Understand that what I'm about to do is to critique this short story as if it were a Bio for a Champion. What I'm looking for is background information, character defining moments, interaction with existing characters and places, new characters and places, and word count (which shouldn't exceed 500 words).
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Originally Posted by BoysXlovesOgirls
Aengus's father was once General Boaram Darkwill's personal soldier, and Aengus's ancestors has served and helped General Darkwill for many centuries. General Darkwill commanded Aengus's father Vergil to be a spy in Demacia, until one day, Aengus's father met a Demacian woman whose family work under Jarvan lV since before the time of King Jarvan I of Demacia. For many years, Aengus's father Vergil was considered a betrayer of Noxus for secretly leaving the military to marry an Demacian woman name Teresa and had an offspring with her. One night they both snuck out of Demacia to escape the civilization, and they went to the Northeasthern side hoping to live a peaceful life.
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This tells us a lot about his lineage but not about him. By the way, by this word count we have already learned that Quinn is a Ranger, uses a crossbow, has a bird, takes on some of the most dangerous missions, is completely loyal to Valor and him to her, had a twin brother who died, dreamed of being a knight, was a peasant, and explored the wilderness. Right now all I know is that Aengus was born of a Noxian spy and a Demacian servant of the royal house. That isn't a good thing.
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Aengus grew up on a land between Serpentine River and Howling Marsh, raise by his loving Noxian father and Demacian mother.
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And now almost the entire first paragraph has been paraphrased in a single sentence. This has singlehandedly rendered the previous paragraph obsolete. Just throw in a small aside comment of how one or both of his parents are considered traitors to their nation and you would have completely rendered the whole of the paragraph as nothing more than purple prose.
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Starting at a young age Aengus was trained by both of his parents, who tought him the skills and techniques they learned personally. Aengus's parents wished that one day he will grow up as a strong man, and also find a woman that he loves and live in his own dream. At Aengus's eighteenth birthday they had been discovered, an army of Noxus soldiers along with war machines surrounded their house leaded by the Blood Brothers and Swain. The attack was commanded by General Boram Darkwill, the ruler of Noxus. Both Aengus's parent knew this day would come, but never expected to be this day. Aengus was told they would both distract the three commander, and try to opening a path for him to escape. For all these years, all the care and love his father and mother gave him made him insisted to stay and fight with them. He was also willing to die along with them. Aengus believes if both of his parent died, he would have no point of living because they are the only people he knew, and they are the only people who cares about him. He also felt the world outside are unknown pearil place. He wants stay with his beloved parents, even if it means death. Tears slowly flows out of Aengus eyes before he even realize. Both of them hugged Aengus, they knew this would be the last time they will ever see their beloved son. Before Aengus's mother let go, she told Aengus that he's the last hope for them; she wants him to live for them so he can complete their wish. After their small family gathering, Aengus's mother took off her Blessed Amulet that she received from her mother when she's a child and placed it around Aengus's neck. She gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead, and told him that she will always stay by his side and the amulet will be a symbol of her love. Aengus's father told him to pull himself together, and then he handed him a ancestry sword that has been past down generation to generation from Aengus's Noxus family. The sword was exchanted with a tooth of a Sovereigh Dragon of Valoran that his ancestor had once slayed. After Aengus received his gifts, he looked at them the last time, as the tears stream down his cheeks. He knew he couldn't let his parent down, knowing he have to live on for his parent and himself. Finally, Aengus gave in and agreed with the plan.
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Aside from verb tense inconsistencies, this is mind numbing purple prose. This section alone is almost twice as long as Katarina's entire bio, and in its entirety tells little more that he was trained, what his parents' aspirations for him were, a little bit of reluctance, that he got two neat trinkets, and that his family was attacked. It does not even finish that last part!!
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They ran out and charge towards the army right before the Noxus soldiers launched the missiles. Aengus parents took on The Blood Brothers and Swain hoping to make a distraction; while creating an opening for Aengus to fight through the army. Draven perform a flawless threw with his axe toward Aengus while Aengus was fight his way out. His father Vergil saw the attack and quickly performed one his Crypic moves and deflected the axe. The Blood brothers both saw his performence and sudden turned their intrest toward his father while Aengus made a sucessful escape.
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Completely unneeded purple prose. Aengus's parents distracted the enemy force while Aengus cut down those that were in his way during his escape. This section shouldn't be more than a sentence. It doesn't really add anything of substance.
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After Aengus came back, countless of Noxus dead soldiers almost covered the area. Aengus ignore the dead soldiers, and he began his search for his parents. Finally, their body were discovered, their dead body were held close to each and covered in blood with nasty open wounds. Aengus couldn't believe what he had witness. Immediately, tears burst out of his eyes as he pounds his fist on the cold, harden ground. Heartbroken, Aengus couldn't think of anything else beside his beloved parents that was once alive. He want his parents to came back, he wants to see their warm smiles and laughter. He softly call out their name few time, but there's no reply. He knew they were gone. All of the sudden, he felt alone, knowing he had losted the two person who raised him,cared for him, gave him the love, and the courage he needs. He later burried both of his parent under the big tree near the river where they used to train, hunt, and spend time together watching sunset on the top of the tree. Before Aengus leaves their graves, he promised them that he will stay alive find the woman he love and live in his own dream.
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Purple prose overdose! This needs to be cropped down. Yeah, he came back, buried his parents whom have racked up quite a body count, and then he was sad that they died, and then he was alone. Then he makes a really lame promise. ... sorry, I just find the promise to live to find love "because they wanted him to" to be, well, pathetic. Also verb tenses are now shifting multiple times mid-sentence. That isn't good. Also this section alone is almost as long as Blitzcranck's entire bio. Just 80 words of difference between them.
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Aengus wonders off at the stream of the river, passing Howling Marsh and ends up at a small river that's between Ironspike Mountains and Howling Marsh. At the river, he saw beautiful and tough looking woman who had a hair; carrying her broken blade nearly broad as shield with her giant gauntle.
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So she has one hair? At least she isn't bald, but even Homer Simpson has more hair than her. That is actually just one of the more humorous errors thus far; I've been neglecting to point them out since to do so would require me to fix nearly every other sentence. I just thought this one was funny enough to point out. Also verb tenses are shifting again. That isn't good.
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He knew he was in love at first sight with this woman. Aengus saw her stare at the reflection herself at the water; through her eyes he can see and felt sarrow, and pain within her, along with regrets and loneliness. He somehow felt that they both had suffered a great lost and that includes family members. Aengus felt like he wants to know her, and stay by her side to support what ever she needs. When Aengus approached himself closer, the woman noticed his arrival, she turn her face toward him and look straight at his eyes. Sudden, a tiggling sensation that Aengus never had felt before rush through all part of his body; he felt his heart was pounding and his body became stiff hard to move. The woman looked at him for a moment then turn and walked alway. As Aengus saw her walk farther and farther he begin to relax. Aengus finally discovered what he had been looking for, and he wanted know her, to talk to her, and stay by her side support this woman. For the first time, Aengus was in love. He promise himself to find this woman again. As he travel further on his journey, he met three powerful summoners who accepted him join the field of justice to test his skills, and help him find the woman he been seaching for.
"The true meaning of living is living for others........"
" Someone to love and a place to belong is what dreams are made out of."
Aengus, Guardian of The Exile
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Ack, the "Love at First Sight" trope. Ehhhle. It does not a good story make. Even still, I'll let that pass; it is, after all, a renowned trope for a reason. That said, the fact that he, for lack of better words, essentially trips over some summoners (read that as "plot devices") to get him into the League to help him find this woman (read that as "excuse plot") is really stupidly convenient (read that as "Deus Ex Machina"). It would have been much better had he talked with her and she would have accept his love on the condition that he prove himself a warrior of some renown, and to prove that he is, and as such worthy of her love, he would prove himself on the Field of Justice. Also that whole section was purple prosy. This last section is just 11 words shorter than Garen's entire bio.
The title of "Guardian of the Exile" is completely unexplained, and the only thing that I can think of that would make that title make any kind of sense is if the woman he fell in love with was very specifically Riven, the Exile, but there isn't enough info on the woman to suggest that she was Riven.
Several places were mentioned but nothing was really new information about them. Several characters were mentioned but no real reason was given for why they were their. Swain is either one of the top generals of the Noxian army or the High Commander of Noxus itself. Why would he be hunting down a traitorous spy who fell off of the grid nearly two decades ago? He is far too over qualified for that; he would have sent Katarina instead. Darius is almost as high up in Noxus's military as Swain is. He wouldn't have been leading a small task force. He would have been leading an army. Draven doesn't belong there at all since he is an executioner. He left the army. In fact, the entire Noxian army should have been replaced with Katarina and/or Talon. You send assassins to kill traitors; not armies. It's cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. Also this would have given a more personal rivalry to Aengus since Swain did nothing of interest at all other than be there (he is only mentioned twice; one time just to say that he was there and the other the guy's parents were attempting to distract him; neither of which require it to be Swain specifically that cannot be done by another character at least as well if not better). Darius and Draven did almost as little. Draven threw and axe and then both of them were distracted by the parents as according to the parents' plan. Not exactly moving material there.
Allow me to purpose a counter bio:
Aengus is the son of a Noxain spy, turned traitor, and a Demacian woman from the calming land on the edges of the Serpentine River. As he was trained by his father and tempered by his mother, Aengus was brought up to live, love, and, when needed to, fight with all of the passion in his heart.
On his 18th birthday his peaceful world fell to pieces. He had just returned from practicing with his new sword, a gift from his father, when he discovered that a Noxian assassin had discovered his family's home and was fighting his father. He tried to help, but his mother stopped him, put a locket in his hand, and made him promise to run and not look back. With a sad and heavy heart, he reluctantly ran from the fight. When he returned a few days later he found no trace of the assassin; only the bodies of his parents.
He wandered the lands, for a time, lost in this unfamiliar world that his sheltered upbringing had not prepared him for. It was during these travels that he met this woman that he knew was the kind of woman he could love with all his heart. When he declared his love for her, she simply smiled and offered him a challenge.
Now Aengus no longer wanders aimlessly. He heads for the Institute of War; to prove to the woman that he is worthy of her love, to prove to his parents that he is worthy of their sacrifice, to prove to the Noxian Assassin that he is worthy as their opponent.
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267 words. Well within the boundary for a Champion Bio. Eh... I rushed it anyways.