Sing Me to Sleep

[dohtml]<table align="center" style="width: 500px; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 10px 10px 0px 10px; border: #f1f1f1 solid 10px; border-radius: 10px;"><tr><td style="width: 480px; height: 200px; background-image: url('https://78.media.tumblr.com/7110c87546506d4ea08b17ced3165458/tumblr_ofy26aJb5g1tikb42o1_540.gif'); background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; border-radius: 5px;"></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: Roboto; font-color: #000000; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">
<br>
Leonard stood upon the abyss. His world had become a haze of red, while his mind had become ensnared. A sweetest of songs constantly entertained him, singing to him and entertaining his worst flaws. Paranoia and distrust grew within his heart; however, where lesser men found faith towards other powers as paranoia captured them Leonard found nothing. After all, how could one find anything when one only believed in himself?
<p>
It was becoming clear that this was a pitiful thing to believe in. He stood out among the Templars and always had. However, he was not immune to the red lyrium. It clawed at his mind, slowly destroying his best asset.
<p>
<i style=color:#732525>Run,</I> his mind begged. Yet, where would he run? Leonard held no one. His family was dead, whatever friends he had once possessed long gone, and not a soul within the Order to truly trust. He was alone.
<p>
Alone.
<p>
<I>Alone.</I>
<p>
<i style=color:#732525>Alone.</I>
<p>
Yet, within this moment he was not. He felt alone, certainly. One by one he was watching his men die, the lyrium eating away at them. Samson, he had long become aware, did not truly care for them. If he did he would not have given them such a cruel fate, such a slow death. Those who survived- the prisoners, though he supposed that they had been supposed to be less than that- left as well. They weren't supposed to, but Leonard had enough of a heart to let them go. It only seemed to be cold to others.
<p>
He was all that really mattered after all, but...he doubted that would matter for long. Someone would find him eventually.

<p>
<hr>
<strong style=color:#732525>Warrior Speak</strong> <i style=color:#732525>Think Colour</i> <br>
@Craig
</div>
</td></tr></table>[/dohtml]

Unravel

[dohtml]<table align="center" style="width: 500px; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 10px 10px 0px 10px; border: #f1f1f1 solid 10px; border-radius: 10px;"><tr><td style="width: 480px; height: 200px; background-image: url('https://78.media.tumblr.com/7110c87546506d4ea08b17ced3165458/tumblr_ofy26aJb5g1tikb42o1_540.gif'); background-repeat: no-repeat; position: relative; border-radius: 5px;"></td></tr><tr><td><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: Roboto; font-color: #000000; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px;">
<center>1 Justinian, 9:41</center>
<br>
It was common for the Red Templars to communicate through letters as opposed to in person, as the notion of multiple groups of Templars meeting up was considered dangerous. It was a system that Leonard had quickly taken a strong dislike to. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only person- or, at least the only person who held a voice on the matter- who saw the flaws in the system. Exchanging letters was a dangerous and possessed the risk of the exchange either being discovered or stolen, something which he had pointed out early on. Unfortunately, this had only led to the exchanges being relatively vague or simple.
<p>
It was....<I>incompetent.</I> He could not help but place the blame on Samson. While the man was not a terrible, he was, in Leonard's opinion, not someone who should be within the position of commander. Such a position should belong to a stronger, more competent Templar. <I>Someone like himself.</I>
<p>
It was a shame that he had the loyalty of those beneath him. Otherwise, Leonard might have long ago attempted to turn the tide more towards his own favor. The Maker certainly knew that Samson's Knight-Captain's were far better strategists than him.
<p>
It had not escaped Leonard's attention that the letters had taken a shift in tone. It was clear that the attention was largely turning to Orlais, something which no doubt had to do with the mixture of the Venatori's and the Red Templar's plans in regards to the land. Moreover, he held little doubt that the recent failures within Ferelden, particularly Redcliffe, had no doubt caused the great shift in attention.
<p>
As far as he was concerned, this allowed for an opportunity. While he could not change the direct course of action he was meant to take, the focus on Orlais was definitely an opportunity to gather information. He doubted that anyone within the group had considered the notion that they might need information and, truth be told, the redhead had little interest in running the plan by anyone else. Chances were that he'd be ignored due to Templars who understood more about fighting but lacked a basic understanding of strategy.
<p>
Whether the plans in Orlais went as planned mattered little to him. All he truly needed was for a more...<I>covert</I> operation. The only problem was finding someone who fit. He knew that he had a better chance looking among the Orlesian Templars. After all, Fereldens were usually as subtle boulder, something which he knew, due to personal experience, had to do with their brand of politics.
<p>
It was relatively difficult and took some time, but through a long exchange with the Knight-Captain within Orlais he managed to get a recommendation- though he somewhat doubted the other entirely realized that. Through some work, he managed to set up a meeting. He had chosen somewhere....relatively public and near the border between Orlais and Ferelden, using the logic that if he kept things under a pretence that looked too secret he might attract too much attention. The building that he had arranged for them to meet at <I>technically</I> belonged to his father and had become neglected due to the supposed lack of an heir. Him using it would likely attract some rumours, but chances were that they would not get much of anywhere considering how insistent his father had been on hiding his existence.
<p>
The lyrium sang a little bit louder and he found his attention drifting to outside the window. Paranoia curled within him as time ticked by. <i style=color:#732525>Where is she?</I> he thought to himself, fingers curling into a fist.

<p>
<hr>
<strong style=color:#732525>Warrior Speak</strong> <i style=color:#732525>Think Colour</i> <br>
@Planxty
</div>
</td></tr></table>[/dohtml]

Armitage, Leonard

[dohtml]<div class="n-site-template">
<h1>Leonard Armitage</h1>
<h2>32 years old . Red Knight-Captain . Warrior . Domhnall Gleeson</h2>
<h3>Momo . 23 . MST . PM or Discord</h3>
<div class="maincontent scroll">
 
<h3>Info</h3>

<ol>Other Characters</ol>
Solas<br>
Radonis<br>
Somniari Mien'Harel

<ol>Birthdate</ol>
7 Bloomingtide, 9:09

<p>

<ol>Race & Nationality</ol>
Human - Ferelden

<p>

<ol>Alignment</ol>
Chaotic Good that is borderline Lawful Evil

<p>

<ol>Family Members</ol>
Gerard Armitage - Father [dead]<br>
Catherine Armitage - Step-Mother [dead]<br>
Madeleine Koch - Biological Mother [alive]

<p>

<ol>Weapons</ol>
<b>Archery</b> - Advanced<br>
<b>Dual Weapon</b> - Expert<br>
<b>Two-Handed</b> - Novice<br>
<b>Weapon & Shield</b> Expert

<p>

<ol>Abilities</ol>

<p><b>Defender</b> - Defenders specialize in survivability, taking everything the enemy throws at them and walking away unscathed.

<p><b>Battlemaster</b> - These cunning warriors control the battlefield and everyone on it. They bolster their allies, hamper their enemies, and take advantage of any sign of weakness.

<ol>Specialization</ol>

<p><b>Templar</b> - These unrelenting warriors specialize in fighting mages and demons. No enemy's magic can withstand them, and they inspire and protect their allies with their righteous power. [As a Red Templar, in particular, he possesses enhanced speed, strength, stamina and healing capabilities.]

<h3>Freestyle</h3>

<p>Gerard Armitage is a man of exquisite wealth and taste. What he lacks in appearance, he makes up for intelligence and cunning. However, anyone who knows the man can easily tell you that such traits are, in the end, only skin deep. His behaviour is poor and his pride great. He is the sort of man one might have expected to ended up making a deal with a demon were it not for the fact that he loathed magic so greatly. Yet, he manages, as men of wealth often do, to become the envy of all. His wife is beautiful and it is not uncommon for him to end up parading around his accomplishments. His name sits on the tongues of others with a taste of poison and envy.

<p>However, the world always has more to offer and Gerard is a greedy man. Catherine appears to be unable to bear a child and he is reaching the age where he should be worrying about such facts. He has no heir and it appears as if he might be doomed to find his lineage ending in such a manner.

<p><I>Every problem has a solution.</I>

<p>Gerard does not bat an eyelash as he beds a poor woman by the name of Madeleine. He does not bother to remember anything about her. All he cares about is whether she bears him a child. It is with the ruthlessness of a man who has long ago cut himself off from his heart that he takes the child.

<p>Nobody needs to know about Madeleine and nobody <I>will.</I> The child is named Leonard and is passed off as Catherine's with an expertise that he has long ago fine tuned. It does not matter that his wife is displeased with the set of affairs- displeased with it so greatly that she seems to hate the boy upon sight- for now he has an heir, something which Catherine had been unable to give him.

<p>As if he is being mocked, Leonard turns out to be a sickly child. While he is the image of his father, he is frail and catches ill easily. Gossip catches easily and people are often convinced that the boy will not live long enough to become what his father wishes him to be. Gerard takes to hating the child and everything he stands for. However, he does not allow him to die. He refused it.

<p>In the beginning attention is focused only on bettering Leonard's health. It is not without success. With the help of magic and what can only be explained as age, Leonard begins to grow better. However, he is still a useless child to his father and only something to despise to his step-mother. Gerard abandons his legacy to the Chantry, believing it better to have the boy become a Templar than a weak-willed scrap who will ruin his legacy. The youth is left to the Chantry unwilling and alone.

<p>He is ill-suited to become a Templar in the beginning. Sermons of Chantry sisters fall upon deaf ears and any training he goes through inevitably results in a lecture. He is never good enough, something which always seems to strike his elders as unfortunate as the child is clearly intelligent and holds a talent for strategy.

<p><I>Useless boy.</I>

<p>His father's words begin to ring in his mind as the lack of progress stacks up. Every claim to his lack of talent and useless merely seem to be shown true as time presses on. However, instead of accepting such a situation he soon finds himself growing angry with his situation, particularly when a youth around his age appears to be doing better than him. The boy holds a horrid temperament. However, it is easily made up for his talent with a sword. It seemed to be horribly unfair that someone so <I>chaotic</I> should be better than him.

<p>Renewed, he found himself determined to become the best. He refused to allow something as inconsequential as his health or build to hold him back. Determinedly, he focused his energy more upon forms on battle that were relatively lightweight and would allow for less stress upon his body. He found himself holding preference in the bow and two handed weapons. From there, he focused on leading.

<p>With a vicious single-mindedness, he found himself moving up in rank. Yet, his shadow was not gone. The wretched boy who seemed to do better than him followed him like a disease that he could not shake off. Similarly, he rose up in rank and it was with a heavy heart that he found himself stationed in the same place as him.

<p>Yet, he supposed that he would eventually grow to be grateful for this. While the two seemed to be incapable of getting along, their talent proved to be helpful as havoc slowly began to creep into Ferelden, particularly once the Blight hit. Far more focused on their job, he felt some relief to have somebody who could be deemed reliable to help protect the people during the mess that they were caught up in.

<p>Unfortunately, his rise to Knight-Captain came at the worst time. In the beginning, it appeared as though he was dealing with nothing outside of the ordinary. However, as time pressed on it became clear that unrest was spreading. It lurked among the mages. He attempted to resolve the matter as peacefully as he could, but it became clearer and clearer that peace would not be the solution.

<p><I>Of course not. It never was. Peace could only be achieved through the foundation of red, through higher powers. It was only natural. In order to create order, one had to first destroy that which was chaotic. He would destroy that which was faulty and build anew.</I>

<p>Yet, his dear friend did not understand. He did not understand even when the Circles fell and chaos took over the land. <I>How could he? He was chaotic as well, faulty, something which needed to be built anew. He always had been.</I> He tried to convince him that he was wrong, that there were other ways to fix things? <I>Yet where these other ways? Had they not tried everything?</I>

<p>When the decision came to choose sides, they went their separate ways. Leonard took to the Red Templars and his friend...his friend went....

<p>Away.

<p>He was alone again, but it mattered not. He would bend a knee to Corypheus and do his part, as they all did. For now, he would follow.
 
</div>
<img src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d6/65/0b/d6650bff9e04b4defe421a208ec39c4f.gif" class="appimage">
</div>[/dohtml]