Post by Valen Far on Feb 1, 2022 15:17:16 GMT
Name: Valen Far
Age: 73
Nationality: Malkier
Place of Birth: Malkier
Place of Residence: Black Tower
Affiliation: Caralain, Black Tower, Malkier
Rank/Title: The Baijan'm'hael (Attack Leader)
One Power Strength: 9
Air: 10 | Earth: 10 | Fire: 8 | Spirit: 9 | Water: 8
Date they were raised to Novice/Soldier: 63
Date they were raised to Accepted/Dedicated: 72
Date they were raised to Aes Sedai/Asha'man: 75 FA (Earth Legion)
Date they were raised to any other rank:
77 FA Lieutenant
78 FA Captain of the Central Theatre
111 FA Baijan'm'hael
Talents: None
Weave Affinities: Stunning, Controlling Storms, Making Fog
Weapon Skills:
Martial: 9 | Hand-Held: 10 | Stave: 3 | Thrown: 3 | Ranged: 9 | Mounted: 1
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 326lbs
Build/Complexion: Stocky and grizzled with heavy set shoulders and dense muscles
Eye/Hair Color: Dark grey piercing eyes with thick dark brown hair, often bound with a warrior's knot reaching beyond his shoulders
Distinguishing Features:
Valen is a man of many faces, almost everyone who has ever crossed paths with the man has seen a different side of the Asha’man and thus they would almost all describe him differently. Those within the Black Tower often see the warmth and attentive side of him, his patience and cunning truly shining through as he seeks to better himself and his brothers as one. Many of the Dedicated would describe him as hard but fair, his steady hand often turned to guiding them through their struggles as the Asha’man once guided him. Those closest to Valen, few though they may be, would say that he is a good man with an honest heart and a sharp mind, rarely offering them anything but the truth and supporting them almost unconditionally through their endeavours though they would also (likely) mention his wariness in the wake of Rahlin’s betrayal, the way he is always watching even those he loves most dearly as if they might one day lose themselves to whatever took their former leader from them. Those who have faced Valen on the battlefield or in a duel would likely call him a demon, a man so cunning and ruthlessly efficient that he simply cannot be of this mortal plane. Those who survive often recount their failures bitterly, mentioning the unorthodox and brutal methods employed by the Black Tower’s attack leader in thwarting their efforts.
Whoever you ask, well within reason, they will all say one thing about Valen; he is perhaps one of the greatest living battle commanders, a cunning, clever, perceptive and unconventional tactician but he is no leader, he follows and serves a cause willingly.
The Far clan of warriors once called Sheinar their home and before that Malkier, before the reclamation of Malkier, and when the last king Lan raised his banners beside his wife and renowned Aes Sedai Nynaeve they swore allegiance to him once more. Valen’s grandfather, also named Valen and the first of his name, once stood beside the Malkierans but ultimately when the kingdom fell he carried that shame and so with the return of the King it offered him an opportunity to redeem the Far clan. They joined the vanguard, Valen and his seven sons, in the battle against the Shadowspawn to reclaim Malkier from the Blight and when the dust settled they joined Al’Lan, king of Malkier, as his sworn subjects and unwavering blades. When the sons of the Far clan all settled down and began to build their families they began to help rebuild, reviving old traditions and so when Valen, the new Valen, came into the world he was raised by the old ways. Taught to live life to the fullest, embracing his emotions and fighting to survive. He learned to play the harp at the same time as he learned to dance, both with a partner and with a blade, right up until the day they discovered the spark within him which burned brightly. He will be one of the most powerful channellers of our age, they said, and he will change the world given the chance, they said.
And so, like a good and loyal soldier Valen travelled to the Black Tower.
So he carried the burdens of duty into the Tower, he swore to serve and he meant every word of it for like the warriors who might inherit his clan’s legacy he would inherit the duties of both a Malkieran warrior and an Asha’man one day. As with many Wilders he struggled, fighting through the blocks he developed over the years against channelling and unlike many of his fellow Soldiers it took time for him to break through them and even longer for him to truly grasp the web or weave, while his understanding of the One Power grew slowly his mastery of nearly every weapon he laid a hand on grew rapidly. With every passing day he beat opponent after opponent until all that the Black Tower could offer him were the Asha’man themselves to spar with, like Varian who would challenge him to a duel and go on to become his closest friend. Varian used Valen's abilities with the blade to teach him how to channel, to break through the blocks via an ancient technique: the flame in the void. Once they found the right way to teach him things changed, quickly he learned to harness and control the One Power then Valen moved on to learning the complicated and dangerous weaves which he saw the full brothers using. Soon he was elevated to Dedicated and then, in his madness, Rahlin declared war upon the White Tower.
Valen was raised to the rank of Asha’man, he joined the Earth Legion and found himself on the frontline within days as the Asha’man moved to trap the Aes Sedai within their ivory tower. He found himself battling Aes Sedai despite his doubts, soon leading a small contingent of brothers in rapid strikes from every conceivable angle, with each and every strike he learned more and more from the battles. He kept his brothers from killing as much as possible, even as the Warders fought to the bitter end he did everything in his power to keep them alive so that they might find a better, more peaceful path. When they rejoined Rahlin and his forces outside the White Tower Valen was beginning to doubt the validity of the war and Rahlin’s sanity. Valen, and his cohort, were preparing to travel into the White Tower when the Dreamspike was planted and soon they were routed as the Aiel, Aes Sedai and forces of the Dragon’s Compact washed over them like an ocean. Every mile of ground given came with bloody and horror until finally Valen stood atop the walls of the Black Tower and watched as his brothers, those stranded beyond, fought to the bitter end. The war would not end until Rahlin fell or they bloodied the White Tower and their allies enough. As the war ground on Rahlin began to promote Asha’man to replenish the ranks of his command structure and even cast brothers out, his paranoia was on display for all to see. Valen found himself embroiled in every tactical discussion and planning meeting, spending hours pouring over the maps and plans with the captains and Rahlin only to feed the information to the rebels. They began to form their own plans with Valen at the heart of it all, balancing the needs of the Tower and his new duties.
When the time came Valen joined those brothers loyal to the ideals of the Dragon Reborn and the Black Tower, led by Jadin, when they would remove Rahlin from power one way or another. Valen and his closest brothers were charged with eliminating the captains who might oppose them, isolating them from Rahlin and so they moved the pieces into place. Valen and his four companions isolated the Captain of the Central Theatre and his guards within the Captain’s chambers. The fighting was brutal and bloody though Valen and his companions were determined to take as many of them alive as possible, though when he finally came face to face with the Captain it became clear that no such thing would happen. He fought a vicious duel with the blade master until finally he deftly wove a stunning weave and beheaded the captain in one Power assisted stroke of his sword, claiming the man’s life and the title of Blademaster in one fell swoop. As Valen and his companions bested their foes their brothers led by Jadin dragged Rahlin from his bed and gave him over to the Aes Sedai, giving the rebels their freedom from the madness and leading to Valen’s ascension to captain of the central theatre, replacing the man he had bested and killed..
The Black Tower had much to atone for, the sins of Rahlin would be carried by every brother within the Tower until such a time as the Asha’man could right the wrongs of their mad leader and their loyalty to themselves rather than the world at large. Valen championed freeing those imprisoned within the Tower by Rahlin, starting with the brother who broke beneath the weight of a warder’s bond; Aenerion. By the end Valen had seen to the freedom of 11 Asha’man, 2 Dedicated, 13 Soldiers and 5 Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah. In showing his true colours he earned the respect of many members of the Dragon’s Compact, albeit it grudging respect, and many within the Tower looked to the newly appointed Captain of the Central Theatre. He, like many of the rebels, led by example as the Black Tower struggled to find its identity once more and through the years that followed Valen proved himself within the central theatre. He never asked a brother to face a challenge that he himself would not face and often spear-headed operations to bring rogue channellers, be they Rahlin’s remaining loyalists or those with the Spark who refused the rules of either Tower, and offered the world his open hand, honest to a fault.
So when the time came to choose a new Baijan’m’hael many called for Valen to be granted the rank yet he initially refused, he had no interest in authority let alone a position so high in the Tower and yet his closest allies convinced him that it would be best for the Tower, ever the dutiful warrior Valen accepted the mantle and soon his innovative tactics, strategies and methods were being widely adopted throughout the Tower. Just months after taking up his new mantle word reached Valen of his family’s demise, his nephews and niece being lost in a scouting mission into the Blight. Pain filled his heart and made him even more determined to rebuild the Black Tower and forge his brothers into a force for good.
Timeline
40 FA - Born.
63 FA - Becomes a Soldier at the Black Tower.
72 FA - Raised to Dedicated.
75 FA - Raised to the Earth Legion early because Rhalin was fast tracking strong channelers to fight his war. He quickly begins to question this war, but follows orders.
77 FA - Raised to Lieutenant and begins feeding information to the rebel Earth Legion Asha'man.
78 FA - Raised to Captain of the Central Theatre after killing the former captain who had been Rhalin's man. (Earns his heron mark in the duel marking him as a master bruh)
111 FA - is raised to Baijan'm'hael
112 FA - The Far clan are wiped out leaving Valen alone to carry the name
Books read: New Spring - Winter’s Heart
Age: 73
Nationality: Malkier
Place of Birth: Malkier
Place of Residence: Black Tower
Affiliation: Caralain, Black Tower, Malkier
Rank/Title: The Baijan'm'hael (Attack Leader)
One Power Strength: 9
Air: 10 | Earth: 10 | Fire: 8 | Spirit: 9 | Water: 8
Date they were raised to Novice/Soldier: 63
Date they were raised to Accepted/Dedicated: 72
Date they were raised to Aes Sedai/Asha'man: 75 FA (Earth Legion)
Date they were raised to any other rank:
77 FA Lieutenant
78 FA Captain of the Central Theatre
111 FA Baijan'm'hael
Talents: None
Weave Affinities: Stunning, Controlling Storms, Making Fog
Weapon Skills:
Martial: 9 | Hand-Held: 10 | Stave: 3 | Thrown: 3 | Ranged: 9 | Mounted: 1
APPEARANCE
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 326lbs
Build/Complexion: Stocky and grizzled with heavy set shoulders and dense muscles
Eye/Hair Color: Dark grey piercing eyes with thick dark brown hair, often bound with a warrior's knot reaching beyond his shoulders
Distinguishing Features:
- A chain running from his pierced Tragus to his Helix on his left ear
- Piercing grey eyes with amber and green flecks around the pupil
- Scars over his forearms and torso, clearly inflicted by blades
PERSONALITY
Valen is a man of many faces, almost everyone who has ever crossed paths with the man has seen a different side of the Asha’man and thus they would almost all describe him differently. Those within the Black Tower often see the warmth and attentive side of him, his patience and cunning truly shining through as he seeks to better himself and his brothers as one. Many of the Dedicated would describe him as hard but fair, his steady hand often turned to guiding them through their struggles as the Asha’man once guided him. Those closest to Valen, few though they may be, would say that he is a good man with an honest heart and a sharp mind, rarely offering them anything but the truth and supporting them almost unconditionally through their endeavours though they would also (likely) mention his wariness in the wake of Rahlin’s betrayal, the way he is always watching even those he loves most dearly as if they might one day lose themselves to whatever took their former leader from them. Those who have faced Valen on the battlefield or in a duel would likely call him a demon, a man so cunning and ruthlessly efficient that he simply cannot be of this mortal plane. Those who survive often recount their failures bitterly, mentioning the unorthodox and brutal methods employed by the Black Tower’s attack leader in thwarting their efforts.
Whoever you ask, well within reason, they will all say one thing about Valen; he is perhaps one of the greatest living battle commanders, a cunning, clever, perceptive and unconventional tactician but he is no leader, he follows and serves a cause willingly.
HISTORY
The Far clan of warriors once called Sheinar their home and before that Malkier, before the reclamation of Malkier, and when the last king Lan raised his banners beside his wife and renowned Aes Sedai Nynaeve they swore allegiance to him once more. Valen’s grandfather, also named Valen and the first of his name, once stood beside the Malkierans but ultimately when the kingdom fell he carried that shame and so with the return of the King it offered him an opportunity to redeem the Far clan. They joined the vanguard, Valen and his seven sons, in the battle against the Shadowspawn to reclaim Malkier from the Blight and when the dust settled they joined Al’Lan, king of Malkier, as his sworn subjects and unwavering blades. When the sons of the Far clan all settled down and began to build their families they began to help rebuild, reviving old traditions and so when Valen, the new Valen, came into the world he was raised by the old ways. Taught to live life to the fullest, embracing his emotions and fighting to survive. He learned to play the harp at the same time as he learned to dance, both with a partner and with a blade, right up until the day they discovered the spark within him which burned brightly. He will be one of the most powerful channellers of our age, they said, and he will change the world given the chance, they said.
And so, like a good and loyal soldier Valen travelled to the Black Tower.
So he carried the burdens of duty into the Tower, he swore to serve and he meant every word of it for like the warriors who might inherit his clan’s legacy he would inherit the duties of both a Malkieran warrior and an Asha’man one day. As with many Wilders he struggled, fighting through the blocks he developed over the years against channelling and unlike many of his fellow Soldiers it took time for him to break through them and even longer for him to truly grasp the web or weave, while his understanding of the One Power grew slowly his mastery of nearly every weapon he laid a hand on grew rapidly. With every passing day he beat opponent after opponent until all that the Black Tower could offer him were the Asha’man themselves to spar with, like Varian who would challenge him to a duel and go on to become his closest friend. Varian used Valen's abilities with the blade to teach him how to channel, to break through the blocks via an ancient technique: the flame in the void. Once they found the right way to teach him things changed, quickly he learned to harness and control the One Power then Valen moved on to learning the complicated and dangerous weaves which he saw the full brothers using. Soon he was elevated to Dedicated and then, in his madness, Rahlin declared war upon the White Tower.
Valen was raised to the rank of Asha’man, he joined the Earth Legion and found himself on the frontline within days as the Asha’man moved to trap the Aes Sedai within their ivory tower. He found himself battling Aes Sedai despite his doubts, soon leading a small contingent of brothers in rapid strikes from every conceivable angle, with each and every strike he learned more and more from the battles. He kept his brothers from killing as much as possible, even as the Warders fought to the bitter end he did everything in his power to keep them alive so that they might find a better, more peaceful path. When they rejoined Rahlin and his forces outside the White Tower Valen was beginning to doubt the validity of the war and Rahlin’s sanity. Valen, and his cohort, were preparing to travel into the White Tower when the Dreamspike was planted and soon they were routed as the Aiel, Aes Sedai and forces of the Dragon’s Compact washed over them like an ocean. Every mile of ground given came with bloody and horror until finally Valen stood atop the walls of the Black Tower and watched as his brothers, those stranded beyond, fought to the bitter end. The war would not end until Rahlin fell or they bloodied the White Tower and their allies enough. As the war ground on Rahlin began to promote Asha’man to replenish the ranks of his command structure and even cast brothers out, his paranoia was on display for all to see. Valen found himself embroiled in every tactical discussion and planning meeting, spending hours pouring over the maps and plans with the captains and Rahlin only to feed the information to the rebels. They began to form their own plans with Valen at the heart of it all, balancing the needs of the Tower and his new duties.
When the time came Valen joined those brothers loyal to the ideals of the Dragon Reborn and the Black Tower, led by Jadin, when they would remove Rahlin from power one way or another. Valen and his closest brothers were charged with eliminating the captains who might oppose them, isolating them from Rahlin and so they moved the pieces into place. Valen and his four companions isolated the Captain of the Central Theatre and his guards within the Captain’s chambers. The fighting was brutal and bloody though Valen and his companions were determined to take as many of them alive as possible, though when he finally came face to face with the Captain it became clear that no such thing would happen. He fought a vicious duel with the blade master until finally he deftly wove a stunning weave and beheaded the captain in one Power assisted stroke of his sword, claiming the man’s life and the title of Blademaster in one fell swoop. As Valen and his companions bested their foes their brothers led by Jadin dragged Rahlin from his bed and gave him over to the Aes Sedai, giving the rebels their freedom from the madness and leading to Valen’s ascension to captain of the central theatre, replacing the man he had bested and killed..
The Black Tower had much to atone for, the sins of Rahlin would be carried by every brother within the Tower until such a time as the Asha’man could right the wrongs of their mad leader and their loyalty to themselves rather than the world at large. Valen championed freeing those imprisoned within the Tower by Rahlin, starting with the brother who broke beneath the weight of a warder’s bond; Aenerion. By the end Valen had seen to the freedom of 11 Asha’man, 2 Dedicated, 13 Soldiers and 5 Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah. In showing his true colours he earned the respect of many members of the Dragon’s Compact, albeit it grudging respect, and many within the Tower looked to the newly appointed Captain of the Central Theatre. He, like many of the rebels, led by example as the Black Tower struggled to find its identity once more and through the years that followed Valen proved himself within the central theatre. He never asked a brother to face a challenge that he himself would not face and often spear-headed operations to bring rogue channellers, be they Rahlin’s remaining loyalists or those with the Spark who refused the rules of either Tower, and offered the world his open hand, honest to a fault.
So when the time came to choose a new Baijan’m’hael many called for Valen to be granted the rank yet he initially refused, he had no interest in authority let alone a position so high in the Tower and yet his closest allies convinced him that it would be best for the Tower, ever the dutiful warrior Valen accepted the mantle and soon his innovative tactics, strategies and methods were being widely adopted throughout the Tower. Just months after taking up his new mantle word reached Valen of his family’s demise, his nephews and niece being lost in a scouting mission into the Blight. Pain filled his heart and made him even more determined to rebuild the Black Tower and forge his brothers into a force for good.
Timeline
40 FA - Born.
63 FA - Becomes a Soldier at the Black Tower.
72 FA - Raised to Dedicated.
75 FA - Raised to the Earth Legion early because Rhalin was fast tracking strong channelers to fight his war. He quickly begins to question this war, but follows orders.
77 FA - Raised to Lieutenant and begins feeding information to the rebel Earth Legion Asha'man.
78 FA - Raised to Captain of the Central Theatre after killing the former captain who had been Rhalin's man. (Earns his heron mark in the duel marking him as a master bruh)
111 FA - is raised to Baijan'm'hael
112 FA - The Far clan are wiped out leaving Valen alone to carry the name
Books read: New Spring - Winter’s Heart
