Gildor M. Helyanwë
Dec 18, 2006 22:25:28 GMT -5
Post by Gildor on Dec 18, 2006 22:25:28 GMT -5
Full Name: Gildor Maeglin Helyanwë.
Other name(s): Too many to count; it changes for every place he travels to.
Race: Elf.
Side: Varden.
Birthplace: Síthrim, Du Weldenvarden.
Age: 149; appears to be in his early 20's.
Gender: Male.
Birthday: The eighteenth day of the twelfth month.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, heavily lidded and usually half-shut. Milky-blue slate in color.
Hair: Thin, gray, unkept, and long. Always tied back in a low ponytail.
Skin: Tan.
Weight: 145lbs.
Height: 5'10''
Magic User: Yes, and highly skilled.
Clothing: Laced leather boots and pants. Usually wears a long sleeved, pale blue tunic and brown belt over his leather combat clothing. When in disguise, he throws a tattered brown cloak over his clothes and a blindfold over his eyes. Has two sapphire piercing on each ear, a sapphire ring on his right hand, and a necklace with a feather and sapphire bead around his neck. Like Eragon's silver hammer chain, the gem on Gildor's necklace prevents him from being scryed.
Preferred Weapon(s): Wooden staff; long and thin, but sturdy and reinforced with spells to keep it from breaking against the sharpest blade. Gildor's mother sung it from the tree they lived in, and after much prodding managed to get Ruhön herself to enchant it. Not only is this item Gildor's preferred weapon; aside from what he calls 'sensory' magic, it is what he uses to find his way around, and he considers it a part of his being. He also has a couple of daggers tucked away in his boots.
Personality: As a pacifist, Gildor would rather talk his way out of a bad situation than engage in combat, magical or otherwise. He doesn't act like other Elves, as he can be downright blunt, forward, and rude. He is very independent and nonjudgmental, and tends to make strange, quirky conversation. He can be a huge flirt, and has a bad habit of flitting from girl to girl (however, when he's with someone he truly admires he suddenly becomes shy, awkward, and nervous). He has little conscience and a lot of ego, and is more often thinking of himself than anyone else.
Likes/Dislikes: Gildor loves to travel. Settling down in one place for a long time is fine by him too, but he likes having a job that allows him to keep moving. He has a deep love for music, and often enjoys bar hopping, drinking, drunk conversation, flirting with women and... the thing that usually comes after a good amount of flirting. He dislikes the Empire almost as much as carrots, spicy food, running into things, tripping, and large bodies of water (he has a terrible fear of drowning). He especially hates having to accept help from others because of his blindness, but he usually doesn't have to.
Family: Son of Linwë, a master seamstress, and Aikanáro of House Helyanwë, a magician in the Elvish Guard.
Brief History: Being born completely blind, Gildor is a rarity among elves and thus has become an outcast. After realizing his son was incurably blind, Aikanáro left his mate Linwë, believing their love had been tainted somehow. Heartbroken, Linwë left Sílthrim to raise Gildor in the Elvish capital, where they could both start a new life.
As her son grew, she kept him sheltered in their Ellesméra home for nearly all of his childhood and young adulthood, constantly fearing for his health and safety. She noticed his love of music early on and hired a mentor to teach him every instrument he wanted, and hoped he would learn to love and accept the simple and safe life of being a musician. However, despite his love for music, Gildor resented his studies because they were forced upon him. When he wasn't stuck in flute, violin, drum, or piano practice, he spent his free time teaching himself about the thing he was truly interested in: magic. On his own, he learned to manipulate magic so he could enhance his other senses and feel his surroundings. He became very interested in things that were denied to him, such as meeting new people, swordplay, and information about the rebellion going on in the outside Du Weldenvarden. Since Linwë refused to let him handle any sort of weapon, he rebelled and taught himself to fight and defend with the long wooden staff she had specially made for him to find his way around. He wanted to prove to his mother that he could be completely independent, and that he could even become a warrior despite his blindness and frequent headaches.
Unfortunately, this day never came. Linwë continued to insist that he was too helpless to look after himself, and continued pressuring him to become a musician. After half a century of being overly controlled, Gildor had had enough. Believing there was no other way to convince his mother that he was capable of living his own life, he packed his things and ran from Ellesméra on the eve of his fiftieth birthday.
For many long years he traveled throughout Alagaësia in solitude, often disguising himself as a blind human beggar to avoid unwanted attention. The first few years he spent on his own were difficult, and he learned how to get by the hard way - through pure experience. During his travels he developed a sense of placement in the world, further honed his skills with magic, and learned to fend for himself. He also learned how to be cunning, how to trick people into getting what he wanted, and how not to get caught after pulling said tricks. Everywhere he went, he kept a sharp ear for news of the current war situation; which cities the Empire had men stationed in, recent places where Urgals had been spotted, which roads to stay away from. Most importantly, he listened for rumors that eventually lead him to the waterfall-hidden location of the Varden in Farthen Dûr. Like with every Varden newcomer, his mind was inspected by the notorious Twins of Du Vrangr Gata upon arrival. However, because they couldn't figure out how to pry into the mind of someone who could not record images, the secret location of the Elvish capital remained safe. After being deemed [somewhat] trustworthy, Gildor pledged himself and his service to the Varden's cause.
Before he was allowed to train as a Varden warrior, Gildor first had to prove himself useful despite his disabilities. He spent several years training hawks, falcons, pigeons, owls, and various other birds to send and retrieve encoded messages back and forth from Farthen Dûr and Surda for whenever their system of mirror signals failed or could not be used. He was perfect for the job because he was blind - he could not read the messages he was sending and retrieving, so the Varden leaders never had to worry about him running off with any important information. Of all the messenger birds he trained, there was one he became very attached to; a brown she-hawk he named Nerwen who never failed to send or retrieve a message. When Nerwen retired, Gildor kept and trained her to be a sort of seeing-eye bird. He outlived the hawk, and has kept two of her softest feathers tied to one end of his staff ever since.
When rumors of a new Rider reached the Varden, Gildor had finally been allowed to begin training as a warrior. His skills of fighting with his staff improved drastically, and he was finally allowed to learn swordplay. However, because of his frequent headaches he was denied a place in the Varden's army, and as a compromise was allowed to become a wartime con-artist and eavesdropping spy. Because of what he learned on his previous travels and all the things he was capable of doing as an elf, he was perfectly fit for the job and soon grew to love it. When Eragon and Saphira came to the Varden and battled the Empire's Urgals for control of Farthen Dûr, Gildor was away in Gil'ead on his first spying mission. He has been sneaking into Empire-controlled cities disguised as a blind beggar ever since, always listening for any information that might interest the Varden and Council of Elders. He is now infamous among the higher-ups in the Empire, for he was the one who slipped past the tight spells surrounding Urû’baen, vanished under the noses of their best guards, and warned the Varden of their mobilization to the Burning Plains. Although he's had several close scrapes with the Empire, he has never been taken prisoner... Yet.
Anything extra: Unlike most elves, Gildor is very nonjudgmental and has a lack of vanity. Because he is blind, he was never concerned with appearances or finding beauty in nature, and consequently has made very few magical modifications to himself. However, he finds beauty in music and natural sounds, such as bird songs and rustling wind. He is also a master violinist, though he is out of practice.
Quotes: "Life is your chocolate porcupine; eat it, relish it, spit out the quills, digest, and enjoy it... Unless, of course, you are a vegetarian such as myself, in which case a chocolate... er... cactus might be more appropriate."
"So who is it really who's got who figured out now, eh? Because you know, and I know, and you know I know, and I know some people who you probably don't know who would love to know what I know, ya' know?"
"Um... I have no idea what this looks like, but it really isn't what it looks like, whatever it looks like."
"The name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë. Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, yet wanted by plenty! How do you do?"
Other name(s): Too many to count; it changes for every place he travels to.
Race: Elf.
Side: Varden.
Birthplace: Síthrim, Du Weldenvarden.
Age: 149; appears to be in his early 20's.
Gender: Male.
Birthday: The eighteenth day of the twelfth month.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, heavily lidded and usually half-shut. Milky-blue slate in color.
Hair: Thin, gray, unkept, and long. Always tied back in a low ponytail.
Skin: Tan.
Weight: 145lbs.
Height: 5'10''
Magic User: Yes, and highly skilled.
Clothing: Laced leather boots and pants. Usually wears a long sleeved, pale blue tunic and brown belt over his leather combat clothing. When in disguise, he throws a tattered brown cloak over his clothes and a blindfold over his eyes. Has two sapphire piercing on each ear, a sapphire ring on his right hand, and a necklace with a feather and sapphire bead around his neck. Like Eragon's silver hammer chain, the gem on Gildor's necklace prevents him from being scryed.
Preferred Weapon(s): Wooden staff; long and thin, but sturdy and reinforced with spells to keep it from breaking against the sharpest blade. Gildor's mother sung it from the tree they lived in, and after much prodding managed to get Ruhön herself to enchant it. Not only is this item Gildor's preferred weapon; aside from what he calls 'sensory' magic, it is what he uses to find his way around, and he considers it a part of his being. He also has a couple of daggers tucked away in his boots.
Personality: As a pacifist, Gildor would rather talk his way out of a bad situation than engage in combat, magical or otherwise. He doesn't act like other Elves, as he can be downright blunt, forward, and rude. He is very independent and nonjudgmental, and tends to make strange, quirky conversation. He can be a huge flirt, and has a bad habit of flitting from girl to girl (however, when he's with someone he truly admires he suddenly becomes shy, awkward, and nervous). He has little conscience and a lot of ego, and is more often thinking of himself than anyone else.
Likes/Dislikes: Gildor loves to travel. Settling down in one place for a long time is fine by him too, but he likes having a job that allows him to keep moving. He has a deep love for music, and often enjoys bar hopping, drinking, drunk conversation, flirting with women and... the thing that usually comes after a good amount of flirting. He dislikes the Empire almost as much as carrots, spicy food, running into things, tripping, and large bodies of water (he has a terrible fear of drowning). He especially hates having to accept help from others because of his blindness, but he usually doesn't have to.
Family: Son of Linwë, a master seamstress, and Aikanáro of House Helyanwë, a magician in the Elvish Guard.
Brief History: Being born completely blind, Gildor is a rarity among elves and thus has become an outcast. After realizing his son was incurably blind, Aikanáro left his mate Linwë, believing their love had been tainted somehow. Heartbroken, Linwë left Sílthrim to raise Gildor in the Elvish capital, where they could both start a new life.
As her son grew, she kept him sheltered in their Ellesméra home for nearly all of his childhood and young adulthood, constantly fearing for his health and safety. She noticed his love of music early on and hired a mentor to teach him every instrument he wanted, and hoped he would learn to love and accept the simple and safe life of being a musician. However, despite his love for music, Gildor resented his studies because they were forced upon him. When he wasn't stuck in flute, violin, drum, or piano practice, he spent his free time teaching himself about the thing he was truly interested in: magic. On his own, he learned to manipulate magic so he could enhance his other senses and feel his surroundings. He became very interested in things that were denied to him, such as meeting new people, swordplay, and information about the rebellion going on in the outside Du Weldenvarden. Since Linwë refused to let him handle any sort of weapon, he rebelled and taught himself to fight and defend with the long wooden staff she had specially made for him to find his way around. He wanted to prove to his mother that he could be completely independent, and that he could even become a warrior despite his blindness and frequent headaches.
Unfortunately, this day never came. Linwë continued to insist that he was too helpless to look after himself, and continued pressuring him to become a musician. After half a century of being overly controlled, Gildor had had enough. Believing there was no other way to convince his mother that he was capable of living his own life, he packed his things and ran from Ellesméra on the eve of his fiftieth birthday.
For many long years he traveled throughout Alagaësia in solitude, often disguising himself as a blind human beggar to avoid unwanted attention. The first few years he spent on his own were difficult, and he learned how to get by the hard way - through pure experience. During his travels he developed a sense of placement in the world, further honed his skills with magic, and learned to fend for himself. He also learned how to be cunning, how to trick people into getting what he wanted, and how not to get caught after pulling said tricks. Everywhere he went, he kept a sharp ear for news of the current war situation; which cities the Empire had men stationed in, recent places where Urgals had been spotted, which roads to stay away from. Most importantly, he listened for rumors that eventually lead him to the waterfall-hidden location of the Varden in Farthen Dûr. Like with every Varden newcomer, his mind was inspected by the notorious Twins of Du Vrangr Gata upon arrival. However, because they couldn't figure out how to pry into the mind of someone who could not record images, the secret location of the Elvish capital remained safe. After being deemed [somewhat] trustworthy, Gildor pledged himself and his service to the Varden's cause.
Before he was allowed to train as a Varden warrior, Gildor first had to prove himself useful despite his disabilities. He spent several years training hawks, falcons, pigeons, owls, and various other birds to send and retrieve encoded messages back and forth from Farthen Dûr and Surda for whenever their system of mirror signals failed or could not be used. He was perfect for the job because he was blind - he could not read the messages he was sending and retrieving, so the Varden leaders never had to worry about him running off with any important information. Of all the messenger birds he trained, there was one he became very attached to; a brown she-hawk he named Nerwen who never failed to send or retrieve a message. When Nerwen retired, Gildor kept and trained her to be a sort of seeing-eye bird. He outlived the hawk, and has kept two of her softest feathers tied to one end of his staff ever since.
When rumors of a new Rider reached the Varden, Gildor had finally been allowed to begin training as a warrior. His skills of fighting with his staff improved drastically, and he was finally allowed to learn swordplay. However, because of his frequent headaches he was denied a place in the Varden's army, and as a compromise was allowed to become a wartime con-artist and eavesdropping spy. Because of what he learned on his previous travels and all the things he was capable of doing as an elf, he was perfectly fit for the job and soon grew to love it. When Eragon and Saphira came to the Varden and battled the Empire's Urgals for control of Farthen Dûr, Gildor was away in Gil'ead on his first spying mission. He has been sneaking into Empire-controlled cities disguised as a blind beggar ever since, always listening for any information that might interest the Varden and Council of Elders. He is now infamous among the higher-ups in the Empire, for he was the one who slipped past the tight spells surrounding Urû’baen, vanished under the noses of their best guards, and warned the Varden of their mobilization to the Burning Plains. Although he's had several close scrapes with the Empire, he has never been taken prisoner... Yet.
Anything extra: Unlike most elves, Gildor is very nonjudgmental and has a lack of vanity. Because he is blind, he was never concerned with appearances or finding beauty in nature, and consequently has made very few magical modifications to himself. However, he finds beauty in music and natural sounds, such as bird songs and rustling wind. He is also a master violinist, though he is out of practice.
Quotes: "Life is your chocolate porcupine; eat it, relish it, spit out the quills, digest, and enjoy it... Unless, of course, you are a vegetarian such as myself, in which case a chocolate... er... cactus might be more appropriate."
"So who is it really who's got who figured out now, eh? Because you know, and I know, and you know I know, and I know some people who you probably don't know who would love to know what I know, ya' know?"
"Um... I have no idea what this looks like, but it really isn't what it looks like, whatever it looks like."
"The name's Gildor. Gildor Maeglin of House Helyanwë. Liked by some, loved by none, hated by many, envied by most, yet wanted by plenty! How do you do?"
