Leon Mane

Adept Swordsman

The Sword Award

Received for always upholding Chivalry and Honor in his every action for his many months in KOB

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Leon Mane A History
As Written by Severian Silvermane

Where do I begin to tell the tale of Leon Mane, I do not truly know. When he first joined the Knights of Britannia, or further back to his first introduction to the man who would guide him on the straight and narrow road of justice and honor, Lord Bale Guild master of the Noble order of KoB. I think not, for to tell the whole truth we have to understand more of the man and less of the Knight he has become.

Born into a Noble family, he was thought the ways of the warrior from a very young age and as a Youth could handle a sword as a child would a simple toy. This was understandable since he was the Son and heir to one of the greatest Knights the northlands had ever seen, Sir Teradyne Mane, captain of the king’s guard now retired. His sire was a stern but compassionate man and was proud of the twins that were born to him. On their day of birthing he named them Dawn and Rory, for one was beautiful and the light of his life and the second, well, he was a noisy little fellow with a healthy pair of Lungs. Contrary to their birth names, Dawn was the adventurous one and Rory was the follower. Their father treating them as equals schooled both in the arts of warfare, but in the barren land in which they lived it was forbidden for a man to strike a woman so that the training for Dawn had to end on her naming day. This was always one month earlier for girls than boys, since it was well known that they matured faster. So it was that on their twelfth summer they took their true names and parted ways. Dawn became Cathriana Mane, after her Mother they all said (but the twins knew it was because of her quick reflexes and her sharp and deadly attacks, for Dawn had chosen to call herself Cat). Cat went away that month and the twins would not meet for another 8 years, for Cat had been honored with the position as a Squire in the Crystal Guards. An Elite guard made up of female warriors, sworn to defend the Lord of the Northern Host, Sir Duke Frost. The Guards had always been women and was one reason why it was punishable by death to raise a sword against a woman. Rory was never the same afterwards. Parted from his sister, his friend, he was broken and somewhat lost, for the eyes of the young do not see the future but only the now of time.

It was not long afterwards that Rory too took his place in the adult world, and he took for a name, that which is the King of all the Great cats, in remembrance of his sister, and born that day was Leon Mane. There would be no Glorious position at court for Leon as there had been for Cat, for he was the soul heir to the title of his father, and as such he needed to stay and learn how to defend his home and guide his people.

The eight years passed by and indeed the defense of the homeland was not easy and Leon grew strong in arm and Body. He grew tall and he grew broad and his mind was cultured each day by his Mother. A woman of gentle demeanor but hidden power. Many battles were fought for life and land, great hoards of Orcish raiders, creatures both hideous and brazen, villains and Knaves all set upon them but to each the Sword of Justice dealt a harsh sentence. For side by side father and son fought like an army and were almost unstoppable. It was in the year of the Golden Fox, that his sister returned on 3 months leave. She had been grievously wounded during a defense from an attack on the king. But Cat was no longer a kitten but a Panther. She was magnificent in her splendor for she had grown into a woman of great beauty and power, and had attained the highest honor ever known to one so young, for she was the captain of the Crystal guards.

But it was not his sisters return that took his breath away, for by here side was her bodyguard, a female Knight and a beauty beyond description, and her name was Chrysalis Silvermane. Where Cat was the beauty of the land and the Forest, a beauty most corporeal, this new woman was frightening in her beauty, she was of the Wind and the air, she was a beauty of an Ethereal nature. She came from the far distant eastern islands of the realm and was very protective of her charge, Cat. She disdained Leon’s very presence and was outraged at his familiar way towards her captain. Leon too felt agitated at being treated like some second class citizen. It was obvious what would happen, for no one can prevail over Destiny that Goddess of the threads, for everyone but them could see that they had fallen in Love. Leon had little experience with the finer points of romance, with kitchen girls and young maidens of questionable virtue being his only companions in love. But Love conquers all barriers and within a week of their meeting they consummated their Love. Time is a fickle spirit, lasting forever during our times of greatest suffering and whisking by in the blink of an eye when we are full of joy. So it was that time passed quickly and the day of partings was close at hand. Leon had known such great Love that he could not bear to part from Chrysalis, but his honor would not let him stop her, for he knew of her love for her captain and her order. It was on this day of parting when THEY struck, and it was on this day that the entire known world turned upside down.

Leon had been protected from all knowledge of the Mystic arts, and the tales spoken under cover of night in hidden children’s dens could not prepare him for what he saw. At first there was a ringing noise, almost musical and there was a great vibration in the air. His sister tensed and without warning started to speak strange words of great power. Leon stood there dazed, shock and fear his only companions. Chrysalis looked at her beloved, a great sorrow welled in her eyes as tears of passion flowed across pale cheeks. "Leave now, and bring your family from this place, Death has found us and we are lost."

On the very hill they had lived and played as youths, a image appeared, a pale Blue light almost oval in shape and from this stepped forth a woman of slight form dressed in a robe of purest marine, flowing like water. She looked around her and spotted the group just as Teradyne came forth, Leon’s mother Catherina following close behind

Cat finished her incantation and it was then that the Beast stepped forth. It was huge, Three times the height of any normal man, with a sword as tall as Leon. A battle roar no mortal beast could bring forth came from deep within the creature’s chest and fear took shape. It’s wings spread out behind it huge form and what was once day became night as it set upon them. Suddenly in front of the Beast the very earth came up to meet it. A creature seemingly made of the very rocks of their lands took shape. Chrysalis too had completed an incantation and from the very sky came forth a creature of wind. Then beside him Leon saw his mothers’ arms move and her words of power came forth like thunder. A third creature appeared from the small lake to the left of the hell spawn, and the battle was joined. The Woman on the hill could be heard speaking, almost to herself, when suddenly a creature of fire and ash materialized to intercept the water elemental. The Battle that was waged in those fields of his youth was furious and Leon just stood there and watched, amazed. Cat and Chrysalis drew their blades and shields of the silver serpent and set upon the Monster, Sir Teradyne moved passed with an air of an unstoppable force and Leon looked on amazed. Sir Teradyne was seen to struggle with the words so eloquently executed by the others, there was a strange sound like a cats rough Purr and the Earth around his father’s heels swirled in a small spiral as if by a wind, but there was none. "Damn the Mystic Arts, let my sword do my talking." Was all that his Lord Father could say before he too joined the fray sword in hand. The woman on the hill was struggling with some hidden force and looking behind him, Leon saw that his Mother too was in great pain, for the struggle they were engaged in was on the level of spirits and not on this mortal plane. What was a man to think who had never before seen the mystic arts being used.

Leon was clad in nothing but light ranging leathers, his sword lay inside untouched as the beast struck his love, as she staggered in confusion while in battle with that dreaded fiend. The battle was long and hard, the victory was in the balance just as his Love lost her last breath. Cat had been hit hard, and Chrysalis had thrown herself into the path of the killing blow, and in defense of her Captain she died. The battle raged on, Leon moved forward almost immune to the sights and sounds, numbed by pain and shock. Her eyes so full of life were empty now, seeing nothing, her perfect self a mere shell. He knelt down in the blood of battle and closed those eyes once so beautiful. Then taking her sword he strode forth towards the woman on the hill. Behind him the battle was going against them. The father and daughter were hard pressed and smoke could be seen coming from the closed eyes of the Lady Catherina. The lady on the hill, although she did not open her eyes, knew he was coming. She pointed forwards and a bolt of lighting came forth to strike him down, but it did not. The Spell struck him, encompassed him but instead of falling dead he felt a strange new power within him, something he had never felt before. He knew Chrysalis was there with him guiding him and he let her teach him, and through the sheer power of his own will death was deflected, to strike back at his attacker. At this moment Catherina went down screaming in pain. Momentarily shocked by the reply, the sorceress stepped back and prepared a mystic barrier as Leon raised the sword on high. She smiled a sickly smile, but the grin stopped half way from completion as she recognized the blade. For it was forged by ‘The Armourer’. It had been known by many names, but in this time it was known as "Elbarate Righteous Anger". The blade sliced through her barrier as if there were none and the head of the creature before him slid clear of its body and all was silence. The day was won but at a great cost. Chrysalis was dead, Catherina blinded, and Cat was wounded unto death. Only her father’s knowledge of the healing arts saved her. Once released from it mistresses bonds, the daemon escaped and was later hunted down to destruction by a contingent of the armored Knights.

Leon would not understand what had happened for his mind would never let him. That day his heart turned cold, he had died as his love had died. He was brought before the justices for striking down a woman, for even unto evil, justice rules, for no one is above the Law. His fathers’ history, his sisters’ position of authority and his loss were all taken into account, as was the evil he had ended, so that instead of being put to death, he was spared and sent into exile. He would never be allowed to return home, to see those he loved. But his heart was as stone and he could not think. "Why had he been so weak?" "If only I had the knowledge, the power, I may have been able to help". These were the thoughts that ran through his confused mind as he left behind the world that was all he knew and set forth on the path to a Destiny Unknown. Before leaving, his Father passed into his hands a shield wrapped in oiled leathers. "Go forth my son, and when you have found your destiny open this gift and know that I shall always hold you close to my heart." Leon took with him the Sword of his beloved and set forth in search of her kinsmen in the East, hoping to find some way to ease the pain of his loss. He did eventually meet with Severian Silvermane the Bard but as always, that is another story.

Time passed and he earned a living doing basic labors and odd jobs. He wandered the roads of the North Country, searching for knowledge of the mystic arts but it was not practiced much and was spoken of even less in those parts. Then one day he was fortunate enough to meet with a Lord of fine character and outstanding compassion. The Lord Bale of KoB took this youth under his wing. Teaching him the ways of Justice and honor, teaching him that there was both good and evil in this world and that it was up to the few strong to ensure that justice lived on. He spoke of great battles and wrongs made right and Leon was inspired by his words. He trained each day, vitality poured back into him as his purpose became known to him, he would join this band of Noble warriors and defend this land against all that is unjust and evil. He would become a Knight of Britannia.

And so it was, that he set forth along the path of justice. Always remembering to be humble yet never giving into fear nor thought of evil. It was through KoB that he once again came to love life and friendship, to warm to the embrace of his new family. Lord Bale soon passed on and was succeeded by the Noble Sir Sirus and Leon grew. But through it all he would never forget his beloved family and most of all his lost Love, his only love until the day he follows on the Grey path. Ah, I forgot the shield, but those of you who know Leon, already know that story……. ;)