Character Profile - Aurelus
Who is Aurelus?
“And you are a nephew of the great Aurelus, eh? It was thought he was above having such kin, leastways of the mortal ilk, if you get my pitch.”
Few knew anything about this secretive wizard. He was brother to Eucradus, hero and First Knight of the Alliance. He was a powerful Arch-Mage, who almost single-handedly masterminded the Alliance – the allegiance of the three nations Turinthia, Bagda, and Medlissia to combine against Those That Stand in Shadow, and he was the wizard that convinced the Dragon King, that legendary King of Dragons, to lead his serpentine brethren against the Evil Ones at the time of the Final Battle, saving the united armies and allies of the Alliance.
But who is the long-bearded, balding wizard known as Aurelus?
To answer that question, we go a bit deeper into his past.
His parents had been lesser officials of a city-state that eventually was absorbed into the Turinthian Empire. While his younger brother Eucradus showed promise to become a page and study the ways of a knight, Aurelus had shown the opposite – scholarly, studious, with an inherent connection to things unseen. His budding powers had been observed, and duly noted, by the Arch-Mages, mysterious wizards that studied and lived in isolation, their School’s location unknown. Every ten years, invitations were sent out to those deemed worthy enough of their additional attention. Turinthia, the mightiest of the First Kingdoms, had become their choice to sponsor the Test. A great affair, surrounded by pomp and revelry, hopeful students would travel there to be assessed and evaluated. Those that failed became petty magicians of court and nobility. But for those that passed, they would be granted membership into the School’s secret society and developed into true wizards.
Just a boy, Aurelus was awarded that privilege. For twenty years he studied at the School, under the tutelage of legendary mages, until he had been made ready. Though comfortable in keeping to his ways alone, he is also adept at navigating through the political waters of the nobility he has frequently dealt with. Though revered for his knowledge, counsel, and abilities, some within the Alliance have worried he has too much influence, and ponder if he is truly satisfied, along with the other Arch-Mages, with merely aiding them, or eventually controlling them. As Aurelus himself put it:
“There is more freedom to do what is right and not be hampered by petty posturing and courtly intrigue. We wizards of the School must ever look to the future for the benefit of us all. That view does not take national borders or royal sovereignty into account.”
A patient, compassionate, yet powerful man, Aurelus has learned the lessons of life. During a conversation with his nephew Qualtan, he stated it quite succinctly:
“A wise man trusts to his own council, as should you,” Aurelus replied. “A just King today can become the cruel tyrant of tomorrow. Personal evolutions are ever fraught with peril for those that grow used to holding power.”
But such power demands a price. The cost of his knowledge was separation from his family, and those he had cared about.
“Twenty years passed before I saw you again. But you never truly returned, did you? All of your sorcerous training had left us a changeling instead,” his brother Eucradus had once said.
And the wars against Those That Stand in Shadow had left him vengeful against those that had stood against the Alliance, to the point of sometimes blinding his usual rational manner. He especially held the orcne in high disregard, for they were the main race that had served as the armies for the Evil Ones. Thus any of orcish blood were suspect, in his mind, and that, as you can imagine, would only lead to trouble when his nephew Qualtan had the audacity to befriend one of half-orcish blood, and a thief, no less! How would Aurelus handle that?
Next up - who are the Evil Ones, Those That Stand in Shadow?
“And you are a nephew of the great Aurelus, eh? It was thought he was above having such kin, leastways of the mortal ilk, if you get my pitch.”
Few knew anything about this secretive wizard. He was brother to Eucradus, hero and First Knight of the Alliance. He was a powerful Arch-Mage, who almost single-handedly masterminded the Alliance – the allegiance of the three nations Turinthia, Bagda, and Medlissia to combine against Those That Stand in Shadow, and he was the wizard that convinced the Dragon King, that legendary King of Dragons, to lead his serpentine brethren against the Evil Ones at the time of the Final Battle, saving the united armies and allies of the Alliance.
But who is the long-bearded, balding wizard known as Aurelus?
To answer that question, we go a bit deeper into his past.
His parents had been lesser officials of a city-state that eventually was absorbed into the Turinthian Empire. While his younger brother Eucradus showed promise to become a page and study the ways of a knight, Aurelus had shown the opposite – scholarly, studious, with an inherent connection to things unseen. His budding powers had been observed, and duly noted, by the Arch-Mages, mysterious wizards that studied and lived in isolation, their School’s location unknown. Every ten years, invitations were sent out to those deemed worthy enough of their additional attention. Turinthia, the mightiest of the First Kingdoms, had become their choice to sponsor the Test. A great affair, surrounded by pomp and revelry, hopeful students would travel there to be assessed and evaluated. Those that failed became petty magicians of court and nobility. But for those that passed, they would be granted membership into the School’s secret society and developed into true wizards.
Just a boy, Aurelus was awarded that privilege. For twenty years he studied at the School, under the tutelage of legendary mages, until he had been made ready. Though comfortable in keeping to his ways alone, he is also adept at navigating through the political waters of the nobility he has frequently dealt with. Though revered for his knowledge, counsel, and abilities, some within the Alliance have worried he has too much influence, and ponder if he is truly satisfied, along with the other Arch-Mages, with merely aiding them, or eventually controlling them. As Aurelus himself put it:
“There is more freedom to do what is right and not be hampered by petty posturing and courtly intrigue. We wizards of the School must ever look to the future for the benefit of us all. That view does not take national borders or royal sovereignty into account.”
A patient, compassionate, yet powerful man, Aurelus has learned the lessons of life. During a conversation with his nephew Qualtan, he stated it quite succinctly:
“A wise man trusts to his own council, as should you,” Aurelus replied. “A just King today can become the cruel tyrant of tomorrow. Personal evolutions are ever fraught with peril for those that grow used to holding power.”
But such power demands a price. The cost of his knowledge was separation from his family, and those he had cared about.
“Twenty years passed before I saw you again. But you never truly returned, did you? All of your sorcerous training had left us a changeling instead,” his brother Eucradus had once said.
And the wars against Those That Stand in Shadow had left him vengeful against those that had stood against the Alliance, to the point of sometimes blinding his usual rational manner. He especially held the orcne in high disregard, for they were the main race that had served as the armies for the Evil Ones. Thus any of orcish blood were suspect, in his mind, and that, as you can imagine, would only lead to trouble when his nephew Qualtan had the audacity to befriend one of half-orcish blood, and a thief, no less! How would Aurelus handle that?
Next up - who are the Evil Ones, Those That Stand in Shadow?
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