Rowan Roseguard (He/Him)

Age: 22

Race: Human 

Culture: Valk

Sexuality: Asexual

Appearance

Wild, unkempt brown hair with flecks of blond, and deep brown eyes. Lightly tanned skin from being outside all the time, though he is naturally very pale and easily loses colour in the colder seasons. He gets freckles on the tops of his cheeks and bridge of his nose (parts of his face not covered by his mask). He is more prone to dodging around others in a fight and trying to de-escalate conflicts with humour before they get out of hand. He has a relatively slight build but has enough muscle-mass to hold up well in a fight, even if the person he's up against is a bigger build. He is 5'6" and resents this due to being trans and feeling like he isn't tall enough to be considered a man. He wears neutral colours majority of the time, save for festivals, so he can blend in whilst on the road and due to them hiding any grime he picks up from travelling and tussles in the wild better than other colours. He fights with a sword most of the time, but carries a bow with him for hunting and to snipe any creatures that pose a threat to him but are too dangerous to deal with up-close. 

Story

Rowan identifies as Valkyian as he was born and grew up in the Midlands in a little village called Brittlemere, however his father is Mistan. Rowan does not know much about his father as he died when Rowan was thirteen. For years it has just been him and his mother, who taught him all he knows about combat. His mother does not talk of her late husband much, but the little he does know paints a wonderful picture of a gentle, kind man who was dearly loved in Brittlemere. Having grown up reading stories of fiction and adventure, Rowan one day a few days after his sixteenth birthday to start exploring the world around him, leaving the quiet, agricultural lifestyle of his village for days at a time. He was never gone for more than five days at a time, for his mother was quick to worry about him and Rowan did not wish to cause her more stress. For a long time, he was content with simply exploring the lands that surrounded him...until he discovered a letter, sealed with wax, addressed to him on his pillow. What was in this letter brought him to Southern Reach to begin his search for the sender and the information they possess. 

Personality

Still being really young and having never ventured very far from home, he is naïve about the world. A decent fighter and excellent hunter for sure, but he often runs headlong into danger - so long as it isn't a fight with another person - and sees the world through almost rose-tinted glasses. He is often cocky and (unintentionally) abrasive, though his gentle upbringing in a small agricultural town means he has a softness to him that is both a blessing and a curse. The only thing he is not naïve about is his heart - he keeps it firmly guarded, having been warned by his father at a young age that if he did not do so it would be taken advantage of, and this has the consequence of him rarely opening up about himself. This does not mean he is not civil, even if he is a little overly-sarcastic, with anyone he meets, but it does mean he is slow to befriend anyone, preferring to have few ties to any one location. He loves a good story, as do most Valkyians, and will gladly sit for hours in a tavern listening to any story someone is willing to share, and he often visits libraries where he can to read any books he can get his hands on.