Appearance

Name: Ranis II of House Sykal.

Age: 28.

Race: Human.

Height: 6'2".

Weight: 220 lbs.

Body Shape: While he must bear the tall, slim form of the Sykal line, Ranis is in excellent physical shape. There are many in the kingdom who could outperform him in feats of sheer power, but few who could compete with his quickness and grace.

Eye Color/Shape: Very green, sharp and unnerving eyes.

Hair Color/Style: Dark brown hair, appears black except when in exceptionally good lighting. It is long and mostly straight, usually falling an inch below his shoulders.

Identifying Marks: He has a very commanding presence.

Clothing: All sorts of royal finery generally, generally in dark blue and white, the colors of his House. He is a king, though. He has outfits for everything from hunting and sailing to dancing and feasting. His wardrobe is very extensive and also quite stylish, if the talk of his courtiers can be believed as more than flattery.

Skin Color: White, with a light tan. He he has the light complexion of his line, but he spends much time out in the sun, so the genetics are somewhat negated.

Social Position

Class: Royalty.

Occupation: King of Ellegion.

Faction: The Loyalists.

Faction Reputation: 10.

History and Details

Background: Ranis was born the second child and only son of Beor Sykal XVI, King of Ellegion, and his wife Morgance Sykal. His early years were spent in luxury, learning the history of the kingdom, attending feasts and festivals, and playing games with his older sister Persesha and the children of Beor's courtiers. He was always remarked upon to be a bright boy, if a little bit of a spoiled brat.

Shortly after Ranis turned six years old, Peresha was kidnapped and soon after left the city of Ellegion for a convent of the Church. Ranis didn't completely understand why she had left at the time, but whenever he asked his parents, his father always seemed angry and his mother always seemed sad. The major shift that occurred, which the young prince would only come to realize later, was that Beor moved from considering Peresha his heir to considering Ranis his heir. Beor strongly disapproved of Peresha's decision and all but disowned her. Ranis had always been told that he would grow up to be a great knight and a generous lord, but now his father started telling him that someday he would inherit the kingdom and the title of King.

Ten years of relative peace passed in the Kingdom of Ellegion and the household, with Ranis spending most of his time learning history, statecraft, combat, and tactics. After losing Peresha to the Church, Ranis and his parents grew close. Beor was especially fond of his son, to the point that he overlooked much of the arrogance and underhandedness that occasionally surfaced in his son's personality. Ranis became friends with Aorean Falehadren, who he grew to think of as a brother.

Several months after Ranis turned sixteen, a civil war broke out in Ellegion. Some rogue nobleman in the wooded hills of the east had declared himself King of the Forest, but Beor would not hear of it. The king marshalled the still-loyal armies against the rebels in a war that would be quickly and decisively won.

For the first time in his life Ranis was given the opportunity to test out the skills of command and combat that his father and the household guard had taught him. Ranis proved to be a cunning and courageous general who easily won the loyalty of his men, winning every battle he participated in. He became a hero in the eyes of the people, someone they saw fit to succeed his much-liked father as King.

The most important battle in the war, however, is something that few know the truth of. After the King of the Forest and his rebel soldiers had slaughtered the women and children of House Falehadren while they were unprotected, they fled into the woods to avoid retaliation. The false King set up camp deep within the woods and allowed his soldiers to celebrate their victory. He and six of his most trusted advisors and bodyguards set off deeper into the woods to converse and celebrate out of the earshot of their men, since it now seemed they had a chance at victory.

They soon became very drunk and discarded their mail and clothing to wash themselves in a stream. Ranis, his young squire Edwin Windry, and a knight of fair rennown by the name of Sir Willam Oldpoole were scouting the area. The young prince had heard about the massacre of the Falahadrens and was seething with rage, as he feared his friend Aorean dead. He had ordered his army to split up into small groups and scout out the woods for signs of the treacherous rebel army. It was only by chance that Ranis and his comrades happened upon the rebel King himself.

Ranis, as soon as he rode into view of the stream, recognized the traitor from the few times he had seen him in court. He gave the order without thinking. What resulted was short and bloody. Three young men in full armor against seven older men naked and drunk in a stream. The false King's six friends and advisors were quickly ridden down or slain with the sword, leaving the rebel King crawling away, begging for mercy. Ranis dismounted and shoved his sword into the traitor's heart.

The young prince forced his two companions into a pact. They would claim that they had come upon the false King and his six champions in full battle gear and defeated them in a fair fight. The two of them, especially Sir Oldpoole, had objections to this, but decided to follow the will of their prince. They cut off the heads of the six advisors, but they left the traitor King's body intact and dressed him in full armor, even slicing a sword through it to make it appear that he had died in battle. They gathered the heads and the one body and headed back to their camp.

It was on the following day that King Beor and the forces of Ellegion destroyed the leaderless and confused host of the Forest King in a single, decisive battle. Shortly after, the eastern provinces surrendered one-by-one, again swearing fealty to the Sykal line. Many heroes were made in the war--especially those who had been present at the Battle of the Bloody Creek. Edwin Windry earned his knighthood, Sir Willam Oldpoole became Sir Willam Lord Oldpoole, and Beor declared that he would never lead troops again and gave control of the military over to his son. (Two months after the war, Sir Willam Lord Oldpoole was killed in a tragic hunting accident, and four months later Edwin Windry took ill and quickly died, making the young prince Ranis the only yet-living witness to the Battle of the Bloody Creek.)

Ranis was overjoyed to discover that his friend Aorean had not been slain. He spent the next several months in the sad halls of the Falehadrens, trying to comfort his friend after the massacre of his family and subsequent suicide of his father. When the priests of Deos came to speak with Aorean, Ranis openly expressed his detest for them. He left angrily, telling Aorean that he should have nothing to do with the church, calling it evil--when in truth he was really just angry that was losing yet another person he cared about to the Church of Deos. The feelings between them have since been smoothed over, but the memory of it is always there.

Upon his return to the city of Ellegion many months after the war, Ranis expected to find the mood celebratory, but it was somber. Evidently his mother had taken ill during the rebellion and spent the time after it slowly dying. His father was angry with him for not being there while she died and his love for his son slowly soured ever after, growing to associate Ranis with his lost love, trying to avoid him as much as possible. Although he had for many years raised Ranis to be his heir, the feelings he harbored after the death of his wife made this less and less certain.

Twelve years passed without much happening. Ranis spent his time after the war maneuvering himself into strategic political positions, unsure of what would happen when his father passed away. He was always a lively presence at feasts and tournaments, but his father's disdain for him caused his public image to sour slightly, making him less of a war hero and more of an arrogant, if dashing, prince.

Shortly before his father's death, Sir Joffrey Lord Sephus had privately convinced Beor to officially declare Ranis the Kingdom's heir. Despite his dislike for his son, the old King consented, knowing that a war could likely occur if he did not. It was as Ranis and Sephus were bringing him the papers to sign that Beor passed away.

As soon as word reached the Temple of Deos in the north, the High Priest declared that Peresha Sykal, the Cardinal of Orthodoxy, was the Kingdom's rightful heir. He marshalled the armies of northern lords and clergy and struck south to take the throne, by force if there was to be resistance. Ranis and Sephus quickly worked to rouse the southern nobles to support the claim of the prince, although they realized they would have a difficult time organizing the more widely-spread south. Currently Ranis is rallying the South, to defend his people--and his claim to the throne.

Ranis feels a sense of sadness about having to go to war against his sister, but he realizes that it is something he must do. He had always considered her a casual friend at best and a total stranger at worst, for she seemed to have a greater loyalty to Deos than to her House. She left when he was only six, so he remembers little of her, having only spoken to her since at the occasional feast or tournament. He feels more remorse that he must go to war against his good friend Aorean.

Relatives: Beor Sykal XVI, father, deceased; Morgance Sykal, mother, deceased, Peresha Sykal, older sister, High Priestess of Deos. He has other relatives, obviously. They will be introduced later if important to the story.

Friends: Aorean Falehadran, childhood friend despite his allegiance to Peresha.

Enemies: The High Priest, Peresha Sykal, and all traitors supporting her claim.

Likes: Tournaments, fencing, parties, statecraft, looking important.

Dislikes: Appearing weak, losing, people who don't trust him.

Strengths and Skills: Public speaking, statecraft, lying, fencing, one-on-one combat, commanding troops, quickly assessing situations and acting strategically.

Weaknesses: Quick to anger, overconfident, holds grudges forever, often uses unsavory means to achieve what he wants--but knows how to cover them up.

Property

Ranis is a king, so this list is certainly not all-inclusive. I'm more than certain I'm going to leave our something important. So I'm just going to list a few of the key things he owns and leave the rest up to my imagination. Whenever I think of something else I feel is worthy, I will be sure to edit this post accordingly.

Castle Sykal in the City of Ellegion
Direct control over the City of Ellegion and all nearby lands
The City Guard of Ellegion
The Castle Guard of House Sykal
Extensive Kingly wardrobe and other possessions
A wide assortment of exquisitely crafted, finely-ornamented armor and weapons
Kingship over the Kingdom of Ellegion