Paladin + Pie = Pie-ladin

Ral is 5'11", with dark auburn shoulder-length hair and sideburns. He has a medium build, and is toned, but not overly muscular. His fashion sense tends toward comfort over style, and he usually wears dark brown work pants or jeans, and t-shirts or turtlenecks. He is never without his trenchcoat, which is slightly oversized because he inherited it from his uncle, Duncan.

As his username suggests, Ral is a modern-day paladin: he believes very much that there is a divide of good and evil in the world, and that good should win out. As of his canon point, he is very slowly beginning to learn that there needs to be a balance maintained between the dark and the light, but just because he's realizing it doesn't mean he has to like it. If he feels that a situation is immoral or wrong, he will do everything within his power to make it right, whether it's on the behalf of an old friend or a complete stranger. As a pagan, he abides by the Wiccan rede: If it harm none, do what you will, and tries very hard to take that a step farther and make sure no one is hurt under his watch if possible.

Having his uncle be the only close blood relative in his life from an early age (see History) means that he places a great deal of weight and emotional value on "found family", the close circle of friends and fellow townies that he's built up during his life in Aviario. He has a very strong need to belong, to feel supported and cherished. Since he's spent so much of his life cherry-picking his family, he's an outgoing, friendly person, quick to greet people and curious about what makes them unique. His job at the Balefires, the local metaphysical store, lets him make a lot of connections within the community, and fill that deep-seated need to help people solve their problems.

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Ral's more mundane talents and areas of knowledge include: tabletop gaming, video games (particularly RPGs), anime, witchcraft, pagan lore, local history, debate, accounting, advertising, networking, and basic auto mechanics and handyman skills.

Felis Anima — Ral is bound to an anima: in canon, these are animal spirits which live within the ley lines cris-crossing the Earth. These lines are the source of supernatural energy in Aviario, and being bound with an anima allows someone with innate supernatural ability to access a higher level of power. Ral's anima is a cat, and after almost fifteen years of training, he has gained the ability to shapeshift cat's claws, as well as night vision. He must actively call on the Cat for these abilities, however, one ability comes instinctively: an enhanced agility which comes in really handy and keeps him from biffing it on unsteady terrain.

Elemental: Water — Even without the help of the Cat, Ral can control the element of water, similar to the waterbending used in "Avatar: The Last Airbender". Any water in the atmosphere, or present in an object or living thing, can presumably be pulled and used as he sees fit ... but he has only trained enough at his canon point to be able to form and throw icicles, freeze existing small amounts of water, move puddles, or keep himself from getting wet in the rain.

Ral's parents died in a car crash when he was three. He was raised by his uncle, Duncan O'Dailigh, who brought him up well, and imparted the values he holds dearest to his heart to this day. Duncan had a close-knit network of friends who became Ral's surrogate family, most importantly, coven leader Maggie Slovich, whose daughter June soon became Ral's closest friend. June introduced Ral to her best friend and "sister from another mister", April Maine, and the three of them were inseparable throughout their school years. Once Ral turned twelve, Duncan imparted a secret: some of the close friends Ral had grown to consider family were members of The Organization, a secretive magical group dedicated to maintaining the balance of energy and power through use of their anima. Enthralled and enthusiastic, Ral tried to learn everything he could about the Organization, promising to keep his uncle's secret. But in his sophomore year of high school, Duncan's immune system began to fail, and he grew sick very rapidly. Once hospitalized, Duncan told Ral the truth: he was several hundred years old, due to the bond with his own anima, and felt that Ral was well-taken care of and mature enough to go forward on his own. He had decided to let his anima go, and was dying of natural causes that came from giving up his immortality. Devastated, Ral had no choice but to let him go, yet still swore to carry on his family's legacy and join the Organization.

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