Bio
Born eleven years ago to no one of any particular importance, Doren was the son of a simple farming family. He was destined to have a life of mud and dirt and hard work, or so his parents thought. However, things didn't quite work out the way anyone expected.
It happened during a particularly dry summer when he was five years old... there was a lightning strike that hit his house. His parents had been out at the time, tending the fields, while he was recovering from one of his frequent headaches. His home was set ablaze in an instant, the boy startled awake and disoriented by the nearby thunder, as his home started to come apart around him. As everything he knew started to burn, he came to his senses, and, in a moment of rather startling clarity, he realized he could FEEL the fire. And, just as he could feel it, so too could he affect it. With a thought and an effort of will, he banished the fire entirely, snuffing it out as surely as removing all the fuel from it in an instant. Afterward, his headache was gone, and his stunned parents found him, sitting in the middle of their ruined home, calm and perfectly at ease. They didn't know WHAT to think of that...
Word got around, though. Eventually, it reached the ear of a mage, who realized in an instant what was happening, and went to find Doren. This man explained to his parents what was happening with Doren, what would happen to him if he remained untrained, and what he could become. Then, he left, allowing them two weeks to decide the boy's fate. It was an easy decision, in the end. Had he stayed, Doren would forever have been ostracized for his abilities, plagued by his headaches, and, perhaps, would have grown resentful of his parents for denying him his opportunity. At worst, he might have eventually taught himself enough to become a danger to others, and would need to be hunted down. When the mage returned, Doren was ready to go, and they left without another word, or a backwards glance.
From that man, Doren learned a great deal about magic. In turn, he surprised his master, one Gerard DuVal, by easily understanding any spell he saw, to the point of being able, in some cases, to unravel them before they even hit him. He had a knack for learning and using magic, and proved to be a prodigy in that regard. As well, he had a thirst for knowledge that was impossible for Gerard to sate, reading entire books without pausing, and, in some cases, without even blinking. Here, too, he proved to be exceptional, with an excellent memory that borders on eidetic memory, as well as a fairly ready grasp of some complex concepts.
In the end, he left Gerard after surpassing the man, earning his blessing as well as a number of farewell gifts, notably his clothes and necklace. Now, he's a trained mage in his own right, searching for work, be it as an adventurer or something more settled. He'd be perfectly happy in either role, he thinks... though, well, being only eleven years old, there are some obstacles in his way.
Appearance
Doren seems to be just a child, at first glance. In fairness, he IS a child, but to call him JUST a child would be unfair to him and others. Standing only four feet and two inches tall, he's certainly not imposing in that regard. He doesn't seems special at all, really, at first glance. His black hair is often messy and unkempt, simply because he forgets to tend to it sometimes. His skin is a perfectly ordinary shade for his part of the world(Caucasian, really), and his glasses, while noteworthy, aren't so uncommon as to draw overmuch attention. His eyes, though, are definitely striking, being a clear, pale, icy blue color, staring about rather intently.
Typically, he can be found wearing the same clothes he was given when he left his master. A long, warm, fluffy scarf that proves to be rather animated at times is typically worn around his neck, and his glasses are always on his person, if not actually perched on his nose. Large, round glasses at that, which may seem to magnify his eyes unduly. Aside from that, he's got a pair of comfortable, rubber-soled shoes for traveling, simple socks, shorts, and a simple shirt, all of them of excellent quality, though of mundane materials. His only valuable item, aside from his glasses, would be the necklace he constantly wears, save when sleeping, consisting of a silver chain and a blue gem set in silver, the setting a simple, silver square etched with runes. If he's traveling, he often has a simple travel sack with him, as well, for keeping food and drink handy.
Magical senses, though, may reveal that there is more to him than meets the eye. That necklace, in particular, is obviously special, as is his scarf, but HOW, exactly, is impossible to discern without a closer look.
Alt by The Tower. Link is here.
Prefs are Here!
Art is here! By the Most Amazing MementoMori!
