The Good Knight Arno
"A thousand men want me dead for my actions, but my actions would live on through ten-thousand more."Arno, also known as the "Knight of Lions" and as "Good Knight Arno", is a living legend and prominent figure currently residing in Val Royeaux. He was once a Chevalier, proud and noble, but since entering his twilight years he has put away his sword and has instead taken up the role of bettering the lives of his fellow Orlesians. He has been able to do so through serving as a prominent member of the city's council, a position gifted to him through public demand. His wit has also allowed him to quell the emerging powers of Val Royeaux that would seek to abuse the common person, playing them against one another. Few would dare cross him lest they wish to be made a swift example of. He is the only person currently alive who has a statue of themselves on the Lane of the Lionhearted in Val Royeaux's Île de Radieuse district.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Arno's history is shrouded in mystery. Naturally, with him being a prominent public figure, this has incited the rumor mill to concoct all sorts of stories about his past.
The most prominent belief is that he was a poor boy raised in Val Royeaux 's slums and whose parents died when he was young. A Chevalier found him alone and starving, and took the young child in out of pity. Arno took to learning quickly and was very attentive, so the Chevalier let Arno serve as his squire. When he was not even a man yet, Arno had to leave with his knight and march to Ferelden where they would be fighting in the Ferelden Rebellion. In one of his first few battles, Arno's knight died and Arno grabbed the man's sword as it was the only way to defend himself. He cut down over three scores of men on his own before passing out. He awoke aside a young handmaiden who found him out in the battlefield bleeding out. The two quickly fell in love as Arno recovered. During a later battle, the Orlesian forward encampment was burned down and his lover was killed. With a heavy heart, Arno swore off loving another person ever again and instead pledged his love to only be for Orlais and its commonfolk.
Another theory is that he came from Val Royeaux's Les Ombres district, a slum, and saw the harsh conditions people had to live through just to survive there. He trained everyday with a stick out in the streets, perfecting the different fighting stances his parents would tell him tales about. Eventually a private noble saw Arno's dedication and knew immediately that Arno was born into the wrong life. The noble sponsored Arno's entrance into the Academie des Chevaliers where he became an honorable knight who rode through the countryside protecting the common person from bandits and brigands. The love of the people he saved, commoner and noble alike, allowed him to become very decorated and incredibly wealthy.
Many more theories exist, but one fundamental truth is that no one publicly knew his last name. He was becoming more and more prominent amongst the western half of the city and the public wanted to reward him for his deeds. The last name "du Lion", or "of the Lion", started to catch-on and eventually it just became one of the ways to refer to this great knight.
After several years of aiding the city's commonfolk, Empress Celene Valmont I threw an honorary ball in Arno's name whereupon he was given a leadership seat upon the city's main council: the Privy Council. This upset many of the upper class, as it was previously a title only held by nobles of pure-Orlesian blood. Since that time, he has exerted his power to bring many other non-Orlesians into the council. In particular, he began the trend of having guildmasters have seats at the council. In particular he gave seats to the following guilds: L'Assayer's, Coaches & Courier's, Broadsheet, Watchmen's, and Tradesmen's. He did so in an attempt to give the common people a seat at the table of power.
Employment
Arno has been knighted as a Chevalier. Though much of his history is unknown, the Academie has confirmed he is indeed a member and has passed all the trials necessary to gain his title.
Current Location
Ethnicity
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Knight of Lions
Children
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments