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This page provides a simple browsing interface for finding entities described by a property and a named value. Other available search interfaces include the page property search, and the ask query builder.

List of results

• Cosette Nightgold  + (Born into a large family, there was never …
  Born into a large family, there was never a dull moment for Cosette. She grew up with two older brothers and a slew of cousins in the mountains. Her father kept busy with the other mountain men, and her mother kept busy with the family when she wasn't doing work as an apothecary. Cosette was always interested in plants and minerals, and it was only natural for the girl to grow up learning apothecary skills from her mother. She learned about medicines and poisons, and she also dabbled in making other off-the-wall potions. 'Love' potions? 'Truth' potions? Whether or not they truly work, she always enjoyed creating new mixtures and tinctures for others. Once she became older Cosette decided she wanted to make the trip to Arx to see what it was like. She heard she had several cousins there, and would find a home with her extended family as she tried to make a name for herself as an apothecary.
  make a name for herself as an apothecary.)
• Conall Redrain  + (Born into a minor line of the Redrain fami …
  Born into a minor line of the Redrain family, Conall grew up just outside of Farhaven where the importance of preparing for war had been strongly impressed upon him. Eschewing drunken antics for strict discipline and drilling, he came to be known for his odd habits as much as the zeal with which he approached military life. When he was finally allowed to accompany patrols hunting for Shavs Conall was in his true element. The battle of Stormwall left him more detached and realistic towards the approaches one should take towards evil. Heavily injured in that conflict, he spent a long time in recovery before able to help aid in defending the North again. For reasons known only to himself, he recently left for Arx without a word to anyone in Farhaven beforehand.
  t a word to anyone in Farhaven beforehand.)
• Ximun Redreef  + (Born into an off-cast branch of the Redree …
  Born into an off-cast branch of the Redreef family, Ximun wasn't the type to follow politics. Instead, he was drawn to the tracking of animals and creatures. His parents did try to mould him into a proper noble, married him to a lady of Redrain - who unfortunately perished shortly after their first anniversary when she was wounded on a hunt that the two had gone on to celebrate. Breaking completely from his noble duties, Ximun took to the Thraxian navy as a hunter, a sailor, and eventually returned to land to continue his ways. It's rumored that his family still owns the contracts to many Thralls and is a holdout of the changes of reform that seem to be trying to take root when it comes to indentured servitude.
  oot when it comes to indentured servitude.)
• Zenix stonehart  + (Born into the Stonehart tribe Zenix entere …
  Born into the Stonehart tribe Zenix entered this world as an Abandoned. They were groomed to become the next shaman from a young age and this defined their youth. They spent their days studying the spirit realm and esoteric history and knowledge. Often this meant spending time with the then Shaman Mohaka. He was kind to Zenix but still strict in his tutorage. Zenix spent little time with the other children and thus missed out on many social lessons. As Zenix got older they spent less and less time with people and more and more time in the wilderness befriending animals, in particular a small bear cub. Zenix called them Big Paw to help encourage them to grow larger. Zenix would lose their innocence when one day they were held down and beaten by some of the other children. They spit on Zenix, said nasty and mean things and injured them badly, so bad as to leave several scars all over their body. Permanent reminders of the potential cruelty of humanity. Now very cynical about people but idealistic in the resolve to be different from them. Zenix left the tribe after their mother died. Zenix had had enough suffering in their life with the tribe. So they left and wandered with Big Paw (Who had indeed grown.) for a bit. One day Zenix happened upon a trapped hound. She released it only to discover it belonged to one Lady Arianna Stonewood. Arianna thanked Zenix and gave them a sweet treat. Intrigued by this wonderful foodstuffs Zenix asked to camp with Arianna and her guard for the night hoping to have more sweets come morning. Alas the sweets never came but Zenix did make a new friend of sorts. Zenix has travelled with Arianna and arrived at her estate where Zenix was offered a position as house mystic. Zenix is still considering, but has been promised sweets.
  considering, but has been promised sweets.)
• Lonnus Crown  + (Born into the church, he was dropped off a …
  Born into the church, he was dropped off at the doors as an infant. Though he began his training as a scholarly monk, he possessed the heart of a warrior. While protecting one of the other orphans from a village bully, he was shipped off to study with the more combat-oriented Templars. He quickly took to the spear, and still prefers it above all other weapons, despite his large size.
  all other weapons, despite his large size.)
• Abby Laurent  + (Born into the ducal line of House Laurent, …
  Born into the ducal line of House Laurent, Abby had been pegged as something of an 'odd duck' from her early childhood. With so many siblings ahead of her, the threat of inheritance was almost moot. Allowing her the luxury of living a comfortable life, albeit an uneventful one. She'd most commonly spent her time around the chapels, becoming a regular thorn in the side of Artshall's clergy. Bombarding them with questions or asking to assist in every little task well into her teenage life. It came as no surprise when she set on the path to be Godsworn the moment she'd come of age. It'd be a few years before she found a proper discipleship to settle into. With the addition of the Queen of Endings to the Pantheon and the creation of the Harlequins, Abby directed her passion toward reverence of the Goddess of Death. Her attitude made a very stark contrast to her macabre interests. Strangely, the skulls seemed to suit her. Bit more than the bees did, anyway.
  t her. Bit more than the bees did, anyway.)
• Savio Proscipi  + (Born into the exorbitantly rich, Saffron c …
  Born into the exorbitantly rich, Saffron commoner family of Pontelaeus, fortune has always been at Savio's service. However, where it inspired ambition in his brother Giorgio, it bred indolence in his younger brother. None of Savio's projects, aspirations, or ambitions ever seemed to succeed, and plagued by bad luck, he soon learned to stop trying. Why struggle? Why not just enjoy success? Though he had some martial skill and talent at entertaining, Savio did not share Giorgio's aptitude or interest in the cutthroat social dances and economic mastery that made Pontelaeus what it is. Eventually his bad luck and misfit nature created a series of bitter disagreements with his relatives, and Savio sought to distance himself from the family. He disappeared to other parts of the Saffron Chain, drifting from exotic location to exotic location, getting into and out of trouble, and living a wasteful life that did nothing useful for anyone. But the Pontelaeus family's patience with this wayward son was not infinite, and after almost a decade of tolerating Savio's indulgences and bankrolling his bad luck, they cut him off. Penniless, he was forced to travel to Arx, where he was expected to make himself useful to Giorgio and to the family. Time in Arx changed some things about Savio, but not all. He remains what most would describe as 'a character,' an eccentric figure who has cultivated a circle of friends and allies of similar uniqueness. He built a reputation as a bard, a skilled performer whose charm and wit could captivate an audience. He even fell in love. During the recent war against Skal'daja, Savio's beloved home city of Tremorus fell under siege. Losses were heavy, including most of his family as well as Ezmeralda, the ruling Marquessa. Her dying wish was that Savio and his brother be ennobled, and so he found himself a newly-minted lord, expected to conform to the standards of the Compact. The burden of neonobility weighs heavily on him following the devastation of the war, but for the sake of his people, it's one he's doing his best to bear.
  ple, it's one he's doing his best to bear.)
• Savio Amadeo  + (Born into the exorbitantly rich, Saffron c …
  Born into the exorbitantly rich, Saffron commoner family of Pontelaeus, fortune has always been at Savio's service. However, where it inspired ambition in his brother Giorgio, it bred indolence in his younger brother. None of Savio's projects, aspirations, or ambitions ever seemed to succeed, and plagued by bad luck, he soon learned to stop trying. Why struggle? Why not just enjoy success? Though he had some martial skill and talent at entertaining, Savio did not share Giorgio's aptitude or interest in the cutthroat social dances and economic mastery that made Pontelaeus what it is. Eventually his bad luck and misfit nature created a series of bitter disagreements with his relatives, and Savio sought to distance himself from the family. He disappeared to other parts of the Saffron Chain, drifting from exotic location to exotic location, getting into and out of trouble, and living a wasteful life that did nothing useful for anyone. But the Pontelaeus family's patience with this wayward son was not infinite, and after almost a decade of tolerating Savio's indulgences and bankrolling his bad luck, they cut him off. Penniless, he was forced to travel to Arx, where he was expected to make himself useful to Giorgio and to the family. Time in Arx changed some things about Savio, but not all. He remains what most would describe as 'a character,' an eccentric figure who has cultivated a circle of friends and allies of similar uniqueness. He built a reputation as a bard, a skilled performer whose charm and wit could captivate an audience. He even fell in love. During the recent war against Skal'daja, Savio's beloved home city of Tremorus fell under siege. Losses were heavy, including most of his family as well as Ezmeralda, the ruling Marquessa. Her dying wish was that Savio and his brother be ennobled, and so he found himself a newly-minted lord, expected to conform to the standards of the Compact. The burden of neonobility weighs heavily on him following the devastation of the war, but for the sake of his people, it's one he's doing his best to bear.
  ple, it's one he's doing his best to bear.)
• Tarrant Moore  + (Born into the very bottom rung of nobility …
  Born into the very bottom rung of nobility, his parents are landless distant cousins of minor pastoral barons, who lived on the patience of their kin, so long as they pitched in when the time for harvest came. Tarrant and his sister Tessa grew up in other people's houses, taught never to give offense to their hosts. With little of their own, the boy grew up desperate to win wealth and respect by the only honest path open to him: knighthood and tournament. It was an ambitious plan, but as a new-made knight he lost all too often, each defeat an expense he could ill afford. The young cavalier found greater success in errantry, chasing bandits and lawbreakers, doing deeds of arms whenever another knight crossed his path, often as a mystery knight with a blank shield and surcoat. Yet such occupations brought him little wealth, and the pleas from his family to settle down and see to the harvest never stopped. When word arrived of the Siege of Arx, Tarrant was distraught that he had been harvesting wheat while the greatest battle of his age was being fought. He was further distraught to learn that several of his distant kin had died in glorious battle against evil incarnate. He wished to rush across the continent too join the next battle, but such a trip was expensive and the war was already over. Besides, the planting season was close. Months later, his parents were informed that a third cousin they'd never met had died in a foolhardy charge, leaving them with the slight possibility of a claim on his land. While mother and father were content to watch the crops grow, rather than press an uncertain claim, Tarrant and his sister were not so content, and by hook or crook scrounged the silvers needed to travel to Arx to press their family's claim.
  avel to Arx to press their family's claim.)
• Mimi Pravus  + (Born into thralldom in the Mourning Isles, …
  Born into thralldom in the Mourning Isles, freedom has been a mixed blessing for Mimi. Yes, she now is a free citizen of the Compact, with all of the rights and protections that entails, that is true. However, she is now alone. She isn't sure which initiative to buy the bonds of child thralls was the one that freed her. She just knows that her parents did everything in their power to put her forward as one of the children to be freed. Once freed, she had no living relatives to take her in and she was too old for most people to consider adoption, so after a fair bit of shuffling from one charitable organization to another, she spent her formative years in an orphanage in Setarco. There, she discovered her talent for drawing and painting, quickly discovering she could make a few coins here and there sketching portraits. Now that she is of age, she has decided to make her way to Arx to see what she might be able to accomplish in the capitol.
  ight be able to accomplish in the capitol.)
• Amarantha Sanna  + (Born just a few minutes after her twin sis …
  Born just a few minutes after her twin sister, Amarantha had a companion since birth. As children, the pair were inseparable--despite occasional disagreements. They did everything together, often with one twin dragging the other along due to different ideas of "entertainment". Amarantha would begrudgingly trail after her sister while out exploring nature and going on adventures. Astraea would sit around and listen to her sister puzzle out lyrics for her songs or accompany her to party after party. The two found an easy compromise in Amarantha's love for the sea. While Astraea poked around in tide pools or examined the odd piece of sea glass, Amaranatha would walk through the waves. There was nothing she loved more than singing to the ocean, amidst the wind and faint spray of sea. It's where she would clear her head after fights and where she would sit on the rocks and write lines of poetry. It was little surprise that eventually, Amarantha would be proposed to on that same shore she'd grown up alongside. But that was much later, when she was eighteen and had traded childhood games for the thrill of noble parties and politics. A Redrain noble, some well to do man from the Sanna family had come to Granato to court Amarantha. A flurry of letters, wine, and late nights in marble floored ballrooms later and they were married. Everyone had thought them a darling couple! He had grounded her while Amarantha brought a smile to the once dour man's lips. All was well when the new couple headed back to the north. That happiness would be short lived, A year and 3 months into the marriage, Amarantha's husband fell victim to a hunting accident. She was left a wealthy widow without a husband or child to her name. Many expected her to return home and remarry but in an odd twist, Amarantha spent the next 2 and a half years in mourning. She allowed no guests bar her twin and other siblings. It was only in the last few months that the widow returned to a semi-regular social life and by her sister's invitation, accompanied her to Arx.
  ster's invitation, accompanied her to Arx.)
• Sebastian Pravus  + (Born just twenty minutes after his sister …
  Born just twenty minutes after his sister Juliana, a fact which she rarely lets him forget, Sebastian had the life of wealth and privilege any young lord could come to expect in Setarco. As he grew into a life of opulent but dull comfort, he felt listless and was left craving intellectual stimulation and deeper sensations, and discovered he had two passions. He enjoyed the act of creating artistically, controlling a piece and molding it into haunting works to evoke precisely the right emotions from precisely the right people. Perhaps even more than that first passion, he was intrigued so deeply by what motivated people that saw his art. What made them experience joy, sorrow, wonder, or rage. He studied their quirks, their dreams and goals, and how to manipulate and evoke precisely the right response with his art... and then his words... and then his actions. They were art, after all, and so many could be so much better if they were clay under his hands. Inevitably, in many cases, he'd be captivated with some commoner woman and see what it took for her to not just love him, but worship him, before casting her away as another experiment. His callousness had the family spending a small fortune to keep covering up these dramatic scandals of broken individuals left in his wake, as well as moving him from one southern court to the next until the pressure had died down some. As such, he spent a good deal of his time outside of major cities, and while his sister often accompanied him, he would often return to his first passion in art. He would never consider himself a master, but the passion and drive was still there, and soon he'd be attracting the interest of individuals with the most interesting flaws that could be sliced away with a word. And so it would begin again. After the last scandal in Setarco, he was sent to Arx, where perhaps his talents would serve the family well, if he could just be controlled. Upon arriving in Arx, Sebastian found the same patterns repeating, and eventually he returned to Setarco for a time, to his studio and to his sculpting, but something had changed. He withdrew from his usual social circles and rumors that the periods of darkness and brooding had grown more frequent. Some other obsession had taken the Pravus Lord, and eventually he gave away all of his sculptures, his work shifting to painting images that he claimed came from dreams and nightmares, dark works that contrasted sharply with those he might have been asked to create by others. Then the call came from Belladonna Pravus to return to Arx. His sister, Juliana, had already traveled ahead of him, and when he put the finishing touches on his last piece, he let go everything from his studio in Setarco, and made his way to Arx for perhaps a new beginning. Quiet. In the time since his return to Arx, certainly he has been seen at social events, rumored to have participated in the retaking of Luciva, and continues to produce art. However, no word of further scandal seems to have followed him. Has he finally been controlled? Has he merely become more subtle and refined since his arrival? Or is it only a matter of time?
  arrival? Or is it only a matter of time?)
• Siegward Oberlander  + (Born late at the heart of the Oathlands to …
  Born late at the heart of the Oathlands to a family of five; his father, a farmer; his mother, a Sergeant and his three sisters, all groomed by said mother for violence, Siegward seemed destined to live his life tending to crops by taking his progenitor's role once his father's back gave. And gave it did. When he was twelve, indeed. For his youngest, older sister was already twenty-one the day he was born and his mother a few years shy of retiring with a comfortable pension after over twenty years of faithful service to Valardin in defense of the Compact's peace. Realizing at fourteen that a life of cleaning ear-rot off of corn wasn't for him, Sieg fled farm life outside the Telmarch and travelled deep East, into the woodlands North of Bastion, closer to the Bonespire than Stoneheart. In here, young Siegward Oberlander found himself in the militia to one of the many Hamlets living precariously close to Abandoned lands, suffering thus yearly raids by the Shav'arvani. For many years in this town, he took no active part in the conflict- having arrived at the age of fourteen, months shy of fifteen, the Captain at the time barred him from the fighting. Instead, he served as Squire-equivalent to him and was trained beyond the teachings of his mother. Siegward took naturally to violence, and quickly rose through the ranks under what many felt was favoritism from the man that had groomed him from the start. A battle, however, against the Abandoned sadly soon robbed his Captain of his aging life, and a schism with an inept superior eventually spiraled out of control, resulting in a relegation to a deeper outpost in the North; a place grimly nicknamed "Desolate Point", for obvious reasons. Being sent to one of the richest provinces of the Compact to one of the poorest and most war-ravaged was clearly a punishment, but Siegward welcomed the change. He hoped that competent leadership and a steady stream of purposeful action would await him at this new post. Fighting against the Shav'arvani, Siegward took part in drills where the Knights surveying them wouldn't be content until their swords and shields felt like natural extensions of their own bodies. He lived beneath unconventional leadership styles, and saw plentiful change in officers due to the high mortality rate amongst them. Eventually, the Abandoned marched on the dwindling muster of his garrison. Siegward's force was regimented on the western flank of the front line, forming an impenetrable wall against the tribal forces they opposed. As the battle dragged on, it looked as if the Grayson troops sensed victory and fought with extra frenzy to that end. But then Siegward caught sight of a berserking behemoth at the heart of the melee, leading his surrounding marauders in an untrammeled fury soon made slick with blood. In a freak moment their eyes locked, the Barbarian grinned, and charged at him through his maniple whole with axe in each hand, killing all that stood in the way. Before Siegward's head was unceremoniously chopped off his shoulders by him, a fellow soldier pushed him out of the way, his own soul selflessly given for his. Eventually, the Grayson forces prevailed and the Compact was victorious, but it was a pyrrhic accomplishment for Siegward. Those who served in his shield wall had perished, and he emerged as a lone survivor. Distraught and with tattered spirits, Siegward applied for leave, wishing to quit military life and simply head for home. He was denied, but taking pity on his plight an officer instead put him up for an introduction to the Iron Guard, in Arx, to once more serve under the Griffin. And so Siegmard did as he was told, packed up and went South once more, leaving the cold behind. Until Winter again, he reckons.
  ld behind. Until Winter again, he reckons.)
• Wulfrum Darkwater  + (Born of Grimhall and married into Darkwate …
  Born of Grimhall and married into Darkwater, neither of the Houses which claimed the loyaly of Lord Wulfrum had particularly sunny reputations. This was fine as Wulfrum did not grow up a sunny lad nor become a particularly optimistic Lord in his maturity. Born outside of the ruling line Wulfrum was raised in the traditional customs of the Mourning Isles. He was one of many, not yet proven to be worthy of his House. Even at a young age the man had a competitive streak leading to confrontations with cousins and siblings. It showed his ambition but such unlordly behaviour was soon 'corrected' leading to less boasting and shoving to more productive means of competitiveness. Eventually Wulfrum was old enough to sail, to fight, to prove his worth to Grimhall! Only to be selected for a political marriage to Lira Darkwater after returning from a successful subjugation of shavs and boats laden with thralls. Despite the surprise young Wulfrum found appeal in House Darkwater. Not only was Lady Lira Darkwater everything one would expect of an Isle Lady but Darkwater itself had a history of harrying the Saffron Chain and 'unexplained' shav attacks on passing vessels. It was a place that Wulfrum would settle into nicely and so he did for years with the most notable events being the death of his wife during the birth of his son Leiras Darkwater followed some time later by the razing of Darkwater's Reach. Lord Wulfrum Darkwater has come to Arx with a summons from Countess Carita Darkwater on the eve of Crusade with an Eurusi flotilla approaching Arvani waters.
  Eurusi flotilla approaching Arvani waters.)
• Cerys Velenosa  + (Born of a union between Blackram and Velen …
  Born of a union between Blackram and Velenosa, Cerys is a strange marriage of Oathlands honor and martial strength and Lycene sensibility and and morality. Raised in Velenosa through childhood, she was sent to foster at Blackram through her teen years, taking to the martial training with an ease of natural aptitude. By the time she was returned, the training had gotten under her skin and she insisted on continuing with it alongside the more traditional social graces and tutoring of a Velenosan Princess. She took part in each of the major battles over the years, veteran of both the SIlent War and again for the Gyre, the latter earning her a Knighthood in the Lyceum that she is inordinately proud of. After that accomplishment, she started to turn her eye towards explanding her knowledge of 'knightly skills', once more visiting family in the Oathlands to tutor under some of the more well-known knights. It was on the return from one such trip that Cerys was introduced to Dimitri Pravus during an event being held. It was fascination at first sight for the both of them. After a bit of a whirlwind courtship, and with the blessing of both Houses, she married the man she had deemed worthy (and who was able to put up with her intensity). Travelling to Arx with her new husband seems the perfect end to their honeymoon and start to their new life together.
  moon and start to their new life together.)
• Myira Corsetina  + (Born of common stock, Myira spent a good d …
  Born of common stock, Myira spent a good deal of her youth with her family in the south, learning to keep a house, to cook and clean, to sea and mend and every other thing she'd need to be a good wife one day. But being a good wife and settling down to have a husband and children didn't sit well with the girl. So at the age of 17 she left her home and fled to the capital of Arx where she went into service, first working as a house maid and then a lady's maid for a merchant's family. It was only recently that she came into what she considers the most gracious of circumstances--being a maid for the Lady Isolde Velenosa. This is her chance to truly prove her worth and to perhaps move up in the world. She cares for her family, of course, but she left them behind when she came north. If she never sees them again, it doesn't bother her. Much.
  s them again, it doesn't bother her. Much.)
• Aodhan Crovane  + (Born of the Crovane line in the far north, …
  Born of the Crovane line in the far north, Aodhan was born and bred to fight, or so he would tell someone. He was a gentle child, but don't let it fool you: he could brawl as well as the other kids, if not better. He especially got into many good fights with his cousin Asger, as it strengthened their bond as family. Despite this, as a child he was always the one to want to mend wounds, rather than cause them. Thankfully, he grew out of that trend. While he was still gentle as a man, he loved to fight. HE loved to train. He loved to win. He would brave the harsh winters and even volunteer to fight hostile Abandoned just to test and improve his skills. As he grew older, his sense of pride and honor officially arrived, growing a deep love for his family. To him, nothing was more important. He serves his family proudly, while all the while wanting to constantly prove himself as a true Crovane. Little did he know, his adventure was just beginning...
  know, his adventure was just beginning...)
• Tomas Redrain  + (Born of the North, Tomas's family came to …
  Born of the North, Tomas's family came to Arx quietly enough and made their lives. When young Tomas learned about some of the rest of his family, though, he expressed a strong desire to return to the lands of his forebears. Repeated refusal did little to dissuade him, and eventually he managed to steal away. He was not, at that time, particularly skilled at survival outside of a city, so it was very fortunate that a band of Ravashari found him when they did...and even more fortunate that they were sympathetic to his heartfelt appeal. It may have been luck, or may have been total invention, that the group boasted two aunts, an uncle, and various cousins to him. Either his parents had been trying to hide this from him, or it was made up to excuse his presence; either way, he ended up spending some time with these people and growing close to them. Eventually, it didn't matter much if they were related, because they treated each other as if it were a fact. He never found other relations in the travels of his band of benefactors, though he did learn things. When his group chose to stay in one place for an extended time, Tomas was prompted to return to the city. He had a feeling, and he would have to pursue it, to see if it really was the right choice. He bid his family farewell and set out, perhaps unwisely on foot, towards the city of Arx. After some close calls, a possibly portentious dream or two (but maybe just less-than-fresh food), and some soul-searching, he finally returned to the grand city he had called home for several years in his younger days. Now he knew enough to get by alone, but maybe he would be able to find his parents and talk to them. Or, maybe not.
  s parents and talk to them. Or, maybe not.)
• Cerelia Pontelaeus  + (Born of the Sea. At least, that is what Ce …
  Born of the Sea. At least, that is what Cerelia would say of herself when asked of her past. The Pontelaeus family is that of wealthy bankers and traders, often braving the waters of the Saffron Chain, braving trade routes that run the risk of slipping inadvertently into interhouse wars between the various Abandoned Clans. It is on one such ship that Cerelia was born. It was a stormy night and the sea was angry, so many of the sailors who were present that night would say. The waves were rising high and the ship they all sailed upon was being pitched to and fro, in danger of capsizing when a bolt of lightning struck and severed the mast in twain. Her mother, the ship's First Mate, had ignored counsel from the healers in Tremorus that her baby would not wait to the end of the voyage which she had deemed too valuable to postpone. So it was that in the peak of the storm that she would go into labor. The ship was drifting listless upon the raging storm tossed sea, and no help was to be found for miles. Doomed to sink, at least that is what the crew of the ship believed, it was sudden providence when down below Cerelia's mother screamed at the peak of her delivery and a sudden calm fell eerily upon the waters as Cerelia made her way into the world and drew her first breath. The ship ran aground on a deserted island, and there the crew would live in relative ease for two weeks until another Pontelaeus rescue ship would find them. At least, if you believed the legends of the Saffron Chain, that is what you would hear. Cerelia's younger years would drift by with a relative lack of complication. Like any child, she was good in certain studies, and rubbish at others. Like her cousin, Savio, she would show little interest at all in the family business. But where she excelled was upon the waters. From schooner to caravel, Cerelia had a gift at sailing and navigating upon the waves, and as she entered into her late teens the sea is where she would spend the majority of her time. She took the helm of trading vessels when the positions presented themselves to her. When they did not, she would take out other vessels, always as if there was something out on those waters to be found, some mystery to plumb. Sometimes she would even offer her services to Sabriel, soon becoming fast friends and joining the Vice-Admiral upon the seas. When Leporidae bent the knee and joined the Compact she was as skeptical as many of her kin, but when Giorgio sent word back to the family of the wonders to be found in Arx, Cerelia would find herself being sent soon after Savio with orders from the family to join the two Pontelaeus brothers and help where she might in their pursuits in Arx.
  where she might in their pursuits in Arx.)
• Krarstin Tidelord  + (Born on a small island in the Darkwater de …
  Born on a small island in the Darkwater deeps, Krarstin has seen some of the greatest terrors the world can offer, and survived them. She spent her youth as a bannerman to a local warlord, before rising to be the Jarla (a chief title) of the Tidelord tribe. After the Darkwater Deeps got to chaotic, she gathered as much of her tribe as could travel and set sail with a small flotilla and a relic of a warship, determined to escape the clutches of the fell forces that consumed her homeland. Despite being pursued to the very edge of the Darkwater by the forces of the Gyre, she managed to shepherd nearly a hundred survivors into the Saffron Sea. Eventually found by a Kennex flagged ship and brought to Arx, she has sworn fealty to Ford Kennex, despite no longer having a tribe near large enough to justify a title. She offers her services in return for the settlement and good treatment of her remaining tribe, most of which calls her 'Grandmother' as well as Jarla.
  calls her 'Grandmother' as well as Jarla.)
• Amador Rafael  + (Born on a smaller vineyard on the outskirt …
  Born on a smaller vineyard on the outskirts of Northern Lenosia, Amador knew he wanted something beyond the simple life of a vintner. He had seen the crowded streets of the trade hub and basked in the beauty of the ladies of court in all of their silk and gems. He had watched the shadows in the alleyways and listened to the whispers behind the veil of the city's grandeur. It was at the age of fourteen that he decided he could find a space between the two. A conduit between nobility and the reality of what the world really is. He could be that figure. So after much debate in the Rafael home, it was the grace of his mother Almea that swayed his father Ortego's stubbornness and their son was allowed to venture forth to one of the many smaller courtier schools in the area. It was here that Amador first met Gaspar Velenosa, a life changing event that little did the young Lenosian know would change the path of his life forever. The two young men were surprisingly quick friends despite the vast differences in their personalities. While Amador found humor in Gaspar's tangential nature, Gaspar in turn found a solace in Amador's stoic foundation. So, when Gaspar invited him along on an expense paid tour of the kingdoms under the pitch of expanding Amador's cultural understanding making him the better courtier... Amador couldn't refuse. A few years were spent in each other's company and their relationship thrived. Amador was able to rein in Gaspar to ensure the young prince was attentive to his studies and Gaspar dragged Amador out to a wide variety of social events and more or less served as his connection to the world of nobility. They finally parted ways during the tour of the Mourning Islands. Almea had fallen ill and Amador returned to Lenosia to spend her final moments with her. After Almea's passing, Amador remained on the vineyard to assist his father during the mourning period and go over the family's financials to be sure their fiscal health remained intact during those dark times. Finally the day came where the vineyard was managed and Amador's siblings had become more integrated into the working life of the vineyard. A letter was sent to Gaspar in search of work and it just so happened Emma Velenosa was in need of a new assistant. Amador took up his role with gusto, seeing to all of the lady's day to day needs and fielding her endlessly busy schedule. After a few years of service, Amador decided the great walls of Arx was his next step and so he reached out to his former schoolmate once again this time to see if the Prince (now the Marquis-Consort of House Tessere) was aware of any employment that might suit Amador in Arx. He wasn't surprised that Gaspar responded quickly, their friendship sustained despite the distance, however when it was mentioned that Gaspar himself was in need of help Amador gave a minor pause. He knew the enigmatic Marquis. He knew of his frivolity and charismatic inclinations. He knew what it would be like to be chasing after Gaspar's heels to gently steer him through the social arena. The pause was brief though and a letter returned to his soon to be employer of his resignation to Emma and the acceptance of the new position. And so to Arx he went...
  the new position. And so to Arx he went...)
• Niro Crown  + (Born outside of the protection of the Crow …
  Born outside of the protection of the Crown and the City, Niro does not speak often of the life out there - other than it was harsh and short for many, and that he considers himself one of the luckier ones. He received knowledge of the art of Smithing, and it was with that knowledge that he kept himself alive, by being useful. His escape from that life is one that he counts as a blessing, and one of the new Prodigals, he seeks to establish himself in a land of relative peace and freedom.
  f in a land of relative peace and freedom.)
• Asher Morrlin  + (Born poor, raised poor, and currently poor …
  Born poor, raised poor, and currently poor. That's most of the Lower Boroughs for you. Most go hungry, some starve. It's the wonderful city of commerce and wealth! But for those who desire to rise up from the muck, it's a difficult trek, and a dangerous one at that. Asher, for his part, has thought to make his way by joining with the Grayhope family. At least, working for them. In whatever they need. Secrets and information can be a dark business, and all the muck passes through the shade of the Lower Boroughs.
  s through the shade of the Lower Boroughs.)
• Asher Grayhope  + (Born poor, raised poor, and currently poor …
  Born poor, raised poor, and currently poor. That's most of the Lower Boroughs for you. Most go hungry, some starve. It's the wonderful city of commerce and wealth! But for those who desire to rise up from the muck, it's a difficult trek, and a dangerous one at that. Asher, for his part, has thought to make his way by joining with the Grayhope family. At least, working for them. In whatever they need. Secrets and information can be a dark business, and all the muck passes through the shade of the Lower Boroughs.
  s through the shade of the Lower Boroughs.)
• Killian Ashford  + (Born second son of one of the branches of …
  Born second son of one of the branches of the Ashford family, Killian was forever in some form of trouble. Mischievous, adventurous and entirely unlike his older brother he seemed to always have a knack for trouble and for talking his way out of the worst of it. Of course, the shadow of his older brother ever loomed, and after a particularly troublesome prank might have reflected poorly upon his older sibling he was sent away to squire in Bisland. After being Knighted, a brief return home was all it took to make it clear that his family, or at least his older brother, would far prefer he spend time 'abroad' as a Knight Errant. Of course, being an Ashford, he took that to mean that it would be preferred if he went to find out what was over that next hill and help out along the way. He has wandered surprisingly far for his relatively young age, seeking out the places where the myths that were his escape as a youth might hide in the world.
  escape as a youth might hide in the world.)

• Lucio Mandragora  + (Born the bastard son of a smuggler and a t …
  Born the bastard son of a smuggler and a thug in the slums of Setarco, Lucio never knew his father, and lost his mother when he was five to disease. His life had not been easy to that point, but suddenly became much harder. He lived his life largely on the streets, kept alive by rapidly developing keen observational skills, and a penchant for evoking compassion. He likely would still be eking out an existence in those very slums were it not for the gift of a beautiful voice. He began singing for his supper when he was only seven, and, by the time he was nine, his angelic voice had attracted enough notice to reach the ears of Marco Peduzzi, a singer in the court of Nino Pravus. Marco, astonished by the boy's voice, brought him to court and personally undertook his training. Life in the Pravus Court was very different from life on the streets, and though he enjoyed the luxuries it brought him, he also missed the freedom. In spite of the square meals and nice clothes, Marco Peduzzi was a fearsome taskmaster, and kept Lucio on a short leash, managing every hour of his day with lessons in singing, various instruments, court etiquette, and history. On the rare occasions when Lucio managed to steal away and hide from his lessons, he was found, beaten, and given kitchen chores in addition to his studies. When he managed to get a day off for exceptionally good behavior or some surprising success, he would immediately head back to the slums to see old friends and to listen to gossip and the popular music of the taverns. The mist frightening moment of Lucio's life occurred when his voice broke in adolescence. Marco looked at him sternly, rolled his shoulders, and said, simply, "You will work in the kitchens for one year. At the end of that time, I will listen to you sing again, and not before. If you can still amaze me, you may continue your training. If not, we will send you back to the slums." It was not until then that Lucio realized how much he had come to value the art of singing, and the mentoring of Marco. He spent months terrified that his adult voice would be mediocre, and when the time came to sing for Marco once more, he was sweating profusely. He opened his mouth...and a beautiful tenor voice emerged from the cocoon of his adolescence. From that point on, Lucio's training with Marco became even more intense, and the teenager was frequently sent away on mysterious errands designed to test his loyalty and commitment as much as his ability to sing and play. With every passing day, he became a more skilled performer. It was, therefore, with some surprise that, shortly after a masterful performance ending his career as a journeyman under his master, Lucio was released from the Pravus court. Though there was great gossiping about why, the simple answer offered was that House Pravus already had a master singer in the person of Marco Peduzzi. Since then, Lucio has traveled from noble house to noble house, taking jobs where he can, but never settling down for permanent employment. He even plays in taverns from time to time when coin grows especially low. Now, perhaps sensing that there are greater opportunities to the north, he has left the city states of the Lyceum to come to Arx, seeking fame and fortune amongst the gathered elite of the Compact.
  amongst the gathered elite of the Compact.)
• Ramona Malespero  + (Born the daughter of Leticia Pravus and - …
  Born the daughter of Leticia Pravus and - well, that's complicated. It seems Ramona was meant to be the third daughter of Leticia and Raphael (along with Vivana Pravus and Lianne Malespero), but somewhere along the way the truth slipped out. Ramona was not Raphaels child. She was the daughter of a commoner, the result of an illicit affair. And while those closest to Leticia were aware of the scandal, the news never drifted out of the Pravus household. Instead, what was made known publicly, was an unfortunate miscarriage and the wholly unrelated arrival of a distant cousin, who Leticia would be raising. This, surely, was the result of a compromise between mother and not-father. And so Leticia's life was a confusing one. She was raised more as a household servant than a Pravus. She was, on and off, loved and reviled by both her "aunt" Leticia and "uncle" Raphael. It was confusing, being part of the family, but not. Being an outsider on the inside. Existing in that liminal state, neither here nor there. When she finally turned ten, she was packed up and shipped off to the Oathlands, where she would study the Faith. She'd miss her "cousins", but she was finally given a clear place to exist, and that was a great relief. For the past eight years, she's studied with the priests and Godsworn in the Oathlands. While she was decidedly intelligent, and she could recite all the necessary texts, she never cared for the "mythology" of the Faith. She was far more focused on the practical application of Vellichor's knowledge, Petrichor's lessons in agriculture, Mangata's ship-building... you get the idea. Finally, now, after completing her education and swearing her oaths, she's been sent to Arx to find her "cousins".
  's been sent to Arx to find her "cousins".)
• Quinley Blackshore  + (Born the eldest of four daughters to Lord …
  Born the eldest of four daughters to Lord Augustine Blackshore and Lady Priyan Ashghar, Quinley quickly became the protector to her sisters. For many in the Mourning Isles censured the young lord for marrying an exiled Eurusi noblewoman who had fled her homeland. Of course a distant cousin to the current Baron Blackshore, there was little to dispute of a unlanded lord who chose to marry without advantage. Being financially cut off from the family for his indiscretion, this small unit learned to make do with less. Luckily, his choices didn't cause the Blackshore family to abandon him all together. However, many of the cousins would be quick to remind Quinley and her sisters that they were poorer relations. Quinley grew cynical of society's expectations, choosing to follow her own passions at a young age. She pushed against barriers in her teen years to learn the sword and sail despite many urging her to take more traditional roles in law or diplomacy. Not having a son, Augustine chose to impart his own naval expertise on his eldest, placing emphasis on precision and excellence. She drilled harder and longer than any of her peers, knowing that any weakness would be a slur towards her gender. While she did study a few courses on law, it was more out of a sense of justice. She had no interest in sitting in the courtroom. Finding commissions on a ship wasn't easy within Thrax, but Quinley's persistence paid off when an old family friend within the Thrax navy took her under his wing. She worked hard to earn her ranks, making sure those family bonds didn't outweigh her own worth and over time her ruthlessness gained her notice. She would visit Maelstrom from time to time to see her family, even sending coin home to help with their expenses. While she never had the funds to gain her own ship, her actions made her valuable enough to overlook the flaws of birth. Even though it had been more than a decade since she had stepped foot on Blackshore soil, it was a shock to hear of her heritage coming to destruction. The second blow was her father's stroke, leaving behind a grieving widow and three daughters. His death ended the Thrax arrangement with their family. Quinley could no longer ignore her obligations and once she collected them from Maelstrom, she set off to Arx to meet the new baroness. Quinley impressed her with her fine military skills and quickly convinced her to join her ministers, focusing on Productivity. Never one to be idle, she took additional duties with the Iron Guard, seeing the need for justice for those that had less in the city.
  stice for those that had less in the city.)
• Markos Leporidae  + (Born the first son of a cadet branch of th …
  Born the first son of a cadet branch of the Leporidae nobility, Markos always had a wild streak even as a child. Quick to get in trouble or to find himself in mischief, the young lord simply always had a penchant for finding himself beneath the disapproving gaze of his mother. But then again, the quiet chuckles and hair ruffles his father would give when his mother wasn't looking was hardly the disciplinary action to set him on the 'right' path. Markos never had much care for academics or the finer points of etiquette. He would much rather spend his time watching the Arakkoan feats of strength and athletic competitions, often at the expense of his studies. It is perhaps little wonder then, that as he grew older he naturally gravitated toward such things. Archery, methods for surviving the wilds, and studies of the various animals that inhabit Dawnsend would all come to the young lord as easily as if they were ingrained within his flesh and bones. In his late teens Markos would sneak out of the city for the first time, determined to find adventure since it wasn't obviously wasn't going to find him behind the city walls. He never did forget the rush of adrenaline as he crept past the city guard and out into the undergrowth surrounding the city... or the bruises he would have after a rather unfortunate misstep sent him tumbling and sliding down a steep hill to crash into a stony creek. He learned so much on that first trip, aided by the fact that he got lost in the jungle for four days and was forced to learn to survive amid predators and the other dangers that await around every corner in the untamed wilderness of Dawnsend. But that feeling that came to him, the feeling of belonging, is something that would light a fire beneath him, a fire that couldn't be quenched even beneath the lashing his father gave him when he would stumble back into Tremorus four days later, cut and bruised by alive with purpose. And thus has Markos spent the last several years of his life, ranging the wilds beneath the shadow of the mountain, seeking adventure and the promise of danger wherever it might be found. Working as a liaison between the noble family Leporidae and the various barbarian tribes found in the region, a guide through the wilds, and as an animal handler for the family, Markos has lived a happy life of his own making. It is this thirst for adventure that brings him after his family members to Arx, seeking what new wonders might be found within a suddenly much wider world.
  found within a suddenly much wider world.)
• Ywaine Telmar  + (Born the illegitimate son of a sibling of …
  Born the illegitimate son of a sibling of Arn Telmar thirty five years ago. He was raised away from the bustling compound of the noble family. By his pre-teen years he was a strong, fast lad - adept at running and loving time in the woods, along creeks and staying over night under the stars. At eighteen and a full grown man he joined the Iron Guard, serving for 15 yrs with distinction. Retiring as a Captain under his Uncle Everard - although he didn't know the truth, then. He retired to join Tobias Telmar's Crimson Blades, a small battalion of sell swords. Hired as the sergeant of the scout platoon, he's served in that stead since then. An acknowledged expert in tracking, archery and combat with his axe, he's found the new vocation exciting. In the last year his mother died; with that came the truth of his heritage. An investigation, research and discussion later he was recognized as the illegitimate heir to his father and enobled in the Telmar family. Now Lord Ywaine, he's spent the last year trying to adjust himself to his new lifestyle. His younger cousin Tobias expects no special treatment of his older cousin and Ywaine asks for none, used to making it on his own by now.
  none, used to making it on his own by now.)
• Kutazer Sanna  + (Born the middle child in the frozen wastel …
  Born the middle child in the frozen wasteland of Giant's Reach, Kutazer seems liked from birth he was destined to be a warrior. Unlike his older brother, Cirroch who was trained in the ways of being a ruler, he was trained exclusively in the ways of being a warrior. It helps that his disposition ever since he was a child did not lead him to a world social grace, he finds he is much better at handling arguments with overwhelming aggression and less diplomatic measures. Due of an incident in his teen years, where he had to protect some defenseless villagers from some cannibalistic raiders. That is when he realized he wanted to aide in protecting the weak and unarmed. This was the push that helped him to realize that without those who are just and strong, the world will crumble and fall victim to all the evil within. As he grew older, so did the rivalry between the brothers and his protective ways of his younger sister Tila. And now he hears what all is occurring within the city of Arx from his oldest brother Cirroch, he decides that it is time for him to finally make his appearance and mark in history.
  y make his appearance and mark in history.)
• Aiden Grayson  + (Born the middle child of Prince Rodric Gra …
  Born the middle child of Prince Rodric Grayson and the Lady Daniela Bisland, Aiden Grayson was raised alongside siblings Ainsley and Ailys in Bastion. From the start Aiden was a quiet child and often considered the 'odd duck' by the others, adult and child alike. Friendship wasn't easy for a child who would barely manage to speak a word under pressure; a problem which often escalated into him becoming a target to be pushed around.
  him becoming a target to be pushed around.)
• Aiden Rubino-zaffria  + (Born the middle child of Prince Rodric Gra …
  Born the middle child of Prince Rodric Grayson and the Lady Daniela Bisland, Aiden Grayson was raised alongside siblings Ainsley and Ailys in Bastion. From the start Aiden was a quiet child and often considered the 'odd duck' by the others, adult and child alike. Friendship wasn't easy for a child who would barely manage to speak a word under pressure; a problem which often escalated into him becoming a target to be pushed around.
  him becoming a target to be pushed around.)
• Iosif Grimhall  + (Born the middle child of three to Velmund …
  Born the middle child of three to Velmund Helianthus and Alvilda Helianthus (nee Wesgard), he grew up in Sungreet in the House of his family with many cousins, aunts, and uncles around him. Iosif was always the lone wolf, the deep thinker, and the odd one of that generation's litter and to no one it was more apparent than him. His family indulged him and his brothers would tell you that it was because of this precocious, solitary nature that his mother adored him the most. If it was true though, she would never let on. It was this nature that led him to find his camaraderie in the kennels his family kept. From a young age, he found more of a kinship with those dogs than most humans he encountered. It was here that he began to learn the basics of animal husbandry and by the time he was barely a man, he was a master of the art. Which is of course, why they let him take his dogs out on the water with him. While he was a good and adept sailor and reaver, affording him the opportunity to sail alongside more than a few well known Thraxian reavers, it was his command of the dogs as soldiers that made him stand out. He could head out alone with his dogs on a small boat with only a sword and a pair of oars and could overtake a large ship. (And to be honest, the dogs were a whole lot less trouble than most Thraxian sailors and were far more welcome in most establishments they stopped at, besides). Recently, the Mourning Isles has passed leadership of House Thrax from Donrai to Victus and with him, Victus has brought no small amount of social upheaval. Not that he cared for politics even in the slightest, of course, but he supported the Compact in the Silent War, then the Gyre War. He never expected to be in a position where he would be able to influence politics even within his family but as fortune would have it, his mother approached him with the opportunity to marry Sanya Grimhall. The match would promote peace between Grimhall and Helianthus and help to formally cement the relationship between the two Houses, as it began to look like the Mourning Isles might see civil war. He rose to the challenge. After a three month courtship, they were married. Then, as they were establishing themselves in Grihem's Point and introducing his parents to hers, the now famous Battle of Sungreet took place. His cousin Duke Ivan Helianthus, and brother, Jovian Helianthus, lost their lives. It took him some convincing but he persuaded his parents to stay at Grihem's Point in the relative safety of neutrality where together they could still affect positive change in the Isles. The tides of change have come again, as they always do, and now he and his new wife, Sanya, rise to new challenges on the horizon ahead.
  se to new challenges on the horizon ahead.)
• Meabh Clearlake  + (Born the oldest daughter to her father, Fe …
  Born the oldest daughter to her father, Fearghas, and her mother, Siofra. While her father was built like a bear, her mother was the taller of two, lithe and willowy. An elegance to her mother, a natural with a spear, and a warrior at heart, where her father was a shaman of the tribe, seeing to the spiritual health and well being of them. It was no surprise to really any one that Meabh took after her mother, and assumed the role of protector of her two younger siblings. Meabh grew up a bit wild, and very fierce, learning the skills of a warrior from her mother, as well as her aunt, both women fierce warriors in their own rights, and amazing role models, at least in Meabh's eyes. Her father tried many times to get Meabh more interested in the more spiritual side, but she always grew restless during her father's lessons. Not that she didn't want to learn, or didn't like what he had to teach, but rather she strained at having to learn them in a simple hut, when there was a whole world out there to explore. As such, she had a tendency to wander off, into the wilds to explore and learn on her own. At first her family worried over her random disappearances. Soon, however, they learned that she would eventually make her way back home to them. Often with new little treasures she had found during her little adventures, usually a new animal friend. And a new scar or two. Never really explaining the scars. To her father's surprise perhaps, those same explorations helped do what all of his lessons could not, and awakened in her a spiritualism and respect for the clan's shamanic traditions that she holds dear to this day. At first when Clearlake bent the knee, Meabh remained in the North. Now however, her wanderlust has brought her south to explore, and eventually into Arx itself, where she seeks to help protect her family here, as she did back home.
  ect her family here, as she did back home.)
• Aerwan Valardin  + (Born the only son of Bernh Valardin after …
  Born the only son of Bernh Valardin after years of attempted conception, to say that Aerwan was considered a blessing from the divine would be an understatement. A celebration was had on the day of his birth, offerings were made, praise was given, and a prince's get was watched over like circling hawks by the family staff as he grew up into a young boy, especially when try as they might over his formative years father and mother found themselves incapable of producing a spare to their heir. For the young Aerwan, life was an adventure, and there was no grander aspiration than to be a valorous knight upholding the honor of his family and bringing glory to the Pantheon - which his father was inclined to encourage - while escaping his minders at every opportunity to hare off and recreate such escapades with whomever he could wrangle into the process. There were no shortage of tutors and trainers to mold and refine the child into a young man capable of doing proud by his father, but that changed with the Tragedy. They were off on holiday during the massacres, and it was a weight that settled heavily on a tender young heart. But where it was the sort of thing that sparked a flame in many to only drill them deeper toward the sword, for Aerwan it had the opposite effect - lost in the malaise of mourning kin, the youth began to question his path and his purpose. There were always going to be times and places where arms were the only option.. but this was their result. What other options were there? It was while trying to find these answers that Aerwan began truly diving deeper into looking at the Pantheon as a broader picture to life instead of his younger zeal solely for Gloria, inquiring with priests of all of the divine, and in the process took his first steps on a different path, even if it wasn't what he would have hoped for. There was never any shortage of work to be done for the Faith, and so he spread whatever help he could advocate for with his family to the causes that called to him for action. There was still honor and glory to be found, but solace, too. The canonizing of the Lost was a particularly special time for the young man, and in the years since he has come to ponder on and search for more of Aion in particular, but also investigating other beliefs with an open, critical eye while rooted in his own faith. His own wandering pursuits to find knowledge and provide relief have recently come to a halt, returning for the first time in many years to Arx at the call of the Dragons to deal with the Skal'dajans. For all that he may be incapable in warfare, he has experience providing a helping hand - and there may be no shortage of need for those.
  here may be no shortage of need for those.)
• Amir Melaeris  + (Born the only son of the Marquis Lyron' de …
  Born the only son of the Marquis Lyron' dear, widowed sister, Amir lead a privileged life. His mother was sickly but doting, making sure that her son had only the best tutors and wanted for nothing. And when she died, he was taken into Lyron' care and raised alongside the his youngest daughter. For all intents and purposes, the two children were treated like siblings--sharing playmates, eating dinner together, and reading eachother's diaries aloud to friends. As a young teen, Amir's raw talent with a blade quickly became apparent. So much so, that the Marquessa-Consort, arranged for him to be tutored in martial subjects by the House's previous Sword. Youthful cockiness and pride hampered his early years of training but by the time he was in his early twenties, Amir had learned to temper his emotions and master his movements. Even if the old Sword could still knock him on his ass. He was biding his time, hoping to be appointed the new house Sword as his mentor aged, when Marquis Lyron passed. A storm had taken the life of his uncle and the entirety of his ship to the ocean floor. The new Marquis was quick to stir up the ranks, putting fresh faces in new positions. Including Amir. For the next few years, he would serve as House Melaeris' faithful and occasionally outspoken Sword. Many a white journal was put up decrying the practice of Thralldom or naming and shaming those who mistreated their thralls. Not a single soul was surprised when Amir would later go on to become a disciple of the newly discovered Skald and a Liberator. Or that he supported the reforms on the laws concerning thralls--even if he contested they weren't good enough. Still, even if he objected to many of Thrax's policies, he still fought dutifully for the Great House during the siege of Arx and later during the war against the so called Pirate King.
  the war against the so called Pirate King.)
• Lucie Laurent  + (Born the second daughter to a cousin of th …
  Born the second daughter to a cousin of the late Duke Edmund Laurent, Lady Lucie's upbringing had all of the trappings one would expect of a ducal house in the Oathlands. She was taught proper etiquette, how not to be embarrassing in court, and how not to draw shame upon herself personally. All in all, a very standard childhood that she did just fine with. But it wasn't in the softer sides of nobility that she excelled but in her martial training. Lucie trained with some of Artshall's best knights and she had a true talent for it from a young age. She could dance circles around the other squires in the sparring ring, nimble and quick, she was also strong and bold. It became a point of pride to take her on in practice, whether you lost or won, because you were going to leave that experience with a number of very colorful bruises. Her upbeat attitude and boundless enthusiasm also made her quite popular in other ways. She displayed a natural disposition toward leadership. She could not only command effectively by making smart and calculated decisions, but people /wanted/ to follow her. They felt a bone deep loyalty to her and by the time she was assigned her own troops, she already had a solid following of knights clamoring to be in her unit. Lucie has since spent the last several years traipsing about the Oathlands with her cadre of knights, fighting with honor and distinction everywhere that she goes. Travelers through Artshall feel a little safer knowing that the Lady Knight Commander of the Laurents is out there, quick to lend a hand with her sword, and even quicker to offer up a drink or a bite of food and a place at her fire.
  or a bite of food and a place at her fire.)
• Jurn Thornhall  + (Born the second of four children to the Sh …
  Born the second of four children to the Shaman of a nomadic tribe of people. He was always a boy of nature, and he took liking to the hunters of the tribe from the time he was old enough to help carry their quivers. Though if ever inquired that's all he really remembers...he calls it a 'Stress induced forgetfulness'. Though what is known is that Jurn Thornhall was a survivor of the Thraxian genocide, and believed to be the sole survivor of his once proud nomadic tribe, though the facts of that are uncertain. He was taken in by house Deepwood as a Prodigal, and has developed himself from his natural adoration for the hunt into being an astounding member of the elite Deepwood Rangers. His attention to detail and committed drive to succeed have elevated him to become an officer of the Rangers and recently requested of his presence in the city of Arx to provide as a liaison for the training of units.
  de as a liaison for the training of units.)
• Ademar Napolitano  + (Born the second son but fifth born to the …
  Born the second son but fifth born to the Napolitano merchant family, he was able to really choose any path he desired for himself. But the natural grace and silver tongue his father had, he inherited and was a naturally born merchant. As he aged, his skills were honed and then opportunity showed its hand. Caer Morien, lands that were newly being broken. He was given the money to set up a business venture there and set off from the city state of Rivincita. Soon arriving within the lands just as Domonico became the new Count of Caer Morien. With cocoa plants thriving on the isles, this business venture is going to be very prosperous.
  ss venture is going to be very prosperous.)
• Corban Telmar  + (Born the second son of Lucas Telmar, Corba …
  Born the second son of Lucas Telmar, Corban grew up the nephew of Duke Arn Telmar in the hostile, unwelcoming Duchy of the Telmarch. From an early age, Corban showed an affinity for martial skills, training alongside his cousins Ansel and Tobias, the two treated more like brothers than like cousins, given the common hardship that the three faced under the stern tutelage of the Duke Arn Telmar. After the passing of Lucas Telmar, Corban's mother decided to return to her family to assume a modest station as a deputy minister, leaving the young Telmar to be raised alongside his cousins by Duke Arn and the rest of the Telmars. As a young leader with the Telmarch army, Corban was already a favored captain of the Telmar armsmen, knowing the lord would always be the first sword rushing into the most dangerous frays. He quickly grew a reputation as one of the Telmarch's most capable military commanders, assuming increasing levels of responsibility within the powerful duchy, leading the forces of the Telmar and their vassals to break the shav hordes crashing against the Telmarch fortress walls. Now older, and with years of experience leading men into battle, Corban has come to the city to lend his sword to his family's assistance. With dark times on the horizon, he knows it may well be needed, and he plans to do fulfill his duty to his house.
  plans to do fulfill his duty to his house.)
• Sigurd Nightgold  + (Born the second son of Osmond Nightgold, y …
  Born the second son of Osmond Nightgold, younger brother of Duke Neddim Nightgold, Sigurd had a relatively uneventful birth, although it was, of course, celebrated. For it meant that the family line was truly secure on this branch. And that is how young Sigurd was raised, to be a 'sturdy branch' for the family to rest upon. Developing a keen appreciation for the arts of the wilderness and the martial aspects of his duties, he has been, almost since being a toddler, groomed to be a leader of military men. It is hoped that, in time, he may even take his place as leader of his cousin Nadia's armies. To this end, he has been tutored in weaponry, riding, and archery all, as well as command and the responsibility of it. This, and his duties to family and realm, have been drilled into him since he first learned to speak. This has led to a rather outwardly reserved, polite demeanour, but it is merely that, an outward appearance. In his spare time, he enjoys wandering the wilds, and adores wildlife in all forms, particularly dogs, an affection he shares with his younger sister, Signe. Always very close, both as children and now as adults, Sigurd and Signe would often roam the wilds together, the younger sister mimicing his martial and wilderness training to his endless amusement (and occasional annoyance). He is a Man of the North, and thus holds family, independence, and resourcefulness in high esteem. However, his grooming and constant drilling of duty mean he is able to hold his own in polite society as well, but does not conceal his northern roots and is proud of them. He can wear his silks, but it is clear that he prefers the practical over the fine, when given a choice.
  ctical over the fine, when given a choice.)
• Rufio Proscipi  + (Born the second son of a cadet branch of P …
  Born the second son of a cadet branch of Proscipi, Rufio’s younger years were spent in the shadow of his older brother Markos. With only two years separating the two brothers, their younger years saw both the tight bonds of friendship and imagined adventures that one would expect of such close siblings, as well as the strife and competition between the two as both sought to outshine the other, particularly so in the case of Rufio. As they grew into their teenage years and Markos chose to walk his own path in the jungles outside Tremorus, Rufio would instead stay the path and work to prove himself as a proud son of their father. As Rufio entered into his later teen years, he would find himself conscripted into the Tremorus armies, just like every other able bodied citizen of the Saffron city-state. It was here that he would feel that he’d found his true place beyond any other calling in his life. He would spend the next many years of his life remaining in the Tremorus army far after the years required of every citizen, fighting to keep the city-state safe both against barbarian invader that threw themselves senselessly at the impenetrable walls of his home, and abroad in skirmishes with other clans before they bent the knee to the Compact. He proved himself as a distinguished commander in both the War of the Two Queens as well as in the Siege of Tremorus, where the united barbarians and Eurusi Taskmasters of Skal’daja would break the city walls and take the fight into the streets. Willing to die fighting for his home, Rufio fought alongside his countrymen and somehow managed to survive. Promoted to command within the Tremorus army, Rufio has been dispatched to Arx to help his cousins in the Compact’s capital.
  help his cousins in the Compact’s capital.)
• Zale Verus  + (Born the second, unwanted, son of a minor …
  Born the second, unwanted, son of a minor Lyceum family in Lenosia, Zale spent most of his early youth riding horses and goofing around, climbing and later cliff-diving, taking slowly greater risks and staying away from home as long as possible. It wasn't long that he was considered almost unmarriable and given over to the Velenosa military where he earned a position as a scout and, all things being Lyceum, spy. Recently he has been moved to Arx, somewhat against his will, to await further instructions and training from House Velenosa.
  ructions and training from House Velenosa.)
• Miles Lockton  + (Born the seventh and last child of a Count …
  Born the seventh and last child of a Count and Countess sworn to House Laurent, Miles Lockton was destined to always finish last or be considered an expendable bargaining chip by parents who already had an heir, a spare, and many more available in the event of tragedy. Eventually becoming a page to one of his family's sworn knights, then a squire, eventually Miles became a knight in his own right. While never the most expert swordsman, Miles was in possession for an affinity for service. Not only to himself or his liege, but to the injured. He comported himself with valor when, as a knight himself, he was in battle with a number of shav'arvani, his own mentor was seriously injured. Not only did Sir Miles Lockton fight off the three shavs who would have no doubt killed the knight who trained him, he hoisted the fully armoured man onto his shoulders and trudged off the battlefield with him to seek immediately attention. At 24 years old, that singular act of valor and dedication drew the attention of the Crown. Which resulted in his invitation to join the King's Own, the royal guard of the Sovereign his or herself. Since that time Sir Miles has witnessed many knights come and go within the King's own, more often than not when they've met their end, yet Sir Miles continues on. Some claim he's unkillable - yet more claim that it's because he's too stubborn and crotchety to die. Some say the gods don't want to deal with his heavy sighs and disappointed frowns. Sir Miles has witnessed a great deal and even tended to the minor injuries of a young Leona Thrax, who herself would one day become a Lord Commander of the King's Own, at the behest of Lord Commander Dayne Valardin. Youth is taking over the King's Own, yet Sir Miles refuses to fade away.
  s Own, yet Sir Miles refuses to fade away.)
• Sabrina Inverno  + (Born the sole child of Vayla Pravus and Au …
  Born the sole child of Vayla Pravus and Augusto Inverno's marriage, Sabrina Inverno was very young when she first showed signs she would be a bright little star in Caina. Extremely intelligent, the young girl would sit on her mother's lap and almost seem to understand the heavy tomes Vayla read so often, dark eyes taking on every word as if she could see the hidden meaning behind every poem, the twist behind every mystery novel. Childhood, however, seemed to distract little Sabrina, and thoughts of books and mystery gave way to dresses, galas and her family, both of them. She would write to Setarco and play with the other young children of Caina, always the soul of any activity she was part of. Wherever she went, even in the dangerous alleys of the Shark-dominated country, Sabrina Inverno was welcomed and beloved. Life was good, for a while, and just as the young woman was fully blossoming, and in the final talks to arrange a marriage with Elonso Pravus, the duke's youngest son, Sabrina appeared to decide it was time for a change yet again. Expensive gowns were turned into a pyre outside her home in Caina, talks of marriage were abruptly shut down, and all letters from the girl would cease for months. Where she was once a beloved, smiling beacon of Caina that uplifted all in her path, Sabrina emerged from her latest metamorphosis a true Shark, and everything in her path was fair game to be criticized, scrutinized or otherwise prodded for falsehoods and weakness. Abrasive as she was in comparison to the sweet girl she had been, however, results were immediate, and after unearthing conspiracies and crime syndicates, the Inverno saw they had lost their bright little star, and gained a sharp-toothed Shark in her stead. That exchange was acceptable to House Inverno, and Sabrina quickly rose within the ranks despite her eccentricities. Now, as the new countess Tyche rises to proeminence, Sabrina takes the opportunity to leave Caina and put some distance between her and that land, all while assisting the countess, and seeing her sister again.
  the countess, and seeing her sister again.)
• Rasteon Masque  + (Born the sole fatherless child of the trib …
  Born the sole fatherless child of the tribe's most skillful tailor, Rasteon faced many trials as a youth. Having no Father willing to step forth and claim him, he was never granted his second name, and thus doomed to live forever with some small amount of shame. But even worse, as the only child in the tribe with dark hair and eyes, and with no men sporting either trait, he was further ostracized for being the clear result of demonic tampering. Called a demon spawn and a child of ill fates, he was forbidden to play with the other boys, refused all work and activities, and shunned in all communal gatherings. For the first 10 years of his life, the only person willing to show him any kindness was his mother. At the age of ten, Rasteon's mother took ill and died. This would have left him completely alone and without allies, had not the tribe's leader stepped in to adopt the boy. Seeing a great rage growing within him, the chief chose to harness that hate, rather than allowing it to fester. For long years he encouraged the boy in the ways of violence, teaching him patience and cunning, instilling him with discipline and providing him the tools to control his wrath. Wanting to keep him close, he assigned the growing teen the position of bodyguard to himself and his household. For 19 long years Rasteon has been the personal bodyguard for the Volkov family. He has watched Ruslan Volkov grow from an infant to manhood. he was there for the birth of each younger sibling. To the Volkov children he has been a quiet, protective presence ever vigilant and dependable. To the people, however, he is a much different beast. Thought of as the violent attack dog of the chief, he has been responsible for the bloody end of three separate coups, and thwarted no fewer than 13 known attempts at assassination. When he is released upon the public it is never a good thing, and his presence alone is now capable of discouraging all but the most desperate of attempts on the Marquis's life, at least when plotted by those who know the cost.
  t when plotted by those who know the cost.)
• Ilvin Steadworth  + (Born the son of a Grayson man-at-arms and …
  Born the son of a Grayson man-at-arms and a knight, Ilvin was a fish out of water early on. He was the second child, and his sister showed every sign of the warrior temperament. Born early and a little undersized, his parents didn't really have the money but hired a wetnurse and a nanny for him that they couldn't really afford to watch him. He was a happy, adventurous baby that grew into a happy, imaginative child, but he found more allure in books and stories and daydreams and songs than he ever did in running around and playing with the other children outside, and because of a tendency towards wheezy lungs, he spent most of his time following the seraph of Bastion around, when he wasn't stealing time in the libraries or listening to the songs and stories of the Devotions of Limerance. His parents were never sure what to do with him. He showed no aptitude or interest in weapons or hunting or outdoor pursuits. He had a head for figures and he liked pages. If you brought him a book, he could entertain himself with it for weeks! It was Ilvin himself who came up with the idea, a solemn thirteen year old with a hint of what would one day become a telltale twinkle in his eye, when he asked his parents about what it took to become a Devotion. Ilvin's education continued. He was ravenous for information but more he was ravenous for human stories. As a teenager, he tried to hear everything without creating a stir or causing problems for others. He became godsworn young, and threw himself into his work. The Faith needs people who are good at figures and can parse sentences as well as it needs people who can listen with an open heart. It was a good choice of profession for him. He did not choose Limerance as first in his heart lightly; it was more that he loved all the gods, but the devotion that needed him most, and his good humor and his complacent legal understanding and his open, open heart, always seemed to be Limerance. When he became Archlector of Limerance, it was not so much the culmination as any great ambition as the fact that the job had become open, somebody needed to do it, and it almost seemed like a foregone conclusion that it should be Ilvin. He stepped up with grace.
  should be Ilvin. He stepped up with grace.)
• Zakar Culler  + (Born the son of a perfectly ordinary black …
  Born the son of a perfectly ordinary blacksmith, Zakar was set up to follow his father's example and enjoy a life of moderate comfort and respectability as a skilled tradesman. The boy took to metal and crafting precociously, displaying both an uncommon passion and rare skill for forming crafts out of molten metals and materials. As he grew older, this interest quickly manifested itself in more...experimental designs that would better serve a more clandestine user than a knight in shining armor. Once announcing his intention to specialize in the craftsmanship of weapons, his father could not have been more pleased with his son's prospects, and quickly arranged for an apprenticeship under an Iron Guard smith, where the boy would have plenty of practice at making arms and armor. Well, as it turns out, the Iron Guard was not particularly fond of their newest weaponeer's proclivity for nefariously-purposed equipment, which only accelerated as the young man aged and grew in skill. And so it was that Zakar, having only just begun his apprenticeship with the Guard, found himself suddenly displaced, untrained, and unemployed. After being tossed out of his former employ, one of the guardsmen introduced Zakar to a "friend" of his from the Culler family, who had apparently taken an interest in the stories of the Guard's nefarious little smith. Enough of an interest, it seems, to arrange for Zakar's immediate apprenticeship under the Grayhope's master weaponsmith. Zakar remained gladly in the Grayhope's employ for the next decade, continuing to ply his craft, encouraged to experiment as much as he saw fit. When the Grayhopes were called into service against the Gray Forest shavs, it was Zakar who was brought along as the force's armorer, where he continued to gain notoriety for his experimental and creative approach to weaponsmithing. Now, having returned from service to the Grayhopes, the smith is eager to repay his debts to the Culler family, who gave him a second chance when he needed it most.
  im a second chance when he needed it most.)
• Gerard Dastrid  + (Born the son of a reasonably successful bl …
  Born the son of a reasonably successful blacksmith, Gerard abandoned his apprenticeship at the age of sixteen in order to heed the call to enlist as a Telmar armsmen and do his duty to his House. Long hours spent hammering metal translated well to swinging large swords and carrying the weight of heavy sheets of plate mail. And so it was that Gerard found himself rising quickly through the ranks of the Telmar military, quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best young swordsman in the Telmar ranks. He continued his service well past his initial enlistment, his skillful swordsmanship eventually earning him selection to the Duke Telmar's personal guard. A few years later, during a visit by Prince Radley, Gerard found himself riding out with Duke Arn and the Prince of Sanctum in order to quell a small shav incursion into the Oathlands. The invading force was larger than originally anticipated, and the Duke ordered his personal guard to reinforce a crumbling flank, placing Gerard in charge of the detail. When the dust finally settled, and the shavs routed, Gerard was found badly wounded, surrounded by a dozen shav corpses who feel victim to the armsman's dancing blade. Passed over by the first wave of medics, Gerard was left on the battlefield for dead, picked up almost by chance by another passing healer. After recovering from his wounds, Gerard was knighted by Duke Arn for his bravery in combat, and given the honor of serving as the Telmar family's personal sword instructor, responsible for teaching young Ansel, the future Sword of Telmarch, how to dance with a blade. Becoming known around the Telmarch as the Telmar's dance instructor for the armsman's graceful swordsmanship, it's to this assignment that Gerard has committed himself for the past decade. With the majority of the House now located in Arx, Gerard is eager to continue to serve his family in their new home, and to make sure that future generations of Telmars do not forget their proper forms.
  Telmars do not forget their proper forms.)