Aidan Branwen

Aidan Branwen is a player character from the Grand Academy and Forest Friends Campaigns.

Aidan is a Half-Aelf of Lamorran heritage. His fey blood grants him red, orange, and purple feathers in certain places across his body, and his hair is a similar colour. He has a phoenix companion named Taliesin. Aidan specialises in druidic magic, but is also an excellent marksman with a bow and arrow.

Aidan is one of the students chosen for Darius Valurian's "Magical Understanding" Class.

Aidan was heavily involved in thwarting the plans of Llyn'hedfan, the Dragonfly Queen. In the month of Crownward, he and a number of other druids, including the high magister Cerridwyn McDughal, departed from New Haven to Caerland, for a time.

## Description

### Appearance

Aidan is a man standing at 5"8, weighing approximately 64kg. His hair is orange, blending into red and finally purple and falls down to his shoulders in waves. His eyes are golden like a hawk's. Feathers sprout from behind his ears, and from the back of his forearms around his elbow, with the plumage matching his hair, marking his Aelven descent. He has slightly tanned skin from having spent most of his life outdoors.

Aidan wears traditional druidic clothes, woven from linen and dyed green. His tunic sleeves are short, showing off his feathers. He wears simple trousers that are a little baggy so as not to restrict his range of motion, and thin soled leather boots that protect his feet while allowing him both good grip and feel for the ground beneath him. He owns a fur-lined travelling cloak. Around his neck hangs several necklaces. The first is a hand crafted druidic symbol depicting a bird with its wings spread, with small bones laced into the cord tying it around his neck. Second is a white iron pendant received as a gift from a group of Wayfarers. The third is a silver locket containing a hand painted picture of Aidan himself hung from a short chain from Ulysses. On his left arm there is a bracelet bearing a series of charms including a bird and a dog, which was a gift from Celestia Dawnbow.

### Personality

Aidan is an intense young man with various drives that pull him in different directions. On the one hand he wants to relax and enjoy his life and time with his friends at the Grand Academy, but on the other he wants to do his duty to his family and friends back home. He wants to achieve oneness with nature, and develop the wisdom and understanding to one day lead his people as an Elder. He does enjoy being with people though, and is quick to laugh and joke with those he likes. He is also deeply caring, and worries for the wellbeing of those he is close to.

Aidan is accepting and understanding of the cycle of life and death, and the need of each and every creature to achieve its own survival. He dislikes violence for its own sake, and is never cruel for the sake of being cruel. However, he will do what he needs to do for him and his friends to survive, or to stop greater evils from being committed.

Aidan is very proud of himself and his people. He is keen to help others understand him and the druidic ways, but he is quickly frustrated by people who disrespect himself or his arts. He hates being looked down on and being mocked. He is often impatient at times as well, desiring instantaneous mastery over a given skill or subject and is annoyed when explanations or concepts are not immediately obvious. Academia is infuriating, particularly the obscure Magical Understanding class. His adventures in Caerland have tempered this, as he was finally able to understand one of Valurian's lessons after some practical experience with the ideas in action. With some reflection on the process, he has become more focused and less impatient as far as his studies go.

Aidan loves nature and loves nurturing his Phoenix Taliesin and his wolf cub Emerick. He is also fascinated by the Aelves, partly from sheer curiosity and the joy of discovery, but partly because he is searching for his mother. He can't help but feel frustrated by the fact that she left, and knowing that she is a powerful Aelf has not alleviated that annoyance. He loves his father and the others in the village, he can't help but feel the void that she left behind. Thus, when Aidan makes friends, he aims to keep them as long as possible and would take a repudiation of that friendship very harshly.

Aidan does seek solitude at times when he needs to think, and during those times he will often carve small wooden statuettes as gifts to friends as a mark of his appreciation. Many of them he makes for his own enjoyment, and loves trying to capture the essence of a being in his art. He will make and remake something until he is satisfied that it conveys the correct feeling.

## Background

Aidan grew up in the Everwood in the druidic village of Gwyncoedrig. His father Daffryd is a druid himself and was fascinated by the mysteries of nature such as Aelves and Cryptids. Aidan grew up hearing his father's stories about searching for Amaroks in the Hinterlands, walking glades of Leshys or walking amongst the Aelves for a time. During that time travelling and adventuring, Daffryd came across a powerful Aelf named Aderyn, with plumage of orange, red and purple. They had an affair for a time until she gave birth to Aidan and departed as are the ways of her people. His father settled down in Gwyncoedrig more permanently after that, dedicating himself to raising his son since his birth mother wouldn't be there for him. Aidan was never told the identity of his mother, as knowing would be pointless and cause more harm in the minds of many of those around. Any who disagreed said nothing out of respect for Daffryd's decision, and Aidan was left to wonder exactly who gave birth to him for most of his life.

Though Daffryd was a druid, he did little to train Aidan himself. Rather, Aidan spent most of his younger years under the tutelage of the kindly but old Elder Arthfael. The old druid had reached his seventieth year by the time Aidan was born, and so could do little to show the more physically demanding elements of living as one with nature. However, he helped Aidan develop his connection to the natural world and the forest. He had an easy air about him, and was full of wisdom. This inspired Aidan, and he resolved that one day he would like to be like Arthfael. The rest of the teaching was managed by Elder Seirol, a more serious and fierce druid with a particular affinity for predators. Through training with Seirol, Aidan became a great tracker, woodsman and hunter.

Aidan was not a perfect student by any means. The impatience and frustration that he would still carry later were more pronounced when he was younger, and he was often reprimanded for his poor behaviour. The other Druid children had mixed attitudes towards him. Most thought he was strange due to his parentage, but not all were malicious. Some were fascinated, although people often got into trouble for pulling his feathers, even him because he usually pulled their hair in retaliation. Others had less benign attitudes towards his unique characteristics, and were unafraid of showing it. This in turn lead Aidan to freely showing his dislike of them, often by getting into brawls.

Thus, Aidan spent a great deal of time with Elder Carwen who was responsible for discipline and certain specific skills. He would be sent to explain what he did wrong, and would be forced to sit there while she decided what to do with him. As she did, he watched her carving shapes and figures out of wood. One day, after a particularly nasty fight, he was sent there. As usual, he was left to consider his wrongs in silence as she carved away after he was given the usual admonishment. This time though, he came prepared. He grabbed one of her pieces of wood, sat up against a tree and began to carve with a knife he had brought, channelling his frustration into the block. It was tough work and plainly inefficient, and the end result was a mess. Elder Carwen watched him quietly, bade him to remain where he was and returned with a proper set of tools. Then, she began to teach him how to do it properly. After that, he would return to her home after his lessons for the day and learn how to carve wood from her.

His first carvings were caricatures of people who had annoyed him. A quiet revenge against the people he hated. Better than brawling because it got him in less trouble. The Elder seemed mostly amused by his figurines, and didn't tell him off for it, though did warn him not to spread such things around too much. It was all in all, a less toxic way of expressing his frustration. Eventually though, he began to grow more patience for those people, and in turn they grew patience for him. As those around him became more accepting, Aidan's art shifted from expressions of dislike to expressions of appreciation.

Elder Arthfael soon passed away, and Aidan for the first time became painfully aware of death. He had seen it in plants and animals, but not so much people. And definitely not in someone he had liked and spent so much time with. The Elder had taught him much, and Aidan had always enjoyed the wisdom and insight the old man could give. Aidan wept, and grieved, but understood the lesson. Death was a part of life. Each life flowed into the next. Arthfael had been born, went on to have children of his own, and would in turn give life when given to the earth. It was a hard thing to accept, and it took him many years to understand it fully, but he did.

When he was much older, Aidan went out into the forest alone one day. He was restless, and felt the need to go into the Everwood. To be out amongst nature, alone, outside the confines of the village and without any assistance. He was allowed to go, and Aidan set out, stating that he would not return for a short while. He followed whatever direction he felt like going, simply exploring. All he knew is that he would not follow the old paths. In fact, the only conscious decision he made was to avoid the way often travelled as soon as he saw one. He slept beneath bushes, in the tops of tall trees and nestled under roots. He endured sun and wind and rain, and watched the cycle of life play out before him. With a hunter's grace he watched the predator-prey relationship, the thrill of the hunter and the fear of the hunted. The struggle to survive played out around him, as plants reached for the sky, competing for precious sunlight and animals found their daily meals. Aidan himself joined the cycle, a lone huntsman. He killed what he needed, and spared that which he did not. He was hunter and hunted, predator and prey.

One day, he made a mistake. In the dawn light, he misjudged a mushroom, ate it, and became violently ill. His body shivered, and he immediately regretted his life choices. He grabbed his things, and began to struggle back. His mind was cloudy, but he forced his way through the fog to find his way. He was weakening, fading, and a sense of desperation came over him. And in that moment, he felt something. He heard a call on the wind, high pitched, but carrying something about it. It beckoned him, beckoned something inside him. And so, Aidan followed. Step after step, swearing he got weaker each one, he followed the cry to a clearing with a single living tree in the centre. To say it was a clearing was not precise, for there were trees. In a circle around this single tree, all were burned. Barks crisp, leaves naught but ash. Except this one tree. He moved towards it, the strange feeling guiding him to it. When he reached the tree, he could see that it was alive and well somehow. Not even touched by the fire. The feeling was not from the tree itself, but something inside it. Aidan hauled himself up the tree on shaking limbs, following the connection in his mind.

There, in the top of the tree, he found what he had been searching for. A small bird, barely more than a chick, sat in a hollow. Its plumage was orange, red and puprle. When it saw him, the little creature waddled awkwardly towards Aidan. For reasons he couldn't understand, he reached out his hand. It allowed him to run his fingers over its small head, and as he made contact, life rushed into him. He almost fell out of the tree in shock. The creature was magical! And he could sense it now. It had sensed him, and he had sensed it. It was alone, a small thing, and Aidan had managed to poison himself. The two had needed each other to survive, and now they were bound. Their feathers matched, they both met during their times of need. It had to have been destiny. Aidan carefully tucked the chick away and climbed down the tree, then steadily made his way back home.

He had been gone a month by the time he returned, and he had learned much. He strode into Gwyncoedrig, the little bird now named Taliesin perched on his shoulder. The others were amazed at the discovery, none more so than his father Daffryd. He explained that Aidan had found a phoenix, and that they were bonded now. He had never been able to form a bond like that with a magical creature, and was proud that his son managed. The old Druidic lore spoke of these bonds, and Aidan began to learn from those legends.

Aidan and Taliesin were inseperable, and together they would explore the Everwood from time to time, disappearing for days at a time. On one such venture, he found a wolf mother who had been mortally wounded during a hunt. An antler was lodged in her side, and she had clearly bled out, but not before giving birth to a litter of cubs. Only one of the small creatures had survived. It had hurt itself trying to tug the antler free from its mother, and had a pronounched limp. Aidan reached out with Taliesin, and from the Phoenix flowed life energy that nursed the pup to health. Then, he spoke with the little animal, until it understood that the druid was a friend. Aidan took the pup with him, and named him Emerick. They returned to Gwyncoedrig, another friend in tow. Eventually though, the village was not enough, and their collected tales were insufficient. Aidan needed more to expand his connection to Taliesin, to expand his knowledge of Druidism, to become the man he wanted to be. They had never been far from New Haven, and tales from the Druids at the Academy had reached them. Elder Seirol reached out, and Aidan was given his chance. He went to the Academy, phoenix and wolf in tow, looking towards a bright future.

## Skills and Abilities

### Druidic Talents

Aidan has an affinity for animals and many of his abilities revolve around them. Aidan's magical bond with Taliesin allows the Phoenix to draw on his own strength to cast spells which Aidan himself is not capable of. The Phoenix grants fire magic and life magic, which Aidan uses mainly in combat. The life magic has proven useful when dealing with hurt creatures and individuals outside of combat of course. Aidan is able to call animals to help him, and can even transform himself into a small flock of birds to escape harm.

Aidan is not solely limited to communication with animals. His time spent out in the Everwood has given him a particular ability to see into the lives of plants, communicating with them and their senses to get a broader sense of the world. This talent has evolved to even allow him to shape nature, as it works with him to achieve his aims. Brambles and bushes move aside for him, or sprout up around his foes.

### Personal Skills

Outside of being a capable Druid, Aidan is also an excellent shot with a bow. He is a skilled hunter, able to track creatures through the forest and other terrain with ease. He is a good climber, and is very perceptive. His druidic talents are enhanced by his being naturally good with animals, a talent only nurtured by his time with the druids of Gwyncoedrig. Aidan is a fine woodworker, and has a good sense for using tools.

Aidan is also fluent in elvish, both spoken language and their markings having learned from his father.

## Trivia

* Aidan and Taliesin's colour scheme is taken from World of Warcraft's Pyros.
* 'Branwen' is a Welsh name translating to 'Blessed raven'.