Name: Harkov
Played By: Cole Potter
Age: Ask
Race: Human
Class: Cleric
Harkov was three when his family made their way across the sea from Faedrun to Mardrun. Their family barely scraped their way onto one of the boats. It cost them most of his parents combined wealth and a few favors from his father’s time in the Vandregonian army. His father is a tradesman and his mother a healer. They lived a modest but comfortable living for the first eighteen years of his life on Mardrun. When Harkov was thirteen his parents divorced. His family was the near perfect family before that, it wasn’t entirely shocking to Harkov though. His brother didn’t handle their parents divorce well. He was emotional and it was clear why, Harkov on the other hand was different. On the outside he, in what was simple to him rationalized that his parents were free people and had the right to make their own choices. They had raised him to be independant and he knew he wouldn’t lose contact with either of his parents so he showed no worry. On the inside he didn’t feel anything, he didn’t care. Harkov was too busy focusing on himself to let his parents lives and actions affect him. Harkov received a good education from a fairly large school in Newhope. He was a good student but found himself tiring of the everyday studies and repetition of life in the colony more so than his peers. By all expectations Harkov was a normal boy and should’ve fit in well with his peers during his days of schooling. The opposite was true. Harkov always felt distanced from his peers, sure he had friends. But only when he was at his school. In everything he did Harkov felt like he was treated as if he was something less than human. No matter what he tried Harkov was always an outsider, it didn’t matter how much he wanted to be accepted. Harkov’s isolation drew him to the stories of glory so many young men find themselves encaptured in. He often planned his future around following his father’s footsteps and joining the ranks of the new Vandregonian army. Funny considering he had never been in a real fight. His martial prowess was hardly doubted though seeing as his often aggressive demeanor and determination in athletics gave a glance into his abilities.
Because of his peers Harkov grew bitter and antisocial, fearing having to deal with people while still wanting to be accepted. He slowly disconnected from the few friends he had, and fell into what could only be described as darkness. His attitude changing from one of eagerness and childish joy to hatred and cynicism. Harkov was lifted from his “darkness” when he became friends with a girl when he was fifteen. Harkov had known of her but she had never really knew he existed so they hadn’t interacted before they began being placed in lessons together. They had similar opinions on many things and his cynical tendencies were often found humourous, their friendship blossomed quickly. She pulled him from his self-centered existence. Eventually his feelings turned from simple friendship to more, some could say he loved her but the idea wouldn’t be put to the test for a long while as she was interested in other suitors, for years Harkov continued on like he had, spiraling in and out of his own dark place.
As Harkov grew older though he slowly gained more confidence as he grew stronger. He used his strength as a source of hope, it was often fleeting at best. Harkov was never the fastest or the strongest but he thought that any improvement from the boy he was was an achievement. As he reached his eighteenth year a small group of his peers went on what could be called a “tour” of several human settlements and colonies outside of Newhope in an attempt to begin giving the next generation some experience of their new world. Harkov went and so did the subject of his affections. The two were inseparable, their peers questioned whether or not the two were lovers and to the strangers they came across in their journey almost certainly thought they were. However no matter how far things escalated between the two it didn’t change anything and when they returned home to Newhope they remained as they had for years only now Harkov new the greatest pain from heartbreak he had ever felt.
However, while on their tour the group stopped in Starkhaven and Harkov stole away to explore and while he marvelled at the mighty keep and surrounding settlement of what was supposedly a new chapter of the famous Order Of Arnath he encountered a man named Brother Ventaris. Harkov was amazed by the man, he was everything he had heard from the stories of the Lions, clad in full plate with a large tower shield and a hammer both bearing the image of a rampant lion upon them. Harkov approached the Lion with an enthusiasm he hadn’t felt in years, to the Lion he must’ve seemed like a child rather than a young man. Brother Ventaris greeted Harkov’s enthusiasm and questions with a surprising amount of what could be described as welcoming. Briefly explaining the basic tenants of Arnath’s Path. From what he gleaned from Brother Ventaris’ explanation appealed to Harkov far more so than the teachings of The Light as he was taught when he was younger. Brother Ventaris must have appreciated Harkov’s eagerness or sensed something in the young man he himself could not, for he invited the boy to come participate in some training being conducted shortly, Harkov’s admiration for the man was prevalent and Harkov happily accepted the invitation hoping to prove himself, It was little more than basic physical training with a small group of initiates but in Harkov’s mind it was grand and exciting. Returning to his group after giving his thanks to his new found friends for their inclusion of him Harkov had what he saw as a fantastic life experience. After his return to Newhope, Harkov began to grow stagnant his wondrous journey mired by his heartache and disappointment at life after his schooling was over. His life devoid of purpose he worked as a laborer to begin his life as a young man, but this wasn’t enough for him. His original path of the army seemed pointless after the once prominent colors of red and gray fell into simple subsistence.
Then on a stormy night as thunder and lightning boomed and crackled outside his window, Harkov remembered his admiration for the men and women of The Order and found renewed purpose in the idea of becoming one of them. The weeks after that were filled with preparation for his journey. Before gathering supplies he reached out to his acquaintance Brother Ventaris and inquired as to whether or not he should join. Harkov received an encouraging letter from a Griffin named Brother Oliver shortly after stating that The Order was always looking for aspiring individuals. Harkov needing no further affirmations left for Starkhaven a few days later. Upon arriving he was thrown into a training class with the Lay Militia and learned the basics of proper combat making swift friends with a man named Basil who helped train the militia. Harkov took to the study of battle quickly and his true martial prowess was realized at an astonishing rate. Throught his training Harkov would notice Brother Ventaris conversing with Basil and other members of the Order of Arnath’s Light whilst observing his class training. Harkov simply took it as the leadership attempting to draw the best from their men by being an active presence.
He was mistaken though for a few weeks after Harkov had begun his training he was approached by Brother Ventaris and a stranger who turned out to be Brother Oliver. The two informed Harkov that they sensed a potential in him to be not just a regular soldier, but an ordained cleric of Arnath. Harkov was shocked, never having felt a strong connection to any faith he thought he simply did not have the potential to harness the powers of the divine. His role models convinced him otherwise and encouraged him to seek out the Path Of Arnath and to reach his full potential. A few days later Harkov was accepted as an initiate into the Ecclesiastical Order.
Harkov now trains under the diligent eyes of the senior members of The Order Of Arnath’s Light hoping to bring honor to himself and his order. A very wavering personality, Harkov is often caught between ebbs and flows of happiness and anger, at times skeptical at other times friendly. Harkov is an easy individual to read and seems to still carry a slight naivety about him while at the same time a wisdom beyond his years. Truly a man of contradictions he is devout in his faith, pursuit of honor, and his higher calling and will stubbornly protect what he cares about with little or no care for his own well being.