Altario Shialt-eck-Gorrin/ Remusian / Fighter

Name: Altario Shialt-eck-Gorrin (Altario Golden Shield in the ancient tongue)

Gender: Male

Age: 38

Race: Human

Tribe: Remusian

Occupation: Land Holder

Title: Adventurer

Appearance: It has been years since Altario has been in the Frozen Wastes of the beloved homeland of Remusia. As such, his appearance has evolved to a hybrid of different looks. His military tunic, he keeps safely packed in his saddlebags, rarely wearing it except to functions where he wishes to show his authority. It is the only article of clothing that is Remusian. In most cases, he wears tanned leather breeches he bought in Voldar, a baggy cloth shirt picked up in Salsair, hardened leather boots he had specially made in Verzash from a balding little gnome who could seemingly work magic with leather for a more comfortable pair of boots he had never owned, and a leather jacket picked up in New Santhala.

Height: 1 Ped, 2 Fores, 1 Palmspan

Weight: 1 Pygges, 7 Hebs

Hair Colour: Black with hints of grey at the ears

Eye Colour: Grey

Image drawn by Seeker and used with Permission

Physical Appearance: Altario is an impressive man, tall with a large chest, though not muscular. In fact, he appears a little gaunt, though he is quite healthy, mostly due to his privileged upbringing. What mostly catches other's attention is that he exudes a strength and confidence, and will always look you in the eye. He has that innate aura of someone who has always been in control of his environment, though the lines around his eyes and the little areas of grey hair at his ears betray the fact that this is no longer the case.

Altario has cold grey eyes that are quite piercing. He is handsome, but in a mature, weathered way. When he smiles, somewhat more uncommon than in days previous, dimples appear on both sides of his mouth. He has a wide scar on his left forearm, a souvenir of a battle long ago. His black hair falls to his shoulders, longer than he would normally wear it, but the rigors of the road have forestalled any attempt to cut it. It is kept neat, though, as is the two day growth of beard that adorns his face. Altario sometimes walks with a limp, mostly on cold early mornings, depending on how his left knee feels, as old age is beginning to creep up behind him.

Personality: The cliche "strong silent type" was invented for people like Altario. He is not one for small talk and prefers to only voice an opinion when it matters most. He has a strong sense of honour, honed from years of service in the Remusian military, where he rose in ranks to become the Commander of the Cavalry in Remusiat itself. It is this honor that keeps him going when his mind and body beg for rest. He is a born leader, and though he might wish to keep a low profile and act as an adviser, he invariably takes a lead role in most situations. He remembers what it is like to laugh and be happy, though he has found few reasons to in recent years. Sullen would be too strong a word, whereas distant would be more apprpriate.

Strengths:
------ Altario is an educated, intelligent man. He can read and write, though he speaks no languages other than his native Remusian language and Tharian.

----- Altario is very competent with sword and shield, as well as a lance. He can also handle a bow, though only somewhat better than average.

---- Altario is the son of a wealthy landowner in his homeland, thus he has access to funds by producing promissory notes to elites almost anywhere within the lands of the Ice Tribes. His reputation is beyond reproach and his need for money is minimal, so he usually has no trouble getting money if he needs it, as well as food and a roof over his head. He is extremely careful not to over use this advantage, and in fact, prefers to keep his wealth to himself.

--- Altario was raised around horses, and is an excellent horseman.

----Altario, being from a wealthy home, fits in well with the elite society, and is quite at home there.

Weaknesses:
----- Altario is on a quest to find his 14 year old daughter, Nayriss. This is what drives him. However, it makes him somewhat noncommittal in his dealings with others. This can germinate into a trust issue, as his priority is now, and always will be, his search for Nayriss.

---- Altario is haunted by the memory of his wife, Riztalyana, who died 8 years ago. She appears to him in dreams; sometimes offering confusing portents to the future. This makes him agitated, due to the insomnia and vagueness of the dreams, and is a strain on his sanity, leading to bouts of depression.

-- His quiet nature, coupled with his commanding presence is often mistaken for haughtiness. This often puts people ill at ease around him who do not know him.

- Altario does not make close relationships. He tends to be an outsider, with no real enemies, but few that would call him “friend”.

---Because he was raised as a landowner, Altario sometimes finds it difficult, if not downright annoying, to deal with "peasants". Likewise, he finds it difficult to treat other races, especially orcs, as equals to him, as he has battled with most of them at some point or another.

----Altario distrusts all temples and clerics because of the secrets that Sebastian kept from him. As well, he distrusts all types of magic, as where he came from they had been laid waste to for many years by magic. These are types of bigoted feelings that he has found difficult to overcome.

---Altario has begun to feel the effects of age, and his left knee is beginning to stiffen on him, especially in the mornings, or after riding for long periods of time. Cold weather also brings on the stiffness.

History: Altario Shialt-eck-Gorrin, Altario Golden Shield in the ancient tongue, is the older of two boys born to Johkbar Shialt-eck-Gorrin, a wealthy landowner in Remusiat, at the northern edge of the Gathorn Mountains. Their estate was known as Urimpaar, and they raised Remusian horses, the Kor'och-fey.Mologh, that were often sold to the army. This estate had been in their family for countless generations, from the first patriarch, Teletar, of whom legends recount tales of him fighting with a Golden Shield alongside the god-man, Kor'och. Being heir, Altario had a childhood that was spent learning to rule. He was tutored 8 hours a day by a score of scholars, and trainers. As a child, Altario was a quick study, and excelled at his lessons, making his tutors, and his father, very proud.

Though close to his younger brother, the wild and impetuous Denrykmar, Altario was secretly jealous of his younger sibling's freedom. While he was given little freedom between his lessons, Denrykmar was allowed considerable latitude. When their parents died from plague when he was only 16, Altario became head of the household, and his responsibilities lent him limited time for himself, which drove him and Denrykmar apart.

At age 18, Altario met the beautiful Riztalyana, and the two fell instantly in love. She was a young cleric, a healer that was being trained in a temple not far from Urimpaar. A year later, Altario’s daughter, Nayriss, was born in a tough birth that nearly cost both mother and daughter their lives.

Immediately after Nayriss’ birth, Altario served his country during the Fifth Orcish War. Serving with distinction, he proved a capable leader, and a fine strategist. He was promoted to Commander of the Cavalry, with the rank of Orsah-Arrock, the equivelant of Captain, during the Siege of Remusiat. He fought bravely in defense of the city, and rode with King Araman to fame and glory at the Battle of the Lake. It was here that he was wounded, crushed under his horse, that had left his knee weakened. When his kingf was killed at that battle, Altario left the army having been in conflict with the prince, Timeras, over tactics used against the Losh-oc horde. When the war ended, Altario returned to Urimpaar, which had miraculously escaped the carnage unscathed.

For the next few years they led an uneventful but very happy life together. When Nayriss turned 6, Sebastina, the cleric who had been most responsible for training Riz as a duotyer, a special sect of healers, insisted that Nayriss enter schooling at the temple in Sudurok; the White Citadel. Though hesitant, Altario could not dissuade Riz, who had sided with Sebastina, and the young girl went to Sudurok to train to become a cleric and duotyer. Shortly after, Riz died while giving birth to their son. The child, who was named Altinio, died days later as well. Altario was devastated. Following Riztalyana’s wishes, Nayriss continued her education at the White Citadel.

It was then that Denrykmar left Urimpaar, the family home, preferring the solitude that life as a ranger granted. Altario has not seen him since, and only knew that Denrykmar was alive from the occasional promissory note that would come in for petty amounts of money.

The years passed without incident until 8 months ago. After coming home for a visit, Nayriss was kidnapped while on her return trip to the White Citadel. There was no ransom demand, however, and it was then that Altario garnered the truth from Sebastian. Nayriss was becoming a healer of substantial talent, able to call forth the power of the gods. Altario learned that Riztalyana had also had exceptional skills. It was in Sebastina's opinion that dark forces had taken Nayriss, though she had no answer for why.

In the intervening months, Altario had been in search of Nayriss, following any clues to her whereabouts though, for the most part, the clues all led nowhere. The last clue, given to him from a former warrior he had known in the war, had mentioned that she was in Santharia, in a province called Vardynn. More precisely, in a city called Voldar. So it is there that Altario travelled in his search.

Altario’s despair begun to manifest itself in his dreams, as Riztalyana began to visit him, urging him in his quest.

In Voldar, Altario met and befriended Baron Damien Scar, and got involved in a search for two children who were kidnapped by a criminal organization called the madcaps. The children were eventually found after some adventures, in which Altario was abducted himself. He was rescued by Damien, and the two were linked from that point forward.

He travelled south to Salsair, participating in the Festival of the Horse. It was here he met a street urchin who sold him information that an evil cult was active in Verzash. After crossing half the continent, he reached the small town and was disappoimted to discover no such cult existed. He met the Duke of Chylikis , Tasuli Rose, there and helped him bring a woman, Luca, safely to to a healer. In short order, he discovered that the Duke was insane, but he had pledged his protection to the woman. After a fight with thugs, where Altario was forcedd to kill one of them, they finally got the woman to a healer. Once she was properly taken care of, Altario made his getaway before he actually killed the Duke.

Continuing in the direction south, he found himself at the Thirsty Herald, a small stopover point in the Rahaz' Dath desert, for travellers on their way to Strata. There, he met the beautiful elfess Valannia. She captured his attention with her resemblance to Riztalyanna. They struck up a friendship which blossomed into a romance. Altario halted his search for Nayriss for a period of two months while he fell in love with the elfess. It culminated in his proposal of marriage to her. At that same time, a longtime friend, Garret Arroway found him and delivered to him a letter written by Denrykmar and telling him that Ryk had discovered clues to Nayriss' wherabouts. To his dismay, Altario discovered that Valannia vanished without a word of goodbye, so he travels to Strata in search of Ryk.

Weapons: Altario has a longsword he keeps always strapped to his hip. It is the symbol of Urimpaar; his fathers elegant weapon, exquisitely crafted and etched, perfectly balanced for killing. It is an Odomon blade, crafted by a master over 150 years ago. His only other piece of equipment that is worth anything is the dagger with him, once encrusted with gems, though long since pried out and used for money when he needed cash. For hunting, he carries a rather nondescript bow and a quiver full of arrows.

Belongings: In his saddlebags, he carries his equipment; a flint and steel, a sewing needle and thread, dried meat, a sharpening stone, and a change of clothes, finer than those he currently wears. His horse has a worn but fine quality saddle, saddle blanket, bit, bridle and reins. He carries a rope tied to the saddle, and a large cloth sack that holds his shield with family crest; a silver lightning strike across a black background. He keeps it hidden except when a show of importance is required, but has a battle worn shield strapped to the horse that he uses when needed. A waterskin hangs from the saddle.

Familiars: Altario rides a strong pinnipeye gelding, which he has taken to calling Horse, as he has gone through five horses so far in his quest. It is a good horse, but in no way special. He is glad he has Horse. It is a bit of home, when all else is so strange. Since he had left Remusiat, he had lost four horses, two died and two he had sold when they became lame. He had been lucky to find Horse. A small farm he had come across had been using the animal to pull a cart. They had no idea that this was Kor'och fey Mologh, a Remusian Horse. He had paid too much for the animal, for the horse was older, and far from a prime specimen of the breed, but it was a gift from Kor'och, a reminder of home. This far from home, Altario needed it. But the horse is good natured, and Altario has found himself bonding to the animal. It is his only friend now, his only companion.