Aldric Syltharis

Prince Aldric Syltharis (a.k.a. Al)

Species	Ethnicity
Human, Divine Descendant	Mixed Eluzian
Birthplace	Class
Accia, Kingdom of Accia	Royal, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Accia
Age	Status
16 years	Training in the Accian Military Training Program

Division	Role	Weapons	Affiliations
Infantry Division	Close Combatant Midrange Combatant	Sword (Enchanted) Shield Bow	Kingdom of Accia Syltharis AMTP Unit C210

Kaithur

Ithisda's Body

Ithisda's Body allows Aldric to convert his entire body into liquid water. While he can maintain his human shape in this form, he is also able to freely manipulate his shape or merge into any freshwater in his environment (but not salt water), travel along it and reform elsewhere. He can move around or interact with surroundings in whatever way water can.

However, anything that damages, alters or destroys water will harm him or even destroy his flesh similarly to a Form manifestation. He must reform into human shape before converting back. This is an extremely rare ability which is considered the ultimate expression of Ithisda magic.

Vokda's Aura

Vokda's Aura allows Aldric to generate or summon void. This can be in the form of a void pocket, expanding void, [term-v or concentrated void. Concentrated void can be used to generate void shields for protection while expanding void can be used to destroy on its own or to create void blade. Shields and weapons eat up energy more quickly than pockets.

Aldric is the crown prince of the Kingdom of Accia but he will play a pivotal role in the life of Tia Minx as well. In the beginning, neither have much to do with each other as Tia Minx and Aldric Syltharis. However, due to a fateful encounter, they wind up becoming secret friends like Tia had when she lived in Nippon. They become very close, meeting in secret nearly every night to talk about their troubles freely, without knowing who the other is.

Because of who Aldric is and the incredible expectations placed upon him, he has come to act, behave and appear in very specific ways—a unique form of masking. Whether this is public appearances, interactions with other people of political importance or even with those he considers his close friends, Aldric takes on the persona of who he has been raised to be. He also keeps everyone at arms length and, despite constant social interaction, has developed his own form of loneliness. His only close friend is Florio Espina but even this has its limits because of their positions. So, when he starts this peculiar form of friendship with Tia, neither of them knowing each others real identities, it is a massive relief and thrill to be able to drop his constant facade.

While acting as prince, Aldric is composed, dignified, adaptable, clear-headed, polite, detached and has worked diligently on his ability to form a positive relationship with everyone he meets. While he can be cold and expectant from trying to imitate his father, he has a rapport with each and every house heir, save Tia as she arrives just before assessments. Despite his reservations about the romantic intentions of the female royals and how he despises their ambitions, he still tries to form relationships of respect with all other royal heirs that have been recruited with him. Despite all of these connections, only a handful of people are close to him and he has many automatic habits to maintain this emotional insulation. He also has a marked discomfort and frustration with romance, something that has begun to come between him and Florio. Given their age, many of his peers are focused on romantic pursuits. Aldric finds himself uncomfortable with doing so as his romantic future seems plotted out for him already, fated to marry politically for the sake of the kingdom's stability, surrounded by and constantly pursued by the intended options.

Underneath the act, Aldric is much softer, more altruistic, earnest, warm, compassionate, loyal and laid back of a person. He enjoys reading, experiencing the natural beauty of Accia and taking part in cathartic activities when he can get away with it. He also has a number of troubles and burdens he struggles to work through, such as the death of his mother which everyone else seems to have moved past. He has dreams for Accia that are far more peaceful and innovative than his father has taste for, keeping them to himself for fear of losing his father's respect. He dreams of a country without constant war or domination and one where his people can pursue happiness without the constant loss of life that has become normalized for them.While a capable fighter, Aldric prefers diplomacy. He also possesses strong empathy and sympathy, grasping peoples struggles and how it affects their motivations and actions—even in the worst of people. And while a simpler life would bring him peace, he feels the weight of responsibility presented to him and strives to use his opportunities for those he has come to care for.

Combat Style

Aldric prefers to wear his opponents down, wielding either a sword and shield or a greatsword. He is able to summon void including void pockets, void blades and void shields, all of which are invisible to most enemies! He also carries a sword enchanted with Ithisda's Manipulation and Aura enabling him to summon and control water with his blade. Aldric creates partial or (in a pinch) total void pockets which chill and thin the air, the water he summons hovering about the battlefield. He can move from pool to pool of water, drowning unwary opponents or wearing them down. He protects his body by projecting his aura into his armor and shield which makes him seem invincible.

Even when foes find the holes in his defense, he converts his body into water. Yet he only converts the part of himself in harms way, keeping enemies guessing as to what his abilities are and conserving energy. When his enemy is exhausted or he is backed into a corner, Aldric finally goes on the offensive. Aldric has had the best trainers availbable over the course of his life so fighting comes naturally to him. When working alongside his unit, Unit C210, Aldric hangs back or moves about the battlefield with his kaithur, directing his allies and fighting at mid-range. Faustin Aydem may be their command support but it is Aldric who leads the team and chooses their strategies.

Appearance

Gender	Height
Cis Male (He/Him)	5'11"

Eyes	Hair	Skin Tone
Emerald Green	Brownish Black, Long and Wavy	Rosy Ivory

Aldric is tall, broad shouldered and husky for a teen. While physically fit, he naturally has more fat than many peers his age, most teen warriors lean or even lithe. However, his father has him wear an enchanted ring which alters his appearance to be more princely. His true face is broader than his disguise and he has been led to believe his true face is less attractive or handsome. Since the ring adjusts his appearance, he often goes without shaving or cutting his hair.

Magic Form

Aldric possesses a rare kaithur, Ithisda's Body, an ability inherited by descendants of Sylthari mixed with Accian blood. It commonly runs in the Syltharis line but it has been a long time since their celestial blood has been renewed. Aldric's grandmother was the last before him to inherit Ithisda's Body and Aldric did not inherit the other typical characteristics from Sylthari—he may very well be the last Syltharis with enough celestial blood to inherit Ithisda's Body! His father inherited none of the characteristics or kaithur.

His magic form, when not converted into water, is azure from head to toe and pitch black stripes mark his whole body including his eyes. His eyes become completely black with blue sclera. When activated, his entire body can convert into clear water but this water is very dark and murky thanks to his void Aura. While void is invisible to those without void magic, to those capable of perceiving this strange aspect an empty blackness emanates from his chest and his water is frigid to the touch!

Enchantment

King Ambrose had Allmage Annie Nash construct an enchanted ring which would alter Aldric's appearance very specifically. It would make him resemble Ambrose at his age, much more slender and traditionally handsome as he feels a prince ought to look. He claims this is to better Aldric's chances of securing an engagement with one of the princesses placed into his unit and make him seem more dignified. It can be uncomfortable for Aldirc to wear the ring for long periods of time but while wearing it, his appearance is precisely as designed. Aldric has discovered he doesn't need to cut his hair or shave with the ring on and often goes without doing so. He still has to have Annie readjust the ring every few weeks as he continues to grow, being a teenager.

Background

Aldric has felt the weight of immense responsibility throughout his life. Whether by cautious grooming or never ending expectations. Ever had he felt his father's eye, always assessing his worth but never satisfied. He would have preferred and been happier with a simple life but he knows others would kill for the influence and ability to change the world which will one day fall to him. However, what has burdened him the most is the loneliness of his role, the barrier or emptiness lingering between he and all around him.

The necessity of it. He has even been forced to abandon friendships which meant the world to him simply because they weren't considered suitable.

Aldric used to be quite close to his mother, she was one of the few people who was real and vulnerable with him—his sole human connection. She died shortly after giving birth to his little sister Abigail. He struggled to cope with her death and as he failed to get over this as quickly as Ambrose had expected, his father sent Aldric away to travel and get away from the capital so he could grieve without prying eyes. It was Florio's family he travelled with, strengthening his bond with Florio over this period. He still never fully got over his mother's death but he pretends to have so as to save face and not disappoint his father. He also hadn't thinned out as his father had hoped he would. With Ambrose's plans to marry Aldric off into a political marriage, he began expecting Aldric to wear an enchanted ring in public which altered his appearance to appear more princely, trying to make him seem more appealing to potential fiances. The other heirs assume Aldric lost weight during his travels or simply know better than point out the change in his appearance.

Trauma

Aldric has considerable insecurity over his actual appearance, forced to don a disguise in public. His father has always been critical of Aldric, whether his appearance or his softness. Aldric assumes his father's cold shoulder and harsh words are his way of readying Aldric for the throne but deep down he knows something is amiss. He unwittingly lies to himself, desperate to become what his father wants from him. He will struggle under his father's shadow, even long after he passes away. He will struggle to be his own man and not make the same mistakes his father fell into. To be the king Accia needs and an ally who can be counted on, even if his heart is out on the line. He will need to learn to drop the facade, the man his father tried to force him to be, or fall into the same rut.

Traits

Aldric is sharp and observant, having a very honed ability to read people. He has a kind heart and is easily wounded, tending to push away anyone who gets too close in order to protect himself even when it does more damage than good. He is a man of many facades, losing himself in these personas in order to build rapport or maintain the expected level of respect a prince ought to invoke. He has a soft spot for people who are earnest, quirky and altruistic even when he doesn't show it. He is far more altruistic himself than he lets on, holding bright hopes inside until his time comes to enact them. Of course he didn't grow up royal and have no marks of such. He can be judgemental, snooty, assume the worst of certain people, be preferential and carries a number of prejudices. He can be stiff and cold and severe, very difficult to approach. It is only Tia's ability to cut right through all of his defenses with her candid, acerbic nature who seems able to pierce his heart.

Flaws

He has a tendency to push away or preserve a distance between himself and those around him. Very few ever make it past these defenses to become close to him. Primarily, these are Florio, Abigail and Tia. He partially got this from observing his father but it is also a side effect of his connection to Vokda. These habits and defenses have developed in order to protect himself from the manipulations and disingenuous nature of those at court, seeking their own ends using him or attempting to gain his favor as prince. Sometimes, he takes this too far or has less control over these behaviors than he would like. He also has a habit of pushing away things that make him happy as these make it harder for him to prioritize the kingdom over himself and he can make himself miserable.

Motivation

Aldric does all he can to live up the role he is expected to fill. He takes this very seriously even though a less complicated life would make him happier. He knows not everyone has the same opportunities to better the world and works hard to use his advantages responsibly. He wants to make Accia better in his future as well as more peaceful. Despite his composure, he doesn't look forward to the sacrifices he knows he will need to make as he gets older. Particularly in regards to marriage. He has always been a romantic at heart and laments he likely won't see anything his heart yearns for.

Friends and Allies

Aldric's closest friend is Florio Espina but he is on good terms with all of the house heirs except for Leon. He can't stand Leon, merely tolerating his arrogant cohort. He often spends time with Florio, Danut and Faustin. Aldric used to be close to Albert Monet and while they seem to be on good terms, something clearly happened between them. Regret lingers in his eyes when he sees Albert alongside uncomfortable silence. Unlike most recruits, he does not like spending any more time with his unit, Unit C210, than he has to.

Romance

As a prince, Aldric has always known a political marriage awaited him and this became increasingly imminent as his father took more interest in diplomatic alliances. Despite this, Aldric always adored reading romantic fantasy if not actual romances. He and Florio became close friends over this shared interest, dreaming of the day they would find their own exciting adventure. However, as various acceptable matches for him were introduced, rather than finding an exciting romance he has simply been smothered in disingenuous and ambitious young woman. He has developed a revulsion for these zealous suitors and had sworn off romance. Until Tia barged into his heart.

Tia and Aldric, or Tsuki and Al, meet up with each other nearly every night as secret friends. In this arrangement, Aldric has been allowed to be his true self without reservation. Tsuki is candid, earnest and vulnerable in ways he has never encountered given who he is. Before he even realizes it, she has wormed past all of his defenses and plucked up his heart, leaving him reeling for control of his runaway emotions. It scares him just as much as it thrills him. Unfortunately, he drags his feet and denies his feelings until it is too late. Another snatches her up and the waters of their friendship become more turbulent. Especially as events unfold and the secrecy of their relationship is ripped away. Aldric is forced to face all of his scars and his insecurities, all the while hoping to win Tia over as his true self. Not purely as the prince or purely her sweet Al. And hopefully he can learn to expose his true heart, because Tia will need her closest ally to face what lies ahead.

Family

King Ambrose is his father and he has a single younger sibling, Princess Abigail. His mother died a few years prior and Abigail is still a toddler. Like all Syltharis, he descends from the Aethid Sylthari and Accia Syltharis but the celestial blood in him is especially thin. Sylthari has not returned to strengthen the line since the kingdom began its expansion. Aldric has a strained relationship with his father who is especially cold and distant, yet how can Aldric not look up to his father? Little does he truly understand about the Syltharis legacy.