Description

Personality

Aquila is first and foremost a Knight, with all that means attached. He holds honor,honesty, virtue,strength, and above all duty above everything else. Furthermore until quite recently would brook no argument about the code, it was greater then the law and all were bound by it irregardless of actual status. For Aquila viewed the code as more then some foolish rules of conduct a squire swore to earn their spurs. It's principals were ones every single person could and should follow.

But that was before that fateful day, now he while still a knight is also something of a broken man. But he is the first one who would rush into the breech, the general who would lead at the head of his army. But the promise he made to his very soul is now the only thing that hold sway with him, but sometimes that means staying true to code. A fact which helps the disquiet this latest turn of events instills in him.

Equipment

Gothic Plate(Warplate of the Eagle)- A full suit of custom made plate it features the Eagle of his house's crest done in gold insert upon the middle of the breastplate. The armor itself is a deep black, matte in finish rather then then the polished steel favored amongst others. It is the armor of a man use to the long marches and the battlefield and thus bears numerous scratches from the attacks it has turned. Despite the scratches even a illiterate peasant would see the crafter of the armor was a master. It is the armor of his family and has been worn by the last seven generations of the Aimel's who took the path of Knighthood.

Chain mail tunic and leggings: Custom made chain mail it is worn underneath the plate and is also a matte black in finish, backed by boiled leather.

Padded Gambeson- A thick padded cotton tunic it is worn underneath the plate and chain, designed to absorb the blunt force of blows.

Red and Gold Surcoat- A surcoat done in the red and gold of his house with the Crest of his House upon it's breast. A golden eagle wings outspread upon a checked field of red and gold. It is worn atop the armor.

Long Sword( Talon): A custom made long sword it is like his armor an heirloom of the Aimel family. Forged of some unknown black colored metal it holds an edge that has never needed sharpening. At 3 and half feet long it is longer then the average long sword but despite that Talon is remarkably easy to use but that may be due to Aquila's height. The hilt is wrapped in cured sharkskin dyed black and the pommel is set with a single prefect onyx.

Kite Shield ( Wall of the Eyrie): A custom made kite shield it to is an heirloom of the Aimel family. Forged of the same unknown black colored metal it is light enough for a child to heft yet strong enough to stop everything thrown at it so far. It is set with a bas relief done in gold of his family's crest.

History

Aquila was born on his family's estate in the far south of Athenia, where the days were warm. Their lands and legacy of service and duty saw them well off and so it was in the midst of this Aquila was born. He was his parents first and only child, and thus was cherished from the day they realized no others would be coming after him. But the Aimel family was one that had produced Generals and Legendary Knights so it was no surprise Aquila took to the arts of combat at a very young age.

His parents viewed such things with both pride and worry. After all battlefields were dangerous even for the most skilled of fighters and Aquila was their only heir, Lord Aimel's brothers having died childless on a far flung battlefield.In him was the only hope of keeping their line going and thus the eagerness the young boy showed was worrying. But at the same time it warmed their hearts to see the child carry on the martial tradition that had saw their family become noble. For the first to bear the name Aquila had been a common man at arms recruited to fill the need for men during a war of his time. In the end though Aquila had changed the fortunes of many, including their king and so was given nobility that his descendants wound inherit.

So with that Lord Aimel gave his blessing to his only son to undergo the rituals of knighthood and so the young boy became a page. Serving the ladies of the court and learning of everything he should and would need the years of early childhood went by fast. Then the proud day when Sir Drake stepped up to take Aquila as his squire, for Sir Drake was famous in his own right as a Knight. Leaving his childhood home behind him Aquila traveled with Sir Drake to his estate, a keep set amongst northern mountains covered in dense forest. And in these forests he honed the skills of a huntsman and in the training yards of Sir Drake he honed his martial skills. To the surprise of no one Aquila proved a skilled combatant and seemed the newest Aimel set to walk the path of knighthood.

In due time the lessons came to an end and the knighting ceremony drew near. His parents traveled from their southern home to witness the knighting of their son, bringing with them the gifts that would see Aquila well off in his chosen path. The heirlooms of the Aimel family were his to carry with the solemn pride and honor his namesake had. So it was the midnight vigil passed swiftly and Sir Drake fixed the silver spurs upon Aquila's boots signifying the end of his squirehood and his raise to a Knight.

The years went by as he grew into his full size and the accolades heaped upon him threatened to drown him. He rose through the ranks of command, aided no doubt by both his skill and family name. He was beloved of the rank and file and respected by his peers. His raise to General saw him fall in love with the daughter of a foreign prince. Thankfully his name and position allowed him to court the dark eyed and dusky skinned beauty and it was not long before they were married. Their union was blessed with the most beautiful daughter one could hope for, tall like her father and dark eyed like her mother.

But even as the joy of his life was fully realized the battle against the Dark Ones raged on as it had since his Father was young. Aquila as a knight and General had spent nearly all his life fighting them. They could be killed but it seemed to matter little, they seemed to be numberless and as always they were being pushed back slowly but surely. It was thus the sorrow of his life came to be fully realized, first with the death of his parents but a more shattering blow was in store. His wife,Nymidea, fell sick and died of some incurable disease that wasted her body to mere skin and bones. Worse still his daughter, Diana, caught it though the herbalists and doctors were able to keep it from killing her but could not truly cure it. Diana barely eleven years old was slowly dying and it tore Aquila's heart to pieces as it tired to cope with all the sorrow of his life.

That is when the Dragon of near fable made it's return, spewing it's message or rather challenge across Athenia. The allure of a possible cure for his daughter was too great to resist and Aquila scion of the Aimel family and knight abandoned his duty to his men and King. For honor would not save his daughter but a little dragon slaying might.