Sévere Desjardins

Sévere Desjardins

STAND YOUR GROUND, THE DAWN WILL COME

In the year 9:21 Dragon the Chevalier Sévere Desjardins was taking part in a tournament when he noticed several of his peers laughing at an individual that has entered the lists as a Mystery Knight. It was quite clear from his stature and bearing that the individual in question was a young lad attempting to masquerade as a Knight or Chevalier. While most refused to ride against the boy, Sévere thought to indulge the ambitious youth. To his credit the boy broke three lances against Sévere's shield before being unhorsed. True enough the Knight was unmasked and revealed to be just a lad of fifteen or sixteen. Sévere took pity on the lad, though he had managed to pull some piecemeal armour together it was apparent the youth was quite lost in more ways than one, but he had a gift that needed refining and clearly an abundance of spirit. Sévere offered to take him on as an apprentice-squire, the lad accepted and the two departed the next morning for unknown adventures.

The boy went by the name "Patches" for the patches sewn onto his clothes, he could read and write and evidently had some training in combat. He didn't like to speak about where he was from and Sévere respected it. Sévere had left home to escape the shadow of his father, a war veteran and hero of Orlais. Sévere did not wish to be known as "Jaimonde's Son" all of his life so he went out to forge his own legend. The two traveled all over Orlais together, helping those who needed it against all manner of threats and challenges. Sévere taught Patches about respect and dignity, the difference between the bravery needed on the battlefield and the bravery needed after the battle. In return Patches cleaned his armour and made his meals.

After five years of adventure it finally came to an end. It would not be a demon or a dragon, no great glory or heroic sacrifice. The duo were chasing out some bandits that had been harassing a small village in the far west of Orlais. A bolt struck Sévere in the gut. He managed to kill the man that fired it but when all was said and done be was bleeding out. Patches did what he could but it was too late. Instead Patches read Sévere his favourite passage from his favourite book and bid his friend and mentor farewell. Ser Sévere Desjardins died in a cold, wet cave but the world would never know. Sévere was estranged from his family and few knew his face, that was useful to a boy that wanted to forget his past. Patches took his name, his family facemask and anything else he could carry.

The Chevalier Sévere Desjardins left the cave, informed the townsfolk his squire had been killed by the bandits, collected his pay and left. Fooling a few townsfolk was one thing but moving in the circles of Sévere's life opened the risk of meeting someone Sévere would know. Though the mask hid his identity, "Sévere" had an accent that gave away he was not Orlesian and he was perhaps ten years his junior, an accent could be imitated but it was hard to hide youth. Instead he wrote a letter "home" and said he was departing abroad for a short time, to bring Orlesian honour to the greater world and he would write again soon to let his parents know he was safe.

Sévere traveled far and wide to continue the legacy of his mentor, everywhere he went he performed deeds of honour and glory. He was present in Kirkwall for the beginning of the Mage-Templar Rebellion, he had already been there for two years and for the first time in his life he actually felt like he belonged somewhere. It was not just the decent lodgings where he lay his head or the work that brought him respect and the love of the people around him. There was a girl. A Mage by the name of Kayleth Orianne and she made him happy in ways he had never known even at the height of his adventures back in Orlais when he had just been a squire. As a man who had killed plenty he had his demons, faces that haunted him at night but the merest whisper of her name silenced his demons. Sévere and Kayleth intended to be wed and he had approached Orsino on the matter, it would not be easy to arrange especially with the manner in which Meredith was making life difficult but the two wanted it deeply and truly, Sévere was determined.

Everything when wrong when the war broke out. Sévere and some friends in the city attempted to aide a group of Mages, including Kayleth, to escape. With the Templars after invoking the Rite of Annulment and many Mages resorting to Blood Magic, escape seemed the only viable option. The group were nearly free of the city when they were caught by a Templar patrol, to make matters worst several Mage combatants arrived and they group were caught in the crossfire. Forced to fight a way free, Sévere led the way and tried to carve a path through their attackers. Just when they were so close to freedom they could practically taste it Sévere turned back and saw a templar drive a sword through Kayleth's back. He rushed to her side and caught her falling but like the real Sévere so many years ago there was nothing he could do. She died in his arms and the others had to drag him away kicking and screaming to escape.

Six months later he was in Rivani working as a mercenary, his beard had grown thick and for the most part he stunk of alcohol. Some mad man was hiring to chase down a High Dragon that had taken nest a few miles from the city. For obvious reasons most refused the contract, it was a death sentence. Sévere however signed on, along with the mad man himself and ten others. They departed the city and spent a week hunting and observing the beast before attacking. Even with all their preparation they did not expect the fight to be so terrible. It was in that fight however that Sévere found something akin to peace, there was a moment of clarity as he gave in all of his anger, rage, wroth and any other word one can think of to describe what kept him awake at night. A dozen went in to kill the dragon, two emerged alive. Sévere and Aliocious the Mad Man.

As they sat down and took turns between drinking wine and pouring it over their wounds Aliocious explained what others called "Mad Man" he called "being a Reaver," and having just watched Sévere deal a killing blow to a High Dragon while screaming an apology to someone who's name he didn't catch, he thought Sévere had what it would take to be a Reaver. Sévere accepted, it was convenient they had a source of dragonblood about ten feet away.

A year later he was back on his feet and restored to the man he had used to be, not to mention he was now a Reaver. He was approached by someone from Kirkwall who knew about how he led an escape and had heard all the other stories of his life. They offered him a spot in the 'Inquisition.' Something to give his life a little purpose was precisely what he needed. Sévere accepted and traveled to Haven where he offered his axe, honour and wroth to aide closing a great big hole in the sky and protect others from the Mage-Templar war.

As an operative of the Inquisition Sévere chiefly offered his aide in either assisting in the training of the soldiers of the Inquisition or like many other agents taking part in forward missions. Perhaps most famously of his exploits at this time was his assistance in the slaying of the Sandy Howler in the Hissing Wastes and later the Highland Ravager in Emprise du Lion. Ultimately whereever the servants of Corypheus revealed themselves Sévere was willing to be and brought a swift and brutal death at the end of his Greataxe.

Having for all intents and purposes dedicated his life to the Inquisition, Sévere stayed on when others moved on to other ventures. When the assassination plot arose he did his part to assist. Now with the Inquisition reduced in capacity to a very hig degree, Sévere continues to lend his loyalty, experience and axe.



Sévere has extensive training in combat and years of experience to hone his skills into a (excessively violent and brutal) artform. Though confident with the bow, his area of expertise is absolutely in close combat. Trained in all the traditional forms of close combat for a Chevalier his speciality is when wielding a two handed weapon, especially the greataxe he currently uses as his weapon of choice. He is also a more than capable unarmed combat, displaying a mastery of the pugilistic arts and wrestling. He has on occasion displayed some knowledge of magical theory, though he possesses no actual magical skill whatsoever.

Aside from lopping ones head off with an axe or throwing them out a window in a manner so stylish it would almost be acceptable at an Orlesian party, Sévere is knowledgeable in all the rituals and practices of both the Chevalier and the Reaver, capable of instructing others in their forms, he has even penned several volumes though the manuscripts remain among his belongings and he has not approached a publicist.. He is also something of an aspiring blacksmith, having forged most of the armour he wears today (which exception of the helm).

Entirely unrelated to combat or military matters in general he has some talent for the breeding and training of Fennecs, his currently personal pet "Sophia" is capable of all manner of tricks one might expect of a good dog, she will "sit" and "stay" on command, come to heel, roll over or offer the paw. Sévere is most pleased that Sophia can fetch his slippers at the end of a hard day, though recently she appears to be only bringing one slipper. He also has some skill in sewing.

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