a Keeper have made him ever-ready to protect and help others. As Inquisitor, even if he is no commander, he is well-versed in maintaining peace and order at the very least, especially since so many human squabbles bear a striking resemblance to the bickering of elven children (and can often be resolved in similar ways). For those who are used to the grimacing smiles and hunched-in posture, his moments of firm and collected authority might come as quite the shock.
His deferential, almost melt-into-the-background bearing and personality may very well be an intentional construct on his part, however. Certain topics will insight a surprising amount of passion from him—elvhen history, for one, and in some cases, magical theory—and every now and again, circumstances might even reveal a sudden coldness or dangerous edge, poised somewhere below that calm facade. How deep that might run, and what might bring it to the surface, remains to be seen.
Weapons/Armor:
Canden’s wears leather-based armors that are easy to move in. Leathers provide just enough protection for a mage who fights on the sidelines, and don’t restrict his movements, allowing him to maneuver naturally and easily. His staff is simple and sturdy, channeling storm magic naturally through it. Like any mage, he can use the staff blade to defend himself in a bind, and also keeps a knife or two strapped to his belt for emergencies. Canden is also highly averse to shoes, and will only wear them when absolutely necessary.
