T'rian of Brown Liorth

:: OOC Information ::
Moniker: Suri
How did you hear about us?: Affiliation with Dragon’s Rise.



:: Character Information ::
Name: Torianu
Pronunciation: tore-E-ah-new
Title: None.
Honourific: T’rian
Age/ Turn of Birth: 20. 482 AL
Gender: Male.
Place of Birth: Telgar Hold.
Place of Residence: Telgar Weyr
Craft: Hold Guard
Occupation/ Role: Officer Cadet


Character Aspirations:
Torianu has never put much thought into anything outside the Guard. He grew up wanting his stern father to be proud of him, and as soon as he was able, he entered training to follow in his footsteps. As he grew older, he became aware of dragons on Search, and held a secret pipedream to visit the Weyr to watch a hatching. He never really thought he, himself, was worthy of Impressing, but he wanted to see the young dragons crack shell and bond to the lucky, chosen, lifemates.

Now an adult, Torianu wants nothing more than to be able to provide nice things for his mother, and his younger sister who is his world. He doesn’t want her growing up looking like she has come from a moderate family. He would love for her to attract the attention of a Holder and marry to a loving husband.

Despite his wish to make his father proud, he really just wants his respect. He doesn’t want to outrank his father... Instead, he wants his father to ask him to be his Second in Command so that the two can work together. His older sister, and younger brother left home to join Crafts, and live at the Crafthalls. His sister is a respected Healer, and his brother a respected Smithcrafter. His younger sister, Lesera, aspires to be a Headwoman of a Hold or Weyr... And if fortune smiles on her, she wants to be Searched as a dragonrider. Torianu wants to rise to a position where he can make his sister’s dream come true.

Family:
∞Father: Keritorv {Hold Guard, General. B. 456 AL, D. xxx AL}
∞Mother: Anuleesa {Headwoman of Fort Weyr, B. 461 AL, D. xxx AL}
∞Siblings:
Dareia [F] {Healer, B. 475 AL, D. xxx AL}
Valeron [M] {Smithcrafter. B. 481 AL, D. xxx AL}
Lesera [F] {Greenrider of Zelenyth, B. 487 AL, D. xxx}
Terev [M] {B. 492 AL, D. 492 AL} - Born Sleeping.
Branik [M] {B. 491 AL, D. 493 AL} - Born weak, never got stronger.

∞Children: None.
∞Other Significant: None.


Appearance:


∞Face: Godfrey Gao
∞Hair: Black, sometimes lightens to a deep brown if he spends too much time in the sun.
∞Eyes: Deep brown, almond shaped and framed by impeccably kept eyebrows.
∞Height: 6’4”

∞Build:
T’rian had always been a very tall child, and from a young age, his height was intimidating. He works hard at keeping fit, and his tall frame supports mostly muscle and a lack of fat. He is so lean, actually, that oftentimes the Headwoman or Head Cook try to press extra food on him, worried that he would work too hard. His athletic body is aesthetically pleasing, and despite the beliefs of the Kitchen staff, perfectly healthy in weight. In Terra terms, he weighs about 194lbs, giving him a bit of weight over the ‘average’, but it’s mostly muscle anyway.

∞Other Notable Physical Traits:

∞Style of Dress:
Torianu has a sense of style that is rivaled by few. He loves to spend his marks on stylish clothes that show off his body and looks, enough though he doesn’t have an ego that he abuses because of these looks. His clothes are all tailored to him, and his Guard uniform fits just a tiny bit more snugly than is necessary. He tends to have issues with things that are too loose, as the cloth gets in his way.

∞Possessions usually found on persona:



History:
∞Torianus was brought up during that great period of unrest in Telgar, when tensions ran high and opinions were widely polarized between those who blamed the holds and weyrs for the plights of the world, unable to find reconciliation without revolution, and those who were appeased by the punishing of those who'd done wrong, not looking to lay unnecessary blame on others, just because of their right to power, which apparently was enough to convict them in the eyes of others.

With most of his family living in the north of the territory, in Telgar Hold itself, Torianu's family were very Loyalist once the fighting broke out. As was much of the northern half of Telgar. Of course, his father was being promoted to Captain at that point, and Torianu looked up to his father, idolizing him from a young age. That seemed to shape his decision to take up training at the Guard Hall as an apprentice as soon as he was of an age to do so.

Luckily in that time, Torianu's family was not one of those unfortunate enough to be torn apart by the conflicts due to differing beliefs on how things should be resolved with the criminal highborn who'd taken advantage of everyone. He did always feel fortunate about that matter. Their family was generally very close, and his mother especially, became the heart of them, setting a foundation of trying to instill love and understanding instead of losing one's self to the chaos of conflict that seemed to worsen around them day by day.


∞Though from a younger age, he'd always handled weapons used by the Hold Guard because his father had let him handle his, at the age of 10 he entered into an apprenticeship at the Guard Hall of Telgar Hold, hoping to become skilled enough to join their ranks one day. Training was rigorous and he dedicated himself to it, finding that he had to work at the appropriate skills more than others sometimes, but that by the time he had mastered each level of proficiency, Torianu developed a great sense of accomplishment. And certainly, his teachers had seen how hard he had worked. Thus, his lessons instilled into him a good sense of work ethic that others may not have developed. And in the eyes of his instructors, this made him better cut out for a position of rank in the future.

Torianu did also have the help of his father, though he tried not to make a spectacle of the fact that his father was also a member of the Guard; though many knew that he was soldierborn. Being a Captain though, his father was not generally in the vicinity of the Guard Hall, but out on patrols and fulfilling other duties required of him, so there were few real opportunities to run into one another by chance, throughout the day. His father also respected his need to prove his own power and independence through his own work, not by mere relation to someone already made an officer.

Unlike many other students of the Guard Hall who only found appreciation in the physically combative aspects of their training because of the more apparent competitive aspect of it, Torianu equally enjoyed the book studies that were required of them, believing that a well-trained mind was just as important as a well-trained body, and that to have one with out the other would make a person incomplete. He took all of his studies seriously, though did not neglect the importance of balancing that part of his life out by spending time with friends outside of training just to have fun.


∞At the age of 18, Torianu lined up to take field and written exams required to join the hold guard. With a fair amount of confidence, but no less anxiety over the results of his testing, he stood outside of the Guard Hall all afternoon with other students, eagerly awaiting to find out how he placed. Since the Exams determined which specialization and or rank he would start out with and be able to progress toward, there was some pressure for him to do well. Not just so that he could make his family proud, but so that he wouldn't get stuck filling a menial role forever. Students who could prove their skill in both field and written exams, earning high scores, naturally were allowed to advance more quickly to a role of importance. Like following in his father's footsteps to becoming a Captain sooner rather than later.

Perhaps it shouldn't have been a surprise to him, when he ended up placing relatively well, in comparison to many of his classmates who had spent their focus on one aspect of their training versus being well rounded students. Their lack of forward thinking in that regard would hold them back in the end -at least, that is, if they had any ambition to become an officer at any point in the near future. Which is just what Torianu's own ambitions happened to be.

Once he'd been assigned a squad, it was natural that his squadmates, much like wingmates for dragonriders, became the close knit social circle that he would almost solely involve himself with. If not because almost right away, his ranking officers had seen him fit to start taking on a greater number of responsibilities, which kept him busy with additional duties outside of the regularly scheduled activities that he would have to keep up with. Of course, he was happy to take on the extra workload because it would lead to greater things in the future for him. And that is what he looked forward to.

It was also the case that in this time, Torianu found it increasingly difficult due to the demands on his time for squad projects, to separate work and personal life. His squad members became like brothers to him, and they learned to depend on one another, making up for eachother's faults, reacting to the group's needs by lending their own skills to circumstances that might require it. In this way, they came to rely on one another almost subconsciously, learning to anticipate one another, forming the perfect, cohesive team. They were like family. Especially since some of the squad's members had no other family who lived close enough by to rely on. Or perhaps their families had been killed in the conflict.


Torianu spent all of his time in the Hold Guard in one of the squads stationed within Telgar Hold itself, never having traveled outside of that northern part of the territory since he felt deeply rooted in it; though he did take opportunities to go on short termed missions outside of the Hold at minor outposts to keep Telgar's roads safe, and to help travelers and caravans along their way, should they ever be in need of assistance.

After a turn of serving in the guard, he was approached by his superior officers to see about making him into an official Officer Cadet. He possessed the people skills and other qualities desired in the Guard's future leaders and had already shown the aptitude and desire to take on additional tasks over his own minimally required workload.


∞Torianu never had a chance to fight like those who were drawn into the unfortunate conflicts of Telgar's past, which took place when he was too young to help in his own way. He assumed though, that perhaps it was for the better. Torianu was not the kind of person who reveled in the kind of chaos that had ensued in that period. And though some wished that they had participated in the claiming of victory over the Chorong Rebels, Torianu saw no real pride in the methods by which it had to be attained. The Hold Guard was supposed to maintain peace, not revel in conflict.

When dragonriders came on search then, their expression of their empathetic insights and special way of recruiting prospective riders appealed to him. They could wield power and influence at the same time they wielded a deeper and more personal understanding of people at their core. He felt as though he could connect with them too, in a way, given that they seemed to react to one another like the perfect team that his own squad had become. Only, they had the advantage of communication through their dragons. It seemed like a step above and beyond that which he could achieve within the Guard.

Seeking out the Searchriders, he faced them in hopes of being chosen to stand in the coming clutch so that he could pursue his passions at one of the Weyrs. It didn't matter which. And in fact, though most people may have had some immediate fantasy over which colour of dragon they preferred to impress, he hadn't thought that far ahead yet. All he could think about was getting there. The rest would come later.

It was nearly time for the initial egg touchings to take place, and Torianu had only been at the weyr for a few short sevendays. Much like his time with the squad he'd grown close to, he found himself easily fitting into the group of other candidates, glad to find that some of them had somewhat similar backgrounds where they could find common ground upon which to base new friendships. Without seeing his squad every day, it was easy at first to feel lonely, but warding away this feeling was all the motivation he needed to take it on himself to interact with the other candidates.




Personality:
Torianu is truly a quiet, private man, and he is at his heart friendly, loyal, and compassionate. He is comfortable in his own skin and with who he is, but his deepest, innermost desires and feelings, he keeps almost entirely hidden to himself, confiding in very few. His personal life and his professional life are completely divided, and off-duty friendships and relationships always take a back seat to professional duties. While he is perfectly comfortable in both taking and giving orders, he seems to be born the perfect go-between, a natural second and a competent instructor. He has a knack for taking the vision of a superior and achieving the necessary result from his subordinates.

Torianu has always been kind, never striking another who did not strike at him first, and he nearly always advocates for outsiders - from Hold and Weyr. He is a proponent of cool, calm reasoning over emotional outburst, but he is often skeptical of people before he gets to know them. T’rian is a bit of a gentleman at heart, even tempered, steady and calm. He is polite to everyone, even if that politeness may turn a little sharp if someone pushes him. He abhors needless violence but will defend himself if he needs to, he’s no weakling after all, although some may think him so for his somewhat mild mannered ways. He’s willing to give everyone a moment of his time, willing to listen to them, and offer advice if that is what they seek.

He struggles a bit with handing out appropriate punishments, always taking a little extra time to deliberate. Erring on the side of compassion is always his first instinct, and he truly does believe in second chances whenever possible. That said, he’s gotten good at knowing the difference between a person who truly and honestly regrets their actions, and someone who doesn’t. If he can rehabilitate he’ll go for that option, but woe to someone who takes this offer and screws up again. There’s second chances, but this happens only once.

When it comes to his mother and sister, he is a complete and utter softy. He would do anything to make them smile, or to give them what he thinks they deserve. When he found out his sister loved cooking, he worked to get her a position in the Hold Kitchens doing whatever she could to be useful. He fancies his mother the Lady, instead of the Lady in Waiting that she is and is of the firm opinion that she deserves anything she wants. She worked hard to raise the family, as well as perform her duties for the stipend of marks she often counted out to the kids to spend on things to make them happy. Torianu is eternally grateful for everything his mother sacrificed to raise them, and shows it however he can.

If faced with a situation that is delicate or requires great thought into what needs done, Tori is a man who watches, learns, listens and thinks everything through. He will not speak on a subject unless he has analyzed it from all sides. His attention to detail is unfathomable, and this helps him often during his training. He is very good at making schedules, coordinating, reporting and writing things into Record. Paperwork is meditative to him, and he had no qualms helping others do theirs if it means he can sit and work on the days problems in relative quiet. Supply lists or other things needed for the Guard are meticulously kept up to date when the duty falls to him, and Torianu is prompt with his reports. In this regard, he is often used as the Secretary when his skills are not needed elsewhere, and he frequently volunteers his time to help.

Torianu has an almost infinite patience that is almost frightening, and is extremely slow to anger. More often than not he is mediating any fights or disagreements to the satisfaction of both parties, and he is very good at remaining impartial to either side of the situation. The watching eyes he affects when listening or watching any situation (one needing mediated, or something he needs to learn) can be disconcerting with their depth.

Romance is something that the young man has not thought too much off. He has been working hard in the Guard and it leaves little time for anything else. Tori is, therefore, not the type to sleep around wantonly. He would prefer to be friends with the woman first, and eventually come to have a relationship with her. It wasn’t until recently that he discovered that he doesn’t mind looking at men as much as he looks at women. This knowledge confused him for awhile, but he found that he does tend toward women more. Having become comfortable in his own skin, he now happily looks at both genders but has told no soul about his inclinations, nor does it ever look like he’s attracted to men.

Friends are another thing that Tori keeps separate from his professional life, though he does have one or two from childhood. His loyalty to his squad is unparalleled, however, and he knows that any of them would have his back. This loyalty extends to whichever Wing he ends up in (when he Impresses). He would throw down his life to help one of his Wingmates/Squad.  
∞



Shortcomings:
∞ Honour-bound: First and foremost, Tori’s loyalty is to his mother and sisters. His father as well, but only because he wants his father to be proud of him. His former Guard team come next, and then the Weyr. He would do anything to help the people he is loyal to - and put those he is honour-bound to first before himself, once they earn his loyalty.

∞ Vigilante: (after Impression and graduation) Has been known to take justice into his own hands. He knows the Guards of the Holds can’t see everything from above like a dragon, and when they cannot sleep - he and his eventual dragon-pair go out and hunt down rebels, delivering them in a neatly tied map left at the Guard Captain’s offices.


Mannerisms/ Habits:
∞ When thinking or watching, Tori has a habit of resting his chin in his hand and propping his elbow on his other arm. He often leans against the back of his chair and crosses his ankles in front of him. This is often seen when he is reading something, or relaxing with a book of some sort.


Skills/ Likes:
∞[Dancing]: Some would be surprised at this particular skill - but Torianu learned to dance so that he could partner the ladies at Gathers. This was often him taking his father’s place dancing with his mother, or making his sisters look good for potential suitors by dancing with them. It has the added benefit of translating to other good moves in other places, which makes him look good to his own potential suitors.

∞[Weapons Mastery]: Tori loves weapons. ALL weapons. He often handled them as a child in an effort to make his father see him as worth while, and this continued into his Guard training - and beyond, to the Weyr. Finding a new weapon, and a Master of that weapon, gives him great joy and he will work hard to master it himself - no matter how long it takes.


Unskilled at/ Dislikes:
∞[Taking Credit] : - In truth, he doesn’t really want it. He wants to help his superiors look good, and if that means he lets them take the credit for something he had a large part of the success in, he is fine with that. It makes him happy to give them a hand up when he is happy in his own position. This doesn’t mean that if he wants to ascend a rank, he won’t put forth the effort.
∞[Boot-licking]: He hates suck ups. The people who stick their heads up the rears of their betters to get forward in life without doing the work that comes with it. He believes that positions and favor should be earned, not from simpering and constant agreeing with the superior, but by hard work and effort at their tasks.

:: Crafter Information ::
Craft: Hold Guard
Turns in Craft: 8

Rank:
Officer Cadet

Location of Journeymanship:
Telgar Hold. Moved to the Weyr for Candidacy.

Specialization:
Primary: Advanced Pressure Points & the Jutte. He specialized in pressure points used in conjunction with the Jutte, using them to hold and disarm.


Fighting Style/ Weapon of Choice: