Ryan Winterlynn

*"Hel-lo, Gid-ee-on"*

Ryan Winterlynn is a friendly NPC from the Grand Academy campaign. Originally a feral mage, found in the abandoned wing, the students took pity on the young man, and began to befriend him, and care for him.

### Physical Description

Ryan is a young man, around 18 years old, with a very youthful appearance, which is exaggerated further by his short height. He stands at about 5 feet tall, or 1.5 metres. He looks a little like a ghost, with his pale skin and snow-white hair. His one good eye is a pale watery blue. His other eye has been removed and replaced by a large, many-faceted glowing blue crystal. There is visible scar tissue around where this mutilation took place. In terms of clothing, Ryan usually wears an oversized wizard's costume, complete with a floppy pointed hat and flowing robes. He usually covers the lower portion of his face with a large scarf.

### Personality and Behaviour

Ryan's mental state is somewhat childlike. He seems to lack much of the knowledge that someone should have at his age, and everything he is shown seems new and unfamiliar. He is very curious, especially in regards to magical items, but also meek and paranoid. He is incredibly shy, especially around new people, and finds it difficult to trust anyone. However, he is very responsive to kindness and care, which is a sure way to gain his trust. Nevertheless, he is still uncomfortable being touched, and reacts violently to being startled. Ryan is incredibly loyal to those he considers friends, risking himself to help them. Ryan seems to have little understanding of social taboos and concepts of possession, frequently taking things he wants, and breaking into people's houses or restricted areas, without realising he's doing anything wrong.

Ryan's speech pattern is evidence of his mental damage. He speaks slowly, individually pronouncing each syllable. He struggles with longer words, and prefers to use short ones. However if given words to read from paper, he can read them fluidly and eloquently, without any of his usual speech impediments.

### Skills and Abilities

Despite his impediments, Ryan has shown to be very intelligent and perceptive. He is an incredibly competent mage, with a variety of abilities related to arcane magic and crystal magic.

Ryan is able to levitate himself, move around quickly, and teleport short distances. He can also produce powerful blasts of arcane magic, which he uses to defend himself.

Ryan's more unique capabilities lay are in his strange crystal magic. Ryan can use crystals to animate constructs, which he has used to create servants.

### Background

Not much is known about Ryan's background. What is known is that he was likely born in New Haven, and he was a student at the Grand Academy, who studied under Magister Ashwater. He was involved in Ashwater's experiment which destroyed the abandoned wing and killed everybody else in the building. It is assumed that this is when he gained his crystal eye. After this incident, Ryan remained in the abandoned wing for almost two years. At some point during this time, Magister Valurian discovered Ryan, and began to provide him with food and water.

When many of the academy students investigated the abandoned wing, Ryan defended himself and fought against the students, but gave up after being injured. Gideon showed Ryan pity, and befriended him. As well as Gideon, Celestia has taken up the responsibility of looking after him. When construction began to refurbish the Abandoned Wing, Ryan was forced to move out, and the students found him a new home in the hotel room which Siobhan wasn't using.