Al-Haim
Al-Haim is a mixed raced warrior hailing from Hammerfell.
Background[]
Early Life[]
Al-Haim is result of a liaison between a Crown Redguard mercenary and a Breton wh'ore. It was in Wayrest where the pair met and experienced what was described as an infatuation of love; Eventually resulting in his birth. Al-Haim spent the first three years in High Rock, though remembers little of his mother, who died of the chill shortly before his four name-day. Rather than face the reminders of his past, Al-Haim's father took him back to Hammerfell; back to the sands of the Alik'r, back to his tribe. The crowns, being staunch Yokundan traditionalists and xenophobic to boot. Grudgingly accepted Al-Haim to be raised among them. Yet, this did not stop them from making him feel like a outsider, he was barred from several customs, native to his clan and several traditional Yokudan methods.
Al-Haim, however, while disenchanted towards his father's people, he accepted his fate. Knowing that his life here was better than what it would had he had been left in Wayrest to fend for himself. His one saving grace was that he was permitted to learn how to fight and use a sword, of this custom, he was not denied access too. Of this, he excelled.
As a young man; his disillusionment and struggle with his heritage had reached its climax. The list of what he was excluded from seemed to grow as he aged. He couldn't marry, he would never lead a hunting host, or sit with the elders to discuss life and philosophy. To them, he was village idiot with a brain. The worse of these things were that he forbidden to wield arms (Unless he was accompanied by his father) and nor was he allowed to attend the gathering of tribes. The highlight of the gathering was the Three Skills event, an event where the warriors of the Crowns would test their skills in the fields of horsemanship, archery, and swordsmanship for the glory and prosperity of their respective tribes.
Undeterred, he entered, illegally in the swordsmanship contest; Considered the most prestigious of the Three Skills. Outraging and embarrassing his father's tribe, mocked by the other Crowns. He was permitted to fight - Though not a gesture of goodwill, but as a comical act. One by one, he felled the other combatants. The spectators had gone from laughter and cruel jests, to stunned silence. Al-Haim emerged as the victor of the Swordmanship contest and by designation, made him the greatest warrior of the Crowns.
Rather than celebrate Al-Haim. His father's tribe felt like they had been embarrassed, regardless of his victory. Classified as an outsider by the Crowns his victory was not acknowledged. Having shamed the tribe, he was cast out. Nonetheless, despite being cast out, he was provided with clothing, supplies and his winnings to safely make it to the coastal cities. A sign that he had managed to acquire a smidgen of respect among the elders. After saying his farewell to his father, he made way for the coast. Where he soon found himself working as a sellsword, much like his father had back in his youth. Unlike his father, Al-Haim managed to make it a profitable living.
He worked as a guard, soldier, scout, searched for books, artefacts, other various items treasure hunters and scholars wanted, he became popular in the arena in Sentinel and often served between the powers of the forebears and Lhotunics. Despite all of this, he still felt like a Breton who was wearing the garb of a Redguard. His encounters with Bretons in Hammerfell had left him curious about High Rock, he wanted to know more of his mothers culture and land. After much debate, he chartered a ship to High Rock to find out what it means to be a Breton... And if he can finally find people who would accept him.
Apperance[]
Al-Haim; A serious man.
Sun kissed yet blue eyed, slender built yet sturdy, lithe and graceful yet hardy and steadfast. The gods indeed threw these contradictions as a test of will, or a cruel jest. For a man to appear as a Breton, yet to be raised among the Redguard Nomadic Crowns of the great Alik'r sands. Is indeed a oddity.
Al-Haim stands at 5'11" - Skin darker than his mother Breton, yet lighter than his father Redguard. It would be more suitable to describe him with an Imperial complexion, yet his slender and sharp features give away the Bretonic ancestry. Favouring his mother greatly, (as is the custom of mixed race pups to favour the mothers race) His hair is that of the midnight in colour, which hangs freely, untamed and wavy; Curling off at the cusp of his ear lobes. His brow are said to fixed in a constant furrow and his gaze to be a piercing as his blades. He's a dangerously rugged and exotic man, with homely features that causes a curious sensation that somehow adds to his attraction.
Skills and Equipment[]
Al-Haim, poised, a expert with duel blades.
The desert teaches one to be quick, to be agile, and to aware. For the heat can play tricks, the winds may blow against you, and the sand can hide unexpected adversaries. Al-Haim favours grace, speed, and perception, years of honing and tempering his body to these crafts have turned him into whirlwind of death. As fast as he is punishing, Al-Haim wears the advantage over slower, less dogged, opponents; His unorthodox way of fighting may be considered un-chivalric to the Bretons, however. In Breton politics, nobles and knights seem to favour putting pouches of hefty gold in sell sword pockets to remove someone.
On the other hand, Al-Haim is not a man who's only talent is that of dealing is death. The desert teaches many things, survival is the patriarch of such teachings. Tracking and hunting. A man who has taught himself to hunt his own food will never have a empty stomach, of that skill, he is thankful. Alas, he lacks in more gentle skills, that would be expected amongst gentlemen. Isolation has rendered him borderline illiterate to the words of High Rock and the Empire and lacks the understandings and customs of Breton society. Yet, he is noble, honest and loyal, and has obtained vision of right and wrong; along with forthright personality that can often get him in trouble.
Al-Haim has a aversion for armour, heavy or light, he prefers his robes. Rather than the typical desert thawbs often wore by the Crowns. His are tight fitting, lacking of any loose ends to prevent being caught out, underlined with black leather padding, matching leather bracers, straps and sheaths and belt. Finally topped off with his white Keffiyeh which is usually always sat upon his head.
Trading in power for speed. Al-Haim must also have the extensions to do so with. Silver crafted Saif blades. Rather than the long broader ended swords, which many often picture with the warriors of Hammerfell. He specified having a more slender, shorter built blade. Single-edged, curving slightly towards the points. The one which he wields in his left, he often wields in a very peculiar style, as if one was wielding a ice pick - Yet just as fast, he will change his grip and stance towards a more orthodox style of duel-sword play. The one which he wields in the right, the blade found within the sheath upon his back, posses several more inches to it than its smaller sibling. More than likely to compensate for the lack of a primary weapon to his armoury.