Profile of Brann

Earthen tones drape across the man’s shoulders like a cloak, the hood of that very same cloak shadowing a masked face. His undersides hold a lighter, off-white tone, not quite a cream color. Brann is a dark oak tree split open to reveal the fragile, young wood within; oaken branches taken in the form of a medium-sized wolf. His coat is thick and heavy, almost shaggy from the highland’s weather.

His bodice is touched only by the scars that denote life — nothing stands out as particularly noteworthy; there is no grievous trauma to speak of, only the hard life of a highlander. His gait is smooth and sure-footed, often a quick-paced step that holds some confidence despite his tendency to be a bit self-critical.

Two-tone eyes look out at the world; the inner portions of his irises hold a golden hue, while the outer side closer to his ears holds a bright, watery blue. His voice is a thickly accented sound, a heavy husk of a baritone that always comes out warm, despite his somewhat closed-off nature towards strangers.

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In the second battle of the war of 1710, Brann suffered a horrid wound to the side of his neck, that due to low HP, caused permanent damage. It left an ugly scar that is visible despite the thickness of his fur, the swath of scar tissue not growing fur anymore. Beneath the surface, nerve damage has occurred that has resulted in him not being able to lift his head beyond the height of his shoulders, and unable to turn his head to the right at all.

Fluent in Common Tongue && Gaelic.

The man has many personality traits that could easily be ascribed to him, but the following five make the most sense and are the most defining traits he has to offer. Brann, above all else, is a man loyal to his family, despite any political affiliations — that being said, he is a staunch Jacobite as befitting a Highlander, and wants to see his people — but more so, his family — prosper and be able to live their lives as they see fit. While currently affiliated with the Commonwealth, Brann holds sway over his family as their Chieftain and holds that duty as a thing of utmost importance. Family comes before all, in Brann’s mind, and anything that would harm them is something he would not do.

But, Brann is Brann, and he is unapologetically himself, despite being a tad self-critical. He questions himself a lot, although, over his short life, he’s learned that things tend to go well whenever he follows his gut. He tends to second-guess himself in many matters of his personal life but does not allow himself to do so with his duties as head of his small family. He is not vocal about the criticisms that he has for himself, and tends to keep those hidden from most unless they learn what to look for in the set of his features or the tone of his voice.

Above all, Brann is determined, and that determination has gotten him far in life. Perhaps, aside from being the first-born of the litter, is why he was given the position of head of the family after the passing of his father. His father saw something in the young man that he wanted to see flourish and prosper, and perhaps without that push from his father, Brann never would have turned into the determined man that he is. But, determination does not equal ambition, and neither equal a willingness to do harm unto others for the gain of either himself or his family. He does not wish to bring suffering to others, just for his own to get ahead. That being said, however, Brann is a man who would do anything for his family, and his determination pushes him far in that want.

Loyalty was borderline beaten into the man from birth — loyalty to the cause, loyalty to the family above all else. Brann is a man, who, for outsiders, his loyalty is hard to garner, and just as easy to lose if he sees something wrong that is not rectified. His loyalty, however, once gained for outsiders, is unwavering just so long as they do not do harm unto others without just cause. He is guarded with his loyalty, not handing it out to just anyone. But, once it is gained, or if they are family, his loyalty is steadfast and hard to break. In short, don’t let your actions be the deciding factor as to whether or not Brann should be loyal to you.

Like many a-Highlanders, Brann is superstitious , viewing the natural world as holding much more power than any mortal wolves could hold. He believes strongly in the Fae. He has been known to try to appease them when things seem to simply be going wrong, and more so, he seems to be a man of faith in this regard. Although, what he believes in is a guarded secret for him. Perhaps it is the Fae and the power they hold over the natural world, or, perhaps it is something higher. That is for Brann to know, and for others to never truly figure out.

Brann is an out-spoken man, who never hesitates to speak his mind, despite his self-critical nature. He will speak out for what he believes to be right, and will more often than not choose to die upon the hills that he stands upon than bow to anyone else’s opinions when he knows what is right. His strong moral compass shows readily through his outspokenness. He seems to be a man with little fear, outwardly at least, and is often the first to speak in social situations.

The MacCròin Clan have always been a small group, their numbers never quite as large as some families within Rionnach. But what they lack in size, they make up for in love and loyalty for each other, and pride in their Highlander roots. They are a superstitious group, holding heavy beliefs in the natural balance of the natural world; they do what they can to not disrupt that balance, giving thanks for the small plot of land and the few dug dens that they call home beneath the roots of a few large trees.

Cailean married to a woman of a neighboring family, after having set out on his own to find a mate. He charmed the young woman’s father, and secured her hand in marriage — but that isn’t to say that their whirlwind romance hadn’t already started in its own little way. Cailean brought home his new wife several months later. After the death of his father, he took his seat at the head of the family, nearly a year into his marriage to Ceana.

Another year would pass before Ceana would fall pregnant.

In the Spring of 1707, Ceana would give birth to three pups — triplets, almost identical save for one that had a lighter tone, although the same markings. Any further differences between the pups wouldn’t be noted until they opened their eyes; the one named Brann showed both of his parent’s eye colors in his eyes, while his siblings showed the colors of only their mother.

Those early months were peaceful, the family sticking to themselves despite the political turmoil that was ravaging the rest of Rionnach. That is, until the Rebellion.

Cailean went to battle, returning at the end with grievous wounds that would lead to his demise; an infection that never seemed to heal, festered, and brought the mighty and proud warrior to his knees, and took his last breath from him in a ragged battle cry — a flashback, perhaps, but a warrior’s way out nonetheless.

In the aftermath of Cailean’s death, Brann took his place at the helm of the MacCroin Clan, trying his best to do his father proud. The family stays mostly to themselves now, although there is no official rule saying they cannot go out and explore — only the unspoken expectation that family comes first…

With the tales of something new brewing that would bring honor back to the Highlanders, Brann finds himself in a tricky situation. Does he pledge his allegiance to the king he knows to be the rightful one, or does he keep his head down, and stay quiet for the sake of his family? A conundrum that Brann faces daily, as he sees the brewings within the Highlands.

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Brann, before the turmoil of 1710, met a stranger who would become one of the best friends that he’d ever had — Cory. The two became close, and eventually, Brann developed feelings for the other. Post-protest, Brann admitted his feelings beneath the Wisteria trees, surrounded by fireflies — a truly romantic gesture, in a way.

Time moved on, and the two managed to become closer.

Brann partook in the second battle of the War of 1710, where he sustained life-changing injuries. Cory helped him get nursed back to health, but in truth, the damage that was done was not something that could be fixed, leaving Brann permanently scarred, and unable to move his head in the way that he could before.

He hopes that now as a citizen of Saora, life can go back to some semblance of ‘normal.’ He wishes to see where things go with Cory, curious as to where such a path can lead him…