Ephras Seilen

An Azlanti of average stature, but a seemingly good heart, he goes into combat both fists swinging and the power of his god backing him up.

## Description

### Physical Appearance

Ephras stands at a modest five feet and nine inches; however he is built rather stockily. Although not all that toned in regards to muscle his strength definitely shows in his form. He has a broad face that is marred by a small array of minuscule scars, that is generally lit by a broader smile. Much like the rest of his race he has violet eyes, though of a slightly darker shade. Thin brown eyebrows mark the beginning of a brow that leads to a head of hair of matching color. Generally he's known to wear simplistic woolen trousers and a shirt to match. More notably however are his gauntlets and his wooden mask. The former he wears at almost all times, while he keeps latter usually loosely hung around his neck until he's sure he's about to get into a fight. However, it doesn't serve much utility as it only covers the lower half of his face. Over all this he bears a dark cloak, and keeps a bow and polearm strapped to his back along with his backpack.

### Personality

Ephras is a blunt and straight-forward man. He prefers to get to the point as quickly as he can with minimal complications. However, due to his lack of interaction with people on a more personal level for quite some time he finds it difficult to find a reason to properly emote his own feelings in a proper fashion and instead prefers to hide this whenever he can. Instead he'd rather flash a smile or pull on his mask and be done with it. As well, he is a man of his word, especially when coin is exchanged. He will do as he has agreed upon to whatever extent.

## History

### Before the Atoll

Unlike many Azlanti, Ephras was not born to a family of greatness or heroism or wealth. He had a pretty average family. One steeped with debt. His father a gambler, he burned through finances quickly. His mother did not make much in the way of coin herself, rather she was focused on rearing her children in preparation of what was to come in their lives. As such, these troubles caught up to them quickly. A man named Areavit, a man who Ephras's father owed a great deal, came forwards to fill that debt. Without much thought, they cut a deal with him: He may take their youngest son in return for services rendered. Areavit accepted this and took the child in.

From there, Ephras spent a long life of seventeen years working as the man's indentured servant. During this time, he grew bitter and resentful of his "master". There was a reprieve, however, in that in the midst of Ephras's adolescence he met the older man's niece: Opeonia. Throughout their time together, they'd get to know each other during moments they could see each other whenever Areavit may not be looking. A sort of budding relationship formed between the two, but didn't progress all that far. Rather, it was struck down rather quickly when Ephras killed Areavit in his own home one evening. The aforementioned girl a witness, Ephras stole a kiss from her and disappeared from her life forever.

Still sticking around in the same city, but hiding himself as best he could, Ephras found himself living on the streets for a good bit of time. Fighting and begging was all the kid knew for many months until a particularly rough encounter left him bleeding in an alleyway. It was then he was found by a paladin by the name of Orean. The paladin, doing just what he felt was right, healed him as best he could and brought Ephras in to the nearest temple. Upon awakening, Ephras was asked by the holy man just what kind of life he was leading among other things. Hearing his plight and what he'd suffered, Orean took him in as a member of the temple. For almost a year Ephras was taught a myriad of things from basic reading and writing to combat skills. However, it mostly leaned towards the latter. At some point or other, however, Ephras found himself in a situation where he was evicted from the temple by order of Orean for breaking one of his tenants for the last time.

With his newly acquired skills and already questionable morality, Ephras turned to a new form of survival: The life of a mercenary. He began selling himself for a variety of different services to feed himself and hone his own skills. For a good long while he traveled small distances, going form town-to-town and attaining fortune. However, it was at the Azlanti empire's capital he finally "settled down". He took up shop there much more permanently, and did so for over a decade. Until eventually, he decided it best to find a new place to start over. He'd heard tales of a place called "The Bloodlands" through harsh whispers and quiet conversation. Taking it upon himself, Ephras sought out the means to arrive. When he found a suitable answer, he packed up whatever fortunes he'd acquired, only carrying what was necessary, and sent it off to be taken care of as he looked for one last thing: Opeonia. It took him time, but he found her once more and visited her one last time to give her everything he had in regards to his own fortunes. With that, he had a whole new life to begin.

Ephras had hired a wizard to cast the spell that'd send him there, to The Bloodlands. The spell did go off without a hitch, or rather, he'd thought it did. Instead, somewhere along the way it had gone wrong. Ephras was left floating about in a place he did not recognize when confronted with the being known as Irori. Although Ephras had never been a paradigm of the divine being's teachings, he certainly was along the right path, and Irori liked the potential he offered. As such, the being offered to aid him in his journey, and if the Azlanti were to worship him, he'd grant him power. Ephras agreed to this, and was sent back on the rightful path.