Arylon Family/Galen

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Galen Arylon
Galen.jpg
Title
POLITICAL STATUS
STATUS
DEAD
CONTINENT NATIONALITY
[[File:{{{realmimage}}}|75px]]
TITLES HELD LANDED TITLES
RELIGION RELIGIOUS TITLES
Unbeliever None
PERSONAL INFORMATION
BIRTHPLACE PARENTS
Nardil, Cagilan Empire Fisc Arylon
Avery Stanford
SPOUSE ISSUE
Robyn (common lover) Arylon Family/Covane
Arylon Family/Corvan
HEIGHT WEIGHT
6'4" 203 lbs
HAIR COLOR EYES
Light brown Brown

Galen Arylon was born of Avalair Arylon in the region of Nardil in the Cagilan Empire on the continent of Atamara. He traveled with his father to the Colonies, where he was eventually captured with his mother and brother Jaden. Jaden was able to escape, but Galen remained and grew up under the care of Kaendall Istar, stripped of nobility. When he matured into adulthood, faced with no claim of nobility, Galen set off for the continent of Beluaterra to attempt to earn his nobility back in a life of adventure. After several years of difficult work slaying monsters, undead and serving Belluateran lords - Galen was again recognized as being of noble blood. Upon gaining his new status, he boarded a ship to Atamara to return to the continent of his ancestors, and rebuild a noble life. He is currently fighting under the standard of Minas Ithil in the north.

Personality

Early in his life, Galen was much like his brothers - hot headed, impulsive and brash. He, like them, had a rather arrogant sense of entitlement - being raised and educated as upper class nobles in the Cagilan Empire he had an aristocratic and elitist attitude, and could easily be described as "stuffy". Those who knew him as a boy said he was a pleasant boy, but had a dry and unimaginative sense of humor, and was a rather decadent and substanceless person - someone who seemed adrift in life with no purpose or direction. He lived his life only for material things and the adoration of those around him.

As he grew older, however, circumstances in his life conspired to drastically change him. He would travel to the colonies with his father, see him beaten and presumably killed, face prolonged incarceration, watch his brother Jaden abandon him, be stripped of his nobility and live amongst scum, watch his mother die of a vicious plague and then roam the countryside confronting monsters and seeking glory in a life of adventure. These events stripped away Galen's boyhood elitism and arrogance, and replaced them with practical skills and a cunning creativity. He would never have survived if he had not developed a rather sharp wit, and gained a great deal of guile.

Today, Galen is much more of an "everyman" - he has a commoner's worldview, and as such takes pleasure and sees value in many things nobility looks down on. Even now that he has regained his title and name, Galen has no trouble getting his hands dirty and working hard, mixing it up in a bar fight, or bedding common women. Those who know him today say he has a very ironic (and apparently hysterical) sense of humor, and conversational speaking style. He experiences a far softer range of emotions than his younger brother Fisc, and typically remains on an even temperament regardless of the situation.

He also is far more confident than any of the other Arylon nobles. This deep routed belief in himself was forged from his independent spirit, which allowed him to roam the countryside and fight monsters and regain his nobility and make a name for himself, all with only his own effort to credit. That confidence has lead him to be far less extroverted than his brothers and cousin - he doesn't see the need to make noise or draw attention to himself. He is an accomplished man on his own merit, and sees no reason to annoy the nobles around him with self promotion.

His personality has made him extremely popular both with the peasants of the realms he has inhabited, as well as the nobles he stands beside in battle. The peasants respect what they perceive as a noble who is "down to earth" and more like them than he is like the crusty aristocrats they are accustomed to. The nobles respect his seemingly uncanny knowledge of the practical management of regions and commoners, as well as his deadly skills in battle - especially his swordsmanship.

Galen is well liked and uncontroversial. In many ways he is the opposite of his younger brother, Fisc.

Early History

Fire destroys the estate of Avalair Arylon in the colonies.

Galen was born in the Nardil region of the Cagilan Empire, receiving a very aristocratic education, much like his three brothers. He learned much of philosophy, art, science, mathematics as well as theology. Galen's early life was much like that of his brothers - especially Jaden, who was only two years his senior. Galen was a very intelligent boy, but did not do well at the Academy - he seemed more interested in spending time pursuing athletics and causing trouble with friends of his than he was sticking his nose in a book. His lack of academic achievement did not stop him from learning what he needed, he was simply less impressive than his brothers Jaden and Taran.

When he reached adolescence, his father Avalair and mother Genesis decided to leave the Cagilan Empire to travel to the recently discovered continent, known only to men of Atamara as "the colonies" - in search of a new life away from the scandal and politicking they faced in the Empire. Since both Taran and Fisc were too young to take part in their father's expedition, they remained in Nardil to continue their education and live with their grandfather - but Jaden and Galen went with Avalair across the sea.

The family came to the colonies before nations had even formed yet, and Avalair immediately began carving out territory for himself and his kin. Unfortunately, he failed to realize that his increasing influence would make him a major target for other nobles looking to expand their own power. Avalair's political rivals in the colonies forged a temporary alliance for the purpose of driving Avalair back. After months of constant pressure applied to all fronts, his armies finally crumbled. Avalair and his family were all captured, and while he was hauled away to one of Istar's prisons, Jaden, Galen, and his mother were taken to a platform and were fitted with nooses to hang with. This was the last time Avalair would see his wife or two eldest sons. Believing they had died, he made no attempt to find them once he secured his release from prison.

But none were actually killed. The warlord leader who captured Galen's father rode by the hanging platform, and saw Avalair's wife. Immediately struck by her beauty, he decided to spare her, and also her sons to curry her favor. He then brought them back to his estate. This marked the end of Galen's innocence.

After the Capture

The Dungeon that Galen and Jaden spent a great deal of time in while their mother refused to accede to the wishes of her captor

After being spared from their death sentence, both Jaden and Galen were taken to the warlord's Istar's manor on the east coast of the colonies. Neither boy was wanted, but they were allowed to live and given comfort so that Istar would gain favor with the beautiful Genesis. Initially, she would have none of it - openly rejecting her new master and swearing to die before submitting to his will. As time went by, however - Istar began to lose patience and threatened the boys, telling her that if she did not give herself to him that he would have them painfully tortured, and then killed.

Both Jaden and Galen were children of privilege - at this time both were selfish, cowardly adolescents who did not understand sacrifice, honor or devotion. Both boys feared the pain of Istar's threat and begged their mother to not allow them to be harmed. Genesis was a proud noble woman, however, and denied her captor what he wanted. She knew that he did not want to take what he wanted by force - he wanted to break her will and capture her body and heart of her own free will, and so she decided to resist him. Even believing that he was dead, she was absolutely devoted to Avalair and felt that she would be betraying him if she agreed.

Spurned and convinced he needed to prove his point, Istar removed the boys from their comfortable life in his manor and threw them both into prison. There they were mistreated, deprived of food, and routinely beaten. The noble boys who had seen only comfort and had never faced any adversity were suddenly little more than peasant criminals, and were treated as such.

Genesis believed he was bluffing, and continued to refuse Istar's advances. Weeks went by, and then months - the boys were still in prison. Worse, Istar had grown frustrated and angry, and started to order their torture. This only hardened Genesis' resolve - to be with a man who would torture her children was offensive to her, and she only rebuked him more.

Nearly a year went by, and both boys were now dangerously malnourished, scarred and broken. Genesis had visited them often (Istar had allowed it hoping she would cave in), and in the beginning of their ordeal, they had begged her often to do what he wanted her to, so that they could escape the constant beatings and torture they faced. As time went by, however, both boys began to learn willpower and strength of resistance - they began to feel defiant and rebellious about their treatment, and openly challenged their captors. The innocence and softness they had come to the colonies with was no longer presence, instead replaced with a emboldened sense of pride. They started to play mind games with their handlers, tricking them and sarcastically jabbing at them as they were beaten and hurt - it was the only way they could maintain their spirits.

But while Jaden and Galen hardened their spirits, Genesis was crumbling. It had been over a year, Avalair was dead, her two sons were being slowly murdered, and her entire life felt as though it was breaking down. It was then that she decided to give in to Istar and be his consort. Once she agreed, Istar ordered the release of the two boys from prison, and brought them to live with him and Genesis once more.

Jaden Escapes - Galen Remains

Jaden leaving behind his brother Galen and mother Genesis

After returning to Istar's mansion, the two brothers spent more than 6 months recovering from their experience. They did not blame their mother for what happened to them, instead they held a deep hatred for Istar - and though they feigned geniality and respect for him, they both plotted their escape, and his death.

When each had regained enough strength and stamina, they began to actively plan what they wanted to do. Galen wanted to remain with Istar, gain his confidence, then silently murder him at some point, before quickly escaping into the night. Jaden, on the other hand felt that plan would fail, and the only way to guarantee their revenge was to escape the manor, join a realm opposed to Istar, and attack his entire military network, thus taking from him that which he loved most - land, money and power.

Genesis learned of their impending plans, and was horrified. She felt either plan would get both of them killed, and she could not deal with that happening after giving into Istar's demands - they had to stay alive. Genesis ordered her sons to remain where they were, wait until they were both 18, then she would convince Istar to let them leave and they could go back to the Cagilan Empire to keep their nobility and build a life.

Galen reluctantly agreed to respect his mother's wishes - though he did not intend to return to Atamara once he left, he would stay in the colonies and raise up an army against him, much like Jaden had wanted to. His brother, however, was not convinced, and decided to escape immediately. He informed Galen and Genesis that he would be leaving, and begged them to come with him. His mother was terrified, and was in no condition to mount a daring escape - not when Istar's guards shadowed her everywhere she went. Feeling protective of his mother, Galen refused to go with Jaden, pleading with him to stay.

Jaden left the very next morning, finding a weakness in the guard rotation and exploiting it to leave the compound and flee to the open countryside. Galen and Genesis stayed behind, shocked that Jaden had left them. Though the two brothers had faced the pain of torture and the threat of death together, this one incident drove a wedge between them that remains to this day. Galen has still yet to speak to his brother, even when they again found each other years later.

Genesis Dies, Galen is Banished

Jaden's mother - Genesis Arylon

With his brother gone, Galen was now the focus of his mother's desperate hope for the future, witnessed by her becoming increasingly protective of him. Additionally, she felt she had no control over her own life, and as a result began to look for ways that she could find meaning in her life. Her husband was now dead (or so she thought), she was the consort of his murderer, her sons had been tortured and hurt, and now one of them had abandoned her.

Istar had a relative that lived on another continent he referred to as "Beluaterra", and responding to a call for aid, he went to this foreign land, bringing with him the remaining Arylon clan. In their new home, Genesis found that the countryside was being ravaged by monsters and undead (the reason Istar was called to the continent in the first place), and was terrified by what she saw. The conditions in this new world were atrocious, and the peasants were suffering greatly. She began setting up shelters for sick and injured peasants, acting as a nurse to care for illnesses noble doctors never cared about. This was Genesis search for meaning in her new life.

Unfortunately, this would also lead to her death. One day, while treating a commoner complaining of stomach pain, Genesis contracted a deadly disease she was unaware existed. The sickness gave her only a few short months before a very painful demise would consumer her. Istar learned of this, and immediately distanced himself from her, fearing he would get sick as well. He removed Genesis from his manor, casting her out to the countryside to die on her own terms.

As Galen was of no further use to Istar, he decided to exact some revenge for Genesis' initial refusal and Jaden's escape. Before Galen was cast out with his mother, Istar ordered all paperwork identifying Galen as noble born to be destroyed, and for him to be branded as a commoner (something usually done to peasant criminals), thus removing any ability for Galen to claim his noble heritage and build up a force of arms against him.

Genesis died only a few short days after they were cast out. Galen was barely 17 years old, no longer had a birthright, and had no other choice but to set off on his own and hope to carve out a life for himself.

Living a Life of Adventure

Galen Arylon joined by a group of other adventurers, combing through the rubble of a ruined city that had just been ravaged by monsters

Faced with no name, no title and no appreciable skills that would allow him to settle as a farmer or merchant, Galen had only one option available to him. On the black island of Beluaterra, monsters and undead were everywhere. No one knew the origin of these creatures, only that they were the enemies of men, and threatened civilization wherever they went. Some common men, in search of being elevated to nobility (rather than born into it) were setting off from their homes and roaming the countryside in search of these beasts - determined to confront them and defend the world of men from invaders from the netherworld. It was the only way a common man could acquire title and nobility without marrying or being born into it. Determined to regain his nobility on the strength of his own sweat and effort, Galen set himself along the same path.

Galen had been tutored in swordsmanship while in school on Atamara, and had learned a great deal about enduring pain while interred in Istar's prison - but nothing could properly prepare him for living a life on the frontier facing twisted, evil creatures that had no interest other than to kill him and any other man they encountered.

Initially, Galen would stalk small groups of monsters and take on those he believed were young and inexperienced - thus allowing him to hone his skills but still take out threats to mankind. As time went on, however, he found that the monsters he was taking on were brutal, strong and more intelligent than he thought - he was often having trouble defeating them. If he was truly going to carve out a name for himself, he would need some help.

While pursuing a group of black creatures that had just slaughtered a small village of men in the north, Galen stumbled upon an abandoned temple of a religion called the Valentic Order of Knights. The religion, and the realm that spawned it were long since dead - overrun by monsters, but their records still existed and would prove to be invaluable to Galen. The Knights of The Valentic Order were, in their time, the best trained and disciplined fighters in the known world. They were famous and easily recognized, usually wearing a distinct golden cape, with a red crown emblazoned above the heart or on the chest. As Galen read the archives of the religion, he uncovered records of their exploits. Apparently, there was a cardinal rule of never surrendering, with the understanding that if they were to die in battle, their entry into the paradise of the afterlife was assured. This fearless uncompromising nature, along with excellent training, made them a feared and elite fighting force.

He stayed in the abandoned temple and studied their technical manuals and teaching material for days. He was able to discern fighting styles and disciplines that would be especially effective against the beasts of the frontier. By no means could a few days of study graduate his skills beyond the novice level they were at, but the information was no doubt helpful.

Galen packed up the most useful volumes of books he could gather, and took one of the golden capes stored at the temple. He has worn the cape proudly since, and still dons it today. When others ask him why he wears it, he refuses to tell - in silent respect for the dead religion that helped him develop his fighting ability.

Blademaster

The two swords given to Galen by his master after Galen surpassed his skill level

Galen spent the next several years wandering the countryside, taking on groups of monsters, collecting rather unique items from fallen soldiers, dead monsters and abandoned buildings. The more experience he obtained from the conflicts, the better at handling a sword he got, and the more efficient at killing he became. It was in these frontier battles that Galen grew into the man he is today. Life isolated from nobility, defending commoners and living among them - it gave him a unique perspective, a respect for the common man.

It was also during this time that he honed a deadly skill with the blade. During the time he was cast out following his mother's death, Galen was a capable swordsman, but nothing dangerous or to be feared. When Galen would pass through the northern city of Fronepu, he would always stop by the training academy and spar with the blademaster in residence, in an attempt to hone his skills. Galen would usually attempt to sharpen techniques he had studied in the volumes he took from the temple, and the master would challenge him to truly understand the application of those techniques and put them into practice.

Over the course of the several years that Galen was on the front and traveling through Fronepu, his skill dramatically increased. The combined experience of fighting monsters, training in Fronepu and studying the text of the manuals he had in his possession, Galen eventually got to the point where he was able to not only match, but surpass his teacher.

When he was finally able to best the master in Fronepu, Galen was given a newly crafted set of slightly curved swords. Part of his training had included multiple weapons, and Galen was extremely comfortable using two blades. He happily accepted the gift, and was then proclaimed a "blademaster" by the council of masters residing in the academy.

His swordskill was extremely useful in battle, but would also prove important in future tournament competitions and defending himself against cloaked attackers. Of all of Galen's accomplishments, he is most proud of his swordskill, and proudly wears the silver pin of a blademaster every day.

Earning Nobility

The grant of nobility given to Galen by the Prime Minister of Fronen

For over three years, Galen toiled on the continent of Beluaterra, facing monsters and undead frequently. He had become an efficient and deadly swordsman, and had grown into his own as a man. Remaining on the front battling black beasts, however, was not what he wanted to do indefinitely - he had pledged to himself after his mother's death that he would one day regain his lost title and once again be recognized as a nobleman.

Fighting against the black invaders of the continent had gained him practical experience and a bit of notoriety, but it was a far cry from convincing the aristocracy of Fronen (the realm he had pledged his sword to defend) that he was deserving of being part of the elite. Nobles on Beluaterra needed more than just fighting invaders to pursuade them - they had to be shown that Galen was resourceful, useful and able to be more than simply a brute attacking beasts.

Galen found his path to nobility from a unique skill he had developed. In the three years he roamed the continent as an adventurer, he had collected a great deal of items from fallen monsters and random chance. These practical things ranged from ivory bones to gemstones, and as time passed Galen learned that there were a few wise sages that had the ability to use these items to either create, or repair rare items. These unique objects were widely coveted by nobles, and because of this, Galen saw an opportunity to trade favors for recommendations for his own ascendancy to noble blood.

And so he began to privately speak with some of the nobles of Fronen, asking who among them were interested in obtaining unique defensive armor or offensive weapons. He also looked for nobles who already possessed these things, but were in need of some repair work - offering to rebuild the equipment. Some very high placed nobles of the realm responded, and Galen began to negotiate for his services.

In just a few short weeks, Galen was able to secure the creation or repair of three major unique items and turn them over to nobles. In return, he secured recommendations for his nobility - something he could use to convince the Prime Minister of Fronen that he was deserving of a title and should join the ranks of the noblemen of the realm.

And so he submitted a petition for nobility to Prime Minster Grego, accompanied by recommendations from a duke, a general and a region lord. Grego reviewed the petition and decided to grant Galen the nobility he desired. He issued a writ of nobility, and when it was delivered, Galen officially regained the name Arylon, and could claim the nobility that had been stolen from him years before.

Return to Atamara

The original home of the Arylon family - Atamara

After gaining his nobility back, Galen felt a strong pull to leave Beluaterra and return to the ancestral homeland of his family, Atamara, specifically back to the Nardil region of the Cagilan Empire. He knew that he had two brothers that had remained behind in Nardil when he, his parents and his brother Jaden had come to the colonies, and hoped that they were still there for him to reunite with. He also wished to get away from Fronen, because Jaden was the region lord of the coastal region of Ieara - while he had little contact with him due to his being on the frontier fighting monsters, he was uncomfortable being anywhere near him, and wished to leave without re-establishing a relationship with him. And so, shortly after regaining his title, Galen boarded a ship and crossed the great ocean to come home to Nardil, and reunite with his family.

When he arrived, he found something very different. The Arylon estate in Nardil was abandoned, and no members of his family were any longer serving the Empire anywhere. He originally had no idea what had happened to either Taran or Fisc - the peasants in Nardil only knew that Fisc had left years earlier and Taran had left shortly thereafter. Not knowing where either was and having no leads to follow up on, he yet again felt the sting of loss and disappointment.

Once again left with nothing, Galen decided that he wished to finally settle somewhere - begin his own patriarchal clan and start the Arylon name anew on his own terms. To do this, he researched the current state of the continent, attempting to find a realm that reflected his values and one he would be able to make use of his skills in. He wanted to join a realm that was fighting a war, but one that was righteous and just.

After much reflection, he decided to travel to the nation of Minas Ithil. They were at war with the nation of Norland, and he felt he could find happiness within its borders. He immediately left the region of Nardil and set off across the expansive continent toward the north-east - his destination was the capital city of Shanandoah.

Discovering Living Kin

Galen's brother Taran

Once arriving in Minas Ithil, Galen stumbled upon a bit of luck. Raoul De La Fere was at this point the General of Minas Ithil, and upon learning of a man named "Arylon" settling in his land and pledging his sword to the realm, immediately contacted Galen.

Apparently, the De La Fere family and the Arylon clan had a rather strong bond of kinship. Raoul asked Galen if he was related to the Lord Marshal of Suville, a man he identified as Taran Arylon. Galen was overjoyed and spoke at length with Raoul about his knowledge of Taran since the time he had left Atamara. Apparently, Raoul also knew of Fisc - informing him that his relative Jean II was a good friend of Fisc's on another continent - known as the South-East Island.

Galen immediately made use of this new information and attempted to contact Taran through diplomatic channels between Minas Ithil and Suville. He was met with an excited brother who wished to meet and reunite with a lost relative he had not seen for more than a decade. Galen and his younger sibling met later in the month, filling each other in on the unique experiences they had each gone through. Taran spoke to Galen about his devotion to Abington, and how he came to rise to Lord Marshal of the new realm of Suville, while Galen recounted to Taran of the capture, incarciration and torture of he and Jaden, of Jaden's abandonment and the death of their mother. Galen learned that his father Avalair had not in fact died in the colonies and had instead been purchased by a lord from the South-East Continent, and that Fisc had gone there in search of him.

After days of talking, both were brought up to speed on the exploits of the family, where everyone was living and what they were doing. Once they each returned to their respective realms, Taran sent word to Fisc and informed him that Galen was alive, as was Jaden. Fisc then corresponded with Galen and caught up with him from a distance. The experience brought Galen extremely close to both Taran and Fisc, despite their animosity for one another. Jaden was virtually ignored by all three men, with each of them very much resenting his leaving their mother only a year before her death.

Current Activities

Currently, Galen is on the front in the war between Minas Ithil and Norland. He happily serves his realm and looks to use his talents in battle against his enemies. With how much time they spent apart, Galen now attempts to regularly keep in touch with Taran and Fisc, and defines his relationship with both to be strong.

Arylon Family Archive

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