#stenn

Continuing from the last ask...

I present to you the members of Serpentine's clan from left to right:

Jenta (second in command), Greor, Lorka, Murdock, Cyrus (from @askcyrus )

Dorman, Kilko and Guila, Stenn and Calder~!

When I first read about him, my immediate thought was of Gorig, the Phyrexian spy who brought down Serra’s Realm. They both take a militant stance against Phyrexians in their midst, and are ruthless in getting rid of supposed Phyrexian sleeper agents. They both inserted themselves into positions of authority to deal with the Phyrexian threat, while secretly helping Phyrexia. Also, they both have goatees.

//  Kaaras is NOT a member of the Valo-Kas. For long term RP partners, they most likely know this (or for those who have read over Kaaras’ profile). I did have him in contact with them prior, but it’s easier to have Kaaras as a stand alone character without the ties to the Valo-Kas. So I’d like to shed some light on his mercenary life.

When Kaaras was only five, he came into his magic. At the markets in Ferelden, a group of older kids began picking on him and chasing him–in an attempt to beat him up and most likely steal anything he had on his persons. While he was defending himself, Kaaras was backed into a corner and ended up using a force blast to knock them back.

Kaaras is a qunari, so he never would have been accepted into a Ferelden Circle–they’d rather have him hanged (or made Tranquil). However, Kaaras’ future trainer (Saarebas), saw the incident and made sure that the children didn’t taddle on him–how she did this was probably by scare tactics and threats to them before they could reach their parents, and the incident was never legally reported. Even if it was, most people were afraid to approach a family of qunari.

When this all happened, Kaaras was mortified and ran all the way home in tears. He had no idea what had happened, he’d just thought of pushing them back and it had happened, and he was freaking out. His mother and father had no idea how to deal with their child being a mage (considering they are Tal’Vashoth, only having fled the Qun when pregnant with Kaaras). Neither of them are mages, so they were out of their depth and element.

After a few days had passed, Saarebas knocked on their door and informed them that she had seen the incident, and let them know that Kaaras was safe from the law–for now–but he had to get his magic under control if they didn’t want a repeat of what had happened. Aban and Anaan were desperate for help, and she knew this. They were a poor family that was struggling to make any coin off their farm. Saarebas knew that they could not offer her anything in return for her help, but she was a spiritual woman, and she saw something special when she saw Kaaras, and she believed that if well trained, he could be destined for great things. I should note that Saarebas is an exceptionally spiritual woman, one who actually spoke to spirits–as well as reading tarot cards. What she saw in Kaaras was something, and she believed it. So she offered to help train him so he could gain control of his magic. In return, the Adaar family allowed her to stay in the barn if she was in the area–as she worked as a mercenary and often crossed Southron Hills (the house was small and could barely house them all as was).

Her form was strict and harsh. She wasn’t exactly a mean woman, but she wasn’t nurturing either. Not in a soft way. She was far more the “tough love” kind of woman. But her training is what made Kaaras so disciplined in his magic, and in his will.

After Kaaras’ father died when he was 12, he promised he’d find the remaining man who attacked their home and bring him to justice. He knew Saarebas was a mercenary, and he asked her every day when could he join. It was his soul purpose. Eventually, Saarebas knew that she couldn’t stop him, and said he was ready. If she could not take him under her wing, then he would go it alone, which she couldn’t allow.

Her mercenary group was not the Valo-Kas, it was her own, named the Ash Ataash (to seek glory). Mostly it was with humans and elves no thanks to being in Ferelden. When there wasn’t much coin going for them, they ended up moving to the Marches, in Kirkwall. Competition was fierce within the area, even though there was plenty of jobs going around. Kaaras (and any other qunari) was seen as an asset due to their strength and will to get things done. This meant the Ash Ataash stood out. After being approached by a very qunari orientated band (named the Ralshokra after the supposed death challenges), Saarebas accepted the offer for them to join. It gave them a chance to get work when it was already difficult for such a small band to get good jobs that paid well.

After a few years with them, the Ralshokra had gained a ruthless name for themselves, and Kaaras gained a lot of experience. He didn’t always agree with what was happening and the jobs, but he understood that he was in need of coin to send back to his mother back on the farm.

When he was 24, Kaaras grew fond of one of the other members, Stenn (the former love of his life before Inquisition). Kaaras was in a messy place, and for years after his father died, he’d taken to alcohol as a crutch. Kaaras often drank himself into a stupor to try and take away the pain of his father’s death, as well as sharing a bed with others who approached him and wanted sex. He didn’t have penetrative sex with anyone, in fact, his pride (and shame) stopped him from doing that, at least a part of what little pride he still had in himself. That and he’d always wanted to wait for that someone special. Kaaras has always been a romantic at heart.

Stenn stopped all of this. He was the absolute calm to Kaaras’ storm. He was kind, gentle, loving, and everything Kaaras really needed in a time of need. It was often just talking, staying up late with each other while on the road as everyone else slept. Eventually, it turned into a romance, but they took things very slow. Stenn wanted it to be slow for Kaaras, instead of all the quick paced running into things he was usually doing in trying to soothe his pains. It was also slow because of Kaaras’ lack of alcohol to give him confidence, not to mention the physical pain he could be in at times no thanks to his condition.

Gentle kisses soon became touches, and eventually they went further to being nude with one another, but never penetrative sex. When they were going to, they were interrupted, and the moment was pretty much stolen from them. It had taken all of Kaaras’ courage to get to that point, so it was smashed again, and it just never had time to grow once more as soon after, their band was under attack, and Saarebas ended up dying.

When Saarebas died, it put a huge strain on their romance, no thanks to Kaaras, determined to believe that the bad orders had gotten Saarebas killed. There were disagreements and bad tension, and in the end Kaaras made his decision: he left. Some of the Ralshokra went with him, in agreement that the leadership was too reckless. Stenn remained behind, in disagreement and rather set in his ways (he was a lot older than Kaaras). In a moment of angst, the both of them were far too stubborn and hurt to set aside their differences, and they parted. They never said that they had fallen in love with each other, and the bitterness from their parting kept them from saying it, however, Kaaras showed that he was thankful for everything his lover had ever done for him, and while hurt, they did not part on angry terms.

This was when Kaaras moved up to Starkhaven and that’s where he started recruiting more men. He became the captain of the company and they settled there doing mercenary work for the next few years under the title of the Beres-taar (meaning ‘shield’). Kaaras devoted his life to this, to making better decisions, to letting go of his hate and unhappiness. This was his new goal.

The Beres-taar were quick to make a name for themselves, having some of the advantage of former Ralshokra members. Kaaras was a natural born leader, and with the mistakes of the former band he’d been in, he was determined to give his company a good and loyal name for the work they did. This eventually got the attention of nobles in the area, and they earned a decent living.

Eventually, their name was known enough in Starkhaven that they were suggested to aid with protecting the Divine during the peace talks. This was the first time Kaaras had ever run into the Valo-Kas. The only time Kaaras has ever taken part in knowing the company is via the peace talks. Kaaras was asked specifically by reputation and having previously worked with the Prince of Starkhaven and nobles. Kaaras’ company themselves are not overly large, but they are hard workers who are dedicated to their jobs. Numbers was a must, however, so Kaaras was fine when he got the news that another band would be accompanying them.

Both the Beres-taar and Valo-Kas went to the Conclave alongside one another, however, because the Valo-Kas was more well known thanks to more years of being in service, everyone assumes Kaaras was under their title. He wasn’t, and he corrects EVERYONE who says he is and was, but this is why people assume he’s from the Valo-Kas in Inquisition. 

During his travel back through Kirkwall, Kaaras and Stenn reunited, however, things had changed between them, and Kaaras had changed too much as a person to continue a romance. The events at the Conclave happened, and they were separated, Kaaras became the Herald and Stenn remained in Kirkwall.

Everything else is pretty much known to his timeline. :)

So, Kaaras is NOT a member of the Valo-kas and he never has been. The only time he’s been in contact with them was during the peace talks. Everything you see in Inquisition for the Valo-Kas missions pretty much isn’t canon to Kaaras, however, he does keep in contact with them as there’s no bad blood between them and they were both at the Conclave together.

// Kaaras is a recovering alcoholic. 

While it’s not something a lot of people know about him (because it’s not something one brings up at a dinner table really), there may be some telltale signs for those observant enough. Both Leliana and Bull are aware of his previous addiction, and not entirely because he disclosed it. He turns down alcohol whenever he can, and simply says he and alcohol don’t agree (which is enough for some people to understand he’s had an abusive relationship with it before).

I’ve made a lot of metas about Kaaras’ past and childhood and how he coped with the loss of his father and being away from home, so I won’t repeat myself there, but I’ve not made a proper meta about Kaaras’ alcoholism, so I wanted to. 

As mentioned, he often drank to drown out the self loathing he suffered and the guilt of what had happened to his father. He was in a bad state mentally when he was a young teenager, but because he wasn’t coping with it healthily, once he began working as a mercenary, he often drank himself to sleep, and sometimes into the beds of other people (more metas are on Kaaras and his sexual history in my tags). 

His go to drinks were ales and hard liquors. Kaaras knew he had a problem, he just didn’t know how to properly cope with it until his sister had had enough of it and he was approached by his (future) ex. There relationship bloomed because of the help Kaaras gained from him, but Kaaras also went cold turkey and it was a NIGHTMARE for him when he got off the alcohol and suffered withdrawals. He had the shakes, he was physically in pain, he was sweating, couldn’t sleep, let alone perform his job. He was bedridden for at least two days because of it. It was ROUGH for him, but it was made all the better by the support that he had, both Aith and Stenn at his side. 

Kaaras wasn’t perfect. He fell back on the wagon once, after he and Stenn broke up and he left to work in Starkhaven. Thankfully, he only drank a partial bottle before he threw it down the sink. He was emotionally in a tough place because he missed his lover, but the both of them were too stubborn and Kaaras couldn’t go back to that mercenary company. He just couldn’t. Because of their bad orders, his mentor had died, and he wasn’t going to tarnish himself with their reputation, plus, Kaaras’ moral compass just wouldn’t allow him. 

To this day, Kaaras still suffers from time to time. Only does he drink when he feels he HAS to, which is risky considering his addiction, and he knows that, but it’s only ever during noble parties where he feels he would offend if he declined. Even then, he will ONLY drink red wine--not the kind of alcohol he had gone to in the past, and something that he does not entirely have a craving for. It’s still a risk (any alcohol is a risk when you’re an addict), but for Kaaras, it’s a safer option than anything else. 

On bad days, he can still suffer shakes every now and again, or a headache, but that’s only if he’s had a glass of wine prior or he’s having a bad day emotionally which makes the craving set back in. Outside of that, however, he’s been very sober and good about it. He doesn’t mind if he has a partner that drinks, and he doesn’t crave it as much as he used to.

Because of the alcohol abuse, it has caused Kaaras to look older than he is. He’s only 29 when he’s titled Inquisitor, but he looks in his 30′s. It’s because of a hard life and alcohol abuse. 

I wouldn’t consider Kaaras out of control when it comes to his cravings anymore, he’s learned a lot over the years and has matured greatly. He also understands the weight of drinking if he does. He was never a violent drunk, not even remotely rowdy, he merely used it as a way to feel numb from his negative feelings and a way to get courage to perform sexual acts with others. 

Because he still drinks once in a blue moon (at social gatherings), he’s not the perfect example of someone being sober, but he’s also a lot more in control of himself than he used to be, because of that personal growth and maturity. It’s not a good thing, and no excuse really, considering he IS an alcoholic, but he is recovering still. 

Kaaras isn’t exactly secretive about his past, it’s just not something he talks about if not prodded. If someone asked him why he doesn’t drink, he would be honest with them. Kaaras isn’t ashamed of his past, he believes everyone has the right to learn, grown and change. In fact, he is very proud of how far he’s come as an individual and the hurdles hes overcome. 

If anyone were to attack him on his past, he would not be upset. He knows his past was not great, but if he didn’t have that past, then he wouldn’t be the person he was today, and he is happy with his growth, he really is proud of how far he’s come and grown. No one can take that from him. No one. And if anyone did wish to ask him about it, he really doesn’t have anything to hide.