Appearance

Physical Description

Hallaster is of typical Vedalken presentation, being a long limbed 6’4" with clever fingers, a blue skintone of middling depth (light freckling on his face if he’s out in the sun for ex- tended periods), bald head, broad nose, and a narrow but wiry build. He has an open smile but is not particularly handsome or ugly. His movements are surprisingly fluid and he carries himself well. He typically positions himself to the side or back of any room within which he finds himself.

Apparel & Accessories

Hallaster’s clothing has a layered and well-fitted Vedalken style comprised of well maintained brown leathers (a square- shouldered knee-length jacket and knee-high boots) over a multi-layered neat cotton shirt in deep red and sturdy brown trousers. His preferred weapon is a finely crafted Hobgoblin Warband (see II B 1) cavalry saber (5e rapier) which he wears at his left hip close to a rod (5e arcane focus) thrust through a loop in his belt. Opposite is a dagger on his right hip.

Mentality

Personal history

Hallaster has a recently discovered Elven manuscript but it is somewhat obscure in its content and so he seeks assistance in Bassonne.
 
The Hallenbok family are foremost exponents of Elf Lore, and believe that the Rift, the Vedalken, and the disappearance of the Elves are all related somehow. This may not be true, but it is widely agreed within Vedalken society that Elf magic and culture is truly exquisite and so the study of Elf Lore is well regarded, if in decline due to a lack of recent progress.
 
The Hallenbok family gained particular notoriety through their rediscovery of the art of Bladesinging. Only Hallaster and his mother have so far been able to put the discovery into practice. Ultimately Hallaster hopes to discover yet more feats of Elven prowess, but currently the scroll is his only lead.

Personality

Virtues & Personality perks

Hallaster takes care in all he does to achieve the goal he sets out, but will often make seemingly reckless sacrifices which surprise anyone who doesn’t know him well. Those who know him well realise that Hallaster typically has an ulterior motive, and that when he sacrifices something it is because he knows it can be repaired, replaced, or is not important. He is unsen- timental in this way, and at some point his peers may question his reliability or trustworthiness.
 
Hallaster does not appreciate a lack of care taken by others if he deems it vulgar and unproductive. Similarly, he is a little coddled and does not like living in rough or inclement con- ditions. While he does not require luxury, he will complain unless there is at least a little comfort to be found. He is a big coffee drinker to the point of being a coffee snob.

Vices & Personality flaws

Hallaster is not above killing or, in secret extremis, even calculated murder (see II E). Despite this, he does fundamen- tally value his associates and indeed all intelligent life, to whatever degree that intelligence extends.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Hallaster is rather peripatetic and so has few ties to other people. He is also typical of Vedalken in that he venerates his parents but is fiercely competitive with others of his peer group, including his siblings. Hallaster has four siblings: a much older brother with a young family in Veritas, and two brothers (one older one younger) and a sister (older). They are also on Scholastic Pilgrimages. His parents are retired but in reasonable health and are close with his eldest brother.

Family Ties

The Hallenboks are a lesser House but had some minor notoriety after Jellia’s rediscover of the Elven art of Bladesinging. Hallaster and his siblings all want to lift the house from its current obscurity, in line with Vedalken Blue Blood tradition.

• Parents Hallaster’s parents Jellia (370 yrs) and Barrum (395) are recently retired and live in comfort in their townhouse in the more suburban outer area of Veritas. Barrum is kindly but quiet and plays second fiddle to his wife Jellia, who is the world’s most accomplished Bladesinger, although the only other true Bladesinger is Hallaster. They tend to avoid academic politics where possible, instead electing to live more domestically, regularly spending time with their eldest son Terrant and their grandchildren. Despite retirement, Jellia and Barrum remain well connected.


• Eldest brother Terrant Hallenbok (110) and his wife Lellwin (105) lead happy, simple lives in the suburbs of Veritas. They are gainfully but not prestigiously em- ployed as educators in Elf and Dragon lore respectively. Terrant never displayed any talent for, nor inclination towards, practicing arcane magics. The Blue Bloods respect, but do not prize as highly, the more historic fields of study, and so Terrant and Lellwin are to some degree unremarkable. Terrant was always a calming steady influence on his younger siblings, and is currently the closest with his parents. Lellwin is a practical and often despairing mother, but everyone knows she loves her family dearly and her protestations can safely be ignored in the main. Anyone who actually tries to help her with anything she com- plains about will soon realise that Lellwin doesn’t want help, she wants to complain. This behaviour is rather benign and, once you get the joke, generally amusing, and the family are very fond of her. Their children, Ellium (11) and Christo (2), are infants by Vedalken standards and are happy with their parents.


• Elder brother Jondo Hallenbok (93) followed in his father Barrum’s footsteps and is a talented mage learned in Dragon lore. He hopes to return the family to prominence by elevating their study of the arcane and by discovering the secrets of the magic which permeate dragonkin. Jondo was a little aloof with his younger siblings, and sometimes scornful of his “talentless” older brother. However family was important to him. Jondo left on his pilgrimage a good 40 years ago and so has had little contact with his younger siblings in recent years.


• Elder sister Allyse Hallenbok (73) was reasonably pro- ficient with magic but was more talented in the martial skills. Jellia’s efforts to train her third eldest as a Bladesinger ended in failure, with Allyse becoming more of an Eldritch Knight than a Bladesinger. She and Hallaster had been close as youngsters, and Hal- laster’s later success with Bladesinging was hard for her to take and caused some bouts of argument, but the two largely remained close. Allyse, like Hallaster, follows her mother’s line of research.


• Youngest brother Mallor Hallenbok (57) tended to act out as a youngster. He felt greatly overshadowed by his siblings and so resorted to displays of bad behaviour in order to get attention. Mallor is the most outgoing and personable of the family, and is also considered to be somewhat handsome. Mallor did show some potential with the arcane, but did not apply himself enough to gain great benefit. He would never admit it, but he was afraid he would never match the talents of Jondo and Hallaster. Allyse understood him the most and was protective of him at first, but eventually even she couldn’t keep him in check. Mallor was not vicious or cruel, but became a little thoughtless and selfish. Mallors sib- lings do not know what he made of himself after they left on their pilgrimages, but Jellia did try to teach him the art of Bladesinging. (Bladesinger/ Bard - College of Swords/ Arcane-Trickster Rogue).

Social Aptitude

Hallaster has an easy-going demeanour. Like most Vedalken, he gets on well with people of other cultures and puts forward a warm and friendly front, although the more insightful may see that this is somewhat practiced. In truth, Hallaster is a typical Vedalken in that he puts his work and pursuit of perfection above personal relationships.