Balthazar Darque is a rather well-known pirate. Mainly because he's captain of the phantom ship, The Darque Plague. Balthazar is also a vampire, which is why he and his ship have been seen sailing the oceans of Or'anya Kaimelor for centuries. Pirate or not, Balthazar and his crew have never attacked anyone without due cause; although, he and his crew have been attacked on plenty of occasions just for being Pirates. He's yet to lose a battle at sea . . .
Balthazar is a pirate . . . on his ship. Outside of his sailing, away from The Darque Plague, Balthazar is a rather unique and kind individual. He can be harsh at times, but so can anyone. He has a soft spot for most things romantic. There are times he can be found just gazing up at the stars; partly because of his pirate nature, but mostly because of his romantic side. He's also rather respectful for being a pirate, and can become a life-long friend if he finds he can trust you enough.
In reguards to his past, he had a decent childhood. He learned pirating from his father, Domascus Darque. He traveled all over Or'anya Kaimelor with his father, and learned to love the sea. By the time Balthazar was in his early twenties, he had aquired a substantial amount of money (mostly with help from his father). With this money, Balthazar requisitioned a ship to be built. A ship he would one day captain himself. Two years later, The Darque Plague was completed. Balthazar was now captain of his own pirate ship, a dream he had had since he was a child.
Shortly after Balthazar was captained, his father died in a battle at sea. What toll this took on Balthazar, no one rightly knows, for he never spoke of it or his father again.
Another odd mystery of his past: No one quite knows when Balthazar became a vampire. If asked, it's an issue he manages to skirt around very quickly, and refuses to speak on it. So, how he became a vampire, and why, may never be known.
Over the last few months, Balthazar has become a well-known citizen of Arytiris Benerel. He is on good terms with King Torlan and his subjects, and can usually be found either in The Drunken Bastard (the city's Inne and tavern), or packing his ship up with his crew to run an errand for the King.
Recently, though, certain events have arose that has caused Balthazar to slip slowly into madness. Every day, he loses a little bit more of his mind. There have been severel evenings where he has been spotted in the city, hiding in shadows, covered with blood and half-naked. His feral instinct is beginning to take over, and it terrifies him. |
