Loras Justinian


 * D&d_loras.jpg"That I am the last who shall die for this mistake." - The 'hope' of Prince Telvirin of the Order of Vaskr. Words Loras took particularly to heart.

Loras Justinian OBS, KCE is a 17 year old human from the city of Snapdragon. He was a priest of Vaskr, and squire to the Order of Vaskr. However events in Candlewood gave him a new path, now he serves as the Last Mother's only sworn knight. Of noble birth, he is the son of the Lord Antonius, and destined to one day be the advisor to his brother Taris in Snapdragon, their home.

Early Life
Loras was born on 4th July, SR 553, the child of the gentle Lord Torias and Lady Jayne of Snapdragon: the Lord Antonius. He has an elder brother Taris, and a younger sister Sera.

Despite their eight years of age difference, Taris thought the world of his little brother. The two of them would ride around the Snapdragon countryside as bright young adventurers, worthy of the legendary Age of Heroes. Together Bethendil and Daven the Bold would fight the evils of the forest and come home with pockets full of the shiniest stones plundered from goblin caves. Loras knew that his brother would be the finest Lord in the kingdom even when Taris did not.

Their father often told them that despite the elder's title, the two brothers must never forget their duty to Snapdragon and to the King. Loras learned young that nobility didn't necessarily have to come from a great title or a castle. He was destined to be one of the great Wisdoms, a preacher of the Lady Tyria or a knight-priest of Vaskr.

The Call to Vaskr
His calling came when Loras was only eleven. He was walking with Sera, his sister in the old courtyards of Castle Snapdragon when the crumbling mortar at the top of the wall finally lost its battle with the elements and chipped fragments began falling onto the people and youths below. A soldier was stuck on the helm and fell into the paths of the hurtling stones. Although he was a small boy he dragged the soldier's shield from his arm and held it up on his shoulder. He covered his sister, no older than ten, and the unconscious man's head and chest until the rocks stopped falling. In the process, a chunk of masonry broke the young noble's arm and dislocated his shoulder. But the shield did not move, not until Lord Antonius pulled it, and a very shaken Loras away from the castle wall.

The knights and soldiers around the castle marvelled that such a young man could hold up a heavy iron shield especially under the weight of rocks from the sky. The unconscious man was so grateful that he made Loras a gift of the battered piece of metal, something that he sees in the sigil of Vaskr to this day. And despite no longer being a squire of the Order, the shield and his first longsword are mounted in Loras' rooms in Snapdragon Hall as a reminder of his dedication to protect Emberglow.

Personality
Initially Loras seems to be a well mannered and good natured, young nobleman. He seeks to befriend people of any walk of life and believes that a smile costs nothing but affords everything. However, those who know him, understand that Loras will always be serious in going about his duty. He has achieved his position at the foot of the Order by diligence and hard work, not by the good virtue of his birth.

Since the death of his Lord father, Loras has been forced to grow up very fast.

Appearance
The son of a high noble family, Loras was always a smartly dressed and well-presented young man. Although his colouring is distinctly Culvin (straight hair hair, blue eyes), he has notable strong, Justinian features.

He has come very far in a short space of time and is constantly aware of what he represents. As a son of the Justinian family, one of the Knight's Companion, and as a holy knight of the Last Mother.

Most of the time he is seen in the colours of Snapdragon, carrying his various weapons, as well as his symbolically heavy shield. However, the most distinct aspect of his new role is his suit of plate. Constructed by Regin in the style of the Dwarven master craftsmen, it is able to channel Loras' own holy powers to rebuke the attacks of the Underlords. Under Halion's advice, Loras had the metal alchemically treated earning him the nickname 'The Black Knight'. Lady Jeyne thought it 'a little ostentatious'.

Torben
Although Loras has not known Torben for long, he feels very close to him and is protective of his new friend. There have been many signs and words that indicate these two young men are destined to walk the same path; these mean less to Loras than his newfound comradeship. He holds Torben to be a a close and trusted friend, and relies on him as an emotional rock, and honest advisor. Following events, Loras has dedicated himself to the life and protection of, perhaps, his closest friend.

Neren
Initially Loras was unsure about the true nature of Neren. Was she a creature summoned by Torben? Was she an arcane advisor sent from one of the many elemental planes? Was she a fragmented part of Torben's soul made whole? The spirit of his Aunt, still clinging to the material plane? Despite several key revelations, Loras still doesn't know what to think. Nevertheless, he considers Neren an invaluable part of their little band, in her own right. He enjoys their conversations and her interestingly pure outlook on the challenges they face. He has stood by her since the beginning and considers her as much his friend, as Torben.

Van
Since their very first meeting, there was some tension between the young priest and the half-elven burglar. If asked Loras would state it was Van's decision to sit so firmly opposed to the rule of law. However, when pushed, the knight saw in his new comrade a man trying to hide who he was. He wasn't fooled by Van's uncaring, unserious demeanour. When finally Van decided to return to his family, Loras was proud of him for finding his place in the world.

Regin
Although inititally taken-aback by the executor's forthright tone and brutal directness, Regin quickly became Loras' staunchest supporter. To this date, he remains the only member of the group to have officially sworn himself to the knight's service. Loras relied on Regin for his steadfast support. They rarely quarelled, and the knight was fond of the dwarf's gruff ways. When finally Regin begged leave to dedicate himself to the safety of the Dwarfholds and the evacuation of the North, Loras knew there was no one more reliable.

Halion
From the day they met, in the haunted goblin cave, Loras was very fond of Halion. His abilty to keep spirits high in the refugee camp, as well as his obvious compassion and intelligence, brought the storyteller much closer to the rest of the group. The knight has always sought Halion's advice on all manner of issues, but the decision to let him in on the great secret that they all bore was surprisingly easy. To this day, Loras has never regretted trusting Halion, and considers their friendship to be one of the lynchpins of the party.

Anaerion
When the King assigned the Underwatch wisdom to his band, Loras wasn't sure if the two of them would get on. There were many clashes between the two of them over matters of magic, the gods, decorum and more. Even now the two of them don't always see eye to eye. However, Loras not only values Anaerion's contributions to their mission, but also his friendship. Even going so far as to express his trust to Mother Hilde while in Ba'elzageth, defending Anaerion's 'slightly cracked genius'.