Lord Kenneth Killian ap Daireann
Rachtin Mhar of the Fea’Ta’Re Citadel

Sidhe Wilder
Sheriff of Cat Rauth
Baronet of the Lodge of Avernus

Description


Mortal Seeming: ~Cool and proud, Ken polices the scene with avid hazel eyes. Occasionally, the youthful twenty-three year old must sweep stray blonde bangs from his smooth features. Ken may also adjust his stylish garments before proceeding. He could be found in a clever suit, preferring conservative hues to offset unusual and colorful ties. Or he might wear a pair of Doc Martens, leather pants, and a leather jacket that all fit his well-toned frame custom-designed. A silk button-down shirt or Polo collared top would be favored under this favorite midnight-blue jacket. Ken advances with a cruel smirk and vigorous step. This handsome gentleman expects respect and knows how to demand it.~

OOC: Appearance 4 (dashing); Style 1

Fae Mien: ~Fiery and unrelenting, the mortal façade falls away to reveal Ken's true nature. Noble Sidhe, puissant baronet, and unforgiving sheriff, this Daireann's dashing and cruel beauty fills the immediate area with incandescence. Ken's blonde hair bronzes and his hazel eyes glow green like balefire. Who says the heart of the Dreaming must be bright, cheery, sweet, and good? This villain embodies pure Glamour, from his steady, commanding, and torrid gaze to his antiquated voile. Those garments include black, polished, and knee-high boots and sleek, silk, black leggings. An embroidered tunic drifts over Ken's thighs, covering all of his upper body. A royal purple mantle of baronial authority is draped over his shoulders. Gloves that match his boots conceal his deft hands. The tunic is buttoned up the front. Each button bears a tiny blazon of House Daireann. The embroidery on his shirt illustrates a chaotic design in gold thread: a conflagration. The tunic buttons up to Ken's neck and he keeps the high collar clasped. It only serves to emphasize the Sidhe's sculpted face. High cheekbones lead back to elfin ears. Those bright eyes gaze readily upon his subjects, future and present. The sword and knife always sheathed at his waist reflect his duties. The Baronet of Avernus and Sheriff of Cat Rauth expects respect…and knows how to demand it.~

OOC: Appearance 6 (dashing)

"Look, there's the easy way and the hard way. Her way or my way. You pick."

History


Youth

The Killians started off as a happy family. Their first child, Serena, was a beautiful girl who could help them fulfill their American dreams in Malibu, California. Ralph and Jennifer were pleased with how Serena grew and learned. So they had Ken in '71, the only other child. The family lived very well off, thanks to Ken's father's work as a high-level corporate manager in Los Angeles. But he was never around, not even for his wife…who ran off with the gardener when Ken was only nine years old. Their fine suburban home became a lonely place for Ken and Serena. Their dad provided well for them, but his schedule didn't change.

So Ken and Serena learned to take care of themselves, to fend for each other. Their father tried to imprint good morals on the kids, but he was never around to teach them by example. Ken got in trouble a lot with his sister and his neighborhood pals, always up to (relatively) harmless mischief. Of course, as he grew into adolescence, this wild behavior turned to petty crime. Ken participated in activities like vandalism and petty theft. And he was even caught once. He and his best friend Jason both did a little time in juvvie hall. Meanwhile, Serena was out learning how to surf…at least, how to entertain surfers. She got herself pregnant at age fifteen and her indiscretions caused a deepening rift in the family.

Meanwhile, Ken grew more aggressive on the 'streets'. He and his friends became shrewder and crueler, often little more than skate-bum bullies. Ken began to take things more personally, and held grudges over pettier and pettier things. Ken was having nightmares of what he thought must be hell -- lakes of fire. It was both painful and liberating at once, those dreams. He started to toy with fire as a result, smoking cigarettes just to have an excuse to carry around lighters and matches.

Chrysalis

Thus, it was probably fitting that fire incited Ken's Chrysalis in 1988. Ken and his friends, Jason, Eric, and Zane, were hanging out at the beach late one night. Out of nowhere, a gang of older fellows jumped them and knocked them all unconscious with billy clubs and baseball bats. When Ken came to, he was tied by rope to a tree with his friends. A great bonfire was set on some isolated part of the beach, and the gang that kidnapped them were laughing and capering madly around the fire. They were tossing beer bottles into the fire, causing sparks. Some of them slam-danced, and bounced nearby Ken and the others. And Ken got a good look at their faces: inhuman, monstrous, fanged faces. These guys were vampires or something! Then each of them began to throw themselves through the fire! One after the other tested their bravery with this 'fire dance'. It stirred Ken's soul to the core and he watched with avid delight instead of the terror his companions suffered.

Then the ropes inexplicably sizzled at his wrists. They snapped and he was free! The first thing Ken did was laugh madly. Before the vampires could recapture the youth, he threw himself through the fire. They looked on with amusement as the young man mimicked their psychotic actions. Except Ken was in the midst of the Dream Dance. When he vanished through the other side of the flames, they didn't think twice about it. The Mists claimed their Banal memories of Ken and the event. The Chrysalid ran from the fire pit and down the beach. He felt as if the bonfire had incinerated him, as if he were still on fire. Panicked, confused, and excited at the same time, Ken left his friends behind. The new changeling gave them no further thought as he shook with the mind-reeling Glamour.

Ken reached a private lagoon currently out of use. He threw himself into the water, trying to 'cool off'. When he crawled back out, he did feel better. The youth stared down into the water at his reflection. That's when Ken saw his true self: the handsome features of the noble Sidhe. In awe, Ken just stared and wondered while soaking in the raw, pulsing Glamour of his own Chrysalis. Fortunately, those dream-energies attracted another changeling. As he lay there staring at his image, another came into view: a face more beautiful than he ever imagined. He turned to see a lady Sidhe standing above him, looking gorgeous and powerful. She greeted him in a sultry tone with which he could not argue. He was practically falling in love right there with the heavenly brunette. She introduced herself as the Countess Raquel Racine ni Leanhaun and that his Chrysalis was much anticipated.

Fior-Reigh & Saining

See, she needed a young, strong knight like he. Ken was a member of House Daireann, she explained, and she would teach him all the facts of fae life and how to reclaim his honorable heritage. In return for her tutelage and help, he only had to serve her in her domain. Who was Ken to argue such an offer from such a beautiful woman? He gladly agreed and joined her. Raquel took Ken to her estate by the beach, explaining how she ruled her County and kept Malibu firmly in the hands of the Unseelie. Ken learned all about the politics, history, and laws of the Kithain. Ken was introduced to a few other fae in the area, including commoner retainers of the Countess such as her vicious Redcap Thanes. He learned that what was expected of him, and the Countess didn't hesitate to share her fencing skill as well as her noble knowledge with the Chrysalid.

Yet Ken found Raquel to be insufferably arrogant for the first few months. Once he learned the in's and out's of being Sidhe, however, he was able to speak with her on more equal terms. Sure, she outranked him, but he knew she desired him. And he desired her. Once they began to bed each other, her arrogance dissolved -- at least when it came to him. Even so, Ken knew he was just an asset to the ambitious Leanhaun. He knew he could and should just enjoy his time with Raquel and learn all he could from the knowledgeable Countess.

After the traditional one year of tutelage, it came time to test Ken's worth with the Naming in 1988. Once this test was passed, he could claim his heritage as a member of the warrior House of Daireann. Raquel made the test simple. He was to hunt down and destroy the Prodigal vampires who kidnapped him a year ago and intended to make a bloody meal out of him. To truly embrace his privileges and strength, his honor and duties, he also had to avenge his murdered friends. Even if he cared little for his friends now, it was all a matter of honor.

So Ken returned to the beach and investigated the area. He learned all about the local gangs and learned of the one that seemed the most suspicious. Ken heard that no one ever remembered seeing them around except at night. But their hangout was unknown. Ken hung around the beach areas, waiting a week or so until the Lost Boys wannabes showed up somewhere. And they did, holding another of their fire dances with another group of young, unfortunate victims. Ken watched them slaughter the boys, party for a few hours, then stream out to head back to their den. Concealed in fae magic, they did not notice the Sidhe hunting them down. They holed up in their rundown beach house as dawn approached. And while sunlight could burn them down, Ken intended to incinerate those bastards with fiery magic. As they slept, vulnerable, the Sidhe stole into their home, slaying the guard dogs fearlessly, before setting the house aflame. None escaped. All writhed, screamed, and died.

And Ken returned home victorious. Raquel welcomed him into her arms, then delivered what she promised that Samhain. She held the Saining ceremony with all Sidhe pomp and ritual, initiating him into the noble ranks of Kithain society. Ken swore himself to his inherited House Daireann. In the process, his knightly chimerical arms manifested. The new knight basked in his rediscovered glory as Sir Kenneth Killian ap Daireann. The rest of the night was a blur, partying and reveling with Unseelie-driven fae and clueless mortals.

Leanhaun in Pacifica

The next day began nearly a decade of service to the Countess Raquel. Ken didn't mind at all. He enjoyed the perks of working for her: the training and tutelage, the freedom and sex. In duty, he acted as a strong-arm henchman for the Countess. He was like a political whip, too, provoking and prodding the Unseelie commoners into helping her cause to consolidate Unseelie noble command in the area. To that end, Ken had to impress the Redcaps, Ogres, Sluagh, Nockers and others with his battle savvy. They would only ever follow a strong -- implacable -- leader. Over time, however, Raquel and Ken won the Unseelie commoners' loyalties.

However, Ken saw difficulties with the Seelie quite often. Both Seelie commoners and nobles caused Raquel, Ken, and their retainers trouble over the years. As laid-back as the ruling Fiona may be, they disliked the ambitious Unseelie Countess! In 1991, a motley of commoners rose up against the Countess. They tried to get her unseated by spreading bad vibes about the Sidhe in general. They reminded all the commoners in the County of the Night of Iron Knives, trying to turn them against Raquel. Ken countered that by bravely facing angry commoners and portraying the rumormongers as prejudiced. His fearless dignity and friendliness towards the commoners helped the majority of the fae in the area dismiss the motley's bad publicity. The young motley confronted Ken not long after his counter-campaign proved successful. Half of the commoners challenged the Sidhe to combat: a Troll, Eshu, and dog Pooka. All three were young and inexperienced fighters. The battle was fierce, but Ken prevailed after fighting more brutally than they expected. The unfortunate Troll was slain chimerically. The motley was persuaded to abandon their quest to unseat Raquel and seek other lands to "liberate".

While Ken was able to handle the commoners' motley alone, the following threat demanded the intervention of the Countess herself. In 1995, the Fiona nobles began to their own campaign to depose Raquel. At first, the Fiona's efforts were political in nature. Ken could do little and simply observed Raquel's responses to the Seelie's threats and learn what he could of higher intrigue. There seemed to be a war of correspondence ongoing, as nobles sent Raquel hate mail and threatened involving higher lords if she didn't change some of her "obviously Unseelie policies", none of which could be proved. They claimed she was a threat to the Fiona Duke by amassing the Unseelie commoners under her banner. In truth, she did no such thing: she had Ken win their support, not their vassalage. Overall, Raquel dealt with the political threats well. By Kithain law, Ken observed his Countess completely evade or negotiate and compromise with the Fiona a number of political actions that could lead to war. Of course, Ken was itching for it. Outnumbered as their lone Unseelie County may be, he yearned for battle with the power-hungry Seelie Sidhe.

And over the next few years, Ken got his wish. The confederacy of Seelie nobles failed to usurp Raquel legally. So they began to challenge her realm's defenses. And of course, that meant Ken got a taste of battle many times. Seelie knights walked into the County, harassing Unseelie commoners (who, by Seelie standards, deserved it). Ken and the few retainers Raquel kept went forth and challenged these Seelie warriors. The clashes that ensued were often bloody, and only occasionally formal. During one such formal duel, Ken fell for the first time, cleaved by a shrewd Grump fencer's blade. The Countess herself showed up, rescuing Ken from the Seelie. She took her knight back to her domain and nursed him back to health (and from chimerical death). Raquel helped Ken regain his honor by raising a question of fairness with the knight's superiors. They had to provide a formal duel with an equal match. And this time, when the fight came around, Ken won.

Frustrated, the confederacy turned to low war. They hired a Sluagh from out of town with the expressed purpose of assassinating Countess Raquel Racine ni Leanhaun. The Sluagh masterfully concealed her fey nature and posed to Raquel as a budding young artist. She let Raquel seduce her and take her home, only to murder her with cold iron. Some commoners never let the Night of Iron Knives go and blamed all Sidhe for that tragedy. Feeling the agony of Raquel's unjust murder, Ken stalked the halls of their home for the assassin. Unfortunately, the Sluagh slipped away.

So Ken turned his wrath on the Fiona who no doubt hired the killer. He drove to the County to the east where the confederacy's heart lay. Ken stole into their freehold lodge in the dead of night and snuck into every noble's bedchamber. Each in turn was given his karmic reward, slain in turn by Ken's furious blades. He stabbed every noble he encountered with hot steel -- not cold iron, for he would not lower himself to their wickedness. They did not want Raquel slain by cold iron (but they didn't complain much either); the Sluagh assassin had a mind of her own in that crime. But their misjudgment made Ken's fury just…mostly. The Daireann spared no one. He battled past a few guards and even cut the throat of a childling. They would all suffer for the destruction of his realm!

Leanhaun in Grass

However, that act of vengeance did not go unanswered. The Seelie in the entire Kingdom of Pacifica were outraged at the events in the Malibu area. Ken wasn't only to blame, but he was the only one man-hunted. He fled in a hurry. Free of his Oath to his beloved Countess, the Daireann traveled east. Ken kept a low profile for a while, ending up in the Kingdom of Grass (the American Midwest). The Seelie bounty hunters gave up looking for him eventually. Ken ended up in Kansas City. He got the lowdown on the status quo from local commoners, learning that the area was largely Seelie-controlled.

However, West Side of the city offered a couple Unseelie holdings. Ken found one of the ruling lords -- ladies, rather -- and introduced himself to the Baroness Antoinette Kirs, also of House Leanhaun. The gorgeous black woman and Ken hit it off on affable terms. Ken voiced his interest in vassalage once more. So he let Antoinette explore his past through mystical Chronos sights. She found him to be a worthy warrior despite his most recent indiscretions of vengeance. But what more could one expect of a Daireann whose liege was murdered by cold iron? Ken swore allegiance to Antoinette in the proper oath of fealty.

Then she appointed him as sheriff and took the first year or so acquainting himself with the local fae. He met with Seelie and Unseelie commoners alike, winning their support as a policing noble with charismatic appeal and fair approach to all changelings. Ken also began to culture his own ambitions. He liked to work for the Baroness, but he saw himself rising above the title of knight. Indeed, he saw himself one day rising as far as king. And why not? It would do his House great honor to be the leaders instead of the foot soldiers!

Not unlike the County in which Ken served previously, Seelie nobles challenged Antoinette's claim to rule of her Barony. Nobles of House Gwydion ruled this County, however. Where the Fiona in California aimed to unseat the Countess, here in Kansas City they were fine with Antoinette's Barony. The new face in her domain demanded challenge, it seemed. For Gwydion knights came around constantly from 1998 to 2001, challenging Ken and testing the Daireann's might and will.

Fortunately, the Gwydion Count who dispatched those warriors was unaware of the manhunt for Ken back in the Kingdom of Pacifica. His knights were sent just to heckle and harass the Daireann with occasional pointless duels and tests of physical endurance. Of the formal duels, Ken lost twice, but he won three, and three others were judged as draws. But besides these irritants, these first few years were smooth running for Ken. He enjoyed the perks of the household, such as the occasional fling with his lady, the Baroness Antoinette. Or the occasional romp with human mages of the Cultist of Ecstasy Tradition, who visited the Barony often (and apparently dwelled in a nearby chantry).

Beginning in the 21st century, fae darker than even the "normal" Unseelie like Ken and Antoinette bothered the Barony. The Shadow Court sent secret missives to Antoinette, demanding her allegiance in not so many words. The Baroness had no interest in their doomsday objectives. She ignored their missives and warned Ken of the Shadow Court's existence. Apparently, this wasn't the first time they tried to persuade her to join their ranks. And Ken was warned to be prepared for violence: the Shadow Court didn't take no for an answer.

And in 2003, that violence arrived. Fortunately, Antoinette made powerful allies in those human sorcerers. The Cultists detected the assassins' arrival to the lady's mansion and thwarted them by raising the alarm. The would-be killers fled before they even got close the Leanhaun. Ken gave chase, confronting the two Sluagh (who were actually Bogies) just outside the Barony's borders. Though they wielded their dark magics against Ken, they could not withstand the fiery magic of the Daireann, and he cut them both down violently. Both were chimerically slain and left out on the street as a warning to the Shadow Court. It was a warning they heeded…for now. Antoinette told Ken that this wasn't the first attempt on her life. The last time, the mages chased the killers off.

With that victory under his belt, Ken clearly established himself in the County if not the Duchy as both a superb warrior and highborn quality. Consequently, all of Ken's enemies and rivals chilled out. Easy times rolled in for the Sidhe. So the sheriff began to work on himself, developing skills and magics. Ken intended to climb the feudal ranks. He had no desire to usurp his lady liege, only surpass her. He didn't want to become Baron, he wanted to become King!

Remembrance


Ken can summon excellent memories when he concentrates enough, or is confronted with a reminder. A large display of fire (such as a bonfire) that he doesn't create can often trigger flashbacks, too. For the time being, he can only reach back into the most recent era just before the Resurgence. Thus, Ken's memories are limited to Arcadia, where most Sidhe fled centuries ago. He especially recalls the domains in which he dwelt as knight and keeper of the law, called Fea'ta're. They were hot regions by vast and active volcanoes, though they were not tropical zones. The temperate climate maintained its even environment because the great Sidhe lords of the realm were all cool-headed. And Ken had the honor to serve them, but he always recalled envying their great power. It was power people feared, for who wanted to be burnt to a crisp?

Bunk Styles


Style: High Fantasy
Examples: Ash rune on forehead, crystal divination, kiss a jewel and touch subject, pyromancy

Significant Other


Ken encountered Alyssa Currie during one of his patrols of the Barony in late 2004. He noticed an old Victorian home previously unoccupied suddenly lit up with a new owner's presence. So, he introduced himself and persistently asked the gorgeous woman out until she gave into his charms and good looks. They soon discovered one another's true nature, he as Sidhe and she as Kinain, the daughter of two Fiona. Ken began to keep her Enchanted on a regular basis, especially as she's more than just Kinain. Alyssa Currie was once a fabulous and nationally acclaimed singer. But her voice was ruined. Even so, she always wrote her own songs, and still does so for the record companies. Ken set about as the woman's patron, lover, and guardian from then on. Too ambitious to worry himself about things like marriage or children yet, such things aren't off the table. He may be Unseelie, but he's faithful to one.

But conflicting duties between the Dreaming and the mortal coil inflicted a terrible loss. Alyssa, like many stars, earned herself more than her share of “excitable fans”. In 2009, one such stalker discovered where Alyssa lived and murdered her with a single gunshot to the back of the head, finishing off what another stalker had begun years before (with her throat). Ken was not home at the time, but was out chasing Nunnehi. He returned to find his lover’s body lying not far from her murderer’s, who had committed suicide. The Daireann was even denied vengeance. Fortunately, Alyssa wasn't done. Her spirit persisted and haunted his home. She even learned to manifest her voice and body to a limited extent, so he happily made her feel at home. She even wants to record again...

Alyssa

Weakness
Rule in Hell


Ken is unrepentant Unseelie. In many ways, he's a villain through and through. While he's no cut-out or cut-up bad guy, Ken enforces the law of his lady with an iron fist. And when he becomes count, duke, or even king some day, his method of rule will not vary much. The rule of the mighty has one flaw: there's always someone mightier.

Likelihood of Corruption


Average.

Like Lady Antoinette, Ken rejects the Shadow Court and its machinations. He believes in one rule: his.

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