Tattoo/Marking ref
Lil bit of info about him:
His people live deep in underground caves, unknown to most humans. A very elegant and traditional society with some magic abilities. Always ruled by either one king or one queen, when a prince/princess is ready to rule, they must venture above ground to a high mountaintop, surviving against the harsh elements, to reach the hidden gem that boosts their magic abilities once they touch it.
This guy was a knight and petty thief in his youth, and finding out about the gem he decided to steal it for himself.
He made the perilous journey only to find it guarded, he lost that battle and was cursed to take the guard's place, protecting the gem he sought to steal.
Now all future kings and queens that make the journey must battle him as a test of their strength before they are able to complete the ritual, something he isn't too thrilled with, having gained many scars from future rulers, but it's not a frequent thing, as new rulers only happen every 20-50 years.
He can not travel more then ten miles away from the gem, otherwise, the ghostly red chain on his arm will tighten and burn, eventually killing him if he doesn't get back in range.
He was a selfish troublemaker as a teen, but now as a young adult, he's a bit wiser and controlled. His expression hardly changes and can come off as cold, not meaning to be aloof, but years alone doesn't do wonders for your emotions. He certainly enjoys any company he gets, even inviting some of the heirs who come to complete their trials to stay a bit and tell him stories of home.
He's efficient, neat, never wasteful, loves animals and is very active + athletic. He doesn't talk much and responds to most things by simply nodding or shaking his head. He doesn't smile a lot either, but when he does, he really means it. He can be a small bit broody and handles his curse better some days then others, and will occasionally isolate himself even further if he finds things too overwhelming (loud, busy noises, too many people, being crowded) and has a hard time explaining how he feels, but is genuinely working on it. While not exactly clingy, he will get pretty disheartened if someone he meets doesn't promise to come back one day, even if they imply 'oh, see you later.', they have to say "I'm coming back." It doesn't matter to him how long they take, only that he'll see them again one day. This likely comes from the heirs he meets saying they'll maybe come back and talk with him, but they're merely saying it to be polite, and have no real intention of making the dangerous journey again.
Over the years of isolation he's come up with a lot of good jokes and comebacks since he's rather funny with a good sense of humor, so when he is feeling chatty, prepare for a lot of comedy. He really wants to make others happy. Best way to make him smile? Just smile yourself.
He does have one good friend though, a sweet old human lady, who was actually quite young when he first met her, who hikes up the mountain once a year to see him. She stumbled upon him accidentally while mountain climbing, and he saved her life. Ever since then they've been best buddies. He loves being able to look forward to something, instead of just surviving in the snowy, barren wilderness. Listening to people talk about things they love? Even better. He could listen to her stories of adventures forever.
He knows she'd visit more if she could, and is just grateful to have a friend.
He's expected to live off the land, and for the most part, he does. He has a pet snowy owl he uses to hunt small game. He loves when his friend visits not only because of the company, but she brings him his favorite food, ramen. He could put any struggling college student to shame with how much he eats, sadly it doesn't last long since she can only carry so much up the mountain.
She also brought him a chessboard, so he plays a lot against himself, he also enjoys running and climbing around the mountain. Feeling free, even if it's not true, makes him happy.
He adores hugs and just being close to other people.
His species can live a pretty long time, and this is extended for him due to the curse.
