Rowan Roseguard (He/Him) Age: 21 Race: Human  Culture: Valk Sexuality: Asexual Appearance Wild, unkempt brown hair with flecks of blond, and deep brown eyes. Lightly tanned skin from being outside all the time, though he is naturally very pale and easily loses colour in the colder seasons. He gets freckles on the tops of his cheeks and bridge of his nose (parts of his face not covered by his mask). He is more prone to dodging around others in a fight and trying to de-escalate conflicts with humour before they get out of hand. He has a relatively slight build but has enough muscle-mass to hold up well in a fight, even if the person he's up against is a bigger build. He is 5'6" and resents this due to being trans and feeling like he isn't tall enough to be considered a man. He wears neutral colours majority of the time, save for festivals, so he can blend in whilst on the road and due to them hiding any grime he picks up from travelling and tussles in the wild better than other colours. He fights with a sword most of the time, but carries a bow with him for hunting and to snipe any creatures that pose a threat to him but are too dangerous to deal with up-close.  Story Rowan identifies as Valkyian as he was born and grew up in the Midlands in a little village called Brittlemere, however his father is Mistan. Rowan does not know much about his father as he died when Rowan was thirteen. For years it has just been him and his mother, who taught him all he knows about combat. His mother does not talk of her late husband much, but the little he does know paints a wonderful picture of a gentle, kind man who was dearly loved in Brittlemere. Having grown up reading stories of fiction and adventure, Rowan one day a few days after his sixteenth birthday to start exploring the world around him, leaving the quiet, agricultural lifestyle of his village for days at a time. He was never gone for more than five days at a time, for his mother was quick to worry about him and Rowan did not wish to cause her more stress. For a long time, he was content with simply exploring the lands that surrounded him...until he discovered a letter, sealed with wax, addressed to him on his pillow. What was in this letter brought him to Southern Reach to begin his search for the sender and the information they possess.  Personality Still being really young and having never ventured very far from home, he is naïve about the world. A decent fighter and excellent hunter for sure, but he often runs headlong into danger - so long as it isn't a fight with another person - and sees the world through almost rose-tinted glasses. He is often cocky and (unintentionally) abrasive, though his gentle upbringing in a small agricultural town means he has a softness to him that is both a blessing and a curse. The only thing he is not naïve about is his heart - he keeps it firmly guarded, having been warned by his father at a young age that if he did not do so it would be taken advantage of, and this has the consequence of him rarely opening up about himself. This does not mean he is not civil, even if he is a little overly-sarcastic, with anyone he meets, but it does mean he is slow to befriend anyone, preferring to have few ties to any one location. He loves a good story, as do most Valkyians, and will gladly sit for hours in a tavern listening to any story someone is willing to share, and he often visits libraries where he can to read any books he can get his hands on. 

OOC Minecraft Username: crazy_stupid_tea Are you at least 18 years old?: Yes Have you read the rules? (Link): Yes(Optional) How did you hear about Avalore?: a YouTube video comment section. — In-Character Read the following prompt: The rhythmic lull of hoofbeats are a marching drum to the small group of pioneers and variety of folk you have found yourself amongst, packed into a wobbling wagon. The rolling plains of the Southern Reach and a clear sky stretch out all around you, the buzz of excited chatter a dull wash in your ears as your mind strays to your former life and what has led you here to new lands. “Nervous?” You blink, returning to the present moment. A kindly older woman sat near you is smiling warmly with a crinkle to her eyes. “I can tell it’s your first time. Still remember mine,” she flashes a grin and leans in. “Tell me my dear, why have you come to the Reach?” How do you respond (in character)? (250 word minimum - please make sure to include at least three references to our lore in your response, with two coming from different pages in the Compendium.  Two of the three selected should also be in-depth, avoid simply name-dropping lore terms. Tie the terms into your character's backstory. Why are they important to them?) Rowan looks up from the braid he's mindlessly twisting into a bracelet, tearing himself away from the winding leather strips back to the real world. He meets the woman's kind eyes and offers a tired, but genuine, smile back.  "I'm just here for adventure, really," he replies, softly. Across from him a woman has her head resting on her friend's shoulder, and he does not wish to wake her. "I come from a little village out in the Midlands." "Human, are you?" The woman asks. "Yes. Valkyian, though my father was Mistan." The woman's eyebrows raise, curiosity shining in her eyes. Rowan laughs softly. "Don't expect me to tell you anything about them. I barely know myself as my dad died when I was quite young, so I never got to ask him much about his culture," Rowan's eyes grow sad at the memory of his father. Rowan always thought it was true what they said about Mistans because his father was so different from the other men in his village. Rowan always treasures when sentimentality hits his mother, a rare occurrence as she was always a no-nonsense woman who was heavily grieved by her husband's passing and did not speak of him often, even when prompted by her own child, as she would always tell him tales of his beautiful singing voice. The songs sung by his father were always sorrowful, she'd remark, but so heartfelt they would make the whole village swoon. She would laugh as she recalled shooing away bold villagers who went after her husband.  "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," the woman replies, clearly miffed and a bit concerned about the deeper direction this conversation has taken her. Rowan offers her a kind smile, diffusing the tension.  "It was a while ago now." There is a pause, then the woman asks.  "You say you're traveling?" Rowan nods, prompting the woman to continue. "You ever done so before?"  "Uhm," Rowan hums. "Sort of. I've never gone far from home. Been doing this since I was sixteen, but my mother always worried if I were gone too long so I've never gone further than a few days trek." "It's a big leap, then. Going from close to home to the other side of The Wall, and you say you're just here for adventure?" Rowan shrugs. "Maybe a bit of trading, too, though I don't have much right now. I have to find my footing here before I begin any type of trade."  "What do you trade?"  "Pelts, meats, any herbs or flowers I might pick up on my travels. I do wood carvings occasionally as well and sell them, but they don't often go for much." The woman's eyes light up. "Oh! If we ever cross paths again and you have a carving lined up I'd love to purchase one." Rowan huffs a laugh. "You don't even know if I'm any good!" He protests quietly. The woman gives him a knowing smile.  "I've seen those hands, and the precision you were twisting that bracelet with; you weren't even looking! I bet they're wonderful," she gives a little shrug and smiles before turning away as they approach the gate.  — Character Name: Rowan Roseguard Character Race: Human Character Age: 21 Brief Physical Description: Wild, unkempt brown hair with flecks of blond, and deep brown eyes. Fairly tan skin from being outside all the time, though he is naturally very pale and easily loses colour in the colder seasons. He gets freckles on the tops of his cheeks and bridge of his nose - parts of his face not covered by his mask - during the warmer, sunnier seasons. He has a relatively slight build but has enough muscle-mass to hold up well in a fight, even if the person he's up against is a bigger build. He is 5'6" and resents this. He wears neutral colours majority of the time, save for festivals, so he can blend in better when on the road, and due to them being less likely to appear filthy if he gets in a tussle in the wild. Image of Skin and Figura Model: [Technical issue I can't seem to solve despite 2 hours of trying to means I cannot upload any image to this post, for some reason. I have uploaded them in the comments]