Sylus Duskfyre

Sylus Duskfyre as he appeared during the Forbidden Crisis

Sylus Duskfyre, also known as Sylus the Justiciar was the heroic figure operating in Eredan famed for being devout and tireless in dispensing the Father's justice. He has now fled Tyrrus, though plans to return. He was first introduced in a test session alongside Lady Raven Blackflame and The Faceless Guardian where he played a major role in The Forbidden Crisis

## Life

Sylus' parents were not particularly Religious, against what one might expect. He found that he had the capacity of magic and immediately decided upon fire when he was young, although was not allowed to really explore that for obvious reasons, going on the promise that his parents would send him somewhere to learn when he was older. So, Sylus Duskfyre obeyed and waited for his time. However, his parents would never send him. Around 8 years of age, Sylus' parents were murdered by brigands while they were travelling to Eredan. He survived by virtue of running headlong into the wilderness and them not bothering to follow. Without mortal assistance in sight, he instead prayed for the divine. As luck would have it, on the road the next day, there appeared a travelling merchant who saw the lone Sylus walking towards the distant city. He picked him up and carried him to Eradan.

Not knowing where else to send the boy, because of his faith he gave Sylus to the Priests of the Father. They decided to provide for the boy, on the condition that he would follow the Father and allow himself to be raised as his Child. The boy believed that because of his prayers, the Father had brought the merchant of coincidental faith to help and naturally accepted. The Father had looked out for him after all. He spent his years learning from the Priests and developing his faith, as well as developing his magic along the way with the Priests' sponsorship. When he came of age to leave, he left as an official Priest and dedicated himself to meting out the Father's justice against people like the men who killed his family.

He came across that merchant again and of course, he was killed. Sylus, upon discovering this, decided that the Father's Justice needed better enforcement and that clearly he wasn't dedicated enough, or powerful enough. He went out along the route that the merchant took and burned the people that slew his old rescuer. Then, he spent time in the University of Haven with what coin he had acquired through his work and learned to be a more powerful Mage. With his studies completed and the power of the divine with him, he went out and began to bring to justice more and more immoral and 'evil' people. During this time, he developed his Unique magics, both of which are activated through prayers.

## Description

Appearance
Sylus Duskfyre stands at a reasonable 5"11 in height, allowing him to stand out in a crowd. Despite not being particularly bulky, he stands up straight and holds himself with an aura of pride which, combined with his height, allows him to be a notable physical presence in the room. He has dark brown hair that falls about halfway to his shoulders, hanging over his ears. His hair is parted at the front, keeping his face in view. His eyes are an intense, deep blue and he has a short, pointed nose. Sylus keeps himself clean shaven.

He also wears a set of custom crafted armour that he commissioned after his time at the University of Haven. This armour is made up of primarily reinforced and studded leather, covered over with a red and yellow tabard bearing the symbol of the Father. Small articles of cloth hang from his pauldrons and his sides, giving the impression of a set of armoured robes. Around Sylus' neck hangs an Amulet of Holy Fire, the first artifact that he was able to summon through Divine Calling and a longer necklace bearing the symbol of the Father as well.

### Personality

The Justiciar as he is known also as is fiercely religious and notably devoted to the Father, who he has adopted as his patron God. As a result, he has a fierce sense of morality and justice. Some might describe him as a slave to the ideals of right and wrong and they would not be wrong to say so. At times, this may lead him to be obtuse in times of moral grayness or when he is wary that a situation might lead to him breaking the ideals that he clings to so tightly. It also makes him relentless in the pursuit of someone who he has considered evil and will stop at nothing to ensure that they are reprimanded for their sins. His punishments are often harsh, though proportionate. He does not for example, prescribe the death sentence for theft but rather the removal of a finger (or three) as penance.

As is expected of someone who tries to emulate the ideal person, he always seeks to help those that he can and delivers harsh punishments on those that break the laws of the Father and the land. Initially, this led to conflicts with the law until they gained an understand of who he was and his methods. One thing that marks him out from the traditional ideas of a Hero is that when it comes down to it, he is not always generous with money and in fact seems to strive to avoid it. Instead, Sylus (As a father would) teaches those unfortunate people or otherwise opens an opportunity where possible for them to help themselves and build their life up. He believes that only through experience and trials can one become strong and be able to help themselves.

Sylus personally is held back by himself and his commitment to his ideals. He is unskilled in matters of love, for there has not as of yet been anyone pure enough that he has felt a reasonable level of care for. He has repressed any sort of sexual desire through constant mental training and attempting to maintain total control of himself. On the other hand, he is not stranger to friendship and has been able to cultivate some friends within the city of Eredan where he primarily operates, mostly within the circles of people he has given assistance to and who have assisted him. However, his dedication to his cause leaves him with little time for social outings. When he does find the time, he consumes only enough alcohol to be enjoyable and never strays into drunkenness. He prefers to sit amongst friends in a quiet place and speak on subjects of intellectual concern, as the way that he lives his life has rendered him unable to converse on the more normal subjects of gossip and people that he is interested in.

## The Forbidden Crisis

Sylus was called in by Alaric the Lawmaker to investigate the events of the 2nd of Winter's Reign. His part in the team that was formed was to provide powerful magic support, as well as represent the interests of the Light and keep the group on task and focused. Tensions between Raven Blackflame and himself became immediately apparent from their very first encounter in the meeting chamber in the citadel. The two of them began to compete for the lead in the interrogation of the members of the High Council in the Citadel. Sylus also found himself becoming suspicious of the High Chancellors. This sentiment was not decreased by The Father's warning about their deaths if they were to enter the chamber.

When the investigation looked beyond the Citadel, Sylus was sent to investigate the Central Library of Haven to find out what happened to Kaylibeth-Joanne. His reputation preceded him and he was allowed through into the vault where he discovered the presence of a shelf dedicated to Forbidden Magic, and the lack of books. Only one remained on the shelf. The librarian reported that Kaylibeth was seen leaving with Scarlet Nightborne with a large stack of books which he concluded to be the missing spell tomes. While the librarian was gone for a moment, Sylus prayed to the Father to find out if he approved of him taking the sole remaining book on the shelf. He received permission and stole the book and left the library with the librarian none the wiser. As the day drew on, he went to the market and purchased a sword before going to the local Temple of the Father where he, with the help of the Priests there, summoned a pair of Holy Blades and Charms of the River (Which were quickly sold though both Holy Blades were kept). He was also given bedding due to his reputation. An unsuccessful patrol during the night found nothing, however he did briefly meet The Faceless Guardian after he dispatched a trio of Wraiths. He returned to the temple and slept.

The next morning he was woken by Varius Nightborne who had managed to locate the three of them and they set up a rendezvous at the Frostfire Club where they discussed a plan. Sylus contributed little to the proceedings within the Club, though he helped question Kaylibeth-Joanne once she was discovered. At this point, he was certain that Scarlet Nightborne was responsible for the events. Afterwards, Sylus rode ahead with Varius to the Goldheart Estate and was granted entry along with him.

Sylus spent the majority of the time at the Goldheart Estate catching up with the various relevant individuals at the party and updating them as to the progress of the investigation. People he spoke to included Magelord Esteros, Elohanne Nightborne and Alaric the Lawmaker. At an undefined point he spotted a black shadow flitting throughout the crowd though he found it impossible to track them due to the strange 'glitching' movement. He met up with Raven to discuss this at which point, she poisoned his drink with Unholy Water though the attempt was a failure and went unnoticed.

The Faceless Guardian returned from his investigation into Scarlet and Lexander's room and Sylus joined he, Raven and Varius when they returned to investigate. He paid particular attention to the writing on the walls. He detected no dark magic presence. He was however, the first to act when there was a scream from the dining hall. He opened the way for Raven and set about organising the situation while the witch applied the relevant healing materials to help him recover from what would otherwise have been a fatal wound. The Justiciar demanded a full explanation from the people present as to what was going on exactly between Lexander and Scarlet. This prompted a coversation outside where the group became aware of both Lexander and Varius' sexualities and Scarlet's use of a love potion to force Lexander into loving her.

Once the team set out for Blackmorne, he was the second to arrive. During his encounter with the Burning Blade Roadblock, he set two of them on fire and was shot in the back for his trouble, though he bandaged his wound with a scrap of his tabard. Upon arrival, he demanded assistance from Raven which prompted an argument between the two, where he expressed his concerns that she was unhelpful and impossible to work with. This was ultimately unproductive and ended with Eloha helping Sylus while The Faceless Guardian arrived and intervened in the conflict between the two.

Once inside, he happily ate the food that Margaret provided and was certainly surprised when finding that she was not a human maid, but rather a large golem. During the battle with her after they entered the Drawing Room, he used the Chains of the Father to restrain her while The Faceless Guardian, Eloha and Raven in Dragonkin form dealt further damage. Once she was subdued and revealed the trapdoor, he led the four of them ahead wielding a Holy Blade as light. After both Raven and The Faceless Guardian failed to open the door, he was about to set it on fire when Bernard Strongarm appeared to destroy the door. He was more immediately accepting of the hulking man than Raven and the two became fast friends due to Bernard's inherent sense of righteousness. He was also responsible for the majority of the questioning of Olivessa the Seer and discovered Scarlet's diary.

They spent the night at Blackmorne. However, before they could leave, they encountered the shadowy figure that they had observed at the party. While Bernard fought the shadowy figure using Noble Art, Sylus prevented Raven's escape. By interdicting her path to the door, the window and simply being able to catch up to her when she ran, he was able to contain her and, when the fight was over, restrained her with Bernard's assistance. This proved irritating for Raven as she had been outplayed by Sylus on this occasion, but quite refreshing for the Justiciar who had spent the past few days subject to the infernal woman's whims and had had quite enough of her. He was unable to prevent Raven killing the man, who was revealed after torture to be the utterly lovestruck and hyponotised Andros, Archmage of the Light. The parameters of the mission dictated that he reserve judgement for later, though unknown to him it would not wait long.

Though the ride to Sorrowsong was uneventful, the castle itself more than made up for the relative lack of excitement. Once they arrived, they found it under siege by some of the Dark Monks and other forces. The four of them were allowed through, though Eloha had gone ahead and joined the strike force early while the team was asleep. Once inside, they were met by Scarlet Nightborn herself who offered Sylus and the others an alliance with her. This offer fell on deaf ears for all others, except for Raven Blackflame who accepted in return for being given Forbidden Magic. Upon seeing this, Sylus was infuriated and cast Incinerate, dooming her to burn. The Faceless Guardian had attempted to stop this, but was subverted by Bernard tackling him out of the way. Bernard supported Sylus' effort by knocking Raven out with a swift punch, at which point Sylus cancelled the spell and returned her to the task force for safe-keeping and reported the betrayal.

The now three of them entered and fought a difficult battle against the Mind Controlled Eloha Nightborne, Luthius the Exorcist and Varius Nightborne. Bernard fought Luthius while The Faceless Guardian and Sylus fought Varius. Sylus was able to set Varius on fire using his Reflex Spell Pyreshield and helped dispatch him with a Holy Blade. He assisted in defeating Eloha by casting a Sear  to finish her off, though he had taken a wound from the Dark Monk's Piercing Dagger. Afterwards, Raven rejoined the party, having escaped and the two reached an arrangement where they would resolve their differences.

Against Lord Bracklethorn, Sylus did relatively little. Early in the battle he was sniped with an expertly aimed arrow though healed through the spectacular throwing arm of Bernard Strongarm who delivered an activated healing scroll to the injured Justiciar. He provided some magical support with Sear.

When confronting Alaric, the Justiciar was unable to sway the Paladin into rejoining them and helped defeat him, though he took some injury from the numerous hammers the man used. By using Flame Sizzle, combined with Igneous he was able to help deal a good amount of damage to the Mirrors of himself and Bernard, as well as the Archmage.

After this, they confronted Scarlet Nightborn. She refused to turn herself in and Sylus prepared to fight her. However, the intervention of a High Chancellor led to this attack being stopped and they were given the choice of what to do about her. Upon asking the Father, she was prescribed to die which he attempted to follow up on though was stopped by everyone present (Including Eloha Nightborn, Scarlet's sister) save the High Chancellor and the two dragons flying above. Ultimately, he aceded to a Mind Wipe.

His role in the climactic ending to The Forbidden Crisis was relatively short. He failed to stop Raven's sudden assault on the High Chancellor nor Bernard's pestering of him. Once Raven was burned, then feasted upon by the twin dragons and the secret of the High Chancellors revealed, he escaped using his Divine Intervention. He found himself in a cave, with the only hint to what had happened being the screams of those upstairs. After this, he knew that he would have to leave. The eyes of the High Chancellors were all-seeing and he would never be able to escape their wrath so long as he remained in Tyrrus. He lingered only a day or two more in the country, in disguise to gather supplies for the journey ahead. While going East was preferable, he did not believe that he would survive the journey because of the great powers hunting him. Instead, he risked himself and travelled West to Hirokir and the lands beyond, swearing that he would return.

Sylus was given two parting 'shots' where he was seen passing through a crowded street in a grey cloak, walking past an unmasked Nicholas Nevermind and the second being a scene of him wearing the same cloak billowing in the wind as he stood in the mountain pass to Hirokir, gazing out at the jungle beyond.

## Present Day

Sylus' current whereabouts are unknown, and his absence has been noted by some smallfolk who remembered him as a defender of the innocent and a paragon of justice.

## Trivia

* Sylus is one of only three people who remembers the events of The Forbidden Crisis.
* He is also the person least harmed by it, having not been memory wiped, killed or having his powers taken away.
* The primary inspiration for Sylus' character was Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero.
* Had the ending been different and Sylus became the Archmage of the Light, assuming that his memory was not wiped, then his plan would have been to arrange Scarlet's death using his influence.
* Something similar would have been attempted with Raven Blackflame as well, although it would have been a much more direct denunciation and attempted conviction.
* He would have also attempted to work with Eloha Nightborn in investigating the secret that the High Chancellors kept hidden.
* Sylus' status as a revolutionary intending to return to Tyrrus to defeat the High Chancellors led to the parody title of Sylus of the Rebellion.