Balian Travis

Balian as of 1200

## Overview

Balian Mieli, a former soldier, military leader, and farmer currently living in Novania having arrived shortly after the end of the War of the Wolf King. He is the most recent and current Count of the Northern Reach.

### Appearance

Balian Mieli is a tall and well built man, standing at around 6'0. He has blonde hair that is dulled and graying, which he wears cut short and clean. His paler skin is marred by burn marks on the right side of his face, his right arm, and part of his chest on the right side. These burns have faded slightly over time, though are still quite noticeable. He also has various scars on his body from wooden shrapnel due to an incident during his time in the NRA. His eyes are a shade of blue, with one being a lighter shade due to damage.

### Current Positions, titles, accolades, etc.

* Sir Balian Travis the Steadfast, Knighthood bestowed by Queen Margarette von Castelle
* Count of the Northern Reach

## Background

### *Early Life*

Balian Fearghus Travis hails from the swampy parts of Westershire in Alenthyl. The Travis name in Westershire had become synonymous with a hardy, aggressive bunch of swamp-dwellers. Balian and his family lived on the cusp of the forest's edge within a natural bend of the river Shinshire. The homestead sat comfortably atop a man-made mound built of rock and earth. The soil was water-laden, and suffered intense leeching which made it infertile and tough. Life was tough on the homestead and Balian could recall more than one winter of his life where the family nearly did not make it. He was fourteen years old when his younger sister, only a newborn, suffered a terrible death wrought with disease and poverty during the deep cold. Balian and his younger brother, Sully, still fail to talk about their emotions on the matter to this day.

Balian and Sully bare the same cross of an abusive father. Foster Travis, Balian and Sully's father, was a cruel and malignant man. He had no sympathy for his two "lazy" sons, and would brutalize them for any insubordination. Their mother, Catalina Travis, was a very kind woman. She was gentle, and soft spoken. She was troubled by the faith and the church and couldn't stand how Foster treated her sons. After the death of her only daughter, however, Catalina was a broken woman. She suffered hugely, and while her sons were her only consolation, she no longer had the strength to stop her husbands dormant and inexorable rage. This period of their lives would forever shape Balian and Sullivan for better or for worse.

### Self-*Exile from Westershire*

This abuse continued entirely through Balian and Sully's teenage years. Balian thought for a long time that he may have deserved it, that he would have brought it on himself. This led to Balian taking many of his father's misguided lessons to heart. The two boys were primarily raised by their uncle, Rurik Travis. Though that ended when Uncle Rurik lost his wife and disappeared into the bog for years.

Their time in Westershire was not to last. On a routine trip to fetch ale from the Salty Sealion, a drunkard who had a rooted dislike for the Travis family kicked off a brawl between the brothers Travis and after a lengthy, bloody fistfight, Balian stabbed the other combatant right in the neck with a broken whisky bottle. The man bled to death after a few moments; and despite the fact that it was entirely self defense, Sullivan and Balian continue to argue the necessity of the kill to the present day. This moment was a defining one for Balian, he found what he was truly capable of, and given the opportunity he would use these skills to help others. No one would suffer at the hands of a wrongdoer as long as Balian was around. After this event, Sully left Balian in Westershire to find a new home for the brothers, eventually sending word for Balian to join him in the city of Hearth in the kingdom of Novania.

### *Time in Novania*

Balian has, for the most part, spent the past 16 years in Novania. His time in the country has been a turbulent one, moving between the roles of a farmer or a solider for most of his time. He climbed the ranks of military rather quickly, becoming General of the NRA within about four years due to various factors. After some time, some injuries, a marriage, and a few kids Balian left the military and tried his hands in politics. First as Viscount to Countess Thane'Amaelia in the Reach, and then Viscount of Augustine Morrigan in Eastgrove. Growing restless he soon returned to the military, albeit in a diminished capacity, before leaving the country for a period of just about two years after the death of his wife. Balian has since returned and taken up the count-hood of the Northern Reach. He is currently working on establishing the purely Novanian branch of House Travis, a very minor landed family in Westershire from the swamplands.

## Known Associates

(“†" denotes a person or persons that are deceased.)

### Family

* Sullivan Travis
* Tulipalo Violet Mieli(Former Wife) †
* Alku Mieli(Son)
* Kurpitsa Mieli (Daughter)
* Luonto Mieli (Son)
* Vivi (Adopted Daughter)
* Pelokas Mieli(Mother-In-Law) †

#### Friends

* Thane'Amaelia
* Khatun Bhatak
* Galya
* SIlas von Castell

#### Acquaintances

* Margarette von Castell
* Dakaria Onuson
* Tel'Grov
* Gwyneviere Rhoswen †
* Percy Mieli
* Evan Finley
* Yue Lin
* Alwin Sarethi †
* Altani Sarnai
* Archer Wrenne
* Bairre Bertach
* Vas'Yana

### Enemies

* Filthy Northwood Marauder Scum
* Lanny †(?)

## Personality

### Likes

* Hunting
* The cold, though he'll still bitch about it
* A nice strong drink
* Cracking skulls
* Spending time with his daughter

### Dislikes

* Cats
* Dealing with the magical or supernatural
* Northwood Marauders or any bandits
* Most social situations
* Lollygagging
* Pussyfooting

### Quirks

* Balian takes things personally when it comes those he cares about. He can be extremely vindictive when it comes to getting revenge on those who hurt people he serves with or cares for.
* When in a situation where he is confused, nervous, or just plain feeling awkward he will scratch at his beard, if he is clean shaven he just scratches at his cheek.
* Being not so great with words. his sentences are usually punctuated with various forms of "Eh" and "Ehn"

## Other

### Face Claim

Link

Link

### Voice Claim

Link

Link

### OOC Notes

This is the page for Balian Travis, and will update as long as long as the character is alive and changing!