What kind of thoughts you have for HC characters.

I didn't really want to describing his clothing, but I will when he's submitted.

1st Character:
Rika
Kokiri Male
Rika, being a Kokiri, isn't very tall. He is around 4'02", (I'm assuming) generally an average height for Kokiri. Along with this, Rika weighs about 74 pounds, a normal weight for his size and race. He has green hair, which is a little long. His bangs go down to just above eye level, and the hair on his sides goes down to the end of his ears. At the back, his hair goes down to about the middle of his neck, if not a little shorter. It is generally a little shaky, as he doesn't spend much time to take care of it. Along with his hair, Rika has light green eyes, which contrast with his darker green hair. Spending a lot of his time in shelters, the forest, or generally just out of the sun, Rika's skin is a little paler then normal. His clothing, to put it simply, is the same as the Red Mage from Final Fantasy 3. Rika is not a melee fighter by any means, and as such, he does not carry many weapons.

However, if he does have to engage in physical combat, Rika has a []. < I haven't decided yet. Any suggestions would be great. Perhaps something that would be duel wielded? And nothing generic spellcaster/mage stuff like a staff.

Underneath his clothes, Rika wears a normal leather vest. While it probably won't stop a sword from stabbing through him, it can take a few blows and had definitely saved him. Rika is also rather agile, being a Kokiri too, so light armor, if any at all, is preferred for him. The more mobility he has, the better. As said, Rika is a spellcaster, so as such, his primary means of attacking is casting spells. Of course, as a spellcaster, he has a variety of spells available to him, with him learning more as time goes on.

For personality, Rika's intelligence is that of a genius. However, Rika is generally rather rash, and doesn't tend to think things through unless he has to. That's not to say this can make him seem stupid, but just he won't necessarily be forming a bunch of strategies in his mind in the heat of battle, or anything like that. Not that battle would get TOO heated for him, as a Spellcaster. Rika has a bit of an obsession with chocolate, and it is his favorite dessert, snack, or food. Generally like most Kokiri would be, Rika likes animals, enjoys interacting with animals, and does not like to see harm come to animals. Rika will generally not stand for it if someone is harming an animal for no real reason.

Rika isn't very keen or experienced in interacting with others, so he can come off as nervous or shy, or a little closed in. Once he becomes somewhat closer friends with someone, he will begin to open up, or, well. . . Become friends with them. As a Kokiri, Rika is rather old, while still retaining his childlike form. He doesn't even know his actual age, however. While he's not like 1000 years old, Rika is at least 100 years old.

Rika's stats will be 1 Power, 4 Wisdom, 2 Courage. Counting the racial bonus.

There, although I still have more I could describe, this is just stuff off the top of my head. Not meant to be the whole character sheet here though.

Other random ideas:

2nd Character:
No Name
Goron Male
Nothing in particular in mind, mostly a physical attacker. Might use like, a giant sword or a hammer. Will have outrageous power, but little in terms of agility(Not counting Goron roll speed) or magic.

3rd Character:
No Name
Deku Male
I had a kind of magic thief in mind. He doesn't like combat, and will try to avoid it when he can. He'll be a little even, with a little bit into each stat. Obviously most into courage, and least into power.

4th Character:
No Name
Hylian Male
This was more of a mess around idea. A guy who's kind of a cocky jerk, probably won't make him.

These are just ideas for everyone except Rika(And the Goron), I don't know if I'll go anywhere with them.

Now I'm going to start off by listing out random ideas I have for characters. If anything here looks worth doing just hit me up with an opinion.

First off I want a character with a colorful pony as a mount. The name and details can come later, I'm mostly stating this to remember it.

I'm also thinking of a talking cactus as a companion/pet. This is less likely to make it past planning stages.

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Now for actual characters, I was thinking of maybe doing a Deku again, like I did with my first successful character. Though this time I don't think I'll write an epic for his bio, involving romantic drama and organized crime. Actually being a deku scrub again might make it hard to top what I did last time. I even tried it once and ended up with some kind of parody of evil barbers, it didn't nearly beat what I'd done before. In fact I'd much rather avoid relation to them altogether this time around.

This new deku would have to be fairly normal, nearly bare of all the evil stereotypes I had played on previously. Those who know me should be well aware by now how uncomfortable I am with playing the nice guy in the group. Especially when surrounded by a party of nice guys. But it has been done before, pretty well even. I just need to concentrate extra hard.

Now this time instead of focusing on an oddball profession to base the deku around, I'll focus on personality and social skills. Maybe he/she can have a cool weapon, too. Why not. So what I'm developing here should end up something of mediator character that breaks up fighting between allies perhaps. I've never made a magician deku so I think I'll go with that this time.

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Most of this has been me just reflecting. I should change the focus by selecting a different race. What if I made a Zora? Yes wouldn't that be interesting. Now that I think about it he'd just end up being a skinny lazy guy and hold the party back. "Look over there, a pretty butterfly." Maybe another day, I can't do that to myself now.

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Maybe I could be a generic hylian for once. A silly drifter with a rope for a belt. . . no that's a horrible idea. Maybe a swift ranger with a bow? Being the cool guy and hylian seems a little too overdone. With my standards he'd end up being a gonk. A gonk with a bow and arrow doesn't seem very appealing to me at the moment.

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What if I played a kokiri again? Pretty much no way I can screw that up huh. I had an idea once several years ago for a smart and knowledgeable kokiri girl with glasses who tossed around boomerang-type weapons and analyzed enemies well with the help of a mean-spirited fairy. Wait I might be on to something with this one. Put this in the "very possible" pile.

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Now, say I wanted to have a villain character again? I think it would have to be a race I haven't tried evil with yet. It also depends how strictly morality is dealt with in this RP. I don't want my rogue zora/goron/etc. gunned down the second they consider the possibility of committing a crime. We'll put evil on the "maybe" pile.

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I actually had a short idea of having the bow-slinging hylian being a girl. She would have weak defenses but with the hylian ears and eyes have a deadly aim. Many Fire Emblem archers end up being savvy females. I'll just have to make her quirky somehow so I don't run the risk of a sue. She would have a colorful animal friend, and good aim? I don't think so. Maybe she can have horse teeth and a boil on her nose. On second thought I'll stick this on the "fix somehow" pile.

That's all the ideas I have tonight.

Here is what I have thus far....

Name: Dante Teilthas Silvaros
Race: Deku
Class: Falcon (Ranger/Mage Multiclass)
Place of Origin: Kokiri Woods
Statistics:
Power *
Wisdom ***
Courage ***
Height: 2'11"
Weight: 55 lbs.
Weapons: Kukri (Main Hand), Main Gauche-Swordbreaker (Off Hand), Crossbow (Main Weapon) (Haven't decided on the design of these three yet.)
Needle: Crossbow
Talon: Kukri: Blade – 15 Inches, Handle – 3.5 Inches, Double Fuller
Thorn: Main Gauche-Swordbreaker: Blade – 12 Inches, Handle – 3 Inches

For those of you that don't remember, Dante was a little bit crazy back on HS. Toning that down some, though he is still going to have the same fighting style. Which is going to be based off of the targeting of vitals and creativity. Dante wears almost all green; green tunic, green kilt thing. Usually kind of patchwork colored. He's also going to be more Chaotic Neutral than he was back in HS, and will most likely try to kill someone for their rupees/and or items unless he really likes them. Can't decide what I should do for Dante's head- if he should have a large clover on his head, like before, and a wreath of leaves around his neck, or mushroom caps on his head and moss around his neck (evolution due to living in the Western Caves).

Aight, posting Dante now... Skip over it if you want, cause it's 8 pages long in Word. Posting it here as a possible example for what kinds of stuff should be on a character sheet.

Name: Dante Teilthas Silvaros
Race: Deku
Class: Falcon (Ranger/Mage Type)
Age: 49
Place of Origin: Lost Woods
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Statistics:
Power *
Wisdom ***
Courage ***
Height: 3' 1”
Weight: 55 lbs.
Instrument: Celestial Harp (Circular Harp Based on Constellations)
Profession: Bowyer
Weapons: Talon (Blade), Thorn (Both Hands), Needle (Ranged Weapon)

Needle: Composite Recurve Bow – 2'5” – Materials: Maple Core – Dodongo Horn – Keese Sinew – Leather Grip

The finest weapon that Dante owns, Needle is a souvenir from his time spent within the Kokiri forest, serving as one of its protectors. Made by his own hand, Needle is stereotypical of a bow that a Deku or Kokiri would use; compact, the composite recurve bow allows for high bow tension, while still having a compact size, vital to any archer of a small race. The bow is well taken care of, polished to a dark sheen. However, its wear is apparent in the soft, worn leather straps that compose its grip, as well as the ease with which the string, made of spun cotton whipcord, is pulled.

Needle is kept within a well oiled leather case, slung over Dante's back by a belt. Because it is a recurve bow, the case is necessary for keeping the bow out of moisture. If a bow is exposed to too much moisture, the glue, binding the materials of the bow together, will dissolve. His quiver is made of the same material, which is strapped to his back. Although the quiver is small, so, too, are the arrows, made to fit his small stature and the size of the bow. The arrows do not have metal tips, simply having sharpened sharpened ends instead. Still, the power of the bow, despite its size and the size and make of its arrows, should not be underestimated. Due to the design of the bow, Needle has the equivalent pounds of pressure, when drawn, as a standard Hero's Bow would. Meaning, the wooden arrows can still punch through light armor.


Talon: Kukri: Blade – 15 Inches, Handle – 3.5 Inches, Double Fuller – Materials: Copper Blade, Carved Wood Handle

Talon is a Kukri dagger (or rather sword, due to Dante's size), a perfect blend between utility and combat usefulness. The Kukri is used not only in battle, but for everyday tasks; it can be used for chopping wood, skinning animals, even slicing meat and vegetables. Dante carries two smaller “components” along with his Kukri, a small knife used for honing the blade, the other a stick of flint, used to create fires. Due to living in the Western Caves, efficiency and survival became Dante's main goals; the Kukri fits this role perfectly.

The Kukri is also a well designed weapon. Made like a falcata, with a curved blade, much of the weight is distributed near the tip of the sword, adding greater force to the handler's swings. This swinging action is similar to that of a one handed axe, able to slice through bone if enough force is applied. The blade is durable, and even if its blunt, it still has significant cutting power due to its weight distribution. The Kukri can also be used as a stabbing weapon; its tip is sharp, and due to its curvature, the user has to bend their wrist very little in order to stab their target, in comparison to a straight bladed weapon. This reduces the strain put on the wrist, as well as reducing the chance that the wrist will be broken. Talon as has a double fuller—or blood channels, as they are known. These are located with one on each side of the blade, both near the spine. This reduces some of the weight of the blade, but does not reduce its durability, with only a small sacrifice to striking power.

Talon, and the honing knife/flint stick, are kept within a wooden sheath, wrapped in leather, that is strapped to his belt.

Thorn: Spike Gauntlets – Spike Length – 1 Inch, 4 Spikes, Length – Half-forearm to knuckles – Materials: Crude Steel, Wire Reinforced Cotton Lining, Leather Belts, Copper Buckles

Made of crude steel, Thorn is Dante's preferred weapon, though it is the most recent addition to his arsenal. Although Dante is skilled with both the bow and the blade, having had used both before his retirement, Dante has taken to using spiked gauntlets. Received from the refugees living within the Western Caves, Dante prefers this weapon in tight quarters, such as the tunnels of the Western Caves, for its speed and mobility. Though Dante lacks in physical strength, the natural weight of the gauntlets, combined with their spikes, make them deadly nonetheless.

Thorn is composed of crude steel plates laid over each other, over the top of Dante's forearms and hands. The plates extend to his knuckles, and slightly over them, but does not offer any protection for his fingers. The spikes are a part of this overhang, pointing forward when Dante's fists are clenched, and pointing outward from his hand when his palms are open. These plates are riveted onto the reinforced black cotton lining, which are gloves that slip over Dante's hands. Iron wire is woven with the cotton, creating a durable, yet lightweight material. Lashing the gauntlets to his forearms are rough leather belts, clasped by copper buckles. The leather belts are between the plates and the lining, and are riveted to both. There three belts in total—one for the halfway point of his forearm, one for his wrist, and one strap that is grasped in his palm.

Items/Spells/Skills:
Wind Enchantment
Wind's Requiem
Blue Fire

Physical Description:
Dante is fairly short, though by no means is his height abnormal for his species. He stands at about 3 feet tall (or short, as some might say), although his pointy, green, felt hat adds an extra foot if it's particularly stiff. His build is slender, as he does not focus terribly much on physical fitness- what muscle he does have was earned from years of adventure. His skin/wood color is a light oak color, and shines as if it were polished. his mouth, on the other hand, is a dark cherry wood color, contrasting starkly against his light skin. His hands are large, though this comes mostly from his elongated fingers. His fingers naturally became longer from years of dexterous work. His palms and the tips of his fingers are also calloused, worn from their constant use.

The leaf growths on his body are limited to two areas on his body- around his neck, and on his head. A circlet of wide, almost palm-like, leaves encircle his neck, while on his head, Dante has one large three leafed clover on the top of his head. Both the clover and the leaves are a dark forest green color, and both take on a particularly waxy appearance. The clover on his head is concealed under his hat.

There are two features about Dante that are particularly striking. The first feature is the splotches of dark, almost black, brown that spot his body, though he keeps these marks concealed under his clothes. His face in unmarred by dark scars, but the rest of his body, it seems, is marked with char marks. The second feature is the large crack running down the center of his forehead. It appears as if a large blunt object was repeatedly bashed against the same place, causing the split in wood. It is also assumed that this is why Dante's eyes are very circular, instead of looking forlorn and slanted. The repeated hits against his head slightly changed the physiology of his skull- where a portion of a Deku's skull would normally eclipse their eyes, Dante's bones have warped so that this portion of skull has retracted.

Clothing and Armor:
Dante sports mostly home made clothing- living alone for the most part, he has become self sufficient. The majority of his clothing is made of green cotton, a very common cloth among Deku Scrubs. The cloth itself is coarse, showing that this cloth was most likely made of scraps, rather than the high-thread count material that royal scrub clothing is made of. Without the resources to acquire nicer materials, Dante has had to make do with what he could find- which is mostly old clothing, thrown away by their previous owners. Thus, his clothes are often patchworked, either due to a large amount of holes, or being composed of much smaller pieces of cloth.

He wears a belted kilt around his waist, its color many different shades of green. It is belted tightly around him, though it flows freely around his legs in order to allow free movement. It is, however, stiff enough to stay down, rather than flip and get in his way. The belt that holds his kilt up is made of cured leather, which has a long tarnished buckle made of brass. The leather is almost velveteen in its softness, which shows its years of use. as for his upper body, Dante wears a simple tunic of green, which hangs over his shoulders. The short sleeves hand down to about half the length of his upper arm, staying out of the way of his moving arms for the most part. The shirt is also patched, though in fewer places, and always with the same color cloth. Like the leaves around his neck and the clover on his head, the shirt is a dark green color. Hanging from his back and neck is a cloak with a hood, which was cured with oil to waterproof it. The cloak is light brown in color, blending well with the trees of the forest.

Personality:
Dante's character has drastically changed since Ganon's invasion of Hyrule. Previously, Dante had been a boisterous character, usually full of humor. He was also a dramatic character, who much enjoyed having a “cool” appearance. This made him unnecessarily reckless in a fight, Dante usually the first to charge into battle without thinking of the consequences. Though Dante was an intelligent character, he really only applied his intelligence in the heat of battle, and not before—meaning that he almost never made plans, essentially running into every battle with no strategy. Though Dante was brave, he was “courageous” to a fault. However, Dante's character has changed since the day his adoptive son was killed in a battle against Ganon's forces.

Vowing to an instrument of Ganon's destruction, if only a small one, Dante's character has shifted dramatically. Previously, Dante had been of the Chaotic Good alignment. Although his methods were questionable, his morals were not, almost always erring on the side of justice and the destruction of evil. However, with the death of his son, his sense of justice has intensified a great deal. This has greatly changed Dante's view of life, as well as his goals. Full of wrath and hatred, Dante seeks revenge against all those associated with Ganon, using the guise of justice. His morals have actually become quite flexible, Dante willing to stop his hunt for nothing. It is due to this that Dante is now chaotic neutral; though his acts may be “good” in his own eyes, anything that actively works to harm Ganon and his forces being innately good in his opinion, others maybe have trouble identifying with his questionable methods.

As was previously mentioned, Dante used to enjoy looking flashy in the midst of battle, using techniques that were brutal and calculating, yet beautiful in their own right. His style has not changed much, in that it still appears cruel and calculated; however, Dante is now governed by brutal efficiency, allowing him to cripple and destroy as many enemies as possible in the shortest amount of time. Though it may appear much the same as before, Dante will spend time before a battle, planning his attack. Through a combination of magic and skill, Dante targets the vitals of his enemies, wasting little time between dispatching each one. He uses skill and tactics to compensate for his lack of size and strength, using what magic he has to augment his battle prowess.

Outside of battle, Dante is now much more cynical than before. Having his own demons from before Scytale, his adoptive Wizzrobe son, died, Dante's repressed emotions have finally begun to surface. Replacing his dramatic and humorous attitude, is a sharp tongue and cynical view of life. Dante finds it hard to control his emotions, as he has been living off of hate within the Western Caves, the main driving force behind him. His words can be biting and harsh, especially around those he does not consider friend; and those are few and far between. Perhaps the only one Dante considers a friend, and only because the two were almost like brothers, is Guy Denzrita, though Dante will treat other old friends with civility. However, Dante is bitter, and will lash out at anyone he believes has not suffered as he has during Ganon's invasion.

Though Dante is driven by malice and revenge, he has no illusions as to where it will lead him. He knows perfectly well that, once his goal is met, nothing but emptiness will be left for him. Though he may try to convince himself otherwise, Dante is actually terrified of this. However, he is too set in his ways to completely break away from these forces, and finds it difficult to struggle against them. Deep inside his heart, Dante wishes that his life could return to normal, that he could return to retirement in peace, and grow old as a simple scrub.

Backstory/Act Zero:

Dante's story is a long one, dating back to the days of his youth. Dante was previously a victim of self-induced amnesia. However, during his adventures, before his retirement, Dante's memories were returned to him. Since then, Dante has struggled with the dark emotions within himself, which have only been augmented by recent tragedy.

Dante was born in a small village of Deku Scrubs living near the Deku Palace. It was a small village, providing only a small amount of worker scrubs for the Royal Family living within the Palace- neither did it have the means to give the Deku Palace a sufficient tribute. However, the villagers lived a good life. It was simplistic one, but peaceful- they never had want for anything. This was where Dante spent much of his childhood, only occasionally journeying to the Deku Palace.

As time went on, Dante took an increasingly large interest in magic- something that has persisted throughout his entire life, despite his loss of memory. Suddenly the village had grown insignificantly small, barely registering as a blip upon the whole of Hyrule. Dante's thirst for knowledge spurred him to leave the village as he grew older- his first destination was the Deku Palace. However, as a lowly Worker Scrub, Dante was only afforded a position within the Palace Guard; scholarly positions were reserved for Royalty and Servant class Scrubs. Dante spent some time within the Palace, using his pay as a Guard to pay for his expenses. During the day, Dante would do his duty, and during the night, Dante would spend his time delving into texts purchased with what little extra money he had.

The day came when Dante decided it was time to leave the Deku Palace. There was so much more he could learn from traveling the world. He had already learned as much as he could within the Palace and desired for more. Although he had learned much within the Palace, such as how to use a blade with skill, he packed what few belongings he had and left. His first destination was his home. Dante wanted to visit his family before he left for the world.

It was pure chance that he happened upon the group of Mad Scrubs. There were many of them- too many for Dante to handle. He decided to hide within the bushes, staying under their sight. He followed them easily from a distance; Mad Scrubs were not the subtle type. He was too engrossed with following this group to realize the direction in which they were headed; his home village.

Mad Scrubs and normal Deku Scrubs have a tenuous relationship at best. Mad Scrubs are barbaric, and for the most part insane. Their more civilized cousins look down upon the Mad Scrubs, not even acknowledging them as the same species. The two species often fought with each other, though the Mad Scrubs were too disorganized to mount a serious offensive against the Deku Scrubs, while the Deku Scrubs prefer to stay shelled up within their own societies. However, it was the smaller villages that suffered for this, the Deku Palace preferring to hide safely within its walls, rather than defend the outlying villages. The furthest villages were the ones most often raided, though these had long ago adapted to defending themselves against their cousins.

Unfortunately, the village Dante came from was located much closer to the Deku Palace. The Mad Scrubs had decided to attack those villages closer to the Palace, realizing that said villages would be easy targets. Dante watched in horror as they attacked his village, yet he was more horrified with himself- frozen in fear, he could do nothing but cower in the bushes. It was hours before he could move again, so great was his fear; Dante could not control his own body, and shivered in his own sweat and excrement. Once he regained his ability to think, Dante began to follow the group of Mad Scrubs once again. He believed his entire family to be dead, and now he only thought of one thing; revenge.

He tracked the group for miles, finally finding them hidden inside of a deep cave. The group had tied up the remaining villagers and had placed them at the back of the cave, but Dante could not see them- not because of the darkness, but because he could not truly see anymore. Red clouded his gaze, and as he got closer to his goal, he found it more and more difficult to concentrate. He had assumed that the Mad Scrubs had not lit torches because they wanted to stay concealed. There was another reason.

The cave smelled thickly of sulfur, yet he could not have differentiated its smell from his own; not taking the time to wash himself, Dante never knew what was coming. Dante lit a torch- and within a second, the cave was engulfed in flames. The faces of his burning parents haunted him even to this day; though he thought they had been killed, he had been wrong. To him, it was as if the remaining villagers believed that he was their executioner- not the Mad Scrubs burning with them. Their looks of hatred, or so he thought, drove him nearly mad; fleeing from the cave, his body on fire, Dante ran deep into the forest.

It was raining, so Dante was not left burning long, but the fires had left their mark upon his skin. However, Dante did not care. Still the faces haunted him, mocked him, tormented him. Their image would not disappear- Dante relived their deaths again and again. Driven mad from their terrible visage, Dante sought to drive the phantoms away. His head crashed against stone again and again, and with each strike, soft darkness began to envelop him.

Dante woke up the next day, unable to recall who he was. He remembered only a few things- his name, and that which had been ingrained into his body: skill with a sword, skill with magic. Thus it was that Dante's second life begun.

Dante wandered aimlessly for a long time- exactly how long, he wasn't entirely sure. Eons seemed to pass by, yet they were only trickles to Dante. With little other direction, Dante joined a small caravan, and for a time he was happy. Life was simple, consisting of only moving from one place to the next- the community was almost gypsy like, selling their wares wherever they landed. Dante spent his time as a part time bodyguard. He held close the skills of his past life, their legacy the only anchors he had left.

It was sometime later that the caravan was passing through the Lost Woods. Despite warnings, the caravan had decided to continue moving through the Woods during the night. It had lingered too long in one spot, and was now paying for it- the frost of winter was already upon their heels. Unable to simply find food and resources around the Lost Woods, the Mad Scrubs were driven from their normal habitats, and had begun looting. The caravan traveled an oft used path, and counted it impossible that the Mad Scrubs would dare reveal themselves in such an open area; they had been wrong.

Both sides suffered severe casualties- but finally the caravan was able to push the Mad Scrubs back, forcing a retreat. However, during the battle, Dante had been unable to move; an inexplicable fear coursed through him, forcing him into hiding. The little he contributed to the caravan's defense was limited to the saving of a small Wizzrobe boy, whom they had picked up as an orphan from their travels. Hiding with the child, named Scytale, the two huddled, shivering in fear.

Eventually morning came again, though it brought only more sadness. It revealed the faces of the many dead, among them their leader. Lost, unable to continue on, the survivors decided to part ways; those that were left packed their belongings, journeying back to whence they came. The Wardrobe boy, who was named Scytale, decided to stay with Dante. Finding the remains of their possessions, the two headed for Dante's home in the Lost Woods, which Dante had made in the near the Deku Palace, using the remains of what appeared to be a deserted Deku Village.

Time seemed to move quickly since then- Scytale had grown up, developing his powers as a Wizzrobe.The two journeyed out into the world, affected by wanderlust- Scytale wishing to find his parents, and Dante who fought the shadows of his past in the monsters he battled. Dante had made many friends since then- most notably Guy Denzrita. There were many who Dante had met and shed blood with, though Guy was his closest friend by far. The two faced death time and again, yet pressed on.

Sometime after, Dante recovered the majority of his memories. During one of the many battles in his life, Dante stumbled upon a cave- one burnt black, not from smoke, but from the broiling ash of bodies. He remembered then- this had been the grave of his family, his friends, and everyone he had previously loved. The realization had nearly driven him mad. However, he knew now that he was a different person- whoever he might have been, Dante's life was different now, and he had been born again.

Doubts still plague him, such as the implications of living in the very same home he had lived in when he was a child- for he lived in the ruins of his village- which made him wonder if he had simply been deceiving himself all these years. However, as the years passed, Dante came to terms with himself.

Eventually Dante tired of a life fueled by war. It was then that he decide to retire from adventuring, seeking solace within his home. For years he was content, using only the skills he needed to survive. It was during this time that Dante learned to craft bows, a necessary tool for hunting. Although Dante no longer led the life of a warrior, he kept some skills in practice, such as the art of archery, as well as some measure of swordsmanship. Dante came into possession of both Talon and Needle during this time period, both tools of survival. However, though Dante was content, his son, Scytale, was still young. Scytale's blood still burned with the fires of adventure, and though Dante tried to cool them with a life of complacency and peace, his son would not be stopped.

It was then that Ganon's invasion of Southern Hyrule began. Detached from most of the world, the Lost Woods remained the same as before, unravaged by the flames of war. However, those living within the woods heard tell of the horrors within the southern lands. It was then that the Deku heard the call to arms, felt the Great Deku Tree beseech them for aid. Some Deku left immediately, took up residence within the Kokiri Forest as guardians of the sacred tree.

Dante refused to leave for many years. Though Scytale wished to leave, he could not leave without his father, who had cared for him, despite not even being of the same race. Still, Dante knew the day would come—he felt the tug on his heart, just as all the other Deku did. Finally, Dante could resist it no longer; giving into his heart and to his son, the two left for the Kokiri Forest, joining a small band of reinforcements that were headed towards the Forest themselves.

The band reached the Forest with a few loses, having to make their way through roving bands of monsters to reach their goal. However, Ganon's forces were concentrated in other areas for the most part, the the group was able to break through their line unnoticed. Successfully reaching the Kokiri Forest, they prepared for battle, readied themselves for any attacks that would assuredly come.

Though Dante had been retired for a long amount of time, his skills had been maintained by time spent hunting and practicing on his own. Still, it seemed that he had forgotten much of the magic he had once known. Once capable of controlling the winds, Dante could only manage the smallest of cantrips. However, he would never forget. The spark of magic within him would never die within a beloved of Farore. It was thus that Dante began to train himself for battle once again.

The first few skirmishes passed smoothly. The first group of Deku that had arrived were hardened veterans, knew their way around the forest, could effectively use guerrilla tactics against the advance parties of the dark forces. This, combined with the reinforcements they had received, the Deku were able to drive their attackers away time and again, forcing a retreat every time. Dante became complacent in a different way, now well acquainted with war once again.

It was then that disaster struck. In one of the largest pushes against the Kokiri Forest yet, Ganon's forces attacked. The strike fell during the dark of night, blazing through the forest with fire. The Deku were caught unprepared for such a large force, and thus suffered heavy losses. Dante did not find out until morning, preoccupied with his own battles until the dawn of the next day. As the son rose, a crimson red, light passed over the dead. Dante had survived another battle, but his son had not. As part of the front guard, supporting the frontlines with his magic, Scytale had been claimed by Ganon's forces.

Overtaken with grief, Dante fled to the Western Caves, sought comfort within the darkness, the loneliness of living amongst strangers. The next year passed without much event; Dante tempered his sorrow into a weapon of anger, joining the human parties that raided groups of Ganon's forces. Given a pair of spike gauntlets by the humans, Dante tore through as many of the dark soldiers as he could, taking comfort in the fact that each one might have been the one that had dealt his son his last. As the coals of his heart cooled into simmering malice, Dante's vision expanded, falling upon all of Ganon's dominion. Leaving the Western Caves, Dante now seeks new and old allies, in his war against the darkness. He vowed to make the empire of darkness bleed with his own two hands.