[3llusive]

Adelfieri ‘Delfi’ Kasper Nylund
Born: 7th of Spring, 11 AV
Age: 25
Race: Mesalian
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Personality:

Delfi is an extremely mature and calm man. Normally slow to anger, introspective, and quiet, he initially tends to give off an air of distance. Despite this, it's hard for him to seem unfriendly if his initial reaction to someone is favorable. A life of travelling has seen him mingling with people of many different creeds and cultures. Due to this, he’s widely accepting and nonjudgmental, able to fit in with many different kinds of people with relative ease once the ice has been broken with him.

There is ice to break however. Delfi's decided to maintain a good amount of distrust towards other people after being betrayed by strangers in the past.

He’s also relatively absent-minded, in a quiet setting his mind can wander to other thoughts quickly enough. This adds to his distant seeming nature in that he more often engages in thought than in conversation.

Despite these things however, growing up with his sister he’s nurtured a protective streak. This extends to many things for Delfi, a more gentle side of him tending to sympathize and defend those who cannot defend themselves. He believes he was gifted with strength to protect and care for others.

Despite this, his protectiveness can manifest in ugly ways, coming off sometimes as possessiveness or jealousy, and Delfi maintains very little belief against the idea of hurting those he has nothing emotionally invested in as a result of the way his clan was treated in times of civil war. Threatening or otherwise imposing on those he's 'claimed' is the fastest way to rise him to anger or opposition. A gut reaction from him can paint someone as a foe or a potential threat.

Even to those he would protect, Delfi is vulnerable. His protective and caring nature leaves him open to manipulation, and to picking at the emotions he normally naturally keeps out of sight and out of mind.

Appearance:

Delfi is a relatively tall man, around six foot and three inches (Or one-hundred and ninety centimeters) with cornsilk hair that reaches his jaw line with small braids tied behind his head and from one side of his bangs. His eyes are a brilliant shade of blue, deep like the sky as the sun begins to set on the horizon. HE ALSO HAS A SPAN OF SLIGHTLY DARKER COARSE HAIR LINING HIS JAW ALSO KNOWN AS A BEARD.

His body is lean, what bulk he does have however is sinewy muscle from wrestling with both animal and dusk creature, hauling deer and splitting wood. A man of nature, he could be called. Dressed in leathers and pelts decorated with azure blue beads that are brighter than his eyes.

He tends to carry a set of three knives with him, slung on a belt on his left side. One of these knives is a seax about a foot and a half in overall length, it’s handle intricately carved ash with two shallow but wide crevices where sinew cord has been wrapped tightly, spooled into the wood of the hilt for convenience. The other two knives are smaller blades, nine inches overall, for skinning and preparation of meats. On the other side of the belt is a simple set of bolas with a trio of segments, weighted with small lead balls affixed from sinew cording.

On his back there tends to be a leather quiver spiked with fletched death, arrow shafts of slender pale birch. Lashed to the quiver is often a slender, beautiful recurved bow, a pair of hawk feathers hanging from the upper limb to make the wind seen.

Jos, Faithful Hunter

Jos is Delfi’s companion. She’s a rather large Carpathian Shepherd, trained well by his sister specifically for the task. Her coat is patchy black, grey and white, though with a off-white diamond on her chest, the rest of her coat is somewhat of a dark pewter. She’s roughly 90lbs of dog, fairly tall as well, coming up to mid thigh on Delfi. She’s sturdily built, calm and obedient. Dutiful, like her master.

Jos has been trained to track animals by scent, able to track up to a day old trail on average, given that conditions are right. Perfect conditions for this would be a cool, moist day with no wind. However, shady moist spots, lush grass with lots of moisture in the spring can nurture scent and help a trail last longer. This is primarily employed by Delfi after he's wounded or delivered a fatal wound to an animal. Often times they will run before they collapse from the wound they've sustained. Day or night, Jos helps Delfi find his kills.

She's also trained in large game hunting. Delfi tends to use her for hunting bear, boar, and other large game that can be dangerous to hunt. She's of the right temperament to help him by immobilizing a fleeing animal, or holding the attention of an angry one until Delfi ends things with an arrow.

She's also fiercely protective, and has done a good job in the past of helping Delfi guard the caravans from Dusk and animal attack.

Skills:
(Novice > Apprentice > Competent > Advanced > Expert > Master)
-!Related skills will be colorized!-

Hunting
(Competent)
The occupation Delfi has spent most of his life doing, this skill includes the art of: stalking (quiet and stealthy movement), camouflage (blending in with surroundings), tracking (Identifying tracks and trails and tracking animals by them).

Archery
(Competent)
Delfi has spent most of his life learning how to use a bow and arrow. Whether on horseback hunting elk, or on foot drawing on rabbits as they dash from the undergrowth, Delfi is well versed in hitting his targets efficiently with good reflexes.

Animal Processing
(Competent)
This is Delfi’s ability to break down an animal carcass into desired materials. This means field dressing an animal, skinning it, butchering it, as well as a couple processes to further utilize the animal: Tanning pelts, and making cord from animal sinew, and salting meats, namely.

Hunting dog handling
(Apprentice)
Delfi has often been hunting with various dogs bred specifically for this purpose. He's handled tracking dogs, retrievers, and large game hunters. This skill encompasses working with already trained dogs, and training breeds that are already predisposed towards hunting.

Survivalism
(Apprentice)
Delfi’s versed in miscellaneous knowledge and abilities required for existing in the wilds. Identifying edible wild vegetables, berries, orientation by sunset or sunrise as well as practical abilities such as starting fires, basic first aid and building shelters.


Knife combat
(Apprentice)
Part of his duties in being a hunter for the Clan, Delfi’s responsibilities include dealing with dusk should they attack the caravan, and to protect himself from them should they attack him while he’s hunting. The seax he has comes in very handy for that, as he’s nimble and strong enough to get in close, with a functional knowledge of general anatomy to make his kills quickly

Horse Handling
(Apprentice)
Often times Delfi hunts by horse, this being a good idea because often times he stays out too long and the caravan leaves him behind. With a horse, it’s simple enough to catch up to them. He’s also versed in hunting from horseback in the grassy plains, as stalking or laying in wait for prey is much harder in those regions.


Bola use
(Apprentice)
Delfi has had use in the past for a special tool known as a ‘bola’. Primarily he’s used it to help his sister, catching runaway livestock with a well-aimed throw from horseback, entangling the animal’s legs to immobilize it. He’s also used this ability to hunt in grasslands and plains.

Backstory:

Prologue:

Bright paint and shining baubles, well remembered. The steady creak of the wheels as the draw horses tugged them along. Every four years they would visit. Some looked upon them as welcome guests. Others grumbled as if it was an in-law’s visit. The children from the wagons would dance and play barefoot with young ones from the village. Sometimes an older child would run away with the wagons. Some of them would stay to marry.

That all changed when the Xitians attacked. They took with closed fist what the people of the wagons gave open-handedly. Trade? The notion was scoffed at. Slaves. Slaves were what they took. Those who were too young, weak or pregnant to take stayed behind. They wept with despair. Even after the long years, some of their loved ones returning to them, never again would they trust.

Twins:
(Birth to 3 years)
They were born in the spring time. The caravans were passing through Namaste Valley. It was no surprise that they had the family wispy pale hair, and deep blue eyes. What was more surprising is that there were two of them. Mirrors of each other, save for a difference that was more readily obvious. One a boy, the other a girl. Adelfieri and Adelheid. The Nylund twins as they were readily called, and they were two sides of the same coin, or so it was said. Hurt one and they’d both cry. Separate them and they’d pout. There was no way around it until they started maturing.

Childhood:
( 3 years to 8 years )
They'd tussle with the dogs by the campfire when the wagons came to a stop at night. Eyes of the other children giving them odd looks. They were both dressed the same. Both looked the same. One of them had a scratch from the dog on their forearm. That might have been Delfi? But their voice was high in pitch..

The two cared little about the staring, or the whispers. The massive dog between them seemed to be the only one they'd pay attention to, apart from each other. One of them took to whispering in the dogs ear. That had to be Heidi. Their mother came over finally, murmuring "Make sure you vash up after you play with Sebastion, Heidi."

It was often like that for them. Their parents were smart enough to dodge the topic of it being difficult to tell them apart.

Growing Older:
(8 years to 23 years)

Later as life dragged on, the twins slowly began to drift apart like melting ice at the end of winter. He'd go with the hunters out to the forest, clinging to his father's friend to stay atop the horse as they set off, the wagons ever rolling onward. She'd stay behind with the family, herding with the dogs and working with the horses and the other animals. She never had to break away from their family. He on the other hand. He learned away from it all.

He quickly learned that all too often, he'd be the only one he could rely on. While there were hunts that often took part with a group of hunters - when they'd run down herds of bison in the plains on horses, more often than not he'd learn to stalk, and to lay in wait at watering holes. Motionless, silent. Alone, until the time to release an arrow was upon him. Then he had to find a way to get his kill to the horse after field dressing it. Sometimes other hunters helped with that. The bigger prey like moose was impossible for any one man to deal with without a sled and a horse.

The closest companion he had besides his sister because of this solitary existence was often a good dog. Even then, his sister was often the one to train them. There was something comforting about caring for dogs for him. They didn't ask too many questions. They slobbered everywhere, but all they wanted was to be fed, given work to do, and cared for, and they'd be loyal friends and partners. He could do that.

He always ended up caring for his sister too as he grew older. She got uncomfortable talking to others. He always could tell with a glance, her eyes avoiding theirs, the way she seemed to want to flee awkwardly. It’d be only a moment before he’d shepherd them away from her like the wagon’s own sheep dogs. She never had to thank him.

He'd come running whenever she had trouble with her flock in the past as well. Runaway cattle that slipped away from the dogs, a lost calf. Didn't quite matter. He'd drop everything to make sure that she was doing well. He found creative ways to make up for his inexperience in herding. One of the other hunters taught him to use a tool in the plains for hunting down antelope. On the surface, it was a nexus of cords with weights attached. In practice, hurled from horseback? It could bring an animal at full run to the ground without killing it.

He had to be wary of using it on livestock however. It was never the intention to seriously hurt her animals... It happened, on occasion though. He always felt ashamed and guilty for days on end afterwards. In a sour mood as he sat around the campfire at night. He had trouble discerning what his role in life was, when he was younger. All he wanted was to take care of his sister, and live with some semblance of comfort.

In the end, he learned who he was. He was a provider of food and warmth, and protector from what lurks in the night. A hunter, and a guardian, especially to his sister. It came naturally to him. In the end, he was still taking care of her. Only now, sometimes from a distance.

He could be pretty lonely sometimes. It isn't quite fair to say that he had no one else. His parents still cared for him, naturally. They were quite proud. Never the less, as he grew older he drifted away from them too. Spending most of his time out on the trails behind the caravan was a solitary existence, most of the time. And as the caravan forever rolled on through new climates, he found that there wasn't really a season of the year that there wasn't any hunting or work to be had. As they say, he was married to his work.

Beyond that, he took on even more responsibilities. Because of his sister's unsocial behavior, he'd have to deal with both of their produce and getting it sold in town. Often times he'd go with the traders himself. He had an obsession with making sure that himself and his sister got everything they could to live comfortably. He'd often loom over a trader's shoulder to watch them work, a bit oblivious to the way that made them uncomfortable. Eventually this sort of pestering lead the traders to take on this lost duckling of a hunter to teach him a bit of their trade so he could have a bit more ease of mind, and have a hand in making deals for himself and his sister.

Always bring a knife:
(17 Years old)
The only noise was that of his breath, and the whisper of autumn leaves falling in the wind. It was getting darker, but he could still squint through the evening light, through the pale willows and see the pond.

Determined not to go home empty handed, his eyes were affixed. Like a wolf's, they were trained on the majestic creature approaching the watering hole.

He could feel Ham's breath on his elbow. He could tell the moment the dog spotted the elk to, as the hot moisture of his exhale halted suddenly. The dog wanted it too.

They waited.

For minutes, they waited as the wise old elk slowly approached the pond for a drink. Crouched in the undergrowth of the treeline, they were motionless. Motionless until the very moment it bent it's head to drink it's fill.

The arrow rasped against the wood of the bowstave as it was slowly guided back with a strong arm. His pulse quickened, his breath catching as he stopped inhaling at the deepest point of his draw. A minimal effort and the arrow would soar into the clearing.

He took aim.

The elk dropped it's back suddenly as he released the arrow, an iron headed shaft flying through the air. It was high.

He stood from the under growth as the dog started to let out loud, baying yowls. "Hams geddit!" He encouraged. The dog didn't run after it. Something was wrong.

He turned immediately in time to see a shambling corpse encroach upon him, clawed fingers grasping for purchase. They found it in his tunic even as the bow was knocked from his hand by his stumble backwards, the thing's weight driving him to the ground. He could hear Hams yowling and snarling now. He felt a paw on his shin as one of the creature's legs wormed against his.

With a massive effort, he found his left hand pressing into the creature's collarbone, holding off it's jaws. He bared his teeth, clenching them as he staved it upwards, his other hand grasping wildly on his side. Fingertips brushed smooth wood, he almost had it.

He reached his fingers around the polished ash, and as Ham pulled he pushed, his tunic ripping where the creature had grasped, only for him to roll over on top of it with the motion.

Straddling it's torso, he pulled the seax finally free, it's blade glinting in the dying light as he reared his arm. It fell back towards the earth, pounding the blade into the shambler's face. Rotting flesh and coagulated blood yielded to steel. It's existence snuffed from the world. As he sat upon it, heaving breath after breath, he remembered the advice his friend gave him when he was younger. Always bring a knife.

Wartime:
(Civil wars began when he was 2 years old and continued until he was 24, continually effecting his life.)
Nations, towns, and villages clashed steel with steel as the caravans forever rolled on. Neutral to it all, drifting through. Too many of them saw the wagons as a target for blame. The crops die from their dog muck. Their fingers are sticky and leave with what is yours. They’re leeches living off of us. For all their talk, however, the hunters made sure that they didn’t get bold. They were still welcome some places, but times were hard when they had fewer stops in their route.

Travel:
(24 years to 25 years)
It’d fix their hardships. Line their pockets and feed them well. That was what he'd promised. A gleam in his eye, an excited smile. He had the answer, he said. He'd found a trader in town offering them a deal. A village in the Forbidden Lands, wanting a cluster of sheep to start their own herd. All it took was seven sheep and a trip across the ocean. They could even take Jos and Jelle to help manage them. Not bad at all. The elders were hesitant even so. Heidi took to the idea though. It didn’t take long to convince after that. They were adults now.. It was too hard to babysit both of them.

A few weeks journey to a town on the sea passed. They found a ship with a willing captain easily enough. It was a pleasant journey, at first. The rolling seas didn't bode well for Delfi, nor Heidi, however. After a month’s passage, stops along the way for the merchant vessel to offload goods the next stop was theirs.

Mutiny:
(25 years old)
The voyage was long. Tensions were high among the crew. Blame for stress was easy to pin when there were strangers aboard. After a week of arguments, and shutting themselves inside, Delfi could bear the worried look in his sister’s eyes no more.

He went to level with them. To quell their hostilities. It seemed like a good idea at the time. There were about eight of them lingering on deck, one of them he recognized as being a ring leader of sorts. Shortly after confronting him, a meaty fist was thrown his direction. The sailor was more interested in impressing his friends than reason.

The two dogs that were with Delfi convinced him of his error. When the rigging knives came out as sailors went to help however, that was where Delfi himself stepped in. Seax came in hand. He wasn't any stranger to blood. Yet it was the first time he’d entangled with another person. With the threat they posed to him, and to his sister, Delfi showed them as much restraint as he'd show dusk spawn.

The deck was slick from the sea, and the blood. It only took a shove and bad footing to put him into the sea. After that, it was the sting of the salt water in his eyes, the struggle to make it ashore. Part of the railing had broken from his weight when he was shoved. He clung to it, exhaustedly and let the waves take him where they would. Hours later when the sun was beneath the horizon, he was dragged ashore. He was alone at first. Jos found him on the sand awhile later.. While he was happy to see his faithful companion, one fact weighed on his mind. Heidi was gone.

Items brought into the setting:

x1 Iron Sword (Named 'Long Seax') - Delfi's trusty seax. Eighteen-inches overall, weathered but well made and sharp. Two wide but shallow indentations in hilt.

x1 feather (Named 'Tool knife') - One of the trio of knives Delfi carries, this is a shorter knife primarily oriented for work related tasks. It's quite beat up, but still holds an edge.

x1 feather (named 'Skinning knife') - Kept sharp as possible, this knife Delfi saves explicitly for skinning, as having a good, clean and sharp knife is essential for cutting through the membranes that keep hide attached to flesh.

x3 String (Named 'Sinew cord') - The length of sinew cord that Delfi keeps spooled around the shallow indentations in his knife's hilt. Very strong, thin and flexible.

x1 Flower Pot (Named 'Leather Quiver') - Delfi's trusty quiver.

x1 Bow (Named 'Yew Recurve') - Delfi's bow. Distinctly recognizable by it's shape, and by the pair of hawk feathers on the upper limb.

x1 Tripwire hook (Named 'Lead bolas') - A trio of lead balls connected by sinew cords. One of Delfi's invaluable possessions for immobilizing animals from horseback.





Author's Notes:

Not everything is written explicitly here so as to preserve the flow of the writing, which is stressed as it is. Instead I'm going to simply address what I feel are obvious questions here.

Q: What's the deal with Delfi growing up? Why doesn't he seem to have any friends?

Delfi and his sister have shared a special bond between each other since they were small. They both were bad about being separated and preferred to play together and with the family dogs. This is understandably a somewhat intimidating thing for other children, having to deal with twins that look almost identical and seem to want nothing to do with you.

T[/b] Delfi's best friend was his sister. His second best friend was a hunting dog, of which he's taken care of three during his life. A hound named 'Varks' Varkuss, A Shepherd named Ham, and Jos.

Q: How does Delfi see his dogs?

He has a respect for them. To be honest, he's not overtly loving of them however. He doesn't baby them or shower them with petting or attention, but he finds comfort in taking care of them and comfort in their presence. Just as long as their sitting beside him and content, he's happy too.

He also views them as working partners. This all being said, Delfi will protect his dogs as fiercely as they protect him. It's just in his nature.

Q: There seems to be a theme about Delfi and distance in that way - even being distant with his dogs. Anything to that?

Yeah. Delfi's a pretty even-keeled person, the majority of the time. More or less learning to rely on himself to take care of his sister. He's a simple person in that not a lot beyond that makes him happy, as all too often he's had to stress over it as the years have passed.

Q: Delfi do anything for fun?

Relaxing when it's quiet, the meat's all packed away and there's nothing to do but sit down and pet the dog and tell her she did good. Otherwise, fun and Delfi aren't very compatible. He does get some amount of crude humor out of dealing with Dusk, but that isn't the same thing as fun.

Q: Where does horse riding come into the picture for Delfi?

When Delfi goes hunting he takes with him a horse, and a hound. The reason for this is because the caravan is continually moving, save for when it stops at towns or at night. This means he's constantly being left behind by the very design of his job, being isolated for sometimes days to hunt. Taking a horse with him is the only way to be able to catch back up to the caravan when he is left behind. Also in the plains of Namaste Valley, he finds himself hunting by horse back, as described in this passage:

"While there were hunts that often took part with a group of hunters - when they'd run down herds of bison in the plains on horses..."

Q: Why does Delfi go into town to trade? Doesn't the caravan have traders?

Well, yes. But for Delfi, this is more or less a problem that he feels he has to personally oversee things that directly effect his sister's well-being. It's described in this passage:

"Beyond that, he took on even more responsibilities. Because of his sister's unsocial behavior, he'd have to deal with both of their produce and getting it sold in town. Often times he'd go with the traders himself. He had an obsession with making sure that himself and his sister got everything they could to live comfortably. He'd often loom over a trader's shoulder to watch them work, a bit oblivious to the way that made them uncomfortable. Eventually this sort of pestering lead the traders to take on this lost duckling of a hunter to teach him a bit of their trade so he could have a bit more ease of mind, and have a hand in making deals for himself and his sister."

Q: How does Delfi survive the fight on the ship?

Two hulking 80-90lbs dogs meant that he wasn't fighting alone, and though merchant sailors could possibly be said to be experienced brawlers should they spend a lot of time in bars during shore time, there are no dusk in port cities, or at sea. Delfi being experienced fighting Dusk in his life, and armed with a 12 inch blade means that he's a tough match himself in this situation.

Q: How does Delfi's sister survive being thrown overboard?

I don't think this is a fair question to ask, as this more or less is reliant on Fae's half of the story.

Q: How does Delfi feel about Xitians or Lucins?

He's rather neutral towards them, as he spends the majority of his time in isolation, he doesn't have much to judge them by. When he's accompanied the traders to oversee his and his sister's produce he hasn't ran into any -- which is rather natural after the purges and civil war.