[ref] Kahlahnon [2017] by harpxer on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

holy fuck FINALLY I made Kahl an actual decent, updated reference lmao
he really needed one
Really the amount of turnaround views on this is so that I have a consistency ref for myself if I ever wanna use him for comic work or whatever, or just art in general. I wanted to make sure this ref included all the right stuff, since Kahl's probably...the OC most important to me?? Except perhaps Eden, but it's real close.

Okay I'm also gonna put his info here -

-- PROFILE --

name: Kahlahnon Aster (previously Asterson)
nickname (s): Kahl
species: Mountain Elf
_gender:_Male
age: 425 ((Elven equivalent of 21 years old))
height: 6'0"
SO: Demisexual

magical affinity: None
spoken languages: Common Elven; Elven (Mountaindialect) ; Common tongue
bloodline: Aster (Royal)
occupation (s): (currently) Wandering messenger/Mercernary
status: Exiled

-- PHYSICAL --

- Eyes are a light blue, and have grown lighter with age (eventually they'll turn whitish grey - still with a black pupil).
- Hair is pretty short in the back, but much longer in the front. Kind of a mess, sometimes, and the colour of it gets lighter in summer. It used to be a little longer and threaded with a warrior's braid, but after being banished he cut it all off at the back and now keeps it shorter.
- Mountain elves are the hardiest type, built generally heavier and sturdier than those from other places. Kahl's got wide shoulders and a narrower waist.
- Doesn't do great in higher temperatures (really).
- Does much better in lower temperatures.
- Good night vision, eyes are slightly reflective in the dark.
- Branding: The symbol in the ref is an exile branding, burnt onto the skin and charmed to never heal well/completely. Due to the severity of Kahl's accused crime, he has three brands - one on the inside of the left wrist, one on the back of his right hand, and one just above his heart.
- Has various scars all over his body, some of which have healed much better than others.

-- PERSONALITY --

Upon first meeting him, one could consider Kahl a little cold, stoic, and kind of stand-offish. His heart in the right place, but people are kind of hard to read (for him, anyway). He's trustworthy as hell, just as stubborn, and strong-hearted. He values people far above himself, and naturally assumes the role of protector. Family means a lot to him, but is definitely a sensitive subject. His troubled past makes him hard to get close to, and he doesn't trust easily at all. His stubborn nature often makes him defensive and he is very much an authority challenger. Once you know him, one will discover he is a very good listener, will take things very seriously if he needs to, has a subtle (and neglected) sense of humour, and will do almost anything for someone he loves.

-- HISTORY --

Kahl was born of royal blood; he is the second son of Lord Astor, who reigns over the Mountain elves within the southern mountains. As an elfling, he was quiet but extremely curious, unafraid to ask questions and explore. He was not timid, persay, but just much less rowdy or rambunctious than other elflings, preferring to let life take him where it took him and make whatever friends or connections he could along the way without pushing it. Despite the best tutors, he never much liked learning history or elven magic (he was particularly abysmal at learning the latter), preferring to trail his weapons and fighting mentors even when he was not due for a lesson.

Kahl had good relations with his older brother (heir to the throne) and his mother (known throughout the lands as a queen as soft and gracious as first winter snow), but his relationship with his father was formal at best. Kahl's father was a stern elf, as though forged from the jagged mountains he ruled over, and he didn't think much of Kahl's lone-wolf and wandering tendencies and refusal to obey commands (although not outwardly rebellious, Kahl was stubborn and would do what he thought was right, rather than blindly following orders). As it was, Kahl preferred the company of his mother as an elfling, often asking her to regal tales of her younger adventures and the wonderful places of the world. He insisted that, one day, he would journey to these places when he was big enough, and bring his mother back a token as proof.

Kahl's older brother - Daeron - the Crowned Prince, was a kind and gentle elf who preferred books and scrolls to swords and arrows. He always had time for his little brother, despite the burdens of being the heir to the throne and taking the brunt of his father's expectations. Daeron was loved by the people, effortlessly graceful and charismatic and so different from the moutain's Lord. Kahl looked up to him a lot, and fewer bonds were stronger than the Astor siblings.

During his childhood, the palace in which the royal family resided kept huge white wolves as companions and protectors, and Kahl seemed to be a good friend to all of them.

banishment;

When Kahlahnon was around 300 (about 15/16 equivalent) years old, he was a skilled warrior and somewhat-respected prince of the Mountain realm, often sent to the other realms on diplomatic trips with his mother and other council members, to act as a protector and bodyguard, but also just because he so easily assumed the role of ambassador. Change of scene never bothered him, as long as he was accompanied by some thought of a home to return to.

However, someone masked in anonymity broke into the palace one night that year and slit the throat of Kahl's older brother with an elven knife. Soon after, the Lord and Lady found their eldest son bled out on the floor, and his younger brother bent over him with trauma in his eyes, clasping a bloody elven knife in his left hand - with no one else around, and the parents distraught, there was no-one else to blame but Kahl. False news spread fast within the realm; news of the spiteful second son who killed his brother in cold blood. The Mountain elves were not a particularly kind or considerate people, and shouts for blood were loud, and shouts for outcast were louder. Lord Astor could do nothing except listen to the people, lest he risk his reputation (which he would never do, not even for his young son), and so Kahlahnon was set to be banished without trail.

He was banished for 10,000 years or life, whichever came first. No one expected an outcasted elf to live through their first century of wandering. The Outcast symbol was branded into his skin three times, and he would never be able to return to the mountains unless he was prepared to be imprisoned in their dungeons or killed on sight. The other realms would not accept him, and news spread throughout the realms of men and elves about the Kinslayer, the disgraced prince, cursed to wander the lands for eternity without home or family.

wandering years;

In the first few years of his banishment, Kahl barely kept himself going through the grief of losing his older brother and then so soon after being banished from his home and any other place he might take refuge. Grief turned to barely-restrained rage, which turned into uncertainty and disillusion. Eventually he settled on a numb kind of solitude, a suffocating kind of loneliness that led him to discover that an elf cannot die at the hands of themself.

Eventually he moved past his grief - but he was irreversibly changed (it seemed) - he was disenchanted, just existing really, without purpose or direction or home. He took jobs from whoever would give them to him (very few people, and none of them were very reputable). He took up a mercernary's mantle, and his skills in fighting, killing, and sneaking all grew along with the jobs he got. He avoided killing contracts as much as possible, but had no problem ruining the lives of anyone preying on the weak. A slightly disillusioned crusader for the forsaken, you could say.

Entering his 4th century, he managed to re-form some connections with old friends in the Forest realm. He got occasional messenger tasks from them, and thus brings him to current canon (which maybe I'll write up some day, but who knows lmao).

--- SKILLS ---

Trained in using all manner of close-combat weaponry, and especially skilled at swordfighting and using daggers. He also carries a large hunting knife, and two hidden knives in his boots. Pretty skilled with using a bow and arrow, but not outstandingly so - works best with his own bow. In a dire situation, is pretty good at using whatever is available as a weapon.
Skilled at hand-to-hand combat, and much prefers close-quarter fighting over long-distance. Will fight dirty in order to survive.
Strong climber, good balance, and strong swimmer, but not quite so much in the way of agility and tree-traversing.
He's clever, but never really liked taking lessons, so can't even perform basic survival magic (which is usually a compulsory part of becoming a warrior in the mountains).

-- OTHER --

- Just really hates the heat
- Very simple cook
- Mountain elves are very hardy and good at surviving on little sleep and food. Kahl frequently abuses the ability, which is just not good for his health.
- Tired all the time, really should sleep more, but the nightmares and lack of safety make a good night's sleep nigh on impossible.
- Loves dogs
- Kind of like....real sad.
- In current canon is very very...close to pose-y 's OC Rally

--

T H ER E DONE

artwork & character (c) harpxer