Finneas McLaren

Personality

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Companions

  • Sergei Von Zarovich, his soul contained in the Sunblade.
  • Shami-Amourae, until Finneas's debt of 100 souls is paid.

Relationships

Romance

  • Ireena Kolyana

Friends

  • Lilac Greensleeves
  • Sloane of the Feywild (Sloane is on some thin ice)
  • Lucien Martikov (took the most care of him after the party rescued him)
  • Kasimir Velikov

Family

  • James McLaren, father
  • Laura McLaren, mother
  • Michael McLaren, brother
  • Philip McLaren, brother
  • Timothy McLaren, brother
  • Joseph McLaren, brother
  • Daniel McLaren, brother

Enemies (Not so much enemies as people he's wronged.)

  • Seamus Fitzgibbon, former lover
  • Eileen Conway, ex-fiancee

Backstory

Finneas Jacob McLaren of Glennrowe was born to James and Maura McLaren, but as the youngest of six boys (Michael, Philip, Timothy, Joseph, and Daniel) he had the odd combination of heavy expectations and light supervision. Finneas' whole family was highly dedicated to the Cult of Tyr, and the spectre of his family's ancient sword shattered as a symbol of their dedication to justice hung heavily over young Finneas's head. He grew up learning to smith from his father, but unlike his brothers, who found talent in filigree, weapon forging, armor repair, chain mail, and farm implements, he always found himself more drawn to using the weapons his family sold. He trained hard with his weapons in his free time, to the point that his father and several other fathers in the village paid for a swords teacher for their sons. Finneas was the oldest of the group, and quickly became their ringleader.

As Finneas grew older and more handsome, he became closer to his childhood best friend, Seamus Fitzgibbon, the son of a local hay farmer. Although his father discouraged the friendship due to Seamus' father's low status and apathy towards religion, Seamus and Finneas remained close, meeting in secret. As they grew together, they often wrestled in the fields....and more.

When Finneas turned 20, his father came to him with the news that he was to be betrothed to Eileen Conway, the daughter of the less wealthy but very prestigious head cleric of Tyr. Finneas's parents were overjoyed with the prospect of the union, and Eileen was a beautiful girl. Finneas was excited for a beautiful wife, but did not feel anything more than base attraction toward her.

The night before Finneas's coming of age ceremony and his marriage with Eileen, during the rehearsal dinner and subsequent party, he caught a glimpse of Seamus lingering by the doorway with a small box. Finneas snuck out to speak with Seamus, and opened his gift of a lovely silver bracelet. Feeling frisky, Finneas pulled Seamus into a nearby field and they made love for the last time. Afterwards, Seamus begged Finneas to run away with him, to break off his engagement, anything! But Finneas just laughed, unable to understand why his friend and fuck buddy would care, unable to understand what Seamus's love meant. Seamus left in tears, with Finneas flustered and wondering what went wrong.

The next day Finneas stood at the altar of Tyr, ready to receive his blessing, thinking of the glowing aura that had surrounded each of his brothers as they had received their blessing. He closed his eyes, thinking of the beautiful maiden in white behind him and the love he would finally earn.

But as he opened his eyes, Finneas saw no light, nor heard a heavenly choir. Instead he only saw the confused face of the priest and felt the rage in his father's hand on his shoulder.

That night, Finneas left his father's home for the last time. Sporting a bright red welt from his father's slap across his face, he packed quickly and lightly, leaving almost everything behind. The only sentimental items he took with him were his swords, his armor, the silver bracelet Seamus gave him, and the hilt of his grandfathers longsword, secreted away under his cloak.

On his way out of town, Finneas stopped by Seamus's farm, in tears. Calling out for his best friend, Finneas broke into a smile as he saw Seamus making his way through the field towards the road. But instead of comforting Finneas as he told the tale of the scorned blessing, Seamus stayed quiet. Finneas grabbed his friend's wrist in a desparate bid for a sign of shared grief. But Seamus shook him off, reeled back, and punched Finneas directly in the face.

From there, Finneas nursed his broken nose and injured soul throughout the lands. Thankfully, years of combat training had made him strong, and he quickly found work as a bouncer. Nightmares of the day Tyr refused him were a constant, and Finneas worked hard to be an example of goodness and fairness. With every good deed and bar fight stopped, Finneas couldn't be sure if he was trying to repent for the promises he had broken and the hearts he had broke, or if it was somehow denial of the person he used to be.

When Finneas first met Lilac, Sloane, and Conrad, he was determined to unite with their cause and champion his own crusade to right wrongs. Finneas particularly struggled with Lilac, because he saw the same entitlement that he had used when playing fast and loose with Seamus and Eileen. This same fear is also why Finneas was determined to not fuck his friends.