Post by Kite on Oct 5, 2010 22:26:22 GMT -5
(Picture credited to J. Wilson and The Mad Englishman of DeviantArt)
Name:
Clarus Maleficarum
Age:
125
Race:
Shade, Former Human
Occupation:
Owner, Leona Lake Trading Company, Spellcaster
Allegiance:
Whoever has the most lax trade laws and his greed
Physical Description:
Clarus is a tall man for either Humans or Shades, standing at a height of 6 feet and 5 inches. He is gaunt, his body mostly what humans would describe "skin and bones" from the use of large amounts of magic and small amounts of food. His skin is deathly pale as is customary for Shades. His eyes are a strikingly deep green, kept through magic, and he has the stance of one accustomed to be listened to, and superior. He seems to be a man of his lower 20's, which surprises most people as he is so high up in rank. He wears the clothes of an aristocrat, a fine black tailored jacket with a matching black front-buttoned shirt, tucked into flexible black tailored dress pants, and fine dark leather shoes. This, coupled with his longer length bright scarlet hair, makes him a very striking figure to behold. His stature, as previously mentioned, is one of the sort of man in command with no fear of those he commands. He stands lazily and is often imperious in his commands and nature, giving orders with a lazy flick of his hand.
Personality:
Clarus seems to the world like an aristocrat. He is lazy, selfish, and gives orders like it is second nature to him. He has an unmistakeable air of command that he gives off, but those around him also feel something more menacing. He is something of a rogue, for he is a man of his own. He cares not for Broddring or Du Weldenvarden. Rather, he cares for his own personal gain. He enjoys the privledges of wealth and power, and lusts for more constantly. He also feels strong in the legend of the Shade. The physical martial arts are a mystery to him, and he doesn't mind that. He is supremely confident in his magical skills, which he has honed religously for his entire lifetime, even before he became a Shade.
History:
Clarus Maleficarum was born Clarus Magnus of Belatona, on the Leona lake to a woman named Alaria Magnus. She was proclaimed a witch by the townspeople. However, the townspeople were right in this case, as Alaria was a magician and sorceress. She taught her child, Clarus, at a young age the arts of magic. When he was at the age of 14, he saw his mother perform a spirit summoning and inquired her about it afterwards. She was hesitant, but then gave in to his requests, and Clarus began his journey in becoming a sorceror. By the age of 16, he had summoned his first spirit and had commanded it to do the simple task of getting him a bagel. From that point on, he was hooked to the use of spirits. He was sent into village monthly by his mother to buy supplies for, while they knew nothing of the young man's magic, they knew about Alaria's, and didn't trust her enough to let her in town. He saw society while he was out, even if its just the society of a small village, and he craved it. He wanted desperately to experience the "culture" and the togetherness of a village. To meet people and hear the stories.
By his 18th birthday, he had grown a lot in his magical strength, and his sorcerous control, and he decided to move out from his mother's home. He began to live in the town of Belatona, instead of on the outskirts of the town, and became an apprentice to the owner of the traders market. He was unusually old for an apprentice, but he learned quickly under the man about buisness and freight. He also saved every penny he got and at the age of 23, when he was an official partner with the older marketman, he moved out of rented space he was in and bought a small house in town. In the confines of his home, he once again began his magic practice in private.
Things went well, until Clarus was 29 years of age. He was in a serious relationship with a woman named Mara Laiden when she walked in on him. Not with another girl, that is. She walked in on him while he was practicing his sorcery. He instantly dispelled the spirit, allowing it to go back to its old existence. However, the deed had been done, and Mara ran off. Clarus was at somewhat of a loss of what to do, so he gathered his most important things, and hoped that he wouldn't need the preparations in place. His hopes were in vain, and the village came to drag him out and impale him, and burn him. Whatever they decided first. He had to think quick from when they pounded on the door, and he did so.
He summoned three powerful spirits to him and offered to house them in the world in exchange for his life and power. The three spirits of greed agree to his terms and possess his body as the villagers come into the room, lead by the town mayor and Mara. They see the man convulse and see his body slowly change, his hair becoming crimson red and his skin becoming pale as porcelain. He turns to those in the room, and the mayor tells him that he is under arrest, to which Clarus just laughs and gently picks at the finger nails. He then says "I think not..." and proceeds to use his new found power in magic to cast a fire spell and burn all those in the house except him, and he controls it to open a pathway as he walks through it, laughing at those in pain around him. He then decides to move quickly before word spreads too much farther. He moves to his business and takes a horse, and rides off towards Dras-Leona, where his earnings from the trading are kept. He reaches there in a day and nearly killing his horse doing so. He goes to the bank and checks his earnings, delighted with the amount he has earned so far. He goes to the local trading company and buys his way into a partnership with them.
He remains in control of his body for the most part, and finds that he has a heightened need of material goods. He decides that is from the spirits of greed inside him, waiting. From here, in his new partnership, he starts to take charge, going big on his risks with his partners, and using his new skills and spirits to make absolutely sure they paid off. Soon enough, the partnership and everyone in it was filthy stinking rich, and he waits patiently. Years pass, and the traders get a little wary as he does not age with them, and Clarus simply smiles at them and shrugs, telling the, its all in their heads, that he is as old as they are. And, eventually, his partners die off one by one of old age, leaving him in control of the company
As his partners died and he gained complete control of the company, his business actually began to flourish. It has been on a rise for the last few decades, and he has grown in power, and his shipping company has become a major player in the Leona Lake area, and has been looking to expand past that recently. Clarus personally has been practicing his magic at his small estate outside of the town of Belatona. His mother now being dead, and all those residents who knew him for what he was now gone, and those that still were wary of him had only heard rumors and ghost stories, allowing his influence to grow and making it so that his only worry was the expansion of his company and whatever idle fancies that he desires.
