Basil of Malthi

This mature man is tall and thick in frame with a lifetime's worth of utilitarian muscle. Though his figure is thick, he treads with the same soft, soundless gait as a falling leaf. His hair, struck with sparks of aged silver throughout, is still healthy upon his head, though it could do with a proper cut and not whatever hack and slash method has been used, at present, to keep its length manageable. The lines of age have begun to make themselves known around his mouth and at the corners of his fern green eyes, but rather than detract from his rugged good looks, they certainly add a mature mystique to his expression.

Basil of Malthi - Prince Basil Aetos, as he once was - is the youngest brother of Areti Aetos, once queen of Dyria, now an exile herself in the Kingdom of Wend. When Areti commenced the sweeping reforms that led to her being ousted from the rule of Dyria, Basil was not among those targeted. He was young and promising and without many of the flaws that beset his generation of House Aetos. However, he foresaw what would come, and publicly confronted Areti in her own throne room, telling her that tyranny in the name of efficiency would lead to the realm falling asunder. Areti disowned her younger brother there and then.

Basil left Malthi, though, absent any family name, he has long made a point of calling himself Basil of Malthi. He took his personal wealth and set off across Elthos. The intervening decades have seen him become one of the best travelled people on the continent. He has been across much of the empire and indeed beyond it. He often returns to Sanctuary though, where he bought a house long ago, and uses it as a hub for his many travels. Despite his many travels, he has not accrued wealth beyond that which he needs to live, preferring instead to work for one cause or another, and offloading accrued riches to those who do good deeds. He has got himself into trouble more than a few times standing up against petty tyrants and thugs. His story is well known enough that Basil of Malthi is a recognisable name in many areas. Of course, various vagabonds and ne'er-do-wells also know it, and there have been a number of cases across the continent of people naming themselves as Basil of Malthi to try to get out of trouble by presenting themselves as the righteous wanderer.

Basil's cousin, Phyllis, the duchess after Areti's deposal, never offered to restore him to the house, and nor has he sought it. He keeps in contact with his family from time to time all the same.

Basil is a decent man, through and through. While he dedicates his talents first and foremost to exploration and travel, he does not hesitate to stand up to bullies and tyrants wherever he might come across him. It's a habit that gets him into trouble, but he persists nonetheless. He is generous and open-handed with whatever wealth he accrues, keeping only enough to fund his travels and maintain his home in Sanctuary. He counts himself among the followers of Iatrikos and Yatric, and much of his wealth flows towards their temples, towards charitable ends.

Though disowned, he is still of noble birth, and somewhat lives in two worlds. He has never entirely seen himself as a commoner, nor in fact do all nobility recognise him as such, with many deeming Areti's decrees to be illegitimate. He's not disposed towards making a fuss in any event.

Basil is one of the best explorers and travellers in the empire, and has a good range of related capabilities.