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2006
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| Karadoc Saik + | Karadoc was *that* son. The prodigy, the bright rising star. There was nothing his proud parents could not put before him that Karadoc could not grasp. Logic, history, arithmetic, religion, law - all of it - seen, appraised, and grasped with an aptitude that was stunning. The future was bright for Karadoc Saik. Was. To this day, his parents remain frustrated and baffled by their son's sudden drop off the proverbial cliff. At some point after returning from Southport and the two year training regimen there, Karadoc simply ceased to care...about anything. His invitation to attend to prestigious academy in Tor? Ignored. The various offers coming from Southport, those martial and intellectual? Declined. And, to this very day, his mother still cannot talk about the potential marriage contract used to catch cat vomit without flying into an apoplectic rage. He eventually left home one misty morning, disappearing for a few years before returning suddenly. During that time, Karadoc has less and little to say, though it is widely assumed amongst the family he lived as a half-starved vagrant. Nor did he remain home for long! Almost as soon as he settled in, his uncle the Baron, died. Then, but a few short months later, his cousin the Baron, died. Finally, his cousin the Baroness, summoned him to Arx. To the surprise of all, Karadoc accepted. + |
| Karadoc Tessere + | Karadoc was *that* son. The prodigy, the bright rising star. There was nothing his proud parents could not put before him that Karadoc could not grasp. Logic, history, arithmetic, religion, law - all of it - seen, appraised, and grasped with an aptitude that was stunning. The future was bright for Karadoc Saik. Was. To this day, his parents remain frustrated and baffled by their son's sudden drop off the proverbial cliff. At some point after returning from Southport and the two year training regimen there, Karadoc simply ceased to care...about anything. His invitation to attend to prestigious academy in Tor? Ignored. The various offers coming from Southport, those martial and intellectual? Declined. And, to this very day, his mother still cannot talk about the potential marriage contract used to catch cat vomit without flying into an apoplectic rage. He eventually left home one misty morning, disappearing for a few years before returning suddenly. During that time, Karadoc has less and little to say, though it is widely assumed amongst the family he lived as a half-starved vagrant. Nor did he remain home for long! Almost as soon as he settled in, his uncle the Baron, died. Then, but a few short months later, his cousin the Baron, died. Finally, his cousin the Baroness, summoned him to Arx. To the surprise of all, Karadoc accepted. + |
| Karak Crown + | From a family of hunter, son of a huntsman and a merchant, Karak was a child educated to follow the family tradition, always helping his father with making arrows and butchering. Karak also spent a lot of time time training shooting bows. Except one day, Karak's father died after an hog charged him, wounding him mortally, his mother died soon enough, with nothing to sell. Karak, in his teenage years continued the family tradition, living as an hermit. Days after days, his thirst for gold, and jealousy towards nobility made him become a mercenary, he's now roaming in these lands, looking for work. + |
| Karina Seabright + | Karina Seabright is the youngest in a family of four, with two older brothers and an older sister. Her father Pyotr is one of House Grimhall's most steadfast naval captains, having commanded a medium sized fleet from Grihem's Point for most of his career. Her mother was Dolores Grimsea, the younger sister of Anneke Grimhall nee Grimsea, the wife of the future Duke Harald's. Unfortunately, Karina's mother Dolores managed to run afoul of the tyrannical former Duke Eugine Grimhall over a minor slight, who pressured her to marry Pyotr under threat of attainting and utterly destroying the Grimseas if she did not comply, but Duke Eugine's cruelty was undermined by the fact that Dolores and Pytor had long been fond of one another and she was not particularly troubled by losing her noble title. No childhood in the Mourning Isles is idyllic, the threat from pirates constant even during times of relative peace, yet Karina's came close. Though she missed her father when he was away keeping Grimhall waters safe, he always came home, and in her younger years, she would be the first one running down the docks to meet him. Her family was as traditionalist as any in Grihem's Point, though they kept only two thralls, a married couple with small war debts that were paid off within half a decade. They chose to stay on, and thus Karina's experience with the practice was that of family and warm memories. Such traditionalism may have meant the young woman aspiring to wed a worthy warrior, bear sons, and little else, yet Karina was indulged with more. Oh, Pyotr would have put his foot down hard had she asked to train with the fleet, or taken up a blade for the Legion, yet she yearned for neither. What she craved was art, and the girl had a gift for it. From the age of five when she was given her first set of charcoal pencils and a pot of paints by a doting salt parent she was drawing realistic images of the world around her. Landscapes of such quality that one imagined walking right into the canvas, and portraits that could capture the very essence of who sat for them. Many claimed her touched by Jayus, for by her teen years her work began to eclipse those with lifetimes of training and experience. As her artistic skills progressed (and as her parents' marriage cooled), her parental bond seemed to shift from father to mother. Granted, it may not have been entirely by choice. The more promise Karina that showed, the more intent Dolores became on shaping her directly. By the time Karina was sixteen, Dolores was devoting the majority of her time to her youngest, becoming Karina's most constant companion and pushing her at all times to excel. Opposition to this rigorous lifestyle came not from her father, who was spending more and more time away, but from a local of Karina's age, Yvgeny Saltcliffe: a commoner of no renown, average ability, and a relaxed take on life. And he was as wildly in love with Karina as she was with him. The more time that she spent with Yvgeny, the more her studies faltered, but her happiness was self-evident. Everyone expected to see them grow old together. At the start of the Gyre conflict, however, they appeared to fall out, and Yvgeny was last seen shipping off to join the fight, his vessel one of many that sank to the bottom of the sea off the coast of Setarco. After Yvgeny's death, Karina withdrew. Friends stopped coming by, and the extended family stopped asking for news of her when it was always the same: she was painting. Wandering. Uncharacteristically quiet. Alert and gregarious in all previous years, the young woman would now hover at the periphery of gatherings like a ghost. Eventually, Karina was sent away from Grihem's Point to the mainland, accompanied by the written request of the Admiral that House Grimhall take her on as a lady-in-waiting to the Duke's son's new wife, Vanora. The claim was that only in Arx could Karina find teachers whose artistic skills she had not already surpassed, and while this may have been true, it was also self-evident that something had to change. Still, all agree that since the loss of her beloved, her art has moved from exceptional to masterpiece. + |
| Kasa Clearlake + | Kasa has grown up heavily influenced by whatever the Shamans taught or offered. Growing up in mountainous regions was a hard life, especially when the foe was other clans or the Compact. Kasa never had the knack of actually becoming a Shaman, but still holds them in very high regard. So while she couldn't become one (honestly, she was never suited), she became their biggest fangirl. She defended the religious beliefs so strongly through a foul tongue or bruised knuckles that she naturally became a person who found fulfillment in leaving a mark physically rather than spiritually. She's been good at getting into a scrap and whipping up the emotions of others. When Kritr was shown to be the kind of man she could really get wide eyed and fervent about, she offered her sword arm as quickly as she could, no matter where his travels took him. When Kritr was off on a new path to Arx, she was the zealous hound that followed closely at his heels. + |
| Kasinopi none + | Kasinopi was born in the Whitehold lands of the North where the snow never really melts and sometimes it can feel as if things are unchanging and frozen in time. She was born in the main holding Whitehold and as such she has as urban an upbringing as one might expect from a northerner. She saw markets with southern merchants and wrote her White Journals every week despite the shamanism that still lingered within Halfshav lands. In truth Shamanism seemed old hat to Kasinopi, they've been doing it forever and nothing ever felt like it changed. She liked the Pantheon especially Vellichor, Lagoma, and Gild. Why? Well the young Kasinopi would tell her parents frequently Vellichor is for knowing where you've been and what you've done so you can be excited about where you're going. Lagoma is about change and progress which is what she wished for the most in the world. Gild was easy, who doesn't enjoy kindness and luxury. In her early years she managed to get into the Halfshav Household as part of an effort for the family to ensure they had plenty of members of the Faith on staff. No one wanted to seem anti-Faith right? So Kasinopi began in the laundry and got to see the finery the nobility got to live in, even if she was just washing them. From there she moved from the laundry to Housekeeping attending to young Lords and Ladies rooms while they were with their tutors and the like. She often compared her childhood to theirs and wondered what things could have been like if she'd had such nice toys and interesting stories told to her. Eventually she reached a position within the house through dogged determination and maybe a bit of luck where she was sent to Arx to serve the main branch of the family at the Halfshav Hall in the Redrain ward. She's heard she's assigned to the Sword of Whitehold but really she hopes to prove she's above all that housekeeping busywork and she has just the plan to make it happen. + |
| Kassandra Marin + | Kassandra is the middle daughter of a merchant. She is not a great beauty like her elder sister, nor is she a charmer like her younger sister. As a child, she was left to her own devices and she found the world in books to be more her preference than the 'real world'. She is a voracious reader, soaking knowledge like a sponge. When she was of the appropriate age, she was was married to a neighborhood boy who was a soldier He died in battle before they could conceive a child. In her grief, Kass returned to the comfort of books and learning. It was in reading that she found her first mystery to solve. Just a blank page where none should be. The persuit of what should have been there brought her out of her corner to try to find an answer. She discovered that she likes mysteries. + |
| Kastelon Keaton + | Born a distant cousin to the ruling branch of the Keaton family, Kastelon never considered the necessity for all the political niceties and simply focused on the good, honest work of keeping the people of Oakhaven safe. He easily took up the skills of a Huntsman, efficient with both sword and bow, trained to walk stealthily through forest and field. He was good at his work, and soon found himself in need of a challenge. So it was that he began hunting more dangerous game. Not just bandits and poachers, but the creatures found deep in the woods, the sources of rumor, of legend and myth. Mostly he finds really angry, really messed up bears. Sometimes he finds things he'd rather not speak of. After a particularly difficult mission, he has decided that he's earned himself a bit of a rest and a chance to recuperate with his family in Arx. + |
| Katarina Al'Muraq-Sabbat + | It's quite the tale how Princess Katarina Al'Muraq-Sabbat managed to find herself in the position of a ward of the ruling family of the Oathlands, who have been nothing but gracious hosts since that faithful day she quite literally made an explosive debut upon their shores after being outnumbered one Eurusi vessel against two pirated 'Arvani ships. The youngest born daughter of the King of the Dune Kingdom of Suj'Abbat, Katarina was raised amidst the strife and inner turmoil of a territory struggling to turn itself around after a violent usurping of the previous royal family saw her own crowned with new authority. It was a tumultuous and dangerous time for much of her young life, but one only perceived from behind gilded walls and the sanctum of a heavily-guarded compound. The suffering and maltreatment of the commoners subject to the mercurial whim of the Magisters of the Mirror incited a desire for peace and change, but beget a restless fervor and frustration when it was not to be done so by her hands. It was such desires to do good upon others beneath her station that saw her absconding away in the cover of night to seek foreign lands west, though what drove her to do so and her life before are not often spoke of, if at all. After losing nearly half of her skeletal crew left wearied from such a long and arduous voyage, it was with quick wit and gracefully outmaneuvering them through an outcropping of treacherous rock that one ship was taken down before she herself wrecked and off-loaded with her surviving members in a rickety rowboat and fled to shore where she encountered a war party headed by Princess Alis Valardin returning from an expedition. Held at sword point (or spiked flail in this case), it was a peaceful exchange that saw her an unexpected plus one along to the City of Sanctum where she would find herself the recipient of gracious hospitality, insofaras the Highlord took her in as a royal ward under his protection. It's been naught but a few short months since that faithful day, and to say that her time spent in exploration of the distant continent of Arvum has been anything but eventful has been spent learning of new customs and repaying the kindness shown to her while she adjusts to her life as an Arxian. + |
| Katarina Valardin + | The daughter of the last true and current Suj'Abbati ruler, Katarina was born amidst the turmoil and upheaval of an entire kingdom still reeling from the aftermath of a failed attempt to usurp the throne that left many of her kin slain, and many more taken by the Magisters of the Mirror in the months to come for retribution of their crimes against the throne. Hers was thusly a childhood spent confined behind gilded walls of the palace, where her days were seldom spent beyond the watchful eye of the few entrusted with her care. + |
| Katarzyna Morgan + | Born into a commoner family that has a long history of serving House Valardin, Katarzyna (pronounced: kah-tah-SZIH-nah) (which is often too difficult for people to pronounce, so she also goes by Kat or Kitty) had a decent upbringing as the youngest in a brood of four children. She grew up as the only daughter in her immediate family which meant that her brothers' footsteps were quite large for her to follow. Living close to aunts and uncles also meant that Katarzyna had the chance to grow up alongside her cousins where she learned an array of skills thanks to their passions and interests. It's also how she discovered that her place was to be in the medical field. Her brothers always had need of bandages or medicinal tinctures, and more than once she had to help apply salve to her cousin Holden's bruises, or clean Aleksei's knicks from a blade, or concoct a remedy for Briseis's headaches, or help ease the stomach pains of those that ingested some of Warrick's confections. It was a calling, her mother said. Katarzyna was meant to help people. She apprenticed with physicians as soon as she turned the proper age to begin medical studies. As an apprentice, she excelled and showed promise with her attention to detail and calm demeanor under pressure. Physicians often called upon her to assist with procedures when they felt that she was ready to do more than observe, which was more often than not. She was always eager to do rather than watch. When she became a full fledged physician, Katarzyna was sent to a southern duchy to work alongside a local Mercy. The pair ended up traveling to surrounding counties and baronies to visit those that had need of medical attention and treatment. Katarzyna learned the ways of the road as she traveled and embraced with gratitude her ability to practice medicine while seeing the diverse regions of Arvum. She did this for a handful of years until the battle at Stormwall drew her north where she served as a medic and then served again when crisis struck the Lodge of Petrichor. Having since returned to a 'quiet' life on the road, recent news led her back to the city of Arx where she now hopes to find purpose helping those in need. + |
| Katherine Moore + | 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. + |
| Katryn Blanchard + | Song and story, legend and hymn: what makes a knight in the Oathlands grin? Prayer and focus, derring and do, she raises her spear and charges true! Raised as a daughter of a cadet branch of the Blanchard family, Katryn had few marital ambitions, even though they were to what she ought to have been born. Though her duty was to her family, even as a very young girl, she embraced legend and tale, dreaming of paladins. Boldness was her favored trait in the heroes she worshipped, but not only bravery but the panoply and pomp of knighthood. Parades lured her whenever there was one, and whenever she could wheedle campaign tales from soldiers and cavalrymen around the holding, she would carefully sit by the fire and illustrate them with colored ink and paper, her imagination free-wheeling far beyond the truth of the matter into the fantastic. The embrace of religion need not be the embrace of dourness. There is a beauty in service, and a wondrous inspiration that can come of serving something greater than you are, and it was these that drew Katryn to the Church. It was a sad parting, from her family, but not an unexpected one, for her many hours at prayer and illustration were consistent, and any ambitions her family might have had to make an advantageous match were thwarted by the driven passion of Katryn's own will. As a young templar, she cut her teeth in conflicts with the Shav'Arvani, and the glowing pennants of her optimism were cut with the shade of reality; in her years of service since she has taken her oath, she has come to understand the darker side of war, the parts of the story soaked in blood and sorrow. But never has she lost the glamour of the knight, nor the brilliance of her dreams of Gloria. Story and legend, power and song, how does a Templar right what's wrong? Faith and fierceness, honor beheld, she stands and fights til the enemy's felled. + |
| Katya Grimhall + | The rebelliousness of her sister didn't just begin and end with Cordelia, but because Cordelia was so much more unpredictable and blatant about it a lot of Katya's behavoir was able to slide beneath the notice of the rest. There was still attention paid to her lessons, she rarely escaped and ruined a dress, and she never once back-talked an adult. It was far more quiet, her rebellion. While everyone was focused on her sister she would find books to read that tutors always told her were not proper books for a young lady to be reading, or that she wasn't old enough for them. Subject matters of war, economics, records of religion, the occult. It didn't matter what subject matter was available, if she could get her hands on it, she went out of her way to read it. To learn everything. By the time her sister had run away she had read everything available at home, and begun bargaining with those that came through Grihem's Point to bring her new books to read. Then one day, much like her sister, she stepped onto the deck of one of those ships and sailed away. Unlike her sister she never got caught and drug back home, simply left alone to travel and explore. It could possibly be the fact that her father was just busy with other things, and then there was the messy business of treason and abdication, then death. It was a very good reason to stay gone for as long as she did. During her time gone she'd remained in casual contact with family, sending letters to let them know where she was, or what she'd seen. Supposedly she was near the events that had recently been happening in the waters around the islands, both the Mourning Isles and Saffron Chain, at least the ship that she was last reported to have been on was sighted during those times. But for whatever reason she's recently decided that it's time to set foot in Arx and rejoin her family properly. + |
| Kaya Unknown + | 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. + |
| Kedehern Fortier + | Kedehern was born the youngest son of the now deceased Duke Acel Laurent. When his father died, his brother Edmund, sent him to the Redmarches to be fostered with the Telmar. The boy was considered a sweet, shy youth by most of his family when he left Artshall for the Telmarch. Duke Arn's armsmen spent much of his formative years training it out of the boy, at least on the surface. Once he was old enough, he earned his knighthood in the Red Mountains, fighting against the Abandoned. When the Silent War came, he was in the field taking arms against Brand's forces. Later, he spent his time in the Oathlands, rooting out insurgents when the call to arms sounded for the Gyre War, and he found himself on the walls in Setarco. And then again in the thick of things during the troubling affair with the Lodge of Petrichor. When rumors of an insurgent house making war on his family's duchy began to surface, he found himself in Arx looking to make himself useful once more. + |
| Kedehern Laurent + | Kedehern was born the youngest son of the now deceased Duke Acel Laurent. When his father died, his brother Edmund, sent him to the Redmarches to be fostered with the Telmar. The boy was considered a sweet, shy youth by most of his family when he left Artshall for the Telmarch. Duke Arn's armsmen spent much of his formative years training it out of the boy, at least on the surface. Once he was old enough, he earned his knighthood in the Red Mountains, fighting against the Abandoned. When the Silent War came, he was in the field taking arms against Brand's forces. Later, he spent his time in the Oathlands, rooting out insurgents when the call to arms sounded for the Gyre War, and he found himself on the walls in Setarco. And then again in the thick of things during the troubling affair with the Lodge of Petrichor. When rumors of an insurgent house making war on his family's duchy began to surface, he found himself in Arx looking to make himself useful once more. + |
| Keely Grayson + | A young princess flowering in a well-tended garden, Keely is cursed by little more dire than a preponderance of sisters. Well-educated in the palatial family estate at Bastion, Keely grew up a wistful child, dreaming of a different kind of _more_ than the kind that might populate the dreams of those without her advantages. A quiet life is not a Grayson direction, and Keely always found some of her more adventuresome siblings honestly more worrying than not. When her older sisters removed to Arx to make their way in a world that embraced their heritage, Keely stayed home, studying with the seraph of Bastion and learning about different dances and the history of her House, all the while her elder sister, Liara, rose to the challenge that House Grayson had to offer her and accepted the mantle of High Lady from His Majesty. When Keely set forth for Arx, it was as a sheltered, privileged girl, hoping to reach for womanhood in a capital city full of the shades of reality that she never really saw before beyond her garden walls. She wishes to grow into the kind of powerful woman who dominates a dance floor, a courtier of Renown and Poise. Up until now, she has not been great at Poise. A young girl with powerful and diverse sisters, she has always been shadowed by their accomplishments, but one day, perhaps she shall grow into something fantastic in her own right. + |
| Keely Keaton + | A young princess flowering in a well-tended garden, Keely's childhood was cursed by little more dire than a preponderance of sisters. Well-educated in the palatial family estate at Bastion, Keely grew up a wistful child, dreaming of a different kind of -more- than the kind that might populate the dreams of those without her advantages. A quiet life is not a Grayson direction, and Keely always found her more adventuresome siblings honestly more worrying than not. When her older sisters removed to Arx to make their way in a world that embraced their heritage, Keely stayed home, studying with the seraph of Bastion and learning about different dances and the history of her House, all the while her elder sister, Liara, rose to the challenge that House Grayson had to offer her and accepted the mantle of High Lady from His Majesty. When Keely set forth for Arx, it was as a sheltered, privileged girl, hoping to reach for womanhood in a capital city full of the shades of reality that she never really saw before beyond her garden walls. She wished to grow into the kind of powerful woman who dominates a dance floor, a courtier of Renown and Poise. A young woman with powerful and diverse sisters, she had always felt shadowed by their prolific and profound accomplishments. However, since her arrival to the capital, Keely has undergone remarkable growth, embracing the tapestry of the city and its inhabitants. Deep wells of empathy have been unearthed within her, allowing her to forge unbreakable bonds with the diverse souls she encounters, and her unwavering compassion has become her trademark. Now, united in matrimony with Oathlander Marquis Kael Keaton, Keely stands as the Marquessa-Consort of Oakhaven, embarking on a new adventure by her husband's side. Together, they lead and protect their people, embracing the challenges and joys that come with their noble duty. Keely's journey of growth and self-discovery is far from over, as she continues to learn, evolve, and unravel the depths of her own potential in the ever-unfolding world at her feet. + |
| Kendrick Keaton + | A brother of Kastelon, Kendrick joined him in helping protect the people of Oakhaven. While he was inclined to become a huntsman alongside him, he quickly noticed the difference between him and his sibling. He realized that he would be an ideal fit for a Knight - the strength of arm and personality that were required were clearly found in him. Growing up with his brother, they diverged paths, with Kendrick realizing he had a different plan to serve the Keaton family, and the Compact at large. As a young adult, he serves House Keaton, protecting Oakhaven with his martial prowess, obtained through years of training. He continues to grow in strength, hoping to achieve his goal of obtaining Knighthood. + |
| Kenemir Crown + | Kenemir is too old to have any illusions about his place in the world. He has outlived his wife, his children, and his family who have fallen to the ills of poverty and time; his closest brush with wealth and prestige came with the patronage of a Tyde noble. That ended with the rebellion, and it's taken him some time to work himself out from beneath the shadow of association. He has built his craft slowly, steadily across the decades of his life, and seeks now to leave behind a legacy. + |
| Kenjay Redrain + | Kenjay's life was normal - well, as normal as life ever gets for a Prince of House Redrain - up until he was ten years old or thereabouts. He was travelling with his parents when the caravan got attacked, and despite House Redrain's best efforts the survivors were never recovered. Sold to the Eurusi, Kenjay was brought across the ocean to Skal'daja. The spirited boy caught the eye of a trainer, and he was sold to a gladiator school. At first he fetched and carried, but as time went by and he grew towards manhood, he became a gladiator himself. And he excelled at it. After fifteen years in the arena and victory after victory, Kenjay was bought by the royal family of Skal'daja. Now, when he wasn't training, he was guarding. The life of a renowned gladiator had been a good one, for a slave; the life of a royal guard was better. And then, when he was given as a birthday present to one woman four years ago, life got even better than that. Bahiya was a kind and generous owner, and when she had the chance to go to Arvum in the service of the Crown Prince of Skal'daja, she brought him with her - and freed him when they set foot on Arvani soil. + |
| Kenna Acheron + | Kenna Whitehawk was born Kenna Mercier to Jerome Mercier and his wife Helen-- their youngest daughter. She has three older siblings-- Delilah, Gaius, and Evonleigh. Growing up she was close with her siblings but she idolized her cousin Silas, who became a knight! And then later joined the Iron Guard and became THE LORD COMMANDER! So, of course, when he was made a baron on her Eighteenth birthday (the 27th of April in 1006!) she decided to join him as a member of his new family, becoming Lady Kenna Whitehawk! Being the scion of a rich merchant family she had a rather easy and happy childhood. It's left her with a bit of softness-- a little baby fat on her form still, and a certain gentleness of nature. She's kind and generous and has yet to truly come to any hardships. She did not understand the rift between Grayson and Lazarus and Mercier, but she was excited by the idea of becoming a Lady and trying to use that station to do some good! She's also had an interest in joining the Iron Guard since she was little. Now that she's an adult she's looking to join up and become an investigator for the Iron Guard! (Nevermind that investigating is more of an Inquisition thing, she wants to join the Iron Guard like her cousin!) + |
| Kenna Whitehawk + | Kenna Whitehawk was born Kenna Mercier to Jerome Mercier and his wife Helen-- their youngest daughter. She has three older siblings-- Delilah, Gaius, and Evonleigh. Growing up she was close with her siblings but she idolized her cousin Silas, who became a knight! And then later joined the Iron Guard and became THE LORD COMMANDER! So, of course, when he was made a baron on her Eighteenth birthday (the 27th of April in 1006!) she decided to join him as a member of his new family, becoming Lady Kenna Whitehawk! Being the scion of a rich merchant family she had a rather easy and happy childhood. It's left her with a bit of softness-- a little baby fat on her form still, and a certain gentleness of nature. She's kind and generous and has yet to truly come to any hardships. She did not understand the rift between Grayson and Lazarus and Mercier, but she was excited by the idea of becoming a Lady and trying to use that station to do some good! She's also had an interest in joining the Iron Guard since she was little. Now that she's an adult she's looking to join up and become an investigator for the Iron Guard! (Nevermind that investigating is more of an Inquisition thing, she wants to join the Iron Guard like her cousin!) + |
| Kenrith Rylas + | Kenrith had somewhat of a rocky beginning in life, to say the least. From birth onwards he was often falling ill, being rather sickly in nature. For this reason, he found himself staying home more often than not, wanting to keep to himself and try his best to recover. Yet, for this very same reason, Kenrith also steadily began to develop what he believes is his calling in life. During his childhood, when he would spend more time recuperating in bed compared to studying, he would have frequent visits from doctors. Of course, their attempts would usually be successful only then to have Kenrith fall ill again, but that was beside the point. Kenrith was blessed with a first-hand view of the tools of the trade these people used to cure others, to help them defeat their ailments. For this reason, growing up, Kenrith was enamored with the pursuit of medicine, albeit with his own twist. Compared to the practicality of bandages, Kenrith favored the bold and unexplored world of alchemy. After all, why try to stem the bleeding from outside, when he could potentially discover an elixir that would cure his bleeding? With this perspective, Kenrith honed his talents further and further, focusing himself to become better at creating concoctions, those that would most often benefit others. + |
| Kent Harthall + | Kent Harhall is the eldest child of the late Lord Duncan Harthall and his late wife Lady Onora. Duncan was the younger brother of previous Marquis and uncle to the current one. As a second son, never expect to inherit the family title, Duncan had made his career in the Harthall fleet and it was expected that when he came of age Kent might follow in his footsteps. The most charitable thing that could have been said about Duncans career over the years was that is was filled with bad luck. One more than one occasion his ship was declared lost at sea only to reemerge later with little to show for his efforts. His fathers long absences meant that Kent never developed much of a connexion with his father. And before Kent could ever follow his father off to see his father once again was lost this time not to return. It was then natural that Kent should be closer to his mother and to more follow her lead as pious and scholarly woman. For many years Kent had even considered a religious vocation for himself. Ultimately, however, his fathers long absences and his mothers declining health met that from a very young age he would take an active role in managing their household. By the time they were both gone he had become quite adept at managing their affairs and it seemed only natural that he would continue on this path within the wider household. The untimely passing of his eldest cousin and later his uncle would provide quicker opportunities to utilise his talents for the benefit of the wider family. By the time his cousin Orvyn became Marquis, Kent found himself managing the financial affairs of the whole Harthall has alongside him. It is a vocation he has thrown himself at with unswerving dedication, but not with complete altruism. + |
| Kerr Deepwood + | Kerr was not born to anybody of particular importance. He was apprenticed early to a blacksmith and farrier because he had strong hands, a good back, and he learned quick enough to do what he was told. He was not the greatest smith in the world, but neither was he the worst. As farriers, he and his master were attached to the Marquis of Deepwood's men, repairing armor, honing weapons, and shoeing horses. It was a good gig. Kerr learned a lot about soldiery and weapons-handling, and about boasting and bragging. He was whippet lean and young and hungry, and his master died in the slaughter along with countless other men and women, soldiers and otherwise, at the hands of the Gray Forest Reapers. He took up a broken shield and reforged it, hiding amongst the chaos, and picked up a mace and threw himself into the fight. Somehow he survived. The device he put on his hedge knight's shield is just a criss cross of steel grooves. He started calling himself Kerr Redsteel, and threw his mace behind the device of the living vassals of the Deepwoods, trying to make sense of a world full of chaos and slaughter. He didn't expect to become Sir Kerr Redsteel, but he did, fighting for the child-marquesa and earning the favor of her Bisland guardians. Attached to the Deepwood house as a knight retainer, his loyalty is that of the steel he named himself for: forged in fire, sturdy and strong, yet flexible. + |
| Kerr Redsteel + | Kerr was not born to anybody of particular importance. He was apprenticed early to a blacksmith and farrier because he had strong hands, a good back, and he learned quick enough to do what he was told. He was not the greatest smith in the world, but neither was he the worst. As farriers, he and his master were attached to the Marquis of Deepwood's men, repairing armor, honing weapons, and shoeing horses. It was a good gig. Kerr learned a lot about soldiery and weapons-handling, and about boasting and bragging. He was whippet lean and young and hungry, and his master died in the slaughter along with countless other men and women, soldiers and otherwise, at the hands of the Gray Forest Reapers. He took up a broken shield and reforged it, hiding amongst the chaos, and picked up a mace and threw himself into the fight. Somehow he survived. The device he put on his hedge knight's shield is just a criss cross of steel grooves. He started calling himself Kerr Redsteel, and threw his mace behind the device of the living vassals of the Deepwoods, trying to make sense of a world full of chaos and slaughter. He didn't expect to become Sir Kerr Redsteel, but he did, fighting for the child-marquesa and earning the favor of her Bisland guardians. Attached to the Deepwood house as a knight retainer, his loyalty is that of the steel he named himself for: forged in fire, sturdy and strong, yet flexible. + |
| Keryeth Oudet + | Keryeth is born in the north to a semi-nomadic clan and lives a relatively uneventful life, traveling between the mountains and southern river lands every year, substituting both by themselves and breeding hardy horses to sell or trade to outsiders. As a young teenager, she becomes betrothed to the chief's son of another group; having a crush on him, she is actually thrilled at the prospect. Unfortunately, during a particularly warm and rainy winter camped by Old Oak, she comes down with a flu-like virus that quickly spreads to the rest of her kin. It is particularly devastating, leaving her and only a handful of others as surviving members. She is exiled for this, literally left half-dying on the roadside. As fate would have it, a retired courtier comes upon her and nurses her back to help, before attempting to teach some of the craft to the girl. + |
| Keyser Whitehart + | Keyser Whitehart is a commoner with a heart of gold and a strong desire to see the people of the Lower Boroughs lifted to a standard of living she deems acceptable. She works to this end tirelessly, day and night, and doesn't seem to rue her lot in life as a no-account Crownsworn commoner existing on the charity and goodwill of her projects. Where she's come from, even she herself doesn't know, often heard talking about her life in an orphanage and learning from a school of hard knocks to live for the moment. + |
| Khanne Halfshav + | While other Redrain have turned from the shamanistic beliefs of the Northlands, Khanne embraces them wholeheartedly. Disappearing into the forests and open tundras is an artform that Khanne perfected early in life, surviving off the land and communing with the spirits of the places and living things she's so fond of. Not simply content with embracing the beliefs of her religion personally, Khanne feels a calling toward sharing those beliefs with others, and as such has taken it upon herself to educate not only those Northerners that have turned to the Pantheon, but also those from southern houses that seek to learn more about their northern neighbors, whether for reasons of diplomacy or geniune personal interest. When she doesn't have an audience to share with, she vents her passions via artistry, paints and brushes replacing words as she spills her innermost thoughts onto canvas. Arriving in Arx the first time, Khanne took it all in stride. She could wear silks as comfortably as leathers, speak as eloquently as a southern courtier, and do it all while fully embracing her Northern origins - meaning many a southern lord has found himself captivated by her impassioned speech only to find he's somehow been drunk under the table by a softly-smiling girl. After the tragedy at King's Rest, Khanne returned to Arx once more from the North, determined to prove that solace can be found in the old beliefs, even while embracing the charms of the south. + |
| Khari Ru'Taul + | Born a thrall under house Redreef, the salt twin of Mikani, Khari was given to one of the distant nobles of the house after her parents were killed. She worked all manner of jobs in the house, learning many good lessons for one who works in service to others. Most importantly she learned to keep quiet and not give anyone anything they could use against her. At the age of 21 she was smuggled out Redreef Shores and taken to the Saffron Chain. Eventually she found her way to Ischia, and found employment in the house of the Marquis, where she has served loyally since. Now she has come to Arx to help the family get everything in order. + |
| Kheun Harrow + | Kheun grew up in a simple home with just her parents. Her mother was an apothecary and she grew up learning the trade. She often helped her mother tend to the sick or injured and found joy in helping others. That joy did not fade with time and she found herself taking over her mother's title as Apothecary. + |
| Khloe Ulbran + | The Lower Boroughs is a place fraught with peril. It is a place of solace for the downtrodden, wretched rejects of life; however, it can be a place of second chances, of unshaped potential - a bastion of hope and dreams. Khloe Ulbran is a young woman who has witnessed all the phases of the lower boroughs, and survived all that the mercurial bitch named 'Life' has thrown her way. She's never had much to her name, and could care less for riches and glory. Instead, hers is a young life spent forever working to be the balm to the dark world around her. Be it using her intellect and cunning to win food for those who find themselves under her care or her softer charms and beguiling smile to loosen the strings of a merchant's coin purse, she holds no qualms about doing all she can for those truly in need. Even the scum of the Boroughs can't help but turn an eye to the young girl when in need. + |
| Kia Cyrto'Ani + | Kia grew up with her tribe on the north Cyrto Arch island, thriving with their close knit-culture and rich fertile lands. Lush jungles grow up in to the mountains, hills covered in grape vines and cocoa trees lead almost right down to the white sand beaches. It is truly a paradise that she thrives in. Working the land, understanding the plants and animals. But paradise so often comes at a cost. The islands, far from the mainland of Arvum, have been attacked and invaded several times over the course of their history, leaving behind remnants of many different peoples and cultures. Though she barely remembers the terrible invasion of her youth, Kia absolutely does remember the day that House Malvici invaded. This time, it felt different. This time there was an offer of peace and protection. And Kia knew it was her time to step up and lend her hand to these new occupants of the islands, to help them thrive for the safety of her people. Eagerly she bent the knee and immediately sword to the newly formed House Magnotta. She would be their steward on the islands, show them how things worked here. Teach them about the natural gifts the island has to offer, help them with the people and understanding the beliefs they have. This was Kia's chance to step up in the world and she wasn't going to waste it. Now, called to Arx to serve her new family, Kia is intrigued by all things Aravani and finding her way in this new and very large city. The Prodigal from the Cyrto Arch must use her natural talents and find her way. + |
| Kiaaleia Waters + | Kia'aleia was born into a smithing family from a small Thrax island community that is now almost a decade scattered to defeat by another Thrax group. She was taken as a Thrall, and due to her aptitude and training continued to work, mainly in the metal implements of war. Despite her status as a Thrall, she was diligent and driven enough to excel in her work. An unforeseen moment of violence when she was 17 gave her the opportunity to show her martial skills and a perhaps unexpected loyalty to one of the family that held her as a Thrall. This moment earned her her freedom, and the Deed Name Trueblade. She took that opportunity to seek out a remote artisan master and honed her trade. Now, years later, she has come to earn a name for herself. Surprisingly, she takes a place for herself among the Thrax commoners. + |
| Kiano Sanna + | Kiano, was born brother to Alfir Sanna, and from an early age he'd taken to physical abilities best. He wasnt lacking in mental capacity and studied what he needed but he far more enjoyed the times when he was tought to use a sword and martial skills. He grew up with this as his focus which took him away from home sometimes when old enough taking part in protection of not only family lands, but serving with those gathered armies of the other houses as well. His house has known trajedy and he has now as an adult sworn to protect his family to the best of his ability. + |
| Kienna Commoner + | Kienna was born to a pair of commoners, one a physician and the other a soldier. The three lived at the eastern fringes of the Northlands, but after a raiding party lead to the death of Kienna's father, the surviving two moved inland. Kienna's mother was pregnant and wished to birth the child away from conflict for safety's sake, but passed from sickness not long after. Not yet an adult, girl sought to work in the shop of a trader, but was rebuffed. Every day she turned up with a new argument on why she should apprentice under the merchant, and every day he refused, though he grew more approving each day. After a month she learned the reason why: The merchant had reached out to an old friend to see if she needed an assistant in her lawyering, and she had been interested enough to meet with Kienna. For several years she worked as the personal servant and scribe for one of the rare few lawyers of Redrain. Not only did she translate and transcripe texts, she passed on rumors and gossip that might be useful in formulating a compelling argument. In time, she had developed her skills enough that she was granted permission to travel to Arx and help the House there. Kienna packed what precious few things she had and left for the capital. + |
| Kiera Wyrmguard + | Growing up in Blancbier Kiera was an inquisitive child. Unlike most of the family she did not engage heavily in martial pursuits though basic self defense and first aid skill was a requisite. Instead she had a scholar's bent though she did not seek knowledge solely from a library but from nature and social encounters as well Being an atypical family member does not mean she shirks her family duty but instead hopes to use her intellectual and social skills for Wyrmguard's advancement. She is eager to spend more time in Arx for the many learning opportunities it affords + |
| Kieran Redrain + | Kieran was born the third of the Redrain family, after his older silbing the twins, Darren and Deva. While Darren astutely learned the details of ruling a realm and his sister rebelled at attempts to reign her temper in, Kieran struck a balance. He learned how to talk to people, charm them and persuade them. Sure, he continually played pranks on his family, friends, and servants, and he was always finding ways to cause trouble, but his silver tongue was always able to mollify any retribution, and the fact that he was also keeping up with studies and knew when to behave himself properly in court, meant they couldn't be angry at him too much. Kieran does not mind that Darren is the one that leads the family. It means so much more focus is placed on him and his actions. Kieran, on the other hand, can still maintain some of his antics, and still pass the laxer scrutiny he receives. In Kieran, Deva has a partner in her occasional outings and troublemake, and Darren has someone he can be bring to court that he knows will help convince and soothe over any issues. He is the perfect brother, if only he would stop leaving frogs in his siblings' beds. + |
| Killian Ashford + | Born second son of one of the branches of the Ashford family, Killian was forever in some form of trouble. Mischievous, adventurous and entirely unlike his older brother he seemed to always have a knack for trouble and for talking his way out of the worst of it. Of course, the shadow of his older brother ever loomed, and after a particularly troublesome prank might have reflected poorly upon his older sibling he was sent away to squire in Bisland. After being Knighted, a brief return home was all it took to make it clear that his family, or at least his older brother, would far prefer he spend time 'abroad' as a Knight Errant. Of course, being an Ashford, he took that to mean that it would be preferred if he went to find out what was over that next hill and help out along the way. He has wandered surprisingly far for his relatively young age, seeking out the places where the myths that were his escape as a youth might hide in the world. + |
| Kima Saik + | The Saiks are a poor branch of an already poor barony, holding a small stretch of land and, thankfully, the title of nobility. Kima's father, a well-meaning if entirely boring man, is the younger brother of the baron himself - which is the only reason at all the penny-pinching codger ever even considered paying for her knighthood. It took half a year and more of convincing, but he eventually acquiesced and from that moment onwards it was brighter days and greener pastures for Kima. The young woman began to cultivate her future reputation first by slaying Shavs close to home, then, by travelling throughout the city-states. During those years, Kima could be found in the company of three other youths that styled themselves as up and coming in the world. Fierce, exceptionally skilled, and eager to make coin, coin, and more coin, the Pride of Lyceum became its own sensation. That is...until disaster struck. A combination of ill-luck and poor decision making, and only one of the lionesses walked out of a particularly nasty raid alive. Kima laid low for a while after that, only appearing in Arx itself a few years ago where she took up the role of instructor. This isn't to say her flamboyant nature or lust for life has been at all dampened! If anything, she's living up to her name as the Lioness. + |
| Kincade Blanchard + | Kincade is the youngest son of Vardon Blanchard and as such had fewer responsibilities around the home. He spent much of his time taming horses and was renown for his ability to break wild horses. Spending the rest of his youth training as a knight, he would soon find use of these skills in his brothers many battles to unify all of Chevalle under the Blanchard banner. While Philippe was able to focus on leading and building his name, Kincade did the dirty work and was Philippe's executioner. After the dust settled Kincade again found himself with very little to do. This opened up the window for him to explore the world and travel abroad. The main purpose of these trips was not solely pleasure though, Kincade's strong sense of duty to the family also meant he was trying to do business for the family. Both building ties with foreign powers and collecting the most exotic horses in the realm for refinement back home at Chevalparc. In the North Kincade found a legendary horse breed that had never been tamed, he took refuge with a local tribe of Shavs that had been troublesome in the past. Over time Kincade earned the tribe's trust and managed to break the legendary mountain horse. Teaching the tribe how to tame the horses he brought a sizeable herd back to Chevalle and was able to make a sizeable profit for them and the northern Tribe. Upon returning home his feet were seen with much adoration by his countrymen and he was awarded the historically prestigious position of Horselord of Chevalle, Grand Master of the Stables, Breaker of Stallions. Over the course of his short time back home Kincade has proven himself a master trader and has become the focus point of economic power, Phillipe never makes a trade deal without consulting Kincade. + |
| Kiral Unknown + | Born in the Northlands, in Redrain lands, Kiral was abandoned at birth, or at least this is what the shaman that found him wrapped up in cloth in the middle of the woods assumed. This man was named Regor. Taking the event as a sign, due in part to a snake-like birthmark on the child's arm, the shaman took the child in and raised him as his own. Kiral grew up rather estranged from others, his surrogate father being a rather solitary and self-sufficient man. Kiral, of course, took after him and learned many skills from a young age such as how to start a fire, skin and gut some game, and of course, partake in the rituals of the Path of the Hunt. The boy came to know the wilds well, preferring them to the nearby towns which he would occassionally venture into with Regor. He began to commune with spirits as a young boy, something Regor took as a good omen up until the boy began to become consumed by episodes of rage and other strange fits during his communion. Regor did his best to teach Kiral how to control himself, and largely succeeded, though Kiral never succeeded in fully controlling the bouts of being consumed in the spirit of another, nor did he want to. In the first years of Kiral's adulthood, Regor passed away after a bad bout of dysentry, leaving the young man alone. At first, Kiral survived by hunting game and selling it to nearby towns. This lasted for some time until he was offered some mercenary work, which he found himself to have a knack for, and chose to pursue some more. The next few years of Kiral's life were spent wandering about from town to town, finding work where he could. He went hungry on some days in the beginning of his career, but eventually he garnered the skills required to make a living knocking heads together and hunting bands of brigands that harrassed towns and villages, putting his childhood affinity for hunting to good use. It was during these years that Kiral found a taste for battle, and for blood. Battle to him was another ritual, a part of the Hunt, and he would often relish in it and lose himself among the spirits on the battlefield. Years passed, and Kiral found himself wandering about the realm, mostly in the Northlands until he would eventually find himself in Arx, seeking work, coin and communion with the land's spirits. + |
| Klaus Laurent + | Klaus has been wielding a sword almost as long as he can walk. Sure, his first sword was a stick that he used to brain his brother Eiran with, but we all need to start somewhere! From there he trained as a squire with Sir Norwood and later served in the Laurent army. He worked closely with his cousin, Cristoph and the two were close comrades on the front lines right up until Duke Laurent's heir suffered a grevious injury and focused on less deadly duties. He grew into a steady, accomplished commander in the Laurent army and often had the fully loyalty of any troops under him. He became known as a leader who could listen to the words of his men and accept constructive criticism. He's never been one to bark orders unncessarily. With Cristoph handling the duchy as Duke, and as such, behind the scenes more than in front, Klaus is often leading the Laurent forces from the front lines. He also excelled as a horseman and thorougly enjoyed hunting. While he naturally worships the Pantheon as a whole, Petrichor calls to him even before Gloria. + |
| Klaus Thrax + | Klaus has been wielding a sword almost as long as he can walk. Sure, his first sword was a stick that he used to brain his brother Eiran with, but we all need to start somewhere! From there he trained as a squire with Sir Norwood and later served in the Laurent army. He worked closely with his cousin, Cristoph and the two were close comrades on the front lines right up until Duke Laurent's heir suffered a grevious injury and focused on less deadly duties. He grew into a steady, accomplished commander in the Laurent army and often had the fully loyalty of any troops under him. He became known as a leader who could listen to the words of his men and accept constructive criticism. He's never been one to bark orders unncessarily. With Cristoph handling the duchy as Duke, and as such, behind the scenes more than in front, Klaus is often leading the Laurent forces from the front lines. He also excelled as a horseman and thorougly enjoyed hunting. While he naturally worships the Pantheon as a whole, Petrichor calls to him even before Gloria. + |
| Konstantine Harrow + | A strong sense of pride and honor was instilled into Konstantine from a young age, coming from the Harrow family. The once-noble families fall has not weakened the wills of its future generations, however, as Konstantine inspired to achieve great things from a young age, constantly pushing himself to new heights. His strong sense of morales naturally lead him to the Templars. This new life came with many obstacles, though Konstantine met each one with stubborn dedication. + |
| Korka Glynn + | Korka's father and aunt, Liam and Marie, were orphans who found patronage under Laegan Telmar, which led the Glynn family to become one of the Telmar's most loyal set of servants--a tradition that was expected to be carried by Liam's twins, Korka and Adriel. But Korka...well, she always was a little different. While she has a fierce loyalty to her household as a child, her upbringing proved challenging. Always one to question and let her curiosity get the best of her, she frequently found herself deep in trouble, talking herself in and out of it as her mood suited. As she grew older, she managed to find an appropriate outlet as a scout and information collector, using her charm and sharp wit to gather intelligence on what was happening around the Marches. She was summoned to Arx to put her skills to good use for Telmar, but rather quickly--and in fact so quickly it was certainly not happenstance--talked her way into a position with the Inquisition. There she found herself flourishing in ways that even she couldn't have begun to imagine and with the Duke's blessing, parted ways with Telmar so that she could devote herself to serving the Compact as an Inquisitor. Much to the chagrin of her parents and brother. + |
| Krarstin Tidelord + | Born on a small island in the Darkwater deeps, Krarstin has seen some of the greatest terrors the world can offer, and survived them. She spent her youth as a bannerman to a local warlord, before rising to be the Jarla (a chief title) of the Tidelord tribe. After the Darkwater Deeps got to chaotic, she gathered as much of her tribe as could travel and set sail with a small flotilla and a relic of a warship, determined to escape the clutches of the fell forces that consumed her homeland. Despite being pursued to the very edge of the Darkwater by the forces of the Gyre, she managed to shepherd nearly a hundred survivors into the Saffron Sea. Eventually found by a Kennex flagged ship and brought to Arx, she has sworn fealty to Ford Kennex, despite no longer having a tribe near large enough to justify a title. She offers her services in return for the settlement and good treatment of her remaining tribe, most of which calls her 'Grandmother' as well as Jarla. + |
| Kritr Clearlake + | Kritr grew up wanting nothing more than to grow closer to the Spirits of his homeland and to provide for his family and people with furs and meat that the land provided. Life, though, had little cares for what he wanted. Living in at the edge of the Northern Mountain was tough, a constant battle against nature and man alike as the tribes warred among each other and with the Compact itself. While Kritr was taken with Shamanism he also proved to be an able leader and warrior. Though far from the best fighter of his clan, he was among the steadiest and grew to be respected for leading the defense of the clan. With the growing threats of the Horned God and the return of so much that was lost, the clan met and decide to throw their lot in with the Compact with Kritr as one of the leading voices for the decision. Among the others chosen to represent that clan as the 'noble family' he was placed as one of the highest leaders and sent to Arx to represent them in their new path through life. + |
| Ksenia Derugin + | The twins Ksenia and Kairos Derugin were born as the last of a dying clan with very little hope of ever seeing other shores unless it was as Eurusi slaves. Though their father was the Chief of Estroch's dwindling population, he was helpless to defend the Isle from Eurusi slavers and other various sinister forces on the Isle - and it drove him a bit mad. His madness cost him a close relationship with his children, leaving them both to be raised by members of the community - not that he wasn't entirely loving and doting during his bouts of lucidity. Ksenia was raised by an elder that specialized in healing, plant medicine, alchemy, and lore keeping - and so this passion was passed down to her. Lucky enough, she had the mind and acute senses needed for such a vocation. She lived in relative peace and safety, for the elder often took her far away from encampments that drew the attention of slavers when they made their rounds. Everything changed when Grimhall conquered the island, established Elune, and installed Iseulet Seryn as Marquessa. Though Clan Derugin was not destined to rule the island any more, she found freedom in this. With no obligations and a new, fresh, wide open world she realized it was hers for the taking. When the opportunity presented itself she drummed up her courage (and her brother) and went to Arx where she resolved to make something of herself - and know everything. + |
| Kurzio Nurel + | Kurzio grew up being trained in the art of hunting, taught by his father. Kurzio only joined the house of Nurel later in his early teens, being assigned to the small hunting party of the house. Kurzio was trained by the members of the group, who each desired to leave the reaches of this land and move onwards to greater things. Kurzio only ever was able to remember one of the men at the time, named "Jornif". He was a rather elderly man who had been part of the house for a majority of his life. Kurzio learned alot of what he currently knows from Jornif, and grew to become a smarter, more aware person. Overtime however, troubles grew, the lands being attacked by rogue groups of raiders that the house sent out soldiers to fend off. The raiders moved like living arrows, moving to the next village far before the soldiers happened to get there. In the meantime, Kurzio had been given a single order from Jornif, "Live and grow." Kurzio at the time wondered what it meant, he himself not knowing of the raiders and their presence. Jornif taught Kurzio everything he knew, then told him to venture off to the King. Kurzio still doesn't know what happened to house Nurel and Jornif. Kurzio adapted quickly to the new life he lives as a Crownsworn, keeping his order in mind and pushing forwards. + |
| Kutazer Sanna + | Born the middle child in the frozen wasteland of Giant's Reach, Kutazer seems liked from birth he was destined to be a warrior. Unlike his older brother, Cirroch who was trained in the ways of being a ruler, he was trained exclusively in the ways of being a warrior. It helps that his disposition ever since he was a child did not lead him to a world social grace, he finds he is much better at handling arguments with overwhelming aggression and less diplomatic measures. Due of an incident in his teen years, where he had to protect some defenseless villagers from some cannibalistic raiders. That is when he realized he wanted to aide in protecting the weak and unarmed. This was the push that helped him to realize that without those who are just and strong, the world will crumble and fall victim to all the evil within. As he grew older, so did the rivalry between the brothers and his protective ways of his younger sister Tila. And now he hears what all is occurring within the city of Arx from his oldest brother Cirroch, he decides that it is time for him to finally make his appearance and mark in history. + |
| Kyda Barron + | Little is known of Dame Kyda Barron's origins. When she showed up in Arx clad in the ancient Templar armor, there were none to vouch for her, none to say they know of her family, none who can speak of her history. She speaks of battles long since relegated to history as if she were there. + |
| Kyden Black + | %TKyden started life as an orphan in Arx, though she remembers little of the city she's recently returned to. She was adopted at an incredibly young age for the sole purpose of being raised as a deckhand upon a ship that ended up being owned by pirates. Whether this was charity, or some sick plan to breed the perfect sailor is unknown, as the ship in question crashed along the shore of the Navegant when she was but 13 years old. She washed ashore on the island of Escuma, where she spent most of her time living off charity and theft. %TNot much is known about her time amongst the pirates, nor her time spent upon Escuma, but it is there that she began to sculpt. Obsessively. Ceaselessly. There were natural resources nearby, but she soon grew tired of raw clay and mud. She began to steal more and more, but amateur criminals do not last long in such small populaces, and soon she was being shipped off to spend some quality time as a Thrall in Donrai's workgangs. %TUnfortunately, she had little desire to work on anything but her mad art, and her insolence had her in and out of the dungeons, until one day, she simply disappeared... + |
| Kyler Keaton + | He was often the odd child out, growing up. The Keatons by and large being a rather rough and tumble, outdoorsy lot, Kyler did not fit in amongst the other Keaton children. So he made friends with the adults, learning how to smile, how to bat his lashes and win over the ladies with his outlandish ways. Soon enough he never lacked for company, entertaining guests more than twice his age, impressing them with his precocious charm, even as he amused them with his effortless wit. Among his favorite pursuits, aside from entertaining, is match making. There is something very powerful in uniting two hearts; for a night or a life time, Kyler has a gift for finding even the most unusual or unexpected pairings that bring delight to the paired. Well. Most of the time. One of his most popular skills is his stunning ability to arrange the perfect bouquets. Having mastered the language of flowers and the subsequent subtlty in messaging that goes with that at a very young age, Kyler still enjoys sending messages through gorgeous arrangements of flowers and plants. One of the rare outdoor activities he has shown a proclivity for is hunting. Not for food of course, how crass. He hunts with falcons. Because hunting should be left for the birds, why should he get blood on his clothes? Kyler is more than happy to stay on his horse and let his falcons do all the messy work. As soon as he came of age he lit out of Oakhaven for Arx, eager to embrace the culture, the parties and people to be found in the Compact's greatest cosmopolitan center. + |
L | |
| Lailah Bisland + | House Bisland has a proud tradition of being the most steadfast vassals of House Grayson, staunchly supporting them in war and peace. While certainly not every noble follows martial pursuits, Lailah still stunned her parents when she made quietly clear she intended to embrace the Faith of the Pantheon and not just as a priestess, but one of the scholars of Vellichor. While the clergy, including the scholars, is considered a well respected and honorable profession, House Bisland has never been known for its great religious devotion, and her parents clearly expected the charming young woman to follow her mother's footsteps in dealing with courtly politics and diplomacy. Lailah was a gifted singer, after all, but they didn't realize that her appreciation for bardic songs was a deep interest in the history of the Realm and an introvert's fascination for well-crafted stories. As far as Lailah is concerned, becoming a scholar is by no means neglecting her responsibilities as a noblewoman. Quite the opposite, in fact. She loves a good song more than most, but she never failed to notice the subtle creep of hyperbole and fiction infesting supposedly historical pieces, and she firmly believes that safeguarding the truth for future generations is every bit as vital to the safety and security of the Realm. She is a woman that firmly believes in pursuing the truth for its own sake and harbors more than a passing suspicion that in a snake-pit of deception such as Arx, that is by no means a safe or mild occupation. + |
| Lance Moore + | One of the youngest of the Moore cousins, Lance has always been a golden child in the family, his parents scrimped and saved to ensure he had things a knight needs - a horse, a sword, armour, and dotting, wealthier relations levied their connections to get him trainers in these things, piling their eggs in this one basket that is 'most likely to make something important of himself' in their eyes. If success is seeming the part, Lance has certainly succeeded, and with his cousins settling into Arx, his parents sent him along to join them so he can make the connections he needs to show the world that the Moores are not just wheat growing hicks but real nobility. This Lance has embraced whole-hearted, eager to make a name for himself and hopefully save some damsels while he does it! + |
| Lanei Crucible + | Lanei either has no last name or does not choose to recall it, for she has introduced herself for more than a decade as 'Lanei' and nothing more upon making new acquaintances. Tales of her childhood run spotty, it appears that she does have siblings, two brothers and one sister, and she will occasionally tell a story or anecdote from childhood that indicates great fondness for them. Details regarding her parents are harder to glean. By some accounts her mother died when she was an infant and she and her siblings were raised by her father alone...by other accounts it was an aunt or cousin that took them in and their father was not part of their lives either. It's known that she was born to the merchant class, her family comfortable enough to make ends meet but never terribly wealthy. It is known, or implied at least, that the sister she oft references ended up training as a courtesan, though it is never clear where. Lanei herself grew up in the Crownlands, and was apprenticed to a master tailor who was favored by the nobility by the age of 15. As time went on she trained with him further and then traveled through Arvum to complete this education, working for a time nearly everywhere and thus able to create an incredibly versatile range of styles. As she continued to train she developed a great interest in jewels and jewelry as well once exposed to them, and slowly but surely was able to add more metalwork to her repertoire. Becoming renowned for her gifts at creating art that ought be worn is her greatest known goal, and one she works tirelessly towards. + |
| Laric Grayson + | The grim circumstances of Laric Grayson's childhood are a matter of public record. His parents were killed during the Gray Forest Campaign of 970AR, accompanying King Alaric III in what was meant to be a minor action against bandits. As a young Prince, he was in no danger of being discarded. Nonetheless, it was a lonely life for the young royal. He was 'raised' in part by a previous Master of Questions: Berthold Ruger, father of his closest friend Faye. Berthold instilled in him a sense of unflinching duty to the Compact, and he has always felt a need to follow in the man's footsteps, to make certain the Inquisition remains a powerful tool to serve the realm -- rather than a political weapon to be used by the powerful to terrify the weak. He quickly learned that being serious and dedicated was one of the quickest ways to alienate potential political allies. + |
| Larissa Whisper + | For such a supremely confident woman, Larissa can be surprisingly coy and evasive whenever it comes to her past. Before she became one of the most sought after courtiers in the city at the prestigious Whisper House, she claims that she had an altogether exceedingly boring life as a commoner of House Thrax which provides her ample motivation for becoming (in her very modest opinion) one of the most captivating women of the city. Larissa has pointed out that while her potential as a fishmonger's wife in the bleak shores near House Thrax's ancestral home of the castle Maelstrom will be sorely missed, she believes that her demonstrated ability to capture the attention of the rich and powerful as a courtier might suggest she made the right life choices. When harried for greater detail, her stormy temper and headstrong nature shock many that expect only the refined grace of one of the legendary Whispers. It rarely arises since Larissa is gifted at getting what she wants, even if what she want is allowing the past to stay in the past. And after all, she's hardly the first Whisper to have a past. + |
| Lark Grayson + | Princess Lark Grayson is perhaps best known for her philanthropic endeavors and at times, her austere idealism concerning the less fortunate. Noble not only by birth but by personal virtue, Lark first became preoccupied with using her station for the betterment of her fellow man from a very young age. Although she may not have ever been adventurous in any conventional meaning of the word, she proved herself to be bold in her own manner. As she grew into a young woman, she often utilized her naturally analytical mind and innate comprehension skills to hatch any number of charitable schemes whether they be in response to acts of man or nature. Among the Graysons, it isn't uncommon to spot her toting around or bending over backwards to accommodate some new cause. It also shouldn't come as any surprise when Lark turns up her nose at any form of frivolity or subterfuge. She'd sooner be involved in managing contributions to a failing orphanage or shelter. + |
| Lasalle Fontblanc + | Lasalle Fontblanc is the son of well-known craftsman Jeanfi Fontblanc. His mother Sophie died during childbirth, but his father and aunt who came to assist with raising the boy did a more than adequate job. Although Jeanfi threw himself into his work after his wife's passing, Lasalle was never far from the man. Lasalle watched with great interest as his father worked and as he grew he helped where he could. Jeanfi's specialty was creating beautiful, exquisitely detailed, wooden furniture. Although originally from Fortezza di Iriscal, they decided to move to Roseward after the destruction of Volkov in order to be closer to the goldenwood his father preferred to work with. His father's work gained the appreciation of several minor noble families and it seemed Lasalle would follow in his father's footsteps, until they were attacked and robbed while delivering a few pieces in Volkov Woods. The bandits, stole their cart and their horses, leaving them to head back to Roseward on foot. His father's clients tried to ruin his reputation for failing to deliver, but after being provided with the furnishings at a discounted price they allowed for the truth to be known. Lasalle however was changed by the experience. He vowed that he would never allow himself or anyone he could protect to feel that vulnerable again. He enlisted himself in the Roseward guard, and quickly rose through the ranks over the course of the past 6 months. A life of lifting, loading and unloading had provided him with the physique, and a patient and discerning eye for detail lended itself well to the study of strategy and tactics. In the field he is quick to identify any weaknesses in an opponent. He became one of the youngest lieutenants in the Roseward guard and commanded a small unit, that he took on patrols along the trade routes around Roseward. He now has aspirations of knighthood and is beginning to build a name for himself independent of the work of his father. + |
| Lasha Khozheer + | Born in the southern states, Lasha was a member of the prodigal tribes, drawn in and brought under the fealty of House Pravus in their expansion and establishment of a great house. Formerly considered an abandoned, he swore fealty to the house instead of being subjugated by force. Still, his clan was known for trade, and lesser known activities such as smuggling rare goods across the ocean. Through the years he worked on growing his fleet, before heading in to land seeking employment where he could walk the edges of lawful society, though those criminal elements continued to be exploited, even after he made himself captain of first one ship, then two. By the time his fleet had grown to a reputable size, he took heavy losses, during a large storm, three of his vessels sank with the remainder being rendered near unusable. Now he works on rebuilding and establishing himself as a shipping magnate through Arx, running his company with a ruthless efficiency and with dominance that proceeds him. His reputation known simply for his hot temper, raucous behavior and tenacity that few captains are known for. + |
| Laurel Briarsgrove + | There is little consequence to Laurel's early life. She grew up within the Crownlands with her father and mother; not to mention the gaggle of siblings where she herself landed near the younger side of the spectrum. With so many hands to help tend the fields, Laurel along with her younger siblings were afforded more extended lessons and she flourished, with a head for numbers and the market. As she grew older she becomes the family's chief representative at market for all their extra goods that were made over the winter, selling blankets, clothing, carved goods and more whenever they made them rip to the market in Arx. The story continues. Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl and after two long years of pursuit and meetings spaced too far apart, Laurel wed a man named Arden. An apprentice jeweler and rather skilled at his work. They two had a family and prospered as sometimes common folk do. Arden grew somewhat frail over the ensuing years and the two moved to be near her family. Laurel would take his completed pieces to sell in Arx. Life continued on until two years ago when the threat with the Lodge occurred. She returned home to worry within the family with the risks rising many were seeking to leave and enter the city for protection. Aren refused to go and Laurel stayed. It was not long after that such a threat would take the lives of children and husband. With no choice but to leave the home they had made, Laurel returned to Arx to mourn and recover. + |
| Lavinia Rivenshari + | Lavinia was the second child of Alla, the sister to chieftan Aegis. She was not as much in the wild as her brother, though she did learn how to hunt and move unseen. It would be her beauty and cunning that manifested themselves as her truest talents. She was not as martial as her brother, but she was just as deadly and became highly skilled with small and improvised weapons. This suited her well, she used her talents to spy for the clan, either by discrete action or by charming her way around obstacles, espionage became her gift and her guilty pleasure, at least as far as anyone knew. For years, that's what she did, her carefree demeanor portaying to the world an entirely different person. When she was taken by Brand's control, she was forced to do unspeakable things to her people, as were all of her family, however something during this ordeal snapped inside of her and would have lingering traces far beyond what the others did, even if subtle. Like her brother she distrusted bending knee to Valardin, and by extension the Compact, too believing they were giving up their entire heritage and freedom. And she is not afraid to vocalize that to their chief, even if deep down she understands the reasons of the decision and knows that without the Valardin, they may well be no more. Being confined has always disturbed her though, and it makes being a vassal no less a challenge and sometimes sees her taking off on a ship up river, just to be free for a time. Now, Lady Lavinia Rivenshari has left Riva and traveled to Arx to assist in managing the new 'noble' house there. She struggles to balance her natural inclinations with the order and structure of things in the city, but is absolutely committed to helping her family regain its strength, and eventually its freedom. + |
| Lawrence Crovane + | Lawrence grew up the younger brother of the Duke Artair Crovane. He took to the idea of being a knight since a young age, and trained for that goal since he was a child. He was knighted at a young age, and when the duke began having children he swore an oath to both teach and protect his children. Unfortunately when he was thirty years old, he was out on a patrol that was ambushed, and that was the last he was seen. + |
| Lazarus Mercier + | Lazarus was the first son born to Adlai Mercier and his wife Lynda, born when his father's winery was at the height of it's biggest boom. As such he and his siblings are the first generation to never quite be touched by poverty and have spent their entire lifetimes enjoying the comfort of their manor situated in the Upper Borough. The three siblings - Lazarus, Silas, and Bethany - were close as they grew up, in spite of being a collection of contrasting personalities. Lazarus was favored heavily by both of his parents and received the bulk of their attention and favors, even if they insisted they loved all their children the same as parents are wont to do. He did well in his studies and travelled alongside his father frequently to observe his business transactions firsthand. He acquired the ability to socialize strategically at a very young age, giving him yet another edge over his siblings when it came to arguments and conflicts. The resentment left in the wake of these quarrels grew as the years flew by and it is something Lazarus has slowly begun to reflect on and regret. With his father's health beginning to fail, Lazarus has become fully draped in the family business. He makes frequent trips between Arx and the family farm located outside of the city and intends to mingle with his social betters. Idle hands do not get much done. + |
| Leana Folan + | Born as the fourth of five children and second daughter of armorsmith Carraghean Ironclad and her mother Alessa Folan who was a tailor. She never behaved as a normal girl even at a young age. She always wanted to work with her father and brothers on the anvils of their shop but her mother tried to teach her to behave as a woman should. She always kept to herself and found joy in the sound of iron smashing against a plate of metal whatever it was. She had learned the most basic forms of forging metals at the age of 13 and found herself already at 17 able to work a piece of metal perfectly within minutes into a sturdy piece of a great armor which she can forge in a mere two days provided with the right equipment. She had learned it all from her father while the education from her mother, unfortunately, didnt bear the same fruit. She never really had many friends except for her siblings and their two pet dogs. When her father died of mysterious causes while delivering a very expensive armor to a noble she started investigating his death only to be drawn into something far too dark and dangerous. She fled her home leaving behind her family and went to the capital where she was greeted by harsh reality. Now almost a year later she owns a small shop working again on metals and providing people with tools, weapons and armor as they order from her. + |
| Leandre Dureaux + | The Dureaux family have been known for one thing for very many years. What is that one thing? Procurement! The Dureaux specialize in procuring whatever one may need, provided it is legal of course. If it can be bought or sold, the Dureaux can get you what you need. + |
| Leda Harrow + | When Leda was born to her mother, an apothecarist who resided in the woods and kept to herself except to help others, she grew up in isolation. Upon her mother's death, she ventured into the world, believing that everyone around her would be as kind as her mother had been--as she, herself, was. She never knew her father, and has never really concerned herself with who he may be. Instead, she focuses on what she knows. + |
| Leena Igniseri + | Leena was born to Marquessa Emisilia Igniseri. Born the third and youngest daughter, her sisters were Quenia (oldest) and Iovita (Middle). Leena's father was Oberion Igniseri, whom was also Iovita's father. Emisilia's second husband, Oberion passed when Leena was rather young. Leena was the pride and joy of Oberion, and seemed to be surprisingly bright for a child showing extreme promise. But before she could barely get to know her father it seemed he had passed away. Mother had remarried, and before she knew it her new stepfather had passed away. At the age of 4 she was whisked away along with Quenia and Iovita to foster with Duke Zaffira's household. Always the tinkerer, she took things apart to see how they worked. She seemed to get smarter and smarter, and the tutors could hardly keep up with Leena's lessons as she absorbed knowledge so quickly. The Zaffira's encouraged her love of all things technical and artistic. Leena wasn't quite sure why she was seperated from her mother, but she grew from little one to preteen being encouraged, and when she was returned to her mother it was like she hardly knew her. Life with mother was not an unloving one. Leena was a eccentric yet loving girl and while her mother didn't quite understand her intelligence she did support it. She was quite a bit different than her or her other children, but Leena always felt loved. Growing up in the household her curiosity only grew, and as the years passed by it was apparent that she needed more to learn - and she would not find a proper spouse staying where she was. She moved on to Arx to continue following her dreams of learning in hopes of bringing newfound skills back to her home's people. Of course her mother hopes that she might find a spouse along the way + |
| Leif Redrain + | A Redrain prince, born to shepherd the north, and be a blade at the front. From a young age, it was clear that Leif had a wisdom most children his age did not. He was both empathetic and patient, even as a bratty child, that often drew respect from his elders. As he grew this only increased, Leif began to train as a warrior, though many turned to him for his point of view and perspective. He often was able to see the issue from both sides, and mediate whether it be for peer or elder. He approached issues with a calm, and open demeanor which garnered him respect from both the warriors that were under him and led him. Leif's younger sisters were a prize to him. He spent as much time as he could with them when he was not being called on for his warrior or princely duties. The young Redrain prince was becoming something quite promising, an inspiration to his people, a strong blade, and a kind and wise man. At one point Leif's popularity was nearly unrivalled at one point, there were simply not many that could find a quarrel with the man. Of course you cannot be all things to all people, but it was hard to dislike a man who only poured out kindness and loyalty to those around him. And then Stormwall happened. The Pirate King attacked the Compact, and of course Prince Leif Redrain was amongst the warriors who defended the city from the attack of the undead. He cut down many of the enemy but eventually was separated from the rest of his forces. Early on, it was thought that Leif perished in Stormwall. Until it was later revealed that the Prince did in fact survive, rescued by a company of Templar. After he returned, there was a short amount of time until Leif no longer practiced shamanism. And only a short amount of time after that, did Leif renounce his title as a prince and take vows as a Godsworn Templar in the Faith of the Pantheon. His decision was pretty unpopular in the north, and despite the criticism that he has received, Leif has maintained a deep love and respect for his people. He has a deep respect for their history and their roots of shamanism, but he cannot deny the path and the calling he has found from the Gods. Adamant and passionate about his new solidified faith he has determined, it is the way forward. And so, Leif reports to Arx as a Godsworn Templar. While some will say he has abandoned his family, and others will call him a brave hero for his choice, Leif maintains that he must love and protect both sides. Hated or loved, he is called to serve, and he will not turn from that calling. + |
| Lekan none + | Being born in Velenosa means that eventually, all citizens must learn to either deal with the many tricks, machinations, and horrors the houses inflict on each other, mostly in 'private', or learn to ignore and avoid them. Lekan learned at an early age that he had a steady hand, a lack of issue with the shedding of blood, and a desire to have the fine things of life. At first, he was a steadfast worshipper of the Pantheon, but years of harsh, vicious back-alley fights and backstabbing intrigue that, despite all prayers to the contrary, has left almost everyone he ever knew (family, friends, loved one) dead in gutters or vanished? He believes in nothing. Well, that's not quite true. He believes in his own sword-arm. He believes in coin he can touch. He believes in women, or at least that they exist. He believes that people can use him. So he comes to Arx, the sour taste of a deal gone badly being rather hopefully left behind as he hopes to make a new life in this city. + |
| Leland Specter + | Born to a Merchant Lord and a Court reporter in one of the smaller islands of Stormward territory, Leland and his family moved to Arx at a very early age. He spent his early years following his father around at the Crown court while he worked, opening his eyes to the world of the Law. Leland was fascinated by courtroom drama. Two champions entered the ring and only one emerged victorious. Little Leland wanted all of that, he wanted to be the champion who always walked out victorious. When he was old enough, he went to law school and worked harder than any other student there, earning him special honors. Immediately out of school he worked for a time in the Crown Magistrates office doing small claims and disputes. Eventually, he branched out, leaving the Crown Magistrates office to open his own firm. + |
| Lena + | Not a lot is known about Lena. The mysterious, notoriously closed-lipped mummer isn't one to talk about her past before she became a sometimes actress for the Black Rose Mummers. It's clear she was born in the gutter, for when she speaks it's with a sharp, uneducated cadence if she's not bothering to inflenct her accent for a role. There are rumors that she's the granddaughter of a man who claimed, half a century ago, to be the king of the thieves and managed to reign as such until an uncharacteristically clumsy fall from the rooftops ended his claim to that dubious throne. There are also rumors that she's some noble byblow left to shift for herself after her father denied her parentage. Over the years she's picked up a smattering of skills and has made herself useful around the mummer's performances sewing costumes, doing makeup, building sets, but never particularly distinguishing herself in any one trade. Some folk are meant to stay behind the scenes. She learned long ago not to dream of more. + |
| Lena Crown + | Not a lot is known about Lena. The mysterious, notoriously closed-lipped mummer isn't one to talk about her past before she became a sometimes actress for the Black Rose Mummers. It's clear she was born in the gutter, for when she speaks it's with a sharp, uneducated cadence if she's not bothering to inflenct her accent for a role. There are rumors that she's the granddaughter of a man who claimed, half a century ago, to be the king of the thieves and managed to reign as such until an uncharacteristically clumsy fall from the rooftops ended his claim to that dubious throne. There are also rumors that she's some noble byblow left to shift for herself after her father denied her parentage. Over the years she's picked up a smattering of skills and has made herself useful around the mummer's performances sewing costumes, doing makeup, building sets, but never particularly distinguishing herself in any one trade. Some folk are meant to stay behind the scenes. She learned long ago not to dream of more. + |
| Lenard Valardin + | The tale is well-known by those in the Oathlands: Princess Marianne Valardin was an infectiously charismatic daughter of Sanctum, someone different from other White Dragons. Unafraid of pushing social boundaries to the extremes, Marianne mingled with the commonfolk and defied her family whenever she felt was right. Compared to her the Valardin were seen as stuffy, and so wild was the Princess that she clashed against expectations and challenged tradition by marrying out of love, her husband a Lycene merchant named Marcello. The crowds erupted in jubilation at wedding and the chaos in the White City that day was legendary. It was to this legacy that Lenard, the third of four children, was born. Stories about young Lenard have always been few and far between, telling the tale of a young boy in love with the idea of being a knight and a hero of the Oathlands but who spent most of his time reading on such heroes and stories instead of preparing to become one of them. That is not to say the young Valardin did not train, he very much did, but mostly when pressed by his father, a man who believed in the strength of will and action, as opposed to his son's empty aspirations. Thanks to Marcello Lenard learned how to wield a blade with expertise, and became a squire at an early age. The careful discipline instilled in Lenard would pay dividends in the following years, but not in the way predicted by any of them. The Tragedy at Sanctum was a mortifying event where the majority of the Valardin leadership was assassinated, a cowardly blow that demoralized the Oathlands. Lenard's family would be further disgraced weeks later, when his older sister, Audrey, became a kinslayer by taking their mother's life. Those dark days were thought to be the last of his bloodline, but instead of being brought to his knees, Lenard earned his spurs soon after, becoming a knight and in his first act as such proceeding to visit every House of the Oathlands, from Telmar to Laurent, Farshaw to Lyonesse, anywhere notice of the Tragedy had reached and where the people needed to see with their own eyes that the White Dragons still roared in Sanctum. Over his years as a knight the young man has been known to duel many evils that plague the Oathlands, joining the Knights of Solace to protect the roads and fighting shav tribes that cavort with the forces of darkness in the pursuit of the wicked who would harm his people. All the warring has led Lenard to hone his skills with a blade and renewed his commitment to honor and duty in the face of the barbarism he has witnessed, something that will serve the the Valardin well as the young man is summoned to Arx to be at the heart of the Compact. Never afforded so much responsibility, Lenard is now poised to show how on the grand stage how far he has come from the dreamer he was before the Tragedy, and how strong the Valardin have become since. + |
| Lenne Crovane + | Being the youngest of many siblings meant that there would be no great inheritence or weighty duty for Lenne. At best she would see a political marriage or minor office to oversee. Some would find that a bitter fate, but for Lenne it meant freedom her elder siblings couldn't have. She used it to its fullest. As a child, she was a parent's nightmare, vanishing for days into the forest, to return filthy and babbling excitedly about what she saw. She was delighted to be scolded with being homebound, pestering others for stories, or sneaking into the libraries. It never got better. She was equally infuriating as a youth, and worse as a teenager. Anatomy, history, theology, naturalism, spirit lore. No subject was safe from her scrutiny. No question was too obscure to escape examination. In desperation, her parents directed her to hobbies, and to their credit, it was somewhat successful. Some of her hours were spend safely working as a Mercy's Aid. Others with the Scholars, where her curiosity could be, at least, tolerated. Of late, her passion has been the unacceptably fractured history of the world. So when her parents announced she was to be sent to Arx, to gain proper 'seasoning' befitting her standing, she was overjoyed. What better place to figure out the truth of things than at the seat of so much of history? + |
| Leo Fidante + | House Fidante's long held position as the closest rival to House Velenosa in terms of power and prestige in the Lyceum has much to do with the city state of Tor's key strategic location between the westlands controlled by House Valardin and the rest of the Lycene city-states. While Tor enjoys the same dubious reputation for deceit and treachery shared by all of the Lyceum, its closeness to the westlands had a formative effect on the young Lord Leo, who grew up admiring the chivalry and knightly virtues of the West even as he learned much about the art of proper rule from his mother, the Duchess of Tor. His mother recognized his romanticized love of honorable ideals and sent the young Leo to foster with House Valardin, in large part to ease growing tensions between House Valardin and the border city-states of the Lyceum, and secured a betrothal for the future duke with a Valardin princess (distant from the line of succession, but still carrying the prestige of the family name). Years later, his mother's kindness still fills Leo with guilt. While the prince was living in Sanctum and spending his teenage years growing up among knights, his mother remarried to the Count of Southport, a match that Leo to this day blames himself for not being present to prevent. Barely a few months had gone by after his mother's new marriage before she suffered an extremely suspicious accident while riding and died, and her new husband declared that Leo was an illegitimate child of the Duchess (and claimed he had a confession from the now dead Duchess to that effect), and therefore the Count would have to act as regent and rule over Tor until Leo's infant sister came of age. Even among the treacherous Lyceum city-states, it was a particularly blatant power grab to seize control of the Fidante family and the city of Tor, but the much younger Leo was shocked how many seemed prepared to let an ambitious and ruthless man murder his mother and lie about his claim. Leo was stunned how many of his relatives in the Fidante family were willing to support Count Lucien of Southport in his bid for a regency, and the wealth surrounding the man raised an army of sell swords and bought him scores of allies among the surrounding other city-states. Nonetheless, Leo's marriage to House Valardin gave him sufficient voice to ask the Prince of Sanctum for aid and returned home to Tor with an army of Valardin knights to contest his claim. The Tor-Southport War that followed shattered any romantic notions of war and combat for Leo, and even by Lycene standards was an ugly war. Leo raised much of the commons of Tor to his cause, becoming close friends with many of the more powerful commoner families, and he had to witness first hand the butchery of many men and women he came to care deeply about as the war progressed. Though he feels his cause was just, and ultimately led him to killing Count Lucien in single combat and slaying an evil man, he still wonders if the justice and regaining his claim was worth the thousands of lost and shattered lives that he witnessed. Now much older and wiser, Duke Leo Fidante, the Duke of Tor, is a rarity among the Lycene Houses as a man of dignity and honor and one whose word carries weight and meaning. He stands as a stark contrast in a man that speaks truthfully and acts honorably, and is deeply dedicated to the well being of his people. In his mind, he has an enormous debt that was bought in steel and blood, and has a lifetime of just rule to attempt to pay for it. + |
| Leola Allenatore + | Leola's family have lived on Saik land long before she was born, and have served as houndmasters, horse-trainers and more before even that. Leola held a falcon before she ever picked up a pen and rode a horse before she could leave the homestead alone. Her father ensured she grew up around the animals that her family bred, trained, and taught her how to teach them; how to ensure they bent to the will of their master. It was a simple enough life, out of the trials and worry of politics, but Leola - well, it was what she knew. She grew, and there had been suitors, but none she'd cared much for, and the work was always more important. Time enough for that; the Saiks were not rich, and her family helped. Then, father grew ill. It was prolonged, though not serious, and she was left to manage the affairs of the small family. Before he recovered, they received a request from the Saiks; addressed to her father, for him to travel and train the family's new horses. He was too ill, and Leola went in his place. To Arx. + |
| Leona Thrax + | Leona didn't want to be a rebellious young lady, but she just could not abide by the demure expectations of a proper princess of House Thrax. When her younger brother was bullied, it was the infuriated Princess Leona that leapt to his defense and bloodied the noses of older children to the shocked horror of her extremely proper and conservative mother. When a house thrall was abused, it was Leona who argued loudly and stubbornly to see justice done. When the young noblewomen were given courtly lessons on the proper behavior and decorum expected of a princess of the great house Thrax, it was Leona who would pointedly ask about Queen Alarice the Great's feats in battle and why House Thrax alone refused to allow women to rule. The spirited young woman was the bane of her tutors, often skipping lessons on courtly etiquette so she could practice (and handily beat) her male cousins at swordplay - despite never having a single lesson. Acts of rebellion aside, doubtless she would have been married off to firm up a political alliance if not for the Great Tournament of 998 AR. The princess traveled to Arx along with many young, unpromised nobles of the great houses, doubtless so her grandfather could negotiate a suitable match for her and hoping that the sight of so many refined ladies of the court could restrain the young woman's enthuasism. If that was the hope, it was a catastrophic failure as Leona watched the greatest knights in Arvum compete at the melee and joust, steadily building the young woman's dreams of competing at that level no matter what a proper princess of Thrax might do. As a gesture of hospitality by House Grayson to House Thrax, Leona was the lone companion to Crown Prince Alaric in his carriage returning to the palace from the Tournament, after Lord Commander Dayne Valardin's victory at the tournament melee. On the ride back to the palace, the carriage and the escort was stopped by an overturned cart on the road and a tense crowd surrounded the royal carriage, but Leona wasn't worried... until she heard a scream and saw the escort of the King's Own being felled by arrows and cloaked figures drawing swords as they rushed the carriage. Crown Prince Alaric was in a panic, but Leona felt calm as she grabbed the crown prince's sword and positioned herself in front of himat the door of the carriage. It was madness, one barely trained, unarmored teenage princess against unknown attackers, but Leona never learned how to back away from a fight. The shock of facing any resistance at all once the King's Own were down likely saved Leona's life, her ferocious attack catching the assailants off guard when they threw open the carriage to retrieve the prince. Her fight felt like an eternity, though she knows it couldn't have been more than a few minutes, and left her badly wounded... but it bought time for Lord Commander Dayne Valardin to arrive, charging down on his horse as he cut down every last attacker. The Lord Commander had the Thrax princess treated by the personal healer of the King's Own, and the man who had a reputation as the greatest knight in all of Arvum personally thanked the young woman for saving the future king of the Compact. "You saved one young man, your highness, but you did more than that. If he had been taken, it would have been a war, as we already suspect who was behind it. Kidnapped or dead, armies would have marched. If you had not acted, the Realm would have bled and thousands would have perished. You have a talent for saving kings, your highness, and if you would ever consider squiring for an old knight I know that the King's Own would be proud to have you." It was not an offer to take lightly, considering all she would give up if she took the vows. In the end, being allowed a choice compared to being told what to do made her path obvious. Her family was furious, of course, it was unheard of for a noblewoman of House Thrax - let alone the grand daughter of the current high lord! The young woman is shunned by an entire great house and all she knew when she was young. But when it comes to honor, no cost is too high for Dame Leona. + |
| Leonaess Valeux + | Neither boasting the height of giants or the dark colouring of those usually found in the region known as the Cloudspine, it would suggest that she came from perhaps different stock. Bereft of parents at a rather young age, Leonaess was brought up by her great aunt who had a tidy cottage nestled in a wooded grove just outside the city. Nestled in the hills, it was a simple life where her Aunt Brennwyn was known for her skill in medicine and often assisted in providing apothecary services in the form of an herbal concoction or two. The most important lesson perhaps was the respect and homage paid to the spirits of earth and air, the in between realm of what was and what will be. Listening to both what "voices" have to say and paying attention to the beasts that roam wild, it was a mixture of druidic calling that turned Leonaess into a Daughter of the Forest, a Child of the Stars. At the age of 17, her Aunt passed peacefully in her sleep leaving all she owned to her young charge. With the knowledge passed down both in medicine and herbal lore, Leonaess plies her services to those in need from all walks of life. Her hearth is a place of rest, her table a place where bellies are filled, and the cultivated gardens surrounding the cottage a calming stroll for those in need of a peaceful moment. Though now 20 years of age, the stars seem to call her towards other avenues where travel might very well be a possibility. With the moon as her guide and the spirits ushering her along with a whispering quality, who knows what can be found! + |
| Leonel Inverno + | In the wake of her first-born disappearing into the world abroad, Emma Velenosa had already begun to dig her nails into what had swiftly become the more treasured and lauded of her sons. Born either from wracking guilt of her mishandling and her error regarding Gaspar or perhaps simply out of a selfish desire to have at least one child that, in her eyes, succeeded how and where he was expected to, Leonel was coddled, spoiled, and cloistered away for what his mother discerned to be a proper upbringing. Much of his early life was spent under her enforced and gruelling regimen; long hours of tutelage with accomplished scholars, training with swordsmasters, and under his mother's own wing in the finer points of courtly conduct. She worked tirelessly to try and sharpen his mind beyond what dusty tomes could manage, and impart a measure of cunning and guile in him - to impart knowledge of secret, and whispered games that the Peerage play behind closed doors. Despite thriving under the wing of a loving - albeit overbearing - mother, Leonel's life had been plagued by a simple question that burned in his mind; the whereabouts and circumstances of his elder brother's departure. Though he knew him little, and had been without him for more years than with, it was that nagging curiosity and desire to reconnect that brought him out into the world, beyond his high walls. + |
| Leonel Velenosa + | In the wake of her first-born disappearing into the world abroad, Emma Velenosa had already begun to dig her nails into what had swiftly become the more treasured and lauded of her sons. Born either from wracking guilt of her mishandling and her error regarding Gaspar or perhaps simply out of a selfish desire to have at least one child that, in her eyes, succeeded how and where he was expected to, Leonel was coddled, spoiled, and cloistered away for what his mother discerned to be a proper upbringing. Much of his early life was spent under her enforced and gruelling regimen; long hours of tutelage with accomplished scholars, training with swordsmasters, and under his mother's own wing in the finer points of courtly conduct. She worked tirelessly to try and sharpen his mind beyond what dusty tomes could manage, and impart a measure of cunning and guile in him - to impart knowledge of secret, and whispered games that the Peerage play behind closed doors. Despite thriving under the wing of a loving - albeit overbearing - mother, Leonel's life had been plagued by a simple question that burned in his mind; the whereabouts and circumstances of his elder brother's departure. Though he knew him little, and had been without him for more years than with, it was that nagging curiosity and desire to reconnect that brought him out into the world, beyond his high walls. + |
| Leonidas Thrax + | Prince Leonidas Thrax was born to Draco Thrax and Evelyn Grayson in their home. Born as the second oldest child after Lilith, Leonidas was perhaps the most brash and socially aggressive of his siblings. He always got into heated arguments and often times solved them with his commanding presence or with the age-old Thraxian tradition of punching someone else in the face. Nevertheless, when he came of age, Leonidas immediately set out to the seas to seek his oppurtunity in the world. Since, Gods know, he hated being handed //anything//. He had to earn it. He wanted to earn it. And he did earn it. Pillaging many ships at sea and earning some amount of renown, Leonidas never quite found love or anyone to end his slight degree of loneliness. But, to steal a sailor from the sea is a heinous crime indeed. Alas, now 26 years old and an experienced captain on the high seas and in commanding his ragtag motley crew, Leonidas returns to the Compact, hoping to bring honor to his House as a Prince of Thrax. Oh, the adventures yet to come! + |
| Leonora Malespero + | A member of one of the lesser houses of the Lyceum, Leonora was a sickly young woman. Often bed-ridden and secluded, the noblewoman lived predominantly through books and the vicarious tales of her friends who came to visit on occasion. Yearning for a chance to be a part of the society she so often heard of, she saved all her allowance and paid an old woman -- a traveling alchemist -- in hopes of a miracle cure. The alchemist provided a potion for her, and soon Leonora found her strength increasing. While she never will be fully hale and hearty, the potion she was given gave her a new lease on life. And so Micaela decided to join the lands with those of House Malespero, Leonora came along as well, hoping to make a new life within the capital city of Arx. As for the alchemist who had so helped her? Though she's searched, Leonora has found no sign of the woman. + |
| Leopold Crownsworn + | Leopold grew up as an orphan in the city of Arx, a street urchin fending for himself as best as he could. Being taller and stronger than many of his peers, he became something of a bully; though, not out of any malice or pleasure. He simply liked the competition and exhiliration that came with fighting, and the benefits of taking the other kid's food and money was simply a bonus. As he approached his teens, however, he was set straight when a knight caught him and decided to teach him the error of his ways with a firm beating. The knight pitied the youth and, seeing potential, decided to try training the boy. While Leopold learned well in the areas of combat, he wasn't particuarly bright, and he lacked the discipline that knights require, so his trainer steered him towards becoming a champion instead. In that realm, the young man thrived, becoming a storied combatant, willing to take on frankly stupid challenges for the sheer thrill of it. The money and women, of course, was a nice bonus. His reknown for being a ferocious and wild opponent has had some wonder if he has some Northern blood in him; though, his darker skin would seem to indicate otherwise. As he has aged, he has only grown more boisterous rather than mellowing. He is more than happy to teach younger Champions that, like steel in the forge, he has simply grown stronger from the repeated tempering in fiery combat, and women learn that, like wine, some men become even better with age. At least he thinks so. + |
| Leta Broadbent + | All too common, Leta's family just barely a step above the rabble of the slums, and clung to that hint of respectability even when coin was all too scarce. She'd had a few surviving siblings, all older than her, and all seemed destined for a dreary life of menial labor, aspiring to some lesser craft at best. Her mother worked in a tavern, and the time Leta spent there and the colorful folk who'd come by instilled in her an admiration for the loud and bold warriors and adventurers who'd return from the field with pouches full of coin to spend. She learned the rudiments of swordplay from some of the regulars, and one day she was off to join a mercenary company. It wasn't easy to talk them into taking her on, and it wasn't easy to earn her place, but over the last few years she's proven herself, if largely against bandits and in minor disputes between lesser nobles. + |
| Lethe Tyde + | Lethe was born 15 minutes after her brother Acheron much to her relief. Their mother, Gilda Tyde, formerly Ashford, had the 2, then 6 year old twins with her in Ashford Keep, visiting family at the onset of the Tyde Rebellion and upon hearing of the death of their father the children were quietly absorbed into the Ashford family without a word to anyone. Over the next 13 years Lethe truly thrived in the Grey Forest where she followed around family members, learning to harvest plants and make concoctions and treatments, and tending to the wounds of those soldiers fighting the Shavs that inhabited the area. As much as learning to repair bodies fascinated the young lady, and it truly did seem as if a great magic to have the power to knit flesh closed, or ease suffering with a few drops of the right oil, she always had a very clear understanding of a line she felt few others did, the place of letting go she calls it. The place where the healer's efforts become more about their own comfort and assurance that they exhausted every possibility than they are actually improving the quality of the patient's life, and often in fact, are causing far more suffering for the dying one. Much to the horror of some of her peers during the fighting over past years in the Grey Forest, every now and then Lethe would simply set down her tools and sit beside a wounded man, and tell him or her it was okay to go, and stay with them until indeed they passed from the world, invariably sooner than later. Always after her explanation was simple 'I did what was needed'. The world changed again when they learned that Tyde, their late father's family had been restored, and while Gilda was not settled into her home, wouldn't it be better for her children to be treasured first cousins of a Duchess in a very small house than forgotten cousins of a Duke in a sprawling one? And so Lethe and Acheron were sent off to Arx and to return to the Thraxian world that while they were born into, had grown strange to them. This new change in their path Lethe weathered as she always has quietly and open to whatever is ahead of them. + |
| Levian Neri + | Levian may be the only Civashari in Arvum who gets called 'lord' with anything more than irony. It's a fact he doesn't forget and one that leaves him feeling that he represents the people who birthed and raised him all the more when he moves among the nobility of Arx. Or at least the thought was heavy on his mind when he drinks too much at night and has no company to keep him from more maudlin thoughts. But that's putting the cart before the horse in this particular tale. Born among the Civashari that wander the lands wild and free, and those tamed and restricted, Levian was a precocious child. As such he did precocious child things. He climbed the greatest trees he could find ("Levian get down from there before you break your fool neck!) so he could be closer to the stars to see them. He swam to the deepest parts of the lakes to see the sky reflected in a watery mirror ("Lev! Lev, lad, where'd you go?") And he danced with every man or woman that'd give him the chance at fairs ("Sigh. Lev, lad, you can't go telling everyone you're smitten with their eyes remind you of the stars. It starts sounding disengenuine!)" to see the truth of the firmament reflected in the colored orbs of his romantic partners. But Lev was obsessed with looking at the stars from every angle, through every lens he could. He would claim it showed him a more accurate truth. And no one he traveled with knew what it meant. By the time that Levian was sixteen he was making predictions based on the stars. Everyone expects the Ravashari to peddle pretty nothings for a penny, and most took it as what it was because the boy made the telling entertaining. He'd put it in a song, or dance it under the midnight sky before telling a farmer where to plant his crops, or predicting a drought for the year. Soon enough word got around and each time Lev's group of Civashari would pass back through an area he'd be stopped and asked for a prediction. The cost of his services went from coppers to silvers (or just coppers or a pie, he never took more than the person could afford). Sometimes he was wrong. More often he was right. Eventually word got to the ears of King Alaric III who, at a harvesst festival, invited Levian to offer up advice on where the corn should go this year. Lev, smart enough not to fall into a prodigal trap, gave blessings to Petrichor first and then did his prediction. That year the corn yield just happened to be twice of any year in the past decade. Out of amusement, the same thing happened the year after. Alaric laughed, "Well done, Lord Levian." And that was that. Levian was a Lord, invited once a year to the palace to attend a party. The worst dressed lord. The one with nary a House and nary a domain (thus his family name of Neri). But a Lord all the same. + |
| Lewis arterius + | Grew up in middle-class suburbs of Arx, a child of merchants, but a sickly disposition in childhood confined him to his home for much of his youth. He gained escape through books and tales of distant lands. As he neared adulthood, his strength grew, and soon he was well enough to leave home and travel on his own. He ascribes this recovery to the gods, and in order to thank them for this miracle, he has vowed to travel the land and give praise to the pantheon. + |
| Lexir Pravus + | Lexir never had particularly high expectations set for him - his branch of the Pravus was particularly fecund, and he had no shortage of more skillful, or at least, ambitious, siblings for his parents to pin their hopes to. And so he grew up wild in luscious Setarco, a princeling with precious few duties or obligations to anyone but himself. It would be easy for someone in his position to become spoiled, to be lulled into a simpering stupidity by the benefits of his birthright - fortunately, that didn't happen. Adventure was in his blood. Curiosity mixed with intelligence - this too could spoil, could easily turn someone cruel, but the young Pravus lord evaded that fate. As much of his youth as he could he spent out in the city or in the surrounding wilderness, exploring, mingling, doing whatever he could to satisfy his thirst for new and novel experiences. He ran (incognito) with gutter gangs while slumming in the backalleys of Setarco, drank himself into stupors, and experimented with exotic substances. He learned to fight, to sail, his letters and his numbers, dabbling in a myriad of skills but rarely every progressing past novice-level mastery - there was always something new. A few years before his majority, Lexir slipped away from home with a couple of his trusted comrades and friends and disappeared into the Setarco to embark on their grandest adventure yet. Where they went, what they did, and what they saw remains a subject of conjecture and speculation - in the end, only half the number that set out returned, some years later. A less carefree version of the young noble returned, one more tempered, more hardened, more thoughtful than the one that had set out. Even after his return to the public sphere, he did not linger long, vanishing in long expeditions like the first to parts unknown. But now, he's in Arx, the wayward nobleman's presence asked, nay, /commanded/, to be in the heart of power in Arvum as the stirrings of something great rumble across the continent. Who knows? Maybe he'll have learned something useful in all of his travels. + |
| Lia Saik + | The life of a lowly village commoner in Saikland Greens is neither idyllic nor particularly fraught with peril. It mostly consists of work and more work from the day you walk until the day you die. Such was Lia's initial fate upon her birth into a family of incredibly limited means with more mouths to feed than food to stick into them. As child number three of seven (two older sisters, three younger brothers, one younger sister) born to a seamstress (of weak talent) and leatherworker (of moderate talent), it was expected from a young age that Lia would assist in tending to her siblings while also helping her mother take care of their incredibly modest home. This Lia did with all the alacrity one would expect from a spoiled nobleborn moreso than a poor waif. In between her rounds as homemaker and babysitter, she would also assist her father with his work. Here she demonstrated her knack with her hands, and her quick wit made her an able unpaid apprentice. While her older sisters were busy finding husbands and moving away to start their own families, Lia was elbow-deep in scraps and sweat working hard to perfect what would be her future trade. Lia made it all the way to the ripe age of fourteen before her father managed to use his meager guild connections to secure her an apprenticeship - an adventure that would take her all the way to Arx. It was a turbulent time for the gawky teenager to travel so far from home, but her father had cobbled together a veritable fortune in order to give her the means for a future. So she said her teary-eyed goodbyes to her siblings and her parents and made her way (chaperoned!) to Arx by boat. Ten years of hard, but fair, work followed before Lia's master retired from the business and left her to establish herself as an independent crafter. + |
| Liam Riven + | Liam had what might be considered an idyllic childhood -- the operative word there being 'had'. Born as the eldest child of a cadet branch of the Riven family, his life should have been one of privilege without the pressure, of leisure without any demand that he truly lead. For the first decade of his life, it was. But all of that came crashing down when he became an orphan at the tender age of twelve. Worst of all, his tragedy was not unique. No, Liam lost his parents on the same day that nearly an entire generation of Riven children did -- the day that a tribe of Abandoned put them and the Deepwoods to the sword, leaving the county in the hands of a girl who was only seventeen. Naturally, chaos ensued. Suddenly several ranks higher in the House's succession, he was one of several swept up to the Twainfort proper and it was not an easy transition. It wasn't that he was unwelcome in his cousin's keep. On the contrary, he was given comfortable rooms and good tutors. He was shown kindness and warmth -- whenever she, or any of the adults, had the time. The trouble was that with all the energy being spent on averting the threat of disaster that loomed for those first few years, there was rarely any left for (yet another) broken-hearted boy underfoot. So it became a duty that Liam took on himself. He would act as guardian and protector of the small pack of orphans that roamed their halls. He would be their comforter and their guide. It was a role he took very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he found his way to the path of a warrior -- and to the discipleship of Gild. Though their House remains too small for him to become fully godsworn, he serves among the Knights of Solace as duty allows. He will protect his family, and his House, and the people on the roads of Arvum. And he will do everything he can to ensure that no one suffers the pain that he did ever, ever again. + |
| Lianne Malespero + | Although she was born three years later than her elder sister Viviana, in many ways the siblings were cut from the same cloth. They looked similar and both had a restless nature about them that made them ill-suited to the life of a typical lady. Yet where this led Viviana to seek physical challenges, it led Lianne in the opposite direction - to seek mental ones. Even from a young age, it was rare to be able to walk into Liannes chambers without having to step around scattered diagrams and models, or to not find her hard at work dissecting some sort of animal or another upon her fine, mahogany armoire. She was never able to settle on just one discipline, bouncing from one to the next almost every month, but her keen mind devoured them all. When she blossomed into a beautiful young lady, her mother was initially keen to marry her off for political advantage. Yet whenever a marriage offer seemed close, Lianne would instantly turn her mind to aiding in issues of politics, government or economics and prove so valuable that the marriage would be put off. Of course, this would last only until the risk was gone, to the great exasperation of her mother, before shed return to her books and personal studies. She was largely uninvolved in the crisis that occurred during and immediately after the reign of Piero as Duke, happily working on her research. But in the aftermath, she was called upon by Belladonna to do her duty and use that keen mind to help rebuild the House to glory. In the years since, Lianne has taken over leadership of the march of Nilanza, formed her own house, abandoned her Pravus legacy to remain with the Lyceum and even married well. Who knows if her mother is proud. + |
| Lianne Pravus + | Although she was born three years later than her elder sister Viviana, in many ways the siblings were cut from the same cloth. They looked similar and both had a restless nature about them that made them ill-suited to the life of a typical lady. Yet where this led Viviana to seek physical challenges, it led Lianne in the opposite direction - to seek mental ones. Even from a young age, it was rare to be able to walk into Liannes chambers without having to step around scattered diagrams and models, or to not find her hard at work dissecting some sort of animal or another upon her fine, mahogany armoire. She was never able to settle on just one discipline, bouncing from one to the next almost every month, but her keen mind devoured them all. When she blossomed into a beautiful young lady, her mother was initially keen to marry her off for political advantage. Yet whenever a marriage offer seemed close, Lianne would instantly turn her mind to aiding in issues of politics, government or economics and prove so valuable that the marriage would be put off. Of course, this would last only until the risk was gone, to the great exasperation of her mother, before shed return to her books and personal studies. She was largely uninvolved in the crisis that occurred during and immediately after the reign of Piero as Duke, happily working on her research. But in the aftermath, she was called upon by Belladonna to do her duty and use that keen mind to help rebuild the House to glory. + |
| Liara Grayson + | Liara Grayson, a princess among princesses, a daughter among daughters: that is to say, a young lady very likely to be lost in the crowd if she didn't find her own way to shine. There are two ways to deal with being a little sister and younger cousin, and Liara definitely chose the more glamorous pathway. Even as a very young child, she always wanted to be in the middle of everything, following the older kids around and aping their ways to the point where she would challenge her shadow to a duel, or create vast dramatic party landscapes out of leaves and twigs and lemonade poured into the dirt. A more than capable student of sewing, musical instruments and dancing, Liara filled her childhood at Bastion with friends and fun and family, as a teenager became the center of attention not by demanding it in roaring fits, but by dint of effort, passion and talent. She became the queen of the gathering of lesser nobility; her parties at Bastion became the talk of her generation, and she yearned for nothing more than to arrive at the capital and put that Grayson flair to the test. Of course, then there was a SIEGE, and her efforts as an organizer became required for relief efforts and refugees rather than for fun and games! She threw herself into charitable work and civil development for the Crownlands with every bit as much verve and panache as she applied to event planning, and found a talent for it. Organization is not an unrelated skill. And strangely enough, it was those efforts - rather than her efforts at preparing the most amazing princessly debut - that led the family to invite her to the capital. + |
| Lierre Keaton + | Daughter of Talissa Keaton and sister to Rane Keaton, Lierre was raised in an estate near to the forests of Oakhaven. From the moment she could walk, she grew to love the woodlands of her home. Always hungry for knowledge, she learned the names of the flora and fauna within these sylvan realms, as well as a scattering of survival skills taught to her by the woodsmen who were employed by her family. Her parents allowed her the freedom to roam the woods (within reason) as long as she behaved herself. Luckily, Lierre was a dutiful and obedient daughter, not at all hard to raise. The time came, following her sixteenth birthday, when she was expected to prepare herself for the responsibilities of adulthood and for the future business of securing a suitable marriage. Unlike her beloved brother, Lierre showed no aptitude or enthusiasm for martial training, and so instead of taking up the sword, she attended an academy in Sanctum where she would be taught social graces befitting a young noblewoman. Intent on impressing her parents and bringing prestige to her family, Lierre took her education very seriously, faring rather well in her studies as a result of her efforts. Having concluded her time at the academy, Lierre left Sanctum, then spent a few years as a guest in noble estates across the Oathlands, moving from here to there to observe the political workings of the high-born. She then came to Arx to stay with the Marquis and Marquessa Keaton, hoping to learn from them the ways of domain management. For a time all was well, but as months passed by, Lierre was increasingly perturbed by the learning of sinister secrets and unknown powers. The unexpected and horrific murder of her brother and his wife, Baroness Katherine Moore, pushed Lierre into a mental breakdown that manifested itself in a state of prolonged amnesia and nonverbal fugue. Many months passed, but with much care from her mother, Lierre seemingly recovered her ailments -- more or less, at least. Rightly or wrongly, Talissa Keaton now believes her daughter has returned to her old self, and so it is that Lierre has returned to Arx once more to rejoin society at her mother's request. + |
| Liesel Crownsworn + | Liesel was born to a peasant family in the Oathlands, a smith for a father, and a tailor for a mother. Her father's occupation brought a myriad of warrior-types around the shop every day, repairs, commissions, modifications, sharpenings, all bringing in the sell-swords and more honest soldiery. And when they'd see a wide-eyed child swinging a stick, they'd be sure to tell her a few stories of martial glory as they waited for her father to finish, much to her mother's dismay. It was apparent where Liesel was going to end up, from a young age. As an only child, not much interest in other kids, not much interest in education or vocations, it was no surprise to family or familial friends when she said her goodbyes to her mother and father, and took off with a mercenary company passing by. Her experience in a fight was limited, she learned the basics of swordsmanship from passing soldiery who humored her, but she was eager, and she learned quick beyond that. Her time in the company was short, but the experience changed her. Small skirmishes, money collecting, guarding and escorting, she grew a little more jaded by the day, collecting her paycheck by her sword-hand. As the company travelled through Arx, she split off from the band of sell-swords to explore on her own, deciding to take to freelance work, hoping for something more than to be a travelling tough-- she'd found no glory yet, travelling with that band. + |
| Liesel Lucroy + | Liesel was born to a peasant family in the Oathlands, a smith for a father, and a tailor for a mother. Her father's occupation brought a myriad of warrior-types around the shop every day, repairs, commissions, modifications, sharpenings, all bringing in the sell-swords and more honest soldiery. And when they'd see a wide-eyed child swinging a stick, they'd be sure to tell her a few stories of martial glory as they waited for her father to finish, much to her mother's dismay. It was apparent where Liesel was going to end up, from a young age. As an only child, not much interest in other kids, not much interest in education or vocations, it was no surprise to family or familial friends when she said her goodbyes to her mother and father, and took off with a mercenary company passing by. Her experience in a fight was limited, she learned the basics of swordsmanship from passing soldiery who humored her, but she was eager, and she learned quick beyond that. Her time in the company was short, but the experience changed her. Small skirmishes, money collecting, guarding and escorting, she grew a little more jaded by the day, collecting her paycheck by her sword-hand. As the company travelled through Arx, she split off from the band of sell-swords to explore on her own, deciding to take to freelance work, hoping for something more than to be a travelling tough-- she'd found no glory yet, travelling with that band. + |
| Lili Bisland + | Lili is an unlanded noble of the Bisland family and was raised in Pridehall with her big sister Sarielle. Their family raised them to be able to handle a title, should either of the girls have to take one for one reason or another, but while her big sister was mainly raised to create family connections when and where needed, Lili was reminded to do that as well, however she was also trained in the more classical things which she adores. Being sent to Arx, with her big sister, made it so she could do what her family wanted and expand her ability to do what she wanted. + |
| Lilia Grimhall + | Vying for her father's attention with older siblings is a never ending war, and between a brother with a reluctance for knighthood and a sister whose marriage raised more than a few brows, Lilia's had to put in real effort to remain relevant without drawing her father's ire. Compiling reports on everything from troop movements to idle gossip, she acts as a diplomatic appendage to her father, saying the right thing after he's said something caustic, offering a smile of encouragement from behind his shoulder as he's telling someone off yet again. She's not undermining him, oh no, she's simply undoing little bits of the irreparable harm Arn would do if someone wasn't going behind him putting bandages on the gaping diplomatic wounds he leaves in his wake. Arriving in Arx for the first time was eye-opening for Lilia. Gossip in The Telmarch was nothing compared to the capital, where secrets are deadly and information is currency as legitimately as silver, sometimes more so. After the king's wedding, Lilia returned home to The Telmarch, but it wasn't the same - she yearned for the flow of excitement and information in Arx, and though she returned after the tragedy at King's Rest, she laments her absence. Surely had she been in the city at the time, the mystery of what befell King Alaric's party would have been solved immediately. She's decided to stay in the city for the time being, collecting what information she can for the good of her dysfunctional family. + |
| Lilia Telmar + | Vying for her father's attention with older siblings is a never ending war, and between a brother with a reluctance for knighthood and a sister whose marriage raised more than a few brows, Lilia's had to put in real effort to remain relevant without drawing her father's ire. Compiling reports on everything from troop movements to idle gossip, she acts as a diplomatic appendage to her father, saying the right thing after he's said something caustic, offering a smile of encouragement from behind his shoulder as he's telling someone off yet again. She's not undermining him, oh no, she's simply undoing little bits of the irreparable harm Arn would do if someone wasn't going behind him putting bandages on the gaping diplomatic wounds he leaves in his wake. Arriving in Arx for the first time was eye-opening for Lilia. Gossip in The Telmarch was nothing compared to the capital, where secrets are deadly and information is currency as legitimately as silver, sometimes more so. After the king's wedding, Lilia returned home to The Telmarch, but it wasn't the same - she yearned for the flow of excitement and information in Arx, and though she returned after the tragedy at King's Rest, she laments her absence. Surely had she been in the city at the time, the mystery of what befell King Alaric's party would have been solved immediately. She's decided to stay in the city for the time being, collecting what information she can for the good of her dysfunctional family. + |
| Liliana Harthall + | Liliana Harthall was born and raised out on the islands near Fair Harbour. She had a happy and fulfilling childhood, filled with all the things a girl born into nobility could want for until one fateful day when she was violence and tragedy reared their ugly heads. Lili is the sole survivor of an attack at her homestead. She doesn't talk much about it, but it's known that the buildings were razed, the fields salted, and the girl with no home somehow managed to scrape together enough to travel to Arx and start her life anew among her cousins at Harthall. + |
| Lilith Melaeris + | Lilith's early childhood was spent navigating Maelstrom, watching the thralls work and rebelliously hiding from her teachers and nannies. Soon after the Tyde Rebellion started, she was eleven years old and sent far away to Sanctum to ward with House Valardin. She was a special child, intelligent and curious but not one for rules. When her Oathland tutors and foster parents relaxed their reins on the girl she began to flourish and make friends. Around the White City it wasn't uncommon to hear her name yelled after her as she dashed away from her guards.{/{/News of the war was mostly kept from the girl and when she was sent back to Maelstrom at the end of the Tyde Rebellion she was 14 years old. She watched as her grandfather, Donrai Thrax, executed the rebels, including both of her parents, her aunt and her uncle. As an observant child, she learned an important lesson that day on the serious nature of the world around her. Her innocence and naivete died as she realized that loyalty and obedience were matters of life and death sometimes.{/{/As someone with the natural aptitude for capturing the attention of others she learned the urbane ways of a courtier, learning to advise her kin. She supported many a Thrax prince in their goals, fiercely attacking the hurdles to realizing them. Her ties to House Valardin also allowed her ample opportunity to travel to Sanctum and Arx on diplomatic missions. On one such mission she nearly witnessed the Tragedy at Sanctum when the high lord and his heirs were murdered by shavs. Shaken by this she returned to Maelstrom, the joy in her life diminished once more by death.{/{/Shortly after this and while on a diplomatic mission to Astarrea, she met Marquis Raviv Melaeris. House Melaeris having a rocky relationship with House Thrax, had only narrowly avoided destruction during the Tyde Rebellion. After several diplomatic missions to the island, Lilith and Raviv married and she became his marquessa consort, beginning to heal the strained relationship the march has with their liege's liege.{/{/Raviv's sister, Verasha, upon returning finally from her long voyage met Lilith, her new sister-in-law. They became close friends which was fortunate since the marquis later tragically died during the Pirate War. With her husband dead and her having not produced for him heirs, Lilith became a widow lady-in-waiting for the newly envassaled Marquessa Vera, opting not to return to House Thrax. After some time of mourning she travelled from Astarrea to Arx to see to attending to her new liege. + |
| Lilyth Ulbran + | Lilyth does not talk much about her past. But, what has become known is that she used to live in Setarco. She used to do business there, trading goods between Setarco, Arx, and other destination. Her business did not become very popular, but it sustained her needs. However, a series of very unfortunate events unfolded which left her without business. Many of her fellow business partners were run out of the city as a new group of merchants took over. Such is the way of business. So, now she has found her way back to Arx to begin anew. Her beginnings with the Ulbrans are not well known. Some say she is blood, but is just distant family. Some say she was adopted. Lilyth will just reply, "Does it matter?" Family does not work the same in the Boroughs as it does with the Silks. In spite of this, she aims to work hard to rebuild and gain new business. + |
| Linus Ashford + | Linus was born of House Lyonesse in a distant branch to the ruling family. While his cousins studied and trained to wield weaponry, he preferred a different path and found himself to be rather adept at it. Having studied war, agriculture and a myriad of other topics, Linus found himself falling in love with the world of history and ancient places. Parsing out legend from fact, finding the nuggets in each to discover places long forgotten quickly turned an interest into passion and a passion into an obsession. Recently married into House Ashford as a political union, the adjustment has been a simple one, aside from a physical move to the capital. Still concerned with his books, the lure of Arx's history is tugging at the corners of his mind. + |
| Lise Seliki + | Lise doesn't remember a time when she was completely safe. Her village was lost to thralldom when she was a young child, her parents sending her off with a traveling shaman in hopes she would escape the same fate. She grew up bouncing from village to village, constantly dodging the dangers of the road, the constant conflict with the Pantheon, the threat of thralldom. As a traveling healer and priest, Lise became familiar with the many ways death visits Arx. Every turn toward safety has quickly dissolved from Lise's fingers. She's never been settled in a place for more than a few months, and each time it has ended in tragedy of one sort of another. She's used to things turning bad, quickly and irrevocably. But Lise is a talented priestess, well versed in the names of the spirits. She's a healer and apothecary of great skill. + |
| Lisebet Ashford + | Lisebet Farshaw, youngest sister of Ryhalt Farshaw, Duke of Westrock Reach, was never taken very seriously, as her position in the family was never very serious. Much too far down the line to ever be a serious contender for heir to the Duchy, Lisebet's education was never taken very seriously; specifically in things like statecraft or politics or military strategies. Instead her tutors concentrated on her social niceties; her etiquette and manners; her ability to carry on a captivating conversation; her performance talents such a singing and dancing; her knowledge of the courts and the players there. Everything a young lady might need to know in order to survive as a highly successful courtier in Arvum. When she was 16 she was sent off to serve an apprenticeship at court and learned invaluable lessons. Now at 18 she's ready to embark on her next adventures. + |
| Lisebet Farshaw + | Lisebet Farshaw, youngest sister of Ryhalt Farshaw, Duke of Westrock Reach, was never taken very seriously, as her position in the family was never very serious. Much too far down the line to ever be a serious contender for heir to the Duchy, Lisebet's education was never taken very seriously; specifically in things like statecraft or politics or military strategies. Instead her tutors concentrated on her social niceties; her etiquette and manners; her ability to carry on a captivating conversation; her performance talents such a singing and dancing; her knowledge of the courts and the players there. Everything a young lady might need to know in order to survive as a highly successful courtier in Arvum. When she was 16 she was sent off to serve an apprenticeship at court and learned invaluable lessons. Now at 18 she's ready to embark on her next adventures. + |
| Lisica Clearlake + | One of the ones chosen to represent the Jastvotn tribe ("Clearlake" in Arvani) to help foster relations with the Compact, Lisica's brother Sokonok was a natural leader, a bold and daring young man who had made a name for himself as a warrior of note. The decisive lightning bolt to his little sister's daydreaming sparkles, he was a testament to the power of their deceased warrior-hunter mother, Aurildis of the Battlefire. Unfortunately Sokonok and his group of loyal warriors never made it to the southern capital - only his lover, Risi, managed to make it back though they were dying from poisoned wounds, rambling of monsters and the Horned God and strange shadows, a heroic battle that ended in slaughter. Risi succumbed to their injuries, and out of nowhere a freak blizzard came in, erasing all tracks. The attempts to locate the scene of battle and recover the bodies were fruitless. Griefstruck, the clan nonetheless opted to send the little daydreaming sister onwards to Arx, as a living walking tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of her kin, and an effective challenge to whomever attacked them: Jastvotn stands defiant. The clan elders also hope that the mourning girl will become stronger as well, and perhaps this strange new land will help change the mountain flower into a steel blade. + |
| Lissa Ardellian + | %T Lissa Ardellian's history is unexceptional. That isn't to say it's boring, but in a land ruled by turmoil and the constant machinations of a strange political machine, the life of a peasant is a very meager one in comparison. The young knight-aspirant isn't really too eager to tell of it, either. Maybe one day, there'll be a tale or two spread about her time weeding the farm or rooting up potatoes. Maybe. + |
| Livye Ulbran + | There is no telling at all what is true and what is false when it comes to rumours about the woman known to most as 'Auntie' Livye. She has been born of a traveling Knight and a local common woman, of a courtesan and a high-born Prince, of two Nobles caught in a scandalous affair and of countless others. All true and all false, if one were to wonder it aloud within her earshot; with some of the stories even circulated by her in her own youth, no doubt as amusing tales to feed burgeoning interest in her formerly famed beauty. And beautiful she certainly was, even if it was without the proper temperament to parlay her looks into an escape from the Lower Boroughs and their hardships. Time went on, as it must, as did husbands, companions and children - some now healthy and grown and others having known the early call of the grave - the number of which no one but her surely knows. The Asp, as she affectionately calls it, is her one true love and her own little kingdom, from where she conducts her business and fiercely protects her Ulbran flock. + |
| Llewella Melaeris + | During Melaeris's isolation, while trying to hold strong and avoid the destruction that Donrai Thrax might visit on them, Princess Kellen Grayson set sail to visit relatives in the Isles. A storm would see that her ship was dashed against rocks and luck would have Darius Melaeris find her upon the shore more than half drowned. As Kellen recovered under the care of Melaeris, Darius would stop in many times to visit and a bond grew. From that bond, a wedding. From the wedding, a child: Llewella. Llewella would spend most of her time in Astarrea with frequent visits to Bastion. Many of the Island vassals would grumble that it was the Grayson attitudes responsible for influencing the girl to constantly try to change things. If it were anywhere but Melaeris, this constant push against tradition might have earned her far more trouble. Thankfully, it earned her tutors to teach her a better way to get things done than just asking, "Why?" and whining. As she matured, Llewella was given more responsibility. Her sharp mind and constant need to improve things would see her take on a mantle akin to steward. She saw to the logistics of trade and war, learned to run a household and look out for the people around her. And she was relatively content to stay in Astarrea with some visits to the mainland. But now Vera's taking a break and someone has to be in Arx. + |
| Llyr Nightgold + | Llyr was born to a cadet line of the duchy of Nightgold, and pushed back in the succession with the birth of every subsequent child. In that security he took the greatest satisfaction, assured of the love of his parents and no need to push for their acceptance. A good thing, considering that he walked with his eye to the horizon or peering up among the stars. He could often be found in better weather staring at the sky, drawing patterns over the constellations. He wasn't difficult as far as children went, but he tramped farther and wider, pursuing some kind of stories. His cousins could count on Llyr to ask what lay over the next hill or through that forest. Finding the answer satisfied him, acting as a stepping stone to the next. His love for the wilds was never in doubt, but traveling by sea to Arx as a child utterly enthralled him. The moment he saw the ocean, felt the boundless expanse of the sky, he knew peace like he never had before. Any chance of Llyr spending his life at landlocked Stonedeep was lost that day. The entire trip to Arx he spent grilling sailors and captains of ships. A sheer fascination for cartography blended with astronomy made him hopelessly enamoured, and finally it was agreed that he might be permitted to master those arts. He studied with some of the best trackers and mapmakers in the Northlands, and after that, took to the sea. His adventures were footnotes to the act of discovery, the intoxication of every new isle and every fine bay. Soon enough he stopped being just an apprentice underfoot learning about charts and an expert in the field, the years flowing fast through his hands, and a welcome addition. His reputation was made by the time he was 20, and the past near decade he has spent in the finest crews weaving their routes through the Compact's seas and beyond. More than once he's brought home boats through peril, storm-tossed but alive, and they say he's favoured by Mangata. It help he never stints Mangata her due, giving prayers and offerings. For the last many months he's been on a crew that came to Arx after Arthen Dayne, hunting their fortunes. + |
| Locke Velenosa + | Often found perched in haylofts at a young age with his nose buried in a thick book, quietly observing the discussions of the nobles who visited the keep or at the elbow of Redrain mercies, chamberlains, and alchemists -- Locke's curiosity and desire to learn was insatiable, and his quick mind and sharp wit made him an excellent student for famed scholar Dame Judyth of Sanctum... or so his mother, Lady Annya Crovane (formerly of House Telmar), had thought. As it turns out, his participation and retention depended heavily on his interest on the subject, and his interest on any one particular thing was never immediately obvious. As no surprise to his siblings, Locke never sat still doing one thing -- his habits, interests, and occupation changed frequently enough to carve a wild story -- but on his eighteenth birthday, he was summoned home, to be wed soon-after to a Lycene princess of renown beauty and wit. Although the two proved to be a wonderful match, their union was short-lived -- roughly a year into the marriage, the two were attacked in the dead of the night by unknown assailants, leaving Locke gravely injured and his wife but a memory. To compound his loss, several weeks later there were whispers of a terrible plague at Locke's former occupancy -- the aftermath sending him to Arx, to be with his family once more. + |
| Loelai velenosa + | Loelai, by the account of most, was an easy kid to handle. Joyous, energetic, and rarely a nuisance, she regarded the mischief and mayhem common to her age with something like avuncular indifference. Her cousins could engage her, but she found more delight by her lonesome with dolls and toys for whom she created adventure. Imagination was her playground, so when other children invited her to play, she loved to weave fantastical storylines of action and character into every game. Active in sport, days of athleticism preceded long evenings of reading by the hearth. This was her life, until the teenage years onset. Her reserve concealed perceptive eyes and ears, and all she absorbed began to shape an early cynicism. The typical rebellion of youth was a factor, of course, but Loelai saw the world in shades deeper and brighter than those who surrounded her. At 12, she developed a disdain for her courtly lessons in favor of the sword; at 14, she spent more time beyond the estate than within it, and at 16, she flashed a blade in her mother's face with a promise to never be the daughter she wanted. Soon after, the young and headstrong princess struck out from her parents, from Lenosia to reify past dreams. The woods was her solace for a time, then the sea and its farers, then the roads and the cities. Through raw survival, she honed her strength and craft as a swordswoman until able to compete, earning herself a name in a few arenas across Arvum. Arx, to her, will either be the unfurling of a new chapter for the prodigal daughter, or just another stop on the journey. + |
| Logan Halfshav + | Logan grew up with the rest of his Halfshav cousins in the Far Northern Duchy of Whitehold. Like most Halfshav, he was introduced to combat at a young age. And while he gave it his all, like he does with most things, he just didn't find the appeal or the allure of battle. It was not until he was taught the basics of economics that Logan truly found his calling. Though very much still in tune with nature and the savage land that jutted up in all directions around Whitehold, Logan truly embraced the adventures of problem solving. Taking one silver piece and turning it in to ten was a delight he could indulge in over and over. As he grew older and the family started to entrust him with more and more of the financial responsibilities of running the house, they decided he would be of much more use entrenched in the political world of Arx. Logan adapted easily to society in the Capitol of the Compact, and has begun making a name for himself as someone whose intelligence and wild drive can help turn profits for all who encounter him. + |
| Lola Tragedy + | An Orphans life is, generally speaking, not a very nice one. The Tragedy Orphanage of the lower Boroughs is definately no exception. Overcrowded and underfunded, no one was happy to have another mouth to feed. Those who can afford to adopt rarely do, and those who do adopt usually do so out of necessity for an extra pair of working hands. As lovely as Lola was she became just another face shunted from house to house and back to the Tragedy again. Her only exception to the rule is that she was always happy to go, and always just as happy to return. Sometimes she would be fostered out for months, working with a fishmongers wife to gut and scale the catch of the day and she was happy for the work, for the new faces and the change of scenery. However, she was rarely kept for too long as food and money would simply become too meager to keep her on, so back she went. She loved the other children of the Orphanage and plied them with exagerated stories and little gifts whenever she could. If she ever had the fortune of coming across any kind of money, it was usually spent on them. She was simply a happy girl with a generous heart. She never had grand ides of where she came from or who she was. She was Lola of the Boroughs and that suited her just fine. As she grew older and began showing promise of a sharp intellect and various interests was taken on as apprentices by various shops around the city. She was always pleased to help out, and any coin she was given for her exceptional standards was almost immediately spent on clothes or books for the younger children of the orphange. Her only flaw, and one that proved to be dissapointing to many a merchant, was her complete and incompetent awkwardness when any of the Nobility entered a shop. She could barely string two words together and proved herself to be hopeless as a shop girl. Everyone hated sending her back to the orphanage, but they would often have no choice. They would give her what goods they could so she never returned empty handed - but she soon began to despaire of a future for herself. Then a stroke of luck was offered to her and she found an apprenticeship with Ferron Arms and Armor. Under the tutelage of Ida Ferron she found a niche that kept her just out of the limelight of the gentry and gave her hands something lovely to create. Despite her small build and frame she showed promise at smithing and hopes to one day be as skilled as Ida herself. + |
| Lonnus Crown + | Born into the church, he was dropped off at the doors as an infant. Though he began his training as a scholarly monk, he possessed the heart of a warrior. While protecting one of the other orphans from a village bully, he was shipped off to study with the more combat-oriented Templars. He quickly took to the spear, and still prefers it above all other weapons, despite his large size. + |
| Lonzio Nightgold + | Lord Adalonzio Nightgold's love affair with opulence began where many do, in the Lyceum. His early days were spent languishing in amenities or riding out over the boundless sunny horizon. He was a ward of the now exiled House Forza at the palatial Forte Carizzo, a once beautiful fortress located south of Lenosia at the northern border of Gemecittan controlled territories. Unfortunately, Lonzio's time in paradise did not last. As a boy, he suffered the indignity of being smuggled back to the safety of Stonedeep in the false bottom of a cobbler's trunk after his aunt, the Countess of the March, was subjected to a very well-deserved attainder under the authority of Archduchess Carlotta. To this very day, it's said that his lordship's nerves will not abide the smell of leather polish because of it! Naturally, this makes care and daily maintenance of the tack associated with Lonzio's impressive horse collection something of a tightrope walk for staff. A sharp mind with an aptitude for commerce, Lonzio has seen what poor counsel can bring about. With his eccentric younger sister placing herself in charge of Nightgold's vassal house at Aviaron's Peak and their delicate younger cousin at the helm of the familial line, he feels it his duty to lend a voice of reason where and when lack of experience might lead either ruler astray. He vehemently resents any implication that he's only in Arx on holiday. + |
| Lora DiFidante + | A child of the Mourning Isles, Lora was born and raised in Grimhems Point, where trying to Out Thrax House Thrax is no rumor, it is the way of life for House Grimhall. She is one many children between Anton Grimhall and his wife, Helena Grimhall nee Hawkmour. From a very young age, Lora exhibited her love for the arts, specifically music. Before she learned to speak, she was humming the songs her nannies would sing in order to lull her to sleep. By the time she was three, she could play simple tunes on the piano. The dull, overcast skies would suddenly brighten whenever Loralei would entertain her family with music. She has a way about her, an energy, an aura, that draws others to her and as a result can count on many she considers friends. Like her siblings, Lora spent many years under the tutelage of myriad instructors. Her training, while mainly consisting of social graces, often dabbled in a few lessons that focused on the high seas and adventure. It is no surprise then that the young Grimhall lady often jumped at the opportunity to join her mother during diplomatic visits to the Lyceum. The Southern city-states held an exotic flavor to them that resonated deeply within Loralei. Tor in particular held her interest with their rich history, their location on the opposite side of the Lycene split, world renown roses, emeralds, and apothecaries, one can say the city seduced her and she found herself quickly married to Nico Fidante, cousin to former Duke Leo and his sister Calista Fidante. It was a gorgeous ceremony that took place in Spring proper while all of the roses were starting to bloom. Like most marriages, Lora and Nico fulfilled a political arrangement, but there was genuine affection between them as well. As a Fidante, Lora continued to excel in all areas of social decorum. It has been noted quite a few times that her style and fashion is copied time and time again. As for her love of music, she founded a small school of the arts in Tor that provides education for less fortunate children. When Nico died at sea during one of the heinous battles against the Gyre, Loralei was heartbroken. The story of a young widow is sadly not an uncommon one. After what seemed like an appropriate time to mourn her husband, Loralei set off to Arx from Tor to reinvent herself, offer her assistance to her Fidante family, and keep her promise to Nico that she would accomplish all the things she originally set out to accomplish while they were married. A transplanted rose from the Mourning Isles by way of Tor can surely set roots in the capital city. Come abyss or high water. + |
| Lora Fidante + | A child of the Mourning Isles, Lora was born and raised in Grimhems Point, where trying to Out Thrax House Thrax is no rumor, it is the way of life for House Grimhall. She is one many children between Anton Grimhall and his wife, Helena Grimhall nee Hawkmour. From a very young age, Lora exhibited her love for the arts, specifically music. Before she learned to speak, she was humming the songs her nannies would sing in order to lull her to sleep. By the time she was three, she could play simple tunes on the piano. The dull, overcast skies would suddenly brighten whenever Loralei would entertain her family with music. She has a way about her, an energy, an aura, that draws others to her and as a result can count on many she considers friends. Like her siblings, Lora spent many years under the tutelage of myriad instructors. Her training, while mainly consisting of social graces, often dabbled in a few lessons that focused on the high seas and adventure. It is no surprise then that the young Grimhall lady often jumped at the opportunity to join her mother during diplomatic visits to the Lyceum. The Southern city-states held an exotic flavor to them that resonated deeply within Loralei. Tor in particular held her interest with their rich history, their location on the opposite side of the Lycene split, world renown roses, emeralds, and apothecaries, one can say the city seduced her and she found herself quickly married to Nico Fidante, cousin to former Duke Leo and his sister Calista Fidante. It was a gorgeous ceremony that took place in Spring proper while all of the roses were starting to bloom. Like most marriages, Lora and Nico fulfilled a political arrangement, but there was genuine affection between them as well. As a Fidante, Lora continued to excel in all areas of social decorum. It has been noted quite a few times that her style and fashion is copied time and time again. As for her love of music, she founded a small school of the arts in Tor that provides education for less fortunate children. When Nico died at sea during one of the heinous battles against the Gyre, Loralei was heartbroken. The story of a young widow is sadly not an uncommon one. After what seemed like an appropriate time to mourn her husband, Loralei set off to Arx from Tor to reinvent herself, offer her assistance to her Fidante family, and keep her promise to Nico that she would accomplish all the things she originally set out to accomplish while they were married. A transplanted rose from the Mourning Isles by way of Tor can surely set roots in the capital city. Come abyss or high water. + |
| Loramus Culler + | Loramus grew up in a warren of tumbledown shacks in the filthiest part of the Lowers, one of the class of people who even the poor looked down on. Who his parents were, nobody could say, least of all him, aside from the fact that they're almost certainly dead by now. His family were everyone and no one. He ran with a pack of half-feral kids, alternately nurtured, abused, and used by any adult who managed to get their hands on him. Such might have been the sum total of his story, a street kid who ended up dead at twenty from cheap liquor or a knife in the back, except that Loramus had something special, a knack for making connections. Some might call it gossip, but in the faceless Lowers where people are often seen as interchangeable and expendable, Loramus saw learning the names and life stories of the people around him as an act of defiance. As he grew into his natural talents, Loramus didn't become a visible figure in the Lowers, but rather he became more of a presence there, both the observer and embodiment of its spirit. Thanks to his knack for remembering peoples' names, learning their business, learning what they wanted and finding ways to get it for them, he had at his fingertips a substantial web of the poorest of the poor, people who, like him, saw everything without being noticed themselves. He became the man nobody really talked about, but everyone turned to. It was this enormous pool of informants that brought him to the attention of Torian Culler. Loramus has never seen himself as much of a joiner, but in asking him to join the Cullers, Torian made a compelling case. He wanted to clean up the Lowers. Not completely, of course, but just enough to tamp down on the worst abuses and protect the most vulnerable. He had the bully boys to put the worst slum lords and sweatshop owners out of business, but he needed to know who those people were, and that's what he wanted Loramus to do for him. After a lifetime of watching the strong take advantage of the weak in the worst possible ways, getting some measure of justice (or at least revenge) was an offer too tempting to pass up, and so for the first time, Loramus emerged from the deep slums to the slightly less slummy slums, ready to turn his small, lifelong act of defiance into an engine of change. + |
| Lore Artiglio + | Born abroad to Carabelle Artiglio, sister to Giovanni and Blacktongue, Lore didn't reach Arx until she was in her fifth year. Her mother brought her home to the family without a mention as to why, refusing to speak on the matter, ever. It lead Lore to being raised in the Lyceum ward, growing up alongside her cousins, and indeed, being sad when Talen was sent to 'the Big House' to live after Giovanni's death. Still, she found herself with plenty of playmates, growing from childhood to adulthood, travelling here and there with Velenosan merchant ships. She discovered a penchant for drawing, and a love of cartography, learning quickly to chart the lands and seas where she traveled. Lore even gained a bit of a reputation for knowing the best people to deal with, how to get where they wanted to go (quickest routes don't always mean safest, though!). A few years back, she sent a messenger to her family saying that she'd found a ship bound for Eurus and that she planned to sail with them, come Abyss or high water! And then nothing, for years. Not until a ship sailed into port bearing a young woman claiming to be Lore Artiglio! + |
| Lorenzo Redrain + | The middle child of a cadet branch of a Velenosa line, Lorenzo learned early about the power of camouflage. It's not that he ever intentionally disappeared or tried to make himself overlooked, but somehow, environmentally, he grew from a toddler who never won the three-legged race to a young squire who won exercises just enough to be competent but lost them just enough to avoid accusations of excellence. As a young man, he did moderately well with tutors and scholars, but not so well that anyone really considered him as a shoe-in for the priesthood. Somehow, with the discreet aid and protection of his older brother, Lorenzo went through a remarkably ordinary teenagerhood in Lenosia as a friendly, smiling, gentle version of the invisible average man. He had brief flirtations, but nothing that broke down the walls of romance. No one tried to assassinate him. He had acquaintanceships but few close friendships. He was liked, but not beloved. At 18, he took a cavalry commission and rode out to fight in skirmishes with Shav'Arvani, and even there, he neither distinguished himself as either hero or coward. Nothing lasts forever, though. No prince of Velenosa can remain overlooked forever. War after disappearance after assassination, and a summons to the capital came; so Lorenzo sailed for Arx with an optimistic heart that, just maybe, not being overlooked would be all right. + |
| Lorenzo Velenosa + | The middle child of a cadet branch of a Velenosa line, Lorenzo learned early about the power of camouflage. It's not that he ever intentionally disappeared or tried to make himself overlooked, but somehow, environmentally, he grew from a toddler who never won the three-legged race to a young squire who won exercises just enough to be competent but lost them just enough to avoid accusations of excellence. As a young man, he did moderately well with tutors and scholars, but not so well that anyone really considered him as a shoe-in for the priesthood. Somehow, with the discreet aid and protection of his older brother, Lorenzo went through a remarkably ordinary teenagerhood in Lenosia as a friendly, smiling, gentle version of the invisible average man. He had brief flirtations, but nothing that broke down the walls of romance. No one tried to assassinate him. He had acquaintanceships but few close friendships. He was liked, but not beloved. At 18, he took a cavalry commission and rode out to fight in skirmishes with Shav'Arvani, and even there, he neither distinguished himself as either hero or coward. Nothing lasts forever, though. No prince of Velenosa can remain overlooked forever. War after disappearance after assassination, and a summons to the capital came; so Lorenzo sailed for Arx with an optimistic heart that, just maybe, not being overlooked would be all right. + |
| Lorien Keaton + | Lorien Keaton was the sort of child who could not be contained. He was a wanderer, an explorer, and always felt more at home with the hounds and riding than he did indoors. He was a bright child, and quick to learn anything that held his interest; however, he longed for the earth beneath his feet and the sky above. As he grew older, he spent more and more time training with the hunting hounds, learning to track and fight with both the sword and the bow. He rode with the huntsmen and showed a true talent and penchant for it. There were times when he was chided and directed to more military or political pursuits. While Lorien was not shy to fight if fighting was called for, he preferred to do so from the concealment of his natural surroundings. He is almost always accompanied by one of his hunting dogs. Preferring to help rear them himself from the time that they are pups, he has a particular bond with those that accompany him wherever he goes. It is that connection to home that helps while he has been sent to Arx, in light of all the fighting that has been going on, and the desire for the new Count to establish the family within Arx. + |
| Lorna Redvale + | As is often the case among the Abandoned, life for Lorna before she bent the knee was difficult and fraught with danger. Her people preferred to remain settled in one place for as long as they were able, but they were regularly forced to relocate due to hostilities brought by other clans or conflict with the Compact. She was still young when all-out war was waged and her clan was cut down nearly to the last; only a few children survived, sheltered in part by Lorna's cleverness in finding for them a good hiding place until the fighting was over. When the dust had settled, Lorna led her small contingent of orphans to the nearest safe haven they could find to beg for shelter. That she proceeded to do so in passable Arvani rather than the native tongue of her shav'arvani clan is likely what encouraged the lords of Stonehearth to oblige her pleas. Some ten years later, Lorna is now one of the so-called 'prodigals' and serves House Stonewood as a trusted steward and translator. She has a natural ear and talented tongue, well-versed in several different shav'arvani dialects, and strives to learn more and more. Her experience in the great melting pot that is Arx, however, has only just begun... + |
| Lot Medraut + | An unusual man with a very common origin, Lot isn't very forthcoming about his youth, but most believe he was born to a family of farmers in some unremarkable barony of the Grayson fealty. There was nothing notable about him other than being an especially big peasant boy, and there is no mention of him in any rolls until the Silent War. Among the masses of peasantry displaced by the advancing army, Lot reported for the levy as was his duty. He was good at soldiering. Most of it was just waiting around doing nothing: stand where you're told, wait there without fleeing, and if the other side came close enough, hit them until they all went away. He didn't overthink things. After the siege of Arx, he and his family went back home and found their village utterly gone. There were survivors who were intent on rebuilding, but having left his village for the first time and seen Arx, Lot wasn't enamored of the prospect. Having had a taste of the military life in the larger world, he wanted more. After growing up on a farm, the notion of being paid to just stand around and be bigger than everyone else was an alluring one, and Lot promptly fell in with a mercenary company he had met during the Great Siege. With typical middling peasant wit, he was oft nicknamed "A whole Lot" or "A-hole Lot" depending on the mood of the big man and his fellows. He's followed by a number of colorful rumors ranging from the curious (he once cut a horse in half with one swing, he sank a rowboat by stepping into it and refuses to fight on a ship again, he's a former Shav king) to the fantastic (he's descended from actual ogres, and his ancestors were cast out as traitors by an ancient king), but this much is true: if you've coin, Lot Medraut is for hire. + |
| Lothair Vulmar + | A shav born into the cruelty tribal warfare. When his tribe came under attack Lothair's family attempted to escape but they were captured and turned into slaves. Spending his childhood as a slave doing manual labor. Lothair was given the chance at freedom by fleeing after Brand had attacked the tribe that was enslaving him. Running as fast as he could away from the conflict, Lothair came in contact with some travelling merchants and pleaded with that he would pledge himself to the Compact if they allowed him to live. When the merchants returned to Arx, Lothair pledged himself to the compact and did away with his past, giving up on shamanism and embracing the Pantheon. Lothair was gifted with clothes and weapons, left to be a free man. + |
| Lothar Tersk + | Life as a famed warrior of the Black Elk tribe was, in a word, good. Known in his youth by enemy tribes as the "Mountain Bear" for his tendency to leap from his horse into the thick of battle and mow down his foes in broad sweeps of his axe with a stunning ferocity, Lothar had won the affections of the chieftain's daughter with his daring and settled into a respected place among his people after decades of leading their war and hunting parties. He fathered many sons and daughters, and enjoyed a close relationship with his family; it seemed he would finally be able to relax on the path into his golden years and raise and train the horses for which his tribe was so well known. It was not to be. Tolmar Brand and his Silent Army decimated the Black Elk tribe on their way to lay siege to Arx; not only did Lothar watch his children and wife fall to the horrifying power at Brand's disposal, but he was separated from the only survivors in the heat of battle and forced to flee to the northwest. For the next several years, nearly destroyed by his belief that he was the only surviving member of his tribe, Lothar wandered the deep wilds and mountains in search of a way to take his revenge on Brand. It was on these forgotten roads and hidden paths that he first met the Knights of Solace, and after so much frustration and despair their devotion left a lasting impression on him. He became convinced that his remaining years should be spent defending those who needed it most, especially after learning that Brand had been slain, and he took his vows and bent the knee to those Knights in the deep wilderness without a second thought. Upon returning to Arx with the Knights, it was absolutely stunning to him to learn that not only had some remnants of the Black Elk tribe made it to the city, but his own little brother Jyri had become ennobled and wed into one Houses of the Compact; he's dedicated to reuniting with his only surviving family, and facing whatever comes next in these intensely troubled times side by side. + |
| Lottie Parkins + | Lottie's story is a simple one. She was born and raised in Arx to Alan & Maggy Parkins. Alan was a palace steward while Maggy maintained her own shop until her passing a few years ago, just as the rise of rumors concerning elves, magic and everything in between started circulating on the lips of the common folk of Arx. While there is some speculation into Maggy's death Lottie was adverse to the idea that any sort of foul play was at hand. Her parents had her and her siblings when they were older so it was no surprise illness alone could have been the cause of Maggy's death. While a great loss to Lottie, she carried on instead glorifying her mother's memory through her own gifts of Jayus. She is stellar in the kitchen. If the tragedy of her mother's death hadn't been enough, it was only a few years later Lottie was again faced with loss. Her soon to be husband, Iron Guardsman Taylor Leoni (yes, she was almost "Lottie Leoni") fell during The Silent War as one of the remaining Iron Guard loyal to the Crown and unswayed by Lord Everard Telmar. Another hit pushed beneath the layers of her ever optimistic exterior. These days one is likely to see Lottie wandering around town with a basket full of goodies for sale, but someday... someday she will open her own delicatessen. A dream which she has maintained since her childhood. + |
| Lou Grayson + | Few of the royal blood could claim to be as pragmatic and down-to-earth as Lou. Lou, who tends to glare at anyone who calls her by her hated pretentious fullname and title of her highness Princess Loucia Grayson, has always been drawn to what, in her opinion, truly makes House Grayson the greatest. When Lou was a child, she read about the boldness of her ancestors, the dauntless courage of Graysons who continually set out to make sure every inch of Arvum was safe for their people, and how many Graysons were among the greatest explorers and pathfinders of all the great houses. Since the carnage and decay of the Crownbreaker Wars, so much of the land of Arvum has grown wild and been ceded to the Abandoned clans that recognize no lord. Lou has observed to her great annoyance many nobles that bemoan the plight of the common people and the state of Arvum, declare that something simply must be done, and then promptly go right back to their salons. The princess that hates being called a princess isn't really capable of the same self-delusion, and follows the proud Grayson tradition of being an adventurer on behalf of her house. Lou rolls up her sleeves and is determined to get it done, exploring old lands so it can be reclaimed by the Compact. Not that she has to do it alone. While she might internally wince at annoyance whenever anyone calls her Princess Loucia Grayson, and she isn't fond of giant honor guards, she thinks only an idiot would slap away hands trying to offer help or fail to take advantage of the embarrassing good fortune of her high birth. So it was one of her first adventures in the Gray Forest, trying to remap the lands for one of the more minor vassals for House Grayson, when she first met her constant traveling companion Mason who just happened to be running screaming and literally fell into her camp and brought a dozen also-screaming shavs with him. She knows Mason isn't really how he pronounces his name, but she figures saving someone's life gives her the ability to mispronounce his name as much as she damn well pleases, and they've been fast, close friends ever since. Along the way, the fearless pair (well, full of an incredible amount of healthy fear truth be told, but everyone says they are fearless) has established quite a reputation as stalwart Grayson adventurers, in the finest traditions of Grayson courage. More than one bard has sung about 'the beautiful and bold Princess Loucia Grayson.' Lou, of course, is mortified. + |
| Luca Grayson + | When he was young, it felt like every instructor could not stop praising Luca for just how talented he was with a blade. It just seemed to come oh-so-easily for him, that the balance never felt wrong, that he could feel instinctively precisely how someone else would slash before they realized it themselves, just how to deftly cut in to get under an opponents defenses. He loved the blade, and dedicated every waking moment to its study, fine tuning himself to a weapon without peer and rejoicing in competition after competition as a young man as he dueled for sport and the honor of House Velenosa. But as he won one competition for another, he started to wonder if his opponents just weren't trying at all. If they were yielding at the barest first brush of effort, if they gave up without even making the smallest attempt, if they had even trained a fraction as much as he did. He didn't stop winning, but with each successive victory, Luca was losing his taste for it. He had spent every moment since he was a child training for this, and it felt like every opponent barely knew which direction to a point a sword. It was downright insulting to his efforts! Why did he have to spend twelve hours a day honing himself with a blade when they just randomly throw out some random count's son with a borrowed sword to 'compete for the honor of his house' when the man was going to practically walk into the tip of his dulled sparring sword and call it a day? Luca felt himself slowly but slowly losing interest in training. He could beat any of them without effort, and if they weren't trying, why should he? He finally remembered some snide remarks about him not bothering to train before major competitions when he lost his temper and decided that if the Lyceum couldn't offer him any challenge at all, then he would go to Arx in the hopes of finding someone that could. Yes, yes, the Champions of Arx are not the most reputable as it has a collection of sellswords and shady individuals that champion the honor of noblewomen in need, but at least he might find some competition that would give him a reason to -try- again. And maybe he could find other reasons to be at court. Surely in the hundreds of thousands of people, there's bound to be someone that can offer a new champion a challenge. He just wants a reason to try, is that too much to ask? Any reason. Just one. + |
| Luca Velenosa + | When he was young, it felt like every instructor could not stop praising Luca for just how talented he was with a blade. It just seemed to come oh-so-easily for him, that the balance never felt wrong, that he could feel instinctively precisely how someone else would slash before they realized it themselves, just how to deftly cut in to get under an opponents defenses. He loved the blade, and dedicated every waking moment to its study, fine tuning himself to a weapon without peer and rejoicing in competition after competition as a young man as he dueled for sport and the honor of House Velenosa. But as he won one competition for another, he started to wonder if his opponents just weren't trying at all. If they were yielding at the barest first brush of effort, if they gave up without even making the smallest attempt, if they had even trained a fraction as much as he did. He didn't stop winning, but with each successive victory, Luca was losing his taste for it. He had spent every moment since he was a child training for this, and it felt like every opponent barely knew which direction to a point a sword. It was downright insulting to his efforts! Why did he have to spend twelve hours a day honing himself with a blade when they just randomly throw out some random count's son with a borrowed sword to 'compete for the honor of his house' when the man was going to practically walk into the tip of his dulled sparring sword and call it a day? Luca felt himself slowly but slowly losing interest in training. He could beat any of them without effort, and if they weren't trying, why should he? He finally remembered some snide remarks about him not bothering to train before major competitions when he lost his temper and decided that if the Lyceum couldn't offer him any challenge at all, then he would go to Arx in the hopes of finding someone that could. Yes, yes, the Champions of Arx are not the most reputable as it has a collection of sellswords and shady individuals that champion the honor of noblewomen in need, but at least he might find some competition that would give him a reason to -try- again. And maybe he could find other reasons to be at court. Surely in the hundreds of thousands of people, there's bound to be someone that can offer a new champion a challenge. He just wants a reason to try, is that too much to ask? Any reason. Just one. + |
| Lucaj Grimhall + | Lucaj is a child of the Mourning Isles through and through, one of many born to Anton Grimhall and his wife, Helena Grimhall nee Hawkmour. Not the oldest son, but the second oldest, he did not grow up expecting to rule over vassals so much as he did expecting to serve his family well in whatever it turned out he was best at. That what he was best at was sailing, raiding, reaving...well this made him very similar to other boys his age, grown up too young to fight in the Tyde rebellion yet old enough to see the impact of war all around them, and to associate it with a kind of glory. His dream thus was to be a Grimhall soldier, a sailor, a commander, perhaps one day a Knight. It is through strength of arms and conviction that he will serve his family, The time came soon enough, for as the Gyre grew stronger and skirmishes more frequent in the Isles near Grihem's Point, Lucaj was a frequent figure in these battles, leading his men at sea and on land with efficiency. When the Battle of Setarco came Lucaj was there, fighting with his ships alongside the Leviathan of Thrax, following the commands of his liege lords. Now the role of soldier and sailor that the young men of the Isles all play for a time has become old hat to him, he moves towards his thirties with tales of victory that entertain the pub every time, but without some of what a settled life would provide him. House Grimhall likely expects him to marry at some point, to do his duty by the family and produce heirs for the next generation. It is in part for this that Lucaj was summoned to Arx, to take up his role in helping lead House Grimhall. Yet he has other reasons too for being here, and one draws him straight to the March of the Rosewood. His sister might need him. + |
| Lucene Gilden + | As the youngest child she had far more freedoms than some of her older siblings might have had. It gave her the chance to pick up and put down more things than many get to try in a lifetime, before she settled on the fact that she wanted to pick up a sword and become a warrior like her father. Long swords, those seemed to be the ones that she favored over anything else, although she's proficient enough with shorter and lighter swords as well. Her dedication to her father was so strong that she had a tough time when he passed away, finding her solace at the bottom of a bottle instead of in the arms of her family. She didn't let that get her down forever, though, and eventually crawling back out enough to become functional. Not perfect, no, a large part of her heart was gone, but she was on the hunt for a new purpose. To that end she went to Arx to find a new purpose in serving the family there. + |
| Lucene gilden + | As the youngest child she had far more freedoms than some of her older siblings might have had. It gave her the chance to pick up and put down more things than many get to try in a lifetime, before she settled on the fact that she wanted to pick up a sword and become a warrior like her father. Long swords, those seemed to be the ones that she favored over anything else, although she's proficient enough with shorter and lighter swords as well. Her dedication to her father was so strong that she had a tough time when he passed away, finding her solace at the bottom of a bottle instead of in the arms of her family. She didn't let that get her down forever, though, and eventually crawling back out enough to become functional. Not perfect, no, a large part of her heart was gone, but she was on the hunt for a new purpose. To that end she went to Arx to find a new purpose in serving the family there. + |
| Luciano Fidante + | Spare child syndrom was a thing others talked about, not the first born, not in line to anything, a cousin of a cousin, or just a random branch of the family. These were issues that others had, never Luciano. While not being the oldest, or in line for any title or land, he has made the best of his life and has enjoyed every moment of is, and the freedom not having any of those things afforded him. When he was young he set sail with a distant cousin, working aboard his merchant ship in the short hops between islands, and then back to Tor. His education began there, and it continued there for years to come. He worked his way up in position on the ship, learned how to navigate, to tie knots, to read the temperment of the sea. Eventually he was gifted his own ship, and the title of captain that came along with it. Unlike the ships he served on growing up, he did not turn his hand towards being nothing more than a merchant. He took up arms, he went exploring, went after pirates that would attack merchant ships. He lived the exciting life that one would imagine, both the goods and the bads. With the trials and tribulations that are facing both family, the Lyceum and the Compact as a whole, he has been called to Arx by the current Duchess to pitch in. + |
| Lucie Laurent + | Born the second daughter to a cousin of the late Duke Edmund Laurent, Lady Lucie's upbringing had all of the trappings one would expect of a ducal house in the Oathlands. She was taught proper etiquette, how not to be embarrassing in court, and how not to draw shame upon herself personally. All in all, a very standard childhood that she did just fine with. But it wasn't in the softer sides of nobility that she excelled but in her martial training. Lucie trained with some of Artshall's best knights and she had a true talent for it from a young age. She could dance circles around the other squires in the sparring ring, nimble and quick, she was also strong and bold. It became a point of pride to take her on in practice, whether you lost or won, because you were going to leave that experience with a number of very colorful bruises. Her upbeat attitude and boundless enthusiasm also made her quite popular in other ways. She displayed a natural disposition toward leadership. She could not only command effectively by making smart and calculated decisions, but people /wanted/ to follow her. They felt a bone deep loyalty to her and by the time she was assigned her own troops, she already had a solid following of knights clamoring to be in her unit. Lucie has since spent the last several years traipsing about the Oathlands with her cadre of knights, fighting with honor and distinction everywhere that she goes. Travelers through Artshall feel a little safer knowing that the Lady Knight Commander of the Laurents is out there, quick to lend a hand with her sword, and even quicker to offer up a drink or a bite of food and a place at her fire. + |
| Lucien Valardin + | The start of Prince Lucien's story is nothing special. A physically gifted White Hatchling with a talent with the sword, Lucien was enamored with the wrong aspects of the tales of knighthood. The values of chivalry were secondary to the young Ser who wanted nothing more than win important tourneys and the hearts of women. Promising, he did just that, until he met the woman he would marry. They say this foreigner was possessed of an exotic beauty that mesmerized many Arvani, and even her clothes seemed to possess something special about them, unlike anything most had seen before. As she wished to find a suitable Arvani warrior to be her husband, she threw a lavish celebration in the name of her hosts at the Oathlands. The tourney attracted many, and Lucien was no different, with one exception: He rode and he fought, but he won. The man seemed to grow into this new phase of his life easily enough, assuming his duties as husband and father with the one issue that whenever there was a war or skirmish to be fought, Ser Lucien Valardin would follow, and he would do so with glee and readiness that would leave his family wondering where the young man had gone to. One of such times, however, when Lucien returned home, he did so to find his wife poisoned, his daughter spared of such fate thanks to some divine respite given to the knight. After that point, they say Lucien changed entirely. The hot-headed dragon hatched into a form closer to the many would come to know, the more mature version of the young fool he had been in his past. He raised his daughter, and saw her squire with the Wyrmguard family, but far before the girl earned her spurs that the knight had already left. He left and would take years to return and come back to the Oathlands for good. At first he would lead Valardin knights in fights against the wicked in the Oathlands, but soon the White Dragon would continue by himself, and tales speak of adventures he had as far as the northern reaches and the wicked seas of the south. Taken by wanderlust, the Wild Dragon took flight one day and would only return once every year, for his daughter's birthday, each time with a new scar, new tales, and a gift. Now, however, something has finally settled in him, and finally ready to serve his family as a veteran knight, Lucien has returned to Sanctum once more. + |
| Lucilia Ulbran + | Lucilia was brought up in a merchant family in Lenosia, taught and groomed for the world of mercantile. Her parents were a strict kind, and she was to be married off when she came of age-- something she wasn't particularly fond of. She found it quite easy to steal enough gold coins from her parents to buy passage to a new city. Landing in Arx, she'd find herself with little to do and much to prove, particularly to herself. She found that her aptitude for social intrigue and economic know-how helped her very little as a homeless runaway, and she took to begging on the streets. That is, until she was found. House Ulbran took her under it's wing, and in time, she'd find herself able to feed and clothe herself the hard way. As time bore on, she still strove for elegance and grace in her outwards visage, despite her upbringing under the notorious commoner house. She began doing honest work as either an economic aide, a finder of things, or a purchase agent to preserve anonymity. + |
| Lucio Mandragora + | Born the bastard son of a smuggler and a thug in the slums of Setarco, Lucio never knew his father, and lost his mother when he was five to disease. His life had not been easy to that point, but suddenly became much harder. He lived his life largely on the streets, kept alive by rapidly developing keen observational skills, and a penchant for evoking compassion. He likely would still be eking out an existence in those very slums were it not for the gift of a beautiful voice. He began singing for his supper when he was only seven, and, by the time he was nine, his angelic voice had attracted enough notice to reach the ears of Marco Peduzzi, a singer in the court of Nino Pravus. Marco, astonished by the boy's voice, brought him to court and personally undertook his training. Life in the Pravus Court was very different from life on the streets, and though he enjoyed the luxuries it brought him, he also missed the freedom. In spite of the square meals and nice clothes, Marco Peduzzi was a fearsome taskmaster, and kept Lucio on a short leash, managing every hour of his day with lessons in singing, various instruments, court etiquette, and history. On the rare occasions when Lucio managed to steal away and hide from his lessons, he was found, beaten, and given kitchen chores in addition to his studies. When he managed to get a day off for exceptionally good behavior or some surprising success, he would immediately head back to the slums to see old friends and to listen to gossip and the popular music of the taverns. The mist frightening moment of Lucio's life occurred when his voice broke in adolescence. Marco looked at him sternly, rolled his shoulders, and said, simply, "You will work in the kitchens for one year. At the end of that time, I will listen to you sing again, and not before. If you can still amaze me, you may continue your training. If not, we will send you back to the slums." It was not until then that Lucio realized how much he had come to value the art of singing, and the mentoring of Marco. He spent months terrified that his adult voice would be mediocre, and when the time came to sing for Marco once more, he was sweating profusely. He opened his mouth...and a beautiful tenor voice emerged from the cocoon of his adolescence. From that point on, Lucio's training with Marco became even more intense, and the teenager was frequently sent away on mysterious errands designed to test his loyalty and commitment as much as his ability to sing and play. With every passing day, he became a more skilled performer. It was, therefore, with some surprise that, shortly after a masterful performance ending his career as a journeyman under his master, Lucio was released from the Pravus court. Though there was great gossiping about why, the simple answer offered was that House Pravus already had a master singer in the person of Marco Peduzzi. Since then, Lucio has traveled from noble house to noble house, taking jobs where he can, but never settling down for permanent employment. He even plays in taverns from time to time when coin grows especially low. Now, perhaps sensing that there are greater opportunities to the north, he has left the city states of the Lyceum to come to Arx, seeking fame and fortune amongst the gathered elite of the Compact. + |
| Lucita Igniseri + | The second daughter a lesser line of the March of Granato, Lucita Igniseri grew up in the shadow of a twin sister whose role in life seemed to be to cause trouble. It's actually hard to quantify for certain whether she is the younger for certain, but she was removed from her mother's belly first when she had to be cut open so that the children could be removed. Lucita was a good girl, quiet and inclined to introspection and very focused on her lessons; she grew to be that way in no small part because her sister took so much time and energy from anyone and everyone around them, absorbing friends and teachers like a very bright-eyed black hole. Lucita's true talents were music and song. Her ear was perfect early on and her fascination with the emotional expressiveness of instruments led her to become wholly absorbed in performances -- other people's when she was young, but after her training really expanded in earnest in response to her proclivity, her own. While her sister ran around being a terror and eventually grew into her own as a naval captain in her own right for the Igniseri-run fleet of Granato, Lucita studied music, learned her instruments, and focused on her lessons, and her courtly graces, and on the ways and methods of beauty and persuasion. Her ambitions were quiet ones, but they always came to this: to prove that she is the best, regardless of how much more flamboyant and dramatic Ariella might be. Marquis Vincere Igniseri appointed Lucita his voice, having her remain in Granato to oversee things there. After he and his twin Pietro were killed during the siege 1006, Quenia become Marquessa and summoned Lucita to Arx in late winter of 1006 to help her. In 1007 she joined with Princess Tikva and Lady (now Princess) Sorrel in forming a choir that some say had remarkable effects on the field. The need for being able to defend herself became apparent as friends, her liege encouraged this. She tried to learn a few necessary basics to help her not die so quickly if attacked. She was betrothed to Lord Estaban Saik, a matter both of politics, alliances, protection, trade agreements and strengthening ties to the Saik's liege house, Malvici as well as growing affection between the two. After Baroness Kima went missing, suspected dead, Estaban became Baron and adopted former Baron Eos's son Vomas. They married Jan. 18, 1008 and she continued to serve as Igniseri Voice until the death of her husband May 22, 1008, killed in action at Setarco leaving Lucita a pregnant widow and Baroness-Regent for the unborn Saik heir. She was deployed with the military at Setarco to sing as a part of the choir. After the war Archduchess Elyena presented her a place amid the Lycene Order of the White Lily, limited to 13 living recipients. + |
| Lucita Saik + | The second daughter a lesser line of the March of Granato, Lucita Igniseri grew up in the shadow of a twin sister whose role in life seemed to be to cause trouble. It's actually hard to quantify for certain whether she is the younger for certain, but she was removed from her mother's belly first when she had to be cut open so that the children could be removed. Lucita was a good girl, quiet and inclined to introspection and very focused on her lessons; she grew to be that way in no small part because her sister took so much time and energy from anyone and everyone around them, absorbing friends and teachers like a very bright-eyed black hole. Lucita's true talents were music and song. Her ear was perfect early on and her fascination with the emotional expressiveness of instruments led her to become wholly absorbed in performances -- other people's when she was young, but after her training really expanded in earnest in response to her proclivity, her own. While her sister ran around being a terror and eventually grew into her own as a naval captain in her own right for the Igniseri-run fleet of Granato, Lucita studied music, learned her instruments, and focused on her lessons, and her courtly graces, and on the ways and methods of beauty and persuasion. Her ambitions were quiet ones, but they always came to this: to prove that she is the best, regardless of how much more flamboyant and dramatic Ariella might be. Marquis Vincere Igniseri appointed Lucita his voice, having her remain in Granato to oversee things there. After he and his twin Pietro were killed during the siege 1006, Quenia become Marquessa and summoned Lucita to Arx in late winter of 1006 to help her. In 1007 she joined with Princess Tikva and Lady (now Princess) Sorrel in forming a choir that some say had remarkable effects on the field. The need for being able to defend herself became apparent as friends, her liege encouraged this. She tried to learn a few necessary basics to help her not die so quickly if attacked. She was betrothed to Lord Estaban Saik, a matter both of politics, alliances, protection, trade agreements and strengthening ties to the Saik's liege house, Malvici as well as growing affection between the two. After Baroness Kima went missing, suspected dead, Estaban became Baron and adopted former Baron Eos's son Vomas. They married Jan. 18, 1008 and she continued to serve as Igniseri Voice until the death of her husband May 22, 1008, killed in action at Setarco leaving Lucita a pregnant widow and Baroness-Regent for the unborn Saik heir. She was deployed with the military at Setarco to sing as a part of the choir. After the war Archduchess Elyena presented her a place amid the Lycene Order of the White Lily, limited to 13 living recipients. + |
| Lucius Winterstar + | Lucius is the son of a merchant, the eldest. His father was a travelling merchant and Lucius expected to follow in his footsteps. However, Lucius instead became a Reaver of the seas. He took to sailing as often as he could and bring home 'spoils of the war.' He, out of pride, gave a portion to the Count of Darkwater Reach. He quickly proved himself to be an able Captain and had a small fleet of ships of his own to Captain. Some were people who preferred his fast and confident style, some out of fear, and some simply because they were told. Lucius, after a fashion, decided to come to Arx, after discovering a thrall he had been favoring and working on convincing the Count of Darkwater to turn over to him so he could free her had been summoned to Arx and freed. He decided to, loosely, settle in Arx and try out his land legs and convince her to marry him. He is a captain of the seas, now he seeks to see if he can be one on land as well. + |
| Lucrezia Pravus + | Lucrezia was the daughter of the celebrated Tiberio Pravus, the Sword of Setarco and Butcher of Luciva. Lucrezia was his biggest fan and from a very young age all the Lycene girl wanted was to make him proud, be brave and loved, a true hero of Pravus. These dreams made Lucrezia's childhood chaotic. While others in her age range were learning courtly etiquette, she was playing with the servants' sons in the forgotten hallways of the Pravus Keep, pretending to be the protagonist of many legendary wars. One day she was the cruel Mariana Andolini, and in the others a brave Sword of Nilanza. Her tutors had more gray hairs than most, always chasing the wildchild around. It all changed during Belladonna's rise to power. Lucrezia first found her father Tiberio poisoned in his bed and then the Piero's bloody self, the murderer standing over him. Lucrezia wanted to charge the assassin, die with her family, but her peasant friends kept her from it, dragging the noblewoman away kicking and screaming. The trio fled and sought refuge in their playgrounds at the abandoned parts of the Keep, but this time going deeper than ever before. Most in Setarco thought it was the murders that deeply traumatized Lucrezia, and caused her to flee the city and then fall into life as a bloodsoaked pirate, earning a reputation for reckless daring tinged with more than a bit of barbarism. But there are whispers that she found something, deep in those family crypts that night before she fled, something that changed her, and her refusal to speak publicly of it only heightens the rumors. For more than ten years since that night she would remain far away, to not come close to Setarco or the family crypts, until recently, when the Pravosi adventuress returned aboard her own ship, manned by some of the most stoic sailors in Setarco. Lucrezia Pravus is a changed woman. Aboard an already-infamous galley, the Wanton, and marked by her years abroad, the daughter of Tiberio is back to gain the favor of Pravus, with a crew of eerily loyal men and women serving at her behest and a ship many shiver to behold at the docks. Like any Pravus, she didn't disappoint in her return, bringing treasures and a storm in her wake. + |
| Ludovic Frostheart + | Ludovic hails from the edges of the Everwinter, where his tribe wandered deeper into the tundra and down into the northernmost reaches of the Gray Forest, and back. A life of hunting and gathering, a life of fighting other Abandoned tribes, or sharing fires with them. It was a good life, really, though not as good as many in the Compact had it. When the Great Road was built all the way to the Bonespire, his people made their way on a grand pilgrimage, interested in learning more about the Keep that featured heavily in so many of their stories. Ludo, however, had his gaze facing forward, into the future. While his tribe listened to tales of the past, he sought out stories of the present, of trips to Giants Reach, to Whitehold and beyond. Arx was painted in his minds' eye as a thing of wonder, full of mystery and opportunity. If he could bring some of that home, perhaps more of his people would find a place within the safety of the Compact. + |
| Ludwig Grayson + | Life was always easy for Ludwig. Too easy, some might say. Born in Bastion as one of the passel of Grayson Princes and Princesses near the end of the reign of Alaric III - only having vague memories of the man - he found himself able to grow up blissfully aware of the strife that had been occuring elsewhere in the world. The war between Tor and Southport? Someone else's problem. Hunger, thirst, and discomfort? Those were for other people. In his first few years he was noted for his activity and enthusiasm in everything he did, but then one day he sat down with a Scholar of Vellichor, and began to learn to read. Things never were really the same after that. From that point on, everything else ceased to matter, for there was more knowledge to discover, more words to consume. Stories about dogs with silly monosyllabic names quickly became tales of adventure, and from there, histories, arts, mathematics and the sciences. It was almost obsessive, his level of focus, and there was some worry that he was taking in too much for a young mind. Still, these worries began to cease when he started winning arguments and debates. Often found awake late at night in the evenings with a friend, he did not get into the kind of trouble so many of the Peerage tend to fall to when they have too much money and too much free time - instead, he could be found harrying his siblings, his cousins, his elders, or if worst came to worst, the cooks - all trying to get to the truth of things. To learn and learn more, and challenge their opinions. It quickly grew tiresome for many of those around him - but their opinions never seemed to bother Ludwig. Why should they, when he started offering advice for things and - the few times people ever bothered to actually listen to him - they succeeded brilliantly? Trying to push himself more and more into things, he suddenly found himself faced with a choice - go to Arx, or go live with the Scholars for a while. He chose the second, and it was here that he finally flourished. The first few months were a stumbling block for him as he finally encountered people who were just as capable intellectually as he was. But this only drove him on further - he worked to learn more, to catch up, and as he began to compare what he read on the page to the world around him, he realized - something wasn't right. At the end of his tenure, he decided to take advantage of the first choice given to him, and he went to Arx to work with his family on his projects there. + |
| Luis Igniseri + | The younger son of a lesser line of the March of Granato, Luis knew from an early age that there was only one way to make sure that he mattered to the family, the fealty, and the world: derring do. He grew up absorbing tales and stories like they were water, and launched himself into his early training in the practice yards with the guardsmen of Igniseri and with his older cousins, Vincere the heir and Pietro his twin. Too young to be a real companion to his cousins, though, he primarily ended up attached to a younger circle of lesser nobles and the older sons of some of the guardsmen who worked tirelessly to be the Best. Luis loved to get into trouble. Thoughtless and reckless as a youth, he grew a little more consideration only with time and repetition and the constant efforts of his parents and his lieges to discipline him. As a boy, he was always climbing trees, stealing olives, rolling in the mud, hiding in the weird spaces of the hall of the castle and getting into mischief. He never ran out of energy. When he was old enough to ride out with the men, he squired for several knights in succession and finally became a lieutenant under Lord Pietro, handling lesser duties of command and military force at the tender age of 18, and fighting with fierce verve whenever the cavalry rode out. + |
| Lumen Whisper + | Lumen is the natural daughter of Lord Nathaniel Bisland. The relationship between Lord Nathaniel and Lumen's mother, a popular house servant at the time, began as an idealistic, youthful trist. The two burned hot and heavy, carrying on in secret despite knowledge of the disapproval they'd receive from family and peers, and like many such love affairs it fizzled out... just not before the naive young duo made the life-altering decision to bring a child into the world. Long after the romance-induced fugue state had lifted, Lumen remained. Fears that the child's existence might negatively impact a potential match for the young Lord were eased just a few years later when he wed Lady Esmeralda. Though many have been known to slip up over the years, referring to the courtier as 'Lady Lumen,' Mistress Lumen was never legitimized. As a point of honor and in reverence to Limerance, she was acknowledged by her father and his kin from the time of her birth. Raised alongside Nathaniel's legitimate children, Lumen's early life had some but not all of the trappings of noble privilege. She was provided for and finely educated -- but never spoiled to such a degree that the girl might foster any delusions of grandeur. Her fate would be a respectable but Common nonetheless. A solicitor? A learned scholar? A knight, perhaps, should the propensity reveal itself. It didn't take. Proximity to nobility was rocket fuel. Lumen proved herself an innovative and imaginative social climber, honing her own natural graces and inventing from thin air those she lacked. Gradually, she traveled in higher and higher circles, wearing finer and finer things, speaking less, and listening more... until as a young woman, she was accepted into Whisper House. The honor came following the successful trade negotiation between two rival lesser houses, a pact deeply impacted by Lumen's peacekeeping efforts. Now, she's sought after for her poise, discretion, and renowned discerning presence. + |
| Luna Declan + | Luna is from Deepwood and is a refugee. She use to be a part of a family of performers, however in the attack she was seperated from them. She is unsure if they are still alive. She is seeking haven within the city walls and will perform for a few coins. + |
| Lunara Argento + | Lady Lunara Argento is the single child spawn of the late Lady Illunara Argento whom died in childbirth 23 years ago, and to Lord Godwin Argento (The great merchant house and area that the Argento are vassals under the Lycene.) As the sole child of the couple, she was dutifully spoiled. No male heir to the family, she was trained and named as the Sword of Argento. A quick study, and even faster with a weapon. She wields a crescent moon blade, like a scythe, a family heirloom weapon. Where weaknesses lay with the family, she was hard pressed to move into the familial role to support and continue on the family wealth and to prove its strength. She was influenced to carry on and climb the respected role of Steward, then Captain of her family fleet of merchant ships. Her own ship, the Blackwater holds steadfast rumors amongst other sea merchants and their crew. Most think the Captain is a man. Yet her family trained her as a warrior-sailor, and titled in reputation as 'The Blackheart', it is her stealth like attack movements in the night with her ships that make others shiver when tales of the Blackwaters feats are told around a keg of rum. Wildly spoken, as fear makes those in the know that, "You can't see anything but black, and the next thing you know... you've been boarded!" She is also cousin to Salazar Argentos, and born into the family that owns the island of Nilanza, a seaport half-way between the Lycene merchant lords, and the Thrax. + |
| Lune Savonorela + | The Savonorela name was known widely amidst trade routes, specializing in the transport of antiquities, but more so it was the loyalty of the trade family that wove their place of esteem within the hearts of Setarco and House Pravus. Whenever the call of martial support amidst the tides arose, the Savonorela ships would transform from that of simple cargo vessels to instead machines of war, first in line to defend the island and Lyceum as a whole if need be without argument or question. So, while the arrival of two women at the gates of the Pravus Manor clad only in tattered silks and coated with brine and sand was a surprise to the household, that initial apprehension was nearly washed aside once the pair presented the insignia of Savonorela and explained their situation. They had been sent by their mother (having been at sea beside her through most of their youth) to serve House Pravus as a tribute from the traders, but in transit their small vessel had been cast upon the reefs due to an unfortunate misjudgment of the tide. Over the next ten years the pair of sisters (Vayle and Lune) worked their way up the ranks of the Pravus serving staff, beginning as simple house servants until now in present day the pair have been sent to Arx to continue their service to the family in the esteemed position of Belladonna Pravus' personal attendants. + |
| Lustry Thrax + | The family line of Thrax that Lustry and her siblings come from is a distant one, but cousins to Tyrus's line. However, that never stopped her from always trying to make her cousins, close and distant alike, laugh. She always lived for bringing joy or at least trying to into most instances. As she grew older, she was being groomed to become a socialite and entertainer. She embraced these lessons and excelled well in them. Often putting on small one woman plays for family and friends of the family when they would visit. Now that most of lessons them have finished, she has decided to come and join her family within Arx, in hopes of drawing out smiles and laughter from all! + |
| Lycoris Hawkmour + | Born a bastard of Tiberio Pravus, the Sword of Setarco and another Lady just three years prior to Lucrezia, her life was spent between the sea and Setarco. Luxury was the highlight of her young life and even at a young age was intrigued with matters of fashion and the Court. When her father was poisoned, all that changed and her mother spirited her away to foster under her wings, elsewhere. When she resurfaced a number of years later, it was to announce her courtship to Marquis Duncan Hawkmour. A political match undoubtedly, and since the Hawkmour family was vastly under-represented in Arx Lycoris moved straight away to Arx to manage the family's affairs in such a tumultuous time. + |
| Lydia Nightgold + | 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. + |
| Lyiana Averdeen + | Lyiana Averdeen grew up in the bustling city of Arx. Being the only child of Serina and Arthur Averdeen, she was doted upon by her Mother and Father and given everything they could afford, which wasn't that much, but it suited the young girl. Her Mother was a tailor, having worked in the profession when she was 19 and having met Lyiana's father there, so the girl started the same profession, or the beginnings of it, when she was fifteen. She often worked with her Mother in their small house and they sold clothing out to the commoners of the street and repaired children's old garments for reuse. When they were low on money at one time, Lyiana went out and got another job working at a tavern and bringing in a little more so they could have food on the table. When she was ready to begin working on her own, and having learned all she could from her Mother, she began to look for tailoring work elsewhere, even going so far as to work odd jobs fixing garments for other people without her Mother's guidance. Now, she is still working those odd jobs, but is hoping to gain recognition for her work. + |
| Lynn Romano + | Lynn was born to Viola and Antonio Romano, both privateers by trade, and throughout her life, she spent almost as much time on their ship as she did on land. She got her sea legs before her land ones, learned her way around a ship almost as soon as she'd learned to talk, and had the unfortunate side effect of growing up with a sailor's mouth to boot. Her teens were even more fruitful, teaching her how to fight(a necessity, once she was old enough to be expected to contribute to the crew) and how to play the fiddle(mostly because they found one in some pirate's hold and gave it to her as a birthday present), among a few other things. But it all went awry when Antonio, the captain, died from a stab in the lungs, forcing Viola and Lynn to live on land to support themselves, as the former was getting too old to serve and the latter was still too young for any ship to take her. Viola didn't take it well and promptly turned to alcoholism, only making things worse for the now-poor-as-dirt pair. As soon as she turned eighteen, Lynn promptly left to sign up on another ship, figuring she knew enough to make a living there. And she was right! But she was also left with even more baggage when her mother died of alcohol liver disease three years later, with the two having not even exchanged so much as a letter. So Lynn returned to land to settle what little affairs there were, claim what little inheritance there was, and to spend some time mourning. And that's how she lived until a while into her twenty-second year, when she figured it was high time she started working again... + |
| Lynthelia Louvet + | A daughter of a dying House - her father was a Count within the Oathlands before his death. He always intended for her to marry someone influential to stave off the death of their House - she always refused. When he died, her older brother took his position, and she left. As her older brother had no children at the time of her departure, she is technically next in line for the County - but she refuses to have any part of it. Instead, she enjoys her status as a noble wanderer - intending to live her life in freedom and go with whatever comes her way. + |
| Lyonis Pravus + | Lyonis was always sick as a child, in fact he nearly died by the age of 10 from flu and being rather bruised after his uncle tried to teach him to fight. This meant he was destined for a life of books and study more so than combat or courtly diplomacy. He grew up a bit of a pariah as his siblings usually only saw him once in a blue moon due to his frequent illness. He was fond of his youngest sister who made a point of visiting him until she was married off to another house though they still write each other often. As a man he continues to suffer from nearly constant ailments and often erupts into fits of coughing. In recent times he makes himself useful as a tactician and trains messenger birds for the house. + |
| Lyra Byrne + | Lyra is the first born child of Karina and Gaius Stonewood, Gaius being the fourth-born child of Magnus Stonewood, brother to Leonius, Reginalde and Cyprias and uncle to the current Marquis. Karina was a political match, being of House Farshaw, and it'd be safe to say that for the young and romantically inclined young bride, love never blossomed. Duty did, however, and it carried her to Gaius' bed night after night, week after week and year after year. Much to the frustration of Gaius, it would take fully three years to get his wife with child, no doubt aided by a particularly indulgent enjoyment of the Spring Solstice festival. Gaius was overjoyed when Lyra was born nine months later, as was Karina who retreated to her own suite of rooms and never again shared her husband's bed. Lyra's childhood was nothing remarkable, she was educated as befitted her station and her parents' ambitions. An intelligent, questioning and bright young child grew into a well-rounded individual with a passion to mark her place in the world. When her father died a hero in the Gyre War, she mourned him alongside her mother, who later passed away in the winter of 1013, not of a broken heart as some romantics would hope, but of a sickness that infected her lungs. Looking for direction in her life and wanting to be of better use to her family, she approached Malesh and requested permission to join House Byrne where her skills might be better put to use. + |
| Lyria none + | 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. + |
| Lys De Lire + | Lys (that's 'lies' not 'liss') was born in the boroughs to some unremarkable family, she lived a pretty average life. She was poor and hated it. When she got old enough she started working as a shop apprentice to a tailor, and fell in love with the fancy clothing that would be commissioned. However, she never picked up the skill. She's not particularly good with a sewing needle. She also lost that job, and many afterward, for her tendency to fight with the customers or her boss or ... anyone that happens to pass by. However, her life turned for the better when her cousin- Audric -was suddenly ennobled after then Prince Talen, now Archduke-Consort, Velenosa won the Rose Tournament in 1007AR and used his prize to found a Rose Barony for Audric who became Audric de Lire. So a year later in 1008AR, Lys tracked him down after a sometime and reminded him of her existence (he seemed a little surprised), and she became Lys de Lire. And for a brief time her life was quite idyllic. She had the patronage of the then Archduchess of Velenosa, Eleyna Velenosa. She had all the wealth and backing of her cousin, acting as Voice of de Lire. She won the heart of a Lenosian prince and caused a minor scandal-- which the Lenosians found hilarious --when she managed to get a love match approved to this prince for a short time became Princess Lys Velenosa. Only it didn't last. It all came crashing down two years later in 1010AR when the de Lire manor was painted with Audric's blood and no one ever found his body. Shortly after his bloody disappearance... so did Baroness-Consort Enyo de Lire disappear without a trace, though in a less bloody manner, leaving behind the not-even-a-year-old Deimos de Lire. Lys and her husband stepped down, then, from royalty so that Lys could become Baroness-Regent of de Lire and raise her cousin's heir in the absence of his parents. This too was not to last. After retreating to Fen de Lire for a time, Lys herself went missing and in her absence her husband was awarded a divorce. At least a year later she finally resurfaced in 1013AR, the story of where she had been seeming to change with the day. Sometimes she was captured by trolls and fought her way free. Other times she decided to be a pirate for a time. Never the same story twice. Always utterly unbelievable. All that is truly known is she returned with a scar on her face and a new found bitterness in her expression. + |
| Lys Velenosa + | Lys (that's 'lies' not 'liss') was born in the boroughs to some unremarkable family, she lived a pretty average life. She was poor and hated it. When she got old enough she started working as a shop apprentice to a tailor, and fell in love with the fancy clothing that would be commissioned. However, she never picked up the skill. She's not particularly good with a sewing needle. She also lost that job, and many afterward, for her tendency to fight with the customers or her boss or ... anyone that happens to pass by. However, her life turned for the better when her cousin- Audric -was suddenly ennobled after then Prince Talen, now Archduke-Consort, Velenosa won the Rose Tournament and used his prize to found a Rose Barony for Audric who became Audric de Lire. So Lys tracked him down after a sometime and reminded him of her existence (he seemed a little surprised), and she became Lys de Lire. She also realized around the same time that her cousin was the head of a Sellsword Company, and that would allow her to FIGHT quite a bit. And so... She asked him to let her join. And that is how Lys came to be. Lady Lys de Lire, member of the Valorous Few. + |
| Lys de Lire + | Lys (that's 'lies' not 'liss') was born in the boroughs to some unremarkable family, she lived a pretty average life. She was poor and hated it. When she got old enough she started working as a shop apprentice to a tailor, and fell in love with the fancy clothing that would be commissioned. However, she never picked up the skill. She's not particularly good with a sewing needle. She also lost that job, and many afterward, for her tendency to fight with the customers or her boss or ... anyone that happens to pass by. However, her life turned for the better when her cousin- Audric -was suddenly ennobled after then Prince Talen, now Archduke-Consort, Velenosa won the Rose Tournament and used his prize to found a Rose Barony for Audric who became Audric de Lire. So Lys tracked him down after a sometime and reminded him of her existence (he seemed a little surprised), and she became Lys de Lire. She also realized around the same time that her cousin was the head of a Sellsword Company, and that would allow her to FIGHT quite a bit. And so... She asked him to let her join. And that is how Lys came to be. Lady Lys de Lire, member of the Valorous Few. + |
| Lysander Rubino + | Though he was forced to suffer through the training and education expected of the son of a cadet line of a ducal family, Lysander was never interested in politics. It was a safe disinterest to cultivate, but the focus and intensity to which he threw himself into his other studies made him an awkward fragment of the bloodline anyway. While Zaccheri Rubino was groomed and polished to a perfect ducal heir, his cousin Lysander was struggling disinterestedly through lessons of etiquette and warcraft, yearning to do something with his hands and to tap into the inner beauty of the world and express it. A lesser son of a lesser line of the family, Lysander's primary potential noble purpose -- as he understood it -- was to be marriage bait. In his early twenties he had several noisy and passionate affairs with married men to generally display his disinclination to the idea, and developed a reputation as essentially an oath-baiter until his cousin, Lord Valkieri, of all men, was forced to sit him down in give him a lesson in subtlety he did not soon forget. When Zaccheri died, Lysander began to be very concerned about his future. All he wanted in life was to capture artistic images in blown glass sculptures and occasional dives into elegant jewel craft. He definitely did not want to be at any risk of inheritance or power politics. His loyalty to his duke could not be more secure because Valkieri's presence in the ducal seat is absolute confirmation that Lysander will never have to sit in it. + |
| Lysander Rubino-Zaffria + | Though he was forced to suffer through the training and education expected of the son of a cadet line of a ducal family, Lysander was never interested in politics. It was a safe disinterest to cultivate, but the focus and intensity to which he threw himself into his other studies made him an awkward fragment of the bloodline anyway. While Zaccheri Rubino was groomed and polished to a perfect ducal heir, his cousin Lysander was struggling disinterestedly through lessons of etiquette and warcraft, yearning to do something with his hands and to tap into the inner beauty of the world and express it. A lesser son of a lesser line of the family, Lysander's primary potential noble purpose -- as he understood it -- was to be marriage bait. In his early twenties he had several noisy and passionate affairs with married men to generally display his disinclination to the idea, and developed a reputation as essentially an oath-baiter until his cousin, Lord Valkieri, of all men, was forced to sit him down in give him a lesson in subtlety he did not soon forget. When Zaccheri died, Lysander began to be very concerned about his future. All he wanted in life was to capture artistic images in blown glass sculptures and occasional dives into elegant jewel craft. He definitely did not want to be at any risk of inheritance or power politics. His loyalty to his duke could not be more secure because Valkieri's presence in the ducal seat is absolute confirmation that Lysander will never have to sit in it. + |
M | |
| Mabelle Laurent + | Mabelle Laurent was born into a more distant branch of the Laurent line, pretty far removed from any potential chances to inherit the duchy but not so far removed that she wasn't good marriage material. So as these things tend to go, she was found a suitable match with House Hawkmour. She wasn't thrilled with her 'older' husband, a man in his early forties who had already been married once before with children not much younger than herself. But it was asked of her by the late Duke Edmund Laurent, so she agreed to her distant uncle's request. Mabelle was pretty, charming and most importantly, far more clever than her family had realized. She settled well into her new life and even managed to form an alliance with her new husband. One that didn't involve her sleeping in a different bed most nights of the week. Her hobbies and interests grew during her time in the Lyceum and she developed a close bond' with the family apothecary, a rather eccentric woman that spent a significant amount of time in a lower levels suite (read: basement) of the castle. It was here that she learned the healing arts as well as other more esoteric subjects that most in the Oathlands would have shied away from or condemned. She became quite skilled at mixing and matching different compounds and while crafting isn't a thing nobles do for silver, she enjoyed it nonetheless and took great pride in what she created. However tragedy struck when her husband, a rather shrewd lawyer with numerous political connections turned black in the face and expired at dinner. There were countless suspects and Mabelle unfortunately ended up on the list. Largely due to the mercurial nature of their relationship and her now expansive knowledge of a trade that could lead one to believe she might have known /how/ to poison her husband. Not having quite the needed connections to survive such a scandal, she made an impassioned plea to her distant cousin the duke to be allowed to rejoin the family now that her marriage was tragically ended. With approval granted from all parties, she's gone to join the Laurents in Arx and hopefully have a fresh start there. + |
| Macario Malespero + | Macario was a young child when most of his family was quietly executed for high treason. The noble house he was born into was stripped of land and titles and quietly reclaimed by its liege, House Hawkmour. Very few were privy to the truth, to the secret trial which condemned his family for their foul practices of demon worship and blood sacrifice, their crimes kept secret to prevent panic among the populace and keep rumors of such foul practices from spreading. He was raised as a ward of Hawkmour, which allowed him access to wealth and education if not quite privilege, lacking any nobility of his own. Learning the truth of his parents' crimes at a fairly young age, he focused his studies on theology and law, trying to resolve his feelings about the complexity of the situation and how it was handled. He has a habit of questioning the world, of asking why, of testing others' answers to his inquiries against his own scrutiny and understanding. He found Tehom's faithful most welcoming of his constant questions and eventually joined their ranks. His desire to understand what justice in particular means has given him great legal acumen and made him a skilled advocate. As he came of age, he sought to move out from under the hand which raised him but never quite called him one of their own which meant either leaving the ranks of borrowed nobility or finding an avenue toward elevation. While possessed of no ties to Nilanza or its reigning Marquessa, he offered to swear his loyalty to Malespero in exchange for a title, comparing himself to other scions of fallen houses who were now part of their motley march. It was a comparable situation, his family rightfully stripped of its name and nobility two decades prior while other Malesperos had lost their land and family in recent war, but the Marquessa has taken a risk on him all the same, finding value in his talents. + |
| Macda Grayson + | So here is the thing about growing up in Bastion, as a daughter of Grayson, in the House of Grayson. Everything around you has a great deal of weight to it. The weight of expectation. The weight of history. The weight of legend. Especially for a little girl who has been named so obviously for a Hero of Yore, as Macda was: Macdon's tale being a favorite of her father's, she grew up hearing ever more elaborate ballads of it, around the table and among the others. And here is the thing about growing up under all that weight. You either bend, twist into the shape that they want you to mold into, or you don't. Macda was pressed, shaped, and folded -- until she could be pressed, shaped, and folded no more, and burst into her teen years like a geyser of rebellion. Skinned knees, scored knuckles, on one memorable occasion a lord's son's broken teeth, mud tracked everywhere: these are aspects of childhood, maybe, but aspects of childhood that most young people leave behind eventually. At 16, Macda was living out loud, recklessly making more scrapes for herself than ever. Ride hell for leather, start brawls in the pub, dangle your little sister over a brook by her feet, sing bawdy songs in the street at the top of your voice at two o'clock in the morning: life is too short to be well-behaved. With age came temperance because if it hadn't, she might've driven her family to throw her out. Love is the tie that binds duty even to the least dutiful daughter of a house, and Macda was never short love. She loved fiercely, just sometimes stupidly and without as much guilt as most people develop over the course of their young lives. Acting without thinking was second nature. Thinking... took time to develop. Macda is sure she'll never stop being a hellion. It is not in her to grow into a lady of dignity. But there's a way to be a grown adult person about it. A way to recognize boundaries and limits. Sometimes she is still working on it, but she really does mean well. + |
| Maddox Deepwood + | Maddox grew up well outside of Arx, in a fairly happy family. One of several siblings, including Braelynn, he often found himself shunted to the side. He wasn't a troublemaker, so those siblings who were often got more attention than he did. It taught him to listen, and to learn. It never did manage to teach him to act out to get that attention he so craved. And so with a fairly idyllic childhood behind him, he thought things would always be like that. He would grow up, find a woman to marry, marry her and have a few kids and raise his own children to see and take notice and to enjoy the world around him. But then his sister upended what was a calm, placid life by announcing that she was going to head to Arx for some adventure. Adventure? More like trouble with a capital T, to Maddox's mind. And so he followed his sister to Arx, having every intention of keeping a careful eye on her and making sure she didn't get into too much trouble. It hasn't quite worked out like that though... + |
| Madeleine Whitehart + | Madeleine was a third daughter of huntsmen who served the Graysons. She grew up surrounded by forests, running and dancing in the lushness of the green world around her. She loved the outside world, and the endless sky, and the pouring rain -- quite a lot of the pouring rain, really, somehow. The first time she saw the sea, she was 11, and she fell madly in love with it. It would be years before she saw it again, but it was like a hole in her heart. When she was 15, her parents came to Arx as part of a party of other serving people, and Madeleine came with them. She spent a lot of time on the beach, and fell madly in love with a young Thrax knight who also walked that beach. It was not a love story that ended well for a number of reasons, and her parents ended up getting in trouble with their liege for being poor chaperones. It was not until Madeleine was 19, and an adult, and an apprentice seamstress under her own power, that she made her way back to the city. She tried to join several different ships as a crewman only to discover that she did not know the first thing about being a sailor; she managed to get one post, but lost it after a harrowing month-long journey that brought her right back where she started, considerably more bruised and feeling much more useless than when she started. She turned to the Faith, and it really became her center and helped her to become grounded. Yet she never lost her love of the outdoors or the natural world, and while a loving and slightly dizzy priest of the Pantheon became her persona, she grew a grounded and centered inner keel within herself the more she relied upon Mangata. She became elevated to Mangata's Archlectorship with the retirement of her aged predecessor, and walked serenely forward onto the beach of life, prepared for whatever would come. + |
| Madrien Daupenne + | You must understand that many Lycene retirement plans are delivered by the tip of a blade. But that's not the beginning, is it? In fact, it's not the end, either, for Madrien Daupenne. Not yet anyway. His shrewd mind singled him out early for complex training and his extreme calm under pressure continued his slow rise over decades of service. Victories were admirably consolidated, and defeats suitably weathered, over those years, such that his insights in matters of coin and finance became valuable, then valued, then amply rewarded. It is known, on a personal note, that during these years he once had a wife... and a child? Children? The matter is unclear, but it is certain that his family would have been as comfortable materially as they must have been entirely bereft of his time, and presence, and care. It is also certain that they no longer are in Iriscal. Should they still exist anywhere at all, they must be better off for having been part of his family, as certainly as they must hold no warm thoughts for him, as a person, at all. In due time, Madrien was granted a position of some authority, as one of the Ministers of the County. All was well, until it wasn't. The Countess Lucrezia fell victim to an assassination and the winds of change blew under a new Countess. It became incumbent upon him, as with other non-family in high position, to offer his resignation and wait to have the offer rejected, or accepted, or accepted along with his life's blood. In his case, he lived and continued in service. It must be seen as a particular favor, and calls out for exceptional effort, to rebuild, and build further, and advance the House in its financial success. + |
| Mae Culler + | Even for a Culler it can be catch as catch can in the Lower Boroughs, especially if a person is born the seventh of eight children. Her Mam wasn't much interested in being a mam by the time her last few pups were spawned; the rearing of the little ones was often left to their elders, who were even less fit to serve as surrogate parents. Not a fan of being cuffed upside the head and ordered to stay put, keep her mouth shut, do what she's told, Mae quickly learned to skirt the authority of her older siblings. Her small size and agility developed into an early reputation as an escape artist and it became a common refrain around their shack that, "Mae's on t' roofs again!" From her earliest years, she was no more respectful of other people's property than she was of familial attempts at laying down the law, such as it was among the gutter clans. For all the heart attacks she provoked among her relatives for her high-climbing ways, her youthful escapades often ended with a carrier pigeon in the cook pot or an extra blanket plucked from a drying line to lay over their beds, so complaints were half-hearted at best. If the clan needed a thing and Mae could find the thing, take the thing, and carry home the thing, then clearly the thing ought to have been theirs in the first place and its original owner should have kept a closer eye on it. Wrath was kept to a minimum due to the process sometimes happening in reverse, with gifts laid on the steps of those who'd suffered her light-fingered ways previously. It helped too she never took anything -dire-, and diligently avoided the notice of the official authorities and their harsh law-blessed hands. It was a Boroughs matter, and she knew the lines that shouldn't be crossed against her own because they were bred in the bone, channeled in her blood. Childish recklessness of Mae's sort is often turned to harder crimes as the years wind on but there her luck held true as well. Instead of being swept into the greater organizations whose deeds stepped well over the line into darkly illegal, she detoured into reputable work as a messenger, running scraps of paper for pennies to begin. Eventually, her reputation for reliability (and ultraquick service!) saw her client base expanding until finally, her name came to the notice of the Black Rose Mummers. The numbers of messages flying to and from their theatre is prodigious, the correspondence between the actors and their fans a close rival for the missives arranging and organizing new performances. A trial period became regular employment and since then, Mae's not wanted for much else in the world. + |
| Maerigan Nephila + | It seems that only two or three years ago, Maerigan appeared out of thin air upon the doorstep of Elune’s keep. Nothing more than a wispy teen, she was taken in by that dottering old castellan, Nester. Quickly, he became a grandfatherly figure for her, seeing to it that the youth had a start to her new life. Perhaps he saw something within her that reminded him of his own family. Having no children of his own, she filled the void of family for him and an affection bloomed for now his adopted granddaughter, as he often called her. Together, they tried their best to find her family - after all, it was an island. How far could they have gotten? Well. They were never truly successful and Nester claimed it was his duty to steward the girl. If she showed even the slightest talent or inclination to a subject, he afforded her the lessons. That is, until the fairly recent attack on Elune where Nester lost his life. She mourned him, and having no place to go continued to be a presence in the keep, working primarily in Nester’s stead to manage the keep but in her spare time pursued her own interests. However, the winds of change began to blow. House Seryn began to grow and with her duties lightening, she proved herself loyal, trustworthy, and willing to take on a challenge. Soon, she accepted a promotion to a Ministership that would see her through to Arx and a brand new chapter in her life. + |
| Maeve Aisling + | Maeve grew up in the wilds. Her town could barely be called such, civilized only to the point that the clan could be ignored and overlooked. They never had much in terms of wealth, well? in any obvious sense. They were, to a man and woman, hunters and scouts, trading pelts and guide contracts to travelers that wanted to traverse their little corner of the North. Maeve's mother had the only unique role, the Clan Healer. She was the defacto leader, mostly because if anyone got hurt and angered her, she'd make their life even worse. A stern woman, with a strong conscious, she raised her daughter in much the same way, fostering her natural love of nature and the spirits contained within. She was, in essence, the Town Shaman as well, though allowed her daughter to take on most of those duties before she was an adult. Maeve didn't mind. She had natural gifts to share with her people. Whenever possible, Maeve walked the wilds surrounding the collection of huts and longhouse that made up the town. She grew to know the land better than anyone, occasionally seeming a little.. odd to people. She simply thought she was making friends with the trees, the plants, and the animals she came upon. She liked the world around her better than most people, to be honest. She grew to understand the way plants worked with people, how to extract the vital ingredients from them, and make extremely potent elixirs and poisons. She outshone her mother in this, especially when she discovered the flowering wintergreen suncatcher, a plant common in her area, and rare elsewhere. She was able to distill the essential oils from the suncatcher and create a salve that could heal almost any wound she came across. So pleased with herself, she wanted to make the town flourish and benefit from her discovery, so she traveled to the Redrain Keep to present the royal family with her own batch. She decided to stay. She never said why, but something about the people she met there, about the feeling she had just made her decide that she was going to be the Royal Apothecary. The Redrains were a little taken aback, but, really, they couldn't honestly figure out why it would be a bad idea. She stayed with them, to be their personal Apothecary, and travelled with the family to Arx, to watch over them, and make sure nothing happens to them. + |
| Magaen Charon + | Following the death of Magaen's father, Count Trevor of House Threerivers, her twin sister swiftly made moves to occupy his seat. As a means of neutralizing Magaen as a potential threat to her leadership position, she had the House enter into swift marriage negotiations on Magaen's behalf. The match would be with a childless widower Lord of House Bellerive's fealty with rumors of fertility issues, ensuring that no offspring of Magaen's could challenge the future rulership claims of her own children. In a single sweep, the new Countess of Highrock secured her line of succession and solidified peace with a former enemy. It was not that her perspective spouse did not appeal to Magaen. On the contrary! Had circumstances been not what they were, she might have been pleased. It was, however, the audacity of her sister's presumptuousness that Magaen could not abide. She would not be neutralized. Instead, a political chess match was set into motion between the two siblings that would threaten to bring House Threerivers to the brink of civil war! Magaen became pregnant before the signatures on her marital contract was dry and in a masterful maneuver all her own, she named the child after the pair's late father. While Magaen's sister and her advisors were busy appeasing the Oathlanders and doing everything in their power to smooth over the upset that the extramarital birth had caused, public opinion was somehow swayed! The new Countess found herself caving to the pressure of her own people and legitimizing the bastard boy. Just as more bloodshed was about to occur, House Acheron arrived on stage deus ex machina. They offered Magaen her own lands and title in exchange for recusing herself of any claim over Highrock, and off she went along with her heir and all of her supporters. Happily ever after, right? Think again. + |
| Magden Rubino-Zaffria + | A country cousin from a lesser branch of House Zaffria, it's fairly well-known that the former Lady Magden Zaffria is a bit soft in the head. Her home near Gemecitta employed a rather skilled -- some might say renowned -- apothecary and physician to tend her mother's poor health. Though her mother died when Magden was still a child, the physician remained, taking the young girl on as a promising pupil. When her father died and her older brother had no interest in being responsible for her, she was taken in by the Rubino-Zaffrias in Arx. Unfortunately, Lady Magden's mental condition deteriorated while she was in Arx, resulting in a number of embarrassing public incidents. Her moments of fractious indelicacy and blindness to protocol made her relationship with her house particularly tense. Shortly after a disastrous duel to settle a matter of insult between herself and Duchess Nightgold, Lady Magden made a proclamation officially renouncing both her title and the Zaffria name. Why //specifically// this was done is a matter for speculation. She herself, now simply Magden, will often answer inquiries with wild and impossible tales -- or not at all. + |
| Magencia Whitehart + | Magencia was a third daughter of huntsmen who served the Graysons. She grew up surrounded by forests, running and dancing in the lushness of the green world around her. She loved the outside world, and the endless sky, and the pouring rain -- quite a lot of the pouring rain, really, somehow. The first time she saw the sea, she was 11, and she fell madly in love with it. It would be years before she saw it again, but it was like a hole in her heart. When she was 15, her parents came to Arx as part of a party of other serving people, and Magencia came with them. She spent a lot of time on the beach, and fell madly in love with a young Thrax knight who also walked that beach. It was not a love story that ended well for a number of reasons, and her parents ended up getting in trouble with their liege for being poor chaperones. It was not until Magencia was 19, and an adult, and an apprentice seamstress under her own power, that she made her way back to the city. She tried to join several different ships as a crewman only to discover that she did not know the first thing about being a sailor; she managed to get one post, but lost it after a harrowing month-long journey that brought her right back where she started, considerably more bruised and feeling much more useless than when she started. She turned to the Faith, and it really became her center and helped her to become grounded. Yet she never lost her love of the outdoors or the natural world, and while a loving and slightly dizzy priest of the Pantheon became her persona, she grew a grounded and centered inner keel within herself the more she relied upon Mangata. She became elevated to Mangata's Archlectorship with the retirement of her aged predecessor, and walked serenely forward onto the beach of life, prepared for whatever would come. + |
| Magnus Stahlben + | Born far from the Compact's borders, within the last mountain of the North, Magnus' life promised to be no different from his father's, and his own father's. The son of the Chief of the Stahlben, he was expected to keep the watch over the Everwinter, pay the proper respects to the ancestors as Bonesinger, that they might entreat with the Firstborn, and ensure the Stahlben and the people that depended on them prospered and thrived. He exhibited early abilities as not only a leader, but one motivated by the need to look out for others, rather than the power and thrill of leading others. These qualities, along with a voracious curiosity and intelligence, only grew further as he aged and became a man. Duties and responsabilities grew, but he never shied away from them, meeting each challenge head-on, determined and diligent. Failures and successes were met the same way, with a clear and open mind to the rich lessons taught by either. Yet he would only be truly tested shortly after his father's death and his becoming Chief. When the Undying and their servants spilled forth from the Everwinter. Stahlben warriors and allies were gathered, and faced the oncoming tide of destruction with the strength and valour that had seen them triumph for centuries of conflict. They lost. Badly. Forced back to their mountain stronghold, besieged by a foe whose hunger for more death seemed unending, Magnus led the desperate defense to save his people from extinction. The fortress didn't fall, the enemy moving down south instead, to the relief, and dread, of the defenders. They had survived, yes. But Magnus was all too aware of the losses of his people and allies, and their failure at containing the Everwinter's monsters. In the months that followed the Compact's victory over Brand, another foe rose to attack the weakened Stahlben. Now facing either destruction or slavery for his people, Magnus gathered his advisors, and a third option was taken. To bend the knee to the Compact, become one with the victorious kingdom of the Silent War, and adapt to the new world only now awakening from a long darkness. The Stahlben stood unchanging for centuries, yet it is now Magnus' task to guide them during the first and difficult years of new loyalties and culture suddenly before them. He has been tested before and shall be again. But he will succeed. For his people. For the Firstborn. For the Compact. + |
| Magpie Grayhope + | There are a lot of families in and out of the Lower Boroughs. People disappear. People whose childhoods are spent in and out of poverty, sometimes striking it rich on a quick run at the card tables, other times scraping for bread from people who'll give it to them. For as long as Magpie could remember, he was an extra mouth to feed around the Boroughs, at a time when nobody had time for a lot of extra mouths. His father wasn't around, and his mother was busy being a tough with axe and shield for the Grayhopes ... so he had to make his own way. He found his calling in the docks, doing quick runs -- he was always a fast runner -- for the drugrunners and the smugglers and the fencers and the thieves. He eventually ended up taking to the seas with a strange yearning. He became a man for transporting hot cargo in and out of the city, over time -- more or less apprenticing with other pirates and smugglers until he found his own way. With the weight of the Grayhopes behind him, he could take greater risks and make better profits. He showed some independence of spirit. + |
| Mahan + | He's always had a knack for telling stories and tales, with his expressive nature and ability to exaggerate. Raised mostly by his grandmother, the duty of family has always been of the utmost importance. + |
| Maharet Whisper + | Maharet Whisper. The well-regarded commoner who reached dizzying heights, in the Abandoned city-state of Tremorus, especially for someone with no family name. By all appearances she comes from modest means but in truth she was raised by the Proscipi to be one of them in all but name. They treated her well enough and she was afforded a comfortable lifestyle that many on the island would be envious of. Because of that she is also burdened with expectation and the responsibility of upholding the reputation of the House. Although she was a trusted servant since before Ezmeralda was brought to the city-state for safe keeping, she was assigned to her in order to teach her about the culture, language and customs of Tremorus' people. Ezme really bonded with her -- appreciating her sensible, diplomatic approach to life and that kinship fostered into a beautiful relationship between the two. They could both lean on each other from time to time and serve as something comforting in a place that is at once for them and not. After the marriage and the newly established March House came into power, once again, Ezme could think of no one else she would have serve as her Voice. An unconventional choice that was hailed by the Proscipi as being avante garde. This, combined with her original, unspoken importance to the island has granted her a great deal of prestige for a prodigal in Arx, and made her start in the Whisper House permissible. Even though she has been reassured by the support of the people she was enchanted and intrigued by her first encounter with the House of Silken Sighs but more importantly they saw something in her. Tyche and Nina both felt that if she were challenged with adversity, she would evolve past her limitations and become who she is supposed to be -- whatever that may be. When she arrived to Arx she was floored, like many of the Proscipi. Her world view had to expand if she was to ever be fully prepared to serve the people's interests. The dance of politics and the social games people played here made her feel somewhat inadequate. She didn't lack the faculties or the innate talent so much as perspective and understanding about the culture of this vast city and the convergence of it's kingdoms. Which is why she sought out the Whisper House. The Softest, Selene, was so majestic and commanded an air of respect with her grace alone. Yes, the Suspires would help forge her into a new woman, but it would be the Whispers who would help soften her touch and teach her the ways of elegance and perhaps introduce her to some of the dark secrets of this place. + |
| Mahir Vel'ichalahi + | Mahir Vel'ichalahi's past is a mystery even to him, for it lies entirely forgotten. Taken to Skal'daja from the City of Tomes nameless and without memory, he was named by the one who sold him according to the city he had been initially taken from, described as an artisan of great talent who yet obeyed orders without complaint, a hidden gem from Vel'ichalah able to craft wonders for interested patrons. So it was that he was bought and given the opportunity to do just that by his new master, a highborn of Skal'daja who soon realized the value of his newest acquisition. For indeed, Mahir was more than happy to create works of beauty, be they jewelry, sculptures, paintings or even songs, the man's creative energy seemingly limitless and all too happy to focus entirely on the creation of prestigious objects for his master. The name of his patron thus rose in prestige and artistic wealth, till in an attempt to gain favour from the Grand Vizier's family, offered Mahir as a gift to the Crown Prince himself, Prince Damik'uhl'daja. Thus did Mahir continue with his works, given new access to materials and more ambitious projects, all too happy to devote himself to something greater than he, creation overtaking most if all of more personal considerations. Why desire freedom when one is already doing what they want? Yet freedom was found on the shores of Sungreet. Having accompanied the Skal'daja's forces with the purpose of later recording their victory in another work of art, Mahir was taken by surprise by the Prince's decision to turn on his homeland and instead join the Compact. Suddenly deemed a free man and citizen of the Compact, Mahir must now contend with foreign ideals and concerns that now make his daily life, the man without past, without name, having now to define himself not according to his master, but himself. Though he continues to be a force of creation, these new truths have troubled him and for the first time, Mahir looks not to the present, but the uncertain future with unease. + |
| Mailys Corsetina + | Mailys was born in Setarco where she was raised by her uncle alongside many children bearing the Corsetina name, some of them her cousins and others her siblings. Growing up in the Setarco City slums many don't like to talk about wasn't easy and as soon as others perceived what a beauty she was bound to become Mailys got an invitation to join the House of Silken Sighs. Aware this was an amazing opportunity and something that would provide financial windfall for her family, she accepted. So began Mailys' life as a courtier. She spent some years at the House learning the arts of the Suspires before a member of the Saik family, impressed with her, acquired Mailys' contract. She spent many years plying her trade and advancing her contractor's goals in the Lyceum, learning more about the world and the people around her. Her travels led her to Arx where she joined Mirari in establishing their family's name and where she eventually joined the Whispers. During her time as a Whisper she reached the rank of Softest, but that is not where her heart laid. She left the guild and instead decided to use her array of contacts and skills to further the Corsetina family's aims in Arx. Ever since she has become synonymous with her family's name and one of the city's most well-known citizens. To some that would be enough. To Mailys she has barely even started. + |
| Maja Darling + | Majandra's life had an ominous beginning. Knights of Solace, escorting a caravan of commonfolk looking to resettle in Arx, came across a gruesome scene. The path forward was littered with bodies -- first it was one or two but as they continued ahead, the number of dead increased to such a number that the ground was stained red with blood. It appeared that a group similar to their own had been set upon by Abandoned; the wounds on the corpses betrayed that this was no animal attack: weapons had been used. There were no survivors save one: a child. She looked to be no older than eight or nine and she stood there serenely amongst it all, covered in blood but not suffering a single scratch on her. When asked what happened, she was unable to tell them for she could not speak. The travelers took her with them to Arx although the commonfolk kept their distance. 'Cursed,' they whispered between them. 'A bad omen, at the very least,' would be murmured in reply. Other than being unable to speak, the child seemed untroubled by what happened: no tears, no bad dreams, no signs of trauma. When they arrived in Arx, she was taken to the orphanage, given a name and eventually, she learned to communicate -- first with hand gestures, eventually with words. Still, she was unable to shed light on what happened; it was as if her life began when the travelers found her. She did not have many friends in the orphanage -- one of the children overheard the adults talking about how Majandra was found and once one kid knew, they all knew. She was ostracized and bullied. At first, she dealt with it by pushing back, by acting tough. However, she soon figured out that the best way to disarm someone was with sweetness. Majandra turned on the charm, her warmth shining like a light in the dark. A wink, a smile, a compliment: these were the things that made people believe that maybe, just maybe, their ideas about her were wrong. 'What's your name?' 'I'm Maja, darling.' She grew from a child into a young woman and, once she was old enough, left the orphanage to find her way in the world. Although she never appeared to show interest in learning more about who she is -- who she /really/ is -- or what happened to her all those years ago, Maja did understand the value of information. When people told her things, she would store it away and keep it safe; after all, one never knows when something will prove useful. These charms, the same ones that made others feel comfortable sharing their secrets with her, gave her the ability to sweet talk merchants into giving her lower rates on goods at the market. Sometimes, she would turn around and sell them at a higher price. Sometimes, she would use the materials to craft. The future presents many options: merchant, tailor, information broker, good luck charm, bad omen... Time will tell which path she will follow. + |
| Malavaunt Nihilith + | No one seems to know exactly how long Malavaunt has been one of the more talented tanners of the Lower Boroughs, but everyone agrees he's a bit of an odd duck. He's been known to disappear for long stretches of time, and reappear without a word of explanation. Some whisper he must have underworld connections, because he's never seemed to have any trouble at all with the various crime families of the Lower Boroughs, and there's always a story or two about people who have had casual contact with him disappearing. The leatherworker keeps to himself, though, and rarely shares stories with acquaintances... and when he does, they tend to be strange enough where most people don't care to associate with him for very long. + |
| Malcolm Shepherd + | Malcolm is reasonably sure that his father was incapable of forming a sentence that didn't contain 'honor', 'duty', or 'responsibility'. Bentley Shepherd was exhausting that way. Getting up in the morning would be greeted with, 'it's about time you've risen, now to see to your duties' or 'our family's honor depends on how well we see to our responsibilities'. If ever there was a man that was born trying to hard to redeem his family's line for shame from three hundred years ago during the Crownbreaker Wars, it was Malcolm's father. And it wasn't as if another sometimes spear carrying soldier in the duke's army and other times farmer really had much responsibilities! But there was no telling dear old dad that. He could be asking about the chickens and it would be, "if you live life honorably, everything will fall into place. Now collect the eggs." WHAT DID THAT EVEN MEAN? How does that even follow? This, dad, is why mother left you to become a pirate. So it came as no surprise to anyone that knew Malcolm, or talked to his father for more than three minutes, that Malcolm and his sister Bonnie left home immediately at eighteen to make their fortune in the wide 'and oft dishonorable' world, away from a parent who seemed to have taken a secret vow to never have a trace of humor or fun in his life. Malcolm immediately fell into sellswording for a living, and Bonnie became a 'naval acquisitions specialist' in the pattern of dear old mom, who apparently had made quite a name for herself at Port Defiance and around the Saffron Chain. Malcolm, unfortunately, discovered that for some reason it seemed like he just had the kind of face that screams to people, 'I have a problem. That fellow right there seems just the person to help me out with my personal tragedy, curse, adventure, expedition, or otherwise life threatening sojourn'. He has no idea why it happens. You don't just go up to a random person on the street and tell them how you need help because Little Timmy wandered into a Shardhaven or some shavs kidnapped your dog! But it led him to forming an adventuring company named the Valiant Effort with Bonnie and some friends, to at least make official the reason they would be wandering into extraordinarily regrettable situations. Life was just approaching something close to relaxing if regularly life threatening when he received word that his father, the seemingly now knighted Sir Bentley Shepherd, had died. Very sad, exasperating old man or no. And that he had died saving Duke Gregor 'the Butcher of Graypeak' Shepherd, and had been serving for years as the House Sword. And that Duke Gregor, now succumbing to his own wounds, had made a deathbed decree re-ennobling Sir Bentley Shepherd 'to erase the stain of honor on that distant branch of House Shepherd', and effectively making Malcolm his heir, which for some mind boggling reasons his 9th cousins are actually okay with, despite Malcolm repeatedly offering it up. The letter written by his father that Malcolm received posthumously with this news read, "It is your duty to see to the restoration of the house honor, and live up to all of your responsibilities." Oh no. It was the trifecta. + |
| Malena Black + | Malena Black is an onion with many layers underneath. On the surface, a sweet girl from farming family in Velenosa. On the inside, a maelstrom of emotions that rarely leak to the surface. She was born to Tanto and Teena Black, the youngest of the twins. Her brother, Merek, was born first and from almost birth, she would serve as his shadow. Where he went, she would follow. All her best adventures were from following her brother into trouble. Malena is the more careful of the two. She likes to observe the situation before diving in. While both of them were scholars, she would always carefully pick her way through life while her brother's idealistic bent caused him to dive in. As they grew older, he leaned more towards metalwork while she had an adept hand at potions and healing. Her room was surrounded by flora, because her green thumb made it easy for her to grow the plants she needed in her work. Her parents thought she might stay and became a farmer's wife, because of her green thumb, but it was not meant to be. She instead took the route of apothecary, a trade. She took an apprenticeship when she reached majority, and left her brother's shadow to find her own way. For the next several years, she studied medicine, alchemy and horticulture. When she finally reached the skill high enough to leave her mentor, she sought rumors out on her brother's whereabouts, taking a few odd jobs to make her way back to finally Arx where he is settled. Her hope is once they are reunited, they can have shops next to each other and raise their families in the same city. She does not want to step back into the shadows like before, but the comfort of having her other half near is something she craves deeply. + |
| Malesh Stonewood + | Malesh is the first born son of the past Marquis Reginalde Stonewood and the formerly Lady Carmen Whisperwind. Reginalde was a warrior while Carmen was an entrepreneur and adored the economics. At a young age he develeoped an interest in economics, his mother beginning his lessons. Sadly when Malesh was only 11 years old, she passed away from a her illness he only buried himself more within studies. At then age of thirteen, he started to travel to Arx and immerse himself in various studies as well as learning more about the trade. Going back home to Stoneheart frequently to catch up with his father, siblings and cousins. As he grew older he began to also study on how to be more diplomatic. His efforts paid off as he helped those within Stoneheart thrive with the decisions he made. Malesh has now been the Marquis for 3 years since his father passed away from a heart attack. + |
| Malik Whisper + | Born the third son of a wealthy silk merchant in the Dune Kingdoms of Eurusi, Malik was born among a caste that allowed for a life of relative luxury and ease. Growing up in the water kingdom of Petrioch, he was acutely aware early in life that inheritence of the family business was likely not in his future. It was likely why he first took up the brush, though natural talent aided turning hobby into a profession. His canvases were always the unusual sort - first, upon the silks that his father sold at market, which earned him the attention of Eurusi nobility. This helped catapult him into court, where he took his brush upon the skin of the dancers at the King's palace, creating scenery which was often just as captivating as the dances themselves. After a few years of entertaining those in Petrioch's palace, Malik left Petrioch in the company of another palace worker and was said to have disappeared completely. Then again, who cares about the fate of two simple commoners? It was only recently that Malik has returned - not in the Dune Kingdoms, no, but in Arx proper, settling into the Whisper House. It was said he became a Whisper in Setarco and arrived in Arx thereafter, though these are the sorts of stories which are often ambiguous in nature. His brand of art often trades between brush and needle, regularly offering designs ranging from simple to sophisticated upon skin in the form of temporary or permanent tattooing, though his art will often find its way upon other forms of canvases as well. + |
| Malika Disowned + | Malika was born to a long-lived and a fierce line of Ischia corsairs. Her father, Abin Faruq, was Sword of Ischia, a position now held by her older brother Faruq. Her mother, Amadallah, was a shipwright and responsible for building many of the vessels that now serve her family. Although the family is not originally related by blood to the main branch of the Seracenis, Faruqs ancestors were raised to nobility many generations ago for their loyal service. This is something their branch of the family has been very proud of in their heritage. Where her brother Faruq followed in their fathers footsteps as Sword, Malika was born for the sea. She took to sailing in her mothers designs and fell in love with the power and freedom of wood and plank upon the vast endless depths. Malika is very close with her brother. She loves him dearly and respects his sword ability but harasses him for not being the sailor that she is. Faruq is the most important person in her life and she constantly and good naturedly takes his chastisement for the risks she takes in her life. Her love for her younger brother Nadir is more subdued; he is a man of words while she is a man of action, and their different personalities mean that there is a larger gap to overcome in their familial affection. Malika is respectful of the Pantheon, but her ferocity at sea has given her a reputation to the contrary. She just views fighting and death in less abstract terms and lingers in the more visceral aspects of her work. She desires to be famed as a Corsair and aspires to command fleets one day. She was at the Marquis right hand during Pravus subduing of House Argento, and proved herself admirably. Even today, she continues to volunteer for the most dangerous missions. This is not borne of a desire to prove herself, but rather as a statement of her self-confidence in her abilities, which are justifiably high. + |
| Malika Seraceni + | Malika was born to a long-lived and a fierce line of Ischia corsairs. Her father, Abin Faruq, was Sword of Ischia, a position now held by her older brother Faruq. Her mother, Amadallah, was a shipwright and responsible for building many of the vessels that now serve her family. Although the family is not originally related by blood to the main branch of the Seracenis, Faruqs ancestors were raised to nobility many generations ago for their loyal service. This is something their branch of the family has been very proud of in their heritage. Where her brother Faruq followed in their fathers footsteps as Sword, Malika was born for the sea. She took to sailing in her mothers designs and fell in love with the power and freedom of wood and plank upon the vast endless depths. Malika is very close with her brother. She loves him dearly and respects his sword ability but harasses him for not being the sailor that she is. Faruq is the most important person in her life and she constantly and good naturedly takes his chastisement for the risks she takes in her life. Her love for her younger brother Nadir is more subdued; he is a man of words while she is a man of action, and their different personalities mean that there is a larger gap to overcome in their familial affection. Malika is respectful of the Pantheon, but her ferocity at sea has given her a reputation to the contrary. She just views fighting and death in less abstract terms and lingers in the more visceral aspects of her work. She desires to be famed as a Corsair and aspires to command fleets one day. She was at the Marquis right hand during Pravus subduing of House Argento, and proved herself admirably. Even today, she continues to volunteer for the most dangerous missions. This is not borne of a desire to prove herself, but rather as a statement of her self-confidence in her abilities, which are justifiably high. + |
| Mallory Davos + | Born to a smaller household just outside Caithe, Mallory had always longed for adventure. Early tales of reavers and pirates, privateers and derring-do on the high seas had sparked her young imagination to take flight. Sadly, as with most children, her dreams of sailing and adventuring were crushed when her parents informed her that she would be schooled to learn a 'proper' trade. With little choice between being castt out or falling in line, Mallory began her path of education. She would sneak away every chance she got, heading to the beaches to fantasize and play pretend. The young scamp even blackmailed one of the household's young men into teaching her how to fight! But there was little doubt, after years of training, that her dreams were just that. So it was that Mallory Davos began her career as a steward. Her quick mind and keen wit were well-suited to the job, she was efficient and honest in her work. But always she longed for excitement in her life beyond figures tirelessly scratched into a ledger or settling disputes between tenants. Her days were filled with tallies and taxes, running the household.. and daydreaming. She still kept those dreams of grand adventure in the back of her mind to be called up on a whim. All was fine and perfectly /boring/, until the day the pirates attacked. They raided the small household and its tennants, looting and plundering anything not nailed down. While the ladies of the house cowered in a closet, Mallory crept about in hopes of catching a closer glimpse of the pirates that had lived in her dreams for so long. The reality was a shock, of course, and as she was caught and listening to them debate what was to be done with her... Mallory offered them a deal borne of desperation. To her complete shock and surprise, they accepted it, and she was taken back to the ship with the rest of the booty and dumped at the captain's feet. She worked her way up on that ship, from cabin boy to deckhand to navigator to bos'un to first mate. After a time, she fell in with the captain as well, absorbing everything he would teach or tell her like a sponge. When the captain died in a raid a few years later, Mallory was elected the new captain by the crew. Having kept her eyes and ear open through the last few months, the newly minted Cap'n Davos declared they would be legalizing their endeavors and she sailed that ship right into the harbor at Arx and set up a meeting with Salazar Argento. She and her crew of ne'er-do-wells have been sailing under his flag ever since, and now that he's returned to Arx under his House banner, she's answering the call to duty. + |
| Manox None to speak of, at the moment. + | Manox's parents surrendered him for adoption by their neighbor, the apothecary who had promised to save them, leaving him as proof of a promise broken and obliging him to do better. In time, the illness which struck Manox's parents was cured, treated at great expense, and the man who did it had the decency to name the treatment not after himself, but them, the victims who made the most impact in his life. The next ten years were spent on the move, following other similar illness outbreaks, with Manox learning both the ways of the world as well as medicine. In time, he overcame his teacher's knowledge, arriving at a grand college with open eyes and an eager mind. Upon graduation, he entered the markets as a traveling apothecary, saving up to afford himself a shop to call his own. Some of the journey, he'll not speak of easily; rumors persist he was a camp follower, maybe more, of some army or another, and bad things happened. In any case, while he's silent about some of his life, he's verbal about his future. Sometimes, he took on students - meeting them, it may be refreshing. + |
| Manuela Siqueiros + | Manuela is the eldest child of Amadeo and Bonita Siqueiros. Stubborn, brave, and strong-willed like her father Manuela shared little else in common with him. Instead she was closest to her mother and later her brother Enzo as well. A pure pacifist Manuela favors discussion over combat to settle disputes, and to no surprise once she was old enough she was taken in by a friend of the family to learn the basics of the healer arts. Within five years she managed to progress far enough that she moved on to study with properly trained healers in Arx, learning the deeper mysteries and secrets of healing. Manuela excelled in her studies once more, as though she was chosen from birth to be a healer. Once finished with her studies she decided to remain in Arx to practice her arts there, where she felt she could do the most good. She has shared a home with her sister Coleta since the latter came to Arx to study the faith and later the ways of the Scholars of Vellichor. The sisters still share a residence even today and get along well enough for a healer and a philosopher. Manuela dedicates her time to taking care of others, treating their wounds or illnesses, and the like. As such she is a frequent sight throughout the city, from the Burrows to the marketplaces, to even the occasional noble estate to treat local house guards or knights. + |
| Mara Striga + | Mara was born as the sole heir to the dying bloodline of House Striga of Anaga, a famed but insular family of Ischian merchants. Although Lord Malthus Striga and his wife Salisa Argento had attempted many times before, Mara was the sole child to survive her first few months, and that made the girl her parents' whole life. Treated like a treasure, she was given anything silver could buy, but freedom, her parents overzealous nature quickly stifling the young, curious woman. Eager, but gentle, Mara did not challenge her parents, always making sure to pester any visitors with a thousand questions and one about the world outside. Years would pass and Mara would lose her mother during House Argento's attempts to overthrow the Pravus family. Salisa, loyal to her family, had allowed herself to get involved with the faraway conflict, which ended up claiming her life in distant shores. Lord Malthus was devastated, growing more bitter towards outsiders than before, and even more protective of his child. The Pravosi wouldn't take long before visiting Anaga themselves. It would be revealed to Mara her father and mother were part of a conspiracy to destroy the ruling House of Setarco, but instead of watching more conflicts unfold, the young woman convinced him to reach a truce with the Pravus, even if the terms of it did shock her. Lord Striga had the Pravus swear they would take Mara as their ward and protege, something Lady Valentina Pravus, being an Argento like Mara's mother, was ready to accept. In return, Lord Malthus would cease any plans and financial aid to the Argento conspiracy. In her last days in Anaga, Mara watched it be taken over by strange, hooded men as she fled in a skiff by orders of her father. Now, in a new home, Mara has to pick up the pieces of her life as she finds herself, finally, free to live her own life. The moment is bittersweet, but Mara can feel a hunger inside of her. She won't allow anyone to stand in her way. Not anymore. + |
| Marcas Aodh + | Marcas has been a survivor all of his life, growing up in the frontier of the North. Fighting and doing what is necessary to survive is second nature to him by now. At the age of 14, he tired of the village life on the frontier, and decided to become a soldier, traveling with a band of warriors from village to village as the lords needed. When he was 16, while stationed in one of those far flung villages, a lovely young woman caught his eye. Six months later they were married. Five months after that and he was a father. Northerners sometimes don't have time to do things in the 'proper' order. Marcas settled down with his new family, still venturing out as needed, but returning home to his wife and child. Finally having found contentment in life, he was a satisfied man. Unfortunately, it did not last long. When he was 20, shavs raided the village and his family died in the fighting. What followed was a five year haunted quest for revenge. He renewed his efforts as a soldier, signing up for every mission he could to slay more shavs. What they did to him, he returned ten-fold, earning himself a reputation as a ferocious, crazed warrior who had no mercy. Five years, though, is a long time and eventually he calmed and came to terms with the trauma in his life. Deciding to move on, he has ventured to Arx to serve as a soldier for the Redrain family. + |
| Marcos Saik + | %TMarcus was the sort of boy that could be found more often in the fields with the animals and crops then learning the needful things a nobles son might be required to learn. Something that was of little concern at the time being from the 'off' side of the family. And there was always plenty of work to be done. %TWhen duty fell apon Marcus's family after the Tor-Southport war it seemed a heavy burden. Still his father raised no dogers of duty in his household and Marcus set about doing as he must to befit this sudden new station he found himself in. %TSent off to learn the ways of war, the gentle hearted young man found himself to be a disapointment to warriors and of great boon to the healers. Offered the role of medic he eagarly chose that role instead, starting to add to his decent store of knowledge about plants and animals as well as friendly brawls with his fellow soldiers. Eventually earning himself a name as a great fighter with his fists and feet. + |
| Maren Lir + | Born in Maelstrom to Prince Drake Thrax, Maren Thrax was the youngest of the five children and the only girl; by virtue of those things she did not feature prominently in the public eye during childhood. The shadows of her brothers were tall, especially her eldest brother Donrai, but she still found ways to thrive amongst them. The household and the family were by no means indulgent, but even predatory sea serpents are sometimes moved by beauty and wit, and it was clear that she would grow into a formidable amount of both. Her parents perished when she was quite young, though the new High Lord was very dutiful in seeing to her education. Perhaps it was hoped she would join other Thraxian notables in a sharp legal and logical mind; but it was something warmer that stirred her even in Maelstrom's environment of stoic and imposing chill. She took to almost any instrument that was placed in her hands with startling ease, even some of the gruffest and most standoffish lords and ladies seemed to at least tolerate and even enjoy her presence. When she was sixteen, she was sent to Arx to serve as a lady in waiting in the royal court, as well as to train in the art of being a courtier from Whisper House. She blossomed there, forming close friendships with many of the other young ladies from Houses throughout the Compact in similar service, and seeking out further training in dance and music. By the time she was in her late teens, she was considered to be one of the beauties of her generation, particularly talented in the arts, enjoying the social whirl of Arx in full. But she was ever mindful of her place and her duty, and when she was twenty she obediently returned to Maelstrom at Donrai's request, enjoying getting reacquainted with the brothers that she'd corresponded regularly with but had seldom seen more than a couple of times a year during her time in Arx, and knowing that within a year she was likely to be introduced to whatever match Donrai decided would serve the interests of House Thrax the best. She continued in her studies of the arts, setting many sailors' and area folklore to music, capturing oral tales into written word and illustration, and even devising performances based on them, though they were often given to others to perform. As a birthday present, Donrai granted her permission to travel to House Blackshore's holdings and the great library there to gather more fodder for her works, though once she returned she was to meet her match. Her travel there was uneventful, and she set off for home by all accounts with many writings and sketches that surely would have fueled her artistic endeavors for many years. But she never returned. A terrible storm kicked up, and the ship she was on as well as one escort was lost, the remaining escort arriving badly battered in Darkwater Watch. After weeks of searching, there was a small amount of wreckage located--and months later more things started to wash up on shore. She was presumed lost at sea. In truth, she almost was. She was one of a very few survivors of the wreck that drifted for weeks; starving, thirsty, sunburnt, eventually all but her succumbing painfully slowly to exposure or their injuries. She was likely only days away from death herself, when a passing foreign ship came across her, one of the high ranking military officers aboard persuaded by his second to overrule the captain and insisting that they examine the strange wreckage. The second, Zixin Lir, was in the smaller boat that approached and drew her from the wreckage, and took her aboard before they continued their journey home. Her life was saved by the healer aboard the ship, but it took many weeks for her to recover, and she stayed with the local magistrate until they could figure out what to do with this foreigner plucked from the sea, as well as find someone who spoke Arvani. There was one constant, however; Zixin visited frequently, helped her learn the language while she taught him hers. Months after her arrival he brought her to a teahouse with musicians--she delighted them by being able to play some of the ones similar to ones she was familiar with, and singing without musical accompaniment some tales from home. After that each time they met, there was yet another new unfolding of art. He would recite poetry to her, for the beauty of the rhythm and sounds for her to enjoy long before she could understand it fully; take her to new places in the area and keep her company as she painted. They were drawn to one another, but their friendship was one that slowly unfolded, growing deeper roots before they allowed other things to blossom. For seven years, even as she built a life in this new place, she ever gave up on trying to find a way back home. Her acclaim as a performer and artist opened doors to talk to influential people, but seldom was she given a clear answer on if it was possible. Finally a visiting Imperial official told her in no uncertain terms that there would be no return, she kept her head high and hid her devastated heart. Weijin wasn't home. Instead, Zixin asked her to consider making a home with him. Nearly ten years after she was first plucked from the sea, she did just that, choosing to set aside her hopes to remain as she once was, a princess of Thrax, to marry for love and hope, and by tradition yield that title to do so. And then she moved forward and onward, using all the gifts of her upbringing, and the resolve and determination she'd only honed in Weijin to truly build a life with him. They welcomed their daughter Zyanya a few years after, when she at last closed the chapter on thinking she would ever see Arvum again. Over the next thirty years their household grew with many students (both hers and his), friendships, grand successes and failures, more happiness than heartache. Watching and guiding their daughter to blossom into a respected artist in her own right, whispering tales of the family and lands that her mother had traveled from, with Maren incorporating as much tradition and teachings as she could into Zyanya's life. The events of the wider world did not really reach her, especially in their quiet area of Weijin. Though the pace of Maren and Zixin's life slowed, she didn't even realize it was the beginning of his twilight years until her beloved warrior-poet died in her arms after a very brief illness. Devastated, she once again summoned her strength to be strong for her daughter now too. It was after his death that she discovered that Zixin hadn't forgotten her love of the Mourning Isles and those she'd left behind, and intended to honor the Arvani heritage of his child as well. Decades of dedicated and decorated service to Weijin and Jadairal had given him some influence on the layers of bureaucracy of the empire, and unbeknownst to her he'd been pushing on that quite heavily behind the scenes, to grant his family a favor upon his passing. He knew that she wouldn't leave his side, and that he was unlikely to be able to leave Jadairal. His final gift to her, after his passing, was a chance for an audience that might allow her to see Arvani shores again. Once more, the current in her life shifted, this time drawing her back to the home she never thought she would see again, bringing with her her greatest treasure and brightest hope, to give her daughter a chance to experience her heritage in full. + |
| Marena Inverno + | The story of Marena and Moros begins with the wild romance of their parents, the tale that inspire the Ballad of Hearts and Swords. Bitter enemies for years, Adela Pravus and Auster Inverno would meet again when the Sin sailed to Caina demanding a match to end their rivalry once and for all. The Black Tooth aquiesced to a duel, if the challenger could defeat his disciples. The Setarcan dispatched the Shark's apprentices with swift violence. Auster, however, would prove himself to be far more skilled and would come out victorious. As Adela, bloodied but not beaten, glared at the breathless Inverno, their fires changed and mingled, and a month later they would be wed. From this union Marena and Moros were born, and the legend of the Twin Fins of Caina would begin. From the onset Marena and Moros were designed for war, the combined Inverno and Pravus heritage and upbringing under the Black Tooth having sealed their fates. Each twin did pursue their own hobbies, with Marena leaning towards strategy, dancing and swimming, drawn to the finer things she could pursue in solitude, ever the introspective one. Each sunrise started the same, however, with the two training under Auster. A harsh father, and demanding tutor, Auster believed one of them would inherit his Gift of Endings, while the other would disappoint him. Only one would bear the title of Black Tooth of Caina, and for that he would make Marena and Moros not just rivals: they would be enemies, and would bear their scars to prove it. Caina knew of the dispute well, and many felt for the young children of Auster Inverno. The city would grow used to the heated arguments between the Black Tooth and his Setarcan wife over the subject. A year to go before their final test and the writing was on the wall: Lady Marena was all but sure to be the heiress to her father's title. She had mastered the Inverno posture of fencing while Lord Moros had fallen behind. To the experienced warriors of the Inverno it was the the studious Marena who swam alone in the deepest waters. As Lord Auster fomented further strife, it was during their birthday celebration that the two fought at the Throatcut Docks. The argument was heated and soon devolved into a fistfight, a quagmire of bottled emotions bursting free, old wounds bared for the city to see. By the end the commonfolk watched in pity as the ever-serene Marena gave an indignant screech of defeat, Moros standing over his sister bloodied and looking anything but victorious. Adela would divorce from Auster and take the broken Marena to Setarco to heal while Moros stayed behind as the new Black Tooth. Rumor has it that Marena has stayed in Setarco City ever since, not to be seen again until very recently, lecturing in the war academy of Setarco, the School of Silk and Steel. Seemingly rejuvenated, she sets herself to Arx to serve her family as its Minister of War in the conquests to come, a year after her father has left Caina and vanished in the world, leaving the Twin Fins to deal with his complex, and sinister, legacy. + |
| Marena Pravus + | The story of Marena and Moros begins with the wild romance of their parents, the tale that inspire the Ballad of Hearts and Swords. Bitter enemies for years, Adela Pravus and Auster Inverno would meet again when the Sin sailed to Caina demanding a match to end their rivalry once and for all. The Black Tooth aquiesced to a duel, if the challenger could defeat his disciples. The Setarcan dispatched the Shark's apprentices with swift violence. Auster, however, would prove himself to be far more skilled and would come out victorious. As Adela, bloodied but not beaten, glared at the breathless Inverno, their fires changed and mingled, and a month later they would be wed. From this union Marena and Moros were born, and the legend of the Twin Fins of Caina would begin. From the onset Marena and Moros were designed for war, the combined Inverno and Pravus heritage and upbringing under the Black Tooth having sealed their fates. Each twin did pursue their own hobbies, with Marena leaning towards strategy, dancing and swimming, drawn to the finer things she could pursue in solitude, ever the introspective one. Each sunrise started the same, however, with the two training under Auster. A harsh father, and demanding tutor, Auster believed one of them would inherit his Gift of Endings, while the other would disappoint him. Only one would bear the title of Black Tooth of Caina, and for that he would make Marena and Moros not just rivals: they would be enemies, and would bear their scars to prove it. Caina knew of the dispute well, and many felt for the young children of Auster Inverno. The city would grow used to the heated arguments between the Black Tooth and his Setarcan wife over the subject. A year to go before their final test and the writing was on the wall: Lady Marena was all but sure to be the heiress to her father's title. She had mastered the Inverno posture of fencing while Lord Moros had fallen behind. To the experienced warriors of the Inverno it was the the studious Marena who swam alone in the deepest waters. As Lord Auster fomented further strife, it was during their birthday celebration that the two fought at the Throatcut Docks. The argument was heated and soon devolved into a fistfight, a quagmire of bottled emotions bursting free, old wounds bared for the city to see. By the end the commonfolk watched in pity as the ever-serene Marena gave an indignant screech of defeat, Moros standing over his sister bloodied and looking anything but victorious. Adela would divorce from Auster and take the broken Marena to Setarco to heal while Moros stayed behind as the new Black Tooth. Rumor has it that Marena has stayed in Setarco City ever since, not to be seen again until very recently, lecturing in the war academy of Setarco, the School of Silk and Steel. Seemingly rejuvenated, she sets herself to Arx to serve her family as its Minister of War in the conquests to come, a year after her father has left Caina and vanished in the world, leaving the Twin Fins to deal with his complex, and sinister, legacy. + |
| Margerie Clement + | Margerie Keaton was a free-spirited child. It was thought that she would be one of those Keatons that eschewed the safe walls of Keaton Keep and lived in the wilds with their hounds and a few boon companions seeing to the land and keeping order and peace amongst the villages. But that level of roughing it never appealed to Margerie either. It was freedom she sought, independance with the benefits of wealth and a noble name. As a second daughter, she was nearly guarenteed an at least comfortable existance, and in truth, she was alright with that. Then her elder sister Nadine fell in love with the wrong man. A horrible, lying and deceitful man. Before being engaged, Nadine threw caution to the wind and became pregnant. The details of what happened between Nadine and her lover aren't common knowledge, and even Margerie has been left to guess. Nadine's son was supposedly born stillborn and her sister, growing ever more despondant and depressed, took a knife to her own throat and died. Margerie's days of liesure were over. She spent the next twenty years as Countess of Oakhaven. She was married off, had a daughter, the days a seemingly endless parade of reports, requests, demands, delegations... it was *awful*. When news came to her that Nadine's child was still alive she was overjoyed. Bringing hm to the Keep and seeing him trained to take his rightful place was an immense relief. Knowing that there may be some whispers and doubts regarding his legitimacy and knowing that the best way to ensure his line -- their line -- continued would be to get his a noble heir of his own. Margerie cast a net and found an extremely distant and mostly forgotten branch of the Wyrmguard family looking to regain significance through marrying off their last daughter. They were difficult negotiations, but it ensured a happy future for all. Right? The marriage carried out, Margerie was getting ready to settle into a life of liesure when her husband Harlow passed away. The memories are too sharp and she's decided to follow her nephew Kael to Arx, letting her younger brother Eaton to watch after the family home. + |
| Margerie Keaton + | Margerie Keaton was a free-spirited child. It was thought that she would be one of those Keatons that eschewed the safe walls of Keaton Keep and lived in the wilds with their hounds and a few boon companions seeing to the land and keeping order and peace amongst the villages. But that level of roughing it never appealed to Margerie either. It was freedom she sought, independance with the benefits of wealth and a noble name. As a second daughter, she was nearly guarenteed an at least comfortable existance, and in truth, she was alright with that. Then her elder sister Nadine fell in love with the wrong man. A horrible, lying and deceitful man. Before being engaged, Nadine threw caution to the wind and became pregnant. The details of what happened between Nadine and her lover aren't common knowledge, and even Margerie has been left to guess. Nadine's son was supposedly born stillborn and her sister, growing ever more despondant and depressed, took a knife to her own throat and died. Margerie's days of liesure were over. She spent the next twenty years as Countess of Oakhaven. She was married off, had a daughter, the days a seemingly endless parade of reports, requests, demands, delegations... it was *awful*. When news came to her that Nadine's child was still alive she was overjoyed. Bringing hm to the Keep and seeing him trained to take his rightful place was an immense relief. Knowing that there may be some whispers and doubts regarding his legitimacy and knowing that the best way to ensure his line -- their line -- continued would be to get his a noble heir of his own. Margerie cast a net and found an extremely distant and mostly forgotten branch of the Wyrmguard family looking to regain significance through marrying off their last daughter. They were difficult negotiations, but it ensured a happy future for all. Right? The marriage carried out, Margerie was getting ready to settle into a life of liesure when her husband Harlow passed away. The memories are too sharp and she's decided to follow her nephew Kael to Arx, letting her younger brother Eaton to watch after the family home. + |
| Margot Tyde + | Some nobles are raised to meet the expectations of their house out of pride or obligation, striving to be the perfect scion cast in the mold of their ancestors. Lady Margot Tyde, on the other hand, was raised believing that her life literally depended upon how well she could hold up to the Thraxian ideal for a noblewoman. Her father, Duke Titus Tyde, was the second most powerful noble inside the Mourning Isles and rebelled against his liege, Prince Donrai Thrax. As little more than a child, she remembers the utter destruction of her house as House Thrax crushed her family, putting everyone she knew and loved to the sword... save her. As her family's holdings passed to the control of House Thrax, and its vassals all bent the knee, no explanation was ever offered for why her life was spared. It was made privately clear that she would be raised as a ward of House Thrax and her continued status as both a noble and non-corpse was largely dependent upon her behavior. But Lady Margot Tyde is certainly a survivor. To survive, she relentless pursued Thrax's ideal for noblewomen. A true lady of Thrax is the charming diplomat, the convincing apologist for Thraxian excesses that wins concessions where brutish threats fail. A true lady of Thrax skillfully supports the lords and sways others to the cause, but demurs from wielding political power in her own hand. A true lady of Thrax disarms foes with clever games of charm, needing no other weapons. A true lady of Thrax should be ambitious for the success of her house, with a carefully cultivated fire, even as she defers the prizes to men. All this was expected of her, and Lady Margot became what she needed to be, never giving a single dangerous hint of the sort of desire for revenge that would have doomed her while living among the men that killed her family. She would do anything to survive. Anything to succeed. + |
| Margret Greenmarch + | Lady Margret Greenmarch was born to Alda and Malcolm Greenmarch, younger sister to Cullen and elder sister of Ianna. Her grandmother, Myrna Greenmarch, used to dote on the little hellion, for hellion she was. Until she turned ten. On the day after her tenth birthday, Margret's entire life was altered. A tree-climbing accident left the Greenmarch Lady with a permanent limp and a scar up the side of her neck that, by the blessing of the Spirits alone, didn't kill her. The accident saw Margret confined to the halls of Greenhaven, to learn to be useful indoors instead of out, and she turned to healing. Instead of allowing bitterness to swell inside of her for her misfortune, Margret emerged from her situation with a blissful determination. She became a skilled healer, a champion of all life, and diplomat of surpassing grace. It was no easy road for the Lady. Remaining a pacifist amongst Abandoned is not a simple feat, not even when Greenmarch bent the knee to the Compact and become somewhat more civilized. There was torment, there was pleading, urging, and even threats. But Margret's conviction for pacifism has never wavered. The value of life is something she holds sacrosanct. As such, the Lady Margret has been called to Arx to function as Minister of Relations for Greenmarch, and Resident Healer. + |
| Marian Redrain + | Marian was a member of the Green March Abandoned, a chieftan's daughter with several raids and duels under her belt (literally! She liked to hang trophies from her belt) when peace was brokered between their tribe and the Valardin of Sanctum. Of course, that's not the whole story. In truth, Valen, son of Radley and Prince of Valardin, was part of a hunting expedition that was captured by the Green March. Marian's father was determined to murder off the party and ransom the young prince back to his family. Fate had other plans. Marian found she admired the young man's bravery in the face of his captivity. He argued passionately for the lives of his men, and stated he could make sure the Green March, so close to Sanctum lands, could coexist in peace if he were released and allowed to make the case to the High Lord. Marian's father scoffed at this, but in secret, with his advisers and his daughter, he couldn't help but consider it. Other tribes of Abandoned had been growing withdrawn and strangely quarrelsome, and an offer of peace and inclusion couldn't be dismissed outright. + |
| Marian Valardin + | Marian was a member of the Green March Abandoned, a chieftan's daughter with several raids and duels under her belt (literally! She liked to hang trophies from her belt) when peace was brokered between their tribe and the Valardin of Sanctum. Of course, that's not the whole story. In truth, Valen, son of Radley and Prince of Valardin, was part of a hunting expedition that was captured by the Green March. Marian's father was determined to murder off the party and ransom the young prince back to his family. Fate had other plans. Marian found she admired the young man's bravery in the face of his captivity. He argued passionately for the lives of his men, and stated he could make sure the Green March, so close to Sanctum lands, could coexist in peace if he were released and allowed to make the case to the High Lord. Marian's father scoffed at this, but in secret, with his advisers and his daughter, he couldn't help but consider it. Other tribes of Abandoned had been growing withdrawn and strangely quarrelsome, and an offer of peace and inclusion couldn't be dismissed outright. Some of the knights with Prince Valen were less than thrilled with his proposed truce, and when the Chieftan brought them before him, a particularly gruff man insisted on fighting the tribe's champion for the freedom of his comrades. Amused, the chief looked towards his daughter. . .who nodded her agreement and drew her two swords, the Twin Fangs. The battle looked close, at first. The Valardin knight was much taller and stronger than Marian, and had been given his shield, but she fought like a dervish, dancing around him and flicking her short swords out to sting at any exposed flesh. It was clear that he was tiring faster than she, and the outcome seemed all but decided in Marian's favor, when the man she was fighting broke away and lunged for her father. In the resulting scuffle, Marian took a wound in the side, and was shocked to look up and find Prince Valen standing over her, protecting her from further harm as the tribe subdued the wayward Knight. When all was said and done, the knight was dead from a half dozen wounds, Marian was bleeding, and Valen had no objections to the fate of the attacker. He helped Marian to her feet, tenderly, and soothed her embarrassment by voicing aloud his own shock at the dishonorable conduct of his knight. His apology was so genuine, the Chieftan didn't even object when Marian came to him later and begged for the chance to see if the Prince really /could/ negotiate peace for their tribe. He knew, even if she didn't, that her heart had already been lost to the fair young heir. So it was that the Green March tribe became the Greenmarch family, vassals to House Valardin. For her part, Marian married Prince Valen in that forest, and though Radley was adamantly opposed at first, his son eventually won him over, too. They were happy together for several years before the fateful massacre at Sanctum. Having lost her husband, the former Sword of Valardin, she was given the title herself. Now she has come to Arx, partly because her former home reminds her too much of the love she lost, and partly because her still-keen instincts tell her a storm is coming, so she must be near to her Lord. She won't fail her family again. + |
| Marina Redleaf + | Marina was born into the Redleaf Barony with her twin sister Ember. Being in a Thrax Household Marina was treated like her father's property for the first portion of her life. She fought hard to make it clear to her family that she belonged to no one and fought both the social battle and the physical battles of proving herself. Eventually, she and Ember found themselves on their own ship, the two of them working well with one another to form a team well known for the work they perform. Within the last couple weeks their parents both murdered during a small revolt and the Barony passed along to Ember as a result of Max's declaration that woman can now succeed their parents. Marina and Ember have had to fight to keep the Barony in their control as women, their male family insistent that they can do a better job than any women. So far they have been successful, having the respect of the women and their men. They recently followed Darkwater in abolishing laws that pass thralldom down from parent to child. At the call of Count Max Darkwater, Marina has made her way to Arx with her sister and their men to join in the defense of Arx. + |
| Marina Redreef + | Marina and Ember Redreef were born identical twins, daughters to Baron Landis and Baroness Leticia Redreef. The customs of the Mourning Isles at the time held fast to traditional gender roles, and succession of the baronial title was a thing reserved for men. Baron Landis was a man concerned about his legacy, and so it was always in his plans to find husbands for his twin daughters and ensure the continuation of his bloodline. At the same time, his daughters were willful and stubborn in their desires to go beyond the traditional roles of Islander women. They were educated in social politics and administration, as befit noblewomen of the Mourning Isles, but they were also indulged in their desires for more active and adventurous pursuits, such as swordfighting and sailing. It was sailing that especially held Marina's fascination. More than once in her youth, she attempted to run away from home and join a sailing crew. Each time, she was returned to Redreef Shores' castle, the Crimson Keep, by sailors who recognized the Baron's daughter and sought to receive a reward for keeping her safe from her own bad ideas. As the twins grew older, their personalities diverged in how they reacted to their feelings of stiflement. Ember became more aggressive, while Marina grew ever more restless. When Baron Landis and Baroness Leticia died, they were without a son, and their daughters were without husbands. By legal right, the title of Baron passed to Landis's brother, Tiberius. By this point, Marina and Ember were old enough to rule. Tiberius was a spendthrift, and they felt that he would be Redreef Shores' ruin. So they decided that the legal right and the proper traditions could go to the Abyss. The sisters raised a rag-tag army loyal to them and sieged the Crimson Keep, starting a civil war over the right to inherit from their father. In the civil war, Ember stood tall as the claimant to the Baroness title, and Marina acted as her strong right hand. They worked as a team, dividing up duties based on their strengths: Ember led the land forces; Marina led on the waters, bonding easily with the sailors and sea dogs. Though second-in-command of the rebel army, Marina was the most important piece in keeping it together. She possessed social graces and empathy sorely lacked by her sister, and it was Marina who was able to keep their under-equipped, often starving armies convinced that the twins were not leading them on a futile march to death. In time, the law in the Isles changed, allowing women to inherit directly, and the civil war in Redreef was settled through a trial by combat. With Ember's claim to the title of Baroness solidified, Marina stayed by her side to help crush the initial waves of discontent. Since then, she has remained completely loyal to the rule of her sister, and has drifted in and out of the role of House Redreef's Voice. Marina quite honestly enjoys the relative freedom that is afforded to her by leaving the responsibility of ruling Redreef Shores to her twin. If she had to remain landlocked and bound by the duties of running a domain for too long, without the thrill of sailing uncharted waters or seeking some mythic treasure, she'd go mad. + |
| Maris Maw + | Maris was born in a small fishing hamlet within the Mourning Isles, a cold and destitute land known to bred strong men and women. He grew up knowing abject poverty (with the addition of being bullied for the abnormality of his eyes, a condition that afflicted most of his family), the eldest of five children. His father, an adventerous man, had abandoned fishing for a short stint as a sailor, before finally turning to the life of a sellsword. A young Maris followed a similar path, fishing as a boy to help his family stay fed, before trying his hand at sailing, accompaying several voyages before deciding to take up the sword as his father had years prior. His years as a teenager and young adult were spent on the warpath; always on the move, traveling the world, taking the highest paying contracts and never considering the danger, only glory. He went from band to band, carving out a name for himself through merit and action, never staying in one region of the world for too long, and never returning home. In the end, he was very different from the young boy that left his little fishing village looking for wealth and recognition. The scars across his flesh told that much. But the wild hunt was to continue, and this time would bring him to the grand city of Arx, reunited with his youngest brother Egon with shared goals of glory. Would the Champion's Guild be his future? Or perhaps he would chase after his childhood dream of being Knighted? Only time will tell. + |
| Marisol Valardin + | Marisol was born the second of a set of identical twin girls, the first being named Amaranta. She grew up inseparable from her sister though it became rather apparent even at a young age the Amaranta had a thirst for adventure that exceeded Marisol's own and even over the youngest's tentative nature. Amaranta was often in trouble and the focus of their mother's ire for being unladylike which contributed to the peace seeking nature of Marisol who more often than not was the bridge between the two. Amaranta was the bright inspiration for Marisol - pushing the youngest outside her comfort zone and making her far more open over time. When the two were twelve Amaranta was lost to one of her escapades. A spring flood caused a stream to swell over and in an attempt to be daring she fell in and was swept away. Marisol saw the waters sweep her sister away and soon engulf the young Princess. Her body was recovered further down and left Marisol withdrew for nearly half a year and at which time, though no one knows how, she came out of her retreat Marisol flourished in her own studies and grew to look up to her elder sister Zara who was keen of mind. Wanting to walk nearly the same road Marisol found her own path diverged slightly. That which was out of order was given order. Everything had a place and something out of it could easily be sorted back into the pattern. Her keen mind could go no further at the royal holdings in the Oathlands and the inquisitive young Princess was packed up and sent to learn more about the rest of the Compact in Arvum beside her elder sister. + |
| Marius Greenmarch + | The Greenmarch Abandoned were one of the most powerful tribes in the Greenwood north of Sanctum, managing to survive independently for the thousand years since the Reckoning. For a thousand years, they resisted House Valardin and its vassals, the large tribe of Abandoned holding the Greenmarch Glade against any attempts to subjugate them and living an independent life that refused to bend the knee. Marius was raised believing his sister, Marian, would succeed his father and be the one to lead the new generation of Greenmarchers in their long, hardfought independence, melting back into the deeps of the Greenwood whenever threatened by House Valardin. Marius was proud of the Greenmarch Abandoned's way of life, and he was content to act as a spokesman for the tribe, brokering truces with other groups of Abandoned to be certain that the Greenmarch could stay at peace. He never expected to rule, knowing that his older sister Marian would succeed their father, but was dedicated to keeping the Greenmarch safe and out of reach of their enemies in the Compact and outside of it. When a prince of House Valardin was captured, everything changed. Marian saved the prince and convinced their father to entertain the possibility of rejoining the Compact after a thousand proud years of independence, and to Marius' shock, his father and the tribe agreed. He supposed he should be happy, as it guaranteed the safety and security of his family, but that still meant bending the knee to his ancient enemies. Complicating the matter, his father made it clear that he would be securing this new alliance by a marriage to one of Valardin's vassals, much as his older sister did by marrying her Valardin prince. And once Marius married, his father would step down as the last chief of Greenmarch and allow his son be the first Marquis of House Greenmarch. Much of Marius' misgivings were snatched away when the first potential match was introduced, the Lady Simone Telmar. He was prepared to fight the match out of sheer frustration with seeing his people become mere vassals to their enemies, but he couldn't helped but be charmed by Simone's good humor, her effortless grace that showed no disdain at all for his way of life, and keen insight into the complexities of the newest noble House of the Compact. Years of acting as the diplomat for the Greenmarch made him recognize a kindred soul that understood people and how they interacted in a way he never did, and to Marius, he felt as if it was fate to meet the woman so quickly. He decided it would be a waste of time to meet any of the others, and agreed to marry. Now as the new Marquis Marius of House Greenmarch, he finds himself as the new lord of the newest house in the Compact, and a prodigal forced to deal with the Peers of the Realm as an equal. All his talents as a diplomat will be forced to be put to the test on a stage he never expected to find himself on, but to keep peace for House Greenmarch he would do anything... even smile at his onetime enemies while learning the games of Arxian politics. + |
| Mark + | As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx after spending extensive time in the Northlands. He professes that he's a tracker and a hunter, if pushed for details. It's an explanation that suits, as he's certainly dressed like a person who has spent significant time outdoors and his manners also befit someone that is possibly less skilled with people than others. + |
| Mark Crown + | As far as anyone knows, Mark is in Arx after spending extensive time in the Northlands. He professes that he's a tracker and a hunter, if pushed for details. It's an explanation that suits, as he's certainly dressed like a person who has spent significant time outdoors and his manners also befit someone that is possibly less skilled with people than others. + |
| Markos Leporidae + | Born the first son of a cadet branch of the Leporidae nobility, Markos always had a wild streak even as a child. Quick to get in trouble or to find himself in mischief, the young lord simply always had a penchant for finding himself beneath the disapproving gaze of his mother. But then again, the quiet chuckles and hair ruffles his father would give when his mother wasn't looking was hardly the disciplinary action to set him on the 'right' path. Markos never had much care for academics or the finer points of etiquette. He would much rather spend his time watching the Arakkoan feats of strength and athletic competitions, often at the expense of his studies. It is perhaps little wonder then, that as he grew older he naturally gravitated toward such things. Archery, methods for surviving the wilds, and studies of the various animals that inhabit Dawnsend would all come to the young lord as easily as if they were ingrained within his flesh and bones. In his late teens Markos would sneak out of the city for the first time, determined to find adventure since it wasn't obviously wasn't going to find him behind the city walls. He never did forget the rush of adrenaline as he crept past the city guard and out into the undergrowth surrounding the city... or the bruises he would have after a rather unfortunate misstep sent him tumbling and sliding down a steep hill to crash into a stony creek. He learned so much on that first trip, aided by the fact that he got lost in the jungle for four days and was forced to learn to survive amid predators and the other dangers that await around every corner in the untamed wilderness of Dawnsend. But that feeling that came to him, the feeling of belonging, is something that would light a fire beneath him, a fire that couldn't be quenched even beneath the lashing his father gave him when he would stumble back into Tremorus four days later, cut and bruised by alive with purpose. And thus has Markos spent the last several years of his life, ranging the wilds beneath the shadow of the mountain, seeking adventure and the promise of danger wherever it might be found. Working as a liaison between the noble family Leporidae and the various barbarian tribes found in the region, a guide through the wilds, and as an animal handler for the family, Markos has lived a happy life of his own making. It is this thirst for adventure that brings him after his family members to Arx, seeking what new wonders might be found within a suddenly much wider world. + |
| Markus Inverno + | Markus was born to the Inverno family and is one of several siblings. He was raised to be a proper member of Inverno, however, his inclination was more towards being a Knight and Mirrorguard. Though, he inclined a little more towards Mirrorguard. He spent much of his life training to be as skilled as he can. He stayed in Caina for the most part but decided to venture to Arx to further his skills. + |
| Marli Zaffria + | Darcy Zaffria fancied herself something of an explorer from a very young age. No one, then, was surprised when she began getting on ships at the age of eighteen and not returning for months at a time. A few werre surprised when that started being years at a time. Still, she'd send back packets through other traders. Usually a quick message to the family and a journal to be added to the Archives. What surprised everyone was the announcement that she'd gotten married. It was quite the scandal, to do all this without the family permission, with no signing off of prospects, without anyone even meeeting the husband! But with the journals and letters started coming chests of cloth or silver or spices. Enough to buy off the quiet scandal. So when one of the letters announced the birth of a baby girl, Marli, well.... Darcy was so far away, there was no need to talk about that. Like good skeletons, they were just kept in the closet. All of that becomes harder to ignore when into Arx sweeps a woman claiming to be Darcy's daughter and bearing her signet ring, a chest of silver, and some journals to prove it. This may put some strain on things, but Marli does have Darcy's nose, and her habit of not saying where she's been other than 'on an island.' + |
| Martin Risby + | Martin was born unto a commoner family of Arx many, many years ago. He spent his youth in the capital, but eventually left it to journey westward as a disciple of Gild alongside the Knights of Solace. His travels took him all over Arvum, with White Journals aplenty detailing those adventures, without need to recount them here. When he at long last returned to Arx, Martin was almost forty years old. He could claim, without exaggeration, to have walked the length and breadth of the Compact; to have dined in Lycene flair with only one minor case of poisoning, attended religious festivals of the Oathlands, actually watch a northman wrestle a bear, sail aboard a Thraxian vessel and not get thrown to the sharks, and...Well, he is sure there was something to be said of the Crownlands, he just cannot seem to remember exactly what it was, but he assumes they were great. Some years later he watched the first sparks of the Tor-Southport war touch tinder, then there came the Tyde rebellion. On its heels was the loss of King Alaric III and Martin thought, surely, those were the most troubled days of their lives and he could hardly believe he had lived to witness it all. Nothing could prepare him for what was to follow: Queen Genevieve's death, the Tragedy at Sanctum, and the King's Rest. The Silent War. Martin was hardly the only one to ask himself if they had truly reached the End Times, yet as the Compact, by the grace of the Gods, pulled through that most harrowing of nightmares, Martin thought that he could breathe a sigh of relief. How wrong he was. + |
| Martinique Barlinnie + | Martinique was born in Greenwither, a rural March in Valardin under Laurent. Her family were relatively prosperous for all it was a backwater area, and their very local influence meant they were able to get Martinique some fighting training, and ultimately purchase her an officer's commission. She was always a rowdy child and the soldiering life suited her; she rose in the ranks swiftly with a reputation for either bravery or brutality depending on who you asked. Her style often clashed with the honorable and chivalrous values of Valardin, though her talent was still enough to bring her to a general's gazette. Of course, with great power, comes great visibility. An unstable captain can be ignored until pointed at the enemy. A general who orders the abuse of prisoners cannot. Martinique's fall was even more rapid than her rise, and she was cast out of the army she had served. She had enough stored loot and amassed wages to strike out for herself, peeling off a few like-minded recruits, and formed a small mercenary group. The Mourning Isles were sounding good around then, and so she also grabbed some sailors and a few lessons in tying knots. Most lately, Martinique's Marauders over overtaken a small island in Redreef domain, name of Amberjil. This has angered the local shavs, the Horderacht, and so she has sworn to the house of Redreef as a direct retainer. She might miss her freedom to roam but the rum is good. Martinique served in war. Now she serves in peace, less than peaceably. She answers no further questions. + |
| Martino Malvici + | Raised closely to Eirene, Martino was one of the boys that stood out early for his competence for the blade and use rather than sheer skill with the art. His father had intended for him to become an officer and leader of battlefield formations, but a doting mother directed him, her firstborn, to receive more schooling. He honed his education not just with Malvici but also with other families for as long as six months at a time so that he might study the ways of other families - especially those outside the Lyceum. While he did this, he spent a lot of time playing logic puzzles and learning how to adapt to sometimes difficult circumstances. Knowing how to read a situation became something of a sixth sense to the young man. His mother's instinct paid off in dividends for the man who would grow to not just steward often for the house, but also work as a Minister. As Martino has gotten older, he has become a weapon of the House. While he tends to have a much more laissez faire attitude contrasting to the somber of Malvici, he has proven to be valuable in that others can and will work through him to help establish diplomatic and political ties to a family that can otherwise be somewhat distant or difficult to penetrate. At the same age as Duchess Calypso, the two are extremely different people but there does seem to be a respect built there because despite his playboy attitude, there is a reason he is still a recognized representative of the House. + |
| Maru Rivenshari + | Lord Maru Seliki was once a handsome laughing man. Once. He tried the whole laughing thing and didn't care for it. Raised in a House that was only a generation away from Thralldom, whose elevation to the peerage was in the form of a directive from House Deepwood to 'make something of the Pearlspire,' Maru and his siblings and cousins have rivalry graven in their bones. Maru's chief rival was his eldest brother: Hyar. They competed in everything and Maru was always, always, just a little bit behind. Behind in footrace. Behind in their studies. Behind in courting the Lady Oona. Behind... behind... behind... and he cursed that luck all his days until one last roll of the dice. The two charged to meet a crew of abandoned harrying trade caravans. By the length of one stride, Hyar fell and Maru lived as arrows rained down on the ranks of their patrol. Some say Maru hesitated. Some say he stumbled. Some say he waited. He never cursed his luck again, but neither did he revel in surviving his brother, friend, rival, and Lord. He doesn't talk about it, but everyone noticed a change in him. He has not touched a weapon since. And studies the oddest, unsettling things. In the wake, he courted the widowed Countess, but his heart wasn't in it and she refused his advances regardless. Maru couldn't blame her, her husband had died with Maru right beside him. His young nephew, the Heir, and neices didn't want for familial care, the Seliki clan is a sprawling one, and Maru fell naturally into the role of telling the children frightening stories and teaching them how not to break their necks. By practice, of course! Needless to say, he was not called upon for caretaking duties with any frequency. Restless in his dotage, and never married, the evergreen bachelor was drawn to Arx, certain that his future awaited him there. Upon arriving in the capitol he quickly established himself as a carouser of note, building a social network that would prove useful as time moved on. He joined the Academy of Vellichor to further his study of the odd and unsettling, practically moving into the Archive as he delved deep into the knowledge contained within its walls. What came next, though, surprised everybody. + |
| Maru Seliki + | Lord Maru Seliki was once a handsome laughing man. Once. He tried the whole laughing thing and didn't care for it. Raised in a House that was only a generation away from Thralldom, whose elevation to the peerage was in the form of a directive from House Deepwood to 'make something of the Pearlspire,' Maru and his siblings and cousins have rivalry graven in their bones. Maru's chief rival was his eldest brother: Hyar. They competed in everything and Maru was always, always, just a little bit behind. Behind in footrace. Behind in their studies. Behind in courting the Lady Oona. Behind... behind... behind... and he cursed that luck all his days until one last roll of the dice. The two charged to meet a crew of abandoned harrying trade caravans. By the length of one stride, Hyar fell and Maru lived as arrows rained down on the ranks of their patrol. Some say Maru hesitated. Some say he stumbled. Some say he waited. He never cursed his luck again, but neither did he revel in surviving his brother, friend, rival, and Lord. He doesn't talk about it, but everyone noticed a change in him. He has not touched a weapon since. And studies the oddest, unsettling things. In the wake, he courted the widowed Countess, but his heart wasn't in it and she refused his advances regardless. Maru couldn't blame her, her husband had died with Maru right beside him. His young nephew, the Heir, and neices didn't want for familial care, the Seliki clan is a sprawling one, and Maru fell naturally into the role of telling the children frightening stories and teaching them how not to break their necks. By practice, of course! Needless to say, he was not called upon for caretaking duties with any frequency. Restless in his dotage, and never married, the evergreen bachelor is drawn to Arx by something he can't quite name and will know when he finds. And it may be the end of him. Or the beginning. + |
| Marvella Mazetti + | Marvella was born to the youngest daughter of the then Marquis of House Mazetti, well out of the line of inheritance. To further complicate matters, Marvella's aunt continued the trend of many of the Hydra, and herself had four children - each of whom inched their way ahead of Marvella herself when it came back to that pesky issue of succession. As a child, Marvella had no real reason why she should begrudge her aunts, uncles, and cousins this so much, beyond a sense of a spoiled girl's entitlement. This lead to a desire to prove herself, and so Marvella excelled in her studies, above and beyond what was expected of her. Even so, she remained discontent well into her late teenage years, feeling as though all her effort was for naught, despite being given the distinct honor as standing witness to a very grave matter between House Mazetti and House Malvici. It was while in this fugue that she met Edric, a young lord of House Steelhart, himself well out of the line of inheritance. As Marvella herself tells the tale, it took a good deal of coaxing, more than their share of arguments, and an unflappable determination to woo her before their courtship was made official. A new chapter of Marvella's life started then. As her happiness bloomed, she looked around herself and realized that, all along, her family had valued and loved her - not simply saw her as another tool in a vast mechanism that served no real purpose other than endless repetition. She understood all that she had taken for granted, and was ashamed by it. It was then that she agreed to marry Edric, to make the most of her life, and to cherish that which it had given her, rather than resent that which it had not. While it is said that a Steelhart rarely smiles, the now Lord Edric Mazetti certainly did at the birth of the first child, a daughter the couple named Proceria. Together, their joy only grew when their second daughter, Sophia, was born. In the year 1003 AR, however, tragedy struck...as it had so many others that year. Shortly before Marvella was to have her third child, in the beginning of the King's Rest, Edric went missing. Ever a duty-bound man, he left Ostria for Arx with the intent to offer his services there. He never made it. Though House Mazetti sought long and hard, they never found anything more about Edric's disappearance other than his last known location before he regrettably parted company with a small group of the Knights of Solace. He never met his son, Elric, whom Marvella named in his memory. And of Marvella herself? Her hope that he would be alive burned bright, then her hope that any news of him at all replaced that. Eventually even that guttered out, and she finally let herself mourn him, and mourn him she did, for a long time. Yet she kept Edric's first gift to her, and that was happiness. These days, with so many Mazetti doing the nigh unthinkable and making the journey to Arx themselves, Marvella has chosen to embark on a new adventure. With her expertise in aiding in the running a large noble household, she's only too sure that she can be of great help to her cousins in the capital. + |
| Marxon Savantis + | Sellsword. Thug. Pirate. Thief. These monikers and many more have been worn by Marxon over the years. His story has been a tale of the pursuit of profit and pleasure, wherever it may lead, and that path has been a long and a wending one. As a wee lad, Marx was orphaned when his parents were killed, fighting on the orders of some lord or other. He remembers little of that life, truth be told, and his memories of childhood are centered on the streets of the Boroughs and learning how to survive alone. He has, it must be confessed, run afoul of troubles with the law from time to time... but who hasn't, really? Across the years of his life, he has accrued something of a reputation on the streets of Arx as a getter of things and a solver of problems. + |
| Marzio Mazetti + | Born to Benedetto and Osanna Mazetti, Marzio is the middle of three siblings. A healthy child, he seemed to spend more time outdoors than he ever did inside. He was a quick enough learner when it came to his schooling, but spending his days with his nose buried in a book was never a thought that occured to the boy. Rather, whenever his mother did not make him, Marzio would be out visiting the stables to admire the horses bred within the walls of Ostria. His father had been a cavalryman in his younger years, and so he found himself to be a welcome enough hand around the stables. In his mid-teens, Marzio "liberated" a particularly fine black stallion from a stable stall and ventured out beyond the city walls. He can still recall the feeling of the wind in his hair, and the thunder of his mount's hooves along the roads leading away from the city and along the coast... as well as the stripes on his backside that his father gave him when he inevitably had to return. Nevertheless, he continued to venture to the stables every day until on his sixteenth birthday his family gifted him the horse which he had stolen. From then on, Marzio's life seemed to follow a path of its own creation. He joined the Ostrian Cavalry, seeming to follow in his father's footsteps. Climbing through the ranks, he soon found himself to be in command of a unit of horsemen patrolling the trade roads along the coast, as well as safeguarding the areas near Ostria, spending his nights beneath the stars within the call of his beloved home. + |
| Mason Al'Ajionij + | Masun'al'ajionij, from the Dune Kingdom of Ahj'on, has always been dubious of those that claimed that their poor lots in life were due to some unknown offense to the gods taking terrible retribution upon them, but he has to admit it would be a convenient explanation for the various misfortunes he's suffered. It would make a lot of sense, actually. Not that he -thinks- he offended the gods. Well, hopefully not. But before his current straits, he enjoyed a life of idle luxury as a distant extended member of the royal family Al'Ajionij in the Dune Kingdom of Ahj'on, having a boring but lavish existence as one who had the rare privilege of being in line to throne (34 places down, practically next of kin!). But unlike the multitude of his royal siblings, he had a vague sense of unease as he walked the streets of Ahj'on that made him question the way things were and all of Ahj'on's traditions. He was uneasy seeing the incredible suffering of the slaves, or how commoners were subject to the whims of the Magisters of the Mirror, or the senselessness of the fighting pits and popular blood sports, or the extreme indifference of the high families jockeying for position below Al'Ajionij and the bloodshed that followed. But maybe he shouldn't have -said- so, and just taken the easy path and remained silent. Instead, he found himself as a noble observer on an expedition to the lands of Pyre, then a noble observer fleeing a spectacular failure of an expedition, then a noble observer deciding he needed to get the hell out of Eurus and be anywhere in the world but Ahj'on or anywhere even remotely close to Pyre. Being an explorer wasn't his first choice, but it's something he fell into. Quite literally, in fact. As a noble representative of al'ajionij exploring the distant continent of Arvum, he feels much more comfortable away from Eurus. Technically he didn't -ask- his family if he could be the representative, but the king never told him no, so he feels it's close enough. He would have had his exploring the great western land of Arvum come to a suddenly premature end at the hands of a warband of bloodthirsty shavs (which looked like any Arvani!), if he hadn't tumbled off a cliff fleeing from them and literally fell into a party led by Princess Loucia Grayson, who promptly saved his life in a terrifyingly energetic battle. While his Arvani is relatively terrible and they settled on calling Masun'al'ajionij 'Mason', he wasn't about to quibble over his name by the Graysons who saved his life and then took him - as the very noble, very official (sort of) representative of the Dune Kingdom of Ahj'on - as a ward of house Grayson. While he's noticably vague on details about his Eurusi background to the many, many curious Arvani, he has since taken to his status as a ward of the royal family and a constant exploration companion to Princess Lou Grayson. And it's nice to serve a house that at least -tries- to do some good. + |
| Massimiliano Buccheri + | Giovanni Buccheri never had much time for his only son. He was a hard-working man who did his best to make end's meet on whatever coin a barber could pull in. It was always just enough and never more. Massimiliano's tale was a motherless one at that, so as a child he was largely left to see to himself on the streets of Tor and it was a relationship he grew comfortable with. Unlike some children left to that life he never found himself in much trouble, or if he did it was so unexceptional as to leave little behind him in the way of a reputation. Rather, Massi fell into good hands when he could have been taken in by much worse influences. Early on, in order to afford the things he wanted instead of just the things he needed, the southerner earned a place for himself as a sculptor's apprentice. It was a job that mostly had him hauling materials and running errands and largely wasted his cunning, but it also instilled in him like a seed some deep love for shaping things with his hands - not just the act of it but the whole culture surrounding it - the excitement of someone coming in to gush over a part of their imagination given life or the ways in which daily it would allow him to brush up against various other artisans. It was rare the sunrise that wasn't followed by a much younger Massi being held in awe by the beauty of one work or another whether they were glass blown into the likeness of Tor's famous roses or iridescite being cleverly inlaid into the carved wooden doors of a newly-founded shrine. Tor, very few could argue against, was a city of remarkable beauty playing against the backdrop of the young Buccheri's unremarkable upbringing. In time and with a very rudimentary skillset, Massi absconded from beneath his teacher's wings. He dabbled in other arts, but it was ever and always sculpting where he truly found his comfort and inspiration both. Eventually, with age and experience, people began to look at his creations with the same wide-eyed wonder he remembered feeling while gazing upon those works of his one-time teacher and fellow artisans. The rest has been history, but it's the quiet history of an unassuming man who runs a modest trade in making real the imaginations of those who come to him. + |
| Mateline Savatier + | Mateline is the oldest (legitimate) child of her father, a successful merchant who once had business spanning across Arvum. Headquartered in Sanctum, ships and caravans went in many directions, buying and selling goods across Arvum, including in the capital of Arx. Mateline wanted for nothing growing up. She had a fine education, the best clothes, and the best of companions with the expectation that she would take over the family businesses when she was old enough. Then, when she was fifteen, her father was struck by illness, a malignancy of the lungs that slowly sapped him of breath and strength. She watched as her energetic, happy father slowly became bedridden and wasted away until he died, a month before her 18th birthday. During his long convalescence, their house withered with him. Despite efforts to maintain their standing, war and their head's disease shrank their business. Now, 18 and in full control of her inheritance, Mateline has come to Arx to try and rejuvenate her family's flagging fortunes. And possibly to find a husband, as her mother, still in mourning, insists that she marry as soon as possible to continue the family line--even if she does have a younger brother and sister yet to come of age. + |
| Mathex Comirae + | Not quite a nobody, but close. Mathex was born to a guardsman and a serving woman for a vassal family of House Keaton, a family whose wealth was lately increased through means that Mathex neither knew nor cared to. When he came of age, Mathex followed in his father's footsteps (for lack of any better career path) and joined the guards of the family manor. As it turned out, he had a knack for the sword and - with little else to occupy his time - plenty of chance for practice. By the time he really came of age, he outstripped his father and the rest of the family's guard, earning the prize privilege of being a personal guard to the Lord's children. He earned his knighthood at the tender age of seventeen, protecting those children as fiercely as if they were his own. Dispatched with the Lord's eldest son en route to the City of Arx, Mathex had occasion to rely on those skills when the party was attacked. Every member of the group was killed save Mathex and the boy, the former taking an arrow to the belly but still managing to drag the latter onto his horse and make for the city. It was a hard ride, but they arrived alive, and that was the important part. + |
| Mathias Coaldust + | Born within the Lower Boroughs, Mathias Coaldust lived in squalor for most of his early life. Both parents were poor, both drunk incompetents who couldn't give their children the small mercy of never having been conceived. He was more of a father and mother to his younger brothers and sisters than their parents ever were. While they drank their pay, Mathias worked hard, even as a child, for every scrap of food to feed his family, every piece of cloth to keep them warm in winter. Still, through the hardships, he learned to thrive. The harder it got, the more he pushed back. Must have done something right, for he grew up into a tall, strong man, enough so to catch the attention of a sellsword captain, willing to hire the boy into his company. He learned the trade during that time, till he left to make his own way. With the Lower Boroughs never far from his mind, still he strives ever forward, intent on giving the rest of his siblings a good life, or at least a fair chance at one. + |
| Mathis Leroux + | Mathis Leroux is the second son of a family of commoners that till the soil in one of the villages close to Blancbier. His days were spent with his four other siblings, assisting with crops and thoroughly enjoying the life of a commoner family that was doing well. More than well, really, their farm is very successful in the region, earning them a not insignificant amount of silver and marking them as a prominent family within the region. Young Mathis would grow to know some of the scions of the ruling family, some better than others. As he grew older, his passion for the world outdoors grew deeper and more substantial. He graduated beyond just helping his family with the yearly crops and became an accomplished hunter and tracker at a young age and often assisted grand hunting parties orchestrated by the Wyrmguards. The natural world called to him, and he spent more time in forests than he did in the village of his birth. After serving as a Disciple of Petrichor for a number of years, he finally decided to take the plunge and dove headlong into his studies of theology and joined the Faith as a Godsworn brother. He would subsequently journey to the Oathlands, seeing to the needs of the Faithful and assisting those that might be in need of his particular specialties in agriculture and animal husbandry. Brother Mathis was a popular sight to the villages he traveled between, especially during the spring when all the baby animals were being born and later in the summer when farmers needed assistance with crops. All went well for several years. He was called in late 1015 to investigate the matter of a blighted grove, but unfortunately fell ill during the process. After a lengthy recovery period, he was recalled to Arx by Dominus Aureth. It was then and there that he found out he had been promoted to the position of Archlector of Petrichor, an announcement that he found very surprising to say the least. + |
| Matilde Redrain + | Ever since she was old enough to be outside by herself, Princess Matilde had a bow in one hand and the reins of a horse in the other. Target practice on the grounds of the manor house eventually spread beyond the gates and into the woodlands where she took up hunting astride a Redrain saddle. She had mentors that taught her the basics of archery, hunting game, caring for and riding horses, and one such mentor was Duchess Fianna Crovane. Matilde spent time in Stormwall to learn from and study with her mentor, only to return home and work her knowledge first hand with the war horses of Farhaven. She raised and trained them for Redrain's cavalry and she never forgot the lessons that were taught to her even after the Duchess Crovane went missing. There was a stretch of time after the news reached home when Matilde split her focus between the stables and taking up her bow for hunting game. More and more of her time was spent target practicing until she eventually decided to blend her two passions into one as rider-archery. What was meant as a short term distraction turned into a new passion for the princess over the years that followed. Word of recent trouble brewing in and around the Mourning Isles brought Matilde to the city of Arx with an overwhelming urge to be closer to her family. She made a promise to herself to continue training war horses for Redrain's cavalry as rumors of strange happenings reported in the north motivated her to do what she could to help keep her fealty safe. Needing answers, Matilde knew that guidance would soon come to her with a little help and time. + |
| Matteo Pravus + | Born the third son of a third son to Zacharie Pravus and Caroline Pravus nee Blanchard, Matteo never expected to be in line for much of anything but a political marriage and a lifetime to idle nobility. That, he fulfilled well. He studied and learned as was expected of him, but he flitted from the sword to wordplay, to the theater and back again to brawling in the streets. He never settled on any one thing to be, except himself. He was mercurial, flighty, and certainly not part of any part to lead a coup against Duke Piero. Nevertheless, when his brother was captured and found to be involved, he was banished just the same. Only now he returns, due to his parent's support and the goodwill of Duchess Belladonna, still with no part of his own. With a new tan and the same carefree attitude, he returns to Arx with the same expectations: to lead a life of idle nobility and perhaps make some political advantagous marriage for Pravus. + |
| Mattheu Rivenshari + | The youngest of the Rivenshari brood, Mattheu was always called the 'baby' of the family, until he grew big enough and strong enough to beat his brothers for calling him 'tiny'. As a child he was quick to anger, the boy got into fights left and right, and his stubborn attitude made it impossible for him to back down. Only Eshra or his mother, Triega, could sooth the angry beast inside when he was in full temper. As he's grown older escape is found in a violin which was once of his mother's. When the world becomes too much, Mattheu takes to the violin, bringing songs that he will always see as happy yet are said to bring tears to others with a mournful cry. Growing up among ravashari smugglers, his family traveled the rivers and sea bringing goods to other Abandoned Tribes. He acted as one of the crew as soon as he could man the ropes. Being a sailor just comes naturally. As he grew into his body, he soon had himself a girl in every port, resisting any hints from his family to settle down. The adventures that he and Athaur had before his brother lost sight of who he was were something to be spoken with a baleful laugh. They were always gambling, flirting and getting into trouble together. Mattheu would learn how to dance and sprint into acrobatics in play with his siblings, something that he would later use when at port to gain some coin as a Ravashari entertainer. Always quick with a smile that could light up the entire river, or ready to pop into a fight if his family were to be insulted. Mattheu followed his remaining siblings in taking knee to Greenmarch and the Oathlanders that the Rivenshari once played a delicate game of cat and mouse with after the Silent War. Seeking to watch over Riva and the rivers, as he now helps Athaur and his older sister, Eshra, navigate the dangerous political waters of Arx, acting as their enforcer or charmer, depending on what skill is needed. + |
| Maude Ashford + | Maude Ashford is the younger sister of Larian Ashford. There was an heir, and she was free to dedicate herself to courtly life and knighthood. A brash young knight, she grew in service to Grayson and the Crown, and became a formidable and respected military commander. Respected, but rarely beloved. Her methods were often accused of being too harsh, her plans at times too elaborate, too clever, too demanding, and she did not easily stir the hearts of her soldiers as others so easily might. She married, largely, out of love, with a second-son of a vassal house. She had a son. Her husband died of prolonged illness. Her son died at her own hands. She did not wield a sword, but a quill, a set of orders and a map, and the horn at her second's side on the battlefield. Her plan should have worked, would have worked, if not for want of a horseshoe, or a call sounded too late, or orders misinterpreted. The Shavs surrounded the bold, valiant vanguard as it charged through the clearing, and the reserves did not reach them on time through the woods. Her forces were routed, and Gannon, her son, butchered. Maude Ashford had enough victories on her record that her career could survive a defeat, but not this one. She fled the court, she sought out lesser and lesser assignments, further and further away, deeper and deeper into danger. Years into obscurity, she was gravely injured, in bed for months, and out of the battlefield for a year at least. Afterwards, she remained a military advisor, taught classes on strategy, wrote proposals for reforms of the army, and eventually retired to a quiet life in the Ashford estates. She did her sword drills in the morning, she rode, she hunted, she read military and historical treatises, she played board games with old friends, often by way of courier, and received copies of military reports. She sometimes traveled, just to keep up with courtly life. She drank. One day, after pouring over recent reports and receiving news from nearby settlements and minor lords, she sent off messengers, saddled her horse, and set out for Arx. + |
| Max Darkwater + | Maximilian never expected to rule. From a young age, he was used to being the second, expendable son of the Count of Darkwater, the one who could be as wild and unrelenting as he wished in sailing against the enemies of House Darkwater because, as his loving father put it, 'Who gives a damn if a second son dies?'. Good old dad. Maximilian had some expected burning envy of his elder brother after he inherited the countship and married a beautiful young wife, but he wasn't about to say no to the freedom that many noble heirs never got to enjoy. Serving on ships while a teenager, becoming a captain at the ridiculously young age of 18 (under the heavy supervision of veteran soldiers of the House), and relishing in battle with pirates all throughout the Saffron Chain. He was thinking he'd make a name for himself, rejoicing in being able to become a scourge of the waves for the House's enemies... and then he received word his stupid older brother had gotten himself killed in battle with some minor pirates Maximilian had thought easy prey. It infuriated the young man, and after seeing all the pirates responsible for it run down and executed, he's was left with the unexpected mixed blessing of running House Darkwater and the countship, as his brother and his brother's wife Countess Nekarris never produced an heir. While he'd almost certainly rather be sailing and making his named feared all throughout the Saffron Chain, he finds himself having to travel to Arx at the bidding of the greatly feared Prince, high lord Donrai Thrax, to make certain that his house is represented... and to make certain Countess Nekarris Darkwater stays in line. + |
| Maxen halfshav + | Maxen was raised in a distant noble holding, that, for the most part, no one had any good reason to visit, it had secured its place in the House with some tactical marriages that meant they were comfortably left alone. Unfortunately his mother died when he was young, and his father, being quite a bit older, seemed to be in a perpetual state of ill health. This rather left Maxen with the run of the place, and very few responsibilities. His father was doting though, and spared no expense in making sure that Maxen had access to the best teachers and mentors. By golly did Maxen get through them. Initially he would be the model student, absorbing everything, but as soon as he felt he knew everything on the subject matter the nonsense started. Add to this that Maxen has a tendency to stick his nose where it does not belong. All of this adds up to Maxen being... politely encouraged to make his way to the Arx, to... further his learning. Definitely not to get him out from under foot, oh no. Maxen was thrilled by this idea, he absolutely could not wait to see the big city, and see just how many scandals he could get himself embroiled in. + |
| Maya Redreef + | Maya Redreef never knew her father. Nicholas Riven was a man who divided his time between Redreef and the Twainfort. The marriage to Catherina Redreef had been one of politics and she was his second wife: he did his duty, no more. Never mind that Catherina was always so caught up in her studies that she didn't even seem to notice when he'd been gone a few weeks longer than intended. Then the news of the Deepwood tragedy came and she just bucked up and continued on... pregnant despite it all. The pregnancy was not an easy one and the birth less so. Maya was born a somewhat ill child and with a strange condition: a milky pattern across the surface creating an odd pattern that some (the more kind ones) would call akin to a stylized star. As it didn't interfere with her vision (most of the time), Healers said it was fine. It didn't help, as she grew, that Catherina kept her isolated. Between her odd mother and her even odder eye, Maya was often calledd cruel names by the other children around the Shores and rarely welcomed to play in their games. In her 20th year, Catherina absconded with Maya in the dead of night. Other members of the family had been feeling a growing sense of concern for some time based on Catherina's behavior and so went off in search of the two women. There has been little talk of what transpired, but it was Maya brought back to the Shores alone: now fully blind and scarred in her right eye. It has taken a few years for Maya to recover from whatever happened. She has haunted Redreef's keep long enough and it has been decided it is time for her to step out into the world. + |
| Mayir Grayhope + | When you grow up in the Lower Boroughs, there isn't really much to one's childhood. Mayir's father was a sailor that chose the sea over home, his mother a tavern wench that barely kept food on the table. Mayir went to the lessons taught by the Scholars of Vellichor and learned his letters and his figures, though he had no real skill at it. Instead, he preferred to run and roughhouse and snatch and run some more. As Mayir came to age, sailing was the only career he much knew about, and so he set about becoming a sailor. But Mayir's heart was not in it. The work was long and hard and backbreaking, and the sea had no romance to it. It paid coin. But Mayir came to realize something important about the merchant trade: Shrinkage. No consignor expects every bolt of silk or jug of whiskey to arrive at the destination. So sometimes things fall off ships. And sometimes those things end up fenced to suitable sources. And sometimes a sailing goes better for Mayir than he expects. Along the way, Mayir found himself working the same crews of one Magpie Grayhope. Sail long enough and it happens. And as their relationship grew and Mayir's unique skills became helpful, Mayir now finds himself as part of the family, one among those adopted into the house. Since joining the Grayhopes, Mayir has diversified his businesses. No longer (allegedly) a small-time dockyard thief, Mayir is a promoter of the family businesses, a captain of his own ship, and partner and co-founder of a dizzying number of businesses which appear not to exist until Mayir happens to think of them. Mayir has risen up the ranks, too, landing a gig as the family’s underboss and Magpie’s second-in-command. He may not be a Grayhope by blood, but he is one in every other way that counts. + |
| Maylis Solena + | The wife of a minor noble (the kind who was lucky to get so much of an acre of land with his title, not that Maylis has any complaints), she found her love for herbalism at an early age. She took to the healer's arts with gusto, learning common cures for everything from headaches to the gout, and dispensing them along with what she hopes is valuable advice. Her business is small, her coinpurse is light, but her real reward has always been the smiling faces of her 'patients' and knowing she's made a difference in people's lives. + |
| Maylis Steelhart + | The wife of a minor noble (the kind who was lucky to get so much of an acre of land with his title, not that Maylis has any complaints), she found her love for herbalism at an early age. She took to the healer's arts with gusto, learning common cures for everything from headaches to the gout, and dispensing them along with what she hopes is valuable advice. Her business is small, her coinpurse is light, but her real reward has always been the smiling faces of her 'patients' and knowing she's made a difference in people's lives. + |
| Meabh Clearlake + | Born the oldest daughter to her father, Fearghas, and her mother, Siofra. While her father was built like a bear, her mother was the taller of two, lithe and willowy. An elegance to her mother, a natural with a spear, and a warrior at heart, where her father was a shaman of the tribe, seeing to the spiritual health and well being of them. It was no surprise to really any one that Meabh took after her mother, and assumed the role of protector of her two younger siblings. Meabh grew up a bit wild, and very fierce, learning the skills of a warrior from her mother, as well as her aunt, both women fierce warriors in their own rights, and amazing role models, at least in Meabh's eyes. Her father tried many times to get Meabh more interested in the more spiritual side, but she always grew restless during her father's lessons. Not that she didn't want to learn, or didn't like what he had to teach, but rather she strained at having to learn them in a simple hut, when there was a whole world out there to explore. As such, she had a tendency to wander off, into the wilds to explore and learn on her own. At first her family worried over her random disappearances. Soon, however, they learned that she would eventually make her way back home to them. Often with new little treasures she had found during her little adventures, usually a new animal friend. And a new scar or two. Never really explaining the scars. To her father's surprise perhaps, those same explorations helped do what all of his lessons could not, and awakened in her a spiritualism and respect for the clan's shamanic traditions that she holds dear to this day. At first when Clearlake bent the knee, Meabh remained in the North. Now however, her wanderlust has brought her south to explore, and eventually into Arx itself, where she seeks to help protect her family here, as she did back home. + |
| Meara Kennex + | Little sister to twin brothers Rorik and Mikael Kennex, Meara grew up as the pampered brat who got whatever she wanted. And what she wanted was to be just like her brothers. As soon as she could walk she followed them everywhere and imitated whatever they did, only she never got in the sort of trouble that they did. She was the baby! How could she be held responsible?! Meara even managed to wheedle (and strongarm) her way into being the captain of her own ship...okay, boat...pretty small boat, and proved herself a fairly competent sailor and leader. When her brothers decided to head to Arx, of course she demanded to go with them. Unfortunately, she had to leave her beloved ship behind. Whirlpool in the harbor, you see. + |
| Medeia Eswynd + | Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda, Medeia grew up in a branch of the Saik family not meant to inherit the barony. The pair were raised hearing the stories of grand adventures and courageous deeds carried out by members of both their mother's and father's families, but unlike Neilda, she did not dream of adding to those tales. A bright, inquisitive, soft child who doted on her dolls and was dazzled by elaborate gowns, the family expected Medeia would be a useful spare for making a political match. And all seemed to be going according to that plan as the girl took to her lessons with acuity. By her early teen years, she had shown natural talent for many of the skills ladies of the Lyceum are prized for, in addition to an interest in the process of turning fruit into wine. It was idyllic, until an incident while fostering in Nilanza with her uncle - Marquis Marco Argento - left her scarred, terrified, and paranoid. At just 15, she ran away, believing it was the only way to keep herself - and her family - safe. Medeia found her way to Arx, where she could hide among the throngs of people. During those few years she was away from the barony, she lived as a commoner and learned midwifery and basic medicine. When she learned about her brother Estaban's death and returned to Saikland Greens, it was to a baroness-regent who was a stranger - and who did not believe she was who she said she was. Thankfully, her parents confirmed her identity, and Lucita welcomed her back. However, a deep rift left relations with her parents strained. Even so, Medeia quietly tended her duties in the barony, attending lessons to make up for her time away and taking on the oversight of the wine and spirit making. When called to Arx, she was excited to join the peers of the Compact and experience the city in an entirely new way. That return has changed her life considerably with a surprising betrothal request, travel to far off places, and earning some powerful allies (and enemies). Now, with children of her own to protect, she finds herself on political and literal battlefields while trying to do what is best for the Compact. + |
| Medeia Saik + | Born a few minutes after her sister Neilda, Medeia grew up in a branch of the Saik family not meant to inherit the barony. The pair were raised hearing the stories of grand adventures and courageous deeds carried out by members of both their mother's and father's families, but unlike Neilda, she did not dream of adding to those tales. A bright, inquisitive, soft child who doted on her dolls and was dazzled by elaborate gowns, the family expected Medeia would be a useful spare for making a political match. And all seemed to be going according to that plan as the girl took to her lessons with acuity. By her early teen years, she had shown natural talent for many of the skills ladies of the Lyceum are prized for, as well as interest in viticulture and medicine. It was idyllic, until an incident while fostering in Nilanza with her uncle - Marquis Marco Argento - left her scarred, terrified, and paranoid. At just 15, she ran away, believing it was the only way to keep herself - and her family - safe. Medeia found her way to Arx, where she could hide among the throngs of people. During those few years she was away from the barony, she lived as a commoner and learned midwifery under Tanith Grayhope's wing. When she learned about her brother Estaban's death and returned to Saikland Greens, it was to a baroness-regent who was a stranger - and who did not believe she was who she said she was. Thankfully, her parents confirmed her identity, and Lucita welcomed her back. However, a deep rift left relations with her parents strained. Even so, Medeia quietly tended her duties in the barony, mastering lessons to make up for her time away and taking on the oversight of the house's wine and spirit making. When called to Arx by Lucita, she was excited to join the peers of the Compact and experience the city in an entirely new way. That return has changed her life considerably with the assassination of an uncle - Dominus Orazio Saik, a surprising betrothal request, travel to far off places, and earning some powerful allies (and enemies). After five years of marriage spent in a Prodigal house of the Mourning Isles during a civil war that pitted her against her own blood and beliefs, an unexpected (and quiet) divorce finds Medeia back in the Lyceum. + |
| Meesha Daije + | Meesha may have been born a commoner but she was a little queen of the river growing up, being the jewel of her Mateo, her father, and Ieshe, mother. Beautiful baby with a full head of hair, her mother claims she was charming men from the moment she could open her amber eyes. After taking her first steps, Ieshe claims that Meesha danced where other children tried to walk. It was like she could hear the music of the night and her body turned it to living art. While she worked side by side her mother, sewing the sails and luring city folk to get their fortunes read by her mother, the girl craved for something more. When she was fourteen, she set her eyes on marrying one of the chieftain sons. Of course, much to her dismay, they treated her like a little sister and constantly were pushing her off to Eshra. She had no interest in numbers or navigating. She was an artist, and Raqui eventually saw her potential as a distraction and got her involved as a lure. The sweet innocent smiles, the large amber looks were enough to turn many a man away from his duty. Of course Raqui taught her how to use her hair pins to jab and make a quick getaway so she could circle back and meet with the team. No beauty and charm in the world could protect her from the day that Brand's dark magic took over her body and forced her to fight the fearsome House Thrax navy. It was a slaughter on the water, their tiny boats no match for the longboats manned by skilled warriors. She didn't even get to breech Arx's walls, waking up on the shore, coughing water and crying for her lost family and friends who had been murdered before the big battle. Life after Raqui, her mentor, has been darker, more somber and her dancing reflects her inner sorrow. By the time, she realized that Athaur would be taking the lead, his eyes already turned to Greenmarch, so there will be no marriage there. After eight months from the siege, when her son was born, she knew that she needed the safety of her old crew. While motherhood has done nothing to stop this dark siren, there is still a question on how she will fit into this new household. She is not going to spend her days serving. She is a queen of the river, not a servant. + |
| Megara Corsetina + | Megara never knew her parents. She grew up in the famed pirate-town of Port Defiance, an Abandoned stronghold just beyond the control of the Compact. It was a chaotic place ill suited to a child, a brutal place to live, with a harsh order kept by the iron fist of the pirate king known as the Gyre in Megara's youth. She knew that her parents had placed her in the care of one of the pirate factions serving the Gyre, a cult-like crime syndicate known as the Sisterhood of the Sightless, famed archers who were rumored to see targets just as well in the dark as day, but Megara just knew her family as stern, humorless disciplinarians who constantly took mercenary or assassination work in endless pirate feuds when she was young, and kept busy mending armor and fletching arrows as a child. It never was a question that Megara was going to serve in the sisterhood as she came of age, demonstrating an exceptional talent for the bow that inspired envy in no few of her adopted sisters. As the Gyre fell and was replaced by the rule of Reveka Tyde, the Sisterhood became all the more in demand in Port Defiance's internecine strife that followed, and Megara found herself working more and more in the shadows, becoming a hardened young woman. It was a mission to Arvum that convinced her to break from the Sisterhood, and to turn from being an Abandoned and bend the knee to the Compact. While she's spoken little about the events of the mission, she has since discovered blood ties to the Corsetina family, and the now prodigal killer is back in Arx, attempting to do right by her new family and adopt to a new life. She's taken steps- becoming a mirrormask, becoming involved in the family business of the Corsetinas, but the woman still hasn't escaped her past. + |
| Melinda Grimhall + | The oldest daughter of Harald and Anneke, had always been loyal to her family. While she was often chasing after her brother to help sew him up after his scuffles, she was also taught to respect the Lords of Thrax. Being a female was never easy in Thraxian lands, but she was able to learn along side her father and other commanders, she had learned how to help create warplans and gather the troops and drive them with insightful words. Drawing the people behind her family whenever she was able. Respect for her people was something the Grimhall family as a whole possessed, during the siege her father sent her away to Grihems point, where she helped organize from afar. Melinda works very close with her family, grasping for any chance she can prove her leadership skills. + |
| Melody Crown + | Not too far off an Abandoned encampment, Melody lived with her parents in the woods for the majority of her adolescence. When tragedy struck and her family passed, she remained in the woods by her lonesome. Though she was no hunter nor would she claim to be an exceptional forager, she managed to live a seemingly comfortable life of solitude for a couple of years. A decision to leave her home followed, made in an abrupt fashion as she snuck onto a passing caravan headed for the city of Arx - So the story goes. + |
| Melosa Tagaris + | Melosa is an Ostrian native of humble origin. She might have followed in the footsteps of her parents, taking over the family business when she came of age, if it weren't for that military parade at age eleven. It was then that the course of her life would change irrevocably. Displaying a trait that would distinguish her well into adulthood, tenacity, Melosa joined the army when she turned eighteen. Through sheer grit, determination, no small amount of skill and a good bit of luck besides, Melosa worked her way through the ranks and into the celebrated III Hydra Legion. Retired now, Melosa nevertheless recalls her day in the military with pride. While she may not look back on those years with fondness, for they were full of strife and blood, Melosa values just what a life in the Legion equipped her with. What's more, Melosa is a highly decorated veteran who was asked to serve House Mazetti directly not long after her departure from the army. Melosa accepted, only too happy to continue to broaden her horizons where others might have sunk into obscurity. It has been three years in her new role within the House of the Hydra. She has seen the rise of the new Marquessa, and the talent of her Southportian husband. She has swelled with pride to see Ostria grow to new and greater prosperity, and she wept when its Marshal died in combat...perhaps wishing she might have been there alongside him, as did so many other soldiers, active duty or otherwise. All the way, Melosa has left her own mark upon the family. With a bit of careful planning, there is no reason to doubt that she might go even farther. + |
| Meranthe Grayhope + | Born and reared in the Lower Boroughs of Arx, Meranthe was raised at the Murder of Crows, just another Grayhope brat in and around the tavern. While she adored her family and felt most comfortable when surrounded by them, she also felt a deep longing to see the world beyond the Lowers and the walls of Arx. When she reached adulthood, Meranthe struck out on her own, taking up a position with a trading caravan. In this capacity, she saw the length and breadth of the Compact, from the Mourning Isles to the mountains of the North to the Hundred Cities of the Lyceum. Having worked as a guard and a sutler, she collected her fair share of stories and scars. Eventually, with her earnings, she became a merchant in her own right and over time began leading caravans of her own. There are few who know the roads and the wilds of the Compact like she does and she is very well paid for her extensive knowledge. Skilled with people as well as money, Meranthe been blessed by Gild with success in her ventures and found her own sort of happiness. But nothing lasts forever and the call of home was too loud to ignore, particularly after learning of the fall of Bastion and the complete destruction of Artshall. She was traveling the Great Road back to Arx when news reached her of the disappearance of the Grayhope family head, leaving a void with few with the right temperament to fill. So, she steps back into Arx, older and wiser and with a determination to protect her family from the threats of the world and, hopefully, see them prosper as well. + |
| Mercedes Valadrin + | Mercedes was raised as a princess of Valardin, a lesser line of a storied family. She was reared on myths and legends of heroism, with a spirit forged in righteousness and justice, with the high ideals of oathkeeping and faith being foremost in her heart. With other children, she played knight with a whole-hearted abandoned that occasionally got her in trouble for the violence of her assaults on imaginary 'monsters'. But she was also reared correctly, with a focused study of diplomacy and etiquette, and it was always known that Princess Mercedes Valardin would wed according to the needs of her family, as a princess should. But, at eighteen, fierce and young and full of fire, she had other ideas -- not ideas of defiance to her family, at first, but ideas that developed that way as the game of marital politics veered more and more towards ideas that she found distasteful. The first match she refused was a Lycene one; it would have made her a landed noble, a marchioness, rather than a throwaway princess, but while the young man himself was perfectly unobjectionable, she drew the line at marrying into a house that worshipped the Thirteenth so openly and, er, lasciviously. The second match she refused was a Thrax, an eminently suitable young man of the Royal House, who would have been her match in everything, but again she refused, because of her distaste for the Thrax. And as the second marital alliance fell apart around their ears, the Voices of House Valardin had to confront Mercedes with a choice: while no marriage could be forced as that would be a defiance of the laws of Limerance, she was being intransigent, and needed to remember her duty to her fealty and to her family. "No," said Mercedes, "for I shall remember my duty to the Crown." And with that, the Princess Mercedes Valardin left her family and became simply Mercedes, a crownsworn commoner. Mercedes Valardin arrived in Arx having cried off all her options, 22 and determined, with a jaw as hard as her will. She had little with her but a little silver and a sword. She served as a Champion for coin and glory for about a year, and eventually quit in disgust because the devil-may-care attitudes and general disreputability of her fellow Champions drove her to a kind of breaking point ... and that was when her sword, her eye and her determination brought her to the House of Questions. She began as a Confessor, but it was not long before she was elevated to the Inquisition instead, and took oath as a knight-inquisitor in service to the Crown. + |
| Mercedes Valardin + | Mercedes was raised as a princess of Valardin, a lesser line of a storied family. She was reared on myths and legends of heroism, with a spirit forged in righteousness and justice, with the high ideals of oathkeeping and faith being foremost in her heart. With other children, she played knight with a whole-hearted abandoned that occasionally got her in trouble for the violence of her assaults on imaginary 'monsters'. But she was also reared correctly, with a focused study of diplomacy and etiquette, and it was always known that Princess Mercedes Valardin would wed according to the needs of her family, as a princess should. But, at eighteen, fierce and young and full of fire, she had other ideas -- not ideas of defiance to her family, at first, but ideas that developed that way as the game of marital politics veered more and more towards ideas that she found distasteful. The first match she refused was a Lycene one; it would have made her a landed noble, a marchioness, rather than a throwaway princess, but while the young man himself was perfectly unobjectionable, she drew the line at marrying into a house that worshipped the Thirteenth so openly and, er, lasciviously. The second match she refused was a Thrax, an eminently suitable young man of the Royal House, who would have been her match in everything, but again she refused, because of her distaste for the Thrax. And as the second marital alliance fell apart around their ears, the Voices of House Valardin had to confront Mercedes with a choice: while no marriage could be forced as that would be a defiance of the laws of Limerance, she was being intransigent, and needed to remember her duty to her fealty and to her family. "No," said Mercedes, "for I shall remember my duty to the Crown." And with that, the Princess Mercedes Valardin left her family and became simply Mercedes, a crownsworn commoner. Mercedes Valardin arrived in Arx having cried off all her options, 22 and determined, with a jaw as hard as her will. She had little with her but a little silver and a sword. She served as a Champion for coin and glory for about a year, and eventually quit in disgust because the devil-may-care attitudes and general disreputability of her fellow Champions drove her to a kind of breaking point ... and that was when her sword, her eye and her determination brought her to the House of Questions. She began as a Confessor, but it was not long before she was elevated to the Inquisition instead, and took oath as a knight-inquisitor in service to the Crown. + |
| Merek Black + | Merek Black is a simple man, who was born to a quite simple family. Both his parents, Tanto Black and Teena Black had two twin children, Merek and Malena. Both parents were farmers, for the Great House Velenosa. Also the family has owed their allegiance to them, as far back as can be remembered. The children would be no different in allegiance. Merek was the more curious of the two, who were born as twins. He would be the one to get into all the troublemaking, and he was also the one who was often idealistic about the world, as well as all the knowledge it had to offer. He made friends easy, and was a little bit more educated than most, but at times he could be aloof. He became interested in metalwork, and working with various chemicals as well, which saw him becoming apprenticed to a smith as he became older. The interest he had, would see him become a metalsmith, working with all manner of metal and chemicals, to try and make the best weapon and armor he could, as well as making basic medicines. though often he would find that will more than one practice, he was often a master at none, but passable. Now in adulthood, he travels around with his surname, attempting to bring home wealth for all his family, and for his own to make a life. + |
| Meriah Gascoigne + | She grew up on the hard mean streets. A thousand other children just like her running rampant in the streets. Dead mother, drunken bastard of a father, Meriah didn't shy away from finding methods to feed herself. But she wasn't going to be another sticky-fingered orphan, snatching goods off the stalls of merchants. Meriah was too smart for that; weirdly smart. Smart enough to catch the interest of a quiet old man down by the docks. Former sawbones for a detachment of mercenaries decades ago. So long ago he couldn't remember their name. But he found her one day nursing a cut on her arm. Instead of just sewing it up, he had her do it herself and was marveled by her quick learning. Years went by and when Meriah was fourteen the old man died. She took enough money from her useless father to buy a plot at the Cemetery and buried the sawbones. Least she could do for him. After that she started doing work for the locals. Charging a small fee for medical services, triage, and so forth that might be too expensive. When she turned eighteen her father died and that was fine. She used the money he left behind to buy medical equipment and a few old books. But the scars. Well. Those came during the Siege. A few years later. She saw a wounded man wandering down an alley and when she tried to help, she noticed something was -wrong- with him. The Bringer of Silence sliced out her eye with a knife and cut her face. She screamed, barely managing to escape before a patrol managed to subdue him. Meriah still struggles with that moment. Her begrudgingly charitable habits taking a hit, finding it hard to trust others, she became a little more reclusive. It was around that time that folks started calling her 'Black' Meriah. The nickname whispered offhandedly as she passed around the streets in the Lowers. Still aiding some when she could, but always in a spiteful way. + |
| Merida Grimhall + | Raised in the notorious house of Grimhall, she does much to bolster its bloody reputation. While some thuggish types hide their noble birth, she does little to hide it. Well, not that she does much to hide anything. As a Grimhall's daughter, she was looked upon with the same disappointment and handled with the same hand that most women of the Mourning isles are, the hand that intends to mould them into the classic visage of a woman seen, but not heard. That is, until she bit it. Took a chunk right out of it. When all attempts to reign her in were met this way, her parents simply gave up trying to control their bloodstained blacksheep. Who could blame them, everyone was just a little bit afraid of her. And with that, she took off to live amongst a crew of pirate bandits. She trained with men, fought amongst them, and drank with the best of them, living off the spoils. And they never looked down upon her, at least not there. She was too scary for that, and it made her an excellent pirate. Now, she's returned to the Mourning Isles and the house of Grimhall, ready to see if their views of women has changed enough for her. + |
| Merida Thrax + | Raised in the notorious house of Grimhall, she does much to bolster its bloody reputation. While some thuggish types hide their noble birth, she does little to hide it. Well, not that she does much to hide anything. As a Grimhall's daughter, she was looked upon with the same disappointment and handled with the same hand that most women of the Mourning isles are, the hand that intends to mould them into the classic visage of a woman seen, but not heard. That is, until she bit it. Took a chunk right out of it. When all attempts to reign her in were met this way, her parents simply gave up trying to control their bloodstained blacksheep. Who could blame them, everyone was just a little bit afraid of her. And with that, she took off to live amongst a crew of pirate bandits. She trained with men, fought amongst them, and drank with the best of them, living off the spoils. And they never looked down upon her, at least not there. She was too scary for that, and it made her an excellent pirate. Now, she's returned to the Mourning Isles and the house of Grimhall, ready to see if their views of women has changed enough for her. + |
| Mevo Valarney + | Mevo was raised as the younger sister to her brother Gil, who were both raised by parents whose tended the lands of a lord. Due to their situation, the family found themselves sustained on a lifestyle of tattered clothing and meager food. Her brother aided their father quite often, while Mevo kept to their small hut and helped her mother. As well, because of their lack of real income, Mevo found herself both without any real education or social understanding. For quite some time, her life was uneventful save for the occasional well-off traveler passing by, who by simply being there would cause the siblings to wish for the same level of grandeur compared to themselves. Around the age of nineteen though, the household was noticed by a man of advanced years who seemed to take a keen interest in Mevo. While initial worries were raised, the man had assured the household that he was a former merchant, specially of potions and other similar bottled items. The man had taken an interest in numerous students throughout the years and wished to take Mevo along with him. When questioned on why simply Mevo and not Gil, the reason was simply that Gil was too old to learn what needed to be taught, and be able to apply them to the degree the older man wished. Upon the acceptance that things would be easier for the family (if only slightly) with one less mouth to feed, the old man's offer was accepted. The family was able to lavish Mevo in their luxuries, such as a bath and a better meal as a parting farewell, and soon watched as Mevo was taken off by the merchant. Mevo soon learned that she would not be learning directly from the merchant, but instead a student of his who recently was released under his direct guidance, but still remained with his more senior students. Over the years, Mevo found herself forced to adapt to not only a strange environment, but a whole new lifestyle while at the same time having to undertake the challenge of becoming educated. At the same time though, she found herself closer to the degree of grandeur that she and her brother once dreamed of, due to constantly seeing the old man passing the students in a show of wealth. Mevo was constantly reminded by fellow students though, that this wealth had taken the man many years to achieve and (according to them) a unobtainable goal for someone who got in the practice as late as she did. The words of discouragement seemingly discourage Mevo who simply was engrossed by the possibility of a dream. Of course, this life didn't come free and Mevo was instructed in numerous methods of creating the "perfect" perfume or similar item. She was drilled on ways to interact with customers, and the general populace of the city as well. By the age of twenty-five, Mevo considered herself to be capable as an apothecary, a belief which was also held by her mentor. Mevo was considered to have graduated from the teaching of her mentor, and was given a small kit of items that both her mentor and the old man assured her would be more than enough to start her own practice. In good graces, Mevo left their company and found herself traveling city to city, acting most times as a last ditch result for those who weren't able to find an apothecary who resided in their city. Even though this lifestyle was better than her childhood, it still wasn't getting her the wealth she desired. Realizing that her best chance was Arx, she decided to head to the capital city to try and showcase her skills there. + |
| Mia Riven + | Mia inherited the countship of the Twainfort when the adult Rivens all died along with the Deepwoods under the swords of Abandoned. It's the kind of beginning, in fire and death, that would make this story make all the more sense if she grew into a vengeance lustful soldier, ready to put every Shav'Arvani settlement to the sword. But that is not what she did. When an outrider from the traveling camp of deserter Abandoned came to the fort, Mia did not just meet with him; she insisted on returning with him to meet with his leader, fearless and insistent. At 17, she brokered a deal with Thesarin, leader of the Abandoned rebels, that would one day bring his followers and her people into one unified countship, under he and her as Countess and Count. If she fell madly in love with him that night, well, it wasn't her fault she was 17. But she was more than a headstrong girl with a crush: she was the Countess of the Twainfort, mistress of the Twins, and she would do everything she could to prevent the tragedy that had struck her family from destroying their legacy. The countship would be secured and her borders would be reinforced. After an unsteady couple of years where she balanced on a precipice of war, chaos, famine and open revolt, Mia Riven married Thesarin and brought his people into the fold. She ennobled them all with the strength of her liege's lieges behind her, and created a new County, a new House, essentially, for the Twainfort: "Kin in Honor," those who had been the Greenwoods and those who had been the river traders. At 19, she married Thesarin. At that point, she completely hated him, as only a 19 year old girl can hate a man who does not love her. But she loved her duty, and she loved her countship, and she knew what was best for her people. Together, they grew. Whatever their private romance or lack thereof, they developed over time into an astounding partnership, filling in the gaps in each other's strengths, and showing their people with open progessivism exactly how to integrate the customs of the Prodigals with the customs of the Compact: uniquely, individually, with respect for the humanity of all -- and in accordance, of course, with the laws of the Faith. If anything, bearing children (first, her heir, Vahari, and then two more) only made her feel this all the more fiercely. Mia is a mother who will protect her children; she is a leader who will protect her people; and she is a passionate idealist who will protect the Compact. These all go together. + |
| Micaela Malespero + | Micaela was born to a lesser-known noble family of the Lyceum. Hardly more than merchants really, they were the noble family who were rumored to have bought the title - or certainly her father bought nobility in marriage to her mother, he being a very wealthy merchant before he married the impoverished daughter of a minor house. That marriage produced only a single child, and Micaela found herself alone in the world when her parents died when she was barely twenty. She married then, a charming young man with whom she was wildly in love, but before they could have any children, he too was killed in a carriage accident. But for a chance circumstance, a minor riding accident that kept her at home with a horrible headache, she would have died with him. Instead she was widowed, alone once more, and tired of struggling to rule her small lands well and wisely and alone. When offered the opportunity to join the Malespero family with Lianne, a distant cousin of her late husband's at its head, and unite their lands she - well, she didn't leap at it, she sort of drifted in that general direction, joining her fortunes to the Malesperos in an alliance that would hopefully work for all. + |
| Michael Bisland + | It's not easy to be the son of one of the greatest knights in all of the Compact, a duke who once was seen as the face of House Grayson's military might, and to live in Duke Gabriel Bisland's shadow. It doesn't really bother Michael at all. The way he sees it, it's just a lively competition to beat the old man's accomplishments and to do it younger, and to hope his father doesn't keep upping the ante by performing other ridiculous acts of heroism. Michael is privately convinced that his lord father will probably still be killing shav warchiefs in single combat when he's eighty years old, so it's a high bar, but that's what makes the competition fun. Unfortunately, after hearing terms like 'reckless' or 'impetuous' or 'careless' far too often, and quite unfairly in Michael's exquisitely humble opinion ('daring' or 'bold' is far more appropriate, of course), the young knight has been sent off to Arx to serve under some upjumped commoners in the Iron Guard of Arx to teach him 'self-restraint' and 'humility'. It's outrageous to Michael. Sure, technically humility is one of the chivalric virtues but so is honesty, and if he might be a little convinced of just how great he, House Grayson, and House Bisland all are, at least he comes by the opinion honestly. + |
| Miella Corsetina + | Girl. That was the name that Miella Corsetina went by for sixteen years of her life. There were a few variations to that, but most of the time the title was accompanied with slaps and even kicks to make sure she knew who someone was talking to. Growing up in Arx as an orphan can lead you down various paths. Chance is a wonderful thing. There are various families that you can be absorbed into if you are seeking protection or work. There are odd jobs that some people might trust you with, such as running messages or cleaning. Miella had the chance encounter with a courtesan named Mirari Corsetina in the market one day, and the dark haired Lycene woman took in Miella and gave her a name, family, job and training. Miella might remember where she had come from, and she might know who her old family was, but she'll never say now. She's a Corsetina, for better or for worse. + |
| Mihai Corvini + | The siblings Rodica and Mihai are a study in constrasts. The sunkissed sister seized life to the fullest, taking to the sea at an early age, whereas her older brother took to more diplomatic pursuits. From an early age, he was trained to think before speaking, to understand the need for etiquette, even with the very least of men. Corvini needed to survive and could ill-afford fauxpas when matters of food and trade were concerned. Over the years, the boy grew into a man, and with each seasons turns, he grew wiser. Seldom did he offer belligerent words, though it was not uncommon for individuals to find some manner of threat, even in his silences. By the age of sixteen, he was known as 'the Sly' amongst his family and those that knew him. Over the years, he engaged in a variety of diplomatic ventures for the family, primarily in spreading the word of the quality of Corvini goods, and, when necessary, marriages. Everything was for the good of the family, even if there were often questions if he ever seemed to say what he really thought. + |
| Mihaly Riven + | The younger brother to the previous Count of Twainfort, Mihaly Riven, grew up with his siblings, did not exactly have an expectation to grow into a particular mold of this role or that role. Being directionless as he was didn't suit Mihaly, who wanted to be more than some too priveleged noble, even as a young boy. His uncle, Ignacious Riven, saw to that. A well-renowned swordsman, arguably one of the most skilled in the County, gave the young Mihaly direction and tuteledge, making his nephew his squire. The young Riven didn't know what real duty was, not until Igancious drilled it into him. Knightly tenants, something to aspire to. But without the Valardin romanticisim. Duty. Obligation. Protection. Mercy. As the years passed, Mihaly never became Sword as his uncle had hoped, but not because he couldn't do it, rather because Laveer had other requests for him. Through skill and deed that made his mentor smile, Laveer asked Mihaly to lead the knighthood of Riven, rising to become Knight Captain. It was a role he gladly took and excelled at. So much so is that his job and role became everything about him, perhaps not to the point of obsession, but enough that it took the majority of his free time. But that time was devoted to protecting Twainfort and Riven, offering years of experience and wisdom that many aspiring young squires, both noble and common alike looked up to. Despite never marrying or having children of his own, many of these young men and women he saw as his own wards, and that alone was as fulfilling as if they were his own. This was majority of his life, and he was content with it, staying in Twainfort and keeping it safe. It was rewarding, if not difficult and challenging work, even as age and injuries started to rack up in numbers. In time, he began to realize that he could not do this forever. Recovering from wounds took longer, stiffness started to creep into his bones when he would wake up. He can still fight, and still be more than a challenge yet, but he sees the sun starting to set on the horizon. It was during this time that he was requested to Arx, to take up the mantle his uncle carried a lifetime ago. To become Sword of Twainfort, with the express purpose to find, train, and pass on his knowledge, skill, and title of Sword to the next generation of Twainfort knights. + |
| Mikael Kennex + | Mikael Kennex is born to one of the cadet lines of the Kennex family, far away from any possibility of inheriting. He was also born with the dubious honor of being Rorik's fraternal twin brother, which has caused him no few amount of headaches in his life. While his twin brother is far less responsible and more free spirited, Mikael has dedicated his life to actually doing things that matter. After convincing his brother not to call his cog 'The Gritty Clam,' Mikael got his own ship and named it that. Kind of a jerk move. But onto the things that mattered: He then went on a several year spree of putting down piracy in the Mourning Isles. He has fought a lot of pirates and sailed in all kinds of ridiculous conditions. He's not known to be a very /kind/ captain, but he's efficient, fair and his crew respects him for it. He fought in the Gyre War, where he wasn't sure what was happening, but he didn't like it and he's pretty sure something Was Up. He didn't spend it drunk like Rorik did. In fact, Mikael's approach to drinking is somewhat restricted. Not due to any traumatic event, but simply personal preference. He doesn't mind a light buzz, but he's not fond of the lack of control. + |
| Mikani Byrne + | Mikani Tideborne was born to a couple of thralls within the grasp of the Redreef House and by the time she was five years old her parents had been killed for trying to conceal the child's existence. In a show of 'mercy' and 'kindness' the family did not kill the child and took her into their own household as a thrall. The girl was tasked with being a friend to Ember and Marina, making sure they kept out of trouble, and reporting back to their parents when the girls did wrong. Naturally, she got into a lot of trouble herself because the two girls were quite an adventurous handful on their own. Eventually the twins left and Mika was given some freedom to explore life on her own. She worked herself nearly to death, doing any work possible to pay off her inherited debt to her family. By the time Mika was 20 she had paid off her own debt. However, she stuck with the Redreef House and continued to serve them, finding the twins again and working for them rather than being owned by them. + |
| Mikani Crovane + | Mikani Tideborne was born to a couple of thralls within the grasp of the Redreef House and by the time she was five years old her parents had been killed for trying to conceal the child's existence. In a show of 'mercy' and 'kindness' the family did not kill the child and took her into their own household as a thrall. The girl was tasked with being a friend to Ember and Marina, making sure they kept out of trouble, and reporting back to their parents when the girls did wrong. Naturally, she got into a lot of trouble herself because the two girls were quite an adventurous handful on their own. Eventually the twins left and Mika was given some freedom to explore life on her own. She worked herself nearly to death, doing any work possible to pay off her inherited debt to her family. By the time Mika was 20 she had paid off her own debt. However, she stuck with the Redreef House and continued to serve them, finding the twins again and working for them rather than being owned by them. + |
| Mikani Magnotta + | Mikani Tideborne was born to a couple of thralls within the grasp of the Redreef House and by the time she was five years old her parents had been killed for trying to conceal the child's existence. In a show of 'mercy' and 'kindness' the family did not kill the child and took her into their own household as a thrall. The girl was tasked with being a friend to Ember and Marina, making sure they kept out of trouble, and reporting back to their parents when the girls did wrong. Naturally, she got into a lot of trouble herself because the two girls were quite an adventurous handful on their own. Eventually the twins left and Mika was given some freedom to explore life on her own. She worked herself nearly to death, doing any work possible to pay off her inherited debt to her family. By the time Mika was 20 she had paid off her own debt. However, she stuck with the Redreef House and continued to serve them, finding the twins again and working for them rather than being owned by them. + |
| Mikani Redreef + | Mikani Tideborne was born to a couple of thralls within the grasp of the Redreef House and by the time she was five years old her parents had been killed for trying to conceal the child's existence. In a show of 'mercy' and 'kindness' the family did not kill the child and took her into their own household as a thrall. The girl was tasked with being a friend to Ember and Marina, making sure they kept out of trouble, and reporting back to their parents when the girls did wrong. Naturally, she got into a lot of trouble herself because the two girls were quite an adventurous handful on their own. Eventually the twins left and Mika was given some freedom to explore life on her own. She worked herself nearly to death, doing any work possible to pay off her inherited debt to her family. By the time Mika was 20 she had paid off her own debt. However, she stuck with the Redreef House and continued to serve them, finding the twins again and working for them rather than being owned by them. + |
| Mikani Tideborne + | Mikani Tideborne was born to a couple of thralls within the grasp of the Redreef House and by the time she was five years old her parents had been killed for trying to conceal the child's existence. In a show of 'mercy' and 'kindness' the family did not kill the child and took her into their own household as a thrall. The girl was tasked with being a friend to Ember and Marina, making sure they kept out of trouble, and reporting back to their parents when the girls did wrong. Naturally, she got into a lot of trouble herself because the two girls were quite an adventurous handful on their own. Eventually the twins left and Mika was given some freedom to explore life on her own. She worked herself nearly to death, doing any work possible to pay off her inherited debt to her family. By the time Mika was 20 she had paid off her own debt. However, she stuck with the Redreef House and continued to serve them, finding the twins again and working for them rather than being owned by them. + |
| Miles Lockton + | Born the seventh and last child of a Count and Countess sworn to House Laurent, Miles Lockton was destined to always finish last or be considered an expendable bargaining chip by parents who already had an heir, a spare, and many more available in the event of tragedy. Eventually becoming a page to one of his family's sworn knights, then a squire, eventually Miles became a knight in his own right. While never the most expert swordsman, Miles was in possession for an affinity for service. Not only to himself or his liege, but to the injured. He comported himself with valor when, as a knight himself, he was in battle with a number of shav'arvani, his own mentor was seriously injured. Not only did Sir Miles Lockton fight off the three shavs who would have no doubt killed the knight who trained him, he hoisted the fully armoured man onto his shoulders and trudged off the battlefield with him to seek immediately attention. At 24 years old, that singular act of valor and dedication drew the attention of the Crown. Which resulted in his invitation to join the King's Own, the royal guard of the Sovereign his or herself. Since that time Sir Miles has witnessed many knights come and go within the King's own, more often than not when they've met their end, yet Sir Miles continues on. Some claim he's unkillable - yet more claim that it's because he's too stubborn and crotchety to die. Some say the gods don't want to deal with his heavy sighs and disappointed frowns. Sir Miles has witnessed a great deal and even tended to the minor injuries of a young Leona Thrax, who herself would one day become a Lord Commander of the King's Own, at the behest of Lord Commander Dayne Valardin. Youth is taking over the King's Own, yet Sir Miles refuses to fade away. + |
| Mimi Pravus + | Born into thralldom in the Mourning Isles, freedom has been a mixed blessing for Mimi. Yes, she now is a free citizen of the Compact, with all of the rights and protections that entails, that is true. However, she is now alone. She isn't sure which initiative to buy the bonds of child thralls was the one that freed her. She just knows that her parents did everything in their power to put her forward as one of the children to be freed. Once freed, she had no living relatives to take her in and she was too old for most people to consider adoption, so after a fair bit of shuffling from one charitable organization to another, she spent her formative years in an orphanage in Setarco. There, she discovered her talent for drawing and painting, quickly discovering she could make a few coins here and there sketching portraits. Now that she is of age, she has decided to make her way to Arx to see what she might be able to accomplish in the capitol. + |
| Mina Grayfallow + | Mina grew up in the farming communities of Hawkhold, where her family has born the name of Grayfallow. She was able to get some schooling, and while she excelled at it, that wasn't really what interested her in it. It was all about people, people were the cause of all the history and their choices gave rise to the knowledge being gained in other subjects. What was important to her was their stories, that was what was interesting. When she came of age, she became a teacher for their community, happily learning about everyone she could while making the lives of those around her better. When the news of the Grayfallow lineage came out, Mina immediately gathered enough money to move from Hawkhold down to the hub of commerce Arx. + |
| Minka Grayson + | Princess Minka Grayson lives to make the House Grayson the very best. Something that is not very difficult due to the Grayson't track record. As it stands for the majority of her life, Minka might be a noble in name but in reality behaves more like a Knightly Crusader, whose goal is to keep her House and all its vassals to always come on top, thus her specialization in combat. She has denominated herself a Crusader for the Grayson family, and she lives by the Family's greatness. At only eighteen years old, the Princess has studied up her in combat making her quite proficient. Still as a Grayson, she also keep herself aware of the political intrigue that surrounds the Compact. At all times Minka's loyalty is to the Grayson, and she does anything in her power to keep the Grayson's on top of their game. + |
| Mira Artiglio + | The eldest child and only daughter of the merchant lord Addio Matessi, Mira took to letters at an early age. Adept at her studies, her father financed her tutelege and spoiled her with books while her younger brothers fought and vied for a future share of their father's fortune. But while the boys contended with one another for their father's praise, it was bookish Mira that continued to hold his affection, and when her tutors recommended he have the girl schooled in the ways of the law, Addio consented, against his concerned wife's wishes. Now a fully trained lawyer, Mira is emerging into a wider world that she is fully confident can be tamed with just decorum and the law. + |
| Miraj Champagne + | Miraj was born to a wealthy merchant family in Setarco with all the freedom and privileges something like that could afford her. Which is to say, she was better off than most commoners. She grew up learning the ins and outs of the family trade, becoming quite adept with numbers and people. Her interests, however, began to stretch further than accounting for the family's wealth and the politics of business contracts. Miraj wanted more. Fame, glamour, wealth - she wanted it all. When, at the tender age of thirteen, she petitioned her parents for enrollment into the House of Silken Sighs - a very expensive endeavor - she was granted it with the understanding that she would be furthering her family's reach with the training she would receive and the contacts she would make. A decade later, her apprenticeship was completed and her debt to her family was paid off. But she didn't feel fulfilled. Her desire for more drove her to wanderlust and eventually she made her way to Arx. Here, she met up with one of the many family alliances she had made in the past few years by the name of Champagne. Soon after she joined the Courtier's Guild (or Whisper House, as a non Whisper Courtesan) but she still has an interest in Setaro and its politics, and has not as of yet shed her allegiance to Pravus in the hopes that they may desire her and her abilities as a Courtier for themselves. + |
| Miranda Mazetti + | Miranda loves to tease her older brother Fecundo about his name, and he loves to tease her back about being the "extra" baby. Their mother named him thus because she had so much trouble getting pregnant that she was certain he would be her only child, and thus he would need to give her all of the grandchildren in the world. Naturally, Miranda came along not even two years later, but she was, in her mother's mind, unnecessary. Anything Fecundo wanted he could have, and Miranda quickly learned to manipulate her older brother's good nature since her mother refused to spoil her as well. It worked every time. Whether Fecundo knew and chose to spoil his little sister, or whether she was that good at pulling strings, that is up for debate. As a young girl, she fell in love with a set of armor that a Gemecittan merchant had in his shop. It was, by far, not out of the family's price range, but her mother repeatedly refused to buy the set of armor for her. Crushed, Miranda worked tirelessly to put together the silver for it and finally bought it for herself. It was her most prized possession for many years and she wore it proudly as she trained to be a knight. Miranda sought out the knighthood so that she could lead troops into battle. She was one of Gemecitta's youngest commanders at Setarco and she saw some very strange things. She's interested in continuing to command troops in the army and to be recognized for her efforts to rebuild it. She'd also like to join the Society of Explorers so that she can lead expeditions to strange and far-off places, to discover new situations and earn recognition for them. She might like to run a ministry for her House or even the Crown! That's one of the reasons she's come to Arx -- that and the opportunity to get away from her stifling crazy mother. More of a military leader than a swordswoman, Miranda is fairly good-natured but competitive. She's counting every opportunity available in Arx as a potential win, and she's drawn to the endless possibilities. + |
| Miranda Rubino-Zaffria + | Miranda loves to tease her older brother Fecundo about his name, and he loves to tease her back about being the "extra" baby. Their mother named him thus because she had so much trouble getting pregnant that she was certain he would be her only child, and thus he would need to give her all of the grandchildren in the world. Naturally, Miranda came along not even two years later, but she was, in her mother's mind, unnecessary. Anything Fecundo wanted he could have, and Miranda quickly learned to manipulate her older brother's good nature since her mother refused to spoil her as well. It worked every time. Whether Fecundo knew and chose to spoil his little sister, or whether she was that good at pulling strings, that is up for debate. As a young girl, she fell in love with a set of armor that a Gemecittan merchant had in his shop. It was, by far, not out of the family's price range, but her mother repeatedly refused to buy the set of armor for her. Crushed, Miranda worked tirelessly to put together the silver for it and finally bought it for herself. It was her most prized possession for many years and she wore it proudly as she trained to be a knight. Miranda sought out the knighthood so that she could lead troops into battle. She was one of Gemecitta's youngest commanders at Setarco and she saw some very strange things. She's interested in continuing to command troops in the army and to be recognized for her efforts to rebuild it. She'd also like to join the Society of Explorers so that she can lead expeditions to strange and far-off places, to discover new situations and earn recognition for them. She might like to run a ministry for her House or even the Crown! That's one of the reasons she's come to Arx -- that and the opportunity to get away from her stifling crazy mother. More of a military leader than a swordswoman, Miranda is fairly good-natured but competitive. She's counting every opportunity available in Arx as a potential win, and she's drawn to the endless possibilities. + |
| Mirari Corsetina + | It's hard to be a six year old child with a mother recently deceased and a father lost to the sea. It's even harder when your aunt and uncle have seven other children, and not enough money to keep everyone fed in Setarco. When Mirari's aunt saw an opportunity to rid herself of the burden she had become the woman took it, and despite lingering resentment even Mirari can admit she might have done the same in her stead. After a brief meeting with one of the representatives of the House of Silken Sighs, the very place where the best courtiers of Setarco came from, money changed hands, a deal was struck, and Mirari was taken off to be raised as one of them. A young child learns to adapt, and it wasn't long before Mirari was doing her best to impress her instructors and excel among her peers. She did so well that she was singled out for more advanced training, which the young woman took to like a fish to water, feeling like she had something to prove. At the end of her studies she found her contract purchased by House Pravus, where she served for several years. The day would eventually come when Mirari Corsetina would leave Belladonna's service and move to Arx, but the reason for that severance remains a mystery. A good courtier never tells. + |
| Miraya Corsetina + | Who is Miraya Corsetina? That is a good question, one that does not find any solid answers from the woman's family, with surprisingly sparse information for someone from such a prominent commoner family. All that anyone knows is that Miraya is named after her own mother, making her Mirari Corsetina's sister. Surprisingly elegant for a woman of her social rank and quite artful with a sabre, Miraya is a recent Arx arrival who seems to always be outside doing something. The people of the Lower Boroughs know her to be kind and to have a flourish to her speech that makes Miraya something of a folkloric figure, a lady of the gutter. + |
| Mirella Fiorelli + | The only child of parents impoverished by her father's gambling debts, Mirella was born and raised among the roughest and most dangerous streets of Caina, where she survived by dint of quick feet and the ability to squeeze her scrawny frame into dark concealing spaces. To earn coin, she worked as a menial servant in the households of merchants and minor city officials, cleaning their homes and running their errands. It wasn't the most satisfying work, but it put silver in her palm and a bit of food in her belly. Her wages kept the debt collectors and their blades away from the door of the Fiorelli's house, at least. Mirella unexpectedly blossomed into graceful good looks when she reached adolescence. It was thanks to this turn of fortune that she found employment with a bored socialite named Vanesa Cattaneo, who promptly set her pretty new attendant to the task of spywork. With careful stealth and keen perception, the girl quickly developed an ability to blend into the social circles and lavish parties of Caina's decadent upper classes, always on the hunt for exciting gossip to bring to her mistress. In turn, Vanesa taught Mirella things that would have otherwise been out of reach to a scrappy little urchin: lessons in dance, musicianship, and polite comportment, but also instruction in more academic subjects, such as the basics of alchemy, and how to research topics ranging from the mundane to the occult. Like her mentor, Mirella dedicated herself to the Faith as a mirrormask, keen to model herself after the glamorous social matriarch in every aspect of her life. Upon Mirella's twenty-fourth birthday, she received a great gift. Thanks to a surprising generosity on the part of a certain V. Cattaneo, it came to be that Giovanna Fiorelli was given enough silver to clear her husband's debts for some years into the future. Moreover, Vanesa furnished her protege with the coin to take a ship to Arx -- but only on the understanding that Mirella would use her time in the city as a whetstone to sharpen the edge of her talents. Since then, Mirella has established herself as a minister of Caina's ruling family (House Inverno) and also as a merchant dealing in cloth, jewels and other luxurious goods. It's not a bad start, all in all. + |
| Miriemi Lox + | Miriemi is the daughter of a foreign mercenary, native to a continent quite distant to Arvum. Her father saved a local lord of Thrax from a band of assassins, sent to put an end to his marauding in their waters, and for his service was granted a place in the lord's house. Born into the house herself and afforded the training of an officer, Miriemi happily marched to war to fight for her father's cause. Many victories followed, and Miriemi was afforded a place at the side of the house lord... and potentially an opportunity to meet with Prince Thrax himself. Such an opportunity never arose, however, as Miriemi - along with her lord's entire retinue - was caught in an ambush by Velenosa assassins. Slaughtered almost to the last, she alone survived even amongst their attackers. Wounded, bleeding, her face and body ruined and pierced by a dozen weapons, she somehow dragged herself to the home of the Thrax family themselves... and was cast away. No matter her pleas, her explainations, she received no help, not a single coin nor crust of bread. She eventually found her way to Arx. Homeless, houseless, betrayed, she now lives her life amongst the common rabble of the city, an embittered veteran with not a scrap of trust left in her. + |
| Mirk Halfshav + | 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. + |
| Miska el-Can + | Sometimes the story changes, but it usually goes something like this: Miska doesn't know where her mother came from. Either she was Lady of House Pravus at the time seeking to quell some raids by an Abandoned tribe along Setara's shores, or she was one of the Abandoned from the Saffron Chain trying to sell Dust on the Setaran shores. As far as Miska knows, neither one got her special treatment where she lived, in the City of Chains, so one was as good as the either and neither was worth talking about. Her father was a Eurusi slaver that earned a gold star on his record for having captured two ships at once (he was a small-time slaver at the time). Miska would live out most of her life in the City of Chains, learning the harsh lessons of a slave and doing the tasks of one. She, at least, was a favored slave. Pretty, quick-witted, able to make a deal and thus make her father's family richer. And so while life was rough, she witnessed rougher. At least she was never sent to the fighting pits. But one more thing she had: a facility for languages. It was her ability to pick up and speak the tongues of the Arvani, the shavs of the Saffron Chain, and the Eurusi that would have her sent back from Skal'daja by the age of eighteen. She's spent the rest of her years in the Saffron Chain, moving from one outpost or ship to another, treating with one shav clan or another, to keep the slaves flowing into the great markets. All this changed when House Pravus crushed the slavers' fleet and freed so many Eurusi. Miska found herself being ushered to Setarco and later to Arx. She found herself being told she was free to make her own choices, choose her own life. And she was free to contemplate what that even meant. For Miska, it meant starting with more of what she knew: learning markets, making deals, and taking care of the basic hierarchy of needs. That's how she fell in with the Grayhopes; they offered her a roof, protection, food. They offered her time to find out if she was just another Eurusi refugee, a prodigal, or a princess. + |
| Mizar Itani + | The oldest of two, Mizar was the daughter of a baker and his wife. She grew up in Arx, and hasn't ever been out of the city. Not very far, at least. Everything she ever wanted in life was here, and if she was asked why she never went anywhere else she'd answer that with a confused question of 'why?'. It was expected that she'd follow in her father's footsteps, work in the family bakery, but she decided that she was too good for that. She wasn't going to spend every day, and every night, working herself to the point that she was exhausted and every part of her was sore. So she decided to educate herself, do something different. So she began to study law, and began to work for those in the Court to try and get her own name known. So far she's not really anyone, but she's trying. + |
| Modi Blackpelt + | Far in the northern reaches of Arvum is where Modi came into the world. He was born the only child of a Shav'arvani mother and father, committed to the clan known as 'The Blackpelts'. They were a martial people, with deep superstitions rooted in spiritual belief. Modi was raised on the oral traditions of the clan, marring his childhood in hunting and shamanistic ritual. He was destined to one day take his place within their hierarchy as a leader in the physical trials and the occult. However, such a fate was pushed to the side entirely when the one they called the Horned God arose. Soon their tribe was beset by the whispers and machinations of that terrible force. Faced with their enslavement, Modi and his peers traveled into the snow-covered forests to beseech the spirits for guidance. They returned with claims that their survival hinged upon finding solace within the Compact, with which they had lived independent of for generations. Few would accept this stipulation. Their idleness allowed the seeds of doubt to grow. One by one, they followed the call of the Horned one. The Blackpelts were no more. Modi was one of the few to flee from the chaos, running south after his home gave in to darkness. He boldly claims that the predictions given to him had led him down this path. He'd never looked back until he made it to the city of Arx, where he bent the knee to the Compact's way of life. Though the life of a prodigal has won him little happiness, it has kept him alive. Everyday is a new challenge in adapting to this strange land. It is a trial that he's taken head-on, spending his time tutoring with the Whispers in learning proper etiquette and sociability. Along with offering his skills as a hunter to the common-folk of the city. His intent is to be useful, as useful as he possibly can be to his new people. + |
| Moira Grayhope + | Daughter of the silver-tongued, and quite deceased, Michal Grayhope and one of his conquests, Moira's always known the Lower Boroughs; she grew up around the criminals and outcasts and untouchables found there, lurking around her uncle Chanse's tavern and amusing herself with socializing. In spite of her nativity in the slums, Moira's life was rather charmed: she wanted for very little, and lived in comfortable surroundings that set her apart from her peers. Her father's death - supposedly at the hands of the Smiling Shadows - left a void in young Moira's life, and a void in the Grayhope family as a whole, one that she's sought to fill up with her own presence. + |
| Moire Saltcliff + | Moire Saltcliff remembers little of her early years. Born into thralldom, she was separated from any family she may have had early enough that she has a far easier time remembering the many, many stories she's told herself about them over the years. It wasn't until she was ten or so years old that she ended up in the same place for any length of time, her contract purchased by an apothocary that saw the potential in steady but quick fingers. Two years ago, Moire was due to be one of the thralls released from her debt, but the man who held her contract at the time was less than honest with her (and others) about the situation. It was luck that brought the Dowager Duchess Anneke Grimhall into the shop six months later, luck that brought the girl to the woman's attention. The apothocary was punished (severely), and Moire was taken into the Dowager's household in Grihem's Point and trained as a household servant. The young woman's talent for painting was discovered and then encouraged while in the Dowager's care. With her skill outpacing the tutors Anneke had available, she has decided to send the young woman to the family in Arx, where she can continue her employment and hopefully further develop her skills. + |
| Monique Greenmarch + | Many Abandoned live their entire lives without seeing civilization, or leaving their strongholds in the deep wilderness untouched by the writ of the Compact. Some like the Ravashari travel in and out of Compact lands and ones controlled by the Abandoned, never quite a member of each. But to the relief of many of the lords of the Compact no more than a handful of Abandoned are like Monique. The youngest daughter of the chieftain of the Greenmarch Abandoned, she grew up in the dark reaches of the Greenwood on stories of their ancestral enemies in House Valardin, and tales of the lords and ladies of civilized lands and how they led their lives. Fiercely independent and trading shamelessly on her privileged position as a favorite child, the reckless young woman was too fascinated by the land of the Compact to leave it alone, however much her tribe clung to isolationism for their own survival. Without anything like permission, she scouted Valardin lands far closer than most of her tribe, keeping watch on commoners in the borderlands, knights on patrol, and finally deciding she had learned enough to infiltrate Valardin lands herself. She found it almost laughably easy to become lost in the throngs of Sanctum, just another commoner blending in the crowds, easily adopting the more refined dialect of the Oathlands and never being taken for a shav. Monique loved the thrill of the game, and she stole clothes to embrace any of a hundred different roles on her escapades... and discovered that dozens of them let her slip into places no normal commoner of the Oathlands could hope to reach, and started spying to benefit the Greenmarch in ways that House Valardin would never have thought possible. She listened at high society parties, pretending to be a noblewoman or a courtier, as she heard pompous knights grouse how the Greenmarch were always seeming one step ahead 'by sheer blind luck' as she fed information on patrols, offensives and reprisal raids. She grew more and more confident, turning from spying to thefts and raids that could benefit the Greenmarch. She orchestrated bold burglaries on places she knew Valardin soldiers were leaving unguarded, sold information to other Abandoned groups, and finally started leaving calling cards of her crimes for her own amusement. With her talent at disguise, she counted at least twenty different descriptions for her with very creative wanted posters, and enjoyed collecting them. She was depressed for a full month when her sister married into House Valardin and the Greenmarch bent the knee, and House Valardin pardoned 'the Minx of the Marches' for her crimes. She could hardly still rob and manipulate her new in-laws. Her sister is scary, after all. But fortunately for Monique, she sees that all is not lost. Ignoring the loud objections of her family and friends that might have betrayed a trace of their panic, Monique has decided it's time to come to Arx, the capital of the Compact and become involved in politics. She is, after all, a lady of the newest house of the Compact, the ever-so-respectable Lady Monique Greenmarch. And she promised to behave- cross her heart and hope to die. She means it. Mostly. Sort of. Kind of. But they can hardly blame her if she uses a few old tricks to help out the family. What could possibly go wrong? + |
| Monique Telmar + | Many Abandoned live their entire lives without seeing civilization, or leaving their strongholds in the deep wilderness untouched by the writ of the Compact. Some like the Ravashari travel in and out of Compact lands and ones controlled by the Abandoned, never quite a member of each. But to the relief of many of the lords of the Compact no more than a handful of Abandoned are like Monique. The youngest daughter of the chieftain of the Greenmarch Abandoned, she grew up in the dark reaches of the Greenwood on stories of their ancestral enemies in House Valardin, and tales of the lords and ladies of civilized lands and how they led their lives. Fiercely independent and trading shamelessly on her privileged position as a favorite child, the reckless young woman was too fascinated by the land of the Compact to leave it alone, however much her tribe clung to isolationism for their own survival. Without anything like permission, she scouted Valardin lands far closer than most of her tribe, keeping watch on commoners in the borderlands, knights on patrol, and finally deciding she had learned enough to infiltrate Valardin lands herself. She found it almost laughably easy to become lost in the throngs of Sanctum, just another commoner blending in the crowds, easily adopting the more refined dialect of the Oathlands and never being taken for a shav. Monique loved the thrill of the game, and she stole clothes to embrace any of a hundred different roles on her escapades... and discovered that dozens of them let her slip into places no normal commoner of the Oathlands could hope to reach, and started spying to benefit the Greenmarch in ways that House Valardin would never have thought possible. She listened at high society parties, pretending to be a noblewoman or a courtesan, as she heard pompous knights grouse how the Greenmarch were always seeming one step ahead 'by sheer blind luck' as she fed information on patrols, offensives and reprisal raids. She grew more and more confident, turning from spying to thefts and raids that could benefit the Greenmarch. She orchestrated bold burglaries on places she knew Valardin soldiers were leaving unguarded, sold information to other Abandoned groups, and finally started leaving calling cards of her crimes for her own amusement. With her talent at disguise, she counted at least twenty different descriptions for her with very creative wanted posters, and enjoyed collecting them. She was depressed for a full month when her sister married into House Valardin and the Greenmarch bent the knee, and House Valardin pardoned 'the Minx of the Marches' for her crimes. She could hardly still rob and manipulate her new in-laws. Her sister is scary, after all. But fortunately for Monique, she sees that all is not lost. Ignoring the loud objections of her family and friends that might have betrayed a trace of their panic, Monique has decided it's time to come to Arx, the capital of the Compact and become involved in politics. She is, after all, a lady of the newest house of the Compact, the ever-so-respectable Lady Monique Greenmarch. And she promised to behave- cross her heart and hope to die. She means it. Mostly. Sort of. Kind of. But they can hardly blame her if she uses a few old tricks to help out the family. What could possibly go wrong? + |
| Montag Waters + | Montag has born into his trade, the second son of a pirate and the smuggler she off loaded her stolen cargo onto. As a child, he spent his days helping his father sort goods to be fenced or doing simple manual labor for the family business. Once he reached his teenage years, the art of sailing was passed down to him as well as the expectation that he would join either his mother or fathers professions. In the end, he dabbled in both. For three years, he sailed with a pirate crew and raided ships off the coast of the Isles and the City-States of the Lycuem. That venture ended after his captain died of an infected wound gone septic and the remaining crew largely parted ways to join other raiders. Smuggling seemed marginally less dangerous and thanks to a contact of his fathers, Montag got himself a gig moving illicit goods. He was quite adept at it, gaining a decent bit of coin and even managing to secure his own small crew. It was around this time, at the ripe age of twenty-one, that he met Verasha Melaeris. At first, he was simply paid to be her guide. The pair got on well and eventually found themselves exchanging letters, telling each other tall tales of their journeys. More and more often, Montag found himself employed by the noble to get her safely in and out of places. The pay was good, it wasnt exactly illegal work, and it left him in good company. So in the end, he wasnt too opposed to retiring from smuggling to become her permanent guide and kind-of-sort-of bodyguard. At least publically. After a long life at sea or on the move, Montag has finally come to settle in Arx to serve at the new Marquessas side. + |
| Moon Morien + | Moon was born four years after his brother, as an albino he was alienated from his family. He learned some of his mom's weapons following unknowingly in the footsteps of his brother. Eventually Moon ran off into the northern wilds to train alone. One wild man with no one except himself and nature, he became adapt at surviving, and moving his guides were the spirits of the north. Coming to Arx, Moon met a champion named Caspian. Caspian saw Moon's potential and begun to train him as a Champion. + |
| Morgan Seliki + | Like his cousin Kaldur whom he admired, Morgan turned out to be a daredevil and drawn to martial pursuits. Cliff diving and swimming in dangerous waters became a regular test of daring and endurance. He was a natural student in personal combat and took his knight's vows with pride - if perhaps a bit of wariness from being constrained by some rules. Unfortunately, his energetic prankster spirit and disregard for such troublesome things like laws is what landed him in Arx after one too many tavern brawls, cows tipped, and drunken serenades in the middle of the night. Not that he minds, there's just so much more to do in the big city! + |
| Morin Corvane + | Morin was born to an abandoned tribe from the northern regions. Although he was the son of the chieftans family the day he assumed power never game. Instead the Crovane came. Their wooden shields and enduring arrows were to much for the abandoned and they were soon subjugated. With his tribe destroyed, family slain, and the remainders becoming vassals to the powerful house Morin himself was adopted by Somhairle's father and enobled as a way to ensure his peoples loyalty. Thirty-five years later Morin has served the Crovane family as if it were his own because it has become his only family and now he serves Somhairle as he did the man's father. Years of being a warrior advisor and the families duelist in all honor duels both sanctioned and more obscure back in the northlands have made the 48 year old northerner a proper noble by most measures. + |
| Moros Inverno + | The story of Marena and Moros begins with the wild romance of their parents, the tale that inspire the Ballad of Hearts and Swords. Bitter enemies for years, Adela Pravus and Auster Inverno would meet again when the Sin sailed to Caina demanding a match to end their rivalry once and for all. The Black Tooth aquiesced to a duel, if the challenger could defeat his disciples. The Setarcan dispatched the Shark's apprentices with swift violence. Auster, however, would prove himself to be far more skilled and would come out victorious. As Adela, bloodied but not beaten, glared at the breathless Inverno, their fires changed and mingled, and a month later they would be wed. From this union Marena and Moros were born, and the legend of the Twin Fins of Caina would begin. From the onset Marena and Moros were designed for war, the combined Inverno and Pravus heritage and upbringing under the Black Tooth having sealed their fates. Each twin did pursue their own hobbies, with Moros leaning towards physical activities, hunting and jousting, drawn to the rush of life that made him beloved among the crowds. Each sunrise started the same, however, with the two training under Auster. A harsh father, and demanding tutor, Auster believed one of them would inherit his Gift of Endings, while the other would disappoint him. Only one would bear the title of Black Tooth of Caina, and for that he would make Marena and Moros not just rivals: they would be enemies, and would bear their scars to prove it. Caina knew of the dispute well, and many felt for the young children of Auster Inverno. The city would grow used to the heated arguments between the Black Tooth and his Setarcan wife over the subject. A year to go before their final test and the writing was on the wall: Lady Marena was all but sure to be the heiress to her father's title. She had mastered the Inverno posture of fencing while Lord Moros had fallen behind. To the experienced warriors of the Inverno it was the the drunkard Moros had squandered his potential. As Lord Auster fomented further strife, it was during their birthday celebration that the two fought at the Throatcut Docks. The argument was heated and soon devolved into a fistfight, a quagmire of bottled emotions bursting free, old wounds bared for the city to see. By the end the commonfolk watched in pity as the ever-serene Marena gave an indignant screech of defeat, Moros standing over his sister bloodied and looking anything but victorious. Adela would divorce from Auster and take the broken Marena to Setarco to heal while Moros stayed behind as the new Black Tooth. Moros would be embraced by the people, cheered as a hero and, ever the free spirit, he would behave as one. Every day a new duel, every night a new lover, and the cycle would have continued, if not for the summons of Marquessa Tyche Inverno, and the war in the Saffron Chain. Just like his father had done a year before, Moros stood up and left without notice, meeting his liege in Arx and offering his sword to her service. + |
| Morrighan + | Born to one of war-like tribes of the Abandoned, the typical convention of brutality and savagery was a poignant reality to Morrighan. Through the ongoing blood feuds between various clans, her parents were lost shortly after her birth, leaving her rearing to the tribe as a whole. She didn't experience a typical childhood for most, existing alone was sheer survival. The more knowledged and skilled members of the group taught her what they could, starting her crude, rudimentary education at a young age. She learned with the volatile state and the constant raids it was kill or be killed, fight or fall, to never give up in the face of adversity and to stand one's ground. For the most part, this served her well, for many a year, in fact - until the pirates came. With the ongoing fighting, chaos flourished, giving the corsairs an opportunity they couldn't ignore. They raided the settlement, pillaging and taking anything of value they could, cutting down anyone who got in their way. Still just a sprite of a child on the cusp of her pre-teen years, Morrighan fought to the best of her ability, though ended up in enemy hands. The scoundrels found her fiery, combative temperament amusing, furthering their resolve to drag her along back to the ship, where she was put to work as a scullery maid. Needless to say, being the hellion she is, a lot of plates were broken, and food may or may not have been tampered with. Time passed and was largely unmeasured, how long exactly she was aboard the vessel is unknown. Eventually, with a misguided sense of assuredness and egotism, the pirates moved to raid a ship in Redrain's coastal waters. It all went awry, ending as what one would describe as a failure of epic proportions. For their crimes of piracy, the crew was hanged; Morrighan was spared. Prince Sherrod of House Redrain took mercy on the young Abandoned, offering to take her in as a ward. With her life spared, she gave an oath of fealty to the noble house that saved her and swore to serve in whatever capacity that was required. The transition was a bit of a shock, a far cry from her life in the tribe and her time aboard the corsair vessel - but she found it terribly intriguing. Despite her place as a servant, Morrighan remained mostly uncultured and somewhat uncivilized, but she learned enough of social etiquette to know when to keep her mouth shut, lest her behavior reflect poorly upon the man that took her in. It was a new world, a foreign environment, and she had to learn a new set of skills in order to survive. + |
| Morrighan Frost + | Born to one of war-like tribes of the Abandoned, the typical convention of brutality and savagery was a poignant reality to Morrighan. Through the ongoing blood feuds between various clans, her parents were lost shortly after her birth, leaving her rearing to the tribe as a whole. She didn't experience a typical childhood for most, existing alone was sheer survival. The more knowledged and skilled members of the group taught her what they could, starting her crude, rudimentary education at a young age. She learned with the volatile state and the constant raids it was kill or be killed, fight or fall, to never give up in the face of adversity and to stand one's ground. For the most part, this served her well, for many a year, in fact - until the pirates came. With the ongoing fighting, chaos flourished, giving the corsairs an opportunity they couldn't ignore. They raided the settlement, pillaging and taking anything of value they could, cutting down anyone who got in their way. Still just a sprite of a child on the cusp of her pre-teen years, Morrighan fought to the best of her ability, though ended up in enemy hands. The scoundrels found her fiery, combative temperament amusing, furthering their resolve to drag her along back to the ship, where she was put to work as a scullery maid. Needless to say, being the hellion she is, a lot of plates were broken, and food may or may not have been tampered with. Time passed and was largely unmeasured, how long exactly she was aboard the vessel is unknown. Eventually, with a misguided sense of assuredness and egotism, the pirates moved to raid a ship in Redrain's coastal waters. It all went awry, ending as what one would describe as a failure of epic proportions. For their crimes of piracy, the crew was hanged; Morrighan was spared. Prince Sherrod of House Redrain took mercy on the young Abandoned, offering to take her in as a ward. With her life spared, she gave an oath of fealty to the noble house that saved her and swore to serve in whatever capacity that was required. The transition was a bit of a shock, a far cry from her life in the tribe and her time aboard the corsair vessel - but she found it terribly intriguing. Despite her place as a servant, Morrighan remained mostly uncultured and somewhat uncivilized, but she learned enough of social etiquette to know when to keep her mouth shut, lest her behavior reflect poorly upon the man that took her in. It was a new world, a foreign environment, and she had to learn a new set of skills in order to survive. + |
| Mortimer Mairelli + | The Mairelli family of Brassfall is known for their economically inclined minds and expertise in their respective fields. Mortimer is indeed cut from the same cloth, as from a young age, he showed plenty of aptitude in the family business. He worked with his family until his late twenties, when he met and married his wife and eventually struck out on his own to have the freedom of traveling and seeing the world while experiencing life and making business connections through all corners of Arvum. While he was never blessed with children, he was blessed with an abundance of success in business. For many years this continued until his wife of over thirty years passed away and he began to seek out family to live out his twilight years with. Eventually, after exhaustive searching, he found his niece in Arx. Maybe this is his chance to reconnect and find his second wind. + |
| Morven Malvici + | Morven is one of the children of Tanya Kennex and has some siblings. He was, of course, raised as all Kennexs are. His focus was more on the financial side of things, even from a pretty young age. This doesn't mean he skipped learning what was appropriate for a noble he just had his preferred focus. When he became of age, he joined the Kennex military to assure he could protect himself and his loved ones, should he need too, though, his position was more of a desk one since he was more accountant than fighter. He was unconcerned when it came to staying in the military or not. It was an effective way to keep occupied and to get an idea of the finances of the military so he could help improve it. It was during his life as a soldier and Kennex that Morven joined the Silver Consortium and the Academy of War. In recent years Morven married Sierra Malvici and joined the Malvicis. Upon joining them he decided to join their military both as a duty to the war type Duchy and because, again, it helped him get an idea of how to improve the duchy and their economics. Morven also travelled the lands of the duchy and their vassals along with Sierra. When Sierra and her twin decided to go to Arx he, of course, went with them. It only made sense for him to accompany Sierra with her being his wife. + |
| Morwythia grayson + | Morwythia was born amidst the wealtiest of nobles. She became interested in the world around her at a young age and so she learned a few crafts just enough to give her a minor understanding of them. Her mother and father being of house Grayson taught her the values of wealth and noble birth and the joys of the faith. She wishes to have the best in life and has had a haughty demeanor to commoners except for those that get her ateention. She thinks of herself as an artist and daydreamer. Her mother became a priest of the faith soon after Morwythia came of age and her father became a knight soon after. She now wishes to enter the noble scene and make her way in the world. + |
| Muirean Isenhart + | The truth is, Muirean can't remember who she is. She woke up recently outside a tavern and was taken in by the innkeeper and his wife. She's a commoner, wearing commoner clothes and is nothing but a common healer and hunter, quietly going about her day and keeping to herself. There's something odd about her though; the way she carried herself, the way she speaks. + |
| Muiryn Greenmarch + | The winter Muiryn came into the world was said to be the bleakest and most brutal seen in well over a generation; he survived it to see his first spring despite the fears to the contrary. Never let it be said the man is anything but a born fighter. As a boy he played, hunted and learnt alongside his older brother Marcel, the tribe's then future leader, and their other siblings and stumbled himself through a remarkably average Abandoned childhood. Their paths eventually deviated as Marcel took his place as their leader while Muiryn turned to the defence of his family, his brother's lands and their way of life. For all the attempted training in his youth he never really got a handle of weaponry, not even the two-handed sort he was strong enough to wield effectively; it felt clumsy and stale. Why use a weapon when he had a pair of perfectly good hands? This preference lead to rumours that dwell in the Greenwood of the berserker who tears through axes and arrows alike unflinching, and could rip away a man's jaw or split another's skull between his hands. Bullshit, in Muiryn's well-formed opinion. Just make-believe tales from the battle fields that got out of hand. Certainly the generation that grew beneath him, like his nieces and nephews, could not imagine the man that sat begrudgingly to have flowers weaved in his hair or carried them upon his shoulders to reach fruit from out-of-reach branches would be capable of the things their parents spoke of in low voices. The last eighteen years of his life has been spent in a most unexpected role, as a father to Neve. He pulled away from battle, answering the call when his older brother needed him, but otherwise remained in the Greenwood to teach the future of Greenmarch. He told them to be proud of who they were, of their history, and their way. When Marian went on her whirl-wind adventure and came back with a Valardin Prince and his brother Marcel agreed to bend the knee --to the surprise of the family-- Muiryn was the first to support it. But supporting it didn't mean he'd packing up and heading off at dawn, much to Neve's dismay. Only now some five years on has Muiryn resentfully set foot out of his homelands and into Arx. + |
| Murdoch Malespero + | Born in Caith to a struggingly shipping family. Murdoch's elder sister (Lady Beatrice Malespero's mother) inherited. He spent his youth working the docks and caravans by day and learning the books by night, expecting to command one of his family's ships one day. But, just before coming of age, the family fortunes sank leaving a single ship remaining. His sister took command and he was asked to branch out to find new work. After a series of odd jobs and many tough months, he landed a job at a gambling establishment and discovered he had a rare head for numbers. After a few years scrimping and some personnel changes at the establishment, he was put in charge of the ledgers. It was during this time, now in his mid-20's that he met the woman he would eventually marry. Together, they had a daughter and a son, and some of his investments began to bear fruit. Things looked to be going well, and he was even able to help his sister's shipping business stay afloat through a tough spot, but...one day he came home to find tradgey. His wife and children were slain in an apparent robbery. No evidence of the killers was found. He fell into a black period and for years cultivated associates from the less savory contacts he'd met at the gambling house. His sister and her family raised Beatrice during this era, and he managed to teach her a thing or two but eventually was asked that he stay away, lest he taint their business with his shady dealings. Some years later, he learned that Beatrice prospered and was even ennobled by the Argento family. His network of contacts by that point rumored that Pravus would move against them, and for the first time he found he needed to truly pay attention to high houses. Beatrice was sentenced to prison for a year, and he was surprised to learn that she not only survived it, but thrived and landed on her feet as a new member of House Malespero. Curious how she had managed it, and feeling the loss of his own daughter, he visited. + |
| Mydas Acheron + | Firstborn of Osmond Nightgold, Mydas' arrival in the world was celebrated with great pomp. The birth of a healthy boy was declared an omen of future fortune, despite the stir caused by the baby's golden eyes. From that point on, he was tutored intensively on not only being a proper nobleman, charming and courteous, but also a businessman, for whom the flow of money would be as familiar as the flow of blood in his veins. Mydas was, during that time, very close to Dustin, his younger cousin and heir to the Duchy of Stonedeep. Dustin was, after all, the closest thing Mydas had for a brother, until the birth of Sigurd, eight years after Mydas' own. Even then, the age gap was too wide, and Sigurd soon had a little sister with whom he bound quickly. It was not the case for Mydas, who saw in his sister, at least at first, the cause of his mother's death. The relationship between siblings remained cold, until a fateful day under a spider's web. Yet where his relationship with his own siblings grew better, the one with Dustin was cut brutally short. Since the ascension of Nadia to be the head of the family, Mydas has focused entirely upon improving the family's fortune and protecting it with word and gold. Specialized in luxury goods, he also deals in artwork, with a keen eye for the truly magnificent works. He is at ease in such a place, yet duty walks ever closer, and the weight of generations now sits heavier upon his shoulders... + |
| Mydas Nightgold + | Firstborn of Osmond Nightgold, Mydas' arrival in the world was celebrated with great pomp. The birth of a healthy boy was declared an omen of future fortune, despite the stir caused by the baby's golden eyes. From that point on, he was tutored intensively on not only being a proper nobleman, charming and courteous, but also a businessman, for whom the flow of money would be as familiar as the flow of blood in his veins. Mydas was, during that time, very close to Dustin, his younger cousin and heir to the Duchy of Stonedeep. Dustin was, after all, the closest thing Mydas had for a brother, until the birth of Sigurd, eight years after Mydas' own. Even then, the age gap was too wide, and Sigurd soon had a little sister with whom he bound quickly. It was not the case for Mydas, who saw in his sister, at least at first, the cause of his mother's death. The relationship between siblings remained cold, until a fateful day under a spider's web. Yet where his relationship with his own siblings grew better, the one with Dustin was cut brutally short. Since the ascension of Nadia to be the head of the family, Mydas has focused entirely upon improving the family's fortune and protecting it with word and gold. Specialized in luxury goods, he also deals in artwork, with a keen eye for the truly magnificent works. He is at ease in such a place, yet duty walks ever closer, and the weight of generations now sits heavier upon his shoulders... + |
| Mydas Velenosa + | Mydas was not born as such. Though for many years, he and everyone around him thought his story began in Stonedeep within House Nightgold, it was not so. Prince Ettore Velenosa was his first name, given to him by his father, Prince Marik Velenosa, and his mother, Princess Helena Velenosa, born Helena Nightgold. Few details of his earliest years survive, and the man himself has not spoken of them often. Moved by events and reasons that remain yet unclear, the young prince was sent away in secret, and officially declared dead. Yet the boy arrived safely to Stonedeep, adopted, and officially made the firstborn son of Lord Osmond Nightgold and his wife, Lady Marji Nightgold, sister of Helena. Named Mydas, he was raised as a Nightgold Lord, a Northerner, and would believe himself to be for many years yet. He had no reason to doubt it, after all. He was, at that point, and for many years yet, their only child, with the attention of both parents to see him thrive. Osmond was never a warm man, cold like the mountains that they called home, yet his wife spoiled their son. She loved him as only a mother could, and he spent much of his time with her. While he was educated as a proper noble should, his learning was also supplemented with the shamanistic traditions still held by Nightgold, notably through his mother, a shaman in her own right. Though he would not pursue the same path as Marji, her teachings, and the memories he would later cherish, would lay the foundations for his great respect of Shamans. Mydas never questioned his place among his family. Even as he grew older and physical differences became manifest. It wasn't so much as his skin or hair, the Gods knew the bloodlines of nobility had intermixed over the passing of time. It was his eyes. The startling gold did not come from any ancestor within living memory, and none could puzzle out its source. Yet the mystery eventually faded, no answer being offered by either Osmond or Marji. If they recalled anyone with their son's features, they certainly didn't say. Unfortunately, while they were happy years in Mydas' life, they were not to last. While he was, at eight, more than happy to be joined by his little brother Sigurd, something went wrong upon the birth of their little sister Signe, two years later. Marji died in childbirth, and though the baby survived, Mydas was heartbroken. With the combined bravery and foolishness only a child may possess, he left the castle to go to the mountains his mother had taken him so many times to commune with the Spirits she loved so. There, surrounded by the cold mountains of his home, he pleaded, demanded, and screamed at the Spirits to return her. To return the mother he loved, so cruelly taken from him and her family. None answered, of course. Mydas grew angry, his voice echoing upon the snow-filled mountainsides, as his anger turned to insults and curses. It may be the Spirits grew offended at such display. Or it may simply be that nature ran its course, the weather of recent days having made the surrounding snows unstable, prone to avalanche. Either way, anger turned to terror as the mountain fell upon him, and Mydas was buried. It took some time to find him, though he had managed to crawl out from beneath the snow when rescue did come. The following days saw him recuperating, from the wounds both of body and soul. Much of the happiness and warmth that had ever been present with him faded, and by the time he was declared recovered, he had become a distant and cold child. At first, he blamed the baby, and for many years shared with Osmond a loathing for Signe. It would abate, eventually, and the siblings would grow closer when Mydas entered his adult years. But that hardly changed his icy demeanour. Years passed, and though his education did not take him on the path of the warrior, he instead became representative to House Nightgold's interests. At eighteen, he left on his first trip outside of the North, to the waters of the Lyceum where he was to negotiate a trade deal with House Pravus. Though met with initial setbacks, and potential sabotage, the young man was nonetheless able to see the deal come to pass, his mission ending with great success. Thus followed deals and interactions with the other Noble Houses, where the young man would be careful to maintain a charming facade to hide away the icy core of his being. The mask would slip every now and then, with his family spared the masquerade for they knew him well already. Yet it was as such that he made his way to Arx, and began his life there, joining his other siblings. It did not go well at first. Called back to Stonedeep on business, he and his retinue were ambushed by marauding Shavs and made prisoners. Trapped in the darkness of his cell, left naked and without any tools at his disposal to escape, he was made to wait his turn, till the savage shamans would shed his heartsblood to fuel their unholy rituals. He heard their screams, the plea for mercy, for aid, stretched over days, and then weeks. And though time passed, still they died. One after the other. And while his family gathered their forces to save him, he remained, alone, save for the echoes of those he had failed to protect. Nightgold forces tracked down the Shavs just as his turn had come. Imprisoned beneath the Shamans' hut with the rest of the human cattle ready for slaughter, he heard the Nightgold's war cries, just as he heard the chanting of the shamans up above, preparing for sacrifice and whatever atrocity they had planned against the attackers. With renewed strength and determination, he was able to free himself... yet he did not seek to escape. Why was never publicly shared, only his decision to set his surroundings aflame. He succeeded in burning the Shamans alive, and was himself saved from a fiery tomb just in time by the victorious Nightgold. He was brought back to Arx, and though he recovered, it did little to warm him. His heart became stone, and more than ever, he became distant from even the closest friends. Time passed, and the charming mask was discarded more and more. His time was spent among the Mirrormasks, whom he joined as disciple soon after his second return, and though he continued to represent Nightgold, his duties began to increase. As war loomed against Brand and his forces, he became involved in the overarching logistics of the Northern armies called upon to defend the Compact. It would be his first, yet not his last, role in military matters, though it was not a particularly prestigious one. The end of the Silent War saw Mydas become Voice of Nightgold, after Nadia's death and the ascension of his cousin Lydia to the title. It was during that time courtship between him and Lady Fiora Malvici began, but eventually fell through, the reasons kept outside of the public eye. It would take some time before news of romance involved Mydas' name, yet such a time eventually came, when courtship was announced between him, and Princess Freja Redrain. A surprising, but beneficial development for the icy Lord. The princess, it seemed, was able to reach a heart that had not allowed many to approach, to a depth yet unmatched. He smiled, the affection and love he bore for Freja honest and true, growing with every day spent in her company. During that time, Mydas was also granted the March of Aviaron's Keep, a gift from his cousin Lydia after the previous family had been wiped out during the Silent War. The opportunity to build his own family with his wife, and see a land that had suffered much thrive under this new leadership. Mydas and Freja wed, and from their union was created House Acheron. The plans they had for their new House and family were many, yet just as they were getting started, tragedy struck. His wife was blinded by a mysterious woman, causing Mydas to put aside whatever plans they had to instead focus on caring for his so suddenly crippled wife. Her condition did not improve, and worse, while the proud warrior was weakened, she was murdered. Robbed of the new light of his life, Mydas became a recluse. Alone in the empty halls of Acheron, he ruled his land from afar, rarely stepping forth from his estate's underground halls. It was during such a time that his cousin Rhea became his Ward, though the girl would not see much of her older cousin. Ever occupied with something else, or just locked inside his quarters, Mydas could hardly be reached by even the closest of friends. Only one thing would eventually make him leave his isolation, and it was when the Gyre, a pirate lord that had plagued the Compact for so long, gathered a force strong enough to invade. Answering the call to arms, Mydas took a more active role in the military preparations, now no longer as a logistics expert, but as a general. This war, it would seem, the Marquis intended to spend leading his troops personally. Supporting Princess Marian Redrain, he would stand by her side at the battle of Stormwall along with the other military leaders gathered to defend the Crovane city. He, with the others, oversaw the city's defence and, after the Gyre's troops managed to get inside, its complete destruction. Losses were great, Acheron paying the price in blood as with the others who participated. Yet they were victorious, and the Marquis, after staying for some time in Aviaron's Keep, returned to Arx. It's unclear when Mydas became aware of his true heritage. Yet the news came like thunder upon a clear day. He was not only the long-lost brother of the Archduchess Eleyna Velenosa, but he was also setting aside his title of Marquis and returning to Velenosa and the Lyceum. The news blindsided many, and caused some measure of chaos within Acheron, once so full of promise, now empty halls haunted by the ghosts of what could have been. In the void that followed, Mydas' cousin Rhea took the opportunity to take over House Acheron and proclaim herself Marquessa, while Mydas left to become the Prince he had been born to be. It did not take him long to adapt to his new surroundings, becoming Voice of Velenosa shortly after his return. Yet it took him longer to change. Still cold-hearted and distant, he remained difficult to approach. For most, at any rate. It took some time, yet the unlikely event happened. Mydas... married again, to none other than Princess Jaenelle Velenosa. It was an unlikely match, it was a surprising match. Yet, there it was, and little by little, day by day, light begun to filter through the dark clouds that had weighted upon his soul. Though the change had been gradual, the birth of his son Vittore made it manifest. The cold emptiness had been filled, new direction and the will to walk on given. From the shattered remains of his past, the hardships and tragedies endured, a new dawn shed its light for the new man he has become. + |
| Myira Corsetina + | Born of common stock, Myira spent a good deal of her youth with her family in the south, learning to keep a house, to cook and clean, to sea and mend and every other thing she'd need to be a good wife one day. But being a good wife and settling down to have a husband and children didn't sit well with the girl. So at the age of 17 she left her home and fled to the capital of Arx where she went into service, first working as a house maid and then a lady's maid for a merchant's family. It was only recently that she came into what she considers the most gracious of circumstances--being a maid for the Lady Isolde Velenosa. This is her chance to truly prove her worth and to perhaps move up in the world. She cares for her family, of course, but she left them behind when she came north. If she never sees them again, it doesn't bother her. Much. + |
| Myrddin Blackburn + | There are always stories about the mysterious dark stranger. Usually they are just that. Stories. But Myrddin seems to live the stories, not talking much of who he is. However, when pressed he's able to spin a tale of being the forgotten son of a forgotten minor noble house, and that he's possibly the last of his family. Whatever land they had long gone at this point, swallowed up by some other House that had the power to do it. As is the nature of the Houses within the Lyceum. It probably doesn't help the air of mystery around him that he's a very GOOD storyteller. Many around the coast and islands are able to say they've spent a few hours being entertained by the stories that he tells when he's in port. One might be forgiven for thinking that was his one true claim to fame, but it is not. Music, stories, poems. All of those are ways to pass the time, to connect with people that he meets in passing. But his true love is the sea. One ship. One crew. But many tales of adventure. He was present for the situation with the Gyre, so the stories say, speaking in quiet tones about a ship with black sails and a sigil of three waves with a single tear drop. But after that, he seemed to fade away for a little while. Then he'd turn up again at one port, stay for a little while before sailing on his way once more. Now he's sailed into Arx, the first time anyone can say they've seen his particular ship sail into this port. + |
| Myrinda Grayhope + | Myrinda Grayhope, nee Viest, was born and raised in the city of Arx. Her mother served in the palace while her father found odd jobs as a day laborer. Growing up, there were not many options for her, but she knew that she didn't want the life her parents had. That is how she met her husband, a Grayhope that swept her away with romantic notions in her younger years. Married for almost a decade, with Fortunato still a babe and Aureth a toddle, she decided to suddenly divorce her husband. Remaining in the Lower Boroughs, she found a job as a seamstress to put her skills to work, growing her reputation until she not only had her own shop, but now people come to her begging for her to take their commissions. + |
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| Nabok Stormson + | Born in a lumberers cottage in the wilds outside Farhaven, Nabok was born as the first signs of spring came to the lands. From a young age he was taught to cut wood, like his father and grandfather before him, and to accept his lot in life. Conditions were tough, but Nabok had a happy childhood. Food was gathered, hunted and fishd from the surrounding woods, and his father, a large, fiery man aptly named Storm, owned two sheep that provided them with wool. He even got a little sister, Eria. Every winter, he would accompany his mother and father to the outskirts of Farhaven to trade kindlewood and timber for other supplies. It was on a day such as this, as Nabok approched his 13th birthday, that his life abruptly changed. The winter had been an escpecially cold one, and business had been good, so his father was haggling for a new sheep. Hot-headed as he was, the haggling escalated into a fight, and Storm, with a slip of the fist, punched a guard dead. Nabok and his mother left Farhaven without Storm that day. Just a few weeks later, his mother became ill and feverish. He turned to the spirits of the forest for guidance the night his mother died. Young Nabok, was suddendly the sole provider of a young sister. He did not give up though, and the siblings continued the cycle of life that they had known, growing more and more distanced from civilization with each passing summer. Life was not finished with him, though. The autumn of his 24th year, as he returned from a bountiful hunt, he came back to the remains of a smoking cottage, pillaged and looted by passing raiders. Eria had stayed in the cottage while he was hunting, and her burnt corpse was still warm when he arrived. He vowed that day to leave the forest, to seek revenge over those who had murdered his sister and destroyed their way of life, and set out to the center of the kingdom for look for them. + |
| Nadia Nightgold + | Wherever anyone has something nice, there exists someone trying to take it away from them by any means possible. And so was Nadia raised, in the harsh and unforgiving beauty of the northern mountains, where rivers of blood were spilled over veins of gold. A warrior at heart, Nadia followed her older brother, the future Duke of Stonedeep, through his training, pushing herself to fight harder, faster, longer than the others. There in the mountains, being a girl counted for or against little, and being a member of the fairer sex was by no means an excuse to slack off. Outside of training however, Nadia was quite enamored with the finer things in life, and spent much of her free time negotiating with traders for fine wines, silks, and other trinkets from the southern cities, surrounding herself with the opulence of far off lands that in her mind were better than the cold and harsh world of icy cliffs and suffocating snow. Rebuking the advances of Northern noblemen, Nadia dreamed of one day being swept off her feet by a dashing figure in silks and diamonds with promises of beauty and wealth beyond the cold gold that is her family's namesake. The Duke of Nightgold was an ardent storyteller and cold likely be blamed for Nadia's fancies, what with him being a true romantic that instilled in his children a love of beauty, be it finely crafted jewelry, balls that filled Stonedeeps halls with dance and music until the early hours of the morning, or simply a bright, cloudless winter day. It was on one of these clear mornings that the Duke left the hold on one of his famously wandering walks, never to return. After some days of growing unrest, a search party was sent after him, led by Nadia's older brother, Dustin. The days turned to weeks, and eventually a runner was sent back to Stonedeep with the news that the search party had come upon a trail and would be following it for signs of the missing Duke. Weeks turned to months, and it was on another cold, cloudless morning that Nadia woke to Stonedeep in an uproar - a bloody satchel of severed hands had been delivered, the bloated, frostbitten digits adorned with the rosegold rings of house Nightgold, though none bore the ducal symbol. Thrust abruptly into rulership of Stonedeep, Nadia's first act was to send men after those who delivered the unwelcome gift, and they returned to a man, saying that they'd found a band of Abandoned not far off and dispatched them with haste, but the bodies of those lost were not to be found, nor was the Duke. Facing her responsibilities to Stonedeep, Nadia tucked away her dreams of abandoning her home for softer pastures, determined to bring beauty to it instead - and perhaps one day find her father as well, despite everyone else having abandoned him for dead. + |
| Nadir Seraceni + | Nadir is the youngest child of a line of fierce Ischia corsairs. His father, Abin Faruq, was Sword to the Seraceni family while his mother, Amadallah, was a shipwright and built many of the vessels her husband served upon. His ancestors came to the island many generations prior, and were actually raised to nobility to eventually; something their branch of the family is very proud of. Both of Nadirs elder siblings followed in their parents footsteps. Both were born for war and the sword and the sea; from a very young age, small Nadir knew that he would need another route to distinguish himself and to get an edge on his siblings. Theirs was a good-natured rivalry in childhood that grew to mutual respect in adulthood. None the less, Nadirs choice to utilize his mind as his weapon rather than his arm makes him the black sheep of the family. He loves them, esteems them, but is always a bit separate from them. Instead, he found a kindred spirit in Isabella Pravus, mother to his cousin Lady Appolonia Seraceni. From this Pravus connection, he learned the importance of charm and calm, and by now he has mastered the concepts. + |
| Naka Laurent + | Naka Laurent is the second child of Sondra and Jur Laurent. For over two decades, these two were the closest thing to a party couple that had come out of Artshall for some years. They were a highly social couple and traveled extensively about Arvum, particularly the Oathlands, seeing impressive sights, enjoying local cuisines and making friends along the way. At first glance, this activity would not seem to be the sort of thing that would receive support from the famously humble and duty-oriented Laurent family, but, in addition to this, Duke Edmund Laurent was a patient and perceptive man. It was a minor but noticeable effect of all this swanning about that diplomatic relations slightly improved due to the proliferation of this network of loose friendships. And, so, they continued their travels throughout the years, bringing their children along. It must have been an extrovert's dream. Naka Laurent wouldn't know. Naka read a lot of books. He was not a difficult or unpleasant child, just not often present in a sense beyond the merely physical. He was simply not one to voluntarily take center stage, a child of destiny, a heroic figure in modern times with potential blazing forth for all to see. Of course, there's nothing particularly wrong in that for most people, and plodding along is a serviceable way to cover some ground. Bright but not brilliant, genial but not inspiring, and largely undistinguished physically as well, Naka sampled from life as from a buffet, without ever really finding a niche to excel in; without ever feeling a real need to try to do so. He did develop a wide-ranging education, however, which could be an asset of its own in some circumstances. Of all his family, he was the one most likely to be unnoticed, left to his own devices, for which he was typically grateful rather than resentful. In the wake of the Siege of Arx, Sondra and Jur greatly reduced their travels, largely due to a general perception of increased danger in that particular activity. With them now somewhat safely ensconsed in Artshall, Naka took himself to Arx. Over the years, his curiosity had led him to develop some vaguely scholarly skills, and he put these to use on several solitary research projects. In the time since, he has filled in many of the gaps in his education and become a Scholar of Vellichor. He can often be found in solitude in various places throughout Arx, particularly often in the Botanical Gardens, Menagerie, Hall of Heroes, the Archives or the Vellichorian Academy. Some people that have sought him out have even allowed that it might be worth the effort, under certain circumstances. + |
| Nanette Tyde + | Nanette always knew that she was the bastard child of her mother, Sylvia Courant, and some Lord or another from the Mourning Isles. Her mother travelled often, selling her services as an adequate painter of portraits, landscapes and animals like, with a preference for working with nobility. During one such commission, to her the woman tell it, a married Lord fell for her and in a careless moment of passion, they conceived a child. The Lord and Sylvia - the latter being sworn to Tyde - never got a chance to figure out what to do about the child they'd created, as the Rebellion came a short year after Nanette's birth and threw the young single mother's life into utter turmoil. As Thrax's navies approached Tyde Hall, Sylvia fled with her daughter. Sylvia was not a gentle mother. Raising Nanette alone, the painter attempted at every turn to work her daughter into the model of a Thraxian woman - reserved, demure, aware and accepting of her role in a world run by men. She only grew more callous and impatient as the years passed by, reprimanding the wayward child with words and cane alike. It was a constant, uphill battle, though mother and daughter did find a common interest in art - to an extent. Nanette had an eye for painting from a very young age, but whenever her mother tried to refine that talent, the young girl gravitated towards more morbid, less commercially viable subjects. A dead bird here, a few withering flowers there, a scarred old sailor over a wealthy noblewoman. This was not to say that her mother forced the trade on her daughter, far from it, Nanette took to it like a fish to water and adored every second that she had a brush in her hand - she simply didn't have the same tastes as Sylvia, who saw painting as a trade by which to make a living. There was little money to be made from sketches of carrion. Years went by, with Sylvia intending for Nanette to continue her trade - no more, no less - when her own eyes faded and her hands lost their grace. As luck would have it, however, another path called the young artist. With House Tyde formally reestablished and Tydehall University opening a few years later, a new direction opened itself to her. It took some convincing - there was arguing, shouting, tears - but eventually even the bitter old woman could see the merit of her daughter broadening her skills. Experience, worldly knowledge and a foot in the door in many subjects only helped make art blossom after all, and the connections she'd make should ingratiate her in the right circles; the ones who would pay good silver for good work. For a time, it seemed like Nanette's future had been firmly established - she'd study at the university and leave as an educated commoner with the knowledge and means to live out her days in moderate comfort. However, her path saw fit to twist yet again. Halfway through her education at the university, on her twenty-first birthday, Nanette was sought out by a servant who claimed to have worked for her father. The retainer had come to make good on a promise they made to the man long ago. A promise to give Nanette an old family heirloom, a signet ring, along with one of the last journal's he penned before his death - a journal proving her lineage and bloodline, and serving as a will wishing her legitimised as his child. Nanette had only just started to feel comfortable being a student, a scholar and an independent artist, but now the rug had been pulled from under her feet and she was expected to be so much more. The old servant, intent on making good on their promise, started to drill Nanette hard - teaching her the way of being not just a Thraxian woman, but a Thraxian Lady, while encouraging her strongly to finish her work at the university with more than just passing grades. It worked. Nanette graduated with distinction a few years later, and with her now-retainer's help, she managed to coax the University into sending Duchess Tyde a strong letter of recommendation. Now, Nanette has come to Arx in hopes of doing a good job as both a subject of House Tyde and a budding artist in the Capital, while simultaneously getting to know her father's side of the family. So far, she's kept his identity secret, having yet to declare herself as anything more than Mistress Nanette Courant. She knows it's not a secret she can hide for long, but until it is made public she's chosen to simply go with the flow. + |
| Naomi Cutter + | Daughter to the captain of the Kennex corsairs, Naomi idolized her father. He was a hero to her, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. This was before women were allowed to fight, but her father was captain, so Naomi dressed as a boy and called herself Nathan, and everyone looked the other way. Eager to prove herself, Naomi worked ten times harder than everyone else (which wasn't really all that hard, as the corsairs were an undisciplined bunch at the time). She had to fight every day to prove to everyone that she deserved to be where she was, but she earned the grudging respect of her peers. Her father's death sent her into a freefall. He died in the chaos that followed Denholm's death, slain by Jakric Hullman while trying to protect Renatta Kennex. Naomi was so devastated that even though she knew Ford had violated guest right to extract retribution, she didn't care; in her mind, his revenge was justice served. Then she learned that Hullman wasn't among the dead, and that knowledge created a festering wound that wouldn't heal. She stayed in the corsairs as Nathan until the ban on women in the military was lifted. Out of respect for her father, Ford was ready to make her captain of the corsairs... until his cousin Jan came home with a small army of battle-hardened sellswords and demanded the position for herself. Still, there were moments. She was responsible for Evander Kennex's escape from a mob of former thralls in the dangerous days after the liberation, and saw combat in Setarco, where she faced monsters beyond her worst nightmares. She might never be the hero that her father was, but she was starting to feel like she was becoming someone he would have been proud of. Then Ford died. Naomi was part of his security detail on the day that the Undrowned Sons ambushed him. She fought with everything she had, but it wasn't enough, just like it had never been enough, and she had never been good enough. She was swarmed under while trying to fight her way to the Marquis, and lay bleeding in the mud. There, on the edge of death, she used the last bit of fight left in her to roll into a ditch, there to hide from the men who moved through the ranks of the fallen, slitting their throats. Naomi lived, but she lived because of what she felt was an unforgivable act of cowardice, and endured a long, painful convalescence under the cloud of her own failure. Now, mostly recovered in body (if not in mind), Naomi has been pulled back to her duties with the Kennex corsairs by Jan, who has tapped her to command the Kennex Kay's house guards. + |
| Narciso Artiglio + | Narciso began his life as a shameful secret. The result of passion or too much drinking between Donato Artiglio, trusted hand of Archduchess Carlotta, and contortionist from a traveling troupe, to be precise. Raised by his mother and the rest of the traveling troupe, young Narciso was told little about his father, the man shrouded in mystery, short of the random bits and pieces his mother or the rest of the troupe would let slip once in a while on a drunken night. The tableau they painted was not terribly flattering. The only thing he possessed, given to him by his mother upon the first birthday he was old enough to likely remember, was a ring of wood. Made from an apple tree, it displayed engravings of entwined branches bearing apples. Nothing outrageous, but to the young boy, it was his most precious possession. Still, with the way they traveled, there was hardly time to learn more about the man. Instead, Narciso focused on his developing skills. Early on, he exhibited a natural talent for acrobatics and dances, and was swiftly introduced as part of the troupe's acts. He learned quickly, and as he grew older, and his body grew with him, he learned to adapt quickly and improve. His voice also developed, and as he grew from being the child he once was, it deepened, strengthened, to the point that his abilities to sing quickly outshone the rest of the troupe. His name began to spread then, and the more attention was given to him, the more his abilities seemed to develop. A musical prodigy, few were the instruments he could not master, though he exhibited a particular liking for the lute, which he'd combine with his voice to charm and awe his audience. And then tragedy struck. It came not in the death of a parent, or the violent end of his troupe. No, it came from within. The young prodigy... became mad. Why? How? No one knows. Perhaps it was the price to pay for so much talent. Perhaps it was too much drinking, or drugs, you know how those troupe types are. Either way, he suddenly left the troupe, with not a word to his family, and set out to... somewhere. He wandered for some time, and at the age of sixteen, he eventually found himself at his father's doorstep. Though he was by then known as Blacktongue, Narciso showed the man the apple ring and claimed him as his father. And that's how Blacktongue got a son. Yet Narciso's tale was not quite done with him. Not even the one about his past. Indeed, the young man somehow got himself involved with the Inquisition, by way of stumbling across an investigation and helping matters along by helping the inquisitors find their culprit. Though he made no effort to hide his madness, he exhibited enough skill and ability through it all that he was taken back to the House of Questions... and unlike most people who enter the place, came out of it as a member of the dreaded organization. Since then, Narciso spends much of his time either entertaining or chasing after those who garner the Inquisition's interest. Though at first glance a rather amusing situation, it becomes definitely less so when one considers that very few arrested by the mad entertainer have ever walked out of the House of Questions... and the man never tells whether he's here to entertain or arrest. That'd be spoiling the surprise. + |
| Narcissa Fidante + | Growing up in Tor was an upbringing any gal could hope for. For all of its colors and richness of flora, Narcissa was still drawn to the gloomy side of things. Where there was a graveyard, dark and dusty library, or memorial hall of statues long forgotten, Narcissa was certain to be found. The younger sibling of Dante and Juliet, she was content to avoid all the limelight her siblings seemed to gather with such relative ease. Where others may loathe to be forgotten, she seemed to relish it. Time left alone was time alone with her thoughts, her books, no one else's voice butting in. There was a sanctity in solitude, and to this day she still is on edge when forced to gala's or into large crowds. Juliet's death came as a shock, but even after an appropriate season of mourning, Narcissa could not be swayed to leave Tor to come to Arx for answers. The city was so very far away, as distant and real as the tales in her parchments. It wasn't until very recently, when Dante and Inigo journeyed back to Tor, that she was convinced to come back with them. Her reasons remain unknown, but still she finds herself now in Arx and all of the culture shock that comes with it. + |
| Nash Crown + | The prodigal known as Nash is trying to put a life of violence behind him. A lifetime of war and all its carnage has left the younger man seeming unnaturally aged, as he has come to Arx to put the horrors of war long behind him, and hoping to make his way as a menial laborer or beggar in the Lower Boroughs. Extremely reluctant to speak about his past, the prodigal looks to the future and atonement for the life he's left behind. While vague about his past, the prodigal tries to eke out a living as a trainer, teaching swordplay basics and other subjects that point to an unfortunate history. + |
| Natalia Elwood + | Mistakes were made, but the world moves on. Once upon a time, Princess Natalia Grayson was denobled in a series of particularly public scandals that began with the dissolution of her betrothal to a Thraxian Prince. She took it poorly, handled it worse, and picked a particularly public fight with her cousin. That cousin happened to be the Highlord of Grayson at the time, and she was stripped of her title, kicked out of the family, and exiled from Bastion and the Grayson ward. After a few short weeks of -- shall we say -- less than delightful behavior, she disappeared completely. After two years of nothing she reappeared in the city as a Whisper, and has consistently been behaving herself. Several years were spent in this capacity, and she built a reputation that bore very little resemblance to the walking scandal she once was. With the assistance of Kael Keaton, she built the Academy of War; through the Academy and as a Whisper, her work for the Compact has been significant. Known as a capable diplomat and earning a quieter reputation for cultist hunting, she has been considered largely reformed for several years now. While there had been rumors of a possible return to Grayson, in Autumn of 1015, Natalia Whisper (once Natalia Grayson) became Baroness Natalia Elwood, ennobled by Marquis Keaton and given domain over what was Acorn Hill, and is now Arden Woods; she has named her foster daughter as heir. The lack of opposition from House Grayson regarding her new title has been widely taken as a signal that she is welcome among the highest echelons of polite society again. + |
| Natalia Grayson + | Mistakes were made. Once upon a time, Princess Natalia Grayson was (in her not so humble opinion) the most brilliant, shining star rising in the most powerful house, which put her exactly where she wanted to be, ready to take the peerage of Arx by storm. She had the wit, beauty and wealth to do it, and all she really had to do was charm anyone that was useful enough to get her exactly what she wanted. In retrospect, it might have gone just a little to her head. She was due to marry the scion of House Thrax, Prince Dagon Thrax, and maybe she shouldn't have pushed for it to be the most lavish and expensive wedding the Compact hadn't seen. And maybe when the plans for that potential match started to fall through, she shouldn't have picked a fight with her cousin Princess Lark, who happened to be the highlord of House Grayson. And had the power to cast her out of the family and strip her noble title, rank, and privileges. It could have gone better. But say what you will about the once Princess Natalia Grayson (and judging about the rumors of the city, very little -hasn't- been said), she's not a quitter. She still had some favors at court, she still had a wealth of experience, she still had her beauty and charm, and she was able to parlay that into becoming a courtier and joining the Whisper House. The hard lessons of her downfall served her well, and the old flamboyance arrogance of Princess Natalia Grayson is long gone. But the outwardly humble and conciliatory Natalia Whisper? Arx has not heard the last of her. + |
| Natasha Thrax + | After Prince Argus Thrax's affair that led to the birth of a bastard, Prince Drake Thrax gave his brother an ultimatum. Marry politically or be cast from the house. Argus obeyed and a match was secured. Princess Natasha was born years later from the connection, the younger half-sister to Victus Baseborn. Her youth was often spent being tutored in matters of law, stewardship and scholarly pursuits, as is tradition for Thraxian women. Natasha took to her studies naturally, soon becoming the honor student for her teachers and a shining example of Mourning Isles discipline. Prince Donrai soon ascended to High Lord of the Mourning Isles, he ensured Princess Natasha would be set on the path of law and order. Into her teenage years and onward, she was groomed to act as a magistrate for Maelstrom's needs. Natasha took to the role with frightening efficiency. Solutions were devised of a purely pragmatic approach, earning her praise and ire from those effected by her contributions. Her desire for the perfection of justice eventually led her to taking up a discipleship with the Faith, after meeting the Palace Seraph Ailith by chance. She came to venerate the Sentinel. The Faceless God was fairness in its purest form, something she aspired to in all of her responsibilities. Through the years, she has been a constant creator of order for the Mourning Isles. Lawlessness and chaos were the two things she abhorred the most and she sought to make it right wherever she went. Several Islander peers have had her assistance in managing their domains. Surprisingly for one so driven to constant improvement of one's House, she even eschewed taking a political match as to not interfere with her duties. Instead of searching for alliance, Natasha took up a role with the Inquisition. Dedicated to rooting out trouble and madness through her individual merit. The death of Donrai and the raise of a usurper was a frightening prospect. To her, it was perhaps the worst crisis that could've befallen her home. Natasha sought to maintain cohesion and stability as best she could through a turbulent time, a role she played well into the wars of Tolmar Brand and the Gyre. Ensuring that the institutions that protected her people would be safe, through and through. The Princess was a bedrock of tradition and a force of consistency through hardship. In recent times, Natasha finds herself growing too sedentary. Rumors and tales of myth and legend have begun to circulate back to her ears. People who speak of demons, of Abyss, of apocalypse and ruin. What were once simple stories are taking shape as real, physical concepts among the populace. What's more, reformation and change has begun sweeping through the Isles to a tune of uncertainty. The world she'd known for so long has begun to quake and shadows fall in its wake. Unsatisfied with remaining on the Isles with such growing tension in the back of her mind, Princess Natasha has sailed to Arx to join the rest of the world. In search of answers and devising a solution. + |
| Nathaniel Vaughn + | Possessed of some notable skill as a jewelcrafter, Nathaniel rose from humble origins to gain the patronage of a count sworn to the service of Valardin. In this capacity, despite earlier dealings with rough-and-tumble folk, his future seemed assured. Fate had other things in mind: In a disastrous turn of fortune, the count seized Nathaniel's holdings and banished him from his lands, over a trespass known to few. Undeterred, the man has wandered to a few places since, calling in favors and making connections, before at last landing in the capital city, where he aims to amass a boundless fortune. + |
| Navi Crown + | Long has her family served in distant lands as shamen and trusted guards of chieftans and their ilk, borne of mysticism and myths, shrouded in the shadows those brighter have cast. Her family is secrets and steel, and she is no different than those that came before, vowed to keep that which should not be spoken beyond the reach even of daring whispers. Who's secrets, you might ask? Well, that'd be telling. Fellow Prodigals might be privy to some basic knowledge of her line, but whatever it is that has brought her here to Arx is left to the imagination, and she doesn't seem in any sort of hurry to offer clarification even to those with a mind to ask. + |
| Nazmir Proscipi + | Nazmir had the privilege, or perhaps the misfortunate depending on how one looks at things, of being born outside the heir baring line of House Redrain. As a cousin to the main line, this allowed him a greater freedom of choice, with little expectation being placed upon him for having to perform official duties on behalf of the house. Of course, that didn't preclude him from being trained in the proper ways of being a noble. After all, he was still a Redrain and would be expected to compose himself as such. With the finest tutors and schooling available to him, Nazmir quickly developed and excelled when it came to areas of conversation, whether it was trying to charm his way out of trouble with his parents, or whether he was shifting the blame for some game gone wrong to someone else. It quickly became evident that while his friends spent their days with a sword and shield, he was going to spend his with books and tutors, learning all that he could about the art of courtiers. But Nazmir was never content to rely upon others for his own protection and it's not as if the North is the most hospitable of places when one ventures out from the main holding of Farhaven or the other Houses. Time was taken to ensure that he understood how to wield a sword and while he would never be considered a warrior in his own right, he learned enough to ensure that he would never find himself defenseless. As time passed, Nazmir spent only brief periods in the City of Arx, choosing instead to stay in the North. Farhaven provided him with ample opportunity for conversation and when he desired a change of scenery, he would set off to visit some of the other major holdings that the North had to offer, though he somehow managed to never overstay his welcome. When war came in 1003, Nazmir didn't shriek from answering the call. While never a true warrior in his own right, he had learned enough of wielding a blade that he managed to not get himself killed .. which was simply a miracle in it's own right. Struck down in the second engagement that he participated in and left with a wicked scar upon his back, Nazmir quickly realized that war wasn't where he was meant to be and he spent the remaining time on the rear lines, assisting in the protection of medics and supply lines. By the time of the Gyre War, Nazmir was much wiser and this time, he didn't seek to try and make a name for himself. Instead, he assisted where he could, aiding in the sending of messages and lending a voice where it could help bolster morale. Which meant that he was never far from his home in Farhaven. Peace is a fickle thing, though, and there is always something that seeks to shatter the dream of it. With the threat of the Eurusi growing and the banners of Redrain called forth, Nazmir has packed his belongings and made his way to the Great City of Arx... though no one quite knows why. After all, it's not as if the man can fight. + |
| Nazmir Redrain + | Nazmir had the privilege, or perhaps the misfortunate depending on how one looks at things, of being born outside the heir baring line of House Redrain. As a cousin to the main line, this allowed him a greater freedom of choice, with little expectation being placed upon him for having to perform official duties on behalf of the house. Of course, that didn't preclude him from being trained in the proper ways of being a noble. After all, he was still a Redrain and would be expected to compose himself as such. With the finest tutors and schooling available to him, Nazmir quickly developed and excelled when it came to areas of conversation, whether it was trying to charm his way out of trouble with his parents, or whether he was shifting the blame for some game gone wrong to someone else. It quickly became evident that while his friends spent their days with a sword and shield, he was going to spend his with books and tutors, learning all that he could about the art of courtiers. But Nazmir was never content to rely upon others for his own protection and it's not as if the North is the most hospitable of places when one ventures out from the main holding of Farhaven or the other Houses. Time was taken to ensure that he understood how to wield a sword and while he would never be considered a warrior in his own right, he learned enough to ensure that he would never find himself defenseless. As time passed, Nazmir spent only brief periods in the City of Arx, choosing instead to stay in the North. Farhaven provided him with ample opportunity for conversation and when he desired a change of scenery, he would set off to visit some of the other major holdings that the North had to offer, though he somehow managed to never overstay his welcome. When war came in 1003, Nazmir didn't shriek from answering the call. While never a true warrior in his own right, he had learned enough of wielding a blade that he managed to not get himself killed .. which was simply a miracle in it's own right. Struck down in the second engagement that he participated in and left with a wicked scar upon his back, Nazmir quickly realized that war wasn't where he was meant to be and he spent the remaining time on the rear lines, assisting in the protection of medics and supply lines. By the time of the Gyre War, Nazmir was much wiser and this time, he didn't seek to try and make a name for himself. Instead, he assisted where he could, aiding in the sending of messages and lending a voice where it could help bolster morale. Which meant that he was never far from his home in Farhaven. Peace is a fickle thing, though, and there is always something that seeks to shatter the dream of it. With the threat of the Eurusi growing and the banners of Redrain called forth, Nazmir has packed his belongings and made his way to the Great City of Arx... though no one quite knows why. After all, it's not as if the man can fight. + |
| Nazwadi Corsetina + | Not much is known about Nazwadi's background in recent years aside from being a traveling scholar. Originally from a minor branch of the Corsetina family that made its home in Saikland Greens, the young scholar spent years traveling with little detail on where. + |
| Neb Stepwright + | Neb was born a common boy within the lands of Bastion under the care of the Graysons. The people of Grayson lands have long held their lieges to be wonderful and inspiring and how could they not they have ruled the Compact with wisdom for centuries. This fondness for their liege lords led some to mimic the adventurous spirits that mark the Grayson household. Neb was one such admirer inspired by stories and his experiences growing up. Ever since a young age the common boy had an ambitious thirst for knowledge and experiences often times opting to try things firsthand to learn of them. Stories differ on how precisely Neb broke his hands. Some say it was in the smith. Others suggest it was a horse riding accident. Some imaginative folk claim he was trying to prove you can break a plank of wood with your hands. After the incident where his hands had been broken Neb was thoroughly educated on the wisdom of seeking knowledge from the experience of others instead of his own. Books became his newfound love and he relished them. It was books which led to his martial training. It was books that led to his journeys. It was books that eventually led to a Knighthood with House Grayson and the title Knight of Pages, something of a turn of phrase as Pages are so often attendants to Knights themselves. Despite all that he had learned his interests have always been different than others, more somber in intent and so it might not have surprised those that knew him that the rise of dark things led him to seek knowledge of the abyss. Afterall one would hardly find writings about such a thing in Arx, they needed to be brought to Arx and the Knight of Pages was the man to do it. + |
| Nebulosa Rubino-Zaffria + | Nebulosa Zaffria is of a cadet branch of the Zaffria family - she herself is a second cousin to Lady Sylvie. Dedicated to sword training from a young age and prickly enough to get into childish stick fights with her peers, Nebulosa's entire life would seem to've been about fighting if she hadn't spent quite so much time studying the faith of the Pantheon, especially philosophies around Vellichor and, of course, Gloria and The Sentinel. Her local reputation was that of a studious hot-head. Well. Couldn't be helped. As she reached adulthood, her raw propensity with picking physical fights lessened, sublimated (or "sublimated") into a kind of aggravated verbal jousting she knew she could back up at need. She also spent less time with the priests and more time in the darker parts of her community, a turn of events that caused great worry in her immediate family until she foiled a smuggling plot, solved a murder (no one important, but still, a murder!). As a noble hobby, a little irregular, but that and her skill with a blade got her a very brief assignation as Gemecitta Sword. However, she decided amicably that she was more of a capable generalist than a dedicated duelist, and she turned her attention back to the streets. Arx's streets. Seeking the structure provided by the Iron Guard, within that structure, she spends rather more time investigating crime than is quite usual. It's like she can't find a bloody footprint without having to know who made it. She relies on her skills and her general rapport with people to carry her through potentially sticky situations. She knows she can take care of herself. + |
| Nedios Darkstorm + | Born at a young age, Nedios grew up on the streets. He's smaller than others so his way of survival was trading information. Be it cheating at games, blackmailing a noble, or just to embarrass someone, Nedios likes collecting and using secrets of others. + |
| Needle Ulbran + | Daughter of a seamstress who died in one of Arx's bitterest winters when she was seven years old, Needle was just another one of the street children of Arx's Lower Boroughs. Already capable of sewing a seam, she managed to get a few short-term jobs plying her needle; between those she begged for her supper or stole to survive, as many others did. When she was ten the Ulbran family took her in and started teaching her to be useful to them. After attracting the attention of some of the senior Ulbrans, she's come into adulthood in charge of a few of her peers, and with the certain knowledge that she has the potential for more. A lot more. + |
| Neilda Saik + | Adventure, of one sort or another, has always been in Neilda's blood. Though humble for nobility, her family comes from a long line of warriors and knights, and she grew up on stories of their grand adventures and courageous deeds. She also grew up on stories of those from her family who strayed from the warrior path, and got into exploration. Her uncle Carmello told her about how he got stuck in a cave on an island for several months, surviving only on the edible mosses and mushrooms inside, and then before he fuond his way out he found the buried treasure of a pirate. Inside that treasure he found an tiny stone that glowed that made him feel stronger for touching it, along with a journal that suggested the stone might have other unusual properties. He's long since lost the stone and the journal, and often grumbles about having his ship boarded by pirates and how they stole it back from him. What was the stone? Why did it glow? And, more importantly, why was it stolen back from him? Of course, the family passed his stories about the stone and the theft of it off as tall tales and superstition. Stones don't just glow. But, her uncle hasn't stopped thinking about it, and neither has Neilda. So no one was really surprised when a 10 year old Neilda one day declared that she was going to be an explorer herself, obsessed with the story of the stone, and other stories like it she's discovered since the tale her uncle told her. She put everything she had into learning how to be the best and brightest adventurer she could be, and while this may have dismayed some, hoping for another fighter in the family, no one ever tried to quell her adventurous spirit. She would often bug her brother Estaban, or her cousin Kima, begging them until they'd give in and teach her the skills she needed to survive. She thrived under their training, and as soon as she was old enough and able, she set off on the first boat she could to Arx where she heard about the Society of Explorers in Arx. She's been busy doing expeditions and missions for them for the last year and a half, and has finally decided to stop and take a bit of a break and check on how her family is doing. + |
| Nekarris Darkwater + | Growing up in the Lyceum, Nekarris knew a life of privilege and wealth and utter insignificance. Her family, the lower levels of the nobility, were truly more akin to Merchant Barons, which meant she wanted for nothing but purpose. Or, wanted might be a strong term. Nekarris has been perfectly content to coast through life, enjoying parties and social scheming and - briefly - even a political marriage! Oh, right. When she was nineteen, Nekarris was promised to a Thraxian vassal, and became the Countess Darkwater. Her husband Ixion was young and brash and utterly taken with her. They were a happy couple, he brash and bold and bossy as a Thrax should be, she coquettish and manipulative and completely in control. He died in a skirmish with pirates - certainly pirates, and definitely not any lingering captains who were involved in the Tyde rebellion. Nekarris grieved him, as hard as a new wife could (and for a totally appropriate amount of time), and then just..never got around to going back to Setarco. Ixion's younger brother likes having her around. She's a safe outlet for him to practice his domineering, and honestly she enjoys the game, too. + |
| Nemo Durren + | Nemo originally lived in the countryside outside of Arx, but the need for a bit more coin and more than a few neighbors beginning to worry about the safety of life beyond the safe-looking walls of the capital eventually drove her within them. Once there, Nemo picked up various odd jobs as she could. No one thing ever really stuck, however, though in fairness, Nemo has never claimed to want it otherwise. She comes and goes as she pleases, works with whom she wants, and though she claims it is also when she wants, given her social status, that really means: always. Still, Nemo seems happy enough. + |
| Nephelae Ebonwood + | There are few born in lower status than Nephe was. Her mother Runa was a thrall, her father...well her mother didn't speak much of him. Either he'd left her or died but Nephe merely assumed it was little more than a fling for him. He didn't care enough in her mind that if he did leave, he left them there in that house on the Mourning Isles. Runa was a wet nurse that became a nursemaid. She grew up along side her mother's charges and was permitted in the room during lessons. She was trained by her mother to be a nursemaid but Nephelae could not deny her heart was in books, legends and places faraway. She burned with questions but she was her mother's helper. She had hints of where her mother had come from. She'd been taken in a raid from the Northlands but she had not seen them in decades. Nephelae inherited her debt when she died. She was only 13 when Runa but her aptitude for looking after the younger children and growing up in the house gave her favor. She took on extra duties and worked in any capacity she was needed. It was a trip to the fish market that she met Haldren Ebonwood. He was like her, just the same kind of exotic soul. His seafoam green eyes and that perfect smile caught her attention. He was a sailor but smart as a whip. He was full of tall tales and legends. He was cheeky and endearing. Her first great love. Whenever he was back in port, her bleak world grew just a little brighter. She finally bought her freedom when she was 19 and free to marry. They married when he next came ashore. Nephe wanted to leave the Mourning Isles behind so Haldren paid passage with what little they had to Stormfall. There they had a small flat rented and Nephe was expecting a girl she named Myrrine the following year. It seemed like there would be a simple and happy life for them. Sadly the sea took her love only 2 years into their marriage and the following cold winter took her Myrrine.. Alone again, Nephelae did what she knew best. Take off her black clothes and work. That's when she heard of a new ambassador needing a nursemaid within the city. It was an opportunity she couldn't ignore. + |
| Nester Stockman + | Nester Stockman was born to a common family in Valardin lands. They worked as wagonwrights and soon enough moved to the capital where their fealty quietly changed prior to any true success. Wagons and routes, horses, and transport. It was his life to make things move from place to place for a price of course and he became well to do with it. As he became more elderly his stoic observation of Orthodoxy and reservation began to slip. Wines and cigars, decadent foods, and mirrors. All began to enter the trade, deals floundered when he discussed them easily twisted and wound up until he's plum forgotten what he agreed too. Nowadays he has his ledgers though, as long as he doesn't forget no sweet talking man nor woman can set his mind astray for long. + |
| Neve Greenmarch + | Neve's parents both died the day she was born. In fact it is said that they both took their last breath the same moment she took her first. A battle had arisen, an old feud for territory and Roark rode out with his brothers to defend their home. At the same moment - Moira went into labor. It is almost impossible for anyone to know the moment of death for each of them - but it was simply understood that they died together - as though some unseen force had willed it so. In her world, that meant something. No sacrifice was made in vain, no offering went ignored or unappreciated. The world moved around them, and they with it and a part of it and always in tune. However, what that may have meant for Neve was always a mystery for her and nothing but a story of long ago, about people she had never known and knew nothing about other than they had loved her. Neve was saved that day by Muiryn Greenmarch. He had watched her father die and laid prayers upon his body and made promises to a dying man that he never forgot. Neve has often wondered about that moment, how horrible and heavy it must have been for him to have suffered such deep loses and simultaniously have been shuffled neatly and unexpectly into fatherhood. But 18 years later, they were no less the worse for wear from it. So what if she may have spent her early childhood with her hair cropped like a boys because he could not deal with her howls when he tried to braid it. He put her atop her first Elk and taught her how to hunt, how to make her own bow and fletches and how to give thanks for every living thing that offered it's life to sustain them. He taught her how to skin and use every part of the beast, so nothing went wasted. He taught her of their people and their culture and for better or worse - her childhood was as charmed as a little heathens could be. It instilled a wilderness inside of her that could never quite be capped or tamed. As though she were always waiting for that moment when the wind would come along and whisk her away to all the things she's not done before. Neve was Thirteen when the Greenmarch took the steps to join the Compact - and while her world was thrown into a temporary chaos of passions and pride - Neve was utterly charmed. She loved the life her ancestors and family have carved out for themselves, the work of their land and the hearts of their people but she was born knowing that possibility was endless - and finally... finally they may begin to see just how endless it may truly be. The night Muiryn told her they woulnd't be leaving Greenmarch for Arvum any time soon, was the first time she'd screamed at her foster father - and while it probably wasn't the last, it was the only one that lingered like heartache in her memory. She'd been more careful after that and bided her time - knowing that her wind would be waiting. So now five years have passed and she has grown into a woman - though still windswept and wild. She is finally in Arvum - the heart of Arx - where she expects every light to sparkle and every voice to sing and praise. She's heard tails of parties and gowns and dresses... She's heard stories of the elves and other creatures thought lost to lore and myth... She's heard of the beautifully appointed salons, the lush, rich finary... and all manner of things that she's never quite been able to manage. She has nothing but confidence that her two worlds the old and the new both, will be able to live in beautiful harmony. + |
| Neviah Ciardha + | That winter had been particularly cruel and unforgiving. The wind, for three months, drove the snow to sound like abrasive sand against the windowpanes of the cottage, nestled in the depths of the Gray Forest. When the cry of a baby rose above the howling wind one fateful night, she thought for sure it was a mountain lion and let it be? When the cries hadn't relented after an hour she ventured forth into the heart of the blizzard. What she found swaddled and placed delicately in the heart of a hollowed out tree astonished her: a tiny, underweight babe; near death from exposure and cold. She hadn't expected it to last the night, let alone that first year. The child never thrived or recovered from that night in the blizzard, but it did persevere. It survived. It turned out to be a curious thing and quick witted and eventually came to call the woman 'Ouma', or Old Mother. Many years passed and soon the Silence came to the Gray Forest. Ouma did not outlast the Silence, but the child now a woman, survived. When the blight came to the Gray Forest, Niveah had to move on. Her livelihood was in the forest and the Earth. She wandered and never put down roots. It didn't take her long to realize that she didn't have the strength to carry on. She returned to the cottage to find it had burned down many seasons ago and so had no choice but to come to Arx to start her life. + |
| Niamh Greenmarch + | Niamh was born with storms to herald her; the worst of that year her mother would later tell her. It was no surprise to any in Greenmarch that she would be the loudest child of her generation; a claim she staked from the first weeks of her birth with her wails and cries. While everyone knew that this niece of Marcel's was bound to be something fierce and strong, none would ever know for certain what was in store. Niamh is a woman that has seen change all through her life. From the death of her parents when she was eight while fighting to defend the Greenmarch from other Shavs, to the sudden change in status as the Greenmarch Shavs bent knee and joined the Compact. With Marian off at Valardin and Marius becoming Marquis of the Greenmarch, it was Niamh that they turned to to bear the title of Sword... and then promptly sent her off to Arx to see if she could become a real Lady instead of just a savage. Or so the joke went. Niamh has made a name for herself in the city. She's shown she can wear a dress when she needs to, but her reputation has come as a champion for the downtrodden and her skill in the Champion's ring. And since being Sword of the Greenmarch doesn't take up too much of her time, she's found a way to make herself Arsmaster of the Champion's Guild where she trains other champions and ensures that those who seek the Guild's services have someone take up their claim. + |
| Niccolo Velenosa + | As the firstborn son of the Duke of Setarco, Niccolo was groomed from birth with the expectation that he would eventually rule the powerful Lycene city-state famed as the home of the silk trade. House Pravus possessed a reputation for producing strong, ruthlessly effective rulers and Niccolo appeared that he would be no exception- he eschewed the pampered lifestyle that would have been easily available as the firstborn of one of the highest nobles of the Lyceum, instead training relentlessly with the house soldiers or learning all he could from his family about the dangerous intrigues of Lycene politics and how to be maneuver its treacherous waters. As a young man, he repeatedly led the city-state of Setarco's military forces into battle against against the Sea Reavers, a powerful clan of the Abandoned which have been foes of the Lyceum for the past thousand years. With a calmly astute leadership style and formidable mental discipline, Niccolo won reknown for prowess as a battlefield commander and looked to be all the people of Setarco could ask for in the next duke. And then he met Princess Carlotta, the heir apparent of the Archduke of Lenosia, and future Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Immediate attraction quickly became something undeniably deeper, and both immediately made their wishes known. Unfortunately like most nobles, however celebrated great love stories might be in the commons, neither the current Archduke of Lenosia or the Duke of Setarco benefited much from the match and immediately dismissed the idea. Carlotta's father pointed out that the ties with Setarco were already strong and attempting to strengthen the bonds with another marriage when they had other city-states to bring to heel was foolish. Niccolo's father was even more horrified- as House Pravus was ostensibly a vassal of the Grand Duke of the Lyceum but quite nearly a peer to the Velenosa ruler, Niccolo would be forced to marry into the Velenosa family and pass his claim as the next duke of Setarco on to his brother, and everyone rightly saw Niccolo as a fantastic future duke. Both rulers encouraged their respective children to forget the follies of youth and be prepared to properly marry as befits their obligation to their houses, but Niccolo was in no way dissuaded. At the next great Tournament of Roses, the festival in honor of the god of love, Niccolo managed to emerge as the champion of the tests of the body. By long tradition, each of the victors at the Tournament of Roses can request a boon from the Compact, with the Crown speaking for the realm in recognizing the worthiness of the boon. As with no few star-crossed lovers, Niccolo asked in front of most of the assembled peers of the realm and thousands of commoners for King Alaric the Elder to grant his marriage to Princess Carlotta Velenosa. The king agreed, and it is a very rare house that would refuse their liege under those conditions. The next two decades oversaw the restoration of House Velenosa prestige and power under the new Grand Duchess of the Lyceum, Carlotta Velenosa, heavily assisted by her talented husband Duke Niccolo. Niccolo was almost immediately appointed a Voice of House Velenosa, speaking with the full authority of the Duchess, and the two together ruled with all the deft agility and ruthless dispatch that any house in the Lyceum would envy. Niccolo was responsible for smashing most of clans of the Abandoned near Velenosa lands, creating far more stability around the city-state of Lenosia than it has known throughout its history. Tragically, the demands of leadership kept the married pair apart for sometimes years at a time, with Duke Niccolo remaining in Lenosia and making certain the vassal city-states of the Lyceum stayed firmly under control while Carlotta resided in Arx to manipulate the politics of Arx repeatedly in House Velenosa's favor. When Niccolo heard of his beloved wife's death in Arx, it is known that he stayed uncharacteristically out of contact with nearly everyone for a month while in mourning, seeing only his daughter Esera at her coronation as the new Archduchess of Lenosia and Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Tragedy followed not long after with his daughter Esera's death by being pushed from Sovereign Bridge by the Dominus Fawkuhl, with the elder statesman very reluctantly assuming the position of Grand Duke of the Lyceum for a time, a position that weighed on him and his grief, though he found brief happiness with a marriage to Princess Deva Redrain. Even that brief happiness was not to last with Deva's mysterious disappearance, causing many in the Lyceum to believe the poor man was cursed. The respected Lycene nobleman abdicated the position of high lord to allow his niece, Princess Eleyna Velenosa to ascend and allow her the chance to rule, with him stepping into a more comfortable role as voice and trusted advisor. + |
| Nicholaus Grayson + | Though Nicholaus Grayson was born privileged, he was a young man distinctly aware of how far from rule he was. He lacked any sort of drive to rise in influence or political power, to dance about the social stage and pretend to be something he wasn't. Instead he delighted away in taverns and gambling halls, 'enjoying life' he would explain -- 'wasting it' many others would claim. This never seemed to bother him -- few things did, in fact. His friends often described him as a carefree soul, possessed of a distinct lack of ambition that made him safe to relax around. Few if any know where he got the idea for the 'adventure' that would take him out of Arx and into the lands beyond. One day he simply decided to go off and travel with a group of retired mercenaries who were intending on making the rounds of Arvum and visiting the various cities. His preperations were hasty, but many of his drinking companions figured he was in good hands. Ultimately, Nicholaus didn't return when he was supposed to. A search went out, stories of spotting the group were traced for a time, but eventually it was discovered that they never made it to one of their intended stops. No evidence of their bodies or possessions were found, and they were assumed to have been waylaid by shavs and killed. Then one day, Nicholaus returned. Bruised and a bit battered, his companions still missing, Nicholaus confirmed the suspicions that shavs had attacked them, but claimed he escaped and was lost for a time. He refused to speak of the intervening years, claiming they were hard and transformative, and ultimately difficult to relive. It took weeks for him to recover, but those who spoke with him recognized a change in his personality. Still friendly, he now possessed a sense of purpose and drive. An ambition to help the Compact and preserve it, an ambition born from the hardships he faced beyond its protection. + |
| Nicia Laurent + | Neither the youngest, nor the oldest, Nicia had a life that many might call easy, and others might call hard. If asked, she simply saw it as what it was, both depending on the day and which way the wind blew. Unlike her older sister, Belladonna, she was not as inclined towards schemes, nor as secretive as her younger brother, Elonso. No, she was altogether different than her siblings, but at the same time very much the same in a number of ways. Family was always important, never any doubt about that. Nicia was a clever child, prone to philosophical arguments over anything that could be contemplated and argued over, reason seen as a good way to sway agreement, and when that didn't work she was willing to brow-beat others into seeing things her way. As she got older her eagerness to always win, to always be right, was tempered, but her penchant for debate and argument had set her firmly on her path. While her sister schemed, halting conspiracy when and where she could, and took over the reins of the family after their father's death, she studied. Anything related to the law she would read, speaking with the lawyers that worked around Setarco when she was able, even finding one or two that worked more closely with House Pravus willing to take her on and teach her what they knew. It wasn't lost on her that her love of argument could put her at odds with others, even within her own House and family, due to that she learned to separate her professional life and her private life. Nor was it lost on her that she possessed a set of skills that would benefit the House, which is what has led her to follow her sister to Arx. + |
| Nicia Pravus + | Neither the youngest, nor the oldest, Nicia had a life that many might call easy, and others might call hard. If asked, she simply saw it as what it was, both depending on the day and which way the wind blew. Unlike her older sister, Belladonna, she was not as inclined towards schemes, nor as secretive as her younger brother, Elonso. No, she was altogether different than her siblings, but at the same time very much the same in a number of ways. Family was always important, never any doubt about that. Nicia was a clever child, prone to philosophical arguments over anything that could be contemplated and argued over, reason seen as a good way to sway agreement, and when that didn't work she was willing to brow-beat others into seeing things her way. As she got older her eagerness to always win, to always be right, was tempered, but her penchant for debate and argument had set her firmly on her path. While her sister schemed, halting conspiracy when and where she could, and took over the reins of the family after their father's death, she studied. Anything related to the law she would read, speaking with the lawyers that worked around Setarco when she was able, even finding one or two that worked more closely with House Pravus willing to take her on and teach her what they knew. It wasn't lost on her that her love of argument could put her at odds with others, even within her own House and family, due to that she learned to separate her professional life and her private life. Nor was it lost on her that she possessed a set of skills that would benefit the House, which is what has led her to follow her sister to Arx. + |
| Nico Khan + | Nico was born in a small town near Stonehearth. Her family were a variety of tradesmen. None of their wares were of great renown, but they were a respected group of merchants that some chose first above others in the local Grayson territories. The tomboy was raised amongst a family that was loving, yet firm. They wanted to make sure she'd have the skills to survive no matter which path in life she took. Many years she poured into honing these various skills. It wasn't long until she was already earning money in a variety of ways to support her family. However, there came a day when she couldn't stay at home any longer. Nico wasn't the same person her family knew anymore. So she left with as many of her things as she could carry, and started traveling the world and earning money in any way she could. + |
| Nicos Ulbran + | His father was Marcus, and his mother was April, but he never truly got to know them. When he was 12 years old, his parents had to flee Arx due to owing money to all the wrong people. He was always good with numbers, math, talking to folks, always one step ahead, so when they bailed on him, getting himself a job at a local store, doing the finances. He was able to carve out a name for himself as a wiz of financial means, also was friendly enough to get a job working at a local shop doing the finances. Through giving up his pay, he was slowly able to pay back his family debt. His folks have never returned to Arx, seeming to have vanished off the face of the earth. But, after a few years, he has a handful of clients working at their backrooms. Making a name for himself as a crack accountant can help anyone no matter how poor be able to budget. + |
| Nierzen Grayhope + | Technically, Nierzen's father was supposed to have taken vows and avoided marriage, but the weaknesses of the flesh are many. He eventually forsook his vows for Nierzen's mother, who died shortly afterwards, because that's basically how life works. Nierzen grew up as a cousin to the main branches of the Grayhope family, not necessarily in crushing poverty, but not entirely too far from it. His father mostly worked as a scribe and scrivener up until he passed away from drug-related complications while Nierzen was around 9. Nierzen ended up attached along with several other orphans, but himself, as one of the best educated ones, ended up aimed for Vellichor and the archive. He was cynical very early and never entirely dropped the habit. He married young and madly in love only to lose his wife to complications from the "family business": a sales operation gone wildly, horribly wrong. This left Nierzen young, widowed, and /even more clear eyed than before/. He harbors a low misanthropy for basically everyone in general but a special one for his family in particular, yet finds himself inextricably bound up with the ties that hold family together because they are his connections to the world outside the archive. It leads to a snarky, bitter, macabrely hilarious existence. His restlessness has grown with each passing year since his wife's death. Maybe he'll find a way to turn the social order upside down and put himself at the top of it. In the meantime, he'll keep making fun of the people who don't. + |
| Nigel Riven + | Nigel was ten years old when his parents died and his sister inherited the countship. By the time he was 12, she was marrying a TATTOOED SAVAGE and bringing a bunch more of them into the house and into the county. At 12, he was too young to really "get" what she was doing, and nowhere was Countess Mia plagued with more reactionary, unthinking racism than in her own parlor. "THEY LOOK WEIRD AND THEY DO WEIRD THINGS" was basically the battlecry with which young Nigel rabbleroused for about the first ... month. Here's the thing, though: fear does not often outlast familiarity. Thesarin took time with Nigel. He taught him to hunt. He taught him to ride. He taught him about his tribe's way of doing things. He asked him to teach everything he could about the Compact way of doing things. It is hard for a young boy of a certain age to accept a new father figure without reservations, but the steady strength of Thesarin and his quiet intensity and his growly voice made it impossible, at length, for Nigel to wholly resist. By the time he was 16, he was a passionate defender of his sister, her husband, and all their choices. A devotee of Limerance from the age of 18, Nigel studied law and music, poetry and art. He rode in the woods and hunted with his brother-in-law, but primarily what he learned were related to statecraft, just in case anything happened to the Count and Countess while their prospective other heirs were too young to do anything. Mia made him the Voice before he was really ready for it because they were desperate for more help with a noble house so small that had so many unique difficulties, and Nigel had to grow into the role, which he slowly did, not without a lot of suffering and occasional fits of wild panic. Still, grow he did; it happens when you grow up. Now he is a staunch support and a keystone of their House. + |
| Nijah + | Nijah has always been quiet about where she came from before she finally arrived in Ischia with Prisila. Amongst all of the long-awaited greetings of the Seraceni Lady's family and friends, she was a notable curiosity. Little more than a child herself, she was a new companion acquired during her ten-year journey, and seemed positively glued to her side. The quiet young woman was always rather silent about her origins, save that she came from Eurus, and that she owed Lady Prisila her life. She stayed behind in Ischia when Prisila left to begin her work in Arx, and that was when she began to undertake her lessons in both the Arvani language and etiquette. In that time she came to understand the language of the people she would soon be walking among, and their manners. After a year of lessons, she finally was ready to begin her journey to Arx, to join Prisila as her handmaiden. These plans were short lived. After serving faithfully for some time, Prisila left to parts unknown. With her patron departed, Nijah decided to cast off from the home that had taken her in, to explore her true potential within Arx as she sees fit. As an aspiring merchant, apothecary and someone willing to truly dive into the mix of what Arvani culture seems to offer, she's on her own in a strange land, and seems primed to show the world what she's made of. + |
| Nijah Crown + | Nijah has always been quiet about where she came from before she finally arrived in Ischia with Prisila. Amongst all of the long-awaited greetings of the Seraceni Lady's family and friends, she was a notable curiosity. Little more than a child herself, she was a new companion acquired during her ten-year journey, and seemed positively glued to her side. The quiet young woman was always rather silent about her origins, save that she came from Eurus, and that she owed Lady Prisila her life. She stayed behind in Ischia when Prisila left to begin her work in Arx, and that was when she began to undertake her lessons in both the Arvani language and etiquette. In that time she came to understand the language of the people she would soon be walking among, and their manners. After a year of lessons, she finally was ready to begin her journey to Arx, to join Prisila as her handmaiden. These plans were short lived. After serving faithfully for some time, Prisila left to parts unknown. With her patron departed, Nijah decided to cast off from the home that had taken her in, to explore her true potential within Arx as she sees fit. As an aspiring merchant, apothecary and someone willing to truly dive into the mix of what Arvani culture seems to offer, she's on her own in a strange land, and seems primed to show the world what she's made of. + |
| Nijah Masque + | Nijah has always been quiet about where she came from before she finally arrived in Ischia with Prisila. Amongst all of the long-awaited greetings of the Seraceni Lady's family and friends, she was a notable curiosity. Little more than a child herself, she was a new companion acquired during her ten-year journey, and seemed positively glued to her side. The quiet young woman was always rather silent about her origins, save that she came from Eurus, and that she owed Lady Prisila her life. She stayed behind in Ischia when Prisila left to begin her work in Arx, and that was when she began to undertake her lessons in both the Arvani language and etiquette. In that time she came to understand the language of the people she would soon be walking among, and their manners. After a year of lessons, she finally was ready to begin her journey to Arx, to join Prisila with two goals in mind. To serve Seraceni faithfully as a Prisila's handmaid, and to begin her life as a merchant, to build an enterprise that would someday become the envy of all. + |
| Nikias Inverno + | Nikias was raised in the Oathlands as a righteous and proper nobleman and soldier. It was no surprise that he was quickly elevated to knighthood. He fought many a battles and won a fair amount. He joined the Academy of War when it was established and he supported it as best he could. In recent months Nikias courted Lady Aisha Inverno and eventually married into her family, after a proper contract was negotiated by Aisha and Reigna then approved by the Faith. + |
| Niklas Grayson + | The heir and the spare is pretty traditional, so it was a relief to get a second son for Stormward. The coffers of the march were not unlimited as to his education, though. While his eldest son was educated on the mainland, his second son primarily had to make do with a series of tutors, particularly an adventuresome seraph, Wallis, who never 100% abandoned his House Ashford leanings, even if he was godsworn. Niklas grew up on tales of adventure and excitement and really wild things, with romantic dreams about traveling the world and discovering vast new places, exploring the far reaches of Cardia and Eurus and who knows where else. The reality of what was expected of him as future Voice and his brother's second in life didn't really set in for him until Ford Kennex returned better-traveled than he was. Envy led to a rocky tie between them, defined by rivalry as much as loyalty. Niklas struggled generally with wanting to Prove Himself to a world that didn't really require it of him. Though he lacked a lot of the more warrior qualities of the traditional Thrax, his family was not really expecting him to /be/ a traditional Thrax, so rebellion was a little ... not worth it. What he eventually found solace in was, of all things, pen and ink. It started when Niklas was in Arx and caught a play at the theater while a little drunk. That night, in the privacy of his room at the inn, he started writing. Niklas imagined whole adventures in his mind, the ones that had captured him in his boyhood, and wrote them into plays. It started that night, but it grew from there. For years he kept them hoarded in a trunk and never showed them to anyone. It was another irresolute, dissolute night in a tavern in Arx that led him to showing his favorite to someone he was drinking with. Now, at 25, he is a known playwright of some acclaim for creating wild adventure stories full of thrill and romance and excitement, and the outlet has helped him flower into new confidence. Still not a very political animal, he might at least be a contented one. + |
| Niklas Kennex + | The heir and the spare is pretty traditional, so it was a relief to get a second son for Stormward. The coffers of the march were not unlimited as to his education, though. While his eldest son was educated on the mainland, his second son primarily had to make do with a series of tutors, particularly an adventuresome seraph, Wallis, who never 100% abandoned his House Ashford leanings, even if he was godsworn. Niklas grew up on tales of adventure and excitement and really wild things, with romantic dreams about traveling the world and discovering vast new places, exploring the far reaches of Cardia and Eurus and who knows where else. The reality of what was expected of him as future Voice and his brother's second in life didn't really set in for him until Ford Kennex returned better-traveled than he was. Envy led to a rocky tie between them, defined by rivalry as much as loyalty. Niklas struggled generally with wanting to Prove Himself to a world that didn't really require it of him. Though he lacked a lot of the more warrior qualities of the traditional Thrax, his family was not really expecting him to /be/ a traditional Thrax, so rebellion was a little ... not worth it. What he eventually found solace in was, of all things, pen and ink. It started when Niklas was in Arx and caught a play at the theater while a little drunk. That night, in the privacy of his room at the inn, he started writing. Niklas imagined whole adventures in his mind, the ones that had captured him in his boyhood, and wrote them into plays. It started that night, but it grew from there. For years he kept them hoarded in a trunk and never showed them to anyone. It was another irresolute, dissolute night in a tavern in Arx that led him to showing his favorite to someone he was drinking with. Now, at 25, he is a known playwright of some acclaim for creating wild adventure stories full of thrill and romance and excitement, and the outlet has helped him flower into new confidence. Still not a very political animal, he might at least be a contented one. + |
| Nikola Stonewood + | Lord Nikola Stonewood is the middle child of 5 children. His family line has a long history of being knights. Nikola, as expected, also became one like his father before him and his father's father, and his father's father's father and so on. However, unlike his mother Lady Jewel Stonewood and his father the formerly Lord Russell Bisland, and siblings Nikola preferred to travel far and wide over joining the military, though, he did not sell his services. He just wanted to travel and fight anything he thought was wrong doing. This travelling way, eventually, led him to Arx. In Arx he decided to stay, at least for the time being, and see what there was to offer and what he could do for people. + |
| Nilos Latsis + | Nilos comes from the old and storied Latsis family that have served beneath the Mazetti for generations. The Latsis though commoners have made a small name for themselves in their pursuit of acquiring tomes from all across the compact for sale in the family shop. Nilos' role within the family has had him mainly tending to tomes in the shop, specializing in their repair and the restoration of old tomes to their original glory. However this hasn't stopped him from partaking in the occasional cross compact journey with his siblings to retrieve tomes, even having gone as far as Farhaven itself in their pursuit. Recent events however has seen him coming to Arx to act as the arm of the family there in acquiring any rare manuscripts he can lay his hands on. + |
| Nimm Urist + | An only child, Nimm fled from an abusive home at the young age of ten. He was taken in by Delando, a travelling merchant who sold leather goods. During their seven years together, Delando taught Nimm the craft. Sadly, Delando was killed by highwaymen two years ago. Nimm narrowly escaped, and has a long scar on his left forearm to prove it. + |
| Nimue Redreef + | Nimue's life wouldn't have been easier if she had kept lying, but it would have probably been less dramatic. Nimue was born as the second child and first son of Dua and Spencer Redreef, and from a young age excelled at the pursuits expected of noble boys in the Mourning Isles. Fighting, sailing, swordsmanship, horseback riding -- ESPECIALLY horseback riding. That was the thing: from a young age, Nimue knew that she wasn't a boy. But in her traditionalist Islander family, being a girl meant administrative work, diplomacy, training to be a courtier... and Nimue didn't want that. She wanted to ride horses and fight and sail and all of the passions she truly lived for. So she kept pretending to be a boy, even if it hurt her to do so. Nimue spent a year in Chevalle, learning from the masters how to break wild horses, and came back to Redreef Shores a borderline prodigy. She brought great pride to her parents. She even did the expected thing and got married, making Maia Longwood into Maia Redreef. When Baron Landis Redreef died, his brother Tiberius staked his claim to Redreef Shores, and Landis's daughters, Ember and Marina, fought back agianst that claim. In the very first battle of the conflict, Nimue was thrown from her horse and badly injured her shoulder, to the point that by the time she was fully healed, the conflict was over and Ember had won. Also, by the time she was fully healed, Nimue was openly living as the woman she knew herself to be. Maia, her wife, tried to accept this new reality, but this wasn't a love match and the scandal inherent to being a "woman warrior" in the Mourning Isles wasn't what Maia had signed up for. Nimue was the one to instigate a divorce, knowing that it would be better for Maia in the long run if she went back home to Longwood. Meanwhile, Nimue accepted the blame for it, and all of the shame and scorn that came with it. She's resolved to surpass it, though, and repair her reputation by serving with honor and distinction in Arx's Iron Guard. That's the funny thing about the nobility of the Mourning Isles. No one cares that Nimue was always a woman. What makes them shudder is that she's a divorcee. + |
| Nina Autumndale + | Nina is a common-born woman from, by all accounts, an unremarkable background, who seemed to have a natural gift for musical talent. Discovered as she was singing for her supper on a warm summer night, she was brought into House of Silken Sighs in Setarco. There she trained among the Suspires, the famous courtiers of the Lycene. When she arrived in Arx, she arrived with big dreams and a smile on her face, and began at once making friends among the Bard's College and the house of Pravus. Here, she earned the title Glass Butterfly of Pravus, a minister to the House. She is in charge of event and party planning for the new Great House, and occasionally for nobles and commoners alike outside of the fealty as well. She has shown a great love for fashion as well as music, putting thought into the costumes and outfits she wears as befitting every occasion. Her love of jokes and silly songs also caused her to make quick friends among the Harlequins, where she became a disciple of the Queen of Endings. Exactly how this bubbly woman also earned herself a space among the Council of Thorns, the trio of highest ranking Suspires, seems unclear at first. With her big heart and open personality, she does not meet the usual cliche of the silken Setarco seductress. But seduction comes in many forms, and Nina has a way of getting people to open up to her, and let go of their inhibitions. + |
| Niro Crown + | Born outside of the protection of the Crown and the City, Niro does not speak often of the life out there - other than it was harsh and short for many, and that he considers himself one of the luckier ones. He received knowledge of the art of Smithing, and it was with that knowledge that he kept himself alive, by being useful. His escape from that life is one that he counts as a blessing, and one of the new Prodigals, he seeks to establish himself in a land of relative peace and freedom. + |
| Nisaa Whisper + | Nisaa's life was pretty much written out for her the moment she was born. She had choices, sure, but not many and each one was only a slightly different version of the others. Truth be told, she was rather fortunate for much of her life, considering she was the fourth and last daughter to her father and mother, who ran a bakery in the square. She was seen as something special, her looks just a slight bit different than the others, imperfections that made her first cute, then pretty, becoming beautiful as she aged. She was graceful, even as a child, and was put to lessons in the art of the Eurusi Dance at a fairly young age... And that is what led her to be brought into the palace of the new King and Queen of Petrioch. She was trained there as one of the courtesans to the King himself, often entertaining he and his guests with her dance. This afforded her a rather grand lifestyle for a person of her caste, and an ample amount of free time, which she often spent at the water's edge. She was almost as graceful in the water as she was on land. She enjoyed this life she was granted, and was especially in love with the freedom she felt when dancing. But, something drew her to seek a new life, adventure into the unknown, or little known. She set off with another who worked in the palace, knowing they may not succeed, that if stories were true, they very likely would be lost at sea... and yet, they set off. By some miracle, they found themselves first in Setarco, where they learned the language and were welcomed into the Whisper House, continuing their work with the organization upon their arrival in Arx. What adventures await her in this foreign city remain to be seen... but as long as she can dance to the rhythm of life, Nisaa will wear a smile. + |
| Nix Thrax + | Nix Thrax was born into the main noble family of House Thrax. He was raised with the sea in his soul. He was the second eldest in his family, with several younger sisters. His eldest brother, Domin, was a brute of a man with no understanding of subtelty or grace. He loathed Nix for his beautiful eyes, and his charming smile, and for the way his parents doted on him. He hated him so much that he used every chance he had to hurt him, both emotionally, or physically. Nix has had more then a few broken bones due to Domin. Nix was already working aboard a reaver ship by the time he was eleven, aiding the Captain (His Uncle). His elder brother was second in command of the ship, and he made Nix's life an absolute horror. Everyone feared him. One late night, after a girl Dominus fancied smiled at Nix instead, Domin snuck into the cabin Nix shared with the other sailors, and he beat him within an inch of his life...and took a dagger to his beautiful face. It left him with a wicked scar, that, much to his brother's chagrin, some women liked even more. However, it began to shape Nix, and it shaped him into something bad. Nix murdered his brother at the age of 15, after years of training with a blade and fist. He stabbed him during a terrible storm (15 times in fact) and tossed his body overboard. It was suspected he fell overboard while intoxicated, as he often was, or was swept over from the storm. The few who suspected the truth did not dare speak up against Nix. Over the years Nix rose to captain the Reaver ship when his uncle retired, and he wreacked havoc for years. He also attended social events and learned how best to apply his wit and charm...or intimidation. In the end, he was brutalized during a terrible battle, and it left him with a severely damaged left leg, and back. He was bed-ridden for weeks, and then he settled in the city of Arx, focusing on recovering the full use of his leg, while turning his attention on the social arena to aid his House in other ways. + |
| Noah Grayson + | Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always held in high regard. He is a Grayson. He comes from money. He comes from breeding. He comes from a name. If he wanted it, he got it. If he wanted a certain type of clothing, he got the best. If he wanted the man or woman of the moment? He found a way to turn their head. Nothing has ever been denied to him and it shows in how he acts. Noah got in a bit of trouble in Bastion. It involved a noblewoman and some bad decisions. He decided he wanted the woman. The woman decided she wanted him. The only problem was that she was already courting his best friend. A small fight broke out and everyone thought it best that Noah go to Arx for a bit of time. Maybe it would give him the actual time to grow up and see there is more to the world than what it offers him. + |
| Noah Velenosa + | Growing up in Bastion, Noah was always held in high regard. He was a Prince of Grayson. If he wanted it growing up, he got it. First born son to his parents. There was nothing he could not get out of if he wanted out of it. He was charming as a child and then spoiled as a teenager and into adulthood. If he wanted an outfit, he got the best. If he wanted attention, he got it anyway needed. He left a trail of broken hearts without once looking backwards or being apologetic about it. Noah got sent from Bastion to Arx after a bad decision. A young noblewoman caught his interest. He was a prince, so he caught his interest. He figured why not? The reason he shouldn't have? She was already very public in courting of his best friend. Noah said all the pretty things and in the end the courtship ended and Noah's father thought it best he go to Arx where his younger sister was. The fall of Bastion (and his family there) is still a very sensitive subject to Noah. When he arrived to Arx he immediately (his first day) was challenged to a duel. This gathered the annoyance of an Oathlander Prince, who became Noah's nemesis for a moment. So when that prince was trying to flirt with a single High Lady Regent --- Noah stepped in. Only history did not repeat. Not at all. What started as a display of one-up-manship between the two moved to a courtship. Then moved to a contract. Then moved to a marriage and children. In the perhaps most sweeping change to his life is when the High Lady Regent became High Lady of her own and Noah Grayson found himself as Archduke Consort Noah Velenosa of the Lyceum. The High Lady already had two dead husbands before him, every year there is a vote if this will be the last. + |
| Noelle Pravus + | House Valardin is known for being exemplars of honor, paragons of virtue, and standard-bearers of all that's chivalric. House Pravus was, and is not, given the same description. Instead, they are known for their passions, their boundary-pushing. It would be difficult to pick two more opposite Houses in the Compact. One would expect that where these two meet there would be explosions. But that was not the case with the first several meetings of Gerard Valardin and Taziana Pravus. Their first encounter was a joust in Arx where he rode by and so chivalrously asked for a Favor to wear and she obliged. Aas Taziana found quite a bit of passion to be enjoyed in things such as jousts and melees she followed the circuit for the year. And each time he jousted, Gerard would come to ask her favor. By the end of the year, they were wed with Prince Gerard Valardin becoming Lord Gerard Pravus. Less than a year after that: Noelle, named for her Valardin grandmother. Noelle was a pain for her tutors. Smart, but unwilling to apply herself. She was a pain for her tailors, uncaring about fashion. She would spend winters in Sanctum, enjoying things like ice skating but being horrible at things like riding horses or using weapons. Most of the year she would just people-watch in Setarco. And there were people to watch! Finally something changed in the girl. Oh, she still preferred to watch people, but after one particular carnival, she became obsessed with street magic, the kind used by performers to the delight of audiences. Her parents were both dismayed, but at the same time glad she took an interest in something. So they gave her six months. If she could master a certain number of tricks in six months, they'd let her continue; and if she couldn't, then she was going to learn to be a knight. It took her five. Five months and she had mastered the basics of sleight of hand, enough to avoid having to learn to fight. It'd take her years longer to be a true master but in these tricks, Noelle found something she had been lacking: Confidence. She took the lessons of misdirection to heart and made them part of herself. She learned to use them to get around, not over, the awkwardness of new friends. And she found a thrill in pickpocketing. Uusually that was just a way to make an introduction. Pick a pocket, then, "Oh, sir, you must have dropped this," and start a conversation. But that's not to say she doesn't have a collection of secret treasures of things that never made their way back home. The only time this has really been a problem was when she picked the pocket of a passing priest, pulling a coin. She turned to try to give it back to the older gentleman and he was gone. She couldn't find him! That's her bad luck coin. Ever since then she's just had huge runs of bad luck and knows they won't end until she can give the coin back. And now that Noelle's back in Arx, she thought her luck was going to change. She saw the old priest at the Queensrest.... the night he was killed and called a false dominus. Well, now what? + |
| Norah Eswynd + | Norah was a child of a Baron and Baroness sworn to House Redtyde, aged five when the Tyde Rebellion overthrew her world. Her most formative years were spent beseiged in her home, while her mother gallantly sought to organize the siege defense, manage ever dwindling stores of food, and still find time at night to try and buoy her daughter's spirits with fanciful stories. For nearly three years this went on, until disaster at last struck. With the tower stores nearly spent, Norah's father returned home for the last time, killed aboard his ship in a failed effort to break the Thrax blockade. The tower surrendered, and shortly afterward the tyrant Donrai's armies stormed Tydehall and brought the rebellion to a bloody end. Norah's family holdings were divided between victorious Thraxian captains, until all that was left to them was a small stone hall on a scrap of land too worthless to be taken away, and three servants. Norah grew to adulthood knowing every day might be the one on which warriors approached to kill them. Her only solace was in the library. She read voraciously at the end of every day, when the chores and labors were finished. For fifteen years she and her mother survived so, until the day she'd long prayed for dawned: Donrai was dead, and the last daughter of Tyde restored to the ducal throne. Finally, their fortunes could recover. Frederik Redtyde returned from exile and although Norah's family had lost every material possession which was worthy of nobility, the Count was gracious enough to adopt her into his household, providing the young lady with a place at court and certain prospects. One such prospect was a betrothal to the Marquis Eswynd, a recently turned Prodigal whose first wife had died. Though it was a rustic house, Norah had gone from bare survival to a Marquessa's dignity, and it was a proud moment for Norah on the day of her wedding to see her smiling mother attired in silks and jewels, once again. At last Norah was in command of her own destiny and when the opportunity came to visit Arx, she leapt at the chance. + |
| Norwood Clement + | Norwood never expected to be anybody special. He was the son of a farmer and a woodsman, and he grew up as a tenant landholder might. He learned the quiet patience of the beekeeper and the soft sounds of the woods. He hunted with his brothers and while they were never really wealthy, they always had enough. Everything changed for Norwood when he heard the scream of a little girl in the woods, and ran to see what it was. Young Jael Laurent, all of eight years old, had escaped her watchers and found herself menaced by a bear -- a real bear, not a Redrain, he'll often stop this story to explain; "This isn't that kind of story." As a huntsman, he knew a few tricks around bears, and managed to get his attention away from the tree that had treed the young lady. When he brought her home to her parents, he was raised a knight. Sir Norwood Clement. The thing is, he didn't know how to be a knight, but at that point in his life, he was a young widower with little to him but his name and a few dozen beehives. So he threw himself into training. He threw himself into the service of the Laurents. He began working with their men-at-arms and became a loyal household fixture, Norwood Clement and his bees and his hunting hounds. Years passed, and Norwood grew in reputation and in skill. He also had a reputation for never having lost that beekeeper's patience. So it was to him that Jael's adolescent tantruming was dealt as a problem, to help her learn discipline. Perhaps it was this service more than any other that brought him to mind for House Laurent when their old Sword retired, for it was to him that the Sword of Artshall was given, as not the youngest but maybe the finest and definitely the most loyal knight in all their duchy. + |
| Nottie Ulbran + | %TLuck rarely seemed to be on the side of Nottie, especially as an orphan that was born to parents of the Redrain fealty, who lived in the Lower Boroughs. Her parents died when she was but a tot, her relatives that were to take care of her abandoned her to live in the streets and she had no siblings. This made life for her rough but she managed to scrape by with the kindness of those with more means than her. %THowever, her luck continued to fail her as quite often she fell ill or someone she was close to fell ill. If it was not an illness it was someone from the Boroughs robbing her quite blind. Truly, life was rough for poor little Nottie. During her time growing up in the Boroughs Nottie had a run in with the leader of the Ulbran family, much to her fear. She had been with someone he knew and she was telling the person of things that happened to her. Theodoric thought she was taking this person for all he was worth but, somehow, she managed to get some of the luck that keeps missing her. He didn't do anything ill towards her and, instead, took her into his family. She thought her luck was changing for the better when she found her husband but, alas, it did not for very soon after they were married he was made a Thrall to some noble within the Thrax family with a debt quite high. So, she has been working on raising funds to help buy his freedom back. + |
| Nuala Redrain + | One of three siblings, Nuala was destined early to forge a contrary path to expectations. Freed from demands of inheritance, she firmly believed she had a destiny to fulfill. And perhaps there's something to that, for few people come into the world so stricken by the need to live life to its fullest. The blood in her runs hot and sings true for the far horizon. Even in her tender years, all knew she would not be rooted to the stony soils of her homeland, but driven to turn over every rock, dive through unknown waters, dance with the stars, and puzzle over the unfamiliar shapes. Her Redrain family didn't encourage her to wander initially. She received a broad and extensive education. Nothing would halt the questions tumbling off her lips that besieged every tutor. A story completed begged more inquiries and a radiant sense of action. Nuala understood, as those rare dynamic souls do, answers could not be found only between withered parchment pages or musty books kept on the high shelf where small hands shouldnt reach them. They existed outside walls among people and spirits, couched in lies and mysteries -- and she wanted her piece of them. She took up a sword because the idea of venturing into the outside world unarmed was inconceivable, and she took her blows with an eye firmly fixed on the horizon. Restless west winds blew her away to ports of call further than the last, wherever her coin, martial talents, and relentless independence could purchase a berth. Stays at home grew shorter every time. Whether the Mourning Isles or Sanctum or Setarco, she sought to reach the borders of the Compact and beyond. She preferred expeditions to less known lands, braving corners her boots never before touched. Trouble scratched her often enough, but she sailed away in search of adventure, excitement, and a need for truth. Few crews knew her identity, hidden by a plethora of names and changing stories. On one journey, she crossed paths with her future husband, a prince of Valardin, bound south to the furthest of the Lycene isles. Treacherous storms drove them to Eurusi shores and trouble she never much speaks of. She and her husband were the only survivors. The harrowing effort to return took nearly a year, and the couple was thought very much to be dead. The pair of windblown birds married within two months of coming ashore. It should have been a happy matrimony, and it was -- while it lasted. They drew plans to support the expansion of trade from the north, bolstering Redrain's diplomatic position abroad. They continued to search deep and far into unknown waters. Their marriage contract was barely dry when he died in the Battle of Setarco, leaving Nuala a widow. She turned north for a brief phase, then took to the sea, extending her house's influence. Some said she lost the only roots she had. All the promises forged in the deserts of Eurus and the high seas while they bled, starved, and wept would not be denied. In those adventures she fell in with other fortune-seekers like herself, all seeking to scribe their name on history and life. What drives her with such purpose, she keeps squarely to herself. But why is she making up for lost time? She has a destiny, and she will fulfill it in the city of Arx among other fortune-seekers like herself. + |
| Nurie Tessere + | It is never easy to have one's very birth be a near ruinous scandal, as is the case for most highborn bastards, but the family in which she was born was so tumbled up in them even then that at least she was just one amongst many things tearing at the very foundation of Tessere's place in society. Her lady mother, Countess Lucrezia Tessere, had a torrid affair with one of her closest courtiers, so the story went. He seemed to vanish overnight from public appearances at her court; but the child was acknowledged and raised alongside her half-siblings, given much of the same education if not a prominent place, and all the comforts of being the Countess' child, though none of the children, least of all Nurie, received a great deal of attention or affection from the Countess or Count-Consort. What she lacked from her only parental figure in love and support, however, Nurie found in her elder sister Sabine. From the start, she was her shadow. If Sabine needed help brushing out her hair, Nurie would demand to do it. If there was a wrinkle in her dress to mar her sister's breathtaking beauty, Nurie would be the first to see it and straighten it. If there was just one last sweet sticky bun that Sabine loved so much left in the kitchens, you could be sure that Nurie would steal it and deliver it, before her sister even remembered to voice the wish for it. The servants who were more parental than the Countess and her Consort noticed the young girl's adoration, and more importantly her eye for aesthetics and detail, her willingness to please, her charm, and as soon as it was appropriate she was instructed by Lucretia's Lady's Maid in the basics of being a noblewoman's body servant, and one that could be trusted by the Heir in the cutthroat Lyceum. When both young women were just starting to enter the first blush of womanhood, it was Sabine's slightly furrowed brow of disappointment at the boring dress she was expected to wear at an upcoming gathering that prompted Nurie to steal into the fabric stores of the household, and take a little of this, a little of that, a sharp pair of scissors and some unsecured beads to "alter" it to something a little more daring, a little more flamboyant. It didn't turn out /quite/ like she'd hoped--okay, it was butchered by her untrained thirteen year old hands--but when the emergency tailor was called in to see if anything could be salvaged, he took a look and was surprised that her instincts were quite good and creative. And more importantly, she saw her sister's smile. Nurie was punished quite severely for her impertinence, but she received Sabine's kiss to her forehead after the house was still, as well as morsels from her sister's own plate that she'd snuck into her room from dinner. Never had she cried so hard or for so long before or since as she was packed off within days to be apprenticed to that same tailor. But she worked hard, tirelessly, losing herself in the wonder of creation and dreaming of just what would make Sabine smile once more. Within a year, she was allowed to return home, and practice, practice, practice. If an excellent Lady's Maid is worth her weight in gold, then one that can also serve as stylist is truly precious. And when placed in the service of her greatest muse, then together they are unstoppable. Since rejoining the household, Nurie is one of the hidden jewels within it, knowing just how to showcase the luxurious fabric and other material goods that their House is famous for. Fashion emergency for a guest, a House friend, or one of the Tesseres? Nurie is there to alter, fix, enhance--and comfort, soothe, or even whisper temptation to take a little more risk. Whatever is needed to make one feel more alive. Perhaps there was a promise made, that the sisters would never again be parted. For when Sabine decided to travel to Arx, Nurie is once more her shadow, ready to help make all of Tessere's ambitions come to fruition. + |
| Nycelani Unknown + | Nycelani was raised by loving parents in the Lower Burroughs in Arx. In fact, she's never left the city, and rarely has she ventured out of the neighborhood she was born into. She was young when her parents both grew ill and died, and it is said she remained in their home caring for them for weeks after their passing. It was only after rent was due that their death was discovered. An attempt to place her into an orphange was made, but she disappeared into the strees of the Lower Burroughs before that could happen, and that's where she's been since, begging for food, and perhaps even stealing it when absolutely necessary. The one place Nycelani found comfort was in the Great Cathedral of Arx, and she has been known to sit in the pews for hours, and she's even been chased away from sleeping there a time or two over the years. There's been no formal religious training, so she's caught scraps of information - but some of it lacking context. She's grown deeply religious as a result, but it's a skewed sort of religion - one people might consider heretical, though it's a crime of simply lack of knowledge and not one of intention. She's got theories! They're probably wrong - but they're theories! + |
| Nyima Tsemo + | There's the life known by the prodigals of Arvum, where reluctant acceptance is had. And there's the life of the Eurusi refugees, where some mix of pitty and confusion might be how one is met in Arx. Back in the Empire there was something worse: the life of a Jadai. That was the life that Nyima had. It was one where she was never going to be good enough. A life where just because of her birth and things that happened a thousand years before she was born she was going to be branded a savage. Like many Jadai before her, Nyima spent much of her life trying to prove herself better than the heritage that she was held accountable for. Many Jadai do no more than what is required of them under Imperial law, the tiniest act of rebellion allowed, but Nyima spent her time watching the practice yards of the warriors and following along with whatever stick she could find. She didn't sneak away from her education; Nyima applied herself to every subject with equal vigor. It became her mark, her personality. Little Miss Perfect. But the taunt wouldn't matter if she could succeeed. If she could one day become one of the Children. All she has to do is prove herself. And she somehow managed enough clout and credit to be sent along as a guard for Functionary Xia. + |
O | |
| Oberion Thornweave + | Oberion has lived a long time, much of it lost to the world. Who and what he is is not something known to the average person. + |
| Oberyn Darkwater + | Oberyn's parentage is something of a mystery. He was orphaned in Darkwater territory, and grew up aboard ships. He eventually became an official deckhand aboard a Darkwater privateer, and spent several years learning the ins and outs of being a "privateer" for the Darkwater family. He worked his way up, and at around 22 years old, he had earned a position as first mate aboard his ship. He served with distinction for over a year, before one day, they were engaged with an unexpectedly well-prepared group of pirates that boarded their ship, resulting in a pitched battle. They were getting the worst of it, and the ship's Captain ended up taking a mortal blow from an enemy, leaving the crew in disarray. Oberyn quickly rallied the crew and hatched a plan to have a couple of his men slip aboard the enemy ship to sabotage it while the rest of them continued fighting. The plan worked brilliantly. Once the pirates noticed their ship was sinking, they divided their focus to attempt to save the ship, and that provided Oberyn the edge he needed to force the enemy from the deck of his ship. But he didn't stop there. Once they'd earned victory aboard their own vessel, he urged his crew to board the enemy vessel and take her. The pirates were overwhelmed as they just finished the ramshackle repairs to stop their ship from sinking. Upon returning to port, the other sailors sang songs of the battle, telling of Oberyn's ingenious plan that resulted in not only averting catastrophy, but also in snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and taking an impressive ship as the prize. It's difficult to know the truth of it, but the tales tell of the enemy outnumbering them by at least two to one, and in some versions, by as much as five to one. As first mate of the ship, it was his duty to inform his superiors of the Captain's demise, so he did so. With his report, he reported the return of the captured enemy vessel to port, turning it over to the Darkwater family. He was thanked for his report and good work, though they lamented the loss of the Captain, and he was dismissed. Furloughed only for a day, he was summoned back in short order. Apparently, the stories of his exploits made it back to them, and he was to be Knighted, and given command of the vessel he'd so admirably led to victory. Caught by surprise, Oberyn humbly accepted and swore his loyalty to the Darkwater Family. He returned to his familiar ship and crew, leading them for the next few years and building his reputation as a capable Captain and Privateer. His success on the sea was undeniable, and perhaps that is why he was asked to go to Arx. He was told that Darkwater needs men of action there, and so, he goes.. + |
| Octavia Kennex + | As a child, Octavia was bookish and abrupt. She learned courtesies out of necessity but not inclination, and never favored prettiness or softness or quiet. She had few friends, though those she did have she treasured closely. While her younger brother, the heir to Stormward, was educated on the mainland, Octavia reigned supreme in the household. After her mother's death, she was the lady of the house and claimed it early with the full force of her personality behind it. She spent much of her time when not actively managing the household with an iron fist learning as much as she could in the library -- first the Kennex library itself at Stormward, and then in the libraries of the other lady scholars near her rank within her own fealty. She was disinterested in marriage politics, and she had sufficient force of personality to cause her father not to press the issue, which was remarkable in itself. Then again, she was basically the accountant, quartermaster and general historian of the entire Stormward navy by that point, and -- basically -- to hell with it. When Ford Kennex inherited the title, Octavia's elevation to the judicial role in life was as much to clear her imperious tyrant fist to make room as it was in line with her own ambitions to be more than simply Lady Octavia. + |
| Oddmun Sanna + | Since he was a boy, Oddmun Sanna spent a lot of time outside. His father was a more politically interested man than he, a man who understood what it meant to keep the realm together, but Oddmun always felt somewhat outsidered from that by the knowledge that the boy who would be march lived, as did his little sister, and both were strong children on their own. He spent time with the shamans out in the snows and in the depths of the caves, learning what he could from quiet and silence; he spent time in the stables, underfoot as a boy who loved the animals and was not doing anything useful. When he reached adulthood, he began to put all of his allowance -- and, indeed, the sale of some of his personal effects -- towards improving the breeding stock in the Sanna stables. His goal was to develop horses for the cold, and for the mountains, but also for their beauty and temperament. He spent most of his days either with the animals indoors or out of doors, and let everything else fall by the wayside. He let at least one potential marriage arrangement lapse entirely due to his disinterest. Only loyalty to his house and the threat of crisis -- and the possibility of trade arrangements with other houses for horseflesh -- eventually drew him south to the capital to lend whatever aid he could to his house and to his liegelords. + |
| Odile Nightgold + | Brought up alongside those of her cousins in the ducal line of succession, Odile never knew a girlhood home but the one beneath House Nightgold's famed rose-gold arches. Viewed from the mountaintops, it was the seasonal changing of Stonedeep's landscapes that woke her to Lagoma's vast, beauteous influence and what, like her mother before her, prompted her to find purpose as a Mercy. The devastation caused by mining injuries alone meant she was often occupied, sometimes required to brave the darkest caverns and stalest pockets of air to do her work. It ought to have come as no surprise that her strength of conviction translated into a fortuitous match. She was betrothed to the heir of House Aviaron. Only, the prospect of being the next Marquessa-Consort didn't appeal to her at all. She was far from fond of her husband-to-be and she resented even more being (inevitably) reduced to marriage fodder. While it was easy enough to play the role of apologist for the Northern beliefs of her family and friends, she couldn't stomach the idea of being wed to anyone who practiced them so openly. It might have been a different story if the Aviarons were at all willing to tone it down! In the eyes of her family, she proved ungrateful and even obstinate. ...that is not to say she was any less horrified at the news of the man's ultimate end and that of his kin. Those deaths and the subsequent carnage she experienced during the Silent War did more than simply reinforce for her the power and necessity of her role as a healer. They highlighted for Odile her responsibilities to her House, all of whom could have been lost to her just as easily. With her mourning period behind her and a great deal more in the way of perspective, Odile comes to Arx for promised and much needed change. + |
| Odin Eswynd + | Lord Odin Eswynd was born to Lord Branimir Eswynd and his first wife. Odin grew up learning the ways of the blade, learning honor and dignity, ferocity and mercy, respect and strategy. Odin reminded many of his father in his youth: quick to laugh and anger, yet with a breath of wisdom to him that wasn't oft seen in his House. He had much a fighting spirit as he did a desire to learn knowledge. A warrior to make his family proud. As he grew older, he took part in his House's raids on a consistent basis and was present when his father was wounded. Though others disrespected and brushed aside his father, he listened to what his now more timid parent had to say and accepted his wisdom. Though now he is willing to do anything to protect his family, he will go and be the blade that helps guide his house to a new dawn. + |
| Oili Acheron + | Oili was a relic from the foregone years in the Cliffmore home. Having no direct relationship to any of the living family and older than most of them, she was a background nobility character that plied her trade in spirit worship quietly so as to not bother anyone around her and patched up the knights and hunters that would occasionally be wounded by the Abandoned or animals in the hills around them. As an aged, widowed woman with no direct ties to the house, there were fewer suitors at her door each year, which allowed her to pursue her own ideal of nobility. Mostly, it involved becoming intimate with the wilderness surrounding their home and the occasional sprint from an Abandoned patrol. Perhaps it was a silly thing for someone in her station to document the flora and fauna of the hills, but she wanted to do it, if no other reason than it allowed her to pass the days. When Cliffmore lost their liege, and protection, she slipped back into a mood, interacting less with the rest of the family. She performed her duties - some even said better - and she volunteered for other duties she need not do to take her mind off the situation. When the avalanches happened, she was presumed dead for good reason, though that wasn't to be her lot in life. She managed to make it to Aviaron's Peak eventually, only to find a new liege waiting on her. Bending the knee was an easy decision, deciding her place would be the harder one. + |
| Olin Vanha + | The accent, the clothing, all of the marks of a Prodigal that announced his heritage were carried with him when he saw his house sundered, his people slaughtered or fled and him with nothing except those who travelled the long road as a refuge with him. The initial shock mixed with the sometimes unfriendly reception made the transition harder than it had to be, but with the world fallen around him, the strength that was the Compact held an incredibly gravity all its own. One that offered a reprieve from the many questions of "Why?" Constantly moving through the principalities, it took time to find a place. Not the stone or wood that one could call home, but that sense of purpose that pulled one from self to something more. It helped that he did not undertake the journey alone, easing into the culture of the Compact, the people of Arx and the faith of the Pantheon. There are still hints of his origin about him, still a history that is hard to examine, but now there is Arx. And opportunity. And just a little bit of tomorrow. + |
| Olivando Igniseri + | Olivando Igniseri was born the younger of two sons, sons of a lesser line of the Igniseris, though not one without ambitions. While the main line was rife with murder and chaos -- or, well, there were certainly rumors of murder, since the Marquesa could simply not hold onto a husband -- the cousins watched and waited, some with more Lycene patience and cunning than others. Olivando grew up at the knee of a patient woman, but his brother was reckless and fierce, and wanted nothing more than to expand the family holdings. Olivando was painfully, desperately loyal to Sindaveno, who was the kind of brother it was easy to idolize: handsome, daring, reckless, witty, protective. Sindaveno got into scrapes on the regular, sometimes to defend shyer, quieter Olivando from detractors, and Olivando worshipped the ground on which he walked. When they were boys, they were inseparable -- only two years apart and the best of playmates. When they were teenagers, they squired together in service to their liege-lord's guard captain, and traveled widely in the holdings of Gemecitta, learning and growing and laughing and playing ... and getting embroiled in the kinds of schemes that only young Lycenes can get involved in. When Sindaveno died, it was in the midst of chaos, scandal and murder. It was a complex scheme, layered and involved, that he was discovered to be in up to his neck, an attempt to manufacture a claim on some land that had been held by Southport for centuries. If he had succeeded, he might have been able to expand the holdings of Granato enough that one day the March could maintain enough of a holding to claim space as a duchy of the Lyceum. It was a grand design. No one could prove that Olivando had any knowledge of it. His name never appeared in any of the papers that were discovered about it and he was never named as a person of interest by the Malvici diplomats who went to Granato in outrage after Sindaceno was implicated in this conspiracy. Yet... how could he not know? His beloved older brother, whom he followed every waking moment in their childhood, whom he squired alongside of, whom he followed into battle with spear and shield? Everywhere Olivando went, whispers followed him, and though he was young, he was not foolish. He knew that it would be too uncomfortable for the Lyceum to leave him alive for long with those whispers of ambition riding in his train. So he went to the Faith, forsook all claim to any land or title, and became a Godsworn brother. He set aside spear and shield, and took up pen and ink, and began to study and learn as much as he could, a student of politics, of intricacy, of diplomacy. He began to learn as much history as he could. Because he had learned, he felt, the true danger of _not_ knowing what is going on around you. Ignorance is no excuse for anything. In fact, it can ruin your life. As a godsworn scholar, he threw himself into his work, and became a mainstay of the Scholars through thick and thin, learning and growing and organizing information that showed a knack for it as well as a certain personal subtlety. He may never have joined his brother's conspiracy... but if he had, maybe it would have fared better. + |
| Oliver Arterius + | Oliver was not always a thrall, nor was he always named Oliver. The first twelve years of his life were spent with an abandoned tribe outside of the Darkwater region, a mostly peaceful society with a few rotten eggs. In the eve of his twelfth year, those less content with the tribe's way of living opted to rise up against the Barony. It was an uprising that was easily put down, and those who did not fight were given a choice - bend the knee, or become a thrall. Bending the knee seemed like the right and proper choice for Oliver. He spent the next several years as an apprentice under a leatherworker, who could not speak his tongue and did not understand how to say his true name. And so Oliver he became. He was a dutiful apprentice, willing to work hard and learn quickly, but it also turned out that he had a keen mind and an edge for economics. It was a mind that was coveted by a merchant passing through on his way to the Saffron Chains, who won Oliver's trust through friendliness and praise over the young man's leatherworking. It was this trust that was exploited, when he made Oliver a deal that sounded too good to be true - a few year's worth of work on the ship in turn for his own shop and patronage - and certainly turned out to be just that, when the contract was signed. And that was how Oliver became a thrall. He spent the next several years in the Merchant man's company. Life really could have been far worse; he certainly saw his fair share of terrible atrocities with the other thralls that the Merchant kept. But he put his skills as a leatherworker, as well as his economically-bent mind, to use for the Merchant and often had enough food to keep him mostly full. On the ship and off, he was taken all over Arvum, visiting places that most people only imagine. He began to paint and sculpt using wood bits and scraps, and Oliver's talent for recreating landscapes and building earned the Merchant quite a bit more silver. It was not the life that Oliver ever wanted, or asked for, but he never stopped believing that the Merchant would one day hold true to his word, release him from his bonds, and give him a shop that he could call his own. He was thirty-two the day that this dream became a reality. Inexplicably, his debt was paid in full, along with the debts of all the other thralls in the Merchant's employ, as part of a deal made by another former thrall. It was a blessing, perhaps, as the Merchant made one last deal that evening and was never heard of again. Oliver spent another year roaming, exploring, before he finally made his way to Arx, in part to join the family of the woman who freed him of his bonds. But also to settle and make a name for himself, to ensure that he is his own man, and always will be. + |
| Oliver Coldrain + | Oliver was not always a thrall, nor was he always named Oliver. The first twelve years of his life were spent with an abandoned tribe outside of the Darkwater region, a mostly peaceful society with a few rotten eggs. In the eve of his twelfth year, those less content with the tribe's way of living opted to rise up against the Barony. It was an uprising that was easily put down, and those who did not fight were given a choice - bend the knee, or become a thrall. Bending the knee seemed like the right and proper choice for Oliver. He spent the next several years as an apprentice under a leatherworker, who could not speak his tongue and did not understand how to say his true name. And so Oliver he became. He was a dutiful apprentice, willing to work hard and learn quickly, but it also turned out that he had a keen mind and an edge for economics. It was a mind that was coveted by a merchant passing through on his way to the Saffron Chains, who won Oliver's trust through friendliness and praise over the young man's leatherworking. It was this trust that was exploited, when he made Oliver a deal that sounded too good to be true - a few year's worth of work on the ship in turn for his own shop and patronage - and certainly turned out to be just that, when the contract was signed. And that was how Oliver became a thrall. He spent the next several years in the Merchant man's company. Life really could have been far worse; he certainly saw his fair share of terrible atrocities with the other thralls that the Merchant kept. But he put his skills as a leatherworker, as well as his economically-bent mind, to use for the Merchant and often had enough food to keep him mostly full. On the ship and off, he was taken all over Arvum, visiting places that most people only imagine. He began to paint and sculpt using wood bits and scraps, and Oliver's talent for recreating landscapes and building earned the Merchant quite a bit more silver. It was not the life that Oliver ever wanted, or asked for, but he never stopped believing that the Merchant would one day hold true to his word, release him from his bonds, and give him a shop that he could call his own. He was thirty-two the day that this dream became a reality. Inexplicably, his debt was paid in full, along with the debts of all the other thralls in the Merchant's employ, as part of a deal made by another former thrall. It was a blessing, perhaps, as the Merchant made one last deal that evening and was never heard of again. Oliver spent another year roaming, exploring, before he finally made his way to Arx, in part to join the family of the woman who freed him of his bonds. But also to settle and make a name for himself, to ensure that he is his own man, and always will be. + |
| Olivia Ashford + | As the youngest of Duke Barton's legitimate children, Olivia enjoys something of a privileged status, not expected to lead she's been coddled more than Ashford's usually are. One would expect such treatment to have turned her into a maniacal brat, but somehow it has not. Certainly she is mischievous, and she sneaks around more than one might expect of a young woman with such an innocent face, blending into the shadows of furniture as a child, and moving through the shifting shadows of trees as an adult. She's no warrior, stalking the trail of tribal shavs, but rather she's avoiding the animals that plague the forests of her home. She's not scared of them, they are a necessary evil if she's to find the perfect blossom for a bouquet, or that one specific plant she's promised to find for the apothecarist. But she will walk miles out of her way to avoid a family of geese, or avoid an entire part of the forest during mating season. Her love of nature stops at the greenery, for certain. Prickly thorns and poisonous saps are all part of the adventure, but cuddly rabbits are simply loathsome and more than once she's released her cousins' pets into the wild where they'll be free - and no longer underfoot. The plight of Alaric IV has drawn Olivia to Arx, his condition sounding quite unlike anything she's ever seen before - and she's seen plenty, from poisonous roots contaminating a march's water supply to stinging beetles blinding infants in a tribe of Ravashari. Surely there is a cause and a cure to be found, and Olivia means to have her name mentioned upon this discovery, and many more. + |
| Olivian Malvici + | As the younger brother of Eirene and Roxana, Olivian enjoyed a golden childhood, surrounded by a family that loved him. Eirene looked after him and Roxana made him into a pet and a favorite, and he was happy being coddled and fussed over, a pretty boy who liked pretty things. But Olivian was also a Malvici, and military service wasn't something he'd be able to put off forever. When his time came, he told himself he's put his head down and just get through it. It was only a couple of years. Then it would be over with and he'd never have to touch a sword or sweaty armor again. Then the worst possible thing happened: Olivian discovered that he was good at it. Really, REALLY good at it. Principles of combat that it took the others hours of practice to master came to him like he'd always known how to do them. His instincts for what his opponent was going to do in a spar were so good that he was able to react to things that were going to happen several seconds down the line. Not that he enjoyed any of it, mind. He didn't like being dirty. He didn't like being sweaty. He ESPECIALLY didn't like being sore, and seeing a lot of blood at once, especially coming from him, made his stomach do flip-flops. But he discovered that the easiest way to make someone who wanted to spar with him go away was to just beat them into submission as quickly as he could, and that motivated him to become an even better duelist. Still, Olivian was deeply relieved when all that mess was over and he could go back to the indolent life of a worthless rich boy, frittering his time and money away on the finer things of life. He ran across the occasional person who remembered the breathtaking natural talent he'd displayed with a blade, and sometimes those people even managed to maneuver him into a fight, but with every year that passed, more people forgot. Soon, he was pretty universally dismissed, and he liked it that way. His ideal life came to an end on a day when he, along with a bunch of friends, took what turned out to be an ill thought out country carriage ride. They were ambushed by shavs. The deeds that Olivian did that day (actions taken mostly to save his own skin) were the stuff of instant legend that only grew bigger in the telling. People talked of the way that he stood over the ladies and single-handedly fended off five... no, ten... no, FIFTY giant bloodthirsty shavs (or were they actual giants who REALLY drank blood?). He was called a hero over his own protests, and worse, he was soon delivered a summons from the Duchess herself. Southport needed a Sword and she, it would appear, had found just the man for the job. That's not the sort of thing a person says no to, so Olivian packed his things and reluctantly made his way to Arx. + |
| Oona Seliki + | Dowager Countess Oona is the mother of Orrin and gandmother of Peri and Kaldur. What her son and grandchildren learned of statecraft, for the most part they learned from her. After her first husband, the Count died, she secured her son's seat as Count and elected to enjoy a life of leisurely retirement. She married twice more between then and the present, but in both cases, her husband passed away before her. After her daughter-in-law died of sickness, Oona returned to Orrin's court, agreeing to take up the role as serving as his Voice. While she loves her grandchildren very much, she is well aware of Peri's strong calling away from being heir, and Kaldur's raw potential for being a successful one. Sometimes people just need a push...carefully, so they're unaware of it. + |
| Ophelia Velenosa + | Ophelia has always found being a princess quite the best bit of luck. She's never wanted for much of anything, with maids and servants to tend to her needs. Far enough from the ruling line to not take much heed to lessons in leadership, Ophelia instead focused on whatever her interests might have been in the moment. For a while, she thought she might be a painter, and her rooms were cluttered with canvases full of particularly awful abstract artwork of which she is very, very proud. She later decided that fashion would be her creative outlet, and for quite some time she could be found draping her indulgent cousins with bits of silk or ribbon or strings of diamonds, certain that each of her designs would be the next big thing. While certainly worthwhile, neither of these pursuits were exactly original within the Lyceum, where indolent pastimes were more the norm than anything particularly outstanding. With that in mind, she turned to more unusual hobbies. Rock collecting - that ended with a particularly long-winded lecture after she collected a ruby ring that didn't belong to her. Egg carving - a beautiful art meant for someone with a more extensive attention span than Ophelia. Things came to a head however when she decided to take up bird-keeping. Her father indulged her desire, purchasing a beautiful menagerie of songbirds. She'd sit inside, watching the birds flit about, singing sweetly, and eventually she decided they'd be happier with other birds for company, so she threw open the doors. Needless to say, the songbirds didn't waste any time escaping, and during her attempts to corral them back from the cage doors, they tangled in her hair, screeched in her face, scratched her arms and just generally made for the worst day of Ophelia's life. She ran to tell her brother, Luca, about what had happened, and Luca informed her with seriousness that the birds, being non-native to Lenosia, would kill all of the other birds on the island. Little did he know that his words would instill in Ophelia a hobby that would stand the test of time. She took up archery, and after several months of training with a determination heretofore unseen in the Velenosa princess, Ophelia began to systematically kill the songbirds of Lenosia. Concerned, but not unduly so, since Ophelia was still the same bright-eyed, sweetly dispositioned girl as always, it was determined that Ophelia would go and spend some time at the capital with her brother, and perhaps not return home until she'd had a reality check and determined what exactly she meant to do with her life. Her time in the city of Arx was spent with Luca whenever he was home from his expeditions and she found pleasure in telling him stories of what she did to occupy her time while he was gone. Archery competitions, hunting excursions at the Lodge of Petrichor, horseback riding, avian target practice, it was everything that she wanted and more. Life was so very good. That is, until tragedy struck during the winter of 1010. Luca was unexpectedly killed and his death left Ophelia reeling for the year to follow. She continued to grasp for meaning in her life and she tried all sorts of activities to keep her mind distracted from the pain that she felt. It was a struggle. During that dark time in her life, she put down her bow and arrows and left the songbirds alone. Time, as they say, heals all wounds and eventually the sweetly aimless princess found direction and purpose at the Lodge of Petrichor where she could focus on her discipleship and passion for hunting. With such a difficult life lesson learned, Ophelia hardened herself to the reality that nothing lasts forever and that life is an opportunity that should not be squandered. Her appreciation for the little things grew exponentially and her gratitude helped balance this new outlook on life, which meant that happiness could be found again. And it certainly was. Her bow and arrows were picked back up and the birds of Arvum were no longer safe as the avian huntress returned with newfound drive and purpose. Still sweet, still kind, and still the best secret keeper in all of Arx, Ophelia is finally gaining a sense of normalcy with each passing day. + |
| Ophira Blackshore + | The background of Ophira was steeped in mystery; some say she was swept in on the tide as a babe on a bundle of shipwrecked wood and seafoam, others that she was raised by seals along the coast. But isn't that the way of fisher folk and pirates? To concoct great tales and stories? But, the entire truth of the matter is that she is the daughter of a Count Paolo Seraceni, who whisked Ophira away thinking Setarco would be better than Ischia for his beloved daughter. It would be able to provide her with opportunities that only growing up a ward of House Pravus could provide. She was subjected to the lavish wiles of the city and seemed to unknowingly follow in the footsteps of her brother Dio, being a student of The School of Steel and Silk and graduating with high marks in naval military tactics and strategy. While there, news of another talent leaked in the form of her song, her clear and haunting singing voice was known to lull many a trainee into sleep and remain like an echo in their dreams. Eventually it got into the hands of Pravus Lords and Ladies, testing her mettle throwing her into one outrageous event to the next where debaucheries and delights were many for all that attended - as is only right for such a widely talked about city. The Seraceni female slithered forth like a creature born to such a task, earning her the title Siren of Setarco. The cost of such renown was fantastical gossip involving accusations of pacts made with abyssal fiends, often peddled by sailors and envious aristocrats. With education completed and mind expanded, Ophira returns to the place of her birth with the hope of rekindling a relationship with her distant brother and seeing what use he might have for a mind bent on expansion and of course, as is only befitting, plundering glory. + |
| Ophira Seraceni + | The background of Ophira was steeped in mystery; some say she was swept in on the tide as a babe on a bundle of shipwrecked wood and seafoam, others that she was raised by seals along the coast. But isn't that the way of fisher folk and pirates? To concoct great tales and stories? But, the entire truth of the matter is that she is the daughter of a Count Paolo Seraceni, who whisked Ophira away thinking Setarco would be better than Ischia for his beloved daughter. It would be able to provide her with opportunities that only growing up a ward of House Pravus could provide. She was subjected to the lavish wiles of the city and seemed to unknowingly follow in the footsteps of her brother Dio, being a student of The School of Steel and Silk and graduating with high marks in naval military tactics and strategy. While there, news of another talent leaked in the form of her song, her clear and haunting singing voice was known to lull many a trainee into sleep and remain like an echo in their dreams. Eventually it got into the hands of Pravus Lords and Ladies, testing her mettle throwing her into one outrageous event to the next where debaucheries and delights were many for all that attended - as is only right for such a widely talked about city. The Seraceni female slithered forth like a creature born to such a task, earning her the title Siren of Setarco. The cost of such renown was fantastical gossip involving accusations of pacts made with abyssal fiends, often peddled by sailors and envious aristocrats. With education completed and mind expanded, Ophira returns to the place of her birth with the hope of rekindling a relationship with her distant brother and seeing what use he might have for a mind bent on expansion and of course, as is only befitting, plundering glory. + |
| Ophne Acheron + | Ophne is a sharp punctuation mark on the seemingly endless brood of Lord Rognan Nightgold and his Lycene bride. Born well after her mother and father were even thought to have shared a marital bed, the imposition of Ophne's care was mostly shrugged off to Stonedeep nannies and wetnurses. Brought up without very many boundaries, it's no wonder Ophne inevitably caused offense. During a days-long religious festival held in celebration of the year's mining bounty, Ophne deeply offended a transient shaman and prompted the old woman to curse her right where she stood! Well, she's pretty sure it was a curse. She doesn't exactly have an ear for cheesy spoken word poetry. As punishment, she was sent to live with her 'equally troublesome older sister.' Their mother's words, not Ophne's. That Ophne should enter into a Discipleship was Rhea's grand idea. It was the Marquessa's reasoning that, in addition to it looking great on paper for her personally, some anti-poacher patrols with the Petrichorians might humble her little sister. Ophne was even sent to the lands donated to the Faith by Acheron's vassal house. How fitting, Rhea had said! After a few months with little improvement, Ophne was summoned to heel in Arx. + |
| Ophne Monrosa + | Ophne is a sharp punctuation mark on the seemingly endless brood of Lord Rognan Nightgold and his Lycene bride. Born well after her mother and father were even thought to have shared a marital bed, the imposition of Ophne's care was mostly shrugged off to Stonedeep nannies and wetnurses. Brought up without very many boundaries, it's no wonder Ophne inevitably caused offense. During a days-long religious festival held in celebration of the year's mining bounty, Ophne deeply offended a transient shaman and prompted the old woman to curse her right where she stood! Well, she's pretty sure it was a curse. She doesn't exactly have an ear for cheesy spoken word poetry. As punishment, she was sent to live with her 'equally troublesome older sister.' Their mother's words, not Ophne's. That Ophne should enter into a Discipleship was Rhea's grand idea. It was the Marquessa's reasoning that, in addition to it looking great on paper for her personally, some anti-poacher patrols with the Petrichorians might humble her little sister. Ophne was even sent to the lands donated to the Faith by Acheron's vassal house. How fitting, Rhea had said! After a few months with little improvement, Ophne was summoned to heel in Arx. + |
| Ora Stahlben + | Born between Oddmun and Braith, Ora's life was pretty laid out for her. She grew up as a lady of the Compact, knowing that one day she'd be married to someone that could benefit her House and her family. She embraced this sense of duty, and found joy in the arts-- things which she could never be left without, no matter which corner of the Compact she found herself in. The charming young woman never could have predicted the Silent War, however, and how it would change her life. Brand swept down, and a prodigal tribe to the North bent the knee to Sanna. She was married to the Chieftain's brother, Timur, as a way to cement the alliance, and Lady Ora Sanna became Lady Ora Stahlben. She liked Timur, for what little she knew him. He was a warrior, and spent most of the next three years fighting against Brand and his Bringers of Silence. Near the end of the war, Timur disappeared. No trace of the man could be found, not even a body. Though her husband was presumed dead, Ora decided to stay with her new family and continue to be a link between the two Houses. + |
| Orathy Culler + | There are a lot of gutter rats in the Lower Boroughs, a lot of poor people who do what needs getting done and get on with their lives. Many of them never dip into crime at all. Many of them are fine, hardworking folk. Orathy has no problem with those people, but he's not one of them. Many of them cling to their hard-won pride and their hard-earned coin and work day in and day out, stevedoring at the docks or carting materials here and there or who knows what else. Orathy grew up in one of those families. He watched as his father and mother and brothers scraped and saved and worked their asses off trying to do life the "right" way. He watched as they got sick. He watched as they teetered between better and not. He grew up gangly and scrappy and decided that he wasn't going to be having any of that crap. He started young on learning to fight and take care of himself and take care of business, and ended up attached to the Cullers for the simple reason that Furen Culler recognized talent when he saw it, and took the boy under his wing -- not quite adopted, but /taken/, and /trained/. In his adulthood, Orathy became a guy who did work. He became known for it around the Boroughs. Regardless of family background, of the type of work involved, of the number of bruises needed delivered or the angle of the knife that ought to be thrown, he became known as somebody to seek out. Maybe not by name, maybe not directly, but if you went to a certain den or bar and dropped a hint to the right person that you needed something done ... well, maybe you'd be found by somebody who knew somebody like Orathy, and if he walked away sufficiently richer, the work would get done. + |
| Orazio Saik + | Born as the second son, with three more siblings to follow, no one within the Saik family anticipated that summer plague that ripped through the deep south of the Lyceum and left many and more dead. Including Orazio's parents, and the twins, who were just too young and died as infants. With his eldest brother now the distraught heir, and his surviving younger brother studying within Arx, Orazio had a decision to make. The details are murky, but shortly after his family tragedy, Orazio appeared within Southport where he quickly joined the ranks of the military. Little of this time can be said, except that he served dutifully and with all the expected valour of any Southport citizen. As Orazio matured, he insinuated himself within influential circles. With a sharp, politically adroit mind, it came as a surprise to those who knew him when Orazio swore vows to become a priest of Sentinel. While serving with an even handed, tempered zeal, the political realm remained one in which Orazio 'occasionally dabbled.' Then there came the Tor-Southport debacle. Orazio, then Seraph of Southport, was disgusted by Lucien, but remained within the city of Southport for the war's duration. Shortly afterwards, he received the call to come to Arx, though he continued to maintain ties with the Malvicis, although such ties have become increasingly strained. After a period of several years spent as the Archlector of the Sentinel, Orazio was offered the position of Legate of Concepts, shortly before the Silent War. When Dominus Fawkuhl was accused of murdering the Archduchess of the Lyceum, Esera, Orazio worked with then-Archscholar Aldwin to call a rare Convocation of the Faith. The Convocation led to the stepping down of Dominus Fawkuhl, and the appointment of Aldwin as Dominus. Since then, Orazio has made a deeply controversial choice to revise the Fourth Law of Limerance to remove the prohibitions against non-Abyssal magic, if any such thing existed, and made several high-profile condemnations against various peers, while working to keep the more conservative and more liberal factions of the Church pointed in vaguely the same direction. + |
| Orchid Blooms + | Orchid, then known as Neomi, was a thrall indebted to the Grimhall family, having stole something from one of them when she has a child. This meant indentured servitude to them. She stole enough that she has a few years indebted to them. She was lucky, however, and her debt was not increased on her so when she was a little into her teens she was freed from servitude and decided to continue with the Grimhalls this time as a servant of their estates. Upo her freedom she decided to take on the name of Orchid. She was a maid who dabbled in mercantile skills. When she turned 18 she decided to make her way to Arx to see what life was like for a servant of Grimhall in the big city of Arx. + |
| Orchid Champagne + | The childhood or Orchid was not a grand one. Her name also wasn't always ORchid, originally it was Neomi. Her parents died when she was very young, which had her living on the street trying to survive. She doesn't recall who they are or anything. So, she lived as quite the street rat. She quickly learned the ways of living on the streets, places to avoid, and so on. Alas, being a criminal was not in her nature. This was secured by the fact she didn't learn fighting even when attempted to be taught and the fact the first and only time she ever tried stealing had her turned into a thrall. Perhaps she was far too bold or far too confident in her being such a small child. Whichever it was led Orchid to attempting to steal from Harald Grimhall. Alas, this didn't go well for her, at all. She was caught instantly and to pay him back had her ending up as a thrall to the Grimhalls. At first it was harsh, cruel even, as she was taught the realities of being a criminal in Grimhall lands. However, she found being a thrall to be a little more secure than living on the street, especially as someone as young as she was. When she stopped rebellign and fighting against everything and started serving her due, Orchid found life became easier as a thrall. She was eventually placed directly in the household of Grimhalls as a servant of their family, a maid if you will. Because she was so well behaved and did her duties her place as a thrall didn't become a continuous thing. After a few years as a trall she was freed, it declared her debt paid in full. While she could have gone anywhere or joined another family she opted to stay with the Grimhalls as an official maid over a thrall maid. Upon her release Orchid decided to drop the name of Neomi and become 'Orchid'. She was quite content to be a maid quite easily missed and unnoticed. Her quiet dutiful ways did draw some attention to the Grimaahll nobles. She was given a little more trust with her duties and eventually she decided to travel to Arx, she was 18, to serve the Grimhalls residing there. Somewhere between her freedom and her decision to go to Arx Orchid joined the Champagne family. Becoming a Champagne helped improve her skills as a merchant and helped her expand on her interest in carpentry. Her love of carpentry had her gain an interest in trying to crossbreed trees and plants. These skills, upon her arrival in Arx, pulled her out of the obscurity of being a nameless servant to a more important member of their staff. + |
| Ordain de Tor + | Ordain de Tor grew up on the outskirts of Tor, as his name would suggest. His family name is typically used to describe those born in or around Tor and has no relation to the Fidante family. His parents were ordinary farmers though they found a stroke of luck in their later years. Growing up Ordain was raised very religious and taught to be loyal to the crown. When he was a young man his parents were able to pay his way into a knight's order. He swore fealty to the crown and desired to some day become one of the fabled King's Own. From then he studied and trained hard. His lived his life as an extension of the order and by following the strict and harsh guidelines of the pantheon. + |
| Orelia Mazetti + | Orelia's mother was from common blood, a soldier for the Lyceum named Eroza Arterius. Her father, Leonius, was a nobleman from the Stonewood family who'd become enamored with Eroza's's wildness and bravery. As a child, Orelia would run barefoot around the grounds of the estate like a little urchin, much to the chagrin of the servants who were charged with her care. She had an unseemly love for the forests and mysteries of the world; railing at the bounds of nobility that kept her from freely exploring either one. Although Orelia's mother died when she was two years old, her father spent many a night weaving wondrous tales of her exploits on the battlefield, alongside the girl's aunts and uncles, now also long gone; Charlemagne Arterius, Carmen Whisperwind and Reginalde Stonewood. The young girl grew up, as so many others do, on romantic stories of soldiers and knights and epic battles. Only she saw herself, always, as the hero rather than the damsel. Her eldest brother managed to channel at least some of her energy into putting these tales to song. Orelia had a great talent for composing music as well as performing it and as she grew older, she spent less time playing pranks and more singing. At least, publicly. Unbeknownst to her brothers, she'd struck a deal with her father to behave. For as long as she avoided causing a fuss, he'd pay for a private tutor to teach her how to fight. As a young woman, Orelia has devoted herself to sword and songcraft with unbridled zeal. She has come to Arx to better acquaint herself with her Arterius relatives; her natural wildness seeming better suited to that particular melting pot more often than not. It is said she resembles her Southern mother in many ways, save the golden hue of her hair. She remains on excellent terms with the new Marquis, her cousin, and is well-liked by most she encounters; from her fellow Champions to the commonfolk of the Lowers. She holds to only two of the familial Stonewood traits - stormy eyes and a forthright, almost blunt, manner. Currently training under Prince Luca Grayson, it appears the young lady's theatrical side, that natural flair for performance, has had her abandon those childish notions of Knighthood in favour of the exciting, infamous world of the Champions. She works undeniably hard, with an almost fearsome determination to better herself. Quite what prompted this suddenly focused dedication remains a mystery, even to those closest to her. + |
| Orelia Stonewood + | Orelia's mother was from common blood, a soldier for the Lyceum named Eroza Arterius. Her father, Leonius, was a nobleman from the Stonewood family who'd become enamored with Eroza's's wildness and bravery. As a child, Orelia would run barefoot around the grounds of the estate like a little urchin, much to the chagrin of the servants who were charged with her care. She had an unseemly love for the forests and mysteries of the world; railing at the bounds of nobility that kept her from freely exploring either one. Although Orelia's mother died when she was two years old, her father spent many a night weaving wondrous tales of her exploits on the battlefield, alongside the girl's aunts and uncles, now also long gone; Charlemagne Arterius, Carmen Whisperwind and Reginalde Stonewood. The young girl grew up, as so many others do, on romantic stories of soldiers and knights and epic battles. Only she saw herself, always, as the hero rather than the damsel. Her eldest brother managed to channel at least some of her energy into putting these tales to song. Orelia had a great talent for composing music as well as performing it and as she grew older, she spent less time playing pranks and more singing. At least, publicly. Unbeknownst to her brothers, she'd struck a deal with her father to behave. For as long as she avoided causing a fuss, he'd pay for a private tutor to teach her how to fight. As a young woman, Orelia has devoted herself to sword and songcraft with unbridled zeal. She has come to Arx to better acquaint herself with her Arterius relatives; her natural wildness seeming better suited to that particular melting pot more often than not. It is said she resembles her Southern mother in many ways, save the golden hue of her hair. She remains on excellent terms with the new Marquis, her cousin, and is well-liked by most she encounters; from her fellow Champions to the commonfolk of the Lowers. She holds to only two of the familial Stonewood traits - stormy eyes and a forthright, almost blunt, manner. Currently training under Prince Luca Grayson, it appears the young lady's theatrical side, that natural flair for performance, has had her abandon those childish notions of Knighthood in favour of the exciting, infamous world of the Champions. She works undeniably hard, with an almost fearsome determination to better herself. Quite what prompted this suddenly focused dedication remains a mystery, even to those closest to her. + |
| Oriana Inverno + | Oriana had an older brother, one that was meant to eventually take over the family and the House, so she was allowed the freedom to explore and settle into whatever life she might want to have. The life she chose was a questionable one, by most standards. She begun taking to sea with some of the ah...fisherman of Caina, coming back frequently with more than just fish, however. Among those in the family, they knew, but she was careful enough that any illegal activity couldn't be connected to her, or in turn the family itself. In fact, she denies it often. She's just a girl, with a penchant for the sea and her religion. When Argento was recently taken by House Pravus her own family was thrown into turmoil, some they found had gotten closer to Argento over the recent generation than before. But somehow it was never proven if Oriana or her twin brother were among those loyal to Argento, or removed from the conflict itself. If asked, she always maintains her loyalty to her family as being all that matters. + |
| Orick Fidante + | "You've got no right, with you head lost in stories... put that daft book down and help me wash these floors, Ori." - Mama Orick was born to an unhappy tavern wench on a cold and dreary autumn evening in the worst part of Tor. He was a very inquisitive child and yet he possessed a certain caution from a young age, getting himself into perilous situations and almost always scraping by without being caught. He often stole food from the kitchen where his mother worked and when he got a little older he stole books and others things from the patrons in the tavern. Orick had limited formal schooling but his natural talents as an autodidact made it possible for him to absorb things through trial and error or mere observation. When he was nine years old he stole a book from a member of the Faith without realizing who he was trying to rip off. Before young Orick could even read it the victim of the crime was pitching a fit to the owner of the tavern. Fed up with the boy's antics, the tavern owner made Orick return the book and then fired his mother from her position at the establishment. Times were tough after that and it was a very harsh winter but eventually his mother found work as a scullery maid in the kitchens of a Fidante household. His father was an unreliable drunk who became more estranged as the years drifted on until he was a mere memory from childhood. Living a servant's life in a noble house gave Orick better access to books and he absorbed the knowledge around him at every opportunity. At age seventeen he sought a place in the College of Apothecary. Orick offered to work as a doctor, apothecary and general alchemist for the Fidante family if they would help finance his education. That was over a decade ago and now he works as a professor at the college and a private alchemist and medical consultant for the Fidante family. + |
| Orick Rose + | "You've got no right, with you head lost in stories... put that daft book down and help me wash these floors, Ori." - Mama Orick was born to an unhappy tavern wench on a cold and dreary autumn evening in the worst part of Tor. He was a very inquisitive child and yet he possessed a certain caution from a young age, getting himself into perilous situations and almost always scraping by without being caught. He often stole food from the kitchen where his mother worked and when he got a little older he stole books and others things from the patrons in the tavern. Orick had limited formal schooling but his natural talents as an autodidact made it possible for him to absorb things through trial and error or mere observation. When he was nine years old he stole a book from a member of the Faith without realizing who he was trying to rip off. Before young Orick could even read it the victim of the crime was pitching a fit to the owner of the tavern. Fed up with the boy's antics, the tavern owner made Orick return the book and then fired his mother from her position at the establishment. Times were tough after that and it was a very harsh winter but eventually his mother found work as a scullery maid in the kitchens of a Fidante household. His father was an unreliable drunk who became more estranged as the years drifted on until he was a mere memory from childhood. Living a servant's life in a noble house gave Orick better access to books and he absorbed the knowledge around him at every opportunity. At age seventeen he sought a place in the College of Apothecary. Orick offered to work as a doctor, apothecary and general alchemist for the Fidante family if they would help finance his education. That was over a decade ago and now he works as a professor at the college and a private alchemist and medical consultant for the Fidante family. + |
| Orland Amadeo + | Orland was born and soon after orphaned. The story of his parents is not known to any, nor how the young infant ended up at The Tragedy. He simply appeared one day left and forgotten by whomsoever dropped him off. Growing up in the orphanage is not the most pleasurable of existences and few who haven't had the misfortune know anything about it. At a very young age Orland had already had more than his fair share of mistreatments and beatings. He ran away from The Tragedy at 13 and never looked back, even when what he ran into was not much of a trade-off. The young boy lived life on the street earning enough begging to get at least one meal a day. At night he would fashion himself a bed of sorts in whatever dark corner of an alley wasn't already occupied by another of the city's homeless. Eventually he fell into the employ (if you could call it that) of the Ulbrans. His long limbs and narrowness were perfect for filching and youthful energy perfect for out running any who might pursue him. He was allowed to keep enough of what he stole to eat - at least - and there was a piece of furniture somewhere, or at least a floor under a roof, to sleep on. As luck, or misfortune, would have it, he one day tailed a silk-clad Setarcan man (Duarte Amadeo) from the docks with the intention to filch silver. He was spotted easily. Rather than being turned over to the Iron Guard, the mark took the young boy under his wing. He was given shelter and regular meals. He was also taught to read. They established a rapport and though the relationship was never one of father and son, Orland was officially adopted just the same. After working primarily as Duarte's discreet messenger, Orland soon became the man's only confidant and fully trusted companion and has worked closely with Duarte on every investigation and endeavor over the past five years. When Duarte was elevated to Count of Bravura there was hardly any question who would become the Voice of House Amadeo. + |
| Ornella Velenosa + | Ornella grew up amidst the shadows of the Lyceum. Her father was a lawyer and he wanted her to pick up the family business later in life, but in Lyceum the law was just as much about what was true as it was about what you could do the other person. She had a proper upbringing in the arts of rhetoric, the rule of law, and the noble arts, but behind that she was being taught to gather information, find black markets, and lead competitors to unfortunate accidents. The perfect combination of agent and lawyer which is exactly what a lawyer in the souther isles needed to be. When her father died, she inherited the duties he held. She's a representative for her family, trained in law and ready to ensure their interests are always successful. + |
| Orrin Seliki + | Orrin has known all of his life that he would assume the Countship of Pearlspire. And as such, he concluded that as long as he learned what he needed to know to do best by his people, what was the point in worrying? He lived a rather contented life, marrying young and siring two children. Content to lead his people and devoted to maintaining peace - even if it meant going to war - his life went into upheaval upon the death of his wife occurred while his children were in their teens. He's spent these last few years focused on his children and guiding his County. + |
| Orvyn Harthall + | If ever there was a man born to be a merchant, it is Orvyn. Trading and exploiting his cousins and other kids his age, or older during his childhood to trade up and cash in, whenever it was possible, and sometimes even when it was not. Routinely setting up schemes by which to make some money for others, but mainly himself, he became known as the one the other kids would go to to get things that their parents would not get for them themselves. It was clear, as a second son, that Orvyn's talents were to lay outside the keep, and instead of learning the nuances of court life, he set out upon the sea, Captain of one of the family's trading ships. He travelled all around Arvum, trading where he could, opening new contracts and learning about all sorts of foreign ideals and customs. It was early on in his trading life that he met with the Laurent family and it was not much longer that the courtship with Sunniva began. While his trading kept him away for most of the days, there were still the cherished few that he was able to visit and meet with her, growing to know her in small increments over the course of two years before they were finally married. Of course that was the happy news of the year, and as all good merchants know, good things always come with a cost. Later that year, his older brother, the heir apparent was killed during a bad horse accident, forcing Orvyn into the role of heir for the family's March and all their agreements without. Troubled at the loss of his brother, he returned home, new bride with, and stepped off his ship for what became quite an extended stay in Fair Harbor. Slowly learning the required skills and acclimatizing himself to the world of nobles and functions both from the aid of his father and from his wife, Orvyn began to gain some rudimentary aptitude for dealing with the day to day running of the march. Figuring the man still had much more time to learn, he did not throw himself too deeply into his studies, still longing for the sea and all the adventure that it held. This longing is what distracted him and caused him to be caught completely off guard when his father passed away suddenly, thrusting Orvyn immediately into rule. Now he is struggling to catch up, through plying the skills that he had learned long before he had an inkling he would be a Marquis. + |
| Oskar Eswynd + | The eldest son and heir to King Snorri of Eswynd, one of the most powerful houses among the Isles Shav'arvani, his destiny as the next King had always been known. It was expected that he would be a warrior, and Oskar did enough in his youth to satisfy those expectations, but reaving and warring were not his strength. Still, when his father and favorite uncle Branimir were part of a failed battle against Thrax that left the old king dead and his uncle near death and short an eye, Oskar assumed the throne, and led a small, face-saving raid in the aftermath, to show the Eswynds and their enemies that his House was still strong. He was 21 at the time. Since then, he has been content to let his kin lead the raids and rare battles, leaving matters of swords and ships to simpler minds, while he occupies his own with the larger matters of how those swords and ships will be spent. Over the passing years, he built a more powerful House than had been seen for generations, forming alliances among the Abandoned and even, for a time, with the Gyre. It was that last fateful association which would change the course of his family's destiny, forever. As the Darkness in the Deeps rose, Oskar came to suspect that the Gyre would be the death of them all, and so, when Margot Tyde and her diplomats came into his hall and made an appeal to turn Prodigal, Oskar considered it. Amid the arguments and shouts of his kin, Oskar considered it, and ultimately he accepted. He was the last independent ruler of Eswynd, the King who Knelt. He married an Arvani noblewoman (after his first bride vanished at sea), became a Marquis, and sent his ships and soldiers to fight the Gyre under Tyde's banner. It was the choice that saved his House, and he still manages the aftermath of that choice. + |
| Ostler Youngest son from a large country family of merchants. + | The youngest son of a large and relatively prosperous family of merchant farmers, Ostler was sent to the city for a formal education. He did not excel in his studies, but had a passion for history and obscure knowledge. Rather than apply himself further as a scholar he opted for what he assumed would be a softer life as a Priest of the Pantheon. During his time as an acolyte, he witnesses some of the actual evil (social and otherwise) in the world and acquired a conscience and a desire to make the world a better place. Nonetheless, he is still a generally indolent (but agreeable) fellow, content to wander the world on his small allowance and investigate whatever he finds interesting. + |
| Oswyn Spencer + | 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. + |
| Otakar Redrain + | A nephew of Duke Vercyn Halfshav through his mother, Celina, and father from House Redrain, it was fully expected that Otakar's upbringing would be a martial one, battling the tribes of the Shav'arvani under his uncle. And indeed, he fulfilled that expectation with the grim resolve demanded of him, although he took time between his military training to learn much from books both his uncle and mother had sent up to Whitehold. Once he could patrol, he spent time making sorties against the Abandoned on the outskirts of the Everwinter - and then came the battle of Stormwall. Taking to the field with his uncle's forces, the Northern knight acquitted himself bravery, if what he saw there changed his life dramatically. Now, in Arx, he has come to join the Duke's retinue and help battle future enemies to come. + |
| Otho Felpspur + | Otho Felpspur is the name that he uses now. Of course, the old cogger has had many names in his life but it's good one for now. Not much is known about Otho's past before he joined Aegis' crew. A man has rights to his secrets and apparently Aegis' trusted him so now his son does too. Mind you, Otho isn't going to be rushing off into battle. But when it comes to managing money or finances, or a loophole to the law, he's your man. Otho met Aegis when he was a young man and facing a particularly difficult negotiation with another chieftain. Otho just happened to be at the bar, and just happened to let be known that the deal was sour before money exchanged hands. When the other chieftain threatened to beat Otho to a bloody pulp for ruining the deal, he made sure to put Aegis between him and his attacker. When Aegis brought this stray into the fold, he found a loyal steward, well, as loyal as he can be. He's never cheated Aegis. Just don't expect him to take a sword or anything. He's a lover, not a fighter. Yes, the man claims to be widowed and won't besmirch the name of his long dead beloved but that doesn't stop him from charming his way into companionship. Of course, these sweet retreats never last. Otho just isn't the type of man to settle down. Or be thoughtful. Or remember to give proper courtesy. Of course, now that he's older, he's not jumping out of married ladies windows or scrabbling to pick up clothes thrown out the window but you get the picture. On the matter of Brand, Otho can't hear his name without swearing softly or giving a swift hand gesture towards the departed demon archfiend. Ruined a perfectly good run that bastard did. Getting Aegis and his two sons killed. Leaving Athaur in charge of everything. The boy would be lost without him. Simply lost. Someone has to keep everything running. Can't trust the youth with the finances. So just go. Play your Count Athaur. Old Otho will keep an eye out for you. + |
| Othuze Bisland + | The moon brothers hail from a well-known family of commoners back in Pridehall, notorious for their fierce capable warriors and an all-embracing loyalty to the Bisland's. Their father was a warrior; their grandfather was a warrior; their great-grandfather was also a warrior. So, it comes as a surprise to no one that, they are also warriors. It has become sort of an unspoken tradition; and, all in the family seem to be at peace with it. After all they owe all they have, and what they have become, to the Bisland's. Whenever the banners were raised and the call for battle came, they would join the military forces without hesitation. Both twins fought valiantly and fiercely alongside Lord Michael Bisland, and his troops, during the brutal bloody battle of Stormwall; gaining their fame and recognition, as skilled and practiced warriors, for being among the lucky and capable ten thousand who survived. Now, with the recent tension rising in the horizon, all across Arvum, the loyal brothers have come to Arx to join the Iron Guard troops and serve their Bisland commanders and the Compact. + |
| Otto Grayhope + | Otto was born into the Grayhope family. There was always a curiosity as to what he would chose to do with his life when he got older. Fortunately, his family was able to get him and apprenticeship with a local smith. He spent his time helping out in the forge and the attached shop, learning the trade quickly. He took to it quickly, clearly enjoying the time spent there. Things changed when Otto reached manhood. Having learned everything he could from his teacher, but he was not prepared to start his own shop. So, he decided to travel the world. First he moved around Arvum, seeking out other smiths to learn his trade and then he took a ship out to explore more of what he could find in the rest of the wide world. Now he has returned home to Arx, ready to help his family and make his mark. + |
| Ouida Harthall + | Born the youngest of the three children of Marquis Tibalt and Marquessa Owenna Harthall, Ouida as a spare of the spare was allowed to have her vocation molded to her inclinations, rather than the other way around. Close enough in age to have been more of a companion/partner in crime to Orvyn than annoying hanger on, the two siblings were very close growing up in the shadow of the heir Odhran. From the start she was much more inclined to athletic and adventurous pursuits than the intellectual. She may not have been able to argue her way out of anything, but that's what fists are for! Luckily her energies were quickly channeled into preparation to become a knight, and that finally gave quite a bit of discipline and structure (and infected her with quite a sense of courtly chivalry) before she became too much of a bully. Her knighthood came on the field, and she has a strong reputation for seeing the objective completed and targets protected first and foremost above personal glory, eschewing the flashier trappings of knighthood. Until the untimely deaths of her eldest brother and her father, and Orvyn's rise to Marquis, she spent most of her teen and adult years in the company of knights and soldiers, highborn and commoner alike, fighting and learning from the many minor skirmishes on the mainland. When Orvyn called her to higher service, she answered, and later led some of Harthall's efforts in the Silent War, Gyre War, and the Defense of the Lodge, as well as putting down continuing shav'arvani, bandit, and pirate threats in Fair Harbour. When Orvyn and Sunniva established their household in Arx, she followed in service. Once famed for her pursuit of courtly love in all forms, especially amongst a wide variety of ladies and a few lords, someone quick to carouse and laugh, the last few years of increased duties both within her family and outside of it, seem to have taken their toll, crafting someone far more deliberate and measured and calm. Surely that earlier fire still burns within, but it is kept very carefully under a shield of Valardin reserve. + |
| Owain Llywelyn + | The Llywelyn family are commoners with a long line of expertise out in the wilderness. Ioan, Owain's father, did his best to teach his children how to survive in the forest. As they got older, they'd help Ioan with the hunting, bringing food to the table and silver to their purses by selling the pelts. They'd also do the occasional job for the Leary family, the nobles Ioan acted as scout and woodsman for. When they weren't being taught by their father, they were being schooled by their mother. Astrid Llywelyn was the daughter of a Redrain bard. Her mother traveled much of Arvum but decided to settle in Grayson when she fell in love with an Ashford retainer. She passed on her skills and knowledge to her daughter who, in turn, taught the children she had with Ioan Llywelyn after they married. Owain was always a little different from his siblings. He seemed to be aware of things that others weren't, was better at entertaining himself than they were, and would sometimes wander out into the woods to bring back an injured animal to take care of. If something unusual happened, it was often Owain who was right there. It was his mother who put the pieces together, based on what her mother had told her about the north. Over the years, he learned to deal with the unusual on his own and incorporated it into his life. In truth, it bothered him a lot less than it did others. Once he was old enough and had saved up enough silver, he traveled north to learn more about his family there and the beliefs common to the area. Now, years later, he's returned home and taken a position within the Leary House. + |
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| Padraig Shieldarm + | Padraig was just some peasant boy raised in the Oathlands. Naturally, this means the boy wanted to become a knight. He wasn't very strong, tough, or fast. Many of the other children who grew up in his little village would have been better prospects. The people of the village were realists, but one day when some hedge knight rode into town looking for a squire, it was Padraig who wanted it, more than any of the other boys. The knight spoke to the parents, and Padraig found himself a knight's apprentice. It was a dream come true. This hedge knight wasn't a very reputable man, however, nor was he a wealthy one. Entirely forgettable, despite being no stranger to battle, the hedge knight was an idealist who sharpened Padraig's ideals of chivalry, honor and other such absurd virtues to a razor-edge. Sure, he taught Padraig more practical skills, handling a sword not least among them, but it was the promise of being a hero that kept Padraig's determination soaring. A few dozen battles later and the hedge knight who made Padraig a man ended up on the wrong side of a shav's sword. Padraig himself survived the battle, was knighted for his efforts and made his way into Oakhaven, where he swore his sword to the Keaton family. One can only hope Padraig's unending idealism and compassion isn't swept away in these dark times. + |
| Paige Fieldstone + | While most of the Fieldstone family was content to farm the land outside of Oakhaven, Paige had higher aspirations. Poor but ambitious, she determined to join the great Keaton Huntsmen from a young age. Having seen them hunt down and catch a known thief when she was a young girl may have inspired that desire, but it didn't stop there. Defying her family, she left her father's farm (the one shared next door to Jonathan's) and ran off to Oakhaven at 16 to make her way. Little was heard from her for a number of years, but it seems she's been reassigned to Arx now with some of her family having made their way to the city. + |
| Paige Stahlben + | While most of the Fieldstone family was content to farm the land outside of Oakhaven, Paige had higher aspirations. Poor but ambitious, she determined to join the great Keaton Huntsmen from a young age. Having seen them hunt down and catch a known thief when she was a young girl may have inspired that desire, but it didn't stop there. Defying her family, she left her father's farm (the one shared next door to Jonathan's) and ran off to Oakhaven at 16 to make her way. Little was heard from her for a number of years, but it seems she's been reassigned to Arx now with some of her family having made their way to the city. + |
| Paloma Thornburn + | Paloma was born to the Thornburns, daughter to Greer's older sister. Not a crafter, although most Thornburns are. Her mother made bread, Paloma had a way of mingling dust into the flour. She wasn't clumsy, just bored. Her dreams were acted out with sticks and back lots. She killed a thousand imagined foes by the time she was ten. When she was old enough, she joined the Knights of Solace. While not deeply religious, she was drawn to the opportunity to travel, to face enemies that might be closer to the legends in her head than criminals and scuffling crafters. In practice, there are a lot of dull days anywhere, but Paloma served with hunger and distinction and a little brutality, and, honestly, her patrols tended to have an unusual amount of things go wrong, which livened those days up. Had a few instances where her initiative and the swiftness of her sword arm proved decisive on the road. She had a lover in the King's Own. One spent in the Teind. Paloma understands we're all spent one day. She didn't grieve her, not much. She only aspired the more toward the King's Own, because if one is to be spent, one ought to be spent in the best possible way. And the sudden disappearance of so many Knights in the Lower Boroughs, an action she only wasn't part of because she'd had a particularly bad row with a Bringer the day before, intensified her need to excel. To decide where she'd be spent. She fought in battles, certainly and well, but she was everywhere. As the peril rose, and corrupted shavs and Bringers broke through, she sometimes found herself in odd places, nearly alone, unluckily alone, arranging civilians with makeshift weapons, pitchforks, stones, leather-wrapped shards of glass. Anything to hold this street, hold this sewer, hold this spot. She had made no secret of her desires. Not to her lover, not to any King's Own of her acquaintance. After the siege ended, she had her position. + |
| Parisa Ravashari + | Parisa Ravashari is a young girl whose branch of the nomadic Ravashari tribe brought her to Arx during the Silent War, to escape the armies marching down on many Abandoned tribes. She's grown up faced with quite a lot of adversity and push back from Arvum society. After all the Ravashari are especially looked down with distrust and considered to be thieves, swindlers, and general ne'er-do-wells. But many of the Ravashari have also turned their "exotic" status to an advantage. Parisa has done just this-- She has learned to entertain, charm, and disarm people. Her primary tool is joyful, acrobatic dances on the streets and sometimes for private parties. But she is full of talents. + |
| Pasquale Malespero + | Born the third son of a rather forgettable baron, Pasquale was never meant to rule. Born with a chronic, nagging sickness of the lungs, he'd never be riding into battle. Born with a sharp mind and decided hunger for knowledge, his family was eager for him to join the Faith, but he never much wanted that. No, Pasquale grew up bedridden and passed the days reading books of war, and history, and politics. He wanted to lead armies, not save souls. And after pushing hard enough, his father granted him command of a unit, called The Knights of the Chalice. The Knights of the Chalice sounds important and meaningful, but it's anything but. To the north of the barony, in wine country, a small unit of soldiers was assigned to guard the place. There never was anything to guard against, and mostly the soldiers lazed about, got drunk, and harassed the farmers and vinters. Pasquale was undeterred. Hard work, determination, and a mind for leadership paid off, and this unit slowly became one of the best trained units in the barony, and all were fiercely loyal to their commander. When scouting reports came in with news of the Gyre's scouting fleet approaching, the barony's army was mobilized. Pasquale begged to move his unit south, where a band of the enemy was set to land, but his father and brothers ordered him to stay put. He obeyed orders, until news reached him that the defenses of the family estate had been breached. Pasquale rushed south and managed to ambush the Gyre's substantial forces. With a well-trained unit, a vast knowledge of warfare, and no small amount of Lycene trickery, Pasquale crushed the Gyre's force. Sadly, The Knight the Chalice arrived too late to save the baron and his wife. Pasquale's older brother also fell. His middle brother was left to inherit the throne, and in an underhanded effort to restore the family reputation, he blamed the deaths on Pasquale. It was a bitter, frustrated, pariah of a man that Marquessa Lianne found, when touring the damage to her holdings. Pasquale is no liar and not prone to exaggeration, and she believed the man, and promptly offered to adopt him into the newly made Malespero family, as her general. It was finally the chance he felt he was entitled to, and he grabbed hold with both hands. Now, Pasquale wants nothing more than to make Nilanza's forces into something truly feared. His mind is on training his men, researching military tactics, and pursuing some of these rumors of ancient, mystical weaponry. He's come to Arx to meet with his Marquessa, to meet the rest of the leaders of Velenosa, and just recently joined the Scholars. + |
| Patrizio Pravus + | 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. + |
| Pepper Crovane + | Pepper was born in Southport and like much of her family she raised around the Saik and Malvici youth. As a girl her family could not get her to leave their library and get her nose out of books. She was an eagar student that was quickly able to take what she learned and apply the information to every day life. She grew to love teaching anyone who was willing to show her the respect of overcoming her young age and listen to the wisdom she had to impart. In time Pepper had to complete her mandatory time in the Malvici army and though this displeased her at first she grew to enjoy her time among the other soldiers. She was out of her element in the military but Pepper was able to become a fine enough archer and eventually was put to work chronicling a variety of information. Once Pepper was out of the Malvici military she chose to go out exploring and attempting to learn more about the world. She would occassionally return home when she was called to assist the family but then she was gone again until they called on her once again. + |
| Pepper Malvici + | Pepper was born in Southport and like much of her family she raised around the Saik and Malvici youth. As a girl her family could not get her to leave their library and get her nose out of books. She was an eagar student that was quickly able to take what she learned and apply the information to every day life. She grew to love teaching anyone who was willing to show her the respect of overcoming her young age and listen to the wisdom she had to impart. In time Pepper had to complete her mandatory time in the Malvici army and though this displeased her at first she grew to enjoy her time among the other soldiers. She was out of her element in the military but Pepper was able to become a fine enough archer and eventually was put to work chronicling a variety of information. Once Pepper was out of the Malvici military she chose to go out exploring and attempting to learn more about the world. She would occassionally return home when she was called to assist the family but then she was gone again until they called on her once again. + |
| Pepper Navegant + | Pepper was born in Southport and like much of her family she raised around the Saik and Malvici youth. As a girl her family could not get her to leave their library and get her nose out of books. She was an eagar student that was quickly able to take what she learned and apply the information to every day life. She grew to love teaching anyone who was willing to show her the respect of overcoming her young age and listen to the wisdom she had to impart. In time Pepper had to complete her mandatory time in the Malvici army and though this displeased her at first she grew to enjoy her time among the other soldiers. She was out of her element in the military but Pepper was able to become a fine enough archer and eventually was put to work chronicling a variety of information. Once Pepper was out of the Malvici military she chose to go out exploring and attempting to learn more about the world. She would occassionally return home when she was called to assist the family but then she was gone again until they called on her once again. + |
| Percephon Telmar + | A nephew of the Duke of Telmar, Percephon began his life as a disappointment. As a baby, he was ill often, collicky and hollering. He wasn't expected to survive, but did so anyway, to become a child that was sickly and lacked the bulwark's strength common for the bloodline of the Telmarch. Yet for all his weak lungs and constant sneezing in certain seasons of the Oathlands, he proved an able student to his tutors, and plunged deep into fact hunting. Even as he grew a little older and stronger, he created problems by not being the kind of son his father would want -- or more importantly, the kind of nephew his uncle would find convenient. It wasn't that duty didn't interest him; he felt a strong, strong pull of duty to the realm and to his family. But the fact is, he was a reed in a family of oaks, a willow in a family of mountains. Even when he reached adulthood, he was ill often. When he traveled to the capital, he was sick for a week on arrival, which actually put the kibosh on a potential marriage alliance that had been treated for him, as his family had thought they might be able to marry him out to a Velenosa vassal -- why not, the warmer, lusher climes of the south might be good for him, and it would get him out of their hair, and there are worse houses in the Lyceum than the Fidantes -- but what it left him with was the life of a square peg in a round hole. A noble in the capital, of good bloodline, but still, a fish out of water. + |
| Peregrine Grayson + | Peregrine is the oldest daughter of an Abandoned chieftain. He leads the Gold Feathers, a tribe which occupies (or used to occupy) territory immediately to the north of Grayson's claimed lands. A fierce and insular people who modeled themselves on the birds of prey it's thought they worship, few had contact with them until the arrival of Prince Calarian. He sought their aid in the coming conflict against the dark forces threatening the Compact and they were tentatively open to the idea, having lost some of their own to the depradations of corrupted tribesmen and their Bringer masters. But they had a single condition for pledging their fighters to the Grayson cause: Calarian must immediately wed the chief's daughter to seal the alliance. Peregrine had recently lost husband and children and though still grieving, she recognized the sense in joining forces with the Compact. She agreed. He agreed. It was done. Now they're newly returned to Arx (an adventure in and of itself) and the wisdom of alliance is balanced with the reality of this bizarre new life. A foreign city, surrounded by foreign people, wed to a man who seems to thrive in all of this /strangeness/. + |
| Peri Seliki + | Peri has grown up in Pearlspire as her father's heir, but for the most part she was always her mother's daughter. Her mother would tell stories of discovery, magical places across the sea and how they had been discovered. Peri's natural curiosity and desire to explore has been something she fears her family will not understand - all save perhaps, her grandmother - especially after her mother's death many years ago. From that time, her affinity for the sea has only grown stronger, and she takes comfort most frequently when in Mangata's shrine. Growing up, Peri was urged to get in touch with the people, learning the ways of the shore cultures, pearl diving, trawling, fishing and the like. After her mother's death, she dedicated even more time going among the shore cultures and seeing to their needs. Throwing herself into work her mother encouraged her in was one of the ways she dealt with the grief of missing her. It was years later that she realized she had lost her way as heir by focusing so narrowly on the people of Pearlspire. Since then, she has traveled between Pearlspire and Arx working hard to live up to her ideal of what an heir should be. Her mother always told her fanciful tales of Peri's rule, and she has realized she would like to be a head of house her mother would have been proud of. Life has been an adventure since that day she looked up from the shores of Pearlspire and back to the horizon again like she did in her youth. She has worked hard for her lieges. Though Pearlspire suffered the loss of many ships against Gyre, she has helped her family build back up from that and looks to even greater things for Pearlspire and the Compact. + |
| 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. + |
| Pero Ilic + | Pero was a criminal of a child in Nilanza, born to an odd sort of family. His parents took in orphans and would raise them to be beggars and pickpockets. And when they grew to be too old to be worthy the pity or pittance of strangers, the then teens would be kicked out into the streets. In these days, Pero was not Pero, but Mutt - and he was made to pickpocket among the rest as if he weren't a blood descendant of the opportunistic couple. And, owing to his runt-of-the-litter size and prodigal agility, stuck around into his earliest stage of adulthood. %TPerhaps Pero would have remained Mutt, acrobatically scaling walls and roofs of his home - a burglar, a second story man of some acclaim. But, perhaps, also, he was a little too reckless in his youth. And a little too eager to make a name for himself outside the property of his parents. At the age of seventeen, Pero picked the pocket of Pasquale Malespero. And he survived his personal guard, adeptly dodging what would be killing blow after killing blow before fleeing from the scene. %TBy then, Pero's parents were getting older. Their exploits well known, as spread by surviving pickpockets and beggars who'd go on, lucky to find vocations that would keep them fed. Thus, when it came time to find the thief, the family home was the first stop, and they were quick to sell out Pero. He was caught and put before Pasquale - his fate in the hands of the nobleman he'd pickpocketed. He was given another option. Martial service to the Malespero family (and a less infamous name than Mutt). He leaped at the chance. + |
| Perrach Seiler + | As a youth, Perrach showed promise with weapons, and his father -- a man-at-arms for a noble household -- was all the ready to push him forward as soon as he was old enough to swear into service. He was the only son of a mostly daughtered house, and his family was hungry for honor. Perrach was a fresh, raw boy crewing a ship of the fleet. He was nineteen when he followed Prince Donrai Thrax to crush the Tyde Rebellion, and distinguished himself mainly by fighting with wild abandon. He earned his first scars, then, too, and at length, his knighthood, distinguishing himself by quick thinking abovedecks as much as by bloodshed. Thrax's waters are rarely without incident, and he was a restless young warrior, sailing in search of sea monsters or glory or who knew what. He grew more jaded over time, spending months at a time at sea, and finding himself far removed from the concerns of land folk when he came back. Sworn as a knight for House Thrax, he served, and fought, and bled, and killed, and he loved it. Perhaps it is his ten years long service of the family that has made it harder for Perrach to hold his tongue, but over the past year or more, he has begun to speak his mind more and more often, regardless of his rank. He was never a long-tempered man, but as threats grow surrounding his home and all the lands of the Compact, he grows restive and less tolerant of what he perceives as "nonsense". + |
| Perronne Amboise + | Perronne was a mistake. Her mother was a noble, of a proud but not particularly remarkable Oathlands house, and her father a common guard. The lady and the guard had the sort of passionate affair common to the young, and during a few days of besotted excess, decided on the deliciously dangerous method to 'prove their love' by foregoing their Liberte during several trysts. They broke up several weeks later as the passion cooled, and it wasn't until a few months later that the lady realized that she was expecting. Being a woman of honor, if not necessarily of wisdom, she confessed to her family. Marrying the guardsman was out of the question (and, in truth, she had no desire to do so), but her house would never accept the shame of failing to do their duty. Thus, the father, Master Amboise, was contacted, told of his impending fatherhood, and offered a simple bargain: He would take primary care of the child, and the House would provide generously for its raising, education, and upbringing, but it was his duty to ensure the child never received ambitions out of line with its station and never to ask for more than he was given. Several months later, Perronne arrived. She was raised with more leisure and luxury than most commoners - the House was good on their word of support, and her mother often requested her presence for visits and inspections, necessitating that she have lessons in etiquette and comportment so that she might not embarrass her noble relatives. She and her parents had affectionate relationships, but never without the spectre hanging over them that she had been an unexpected arrival, and no matter how hard she tried, she would always be something of an embarrassment to them both - a reminder of young foolishness and a romance never meant to be more than a fling. The rest of her noble relations treated her politely, but never with warmth that might encourage her to expect more than the support already provided. As well-meaning as this all was, Perronne chafed beneath it, and when she was eighteen, she went to her noble relations with a proposition: If they would offer her a modest stake so that she might make her own way in the world, she would sever her fealty to serve the Crown, and never presume upon her connection or relations in any way, allowing the whole sorry business to hopefully be forgotten. After some thought, the family agreed - even her mother, who had married a suitable match, and had two more trueborn children to think about. With her stake in hand, Perronne set out. In the near decade since, Perronne has been a peddler, a trading clerk, a guide, and most recently, a freelance relic hunter of sorts. She gathers small expeditions to travel out to lands no longer patrolled by the Compact and investigate old ruins for trinkets, objects of art, and antiques, which she then sells at the nearest cities - often to the far-flung relations of those who once lived there. She's done quite well for herself through this work, enough that she finally feels ready to come to Arx, and set up something more permanent so that her business can grow. + |
| Persephone Galani + | She started life as Lady Persephone Galani, only child of Count Ladon and Countess Iole Galani. She was raised as any Thraxian noblewoman up until her 8th year. That was when her House, her family, was found guilty of treason. Rather than go quietly to the blade, her family rose up and fought, bringing about the complete and utter destruction of her House. As a mere child, found hidden away in a stinking fish basket after the battle was over, Persephone was allowed to live. Stripped of title and nobility, she was raised as a commoner in the Thrax household. Within a few years, she had learned to hate her traitorous family and threw her lot in wholly with the Thrax. She learned to sail and to fight, and set herself apart as a particularly steadfast crewman willing to do whatever it took. She gained a reputation for being harsh, even cruel, though she would call it 'pragmatic'. A few years back, her hard work and steadfast loyalty paid off, landing her a captaincy and a ship of her own. During the latest months, she was kept busy running supplies and people into and out of Arx through the siege. After a slight reprieve to repair and replace lost crew, Persephone has returned to Arx for orders and is ready to sail straight into the heart of Hell once more. + |
| Petal Penrose + | Petal Penrose is the only daughter of Darius and Allana, shavs of a northern tribe who, after they bent the knee when Petal was a young girl, were granted the family name Penrose. Swearing oath to the House of Redrain, the pair settled in a village on the southern edges of Redrain territory. Petal took after her mother, and learned the crafts of sewing and the ways of shamanism, becoming a skilled mender of clothe and sometimes men. She believes in a strong link between the spiritual and the art of crafting. Growing up in that small village, she befriended the son of another pair of prodigals, Tallius, and the pair were as close as siblings growing up. Unfortunately, war came to the village, in the form of the advance of the armies of Tolomar Brand. When the village was overrun, Darius and Allana stood with many of the other elders of the village, fighting fiercely to try and buy time. When her friend Tallius attempted to stay and fight, his father commanded him to go, and to see the others to safety. Knowing she would never see her parents again, she embraced them for the last time and joined those fleeing. The journey was arduous and long, and beset constantly by the attacks of the foul creatures of the invading horde, but eventually the refugees stole through and achieved the safety of Arx. Of the thirty who fled the village, only a handful remained, Petal and her childhood friend amongst them. Petal was quite sick on arrival and is still not fully well, but she is better than she was. The scars of the battle, and of the long flight to the dubious safety of Arx, are etched deep into Petal. + |
| Petra Rivenshari + | There once was a girl born to the ocean. She was wild and free and none could tame her. Her brother, Aegis, was chieftain of their shav tribe, the Rivenshari. The responsible one. He was strong of arm and of mind. She was the mercurial breeze in the wind, taken by the spirits and given knowledge for her sight. Her other sisters were jealous of her gifts, and tried to call Petra crazy but her brother knew that her visions were true. For many years, she used her clarity to guide the tribe to safe paths. She met a man, a good strong mate who made the whispers on the wind weaker. The more she fell, the less she listened. Aegis didn't give censor because he was happy that his sister had found her husband. She married and they had a beautiful daughter two years later. Life was so beautiful. She was so happy. She focused on her hearth and home. Her family gave her plenty of love. She made sure they were close to Aegis because deep down she knew their fates were intertwined. Then the darkness came. She didn't watch for the signs. She was too happy, content. She wasn't looking. The demon lord, Brand, came and ripped her tribe to shreds. Forced his dark magic into their bodies and made them slaves. She will never forget the horror of watching her beloved husband cut down by Oathland swords at the siege wall. Her daughter's scream as a sword plunged through her chest. The fortune teller wished for death that day but it did not come. Instead she was focused to move on, to continue. Luckily, Aegis' legacy was still alive and ever since she has replaced her dead child with his. They are her life now. She will not close her eyes in the face of happiness. She will remain vigilant and faithful. + |
| Petraea Livy + | House Livy of Cardia is an old and powerful family that has stayed near the top of the heap for centuries, a position maintained by a great amount of wealth thanks to their lucrative vineyards and a web of connections to House Tullus through generations of marriages and alliances. Yet, they have never been particularly influential in the political arena, lacking ambition for anything other than making money and maintaining their position in Cardian society. At least until Petraea Livy began to distinguish herself as one of the rising stars in Cardian politics as a staunch and rather ambitious member of the Scales faction. Her rise started with winning the position of Tribune with the backing of House Tullus, a militaristic position that few Scales have held in recent memory. From there, she has steadily gained power and influence, enough that she was sent to the wilds of Arvum to deal with the diplomatic mess that Marcus Sulla made. At least, that is what the official line is. More politically savvy minds think she is attempting to take Sulla's spot as Praetor, something that her fellow Scales seem to be watching carefully though the fact that such a move could anger far more than just the Senate means she is supported quietly and cautiously. In Cardia, Petraea Livy's drive and ambition is admired but also feared, even amongst her supporters. + |
| Pharamond Ashford + | It's not so much that Pharamond hates responsibility, as almost everyone imagines. The older, unmarried Sword of Ashford Keep has borne the duty of acting as the champion for House Ashford for years without complaint, and he takes the obligation seriously, but it wasn't exactly his first choice compared to a life of indolent luxury pursuing whatever happened to catch his fancy at any time. Of course he trained at arms like most nobles, but it was just one of a hundred different passtimes he pursued along with art and dealings at court, and he never imagined it would completely define him. It's not as if slashing his fellow man with sharp instruments while they tried to do the same to him was Pharamond's idea of fun, but it very unfortunately happened to be the one he seems to be very good at after he distinguished himself repeatedly on the field of battle. Pharamond of course doesn't -regret- saving the life of Duke Barton Ashford in a desperate battle with shavs a decade ago, but he sometimes wishes he had did it in a less spectacular manner that's flamboyance owed more than a little to Pharamond's habit of not being a strict adherent of Grayson rules forbidding going into battle intoxicated. Or he could have wished that his older brother Duke Barton had just rewarded him by letting Lord Pharamond embrace a life of doing absolutely, glorious nothing, but it was not to be. Perhaps it was some insight by the duke into Pharamond's character that the younger man was able to escape any sort of command for House Ashford's troops and instead only be called when he needs to represent House Ashford in a matter of honor. It's rare enough that there's no great obstacle to spending his days in an intoxicated haze and moving from one social event to the next, and he would just be as happy if he was never actually called in an official capacity. Ever. The more warlike houses might be surprised at Pharamond doing his best to defuse any sort of tensions that could ever lead to him being called to serve as the Sword of Ashford Keep in a duel, and he can more than live with the disapproval it sometimes gets him. Life is too short to not spend it in an alcoholic haze while laughing with courtiers, and it is -considerably- shorter if someone takes offense to every damned trivial thing. + |
| Philippe Blanchard + | Philippe's father, Count Vardon Blanchard, the Count of Chevalle, was among the most beloved nobles in the Oathlands. He was unfailingly generous, said to be willing to give the shirt off his back to a commoner in need. He was forgiving of any slight, who so badly wished to be loved he would join into the laughter of any joke made at his own expense. He was merciful, refusing to make war upon any of the Abandoned that came increasingly close to Chevalle's borders. He was very much loved, Philippe saw in his father a man that who so badly desired the approval of others that he agonized over ever decision and was happy to give away Chevalle's lands to quarreling baron vassals just to settle a dispute without acrimony. Philippe loved his father. And he despised his weakness. When Count Vardon Blanchard died, the county of Chevalle was so weak it was a peer to its barony vassals, it was nearly bankrupt, it was constantly threatened from emboldened shav forces that saw House Wyrmguard need to repeatedly to intervene to protect the domain, and any semblence of respect for House Blanchard was nearly gone with Blanchard's baron vassals often ignoring commands entirely. Count Philippe proved himself an entirely different kind of man. He immediately called to account every vassal who had outstanding loans, and brutally crushed one brief rebellion. He rallied his forces, and ruthlessly massacred one Abandoned tribe that had been occupying one of the county's forests. "The warhorses are riding again", was how one vassal in the Oathlands described it, and Philippe took that lesson to heart. An honorable man, but there is not a single element of softness to him, not even to family. For him, all that exists is duty, and the legacy and the name of the family. + |
| Phillipe Blanchard + | Phillipe's father, Count Vardon Blanchard, the Count of Chevalle, was among the most beloved nobles in the Oathlands. He was unfailingly generous, said to be willing to give the shirt off his back to a commoner in need. He was forgiving of any slight, who so badly wished to be loved he would join into the laughter of any joke made at his own expense. He was merciful, refusing to make war upon any of the Abandoned that came increasingly close to Chevalle's borders. He was very much loved, Phillipe saw in his father a man that who so badly desired the approval of others that he agonized over ever decision and was happy to give away Chevalle's lands to quarreling baron vassals just to settle a dispute without acrimony. Phillipe loved his father. And he despised his weakness. When Count Vardon Blanchard died, the county of Chevalle was so weak it was a peer to its barony vassals, it was nearly bankrupt, it was constantly threatened from emboldened shav forces that saw House Wyrmguard need to repeatedly to intervene to protect the domain, and any semblence of respect for House Blanchard was nearly gone with Blanchard's baron vassals often ignoring commands entirely. Count Phillipe proved himself an entirely different kind of man. He immediately called to account every vassal who had outstanding loans, and brutally crushed one brief rebellion. He rallied his forces, and ruthlessly massacred one Abandoned tribe that had been occupying one of the county's forests. "The warhorses are riding again", was how one vassal in the Oathlands described it, and Phillipe took that lesson to heart. An honorable man, but there is not a single element of softness to him, not even to family. For him, all that exists is duty, and the legacy and the name of the family. + |
| Phoebe Cordelle + | Phoebe is the scion of a small but exceedingly affluent family of commoners from Arx. For generations, members of the Cordelle family have acted as financiers and bankers for people throughout the Compact. Usually, the family's investments are strictly profit-motivated, although from time to time, they have been known to take a risk on something unlikely to yield any return or even to engage in purely philanthropic endeavours. Being the only child of the main branch of the family, Phoebe's formative years were spent being educated on every particular of how money works, of how to use it, and of how to conduct herself in polite society, with it being assumed and expected that she would have to mingle with people from every walk of life. Then, upon reaching adulthood, Phoebe threw herself into being a socialite with the utmost zest and has quickly established a reputation as a vivacious bon vivant. She even used funds provided by her mother to buy a house, where she has taken to receiving all manner of guests. While usually unspoken, it is clear that at least some of Phoebe's day-to-day engagements with people have the good of the family business as an underlying motivation. Many others though? They're just for the fun of it. + |
| Piccola Tessere + | Lady Pierina Tessere's fortune was as bad as her House's reputation. Her father was one of the Countess' younger brothers. When she took over the House, he served as one of her consiglieres, specifically over the House's burgeoning fabric trade. For a while, things went well, and Pierina was born as the fourth of sixth children. Unfortunately, of them she was the smallest, and she suffered the usual slings and arrows of childish insults from her siblings, family, and peers. She was given the nickname "Piccola" by her father, which since became her nom de guerre. As went all things in Countess Lucrezia's court, her father fell out of favor after he became a target of intrigue and investigation. Unfortunately, her father was embezzling money out of the family's coffers, and he was punished severely by ostracism and the loss of his estate. Soon after, her father was found strangled in his sleep, a deed allegedly done by those with whom he had made poor deals. Her mother found little charity in the Countess' court but found comfort in booze and the arms of men. She and her siblings scattered to the wind. Survival was not easy on the fringes of Iriscal, but it could be done. Being picked on for many years made Piccola tough and tenacious, two features which caught the eye of a sellsword company looking to increase its ranks of fodder. Two years of tagging along on dangerous missions afforded her enough to buy her own gear and horse. She soon joined a different mercenary company, and then another and another until the day a message called her back home. The Countess was dead, and in her place was Sabine. The message had come from the new Countess - Piccola never inquired as to how it reached her - and requested her return to Iriscal. And there, she was given a command and mission: to train and lead the House's cavalry in a manner befitting the House's ambition of prominence. It would be a chance to bring her family back into the House's ruling echelons, where it belonged. And no sane Lycean would give up that chance for redemption. Or revenge. + |
| Pietro Igniseri + | Pietro Igniseri was born second, seven minutes after Vincere, the first son and technically the heir. When the twins were born, the Marquesa Igniseri of the city-state of Granato was married to the Marquis Igniseri, and their first few years of life were fairly normal. But the Marquis -- a much older man -- died in Arx when the twins were but three years old, and their mother left them in care of their nurse to pursue the goals of House Igniseri herself. She married again when they were 7, a lesser count who pursued her relentlessly. There were rumors that the count was the author of their father's death, and Pietro grew up especially resentful of the man, who was unusually bookish and intelligent for a noble and spent many hours doing his best to ingratiate himself with the boys by teaching them things. Vincere was more receptive than Pietro to the contents of books, which did not move around or go hunting enough for Pietro's tastes. When the promising young boys were 13, their stepfather died in an "accident" in the Lycene countryside on a trip to Granato. Rumors abounded about how it happened, but an investigation by their aunt turned up significant evidence that their mother, the Marquesa, was responsible. She lost significant reputation capital, and in part to keep her family intact, she agreed to a fosterage contract with House Rubino so that her boys could be raised through their teen years as wards of her liege. This was done to keep the woman whose reputation grew over the years as the Badger of Granato in line. Training with their liege-lord's children, the Igniseri twins grew more capable. Their training separated them somewhat -- Pietro could not get enough of battle and action, while Vincere grew subtler and quicker to grasp the greater needs of a commander -- but both were united, over time, in both their loyalty to each other and their hunger to improve their family's fortunes after their mother's mismanagement. The Badger remarried again. The knight she married, Sir Jalawyn, was little better than a commoner, although he was unusually handsome. She mainly kept in touch with her sons via correspondence -- once they attained their majority they returned to Granato to manage the city-state and develop the family fortune. They both learned much of the military arts and Pietro especially took troops of men out onto the roads to Gemecitta and beyond to hunt brigands and glory and anything else he could stab appropriately. (Vincere rode out sometimes, too, but honestly he just had better things to do most of the time.) But when Marquis Sir Jalawyn Igniseri died six months ago -- poisoned, though the Badger still swears it wasn't by her hand -- she did not remarry, but found herself strongly advised by her fellow Lycenes to leave Arx and send her perfectly capable heir in her place to manage for the Igniseri fortunes. Her capable son of course is Vincere, but Pietro will never leave his side ? so the two of them ventured to the capital to turn this ship around and sail their disgraced family into better fortunes. + |
| Podraig Gwent + | Podraig was born and raised among the shav'arvani people of the Shadowood. The clan Gwent were hunters by renown, but often served as warriors to help defend neighboring lands when called for. He had the typical upbringing a young man of his clan received: training with a short-spear, how to move quickly and quietly through the forest, and a wealth of knowledge about the Shadowood. While he proved a talented hunter, Podraig was always more inclined to keep to himself and wasn't big on words. He didn't complain when they assigned him to night watch duty as it gave him the many hours of quiet contemplation that he enjoyed. He was a touch too sober for his brothers, sisters, and cousins so it was best for all. After an encounter with Natalia Whisper, Podraig agreed to return to Arx with her to work as her bodyguard. It was also an opportunity for the shav'arvani man to experience life in the city. After over a year in her service, she convinced him to join the Compact. He approached House Keaton and swore his fealty, to which the Marquis accepted. + |
| Poppy Stahlben + | Poppy had a wonderful childhood. Just ask her about it. While her brother and cousins were busy learning about spirits, the sword and leading, she was allowed the freedoms to follow her heart. Whether it was to wander the forests and look after wounded animals she'd come across or listen to the stories of the elders, nothing was off limits for this girl. As she blossomed into a young lady, studies about healing and religious rituals captured her attention. Those tender cares she gave the animals as a small child turned to helping people and learning about Lagoma from the visiting knights of Solace and Mercies, a curious passion for a shamanistic tribes member. Her life was idyllic and set to become the medicine woman for her people until Tolmar Brand swept through their lands. In an instant, her charmed life ended. She watched her parents die, her cousin become a leader, her brother take up arms and then her people cry in fear every night. Day by day she watched the population of her home dwindle. She finally learnt what fear and anger felt like, which only made the relief when Magnus bent and Houses Halfshav and Sanna came to rescue them. Seeing her cousin become count and watching him leave for the compact inspired her to follow close behind with grand plans on how she will be able to help save her family and bring all the new healing arts to her people. + |
| Porter Kennex + | The middle child born between intense and serious older and younger brothers, Porter has always embraced with gusto his "duty" to force a dour world to let loose and have a good time. He never really applied himself to his schoolwork as a child, and was more than happy to be sent to sea under his brother Aethan's tutilage when he was fourteen. That winter, the (slightly embellished) (okay, very embellished) stories that he told his younger brother Ian convinced the boy that he wanted to go to sea as well. Porter reveled in being one of the Brothers Kennex (the title being his invention), especially once they started making a name for themselves. He instigated some of their wildest adventures. His ability to come up with filthy lyrics to any song put to him meant that he almost never had to pay for his own drinks. He was living the perfect life -- until it all came crashing down. He'd originally been the one tapped to have command of the prize ship that needed sailing back to port, but Aethan changed his mind at the last minute and gave the assignment to Ian, who needed command experience. A storm hit that night, and after splicing a line and saving the prize ship from sinking (and her skeleton crew from drowning), Ian fell from the rigging, and Porter's life changed forever. Ian might have survived, but the Kennex Brothers were no more. It was impossibly painful to visit his broken little brother, who had been left paralyzed by the accident, but Porter did it, and not just because of the nagging thought that it had almost been him. Porter's big, loyal heart wouldn't let him abandon his little brother no matter the cost to himself -- especially once he realized that he was Ian's only regular visitor. Not even Aethan bothered to crawl out of the bottom of a bottle long enough to be there for his own flesh and blood. Porter grew increasingly bitter at his family, and especially at Aethan, for what he saw as the basest betrayal of everything the three of them had once stood for, and when it was time for him to go out to sea again, a captain in his own right, he left Aethan behind without a second thought. Now the captain of his pride, joy, and one true love, the Damsel's Heart, Porter has done his best to pick up where he left off, but it just isn't the same. He's decided that he needs to find a new port, new faces, a change of scenery, and if there's anywhere where he can replace all of those old unhappy memories with happy ones, that place, or so he figures, is Arx. + |
| Portia Sulla + | Lady Portia has never held a sword or spear in her hands. That may not seem an odd statement at first until one realizes her profession is as a commander of soldiers. It is rumored that an oracle announced at her birth that should she ever hold a weapon, disaster and destruction would follow for all of her family. Others whisper that the oracle said the world. Whatever the actual prophecy was given at her birth she keeps to the decree her father made at her birth and has not held a weapon in hand. Instead, she's made the soldiers under her weapons; weapons to remove others, weapons to use among themselves. In Cardia she rose through the ranks as a successful commander and general, even learning under the great Marcus Sulla himself. She's conquered territory. She's administered military districts. She's been a good Talon, in all the ways she's been asked to be. And something about that is what has gotten her sent to Arx. She's tough, but never too tough. She's calculating, but never unrelatable. In short, she's a slightly more relatable person than Praetor and has been sent to help provide a softer image. A little softer. + |
| Preston + | The Holy Knights of the Temple, like most militant orders of knights, are disproportionately made up of the high born who seek to win glory and live up to the legacies of their ancestors. Even with the oaths that set their families aside and vow to serve only the crown and the Dominus of the Faith, the common born that manage to ascend higher than simple men-at-arms for the Faith and are raised up to become knights are few and far between. Preston is one of the rare exceptions. An orphan mysteriously left with the Rectory at infancy, the Dominus himself (then a legate) declared that the child was blessed by the gods and should be raised to be 'the Sword of the Faith'. Preston has done much to live up to that prophecy. Nearly carrying a sword since he could walk, Preston was taken as a squire by the Grandmaster of the Templars and groomed for command while being drilled relentlessly for combat and given training as a priest of the Faith of the Pantheon. An intense and unrelenting student of war and theology, the young man possesses a rarely matched fervent fire and begged for the opportunity to test himself against the Faith's enemies as soon as he came of age. Despite his youth, he was dispatched as the youngest man joining a company of templars on a mission of righteous retribution against a tribe of the Abandoned who had massacred pilgrims attempting to travel to Arx. In his first battle, he acquitted himself with valor and talent that won high praise from his veteran companions, relentlessly pressing enemies on the field with very little regard to his own personal safety. For his heroism, he was dubbed a full Holy Knight of the Temple by the Grandmaster of the Templars and then assigned as one of the personal guards to the Dominus of the Faith, one of the highest prestige assignments available to a templar. Despite the honor, the young ardent templar hungers for more and seeks ways to prove himself in the defense of the Faith. + |
| Preston Crown + | The Holy Knights of the Temple, like most militant orders of knights, are disproportionately made up of the high born who seek to win glory and live up to the legacies of their ancestors. Even with the oaths that set their families aside and vow to serve only the crown and the Dominus of the Faith, the common born that manage to ascend higher than simple men-at-arms for the Faith and are raised up to become knights are few and far between. Preston is one of the rare exceptions. An orphan mysteriously left with the Rectory at infancy, the Dominus himself (then a legate) declared that the child was blessed by the gods and should be raised to be 'the Sword of the Faith'. Preston has done much to live up to that prophecy. Nearly carrying a sword since he could walk, Preston was taken as a squire by the Grandmaster of the Templars and groomed for command while being drilled relentlessly for combat and given training as a priest of the Faith of the Pantheon. An intense and unrelenting student of war and theology, the young man possesses a rarely matched fervent fire and begged for the opportunity to test himself against the Faith's enemies as soon as he came of age. Despite his youth, he was dispatched as the youngest man joining a company of templars on a mission of righteous retribution against a tribe of the Abandoned who had massacred pilgrims attempting to travel to Arx. In his first battle, he acquitted himself with valor and talent that won high praise from his veteran companions, relentlessly pressing enemies on the field with very little regard to his own personal safety. For his heroism, he was dubbed a full Holy Knight of the Temple by the Grandmaster of the Templars and then assigned as one of the personal guards to the Dominus of the Faith, one of the highest prestige assignments available to a templar. Despite the honor, the young ardent templar hungers for more and seeks ways to prove himself in the defense of the Faith. + |
| Pride + | Nobody knows where he came from but suddenly there he was - not that most even knows he is there, to be fair. A name like that, it's not likely his mother named him that, is it? His age is undetermined but a good guess, due to his voice and motions, would put him at late twenties or early thirties. Nobody ever sees him outside of the Lowers - doesn't mean he never leaves the area, but if he does, he doesn't make it obvious. The few that meet him gets to meet a man that has a clear goal - and dark humor that comes forth now and then. + |
| Pride Crown + | Nobody knows where he came from but suddenly there he was - not that most even knows he is there, to be fair. A name like that, it's not likely his mother named him that, is it? His age is undetermined but a good guess, due to his voice and motions, would put him at late twenties or early thirties. Nobody ever sees him outside of the Lowers - doesn't mean he never leaves the area, but if he does, he doesn't make it obvious. The few that meet him gets to meet a man that has a clear goal - and dark humor that comes forth now and then. + |
| Prisila Seraceni + | Prisila's father was always known for his love of the high seas. Rarely was he at port and if he could have his feet on the deck of his ship then that was where he'd be, such is the joy of being the seventh son. He would inherit nothing but his father's keen sense of sailing, his love of women and his powerful physique. So it's no surprise that his daughter would be born to an Eurusi mother in the hull of his cog. Even worse was the fact that her birth was relatively unknown until they berthed, three years later. As a result, there were whispers about her legitimacy and whether or not this woman who had died at sea was actually of noble blood at all. Such a thing isn't always easy to shake and throughout her childhood it was a running theme. 'Sila was never one for staying on land, some say it's because she was born at sea while others would point out the never ending similarities between father and daughter. After all she was his favorite daughter and her sister never quite got past that, which formed a rift between them that was too difficult to mend. When she was deemed old enough the Seraceni corsair took up her sword, bow and leathers and took to the sea and no one could blame her for the escape. Only when she had a plethora of new tales to tell or scars to show off did she return to port, the latter being rarer than the former. Still, every noblewoman realizes they have a duty and so she married to satisfy her familial obligations and bore a daughter soon after. Prisila's husband was a terrible drunk and a gambler and often found himself waking up in an alley reeking of cheap wine and rum, so it was no surprise when the man ended up dead in the Murder -- ironic but not unusual. The Iron Guard figured that one out pretty quickly, you can only shirk your debts for so long before someone comes to collect. Whether this incident or the difficulties 'Sila had with staying out of trouble were simply too much she took to the open seas and didn't return for ten years. Her family grieved, friends mourned and even her daughter believed her dead. So it's easy to see why everyone might be so surprised to hear that the prodigal daughter has returned after all those long years. Prisila arrived in time it seemed or her father hung on all those years for his cherished daughter to return before he died. Some might see this to be a blessing but still she reels from the startling deathbed confession of her mother, an impossibly beautiful woman who was not quite as dead as she had always believed. + |
| Prism Prismatics + | The birth, death, and rebirth of a Seraph near as old as the First Choice himself is a story far too long to tell in one night's sitting, but if Skald is the First Choice, Prism has always been his Best Choice. + |
| Prospero Fidante + | When you're not in the direct line of inheritance for your noble family, you have one real choice to make in life: be a loyal supporter of the status quo, or let it all ride on the gamble that you can remove your rivals and live long enough to enjoy the spoils. Prospero chose the former over the latter. He was, simply put, too firmly placed in the cadet branch at the time to see removing the impediments to be feasible. Leonella Fidante's younger brother, Giacomo, was Prospero's grandfather (though his journal entries ended abruptly after he stumbled into the river on a night of debauchery on one of his many nights of bastard-making). This left behind three legitimate children - Allegra, Carlotta, and Anselmo. Of these, Prospero at least had the good fortunate to be the eldest of the eldest - his mother being Allegra, bearing Prospero nearly a decade before the man that would become Duke Leo. This fortunate timing of birth, Allegra would say behind closed doors, is what allowed her son to grow up with the good sense and pragmatic attitude he has today rather than getting caught up in the idyllic dreams of romantic love and honorable chivalry that the Duke has become known for. Prospero took up the mantle of protector for his house, supporting it not through being a champion of arms or a military genius; not by being a hero worthy of stories or even a knight with tales of battle to woo maidens. Rather, Prospero took the same sharp mind and quick tongue that so often got him beaten by other noble lads his age and turned it towards a study of the law. He became the foremost legal mind of Fidante and left to defend them on such grounds in the grand city of Arx. There have been no signs that Prospero has anything but the highest regard and esteem for his beloved Duke, but more than a few have noted that he is more akin to the average Lyceum noble than Leo ever was. He is the councilor bringing a pragmatic voice to his liege, and the fixer who has worked tirelessly to keep the Fidante name from being drug through the mud. The war with Lucien only highlighted the needed for strong protectors of the family from inside the family. + |
| Pyotr Federov + | Pyotr + |
Q | |
| Qaali Shav + | Qaali didn't know her parents well. Life as a Shav, and nomadic, means some murky records on heritage. But her dark skin has helped narrow down some interesting possibilities. Her clan had practical ideas on whom should do the child rearing and who should take up sword or bow. In general, it always fell to those with the proper talents to take on the proper responsibilities. Qaali and the group of Shavs she is with have moved into the recently converted Greenmarch lands. She's always been good with a bow, especially when tasked with hunting or defending the group as it traveled. Qaali is also a tad naive. While she's quick on the draw in physical contest, in the social arena, or telling lies from facts, she's not as great. Tending to be drawn to powerful and confident people, she'll most likely fall in line with someone who is powerful, charismatic or confident. She has skills, she just has to find someone willing to pay for them and point her towards a target. + |
| Qadira Crown + | Little is publicly known about the woman called Qadira Thorne, and given her station this bothers very few. Her subtly-exotic coloration paints her as descending from somewhere in Eurus - or the Dune Kingdoms - and this she'll freely admit to any who ask. Likewise, that she has been married and thus assumed an oddly-paired brace of names. She has only been in Arx a short time, already holding several short stints in taverns around the city, where she has exhibited clear skill in cooking, cleaning, and even controlling the rowdier atmospheres - but conversely, a sharp tongue and a headstrong attitude have done nothing to maintain her reputation and keep a job. She is a troublesome creature, though it must be said that she makes excellent sweetbuns, and is a thoroughly competent listener should the proper respect be given. A few have noticed the knotting of old scars upon her shoulders and neck, and also how swiftly Qadira covers them from view. More intriguing still, when between jobs she has been glimpsed flitting almost ghostlike through some of the poorer areas, apparently also purchasing items from apothecaries and paying visits to homes afflicted by sickness. It's uncertain where she has obtained the funding for such things, or how long her coin could possibly last given the short-lived nature of her employment. Other rumors suggest she has been seen around the docks, and outside the walls of the city, conducting meetings with seedy-seeming individuals. The general opinion is that she can't be trusted; even as a not-so-humble barmaid, she has been known to 'appear' at a table and shock men into choking on their drinks. Despite her shady dealings, or perhaps because of them, Qadira is known to keep to herself, and has few friends - if any. Certainly in her first few months in the city, her companionship has been irregular and unpredictable. She spends more time with strays in alleyways than she does other people. Whatever darkness lies in her past can be of little consequence, truly; she's certainly lowborn, likely a bastard, and far from wealthy. Just a little better-endowed than a perpetually-unemployed tavern-tender should be. + |
| Quenia Igniseri + | The third child of Emilisia Igniseri and the first daughter, she was born shortly after her father, the Count, died; not subject to bastardy, since her mother was pregnant when he died, but still in that window of time where there was no father to celebrate her. The Countess of the March found it vastly frustrating to have another child at this time, and the pressures of having three very young children were more or less shunted onto her staff while she focused on ruling. Emilisia's sister had a child at roughly the same time, so Quenia went and stayed with her cousin and, both wetnursed and nannied in the lesser house, was more or less forgotten at home until she returned beneath her mother's wing when she was six years old. Her new half-sister Iovita was born, and Quenia regarded the baby as an object of curious interest more than as a family member; she felt closer to her cousins, even as she grew older and was trained with the boys. When she was ten and the twins were thirteen, their stepfather died suddenly, and supposedly it was her mother's fault somehow, which Quenia didn't really believe. But during the uproar over this, the twins were suddenly fostered with Duke Rubino's household. Quenia and Iovita were sent to foster with Duke Zaffria's household. Quenia spent her teen years watching young Iovita make a mess in the ducal garden and watching young Sylvie grow and flower. It was easy to see which of these sister figures it made more sense to attach herself to. Quenia followed Sylvie more or less like a duckling. When her mother's third husband died, Quenia gravely advised her not to marry again, and stayed as her support and assistant in Granato while the twins went to Arx. Her mother abdicated, but still served as castellan for Castle Granato, working in a quiet retirement. Quenia served as her brother's agent in the Lyceum proper, keeping track of all the rumor and scandal and gossip happening at home for him. + |
| Quinley Blackshore + | Born the eldest of four daughters to Lord Augustine Blackshore and Lady Priyan Ashghar, Quinley quickly became the protector to her sisters. For many in the Mourning Isles censured the young lord for marrying an exiled Eurusi noblewoman who had fled her homeland. Of course a distant cousin to the current Baron Blackshore, there was little to dispute of a unlanded lord who chose to marry without advantage. Being financially cut off from the family for his indiscretion, this small unit learned to make do with less. Luckily, his choices didn't cause the Blackshore family to abandon him all together. However, many of the cousins would be quick to remind Quinley and her sisters that they were poorer relations. Quinley grew cynical of society's expectations, choosing to follow her own passions at a young age. She pushed against barriers in her teen years to learn the sword and sail despite many urging her to take more traditional roles in law or diplomacy. Not having a son, Augustine chose to impart his own naval expertise on his eldest, placing emphasis on precision and excellence. She drilled harder and longer than any of her peers, knowing that any weakness would be a slur towards her gender. While she did study a few courses on law, it was more out of a sense of justice. She had no interest in sitting in the courtroom. Finding commissions on a ship wasn't easy within Thrax, but Quinley's persistence paid off when an old family friend within the Thrax navy took her under his wing. She worked hard to earn her ranks, making sure those family bonds didn't outweigh her own worth and over time her ruthlessness gained her notice. She would visit Maelstrom from time to time to see her family, even sending coin home to help with their expenses. While she never had the funds to gain her own ship, her actions made her valuable enough to overlook the flaws of birth. Even though it had been more than a decade since she had stepped foot on Blackshore soil, it was a shock to hear of her heritage coming to destruction. The second blow was her father's stroke, leaving behind a grieving widow and three daughters. His death ended the Thrax arrangement with their family. Quinley could no longer ignore her obligations and once she collected them from Maelstrom, she set off to Arx to meet the new baroness. Quinley impressed her with her fine military skills and quickly convinced her to join her ministers, focusing on Productivity. Never one to be idle, she took additional duties with the Iron Guard, seeing the need for justice for those that had less in the city. + |
| Quintin Ashford + | Despite being the only child Quintin somehow managed to be a kid brother tagalong, always getting underfoot. He accomplished this by pestering his cousins, whom he admired greatly, for stories. As a child, he had a wooden sword that he took everywhere, even to bed, and dreamed of becoming a master swordsman - House Sword, in fact. Stories of battles were his bread and butter, and he was always interested in tales of trickier swordsmen who used their brains to gain advantage over their opponents. It turned out he had a head for tactics and strategy, and one of the few things that could get him to sit still were strategy games. Otherwise always moving, Quintin had a habit of poking about and climbing around places he really shouldn't; a trip to one of Ashford's manned watch stations up in the trees resulted in a tumble when climbing and a very hard landing. He broke his leg. Badly. And then he was bedridden for a time, a young, restless boy just barely into his teenage years. He thought he would die of boredom. It slowed him down a lot, but in some ways, it was a blessing. It meant he finally spent enough time in one spot to pay more attention to lessons and reading, to the delight of his rather scholarly father. It turned out he had to be a captive audience to become interested in practical things like economics and diplomacy. A scholarly acquaintance snuck him some tales of adventure, which he eagerly read, and soon enough, he was devouring the written word. He maintained this love of reading even after he recovered; he also gained a new understanding of the importance of a bit of caution. Just a bit. He's still happy to climb just about anything. When he was seventeen or so, his interest in tactics and swordsmanship abruptly declined. He still enjoyed swordplay, but only with the aim of sparring. It seemed his interest in becoming House Sword had also waned; he turned more toward scholarly pursuits, becoming interested in history. History was a series of adventures, he thought, and he wanted to know about those adventures, about the people involved in them. And so he neglected his familial duties for a time, opting to travel down south instead, poking about ruins and exploring. As of late Autumn 1010 AR, he returned to the fold and took up residence with the rest of his family in Arx. + |
| Quirin Navegant + | Quirin has ruled his holdings for longer than many other current nobles have been alive. His boisterous youth has long since given way to a determined, prolonged, pragmatic adulthood in which his family's fortunes have only benefitted from his steady leadership. His measured responses have ensured that discipline has been applied when and where necessary to quell further uprisings, neither more nor less. In this way, his power and influence have lingered but not spread, since his glory in battle has been curtailed wherever it was unneeded. He and his wife have been blessed with a throng of children, though his eldest son died some years ago, leaving two small children as heirs. Though Quirin knows his officers and his people would never revolt against him, it is of some concern to him what might happen to his first grandchildren should he die before they come to something passing for maturity. Thus, they live with him in Arx, away from the potential plotting of their uncles. Quirin loves his family but hardly expects them to be angels. + |
R | |
| Radhilde Acheron + | House Cliffmore was a barony of little consequence once sworn to House Aviaron and its later incarnation, House Acheron. They could trace their family lineage back not to some neonoble clan bending the knee, rather the daughter of a proud Northern Duchess proven worthy by deeds and gifted lands for her sacrifices to family and Compact. Winters are harsh in the mountains. With already treacherous passes blanketed by snow, it's easy to fall out of contact for weeks or months on end. House Cliffmore built much of their wealth by policing the trappers and furriers operating in their territories, but this meant frequent skirmishes with ambitious Shavs at times when allies were not always close at hand. In the interim period between Prince Ettore setting the rule Aviaron's Peak aside and Marquessa Rhea picking it up, during which House Cliffmore was without a direct liege, the systems in place that might have protected them were allowed to go lax. Their cliffside stronghold was overrun by a band of Abandoned warriors. The singular tomb of both warring groups was sealed by sound of their own steel, which prompted a series of terrible avalanches each more brutal than the last. Their distress beacons were never seen. When the snows were finally cleared away and help arrived, rescuers were met with the vision of a winter siren. They identified her as the Baroness's youngest daughter, Lady Radhilde. First accounts say she was dressed in fine fur-lined silks and icey jewels, with her hair loose about her shoulders. Had it not been for the grime caked beneath her nails, she might have been ready to present at court that very afternoon. With the perpetrators having expired along with any opportunity for justice, the Marquessa needed to improve the situation's optics. She elected to adopt the girl, naming her a beloved little sister and opening the doors of the Glacial Fortress to her. Of course, the two never actually met. Aviaron's Peak is impossibly far from Arx. Don't look at that map! It doesn't account for inclines! + |
| Radhilde Tyde + | House Cliffmore was a barony of little consequence once sworn to House Aviaron and its later incarnation, House Acheron. They could trace their family lineage back not to some neonoble clan bending the knee, rather the daughter of a proud Northern Duchess proven worthy by deeds and gifted lands for her sacrifices to family and Compact. Winters are harsh in the mountains. With already treacherous passes blanketed by snow, it's easy to fall out of contact for weeks or months on end. House Cliffmore built much of their wealth by policing the trappers and furriers operating in their territories, but this meant frequent skirmishes with ambitious Shavs at times when allies were not always close at hand. In the interim period between Prince Ettore setting the rule Aviaron's Peak aside and Marquessa Rhea picking it up, during which House Cliffmore was without a direct liege, the systems in place that might have protected them were allowed to go lax. Their cliffside stronghold was overrun by a band of Abandoned warriors. The singular tomb of both warring groups was sealed by sound of their own steel, which prompted a series of terrible avalanches each more brutal than the last. Their distress beacons were never seen. When the snows were finally cleared away and help arrived, rescuers were met with the vision of a winter siren. They identified her as the Baroness's youngest daughter, Lady Radhilde. First accounts say she was dressed in fine fur-lined silks and icey jewels, with her hair loose about her shoulders. Had it not been for the grime caked beneath her nails, she might have been ready to present at court that very afternoon. With the perpetrators having expired along with any opportunity for justice, the Marquessa needed to improve the situation's optics. She elected to adopt the girl, naming her a beloved little sister and opening the doors of the Glacial Fortress to her. Of course, the two never actually met. Aviaron's Peak is impossibly far from Arx. Don't look at that map! It doesn't account for inclines! + |
| Raemond Dredcall + | Spending much of his youth as the runt of the family, Raemond was bullied as a child well into his adolescence. Despite the opposition, he trained with his cousins and pushed as hard and harder than they, striving to rise above them in any way he could. As he grew and time blessed him with a frame to match his ambitions, Raemond wasn't above crushing those that sought to hold him down, and he grew with an especial dislike of oppression. An excellent swordsman and an experienced sailor, Raemond has used his tactical mind for his people on more than one occassion, and was never above brutal tactics to see the job done. There is nothing too under-handed that couldn't be used as an advantage, and in his career as a soldier he's proved how true this is again and again. + |
| Rafael Bisland + | Healer to the Crownlands elite, Rafael's reputation for quality care often precedes him. Unfortunately, so does knowledge of his great lacking when it comes to matters paternal. A noblewoman and warrior of rank, Rafael's wife bravely fell during the Battle of Pridehall and left him to see to the upbringing of their young children. This mostly translated into governesses, various tutors of repute, and the affection of family members better equipped than he, creating the type of cavernous distance that Rafael still works to mend now that they begin to reach adulthood. While serving in his capacity as a Mercy, Rafael was accompanying an incapacitated nobleman along the newly minted Great Road to Arx when their traveling party was attacked. Made overly confident by the vocal dissents of House Grayreeve at the time, assailants surrounded them and their protectors. There was a scuffle before the assailants fled, leaving Rafael with injuries of his own that saw any return to Pridehall delayed. By Rafael's own account, he made the terrible mistake of appearing at all useful during his stay and was consequently asked to remain in Arx by House Bisland's leadership. + |
| Raffe Fahenir + | Raffe is the son of two late lowly nobles; he is the last connection of his lineage, thus the last bastion of his name, after both parents were killed in a mysterious assassination. He has come to Arx to try and further the status of his family - and survive. + |
| Raigner Redrain + | Born to the cold of the frozen north, Raigner began his life of one of the most very base and simple ones. His father was a commoner, having never risen up in his area of the world more than needed to sustain the lowest requirements life could offer to keep a family. Raigner took to a life of manual labor just as his father did, practicing his ability to live off the land, sew, hunt and eventually learned woodworking. This was found to be his stride, and he began working in carpentry to some success, getting a low level of recognition and affiliation with the family Redrain for his skills in architectural departments, and for his get-it-done mentality. This progressed soon into ship building, and he learned a fair bit on how to operate on the sea, as well as how to hold his own against the unkempt kind often found travelling the water with an aged, trusted axe. + |
| Raimon Thrax + | Raimon Fidante had a fairly typical childhood. He was often in the shadow of his brother and Cousins growing up, which suited him just fine. He was a quiet child, serious even at a young age. Despite often overlooked he was always close to his brother. It was said the only think he loved more was fighting. As soon as he was old enough he trained in the Fidante yards, preparing himself should the need be called on to defend against invading Oathlanders. An opportunity that he dearly hoped for. He served his family with distinction, a ferocious warrior on the field of battle. He took to the field in both the Silent War and the Gyre War. When his brother died he was despondent for a few days before reporting back to the training grounds once his mourning was done. It seemed he was set to train and to fight until the end of his days. Politics seemed to have other ideas. If he had any complaint about his betrothal to Princess Vega Thrax, he gave no inclinations of it. He faced down his new wife and the wedding with as much stoic determination as he faced anything else. Now he serves House Thrax and awaits the chance to be unleashed on their enemies. + |
| Rainier Ashford + | Growing up all Rainier Ashford ever wanted was to become a soldier; his father, Benedict saw it in him, and noticed the boy had the early signs of athleticism and single-mindedness to perhaps be a good one at it so he encouraged the notion. Many of his young years were spent with a wooden blade in hand swinging at trees imagining battle-borne glory and honor untold. Benedict was no wealthy man but he cared for his family a great deal, so what coin he had to spare went to hiring mercenaries to teach his son first the rudimentary and then increasingly advanced lessons - trees don't fight back, he reasoned, and his loss would have been greater than any sum of money. One of those tutors, a strange, wiry looking fellow few would have picked as a sword instructor was a great influence in the teenager's life, combining blade forms with words of poetry and introspection, a binding of the philosophical and the martial; if life is to be taken, he reasoned, must we not examine why? Rainier joined the army when he came of age and he was both advanced and disciplined enough to advance up the ranks; he made a name of himself and was chosen to be one of the elite who took up arms in the King's Own, where he had long dreamt of belonging - but also where he first started losing track of why, exactly, he was there to begin with. The spilling of blood never came easily to the young man but raids and duty both made demands of him, sometimes against his judgment or conscience; but soldiers obey, and he rode where he was told to ride. It wasn't long though before his life was bound to change again. King Alaric Grayson IV was pretty young, though not particularly trained as a soldier, he wanted to join Grayson forces doing sweeps against raiding shavs at the reaches of Crownlands territory, even though the King's Own was a little horrified at him being placed in danger. During that time Rainier, as a senior member at that point, saw action after action in fights against Abandoned forces that weren't merely barbarians with the lust of battle in their eyes but really just tribes that often were merely territorial. Many unnecessary battles were fought and the sheer waste of combat that just more careful negotiations could have taken care of. Perhaps the needless bloodshed was too much for Rainier whose father's influence combined with the man's own achievements were enough for the rare event of someone taking a leave of absence from the elite band, putting their banners aside in order to return once more to a family he had left behind. He rejoined House Ashford for a time, then just as he seemed to be settling back into civilian life he suddenly vanished, reportedly without given an explanation to his own kin. When he returned, months later, the only explanation he provided was 'being north' for that period. Whatever happened in the interim must have had some kind of impact on the man, however, since he immediately reached out to the Hundred and rejoined the King's Own as a Knight once more. + |
| Raisa Crown + | Raisa grew up without the hope of freedom, and without memory of it as she was too young to remember much of her life before her parents were taken by Thraxian Reavers. Their debts were claimed by House Grimhall and the family was split up. She has no idea what's become of them and if she misses them, she's never told a soul. At first, she served as a house servant but as she grew older, Eugene Grimhall took notice of her and she found herself almost solely in his service as a messenger and guard of a sort. He was not a kind man in the slightest, though she knew when to bite her tongue - so the worst of his wrath was avoided. The two of them made a hell of a team, they found out, as then Lord Eugene began to fall victim to the siren's song of his vices: gambling, drinking, and poor decision making. Maybe they employed a few less than honest tactics - she would remain sober and count cards or have a glimpse at others' hands while he drank and attempted not to rack up debts - and that quickly came back to bite them. They were caught counting cards during a particularly successful night and to make amends without making a scene, he gave Raisa over to the casino to pay off their debt. The casino used her for a number of years allowing her at first to only wait tables, then gradually she became another pair of eyes on the floor. Eventually, she found herself running games. Since the casino was on a ship, she got to travel, never in one place for too long and got to see many places. She was one of the lucky thralls if there was ever such a thing - she had it good compared to most. Better than what she had under Eugene's thumb that's for sure. A few years passed when a unique opportunity came up for her to win her freedom and as luck (or keen eyesight) would have it, she managed to win herself outta there. Three years later and she's resurfaced in Arx mysteriously missing an eye, and has begun to find her footing and restart her life. Even more recently, she's gotten a job at Crossroads Casino running games as a croupier. + |
| Raja Culler + | My earliest memory was aboard a ship. I remember lightning. I remember waves crashing over the deck. I remember people screaming and running back and forth as orders were barked. I remember a wave catching me and thrusting me against the mast. It all went dark after that. When I woke, I was here in this city. I don't remember how I got here. I don't even remember where I am from. What I do know is that someone took the time to make sure I was alive. Then, I was left in the tavern with a hot bowl of soup, never to see or hear from anyone of that voyage again. It seems to me that noone likes to have a dead kid. Everyone wants to save the children. Yet, noone wants to take care of one. As a result, I simply became one of the forgotten. I lived on the streets, forced to steal so I could eat. I got caught many times and took my beatings. I would retreat to the dark corners to nurse my bruises. It strengthened me. I became better. I became bitter. I grew older and I grew stronger. The people that tried to pick at me stopped as I showed them I was a force to be reckoned with. I stopped caring. Noone else cared, why should I? I made my way into the Culler family. I am not blood kin to them, but it sure beats being alone. It gives me a warm bed and food and in return, I will fight off anyone who dares to look sideways at them. + |
| Raknorauth Frost + | %T Raknorauth was born in the furthest north, deep within the Everwinter Wood where the souls of men are rarely welcome. In such climates, men have no time for foolishness or flights of fancy, for every hour wasted brings a lazy soul three steps closer to death. But even in such an environment, curiosity can bloom. It is said, mostly by himself, that the first word he spoke as a babe was 'Why', and in the years since, his innate curiosity has only grown. %T Though he warred and clashed with other tribes, worked hard to survive every Deep Freeze, and strove not to disappoint his tribe, Raknorauth could never quite rid himself of his constant need to understand things. So, at the conclusion of his 26th Deep Freeze, he packed up his few belongings, called to his dog, and set off south to find the answers to his questions. Many among his people called him a traitor, others a fool. he was forbidden ever to return. But still he left, convinced that if he were ever to learn what the world was, and why, he would have to look elsewhere. %T For three long, dangerous years he traveled through the Shav lands. Often he came close to death, many a night he spent cold and hungry. But eventually he made it. And after a brief adventure and short brush with death, bent the knee to House Redrain and the Crown, swearing to abide the laws of the pact in exchange for acceptance into this new and exciting culture. + |
| Ralina Ravensdale + | Ralina was born into a small family in one of the capital's worst neighborhoods. Daughter of Krista and Alin Ravensdale, parents with dreams too big. Ralina was a happy child, laughing and smiling more often than not. The dreams of her parents led them to gradually nose deeper and deeper into the dangerous underbelly of the borough. Her mother wanted money, her father wanted to succeed, to be 'somebody'. Unsurprisingly, Ralina's parents eventually found themselves wading too deep in those treacherous waters. They started playing too many angles, making deals over here and then turning around to do the same somewhere else, knowing they couldn't deliver on both. A couple of angry gangs, one bloody night, and Ralina's family disappeared. The young girl herself only living through the ordeal because she'd scurried under a bed and had been terrified into absolute silence and numbness by the sight of what was happening. That same night, her father's two brothers met similar fates, simply on the suspicion that they'd been involved in the scamming, leaving her with no family. Scarred by the sight of her parents being killed, the girl spent the next period of her life living on the streets, snatching bits of bread and other food here and there or picking pockets when possible, sleeping where ever she could. The earth shattering shift in the girl's life was reflected in her personality, the cheery child turned to a dour, withdrawn teen. One night, well into her newfound life of pickpocketing and scavenging, Ralina was watching a troupe of actors perform a skit inside a rowdy tavern. The play was a tragedy, with one lover dying, the other reciting a morbid pit of poetry about death and depression and loneliness before proceeding to commit suicide. The poem stuck in Ralina's mind, and she found herself repeating it aloud a few times. She approached the troupe and managed to get taken on as a sort of errand runner, in exchange for meals and reading and writing lessons. An adult now, Ralina seems to have embraced the theme of that poem, all the way down to the very core of her soul itself, and manages to eke out her living with her own morbid, depressing pieces that aren't particularly good, as well as with some other performing tricks. + |
| Ralston Honor + | The illegitimate son of an extremely minor baron sworn to House Valardin, Sir Ralston rarely discusses his past beyond that, save that he was raised among the commoner household servants of his lord father until he could become a page and then a squire to his trueborn elder half-brother. Eventually he won his knighthood on the field of battle against Shav tribes that threatened his father's lands, but nonetheless was turned out of his father's household when friction with his half-brother became great. Connections however tenuous with nobility still helped him earn a position as an officer within the Iron Guard, and now he serves to keep the peace inside Arx. + |
| Ramiro Whyne + | Ramiro Whyne is the 4th generation to work with the Fidante family. They're a rather well established winery and with the expansion of the popularity of their wine, are looking to open a shop soon. Ramiro's father had been an established taste tester for the Fidante family, but due to rising demands of the vineyards, had stepped down from the position. Now that Ramiro is 20, he's been able to step up into that position. Like most trusted commoners, Ramiro knows very much how to keep quiet and not cause trouble for the family he works for. + |
| Ramona Malespero + | Born the daughter of Leticia Pravus and - well, that's complicated. It seems Ramona was meant to be the third daughter of Leticia and Raphael (along with Vivana Pravus and Lianne Malespero), but somewhere along the way the truth slipped out. Ramona was not Raphaels child. She was the daughter of a commoner, the result of an illicit affair. And while those closest to Leticia were aware of the scandal, the news never drifted out of the Pravus household. Instead, what was made known publicly, was an unfortunate miscarriage and the wholly unrelated arrival of a distant cousin, who Leticia would be raising. This, surely, was the result of a compromise between mother and not-father. And so Leticia's life was a confusing one. She was raised more as a household servant than a Pravus. She was, on and off, loved and reviled by both her "aunt" Leticia and "uncle" Raphael. It was confusing, being part of the family, but not. Being an outsider on the inside. Existing in that liminal state, neither here nor there. When she finally turned ten, she was packed up and shipped off to the Oathlands, where she would study the Faith. She'd miss her "cousins", but she was finally given a clear place to exist, and that was a great relief. For the past eight years, she's studied with the priests and Godsworn in the Oathlands. While she was decidedly intelligent, and she could recite all the necessary texts, she never cared for the "mythology" of the Faith. She was far more focused on the practical application of Vellichor's knowledge, Petrichor's lessons in agriculture, Mangata's ship-building... you get the idea. Finally, now, after completing her education and swearing her oaths, she's been sent to Arx to find her "cousins". + |
| Rand Pirran + | In the relatively recent past, Rand would occasionally talk of his prosaic upbringing as the son of a miller. While growing up, he showed unusual skill in the popular, rough and tumble boyhood games aping combat. He would dominate the mock fights with sticks, standing unchallenged right up to the point when he became aware that others were watching, whether with amusement or true interest. Then he would either wander away to more solitary pursuits, or participate in a greatly less effective and enthusiastic manner. His mother would tell him, "No one is watching you in particular. Don't worry about it." His father would tell him, "Of course they're watching. Be your best and revel in it." I suppose no one really knows which parent he believed more. In any case, neither were particularly thrilled when, as a young man, he chose to become a Godsworn Templar. He, himself, was heedless of the risks that paralyzed them and continued onto a path that soon saw him ensconced in Arx itself. Having survived the Siege of Arx, Rand traveled back to check on his parents with a comrade from nearby lands. The night they arrived was the night that Rand's parents and his comrade all died. Some have said that things might have turned out the same for his parents even if the two Templars had not arrived at that time, but Rand thinks differently. He believes that the people he fought and killed that night, the same night his parents were killed and all their possessions put to the torch, were mad cultists who would not have attacked in his absence. Perhaps it's even true. What is certain is that Rand's journey had to be changed to include burying three bodies. And he doesn't talk much about the past anymore. + |
| Rane Keaton + | A second cousin to Kael Keaton, Rane has ever been focused on his family and fealty. As a young boy, he fought with wooden weapons among friends for fun and instructors for practice. There was only ever a singular focus driven into him by family and instructors: duty. Duty to the Oathlands, his family, and those unable to defend themselves. Idealistic were the teachings to the point that there was room for little else but perfection in training and pure obedience to the tenets of Gloria. Rane married a lovely young woman at the age of eighteen, Lilliana. She carried their first born when a band of shavs captured them in the night and assassinated her in front of him. It was only by luck that the knife found in his own chest did not kill him. Some would call that good luck. For many years, it was the darkest thought in the Keaton's mind. He courted death for some time afterwards, longing for an end to his torment. But it's only recently that someone else had come into his life to lift that grim veil from his eyes. + |
| Rane Moore + | A second cousin to Kael Keaton, Rane has ever been focused on his family and fealty. As a young boy, he fought with wooden weapons among friends for fun and instructors for practice. There was only ever a singular focus driven into him by family and instructors: duty. Duty to the Oathlands, his family, and those unable to defend themselves. Idealistic were the teachings to the point that there was room for little else but perfection in training and pure obedience to the tenets of Gloria. Rane married a lovely young woman at the age of eighteen, Lilliana. She carried their first born when a band of shavs captured them in the night and assassinated her in front of him. It was only by luck that the knife found in his own chest did not kill him. Some would call that good luck. For many years, it was the darkest thought in the Keaton's mind. He courted death for some time afterwards, longing for an end to his torment. But it's only recently that someone else had come into his life to lift that grim veil from his eyes. + |
| Ranver Blacktree + | To those in the Compact, Ranver's story is the stuff of whispered half-truths, suppositions, and legend. He first appeared within the walls of Bastion when it fell, managing to occupy what the Graysons failed to protect. For months the Blacktree forces survived right under the nose of the Horned God's intruders. Surprisingly, he left the city with his troops after the Reclamation of Bastion, where soldiers on the field claim he rode with his people on the side of the Compact, assisting in expelling evil from the city and returning it to the hands of the Graysons. Nothing is known of his life before and after. + |
| Raphael Mercier + | Raphael is the only Mercier who can rightfully claim to have noble blood flowing in his veins. His mother is Martha Mercier, the younger sister of the previous Head of Household, and his father was the licentious Marquis Alfonso Argento. His parents had a tumultuous off-and-on romance throughout their adult years and he was the result when their carelessness got the better of them. It came to an end when his mother chose to finally settle down and married someone closer to her own social station, and his stepfather and half-sisters were the family he grew up to know and love. That aside, his childhood was fairly ordinary, with no major blessing or catastrophe. He lived his life a Mercier child within the merchant district of Bastion, in anticipation of growing up so he could affect the dull backdrop upon which his mundane life was painted and make his own addition to the family legacy. He was tutored by the lovely Whispers of the House of Whispers and cultivated a taste for fine clothes and jewelry. He discovered he was terrible with numbers, and didn't have much interest in economics as a result, but proved to be skilled with the written word and was an impressive orator. As a teenager he would write essays and submit them to the library, and impressed the commoners with eloquent speeches at the town square. These interests and his passion eventually led him into the world of law, and as an adult he became a defense attorney who worked on the behalf of the poor who were often ill-equipped to defend themselves in court. To supplement his income he hired himself out as a private investigator for all those looking for answers, common and noble alike. It made him a useful information broker and cemented his place in many social circles. He has recently moved his operation to Arx, sensing he could do more good there and intending to spread his influence, and left behind a small but flourishing law firm in Bastion. + |
| Ras Unknown + | Ras was abandoned as an infant on the stairs of the orphanage as a child, and grew up in the Tragedy. He was often bullied, but that didn't dull him, and at times he flew into rages at his tormentors. Eventually they left him alone, but he fostered a deep-seated resentment of anyone telling him what to do ever since. When he became old enough, he ran away and lived on the streets as much as he could, stealing food or eating from the garbage, but never begging. + |
| Rasteon Masque + | Born the sole fatherless child of the tribe's most skillful tailor, Rasteon faced many trials as a youth. Having no Father willing to step forth and claim him, he was never granted his second name, and thus doomed to live forever with some small amount of shame. But even worse, as the only child in the tribe with dark hair and eyes, and with no men sporting either trait, he was further ostracized for being the clear result of demonic tampering. Called a demon spawn and a child of ill fates, he was forbidden to play with the other boys, refused all work and activities, and shunned in all communal gatherings. For the first 10 years of his life, the only person willing to show him any kindness was his mother. At the age of ten, Rasteon's mother took ill and died. This would have left him completely alone and without allies, had not the tribe's leader stepped in to adopt the boy. Seeing a great rage growing within him, the chief chose to harness that hate, rather than allowing it to fester. For long years he encouraged the boy in the ways of violence, teaching him patience and cunning, instilling him with discipline and providing him the tools to control his wrath. Wanting to keep him close, he assigned the growing teen the position of bodyguard to himself and his household. For 19 long years Rasteon has been the personal bodyguard for the Volkov family. He has watched Ruslan Volkov grow from an infant to manhood. he was there for the birth of each younger sibling. To the Volkov children he has been a quiet, protective presence ever vigilant and dependable. To the people, however, he is a much different beast. Thought of as the violent attack dog of the chief, he has been responsible for the bloody end of three separate coups, and thwarted no fewer than 13 known attempts at assassination. When he is released upon the public it is never a good thing, and his presence alone is now capable of discouraging all but the most desperate of attempts on the Marquis's life, at least when plotted by those who know the cost. + |
| Rastifer Redrain + | Despite being of the illustrious Redrain family, Rasifer grew up far from politics. From a young age he was trained in the arts of sailing and swordsmanship and at first opportunity he went off to sea to explore the world as his ever growing curiosity pulled him further and further from home. Fully expecting to be disowned by his family at the abandonment of his duties, he was happily surprised to find that though he had been removed from the line of succession he maintained his title and position in the family upon his return many years later. + |
| Ravana Stellaris + | It is exceedingly unlikely that any two of Ravana's companions would ever have the same story as to the wild woman's past, as Ravana is famously fond of making up ever more absurd anecdotes for her past adventures on the spot. Her many friends and even more numerous enemies have always been interested in just where the charming and treacherous pirate came from, even if few are unwise enough to call her a pirate to her face. Most generally agree that the story about being an illegitimate daughter of King Alaric Grayson III is assuredly false, as is the one about being the niece of the Gyre, or the one about being second-cousin thrice removed of the Grand Vizier of Suj'abbat. None of those quite line up with the more well known past of being a street-rat surviving alone in the slums of Setarco during her very early youth. Her stories about being from an Abandoned clan able to work high sorcery and living in a magical, sealed off fortress only to be kidnapped by pirates as a toddler is laughed off, and the most common and likely explanation was she was one of the orphans from the bloody Tor-Southport war, but none can say for sure. It is more generally accepted that after a hardscrabble youth on the streets of Setarco, she somehow managed to be admitted to the famed courtier house of the Suspires in the Silken City, developing an intensely competitive friendship with Mirari Corsetina, with Ravana still taking intense pride in her past triumphs and glossing over previous mishaps. While Mirari accepted a contract with House Pravus, Ravana Stellaris found her talents in demand with the port city of Luciva, a then infamous pirate stronghold at the south of Setara. While she found great success advising the many wealthy pirates there, the cunning blonde had no intention of doing so forever. It took no more than a few short years for Ravana to have gone from courtier to pirate, commandeering her own ship and having climbed the hierarchy of the city through deception, salacious intrigues, and more than a little talented swordplay. It's unclear how much of the gossip around her rise are true, and quite a few may have even been seeded by Ravana herself (though she does claim that the rumor about her literally stabbing her patron and romantic partner in the back is just malicious slander and/or if it was true that they really had it coming). It's unclear exactly how she survived the fall of the Port of Luciva to House Pravus, and most assume she was away from the city, and her claims about defeating in battle the fearsome Captain Nuncio the Ravager of Luciva in single combat before throwing open the gates of Luciva to House Pravus are... dubious. It is known that not long after the Battle of Pieros, the dangerous woman has been seen with the Corsetina family, now representing their interests. Her claims to being a simple reformed sailor are widely seen as a little unlikely. + |
| Raven + | Setarco is famed for its silken brutality as much as for its wines and courtiers. Dozens of souls vanish in dangerous alleys and strong tides to never be seen again every day, and while the city spares no one from its insidious cycles, children are more helpless than most. A homeless child in Setarco has two options: growing up fast, or giving up their fates to the Silken City. Raven made her decision early. Throughout her childhood Raven was forced to develop to survive Setarco's lower boroughs. She avoided other children so she could also go unnoticed by those who would prey on them, making no friends growing up. Before she was a woman Raven was already a damaged mess, violent and mistrusting, her life in a collision course to a shockingly violent end if not for one of the worst ideas she had ever had. By the age of fourteen Raven had crossed just about every crime syndicate in Setarco, and owed them blood debts she had no intention to pay. She had to find a way out of the city, or die, and her escape plan hinged on the upcoming festivals in the name of Piero Pravus. The idea was simple: pick the right visiting noble, sneak into their ship while they were our partying and steal their treasures. That was her ticket out, and it almost worked, too. She found a lonely drunkard to follow for days, one who had fancy clothes and paid for her crew's drunken parties every night of the festival. At the height of the festivities, Raven snuck into the woman's ship and into her cabin to steal whatever she found, but therein was the problem. The prize she found was the Silver Crescent, a stunning masterpiece of Alaricite, but holding it was its very awake wielder, the dreaded Blackheart of Bravura. Details of that night are scarce, but some barbs were exchanged, and legend has it the young woman's prickly nature endeared the Argento woman. The next morning Raven was employed as a crewmate of the Blackwater, and Lunara Argento's new cup bearer. Raven never looked back, and over the years, hating and loving her employer, Blackheart and Raven became close, mother and daughter in everything but blood. Lunara taught Raven how to fight and gamble/cheat, how to win the affections of lovers and most of all about duty and honor. Those lessons would serve her well in the years after the failed Argento coup. The fall of House Argento took its toll on the Blackheart, as Lunara fell terribly ill. When Marcos Argento moved the remnant of the family to Luciva, the Sword of Bravura was already a shadow of her former self, and Raven took up on the responsibilities of protecting the despicable marquis while her mentor rested. Raven stayed with Lunara, aware her mentor's greatest fear would materialize any day then: she would die unmourned on some bed, diseased and weak. The end would come with the Pravus forces invading Luciva. Raven witnessed as the Pravosi swordswoman extended Belladonna' mercy to Lunara, urging the ever-honorable Blackheart to surrender and promising she would be welcomed in Setarco to continue her service as the protector of the last Argento. As Raven knew Lunara would, the captain of the Blackwater respectfully declined the offer, wishing instead the warrior's death against Pravus' best. The Blackheart left this life that very day, fighting like a demon-queen of the waves, drawing her last breath in Raven's arms. For the mercy shown, and the funeral arranged to her mentor, friend and mother, Raven accepted the offer to bend the knee to the duchess of Setarco as Raven the Blackheart of Pravus, joining the House in Arx. + |
| Raven Masque + | Setarco is famed for its silken brutality as much as for its wines and courtiers. Dozens of souls vanish in dangerous alleys and strong tides to never be seen again every day, and while the city spares no one from its insidious cycles, children are more helpless than most. A homeless child in Setarco has two options: growing up fast, or giving up their fates to the Silken City. Raven made her decision early. Throughout her childhood Raven was forced to develop to survive Setarco's lower boroughs. She avoided other children so she could also go unnoticed by those who would prey on them, making no friends growing up. Before she was a woman Raven was already a damaged mess, violent and mistrusting, her life in a collision course to a shockingly violent end if not for one of the worst ideas she had ever had. By the age of fourteen Raven had crossed just about every crime syndicate in Setarco, and owed them blood debts she had no intention to pay. She had to find a way out of the city, or die, and her escape plan hinged on the upcoming festivals in the name of Piero Pravus. The idea was simple: pick the right visiting noble, sneak into their ship while they were our partying and steal their treasures. That was her ticket out, and it almost worked, too. She found a lonely drunkard to follow for days, one who had fancy clothes and paid for her crew's drunken parties every night of the festival. At the height of the festivities, Raven snuck into the woman's ship and into her cabin to steal whatever she found, but therein was the problem. The prize she found was the Silver Crescent, a stunning masterpiece of Alaricite, but holding it was its very awake wielder, the dreaded Blackheart of Bravura. Details of that night are scarce, but some barbs were exchanged, and legend has it the young woman's prickly nature endeared the Argento woman. The next morning Raven was employed as a crewmate of the Blackwater, and Lunara Argento's new cup bearer. Raven never looked back, and over the years, hating and loving her employer, Blackheart and Raven became close, mother and daughter in everything but blood. Lunara taught Raven how to fight and gamble/cheat, how to win the affections of lovers and most of all about duty and honor. Those lessons would serve her well in the years after the failed Argento coup. The fall of House Argento took its toll on the Blackheart, as Lunara fell terribly ill. When Marcos Argento moved the remnant of the family to Luciva, the Sword of Bravura was already a shadow of her former self, and Raven took up on the responsibilities of protecting the despicable marquis while her mentor rested. Raven stayed with Lunara, aware her mentor's greatest fear would materialize any day then: she would die unmourned on some bed, diseased and weak. The end would come with the Pravus forces invading Luciva. Raven witnessed as the Pravosi swordswoman extended Belladonna' mercy to Lunara, urging the ever-honorable Blackheart to surrender and promising she would be welcomed in Setarco to continue her service as the protector of the last Argento. As Raven knew Lunara would, the captain of the Blackwater respectfully declined the offer, wishing instead the warrior's death against Pravus' best. The Blackheart left this life that very day, fighting like a demon-queen of the waves, drawing her last breath in Raven's arms. For the mercy shown, and the funeral arranged to her mentor, friend and mother, Raven accepted the offer to bend the knee to the duchess of Setarco as Raven the Blackheart of Pravus, joining the House in Arx. + |
| Raven Pravi + | Setarco is famed for its silken brutality as much as for its wines and courtiers. Dozens of souls vanish in dangerous alleys and strong tides to never be seen again every day, and while the city spares no one from its insidious cycles, children are more helpless than most. A homeless child in Setarco has two options: growing up fast, or giving up their fates to the Silken City. Raven made her decision early. Throughout her childhood Raven was forced to develop to survive Setarco's lower boroughs. She avoided other children so she could also go unnoticed by those who would prey on them, making no friends growing up. Before she was a woman Raven was already a damaged mess, violent and mistrusting, her life in a collision course to a shockingly violent end if not for one of the worst ideas she had ever had. By the age of fourteen Raven had crossed just about every crime syndicate in Setarco, and owed them blood debts she had no intention to pay. She had to find a way out of the city, or die, and her escape plan hinged on the upcoming festivals in the name of Piero Pravus. The idea was simple: pick the right visiting noble, sneak into their ship while they were our partying and steal their treasures. That was her ticket out, and it almost worked, too. She found a lonely drunkard to follow for days, one who had fancy clothes and paid for her crew's drunken parties every night of the festival. At the height of the festivities, Raven snuck into the woman's ship and into her cabin to steal whatever she found, but therein was the problem. The prize she found was the Silver Crescent, a stunning masterpiece of Alaricite, but holding it was its very awake wielder, the dreaded Blackheart of Bravura. Details of that night are scarce, but some barbs were exchanged, and legend has it the young woman's prickly nature endeared the Argento woman. The next morning Raven was employed as a crewmate of the Blackwater, and Lunara Argento's new cup bearer. Raven never looked back, and over the years, hating and loving her employer, Blackheart and Raven became close, mother and daughter in everything but blood. Lunara taught Raven how to fight and gamble/cheat, how to win the affections of lovers and most of all about duty and honor. Those lessons would serve her well in the years after the failed Argento coup. The fall of House Argento took its toll on the Blackheart, as Lunara fell terribly ill. When Marcos Argento moved the remnant of the family to Luciva, the Sword of Bravura was already a shadow of her former self, and Raven took up on the responsibilities of protecting the despicable marquis while her mentor rested. Raven stayed with Lunara, aware her mentor's greatest fear would materialize any day then: she would die unmourned on some bed, diseased and weak. The end would come with the Pravus forces invading Luciva. Raven witnessed as the Pravosi swordswoman extended Belladonna' mercy to Lunara, urging the ever-honorable Blackheart to surrender and promising she would be welcomed in Setarco to continue her service as the protector of the last Argento. As Raven knew Lunara would, the captain of the Blackwater respectfully declined the offer, wishing instead the warrior's death against Pravus' best. The Blackheart left this life that very day, fighting like a demon-queen of the waves, drawing her last breath in Raven's arms. For the mercy shown, and the funeral arranged to her mentor, friend and mother, Raven accepted the offer to bend the knee to the duchess of Setarco as Raven the Blackheart of Pravus, joining the House in Arx. + |
| Ravn Aztikar + | Ravn Aztikar is from the Lyceum. Atleast that's where his parents were from. His father is an eminent professor and he received a very good education. He's primarily a scholar and he is also quite interested in history. In his free time, he attends the apothecary college, his reason being that he likes dabbling in the chemical arts. Other topics of interest include military tactics which ties in well with his interest in all things historical. + |
| Ravna Culler + | No one really knows where he comes from, just that The Cullers found him one day, a baby boy playing in the mud -- with a single gold coin. He wasn't in danger, wasn't sick, and no one was looking for him. One day, in the mud and sewage and crime-ridden streets...The Cullers adopted a Luckchild. Which sounds far too generous, because his childhood wasn't filled with just luck. Trouble-Maker, is what he was, from climbing where he shouldn't be, taking money in games from boys who were thrice his size -- and somehow always managing to find his own brothers first. Witty. Lucky. Ravna had a talent for Trouble. Always did. The guards hated it, and the Family laughed about them hating it enough to not hate him for it...until that Luck caught him the first time -- a fight turned into a brawl turned into a small riot, and it ended up with a girl being stabbed...his adoptive father, Ajus, struck his back so bad with a belt it has left permanent scars. To make matters worse, it was the first time Ravna was sent to prison, and for a year he grew there...until a cousin who knew a guy who had a guard's gambling debt cleared -- set him free. The trouble came back, without falter, for years. Mischief and mayhem. Learning how to fight with sticks as boys, turned into learning how to kill with spears, and other polearms. Learning how to slice a man open from cock-to-chin and stabbing his friend in the throat! One battle with a Sellsword company, 'The Greybacks', turned into six. Six turned into eight. Eight turned into -- well, dice came into his life, and dice left. Wine. Women. Once more, Home in the slop called to him...and once more, just a night returned...and Ravna was back in prison. One year turned to three. Three turned into an execution...and then some dolt forgot to write him down in the charter, and Ravna was set free. Again. Possessed by his own zest for life, and a feeling of divine deliverence....well, Trouble started again. + |
| Rawen Redrain + | She grew up with many older siblings which left Rawen to be able to hideaway in the libraries and do all the reading she desired. Even though her childhood, she wasn't much for going outside and playing, much more fascinated with expanding her mind. When she was convinced to join her siblings and cousins outside for play, she was more often just watching and observing them more than she would willingly partake of the activities. These habits seemed to stay with her through her as did some unique compulsive behaviors, the most notable being her obsession with wearing a different color per each garment or even armor piece. Now much to her behest, she is coming to Arx to try and make some new allies and hopefully some friends. She is now beginning to yearn to explore after all those years of wanting to be an introvert, eager to see things first hand instead of only reading about them. + |
| Rawya none + | The trouble with understanding much about Rawya's past is not her reluctance to talk about it. She is never short of stories about her adventures, the people she has met, or places she has traveled. The problem of learning specifics of her past lies in her inability to tell the same story twice. Her stories have similar themes or details in common, but the self-proclaimed adventurer has a tendency to embellish her tales. Rawya embodies the nomadic spirit of the Ravashari. She has spent most of her life on the road and the rest upon the sea. She has worn many hats through her travels, but much of her time on the road has been as a singer, actress, and performer. She knows a number of odd tricks like juggling and acrobatics. She has traveled with a number of artistic troupes and occasionally on her own, entertaining cities and townships, and panhandling for funds to continue to the next. This wandering Ravashari claims to have traveled all across the Avrum, as far East as Eurus, and even claims to have set foot in the Wastes. It is hard to say how far she has actually traveled, but her vivid descriptions and snippets of knowledge make her stories very believable. If she has not been to all of these places, she might have met some who have. + |
| Raya Vishel + | Raya Vishel was nobody. The daughter of nobody. She wasn't an orphan, no rags to riches story here. Oh, there were rags, actually. Actually there were a lot of rags. Her father collected them, and her mother seamed them into cheap clothing. She and her brothers and sisters worked together as launderers and patchers, and it wasn't really a great life, but it kept bread on the table and ale in the mug, and no one starved. Raya wanted more, but what did she want? She was educated by the Solace, as many Arvani children are, and learned her letters, but more, her imagination was captured by the grandeur and pageantry of the Faith. The beauty (and wealth) on display in the shrines captured her youthful imagination, and so she went from carefully helping her mother with the laundry of the Boroughs to her lessons and prayers... and found that she was spending as much time as she could get away with at prayers. What a pious child, that Raya Vishel, always following the priests and asking them questions, trying to learn about Jayus and his crafts, trying to learn about Gloria and her honor, trying to learn about Gild and her charity. When she grew older, she learned about how to behave herself, and she followed the priests with intent, and she insisted she wanted to be one when she grew up, and she was told to wait until she was older and that she'd want children when she grew up, and didn't her family need her? Of course, Father; of course, Sister; of course, of course, of course. Raya went home to the Boroughs and worked on the laundry and worked on the sewing and worked on the artistry and dreamed of the life she could have as a devotee. When she was finally old enough, she went back to the Faith, and she worked as a disciple in the shrines, and she convinced the priests she did not want to have children, and that she wanted to serve the Church, where she could be someone; she could be a Godsworn Sister. And she became one, and she was assigned a far-flung seraphy, far from home, where she trained with a Seraph in the Oathlands, learning everything that she hadn't already learned when she was a girl. But as she grew older and she grew wiser and she grew stronger in theology, she requested that she might return to Arx to study the Lost, for these new gods she could not learn so well in the Oathlands. And so she returns, to take Arx as a humble Sister of the Faith: a striking, fashionable, elegant, courteous Sister of the Faith. The capital will never know what hit it. + |
| Raymesin Ulbran + | The illegitimate son of a nobleman and a serving girl who was released from service when she became pregnant - at least, if you believe a word of anything he says - Raymesin's mother died when he was just a few years old, abandoning him to a life in the Lower Boroughs. At first he just about survived, but over time he started to thrive, taking to his new life as though he'd been born to it. Before he reached his teens he was recruited by the Ulbran family to serve as a lookout and thief; by the time he turned eighteen he'd learned how to use a knife, and how to kill. Since then he's been working as an enforcer for the family, doing the things that need to be done, and he's recently returned from a job that took him elsewhere for a little while. + |
| Rayne Bisland + | Rayne is the charismatic and enthusiastic youngest son of Nathaniel and Esmerelda Bisland. Being the only boy -presently born to the lord- amongst all his female siblings: Lumen (Half-Sister), Gloriel, Sarielle and Lili, he grew up to have great respect for the feminine figure, and was, and is, often found being quite overprotective of them, specially his surviving ones. Naturally, when news of the tragic passing of his youngest sisters: Sarielle and Lili, reached him; it caused him in turn to develop great despise and resentment for shavs; and, sometimes, even great distrust for prodigals and the like. Is not that he can't maintain his composure and etiquette before them, he simply prefers not to be around them, as they bring unpleasant thoughts to mind that would likely get the worst out of him. Like many of his kin, he grew up in Pridehall, under the great militaristic influence, sense of responsibility and fine education distinctive of their house. Since he was but a child, he has always looked up to his cousin, the honorable lord Michael Bisland - Sword of Pridehall, with great admiration. It was him, and many other renowned Bisland warriors and heroes that inspired the young lad, steering and encouraging him to train hard in order to become one of Bisland's youngest knights. This is why, although young, the lord has come to be known by his kin for his extensive knowledge and sagacity in the fine arts of combat, as well as his academic wisdom in war tactics and strategies -since, you know he has never actually been in an actual war just yet. After coming of age, he chose to follow on his relatives' steps, and ventured into the capital city of Arvum, Arx - where he now hopes to be of better service to his family, and join his cousin at the Iron Guard to earn his place as one of Bisland's greatest warriors. + |
| Raziel Bisland + | There never was any doubt that Raziel should become a knight. Born and raised within House Bisland, his course was set the moment he showed aptitude. The only question that lingered was whether he would also become a Godsworn, for his devotion to the Faith and the respect he held for all that chose to take the oath was great. It came to pass, however, that Raziel became not a Templar, but through feats of bravery and valour in the service of his House and Grayson, one of the One Hundred, a knight of the King's Own sworn to defend King Alaric III and the Compact from all threats. Raziel was sent out on many missions in the name of the Crown, and always came back. Yet his last he came back changed. What happened is uncertain, the only certainty being that whatever he faced, it was a miracle he wasn't killed. He was found his flesh seared, his body counting countless wounds, and though physicians and Mercies were at once summoned, all expected him to die. Numerous times, they would think him dead, till he would drew breath again. Usually to scream in agony. He survived, yet he would never be a knight again. No longer could he ride, no longer could he wield a sword, the pain sapping what strength his body possessed. He healed, but he did so as a broken man, a disfigured cripple. For his service to the Crown, he was honourably discharged from the King's Own and retired. He was twenty-five. Yet the call of duty can hardly be ignored. Though he had lost his body, Raziel did not remain idle. He poured his every energy in sharpening his mind, first on the subject of medicine, not wishing to depend on anyone for his continued survival, and then alchemy. These skills, along with sheer force of will, saw him accepted within the ranks of the Inquisition. Wielding no longer a sword but the light of truth, he continued to do his duty to the Crown, becoming a full Inquisitor not long afterwards. He was not involved with the fall of the Master of Questions, Shreve. Raziel was said to have run afoul of the dreaded man after three of his Confessors disappeared in the days leading up to Shreve's death. Rumours go that the Confessors had been confronted by Raziel regarding some of the 'suspects' they were to take for questioning. The rumours were further fed when, in the days following, three bodies were found having suffered such burns as to make them unrecognizable. Whatever the case, Raziel continues his work to this day, with what free time he possesses spent between the Physicians' Guild, Apothecary College and, perhaps oddly enough, as a disciple of the Mirrormasks. + |
| Razija Lyonesse + | After twenty-six years of marriage, her parents hadn't expected a sudden conception of a daughter. Neither did their House, but everyone was thrilled for the marriage of the retired general Cristofer Lyonesse, then 53, and his wife Merylda (nee Bisland), 44, to finally bear fruit. While doting parents (they had waited a very long time for her) it's hard to be the only daughter of a general as anyone can guess but it's probably harder to be the only daughter of a retired general, who has nothing better to do but to turn his beloved daughter into a miniature version of himself. As she grew older, and especially after her mother died when she was 10, the two were inseparable, realizing that her father's days were likely numbered as well. Seeing to her education himself, even their time marked for recreation had an educational bent to it. Camping trips were focused on hunting and survival and visits to ally lands were always accompanied by drills. From the ages of 13 to 17, her summers were spent with the Bislands as a foster though her overprotective and widower father was known to accompany her on these trips. Most of his time, however, was preoccupied with catching up with Duke Gabriel Bisland - a man he had worked and served with off and on throughout his youth and respected and admired greatly - leaving the Bislands to do their job fostering her. When she finally came of age, she began to serve House Lyonesse proudly and had only begun to find her feet when her father passed on and left a hole in her life. Somewhat lost, her attempt at forging her own path manifested in the first step of heading to Arx to be with the family in a time of crisis as the Compact braces for war with Apostates and foriegn forces. It seemed like the job she was meant to do. + |
| Reagan laveer + | Reagan is the fourth and youngest daughter of Padraig and Cara, Noblemen and cousins to Count Tibault Laveer. They had been assigned to watch over a coastal village with much sought after timber known to build seafaring vessels' finest, her family was running both the shipwrights and the lumber company for the main house. The primary skill of her father was making shrewd deals to help the main house. He was called a trickster of the diplomacy. Silver-tongued, brought into the main house to advise on diplomatic natures when Reagan turned 4 years old. When Reagan was 10 years old, this was not long for this world; in the night, someone struck her father down. Due to the house's service, they allowed her and her mother to stay on the main estate. To honor her father, the best school was selected to help her fill the rule that they thought suited her, sent there to be educated. The way of the lady, the way of the deal, trained in the silver-tongued art which was her father's gift. They had hoped it would have passed along to her as well, as well as her sisters. But, as the fourth in line, even though she got higher marks than her sisters, it would not be her house to rule ever. Nor would she be allowed to advance, but she kept her ear to the ground, trying to find a way to move forward. When she heard of the new voice of house Charon seeking out a bride, this was a way to move up in this world. She placed her name in that arena, and it seems she has won. Now on her way to Arx to meet with her husband to be. + |
