Noctis Ryder

 "What are man's true limits?  Are all that we sacrifice truly worth it in the end, even if it means your humanity?  These questions, for me, may never be answered.."

- Noctis Ryder

A Boy Abandoned
Perseus Sypor was born to a peasant mother in Pollinvneach; his father, a Zarosian Eastern nobleman of the Sypor Family, abadoned the two due to the child's illegitimacy to the House. Perseus grew up in the harsh conditions of the desert, stealing food and water so that he and his mother may leave day to day. He was a naturally gifted climber, and at age 14, he was even quite infamous by the city guard due to the boy's multiple arrests and beatings by the law enforcement.

Perseus continued his life as a little renegade until his mother passed due to sun poisoning when he was 17. After he buried his mother, Perseus ventured to Al Kharid, where he was immediately enlisted to a local Mercenary group to make coin. Perseus' skills with a blade where remarkable, even for his age, that even the richest of nobles of the city hired for him personally. His new life seemed grand, until an unsual contract came his way.

The First Contact of the Ryders
Perseus, age 25, was tasked with delivering a strange package to the village of Nardah from an indisclosed sender. The coin paid well, so Perseus mounted upon his camel and treaded deep within the Ryderian Khardian Empire. Within a span of three days,  Ryder Praetorii ambushed Persues, who himself killed three until he was knocked unconscious by Octavius Ryder, a Lord Commander.

He was brought before Emperor Jason Ryder, who was given the package of a letter that was edged in poison. Jason turned to Perseus and asked him what he knew about the package. Perseus claimed he knew nothing and in return, was beaten by Jason until he fell into a deep state of unsciousness. Thrown into the Nardah village prison, Perseus laid there, bloodied and cold.

Night fell, leaving one Ryder Praetorian alone in the prison with Perseus. He called out to the guard, mocking him, which provoked the guard to anger and opened his cell to deliver a beating. Perseus quickly tackled the guard, ripping off his helmet and using it as a blugeon to effectively kill the guard. He then sprinted off into the desert deep in the night, senseless in the direction of where he might run.

Two days past, and Perseus fell into the sands of exhaustion and dehydration. A convoy of Ryder troops under the Emperor himself found him lying in the sands. Jason kneeled down and looked upon the man and ordered his troops to take him back to Nardah to be fitted and outfitted to be a Praetorian. Perseus was taken back to Nardah, where he was fed, cleaned, and forcefuly enlisted into the Ryder military.

The Pollivneach Rebellion
James Craven, the appointed governor of Pollivneach, rallied his people to rebel against the Empire, in hopes that they might earn freedom and over throw the Emperor. Praetorians, under the command of Perseus launched a assault directy at the north gates of Pollivneach, while Jason took a flanking group to the south. The city was effectively taken, and James Craven was dismissed from the Empire.

Perseus was then promoted to Lieutenant, and given a small batallion to command. However, the rebellion too it's toll on the Empire, and within a few months, more uprisings would occur. Emperor Jason Ryder decided to relinquish the lands to the Khardians for a large sum of gold, and the Ryders left for their Tower.

The Induction into the Ryders
Jason found favor with two of his Praetorian Lieutenants, and asked them both for his council. Perseus and a woman named Joan showed, and Jason requested them to kneel, drawing his sword. He bestowed upon them the blessing of House Ryder, and knighted them as Lord/Lady Defenders of the House. However, upon his oath, Perseus wanted to abadone the name his father gave him. Thus, the name 'Noctis Ryder' was given unto him as a symbol of his abandoning his traitorous House, and into the Ryders.

The Inseperable Three
Noctis knew of Joan before, as she served under him during the Pollivneach invasion. The two, though completely incompatible with each other at first, grew to be good friends, along with Brutus Letum, a 'golem' in the Ryder ranks. Noctis, Joan, and Brutus both fought on the lines together in many battles, but also, spent the majority of their time talking through many personal problems that occured from the day to day. It would seem these three were to never seperate.

The Return of the Ryders into Kandarin
King Vectis Vekon's, the new crowned king, one of many 'first' decrees was the immediate removal of the banishment of te Ryders and allowed them to return to Camelot, their original home. Jason served as one of Vectis' generals, and the military prospered with the new Ryder/Vekon relationship. During this time, Oliver Ryder, the infamous mahjarrat who once enslaved the Ryders, began showing signs of appearing once more.

Jason rallied his Ryders together in the castle as a large 'hurricane' swept into the city. Behind the walls, the howling of winds and rain roared and echoed within the halls. Eventually, the doors of the Castle could not hold the rain, and the castle began taking in water fast. Noctis stepped forth, drawing his swords, and called out to Oliver to show himself, as Jason mysteriously disappeared. Joan and Brutus folowed suit, and the tree exited the castle, into the pouring rain to face their enemy.

Hordes of undead came too meet them, as the three engaged the legion and decimated them until they were forced to retreat further into the city. Many citizens of the city laid dead, and the city itself was in ruin. As the rain poured and many undead came pouring into the city, Noctis, Joan, and Brutus were seperated, leaving Noctis completely alone. As he ran to meet the others, Noctis found a little girl hanging on a tree by an arrow that pierced her sternum. Noctis wept bitterly at the sight, dropping his swords and falling to his knees.

The rain and hordes suddenly stopped. Noctis slowly walked through the corpses back to the Castle, to find Oliver and Jason both 'dead', and the Ryders surrounding the two. Jason, however, still was clinging to life, so the Ryders rushed him into the Castle, where they treated him back to health. Noctis was then promoted to Lord Commander, but what he had seen that night would change him forever.

The Betrayal
Vectis Vekon over ruled his previous ruling and ordered the immediately genocide of House Ryder. The Ryders were over run by Kandar troops, and the survivors fled to Misthalin for refuge. They found a temple deep within the southern forests, and the group settled and made it their home. There, Noctis found his breaking point.

Noctis, tired of the death and betrayal, went deep into the forests to meditate on his thoughs, hiding the fact that he was a Zarosian from the others. Joan secretly followed him and discovered his secret, but instead of rejecting him, the two bonded even more as Noctis confided to her. What was once a bond of friendship, became that of love, and the two shared their first kiss that very night.

The Star-Crossed Lovers
Noctis and Joan both knew the price for their involvement. Immediate execution or banishment. However, the two hid their love in secret, and often met behind Jason's back.

The threat of Kandarin hit home once more, as their location was discovered by Vectis and an assault was launched. The Ryders narrowly escaped with many casualties, and Noctis and Joan were briefly seperated. Noctis, desperate to ensure that Joan was alive and safe, decided to break all morality.

Noctis spoke with Jason in secret, discussing how he may claim more power. Jason revealed that there was a spell... a dark spell that could grant Noctis more power than he could ask for. However, the cost was his life... and a chance at eternal damnation in the Shadow Realm.

Noctis agreed, and brought himself before Vectis Vekon, where he 'willingly' died in the Castle's halls. The body was foolishly sent back to the Ryders, where Jason completed the ritual... but there was a time delay. His soul dwelled deep into the Shadow Realm and his hold on his humanity began to slip. The ritual granted him the door, but first, he would need to find it.

The Realm of Shadow
The Shadow Realm tortured and twisted Noctis' soul as the various demons and enchantments had there way with him. Decades, it seems, past before the once human soul became that of a shade. Noctis' soul embodied the shadow, right when Noctis discovered his way out. The ritual completed, and Noctis soul was transfered to his body, that was protected by a ward to slow down the rotting. Noctis awoken, angry and malicious.

He terrorized the Ryders for a brief moment, but more targeted was his lover, Joan Ryder. Twisted by the realm, he haunted her until Jason summoned him once again. Jason performed another ritual, that 'healed' the broken spirit, which also took away a large amount of his power. Although part of his humanity was lost, Noctis had been granted arcane power, but at a terrible cost.

The Return of the Ryders II
The Ryders fell into hiatus as they were being hunted. Many changed their aliases, others disappeared entirely. Noctis, Jason, and Joan remained, however, and a grand summoning of the surviving Ryders was called. Noctis was placed just under Jason in the Ryder hiararchy, and given the rights to the Ryder throne upon Jason's death.

Oliver also made a return, but under the control of Jason. Oliver acted as the Ryder's informant and advisor, slowly guiding them to his grip. Noctis found Oliver and Joan talking with one another, which prompted Noctis to action.

The two, Noctis and Oliver, engaged in an explosive arcane battle in the North Misthalin forest. The trees set ablaze, the earth crumbled, and the sky darkened as the two powerful casters fought a deadly fight to the death. The duel seemed to be standing at a stale mate, neither besting the other, until Oliver summoned forth all his arcane power and brought Noctis to his knees. Oliver told Noctis that he would spare him, and Joan, if he submitted to him. Noctis submitted reluctantly, thus began his 'service'.