Soren
From Mare Tectum
Soren Kolinkar is a young human wizard. Once, the Kolinkar family was powerful in Taguan, but during the last three generations the family fortunes have slipped, such that they're now merely influential merchants. Soren is the third and youngest child. Since he's really smart but third in line, he'd ordinarily be destined to run the family accounting some day. The only problem was that he doesn't care one whit about business.
What he does care about is magic and adventure. As a young child he trilled to tales of explorers and heroes. When he learned that he had an aptitude for magic, it became his life's dream to become a wizard and seek adventure. Fortunately, Soren had one thing that most children his age in his position never get: parents who loved him and had sufficient money to let him pursue his dream.
His parents couldn't, however, get him a proper apprenticeship with a capable wizard. Soren still doesn't know if the family's inquiries were deflected by rival merchants and politicians, or if they simply lacked the money. At that time the city of Taguan was indulging in an experiment; the city had recently established the Taguan College Arcane in an attempt to rival the Keldar Academy of Alchemy in Porza.
Soren enrolled, and quickly became known within its halls as one of its brightest students. He thrilled to persuits of the mind, mastering the principles of history, magic, and arcane theory. He voraciously studied anything he could about the wider world, mysterious locations, and pre-cataclysmic theories. By the time his education was completed, several of his instructors considered him the most promising student the College Arcane had yet produced.
He is handicapped in the wizardly community, however, because his obvious skill and intelligence is counterbalanced by his lack of a traditional education -- simply put, some wizards won't believe in what he has to contribute because he didn't apprentice with a respected wizard. This same bias may even trickle over to other vocations that pass knowledge from master to apprentice.
Soren is learned enough to know a lot about his specialty and at least a little bit about a lot of other stuff, but he's wise enough to know he has little practical experience. The Chancellor Arcane has arranged for Soren to accompany and assist Trefelin on his journey. Because Soren hasn't come through the traditional master/apprentice system, Trefelin and his apprentice/s may not trust him.
Soren is friendly and outgoing, yet studious and bookish. He is enthusiastic and optimistic, with a thirst for experience and a craving for adventure. His greatest dream is to live as exciting a life as possible before one day returning to the College Arcane to share his experiences with another generation of wizards.
Soren is a thin human of medium height. He has bright blond hair that's slightly long and unkempt.His eyes are blue, displaying a friendly sparkle keen intelligence. He wears traditional wizard's robes and caries a staff festooned with arcane symbols. Vormithraxes, his dragonling familiar (an untyped dragon who's iridescent brown scales show hints of copper, brass, and gold) can often be seen crouched on his shoulder, curled on the tip of his staff, or perched nearby.
