Synopsis
Bloodshed breeds bloodshed. Why raise a sword when conversation can save lives
Description
{Lawful Promise of the Heavens}
Human, Templar, 30 years of age
Blonde hair; Golden eyes
Appearance ✥
The 5-foot 11-inch Templar has luscious locks of gold that often capture the attention of all who pass by. Or perhaps those exotic yellow eyes with flecks of deep orange around the dark pupil? Either way, Aermil is far from ugly. On a scale from 0 (being absolutely hideous) to 10 (drop dead gorgeous), about 95% of those polled gave him a 9. They claimed his scowl prevented a perfect score.
This Templar from Ferelden (more specifically Crestwood) wears the colors of his Keep--white and red (notice he does not wear gold!). Is armor is less metallic and more leather, for he prefers speed to brute strength.
Aermil's uniform has just the right amount of protection. His connectors--knees, elbows, shoulders--are protected with a durable metal to prevent damage that would cripple his career. Around his lower legs, he wears simple leather. He knows all to well that he might have to pass through a stream or river to get to the other side so he opted for some water-resistent materials to keep his toes warm. This same leather is carried throughout his design. Although it can get warm, he did install an option which allows him to unstap the material to allow airflow. It's a painfully long process, but it gets the job down if he needs to cool down quickly.
The Templar often wears his hood up, in failed attempts to hide his signature blonde hair. Although blonde hair is far from rare, it is truly a sight to behold, especially come dawn or dusk. The way the sun kisses it makes it glow like gold.
He has a very faint scar above his left brow and will later come to spot a scar that runs vertically across the left side of his lips. Across his back are a slew of scars from fire or fighting. On his right hand, he has a few visible cuts that appear too random to be from a battle. They are actually from falling. He took a wrong step once and tumbled down the side of a hill. His hands and knees absorbed much of the rolling.
Facially, Aermil's eyes are always set forward. They're stern and look as if they care little for life. His lips are lithe and pulled tight. His scowl is something of legend for very few can match his angry stare for hours upon hours.
Personality
Personality ✥
About as cheeky and chipper as they come. Not. Aermil is quite the opposite of friendly. Most fear to approach him for he gives off a wicked, scornful aura. His lips are taut and his eyes are always set a forward with a haughty glare to them. Smiling? Ha, he wouldn't dream of such a thing! Which is quite a pity for his grin is something on par with the grace of the gods. It's soft and perfect, much like his fine golden hair.
When describing Aermil's personality, most would state the similarities between he and a dragon. This is humorous as Aermil's family coat of arms is one of a red dragon that wields both a sword and a shield. Fitting, is it not?
Regardless, he's arrogant, boastful, and proud, much like the dragons that stomp and burn as they please. He's dry and wry, having a very sarcastic sense of humor too. Aermil's lack of patience makes many wonder how he came to be a Templar in the first place.
Most would peg the blonde as the type to abuse his power, but such has never been the case. Aermil only draws forth his sword when a true enemy presents itself or the innocent need shielding. He has never shown aggression toward those without Templar nobility. In fact, he has been known to step in when women, children, or non-humans are at the end of a whip or leash. This does not, however, mean that Aermil is without prejudices.
If asked to defend a mage or an elf, he would though he would grumble the entire time. He truly believes that mages need to be checked and kept in line. He knows that if free, they would use their magical abilities to benefit themselves, and not the greater good. It is safe to assume that all of Aermil's run-ins with mages revolved around impure mages that sought control and power. Those maddened by their isolation and differences.
Still, despite his great dislike for mages, he does not kill them willingly. He first analyzes the situation. If death is necessary and absolute, he will slaughter them. If death can be avoided and negotiations possible, he will sheath his weapon and allow diplomatic resolutions (resolutions such as imprisonment, slavery, or being kept on a tight leash).
As such, Aermil always follows his moral compass. He does what he believes is right, even if others see it as wrong. This ties in with his "must they die or can this be settled peacefully" state of mind. Personally, Aermil is not a fan of bloodshed. He fears that is too much of it, which helped attract the demons to the land in the first place. He believes that weapons are a coward's tool, noting that any brave man would raise words over weapons to quell the rebellious.
However, Aermil is a realist. He is very much aware of the fact that words cannot bring peace. That a sword is necessary to mow down the bad and a shield is required to protect the good. Regardless, he'll do what he must to protect those that need defending.
Mage and elf opinions aside, the golden eyed male is fiercely loyal to whatever cause he gets behind. His stubbornness knows no bounds and his haughty attitude sometimes gets the best of him. He has been known to have little bouts of anger and can quickly become irrationally violent when his buttons are pushed.
So few believe Aermil to be the kind of man to joke and have fun, but the blonde does retire his cold features from time to time. A few drinks can really loosen him up and turn the Templar into quite the charmer!
Equipment / Abilities
Weapon ✥
Aermil carries with him a curved sword and a shield. He's a Templar Warrior, having learned to fight with these weapons since he was just a little boy. He was exceptionally good at blocking and tended to shy away from the sword. As he grew and learned what the sword stood for, his swordsmanship improved to the point where his senior put in a request to have the lad become a Knight-Corporal. Aermil turned this down, however, stating that he didn't want the added responsibility. He didn't want to have to be the one to decide between life and death.
Skills & Talents ✥
Aermil is a lyrium user. His magic resistance is fairly high compared to his peers in Crestwood. He has been able to cast magical damage to thwart corrupt mages, but this often requires a surplus of lyrium--something hard to come by in Aermil's village.
Outside of his Templar training, Aermil is exceptionally good with his hands. Although not seen as a very masculine skill, Aermil knows how to sew and is actually pretty good at it. Most of his outfit that he wear was his own doing, sans the plates of armor.
The blonde's penmanship is also something to swoon over. He's an excellent writer and he makes his written text look like art. He claims that if he can't take the time to make something look official, why bother? To him, perfect writing makes people think you're of a noble background and Aermil is all for being respected.
Weaknesses ✥
Water. And ships on the water. Aermil has never been of water. He'll bath in it and play in it, but only if it's shallow. He has a fear of drowning and he is quick to turn green when rocking between the waves.
Lyrium is also a weakness. He requires it. Not a lot for he fears he'll become too reliant on more than he should. He keeps his lyrium in check by writing it down in his journal he carries. If he takes more than he should for the day, he'll suffer the remainder of the day (or days) to level things back out. He doesn't want to let lyrium become more of a weakness than it already is.
Curvy woman with black hair and a sly attitude. He fell for one once and would certainly fall to another one.
History
History ✥
Losing his parents to the sea, Aermil was raised by his older sister (he was 4, she was 10). Knowing she tried so hard to raise him herself, Aermil was deadset on making her proud, though he wasn't sure how. She always argued that there were no real men in Crestwood. That they were all cowards or losers that hide behind walls or large, clunky swords. His sister, Luenae, wanted to have her own farm and family but knew better than to leave the walls of the village; too many monsters and bad men lurked in the guard-less forest.
As a kid, Aermil had no idea that it was illegal to marry one's sister, but the boy always told her that he would grow up big and strong so he could protect her from bad people. That they could have a farm away from all the 'idiots' so they could do what they wanted. Lulu (as he called her), joking told him that if he wanted to be a good man, he needed to become a Templar. That true men were Templars and she would only love a Templar.
And this, his desire to become a Templar began.
During a mage attack, a band of Templars had arrived at the village to push-back the enemy. In doing so, the six-year-old Aermil wandered up to the one with the largest sword and demanded he join them. Said he could help find the missing enemies. And he did just that. In exchange for his aid, the Templars offered to take him in. Lulu, though saddened to lose her brother, agreed. She knew it best he get raised by real men rather than the men of their village.
So off he went. He trained. He grew. He learned.
Aermil always hated sword fighting. Never thought it was a good 'first move.' He said people should talk first, swing swords later. This quickly made him a laughing stock of the group. He was also quick to learn that marrying one's sister wasn't a good idea (not that he told anyone this). A bit crushed by words, the blonde started to lose his youthful innocence.
It wasn't until the apostates came that Aermil made his full transformation.
One evening, during a routine day, a group of apostates came and razed the camp. Knowing he couldn't talk them down, Aermil drew his sword and took his first life. To his surprise, it didn't phase him. He knew why too--the apostates were evil. They wanted to kill. They were not alive. They were already dead. He was just making the body fall limp against the ground to keep others from harm's way.
After the attack, Aermil grew to hate mages. All mages. He didn't trust them. Didn't like how they thought they were gods. He swore to protect the innocent and powerless. And, with that vow, he became a Templar.
Like most of his kin, he didn't take the vow of chastity. He was heading back to his homeland with a band of men and, well, knowing the size of his kingdom, men who cast aside love would be a quick means for bringing the population down to nothing.
Back in Crestwood, he learned that his sister had since left and was now living in a castle. Apparently she was a woman of nobility now and couldn't be seen with her lesser brother (he assumes she lied and said she was of royal blood or something). Regardless, the two wrote to each other. Aermil explained he had become a Templar and Lulu said she was now a duchess. She encouraged Aermil to seek love for love with the gift of the gods. She told him to let his heart be open to all for prejudice just sealed the dark with darkness.
It wasn't long after that a group of elves moved into the village. It was love at first sight too. An elven woman with long, black hair captured his gaze and soon after, the two were a thing.
She was his everything and he had every intention of marrying the elf, Cyitae.
Too bad he didn't know she was a Antivan Crow lady.
One evening, after preparing to ask her for his hand, he found his village tousled and bodies thrown across the streets. When he asked a fellow Templar what had happened, he caught the painful words--Elven Spies.
With grit teeth, he took his horse and raced after the Antivan Crow elves. He did manage to slaughter a few but the woman who stole his heart...he never found her.
Returning home, he worked on repairing his village and training new Templar. His demeanor changed once again, making him into the scowling man he is today.
Again, his world slowed and all seemed to be okay. Then, out of the blue, a neighboring village begged for help. Still dealing with the damage from the Antivan Crows, they were unable to help. Then, the request vanished without word of why. Concerned, Aermil rode to see just what had happened. When he arrived, he was met with darkness unlike anything he had ever seen before. Voices of the lost screamed in his ears.
Racing home, he told his town of what he saw. They mocked, jeered, and laughed and eventually forced him from their village.
On his own again, Aermil followed the rumors whispered on the wind. That a woman from the Emerald Graves was pushing back the demons that sought destruction.....
Extra
Transformation ✥
After joining the Shepherds, Ari ditches his Templar uniform to support his new clan. As visible, his sword changes too. He wants to cut all ties with his past and begin anew. He knows that if he lets his past interfere with the present, the future will fall to darkness. He removes distractions and prepares for the chaos that will likely be thrust upon them as things progress and truths are discovered.
The Fade ✥
Aermil's appearance in the Fade.
The Happy Ever After ✥
Aermil's appearance, if he does end up romancing Ru'Onna.
Refreshing Feed...
