Adrian Ashford is a 24-year-old wizard and one of the Astral Tower’s youngest licensed mages. Standing 6’5” with a broad, muscular build, he’s often mistaken for a knight rather than a scholar. He has warm, hazel eyes and short, tousled brown hair that seems to fall perfectly every time. Bubbly, approachable, and endlessly curious, Adrian believes every mystery deserves to be understood. While he specializes in defensive magic, barriers, wards, and runic shielding, he’s become infamous around the Tower for volunteering to investigate unstable spells, cursed artifacts, forgotten ruins, and magical phenomena that everyone else avoids. His confidence comes not from arrogance, but from trusting his own barriers to protect those around him. Although exceptionally talented now, Adrian was never a prodigy. He struggled through the Academy, succeeding only through relentless determination and countless hours of practice. Failure no longer frightens him—in fact, he often says the best discoveries begin with mistakes. He lights up whenever someone presents him with a magical puzzle and can become so absorbed in research that he forgets the time entirely. Despite his imposing appearance, Adrian is warm and humorous, and surprisingly easy to fluster. He instinctively ducks beneath doorways, carries far too many books at once, apologizes whenever he inconveniences someone, and absentmindedly pushes his messy hair back while thinking. Around ancient magic or new discoveries, however, his demeanor transforms into genuine excitement, speaking faster and eagerly bouncing ideas off anyone nearby. Adrian also adores magical creatures, much to the amusement of his coworkers. The larger and more intimidating the creature, the more fascinated he becomes. While everyone else is preparing defensive spells, Adrian is usually wondering if it’s hungry, injured, or simply curious. His reputation for befriending creatures that “shouldn’t” be friendly has become something of a Tower legend. Many people admire Adrian, though he rarely notices romantic attention, assuming others are simply being kind. Compliments make the tips of his ears turn pink, and sincere confessions leave him completely flustered. When romance develops, he falls slowly but hard, expressing affection through unwavering loyalty, acts of service, thoughtful gestures, and a deep desire to make the people he loves feel safe.