PCs:Cole Dayhawk

Basic Info

Champion Dayhawke

Full Name: Cole Dayhawke

Age: Early Thirties

Race: Half-Nymph

Gender: Male

Birthplace: Dormiria

Current Residence: Travels Regularly Throughout the Spiritland and Elysia

Diety: O'Ma

Alignment: Neutral Good

Class: Rogue/Cleric/Champion

Affiliations:

• Champions of O'ma
• Order of O'ma

Appearance

Portrait

Cole stands a shade or two under six feet tall with an athletic, symmetrical build. Weighing approximately one hundred and eighty pounds, daily training has created a lean blend of speed and power. Dark red hair falls down past slightly pointed ears, on many occasions needing pushed from vivid green eyes. His complexion, jaw, and bone structure leave little doubt to his bloodlines, as often as he prefers to leave them shadowed by his hood. Long days afield and encamped see him carrying a short brush of dark stubble here and there, though he is largely clean shaven.

While occasionally seen in plain clothing or a more functional set of robes counter to the traditional...he is most often found armored, his cloak and hood pulled around him, and the hilts of two longblades peaking over his shoulders. When on display, with the correct lighting present, fine sylvan etchings can be made out on the surface of each black plate. Around his left bracer and up that arm to his shoulder he has also taken to wrapping a long cord of prayer beads and various medals of religious significance, often loosing an end to manipulate with his fingers while thinking. Probing eyes may catch that many of the beads have been carved with various letters on them, initials...and a stretch of the cord and the beads thereon now bear significant signs of scorching.

Demeanor

In general, he comes across as measured and thought out in his interactions with others, tempered with a quick wit and a penchant for dry humor that is often understated. The shouts necessary upon fields of battle and other areas of noise aside, he rarely raises his voice more than a few decibels as he speaks. In casual settings he tends to be more a listener than a speaker, unless he feels something needs said or he's addressed directly. When he finds something amusing he will more often offer a chuckle or wry smirk, but very rarely does he break into full on laughter. More than one individual has commented on a 'weight' that he seems to carry on his shoulders. From afar, he seems composed of a quiet and constant contemplation of the world and a confidence in his actions, whether others understand at the time or not.

In battle, Cole wields two longblades in an adaptation of the style named for Vanoviel Niltaurwen. As with all Champions, he can amplify his reflexes and strength by drawing on O'mas grace, significantly increasing his prowess.

Allies & Associates

• Malulani jael MacMurray : The O'man Ranger called MJ is undoubtedly the one closest to Cole, their relationship having grown from an odd friend and companionship on the roads into deep feelings and their status as a couple now for some time. Warm, yet prone to eccentricities with bouts of temper and high emotions, she seems very much Cole's opposite from the outside, but together they mesh well and bring out better parts of the other. If one is present, it is almost assured that the other is not terribly far away.
• Champions of O'ma: Champion Dayhawke holds the brothers and sisters of Champion's Keep as close as you would imagine, even if it comes in his aloof manner. If he has much in the way close to family, most of them do or have resided within those walls. The counsel of individuals ranging from the veteran Heath Tyler, to the wizened Champion Goodood, to the High Champion himself are valued within his mind. The Champion closest to him may perhaps be Lorelei Silvermoon however, a Champion not much more experienced than himself and friend from early training, though these days she has taken an administrative role within the Keep. An open ear kept to all he has trained also leads Cole to often give counsel himself, while keeping an appreciation for their own perspectives, self aware that they may often differ from his own.
• Eowin Sta'Nieth: The Avenger of Dru'el has often fought alongside Cole in the name of seeing wrongs righted or evil smote within various locales, the noise of battle usually underlined by a back and forth banter. Staunch in his aspects as an Avenger, the elf is otherwise far more relaxed and joyous, playing the perfect foil to the stoic Champion. While neither may admit to readily enjoying each others company, it is generally obvious. Cole may or may not have been also tricked into being contracted to guard Eowin on the inevitable day that he turns into a tree.
• Saman Tane: A young warrior-magus of Dra'nar and the Ivory Order, Cole struck up an acquaintance with the man as his activity within Elysia increased. A fondness for Dra'nar and the similarity in studies to another recent acquaintance, the Immortal warrior-mage Malleus of Dra'nar, led Cole to keep the young man's company and guide him lightly in certain directions. Through various trials of combat and often serving the long watch on the Midnight Camp together, the two became strong allies. As Saman has come into his skills in greater depth, there are few Cole has more confidence in in an engagement, let alone when it comes to arcane inquiries.
• Thorfinn Kiff: The Speaker of the Hands of Dru'el and Warmaster of the Leno'Faythen Sixth Division. The number of times Cole has found himself on the front against a foe with the warhammer of Thorfinn in action near him are quickly tallying high. He has closely viewed the methodical and tactical side of the man in the face of recent threats to the South, and has learned a great deal from the war hero. He and his companion, the silver dragon Fairrinth, have of late been aiding in the instruction of Cole as he learns to fly and do battle from the back of the gold dragon Lymonious. Rare have been the occasion where the two are not discussing something related to current events that hold dire tones, fighting foes, or training to do so...and as such Cole holds Thorfinn Kiff as a strong ally, if not the strongest.
• Le'Megen T'Elysia: Unsurprisingly, the Champion has developed a strong working relationship with the armed forces of Elysia as the Midnight Camp stood watch in the borders, and his often being found directing pitched field movements as the troops engaged various attacks upon the city by Spirit Kin threats. Those whom he has the best relationships with number Captain Dathan Barukl, a fellow Champion and leader of the borderlands camp; Sergeant Hester Greenthumb, the best administrator he knows and a more than capable mage and wand purveyor; and Major Terra Swift, though this may be in large part due to the fact he is among the few who can spot her.
• Lymonious: Formerly making a home in the mountains near the jungles of Jechran, he is now a resident of the Avariel community,Nor'seere, in the western reaches of the T'Nanshi forest. Often appearing as a scholarly, balding man with shining hair, he serves the Avariel Royal Court as a tutor and guardian of the princesses. In truth he stands a golden dragon, and Cole has become bound with him as Lymonious' true rider, a situation described as not unlike rangers and their companions, or mages and their familiars. They often discuss a variety of topics of interest and trade books when situations do not demand anything greater, the dragon having a voracious appetite for tomes. In the past year, the duo has seen extensive training in aerial combat as they spearpointed formations of metallic dragons in a series of conflicts against an amassed army of stones. Whether it were with a spear or sword in hand, the Gold knifed the Champion into the thick of the brutal conflicts; dragonsfire, power, and ferocity a marked reminder of what his kind is capable of.

History: Seven Cities

Besides the facts that he was born in Dormiria, and at some point came to O'ma in his temple at Crosstreams, Cole is not overly active in telling his lifes tale before he came to the Southern parts of Negaria. He has talked of running the rooftops of Dormiria as a youth, and has displayed an unusually adept skill at climbing and ropework, though the details of what exactly he was doing up there are usually left vague at best and a chuckle awaits most questions regarding it.

It is known that he began his formal martial training under the tutelage of one Father Marcus Flynn of the Crosstreams Temple, himself a former Templar and adventurer. Details given are vague when it comes to accounting for the end of his tenure in Crosstreams, but eventually he parted ways with the place, and put foot to southern roads.

History: Templar

A winding journey upon the roadways ensued, his exact route and the time elapsed remaining unknown, although he has at times spoken of a challenge of wits with an elderly satyr at some point along the path. Arrival in the southern reaches of Negaria found him in the western stretches of the Spiritland, where he made for the city of Elysia, unmistakeable once sighted, even miles away. Within the Castle of Champions he found acceptance to train and began tutelage as a Templar amongst others. It is known that the brunt of his training was the responsibility of Champion Heath Tyler, while the one-armed Le'Megen retiree Sergeant Jecht was retained to refine the basics of his bladework, and ensure his humility..

History: The Champions

Upon completion of his training and being found worthy, Cole became a Champion of O'ma, the Fey King, and has since been so. Early days were marked by patrols around Elysian lands and those immediately surrounding, before his eyes set to the roads once more. Feeling the necessity for familiarity with the lands in which he would find himself operating, Cole began travelling throughout the Spiritland, Ferrell, M'Chek, and the mountains of Deglos with regularity, not often staying in one place, his blades finding frequent use.

Present day finds him having fought in the defense of many places and many peoples, gaining a reputation as a 'hero', a term he does not seem overly fond of. Threats circling Elysia have seen him largely arrest his broader travels, focusing on the city's defense. Greater time spent within the Champion's Keep over the years has also seen him contribute to the training of a great many Templars, now Champions. At first largely cycling through as other Champions often do, teaching bladework, an injury saw him begin to instruct in the philosophy, history, and other more mental and spiritual aspects as well. Upon healing, he continued to instruct in all aspects, taking advantage of his arrested travels to teach others.

The Battle of Midnight

Battle

One of the aforementioned threats came in the guise of a creature of shadow and nightmare, freed from it's imprisonment accidentally years prior by a group of magi. The creature slept for a time within the bounds of the dark forest on Elysia's border, before waking, and shattering upon doing so. It's pieces reached into the nightmares of where they found themselves, and became duplicates of foes from Avlis' past. The lich Sorvanok in Mikona, bandit queen Hugar in M'chek, the devourer Ezerberus within the Spiritland, and the vampire general, former Champion, Moreanne Tanasi in the Forest of Midnight.

As Tanasi, the creature once again compiled an army of the dead with ill intent toward the city, though this time they sat empowered by the creature's shadow they were free to exit the forest. For some time, the only reports involved vampires fighting each other within the forest and whispers of the return of the general, before the vampires were actively seen leaving the bounds of the forest and attacking nearby citizens and travllers. As the actual level of this threat became evident, and on the word of a particular Champion, Le'Megen patrols began watching the borders of the forest regularly. Over the course of a few weeks, and then months, the patrols became a tented camp that grew as the knowledge of the threat expanded. Eventually, the borderlands of Elysia would be the home of a sea of brown tents belonging to Le'Megen and Champion forces, joined by the Ashen, Ivory, and White orders of Andrinor's Trust along with allies of all shapes and sizes.

This situation saw a lengthy ((10 real life months)) standoff between the city's defenders and the forest, in which many skirmishes and movements of pieces took place. Cole would spend the majority of his time vigilant amongst the defenders for the length of the camp's existence, often found back within the Champion's Keep if not immediately on the lines with his brethren and the soldiers of Elysia.

Ultimately, in the presence of Lt. General Alxicus, the Le'Megen batallions marched into conflict lead by Captain Dathan Barukl. Alongside the Le'megen red and whites stood the silver of Champions lead by Champion Goodood, the wizened goblin Champion and teacher of many, including Barukl and Cole's own trainer, Heath Tyler. Joined by a bolstering number of Leno'faythen T'Nanshi, the allied mages, and others, the combined force fought for hours against foes that could not truly die.

As the main battle raged, Cole was tasked with the heading of a light group of Le'Megen, Leno'faythen, and assembled adventurers to find and combat the General herself behind the lines. The battle all but ceased when the groups mission was completed, Tanasi reportedly falling in large part to Cole's actions and the hammer of Warmaster Kiff of Leno'faythen. With the shadow gone, the vampires were no longer empowered nor particularly keen to the fight. It is reported that the shadow demon Ezerbrus was also encountered in the wood and also defeated, leaving only Hugar remaining of the shadow fragments.

Despite losses, including Champion Goodood, who turned the tide of the main battle with the slaying of a vampire leader before falling, the battle ended then in victory for Elysia and the elimination of a serious threat to the city.

• The True Devourer

In the course of the forest's events and the combatting of the various shadow fragments, the shadow of the Devourer demon, Ezerberus, was made to doubt itself and it's identity. In an effort to prove itself, it acquired the means to summon the Devourer, and succeeded, sending itself deeper into a spiral as it set the true demon loose on the world once more. Weeks followed of citizens found dead in the mode of the demon's past appearances, with stab wounds and signs confirmed by priests that their souls had been stolen. The pursuit of the demon was headed by Le'megen Officer Kynthalas Valencia as a ritual was recovered that had been used to banish the demon in the past, employing blood magic against the demon's soul magic. Regretably, many innocent lives were lost as the demon was finally cornered upon the hill in Zvidureth and the ritual performed as Cole and others occupied the demon in combat to keep it in place. As it was pulled back to the abyss however, the demon hinted that he knew of a soul-sucking blades location, a blade containing the soul of Champion founder Vanoviel Niltaurwen. Any possible answers sent back into the fires from which the demon came, Cole was left speechless and then wrathful as the seeds of hope were briefly set and then ripped away...

Waterfalls

Not long after the emergence of the shadow creature and it's fragments, the beings known as Spirit-Kin began slowly reawakening in the world, bringing their old conflicts with them. An imposed madness and the remnants of Hel'byssia's blue star play roles in a downward spiral as a number of the race became threats drawn to attack the city of Elysia, whose own Kin kept the city warded from their kind as they balanced the growing power on the peninsula.

In the course of the beings' awakening, Cole became tied not to a Spirit Kin, but one of the original Nature Spirits. Named She of Waterfalls in common, or more loosely called Peace, the grandmotherly figure became another guide and teacher for him. Following these events, he was often found near fountains of falling water or waterfalls, either in meditation with the Great Waterfall, centering himself, or speaking to the water. From the back and forth, it can be assumed that the water often spoke back.

During the Battle of Hel'byssia in the climax of the years long saga of the Kin and the overhanging threat toward Elysia from the Peninsula, it is said that the ancient city there was set entirely aflame. The flames were doused completely soon after the forces of the Spiritland reached the city, a great portion of the ocean rising and crashing down upon it. The effort to do so rendered the Champion comatose until later revived, but through lifting the ocean the path was made clear. What is unclear, are the whereabouts of Peace...what cost was played upon her in giving such strength. He and the water now rarely hold conversation, and it is doubtful it plays any part in them.

Dragon Knights

Within the span of years that saw the Spirit Kin's return to prominence among southern events, the walls of Elysia drew the ire of one called Truth. A devotee of Valok, Truth had enthralled and drawn an army of Stone Dragons to her side with designs to crush O'mas City and anything in her path to power.

In response, a collection of riders were recruited to Champion's Castle by Cole, Thorfinn Kiff, and Princess Naia of the Avariel. Mounted upon allied Metallic Dragons, two scores of riders would circle the Keep and the City as they trained extensively for battle with the Stones.

From the back of Lymonious, Cole would spearpoint the group in both training and battle...seeing many skirmishes in the weeks and months leading up to Truth's final assault upon the city. Over the course of three days' siege, the riders fought near constantly above the city.

When the dust settled as the siege and the subsequent battle within the gates of Hel'byssia ended, the riders from the Keep and slain hundreds of Stone dragons, but in the process had seen their own number decimated. At present, the squadron numbers perhaps ten dragons.

Account of the Siege from the Air :[1]

OOC: Champion Training

If you have a character that has decided they wish to train as a Champion or just have questions, you can contact me via private message on the forums or feel free to find me in game. Philosophy, history, bladework, and a mess of other heavy discussion are facets involved, encouraging character development, and it can take as long as it takes. Cole is working on his sixth Templar to Champion at present, and I think so far each has had a positive experience with it.

Miscellaneous

Cole's Writings (Thoughts on Champions, the Greater Good, as well as various journal entries/expanded scenes): [2]