King Durvan Tbis Maithea (a.k.a. Durvan the Pious)
The ruler of a fallen city stepped through the gates of his home, coming face to face with the people that had made his life hell for the past few years. Their bows were trained on him, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Their leader, a squinty rail of a person, watched Maithea approach with incredulity.
"Ambassador Dovenga?" he asked. The haughty figure nodded. "Well then, shall we discuss your terms?"
The ambassador muttered a few words in his oily-smooth tongue. Two robed Endrugalim approached., seixing Maithea by each arm. A third figure rummaged through his pockets and asked about the nature of certain jewels he wore.
"No struggle. Bad things hapen to you.," one of the robed figures declared. Through his broken estimation of Maithea's language, the speaker got his mesage across with body language and a firm squeeze on Maithea's bicep.
After being sufficiently humiliated before a crowd of enemy soldiers, Maithea rubbed his arms to get blood flowing through them again. Twenty years of ruling and this is how it ended. The same person who threatened Maithea acted as translator.
The whole conversation was made very awkward by the translator's broken translations. Yet the intent of the message was clear, once again thanks to body language. Does Maithea agree to relinquish his claim to the city in exchange for his life and the lives of his people? There is no better choice. Does he agree to renounce his gods and serve the One and only? With respect to the ambassador, Maithea declined, citing that to renounce his gods would be to betray his people fully and irreversible. Then does Maithea forfeit the right to personal freedom in exchange for his life and the lives of other worshipers of "false" gods? If he must. After the ambassador received these answers, he murmured something to the translator. A plain sheet of canvas accompanied by the demand for a signature was thrust into Maithea's hands. He reluctantly signed it.
Before Maithea could react, the mage pricked his pen hand with a blade. A few drops of blood stained the page.
"What trechery is this?!"
"No treachery. Magic. Paper used make sure you keep word."
"I come to parley and you draw blood without any warning. I know you need assureance that I keep my word, but this...magic was not anticipated. Had you told me before you cut my fingerI would have done it myself. Instead, you breach parley with your actions." Maithea declared, not only to the offending soldier but to the crowd at large. As he turned bak towards his home, he heard a few words whispered behind him. Then a searing pain slashed across his shoulder. His knees buckled under the force of some outside influence. The mage was smiling, holding a slightly torn and folded page, the one with his signature on it.
"You keep word. We keep ours. You ours now."
Physical Description
For most of his lie, Duvan was healthy and strong. He trained when he was not actively fihting, and when he was fighting, he would attack the strongest foe he could see.
He had obvoious tan-lines from long years of military training, but his natural skin tone was ivory. He had dense brown curls which he cut short to make his helmet that much mroe confotable. He had a lean but muscular body and a stern complexin.
His strong jaw and cheekbones broadened his face and made him seem a little more intimidating. His green eyes were piercing and always alert. His slightly upturned nose emphasized his thin-lipped frown and his dense brows nearly merged with his hairline.
Durvan had the family crest on his chest, as all royal heirs do. He had the symbols of the gods tattoed ov3er his arms.
Durvan always held a strong, open posture in his home. Striking with his left hand in battle, he differed from most of his forebears. His face obviously flushed with drink in an almost comical way.
Durvan always wore some form of armor, chainmail in his own home, tough hides in his sleep or walking around the city. During feasts he wore ceremonial bronze armor but he prefered mobility over protective covering. He alwayswore a gold-set ruby, Kiegan's symbol, around his neck. The symol of Kiegan marked the backof the cabischon so that he could call upon his power in emergencies. He also wore a gold ring with all the symbols of the gods represented.
Mental characteristics
From a young age, Durvan was trained in combat and strategy. His fater expected him to rule the city he grew up in. When his father was killed in a conflict with another city-state, he took on the role of king and ruler, taking his father's place in the front lines. He was very pious, always sacrificing to the gods any precious gems they recovered. When the Corthalians threatened his home, he fought back with a fervor rivaling that of the godd Rias. Some say that he glowed with a power coming rom a devine source as he commanded the forces on the city walls.
Durvan was resoundingly male. He relished his masculinity and flaunted it, especialy to artists whom he paid to sculped effogies of him.
Durvan enjoyed the company of many women, but there were a few in his forces that were knownto indulge allongside him.
Durvan was well-educated in combat, religion and history, though his education was limited to that of his own city.
From age 18, Durvan ruled his city until the Corthalian annexation twenty years later.
Durvan was very strategy-minded, though he always included the gods in his battle plans, imploring them to guide his efforts. He conquered three smaller towns and expanded his city's borders to include a stretch of the river it sat beside. He also put up a five-year fight against the Corthalians, first on the field with hundreds of troops, then being besieged by them for the last year. He also knew when to retreat, always putting the lives of his people before victory.
Durvan gave himself over to wine during times of relative peae. He also paid several lcal artists to makeimages of him. Durvan also applauded himself for his social standing. He enjoyed punnishing anyone who laid a finger on him.
Durvan gave himself up to drink after he saw his father split by a sword. He also watched his father being beaten up by dissentng warriors. Though they did not kll him, they severely hurt him. Durvan's father did not retaliate because he valued his warriors and made an effort to heed their advice. Durvan was not so lenient. He tracked those warriors down and stripped them of their titles, submitting them to service in his palace.
Durvan was very strategical. He enjoyed sand maps and often played out different scenarios. He actualy invented the game of chess for his own entertainment and to challenge other strategists in his city.
Durvan valued the gods. He valued his peoples' lives more than victory but trusted the gods to guide them should something happen to him or when he was away. He regularly sacrificed to each of them to retain their favor and show his people that to worship the gods is to improve one's life.
Durvan despised traitors and bullies. He punnished them with equal fervor. He also disliked those who attempted to physically outdo him or jump him. Though he often traveled unguardd, he would carry a plant with him that is known to cause rashes. He would spear it on any exposed skin he could find. That way, he woulk know who jumed him by the rashes on their necks or hands.
Personality Characteristics
Strove to be glorified as an apic hero.
Great at swordplay. Can hold his liquor. Not great with fine skills like sewing or carving. Very strategic but limited knowledge of other regions.
Strategy games, art of himself, liquor, sexual exploits, swordplay, music, hunting. Dislikes fish, flying insects, animal sacrifice, piercings.
Pious, protective, kind, wealthy.
Liquor, pride, devotion to battle.
Flushes with liquor. doesn't like sitting still.
Strong BO and alcohol because of workouts and drinking. Sometimes smells like puke and...waste during binge-drinking sessions. Maintains his living spaces.
Social
Durvan consigned himself to service in Corthalian labor camps to save his city from destruction. Had three wives and over twenty concubines. Sometimes indulged with his generals.
Heir to the throne of Ngti, and brother of two very beautiful women who helped rebuild the city after his departure.
Durva fully believes in the Sabbish pantheon. He prays to every god at least once a week, and readily gives up treasures for them when he finds them after battles.
Very brash and flirtatious, but charismatic in front f an audience. Somwwhat off-putting in close proximity due to his hygene.
He likes using foul language, but also uses socialy commendible words in public speehes.
Loves strategy games. Has a cat which he regularly plays with and tests for hunting skills. Also loves hunting outside the walls of his city.
Has a distinctive tennor, somewhat nasle but very strong. Has the sort of voice that is quiet but clearly heard when sober.
Before Corthalia took his home, Durvan was very wealthy and flaunted it with constant feasting.
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