Description: Varan has the smile and swagger of someone who knows he's talented and isn't afraid to show it. His golden blonde hair has grown down to his shoulders and curls beautifully at the ends while his green eyes sparkle merrily as if he's in on a joke that hasn't been told yet. His fingers are long and strong, callused from work on the strings--both the bow and the lute. He's slender but athletic in build and walks with a jaunty spring in his step.

Personality: Varan is charming and outgoing, the perfect combination for someone that has wanted to be a bard since before he knew that was a term that existed. He enjoys music so much that he sometimes is oblivious to the fact that other people, well, don't. He's outwardly cheerful, although prone to some moments of brooding as all those who lean towards the dramatic arts might be. Being a Prince he's also prone to being a bit pretentious and full of himself since he knows he's talented. He lives for the spotlight whether that's an actual one on the stage or in the corner of a darkened tavern with all eyes on him. He tends to dress with the latest fashion and is just as at home singing in a castle as he is on the branch of a tree in the woods. He's going to be your friend. It's not a matter of if, but when.

Background: Second child and first son, Varan's parents felt very sure that they'd done their duty and produced two perfectly fine children that would continue a strong line of honorable Grayson fighters. He picked up archery at a young age and enjoyed bringing home rabbits and other small game for the cook to include in family dinners, usually from expeditions around Bastion that he did not have permission to partake in. But most of all he enjoyed music in all forms. He mostly lived a life without care, doing what he pleased when he pleased so long as he didn't bring horrible dishonor on the family. He would often lounge about working on songs until his mother decided to send him out on the road to seriously do something, Varan, you can't just climb a tree and sing about the servants doing laundry on the lawn every day, Varan.

So Varan went out on patrol with some of the local soldiers. And he was an adept enough scout to be useful, but he also found it very boring for the most part. At first they enjoyed his singing around the campfire, but having someone follow you down the road singing your every move does get to be a bit trying at times. Eventually the young Prince made a new group of friends with a mercenary company that was traveling the same road and no one, absolutely no one thought it would be a bad idea for him to just go with them for a little while. It was there that he met Lady Piccola and struck up an odd, if maybe one-sided friendship with her. In that he'd follow her around trying to find rhymes to 'Lady Pierina.' He helped her identify a sort of music she despised and she helped him learn to dodge very hard objects that were thrown at his head at completely random times. He was quite sad when he overslept one day and the mercenary company accidentally moved on without him, but these things happen. After moping around for a bit he found a new band of travellers that were headed to Arx talking about this new Bard's College that had opened up. And for Varan it was as if the very road ahead was paved with inspiration as he quickly wrote of his plans to head to Arx to become a Bard to his parents and sent word ahead to the Graysons there to expect him.

He immediately settled into the groove of the city and excelled at all the classes the Bard's College had to offer. He even found the local training centers to be a place to meet fellow archers and hone his skills there while also finding inspiration for his next epic song in the fighters he saw there.

Relationship Summary

Friend:

Niklas - Varan is just itching to be in a play put on by the Playwright in a leading role. A singing role would be even better! He just happens to show up where Niklas is a lot of the time and would never miss a family dinner that he was at.

Gianna - Varan thinks Gianna is great. Super great! He might even have a little bit of a crush on her.

Saro - Who wouldn't want to be friends with the best luthier in town? Especially when you need the BEST instrument!

Rowenova - Not only has Rowenova been out and seen a lot, she's friendly and she's a great archer. They have bonded over many a shooting session.

Piccola - He knows that deep down she's got a love of music in there. Somewhere. Buried real deep. Maybe too deep. There's no such thing as tin ears, only untrained ones! She says him following her around singing annoys her but does it really? (it probably does)

Lucita - Varan has heard she once had a True Song, so of course he is in awe of the Baroness.

Tikva - Varan has heard that she's part of The Choir and he wants to know what that means. Does it tingle? Can Tikva sing to make herself look better? Wear better clothes? This probably gets tiresome fast.

Family:

Jerrica - Varan and Jerrica get along great because she's always been so incredibly supportive of him and his pursuits. He's written many a protest song and poem for her to recite and she is his closest friend when she happens to be nearby.

Babette - Varan adores his little sister in every possible way except for the one where she sometimes goes on and on and on and talks and doesn't realize that he's trying to be the one to be the center of attention. He can't be too mad at her though, she's adorable! But seriously, he's trying to sing.

Rival:

Evaristo - Evaristo is charming, clever, a great songwriter, and also Mockingbird of the Bard's College. Which is why Varan hates his guts. Not that he'd ever say that outright. He might say it in song, though. He definitely does not have a crush on him probably.