Darius Tassinari

Darius, son of Damani is the primary protagonist and the descendant of the legendary dragoon. As the youngest male heir in the Tassinari family he was destined to become Maester of the Snow Elves as is tradition of his bloodline. He is the younger brother of Talia and the blood brother of his childhood friend Amadeus Galati. Darius was among the last generation of children to be born in Leuven before the Snow Elves were forced to migrate off the Silver Mountains. He was born in the year 490.

Unbeknownst to him, he poesses a bond with the last dragon found in the world of Lucere and to why he does not know, though it is revealed that the pact his great grandfather made with the last dragon was so strong that he came what is known as a bloodrider. Whereas normally a dragoon can mount many dragons. A dragon that is bound to a bloodrider will only allow that rider to mount it.

Ultimally Darius is celebrated as the hero that unleashed alchemy and defeated the mastermind behind the malicious plot once and for all and in turn saved the world of Lucere. After he succeeded his father as Maester and led the Snow Elves back to their ancestral home. he took with him the largest portion of the alchemy stone back with with him and spent his later years rearing dragons that now roosted on the Silver Mountains.

**Early life**

As a child, Darius was a shy and generally quiet boy who suffered from nightmares for most of his early childhood, a trait shared by members of his bloodline. Visions of dragons and dragonfire consumed his dreams that where thought to be remnants of stories told by his grandfather of a bygone era. His will of fire awakened when he was 8 years old and a year later he joined the other children studying alchemy under his grandfather along with Galiron Galati who was a few years older.

**The Second Snow Elven Migration**

During the ambush of the second snow Elven migration, Darius stood before a group of fiends and Mrs Galati resulting in him getting knocked aside. Fleeing into the caverns he was chased by a goblin that squeezed in after him. Followed through the darkness, Darius was dragged down a crevasse and plunged into a deep underground river. As the current dragged him outside and downstream he hit his head and passed out. When he woke he was safely located the Elvish glades with no relocation of how he got there. Only a dragon scale found near his body gave any hint to how he got there. That and a distinct smell of his clothing that smelled not unlike a campfire and yet there was still something unfamiliar about it. It was around this time Darius began to question were his dreams of dragons really only a dream or something more.

   **Destined to become the Next Maester**

As Darius grew, so did his responsibilities and before long he became focused on learning about politics, economics and other subjects that aligned with what was to be expected of him as a future leader. One of the new subjects Darius began to study was on climate change. A subject still in it's infancy but which began as a theory that his grandfather had hypothesized on on the impact the sealing of alchemy event has had on the world. He also trained under Andris Galati and his father Damani to become proficient in various weaponry.

**First** **Expedition to the Northern reaches**

   Darius joined Andris Galati and his son Amadeus on an expedition to the Northern Reaches to stake a wooden pillar near the edge of the world to determine if indeed the world was shrinking as theorized by Dalzell. A second group was planned to examine the spot a year later to see if at all the post was any closer to the edge. Whllst Darius was supposed to lead the expedition, Damani asked Andris to join them due to his experience in the wilds and because of the unusable behaviour displayed by the fiends years prior. Despite it being summer the weather in the north was relentless as they made use of an old hunters cavern before making the final push the following day.

**Second Expedition to the North**

One year later, Darius now entrusted to lead an expedition himself is tasked to rethread his footsteps from a year prior and once and for all determine if indeed the world is shrinking at it's edge. Setting of, he is joined yet again by his friend Amadeus Galati. As they reach the cavern after a days march, it is clear to them that even in the one year the weather since their last journey has drastically taken a toll for the worse. As they share a moment of laughter in the cavern over some food, they are reminded by the harsh reality of the northern reaches as a howl of a wolf reminds them of the dangers beyond the snow wall that separate's them from the outside world.

As the pair set of the following day they encounter a green goblin which is a strange place to find a forest goblin. Still they continue towards the worlds edge where they discover that the world has indeed receded. The post and all the rope has been swallowed by the void. As they look out into the darkness, Amadeus contemplates on what they are going to do. Darius responds that his father, will decide but whatever happens, this is not a problem that the Snow Elves will face alone. Amadeus took a bracelet out of his bag and offers a pact of brotherhood to Darius. Similar to a bond their fathers shared, Darius his childhood friend accepts.

**Death from Above**

The pair decide to head home but come across a horde of fiends on the way back. Unable to avoid a confrontation they are forced to fight against numbers perhaps to great for them but Amadeus as always is eager to try citing he would rather die a warriors death than succumb to the weather like a stray dog. Amadeus gets a minor injury which panics Darius.

    At that moment something above the clouds above lights up the night sky. Unable to see what it is through the blizzard, the musky smell of the strange green fire reminds him of the smell on his clothes from when he was found in the elvish glades 16 years prior. He knew deep in his heart that this can only be one thing. The beast from his dreams.

**The Siege of the Alpine Garrison**

    Upon nearing the garrison it was clear that something was wrong. Smoke billowing up and through the clouds alerted Darius and Amadeus that there was a plea for help coming from their home. Still tired from their journey, the pair doubled their pace. When they reached the northern gate, Andris and a dozen of their kin came out and repelled the fiends so the pair could get into the fort. Darius explained his findings to his grandfather and the Maester and of the sighting of the dragon.

When inside the Atholian's attacked the fort threatening to burn to burn it to the ground. Dalzell in an effort to buy time for reinforcements to come suggested talking to Mateusz. Knowing his grandfathers life was more or less, Darius pleaded whilst Amadeus held him back and consoled him as Dalzell walked out the gates.

With no way of knowing what was being said, Darius could only watch on from the watchtower as his father was kicked to the dirt by the Prince of Athol. At that moment the dragon that he had seen in the north appeared in the sky and torched the archers who were threatening the city. The blast blast blew Saturoz back and quickly Mateusz showed his hand as strange looking djinn appeared that cast a dark art that struck the dragon causing it to whimper in pain. The dragon swooped down and its gaze caught Dalzell's and then it flew off as if it was commanded to retreat.

As the knights of Cilbaen arrived Darius aided his father from the watch tower. When the battle came to a close it was decided that the garrison was no longer a place they could call home and the the Snow Elves were to take refuge in Kona until a new home could be established. And so under they headed west.

**The Elvish Glades**

Darius and his father arrive at the elvish glades and to collect the mystical water that lies there. Damani explains the importance of the pond to Darius and insists that it is more precious than any gold and must be protected at all costs, even at the expense of the Maester's life himself. Darius talks about the dragon to his father and Damani concludes that the beast that it could no longer be a coincidence that a dragon has appeared to him. He gives his son a dragon scale that he found 16 years prior and they come to the conclusion that they agree on Darius seeking out the Alami who may be have answers to why there is still a winged beast in the world. The Maester tells his son to wait until they reach Kona

**Declaration of War**

When in Kona, the lords of the senate arguing whether or not they are going to go to war are slammed by Darius who declares in a rallying speech that even impresses his father citing that "Death is closing in on them all. We can only hope to meet it halfway, now when there is still something to fight for." Tobias now is adamant on going to war is unavoidable and regardless of the agreement of the senate sends out letters to Nakari, warlord of the south and to his other subordinates such as the Barbarbian King, Baku and to the lords of Cilbaen, Barcroft. to prepare to march on Athol. Tobia's asks that Darius to join him in his room and it is there he presents Darius with dragoon armour that resembles the ancient atire that the great Alami dragoons of of the past where said to have worn. The King tells Darius that this armour has awaited a hero to wear and and that it had been made years prior as a gift for his great grandfather Darnell who never got to see it.

**Perils on the road**

After a few days in the castle, Darius sets off south with Amadeus and the Kings youngest son Karadin. The Prince who is to guide him to the wetwoods once travelled with Darnell and knows the area better than most. On there way Darius encounters, seperated from the group comes across a mysterious old woman who gifts Darius seven golden coins and questions his outlook on life. Darius confides to this strange woman and impressed by his answers she dissapears as quickly as she had appeared. This visitor would later to turn out to be revealed as the Succubus, Lilith who can shapeshift into various forms.

A letter sent by the King a few days prior outlines that they are to meet Indra and the warriors of Lionsford who will be able to give directions to find the ancient Alami. On the road Darius complains about the heat but Karadin and Amadeus do not see any concern. The next morning Darius wakes with a fever and it is agreed that he should rest in the shade. Not willing to turn back so soon after setting off and being considered a laughing stock. Karadin suggests that they travel by night. The Prince assuming that Darius needs time to climatize to the warmer temperature's than the Snow Elf would need to acclimatize now as their travels' would only lead to warmer places.

After two nights on the road they realize that they have missed their meeting with the warriors of Lionsford and would have to travel on without their knowledge and hope they can find the find the Alami without them. They camp for the day to rest and whilst the are about to fall asleep when they are came upon by the feline beasts of Lionsford. Having missed their meeting, Baku and Indra along with their beasts tracked them down wondering why they were sleeping by day when fiends are more active at night. They tell Darius that to stick to the river within the wet woods if they wish to find the Alami but they will only be found if they wish to be found.

**The Marshes**

As they group travelled through the marshes. they were attacked by fiends. Karadin risks himself to save his famous blue horse noxiously punching a fiend in the face. This gives time for Darius and Amadeus to flee. The dragon swoops in and saves them but Karadin is unable to escape. Darius walks up close to the dragon, taking the scale out of his bag but Amadeus voice rings through and more imps appear, the dragon flies off. Darius and Amadeus break for the wet woods.

**Blood Brother**

Darius illness worsens and unable to walk. Amadeus, forced to carry his friend until he reaches the river and follows it until he too collapses from exhaustion. As the fiends close in, Amadeus lifts his sword at the last minute and kills dozens of fiends as the monsters jump on him and Darius. Not giving up Amadeus continues until the monsters are too much even for him. It's at this moment he sees a dozen Alami creatures in the tree and Amadeus pleas with them to help whilst still fighting for his life. Ignoring him, it is only when an emotional Amadeus announces that Darius is a descendant to the legendary dragoon do the Alami warriors finally help.

**Blood Rider**

Darius awakens two weeks later within the Alami village and is told by the chieftain of the Alami and that he is in fact a blood rider by birth right. The dreams he's been having is a trait that is told in the stories of old. His great grandfather must have formed a pact with the dragon and thus the dragon was bound to him being of the same bloodline. Concerning Darius illness, the Alami chieftain is able to give him something to drink in whenever he feels ill but it is not something that ill help forever, It is the same water from the magical spring. He explains what Darius experienced was the same infliction to why the snow elves moved the the north in the first place and if left unchecked could be fatal.

**Legend of the last Dragon**

Darius is told that he must find the courage to summon the beast and and is told to rest to regain strength. The chieftan explains that he once knew and travelled his his great grandfather. As Amadeus is training outside with his new rune blade, Darius has a nightmare of which he was being chased by a goblin. Falling into darkness and just about to be killed the dragon swoops in. The nightmare is being told by Dalzell and his grandfathers voice gives Darius strength and purpose and he awakens feeling like the he has the power to summon the beast. The fiends of darkness thanks to Nakari's spies have found the Alami and the village is overrun.

**The Last Stand**

The Alami make their final stand citing that hope has befallen the last dragoon. The chieftain gives Darius his alchemy ring and tells him to fire on the magical water. Darius commands the dragon as instructed the cache of the mystical water that was leftover. Conflicted, he remembers that his father told him how precious it was it is shocked when the the explosion shakes the ground confirming that perhaps dragon fire is the key to unleash alchemy Amadeus and Darius flee using the beast whilst the village is consumed by the fiends and a beautiful but deadly green flame.

**The Dragon Rider**

Darius flies north and over the battle that is ensuing. Seeing the massive horde, Darius uses the beast to obliterate the numbers down to something more manageable. When the dragon tiring indicates that it cannot unleash any more flame. Darius lands the beast beside his father and explains his findings. Amadeus jumps off ready for battle but Darius tells his father he knows how to save the world. Amadeus pleads to go with Darius and Damani agrees but Darius tells his father to trust in his will of fire and he he tells Amadeus that the giant of Leuven's strength is needed here and so he flies off towards Falaj.

**Alchemy unleashed**

Darius lands the beast atop the mountain and after a confrontation with the warlock Lilith who appears, is able to use the dragonfire blow the chamber and release the seal on alchemy.

**Aftermath**

Darius returned a hero and afterwards the largest pieces of the alchemy stone were gathered up and distributed throughout the world of lucere. As the weather and the Snow Elves reclaimed their home on the Silver Mountains. It was Darius who led them carrying the largest alchemy crystal that was to be housed in the great hall.