SA | Ares | Aodh | Chevalier

1/8/18 - new design, new art, updated geno/pheno!

Name: Ares III ("Ares")
Age: 18 years
Gender: Cis Male
Breed: Horse; Warlander cross (Andalusian/Fresian x Lippizan/Thoroughbred)
Height: 152cm/15hh at full-grown
Build/Features: Solid, quickly growing out of his knobbiness; extremely messy mane kept half-roached; not terribly preoccupied with his posture; often has bags under his eyes due to poor sleep; scruffy fur behind each hoof
Genotype: Ee/At/nTb/Lp+PATN
Phenotype: Seal Bay Tobiano Snowcap Appaloosa

Herd Affiliation: Aodh
Rank: Chevalier (past: Squire, Kindling)
Patron God: Ignacio
Religious Beliefs: Not terribly religious; Ignacio and the other gods are a backdrop to his life, though he may call upon them in desperate times; a big fan of fire, however
Blessing: LOCKED
Talents: LOCKED

Orientation: Heterosexual (cis- and trans-attracted)
Mate: none - not personally looking; open to marriage to a noble (any gender)
Father: Ares II (Andalusian x Fresian (Warlander) Unicorn / Sooty Black Roan Sabino)
Mother: Helena ( Lippizan x Thoroughbred Horse /  Grey on Chestnut Tobiano Snowcap Appaloosa)
Siblings: Athens (twin brother), ??? (younger sibling)
Other Relatives: unknown
Familiar: n/a

Location: Valore

Items: Basic Bridle

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Personality: Impulsive, aggressive, pessimistic, loyal, hard-working and determined, daring, mistrusting, rebellious.
    'Chevalier' is perhaps not the best career for Ares. Much like his namesake, he is aggressive, impulsive and daring to a fault. He won't hesitate to tell other commoners, Chevaliers, or slaves just what he thinks of them. Fights are not something he is a stranger to, though much hard discipline in the barracks and the training yard has trained him not to fight with his fellow Chevaliers-- or at least not to get caught doing it. Ares is extremely impulsive, more likely to jump into a bad situation than to think his way through it. The rush of fighting and running compels him in most situations where emotions do not.

Despite his tendency toward extreme emotional states, Ares often finds it difficult to handle the emotional states of others. They make him uncomfortable, grumpy, and more likely to leave someone crying alone than try to comfort or console them as his twin might. Likewise, he tends to not understand his own emotions well, often acting out without forethought. Pessimism is his default state, and he doesn't trust easily even among his own ranks.

He does, however, have certain strengths that set him apart. Ares is loyal almost to a fault when it really matters, though extremely selective as to who receives that loyalty. His stubbornness comes with a determination that often drives him to a breaking point or even injury. A harder-working stallion you will not find. One who has the trust of Ares has a true treasure indeed.

History
(trigger warning: implied abuse)
   Ares was born one half of a set of twins to a unicorn chevalier and a horse poppy farmer in the shining capital of Valore. From the beginning greatness was expected of him, and nothing less was tolerated. Ares, however, found himself rebelling even from a young age, lashing out in anger and frustration when he found himself struggling with schoolwork or the expectations of his parents. His father he found overbearing and strict, and his mother absent and preoccupied with the opinions of better people. He learned the differences in class at a fairly young age when, fresh out of Kindlehearth, he attempted to play with a slave child. The terrified child complied-- much to the joy of Ares, who flaunted his status as a citizen. Upon his father's furious discovery of the pair, Ares quickly learned that everyone had their place... and that playing with others' property was not his. The hipocracy was not lost on him: though commoners, his parents sought a higher class for their twin sons, and tried to raise them with dreams of marrying into nobility and thus raising them to House status-- and holding themselves to such standards. The perfection expected of him was not easy on Ares, and often his father came visiting their home to destruction Ares had wrought or news that he had avoided his remedial programs in school yet again; the punishment that followed was never something Ares wanted to remember.

Ares found himself in a near-constant state of angst in his late childhood and early teen years, which made his acceptance as a squire alongside his much more complacent and suitable twin all the more difficult on him. He was, however, glad to be away from the learning he found so difficult, despite having been urged into it by his father and his twin's desire to make the stallion happy. Ares eventually found joy in pushing himself to work hard in training, and to train longer into the night than his twin brother preferred.

On the visitation of his childhood home during his 15th year, Ares discovered that his mother had turned to wine as her comfort in her familys' absence, and that he had a younger sibling that looked nothing like his father-- and whom she seemed to finally show some degree of attention to despite (or perhaps because of) her alcoholism. Suddenly struck with the feeling of betrayal, he refused to visit his mother ever again.

Ares graduated to the rank of Chevalier alongside his twin just prior to the attack on the capital. The attack, followed by the death of the king, has made him hungry for war-- with Serora, with the Vagabonds, he doesn't care whom. Though he has grown past most of his early-teen angst, Ares still holds fast to the personality flaws and traits that make him who he is.

Notes: 
- Teke is gold, occasionally gold and red
- Hates reading due to his learning difficulties
- Has difficulty dealing with the emotions of others
- Sleep issues - nightmares, occasional insomnia 
- Difficulty paying attention while learning or during conversations he finds boring
- Has a soft spot for slaves, though he doesn't believe in change; supporter of the branding
- Actually hates most of being a Chevalier, and is rather lax on lawbreakers unless provoked
- Complains about the itchy barracks cots like a lot
- Constantly rebelling against his father without trying to seem blatant about it
- Reverse psychology is amazingly effective on him
- Doesn't give up easily - will push himself to colapse even through injury
- Argues with his twin a lot, though they're actually really close and he'd defend him at any cost
- Is actually a fraternal twin, but struggles for individuality due to having the "same face" as his brother
- Like really annoyed at his father's insistance that he and his twin marry upward in status as soon as possible
- Favors the sword and dagger
- Actually p good at dancing due to his mother's fancy feet, though he'd rather die than do that
- Really rowdy and rebellious