Nikolaes Zeffirelli - Knight Errant

Name: Nikolaes Zeffirelli

Age: 40

Your group: Knight Errant - currently housed with the Bedouins

Brief background story of your character: Born in Italy, Nik grew up strong and worked his way up through the ranks to becoming a Knight Templar. He was pledged to protect those making the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem after its conquest, but the fierce contests that kept cropping up for the city's possession were much like war and the knights did battle many times with those of Islam. The Knight Templars were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades and Nik was no exception. On the field of battle, his skill with a sword was legendary - so much so that the enemy cleverly found a way to turn the tide in their favor. During one fateful battle, enemy archers were charged with keeping watch for those amongst the Templars who were fiercest. When those knights drew near enough during the confrontation, the archers targeted them to still their flashing swords. Nik received no less than three arrows in his right shoulder before he was felled on the battlefield while others of his brethren suffered the same or worse fates. Unconscious from his battle wounds, He was left for dead beneath the body of another fallen knight and awoke later to find he was the only one alive on the battlefield. Dazed, he attempted to find his way to others of his Order, but his directions were confused due to an infection in his injured shoulder. He wandered for several months, lost. Rather than finding safe haven with others of the Templars, he found himself in Ireem. Here, among so many warriors, he is frustrated that he is no longer able to fight in order to protect those he loves and the ideals he still attempts to uphold.

He considers himself a knight errant now instead of a Templar.

Character personality traits, strengths, flaws:
Traits: well-spoken, generous, respectful of women, strong-willed
Strengths: strong code of honor
Flaws: a semi-secretly crippled right shoulder, a weakness for curvy brunettes, strong drink, and the occasional indulgence in opium