Berrand Dayne

Berrand Dayne is a man with a slender, but well defined body shape. He is not outstandingly muscular, but in a good physical condition given to the fact, he has trained most of his life. In his last years the first signs of aging appeared on his body, showing him, that his youth lied behind him. He noticed more and more, that he lost a bit of his speed as well as his swiftness and his condition wasn't that well anymore, but he still was a skilled warrior, compensating that with his outstanding techniques and experiences.

Berrand is a tall man of Thoralian descent, with white skin, brown eyes and long brown hair, which fall down his shoulders and got a bit curled outwards. He has a lot of scars all over his body from various battles and duels of the past. His skin also is weathered and leathery from a hard life, a lot of past wounds, not healed so properly and the constant wearing of armor and heavy clothes, which scrubbed above it. This scars are also signs and reminder of the countless confrontations he had fought in the past.

Berrand has brown eyes and a full beard of also brown color, like his hair. His beard is in perfect shape and well refined, since he valued a good look, especially when he got confronted with nobles and politicians of some sort. He always has a strong and stoic look in his eyes and even face as a whole and he rarely laughs or looks relaxed. Most of the time he seems to stare at others, piercing them with his looks. His true intentions are hard to read behind this facade and Berrand always looks like the archetypical stoic warrior, never showing his emotions in full display.

Natural Abilities

As a regular Thoralian Human Berrand Dayne inherited none special traits given to his race.

Trained Abilities

• Strategic Thinking: Berrand Dayne was a man of immense intelligence and tactical knowledge, especially in the fields of battle tactics, maneuvers, politics and fighting. He had a great understanding in that fields and was able to quickly adapting to any given situation regarding such things. He could lead others into battles and when fighting on his own, he often was able to outplay others with his skills and techniques. He rarely made decisions out of emotions or instinct, always thinking about the consequences and was able to often knows a result before it occured. The only times, he acted by something else was in cases of honor and nobility, which forced him to act differently then he normally would. 
• Skilled Swordsman: Berrand was a trained warrior, able to fight with a bunch of different weapons, if needed, but he preferred the sword as his favorite weapon of choice. He was well trained in the use of that weapon, using it for maneuvers, tactical attacks and feinting, when fighting. Berrand was known to avoid attacks he would consider useless right from the start, preferring skill and technique over raw strength and brutality. Fighting, especially sword fighting, to him was some type of art and like an artist he brought his skills to use in the best way possible. He was never in possession of a magical weapon but skilled enough to overcome some mighty enemies in his life anyway, which was a sign of his enormous skills as a swordman. He was able to overcome his handicap of not having magic or supernatural abilities by sheer skill and understanding of the art of fighting. 
• Knightly Example: Berrand Dayne was the archetype of a knight. His whole life he lived up to the code of honor and chivalry, educated by his family as a child and later as a squire to another knight until the day, he was knighted himself. Living this lifestyle with all his heart earned him the respect of many other warriors he met. It was this respect and his charisma, that made him an example of leadership and honor. Even Serena of Ravenholm and later on Erzaria herself recognized this traits of him and were impressed by his behaviour and the aura of respect he emanated. 

As a knight Berrand Dayne often was seen wearing a full plate armor, with the emblems and the coat of arms of the Duchy Ravenholm. When he appeared in official tasks, battles against others or when he was called to protect his sovereign and their family, he was never seen without his armor. In more private situations he often weared fine clothes made of silk, with the emblem of his family embroidered into the cloth in some ways. It was noticeable, that he preferred not so much golden decorations and accessoires, like most other nobles had on their cloth, being more convinced of a simple, but also elegant outlook. He also never weared any jewelry beside the signet ring of his family, which he weared on the ring finger of his right hand. In situations, were he got on travel and not wearing any armor, he was mostly seen wearing a black vest and black trousers in combination with black boots and gloves, all made of leather. His iconic part of cloth in such situations was a black leather coat with some hide at the edges. Because of the size of that coat it gave him an even more noble and impressive outlook, underlining his noble status as a knight and warrior. No matter the clothes he was wearing, his sword Raven's Claw was always at his side, attached to his waist with a black leather belt.

Raven's Claw

Berrand Dayne wielded a sword, designed especially for him and forged by the blacksmiths of Ravenholm the day he was knighted. It was a typical longsword, made of steel, with a hilt wrapped in black leather and the design of the claw of a raven at the point, where the grip goes over into the blade. Berrand wielded that sword most of his life and became very familiar with the weapon, which made it an extension of himself. The sword itself wasn't magical in any ways and had no supernatural abilites to it's display, but it was a unique weapon anyway with it's specialized design, being a symbol of loyalty and trust the ruling family had to him. When he got defeated by Termacht, the Overblade, his sword splintered, unable to resist the power of the magical blade Regicide. It later got reforged into a magical weapon by Berrand's grandson Alexasar Dayne and as such became part of the magical greatsword called "Sword of Dawn". When this mighty blader later got destroyed again, the remnants of Raven's Claw returned to their original, splintered shape. The destroyed sword finally got buried with Berrand Dayne at the Boreas Island, following him into the afterlife for eternal peace.

Early Years

Berrand Dayne was born as son of House Dayne of Ravenholm around the year 3065 in the Duchy of Ravenholm. From an early age on he learned the code of honor his family followed and adopted their loyal status as vassals of the ruling family of the duchy as important for himself. Even as a child he already saw it as his duty to serve the duchy and uphold the oath of his ancestor, Roderic Dayne to become an honorable knight and warrior, protecting the borders of Ravenholm as a whole. To achieve this goal he trained the ways of a knight and became a highly skilled fighter, well known for his using of the sword. He even became a follower of Erzaria, because the tenets of her faith were well fitting to his own personal belief and the path, he wants to follow as a warrior.   Later on, as a young adult, he was knighted by Duke Reinhardt of Ravenholm and called to the court, where he took up his position as knight to protect the noble family.   At a point in his life Berrand Dayne married an unknown noble woman of the court of Ravenholm, starting his own family. He would have two son's: his firstborn son Kurdran Dayne and the younger son Rukon Dayne. When they grew older, he sended his oldest son as a ward to another unknown noble family in the Kingdom of Aurun, where he should learn how to be a good leader and politician. For his younger son he planned to become a stoic knight or part of the clergy to serve the Duchy as well.

Mentor to the High Lady

Living at the royal court of Ravenholm, Berrand Dayne learned to know the daugther of the ruling family from the day of her birth. He watched the young Lady Serena grew up, becoming an intelligent, kindhearted and quickminded young lady. At first he became some sort of friend to the young girl, often protecting and watching her, when they were out of the castle, but when she grew older, he got the task to train her in swordplay, strategy and knighthood, so she could become a good leader, following in her father's footsteps one day. Since Berrand was one of the best knights of the Duchy at the time, Duke Reinhardt was sure about the fact, that his daugther would be well trained.   He trained Serena in swordplay and fighting with different kinds of weapons and also in military strategies, battle maneuvers and told her about battles of the past and the things, other's could learn from the decisions made there. He also tried to teach her the importance of justice, proudness and honor, which differs noble people from the monstrous creatures of the wilderness. He even teached her in the art of heraldry, helping her to become a real lady of the court, able to handle knights and warriors the same way as merchants, politicians and nobles. But beside all the training Berrand Dayne was not only a mentor, but also a good friend to the high lady. He always had an open ear to her needs, sharing her troubles and helping her to pass more then one trial in her young life. He was the advisor, she often seeked out, when she got in situations, she couldn't talk with her father about, knowing, that Berrand wouldn't blame, but advise her. He wasn't that strict and stoic around her, a goodhearted man, which always wanted the best for the young lady.

Rise of the Overlord

Around the year 3115 AoM war started in the neighbouring Kingdom of Aurun, where Ajax Varenius started his uprising to become the new ruler of the whole of Aurunia. Duke Reinhardt of Ravenholm, which was suffering from a sickness a while at this time, sold the duchy to the usurper and wanted to help him in his conquest of the continent. He was weak and not able to resist such a mighty enemy anymore. But doing this, he lost the respect of his daugther Serena and even that of Berrand Dayne. He was bound by his oath to follow the lead of his duke, but he not wanted to fight under the banner of a usurper. For the first time in his life the loyalty of Berrand Dayne to the Duchy of Ravenholm was shattered.   One year later Reinhardt of Ravenholm died to the fever and his daugther Serena took up his position as duchess. So Berrand hadn't to made the decision between the loyalty to his oath and his own personal beliefs. Knowing, that Serena wouldn't bend the knee to the usurper he renewed his oath as a knight to her and her family, promising to stand by her side and fighting for the duchy to the end. In the following two years they would try their best to uphold the freedom of the Duchy, even declaring the independence of Ravenholm and stand against the allmighty forces of their enemies, which threatened Ravenholm the same way like they do with the Kingdom of Aurun.   In the late year 3118 AoM, two years after Serena took up the position as duchess, they heard about the death of Good King Omand and that Ajax Varenius had taken the throne, declaring himself the "Overlord". They know at this point, that the battle was over and the Kingdom of Aurun was all under his command. The last pockets of resistance would soon being destroyed and Ravenholm alone woulnd't stand a chance against the might of their enemy.   But Ravenholm refused to bend the knee, provoking the new sovereign. To settle down the conflict, they finally got an invitation by Ajax Varenius: fighting a duel of honor between two champions. When loosing, Ravenholm would give up their resistance and when winning, they would retain their independence. Berrand knew, that this was a farce, since the champion of the Overlord was well known for his strength and the fact, that he is nearly impossible to beat in a fight. While Serena wanted to refuse that invitation, Berrand knew, that there was no other chance, because the Duchy wouldn't be able to stand against the forces of the Overlord any longer. He convinced Lady Serena to agree to the invitation and volunteered as champion in the duel. He knew, he wouldn't be able to win, but he also knew, that this demonstration of loyalty, proudness as well as an display of an ongoing and unbreakable will to fight would not work well in the Overlord's favor, blaming him as a sovereign right from the start and showing the whole of Aurunia the true face of the allmighty ruler.

Loyal to the End

In the early days of the year 3119 AoM Berrand Dayne arrived in Dawnlight, the capital city of the Kingdom of Aurun, together with Lady Serena and her court. In the arena of the city he had to face the champion of Ajax Varenius: Termacht, the Overblade, one of the legendary Swordmasters of Arceiron. But despite the fact he wouldn't stand a chance or even survive the battle, Berrand entered the arena upright, with all his honor, showing no signs of fear or despair while facing the allmighty enemy.   The duel began and Berrand tried his best to fight against Termacht. He used all his techniques, tried to avoid counterattacks, piercing weakpoints in the other's armor or trying to outplay him, but nothing worked. With his sword Raven's Claw in hand, Berrand wasn't even able to do a single scratch to the Blacksteel armor of his enemy, since his weapon wasn't magical or even made of the same material and therefore not able to penetrate it. Finally, after Berrand tried his best to overcome the defense of his enemy, Termacht attacked on his own with Berrand trying to block the attack with Raven's Claw. But his sword was no match for the cursed blade of Termacht, Regicide and splintered, when they clashed against each other. The blade of his enemy sunk down deep inside his shoulder, ending the fight. Berrand went on his knees dying, but unwilling to give up his honor. He pleaded his loyalty to the Duchy of Ravenholm, showing all the visitors and guests of the fight and even a horrified Serena his loyalty to the duchy and that he not fears the tyrant, which is now the self proclaimed ruler of the Kingdom of Aurun. He died seconds later, with his broken sword in hand in the dust of the arena.

Berrand's Legacy

After his death and the displayed disrespect to the Overlord Berrand's body got taken by the angered sovereign, so that it would be impossible to give him an honorable funeral, which would be earned by a knight like him. Serena got his broken sword, but not his body. The Overlord also declared House Dayne of Ravenholm personal enemies of the realm, which allowed it everyone to hunt down and kill members of the family when they saw them in the Kingdom of Aurun. They got banished and were not allowed to return at any time. This would lead to his oldest son, Kurdran Dayne, fleeing from the noble family, where he was a ward, hiding in Aurunia and later becoming an adventurer, after it was unable to him to return to the Duchy of Ravenholm.   Berrand's unlikely death and with Kurdran Dayne not returning, this led to his younger son, Rukon Dayne taking up the position as leader of the family. He renewed his oath to Serena and the Duchy of Ravenholm as a whole, believing, it would have been, what his father would have awaited him to do.   Serena of Ravenholm returned to the Duchy mourning the death of her best friend and mentor. She would become depressed by the events, loosing her laugh, her kind heart and her welcoming personality, which made it easier for the mysterious man arriving at her court a short time afterwards to seduce her. Without Berrand's advice she would give into her growing madness and sorrow, cursing the whole duchy and even let it happen, that the duchy would be consumed by the Mists, becoming one of the Domains of Dread.   In the year 3168 AoM Serena would meet Alexasar Dayne, the grandson of Berrand. Remembered of her friend and mentor she would knighting Alexasar, making him a knight of Ravenholm and give him the signet ring and the broken remnants of Raven's Claw. The fact, that Alexasar resembles his grandfather in many ways and remembers Serena of the stoic knight, she also would find some remnants of humanity inside herself, answering the call of the young knight to fight in the Battle of Gerlmand and later on allowing him to enter the Mists, ignoring the fact, that he had broken his oath to the Duchy before. Even after killing one of her vassals, she not killed Alexasar and his friends. The bond between her and Berrand Dayne was that great, that she was able to act with mercy and wisdom, like he had teached her so many years before in another life.   Berrand's soul would be splintered because of his horrible demise and the events that followed in the land he had promised to defend his whole life. The most parts of his soul would be transferred to the Olympic Glades of Arborea, chosen by Erzaria herself. Since he had died the ultimate death of a warrior, accepting even his fatal challenge without any fear, she took up his soul, bringing him to the afterlife he have earned, a brave soul standing at her side. He was even allowed to watch the battles of the Gladiatrix in the Arena of the Gods and fight there himself, if he like to. But a remnant of his soul, filled with all of his regrets, his doubts and the fear he had suppressed his whole life remaining in the cursed Duchy of Ravenholm. It would manifest as a shadowy figure, looking like him, which haunts the manor of his family for decades to come, unable to let go of his faults or accepting the burden of honor and the decisions he had made.

Recent Events

Age of Conquest - Fall of the Gods

As a member of a noble house Berrand got a strict education in swordplay and other military tactics, but also politics, geography, history and heraldry in his youth. As he grew older, he expanded his vast knowledge in all that fields by his own, reading a lot of books, especially about the themes of knighthood and chivalry, making him an expert of some sort. He knew a lot about titles and how to behave around nobles and influential persons as a whole, always showing the respect, that would be awaited. He was always well informed about political developments all around the world and paid attention to rumors and new informations from traveling merchants and mercenaries from other continents or countries.    When he grew older Berrand was that well educated in his specialized fields, that he got the position as mentor and teacher to young Lady Serena. The duke was sure, that Berrand would be able to teach her well, making her a formidable noble woman of the court and a strategist, tactician and even fighter too, if necessary. Berrand had such a great understanding of political influence, the importance of a name and such things, that he knew, how important reputation for a ruler is, especially a new one. With showing disrespect and that his will to fight can't be broken for all to see, he underminded the authority of the Overlord and despite his defeat in battle he won at the end, showing the world, that the allmighty Overlord is not even able to break the will of a normal mortal man.

Berrand Dayne was in his youth a squire to some unknown knight, probably a warrior from one of the vassal houses of the Duchy of Ravenholm. After he got trained and educated well and served his master long years, he got knighted as well and became a knight at the court of Ravenholm, where he served and uphold his oath up to his death.    While at the court of Ravenholm, he got the position as mentor and personal trainer to the young Lady Serena. As one of the best knights at the court of the duchy at that time, it can also be speculated that he trained other knights and soldiers, improving their fighting skills and understanding of weapons and armor. This would make him a "master-at-arms" of some sort, but if he uphold this position official or not is not fully known.

Berrand was able to achieve the position as knight and uphold his sworn oath to serve the Duchy of Ravenholm to his very end. Unlike many other warriors and knights, his oath never got broken, even if there was a moment, it was close in his life. He promised to serve the Duchy and the ruling family and stand by there side and he even accepted his fatal challenge, his defeat and death to uphold this oath. So he lived the honor code of his family to the fullest and despite the fact, that he got blamed as a traitor of the realm by the Overlord, this was just a sign, how strong and impactful his personal way of the warrior and his will to uphold his beliefs really were. In the end he even underminded the authority of the allmighty Overlord himself, blaming him that much, that he and his family got declared enemies of the realm.   Him living his life as a true and honorable warrior resulted in Erzaria, the goddess he followed, to accept him into her personal realm after his death. She brought him to the Olympic Glades of Arborea, allowing him eternal peace in the afterlife, where he can watch her fights in the Arena of the Gods and even prove his own strength against the immortal warriors of the afterlife as equal among them.

Berrand was stoic in his beliefes, upholding his oath at any cost. When he chose to accept the fatal challenge that led to his demise, he knew right from the start, he wouldn't be able to change the outcome for the Duchy of Ravenholm, but was so determined to blame the Overlord that he ignored the fact, he would leave behind a devastated duchess, which enabled her downfall into madness and insanity even more. He also accepted thoughtless, that he would led his family into their own demise with his decision to fight, with the Overlord declaring them enemies of the realm and exiled them, so they would have to hide for the years to come, called traitors in all of Aurunia, hunted by everyone, who would like to please the allmighty Overlord. His oldest son Kudran Dayne would never be able to take up his position as leader of the family and had to live a life as adventurer, leading to his children becoming outcasts of society. His younger son Rukon Dayne got the burden of leadership, he was never prepared for, taking decisions, that would curse them all and made them suffering for a long time. In the end Berrand Dayne destroyed his own family with his decisions, ripped them apart and it was his failures that made House Dayne of Ravenholm merely a shadow of it's former glory.

In the years before his death, Berrand Dayne more then once struggled with the fact, that he wants to uphold his code of honor by living his oath, but also knew, that he would lead his family into their demise. He struggled to make the right decisions constantly. Was he at first strongwilled and determined to serve the Duchy of Ravenholm, even unwilling to follow Duke Reinhardt of Ravenholm's path of selling the duchy to the usurper and help him in his conquest, which made him renewing his oath to the young duchess later on, he more and more became unsure about the decision of Lady Serena to defend the independence of Ravenholm at any cost. In his core he felt the same way like she did, not wanting the duchy, the realm he loves, to fall under the leadership of a foreign conquerer, but deep inside he knew a long time, that this would lead to a much more sinister demise for the duchy then just accepting defeat. For the most of his life Berrand shared the burden of being torn apart between which is right and which is good, living in constant fear of failing everyone he loves.    In the end he stood loyal to his oath, even ripping apart his own family and destroying the life of his own son's with his decisions made. Since he knew that deep inside and supressed this emotions and feelings his whole life, his soul got splintered after his death. While most of his honorable soul found it's way into the peaceful realms of Arborea in the afterlife, an echo of himself stayed in the cursed Duchy of Ravenholm, filled with all his sorrow, remorse and despair, unable to find the eternal peace and being a burden that never got lifted.

Berrand Dayne was an intelligent and well educated knight, fighting not just with the strength of his muscles, but also with the strength of his mind. He knew the importance of tactic, strategy and that a good and well planned maneuver can change the tide of battle and made an upcoming loose into a close win. He studied the battles of the past, learning his own lessons from that and used this knowledge whenever possible. In fact he was not a strong warrior because of his physical strength, since he was unable to wield magic or other supernatural powers and not even had a magical weapon at his display, but he was a good fighter by his skills of combinating his knowledge and all the informations he have with his trained techniques and skills. He was a fearsome enemy against everyone, that underestimated him, be it in battle or in politics. Berrand knew very well, that the true strength of a warrior is to put in use everything that is possible and he did that in an impressive way. He was the embodiment of knighthood, a warrior of strength and prowess in physicality, but also skill and technique in mentality.

As a knight and a member of House Dayne, Berrand was a man of great honor and has a strict code of morality he followed his whole life. From an early age on he got teached in the importance of justice and the law of the king, believing, that without these rules chaos and despair would befell the lands and all of his inhabitants. When he became a knight later in life he had internalized the morality of knighthood and chivalry, trying his best to live up to the code of knights and live his life as a stoic warrior. He watched himself as a defender and a paragon others shall follow. He deeply believed, that the only thing separating a man and a monster is the moral code and without that even the greatest warrior is nothing more then a beast, bringing pain and death on the battlefield. Like all members of his family before he also teached the value of honor and the importance of a name to his son's, continuing the tradition of House Dayne as a family legendary for their honorific beliefs and behaviour.

As a man strictly bound by honor and believing in justice and the law of the kings, Berrand never acted dishonorable in any way. He never betrayed someone, never lied to anybody and never was scheming or intriguing against others. In a battle he was easy to read because of that and compensated that with his skill and technique as best as he can. He never tricked someone and always was open minded with his thoughts and beliefs, saying anyone, what he is really thinking about a situation. His noble status and his rank as a knight gave him the possibility to do that, often enough giving him the better status in a given situation. He deeply despised politics because of the dishonorable behaviour needed to do that and strictly believed, the world would be a better place, if anybody would be honest and upright like himself.

His whole life Berrand Dayne tried to serve the Duchy of Ravenholm as best as possible. He wanted the realm to stay free and independent and wanted to see the duchy blossom and the inhabitants happy and in peace. Later on, after befriending the young duchess Serena of Ravenholm and seeing the potential inside of her, he wanted her to become a good leader and supported her on this way as much as he could. Up to his death he had the dream of the Duchy being free once again one day, with Serena as a good and just ruler. This hope died with him, but even in the afterlife Berrand hadn't given up this dream completly.

Berrand Dayne loved nothing more then a good and just battle. A fight between warrior's at eye level was the most entertaining and fascinating thing for him to see. He liked tournaments, since they gave him the possibility to see the skills of other knights and warrior's at display and being able to show his own talents in a proper contest. He also loved to watch the improvements, a warrior can make when he failed in a fight before. For that he never saw defeat as a shame, but a chance and liked it to see how much someone can improve if he have the will to it. On the other hand he disliked nothing more then someone, who gave up easily, unwilling to learn from his defeat or to overcome the obstacles in his own personal way. He would blame such individuals, not accepting them as true warriors and even deny them his respect.    Beside fighting Berrand also loved the history of Arceiron, especially the history of the Human nations around the world, their politics and different philosophies. This and the art of war, battles of the past and different styles of fighting were his most welcomed readings.

The character aspect, that was remembered the most of Berrand Dayne was his behaviour, his acting as a knight. He was impressive in his honor and nobility and a leading example to many other soldiers and knights. Even he was never in a leading position he had the ability to win others to himself by his way of speaking and the respect they got to him. Berrand Dayne was also known and highly valued for never being unfair, never being unjust and respecting everyone, that hasn't proven he is an unworthy individual. Even he rarely laughs and often had that stoic and strong facade build up around himself, he was loved by other's, being a pleasing company of sorts and a friend which can be trusted at the fullest.

His personal code of honor was the biggest strength, but also the biggest weakness to Berrand Dayne his whole life. He was bound by his oath and his own moral code that much, he wouldn't be able to act against this principles in any circumstances. He actively avoided situations that would needed to stretch out his morality, limiting himself this way. There were things he would never be able to do because of his honor, even if it would help the long way. He was easy to read by other's because of this behaviour, since he always would choose the way of honor and trying to act as noble as possible. This made him an easy target to intrigue and Deception. Since he was willing to believe other's at first, often thinking, they act as noble as he does, he could be outplayed easily more then once. A situation, where he would have to choose between his honor and his own beliefs would be able to plunge him into madness, rendering him unable to act, since there would be no chance for him to escape this dilemma so easily.

Being a knightly example and living up to that his whole life the loss of Berrand Dayne had massive consequences for the ones, that are connected to him. His execution at the hands of Termacht, the Overblade, watched by Lady Serena herself, was one of the reasons of her downfall into madness afterwards, which then led to the Duchy of Ravenholm becoming cursed and even changed into one of the Domains of Dread.   His death also affected his family, with their name cursed by the Overlord after he blamed the sovereign in his final battle through his actions. They became enemies of the realm and traitors because of his behaviour, leading to his oldest son being unable to return home and taking his place as the next head of the family. This in turn led to his grandchildren living in secrecy, separated from each other and from the legacy of their family name. House Dayne of Ravenholm had fallen apart and their members were not much more then ratcatchers and cursed monsters, no longer honorable knights and warriors. It needed a long time to right the consequences of Berrand Dayne's actions. His progency, especially his grandchildren would be able to return the family name to it's former glory, but it would never be the same anyway.

Duke Reinhardt of Ravenholm

The Duke of Ravenholm was the noble man, Berrand Dayne swear his oath to, after he got knighted. Most of his life he followed the order's of Reinhardt, see him as a just and honorable ruler to the Duchy of Ravenholm. The two men were even friends, with Berrand being called to the court of the duke, to teach his daugther in the way of fighting, politics and heraldry. Duke Reinhardt trusted Berrand Dayne at the fullest and the knight was proud to serve his ruler. But in the last year of his regency, the relationship between the two changed drastically. Since Reinhardt was willing to sell the duchy to the usurper Ajax Varenius and even help him in his conqest, Berrand for the first time couldn't accept the decision. He never rebelled against his duke and since he died before Berrand would get into a situation, where he had to made a decision, he also never broke his oath, but he thought about it. In this moment, where he truly thought about giving up his oath, the trust between the two were gone forever. 

Duchess Serena of Ravenholm

The young duchess of Ravenholm, which Berrand know from the day of her birth. He watched her growing up in the castle of her family, becoming a protector and a good friend to the young girl. Her welcoming and heartwarming personality made him believing, that she would become a good ruler to the Duchy of Ravenholm one day. Later on he even would become a mentor in swordplay, politics and heraldry to her, teaching her strict and stoic, but also in a welcoming and friendly way. He always had an opened ear to her trouble, talking with her about things, she not could spoke to her father to. When she finally ascended to the throne of the duchy, he renewed his oath to her family, swearing to stay loyal to her to the end. He fulfilled that oath in the following years with all his heart, even when believing more and more, that the independence of Ravenholm couldn't be preserved. In a final act of loyalty he even accepted the invitation to a duel of honor against the Overlord's champion. He knew right from the start, he wouldn't be able to win, but he hoped, Serena watching him despising and opposing the might of the Overlord would inspire her to become a caring ruler, waiting for the perfect time to free Ravenholm from the tyranny of the usurper. He underestimated the madness, Serena would befell and in the end left her alone with her griefness and sorrow, leading to her downfall.

Kurdran Dayne

Kurdran Dayne is the oldest son of Berrand and was therefore the heir of House Dayne of Ravenholm at the time. Berrand was proud of his oldest son and wanted him to become a true knight, an honorable warrior and a steadfast leader of their house, following in his footsteps. From an early age on Berrand trained his oldest son in politics, history, heraldry and all the things, a leader would have to know to inherit his title and position one day. He even made a pact with a noble house in the Kingdom of Aurun, sending his son there as a ward to learn about the lifestyle of another kingdom, other noble structures and other points of view from outside the Duchy of Ravenholm. After Berrand lost his final duel against Termacht, the Overblade and blamed the whole family name in Aurun, Kurdran had to flee the noble family he lived in and went into hiding. Later on, he even had to became an adventurer and ratcatcher, unable to return to Ravenholm to take up his position as heir of the family name. Kurdran understood, why his father did, what he did, but he also knew, that Berrand fully ignored the consequences his behaviour would have on his son's and family and wasn't able to forgive that easily. 

Rukon Dayne

Rukon Dayne is the younger son of Berrand and never was meant to become the heir of the family. Berrand wanted him to become a noble knight and warrior of the Duchy of Ravenholm or a scholar or cleric of some sort to honor the family name and make them proud. Therefore he teached Rukon other things then his older son, giving him extensive training in swordplay and battle strategy, but not in politics and history. He was sure it would be Rukon's task to support Kurdran Dayne after he took up the position as heir of the family. But this would never come into fruition and with the death of Berrand Dayne and the blaming of their house as traitors, Kurdran never returned to Ravenholm. Since the Mists closed around the borders a while later, Rukon realized, that he had now to lead the family into an uncertain future. Not prepared for this task he did his best, always making the decision of honor and nobility, believing, this would've been, what his father would have done. He led the family into despair, cursing them as Vampires and trapping them in the fallen duchy forever, since he followed the path of loyalty to the very end. Rukon felt abandoned and lost from his father and never understood fully, why he sacrificed his family for the sake of his name and honor. This made him more and more fatalistic and an isolationist, unable to change the fate of the family to the better. 

Alexasar Dayne

Berrand never met his grandson Alexasar Dayne in his life, since he was born a long time after his death. But Alexasar and his twin sister Amelia Reginaux had to bear the consequences of the knight's act against the Overlord, living in secrecy and hiding because of their name alone. When Alexasar started his travels to become a real warrior and knight and even swear to defeat Termacht, the Overblade to avenge the death of Berrand, he heard about that even in the realms of Arborea. The goddess Erzaria had Alexasar chosen as his champion and when the young knight got brought into her realm, he got the chance to met him there in person. Berrand was proud about the fact, that Alexasar tried to continue the family's legacy as honorable knight and gave him his old signet ring, but also taking the promise, that he would travel to Dûadia one day and telling the knight-queen and the family there, that he died an honorable death. Later on, the remnants of Berrand's burden, his sadness, grief and sorrow about the things, he had done to his family because of his honor, would get cleansed by Alexasar too, when he defeated his echo in Ravenholm. Alexasar watches Berrand as the ideal he had to follow if he wants to become a true knight, but also learned about the mistakes, the other had made and so would get the chance to make it better. Berrand on the other hand is watching the journey of Alexasar from the afterlife, in deep hope, that his grandson would be able to right his fails and one day would take his place next to him, but first, when House Dayne of Ravenholm is finally restored and renewed.

Erzaria

Berrand Dayne was a follower of Erzaria, the Gladiatrix. This was mostly because of her tenets of faith, build around honorable fighting and noble behaviour, which he deeply shared as knight and warrior. Her tenets became an important part of his life and he adopted them into his own moral code, which he lived up to most of his life. He followed her teachings with such a passion, that Erzaria honored that with accepting him into her own personal realm, the Olympic Glades of Arborea after his death, to find peace among the most honorable and noble warriors of all time.

Berrand Dayne is a well educated and disciplined man, who learned the traditions of nobility and respect from an early age on. He always behave in a formal and respectful way to others, especially those equal to him or of higher status. But even around lower classes he is well known to be friendly and thankful for their hard work. He's known to always have an open ear to problems of others, may it been from nobles or lower classes alike. Berrand Dayne never tries to take the full attention in a room and prefers to stay in the background, representing his house by wearing the banners and through his behaviour, but only through words, if there is the necessity for it. He believes, that deeds are more important then words and live up to that philosophy in his while behaviour.

Berrand Dayne always speaks in calm tone, with a deep sonorous voice. He accentuates the words he is speaking carefully and never lift his voice or speak faster then necessary. He choose his words cautiously and it seems, he always thinks about them first, before he is speaking them out loudly. This behaviour of speech make conversations with him always noble and lofty, not rarely giving others the feeling to speak to a philosoph or scholar instead of a knight.