Vincent Apothik

Vincent Apothik
Occupation	Minstrel
Biographical Information
Age	49
Birthplace	Unknown
Physical Characteristics
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Height	5'9"
Weight	140 lbs.
Hair	Black
Eyes	Blue
Skin	Pale
Distinguishing Marks	Blind

Vincent is the royal court minstrel at Castle Vallon. Born blind, he occasionally experiences prophetic visions.

Biography

Vincent was born a commoner in a remote village near Zemar. His parentage was uncertain, and his mother died in childbirth. He was born blind, and was therefore considered a burden on the community.

A washerwoman called Marena took him in; he lived with her until he was eleven years old. To help support them, he learned to play the lute and would perform in Zemar each week for money.

Shortly after his eleventh birthday, however, Vincent had his first vision. It occurred while he was sleeping, similar to a normal dream, but Vincent, having never experienced sight before, knew immediately that something was wrong. The experience terrified him, and he awoke with blood dripping from his nose.

After having several more visions, all of which showed scenes of destruction and death, he told Marena about them. Marena, confused and frightened, took him to see the local physician, who prescribed a sleeping potion. To Vincent's horror, the potion not only failed to stop the visions, it caused him to experience them while he was still awake.

Vincent experiencing a vision.

As Vincent began to lose his grip on reality, news of his strange dreams spread. The villagers grew afraid of him, and after he collapsed in the middle of the town square with blood pouring from his nose, they reacted with violence. A mob arrived at Marena's hut that night, claiming that Vincent was a demon sent to terrorize them. Vincent managed to escape into the woods, where he collapsed from exhaustion.

He awoke not long after and kept moving. Along the way, he met a traveler who questioned him. The traveler, a minor Ioan lord, was returning home after having fought in the War of Succession. Vincent was completely ignorant that there had even been a war going on, and concludes that his visions were of the battles being fought. In particular, he recognizes the image of Gavin Zosimus throwing himself in the way of Aldous' sword to protect Claudius.

Vincent followed the traveler to Castle Vallon, but he was denied entry. He remained outside in the courtyard, singing day and night. The young Laura Stirling, at the time being held captive by Aldous, would bribe the guards to let him inside on cold nights, and they would talk until daybreak. The two became unlikely friends, although unspoken feelings grew between them.

Vincent, aged twelve.

For the next five years, Vincent lived unofficially at Castle Vallon under the protection of Laura, who married Aldous not long after they met and became the new queen. The two spent so much time together that Laura witnessed nearly all of his visions and provided support and care in the aftermath. Unfortunately, Vincent's sight also drew the attention of Helen Stirling, who sought to use the knowledge of the future for her own ends.

Eventually Aldous ordered that he leave the castle. Vincent obeyed, traveling to the house of a lord he had befriended. Desperate to get him back, Laura revealed Vincent's visions to Aldous, who was immediately interested. He retrieved Vincent and installed him as the royal court minstrel, but it was obvious that he was only being kept around because of his prophesies.

Shortly after his return, Vincent and Laura admitted their love for each other and began an adulterous affair, the result of which was Princess Eleanor. After her birth, Vincent began to keep his distance from both Laura and their daughter, fearing that it would draw suspicion.

Vincent fell ill with a fever and was tended by Laura. In his delirium he had a vision of Laura - the only time he ever saw her in a dream - wandering through a forest at night, eventually finding a hand reaching down from the sky. She took it and was carried up into the heavens, consumed by a white light, and finally was turned into a star. By the time he awoke, Laura had also fallen ill and died soon after.

Vincent remained a figure in the royal court, serving as minstrel. He wrote songs about Aldous' victories, Laura's beauty, and other great historical events. He converted to Vormundism, but was still tolerated by Aldous. Upon Aldous' death, he was left at the mercy of Helen, who continues to pester him for information on events to come, despite his increasingly cryptic answers and possible insanity.