Fantasy The Children of Dawn | Character Sheets

[Isolus]

Kindness




Ariella the Gentle || Days in the warm sun have blessed Ariella’s chestnut skin with a bronze tan, where her dimpled face freely showcases a field of freckles upon her short nose and rounded cheeks. While her youthful skin is clear of blemish, she does carry a slave brand on her neck - two half circles with two dots at their center; A sigil of House Torres of Elburn. Her small limbs remain lean yet surprisingly sturdy, accustomed to long treks up and down rocky valley paths. Ariella still pertains her elven grace, her legs able to carry her away from trouble in nimble little leaps similar to a spring cottontail. Her cocoa-colored hair is soft and wooly, often tied up in braids or with a ribbon lest the little elf's coily curls flutter into her face. Ariella has a habit of taking posture on the tips of her toes, partly due to the need of having to see over tall shop counters for wares or wriggling quickly between tight spaces of crowded markets.

Backstory:
It was on one misty spring morning on the sunny shores of Avaleen, that Ariella came into the world to a caravan of traveling doctors.

She bore no recollection of her parents; their faces had always been blurred in her mind’s eye. Yet she always kept their memory alive by the fire of her grandmother’s words, who painted them both in colors of she imagined rivaled even the summer sun. The little wood elf was told that her mother was taken by the labors of her birth and laid to rest in Avaleen. Months before, her father had strolled down the king’s road for supplies and was never heard from again. But Ariella was content under the watch of her grandmother and their elven troupe. It was here she learned all varieties of old herbal secrets from soothing ointment for battle wounds to minty herbal teas that could please even the high-born nobles.

The troupe traveled all over Ardunia. But one fateful day as the troupe left the market in Sangria, they crossed paths with a band of Norian knights prowling along the woodlands looking for low-born to harass. Their intent was quickly realized when the troupe was ordered to surrender their earnings as a toll for 'safe' passage on the king's highway. But even as their hard earned gold was forcibly taken, the knights were vocally disappointed by the measly amount. Looking to make a larger profit, the caravan was locked chains and forced to march to a slave market in the capital city. Those who resisted or appeared too old or sickly to earn a descent profit were ruthlessly slaughtered. Ariella lost her freedom, her faith in knights and her beloved grandmother in one day.

In the boisterous slave markets, the caravan were split up and priced according to their value. A frightened Ariella, along with a four of her troupe, were sold as property to the Duke Torres of Elburn for his mountain estate. She was branded and sent to work in the fields, where she spent long days bringing buckets of water from the mountain base to the bustling vineyards. Yet even in chains, little elf's heart remained kind. She shared her bread with the tired old hound by the stables and made sure the stray cats had warm places to curly up in the barn loft when the autumn rainstorms came. Even the knight's horses, grown mean from war, allowed her gentle hand to run along their long snouts. However the humans rarely returned her kindness; Ariella was constantly terrorized by her master’s youngest sons, who took joy in cornering her and twisting her pointed ears until the little wood elf squealed in fright. But it was the duke’s knights that terrified her the most, for they were free to torment any slave they wished without remorse or punishment.

Eventually, she would win an ounce of favor with one of her master's daughters who took her out of the fields and tasked her in running errands in town. Yet townfolk weren't took keen on her kind. Ariella quickly learned the wood elf’s place here. Her people were seen to be tricksters out to swindle anyone of coin. Yet, she refused to return their cruelty with any of her own. And her acts had not gone unnoticed.

Character Profile and Inventory

Basics:
‣ Name: Ariella Sagewood
‣ Nicknames: Ari, Ellie
‣ Race: Wood Elf
‣ Class:Healer / Alchemist
‣ Virtue: Kindness
‣ Age:8
‣ Gender:Female
‣ Language:The Common Tongue + Western Elvish

Skills:
‣ Nimble | Natural: (quick little squirt; used to treks through mountain roads and forest paths to reach town)
‣ Healing Magic | Beginner: (can heal a few scratches or bruises; no one taught her anything more than that)
‣ Knowledge (Nature)| Beginner: (she can identify local wildlife and has a general idea of how to deal with them)
‣ Cooking | Intermediate: (a caravan guard taught her how to start a fire; she makes some of the best teas you'll ever taste!)
‣ Non Magical Medicine | Intermediate: (her old Nan taught her many trade secrets of the healing arts; from seasonal allergies to deep sword wounds)

Starting Inventory:
‣ Small Satchel: (a strange spirit gave it to her; he said it has all the stuff she needs in it!)
‣ An Old Journal + Charcol Sticks: (she found it abandoned behind an old shelf; her mistress let her keep it. she uses it to presses flowers and keep her notes on edible plants)
‣ Empty Potion Bottles: (to fill up her potions; she'll give them to her friends!)
‣ Torch Bug Lantern: (two little lightning bugs to help guide her path; they are her little friends and she'd worry a storm if anything happened to them)
‣ The Golden Flower: (the spirit said she can make gifts out of it!)
‣ Leather Pouch: (to store her ingredients; currently filled with honeydew and tea leaves)
‣ A Roll of Handmade Gauze: (just in cause anyone needs some quick medical care; she tries to keep in stock as much as she can)

Strengths:
+ Patient: (unlike most children, she doesn't mind waiting for her friends)
+ Empathetic: (her first instinct is to think how someone else is feeling right now)
+ Gentle: (regardless of who you are, she'll honor your feelings and needs with tenderness)
+ Imaginative: (even in times of quiet, she'll always find something to busy herself with)
+ Motherly: (despite her age and her size, she'll always check in to make sure you have everything you need; from tiny hugs to words of encouragement to gentle kisses on the forehead. She will try to mother you)

Weaknesses:
- Fearful: (she'd sooner run away than try and face her problems)
- Weak Willed: (she's easy to bully and will do just about anything, even if she hates it)
- Takes Things Personally: (you might not even mean it, but she does't take criticism well)
- Niave: (she trusts way too easily; the wrong person could take advantage of that and she wouldn't bat an eye)
- Represses Feelings: (she'll say she's alright, even when she's clearly not; before you know it, its all built up and she all jitters - you really got to pry to get her to speak up)

Personality: Ariella navigates the world through her feelings. She can't always express how she feels fluently with words but deep down, Ariella confidently knows what her emotions inside. She values action over words and is deeply moved by the suffering of others. And while her responses may be soft and quiet, she soaks in everything around her and is always willing to be an open ear to anyone. But as kind as she is to others, Ariella struggles to be kind to herself. Left with the assumption that nobody knows what she’s are feeling or that she doesn’t deserve help, Ariella has difficulty standing her ground against more vocal opinions and often choose not to act rather than retort back. But even despite all this, Ariella is still able to understands that the gift of everyday existence has its own beauty and it should be treasured.

Habits and Quirks:
‣ Has a habit of standing on the tips of her toes, like she's a little bird about to take flight.
‣ Talks very quietly, you might miss what she said.
‣ Her favorite color is red.
‣ Will try to pet every dog she sees, just warning you now.
‣ Her elf ears are hidden behind her hair, as she's found natives will generally treat her better if they don't realize she's an elf.
‣ Is amazed with bards but is terrified of knights.
‣ Her favorite food are apples; but she'll be happy to share them with you!

"Because even monsters deserve a little kindness."

art (c) hannsthemanns:​

 

[Fred Colon]

Name: Marina Campbell (Known by most as Silverheart)

Class: Knight

Spoiler: Background

Background:

Marina’s has been one of sacrifice, all the way back to the day she first drew breath. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father took great pains to raise her alone in the little village she grew up, sometimes starving himself to keep her well fed. Marina and her father were poor, but happy, for Mr. Campbell was a jovial, loving man. But it wasn’t to last.

In an event that Marina would claim to be tragically typical of her existence, her father gave his life protecting Marina from bandits. Shielding her with his body, and hiding her beneath him as he died in their home the day the bandits razed most of it to the ground.

Only eight years old and alone Marina wandered from town to town until she settled in Noria at ten, becoming a street urchin who stole to survive and ran with a pack of nearly feral other children. They avoided the slave masters whip by mere virtue of being too hard to catch for too little profit.

She was eventually taken in by an old shoe maker who took pity on Marina. He saw that Marina,, despite the company she kept, could never quite steal with the unconcerned ease of the other kids. She still ran with the other children, the old man couldn’t completely provide for her though he tried, and Marina supplemented his resources with what she could take from the other street rats.

But one day, the urchins managed to steal an urn from a rich looking woman who was moving through the streets, completely unaware of her surroundings. They beat her and took the urn from her. It was a beautiful urn, and the score of the kids lives, but Marina, as ever, couldn’t feel the same satisfaction they all seemed to.

But it quickly came out that the urn contained the woman's fathers ashes, and she had been delirious in mourning. A call was sent out, asking for the return of the urn.

Moved, Marina, who had never felt much motivation for anything before this, stood against the other children and demanded they return the urn.
When they refused, she launched herself at them, a brawl ensuing. Marina, surprisingly, emerged victorious, beaten and bruised. She staggered, urn in hand, towards the woman's estate, but was stopped by one of the guard prowling the street for urchins and urns, happily discovering both. She tried to explain that she was returning it, but the guard refused to believe her, and neither did the woman who recognized her as the girl who stood by as the children mugged her.

She wasn’t sure what was going to happen to her. She was beaten again, and rendered unconscious, already badly hurt. But when she awoke she was back in a Slave Kennel, a locket that had belonged to the shoe maker hidden in the folds of her clothes. Inside a picture of his late daughter.
Asking around she found out that the shoe maker had taken responsibility for Marina’s ‘evil’ actions. She hadn’t been killed, and instead enslaved, but she never found out what had happened to the shoemaker.

She drifted from place to place, passed from slave master to slave master, until eventually she was sold to the army, to help pad out the ranks of a platoon with too many casualties in the war in the north.

She quickly proved herself an able soldier, fearless and brave, prepared to risk her life for her allies and, most importantly, to the higher ups, her commanding officers in Noria. A little stiff, with a penchant for moaning too much about other dead soldiers, but competent.
A few grueling wars later, and Marina was appointed captain of her own squad, no longer a slave.
Marina was glad for the change. She had noticed her fellows growing more and more depraved. Taking liberties…. Liberties and enslaving the populations of the areas the conquered. Marina had almost been court martialed several times for calling out wrong doings, but she was the apple of commands eye. First into the breach, the slayer of more than one enemy commander, and she was protected. Marina was unaware of this, and considered the lapse in discipline to be thanks to a lack of information on commands part. That she was providing the information they needed to punish wrong doing.
But in control of her own soldiers Marina could make changes. Those who broke the laws of war were punished severely. Repeat offenders executed. But despite these harsh penalties Marina earned the respect of her men for her fair if heavy hand, and the soundness of her tactical decisions. She never wasted men if she could help it, which couldn't be said for some other leaders, and as a result soon had a battalion full of experienced, elite soldiers instead of the new bloods the other battalions had to constantly recruit.
She won a suit of enchanted armor from an enemy commander that earned her the nickname Silverheart, and was gifted an enchanted sword and shield from command, given to her by a man named General Malus.
Her platoon was known as one that could be trusted, not just by her own forces, but by the enemy as well. A town would surrender to Silverheart, because they knew she would keep her promise of fair treatment during their occupation.
More, she became a sort of folk hero to many people on either side of the war as the only 'true' Knight left.

Her real, shining moment, however, came at the Battle of Hallan Heights, where Silverheart, after thought lost in an ambush, returned to her platoon. This was despite the fact her platoon had been sent back to cover the retreat of the greater army in a suicide mission. Upon her return, instead of perishing, they beat back the enemy that outnumbered them ten to one.

The Battle of Hallan Heights
(I wrote a story about the battle on Hallan Heights! It would make me super happy if people read and critiqued it (it's ok to be harsh I need legit criticism). It would also give insight into Marinas character!) **The story is not a perfect fit with the lore. I imagined it actually happened in this story, but with changes to make it lore friendly to this world, such as changing the dwarven character to an elf, changing the city names ect. ECT.**

Marina lost many friends during the wars. Each of their names she wrote down in her locket, along side the names of her parents, the shoe maker, and the other good people she knew who hadn’t made it.
Their deaths weighed heavily on her. She had been in command, hadn't she? She was responsible. She could have done better. But she kept going, believing that she owed it to her men. Believing that command saw the good she was doing and she could make a difference.

But like children, the men and women back at the Capitol grew bored with Marinas high mindedness and success. The sheen of her silver armor faded, especially after the War in the North ended
.
They began to enact a new ploy.

They abused the trust Marina had earned.
They sent men out under her banner, and asked to treat with their enemies.
The trust Marina earned was so strong, that they almost always agreed. Then, when they met with 'Silverhearts' representatives, their commanders would be brutally cut down.
Command did this for months before people began to notice, before Marina noticed.
But by that point it was too late. The Gorgons were calling for Marina and her men's heads on spikes.
Command claimed they had no idea she was performing such heinous acts, bemoaned how such a bright star had fallen, and agreed to hand over Marina and her men to avoid an international incident while getting away with their murders Scot free.
Marina was shattered. Confused. She pled with command. There had to be a mistake! But to no avail. So instead she begged; ''Take me. Only me.'
And command, not interested in losing an entire skilled platoon, convinced the other armies to accept Marinas lone head instead.
But Marinas knights were having none of this. They had been taught to do what was right by the captain, and that's what they intended to do. They wouldn't allow their commander to die for crimes she didn't commit, so they let flee any of their number that wished to do so, ambushed Marina, rendered her unconscious and sent her away with the two people she trusted most. Boris and Fleurette.
Then they, led by one of Marinas lieutenants, an elf name Gaz, attacked the forces coming for Marinas head. Gaz himself wore Marinas armor and weapons, making the enemy believe she still resided in the fortress
A losing battle ensued, and as a last resort, Gaz ordered a combination of magic and explosives to be detonated, destroying the fortress and all within. Gaz died in the explosion, his body burnt badly enough that he was unrecognizable.
The enchanted armor and weapons all that remained, command assumed that it was Marina who had died in the explosion. General Malus took her arms and armor as trophies.

Miles away, a lost, grieving Marina awakes, her reputation destroyed, her friends slain and her home in ruins.

Personality: Marina is dependable, straight forwards and while serious (perhaps a bit too serious) she is gentle with everyone unless they’ve given her a very good reason for her not to be.

While she constantly projects a self assured, if exhausted, aura of surety she has surprisingly little real self confidence. She believes she’s capable, she knows she is, but she constantly doubts her own worthiness. At the same time she knows people rely on her, and doesn’t believe that she deserves to rely on other people, so she never lets her outer shell of confidence waver.

Marina believes that she has two personas. Marina Campbell, and Silverheart. She considers Silverheart a lie she puts over her weaker self, little realizing that Silverheart is not a lie, just her justification for believing in the imposter syndrome she often feels.

Marina considers herself to be selfish, overly sentimental and foolish. Silverheart to be brave, strong hearted and just. Any success she achieves she attributes internally to the lie of Silverheart.

Strengths:
Sword and board: Marina is a master swordsman. While she’s more used to fighting in formation, her extensive experience in combat has made her an extremely deadly single combatant. When using her shield as well as her sword, there are scant few that can match her.

Weapon proficiency: Not as good as her sword and shield, Marina still knows how to wield almost any other weapon with a level of professional efficiency, be that a bow and arrow or a pair of daggers.

Tough: Marina’s main claim to fame is how difficult she is to kill. Knock her down and she’ll get back up over and over again until it's all finished. First into the fight and last out. Add that to her heavy plate and she’s an unflagging engine of metal and stubbornness. She’s been knocked down over and over again in her life and it hasn’t killed her yet. She’ll hold on as long as she can.

Conviction: Marina knows one thing to be true. She is an outstretched hand to the fallen, an unshakable shield to the helpless, and a fast approaching sword to the wicked. It can be difficult in situations where morals become more nebulous, but for the most part it's a strength that makes her laser focused and incorruptible.

Tactician and Unifier: Marina has extensive battlefield experience. Her men looked to her for direction, for inspiration, and she learned to give it to them. It’s a duty she takes very seriously, and if you look at her campaign record you’ll find that she was very good at her duties.


Weaknesses:
Hopeless: Marina fights for what is right, not because she believes right will prevail, but because it’s right and she couldn’t do anything else. Marina believes, in her heart of hearts, that it’s all for nothing. She’ll fight against the tide of darkness as hard as she can, but will eventually be overwhelmed. She can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Imposter Syndrome: Marina believes that she’s deceiving everyone. That she puts on the persona of Silverheart as deceit. She is no great hero, just a woman who has to pretend because too many people have given their lives to her for her to just run away from her duty. She separates Marina and Silverheart, pretending her real self, Marina, is cowardly and selfish, while the lie, Silverheart, is greathearted, loyal and just.

Survivors Guilt: Marina has come out relatively unscathed from hundreds of battles and conflict that killed men and women she considered better, stronger and braver than her. She’s ordered men and women into battle, and as happens in war, many of them died. Often, people gave their lives to protect hers. The weight of this is constantly something Marina considers. She feels she can’t disappoint the people that died for her, and everytime she loses someone, be it a friend, or a soldier, or even someone she met recently, the moral expectations she believes they hold her to become ever more unreasonable and extreme, far beyond any expectations the individuals in real life might have had for her.

No understanding of Magic: She always had mages in her army for that. Her job wasn’t to understand the intricacies of magic, but to know where to employ her spell casters on the battlefield. The minutiae of Magic bores her to tears.

Too Serious: Marina tries to be light hearted. She really does. But she’s just not good at it. She approaches fun and games as she might approach a battlefield, something to plan extensively for and be a little afraid of. She has made occasional forays into the realm of humor, always with disastrous results, and other people's jokes often go over her head as she simply assumes that they’re being serious. She does not eat sweets or drink alcohol lest it makes her soft. Marina seems to be almost afraid of truly enjoying herself.



Starting Inventory: Marina has her trusty Sword and Shield at all times. They aren’t anything more than well crafted metal implements.

She also possesses a set of Plate Armor belonging the Silverheart Knights. It's not her iconic enchanted armor, but one of her men's, given to her when they took her armor.

Marina has a heart shaped locket with a tiny hand written list of names in it. Names of the people Marina believes died for her. A list of the people she can’t disappoint.

Basic camping supplies. A tent, ropes, flint and tinder.

Armor polish and a grind stone for her sword.

Image:

 

[Kittenpom20]

image credit: hertoria-draws on tumblr

Elidyr Firahel

Age: 132 (adult)
Gender: Male (he/him)
Class: Sorcerer
Occupation: Primarily a scholar, he works in conjunction with the High Elf nobility and the Arcane University to research and acquire magical artifacts.
Sexuality: Bisexual
Virtue: Hope
Race: Dark Elf
Languages: Common and Elvish, some ancient Elvish he’s picked up studying enchantments
Magic Type: Natural

Description:
Elidyr is taller than most and has a slim build with high cheekbones and a pointed chin. Being a dark elf, he has dark skin and stark white hair, which he keeps somewhat long, and it tends to get messy left to its own devices. Similarly, his eyes are a pale blue. He normally dresses in dark robes and boots of varying shades. A deep, thin scar stretches from his chin to his right shoulder.

Personality:
Elidyr is fairly reserved upon first meeting, partially because he doesn’t talk much and also because he doesn’t trust anybody except for those he knows very well. He prefers to blend into the background and observe the world around him instead of drawing (what he views) unnecessary attention to himself. Elidyr applies a utilitarian logic to his decisions, taking his time with everything that he does. Beyond his hard outer shell is a warmer individual who smiles often, and notices what others need in order to do acts of kindness for them. He can become fiercely protective of the ones he loves, and will throw all logic out the door for them. He is especially protective of children, and goes out of his way to be kind to them, mostly because he misses his sister.

Backstory:
Elidyr was born into one of the few dark elf families that reside within Salodor, the capital city in the Eastern realm. As a minority within the city, the dark elves tend to cluster in certain neighborhoods, but are able to mostly live among the other residents of the city without issue. Their family was never poor nor extremely wealthy, but they were comfortable enough and had enough connections with the nobility to navigate social life in Salodor with ease. Elidyr’s mother, an instructor at the Arcane University, inspired his interest in magical artifacts. She was always bringing home interesting or fun things for him and his much younger sister, Fenna, and teaching them basic spells. His father, a noble with a title that was only slightly elevated above the common citizen, busied his day with bureaucracy and currying favor with other families to elevate his status.
When Elidyr was barely a young adult, his father was arrested and convicted for scheming against the crown - a crime heinous enough that he would be imprisoned for the rest of his life, since he was lucky not to be executed. In the wake of this news, Elidyr’s mother retired from the University. She claims to have known nothing about the scheme, but she is also an exceptionally good liar. Fenna, now a shop owner in a different city, left her family behind entirely. He hasn’t talked to her in many years, and he misses her company.
Elidyr found at a young age that he had a knack for both remembering details and using his magical abilities - a position which made him uniquely suited for working with both university scholars and noble people alike to acquire powerful magical objects for the crown. After the arrest of his father, he was faced with much scrutiny by his superiors, as he is one of the few dark elves working for the crown. Years of working diligently almost made them trust him again, until the rise of the new university in Cardeen. Tensions increased between the two cities as the queen sought out the vast resources that the Arcane University either owned or knew where to find. Elidyr was approached on two occasions by other dark elves attempting to persuade him to steal magical artifacts and knowledge for the South. They threatened many things, but Elidyr swiftly detained each messenger and brought them to the crown. Even this hasn’t made them trust him; he’s been put on probation, unable to access his office or his materials until further investigation proves his innocence. Elidyr is starting to wonder if his efforts will ever be good enough for others to trust him, or if they will continue to judge him based on his lineage and the decisions of his father.

Skills:
- Magic (advanced): As a well-studied mage, Elidyr is able to perform many types of magic at varying levels of difficulty. He tends to use spells to help him stealth (i.e. making himself quieter or invisible), but is not against using his abilities for combat, either. He prefers not to use magic to influence others; he believes that there is far too much use of dark magic in this world.
- Enchantments (novice): He is fairly skilled in binding enchantments to objects, but his occupation is mostly understanding the enchantments and not casting them.
- Stealth (moderate): He's had to sneak around his fair share of dungeons in search of magical artifacts, so he's relatively good at being quiet and using magic to aid in that.
- Knowledge (advanced): Elidyr is very well-studied on both the history of Ardunia and the various magical relics that have appeared throughout time.

Weaknesses:
- Close Combat: He is less suited for close combat, and doesn’t have much in the way of physical abilities.
- Lack of Armor: He stays out of the way during battles because it's so easy for him to get hurt. He hates wearing heavy armor, even though it would probably be helpful.
- Demeanor: Since he can come across as a cold individual, Elidyr sometimes has trouble persuading others or getting them to trust him.
- Decisions: He is very bad at making snap judgements; he much prefers to be able to weigh his options.

Important Items:
- Spellbook: The book itself isn’t any more special than a normal notebook, but it was given to him by his father when he first started studying magic, so the thing is over 100 years old. It’s large with an intricate leather cover that depicts the different positions of stars throughout the year. The handwriting inside isn’t all his own; sometimes Fenna would steal his book and doodle or write joke spells.
- Symbol of High Elf Royalty: A bronze carved coin, this symbol allows Elidyr to access otherwise forbidden places (excavation sites, basements of buildings and private homes) when he’s on an assignment. As it is bronze, it won’t let him into highly restricted areas; a silver or gold symbol would, though.
- Tiger: A small orange gemstone tiger that glitters in the sun; given to him by his mother as part of one of her gifts from the University when he was young.

 

[Larry]

​

Senán Árdfeld
Name: Senán Árdfeld.
Age: Twenty-years old.
Gender: Male
Occupation/Class: Writer/University student.
Virtue: Wisdom
Backstory: Senán would have had a somewhat tumultuous start to his would-be career as a writer. Born the son of a blacksmith named Odhrán and a dutiful wife called Máire in Noria, capital of the Central Realm, his father was dismayed at his child's proclivity for spending what little currency he had on books, viewing it as foolish and invariably less worthy than a hands-on, practical lifestyle that the likes of blacksmithing would entail. However, despite the young child often being discouraged by the denunciations of his father, Máire would secretly pitch a few extra coins in order to bolster her son's interest, consoling him that his father wasn't upset that he showed an interest in literature, but rather that he worried for his son's future and viewed the life as a writer as being prone to volatility, whereas being a blacksmith would always involve a certain degree of stability. Viewing his own interest and the feelings of his father in a different light, Senán would help his 'oul fella when he got the chance, secretly compiling notes and illustrations on all the various techniques that his father showed him and, with his permission, distributed it to persons who may and may not have the ability to read, so as to get them interested in the craft. As a result, within a year or two of his sixteenth birthday (two years post-publication), a guild had been established due to streamline the work allocated to blacksmiths across Noria, due in no small part to Senán's book, with the new guild members pitching in something of a commission to the young man for the troubles he went through. Over time the commissions eventually ceased as Senán continued his education at the local secondary school, yet the sum total had increased to an amount whereby the young Norian would have the necessary funds to enroll at the University of Noria, which had grown out of a monastic settlement to which the Tacitans, dedicted to the rule of Vn. (Venerable) Tacitus, had belonged to and who even still oversaw lectures at the university. Pursuing a degree in history, the young man would even take time out of his day once lectures and assignment had been submitted (which involved the sacramentum to ensure the avoidance of plagiarism) at the scriptorium to ensure the safe transference of ancient texts for posterity.​

Personality (w/ weaknesses & strengths included): Senán is quite the observant young adult, never too brashly inserting himself into a conversation he so happens to stumble upon or would be considered a participant in. Though somewhat reserved in character, Senán isn't particularly afraid to be quite assertive in his confutations when he feels is being deliberately deceitful or when they're supposing an illogical conclusion to an argument and well trace back the various syllogisms and premises that got to the point, only to show what was the proper finding from that particular instance. Still, despite his quiet yet confident exterior, the young Norian is quite easy to approach and will not mind chatter so long as it delves into deeper conversation at some point. The young man has a proclivity for speaking his mind on things that interest him, whether the person on the receiving is wont to know such things because Senán will no doubt keep talking much to their annoyance! Given that it's the degree that he's undertaking, Senán is fascinated by history and the struggle within historiography to fashion a the past as a flowing stream to the present and beyond in the future; the Norian has a noted interest in the 'Great Men' of the past and would be an amateur proponent of that viewpoint as opposed to the resurgent wave ascribing history's event to immutable variables beyond the control of any one person. Therefore, Senán is a firm supporter of human agency and the power that people have to fashion themselves and their life.

Yet, Senán is not without his flaws. Sometimes, even when a person would be talking in a ill-favoured but innocent manner, Senán inclination towards emendation of all flawed arguments causes him to burst out in anger, sparing little thought for the feelings of the person he'd critique. The young Norian is not the most vociferous person when it comes to offering help and often only did as such when he was younger due to being enjoined by his father to help him at times. Therefore, do not expect Senán to offer a helping hand of his volition, even if you were struggling quite visibly before him. Despite having a great many interests, Senán usually doesn't extend that tendency to people as quickly; the young man might become even more retrenched depending on the impression certain persons make on him. Therein lies the problem, that if a striking first impression isn't made, Senán relegates that person to being unimportant, despite the efforts of the other person to remedy that feeling. His most divisive personality trait would be expediency that logic can sometimes bring about in a person; if the death of one person sufficed to save the life of two, it's a decision Senán would make in a heartbeat and therefore, the young Norian can come off as being ruthless as well as heartless, should such circumstances thrust themselves upon him.
​

Outfit & Inventory: Senán is attired in the robes (see link for a visual description!) that are bequeathed to all incoming student at the University of Noria to ensure uniformity and the idea that everyone attending is of equal character, however true that maybe in reality. The robe itself is a light-grey in colour, with three black stripes winding their way around the lower end of the sleeve with a girdle fastened around the waist; the lower portion of the robe also ends at the shin, where a pair of brown, leather ankle-boots with an assortment of straps to ensure tightness to the wearers content, are supplied worn.
As regards to things kept on his person, Senán has with him:
i. A willow backpack fastened with a leather strap to carry the various assorted items in.
ii. A journal, usually accompanied by an extra in case something should happen to the first.
iii. Various inkwells bound by a metalic lid emblazoned with the symbol of the university, a Unicorn, meant to symbolise Dovacrae.
iv. Equipment used for camping i.e., bedroll, ropes, flint.
v. A small dagger, crafted by his father with the symbol of a horse rearing up (Árdfeld family crest), stored within a leather pouch attached by a strap to his girdle.

​

​

 

[Tlon]

✦ Osorio
‣ 24 | Male
‣ Class: Jack of all Trades
‣ Occupation: Merchant
‣ Virtue: Freedom
‣ Race: Human
‣ Languages: Common, Elvish, Orcish, Beastsigning
‣ Background: A raven haired merchant selling minor trinkets and baubles across the continent. Osorio keeps the more interesting or powerful pieces for himself of course but since he is a small merchant he doesn't often get the chance to deal in serious arcana. His most powerful personal piece is a black ring that changes color depending on if the drink in his hand is poison or safe to drink. From modest means neither he nor his family had ever had the money for proper magical schooling, but Osorio continues on studying all the channeled arcana that comes his way, testing each of them to see what he can learn, looking to unlock it's secrets. Helping him along in his enterprise are two companions - a brown Scalesman from the south who goes by Stonejaw and a red Foxfolk from the west named Anlaith. Osorio appraises the arcana, Stonejaw does the heavy lifting, Anlaith minds the numbers and lists, and in this fashion they traverse Ardunia, bound to no one country.
‣ Personality: Stubborn and perceptive Osorio makes his through the world on the strength of his wits. He doesn't suffer the idle chit chat of long winded hagglers nor the too-good-to-be-true charms of shifty sellers - everyone's truths and lies come out when the time comes to agree to a deal, and the faster the deal can enter the discussion the faster one can ascertain what the other is about. Osorio can tell when another merchant is trading tainted goods or getting one over on a buyer - he has to know the signs or else he'd have no gold himself - and has a habit of interceding in such affairs to spoil the deal and let the deceived keep their gold. Fair deals are only fair when both sides are honest. Although this tendency has ended with Osorio and his companions getting kicked out of certain settlements it doesn't bother him too much - there are always other markets.
‣ Skills: Rudimentary combat training, a practiced hand at archery, modest knowledge of channeled arcana, and a certain savoir faire are all things one gains on the road and in the market. Armed with no formal schooling Osorio relies on these to see him through, which, so far, they have.
‣ Important Items: A minor piece of channeled arcana in the form of a crimson cloak and hood, lined with a unique leather that protects against heat and cold alike. A shiny black band on his right pointer finger that changes colors if the drink it's pressed against is poison. And a sturdy lockbox of dark wood and iron bindings with a key in the shape of a cross at the center of a shifting circular lock. The lockbox has no markings aside from a perfect white circle carved into the top. Inside Osorio keeps his grand experiment, an artifact he refers to as the Ivory Mask.

Minor Characters:

✦ Stonejaw
‣ 24 | Male
‣ Class: Fighter
‣ Occupation: Laborer
‣ Race: Scalesmen
‣ Languages: Common, Scalian, Beastsigning
‣ Background: Deaf-mute from birth Stonejaw is a child study of Beastsigning. Initially developed as a way for the Beastfolk to communicate with one another across different languages Beastsigning has evolved as a full language for the mute to communicate with. Accomplished primarily with one's hands/paws it also incorporates movement of the head and tail. Humans, Elves and Orcs, lacking tails, can still communicate in Beastsigning but must use a non-tail dialect. Although strong and fearless Stonejaw's family left him to handle selling while they busied themselves with hunting, as he is clumsy with a bow. Longing to see the world he took Osorio's offer to help him move his merchandise, and the two have traveled together ever since.


✦ Anlaith
‣ 29 | Female
‣ Class: Alchemist
‣ Occupation: Clerk
‣ Race: Foxfolk
‣ Languages: Common, Vulperian, Elvish, Beastsigning
‣ Background: Jumpy and worrisome Anlaith joined Osorio's merchant cart not long after Stonejaw. Born to farmers her curiosity for alchemy and her tendency toward books went to waste with her out in the field. Her family was small and her parents died when she was young, leaving her as the eldest to care for three younger sisters as well as a farm. Once the younger three were married and living with other families Anlaith sold the farm, distributed the gold amongst the four, and set off with the first merchant that could use an extra pair of hands to see the rest of Ardunia.

 

[Hanarei]

Marilyn Genodiva

Alias: Liala of the Eternal Moonlight
Age: 36
Race: Half Elf (human/snow elf}
Gender: Female
Class: Bard
Occupation: Wandering Bard
Virtue: Creativity
Languages: Common and Elvish (Very Limited)
Magic Type: Natural

Description
Marilyn is on the shorter side of the height spectrum being shorter then most adults though on the taller side of a snow elf. She has black hair that reaches down just above the midsection of her back that she tends to braid or put up. Her hair itself while appearing black can change shades based on the light its in appearing a lighter shade in the right light. Her ears she often keeps hidden appearing mostly human like though having a fine tip at the top and extending out a bit longer up from a normal human ear. She has reddish-brown eyes and slightly pale skin. She has modest curves emphasized more on her posterior while being much more on the thin side. She can appear a bit meek though she is rather fit due to actively traveling and actively performing on an almost nightly basis at the various taverns she might visit.

Marilyn's choice of outfit can vary wildly. While simply traveling she will often dress down to more practical clothing wearing something more form fitting though loose enough to allow her more flexibility. She will wear a cloak of which she can use to protect herself from the elements. She has a love for hair ornaments sporting things like flowers (red Pentas being her favorite) or hairpins. Her hair is typically kept braided even while traveling as it helps to keep it out of the way still. When performing or somewhere she is able to rest she will more often dress up more. She will pretty herself up with makeup or wear various ornaments that might get in the way of travel. She will often wear dresses or other more luxurious outfits in an effort to help allure those watching her to her physically.

Personality
There are two sides of Marilyn her entertainer side and the regular Marilyn. As an entertainer Marilyn presents herself with a certain allure always emphasizing a sense of mystery about herself often avoiding saying specific things about herself instead finding ways to embellish her words to make it sound more fantastical. She exudes a certain amount of charisma speaking kindly to others often attempting to some extent placate those she speaks to careful to not offend someone if all possible. She seeks to inspire others wanting to put them in a good mood avoiding saying negative things or attempting to put a positive light on even bad situations and offering moral support if such is possible for her to provide. She has a great deal of optimism that only grows stronger when able to encourage someone on always willing to back up someone up and encourage them on a path they wish to take so long as it might not be one that could cause harm to others.

The regular Marilyn is much more on the tame side compared to her alter ego. While its not unusual for her to hum a tune to herself or to tinker around with poetic sayings she tends to be a bit more reserved and less directly outgoing attempting to stand out as much (not that she won't do such at all). She still remains her supportive self though she acts a bit more of a realist willing to admit there might be problems rather then attempting to play it off. She tends to show a bit more curiosity with things acting more as an observer rather then seeking the spotlight willing to try different things out she might not normally consider or to admire someone else's form of 'art' even if others might not view it in such a way. She is a bit more willing to show her negative emotions, though she will still elect to put on an 'act' to suppress or downplay it if she feels it can be detrimental to others.

Marilyn can be rather afraid to expose the fact she is a half-elf out of fear due to her past. While a part of her desire to dress up to perform is to better captivate her audience, at least to some extent she uses it as a way of trying to hide her perceived 'ugliness'. While this mindset has lessened over the years traveling and finding many who are attracted to her, she still feels in part that she needs the makeup and to hide what she is in order to put up enough of a facade to really be looked on in such a way. She doesn't think its possible for anyone to love her as Marilyn, only as her Lilly of the Everlasting Moonlight. Rather then standing up for herself if someone goes against what she thinks she will often simply go with another's suggestion or simply flee the situation. She feels too opposed to starting conflict she will avoid voicing her own opinion beyond what she might initially say if it gets simply rejected or pushed to the side.

Backstory

Spoiler: Details Here

Born on the outskirts between the Northern Realm and the Central Realm to a Snow Elf father who had been chased from his home in the North by the Gorgons, and her human mother who was a musician who regularly played at a few taverns within the region. Her father wasn't around in her life only being around when she was very young before eventually leaving though she was never told why. The fact she was a half elf quickly became an issue. Her mother who had gained a reputation in the area suddenly found herself being hounded or simply refused to be allowed to play at venues she once was rather popular on due to Marilyn. It was due to this the pair eventually hit the road with her mother taking her talents on the road with her daughter. While it gave her the chance to continue to play music albeit for less coin then she once had it didn't take long for the fact her daughter was a half born to cause her strife forcing her to move on when the threats became to serious or the establishments simply refused to allow her to perform due to the backlash. It was something that, despite her mother's attempts to protect her she eventually wound find the hate directed at her even as a young child.

Marilyn picked up an interest of music from her mother. Kept in a room in order to try and keep her safe Marilyn found a sense of creativity welling in her as she started drawing and painting or creating poetic works. Her mother even helped to teach her to play some instruments like the harp or the flute more then willing to teach her daughter how to play it and some music and getting the chance to enjoy hearing her daughters own creation... with varied degrees of 'success' early on though as time passed she only grew to show that much more talent. Upon becoming a teen Marliyn showed a great deal of vocal talent something her mother was decent at though never able to quite Master. As such the two would start performing together with Marilyn then a teenager providing vocals to her mother playing the various instruments all while keeping on the move and keeping her identity as a half elf secret.

As time passed Marilyn grew to be a young adult and her mother now aged found it more and more difficult to travel. It was at that time Marilyn pushed her mother to finally take a rest settling into a nice town south of Noria in which she could play her music and finally rest as Marilyn could go on her own way keeping in touch as best she could while traveling the world on her own, being sure to hide what she was and to never stay too long in one place to avoid being exposed and the backlash that could spark from people knowing what she was.

Performing on her own Marilyn started to take on a much more mature act. Taking inspiration from others she seen of both respected and some more... questionable professions, she sought to emphasize her feminine beauty using the various things she picked up with her travels to create a look for herself. Going by Liala of the Eternal Moonlight, she performed at various taverns. She drew in a great amount of charm being adored while she grew to put on a play taking part as the always bright flower willing to bring joy to those who are worn down from the day drinking to pass away their troubles. She found herself making quite a few coin along the way and a few marriage proposals of quite questionable sincerity. As the time passed she only continued to evolve her alter ego and grew to fully flesh it out to be what it is today. Despite how much love she received, she always moved on never being willing to stay in one place as to risk being exposed.

Traveling alone Marilyn learned how to fend for herself. The world itself was a dangerous place and as such she needed to learn to defend herself. Learning to harness her own talents to protect herself, as well as a bit of her innate magic her elf side allowed (albeit in a much more secretive way never willing to risk to expose herself not being the human she often passed off as). She sought lessons on how to fight with a weapon and defend herself. The magic she learned to use came much from harnessing her music side as well as from experiencing other magic users and adapting it as best she could in her own way. She was no warrior, yet not a helpless muse. If her silver tongue could get her out of troubles it was the weapon of choice she would most ideally use, if being stealthy wasn't an option to avoid a problem in the first place. It was always just enough to make sure she could manage herself if her travels along the road might become more dangerous then what a helpless citizen might be capable of dealing with.

With over a decade passed since she took on the identity of Liala her travels all but continued learning more of the world and growing to find many in ways like herself outcast without the benefit of the facade she wore. It only helped to encourage her finding that her work entertaining others helped to bring them together and to connect people together. Even those who might come off cruel often had their own problems that caused them to lash out. By channeling her imagination and coming up with new music and to bring together others she could help to bridge those gaps and hopefully find a way to bring people together as one.

Skills
Bardic Magic (Intermediate)
While not particularly strong in magic nor classically trained for much of it, Marilyn's heritage as an elf, a little bit of observation, as well as her musical inclination has helped her to learn. Her magic isn't particularly strong due to such a lack of a dedicated teacher, though considering its all self taught its quite impressive even if a bit limited in scope!

Musically Inclined (Expert)
Marilyn inherited much of her musical prowess from her mother and has only grown over the years through experience. She is a talented singer and can play many instruments such as the harp or flute expertly.

Silver Tongue (Expert)
Spending so much time developing a facade for herself and finding a way with words has made her an expert at talking with other. Often mixing words with performance she can get herself out of quite a few situations saying the right things and making her departure long before

Stealth (Intermediate)
While she isn't going to be sneaking her way into some heavily armed guard camp, Marilyn is able to at least slip in and out of situations moderately well that might normally come about.

Dexterous Combatant (Intermediate)
Marilyn is quick on her feet and more particularly adaptable when it comes to fighting. What she lacks in raw strength is made up with the utility she can bring. Using her whip she can strike from a moderate distance or work to help trip or disarm foes with it. She won't be putting people in awe when she has to fight physically but at the very least she isn't going to be a complete pushover either. Enough to help to make an escape!

Weaknesses
Low Armor
She isn't a huge combatant and what she does know is about being swift in order to act to work to strike from a short distance or to work to help disable her foe to get out of problems and make a grand escape. On top of the hinderance it would give to playing an instrument armor isn't an option for her.

Low Offensive Power
Sure, a whip can hurt and it can do some damage, and sure her bardic magic can do some wondrous effects, but she tends to lack much in terms of straight up offensive power. Much of her ability comes in the form of utility or control or aiding others. She doesn't really like the idea of harming others if all possible even if she had the chance to do so.

Reluctant to Kill
If all possible Marilyn is reluctant to hurt someone, nevermind the aspect of killing them. She views the act as 'ending the chance for them to create something beautiful with their life' wishing if all possible to avoid pointless death even if it might be naive, something she is even willing to admit it can be.

Easy to Acquiesce
While she is one who is willing to try and push a matter forward or approach something in one way, she tends to lack in terms of carrying through with what she wants. If she finds resistance to an idea she might bring forth, she can be very easy backed away from her idea or thought when there is any push back. Doing so she will either go along with whatever else is said, change the subject, or simply 'flee' the situation if all possible feeling uneasy about trying to press it further.


Inventory
Whip
A simple though high quality whip. It extends out roughly 7 feet in length when fully uncoiled and naturally winds back up into its coiled state. The material makes it quite resistant to being cut though it isn't completely impervious.

Lute
A fine lute she often plays while performing her songs. The lute itself was aquired relatively early on in her career as Liala and it was further refurbished at one point.

Flute
An instrument her mother once used. Unfortunately due to an accident it was cracked making it unusuable though it possesses some sentimental value so she keeps it wishing to return it back to her mother one day if she gets a chance to return to her.

 

[Isolus]

Cyphos: The Spirit of Mirth




Cyphos: King of the Fae || Cyphos is a summer spirit and king of the Fae. He represents mirth, mischief and clever wagers. When not within his own realm, Cyphos mingles his mischievous energy among vineyards, taverns and other places of mirth. While not a widely worshiped being, Cyphos' name is whispered among artisans, field workers and barmaids, who often think it best to leave offerings of wine casks to appease him. Before several elven and human festivals, its not uncommon for citizens to leave offerings in the belief that pleasing the spirit will lead to an especially joyous festival.

While all spirits are born, unlike the nature of gods who exist eternally, Cyphos' exact age is not known to the mouth's of men. A common belief is that his essence wandered among the ancient forests long before the coming of the mortal races. When a human king took his grapes and ordered them to be made into wine, Cyphos formed and sprung from the king's cup with thousands of his Fae children. The king and his consort were terrified at first; but because the wine was so delicious, Cyphos pilfered all the remaining beverages and replaced the wine casks with golden coins instead. Another belief (a far less glorified retelling) is that Cyphos was a mortal who won favor with his mistress Enya and in death, she granted him immortality and guardianship over the children of the Fae.

It's believed that Cyphos made his mischief in Ardunia for thousands of years until the recent corruption of the world lead him to take his remaining Fae with him deep into his own realm permanently. This realm is called the Isle of Mirth or the Wandering Woods. Few mortals enter here and most rarely do outside of invitation. But it is said that to the welcomed guest, Cyphos is an attentive host.

While the true form of Cyphos has been lost to the memories of mortal-kind, he more commonly appears in the form of an elf of undetermined race. Other than this, his features change too frequently to be recognized in one form. Some have sworn to have seen him as a squat impish elf with the silver fawn legs and slender talon-like fingers that turn everything they touch into copper. Others believe him to be a spindly bare-chested lad whose arms were replaced with the wings of angels. But for the children of dawn, he appears as tall ivory elf whose entire body, except for his face, is made up of tree bark. Elk antlers that crown his head and his throne is made up from the roots of Tree of Tricks, which blooms at the center of his realm. Whether these changes are of his own doing or as result of something greater is unknown.

Cyphos is considered a trickster spirit known for being neither fully good nor evil (sometimes, entirely neutral), as it appears the sole source of his joy is to create mischief among men and gods alike. He is described as arrogant, playful, lazy, clever, boastful and merry.

• His reasonings for helping the five virtues won't be abundantly clear at first. Some might believe that Cyphos fears he will cease to exist without mortals to gain mirth from. Others may think the spirit is simply bored of remaining within his realm and wishes to enter the human sphere more often. Neither are correct. Even as chaotic, arrogant and unruly as Cyphos is by nature, his upmost purpose is to serve his mistress. And Enya's desire to eliminate all mortal life is seen as going against her nature. Just as the five virtues at their truest forms are free, kind, valiant, hopeful and wise. Cyphos believes that his mistress by nature is a forgiving god. With all the evil that has tainted the world, she is simply forgotten the reason she made the world in the first place.
• Cyphos is wiser than he lets others see. He'll ask obvious or baiting questions to simply see how mortals will react and, hopefully, reveal to themselves what they need to do. He's not above putting mortals in uncomfortable or even dangerous situations simply to bring out the best of each virtues. Cyphos, as spirits go, is among the more powerful ones but simply chooses not to use it outside of his own desires. He does have the power to save this world if he tried, but that would defeat the purpose of proving the goodness of man to his mistress. Besides, it would bore him and he must find other ways to amuse himself.
• The death of his Fae children due to worldly degradation troubled him so deeply that he brought them into the Isle of Mirth for their own protection. It's believed that a spite against a Fae or Pixie creature is a slight against Cyphos himself and the summer spirt is wildly creative with this forms of punishment.

Peithos: Steward of the King

Peithos: The Moon Wing || Peithos the Moon Wing is a greater fae who serves Cyphos within his realm. She essentially act as his steward, managing certain affairs that the king has little time or patience for. As her name suggests, Peithos comes from an elusive race of Alabaster Fae; that is nocturnal fairies who once thrived under the glow of the moon and studied in the arts of meditation and dark magic. It's believed her people are the last to know the song of the moon, an ancient form of natural dark magic that has now become lost to time. Her title, Moon Wing, is an ancient laurel familar among her brethren that was bestowed upon her by Cyphos. It establishes her place about her fae clan and the extent of his favor with her. But its also believed to accentuate her natural power in order to better serve her lord within his realm.

With the near extinction of her race, the Alabaster Fae have become increasingly rare with the Moon Wing the only ivory fairy visible to mortal eyes within Cyphos' realm. In her Fae form, she is among the larger of the Fae peoples and bears resemblances closer to birds and humans than she does to the rest of her fairy counterparts. Her wings cover most of her body and her skin is feathery like a snowy owls. When not in her Fae form, Peithos is able to take the form of a creature resembling a cross between an owl, a griffin and a human. This creature stands around 6 feet tall from paw to haunches and is able to speak all the human, elven, orcish and beastly tongues.

It's not known when or how Peithos came into Cyphos' service. While not as old as Cyphos, its believed that she had been one of his first companions. And while less clever and mischievous than her Fae King, The Moon Wing is notorious for her eye for detail and she is not one to shy away from what she truly thinks of the mortals and their actions on earth. Her brutal honesty along side her graceful means of getting matters taken care of has brought much favor from her fairy lord, who appears content in trusting in her decisions.

When not overseeing her lord's realm, Peithos rests within her own land high within the valley cliffs. It is said to be the highest spot over the Isle of Mirth, as its believed that the closer an Alabaster Fae is to the moon the better they can rest in comfort.

Peithos in her ethereal form watching from within her perch above the Isle of Mirth.​

​

art (c) hellcorpceo | Brian Fround | Michael Gear​

 

[Isolus]

Quest: A Sheep in Wolves' Clothing

"I can hear the mouthless dead crawl across dark dreams in pale battalions." || In the small port town of Hollen, an urban legend wanders in whispers around tavern tables. Deep in the sandy reeds of Hollow Bay lies the bones of Wolfmen long dead; a burial ground from which the town itself was built around. Legend has it before Hollen came to be a human settlement, this portion of coast belonged to a tribe of Wolfmen who hailed themselves as the Vukasin Clan (or Moon Paw in the Common Tongue translation). But human pilgrims blessed by King Vardon, the Crimson King of Rhinefall, migrated to the peninsula and tensions arose between the two peoples. The Wolfmen tribe contested against the Human settlers until King Vardon sent his knightguard to quell the disturbance in the west. What came to pass was a complete extinction of the Vukasin Clan. Among Wolfmen everywhere, this racial genocide is believed to be one of many factors to have spurred the Northern Wolfmen's alliance with the Gorgons' conquest against the Humans and the High Elves. Though outside of beastfolk communities, this massacre has been long swept aside; most believing it to be either a justified necessity or an old tale twisted out of proportion.

But in recent times, the night watch has claimed to have heard low howls that echo long into the night. Sailors swear to spot milky eyes watching them from the watery depths as their ships lay anchor into harbor. As the moon glows upon the waters, shadowy faces dance within the mist. But when the sun rises again, scratch marks belonging to unknown beasts decorate the docks of Hollen's wooden piers and storage barns. And it seems when one ship with black sails wanders into the port, that dead tales may walk once again.

NPCs: The Crew of the Whistling Widow

Delphine Maurier | Human | 24 | Duchess || Delphine is the youngest daughter of the Maurier House, a lesser noble house of Noria. She grew up in luxury, the family's wealth thriving off the back of the narcotics trade and the trafficking of slaves. However with the family treasury in dire straights due to the expensive nature of wars, the young maiden swiped one of her family's trade ships and raised black sails in place of her house's crest. From there, she set out to find her own fortune by pillaging ships, capturing slaves and robbing ancient places of their treasure.

Sergei the Seer | Wolfman | Unknown | Necromancer || Its unknown where exactly Sergei's story began. Whether he crawled out of the bowels of some inky slum or was left forgotten in the woodlands for years to rot, the blind Wolfman exhumes a wild and ragged demeanor even for the standards of his own people. He has only known the world through complete darkness with milky eyes that resemble full moons remain fixed in a long and empty stare. Sergei appears to be slowly descending deeper into madness, his agitation only growing upon the ships dock into Hollen. He's almost completely feral now and set on avenging the bloodshed of the massacre here, through any means necessary.

"John Steele" | Human | Outlaw | 40 "John Steele or John Carrington or John Black"; whatever alias this dangerous convict chooses to wear, its clear that he is on the run from someone or something. One of the few to escape the horrors of the Black Pale, a penal colony within an island apart of the Drake Isles, John lives by a kill or be killed philosophy. He would set an tavern filled with trapped civilians on fire or slit a child's throat if it guaranteed his freedom.

Sirio Sagebrook | Half Elf | Rogue | 32 Shunned by the town he grew up in, young Sirio grew up hopping from place to place in search of a way to find his fortune. He found that chance when he stole from the wrong woman and the young Maurier offered him a way to pay her back. Sirio is perhaps the most unassuming in appearance, used to talking his way out of trouble. He can paint himself to be endearing and appear as a charming rogue just down on his luck and out for adventure. In reality, Sirio is the eyes and ears of the whole operation, scouting for weakness when no one is looking.

Gortag Oakheart | Gorgon | Slave | 55 An orc of few words and even fewer sentiments, Gortag comes from the snowy lands beyond the Cerulean Mountains. A prisoner of war from the Gorgon / High Elf conflict, he was auctioned off to a trafficker in Balathien who used him in wagers for fighting rings and line the slaving ring's pockets. It's believed that he had been passed between several masters until he came into the hands of a fiery maiden who goes by the young Maurier. Now trapped on the high seas, Gortag has taken the role as acting as her bodyguard or the hand to her cruel instructions, believing himself numbed by the worse deeds he partook in before. Though he still wonders, if he had the chance to do so, would he still take the opportunity to make a run for it back to this northern homelands.

 

[Isolus]

Monster: The Growling Shadow

"Tell me, what sins have you committed for the shadows to know your name?" || The Growling Shadow (or Abalone in Ardunian mythology) is a monster that lurks within the lowest bowels of the Crimson Temple. A sinister guardian, The Growling Shadow prowls the inky black halls in search of lost adventurers to capture and torment in a looping purgatory of their own personal hell. The creature feeds off guilt and fear, which is what it uses to corner its victims at their lowest points. Its believed that the monster can manipulate shapes to take whatever form the viewer fears the most before trapping them in a mist of dark magic.

Its true origins are unclear as most stories claim it to either be a 'dead' god or a collection of corrupted creatures melded into one entity. The name, Abalone, derives from iridescent sea mollusks found within the eastern coasts of Ardunia. Thus one mythos says that the monster is a collective of sea creatures who were left to simmer in old magic for so long that they fused together and began to fed off the coastal men before Enya banished the creature underground.

Another common yet more elaborate origin story is that Abalone was another half of Enya. Followers of this mythos claim that the Great Phoenix once bore two faces (to represent the day and the night). One face was safe for men to look up while the other punished men for their sins in the afterlife. When her sister, Eiria, became wardeness of the night and guardian of the afterlife, Abalone was torn from Enya and was stripped of her godhood completely.

When it makes its presence known, the Growling Shadow shrouds the areas around it in complete darkness. Due to its otherworldly nature, no light that can shine in its presence, natural or manmade. Lanterns will extinguish themselves, staffs will loose their light and flame spells have no effect against the suffocating darkness. The only exceptions is divine light or objects infused with immense amounts of powerful enchantment magic (such as Hope's Undying Light or objects enchanted by his light). Such light sources will give a fluorescent glow.

Contrary to its elevated name, the creature is mortal and can be killed.

 

[Isolus]

Monster: Hollows & Infested Hollows

"Do not weep for them. For their blind eyes see not your tears flow." || A Hollow is a mortal body whose soul has been stolen and thus cannot pass into the sleep of death to be judged in the afterlife. An Infected Hollow is a Hollow that has been infused with dark magic, most commonly used by witches when they corrupt a parasite through a blood spell.

Often the products of necromancers, Hollows take the shape of emaciated grayed husks that maintain the form of whatever they were prior to the loss of their soul. If not under the control of a necromancer, Hollows will simply wander the landscape until dispatched of.

Hollows not effected by a parasite are non-hostile and are simply lethargic, tortured and catatonic husks of their form selves. They may repeat one phrase or simply wail in agony. However, Hollows may be saved if their soul is returned to them. Upon infection, Infected Hollows cannot be saved and will react with greater hostility to any life they come across. While an experienced fighter may dispatch of a single Hollow easily, these monsters are the most dangerous in large numbers where their extreme ferocity will cause them to tear apart their prey, even if they have to use their bare hands to do so. They do not fear pain or death and will chase their prey endlessly.

Their intelligence is not fully understood; Whether they maintain some awareness from their former selves or are simply creatures that only carry the functions that the parasite grants them is up for debate. While a Hollow’s bite is not infectious (one will not turn into a hollow if bitten), it will cause some unsavory side effects. Symptoms include: numbness and blistering of the infected area, paleness of the skin, low blood pressure, blurry vision, sulfuric taste in the mouth, and muscle twitching. If the wound is left untreated, death will occur anywhere from 3 – 7 days depending on the subjects constitution and the severity of the bite..

A Hollow's bite may also attract other Hollows.

Infected Hollows are commonly the first minions young witches will use to practice their magic on. Hollows controlled by witches will have a magic rune upon the nap of their necks. Cutting off a Hollow's head will sever the bond between the Infected Hollow and the Witch. Thus, more experienced witches will choose a single Hollow within an army of Hollows to place her rune upon and connect them together with blood binding magic. Thus the bond would only die if that single Hollow died.

Types of Infected Hollows:
✦ Black Worm Hollow || A breeding ground. These Infested Hollows are recognized by the black puss that writhes from any open wound or orifice. They carry a distinct fishy odor and appear bloated in their abdomen, lungs and mouth. Black Worms are helminth tapeworms that most commonly feast on fish found within river deltas. However when cursed by a blood spell, the arcane magic twists female tapeworms into more aggressive fiends that will actively seek wandering Hollows. Once inside their host, the parasite hooks into the digestive system and ruptures to spread thousands of arcane infused spawns within the body cavity. The nestlings that survive will then eat the inflicted from the inside out - they linger in clumps through open orifices where they lay in wait for an opportunity to find other unsuspecting Hollows to latch onto. These tapeworms can induce vomiting within their hosts which witches may use to fling the bile into open water sources, food storages or even directly onto their next host.

✦ Stone Scab Hollow || An armored beast. These squared parasitic mites are a common infestation known for causing blistering scabs and itchy skin. They are most present within highly populated areas such as urban slums or mining colonies. When poisoned with arcane magic, this parasitic mite digs through the skin and then deep into the body. Upon contact, the mite causes the inflicted’s Hollow's insides soften while their outsides harden. As a result, the skin of this Infested Hollow becomes hard like that of plate armor, making them far more resilient to damage. These Hollows are slower, yet stronger and killing such a Hollow is difficult as their hardened skin would take several blows before the head could be severed. However, they have shown increased vulnerabilities against magic attacks or enchanted blades. The proper spell can even weaken the stone around the neck or, in some cases, destroy the parasite from the inside.

✦ Mad Tongue Hollow || A vassal for mania. Mad Tongue Disease is caused by a parasitic isopod which commonly preys on salt water crustaceans. It is harmless to the mortal races (outside of its powerful stinger if it feels threatened) and is even cooked as a delicacy in eastern provinces. But while a Mad Tongue parasite infested with arcane magic is deadly. This corrupted isopod will seek out the oral orifice of catatonic Hollows. Once inside, it will severe the host’s tongue and will embed itself in its place. The parasitic isopod will then secrete an arcane mucus that softens the roof of the mouth before it shoots its stinger and releases a secretion. With frightening speed, the infection transforms the inflicted within mere seconds. The infected Hollow will grow increasingly jittery and aggressive (even more so than their counterparts) as seen through symptoms of excessive twitching, muscle spasms or unnatural postures, sensitivity to bright lights, and foaming at the mouth. Infested bodies produce high amounts of adrenaline that allows for bursts of speed in which they will attempt to outrun their prey and tackle them. As the name suggests, this Hollow is able to imitate voices and sounds to lure in prey.