[Ghalerion] Ignis

Name: Ignis
Race: Mortal
Sex: Male
Age: 26
Appearance: Ignis inherited none of his grandmother’s beauty. Some may go as far as to call him ugly but those with gentler hearts would merely grant that he was “rather plain.” His nose is long and hooked, and his bushy eyebrows nearly converge; his bottom teeth are crooked, and when he smiles he has a way of exaggerating his flaws. His skin is beyond tan, and leathery on the back of his neck. His eyes, easily his most attractive feature, are bright green like those of his father. Unfortunately, his habit of squinting too much prevents people from appreciating them. He has a meager frame, not well-suited to rough labor, though he has made the most of it through hard work and exercise. He exhibits at least the strength of either of his larger brothers, and nigh double the finesse. His thick brown hair falls just short of his eyes and curls. His mother ensures that it is well kept, though he prefers to leave it to its own devices. His dress is simple, if not slovenly, a brown tunic and brown trousers girt with a leather cord; and around his neck he wears a leather pouch containing a small lapis lazuli.
Personality: On account of his appearance and the way others regard it, Ignis once struggled with issues of self-perception, but with the backing of eleven dedicated family members, he maintains a solid sense of worth. The most important thing he ever learned was that he was loved, which is enough for him. By virtue he is non-judgmental and caring toward all he meets. He demonstrates great faith in humanity, and would likely extend that faith and goodwill to other races, were he to encounter any. Equal to his trust in others are his self-confidence, his honesty, his sincerity, and his fidelity. He is always the optimist; even at his age he is rather innocent. That innocence fuels his zest for life and, lately, his hunger for experience. He may have become a bit restless, a bit tired of his simple, day-to-day life. His name is indicative of his inner fire, his adventurous spirit woken by his grandmother’s stories of a larger world. This eagerness is beset by his intellect, however. He may be a bit naïve, but he is no fool. His sword is his faith, but caution is his shield.
Abilities: In addition to his obvious athletic ability, Ignis is an uncannily accurate judge of character. In spite of the tremendous faith he has in others, he is able to perceive how deserving of that faith an individual is, and while he remains reluctant to pass judgment on others and even more so to act on such convictions, he is not easily fooled.
History: Ignis is the firstborn among three brothers and two sisters, one of whom is his twin. Born and raised in Zar by his parents, an aunt, two grandmothers, and one grandfather on his mother’s side. Appropriately, his home promoted the values of loyalty to one’s family, the virtue of honest labor, and a great respect for the land. From these values came a great sympathy and compassion for the struggling people of his home. His father’s family had tilled the fields of Zar for four generations before him, the first having come thither to escape the politics of a starkly more “civilized” world. His mother was the only child of a woman named Zara who worked at the Bathhouse at Celestia before leaving due to “too many gawking men.” Tired of the celebrities and noblemen, Zara married the brother of a farmer from Zar whose ancestry went as far back as the town’s first settlers. There they remain, now living with their grandchildren. Zara was the one who taught Ignis about the world beyond Zar, as much as his father would allow. His father was wary of what she told Ignis regarding the rest of the world for fear that he might leave home. Incidentally, Ignis did leave home, eager to see the world for what it was. His father warned against it, wary of the aristocracy’s callous elitism. His mother and his mother’s parents, however, encouraged him to pursue an education in Sparsia, and to visit the Bathhouse, of course. He was at first hesitant to leave, feeling he had a duty to his family, but with the support of his mother’s side and his loving siblings he resolved to journey forth. He would especially miss his sisters, who were most dear to him. He now makes his way toward the Sparsian Academy per his grandmother Zara’s advice, hoping to stake a claim in the world and bring prosperity to his native Zar.