Red Guilderson

• Race: Half-Westerner, half-Human (appears Human)

• Age: 25

• Home: Originally from Veltrand, now nomadic

• Pillar: Dhynn (The First)

Background

Roderick "Red" Guilderson is an earnest healer who wants to bring the world together in the benevolent community of the First.

Red doesn't know where he was born, only that his mother Andrea emerged out of the waste in the north among a tide of refugees, badly wounded and close to death. She made her way to her parents' dwelling in Veltrand, which she had left five years before to go to Mercayen and make a living. After the Westerner invasion, Red's grandparents feared the worst--and their fears were realized when their daughter appeared on their doorstep, cradling their grandson in her arms, his skin scab-red and forehead just showing the hints of horns. "Take care of him," she begged, before falling into a fever from which she never recovered.

His grandfather, Albus Guilderson, was a proud man who had made his way into the Veltrand administration as an accountant. He knew what the neighbors would think--but he also knew this was to be his only descendent. He and his wife, Katya, discussed what to do in hushed tones over candlelight. They decided their grandson would live as a human--his heritage be damned.

They therefore enlisted the services of a magician in the neighborhood to craft a ring that would disguise their grandson as a human boy. It commanded a heavy price, but Albus knew the life of such a child would be short otherwise. Katya then raised the boy as their own, with his playmates none the wiser--though he quietly wondered why some (the more perceptive) ran in terror when they saw him, and there were many hasty apologies about tricks of the light.

With these slips in mind, Albus engaged his son in the tutelage of a magician, the better to develop his skills at illusion. The boy proved a natural talent at magic (although had little interest in illusion beyond self-disguise), and soon surpassed his mentor, moving on to study further under one of the city's most renowned wizards. But even as he studied, finding magic as natural as assembling jigsaws, he wondered why he was not like others. He began to resent the secrecy under which he lived, the way his grandparents watched him with a glint of fear.

Seeking companionship, Red fell in with a rougher crowd--a gang of petty thieves who were tangentially connected to the Heretic's empire. He learned from them the basics of larceny and stealth, although his inherent clumsiness made him a poor fit for the profession. He instead won their favor through his use of magic, particularly healing, which came in handy after street brawls, and earth magic, used to conceal hideouts or perform burglaries. By the time he was a young adult, Red had come to trust these ruffians--nearly a fatal mistake.

Sure that his compatriots would accept him for what he was, Red revealed his true nature to the gang. But to his horror, they immediately sought to kill him as an enemy agent. After beating him badly, they tried to throw him off a bridge, but he was saved by the intercession of a priest of the First. Recovering under the man's care, Red found for the first time that he was treated as an equal, not someone to be hidden away or persecuted. He resolved to give up his felonious ways and join the First, to spread the pillar's message of acceptance to all.

Bidding his grandparents goodbye, Red set off to attune to the First. He remained in the city for a time, enjoying the company of the community and ministering to the needy. But his adventure truly began when he saw the pillar display an image of Equinos chained by Leshrac. Red felt a strange urge to find out more about this image, and travelled to Brenthia to learn the truth. It was there that he determined the Silver Foxes were responsible for turning back the centaurs, and he decided to join this group that had done so much good for the world.

Over the course of his adventures, Red has learned more about his heritage. After discovering the existence of an underground Westerner community on the continent, Red made contact with a group near Dionastra. While at first he hesitated to learn more about his father, believing the worst, he discovered over time that the Westerners were honorable for all their brutality. He eventually resolved to find out more about his father, Gorsach, who it appeared had fallen in love with his human mother--high treason in the Westerner code. His father's whereabouts are still unknown.

Notable Features

Having long mastered the art of self-disguise (although never terribly inventive with it), no trace of Red's unusual heritage is evident, save for size. He appears as a human man of unusual height (about 6'4") with a lanky, clumsy frame. His vestments of the First are simple but well cared for.

In a spare moment, one would usually find Red reading a tome of arcane trivia, or praying to the First.

Personality

Red is above all a devout follower of the First. He has taken the piller's message of acceptance and tolerance to heart, and firmly believes in doing good for others. He also maintains a stringent moral code, rejecting necromantic and blood magic as perversions of the Mother's intent. While he can be convinced to overlook some transgressions for the greater good, Red sees himself as the moral compass of the party, and tries to exert a positive influence whenever he can.

Feelings towards PCs

• Glad: Red has often clashed with Glad over his impulsive approach to situations and use of dark magic, and he is firmly opposed to Chracio's disregard for individual life. However, he has come to value Glad's fervent support of his people. They may not see eye to eye on most issues, but Red knows Glad would have his back in a fight, and extends the same courtesy.

• Haas: Red respects Haas greatly, both for her leadership and because she long kept his identity secret. While he may not always agree with Vulsh's predatory approach, he shares Haas's view that the viewpoints of different pillars are each worthy of respect. To Red, the diversity of pillars is a symbol of the Mother's plan for the world.

• Frax: Red thinks of Frax as a reliable ally. He is quite curious about the Silvestri people, but has not pressed the issue, respecting their need for privacy.

• Maus: While he appreciates Maus's mastery of illusion magic from an academic standpoint, Red is less certain of Maus's motives with regard to the Weaver. But so long as he helps keep Glad in check, Red is willing to overlook such alliances.