Iavan

Iavan is known for two things; being a vicious fighter and his loyalty to Shiel. The Illenan Royal Court prefers to put him in this box because members can then ignore his complicated family history.
Iavan is loyal to Shiel and to Illena, and works to preserve both. He prefers the intensity of battle to paperwork, but ends up doing far more of the latter because its for his cousin and his country. His tolerance for betrayal is nil, and he has yet to come to terms with his father's bid to claim the Illenan throne. As a child, his sole dream was to impress his parent enough that the man paid attention to his son; in the end, he personally escorted him and his immediate family into exile in Diodan and washed his hands of them. He tied himself to Shiel and the throne, and finds comfort in the arrangement.

Early Years

Iavan is the youngest child of Lord Eder and Lady Oserian. Even as a young child, he knew his parents despised each other, and could not separate their hate for each other from their five children. He spent his time trying to please them, without success. Shiel, as disregarded, became a confidant, and their relationship filled the void brought by family neglect.
He and the prince schooled together, shared several common interests like mythology and the Catak language, and learned how to fight from Ephran and Fendl, two famed swordsmen. He read pre-Jonna myth and delighted in legends where the heroes impressed their parents with their valor and success.
Iavan mitigated some of Shiel's troublemaking, but enjoyed the mischief they created together. Eteilon had a calming effect, and while he initially resented her, she proved a far more interesting presence in his life than he anticipated. They butted heads constantly, though neither managed to change Shiel's mind about the other.

Illenan Civil War

Iavan learned of Eder's bid for the throne from the man's own lips. He demanded that his children support him in deposing Shiel, a lad too young and inexperienced for the burden of kingship. Iavan left that confrontation and immediately told Shiel the news. The assassination attempt Eder had plotted failed due to the warning, and Iavan made certain everyone knew he stood by his cousin and not with his father.
The rage his father experienced at the unexpected betrayal paled in comparison to Iavan's own. It hardly surprised him when he became just another impediment for his father to destroy, and he survived his own share of assassination attempts. His disgust at his foolish childhood dreams grew, and he developed another; to crush his worthless parent and his supporters.
Shiel won more battles than he lost with Iavan and Eteilon's advice and support, which aggravated Eder. He, and many members the Illenan court, had assumed that he, with more experience and inherent craft, would quickly dispatch the new king. Instead a civil war raged, far beyond the time Eder had assumed he would accept the crown. Eder became more desperate, and Iavan began to search for any way in which to quickly gain the upper hand and end the conflict.
During a lull in the fighting, Iavan accidentally discovered a wielder named Sikode performing in a carnival, and realized the talent that lay beneath the overt sparkly tricks. When he spoke to the Rakan, he had the sense the man wanted far more from life than a traveling show provided. He invited him to perform at court. Eteilon was outraged at the suggestion because she worried about spies being planted by Eder, but the performance took place. Sikode impressed Loreval, Artiste of the Monarch's Claws, and Shiel hired him.
Eder's court supporters saw a chance to embarrass Shiel over his new wielder, and prove his backing inferior. They convinced Eder's most powerful wielder to duel the Rakan--and Sikode won. Iavan made certain to accompany the remains to his father's enclave and dump it on his front step. He relished his parent's surrender, and intentionally escorted his family into exile. He brushed off their pleas for leniency as they had once brushed him away. He reminded them of their failed assassination attempts, and he made certain they retained no illusions about his loyalties.

Merren

Iavan saw his father's ambitions reflected in the Merren despot, and fought to eradicate the man and his bloodmage supporters. He initiated the attack on Javone, but even he, as cynical as he was, never expected the depths of depravity he witnessed in the palace. He and Sikode made certain nothing of the contamination found within the building could further pollute the populace. He helped plan the systematic exploration of Merren to hunt down and eliminate bloodmages and their retainers. The enclaves were particularly bad in the north, so he chose Tindrel as his base and worked out of a mansion there. When Shiel and Prince-designate Cilair decided to pull back from the bloodmage hunt to soothe aristocratic nerves, he strongly disagreed, but followed orders anyway. He is exceedingly unhappy to have been proven correct, because it means more innocent blood has fed the depraved.

Skills

Iavan is a natural talent when it comes to warrior arts, and is a fast and deadly opponent on the battlefield. His sword work is exceptional.
He has become an adept planner, which helps him with his Merren duties.

Iavan

Age

25 years

Country

Illena

Language

Jonnese + 2 others

Occupation

Lieutenant-general in Illenan army

Hair

Golden blond

Eyes

Lighter cobalt

First Appearance

Trouble in Tindrel

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