Numenera

Good Morning All!
You may see a few posts regarding a D&D Role Playing game called Numenera. This is similar to Pathfinder, but includes less dice rolling, and more making-things-up-ish. It's been a fun adventure, but our current characters are about to the end of their quest so we are working on new characters who are all in the same traveling circus! Here's my new character so far. His name is Solas:

“Draolis* is the most populated land in the Steadfast and also one of the wealthiest. Its banner depicts six interwoven spheres, but most people refer to it as the Tiger Banner. Centuries ago, Draolis was home to a powerful queen who ruled the land with a firm hand. Her symbol was a roaring tiger, and her armies crushed all those around her. When her line died out, power in Draolis was seized by a council of wealthy plutocrats who didn’t want another hereditary monarchy to take control. The Council of Spheres abolished the tiger symbology, but many people remember the tales from that time and long for that former glory. Although the council lacks the flair of the tiger rulers of the past, Draolis has not abandoned its ways. The nation remains a military power, with might comparable to that of its chief rival, Navarene. In fact, the Order of Truth is the only thing that keeps these two countries from warring openly. The Draolic-Born are fiercely proud of their homeland. Some of the older families still carry relics from Draolis’ glory days.”

Raynaldus “Solas” Claymar was born in Castle Sarrat, a small castle located near the center of Draolis, about 35 miles West of Kordech, and 250 miles East of Qi. The Castle was first discovered by the Claymar family over 70 years ago. The castle was empty and derelict, save for a strange machine they found in the basement. This machine could produce food, enough for hundreds of people. On occasion, the machine would spit out shin, hidden in slices of decadent food much to its occupants delight. Delighted at the abundance, the Claymar family settled there.

Old family records in the library told of a famous magician and performer who used to live there. He would travel the Steadfast giving performances, each more extravagant than the last. As his fame grew, so did the Castle. However, the magician began to fade, it was said, and one day disappeared altogether. After he was gone, the Castle dwindled, and shrank. 20 years after moving in, when the Claymar family had settled and began to prosper, they woke to find a new room they had never seen nor explored before. Since then, extra rooms, hallways, and even whole floors have seemingly appeared from nowhere! The family keeps this aspect about the Castle as quiet as possible, and have gone to great lengths to hide the additions the Castle has made so as not to suspect the local passerby. One day, the Castle decided to repaint the outside into a roaring tiger. Fearful that this might be seen as an affront to the council of spheres, the Claymars spent that summer repainting the entire Castle back to a stone-colored grey.

Raynaldus, or Solas, as he liked to be called, was born to entertain. As an infant, his wide range of facial expressions and joyous giggle became a source of joy for all in the house. By age 5 he was juggling. By age 10 he could play the violin better than most. By the time he was 15, there weren’t many outlying villages who hadn’t heard of him. As his fame grew, the Castle began to grow as well. The Claymar’s were delighted at their prosperity, but over time began to wonder what happened to the old magician. Before Solas left for Qi, they warned him about the magician’s mysterious fate. Solas laughed it off and preferred not to dwell on it. But the seed of doubt remained…

Solas is loyal to Draolis, and lives for the glory of his homeland and his family. He can command large audiences, and hold them in an almost trance-like state during his performances. He is meticulous and emotional, and takes great care in his stage costumes and his equipment. Solas demands perfection from himself. At age 16, he spent 3 years practicing the perfect bow for his act. His bow, combining a twist and handstand cannot be mimicked by anyone in the Steadfast. Before leaving the Castle, he woke to find a very old instrument in a case by his cot and an ancient flag bearing the symbol of the roaring lion. He carries these wherever he goes and would give his own life for either of these possessions. He relies on wit and guile over weapons but carries an antique knife wherever he goes. 

*Jump on Google, and look up "map of Numenera" to get a feel for where Draolis is.