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

List of results

• Kaya Unknown  + (Growing up in the lowers alone with no fam …
  Growing up in the lowers alone with no familly as a girl who was always a bit small, she had two options get tough or die. From a very young age it was obvious there was more to Kaya than meet the eye. Never letting her size hold her back she grew up tough and basically did whatever it took to survive. Where life will take her now that she has grown, who knows.
  ake her now that she has grown, who knows.)
• Lydia Nightgold  + (Growing up in the rugged opulence of Stone …
  Growing up in the rugged opulence of Stonedeep, Lydia had a marked appreciation for the beautiful things of the mountains. Not the sprawling mountain vistas, but rather the wealth and elegance her house is known for: precious metals and sparkling gems. Being the youngest of four shaped her personality and she never had any intentions of becoming a Duchess. Instead, she enjoyed her spoiled lifestyle and she surrounded herself in courtly affairs, gossip, and all the frivalties and trappings that came with her station. She dreamed of the day when she might have a courtship and a husband (maybe even the title of Princess should she have been lucky enough to find a match in one of the Great Houses). She envisioned herself as a Northern debutante, her life full of gossip and laughter. But, that dream began to crack under the pressure of reality early with the loss of her father during the Silent War and the subsequent murder of her brother. Her sister, Nadia, took the title of Duchess and with her blessing Lydia travelled to Farhaven where she could represent her family among those loyal to the Redrain. There, she was a lady in waiting and she served Princesses Drea, Deva, and Valencia with pride. With the tragedy of King's Rest, she travelled to Arx to be with her family and serve as a representative of House Nightgold where not too long afterward, her remaining two siblings lost their lives. Nadia, in the Silent War, and Cassius (then Duke Pravus), was murdered in the lowers. In what seemed a blink of an eye she had to do a lot of growing up and step up to the role of Duchess. She had something of a rocky start. But then, an extended sabbatical to Stonedeep allowed her to do some much needed soul searching and maturation. She had to learn about her people and get her hands dirty. Now, she's emerged as a butterfly from a cocoon: a little older, a little wiser, and more determined than ever to make her family proud by guiding her House and Lands into prosperity and safety during the coming adversaries.
  and safety during the coming adversaries.)
• Wren Lavere  + (Growing up nestled between two older broth …
  Growing up nestled between two older brothers and two younger sisters was hardly ideal for Wren, but her parents worked hard for all they had, giving their children a life some could envy. She grew up in the Upper Boroughs, eldest daughter of a middling merchant and a seamstress mother with a keen eye for textiles and a knowledge of how to move things through the marketplace that had some merchants teasing her father, Angus, that it was she who was the merchant in truth. Her father being a good-natured man, took the teasing in stride but never outright denied it either. Just as with her siblings it was in the market of Arx that Wren cut her teeth, watching and learning at first as her parents put their skills to work in a world that could be cutthroat if you weren't careful, alliances sometimes shifting daily. It was a happy existence all things told, and she grew up on stories from the other merchants and even some who came to patron her parents. Tales of places far away from Arx; tales filled with the impossible and the improbable. Tales that took deep root in the young girl and followed her as she grew from child to adolescent. By the time she was sixteen, a restlessness had settled into Wren's bones that gnawed at her nearly night and day. She had long since started working in earnest alongside her siblings and parents in the market, and she proved to have a keen eye for detail like her mother and an even temper like her father. Many of the merchants, who knew her since she was but a child, would come to her especially to strike their deals on goods, finding her easy to work with even if they didn't always come out the other side ahead. It was work that Wren found easy, and it would provide a future for her, but it wasn't enough to chase off that restlessness. And it was that restlessness of spirit that kept drawing her from the markets and down to the docks, toward the sea. Being around the dockworkers and merchants that came in from distant places of Arvum, and seldom beyond, eased that nagging just enough it made the scolding she got from her parents for 'vanishing' again worth it. It was there she struck up different relationships with the sailors and merchant captains as they came and went, trading with them tidbits of information gleaned here and there from the market and taverns and the streets of the city in exchange for stories of their travels. It wasn't enough. She left behind a note for her family not to worry, she'd be fine and come home soon, and then she was off. She boarded a merchant vessel that would have her and left Arx behind certain she'd scratch her itch of wanderlust and be home soon enough. And she did return to port often enough at first to at least visit with her baffled family all too happy to see she was alright. She even shared with them some of her earnings along with her stories of where she'd been, what she'd been doing. And then off she'd go again, a thief in the night leaving behind a note of thanks and her love. Wren was irrevocably changed by her voyages, but she wasn't alone. Her siblings had started to find their own ways into the world, one brother joining the Iron Guard and her youngest sister going on to marry and leave the city while Wren was away. Wren's own return trips started to become infrequent with more years than months between them. She returned home shortly after the Siege of Arx only to find her family in mourning over the death of a brother. Unable to shake the grief, Wren stayed long enough to pay proper respects to her fallen brother, to offer what comfort she could to her family before she fled back into the arms of the life she had built without them. It wouldn't be until the winter of 1011 AR that Wren would return to Arx with every appearance of staying this time. She simply showed up on her family's doorstep, belongings in tow for once, and a strange look in her eyes.
  for once, and a strange look in her eyes.)
• Rowenova Halfshav  + (Growing up on Halfshav family military cam …
  Growing up on Halfshav family military campaigns in the 'savage' Northlands was an interesting childhood: physically taxing but more than mentally rewarding. Whatever Rowenova may have been lacking back then in bodily strength, the waifish babe determinedly recouped with her iron willpower to stay alive and always strive for the best results. Tasked early with animal care (as far back as she can possibly recall), Rowenova grew up with increasing responsibility (and almost no idle time). Her parental guardians (both Halfshav soldiers) and the family servants kindly mentored her not only in camp maintenance but also in survival skills and varied academia (as they all simultaneously worked). Halfshav soldiers generally respected her helpful initiative: fresh horses, good cooking, and so on definitely aided party morale before upcoming battles! She absolutely loved this nomadic lifestyle and the wild Northlands with its diverse cultures and natural beauty. Rowenova eventually developed into an adolescent teenager, but she had no time for her feminine cycles. Thus, her maternal guardian wisely edified Rowenova about Limerance's Libertia which fortunately facilitated getting back to hard work without undue frustration. Over time, Rowenova finally transformed into a matured woman, and she was specially chosen (due to her ardent service to the Halfshav family) to be a new member in the Ranging Wolves (under Lord Arik Halfshav's command) for their scouting missions. Of course, she earnestly accepted this new adventure!
  she earnestly accepted this new adventure!)
• Tatienne Lachance  + (Growing up on a Rivenshari ship, Tatienne …
  Growing up on a Rivenshari ship, Tatienne was exposed to the mercantile life early on. Among her siblings, she was shrewd in finding ways to trade favours and toys to get what she wanted, her eye for numbers was noticed and she quickly got apprenticed as a bookkeeper. It is doing that work that she mastered her field. The Silent war was rough on her family, her brothers resisted Brand and didn't live to tell the tale. Her father grew sick afterwards, and she helped settle Riva so she could look after her father in a more stationary position. Eventually, he passed away. She packed up her things and went to Arx, to make her fortune and see the city at the heart of the compact of which she now finds herself a member.
  t of which she now finds herself a member.)
• Hannah Wyrmguard  + (Growing up on a small estate in the middle …
  Growing up on a small estate in the middle of nowhere was booooooring. And if there's anything Hannah cannot abide, it is being bored. Her father, on the rare occasions he was home, had the BEST stories. A former Ashford before he married into the Wyrmguards, Erik's stories were Hannah's favorite things. The places he'd been, the people he met... all of it was so much more interesting than Apsfel Falls. As a child, Hannah made up her mind. She would grow up and see the things her father had seen, and more than *that* she'd discover things he didn't! Being the sixth child of seven, there was not a lot of 'new' in Hannah's life. Yet another thing to do away with when she grew up. Not everything was terrible, of course. She was Wyrmguard and had the honor of that name drilled into her all her life. All the duties and responsibilities that came with it, the understanding that she was part of this chain of lives stretching both into the past and forward, into the future. It weighed upon her as a child. Still, the desire to be free, to be like her father, that was a touchstone she returned to, again and again. A promise she made to herself. As soon as she was eighteen, she would leave, head out for adventure, explore! She was dedicated to her training, both physical, in swords and daggers, as well as mental, studying, often with the youngest of her siblings, Reigna. Freedom was only a few years away. When her mother came to her and explained that a match had been made, to Hercan Gilden, she was not about to let that stop her. The most expeditious way to get her way was simply to agree to the match. So she got married. And then, she promptly left to go on her adventures. She'd spoken to Hercan every now and again. They would meet every few months or so and spend a few awkward hours speaking before they left to pursue their various interests. When the banners were called, word came to Hannah that both she and her husband were expected to muster at Setarco. She had not seen Hercan in several months and their reunion was typical, an awkward hug, kisses to the cheek and stilted conversation. As the days of tension leading up to the battle continued, she and Hercan spent the most time they ever had together, and she found, to her surprise, that he was a funny man, with interesting ideas. Then the battle came and Hercan was taken down in the cavalry charge. Losing him was not painful, she still did not really know him very well. Theirs was a poltical match in all ways and yet, the potential lost opened Hannah's eyes to the other relationships in her life that she had been neglecting for so long. That would change. She has decided to move to Arx and look up her sisters and get to know her family, before it is too late, again.
  her family, before it is too late, again.)
• Tynan Grayhope  + (Growing up on the streets of the Lower Bor …
  Growing up on the streets of the Lower Boroughs, you struggle for every advantage you can get. Tynan found that, beyond street smarts, book smarts could be very helpful. When youre useful in other ways, people tend to overlook slight missteps. Even better, if youre running the books, its so simple to skim some from the top. He was headed firmly down that path until he got his hand on a book of laws. After that point, things became much clearer for him. See, when you know exactly what you can and cannot do, it is so much easier to skirt the line so that small infractions simply get glossed over. The small start fueled a lifelong curiosity, and Tynan tended to be the first one to arrive at the Scholars of Vellichors lessons when they were given. With enough knowledge, and a quick enough tongue, you find your way through. That goes for Lower Boroughs, Upper Boroughs, even with the nobles. Act like you belong, and soon enough, you will belong. The more he learned, however, the less content he became with the idea of living just to skirt the law. Now, he balances a life that tries to combine where he came from with an impulse to seek beyond. There are always new things to explore, new things to learn, new ventures to capitalize on.
  s to learn, new ventures to capitalize on.)
• Colette Laurent  + (Growing up the baby of a ducal line usual …
  Growing up the baby of a ducal line usual has it's advantages, but perhaps the slight disparity of age worked to reverse that for Colette. She always fiercly admired her older siblings, but given she was so little, and seen as frail and delicate, she always managed to be somewhat of an underfoot figure. She always wanted to be apart of her older siblings adventures and shenanigans, but never really found a way to fit in. This caused her to take up the art of sneaking around, just to be close to them, and often led to her just being in the way. All of this led to her more silent and demure demeanor, which she found a way to channel in to her love for sneaking about and spying on her siblings, but given how protective everyone was of her, it usually ended in getting her siblings in trouble. In the long run it might have left her a bit more on the socially awkward side. As her siblings grew up and began departing for Arx and having more and more important roles to fill in the duchy, and having very little responsibilites left for her, she slowly became more and more reserved. Finally as she grew old enough she decided to depart for Arx herself and see what all the fuss was about.
  rself and see what all the fuss was about.)
• Simone Greenmarch  + (Growing up the daughter of the most famous …
  Growing up the daughter of the most famous duke in the oathlands, Duke Arn Telmar, could have made it easy for Lady Simone to fade into obscurity. Instead, she took it as a personal challenge to drive her infamously tough minded and flinty father to distraction, inheriting every bit as an infuriatingly stubborn nature as her father combined with an independent spirit that refused to be tamed. Early on, it became a game to see just how far she could press boundaries without making her father lose her temper, and corrupting the many tutors and chaperones that her father Arn set over her to turn her into a proper, demure lady of the Telmarch. Instead, what she learned was two much more important lessons: a) that she could manipulate many individuals extremely easily and b) that it was incredibly entertaining to do so. She discovered two facts she is all too happy to teach other not-so-demure ladies of the Oathlands that she befriends- that it was frighteningly easy to act less capable and convince men to help her, since it plays into their unconscious (or very conscious) biases, and that it is almost a guarantee that she could convince men she found them attractive, and win them over disturbingly easily. She mostly employed these powers for good, rather than evil, in noble causes such as making her father lose his mind and be too busy frothing at her to start wars with the others vassals of House Valardin, or sometimes convincing others to support House Telmar and work towards the ends to her House even if her father had no idea. It was working splendidly, and then Prince Valen Valardin was captured by the Green March Abandoned. Duke Arn Telmar was furious at the peace brokered between the Green March and House Valardin, marrying Prince Valen Valardin to Princess Marian Greenmarch, but where her father found only fury at the thought of a scion of House Valardin marrying ancestral enemies, Simone found opportunity. The shavs being created as a new marcher lord house opened up tremendous political opportunities for the ambitious, particularly when the matter of proper fealty of the Green March bending the knee hadn't been settled, and the astute Telmar lady acted swiftly. Simone deftly convinced Prince Radley and her father to let her see to ensuring that the Green March would be loyal vassals of House Valardin, and with Marian Greenmarch marrying into the Valardin, Simone set her sights on the chieftain of Greenmarch's handsome son Marius, who would be the new Marquis of Greenmarch. A short time later, exactly according to her plans, Simone and Marius were married, and the new Marquessa Simone Greenmarch now is set to represent her new family interests on Arx... and to be certain that she can help guide in a new political power that can also serve to help her old family as well.
  also serve to help her old family as well.)
• Titania Kennex  + (Growing up the only child of Sonya and Ren …
  Growing up the only child of Sonya and Renault Kennex, Titania was always drawn to the allure of the water and the ships rolling into the docks. Her friends were the beautiful Kennex vessels coming home from patrols, waiting for them to pass through the Stormbreak Arches. She reveled in watching the vastly varied types of people coming and going, wondering what each one did, where they came from, what kind of fantastical adventures they have been on. Through curiosity, she eavesdropped, learning and listening, getting to know these sailors and Kennex Corsairs from afar. One day, when a pair of sailors from Arx had come, and a group of Corsairs got into a bit of a row, Titania stepped in, without even fully realizing what she was doing, and quelled the potential fight before blows were thrown. Unbeknownst to Titania, Wash Kennex wasn't far, watching the altercation and Titania's intervention. He mentioned this to Catalana later that night and Titania was invited to be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.
  o be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.)
• Titania Fireviper  + (Growing up the only child of Sonya and Ren …
  Growing up the only child of Sonya and Renault Kennex, Titania was always drawn to the allure of the water and the ships rolling into the docks. Her friends were the beautiful Kennex vessels coming home from patrols, waiting for them to pass through the Stormbreak Arches. She reveled in watching the vastly varied types of people coming and going, wondering what each one did, where they came from, what kind of fantastical adventures they have been on. Through curiosity, she eavesdropped, learning and listening, getting to know these sailors and Kennex Corsairs from afar. One day, when a pair of sailors from Arx had come, and a group of Corsairs got into a bit of a row, Titania stepped in, without even fully realizing what she was doing, and quelled the potential fight before blows were thrown. Unbeknownst to Titania, Wash Kennex wasn't far, watching the altercation and Titania's intervention. He mentioned this to Catalana later that night and Titania was invited to be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.
  o be trained in finer points of Diplomacy.)
• Bors Keaton  + (Growing up the third son of Guy Keaton was …
  Growing up the third son of Guy Keaton was not a particularly easy thing. His mother Leona, formerly of Kennex, was a demure woman, content, or seemingly so, with the transition from a sea-based life to one as the wife of a minor branch of the Keaton family, living in a small hold near the village of Stone's Throw. Together, Guy and Leona had three children, all boys. The firstborn and heir, Campbell, took after his father in all things, receiving the lion's share of attention from Guy and all the man's scarcity of affection. The second son, Willem, was born two years after Campbell and three years after that, Bors arrived. Some of the servants whispered that what little affection and love Guy possessed was spent entirely on his first born, scraps left over for Willem, so by the time Bors arrived, there was nothing left. While Campbell was doted upon and was rarely away from his father's side, Willem and Bors were far more familiar with the back side of Guy's hand than they were with a kind word or a smile from their father. Leona tried to shield the boys as much as she could, but the woman had always been frail and sickly and she could do little to combat the severity with which her younger sons were reared. While Campbell received the best tutors that money could provide, Willem and Bors were sent on various training missions with the local guards, sent into situations with little concern for their safety. And yet both of the boys strove for the approval of their father. Willem was wounded on one of these missions into the shav-infested forests, his injuries halting any further missions. Bors assumed the mantle for both of them, determined to prove himself, if not to his impossible-to-please father, then to the gods themselves. He threw himself into lessons, both scholarly and martial, earning a reputation as a serious and upright young lord. No matter his accomplishments, that elusive approval from his father continued to elude him. As the years passed his mother retreated from the public, sequestered in her rooms, and yet she never stopped writing her younger sons, a solitary figure of affection in their lives. During the attack from the Pirate King, Bors went south with most of the Keaton forces, returning with a Knighthood for service to his lieges. Even in this, there was no word of pride from his father. Enough is enough, and Bors, Knight of the West, disciple of Gloria and lord of Keaton is heading to Arx.
  oria and lord of Keaton is heading to Arx.)
• Jaerith Keaton  + (Growing up the youngest child of Ambrose a …
  Growing up the youngest child of Ambrose and Anastasia Keaton, Jaerith learned swiftly that life rarely goes where you expect it to, that there is no chance of controling everything that comes to pass, and, most importantly, life is short and a squandered opportunity might never come again. A memory haunts him in the dark of night at times, telling his mother he did not want to walk along the river with her. Instead she went to see if her husband would go with her and ended up being thrown off the ramparts by an escaping prisoner. It is something he avoids thinking about on those rare occasions the memory resurfaces. The past is over, done and gone. There is no sense in focusing there, Jaerith keeps his eyes forward, looking for any opportunity to try something new. His taste for adventure was only tempered by the same military-focused upbringing that each of his siblings received as well. Jaerith had a natural gift for sailing and a head for catching smugglers using the river routes to ambush merchants. He developed a unit, dubbed the Riverdogs, and trained them to specifically patrol those routes to protect traders and their barges. The ever changing nature of the work suited him, as did the constant travel, but in time, even that has become a bit rote. The horizon is not as new and exciting as it once was. And the people he sees day to day aren't as full of surprises as they could be. A restlessness has settled in Jaerith, an itch for something new. Word travels that experienced river sailors might be in demand in Arx, and with his House's presence growing, the time might just be right to relocate to the seat of the Compact.
  ht to relocate to the seat of the Compact.)
• Aerwyna Froic  + (Growing up to a pair of farmers, her famil …
  Growing up to a pair of farmers, her family were poor but not the poorest out there. But Aerwyna knew one day she wanted to be well off financially so she was encouraged to find a way to make money and an old family friend showed her the basics of sewing. She hopes to either join the crafter's guild or make it on her own.
  the crafter's guild or make it on her own.)
• Elias Leary  + (Growing up with a knightly mother of Oathl …
  Growing up with a knightly mother of Oathlands orthodox values and a stereotypically eccentric Leary father proved to be a bit of a thorn in Elias' younger years. A black sheep, Elias never put much thought into the Gods, nor did he in his studies. Despite not following closely in his parents footsteps, Elias naturally met them halfway as he made a name for himself as a hunter - whenever the motivation struck. Typically, the motivation was a diminishing purse of silver or, more often, a mystery that caught his attention just right. Whenever that desire struck, he became as fierce a warrior as his mother and as dedicated a scholar as his father. As a child, these endeavours usually involved sneaking out of the house late at night to explore old and abandoned houses, or to investigate and document strange sightings in the neighboring forests. So all it took was one little intriguing story; a secret untold, and Elias set off on spontaneous adventure. A long adventure. For an entire year. His path never circled back to the Oathlands, and instead he found himself a home with his distant Leary family in Arx while he dug up more mysteries to pick at.
  while he dug up more mysteries to pick at.)
• Ennettia Igniseri  + (Growing up, Ennettia was overshadowed by h …
  Growing up, Ennettia was overshadowed by her brilliant, talented older brother Karadoc-- and she loved him dearly for it. It removed all pressure from her to be outstanding. Sure, their parents encouraged her to apply herself, but in the end...everyone knew who the future of their Saik branch depended on. Instead, from an early age Ennettia knew precisely what she wanted from her place in the family: out of it. It wasn't that she had any problems with her family members. It's just that Ennettia longed for a more luxurious existence, and while she admired her family's ability to be satisfied and comfortable in their genteel poverty, she firmly decided such things were not for her. Of course her family did their best to instill good values into her... but she still insisted she was better off married to someone wealthy. And so in the midst of growing frustrations with their son's apathy towards his future, Ennettia was happily shipped off in marriage to Ilsoreno Igniseri, and moved to Granato. She had quite a comfortable, pleasant life, happily spending her husband's money and supervising the nannies raising their son. Until, unfortunately, the death of her husband in by opportunistic thieves threw a wrench in her plans to live the pleasant life of an elegant leech. Between the Arxian Siege, Ilsoreno's ill-organized records, and the lost of the Igniseri heirs in battle, Ennettia, with much lamentation, applied herself to making sure her husband's businesses did not fall. As the business recovered in the following years, Ennettia choose to relocate to Arx... and for whatever reason, also applies - and is accepted - into the forces of the Inquisition. This was as short-lived as her time in Arx, and she left a while later, back to her estate with her son. Only years later did she return, son in tow, back to Arx - apparently still on a whim.
  back to Arx - apparently still on a whim.)
• Katherine Moore  + (Growing up, Katherine never really wanted …
  Growing up, Katherine never really wanted for anything, for life lived among her Fidante relatives was, in a word, baroque. As an only child born of a union between Dario and Aela Moore, it was to be expected that she should enjoy not only all the luxuries afforded to the sole recipient of parental affection, but also those inherited by her aristocratic station. Had she a single complaint, it was likely inconsequential in nature. That is, until the day of her father's untimely passing. The manner of Dario's death was regarded as suspicious by his wife, though a lack of convincing physical evidence and a clear motive failed to prompt further inquiry into the matter. It was ultimately ruled an accident. Aela unraveled in the wake of her husband's demise, growing paranoid and emotionally unsound, and ultimately clashed with the Fidante family when it was clear they disagreed with her assessment that Dario's accident was no accident at all. This great divide in opinions stoked discord, and resulted in Aela's unilateral estrangement with everyone around her, including her daughter. After many unsuccessful attempts to mend the relationship, Katherine resigned herself to the reality that her mother was a lost cause and began to cultivate a sense of self-reliance and confidence that had, up until that point, remained underdeveloped. Some months later, when Katherine was only twelve years old, Aela returned home to live among her own family in the Oathlands, leaving her daughter behind to be cared for by her cousins. However hurtful the departure, it was still a preferable arrangement to Katherine to remain in Tor. After all, she had that point maintained only light, casual discourse with her Moore relatives, and had no desire to give up a bustling city for a rural countryside. The years passed by, and Katherine moved forward with her life. She completed courtier school, and even spent a short stint as a member of the Bard's College to cultivate skills that might compliment her natural aptitude for music. Everything was going perfectly well, though her thoughts often drifted toward her mother. The only way she remained informed on Aela's wellbeing was through her Moore cousins; a letter here and there detailing her health and status. After each successive update, Katherine would feel the sharp pangs of abandonment, but never allowed herself to dwell upon it for very long. Katherine had just celebrated her eighteenth birthday when stories circulated about destruction of Acorn Hill and the Moore family massacre. She learned some weeks later that Aela Moore was named among the deceased. The news jolted Katherine to her core, and resulted in a period of agitation wherein she desperately filled her days and nights with distracting social events: parties, masques, plays, anything that could keep her mind off this new source of distress. For the first time in her life, she was unable to simply will away the pain. In time, she put an end to all avoidance and allowed herself to grieve, not only for her mother's violent death, but for having her opportunity for reconciliation abruptly stolen away. In the immediate aftermath, Katherine developed a budding interest in her distant Moore family, and what legacy they left behind in their wake. Perhaps, she thought, learning about their lives might bring her some much needed closure. A letter was sent to Marquis Kael Keaton to request an audience, and, when the reply contained within a polite invitation, Katherine packed her bags, kissed her cousins goodbye, and left for Oakhaven, not knowing when she might return. She could have never known what might be revealed by making such a visit: the knowledge that she is the last Moore alive who might consider pressing a claim for the Barony of Acorn Hill, and that the Keatons might even be inclined to grant it to her.
  might even be inclined to grant it to her.)
• Yessica Wyrmguard  + (Growing up, Yessica never lacked for frien …
  Growing up, Yessica never lacked for friends. As a twin, and one of seven siblings, there were plenty of people around her, plenty of love to go around. Even though she had a special bond with her twin, Charlotte, because there were so many siblings, it felt, at times, impossible to stand out. To be seen. She wasn't the smartest (Reigna), the prettiest (Rhoda), the only boy (Edmund), or even the troublemaker (Hannah). She was just Yessica. So, she just tried to be the one that tried the hardest to please. There were moments when her mother would all but collapse at the end of the day, and Yessica was there to care for her. And in those moments, she felt seen, appreciated, but those were few and far between. So she simply tried harder. She studied, learned music, practiced her dancing, became an accomplished poet, all in the efforts of winning a good match for her family. She was married to Garret Riven, who became Garret Wyrmguard, a young, handsome Lord with a charming smile and sad eyes. Yessica was hopeful that this match would work well, and for the most part, it did. Garret was intelligent, respectful, had good humor... he was perfect in almost all ways. Except he did not, could not love her. His heart belonged to another, someone he refused to speak of, but that love kept him locked away. Yessica tried all she could to turn his eyes, learning his interests, and seeking to learn how to cook his favorite meals (The kitchen was never quite the same and no one spoke of it again), writing him poems, and she even took up the bow so that she could accompany him on his hunts. While she discovered a new talent, the hunts... did not go as she had planned. Garret promised that when he returned from Stormwall he would talk to her. They would come to an understanding. Except he never returned from Stormwall, lost to Pirate King attack. Shaken, Yessica was at a loss. She had dedicated so much of herself to pleasing everyone else, and she had nothing to show for it. A letter from her sister Charlotte has inspired her to move to Arx. She's been practicing with her bow and has continued to develop a unique style all her own. The time has come for Yessica to do what *she* wants to do. Which is to come to Arx and try her skills at being a Champion. What better way to get people to see her, once and for all?
  o get people to see her, once and for all?)
• Guilbert Touissant  + (Guilbert shares nothing from his past, due …
  Guilbert shares nothing from his past, due to the usual lack of people asking and the lack of a desire to tell. Once, on occassion after being pressured by a nosy drunkard he once revealed that he comes from the Oathlands, and left due to problems with an angry spouse. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, and probably won't be seen.
  ns to be seen, and probably won't be seen.)
• Gunnar Melaeris  + (Gunnar Crovane has been a warrior all is h …
  Gunnar Crovane has been a warrior all is his life. From a childhood spent in the mountains of his home in Stormwall and on the decks of many a ship that plied it's seas, to the battles fought to keep that home safe, one cannot help but think that war and battle is all there is to him. While he's got a warrior's heart, a soldier's training and the skills and scars to prove it, it is those things other than his skill with sword, axe, or spear that make the rest of him. He learned to hunt with the Duke's men, to sail with his captains, and how to choose a horse and to ride one for pleasure or war with his younger cousin Fianna, whom he in turn taught some of the sword and the axe to her - that she might defend herself as needed. The north is a hard place, long winters make for more than enough time to learn lessons of strategy, tactics, of how to cherish peace when it is there and to do battle when that peace is threatened. Gunnar learned these things well, and in turn taught them to those after him, making a name for himself as a skilled leader of men as well as a soldier to have at one's side. The battle at Stormwall was a turning point for Gunnar, a battle and an outcome that he is still coming to terms with.
  ome that he is still coming to terms with.)
• Gwenys Valardin  + (Gwenys was born in a line of heroes who se …
  Gwenys was born in a line of heroes who seldom married outside the Valardin or Wyrmguard families, at least until Prince Sherrod Redrain and Prince Radley Valardin decided to marry her parents in an effort to ease the tensions between the Oathlands and the North. A full year of courtship later and Princess Larra Redrain married Prince Lyonis Valardin. Their story of duty and, some say, even love, saw the birth of three children and ended in the Sanctum decades later with the Tragedy. Growing up Gwenys was an hyperactive Princess who never missed a lesson from her tutors but whose dream was to be a knight, thinking more of heroics than duty in her younger years. She played the role of diplomat and unifier among her sisters, often adapting and doing what was required of her to broker peace between them. The golden days ended with the Tragedy, when Gwenys was unaccounted for weeks after the massacre, her body not found among the others. The girl returned to her family with a wicked scar on her once-unblemished face and clung to a strange blade she did not possess before. After the Tragedy Gwenys's personality changed and she was rarely seen in the Sanctum again, seemingly possessed with wanderlust and roaming the Westlands, throwing herself headfirst into any conflict she could find, and eventually crossing the Telmarch into the North, where she spend time learning from her mother's people and assisting them with their own problems, unable to return home and unable to cope with the loss of her parents. Whenever she was spotted at a tavern or skirmish, the Valardin was immediately recognizable, but soon after the victory celebrations she was gone with the morning snow. Her return to the fold and to Arx came only through a summon sent by Emma, enlisting Gwenys to fight in the name of Sanctum against Skal'daja. With her oath to serve being called into question, not even the pale-haired wildcat refused the mustering of troops, even if she convinced herself stay in Arx would be only temporary.
  rself stay in Arx would be only temporary.)
• Gyliam Tulfa  + (Gyliam Tulfa was born and raised in the st …
  Gyliam Tulfa was born and raised in the streets of the Lower Boroughs. He was left by his parents to fend for himself when he was no older than six years. He grew to be embittered by his situation, and often envied those more privileged than himself. Despite such bitterness, he could never have seen a future for himself beyond the average Lower Boroughs citizen's. On the day Gyliam came across the Iron Guard's recruitment drive, all of that changed. For a few years, he served as a common man-at-arms at the Iron Guard. As he trained, Gyliam proved to have a keen eye and a talent for the bow. Soon, he joined the ranks of the Iron Guard's archers. Then came the fleets of the Gyre, sailing for the Compact. The battle at Setarco, victorious though it may have been, left its mark on Gyliam. Or took it, some might say. He lost his eyesight in a terrible turn of events, when near half his face was burned off. He survived, but he was deemed unfit for duty.
  urvived, but he was deemed unfit for duty.)
• Dacian Krosse  + (Hailing from a family of level headed merc …
  Hailing from a family of level headed merchants, Dacian was afforded the opportunity to travel from an early age. With tutors on board his parents' ships, he was also quite well read from an early age - after all there was hardly ever anything else to do on the ships. Boredom and curiosity made him look forward to the trips ashore with his parents where he learned the family trade first hand from both of his parents. He can boast that by the time he was 18, he had seen every domain on the sea or waterways through the Compact. He's met many beautiful men and women and learned about many cultures and what each domain had to offer, and needed in return. He was expected to make himself a fine life for himself carrying on the family business. Except by the time he was 18 he felt the call of the wilderness and took to hunting. Of course this supplemented the family's business in perfect compliment. He would disappear for a month or two at a time and reappear with only the best pelts for sale. His path took a slight turn when an abandoned island was taken over by the Compact. Intrigued, he visited the island and was one of the most -if not THE most- successful merchant of Elune. He quickly adapted to the needs and desires of the traders there and after only a few short months decided to make it his home and base of operations. He still travels these days of course, but his primary focus is building his empire on Estroch and travels between Elune and Arx now when the financial forecast is just right.
  when the financial forecast is just right.)
• Saga Solsdottir  + (Hailing from a small settlement in the fie …
  Hailing from a small settlement in the fief traditionally governed by House Darkwater, she was young when she was left alone in the world, and the struggles to survive in the unforgiving lands of the Mourning Isles would mark her profoundly. A story not uncommon among those who toil the easternmost isles of the Compact, the orphan would prove herself a true child of the salt and steel, rising above the dominance of misery to find her way to the great city of Arx. She dreams of returning to her homeland one day, the love for the shores that gave her life still strong in the woman's heart, but destiny takes her to the capitol, where the powerful meet to play their games of passion and politics.
  play their games of passion and politics.)
• Cole Farago  + (Hailing from a tiny village under the cont …
  Hailing from a tiny village under the control of House Redrain, Cole's mother died in childbirth leaving his father to raise him. A woodcutter by trade, his father emphasized hard work and discipline above all. Though it was not an unpleasant life, money was tight and the repetitive lifestyle grew to wear on him. Hoping to make his fortune in the city, he struck off by signing on as a caravan guard.
  ruck off by signing on as a caravan guard.)

• Patrizio Pravus  + (Hailing from a very distant cadet branch o …
  Hailing from a very distant cadet branch of the Great House of Pravus and growing up as a fan of the tales of Sir Tiberio Pravus, Patrizio was a non-entity in the affairs of the main family until the wars in the Saffron Chain allowed the man to shine, his homecoming happening at the Battle of Pieros when the knight was lauded as one of the biggest reveals in the battlefield. Wounded but alive, Patrizio was welcomed at the Crown of Setara, the palace of the family, while he healed and got to know the many other Sins. To anyone else that would have been the crowning achievement of their lives, a honor and privilege, but Patrizio refused to stop while his streak was hot. The life in Setarco was intoxicating, the people of the city embracing him quick, and the man realized spending inordinate amounts of silver in pretty clothes and fancy galas agreed with him. Also, that his new tastes were very expensive. So the cycle begun of ever increasing highs producing an ever-increasing desire to perform and stand shoulder to shoulder with his cousins, a dream long in the making finally within reach.
  m long in the making finally within reach.)
• Oswyn Spencer  + (Hailing from the Lowers of Arx, Oswyn had …
  Hailing from the Lowers of Arx, Oswyn had a humble upbringing. His family runs an archery shop, Lowers Archery. Oswyn has one older sister, who has married and had a son. Both siblings learned the family trade; Muriel took to it much better than Oswyn. While capable of very basic work as a bowyer and fletcher, it was clear his talents lay elsewhere. A quiet, clever, thoughtful child, Oswyn was always a voracious reader. A miserable shot, his eyesight was fine for objects up close, like books. He was always happiest surrounded by books and surprised no one when he became a scholar himself. Oswyn further devoted himself to Vellichor as a Disciple. Tending to book collections, learning, and teaching filled his days. The more he learned, the more he discovered he didn't know. How much needed preservation or rediscovery. His searches led him to join the Society of Explorers. Oswyn's typical role on expeditions was either as a cartographer or a healer. He was a common sight documenting and drawing various plants and animals. Plants don't move, which is very helpful to someone with poor distance vision. Oswyn maintained a shop by the Vellichorian Academy, Books and Scribing Supplies. His primary goal was to provide people of every station with the tools of learning. Affordable prices for commoners did not make much profit, but he was fine with that. For a few years, he struggled with whether to take Godsworn vows or not. The decision came down to whether he wanted a family of his own. He spent time in careful contemplation in the various shrines of the Thirteen. Speaking with other Godsworn helped him come to the conclusion that he was happy as an uncle. That was enough for him. And because his shop didn't make any real money, he was allowed to keep it after taking his vows... for a time. In spring 1016, Oswyn took the position of Archscholar. That meant giving up the shop to take on the responsibility of guiding the Scholars. He is very serious about his responsibilities to the collection. He seeks to protect the scholars under his care.
  ks to protect the scholars under his care.)
• Solange Whisper  + (Hailing from the Lyceum, Solange was born …
  Hailing from the Lyceum, Solange was born to a family of commoners who have served the same Barony for centuries in various positions. She was a beautiful child, something that did not go unnoticed by anyone. She was raised differently than her sisters and brothers, with an undue amount of attention given to her education. She was quickly brought in as a companion to the Baron's children, learning to exist in the odd space of a commoner who is not quite noble but expected to act as one while never stepping past her heritage. She excelled at this, and she only grew lovelier as she aged. With the Baron's death, however, and his son's inheritance, there were rumors that he promised to marry her. Such a marriage never manifested. He married another Lycene noble and Solange disappeared. She reappeared in Arx, joining the Whispers and making them her family.
  g the Whispers and making them her family.)
• Jonathan Fieldstone  + (Hailing from the area around Oakhaven, Jon …
  Hailing from the area around Oakhaven, Jonathan's family were the simplest of farming folk, tending to their fields and their heads of cattle. They were poor, but he and his four siblings never went hungry. A bright (in personality, if not in wit) boy, Jonathan was taught some of the higher educations by a kindly apothecary who lived a couple plots over, and was thus usually the one sent into town with the crop, or to buy supplies. It was on one such trip that Jonathan returned to his beloved farm in ashes, a scene of utter devestation. The crops were stolen, and the house burned. They even butchered the cows. He searched high and low, but could not find of his family, despite months of searching. So, he headed to Arx, like many in search of a more promising future...
  ny in search of a more promising future...)
• Jovarn Grimhall  + (Hailing from the richest lands in the Mour …
  Hailing from the richest lands in the Mourning Isles, Jovarn has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the few noble-born in living memory to have been cast out from his house and reduced to a common life. Originally a child of the Grimhall family, Jovarn was betrothed at a young age to a young noblewoman of a wealthy family; as he grew older he resented the forcefulness with which he was lead towards marriage, and many other things about his family and their way of ruling, that by the time he was twenty years of age he was given a choice: Marry and produce children, or be exiled and disowned. So for the last eight years Jovarn has been travelling the Compact, from the halls of the Redrain to the dockyards of the Lyceum and everywhere in between. Drinking, singing, and bedding as often as he likes.
  singing, and bedding as often as he likes.)
• Giuliano Pravus  + (Half-brother of Arianna from their shared …
  Half-brother of Arianna from their shared mother Vayla's earlier marriage to a sickly Grayson prince, Bryn, Giuliano's birth was an inauspicious occasion as his father died of a wasting illness shortly after, one that consumed him quickly. Vayla's next marriage produced his half-sister, to whom he became very close. Unfortunately, that bond was often interrupted due to his rarely ever leaving Setarco. Trained from an early age to be a skilled swordsman, he excelled at a style of fighting with the rapier in one hand and a dagger in the off hand. When Niccolo stepped aside to make Piero Duke, Giuliano was initially optimistic - until he saw the inherent weakness in the man. Dismayed as snakelike vassals schemed to bring the House down, he was one of Belladonna's earliest supporters - and more than one traitor died upon his blade. There were no tears shed by the young Lord upon Piero's death and Belladonna's ascension, and he vowed to help safeguard her rule by any means necessary. Time passes, and Giuliano remained one of the Duchess' means of control in Setarco, although now he finds himself called to Arx by family for new duties in service of Pravus.
  amily for new duties in service of Pravus.)
• Mirk Halfshav  + (Halfshav does not always kill shav tribes …
  Halfshav does not always kill shav tribes nor force them to kneel at the tip of their swords. Sometimes they talk to them. The spirits are a universal touchstone and so is want. Lord Mirk Halfshav has always had a connection with the land and spirits. He even views them as separate things the spirits of the land and the nature of the land itself. It's those distinctions and subtle connections that color his worldview and the way he approaches problems. Born to Eoghan Halfshav and cousins with Brianna, Seax, Arik, and Khanne the man is the eldest of that generation. He was the first to titter about Whitehold as a child. He remembers the births when he was a young boy of 6 even back then he saw the desires of people. The pride of fathers, the wish of mothers, the envy of Uncles. By the time he was in his mid-teens he was already a wanderer. He would leave Whitehold to visit different village shamans and speak of the world with them. While he was at it he'd visit the local tavern, the local matchmaker, really anyone of note. He spoke to them all and learned their stories but he never made up stories to compete always sharing his humble tale as it existed at the time. It was in his eighttenth year that Mirk Halfshav encountered his first village of shav. He had been hunting for a meal, looking to bring back some pelts to a tanner in a nearby village. He stumbled onto the shavs hunting grounds and was captured. Lucky for him he is a Halfshav and he quickly illuminated the benefits of just moving a little closer to the settlement and instead of competing for game in winter and lands in summer working together. It worked! That was one of the several tribes he convinced by brokering a deal to kneel to the Compact. It wasn't all glory of the blade and he took pride in the knowledge that there always seemed to be a path towards satisfaction for all sides. Now it is years later and the wandering spiritualist comes to Arx to see his family and bring his particular brand of talents to the complicated politics of the city. Half Savage and Half Hero if Mirk can balance those two ideals he can certainly balance the scales of the Houses of Arx.
  y balance the scales of the Houses of Arx.)
• Hali Harvey  + (Hali's parents were captains for part of t …
  Hali's parents were captains for part of the Westrock merchant fleet. She was raised on the waves. In fact born on them. Pirates were a real thing as she grew up and the constant reliance on the Telmarch Navy always grated on her. And her parents. Worries about pirates were always there. And they took her father at a young age. It set the stage for what she would become. It spurred her to become a fighter on the sea. A cutlass in Hali's hand, she learned from sailors and soldiers from a huge variety of places. For their ships sometimes carried foreign visitors as well. She helped to keep her mother's ship safe with her growing martial prowess. Yet when she began to offer her mother guidance on navigation, they suffered fewer attacks and damage from storms. She was a natural to sailing, that was sure. Despite this she still suffered her fair of mishaps aboard the Silver Spectre. On a trip to deliver crates of Coffee to Arx she found herself bedazzled by a mercenary company revelling loudly in the Traders Tavern. Their tales excited her like sailing ever had, for battle and adventure burned in her blood. The idea of joining a House's standing army never sat well with her and the merchant life was too dull. There was a lack of freedom in it. And like the seas, she needed to be free to blow where the wind took her. So she took the tests and joined the mercenary group. Much to her mother's worry and upset. Her skills rocketted her through the ranks. Today she leads the Crimson Blades marines as a Colonel with enthusiasm and skill.
  es as a Colonel with enthusiasm and skill.)
• Hamamor Samilliam  + (Hamamor appeared out of nowhere in the reg …
  Hamamor appeared out of nowhere in the region of Highhill under the control of the house Steelhart. Nobody knew where such a young boy came from, how he got there or how he was still alive, but due to this nobody was interested enough to find out either. Thus, Hamamor learnt how to survive on his own, working on skills that allowed him to rely on himself and only himself. Although he stays as far away from the public as possible when he can, Hamamor still believes people in general are of good heart, and will help those in need like those who have helped him in the past.
  ike those who have helped him in the past.)
• Hana Grayhope  + (Hana's mother was a member of a trading gr …
  Hana's mother was a member of a trading group that made a great loop through the cities of the realm, in an ongoing nomadic caravan. The girl spent her early life traveling, seeing goods from around the world, and speaking to many varied people. Perhaps that's why she became tired of traveling early on. Some people dream of seeing the world, but Hana's already seen it; her dreams are of waking in the same place for more than two or three days in a row, of getting to know one's neighbors. To know a city not as a tourist, but a resident. Still, if traveling gave her anything, it was an appreciation for many different styles of crafting. Bows from two different cities would have distinct looks. Blades from one city had stylistic elements that another lacked. To someone who knows the language of weaponsmithing, everything has a story to tell in the line of the blade, the shape of the crossguard, even the chips and dents of use. And a crafter can use that same language to tell a story. Now Hana's come to Arx, seeking to hone her crafting talents and perhaps make a comfortable life for herself. And maybe even meet the father she's never really known: a man named Aureth Grayhope.
  really known: a man named Aureth Grayhope.)
• Yvon Baseborn  + (Handsome, courageous, honorable, polite, r …
  Handsome, courageous, honorable, polite, righteous; as a young (obscure, provincial) Valardin prince, Yvon learned his lessons well. And when he swore his Knighthood Oaths, he felt them as a calling: defend the gods; act with courtesy and honor, fairness and kindness; keep your word sacred, show valor in combat. For years, as a knight, he fought the Abandoned fiercely, and he fought them well. Then he fell. He was taken hostage, beaten savagely. After the first agonized, feverish months, he thinks he was moved to another camp, or sold to another group ... he doesn't know who spent years torturing him. He escaped, he was recaptured, and his toes slowly removed. He doesn't know if he was tormented for fun, for revenge, or in terrible abyssal rites, but he knows this: they broke him, until almost no trace of the previous Yvon remained. And finally--for no reason that he knows--he was freed. He spent years recovering, as much as possible. Reading, arguing, and hewing to a worship of the Thirteenth that alienated his family, whose pity curdled to disgust. He refused to stop; he was denobled. No longer Valardin, no longer prince. So he came to Arx, a new man. Reborn as 'Baseborn,' broken by the knowledge of his weakness. Maybe he'll learn a few things.
  weakness. Maybe he'll learn a few things.)
• Haramus Walrington  + (Haramus has been the chief minister of the …
  Haramus has been the chief minister of the palace for as long as any can remember. Presumably he was once a young man when serving Alaric IV's grandfather, but if he was ever less than an officious, supercilious, and obnoxious pedant, no one has shared any memory of those times. While a nuisance to nearly all who know him, he has an encylopedic knowledge of the minutiae of palace protocol, which he mistakes for importance.
  rotocol, which he mistakes for importance.)
• Hardwicke Morgan  + (Hardwicke has been a Sanctum guardsman for …
  Hardwicke has been a Sanctum guardsman for almost as long as he could hold a weapon. It was his unwavering loyalty, family history of service, and strong sense of command that eventually earned him the position of Captain of the Guard at Sanctum. It was a visit to Farhaven as part of a Valardin contingent that first brought him into a chance meeting with a dorky Northern baker named Symanthe. She was the one to start sending letters down to Sanctum after he returned (addressed quite seriously with openings like "Dear cutie butt" and "Dear serious face") and, since his duty belonged to Sanctum and hers belonged to wherever she chose to put it, she was the one to pick up her life and relocate after deciding she was going to keep him. That he managed to land such a beautiful, vibrant sort of bride was the source of much consternation to his colleagues. Their contrasting personalities proved to be a good complementary balance for both of them. They had their first child when Hardwicke was 22 and Symanthe 20, and they had another six before she declared quite firmly that she was done now that she had a brood large enough to harass her unsociable husband for the rest of his life. Their marriage has not been without strife, but it's several decades later with all their children (mostly) grown and they haven't quit yet.
  (mostly) grown and they haven't quit yet.)
• Harper Grayhope  + (Harper Ashdown was born among the denizens …
  Harper Ashdown was born among the denizens of the Lower Boroughs, before being relinquished to the Tragedy upon the untimely deaths of her parents at the behest of a serial killer. She grew up close to the most impoverished in Arx and witnessed their oppression, their suffering, and their helplessness. Someone needed to stand up and protect them, and that someone would be Harper. She made sense of the chaotic, disorderly world she grew up in by formulating her own code of ethics and behavior. It was almost knight-like, if it wasn't obvious she distrusted knights. After teaching herself how to wield a blade by befriending a retired soldier and convincing him to adopt her, she decided to join the weakened Iron Guard after the betrayal of their former Lord Commander, sensing her chance to change it for the better and protect the city she loves.
  the better and protect the city she loves.)
• Harper Ashdown  + (Harper was born among the denizens of the …
  Harper was born among the denizens of the Lower Boroughs, before being relinquished to the Tragedy upon the untimely deaths of her parents at the behest of a serial killer. She grew up close to the most impoverished in Arx and witnessed their oppression, their suffering, and their helplessness. Someone needed to stand up and protect them, and that someone would be Harper. She made sense of the chaotic, disorderly world she grew up in by formulating her own code of ethics and behavior. It was almost knight-like, if it wasn't obvious she distrusted knights. After teaching herself how to wield a blade by befriending a retired soldier and convincing him to adopt her, she decided to join the weakened Iron Guard after the betrayal of their former Lord Commander, sensing her chance to change it for the better and protect the city she loves.
  the better and protect the city she loves.)
• Perianithill Crown  + (Has since childhood done and seen many different things never being content with what he was doing, so the only way to constantly experience new things is to travel from place to place in pursuit of different experiences.)
• Haven Leary  + (Haven loved music, ever since she was a yo …
  Haven loved music, ever since she was a young child. She loved to sing as well as play instruments, though she rather enjoyed the latter much more. Her mother got her into books, however, wanting her to get a scholarly education as well as a musical one. She always told Haven stories about when she was young, for she was previously of a common house, and wanted her children to always remember to be thankful for what they had. As a result, Haven has always had great manners, which partially came from the noble side, of which her father gently and patiently taught her. She does, however, respect those of lower status to her, and believes that yes, they may be lower in class, but not in rights of their humanity. She is the second eldest of four, and loved to help her parents care for her younger siblings. She is now beginning to make a life for herself and be on her own for the first time, but she keeps in contact with her family quite frequently.
  contact with her family quite frequently.)
• Archibald Kitt  + (Having been a successful teacher serving t …
  Having been a successful teacher serving the King's Own, Archibald's early life was pleasant. He served well and even earned a parcel of land to call his own. During what had been a successful retirement, his land was raided. Though he fought to stop the raiders, he was left for dead and all of his family slaughtered. Permanently lame in his leg, he went to request aid from the crown, but it was determined resources could not be spared and he was given a token gift to assist him in his hardship. Crippled, alone, and feeling betrayed, he has lived the rest of his existance in the lower boroughs teaching riff-raff instead of soldiers.
  hs teaching riff-raff instead of soldiers.)
• Terris Deepwood  + (Having been born to the Tehoa peoples of D …
  Having been born to the Tehoa peoples of Deepwood forest, Terris lost his tribe when he was 7 years old. The Greenwood tribe, led by Thesarin, raided the much smaller nomadic tribe at the break of spring of that year. He was saved only because his hound puppy, Nico, had fled from the cave where his tribe was wintering, and Terris had gone to chase him. By the time the young lad returned, the Greenwoods were just finishing with their looting, and slaying the last of the women. Terris saw this from a distance, and watched as the war party's leader urinated on the fire at the entrance of the cave. A face that faded from his mind's eye, as the years passed, but never from his memory. Those years were spent in the forests, largely. Tehoa peoples were taught young how to survive in the wilds. As he grew larger, he would send Nico to distract someone at a stream, washing clothes, then sneak down and steal whatever he could grab and run away with. He would hunt mostly by way of snares, still, or with Nico's help, sometimes using a length of stick with a fire hardened tip as a spear. This was just enough to stay alive. Eventually, Terris' thefts were noticed, but given his young age and wild nature, the tribes of Deepwood that he would steal from became more curious than angry. Why was a lone boy of such young age by himself in the forests? And so, one of these tribes intentionally left a bag of clothing, near where they did their wash. Also in the bag was some dried foods, as well as a small obsidian knife. The knife was a treasured tool for the youth, now into his early teens. He came back in the spring of the next year, and there was another bag. More clothes. More food. The year after when Terris went to the spot, he left several uncured pelts of winter rabbits, fur white as snow, as thanks. This sort of trade happened for several more years, until the spring of Terris' 16th year. He came to the spot and there was the bag, and sitting in front of a camp fire, a man. Terris cautiously approached the man, who didn't stand, but just smiled and turned the spit containing a pair of pheasants. Terris was invited to eat, and then questioned by the man. When his benefactor offered Terris a place in his tribe, the Othalas, Terris initially refused. The man understood, and asked if the boy would like to learn to hunt with a bow. Man and boy spent the spring doing just that. Terris took quickly to the weapon, and his ability to hunt increased many fold. The following spring, he had not only hare pelts, but a pair of white wolves, and fox furs, and even a badger. Again the man made the offer for Terris to join his tribe, and Terris refused, though he did accept a fine overcloak made from the hide of a bear, that had belonged to the man himself. The third year, Terris' 18th, he finally accepted the offer to come and meet the tribe, but initially made no agreement to join. It seemed almost a sign when, resting peacefully with his head upon Terris' lap, Nico passed away. As if the hound was able to go beyond, believing Terris would be taken care of. Terris was touched when the Othalas shared his grief, and, tentatively, joined the tribe. So skilled was Terris with the bow, and at hunting, that he began teaching the children of the Othalas. He knew many tricks that the tribe, more reliant upon the bow for their hunting, did not know. 4 peaceful years passed for Terris, who grew into manhood, accepted fully by the Othalas. Then, when Terris was 22, living in the Deepwoods with his new people, Tolmar Brand besieged Arx. The Othalas were one of many Shav'arvani to take the knee. Terris was against the move, but these people were his family, and so he joined them. One of the Rangers of the Deepwoods saw Terris' skill with the bow, and enlisted him, explaining that he could protect his people against Tolmar Brand's forces by using his skills to hunt men, instead of game. After the siege ended, the Rangers of Deepwood were like another family to Terris. One that he needn't see very often, but found comraderie with, sharing the occasional campfire in the woods. And it is in this capacity that Terris was sent to Arx. A messenger for the Rangers. Despite his independent nature, he learned to follow orders, and so when Marquessa Samantha asked for one of the better archers of the Rangers be sent to teach new recruits in Arx, Terris was given the dubious honor.
  n Arx, Terris was given the dubious honor.)
• Glenn Took  + (Having been one of many children of a weal …
  Having been one of many children of a wealthy merchant family with connections he was sent off at a young age to page for a local knight. Even for a young boy he was clumsy, slow and weak. He was taught by his mother how to read and write and had a great interest in books however at the age of 16 he had become a squire, to the shock of many and undoubtedly due to his family's local influence. That same year his mentor died and since then Glenn served a new Knight every few months, traveling from fiefdom to fiefdom in hope that he one day might become a Knight himself, growing distance from his own family and surviving of the ever dwindling financial support he receives from them.
  g financial support he receives from them.)
• Lyria none  + (Having never met her father, Lyria travele …
  Having never met her father, Lyria traveled with her mother since she was little picking up crafting lessons, a little bit from every trade. Whenever she asked who her father was her mother just shook her head, unwilling or maybe unable to answer. Practicing all kind of crafts, she couldn't keep everything she created so because she didn't want to throw them away she gave them to people in need, clothes to small children, keeping for herself only a few. When she turned 19, her mother died because she was too sick and the fever overpowered her. After grieving, Lyria knew that she had to find her family. Or if not her family, then a place of her own. A place where she could live, not be dragged all around by someone. A place she could call home, with friends who wouldn't be lost when she was forced to leave. Because she was alone she ended up selling most of the things she owned so she wouldn't catch the attention of thieves. Selling small things she crafted to people for food or money, she promised herself that her story was just beginning.
  herself that her story was just beginning.)
• Jophiel Bisland  + (Having spent many of his formative years a …
  Having spent many of his formative years as a ward of House Melaeris, Jophiel's passions as an adult remain forever colored by the experiences and perspectives gained from his father's birthplace of Astarrea. Much of his professional reputation as a talented mediator and secular counselor centers around his work with former thralls and those members of the peerage responsible for helping to free them. Never one to pass up an opportunity to foster new friendships, Jophiel remains famously slow to alienate or condemn those still economically reliant on the practice. In fact, marriage contract negotiations with a princess of House Thrax and the Bisland lord were in talks for some time. The arrangement might have been a great success had the relevant Voices not proved unable to reach a happy compromise. In the wake of the Battle of Pridehall, Jophiel set aside his longstanding humanitarian efforts in Thrax fealty territories to return to the Crownlands. His work there soon shifted towards assisting those suffering from wartime bereavement and battle fatigue. It remains his focus to this day.
  fatigue. It remains his focus to this day.)
• Grady Deepwood  + (He doesn't talk too much about his past - …
  He doesn't talk too much about his past - what he does mention is how hard he worked to learn the trappings of diplomacy. Always he has been the peacemaker - between his siblings (the middle child is always caught in between), because his parents (they fought with each other frequently), between his friends (children are terrible to each other). He was always sick as a child too, though as time passed he finally grew out of that for the most part. Happiest were his moments in the woods, when he could be alone. He would take books and read there, but of course his family's library was not extensive. So he found himself reading even the driest and dustiest treatises on politics, diplomacy, and history - and finding he had a propensity for it. Avidly he read and re-read, and started using some of the theories espoused in dry and dusty tomes to start settling those fights, and found he was good at not just understanding these theories but using them as well. And so he began his life as a diplomat, building a reputation for a level head and a genial nature that encouraged communication and compromise. Then he met the woman who would become his wife - she was in the woods too one day, tilting at trees to practice her swordwork. And as the poet said, 'No sooner met but they looked; no sooner looked but they loved; no sooner loved but they sighed; no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason; no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy; and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage.' So it was that when his wife determined she would come to Arx and rejoin her family by heritage, so too did he as her faithful companion.
  , so too did he as her faithful companion.)
• Joxur Deepwood  + (He grew up far from Arx, one of many in a …
  He grew up far from Arx, one of many in a large family. But of all of them he knew what he wanted from an early age. Of course, it's fairly easy to become the best swordsman in a town with no swordsmen, so he traveled early. Gone more often than not in search of training, Joxur saw enough of the world around him to get a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do and be. And then he went home - and instead of finding his family waiting for him, he learned that his two favorite sisters had left for Arx. One of them with a husband in tow that he'd never even met! So he set his sights on Arx and headed out once more - sword by his side, dubious armor worn and ready, to seek greatness among the denizens of Arx.
  seek greatness among the denizens of Arx.)
• Tulasam Waters  + (He grew up poor in a traveling mummers tro …
  He grew up poor in a traveling mummers troupe with the talent of song that he was forced to learn by his mother. Dragged from town to town, he would sing and dance for the wealthy slowly learning to hate this from the depth of his soul. As he grow up watching them never struggle or have to wonder where the next meal was coming from he took up the fine art of theft. Over time his skilled hands got him into trouble and his mother took the brunt of him crime and disowned by the group at the tender age of 15 and with nothing to do now but leave to work on his own. He made a quick name on his own performing for the courts till a Thrax lord picked him up for ownership as his personal jester. But that only lasted for 3 years now he is seeking in this name a land patron.
  he is seeking in this name a land patron.)