Search by property

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

• Ardee de Lire  + (Born to a commoner family with too many ch …
  Born to a commoner family with too many children, Ardee spent the first few years of her life mostly under the radar. She was cared for by her siblings until she was old enough for the family to realize that she was going to grow up to be a 'looker'. It was decided for her quickly that her lot in life would be to go to school and learn to be a Courtesan. She could make decent enough money that way, and would be able to help 'pitch in' by looks and wiles. She went to school, began to learn the tricks of the trade and started planning on how to escape the hold of her family. She wanted more out of life than to live to support her family. The answer came through death, her entire family ending up victims of the Silent War. She only escaped the same fate through the school she'd been attending when tragedy struck. Though nearly a victim herself, she was taken in as a refugee and eventually pledged her services to the de Lire family. She serves as the family's Chief Librarian.
  he serves as the family's Chief Librarian.)
• Ashur Sanna  + (Born to a distant cousin of the then Count …
  Born to a distant cousin of the then Count of Seliki, Ashur was raised with a bow in his hand and an adventure in his heart. And even when there was no true adventure to be had, he made up his own. An independent boy, he explored the woods outside his home, the beaches and caves along the coast. He found treasures everyday: long abandoned chests that surely held goblets of ancient, though none were ever found inside, books with pages torn out that undoubtedly once contained mystical spells. At the age of 18, Ashur's father, a minor lord, brokered a deal to have him married into the Sanna family. He didn't want to, but was talked into it with language like 'duty' and 'family needs'. A trip was organized not long after the nuptials and he was dragged to a distant-relation's estate; some aunt's cousin's third husband's grandfather's sister's niece. It was revelatory. His exploration, up until that point, had been external, always looking for answers elsewhere. But this young girl, with her brilliant mind sought answers to things inside her laboratory, inside her mind. He showed her some of the weaponry he used, some of the tools that he believed could detect spirits, which they both believe in! He told her of his wild stories that most people never believed, of the places he went that were not marked on any map. And she showed him her inventions and experiments, things he didn't necessarily understand all of the time. But she explained her need of things. Rare flowers, fancy metals. Who better to find those things than him?! Ashur would chase things for Elloise and bring them back to her. Together, they worked on new ways to create things that had made this way for generations. They grew fond of each other and were inseparable in that limited time they were able to spend together. But the trip had to end sometime and he returned home. Within a year of his marriage, a strange, undiagnosed disease struck his wife. He heard legend of someone that would have been able to save his wife, that had never failed to heal any sick person. He lost himself in the search. He was away from his wife and home for months, but each clue led to another hint and eventually, he found the person; a 'witch' in the deepest, darkest part of the woods. He brings the 'witch' to their estate after another week's journey home and is told upon arrival that his wife had passed away the night before. Grief overwhelmed him. He fled from his home, from those that knew him and he lost himself in travels until a letter from Elloise recently arrived...
  a letter from Elloise recently arrived...)
• Ulfric Ravenhelm  + (Born to a family of meager legacy, Ulfric …
  Born to a family of meager legacy, Ulfric was raised on a commoner's farm owned by his father. His progenitor was a strong man, newly retired after decades of military service, but he was not a decent man. Often unsupervised and ignored, Ulfric grew up in rags and earning his meals on fishing vessels that came and went from his little village. The boy had come to know many men during that time whom he would call father, men who taught him how to live proper and fend for one's own pride. Lessons were taught throughout his childhood and adolescence through experiencing them firsthand, soon growing into his own man for the day he'd finally step away from home. But he was not content with simply surviving day by day, not if it meant there would be nothing sweeter to find at the end of every trial and punishment. As soon as he was able, he took to the seas under a noble's banner. Stricken to forge his own prestiege, one that he could pass on to a kin of his own with pride. He has long been content with earning his keep through the swing of his swordarm.
  is keep through the swing of his swordarm.)
• Chiara Tavetti  + (Born to a family of merchant sailors in Ni …
  Born to a family of merchant sailors in Nilanza, Chiara is the middle child of three; her parents, Marcel and Ilena, were much of the opinion that their children should all be involved in the family business with the goal of eventually succeeding them, but perhaps unsurprisingly Chiara begged to differ, having not properly been consulted in the matter prior to her birth. While both her older sister, Denora, and the youngest, Linette, have been more than happy to follow in the footsteps of their parents, Chiara has spent as much as time investigating the destinations of those goods shipped as the shipping process itself, occasionally disappearing mid-trip, much to the exasperation of her family - perhaps all the more so because she is actually quite competent at her trade. Surprising absolutely no one, the restless Chiara ultimately left the confines of what protection her family could give her and has spent the past few years traveling; due to such she has certainly seen her share of good and bad. Thankfully, either through sheer luck or quick thinking, she's managed to extricate herself from the worst of those situations, leaving her with an appreciation for what could have been, but not resulting any obvious dampening effect on her enthusiasm. With the Marquessa having made it known that she is looking for native Nilanzans to help support the growing House Malespero - and perhaps due to a little bit of trouble with the locals in the most recent port she'd been carousing in - Chiara has made her way to Arx to settle there, at least for a short while.
  settle there, at least for a short while.)
• Breccan Malere  + (Born to a family of successful farmers, Br …
  Born to a family of successful farmers, Breccan grew up understanding and learning the land like all people of Acorn Hill. But what developed was a deeper understanding of nature itself and more often than not the impressionable youth found his time idling out into the woods where he was oftentimes scolded for being so careless by his father who compared him often to his older brother, Everett, as the eldest took to the agriculture life and found it suitable. It was after a fight that resulted in blows, the brashness of youth calling his old man out, that he ran off to the woods and wasn't heard from in weeks. What happened exactly was unknown but Breccan came back changed, throwing himself headlong into the family affairs but from a different angle. Instead, his charm and good nature was put forward to help bring prosperity and trade, having made several connections throughout Arvum- houses ranging from Setarco to Clearlake. It was after the death of his father, that Breccan told his brother the truth of where he had been for those many weeks ( as it had always been a mystery ) and it is with the passing of their father that he now must devote his life to another path for something is coming that will test their family and all of Acorn Hill. That something did come, however, it came with the arrival of shavs who destroyed all of Acorn Hill. It was luck that had Breccan away, devoting his life to helping build Lodges of Petrichor in other areas that he deemed would need the protection.With a brother and nephew still alive, he aims to devote his life to Pretrichor and seeing the land of forest and homestead safe from any that would defile it.
  estead safe from any that would defile it.)
• Giada Morello  + (Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosi …
  Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosia, Giada was raised quick to understand that money makes life possible in the city. She was a quick student, picking up tricks and tips with alacrity. She was, however, too independent to stay at home, contented to run a market stall. She started branching out into other business ventures, eventually finding her way towards marketing her services to various mercenary outfits that would pass through to resupply. Their stories awakened a wanderlust in her that had probably been there all along, and she travelled with one of the companies to Arx. There, she came across a recruitment drive for The Redwood Mercenary Company, and they needed a quartermaster. She didn't even hesitate. So now she's in Arx and gainfully employed, looking forward to the next challenge.
  ed, looking forward to the next challenge.)
• Giada Godsworn  + (Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosi …
  Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosia, Giada was raised quick to understand that money makes life possible in the city. She was a quick student, picking up tricks and tips with alacrity. She was, however, too independent to stay at home, contented to run a market stall. She started branching out into other business ventures, eventually finding her way towards marketing her services to various mercenary outfits that would pass through to resupply. Their stories awakened a wanderlust in her that had probably been there all along, and she travelled with one of the companies to Arx. There, she came across a recruitment drive for The Redwood Mercenary Company, and they needed a quartermaster. She didn't even hesitate. So now she's in Arx and gainfully employed, looking forward to the next challenge.
  ed, looking forward to the next challenge.)
• Thena Grayhope  + (Born to a life of moderate poverty in a la …
  Born to a life of moderate poverty in a large family with Grayhope connections, Thena showed early aptitude for sneaking about and relieving people of their possessions and was fostered out to some other Grayhope cousins who 'encouraged' this aptitude and a few others (stabbing) that might help her help them with the family business. Petty theft as a child and pre-teen led to more lucrative and dangerous operations, and it was during one such that she was betrayed by her partner and left to die in the gutters of the Lower Burroughs, where an elderly disciple of Lagoma named Petrae found her. The woman, a talented healer, patched her back together and eventually convinced her that she was meant for more than a short drop and sudden stop, so eventually Thena left 'home' to stay with Petrae in a cottage in the Gray Forest, a few miles outside of Arx. Petrae taught her healing arts and some rudiments of the Faith, especially worship of Lagoma, and, having never known real safety or parental care before, Thena finally started to thrive. When Brand and his army began to make their way toward Arx, Thena left her oasis to seek help from someone in the city. She became trapped there by the Siege, and, unsure of the reception she might receive from the Grayhopes in the city, signed up with the Iron Guard as a means to keep herself sheltered and fed. When the Siege lifted, she made her way back to the cottage in the company of a couple of heavily armed friends, only to find that Petrae had been tortured and murdered. Devastated and bereft, Thena sought consolation in the Faith and eventually took vows to become Godsworn. She currently serves in the Knights of Solace and finds some comfort in carrying out her duties, specifically those duties that involve slaughtering anyone and anything remotely linked to her mentor's death.
  ing remotely linked to her mentor's death.)
• Harrow Steelhart  + (Born to a line of nobility of the House St …
  Born to a line of nobility of the House Steelhart, Harrow was a big and healthy baby with two older brothers and one sister. At the age of four, he was already physically bigger than most of his peers, and was trained by his father - a Knight and famed sword of the Kingdom - in the art of swordplay. A natural at it, Harrow was able to best his father at the age of nine and then squired to one of the comrade at arms of his father. Trained by the sergeant at arms of their land, Harrow began taking part in tourneys and jousts at the age of thirteen. Unhorsing adult Knights and battering them down at foot, he was a natural - and soon enough victory after victory followed. One particular accomplishment was when the boy at age sixteen was able to best a Knight of the King's Own, gaining the attention of the Lord Commander and catching many eyes at the time. The young squire, when he turned eighteen, was soon enough Knighted and served in many campaigns in the name of the King for years. It did not take long before the accomplished Knight was admitted into the ranks of the King's Own.
  admitted into the ranks of the King's Own.)
• Dusa Iaso  + (Born to a merchant and a physician. Was lo …
  Born to a merchant and a physician. Was locally renowned for being deeply in-tune with others, quickly becoming an object of affection during schooling and apprenticeship. Wished to become a chirugeon and apprenticed beneath an old battlefield doctor. During adulthood, received a surprising amount of marriage proposals: All of which were denied. Much to the surprise of Dusa's peers, a sharp intellect gleamed beneath those hazel eyes, taking to learning the medicinal arts rather quickly while under the tutelage of the battle-worn doctor. What followed as a shock to everyone: A sudden wanderlust. Leaving everyone behind in search of something greater, with enough scrolls and tomes tucked away to ply the medical trade wherever needed, affording a transient, yet comfortable life.
  fording a transient, yet comfortable life.)
• Zuraida Drugain  + (Born to a nomadic tribe that claims their …
  Born to a nomadic tribe that claims their origin to be from the area of The Red Run, near Farhaven from their earliest recollections (though during their travels many people from all over Arvum joined them, leading to many varied and mixed histories), Zuraida led a life of wanderlust with her family. Performers, sooth-sayers, musicians - they were a wide and varied bunch and their colors rubbed off on her in the womb. As a result of these travels and her family's penchant for their arts, her family is rather well known in the North - even respected in some circles. But her life hasn't always been sunshine and bliss. Her life was significantly changed when her twin brother died of natural causes when she was only 5 and an accident left her stricken blind in her teens. She comes to Arx as a refugee, saved from the wilds of the Gray Forest by Fergus and Freja from the Silent War after having been a victim of a Shav/Bringer ambush that stole her family away from her. She was so overcome with gratefulness that she bent her knee and swore her fealty to Redrain.
  her knee and swore her fealty to Redrain.)
• Vandred Crown  + (Born to a pair of commoner parents who owe …
  Born to a pair of commoner parents who owed some debts that they couldn't pay, Vandred had an OK start to life. Sure, it was rough and horrible trying to figure things out in the beginning, but when you notice that people don't pay attention to the dirty little beggar, it gets easier to make sure you have something to fill your belly at night - and then a little more for some warmth at night, and then something to keep people looking elsewhere while you made sure you had a full belly and a warm night.
  ure you had a full belly and a warm night.)
• Vandred  + (Born to a pair of commoner parents who owe …
  Born to a pair of commoner parents who owed some debts that they couldn't pay, Vandred had an OK start to life. Sure, it was rough and horrible trying to figure things out in the beginning, but when you notice that people don't pay attention to the dirty little beggar, it gets easier to make sure you have something to fill your belly at night - and then a little more for some warmth at night, and then something to keep people looking elsewhere while you made sure you had a full belly and a warm night.
  ure you had a full belly and a warm night.)
• Winthrop Unknown Peasants  + (Born to a poor family in a nondescript vil …
  Born to a poor family in a nondescript village, Winthrop has only known struggle. Being very small for his age, a genetic fluke, he learned very quickly that he will never quite make it by through brute force. So, he learned how to trick and confuse very early on so he could get by on his brains alone. His mother left the village when he was very young, and his father died in a drunken brawl, so he has been on his own for as long as he could remember. And, as far as he is concerned, it's better that way. He now travels around, following the flow of coin from crowds of travelers to line his own pockets.
  owds of travelers to line his own pockets.)
• Egon Maw  + (Born to a rather poor family on the Mourni …
  Born to a rather poor family on the Mourning Isles, Egon had spent his youth as a sickly boy, incapable of aiding his family in much of their day-to-day living. The family was large; his four siblings had quickly learned to take care of themselves and eventually forged their own paths with some of them, namely his brother Maris, following the path of their fisherman turned sellsword father. Egon had kept to himself during his youth, looking inward rather than outward for inspiration. As days turned to years, he had eventually grown out of his sickly phase into a relatively hale individual and spent the majority of his teens at home, taking up various practices and disciplines in an attempt to aid his destitute mother. Life was difficult on the Isles, and, coupled with his odd appearance, it was made isolating. Despite it all, he had learned a great deal from its harsh lessons. After a time, his mother had decided that he needed to leave for Arx with the hope that he could find a better life there than what was available to him.
  life there than what was available to him.)
• Mallory Davos  + (Born to a smaller household just outside C …
  Born to a smaller household just outside Caithe, Mallory had always longed for adventure. Early tales of reavers and pirates, privateers and derring-do on the high seas had sparked her young imagination to take flight. Sadly, as with most children, her dreams of sailing and adventuring were crushed when her parents informed her that she would be schooled to learn a 'proper' trade. With little choice between being castt out or falling in line, Mallory began her path of education. She would sneak away every chance she got, heading to the beaches to fantasize and play pretend. The young scamp even blackmailed one of the household's young men into teaching her how to fight! But there was little doubt, after years of training, that her dreams were just that. So it was that Mallory Davos began her career as a steward. Her quick mind and keen wit were well-suited to the job, she was efficient and honest in her work. But always she longed for excitement in her life beyond figures tirelessly scratched into a ledger or settling disputes between tenants. Her days were filled with tallies and taxes, running the household.. and daydreaming. She still kept those dreams of grand adventure in the back of her mind to be called up on a whim. All was fine and perfectly /boring/, until the day the pirates attacked. They raided the small household and its tennants, looting and plundering anything not nailed down. While the ladies of the house cowered in a closet, Mallory crept about in hopes of catching a closer glimpse of the pirates that had lived in her dreams for so long. The reality was a shock, of course, and as she was caught and listening to them debate what was to be done with her... Mallory offered them a deal borne of desperation. To her complete shock and surprise, they accepted it, and she was taken back to the ship with the rest of the booty and dumped at the captain's feet. She worked her way up on that ship, from cabin boy to deckhand to navigator to bos'un to first mate. After a time, she fell in with the captain as well, absorbing everything he would teach or tell her like a sponge. When the captain died in a raid a few years later, Mallory was elected the new captain by the crew. Having kept her eyes and ear open through the last few months, the newly minted Cap'n Davos declared they would be legalizing their endeavors and she sailed that ship right into the harbor at Arx and set up a meeting with Salazar Argento. She and her crew of ne'er-do-wells have been sailing under his flag ever since, and now that he's returned to Arx under his House banner, she's answering the call to duty.
  banner, she's answering the call to duty.)
• Evelin Starborn  + (Born to a strict Valardin family, Evelin w …
  Born to a strict Valardin family, Evelin was raised as a single child fussed over by her parents. Stifled and locked down, she spent more time working than playing, and could only watch children her age play from afar. Her noble family had served the nobility for generations, and she was expected to do the same, learning much about politics and the struggles of court life. But the adolescent woman despised this life, and when she became the ripe age of 20, her rebellious streak reached a fiery crescendo. Inspired by a band of wandering lycene ravashari she took off with them, nonchalant of her parents scorn, and took to living amongst the wilds, travelling between the great cities and learning much in the way of magic.
  ies and learning much in the way of magic.)
• Samuele Rubino-zaffria  + (Born to an offshoot line of Duke Rubino of …
  Born to an offshoot line of Duke Rubino of Gemicitta, Samuele, was focused on his life working to be a knight, training to defend the house and his older sister and brother. But even so, he always stood out not only because of his size but because of his combat prowess, along with a distinct lack of skill in leadership. He was always known to compare himself to the sword, rather than the arm swinging it. Still, after he had been knighted at the age of twenty-two he took up residence with the Rubino family in the city and works to defend his house while his sister is left to the decision making. As for his eldest brother lysander, He indulges the artistic man, enjoying his company and others of the family.
  ying his company and others of the family.)
• Sedna Redreef  + (Born to an underpopulated house already sa …
  Born to an underpopulated house already saturated in daughters, Sedna got her artistic start early on as a girl. Slipping away from her lessons in arithmetic and diplomacy, she developed a liking for the uniquely intricate glass and mineral formations created when lightning struck the sandy shorelines near her ancestral home. As the years passed, she was inspired to craft towering elemental figures out of carefully affixed portions of those same substances. In time, this evolved. Through the use of thinly-veiled fabric and applied torchlight, she learned to give her creations the suggestion of movement and dance. Coaxing fragile, rigid structures into the appearance of uncharacteristic acts of play and whimsy, her exhibitions both delighted and transfixed. Testaments to Mangata's domain, supporters whispered. She married relatively young. It was a strong arrangement that served the house. For Sedna, it served to alleviate any scrutiny that her creative hobby might have conjured up. The two were amicable but lived mostly separate lives, his predictably ending somewhere out at sea. When Lord Tiberius sought to claim rulership of Redreef Shores following the death of Baron Landis, Sedna was ambivalent with leanings in his favor. He was, after all, the next male in line! She was not at all appreciative of the familial tumult that followed. She proved abundantly cautious, careful not to be overheard uttering an unkind word for Tiberius or his rivals except for by the shrewd ear of a servant, perhaps. From that safe social and political distance, she watched the regime change in her family's leadership and bided her time. When the moment came for Sedna to swear loyalty to the victor, it was done with as little certainty as the occasion would allow. The infighting had already broken Sedna's confidence in her family's stability. As a spur of growth hit their region in the wave of anti-thralldom progressiveness, it came as a mild surprise to Sedna that visitors stopping to port at Redreef Shores appreciated her art more for its novelty and entertainment value than for the spiritual significance it held for her. Sedna ultimately resisted change. She responded by showcasing less and less for strangers, adding one more layer of tasteful mystique to already favorable accounts of her.
  ique to already favorable accounts of her.)
• Brogan Nightgold  + (Born to be a duke's younger brother, Broga …
  Born to be a duke's younger brother, Brogan expected his lot in life from an early age, and threw himself into it with a will. Marriage for politics, maybe -- he was a dutiful son, and he expected that even when he was a young teenager -- but that was nothing to put a damper on his lust for life. Marriage did nothing to stop him from running amok amongst the common folk, or among the other similarly ranked nobles, for that matter. He drank, hunted, punched and gambled his way through every keep in the North and brought with him wild volume, laughter, and just an inordinate supply of delightful bullshit. His wife was another count's daughter, from the Oathlands, and she died giving him his firstborn daughter, who died a few years later. It was the kind of tragedy that could have brought a lesser man down. For Brogan, it made him live harder, live wilder. He disappeared into the snows and got in touch with the mountain's icy roots, bringing himself to the shaman's path and hunting for blood, life and happiness in his own way. When he returned, it was as an uncle to the new Duchess Nadia, as a frequent inebriate and a roaring soldier who drank as much as he punched. Bare fist fighting was his specialty (and remains so) and while in coming to Arx as part of the Nightgold retinue has made him miss the snows, he came ready to throw himself into the uproarious life of a lesser nobleman in the capital.
  life of a lesser nobleman in the capital.)
• Hazel Helianthus  + (Born to one of the Isles' most traditional …
  Born to one of the Isles' most traditional noble houses, Hazel knew early on that she wasn't going to be the proper young lady that tradition demanded. She studied law and diplomacy, of course - but she studied swordplay as well, watching her brothers' lessons and practicing with sticks, despite the family disapproval for those who stepped outside their appointed places. It all came to a head when in her teens, Hazel lost her temper, picked up a practice sword and gave her brother a humiliating defeat; refusing to be cowed by the threat of denoblement, Hazel left the Isles to make her own way in the world. As a commoner she took the rough with the smooth and trained with the Knights of Solace, though never took the Godsworn vows; after excelling time and time again, and demonstrating loyalty as well as skill during the battles of the Gyre War and at Bastion, she was invited to join the King's Own. The honour given a King's Own knight has persuaded her family to award her their name again, as even if she will never again be a Lady she is at least acknowledged as someone to be proud of across most of Arvum.
  meone to be proud of across most of Arvum.)
• Morrighan Frost  + (Born to one of war-like tribes of the Aban …
  Born to one of war-like tribes of the Abandoned, the typical convention of brutality and savagery was a poignant reality to Morrighan. Through the ongoing blood feuds between various clans, her parents were lost shortly after her birth, leaving her rearing to the tribe as a whole. She didn't experience a typical childhood for most, existing alone was sheer survival. The more knowledged and skilled members of the group taught her what they could, starting her crude, rudimentary education at a young age. She learned with the volatile state and the constant raids it was kill or be killed, fight or fall, to never give up in the face of adversity and to stand one's ground. For the most part, this served her well, for many a year, in fact - until the pirates came. With the ongoing fighting, chaos flourished, giving the corsairs an opportunity they couldn't ignore. They raided the settlement, pillaging and taking anything of value they could, cutting down anyone who got in their way. Still just a sprite of a child on the cusp of her pre-teen years, Morrighan fought to the best of her ability, though ended up in enemy hands. The scoundrels found her fiery, combative temperament amusing, furthering their resolve to drag her along back to the ship, where she was put to work as a scullery maid. Needless to say, being the hellion she is, a lot of plates were broken, and food may or may not have been tampered with. Time passed and was largely unmeasured, how long exactly she was aboard the vessel is unknown. Eventually, with a misguided sense of assuredness and egotism, the pirates moved to raid a ship in Redrain's coastal waters. It all went awry, ending as what one would describe as a failure of epic proportions. For their crimes of piracy, the crew was hanged; Morrighan was spared. Prince Sherrod of House Redrain took mercy on the young Abandoned, offering to take her in as a ward. With her life spared, she gave an oath of fealty to the noble house that saved her and swore to serve in whatever capacity that was required. The transition was a bit of a shock, a far cry from her life in the tribe and her time aboard the corsair vessel - but she found it terribly intriguing. Despite her place as a servant, Morrighan remained mostly uncultured and somewhat uncivilized, but she learned enough of social etiquette to know when to keep her mouth shut, lest her behavior reflect poorly upon the man that took her in. It was a new world, a foreign environment, and she had to learn a new set of skills in order to survive.
  n a new set of skills in order to survive.)
• Morrighan  + (Born to one of war-like tribes of the Aban …
  Born to one of war-like tribes of the Abandoned, the typical convention of brutality and savagery was a poignant reality to Morrighan. Through the ongoing blood feuds between various clans, her parents were lost shortly after her birth, leaving her rearing to the tribe as a whole. She didn't experience a typical childhood for most, existing alone was sheer survival. The more knowledged and skilled members of the group taught her what they could, starting her crude, rudimentary education at a young age. She learned with the volatile state and the constant raids it was kill or be killed, fight or fall, to never give up in the face of adversity and to stand one's ground. For the most part, this served her well, for many a year, in fact - until the pirates came. With the ongoing fighting, chaos flourished, giving the corsairs an opportunity they couldn't ignore. They raided the settlement, pillaging and taking anything of value they could, cutting down anyone who got in their way. Still just a sprite of a child on the cusp of her pre-teen years, Morrighan fought to the best of her ability, though ended up in enemy hands. The scoundrels found her fiery, combative temperament amusing, furthering their resolve to drag her along back to the ship, where she was put to work as a scullery maid. Needless to say, being the hellion she is, a lot of plates were broken, and food may or may not have been tampered with. Time passed and was largely unmeasured, how long exactly she was aboard the vessel is unknown. Eventually, with a misguided sense of assuredness and egotism, the pirates moved to raid a ship in Redrain's coastal waters. It all went awry, ending as what one would describe as a failure of epic proportions. For their crimes of piracy, the crew was hanged; Morrighan was spared. Prince Sherrod of House Redrain took mercy on the young Abandoned, offering to take her in as a ward. With her life spared, she gave an oath of fealty to the noble house that saved her and swore to serve in whatever capacity that was required. The transition was a bit of a shock, a far cry from her life in the tribe and her time aboard the corsair vessel - but she found it terribly intriguing. Despite her place as a servant, Morrighan remained mostly uncultured and somewhat uncivilized, but she learned enough of social etiquette to know when to keep her mouth shut, lest her behavior reflect poorly upon the man that took her in. It was a new world, a foreign environment, and she had to learn a new set of skills in order to survive.
  n a new set of skills in order to survive.)
• Raigner Redrain  + (Born to the cold of the frozen north, Raig …
  Born to the cold of the frozen north, Raigner began his life of one of the most very base and simple ones. His father was a commoner, having never risen up in his area of the world more than needed to sustain the lowest requirements life could offer to keep a family. Raigner took to a life of manual labor just as his father did, practicing his ability to live off the land, sew, hunt and eventually learned woodworking. This was found to be his stride, and he began working in carpentry to some success, getting a low level of recognition and affiliation with the family Redrain for his skills in architectural departments, and for his get-it-done mentality. This progressed soon into ship building, and he learned a fair bit on how to operate on the sea, as well as how to hold his own against the unkempt kind often found travelling the water with an aged, trusted axe.
  lling the water with an aged, trusted axe.)
• Destin Saltshore  + (Born to the constable of a fishing village …
  Born to the constable of a fishing village not far from the Grimhall residence at Grihem's Point, Destin was brought up with a healthy respect for the gods, in particular the Sentinel, as well as for the traditions of the Mourning Isles. Thus it was quite the shock when, during his training to take over for his father when the current constable retired, he assaulted the noble that Duke Grimhall had appointed to run the village. In an effort to make an example, showing that no one is above the law, Destin was sentenced to thralldom and his debt purchased by the duke's family. Destin served the family faithfully, mostly without complaint, serving as a model example for other thralls as to how Mourning Isles traditionalists believe that they should act. And ultimately, it was this devoted service that led to him to having his debt absolved by Harald Grimhall, the successor of the duke who had originally sentenced him. Not long after the ascension of the current Grim Duke, Destin put his own life in jeopardy to save the life of one of Harald's younger children when a large, rabid dog attacked her. It would have been difficult for him to return to his old life, though, given that both of his parents had passed on, and a new constable for the village had already been selected. So when Harald offered him a place in the family's house guard, he readily accepted, and continued to serve house Grimhall. It did not take him long to work his way up to commanding the family's guards, leaving him in charge of keeping those of the house who visit Arx safe.
  ing those of the house who visit Arx safe.)

• Gio Malvici  + (Born to the indomitable Adona Malvici long …
  Born to the indomitable Adona Malvici long enough after his older brother Hadrian that he might have been an 'oops' baby, Gio's path was marked at birth right on his body. Being born with a twisted spine in any family is difficult, but in the Malvicis, with their emphasis on strength, he was a liability. He learned to walk late. As he grew taller in his teens, his spine twisted further. The pain was constant. Military service was out of the question, and for a member of the ducal line not to do their customary two years of military service was a source of poisonous gossip. At this point, his mother saw the danger for him: her compassion for her youngest son was starting to be perceived as a weakness, and that made him a target. So she did the only thing she could, the best thing she could, for Gio, and also for herself: she declared publicly that because he could not serve in the military, he was no Malvici, and then she sent him away. Privately, Adona and his siblings cared about Gio just as much as they ever had. He was sent away to finish his schooling in a country estate where he wanted for nothing, far enough out of sight that he remained out of the minds of the schemers who might try to use him. Gio had always had a quick mind and a razor wit, but here, with no distractions, he developed these into an education that was both broad and deep. His mother rarely visited at first, but did so more often after she handed the reins of power over to Hadrian. Hadrian defied convention by turning up from time to time even while he was Duke. Calypso, with few worries about politics, came by often to banter and sometimes ask for advice... until she didn't. Gio understood why Calypso stopped showing up after she was thrust into the position of Duchess, a place where he knew very well she would struggle, but he worried about her, especially after her letters stopped coming. Then, one day, the Duchess herself turned up unannounced with a swarm of servants who went about packing Gio's things. When he asked what she was doing, she told him she was done trying to live up to the way their mother wanted the head of Malvici to rule. She was going to do this her way. And she needed him in Arx. Now. So get moving. In that moment, he was more proud of his older sister than he'd ever been, but he was also a little bit worried about her recklessness... worried for her, and worried for himself.
  worried for her, and worried for himself.)
• Vasile Corvini  + (Born to the ruling family of Iasu, Vasile …
  Born to the ruling family of Iasu, Vasile learned early on both the value of valor and the value of cunning. Like the land of his birth, he grew into a hard man, first as a squire, then eventually as a 'knight' (though the Oathlands may scoff at the concept of an Abandoned 'knight'). If a word were to be given to Vasile, it would be resilient. He has led and fought. He was won and he has lost. But with every defeat, he takes time to learn and to study. The harsh land and the consequences of failure have made him aware of the fact that lives rest in his hand every day. Now, with the death of his father, he has been thrust into the role of primary commander of the Corvini army and is... still grasping at what he might do.
  is... still grasping at what he might do.)
• Amund Frost  + (Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has lear …
  Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has learned from an early age that hardship and misery is the staple of living on the frontier with the Everwinter. The months of famine would bring sickness, the sickness would bring death. His parents fastidiously thought to spare him the worst parts, often to their own detriment. One night, a band of aggressive shavs took the village by storm. The emaciated villagers fought their best, but ultimately they could not stop the wave of violence that would see babies wrenched from mothers' breasts and dashed against walls, fathers put to the sword and mothers speared through their skulls, hanging like ragdolls in the winter snows. The boy, barely twelve, wasn't noticed from his perch on the roof of his house. With nowhere to go, he was forced to fend for himself. Out in the wilds he set out to avoid bands of raiders, foraging what he could from the woods until he found shelter in the next village. After a month of slow and painful recovery from frost exposure, he was nursed back to health and taken in by the village's mayor as a ward. Eventually he became part of the watchers of the town, trained in the sword and the axe before a band of sellswords showed up in town and, after saying his goodbyes to these Whitehold-affiliated villagers, he signed up with them. Their fight against the shav'arvani became ever more violent after he was recruited. Whereas the lieutenants would have consternation for his methods, they couldn't deny that they were effective. Slowly he crawled up the ranks until he made it to Lieutenant. When the general of the company died from a fever, the company disbanded. He became a Champion in ducal courts, his style a favorite of Northern nobles for its sheer ferocity and his disregard for the opponents' safety. If the fight ended in one blow and the opponent lived, then it didn't matter if it was a stab to the gut or a sliced vein that did it. His money was earned, win or lose, and it was time to part ways. But that, too, became a boring endeavor. But the opportunity for money rose again when lord after lord would call for free swords to fight for them in the Silent War. And fight he did. There may have been unspeakable horrors in the line of battle, but he resolutely pressed on and took the fight to them. His remarkable versatility helped make himself quite the name in the field of battle. Once the battle was joined, win or lose, he gave his best; consummate professional that he is, the outcome didn't matter so much as the payment. If the bands of shav'arvani aligned with the Silence were slaughtered to a man, who cared? Moreover, there were times he sought out these tribes in diversion, intent on bleeding their numbers dry. Once again, in the Gyre War, Amund distinguished himself with a seasonal contract with the Setarco military. For those battles, he proved himself gritty enough to be offered a renewal of his contract by a serjeant, which he declined. The lure of fighting against shav'arvani drew him to Arx. So he packed his bags, hoping for business that marries his hatred for the Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.
  e Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.)
• Amund Honor  + (Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has lear …
  Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has learned from an early age that hardship and misery is the staple of living on the frontier with the Everwinter. The months of famine would bring sickness, the sickness would bring death. His parents fastidiously thought to spare him the worst parts, often to their own detriment. One night, a band of aggressive shavs took the village by storm. The emaciated villagers fought their best, but ultimately they could not stop the wave of violence that would see babies wrenched from mothers' breasts and dashed against walls, fathers put to the sword and mothers speared through their skulls, hanging like ragdolls in the winter snows. The boy, barely twelve, wasn't noticed from his perch on the roof of his house. With nowhere to go, he was forced to fend for himself. Out in the wilds he set out to avoid bands of raiders, foraging what he could from the woods until he found shelter in the next village. After a month of slow and painful recovery from frost exposure, he was nursed back to health and taken in by the village's mayor as a ward. Eventually he became part of the watchers of the town, trained in the sword and the axe before a band of sellswords showed up in town and, after saying his goodbyes to these Whitehold-affiliated villagers, he signed up with them. Their fight against the shav'arvani became ever more violent after he was recruited. Whereas the lieutenants would have consternation for his methods, they couldn't deny that they were effective. Slowly he crawled up the ranks until he made it to Lieutenant. When the general of the company died from a fever, the company disbanded. He became a Champion in ducal courts, his style a favorite of Northern nobles for its sheer ferocity and his disregard for the opponents' safety. If the fight ended in one blow and the opponent lived, then it didn't matter if it was a stab to the gut or a sliced vein that did it. His money was earned, win or lose, and it was time to part ways. But that, too, became a boring endeavor. But the opportunity for money rose again when lord after lord would call for free swords to fight for them in the Silent War. And fight he did. There may have been unspeakable horrors in the line of battle, but he resolutely pressed on and took the fight to them. His remarkable versatility helped make himself quite the name in the field of battle. Once the battle was joined, win or lose, he gave his best; consummate professional that he is, the outcome didn't matter so much as the payment. If the bands of shav'arvani aligned with the Silence were slaughtered to a man, who cared? Moreover, there were times he sought out these tribes in diversion, intent on bleeding their numbers dry. Once again, in the Gyre War, Amund distinguished himself with a seasonal contract with the Setarco military. For those battles, he proved himself gritty enough to be offered a renewal of his contract by a serjeant, which he declined. The lure of fighting against shav'arvani drew him to Arx. So he packed his bags, hoping for business that marries his hatred for the Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.
  e Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.)
• Amund Masque  + (Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has lear …
  Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has learned from an early age that hardship and misery is the staple of living on the frontier with the Everwinter. The months of famine would bring sickness, the sickness would bring death. His parents fastidiously thought to spare him the worst parts, often to their own detriment. One night, a band of aggressive shavs took the village by storm. The emaciated villagers fought their best, but ultimately they could not stop the wave of violence that would see babies wrenched from mothers' breasts and dashed against walls, fathers put to the sword and mothers speared through their skulls, hanging like ragdolls in the winter snows. The boy, barely twelve, wasn't noticed from his perch on the roof of his house. With nowhere to go, he was forced to fend for himself. Out in the wilds he set out to avoid bands of raiders, foraging what he could from the woods until he found shelter in the next village. After a month of slow and painful recovery from frost exposure, he was nursed back to health and taken in by the village's mayor as a ward. Eventually he became part of the watchers of the town, trained in the sword and the axe before a band of sellswords showed up in town and, after saying his goodbyes to these Whitehold-affiliated villagers, he signed up with them. Their fight against the shav'arvani became ever more violent after he was recruited. Whereas the lieutenants would have consternation for his methods, they couldn't deny that they were effective. Slowly he crawled up the ranks until he made it to Lieutenant. When the general of the company died from a fever, the company disbanded. He became a Champion in ducal courts, his style a favorite of Northern nobles for its sheer ferocity and his disregard for the opponents' safety. If the fight ended in one blow and the opponent lived, then it didn't matter if it was a stab to the gut or a sliced vein that did it. His money was earned, win or lose, and it was time to part ways. But that, too, became a boring endeavor. But the opportunity for money rose again when lord after lord would call for free swords to fight for them in the Silent War. And fight he did. There may have been unspeakable horrors in the line of battle, but he resolutely pressed on and took the fight to them. His remarkable versatility helped make himself quite the name in the field of battle. Once the battle was joined, win or lose, he gave his best; consummate professional that he is, the outcome didn't matter so much as the payment. If the bands of shav'arvani aligned with the Silence were slaughtered to a man, who cared? Moreover, there were times he sought out these tribes in diversion, intent on bleeding their numbers dry. Once again, in the Gyre War, Amund distinguished himself with a seasonal contract with the Setarco military. For those battles, he proved himself gritty enough to be offered a renewal of his contract by a serjeant, which he declined. The lure of fighting against shav'arvani drew him to Arx. So he packed his bags, hoping for business that marries his hatred for the Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.
  e Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.)
• Amund  + (Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has lear …
  Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has learned from an early age that hardship and misery is the staple of living on the frontier with the Everwinter. The months of famine would bring sickness, the sickness would bring death. His parents fastidiously thought to spare him the worst parts, often to their own detriment. One night, a band of aggressive shavs took the village by storm. The emaciated villagers fought their best, but ultimately they could not stop the wave of violence that would see babies wrenched from mothers' breasts and dashed against walls, fathers put to the sword and mothers speared through their skulls, hanging like ragdolls in the winter snows. The boy, barely twelve, wasn't noticed from his perch on the roof of his house. With nowhere to go, he was forced to fend for himself. Out in the wilds he set out to avoid bands of raiders, foraging what he could from the woods until he found shelter in the next village. After a month of slow and painful recovery from frost exposure, he was nursed back to health and taken in by the village's mayor as a ward. Eventually he became part of the watchers of the town, trained in the sword and the axe before a band of sellswords showed up in town and, after saying his goodbyes to these Whitehold-affiliated villagers, he signed up with them. Their fight against the shav'arvani became ever more violent after he was recruited. Whereas the lieutenants would have consternation for his methods, they couldn't deny that they were effective. Slowly he crawled up the ranks until he made it to Lieutenant. When the general of the company died from a fever, the company disbanded. He became a Champion in ducal courts, his style a favorite of Northern nobles for its sheer ferocity and his disregard for the opponents' safety. If the fight ended in one blow and the opponent lived, then it didn't matter if it was a stab to the gut or a sliced vein that did it. His money was earned, win or lose, and it was time to part ways. But that, too, became a boring endeavor. But the opportunity for money rose again when lord after lord would call for free swords to fight for them in the Silent War. And fight he did. There may have been unspeakable horrors in the line of battle, but he resolutely pressed on and took the fight to them. His remarkable versatility helped make himself quite the name in the field of battle. Once the battle was joined, win or lose, he gave his best; consummate professional that he is, the outcome didn't matter so much as the payment. If the bands of shav'arvani aligned with the Silence were slaughtered to a man, who cared? Moreover, there were times he sought out these tribes in diversion, intent on bleeding their numbers dry. Once again, in the Gyre War, Amund distinguished himself with a seasonal contract with the Setarco military. For those battles, he proved himself gritty enough to be offered a renewal of his contract by a serjeant, which he declined. The lure of fighting against shav'arvani drew him to Arx. So he packed his bags, hoping for business that marries his hatred for the Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.
  e Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.)
• Amund Monrosa  + (Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has lear …
  Born twenty-five years ago, Amund has learned from an early age that hardship and misery is the staple of living on the frontier with the Everwinter. The months of famine would bring sickness, the sickness would bring death. His parents fastidiously thought to spare him the worst parts, often to their own detriment. One night, a band of aggressive shavs took the village by storm. The emaciated villagers fought their best, but ultimately they could not stop the wave of violence that would see babies wrenched from mothers' breasts and dashed against walls, fathers put to the sword and mothers speared through their skulls, hanging like ragdolls in the winter snows. The boy, barely twelve, wasn't noticed from his perch on the roof of his house. With nowhere to go, he was forced to fend for himself. Out in the wilds he set out to avoid bands of raiders, foraging what he could from the woods until he found shelter in the next village. After a month of slow and painful recovery from frost exposure, he was nursed back to health and taken in by the village's mayor as a ward. Eventually he became part of the watchers of the town, trained in the sword and the axe before a band of sellswords showed up in town and, after saying his goodbyes to these Whitehold-affiliated villagers, he signed up with them. Their fight against the shav'arvani became ever more violent after he was recruited. Whereas the lieutenants would have consternation for his methods, they couldn't deny that they were effective. Slowly he crawled up the ranks until he made it to Lieutenant. When the general of the company died from a fever, the company disbanded. He became a Champion in ducal courts, his style a favorite of Northern nobles for its sheer ferocity and his disregard for the opponents' safety. If the fight ended in one blow and the opponent lived, then it didn't matter if it was a stab to the gut or a sliced vein that did it. His money was earned, win or lose, and it was time to part ways. But that, too, became a boring endeavor. But the opportunity for money rose again when lord after lord would call for free swords to fight for them in the Silent War. And fight he did. There may have been unspeakable horrors in the line of battle, but he resolutely pressed on and took the fight to them. His remarkable versatility helped make himself quite the name in the field of battle. Once the battle was joined, win or lose, he gave his best; consummate professional that he is, the outcome didn't matter so much as the payment. If the bands of shav'arvani aligned with the Silence were slaughtered to a man, who cared? Moreover, there were times he sought out these tribes in diversion, intent on bleeding their numbers dry. Once again, in the Gyre War, Amund distinguished himself with a seasonal contract with the Setarco military. For those battles, he proved himself gritty enough to be offered a renewal of his contract by a serjeant, which he declined. The lure of fighting against shav'arvani drew him to Arx. So he packed his bags, hoping for business that marries his hatred for the Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.
  e Abandoned with a desire for new thrills.)
• Mathias Coaldust  + (Born within the Lower Boroughs, Mathias Co …
  Born within the Lower Boroughs, Mathias Coaldust lived in squalor for most of his early life. Both parents were poor, both drunk incompetents who couldn't give their children the small mercy of never having been conceived. He was more of a father and mother to his younger brothers and sisters than their parents ever were. While they drank their pay, Mathias worked hard, even as a child, for every scrap of food to feed his family, every piece of cloth to keep them warm in winter. Still, through the hardships, he learned to thrive. The harder it got, the more he pushed back. Must have done something right, for he grew up into a tall, strong man, enough so to catch the attention of a sellsword captain, willing to hire the boy into his company. He learned the trade during that time, till he left to make his own way. With the Lower Boroughs never far from his mind, still he strives ever forward, intent on giving the rest of his siblings a good life, or at least a fair chance at one.
  od life, or at least a fair chance at one.)
• Erika Blackwood  + (Born within the Shav tribes of the Northea …
  Born within the Shav tribes of the Northeast, Erika was the apple of her father's, Ingemar Blackwood, eye. She looked so much like her mother, who had died giving birth to her. He held no resentment for his wife's death, and while it was hard and clumsy being a single parent, he raised her the best he could, refusing to give her up. And while most would have scorned her reckless childhood adventures, he praised her for the fire of her soul. He taught her everything she knows about surviving in the wilds, and discovering her affinity with animals, assisted her in honing her skill. It resulted in the young girl growing wildly, with strength and passion, and at the early age of 18 she began to assist in hunting, gathering, and exploring the wilds to protect against the dangers of the Heralds, which were a prominent danger. Her journeys away from home alone would grow longer and longer as she honed her skills at survival, but it was on such a journey that Brand and his army came for the Shavs. Her father was killed for opposing him and his barbaric recruitment methods, and Erika returned home too late. Devastated and consumed by rage, the ranger agreed to travel with her cousin Ysbail to the Capital, bringing the tribes with them, to seek justice and rid the world of the evil that preyed upon them. Living in Arx, Erika frequently retreats to the forest to feel closer to her father, and be enveloped by the familiarity of the wilds. But that doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate the civilised world of Arx and its less wild people.
  sed world of Arx and its less wild people.)
• Bosco Caputo  + (Bosco had a good upbringing with a family …
  Bosco had a good upbringing with a family on the very fringe of nobility in a minor house sworn to Velanosa. An able warrior, he was always quick to the blade and to the fight and learned martialry from his father, and crafting from his mother. He dreamed of being a knight and earning this through valliant effort. And he did. Everyone was proud; young, capable and destined for greatness. It didn't quite work out that way though. Fortunes come and fortunes go, and after an early swing to favour there followed an equally potent downward spiral. A mix of bad decisions, inpugned honour, and a haze additiction culminated (in a long, drawn out episode) in being disowned. There followed a trying period, kicked out of house and home and left to wander. The money dried up, and the addiction couldn't be fueled and hard choices had to be made. The swinging of the pendulum of fortunte led to an apprenticeship with an old master northlander smith in Ischia; the man was childless, and took pity on Bosco, guiding him out of the deep hole he'd fallen into. They developed a mutually beneficial arrangement and Bosco plied a trade as muscle and arms while mastering his trade in the small and soon to be terminated Caputo family. Good times come to an end though, and with the passing of the old man after extended illness, Bosco was left with skills but no venue or patron. He has ultimately travelled to Arx to seek fortune or favour - without the social skills to pursue a business venture of his own, and having a most unfortunate past, he's left to hope that fortune is ready for an upwards swing.
  hat fortune is ready for an upwards swing.)
• Braelynn Deepwood  + (Braelynn Deepwood comes from a long ling o …
  Braelynn Deepwood comes from a long ling of people comfortable with the woods and the forest. Though most of her family chooses to remain homebound, Braelynn found at an early age that she enjoyed walks through the forest and learning about the various trees and other plants that grew there. She would often reference them as her "Serenity Walks" and indeed would come back refreshed and relaxed after. Over time that interest in the forests and plants in general only deepened and now she finds herself the go-to expert for all things horticultural among her family and extended family. She was close to her cousin Joxur, and as he moved to the city she enjoyed receiving letters from him. She was particularly proud when he was named Sword of Deepwood, and wrote him a glowing letter of congratulations. But gradually her walks in the forest for serenity proved to not give her the calm she wrapped around her like a cloak, and she grew more and more restless. Until at last she decided the only solution was to go visit her extended family and explore new horizons and new forests - and so she came to Arx.
  and new forests - and so she came to Arx.)
• Bran Ravenseye  + (Bran became the chieftain of his tribe at …
  Bran became the chieftain of his tribe at a young age, and married young as well, having fallen head over heels for one of the tribe's young shaman's and talented weather eye. A beautiful redhead, Gudrun; charming, and bright. For a few years everything seemed great for them, their raids on the Northlanders and Thrax successful, with few casualties and a decent amount of plunder returned with them. They weren't immune from other tribes and clans raiding them, however. It was not long after the birth of their first child, a daughter, Aella, that his wife was taken. He spent a few years trying to find her, not ready to give up. All the while Sorcha, Gudrun's younger sister was helping to raise Aella. Eventually, he was convinced that she was lost, likely dead. And he remarried, taking Sorcha as his new wife. With Sorcha, he had other children, though most didn't have Aella's fiery temperament. Still, he loved them all. Roguish Cadern, inquisitive Rosalind, and collected Triton. He led his tribe as best he could, settling disputes with his neighbors with trade and diplomacy as often as the sword, or at least he tried. When Crovane and Blackwood bent the knee to Redrain however, he sensed the change in the times and knelt with them, before abdicating in favor of his eldest, Aella. It was time for the younger generation to take charge, though he would shepherd them along.
  arge, though he would shepherd them along.)
• Branimir Eswynd  + (Branimir has outlived his father, the firs …
  Branimir has outlived his father, the first War Chief he served, and then his older brother, and now he serves his nephew. All these lords change like the tides but Branimir is the rock that has seen it all and survived it all. Alongside his male kin he's survived 2 wives and a handful of children, though as many still remain and he's content with that. In younger years Branimir was a creature of great violence, he desired blood, victory, and most of all GLORY, until in the same raid that took his brother, he took an axe to the face, lost an eye and nearly died. Something changed while he lay bleeding on the ground trampled by friend and foe both. His blood lust finally quenched while he soaked in his own. After that, he saw the world differently, and where many reavers are consumed by gloom after such grave injuries, Branimir was filled with a new vigor. He also awoke with a belief in the Spirits, leading many of his kin to worry that so nearly dying had cracked Branimir's mind as well as cutting out an eye. He still fights when he must, but rather than being the one to advocate for the sword first, he became the one to call for it last, and there are few whose calls are louder than Branimir One Eye!
  se calls are louder than Branimir One Eye!)
• Branwen Stormfeather  + (Branwen has no memory at all of her format …
  Branwen has no memory at all of her formative early years, knowing only what she's been told from those of House Ravenseye. Nearly all of their clan in one night was wiped out, decimated by another tribe of crazed Abandoned. That they obviously weren't sane was probably the only reason she and a very few others survived the massacre. Each of them were hidden underneath the bodies of others, or fallen debris. And made neither a sound, or moved, out of fright and shock. It was a group of scouts from the Stormheart that found them, surveying the damage as they swept through the next day hot on the trail of the perpetrators. Instead of chasing after them though, they stopped to rescue the survivors and brought them back; and now, the Ravenseye are her family. Her quiet, perceptive nature, and her love of solitude brought her under the wings of the Shaman in the group. She took to it quickly, learning both to tend to spiritual ills and those of the body. And when the calling of the Tribe was to come to Arx as ennobled Prodigals, she too bent the knee so she could follow her adopted family and tend to them there. Where she is sure that she will be busy given rumors of things that have happened in and around the city.
  that have happened in and around the city.)
• Bree Harthall  + (Bree and Brannen Harthall were born twins …
  Bree and Brannen Harthall were born twins and from the moment they were born their lives were planned out. From early formative years, Bree took to the Valrdin way of life. Chivalry! Duty! However Bree always had a very bright twist on the Valardin way. She was strange, as many Valardins are more reserved and conservative Bree never was. From her childhood she was the most outgoing, the most exuberant, the most enthusiastic. Because there are dragons out there to slay/befriend depending on the particular situation/dragon. Bree loved stories and when playing as a child often got in trouble for being so violent. Her excuse generally was that she needed to see how hard she had to hit in case it wasn't her brother she was fighting but a skeleton risen out of the earth. And so her training began early. Bree took to fighting like a fish to water. While her brother became more tactical, more keen, Bree spent her days training and fighting, interspersed with flower picking, running on the beach or watching the sunset. Though she was driven she never had an issue with the work life balance. Bree has always known how to live, even in her most prepatory years. She also became closely attuned with Gild. She would often talk to the goddess at night, worried about those worse off than her, promising Gild she would help them in the morning. It was Bree's dream to become a Knight of Solace, to protect the weary and downtrodden, but she was destined to become a knight for her house and to serve as a champion of Harthall. Brannen constantly reminded her of her duty, to house first. Unfortunately tragedy struck. In a horse race with the heir of the House, their cousin Odhran, Bree and Brannen witnessed their cousin die in an accident. Stricken by this great tragedy, Brannen finally relented and the two have recently taken their oaths as Godsworn. Foreswearing marriage, titles, children, and have instead recently been inducted as Knights Of Solace. Eager to protect the weary in the City of Arx!
  r to protect the weary in the City of Arx!)
• Bridget Pravus  + (Bridget is from a minor noble family, Hous …
  Bridget is from a minor noble family, House Mescino of the Lycene barony of Pastrazza. She is a young widow to Elonso of house Pravus. Her marriage had nothing to do with love. It was a formally arranged marriage with the goal of bringing two houses together. It was a marriage that abruptly ended with her husband's death. Upon the return of their widowed daughter, her family broke into chaos. The entire point of the marriage was to settle the dispute of a land claim. It was a minor land claim, but to her house could mean the difference between riches and ruin! The whole thing would have been easier if she had given her husband a sun before he went off and had himself executed. The only logical step to take from here was to send her back to house Pravus as a ward. It was cruel considering they were the ones to execute her late husband, but they didn't have time or resources to deal with a widowed daughter, and there were simply no other logical courses of action to take. What did Bridget think about all of this? Oh who really cares... just send her off!
  Oh who really cares... just send her off!)
• Brier Crovane  + (Brier was born in the north in the middle …
  Brier was born in the north in the middle of June as one of the first cousins of the Crovane family. Her mother was Ingrid and married into the Crovanes, while her father was Kheit Crovane. She was quick to become known for being one of the biggest handfuls out of the Crovane family's children, one who was quick to barrel into trouble just for the fun of it or to otherwise make sure that no one doubted her just because she was a 'young lady'. Her family, knowing that she would need an outlet to contain her energy and distract her, encouraged her to spend some time with the blacksmith of the village. There she tended to some apprentice-like duties and found that she loved the craft. Enthralled by working in the forge, Brier soon became less of a problem and grew into a fine young woman. There was a time that her family encouraged her to marry a young man of a neighboring territory, and so she and Yldimer were married in the winter months near her twentieth birthday. They spent ten years living happily together, but were unable to bear any new heirs due to him being secretly barren. Unfortunately, he fell three years ago in defending the north. For years she was stricken by grief, until her mother and father encouraged her to try a change of scenery and so she moved to Arx with hopes of being able to leave behind her past.
  es of being able to leave behind her past.)
• Adrienne Valardin  + (Bright, charming, born to Valardin, and gi …
  Bright, charming, born to Valardin, and gifted with a beautiful voice, Princess Adrienne might have been a storybook princess come to life. She knows, however, that fairy tales are for children. This knowledge has been painfully earned, brick by brick, as she has attended to the aftermath of raids and massacres, wars and illness with a Mercy's training so easily acquired in Sanctum. Adrienne left a courtier's life to others of her family and joined those with their hands in the dirt: a duty to her family name and a calling - or better perhaps described as a prayer - to be able to prevent suffering before it strikes. She has travelled the Oathlands to maintain her family's presence, listening to the needs of the many vassals and small villages in her purview. She has also studied wherever time and location would permit. Sanctum is a haven of knowledge, but the many Valardian domains have also invested heavily in education. Ignorance, when such resources are available, is a terrible sin. There is still work to be done in the Oathlands, but as the world turns its eyes to Arx, so must Princess Adrienne Valardin. Trouble brews. She would go there to stop it if she can.
  She would go there to stop it if she can.)
• Adrienne Pravus  + (Bright, charming, born to Valardin, and gi …
  Bright, charming, born to Valardin, and gifted with a beautiful voice, Princess Adrienne might have been a storybook princess come to life. She knows, however, that fairy tales are for children. This knowledge has been painfully earned, brick by brick, as she has attended to the aftermath of raids and massacres, wars and illness with a Mercy's training so easily acquired in Sanctum. Adrienne left a courtier's life to others of her family and joined those with their hands in the dirt: a duty to her family name and a calling - or better perhaps described as a prayer - to be able to prevent suffering before it strikes. She has travelled the Oathlands to maintain her family's presence, listening to the needs of the many vassals and small villages in her purview. She has also studied wherever time and location would permit. Sanctum is a haven of knowledge, but the many Valardian domains have also invested heavily in education. Ignorance, when such resources are available, is a terrible sin. There is still work to be done in the Oathlands, but as the world turns its eyes to Arx, so must Princess Adrienne Valardin. Trouble brews. She would go there to stop it if she can.
  She would go there to stop it if she can.)
• Brigida Fidante  + (Brigida has lived through it all. When sh …
  Brigida has lived through it all. When she was a girl, she was as fine a hunter, dancer, and player of music as any lady of the Lyceum. She was not the most beautiful of her sisters but she was clearly the most accomplished. At sixteen, she was the Golden Rose of Tor, and she had lovers on her string at twenty ranging from all over the Compact. But all idylls end. Brigida joined the Faith relatively late -- at 24 -- in part to avoid a disastrous marriage she did not want that would have sent her to the Laurents. She had no desire to join the workhorse duchy of the Valardins. Instead, she cast aside the silks of her wild life as the Golden Rose of Tor, and threw herself into a new life as a priestess. She had a solid background of Lyceum politics to bring with her to the priesthood along with genuine faith for the gods and a healthy respect for the power structures here that she could potentially grow into. She had already survived at least three poisonings before she donned her first robe. She learned quickly that the machinations of the priests were different in form from those of Lycene politics but not in kind. Ambitious people jockey for position everywhere, and the Faith is no exception. By the time she was 40, she was such a mainstay of the priests of Petrichor that there were few other names that could even be considered for his Archlector. Yet at this pinnacle she chose to stay, leading the godsworn and championing the guardian of the land rather than attempting to politic any higher.
  her than attempting to politic any higher.)
• Odile Nightgold  + (Brought up alongside those of her cousins …
  Brought up alongside those of her cousins in the ducal line of succession, Odile never knew a girlhood home but the one beneath House Nightgold's famed rose-gold arches. Viewed from the mountaintops, it was the seasonal changing of Stonedeep's landscapes that woke her to Lagoma's vast, beauteous influence and what, like her mother before her, prompted her to find purpose as a Mercy. The devastation caused by mining injuries alone meant she was often occupied, sometimes required to brave the darkest caverns and stalest pockets of air to do her work. It ought to have come as no surprise that her strength of conviction translated into a fortuitous match. She was betrothed to the heir of House Aviaron. Only, the prospect of being the next Marquessa-Consort didn't appeal to her at all. She was far from fond of her husband-to-be and she resented even more being (inevitably) reduced to marriage fodder. While it was easy enough to play the role of apologist for the Northern beliefs of her family and friends, she couldn't stomach the idea of being wed to anyone who practiced them so openly. It might have been a different story if the Aviarons were at all willing to tone it down! In the eyes of her family, she proved ungrateful and even obstinate. ...that is not to say she was any less horrified at the news of the man's ultimate end and that of his kin. Those deaths and the subsequent carnage she experienced during the Silent War did more than simply reinforce for her the power and necessity of her role as a healer. They highlighted for Odile her responsibilities to her House, all of whom could have been lost to her just as easily. With her mourning period behind her and a great deal more in the way of perspective, Odile comes to Arx for promised and much needed change.
  o Arx for promised and much needed change.)
• Bryndis Nightgold  + (Bryndis is the youngest of five, and has a …
  Bryndis is the youngest of five, and has always been a curious child. She would often go out of her way to explore the world around her, from outside the home to the darkest of corners within the home. She would watch the animals, study the bugs, draw the flowers and trees that she saw in her world. There was not much that did not interest her, both in the animate things around her, or the inanimate as well. Just because a flower was often more beautiful than a rock doesn't mean that the rock itself didn't hold its own very special place in her world. By the time she was ten she had books and books of drawings, each year they got better, more apt to actually resemble what it was that she was exploring and studying. She would watch and listen to others that were more knowledgeable about art, flora and fauna, and take in everything they offered. As she grew older she knew that it was very clear to her what she was going to do with her life. Some thought she'd become a healer or midwife. But she didn't want to do anything like that, she was very interested in the properties of the plants, of course, but even alchemy and apothecary studies weren't number one on her list outside of just curiosity. No, it was actually learning just about the world around her. How things fit together, why you'd find one particular animal and plant in one location, but find just the animal, or the plant, in another. It was when she was almost nineteen that she grew ill, ill to the point that everyone was sure that she'd die. But something changed, one night she was on her death bed, and the next morning she was up and moving around as though nothing was ever wrong. She's never really had any explanation for that, but her entire outlook on life seems to have changed after that night. She was more direct, less interested in books, more forgetful than she once was.
  n books, more forgetful than she once was.)
• Brynja Blackwood  + (Brynja was born in the wild lands, beyond …
  Brynja was born in the wild lands, beyond the bounds of what most consider civilization, the eldest child of Sigurd Blackwood. Her mother passed away when she was young, dying under mysterious circumstances, and leaving her father heartbroken. As a way of honoring her memory and helping himself recover from his grief, Sigurd taught Brynja the ways of the warrior as soon as she could stand, and she has been on that path ever since. Her father would eventually find love again and remarry. As she blossomed into a young woman, word of her deeds spread among the tribes, and she gained notoriety for her unrelenting ferocity in battle. Many great men made many great excuses when she bested them in combat, but Brynja had hardly a care -- you don't get very far with excuses. When Tolamar Brand came to assault their lands and enslave their people, Brynja was on the front lines, commanding the Blackwood infantry. She performed well, even if she received another scar or two. She was less thrilled at the notion of becoming a silk when her family decided to bend the knee to House Crovane. She will just have to make do.
  e Crovane. She will just have to make do.)
• Hiram Kelly  + (By all accounts, Hiram Kelly came from goo …
  By all accounts, Hiram Kelly came from good stock and a family that loved him well. For a commoner, his father was an apothecary held in high regard and his mother was an actress who never made it past the local entertainment. Local, of course, was somewhere halfway between Graypeak and Fen de Lire in a booming settlement called Graveway. His parents adored him, his mother in particular. He was her darling child and she was the reason he fell in love with books at such an early age, always encouraged to read any he could get his hands on. Orla Kelly could also be stern in the name of her only son as well, it wasn't an entirely spoiled childhood. She was ever on her son about his manners, believing that wherever etiquette started to unravel so too did the rest of society. When she passed, it was a great blow to the Kelly family and while it broke her husband, it pushed her son deeper into his devotion to books in order to cope with so many good memories now stained with the pain of loss. For a time, Hiram earned a living for himself as a wandering scholar with a talented hand for the quill and an inability to stay put. He was known as a restless soul amongst the villages and cities of the Crownlands through which he passed often and without ever staying for long. His polished mannerisms found many doors open for him but he only longed for the one that he could close on the ache that lived somewhere deep down in his soul. Everyone knows a stiff drink goes best with a good book and eventually Hiram learned that too. Drinking was a fine bandage for a while but when it started to unravel he found other medicines to soothe his old wounds. Expensive medicines too rich for a wandering scholar's blood. Where there is intoxication it usually isn't hard to find games of chance to get in on and in gambling Hiram at least found a way to double or triple his silver when he needed something stronger than a wash of whisky or elsewise. Not only that, he was good at it. In time it became hard to justify putting words to parchment to make a living when he could do it so much better with some dice or some cards. Eventually Hiram Kelly disappeared and it was easy enough for those familiar with him to think that he had finally found himself in the kind of tough spot that his gentleman's demeanor couldn't get him out of. Like bad news though he always turns up again and though he'd been gone for well over a year he showed up back in the Crownlands thirstier than ever to keep on in his hard-drinking and heavy-gambling ways, now nursing a mysterious wasting illness that left him an absolute puzzle to some of the finest physicians in those territories along with the kind of irreverence that often trails the walking dead when every step could be their last. Not to mention the unusual inkwork of an Abandoned nature that he now sported on one hand. Some might say it was that discourteous canny that delighted Glenys Ashford when the pair crossed paths at a little inn and tavern on Ashford lands. Others might say it was her keen mind for medicine that kept her at his side after she patched him up from a particularly bad bet with the wrong men and learned more of his mysteries. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle but only Glenys could tell you for sure.
  e but only Glenys could tell you for sure.)
• Babette Grayson  + (By the time the second daughter and third …
  By the time the second daughter and third child rolled around no one was really that impressed with children in general and definitely not with another girl. So Babette was mostly left to nannies and tutors and her own devices and she absolutely and totally thrived. Being the youngest meant that she had to be loud and somewhat pushy to get attention and she did that by just constantly talking. Non-stop. Her cheerful but endless chatter endeared her to even the hardest of hearts at home, although when she got to be too much she was shuffled off to the library. Babette would dive into the lore of the Crownlands, soaking up everything she could, learning the old ghost stories and tales of the surrounding forests and organizing ghost hunts with her older siblings that would both terrify and intrigue her. When her cousins came to visit she would cook up mysteries for them to solve and was often the scourge of Varan's existence as it was always him that was stealing the cookies from the cookie jar. She learned of the Inquisition at a young age and was determined to join once she was old enough, throwing herself into her studies so that she could impress them once she got there. As Jerrica and Varan set out on their own paths, Babette decided to be a little more dramatic and, in the dark of night, hid herself and her bag in a passing carriage bound for the city. By the time she was discovered it was too late to turn around and her first stop with her bag in hand was the House of Questions as soon as she arrived in Arx.
  f Questions as soon as she arrived in Arx.)