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07:57, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Selim Soltani

  Full Name: Selim Kivar Soltani
  Age: Nineteen (19)
  Birthday: 20 Kythorn
  Gender: Male
  Height: 188 cm (6'2")
  Weight: 77 kg (170 lb)
  Body type: Medium frame, lean and toned build
  Eye Color: Hazel
  Hair Color: Wheat blond
  Hair Style: Short crew cut
  Complexion: Medium with golden undertone
  Identifying Marks: Sun-shaped Mongolian spot over right scapula

GENERAL ATTIRE:
   As a proud knight of the Legion of Steel, Selim always dresses the part. To this end, his typical attire consists of earth-toned traveler's clothing fashioned from heavy and rugged linens. Over his clothing, he usually wears a full suit of silver scale armor with ribbed spaulders which grants him superior protection from neck to toes. He foregoes helmets unwisely courtesy of an extreme distaste for how much they limit his field of view. Testament to the discipline instilled in him by the Legion, Selim maintains his armor so meticulously that it often gleams after he's had any amount of downtime. The majority of his effort lies hidden underneath the snow white surcoat with a navy blue border worn over his armor however. Featuring prominently at the center of this tunic on both its front and back is the Legion of Steel's iconic heraldry: a navy blue silhouette of a traditional knight sword with its blade extending downward through and mostly hidden behind the matching outline of a generic heater shield, bisecting it. Rounding out things are a shabby leather backpack virtually bursting at its seams, a polished steel kite shield bearing Mystra's sigil on its face, and a riveted steel belt from which a steel rondel dagger and an assortment of pouches hang. A keen eye might even notice the glint of a steel chain creeping out from his armor and around his neck. Of course, Selim isn't ever caught without his cherished longsword, Valendol, a weapon notable outwardly because of its ebon blade with molten orange veining and golden hilt modeled intricately after a scorpion. Curiously, anyone who expends the time and magical resources on a thorough investigation of Valendol will learn that the striking black with orange veining metal used in its construction can't be found on Toril.

HISTORY:
   Selim never knew his parents. Instead, he was raised in the quaint hamlet of Wolfwater by his aunt Saleka, who also bore the unfortunate task of caring for her catatonic invalid husband, Hairum. According to his aunt, he and his family were refugees from a distant land known as Heim which had been forgotten by all but the most learned scholars since its sudden disappearance eons ago when its greatest magi of the era transported it to an alternate plane to escape a great calamity that threatened to destroy all of Toril. The decision to escape Heim came just days after Selim's birth when a depraved tyrant annihilated the rebellion opposing him which ended a long and bloody civil war and cast their once glorious homeland into darkness and despair. His family numbered among the scant few rebels who survived that decisive battle and retreated to the rebellion's last remaining safe house where they worked feverishly to energize a planar bridge to Toril that was created as a fail-safe in the event the rebellion lost. This break in combat was fleeting at best though, as it ended only days later when an enemy detachment discovered and laid siege to their final refuge. Hoping to buy time for his aunt to travel through the gateway with him and a half-dozen other rebels, his uncle and his parents remained behind to battle against the enemy contingent. In the end, they achieved their goal, but it came at the cost of his parents' lives. With death approaching, his uncle crossed over the bridge to unite with the survivors. Little did Hairum know that the magic powering the device had become unstable during the fighting. In the end, the chaotic energies destroyed Hairum's mind and soul as he traversed the planes to arrive in Toril.

   Knowledge of his family's tragic history in conjunction with his aunt's regular stream of tales regarding his uncle's remarkable valor kindled great courage and heroism in Selim. Together with his best friends Amberle and Bayard, he regularly ventured out into the surrounding meadows and forests as a young boy and slayed the small, but fiendish critters that terrorized local farms. Despite many punishments and warnings from his aunt, he only graduated to larger and more ferocious animals as he grew older and bolder. Eventually the deeds of Selim and his friends garnered them the attention of the renowned Legion of Steel. The Legion was a well-respected order of knights comprised of valiant warriors from all faiths and callings, and they wished to apprentice Selim and his friends in the hope that they might rise to become full-fledged members one day. It was a great honor that most of Wolfwater's villagers could only dream of receiving. Of course, Selim and his friends weren't any different and thus jumped at the opportunity to train with and possibly even join the famed knights. However, where Amberle and Bayard were met with enthusiasm and support from their respective families, Selim was met with vehement opposition from his aunt. She posited that he should live a simple life because his parents didn't sacrifice everything for him to die young from playing hero. Moreover, he alone bore the responsibility of carrying on his family's bloodline, which she quickly added. Selim felt betrayed by his aunt and was utterly heartbroken. He refused to let the matter drop though and argued with his aunt for more than a week until finally, he defied her wishes and stole away for the Legion's fortified garrison of Hollengarde one night at the age of 11.

   At Hollengarde, Selim expected to breeze through his training and become a Legionnaire in short order. He learned quickly however that accomplishing his goal required considerably more dedication and work than he ever imagined. Exceptional sling skills and abundant bravery were assets to be sure, but they alone weren't enough to impress his trainers. To satisfy his trainers, he needed to demonstrate that he could withstand the inconceivable torment he would inevitably experience at the hands of the Legion's many foes, the greatest of which was the Burning Hate, vile apostles of the long dead God of Human Supremacy, Zarus. To accomplish this, his resolve needed to be stronger than steel and his righteousness irreproachable, rare feats even among recruits far more promising than him. The revelation was quite humbling for Selim and sent him into a long period of introspection where he reconsidered everything he believed about his own ability and significance. This proved to be exactly what he needed because he emerged from it with greater mental vigor and renewed focus on his goal of becoming a knight of the Legion. Selim's hard work and dedication in the years that followed paid dividends eventually when he secured his place among the privileged few squires to be knighted at the Legion's annual ceremony in the weeks leading up to his nineteenth birthday. Unfortunately, what should have been a joyous day defined by the accomplishments of Selim and the other squires was condemned to be remembered as one of great tragedy and despair instead.

   The day was bittersweet from the beginning for Selim. On one hand, he stood on the precipice of knighthood together with Amberle and Bayard. On the other, they hadn't truly accomplished their childhood dream together. To better accommodate their individual needs and talents, they were divided among the Legion's twelve divisions early on in their training. As a result, they rarely saw, let alone spoke to each other after their initial weeks at Hollengarde and drifted apart over the years. Moreover, it gnawed at Selim that his family wouldn't be in attendance for the momentous occasion because he lacked the courage to invite them. Unlike Amberle and Bayard, he hadn't written home even once over the years. He never returned to Wolfwater for holidays either. Initially, it was because he couldn't face his aunt after how he'd left things with her. Then, it simply became routine. How ironic it was then that one of Selim's first feelings was of relief that his family wasn't at Hollengarde when the first flood of shadowy tendrils of enervating energy smashed through the ramparts and swept across the area devouring the souls of dozens of defenseless victims before twisting the husks left behind into murderous undead horrors. The Burning Hate besieged the very heart of the Legion of Steel in an attack which should not have been possible due to the many ancient and powerful magics which protected Hollengarde. At the very least, their wards should have alerted them to the threat long before the Burning Hate drew within striking distance of the garrison. Neither belief proved correct however as scores of the Burning Hate's undead monstrosities and heavily armored soldiers washed over Hollengarde slaughtering everyone in their path while the Legion’s warriors scrambled to replace their ceremonial arms with proper armaments and repel the assault. Despite the Legion's best efforts, a devastating act of treachery claimed the long battle for the Burning Hate when Bayard betrayed the Legion by murdering its commander, the Legatus, with a vicious attack from behind while they fought together against the lord of the Burning Hate, Highlord Karson Dirsk, the Fist of Zarus. Faltering under the emotional toll of the tremendous losses they'd suffered, not to mention the sight of Dirsk raising an unspeakable abomination from their venerable Legatus' corpse, the Legion’s survivors abandoned Hollengarde to regroup at a friendly village less than a day’s journey away.

   Bolstered by their allies, the remnants of the Legion of Steel returned to reclaim Hollengarde several weeks later only to find the ruined stronghold cloaked in illusory magics which made it appear occupied by the Burning Hate still. After they were dispelled, the Legion discovered that the Burning Hate deserted the place likely only days after seizing it but left behind scores of undead reanimated from the corpses of those who fell during the assault. While the Legion and its allies set to rebuilding, Selim returned home to Wolfwater drained and defeated with his heart burdened further by the knowledge that Amberle blamed him solely for Bayard falling to darkness. He was surprised to find his aunt overjoyed to see him rather than bitter and angry. Moreover, she constantly marveled over how tall he'd grown and expressed great relief that he hadn't perished in the attack on Hollengarde. More surprising still was that his aunt encouraged him to not only return to the Legion after he healed mentally and emotionally, but to try and save Bayard. In their time apart his aunt came to realize that she couldn't stop him from becoming the hero he was destined to become any more than she could stop the sun from rising. To aid him in his journeys, his aunt gave him the remains of his uncle's legendary lance, Valendol, which she had reforged into a magnificent sword after its destruction during his uncle's final battle against Heim's tyrant. Revitalized and bearing his aunt's blessing, Selim returned to Hollengarde where he learned the true reason for the Burning Hate's incursion: they sought the Eye of Vecna, a cursed artifact of immeasurable power hidden deep within the stronghold's hallowed vaults. The Eye was missing, and recovering it was the Legion's top priority. Now, nearly a week after returning to Hollengarde, Selim sets out to locate the Eye of Vecna and retrieve it from the Burning Hate. In truth though, he hopes the search will lead him to Bayard so that he might redeem his oldest and closest friend.

NOTABLE NPC:
   1. Hairum Tahir Soltani [Uncle]
   2. Saleka Fariah al-Soltani [Aunt]
   3. Bayard Atherton [Misguided best friend]
   4. Amberle Arfeinel [Best friend]
   5. The Legion of Steel [Extended family]
   6. The Burning Hate [Most bitter of enemies]