Adrian Rorsche

Born in 14th century Italy, Adrian Rorsche was a mighty and heroic knight who dedicated himself to protecting the weak. This instinct even extended towards those who would normally be considered monstrous. He found an injured infant dragon one day and helped it back to his home. Years later, Adrian followed a distress call to a cave, where he was ambushed by bandits who fabricated the crisis to lure him in and rob him for his expensive armor. He was left bleeding and dying on the ground, reflecting that the same people he dedicated his life to saving just tried to kill him for no reason other than greed, taking advantage of his altruism. However, it turned out that Cembryne, the mother of the dragon he had saved, resided in the cave, and offered the brave knight survival and power in exchange for service to her. Adrian Rorsche swore an oath and was bathed in her blood, becoming a Daigh of Cembryne, his healed body thrumming with the magical power of the greatest of monsters. Being saved by a dragon and forsaken by humans, Adrian began to look down on man, ashamed that he was once one, seeing them as a species full of sin that will ruin the world they were increasingly gain influence in. As time passed, he was horrified at the gradual power mankind was building, their presence casting out the great supernatural beings who could no longer rule the earth, driving away, banishing, destroying, and sealing many. Humans are creatures that will backstab the strongest and bravest of them, he figured, and the world left in their hands would not survive long. However, there was little he could do about this. He did not have ambitions so lofty as changing the world. He built his power in the world of man when he was not serving his patron. Eventually, Cembryne decided to take up territory in a newly discovered continent, where less human meddling occured. Flying to California, where Adrian would soon follow, much slower, she was soon severely injured and had to burrow deep down into hibernation, the state she was in when he landed in the new world. Adrian now dedicated himself to finding a way to awaken his adopted “Mother”, building power and influence so she would have a kingdom to awaken to. He gathered a group of friends and allies known as the Red Sky Trust, promising them all rewards with Cembryne’s magic. They became one of the most powerful factions in the West over the decades, absorbing smaller groups, keeping leadership intact and demanding tribute, and gaining control of numerous local human politicians. Adrian has known several of his Red Sky Trust inner circle since they were children, and has developed close bonds with many, most of all Ruach, his lover and head of their political operations. A powerful and menacing presence, Adrian Rorsche’s name is respected and feared by anyone who knows what is good for them.

Appearance
A massive man with stark handsome features, Adrian stands at 6'5, olive skinned body encased in thick muscle. He has medium length reddish-brown hair that is not neatly combed. A burning scar paints the right side of his face, which Adrian made himself just before acquiring the invulnerability of the dragon's mantle, to remind himself always of how fragile and mortal he once was. Adrian often dresses casually, in a white t-shirt or wifebeater and jeans, unless he is wearing his draconic armor, which includes greaves, leg plating, a breastplate, gauntlets, and an intimidating helmet carved to look like a roaring dragon.

Personality
Formerly an idealistic, compassionate, and heroic knight, Adrian's view of mankind soured after being betrayed by people who took advantage of kindness and left for dead, all to earn some coin. Since being saved by Cembryne, Adrian believes that the Age of Man is a farcical state of existence for the earth, and it would best be left in the care of magical superbeings that once ruled it, such as dragons and gods. Centuries of unbelievable power have left Adrian arrogant, swaggering, and ruthless, masterfully amassing power and resources without regard for who might stand in his way. Adrian is a man of prodigious physical appetites rivaling his physical strength, and has been known to take part in orgies and gluttonous feasts. He speaks with a perpetually calm, smoky voice with a cruel burning edge to it. Adrian is ashamed of his former manhood, and looks down on humans, insisting he is above them. He is very emotionally attached to Cembryne, and her child, and misses them for reasons unrelated to the pursuit of power. He can sometimes be heard addressing her under his breath, calling her "Mother". Ultimately, however, Adrian fears man above all, with his endless pursuit of power and mastery over the earth, for even he, one of the mightiest man-born beings in the world, knows he is nothing before the awesome power of their weapons.

Skills
Centuries old, Adrian is an unparalleled master of armed combat with many weapons and styles, and possesses a deep knowledge of various intellectual pursuits like astronomy, geography, mathematics, alchemy, and biology. He has a potent instinct for power and administrative skills sufficient to manage the activities of hundreds of people across various locations, with a keen sense of his opposition and surrounding factors in different environments. With an arcane mantle bestowed onto him by the dragon Cembryne and dragon’s blood flowing through his veins, Adrian possesses immense physical and magical power beyond the capabilities of mortals. Adrian’s marked body does not age and seldom tires. His body’s temperature is akin to a furnace, and heat makes him stronger rather than harming him. He possesses a minor invulnerability that renders his body unscathed from all but the most severe of damage and trauma that would kill a man a hundred times over. Adrian’s dragon-blessed body is also unfathomably strong, wielding physical power comparable to the mightiest of the long dead mortal beasts to ever walk the earth.

The dragon’s power also serves as an innate source of magic for Adrian, and he masterfully casts many standard forms of magic, specializing in elemental magics of the offensive and defensive varieties. His specialty is thermomancy, heat-based magic, which he uses to draw strength from absorbing heat into his body and projecting it outwards in devastating rays and waves. The residual magic of Adrian’s spellcasting over his long life can be accumulated in various objects and items, allowing him to enchant equipment passively and infusing it with energy and power. All of the standard combat attire Adrian wears is enchanted so. Adrian wields a spiked maul nearly as long as his own body, which doubles as a staff for spellcasting focus.

Both personally and politically, Adrian Rorsche is one of the most powerful figures Beach Patrol ever has the displeasure of encountering.

Trivia

 * Adrian is the only character to murder a member of Beach Patrol
 * Adrian is the only person who has ever been allowed to enter the Cove while in violation of its dress code, as those inside were too intimidated by his presence to refuse him