Magnus Darkmeadow

Magnus Darkmeadow is a character played by Ryan Neenan and was a part of several Tales of Derlusk. Pious, suspicious, and a little odd, he is a human paladin of Tempus who tends to see the dark cloud on the other side of the rainbow.

Themesong: "Be Yourself" by Audioslave

''Someone falls to pieces, Sleeping all alone ''Someone kills the pain, Spinning in the silence ''To finally drift away ''Someone gets excited, In a chapel yard ''Catches a bouquet ''Another lays a dozen, White roses on a grave To be yourself is all that you can do Someone finds salvation in everyone, And another only pain ''Someone tries to hide himself, Down inside himself he prays ''Someone swears his true love, Until the end of time ''Another runs away ''Separate or united? Healthy or insane? To be yourself is all that you can do And even when you've paid enough, been pulled apart or been held up With every single memory of the good or bad faces of luck, ''don't lose any sleep tonight ''I'm sure everything will end up alright ''You may win or lose ''But to be yourself is all that you can do

Description
Magnus is a strong man, tall for a human, and muscular. He sports longer black hair and a matching goatee. His eyes are a curious shade of blue, and they frame a square jaw that is usually set in a frown. Magnus is hardly ever seen without gloves, and a sidelong glance reveals a purple tint coming from under the left one.

Personality
Magnus was born in a true frontier land, one surrounded by The Beastlands. As a result, Magnus views the line between civilization and chaos as very thin. He is wary of most leadership structure, suspicious of monsters in other forms controlling humankind from the shadows, and distrusting of intelligent non-humanoids, even ones reported to be good. He is convinced his own homeland and its leading Chaka is in league with the Beastlords, a belief that eventually forced him to leave.

He values honesty, loyalty, and faith, and looks to his God's dogma as the true way of things in Faerun. He is cautious, yet confident in his abilities and motives.

Family & Relationships
The Darkmeadow clan was a poor one, living in the slums of Assur in Durpar. His father and mother still make a living there in the merchant district, selling modest wares. His younger sister, Esula, works in the "oldest profession" in Faerun in the capital city of Vaelan. His older brother Brock captains one of the modest Dupari naval ships.

Since Magnus left with little warning or reason, his family has little reason to expect him to return. Magnus left little in the terms of friends as well: only those who were in the Assurian guard may remember him.

Early Years
Magnus was born to a poor family in the port town of Assur, Durpar. His parents were both lowly merchants who just scraped out a living in the small, fortress-like community. Magnus grew up witnessing the struggles not only his parents endured, but his town and country endured: constant threats of monster attack. At least twice every year, he traveled with his parents to the capital of Vaelan, and several times his caravan was attacked by random monsters that held that land as theirs.

Troubled by his surroundings, Magnus took to the one avenue of both strength and a well-paid job: the Assurian guard. Assur was a fortress if nothing else, and at the age of 16, Magnus joined the guard to help protect the city. Also during this time, he saw that many of his senior guards worshiped a specific god. Once Magnus learned the dogma of Tempus, he immediately saw a clear and cut path through what he saw as troubled times. His faith grew, as did his skill with a sword.

Trouble in Durpar
He rose through the ranks of the guard, and as such saw more and more of the countryside and Durpar as a whole. It was not long before a little suspicion started to set in, and through many half-paranoid dealings with the chaka in Vaelan, Magnus began to believe that the city was corrupt and indeed most likely run by the monsters that he lived to fight. The last straw came late in 1374, when he was asked to volunteer for an experimental procedure, one that held promise not only for increased power, but for wealth as well. Knowing that he needed the gold, Magnus volunteered.

The result changed him. He saw what Vaelun and Durpar's leaders had become, and it sickened him. It was the winter of 1374 when Magnus decided that he needed to leave his homeland, before it was too late. Saying only brief goodbyes to his parents and older brother, he set out west in search of a calling from Tempus. Not wanting to cross the Beastlands, his brother used his contacts to book him passage on a ship that was bound for Tethyr.

The Trip West
Months later, and rather sick of sea travel, Magnus arrived in the port of Zazesspur in Tethyr. He saw a very large and wild city, and he decided to stat awhile. It was not long before he heard the rumors of a place called Old Shanatar, an underground old Dwarven kingdom. Healing tales of hordes of monsters protecting the wealth of the ancient ruins, Magnus immediately signed on as a mercenary for anyone going there.

He was not long before he got his wish. A group traveled to Old Shanatar through an entrance beneath the city in late 1375. Magnus got more adventure than he was ready for; still he reveled in every monster he slew. His group went deeper and deeper in the Dwarven ruins until they stumbled upon a Drow encampment. Vastly outnumbered, they tried to retreat, only to get lost in the maze of corridors in the chaos. Moments later, a few moments too late for the confused Wizard who was staring at strange runes, Magnus found himself gripped in a sea of magic. Second passed, and Magnus felt as through he was being ripped apart and sewed back together.

When he gained consciousness, he found himself squinting in the bright sun. His companions were gone, and only a lone Drow writhing in the pain of the high sun lay hear him. His sword soon took care of his suffering. Spent, tired, and weary, Magnus looked around at his surroundings. With a frown he saw a distant and huge depression to the east. To the west he saw nothing but desert.

Having a guess at where he was, he took what he could use from the Drow and traveled West, hoping to find a settlement. A few days passed, and Magnus did now know if the desolation or his lack of water would drive him crazy first. Two days after he ran out of water, and a week after he arrived, Magnus collapsed in the heat, delirious and dehydrated. He spent his last hours fighting monsters that he swore were there.

He awoke to a splash of water in his face and several blades to his throat. Several men stood over him, sour looks on their face. The source of the water came from their leader, a small and mean looking woman. Magnus eventually managed to convince them of his plight, and they agreed to help him get to where they were going, as long as they could hold his sword. It was two days later when he arrived in Derlusk.

Settling in Derlusk
Thanking the group for their help, Magnus checked into the nearest inn to recooperate. He found the town of Derlusk inviting, despite its geography. He immediately began to believe that Tempus had shown him a place where he could make a difference with his sword and faith. The next day, he signed on as a mercenary in the city.

The next three years went by fast, as Magnus worked many jobs throughout the area. He found time for little else in the city, although the lure of women and wine entranced him on several occasions. He quickly established himself as a top mercenary, one that will do any job as long as violence is involved. He is known as a man of faith in the town, and on several occasions has been known to be a little too vigilant in his contracts, usually in the name of god.

Tales of Derlusk
Magnus eventually got involved in the Adventurers Guard of Derlusk, helping to protect the town from the chaos that surrounded it. It wasn't long before a strong group formed in the Guild, and Magnus was a central figure. The next months were chaotic at best for Magnus, as the Order of Blue Fire and other organizations seemed bent on disrupting the Border Kingdoms. This crazy time ended with the reemergence of Graham, the God King of Innarlith.

Current Whereabouts / Activities
With the return of the evil of Innarlith, Derlusk has turned into a even more dangerous place. While the Adventurers Guard has drifted apart, several stayed in the town, Magnus among them. Today he serves as a senior member of the guard, and usually the first volunteer for any mission.