Istvan Hawall

*Istvan is one of Ground Man's great characters! He's great! We swear!*

*"I'm not some holy soul, chosen by the gods. My sister is, though; and so long as she draws breath, I'll do everything in my meager power to protect her and her ideals."* -Istvan Hawall

**Istvan Henrik Hawall** (b. 3 Neth, 984 AC) is the cohort and younger brother of Baranya Hawall. A soldier and woodsman, Istvan is a seasoned footman hailing from the Northern Tundra.

## History

The youngest child of a merchant and a militiaman, Istvan was raised in the silver-mining town of Argent Pass in the Northern Tundra, which exists in close proximity to a cathedral of Iomedae, a middling distance away from the orcish stronghold of Warforge. Unlike his sisters, who showed great talent in the realms of mercantilism and faith, Istvan was naturally strong and adroit. While all the Hawall children served in the town militia, Istvan thrived there.

After the attack that cost his sister, Baranya, her leg and her friends, Istvan redoubled his efforts to become a warrior worthy of the Hawall family legacy. When Baranya was exiled several months later, Istvan took the news the worst. In his eyes, Baranya had done nothing wrong; the events that led to the orcish counter-ambush were a master-stroke that Baranya cound not have reasonably been expected to anticipate. Istvan trained for two years straight, committed to one day having the skill to join Baranya in Falador and restore her reputation in the land of her birth.

## Appearance

Sightly taller than his sister, and physically more imposing. Istvan, unlike his sister in her early days in Falador, retains no ties to the Argent Pass militia in his everyday clothing, favoring clothing heavy in grays and whites. In battle, he wears peerless scale mail, as well as an enchanted oaken shield; he uses a beautiful steel battleaxe named *Silver Rush* most of the time, but can often be seen drilling with a bec de corbin off the field. When truly pressed, Istvan will draw forth his adamantine bastard sword, *Demetri,* and charge forward using a two-handed weapon technique*.* Istvan wears a pine holy symbol of Iomedae around his neck, the only overt symbol of his faith on his person.

## Personality

Unlike his sister, Istvan is most assuredly a follower, not a leader. While Baranya's pool of knowledge tends towards the esoteric, Istvan's is more focused on people and places. Istvan attempts to hold himself to an Iomedaean code of honor, but he is not a paladin, and has no wish to become one. He stands by local laws, and tries to do right by others, but he makes no attempt to make others do the same: to him, the path of justice is one he need only walk alone.

## Friends

Istvan's greatest allies are his family: his mother, Elena; father, Henrik; and elder sisters, Baranya and Pietra. Istvan feels a great duty to his family, and would do anything to help them, even to his personal detriment.

Outside of his family, Istvan has a few friends left in Argent Pass; in Falador, Baranya's other cohort, Purity, is his only other ally of note.

## Enemies

Any enemy of Baranya's is an enemy of Istvan's.

## Aspirations

Istvan wants to restore Baranya's standing in Argent Pass, and help his sister achieve her goals, no matter what they may be.