Appearance and Personality:Charming, attractive, and charismatic–Auron's looks are more than pleasing to the eye. With a height of 5'11", a lithe yet toned physique, ember-red hair reaching down his shoulders, and amber eyes like gold he has captured the hearts and minds of many. Though beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, and he can alter his appearance to better suit his desires in the blink of an eye. Sometimes coy and sometimes bold, he has a way with words and knows how to strum the strings of people's hearts towards his whims. Yet despite his roguish guile, he expresses himself freely and openly. His wardrobe changes with the occasion and season, he might even switch between several outfits in a single night depending on the company he'll be entertaining. Aiming to please and delight the senses, the one thing that remains constant is his belief in enjoying life to its fullest. However he does have his own set of standards, and refuses to cross very specific lines. After all, despite being a beguiler he is still a gentleman.
One of his favorite disguises paints him as a blond high elf with olive eyes and flowing hair. Under the pseudonym of Caranthir, he has pulled the wool over the eyes of countless folk while convincing them to part with a small portion of their silver. The kind of swindler who rarely is suspected unless he is careless, he is polite and pleasant to the very end. Not the type to commit or take things too seriously, he goes where he wishes and does as he wishes. And no matter where he drifts, he takes great care to stay in people's good graces despite his less than honorable actions. Staying too attached to a place or person will simply weigh him down, and personal freedom is one of his greatest priorities. He has a soft spot for children, and loves seeing their faces light up with amazement at the cantrips and illusions he conjures up.
As of late that freedom he so prizes had been limited, having picked on the wrong person to target. Being saddled with a debt by contract put a damper on his otherwise freewheeling nature, but through painstaking efforts he has finally broken free. Now if only he didn't feel like someone was looking over his shoulder all the time… Auron bears the mark of Antikythera on the left side of his chest directly over his heart, which is normally invisible.
History:His story begins less grandiose and pompous than how he would make himself to be. Born as a fiend, he was forced to fend for himself in a society built on the principle of the survival of the fittest. He never knew his parentage, had no relations, and spend his earliest years doing whatever he could to stay alive. Under these circumstances, many like him would turn to violence and cruelty to gather power. But being neither the most magically gifted nor the most physically able, he learned to use his wit and words to get what he wanted. His features already were close enough to pass as a human child, something he freely used to his advantage. While others were easily discovered and hunted by those they terrorized, he slipped away undetected. By the time he was entering adolescence he was well-versed in living off the sympathy of unsuspecting targets.
With experience and time he honed his abilities for deception, finding ways to skirt around law enforcement without breaking his facade. People were easy to convince when you said what they wanted to hear, and as long as you did so they would be willing to help you. He had tactics for all walks of life, from the rich to the lower middle-class. Life was much easier now that he could simply ask and others would oblige. Throwing himself into the luxury and glamour of the wealthy and renowned, he followed those with extravagant tastes like a vulture in a songbird's feathers. From their wanton excess, he too took part and made many fair-weather friends that were more like dedicated marks which he routinely fleeced. All the while, he would continue his swindling of common folk on the side. Why bother putting in effort to earn coin when a few sweet words would convince others to hand it to you with a smile on their faces?
Auron lived the high-life as a hedonist for many years, never thinking that anything would disrupt the system he had created. He knew how to work around the law without leaving them anything to arrest him on. Reading people was as easy as a one-crescent novel. And most of all, no one suspected a thing. That all turned on its head when he attempted his ploys on a foreigner who had docked at one of his gleaning grounds. Before he could even pull the wool over their eyes, they had swiftly outmaneuvered him–hoisting him by his own petard. Without any room for bargaining, he was strong-armed into signing himself away into a lifetime contract. Despite his initial resentment towards being contracted, his repeated attempts to win the deity over resulted in him developing a fondness for her.
With much difficulty, he was able to balance the books and clear the ledger–once again becoming free. Although he doesn't miss the grueling hours and seemingly impossible quotas, he did obtain an appreciation for a job well done. For all her eccentricities, the deity had kept her end of the deal. He now resides in Sularia with a family he can call his own.
Talents and Abilities:Deception, misdirection, tricks of the eye, sweet words, and a convincing demeanor are all tools of the trade for one who makes a living off of illusions. Perception and expectations are illusions in of themselves, and he is a master at bending situations to suit his desires. Unlike those who use brute force, he takes a 'softer' approach by convincing his targets into helping him. Disguises are easy to change like a set of clothing, and he's learned how to bluff his way to success. Magical and social talents aside, from his past life of material pleasures he has developed a keen eye for spotting indicators of monetary value and status. He is familiar with the trends and trappings of the wealthy and renowned, and with his cunning wit he can narrow down a personality profile of a person after spending enough time with them. This not only makes him an excellent con artist, but a perfect candidate for reconnaissance.
He is very detail-oriented, as the saying goes–the devil's in the details. His knowledge of gemstones and precious materials combined with his aesthetic sense makes him a talented artisan. He can also identify the quality and authenticity of jewelry made by other craftsmen.
A Charlatan's Libretto:
