Samandar Dalerov

Samandar Dalerov is the son of Eraj from the Tajik fairy tale Eraj the Valiant Hero.

Info
Name: Samandar Dalerov

Age: 14

Parent's Story: Eraj the Valiant Hero

Alignment: Royal

Roommate: TBA

Secret Heart's Desire: To fight monsters and rescue my father from evil spirits.

My "Magic" Touch: I am good at wrestling and fighting.

Storybook Romance Status: I'm still single. I'd like to date a girl who's nice.

"Oh Curses!" Moment: I have sensory issues due to my autism, and I tend to cover my ears when I hear loud noises.

Favorite Subject: Grimmnastics. It's such a fun class.

Least Favorite Subject: Woodshop. The power tools in here are way too loud - and I hate the smell of wood shavings.

Best Friend Forever After: TBA

Appearance
Samandar is of average height, with brown hair and green eyes. He wears a blue jacket over a light purple shirt and purple pants.

Personality
Samandar is a skilled fighter and a champion wrestler. He is able to take down foes bigger than himself. He is normally quiet, although he can fight aggressively if he is provoked. He doesn't like loud noises and he covers his ears if he hears a very loud noise  Sometimes this habit makes others doubt Samandar's bravery, but he frequently assures himself that he's not scared.

Biography
Salom! I'm Samandar Dalerov. I come from the mountains of Tajikistan. I'll tell you about my father Eraj. His father was kidnapped by monsters when he was a baby. When he grew up, he was determined to find him. He partook in sporting activities during a festival, and was especially good at wrestling. Afterwards, he set out to find his father. On the way, a man gave him a magical sword to help him fight and a booklet to guide him. When Eraj reached the fortress, a giant Dev (evil spirit) on an elephant attacked him. He managed to slay the first Dev, and then he fought and slew the giant Dev Chengil. After defeating the rest of the minions, he was faced with a fire-breathing monster. He used the booklet, which told him to fight the monster from the rear. When Eraj defeated the monster, he went to free the prisoners and found his father, but his father's cage was still moving. Eraj had to defeat one last monster - a lion resembling a dragon - to free his father. Afterwards, the cage stopped moving and his father was freed. Then he, his father, and the freed prisoners returned home.

Eventually, my father got married. He and my mom have three children. I'm the youngest - I have an older brother Jahongir and an older sister named Gulchekhra. I'm very close with my parents, especially my dad. He taught me how to wrestle, how to ride a horse, and how to use a bow and arrow. Thanks to him, the people in my village can live without fear.

What I love doing best is wrestling. When I'm at home, I frequently partake in wrestling matches. I know I'm kinda skinny, but I'm a lot tougher than I look. I can take on guys bigger than me. At school, I'm on the wrestling team. I find it really fun to compete against students from other schools and getting to know them. Although some people are nervous about being friends with me. It's because some people see wrestlers as dim-witted brutes, and they assume that I'm dumb because of it. I'm actually pretty good academically and I make sure to keep up my grades, not just because I want to stay on the team, but because I want to learn new things and prepare me for the real world.

I admit, I'm pretty brave. I'm not afraid of spiders, snakes, heights, fire, the dark, or many things people fear. I am, however, afraid of loud noises. I'm autistic, and due to it I have sensory issues. I cover my ears if I hear a loud noise. Loud noises can bother me a lot. Even when I'm at wrestling competitions, the cheering and the announcer's voice can be a little unnerving. I feel embarrassed telling people that I'm sensitive to loud noises because I feel like they won't think I'm brave if I tell them. My dad always reassures me that even the bravest people still get scared sometimes.

I'm looking forward to my destiny. I know I'm not thrilled about the idea of my father being kidnapped, but I am confident that I can save him. Sure I do get scared sometimes, but I try to face my fears so I can overcome them. It's important to be brave in the face of adversity so I can assure myself that I will come out on top.

Trivia

 * Samandar's name means "salamander" in Persian, referring to the legendary salamander's lack of fear of fire.
 * Samandar's surname is derived from the Tajik word for brave, daler.
 * If he were an official character, he would be voiced by Chris Niosi.