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Description

24/4/2020: Sanctum update, personality update, art update + added trivia section
7/10/2018: fresh art
1/4/2018: rank update
27/8/2017: Appearance update, rank update, personality and history update.
BALEAP Tracker | Moodboard

D' you breathe the name of your saviour in your hour of need,
And taste the blame if the flavor should remind you of greed?
Of implication, insinuation and ill will, 'til you cannot lie still,
In all this turmoil, before red cape and foil come closing in for a kill

Come feed the rain
'cause I'm thirsty for your love dancing underneath the skies of lust
Yeah, feed the rain
'cause without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust

THE LIGHTBRINGER
Name: Bale
Age: 23 - doesn't physically age up from 21 due to his blessing
Gender: Male
Orientation: Homosexual
Status: Dating Milan

Breed: Kirin
Build: Irish draught x clydesdale
Height: 17.3 hh
Coat Color: Sooty silver burnt buckskin sabino

Herd Affiliation: Aodh
Rank: Flamen of Enya [100 AP]
(previously Vatros Sanctum attendant [100 AP], Pit fighter [100 AP])
Patron god: now predominantly Ignacio, used to be mostly devoted to Cascade

Talents: Familiar whisperer (full lvl) & Co-operative(full lvl)
Blessings: Healing regeneration (full lvl) & Holy magic suppression (full lvl)
Relic: Lux - Heat vision (lvl 4)

Familiar: Gray wolf - Confirmation
Male, answers name Silas. Received from Milan at the very beginning of their relationship.
A scruffy little runt of the litter, a bit timid but loyal and loving towards Bale.

Pygmy dragon -Confirmation
Large male, named Orel. Landed on top of Bale's antlers one day and bonded with the shiny kirin.
Orel is extremely protective to the point of being suspicious of anything strange going on around him and his owner. Very fond of shiny things, likes to nestle in Bale's antlers. Cuddly when it suits him, seems to take himself very seriously.

Is there a hero somewhere, someone who appears and saves the day
Someone who holds out a hand and turns back time
Is there a hero somewhere, someone who will never walk away
Who doesn't turn a blind eye to a crime

Appearance key points:
x Bale is muscular, round and developed uphill. He's a good combination of the strength of a draft and athleticism of a sport horse.
x His mane and tail are thick, coarse and unruly. Has kirin mane along his spine and on his chest & feet. Golden antlers.
x Has a tattoo on his left front leg crafted by Ignacio; Bale lights up on will and based on his emotions.
x When he doesn't sparkle, he looks like this: Kirin

x Bale owns a whole ton of shit, including a full armor with sword and shield. Refer to his crowded inventory.

It's all a game, avoiding failure, when true colors will bleed
All in the name of misbehavior and the things we don't need
I lust for after no disaster can touch, touch us anymore
And more than ever, I hope to never fall,
where enough is not the same it was before

Personality:
Raised a warrior; steadfast and bold. Forged into a man of religion; deeply pious. Deals in devotion that doesn’t tolerate empty words. A man of action. Has an unyielding sense of duty paired with a stern moral compass - can’t stand duplicity. Righteous bordering on zealous. Unmoving and stubborn in his convictions, adaptable to new situations. Difficult to read, often seems solemn and stoic; dry wit paired with absolute sincerity. Filled with a sense of purpose, an arbiter of justice.
Facade
Bale is a mountain.
Immovable, steady, silent. Reliable.
Bale is a reflection in ice.
Untouchable, cool, distant.

Simultaneously extremely approachable, and achingly distant; Bale is much better at hearing than sharing. His heart is filled with kindness and a will to help others, but his boundless sympathy is reserved for those in truly dark and forlorn places. Having been elevated from the chains of slavery into the station of a Flamen, Bale knows success just as well as struggle. He believes every soul has the capacity to walk his path, to rise above, elevated by His love.
Yet he remains a step away, his heart closed. His facial expression is oft unreadable, neutral; solemn. In lonely moments, Bale looks as if he carries the weight of the nation on his shoulders.
Bale throws himself into helping others like it is destiny; stern and steady in duty, but gentle to those who seek the light. Brave even in the face of great adversity, absolute certainty in purpose makes Bale dauntless just as it makes him dangerous - a trait further aided by a (sometimes amusing) lack of familiarity with nuances of Aodh society.

Heart
Bale is an ember brought to a roar.
A destiny made flesh.
Bale feels deeply and loves without question. Loves his god, loves his herd, loves his husband. His sincerity and almost naive devotion are a weakness and a strength - a source of determined energy, and a weak point to capitalize on. Bale does not play games with feelings nor words; his face may remain blank, but his deeds speak with the utmost clarity.
When spoken to outside professional circumstances, Bale is a surprisingly funny guy - dry-wit with his own brand of cleverness. Although lacking academic merits and wisdom of age, he has experience, and an outsider’s ability to peer through the illusions of society.

Justice
Bale is a beacon in the darkness.
His Father called him Lightbringer, once.
Within Bale is a dream to see a brighter future for all of Aodh; the country he truly loves. He is not beyond questioning things about his home - the elitism, the slavery, the obsession with frivolous things. But Aodh is worthy; worthy of Father’s love, and so, Bale’s. It is his dearest wish to free Aodh, as he has been freed - to break the chains that hold them all, the chains of shame and compliance.
With the dream comes righteousness. A strong moral compass and an iron will guide him on his path to make his vision of justice manifest. Bale is no philosopher, and has no interest in talk - empty words and promises aggravate him, and are worth less than dust. To him, action is the true intent of the heart; anyone can say anything.
The shadow of righteousness is zealotry. For Bale, things are often blacks and whites - justice or injustice, with little in between. His very direct approach to complex problems served him far better among the Forged; Bale gets results, but may find himself blindsided by consequences.

Doubt
Bale is an orphan.
A heart torn asunder, a body broken, a destiny stolen.
An outsider desperate for the light in a world foreign.
Aodh is his home, but it still often feels strange to him; confusing, scary even. He has had to change, to adapt, to replace parts of himself with pieces of this new person, this Lightbringer. It has not always been easy; it has often been painful. Still, he slips on occasions, but never out of malice. He wants this. He wants to fit.
Bale knows he is blessed; he knows he has been favored. In his purpose, he is confident; but feelings of not being enough creep in. Sometimes Bale wonders if he can live up to his reputation; if he can make Ignacio’s will reality. Feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness and frustration are constant companions in his heart.
Fear, too, plays a part. Fear of not being able to save everyone. Fear that he may have misunderstood. Fear that it is all a dream.
He would die to save a life.
He would burn to save another the pain.

But sometimes, sometimes he fears even that might not be enough.

There's got to be more than just this flesh and bone
Tell me I'm more than just the scars I've known
If all that we love is all we ever own
We're more than one, more than one heart beating alone

History:
TW: slavery

Prior to roleplaying history:
Bale was born to The War Forged as a highly wanted foal. The family didn't remain happy very long after his birth however, as his father met his early demise being ambushed by a bunch of rogues while doing his duty as a Raider. This left his mother very torn, trying to raise her only son the best she could – which wasn’t in truth very well at all. Bale took this to heart, swearing he would protect his herd like his father had tried. A broken foalhood forced Bale to grow up and develop much faster than he would have, had the situation been ideal. His life was not filled with laughter and play, and he grew up swearing to himself he didn't need such things in his life. Even as a young stallion Bale was both devoted and determined, seeking to join the ranks of the Raiders as soon as possible. It wasn't too hard, as he was a spitting image of his father - tall and strong. Everything else, such as marriage or personal relationships always came second to his bigger goals, leaving him rather secluded emotionally.

Bale took his self-proclaimed role of a hero very seriously from early on, showing every bit the type of fearless attitude one would expect from his rank. He was proud of his herd and task until he was asked to join a Merchant in his trip to Aodh borders. He was quick to agree, not truly understanding the nature of the trip. He was of course aware of the slave trade, but actually accompanying those destined to be sold was fighting against his righteous nature in a big way. He could find himself justifying the ones cast off because of criminal background, but those merely too weak and 'useless' struck a chord inside him. He didn't say anything at first, but the closer the destination grew, the harder time he had with it, until he could stay idle no longer.

In the dark of the night Bale, while supposed to keep guard, let the soon-to-be-slaves free. He knew it wouldn't bode well for himself, but he knew he couldn't live with the image of the sad bunch always seared into his mind. Like the naive and righteous idiot he is, Bale didn't run himself when the Merchant woke up, instead choosing to stand up and ensure everyone else would get away. The Merchant, enraged from the loss of his goods, managed to chain down Bale instead - not the least because the young stallion wasn't fighting all that much against it, a little appalled by is own actions. The Merchant quickly decided that Bale was to make up for what was lost, and that no one would ask all that much after one lost Raider. He was then dragged to Aodh, and sold instead.

Quickly fitted with heavy chains and a slave bridle subduing his teke, Bale was obviously not going anywhere. He was beaten and jerked around, but very little results were gained through violence. The Slave Trader that had bought him was intent on harnessing the strenght of the newcomer for his own good, because young, strong individuals were not that easy to come by. And a War Forged born, nonetheless! After training efforts didn't turn up the way he wanted, Bale was simply thrown into a pit, now forced to fight. Even as a slave Bale had not lost his will to live, so fight he did. After he came out victorious, he was treated well, forming a stark contrast between how he was previously managed. Bale lacked any and all will to please, so while his performance was strong, he was difficult to handle – ready to lash out.

In-game events:
So, he was sold. Milan bought him as a personal pit fighter prospect, and offered good things – a soft bed, good food, even a familiar, just as long as Bale behaved. He found it surprisingly easy to let go and not be in charge, only rebelling when asked to treat other slaves too harshly. Milan’s strict boundaries and expertise in slave handling soon had Bale bending to his will regardless, and their relationship began to grow slowly but surely.

He had been holding onto Cascade as his patron god, for it was the only memoir of his late father. Bale was blessed with Healing Regeneration, and was overjoyed for a while, until his master was blessed as well – by Ignacio. And in contrast to Cascade, Ignacio sounded much more forthcoming, more powerful, and for a young stallion that sounded appealing. Bale’s first visit to Fernos Sanctum was a very humbling experience, and to Bale the presence of Ignacio was almost touchable. His shift in faith was even more solidified after speaking to the Vatros Sanctum flamen, Ulysses. He began to feel like he could actually meet the virtues of Ignacio, and maybe truly belong to Aodh, after all.
After fully opening his heart to Ignacio, he was finally spoken to by the god, and blessed with Holy Magic Suppression. Bale felt truly special, and more sure of his path than ever. At the same time, his relationship to Milan deepened to love.

Bale was on a slave fetching trip to Magmire with Milan and a few other slavers, when Oriel erupted upon their arrival. They scrambled and worked together to free and save the huge bunch of captured Vagabonds from their cages, and were able to do so just in the nick of time. This left Milan’s face scarred, and Bale feeling like a failure for not having been able to keep Milan safe. It took a week before Milan allowed himself to be healed, and soon afterward decided to leave his rank as a Slave Trader, and was accepted as an Artisan. This meant moving houses, which Bale was happy to do – mostly because it made Milan happy, and meant he didn’t have to handle the sales stock anymore.
All of the chaos left Bale feeling uncertain and worried, afraid he wouldn’t be able to be enough - protect Milan well enough. It was then that he found a strange pendant by their home shrine, and touching it summoned Ignacio in the flesh before him. This encounter left him not only more certain of himself, but transformed into one of Ignacio’s own – a kirin. The pendant was left with him as well, and held within the essence of Light Manipulation – when worn, it would cause his hair and antlers to shine and sparkle their light around. This meant he was no longer considered a slave, but was able to choose a rank. The decision wasn’t hard, and Bale soon took his place as Vatros Sanctum helper, encouraging others in the dark times and offering his healing blessing for those less fortunate.

He continued learning the skills necessary in his new slot of life, and everything went surprisingly well for a start. Close to new year 1701 Milan was invited to Haven by Cyndane on work, and they attended a party - which ended by the last Kirin King Soleil popping back into existence in the midst of the party. The house was set aflame and Bale made sure that Milan and Adviser Cyndane got out safe, then went back to retrieve slaves and anyone who might have gotten stuck in the burning building. It seemed like everything was fine after, but the party had brought up feelings of not feeling truly part of the society. To combat this, Bale took extra jobs without telling Milan in order to be able buy him something in return, but distrust and old, unhandled things got in between the two and they broke up after a rather nasty fight. Bale retreated to Vatros, and Ulysses did his best to help him process his feelings and start building a life on his own, for himself.

It came as a total surprise when Bale was summoned to the Royal Court in the Hearthstone Palace, and asked if he thought he could serve Aodh well as a Flamen. Bale felt like it was Ignacio's will, as the god had called him the Lightbringer; someone who could shepherd his people in the light. Bale didn't want to disappoint, and using all of his rather newly acquired talent and influence from Ulyusses he gave a convincing speech, and was appointed as the Flamen of Oralee, a newly constructed Sanctum located on the first floor of Hearthstone Palace.
[need to update chapter events here oops]
In the start of 1702 he moved over to become the Flamen of Enya after discussing his views with Adviser Aleksei.

Where's the cooling wind?
Where's the evergreen field?
Where's my mother's open arms?
Where's my father lion heart?
It's like the sun's gone down
Sleeps in the hallowed ground now
With the autumn's brown leaves
With the one who never grieves

Trivia:
x Has a very expressive tail; it betrays any stronger emotions by swishing
x His fur collar fluffs up when he is angry or flustered
x His god item reflects his emotions very clearly, both in the speed and brightness of the sparkles around him
x Sometimes still struggles to understand the open culture when it comes to Aodh's views on gender and sexuality, but is not malicious
x Whenever he is unsure of something, he offers Ignacio's values or words instead of his own opinions
x Is extremely monogamous and jealous over Milan
x Anti-slavery, but willing to see that change might require time
x Likes to wear armor as a part of his outfits and most often has his (huge) relic with him

CREDITS:
Design, art and character all me!

Featured in artwork: Find more here & here!

Description

24/4/2020: Sanctum update, personality update, art update + added trivia section
7/10/2018: fresh art
1/4/2018: rank update
27/8/2017: Appearance update, rank update, personality and history update.
BALEAP Tracker | Moodboard

D' you breathe the name of your saviour in your hour of need,
And taste the blame if the flavor should remind you of greed?
Of implication, insinuation and ill will, 'til you cannot lie still,
In all this turmoil, before red cape and foil come closing in for a kill

Come feed the rain
'cause I'm thirsty for your love dancing underneath the skies of lust
Yeah, feed the rain
'cause without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust

THE LIGHTBRINGER
Name: Bale
Age: 23 - doesn't physically age up from 21 due to his blessing
Gender: Male
Orientation: Homosexual
Status: Dating Milan

Breed: Kirin
Build: Irish draught x clydesdale
Height: 17.3 hh
Coat Color: Sooty silver burnt buckskin sabino

Herd Affiliation: Aodh
Rank: Flamen of Enya [100 AP]
(previously Vatros Sanctum attendant [100 AP], Pit fighter [100 AP])
Patron god: now predominantly Ignacio, used to be mostly devoted to Cascade

Talents: Familiar whisperer (full lvl) & Co-operative(full lvl)
Blessings: Healing regeneration (full lvl) & Holy magic suppression (full lvl)
Relic: Lux - Heat vision (lvl 4)

Familiar: Gray wolf - Confirmation
Male, answers name Silas. Received from Milan at the very beginning of their relationship.
A scruffy little runt of the litter, a bit timid but loyal and loving towards Bale.

Pygmy dragon -Confirmation
Large male, named Orel. Landed on top of Bale's antlers one day and bonded with the shiny kirin.
Orel is extremely protective to the point of being suspicious of anything strange going on around him and his owner. Very fond of shiny things, likes to nestle in Bale's antlers. Cuddly when it suits him, seems to take himself very seriously.

Is there a hero somewhere, someone who appears and saves the day
Someone who holds out a hand and turns back time
Is there a hero somewhere, someone who will never walk away
Who doesn't turn a blind eye to a crime

Appearance key points:
x Bale is muscular, round and developed uphill. He's a good combination of the strength of a draft and athleticism of a sport horse.
x His mane and tail are thick, coarse and unruly. Has kirin mane along his spine and on his chest & feet. Golden antlers.
x Has a tattoo on his left front leg crafted by Ignacio; Bale lights up on will and based on his emotions.
x When he doesn't sparkle, he looks like this: Kirin

x Bale owns a whole ton of shit, including a full armor with sword and shield. Refer to his crowded inventory.

It's all a game, avoiding failure, when true colors will bleed
All in the name of misbehavior and the things we don't need
I lust for after no disaster can touch, touch us anymore
And more than ever, I hope to never fall,
where enough is not the same it was before

Personality:
Raised a warrior; steadfast and bold. Forged into a man of religion; deeply pious. Deals in devotion that doesn’t tolerate empty words. A man of action. Has an unyielding sense of duty paired with a stern moral compass - can’t stand duplicity. Righteous bordering on zealous. Unmoving and stubborn in his convictions, adaptable to new situations. Difficult to read, often seems solemn and stoic; dry wit paired with absolute sincerity. Filled with a sense of purpose, an arbiter of justice.
Facade
Bale is a mountain.
Immovable, steady, silent. Reliable.
Bale is a reflection in ice.
Untouchable, cool, distant.

Simultaneously extremely approachable, and achingly distant; Bale is much better at hearing than sharing. His heart is filled with kindness and a will to help others, but his boundless sympathy is reserved for those in truly dark and forlorn places. Having been elevated from the chains of slavery into the station of a Flamen, Bale knows success just as well as struggle. He believes every soul has the capacity to walk his path, to rise above, elevated by His love.
Yet he remains a step away, his heart closed. His facial expression is oft unreadable, neutral; solemn. In lonely moments, Bale looks as if he carries the weight of the nation on his shoulders.
Bale throws himself into helping others like it is destiny; stern and steady in duty, but gentle to those who seek the light. Brave even in the face of great adversity, absolute certainty in purpose makes Bale dauntless just as it makes him dangerous - a trait further aided by a (sometimes amusing) lack of familiarity with nuances of Aodh society.

Heart
Bale is an ember brought to a roar.
A destiny made flesh.
Bale feels deeply and loves without question. Loves his god, loves his herd, loves his husband. His sincerity and almost naive devotion are a weakness and a strength - a source of determined energy, and a weak point to capitalize on. Bale does not play games with feelings nor words; his face may remain blank, but his deeds speak with the utmost clarity.
When spoken to outside professional circumstances, Bale is a surprisingly funny guy - dry-wit with his own brand of cleverness. Although lacking academic merits and wisdom of age, he has experience, and an outsider’s ability to peer through the illusions of society.

Justice
Bale is a beacon in the darkness.
His Father called him Lightbringer, once.
Within Bale is a dream to see a brighter future for all of Aodh; the country he truly loves. He is not beyond questioning things about his home - the elitism, the slavery, the obsession with frivolous things. But Aodh is worthy; worthy of Father’s love, and so, Bale’s. It is his dearest wish to free Aodh, as he has been freed - to break the chains that hold them all, the chains of shame and compliance.
With the dream comes righteousness. A strong moral compass and an iron will guide him on his path to make his vision of justice manifest. Bale is no philosopher, and has no interest in talk - empty words and promises aggravate him, and are worth less than dust. To him, action is the true intent of the heart; anyone can say anything.
The shadow of righteousness is zealotry. For Bale, things are often blacks and whites - justice or injustice, with little in between. His very direct approach to complex problems served him far better among the Forged; Bale gets results, but may find himself blindsided by consequences.

Doubt
Bale is an orphan.
A heart torn asunder, a body broken, a destiny stolen.
An outsider desperate for the light in a world foreign.
Aodh is his home, but it still often feels strange to him; confusing, scary even. He has had to change, to adapt, to replace parts of himself with pieces of this new person, this Lightbringer. It has not always been easy; it has often been painful. Still, he slips on occasions, but never out of malice. He wants this. He wants to fit.
Bale knows he is blessed; he knows he has been favored. In his purpose, he is confident; but feelings of not being enough creep in. Sometimes Bale wonders if he can live up to his reputation; if he can make Ignacio’s will reality. Feelings of inadequacy, powerlessness and frustration are constant companions in his heart.
Fear, too, plays a part. Fear of not being able to save everyone. Fear that he may have misunderstood. Fear that it is all a dream.
He would die to save a life.
He would burn to save another the pain.

But sometimes, sometimes he fears even that might not be enough.

There's got to be more than just this flesh and bone
Tell me I'm more than just the scars I've known
If all that we love is all we ever own
We're more than one, more than one heart beating alone

History:
TW: slavery

Prior to roleplaying history:
Bale was born to The War Forged as a highly wanted foal. The family didn't remain happy very long after his birth however, as his father met his early demise being ambushed by a bunch of rogues while doing his duty as a Raider. This left his mother very torn, trying to raise her only son the best she could – which wasn’t in truth very well at all. Bale took this to heart, swearing he would protect his herd like his father had tried. A broken foalhood forced Bale to grow up and develop much faster than he would have, had the situation been ideal. His life was not filled with laughter and play, and he grew up swearing to himself he didn't need such things in his life. Even as a young stallion Bale was both devoted and determined, seeking to join the ranks of the Raiders as soon as possible. It wasn't too hard, as he was a spitting image of his father - tall and strong. Everything else, such as marriage or personal relationships always came second to his bigger goals, leaving him rather secluded emotionally.

Bale took his self-proclaimed role of a hero very seriously from early on, showing every bit the type of fearless attitude one would expect from his rank. He was proud of his herd and task until he was asked to join a Merchant in his trip to Aodh borders. He was quick to agree, not truly understanding the nature of the trip. He was of course aware of the slave trade, but actually accompanying those destined to be sold was fighting against his righteous nature in a big way. He could find himself justifying the ones cast off because of criminal background, but those merely too weak and 'useless' struck a chord inside him. He didn't say anything at first, but the closer the destination grew, the harder time he had with it, until he could stay idle no longer.

In the dark of the night Bale, while supposed to keep guard, let the soon-to-be-slaves free. He knew it wouldn't bode well for himself, but he knew he couldn't live with the image of the sad bunch always seared into his mind. Like the naive and righteous idiot he is, Bale didn't run himself when the Merchant woke up, instead choosing to stand up and ensure everyone else would get away. The Merchant, enraged from the loss of his goods, managed to chain down Bale instead - not the least because the young stallion wasn't fighting all that much against it, a little appalled by is own actions. The Merchant quickly decided that Bale was to make up for what was lost, and that no one would ask all that much after one lost Raider. He was then dragged to Aodh, and sold instead.

Quickly fitted with heavy chains and a slave bridle subduing his teke, Bale was obviously not going anywhere. He was beaten and jerked around, but very little results were gained through violence. The Slave Trader that had bought him was intent on harnessing the strenght of the newcomer for his own good, because young, strong individuals were not that easy to come by. And a War Forged born, nonetheless! After training efforts didn't turn up the way he wanted, Bale was simply thrown into a pit, now forced to fight. Even as a slave Bale had not lost his will to live, so fight he did. After he came out victorious, he was treated well, forming a stark contrast between how he was previously managed. Bale lacked any and all will to please, so while his performance was strong, he was difficult to handle – ready to lash out.

In-game events:
So, he was sold. Milan bought him as a personal pit fighter prospect, and offered good things – a soft bed, good food, even a familiar, just as long as Bale behaved. He found it surprisingly easy to let go and not be in charge, only rebelling when asked to treat other slaves too harshly. Milan’s strict boundaries and expertise in slave handling soon had Bale bending to his will regardless, and their relationship began to grow slowly but surely.

He had been holding onto Cascade as his patron god, for it was the only memoir of his late father. Bale was blessed with Healing Regeneration, and was overjoyed for a while, until his master was blessed as well – by Ignacio. And in contrast to Cascade, Ignacio sounded much more forthcoming, more powerful, and for a young stallion that sounded appealing. Bale’s first visit to Fernos Sanctum was a very humbling experience, and to Bale the presence of Ignacio was almost touchable. His shift in faith was even more solidified after speaking to the Vatros Sanctum flamen, Ulysses. He began to feel like he could actually meet the virtues of Ignacio, and maybe truly belong to Aodh, after all.
After fully opening his heart to Ignacio, he was finally spoken to by the god, and blessed with Holy Magic Suppression. Bale felt truly special, and more sure of his path than ever. At the same time, his relationship to Milan deepened to love.

Bale was on a slave fetching trip to Magmire with Milan and a few other slavers, when Oriel erupted upon their arrival. They scrambled and worked together to free and save the huge bunch of captured Vagabonds from their cages, and were able to do so just in the nick of time. This left Milan’s face scarred, and Bale feeling like a failure for not having been able to keep Milan safe. It took a week before Milan allowed himself to be healed, and soon afterward decided to leave his rank as a Slave Trader, and was accepted as an Artisan. This meant moving houses, which Bale was happy to do – mostly because it made Milan happy, and meant he didn’t have to handle the sales stock anymore.
All of the chaos left Bale feeling uncertain and worried, afraid he wouldn’t be able to be enough - protect Milan well enough. It was then that he found a strange pendant by their home shrine, and touching it summoned Ignacio in the flesh before him. This encounter left him not only more certain of himself, but transformed into one of Ignacio’s own – a kirin. The pendant was left with him as well, and held within the essence of Light Manipulation – when worn, it would cause his hair and antlers to shine and sparkle their light around. This meant he was no longer considered a slave, but was able to choose a rank. The decision wasn’t hard, and Bale soon took his place as Vatros Sanctum helper, encouraging others in the dark times and offering his healing blessing for those less fortunate.

He continued learning the skills necessary in his new slot of life, and everything went surprisingly well for a start. Close to new year 1701 Milan was invited to Haven by Cyndane on work, and they attended a party - which ended by the last Kirin King Soleil popping back into existence in the midst of the party. The house was set aflame and Bale made sure that Milan and Adviser Cyndane got out safe, then went back to retrieve slaves and anyone who might have gotten stuck in the burning building. It seemed like everything was fine after, but the party had brought up feelings of not feeling truly part of the society. To combat this, Bale took extra jobs without telling Milan in order to be able buy him something in return, but distrust and old, unhandled things got in between the two and they broke up after a rather nasty fight. Bale retreated to Vatros, and Ulysses did his best to help him process his feelings and start building a life on his own, for himself.

It came as a total surprise when Bale was summoned to the Royal Court in the Hearthstone Palace, and asked if he thought he could serve Aodh well as a Flamen. Bale felt like it was Ignacio's will, as the god had called him the Lightbringer; someone who could shepherd his people in the light. Bale didn't want to disappoint, and using all of his rather newly acquired talent and influence from Ulyusses he gave a convincing speech, and was appointed as the Flamen of Oralee, a newly constructed Sanctum located on the first floor of Hearthstone Palace.
[need to update chapter events here oops]
In the start of 1702 he moved over to become the Flamen of Enya after discussing his views with Adviser Aleksei.

Where's the cooling wind?
Where's the evergreen field?
Where's my mother's open arms?
Where's my father lion heart?
It's like the sun's gone down
Sleeps in the hallowed ground now
With the autumn's brown leaves
With the one who never grieves

Trivia:
x Has a very expressive tail; it betrays any stronger emotions by swishing
x His fur collar fluffs up when he is angry or flustered
x His god item reflects his emotions very clearly, both in the speed and brightness of the sparkles around him
x Sometimes still struggles to understand the open culture when it comes to Aodh's views on gender and sexuality, but is not malicious
x Whenever he is unsure of something, he offers Ignacio's values or words instead of his own opinions
x Is extremely monogamous and jealous over Milan
x Anti-slavery, but willing to see that change might require time
x Likes to wear armor as a part of his outfits and most often has his (huge) relic with him

CREDITS:
Design, art and character all me!

Featured in artwork: Find more here & here!