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

• Cambria Mazetti  + (Cambria was born an only child, much to th …
  Cambria was born an only child, much to the disappointment of her parents, who wished for a large family. To make matters worse, Cambria was a sickly youth, so there were plenty of concerns and two or three scares during her early years. Not too long after her tenth birthday, Cambria's father died during a hunting accident. Her mother refused to remarry, and remained a widower. Some said it was for love, while others claimed it was to consolidate her power and make sure her daughter was in a position to assume the mantle of rulership after her, even if it wasn't what was best for the House. Life passed, uneventfully enough, and Cambria grew into a young woman. Though no longer prone to bouts of illness, it could not be said she was very robust. Thus, while other young nobles were making their journey to Arx due to necessity or to expand their education, Cambria's mother was too fearful, and kept her close to home. It was quite likely that Cambria never would have left Ostria, except that fate had other designs. At twenty-three, Cambria's mother fell ill and died suddenly, leaving her daughter free to spread her wings and choose the course of her own life. She promptly left for Arx, one of the first Mazetti to do so in many generations. Once within the capital, Cambria immediately set about maneuvering herself in such a way as to further an audacious goal. Making use of all the political tools and resources available to her, the then Marquessa secured a favorable marriage and wasted little time in promoting a series of progressive reforms for the city-state of Ostria. In the span of a few short years, House Mazetti was formally recognized as a Ducal House before the Assembly of Peers held in the spring of 1012 AR. This is only the start of her story...
  . This is only the start of her story...)
• Camilla Pravus  + (Camilla was born a bastard, the fruit of a …
  Camilla was born a bastard, the fruit of a one-night affair between a Lady Madeline Pravus and a foreign noble. As a child Camilla was taught how to read and write by her mother, and was well on her way to learn other languages when Madeline's rapidly-deteriorating mental health took her agency and wits. Before the young girl was ten, the Pravosi noble was a shell of her former self, a husk mumbling in bed about the man who had taken her heart away. In the night when Lady Madeline finally lost her ability to communicate, withdrawing further and further within herself, Camilla was desolated. Along with the servants she stared as her noble mother was tended to by the local physicians, and seared in her mind were the sights of one of House Pravus' best reduced to nothing. Camilla could not reconcile with the fact there was nothing she could do, but before her anguish was turned to action the girl was approached by an envoy of the House of Silken Sighs of Setarco. The woman sat with Camilla and they talked throughout the night. Come the dawn, the courtier offered Camilla tutelage in the House free of charge, pleased with the conversation. None would know the nature of this conversation for years to come. The Pravosi bastard's time at the House of Silken Sighs is not publicly known, but it was, supposedly, shock full of its own trials, failures and successes. Whatever her exploits, Camilla left the place an educated courtier and the woman she is today, hailed far and wide as the best alumni of the school in decades. To those who have seen her talents, Camilla is a soulful fury with uncompromising artist vision, a desireable artiste who, once, was just a bastard, and now saw her contract acquired by the Duchess of Pravus herself. No more a simple bastard, the woman is now a highly-sought courtier whose's fame is not insubstantial. She is finally ready to meet her family, and join the Sins in Arx.
  meet her family, and join the Sins in Arx.)
• Candace Corvo  + (Candice Corvo was the middle child in her …
  Candice Corvo was the middle child in her family, right between two older brothers and two younger brothers, and went on every adventure they did. She was a tomboy terror growing up, stealing sheep (temporarily), getting into fights (often), and carrying wares from the market to her parents inn (heavy). When her brothers game of age, they enlisted in the watch. When Candice came of age, she took her sword and went straight to one of the caravans and sold herself as a guard. She's ridden riverboats laden with goods to Bastion, frozen on the edges of the Everwinter, and chased thieves through the southern city states of the Lyceum. And for ten years, the adventure and the pay were enough. Then she met Sam and everything changed. They were instantly inseparable--which caused a lot of problems because Sam was an exceptionally good thief and the Velenosians had already made a less than stellar impression on the trading caravan. They needn't have worried; she gave Sam an ally, and they tempered her tendency to violence with cunning. They married and traveled together with the caravan on their way to Arx. This is the part everyone knows, and nobody talks about: shav brigands attacked the convoy, setting the tents and wagons on fire in the middle of the night. There were screams and violence and blood, and in the end the regimented caravan was reduced to a handful of grimfaced survivors. Sam wasn't among them. There's a small band of survivors who get together and share a drink every year, and every year Candice drinks with them.
  , and every year Candice drinks with them.)
• Candido Orata  + (Candido was born the middle of three child …
  Candido was born the middle of three children in a more-stable-than-not commoner family in the city-state of Lenosia. His mother, a city guard, was the primary backbone of the household (and the person who first taught him to fight). His father was a bard in a struggling mummer's troupe that toured the Lyceum and Crownlands and was largely absent, if well-meaning when he was around. His parents never married, but it was a decent collection of relations and Candido never went hungry or felt unloved. The turning point in his life came when the Pirate King called the Gyre descended on Setarco. Candido wasn't old enough to go to war himself (and may not have anyhow, his life had limited direction), but his older sister Eugenia had joined Velenosa's army and was sent to fight. Though the Compact ultimately carried the day, Eugenia was among the slain. This was the biggest tragedy in his life up to that point and, when the dust settled, Candido felt the urge to throw himself into something vaguely meaningful. To give his mother one less thing to worry about if nothing else. He started volunteering with the Faith's rebuilding efforts, which led to him becoming a disciple of Gild, which led to him taking his vows as a godsworn brother when he was 19. Growing up he'd been an inattentive adherent (at best) to the Pantheon, but the work crystallized his view of the Faith as a way to both do something that mattered externally and get right with himself internally. And a way to make his own path in the world. The Faith as a social force offered opportunities to a common boy with both martial and interpersonal skills that few other vocations could. He squired to a Knight of Solace not long after taking his vows and acquitted himself well enough to earn a knighthood a couple years later. His personal convictions are heavily Lycene Liberal, though he's learned how to go along to get along with the Orthodox that make up so much of the Faith Militant, and he's served with general competence for the last several years. His latest assignment has taken him to Arx. What he'll make of it remains to be seen.
  What he'll make of it remains to be seen.)
• Cantus Crown  + (Cantus is the type of person to get into t …
  Cantus is the type of person to get into trouble for all the right reasons. The wrong reasons? In any case, it's almost because he saw someone that decided they needed help, whether or not they agreed. But it's okay! Sometimes they actually do need helping. He had been taking a walk, as Cantus was wont to do, and stumbled upon a brigand harassing a poor old man. After that, a couple that needed a wagon wheel replaced. Depending on how he's feeling at the telling, either he felt the spirit of wandering the world, helping folks, ooooor far more likely Cantus found himself lost, shrugged, and decided to embrace this new adventure.
  and decided to embrace this new adventure.)
• Caprice Artiglio  + (Caprice often receives praise as being one …
  Caprice often receives praise as being one of the most promising talents in tailoring from the Lyceum, but she has never felt quite comfortable with the assessment. She is, foremost, simply an artist who demonstrates her talents by weaving fabrics into stunning fashions as her chosen medium of expression. From a very early age, she felt called to be one of the chosen of Jayus, feeling a spark of inspiration from the Prince of Stories. Even as a child she would idle by shrines of Jayus and toy with dyes and clothes, working ever more elaborate colorations and blends of fabric. As a young woman, her talent was quickly recognized, and at a very young age she has been given the immense honor of being appointed the tailor of House Velenosa. Caprice is fully aware that her position might well be one of the most coveted of any tailor in all of Arvum. The Lyceum are the height of fashion for the entire Compact, after all, and House Velenosa is the height of fashion for the Lyceum. But the knowledge does not trouble her unduly She is, in her opinion and without any feelings of conceit, divinely inspired.
  ny feelings of conceit, divinely inspired.)
• Cara Ashford  + (Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, …
  Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, blessed by fortune with good teeth and a steady mind. A quick study, her interest in things intellectual blossomed as she recovered from an unfortunate accident -- a fire, which left her with burn scars on her legs and a lengthy healing period. Quiet -- but not especially shy -- the young lady showed promise in the arts of diplomacy and the study of history, eventually growing into a maiden well-suited to gracing a parlor or fine dining hall and engaging in polite conversation. She married a cousin of House Ashford and left the Lyceum for greener climes, adjusting with relative grace to the very different life, and seemingly through luck finding true happiness with her husband -- until he was tragically discovered among the slain of the king's retinue. How she will adapt to this change in her life, and her position among her new house and her old, remains to be seen.
  new house and her old, remains to be seen.)
• Cara Grayson  + (Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, …
  Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, blessed by fortune with good teeth and a steady mind. A quick study, her interest in things intellectual blossomed as she recovered from an unfortunate accident -- a fire, which left her with burn scars on her legs and a lengthy healing period. Quiet -- but not especially shy -- the young lady showed promise in the arts of diplomacy and the study of history, eventually growing into a maiden well-suited to gracing a parlor or fine dining hall and engaging in polite conversation. She married a cousin of House Ashford and left the Lyceum for greener climes, adjusting with relative grace to the very different life, and seemingly through luck finding true happiness with her husband -- until he was tragically discovered among the slain of the king's retinue. How she will adapt to this change in her life, and her position among her new house and her old, remains to be seen.
  new house and her old, remains to be seen.)
• Caras Wyrmguard  + (Caras Wyrmguard was born in the fortress c …
  Caras Wyrmguard was born in the fortress city of House Wyrmguard, Blancbier. On the northern marches of the Oathlands, Blanbier is an important bastion protecting Sanctum from the heathen shavs of the north. As a young man, Caras showed great proficiency in martial training. This is not unusual for the sons and daughters of the Oathlands but Caras took to his training with great passion and vigor. Not simply a soldier or knight, but a student of the blade, his first campaign came at a relatively young age. While he played little part as a mere boy, he knew at the time that his life would be a constant battle - and he loved it. A careless and dismissive young man, he was selfish and self-centered. Haughty and superior. Few friends, little love of or for the people of the Wyrmguard lands or his family's retainers, he sought only glory for himself. A life of battle and death and harship. This was not the life he was destined to lead, however. A small unit commanded by the young lord was ambushed on patrol, nearer the road than they had expected. Not wanting to die for their selfish lord, the other men retreated and left Caras to his own fate. Though he fought well and bravely, he was cut down and left for dead on the road, alone in the cold. It was hours before anyone came along and he thought it a specter. A vision of a goddess offering succor and kindness, healing and protection. It was no entity but a Priestess of Gild. She gave him shelter and nursed him back to health. When he returned to Blancbier he found the men who had abandoned him had concocted a story that was not true. Caras forgave them, said nothing, and renounced his title and fealty to join the order of Gild. Caras traveled to Arx for his training, learning about the plight of those in need, the lives of the common folk, the way one can change a life through kindness, compassion, and charity. Once becoming godsworn, Caras began to travel. Walking the roads of the Compact with nothing but his generosity and charity, he brought the message of Gild far and wide through all the lands of the kingdom. His return to Arx several years ago came after deep contemplation and prayer. It would be a sacrifice considering his love of the road and the far-flung people that need the blessing of Gild, but it is a sacrifice he is willing to make and one that has paid dividends as he becomes the Archlector of Gild and increases his opportunities to praise the goddess.
  s his opportunities to praise the goddess.)
• Carmen Harol  + (Carmen grew up in the Lower Burroughs. Her …
  Carmen grew up in the Lower Burroughs. Her mother was a laundress for the Mercies and her father a carpenter. They did okay as families went. As an only child she often followed at her mother's heels around the House of Solace. She proved an able helped and natural caretaker as a young child. It was when her mother insisted on her getting some schooling that her sweet demeanor faded. Carmen had a very keen mind and the stupidity she saw in the classes had her speaking out. It also had her targeted by those who didn't appreciate being made a fool of. Carmen came home angry and determined to give as good as she got. Until she hit her majority Carmen's youth was full of fighting and learning. The mercies had seen her natural gift and offered to train her, which she was happy to do. Yet she had made friends during her schooling and like most kids formed her own Burroughs gang. There were times her skills came in very handy. Her parents did not approve of her gang activities. So they brought her uncle, a Blade, to talk to her. He convinced her to give the Crimson Blades a try, where she could fight -and- use her medic skills -and- get paid for it. Seemed perfect to her. The fact that the Crimson Blades were elite helped a lot. The utter stupidity of people she couldn't help but comment on was not nearly as evident. And all her trainers actually had brains so she managed to not get in too much trouble for her smart mouth. Now six years in and through several wars she has come out a veteran combat medic. Preffering to use a small bows for protection on the field, she has become known among the blades as the Bloody Mercy. She wears the nickname with pride.
  Mercy. She wears the nickname with pride.)
• Carrick Squallborn  + (Carrick was born to a family of sailors an …
  Carrick was born to a family of sailors and raiders. His father having been a sailor that fought off raiders and his grandfather on his mother's side being a raider that attacked ships. As a boy he grew up hearing the stories of the open sea as well as the honor of different warriors. It was his dream to go explore the sea as a sailor and he did. This was his life on the open sea fighting pirates while he explored. When he came home from his adventures he would fight with others in the village to show them how to fight raiders or any others that might come to attack. This lead to him quickly showing him to be the best warrior in the village. As he traveled out when he came back home would find a new challenger appeared to challenge him due to word of his skill of arms. This lead his name to grow even while sailing as a fearsome combatant as well as talented teacher for he would show those that he faced how to improve themselves as well as teach any who wished to know how to defend themselves. Finally after years of adventuring traveling and dueling. He was called to the Ravenseye house, they had heard of his skill and asked him to be sword of the house. Seeing it as a new adventure as well as wanting to settle down a bit to start a family Carrick agreed. His new title suited him more than he thought and now on his way to the city of Arx with the Countess seeing it as a new adventure to travel.
  ss seeing it as a new adventure to travel.)
• Caspian Wild  + (Caspian was a thrall because his father wa …
  Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing.
  nd it's clear he's here to make a killing.)
• Caspian Artiglio  + (Caspian was a thrall because his father wa …
  Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing.
  nd it's clear he's here to make a killing.)
• Caspian Ru'Taul  + (Caspian was a thrall because his father wa …
  Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing.
  nd it's clear he's here to make a killing.)
• Cassandra Laurent  + (Cassandra Laurent was born to lead and she …
  Cassandra Laurent was born to lead and she never doubted that. She never doubted her duty. She knew that she would be the Duchess of House Laurent, and that she would serve her family, and that she would serve House Valardin. But life, and the gods, had other plans for her. She was drawn early to the faith. At first she was merely a lay sister, dedicated to Gloria, to whom she felt called. But at the age of 20, while riding hard for her father's men in pursuit of a group of Shavs who had killed a priest and desecrated a shrine in one of their raids on a surrounding village, she was knocked from her horse and fell in battle. She fought her way clear of the Abandoned, but fell unconscious in the valley, separated from the others. Before she was recovered, she had a dream she attributed to Gloria, and when she woke, she knew that she could not remain the heir to her father's ducal seat. But she did something that she would never again do in her life: afraid of the reactions of her family, of her father and brother, she temporized. She hesitated. She kept finding excuses, putting off her passions for another day. When her father was in the midst of brokering a potential marriage alliance for her, however, she could no longer bear the silence. The lay dedicacy was not enough; she would serve the Faith, called to another duty than the one she had first been born to. Cassandra threw herself into the priesthood with her whole heart. She studied and worked and threw every ounce of her will behind serving the faith. It is possible that her connections to a Valardin ducal house -- godsworn though she was -- helped her in her climb through the ranks, but Cassandra liked to believe it was her passion and dedication that eventually made her the Archlector of Gloria. The pinnacle of her ambition is to be the Sword of the Faith -- and her eye lifts ever to that horizon.
  -- and her eye lifts ever to that horizon.)
• Cassia Mercier  + (Cassia Mercier grew up with a comfortable …
  Cassia Mercier grew up with a comfortable life for a commoner. A scion of a merchant family, but she wasn't particularly close with her cousins. Her mother having "married" in, while her father was the Mercier-- who died when Cassia was barely five years old. The Merciers made sure she was cared for but she wasn't particularly close with them, and her mother wasn't very interested in pushing for a family connection. Cassia has always had a strong sense of smell and as a young girl would often be bothered by strong scents. Which was unfortunate since her mother was a fisherwoman. Cassia simply cannot stand the smell of fish and so refused to follow in her footsteps. Leaving under the same roof as a fisherman drove her to learn how to create other scents. She fell in love with the act of creating perfumes, of distilling oils, and creating things that smelt _good_. ...and that's what she's been doing ever since.
  d that's what she's been doing ever since.)
• Cassian Crovane  + (Cassian was the second son of a Ravenseye …
  Cassian was the second son of a Ravenseye family, and from the start seemed destined for adventure. Constantly exploring from the time he could crawl, climbing from the time he could walk, there was virtually nothing that could bar Cassian from a place. By the time he was of age, the sea beckoned to him and his parents could do nothing to dissuade him. His good nature and quick mind let him learn nearly every job aboard the ship, and it didn't take long for him to rise to the rank of Captain, with a crew that would follow him into storm or fire. His skill at sailing earned him renown, and the eye of a lovely woman from the House Crovane, though the latter would perish before their life together could truly blossom.
  e their life together could truly blossom.)
• Cassim Sanna  + (Cassim is the second son of cousins to the …
  Cassim is the second son of cousins to the Sanna, having grown up pretty much in the Giant's Reach his entire life. As a second son, he wasn't going to inherit anything anytime soon so he was expected to pick up the slack by being pressured into educational and artistic pursuits. This tempered him for a long life of reading books, and trying to make something out of nothing, but it was not what he wanted. He'd find himself constantly getting into trouble just to avoid it, which lead to him lashing out at his peers, family, and even important visitors. When he was eight, he ran away into the wilderness where he was lost for three days. In those three days, he was attacked by beasts, avoided detection by two thuggish looking men, and was discovered nearly dead by a Shaman who nursed him back to health. When he was strong enough to explain what happened, the Shaman scolded him, and returned him home. However, as a reward for his show of endurance and resourcefulness, he was offered an apprenticeship, to start upon his tenth birthday. He had two years to study all he could about herbalism, medicine, and the Spirits. His parents weren't thrilled, but they accepted it as a means of boosting his social rank to make him more viable for mates. What they hadn't expected, was the Shaman to return, and take their son into the woods never to be seen again for months at a time. Each time, Cassim came home a little more different. First, he was no longer the angry little boy he'd used to be, he was more relaxed, and laid back. Second, he'd begun to establish a certain distance between him and the rest of the family, and described it as a 'comfortable distance'. The third and final change, though, was when he never came home at all. He was eighteen when his mentor passed from this life into the next. That was when his real training began. His mentor, had left him a number of clues and notes to prepare him for the next phase of his journey. His vision quest. For two long years, he was to live in the wilderness, survive, and by the end commune with the Spirits, while coming to an understanding of the differences between his Free Soul, and his Mundane Soul, and why each can't exist while the other is active. He has only just returned, from this grueling ordeal. A changed man? Only time can tell.
  al. A changed man? Only time can tell.)
• Cassimir Inverno  + (Cassimir is the only child of Artemis and …
  Cassimir is the only child of Artemis and Theda Argento. From his birth, his mother exercised control over the minutiae of his life, while his father was emotionally and physically distant. Without a firm hand to tame her overpowering will, Theda's oppression would contribute to the bulk of his underdeveloped social skills and a period of adolescent malcontent. When Cassimir came of age, he decidedly channeled every ounce of his free time to knowledgable pursuits that he hoped would one day be the basis for his escape from the prison his estate exemplified. At every turn, he shunned his mother's wiles. Such overt acts of rebellion greatly displeased Theda, who, agitated by an increasing awareness that the family's reputation and favor in Arx was steeply declining, sought above all else to secure a good match for her son and, through him, herald in a new age of prosperity and power. On the morn of Cassimir's twentieth birthday, Theda stirred to find his chambers empty, with nary a trace left behind to inform her of where he had gone. She searched and she waited, but it became quite clear that he had abdicated his wealth and titles, and ultimately rejected the Argento family for good and all. In the very same year, Theda's most potent fears would become stark reality: House Argento was summarily eradicated, and his parents with it. Cassimir is keenly aware of the events that transpired, and the unfortunate reputation that his surname espouses. A cautious inclination to emerge from hiding has budded over time, so sightings of the scholarly scion have become more frequent in the capital city. With the rise of Lianne Pravus claiming the title of Marquessa of Nilanza after the destruction of his house, and the formation of House Malespero from the remains, it was with readiness and great relief that Cassimir cast off his ruined name to join them, and start anew.
  ruined name to join them, and start anew.)
• Cassiopeia Vaevici  + (Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the mos …
  Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade. She didn't really expect as much to change as it did, however. Following the destruction of the palace in Tremorus, the deaths of much of her extended family, the fall of her liege, and the ennoblement of Giorgio and naming him as Ezmeralda's successor, Cassiopeia wasn't seen for weeks afterwards. When she finally was, it was announced she had formally joined very distant family in the city-state of Sangris, House Vaevici, and would not be returning to Tremorus- not now, and possibly not ever, which has caused a great deal of gossip among the peerage as to her reasons.
  ossip among the peerage as to her reasons.)
• Cassiopeia Proscipi  + (Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the mos …
  Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade. She didn't really expect as much to change as it did, however. Following the destruction of the palace in Tremorus, the deaths of much of her extended family, the fall of her liege, and the ennoblement of Giorgio and naming him as Ezmeralda's successor, Cassiopeia wasn't seen for weeks afterwards. When she finally was, it was announced she had formally joined very distant family in the city-state of Sangris, House Vaevici, and would not be returning to Tremorus- not now, and possibly not ever, which has caused a great deal of gossip among the peerage as to her reasons.
  ossip among the peerage as to her reasons.)
• Cassiopeia Leporidae  + (Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the mos …
  Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade.
  oper after being gone for almost a decade.)
• Castiel Thrax  + (Castiel was born in the bowels of a ship; …
  Castiel was born in the bowels of a ship; it seems that both the claustrophobic darkness and the salty musk of a trading vessel were both things the young Thrax learned to love as much as the mother who brought him into the world. He was a curious child given his kin, possessing both an affinity for books and longing for the furious crucible of war, yet while growing up he never cared to settle his differences - which he had more than his fair share of - in the more conventional manner of fisticuffs; there was always someone bigger, stronger and older willing to though, and that person could be enticed to do so on his behalf. When he became of age Castiel was restless; wanderlust had settled in him, and as soon as he could find a place on a ship he seized the opportunity and sailed with them. It was no heavily manned war galley, only a light merchant caravel and yet he loved the experience and spent the next three years working just about every rank on it until he took control altogether. A naturally patient man even at the time, he discovered he had an affinity for coin and learned how to make more very quickly; traders are shrewd people but he milked every advantage he had until just after his twentieth birthday he already controlled - in everything but name - a small but busy fleet of ships sailing the islands. Since negotiating the waters in the Saffron Chain means dealing with scum, Castiel first became acquainted with negotiating with pirates early on and then as he became more confident in the practice and his connections grew, he saw the benefits of working with them. A naturally untrustworthy and self-serving bunch, they could still be manipulated when it was to their best interest to do so, something which the young Thrax counted as an advantage; knowing what moves a person is leverage. He cultivated such ties very carefully and let them grow, expanding his interests past the islands along as whispers of an oncoming war reached him even in the eastern seas. After years of making a name for himself in the open waters and becoming a veteran captain in his mid-twenties, Castiel finally realized he could no longer neglect his obligations to House Thrax. He is fully aware he is *different* than many of his peers; a self-described progressive traditionalist, he is more concerned with *winning* than he is with just how such a feat can be achieved, and it's something which has caused friction at times during family gatherings. He hopes his return might herald a shift in tactics - achieving dominance built on the back of robust positions, careful planning and employing cunning as much as brute strength.
  ploying cunning as much as brute strength.)
• Catalina Rossi  + (Catalina was born into service in the Igni …
  Catalina was born into service in the Igniseri household, her father a trusted steward who saw to the affairs of the house through Emilisia's various marriages, and her mother a ladies maid who was ever at the Countess' side to offer what support and advice she could. Catalina was born when the countess' children were still young, but from an early age, the girl displayed a remarkably bright mind and malleable nature. She was learning her father's work while still a child, and assisting her mother and learning the ways of the court when her father was too busy for her help. By the time she reached her early teens, it was clear that the girl had talent - and more, potential. She could read people like a book, and was easy enough to overlook as a servant but skilled enough to have access to other reaches of the court. Light of hand and foot, with an easy smile, she had all the grace and wits she might need. And so, in the interests of the house, she was trained in other means of support. The houses of the Lyceum are known for intrigue and deception, and Catalina is but a pawn in that game - albeit a useful one.
  a pawn in that game - albeit a useful one.)
• Cecilli Blackwood  + (Cecilli was born in the late winter, a chi …
  Cecilli was born in the late winter, a child born to commoners struggling to keep her warm-- of course, come spring, she had survived. Her upbringing was riddled with fables and tales common in the northern shamanistic tradition, all which left behind footprints in her mind. Not just lessons and wisdom, but laws and realities of her world, an assurance that the existence of the incorporeal was just beyond touch, but communicable to her through the signs inherent in the world around her. As she grew, she only became more sure of this. Her world was filled with the supernatural, and it called to her; it was perceptible, but only barely, requiring a trained eye and the favor of the spirits, a favor won by realizing the hardships of nature through a lifetime within it. She left behind her village when she came of age, travelling within the wilderness and beyond it with a long-time friend and protector, a knight from her homeland.
  and protector, a knight from her homeland.)

• Cedric Primm  + (Cedric had a different name when he was a …
  Cedric had a different name when he was a boy, but this one suits him perfectly well. When he was young, he was a child of thralls under the dominion of a lesser family of Thrax fealty, but in the course of being transported through the islands of the Saffron Chain, the ship was wrecked in a storm and half the crew eaten by sharks or other monsters. The boy and his mother survived along with a handful of other men, some of whom tried to swim for it and if they made it, neither Cedric nor his mother ever heard anything about it. However, a ship of explorers bound Southward for an expedition towards the Darkwater Deeps took them aboard when the Ashford party on the deck caught sight of the blaze from their bonfire. The expedition took them on, on the promise that they would get out of the way, and while there were terrors in the deeps the ship braved before it eventually returned to the relative safe harbor of Sanctum. Romance was in the air between Cedric's mother and one of the Ashford retainers' servants on the long overland haul from Sanctum to Ashford Keep. Cedric took his new name from his new father, and began working as a servant in the servants' quarters for the Ashfords. Cedric signed up for military service when he was old enough, but it was aptitude and the servants' family connections that essentially placed him in a position of valet to one of the knight-officers in service to Ashford Keep. He served there for a term of five years until, in his late 20s, his mother died and his stepfather remarried, leaving Cedric the guardian of his little sister. Cedric retired from military service to a more stationary post working as a steward for the Ashfords. His little sister Celia was the light of his life, and became the central figure of Ashford Keep's kitchens, particularly in the bakery. As a house man and fine steward with a history of service as a valet, there is no more sensible servant to bring along as a member of an expedition to ensure that one's boots get the mud and blood off them. Neither is there anyone more surprisingly useful in a pinch.
  nyone more surprisingly useful in a pinch.)
• Charles Valardin  + (Charles was born the daughter and only chi …
  Charles was born the daughter and only child of a low-ranking noble officer. Without a male child to serve as heir, his position would fall vacant upon retirement; and thus, Charles was obligated from a young age to pursue masculine activities. This upbringing was controversial, lending itself to conflicts within his house. He took poorly to the courtly education of a noble child, never holding still long enough to complete his lessons. As such his reputation among the court is not a respected one. By his teenage years, however, his prowess in battle assuaged many fears of his ability. He has since lived publicly as a man without disguising his birth, and has distinguished himself as a competent warrior and tactician on the front lines. He has sought to prove himself through martial service ever since.
  imself through martial service ever since.)
• Cherilo Menada  + (Cherilo was born to a lumberjack and homem …
  Cherilo was born to a lumberjack and homemaker, who raised him with distant but thorough care. They lived in the forests worked by his father, and from a young age, Cherilo spent much time exploring these wilds. As he grew enamored with the animals, plants, sounds and smells of the forest, Cherilo equally grew contemptuous of his father's exploitation of the forest. At 16, having completed his homeschooling, Cherilo left home quietly to camp in the outer woods. He never returned to live at home, slowly building his own homestead sustainably. He's lived in the home he built all his life, and has endeavored to learn as much as possible about his natural environment - both its beauties and its natural laws. It was his enthusiasm for this world that eventually led him into the city. By befriending city folk, making connections, and becoming learned, he's made opportunities to spread the gospel of nature. Among certain crowds, Cherilo's writings, sketches, and poetry have become well-known, and he's encouraged a small movement of preservation and appreciation of the natural world. Cherilo helps support himself by taking nobility on tours of the area surrounding his home - although their manner sometimes rankles him. Some of his city friends have come to be loyal confidants, though perhaps none as much as his pet dog Carrie, the fourth-generation pup of his childhood pet.
  ourth-generation pup of his childhood pet.)
• Amanda Morgan  + (Childhood for Amanda was an odd thing. Qui …
  Childhood for Amanda was an odd thing. Quiet, withdrawn, and seemingly in her own world (yet terribly observant of what everyone was doing around her), she came up with few friends and none of the passions that a child might have. In fact, being fastidious and proper seemed to be the only thing that held her attention. Quiet children weren't exactly an oddity in the Morgan household, and so the family knew to simply embrace what they found in this girl, and Amanda was sent off to learn how to be professional fastidious and proper. After years of learning, during which Amanda developed a love for the Gods (above and beyond what would otherwise be expected for an Oathlander), she went to serve the Valardin family as a Court Lady. She helped more than a few princesses learn which fork to use and how to speak in just the right way to get what they wanted. All the while, as she tirelessly helped the nobility, she quietly pushed them toward what she thought was best for them. Toward the answer that was piously correct. She may have even made a fine priest, but she found the life simply too constraining. No, after years of service she opted to leave her position at court and spend some time by herself. Amanda spent a few years travelling. She'll talk of the odd sites she saw, of the poetry she read, of the wine and food she tasted. She wanted, in her words, to see all the greatest of the Gods' work. Which, of course, were the greatest of humanity's work. And beyond those vagueries, she does doesn't share many details about her years away. When Amanda became stationary again, it was in Arx. She quickly found herself serving Whisper House as a courtier. Unlike back in Sanctum, she was freer here to pursue her own goals, while still serving humanity, as she believes the Gods would want her to do. She comforts and soothes, she pushes and she prods, she corrects and adjusts, all to make people (in her opinion) better. She'll bring virtue to Arx, however she can.
  e'll bring virtue to Arx, however she can.)
• Christine Kennex  + (Christine spent most of her early days lea …
  Christine spent most of her early days learning how to read, how to write, how to get more books... The world didn't need to be seen, since you can find it all and more in a good library. But then, one day she did. On her way back home, after visiting her cousin Denholm, she decided to take a detour... And ever since, she's been travelling around... because, why just to read books if you can be part of them?
  to read books if you can be part of them?)
• Cicero Velenosa  + (Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current rul …
  Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current ruling house of Lyceum, but several branches of the family tree away from actually inheriting anything of worth. As a middle child he was not destined to be heir to the estate and was little more than fodder for a political marriage... until he put his talents towards the silk trade. He was gifted at it, using his position as a bridge between the merchants and their noble customers, easing the passage of the luxurious material along the economic system while keeping the coffers of his house well filled. Like any one noble of the southern City-States he ran into some trouble now and then that had to be solved at the end of a sword, but he usually realied on his quick wit and sharp tongue to win the day. Now he has come to Arx to ply his trade, to work with the silk merchants of the city for the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda.
  r the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda.)
• Cicero Malvici  + (Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current rul …
  Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current ruling house of Lyceum, but several branches of the family tree away from actually inheriting anything of worth. As a middle child he was not destined to be heir to the estate and was little more than fodder for a political marriage... until he put his talents towards the silk trade. He was gifted at it, using his position as a bridge between the merchants and their noble customers, easing the passage of the luxurious material along the economic system while keeping the coffers of his house well filled. Like any one noble of the southern City-States he ran into some trouble now and then that had to be solved at the end of a sword, but he usually realied on his quick wit and sharp tongue to win the day. Now he has come to Arx to ply his trade, to work with the silk merchants of the city for the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda.
  r the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda.)
• Ciro Seraceni  + (Ciro grew up in Ischia mostly wish his mot …
  Ciro grew up in Ischia mostly wish his mother Isabella. His father passed away from infection while at war with the Argento. As a boy, he was drawn both to the luxurious villas of Setarco and the busy docks and diverse peoples of Ischia. Like his sister Appolonia, he acquired a good education from various Lycene tutors, and though he showed some aptitude, he never found much joy in abstract studies though he found a great love of music and performance. He sometimes sneaked down to the docks and watched as the sailors rolled dice and played cards for piles of gleaming coins. As a very young man, Priscila had high hoped that Ciro might prove a diplomat, but the young man had a greater interest in the daughter of the Farshaw Minister of Income than in trade deals he was meant to negotiate. Returning to Ischia without having proved himself, and labeled a wastrel by his family, Ciro continued to drink and game throughout Morisco, and Arx. In this very state, however, Ciro, having lost a great deal of coin in a high stakes wager, was returning through the Lowers in Arx, where he overheard the formation of a scheme to steal a good amount of Pravosi goods from the harbor. Using the last of his coins to pay a cabin boy for the full story, Ciro wrote a missive to Lady Viviana, and saved the House several hundred thousand silver when the plot was foiled. Having proved his loyalty and a capacity for acquiring valuable information, Ciro was encouraged by Dio to put his inclinations in further service to his House by joining the Whisper House. He also joined the Golden Hart, and has often been seen gaming with many of the peers of the Compact. Later, he found his way to Gianna Whisper's Bard's College, where his flair for the dramatic and musical talents infused with the styles of Ischia and Eurus have found him in good company.
  and Eurus have found him in good company.)
• Cirroch Sanna  + (Cirroch was always going to be the March o …
  Cirroch was always going to be the March of Giant's Reach. Actually, he was the March of Giant's Reach by the time he was ten. It's a risky proposition, being a ten-year-old with a regent, but there were a few things going for Cirroch: first, his regent was his uncle Talward, whom no one wanted to cross and who loved his deceased sister more than life itself, and second, he was a pretty clever and aspiring ten-year-old, and put off the fears of his vassals by being aggressively interested in warcraft from when he could first walk. He developed an interest in statecraft as well, although it was admittedly much /later/ in life that he wanted to attend his own meetings and councils. By the time he was 16, there were few who feared his ascendance to the seat he held in name, and when he reached majority at 18, his uncle retired to be feted for a job well done, and Cirroch took the reins fearlessly. It's amazing how long you can stall from a topic that you don't want to address. He very nearly had a treaty negotiated with the Nightgolds for a wife of his rank only to have it fall through on some stipulations about mining rights that he refused to let go. He very nearly had a treaty negotiated, later, that would have had him wed to the sister of a Velenosan count, only to have her cry off for a number of reasons, some related to, frankly, the cold weather of the north and the total absence of seawater anywhere around Giant's Reach. That is until a faithful day that he wasn't thinking of a need to keep a shield up. He was training with his axe when Princess Sasha boldy approached him, anyone in their vincity might have thought that they did indeed watch mountains move that day. Sasha would become the love of his life. The day he meet his first born, heir to what Sanna had to offer, was the day that he understood that life was more than how long one can stall a topic.
  more than how long one can stall a topic.)
• Haptenna Crucible  + (Claiming to hail from one of the many vill …
  Claiming to hail from one of the many villages that dot the forests and hills of Graysond lands, Haptenna has recently returnd to Arx. Some might perhaps remember her for her time amongst a group of actors, performers, acrobats and troubadours who last visited the city a few years ago. Apparently, that group has since disbanded or she's left, as this time she seems to be a solo act. Those who ask are frequently met with a smile and a dismissive joke but it's clear that something happened and it's something she evidentally does not want to talk about. For now, it seems like she's just marking time, running from whatever has so obviously shaken her.
  from whatever has so obviously shaken her.)
• Haptenna Crown  + (Claiming to hail from one of the many vill …
  Claiming to hail from one of the many villages that dot the forests and hills of Graysond lands, Haptenna has recently returnd to Arx. Some might perhaps remember her for her time amongst a group of actors, performers, acrobats and troubadours who last visited the city a few years ago. Apparently, that group has since disbanded or she's left, as this time she seems to be a solo act. Those who ask are frequently met with a smile and a dismissive joke but it's clear that something happened and it's something she evidentally does not want to talk about. For now, it seems like she's just marking time, running from whatever has so obviously shaken her.
  from whatever has so obviously shaken her.)
• Haptenna  + (Claiming to hail from one of the many vill …
  Claiming to hail from one of the many villages that dot the forests and hills of Graysond lands, Haptenna has recently returnd to Arx. Some might perhaps remember her for her time amongst a group of actors, performers, acrobats and troubadours who last visited the city a few years ago. Apparently, that group has since disbanded or she's left, as this time she seems to be a solo act. Those who ask are frequently met with a smile and a dismissive joke but it's clear that something happened and it's something she evidentally does not want to talk about. For now, it seems like she's just marking time, running from whatever has so obviously shaken her.
  from whatever has so obviously shaken her.)
• Clara Crovane  + (Clara was born to the Crovane family only …
  Clara was born to the Crovane family only a handful of years ago but she would not start breathing when she was born. It took a little bit of work from the midwives to get Clara to take in her first breath and by that time they had nearly given up hope that she would survive. The result of this experience was that Clara's eyes turned white and everyone expected she was blind. She is young and still learning about the world in a very hands on way. While she doesn't mind being a lady she doesn't specifically want to be a politician and she has made that clear with starting to learn the sword young as well as preferring sitting in cemeteries and stitching wounds to listening to people talk about the various problems in society. She began learning the sword when she was 12 years old, a compromise her parents made with her when she wouldn't sit still long enough to learn about being a leader or try to better understand how to bring in money, through the people, for the house. Learning the sword was a way to help her learn to focus her abundance of youthful energy as well as make her useful to the family. When she was about 15 years old she showed an aptitude for medicine, a love for plant life as a healing source, and a desire to help people. This lead to her start into studying medicine closer and eventually becoming a novice medic. Barely an adult, Clara has been sent to Arx to experience the rich diversity in culture the city has to offer.
  iversity in culture the city has to offer.)
• Braith Sanna  + (Close cousin to the march and his Voice, B …
  Close cousin to the march and his Voice, Braith was a tagalong as a child. She wanted to get into everything, learn everything, and put most things in her mouth. As she grew older, these urges didn't really change with the possible exception of that last one. She was a constant troublemaker and essentially ended up pawned off on a steady shaman tutor for something to /do/ with her, and it was under this tutelage -- with the occasional rising influence of her grandmother -- that her early aptitudes for music were discovered. She loved to sing, she loved to perform, and she had a keen sense of rhythm for the hand drum and bells. Other instruments were more of a challenge but she learned several of them anyway, inhaling the knowledge like she sopped up story and song. She began to make up stories of imaginary exploits for her friends and family, putting some to music and chanting them like the ballads of heroes of old, and sometimes just telling them like stories, especially for the younger children of Giant's Reach. It was in this way that her life's path was set as a maker of music and teller of tales: it was the shining passion of her heart, so why not pursue it.
  assion of her heart, so why not pursue it.)
• Braith Mazetti  + (Close cousin to the march and his Voice, B …
  Close cousin to the march and his Voice, Braith was a tagalong as a child. She wanted to get into everything, learn everything, and put most things in her mouth. As she grew older, these urges didn't really change with the possible exception of that last one. She was a constant troublemaker and essentially ended up pawned off on a steady shaman tutor for something to /do/ with her, and it was under this tutelage -- with the occasional rising influence of her grandmother -- that her early aptitudes for music were discovered. She loved to sing, she loved to perform, and she had a keen sense of rhythm for the hand drum and bells. Other instruments were more of a challenge but she learned several of them anyway, inhaling the knowledge like she sopped up story and song. She began to make up stories of imaginary exploits for her friends and family, putting some to music and chanting them like the ballads of heroes of old, and sometimes just telling them like stories, especially for the younger children of Giant's Reach. It was in this way that her life's path was set as a maker of music and teller of tales: it was the shining passion of her heart, so why not pursue it.
  assion of her heart, so why not pursue it.)
• Clover Wyrmguard  + (Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and …
  Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and Damien Wyrmguard, a lesser branch of the family; distant cousins. She's the youngest of her particular branch. One of her older siblings is quite good with a sword, another with a spear. She decided she wanted to take the bow and arrow as a young child... unfortunately she is not blessed with grace. If there is anything that Clover is not is graceful. She's broken more bones in her life than either of her more combatant siblings-- just from falling off of things. Her parents put her into dancing lessons once and she ended up breaking her instructors nose AND her own arm. She does, however, love to be outside. Even if it means she's probably going to cause herself some amount of harm. She's also been the type to be outside; growing up in Blancbier this meant being outside of the cities walls either in the mountains or out in the forest. She's got a deft hand with dealing with the less combat-centric aspects of being outdoors; she knows well what is safe to eat, how to navigate a forest, and how to handle an animal. Growing up in Blancbier also meant that she had some training in medicine though she has never joined the Mercies, she has thought about it off and on.
  cies, she has thought about it off and on.)
• Clover Farshaw  + (Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and …
  Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and Damien Wyrmguard, a lesser branch of the family; distant cousins. She's the youngest of her particular branch. One of her older siblings is quite good with a sword, another with a spear. She decided she wanted to take the bow and arrow as a young child... unfortunately she is not blessed with grace. If there is anything that Clover is not is graceful. She's broken more bones in her life than either of her more combatant siblings-- just from falling off of things. Her parents put her into dancing lessons once and she ended up breaking her instructors nose AND her own arm. She does, however, love to be outside. Even if it means she's probably going to cause herself some amount of harm. She's also been the type to be outside; growing up in Blancbier this meant being outside of the cities walls either in the mountains or out in the forest. She's got a deft hand with dealing with the less combat-centric aspects of being outdoors; she knows well what is safe to eat, how to navigate a forest, and how to handle an animal. Growing up in Blancbier also meant that she had some training in medicine which led to her joining the Mercies of Lagoma. Her early twenties saw her married to Duke Ryhalt Farshaw of Westrock Reach. It was considered a positive political move for Wyrmguard and Farshaw, strengthening both houses through their mercantile connections. From there she settled nicely into the role of Duchess-Consort, a bright and positive addition to the duchy. She grew from a haphazard girl to a strong and mature woman, her skill with the bow increased, as did her interest in medicine. Since her joining Westrock she's come to be known for her prowess in the field and her innate understanding of the wilderness of the isles she's now come to oversee and love.
  isles she's now come to oversee and love.)
• Henrick Norgbern  + (Coasting through life as a winemaker appre …
  Coasting through life as a winemaker apprentice in Lycene lands, Henrick found their culture to be stale. Needing to watch for poison in every wine glass? BOOOORRRINNGG, and having every single casket produced needing to be inspected became very old. He left for Arx shortly before his 18th birthday, leaving the winery to his younger brother. Trying to find himself in the city, Henrick eventually found what he was looking for in the Crimson Blades; a family who takes care of their own without betrayal and leaves well enough alone off the job. Getting paid to hack shit up and get a reputation amongst the elite of mercenaries? Sign him up. In the year since, he's been content to remain a private in Iron Company as a heavy infantryman. He does like the idea of being the one to execute tactics, but that'd cut into his tavern time.
  tics, but that'd cut into his tavern time.)
• Col Steelhart  + (Col was never as good as Lionel in his fat …
  Col was never as good as Lionel in his fathers' eyes. He was never treated poorly or unfairly, that wasn't Frederik's way but it was always there: Lionel was better. Lionel was the first born. Lionel was the warrior and knight. Lionel was the man who's honor could not be tarnished. He could do no wrong. While his older brother was learning to fight and be a knight Col was reading books and learning tactics for war, rather than individual battle. He knew he would never be as physically capable as his older brother but he was driven to prove himself useful to his father and the House. He tried to learn, he truly did, but all the hard work netted him very little. It was not his aptitude. His aptitude was in planning. Plotting. Leading but not from the front. It was like Col and Lionel were the two sides of their father's 'coin'. Lionel got all the physical talents and ability while Col was the statesman, diplomat, and planner. When the two worked together they were unstoppable. Frederik finally noticed Col and they had begun to mend those fences when tragedy struck in the form of his cousin's attempted coup and rebellion. Of all the people to fall it was Lionel and Col was left suddenly the heir of House Steelhart. There was nothing for it, Col was next in line. Frederik finally had to recognize Col's merits on their own standing. That is how it should have went. Instead Frederik buried Lionel and moved on. There is the knowledge that Col will one day inherit the County, but until then there's not a lot he can do to get out of his brother's shadow. At least not in Highhill.
  rother's shadow. At least not in Highhill.)
• Constance Redrain  + (Constance was born a noble of House Redrai …
  Constance was born a noble of House Redrain and had a markedly rebellious youth that ended in her voluntarily shedding the family name. In her childhood she defied her tutors and enjoyed spurning their lessons more than taking them to heart. Often, she would go out of her way to learn so that she may foil their plans in the most troublesome way possible. Her teenage years consisted of a shift toward the natural world, and the people in it. Criminals, warriors, and all manner of violent or seedy sorts captivated her imagination, and she followed them throughout the north on their journeys, flouting social norms. By necessity, she learned something of medicine, and this curiosity flourished into a passion that lead her to the Mercies. She looked at her traveling companions with a new eye for their talents and strengths, and in her adulthood, she saw how these people might serve their fellow Arvani. It lead to her renouncing her faith in Shamanism in all but the most informal ways, and her own Redrain surname name in a rather dramatic devotion to the Godsworn.
  rather dramatic devotion to the Godsworn.)
• Corbit Leary  + (Corbit was essentially born curious and ha …
  Corbit was essentially born curious and had the perfect family to help feed that curiosity. His best childhood memories are debates at the dinner table over some minor point of a random piece of information. Between all these ideas whirling around him and having a mind like a sponge, he couldn't help but become a bit of a jack of all trades when it comes to scholarly persuits. So one day what he's working on might be totally different than what he's working on the next. So what if he may have accidently turned his hair green trying to come up with a cure for baldness? Worth it. Or about that time he burned down a shed trying to make it fireproof, small price to pay in his eyes. He's always been encouraged in these pursuits and has always taken great advantage of that.
  has always taken great advantage of that.)
• Corinna Kelsey  + (Corinna Kelsey has lived her entire life i …
  Corinna Kelsey has lived her entire life in the Lower Boroughs, and as far as she's concerned, the world outside the city might as well be a myth. Born to spectacularly unlucky lowborn parents, she was orphaned by disease at age of ten, and being taken in by a succession of more-or-less kindly tavern keepers was all that kept her from starving in the street. She spent most of her childhood in one tavern scullery or another, earning her keep through service, and not much has changed as she has aged into womanhood. Her cheerful, ditzy, and uncomplaining demeanor has endeared her to more than one employer, and she is mostly happy with her lot in life, but the vibrant, cosmopolitan life of the other boroughs has her longing to experience more of the world outside of the slums.
  ce more of the world outside of the slums.)
• Corinne Brooks  + (Corinne was born to two loving parents who …
  Corinne was born to two loving parents who, despite their best and many efforts with each other and later others, never again managed to conceive another child on either side. They weren't wealthy, but tried to spoil her nonetheless, though it never took. She was cooperative, yes, and dressed in whatever style she was told without seeming to mind overmuch, but as she grew, neither fashion nor boys nor girls ever caught her eye. She was tolerant of others in the same way she tolerated mother fussing over her skirt of the day, or which ribbon to put in her hair. It wasn't a chore, not precisely, but she seemed to rarely if ever care for these things. That's not to say she was a dull, unsociable child. Corinne loved her exploits, and took well to learning her father's alchemical trade with no real prompting. She was friendly and sunny and beloved or at least well-liked by near all, though few save her parents were allowed to catch sight of the dark undercurrents of apathy at her core. As she grew older still, blossoming past adolescence and into adulthood, it became clear to those who knew her she cared little for anything but her brews and concoctions. Still, advancing in her craft required funds, and funds required speaking to people like a human being. To her poor parents' great relief, she embraced necessity, started leaving the house, and spoke verbally with others again. For a few months, it was like the sullen creature living in their attic that only communicated in grunts, monosyllables, and hand gestures was just a bad dream. Soon after, though, she left her home of Southport for Arx with a small sum, seeking to make her fortune in greener pastures.
  g to make her fortune in greener pastures.)
• Cosimo Tessere  + (Cosimo is what most noble parents would co …
  Cosimo is what most noble parents would consider the spare, the next legitimate child behind the groomed heir. He wasn't present for the scandal that followed the birth of his illegitimate sister, Nurie, nor the collapse of his father's House - but these events left an indelible mark on his upbringing. He was neither the favored child nor the favored sibling, and was often left to his own devices in the care of the household servants. It was both a bane and a boon: his parents did not foist high expectations onto him and he largely remained out of their crossfire, but books and tutors did not always make for great socializing. He excelled in his studies as a youth and remained intellectually curious. Medicine, language, the occult, and even musical composition piqued his interest. He was closer to his father when he was around, who was notably more cerebral than his wife. As he grew from a gangly teenager into an independent adult, he gradually realized that complete knowledge requires more than just reading a book. While his sister spent her time at Fortezza di Iriscal learning how to rule alongside their capricious mother and half-sister, Cosimo traversed across the continent in search of answers to some of the mysteries he found within their library, some of which involved the roots of his own family. Peripheral politics on the outskirts of his childhood were largely ignored... until the Countess was murdered. He has accompanied his family to Arx to assist with the investigation, and with whatever else may come their way.
  and with whatever else may come their way.)
• Giulio Corvini  + (Count Giulio Corvini is the younger brothe …
  Count Giulio Corvini is the younger brother of Lord Theron Mazetti. While his brother is a master of arms, well trained in such matters, Giulio is a creature more oriented towards the mind. He is a student of the law first and foremost, at least to the public eye. His upbringing has been a matter of simple study for most of his life and then an apprenticeship with the Inquisition, though he has served from time to time as necessary as a magistrate for the family, especially on matters touched by law. He has a reputation for being even handed, cool and collected. Since his arrival in Arx, he has married, become a landed noble and left the Inquisition, now engaged in a variety of different things, of little particular import.
  erent things, of little particular import.)