FL PC Dandar Oldman - WT CC'ed.

[Wayfarer]

Just a note, this is an old character from over a year ago and has already been approved before, bio is essentially the same except for one or two touches. Concerns over the sister were expressed at the time and resolved.

 

 

 

Name: Dandar(Dan) Oldman

 

Email: dmhover@uno.edu

 

Division: Freelanders

 

Guild: Rogue

 

Physical Description: Dandar stands at 5'5, weighing at 160, has dark brown piercing eyes, stringy dark brown hair which is so dark you could call it black and falls down to his shoulders. Standing straight, he appears to be a fragile, lanky fellow, but at times when he feels the need to defend himself he puts himself in a ready position and he seems to stand taller than his opposition. He normally is found wearing a cheap brown leather attire with a deep black cloak with a hood thrown over. Even people who know his face wouldn't recognize it in a crowd with a second glance due to its casual appearance.

 

Place of Birth: Cairhien, A Lord's House

 

Dandar and his sister, Diania, grew up as servants in a Cairhien's low lord's house never truly knowing who their parents are, knowing only what they had been told. Their life was simple. Wake up early, go to work, and frankly, just do what the lord asked. Dandar knew it wasn't the best life had to offer, but he was content knowing they had a roof over their head, food to stomach in, and most especially, spend time with his sister. When Diania turned 14, and Dandar turned 15, that quickly changed...

 

An Aes Sedai happened to stop by the lord's house, which seemed to suppose to be a brief visit, a matter of business. While meeting with his lord, the Aes Sedai that was being served by Diania brought up that she would be taking her to Tar Valon to be trained because she felt Diania has some potential. Diania politely refused. The Aes Sedai told her it wasn't an option. To Dandar, it seemed to happen in one breath, maybe because he had been holding it the entire time. From a quick disagreement to wanting to protect his sister from Aes Sedai' hands, from his own lord being paid off to being restrained by the one power and the lord's guards, shortly afterward he was placed inside a stone-walled cell with a wooden bench and only one iron-barred window to which he was able to peak in to other cell. He always seemed the risk-taker where the risk slaps him in the face.

 

The next night, the Aes Sedai granted Diania permission to visit Dandar in his cell for a goodbye. Tears rolled down her eyes. Dandar knew what Diania was thinking. They might never see each other again.

 

Embracing each other in their arms, Diania whispered, "The lord said you will only have to stay in here for a month. He says it will help you come to your senses. The Aes Sedai said she won't harm me unless I run away. Light Dan! I don't know what to do!" She sobbed and then started looking at the ground. Dan wanted to cry with her, but he told himself he had to look strong to give her hope.

 

He didn't want to miss the chance to see his sister's face, so he cupped his hand under her chin, "You know what you have to do. You have to go with her. You do what she asks. Everything. When I get out of here, I'll come for you."

 

Her sister's eyes now shined fear, and then her face followed an awkward determination, "Promise me Dan. Promise me you won't take any risks, not until you find me. Promise me, you'll come for me." Her words followed the opening of the cell doors, admitting two of the lord's guards. They began escorting her out, but she didn't stop her pleading. She only grew louder, "Promise me! Dan! Promise me!"

 

Dandar's hand touched his heart, and finally he let slip a tear that quickly rolled down his cheek, "I promise."

 

The days passed slow and dreary, and in short time found an old man that resided in the cell next to him, his only friend. The time continued to pass from days to weeks, to months, and then years. Something happened. Either the lord had forgotten to release him or the lord had never meant to, maybe it had something to do with Daes Dae'mar. Either way, Dan was determined not to forgive him. The old man heard Dandar's story, and whether for pity or other, the man began teaching him things that Dan would need when he got out. The old man taught him how to write, read, taught him history of countries, and used broken pieces of wood from their benches to show him how to use a dagger, all through an iron-barred window.

 

Ten long years passed and his cell door opened, "You! Wake up!" Dandar opened his eyes into a blinding light. "The lord is letting you go tomorrow. Here's some silver to feed yourself for a few days and some clothes." The guard threw the objects at him, and then closed the door.

 

The first thing Dan did was look through his iron-barred window as he did every day. This time the old man was waiting, and he let out a smile for him. "So boy...I guess this is your last day as of now." It wasn't a question, but Dan nodded. "I taught you most of what I know, or at least what I can remember."

 

The old man let a weak laugh, turned his head to look at a crack in the stone wall, and then turned it back. "I suppose the first thing you'll do is go after your sister in Tar Valon." Dan nodded again. The old man held on to right arm as if to hang on part of himself, "Now don't go killing yourself going after those Aes Sedai, you hear me? You go to your sister, you do what you can. Don't go taking risks boy. I see it in your nature. You take risks, you don't need be taking."

 

Dan could hear his sister's screams. "Promise me! Dan! Promise me!"

 

He put his hand through the iron-barred window. The old man walked to it and hugged what part of his hand he could. "I'm going to miss you old man." He could feel the old man weakening as well as himself. "More than you know. After I knew I would be in this cell much longer than a few years, you kept me going, old man. You kept me hoping, old man."

The old man somehow hugged his hand tighter, "You still don't get it, do you Dan?" That was the first time the old man called him Dan, and not boy. "You kept me going all these years far before you came in this cell. You kept me going, you and your sister."

Suddenly Dandar knew, and he no longer felt weakened...he felt crushed, and whispered, "Father." It was the old man's turn to nod. There was so much he wanted to ask him. Where did he come from? What was his real last name? How did he end up in here? Why was he serving a lord that imprisoned his father? But he didn't have the chance. His father cling to his hand felt weak, and then it was nothing.

As the old man fell to the floor, he could hear a murmur from him, "I watched my boy grow." He said it with a proud smile. He slept with a forever peaceful smile.

 

When Dan got over the shock, his hand was still through the iron-barred window, and it was not empty-handed. He held onto a dagger. It was light, much lighter than it should be, yet the blade was fearsome to touch. A gift from his dying father. No idea how he had gotten it through the cell walls.

He left the cell as a new man. He had no need to ask his father for a last name, he was now Dandar Oldman.

 

When he finally reached the White Tower in Tar Valon, he asked about his sister, and the worst of his fears had come alive. They told him that Diania died 3 years prior to his arrival, and that he had their condolences. Their condolences. The ones who took her against her will. The ones who contributed to his 10-year imprisonment. Maybe once he had hope for Man's law, or even that Aes Sedai truly fought for the good of the world. Dandar lost that hope, and all he heard was his promise and the desperate plead of his sister. At that moment Dandar Oldman changed yet again.

 

He took out his fearsome dagger and gently sliced the palm of hand, and then made a fist. Blood trickled onto the ground, and he made a new promise to keep. "I won't forget how flaming Aes Sedai try to control the world. I won't forget what they did to my sister against her will. I won't forget the justice that was never served. As the Light and the Dark One as my witness! Burn them! I bloody won't forget it!" Passersby stared at in him in fear. Some stopped in puzzlement. Others seem to think he was a darkfriend. People's opinions were nothing to him now. Law was now nothing to him. Just a few words scrambled on paper to make the innocent feel safer. This was the beginning of his journey, expanding from his promise, and leading him down the road to being a ROGUE.

[Elilliane]

A touching bio, very nicely done.

CC'ed. :)