Persona Profile: Balrudex

Writer: Iluva

Name: Balrudex
Pronunciation: B-AL-roo-decks
Age: 24
Birthday: m4 d19
Rank: Junior Journeyman
Location: Printer Hall, Emerald Falls Hold
Craft: Printer
Craft Rank: Junior Journeyman
Speciality: Mechanics - Printing Presses

Physical Description of Persona:
Balrudex is just above average height, lean, but inherently strong. Despite -- or because -- his comfort with himself is obvious, he does dress a little unusually - preferring loose fits that all but hang from his frame rather than anything specially, closely or even remotely tailored. His shoulders and arms sport the majority of his strength, and although still in his early twenties his disproportionately large hands are already a bit of a mess. Dual purpose, they are at once a mechanic’s and musician’s hands, their own battleground - between the callouses from handling instruments and the scars and knicks and ink stains of working close to the presses, it’s rare for them to ever be fully clean.

Black haired, hazel eyed, Balrudex has the countenance of a much older man, handsome in a distinctly settled way. He’s not going to change a whole lot from here on out. His eyes are as serious and hardened as a man twice his age, though the dimples in his cheeks when he smiles ruin that illusion. While Balrudex tends to be clean shaven, his hair is another story. Worn in a shaggy, silky mess that’s been cut crudely and been allowed to grow a bit freely the past few Turns, it's often hanging loose in his eyes, even when working.

Emotional Description of Persona:
Though Balrudex is pragmatic and serious-minded, he is irrepressibly humorous. He may appear uptight or unduly intense, especially in areas of his work, but his disposition is far from it. He’s a strong spirit wrapped in a deceptively quiet shell, and as a Harper he’s naturally drawn to the indirect expressions of humanity - music, art, writing, acts of service, gift-giving. Anything that shifts the attention slightly to something or someone other than himself, to speak _through_ something.

At his core, Balrudex is a mercurial and sometimes moody guy, his humor often shaping and re-shaping itself around his moods - more biting and sarcastic when irritated, more playful when accomplished or in a relaxed mood. Dangerously cutting when irate. Though he is serious about his craft, and any field, person, or topic that's captured his passion is sure to have the full weight of his will behind him, he’s never overt or loud about it. Not directly. Balrudex is a man of subtlety as much as panache, and he takes pride in his ability to get things done on a tight schedule _perfectly_, without fanfare and without recognition.

He's someone who really thrives under the pressure, and tends to somewhat assume everyone else does, too. While not much of a dreamer, Balrudex is very much in his own world, focused on his path and what he needs to do, and may not always be the best at unplugging and actually relaxing. With a quirky, and irrepressibly coy sense of humor, he’s aware he’s not everyone’s cup of tea and is quite fine with that. He’s always had a knack with tools, with instruments and his hands in general, and has developed a particular affinity for machines and their bearings, fascinated by the intricacies and patterns, and often preferring to deal with them over people face-to-face.

History of Persona:
Balrudex is a good mixture of Hold, Hall, and Weyr.

The eldest of three children, he was born to an ambitious Harper and his greenrider mate, though his life has long been divided between them. Born at Dragonsfall and then later moving Rising Moons Weyr when it reopened just before the Pass, Balrudex grew up with a strong social foundation.

When his parents split, however, and his mother was clearly content to leave their rearing to the creche, his father claimed responsibility for him and his siblings and transferred back to Emerald Falls. Not that there was much choice, but Balrudex apprenticed to the Harper Hall as soon as he was of age and as it turned out, Balrudex found his niche quickly - through instruments and storytelling, the classic drama of a ballad. All of it enchanted him, and helped keep his Harper father and uncle off his back.

Resourceful and driven in his studies, eventually Balrudex ventured into the realm of the Printers a few Turns later while their Hall was being rebuilt from a fire. He earned his journeyman knots in Dolphin Cove shortly before the Hall's completion and quickly found his way into the printing presses. Enraptured with these machines, the stories they produce, the information they share, Balrudex traded performance for performing the miracle of mass media for the South and finally feeling like he's in his element at last.

Family and Friends
Syqua, 80, Auntie (grandmother)
Balagyra, 20, Candidate (cousin)
B'dann, 52, Wingrider (uncle)
Baldessa, 48, Wingrider (mother)
Syressa, 18, Senior Apprentice (sister)
Sybaldex, 21, Journeyman (brother)
Elrudex, 80, Master Harper (grandfather)
Qualrudex, 57, Master Harper (uncle)
Zarudex, 19, Senior Apprentice (cousin)
Syrudex, 50, Master Harper (father)
T'valban, 26, Wingrider (cousin)

Pets

Major, Bronze Firelizard: aged 5, hatched m5 d3
Major has a rather loud and obnoxious squawk. Given its volume, physically he is always somehow a lot smaller than expected. He’s surprisingly vocal, having been bestowed with an impressive range of sounds that is rather unusual for firelizards, anywhere from melodic to mercilessly malicious and something for every mood. Though sleek and smaller for a bronze, he is a proportionate little bugger. Delicately crafted, when expertly oiled he’s a nice shade of whatever bronze is right before antique, but his shading makes him look quite dark. More like a shining shadow than a handsome lizard.

A forceful personality, Major tends to be noticed first. It helps that he absolutely thrives on attention, and would probably waste away within a day without it. Though he has moments of ridiculous and extraordinary vanity, he maintains an immaculate appearance to back it up and is rarely, if ever unkempt, dry, scaly, or dirty for long if he can help it. The key to his heart is definitely his hide, and a well-placed compliment goes a long way with him. Major’s actually a clever boy, a very competent helper. He has plenty of space to grow. But he's often bored. He’s probably a little too smart for his own good, and if given engaging things to do, coupled with an appropriate outlet, Major would be the ideal companion - though right now he just takes to harassing, bossing, and ordering others around whenever he gets the chance.

Minor, Brown Firelizard: aged 5, hatched m5 d3
A tawny shade of brown that darkens to klah bark at the tips of his extremities, Minor is a well-formed and nicely muscled lizard. He’s borderline too big for his frame, the effect of sometimes finishing his clutchmate's food for him. An almost-hefty boy. Look, he’s not quite chunky, and not quite as large as brown lizards can get, but he is at least balanced and flows almost effortlessly from ground to air, as if he hovers or glides everywhere rather than actually flaps and flies. He has a noticeably lighter touch and lighter-toned call than other browns.

And although Minor isn’t an especially loud or demanding lizard, as you get to know him he tends to take on a bigger personality. He’s consistently well-behaved and sociable, and although cautious, he’s not easily frightened, tending to have a cozy charm and friendly character that is more similar to a large, loveable canine than a lizard. In fact, there are times when he is almost confusingly petrified of everyday things, and then times when he is surprisingly nonplussed by the goings on in the world, almost to his own detriment. Playful and at times weird and eccentric in his obsessions, Minor is more likely to be found curled up somewhere with a buddy or chasing the light through the rafters than in trouble.

Approved: August 1st 2025
Last updated: August 1st 2025

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Persona Profile: Balrudex

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