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Ashur Sanna +	Born to a distant cousin of the then Count of Seliki, Ashur was raised with a bow in his hand and an adventure in his heart. And even when there was no true adventure to be had, he made up his own. An independent boy, he explored the woods outside his home, the beaches and caves along the coast. He found treasures everyday: long abandoned chests that surely held goblets of ancient, though none were ever found inside, books with pages torn out that undoubtedly once contained mystical spells. At the age of 18, Ashur's father, a minor lord, brokered a deal to have him married into the Sanna family. He didn't want to, but was talked into it with language like 'duty' and 'family needs'. A trip was organized not long after the nuptials and he was dragged to a distant-relation's estate; some aunt's cousin's third husband's grandfather's sister's niece. It was revelatory. His exploration, up until that point, had been external, always looking for answers elsewhere. But this young girl, with her brilliant mind sought answers to things inside her laboratory, inside her mind. He showed her some of the weaponry he used, some of the tools that he believed could detect spirits, which they both believe in! He told her of his wild stories that most people never believed, of the places he went that were not marked on any map. And she showed him her inventions and experiments, things he didn't necessarily understand all of the time. But she explained her need of things. Rare flowers, fancy metals. Who better to find those things than him?! Ashur would chase things for Elloise and bring them back to her. Together, they worked on new ways to create things that had made this way for generations. They grew fond of each other and were inseparable in that limited time they were able to spend together. But the trip had to end sometime and he returned home. Within a year of his marriage, a strange, undiagnosed disease struck his wife. He heard legend of someone that would have been able to save his wife, that had never failed to heal any sick person. He lost himself in the search. He was away from his wife and home for months, but each clue led to another hint and eventually, he found the person; a 'witch' in the deepest, darkest part of the woods. He brings the 'witch' to their estate after another week's journey home and is told upon arrival that his wife had passed away the night before. Grief overwhelmed him. He fled from his home, from those that knew him and he lost himself in travels until a letter from Elloise recently arrived...  +
Aslaug Winge +	When asked where she comes from, if she can be coaxed into saying anything at all, Aslaug may tell one soul she washed up on the beach of Arx in a spring storm, another she may whisper to that she wandered down a mountain in a snow storm, or that she simply sprouted one spring. Each of these explanations delivered as a matter of fact - as if everyone has a similar story behind them. What is clear is that she commits to no origins. Some amongst those who owe their allegiance to Redrain have seen the wanderer about, passing through their various holdings, and often attending Shamanistic gatherings generally hovering at the periphery of such gatherings. Her arrival in Arx coincided with the influx of nobility following the start of the King's slumber and since she may be found wandering in some strange places, typically with her hat pulled low over her eyes and her head bowed down. Most often she can be sighted in the Low Borough or the Redrain quarter, though many have spotted her in the wilds around the city as well.  +
Asphodel Leary +	A sunny and precocious young woman of a Leary branch, Asphodel could be found wherever there was merriment. A roadside inn at harvest-time was such a place one evening, with Asphodel laughing among and enjoying the company of common folk. All shared song, drink and warm jests. Asphodel, always sharp-tongued but kind enough with it, made a jape about a man's fashion, setting the room to laughter. Most would laugh it off. But some innocent mockeries cut more deeply than the dealer could ever expect, and the hearts of men can be both bitterly vengeful and shockingly explosive. Asphodel had visited the inn without a guard. Foolish. Outside, as the night's festivities waned, the mocked man pulled Asphodel from the palfrey she'd mounted to depart, threw her to the dirt, and buried a hand-axe in her face with a choice word shouted. He would have struck again, had a wayfaring Knight of Solace not been stepping from the inn just then. The knight arrested a second axe stroke and saved Asphodel from death, but not from a lightning bolt of shattering pain, her darkest year to come, and a life forever changed. All due to a thoughtless joke. She awoke days later. Medicine cured the infection, but could not make her whole. Ahead lay a year of shadows in a shut room, each day a series of objects thrown in anger, curses, desperate prayers, wailing and sobs with enough pain to drive the servants from hearing. But after months of anguish came an equilibrium of silence. Books and a quill saved her from worse. In solitude, she exhausted the library, as servants pleased to see her occupied brought tomes to her room on request. She devoured history, legend, poetry, philosophy and fiction. Unsatisfied, she began to add her own work, but given her limited experience, mustered only critiques of certain dated historians and poets. Foremost of her learning was that she had so much more to learn, and that one library could not satisfy. She needed more to read, and more to write. Where to find it? She'd read of Arx. With a year passed, she at last left her room, more pale than before, more inquisitive, and altogether changed, for the city.  +
Asralyn Venac +	There's a small village north of Farhaven that if you searched for your whole life, might never come close to brushing its borders. The world is a big place. This Asralyn has always known, sitting on the cliffs that look toward the endless reams of pole-pines that stretch to the sea. By this time, at the age of twelve, she knew her life would not end in this place. The kiss of the wind lured her away. At sixteen she quit her home as pressure mounted from her parents to settle down. She sought the edge of the world and came to it on the coast of the Eventide Vast and the next chapter in her story; pirates in a cove unloading their bounty and hiding from the wrath of the navy in dogged pursuit. They thought her some feral Shav at first, especially when she lunged a knife into the throat of a sailor who tried to take her aboard their ship. Down a man, the Captain saw fit to offer her a job instead. This disreputable life she led for some years, until their crew came upon the shadow of the Gyre. Asralyn and two others were the only survivors. She parted ways with them, however, and instead took up her spear in the name of whoever paid her wage. For a long time it has been this way, a rough and violent life. A life whose purpose is as transitory as the adventurer who lives it; and now in these interesting times, it has led her to Arx.  +
Asriel Darkwater +	Asriel Darkwater has ever been a notoriously private person. Still, not every facet of his long life has been masked by the sort of mystery he so often cultivates around himself. What is it they say in the law courts of Arx? Just the facts, please. Asriel was known to be a precocious child, nobody would argue that. A noble's education and a hunger for knowledge would find him growing into a young lord of House Darkwater with a brilliant mind and a bright - if sometimes questionable - personality full of idiosyncracies. Yet no amount of radiance would help him to escape from beneath the long shadow cast by his brother Draevor, a man who better espoused the qualities a Darkwater was thought to need at the time. It could be fair to think that because of this, a younger Asriel Darkwater might have already harbored a healthy resentment for his more brutal brother even before whatever passed between them that would cause an informal falling out. In the years leading up to Draevor's death, a distance grew between Asriel and his family at Darkwater Watch. Where once he had put his keen mind to use handling finances and other important details for his House, more and more he failed to come home altogether. Every stretch of absence was longer than the last, until one day he disappeared entirely. Before he seemingly fell off the face of Arvum, Asriel had been pursuing the life of an antiquarian. Though the return of the Darkwater lord wasn't inevitable, it wasn't an accident either. It was by the hand and efforts of the newly-elevated Countess Carita that the letter which would finally convince Asriel to come home would reach him. While he isn't always quite the outgoing socialite he once was, his philanthropic nature and driven curiosity has remained intact through whatever ravages time has brought down upon him. Many of the Peerage expected that perhaps Draevor's brother might pose a challenge to the latest Countess to grace the head of House Darkwater's table, being the neo noble that she is, but to their surprise his return has found him steadfastly vocal about his support for her.  +
Asterion Havmarke +	Asterion Havmarke is the firstborn and last living child of Dallon and Odelia Havmarke, and the only remaining scion of the Havmarke line proper. Two younger brothers and a sister were born after, though both younger boys faced health complications that led to early deaths. Like his father before him, he was a farmer by birth and by profession, and was resigned to such a life long before he ever reached adulthood. An avid reader, he consumed every bit of ink and parchment he was able to get his hands on, primarily via discarded missives and historical texts. It was this sharpening of his mind that led to a surprisingly competent military career. It served as an escape from the monotony of agriculture and a method to elevate his own station, eventually resulting in a commission to officer. It was at this time that he took a wife, Vorina, and soon after inherited his family's lands after illness claimed the lives of his parents. She too would be taken by ailing health, accelerated by a complicated pregnancy that left Asterion widowed and without any progeny. Rather than fall into any despair, he threw his life into duty - cultivating his lands, serving his commission, and reigniting a passion for literature, now with the agency to acquire proper books to expand his library. Eventually, his military service was ended by injury and subsequent illness that threatened to claim him just as it did the whole of his family. It was this distinguished military service, though, that led House Byrne to invite Asterion to serve as a steward and agent of Cedar Vale following his recovery, a role that he has acted in with ruthless efficiency. The duty would carry him to Arx to serve the Vale from afar, and so it was that he escaped the destruction of Cedar Vale at the hands of the Abandoned. He returned when the County was given to Lord Gailin Stonewood, seamlessly transition from service of House Byrne to service of the newly created House Fireviper. So it is that he has carried on in stewardship of House Byrne, then Fireviper, and now Byrne again. He has remained through it all in a number of capacities, the only consistency a loyal and steadfast service to Cedar Vale and to the House that holds it.  +
Astor Larrant +	Astor grew up in a family of simple farmers and ranchers on House Grayson's lands. Harboring greater ambitions than a typical farmer's son, Astor decided the best thing to do was to give up his claim on the family business and start one of his own. He apprenticed under a traveling merchant who dabbled in alchemy until he was old enough and knowledgeable enough to set off on his own. He made his way around for a few years, and after a string of run-ins with bandits and scammers, he decided it was best to find a place to settle down. Now that he's in Arx proper, he's not quite sure what to do, at least not yet. He does at least believe that he's wise enough to figure it out, though.  +
Astraea Redrain +	Astraea was born mere minutes before her twin sister but the two might often go back and forth on who was actually the first brought into this world. Though she may be identical in looks to her sister they are quite different in some ways. Astraea is the more thrill-seeking, physical type who enjoyed tussling with the boys and getting dirty. Unafraid of a little danger, she always managed to find herself getting into trouble. Her mother was afraid of losing her daughter to the wiles of her whimsy and did her best to reign her in. There was no way in hell that Astraea would ever enjoy embroidery or needlepoint. Knowing her daughter well, the Igniseri noblewoman managed to procure the services of a well known sellsword from a foreign land. Due to her natural inclination toward athleticism she was an excellent student and picked up swordplay quickly. This only bolstered her eagerness to partake in dangerous ventures for that rush of adrenaline. Storm-chasing, rock-climbing, extreme sports, diving, exploring, and just about anything that risks life and limb was on her checklist. Astraea managed to undertake many exciting adventures but her career as a daredevil came to an end when she got married. It was politically motivated and she had never met her intended before they were engaged. As she got to know him it seemed alright and the Igniseri girl felt like perhaps she might even grow to love him. It was with a heavy heart that she left her family and home in the Southern isles to go and live in the icy north. Life can be good, but it isn't always happy endings and for Astraea this was quite the case. Her husband died three years into their marital bliss, his body was found terribly mangled and the cause of death was never discovered. In the weeks following the investigation into the Redrain Prince's death the grisly details were kept from his widow. After the news was delivered to her, Astraea sunk into depression and mourning, thus shattering the hopes and dreams of the southern-but-northern princess who had expected to live a long life with her Prince Charming. Many long months have gone by since then and once again Astraea has fallen prey to her wanderlust and taste for a good fight. Ever a devotee of Gloria, this princess is highly devout and her love of the Gods is second to none. It's no secret that she walks with the Sentinel and has a special place in her heart for the Queen of Endings but she carries a flame of passion in her heart and soul for each member of the Pantheon; finding their combined philosophies and teachings the most beneficial to the soul. Strangely enough she is not actually a member of any single discipleship but the Redrain princess frequents the shrine and the Cathedral. When she isn't pursuing a life of piety, Astraea pursues her interests quietly and tends to avoid the politicking of Arx. Her sister, Aurelia, and her spend a great deal of time together and tend to be synchronous with their moods. This doesn't always mean the pair of them are in agreement but even in their discordance they manage to echo one another's thoughts and feelings as if they share a soul or at the very least a mind. There are no limits on her love for family and the people, all people. Some might see this as naivete or weakness but Astraea has always seen the best in humanity and has an amazing capacity for love. She enjoys meeting people with warmth and open arms, and though she may not always see eye to eye with someone she does her best to keep an open mind. How she arrived in the city is a bit of a mystery, but the why is something she hasn't been quite forthcoming about either but she has set about throwing all of her efforts into maintaining the peace and bringing down the Compact's foes.  +
Astraea Valardin +	Astraea was born mere minutes before her twin sister but the two might often go back and forth on who was actually the first brought into this world. Though she may be identical in looks to her sister they are quite different in some ways. Astraea is the more thrill-seeking, physical type who enjoyed tussling with the boys and getting dirty. Unafraid of a little danger, she always managed to find herself getting into trouble. Her mother was afraid of losing her daughter to the wiles of her whimsy and did her best to reign her in. There was no way in hell that Astraea would ever enjoy embroidery or needlepoint. Knowing her daughter well, the Igniseri noblewoman managed to procure the services of a well known sellsword from a foreign land. Due to her natural inclination toward athleticism she was an excellent student and picked up swordplay quickly. This only bolstered her eagerness to partake in dangerous ventures for that rush of adrenaline. Storm-chasing, rock-climbing, extreme sports, diving, exploring, and just about anything that risks life and limb was on her checklist. Astraea managed to undertake many exciting adventures but her career as a daredevil came to an end when she got married. It was politically motivated and she had never met her intended before they were engaged. As she got to know him it seemed alright and the Igniseri girl felt like perhaps she might even grow to love him. It was with a heavy heart that she left her family and home in the Southern isles to go and live in the icy north. Life can be good, but it isn't always happy endings and for Astraea this was quite the case. Her husband died three years into their marital bliss, his body was found terribly mangled and the cause of death was never discovered. In the weeks following the investigation into the Redrain Prince's death the grisly details were kept from his widow. After the news was delivered to her, Astraea sunk into depression and mourning, thus shattering the hopes and dreams of the southern-but-northern princess who had expected to live a long life with her Prince Charming. Many long months have gone by since then and once again Astraea has fallen prey to her wanderlust and taste for a good fight. Ever a devotee of Gloria, this princess is highly devout and her love of the Gods is second to none. It's no secret that she walks with the Sentinel and has a special place in her heart for the Queen of Endings but she carries a flame of passion in her heart and soul for each member of the Pantheon; finding their combined philosophies and teachings the most beneficial to the soul. Strangely enough she is not actually a member of any single discipleship but the Redrain princess frequents the shrine and the Cathedral. When she isn't pursuing a life of piety, Astraea pursues her interests quietly and tends to avoid the politicking of Arx. Her sister, Aurelia, and her spend a great deal of time together and tend to be synchronous with their moods. This doesn't always mean the pair of them are in agreement but even in their discordance they manage to echo one another's thoughts and feelings as if they share a soul or at the very least a mind. There are no limits on her love for family and the people, all people. Some might see this as naivete or weakness but Astraea has always seen the best in humanity and has an amazing capacity for love. She enjoys meeting people with warmth and open arms, and though she may not always see eye to eye with someone she does her best to keep an open mind. How she arrived in the city is a bit of a mystery, but the why is something she hasn't been quite forthcoming about either but she has set about throwing all of her efforts into maintaining the peace and bringing down the Compact's foes.  +
Astrid Ulbran +	Mother? Father? These are terms that Astrid's familiar with but not questions she can answer about herself. She was taken in by the Ulbran family when she was found as a three-year-old orphan in the alleys of the Lowers and was raised with ample cousins, aunts, and uncles but never knew a mother or father per se. At an early age she was taught some lessons that carry through to today: how to read people, how to make impassioned arguments, how to navigate the Streets and its culture. And she was also taught lessons she tries to forget: nimble fingers, insincere speeches, and the brutality of man. Astrid was twenty before she would find someone outside of the family she had known to inspire her to be something more. A priest of the Pantheon had been spending time in the Lowers, working on some pet project about documenting the histories of the common people. He was always kind to her, always lacking in judgement, and frequently finding an excuse to provide a little coin for a proper tour guide. Through their conversations over the course of a year, Astrid was encouraged to try something new, to embrace Lagoma's change and put what the priest recognized as a sharp mind and indomitable will to work. Over the next decade, Astrid would study with the aging man, turn her life around (according to the views of most) and leave behind a path that was sure to see her in the stockades to become a Priestess of the Pantheon. Now she still visits the place where she was raised, but she does so with an eye towards proving there's a chance for anyone to do anything if they just give it a real try. And who knows? Maybe one day she'll even be an Archlector. Others have risen to such heights!  +
Astyr Vanha +	When the Bringers of Silence carved their way across Arvum, they left ruin in their wake. Astyr is a refugee, holding and people lost, who knelt and found refuge in the Compact. In the years since Brand's advance, Astyr has shaped herself into the image of a proper Prodigal. She could pass among the citizens of Arx unnoticed, without tattoo or piercing, and has worked to tame even her accent. She's passed through the great cities and holdings of the north, through the Oathlands and the Crownlands. She respects the stability of the Compact, that it endures even in times of chaos -- that it even prospers. She could use some of that.  +
Aswin Ulbran +	Aswin doesn't really know if he was born an Ulbran, or if he simply fell in with the family around the time that he took his first steps. He has no memories of his mother or his father, they simply were never there. The streets of the Lower Boroughs are a tough place for a child to grow up, especially by themselves, and while his parents were not there the Ulbrans were. Survival became not only possible, but he learned at the instruction of his family how to thrive in the dangerous streets. As soon as he was able, he was put to work as a lookout and pickpocket, the innocence of his youthful appearance presenting an opportunity that was not to be wasted. And then by the time that he entered into his teens he was being trained to fight and sent along on more dangerous work, a life that Aswin took to quite well. Now in his twenties, he fills whatever role the family needs of him.  +
Athaur Rivenshari +	The Rivenshari Abandoned were never one of the bigger tribes in the Oathlands, but they were always a tight knit group of sailors that manned their boats up and down the waterways. A branch of the nomadic ravashari and smugglers, his family resisted the efforts of House Valardin to bring them to heel until Brand's dark magic enslaved his people and forced them to fight a battle that was not theirs. Many Rivenshari were struck down by House Thrax's navy the day Brand tried to breech Arx's walls. But a select few survived. Athaur and his younger sister, Eshra, will ensure the thrive now that they've bended knee to their former enemies. Born into a large family, Athaur never thought he would have to take the mantle of leader. His father, Aegis, and mother, Triega, had two older sons, Gavier and Raqui, who were meant to help lead their people. This left their third son to focus on what he did best, thieving and smuggling. Quick with his hands, even quicker with a blade, he became a skilled thief early on. His sailing skills rival those in House Thrax. His passion for the guitar, an outlet when things life troubled him. He was the reckless one, the man that took chances. His luck always paid off. Nobles would well to beware challenging this ravashari to a game of dice or cards. Closest to Eshra, who followed him by birth three years later, she has always been the one to temper his impulses. His advisor, his voice, it is she who consuls him to take a longer path. He thanks the spirits every day that Brand's darkness did not take her and Mattheu, his youngest brother, from him. He mourns the loss of his father, former leader of the Rivenshari, his mother, former Voice, and two brothers. Their losses have tempered some of his impulsiveness. Now he plays a longer game to see that his family thrives in Arx.  +
Atherton Galeren +	Atherton's origins are mostly unknown beyond the past few years. A few whisperings of offering his services to the Abandoned linger. In the more recent past he's been seen doing mundane work such as escorting merchants about, intimidating young bandits off farmers' property, and the like.  +
Atreylan Hollowood +	A sharp wit and a tactful tongue can carry a young man far in this world, given the right encouragement and resources. Atreyan was blessed to find both from birth. While not of the finest blood, his parents had means and desire to see themselves elevated in time. His father was an able-bodied man of the Iron Guard, and his mother put hand to gem, selling fine jewelry to nobility. Through their professions, they saw the privileges of the nobility in all things, and wished for their son to be better positioned to move within greater circles. To that end, they put their resources to education and betterment of the boy. He took to words, etiquette, and new knowledge with vigor- taking great joy in every sentence he constructed. Words yielded to him in a way that nothing else ever would, and before long he was surpassing his tutors. From there, it was a matter of what paths would offer him the greatest opportunities- and to further his abilities he was sent forth to the City-States of the Lyceum in the midst of his adolescence. Where a more militant boy might squire and aide to a warring man, he worked briskly in the trades of courtly stewardship, learning the proper way to guide a book and to assist lowly Lords with their correspondences. Many a letter was written in his hand, and by his mind, with another name attached. The intrigues of the Lyceum also bred in him a healthy paranoia for unsigned gifts, and a respect for the viciousness of the nobility. He was ever the respectful servant, and worked as honorably as anyone within the Lyceum may. By the time of his return to Arx, his sharply-educated mind had been honed by the practical rigors of his vocation. Within Arx, Atreyan found his greatest challenges being the de jure colliding with the de facto. Outside of the Compact, the laws of the realm are as varied as its people, and exceptions grow like weeds to every writ. Over the last few years, he's worked as a steward for a variety of well-off merchant families- ensuring that their trades adhered to the laws of the land, and doing what he could to give them an edge over their competition.  +
Atria Ulixes +	Atria is the second of three children, the middle child that's always so troublesome. Her eldest brother was trained to be lord of the manor and now rules House Ulixes. Her youngest sister was married off at an early age to secure trade agreements to grow the house's trade port which it so desperately depends on for life. And Atria? Well, her early years were a mix of being taught to be 'the spare' to having her time left to her own devices. She would spend many of those free hours playing the drums, for which she would find her lessons banished to the far side of the manor for the first year. She would spend other hours going to the Senate with her father and brother, listening to what she felt was worse caterwauling than anything she was mangling with her drums. The years would pass and Atria's ability to keep a beat, to lead a song or the cadence of war band would grow. And her interest in the Senate would sharpen as she realized these sometimes vitriolic proceedings held sway over countless lives. Not only that, she understood why her father took her and her brother, and not just the heir. The work their house would do could never be handled by just the Head of House; her brother would need her help. At the young age of 22, Atria lost her father. He went to Eurus, and he's never been seen or heard from again. His ship did not return and it's believed he was lost to attack. Since that time, Atria's served as the right hand to House Ulixes. Which made it not at all odd when the family contingent that arrived in Arvum included its calm right hand.  +
Atrid Darkwater +	Atrid is of House Darkwater The son of A Darkwater nobleman and a Grimhall noble woman. When his mother married his father they went back to his fathers keep south of Darkwater along the deeps. It was on an Island in the middle of the deeps. The keep itself was a lighthouse the Island was called La Isla De Muerte Negro. When Atrids mother left the she brought her body guard to help keep her safe when her husband had to be away. Over the years with his mother and fathers influence and teaching he became a good and charismatic if not strict leader, learning from his mother and her body guard the arts of warfare and the brutality often times needed "the ends justify the means" right? And from his father he learned more of the sleight of hand and trickery, also inheriting the more liberal way of looking at those below his station. Through his teen years he decided to start following in his fathers footsteps hed turn out the lighthouse light allowing a cargo ship here or there to wreck on his island and pillaging the goods and money from it. Now hes left to seek out his fortune and carve his place in the world to leave his own legacy.  +
Auda Crown +	There are always people that slip through the cracks. An unwanted child, or perhaps one who's parents died to some illness or political machination. Maybe even a child squirreled away, tucked into hiding where no one would ever look. Auda doesn't know where she falls in that, she just knows that she's always been alone. Memories of a warm place and caring adults are vague at best, though she doesn't suffer some sort of amnesia. The memories are just hazy, lost to strong emotions, hunger, a need to survive more than a need to remember. Her fiesty temperament is probably what kept her alive. Being full of fight means she wasn't afraid to dabble in some rougher jobs, though most of her youth has been spent in kitchens or cleaning, odd jobs at the docks or running messages. Whatever would get her the silver to get her through another day. Now she's an adult, and still running the same lifestyle.  +
Auda Florin +	There are always people that slip through the cracks. An unwanted child, or perhaps one who's parents died to some illness or political machination. Maybe even a child squirreled away, tucked into hiding where no one would ever look. Auda doesn't know where she falls in that, she just knows that she's always been alone. Memories of a warm place and caring adults are vague at best, though she doesn't suffer some sort of amnesia. The memories are just hazy, lost to strong emotions, hunger, a need to survive more than a need to remember. Her fiesty temperament is probably what kept her alive. Being full of fight means she wasn't afraid to dabble in some rougher jobs, though most of her youth has been spent in kitchens or cleaning, odd jobs at the docks or running messages. Whatever would get her the silver to get her through another day. It wasn't until she was a young adult herself that she ran into an old friend who'd struck riches. She didn't have to live day-to-day any more, and Auda finally had time to figure herself out. What she wanted, who she wanted to be. She learned how to keep a small House's finances as a way to earn her keep, and started to dabble in alchemy. It wasn't long before she went from taking classes to opening a shop of her own. finding a home of her own. Still in the Lowers, of course, but now it's on her own terms.  +
Auda Waters +	There are always people that slip through the cracks. An unwanted child, or perhaps one who's parents died to some illness or political machination. Maybe even a child squirreled away, tucked into hiding where no one would ever look. Auda doesn't know where she falls in that, she just knows that she's always been alone. Memories of a warm place and caring adults are vague at best, though she doesn't suffer some sort of amnesia. The memories are just hazy, lost to strong emotions, hunger, a need to survive more than a need to remember. Her fiesty temperament is probably what kept her alive. Being full of fight means she wasn't afraid to dabble in some rougher jobs, though most of her youth has been spent in kitchens or cleaning, odd jobs at the docks or running messages. Whatever would get her the silver to get her through another day. Now she's an adult, and still running the same lifestyle.  +
Audgrim Veilandir +	Born to a Knighted couple in a small barony in the Crownlands, Audgrim grew up in a happy home. From an early age he loved the forest, and joined the scouts and rangers working for the baron. He learned to survive and hunt this way, and when old enough he took employ in the ranks of the rangers. His parents were proud of him, and they also saw to him getting training with weapons and armor, to give him a chance for a career as a Knight or at least a soldier. Life in the barony was mostly peaceful, the occasional skirmish with abandoned or bandits being the worst that happened. But then the Silent War began and everything changed. Banners were called, and Audgrim's parents were to join the army against Tolamar Brand and his forces. The baron also dedicated his trained rangers for scouting, Audgrim included. So, leaving his family behind, including his fiancee since only a month, he and his fellow rangers took off to scout for the main forces, while the baron gathered up troops on his land to move to the frontlines. What was not expected was that The Silent Army was moving through the forest and came straight at the barony and the small town where the mansion was. When Audgrim and his fellow scouts realised this, they turned around and rode as hard as they could back home, but they arrived to death and oblivion. The silent army was still there and captured the rangers after a short skirmish where it was clear to Audgrim that they never stood a chance. About a week later, Audgrim awoke alone on a small strip of beach by a small, dark lake. He did not know where he was or what had happened. There was no sign of anyone or the silent army, or his fellow rangers. The area was silent and the forest dying around him. He stumbled away and managed to make it back to the mansion where he proceeded to bury everyone he loved, including his fiancee. He walked away, and stayed in the forest for years, banding together with others of similar fates, hunting and taking on mercenary work for villages having trouble with bandits. But they stayed on the fringe of society, earning a reputation as a fearless and cunning band of a semi shady reputation. They avoided entanglement with Compact forces and were called the Woodsmen. Many years like this ended when Audgrim and his band ended up in trouble that caught the interest of people from Arx. Audgrim decided to go to Arx and look for answers and to start another life. There are always those in need of a ranger and hunter, whether of beast or man.  +
Audrey None (formerly Valardin) +	The tale is well-known by those in the Oathlands: Princess Marianne Valardin was an infectiously charismatic daughter of Sanctum, someone different from most her fellow White Dragons. She was unafraid of pushing social boundaries to the very extremes, always mingling with the Commonfolk and defying her family whenever she felt was right. Next to her the Valardin were seen as stuffy, and Princess Marianne as someone who put in full display just how pleasant a White Dragon could be. So wild was the Princess that she clashed against expectations and challenged tradition to marry for love, her husband a Lycene merchant named Marcello, a simple commoner. The crowds erupted in jubilation at wedding and the chaos in the White City that day was legendary, and it was to this legacy that Audrey, the first of four children, was born. Although she loved her parents very much, Audrey always had a favorite. Marienne was just enthralling, more friend than mother as she taught Audrey how to dance, sing and ride a horse. The young girl eventually grew up to be just as full of joy as her mother, and possessing a strong sense of right and wrong, something that would serve her well in the years after the Tragedy. When the Tragedy struck, Audrey's immediate family was thankfully spared from the carnage. The eldest of her siblings, she remembers as her parents argued over what to do next, and while Marianne was against leaving their children Marcello decided to help the surviving Valardin. Peeking out a window, Audrey watched her father mount his horse in the dead of night to ride to Sanctum, a decision that claimed his life. His death at the hands of the Malardin brotherhood cursed Audrey's family, and marked them for a dark fate: weeks later, in a night not unlike the one that saw Marcello leave, Audrey was found in a pool of Princess Marianne's blood, holding a kitchen knife, weeping over her dead mother. In the wake of the travesty, many expected - many hoped - the Kinslayer to be put to the sword by then-newly elevated Highlord Edain. In a crowd that rivalled that of Marianne's wedding in size, the Commonfolk demanded blood, and Audrey seemed to agree with them. Highlord Edain, however, stayed his blade, not executing the young girl. The Kinslayer was allowed to live, albeit without her family name, and trusting his guidance, the Valardin's own fury was placated even if the Commonfolk would never forgive Audrey. Marianne was a larger-than-life character, and for all her shortcomings, the lively Princess did not deserve to die by the hands of her daughter. This sin has walked with Audrey ever since as she swore her sword to the Valardin and took it upon herself to ride alone at the Oathlands for years, hunting evil whenever it manifests, until now. As the White Dragons find themselves readying for war, Audrey finds herself in Arx, heeding the call for those who have swore to defend the Great House and facing her family once more.  +
Audric Crown +	Audric changes his background story with every telling, lying for sympathy or just because he finds it wildly entertaining. In the (very) rare cases when he is forced to be honest, such as talking to the high and mighty of society who could have the rogue hanged under the entirely correct assumption he must be guilty of something or other, Audric would be forced to admit that he grew up in the rough Lower Boroughs of Arx untroubled by burdens holding him back such as parents, a family, or basic human necessities. Audric contends that while being a waifish urchin was a promising career track, he quickly discovered the far more lucrative field of talking oneself in and, more importantly, out of trouble. Noticably vague about how he first learned swordplay and made the acquaintance of other sellswords, the scoundrel quickly learned that a captain of a sellsword company is not so much the best swordsman as a leader of other soldiers. Or, in Audric's far superior case, someone who can present a reasonably facsimile of a leader while cashing in big on the work that mercenary groups are hired to do while trying to avoid the work of actual bothersome fighting. Also extraordinarily vague on the real details for how he came to be the head of the Valorous Few sellsword company, which is neither few in number nor anything resembling valorous, he has a remarkable talent for being hired while never actually fighting. It's not easy to be an honorable man, which is why Audric is devoutly glad he is instead profoundly not that.  +
Audric de Lire +	Audric changes his background story with every telling, lying for sympathy or just because he finds it wildly entertaining. In the (very) rare cases when he is forced to be honest, such as talking to the high and mighty of society who could have the rogue hanged under the entirely correct assumption he must be guilty of something or other, Audric would be forced to admit that he grew up in the rough Lower Boroughs of Arx untroubled by burdens holding him back such as parents, a family, or basic human necessities. Audric contends that while being a waifish urchin was a promising career track, he quickly discovered the far more lucrative field of talking oneself in and, more importantly, out of trouble. Noticably vague about how he first learned swordplay and made the acquaintance of other sellswords, the scoundrel quickly learned that a captain of a sellsword company is not so much the best swordsman as a leader of other soldiers. Or, in Audric's far superior case, someone who can present a reasonably facsimile of a leader while cashing in big on the work that mercenary groups are hired to do while trying to avoid the work of actual bothersome fighting. Also extraordinarily vague on the real details for how he came to be the head of the Valorous Few sellsword company, which is neither few in number nor anything resembling valorous, he has a remarkable talent for being hired while never actually fighting. It's not easy to be an honorable man, which is why Audric is devoutly glad he is instead profoundly not that.  +
Augustus Grayson +	Born the younger brother of King Alerius II and Tommen Grayson, and the youngest son of Thalia Grayson, Augustus was trained as an administrator and academic rather than a warrior or an heir. Constantly engrossed in books, texts of all kinds, and the sheer environment of academic learning, Augustus did not entirely shirk his martial duties either - though his education has lead him to be more of a strategist than a combatant. Unlike most Graysons, Augustus was not born in the Crownlands and was instead born when his royal parents were conducting a tour of the vassal princedoms. It was during a stop in the Lycene capital of Lenosia that Augustus was brought into the world. As it was that Augustus was destined for a life of courtly matters and intrigue, it was decided at some point during his youth that he would be sent to Lenosia to continue his education. Whilst in Lenosia the young Augustus, a gentleman of around twelve years of age at the time, met Livia Velenosa, a young princess of the Grand Duchess' extended family. The two had been betrothed since birth, an attempt to show the continued Grayson support and admiration for the Lycene people and the Velenosa specifically. The pair were not an ideal match when they married several years later. They knew each other well and their personalities could not have been more different. Where Augustus was a cooler, analytical sort Livia fancied herself a patron of the arts, investing great sums in poetry, songs, and the like; much to the consternation of her young husband. The pair eventually, after some great difficulty and perhaps with the aid of a good-natured spirit of some kind, came to fall very much in love. So much so that many bardic songs exist of their romance and their treasuring each other long after their children had grown. Together they had three sons, Aberforth, Aerys and Tiberias, along with three daughters, Matilda, Elysia, and Cassandra. Their marriage would come to an end in the sixty-first year of Augustus' life with Livia's death at fifty-eight.  +