Daraban Khorla

## Ban Khorla

**Ban** is an aging Malvarian fisherman (of no import, as he would insist). He is a major character toward the end of *the Unnamed Story* prequel *Pyreborn*, and holds a minor presence in a few of the subsequent stories.

Originally an illegal fifth-born son to a noble house, Banyel Escarion rose to fame after his *kidnapping* at the hands of Malvarian pirates, whom he proceeded to best in single combat, beat at cards, then buy drinks for at the next port. He enjoyed the experience so much that he decided he would rather stay on--and that is *exactly* what he did, in the most unbelievable hostile takeover in Malvarian history.

## History

In a place where piracy is the third most common profession, behind trading and fishing, a person has to go above and beyond in order to be known as a pirate--and in the year 1240, no pirate was more notorious than Daraban Khorla. Khorla rose to prominence when his schooner proceeded to attack *any other ship* that passed into his territory, be they Malvarian or Corvite, merchant or even other pirates. His price was his choice of whatever he wanted onboard in return for survival to tell about their escape, and those few who resisted were *mercilessly* dealt with. In the case of other pirate crews, the men on ships he overtook were given a simple choice: join *his* crew, or die. Armed with a cutlass and a winning smile, Khorla *devastated* the ranks of those who traveled the sea, recruiting even his enemies and sparing only allies he blessed with the Skewered Grin colors. And it was far better to be with him than against him. However, it was his sea battles with the Imperial Corvite Navy that made him a true outlaw, and the tendencies of deadly storms to crop up in his wake earned him the name the Blade of Aeslyn, whom he was variously believed to be born of or beloved to. By 1247, he had amassed a force to rival every other pirate fleet, many of whom were desperate to join or erase him--but by the time enough power had been gathered, Captain Khorla had been killed in a skirmish with a Corvite navy commander. And that was the end of it. Except the wanted posters never came down.

## Personality

When someone thinks of a pirate captain, a lot of things come to mind, and none of those are things that would be associated with Ban. In his youth, he was cripplingly arrogant--a side-effect of his noble heritage--but skilled enough in fencing, strategy, and sailing to get away with it. Flirtatious and headstrong, he went about each challenge as if he could not be defeated, and that confidence often translated into reality, bending most situations to his advantage. His natural charm only served to win over the people he should have won with fear, though some of his old crewmates insist that he did more than smile to gain the power he had. But Ban is retired now, and his wanted posters are a constant source of amusement for him, as the resemblance is never quite close enough to make him obvious. (Something that cost him more than a few Sols to accomplish.) As a father, Ban is every bit the nurturing, moral protector that his own father inevitably was not, and he works tirelessly to shield his daughter from the evils he knows all too well. Despite his apparent harmlessness, there is something inherently powerful about him that warns even those who know nothing of Malvarian history that he is a good friend to have, and an enemy not to tempt.

## *Pyreborn*

Having survived an attempt on his life and several other ugly misadventures that left him deeply scarred, inside and out, the unnamed mage decided that a life without aim spent alone was no life at all, and threw himself from a cliff off the Coast of Estera. Lucky (or *unlucky*) for him, he was brought up from the depths in the nick of time by a widower and his young daughter, who quickly escorted him to the nearest healer. Left in their care, the newly-named Aeslyn was permitted to convalesce in the peace and safety of the fisherman's home, never realizing that the roof he was sleeping under belonged to a man even more wanted than *he* was. Ban's presence in the story is a stabilizing one, offering a moment of trust and normalcy to a person pushed to the edge and desperately teetering. It is in Ban's care that Caspian reclaims his sense of worth, and recognizes the importance of living through the worst for the promise of something better.

## *The Chronicles of Paladin Wainwright*

While he puts in no appearance, being well on his way to retirement, Ban adds his name to the pot as Din's former mentor. Din enjoyed a friendly rivalry with the young pirate captain, with whom he became very close. He remembers him fondly, if quietly, and the presence of Corvite military weapons in his cache indicates that he did not leave Ban's service without reward.