Xan Darrius

Xan Darrius, known variously as the Dragon's Bastard, the Prince of Lightning, the Southern Gale, or most commonly the Rising Sun, is a champion of Cor and one of the foremost warriors and mages on Caera. He has been responsible for the endangering and saving of the world on numerous occasions, has entreated with dragons and gods, and has and will continue to irrevocably alter the fate of Caera.

## History

Xan Darrius is the only acknowledged child of Taera Darrius, last reigning Imperial Prince of Alatria. A slip-up in court revealed that Xan was actually the bastard of Taera Darrius and a Silver Dragon known as The Patient One that had disguised itself as her husband, which in turn led to Taera sending Xan into hiding.

Hiding, in this case, meant pretending to be an orphan. Along with his twin sister Alysanne, (the girl having been born from the dragon after the same encounter that produced Xan) who had not been legitimized due to her significantly less assured relation to the Imperial Prince, he disappeared for many years into the annals of the Cor military schools.

Xan learned quickly. By the age of 16 he had already blown his cover by ###REDACTED### led to Xan's being shuffled off to the Academy of the Arcane Order, where Xan studied unofficially for a time before leaving to pursue an adventuring career.

Along with Kendra t'Vercean, a bright (if eccentric) young Wizard, a childhood friend named Eden of Elytra, the cleric Nicholas Threadbare, and the espionage agent Keralyn, Xan set out in 1139 to prevent a brewing war between Corelsa and Alatria.

After exposing an attempt by High Prince Nala Praeus to pit the Litarrius family against several major Alatrian families and defending Silvera against a false flag army, Xan was somewhat exonerated in the eyes of Alatria. The fact that Nala Praeus had been one of the most vocal opponents of his Imperial status was helpful in this regard. Nevertheless, Xan refused any enstatement in favor of continuing his adventuring career.

Multiple times throughout his career, Xan tangled with the Cult of Orange Sky, a group of Telanese fanatics who believed that the world should be purified in ice by being "turned"--literally rotated on its axis so the currently occupied portion would freeze. In an early encounter, Xan and party protected the Windglass, an ancient observatory in the jungles of southern Telane with the power to control the direction of the wind and the current of the ocean. In doing so, he met and befriended Zianna Evans, the Grey Warden of the East, who had taken the fortress-temple along with the Order of the Ruby both as a headquarters and to protect it.

Xan and company would eventually travel to the frozen oceans of the Orange Sky in order to put a final stop to the Cult in late 1140. Defeating the Essences of Ice and scattering the cult, Xan and Company were victorious, but not without heavy cost. During the battle, Eden of Elytra revealed herself as a member of the Cult, and attempted to betray the party and see the Second Day of Ice come to pass. Eden was killed by Xan during the ensuing battle, and her body returned to Elytra. Following these events, Keralyn resigned and returned to Avandonne, though she remained in contact with Xan. After this battle, Xan gained the moniker "The Rising Sun."

Needing to refill the roster, the party recruited Edria Finise, a Psion from the City-State of Felciyn, as well as Elena and Elijah Leon, then traveling under the aliases "Adra and Gendry Cavril" to avoid political violence in Ganta. With their help, Xan became known across the world as one of the most dangerous warriors alive.

In late 1142, Xan (along with all of the members of his party, including Keralyn) created the Caeran Vanguard, a group of adventurers dedicated to organized response to threats from other planes and existential threats to Caera.

In 1144, Xan killed the Prince of Lightning (a psychotic Lich obsessed with creating the perfect endless thunderstorm) in single combat, assuming the title and immortality with it.

In 1148, Xan defeated the First and Final Storm in combat, though he was unable to decisively kill the Tsareme.