Orrin Halgren
 Orrin Halgren
| |
| |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Hyur |
| Clan | Midlander |
| Citizenship | Ishgard |
| Place of Birth | Unknown, presumed Ishgard |
| Guardian | Halone, The Fury |
| Nameday | 26th Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon (Age: 29) |
| Occupation | Dragoon |
| House Crest | The Wolf |
| Family | Charloix Halgren, Father
Reillette Halgren, Mother Rodiath Halgren, Brother |
Contents
Appearance
"Mayhaps it would benefit Ser Orrin to remain in armor when attending these events, You'd almost forget that he was a Hyur."
— Ser Sombrequain Hanrieaux, at the Ishgardian Summit and Banquet
Orrin possesses the physique typical of that of a Dragoon, lithe, muscular and athletic. his eyes are a steely ice-blue-grey that tend to be intimidating and intense.He has no scars, visible or otherwise on skin that reflects the now sun-bereft Coerthan highlands.
His facial features possess a degree of Elezen-like elegance betrayed only by a particularly strong Hyuran chin and nose. He grows his hair long, letting a bang drape over his face as if to hide it. However it is properly maintained and seemingly incapable of getting mussed up even when crammed into his helmet. Some of the more gossip-prone ladies of the Ishgardian court say he grows it long to hide his ears out of shame.
Orrin rarely strides into combat without his Drachen Mail and Gae Bolg: The symbols of office of being a Dragoon. Though after his armor was and weapon were all but destroyed in the battle against Vishap, he was given a slightly modified replacement set, the armor was bluish rather than the traditional purple and the helm possessed a runic glow akin to the statues found upon the Steps of Faith. It commemorated his participation and survival in that fight.
|
Basic Info
|
History and Backstory
"House Halgren is an Elezen House, yes." — Ser Orrin Halgren, for the nth time
House Halgren is a minor house within Ishgardian nobility, name supposedly tying back to old Elezen akin to the likes of Haldrath and Thordan, founding fathers of Ishgard. Existing from the beginning, the house enjoyed a strong, secure place within the walls of the city, playing a bigger role in politics than in the war. However, during a particularly vicious period of extended Dravanian assualts, House Halgren suffered greatly, leaving a singular successor to the name: Charloix Halgren, an Inquisitor. After the dust had settled, Charloix quickly took a wife, Reillette, a cannoneer he had fallen in love with during a siege by the Dravanian Horde. Some believed that Charloix consorting with a commoner spelled the demise of the House.
It seemed to be true for, after years of trying, they had failed to produce an heir. Talks of the end of one of the first houses of Ishgard began to circulate, whispers of succession and the like abounded. However one day, Charloix was charged with investigating the burnt down remains of a fallen settlement, to truly verify it was a dragon attack or the work of heretics. He heard a cry and within the wreckage of one house was a Hyuran baby swaddled and seemingly untouched. The settlement was so truly destroyed that book-keeping for the lost was nigh impossible and the child was left without name or relatives. Uncharacteristically for an Inquisitor, and perhaps spying an opportunity, he had taken pity for the child and took him as his own, dubbing him Orrin. He and Reillette raised the child happily, rearing him to be successor to the Halgren House, he was taught court etiquette and was formerly schooled from a young age. Orrin found little love elsewhere; teased by the other children while almost entirely ignored by other, more fundamental members of the high courts of Ishgard. He became known as "Mutt" for the house coat of arms was a Wolf and possibly the illegitimate child between Charloix and one of the house servants. In truth, it was more complimentary than other tales of him being a Dravanian in glamor. He had sworn to prove them wrong by being a worthy successor to the Halgren name.
However, on the tail end of his 8th summer, his mother became pregnant and it would not be until his "brother" was born that Orrin realized what it would mean. His parents were of course ecstatic when their healthy Elezen boy was born. Though his parents still loved him, they became more distant as they redoubled their efforts to raise Rodiath as their "real" successor. He came to the revelation on his own and sought ways to not only regain favor with his parents but also acceptance within Ishgard. It would also be that year that Nidhogg returned to raze Coerthas. Naturally Charloix was called to perform his duty of weeding out heretics and dissenters spawned by the dragon's terrible influence. Leaving Reillette to care for Orrin who had come down with a fever that seemed almost induced by the great dragon's appearance. It was then in one fever dream that he saw a vision, a woman's voice that promised him greatness and to be savior of Ishgard should he choose it. He awoke and he set his eyes upon becoming a Dragoon, recognized by the Holy See, no he would become Azure Dragoon. After Azure Dragoon Ser Alberic turned away Nidhogg and the dust settled, he approached his father who had returned well and healthy and fielded his request. Charloix encouraged Orrin to aspire for such heights, perhaps even spurring him on by the tales of Alberic having lamed himself in the most recent fight. That Ishgard would need a strong successor.
He poured himself heart and soul into the arts, finding mentors within House Fortemps, it brought him outside of the walls of the Holy City and it was there he found what he thought was the Ishgard he wished to protect and serve. He quickly took to the lance as if fueled by the Fury herself, rising through the ranks quickly until he finally saw frontline combat against the horde. His unit was tasked to Aevis and Dragonflys but a full dragon broke past the lines and bore down upon him and his group. His squad commander was quickly immolated and the others were quickly routed. He put his first dragon to the spear in that fight, lopping off a talon before it was shattered to splinters. It was then he took the severed talon in hand gouged the fearsome beast through the eye to kill it. He survived that day and definitely thought the parallels of his kill was a sign of his fate to be Azure Dragoon. It was most unfortunate that then he would find that Ser Alberic had taken in Estinien years back and trained him personally. The title of Azure Dragoon belonged to the Elezen long before Orrin even had an inkling to be a Dragoon. Admittedly crushed, still he continued his training, becoming deadly competent, earning begrudging respect from the other highborne. However, it was only with Fortemps repeated petitioning that Orrin was eventually recognized as a Dragoon of the Holy See; his own armor crafted and weapon forged for him and given station at Dragonhead.
He grew up handsomely as well. That, combined with the esteemed station as Dragoon he saw the hearts of some ladies of other houses thaw. However, they would never openly admit it. Regardless, it gave him the courage to approach the girl who was kindest to him as a child: Lady Millette Chirardien who returned the feelings in turn. Orrin however, would not, for the sake of her honor, allow for their relationship to become public. Further still, Orrin would come to witness her seduced by the bewitching words of the Dravanian Horde and turned into a heretic. How her death came to past was unknown, but Orrin personally sought her out and ended her life. He will not speak of it to this day.
The Calamity soon struck afterwards and when Coerthas was plunged into its seemingly eternal winter he tossed himself at the horde as if to re-summon Nidhogg to battle by sheer body count alone. His anger only tempered upon hearing of the supposed summoning of Shiva and how Ishgard cowered impotently, sending outsiders and sellswords to do the job instead of their own men. Anger now turning to Ishgard's inability to protect itself; what had happened to the country of valor and power he once knew? Fortemps had always been accepting of outsiders and yet it seemed now they were reliant, cripplingly so. Ishgard hobbled where it once strode so proudly. What could the outsiders possess that so far outstripped the blood and strength of his own men? Was his own title as dragoon a concession for the lack of more capable, able, fitting men and women of old? Orrin would get leave by House Fortemps to explore the world outside of the highlands, leaving behind his own armor as he did so, believing it wrongly given. He would find the strength, the true and proper strength worthy of the Ishgard he believed in.
Preferences
"It's a nightmare to serve Ser Orrin, he doesn't impose at all and expects me to hold conversation, can he not just order me around?" — House Fortemps servant
|
Likes
|
Dislikes
|
Favourites
|
Other
|
Personality
"Remember when the ice was solely in our drinks?"
— Ser Orrin Halgren, beset by dragons at Snowcloak
Flaws
|
Fears
|
Talents
|
|
Intelligence
|
Quirks
|
Abilities and Skills
"Look upon the armor with its spikes and blades and horns and know it is meant for killing dragons, for one day you shall die by fire, fang or claw. By fire, you shall quench it with dragon's blood, by fang you will make their mouths bleed, by claw, you will ensure it will not take a single step without remembering that it had to cripple itself to kill you, wear it proudly, Dragoon."
— Dzaemel Dragoon Forellant Teringuerre
Fate-14 character sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b4ON7Pez5qLAj6IcC0i9kjoX1nH2DgzQbu0JIZXADbA/
|
Personal
|
Weapons
|
Magic
|
Why You Would Approach Orrin
section on ideas for walk up RP beyond just trying to hit on him at Quicksands. Should walk up/tell if:
■ Of Ishgardian nobility and as such know Orrin or heard of him
■ Fought alongside Orrin against the Horde
■ Heretic or Ishgardian fugitive
■ Fellow Dragoon
■ House Fortemps member
Affiliations
■ House Fortemps
■ House Halgren
■ Holy See of Ishgard
Common Knowledge
Note: This section is of information that can be used to influence RP before actually approaching and who would know such information and it won't be considered metagaming or godmodding
|
Ishgardian Nobility/Inquisitor could know:
|
Ishgardian Citizen/Soldier could know
|
Knowledgeable of Ishgardian Politics could know:
|
Anyone else could know:
|
Rumours
Note: This section is editable by anyone. Just keep in mind that the rumors here may be both true or false.
|
NPC Rumors
"I don't know what truth is worse, that he is not even flesh and blood of House Halgren or possibly the mutt-child of his father and a servant, leave it to a lowborn like Reillette to look the other way" — Ishgardian house servant "Have you ever seen a man actually use the spikes and blades on their armor? Woe be any Dravanian that takes away his spear, it will not be as clean a death." — Ishgardian Soldier "We met at night, had lept up to my chambers...it was passionate and yet distant, he was gone by morning. At least he was civil about not telling a soul." — Ishgardian Lady "That man is the sole reason we are out of Ishgardian brandy, were it not for the coin he brings he'd be dragged out by the brass blades on my orders I swear it!" — Momodi "He means well but there is a darkness that won't be sated by dragon's blood, hopefully letting him see the world will bring him back with perspective" — Haucherfaunt "That mutt is making a mockery of what it means to be Highborne" — Ishgardian Noble "The mutt better not die to dragons, I'll throw myself off Witchdrop if we have to give him a proper grave." — Ishgardian Templar Knight "Him? I'd never! To lay with him would be to lay with a dragon!" —Ishgardian Lady caught staring "He thinks he can hide his Hyuran ears under that hair? Deceitful to the last, dragon." — Templar Knight "He..he laughs, --he even smiles-- too much for an Ishgardian, its unnerving." — Gridanian at the Carline Canopy "Millette was always kind to him and a heretic, coincidence? I think not!" — Jailed heretic at Whitebrim |
Player generated rumors
"The first time we met I thought he would drive me through with that lance of his. Now it seems he wants to drive me through with a different one." - Evangeline Primrose "A seemingly well-intended man, albeit incorrigibly lecherous and dogmatically bound to duty." - Ameline Valtin "I found him to be rather polite for a foreigner. He certainly bore my political posturing with the grace of one practiced in such things." - Ser Crofte |
Name Etymology
"It matters not what they say for now you come of good stock, wear your name with pride and honor and you shall always be my son."
— Lord Charloix Halgren
Halgren: "Hal" from Halone and Haldrath, "gren" from green for the green lands of Coerthas
Orrin: Meaning spear head (Nordic name that apparently means a flat pointed stone, so a spear head).
Ongoing Story
"By the end, Ishgard will care not for what you have said, but for the number of dragons you have slain." — anonymous
This is for ongoing established cannon, things that are within Orrin's past and have been achieved. This is book keeping for myself primarily but also a good tool if you want to use it as a way to establish rapport such as "So you are the one who did so and so"
-Departure-
Orrin left Camp Dragonhead under leave of House Fortemps, he had left behind his Dragoon armor and weapon, feeling that it was wrongfully given to him. He set out to relearn and re-earn the ways of the Dragoon while seeking out the adventurer or whatever matched the drawings on one particular scroll from the Observatorium. The scroll spoke of places in Eorzea, rich in Aether, so closely tied to the other world that it was possible to speak to the twelve directly. Surely, if he could find a place, present himself as a disciple of Halone, The Fury would grant him audience and aid him. His first stop was Gridania, under the guise of an adventurer he trained under Ywain with the Wood Wailers at the Lancer's guild, seeking what nuances they brought to the art that Ishgard lacked. They trained quite similarly, value on keeping one's head in the most insurmountable of odds, a steely resolve even when out maneuvered and outmatched, unflappable to any threat. These were things Orrin already knew but to relearn them in a place without the constant threat of Dragons only confirmed to him that, at least as a soldier of the lance, Orrin was correct in his teachings and discipline. While in training he heard tales of a place that worshiped The Twelve, an ancient place called the Sanctum in the East Shroud. He headed there and on the way met Avaline Starsong, a Miqo'te, together they reached the sanctum and found that yes, the marking seemed to match, though the last symbol to confirm as much hid behind large sealed doors. He would part ways with Avaline there, though he found no sign of the Adventurer who stole the title of Azure Dragoon he had found a lead.
-Of Sealed Doors and Fates-
In Gridania, he could find little info about the Sanctum aside from how old and mysterious it was. He decided it'd be best to go to Ul'Dah, He had heard that rumors about all over seem to find the most traction there. He made way to the Quicksands and began to camp one of the many tables all the while keeping ears out for anything of his interest as he poured over the tomes he had brought with him. He'd meet a number of people, all contributing additional leads for what he sought, be it the adventurer or a way to open the doors. A person of particular note caught his eyes, an Ayleth Cowell who looked to him as if barely old enough to be out on her own. She'd disappear a few days. He would then find that the woman had been kidnapped by Amal'jaa and brought to the bowl of embers along with a small contingent of Brass Blades....Miraculously she returned unscathed and Orrin took considerable interest in this development, for if a woman could survive being tempered maybe there would be a way to immunize the soldiers of Ishgard against the twisting, bewitching words of Dragons.
He searched for wards at first, ways to aetherically interfere with Primals and then hoped to extend that to dragons. He came across Jolynn Zeles who posessed a book about warding off voidsent, though not necessarily Primals, mayhaps there would be similar applications. It would result in little but would bring him across the continent, from the Burning Wall to the corrupted lighthouse of Pharos Sirius. It would be on return from Pharos that he would make a stop in Eastern La Noscea on word of ancient temples reclaimed by the jungle hiding markings similar to the one on his scroll. It was there he was beset upon by a Dragon. He killed it and made it away with his life, though none closer to his goals. However, he saw it as a sign, Halone had sent a dragon to him to test his resolve and by killing it he deemed himself worthy once more to wear his armor. Of course that would mean returning to Coerthas.
He returned with little complication, reclaiming his Gae Bolg and Drachen Mail, it seemed the situation had only worsened for the city state and as such felt compelled to linger, He retook his station in Coerthas and served for several moons, slaying the horde with new found conviction and fervor. It would be there that he would meet an Adventurer, one who claimed to had also survived an encounter with a primal, attributing it to something called the echo. Though he knew little, what symptoms he exhibited did match that of Ayleth's, with a word to describe her immunity, he found greater ease in researching the subject.
-A door closes, another opens-
Much to his disappointment however, the Echo did not appear to be something that could be reproduced however, he was not entirely disheartened, there was still the adventurer out there, also, there was still the door that required to be open. He had set out back into Eorzea, with his weapon and armor in hand. Ready to move as an agent of Halone
-Obscure Geometry-
Orrin had come across talks in the Quicksands of a palace that had resurfaced from the Calamity draining the waters of Bronze Lake. An entire temple built by the people of Nym, dedicated to Oschon the Wanderer. A place of such extensive worship by such an advanced culture, Orrin reasoned, would be built on an aetherial fount of some sort. To confirm, he contracted the goldsmiths guild for an Aetherial detector, as that was being built he went to Limsa Lominsa, perusing the expansive library of the Arcanist guild for anything he could get about Nym and the works of channeling Aether through geometries. It was through these studies he noted similarities between the runes in the tomes of Arcanists to summon forth their avatars and that of the temple's layout. Were he correct, the temple was a giant rune, built with aether conducting materials meant to guide the wealth of aether into the center of the palace. Such power would, in theory, make a layman such as Orrin be capable of communing with the other plane. Though the architectural blueprints he had were from the time of Nym's heyday and the palace had been submerged for many cycles, the only way to see if his conclusions held any truth would be to work his way into the Palace center himself.
Returning to Ul'dah, he took the detector with him and made his way back to Vylbrand, to Bronze Lake. There it was, the looming palace right in the middle. With some ample gil he convinced the ferryman to take him to it. He pushed into the ruins and soon found himself overwhelmed, forced to retreat, he would need help. Enlisting the aid of adventurers, a history obsessive arcanist, a marauder and an archer he ventured back into the palace, taking aetherial readings along the way. Though the ruins were in ill repair, he found that his hypothesis to be true, aether congregated in increasing intensities the further in they ventured. Upon reaching the center he knelt in prayer. The room lit up with sparks and aetherial condensation before suddenly, Orrin was struck down and the lights died around them.
Catatonic to the outside world he saw visions of ancient Nym, watched the horrific transformation of its citizenry to Tonberries and was given 3 haunting words: "Hear, Feel, Think". Orrin would soon be jostled out of the vision before he could glean any more by the arcanist's physicking. Drained, haunted by his visions they cut their way out of the palace.
He summarily paid the adventurers, the marauder, perhaps too mercenary for her own good, departed with nary a care for what had transpired, same with the archer. The arcanist lingered and prodded with questions, Orrin spoke of the visions and the words but the arcanist knew not of their meaning. They split ways and Orrin returned to Ul'dah.
-Echoes in the Cathedral-
Upon his return he heard the town was alight with news that the Sanctum of The Twelve had finally been restored for the sake of Eternal Bonding ceremonies. Though not his intended method, he now finally found means of ingress to the ancient cathedral. Much to his chagrin though, despite the markings matching the observatorium scroll to its finest detail, the "restoration" utterly ruined the aetherial conductivity of the building. The sanctum was a nexus for the Gods no more. He decided to rest in the Carline Canopy before departing back to Ul'dah, there, upon nearing a woman he fell unconscious and saw the battle of Cartenau, the selfsame woman fighting there, her name, her past all crystallized in an instant. When he came to he was sitting on one of the stools, facing the woman. He called to her by name and profession and it elicited her to reveal to him that he posesssed the echo, a conclusion he had not thought of for those who he met before with it only spoke of their resistance to tempering. He needed more confirmation however, barring fighting a primal one to one the woman spoke of the ability to purify corrupted crystals was common for those with the echo. He thanked the woman and was off to find such crystals.
He raided Natalan under guise of plain armor and weapon to not alert the Ixali of his Ishgardian origin, cutting past the guards to the aetheryte. He retrieved his quarry and sequestered himself in his private chambers in Fortemps. He indeed had the gift. The realization floored him and he began to wonder if what he had was the real reason he was so capable those years past, that his own strength paled in comparison to the gift. Was his steadfast devotion stemming from the echo? Was he incorruptible, even to Dravanian influence? Did it make his feelings all the more correct and not the fearful feeling in the back of his head that he was on the path to heresy?
It was not only till he heard tales and rumors that Lady Iceheart too held the echo that he concluded that though one could have the gift, one was not incorruptible entirely. He at least preferred that to the possibility that Dravania was in the right. Galvanized once more he set out for more answers.
-Scales in the Sand-
- ongoing storyline*
