Myst (Ragnarr Stormclaw)

By Durandal

• July 13, 2013

Age: 38

Gender: Male

Species: Non-Pony

Appearance: Like many of his blood-relatives, Myst has a warmer color-scheme - a tawny (color - brownish-yellow) coat, with a royal yellow head and the normal golden talons. He has green eyes and a red-tipped tail.<br /><br />Myst retains the form of a retired soldier - though weakened by his lack of maintenance, the marks, and build, of his previous life haunt him like a spectre.

Personality: Myst is above all else dedicated to his craft. He craves seeking out the unknown, and shows both skill and enthusiasm in his work. That which does not have to do with the land around him or the map in front of him, however, is of no interest to him.<br /><br />Though innocent at first, a closer look at this behavior reveals a most tragic irony - he may take great joy in discovering the unknowns of the the earth, but he takes great pains to hide him from himself. <br /><br />This is the reasoning behind Myst's name - before he had came to Equestria, he retreated inside himself, hoping that by hiding his past from the world, and even himself, that soon it would fade from existence. Though this has yet to happen, he still has hope.

Backstory: Myst was born Ragnarr Stormclaw, a part of a family long known for its tradition of soldiery. From an early age he and his brother were taught the proper values of a griffon - loyalty to one's people, strength of character and body, and dedication to one's cause. <br /><br />This mental training was followed by physical training, as Ragnarr learned the ways of a soldier. Years of training honed his skills until eventually he joined the military of his kingdom. Unfortunately for the griffon, he had joined at a dire time - a tense peace, held together by an aging truce, was beginning to degrade, until finally relations broke down entirely.<br /><br />Ragnarr and his brother were part of the first combatants in the war, and though they lived to fight another day, this soon changed. After months of fighting, he was soon informed that his brother had died in battle. At first this did not phase the griffon, however as the war continued he began to consider his brother's untimely death. By war's end, he had been scarred both physically and mentally. He returned to his parents broken.<br /><br />At first, Ragnarr's parents were consoling - they understood his loss and his trauma. But as trauma became questions, and questions doubts, they lashed out. Ragnarr's questioning of their ways offended them, causing numerous clashes. Eventually, these clashes reached a boiling point, until finally he was cast out, his parents branding him a dishonor to his family and his brother. This act caused him to fly into a rage, attacking his father. Both survived the event, though the scars still remain.<br /><br />As a result, Ragnarr was shunned. To avoid society's wrath, he fled his hometown, hoping to find a new path in life. He attempted several other cities, but the damage had been done - fed up with the society of his people, he finally fled to Equestria, hoping to find some peace.<br /><br />Ragnarr arrived to cold war, something he had become accustomed to. But the people were gentler, more amiable - less destructive. He settled and changed his name to Myst, eventually finding an interest in the scholarly pursuit. The philosophies and chronicles of the more intellectually inclined interested and soothed him, encouraging him to dig further into books. What he found greatly disturbed him.<br /><br />Historical documents told of wars and political rivalry - the further Myst read, the more he considered war inescapable. Appalled by both past and present, he realized that what he had ran from had never left his side. But his despair was disrupted by another discovery - the discovery of cartography.<br /><br />Myst was entranced by the unknowns of maps, and the world. These blank spaces and unconquered lands didn't know the cruelties of war. They were safe havens, waiting to be discovered and mapped. Soon realizing his talent laid inside these maps, he practiced his art, eventually gaining the attention of others.<br /><br />Myst was offered his first voyage a few years ago, where he helped map the unclaimed lands of the Outer Kingdoms. Amazed by the experience, He began to actively seek out such voyages, offering to map territories untouched by civilization.