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List of results

• Gregory Grayfallow  + (Gregory is the only living decedent of his …
  Gregory is the only living decedent of his branch of the Grayfallow family, being the son of Henry Grayfallow, half-brother to Emmanuel Grayfallow on their fathers side. The brothers lived seperate lives, and the families never reunited. As a child Gregory was taught to work on the farm with his father. Nobody in the village was prosperous, but the hard years were few and far between. Had life continued in this way, Gregory would likely have never visited Arx, growing up and in the course of time taking his fathers place. Then came the accident that changed the course of his life. When he was twelve he was thrown from a horse as he led it back into the stables on a stormy night. The horse was spooked and threw him. He spent many weeks recovering, and while his general health has not suffered, his back has, and can no longer bear the weight it once did. Of course, this made him fairly useless as a farmer, where long days of, no pun intended, back breaking labour are expected and endured. The Sereph of the village, a kindly woman by the name of Kayleigh, decided to take him on as an assistant and see what could be made of him. His intellect and determination stood him in good stead for this, and he learned quickly the ways of the Pantheon, beyond what every commoner knows. As time went on and Kayleigh fell into poor health, he took on the position of Sereph in the village, finding the position much to his liking, both in terms of the respect it was shown and giving comfort to the women in the village while their men were away. Gregory did however help the village as he could, leading them through troubled years, assisting where he could and keeping spirits strong with faith. So why is he in Arx? After the Triad of the Lost was found, he finds himself in need of training. He does not know what he should regarding them, and so has relinquished his position in order to head to the City and be taught what he lacks in order to serve the Pantheon better.
  cks in order to serve the Pantheon better.)
• Gretchen Moore  + (Gretchen renown in the country for her tra …
  Gretchen renown in the country for her travelling show of "CURES FOR ALL THAT AILS YOU" especially her 'Spirits to Lift your Spirits' (which is essentially moonshine). While she is a 'Working' Moore and many of her poverty riddled family members look down on that, they wouldn't say so to her face given Gretchen is probably the most financially stable and independent members of the family. Sick of travelling, and hearing of the 'success' of her cousins in Arx, Gretchen's invited herself along to the city to stay with them and maybe open a 'barber' shop to tend to all that ails the heavy purses of Arx.
  to all that ails the heavy purses of Arx.)
• Lewis arterius  + (Grew up in middle-class suburbs of Arx, a …
  Grew up in middle-class suburbs of Arx, a child of merchants, but a sickly disposition in childhood confined him to his home for much of his youth. He gained escape through books and tales of distant lands. As he neared adulthood, his strength grew, and soon he was well enough to leave home and travel on his own. He ascribes this recovery to the gods, and in order to thank them for this miracle, he has vowed to travel the land and give praise to the pantheon.
  the land and give praise to the pantheon.)
• Harald Grimhall  + (Grimhall breeds grim men, none moreso than …
  Grimhall breeds grim men, none moreso than Harald. He took to sea young, took up the sword young, and won his first glories early. His cousins and brothers no doubt harbored fears that he would seek to usurp rule of Grihem's Point, though to all of their great reliefs, he showed no interest in seizing rule, for there was joy in his life, as well: Harald also married young, being wholly smitten with the daughter of a minor vassal. There was no advantage to the marriage, no significant dowry to be had. It was encouraged by the Grimhalls only because it would prevent Harald making a more dangerous match. Yet while he would continue to do his duties aboard the ships of his family's fleet, and while he was always swift to fly to the defense of his family's interests, much of his ambition for personal advancement faded with the first cries of his children. And they had many children. While his cousin Eugine fancied himself a genius of war, and while Dmitry was the honorable and politic leader, Harald's skills always lay with the sea with the steel, and with the men who traded in both. When Tyde rebelled against Donrai, he had led the Grimhall ships north with Thrax to smash the Tyde fleet, and open the shores to the conquering Thrax armies, and Harald had reveled in the grandeur of the struggle. Yet afterward, he had been equally content to return home, as he always did after death was paid, and glories won and lost. For long years it remained so; then the chaos began in Arx. First the death of Queen Genevieve and months later Eugine was lost at sea. Harald went to Arx and was appointed Voice to impose order on the household as the chaos continued. Abruptly, perhaps proving the long forgotten fears, Harald named his famously honorable cousin Dmitry a traitor, was elevated as Duke himself, and promptly thereafter slew his kinsman in a duel. Ever since, the Grim Duke has remained a staunch voice of tradition against sudden change and mainland influence.
  inst sudden change and mainland influence.)
• Grindol Unknown  + (Grindol isn't sure where he is from or rea …
  Grindol isn't sure where he is from or really how old he is even. The furthest back he can remember is washing up on a beach near Brighthold, the first thing he saw upon awakening was the great lighthouse and it's shining beacon. Since then he has wandered the world wherever the winds and his feet would take him.
  ver the winds and his feet would take him.)
• Azolla Nightgold  + (Growing up Azolla was a sickly child. This …
  Growing up Azolla was a sickly child. This meant she was kept inside alot. She spent her time drawing, painting, playing music and singing when she was feeling well enough. Her family worried and doted over her till she finally was strong enough to overcome her illness. She now is ready to fulfill her duties to her family.
  ready to fulfill her duties to her family.)
• Aelgar Navegant  + (Growing up a noble son in Escuma, Aelgar w …
  Growing up a noble son in Escuma, Aelgar was lucky to have House tutors and a physically active rural lifestyle in a relatively invasion-free location. He survived childhood uninjured and healthy in the unremarkably active way of country children. Of note, though, is that his curiosity was often commented by adults and his interest in learning occasionally drew ridicule from his peers. He eventually came to the attention of the Disciples of Vellichor, or, perhaps they came to his attention, so precocious was he. As the years passed, he became a student and then an acolyte and, finally, a priest. Along the way, his curiousity and cultural tradition also pushed him to explore the island, wrestle with his peers, learn horses and dogs, and otherwise soak up the normal learning for a boy of his station. As a priest, he carried on the tradition and taught children himself, and then adults, mostly about thinking clearly and critically on topics like medicine and ruling. Over time, the scholarly thinker received some acceptance as a man with a good head on his shoulders and even became respected by some for his contributions. Eventually, though, he became restless with the offerings of his island home. He decided to travel to Arx with a letter of introduction to the church and another for distant relatives living there.
  nother for distant relatives living there.)
• Rainier Ashford  + (Growing up all Rainier Ashford ever wanted …
  Growing up all Rainier Ashford ever wanted was to become a soldier; his father, Benedict saw it in him, and noticed the boy had the early signs of athleticism and single-mindedness to perhaps be a good one at it so he encouraged the notion. Many of his young years were spent with a wooden blade in hand swinging at trees imagining battle-borne glory and honor untold. Benedict was no wealthy man but he cared for his family a great deal, so what coin he had to spare went to hiring mercenaries to teach his son first the rudimentary and then increasingly advanced lessons - trees don't fight back, he reasoned, and his loss would have been greater than any sum of money. One of those tutors, a strange, wiry looking fellow few would have picked as a sword instructor was a great influence in the teenager's life, combining blade forms with words of poetry and introspection, a binding of the philosophical and the martial; if life is to be taken, he reasoned, must we not examine why? Rainier joined the army when he came of age and he was both advanced and disciplined enough to advance up the ranks; he made a name of himself and was chosen to be one of the elite who took up arms in the King's Own, where he had long dreamt of belonging - but also where he first started losing track of why, exactly, he was there to begin with. The spilling of blood never came easily to the young man but raids and duty both made demands of him, sometimes against his judgment or conscience; but soldiers obey, and he rode where he was told to ride. It wasn't long though before his life was bound to change again. King Alaric Grayson IV was pretty young, though not particularly trained as a soldier, he wanted to join Grayson forces doing sweeps against raiding shavs at the reaches of Crownlands territory, even though the King's Own was a little horrified at him being placed in danger. During that time Rainier, as a senior member at that point, saw action after action in fights against Abandoned forces that weren't merely barbarians with the lust of battle in their eyes but really just tribes that often were merely territorial. Many unnecessary battles were fought and the sheer waste of combat that just more careful negotiations could have taken care of. Perhaps the needless bloodshed was too much for Rainier whose father's influence combined with the man's own achievements were enough for the rare event of someone taking a leave of absence from the elite band, putting their banners aside in order to return once more to a family he had left behind. He rejoined House Ashford for a time, then just as he seemed to be settling back into civilian life he suddenly vanished, reportedly without given an explanation to his own kin. When he returned, months later, the only explanation he provided was 'being north' for that period. Whatever happened in the interim must have had some kind of impact on the man, however, since he immediately reached out to the Hundred and rejoined the King's Own as a Knight once more.
  ined the King's Own as a Knight once more.)
• Edris Elwood  + (Growing up as a second child of a third ch …
  Growing up as a second child of a third child in a small county of the North, Edris had duties to keep him busy, but his personal aspirations were largely his own, without the weight of impending rule. As a result, he was able to largely focus his education and activities on that which he was most inclined. An avid outdoorsman and capable leader, he seemed to have the workings of an excellent ranger; though when his father died when Edris was in his late teens, his focus naturally fell to stepping into a more traditional path that he felt would honor him--he was knighted in his late adolescence and then served capably within the patrols and defenses as well as military campaigns both in and out of the Northlands; and when left to his own devices, spent many days or weeks wandering, hunting, and bringing back trinkets and treasures to his sister, cousins, and lady mother as he always had, a way to use solitude and communion with the mountains and wilds to heal some of the echoes of un-unseeable things of war, as well as a way to keep tabs on the local shav'arvani, with his trusted companions. About 5 years ago his mother and Lord Acorn Hill negotiated a marriage contract for his sister Elin to marry Lord Rylan Moore, it was Edris that was chosen to accompany her south, first to visit his father's family, the Keatons, while Elin and Rylan courted. He fit in well with his sister's soon to be family; there were new wild places to explore, after all. New bands of shavs and prodigals to learn about. A beloved sister to see happily settled. Keaton cousins to become reacquainted with. And increasingly, a camaraderie amongst the Acorn Hill Moores as well. He was invited to stay longer, all the better to cement the new bond between houses, both due to his parents' marriage and the new one with the Moores. After six months, news of his mother's sudden illness had him making his way home, when word reached him on his travels of the slaughter at Acorn Hill. Nearly mad with worry, he rushed back, only to find that she and her new husband and many of those he'd enjoyed getting to know slain. His deep and near-destructive grief was only compounded when he learned that his mother had also died of her illness soon after he received word of it at all; but rather than drown his sorrows in drink or other vices, he threw himself completely into helping to lead what remained of the scattered and decimated forces, aiding in the rebuilding efforts of the remaining family, hunting down of likely perpetrators or shavs trying to take advantage of the weakness. It was grueling, uphill work, but those underneath him thrived under his leadership, and both houses continued to benefit from a bond. It might have been cemented by another marriage, his own, to one of the surviving Moores. But plans for that died the night the rest of the surviving family was butchered while he was away ranging, hunting down the location of another group of shavs who had been a thorn in the side of one of the villages. Deep in yet another round of grief, and needing to work though what surely must have felt like yet another failure, he immersed himself in yet more work. He had built a strong relationship with many of the commoners there, especially the youngest survivors of the initial massacre at Acorn Hill over the years. He continued to range and considered renouncing his title and joining the faith. But the kinship he now felt in this land not of his birth stayed his hand as he wrestled with what to do. The answer came not from his prayers, or the quiet and calm of the forest but from a missive waiting for him at the inn he'd taken up residence at. It did not come with an offered hand of a wife, but he was given the opportunity to keep fulfilling the promises between houses first made those four years ago, and join the new Barony of Elwood. He had been serving the people there out of grief and honor--now he would be able to honor the names of his sister and friends that spilled their blood on these lands by being claimed as one of their own, Lord Edris Elwood, Sword of Arden.
  ir own, Lord Edris Elwood, Sword of Arden.)
• Enyo Malvici  + (Growing up as a single child inbetween two …
  Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own.
  ore than just wandering around on her own.)
• Enyo Gilden  + (Growing up as a single child inbetween two …
  Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own.
  ore than just wandering around on her own.)
• Enyo De Lire  + (Growing up as a single child inbetween two …
  Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own.
  ore than just wandering around on her own.)
• Rosalind Ravenseye  + (Growing up as an Abandon was perhaps not a …
  Growing up as an Abandon was perhaps not always the easiest, the compact not exactly smiling down upon you, along with the fact that you have several other tribes to contend with. And while of course that had an affect on Rosalind's childhood and early adult life, she in some ways was blessed. Perhaps not in life events but in family, and loved ones. Growing up surrounded by family, who were more then happy to let Rosalind be herself. Exploring the world around her in various ways. Eager to learn what she could about anything and everything, always wondering why and how, and the first to try to figure it out. At an early age Rosalind would follow her older sister, Aella around, often imitating her, wanting to be just like her big sister. Who was in many ways like another mother, and in fact she was when their mother Sorcha died, well Rosalind's real mother and Aella's second mother. Rosalind grew up exploring more and more, often by herself. At some point that exploring started to involve a bow and her spending more time in the wild. She tends to love the freedom that comes with being around her family, being in the wild or even being on the water. From the time she was born she has had a best friend and partner in crime, her twin brother. They have always been able to have conversations without saying a word or sometimes with a language that they created. Also being the less reserved of the two she often talked her brother into many different things from exploration to things that got them into so much trouble when they were younger. Two other people who have made a huge impact upon Rosalind are Branwen and Kaede. Branwen is the one that showed her how to navigate the wilderness, giving her the necessary tools needed to always be aware of her surroundings, this gift also spilling over into everyday life. Kaede gifted Rosalind with the love of sailing. And now that their family has bent the knee and been ennobled by the compact, she has chosen to accompany her older sister and the rest of the Ravenseyes that have decided to move to Arx to help with their families new allies, and those they owe fealty to.
  new allies, and those they owe fealty to.)
• Fawkes Laurent  + (Growing up as the oldest son there was a l …
  Growing up as the oldest son there was a lot that was expected of him. Having grown up in the Laurent holdings of Artshall, Fawkes, like the rest of his family, took part in the business of breeding and selling horses. A family business which his own Father and Grandfather had started. Fawkes would argue that he knew how to ride long before he knew how to walk, and might actually feel more comfortable on the back of a horse than on his own two feet in some situations. His father joined the military, while Fawkes was still young, giving the boy something more than horse breeding to fill his dreams with. Dreams of combat, fighting, sword play, and all those other adventurous, romantic notions that a child might have of what it means being an Oathlander, being a knight, being a soldier. His father eventually died in battle, leaving to to fall upon his shoulders to step up and be the man of the family. Upon hearing of his father's death, Timothy Laurent, whom only ever came to his father when his steed needed care beyond that of what his stable hands were capable of, took pity on the family and offered Fawkes the chance to become his squire, giving the family another source of income and greater social backing should they have need of it. While still alive his father would often return home from war and encourage Fawkes' dreams of joining the cavalry and becoming a knight; taking a hand in teaching him to wield a weapon, or to behave in the way many felt appropriate for a knight, or future knight. Upon being given that offer by Timothy, Fawkes at first tried turning it down, saying he needed to stay and help out his family, but it was his mother who nudged the young man into accepting and being able to actually chase after his dream. His time with Timothy was spent training to be part of the Laurent cavalry, and learning the ways of being a knight. Another war broke out in the region during this time, forcing Fawkes to join in the fighting alongside Timothy. Fortunately the campaign was short lived and successful, after which, Timothy having been impressed by Fawke's deeds worked to finish his training and further the process of getting him knighted.
  rther the process of getting him knighted.)
• Javarn Evrith  + (Growing up for most of his life as the son …
  Growing up for most of his life as the son of a blacksmith, Javarn has always had dreams of grandure, and of living a life of adventure much to the dismay of his father. Still, Javarn secretly learned at an earlier age than normal how to read, and spent most of his youth neglecting his duties to his family, instead preferring to layabout with a good story, or out wandering the woods looking for adventure. His dreams were seen to fruition when the then Marquessa of Leary commissioned his father for a project of a blade. As the Marquessa retrieved the completed work for her sword, she witnessed something special in the boy, and conscripted him into her service as her squire. With his life turned around, Javarn had been given the opportunity to train and learn under the guidance of the Marquessa's tutors, preparing him for battle and teaching him proper leadership tactics. In a sick twist of fate, newly Knighted Sir Javarn Evrith helped to lead the charge, along side Marquessa Hianara in a brutal battle against raiding Shav'Arvani tribes. The battle was bloody, and the results were his witnessing the death of that very same Marquessa, and leaving Sir Javarn as one of the few survivors.
  ng Sir Javarn as one of the few survivors.)
• Braden Laurent  + (Growing up in Artshall and being so close …
  Growing up in Artshall and being so close to the boarder of the Lyceum, Braden took to the sword early. Not being in line for any kind of leadership rolls allowed him to concentrate more on his martial training than anything else. When he was younger, his sword teacher was called to take care of an issue outside of the walls of Artshall. That teacher did not make it back alive, and this was a man that the young Lord greatly respected. It was at that point in time Braden decided to make it his duty to keep everyone he could alive. Having decided that he had learned all he could from the people in Artshall, Braden left and made his way to Arx, where he figured either he will get better, or he is good enough and will continue his goal in keeping people safe. Only time will tell.
  keeping people safe. Only time will tell.)
• Noah Grayson  + (Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always hel …
  Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always held in high regard. He is a Grayson. He comes from money. He comes from breeding. He comes from a name. If he wanted it, he got it. If he wanted a certain type of clothing, he got the best. If he wanted the man or woman of the moment? He found a way to turn their head. Nothing has ever been denied to him and it shows in how he acts. Noah got in a bit of trouble in Bastion. It involved a noblewoman and some bad decisions. He decided he wanted the woman. The woman decided she wanted him. The only problem was that she was already courting his best friend. A small fight broke out and everyone thought it best that Noah go to Arx for a bit of time. Maybe it would give him the actual time to grow up and see there is more to the world than what it offers him.
  more to the world than what it offers him.)
• Noah Velenosa  + (Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always hel …
  Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always held in high regard. He was a Prince of Grayson. If he wanted it growing up, he got it. First born son to his parents. There was nothing he could not get out of if he wanted out of it. He was charming as a child and then spoiled as a teenager and into adulthood. If he wanted an outfit, he got the best. If he wanted attention, he got it anyway needed. He left a trail of broken hearts without once looking backwards or being apologetic about it. Noah got sent from Bastion to Arx after a bad decision. A young noblewoman caught his interest. He was a prince, so he caught his interest. He figured why not? The reason he shouldn't have? She was already very public in courting of his best friend. Noah said all the pretty things and in the end the courtship ended and Noah's father thought it best he go to Arx where his younger sister was. The fall of Bastion (and his family there) is still a very sensitive subject to Noah. When he arrived to Arx he immediately (his first day) was challenged to a duel. This gathered the annoyance of an Oathlander Prince, who became Noah's nemesis for a moment. So when that prince was trying to flirt with a single High Lady Regent --- Noah stepped in. Only history did not repeat. Not at all. What started as a display of one-up-manship between the two moved to a courtship. Then moved to a contract. Then moved to a marriage and children. In the perhaps most sweeping change to his life is when the High Lady Regent became High Lady of her own and Noah Grayson found himself as Archduke Consort Noah Velenosa of the Lyceum. The High Lady already had two dead husbands before him, every year there is a vote if this will be the last.
  there is a vote if this will be the last.)
• Kiera Wyrmguard  + (Growing up in Blancbier Kiera was an inqui …
  Growing up in Blancbier Kiera was an inquisitive child. Unlike most of the family she did not engage heavily in martial pursuits though basic self defense and first aid skill was a requisite. Instead she had a scholar's bent though she did not seek knowledge solely from a library but from nature and social encounters as well Being an atypical family member does not mean she shirks her family duty but instead hopes to use her intellectual and social skills for Wyrmguard's advancement. She is eager to spend more time in Arx for the many learning opportunities it affords
  the many learning opportunities it affords)
• Narcissa Fidante  + (Growing up in Tor was an upbringing any ga …
  Growing up in Tor was an upbringing any gal could hope for. For all of its colors and richness of flora, Narcissa was still drawn to the gloomy side of things. Where there was a graveyard, dark and dusty library, or memorial hall of statues long forgotten, Narcissa was certain to be found. The younger sibling of Dante and Juliet, she was content to avoid all the limelight her siblings seemed to gather with such relative ease. Where others may loathe to be forgotten, she seemed to relish it. Time left alone was time alone with her thoughts, her books, no one else's voice butting in. There was a sanctity in solitude, and to this day she still is on edge when forced to gala's or into large crowds. Juliet's death came as a shock, but even after an appropriate season of mourning, Narcissa could not be swayed to leave Tor to come to Arx for answers. The city was so very far away, as distant and real as the tales in her parchments. It wasn't until very recently, when Dante and Inigo journeyed back to Tor, that she was convinced to come back with them. Her reasons remain unknown, but still she finds herself now in Arx and all of the culture shock that comes with it.
  l of the culture shock that comes with it.)
• Corrala Leary  + (Growing up in a manor Corrala never saw th …
  Growing up in a manor Corrala never saw the outside world much as a child. Being taught from an early age about the arts of scholarship and nobility she thought that one day she would be a scholar. This all changed when she had to visit a healing temple one summer afternoon. Her focus in life changed from knowledge gathering to medicine and she learned about all the different medical interventions. When she got sufficient training she decided to join the Mercies of Lagoma where she dispensed healing to all who came to the temple near her home. Finding that she was also able to listen to people's troubles as she worked Corrala soon became the one that everyone went to for advice, and she soon gained a reputation for being knowledgeable especially in matters of leadership and medicine. In her spare time Corrala does some decorative gardening, sewing, and reads as many books as she can find.
  , and reads as many books as she can find.)
• Irisa Wainryte  + (Growing up in a mixed county, Irisa's fami …
  Growing up in a mixed county, Irisa's family were river people who worked boats, and she had a lot of opportunity when she was young to see how the Greenblood children played. She was fascinated by them, even as a little girl, and tried frequently to get herself involved in their games, to learn their language and to become one of them despite the fact that she looked different, acted different, and was raised different. Her parents disapproved, and so did her brothers. But there was just something about being other than she was that wildly appealed to her. Not all of those she tried to befriend were people who were good for her, and the more and more frequent time that she spent hanging around as far away from her family as possible -- particularly in her early teens -- took her to some dark places. When she was rejected by a tribesman boyfriend at the age of 15, she fled from that familiar source of solace to hurl herself into the kind of nasty, bad troublemaking that any family would be dismayed by. Running with a mob that called themselves 'river rats', she ended up addicted to Dust by the time she was old enough to really be an adult. One of Thesarin's knights ran a raid that captured several of these malcontents, including Irisa, but it was her youth that saved her from the worst of it. First the knight brought her to a priest, and they healed her of her physical harms as best they could; and then the knight, being herself Dame Esoka, whose history was with the Greenblood people, brought her to a different kind of healer, who walked with her in the forest and helped her, with martial and spiritual training, to overcome her addiction. Irisa swore off drugs and swore off violence except in aid of others. She learned to be excellent with a weapon, and to return to her love of the different and strange that had first charmed her when she was a child. She also learned to love honor above all things, and to find a higher purpose for herself. And there was nothing she loved more than the blended life of the Twainforts, because she felt very strongly that Thesarin -- and his knight, Esoka -- had saved her life for some higher purpose. When one of the baron's men challenged Thesarin to a duel over what came down to a cultural dispute -- whether one of the 'Shav people' of the Twainforts could marry one of the baron's sons -- Irisa leapt into the fray even though it was not her station or place to do so. She made a public proclomation that she would be Thesarin's champion, whether it was in that duel or any other, for any dispute relating to his tribal roots. Both charmed and exasperated by her impulsiveness, the Count agreed that she could fight the duel for him. She won it so handily and with such flowing grace and poise that the Twainforts elevated her and made her Dame Irisa Wainryte, and brought her with them to Arx as part of their retinue.
  with them to Arx as part of their retinue.)
• Ardoin Valardin  + (Growing up in a provincial cadet branch of …
  Growing up in a provincial cadet branch of the Valardin family, Ardoin is the second son and initially was allowed to indulge in scholarly pursuits while soaking up stories of the family's honor and piety. After the Tragedy at Sanctum, though, his remote chance of succession to the high duchy got bumped up a few places and his father demanded Ardoin take up the blade. And he did - with enthusiasm, taking the vows of knighthood at sixteen. His life became an endless quest to protect the commoners and peasants from bandits and Abandoned raids, his idealism as much of a weapon as a blade. Over time, his voracious reading habits combined with his steadfast beliefs in honor and nobility, created the unpleasant idea that the nobility ought to not only protect and control the commoners with an iron fist, but also provide them with greater education, land, and economic opportunities - from the pockets of the peerage. Needless to say, this disconcerting belief caused concern within the family, whereupon his father sent him off to Arx to serve the Crown and the interests of House Valardin - and hopefully smarten up in the process.
  - and hopefully smarten up in the process.)
• Cigano Laroye  + (Growing up in a small camp of vagabonds, C …
  Growing up in a small camp of vagabonds, Cigano learned from an early age that the world was unfair. His mother passed as he came into the world, already making him resented among his people. They treated him as an ill omen, passing him from family to family in the camp, giving him only the barest essentials so he would survive and they believed made good with his poor mother. It wasn't until he had his coming of age rite performed that the tribe would even speak to him as an equal. As he began to work for the family, he proved his worth and was given a chance to live and work as the rest of the tribe. He proved adept as spinning stories with cards that brought him fame among the nobles that the tribe often encountered. He soon became popular enough that the tribe leader began to groom him for his replacement. The leader's son, whom should have been the rightful heir, didn't take kindly to the news. He planned to poison Cigano at his first chance. Cigano sensing the man's anger ensure that nothing that came to him was ever out of his sight. Eventually swapping a cup force upon him by the heir apparent with the leaders. Once the poison was revealed, Cigano used his new acquired status to have the heir exiled for his crimes. The years after Cigano continued to run the camp, doing as much as he can help provide for the family, always watching for the next assassin and the next chance for him to bring more money into the camp.
  for him to bring more money into the camp.)
• Jorunn Stahlben  + (Growing up in and around the Bonespire to …
  Growing up in and around the Bonespire to the North, Jorunn's upbringing is everything you would expect a young lad's in such an environment to be. Rules to govern his life were strict and simple, as was the physical training he underwent in order to not only defend himself, but his family and allies. With the constant threat of danger on the white horizon, Jorunn steadily grew into a tall, gangly young man. Yet despite any awkward motions, he proved himself when he came of age - helping to repel repeated threats and constant attacks from the enemy. As one of the small few to survive the Silent War, Jorunn was left with what many of the other survivors were left with: death and grief. While many of his surviving kin felt betrayed that the family had reached out to the Compact for survival, Jorunn was of the view that it was at least better than extinction. Still, with his immediate family and friends dead, and his Chief in Magnus venturing to the South, he packed up and left the icy halls of the Bonespire to try and find some sort of new purpose. His travels took him far and wide, though as a Prodigal he found forging new friendships more difficult than anticipated. Some found it difficult to talk to him, while others ignored him outright. This view was initially returned in favour, scouring at those whom had no right to judge him. Yet despite the hostilities, he made do by selling his services as a sword for those that needed it. In carrying out these services, thereby exposing himself to the trials and tribulations of the local townsfolk, he began to witness philosophies quite different to those that he experienced growing up. Unlike life on the Bonespire, children were simply allowed to be children. Adults could work a hard day without having to worry about getting invaded at night. Without the constant state of threat on the horizon, citizens were able to flourish in a far more natural state. In fact, as the years passed, Jorunn found himself quite enamoured by the Compact and subsequently its leadership. Though he didn't know much of the King, one couldn't help but be suitably impressed by how the Crown had managed to keep all of the Houses in some sort balance. Local villages dubbed him the 'Bear of the North' - a friendly enough character to converse with, but absolutely savage when it came to battle. Of particular note was his defence of a travelling caravan from 'at least a dozen bandits, four dogs and a chicken' - an encounter which he neither confirms or denies to those that continually ask. After eight years of this life, wandering from town to town and territory to territory, he finally arrived in Arx. With a focused determination he now steps forth, hoping to find some sort of purpose for his life that derailed nearly a decade ago.
  is life that derailed nearly a decade ago.)

• Gaspard Blackram  + (Growing up in the Blackram family meant th …
  Growing up in the Blackram family meant that rough was a way of life, and lessons that anything worth having was worth struggling for, and anything given to you wasn't really worth much. Gaspard learned quickly that a people did well when everyone determined what they were good at, and did that, for the good of all. Merchants traded, bakers baked, sailors sailed, and of course, the warriors fought and protected. When Gaspard excelled in his fighting training as a child, he threw himself into his study and workouts and stopped considering anything else. He joined the rest of the family's fighters in Cloudspine leading pikemen in defending the marches, and earned a few scars and his Knighthood in action there and at Gyre, as well as a name for dependably being at the front of battle. Gaspard saw himself as staying there until he finally caught a blade or an arrow and died honorably defending his people and the lands. Perhaps unfortunately for his plans, it has been made clear to him that a Knight is expected to set an example OFF of the field as well, and if the younger Marquis can be a shining example, then damned well can travel to Arx and support him.
  ed well can travel to Arx and support him.)
• Jackson Brooks  + (Growing up in the Lower Boroughs of Arx, J …
  Growing up in the Lower Boroughs of Arx, Jackson always felt there was plenty more outside of the low-quality living he had dealt with for the majority of his life growing up. His mother was a simple bartender in a tavern and his fater was...well, let's just say he did enough, but just barely. That is until he drowned because he fell off a pier while drunk. In the eyes of the eldest son Jackson, he died as he lived. And now suddenly, he was the oldest of three kids. And he had to step up into manhood at thirteen. The docks that he had lived near for so long in his life ended up being his ticket out, while helping pay to his family. A family friend, a Captain of a trading vessel, took pity on him, taking him on a cabin boy. And that was good for a long time, working his way up the ranks of being a sailor. The downside is that he ended up spending a lot more time in Lycene than he had anticipated. But that in itself wasn't horrible either, the young man falling in love with that part of Arvum. He would move from ship to ship, spending time as a sailor, privateer, a pirate, a trader, and swashbuckler. Many names, many faces, and he loved them all. Eventually, he took on a ship for himself, offering to deliver goods for a fair price. Granted, he never really went into details about how sometimes he got the job done, but he did take a certain amount of pride in always filling deliveries. Made plenty of good working relationships and contacts in Arx and elsewhere in that time, hauling freight, people, and even cargo that he was asked to 'not ask too much about'. Willing to keep his reputation intact, and with a healthy amount of self-preservation, he never tempted fate too much. While he was no stranger to seeing action on the high seas, taking part in plenty on his own considering his somewhat own bloody past, he had put that life aside. And a freighter was good work and plenty of good pay involved. Which did eventually draw the notice of others who he would likely call 'old friends'. They attacked his ship, the Savior's Haste, and even having a pretty fast ship, it was designed to outrun, not outfight. And this time, there wasn't time to gain enough headway. A battle on the decks his ensued, his crew, the hardened sort, were outnumbered two to one. So come to his surprise when another ship intervened. Being captained by Salazar Argento who had come to his rescue. His proverbial bacon saved, Jackson felt at that point he owed the man who had just saved his life and swore his loyalty to Argento as one of their captains. In the time since, Jackson has been able to return to his career of cargo hauling, with the occasional questionable dealing on the side. Old habits and all. Some might call him a cargo hauler, others might suggest he's some kind of privateer or smuggler. Truth is, as Jackson simply says, he's a man out to make a decent living.
  s, he's a man out to make a decent living.)
• Sullivan Dramond  + (Growing up in the Lower Buroughs of Arx, S …
  Growing up in the Lower Buroughs of Arx, Sullivan spent the majority of his early life like the majority of the unwashed masses there: Hungry, angry, and barely scraping by. That is until he turned 12 and stumbled upon a ship bound for the untamed wilds, filled with Abandoned, money, and adventure for the warriors willing to brave it. Enamored with the potential and fed up with living as a poor orphan, he snuck aboard the ship, stowed away in the hull, and managed to use his skills to scrape by until they docked at their destination. By all accounts Sullivan should have been left for dead in those forests, prey to whatever men or beast that live there. But he was lucky. Lucky enough first to find that the crew of the ship was filled with charitable men and women who didn't strand him then and there. Lucky after when he accompanied them on an expedition that, though most were slaughtered by an Abandoned tribe that attacked, that particular clan spared him because he was so young. And even luckier when he was eventually let go to stumble his way back to Compact civilization a year older and a year wiser. But that year changed him. He learned their language, not just fast, but extraordinarily fast. He learned their customs, enough to fit in, and found that he was pretty adept at emulating them when necessary. And he learned that he kind of liked the danger, immensely satisfied by the rewards that came with it should he be successful. And that set him on his path. Upon eventually returning to Arx at 15, he spent the next two years scraping by, trying to use his new skills to make some kind of money. At 17 he hit it big when he met a Scholar of Vellichor. Maybe he was lucky, maybe the woman took pity on him, or maybe he was damn good at what he did. He taught her of the tribe and their language, told her his story, and within six months he was on board another ship, setting sail to explore the unmarked wild. And so he did, for years. Over a decade of paid, professional work, sailing from one coast of Arvum to another and beyond, to Eurus where he could learn their languages. To places some people have never dreamed about. But now he's back in Arx, ready to settle in and use his skills where they might be necessary. To act as the translator for those that might need it. Maybe he'll get lucky again.
  ight need it. Maybe he'll get lucky again.)
• Nekarris Darkwater  + (Growing up in the Lyceum, Nekarris knew a …
  Growing up in the Lyceum, Nekarris knew a life of privilege and wealth and utter insignificance. Her family, the lower levels of the nobility, were truly more akin to Merchant Barons, which meant she wanted for nothing but purpose. Or, wanted might be a strong term. Nekarris has been perfectly content to coast through life, enjoying parties and social scheming and - briefly - even a political marriage! Oh, right. When she was nineteen, Nekarris was promised to a Thraxian vassal, and became the Countess Darkwater. Her husband Ixion was young and brash and utterly taken with her. They were a happy couple, he brash and bold and bossy as a Thrax should be, she coquettish and manipulative and completely in control. He died in a skirmish with pirates - certainly pirates, and definitely not any lingering captains who were involved in the Tyde rebellion. Nekarris grieved him, as hard as a new wife could (and for a totally appropriate amount of time), and then just..never got around to going back to Setarco. Ixion's younger brother likes having her around. She's a safe outlet for him to practice his domineering, and honestly she enjoys the game, too.
  ng, and honestly she enjoys the game, too.)
• Julian saik  + (Growing up in the Saiklands with a souther …
  Growing up in the Saiklands with a southern mother, and a former oathlander as a father, Julian took to training to be a knight like his dad at an early age. Much younger than his brothers, and older than thier children, he did not have a lot in the way of close friends or companions growing up. So he buried himself in his training and lessons on commanding forces, to maximize how effective he could be for his family, so as to make his father proud. He squired from the age of tweleve and was officially knighted at the age of eighteen after fighting to protect the children of one of his cousins from a group of highway men, nearly costing him his life, but keeping the children safe as a result. Since then, it kind of became his official duty to travel with the Saik children that were fostering elsewhere, to watch over them and keep them safe, offering them weapons training if they so desired. Recently, there has been less need for such a duty so he has come to Arx at the request of his Baroness to see how he might be of assistance now.
  to see how he might be of assistance now.)
• Kaya Unknown  + (Growing up in the lowers alone with no fam …
  Growing up in the lowers alone with no familly as a girl who was always a bit small, she had two options get tough or die. From a very young age it was obvious there was more to Kaya than meet the eye. Never letting her size hold her back she grew up tough and basically did whatever it took to survive. Where life will take her now that she has grown, who knows.
  ake her now that she has grown, who knows.)
• Lydia Nightgold  + (Growing up in the rugged opulence of Stone …
  Growing up in the rugged opulence of Stonedeep, Lydia had a marked appreciation for the beautiful things of the mountains. Not the sprawling mountain vistas, but rather the wealth and elegance her house is known for: precious metals and sparkling gems. Being the youngest of four shaped her personality and she never had any intentions of becoming a Duchess. Instead, she enjoyed her spoiled lifestyle and she surrounded herself in courtly affairs, gossip, and all the frivalties and trappings that came with her station. She dreamed of the day when she might have a courtship and a husband (maybe even the title of Princess should she have been lucky enough to find a match in one of the Great Houses). She envisioned herself as a Northern debutante, her life full of gossip and laughter. But, that dream began to crack under the pressure of reality early with the loss of her father during the Silent War and the subsequent murder of her brother. Her sister, Nadia, took the title of Duchess and with her blessing Lydia travelled to Farhaven where she could represent her family among those loyal to the Redrain. There, she was a lady in waiting and she served Princesses Drea, Deva, and Valencia with pride. With the tragedy of King's Rest, she travelled to Arx to be with her family and serve as a representative of House Nightgold where not too long afterward, her remaining two siblings lost their lives. Nadia, in the Silent War, and Cassius (then Duke Pravus), was murdered in the lowers. In what seemed a blink of an eye she had to do a lot of growing up and step up to the role of Duchess. She had something of a rocky start. But then, an extended sabbatical to Stonedeep allowed her to do some much needed soul searching and maturation. She had to learn about her people and get her hands dirty. Now, she's emerged as a butterfly from a cocoon: a little older, a little wiser, and more determined than ever to make her family proud by guiding her House and Lands into prosperity and safety during the coming adversaries.
  and safety during the coming adversaries.)
• Wren Lavere  + (Growing up nestled between two older broth …
  Growing up nestled between two older brothers and two younger sisters was hardly ideal for Wren, but her parents worked hard for all they had, giving their children a life some could envy. She grew up in the Upper Boroughs, eldest daughter of a middling merchant and a seamstress mother with a keen eye for textiles and a knowledge of how to move things through the marketplace that had some merchants teasing her father, Angus, that it was she who was the merchant in truth. Her father being a good-natured man, took the teasing in stride but never outright denied it either. Just as with her siblings it was in the market of Arx that Wren cut her teeth, watching and learning at first as her parents put their skills to work in a world that could be cutthroat if you weren't careful, alliances sometimes shifting daily. It was a happy existence all things told, and she grew up on stories from the other merchants and even some who came to patron her parents. Tales of places far away from Arx; tales filled with the impossible and the improbable. Tales that took deep root in the young girl and followed her as she grew from child to adolescent. By the time she was sixteen, a restlessness had settled into Wren's bones that gnawed at her nearly night and day. She had long since started working in earnest alongside her siblings and parents in the market, and she proved to have a keen eye for detail like her mother and an even temper like her father. Many of the merchants, who knew her since she was but a child, would come to her especially to strike their deals on goods, finding her easy to work with even if they didn't always come out the other side ahead. It was work that Wren found easy, and it would provide a future for her, but it wasn't enough to chase off that restlessness. And it was that restlessness of spirit that kept drawing her from the markets and down to the docks, toward the sea. Being around the dockworkers and merchants that came in from distant places of Arvum, and seldom beyond, eased that nagging just enough it made the scolding she got from her parents for 'vanishing' again worth it. It was there she struck up different relationships with the sailors and merchant captains as they came and went, trading with them tidbits of information gleaned here and there from the market and taverns and the streets of the city in exchange for stories of their travels. It wasn't enough. She left behind a note for her family not to worry, she'd be fine and come home soon, and then she was off. She boarded a merchant vessel that would have her and left Arx behind certain she'd scratch her itch of wanderlust and be home soon enough. And she did return to port often enough at first to at least visit with her baffled family all too happy to see she was alright. She even shared with them some of her earnings along with her stories of where she'd been, what she'd been doing. And then off she'd go again, a thief in the night leaving behind a note of thanks and her love. Wren was irrevocably changed by her voyages, but she wasn't alone. Her siblings had started to find their own ways into the world, one brother joining the Iron Guard and her youngest sister going on to marry and leave the city while Wren was away. Wren's own return trips started to become infrequent with more years than months between them. She returned home shortly after the Siege of Arx only to find her family in mourning over the death of a brother. Unable to shake the grief, Wren stayed long enough to pay proper respects to her fallen brother, to offer what comfort she could to her family before she fled back into the arms of the life she had built without them. It wouldn't be until the winter of 1011 AR that Wren would return to Arx with every appearance of staying this time. She simply showed up on her family's doorstep, belongings in tow for once, and a strange look in her eyes.
  for once, and a strange look in her eyes.)
• Rowenova Halfshav  + (Growing up on Halfshav family military cam …
  Growing up on Halfshav family military campaigns in the 'savage' Northlands was an interesting childhood: physically taxing but more than mentally rewarding. Whatever Rowenova may have been lacking back then in bodily strength, the waifish babe determinedly recouped with her iron willpower to stay alive and always strive for the best results. Tasked early with animal care (as far back as she can possibly recall), Rowenova grew up with increasing responsibility (and almost no idle time). Her parental guardians (both Halfshav soldiers) and the family servants kindly mentored her not only in camp maintenance but also in survival skills and varied academia (as they all simultaneously worked). Halfshav soldiers generally respected her helpful initiative: fresh horses, good cooking, and so on definitely aided party morale before upcoming battles! She absolutely loved this nomadic lifestyle and the wild Northlands with its diverse cultures and natural beauty. Rowenova eventually developed into an adolescent teenager, but she had no time for her feminine cycles. Thus, her maternal guardian wisely edified Rowenova about Limerance's Libertia which fortunately facilitated getting back to hard work without undue frustration. Over time, Rowenova finally transformed into a matured woman, and she was specially chosen (due to her ardent service to the Halfshav family) to be a new member in the Ranging Wolves (under Lord Arik Halfshav's command) for their scouting missions. Of course, she earnestly accepted this new adventure!
  she earnestly accepted this new adventure!)
• Tatienne Lachance  + (Growing up on a Rivenshari ship, Tatienne …
  Growing up on a Rivenshari ship, Tatienne was exposed to the mercantile life early on. Among her siblings, she was shrewd in finding ways to trade favours and toys to get what she wanted, her eye for numbers was noticed and she quickly got apprenticed as a bookkeeper. It is doing that work that she mastered her field. The Silent war was rough on her family, her brothers resisted Brand and didn't live to tell the tale. Her father grew sick afterwards, and she helped settle Riva so she could look after her father in a more stationary position. Eventually, he passed away. She packed up her things and went to Arx, to make her fortune and see the city at the heart of the compact of which she now finds herself a member.
  t of which she now finds herself a member.)
• Hannah Wyrmguard  + (Growing up on a small estate in the middle …
  Growing up on a small estate in the middle of nowhere was booooooring. And if there's anything Hannah cannot abide, it is being bored. Her father, on the rare occasions he was home, had the BEST stories. A former Ashford before he married into the Wyrmguards, Erik's stories were Hannah's favorite things. The places he'd been, the people he met... all of it was so much more interesting than Apsfel Falls. As a child, Hannah made up her mind. She would grow up and see the things her father had seen, and more than *that* she'd discover things he didn't! Being the sixth child of seven, there was not a lot of 'new' in Hannah's life. Yet another thing to do away with when she grew up. Not everything was terrible, of course. She was Wyrmguard and had the honor of that name drilled into her all her life. All the duties and responsibilities that came with it, the understanding that she was part of this chain of lives stretching both into the past and forward, into the future. It weighed upon her as a child. Still, the desire to be free, to be like her father, that was a touchstone she returned to, again and again. A promise she made to herself. As soon as she was eighteen, she would leave, head out for adventure, explore! She was dedicated to her training, both physical, in swords and daggers, as well as mental, studying, often with the youngest of her siblings, Reigna. Freedom was only a few years away. When her mother came to her and explained that a match had been made, to Hercan Gilden, she was not about to let that stop her. The most expeditious way to get her way was simply to agree to the match. So she got married. And then, she promptly left to go on her adventures. She'd spoken to Hercan every now and again. They would meet every few months or so and spend a few awkward hours speaking before they left to pursue their various interests. When the banners were called, word came to Hannah that both she and her husband were expected to muster at Setarco. She had not seen Hercan in several months and their reunion was typical, an awkward hug, kisses to the cheek and stilted conversation. As the days of tension leading up to the battle continued, she and Hercan spent the most time they ever had together, and she found, to her surprise, that he was a funny man, with interesting ideas. Then the battle came and Hercan was taken down in the cavalry charge. Losing him was not painful, she still did not really know him very well. Theirs was a poltical match in all ways and yet, the potential lost opened Hannah's eyes to the other relationships in her life that she had been neglecting for so long. That would change. She has decided to move to Arx and look up her sisters and get to know her family, before it is too late, again.
  her family, before it is too late, again.)
• Tynan Grayhope  + (Growing up on the streets of the Lower Bor …
  Growing up on the streets of the Lower Boroughs, you struggle for every advantage you can get. Tynan found that, beyond street smarts, book smarts could be very helpful. When youre useful in other ways, people tend to overlook slight missteps. Even better, if youre running the books, its so simple to skim some from the top. He was headed firmly down that path until he got his hand on a book of laws. After that point, things became much clearer for him. See, when you know exactly what you can and cannot do, it is so much easier to skirt the line so that small infractions simply get glossed over. The small start fueled a lifelong curiosity, and Tynan tended to be the first one to arrive at the Scholars of Vellichors lessons when they were given. With enough knowledge, and a quick enough tongue, you find your way through. That goes for Lower Boroughs, Upper Boroughs, even with the nobles. Act like you belong, and soon enough, you will belong. The more he learned, however, the less content he became with the idea of living just to skirt the law. Now, he balances a life that tries to combine where he came from with an impulse to seek beyond. There are always new things to explore, new things to learn, new ventures to capitalize on.
  s to learn, new ventures to capitalize on.)
• Colette Laurent  + (Growing up the baby of a ducal line usual …
  Growing up the baby of a ducal line usual has it's advantages, but perhaps the slight disparity of age worked to reverse that for Colette. She always fiercly admired her older siblings, but given she was so little, and seen as frail and delicate, she always managed to be somewhat of an underfoot figure. She always wanted to be apart of her older siblings adventures and shenanigans, but never really found a way to fit in. This caused her to take up the art of sneaking around, just to be close to them, and often led to her just being in the way. All of this led to her more silent and demure demeanor, which she found a way to channel in to her love for sneaking about and spying on her siblings, but given how protective everyone was of her, it usually ended in getting her siblings in trouble. In the long run it might have left her a bit more on the socially awkward side. As her siblings grew up and began departing for Arx and having more and more important roles to fill in the duchy, and having very little responsibilites left for her, she slowly became more and more reserved. Finally as she grew old enough she decided to depart for Arx herself and see what all the fuss was about.
  rself and see what all the fuss was about.)
• Simone Greenmarch  + (Growing up the daughter of the most famous …
  Growing up the daughter of the most famous duke in the oathlands, Duke Arn Telmar, could have made it easy for Lady Simone to fade into obscurity. Instead, she took it as a personal challenge to drive her infamously tough minded and flinty father to distraction, inheriting every bit as an infuriatingly stubborn nature as her father combined with an independent spirit that refused to be tamed. Early on, it became a game to see just how far she could press boundaries without making her father lose her temper, and corrupting the many tutors and chaperones that her father Arn set over her to turn her into a proper, demure lady of the Telmarch. Instead, what she learned was two much more important lessons: a) that she could manipulate many individuals extremely easily and b) that it was incredibly entertaining to do so. She discovered two facts she is all too happy to teach other not-so-demure ladies of the Oathlands that she befriends- that it was frighteningly easy to act less capable and convince men to help her, since it plays into their unconscious (or very conscious) biases, and that it is almost a guarantee that she could convince men she found them attractive, and win them over disturbingly easily. She mostly employed these powers for good, rather than evil, in noble causes such as making her father lose his mind and be too busy frothing at her to start wars with the others vassals of House Valardin, or sometimes convincing others to support House Telmar and work towards the ends to her House even if her father had no idea. It was working splendidly, and then Prince Valen Valardin was captured by the Green March Abandoned. Duke Arn Telmar was furious at the peace brokered between the Green March and House Valardin, marrying Prince Valen Valardin to Princess Marian Greenmarch, but where her father found only fury at the thought of a scion of House Valardin marrying ancestral enemies, Simone found opportunity. The shavs being created as a new marcher lord house opened up tremendous political opportunities for the ambitious, particularly when the matter of proper fealty of the Green March bending the knee hadn't been settled, and the astute Telmar lady acted swiftly. Simone deftly convinced Prince Radley and her father to let her see to ensuring that the Green March would be loyal vassals of House Valardin, and with Marian Greenmarch marrying into the Valardin, Simone set her sights on the chieftain of Greenmarch's handsome son Marius, who would be the new Marquis of Greenmarch. A short time later, exactly according to her plans, Simone and Marius were married, and the new Marquessa Simone Greenmarch now is set to represent her new family interests on Arx... and to be certain that she can help guide in a new political power that can also serve to help her old family as well.
  also serve to help her old family as well.)
• Titania Kennex  + (Growing up the only child of Sonya and Ren …
  Growing up the only child of Sonya and Renault Kennex, Titania was always drawn to the allure of the water and the ships rolling into the docks. Her friends were the beautiful Kennex vessels coming home from patrols, waiting for them to pass through the Stormbreak Arches. She reveled in watching the vastly varied types of people coming and going, wondering what each one did, where they came from, what kind of fantastical adventures they have been on. Through curiosity, she eavesdropped, learning and listening, getting to know these sailors and Kennex Corsairs from afar. One day, when a pair of sailors from Arx had come, and a group of Corsairs got into a bit of a row, Titania stepped in, without even fully realizing what she was doing, and quelled the potential fight before blows were thrown. Unbeknownst to Titania, Wash Kennex wasn't far, watching the altercation and Titania's intervention. He mentioned this to Catalana later that night and Titania was invited to be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.
  o be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.)
• Titania Fireviper  + (Growing up the only child of Sonya and Ren …
  Growing up the only child of Sonya and Renault Kennex, Titania was always drawn to the allure of the water and the ships rolling into the docks. Her friends were the beautiful Kennex vessels coming home from patrols, waiting for them to pass through the Stormbreak Arches. She reveled in watching the vastly varied types of people coming and going, wondering what each one did, where they came from, what kind of fantastical adventures they have been on. Through curiosity, she eavesdropped, learning and listening, getting to know these sailors and Kennex Corsairs from afar. One day, when a pair of sailors from Arx had come, and a group of Corsairs got into a bit of a row, Titania stepped in, without even fully realizing what she was doing, and quelled the potential fight before blows were thrown. Unbeknownst to Titania, Wash Kennex wasn't far, watching the altercation and Titania's intervention. He mentioned this to Catalana later that night and Titania was invited to be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.
  o be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.)
• Bors Keaton  + (Growing up the third son of Guy Keaton was …
  Growing up the third son of Guy Keaton was not a particularly easy thing. His mother Leona, formerly of Kennex, was a demure woman, content, or seemingly so, with the transition from a sea-based life to one as the wife of a minor branch of the Keaton family, living in a small hold near the village of Stone's Throw. Together, Guy and Leona had three children, all boys. The firstborn and heir, Campbell, took after his father in all things, receiving the lion's share of attention from Guy and all the man's scarcity of affection. The second son, Willem, was born two years after Campbell and three years after that, Bors arrived. Some of the servants whispered that what little affection and love Guy possessed was spent entirely on his first born, scraps left over for Willem, so by the time Bors arrived, there was nothing left. While Campbell was doted upon and was rarely away from his father's side, Willem and Bors were far more familiar with the back side of Guy's hand than they were with a kind word or a smile from their father. Leona tried to shield the boys as much as she could, but the woman had always been frail and sickly and she could do little to combat the severity with which her younger sons were reared. While Campbell received the best tutors that money could provide, Willem and Bors were sent on various training missions with the local guards, sent into situations with little concern for their safety. And yet both of the boys strove for the approval of their father. Willem was wounded on one of these missions into the shav-infested forests, his injuries halting any further missions. Bors assumed the mantle for both of them, determined to prove himself, if not to his impossible-to-please father, then to the gods themselves. He threw himself into lessons, both scholarly and martial, earning a reputation as a serious and upright young lord. No matter his accomplishments, that elusive approval from his father continued to elude him. As the years passed his mother retreated from the public, sequestered in her rooms, and yet she never stopped writing her younger sons, a solitary figure of affection in their lives. During the attack from the Pirate King, Bors went south with most of the Keaton forces, returning with a Knighthood for service to his lieges. Even in this, there was no word of pride from his father. Enough is enough, and Bors, Knight of the West, disciple of Gloria and lord of Keaton is heading to Arx.
  oria and lord of Keaton is heading to Arx.)
• Jaerith Keaton  + (Growing up the youngest child of Ambrose a …
  Growing up the youngest child of Ambrose and Anastasia Keaton, Jaerith learned swiftly that life rarely goes where you expect it to, that there is no chance of controling everything that comes to pass, and, most importantly, life is short and a squandered opportunity might never come again. A memory haunts him in the dark of night at times, telling his mother he did not want to walk along the river with her. Instead she went to see if her husband would go with her and ended up being thrown off the ramparts by an escaping prisoner. It is something he avoids thinking about on those rare occasions the memory resurfaces. The past is over, done and gone. There is no sense in focusing there, Jaerith keeps his eyes forward, looking for any opportunity to try something new. His taste for adventure was only tempered by the same military-focused upbringing that each of his siblings received as well. Jaerith had a natural gift for sailing and a head for catching smugglers using the river routes to ambush merchants. He developed a unit, dubbed the Riverdogs, and trained them to specifically patrol those routes to protect traders and their barges. The ever changing nature of the work suited him, as did the constant travel, but in time, even that has become a bit rote. The horizon is not as new and exciting as it once was. And the people he sees day to day aren't as full of surprises as they could be. A restlessness has settled in Jaerith, an itch for something new. Word travels that experienced river sailors might be in demand in Arx, and with his House's presence growing, the time might just be right to relocate to the seat of the Compact.
  ht to relocate to the seat of the Compact.)
• Aerwyna Froic  + (Growing up to a pair of farmers, her famil …
  Growing up to a pair of farmers, her family were poor but not the poorest out there. But Aerwyna knew one day she wanted to be well off financially so she was encouraged to find a way to make money and an old family friend showed her the basics of sewing. She hopes to either join the crafter's guild or make it on her own.
  the crafter's guild or make it on her own.)
• Elias Leary  + (Growing up with a knightly mother of Oathl …
  Growing up with a knightly mother of Oathlands orthodox values and a stereotypically eccentric Leary father proved to be a bit of a thorn in Elias' younger years. A black sheep, Elias never put much thought into the Gods, nor did he in his studies. Despite not following closely in his parents footsteps, Elias naturally met them halfway as he made a name for himself as a hunter - whenever the motivation struck. Typically, the motivation was a diminishing purse of silver or, more often, a mystery that caught his attention just right. Whenever that desire struck, he became as fierce a warrior as his mother and as dedicated a scholar as his father. As a child, these endeavours usually involved sneaking out of the house late at night to explore old and abandoned houses, or to investigate and document strange sightings in the neighboring forests. So all it took was one little intriguing story; a secret untold, and Elias set off on spontaneous adventure. A long adventure. For an entire year. His path never circled back to the Oathlands, and instead he found himself a home with his distant Leary family in Arx while he dug up more mysteries to pick at.
  while he dug up more mysteries to pick at.)
• Ennettia Igniseri  + (Growing up, Ennettia was overshadowed by h …
  Growing up, Ennettia was overshadowed by her brilliant, talented older brother Karadoc-- and she loved him dearly for it. It removed all pressure from her to be outstanding. Sure, their parents encouraged her to apply herself, but in the end...everyone knew who the future of their Saik branch depended on. Instead, from an early age Ennettia knew precisely what she wanted from her place in the family: out of it. It wasn't that she had any problems with her family members. It's just that Ennettia longed for a more luxurious existence, and while she admired her family's ability to be satisfied and comfortable in their genteel poverty, she firmly decided such things were not for her. Of course her family did their best to instill good values into her... but she still insisted she was better off married to someone wealthy. And so in the midst of growing frustrations with their son's apathy towards his future, Ennettia was happily shipped off in marriage to Ilsoreno Igniseri, and moved to Granato. She had quite a comfortable, pleasant life, happily spending her husband's money and supervising the nannies raising their son. Until, unfortunately, the death of her husband in by opportunistic thieves threw a wrench in her plans to live the pleasant life of an elegant leech. Between the Arxian Siege, Ilsoreno's ill-organized records, and the lost of the Igniseri heirs in battle, Ennettia, with much lamentation, applied herself to making sure her husband's businesses did not fall. As the business recovered in the following years, Ennettia choose to relocate to Arx... and for whatever reason, also applies - and is accepted - into the forces of the Inquisition. This was as short-lived as her time in Arx, and she left a while later, back to her estate with her son. Only years later did she return, son in tow, back to Arx - apparently still on a whim.
  back to Arx - apparently still on a whim.)
• Katherine Moore  + (Growing up, Katherine never really wanted …
  Growing up, Katherine never really wanted for anything, for life lived among her Fidante relatives was, in a word, baroque. As an only child born of a union between Dario and Aela Moore, it was to be expected that she should enjoy not only all the luxuries afforded to the sole recipient of parental affection, but also those inherited by her aristocratic station. Had she a single complaint, it was likely inconsequential in nature. That is, until the day of her father's untimely passing. The manner of Dario's death was regarded as suspicious by his wife, though a lack of convincing physical evidence and a clear motive failed to prompt further inquiry into the matter. It was ultimately ruled an accident. Aela unraveled in the wake of her husband's demise, growing paranoid and emotionally unsound, and ultimately clashed with the Fidante family when it was clear they disagreed with her assessment that Dario's accident was no accident at all. This great divide in opinions stoked discord, and resulted in Aela's unilateral estrangement with everyone around her, including her daughter. After many unsuccessful attempts to mend the relationship, Katherine resigned herself to the reality that her mother was a lost cause and began to cultivate a sense of self-reliance and confidence that had, up until that point, remained underdeveloped. Some months later, when Katherine was only twelve years old, Aela returned home to live among her own family in the Oathlands, leaving her daughter behind to be cared for by her cousins. However hurtful the departure, it was still a preferable arrangement to Katherine to remain in Tor. After all, she had that point maintained only light, casual discourse with her Moore relatives, and had no desire to give up a bustling city for a rural countryside. The years passed by, and Katherine moved forward with her life. She completed courtier school, and even spent a short stint as a member of the Bard's College to cultivate skills that might compliment her natural aptitude for music. Everything was going perfectly well, though her thoughts often drifted toward her mother. The only way she remained informed on Aela's wellbeing was through her Moore cousins; a letter here and there detailing her health and status. After each successive update, Katherine would feel the sharp pangs of abandonment, but never allowed herself to dwell upon it for very long. Katherine had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday when stories circulated about destruction of Acorn Hill and the Moore family massacre. She learned some weeks later that Aela Moore was named among the deceased. The news jolted Katherine to her core, and resulted in a period of agitation wherein she desperately filled her days and nights with distracting social events: parties, masques, plays, anything that could keep her mind off this new source of distress. For the first time in her life, she was unable to simply will away the pain. In time, she put an end to all avoidance and allowed herself to grieve, not only for her mother's violent death, but for having her opportunity for reconciliation abruptly stolen away. In the immediate aftermath, Katherine developed a budding interest in her distant Moore family, and what legacy they left behind in their wake. Perhaps, she thought, learning about their lives might bring her some much needed closure. A letter was sent to Marquis Kael Keaton to request an audience, and, when the reply contained within a polite invitation, Katherine packed her bags, kissed her cousins goodbye, and left for Oakhaven, not knowing when she might return. She could have never known what might be revealed by making such a visit: the knowledge that she is the last Moore alive who might consider pressing a claim for the Barony of Acorn Hill, and that the Keatons might even be inclined to grant it to her.
  might even be inclined to grant it to her.)
• Yessica Wyrmguard  + (Growing up, Yessica never lacked for frien …
  Growing up, Yessica never lacked for friends. As a twin, and one of seven siblings, there were plenty of people around her, plenty of love to go around. Even though she had a special bond with her twin, Charlotte, because there were so many siblings, it felt, at times, impossible to stand out. To be seen. She wasn't the smartest (Reigna), the prettiest (Rhoda), the only boy (Edmund), or even the troublemaker (Hannah). She was just Yessica. So, she just tried to be the one that tried the hardest to please. There were moments when her mother would all but collapse at the end of the day, and Yessica was there to care for her. And in those moments, she felt seen, appreciated, but those were few and far between. So she simply tried harder. She studied, learned music, practiced her dancing, became an accomplished poet, all in the efforts of winning a good match for her family. She was married to Garret Riven, who became Garret Wyrmguard, a young, handsome Lord with a charming smile and sad eyes. Yessica was hopeful that this match would work well, and for the most part, it did. Garret was intelligent, respectful, had good humor... he was perfect in almost all ways. Except he did not, could not love her. His heart belonged to another, someone he refused to speak of, but that love kept him locked away. Yessica tried all she could to turn his eyes, learning his interests, and seeking to learn how to cook his favorite meals (The kitchen was never quite the same and no one spoke of it again), writing him poems, and she even took up the bow so that she could accompany him on his hunts. While she discovered a new talent, the hunts... did not go as she had planned. Garret promised that when he returned from Stormwall he would talk to her. They would come to an understanding. Except he never returned from Stormwall, lost to Pirate King attack. Shaken, Yessica was at a loss. She had dedicated so much of herself to pleasing everyone else, and she had nothing to show for it. A letter from her sister Charlotte has inspired her to move to Arx. She's been practicing with her bow and has continued to develop a unique style all her own. The time has come for Yessica to do what *she* wants to do. Which is to come to Arx and try her skills at being a Champion. What better way to get people to see her, once and for all?
  o get people to see her, once and for all?)
• Guilbert Touissant  + (Guilbert shares nothing from his past, due …
  Guilbert shares nothing from his past, due to the usual lack of people asking and the lack of a desire to tell. Once, on occassion after being pressured by a nosy drunkard he once revealed that he comes from the Oathlands, and left due to problems with an angry spouse. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, and probably won't be seen.
  ns to be seen, and probably won't be seen.)
• Gunnar Melaeris  + (Gunnar Crovane has been a warrior all is h …
  Gunnar Crovane has been a warrior all is his life. From a childhood spent in the mountains of his home in Stormwall and on the decks of many a ship that plied it's seas, to the battles fought to keep that home safe, one cannot help but think that war and battle is all there is to him. While he's got a warrior's heart, a soldier's training and the skills and scars to prove it, it is those things other than his skill with sword, axe, or spear that make the rest of him. He learned to hunt with the Duke's men, to sail with his captains, and how to choose a horse and to ride one for pleasure or war with his younger cousin Fianna, whom he in turn taught some of the sword and the axe to her - that she might defend herself as needed. The north is a hard place, long winters make for more than enough time to learn lessons of strategy, tactics, of how to cherish peace when it is there and to do battle when that peace is threatened. Gunnar learned these things well, and in turn taught them to those after him, making a name for himself as a skilled leader of men as well as a soldier to have at one's side. The battle at Stormwall was a turning point for Gunnar, a battle and an outcome that he is still coming to terms with.
  ome that he is still coming to terms with.)