Appearance

Apparel & Accessories

• Oversized Traveling Cloak, lined with small pockets to hold a collection of hand-written common-place books on a variety of topics.

• 'Havu Holder'

Special abilities

As a Demi-Highborne Undalari, he can swim like he was born to the water, hold his breath for a really long time, and has recently manifested some ability to manipulate water, though he doesn't understand it yet.

Mentality

Education

Private Training
 
Balendin began his formal education under an Undalari tutor -- Aralin of House Henway -- at the age of 9 years. His lessons focused on the wonders and glories of the Undalari and their history. It was heavily curated and obviously biased toward the Undalari, at the expense of the Baudukin -- the other prominent culture in Antelia, which -- until recently -- had been completely subservient to the Undalari.
 
Internally frustrated at the Baudukin-sized gap in his education, Balendin quickly learned how to manipulate Aralin into providing him with the information that he wanted. Through a variety of means -- all passive-aggressive -- he complimented, cajoled, and challenged his way into a knowledge of the Baudukin. He manifested a voracious appetite for knowledge of any sort, and a prodigious ability to learn and retain that knowledge.
 
Privette Upon Ebony
 
At 14 years old, Balendin was sent to Privette upon Ebony -- also known as Whitekeep -- for a two-year period of mandated education. This was in accord with the Order of Nations laid down by The Etherborne Gods, Tallin and Trice, which stated that "all children of families having any connection to the governments or political ordering of any nation, shall be required to spend two years at either Privette Upon Ebony, or Bellum Upon Ivory, being provided a general introduction to the cultures, histories, and prominent figures of all other nations of Adulmea, as well as a grounding in the Omnian Language, Calendar, System of Weights and Measures, and Currency program. Upon completion of this two-year period of study, students may choose whether to continue their education or return to the educational institutions of their own homeland."
 
After his first two years, Balendin couldn't bear the thought of leaving an Institution that valued knowledge for the sake of knowledge. He was addicted to the learning that he was doing. He felt more himself than he ever had before, in the halls and grounds of Privette Upon Ebony. He was encouraged by his Attendants to continue as well, for they saw his potential, and had been well-trained not to allow such cognitive prowess to be squandered if they could help it.
 
Balendin stays on to choose his Paradigms. He chooses The Civilities, knowing that this would be the only way he would be able to talk his parents into letting him stay. But, he also fed his own academic desires by choosing a second Paradigm in The Mysteries -- a study of the religions, myths and superstitions of other cultures.
 
As the time came to hone in on a Disquisition, he was unsure of what culture to specialize in. At this important moment of transition, he met a middle-aged Wydrun man named Sornuss of Sept Idriss -- a Questor of The Order of the Yearning Heart. He formed a friendly relationship with Sornuss (which lasted for six months), who taught him much about Wydrun culture (as well as teaching him to play the Sisrana...a rare Wydrun double-flute). Falling in love with the culture, he took this up as his Disquisition.
 
A year or so later, Balendin was assigned to be the Attendant to a young Fyrenzi princess of sorts -- Miraj, Daughter of Eminjed. To be of better use in this regard, he began to study Julisian culture, ultimately taking on a second Disquisition in The Mysteries of the Julisi peoples.
 
Intern and Research Assistant
 
Upon completion of his education at Privette Upon Ebony -- 6 years after arriving -- Balendin manages to talk his parents into letting him stay on as a research assistant and intern of sorts to the Disquisitor of Civilities -- Yender Olmadau.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Achieved a rare Double-Paradigm and Dual-Disquisition at Privette Upon Ebony. Also, his lengthy Disquisition on Wydrun Mysteries is fast becoming seen as an authoritative voice on the subject.

Intellectual Characteristics

Prodigious Memory.

Morality & Philosophy

Balendin is split down the middle in this regard. He was given a firm grounding in Undalari Ideals -- which place emphasis on appearances, status and power, as well as on loyalty to one's house and dedication to raising it above all others. The games played among Undalari houses -- the bloated and complex aristocratic apparatus of Antelia -- have elevated the ideals of manipulation, artful deception, outward grace and beauty, and elitism. The result is that any Undalari who are taken seriously wear a figurative mask, and are whatever they need to be or whatever will help them acquire the power and prestige of their house.
 
Due to his education, however, he has come to embrace the doctrines of The Middling Way -- balance, celebration of other cultures and perspectives, as well as authenticity.
 
This jars with his upbringing. He struggles between what he was raised up to, and what he has come to believe through his own experience. He knows that at some point he will have to choose between these two ideologies...that one will have to be sacrificed for the other.

person.sexuality

Heterosexual

person.gender_identity

Male

Known Languages

Speaks Omnian, which is the international language given by Tallin to the people. Fluent in all Antelian dialects (Undalari and Baudukin). Speaks Liserian fairly well, and has an academic understanding of Rysendian -- the language of the Demi-Highborne Wydrun people. Has tried to learn Julisian, but struggles with it.

Personality

Motivation

Pursue knowledge for the sake of knowledge for the rest of his life. Also highly motivated to do anything that allows him to procrastinate going home, and being forced to make a very hard decision.

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Books? I've got books!"
"Don't you make my name a verb."

Social

Birthplace

Liloan Under Rhine

Current Residence

Faerie-Dog Tavern and Inn

Honorary & Occupational Titles

Heir Ascendant of House Cyurio

Wealth & Financial state

Affluent. Wealth comes from his family -- House Cyurio -- one of the 'Big Four' Grotto-Lord families of the Undalari. He can access this wealth at one of several banks in major cities, including The Crossroads, Celvin, Pylum, Trinby, Verlyn, Kenning, Felquyst....and many more.

Family Ties

House Cyurio
House Nareid (though his mother Linoryn, previously of House Nareid)

Religious Views

Embraces 'The Middling Way' -- the ideology of the Etherborne gods, Tallin and Trice. He especially adheres to the portion of this gospel embodied and engendered by Tallin, which places an emphasis on seeking Knowledge for the sake of Knowledge, and engaging in the cataloguing and disquisition of this knowledge. This belief system puts an emphasis on balance between powers, understanding and acceptance of the individual beliefs traditions and values of other people and nations (as long as these don't reach beyond the bounds set by Tallin and Trice), and on seeking to discover and understand oneself and be authentic to what is discovered.

Social Aptitude

Highly introverted, socially awkward...happiest when alone or in small groups of people he cares about.

Hobbies & Pets

• Havu -- a Lowborne Yuri (will-o-the-wisp) which bound itself to him, while he was young. It follows him, providing a personal light wherever he goes, as well as helping to calm him when needed. Havu is an Antelian word that means 'light' in its noun form, as in "I see a light over there."

• Plays the Sisrana -- a Wydrun Double Flute, which is the traditional instrument of Rysendia, and is played almost exclusively by Wydrun. Learned to play from a Wydrun named Sornuss of Sept Idriss.