~Xaphan, in
his more temperate moments, is sedate but forthright. He is inherently devoted
to his military occupation, and ardently loyal to his family and country,
approaching these matters with reserved seriousness. This normally sober personality,
though, is sometimes subdued by an underlying volatility. Triggered at unpredictable
intervals, his mood jolts erratically to one extreme or another. Under mounting
stress, Xaphan's lapses into immoderacy occur with more frequency, nearly
masking his recognizable identity all together.
Although characteristically quiet and somewhat diffident, Xaphan occasionally
becomes noticeably more withdrawn, almost apathetic. His moments of temporary
unresponsiveness fluctuate with states of incoherent restlessness and intense
fixation in which all of his typical behavior is inappropriately exaggerated.
It doesn't go unnoticed that Xaphan is most susceptible to suggestion at these
points, taking a ferocious interest in his pursuits. It's also at these times
when, if agitated enough, Xaphan is likely to fly into a truculent and uncontrolled
rage.
Arden has a paternal fondness for Xaphan and is understandably concerned with
his apparently deteriorating mental state. He is, however, unsure of how to
handle the situation. Finding that Xaphan is unwilling to acknowledge his
inability to function with a clear head and, at the same time fearful that
removing him authoritatively from his military command (the thing he focuses
so fervently on) would only worsen his condition, Arden rationalizes that
the best he can do is stand back and observe with a worried conscience.