Virgil Vandal

[Darko]

Character: Virgil Vandal
Account: Darko12

Virgil Vandal was born to Dominic Vandal and a Lanee Vandal. Lanee, Virgil's birth mother, left Dominic when Virgil was only a few months old, it was rumored that she moved to Luskan, though Virgil never bothered to look in to it, he was happy with the childhood he had. Dominic was a former paladin who had settled down to become a merchant in Neverwinter with his second wife, Nadia, an elf who Virgil identifies as his "Real Mother". Though Dominic wished his son would stay out of harms way, Virgil wanted to be a paladin like his father and eventually, with persuasion from Nadia, who was an adventurer herself, Dominic allowd Virgil to follow his dream. A few years down the path and Virgil was a loyal paladin of Helm, he left his home after a tearful goodbye and to this day (Despite writing many letters and recieving just as many from his parents) Virgil has never set foot in that city.

Virgil's childhood friend was a man named Darien who, like Virgil, was a paladin of Helm. During his younger years, Virgil was teased by Darien for being "too nice". Virgil wanted to save every cat in every tree and stop every law breaker while Darien was contempt doing what was asked of him and not hunting evil to the corners of the world because "he wanted to". The two friends were close and travelled from town to town, helping out where they could. Eventually after a handful of months of travelling and aiding, the two met a beautiful young girl named Anna who claimed to have been attacked by bandits who roam around the area, terrorising the locals. While Darien took her to the inn, Virgil went after the bandits to find Anna's stolen things. Darien feel deeply in love with Anna, and she knew it, playing on that emotion and bending him around her finger. You see what Virgil found wasn't a raided camp, broken carriage or even a dropped bag, no, he found bandits, ready and waiting, who quickly attacked him, after defeating one or two Virgil was forced to flee and only narrowly escaped them. Upon arriving back at the inn he explained to Darien what had happened and Darien decided to hunt the bandits in the morning with help from the locals, Virgil noticed the strange looks Darien and Anna were giving each other, but shrugged it off.

During the night Virgil (who made a pact with Darien to keep watch over Anna, switching every few hours) hid as Anna emerged from her room, though his original plan was to question her on why she was awake, he instead decided to follow her when she took a cloak and left the inn. She led him back to the area he was attacked and to his suprise she started ordering the bandits around, berating them for not catching the prey she sent, apparently Anna, if that was even her real name, would pose as a wounded girl, sending heroic figures off to "retrieve" her stolen gear…only to be attacked, killed and looted by bandits. Virgil, playing it smart, realised he could not take on the bandits and rushed back to the inn, but his attempts to convince the lovesick Darien that she was evil flew over his head, and Anna, overhearing Virgil's claims, met with Darien in secret after a frustrated Virgil stormed off, telling Darien that Virgil was jealous and further manipulating him. Virgil's plan was to catch her red handed, with Darien in earshot, to prove her guilt. A day or two passed and when Anna snuck off again, Virgil dragged Darien along under the guise of seeing bandits.

Darien stopped to...relieve himself as Virgil went off ahead looking for Anna, when he found Anna shouting at a bandit who stood on the corpse of their next victim, Virgil called out to Darien, Anna, seeing this, attacked Virgil, who struck her in self defence the moment Darien appeared, all part of her plan. Anna and Virgil both made a case, Anna said Virgil had gone mad, while Virgil continued to call out Anna's crimes. Eventually Darien sided with Anna when Virgil grabbed her arm to stop her from fleeing, Darien threw a punch at Virgil knocking him down. Virgil had been punched many times, fallen many times, and even though it hurt, nothing could match the pain in his heart, this punch marked Darien's betrayal, of his god, of his duty and of his best friend. Anna and Darien escaped while some of Anna's bandits came out of hiding to finish Virgil off, who in rage, slew some of them until the rest were chased off by passing guards (Virgil later admitted that despite the blind rage, he would have fallen were it not for the guards) with the guards, Virgil chased after Anna, tracking them to a large cave in a mountain, the guards defeated most of the bandits when they finally caught up to Anna and Darien. Anna, realising there was no way out, resorted to magic, catching Virgil off guard and suprising Darien who upon seeing the girl he loved attack his best friend, realised that Virgil was correct, and she was evil (the fact she was cackling might have helped that along)

Anna, despite wounding Virgil was shot down by one of the guards using his bow, weeping over her corpse, Darien realised what he had done and in guilt (and assuming the unconcious Virgil was deceased) took his own life by plunging a dagger in to his stomach. Virgil was later awoken by the guards who explained what had happened and, despite the bitter feelings he felt, he was overwhelmed with sadness by his friends death. Virgil stuck around to bury his friend, though he knew the distance from Darien's hometown ment his old friends and remaining family would probably be unable to visit his grave. Virgil took with him Darien's family ring, which he refuses to wear and instead keeps it close to him at all times. After the incident Virgil decided that a life moving from place to place waiting for evil to show its head to be smacked back down wasn't a life he wanted to lead, he opted to find a place he could stay and protect instead and dedicated himself to making sure others do not fall like Darien did.

The incident with Anna however, put a wrench in Virgil's trust. Though he is still friendly and kind, in his heart he knew he could never trust those who toy with magic, or who follow with their heart, not their head. He became quiet, as opposed to the talkative man he once was, and began thinking before speaking (Fearing what Implusive behaviour may lead to).

[Black Rider]

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