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List of results

• Dante Fidante  + (Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in …
  Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in the city of Tor. Though only a few years younger, theirs was a brotherly bond forged in steel. From the time Dante was old enough to hold a sword, he knew he had found his passion in life and instantly fell in love. His days consisted of eating, training, and sleeping and more training when he could fit the time in. Dante idolized Leo who has always been more like an older brother than a cousin. When Leo was sent off to live, practice and train with the Valardins, Dante begged and pleaded until he too followed in Leo's footsteps. Their welcome home a couple of years later was not so pleasant. Things were changing quickly for Leo's family and Dante watched every bit of horrendous ordeal from the sidelines. The very moment Leo declared war on Lucien and on Southport, Dante was there to defend his cousin, his family, and his city. There was no question as to where his loyalty rested. Now, there were other Fidante's who believed Lucien's claim about Leo being illegitimate. Once Lucien was decimated on the battlefield and succumbed to his wounds, it was time to start rebuilding Tor to it's former glory. There was never a moment where Dante did not give all of himself to the cause. It pained him to watch Leo fight not only the enemy in Southport, but also the enemy at home since Lucien was able to convince other Fidante family members to believe his lies. After many years of battling alongside his cousin, Leo named Dante Sword of Tor. It is an honor Dante takes seriously.
  or. It is an honor Dante takes seriously.)
• Dante DiFidante  + (Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in …
  Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in the city of Tor. Though only a few years younger, theirs was a brotherly bond forged in steel. From the time Dante was old enough to hold a sword, he knew he had found his passion in life and instantly fell in love. His days consisted of eating, training, and sleeping and more training when he could fit the time in. Dante idolized Leo who has always been more like an older brother than a cousin. When Leo was sent off to live, practice and train with the Valardins, Dante begged and pleaded until he too followed in Leo's footsteps. Their welcome home a couple of years later was not so pleasant. Things were changing quickly for Leo's family and Dante watched every bit of horrendous ordeal from the sidelines. The very moment Leo declared war on Lucien and on Southport, Dante was there to defend his cousin, his family, and his city. There was no question as to where his loyalty rested. Now, there were other Fidante's who believed Lucien's claim about Leo being illegitimate. Once Lucien was decimated on the battlefield and succumbed to his wounds, it was time to start rebuilding Tor to it's former glory. There was never a moment where Dante did not give all of himself to the cause. It pained him to watch Leo fight not only the enemy in Southport, but also the enemy at home since Lucien was able to convince other Fidante family members to believe his lies. After many years of battling alongside his cousin, Leo named Dante Sword of Tor. It is an honor Dante takes seriously.
  or. It is an honor Dante takes seriously.)
• Marli Zaffria  + (Darcy Zaffria fancied herself something of …
  Darcy Zaffria fancied herself something of an explorer from a very young age. No one, then, was surprised when she began getting on ships at the age of eighteen and not returning for months at a time. A few werre surprised when that started being years at a time. Still, she'd send back packets through other traders. Usually a quick message to the family and a journal to be added to the Archives. What surprised everyone was the announcement that she'd gotten married. It was quite the scandal, to do all this without the family permission, with no signing off of prospects, without anyone even meeeting the husband! But with the journals and letters started coming chests of cloth or silver or spices. Enough to buy off the quiet scandal. So when one of the letters announced the birth of a baby girl, Marli, well.... Darcy was so far away, there was no need to talk about that. Like good skeletons, they were just kept in the closet. All of that becomes harder to ignore when into Arx sweeps a woman claiming to be Darcy's daughter and bearing her signet ring, a chest of silver, and some journals to prove it. This may put some strain on things, but Marli does have Darcy's nose, and her habit of not saying where she's been other than 'on an island.'
  here she's been other than 'on an island.')
• Daria Mandragora  + (Daria is one of the Mandragora, an Abandon …
  Daria is one of the Mandragora, an Abandoned tribe that has claimed part of the woods along what the Compact recognizes as the Oathlands/Lycene border for generations. That claim and their allegiance shifted when Ruslan Volkov and his people bent the knee. They followed suit, swearing fealty to the Volkov, but little changed other than the family's claim on land being significantly reduced. Thus, Daria has known both lives, shav and prodigal, though for most of her life has known little difference between one and the other. As one of Mandragora's Whitefeather Scouts, she spent most of that life in those ancient woods, ranging north through the Oathlands and south into the Lyceum, paying far more attention to game trails than news from the capitols, either in Lenosia or in Arx. What use are those things to people of the woods? Everything changed in the winter of 1011, when a marauding army rolled through the woods. Her own people scattered before it like leaves in a gale wind. The Volkov weren't so fortunate and, to the last, were exterminated. Things were different afterward. The forest that had been as familiar to Daria as the back of her own hand was changed. Twisted. Scouts ventured into old parts and never returned. When the duchy of Fidante raised its cadet house, di Fidante, over the march the Mandragora were skeptical. Many wanted to return to their old ways, their old lives. Daria was among those who argued in favor of staying, of waiting, and when the new marquis and marquessa began to make progress in undoing what had been done, she urged her uncle to reach out to them and later reminded him of his vows of fealty. She spent most of the next year helping restore the land, freeing the land from the strange hold the woods'd taken upon them, and assisting the di Fidante with a number of their attempts to bring order back to the area. Now that things are getting back to normal, she sets her sights on Arx and the rest of the world.
  r sights on Arx and the rest of the world.)
• Dariel Bisland  + (Dariel is the progeny of Lady Kimbrielle B …
  Dariel is the progeny of Lady Kimbrielle Bisland -- cousin to the Regent Emeritus and Duke of Pridehall -- and Lord Darius Bisland nee Melaeris. The match was one quietly established as a means of funneling support into the isolated House Melaeris in recognition of their longstanding resistance to the practice of thralldom ...and probably also just another way of getting some jabs in at Donrai. Far removed from the ducal line of succession, Lord Dariel has had the privilege of riding the coattails of Bislands greater than himself ...and it shows. The only sense of duty he's ever felt obligated to fulfill has been that of his beauty regimen, which he (very selfishly) refuses to share with anybody else. If there is a flower blooming in the gardens that are House Bisland... it's Lord Dariel. Dariel's flock of admirers and penchant for catering to an audience came on fast. As such, 'celebrity' has always been the name of the game. Being a big fish in a little pond has been fun and all, but -- bored now, the serial headliner has set out from his childhood home of Pridehall. You're welcome, Arx.
  od home of Pridehall. You're welcome, Arx.)
• Darkus Crovane  + (Darkus grew up in Stormwall not far from t …
  Darkus grew up in Stormwall not far from the Crovane. His grand father, father, and mother all worked closely witth crovane as Crafters. He has no talent of his own in crafting but found he is very handy selling things and making money that way. His soul job is to help Crovane with all their market needs... Darkus joined the Crovane fleet when he was barely a man and learned to command a ship by the time he was 20. He has a lot of respect for soldiers and sailors. He is not a super religious man but he praises Mangata on the regular and follows the shamanistic ways of the North.
  follows the shamanistic ways of the North.)
• Darren Redrain  + (Darren possesses a bone-deep love for the …
  Darren possesses a bone-deep love for the North and all it represents, rejoicing in the individualism and unrestrained love of freedom that is unmatched through the rest of Arvum. He knows full well that House Redrain of all the great houses has almost certainly the most contentious array of vassals and he wouldn't have it any other way. But ever since he was young, he watched his father very carefully, and learned that the Prince of Farhaven didn't just bully the submission out of each of the powerful houses that serve Redrain and watched how the wise strength of his father backed by strength constantly won the respect and love of his people. Unfortunately, Darren also saw the worst elements of fierce northern behavior when he was very young at his uncle Bjerarg's birthday. A simple drinking contest that led to a drunken exchange of insults that grew steadily more ugly and led to a brawl that left four dead created, by almost any standards, one of the most stupid and wasteful wars Darren can think of. The Alespill War, as it was known, was as brief as it was idiotic. A few hundred dead over quite literally a spilled ale as one thing led to another and a prince of Redrain was killed, then vassals that refused to give up the murderer... idiocy. Darren loves his people dearly, but to this day he knows full well that there is merit to the Southern notions of decorum and courtly manners. The young prince of Redrain can sing drunkenly and revel with the best of them, but his enjoyment of Southern grace is not the least bit feigned. He'd never force it on the North, but his experiences with waste from the proud, drunk and foolish have made him determined to rule with wisdom that will never see needless carnage again.
  hat will never see needless carnage again.)
• Gareth Grayson  + (Dashing young Prince Gareth Grayson was an …
  Dashing young Prince Gareth Grayson was another bright royal scion, a rising knight looking to make his mark in the most prestigious House in all the realm. Bold and reckless, Prince Gareth was eager to take the fight to enemies of House Grayson, to remind everyone just why House Grayson was the greatest house. He felt immortal as many young soldiers do, and took to patrolling the barely civilized borderlands with a relish, fighting back against the shavs attempting to prey on distant vassals of House Grayson. Initially he found great success, was wildly popular with the men under him, and couldn't even see why so many helpless peasants were so terrified of the hardscrabble Abandoned that turned to brigandry and would melt back into the Gray Forest after their raids. And one fateful day, responding to a minor raid, he lead his detachment into the heart of the Gray Forest to ride down the raiders... and found himself and his twenty men surrounded by hundreds of Gray Forest Reapers. It was a massacre, and Gareth himself was only spared because apparently the Reapers knew 'an idiotic prince' was headstrong enough to run right into a trap. He was beaten, tortured, and in the end had the humiliation of being ransomed after a captivity that saw the bright and bold optimist die and something far harder be reborn in its place. Gareth was left scarred and broken, his constitution never quite recovering, and his dreams of being a great knight forever shattered. In its place, the sickly and infirm Prince Gareth surprised his relatives in House Grayson by deciding he would pursue a different calling that traditionally no Grayson had embraced- the Inquisition. His body might have been shattered, but his mind was far sharper and more dangerous than it had ever been before his captivity, and he showed an alarming eagerness to turn that mind against the enemies of the Compact. As far as Gareth is concerned, no bards will ever compose songs about the jobs he now chooses to do, and there might be stories, but they'll be the ones children are told to get them to behave. Someone has to do the dark work for the Compact.
  e has to do the dark work for the Compact.)
• Daturo Tessere  + (Daturo is the oldest of his parent's child …
  Daturo is the oldest of his parent's children and was given every advantage growing up. Which is why when he showed an early talent for riding, he was given the best instructors in horsemanship and swordplay and allowed to pursue knighthood. As he grew and neared manhood, it was decided that he would leave to foster with another family, which is how he happened to be away when his family fell. His father, the younger sibling to a countess, was caught embezzling funds, and the family's land and estate were stripped away, the family left in disgrace. From his distant perch and still young, Daturo could do nothing for them. Indeed, he was advised he was safest further away. Always a favorite, he had made friends and allies in his foster family, and they agreed to keep him on and train him as a household knight. So, there he stayed. Mourning when he heard his father had been murdered over his debts. Mourning even more for a mother who seemed callous to the needs of her family, and mourning most for the younger brothers and sisters he was helpless to aid. Daturo found no joy in the knowledge that his position in his new life was secure. He was advised to make a match, and certainly, he had plenty of women to choose from, but securing his own joy while his family still suffered discomforted him. So it was, when he heard Sabine had been named countess, he returned to the home of his youth, seeking both a position in her court and a chance to find what remained of his family and bring them to security with him.
  amily and bring them to security with him.)
• Bianca Wyrmguard  + (Daughter of Daniel Wyrmguard, the almost u …
  Daughter of Daniel Wyrmguard, the almost unknown youngest brother of Marquis Denis Wyrmguard, Bianca maintained much of the same peripheral status to the Wyrmguard family that her father once had. Unlike his brothers, Daniel was a man of knowledge and chose to spend his life in pursuit of it. Unfortunately, that quest was cut very short as Daniel did not live past the age of twenty-four, survived only by his toddler daughter as Bianca's mother had passed presumably during the child's birth. Thankfully for Bianca, her father was able to deliver his daughter to the Oathlands and from there left specific instructions for her education and general future prior to the end of his life soon after. Upon reaching the age of twelve, Bianca would be sent to study with the Mercies of Lagoma and choose her own path of study be it as a priestess or following in the footsteps of her deceased father. After a few years, the blossoming beauty made her decision and proceeded to depart from the priesthood and instead follow the pursuit of knowledge. While she adored her theological and medicinal studies, there was just so much more to the world. So much more that she couldn't wait to see and experience. And so at the age of eighteen, Bianca was granted a single guard/escort by House Wyrmguard to begin her travels outside of the safety of Blancbier and extend her knowledge and understanding of the greater world. Intermittently Bianca would return home to Blancbier to visit throughout her youth. It was at the behest of her cousin, Lord Damon Wyrmguard, that she come to join some of the family centralized in Arx and no great secret that her desire to explore the Great Archive was her primary reason for her arrival in the city. Within a matter of weeks Bianca had gained the permission of Dominus Fawkhul to pursue further investigation into the lost art of Exorcism and from there she joined the discipleship of Vellichor in a more official capacity, first as a simple Scholar and following a Prelate. It was with Fawkhul's great betrayal and the elevation of Dominus Aldwin that her career within the Faith continued forward. After much internal searching and seeking the guidance of many of the Godsworn, Bianca stepped down from her role as Voice of House Wyrmguard and took her oaths to join the priesthood. Within her annointing ceremony and to the surprise of many, Bianca was named Aldwin's successor as Arschscholar of the Scholars of Vellichor. Since then, Bianca continues her work as an icon of the Faith and representative of the discipleship she leads.
  resentative of the discipleship she leads.)
• Lierre Keaton  + (Daughter of Talissa Keaton and sister to R …
  Daughter of Talissa Keaton and sister to Rane Keaton, Lierre was raised in an estate near to the forests of Oakhaven. From the moment she could walk, she grew to love the woodlands of her home. Always hungry for knowledge, she learned the names of the flora and fauna within these sylvan realms, as well as a scattering of survival skills taught to her by the woodsmen who were employed by her family. Her parents allowed her the freedom to roam the woods (within reason) as long as she behaved herself. Luckily, Lierre was a dutiful and obedient daughter, not at all hard to raise. The time came, following her sixteenth birthday, when she was expected to prepare herself for the responsibilities of adulthood and for the future business of securing a suitable marriage. Unlike her beloved brother, Lierre showed no aptitude or enthusiasm for martial training, and so instead of taking up the sword, she attended an academy in Sanctum where she would be taught social graces befitting a young noblewoman. Intent on impressing her parents and bringing prestige to her family, Lierre took her education very seriously, faring rather well in her studies as a result of her efforts. Having concluded her time at the academy, Lierre left Sanctum, then spent a few years as a guest in noble estates across the Oathlands, moving from here to there to observe the political workings of the high-born. She then came to Arx to stay with the Marquis and Marquessa Keaton, hoping to learn from them the ways of domain management. For a time all was well, but as months passed by, Lierre was increasingly perturbed by the learning of sinister secrets and unknown powers. The unexpected and horrific murder of her brother and his wife, Baroness Katherine Moore, pushed Lierre into a mental breakdown that manifested itself in a state of prolonged amnesia and nonverbal fugue. Many months passed, but with much care from her mother, Lierre seemingly recovered her ailments -- more or less, at least. Rightly or wrongly, Talissa Keaton now believes her daughter has returned to her old self, and so it is that Lierre has returned to Arx once more to rejoin society at her mother's request.
  to rejoin society at her mother's request.)
• Needle Ulbran  + (Daughter of a seamstress who died in one o …
  Daughter of a seamstress who died in one of Arx's bitterest winters when she was seven years old, Needle was just another one of the street children of Arx's Lower Boroughs. Already capable of sewing a seam, she managed to get a few short-term jobs plying her needle; between those she begged for her supper or stole to survive, as many others did. When she was ten the Ulbran family took her in and started teaching her to be useful to them. After attracting the attention of some of the senior Ulbrans, she's come into adulthood in charge of a few of her peers, and with the certain knowledge that she has the potential for more. A lot more.
  he has the potential for more. A lot more.)
• Moira Grayhope  + (Daughter of the silver-tongued, and quite …
  Daughter of the silver-tongued, and quite deceased, Michal Grayhope and one of his conquests, Moira's always known the Lower Boroughs; she grew up around the criminals and outcasts and untouchables found there, lurking around her uncle Chanse's tavern and amusing herself with socializing. In spite of her nativity in the slums, Moira's life was rather charmed: she wanted for very little, and lived in comfortable surroundings that set her apart from her peers. Her father's death - supposedly at the hands of the Smiling Shadows - left a void in young Moira's life, and a void in the Grayhope family as a whole, one that she's sought to fill up with her own presence.
  s sought to fill up with her own presence.)
• Reigna Steelhart  + (Daughter to a branch of the Wyrmguard fami …
  Daughter to a branch of the Wyrmguard family that has been in decline for three consecutive generations, Reigna's mother Mallory inherited an estate nearly destitute, with vassals and villagers on the edge of abandoning them. It began with Mallory's grandmother, Ariella Wrymguard, an inconstant woman with an insatiable gambling addiction. If the outcome was at all dubious in nature, Ariella Wyrmguard would put money on it. Her luck was as inconstant as her nature, and while there were the occasional gains, much of the family's wealth was lost. Her son, Reychard, perhaps in response to his mother's chaotic ways, was a man who would make up his mind and ride that decision to its end, no matter how poor the choice turned out to be. By the time it was Mallory's turn to take the reins, the family fortune was gone, and all the family had left was the illusion of faded grandeur and their name. Mallory did her best to keep up appearances with what little funds they had left, but they could only stretch silver so far. It was Reigna who offered a solution to their predicament. They were, after all, Wyrmguards. Their family's storied history offered in their name, a wealth of prestige. It granted legitimacy to newer Houses, or those seeking to better their reputations. One by one, Reigna's siblings were married off to Houses seeking ties to the majesty and reputation of the Wyrmguard, of the Valardin. Each contract providing desperately needed monies to the coffers. A deal was struck, for her assistance in crafting beneficial contracts for her siblings, ensuring that the family's fortunes were back on track, Reigna would be allowed to follow her passion, a scholarly life dedicated to Vellichor. All was going according to plan until a blight struck several of the farmer's fields, toppling the precarious balance Reigna's efforts had built. More money was needed and there was only one child left. She has come to Arx to meet Kael Steelhart, the man she is to marry instead of taking her oath to become godsworn. There is some bitterness in falling into a trap of her own creation. Her duty to her family at war with the desire to follow her own path.
  ar with the desire to follow her own path.)
• Reigna Keaton  + (Daughter to a branch of the Wyrmguard fami …
  Daughter to a branch of the Wyrmguard family that has been in decline for three consecutive generations, Reigna's mother Mallory inherited an estate nearly destitute, with vassals and villagers on the edge of abandoning them. It began with Mallory's mother, Ariella Wrymguard, an inconstant woman with an insatiable gambling addiction. If the outcome was at all dubious in nature, Ariella Wyrmguard would put money on it. Her luck was as inconstant as her nature, and while there were the occasional gains, much of the family's wealth was lost. By the time it was Mallory's turn to take the reins, the family fortune was gone, and all the family had left was the illusion of faded grandeur and their name. Mallory did her best to keep up appearances with what little funds they had left, but they could only stretch silver so far. It was Reigna who offered a solution to their predicament. They were, after all, Wyrmguards. Their family's storied history offered in their name, a wealth of prestige. It granted legitimacy to newer Houses, or those seeking to better their reputations. One by one, Reigna's siblings were married off to Houses seeking ties to the majesty and reputation of the Wyrmguard, of the Valardin. Each contract providing desperately needed monies to the coffers. A deal was struck, for her assistance in crafting beneficial contracts for her siblings, ensuring that the family's fortunes were back on track, Reigna would be allowed to follow her passion, a scholarly life dedicated to Vellichor. All was going according to plan until a blight struck several of the farmer's fields, toppling the precarious balance Reigna's efforts had built. More money was needed and there was only one child left. Since coming to Arx, her life has changed in so many ways. Her marriage has proved to be an extremely happy and profitable one, Reigna's dedication and support has proved an asset to Keaton.
  and support has proved an asset to Keaton.)
• Naomi Cutter  + (Daughter to the captain of the Kennex cors …
  Daughter to the captain of the Kennex corsairs, Naomi idolized her father. He was a hero to her, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. This was before women were allowed to fight, but her father was captain, so Naomi dressed as a boy and called herself Nathan, and everyone looked the other way. Eager to prove herself, Naomi worked ten times harder than everyone else (which wasn't really all that hard, as the corsairs were an undisciplined bunch at the time). She had to fight every day to prove to everyone that she deserved to be where she was, but she earned the grudging respect of her peers. Her father's death sent her into a freefall. He died in the chaos that followed Denholm's death, slain by Jakric Hullman while trying to protect Renatta Kennex. Naomi was so devastated that even though she knew Ford had violated guest right to extract retribution, she didn't care; in her mind, his revenge was justice served. Then she learned that Hullman wasn't among the dead, and that knowledge created a festering wound that wouldn't heal. She stayed in the corsairs as Nathan until the ban on women in the military was lifted. Out of respect for her father, Ford was ready to make her captain of the corsairs... until his cousin Jan came home with a small army of battle-hardened sellswords and demanded the position for herself. Still, there were moments. She was responsible for Evander Kennex's escape from a mob of former thralls in the dangerous days after the liberation, and saw combat in Setarco, where she faced monsters beyond her worst nightmares. She might never be the hero that her father was, but she was starting to feel like she was becoming someone he would have been proud of. Then Ford died. Naomi was part of his security detail on the day that the Undrowned Sons ambushed him. She fought with everything she had, but it wasn't enough, just like it had never been enough, and she had never been good enough. She was swarmed under while trying to fight her way to the Marquis, and lay bleeding in the mud. There, on the edge of death, she used the last bit of fight left in her to roll into a ditch, there to hide from the men who moved through the ranks of the fallen, slitting their throats. Naomi lived, but she lived because of what she felt was an unforgivable act of cowardice, and endured a long, painful convalescence under the cloud of her own failure. Now, mostly recovered in body (if not in mind), Naomi has been pulled back to her duties with the Kennex corsairs by Jan, who has tapped her to command the Kennex Kay's house guards.
  to command the Kennex Kay's house guards.)
• Daya Harrin  + (Daya grew up poor and proud in the Lower B …
  Daya grew up poor and proud in the Lower Boroughs. While she is not a criminal, there may have been a rogue or two in her family, and she is no stranger to the company of the city's least privileged. Her father is a sailor and her mother is a washerwoman, but age is catching up with them and Daya does her best to help stave off starvation for her five younger siblings who still live at home. She works as a barmaid and is seldom found in the city's finer quarters.
  seldom found in the city's finer quarters.)
• Dayton Grace  + (Dayton isn't one to discuss his history. H …
  Dayton isn't one to discuss his history. He has a penchant for redirecting conversations regarding anything truly personal to a different topic of conversation. What is known of the gentle leatherworker is his youth was spent at sea under Admiral Denholm Kennex's command. His early twenties was spent upon a merchant ship mastering his trade and the minutia of the distribution portion of business and his late twenties have him back in Stormward seeing to his family and acting as a liason and occassional counsel to the young Marquis Kennex.
  ional counsel to the young Marquis Kennex.)
• Deacon Pateris  + (Deacon Pateris was born in Setarco during …
  Deacon Pateris was born in Setarco during a time of relative peace. His mother and father were both palace servants, so he grew up in and around the palace in Setarco. As he grew, Deacon showed a nack for socializing as well as music. Both of his parents were beloved servants of Piero Pravus, so the then-Duke paid for Deacon's schooling as a courtesan. When school was over, he returned to the service of Pravus as a newly-minted courtesan. The two would later become friends and confidants before the far more wild and free Deacon left Setarco to travel. Deacon's travels were almost always met with some form of calamity. He was first shipwrecked on an island in the Saffron Chain inhabited by an Abandoned tribe. While others on the ship were discouraged, the young Pateris refused to accept defeat and offered his help around the Abandoned community. At first they found him to be soft and weak, but his infectious optimism and his willingness to put his all into everything he did endeared him to them in the end. He wound up staying well past when his other fellows fled back to the mainland. Deacon made his way up along the coast, encountering a variety of people he traveled with for a time before moving on to the next thing that caught his fancy. For years, he lived without a care or a single thread of responsibility. The constant state of leaving started a nagging in the back of his head, but it was the news of Piero's death that guided him back to where he started.
  that guided him back to where he started.)
• Decius Meridius  + (Decius Meridius is a fairly simple man who …
  Decius Meridius is a fairly simple man who had dedicated most of his young and current life to the forge and the plane, with what some have whispered as "Gods Touch". Many of his detractors call his work "plain", but in the end they cannot argue with the oft perfection of his vision and his skill with metal, leather, and wood. It is an odd combination, but when Decius is not at the forge, his is in his workshop working on his next piece of furniture or wood carving, using this skill to provide the income to his other passion, the creation of armor. It is not too much a wonder for his there was a great aunt or some other relative of the Thornburn family. His work has a reputation of its own, and like many others has arrived at the City to set up shop, earn a living, but at the same time making certain those who will be in future fights or stuggles will be equiped to face them.
  or stuggles will be equiped to face them.)
• Deimos  + (Deimos was born in the chaos of a storm-to …
  Deimos was born in the chaos of a storm-tossed sea. The ship groaned against beating waves, the frantic crew above thundered to action, their calls drowned by a torn sky. But from Deimos, not even a whimper. He entered the world in chaos, and rocking upon the waves, found comfort in it. He and his mother had been cast away from Lycene shores, from the privilege he might have known in a just world where men like his father braved the fallout of an illegitimate child. Deimos was instead raised to see the world for what it was, its harsh truths peeled before his eyes. Most memorable of them was the loss of his mother when he was only twelve years old, her life ended for a dispute over unpaid debts that had kept her son from starving. Without one bleeding heart among those responsible, Deimos was dragged from his mother before she'd gone cold and pressed into service on a merchant vessel. He grew into adulthood on that ship, with each crack of the lash and pull of the oar in the name of his masters strengthening resentment and resolve equally. In the shadow of men who thought themselves giants, Deimos' whispers of dissention spread among the thralls. How it is that men in chains overcame their well-armed captors and what transpired thereafter is a secret that rowed away from the sinking wreckage with its lone survivor: Deimos. Unshackled, he made his way to Port Defiance, and there found his calling as a corsair. He learned from the exploits of the merciless pirates that ruled the seas with fear. He found his own name joined among the likes of the most vicious among them. Surrounded by the threat of nations, the rage of the sea and the betrayal of men, Deimos thrived. Despite all of this, the birth of his daughter sparked whispers that the insatiable captain was losing his once-keen edge. Lending support to these whispers was what some perceived as a flight from Port Defiance in the midst of his conflict with an up and coming cutthroat who'd made himself an obstacle to Deimos. A secluded cove used by Caina's illicit enterprises became his port of harbor, where he could frequently visit the Cainite woman who'd captured his heart and given him the one treasure he valued above all others: his daughter. Deimos' crew started to resent him and his attachment to this island. They felt a change in the wind, and in their captain, so they hatched a plan to 'strand' him on Caina, to mutiny and abscond with his ship. One loyal sailor apprised Deimos of this plan, and so he devised a clever scheme to win Caina's favor by 'exposing' the threat of his previous crew and sailing a ship out to crush them. He got his vengeance on the mutineers, and Caina got its 'hero.' And so he has grown in the island's esteem, built a reputation amongst the stubborn citizens of the black cliffs, and turned to more legal work in Caina's navy. With the shifting of the tides, Caina's growth to a March, and the new ruler, he heads to Arx to see what fortune has in store for him there.
  e what fortune has in store for him there.)
• Delia Whisper  + (Delia has always loved stories, great and …
  Delia has always loved stories, great and small. Ever since she was a child, one of many in a lowly commoner merchant family in Arx, she remembers talking about about the pagentry and glamor of the court and picking out the stories that excited everyone to hear. What noble was doing what to whom, what a noblewoman said that caused gasps, the ebb and flow caused by developing relationships... it all captivated her. Even the things that were tragic contained an element of drama that was a delight to her, if at one stage removed. She knew from a young age that she absolutely wanted to become one of the elite courtiers of the Whisper House, to move around the highest echelons of nobility and watch first hand the drama as it unfolded. In many ways, the Whisper House is everything she ever dreamed of, but she was privately shocked at how many nobles were... really, really bad at being nobles. Even some otherwise crafty Lycene nobility would occasionally just say something truly unfortunate in a White Journal and then be absolutely shocked when they were suddenly a social pariah, and it stunned Delia to see how many of these paragons of grace and refinement were remarkably ungraceful and truly unrefined when it came to maneuvering around socially. As a courtier, she started reaching out to individuals that were dying socially of impressively massive self-inflicted wounds and was surprised how remarkably easy it was to help individuals come back with the right explanation, with a little bit of deft care in saying the right apologies to the right people, and getting them back on track. Now, she's a highly sought after Whisper by individuals who really, really cannot seem to avoid alienating people they really cannot afford to alienate, which is where she comes in. While dramatic meltdowns in the White Journals might not be the highest example of nobility at its best, it does provide someone with a little more finesse the opportunity to make an excellent living as an apologist.
  make an excellent living as an apologist.)
• Delilah Whitehawk  + (Delilah is the oldest daughter of three bo …
  Delilah is the oldest daughter of three born to Jerome Mercier and the older sister of Kenna. She was, arguably, her father's favorite -- and it shows it many of her habits. Her wanderlust was obvious from a young age and her father frequently indulged her by allowing her to accompany him on his business trips up and down the Gray River. She picked up his penchant for thorough record keeping, as well as exceptionally neat writing. When she was sixteen she was allowed to go on her own forays with the small family river boat. She befriended a fellow adventurer, Bridget, during her first 'adventure' to Whitehold. They quickly became thick as thieves and explored much of the northern Crownlands together... until a deadly miscalculation on her part left Bridget dead and herself traumatized. What happened? She hasn't told anyone -- not even Bridget's bereaved family. She returned home and became a recluse, cutting herself off from most of the outside world, to simply digest what had occurred and to grieve. During this period, she distracted herself by working in a minor capacity with the Inquisition, writing at length about what she'd seen in her travels to help with with their investigations at home, and she considered joining as a junior rank as a confessor. She eventually climbed out of her depression with the diligent attention and care of her little sisters, and emerged from her room humbled and wiser from the experience. The wanderlust remained, and she answered the call once again. When she heard her sister Kenna left home to join their ennobled cousin's household, Delilah was flabbergasted, having been unaware of just how much her sibling admired the new baron. When she had some rest afforded to her from her adventuring and studies, she decided to follow as well -- particularly when she heard that the Nox'alfar were given an embassy within Arx. It's not every day you see an elf... or is it, now?
  every day you see an elf... or is it, now?)
• Delilah Shepherd  + (Delilah is the oldest daughter of three bo …
  Delilah is the oldest daughter of three born to Jerome Mercier and the older sister of Kenna. She was, arguably, her father's favorite -- and it shows it many of her habits. Her wanderlust was obvious from a young age and her father frequently indulged her by allowing her to accompany him on his business trips up and down the Gray River. She picked up his penchant for thorough record keeping, as well as exceptionally neat writing. When she was sixteen she was allowed to go on her own forays with the small family river boat. She befriended a fellow adventurer, Bridget, during her first 'adventure' to Whitehold. They quickly became thick as thieves and explored much of the northern Crownlands together... until a deadly miscalculation on her part left Bridget dead and herself traumatized. What happened? She hasn't told anyone -- not even Bridget's bereaved family. She returned home and became a recluse, cutting herself off from most of the outside world, to simply digest what had occurred and to grieve. During this period, she distracted herself by working in a minor capacity with the Inquisition, writing at length about what she'd seen in her travels to help with with their investigations at home, and she considered joining as a junior rank as a confessor. She eventually climbed out of her depression with the diligent attention and care of her little sisters, and emerged from her room humbled and wiser from the experience. The wanderlust remained, and she answered the call once again. When she heard her sister Kenna left home to join their ennobled cousin's household, Delilah was flabbergasted, having been unaware of just how much her sibling admired the new baron. When she had some rest afforded to her from her adventuring and studies, she decided to follow as well -- particularly when she heard that the Nox'alfar were given an embassy within Arx. It's not every day you see an elf... or is it, now?
  every day you see an elf... or is it, now?)
• Denica Thrax  + (Denica cannot remember much from her earli …
  Denica cannot remember much from her earliest childhood, but she does remember the feelings of love and encouragement freely given from two kindhearted parents. She can also recall a sense of shattered joy when her parents were killed in the Tyde rebellion, and the years it took to recover from a malady of muteness. During that time, she learned to appreciate the beauty of the world, and how to capture such beauty for all eternity. Painting became a favorite hobby, but sculpting and carving and sewing also enchanted her for numerous long hours of her life. Upon reciting written lyrics in the middle of Thraxian court, the curse of shy silence had been lifted. Soon enough, it was the odd noble that didn't come away from her grandfather's palace without a trinket or two made by the artistic princess. As if trying to experience all her lost childhood in one go, Denica also began painting pictures on guest's blankets or stealing favorite rings from jewelry boxes. A girl on a mission to wreak mischief, she interrupted important meetings and frightened the servants with her theatrics more than once. Occasionally, she gallivanted into the city, causing nearly as much havoc as back home. She quickly earned herself the charming moniker of the 'Little Devil of Thrax.' However, with that nickname, many guardsmen and local nobles soon wizened to her schemes, and even Grandfather Thrax brought her before the throne for a stern lecture. Throughout the chaotic era of her life, Denica's antics burned away most of the sympathy accumulated by her previous morose condition, leaving only a few close friends. With maturity came an epiphany, a realization that she lived almost entirely outside the social sphere. Partly out of a desire to fit in, but mostly because she wished to be more than a mere 'wild child,' she at last tempered into something vaguely resembling a proper Thraxian noblewoman. Brash recklessness developed desperately into clever charm and a keen insight of the human mind. In appreciably subtler ways, she displayed her artistic talents and devious intellect for the benefit of acceptance and even admiration among her peers. For her nineteenth name day, she managed to convince her grandfather that she could be safely seen in the wider public, allowing her to take an adventurous trip to the grand city of Arx.
  adventurous trip to the grand city of Arx.)

• Desma Magnotta  + (Desma came into the world rather unexpecte …
  Desma came into the world rather unexpectedly to parents who believed their family was complete with their first-born. The second daughter of Darko Blackram and Wendy Malvici, she was born at the Cloudspine where the family had retreated to following the outbreak of the Southport-Tor war. A handful of years younger than her sister, she grew up in Dora's great golden shadow, but whereas her sister had been doted upon as a single child and had duly become somewhat spoiled, her parents were better prepared a second time around. Despite the heavier hand that her parents took in her raising, it'd be fair to say that Desma lacked for nothing in her formative years. Her tutors saw to it that she was pushed in her in scholastic and physical endeavours, and she enjoyed the love bestowed upon her by parents that all too often despaired of her sister's behaviour. She saw first-hand the misery and embarrassment that her sister visited upon her parents with her reckless behaviour, and she resented her for it. It was a resentment that was, in no small part, due to the fact that Desma also possessed an adventurous soul, but thanks to Dora's wild ways her own adventures were curtailed to days in the forests with huntsmen and wardens. She took what she could however, knowing that her own time would eventually come, and she learned to shoot a bow true, and to track and hunt the animals of the forests that lay around their home. It was on one such trip as she neared her seventeenth birthday that she found a fledgling osprey which she'd go on to take home and raise by hand. It would be difficult to say who is more devoted to who; the bird to Desma or Desma to the bird, but one thing is certain and that is that he is next to useless for hunting anything but fish. She's been told far too many times by her reckoning that she should have found herself a kestrel or a hawk, a bird that'd be useful, but those that suggest such find themselves on the receiving end of her ascerbic wit or subjected to a look that could kill. So it was with Desma, as with others of the Malvici line, that she enrolled for her military service at the age of eighteen. Her affinity with a bow placed her firmly amongst the ranks of the Southport army archers and she served time on many occasions on the Southport Fleet. It would come as no surprise to anyone that sailing with the fleet would throw her directly into the path of her cousin Domonico, and she naturally held a great depth of respect for him, not only as her cousin, but as Admiral of the fleet. Gradually she saw where her future would lie. She wasn't content to wallow as a mostly insignificant and distant relative within House Malvici, so set her sights on being a bigger fish in the smaller pond of House Magnotta. Like her sister before her she pinned her colours to her cousin's house, but whereas Dora hadn't committed herself heart and soul, Desma did. She bears the name of Magnotta with pride and comes to Arx determined to do her utmost to see the small island cluster on the southernmost reaches of Arvum thrive and flourish.
  most reaches of Arvum thrive and flourish.)
• Calista Fidante  + (Despite a tragic past, Calista is not a bi …
  Despite a tragic past, Calista is not a bitter woman. Not that she wouldn't possess considerably justification to be bitter, in her humble opinion. When your stepfather murders your mother after your birth to attempt a coup by declaring himself regent over you, and your elder brother leads a revolt that kills the man even before you learn how to walk, it's not the most auspicious beginnings to a bright and shining happy childhood. But she's not the only noblewoman to be raised nearly entirely by tutors instead of family, due to her lord brother the Duke barely ever having time for his only surviving sibling. So no, Calista is not bitter, but she also has no intention of letting her life be dictated to her by an older sibling, no matter how well intentioned. Who to see, how to speak, how to act due to how she might be perceived, what to wear, what hobbies to pursue, and on and on and on to 'live up to the standards of the Fidante family', when House Fidante is mostly well known for how her stepfather murdered her mother and started a war. She damned well will decide exactly what it means to be a Fidante, and to her that means having fun how she wants, when she wants, anyway she wants it despite the opinions of anyone else. Political power and scheming and intrigue is fine for some people (especially old boring ones), and it's hilarious to have the movers and shakers of society try to guess devious cunning plans behind the random things she does, but she doesn't really set out to cause trouble. Well, mostly. Some people deserve trouble. But she really isn't trying to give her brother the Duke of Tyr a heart attack, she just refuses to be reined in and bow to the public perceptions of the oppressively boring and old that cluck their tongues in disapproval at daring behavior or gasp in horror that someone used the wrong spoon at a royal feast. For those people, she is only too happy (gleeful, really) to be considered 'a problem' or 'trouble' and if she can make their lives more difficult without getting into real trouble for it, she will gladly take it. Maybe she'll settle down and get serious about playing the games of power and politics that older nobles enjoy, maybe she'll even make her ideas of fun benefit her in that regard, but for now, she mostly is just about a good time.
  now, she mostly is just about a good time.)
• Rastifer Redrain  + (Despite being of the illustrious Redrain f …
  Despite being of the illustrious Redrain family, Rasifer grew up far from politics. From a young age he was trained in the arts of sailing and swordsmanship and at first opportunity he went off to sea to explore the world as his ever growing curiosity pulled him further and further from home. Fully expecting to be disowned by his family at the abandonment of his duties, he was happily surprised to find that though he had been removed from the line of succession he maintained his title and position in the family upon his return many years later.
  e family upon his return many years later.)
• Quintin Ashford  + (Despite being the only child Quintin someh …
  Despite being the only child Quintin somehow managed to be a kid brother tagalong, always getting underfoot. He accomplished this by pestering his cousins, whom he admired greatly, for stories. As a child, he had a wooden sword that he took everywhere, even to bed, and dreamed of becoming a master swordsman - House Sword, in fact. Stories of battles were his bread and butter, and he was always interested in tales of trickier swordsmen who used their brains to gain advantage over their opponents. It turned out he had a head for tactics and strategy, and one of the few things that could get him to sit still were strategy games. Otherwise always moving, Quintin had a habit of poking about and climbing around places he really shouldn't; a trip to one of Ashford's manned watch stations up in the trees resulted in a tumble when climbing and a very hard landing. He broke his leg. Badly. And then he was bedridden for a time, a young, restless boy just barely into his teenage years. He thought he would die of boredom. It slowed him down a lot, but in some ways, it was a blessing. It meant he finally spent enough time in one spot to pay more attention to lessons and reading, to the delight of his rather scholarly father. It turned out he had to be a captive audience to become interested in practical things like economics and diplomacy. A scholarly acquaintance snuck him some tales of adventure, which he eagerly read, and soon enough, he was devouring the written word. He maintained this love of reading even after he recovered; he also gained a new understanding of the importance of a bit of caution. Just a bit. He's still happy to climb just about anything. When he was seventeen or so, his interest in tactics and swordsmanship abruptly declined. He still enjoyed swordplay, but only with the aim of sparring. It seemed his interest in becoming House Sword had also waned; he turned more toward scholarly pursuits, becoming interested in history. History was a series of adventures, he thought, and he wanted to know about those adventures, about the people involved in them. And so he neglected his familial duties for a time, opting to travel down south instead, poking about ruins and exploring. As of late Autumn 1010 AR, he returned to the fold and took up residence with the rest of his family in Arx.
  idence with the rest of his family in Arx.)
• Faye Ruger  + (Despite growing up a commoner, Faye Ruger …
  Despite growing up a commoner, Faye Ruger was treated with a degree of respect and even fear that she never could grow accustomed to. The daughter of the previous Master of Questions of the Inquisition, her father was responsible for ferreting out the threats to the Compact and bringing the enemies of the Crown to justice, and Faye quickly learned as a child just how feared the Inquisition truly was. It pained her to see innocent men and women legitimately afraid of the institution, and deeply offended her that some would imagine that her good and honorable father would be capable of the kind of arbitrary maliciousness that some ascribe to the Crown's investigative arm. Certainly the Inquisition has to make difficult, even cruel choices at times for the good of everyone, but she never saw her father be capricious or unjust, and she grew up expecting to follow in his footsteps to safeguard the Realm. Her father Berthold Ruger's death a decade ago solidified that vague expectation into a burning desire, and there's perhaps no more dedicated investigator inside the entire Inquisition. Certainly that's what her partner and constant companion Prince Laric Grayson feels about her, with his freewheeling and imaginative nature a perfect match for her dedicated, calculating resolve. It's not easy, and she's had to do plenty of things to protect the realm that can make one lose sleep at night, but this is what she was born to do.
  ight, but this is what she was born to do.)
• Samantha Deepwood  + (Despite her youth, Marquessa Samantha Deep …
  Despite her youth, Marquessa Samantha Deepwood's moving speeches before the Assembly of Peers has some nobles referring to her as 'the conscience of the Peers'. This is faint praise, as she stands nearly alone as one of the few nobles whose oratory consistently has focused on the plight of those beneath the nobility, but her unique background allows many of the more indifferent nobility to forgive her stranger notions on matters such as social justice for commoners. A uniquely tragic background, in fact, and the rest of the peerage is likely to give her some understanding because of it. When she was but a child, House Tyde rose up in bloody rebellion against House Thrax in the far east and threw the Mourning Isles into civil war. King Alaric III grew alarmed that the bloodshed could spread, and wished to bring the unruly vassals to heel and settle the conflict, gathering his banners to argue from a position of strength. House Deepwood, as vassals of House Bisland and thus to House Grayson, answered the call along with the rest of Grayson's servants, but the elderly Marquis Deepwood sent his sons and most of his forces while staying home with just a token honor guard and family to watch the Deepwood lands. Unfortunately, the Gray Forest Reapers heard of the sudden vulnerability of the marquis' lands. The powerful Abandoned clan struck while the family was nearly defenseless, slaughtered the handful of defenders and commoners at the estate, and took the very young child Samantha Deepwood hostage for ransom. Samantha's family did not survive, and while Duke Gabriel Bisland led a rescue and put the majority of the Gray Forest Reapers to the sword that shattered their power for a generation, the badly traumatized child was left to be raised by tutors and regents as the future Marquessa of Deepwood March. Now the young woman has grown into adulthood and is a full Peer of the Realm, but she has never forgotten the deaths of all she knew when she was a child. She feels a bone deep obligation to do right by the dead and build a better realm for tomorrow.
  ead and build a better realm for tomorrow.)
• Axel Culler  + (Despite his nature, not knowing much about …
  Despite his nature, not knowing much about his parents never really bothered him. In fact, growing up as an orphan and seeing other kids be -- quite literally -- used and abused, made Axel come to the conclusion that most blood ties, are just as superficial as the brown-nosing beggar on the street; the one that gives you praise and calls you their best friend, but spits behind your back the moment you pass by without paying them any attention. That mentality, which developed relatively early on, helped him pay little to no mind to the position he ended up in. The struggles he went through were no different from the other orphans, but they didn't bother him that much either. What bothered him though, is how frustratingly little he knew; the adults surrounding him -- always up to something. From the tavern wench whispering yet another shady patron's ear off, to the rare noble scurrying along the Lower Boroughs in the cover of the night, hoping to stay unnoticed. Whatever it was, the young Axel felt left out. It was just plain unfair! And since wallowing in self-pity and feeling betrayed by the rest of the world around him, wasn't something he was particularly fond of, he decided to do something about it. While the rest of the kids were busy getting into trouble for a loaf of bread, Axel would rather starve than pass up an opportunity to stick his nose into someone's business. He honed his skills and learned the ins and outs of the boroughs, by getting caught over and over again, or by running away and hiding from people who found out that he knows a little too much for their liking. He didn't neglect his mental faculties either, making sure to study at the boarding school he went to with the rest of the orphans, developing his ability to think analytically. Being young helped him in his ventures, as people tend to pay little attention to a clueless orphan, roaming around the streets. But, the ones that have keen eyes and wield power in the Lower Boroughs eventually took notice of Axel. The Cullers were the ones to catch him snooping about, ready to dash away with one of their secrets he'd just found out, but instead of punishing him, they offered to take him in as one of their own, which he accepted. They nurtured his developing abilities and let him become the man he is today. Quiet and calculated, Axel works for them as an investigator of sorts, taking on a wide array of tasks to repay his debts to the family.
  of tasks to repay his debts to the family.)
• Deva Redrain  + (Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents …
  Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents and dedicated legions of servants, the young Redrain princess was always an unruly wild child. Deva learned early on that her father found her outbursts and fits of rebellion privately hilarious and adorable, even if his responsibilities as the Prince of Farhaven and high lord of House Redrain meant he was well aware how problematic the young hellraiser might be in the future. By her teenage years, Deva's mother had finally managed to find tutors that could make limited strides towards turning the young hellion into a 'proper young noblewoman', though it's still a rare individual that risks the fiery princess' temper by telling Deva she cannot do something. Though she'd never admit it, her parents efforts were far more effective than they know. Deva has a firm awareness of the responsibilities of a high born princess of House Redrain, and knowing that the wrong word or scandal could bring down ruin upon her house weighs heavily upon the fiery young woman's mind. But she rankles under the notion that she has to become as repressed and boring as every stodgy southerner, and she can't help it if shocking their sensibilities is hysterical. House Redrain did not become one of the five great houses and control the North by meekly copying southern fashions, as far as Deva's concerned. While she might vehemently deny caring what southerners think about her, she has been careful to avoid creating too embarrassing of a scandal. While publicly Deva might give her twin brother Darren grief for possessing the audacity to be born a few minutes before her and rob her of a chance of ruling over House Redrain, privately the young woman knows that heavy is the head that wears the crown. More to the point, watching her father constantly get into exhausting meeting after exhausting meeting, being high lord seems like no fun at all. Just no one better tell her that she's incapable of leading if she wanted to. That would sound suspiciously like a challenge, and Deva likes nothing more than a challenge.
  Deva likes nothing more than a challenge.)
• Deva Velenosa  + (Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents …
  Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents and dedicated legions of servants, the young Redrain princess was always an unruly wild child. Deva learned early on that her father found her outbursts and fits of rebellion privately hilarious and adorable, even if his responsibilities as the Prince of Farhaven and high lord of House Redrain meant he was well aware how problematic the young hellraiser might be in the future. By her teenage years, Deva's mother had finally managed to find tutors that could make limited strides towards turning the young hellion into a 'proper young noblewoman', though it's still a rare individual that risks the fiery princess' temper by telling Deva she cannot do something. Though she'd never admit it, her parents efforts were far more effective than they know. Deva has a firm awareness of the responsibilities of a high born princess of House Redrain, and knowing that the wrong word or scandal could bring down ruin upon her house weighs heavily upon the fiery young woman's mind. But she rankles under the notion that she has to become as repressed and boring as every stodgy southerner, and she can't help it if shocking their sensibilities is hysterical. House Redrain did not become one of the five great houses and control the North by meekly copying southern fashions, as far as Deva's concerned. While she might vehemently deny caring what southerners think about her, she has been careful to avoid creating too embarrassing of a scandal. While publicly Deva might give her twin brother Darren grief for possessing the audacity to be born a few minutes before her and rob her of a chance of ruling over House Redrain, privately the young woman knows that heavy is the head that wears the crown. More to the point, watching her father constantly get into exhausting meeting after exhausting meeting, being high lord seems like no fun at all. Just no one better tell her that she's incapable of leading if she wanted to. That would sound suspiciously like a challenge, and Deva likes nothing more than a challenge.
  Deva likes nothing more than a challenge.)
• Thiri Peyton  + (Details of Thiri's life are not well known …
  Details of Thiri's life are not well known or documented. Insofar as anyone can tell she was the daughter of a baker (mother) and upholsterer (father). Her early life consisted mainly of helping in the bakery or sweeping up nails and fabric scraps and growing up in Setarco. She entered combat training in her teenage years and found a living in illicit street fighting. She had a pretty good thing going for her in those circles, but quit suddenly without any known reason. She did go back to the bakery and simply became her mother's helper. When the armies of Setarco and Thrax came to Nilanza to rout out House Argento she found herself suddenly enlisted as a competent fighter. She was spotted hacking away at enemy combatants by Duarte Amadeo, and apparently she left enough of an impression. It wasn't but a few months later when she was asked to travel to Bravura in Setarco and agreed at Duarte's insistence to serve House Amadeo as sword. She didn't get a fancy weapon though. A real bummer. When she caught wind that Duarte was up and leaving Bravura for Arx she insisted on coming along. What is she going to do in Bravura, after all? Yes. She invited herself. Who's going to stop her? Pfft.
  ed herself. Who's going to stop her? Pfft.)
• Dianara Whisper  + (Dianara was born one of half a dozen child …
  Dianara was born one of half a dozen children to a successful smith in Sanctum but showed no particular aptitude toward the craft. Her clever nature seemed to suggest a career in the Faith for the girl and was definitely the course her family intended for her. Yet, before any vows could be taken, her own drive took her in the direction of the Whisper House to which she arrived with nothing but the clothes on her back and an eagerness to be trained. She learned quickly and developed a reputation for good humor and pleasant company. Eventually, her career took her in the direction of teaching. For a decade, she has traveled the length and breadth of Arvum, finding many noble and wealthy common families across all the fealties who desired a Whisper for instruction on etiquette and good manners. Her genial nature and thorough instruction have earned her a stellar reputation and her services have been in very high demand. Yet, despite that popularity, Dianara has decided to return to Arx and the Whisper House with the twin aims of offering her support and assistance to the new Radiant while also renewing her acquaintances in the city.
  so renewing her acquaintances in the city.)
• Dianna Mazetti  + (Dianna was born just as the sun was cresti …
  Dianna was born just as the sun was cresting the horizon, and her mother always said that the birth of her and her sister - who was just moments away - truly brought light into her life. As far as childhood goes, the twins had something approaching idyllic. Of course, this was shattered with the onset of the Tor-Southport war, though not in ways dramatic or outlandish. While the Mazetti suffered loss and hardship, what stood out most in Dianna's mind was the new found grimness of her older relatives, and a sudden lack of what had formerly been abundant. It took some growing for either herself or her sister to truly comprehend the cost the war had demanded of all those it affected, but it was a grim lesson of life that Dianna never let part from her. At thirteen, Dianna and her sister were introduced to an ancient, highly respected institution amongst House Mazetti: the glaivedancers. They were not members, not even close. It would take years of rigorous training in both the mental and the physical before they were finally inducted into that exclusive body of men and women. When that day came, however, it was a proud moment for the twins, as well as for their family. While her main duties typically saw her remaining in Ostria, with the rest of the Mazetti, Dianna has accompanied Vitalis on two of his more wild (dangerous) adventures. She was more than glad to prove that a glaivedancer is not simply a warrior one calls upon to cut down obstacles, but also an individual capable of employing a mixture of diplomacy and charm to win through tense situations. Her latest challenge has come in the form of leaving Ostria behind to engage in the game that is life in the capital of Arvum. Dianna, naturally, is confident that she will prove herself more than capable. As any change in circumstances may inevitably have unforeseen results, the return to Arx has had a greater impact on the woman than any may have ever suspected, and circumstances have led Lady Dianna Mazetti to trade of her duties as a glaivedancer in exchange for oaths of a higher nature - as a godsworn Mirrormask, extremely rare in the city. Reactions by her family have been varied, but resulted, inevitably, in Dianna’s surname being replaced by ‘Godsworn’; and, with the release of her duties to family, Dianna is embarking upon profoundly new territory in service to the Faith.
  dly new territory in service to the Faith.)
• Diego Leary  + (Diego always had a good head for maths. He …
  Diego always had a good head for maths. He liked to build things with blocks and, at one point, attempted to dig a giant tunnel fort into the earth at the estate of Southport. It's not really clear what he planned to /do/ in this tunnel fort, beside lay traps for the unwary -- the building was the thing. That and getting himself as covered in dirt as possible, as far as his nannies and watchers were concerned. Much of his childhood was like this, building forts, making them defensible-- His youth was shattered by war and chaos in snapshots as a young teenager, as war in the Lyceum raged between Tor and Southport, but Diego was too young to fight, and not fierce enough to pretend to adulthood. He spent the days of the war being nervously squirreled from place to place. Perhaps it was the memories of this that would make Southport eventually seek marital, martial alliance with allies beyond the Lyceum. The first time he was at Arx with his mother, it was winter and it SNOWED, which provided ample opportunity for snow warfare. Diego loved the city and he loved the cold, and romanticized it for the rest of his life. Maybe that was why he was so ready and willing to sign a marriage contract that would send him to the Learies in his twenties -- although, of course, part of that had to do with becoming the consort of a March rather than the younger cousin of a March. Social ambition was never Diego's pinnacle, but it remained a lure. He did not love Hianara Leary, particularly, but he thought they could grow to enjoy each other in time. Their marriage was short, though, before she died, and they had no heirs. Diego remained with his new family, finding he could be of great practical use to the armies of the March, and also finding that the stable vassal relationships between Leary, Laveer and Ashford were ... so much safer than what he could remember from his youth.
  han what he could remember from his youth.)
• Dierdre Fallow  + (Dierdre grew up the child of spice merchan …
  Dierdre grew up the child of spice merchants who made their home in Westrock Reach. They had a decent amount of money and she didn't want for a lot or education. While her parents wanted her to follow in their footsteps, she found other passions. On voyages she preffered to spar with the men on deck than pour over columns and tables for supplies or do math with her father. Her distaste for the business of merchanting got to the point, when she was younger anyway, that she started throwing screaming tantrums. It didn't last long. Rarely does a child enjoy being lowered in a harness, while at sea, to scrub the sides of the boat. Realizing their daughter would be hard pressed to take over they focused on her younger brother instead. Who was much more apt and interested than she had ever been. This left her free to pursue her martial training. It was in her teen years that the family had to hire protection during a particularly problematic priate epidemic. So they hired a squadron of Crimson Blades mercenaries. Dierdre took to them instantly, asking questions, mimicing their strict and regimental behavior. On their off time the hires marines sparred and told her stories. To say she was hooked was an understatement. So as soon as she could she joined and prove an apt student. But where her true talent lay, she soon found, was in teaching and helping her fellow Blades improve their own skills. So she was assigned to Iron Company eventually. Spending most of her time in Arx, when not out on a contract, she does travel back and forth training and working. But she is no stranged to actual conflict as well.
  is no stranged to actual conflict as well.)
• Dismas Scratch  + (Dismas grew up in a remote, no-name villag …
  Dismas grew up in a remote, no-name village within the county of Oakhaven, born to a man good with his hands and a woman good with her words. When he was twelve, a terrible illness swept through the village, claiming the life of his father and rendering his mother sickly. He'd already learned enough from his father about family and work ethic to understand that it was his responsibility to take care of his mother and little sister from then on. Despite her lingering illness, his mother continued--and continues to this day--to serve as a voice for their village, helping to lead their people. As he grew older, ready to set down his own path, this duty to watch over those he loved limited his options, denying him the chance to become a proper knight as any oaths of service he would be required to swear would keep him from his family for extended periods of time. So, he turned to odd, short-run jobs which would see him returning back to his village quickly enough, usually guarding caravans. When other, more lucrative--and less strictly legal--opportunites presented themselves, allowing him to make more silver and spend more time back home? How could he say no. If he was able to pick up a trinket for his momma and sister on each run, all the better. He'd been running with the same crew for years when they fell on bad luck, most turning up dead or disappeared in the sort of way that sometimes happens when the Inquisition gets involved. Rather than stick around and try to find work after that fiasco, he finally took off to forge his own path, trusting his mother's caretaking to his little sister. Arriving in Arx, he's signed on with the Champions, ready to train and to prove himself, ready to make something better than the life he left behind.
  thing better than the life he left behind.)
• Saro Uliveto  + (Dogged by bad luck and poor decisions, Sar …
  Dogged by bad luck and poor decisions, Saro is a woman who seems perpetually to be trying to leave one life behind for a new one, trailing a string of battered cast-off existences in her wake. Her origins lie in the warm, dry farming country of the Lyceum, and it's certain that she's been by turns olive grower's daughter, ship's deckhand, farrier's assistant, and street entertainer, but she also seems to have been involved in a number of failed or elsewise simply disagreeable ventures that she prefers to leave in the past. Whatever else she may have been and however fickle her fortunes, she chanced happily to find a trade she truly loved when she become a luthier's apprentice in the city of Bravura. With a deft hand, a delicate touch, and an eye and ear alike attuned to beauty, she is in a fair way to become a carpenter and luthier of good reputation in Arx -- with luck.
  er of good reputation in Arx -- with luck.)
• Donato Inverno  + (Donato was born a whole three minutes befo …
  Donato was born a whole three minutes before his sister, which makes him the oldest. However, unlike her he's a little bit less invested in staying put, and has been prone to getting into wild adventures from an early age. When he was fourteen he ran away from home, joined a crew sailing out of Nilanza and went by the name Vinnie for several years before putting in to port at home in Caina once more. By then he'd explored the islands, fought his share of battles, and lived a rather colorful life. However, the whole time he maintained contact with his sister, sending her letters whenever he could, even though he never told her where he was, he always told her where to send the next letter so he could pick it up. When Argento fell, he was there, but he was not part of the fighting itself. His sister refused to allow him to participate, and he didn't want to break her heart by ending up the way the Argento's did anyways.
  ding up the way the Argento's did anyways.)
• Dorian Champions  + (Dorian shamelessly garners sympathy from n …
  Dorian shamelessly garners sympathy from noblewomen by casting himself as a victim of circumstance, but few of the women that fall prey to his charms ever realize just how willingly the rogue embraced those exact circumstances. Born the son of a knightly paragon of chivalric virtue, the rogue realized very early that unless he acted quickly he'd wind up doomed to an extremely tedious and quite possibly fatal existence as a nameless man-at-arms in some lord's service or if he tried excruciatingly hard like his father, another nameless knight to die in some backwater fighting shavs. That was not in the least bit appealing to Dorian, who realized that while fighting skills could certainly be handy, who he knew and who he could win over seemed to matter an awful lot more... especially if he became a champion. To the rakish young man, it was the perfect calling. Gorgeous (and rich) women looking for men to fight their honor against foes of questionable quality, and if he put on a show, it would just win over more. Just defeating a few louts in 'honorable combat' and duels for show gained him far more than soldiering ever would, and he hardly sees having to spend time with noblewomen over soldiers as a drawback. No, he might never be hailed at the newest and greatest knight, but if it wins over someone beautiful, well born, and willing to marry a commoner...? He'd take being a champion any day.
  er...? He'd take being a champion any day.)
• Oona Seliki  + (Dowager Countess Oona is the mother of Orr …
  Dowager Countess Oona is the mother of Orrin and gandmother of Peri and Kaldur. What her son and grandchildren learned of statecraft, for the most part they learned from her. After her first husband, the Count died, she secured her son's seat as Count and elected to enjoy a life of leisurely retirement. She married twice more between then and the present, but in both cases, her husband passed away before her. After her daughter-in-law died of sickness, Oona returned to Orrin's court, agreeing to take up the role as serving as his Voice. While she loves her grandchildren very much, she is well aware of Peri's strong calling away from being heir, and Kaldur's raw potential for being a successful one. Sometimes people just need a push...carefully, so they're unaware of it.
  ush...carefully, so they're unaware of it.)
• Draven Bruvir  + (Draven was born into one of the great trib …
  Draven was born into one of the great tribes that Volkov oversaw and cared for. Then the rival tribe came riding in and destroyed everything, leaving very few survivors. With Draven being one of them and only a young boy, he was taking in by the main family of the Volkovs and trained to become a house servant. Over time he was assigned to tend to and look after Aahana since she was often sneaking away from the camp to eavesdrop on her lessons. And as time grew, she encouraged him in his experimenting and dabbling in the apothecary things. She even sent him to the apothecary college with hopes that he would be able to create something absolutely amazing with his schooling. Now that Aahana is in Arx and his schooling is far completed, he is coming to aide her and the rest of the Volkovs within the city of Arx.
  est of the Volkovs within the city of Arx.)
• Drifa Seraceni  + (Drifa was a young girl upon a shav longshi …
  Drifa was a young girl upon a shav longship when the Seraceni corsairs boarded the small vessel. She had been a capture prize from a neighboring small village that had been wiped out from the raiding party. Led by the father of the Marquis of Seraceni she was taken in and afforded the protection of the House. As far as Drifa knows, she is the last of her village to survive and so she stayed with the Seraceni and learned their ways. Drifa mourned the loss of the Seraceni Marquis and Marquessa. She was frequently used by the family to scout and steal when necessary against Corsair targets. She became a capable corsair herself and was given her own longship to crew and command. Drifa owes her life to the Seraceni. She is loyal and does her best to not let the wild ways that still linger in her disposition to reflect poorly on her House. Although at times this can be a struggle as she has grown older she has also grown a bit more accepting. Drifa is loyal to the family and dependable. She also loves being a Corsair and depriving people of their fancy goods whenever possible. She has become a trusted ward of the family.
  e has become a trusted ward of the family.)
• Duncan Hawkmour  + (Duncan Hawkmour inherited the House from h …
  Duncan Hawkmour inherited the House from his father at the age of 22. Eldest of four children, though only one of his brothers and his only sister remain alive, Duncan has been raised to his position from his first breath. Admittedly..he did not always see eye to eye with his father, the most public instance of such disagreement having been around the Tor-Southport War. A war that his father had only desire to stay neutral in. Duncan, friends with Leo, and with a sense of 'right' that gave him no other choice, left to support his friend in the war and eventually his father was forced to declare Hawkmour's full partisanship. Both his parents succumbed to the same sickness, some four years apart, his mother dying not long after Duncan's 18th birthday and his father on the day of his 22nd. His brother, Erik, nearest in age to him died in the Tor-Southport war, leaving him with a brother and sister remaining: Thomas and Sarah.
  er and sister remaining: Thomas and Sarah.)
• Llewella Melaeris  + (During Melaeris's isolation, while trying …
  During Melaeris's isolation, while trying to hold strong and avoid the destruction that Donrai Thrax might visit on them, Princess Kellen Grayson set sail to visit relatives in the Isles. A storm would see that her ship was dashed against rocks and luck would have Darius Melaeris find her upon the shore more than half drowned. As Kellen recovered under the care of Melaeris, Darius would stop in many times to visit and a bond grew. From that bond, a wedding. From the wedding, a child: Llewella. Llewella would spend most of her time in Astarrea with frequent visits to Bastion. Many of the Island vassals would grumble that it was the Grayson attitudes responsible for influencing the girl to constantly try to change things. If it were anywhere but Melaeris, this constant push against tradition might have earned her far more trouble. Thankfully, it earned her tutors to teach her a better way to get things done than just asking, "Why?" and whining. As she matured, Llewella was given more responsibility. Her sharp mind and constant need to improve things would see her take on a mantle akin to steward. She saw to the logistics of trade and war, learned to run a household and look out for the people around her. And she was relatively content to stay in Astarrea with some visits to the mainland. But now Vera's taking a break and someone has to be in Arx.
  king a break and someone has to be in Arx.)
• Rikako Tyde  + (During the Tyde rebellion, her parents had …
  During the Tyde rebellion, her parents had fled to the mainland. Even though they were just commoners, they weren't quite trusted enough to fit in peacefully to their new home, so they traveled about seeking temporary work until eventually her father joined the Redwood Mercanry Company and survived the brutal training. Rikako was five when a dangerous mission claimed his life, leaving her, her mother, and her baby brother to struggle alone. Around a couple years later, her mother remarried, but Rikako never got along with her new step-father. Having grown up of tales of her father's exploits, she dreamed of the Redwoods and pretended to search for them in increasingly adventurous excursions to keep her out of his sight. Years later, her pretend turned to an earnest search and the skills she had gained eventually set her on the trail that led to her meeting Ajax and joining the Redwoods she had sought for so long.
  g the Redwoods she had sought for so long.)
• Dustin Nidhogg  + (Dustin does not know much of his people bu …
  Dustin does not know much of his people but he remembers his father, uncles, his aunts, siblings, and his mother. The way they wore the dirt on their skin and walked the earth barefoot from island to island. Always on the move, it was crucial that he and all of those in his family knew how to haggle and while Dustin was too young at the time to hold any real responsibility, the children of the family were always kept close for them to learn. They found the hospitality of a mountainous clan who unknown to them were amidst a dispute with Donrai's Thrax over ownership of a neighboring mining colony. Overextending themselves, the Clan attacked the mining colony only to be wiped out by Thrax's retribution. Dustin's family found themselves caught in between the two, unable to get away. Those that were not killed, were thralled and put to work in the mines. From a child to an adult, this was Dustin's life. He rose up before the sun and left home after nightfall. Living hard sharpen Dustin and made his skin thick but even when he could barely afford a candle a night, he worked on his mind, engineering ways to make their life easier. He was rewarded with more books and the more he read, the more he yearned for the world and to be outside in the sun. He used his strength to compete among the other thralls and their wardens, knowing that fighting in the pit was the only real way of leaving this life behind because you either left in a coffin or were savage enough for an Islander noble to take notice of you. Still young, he established himself as an up and comer, only for the fight of his life to be canceled after the news of the abolishment of Thralldom reached their colony. Unable to support itself, the mining colony collapsed and the miners were given the option of taking some silver as reparation and a free boat ride to Arx. Knowing that someone like him had work anywhere, he took the silver and left his old life behind, hoping to learn more about designing and smithing to make a profession and a name for himself.
  make a profession and a name for himself.)