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2006
Property:Background
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| Baldwin Fidante + | A cousin to the current Duke, Baldwin was from the start a deeply spiritual individual. It was this spirituality of his, this faith, that tempers the occasional impulses for which he was known in his childhood. After all, what little Baldwin loved more than to hear the stories of warfare and House Fidante's many glories was to brawl his relatives, or play-pretend with wooden swords a little too aggressively. As he grew, a certain contemplative nature also came about, and he would often be found in the various temples, meditating and praying when he wasn't compulsively training for what he believed was his true calling. He was fostered with a Southerner Knight Templar, then, both to complete his training and to assist the man in his fight against the Abandoned menace. Many years were spent as the young man flourished into a martially-inclined, highly competent adult, thanks to the spartan upbringing that ensued. Once he was knighted, following a particularly harrowing attack by the Abandoned at a westward holy site the newly-made knight decided to ride back south, after hearing of unrest in Tor. Once there, he joined forces with the Duke against the pretender Count. His training paid off; riding at the vanguard, his mettle was proven again and again in the field of combat, although some whisper of carefully measured brutality visited upon the foe, concealed beneath the veneer of valor at arms. Once Duke Leo was reinstated, he pledged his sword to him, willing to serve House Fidante against enemies without and within, as his liege requires. + |
| Baltus Darkwater + | Baltus Darkwater was born to the life of the sea, like many of the Saffron Isles. Being a man of the sea goes is in his blood for it goes back generations. His love of the waters might be aided by the fact he was born on the Isles, more specifically Cielos Encantadores. There he was raised, mostly by his mother, along with his siblings. He was taught a mix of being a proper nobleman and sailor, making him both regal and crude, yet charismatic as a leader. When he was old enough he started travelling with his father on the seas, learning the way of a future captain of a ship. He spent his times in port in the arms of a woman he could seduce with his confidence and charm, though, because he was on the more serious side his choices were limited despite his looks. When his mother died at the birth of his youngest sibling Baltus and his father agreed that Baltus would spend a little more time on shore attending to his siblings to assure they were properly raised. He still spent time on the sea but less until his younger siblings were old enough to take care of themselves. During one of his times at port in Arx, a very brief port, Baltus met his wife to be. A Whisper and the epitome of beauty, at least to him. During his time in Arx he spent every available moment with her, trying to woo her. He managed to woo her enough to get her to agree to keep in contact via letters and to meet each time he managed to get to Arx. Baltus took every trade he could to get to Arx and spent his time there with the Whisper, Carita, and with her he built a grand romance. He had to fight to make Carita his wife, for she was common - even though she was a Whisper. Carita was his grand love. With her he has, thus far, had one child. And yet things took a dark turn soon enough, and they went from a grand romance, to estranged, to divorced. Still she remained a Darkwater, something very difficult for Baltus to understand - particularly when she was made a Voice over him. But all of that seemed less important after Darrow died defending Darkwater against the Fleet. Though Carita had ordered the place evacuated, still this was his home, and now he has determined to spend his efforts showing what a true-born noble can do - rebuild his home, strengthen his people, and lead well into the future. + |
| Barbrey Blackwood + | Nearing her seventh decade, Barbrey has lived a long life of courageous feats. Born near sixty years ago as the younger child of the Chief of the Blackwood Tribe in an age remembered by few in the realm. A proper woman of the north, she took to the sword and spear as soon as she was six: and with such skill and valour she did. Inspiring awe in her clan from her adolescent years, all were sure that she would be the one to lead her brother's armies to battle, and defend the Blackwoods with courage and passion once he inherited. And so they were right -- a barbarian strength, sheer willpower and devotion to the spirits led her as an advisor first to her lord brother, and then after his passing, to his son Geraint. She never married, nor had children, but nonetheless remained a valiant figure in her house. Blackwood's bending of the knee to the Crovane duchy, however, is a recent move that Barbrey is somewhat divided over. While she respects the spirits and knows there must be practicality in these hard times-- she is a traditionalist at heart and finds a pride in her millennia-old lineage, who never bent the knee to the Compact or anyone else. Still, she tries to devote herself to her house and family as much as she can. + |
| Barik Reed + | Barik's life begun in the Western oathlands that belonged to the Kingdom. His family was one of proper means- his father an auspicious, and beloved bard who went from home to home leaving little crumps of happiness, and sometimes more than that. His mother wouldn't complain, he always came home with coin, and for a woman who had spend her whole life in poverty it was sufficient for her. The inherently independent Barik took to hunting rather than singing; he took to trekking through the wilderness and adventuring to far-gone townships rather than inherit the legacy set by his lascivious father. Since his departure from family grounds, Barik has been on a quest of acquiring meaning- meaning that hasn't been manifested, yet hopes to find in the very Capital of the continent. + |
| Barric Grayson + | To be born royalty is a dream for most, with all the pampering and easy life that entails, but it never suited Prince Barric Grayson. Barric was a driven young man, who from his earliest memories badly wanted to rise to the equal of the greatest knights and heroes of the Compact. He remembered the mutters of the men-at-arms and commoner soldiers as some of his relatives (including the crown prince, Prince Alaric IV) would ignore practice and embrace idolent passtimes and worthless pursuits, while the true warriors would drill for future battles with the shavs. He remembers the other soldiers holding their peace but clearly regarding their future king as a faineant, while Barric and his cousin Dawn would drill relentlessly with Duke Bisland or Lord Commander Dayne Valardin. Moreover, Barric saw first hand the inspiring mettle of the forces of the Faith, the templars and the knights of solace, working alongside the forces of House Grayson to drive back brutal shav forces from the Gray Forest and noted how it seemed like so few of the commanders came fro the highest of noble blood. It was crushingly depressing to Barric to see how many vassals of House Grayson clearly idolized Duke Gabriel Bisland or servants of the crown, or had great veneration for the old king Alaric III, but or had tremendous respect for the old king's illegitimate daughter Dawn, but no true born Grayson of the newest generation was inspiring that same loyalty. It drove Prince Barric with a grim determination to be the equal of the great knights that had come before, and he took shameless advantage of being distant enough from the line of succession as a mere second-cousin to the king to be bold on the field of battle. A campaign against the shavs of the Gray Forest was enough to win Prince Barric the renown and respect from Grayson soldiers, and personally slaying a shav warchief in single combat earned him a truly embarrassing amount of praise and recognition from his distant cousin, King Alaric IV. Barric didn't particularly want fame and didn't desire anything more than to become a great knight, but Alaric IV almost capriciously named him the Sword of Bastion, making him the ceremonial champion of House Grayson. In many ways, it was everything Barric ever wanted, but in other ways it almost infuriated him. He's now wielding the same sword as Queen Alarice the Great and he felt all he had to do it was to kill one drunken Abandoned chief in a duel. He took the sword, but having that high an honor bestowed upon him just so Alaric IV could win more applause from the people of Arx still grates upon him, feeling like he could hear the whispers of the common soldiers how he got the honor too young and too fast just because his last name was Grayson, and maddening to Barric knowing that it was partly true. But he took the sword, and now he'll show that he is worthy of it. + |
| Bashira Ru-Taul + | Bashira was a Thrall, much like her brother, Caspian. As were her mother and father. Her parents died and they inherited their debt. To say that their life was not easy was an understatement. But there was a light in the form of Princess Donella Thrax releasing them from their Thralldom. Bashira was sixteen and Caspian was nineteen. Going from life as a Thrall was not hard for her, that was until Caspian said that he was going to leave for Arx and become a mercenary. This did not upset her. Her brother needed to walk his own path and he had taken care of her. She was a bit upset with him when she found out that he'd changed his last name, but, she let it go. She stayed in the Mourning Isles, determined to find out more about their Tribe. Wanting to find some remnant of their family. But that turned out to be far more difficult. So she started to learn a trade, working on merchant ships as a sailor. When she wasnt working, she was doing her best to absorb every bit of knowledge she could about the Island Shav culture and things related to it. Caspian wrote her diligently. Through these she learned more of what he was doing, but she knew something was amiss. Call it sibling intuition. She continued to work hard though, finally going back to learning new skills. She was surprised recently by a letter from her brother, asking if she can meet him when he visits the Mourning Isles on the Champions Tour. + |
| Basilio Cabral + | Basilio or "Basi", as his crewmates call him for shorter name convenience, is not one with much to be recorded in the annals of history. Hailing from the Saffron Chain, grown up around Darkwater docks, he had neither memory nor keepsake of either of his biological parents as he was thrust into this world of salt, sea, and scoundrels. He was taken in and raised by a crusty old cook who lived in the company of the tropics' Lower natives and worked on a Thraxian ship. While occasionally a pilferer when the need or urge arises, Basilio thrives more when able to jump from one odd job to the next. As such, he has garnered a bit of a reputation back home as "that boy who can probably do the thing". His foster father managed to squirrel him into some more stable employ on the same sailing vessel as a rigger. The ship has recently docked in Arx but, unfortunately, some political issues surrounding their current Captain and Quartermaster have left the crew in shambles and Basilio without a job (because good cooks are always in demand). + |
| Bastien + | Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his early twenties with far more pride and attitude than the silver in his pockets warranted and with ambition of great artistry. Surprisingly -- to Bastien, at least -- these ambitions were not /immediately/ fulfilled by wild success and acclaim. He's been toiling away, mostly in the underbelly of the city, but eventually towards more of the mediocre middle once he found enough steady work over the past decade. The focus of his work is in playwrighting, and he became known -- at least within a small community of arts lovers -- for having a particular affection for plays of political and cultural commentary with a taste for the avant garde. Of course, sometimes he just needs to write a comedy where everyone gets married in the end, if for no other reason than to pay the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/. + |
| Bastien Crown + | Bastien came to Arx as a young man in his early twenties with far more pride and attitude than the silver in his pockets warranted and with ambition of great artistry. Surprisingly -- to Bastien, at least -- these ambitions were not /immediately/ fulfilled by wild success and acclaim. He's been toiling away, mostly in the underbelly of the city, but eventually towards more of the mediocre middle once he found enough steady work over the past decade. The focus of his work is in playwrighting, and he became known -- at least within a small community of arts lovers -- for having a particular affection for plays of political and cultural commentary with a taste for the avant garde. Of course, sometimes he just needs to write a comedy where everyone gets married in the end, if for no other reason than to pay the bills. But he doesn't do it /gladly/. + |
| Baz Thornburn + | Baz is a Thornburn, and she couldn't have been born into a better family. Full of artists already, it's how the woman's writing was nurtured, and so one can't say lack of nurturing is why Baz turned into an acerbic recluse, obssessed with finding the perfect muse, with writing plays that shape the Dream itself. She's had critical acclaim, she's tasted the dizzying, drugging heights of seeing her work spread across the land. But the mercurial playwright has also sampled the bitter dregs of bad reviews, has fallen into black despair at the smallest criticism, hiding herself away in her family home back in Arx, chainsmoking and writing drivel for months until the cycle repeats. + |
| Beatrice Malespero + | Beatrice's parents ran a shipping business out of Caith. The family did well enough, though at any given moment their entire fortune was wrapped up in some expedition or another, or it was drained to repair a ship, or something else meant constant scrimping and saving. As she grew, she watched her parents celebrate new deals and weep when a ship was lost. She saw how the pair went to bed every night exhausted. She watched as years and years of grueling, painful work netted them almost nothing. Beatrice decided that was not the life for her. The woman was allowed out of the warehouses and away from the ledgers when she turned seventeen. It wasn't that she wasn't an excellent bookkeeper, she just wanted to see more. She was soon first mate aboard one of her mother's ships. At twenty-one, after a most unfortunate accident during a storm, Beatrice's ship was out a captain, and she was quick to take the job. By twenty-three, Beatrice was soon raking in piles of silver, all off the books and without her parents' knowledge. Beatrice had learned quickly the fine art of smuggling. She had fallen in with the Argento family, who ruled Nilanza back then. After financially supporting a failed attempt to overthrow the Pravus family, Argento was hurting for funds. They turned to illegal goods, and Beatrice became their primary mover. It was good, easy, fun work. In the next couple of years, Beatrice left her family's company to work exclusively for Argento and oversee their ports and smuggling operations. Things were going well, until it seemed the Pravus family had figured out everything. Fearing Beatrice might flip on Argento, the family ennobled her. If she was an Argento herself, they reasoned, she'd be seen as guilty. She would be unable to turn against the family without getting herself imprisoned or worse. And they were right. Beatrice fed information to the Pravus family. She saw the coming wave. She knew this would only end one way. And when the soldiers came to collect her, as they came to collect every Argento, she went into her cell with chin held high. A year later, Beatrice has emerged from the dark of her imprisonment. In that time she not only convinced Marquessa Lianne that she was the one who had turned against her oath-breaking family, but that she was also ready to serve once more... not to mention too useful to have locked away. Beatrice was declared innocent of treason, and the time she served plenty to cover her other misdeeds. She surely wouldn't pick back up her old illegal ties, not after being granted her freedom! No, surely not. Now, she is still a noble, sworn wholly to House Malespero, and eager to get Nilanza back in proper order. + |
| Beatrix Corsetina + | Beatrix and her twin sister Margaux were born in the beautiful city of Tor to a branch of the Corsetina family. Unfortunately for them, their youth was during the troubled time of the Tor-Southport War, when Count Lucien Malvici had usurped the rule of the Fidante family, and their early years was spent evading the horrors of war, the cruelty of the well born, and dreaming of one day having the peace and luxury of the nobility for themselves. As women the two sisters rose notoriety. Beatrix was a well-known muse to many artists in the city, her dalliances with upper crust commoners and even some nobles sparking many rivalries and a lot of drama, her ambition and boldness unafraid to make the occasional enemy. Margaux's fame was darker, the shadowy woman having become a criminal of ill-repute who avoided capture time and again, ahead of those who set themselves to catch her every time. Their paths diverging, the elite called Beatrix their White Thorn, bright and perfect, and in time a noblewoman of the Fidante vassal of House Floris was so taken by Beatrix, the noble asked her in marriage, giving up rank and title (if not wealth) to join in marriage. The tragedy that followed quickly became the talk of some of some of the Lycene city-states, and the common consensus was the following drama occured: Feeling like she had been left behind by her sister, the violent Margaux murdered Beatrix's wife a day after their wedding. The White Thorn woke up that morning by her dead spouse's side, the former noble's chest carved open by with a single, bloody white rose stuck into the exposed heart. The noblewoman-turned-commoner's former House couldn't accuse Beatrix of the deed as she would be the one to lose any benefits gained from tying herself, even if haphazzardly, to nobility. The answer was obviously Margaux, and the hunt began immediately. Beatrix, alone and afraid, worried that once the Floris were done hunting down Margaux they could come for her. She was just a commoner, after all, why would they stay their vengeance and stop at one Corsetina? With the heat too much for to handle in Tor Beatrix left for Arx where she has since found and sought refugee with the rest of her family, hoping she can rebuild her life away from Tor and her sister. But Beatrix is already recovering. Bloodied and hunted she might be, she's still the ambitious young woman that was unafraid of obstacles in her path. She'll have her wealth and safety again, and woe be to those who stand in her way. + |
| Beaumont Valardin + | It is all but expected for a prince of House Valardin to become a knight, an exemplar of chivalry and paragon of virtue. At a very early age, Beaumont developed a far more cynical view of that particular path, getting to see an entirely too upclose look at some of the hypocrisy of celebrated knights. He remembers feeling the crushing disappointment when his uncle, Lord Commander Dayne Valardin, was forced to admit to Beaumont that 'not all knights are worthy of their title'. If the greatest knight in all the realm was willing to admit something that obvious, what was the point of becoming a knight at all? Beaumont saw another clear path towards glory and fame- a curvy and slightly disreputable path to be sure, but one far more honest about its dishonety which was immensely preferrable to the young man. Better to be a roguish scoundrel than a bright and shining hypocrite, as far as he was concerned. So with that in mind, he became an extremely high born champion. Beaumont didn't mind at all joining the assorted ranks of sellswords and other rogues for hire popular among western noblewomen looking for champions to duel for their honor (and any assorted slights). As far as Beaumont sees it, just the simple fact he is a prince lends a proposterous air of legitimacy that he is happy to exploit shamelessly, and it gives him a special sense of glee that it is a source of some embarrassment to his stalwart cousins in Sanctum. Not that non-lethal dueling for sport is entirely a scathing social commentary by him on the shortcomings of chivalry- he quite enjoys the adoration of the masses when he draws a show against another champion and uses his impressive talents for another victory. It's not quite the fortune that good Valardin princes are raised to pursue, but he never claimed to be a -good- Valardin prince. For the last couple years, he's been spending far more time at court in Arx than other Valardin high nobles. Being closer to the heart of politics gives a well-born champion many opportunities to grab glory in front of adoring crowds, but truthfully Beaumont is there to also lend aid to his sister, Isabeau. Beaumont might be something of a black sheep for becoming a champion with negotiable loyalty rather than a knight in shining armor, but he'll still be there when they need a skilled duelist to settle the questions of the day with a sword, rather than words. And look very, very good doing it. + |
| Becka Honor + | %TBecka spent the first ten years of her life growing up in the march of Fair Harbour. Her parents were merchants and took the best care they could of the girl. She had a good childhood, but that all changed once her parents left to Arx for a new opportunity and different life. On the trip over they all became ill, and Becka barely survived the death of her parents. Orphaned and left alone, the girl found her new home on the streets, where she remains today. The only difference now is that she is the one helping the misfortunate children. + |
| Bedivere Whitehawk + | Bedivere Tyndall is a retired general known for commanding the 8th Lancer Unit of the Bisland army during many skirmishes against hostile shav'arani tribes in the Crownlands. A son of Sir Harry "the Hotspur" Tyndall, Bedivere was groomed for command at an early age and distinguished himself apart from his peers once he joined the ranks of the Bisland military, at the ripe age of eighteen. He made friends and quickly ascended the ranks, culminating in him becoming one of the youngest generals to ever be appointed. He developed a reputation as an expert horseman and set an equestrian high-jump record that stood for almost 15 years. Ahead of him seemed to be a promising military future -- one likely to be longer than that of his notoriously hot-headed father. That is, until he suffered his first true loss on the battlefield and was captured by a particularly vindictive chieftain. For having slaughtered his sons, the chieftain refused to execute Bedivere outright, and instead severed his right hand, killed his men in front of him, and proceeded to torture him for weeks on end. He was saved by another unit, and he recovered physically, but the mental scars were permanent. In anguish, Bedivere retired from the military at the age of thirty and returned to his home in Old Oak, where he married his childhood sweetheart and began a family. He attempted to become a farmer to acquire the income to support his family, but his injury made him heavily reliant on paid help, and the fickleness of the harvest made their financial fortunes precarious at best. In early 1006 AR, his wife Lynette fell ill and unexpectedly passed away, leaving him to raise his two children alone. As fortune would have it, his nephew would be ennobled later the same year, and offered him a position as Marshal of Hawkhold -- and with it ennoblement and enough silver to comfortably provide for his family. Bedivere accepted, his mind still sharp as ever, though his reflexes notably less so. Upon visiting the city for the first time in many years, Bedivere accepted a position within the Knights of Solace, seeking a position to re-train his rusty skills and lend his assistance to a worthy cause when his duties at Hawkhold do not overwhelm him. + |
| Behtuk Sanna + | %TAs a child of a Child of the Sun and Moon, Behtuk and his father were nomadic travelers. About wenty years ago, when Behtuk was only a child, their tribe came across an abandoned vessel on the ice. In the course of looting this vessel, they came across a dying man. Behtuk and his father stayed behind to nurse the man back to health as thanks for bringing them the bounty of the vessel. %TThe stranger learned their tongue, and taught them his. He taught Behtuk the trick to forging steel, for in his homeland he was a smith of renown. When the stranger recovered from his wounds, he took his leave of Behtuk and his father, claiming that it was too dangerous for him to stay as he was a hunted man. He was only too right. %TWithin a single moon of the strangers' departure the hunter came. Behtuk's father said: 'This is a demon, run! Don't look back.' And Behtuk obeyed. He returned a day later to find his father dead, and all their supplies stolen. Behtuk was unprepared to care for himself in the unforgiving North and he did not know how to rejoin his nomadic tribe. %TSo Behtuk left the North, travelling to the land the Stranger was from, someplace where he would be able to hide his crimes. When he entered Redrain he found it welcoming. He already spoke the language, and he was able to apprentice as a smith with the knowledge the Stranger had given him. For the past twenty years he has served as an apprentice or journeyman. It was slow going, but he has just completed his masterwork and come to Arx to support his House and ply his trade. If he still holds onto the knife the Stranger gave him and secretly hopes to meet him again in Arx. He is uncertain though whether he owes the Stranger a debt, or if the Stranger owes him one for his father's death. + |
| Bell Cleck + | Bell Cleck (not his original name) is one of the many Eurusi refugees settled in the wake of the "freeing folk in the Saffron Chain" matter, and one who chose to go Crownsworn rather than settle on holdings as a serf. He says little about his old life. He's about looking forward. While he dabbles, generally, with selling and reselling, his key focus is on his apothecary business. As he will say with a gently sardonic smile, "Any slave worth his salves learns how to cover up the scent of blood." + |
| Belladonna Pravus + | The Lyceum has a reputation as a den of machiavellian scheming at best of times, but Belladonna is well aware that in her home city-state of Setarco it is more deserved than most. Her family House Pravus, has ruled Setarco, the city famous for its influence over the silk trade, since the time of the Reckoning nearly a thousand years ago. And yet it seemed that in the past generation that nearly everything they have held dear was lost. Belladonna's famous uncle Duke Niccolo was the one groomed to rule and lead House Pravus to glory once more, but passed on the burden of rulership so he might follow his heart and marry his future liege, the Duchess Carlotta Velenosa. This very unfortunately forced the mantle of Duke of Setarco onto Piero, Niccolo's younger brother and Belladonna's father. Belladonna's father was a kind, generous man, soft-hearted and wishing more than anything simply to be loved. Belladonna now knows that few personalities are as ill-suited to rule the snakepit of competiting Lyceum families as one such as he father's. She watched as her father tolerated much and more, small slights as other lesser vassals tested her lord father to see precisely how much they could get away with, outright ignoring orders and making House Pravus a laughingstock. What's worse, her father never saw the danger in this. Instead of winning their love, it emboldened the most ambitious and won only scorn and contempt for her father's weakness. And as her father's eldest daughter, she was caught right in the middle of the plots of the vassals who had lost all respect for her lord father. She tried at first to be good, she really did. She warned her father, she tried reason to make it clear how much his good heart was costing House Pravus, how none of these men were in any way his friends and that trying to win their love was only destroying her family. He just wouldn't listen, it was simply too easy to turn a blind eye to the men and women walking all over the Duke of Setarco. But as her lord father ignored slight after slight, and she watched arrogant vassals 'jest' they would marry her and take Setarco away from House Pravus for good and all to make things right again, she knew she could wait no longer. She quickly discovered that most of the arrogant men trying to undermine her father were not half as clever as they thought they were, and the proper word into the perfect ear, the right amount of charm to the right person, and a bit of sly manipulation could be wielded to a more devastating effect than all the soldiers under her father's control. Her enemies never quite guessed how much guile lurked behind the eyes of the very young noblewoman, as she used grace, beauty and charm to set her enemies against one another. Her one regret was she waited so late to act, since she had no idea that one of her father's most powerful vassals had already decided it was time to lead an uprising and replace him. She discovered the plot in time to crush the rebellion in its infancy, House Pravus soldiers catching the ringleaders in a meeting that resulted in more than a few executions for treason... but she did not know about the plot to assassinate her father, and returned home to Setarco to find the city in mourning and her as the newest Duchess of Setarco and head of House Pravus. The lovely young woman has been hardened by events, and possesses a wisdom far exceeding her years in the ruthless politics of the Lyceum. With wit, charm and ruthless determination she fully intends to restore House Pravus to its glory and will harbor few regrets about using any means necessary to accomplish her goals. + |
| Bellamy Redrain + | Bellamy Redrain is the-later-in-life-child of a Laurent Lady turned Redrain Princess. As an infant they were concerned that she would not survive. For the first months of her life she struggled to draw enough air to breathe, but somehow she made it into her first year and then beyond. Her mother would remark that has a baby she was utterly determined to live... She should have grown into a woman with a steel spine. She should have grown up with the same sort of dogged determination as her older sister. She didn't. Nor did she grown into a person with the sense of adventure and wonderment that her older brother did. No, instead, a cossetted, pampered, and perhaps just too sheltered, childhood lead to a soft, sensitive woman. In childhood while many Redrain princesses might have trained with the sword, or shield and spear, or perhaps an axe... She was not. She took an interest in it once, and it took quite the argument and persuasion with her mother to allow her to even begin her lessons. And as soon as she got the fainted of scratch (and started crying over it) she was forbidden to try again, and the tutor given a stern lecture. And this was how it was for every thing that Bellamy might have pursued. As soon as it became a touch difficult she was either forbidden by her mother to continue or was allowed to stop because her mother couldn't bear her tears. And so, the only thing she became good at were non-dangerous things or things she had a natural aptitude to for; such as research (strictly in the archives, of course), and social interactions with others. Indeed, if she weren't so kind hearted she might make a skilled diplomat. However, even The Softest Princess can ignore the call of adventure and the excitement of Arx for so long... and after a year of fighting with her mother she was allowed to travel south and join her older siblings in the great city. + |
| Bellona Deucalion + | Nearly a child when her small clan of Ravashari, House Deucalion, was caught in the fires of the Tyde Rebellion, Bellona learned at an early age the ways of the world, the suffering of coin and the bitter wine of the campaign. Her family, a troupe of carefree entertainers, were at Tyde Hall when the warships of House Thrax arrived and watched as the friendly noble house that had once tolerated them was ruthless purged. Bellona witnessed much of her family become slain or put in chains. She speaks little of those difficult years as a thrall, and not at all about the circumstances of how she became a free woman living in the slums of the Lower Boroughs of Arx, but she has only admitted to her name since House Tyde was restored- and very old allies have been reborn once more. + |
| Benedetto Velenosa + | As a boy, Benedetto often skated on the very edge of trouble. Refinement was far from his reach, particularly at the beginning. But with a father who was frequently at sea, he and his identical twin brother, Baldessare, were reared largely by the house staff of the Lenosia estate, children bearing witness to the development and elevation of cousins with blood closer to the main line - and wards of no particular good blood at all. Benedetto cut his teeth on legends of cunning and cleverness and lagged behind his brother's academic achievements. He got into trouble constantly for being too forthright, too open in anger or in contempt or in confidence. He masked little, and had to be trained better - "What kind of Fox even are you, boy?" was a common refrain around the schoolroom. The older he grew, the more his energy came to be channeled into performative behavior, mugging and imitating his betters in ways that would have been more insulting if he didn't have such a knack for heart-melting puppydog eyes. His father took both boys to sea in their early teens to teach them how to behave, and assigned their squirage as cabin boys on several voyages that were designed to look more adventurous and exciting than they were. Benedetto was quickly a favorite of the men for his willingness to scale rigging like a monkey and do just about any jig or dance they came up with in exchange for nothing more than a kind word. He also learned that grog will knock you on your ass, especially when you're fifteen. As an adult, his generally biddable (if lazy) and flashy entertaining nature proved useful to the family primarily in social situations. As his sister's social star climbed in Arx, he and Baldessare were dispatched to Arx. Benedetto suspects that there may be marital plans in his future, but maybe he'll prove as talented at deflecting those as he has at everything else permanent. You never know! + |
| Benedict Ferro + | Benedict is known to be the son of a blacksmith, in a very long line of blacksmiths. Though years after swearing fealty to House Fidante, and serving in the ranks as a soldier in their Army, he attained the rank of Sergeant. Not long after which, amazing deeds and acts of bravery and fighting skill earned him a battlefield promotion to Lieutenant, and soon after, Knighthood within house Fidante. + |
| Benjamin Carver + | My father was a butcher, a man who sang merry diddies while he cleaved the heads from fowl on the tempo, a man of simple mind and unwaveringly iron spine. My mother was a cook in a noble house, a woman whose shoulders were perpetually slumped for the weight of the world on them, a woman with a whip-smart mind and nearly no spine at all. Was. My father butchered my mother, an act discovered when the people of the lower boroughs woke to find her parts hanging from the meathooks in the bloody front window. His name was lost to history and he became only the Butcher of Crow's Lane. The Inquisition took him first, and who among us can blame them? The scene was so heinous. When they were through, the public had their spectacle of him. He sang his cheeriest song while he was drawn and quartered and spilled his vitals to the street. For their substantial flaws, I learned a great deal from the both of them. I learned to loathe the status quo. I learned of anatomy and how to create a consomme to satisfy the most refined palate from little more than a soup bone and onions. I learned that a person with no vision for the future, no grand dreams, will die in their soul long before they do in the flesh. It would have been quite easy to follow the lead of my departed parents. I could have given my life to food and a simple, quiet existence, but I had also learned that I had no desire to lead such a boring life as them. As a boy of fourteen with very little to my name even after the shop was sold, I traveled the world by one of the most famously popular means available to the poor; I signed on with a merchant ship. I was assigned to help a cook who could burn water with infuriating ease. But wait! How does being a cook's assistant take you away from the culinary course you ask? There was more than a cook aboard that ship, of course, and it was there that I met Osric, an old and saltwater weathered barber surgeon with one eye who had lost most of his teeth to scurvy. I had never before, and never since, seen hands so steady. He could sew a man's wounds in perfect crosses and knot it with the tidiest bow, all while the ship was tossed around by storms. He is the one who saw my potential and my time on the ship put towards applying what I had learned in my early years to this new vocation. After some years, when I tired of the sailing and had amassed some funds for myself, I began to travel alone. I had seen most port cities already, so I began to roam the interior of Arvum. There was always something new to see, some new custom to inquire about, some new cuisine I had never tasted. Life has no shortage of fascinating experiences and opportunities if only one is willing to step beyond their front door and seek them. It was while traveling in the west that I first provided my services to the Champion's Guild, and eventually found myself in their employ. And now I find myself in Arx again at the behest of the guild, though I admit I was happy with the request; drawn by nostalgia, perhaps, or the niggling sense of home that even I have not been able to leave entirely behind. Much has changed, and yet, nothing. It is good to see you again, old friend. + |
| Benvolio Corvini + | One of the later scions of the ruling family, Benvolio was squired and eventually became a trained knight. Prior to the legitimization of House Corvini, Benvolio led a gang of street thugs in Iasu that served as the family's enforcers. Known for drinking, womanizing, and dueling in the streets, Benvolio has been since forced to tone down his activities to avoid negative attention to a family barely regarded as civilized. Officially Benvolio now serves as the commander of the unit of household soldiers accompanying Ilinca to Arx to negotiate the terms of the family's new position in the Covenant. + |
| Berenice Velenosa + | Berenice grew up afforded all of the privilege and benefits one might expect for a Velenosan princess: she has never wanted for much, and what she did want for, she often wheedled her way into getting. She had a knack for the social web of Lenosia that her family identified and cultivated early, and she did well having some direction rather than letting her whims take her wherever she wished. As a rather indirect cousin to the main branch of the family, she had to make a bit of noise to get noticed, but she was nothing if not willful. Unfortunately, she was also not /entirely/ tamable to her family's will: when a potential match with an upstanding Valardin prince began to be arranged, and she found herself violently, VEHEMENTLY against the idea of being shipped off to the OATHLANDS, she /may/ have misbehaved herself /just/ enough during a visit to muddle the whole affair before it got too far. Instead of the Oathlands, she ended up shipped to Arx, where it was determined she would make herself useful if she was going to make a mess elsewhere. + |
| Berto Tiazza + | There he was, sitting at the edge of the pier, looking at a long life of being a fisherman and he said to himself, "Self, let's not and say we didn't." There was a bit of a pause there, as he realized... "So what are you going to do?" And that was when he went to work in the dockside taverns. At first, he ended up being a bruiser in some of the nastier parts of the Ostrian docks. But then he got a bright idea! Let's add apples to this beer to make it not taste like total crap. From there, he had a certain low sort of trade as an "improver" of bad ale and occasional distiller. It was a good life. Well, not too bad anyways, but see, there was a little issue with the tavern he was working for, well, engaging in the Dust trade. So, when the place was raided (on the picayune grounds of engaging in illegal trade with unsavoury sorts) and individuals sentenced to some pretty hard labor, he said, "Let's make some new friends." Sure, the first of them was the young Ostrian magistrate by the name of Giulio Mazetti, who was involved in the sentencing, but, hey, friends are friends, right? And what are a few little favors between friends? Yep. History in the making! And... whoa! New term: 'gustatory diplomacy.' Ain't life grand? Oh, and yeah. He figured out how to make Southern Thunder. + |
| Bethany Mercier + | Bethany is the youngest child and only daughter of Adlai Mercier, a Grayson wine merchant of increasing wealth and repute. While most in the Borough scrape by, Bethany and her siblings enjoyed a childhood within the comfort of a large mansion in the Upper Borough. A great part of her early education came from her mother, who consulted Archscholar Aldwin Aurum for advice and hired a skilled Scholar of Vellichor to regularly tutor her children. In these studies she excelled: by the age of nine, Bethany could read and write three languages. Though he was often away from home, Master Adlai doted on his daughter and frequently boasted about her intellect to his social betters. Through her close relationship with her knightly brother, Bethany has even acquired knowledge of the basics of swordplay, though she lacks the physical strength needed to wield blades larger than a rapier. As a teenager, Bethany attended a noble wedding and impressed Lady Alarys Grayson with a performance on the piano. Upon being informed of Bethany's many talents and her father's desire to see her in high places in society, Alarys secured a position for Bethany within the royal household, if only as a servant. She was initially lukewarm towards the idea - though serving the Graysons was an honor, it hardly seemed to make use of her talents - until she met the young king in the Palace, and his Majesty Alaric Grayson IV seemed so shockingly indifferent to matters of economic policy that he actually asked the brand new young servant's opinion out of the blue on a matter of finance for the entire court. She quickly learned that most important matters were handled by his ministers and particularly the Voice of House Grayson, Lady Dawn, and that provided all the motivation she needed to know that even as a minor servant, her voice and talent could be meaningful at court. + |
| Bhandn Yvar + | The second son to mercantile (peddler) parents, Bhandn stood to inherit very little from the family trade, a trade that evoked his talents in unexpected ways. He learned of traveling abroad almost from infancy, but he also slowly began to develop an appreciation for the men and women who took it as their sworn duty to provide safe travel. As he grew older, and bigger, he began to spend an increasing amount of time learning of the more physical arts done in Gild's name. At the age of twenty two, he swore his vows. For over twenty-five years, he served in relative silence, keeping to himself more than mingling with others, with one very notable exception, the woman who some said melted the rigid stone mask that was his face with only a touch. His on-again, off-again relationship with the Mercy of Lagoma Valena Eseri was a matter of some gossip, even if the two were rarely seen together over the course of fifteen years. One could always see his smile whenever his eyes found hers as part of the pilgrimage she would frequently make. Receiving word of her passing was the most difficult moment of his life, one that caused him to go into seclusion for a period of months... until now. + |
| Bianca Wyrmguard + | Daughter of Daniel Wyrmguard, the almost unknown youngest brother of Marquis Denis Wyrmguard, Bianca maintained much of the same peripheral status to the Wyrmguard family that her father once had. Unlike his brothers, Daniel was a man of knowledge and chose to spend his life in pursuit of it. Unfortunately, that quest was cut very short as Daniel did not live past the age of twenty-four, survived only by his toddler daughter as Bianca's mother had passed presumably during the child's birth. Thankfully for Bianca, her father was able to deliver his daughter to the Oathlands and from there left specific instructions for her education and general future prior to the end of his life soon after. Upon reaching the age of twelve, Bianca would be sent to study with the Mercies of Lagoma and choose her own path of study be it as a priestess or following in the footsteps of her deceased father. After a few years, the blossoming beauty made her decision and proceeded to depart from the priesthood and instead follow the pursuit of knowledge. While she adored her theological and medicinal studies, there was just so much more to the world. So much more that she couldn't wait to see and experience. And so at the age of eighteen, Bianca was granted a single guard/escort by House Wyrmguard to begin her travels outside of the safety of Blancbier and extend her knowledge and understanding of the greater world. Intermittently Bianca would return home to Blancbier to visit throughout her youth. It was at the behest of her cousin, Lord Damon Wyrmguard, that she come to join some of the family centralized in Arx and no great secret that her desire to explore the Great Archive was her primary reason for her arrival in the city. Within a matter of weeks Bianca had gained the permission of Dominus Fawkhul to pursue further investigation into the lost art of Exorcism and from there she joined the discipleship of Vellichor in a more official capacity, first as a simple Scholar and following a Prelate. It was with Fawkhul's great betrayal and the elevation of Dominus Aldwin that her career within the Faith continued forward. After much internal searching and seeking the guidance of many of the Godsworn, Bianca stepped down from her role as Voice of House Wyrmguard and took her oaths to join the priesthood. Within her annointing ceremony and to the surprise of many, Bianca was named Aldwin's successor as Arschscholar of the Scholars of Vellichor. Since then, Bianca continues her work as an icon of the Faith and representative of the discipleship she leads. + |
| Bjorn Grimhall + | Being born a Lord of Grimhall was to be born to privilege he never wanted, and obligations he never asked for. From a young age, he was fascinated by the court of Arx, with its fashions and grandeur, but that wasn't what was expected of a Grimhall lord. He was to be a solider, to set aside any frivolity, and to marry a wife in a political match eventually. His sister Jadzia was set to marry someone far off in the Lyceum by the time they were 18. It wasn't what she wanted, but she was more resigned to her familial sense of duty than Bjorn. He still hoped he could avoid it, spending time with a handsome courtier named Thomas who acted as a tutor, and filled the young man's head with tales of the capital city of Arx Still, despite wishing to do little more than spend time with the young man who had won his heart, Bjorn was to be a soldier. While Bjorn was far from weak as a young man, he had always been built for speed and agility compared to his hulking and brawny older brothers, who mercilessly abused him in training and mocked him ruthlessly as he learned. His father, without consulting the young man, informed Bjorn was due to marry in the Oathlands, and would be marrying out of the family. He'd likely not see home, and Thomas, again for years. Rather than face that, Bjorn did the near unthinkable for a noble, and renounced his title, traveling to Arx to live with his sympathetic Aunt Mahin in the Ward of House Thrax. That put him in contact with the Crimson Blades who had been hired by Aunt Mahin to protect her very small estate. He began to spar with them and soon caught the attention of their Lieutenant. It wasn't long till he was signing papers with his aunt's blessing, and despite the heartache at leaving home and those he cared about behind, he felt happy. Briefly happy. He received word of his aunt's brutal murder during his Crimson Blade training. Apparently, he had not been gone a day before someone killed her. Sliced her flesh into ribbons. House Thrax's guardsmen even permitted the Inquisition to look into the matter, but the guilty were never found. Her last wish was he be happy and do well in the Blades, to follow his heart. And so he has. Throwing himself into the Blades that welcomed him, despite his name, like family. And it became real a few years later when Thomas joined the Blades as an adjunct healer for a contract. They fell in love and got married. Everything was going so well. Then came the Silent War. At the end of it he survived, but according to records his husband's position was overrun. He never even saw the body. Other men would have fallen to drink or worse, he fell to killing and focusing on his work. Taking the pain and making it useful. + |
| Blacktongue Artiglio + | Blacktongue the Harlequin, the jester of House Velenosa, wouldn't have said that being a fool was his first career choice. He's never felt there was much job security in being a fool professionally when so many other people are willing to do it unwittingly for free. That said, he enjoys making others laugh, and Blacktongue vastly prefers his current method of making others laugh (telling jokes, for example) than his old one as the long time cupbearer and poison-taster for Archduchess Carlotta Velenosa, the Grand Duchess of the Lyceum. Given the choice, he's pretty sure anyone would rather tell a joke than produce scattered giggles by choking loudly and twitching on the ground, but he supposes there might be individuals of strange cares who would lean towards the latter. That being said, he enjoyed his time as the poison-taster for the most popular assassination target in the Lyceum, and leaving the post to become instead her fool wasn't really his choice and not really his fault. He simply become so tolerant of poisons that not only was he hardly harmed by some of the more popular toxic agents, some he could no longer detect at all- it only took one near miss with his beloved Archduchess for him to step down and no longer be the honorable Donato Artiglio, trusted hand of Archduchess Carlotta, and become instead her jester- Blacktongue the Harlequin. All things considered, it could be worse. By all rights, Blacktongue should have been dead a hundred times over; his tongue being coal black is a not-so-subtle reminder of that. But since he possessed the special providence that the gods always seemed to reserve for fools, and he had completely mastered the 'fall down and twitch' routine after trying most drinks sent to Carlotta by her innumerable enemies, it was a pretty natural progression. The way he figures, every single day he's granted is some questionable gift by the gods, and if he's making -them- laugh, then the rest of humanity should be no problem at all. + |
| Blair Elricks + | Blair was born to one of the lesser families. She grew to the age of ten before her apparent abilities for the spirits came to light. She was pulled up by one of the elders of the family, taught in many of the traditions of the ways of the Shamans. During this time as well, she was trained to fight. She worked to master her combat and her shamanism. This is how she came to her position as a warrior, or as many might say, a knight. At the end of her tutelage, she was told to go out and experience the world, for her experiences would temper her soul and grant her wisdom beyond her years. Blair wandered for a few years until meeting up with the Crimson Blades. She was invited to join the mercenary band, as one of the newer Privates. + |
| Bliss Whisper + | The Lyceum city stats are famous for many things: dangerous women, dangerous men, wine, silk, sun, and passion in politics and swordplay, both. Bliss, nee Celia, might as well be made of all these things in equal measure. She was a quarrelsome, charming child, the only daughter of the Master at Arms serving Duke Leo Fidante('s holdings) in Tor. Her father loved his daughter, and taught her everything he knew. Everything he knew was about fighting, drinking, and wooing women. She got so good at these things that it's no surprise she ran off when her first lover (a local official) tried to find her a husband. Out drinking her frustrations away, she met a handsome swordsman on the run for killing his opponent during a duel, said forget this place, and then did. Their torrid affair lasted right up until the time she realized he couldn't teach her any more about fencing. She dumped his ass and found herself in the borders of the Oathlands across the Lycene Split, making her way by parking herself outside the rare tavern and challenging the knights and sellswords coming out with mocking singsongs and extravagant boasting. . .all backed up by her shockingly quick swordplay and her utter lack of hesitation. Bliss, she called herself, part of some joke or rhyme that just stuck. She talked herself into a fancy party one night, flirting and flustering her way through the room to a tipsy meeting with the glowing blonde angel who seemed to be the belle of the ball. She was the best looking girl there, can you really blame a woman for stealing that kiss? That kiss on the dance floor. In front of the lovely angel's intended. Honest mistake. You can't win all the time. After taking a serious wound to her shoulder, she had to slink away and nurse it in friendlier climes. Not able to reliably fight her way out of all the trouble she talked herself into, she had to reconsider her actions for the first unfun time in ever. So she said forget this, and came to Arx to join the Whispers. She could still sing, and she could put on quite the show against opponents who are also playing it up (and less intently thirsty for your blood). Why not get famous? That could be fun. + |
| Blossom Corsetina + | The only child of a Setarco courtier named Rose, Blossom grew up accustomed to a comfortable life for a commoner, but a life her mother knew wouldn't be right for her. Blossom had the beauty and the grace to work as a courtier, but she lacked everything else, especially the attentiveness to learn it all. More importantly, perhaps, was that she lacked the political savvy needed to survive and excel in Lycene society. She wanted to paint, more than anything. She was actually pretty okay at it, with the sort of talent and vision that buys commissions, but won't be celebrated in hundreds of years. A mother's love is what led Rose to contact the estranged family whose name she bears - Corsetina, to save money for a place on a ship to Arx, and to send her daughter north, far from the warm sun and the treachery of Lycene politics. Arx - so far from home, but maybe a better place for her. + |
| Blush Prismatics + | Little is known about this man's origins. When did he arrive in Arx? How did he come to have pink hair? How can one man look so good in so many colors? He's much more interested in talking about the lives of others than his own, but pieces and scraps from rumors and whispers suggest he's the hero of some small village somewhere in Arvum for reasons uncertain. What is certain is that he holds a special love for the freedom of choice, liberation, and Skald. + |
| Bonibel Barleycorn + | Bonibel Barleycorn was born in the North to a small farming family. The second eldest of thirteen, she helped raise her cadre of brothers and sisters who al lent hands around the farm. Hard work and practicality were passed through the family, like hand me downs. Her mother had taken on the role of the healer and herbalist (and brewer) of the village and took Bonibel under her wing when she began to show signs of interest in tending sick animals and more than one occasion was found 'experimenting' in her mothers still. When Bonibel turned twenty she was swept off her feet by a foreigner visiting from the Crownlands. A roguish sort that took a liking to her both for her talent at brewing and her untamed wit and passion. The two married in a whirlwind romance and after a year with her family the whisked her off to a port city where he said he had found work for both of them. Her Husband's work was aboard a ship in Arx and while he was out to sea half of the year - his time away cause for the lack of children - and the young Apothecary was left in their small home in the Lowers to make extra silver. Three years later her husband's ship was said to have been lost at sea, taken by pirates or perhaps just lost in a squall no one could tell Bonibel for certain. Now a widow Bonibel works in the lowers brewing up scents, liquors and various tinctures to help aid the locals while keeping her larder full. She's kept to herself until recently but even a grieving heart can mend and the world can become new and exciting again.. + |
| Bonnie Shepherd + | Bonnie was a child of two very different worlds. Sir Bentley Shepherd, her father, was the sort of stiffly honorable man that seemed to believe that one couldn't even crack a smile or make a joke without somehow undermining the seriousness of one's duties. Even if those duties weren't particularly serious. But time and again, she was grilled on obligation, duty, responsibility, honor, and a dozen other roughly equivalent synonyms that made for life's most tedious thesaurus and childhood. Her slightly older brother, Malcolm, even caught more of it as the first born, but Bonnie decided from an early age that a knight's life was not even remotely for her. Yes, it was incredibly fascinating how a few hundred years ago they were part of a ducal line that was dishonored and cast out, and there still was a line of Shepherds that ruled a duchy, but it had absolutely nothing to do with her. On the other hand, unlike her brother, Bonnie took to the sword fighting practice with her father with as one of her first passions, though it was maddening to her father when Bonnie veered away from his knightly style and leaned immediately into the flamboyant, flashy Lycene duelist style that her mother Andromeda had mastered as a retired member of the Champions Guild. It was her father's loud condemnation of it that was the start of several fights that led to his divorce, and Andromeda running off to be a pirate. For Bonnie, this was a reminder that you can't please everyone, and set her on a fiercely independent path. After a few more years of trying to make it work with her father, the provincial and tedious life and constant lecturing about disciplined living just proved too much, and she set off to find her mother. Turns out, having an incredible natural talent with a blade, a scoundrel's flexible take on morality, some natural charisma, ambition and a very capable teacher really makes for a winning combination in being an exceedingly successful Naval Acquisitions Specialist. Her start at privateering startedly with (mostly) legal exploits such as fights with Abandoned raiders, acting as a sellsail, and convoy guarding, but she's fairly confident there's at least a half dozen smaller domains with grudges it would be unwise to visit. After her mother's comfortable retirement (the beaches in Setarco -are- very nice, she writes), Bonnie acquired quite a few names for herself (Black Bonnie? Bonnie the Red? Bonnie the Fashionable? Why are the memorable ones not repeatable in polite company?). She also acquired one of her best friends, Simon, an author and adventurer she rescued from Grazagh the Incoherent, an Abandoned Chieftain of the Deeptides clan. A few letters back home from an increasingly despondent brother convinced Bonnie that it was time for a change, and she and Simon went home, rescued poor Malcolm, and founded the adventuring (and sellsword) company named the Valiant Effort. The name was definitely her idea, and don't believe anyone claiming otherwise. She fully expected to do questionable deeds for adventure and profit as a former pirate for the rest of her days, and definitely never expected to hear from her father again. And she especially didn't expect to hear that the old, stuffy warhorse had apparently reconciled with the noble line of the family, become the house sword, died in glory, and been posthumously ennobled and had Malcolm declared heir. With her also ennobled with him. The idea was preposterous to her. But all right. She'll see this through. What's the worst that could happen? + |
| Bors Keaton + | Growing up the third son of Guy Keaton was not a particularly easy thing. His mother Leona, formerly of Kennex, was a demure woman, content, or seemingly so, with the transition from a sea-based life to one as the wife of a minor branch of the Keaton family, living in a small hold near the village of Stone's Throw. Together, Guy and Leona had three children, all boys. The firstborn and heir, Campbell, took after his father in all things, receiving the lion's share of attention from Guy and all the man's scarcity of affection. The second son, Willem, was born two years after Campbell and three years after that, Bors arrived. Some of the servants whispered that what little affection and love Guy possessed was spent entirely on his first born, scraps left over for Willem, so by the time Bors arrived, there was nothing left. While Campbell was doted upon and was rarely away from his father's side, Willem and Bors were far more familiar with the back side of Guy's hand than they were with a kind word or a smile from their father. Leona tried to shield the boys as much as she could, but the woman had always been frail and sickly and she could do little to combat the severity with which her younger sons were reared. While Campbell received the best tutors that money could provide, Willem and Bors were sent on various training missions with the local guards, sent into situations with little concern for their safety. And yet both of the boys strove for the approval of their father. Willem was wounded on one of these missions into the shav-infested forests, his injuries halting any further missions. Bors assumed the mantle for both of them, determined to prove himself, if not to his impossible-to-please father, then to the gods themselves. He threw himself into lessons, both scholarly and martial, earning a reputation as a serious and upright young lord. No matter his accomplishments, that elusive approval from his father continued to elude him. As the years passed his mother retreated from the public, sequestered in her rooms, and yet she never stopped writing her younger sons, a solitary figure of affection in their lives. During the attack from the Pirate King, Bors went south with most of the Keaton forces, returning with a Knighthood for service to his lieges. Even in this, there was no word of pride from his father. Enough is enough, and Bors, Knight of the West, disciple of Gloria and lord of Keaton is heading to Arx. + |
| Bosco Caputo + | Bosco had a good upbringing with a family on the very fringe of nobility in a minor house sworn to Velanosa. An able warrior, he was always quick to the blade and to the fight and learned martialry from his father, and crafting from his mother. He dreamed of being a knight and earning this through valliant effort. And he did. Everyone was proud; young, capable and destined for greatness. It didn't quite work out that way though. Fortunes come and fortunes go, and after an early swing to favour there followed an equally potent downward spiral. A mix of bad decisions, inpugned honour, and a haze additiction culminated (in a long, drawn out episode) in being disowned. There followed a trying period, kicked out of house and home and left to wander. The money dried up, and the addiction couldn't be fueled and hard choices had to be made. The swinging of the pendulum of fortunte led to an apprenticeship with an old master northlander smith in Ischia; the man was childless, and took pity on Bosco, guiding him out of the deep hole he'd fallen into. They developed a mutually beneficial arrangement and Bosco plied a trade as muscle and arms while mastering his trade in the small and soon to be terminated Caputo family. Good times come to an end though, and with the passing of the old man after extended illness, Bosco was left with skills but no venue or patron. He has ultimately travelled to Arx to seek fortune or favour - without the social skills to pursue a business venture of his own, and having a most unfortunate past, he's left to hope that fortune is ready for an upwards swing. + |
| Brace Din + | A recent arrival to the glittering city of Arx, Brace is but a pebble lost in a quarry filled with gems. Minute details are known of the woman and her origination, the ocher tan of her skin giving clue to a life that began in the desert, unrelenting inked imagery along her body revealing time upon the sea. + |
| Braden Laurent + | Growing up in Artshall and being so close to the boarder of the Lyceum, Braden took to the sword early. Not being in line for any kind of leadership rolls allowed him to concentrate more on his martial training than anything else. When he was younger, his sword teacher was called to take care of an issue outside of the walls of Artshall. That teacher did not make it back alive, and this was a man that the young Lord greatly respected. It was at that point in time Braden decided to make it his duty to keep everyone he could alive. Having decided that he had learned all he could from the people in Artshall, Braden left and made his way to Arx, where he figured either he will get better, or he is good enough and will continue his goal in keeping people safe. Only time will tell. + |
| Brady Grayhope + | As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, Brady grew up a curious, acquisitive youngster. He rarely wanted for anything, especially pies to stick his fingers into. He learned the ins and outs of the Boroughs, back alleys a specialty, and served while still very young as a salty, scrappy little shit aboard the decks of smuggling ships. He frequently stole from the rich to give to the poor, which would have been more Robin Hood and less little shit if only he'd had any need to do so instead of doing it for the adrenaline rush. Speaking of the adrenaline rush . . . Brady's brother turned traitor a few years ago, and it turned his life upside-down. While Corrigan ratted out the business interests, lit the launderers on figurative fire, and turned over their /mother/, Brady scrambled to course correct. He was broke for basically the first time in his life, and found that his skills at getting into and out of trouble were all he had to fall back on ... so of course he fell back on them as hard as he could. Luckily, the Grayhope family connections to business legitimate and otherwise are not few, and he was able to set himself up as a handyman: that is, a man handy for all kinds of jobs, just generally a good guy to have in your corner in the crunch. Especially if you need him to be quick with a dagger -- which is how he ended up moonlighting with the Valorous Few (he'll tell you for sure, he looks great in hats). Or, you know, a little bullshit artistry. He's good at that, too. On demand. + |
| Braelynn Deepwood + | Braelynn Deepwood comes from a long ling of people comfortable with the woods and the forest. Though most of her family chooses to remain homebound, Braelynn found at an early age that she enjoyed walks through the forest and learning about the various trees and other plants that grew there. She would often reference them as her "Serenity Walks" and indeed would come back refreshed and relaxed after. Over time that interest in the forests and plants in general only deepened and now she finds herself the go-to expert for all things horticultural among her family and extended family. She was close to her cousin Joxur, and as he moved to the city she enjoyed receiving letters from him. She was particularly proud when he was named Sword of Deepwood, and wrote him a glowing letter of congratulations. But gradually her walks in the forest for serenity proved to not give her the calm she wrapped around her like a cloak, and she grew more and more restless. Until at last she decided the only solution was to go visit her extended family and explore new horizons and new forests - and so she came to Arx. + |
| Braith Mazetti + | Close cousin to the march and his Voice, Braith was a tagalong as a child. She wanted to get into everything, learn everything, and put most things in her mouth. As she grew older, these urges didn't really change with the possible exception of that last one. She was a constant troublemaker and essentially ended up pawned off on a steady shaman tutor for something to /do/ with her, and it was under this tutelage -- with the occasional rising influence of her grandmother -- that her early aptitudes for music were discovered. She loved to sing, she loved to perform, and she had a keen sense of rhythm for the hand drum and bells. Other instruments were more of a challenge but she learned several of them anyway, inhaling the knowledge like she sopped up story and song. She began to make up stories of imaginary exploits for her friends and family, putting some to music and chanting them like the ballads of heroes of old, and sometimes just telling them like stories, especially for the younger children of Giant's Reach. It was in this way that her life's path was set as a maker of music and teller of tales: it was the shining passion of her heart, so why not pursue it. + |
| Braith Sanna + | Close cousin to the march and his Voice, Braith was a tagalong as a child. She wanted to get into everything, learn everything, and put most things in her mouth. As she grew older, these urges didn't really change with the possible exception of that last one. She was a constant troublemaker and essentially ended up pawned off on a steady shaman tutor for something to /do/ with her, and it was under this tutelage -- with the occasional rising influence of her grandmother -- that her early aptitudes for music were discovered. She loved to sing, she loved to perform, and she had a keen sense of rhythm for the hand drum and bells. Other instruments were more of a challenge but she learned several of them anyway, inhaling the knowledge like she sopped up story and song. She began to make up stories of imaginary exploits for her friends and family, putting some to music and chanting them like the ballads of heroes of old, and sometimes just telling them like stories, especially for the younger children of Giant's Reach. It was in this way that her life's path was set as a maker of music and teller of tales: it was the shining passion of her heart, so why not pursue it. + |
| Bran Ravenseye + | Bran became the chieftain of his tribe at a young age, and married young as well, having fallen head over heels for one of the tribe's young shaman's and talented weather eye. A beautiful redhead, Gudrun; charming, and bright. For a few years everything seemed great for them, their raids on the Northlanders and Thrax successful, with few casualties and a decent amount of plunder returned with them. They weren't immune from other tribes and clans raiding them, however. It was not long after the birth of their first child, a daughter, Aella, that his wife was taken. He spent a few years trying to find her, not ready to give up. All the while Sorcha, Gudrun's younger sister was helping to raise Aella. Eventually, he was convinced that she was lost, likely dead. And he remarried, taking Sorcha as his new wife. With Sorcha, he had other children, though most didn't have Aella's fiery temperament. Still, he loved them all. Roguish Cadern, inquisitive Rosalind, and collected Triton. He led his tribe as best he could, settling disputes with his neighbors with trade and diplomacy as often as the sword, or at least he tried. When Crovane and Blackwood bent the knee to Redrain however, he sensed the change in the times and knelt with them, before abdicating in favor of his eldest, Aella. It was time for the younger generation to take charge, though he would shepherd them along. + |
| Branan Dominici + | The Dominici family of Lenosia has never excelled at anything in its existence. It has always been a line of consistent mediocrity. Although gentry and wealthy enough for being gentry, the family has never so wealthy as to advance its station significantly, but also never too poor to slide down the rungs of society. They have never been beloved In politics or reputation, but again neither terribly disliked. As gentry, the Dominici have always been a family of courtiers that never gain royal notice, yet even without it, they continue to receive invitations to the balls and events of court. Such a family gives scant space for greatness to arise. Instead, you get men like Branan. Capable with a quill, educated but not being courted out of school by powerful trading houses, royal families or the church. The most remarkable thing that Branan has ever done in his life, is refuse to join his father and brothers in the family cloth reselling business, and choose to try to make a career of his poetry. This single act of rebellion, of choosing a dangerous new path, cost him his families good will and his very modest students stipend. Cut off and with dwindling cash reserves, Branan set out on a traders ship for Arx, intent on finding a patron who will be pleased with his skills and services. Someone who will be pleased to have a capable scribe and assistant who occasionally writes poetry of some quality. + |
| Branimir Eswynd + | Branimir has outlived his father, the first War Chief he served, and then his older brother, and now he serves his nephew. All these lords change like the tides but Branimir is the rock that has seen it all and survived it all. Alongside his male kin he's survived 2 wives and a handful of children, though as many still remain and he's content with that. In younger years Branimir was a creature of great violence, he desired blood, victory, and most of all GLORY, until in the same raid that took his brother, he took an axe to the face, lost an eye and nearly died. Something changed while he lay bleeding on the ground trampled by friend and foe both. His blood lust finally quenched while he soaked in his own. After that, he saw the world differently, and where many reavers are consumed by gloom after such grave injuries, Branimir was filled with a new vigor. He also awoke with a belief in the Spirits, leading many of his kin to worry that so nearly dying had cracked Branimir's mind as well as cutting out an eye. He still fights when he must, but rather than being the one to advocate for the sword first, he became the one to call for it last, and there are few whose calls are louder than Branimir One Eye! + |
| Brannen Harthall + | Born along with his twin, Bree, Brannen Harthall had his life set out since he was born. He never questioned the life put out for him. Never for a moment. Early in his years it was decided when Brannen was of age he would lead the forces of Harthall. He would train in the martial arts and become a respected commander. And he sure did. Brannen is very much an Oathlander. Conservative, stern, driven, bound by honor, and a tad humorless. Ever since he was a boy Brannen understood the importance of his duty and what he would need to take on over the years. While Bree took to fighting, Brannen took to command. He was still an excellent warrior, but it did not take long for him to earn the respect of the Harthall soldiers. Bree often would complain to him how she wanted to be out on the road, serving Gild, being a Knight of Solace. Brannen kept them grounded. To duty. But one day, tragedy struck. The heir to their house was killed in a horse race while both Bree and Brannen were present. Brannen informed the Harthalls that Odhran mismanaged his saddle and as a result died of it. Brannen Harthall in a moment of misery over his fallen cousin left with Bree Harthall. The twins became Godsworn and dedicated themselves to the Knights of Solace. Brannen has arranged himself in the Knights of Solace, aiming to be a martial force as well as a keen commander of the Knights. + |
| Branwen Stormfeather + | Branwen has no memory at all of her formative early years, knowing only what she's been told from those of House Ravenseye. Nearly all of their clan in one night was wiped out, decimated by another tribe of crazed Abandoned. That they obviously weren't sane was probably the only reason she and a very few others survived the massacre. Each of them were hidden underneath the bodies of others, or fallen debris. And made neither a sound, or moved, out of fright and shock. It was a group of scouts from the Stormheart that found them, surveying the damage as they swept through the next day hot on the trail of the perpetrators. Instead of chasing after them though, they stopped to rescue the survivors and brought them back; and now, the Ravenseye are her family. Her quiet, perceptive nature, and her love of solitude brought her under the wings of the Shaman in the group. She took to it quickly, learning both to tend to spiritual ills and those of the body. And when the calling of the Tribe was to come to Arx as ennobled Prodigals, she too bent the knee so she could follow her adopted family and tend to them there. Where she is sure that she will be busy given rumors of things that have happened in and around the city. + |
| Brass Not anymore + | You don't know! + |
| Braxas Songweaver + | Born in Arx twenty years ago, Braxas came into the world with no surname. His parents whoever they were did not want him so he was left at an orphanage in the worst part of town. Braxas was a dark child, handsome but frightening to the other children because of his dark moods and anger at the world. He started singing when he was five, just letting his emotions out via song. Some of the other boys tried to bully him over the singing but Braxas would not back down. When he was thirteen he ran away from the orphanage to join a troupe of traveling bards. Before he left Tomas his childhood tormentor gave him the scar that remains on his face today. He got away and has since learned how to dodge and defend himself a bit. He stayed with the troupe of bards as they traveled across the land. GOing from city to city Braxas learned how to survive and entertain on the streets. Seven years passed and after Braxas turned twenty he decided to try his luck back home in Arx once again. + |
| Breccan Malere + | Born to a family of successful farmers, Breccan grew up understanding and learning the land like all people of Acorn Hill. But what developed was a deeper understanding of nature itself and more often than not the impressionable youth found his time idling out into the woods where he was oftentimes scolded for being so careless by his father who compared him often to his older brother, Everett, as the eldest took to the agriculture life and found it suitable. It was after a fight that resulted in blows, the brashness of youth calling his old man out, that he ran off to the woods and wasn't heard from in weeks. What happened exactly was unknown but Breccan came back changed, throwing himself headlong into the family affairs but from a different angle. Instead, his charm and good nature was put forward to help bring prosperity and trade, having made several connections throughout Arvum- houses ranging from Setarco to Clearlake. It was after the death of his father, that Breccan told his brother the truth of where he had been for those many weeks ( as it had always been a mystery ) and it is with the passing of their father that he now must devote his life to another path for something is coming that will test their family and all of Acorn Hill. That something did come, however, it came with the arrival of shavs who destroyed all of Acorn Hill. It was luck that had Breccan away, devoting his life to helping build Lodges of Petrichor in other areas that he deemed would need the protection.With a brother and nephew still alive, he aims to devote his life to Pretrichor and seeing the land of forest and homestead safe from any that would defile it. + |
| Bree Harthall + | Bree and Brannen Harthall were born twins and from the moment they were born their lives were planned out. From early formative years, Bree took to the Valrdin way of life. Chivalry! Duty! However Bree always had a very bright twist on the Valardin way. She was strange, as many Valardins are more reserved and conservative Bree never was. From her childhood she was the most outgoing, the most exuberant, the most enthusiastic. Because there are dragons out there to slay/befriend depending on the particular situation/dragon. Bree loved stories and when playing as a child often got in trouble for being so violent. Her excuse generally was that she needed to see how hard she had to hit in case it wasn't her brother she was fighting but a skeleton risen out of the earth. And so her training began early. Bree took to fighting like a fish to water. While her brother became more tactical, more keen, Bree spent her days training and fighting, interspersed with flower picking, running on the beach or watching the sunset. Though she was driven she never had an issue with the work life balance. Bree has always known how to live, even in her most prepatory years. She also became closely attuned with Gild. She would often talk to the goddess at night, worried about those worse off than her, promising Gild she would help them in the morning. It was Bree's dream to become a Knight of Solace, to protect the weary and downtrodden, but she was destined to become a knight for her house and to serve as a champion of Harthall. Brannen constantly reminded her of her duty, to house first. Unfortunately tragedy struck. In a horse race with the heir of the House, their cousin Odhran, Bree and Brannen witnessed their cousin die in an accident. Stricken by this great tragedy, Brannen finally relented and the two have recently taken their oaths as Godsworn. Foreswearing marriage, titles, children, and have instead recently been inducted as Knights Of Solace. Eager to protect the weary in the City of Arx! + |
| Breidaia Ferchyn + | The Northlands are a harsh place for a commoner. Breidaia knew the hardships of a hungry belly, an empty quiver, and lips turning blue. Her father died before she was five, memories of him gone dim with the years. The tiny village she dimly recalls was overrun by Abandoned or plague, alternating disasters that signalled a need to move on. So her mother did, uprooting them in a straggling band of starvelings harried by the closing season. The small family nearly perished before they reached Giant's Reach, or close enough to eke out some modest existence. They were never prosperous after any fashion. Some days it was merely enough to life. Hunger motivates as well as necessity. Breidaia had no future on the outskirts of Giant's Reach, being without desire to work in mines or muster some small craft. She had a far-roaming nature and a quest to see the sea. It took her nearly six years to make it to the shores of Sanctum on the Eventide Vast, working the river bit by bit, but she had enough competency on the ropes and the sails of inland waters by then to buy her way onto a ship. It was a terrible position and she thoroughly hated it. The next posting was better, less given to abuses. The crew tolerated her quirks more. She grew into her skin. The lure of the water wasn't really what it was about. The excitement, the colour, the wonder all found on a ship boiled down to the heady experience she loved. Sailing gave her choice. She went far west with a trading coster funded by the Redrains, and through the distant patronage of their economic interests, would criss-cross the ocean. She became the second mate on a respective ship, got a name for honest dealing and good leadership. None of that mattered for piss during a brutal storm somewhere northwest of the Saffron Isles, when they were cutting for the far storm-wracked coast of the Compact. Men died. Her lover, the captain, died with a spar to the chest that no one could heal. The first mate was riddled by rage and sickness, forcing Breidaia to take up the role. And she was good at it. Very good. By the time they made landfall, half their cargo lost, a third of the crew down, it looked like a disaster. She got a second chance, with a second ship, and that was that. She's been sailing for the Redrains ever since. + |
| Brianna Halfshav + | A true child of the north, Brianna has always wanted more. She's proud of everything about her heritage, taking particular pride in her family House Halfshav winning glory for House Redrain and laying low the worst elements of the Abandoned in the North. Despite that pride, she yearns to see more, and she grew up of tales among northern nobility about the wild customs and fashions of the south and the pageantry of the court of Arx. When she was finally old enough to accompany her father south to court, it seemed to be all she had ever dreamed, delighting in all she found and even meeting the king, becoming King Alaric IV's frequent companion. Shortly after the king's marriage, she was forced to return to the north, but has since returned after the tragedy of the King's Rest. Still bright and vivacious, she also has a newfound determination and intensity about her, the tragedy of recent events with the coma of the king and deaths of so many others weighing heavily upon her mind. + |
| Briar Marjawn + | Born into a Halfshav village, Briar was the third youngest son of a full family of woodcrafters. A mother, a father, and three brothers, and a sister, Violet, the family did well living off the land and selling to the leatherworkers. He got to spend his days following his older sister around the woods, her eternal shadow. That would occasionally wander where the dappled sunlight or shadows seemed to guide him. A true child of the forest he could approach a deer with surprising ease. There would be the occasional skirmish with the Abandoned, but for most of his young life it wasn't a real threat. Eventually though, it wasn't enough. A warband from the village had gotten tired of the constant warfare, and attacked the small village outright. Only Violet dragging him out of bed before dawn and into the surrounding forests allowed them to survive the massacre of their family and most everything and everyone they had known.. By the time the Halfshav army arrived it was too late to do anything but help the survivors. Briar and Violet didn't leave with the others, however, and stayed to take out the warband once and for all. The Halfshav army had hired a nearby company of Crimson Blades to assist them in the eradication of this particular Abandoned problem. When the dust settled the survivors of the village were scattered and Violet and he had no home or family to go too. Yet his sister's talent with a bow had caught the Colonel of the Blade company's attention. Soon they were off to Arx with the Blades and a new life. Briar, who had always had a calling for shamanism finally had the ability to do something with it. Being a woodcrafter was all well and good, but he felt his passion lay with the spirits. So with his sisters blessing and support, he joined the Spirit Walkers. It was been a few years now and he has grown well into his vocation, his fierce energy doing him well in some areas and less in others. + |
| Bridget Pravus + | Bridget is from a minor noble family, House Mescino of the Lycene barony of Pastrazza. She is a young widow to Elonso of house Pravus. Her marriage had nothing to do with love. It was a formally arranged marriage with the goal of bringing two houses together. It was a marriage that abruptly ended with her husband's death. Upon the return of their widowed daughter, her family broke into chaos. The entire point of the marriage was to settle the dispute of a land claim. It was a minor land claim, but to her house could mean the difference between riches and ruin! The whole thing would have been easier if she had given her husband a sun before he went off and had himself executed. The only logical step to take from here was to send her back to house Pravus as a ward. It was cruel considering they were the ones to execute her late husband, but they didn't have time or resources to deal with a widowed daughter, and there were simply no other logical courses of action to take. What did Bridget think about all of this? Oh who really cares... just send her off! + |
| Brier Crovane + | Brier was born in the north in the middle of June as one of the first cousins of the Crovane family. Her mother was Ingrid and married into the Crovanes, while her father was Kheit Crovane. She was quick to become known for being one of the biggest handfuls out of the Crovane family's children, one who was quick to barrel into trouble just for the fun of it or to otherwise make sure that no one doubted her just because she was a 'young lady'. Her family, knowing that she would need an outlet to contain her energy and distract her, encouraged her to spend some time with the blacksmith of the village. There she tended to some apprentice-like duties and found that she loved the craft. Enthralled by working in the forge, Brier soon became less of a problem and grew into a fine young woman. There was a time that her family encouraged her to marry a young man of a neighboring territory, and so she and Yldimer were married in the winter months near her twentieth birthday. They spent ten years living happily together, but were unable to bear any new heirs due to him being secretly barren. Unfortunately, he fell three years ago in defending the north. For years she was stricken by grief, until her mother and father encouraged her to try a change of scenery and so she moved to Arx with hopes of being able to leave behind her past. + |
| Brigid Inverno + | Raised at Acorn Hill, Brigid grew up steady and strong like the many mighty trees that surrounded her home. The forest pathways became so familiar she could traverse them blind, chuckling rivers guided her ears, and she learned to appreciate the land in which she resided. The land that her family cultivated was perfect for grazing and housed a large stable where visiting households were known to stall their mounts given the skilled reputation for quality care. With a father who was versed in the various use of weaponry and a mother who was born to the saddle, it left an impression on their only child. Molding both their teachings, Brigid grew into an accomplished equestrian and swordswoman training herself up to both protect the ruling house and assist the nearby military outpost where her cousin, Rane Keaton commanded a stalwart militia. It was what granted her the title of House Sword for her ruling Moore cousin of Acorn Hill and it was one she had planned on devoting her life to - that was until tragedy had struck her home. While having been granted leave to deliver mounts to the nearby Keaton outpost, a rider delivered the news that everything and one she had sworn to protect had been decimated by an outside force with not a soul left alive. With direction having gone askew, Brigid remains to help see her home set to rights and to redeem herself in the eyes of the family she had failed. + |
| Brigid Moore + | Raised at Acorn Hill, Brigid grew up steady and strong like the many mighty trees that surrounded her home. The forest pathways became so familiar she could traverse them blind, chuckling rivers guided her ears, and she learned to appreciate the land in which she resided. The land that her family cultivated was perfect for grazing and housed a large stable where visiting households were known to stall their mounts given the skilled reputation for quality care. With a father who was versed in the various use of weaponry and a mother who was born to the saddle, it left an impression on their only child. Molding both their teachings, Brigid grew into an accomplished equestrian and swordswoman training herself up to both protect the ruling house and assist the nearby military outpost where her cousin, Rane Keaton commanded a stalwart militia. It was what granted her the title of House Sword for her ruling Moore cousin of Acorn Hill and it was one she had planned on devoting her life to - that was until tragedy had struck her home. While having been granted leave to deliver mounts to the nearby Keaton outpost, a rider delivered the news that everything and one she had sworn to protect had been decimated by an outside force with not a soul left alive. With direction having gone askew, Brigid remains to help see her home set to rights and to redeem herself in the eyes of the family she had failed. + |
| Brigida Fidante + | Brigida has lived through it all. When she was a girl, she was as fine a hunter, dancer, and player of music as any lady of the Lyceum. She was not the most beautiful of her sisters but she was clearly the most accomplished. At sixteen, she was the Golden Rose of Tor, and she had lovers on her string at twenty ranging from all over the Compact. But all idylls end. Brigida joined the Faith relatively late -- at 24 -- in part to avoid a disastrous marriage she did not want that would have sent her to the Laurents. She had no desire to join the workhorse duchy of the Valardins. Instead, she cast aside the silks of her wild life as the Golden Rose of Tor, and threw herself into a new life as a priestess. She had a solid background of Lyceum politics to bring with her to the priesthood along with genuine faith for the gods and a healthy respect for the power structures here that she could potentially grow into. She had already survived at least three poisonings before she donned her first robe. She learned quickly that the machinations of the priests were different in form from those of Lycene politics but not in kind. Ambitious people jockey for position everywhere, and the Faith is no exception. By the time she was 40, she was such a mainstay of the priests of Petrichor that there were few other names that could even be considered for his Archlector. Yet at this pinnacle she chose to stay, leading the godsworn and championing the guardian of the land rather than attempting to politic any higher. + |
| Briseis Morgan + | The last of seven children, Briseis had to make quite a bit of noise to stand out. A few of her older siblings were already headed in a direction of martial service, but Briseis's talents were more mental. She was preternaturally curious from a young age, devouring books, become an enthusiastic visitor to Sanctum's local Archive. One might say she harassed the Scholars there, but enthusiasm and talent for exploiting her own cuteness meant that she actually managed to endear quite a few of them. It's only right to encourage the will of Vellichor where one finds it, after all. So she grew a joyful child. An /enthusiastic/ child. Not quite as wild and free as her brother Aleksei, who ran from Sanctum without looking back when he was sixteen and she was only eight, but if her effusiveness was sometimes a little unseemly, it was tempered by the fact that her areas of fascination were entirely appropriate: theology, history, law. (It also helped that she was a good deal better at charming her way into what she wanted from her father than certain other rebellious siblings.) And where many Orthodox Oathlanders were raised with faith as a serious, sober weight, she celebrated the beauty of it with a joyful conviction, and she gave up hours of her free time to become a disciple of the Faith among the ranks of the Scholars as soon as they let her in. However, she found that the spread and preservation of knowledge, while fulfilling, didn't quite fulfill the itch of her passions. It was in the Sentinel that she found her calling. Curiosity was her drive, but being able to use that information to help make the world a more just one -- that became her purpose. She would FIND INJUSTICE. And she would STOP IT. (And people would TAKE HER SERIOUSLY.) She longed for the days when the Inquisition was itself a discipleship of the Sentinel, but who said she needed to let a little rift between major Compact organizations stop her? She could revere the tenets of the Sentinel both as a Disciple in the Faith as well as in the secular world as an Inquisitor! That's what she's come to Arx to do, in any case. And when Briseis dedicates herself to something, there's not a lot that can stand in her way. + |
| Brogan Nightgold + | Born to be a duke's younger brother, Brogan expected his lot in life from an early age, and threw himself into it with a will. Marriage for politics, maybe -- he was a dutiful son, and he expected that even when he was a young teenager -- but that was nothing to put a damper on his lust for life. Marriage did nothing to stop him from running amok amongst the common folk, or among the other similarly ranked nobles, for that matter. He drank, hunted, punched and gambled his way through every keep in the North and brought with him wild volume, laughter, and just an inordinate supply of delightful bullshit. His wife was another count's daughter, from the Oathlands, and she died giving him his firstborn daughter, who died a few years later. It was the kind of tragedy that could have brought a lesser man down. For Brogan, it made him live harder, live wilder. He disappeared into the snows and got in touch with the mountain's icy roots, bringing himself to the shaman's path and hunting for blood, life and happiness in his own way. When he returned, it was as an uncle to the new Duchess Nadia, as a frequent inebriate and a roaring soldier who drank as much as he punched. Bare fist fighting was his specialty (and remains so) and while in coming to Arx as part of the Nightgold retinue has made him miss the snows, he came ready to throw himself into the uproarious life of a lesser nobleman in the capital. + |
| Bron Aisling + | Born in one of the smaller mountain villages in the North, he was scooped up by an army recruiter shortly after reaching adulthood, his knowledge of the area along with his hunting and trail skills making him a useful skirmisher. A few small wars later, Sergeant at Arms Aisling left his Lord's service with a pension, some spoils and a desire to spend some time on his own for once. Going back to his village didn't seem quite right, not after all he had seen so after shipping home a totally non-blood-spattered care-package he vanished into the woods. Bored with his own company and perhaps missing the camaraderie of his unit, he has headed to the big city to see what that's like instead. + |
| Bruce Valardin + | Honor. Honor above all. Born on May 26th, 985 AR to Prince Robert Valardin and Lady Helene Telmar, Bruce was the firstborn but grew up knowing he'd never inherit title or land. Instead, he was prepared for a life of chivalry, nursed by tales of Oathlands heroism and knighthood. He was riding by the age of five and learning how to wield a longsword by eight. At ten, he became the squire of Lord Gregor Steelhart the Chillhearted, a renowned knight and swordsman. It was a busy childhood of martial training, studying warfare, extensive conditioning and prayer. Though even now, he holds those hazy memories close of warm summers spent at the river with friends and family outside of the Capital, and along the coast outside of High Hill. His peaceful childhood was not to last. Knighted at sixteen, Bruce took up the sword for his family and began his career in earnest. It was only a year later when the Tragedy in Sanctum occured. His mother and father lay dead, along with Prince Radley Valardin and most of his immediate kin. The newly knighted Oathlander had been away in the Gray, partaking in Compact operations against hostile abandoned. When the news reached him, it changed the young man forever. 1006 AR. Bruce was a mounted knight in the Silent War, twenty one years old. He fought in countless skirmishes in the Northlands, the Gray, and finally in the Crownlands, culminating in the Siege of Arx. Months of his life had been spent waging war against Tolamar Brand and his forces. Yet there was never any respite. The following years were spent in small campaigns among Valardin forces, the Compact and Templars, fighting hostile Abandoned and cultists throughout central and western Avrum. A week before his birthday, in May 1008 AR, Bruce served under High Lord Edain Valardin in the Gyre War. Though the city burned and the losses were extraordinary, the battle-hardened knight survived and rode down the Gyre's fleeing troops alongside his comrades. In less than three years, he had participated in two grand wars that shaped the future of the Compact. And he lived. Bruce had earned a name for himself with his exploits among knightly circles and Valardin forces; a veteran of wars, countless campaigns and dozens if not hundreds of skirmishes with abandoned and brigand alike. He gave the Pantheon praise, Oathlands Orthodox through and through, living without a fear of death after experiencing so much in his young life. It took the Battle of High Hill Crossing to humble him. He was twenty six years old, a small unit commander among the united forces of Valardin and Telmar. He had recently learned of High Hill's fall to shav forces, and the massacre of House Steelhart; so many friends, comrades, good men, dead. He yearned for revenge. In his anger, he forgot the Faith's teachings. And he payed. Nearly a thousand allied troops died in that ambush, among them Prince Caius Valardin and Duke Arn Telmar, both kin to Bruce. His leg was shattered in battle by a mighty blow, a serious injury that would fully heal, but that left him bedridden for the better part of a year. His countenance grew more serious, stern. He lost that youthful charm and cocky posture. Prayer was his solace. He thought of all the brothers and sisters in arms that he had lost throughout the years. Slain family members, allies, friends, fellow knights and Oathlanders. It's during this time in which he realized that for him, war would never be over. In the years since, Bruce returned to combat and his knightly pursuits, training and assisting in the Compact's campaigns against abandoned and foreign foes whenever able. And now, he has traveled to Arx in order to get more directly involved in the coming wars. Foes surround Avrum, the Compact, Valardin. From within and without. Bruce wants to play his part; for the sake of honor, virtue, justice. He will lead his people to victory. + |
| Bryndis Nightgold + | Bryndis is the youngest of five, and has always been a curious child. She would often go out of her way to explore the world around her, from outside the home to the darkest of corners within the home. She would watch the animals, study the bugs, draw the flowers and trees that she saw in her world. There was not much that did not interest her, both in the animate things around her, or the inanimate as well. Just because a flower was often more beautiful than a rock doesn't mean that the rock itself didn't hold its own very special place in her world. By the time she was ten she had books and books of drawings, each year they got better, more apt to actually resemble what it was that she was exploring and studying. She would watch and listen to others that were more knowledgeable about art, flora and fauna, and take in everything they offered. As she grew older she knew that it was very clear to her what she was going to do with her life. Some thought she'd become a healer or midwife. But she didn't want to do anything like that, she was very interested in the properties of the plants, of course, but even alchemy and apothecary studies weren't number one on her list outside of just curiosity. No, it was actually learning just about the world around her. How things fit together, why you'd find one particular animal and plant in one location, but find just the animal, or the plant, in another. It was when she was almost nineteen that she grew ill, ill to the point that everyone was sure that she'd die. But something changed, one night she was on her death bed, and the next morning she was up and moving around as though nothing was ever wrong. She's never really had any explanation for that, but her entire outlook on life seems to have changed after that night. She was more direct, less interested in books, more forgetful than she once was. + |
| Brynja Blackwood + | Brynja was born in the wild lands, beyond the bounds of what most consider civilization, the eldest child of Sigurd Blackwood. Her mother passed away when she was young, dying under mysterious circumstances, and leaving her father heartbroken. As a way of honoring her memory and helping himself recover from his grief, Sigurd taught Brynja the ways of the warrior as soon as she could stand, and she has been on that path ever since. Her father would eventually find love again and remarry. As she blossomed into a young woman, word of her deeds spread among the tribes, and she gained notoriety for her unrelenting ferocity in battle. Many great men made many great excuses when she bested them in combat, but Brynja had hardly a care -- you don't get very far with excuses. When Tolamar Brand came to assault their lands and enslave their people, Brynja was on the front lines, commanding the Blackwood infantry. She performed well, even if she received another scar or two. She was less thrilled at the notion of becoming a silk when her family decided to bend the knee to House Crovane. She will just have to make do. + |
C | |
| Cabrera Godsworn + | Cabrera was a beautiful boy, the pride of his parents. He was born large and strapping, and grew quickly. But he grew in the backdrop of chaos and war, and his parents were cut down in their prime. His mother was a knight-captain who laid down her life for Fidante in the Tor-Southport war, and his father was brutally crippled in the aftermath of the fighting; though young, he simply was in no state to care for himself, let alone his son. There was no family left who could take care of this young boy whose parents had had such high hopes for his brilliant future, so the Seraph of Tor brought him to the Faith, that he might be raised with the children who knew no other family. A child who ran and scampered among the servants of the Rectory, fitting into strange places and exploring weird corners was young Cabrera's raison d'etre. He was too young to squire when he first came to the Church-- a child, five years of age -- but somehow he managed to get places and make himself useful. His bright eyes and raffish smile were weapons of war he waged upon the Faith. He was everyone's gopher and no one's; a disciple of the Church when he was far too young to be so. He wasn't the only child of the Faith, but he was certainly one of the most vibrant. As a teen, he came to understand how he lost his family, and he was reactive about it, fierce and hotheaded and miserable. He tried to get into duels about it, but the Lycenes he challenged knew better than to duel a boy of his years, and he was given a hiding and sent back to the Rectory. He screamed his outrage at anybody who would listen, and one of the priests -- the same Seraph who had brought him from Tor -- took him back to the Lyceum to visit the grave of the cripple who had been his father. When he returned again to Arx and the service of the Church, he was a quieter, more thoughtful version of himself. While the mischief and warmth returned to him, and he would never lose the laughter or the quickness of his wits, the Cabrera who recognized the indelible part that loss had played in his development was a more sober, serious one, with a fierce understanding of what it was to be loyal to a cause, and a deep-seated recognition of the horrors of war. He squired with the templars as a youth, and as a man, he took his oaths in service to the Faith, and enlivened their quarters with lively cheer, an upbeat attitude, and a sense of humor that danced between classic soldierly raunchiness and more obscure absurdism. Resourceful and clever, Cabrera lived by his tongue and his wits, and in more than one campaign, served the Faith with sword and shield, putting his life on the line gladly in service of something greater than himself. + |
| Cade none + | Born in a small village, Cade's mother died a few days after his birth. He was left to be raised by his stern and unaffectionate father who was a former mercenary. Even as a boy, Cade's father instilled into him the hard work and discipline that he had learned from his travels. Having not known any gentle touch and constantly receiving his father's ire, Cade grew to resent his father. When his father died of sickness, Cade packed whatever belongings he could carry and left the village, knowing that there was nothing left for him there. He traveled from one village to the next, doing some odd jobs when he could. From then on he wandered aimlessly, only doing what he deemed necessary to get him through the day. + |
| Cadenza Fidante + | Cadenza Velenosa, eldest of a lesser line of Velenosa princes and princesses, was not a very good Lycene. As a child, she did not take to her political lessons. She was frank, forthright to the point of tactlessness, and had a knack for taking exactly the wrong point from her teachers and running away with it out of sheer stubbornness. Iron will in a nine year old can be difficult to deal with, particularly an active nine year old with a seemingly endless ability to get into things. Her father was a Zaffria, and while on a trip to visit relatives at Crowned Hill, their party was attacked by an Abandoned raiding party, and Cadenza learned a lesson about heroic recklessness: that is, that if you're going to hero recklessly, you have to pick your moment, and preferably, be older than eleven. She came away from the fight half an orphan; her mother died fighting in defense of her father, and her father brutally injured defending Cadenza, and it was a lesson she never forgot. As an adult, she remembered what she'd learned about timing, but she never let it hold her back. She sailed forth with her cousin Antonio and learned the ropes, and then set forth all the further, sailing through the Mourning Isles. Allegedly she was seeking a potential alliance with House Thrax, a potential match for one of the young princes, but she slipped loose the leash and sailed still further, disappearing off the map for awhile. She turned up again far afield in Arvum on a wild adventure where she either rescued or was rescued by Lou Grayson, or maybe it was mutual. It was neither the first nor the last time that Cadenza mysteriously made herself vanish only to reappear again later with tales of dramatic nonsense and half-truths. When Lady Aislin launched her Society of Explorers, Cadenza was only not an early adopter because she was spending a month trapped in the basement of a ruined temple to Gild in the hinterlands of the Oathlands, living on an unfortunate diet of roast rat and buried roots while she tried to work out a series of absurdly confusing puzzles that would have made a lot more sense if you could remember all Thirteen gods. During the Silent War, Cadenza would have fought for the Lyceum gladly, but instead, she had accidentally gotten herself temporarily sold as a prisoner of one piratical group of Abandoned to another, following the loss of her ship to a raid. She only escaped by dumb luck and someone else's stray arrow fortuitously striking the gut of the guy who held her chain. So it was that, in trying to make her way back to Arx, speaking a mangled polyglot of several Abandoned languages badly, she has only turned up again on the shore of Southport honestly confused about how she'd arrived, with a fresh scar on her neck from someone trying to kill her for no reason she could explain, and the worst part is she had no good story to show for it. + |
| Cadenza Velenosa + | Cadenza Velenosa, eldest of a lesser line of Velenosa princes and princesses, was not a very good Lycene. As a child, she did not take to her political lessons. She was frank, forthright to the point of tactlessness, and had a knack for taking exactly the wrong point from her teachers and running away with it out of sheer stubbornness. Iron will in a nine year old can be difficult to deal with, particularly an active nine year old with a seemingly endless ability to get into things. Her father was a Zaffria, and while on a trip to visit relatives at Crowned Hill, their party was attacked by an Abandoned raiding party, and Cadenza learned a lesson about heroic recklessness: that is, that if you're going to hero recklessly, you have to pick your moment, and preferably, be older than eleven. She came away from the fight half an orphan; her mother died fighting in defense of her father, and her father brutally injured defending Cadenza, and it was a lesson she never forgot. As an adult, she remembered what she'd learned about timing, but she never let it hold her back. She sailed forth with her cousin Antonio and learned the ropes, and then set forth all the further, sailing through the Mourning Isles. Allegedly she was seeking a potential alliance with House Thrax, a potential match for one of the young princes, but she slipped loose the leash and sailed still further, disappearing off the map for awhile. She turned up again far afield in Arvum on a wild adventure where she either rescued or was rescued by Lou Grayson, or maybe it was mutual. It was neither the first nor the last time that Cadenza mysteriously made herself vanish only to reappear again later with tales of dramatic nonsense and half-truths. When Lady Aislin launched her Society of Explorers, Cadenza was only not an early adopter because she was spending a month trapped in the basement of a ruined temple to Gild in the hinterlands of the Oathlands, living on an unfortunate diet of roast rat and buried roots while she tried to work out a series of absurdly confusing puzzles that would have made a lot more sense if you could remember all Thirteen gods. During the Silent War, Cadenza would have fought for the Lyceum gladly, but instead, she had accidentally gotten herself temporarily sold as a prisoner of one piratical group of Abandoned to another, following the loss of her ship to a raid. She only escaped by dumb luck and someone else's stray arrow fortuitously striking the gut of the guy who held her chain. So it was that, in trying to make her way back to Arx, speaking a mangled polyglot of several Abandoned languages badly, she has only turned up again on the shore of Southport honestly confused about how she'd arrived, with a fresh scar on her neck from someone trying to kill her for no reason she could explain, and the worst part is she had no good story to show for it. + |
| Cadern Blackwood + | Cadern was a rapscallion. A scavenger of attention. A thirsty little sneak who made it his business to get into things. He cherished freedom, the freedom to run amok, and clashed frequently with his older sister, with whom he had a seriously healthy sibling rivalry, especially when both were too young to temper themselves particularly. The shamans of the Ravenseyes knew what to do with a boy who wanted to get into trouble, though, and found ways to occupy him, to turn his impish mischief to good account, and to train him so that his garrulousness and wit could one day be used to the advantage of their family. He chafed at being second to Aella, especially when the House first bent the knee to the Compact. He had hoped that swearing fealty to Redrain would mean casting aside old traditions and leaping whole-heartedly into a new life, a new culture, with the people of Farhaven whose arms would surely open wide to welcome them now that they were oath brethren. He had a few rude awakenings early on before settling into his new role, and still twitches restlessly for chances to prove himself. Which sometimes means, to this day, that he has to talk himself out of a tight spot. Luckily, he always did have a glib tongue. + |
| Cadern Ravenseye + | Cadern was a rapscallion. A scavenger of attention. A thirsty little sneak who made it his business to get into things. He cherished freedom, the freedom to run amok, and clashed frequently with his older sister, with whom he had a seriously healthy sibling rivalry, especially when both were too young to temper themselves particularly. The shamans of the Ravenseyes knew what to do with a boy who wanted to get into trouble, though, and found ways to occupy him, to turn his impish mischief to good account, and to train him so that his garrulousness and wit could one day be used to the advantage of their family. He chafed at being second to Aella, especially when the House first bent the knee to the Compact. He had hoped that swearing fealty to Redrain would mean casting aside old traditions and leaping whole-heartedly into a new life, a new culture, with the people of Farhaven whose arms would surely open wide to welcome them now that they were oath brethren. He had a few rude awakenings early on before settling into his new role, and still twitches restlessly for chances to prove himself. Which sometimes means, to this day, that he has to talk himself out of a tight spot. Luckily, he always did have a glib tongue. + |
| Caelis Malvici + | Caelis is a cousin to the main branch of House Malvici. A student of herbalism, she took great joy in learning each plant and it's uses in the gardens of Southport. When herbalism wasn't enough she learned the craft of a soldier and sailor. Spending most of her late teens and young adult years on a ship, she's risen recently to Maritime Captain and uses her travels to collect and find rare herbs from port to port as well as stories of the old days. Recent trouble has recalled her to Arx to support the family and bolster alliances. + |
| Caelis Valardin + | Caelis is a cousin to the main branch of House Malvici. A student of herbalism, she took great joy in learning each plant and it's uses in the gardens of Southport. When herbalism wasn't enough she learned the craft of a soldier and sailor. Spending most of her late teens and young adult years on a ship, she's risen recently to Maritime Captain and uses her travels to collect and find rare herbs from port to port as well as stories of the old days. Recent trouble has recalled her to Arx to support the family and bolster alliances. + |
| Caera Tortorici + | Born and raised in a small Shav'arvani town controlled by the Totorcini, Caera was raised by her father who was a farmer of an orchard of trees. At a young age, she went to live with her aunt who taught her herbalist ways and the way of poisons, should the family ever be threatened. As she grew older, she went to apprentice with a local apothicary, leaning to make items to heal as well. As he retired, she took up moving to the city, honing her skills with a group of thieves. They showed her the ropes in trade for her helping with healing or...poison, as need would have it. Now she has spent the last year learning how to attend to ladies of stature and is applying to attend to Celeste + |
| Caerdroc Woodbine + | When Caerdroc was young, he expected the life of a woodsman, and there are ways he never left that behind, even now. He and his family were taken by a pillaging raid of the Shavs when he was still quite young, an untried boy. It was Uriel Bisland who saved him, and it was to the Bislands that his loyalty was given forever, his and his father's. His father was risen to a knighthood, and he became his father's squire; when he turned 18, his father enfeoffed him to a knighthood in his own turn, and they served the Bislands loyally as father and son. Caerdroc fell madly in love as only an 18-year-old can, with a prodigal, his elder by two years with midnight hair to her waist, which was really pretty awkward, all things considered. The drama rocked the household and he risked honor and loyalty and everything to wed this woman. That's part of why it hurt him so badly and made him question everything about his faith and his life when she died giving him their daughter. His daughter he named Cedara -- imaginatively -- and for a long time when she was still young he continued to keep his knightly vigil as much to the woods as he could, scouting for the Bislands and helping rain down arrow volleys of death around his former wife's former people. But now that Cedara is grown to be herself 12, Caedroc has come to apply himself in Duke Gabriel's service and to bring himself and his daughter back to civilization so that he can, you know, better remember how that being a human being in society thing works. As opposed to running around in the woods all the time. + |
| Cahal Blackram + | One of several Blackrams born off a vibrantly healthy branch of the family tree, Cahal is a middle child in a brood of half a dozen. It made him what he is. Where a smaller family might have allowed him to be quiet and reserved his rambunctious kin forced him into a rough and tumble world where being quiet saw you getting overlooked. He's glad for it. When he tries to imagine what it would be like to grow up without being smothered in brotherly fights, family hugs and so much love you were like to drown it makes him feel kind of sad. He was groomed to take part in the endless fights up on the Cloudspine, much like his siblings, but whilst he's got a good enough arm with a sword its never been where he truly shone. Soon he was being sent to scout with small groups, or even alone, instead of joining the fighting units but as he grew in experience the nobles around him realised something important. Whilst he wasn't a bad tracker where he truly excelled was in places where people were a major part of the puzzle. If there was a suspicious death in one of the villages - Cahal could usually wrangle out the story. Who better than a man that shone with people to support the family in the big city? Once his talents were noticed they were nurtured but there isnt much that can be taught in this field without experience. And so, on his twentieth birthday, it was decided that he should go ahead and start his path. + |
| Cahal Lyonesse + | One of several Blackrams born off a vibrantly healthy branch of the family tree, Cahal is a middle child in a brood of half a dozen. It made him what he is. Where a smaller family might have allowed him to be quiet and reserved his rambunctious kin forced him into a rough and tumble world where being quiet saw you getting overlooked. He's glad for it. When he tries to imagine what it would be like to grow up without being smothered in brotherly fights, family hugs and so much love you were like to drown it makes him feel kind of sad. He was groomed to take part in the endless fights up on the Cloudspine, much like his siblings, but whilst he's got a good enough arm with a sword it’s never been where he truly shone. Soon he was being sent to scout with small groups, or even alone, instead of serving the army but as he grew in experience it became increasingly obvious that his true talents lied in people, not scouting. He started to use his skills on deeper mysteries than the whereabouts of Shav forces. If there was a suspicious death in one of the villages - Cahal could usually wrangle out the story. Who better than a man that shone with people to support the family in the big city? He was close to thirty when he came to Arx in the belief that he could serve his family best in the Capital. The greatest diplomatic minds were here and he took great joy in learning everything he could from and whilst he loves his Blackram cousins dearly, none of them were capable of working socially as well as he could. In Arx he deveoped an interest in the strange, and it's rumored that he met Marquessa Demura of Lyonesse in the pursuit of further knowledge, a relationship that quickly blossomed into love. Fortune smiled when his family agreed that it was a good match and whilst the Cloudburners will always blaze in Cahal’s heart he has turned much of his attention to Lyonesse. As long as he remains the Marquis Lyonesse, he won’t allow them to fade away. + |
| Cai Falken + | Cai follows a long line of hunters, rangers, warrior and other woodsy-type from his family. It's what his family was good at, so he followed suit, and found his life richer for it. Didn't seem like it was even an question when he was a boy, and now that the years have passed, when he looks back to what could've been, he's since decided that he couldn't think of anything else he'd rather do. He can remember back to a time when they had no association with the Compact. While he might've been happier to have nothing to do with them, it's not like he held any kind of negative feelings toward them either. Things change, it's a constant in nature. Just as the world changes through seasons, so do people, mentalities, and all those other kind of things that he only cares to a certain degree about. He always respected the leadership in place before the Compact, so he followed suit along with the rest of them. For the the majority, it hasn't had a great impact on his life. Still in the woods, still hunts, still does what he's always done. Until he had to relocate to Arx with the rest of the Greenmarch brood. Not the biggest fan of the city life, but it could be worse. Thing changes, and nature seems to abhor things staying the same for too long. + |
| Cailean Grimes + | Cailean Grimes grew up in the Lower Burroughs, the slums. He was the only living child of widower and a thief, Donnal Grimes. He was never expected to be much more than his father was but Cailean had natural talent and ambition. He was known for his pretty face and even prettier singing voice. His father took note and began to steal instruments which the bright Cailean taught himself to play. Eventually, a noble took notice while visiting his lover and took the boy under his wing. Soon, life became a whirlwind as he began to attend schools of Courtesans. As usual, Cailean was a natural and took to the life like a duck to water. + |
| Cain Crown + | The first memories Cain has are of the streets of Arx. His mother was most likely a whore, or as Cain puts it, if he's lucky a courtesan. His father, who knows. In reality, he doesn't even known as he was abandoned by his parents when he was very little. He survived by appealing to the charity of others and by making connections with the right people, or some would say, the wrong people. It was during his childhood that he befriended a young girl named Acacia, whom he often would try and bail out of whatever scrapes she managed to get herself in. The two of them became close friends, only for her to suddenly disappear on him when she left the city. While he knew enough to defend himself if he needed to, his silver tongue remained his weapon of choice. He put that weapon to use in the cons he conjured in order to cheat others and ensure his survival. It was that silver tongue that brought him to the attention of a man rumored by half of the Lower Boroughs to be a seer of some kind. Of course, the other half claimed him to be a fraud. Davalos was his name, and he was successful enough to be able to take Cain under his wing and teach him a thing or too. Like all people do, eventually Davalos passed away. Now on his own, Cain's made a name of himself among the people of the Lower Boroughs. Half of them claim him to have the gift, and are quick to buy his trinkets, and pay him to divine their fortunes, the other half, of course claim him to be fraud. Once a child of the streets, now he's a man of them and he intends to make the most out of that for as long as he's able to. + |
| Caith Thrax + | Princess Caith Thrax, the first daughter of her mother Alyona's second marriage, followed by two other younger sisters -- ack, sisters everywhere, even an older half-sister from her mother's previous marriage, though she and Cassima were too many years apart to be truly close -- until her mother finally gave up and admitted that there just weren't going to be any sons. According to the marriage contract between Thrax and Leary, the daughters of the marriage would be fostered at the Leaholdt, due to some ideas both Caith's father Edouan Leary and his family had about what happens to women in the Mourning Isles. It's strange to think that your summers by in the woods were paid for essentially by a great many lumber concessions made in a trade negotiation before you were born, but Caith loved her time with her Leary uncles and aunts, and she loved, especially, her time on the ships sailing back and forth from the spar at Brighthold to the south of the Leaholdt to her real family's home at Maelstrom. She would stand at the prow of the ship, letting the sea spray splash on her face, and pretend that they were sailing -- not the simple route with which she was familiar -- but to wild, faraway, or just straight up fantastically made up places. For Caith's whole life, there were two things she loved best: being outdoors where her imagination could run away with her and escape, and being indoors, surrounded by paper and ink, breathing in the words written on the page so that ... her imagination could run away with her and escape. There was a vivacious, infectious energy about her that enabled her to share her wild flights of fancy with the other children, sometimes even those serious children who would ordinarily be more interested in other things. A born storyteller and a winsome speaker, Caith learned to spin her tales for others and learned to listen well; it became a skill as she grew older that also became excellent for derailing burgeoning conflict, a master distraction artist that would make her namesake proud. + |
| Caius Valardin + | As a prince of Valardin his youth was a series of predetermined benchmarks. Fostered to an ally of the family at the appropriate age, squired when he'd proven himself worthy and skilled enough to not get himself killed or worse make an ass of himself and shame the knight to whom he was squired. Knighted when he came of age with other squires of the same year and skill set, Caius spent his twenties on one campaign or another, doing his share of fighting the good fight. Taprooms and taverns filled the spaces between fights, a near decade of ultimately wasted years until he'd matured enough to long for something more. He eventually matured enough to think first - then think deeper - before reaching for his sword. He'd finally steadied in his late twenties, become less of a wild eyed fighter and begun to explore the years of diplomatic training that had been long buried in his education. It was in this transition that he would find himself on the business end of a mail-clad fist in one of his last regular visits to a tavern. Unintentional as it was, he was left with a broken nose and two black-eyes as a result. Caius would face endless weeks of laughter when his comrades and fellows learned that the knight who'd smashed his nose was the Lady Brennan. For him, however, it was the catalyst for his determination to win the heart of the Lady Knight. Two years of effort and persistence followed before they were betrothed properly then wed. One thing that Caius would often preface any statement about his wife were the words, 'My Brenn, she does have a temper' often said with a contented smile and no small amount of affection. Not every marriage is built on a great romance, in fact, most marriages are built on common ground and the need to establish or cement networking and ties that bind. Caius and Brennan were a fly in the mix, genuinely fond of each other, genuinely well-suited for one another and, by all rights, happy with each other. Thus, in the usual passing of time their first child was born, and five years later, a second. Only months after their second child was born Brennan was visiting family when the worst of all nightmares came to a head, culminating at the Tragedy of Sanctum. His wife was one of many that died that day, but Caius was deeply affected by her loss. He retreated from the world, taking only the household staff that would keep everything running smoothly and focusing himself on his children and the management of the family estate and assets. Eventually, he was called upon by his family to engage once more, to take up the duties of a child of Valardin. Reluctant but duty-bound, Caius returned to the vanguard of house affairs. + |
| Calandra Culler + | It's not easy growing up poor in the Lower Boroughs, not even for a Culler, one of the most feared families at the bottom of Arx society. Calandra was never going to starve, as her family always seemed to be doing just a little bit better than they should be. Calandra was even as closed to spoiled as a girl could probably get inside the crime ridden neighborhoods, but even that came with a price. While still a teenager, her father was hanged for banditry and her mother was murdered not long after some of the 'Culler family business' went terribly awry. While she's a Lower Boroughs girl at heart and will probably never leave, the deaths of her parents might have set her on a somewhat different path to one that would see her finding a noose or a dagger in the back eventually. While she's always been proud of her singing voice, she didn't have any expectations when she auditioned with the Black Rose Mummers as one of their entertainers. She was shocked when the Black Rose Mummers almost immediately signed her, singing for the company in plays and other performances, with her brilliant, almost impossible-to-forget singing voice resulting in more than one noble wondering how something so pure and delightful could come from a place so tragic and common. So no, she might never leave the Lower Boroughs forever, but she has no intention of dying there. + |
| Calarian Grayson + | Calarian was born yet another Grayson cousin amidst the usual gaggle of princes and princesses. He grew up a bright and curious child, and his knack for ingratiating himself with others was both a blessing and somewhat of a trouble; no one likes a six-year-old with a talent for negotiation. But as he grew, his family was able to direct him quite firmly to a role within the house that always needs filling: diplomacy. His life as an adult became filled with travel -- both to the houses of the Compact within Arvum and the Abandoned houses outside his family's rule. When the Bringer threat became imminent, he was tasked with dragging every single Abandoned fighter he could manage to wrangle to join in the fight. The Gold Feathers to the north of Grayson's claimed lands offered a sizable fighting force that he knew the Compact desperately needed, and so when the Chieftan declared his requirement that his daughter wed into the Grayson family, there wasn't exactly time to take back the offer and shuffle through prospective husbands for her. And so when Calarian returned with Abandoned reinforcements for the Compact army, it was also with a brand new wife. You work with what you have, after all. + |
| Calarian Wyrmguard + | Calarian was born yet another Grayson cousin amidst the usual gaggle of princes and princesses. He grew up a bright and curious child, and his knack for ingratiating himself with others was both a blessing and somewhat of a trouble; no one likes a six-year-old with a talent for negotiation. But as he grew, his family was able to direct him quite firmly to a role within the house that always needs filling: diplomacy. His life as an adult became filled with travel -- both to the houses of the Compact within Arvum and the Abandoned houses outside his family's rule. When the Bringer threat became imminent, he was tasked with dragging every single Abandoned fighter he could manage to wrangle to join in the fight. The Gold Feathers to the north of Grayson's claimed lands offered a sizable fighting force that he knew the Compact desperately needed, and so when the Chieftan declared his requirement that his daughter wed into the Grayson family, there wasn't exactly time to take back the offer and shuffle through prospective husbands for her. And so when Calarian returned with Abandoned reinforcements for the Compact army, it was also with a brand new wife. You work with what you have, after all. But Calarian did not have his wife for long. The Gold Feathers fought and died alongside the Compact's army, and Peregrine ranked among the fallen when the Bringers were finally repelled. He worked stabilize the Compact afterward, helping secure a treaty with the Nox'alfar to prevent future threats, and continued to serve both Grayson and the Crown by throwing himself into his work as a Voice and a diplomat. However, after a quiet courtship he married Marquessa Dominique Wyrmguard, setting aside his Grayson bonds to join one of the Oathlands' oldest houses in a marked departure from his former path. + |
| Calathane Drumenach + | Calathane is a son of an old Baron in the fiefdom of Redrain, Hargthon Drumenach. Having decided his son needed new expereinces and to increase his knowledge of the other houses, he has sent him off to Arx. The boy grew up near the mountain ranges closer to shore and bay there known for it's ability to recieve imports and for the ability to send foeces down the coast or up futher into the northern wastelands of ice and snow. Known for his stoic resolve and love for the Queen of Games that he has been playing since he was young and has had some contact with others playing in the courts of his father. + |
| Calaudrin Estardes + | Calaudrin was born in Setarco, the son of a silk merchant and her husband, whose profession was probably something but by the time Calaudrin was old enough to understand adults, he was under the general impression that that profession was /layabout/. His mother frequently traveled, and he went with her, seeing the world with early cynicism, particularly when at the age of 12 he noticed that his mother was regularly cheating her clients and the noble family she worked for and pretty much everyone else. She was eventually caught, as criminals frequently are, and Calaudrin escaped the resultant potential chaos mainly by voting with his feet as only a commoner can: he lied about his age and voted with his feet, reporting to the Arx guards as though he was 18 instead of 16, as a particularly tall and cynical youth; nobody looked too closely at this until years later when he was already well-situated as a fixture of the guardhouse. See, because Calaudrin was good at it. Many young people believe themselves to be cynical, but Calaudrin found from early on that the most depressing thing about his cynicism is that it kept being outstripped by real life. He learned to read people and, generally, to find which things about people he was better off not knowing, even in the pursuit of an investigation. There are a lot of dark and nasty secrets in an old city full of such high levels of wealth, and Calaudrin learned to balance when to latch onto a problem like a terrier and dig and dig and dig, and when policework was best a synonym for 'having a smoke in a quiet corner out of the wet'. Having reached a sturdy Lieutenant's rank, Calaudrin has become a capable administrator, a master of the dire weapons of sarcasm and applied rudeness -- different from unapplied rudeness in that it is selective -- and a very, very good detective ... when he chooses to exert himself. + |
| Calevaro Stars + | Calevaro was born as the son of a wealthy merchant, his mother having died at his birth. Due to his father's profession, he had to travel a lot, leaving Calevaro in the hands of capable servants. As the boy grew older, he started to develope an interest for combat, atempting to learn how to use every kind of weapon, not just the sword. When he became an adult, at the age of 18, Calevaro decided it was time for him to finally make something with his life, eagerly joining the Valardin military. His trainers and fellow soldiers would describe him as a compassionate man, who wasn't willing to ask of someone what he wouldn't do himself. It was at the military that Calevaro found his calling: He loved to serve and to fight for a cause. His dedication eventually rewarded him with the rank of officer, a very public and personal triunf for the young man. + |
| Caliban Assacu + | Caliban is an unrepentant prodigal, something which hasn't earned him any particular goodwill, though he blends enough with the rest of the common rabble that it can be quite easily overlooked. Just where he actually came from is a question without an answer. For the most part, this is because people don't particularly care to ask, even those whose jobs often involve doing the asking. In quiet contrast to his easygoing nature, there's a certain, clinging sense about the man that speaks clear: don't bother this one. He's truly not worth the trouble. + |
| Calista Fidante + | Despite a tragic past, Calista is not a bitter woman. Not that she wouldn't possess considerably justification to be bitter, in her humble opinion. When your stepfather murders your mother after your birth to attempt a coup by declaring himself regent over you, and your elder brother leads a revolt that kills the man even before you learn how to walk, it's not the most auspicious beginnings to a bright and shining happy childhood. But she's not the only noblewoman to be raised nearly entirely by tutors instead of family, due to her lord brother the Duke barely ever having time for his only surviving sibling. So no, Calista is not bitter, but she also has no intention of letting her life be dictated to her by an older sibling, no matter how well intentioned. Who to see, how to speak, how to act due to how she might be perceived, what to wear, what hobbies to pursue, and on and on and on to 'live up to the standards of the Fidante family', when House Fidante is mostly well known for how her stepfather murdered her mother and started a war. She damned well will decide exactly what it means to be a Fidante, and to her that means having fun how she wants, when she wants, anyway she wants it despite the opinions of anyone else. Political power and scheming and intrigue is fine for some people (especially old boring ones), and it's hilarious to have the movers and shakers of society try to guess devious cunning plans behind the random things she does, but she doesn't really set out to cause trouble. Well, mostly. Some people deserve trouble. But she really isn't trying to give her brother the Duke of Tyr a heart attack, she just refuses to be reined in and bow to the public perceptions of the oppressively boring and old that cluck their tongues in disapproval at daring behavior or gasp in horror that someone used the wrong spoon at a royal feast. For those people, she is only too happy (gleeful, really) to be considered 'a problem' or 'trouble' and if she can make their lives more difficult without getting into real trouble for it, she will gladly take it. Maybe she'll settle down and get serious about playing the games of power and politics that older nobles enjoy, maybe she'll even make her ideas of fun benefit her in that regard, but for now, she mostly is just about a good time. + |
| Calla Vaevici + | Little known in the Compact, the remote region of the Caldera in the southwest of the Saffron Chain is a war-torn country where entire generations have come and gone without ever knowing peace in their constant wars with other Abandoned. Although conflict intensity has fluctuated over the centuries with scarce recognition by the Compact, most regional Abandoned historians tier their rise to the dominance of House Vaevici, the rulers of the city-state of Sangris, a remote city that Lycene experts on the Saffron Chain thought to be myth. Firm adherents to their Code, an indexed series of principles and stratagems that rule their lives, the so-called Warmongers are more than simple warriors: to them the battlefield is a temple and victory is the only prayer. True victory in life can only be achieved in battle against one's fellow mortals, and for almost a thousand years this attitude kept them feared in the Caldera, but now their power has waned, and their ancient enemies prepare to destroy them, unless a young and unlikely ruler can stop it. Calla Vaevici is the third child of Novos Vaevici, behind Argos and Valla Vaevici, which precluded her from inheriting anything of any significance. The girl never complained about such an arrangement, however, eager for a life without as many responsibilities as her siblings. Instead of being stuck with tutors at all time, Calla was often out and about in Sangris, meeting her extended family, commoners and foreigners with avid fascination. At home she showed amazing potential for the little she studied, but Calla was set on enjoying a carefree life, much to her father's chagrin. Calla's nature would make her a savvy diplomat over the years, opening up peaceful solutions to conflict with other Abandoned that her father promptly shut down. Although those decisions would provoke constant arguments between the two, it was Calla, not either of her siblings, who would be called to accompany Novos when he was granted an audience with the last living augurs during the great festival of Carnala. To be in the same room as an augur was the journey of a lifetime, and so she accepted the proposal, embarking on a trip that would end in the death of Novos, his heart giving up on the ride back. The subject matter of their meeting would be Calla's secret to keep. Not long after Argos took the reins of the Vaevici he would start a war with the neighboring city-state of Serrano. Always hateful towards their neighbors, Argos was also predictable, and he would not survive four months before his brashness got him ambushed and murdered. Valla would fare better, but not by much: her demise would take place in the battlefield, leading the Vaevici forces against the Serrano in the war she did not start, but was in no position to end. She took the day, and vengeance on House Serrano's oldest son, but perished nonetheless. After her death, the Caldera was engulfed in war. Under these circumstances Calla Vaevici became Magistrix, a position she never wanted, her House crippled in debt and disarray. In Sangris, only Calla's noble allies kept the mobs from rioting against the most recent war, and outside their crimson walls enemies howled, ready to excise the Warmongers from the Caldera forever. The only way out, for Calla, was to take a path her predecessors would have not: kneeling to the Great House of Pravus, the stunning new arrivals to the Saffron and the first sign of the Compact many of her people had ever known, and kneel to their might that of the warriors who had just bested the Eurusi of Skal'daja. Her political situation is still frail, many of the nobles of Sangris despise Calla while her enemies now pause and strategize on how to deal with Sangris' new allies and take their victory, but she has changed the landscape and silence the cries for blood. Whatever she does now, the Chain will be watching with baited breath, witnessing what might be the last days of the Vaevici. + |
| Calliope Grimhall + | Calliope is the only child to Eugine Grimhall. Her father was known to be cruel and difficult, so her childhood was not easy. Calliope's natural talents lean towards the scholarly, leading her to be educated in the ways of investigation and researching information. She has been known to use her skills for profit, if a puzzle is brought to her, she will do her utmost to find any information helpful. There are rumours that she dabbles in the crafts as well, but it wasn't permitted in her family. Before her death, Eugine had made it known that she would entertain offers of marriage for her daughter, whether Calliope was interested or not. + |
| Calypso Malvici + | Her mother Adona had a reputation as an excellent judge of character. As Calypso grew up, she realized how well-suited she was for the military path the Duchess laid out before her. In the aftermath of the Tor-Southport War, she embraced the martial life that defined House Malvici and the city of Southport. She had always stood apart; her younger brother's enjoyment of politics saved her from a role she never wanted. Calypso was in field training by the age of twelve and commanding patrols by fifteen. She lived and breathed strategy, logistics, tactics, and leadership, but it was the time among soldiers in the field that she appreciated most. She grew to love them as much as she did her brothers. The inevitable deaths and losses among her troops led her to work them and herself harder. She was a highly-demanding commander, never settling for less than the best and scant with praise. Her success at bearing the same burdens as the common troops as her training prolonged their lives won her fierce loyalty from Southport's soldiers. When her mother abdicated in favor of her younger brother Hadrian, his first act was to make her the commanding general of House Malvici's armies. She wasn't yet twenty-five years old, but some said the promotion was overdue. With the tension in Arx, Calypso finds herself needed for her counsel and good judgment as much as commanding soldiers. Though she gratefully passed the responsibility of rule off to her young brother so she could follow her passion for martial mastery, she is still determined to help. She intends to make the most of her first diplomatic excursion outside the Lyceum, aiming to learn as much as she can about potential enemies, seek out allies among those who respect the pragmatic use of force, and set her tactical experience to work in the ballrooms and audience halls. After all, she reasons, diplomacy is war by other means. + |
| Cambria Mazetti + | Cambria was born an only child, much to the disappointment of her parents, who wished for a large family. To make matters worse, Cambria was a sickly youth, so there were plenty of concerns and two or three scares during her early years. Not too long after her tenth birthday, Cambria's father died during a hunting accident. Her mother refused to remarry, and remained a widower. Some said it was for love, while others claimed it was to consolidate her power and make sure her daughter was in a position to assume the mantle of rulership after her, even if it wasn't what was best for the House. Life passed, uneventfully enough, and Cambria grew into a young woman. Though no longer prone to bouts of illness, it could not be said she was very robust. Thus, while other young nobles were making their journey to Arx due to necessity or to expand their education, Cambria's mother was too fearful, and kept her close to home. It was quite likely that Cambria never would have left Ostria, except that fate had other designs. At twenty-three, Cambria's mother fell ill and died suddenly, leaving her daughter free to spread her wings and choose the course of her own life. She promptly left for Arx, one of the first Mazetti to do so in many generations. Once within the capital, Cambria immediately set about maneuvering herself in such a way as to further an audacious goal. Making use of all the political tools and resources available to her, the then Marquessa secured a favorable marriage and wasted little time in promoting a series of progressive reforms for the city-state of Ostria. In the span of a few short years, House Mazetti was formally recognized as a Ducal House before the Assembly of Peers held in the spring of 1012 AR. This is only the start of her story... + |
| Camilla Pravus + | Camilla was born a bastard, the fruit of a one-night affair between a Lady Madeline Pravus and a foreign noble. As a child Camilla was taught how to read and write by her mother, and was well on her way to learn other languages when Madeline's rapidly-deteriorating mental health took her agency and wits. Before the young girl was ten, the Pravosi noble was a shell of her former self, a husk mumbling in bed about the man who had taken her heart away. In the night when Lady Madeline finally lost her ability to communicate, withdrawing further and further within herself, Camilla was desolated. Along with the servants she stared as her noble mother was tended to by the local physicians, and seared in her mind were the sights of one of House Pravus' best reduced to nothing. Camilla could not reconcile with the fact there was nothing she could do, but before her anguish was turned to action the girl was approached by an envoy of the House of Silken Sighs of Setarco. The woman sat with Camilla and they talked throughout the night. Come the dawn, the courtier offered Camilla tutelage in the House free of charge, pleased with the conversation. None would know the nature of this conversation for years to come. The Pravosi bastard's time at the House of Silken Sighs is not publicly known, but it was, supposedly, shock full of its own trials, failures and successes. Whatever her exploits, Camilla left the place an educated courtier and the woman she is today, hailed far and wide as the best alumni of the school in decades. To those who have seen her talents, Camilla is a soulful fury with uncompromising artist vision, a desireable artiste who, once, was just a bastard, and now saw her contract acquired by the Duchess of Pravus herself. No more a simple bastard, the woman is now a highly-sought courtier whose's fame is not insubstantial. She is finally ready to meet her family, and join the Sins in Arx. + |
| Canaan Savantis + | Born in the lower boroughs, that is what Canaan spent a majority of his life. His father passed due to illness at an age he was too young to really recall, raised by his mother in majority. Too trusting at a young age he had an incident that left him somewhat untrusting despite his mother's insistence that people, as a whole, were good. It was a nice sentiment but not exactly easy to believe. His inquisitive nature brought him into brushing with the unsavory side of law led to some unfortunate outcomes and the wagging finger of his mother. In adulthood he married for a number of years before divorce came about and left him a bit weary (and quite late in the game) of further romantic pursuits, It was not long after he lost his mother to natural causes. Still.his curious nature often lead him down figurative rabbit-holes simply because not knowing the answer could become a persistent itch in the back of his head until at least attempting to look into those things with due caution toward things one generally shouldn't pry into. This natural desire to know and the irritation of lingering unknowns has lent his naturally developed skills toward helping out others when the price is right, even if it's as simple as finding proof of infidelity. + |
| Candace Corvo + | Candice Corvo was the middle child in her family, right between two older brothers and two younger brothers, and went on every adventure they did. She was a tomboy terror growing up, stealing sheep (temporarily), getting into fights (often), and carrying wares from the market to her parents inn (heavy). When her brothers game of age, they enlisted in the watch. When Candice came of age, she took her sword and went straight to one of the caravans and sold herself as a guard. She's ridden riverboats laden with goods to Bastion, frozen on the edges of the Everwinter, and chased thieves through the southern city states of the Lyceum. And for ten years, the adventure and the pay were enough. Then she met Sam and everything changed. They were instantly inseparable--which caused a lot of problems because Sam was an exceptionally good thief and the Velenosians had already made a less than stellar impression on the trading caravan. They needn't have worried; she gave Sam an ally, and they tempered her tendency to violence with cunning. They married and traveled together with the caravan on their way to Arx. This is the part everyone knows, and nobody talks about: shav brigands attacked the convoy, setting the tents and wagons on fire in the middle of the night. There were screams and violence and blood, and in the end the regimented caravan was reduced to a handful of grimfaced survivors. Sam wasn't among them. There's a small band of survivors who get together and share a drink every year, and every year Candice drinks with them. + |
| Candido Orata + | Candido was born the middle of three children in a more-stable-than-not commoner family in the city-state of Lenosia. His mother, a city guard, was the primary backbone of the household (and the person who first taught him to fight). His father was a bard in a struggling mummer's troupe that toured the Lyceum and Crownlands and was largely absent, if well-meaning when he was around. His parents never married, but it was a decent collection of relations and Candido never went hungry or felt unloved. The turning point in his life came when the Pirate King called the Gyre descended on Setarco. Candido wasn't old enough to go to war himself (and may not have anyhow, his life had limited direction), but his older sister Eugenia had joined Velenosa's army and was sent to fight. Though the Compact ultimately carried the day, Eugenia was among the slain. This was the biggest tragedy in his life up to that point and, when the dust settled, Candido felt the urge to throw himself into something vaguely meaningful. To give his mother one less thing to worry about if nothing else. He started volunteering with the Faith's rebuilding efforts, which led to him becoming a disciple of Gild, which led to him taking his vows as a godsworn brother when he was 19. Growing up he'd been an inattentive adherent (at best) to the Pantheon, but the work crystallized his view of the Faith as a way to both do something that mattered externally and get right with himself internally. And a way to make his own path in the world. The Faith as a social force offered opportunities to a common boy with both martial and interpersonal skills that few other vocations could. He squired to a Knight of Solace not long after taking his vows and acquitted himself well enough to earn a knighthood a couple years later. His personal convictions are heavily Lycene Liberal, though he's learned how to go along to get along with the Orthodox that make up so much of the Faith Militant, and he's served with general competence for the last several years. His latest assignment has taken him to Arx. What he'll make of it remains to be seen. + |
| Cantus Crown + | Cantus is the type of person to get into trouble for all the right reasons. The wrong reasons? In any case, it's almost because he saw someone that decided they needed help, whether or not they agreed. But it's okay! Sometimes they actually do need helping. He had been taking a walk, as Cantus was wont to do, and stumbled upon a brigand harassing a poor old man. After that, a couple that needed a wagon wheel replaced. Depending on how he's feeling at the telling, either he felt the spirit of wandering the world, helping folks, ooooor far more likely Cantus found himself lost, shrugged, and decided to embrace this new adventure. + |
| Capri De Lire + | The Lower Burroughs of Arx are a rough place to grow up, but someone has to grow up there. Capri was one of those, though he doesn't often talk about it. While many of those in the Lower Burroughs tend to end up striving to be good people in the face of adversity, or criminals, Capri ended up neither of these. Instead, the dangers of life spoke to him, and through countless fights he eventually developed a reputation as a duelist to be watched, and feared, leaving countless wounded or dead in the alleys of the Burroughs behind him. It isn't certain how he ended up joining the Valorous Few, but it's apparent that it likely has to do with the family business. + |
| Caprice Artiglio + | Caprice often receives praise as being one of the most promising talents in tailoring from the Lyceum, but she has never felt quite comfortable with the assessment. She is, foremost, simply an artist who demonstrates her talents by weaving fabrics into stunning fashions as her chosen medium of expression. From a very early age, she felt called to be one of the chosen of Jayus, feeling a spark of inspiration from the Prince of Stories. Even as a child she would idle by shrines of Jayus and toy with dyes and clothes, working ever more elaborate colorations and blends of fabric. As a young woman, her talent was quickly recognized, and at a very young age she has been given the immense honor of being appointed the tailor of House Velenosa. Caprice is fully aware that her position might well be one of the most coveted of any tailor in all of Arvum. The Lyceum are the height of fashion for the entire Compact, after all, and House Velenosa is the height of fashion for the Lyceum. But the knowledge does not trouble her unduly She is, in her opinion and without any feelings of conceit, divinely inspired. + |
| Cara Ashford + | Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, blessed by fortune with good teeth and a steady mind. A quick study, her interest in things intellectual blossomed as she recovered from an unfortunate accident -- a fire, which left her with burn scars on her legs and a lengthy healing period. Quiet -- but not especially shy -- the young lady showed promise in the arts of diplomacy and the study of history, eventually growing into a maiden well-suited to gracing a parlor or fine dining hall and engaging in polite conversation. She married a cousin of House Ashford and left the Lyceum for greener climes, adjusting with relative grace to the very different life, and seemingly through luck finding true happiness with her husband -- until he was tragically discovered among the slain of the king's retinue. How she will adapt to this change in her life, and her position among her new house and her old, remains to be seen. + |
| Cara Grayson + | Cara was born a daughter of House Rubino, blessed by fortune with good teeth and a steady mind. A quick study, her interest in things intellectual blossomed as she recovered from an unfortunate accident -- a fire, which left her with burn scars on her legs and a lengthy healing period. Quiet -- but not especially shy -- the young lady showed promise in the arts of diplomacy and the study of history, eventually growing into a maiden well-suited to gracing a parlor or fine dining hall and engaging in polite conversation. She married a cousin of House Ashford and left the Lyceum for greener climes, adjusting with relative grace to the very different life, and seemingly through luck finding true happiness with her husband -- until he was tragically discovered among the slain of the king's retinue. How she will adapt to this change in her life, and her position among her new house and her old, remains to be seen. + |
| Caras Wyrmguard + | Caras Wyrmguard was born in the fortress city of House Wyrmguard, Blancbier. On the northern marches of the Oathlands, Blanbier is an important bastion protecting Sanctum from the heathen shavs of the north. As a young man, Caras showed great proficiency in martial training. This is not unusual for the sons and daughters of the Oathlands but Caras took to his training with great passion and vigor. Not simply a soldier or knight, but a student of the blade, his first campaign came at a relatively young age. While he played little part as a mere boy, he knew at the time that his life would be a constant battle - and he loved it. A careless and dismissive young man, he was selfish and self-centered. Haughty and superior. Few friends, little love of or for the people of the Wyrmguard lands or his family's retainers, he sought only glory for himself. A life of battle and death and harship. This was not the life he was destined to lead, however. A small unit commanded by the young lord was ambushed on patrol, nearer the road than they had expected. Not wanting to die for their selfish lord, the other men retreated and left Caras to his own fate. Though he fought well and bravely, he was cut down and left for dead on the road, alone in the cold. It was hours before anyone came along and he thought it a specter. A vision of a goddess offering succor and kindness, healing and protection. It was no entity but a Priestess of Gild. She gave him shelter and nursed him back to health. When he returned to Blancbier he found the men who had abandoned him had concocted a story that was not true. Caras forgave them, said nothing, and renounced his title and fealty to join the order of Gild. Caras traveled to Arx for his training, learning about the plight of those in need, the lives of the common folk, the way one can change a life through kindness, compassion, and charity. Once becoming godsworn, Caras began to travel. Walking the roads of the Compact with nothing but his generosity and charity, he brought the message of Gild far and wide through all the lands of the kingdom. His return to Arx several years ago came after deep contemplation and prayer. It would be a sacrifice considering his love of the road and the far-flung people that need the blessing of Gild, but it is a sacrifice he is willing to make and one that has paid dividends as he becomes the Archlector of Gild and increases his opportunities to praise the goddess. + |
| Carilova Nowak + | She rarely spoke of her origins and never claimed 'home' as any one place. Carilova seemed to know the customs of nearly all the more notable houses of the Compact and whether that came from study or firsthand experience had been the talk among the peerage after her departures. Noblemen and women had been eager to call and summon on her as a counselor, friend, advisor and notable guest. + |
| Carissa Malespero + | After being sent off to become a scholar on a far-flung island as an extra lady who was too rebellious for the Argento family, Carissa heard what happened to the nobles of Arx and returned in a panic a few years too late, after the Gyre had been defeated. Her family mostly dead, and her March given to Lianne, she yearned for something to do to gain back some measure of trust for herself and the name Argento. However, after learning some hard truths about that name, Carissa is humbled, thankful, and even grateful to Lianne for welcoming her home with open arms and kindness. She is working hard to regain herself, after so many years of anger. She's always been rebellious, it's true, but now she's trying to live up to the new family name she proudly wears. + |
| Carita Darkwater + | Once Upon a Time? (No, this is how I want my story to start.) Once Upon a Time there was a girl that grew up hungry, dirty, and poor in the Lower Burroughs as the youngest of seven other children. Her mother, Darya, was a former Thrall that managed to pay off her debt to live free - and her father was never spoken of. Life was difficult and unpleasant for the girl as she fought to make herself noticed among the rest of her siblings. It was a battle that she constantly lost, but she fought on. She was determined to better herself and her situation. It was expected that this girl would apprentice to some trade, to marry, or find work to support her constantly growing family - as many of her older siblings were already having children of their own. She worked as a barmaid in the Murder for quite some time (rest in pieces, Chanse, you bastard) before she caught the attentions of a courtier of the Whisper House and the two established an unlikely friendship. The courtier had also grown up in the Lower Burroughs, but had impressed the Radiant enough to train them and offer them a position among the Whispers. It was through this friendship that the girl realized that this could be her future, her chance to make it all better for herself. This was her calling, her passion. Constantly surrounded by interesting people, endless opportunities for socializing, and always having the finest things that her new life could afford her. Life as a Whisper suited her far much better than being a barmaid. When she received payment from her wealthy patrons, she always made sure to send a portion of it to her aging parents, but she always kept more for herself. As a girl that had grown up wanting, the woman that she became would never want for anything ever again. The woman would have been most content to remain a pampered Whisper for the rest of her days, but her heart (fiery and quick like her temper) led her to fall in love with a pirate. Well, he was a Darkwater. (It's more or less the same.) She had many misgivings of him and his intentions, considering that he was a Thrax - but Lord Baltus Darkwater proved to be a truthful man that honored his promises, and acted upon every lovely word that he had spoken to her. The woman would have been pleased to remain his lover indefinitely. When the Darkwater Lord proposed to her with the desire to make the woman his wife, she was surprised that she accepted it so easily. The wedding was a subdued affair (the dress was not) and the newly wedded pair went off together. Away from Arx, across a deep blue sea to a gem of an island called Cielos Encantadores. After a couple of years in this paradise, they finally had a child - a girl named Nerissa. And they lived Happily Ever? Oh, wait a moment. When Baltus was sent a summons by their liege, the Darkwater Count Maximilian, he answered and returned to the city of Arx. It was days after that Carita decided to follow her hushand with their daughter (and a nanny) so that they might be together again. Eager to starting a new adventure in the city that she was more than pleased to leave behind. ... Hopefully, they live Happily Ever After. (They didn't. Irreconcilable differences.) + |
| Carmen Harol + | Carmen grew up in the Lower Burroughs. Her mother was a laundress for the Mercies and her father a carpenter. They did okay as families went. As an only child she often followed at her mother's heels around the House of Solace. She proved an able helped and natural caretaker as a young child. It was when her mother insisted on her getting some schooling that her sweet demeanor faded. Carmen had a very keen mind and the stupidity she saw in the classes had her speaking out. It also had her targeted by those who didn't appreciate being made a fool of. Carmen came home angry and determined to give as good as she got. Until she hit her majority Carmen's youth was full of fighting and learning. The mercies had seen her natural gift and offered to train her, which she was happy to do. Yet she had made friends during her schooling and like most kids formed her own Burroughs gang. There were times her skills came in very handy. Her parents did not approve of her gang activities. So they brought her uncle, a Blade, to talk to her. He convinced her to give the Crimson Blades a try, where she could fight -and- use her medic skills -and- get paid for it. Seemed perfect to her. The fact that the Crimson Blades were elite helped a lot. The utter stupidity of people she couldn't help but comment on was not nearly as evident. And all her trainers actually had brains so she managed to not get in too much trouble for her smart mouth. Now six years in and through several wars she has come out a veteran combat medic. Preffering to use a small bows for protection on the field, she has become known among the blades as the Bloody Mercy. She wears the nickname with pride. + |
| Carrick Squallborn + | Carrick was born to a family of sailors and raiders. His father having been a sailor that fought off raiders and his grandfather on his mother's side being a raider that attacked ships. As a boy he grew up hearing the stories of the open sea as well as the honor of different warriors. It was his dream to go explore the sea as a sailor and he did. This was his life on the open sea fighting pirates while he explored. When he came home from his adventures he would fight with others in the village to show them how to fight raiders or any others that might come to attack. This lead to him quickly showing him to be the best warrior in the village. As he traveled out when he came back home would find a new challenger appeared to challenge him due to word of his skill of arms. This lead his name to grow even while sailing as a fearsome combatant as well as talented teacher for he would show those that he faced how to improve themselves as well as teach any who wished to know how to defend themselves. Finally after years of adventuring traveling and dueling. He was called to the Ravenseye house, they had heard of his skill and asked him to be sword of the house. Seeing it as a new adventure as well as wanting to settle down a bit to start a family Carrick agreed. His new title suited him more than he thought and now on his way to the city of Arx with the Countess seeing it as a new adventure to travel. + |
| Casiar Cross + | Born to Silvia and Daren Cross, Casiar grew up as an only child. His primary interests were academic, where all of the other kids his age he knew were more focused in the pursuits of physical prowess. Though most would speak to him, and he wouldn't ignore them or shun his peers, he did have some trouble in his mid-late teens with a few of the boys he grew up around. One in particular, a young man by the name of Rowen, had apparently decided that it was his place to "toughen him up", and his way of doing this was to knock Casiar around at every possible opportunity. many of Casiar's books, though worn and old already, fell to the destructive tendencies of Rowen and his ilk, as they pushed him around, tripped him, and even went as far as to break his nose more than once. Other than these encounters, Casiar's childhood was unremarkable in almost every way. Having become a scholar at the age of twenty-two, Casiar was forced to take a few months away from his studies only half a year later when he received word that his father had passed away unexpectedly. During his time back at home with his mother, while putting what little his family had in order, She too grew ill. After only two weeks from her diagnosis she too passed, while Casiar sat on her bed cradling her head in his lap. It was evident to all of his friends and fellow scholars that this experience took a heavy toll on him. While never outright dismissive or disrespectful of his fellows, Casiar was, prior to the loss of his parents, always more focused on his studies than on anything else, though after his return from his temporary leave, and the subsequent loss of both of his parents, Casiar spoke little. The easy smiles he always had for his friends were gone, his eyes were rarely focused unless the subject was a book or tome he was reading. He became introverted and quiet, obsessed with work and solitude. Those who called him a friend prior to his time away slipped from his notice, even a young woman he had grown close to could not get him to speak or take time away from his books. It has been over a decade since his tragic loss, and while Casiar has begun to come away from his studies more often than any time in the past ten years, he is still mostly quiet and heavily introverted. He has started to try to make new friends, as all those he once had have moved on to other appointments, married and moved away, retired or passed on themselves. At the age of thirty-four, with no prospects for marriage, and no sign that this is particularly bothersome to him, and with a head full of all the writing he devoured throughout the years, Casiar has started to venture out and interact with people more and more. Though still fairly shy and soft spoken, he hopes to put his knowledge to use for the benefit of The Crown. + |
| Casimir Acheron + | From a young age, Casimir was marked to seal a political alliance by marrying out of the family. You see, he never liked the family dogs. He never liked the wilds that much, either. He learned to endure both -- to ride, and to hunt, and to do everything that was expected of a Keaton lord -- but his true passion was found in books: histories and stories captured his imagination as the forests never could. He was still young when his eldest sister took her own life. He watched as Margerie took on the burden of rule with the incomprehension of the young, while his rather idle studies took on sharp new focus as he moved up the line of succession. His relief when he was bumped back down was matched only by Margerie's when Kael was found. The young promise of a political alliance was sealed through a marriage to house Acheron, and off Casimir went to Arx to meet his new wife. He has mixed feelings about setting aside the sigil of a dog's pawprint to take on that of a monstrous wolf-bear. + |
| Caspian Artiglio + | Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing. + |
| Caspian Ru'Taul + | Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing. + |
| Caspian Wild + | Caspian was a thrall because his father was a thrall and his mother was also a thrall, and his father's war debt was a lot to pay. Yet the Thrax fealty has spent the last few years struggling towards what the rest of the Compact would call progress, and in an early push towards some of that progress, Donella Thrax freed some thralls who were thralls only by virtue of their parents' debts rather than their own. Caspian was freed at 19, with scattered memories of his tribe's honestly piratical raiding traditions mostly subverted by the day in and day out of long hours of hard labor with tenant farmers and ropemakers and sailors. He found in his newfound freedom that what he was mainly good at was a.) hard labor and b.) knives! He took the surname 'Wild' because his parents didn't give him a better one, and became a mercenary and sword for hire, until he eventually tagged into being a duellist for the Champion's Guild in Arx on account of besting a few in combat and developing a reputation for being a real /showy/ sword for hire. Though he began as a kind of desperately hungry merc with an axe to grind, he blossomed into a delighted fighter at the opportunity to pitch his skills in the dueling ring to wealthy nobles. It was exactly the life for him. Money was suddenly easier to come by, and with money, delicious attention, heartwarming acclaim, and the love and affection of adoring crowds, at least as long as he was making a show of it. Turning to away from grim guts and leaping whole-heartedly into laughter and life, he shines with the brilliance of the bon vivant, and it's clear he's here to make a killing. + |
| Cassandra Laurent + | Cassandra Laurent was born to lead and she never doubted that. She never doubted her duty. She knew that she would be the Duchess of House Laurent, and that she would serve her family, and that she would serve House Valardin. But life, and the gods, had other plans for her. She was drawn early to the faith. At first she was merely a lay sister, dedicated to Gloria, to whom she felt called. But at the age of 20, while riding hard for her father's men in pursuit of a group of Shavs who had killed a priest and desecrated a shrine in one of their raids on a surrounding village, she was knocked from her horse and fell in battle. She fought her way clear of the Abandoned, but fell unconscious in the valley, separated from the others. Before she was recovered, she had a dream she attributed to Gloria, and when she woke, she knew that she could not remain the heir to her father's ducal seat. But she did something that she would never again do in her life: afraid of the reactions of her family, of her father and brother, she temporized. She hesitated. She kept finding excuses, putting off her passions for another day. When her father was in the midst of brokering a potential marriage alliance for her, however, she could no longer bear the silence. The lay dedicacy was not enough; she would serve the Faith, called to another duty than the one she had first been born to. Cassandra threw herself into the priesthood with her whole heart. She studied and worked and threw every ounce of her will behind serving the faith. It is possible that her connections to a Valardin ducal house -- godsworn though she was -- helped her in her climb through the ranks, but Cassandra liked to believe it was her passion and dedication that eventually made her the Archlector of Gloria. The pinnacle of her ambition is to be the Sword of the Faith -- and her eye lifts ever to that horizon. + |
| Cassia Mercier + | Cassia Mercier grew up with a comfortable life for a commoner. A scion of a merchant family, but she wasn't particularly close with her cousins. Her mother having "married" in, while her father was the Mercier-- who died when Cassia was barely five years old. The Merciers made sure she was cared for but she wasn't particularly close with them, and her mother wasn't very interested in pushing for a family connection. Cassia has always had a strong sense of smell and as a young girl would often be bothered by strong scents. Which was unfortunate since her mother was a fisherwoman. Cassia simply cannot stand the smell of fish and so refused to follow in her footsteps. Leaving under the same roof as a fisherman drove her to learn how to create other scents. She fell in love with the act of creating perfumes, of distilling oils, and creating things that smelt _good_. ...and that's what she's been doing ever since. + |
| Cassian Crovane + | Cassian was the second son of a Ravenseye family, and from the start seemed destined for adventure. Constantly exploring from the time he could crawl, climbing from the time he could walk, there was virtually nothing that could bar Cassian from a place. By the time he was of age, the sea beckoned to him and his parents could do nothing to dissuade him. His good nature and quick mind let him learn nearly every job aboard the ship, and it didn't take long for him to rise to the rank of Captain, with a crew that would follow him into storm or fire. His skill at sailing earned him renown, and the eye of a lovely woman from the House Crovane, though the latter would perish before their life together could truly blossom. + |
| Cassim Sanna + | Cassim is the second son of cousins to the Sanna, having grown up pretty much in the Giant's Reach his entire life. As a second son, he wasn't going to inherit anything anytime soon so he was expected to pick up the slack by being pressured into educational and artistic pursuits. This tempered him for a long life of reading books, and trying to make something out of nothing, but it was not what he wanted. He'd find himself constantly getting into trouble just to avoid it, which lead to him lashing out at his peers, family, and even important visitors. When he was eight, he ran away into the wilderness where he was lost for three days. In those three days, he was attacked by beasts, avoided detection by two thuggish looking men, and was discovered nearly dead by a Shaman who nursed him back to health. When he was strong enough to explain what happened, the Shaman scolded him, and returned him home. However, as a reward for his show of endurance and resourcefulness, he was offered an apprenticeship, to start upon his tenth birthday. He had two years to study all he could about herbalism, medicine, and the Spirits. His parents weren't thrilled, but they accepted it as a means of boosting his social rank to make him more viable for mates. What they hadn't expected, was the Shaman to return, and take their son into the woods never to be seen again for months at a time. Each time, Cassim came home a little more different. First, he was no longer the angry little boy he'd used to be, he was more relaxed, and laid back. Second, he'd begun to establish a certain distance between him and the rest of the family, and described it as a 'comfortable distance'. The third and final change, though, was when he never came home at all. He was eighteen when his mentor passed from this life into the next. That was when his real training began. His mentor, had left him a number of clues and notes to prepare him for the next phase of his journey. His vision quest. For two long years, he was to live in the wilderness, survive, and by the end commune with the Spirits, while coming to an understanding of the differences between his Free Soul, and his Mundane Soul, and why each can't exist while the other is active. He has only just returned, from this grueling ordeal. A changed man? Only time can tell. + |
| Cassima Thrax + | The eldest daughter of a lesser line of the principal house of Thrax, Cassima never expected to be in line for anything. Her father was about as foreign to the ways of the Mourning Isles as it was possible for a man to be: the younger son of a Northern march, inclined to study, whose hobby was mathematics and logical proofs. Yet he brought with him wealth for the House and the knowledge of what to do with that wealth, and was embraced by the family as an odd, but useful, addition to the line. Still, he had no sons, and that was an unending frustration for Cassima's mother, who wanted nothing more than a prince to push into the line of fire, that is, the line of duty that are the internecine politics of a major house. Cassima loved her father more than anything in the world, and so she grew up at his knee. Books and learning were their special time together, when she was free of the nursery and could sit with him in his study, and while there were not insignificant tensions between he and his wife Alyona Thrax, with his daughter he could sit and think and talk -- frequently well over her head, but in deepest earnest. So it was that she grew up a daddy's girl with a most untraditional father in a traditional house, and there's nothing that breeds true like nerdery. Cassima focused on learning everything that she could about literally everything, but especially the running and management of a house, the running and management of an army, the logistics and the inglorious; it's easy to pay attention to maths when they're maths based on people's lives, the food and clothing and gear and everything that is desperately needed in a world where it might be more fun to pay heed to the more glorious questions of war. Cassima's father died when she was still young, but his death only served to fire her determination to embrace all that he was and had been. There has always been a strong tradition of Thrax economists, lawyers, and managers, so Cassima found that although she felt the pangs of outsiderhood because she learned these things at her father's knee rather than her mother's, she was not an iconoclast, and found herself uniquely situated among her sister women -- vehemently traditional in her interests, vehemently nontraditional in her outlook, she fit in with neither the old guard of grandmothers with their finely manicured fingers twisted around the purse strings nor the new guard of young women reaching for the progressive outreach that she saw growing in many of the vassal houses to Thrax. Alone in a crowd, an outsider among insiders, she developed her self-sufficiency along with her personal brilliance, and learned to obscure and shroud her basic, fundamental loneliness in a traditionally nerdy way: humor. As an adult, she finds Thrax on a precipice of change and arrives in the capital with a certainty that her fundamentals are those that her family will desperately need. She has reached out to join the scholars and economists and thinkers of Arx to drive herself into new connections and new friendships that might help her build anew and learn and grow. + |
| Cassimir Inverno + | Cassimir is the only child of Artemis and Theda Argento. From his birth, his mother exercised control over the minutiae of his life, while his father was emotionally and physically distant. Without a firm hand to tame her overpowering will, Theda's oppression would contribute to the bulk of his underdeveloped social skills and a period of adolescent malcontent. When Cassimir came of age, he decidedly channeled every ounce of his free time to knowledgable pursuits that he hoped would one day be the basis for his escape from the prison his estate exemplified. At every turn, he shunned his mother's wiles. Such overt acts of rebellion greatly displeased Theda, who, agitated by an increasing awareness that the family's reputation and favor in Arx was steeply declining, sought above all else to secure a good match for her son and, through him, herald in a new age of prosperity and power. On the morn of Cassimir's twentieth birthday, Theda stirred to find his chambers empty, with nary a trace left behind to inform her of where he had gone. She searched and she waited, but it became quite clear that he had abdicated his wealth and titles, and ultimately rejected the Argento family for good and all. In the very same year, Theda's most potent fears would become stark reality: House Argento was summarily eradicated, and his parents with it. Cassimir is keenly aware of the events that transpired, and the unfortunate reputation that his surname espouses. A cautious inclination to emerge from hiding has budded over time, so sightings of the scholarly scion have become more frequent in the capital city. With the rise of Lianne Pravus claiming the title of Marquessa of Nilanza after the destruction of his house, and the formation of House Malespero from the remains, it was with readiness and great relief that Cassimir cast off his ruined name to join them, and start anew. + |
| Cassiopeia Leporidae + | Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade. + |
| Cassiopeia Proscipi + | Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade. She didn't really expect as much to change as it did, however. Following the destruction of the palace in Tremorus, the deaths of much of her extended family, the fall of her liege, and the ennoblement of Giorgio and naming him as Ezmeralda's successor, Cassiopeia wasn't seen for weeks afterwards. When she finally was, it was announced she had formally joined very distant family in the city-state of Sangris, House Vaevici, and would not be returning to Tremorus- not now, and possibly not ever, which has caused a great deal of gossip among the peerage as to her reasons. + |
| Cassiopeia Vaevici + | Cassiopeia of Tremorus, said to be the most beautiful woman in the far Southern city-state hidden away in the Saffron Chain. A woman who has inspired bards to sing of her allure and whom great artists of her time beg to portray her with their craft, as she is frequently spoken of as the personification of ideal human beauty. Paintings of her sell for quite a lot of money and motifs are jealously guarded but in truth, the woman who has sparked the myth is no more attractive than her sister Andromeda nor her cousins. She possesses a special quality, a presence, that many have a difficult time reconciling with gravitas and while their father enjoys the reputation his eldest daughter has begotten, Cassiopeia finds it somewhat exhausting. Ever since she was a young girl it was as if her only lot in life was to be something sought after and obtained but never appreciated for who she truly is - an indelible truth she couldn't shake no matter how hard she tried. This led to years in which she would constantly find herself going from one adventure to another in order to escape the reality of feeling put upon a pedestal and gawked at. Oftentimes this was counter productive for when she was discovered to be /the/ Cassiopeia the ship's crew or some random sellword accompanying her at the time would become fixated to the point of obsessed and she'd need to abandon ship, quite literally, and find some new bout of adventure aboard another vessel. While she traveled the Saffron Chains she learned many useful skills and her experiences tempered her into a very capable woman but no matter how far she ran, Cassiopeia simply could not escape her woes. Since she could not escape her reality she chose instead to do the next best thing and sequester herself away from it all -- retreating into solitude and privacy within the walls of the Sky Palace. Year after year her 'Pa-Pa' would receive countless offers of marriage from a myriad of places and while most of them were trash, some were immense opportunities in his eyes. Even though his daughter would sometimes give him the vapors somehow she was, politically, worth a great deal. He never forced her to marry however and so she did not. After some months squirreled away in the city-state she began to grow restless. Hearing that her siblings had gone to the capital of the Compact, she decided it was time to follow. If not to get away from all the clingers on, then at least to explore this new city. With the reclusive young Lady's recent reemergence into the forefront of politics and goings on in Tremorus there is a bustle of excitement and hushed whispers about why she has -really- chosen to rejoin society proper after being gone for almost a decade. She didn't really expect as much to change as it did, however. Following the destruction of the palace in Tremorus, the deaths of much of her extended family, the fall of her liege, and the ennoblement of Giorgio and naming him as Ezmeralda's successor, Cassiopeia wasn't seen for weeks afterwards. When she finally was, it was announced she had formally joined very distant family in the city-state of Sangris, House Vaevici, and would not be returning to Tremorus- not now, and possibly not ever, which has caused a great deal of gossip among the peerage as to her reasons. + |
| Cassius Nightgold + | A second son, Cassius was never destined to rule, so his lessons on leadership were taken less seriously than his training to become a Knight. Long hours were spent with the seraph appointed to Stonedeep, arguing the finer points of the Pantheon versus Shamanism. Torn between an ingrained Northern pride and a calling toward the Faith, Cassius looked for signs of what he was meant to do, and he found one in the Knights of Solace. Spending time with the pilgrims being escorted toward Arx, many of them recent converts from shamanism, Cassius found his calling. With his family's blessing, if not their full understanding, Cassius set out for Arx where he could begin his training in earnest. Slow to master the blade but quick to pick up on the nuances of the Faith, Cassius worked hard to overcome prejudice against his Northern roots, the way paved for him somewhat due to his noble origins. Well-versed in navigating the mountainous region of his birth, Cassius was often sent along with more experienced Knights on treks that involved fetching pilgrims from areas closer to the Everwinter. It was one such trek Cassius was on when his group was set upon by a band of Abandoned. On the defensive due to the unarmed faithful accompanying them, several Knights were slain. Leading those remaining alive and injured toward Stonedeep to rest and resupply, Cassius was greeted with the news that his father had disappeared, and that just days prior, the severed fingers of his brother and other relatives had been delivered to the Stonedeep gates. Furious with his father for leaving and with himself for not being at Stonedeep when he could have been of use, Cassius lost himself for a time to alcohol, abandoning the Knights of Solace and leaving his sisters to maintain order in Stonedeep on their own. Weeks passed like this, with Cassius getting into drunken brawls, having blackouts, and waking up with chunks of time missing. Things came to a head when one night in a fit of rage over a Poker game, Cassius wrapped his hands around a man's throat without any true intent, but without his wits about him all the same. When he came to from this particular blackout, he was in the company of the Knights Solace once more. No one offered any information about the night prior and he didn't ask any questions, instead packing his things and getting back to the trail, redoubling his focus on bringing those who desire the comfort of the true Faith to Arx. + |
| Cassius Pravus + | A second son, Cassius was never destined to rule, so his lessons on leadership were taken less seriously than his training to become a Knight. Long hours were spent with the seraph appointed to Stonedeep, arguing the finer points of the Pantheon versus Shamanism. Torn between an ingrained Northern pride and a calling toward the Faith, Cassius looked for signs of what he was meant to do, and he found one in the Knights of Solace. Spending time with the pilgrims being escorted toward Arx, many of them recent converts from shamanism, Cassius found his calling. With his family's blessing, if not their full understanding, Cassius set out for Arx where he could begin his training in earnest. Slow to master the blade but quick to pick up on the nuances of the Faith, Cassius worked hard to overcome prejudice against his Northern roots, the way paved for him somewhat due to his noble origins. Well-versed in navigating the mountainous region of his birth, Cassius was often sent along with more experienced Knights on treks that involved fetching pilgrims from areas closer to the Everwinter. It was one such trek Cassius was on when his group was set upon by a band of Abandoned. On the defensive due to the unarmed faithful accompanying them, several Knights were slain. Leading those remaining alive and injured toward Stonedeep to rest and resupply, Cassius was greeted with the news that his father had disappeared, and that just days prior, the severed fingers of his brother and other relatives had been delivered to the Stonedeep gates. Furious with his father for leaving and with himself for not being at Stonedeep when he could have been of use, Cassius lost himself for a time to alcohol, abandoning the Knights of Solace and leaving his sisters to maintain order in Stonedeep on their own. Weeks passed like this, with Cassius getting into drunken brawls, having blackouts, and waking up with chunks of time missing. Things came to a head when one night in a fit of rage over a Poker game, Cassius wrapped his hands around a man's throat without any true intent, but without his wits about him all the same. When he came to from this particular blackout, he was in the company of the Knights Solace once more. No one offered any information about the night prior and he didn't ask any questions, instead packing his things and getting back to the trail, redoubling his focus on bringing those who desire the comfort of the true Faith to Arx. + |
| Castiel Thrax + | Castiel was born in the bowels of a ship; it seems that both the claustrophobic darkness and the salty musk of a trading vessel were both things the young Thrax learned to love as much as the mother who brought him into the world. He was a curious child given his kin, possessing both an affinity for books and longing for the furious crucible of war, yet while growing up he never cared to settle his differences - which he had more than his fair share of - in the more conventional manner of fisticuffs; there was always someone bigger, stronger and older willing to though, and that person could be enticed to do so on his behalf. When he became of age Castiel was restless; wanderlust had settled in him, and as soon as he could find a place on a ship he seized the opportunity and sailed with them. It was no heavily manned war galley, only a light merchant caravel and yet he loved the experience and spent the next three years working just about every rank on it until he took control altogether. A naturally patient man even at the time, he discovered he had an affinity for coin and learned how to make more very quickly; traders are shrewd people but he milked every advantage he had until just after his twentieth birthday he already controlled - in everything but name - a small but busy fleet of ships sailing the islands. Since negotiating the waters in the Saffron Chain means dealing with scum, Castiel first became acquainted with negotiating with pirates early on and then as he became more confident in the practice and his connections grew, he saw the benefits of working with them. A naturally untrustworthy and self-serving bunch, they could still be manipulated when it was to their best interest to do so, something which the young Thrax counted as an advantage; knowing what moves a person is leverage. He cultivated such ties very carefully and let them grow, expanding his interests past the islands along as whispers of an oncoming war reached him even in the eastern seas. After years of making a name for himself in the open waters and becoming a veteran captain in his mid-twenties, Castiel finally realized he could no longer neglect his obligations to House Thrax. He is fully aware he is *different* than many of his peers; a self-described progressive traditionalist, he is more concerned with *winning* than he is with just how such a feat can be achieved, and it's something which has caused friction at times during family gatherings. He hopes his return might herald a shift in tactics - achieving dominance built on the back of robust positions, careful planning and employing cunning as much as brute strength. + |
| Castinus Blackshore + | Recently arrived in New Hope flying the heraldry of Blackshore, much of Castinus' history is as much of an enigma as the man himself. From what little that has been let slip, his intentions are to reconnect with lost family members whom he himself as been out of contact with for a great deal of time, to beseech aid or perhaps offer it himself. + |
| Castor Redwind + | In the quiet farming village north of Stonedeep, nestled in the mountains, known as Redhaven. It guards Redhaven's Pass, by far one of the most treacherous was to get to Whitehold and rarely used. The lowly Baron Dominic Redwind, former Lieutenant of the army, retired to married life with Haruka Devonshire, a courtier vassal of the Grayson family. He has come to the city in hopes of proving himself somewhat worthy to be heir. Cas has come to Arx with his mother's assistance to seek knowledge and better himself for the road ahead. He has much self learning to do. + |
| Castruccio Fidante + | From a young age, Castruccio was a brooder. Where other children played pranks and made jokes, he was more likely to explore than partake in games. Though plain to all that as he grew older his ambitions were militant in nature, his father directed him instead to theological studies. It left a bitterness in Castruccio to see his cousins and older brother getting to train all day at the sword, though indeed, he did train in secret as often as possible. It didn't help that he received much mockery for having to study and read during the day when others were training outside. His first scandal, and the first of many scandals attributed to his name, was from the result of a duel with a far-removed cousin that resulted in the lad's death. Though ruled accidental, rumours began to circulate, pointing out that the deceased had been the biggest instigator when it came to harassing Castruccio. s he grew older, his father began to send him on diplomatic meetings, which he actually took to with aplomb. Oft times the biggest detractors of House Fidante would find their minds changed to everyone's surprise, though the occasional accident and rise of someone with more sympathetic views to Castruccio's mission occurred more often than might be easily swallowed as coincidence. Still, it left Castruccio with a reputation as an intellectual, as well, though he still railed against the life chosen for him. Until it all changed. No one was sure what the duel was over, but a fight between Castruccio and his older brother left Castruccio two times a kinslayer, for he won the fight. Then he left. Six years were spent as a soldier of fortune, Castruccio building up name and reputation for himself. Six years of carefully selecting alliances, and sometimes fighting for one enemy only to switch to another when the profit was correct. It's only now that the threat of the Gyre is so impending, that Castruccio has returned to his family to take up as a Knight of the Rose. + |
| Catalana Kennex + | Molded from an early age by the needs of others, Catalana has always been determined to be all things to all people. For her unconventional sister Jan, she took on the softness and the strength of a traditional Isles lady, the vessel into which her parents poured their hopes and dreams... all so that Jan would have room to be different. For her brother Evander, always on the edge of death and shunned by parents who feared the pain of losing him, she became mother and nurse. For Marquis Denholm, she became at first a personal secretary, then an advisor and a skilled diplomat as the old Marquis relied on her more and more during the last years of his life. It was while she was representing the Marquis in negotiations in Bastion that she met Washburn Grayson. She first saw him hanging from a rope as her carriage drove in the main gate, and thought he must be an executed criminal. (In reality, he tried to climb the outer wall of Bastion on a dare, fell, and knocked himself out. Alcohol was involved.) Needless to say, that first glimpse made an impession, and she sought him out. The dramatic and often out of control Grayson prince spun her through a wild affair that lasted for three delightful months. It was with regret that she parted from him once her work in Bastion was done, but she couldn't wallow in self-indulgence forever. There were people back home who needed her. When Washburn was discovered as a stowaway on her ship, Catalana realized that he needed her, too. The sheer depth of that need -- he completely falls apart without her -- would have overwhelmed most people, but it drew her to him. She knew as she watched him plead through tears not to be sent away from her that he would propose to her someday, and she knew when that he did, she would forsake her duty on Stormward, and join him in Bastion as a Grayson princess. What she didn't anticipate was the second part of his proposal -- he wanted to throw away his title and his name and become Wash Kennex. Denholm's death and the gruesome return of Ford hit Catalana hard. She withdrew from public life and focused on being a wife, and later a mother. She didn't tell Wash when she was pregnant with Cirella because she knew he'd worry himself to pieces, and wound up giving birth on the ship that took her to Arx to join him. A son, Rahne, followed a couple of years later in a more conventional birth. With the death of Ford and the rise of House Kennex, Catalana has decided that the time has come for her to step up and be the diplomat that this house full of gruff sailors so desperately needs. + |
| Catalina Rossi + | Catalina was born into service in the Igniseri household, her father a trusted steward who saw to the affairs of the house through Emilisia's various marriages, and her mother a ladies maid who was ever at the Countess' side to offer what support and advice she could. Catalina was born when the countess' children were still young, but from an early age, the girl displayed a remarkably bright mind and malleable nature. She was learning her father's work while still a child, and assisting her mother and learning the ways of the court when her father was too busy for her help. By the time she reached her early teens, it was clear that the girl had talent - and more, potential. She could read people like a book, and was easy enough to overlook as a servant but skilled enough to have access to other reaches of the court. Light of hand and foot, with an easy smile, she had all the grace and wits she might need. And so, in the interests of the house, she was trained in other means of support. The houses of the Lyceum are known for intrigue and deception, and Catalina is but a pawn in that game - albeit a useful one. + |
| Cato Corsetina + | A native of a hamlet outside of Tor, Cato's early life was identical to that of his forefathers for generations: The halcyon existence of a goatherd. A poor but idyllic life was his for some time, until his father perished in a riding accident when he was 16, and his mother died five years later to a pox. With no family and few prospects, Cato sold off the last of the family's assets set off for the city to find work. At 22, he found work as a drover; at 24, he found love, and a wife in the Corsetina family. A few short years later, war found him. The Tor-Southport conflict kicked into high gear, and Cato was among many of the eligible young commoners levied for the troops of the Fidante. The mud on his hands was traded for blood, and Cato found no glory or happiness in combat. Fortunately, he discovered something else: An uncanny knack for gambling and reading eyes at the card table. This skill would stay with him for life; gambling remained a side hustle for him throughout the campaign and after it. At the conclusion of the war, Cato ended his service at the earliest possible opportunity, eager to return home, only to find that his wife had perished in childbirth, along with their unborn child. Widowed, childless, and now out of a job, Cato's fortunes were only improved by profits from war spoils, and his veteran's dispensation. These, he used to return to a life familiar to his old one; at 31, he purchased the beginnings of a goatherd, and worked a spit of land just outside the city. Time and patience brought rewards; for the past two decades, he has tended and expanded his goatherd, and brought up small pools of other livestock as well. The wheels of his progression have been greased considerably, however, by the card table. Huddled over eights and aces, Cato came to rub shoulders with the jacks, queens, and kings of Tor's lower elements, and in place of a second marriage, he became wedded to complex trade networks which shy away from prying eyes, from Arx to Tor and back. It was here that Cato began to shine. After all, when the guards were searching for smugglers, why would they suspect the old guy who sold them their evening mutton? All the better for him; at 53, Cato has already outlived both of his parents, and for all the connections and satisfaction his day and night jobs bring him, he still has no legacy to show for it. Who shall tend to his goats when he passes? Who shall manage his complex finances? To whom shall he teach which guards to bribe and which to blackmail? And most of all, who's gonna look after his dang horse? Cato's made his life by reading eyes at the card table, but the glassy gaze of Arvum is, so far, opaque. And worst of all, the gambler's temptation never fades. There is always more to be won. Perhaps, in his twilight years, it's finally time to double down...? + |
| Catriona Thrax + | The last of four daughters (and Coraline's younger twin), it's perhaps unsurprising that the baby of the family became the favorite. Whereas her mother had always wanted a son and Catriona represented the end of that dream, that same mother beamed with pride as she grew into the perfect little lady. Everything came easy to Catriona. She was intelligent, sociable, and beautiful. She studied the law. She was an accomplished dancer. Strangers could get lost in conversation with her for hours. Her parents could not have been more proud of the proper princess Catriona became, particularly in light of the rebellion of her twin, Coraline. Like all the Thrax-Leary girls, she spent every summer in Leaholdt with her Leary relatives. While Caith was given to reading and got along well with all their intellectual cousins and Coraline spent her time hanging out with those who were more combat oriented, Catriona found love in her middle teen years. A younger son of a younger son of a Velenosian noble, Catriona spent the happiest of summers with the man. It was the only time she ever considered marrying for love rather than position. From him, she learned many of the Velenosian ways, particularly related to information gathering and subterfuge. This was a type of power a proper Thraxian woman could wield, and Catriona was fascinated. Alas, their love was not to be. The boy, doing his duty, returned to his family's home and was married off not long after. Catriona remembered the lesson, and vowed that love would only ever be a pleasant distraction for her. The rest of the time, she would be smiling and scheming her way up the social ladder. + |
| Cecilia Kennex + | The youngest daughter of Marquis Denholm Kennex and his wife Claudia, Cecilia was a golden child, smiling, chubby cheeked, with a mop of glossy, pale curls. As a young child she was doted upon, even spoiled by her father, while her relationship with her mother, who was jealous of the attention her daughter got from her husband, grew increasingly contentious. To keep the peace, Denholm eventually had to send her away; at a very young age, she was sent to Blancbier, where Victoria could keep an eye on her. Her mother died shortly after she left, but Victoria convinced Denholm that Blancbier was a healthier place for young Cecilia to be than Stormward, and so she stayed. She was barely in her teens when word came to her that her father was very ill. Cecilia rushed home, but by the time she got there, it was too late. Her beloved father was dead. She hadn't even gotten the chance to say goodbye. Her sister Renatta was dead, too. Her brother Ford, a near-stranger to her who she'd always looked up to as a heroic figure, was the new Marquis, but there were dark whispers of what he'd done to secure his place. A very drunk Naomi Cutter was the one who finally told her everything: There had been a rebellion against Ford's rule, during which Renatta (and Naomi's own father) had been killed. Ford had broken guest right in the most violent way to put it down. Cecilia didn't believe it. She couldn't believe it. Her brother would never do such a thing, and people should stop spreading vicious lies. When Ford sent her abroad again, this time to Tor to continue her studies, he sent away a confused and angry girl who would, over time, blossom into a confused and angry young woman. She embraced the Lycene lifestyle and values as an act of rebellion against her heritage, and repeatedly resisted (or outright ignored) calls for her to come home. By the time word came to Cecilia that Ford had been murdered, she was no longer the innocent girl she had been, and was finally prepared to accept her brother's flawed character. His death turned out to be the closure that she needed in order to return to her family, especially when she learned that his young son Darion, now the Duke under a regency, was also under threat, with at least one attempt on his life already thwarted. And so, by now more Lycene than Isleswoman, Cecilia has returned to the family, determined to go to any lengths necessary to avoid seeing her nephew follow his father to an early grave. + |
| Cecilli Blackwood + | Cecilli was born in the late winter, a child born to commoners struggling to keep her warm-- of course, come spring, she had survived. Her upbringing was riddled with fables and tales common in the northern shamanistic tradition, all which left behind footprints in her mind. Not just lessons and wisdom, but laws and realities of her world, an assurance that the existence of the incorporeal was just beyond touch, but communicable to her through the signs inherent in the world around her. As she grew, she only became more sure of this. Her world was filled with the supernatural, and it called to her; it was perceptible, but only barely, requiring a trained eye and the favor of the spirits, a favor won by realizing the hardships of nature through a lifetime within it. She left behind her village when she came of age, travelling within the wilderness and beyond it with a long-time friend and protector, a knight from her homeland. + |
| Cedarav Grisni + | Born in the Lycene city state of Tor, Ced's parents were Vesalius, a mason, and Robyn, a noted artist. It is from his mother that he first developed his love of anatomy, as he was often underfoot in the salons and portrait galleries - often, with models in the natural state, given Lycene tastes. He was always sharp as a child, and ever getting into problems, but usually able to think or talk his way out of them, and grew a decent artist in his own right, though he was far better at sketches and outlines than picture perfection. He, an only child, was offered a scholarship to the Tor Academy and excelled in many of his classes. He enrolled in the college of Alchemy, Medicine and Apothecary, though left quite adruptly in his last year of study. There was some question as to why he left so suddenly, but usually it is chalked up to his uncanny ability, that he simply had learned all he could there. He travelled first to Setarco, where he set up his shingle. Performing many operations in a rather short time period, he drew the attention of House Pravus, who offered him patronage and a bigger space than his less-than-desireable bit-rate clinic. Travelling with many of their family over the years, he has both cared for the members and employees of the Pravus household as well as made significant contributions to the field of anatomy, and his texts are starting to make their way into public light, although there are many who scoff at his methods and ideas. + |
| Cedric Primm + | Cedric had a different name when he was a boy, but this one suits him perfectly well. When he was young, he was a child of thralls under the dominion of a lesser family of Thrax fealty, but in the course of being transported through the islands of the Saffron Chain, the ship was wrecked in a storm and half the crew eaten by sharks or other monsters. The boy and his mother survived along with a handful of other men, some of whom tried to swim for it and if they made it, neither Cedric nor his mother ever heard anything about it. However, a ship of explorers bound Southward for an expedition towards the Darkwater Deeps took them aboard when the Ashford party on the deck caught sight of the blaze from their bonfire. The expedition took them on, on the promise that they would get out of the way, and while there were terrors in the deeps the ship braved before it eventually returned to the relative safe harbor of Sanctum. Romance was in the air between Cedric's mother and one of the Ashford retainers' servants on the long overland haul from Sanctum to Ashford Keep. Cedric took his new name from his new father, and began working as a servant in the servants' quarters for the Ashfords. Cedric signed up for military service when he was old enough, but it was aptitude and the servants' family connections that essentially placed him in a position of valet to one of the knight-officers in service to Ashford Keep. He served there for a term of five years until, in his late 20s, his mother died and his stepfather remarried, leaving Cedric the guardian of his little sister. Cedric retired from military service to a more stationary post working as a steward for the Ashfords. His little sister Celia was the light of his life, and became the central figure of Ashford Keep's kitchens, particularly in the bakery. As a house man and fine steward with a history of service as a valet, there is no more sensible servant to bring along as a member of an expedition to ensure that one's boots get the mud and blood off them. Neither is there anyone more surprisingly useful in a pinch. + |
| Celeste Pravus + | Piero Pravus was entirely too gentle on his baby girl, and many over the years have said that this is exactly the reason that Celeste is the way she is. She had the run of Setarco as a girl, a constantly changing array of tutors (changing because she changed her mind on what she wanted to do with her life, or threw a fit and got rid of them), and a number of failed courtships where the betrothal period ended with the other side walking away from the "impossible" Pravus. Which is not to say that there are no redeemable qualities about the younger sister to the Duchess. She is a devout follower of the Pantheon, and took especially to the practices of the Mirrormasks. It's no wonder, really, with her contrary nature, that she should devote much of her time to the practices of the Thirteenth. Her enjoyment in this form of worship has had her as an active member of the Thirteenth's discipleship from an early age. This would prove to be key to understanding the young Celeste, and something her sister would take advantage of later in life. Beyond that, Celeste proved to be /really/ good at strategy. Chess and checkers gave way to military games, and Celeste consistently found herself capable of winning them. Some encouraged her to become a soldier, to join the military, to get disciplined... but that didn't happen. She has no desire to fight personally. None. When Belladonna began to make her moves and consolidate power in Setarco, Celeste was one of her first attempts. She reigned her free-spirited little sister in and began to use that mind to help maneuver enemies. Celeste may not be ambitious, but she's become devoted to her family and steps up to the plate whenever they have need of her, and it all started with Belladonna. With Setarco taking heavy losses in the battle against the Gyre, Celeste no longer has the option of staying quiet in the sidelines. She's been called to Arx to advice the duchy and take her place among the court. + |
| Celine Valardin + | The tale is well-known by those in the Oathlands: Princess Marianne Valardin was an infectiously charismatic daughter of Sanctum, someone different from most her fellow White Dragons. She was unafraid of pushing social boundaries to the very extremes, always mingling with the Commonfolk and defying her family whenever she felt was right. Next to her the Valardin were seen as stuffy, and Princess Marianne as someone who put in full display just how pleasant a White Dragon could be. So wild was the Princess that she clashed against expectations and challenged tradition to marry for love, her husband a Lycene merchant named Marcello, a simple commoner. The crowds erupted in jubilation at wedding and the chaos in the White City that day was legendary, and it was to this legacy that Celine, the second of four children, was born. Celine and Marcello were close, and with him she learned to be a watchful woman, to think before acting and how to engratiate herself to others. She travelled much with her father and met many Oathlanders, displaying talent for making friends whenever she went. Unbeknownst to Celine, the bonds of friendship she forged would feel punishing as the Tragedy befell Sanctum and many of her acquaintances were butchered. People she had dined with, shared dances and whose laughter she would never forget. After the Tragedy, Celine withdrew into her shell more and more, to the point her father, when he decided to ride out to join the othe rValardin in avenging the Tragedy, had to say his farewells through the closed doors of her chambers. A survivor of the Tragedy she might had been but the sickness of grief had taken hold deeply within Celine's young heart. The unfortunate turning point for the young Valardin came weeks later, when her mother's life was claimed in the dead of night by Audrey, her older sister. All at once, Marienne's death seemed to snap Celine into a state of awarenesss that the house servants described as baleful, something none had ever seen in the young Princess. Celine stood by her dead mother laying in a pool of her own blood as her older sister was taken away, and until the Valardin came to take Marienne's corpse, that is where she stood, now responsible for her two younger siblings, Lenard and Stephanie. The years since have seen the life return to Celine Valardin, and although she has never been quite the same, most Oathlanders agree that there is a charm and levity to the White Dragon that is hard to find. Since taking the reins of her family, Celine made sure that Lenard found a proper Oathlander knight to squire to, and Stephanie had everything she needed after regaining her mobility after most physicians had written the girl off as an invalid. Many in the halls of the White City look at Celine as a lesson in rebuilding from the ashes, a symbol of what the Oathlander people made of: the Tragedy broke many, but like her House, Celine refused to go gently into the night. These days Celine, Lenard and Stephanie live in Arx. Many say it is due to the woman's need to be surrounded by people of all sorts, but some posit that walking around the White City, where the commonfolk bemoan the loss of her mother daily, was more torture than the girl could stand. A warm flame at the heart of the Valardin, the young woman nonetheless thrives in Arx, serving the White Dragons of Sanctum. + |
| Cerdensulathara Ferrier + | Born in area called Rivermuth, far south of Pridehall, Cerdensulathara was one among a litter of children. Her father was a butcher and a warrior, her mother a tanner. For five long and tiresome years, they lived a simple existence. The worst of their troubles were occasional raids, and the strife caused by Cerden's peculiar fits. Rumors held her to be plagued by evil spirits, and she was subject to many, many attempts to cure her. When the neighboring tribe invaded fully, her mother managed to escape with her and two of her siblings into the woods. Traveling northeast into the woods, they were able to assimilate into another group, but it wasn't long before they her mother was presented with a choice to leave with the disabled young girl, or the tribe would sell her off. Unwilling to put her other two living children under such stress, she simply abandoned Cerden in the woods. It was a miracle of some kind that she survived to the age of thirteen. And despite the harsh realities of living in the wild, there was a peace to the daily struggle. Her fits lessened, she learned how to hunt, what to eat and what not to, (through great trial and error), and was quite happy in her life. Unfortunately, fighting between two villages drove more people into her neck of the woods, and eventually she was captured by Abandoned warriors. Who knows where should would be now if she had not been saved by the Knights of Solace. It was a short trip to the city of Arx. She swore her allegiance to the Crown, and was placed in the care of an aloof horse trader, a cousin to the very Knight who rescued her, and his wife, a well to do poet and seamstress, both childless and grateful for an opportunity to care for and teach someone less fortunate. She flourished in the Upper Boroughs, and it was a good time for the young woman. She was taught the wonders of reading and numbers, which she excelled at. She was given simple chores, and taught prayers, which she excelled at. She discovered the many different libraries and temples, and spent the majority of her time there when not helping out at home. Before she left to strike out on her own, she made a bit of silver tutoring the younger children of her adopted mother's social circle, possessing a talent for making complicated subjects simpler. Using her modest income, she's rented a small place in the upper boroughs, and few who ever met her would realize she's a Prodigal. She plans on becoming an explorer, writing books on obscure knowledge and history, and becoming a renowned scholar. Perhaps one day she can own a place of her own, with a bookcase of titles she's written herself detailing grand adventurers, treatises on lost lore and profound essays on rare phenomena. + |
| Cerelia Pontelaeus + | Born of the Sea. At least, that is what Cerelia would say of herself when asked of her past. The Pontelaeus family is that of wealthy bankers and traders, often braving the waters of the Saffron Chain, braving trade routes that run the risk of slipping inadvertently into interhouse wars between the various Abandoned Clans. It is on one such ship that Cerelia was born. It was a stormy night and the sea was angry, so many of the sailors who were present that night would say. The waves were rising high and the ship they all sailed upon was being pitched to and fro, in danger of capsizing when a bolt of lightning struck and severed the mast in twain. Her mother, the ship's First Mate, had ignored counsel from the healers in Tremorus that her baby would not wait to the end of the voyage which she had deemed too valuable to postpone. So it was that in the peak of the storm that she would go into labor. The ship was drifting listless upon the raging storm tossed sea, and no help was to be found for miles. Doomed to sink, at least that is what the crew of the ship believed, it was sudden providence when down below Cerelia's mother screamed at the peak of her delivery and a sudden calm fell eerily upon the waters as Cerelia made her way into the world and drew her first breath. The ship ran aground on a deserted island, and there the crew would live in relative ease for two weeks until another Pontelaeus rescue ship would find them. At least, if you believed the legends of the Saffron Chain, that is what you would hear. Cerelia's younger years would drift by with a relative lack of complication. Like any child, she was good in certain studies, and rubbish at others. Like her cousin, Savio, she would show little interest at all in the family business. But where she excelled was upon the waters. From schooner to caravel, Cerelia had a gift at sailing and navigating upon the waves, and as she entered into her late teens the sea is where she would spend the majority of her time. She took the helm of trading vessels when the positions presented themselves to her. When they did not, she would take out other vessels, always as if there was something out on those waters to be found, some mystery to plumb. Sometimes she would even offer her services to Sabriel, soon becoming fast friends and joining the Vice-Admiral upon the seas. When Leporidae bent the knee and joined the Compact she was as skeptical as many of her kin, but when Giorgio sent word back to the family of the wonders to be found in Arx, Cerelia would find herself being sent soon after Savio with orders from the family to join the two Pontelaeus brothers and help where she might in their pursuits in Arx. + |
| Cerys Velenosa + | Born of a union between Blackram and Velenosa, Cerys is a strange marriage of Oathlands honor and martial strength and Lycene sensibility and and morality. Raised in Velenosa through childhood, she was sent to foster at Blackram through her teen years, taking to the martial training with an ease of natural aptitude. By the time she was returned, the training had gotten under her skin and she insisted on continuing with it alongside the more traditional social graces and tutoring of a Velenosan Princess. She took part in each of the major battles over the years, veteran of both the SIlent War and again for the Gyre, the latter earning her a Knighthood in the Lyceum that she is inordinately proud of. After that accomplishment, she started to turn her eye towards explanding her knowledge of 'knightly skills', once more visiting family in the Oathlands to tutor under some of the more well-known knights. It was on the return from one such trip that Cerys was introduced to Dimitri Pravus during an event being held. It was fascination at first sight for the both of them. After a bit of a whirlwind courtship, and with the blessing of both Houses, she married the man she had deemed worthy (and who was able to put up with her intensity). Travelling to Arx with her new husband seems the perfect end to their honeymoon and start to their new life together. + |
| Cesare Whisper + | Even at a very young age, Cesare stood out as an exceptional talent. While most boys his age in the Lyceum were already playing with swords, Cesare had a single passion that consumed him, with every waking thought dedicated to it and it alone: music. Every day he would toy with a new instrument or he would listen to the singers around the shrine of Jayus in his native Setarco, learning the same songs and then improving upon the delivery. The words just always came naturally to him, the music flowed through him and he had a voice that made crowds gather. First he attracted the notice of the disciples of Jayus and priests of the Faith of the Pantheon, who eagerly encouraged a young man with such obvious talent. Then he attracted nobles, who made a point to visit the young man's performances. Before long, he became known as 'the Singer of Setarco' or 'the man with the perfect voice'. The fame meant nothing to him, and he barely noticed it- he was tireless in seeking out new forms of music, in cultivating each and every aspect he could find, in the hope to finally capture something truly sublime in music. He still hopes to find a perfect moment that captures the essence of Jayus for all the world to hear. Unfortunately, he couldn't linger in Setarco. He didn't realize how truly popular he had become until he was forced to flee the city as noblewomen who all seeked to patronize the talented young man became increasingly dangerously jealous over his lack of reciprocation of their affections. He was informed in no uncertain terms that he was likely to wind up dead as a result if he didn't flee, and has since made his way to Arx, more than a bit wiser at how dangerous spurned passion truly is. To that end, he has become a much sought after courtier, currently employed by the Whisper House, entertaining the greatest and most powerful women in the Compact, with the same respect and protections associated with other courtesans. He's still seeking that perfect song, but he's deciding there's sublime beauty in other parts of life as well. + |
| Chanse Grayhope + | As the owner and proprietor of the Murder of Crows Boardinghouse, Chanse Grayhope is not one would call a soft man. He's survived the better part of two decades running the establishment most favored by those needing to disappear for a while by being the kind of man that seems to have very few (living) enemies, but somehow still knows far more than he ought to about anything and everything. He always seems to be given more respect than most would expect from the dangerous sorts living in the Lower Borough, and not just due to a willingness to crack a few skulls from those that get carried away in his establishment. More than a few rough sorts that have crossed the boardinghouse owner have gone missing, and even among some of hard cases of the Lower Boroughs there is a surprising amount of fear for the businessman. For a man living among the lowest of the low of Arx, he seems relatively content exactly where he is and has made little effort to change his station in life. Some of the thugs wonder just how he gets away with it, rarely seeming surprised by anything and showing a shocking amount of lese majeste to some nobles that visit without repercussions. He never asks others their business, and has implied it's extremely wise to do the same to him. + |
| Charis Durant + | In Oakhaven, it's a common jest that Simon and Thais Durant could populate their own crafters' guild with their extended family alone. Theirs is a line known to be called to Jayus' service and they've answered that call, both individually and as parents. Simon, a woodworker, and Thais, a glass-blower, number four children of their own, and countless cousins, nieces and nephews sponsored, fostered and apprenticed through the years. Of these, Charis was third-born of their own brood and most easily distracted in her youth. She was inclined to daydreaming through windows (many of them constructed by her parents) when she should have been minding the lessons of her master tailor aunt, Dorcas. When a motley band of ruin-explorers and relic-hunters rolled through Oakhaven on the way to adventure, the Durants didn't stand a chance of competing. A wink, a crooked grin and a beckoning wave were all it took. Charis abandoned her studies and left home. Being neither scholar nor adventurer, she took up training with the mercenaries who were hired on to watch the backs of the less robust members of the group. She flourished, living, laughing, loving. Fighting. Years passed. And then they ventured into the wrong ruins, sought out the wrong relics. When Charis returned to Oakhaven, she was older and scarred. She did not or could not tell her family what happened but they opened their arms to her all the same. She resumed her apprenticeship with Aunt Dorcas, took up needle and thread again. Years passed, but they were spent in quietly, in study, in renewed devotion to her craft. In time, when her skill with those tools passed what skill she'd once possessed with her swords, she was recognized as a master in her own right, committed to the promotion of Oathlands fashion as rival to even the Lyceum and its artisans. + |
| Charlaine Blanchard + | Life is not easy for a shy, whimsical and scholarly dreamer born to a ruthlessly ambitious nobleman and a strict and controlling mother. It is even worse when she was born to House Blanchard, the noble family famed for their mastery as horsemen when those animals seem to be scared of her, or she is scared of them, or both. That is what happened to Lady Charlaine Blanchard, and that is why she slowly drowned in the world of her imagination in her beloved books and bard songs, where everything seems to be brighter, more colorful and serene. From her earliest memories, Charlaine's desires ran a distant second to the will of her parents. Her father focused single mindedly on the advancement of the family, and to that mind he either wanted a daughter that could distinguish herself at war or that could be a prize to mesmerize potential political matches at Court. Charlaine's scholarly bent and her lack of interest in drab reality in favor of exciting fiction set her immediately at odds to her relentlessly goal-orientated father and her carefully organized and pragmatic mother who hoped to turn their daughter into a stunning beauty to win a favorable marriage match. The more they pushed her to embrace politics and think of marriage matches or soldiering to vicariously achieve their own goals, the further she retreated into scholarly pursuits, songs and stories. However, Mathilde Blanchard noticed her daughters passion for books and offered to Phillipe that they would invest into their daughter's intelligence so that it could earn her a potentially high position at court. That is how she was trusted as a ward to Phillipe's brother Alicio Blanchard. The man was a Scholar of Vellichor and viewed as the most suitable tutor by Phillipe. Charlaine enjoyed her time in the large city, meeting many new people and, especially, having access to such large amounts of different books in the Archives. She grew quite close to her uncle Alicio Blanchard as well as with some other scholars and locals. Charlaine was more often found in the company of commoners than nobles since she admired the freedoms common folk could enjoy and nobles had no luxury for. At the same time she learned of the wonderful feeling which she gain when she take part in charity. The life seemed to be perfect. Though, all nice stories come to an end. She counted her nineteenth summer when it was announced that Charlaine caught an unknown illness. She was sent back home. It was not a surprise since she loved gathering in large crowded places with commoners of low standing while doing charity. The young woman was gone from social life for two long years before Arvum heard about her once more as the new lady-in-waiting to Princess Alarissa Valardin. Alicio Blanchard was asked to help find for Charlaine a lady to whom their daughter could serve. She was described as still a bit fragile after a hard illness followed by depression, but healthy. It was felt time away would be what she needed to fully recover and come back to social life. Alicio agreed to help their family and approached his fellow scholar Prince Aurelian Valardin with the request, Aurelian knew that Princess Alarissa Valardin was looking for a Lady-in-Waiting. After long discussions Charlaine was approved. + |
| Charlaine Moore + | Life is not easy for a shy, whimsical and scholarly dreamer born to a ruthlessly ambitious nobleman and a strict and controlling mother. It is even worse when she was born to House Blanchard, the noble family famed for their mastery as horsemen when those animals seem to be scared of her, or she is scared of them, or both. That is what happened to Lady Charlaine Blanchard, and that is why she slowly drowned in the world of her imagination in her beloved books and bard songs, where everything seems to be brighter, more colorful and serene. From her earliest memories, Charlaine's desires ran a distant second to the will of her parents. Her father focused single mindedly on the advancement of the family, and to that mind he either wanted a daughter that could distinguish herself at war or that could be a prize to mesmerize potential political matches at Court. Charlaine's scholarly bent and her lack of interest in drab reality in favor of exciting fiction set her immediately at odds to her relentlessly goal-orientated father and her carefully organized and pragmatic mother who hoped to turn their daughter into a stunning beauty to win a favorable marriage match. The more they pushed her to embrace politics and think of marriage matches or soldiering to vicariously achieve their own goals, the further she retreated into scholarly pursuits, songs and stories. However, Mathilde Blanchard noticed her daughters passion for books and offered to Phillipe that they would invest into their daughter's intelligence so that it could earn her a potentially high position at court. That is how she was trusted as a ward to Phillipe's brother Alicio Blanchard. The man was a Scholar of Vellichor and viewed as the most suitable tutor by Phillipe. Charlaine enjoyed her time in the large city, meeting many new people and, especially, having access to such large amounts of different books in the Archives. She grew quite close to her uncle Alicio Blanchard as well as with some other scholars and locals. Charlaine was more often found in the company of commoners than nobles since she admired the freedoms common folk could enjoy and nobles had no luxury for. At the same time she learned of the wonderful feeling which she gain when she take part in charity. The life seemed to be perfect. Though, all nice stories come to an end. She counted her nineteenth summer when it was announced that Charlaine caught an unknown illness. She was sent back home. It was not a surprise since she loved gathering in large crowded places with commoners of low standing while doing charity. The young woman was gone from social life for two long years before Arvum heard about her once more as the new lady-in-waiting to Princess Alarissa Valardin. Alicio Blanchard was asked to help find for Charlaine a lady to whom their daughter could serve. She was described as still a bit fragile after a hard illness followed by depression, but healthy. It was felt time away would be what she needed to fully recover and come back to social life. Alicio agreed to help their family and approached his fellow scholar Prince Aurelian Valardin with the request, Aurelian knew that Princess Alarissa Valardin was looking for a Lady-in-Waiting. After long discussions Charlaine was approved. + |
| Charlemagne Charon + | Lord Charlemagne, a Silent War widow, first married into House Threerivers by way of House Bellerive, their chief military rival and a direct vassal of House Blackram. The politically motivated pairing was understood as pivotal to a swift and much-needed brokerage of peace, its urgency quite enough to disregard the rumors of infertility stirred up by gossips keeping eye over Charlemagne's previous match. By agreeing to the terms, House Bellerive was setting aside the atrocities of their war with House Threerivers and gaining an important local ally in the new Countess of Highrock. Although symbolically stabilizing, few have been historically successful in managing to reduce Charlemagne to a mere political prop. During the early days of his marriage when his wife's condition became clear, Charlemagne spent an egregious amount of his own personal fortune hiring northern members of the Courtier's Guild. The resulting social campaign epically shifted public sentiment in their region and beyond, forcing Charlemagne's sister-in-law to legitimize Magaen's bastard son if she had any desire to retain the Compact's goodwill. It also had the added benefit of contributing to what would ultimately be Charlemagne's brief stint as Count-Consort. Very brief. See, the Seraph of Last Bridge was furious by the end of the war and rather predictably for a man of his prejudices, treachery seeped into his work. The overzealous priest was heard wishing aloud for the next generation of Bellerive children to rise up and cut out that cancer that is Shamanism in the north, and put all of the northlanders to the sword, and that they should even slaughter them under guest right since they don't respect the Pantheon, anyway! Defrocked for his heretical statements, the noble marriage he negotiated in bad faith was nullified and the pact left unraveled. Awkwardly enough, it's Charlemagne's continued presence in House Charon that seems to be keeping the peace while the families involved remain hands off until all else is settled. No pressure! Why the pair did not immediately remarry under their new circumstances is a question that, well, they have yet to answer. + |
| Charles Valardin + | Charles was born the daughter and only child of a low-ranking noble officer. Without a male child to serve as heir, his position would fall vacant upon retirement; and thus, Charles was obligated from a young age to pursue masculine activities. This upbringing was controversial, lending itself to conflicts within his house. He took poorly to the courtly education of a noble child, never holding still long enough to complete his lessons. As such his reputation among the court is not a respected one. By his teenage years, however, his prowess in battle assuaged many fears of his ability. He has since lived publicly as a man without disguising his birth, and has distinguished himself as a competent warrior and tactician on the front lines. He has sought to prove himself through martial service ever since. + |
| Charlotte Wyrmguard + | Enough was never really enough for Charlotte. Growing up with six siblings in a backwater like Apsfel Falls was just dull. A cadet branch of the illustrious Wyrmguard family should have given her excitement and prestige, but their family was poor. So very poor, and all their wealth went to keeping their patch of land operational. The infrequent trips to Blancbier were the only bright spots of her youth. That and her twin sister Yessica. Together they would dream up the life that they would lead when they were older. Traveling from city to city, rubbing elbows with Princes and Princesses, catching the eye of a dashing Duke... it was going to be amazing. Reality, however, was not as kind. When she was eighteen she was married to Tymer Sanna, now Tymer Wyrmguard. The man was a brute and practically a savage. He had a wandering eye, a coarse manner, he as everything Charlotte did not want. But she married him anyway. Because a Wyrmguard puts family first, and this was a duty to be borne with dignity. And the occasional screaming fits punctuated with flying vases. The marriage was a seven year war of silence. When word came that Tymer would be fighting in Stormwall, there was a part of her that rejoiced at the forced absence. When word came weeks later that Tymer died, there was a small part of Charlotte that felt actual relief at the news. She grieved as was proper, and then promptly sent a letter to Yessica saying that she was going to move to Arx, to get to know the extended Wyrmguard family, and if that didn't work, they had a sister, Reigna, living there too. Charlotte has a chance to capture her childhood dreams, dreams she spent a life preparing herself for. Fancy parties, fancy people, fine wine and ballgowns. She has a wealth of political game (she thinks) that she is eager to put to the test. She is ready to take her life into her own hands. With Yessica at her side, the city of Arx should be put on notice! The Wyrmguard twins are going to take the city by storm! ...Is that too soon? + |
| Cherilo Menada + | Cherilo was born to a lumberjack and homemaker, who raised him with distant but thorough care. They lived in the forests worked by his father, and from a young age, Cherilo spent much time exploring these wilds. As he grew enamored with the animals, plants, sounds and smells of the forest, Cherilo equally grew contemptuous of his father's exploitation of the forest. At 16, having completed his homeschooling, Cherilo left home quietly to camp in the outer woods. He never returned to live at home, slowly building his own homestead sustainably. He's lived in the home he built all his life, and has endeavored to learn as much as possible about his natural environment - both its beauties and its natural laws. It was his enthusiasm for this world that eventually led him into the city. By befriending city folk, making connections, and becoming learned, he's made opportunities to spread the gospel of nature. Among certain crowds, Cherilo's writings, sketches, and poetry have become well-known, and he's encouraged a small movement of preservation and appreciation of the natural world. Cherilo helps support himself by taking nobility on tours of the area surrounding his home - although their manner sometimes rankles him. Some of his city friends have come to be loyal confidants, though perhaps none as much as his pet dog Carrie, the fourth-generation pup of his childhood pet. + |
| Chiara Tavetti + | Born to a family of merchant sailors in Nilanza, Chiara is the middle child of three; her parents, Marcel and Ilena, were much of the opinion that their children should all be involved in the family business with the goal of eventually succeeding them, but perhaps unsurprisingly Chiara begged to differ, having not properly been consulted in the matter prior to her birth. While both her older sister, Denora, and the youngest, Linette, have been more than happy to follow in the footsteps of their parents, Chiara has spent as much as time investigating the destinations of those goods shipped as the shipping process itself, occasionally disappearing mid-trip, much to the exasperation of her family - perhaps all the more so because she is actually quite competent at her trade. Surprising absolutely no one, the restless Chiara ultimately left the confines of what protection her family could give her and has spent the past few years traveling; due to such she has certainly seen her share of good and bad. Thankfully, either through sheer luck or quick thinking, she's managed to extricate herself from the worst of those situations, leaving her with an appreciation for what could have been, but not resulting any obvious dampening effect on her enthusiasm. With the Marquessa having made it known that she is looking for native Nilanzans to help support the growing House Malespero - and perhaps due to a little bit of trouble with the locals in the most recent port she'd been carousing in - Chiara has made her way to Arx to settle there, at least for a short while. + |
| Christine Kennex + | Christine spent most of her early days learning how to read, how to write, how to get more books... The world didn't need to be seen, since you can find it all and more in a good library. But then, one day she did. On her way back home, after visiting her cousin Denholm, she decided to take a detour... And ever since, she's been travelling around... because, why just to read books if you can be part of them? + |
| Chrysanthia Chatreuxe-DeVirre + | The Brindleberry Wood is a place of mystery and wonder. Many people don't even know of it or where in the Lord of the Deep Wood's name it might even be but boy do the stories come a pourin' out of /that/ place. People say a lot of things about the kooky Baroness; she's a reclusive hermit, she's eccentric, she throws exclusive tea parties with thee most interesting guests, she's crazy. The list of things goes on but all of them are usually very nice. People kiiiiind of laugh at the Chatreuxe-DeVirre's because their lands are all primal forests and beautiful glades filled with people who don't like to wear clothes. Or, maybe even worse, people who like to spend more time with plants than people (which is nothing to judge anyone for) and not a single soul in her Court ever comes to the city. The Peerage all think they're mostly a rumor but when Chrysanthia showed up wearing the mauve & green sigil of the Brindleberry Wood, well, it becomes quite clear that it is -not- a joke. Nobody can really say much about who or what the Spring Knight of the Hedge has been up to, but she's really bizarre and seems to have a passion for plants, animals, and people. In that order. + |
| Ciaphas Seraceni + | The politics of Eurus are a difficult thing for many to comprehend, and even harder to truly understand -- this is a thing that Ciaphas shares with the majority of the Compact, despite being born a Prince of the great Dune Kingdoms and raised with the hopes that he might one day take up a diplomatic position within the Dune Emperor's court. They would have to get used to disappointment. He was groomed from an early age by dedicated, dutiful tutors that should have seen him be a rising star in the realm of statecraft, but he found these things terribly dull. His lack of focus would be of terrible frustration for those set to instruct him, and despite their determined efforts, he would never be as they wished him to be. Not the way they wanted, anyway. Instead, his attentions shifted toward the intricate dance of warfare -- a brutal warrior, with the ability to direct in open conflicts as a stalwart commander. Certainly, this was not what his parents had envisioned when they sent him away as a ward of Ahj'on, but the worth of such abilities were not lost to them, nor his watchers. He spent many years in the fields of battle, disappearing from the public eye for sometimes years at a time, with none seeming able to figure out where he had gone, until he would miraculously appear again with nary a story to be told, or an explaination to be given. There he would be, proclaimed victorious in the wake of wanting details, until he would be gone again. Until, of course, he returned one of these times and was told that a political marriage had been arranged, and he was to be wed to some lesser noble of Ischia in order to broker some sort of non-aggression pact that would somehow benefit them. He still does not understand why it was necessary, but he is a man that has been raised to follow orders ... even if he doesn't carry out the tasks set before him in the fashion they might enjoy. To this day, he does not know why he is wed, only that he is. And now? Now he's here, in the Compact, disgruntled and confused, but still doing his duty. + |
| Ciara Wyrmguard + | The youngest child and only daughter born to Etienne and Celestine Wyrmguard, a cadet branch of the Wyrmguard family, Ciara grew up with her three older brothers on their family's patch of land south of Blancbier where mountain and forest meet. Born to one of the oldest and proudest families in the Valardin fealty, not to say all of The Compact, she was brought up on stories of valor, heroes, honor, and chivalry. Stories full of adventure, romance, and knights in shining armor. Stories full of everything her life was not. Stories she would often dream herself away to. That is not to say that she wasn't happy, but there was a part of her that always longed for more even as a young child. She was a willful and lively girl, with her mother's sharp mind and kind heart and her father's effortless charm and playful spirit, always hungry for new experiences and with an almost insatiable curiosity. But her mischievous and adventurous nature was tempered by a desire to please and ideals inspired both by her family and by those stories that she loved so much. Ideals she couldn't always live up to. For all her youthful exuberance, she was a caregiver right from the start. She would always be there to tend to and care for her brothers after a particularly grueling day of training or when they got injured, she would go out of her way to comfort or stand up for one of her friends when they needed it, and she'd be there to cheer up and bring a smile to her parents' lips after a long, frustrating day of business or research. Her father being the former steward of the main line of the Wyrmguards in Blancbier and her mother a socialite scholar known for her research into the more obscure lore and parts of history, it is perhaps not surprising that the young girl showed a natural penchant for numbers, patterns, and organization, as well as a way with people. She was taught a lot about trade, economics and how to run a noble household, and Celeste involved herself personally with her daughter's education after Ciara turned ten, expanding the young girl's knowledge to other scholarly topics and grooming her on how to become a proper young lady. Ciara would, quite frankly, much rather be out playing with her friends, gossip about who the most handsome prince is despite never having seen any of them, or go explore that part of the woods to the west that nobody's supposed to go into, but she excelled at her studies and mostly stayed out of trouble. Mostly. Shortly before her 18th birthday, her parents informed her that an arrangement had been made and that she would be traveling to Arx to act as a Lady-In-Waiting to Marquessa Dominique. Ciara could not be more excited. Arx! So much to explore, so many people to meet, so many new sights and experiences. Princes and Princesses and fancy parties. Not to mention getting to know her extended family and a chance to make a good impression with the Marquessa. It was going to be amazing! A week later, after packing her things and writing her brothers, she kissed her parents goodbye and set off for the capital and the biggest adventure of her young life. + |
| Ciaran Farshaw + | Born a lord of House Farshaw, Ciaran never show any interest in ruling: instead, his mind was fixed on adventure. While Farshaw might not boast much in the way of a war navy, Ciaran always managed to make an impact bigger than the military resources he had available--developing a reputation as an able tactician and intrepid explorer. Be it against barbarian tribes or long-lost settlements of the Abandoned, he showed a knack for moving through the far places of the world. There, he made both friends and enemies. In the Gyre war, he showed particular gallantry. Unfortunately, it was in that conflict, at that moment of triumph, that his life took a turn. Suffering a terrible wound to one of his legs, a wound that seems to have been in some part spiritual as much as physical, Ciaran now must live with a perpetual limp, and never fully regained his martial prowess. For a time, he bounced around the far corners of the map, and perhaps some places beyond its borders. Whatever obscure place he got off to, he has at last settled in Arx, where he intends to represent his family and support the ruling lords. + |
| Cicero Malvici + | Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current ruling house of Lyceum, but several branches of the family tree away from actually inheriting anything of worth. As a middle child he was not destined to be heir to the estate and was little more than fodder for a political marriage... until he put his talents towards the silk trade. He was gifted at it, using his position as a bridge between the merchants and their noble customers, easing the passage of the luxurious material along the economic system while keeping the coffers of his house well filled. Like any one noble of the southern City-States he ran into some trouble now and then that had to be solved at the end of a sword, but he usually realied on his quick wit and sharp tongue to win the day. Now he has come to Arx to ply his trade, to work with the silk merchants of the city for the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda. + |
| Cicero Velenosa + | Cicero Velenosa grew up in the current ruling house of Lyceum, but several branches of the family tree away from actually inheriting anything of worth. As a middle child he was not destined to be heir to the estate and was little more than fodder for a political marriage... until he put his talents towards the silk trade. He was gifted at it, using his position as a bridge between the merchants and their noble customers, easing the passage of the luxurious material along the economic system while keeping the coffers of his house well filled. Like any one noble of the southern City-States he ran into some trouble now and then that had to be solved at the end of a sword, but he usually realied on his quick wit and sharp tongue to win the day. Now he has come to Arx to ply his trade, to work with the silk merchants of the city for the betterment of all of Lyceum. Kinda. + |
| Cigano Laroye + | Growing up in a small camp of vagabonds, Cigano learned from an early age that the world was unfair. His mother passed as he came into the world, already making him resented among his people. They treated him as an ill omen, passing him from family to family in the camp, giving him only the barest essentials so he would survive and they believed made good with his poor mother. It wasn't until he had his coming of age rite performed that the tribe would even speak to him as an equal. As he began to work for the family, he proved his worth and was given a chance to live and work as the rest of the tribe. He proved adept as spinning stories with cards that brought him fame among the nobles that the tribe often encountered. He soon became popular enough that the tribe leader began to groom him for his replacement. The leader's son, whom should have been the rightful heir, didn't take kindly to the news. He planned to poison Cigano at his first chance. Cigano sensing the man's anger ensure that nothing that came to him was ever out of his sight. Eventually swapping a cup force upon him by the heir apparent with the leaders. Once the poison was revealed, Cigano used his new acquired status to have the heir exiled for his crimes. The years after Cigano continued to run the camp, doing as much as he can help provide for the family, always watching for the next assassin and the next chance for him to bring more money into the camp. + |
| Cillian Weatherwood + | Raised in a small tribe allied to the Blackwoods, Cillian grew up learning the ways of the wild. For the most part, his adopted family and the tribe survived the squabbles and land struggles between tribes. His village was always under assault by monsters and so from a young age he learned the bow and became a protector. It earned him the nickname among his people as "Guardian of the woods" When the Blackwoods took in the last of the Thunderoaks people and ultimately they all bent knee together to the Crovane his tribe did so as well by then he was in his teens and chose to stay out in the woods protecting it knowing the dangers out in it. But now he has been told the truth and much of what he knew was false so now he goes to Arx to search out that feeling he has always felt, that feeling like a part of you is missing and so now he finds himself in the city and finds himself very guarded. + |
| Cirdan Halfshav + | Born to Riker Halfshav and Triana Tessere a year after his older brother Reve, Cirdan was given much of the same upbringing. While his martial training proved to be lackluster and was soon abandoned once the basics were covered, he proved especially skilled in more social settings, quickly making friends and earning no small amount of popularity among certain circles. It proved to be especially beneficial when he was sent to be fostered within his mother's family, soon at home within a land quite different from the one he had grown up in. He quite enjoyed his time in Iriscal, though he was ever quick to leap at any opportunity to travel to new locales and courts, his curiosity insatiable. He knew to make new friends even in what amounted to short visits and maintained these links through active correspondence, somehow managing to fit those in between lessons and other social adventures. There were certainly times of tension, however, though none so great as when Reve declared, once his fostering was finished, that he would not return to Whitehold. While Cirdan was still a year away from the end of his own fostering, it was deemed preferable to escort Cirdan back home to finish his studies there, lest he get any ideas about following his older brother's example. Cirdan didn't mind, but things didn't quite go as planned. While a day away from Whitehold, his group was ambushed by bandits. The bandits proved to be a shav tribe and they took him prisoner, the intent to ransom him off. What followed is the subject of speculation. He appealed to his guards. He seduced the chief's daughter. The story's varied over time. Nonetheless, somehow, Cirdan escaped and managed to make his way to Whitehold and alert his family. Now with Halfshav's forces, he returned to negotiate the release of those who had been traveling with him. The more romantic storytellers like to add that he also negotiated for the chief's daughter to come with him. Yet if such was the truth, it led to tragedy as the negotiations broke down and violence was the ultimate solution. While peace did not reign that day, the experience shaped and motivated him. He dedicated himself to master both law and diplomacy in service to his House. It is for that purpose that he now travels to Arx, after news of his brother's return have reached him. + |
| Ciriel Whitehawk + | Son of a local blacksmith, he was always frustrated with the kind of work that was done in his father's shop. Working schedule did not permit for anything more than tools, horseshoes and nails. He always had the passion for anything out of the ordinary, anything clever. Be it practical or not. After his father's retirement he took over the shop and took a wife. Soon after there was an accident and all that was left of his previous self, was his passion for novelty trinkets and odd items. Alienated from his previous life an unable to practice his trade, he decided to go on the road and pursue his passion. + |
| Ciro Seraceni + | Ciro grew up in Ischia mostly wish his mother Isabella. His father passed away from infection while at war with the Argento. As a boy, he was drawn both to the luxurious villas of Setarco and the busy docks and diverse peoples of Ischia. Like his sister Appolonia, he acquired a good education from various Lycene tutors, and though he showed some aptitude, he never found much joy in abstract studies though he found a great love of music and performance. He sometimes sneaked down to the docks and watched as the sailors rolled dice and played cards for piles of gleaming coins. As a very young man, Priscila had high hoped that Ciro might prove a diplomat, but the young man had a greater interest in the daughter of the Farshaw Minister of Income than in trade deals he was meant to negotiate. Returning to Ischia without having proved himself, and labeled a wastrel by his family, Ciro continued to drink and game throughout Morisco, and Arx. In this very state, however, Ciro, having lost a great deal of coin in a high stakes wager, was returning through the Lowers in Arx, where he overheard the formation of a scheme to steal a good amount of Pravosi goods from the harbor. Using the last of his coins to pay a cabin boy for the full story, Ciro wrote a missive to Lady Viviana, and saved the House several hundred thousand silver when the plot was foiled. Having proved his loyalty and a capacity for acquiring valuable information, Ciro was encouraged by Dio to put his inclinations in further service to his House by joining the Whisper House. He also joined the Golden Hart, and has often been seen gaming with many of the peers of the Compact. Later, he found his way to Gianna Whisper's Bard's College, where his flair for the dramatic and musical talents infused with the styles of Ischia and Eurus have found him in good company. + |
| Cirroch Sanna + | Cirroch was always going to be the March of Giant's Reach. Actually, he was the March of Giant's Reach by the time he was ten. It's a risky proposition, being a ten-year-old with a regent, but there were a few things going for Cirroch: first, his regent was his uncle Talward, whom no one wanted to cross and who loved his deceased sister more than life itself, and second, he was a pretty clever and aspiring ten-year-old, and put off the fears of his vassals by being aggressively interested in warcraft from when he could first walk. He developed an interest in statecraft as well, although it was admittedly much /later/ in life that he wanted to attend his own meetings and councils. By the time he was 16, there were few who feared his ascendance to the seat he held in name, and when he reached majority at 18, his uncle retired to be feted for a job well done, and Cirroch took the reins fearlessly. It's amazing how long you can stall from a topic that you don't want to address. He very nearly had a treaty negotiated with the Nightgolds for a wife of his rank only to have it fall through on some stipulations about mining rights that he refused to let go. He very nearly had a treaty negotiated, later, that would have had him wed to the sister of a Velenosan count, only to have her cry off for a number of reasons, some related to, frankly, the cold weather of the north and the total absence of seawater anywhere around Giant's Reach. That is until a faithful day that he wasn't thinking of a need to keep a shield up. He was training with his axe when Princess Sasha boldy approached him, anyone in their vincity might have thought that they did indeed watch mountains move that day. Sasha would become the love of his life. The day he meet his first born, heir to what Sanna had to offer, was the day that he understood that life was more than how long one can stall a topic. + |
| Clara Crovane + | Clara was born to the Crovane family only a handful of years ago but she would not start breathing when she was born. It took a little bit of work from the midwives to get Clara to take in her first breath and by that time they had nearly given up hope that she would survive. The result of this experience was that Clara's eyes turned white and everyone expected she was blind. She is young and still learning about the world in a very hands on way. While she doesn't mind being a lady she doesn't specifically want to be a politician and she has made that clear with starting to learn the sword young as well as preferring sitting in cemeteries and stitching wounds to listening to people talk about the various problems in society. She began learning the sword when she was 12 years old, a compromise her parents made with her when she wouldn't sit still long enough to learn about being a leader or try to better understand how to bring in money, through the people, for the house. Learning the sword was a way to help her learn to focus her abundance of youthful energy as well as make her useful to the family. When she was about 15 years old she showed an aptitude for medicine, a love for plant life as a healing source, and a desire to help people. This lead to her start into studying medicine closer and eventually becoming a novice medic. Barely an adult, Clara has been sent to Arx to experience the rich diversity in culture the city has to offer. + |
| Clarisse Charon + | The youngest daughter born to Merrick of Highrock and Kiera ThreeRivers, was Clarisse, a beautiful young child, brought up almost entirely by staff, until the death of her Mother, the trauma of witnessing her Mother killed in front of her caused Clarisse such deep trauma she refused to speak to anyone. Finally as the brother Teague's last resort to help his baby sister, he sent her away to the countryside to help bring her a sense of peace and grieve out of the sight of court. There in their country estate, she was distanced from the politics and manipulations of the court and cared for by her Aya. She was guided in the healing arts, working with herbs, learning all she could absorb, giving her a sense of purpose and a reason to begin to open up again to those around her. She loved the beauty and peacefulness of her home away, but also missed her family deeply. Since Clarisse was so far removed and able to focus on what came to matter most to her, she began to grow in her own faith. Not a faith taught by those around her, but faith she came to embrace through dreams shared with her, waking and sleeping. Some that came to her in the middle of the night that though she does not know the meaning of, have lead her back home. She has learned to keep secrets close to her heart, confidense entrusted in her buried deep, a compassionate heart for those sick and injured, and a steady supply to add in her healing arts within hands reach. Though she is of noble blood, Clarisse has a very humble spirit, kind and loving, and tries her best not to hurt anyone for any reason. It has taken her a long time to get over her mother's death, but it has finally come to terms with her mother's loss, and chosen to return home. + |
| Claude + | A Prodigal from the Mourning Isles, Claude is rather private about much of his history. This much seems to be true: once upon a time, he was a shav carpenter with a family. His tribe's village was one of the many that fell to the Gyre, and whatever family he had was lost. He made it to Arx during the Silent War, but moved on quickly enough to Old Oak after befriending Dame Zhayla, House Deepwood's Sword. It was the tragic death of that same friend that eventually brought him back to Arx, seemingly renewed in his desire to do some good amidst all of the dangers facing the world. At least as much as a quiet, artistically-minded carpenter can do. He'll make a start by joining the Faith's disciple ranks as a Liberator of Skald, serve as a vassal of House Deepwood, and go from there. + |
| Claude Crucible + | A Prodigal from the Mourning Isles, Claude is rather private about much of his history. This much seems to be true: once upon a time, he was a shav carpenter with a family. His tribe's village was one of the many that fell to the Gyre, and whatever family he had was lost. He made it to Arx during the Silent War, but moved on quickly enough to Old Oak after befriending Dame Zhayla, House Deepwood's Sword. It was the tragic death of that same friend that eventually brought him back to Arx, seemingly renewed in his desire to do some good amidst all of the dangers facing the world. At least as much as a quiet, artistically-minded carpenter can do. He'll make a start by joining the Faith's disciple ranks as a Liberator of Skald, serve as a vassal of House Deepwood, and go from there. + |
| Claudia Malespero + | There are rules to the way the world works, or there should be rules to the way the world works. Perhaps those rules, that clearly outlined code of behavior, is sometimes more obscure than at other times. It might just be because of the randomness of things, the way the world as you know it skews hard to the left when you expected it to veer gently right that Claudia has given herself a very strict code of conduct. Honor your deals, be honest in your deals with others, don't take the proverbial dump where you live. There are more, of course, little things that she's been developing since she was a child watching her father run a small shipping empire. Empire being a rather loose term, and more something fueled by the imagination of a child than the reality of being an adult. Claudia was the youngest born to a very minor noble house that over saw some of the trading done around Nilanza, and they made good profits. Many would argue that trading would be something beneath the nobility, and they might be right. As it was, Claudia's family really acted as backers to others, never taking direct part in the trading, technically. From a young age she learned how to run things, not because she was expected to take over the house, but her father was a practical man, and he felt that everyone should learn to contribute. So as soon as she was old enough she was put on the ships and taught to sail, read the wind and sky, navigate by the stars, how to speak to those in other ports, to find the best deal. She built up a reputation of being able to find what people wanted, difficult, rare, expensive goods....none of that mattered. She'd always go the extra mile to make sure that the deal was honored. When House Argento fell, she wasn't home in Nilanza, and in fact, she decided that it might be best to make herself scarce. She knew what happened to her family, and that it all crumbled, that her father died of a broken heart after her mother was killed. But recently she's heard that it might be safe to come home, and take up a place among House Malespero, which is what she's done. + |
| Cleo Frost + | Far to the north of Whitehall in the depths of Everwinter where nights and days can last weeks or even months with the turning of the seasons livesa tribe of Shav'Avani called The Children of the Sun and the Moon. The tribe has over the millennia developed a number of particular standards and rituals that vary greatly from those used of the more Southern Shav'Avani which differe even more from the tribes that have sworn fealty to and become Houses of Redrain. The Children of the Sun and the Moon are mostly nomadic, moving as dictated by the Weather and the Seasons to either follow their prey or return to their ancestral homes for shelter. They have developed a regimented culture where one is either Hunter, Gatherer, Raider (Sun), or Hearthkeeper (Moon). Those who follow the Sun, and the Moon, are generally formed along gender lines but gender is a choice to the Children of the Sun and the Moon and thus both physical sexes are accounted for in both. Born amongst the Children of the Sun there was always more to Cleo's life, odd things happened around her constantly both good and bad. There was hardly a dull moment around her life and she never fit in due to it, kept separate a lot, which suited her just fine. She spoke to the spirits as they would speak back and when it came time for her to pick her focus she chose none, and was sent to the Walkers Inbetween. There she found who she was, which was neither, and both, all the same and she partook of the rituals, sacrifices, and alchemical potions that discovered her true self and stabilized it permanently. Never Sun. Never Moon. Always Sun. Always Moon. She had found her place, and she made friends during her training, but one of the younger Walkers she knew during their apprenticeship ended up leaving the tribe and headed south soon after she succeeded in her tests. Cleo wonders and waited to hear news of the return of Cybele, but when no news came Cleo began to worry. Asking the spirits for guidance Cleo was told that Cybele still lived, far to the south in the land of warmth and green. So too did Cleo tell the Elders that she would go check on Cybele, and see if she was unwilling, or unable to return. The trek was not an easy one but Cleo endured, sneaking south past Whitehall, and into the lands of Redrain where she finally was caught by House Nightgold and very nearly put to the sword but the young shaman was able to get the spirits to speak of her quest and intentions. She was forced to bend the knee of course, and she did so gladly if it would allow her to continue on to find Cybele. After the long walk and through those dangers she finally came to Arx and learned of many wondrous things... it was no wonder why Cybele did not come back, there was to much to learn before she could go home. + |
| Clover Farshaw + | Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and Damien Wyrmguard, a lesser branch of the family; distant cousins. She's the youngest of her particular branch. One of her older siblings is quite good with a sword, another with a spear. She decided she wanted to take the bow and arrow as a young child... unfortunately she is not blessed with grace. If there is anything that Clover is not is graceful. She's broken more bones in her life than either of her more combatant siblings-- just from falling off of things. Her parents put her into dancing lessons once and she ended up breaking her instructors nose AND her own arm. She does, however, love to be outside. Even if it means she's probably going to cause herself some amount of harm. She's also been the type to be outside; growing up in Blancbier this meant being outside of the cities walls either in the mountains or out in the forest. She's got a deft hand with dealing with the less combat-centric aspects of being outdoors; she knows well what is safe to eat, how to navigate a forest, and how to handle an animal. Growing up in Blancbier also meant that she had some training in medicine which led to her joining the Mercies of Lagoma. Her early twenties saw her married to Duke Ryhalt Farshaw of Westrock Reach. It was considered a positive political move for Wyrmguard and Farshaw, strengthening both houses through their mercantile connections. From there she settled nicely into the role of Duchess-Consort, a bright and positive addition to the duchy. She grew from a haphazard girl to a strong and mature woman, her skill with the bow increased, as did her interest in medicine. Since her joining Westrock she's come to be known for her prowess in the field and her innate understanding of the wilderness of the isles she's now come to oversee and love. + |
| Clover Wyrmguard + | Clover Wyrmguard was born to Annaliese and Damien Wyrmguard, a lesser branch of the family; distant cousins. She's the youngest of her particular branch. One of her older siblings is quite good with a sword, another with a spear. She decided she wanted to take the bow and arrow as a young child... unfortunately she is not blessed with grace. If there is anything that Clover is not is graceful. She's broken more bones in her life than either of her more combatant siblings-- just from falling off of things. Her parents put her into dancing lessons once and she ended up breaking her instructors nose AND her own arm. She does, however, love to be outside. Even if it means she's probably going to cause herself some amount of harm. She's also been the type to be outside; growing up in Blancbier this meant being outside of the cities walls either in the mountains or out in the forest. She's got a deft hand with dealing with the less combat-centric aspects of being outdoors; she knows well what is safe to eat, how to navigate a forest, and how to handle an animal. Growing up in Blancbier also meant that she had some training in medicine though she has never joined the Mercies, she has thought about it off and on. + |
| Cocine Arcuri + | Much like her mother before her, Cocine grew up in the middle of the brood of Arcuri children. Helping in the shop with odd chores, then with simple tasks. When she apprenticed, she chose a tough route, taking on both alchemy and smithing. Many in the Arcuri family seem blessed when it comes to their chosen profession, but for Cocine it was a calling. Experimenting with metals and minerals, mixing compounds with metals to see what she would get. Always with an eye towards which ones work best together. When she reached an age, she opened a shop of her own in Lenosia, the mixtures of minerals and metals creating unique appearances without altering properties. And still she experimented every chance she got. Sometimes going out of her way to learn some obscure formula just to see how it would fare when paired with different metals. She broke even more than she profited, her experiments always taking the bulk of her resources. The last of the Josephine's children still in Lenosia, after her mother's death, Cocine finished what remained of her commissions, then packed her things and headed to Arx to join the rest of the family. + |
| Col Steelhart + | Col was never as good as Lionel in his fathers' eyes. He was never treated poorly or unfairly, that wasn't Frederik's way but it was always there: Lionel was better. Lionel was the first born. Lionel was the warrior and knight. Lionel was the man who's honor could not be tarnished. He could do no wrong. While his older brother was learning to fight and be a knight Col was reading books and learning tactics for war, rather than individual battle. He knew he would never be as physically capable as his older brother but he was driven to prove himself useful to his father and the House. He tried to learn, he truly did, but all the hard work netted him very little. It was not his aptitude. His aptitude was in planning. Plotting. Leading but not from the front. It was like Col and Lionel were the two sides of their father's 'coin'. Lionel got all the physical talents and ability while Col was the statesman, diplomat, and planner. When the two worked together they were unstoppable. Frederik finally noticed Col and they had begun to mend those fences when tragedy struck in the form of his cousin's attempted coup and rebellion. Of all the people to fall it was Lionel and Col was left suddenly the heir of House Steelhart. There was nothing for it, Col was next in line. Frederik finally had to recognize Col's merits on their own standing. That is how it should have went. Instead Frederik buried Lionel and moved on. There is the knowledge that Col will one day inherit the County, but until then there's not a lot he can do to get out of his brother's shadow. At least not in Highhill. + |
| Cole Farago + | Hailing from a tiny village under the control of House Redrain, Cole's mother died in childbirth leaving his father to raise him. A woodcutter by trade, his father emphasized hard work and discipline above all. Though it was not an unpleasant life, money was tight and the repetitive lifestyle grew to wear on him. Hoping to make his fortune in the city, he struck off by signing on as a caravan guard. + |
| Colette Laurent + | Growing up the baby of a ducal line usual has it's advantages, but perhaps the slight disparity of age worked to reverse that for Colette. She always fiercly admired her older siblings, but given she was so little, and seen as frail and delicate, she always managed to be somewhat of an underfoot figure. She always wanted to be apart of her older siblings adventures and shenanigans, but never really found a way to fit in. This caused her to take up the art of sneaking around, just to be close to them, and often led to her just being in the way. All of this led to her more silent and demure demeanor, which she found a way to channel in to her love for sneaking about and spying on her siblings, but given how protective everyone was of her, it usually ended in getting her siblings in trouble. In the long run it might have left her a bit more on the socially awkward side. As her siblings grew up and began departing for Arx and having more and more important roles to fill in the duchy, and having very little responsibilites left for her, she slowly became more and more reserved. Finally as she grew old enough she decided to depart for Arx herself and see what all the fuss was about. + |
| Conall Redrain + | Born into a minor line of the Redrain family, Conall grew up just outside of Farhaven where the importance of preparing for war had been strongly impressed upon him. Eschewing drunken antics for strict discipline and drilling, he came to be known for his odd habits as much as the zeal with which he approached military life. When he was finally allowed to accompany patrols hunting for Shavs Conall was in his true element. The battle of Stormwall left him more detached and realistic towards the approaches one should take towards evil. Heavily injured in that conflict, he spent a long time in recovery before able to help aid in defending the North again. For reasons known only to himself, he recently left for Arx without a word to anyone in Farhaven beforehand. + |
| Conrad Drayton + | He's seen the worst war can offer. A former Grayson soldier from an unremarkable village in the Gray Forest, Conrad and dozens of his friends were conscripted in the war to pacify the Reavers in the Gray Forest during those campaigns. He knew it was coming at least, and enlisted the help of a veteran from previous campaigns to teach him the basics, while his friends simply laughed at him for taking 'shavs' so seriously. In the end, most of those friends only survived the year long campaign because they stuck with him and learned to keep up with proper formation work in the infantry lines after their first real combat. When Conrad went home from there, the village just... wasn't the same. His friends went back to hunting and farming. His family expected him to do the same, but Conrad had gotten a solid taste of the power of a sword, and wanted to earn a much better living doing that, as he'd heard from the soldiers that mercenaries get paid very well if they're good enough. Having heard in passing about the Crimson Blades, Conrad went to Arx to sign up. His time among the Grayson armies had already given him an edge in experience, so when the time for promotions came around, Conrad was an easy pick. He's served as an officer in the Crimson Blades for a while, now. + |
| Constance Redrain + | Constance was born a noble of House Redrain and had a markedly rebellious youth that ended in her voluntarily shedding the family name. In her childhood she defied her tutors and enjoyed spurning their lessons more than taking them to heart. Often, she would go out of her way to learn so that she may foil their plans in the most troublesome way possible. Her teenage years consisted of a shift toward the natural world, and the people in it. Criminals, warriors, and all manner of violent or seedy sorts captivated her imagination, and she followed them throughout the north on their journeys, flouting social norms. By necessity, she learned something of medicine, and this curiosity flourished into a passion that lead her to the Mercies. She looked at her traveling companions with a new eye for their talents and strengths, and in her adulthood, she saw how these people might serve their fellow Arvani. It lead to her renouncing her faith in Shamanism in all but the most informal ways, and her own Redrain surname name in a rather dramatic devotion to the Godsworn. + |
| Constantine Kennex + | The second youngest of the Kennex brood, Constantine found himself in a position of freedom in comparison to his elder siblings. There was very little expectation of him beyond upholding the family dignity and preparing himself for the time when the weight of political responsibility would fall to his shoulders via future marriages and so forth. Without the determined role he would play, it allowed young Connie a more open relationship with both his mother and father spanning from his early years all the way to their tragic deaths. Denholm Kennex to the world was a calculating and brilliant naval commander, but in talks with his youngest son late into the evening Constantine learned there was so much more to his father than the lens of responsibility allowed to be seen. He came to realize each individual faced a myriad of inner struggles that more often than not were bore in silence. Alone. And so Constantine found his calling. He began seeking out others outside of his family, ingratiating himself with nobility and common folk alike via drink and topical discussion until like long ago in the wee hours of the evening his conversational partners began to reveal who they truly were. Not as whatever role they played in the grand scheme of Stormward or Arvum in general, but as people with all their hopes, dreams and fears. He found this made life a far less intimidating thing, especially in the political sphere and while the sea was always a soft siren's call in his ear... Constantine knew he was not meant for its embrace. During the transition and abolition of Thralldom within Stormward, Constantine worked tirelessly in the "trenches" shoulder to shoulder with his people. Up until more recently, Constantine remained home as a steady presence of House Kennex, but now that the dust has settled and Stormward progresses forward again with the Pirate War past he has decided to join his family in Arx at least for the near future. + |
| Cora Ulbran + | Born in the tougher parts of the world, in the Lower Boroughs, the daughter of a thief and her man, she grew up swift fingered and able to defend herself. She was often found tagging along with her partner in crime, Raymesin. Eventually, her parents had their life of crime catch up with them and had to skip town, leaving Cora to depend on her own skills and her friends. + |
| Coraline Thrax + | The third of four daughters, Cora always felt out of place. A tomboy through and through, she did not quite fit in with either side if her family, no matter how much she loved them: she couldn't quite relate to her father's bookish Leary relatives and she most certainly did not conform to the feminine ideals expected of her from her Thrax family on her mother's side. Her parents wanted her to become a proper princess and pursue subjects that were deemed acceptable (diplomacy! law! academics!) but Cora wanted to learn how to fight. She didn't understand why her male cousins were allowed to train and she wasn't -- especially when she was often better than they were. Like all the Thrax-Leary girls, she spent every summer in Leaholdt with her Leary relatives. While her sister, Caith, was given to reading and got along well with all their intellectual cousins, Cora spent her time hanging out with those who were more combat oriented. Increasingly, these summers spent with her more egalitarian relations would result in her returning to Maelstrom in the fall asking: why? Why couldn't she learn to fight? Why couldn't she be a soldier? Why couldn't she be a leader? Why? Why? WHY? The harder her Thrax family tried to shove her, a square peg, into a round hole, the more she resisted. When Donella was named heir (before she married out, that is), she viewed that as a hopeful sign that times were changing. She idolizes Leona, how she saved the King and became the Lord Commander of the King's Own (although Cora wants to be able to achieve that kind of greatness within Thrax). She dreams of rising up through the ranks and becoming the Thrax Warlord someday. However, her mother (while she was still alive) and most of her sisters (ESPECIALLY Cassima) continually tried to push her down more traditional avenues. Caith was the more moderate exception; while she never quite full-on encouraged her aspirations, she would often fill her head with ideas by reading her stories of heroic female knights and adventurers. It was frustrating because Cora really loved -- and felt a connection to -- Thrax but never could find her place in it. Maybe she could marry out, chase her dreams in another house? But she did not want to be in another house. She is a Thrax. She wants to STAY Thrax. If only there was a way... Well. Now Coraline is in Arx. How did she get here? That is an interesting story. See, she just couldn't stand being in a cage any longer and decided to take control of her own destiny. One of the benefits of being far removed from the line of succession is that no one pays too close attention to what you do. One night, she slipped her guards, lopped off her hair, stole some armor and a blade and snuck off to war. For the first time in her life, she felt comfortable. She felt like she fit in. She felt like the person she was meant to be: a warrior who was standing side by side with her fellow Thrax soldiers, fighting off the Gyre's forces. Did anyone realize at the time that the young male soldier was in fact one of their princesses? No, of course not. When it was all over, she returned with the troops: bloody but unbowed. She decided that she was going to be the change she wanted to see and, with that in mind, she returned to the Thrax estate in Arx to face the music ... with her head held high. + |
| Corban Telmar + | Born the second son of Lucas Telmar, Corban grew up the nephew of Duke Arn Telmar in the hostile, unwelcoming Duchy of the Telmarch. From an early age, Corban showed an affinity for martial skills, training alongside his cousins Ansel and Tobias, the two treated more like brothers than like cousins, given the common hardship that the three faced under the stern tutelage of the Duke Arn Telmar. After the passing of Lucas Telmar, Corban's mother decided to return to her family to assume a modest station as a deputy minister, leaving the young Telmar to be raised alongside his cousins by Duke Arn and the rest of the Telmars. As a young leader with the Telmarch army, Corban was already a favored captain of the Telmar armsmen, knowing the lord would always be the first sword rushing into the most dangerous frays. He quickly grew a reputation as one of the Telmarch's most capable military commanders, assuming increasing levels of responsibility within the powerful duchy, leading the forces of the Telmar and their vassals to break the shav hordes crashing against the Telmarch fortress walls. Now older, and with years of experience leading men into battle, Corban has come to the city to lend his sword to his family's assistance. With dark times on the horizon, he knows it may well be needed, and he plans to do fulfill his duty to his house. + |
| Corbit Leary + | Corbit was essentially born curious and had the perfect family to help feed that curiosity. His best childhood memories are debates at the dinner table over some minor point of a random piece of information. Between all these ideas whirling around him and having a mind like a sponge, he couldn't help but become a bit of a jack of all trades when it comes to scholarly persuits. So one day what he's working on might be totally different than what he's working on the next. So what if he may have accidently turned his hair green trying to come up with a cure for baldness? Worth it. Or about that time he burned down a shed trying to make it fireproof, small price to pay in his eyes. He's always been encouraged in these pursuits and has always taken great advantage of that. + |
| Cordelia Grimhall + | Born in the Hall of the Grim, Cordelia understood at an early age two very important things. Firstly, she never subscribed to the strict and punishing patriarchal beliefs pervading most of the Mourning Isles. Secondly, if she was ever going to enjoy life, she would have to find entertainment on her own. Not so much comprehending as reacting to the expressions on her neglectful mother's face after a visit with the Duke, she strove to conduct little rebellions against authority. One day, she might dodge her tutors or ruin her clothes. Another day, she'd soap up the floors and secretly watch her elders trip. More guards were hired for the simple dual purposes of keeping an eye on Cordelia, and patrolling for childish traps. At first, she was just trying to gain attention, but her disobedience evolved into outright unshakable independence. After managing to convince a combat instructor to train her, a brother eventually goaded her into a duel, to once and for all prove the reason and superiority of traditional Thraxian values. Scarred and incensed by the loss, it only drove her further away. At just fifteen, she ran off to join a group of adventurers allegedly seeking fame and fortune. Buoyed by others with a similar perspective, she felt wonderfully liberated. The band of explorers journeyed from one end of the Compact to the other, hoping to find lost articles from before the Reckoning in all sorts of strange and enigmatic places. Ultimately, the Duke's men found her and returned her home, but she responded with the announcement that she would become a Champion. They retorted with a short list of likely betrothals, and so she was sent to the center of the Compact to meet her future husband. + |
| Corinna Kelsey + | Corinna Kelsey has lived her entire life in the Lower Boroughs, and as far as she's concerned, the world outside the city might as well be a myth. Born to spectacularly unlucky lowborn parents, she was orphaned by disease at age of ten, and being taken in by a succession of more-or-less kindly tavern keepers was all that kept her from starving in the street. She spent most of her childhood in one tavern scullery or another, earning her keep through service, and not much has changed as she has aged into womanhood. Her cheerful, ditzy, and uncomplaining demeanor has endeared her to more than one employer, and she is mostly happy with her lot in life, but the vibrant, cosmopolitan life of the other boroughs has her longing to experience more of the world outside of the slums. + |
| Corinne Brooks + | Corinne was born to two loving parents who, despite their best and many efforts with each other and later others, never again managed to conceive another child on either side. They weren't wealthy, but tried to spoil her nonetheless, though it never took. She was cooperative, yes, and dressed in whatever style she was told without seeming to mind overmuch, but as she grew, neither fashion nor boys nor girls ever caught her eye. She was tolerant of others in the same way she tolerated mother fussing over her skirt of the day, or which ribbon to put in her hair. It wasn't a chore, not precisely, but she seemed to rarely if ever care for these things. That's not to say she was a dull, unsociable child. Corinne loved her exploits, and took well to learning her father's alchemical trade with no real prompting. She was friendly and sunny and beloved or at least well-liked by near all, though few save her parents were allowed to catch sight of the dark undercurrents of apathy at her core. As she grew older still, blossoming past adolescence and into adulthood, it became clear to those who knew her she cared little for anything but her brews and concoctions. Still, advancing in her craft required funds, and funds required speaking to people like a human being. To her poor parents' great relief, she embraced necessity, started leaving the house, and spoke verbally with others again. For a few months, it was like the sullen creature living in their attic that only communicated in grunts, monosyllables, and hand gestures was just a bad dream. Soon after, though, she left her home of Southport for Arx with a small sum, seeking to make her fortune in greener pastures. + |
| Cornelius Blackshore + | With other heirs apparent, it was clear when Cornelius was born that he would never inherit Blackshore Isle. However, he was groomed to serve his brother Oswald by the stern, unforgiving hand of his father. Mother was nothing more than a glittering show piece that was valued only by her ability to engage their social peers in the drawing room. He never found any maternal warmth from her. Under the harsh rule of a Thraxian warlord, Cornelius quickly learned to navigate among some of the most ruthless warriors of the Compact. Cornelius met Lady Florence Gilden, his future wife, at a society event. She was nothing like what he was used to. Fragile, vulnerable and so trusting. It was easy to sweep her off her feet, and convince her to marry him. Of course her family had misgivings that he was ten years her senior and only after her dowry, but he managed to convince the idealistic artist that he had only eyes for her. They were married after a quick courtship. It was her dowry that allowed him to launch his career as a naval architect for House Thrax. Serving Donrai was never easy, and his back bears the scars of a few missed gambles but overall he managed to get the High Lord to sponsor his ideas. When his first son, Romulius, was born while his brother had yet to produce an heir, other ambitions caused him to stop more often to visit Oswald. Florence never liked him so he was careful to balance those two when they were together. The next few years passed quickly, his fortunes ebbed and flowed depending on his investments. Dycard and Skye were born. His family thrived on their many travels as he gave his duty to the Compact. While Florence's health seemed to wane as time passed, others would remark that he was the consummate family man. Cornelius will tell you it was a difficult decision to leave his wife with his brother, but her wasting illness got to the point where she needed more medical care. He managed to convince Oswald to take his wife in. Then he placed his daughter there to assist with her care. Of course, he kept his sons by his side to make sure they would learn the business. There were times that he perhaps in reflection were harsh, but he only was trying to raise them to be warriors that would thrive under Donrai's rule. As a staunch traditionalist, he managed to gather popularity among his peers. All the pieces were in place. His daughter had gained favor with Oswald, his oldest son was being groomed to be the heir of Blackshore. Dycard was a bit of a disappointment, being more of a dandy than a warrior, but perhaps in time he would find his place in society. Then it happened, the reavers attacked their ship. Cornelius bravely fought off the pirates, creating an escape route. He yelled at his oldest son to come, but the foolish man wouldn't leave Dycard. The window of opportunity was closing. Suddenly Cornelius had to face a decision to escape or be taken by the pirates with his sons. In a split second, Cornelius chose escape, promising himself that he would return with troops to free Romulius and Dycard. He traveled back to Blackshore Isle to rally his brother, only to find the isle in ruins. Everyone was dead. Without the means himself to rescue his family, Cornelius was forced to lean back on his wits. To lean on others more powerful than himself, slowly rebuilding his connections. + |
| Corrala Leary + | Growing up in a manor Corrala never saw the outside world much as a child. Being taught from an early age about the arts of scholarship and nobility she thought that one day she would be a scholar. This all changed when she had to visit a healing temple one summer afternoon. Her focus in life changed from knowledge gathering to medicine and she learned about all the different medical interventions. When she got sufficient training she decided to join the Mercies of Lagoma where she dispensed healing to all who came to the temple near her home. Finding that she was also able to listen to people's troubles as she worked Corrala soon became the one that everyone went to for advice, and she soon gained a reputation for being knowledgeable especially in matters of leadership and medicine. In her spare time Corrala does some decorative gardening, sewing, and reads as many books as she can find. + |
| Corrigan Grayhope + | As one of several sons of Kelda Grayhope, Corrigan wanted for little as a boy. His mother was ambitious to improve the social and financial affairs of the family and she threw herself into doing that, enhancing the Grayhopes' position in the merchant class by hook or by crook. The emphasis was on the crook; by the time Corrigan was 13, he knew way too much about the borders between the Upper Boroughs and the Lower, and by the time he was 15, he'd already been a drug runner for several smuggling operations. Kelda was firmly ensconced in selling legitimate wares and laundering money for the family business. Corrigan was involved in literally everything. When he was nineteen, he ran afoul of the Inquisition tracking down dirt on Kelda, and a particularly clever and rather surly Inquisitor offered Corrigan a choice, an out: information in exchange for an absence of the less than savory methods the Inquisition might bring to bear. His subornment was mild at first. He turned over information in dribs and drabs, never enough to tip off the family or really enough to do much for the Inquisition. But treachery is a slippery slope, and his ability to burn the candle at both ends ended pretty sharply and sourly a few years into the proposition. Unable to make more traditional charges stick on Kelda when she disavowed all connection to everything even under torture, the Inquisition ultimately took Kelda as a witch for violating Limerance's Fourth Law. Ultimately, Corrigan's internal cover was compromised and he was forced to choose which life would be his: the investigator's life, taking confessions, or the criminal's, avoiding them. It was a complicated decision that he reached, but with a family that would not take him back, Corrigan chose to crusade against his own former life instead. + |
| Corwin Sanna + | A love match, rather than a strictly political marriage, brought a Blackram woman to take the name Sanna and move into the Redrain fealty. On paper, Peyton Blackram secured the use of some minor mountain causeway for trade that would extend Sanna's reach through the winter, but outside of the official story everyone knew that the marriage was going to happen or a bastard was going to a stain. So it was that just a week after the vows had been said, Peyton and Benedikt welcomed their baby boy, Corwin, into the world. They said from the start he could scream loud enough to start an avalanche. When it came to his lessons, things involving reading were not high on Corwin's list. Once he learned how to get out of those lessons, usually by sneaking or just not showing up, he tended to go missing at least four times out of ten. He hated being indoors, and the tutors never wanted to be out of doors. It was, really, just a match asking to fail. When it came to going with Benedikt on a hunt, or working with a weaponsmaster, or learning to stalk a beast, that's when Corwin paid attention. The outdoors, the thrill of tracking something, of catching it, gavae him something that made his blood stir. And on the days when he was really on his game, the wind seemed to always be at his front, keeping his scent away from the prey and making his cloak billow dramatically. As he grew, it became clear that Corwin was not going to be learned, merely adeequate. He was, instead, destined for the life of a ranger. He'd spend his days out of doors, leading hunting parties, skirmishing with shavs, tracking warbands to relay back to the armies. And as long as he was outside, he was perfectly fine. Now he's been summoned to Arx and he's about to find out just host much outdoor camping one can do in a city. + |
| Cosette Nightgold + | Born into a large family, there was never a dull moment for Cosette. She grew up with two older brothers and a slew of cousins in the mountains. Her father kept busy with the other mountain men, and her mother kept busy with the family when she wasn't doing work as an apothecary. Cosette was always interested in plants and minerals, and it was only natural for the girl to grow up learning apothecary skills from her mother. She learned about medicines and poisons, and she also dabbled in making other off-the-wall potions. 'Love' potions? 'Truth' potions? Whether or not they truly work, she always enjoyed creating new mixtures and tinctures for others. Once she became older Cosette decided she wanted to make the trip to Arx to see what it was like. She heard she had several cousins there, and would find a home with her extended family as she tried to make a name for herself as an apothecary. + |
| Cosimo Tessere + | Cosimo is what most noble parents would consider the spare, the next legitimate child behind the groomed heir. He wasn't present for the scandal that followed the birth of his illegitimate sister, Nurie, nor the collapse of his father's House - but these events left an indelible mark on his upbringing. He was neither the favored child nor the favored sibling, and was often left to his own devices in the care of the household servants. It was both a bane and a boon: his parents did not foist high expectations onto him and he largely remained out of their crossfire, but books and tutors did not always make for great socializing. He excelled in his studies as a youth and remained intellectually curious. Medicine, language, the occult, and even musical composition piqued his interest. He was closer to his father when he was around, who was notably more cerebral than his wife. As he grew from a gangly teenager into an independent adult, he gradually realized that complete knowledge requires more than just reading a book. While his sister spent her time at Fortezza di Iriscal learning how to rule alongside their capricious mother and half-sister, Cosimo traversed across the continent in search of answers to some of the mysteries he found within their library, some of which involved the roots of his own family. Peripheral politics on the outskirts of his childhood were largely ignored... until the Countess was murdered. He has accompanied his family to Arx to assist with the investigation, and with whatever else may come their way. + |
| Costas Voducce + | Born Costas Voducce, the young third son of an unexceptional minor house expected only to live a life of relative obscurity tallying casks of wine and bolts of silk in one dusty counting house or another. His parents, notorious misers not much beloved by their liege or peers, spent little time on the twice-redundant son, boarding him at a series of schools only to ensure that he would not become an economic burden on the lineage. It had been three years since he had seen his family when he received word from his sister that the family was relocating their interests to a more favorable location in the Saffron Chain and that his brothers had decided he need not hasten to join them until his studies were complete. She begged him to join her so that their greedy brothers could be prevented from squandering the family fortune. All he need do was secure a ship to meet them mid-voyage along the secret route they had travelled together as youngsters on their family's ships. She had even arranged a ship.% So it was that Costas Voducce brought ruin to his house. The ship he rushed to board, eager to reclaim a place in his family, was a pirate vessel. It did not occur to him to ask why, if his sister had secured the ship, she had not also provided the destination. A helpful Costas was eager to assist. It was not until the flags of his family's company were spotted that the pirates raised their own, and he was tossed in the hold. After the battle, he was tortured for five days before they were satisfied that he had no more information that could be made into a profit. He would have been dumped overboard there, throat slit, save for that the ship's navigator pointed out that he could use a man who knew letters if they were to command a fleet of prize ships. For three years Costas swabbed decks, cooked meals, and copied endless nautical directives for ships in the pirate fleet. Never fully accepted into the crew, he was subject to routine beatings. When after one particularly rough drubbing Costas sustained a fractured arm that put him off his work for weeks, the navigator decided to begin training him in the sword so that he might defend himself. He took to it quickly, finding a talent completely unlooked-for and a sense of confidence he had never known. When three months later their ship was attacked by a rival band of pirates, Costas killed four himself. Though he was not added to the marines despite his skill, owing to his value as a navigator, he would be force to repeat the act many more times over the next four years. While it was not a life full of much happiness Costas had come to accept his place, just as it was upended one more time. On a cold and moonless night, while seeking quarry closer than ever before to the southern ports, a patrol of Malvici pirate hunters caught them in a bad wind and a fierce battle ensued. Faced for the first time with the prospect of having to fight someone that wasn't a pirate, he made the decision to try to flee in a dinghy. Magata had other plans. A storm rose up during the height of the attack and he was quickly capsized as the engaged ships battered against one another in a cacophany of splintering wood. When he next awoke, it was to the prodding spears of Malvici bannermen who found him floating among the wreckage. He would have been put to the death there, had not one of them spotted the seal of a noble house on the simple leather strip he wore around his neck. Though long since dispossessed of its lands and titles, the name of Voducce would have a final grace to extend to its last scion. + |
| Courage Pie + | Stanley 'Courage' Pie was born a farmer, lived a farmer and would probably have died a farmer on Fidante land if it wasn't for the Valorous Few recruiter who came through his village. He was the only one to join up, and his reason had absolutely nothing to do with being sick of being the butt of everyone's jokes and wanting to get away from it all. No sir. + |
| Cristoph Laurent + | Because he was the second child of Duke Edmund Laurent by a number of years, Cristoph was educated as the 'spare' to his sister's heir. He showed considerable aptitude for the soldier's trade, and generally expected that it would be the knightly service of the ducal seat that would be his life's work. Yet his path was not so set when she struck herself from the rolls of House Laurent. His sister was in her early twenties when she left the laity sisterhood of Gloria to be truly godsworn and throw herself into the Faith. That left Cristoph a boy coming to his adulthood in a changing universe. (It also killed a potential marriage alliance with another ducal house, but never mind. There will always be more potential brides, right?) Yet the mantle of heirdom did not sit easily on Cristoph's shoulders. He was accustomed to a soldier's trade, a soldier's goals, and he hungered for the glory of the battlefield. He risked himself early and often, leading from the front and leading the charge ahorse against the Shavs even as a young man. Badly injured to within a few inches of his life in a skirmish a few years ago, his men prevailed upon him to control his more glory-hound impulses; his father had lost one heir to a different kind of duty, and it would be terrible to lose another, particularly with his younger sister so very much younger. In order to accustom Cristoph to responsibility and grow him into his role as the future duke, he was made Voice of Laurent, and threw himself into the work with a will to prove himself, first while he lay recovering in an infirmary bed, and then afterwards when he was wholly recovered. He proved a pragmatic thinker and a capable organizer. So it was that when the duke fell ill and died in the spring of 1005 and he took the reins of the duchy, it was with several years solid experience under his belt, as a leader of men whose vibrancy was newly tempered by patience. + |
| Cufre Harrow + | With ancestors who were Prodigal and growing up in the Lower Boroughs, life was far from easy for Cufre. Despite the hardships that the family faced, her ancestors and older siblings did willingly serve the Crown in the form of the Iron Guard. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, grandmother, all the way down to Felicia older sister Amantha. Service has been something which the family has conducted with stringent adherence to the simple concept: to integrate and find acceptance, one must be willing to serve. And serve the family has, for a number of generations in concurrence. Cufre did not choose to follow in the family tradition of service in the Iron Guard, but instead recently opened a shop in the Lower Burroughs known as the Heart of Glass Glaziers, her 'service' more private in terms of trying to improve the family's fortune. This does not mean she is without aspirations, particularly with Death's rediscovery and admission into the Pantheon, the youngest Harrow sister finds herself increasingly intrigued with the Harlequin's of Death and service to Death in particular. + |
| Cullen Greenmarch + | The only son and eldest child of Alda and Malcolm Greenmarch Cullen was raised to be a proud warrior of the Greenwood Abandoned fighting against the oppressive House Valardin and the Compact. Or at least he was supposed to, but that all changed when his tribe bent the knee and became House Greenmarch of Greenhaven. When he was twenty his family made their first trip to Sanctum. There he was introduced to the Oathlands Knights that he had been raised to war with, and developed a great appreciation for their culture. Chivalry and the Knighthood were of particular interest to Cullen, and he embraced it wholeheartedly. He was even the first Knight his cousin the newly minted Marquis of Greenmarch made, in fact. Still, Cullen honors his families' culture, and he seeks compromise between his love of Oathlands chivalry and his family. He has not abandoned his family or their ways, and instead sees himself as adapting to new ways. + |
| Curran Grayhope + | Curran was a bastard in a noble house in Arx, probably one of the Lycene ones, but he wasn't an important bastard. He was somebody's servant sleeping around trying to get a leg up on her employer for blackmail purposes, but she miscalculated because he didn't care. She was fired and she took her son to the Lower Boroughs, where she worked at the Murder for the Grayhopes, and her son was underfoot all of the time. He helped cook and clean from when he was old enough to hold a rag, but not like he was beaten into it. More like he was interested in sticking his nose where it wasn't wanted. It was not an ideal childhood. A low, scraggly little rat in the Boroughs, he developed a knack for creeping into corners, a light-fingered little punk who found trinkets where he could and shadows wherever he looked for them. Curran got old enough to get into real scraps and that meant he got old enough to get himself into trouble. He punched somebody he shouldn't have, but the Grayhopes liked his mother, so they looked out for him, too, and he wound up 'employed' by the 'organization', learning from spies how to be quiet. There's plenty of fine, fancy family folk, but Curran's who any of the family call when they need something shifty done on the quiet. + |
| Cutlin Moss + | Cutlin Moss has served the Deepwood since his birth, as did his father and his father before him. And, like all of them before him, he served as a scout and ranger. Few know the wild lands like the Moss do, and few are as comfortable in it. Cutlin began serving on long-range scouting missions and hunting at a young age, and he was trained well by his father and his elder sister. Eventually he fell in love with another commoner (A woman by the name of Bianca), and they married. They had a son, and two years later a set of female twins. His wife and eldest son were eventually killed in a skirmish with pirates while they were on a trip to the coast eight years ago, and he has raised his daughters alone since. Now, in the wake of the siege, he has been called to aid the Deepwood closer to Arx, though he already misses the deep wild. + |
| Cybele Frost + | There are places past Whitehold, in the Everwinter, where night starts and then continues for several months before the sun rises again. Where midsummer means the sun stays in the sky until autumn comes. Where the stars wear ribbons to dance at night, shimmering across the sky in celebration of life and creation. The Children of the Sun and Moon are a Shar'avani tribe leading a semi-nomadic style along the tundras far north, following the yearly trails of their pray and returning to their ancestral homes at roughly the same times of the years. The Children divide themselves into those who hunt , gather and raid(Sun) and those who take care of the homesteads (Moon), which led to a ritualised set of roles in their society. Mostly, Sun and Moon arise along gender lines, but overlap is common, and a Child of the Sun is a Child of the Sun by their own declaration, rather than any accident of birth. So it also goes for the Children of the Moon. Cybele was born among the Children, and was a fey child prone to dreamings and wanderings that could land a youngling in trouble. With declarations of fealty to both the Sun and the Moon, it wasn't long before Cybele's parents sent their youngest off to the ones that stood apart. The Walkers Inbetween. Cybele, after all, was approaching an age of maturity, and would need to declare to the day or the night, to the Sun or the Moon. To the hunt, or the hearth. Except... Not. The Walkers Inbetween were the crossers of boundaries, a shamanistic tradition embracing transgression in many things - including gender and gendered expressions. Imbibers of alchemical potions to shift the balance in their bodies, and granted power by their unique position, never belonging but always in place. So when Cybele was asked to choose between Sun and Moon, Cybele choose neither. Taking the third option, and guiding the Children while standing apart, like others had done before. The Apprenticeship was long and full of secrets - there are things in the Everwinter that Arvum - and the Compact - rarely hears about. What came next came as a shock and a disappointment to Cybele's tribe. After the final test, and being declared a Walker, the newly-blooded shaman picked up what meagre belongings had been gifted over the years, and walked south. Cybele was nearly killed by house Halfshav, but eventually they were convinced of the Abandoned's earnestness, and accepted a prodigal oath. Since then, Cybele has continued south. And now, the shaman is in Arx. It will be a grand adventure. + |
| Cydra Corroda + | She was born an only child in the City of Arx to a poor family, her mother being a tavern maid and her father being a dock worker. It was a difficult life growing up, getting her in to a lot of scrapes and trouble with the law - much to the frustration of her parents. She wasn't bad - simply headstrong and willful - but those two traits tended to rub the wrong people the wrong way. She helped her father at the docks loading and unloading heavy crates, far preferring that to the tiring social setting of a tavern, but she didn't have hope of much of a future beyond the simple life her parents have. Wanting much more than to be poor and pregnant, she hopped at the chance to join Arx's military, serving several years as a common man-at-arms. + |
| Cynara + | Background + |
| Cyril Melaeris + | Born as the youngest of three brothers, Cyril grew up in the seat of House Melaeris. He was not content to stay there, having a deep love for the sea and sailing. Many of his early teenage years were spent learning the ins and outs of various types of ships or tagging along on raiding parties. The fighting itself was never a draw but the journey was. That changed, when he reached his early twenties. An accident during a storm left Cyril crippled, with family worried that the Lord might die. While confined to bed, Cyril's mother fretted and fussed over him--she wasn't a Thrax. She didn't buy Tears in our Wake not at Our Wake. So each day she would come to him and leave books, tell him of courtly gossip, and of politics. She'd been a lawyer, a Lycene woman and a Mirrormask. As a child, she'd taught him to question everything--to think before acting. And though at first he resisted, seeing the law and economics as woman's work, she taught Cyril to adore the social arena. His father and brothers quietly disapproved. More traditionalist Thrax openly gossiped. Cyril ignored them, carrying on to become both a lawyer and later a member of various trading organizations. His love for the ocean never quite abated but the Lord has stead-fastly refused to board a ship except in cases of dire need. It was a bit of a shock in fact, when he arrived to Arx in order to support his niece. + |
| Cyrus Laurent + | Much like the modest roots of the House Laurent, Cyrus was not born exceptionally high in his family or siblings. A third sibling, there wasn't much heavy responsibilities already expected of him. Instead he turned his sights towards a classical training of sword and pen so that he might one day become a Knight to aid his family and the people. As he studied and trained, he found a calling for the Goddess Gloria and the teachings of chivalry grow stronger and stronger until he started to add the teachings of the faith to his daily lessons. while he had no issues juggling his studies, it became clear that his passion for his faith was strongest among them. As he grew into a pious man, he had foregone any serious considerations of marriage and instead turned his time and efforts towards protecting the people and the Faith wherever and whenever he was needed. + |
D | |
| Dacian Krosse + | Hailing from a family of level headed merchants, Dacian was afforded the opportunity to travel from an early age. With tutors on board his parents' ships, he was also quite well read from an early age - after all there was hardly ever anything else to do on the ships. Boredom and curiosity made him look forward to the trips ashore with his parents where he learned the family trade first hand from both of his parents. He can boast that by the time he was 18, he had seen every domain on the sea or waterways through the Compact. He's met many beautiful men and women and learned about many cultures and what each domain had to offer, and needed in return. He was expected to make himself a fine life for himself carrying on the family business. Except by the time he was 18 he felt the call of the wilderness and took to hunting. Of course this supplemented the family's business in perfect compliment. He would disappear for a month or two at a time and reappear with only the best pelts for sale. His path took a slight turn when an abandoned island was taken over by the Compact. Intrigued, he visited the island and was one of the most -if not THE most- successful merchant of Elune. He quickly adapted to the needs and desires of the traders there and after only a few short months decided to make it his home and base of operations. He still travels these days of course, but his primary focus is building his empire on Estroch and travels between Elune and Arx now when the financial forecast is just right. + |
| Daemon Dracone + | Daemon Dracone was born into a Knightly retainer family of the Oathlands. From a young age he was made to follow in his own ancestor's footsteps to walk the path of a Knight, swearing to codes of honors and learning the way of sword and horse-riding. Several years were spent with his nose buried in textbooks of etiquette and training with sword and shield all the while. Never a moment of his childhood was spent with play, always in practice and martial training. One might think that such ardous childhood would lead to a rather hard and cynical child, but by some anomaly the opposite became true. Daemon was a bright and happy child even through the demands of his family's desire to hone him into another proud and rigorous member of their ilk. He performed with flying colors without a single complaint. Some still believe he might just be holding it all in for one disastrous meltdown. For some years the rumor of the Dracone's extinction began to build in the circles they frequented. After his father's disappearance, Daemon set off on a voyage away from Arvum and before long the letters stopped coming in. It didn't exactly make a large splash in the history books though, they'd always been minor and unlanded with their most significant feature being their loyalty to Valardin. But then one day, Daemon resurfaced on board a merchant ship that had settled into Arx's harbor. His disappearance having been a quest to find where his family had disappeared to, a quest that he had failed at. It's a burden he freely admits is his deepest regret, the one stain he'd never be able to repeal from his duties. + |
| Dafne Rubino-Zaffria + | Dafne was born to the younger sister, Cerese, of Duke Marco; she is first cousin to Lady Sylvie Zaffria and technically, her heir. Although in general an overlooked member of that powerful family, she has been sent to Arx in hopes she may be of assistance to her cousins. Well. Her parents are also hoping it may help Dafne gain some worldly wisdom and social polish--not to mention cure of her of a certain fascination with the darker side of life. + |
| Dag Frost + | Dag was born a poor farmer's son in one of the most inhospitable lands in Arvum: The Northlands. Though his tiny village is on few maps, they were always loyal to House Redrain and the Compact and enjoyed a relative modicum of safety. For most of his life, Dag expected he would always be a farmer, taking on his father's lands when he eventually passed. What he had not anticipated was that his father, exhausted and disillusioned by years of labor for little reward, arranged for his son to be apprenticed to the local blacksmith in an effort to give him a better life. At first Dag was reluctant, but he soon found himself taking to the craft with a passion he had never before experienced. Though tales of heroic knights in impenetrable armor wielding legendary blades against monstrous enemies had never really gripped Dag the way it had other boys his age, he found himself more and more drawn to the idea of being the man who made one of those mythical suits of armor. Dag was soon so enthralled by this dream, he poured himself completely into his work, laboring night and day at his master's forge until, before he knew it, he was a man grown with a formidable knowledge of smithing. The little village had no need of two blacksmiths so Dag, taking the humble gifts his family and master provided to him, set out to find his own place in the world. His travels took him all over the Northern realms, into mountain strongholds and humble townships similar to his own. Though he traveled a dangerous road, the strength he earned at the anvil proved useful as he learned to wield his hammer not just to create, but to defend himself from bandits and the Abandoned. Along the way he honed his craft, often stopping to lend a hand in forges all over the Northlands to fund his travels. Sometimes he'd spend months at a time out in the wilds, almost always moving forward, seeking secrets of smithing and metalworking anywhere he could find them. Finally, after traversing hundreds of circuitous miles and spending years on the road, he turned his sights towards Arx to finally make a name for himself. + |
| Dagny Stahlben + | Life has not always been easy at the Bonespire, there is constant skirmishes, constant guarding against the dangers that come from the Everwinter. When Dagny was young she would sit at her grandmother's feet, soaking up the frighting tales of things that lurked out beyond the Bonespire, waiting in the icy cold snow of the Everwinter. Stories that gave her nightmares as a young child, and turned her attention towards the more esoteric of things as an adult, always interested in death, the bones, the spirits. Rumor has it that when her grandmother died she refused to say goodbye to her for good, and kept a small piece of her. But that was surely just a rumor about a child that was a little more dark and creepy then some. As she grew older she turned her attention to studying with her father, learning to fight in the defense of her family and allies. After the Silent War and the decimation of her family, she left the Bonespire with a promise that one day she'd come back, and be able to save them. It was the childish assertions of a young woman that had never really lived in the wider world, or understood that there is not ever really any saving that is possible. Not overall, just a method of keeping as many people as possible alive, and defeating as many of the enemy as possible while doing it. About six months before her appearance in Arx she returned to the Bonespire, although most say that while she was there she didn't talk to many people. Kept to herself. But she started hunting for her grandmother's things, looking for something. Evidently she found it, because she left for Arx looking satisfied about something. + |
| Dagon Thrax + | Prince Dagon Thrax, heir to the House Thrax and future Prince of Maelstrom, is not what most Thrax expected and very few wanted. Most in House Thrax are weaned upon tales of hard men in hard times, pragmatic men who brutally do anything necessary for victory. Dagon's father Elton was instead a more gentle sort, much to the consternation and disappointment of Dagon's grandfather, Prince Donrai Thrax, who is every bit as brutal and ruthless as any Thraxian vassal could hope for. But Prince Elton was a quiet dreamer who raised Dagon upon tales of knighthood, chivalry and honor, hoping to not have a brutish reaver as a son, though it is doubtful he ever could have suspected how closely his lessons would have been taken to heart. Dagon grew up a true idealist, one who is determined to change the way that House Thrax is perceived and rule with honor, dignity, compassion and justice... much to the consternation of many of his fellows in House Thrax. After his father's death during the House Tyde rebellion, the very young Dagon dedicated himself to knightly ideals. He -never- lies and is visibly uncomfortable with anything like a half-truth, and takes honesty to a fault. He is unfailingly polite in a true courtly fashion, standing in marked contrast to the crass way his fellows comport themselves in House Thrax, though he never attempts to shame them and conducts himself with the quiet humility that doesn't pass judgment on his fellows. He is dedicated to the defense of the weak and helpless, taking this to the old fashioned and romanticized ideal as a defender of women, and placing great value on chastity and purity. He does, however, take his vows of loyalty and service to his family extremely seriously, and while he might wish to reform the House and address its injustices, he takes a measured and honorable approach that does not ever risk breaking any of his sacred vows. His honor is that of the diligent paragon so rarely seen in House Thrax, and while he might work to further the ends of a House often seen as heartless or cruel, he hopes to eventually win over the doubters. + |
| Dagon Tyde + | Most in House Thrax are weaned upon tales of hard men in hard times, pragmatic men who brutally do anything necessary for victory. Dagon’s father Elton was instead a more gentle sort, much to the consternation and disappointment of Dagon’s grandfather, Prince Donrai Thrax, who is every bit as brutal and ruthless as any Thraxian vassal could hope for. But Prince Elton was a quiet dreamer who raised Dagon upon tales of knighthood, chivalry and honor, hoping to not have a brutish reaver as a son, though it is doubtful he ever could have suspected how closely his lessons would have been taken to heart. Dagon grew up a true idealist, one who is determined to change the way that House Thrax is perceived… much to the consternation of many of his fellows in Maelstrom. After his father’s death during the House Tyde rebellion, the very young Dagon dedicated himself to knightly ideals. He -never- lies and is visibly uncomfortable with anything like a half-truth: he takes honesty to a fault. He is unfailingly polite in a true courtly fashion, standing in marked contrast to the crass way his fellows comport themselves in House Thrax, though he never attempts to shame them conducts himself with the quiet humility that doesn’t pass judgement on his fellows. He is dedicated to the defense of the weak and helpless, taking this to the old fashioned and romanticized ideal as a defender of women, while placing a great value on purity. In the year 1006, Donrai Thrax died under mysterious circumstances, leaving the seat of High Lord of Maelstrom open for the rightful heir, Dagon Thrax, to take. However, it was not to be. Prince Victus Thrax challenged Dagon to a duel to the death for the right to rule. Accepting, as is honorable, Dagon lost that duel -- and with it, his inheritance. Victus spared Dagon his life, and that very night Dagon bent the knee to High Lord Victus Thrax, on the single condition that he would be given Margot Tyde’s hand in marriage. This came as a shock to many in Arvum. After all, the Tyde Rebellion had killed thousands in Maelstrom, including Dagon’s father. To Dagon though, it seemed the best way to make good on the wishes of both Elton Thrax and Titus Tyde, and find peace within Maelstrom under the new regime. Now Duke Tyde, Dagon has renounced his claims to his birthright, and instead serves as Sword, and protector of Maelstrom, while commanding the northern head of the Leviathan as Voice, under his wife Duchess Margot Tyde. + |
| Dairen Wyrmguard + | Of no remarkable height or strength, coupled with a more introverted mind and love of artistry, it was almost a blessing that he had three other siblings with a more appropriately martial bent. This allowed him to focus more on learning to help run the household and studying markets, much more suited to his more scholarly inclination. He is devoted beyond most to family, and will defend even those he has the most frictious relation to to his dying breath. What started as an interest in armor became a full blown interest in armor making, then swords, then the working of fine metals for ornamentation of more practical pieces, though he still considers himself more steward than smith. + |
| Dalsam recently disowned from a wealthy merchant family + | Dalsam was born to a pair of wealthy merchants under House Grayson. They were the youngest of four siblings, and as the quietest of them, their parents rarely paid Dalsam any mind. He spent much of his childhood reading. As he grew, he left the house more. He was naturally curious, talking with all sorts of new people. He picked up writing around this time, obsessively telling stories about what he'd seen. He began to publish his works, and his parents remained content to leave him to his own devices. However, it was around this time that Dalsam began to get into trouble; they'd developed a disregard for the rules of polite society. After a series of scandals - notably, publishing a vulgar satire about the Crown - their parents took notice. They disowned Dalsam, effectively leaving them an exile. In the time since, they've been homeless, traveling around Arvum without much purpose. + |
| Damaris Arenir + | In less than a generation, Damaris Arenir has gone from her grandfather's farm in the hills of central Arvum to walking the halls of some of the greatest noble families of the land. It's a rise that would be dizzying if she stopped to long to think about it -- but fortunately, she excels at not thinking too much about uncomfortable things. Her mother Alysse was a sheepfarmer's daughter who ran away from home to fight for House Bisland during the campaigns against the Shav incursions. Not the most auspicious start, but she proved to be a good soldier, and, when she had the opportunity, she turned out to be a /great/ soldier. The Duke of Pridehall himself tapped her shoulders with his sword and made her a knight, and, when Alysse perished in his service, he repaid her for her loyalty by making sure her young daughter would be trained as a knight in turn. Damaris has done everything in her power to avoid giving him reason to regret it. She's worked hard at every turn to make herself into something her mother would be proud of. Whatever she's asked to do, she does, and, if she's ever said a word against the Duke, his family, or his lieges in House Grayson, she's done so where no one could hear her. If you didn't know any better, her manners and her fighting skills are polished enough that you might think she was born to knighthood. But she knows better, and she never forgets it. + |
| Damiana Valardin + | Damiana was born in a line of heroes who seldom married outside the Valardin or Wyrmguard families, at least until Prince Sherrod Redrain and Prince Radley Valardin decided to marry her parents in an effort to ease the tensions between the Oathlands and the North. A full year of courtship later and Princess Larra Redrain married Prince Lyonis Valardin. Their story of duty and, some say, even love, saw the birth of three children and ended in the Sanctum decades later with the Tragedy. Growing up there was no girl as lovable than Damiana, someone who could sit a table with her peers and be the heart of their fun, or take a seat with the adults and appeal to people from all directions of the Compact. She had a knack for figuring out people, finding their hearts and worming her way in, and while she trained her swordarm and to ride on horseback, it was clear her path laid outside the battlefield and in the courts. There were even talks of having the young woman join the Whisper House for a life of peacekeeping within the Compact, but with so many marriage proposals flying in Damiana and her mother did not rush to any one decision too fast. Even though she did fight with Emma, who though Damiana was too vapid; and Gwenys, who Damiana thought was too uncivilized, Damiana was in no rush to leave her family to go anywhere, her whole life ahead of her and teeming with potential. That same potential, and her life, came crashing down with the Tragedy. Damiana doesn't talk about the Tragedy, not ever, but what little is known is that she was found crawling among the corpses, bloodied and blind. She had no wounds on her that would account for the loss of her sight but the woman cried copiously, and locked in darkness not many gave Damiana a fighting chance. For weeks she remained in a dark room in isolation until confirmation that her sisters Gwenys and Emma had also survived, but what Damiana herself thought of it all remained a mystery. What is known is that despite many loyal servants and even family members writing the once-adorable Damiana off, believing she did not have it in her to overcome her new condition and all the losses, the Princess rebounded quite well. Maybe too well. In Sanctum none of her peers saw her shed further tears for her parents, and she plunged herself to work, filling the void left behind by other deceased Valardin. Along with stewards and economists she worked tirelessly to bring the House from the brink, and many say that is what has given her purpose since. With the rallying cry of the Dragon banners to fight in Skal'daja and Emma's summons to Arx, Damiana joined the family there, now completely transformed from winsome socialite into a dangerously cunning politician. The Valardin do not have the fame of breeding many of those, and the other Houses think honor is a detriment to diplomacy, but Damiana takes no heed of other Houses' worries. The dragon does not listen to Foxes, Badgers, Bears, Sins, Serpents or anything but itself. The dragon soars alone. + |
| Damik Uhl'daja + | For most people in the Compact, the name 'Skal'daja' means little to nothing, with the Dune Kingdoms of Eurus blending together as a vague awareness of foreign nations far to the east across the Mourning Sea. The Crown Prince of Skal'daja, Prince Damik'uhl'daja would very much hope to change that. Son of current Grand Vizier Rayik'uhl'daja and nephew of former Grand Vizier Rel'Khan, Damik was raised with the expectation that he would one day come to rule the City of Chains. Often at odds with the rest of his family and troubled with the traditions of the city and the war on Eurus, he was nonetheless put in command of the great fleet sent to punish Arvum. Once he met with Arvani shortly before arriving in Sungreet, he shocked even his supporters when he suggested allying with the Arvani instead... and then managed to survive an assassination attempt by forces commanded by his brothers. The Eurusi forces splintered, with Damik leading forces loyal to him to the aid of the Compact, while his brothers continued with their plans to attack Arvum. And now Damik looks to possibly join the Compact, and provide a bridge for their ambitions in Eurus. + |
| Damon Wyrmguard + | Damon has always seemed bound and determined to defy the path laid out for him. He was exactly the kind of son any militant noble family dreams of having. He was strong, ridiculously attractive, talented with a sword, and combined the charisma of a promising young leader with the good natured affability that guaranteed he'd be liked. He was, in other words, the perfect spare second child to marry off for political gain or the beloved spare to the heir that could be reckless enough to win true renown on the field. But despite his talent and how well he acquitted himself while training to be a knight, the young man stunned his father by insisting that he wished to be a Scholar of Vellichor, that his true passion was learning and protecting knowledge, and that he had no desire to be the next great knight. While most houses of the Oathlands, House Wyrmguard included, have great respect for the Scholars of Vellichor, Marquis Denis Wyrmguard did not take the news well. Stopping just short of disowning his son, the trained knight traveled to Arx to study with the Scholars of Vellichor, his previous training allowing him to act as one of the Knights of the Archive, the armed guardians that safeguard the knowledge of the Compact. Since the tragic death of his father during the Tragedy at Sanctum, Damon has ended his semi-estrangement with his family and reunited with his sisters, determined to help aid the family while continuing his studies as a scholar-knight. + |
| Danae Russo + | Danae grew up in a rather poor family in Southport. Because of this she learned the art of making a deal. When you don't have a lot of silver you need to stretch each one as far as possible. She had the reputation of being a tough child, who was never intimidated or backed down from anything. When it came time to serve southport in the military, she was beyond reluctant at first. Her parents agreed to have her start her training at the age of twelve in the hope that she would find a better life than they could offer her. She had to literally be taken, fighting the whole way. This only hardened Damae further. However, eventually she grew to enjoy her time in the military. She had a new family, countless brothers and sister in arms. Better yet she found out she was good at it. So she decided to dedicate her life to military service, a way of thanking the Malvici family for providing her with a good life and purpose. Eventually it became obvious that Danae's equipment was always better than everyone elses around her. Once the higher ups learned about her uncanny ability to make deals and get supplies, she was made one of the supply officers for the whole of the Southport military, a position which she flourished in. Due to all of the recent troubles in the compact, Sgt. Russo was asked to come to Arx to ensure the Malvici forces are ready to go at a moments notice. + |
| Daniella Velenosa + | The youngest daughter of her family for some time, Daniella was naturally rather doted on, and grew to like it perhaps a touch too much. When she started to grow a little less adorable, she compensated by putting on little shows for her family, speeches, plays, sometimes songs or dances although she wasn't a terribly gifted singer or musician. Over the years she convinced her parents to obtain her a string of different tutors, each time declaring that shed found her one true vocation. All of them were entertaining in nature, mummers, acrobatics, storytellers, models and even duelists, but she had significant trouble staying motivated in any one discipline. She eventually decided to just dabble in everything and continued in that vein until witnessing the trial of a traitor while attending court at Lenosia. Quite taken with the skillful elocution of the traitor's lawyer she decided that this might be a valuable use for her talents and to everyones surprise actually stuck with it long enough to become a reasonably capable attorney, although her penchant for arguing cases from the most exciting and dramatic angle possible seemed sure to keep her from ever becoming truly great. + |
| Danielle Valardin + | Her great grandfather was a part of the line of succession in the house, if only just. Technically, Edain is a distant great uncle, but she is closer related to Ectorion, in their respective distance from any sort of inheritance or succession, his mother Lyllindyl being her aunt. Her father died fighting the forces of Tolamar Brand. Her mother died during childbirth. She has half a dozen or so half brothers and sisters from her father's later marriage. She idolized the man, and took to learning a weapon from the time she was old enough to hold one, quick to emulate her childhood hero. Her own training only recently came to any sort of formal conclusion and then only because she was so anxious to be done with learning and get on to the doing! More than any other God, her dedication is to Limerance. Though she does love the idea of love, it is more because of the importance of oaths, the reliability and accountability meaning more than any romantic elements. Of late, with the Compact seemingly teetering on the edge of war, she's come to the Capital, with the hopes to find glory on the front lines of battle, even if it's the last thing she ever does. + |
| Dantaria Ulbran + | Dantaria was born into the Ulbran family, and took in the lessons of criminal life with her mother's milk. As a child she was often sickly, and rather than teach her the rough-and-tumble ways of the Ulbran rank-and-file, her parents had her taught the way of the socialite and the diplomat. A charming veneer over a heart as hard as stone, as adept with the language of flower and fan as she is with the language of the streets, Dantaria is something different, something elegant. And yet, an Ulbran to the core, Dantaria has always wanted more. Unlike many, she's been willing to bide her time to get it. + |
| Dante DiFidante + | Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in the city of Tor. Though only a few years younger, theirs was a brotherly bond forged in steel. From the time Dante was old enough to hold a sword, he knew he had found his passion in life and instantly fell in love. His days consisted of eating, training, and sleeping and more training when he could fit the time in. Dante idolized Leo who has always been more like an older brother than a cousin. When Leo was sent off to live, practice and train with the Valardins, Dante begged and pleaded until he too followed in Leo's footsteps. Their welcome home a couple of years later was not so pleasant. Things were changing quickly for Leo's family and Dante watched every bit of horrendous ordeal from the sidelines. The very moment Leo declared war on Lucien and on Southport, Dante was there to defend his cousin, his family, and his city. There was no question as to where his loyalty rested. Now, there were other Fidante's who believed Lucien's claim about Leo being illegitimate. Once Lucien was decimated on the battlefield and succumbed to his wounds, it was time to start rebuilding Tor to it's former glory. There was never a moment where Dante did not give all of himself to the cause. It pained him to watch Leo fight not only the enemy in Southport, but also the enemy at home since Lucien was able to convince other Fidante family members to believe his lies. After many years of battling alongside his cousin, Leo named Dante Sword of Tor. It is an honor Dante takes seriously. + |
| Dante Fidante + | Dante grew up alongside his cousin Leo in the city of Tor. Though only a few years younger, theirs was a brotherly bond forged in steel. From the time Dante was old enough to hold a sword, he knew he had found his passion in life and instantly fell in love. His days consisted of eating, training, and sleeping and more training when he could fit the time in. Dante idolized Leo who has always been more like an older brother than a cousin. When Leo was sent off to live, practice and train with the Valardins, Dante begged and pleaded until he too followed in Leo's footsteps. Their welcome home a couple of years later was not so pleasant. Things were changing quickly for Leo's family and Dante watched every bit of horrendous ordeal from the sidelines. The very moment Leo declared war on Lucien and on Southport, Dante was there to defend his cousin, his family, and his city. There was no question as to where his loyalty rested. Now, there were other Fidante's who believed Lucien's claim about Leo being illegitimate. Once Lucien was decimated on the battlefield and succumbed to his wounds, it was time to start rebuilding Tor to it's former glory. There was never a moment where Dante did not give all of himself to the cause. It pained him to watch Leo fight not only the enemy in Southport, but also the enemy at home since Lucien was able to convince other Fidante family members to believe his lies. After many years of battling alongside his cousin, Leo named Dante Sword of Tor. It is an honor Dante takes seriously. + |
| Danvir Ravenseye + | Born in January 12, to Robert Ravenseye, Danvir Ravenseye leads an enjoyable life that has always mixed the wild life with the life of a noble. Perhaps it is his fiery red hair, but Danvir Ravenseye showed that he could hold his ground with his favorite weapon: an axe. As he grew he started studying the Family trade: sailing. With this he also had to study economics, the art of war and of course how to be a succesful diplomat. But that was not the only thing Danvir was studying. He also started studies in the occult and he firmly believes in Shamanism, so much so that he does tend to pay his respects to the spirts. And perhaps that has aided him in becoming a better man as he aged. When he hit his eighteen years, he told his loving dad that it was time for him to put the Raveseye name on the nautical maps. And with the blessing of the spirits and his father, he took of to the Compact, intent on increasing his knowledge as well as serving the Northern noble houses better. Some are surprised when this fiery red headed young man speaks about his love for the sea, so much that others think he is from Thrax. That could not be further from the truth. He is a Ravenseye, through and through. + |
| Dara Agassi + | The wealthy like to be entertained, and one of those entertainments in Petrioch were the grand carnivals full of animals from all over taught to do tricks. 'More amusing the the slaves,' her master used to say sometimes, thinking himself clever, or that the slaves in earshot could not do anything about it. And maybe they couldn't but seethe. This was the life Dara was born into: the child of two slaves whose job it was to tend to the animals. Her mother a trainer, her father a healer, and her life one of a little of both. As the family traveled with their master, one of the wealthy but not one of the nobility, they would tend to the animals. And since they knew how to tend to the animals they often learned to tend to the people as well. A medic to one, a medic to another. When they would come back for the off season to reside in Petrioch again, Dara would sometimes get a chance to study under someone new. She was at least one that got to read and write, to keep records and learn to think for herself. Of course, learning to think for one's self can just make slavery worse. And learning your craft better? Well that just meant sometimes an abusive guard who found himself needing medical attention didn't always make it through the night. But the nicer ones usually did. It was pure luck Dara, too much trouble her master said, had been sold when they reached Skal'daja. And even better luck that she was placed on Prince Damik's fleet and found her way to Arvum. Left to her, Dara's going to do the only thing she knows to do: follow the rumors that Princesss Fatima is here and join the cause to free Petrioch. + |
| Darby Grayhope + | Poor families perpetuate across Arx and Darby was born to a mother who soon abandoned him with his charming scoundrel of a father. A large babe, then an imposing kid, he was bullying the neighborhood with gusto since he could spit in someone's general direction. Learning was for people who couldn't punch hard enough, and reading and writing fell aside before his other talents, most of which aren't very nice. He spent a life enforcing the wills of others, content to stand in the way of trouble, which has battered and mangled him. Fresh off a sour deal, the last man standing has come to Arx under the verbal impression that he's related to the Grayhopes and that hopefully they will fare better. + |
| Daria Mandragora + | Daria is one of the Mandragora, an Abandoned tribe that has claimed part of the woods along what the Compact recognizes as the Oathlands/Lycene border for generations. That claim and their allegiance shifted when Ruslan Volkov and his people bent the knee. They followed suit, swearing fealty to the Volkov, but little changed other than the family's claim on land being significantly reduced. Thus, Daria has known both lives, shav and prodigal, though for most of her life has known little difference between one and the other. As one of Mandragora's Whitefeather Scouts, she spent most of that life in those ancient woods, ranging north through the Oathlands and south into the Lyceum, paying far more attention to game trails than news from the capitols, either in Lenosia or in Arx. What use are those things to people of the woods? Everything changed in the winter of 1011, when a marauding army rolled through the woods. Her own people scattered before it like leaves in a gale wind. The Volkov weren't so fortunate and, to the last, were exterminated. Things were different afterward. The forest that had been as familiar to Daria as the back of her own hand was changed. Twisted. Scouts ventured into old parts and never returned. When the duchy of Fidante raised its cadet house, di Fidante, over the march the Mandragora were skeptical. Many wanted to return to their old ways, their old lives. Daria was among those who argued in favor of staying, of waiting, and when the new marquis and marquessa began to make progress in undoing what had been done, she urged her uncle to reach out to them and later reminded him of his vows of fealty. She spent most of the next year helping restore the land, freeing the land from the strange hold the woods'd taken upon them, and assisting the di Fidante with a number of their attempts to bring order back to the area. Now that things are getting back to normal, she sets her sights on Arx and the rest of the world. + |
| Darian Malespero + | Some people have rotten luck, and they crumble beneath the weight of all that bad luck. But not Darian. Despite being the youngest son of a now defunct and dead noble family he has never let these facts get him down. When he was young, roughly five or so as near as he can remember, his family as a whole was slaughtered. It was messy, and there was no pretense at hiding the fact they were kiled for a reason instead of it being just casual accidents. Darian could not tell you how it was he managed to survive, and escape, what was the ruins of the rest of his family. Eventually he resurfaced on another island, the ward of another noble family. THe knew he was an orphan, and although he wasn't treated badly he was not given all the nice trappings of the birth children of that family either. He worked for his keep, joining the family militia, training to be a soldier with them, even learning some ways of ship-board war when it was required. Despite all this hardship he remained positive, he new that one day he'd get what he was searching for. THe set sail with many of his brothers-in-arms to fight in Setarco, seeing things there that he would swear were not real if it had been months before. But he saw them, and it has opened his eyes to a great many things, a reality that life was once more changing for him. After the battles, during the clean up efforts he parted ways with the family that had sheltered him since he was a child, setting sail for Nilanza and the rumors that he heard about the remains of what was House Argento's holdings. It was there that he met the Marquessa, and was extended an invitation that seems impossible for him to refuse. Swearing his heart to the family, as well as his sword-arm, he went to work helping to rebuild, eventually sailing for Arx itself. + |
| Dariel Bisland + | Dariel is the progeny of Lady Kimbrielle Bisland -- cousin to the Regent Emeritus and Duke of Pridehall -- and Lord Darius Bisland nee Melaeris. The match was one quietly established as a means of funneling support into the isolated House Melaeris in recognition of their longstanding resistance to the practice of thralldom ...and probably also just another way of getting some jabs in at Donrai. Far removed from the ducal line of succession, Lord Dariel has had the privilege of riding the coattails of Bislands greater than himself ...and it shows. The only sense of duty he's ever felt obligated to fulfill has been that of his beauty regimen, which he (very selfishly) refuses to share with anybody else. If there is a flower blooming in the gardens that are House Bisland... it's Lord Dariel. Dariel's flock of admirers and penchant for catering to an audience came on fast. As such, 'celebrity' has always been the name of the game. Being a big fish in a little pond has been fun and all, but -- bored now, the serial headliner has set out from his childhood home of Pridehall. You're welcome, Arx. + |
| Dario Seraceni + | Marquis Dario Seraceni was taught war from the very moment he could begin to comprehend its meaning. The Seraceni family members are all studious by nature, but the heirs to the House are inundated and primarily driven to learn sea warfare in order to take the lead of the fleet in times of crisis. For the heir, all other education is largely forfeit until strategy, tactics, and leadership are mastered. Often times, other members of the family will be practiced in stewardship and other vital duties to support the fledgling leader. Should an heir not measure up to these standards, House Sareceni has a tradition of promoting another heir more competent in these arts. This is not seen as dishonorable as much as it is a necessity given the long history of primarily driving their economy through plunder, raiding, and sailing. Fortunately for Dario, he blossomed early and became adept in both war and sailing. His father, Marquis Vincenzo Seraceni. was particularly famous in the annals of the family for his martial abilities. Through him, House Seraceni reached new levels of admiration and respect among the Velenoza. This was due, in large part, to his devout and unshakable faith in the Pantheon. It eased the perception of House Seraceni as wild, godless pirates, and allowed the family to make political gains. For this reason, Vincenzo instilled a strong religious tradition in his son from a young age. His mother Marquessa Asuna Seraceni was less pious and more practical. She was a noble of one of the more wealthy minor nobles families of House Velenosa.. Sadly, when Dario was only eighteen, both of his parents were killed in a storm that wiped out a good portion of the Seraceni fleet. They had been on their way to the capital of the Lyceum for an unscheduled (and rather mysterious) appearance before the Court. Elevated at such a young age, Darios inexperience showed and he had a rather rough start in his new position as Marquis he depended on the loyalty of his family and their good favor among the people to grow as a leader. He took their counsel and treated them fairly, generously, and he was not afraid to bring others up that could prove themselves and giving them positions of responsibility. Once settled in his position, Dario became a masterful fleet tactician while relying on his family for matters of economics, trade, and governance of Ischia. He served well when Pravus called its banners against the traitorous Argento family, and received recognition for his service in that war. He rewarded his family with key opportunities and he is eager to see them successful. This leaves the man perhaps a little insensitive to the great picture or greater need of events around him as he has a habit of looking to Ischia first. He has invested a lot into the loyalty of his people and respect for his naval conquests. Still a bachelor Dario, has been pressed to marry as of late but has yet to deem a fitting match to help and assist his House. He continues to pray and keep his faith strong to carry him through these tumultuous times of war. + |
| Darkus Crovane + | Darkus grew up in Stormwall not far from the Crovane. His grand father, father, and mother all worked closely witth crovane as Crafters. He has no talent of his own in crafting but found he is very handy selling things and making money that way. His soul job is to help Crovane with all their market needs... Darkus joined the Crovane fleet when he was barely a man and learned to command a ship by the time he was 20. He has a lot of respect for soldiers and sailors. He is not a super religious man but he praises Mangata on the regular and follows the shamanistic ways of the North. + |
| Darren Redrain + | Darren possesses a bone-deep love for the North and all it represents, rejoicing in the individualism and unrestrained love of freedom that is unmatched through the rest of Arvum. He knows full well that House Redrain of all the great houses has almost certainly the most contentious array of vassals and he wouldn't have it any other way. But ever since he was young, he watched his father very carefully, and learned that the Prince of Farhaven didn't just bully the submission out of each of the powerful houses that serve Redrain and watched how the wise strength of his father backed by strength constantly won the respect and love of his people. Unfortunately, Darren also saw the worst elements of fierce northern behavior when he was very young at his uncle Bjerarg's birthday. A simple drinking contest that led to a drunken exchange of insults that grew steadily more ugly and led to a brawl that left four dead created, by almost any standards, one of the most stupid and wasteful wars Darren can think of. The Alespill War, as it was known, was as brief as it was idiotic. A few hundred dead over quite literally a spilled ale as one thing led to another and a prince of Redrain was killed, then vassals that refused to give up the murderer... idiocy. Darren loves his people dearly, but to this day he knows full well that there is merit to the Southern notions of decorum and courtly manners. The young prince of Redrain can sing drunkenly and revel with the best of them, but his enjoyment of Southern grace is not the least bit feigned. He'd never force it on the North, but his experiences with waste from the proud, drunk and foolish have made him determined to rule with wisdom that will never see needless carnage again. + |
| Darrow Darkwater + | The third son and fourth child of Dameodred Darkwater, the younger brother of the former Count of Darkwater, Darrow has had a life marked by trajedy. Darrows' mother passed in childbirth with a stricken younger sibling, and alternatively watched his father rain harsh blows upon he and his siblings, or spend nights weeping, spilling tears and heavy drink in torrents. During the rebellion of Duke Titus, the keep of the Weeping Isle, Lacrimus, so nicknamed from Dameodred's gloom, was stormed by Tyde reavers. Dameodred was killed with wine, not a weapon in hand, and his men and thralls put to the sword. Three crosses faced the waves and the gulls - his two brothers and sisters lashed in the sea crucifixion which had already become so familiar to the losing rebel side. Darrow, the youngest, was left bound to the rocks at the shore, and was found, thankfully, but the tides had already reached his neck. A third son and now of a gutted family, Darrow was warded amongst the Thrax at Maelstrom. He grew up a sullen child, the focus of numerous fights for his lack of interest in many of the youth's games, but his talent for violence was found and trained. He squired for Sargax Shipbreaker, and was knighted at the turn of his fifteenth year for his defense of Sargax's fallen form at the battle of Hellespont, suffering no fewer than ten wounds. He is known, now, in knighthood for being one of the few postulants of the Sentinel, as the Knight of Sorrow, after his stern disposition and bloodied history. Oddly, though some of more sensitive tastes find him depressing and a bore, many folk of the common ilk have lauded him, at least silently, for his strict protection of their rights, scarce as they may be. He has even been known to champion a few of them in cases of perceived slights, to the shock and scandal of some. + |
| Daturo Tessere + | Daturo is the oldest of his parent's children and was given every advantage growing up. Which is why when he showed an early talent for riding, he was given the best instructors in horsemanship and swordplay and allowed to pursue knighthood. As he grew and neared manhood, it was decided that he would leave to foster with another family, which is how he happened to be away when his family fell. His father, the younger sibling to a countess, was caught embezzling funds, and the family's land and estate were stripped away, the family left in disgrace. From his distant perch and still young, Daturo could do nothing for them. Indeed, he was advised he was safest further away. Always a favorite, he had made friends and allies in his foster family, and they agreed to keep him on and train him as a household knight. So, there he stayed. Mourning when he heard his father had been murdered over his debts. Mourning even more for a mother who seemed callous to the needs of her family, and mourning most for the younger brothers and sisters he was helpless to aid. Daturo found no joy in the knowledge that his position in his new life was secure. He was advised to make a match, and certainly, he had plenty of women to choose from, but securing his own joy while his family still suffered discomforted him. So it was, when he heard Sabine had been named countess, he returned to the home of his youth, seeking both a position in her court and a chance to find what remained of his family and bring them to security with him. + |
| Dawn Grayson + | Illegitimate children of nobility have scandalously existed since time immemorial, though the Grayson Dynasty has mostly avoided embarrassment since the time of Alarice the Great. Lady Dawn Baseborn despises the circumstances of her birth being a rare exception to that, and her stature as the only elder sibling to King Alaric Grayson IV put her firmly in a painful spotlight. Her father King Alaric III refused to ever discuss her commoner mother with anyone, giving Dawn the less than satisfying answer that he would talk to her 'when she was older', a claim he never made good on before his death. The unanswered questions eat at her, in the rare moments she has to dwell upon it. She knows her father would have loved to legitimize her, and make her a formal Grayson, but was afraid to take the risk that her claim would be contested after his death. She had hoped her half-brother when he became king would finally make her a Grayson, but he has repeatedly delayed until he has an heir. Despite this, Dawn is not a bitter woman. Her father raised her at court, taking great pains to instill in Dawn and her brother the responsibilities of leadership, an ironclad sense of duty towards their subjects, and a great sense of integrity and personal honor. Dawn, at least, took the lessons to heart and the young woman represents a far closer ideal to Grayson Monarch virtues than her brother ever has. 'Lady' Dawn is accustomed to the carefully crafted slights and barely masked derision of other nobles, including ones who might dare to refuse to grant her the courtesy title of a lady, for the young woman possesses both the foresight and propriety to know how disasterous responding to those provocations might be. Many in House Grayson at least recognize the young woman's levelheaded judgement and extreme competence, and some even forget her illegitimate status and mistakenly call her Princess Dawn Grayson or 'your highness' without thinking of it. Her brother granted her the authority to act as High Lord of House Grayson in his stead, an unheard of honor for a bastard child, though Dawn knows that it was largely because Alaric the younger simply did not want to deal with the work of high lordship when he could be spending his time with courtesans or attractive young women at court. She took the responsibility of rule fully knowing her brother will take any credit and glory that she wins in the position. She can abide that. She's her father's daughter, after all. + |
| Daya Harrin + | Daya grew up poor and proud in the Lower Boroughs. While she is not a criminal, there may have been a rogue or two in her family, and she is no stranger to the company of the city's least privileged. Her father is a sailor and her mother is a washerwoman, but age is catching up with them and Daya does her best to help stave off starvation for her five younger siblings who still live at home. She works as a barmaid and is seldom found in the city's finer quarters. + |
| Dayton Grace + | Dayton isn't one to discuss his history. He has a penchant for redirecting conversations regarding anything truly personal to a different topic of conversation. What is known of the gentle leatherworker is his youth was spent at sea under Admiral Denholm Kennex's command. His early twenties was spent upon a merchant ship mastering his trade and the minutia of the distribution portion of business and his late twenties have him back in Stormward seeing to his family and acting as a liason and occassional counsel to the young Marquis Kennex. + |
| Deacon Pateris + | Deacon Pateris was born in Setarco during a time of relative peace. His mother and father were both palace servants, so he grew up in and around the palace in Setarco. As he grew, Deacon showed a nack for socializing as well as music. Both of his parents were beloved servants of Piero Pravus, so the then-Duke paid for Deacon's schooling as a courtesan. When school was over, he returned to the service of Pravus as a newly-minted courtesan. The two would later become friends and confidants before the far more wild and free Deacon left Setarco to travel. Deacon's travels were almost always met with some form of calamity. He was first shipwrecked on an island in the Saffron Chain inhabited by an Abandoned tribe. While others on the ship were discouraged, the young Pateris refused to accept defeat and offered his help around the Abandoned community. At first they found him to be soft and weak, but his infectious optimism and his willingness to put his all into everything he did endeared him to them in the end. He wound up staying well past when his other fellows fled back to the mainland. Deacon made his way up along the coast, encountering a variety of people he traveled with for a time before moving on to the next thing that caught his fancy. For years, he lived without a care or a single thread of responsibility. The constant state of leaving started a nagging in the back of his head, but it was the news of Piero's death that guided him back to where he started. + |
| Decius Meridius + | Decius Meridius is a fairly simple man who had dedicated most of his young and current life to the forge and the plane, with what some have whispered as "Gods Touch". Many of his detractors call his work "plain", but in the end they cannot argue with the oft perfection of his vision and his skill with metal, leather, and wood. It is an odd combination, but when Decius is not at the forge, his is in his workshop working on his next piece of furniture or wood carving, using this skill to provide the income to his other passion, the creation of armor. It is not too much a wonder for his there was a great aunt or some other relative of the Thornburn family. His work has a reputation of its own, and like many others has arrived at the City to set up shop, earn a living, but at the same time making certain those who will be in future fights or stuggles will be equiped to face them. + |
| Declan Tyde + | Lord Declan Tyde was one of the male children of House Tyde massacred during the Tyde rebellion, lost when the house was attainted and destroyed by Prince Donrai Thrax, the Highlord of the Mourning Isles. That was what was believed for the entirety of Declan's childhood and young adulthood, as the young man managed to evade death, and hide his identity for years in the Lower Boroughs, living as a commoner under an assumed identity and scraping by, always afraid he'd be discovered and delivered to the highlord of the Mourning Isles. With the death of Prince Donrai Thrax, and the restablishment of House Tyde under control of his cousin, Duchess Margot Tyde, Declan finally felt comfortable enough to send word he survived- and with the heirlooms to prove he was just who he said he was. Now as a young man who saw his family slaughtered and spent years living as a commoner, he's returned to his family, determined more than ever to help Margot restore them to glory. + |
| Deimos + | Deimos was born in the chaos of a storm-tossed sea. The ship groaned against beating waves, the frantic crew above thundered to action, their calls drowned by a torn sky. But from Deimos, not even a whimper. He entered the world in chaos, and rocking upon the waves, found comfort in it. He and his mother had been cast away from Lycene shores, from the privilege he might have known in a just world where men like his father braved the fallout of an illegitimate child. Deimos was instead raised to see the world for what it was, its harsh truths peeled before his eyes. Most memorable of them was the loss of his mother when he was only twelve years old, her life ended for a dispute over unpaid debts that had kept her son from starving. Without one bleeding heart among those responsible, Deimos was dragged from his mother before she'd gone cold and pressed into service on a merchant vessel. He grew into adulthood on that ship, with each crack of the lash and pull of the oar in the name of his masters strengthening resentment and resolve equally. In the shadow of men who thought themselves giants, Deimos' whispers of dissention spread among the thralls. How it is that men in chains overcame their well-armed captors and what transpired thereafter is a secret that rowed away from the sinking wreckage with its lone survivor: Deimos. Unshackled, he made his way to Port Defiance, and there found his calling as a corsair. He learned from the exploits of the merciless pirates that ruled the seas with fear. He found his own name joined among the likes of the most vicious among them. Surrounded by the threat of nations, the rage of the sea and the betrayal of men, Deimos thrived. Despite all of this, the birth of his daughter sparked whispers that the insatiable captain was losing his once-keen edge. Lending support to these whispers was what some perceived as a flight from Port Defiance in the midst of his conflict with an up and coming cutthroat who'd made himself an obstacle to Deimos. A secluded cove used by Caina's illicit enterprises became his port of harbor, where he could frequently visit the Cainite woman who'd captured his heart and given him the one treasure he valued above all others: his daughter. Deimos' crew started to resent him and his attachment to this island. They felt a change in the wind, and in their captain, so they hatched a plan to 'strand' him on Caina, to mutiny and abscond with his ship. One loyal sailor apprised Deimos of this plan, and so he devised a clever scheme to win Caina's favor by 'exposing' the threat of his previous crew and sailing a ship out to crush them. He got his vengeance on the mutineers, and Caina got its 'hero.' And so he has grown in the island's esteem, built a reputation amongst the stubborn citizens of the black cliffs, and turned to more legal work in Caina's navy. With the shifting of the tides, Caina's growth to a March, and the new ruler, he heads to Arx to see what fortune has in store for him there. + |
| Delfina Darkwater + | A middle child among a gang of six siblings, Delfina grew up half-wild, learning stubborn resistance to bullying and bossiness as well as how to charm gifts from adults even before younger, cuter children. The siblings were raised in an environment of benevolent neglect in a small but firmly established noble House in the Lyceum, with a father who attended to the business of the vineyards under the family's control and a mother often abed with a chronic illness. Extended family taught the children as it amused them, some with lessons far too mature for their tender years. Delfina learned discipline only as a teen when an uncle took her under his wing to teach her swordsmanship, finally managing to harness her drive and intensity. She seemed clever enough that he first thought she might make a good military commander, but it was one-on-one where she really came to shine. Under his guidance, she began to learn when to shove and when to smile, when the point of a pen might be more useful than the point of a sword. She came to love puzzles and secrets, in the way information might sometimes be used as a weapon to greater effect than force. She was on the cusp of departing the family villa for a grand adventure, perhaps going to Arx itself, when her great uncle the Count informed her of a political match to be made with a House in the Mourning Isles. No tears or wheedling would change his mind, so it was a stubborn and resentful woman who showed up on the docks of Darkwater Watch, loudly complaining of the damp and the chill. Was she disappointed when she first laid eyes on the lean, tumble-haired antiquarian who was to become her husband? For a few years, they managed to develop what seemed to be a companionable relationship. Delfina spent her free time honing her skill with the sword, becoming a knight sworn to House Darkwater. She took the opportunity to travel on House business, seeking the adventure she had wanted since childhood. Until, that is, the journey she took made her seem to vanish from Arvum entirely. It was years later that she returned to Darkwater Watch, unwilling to speak much about where she had been, but quick to rededicate herself to rebuilding what was destroyed in the Pirate War. + |
| Delia Whisper + | Delia has always loved stories, great and small. Ever since she was a child, one of many in a lowly commoner merchant family in Arx, she remembers talking about about the pagentry and glamor of the court and picking out the stories that excited everyone to hear. What noble was doing what to whom, what a noblewoman said that caused gasps, the ebb and flow caused by developing relationships... it all captivated her. Even the things that were tragic contained an element of drama that was a delight to her, if at one stage removed. She knew from a young age that she absolutely wanted to become one of the elite courtiers of the Whisper House, to move around the highest echelons of nobility and watch first hand the drama as it unfolded. In many ways, the Whisper House is everything she ever dreamed of, but she was privately shocked at how many nobles were... really, really bad at being nobles. Even some otherwise crafty Lycene nobility would occasionally just say something truly unfortunate in a White Journal and then be absolutely shocked when they were suddenly a social pariah, and it stunned Delia to see how many of these paragons of grace and refinement were remarkably ungraceful and truly unrefined when it came to maneuvering around socially. As a courtier, she started reaching out to individuals that were dying socially of impressively massive self-inflicted wounds and was surprised how remarkably easy it was to help individuals come back with the right explanation, with a little bit of deft care in saying the right apologies to the right people, and getting them back on track. Now, she's a highly sought after Whisper by individuals who really, really cannot seem to avoid alienating people they really cannot afford to alienate, which is where she comes in. While dramatic meltdowns in the White Journals might not be the highest example of nobility at its best, it does provide someone with a little more finesse the opportunity to make an excellent living as an apologist. + |
| Delilah Shepherd + | Delilah is the oldest daughter of three born to Jerome Mercier and the older sister of Kenna. She was, arguably, her father's favorite -- and it shows it many of her habits. Her wanderlust was obvious from a young age and her father frequently indulged her by allowing her to accompany him on his business trips up and down the Gray River. She picked up his penchant for thorough record keeping, as well as exceptionally neat writing. When she was sixteen she was allowed to go on her own forays with the small family river boat. She befriended a fellow adventurer, Bridget, during her first 'adventure' to Whitehold. They quickly became thick as thieves and explored much of the northern Crownlands together... until a deadly miscalculation on her part left Bridget dead and herself traumatized. What happened? She hasn't told anyone -- not even Bridget's bereaved family. She returned home and became a recluse, cutting herself off from most of the outside world, to simply digest what had occurred and to grieve. During this period, she distracted herself by working in a minor capacity with the Inquisition, writing at length about what she'd seen in her travels to help with with their investigations at home, and she considered joining as a junior rank as a confessor. She eventually climbed out of her depression with the diligent attention and care of her little sisters, and emerged from her room humbled and wiser from the experience. The wanderlust remained, and she answered the call once again. When she heard her sister Kenna left home to join their ennobled cousin's household, Delilah was flabbergasted, having been unaware of just how much her sibling admired the new baron. When she had some rest afforded to her from her adventuring and studies, she decided to follow as well -- particularly when she heard that the Nox'alfar were given an embassy within Arx. It's not every day you see an elf... or is it, now? + |
| Delilah Whitehawk + | Delilah is the oldest daughter of three born to Jerome Mercier and the older sister of Kenna. She was, arguably, her father's favorite -- and it shows it many of her habits. Her wanderlust was obvious from a young age and her father frequently indulged her by allowing her to accompany him on his business trips up and down the Gray River. She picked up his penchant for thorough record keeping, as well as exceptionally neat writing. When she was sixteen she was allowed to go on her own forays with the small family river boat. She befriended a fellow adventurer, Bridget, during her first 'adventure' to Whitehold. They quickly became thick as thieves and explored much of the northern Crownlands together... until a deadly miscalculation on her part left Bridget dead and herself traumatized. What happened? She hasn't told anyone -- not even Bridget's bereaved family. She returned home and became a recluse, cutting herself off from most of the outside world, to simply digest what had occurred and to grieve. During this period, she distracted herself by working in a minor capacity with the Inquisition, writing at length about what she'd seen in her travels to help with with their investigations at home, and she considered joining as a junior rank as a confessor. She eventually climbed out of her depression with the diligent attention and care of her little sisters, and emerged from her room humbled and wiser from the experience. The wanderlust remained, and she answered the call once again. When she heard her sister Kenna left home to join their ennobled cousin's household, Delilah was flabbergasted, having been unaware of just how much her sibling admired the new baron. When she had some rest afforded to her from her adventuring and studies, she decided to follow as well -- particularly when she heard that the Nox'alfar were given an embassy within Arx. It's not every day you see an elf... or is it, now? + |
| Demura Lyonesse + | The third child of six, Demura Lyonesse grew up with two older brothers and a host of younger sisters. The knights of the Oathlands marching to and fro, shining and resplendent in their armor elicited a reaction in a young Demura. She didn't dream of someday growing up and marrying a knight or prince, she didn't dream of some day fanning herself while a handsome knight jousted in her honor. She dreamt of a future when she would take up the sword, don her own armor, and ride off to battle with her family, at the side of their liege: House Valardin. She began her adventure into the future as a page within the Valardin court and after some years moved on to become a squire with the knight who trained both of her older brothers; Sir Jak Whitemane, a knight and retainer loyal to House Valardin. Eventually, she would become a knight herself even though it was wrought with hardships and despite the advanced age of Sir Jak at the time, he was a forceful teacher who pulled no punches, just as had been done with both of Demura's older brothers; Marcorr and Rymarr. Being a younger sister and less physically imposing than her elder brothers she worked tremendously hard to have herself taken every bit as worthy and formidable on the field, working tirelessly so her prowess would be taken seriously. It was after knighthood that her oldest brother, Marcorr, died; kicked by his own horse, shattering a rib and puncturing a lung. While Demura lamented the loss of her oldest brother, who was destined to lead the family into the future and hopefully beyond the supposed curse that the family so often felt afflicted by; there was still hope in Rymarr, the second eldest of the six Lyonesse children. That is, until Rymarr was offered an opportunity to join the King's Own and he took it, leaving Demura to assume his place as the newly appointed Marquessa Demura Lyonesse of Lyon's Redoubt; guarding the Tristfell March, past the Valardin Forest and Lyon Wood; nestled at the tip of the central fork of the Lycene Split. It is only recently that Demura has chosen to turn to Arx, along with an entourage of family, retainers, and loyal vassals. The call for banners has been made with threats looming on the horizon and House Lyonesse will answer. While not a savvy politician, she believes strongly in leadership by example and fully intends to present herself on the battlefield to show that her family remains relevant to their liege and the Compact itself. + |
| Denica Thrax + | Denica cannot remember much from her earliest childhood, but she does remember the feelings of love and encouragement freely given from two kindhearted parents. She can also recall a sense of shattered joy when her parents were killed in the Tyde rebellion, and the years it took to recover from a malady of muteness. During that time, she learned to appreciate the beauty of the world, and how to capture such beauty for all eternity. Painting became a favorite hobby, but sculpting and carving and sewing also enchanted her for numerous long hours of her life. Upon reciting written lyrics in the middle of Thraxian court, the curse of shy silence had been lifted. Soon enough, it was the odd noble that didn't come away from her grandfather's palace without a trinket or two made by the artistic princess. As if trying to experience all her lost childhood in one go, Denica also began painting pictures on guest's blankets or stealing favorite rings from jewelry boxes. A girl on a mission to wreak mischief, she interrupted important meetings and frightened the servants with her theatrics more than once. Occasionally, she gallivanted into the city, causing nearly as much havoc as back home. She quickly earned herself the charming moniker of the 'Little Devil of Thrax.' However, with that nickname, many guardsmen and local nobles soon wizened to her schemes, and even Grandfather Thrax brought her before the throne for a stern lecture. Throughout the chaotic era of her life, Denica's antics burned away most of the sympathy accumulated by her previous morose condition, leaving only a few close friends. With maturity came an epiphany, a realization that she lived almost entirely outside the social sphere. Partly out of a desire to fit in, but mostly because she wished to be more than a mere 'wild child,' she at last tempered into something vaguely resembling a proper Thraxian noblewoman. Brash recklessness developed desperately into clever charm and a keen insight of the human mind. In appreciably subtler ways, she displayed her artistic talents and devious intellect for the benefit of acceptance and even admiration among her peers. For her nineteenth name day, she managed to convince her grandfather that she could be safely seen in the wider public, allowing her to take an adventurous trip to the grand city of Arx. + |
| Deoiridh Unknown + | Precious little is known of the huntress that goes by the name of Deoiridh, apart from her evident Shav'arvani origins. Tight-lipped, she rarely speaks of her erstwhile tribe and home amongst the Abandoned, least of all with strangers. What /is/ known, however, is that she was brought into the civilised world - into the Compact - through indentured servitude. Whatever the details of such an arrangement might be remains anyone's guess, though doubtless it is known to her and perhaps to her original captors, whoever they may have been. + |
| Derovai Voss + | One of many to settle in Arx under the ward of Valardin, the Voss family has had little claim to fame. At least not in any particularly public capacity. Derovai's father was granted knighthood after serving his time as a squire, and has been supporting his family quietly as such ever since. While warrior knights and famous champions hold a certain appeal, Derovai gravitated readily toward more scholarly pursuits. Most of his time was spent in Arx, but he traveled often in search of this or that, earning something of a reputation for himself. Shortly after the Tragedy at Sanctum, Derovai went there to discover what he could from the city and its surrounding vassals. Now he's returning to Arx to report to his Highlord and make himself as valuable as he possibly can during this tumultuous time. + |
| Desiree Wyrmguard + | Many nobles born as the younger sibling, destined to never inherit, are bitter about their lot in life. Desiree thinks those individuals are whiny idiots. She is ecstatically grateful that she was born as the younger (and prettier) daughter of Marquis Denis Wyrmguard, unlike her poor sister Dominique. Her sister afterall was subjected to unending tedious lessons in becoming a paragon of virtue, knightly chivalry, moral leadership and similar excruciatingly boring subjects of little interest to Desiree. Desiree, on the other hand, was able to gain an education in how to best remain charming and likable while being incredibly spoiled, and how to avoid working too hard while getting everything she wants. In this manner of education, she has succeeded admirably, and has thought about writing books on the very subject for the Scholars of Vellichor. Unfortunately, the tragic death of her father has put an equally tragic end to her appropriately indolent lifestyle, and she has found herself forced to finally help the family. Her sister, as the honest, honorable, diligent paragon of virtue is of course uniquely unsuited to actually talk to other nobles who are anything but a single one of those virtues in Desiree's opinion, which leaves the wily younger woman as the one dealing with politics, and attempting to put her fine skills in convincing others to do what she wants to perfect use. It's not the worst outcome, really. Desiree will still do almost everything she wants, just it will (probably) benefit the family as well. Probably. + |
| Desma Magnotta + | Desma came into the world rather unexpectedly to parents who believed their family was complete with their first-born. The second daughter of Darko Blackram and Wendy Malvici, she was born at the Cloudspine where the family had retreated to following the outbreak of the Southport-Tor war. A handful of years younger than her sister, she grew up in Dora's great golden shadow, but whereas her sister had been doted upon as a single child and had duly become somewhat spoiled, her parents were better prepared a second time around. Despite the heavier hand that her parents took in her raising, it'd be fair to say that Desma lacked for nothing in her formative years. Her tutors saw to it that she was pushed in her in scholastic and physical endeavours, and she enjoyed the love bestowed upon her by parents that all too often despaired of her sister's behaviour. She saw first-hand the misery and embarrassment that her sister visited upon her parents with her reckless behaviour, and she resented her for it. It was a resentment that was, in no small part, due to the fact that Desma also possessed an adventurous soul, but thanks to Dora's wild ways her own adventures were curtailed to days in the forests with huntsmen and wardens. She took what she could however, knowing that her own time would eventually come, and she learned to shoot a bow true, and to track and hunt the animals of the forests that lay around their home. It was on one such trip as she neared her seventeenth birthday that she found a fledgling osprey which she'd go on to take home and raise by hand. It would be difficult to say who is more devoted to who; the bird to Desma or Desma to the bird, but one thing is certain and that is that he is next to useless for hunting anything but fish. She's been told far too many times by her reckoning that she should have found herself a kestrel or a hawk, a bird that'd be useful, but those that suggest such find themselves on the receiving end of her ascerbic wit or subjected to a look that could kill. So it was with Desma, as with others of the Malvici line, that she enrolled for her military service at the age of eighteen. Her affinity with a bow placed her firmly amongst the ranks of the Southport army archers and she served time on many occasions on the Southport Fleet. It would come as no surprise to anyone that sailing with the fleet would throw her directly into the path of her cousin Domonico, and she naturally held a great depth of respect for him, not only as her cousin, but as Admiral of the fleet. Gradually she saw where her future would lie. She wasn't content to wallow as a mostly insignificant and distant relative within House Malvici, so set her sights on being a bigger fish in the smaller pond of House Magnotta. Like her sister before her she pinned her colours to her cousin's house, but whereas Dora hadn't committed herself heart and soul, Desma did. She bears the name of Magnotta with pride and comes to Arx determined to do her utmost to see the small island cluster on the southernmost reaches of Arvum thrive and flourish. + |
| Destin Saltshore + | Born to the constable of a fishing village not far from the Grimhall residence at Grihem's Point, Destin was brought up with a healthy respect for the gods, in particular the Sentinel, as well as for the traditions of the Mourning Isles. Thus it was quite the shock when, during his training to take over for his father when the current constable retired, he assaulted the noble that Duke Grimhall had appointed to run the village. In an effort to make an example, showing that no one is above the law, Destin was sentenced to thralldom and his debt purchased by the duke's family. Destin served the family faithfully, mostly without complaint, serving as a model example for other thralls as to how Mourning Isles traditionalists believe that they should act. And ultimately, it was this devoted service that led to him to having his debt absolved by Harald Grimhall, the successor of the duke who had originally sentenced him. Not long after the ascension of the current Grim Duke, Destin put his own life in jeopardy to save the life of one of Harald's younger children when a large, rabid dog attacked her. It would have been difficult for him to return to his old life, though, given that both of his parents had passed on, and a new constable for the village had already been selected. So when Harald offered him a place in the family's house guard, he readily accepted, and continued to serve house Grimhall. It did not take him long to work his way up to commanding the family's guards, leaving him in charge of keeping those of the house who visit Arx safe. + |
| Deva Redrain + | Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents and dedicated legions of servants, the young Redrain princess was always an unruly wild child. Deva learned early on that her father found her outbursts and fits of rebellion privately hilarious and adorable, even if his responsibilities as the Prince of Farhaven and high lord of House Redrain meant he was well aware how problematic the young hellraiser might be in the future. By her teenage years, Deva's mother had finally managed to find tutors that could make limited strides towards turning the young hellion into a 'proper young noblewoman', though it's still a rare individual that risks the fiery princess' temper by telling Deva she cannot do something. Though she'd never admit it, her parents efforts were far more effective than they know. Deva has a firm awareness of the responsibilities of a high born princess of House Redrain, and knowing that the wrong word or scandal could bring down ruin upon her house weighs heavily upon the fiery young woman's mind. But she rankles under the notion that she has to become as repressed and boring as every stodgy southerner, and she can't help it if shocking their sensibilities is hysterical. House Redrain did not become one of the five great houses and control the North by meekly copying southern fashions, as far as Deva's concerned. While she might vehemently deny caring what southerners think about her, she has been careful to avoid creating too embarrassing of a scandal. While publicly Deva might give her twin brother Darren grief for possessing the audacity to be born a few minutes before her and rob her of a chance of ruling over House Redrain, privately the young woman knows that heavy is the head that wears the crown. More to the point, watching her father constantly get into exhausting meeting after exhausting meeting, being high lord seems like no fun at all. Just no one better tell her that she's incapable of leading if she wanted to. That would sound suspiciously like a challenge, and Deva likes nothing more than a challenge. + |
| Deva Velenosa + | Despite the best efforts of Deva's parents and dedicated legions of servants, the young Redrain princess was always an unruly wild child. Deva learned early on that her father found her outbursts and fits of rebellion privately hilarious and adorable, even if his responsibilities as the Prince of Farhaven and high lord of House Redrain meant he was well aware how problematic the young hellraiser might be in the future. By her teenage years, Deva's mother had finally managed to find tutors that could make limited strides towards turning the young hellion into a 'proper young noblewoman', though it's still a rare individual that risks the fiery princess' temper by telling Deva she cannot do something. Though she'd never admit it, her parents efforts were far more effective than they know. Deva has a firm awareness of the responsibilities of a high born princess of House Redrain, and knowing that the wrong word or scandal could bring down ruin upon her house weighs heavily upon the fiery young woman's mind. But she rankles under the notion that she has to become as repressed and boring as every stodgy southerner, and she can't help it if shocking their sensibilities is hysterical. House Redrain did not become one of the five great houses and control the North by meekly copying southern fashions, as far as Deva's concerned. While she might vehemently deny caring what southerners think about her, she has been careful to avoid creating too embarrassing of a scandal. While publicly Deva might give her twin brother Darren grief for possessing the audacity to be born a few minutes before her and rob her of a chance of ruling over House Redrain, privately the young woman knows that heavy is the head that wears the crown. More to the point, watching her father constantly get into exhausting meeting after exhausting meeting, being high lord seems like no fun at all. Just no one better tell her that she's incapable of leading if she wanted to. That would sound suspiciously like a challenge, and Deva likes nothing more than a challenge. + |
| Dianara Whisper + | Dianara was born one of half a dozen children to a successful smith in Sanctum but showed no particular aptitude toward the craft. Her clever nature seemed to suggest a career in the Faith for the girl and was definitely the course her family intended for her. Yet, before any vows could be taken, her own drive took her in the direction of the Whisper House to which she arrived with nothing but the clothes on her back and an eagerness to be trained. She learned quickly and developed a reputation for good humor and pleasant company. Eventually, her career took her in the direction of teaching. For a decade, she has traveled the length and breadth of Arvum, finding many noble and wealthy common families across all the fealties who desired a Whisper for instruction on etiquette and good manners. Her genial nature and thorough instruction have earned her a stellar reputation and her services have been in very high demand. Yet, despite that popularity, Dianara has decided to return to Arx and the Whisper House with the twin aims of offering her support and assistance to the new Radiant while also renewing her acquaintances in the city. + |
| Dianna Mazetti + | Dianna was born just as the sun was cresting the horizon, and her mother always said that the birth of her and her sister - who was just moments away - truly brought light into her life. As far as childhood goes, the twins had something approaching idyllic. Of course, this was shattered with the onset of the Tor-Southport war, though not in ways dramatic or outlandish. While the Mazetti suffered loss and hardship, what stood out most in Dianna's mind was the new found grimness of her older relatives, and a sudden lack of what had formerly been abundant. It took some growing for either herself or her sister to truly comprehend the cost the war had demanded of all those it affected, but it was a grim lesson of life that Dianna never let part from her. At thirteen, Dianna and her sister were introduced to an ancient, highly respected institution amongst House Mazetti: the glaivedancers. They were not members, not even close. It would take years of rigorous training in both the mental and the physical before they were finally inducted into that exclusive body of men and women. When that day came, however, it was a proud moment for the twins, as well as for their family. While her main duties typically saw her remaining in Ostria, with the rest of the Mazetti, Dianna has accompanied Vitalis on two of his more wild (dangerous) adventures. She was more than glad to prove that a glaivedancer is not simply a warrior one calls upon to cut down obstacles, but also an individual capable of employing a mixture of diplomacy and charm to win through tense situations. Her latest challenge has come in the form of leaving Ostria behind to engage in the game that is life in the capital of Arvum. Dianna, naturally, is confident that she will prove herself more than capable. As any change in circumstances may inevitably have unforeseen results, the return to Arx has had a greater impact on the woman than any may have ever suspected, and circumstances have led Lady Dianna Mazetti to trade of her duties as a glaivedancer in exchange for oaths of a higher nature - as a godsworn Mirrormask, extremely rare in the city. Reactions by her family have been varied, but resulted, inevitably, in Dianna’s surname being replaced by ‘Godsworn’; and, with the release of her duties to family, Dianna is embarking upon profoundly new territory in service to the Faith. + |
| Diego Leary + | Diego always had a good head for maths. He liked to build things with blocks and, at one point, attempted to dig a giant tunnel fort into the earth at the estate of Southport. It's not really clear what he planned to /do/ in this tunnel fort, beside lay traps for the unwary -- the building was the thing. That and getting himself as covered in dirt as possible, as far as his nannies and watchers were concerned. Much of his childhood was like this, building forts, making them defensible-- His youth was shattered by war and chaos in snapshots as a young teenager, as war in the Lyceum raged between Tor and Southport, but Diego was too young to fight, and not fierce enough to pretend to adulthood. He spent the days of the war being nervously squirreled from place to place. Perhaps it was the memories of this that would make Southport eventually seek marital, martial alliance with allies beyond the Lyceum. The first time he was at Arx with his mother, it was winter and it SNOWED, which provided ample opportunity for snow warfare. Diego loved the city and he loved the cold, and romanticized it for the rest of his life. Maybe that was why he was so ready and willing to sign a marriage contract that would send him to the Learies in his twenties -- although, of course, part of that had to do with becoming the consort of a March rather than the younger cousin of a March. Social ambition was never Diego's pinnacle, but it remained a lure. He did not love Hianara Leary, particularly, but he thought they could grow to enjoy each other in time. Their marriage was short, though, before she died, and they had no heirs. Diego remained with his new family, finding he could be of great practical use to the armies of the March, and also finding that the stable vassal relationships between Leary, Laveer and Ashford were ... so much safer than what he could remember from his youth. + |
| Dierdre Fallow + | Dierdre grew up the child of spice merchants who made their home in Westrock Reach. They had a decent amount of money and she didn't want for a lot or education. While her parents wanted her to follow in their footsteps, she found other passions. On voyages she preffered to spar with the men on deck than pour over columns and tables for supplies or do math with her father. Her distaste for the business of merchanting got to the point, when she was younger anyway, that she started throwing screaming tantrums. It didn't last long. Rarely does a child enjoy being lowered in a harness, while at sea, to scrub the sides of the boat. Realizing their daughter would be hard pressed to take over they focused on her younger brother instead. Who was much more apt and interested than she had ever been. This left her free to pursue her martial training. It was in her teen years that the family had to hire protection during a particularly problematic priate epidemic. So they hired a squadron of Crimson Blades mercenaries. Dierdre took to them instantly, asking questions, mimicing their strict and regimental behavior. On their off time the hires marines sparred and told her stories. To say she was hooked was an understatement. So as soon as she could she joined and prove an apt student. But where her true talent lay, she soon found, was in teaching and helping her fellow Blades improve their own skills. So she was assigned to Iron Company eventually. Spending most of her time in Arx, when not out on a contract, she does travel back and forth training and working. But she is no stranged to actual conflict as well. + |
| Dimitri Velenosa + | Born a minor Lord of House Pravus, Dimitri's life was never pre-destined to be anything but what he wanted to be. Far removed from any chance of ruling his House, the young Lord was afforded the opportunity to grow and prosper as he saw fit. Of course, this didn't stop various members of his family from trying to guide him in one direction or another, but ultimately, he would find his own path in life. And what a life it was. At a young age, it was easy to see that Dimitri would never be skilled in any form of the martial arts. Sure, he received some training in how to use a blade, but he's as equally likely to hit a friend as he is a foe. Coupled with his just plain .. disdain for learning such things, he found himself avoiding any such teachings. Instead, his love seemed to come from socializing. From spending time with people from all walks of life. From brash to kind to stoic, the young lord never seemed to have an issue with trying to make a new friend. But one can not spend all their time merely lounging around, no matter how much they may wish to do so and with Dimitri's apparent natural skill at talking with others, he found himself inadvertantly settling disputes amongst his friends. Playing the role of mediator and calming tempers was something that came naturally, it would seem, and as the years progressed, so did this ability. It wasn't long until he found himself being called upon by others to aid in matters of diplomacy and with his love of talking and socializing, it seemed as if he had found a calling, at least one that he could stand to do. It was during an event in Lenosia that his life really took a twist, in so much as he stumbled upon a Velenosian Princess, Cerys, who drew his eye almost immediately. Although the pair couldn't have been more different, where she was a skilled warrior and he was a minor diplomat, an easy friendship was struck. With House Pravus preparing for elevation to the status of Great House, it was the perfect opportunity to see one of their Lords married into House Velenosia, to try and strengthen a bond that would no doubt be strained as vassal became an equal. A whirlwind courtship was arranged and blessed and afterwards, the pair were married. Now, with the honeymoon phase having come to an end, the pair have made the choice to start their new life together in Arx. + |
| Dino Corsetina + | Bernardino Corsetina will be the first to admit that he's not pure of heart, selfless, or has any pretentions to be a hero, but then go right along in deeds that might amount to doing just that. As a very young man, he was listless and flighty, first thinking he'd become a great courtier, charming everyone at court when he finally got the chance to visit Arx, and maybe even becoming a Whisper. Then the dream was to be a scholar. And then he was studying swordsmanship under every local bravo he could in his tiny village of Setara Downs, a few leagues outside of Setarco. Unlike his flashy cousins making names for themselves in Arx, the young man found himself trapped in a provincial life and refused to be satisfied, much to the exasperation of his seamstress mother and scribe father. Tragedy changed all that. His latest whimsy had been studying with the Faith as he considered becoming a mirrormask, but all that came to a sudden halt when his parents were murdered during a festival for the Eclipse of Mirrors, underneath the light of the bloodmoon. Dino doesn't speak about the incident save that it haunts him that he could not save his parents, but it caused him to immediately set out for Arx, and swear to protect his family. The young man still has a bit of flighty behavior to him, and an optimism that borders on the naive, but it's tempered with a new determination. He might not call himself a hero, but he'll fight for his family, and to never be helpless again. + |
| Dio Seraceni + | Little is known about the true origins of Dio, who claims, or at least fails to deny, that his father was Count Paolo Seraceni. His name is first associated with an enrollment in the School of Steel and Silk in Setarco, where he studied under Captain Guelio Busemi in the arts of naval warfare. According to official school documents, he killed another student in a tavern brawl, and was expelled from school. He was given the choice to serve in the Setarco navy or to rot in prison. After surviving the devastating battle against the forces of the Gyre, Dio was under consideration to become an officer of the Pravus navy, but was captured by a group of Lycene pirates off the coat of Ostria. After apparently managing to murder the captain and dive overboard, he survived four months on a small island near Esterhold, before being rescued by Seraceni sailors and brought to Morisco, where Prisila greeted him as a brother, and granted him command of a ship to sail under the Seraceni banner. After meeting a woman formerly of House Blanchard while on shore in Ischia, it is said that Dio offered a mountain of silver to Count Philippe, with the promise of much more to come for the hand of Lady Imogen. The offer was accepted, and it was only shortly after that news of Prisila's passing reached Ischia, setting into motion a series of events that culminated in the newly married couple being named Marquis and Marquessa. + |
| Dion Navegant + | Born a Stonewood, Dion had adventure on the brain from a very early age. He was the oldest of his siblings, and should have had a better sense of responsibility but he was far more interested in what was over the next hill, hidden in those trees, or written in code in that book. So as soon as he was old enough he left home, and hasn't looked back since. Not because he didn't love his family, he did. But he wanted more than just staying at home, doing his duty. It was during a trip through Arx on his way somewhere, from somewhere else, that he met Annika Navegant and swept her off her feet. Together they have roamed around the east, but alone he has ventured further across Arvum, delving into whatever he could find. As age started to overtake him, he began to roam less and less, turning his attenion to collecting his own adventures in the pages of books, but also others. He'd read, write, and listen to the stories of those that can roam further than he can these days. Because of this, when his wife suggested they head to Arx he lept at the chance to return, and to take part in new adventures there. + |
| Dismas Scratch + | Dismas grew up in a remote, no-name village within the county of Oakhaven, born to a man good with his hands and a woman good with her words. When he was twelve, a terrible illness swept through the village, claiming the life of his father and rendering his mother sickly. He'd already learned enough from his father about family and work ethic to understand that it was his responsibility to take care of his mother and little sister from then on. Despite her lingering illness, his mother continued--and continues to this day--to serve as a voice for their village, helping to lead their people. As he grew older, ready to set down his own path, this duty to watch over those he loved limited his options, denying him the chance to become a proper knight as any oaths of service he would be required to swear would keep him from his family for extended periods of time. So, he turned to odd, short-run jobs which would see him returning back to his village quickly enough, usually guarding caravans. When other, more lucrative--and less strictly legal--opportunites presented themselves, allowing him to make more silver and spend more time back home? How could he say no. If he was able to pick up a trinket for his momma and sister on each run, all the better. He'd been running with the same crew for years when they fell on bad luck, most turning up dead or disappeared in the sort of way that sometimes happens when the Inquisition gets involved. Rather than stick around and try to find work after that fiasco, he finally took off to forge his own path, trusting his mother's caretaking to his little sister. Arriving in Arx, he's signed on with the Champions, ready to train and to prove himself, ready to make something better than the life he left behind. + |
| Dmitry Grimhall + | Honesty was Dmitry Grimhall's vice, according to his father. His father, Duke Taras Grimhall, was a famously cruel and abusive man, with the sort of malevolence that even made House Thrax uncomfortable and consistently caused issues with the other houses, including completely unnecessary skirmishes with Redrain vassals that threatened to break into all out war. Dmitry never quite learned to not question what he saw as the dishonorable, brutish and stupid nature of his father's reign... resulting in him being passed over as heir for his younger (and far crueler) brother Eugine, as well only kept in the family to torment. Dmitry, a grimly determined man who took his vows of loyalty to family and liege with unshakeable loyalty, endured slight after slight, being kept by his father and younger brother seemingly just to mock and toy with. Through it all, the honorable Grimhall ignored it all, silently showing himself as a fearsome combatant on the field in the Tyde rebellion with acts of heroism that were praised throughout House Thrax and ignored or mocked at Grimhall's home of Grihem's Point. After the death of Duke Taras, the title of Duke passed to his younger brother, Lord Eugine, who sought to outdo their father in wastefulness and wanton cruelty. Many of the other lords in the Mourning Isles urged Dmitry to contest the claim, some all but promising him military support to depose his brother, but the famously honorable Dmitry pointedly refused every entreaty and served his brother Eugine without a word of complaint at the continuing abuse heaped upon him. Most of the lords of the Mourning Isles were aghast at the honorable Grimhall just ignoring the barrage of slights from his brother, save where his daughter was concerned. It seemed that Dmitry was not particularly a traditonalist, largely turning a blind eye to his daughter Cordelia's rebellious ways, and it was rumored that Dmitry and Duke Eugine nearly came to blows over it. Fortunately for the Mourning Isles, Duke Eugine's ship was lost at sea recently, dying without a decreed heir, which caused the title to pass to Dmitry. Any death of a duke is suspicious, but frankly the Mourning Isles houses were too glad to see Eugine gone to pay it much heed. + |
| Doll + | Said to be born to the very worst alley in the very worst part of the Lower Boroughs, this girl's been a punk from the moment she had a hand big enough to form a proper fist with. An early bloomer that grew up small and scrawny, adolescence treated her magnificently. Over a swift couple of years, she was taller and stronger than most other youth her age. By that time, the ones she wasn't larger than she was just meaner than. Still young, she's blossomed into a young woman that could be called "striking" in more ways than one, but to date the only future attributed to her is how long she'll muscle, sleaze, and score her way to more coin before she winds up dead. + |
| Doll Crown + | Said to be born to the very worst alley in the very worst part of the Lower Boroughs, this girl's been a punk from the moment she had a hand big enough to form a proper fist with. An early bloomer that grew up small and scrawny, adolescence treated her magnificently. Over a swift couple of years, she was taller and stronger than most other youth her age. By that time, the ones she wasn't larger than she was just meaner than. Still young, she's blossomed into a young woman that could be called "striking" in more ways than one, but to date the only future attributed to her is how long she'll muscle, sleaze, and score her way to more coin before she winds up dead. + |
| Dominic Thrax + | Firstborn of Tyrgar Thrax, father of our beloved Queen, Queen Genevieve Thrax. Dominic was born a large baby. The birth full of complications that later manifested into the waning health of his mother. His father died young, falling over the side of a ship in rubicund full-plate armor. Forever lost to the sea. With his mother too weak to raise him and his sister, they moved and lived on Maelstrom with Prince Donrai Thrax. Already a large boy at a very young age, Dominic took quick to training and alongside Elton and Victus was given a teacher to hone his combat skills. There were issues with his schooling. Dominic had no intention of sitting down in one place for too long so when it came to his other education, he did not participate. Instead, Dominic found his time elsewhere among Donrai's horses and dogs. The hound master took on the task of training Dominic in lieu of his court education. When Dominic came of age, he was given a ship and a small command but unlike his cousin Elton, who stayed back to administer the house with his father, Dominic left to sail his ship alongside Victus'. It was during this time that he made a name for himself. His superstitions and mastery over the hounds he fitted ships with, the way he used a pack of man-eating dogs and unleashed them through the decks of his enemy ships', and the madness of using his ship as bait to take damage while the reavers supporting him moved to flank their victims, all earned him notoriety as a mad and cruel captain. Right before the war with Tyde, Dominic began to change the way he operated from the average reaper. Instead of making his ships long and fast, they were large and with multiple decks. Some were converted to serve as floating prison and thrall ships and others fitted with medical bays, well decks, storage, and birthing. Prince Dominic maintained his cruel notoriety and when news of Elton's death arrived him, the prince's madness came out to bare. Turning from hunting thralls, Dominic joined Victus in the war. His place in it, a personal one. The war came to an end with the end of the Tyde house. His bloodthirst squelched, Dominic took a ship and his crew out the jungles where he vanished for years, left for dead. There were rumors of him found in raided villages and destroyed ships but it wasn't until recently at the death of his sister Genevieve that Dominic resurfaced in Redrain with enough loot from his raiding of shavs to equal to him enough silver to operate a ship and reach Arx where he declared a hunt for the killer of his sister and to serve House Thrax by contacting his cousin, Victus. + |
| Dominique Wyrmguard + | Some say that there is no family more honorable in all of the Oathlands, no vassal house more loyal to Valardin, no truer knights than the sons and daughters of House Wyrmguard. Marquessa Dominique Wyrmguard attempts to embody this well. She regrets the circumstances surrounding her inheriting the title so young, with her famous father perishing at the Tragedy at Sanctum to a surprise attack by bloodthirsty shavs, but she has been preparing her whole life for the moment she would find the burden of rule. Raised on the ideals of chivalry and just rulership, her march stands as one of the oldest and most stalwart backers of House Valardin against the Abandoned that threaten all of the Compact. Her childhood was spent with one lesson after another from her father about the way that terrible men can abuse power and imbued in her an ironclad devotion to high minded principles. Unapologetically idealistic, she realizes that a very black and white approach makes her a poor fit for the treacherous political waters of Arx and is happy to defer the games to her sister Desiree, but never loses sight that the burden of the difficult final decisions must fall upon her shoulders. + |
| Domonico Magnotta + | Raised as one of the standard bearers of the Malvici banner, Domonico was treated roughly on purpose. The family wanted him to lead troops and be ready to battle anything from abyssal creatures to political maneuvering of the Lyceum. It developed a heated temper from him at a young age, proving his backbone and dedication to the family before most kids his age had a personality. Eventually it got him in trouble and sent to the Malvici fleet so the trouble he got into could be limited to the ship he was on. It proved a good move and his temper has faded somewhat over time, replaced with a steel determination that comes with a sea-borne swordsman. He is said to be a rising star in the Malvici fleet with three ships under his command. Its rumored he wants eventual command of the fleet, as well. In the meantime he has taken to mentor those younger members like he had once been, developing strength and ability out of rough stone. The whispers about the trade routes and the Empyrean have brought him to Arx to prove that he is capable of not just command and leadership, but that he can hold it in waters he has not even explored himself - political and literal. + |
| Domonico Malvici + | Raised as one of the standard bearers of the Malvici banner, Domonico was treated roughly on purpose. The family wanted him to lead troops and be ready to battle anything from abyssal creatures to political maneuvering of the Lyceum. It developed a heated temper from him at a young age, proving his backbone and dedication to the family before most kids his age had a personality. Eventually it got him in trouble and sent to the Malvici fleet so the trouble he got into could be limited to the ship he was on. It proved a good move and his temper has faded somewhat over time, replaced with a steel determination that comes with a sea-borne swordsman. He is said to be a rising star in the Malvici fleet with three ships under his command. Its rumored he wants eventual command of the fleet, as well. In the meantime he has taken to mentor those younger members like he had once been, developing strength and ability out of rough stone. The whispers about the trade routes and the Empyrean have brought him to Arx to prove that he is capable of not just command and leadership, but that he can hold it in waters he has not even explored himself - political and literal. + |
| Donaldo Velenosa + | Blessed, or cursed, with being one of many cousins from a great big old family, there's little fear Donaldo will ever have any real responsibility. Or Power. There's a name and a title, sure, but there are more siblings and cousins than there are crowns and ministers. Bounced around from task to task as a youth, never really finding something that held his heart long enough to make a life with. Former Apprentice Cartographer, Former Apprentice Botanist, Former Apprentice Scribe, the list goes on and on. Somehow after wearing so many hats, he finally found a hat he could keep on for more than a year. For some years now, he's made his way as an explorer. Having gotten quite good at this, path-finding and plotting out things and discovering other things, he has come to Arx to expand his network. It's an interesting hobby, some will whisper, but if the specimens he manages to collect and the artifacts and tomes he uncovers keep his travel accounts full, then for once at least he can commit to being one thing for once. + |
| Donato Inverno + | Donato was born a whole three minutes before his sister, which makes him the oldest. However, unlike her he's a little bit less invested in staying put, and has been prone to getting into wild adventures from an early age. When he was fourteen he ran away from home, joined a crew sailing out of Nilanza and went by the name Vinnie for several years before putting in to port at home in Caina once more. By then he'd explored the islands, fought his share of battles, and lived a rather colorful life. However, the whole time he maintained contact with his sister, sending her letters whenever he could, even though he never told her where he was, he always told her where to send the next letter so he could pick it up. When Argento fell, he was there, but he was not part of the fighting itself. His sister refused to allow him to participate, and he didn't want to break her heart by ending up the way the Argento's did anyways. + |
| Donella Redrain + | Anywhere else in the Compact, Donella would have been born the heir presumptive to a great house. But she was not born anywhere but Maelstrom, and to no other family but Thrax in a time when only sons would rise. All the same, before the untimely deaths of good Prince Elton and Princess Dena, she was well-educated and trained to exemplify Thrax virtues. She learned to embrace ALL her heritage with clear-eyed realism, and learned statecraft, diplomacy, and economics, while her siblings were allowed more idealistic pursuits. Amongst a generation of war-orphaned princes and princesses, Donella showed the most early promise as an administrator and politician... or simply provided the best means to shame the princes, as Prince Donrai made her his Voice. Probably, some expected her to end as a cautionary tale, but instead she proved resilient. Her leadership went a long way toward stabilizing the Isles after her grandfather's death and the rise of another High Lord; one who also made her Voice, and later heir. Her time as Voice opened the way for women, as a proponent for the measured undoing of customs serving only to weaken, and divide the Isles from the rest of the Compact. It seemed Donella might standing behind the throne in the Isles forever, until she unexpectedly accepted an offer of marriage from Prince Darren Redrain of Farhaven. A smart match made, they say, for love of all things. + |
| Donella Thrax + | No woman in House Thrax or any of its vassals in the Mourning Isles is ever raised with the expectation that they might rule. It simply is not part of the culture, with women expected to defer to men and inheritance following a strict male primogeniture that stands apart from the rest of the Compact. Donella knew, even at a young age, that her father was treating her differently than the rest of House Thrax might have approved, such as insisting he explain his motivations to her when he took a course of action in governance as the heir apparent of House Thrax. While her mother and the other ladies of House Thrax made certain she still received all the tutoring expected of her as a princess of Thrax, receiving all the exacting lessons in grace and refinement, her father broke from tradition and carefully explained politics to her time and again while her younger brother was captivated with stories of heroism and glory rather than pragmatism and rule. Her parents' tragic deaths, murdered by the traitorous Duke of Tyde Fall to start the Tyde Rebellion, ultimately left House Thrax in a far stronger position but with looming questions on succession. Her grandfather, Prince Donrai Thrax, still yet rules with the brutally capable ruthlessness for which he is renowned, but Donella's brother and heir apparent... is not quite the man her grandfather would have hoped for in a successor. An honorable, good man that wants to reform the Mourning Isles, but in the eyes of her grandfather to give away much of the power and prestige that House Thrax has bled for in the name of honor and amends. It still shocked her when she was quietly instructed that in light of her grandfather's ailing health and advanced age that she would act as a Voice of House Thrax inside Arx, representing the family in political decisions. Women, by and large, simply did not -do- that for House Thrax, and she cannot hold the title if her grandfather dies. But for the time being, she speaks with the voice and authority of House Thrax in the capital, second only to her grandfather, and she is coldly determined to put her father's teachings to use and grow the power and prestige of the house. For herself, for her family, and for the realm... in that order. + |
| Donovan Grayson + | Anyone could forgive Donovan's extended family, those countless cousins, aunts and uncles, if their memory of the little Prince is somewhat lacking. It is easy to overlook a quiet younger sibling in the presence of their older, more socially apt and bright brother; not that Donovan was ever bitter over this fact. Donovan was never far from his brother's side, or just an arm's reach behind him, keeping quiet and trying to emulate even just a sliver of Calarian's gift with people. Children grow up though and Donovan eventually found his own fascination, and talent, in law. Lacking the usual Grayson heroic streak, Donovan wasn't interested in the 'guards and robbers', 'good guys catching the bad guys and being a hero' sort of law; rather the 'you know about this loophole, right?' sort. That he was exceptionally good at it came with its drawbacks; sharp wit and legalese made his adolescence almost unbearable for his parents. As an adult he refined his knowledge, and honed his wit for the benefit of his family acting as legal counsel on various affairs, all of which were handled with due discretion and settled quickly. He moved about the Crownlands with it, dealing in disputes and minor conflicts between vassal houses within the realm of the family's holdings. He may not have always made friends, but then, Donovan squared with himself a long time ago he is not here to be friends with people -- he is here as a representative of the law, and the law does not yield to emotion. Anyway, a person doesn't become a lawyer to be popular, do they? The city of Arx offers a great deal of opportunity for a young Prince, one of which, would be to make a name for himself outside of his own family within the various courts of the Compact. This at least, was what his mother informed him. Donovan is not quite so convinced; what with Calarian already present, being wonderful and casting an obnoxiously long shadow to stand in. + |
| Donrai Thrax + | Prince Donrai Thrax has been the ruler for House Thrax so long that many throughout Arvum think of him and House Thrax interchangeably, which is just how the ancient prince likes it. Ascending to high lord at a young age, several generations of Thraxians have only known his coldly capable, ruthlessly competent rule. Donrai has never set out to be loved by his people, and there's little doubt in that he has succeeded- but he is respected, as a cold and relentlessly determined leader ever seeking to carve out greater strength for House Thrax no matter the cost to others. + |
| Dora Malvici + | Her father was Darko Blackram and mother was one Wendy Malvici. A second cousin among a sea of cousins. She was raised going between Southport and the Cloudspine, her parents intent on exposing her to both of her heritage. When she was two the Southport-Tor war broke out and they were on their first trip to the Cloudspine. It was a lucky thing for the family and they managed to avoid some of the upset. During time spent in Cloudspine they were free to lavish attention on the girl. Being far from home, everyone went out of their way to make her happy. Perhaps that was a bad idea. From a young age she was always wandering off. It terrified her parents and they did their best to have her under careful watch. After all, they had tried so very hard and struggled to have her. But it became a game to escape and run off on the governesses and nurses tasked with her. As she grew older she grew bored with just running off. The thrill less. And so she got into other trouble. Mostly pulling pranks on anyone who wasn't careful, or filling her little treasure chest with stolen knick knacks. When they returned to Southport in 995 they hoped that, perhaps, the militant training would work. If anything it only made her rebel worse. Oh she took to the lessons, and was skilled as any Malvici might be expected to be, but she made it clear this was not what she wanted to do. And so she wouldn't, except when she did. It led to many headaches and pains for her parents. It was only when a group of explorers came through, hosted by her parents, that some hope of reining in the wild child came. They stayed for a month and promises of tales are all that got her going to the academy regularly. Yet it wasn't what he parents hoped. At 13 she stowed away on the explorers ship and managed to hide for nearly a month. There was no turning back, only apologies to be made. True to her stubborn nature it took wile and three years before the crew were able to get her back to Southport. And her rather infuriated parents. But she was unrepentant, even bearing a tattoo hiden beneath her clothes, and all around behaving little like the lady they had hoped. It drove a huge gap between herself and her parents. During her travels she had picked up a fascination for alchemy, specifically in its use for body inks. When she returned they put her under house arrest. It started a battle of wills that drove her mother to drinking and ended with Darko sending her off a few years late. It was a desperate attempt to temper her. In 07 she went to Caer Morien just after Artorius was made its Count. Little did they realize the delight Dora would find in the native people and their own traditions. Without meaning too she managed to learn something of their culture. In so doing she helped to bridge some of the gaps between House Magnotta and the prodigals. Too bad she got bored again... + |
| Dorian Champions + | Dorian shamelessly garners sympathy from noblewomen by casting himself as a victim of circumstance, but few of the women that fall prey to his charms ever realize just how willingly the rogue embraced those exact circumstances. Born the son of a knightly paragon of chivalric virtue, the rogue realized very early that unless he acted quickly he'd wind up doomed to an extremely tedious and quite possibly fatal existence as a nameless man-at-arms in some lord's service or if he tried excruciatingly hard like his father, another nameless knight to die in some backwater fighting shavs. That was not in the least bit appealing to Dorian, who realized that while fighting skills could certainly be handy, who he knew and who he could win over seemed to matter an awful lot more... especially if he became a champion. To the rakish young man, it was the perfect calling. Gorgeous (and rich) women looking for men to fight their honor against foes of questionable quality, and if he put on a show, it would just win over more. Just defeating a few louts in 'honorable combat' and duels for show gained him far more than soldiering ever would, and he hardly sees having to spend time with noblewomen over soldiers as a drawback. No, he might never be hailed at the newest and greatest knight, but if it wins over someone beautiful, well born, and willing to marry a commoner...? He'd take being a champion any day. + |
| Drake Wyrmguard + | The youngest brother of Richard Wyrmguard, Drake has always been the mischevious sort. It was only his admiration for his father and his uncle Marquis Denis Wyrmguard, that his natural inclination towards mischief and trouble was tempered. Still, he got along well, and has always been a bit of a charmer, and the stories of knights and how people responded to such stalwart protectors of the land is what drove him through his training. He was always close to his family, as loyal as any Wyrmguard can be, but there was an untapped wanderlust that drove him to explore the city of Arx and other lands much sooner than his big brother. It was there that he learned and trained to be a champion as well, often leaving a trail of broken hearts along the way. On one such encounter, he met Prince Luca, and was trained in showmanship. He was fond of the older man and eventually joined the Champions guild as a result, befitting his talents. After the reclamation of Highhill, Drake found himself with new responsibilities as, first, the Sword of the newly renamed Wyvernheart house. One responsibility lead to another, and the once-carefree younger brother found himself newly driven to take on a leadership role both in and out of battle. He's been newly appointed Count and steward of the land. Though he doesn't have much head for numbers or details his personality drives him to inspire others, and he has his family to keep him grounded about the important things. + |
| Draven Bruvir + | Draven was born into one of the great tribes that Volkov oversaw and cared for. Then the rival tribe came riding in and destroyed everything, leaving very few survivors. With Draven being one of them and only a young boy, he was taking in by the main family of the Volkovs and trained to become a house servant. Over time he was assigned to tend to and look after Aahana since she was often sneaking away from the camp to eavesdrop on her lessons. And as time grew, she encouraged him in his experimenting and dabbling in the apothecary things. She even sent him to the apothecary college with hopes that he would be able to create something absolutely amazing with his schooling. Now that Aahana is in Arx and his schooling is far completed, he is coming to aide her and the rest of the Volkovs within the city of Arx. + |
| Drea Redrain + | Few outside the North could ever understand it the way Drea does. While the wars against the Abandoned wage on in every region with every great house, none of the other great houses fight the shav'arvani with the same brutal intensity as House Redrain and its vassals in the North. Lady Drea knows this far better than most, as long before she married into House Redrain, she was born to the northern house with arguably the most bloody feuds with the barbaric northern Abandoned tribes, House Halfshav. She grew into a young woman in a house that has acted as House Redrain's strong right hand against the most brutal of the shav tribes, driving back groups such as the cannibals of Clan Bonegnaw. Every member of her family was trained for war, and she was no exception, but the young Drea felt a very different calling that still is uniquely of the North. The North might be a savage land of restrained barbarism, kept in check by the might of House Redrain, but Drea doesn't that feel way about her home. It's beautiful to her in a way that others just can't understand. The snow covered mountains, the deep groves hidden from human eyes for centuries at a time, the vales unmarked by any arvani whether shav or civilized, Drea sees the North as a gorgeous bastion of nature from the excesses of mankind despite its bloody history. Ever since she was a child, she's felt a deep connection with those primordial depths of wild, untamed territory that she swears she can hear whisper to her, so it was natural for her to become one of the few shamans in the North. It is the old religion of men that far predates the worship of the Pantheon, long before the great houses came to be, and it's never been quite surrendered in the North. She knows it creates frictions with the south, particular the most fervent worshippers in House Valardin, but Drea intends for the North to never, ever surrender its heritage. It isn't as if shamans embrace blood rites anymore... at least those that aren't members of barbaric shav tribes, anyways. + |
| Drifa Seraceni + | Drifa was a young girl upon a shav longship when the Seraceni corsairs boarded the small vessel. She had been a capture prize from a neighboring small village that had been wiped out from the raiding party. Led by the father of the Marquis of Seraceni she was taken in and afforded the protection of the House. As far as Drifa knows, she is the last of her village to survive and so she stayed with the Seraceni and learned their ways. Drifa mourned the loss of the Seraceni Marquis and Marquessa. She was frequently used by the family to scout and steal when necessary against Corsair targets. She became a capable corsair herself and was given her own longship to crew and command. Drifa owes her life to the Seraceni. She is loyal and does her best to not let the wild ways that still linger in her disposition to reflect poorly on her House. Although at times this can be a struggle as she has grown older she has also grown a bit more accepting. Drifa is loyal to the family and dependable. She also loves being a Corsair and depriving people of their fancy goods whenever possible. She has become a trusted ward of the family. + |
| Driskell Stillwater + | Thralldom is often thought of as a dark pit without the opportunity for redemption, but when you're down in the darkest of pits that small beacon of light which is the exit can burn as bright as a supernova. Driskell's parents were prisoners of war, taken by Thraxan reavers and their debts claimed by the Darkwater family while Driskell was but a fledgling boy. He remembers the calamity brought on by the dark boats, how the waves broke across the bows and the reavers that poured out of the ships and through the village. He remembers most though in the fire and horrors of how organized the chaos was from the Thraxans versus how everyone fought for themselves in his own village. Split from his parents, the young boy took all his whippings and punishments without a sound uttered in defiance, instead using it all to strengthen his resolve. It was a fluke, really, when Driskell learned of Tehom and embraced all he could of the Thirteenth. His knack for knowing when his masters would need him, the young boy learned all he could from those in the household. Soon, he was noted as being quite intelligent and understanding the tides of politics and the terrors of the deep that is courtly life. He was able to pay off his thralldom but chose to stay with the Darkwater family to serve them willingly, nothing else in life mattered to him except that family. When the young Maximilian was sent off to serve with the warlord Victus, Driskell found himself sent along to protect and look after Max's needs for a decade. Ten long years reaving and Driskell witnessed again firsthand many times the controlled chaos like the smashing of waves against the shore and came to admire the man he was sent to look after. Driskell now serves at the Darkwater estate in Arx, a testament to a free man that became a thrall who became once more free. There's whispers that while the silent steward is always in control, perhaps there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect or carry out the wishes of the Darkwater family. + |
| Drusila + | Little is known about the woman called Drusila, but there is a version of her story that those near the Pravus family of Setarco have come to know. Born in Luciva, Setarco's most famous pirate city, she served the local seafaring lords as a seneschal. Prized for her penchant for numbers, the young woman would not only be spared by the Pravosi forces when Luciva was finally conquered, but was approached by the Duchess Pravus herself, offered a spot in court as the personal assistant of the ruler of the Silken City. Ever since, she has been a fixture of both Luciva and Setarco, never leaving the Duchess' side. Drusila has been at the heart of the many changes recently going through the Sins and their lands, and many attribute to her some contribution for the immense wealth accrued by the House in recent years. The woman's own aims and ambitions, however, remain a mystery to most. + |
| Drusila Masque + | Little is known about the woman called Drusila, but there is a version of her story that those near the Pravus family of Setarco have come to know. Born in Luciva, Setarco's most famous pirate city, she served the local seafaring lords as a seneschal. Prized for her penchant for numbers, the young woman would not only be spared by the Pravosi forces when Luciva was finally conquered, but was approached by the Duchess Pravus herself, offered a spot in court as the personal assistant of the ruler of the Silken City. Ever since, she has been a fixture of both Luciva and Setarco, never leaving the Duchess' side. Drusila has been at the heart of the many changes recently going through the Sins and their lands, and many attribute to her some contribution for the immense wealth accrued by the House in recent years. The woman's own aims and ambitions, however, remain a mystery to most. + |
| Drusila Pravi + | Little is known about the woman called Drusila, but there is a version of her story that those near the Pravus family of Setarco have come to know. Born in Luciva, Setarco's most famous pirate city, she served the local seafaring lords as a seneschal. Prized for her penchant for numbers, the young woman would not only be spared by the Pravosi forces when Luciva was finally conquered, but was approached by the Duchess Pravus herself, offered a spot in court as the personal assistant of the ruler of the Silken City. Ever since, she has been a fixture of both Luciva and Setarco, never leaving the Duchess' side. Drusila has been at the heart of the many changes recently going through the Sins and their lands, and many attribute to her some contribution for the immense wealth accrued by the House in recent years. The woman's own aims and ambitions, however, remain a mystery to most. + |
| Duarte Amadeo + | The third son of a cobbler and his wife, Durate Amedeo had an unremarkable early life, but he did learn extremely important lessons quickly. His father was mysteriously assassinated after he had loudly spoken insults about a merchant prince whose wealth he resented, his eldest brother was killed in a duel, and his second older brother was forced to flee Setarco in a hurry after he insulted the wrong people. These lessons gave Duarte a profound appreciation for the weakness of an uncontrolled temper coupled with a careless mouth, and he quickly decided he would take his life in a rather different direction. Duarte spent time with courtesans and courtiers attempting to appeal to the famously fashionable and charming nobility of Setarco, those who tried desperately to win the approval of House Pravus. Duarte quickly learned that charm and grace was useful and admirable, but what really could win over the nobility was simply useful information acquired through the right words and catching the right whispers. Duarte quickly gained a reputation as a charming young man who knew so much, and soon found himself in the employ of House Pravus itself. He was acting as the ears of the former Duke of Setarco inside Arx, and even joined the Inquisition for a time, using the contacts there to keep the southern house informed of the goings on in the capital. It infuriates Duarte that he was not in Setarco to help Duchess Belladonna when she set her house to rights against plotters and schemers, and he feels more than a little ashamed and frustrated his talents were not in Setarco when it was needed the most. He resigned his post in the Inquisition in order to devote himself once more to House Pravus, redoubling his efforts to insure that the duchess to whom he owes his devotion is never again surrounded by her enemies. He might operate with a smile and a laugh, but more than one enemy of House Pravus has underestimated that smile to their downfall. Along those lines, he more recently helped oversee the destruction of the treasonous House Argento, a powerful vassal of House Pravus that was plotting against Duchess Belladonna. Though the nature of his actions are not publicly known, he was rewarded with a Peerage following the conquest of the city-state of Nilanza, being named Count Duarte Amadeo, the Count of Bravura. + |
| Duarte Amedeo + | The third son of a cobbler and his wife, Durate Amedeo had an unremarkable early life, but he did learn extremely important lessons quickly. His father was mysteriously assassinated after he had loudly spoken insults about a merchant prince whose wealth he resented, his eldest brother was killed in a duel, and his second older brother was forced to flee Setarco in a hurry after he insulted the wrong people. These lessons gave Duarte a profound appreciation for the weakness of an uncontrolled temper coupled with a careless mouth, and he quickly decided he would take his life in a rather different direction. Duarte spent time with courtesans and courtiers attempting to appeal to the famously fashionable and charming nobility of Setarco, those who tried desperately to win the approval of House Pravus. Duarte quickly learned that charm and grace was useful and admirable, but what really could win over the nobility was simply useful information acquired through the right words and catching the right whispers. Duarte quickly gained a reputation as a charming young man who knew so much, and soon found himself in the employ of House Pravus itself. He was acting as the ears of the former Duke of Setarco inside Arx, and even joined the Inquisition for a time, using the contacts there to keep the southern house informed of the goings on in the capital. It infuriates Duarte that he was not in Setarco to help Duchess Belladonna when she set her house to rights against plotters and schemers, and he feels more than a little ashamed and frustrated his talents were not in Setarco when it was needed the most. He resigned his post in the Inquisition in order to devote himself once more to House Pravus, redoubling his efforts to insure that the duchess to whom he owes his devotion is never again surrounded by her enemies. He might operate with a smile and a laugh, but more than one enemy of House Pravus has underestimated that smile to their downfall. Along those lines, he more recently helped oversee the destruction of the treasonous House Argento, a powerful vassal of House Pravus that was plotting against Duchess Belladonna. Though the nature of his actions are not publicly known, he was rewarded with a Peerage following the conquest of the city-state of Nilanza, being named Count Duarte Amadeo, the Count of Bravura. + |
| Dulcinea Telmar + | Lady Dulcinea Telmar is the youngest of Duke Arn's children. From the time she could toddle, she was stuck to her brother Ansel and sister Lily like a chubby, determined little burr, throwing appalling tantrums when they would leave her behind on their adventures. All the more reason to become more capable, sooner. She got a pony and a little bow, determined to be the finest horsewoman and archer in any land -- if only so she could go slay dragons with her siblings. In time, she learned there were adventures -- of a sort -- to be had;she enjoyed them, exploring and mischief making with her siblings... but there were no dragons. No call to fell a dire bear at 900 feet. Alas. Too late. The fierce love of riding and the bow, the hunt, was in her bones. The absence of mythic beasts deterred her not at all. By the time she was a young woman, she was well on her way to the goal she'd set with her little bow and pony, but she never thought much of it again. She rides and hunts magnificently but for her own pleasure, usually alone. She adores her siblings and spends time with her family whenever she can. She attends balls and dances and laughs, blithe a spirit as was ever in the world. At night, however, she dreams of the Telmarch and her people. She dreams of the shav raiders, the burned houses, the screaming mothers and the crushed babes. She dreams of war unending, claiming the sons and daughters of every generation. And she yearns to put her bow to better use. + |
| Duncan Hawkmour + | Duncan Hawkmour inherited the House from his father at the age of 22. Eldest of four children, though only one of his brothers and his only sister remain alive, Duncan has been raised to his position from his first breath. Admittedly..he did not always see eye to eye with his father, the most public instance of such disagreement having been around the Tor-Southport War. A war that his father had only desire to stay neutral in. Duncan, friends with Leo, and with a sense of 'right' that gave him no other choice, left to support his friend in the war and eventually his father was forced to declare Hawkmour's full partisanship. Both his parents succumbed to the same sickness, some four years apart, his mother dying not long after Duncan's 18th birthday and his father on the day of his 22nd. His brother, Erik, nearest in age to him died in the Tor-Southport war, leaving him with a brother and sister remaining: Thomas and Sarah. + |
| Dusa Iaso + | Born to a merchant and a physician. Was locally renowned for being deeply in-tune with others, quickly becoming an object of affection during schooling and apprenticeship. Wished to become a chirugeon and apprenticed beneath an old battlefield doctor. During adulthood, received a surprising amount of marriage proposals: All of which were denied. Much to the surprise of Dusa's peers, a sharp intellect gleamed beneath those hazel eyes, taking to learning the medicinal arts rather quickly while under the tutelage of the battle-worn doctor. What followed as a shock to everyone: A sudden wanderlust. Leaving everyone behind in search of something greater, with enough scrolls and tomes tucked away to ply the medical trade wherever needed, affording a transient, yet comfortable life. + |
| Dustin Nidhogg + | Dustin does not know much of his people but he remembers his father, uncles, his aunts, siblings, and his mother. The way they wore the dirt on their skin and walked the earth barefoot from island to island. Always on the move, it was crucial that he and all of those in his family knew how to haggle and while Dustin was too young at the time to hold any real responsibility, the children of the family were always kept close for them to learn. They found the hospitality of a mountainous clan who unknown to them were amidst a dispute with Donrai's Thrax over ownership of a neighboring mining colony. Overextending themselves, the Clan attacked the mining colony only to be wiped out by Thrax's retribution. Dustin's family found themselves caught in between the two, unable to get away. Those that were not killed, were thralled and put to work in the mines. From a child to an adult, this was Dustin's life. He rose up before the sun and left home after nightfall. Living hard sharpen Dustin and made his skin thick but even when he could barely afford a candle a night, he worked on his mind, engineering ways to make their life easier. He was rewarded with more books and the more he read, the more he yearned for the world and to be outside in the sun. He used his strength to compete among the other thralls and their wardens, knowing that fighting in the pit was the only real way of leaving this life behind because you either left in a coffin or were savage enough for an Islander noble to take notice of you. Still young, he established himself as an up and comer, only for the fight of his life to be canceled after the news of the abolishment of Thralldom reached their colony. Unable to support itself, the mining colony collapsed and the miners were given the option of taking some silver as reparation and a free boat ride to Arx. Knowing that someone like him had work anywhere, he took the silver and left his old life behind, hoping to learn more about designing and smithing to make a profession and a name for himself. + |
| Dycard Blackshore + | Lord Dycard Blackshore was born in between the oldest, Romulius, and his baby sister, Skye. As second born, he was expected to follow in his brother's shadow, knowing that he was a spare to the heir. At least that was his father's ambitions since Baron Oswald Blackshore never married and produced any official heirs. He enjoyed the life of a noble, getting the best education and exposed to many exotic places since his father was always traveling as the Naval Architect to House Thrax. He took his family with him so the young boy spent more time on the rolling planks than in a drawing room. Of course being exposed to so many places, so many different people gave Dycard a chance to observe and read other's motives. Dycard was close this mother, preferring her gentle ways than the harsh, exacting standards of his father. Nothing was ever good enough for Cornelius, and unlike Romulius, Dycard didn't bother to try to fit into his father's expectations. Instead he adopted a devil-may-care attitude that just infuriated his father. When his father would drag the family to Blackshore Isle to curry favor with their mad uncle, Dycard would turn on his charm even if the face of that vicious brute's callousness. When things would get too difficult, he would let his older brother come in and play the shield. There were many times that Romulius took a belt meant for him and there's guilt there for letting his brother take on so much. When their mother fell ill, Dycard did his best to help his sister care for her. Skye had the lighter hand but he could bring in the water and help tend to the nastier infections. His skilled hands that could lightly hold a sword were adept at also holding physician's tools of the many doctors that Cornelius sought at the different ports for his ailing wife. Finally, when Florence became too much of a burden, his father dumped his mother and Skye with that mad uncle, Oswald. Dycard was horrified but there was little he could do to help either. He was trapped just as Romulius was to continue on at sea with the cold man he called father. The occasional visits he got with his mother and sister made him angry and even more frustrated because he could tell that Oswald didn't treat them well. His reckless behavior got him into more than one scrap, but with his brother at his side, he feared nothing. It was them against the world, even their father. When their ship was attacked and their father decided to save his own skin, the two brothers learned to depend on each other even more. Captured by pirates, thrown in the brig, it was a horrible ordeal that the young man refuses to discuss. However, there's a gleam in his eyes when he talks about the last years that Dycard had his lean on his own charm and natural dexterity to avoid death many times. He even took up reaving with his captors, using his skills at the blade to keep his brother's stubborn honor from getting both of them killed. It wasn't until Romulius managed to escape from these bastards that Dycard was no longer blackmailed in serving these pirates. He was able to jump ship and make his way home. + |
| Dylan Coldrain + | As the oldest of many siblings Dylan took life seriously as a child, learning to be a sailor just like his father and his father before him, and so on, but it didn't take Dylan long to realize that I was not what he wanted to do with his life. So, against the wishes of his father Dylan went off adventuring to find just where he wanted to be in life. It didn't take Dylan long to discover it. Alcohol. Brewing it, more specifically. He ran into a brewmaster in his travels across the Compact lands and from him Dylan learned how to make a variety of drinks. It proved to be quite the enjoyment for him. His training to be a sailor, at least the strength, came in handy for lifting the heavy barrels to move them to storage and what not. Dylan spent much of his adult life training in brewing so that he could be an expert at it. Once he learned all he could from his mentor Dylan travelled once more, learning different styles of brewing and learning of the land to best know what would optimize his brews. During these travels he met the woman who would eventually marry. It was just after she had been freed from Thralldom, still a child. She was timid and content to hide in a little corner sewing. Sheena. At the time she had no name but she was eventually adopted by Coldrains. It took him many months just to get into her affections. He knew very well she did not talk much, if at all, of her relationship with him. So, his convincing her to marry him took several months. It was not that she objected to him or his desire to wed her, it was her extreme shines and timidness. Eventually, though, he reached her enough to get her to agree. As in it was just days before he decided to join her in Arx. September 1009. That is when he finally wed her . He met her in the Mourning Isles to make it happen then joined her in Arx. + |
E | |
| Eamon Darkwater + | A distant cousin of the Darkwater Family, distant enough to be considered fully out of the line of succession, Eamon was left on his own to come up with a way to make a living. Enrolling in the Navy, his connections let him rise through the ranks quickly - backed by his sharp mind and keen ability to turn conflicts around. As he was trusted with greater and greater command, his aptitude only grew, and soon word started to spread about the man, with many nicknames given - but none seeming to stick. He seemed to have hit the height of his progression without formal rank right before the Pirate King appeared and the war began in earnest. Darkwater Watch was ravaged. Even Eamon's mind wasn't enough to pull out a miracle, and when he found his ship surrounded, there was nothing he could do but barely manage to survive on a piece of driftwood until he was picked up by a passing merchant ship. But out of chaos, opportunity arises. With Darkwater's ranks severely depleted, his opportunities have skyrocketed, and so Eamon heads to Arx to make the connections needed to make his family strong once more. + |
| Echo Redrain + | Echo was born into a large family, the youngest of five and fourth of four daughters. She idolized her older siblings, who doted upon her in turn. She became a steady fixture in their lives, a constant loyal shadow trailing them from dawn until dusk. The sound of her tiny feet pattering behind them from room to room became commonplace. None of her siblings can agree upon which of them first called her Echo, but Echo -- their constant following companion -- she remained. From Amarantha she learned the importance of doubt. That nothing should be taken at face value and that the world can be more cruel and dark than a child could imagine. From Astraea she learned the value of kindness. That in a world brimming with pain and injustice, kindness is a rare strength and, more than that, a duty. Apollis taught her that life is short and deserved to be enjoyed. He taught that all things should be questioned. Her eldest sister Avaline's influence left her with a sense of determination and the motivation to never back down in the face of defeat. So it was no surprise to anyone when she answered the call to take up arms like her sisters. Nor was it startling when she eventually came to love and marry a northern man. Tragically, like, the majority of her siblings, her marital happiness was short-lived. Within half a year of their wedding, her husband lost his life on a wilderness scouting mission. The world can be cruel. But when the months of mourning had passed and the sun rose for her again, Echo stepped back out into the world determined more than ever to be stronger and kinder than it could be cruel. + |
| Ectorion Valardin + | The fifth child of a Valardin branch family, to say that Ectorion was far down in the line of succession would be a fairly extreme understatement. His mother Lyllindyl Valardin was of a scholarly disposition though, and in addition to the traditional Knightly training, he received a strong education, particularly in the subjects of mathematics and engineering, for which he showed a strong affinity. His life seemed destined for the scholarly pursuits, and his contribution to his family likely to be in that field. But, like so many people, war changed the course of his life forever. In his twentieth year, the coming of the Bringers of Silence called him from his designs and calculations, and to the battle lines of the growing conflict. His skill turned out to be formidable, and he distinguished himself on the battlefield. Tragedy was to strike though, for while he was away from Valardin lands, he lost his childhood friend and betrothed, Allissa. The death of his beloved had a deep and profound impact on the young Knight, and many claim that it is what made him the quietly brooding man he is today. When Prince Edain called for volunteers to reinforce the greatly reduced ranks of the King's Own, Ectorion stepped forth and went into the service of the King more directly, where he served during the events of the Siege. He was among those who stood upon the bridge with Dame Leona, when the Master of Questions made a bid to grab power, fearlessly fighting at her side. It was after that battle that his 'loan' service with the King's Own became formal, as Edain released him from his oath and he took the oath of the King's Own. + |
| Edain Valardin + | Edain is a knight. For all his life, that is all he dreamed of being and all he dedicated his training towards, and he never imagined he would be anything more than another proud knight in the service of his family. True, he was born the son of the high lord of House Valardin, the ruler of all the Oathlands and one of the five greatest nobles in the land. But he was born as a fourth child and he was quietly grateful that he was so far from the crushing responsibility of rule, that he could embrace the simple purity of service with a sword and that he could win glory and honor in the name of his house. That he could be a knight. That was before the Tragedy at Sanctum. Edain didn't truly grasp how easy his life was before the attack, the popular and handsome prince that had no greater designs than serving as a knight. He never imagined that he could one day rule. He never imagined that his elder siblings and parents could all be slain in one devastating attack that would leave him as the new high lord, the Prince of Sanctum. He never spent a day training for the possibility, never joined his elder brother in all the lessons from his father on how to properly rule or to deal with House Valardin's vassals, he never even expected to sit upon the Assembly of Peers and watch the political turmoil of the Realm. Then all at once, in one bloody night, it was his responsibility. His duty. He wishes it was not so. He never wished to rule, he never wanted the responsibility or burden of leadership, but it is his now and he takes his obligations seriously. He'll lead House Valardin to the best of his abilities and try to become better with each passing day. He just wished that the confidence he felt as a swordsman extended to how he felt as a ruler. + |
| Edda Greenwood + | Enigmatic when it comes to her past, Edda was originally an Abandoned tribesman from the darkest parts of the Deepwood Marches; before the era of tribal integration with the nobles and citizens of the Twainfort, she lived a solitary lifestyle as a ranger in the ancient forests there. Once the tribes began the slow work of coming to terms with their new standing, she stood with them even though she may have chosen to remain an unknown. The matter was bigger than any one person, and she understood this quite well; though standing alongside her tribesmen, this didn't mean that she was eager to leave her home nor assimilate to the lifestyle at the Twainfort. Alliance aside, Edda remained a ranger, living and working from the forests until there came a reason to leave; that reason came in the form of her lord at the Twainfort. A visitation by another ranger tuned her in to the search for guards at the seat of Riven house. In the beginning she was passingly interested-- curious enough to go to the city and seek out more information. Tribal unrest alongside the citizens of the Riverlands was still an issue, thanks to so many years of the latter driving off the former. There was still much work to be done. Seeing that for herself, Edda felt inspired to help to change it. Perceptions and interaction were everything, and though she was by nature lonesome, it never meant a lack of compassion. It only ever meant that she had yet to find a place to direct it. Inspired by the path of her people and stirred by the need for a bridge between them, Edda joined the house guard; though at the time lacking in certain training, she was a large survivor with a gentler soul than her frame might suggest, and this would lend itself greatly to her finding an ability to make connections with others. Learning the finer points of guardsmanship would come with time-- what led her there was neither power nor influence, but the desire to help in holding some semblance of cornerstones on massive shoulders. As time moved on she became accustomed to the role, rising steadily through ranks until she became the head of guard for the Riven House.. It meant hard work, but it also meant that for years she worked alongside citizens of the Twainfort in keeping them safe. She was regarded as a trusted figure, despite her origins as a tribal Prodigal. Wherever the riverlands found its banners called, Edda followed. + |
| Eddard Clement + | Every family needs their blacksheep, and Eddard comes from the Clement branch's black sheet. It's said that SOMEWHERE in this particular branch a great-grandma had a one night stand with a family that eventually left the Compact. It was never something said openly to Eddard's face, but family gatherings always had a few whispers about the not-so-secret shame. It was in that shadow that Eddard grew up. From an early age he decided that if the family was going to expect the worst from him anyway, he might as well deliver. While most Clements are hardworking and diligent, Eddard went firmly to the other end. He drinks more than one cup of wine at dinner and does everything he can to get out of //work//. During one work-dodging session he quite by accident stumbled onto a true talent with music. He found himself a halfway decent teacher and actually applied himself for once. Working with both voice and lute Eddard carved himself out another niche within the family. Everyone enjoyed a bit of music in the gatherings and thus some of the black sheep whispering faded out. When news of strange Uncle Norwood's new barony, Eddard seized on it as his chance to escape the rural life and head to Arx. There he can accomplish a few goals. First, never touch another beehive. Second, seek out a real teacher to help him foster his musical talent. Finally, enjoy the pleasures of Arx. + |
| Edelma Pierce + | Edelma was born the daughter of a commoner knight, a riding valkyrie in service to the Sannas. There were rumors, especially due to a few suggestive lines of facial structure, that her father was not actually her father, but the rumors of her bastardy were never brought to the fore as anything more than whispers, in part because her father and her mother seemed to love each other so devotedly, and more, because they never seemed to love the March's family any less. If there was something there, it never caused any kind of rift between their families. It was at her parents' hands that she received her first training, and as she grew, she showed a natural inclination for weapons and along with a natural bravery that made it supremely easy for her to join the scouts of the snows riding out as soon as she was old enough in service. The old Sword of Giant's Reach, Sir Jolor, was an institution of the mountains, essentially, a man who had held the post so long that few could imagine anyone else in it. Young and fierce, Edelma found his years rendered him too slow to act in defense of the House. Generally he was left alone while other, younger knights did the real work of defending Giant's Reach, but the passivity of this position was too much for Edelma. In one battle with a tribe of Shav'Arvani on the mountainside, Edelma saved Jolor's life by fighting off two who were attacking him and covering his retreat. When they were alone, she demanded his recognition of her bold act, and out of shame that so young (26!) and comparatively small a fighter (a full foot shorter than he) had so plainly surpassed him, he refused. Edelma challenged him to a duel for the insult to her pride and defeated him handily. After he lost this public duel, Jolor knelt before her and asked March Cirroch to transfer his ancestral Sword to Edelma. It was done, and she took the role with pride and strength, and began working to train young squires and knights of the March into a squad to follow her into battle and share the Sword's acclaim. She called them the Axes of Giant's Reach, and they became among the most loyal young fighters in the March. + |
| Edith Foxwood + | Unsurprisingly, Edith grew up in a small town outside Bastion-- near a particular patch of forest known for housing plenty of foxes. Her family was hunters and trappers for generations, doing the quiet work of commoners. Their furs and meats were sold to merchants, and the family rarely saw cause to go to the bigger towns and cities. They were content in the woods. Edith joined the discipleship of Petrichor as young as she could, diving head first into the work expected of her. The Silent War tore almost everything from her. Edith's entire family was wiped out when the Silent Army swept towards Arx, and she immediately swore herself to the Gods and the Faith. She's been serving ever since, moving wherever she's needed without hesitation or complaint. There's no longer a reason for her to stay in the woods outside Bastion, and after the fall of that great city and reclamation, she's finally found herself in Arx. + |
| Edris Elwood + | Growing up as a second child of a third child in a small county of the North, Edris had duties to keep him busy, but his personal aspirations were largely his own, without the weight of impending rule. As a result, he was able to largely focus his education and activities on that which he was most inclined. An avid outdoorsman and capable leader, he seemed to have the workings of an excellent ranger; though when his father died when Edris was in his late teens, his focus naturally fell to stepping into a more traditional path that he felt would honor him--he was knighted in his late adolescence and then served capably within the patrols and defenses as well as military campaigns both in and out of the Northlands; and when left to his own devices, spent many days or weeks wandering, hunting, and bringing back trinkets and treasures to his sister, cousins, and lady mother as he always had, a way to use solitude and communion with the mountains and wilds to heal some of the echoes of un-unseeable things of war, as well as a way to keep tabs on the local shav'arvani, with his trusted companions. About 5 years ago his mother and Lord Acorn Hill negotiated a marriage contract for his sister Elin to marry Lord Rylan Moore, it was Edris that was chosen to accompany her south, first to visit his father's family, the Keatons, while Elin and Rylan courted. He fit in well with his sister's soon to be family; there were new wild places to explore, after all. New bands of shavs and prodigals to learn about. A beloved sister to see happily settled. Keaton cousins to become reacquainted with. And increasingly, a camaraderie amongst the Acorn Hill Moores as well. He was invited to stay longer, all the better to cement the new bond between houses, both due to his parents' marriage and the new one with the Moores. After six months, news of his mother's sudden illness had him making his way home, when word reached him on his travels of the slaughter at Acorn Hill. Nearly mad with worry, he rushed back, only to find that she and her new husband and many of those he'd enjoyed getting to know slain. His deep and near-destructive grief was only compounded when he learned that his mother had also died of her illness soon after he received word of it at all; but rather than drown his sorrows in drink or other vices, he threw himself completely into helping to lead what remained of the scattered and decimated forces, aiding in the rebuilding efforts of the remaining family, hunting down of likely perpetrators or shavs trying to take advantage of the weakness. It was grueling, uphill work, but those underneath him thrived under his leadership, and both houses continued to benefit from a bond. It might have been cemented by another marriage, his own, to one of the surviving Moores. But plans for that died the night the rest of the surviving family was butchered while he was away ranging, hunting down the location of another group of shavs who had been a thorn in the side of one of the villages. Deep in yet another round of grief, and needing to work though what surely must have felt like yet another failure, he immersed himself in yet more work. He had built a strong relationship with many of the commoners there, especially the youngest survivors of the initial massacre at Acorn Hill over the years. He continued to range and considered renouncing his title and joining the faith. But the kinship he now felt in this land not of his birth stayed his hand as he wrestled with what to do. The answer came not from his prayers, or the quiet and calm of the forest but from a missive waiting for him at the inn he'd taken up residence at. It did not come with an offered hand of a wife, but he was given the opportunity to keep fulfilling the promises between houses first made those four years ago, and join the new Barony of Elwood. He had been serving the people there out of grief and honor--now he would be able to honor the names of his sister and friends that spilled their blood on these lands by being claimed as one of their own, Lord Edris Elwood, Sword of Arden. + |
| Edward Redreef + | While at times I might consider them half-wits that is only the perspective of someone from the family than it is a reflection of the truth. Or perhaps they are a whole wit together. That would be the more logical perspective to have on the pair at times. It is not like Ember and Marina are easily separated - given that they are twins of course. Now oftentimes I try to be the wise older cousin, given that I'm one of the few people who seem to get along with them. And perhaps it is for this reason I pen this letter while rocking back and forth on this rickety ship on my short journey to answer their summons of me. Whatever could they want, of which I have only guesses. My best guess is one or both of them have almost certainly gotten themselves in trouble with a magistrate and need me to talk their way out of it. Now of course one might wonder why I might rush to the aid of two cousins I might possibly maybe consider a whole wit with both of them put together. It is not out of familial duty or love. Perhaps a little of it, but more because I crave an adventure and those two have a knack for finding something. That something is often trouble but they may just happenstance upon an adventure. And if nothing else I'll have interesting stories to tell when I'm infirm and unable to remember to get up to hit the privy and soil the bed for whatever caretaker suffers through my final years. It is a tragedy of course their father died. Perhaps their summons is about this. Or maybe its about the the fact that they are in this limbo of inheritance and they need a man for the sake of appearances. Oh wouldn't that be quite delightful. A house steward might be a good job for me in the shortterm. Lets me make use of my skills at procurement and topics of discussions on which I get to use the silver tongue mother said I was gifted with. And the call to land has been sounded. Surely I will maintain my dignity as I get off this rickety bucket that leaks more than a chef's sieve and has more bung holes than a vintner's cellar. + |
| Edward Stormbreak + | Dwindling in familial size, the Redreefs were not a populous House, having lost a great many of its members to piracy, accidents, and murder over the years; leaving just Tiberius and his brother - the former Baron of Redreef. Tiberius' marriage to Martha, a merchant with the power of a lord, brought in a merchant fleet to the House to help increase its economic weight, and to try and shed House Redreef of some of its pirate past. + |
| Edwyn Valardin + | A cousin fairly far down the line of succession, Edwyn hasn't accomplished anything feast-worthy since birth, save perhaps for that time he'd managed to eat twenty bacon muffins the fastest. Like most of his kin, he was behooved to partake of the knightly tradition although despite his physical talent he has no particular love for the art of war, disdaining the troubles of hard campaign and the chore of having to chase down Shavs. %T Fortunately, he's been saved from further responsibility in Sanctum to find instead his own calling in Arx. He doesn't exactly know what it'll be, but who knows. It could be books, adventure, love, storytelling, getting shitfaced in the other wards, anything except counting coins for the Valardin and riding out in patrol, please, Edwyn's happy enough without that. + |
| Egil Frost + | Born amidst the beautific rose-gold arches and stone masonry of Stonedeep, Egil was orphaned, or, perhaps, abandoned -- he was never really sure -- to a life of filth, squalor, and blood. Wading clear of it didn't come easy, especially as an orphan, and were it not for the conjunction of his scrappy cunning, wanton savagery, and the favoring of fortune, he may well have never acceded to adulthood. It was in his teens that he first found his calling, earning coin by acting as servant to mercenaries, bands of men dedicated to wiping out troublesome villages of Shav'Arvani. The heat of combat soon propelled him from a mere servant to a fighter in his own right, and he earned his keep in adulthood by hunting and claiming bounties. While tracking a particularly problematic group of blood-drinking Shav'Arvani, he encountered Duchess Nadia Nightgold. After a dispute with the Duchess regarding his rights to claim the bounty he'd been hunting, they came to terms, and he aided her in tracking down the remnants of the tribe. Offering him handsome pay, she invited him to travel to Arx and enter her service. + |
| Egon Maw + | Born to a rather poor family on the Mourning Isles, Egon had spent his youth as a sickly boy, incapable of aiding his family in much of their day-to-day living. The family was large; his four siblings had quickly learned to take care of themselves and eventually forged their own paths with some of them, namely his brother Maris, following the path of their fisherman turned sellsword father. Egon had kept to himself during his youth, looking inward rather than outward for inspiration. As days turned to years, he had eventually grown out of his sickly phase into a relatively hale individual and spent the majority of his teens at home, taking up various practices and disciplines in an attempt to aid his destitute mother. Life was difficult on the Isles, and, coupled with his odd appearance, it was made isolating. Despite it all, he had learned a great deal from its harsh lessons. After a time, his mother had decided that he needed to leave for Arx with the hope that he could find a better life there than what was available to him. + |
| Eilonwy Blackwood + | Raised in a small tribe allied to the Blackwoods, Eilonwy grew up learning the ways of the wild. For the most part her family and the tribe survived the squabbles and land struggles between tribes. When Brand began his recruiting in the north her tribe and family were slaughtered down to a few men and woman. That was the first she ever held a blade. The Blackwoods took in the last of her people and ultimately they all bent knee together to the Crovane. + |
| Eilonwy Thunderoak + | Raised in a small tribe allied to the Blackwoods, Eilonwy grew up learning the ways of the wild. For the most part her family and the tribe survived the squabbles and land struggles between tribes. When Brand began his recruiting in the north her tribe and family were slaughtered down to a few men and woman. That was the first she ever held a blade. The Blackwoods took in the last of her people and ultimately they all bent knee together to the Crovane. + |
| Einarr Charon + | Einarr is the last of the Bjornkrigare shav clan, called the Bearwarriors,a warrior clan who worship the bear and fight with nearly no regard to themselves. They are the masters of the bjorn svettes, an alchemical mixture of narcotics and stimulants that allows the warriors to feel no pain during battle. They train in the snow and ice to toughen their bodies, and are trained from a very young age. His particular clan was wiped out while he was a young man of 15 and he has been on his own ever since. Einarr was found by Tigarus Charon in his travels, he was near mortally wounded in a battle with dire wolves in the wilds of the Northlands. Einarr, in debt for owing his life to Tigarus, has pledged himself to House Charon. + |
| Eiran Laurent + | Eiran grew up without much expectation of responsibility: a child of privilege and wealth, a child of parents who were also children of privilege and wealth. He never found much interest in duty, for all the workhorse reputation of his family and the long line of duty-bound Oathlanders that surrounded them. As a boy, he liked to play. As a young man, he still liked to play. He was only middling in most areas of his education because he was irresolute and lacked focus, and no one really forced him to be attentive to any of his lessons. The only area of his real focus was one of his tutors, who instructed him in language and the arts, and he primarily was interested there because the said tutor was _incredibly attractive_. He became fascinated with love as game and machination and source of artistry, and the courtly ballad, sonnet, and the kind of magic that comes in the right word in the right place became his study. That was how he ended up becoming a Devotion of Limerance. It was another infatuation that encouraged him to apply himself to the art of the sword -- really, the art of the mace and shield, a satisfying and pounding combination with a heavy crack of one on the other -- and really that has been the entire pattern of Eiran's life: ridiculous crush on someone, throw himself whole-heartedly into a new life path. Who knows what will come next? Maybe one day he'll fall in love in a direction that encourages him to make the most of himself. You never know, right? + |
| Eirene Malvici + | Malvici's sons and daughters are usually raised as warriors. Eirene is no different although she found a different path- Eirene was tutored in the usual martial arts and strategy as all her kin, younger sister to Adona and aunt to the current Duke. She found her passion for medicine at eleven years of age after a sparring partner broke his leg and the surgeons reset it. The sight of blood didn't repulse her and the fact he could walk again afterward impressed on her the usefulness of the skill. She began her studies then; medicine being less a science and more a skill. Clean wounds heal faster than bloody ones. Maggots will eat dead tissue. Leeches can help in -some- cases when blood pools in a bruise. Stitches can mean the difference between healing or losing a limb- and she wasn't afraid to take a leg if it was the best way to save the patient. Southport's medicinal gardens became a second home. And the war with the Fidantes was all the hands on training she would ever need. Eirene does not care for the politics her nephew the Duke has to muddle through. She's never been approached by the family to marry and by all accounts doesn't take lovers. Intimacy isn't something she can afford. Nor is her persona conductive to sweet courtship and romance; she's a jaded curmudgeon of a woman who will laugh at a funeral and roll her eyes at a wedding. She dislikes nobility who coast by on the deeds of dead ancestors and don't respect and care for the peasants and serfs under them. Eirene oversees the training of new field medics for Malvici's standing army and ensures each is as capable a soldier as they are a physician. After all- who is to say that field hospitals won't be attacked? And those who know how to heal often know how to do the most harm... + |
| Eirik Coldrain + | {/Eirik was born to a common family on the 23rd day of the 8th month. He's never been a stranger to war and combat. In all honesty his father died in a battle serving as a sell sword to a ship in some thraxian fleet or another. Eirik was to young to know or remember.{/A few years later as Eirik started getting closer to adulthood his mother died too leaving him alone and broke. Like his father he had skill with a sword, but as of yet was unproven in battle and let's face it no one hires an unproven swordsman. So he set off on his way trying to make some coin some how. After weeks and months of barely being able to break even or eat some weeks he finally made a tough decision.{/Eirik voluntarily became a thrall in Kennex lands. It gave him steady work food and a place to live. Let's face it when it came down to it he didn't think it was all that bad. He stayed a Thrall for quite some years before Kennex decided to just up and "free" all the Thralls. Eirik was angry he didn't want to have to go back out into the world and find some way to earn his living again after all it didn't work so well for him the first time. It was during this time, during his anger and rage that Sameera found him. She took Eirik in and let him take the name Coldrain. Now he's attempting to make his way and a living learning how not to be just a Thrall.{/ + |
| Eirlys Greenmarch + | Eirlys has been used to a life of independence and a measure of self-sufficiency for as long as she can remember. Her mother died when she was little more than a babe in arms, and with her father having suffered crippling injuries in a battle a number of years prior, she was allowed to run a little wild and largely decided for herself the path that her life should take. As befitting a resident of the Greenwood, she learned the use of a blade, and fervently defended her clan's home from those who might seek to usurp the lands they had held for centuries. Yet, while is proud of her heritage, she saw only opportunity when the Greenmarch Abandoned bent the knee in fealty. She had always been fascinated by the idea of the city of Arx and loved any stories that she heard about what life was like there. Now, she gets to see for herself the reality of the place, fully embracing this new adventure and prepared to realize all the potential she believes she was born to - without ever forgetting who she is. + |
| Eithne Thornburn + | Being one of seven children has its challenges. For starters, if you're not the oldest or the youngest, you might end up blending somewhere in the middle. Eithne blended into the mix for many of her formative years until she decided enough was enough. Her mother always wanted her girls to pick up a trade and be skilled. Her father didn't seem to care what they wanted to do. When Eithne decided on following in her father's footsteps, it irritated her mother who doesn't think a woman's place is in a forge but her father couldn't be more thrilled. He took her under his wing and showed her everything he knew. A father couldn't be more proud of his child when Eithne not only learned the trade but excelled. It wasn't long before Eithne was showing her old man a few tricks of the trade. Born and bred in Arx, Eithne's family the Thornburn's are from the Upper Boroughs. Her siblings are all pretty successful in their own ways. These days, Eithne has herself a great clientele of customers who live and breathe in their armor. She's even secured a few who are daring enough to be 'guinea pigs' for some prototypes she's been working on. Nothing concrete yet, nothing that she can actually sell or market, but at least she's innovative! I comparison to most young women her age, Eithne isn't interested in marriage or children at the moment. She's very focused and driven on her career. There are so many other more important things to do than to be tied down, barefoot and pregnant. For example, learning how to fight and competing in amateur competitions or spending all night playing cards at the local tavern. + |
| Elara Helios + | Life for Elara has been full of loss and pain. Born the bastard child of a minor nobleman of House Thrax, she was quickly given up by her prodigal mother. Elara does not know much about her birth mother, just that she was formerly a Northern Shav and an entertainer in Port Stormbreak. Though she was given up by her mother as a babe, Elara was not raised by her disgraced father. Instead he 'fostered' her with a Kennex noble and his wife. The couple's family being quite huge, they were nowhere in line for inheritance nor did they have a need, or want, for children. The only reason they took Elara was because of the shame created by her father, and wishing to avoid the dishonor on the rest of the family. Raised as more of a nuisance than a wanted child, Elara quickly learned the art of being silent. The girl had a keen mind and enjoyed reading. And since it kept her out of their hair they encouraged it. She also had a talented gift for embroidery. And that was a thing her foster mother and she bonded, though slightly, over. At the age of 17 her father arranged a marriage to a much older Kennex man out in the Mourning Isles. The wedding was on her birthday, the day she turned 18, and she tried to be happy. They left for his holdings in the Mourning Isles the morning after. Not ten months later she had her first child. And her first loss. The baby girl was born blue and still. Elara, however, managed quite well despite having few people to confide in on the remote holding. Unfortunately this would not change much over the next few years. Their next child survived their first year, a boy, who was named Erik, till a horrid fever took him. It would have been soul-crushing to many, but Elara held up strong. Never seeming to break even though she lost five children total, most in their first year of life, during her marriage. The most recent loss, two years ago, was a miscarriage at five months when someone poisoned both her and her husband. Her husband perished and she suffered for several months the effects of the lingering poison, but eventually recovered. Widowed as she was and free of needing to stay in the Mourning Isles she returned to Port Stormbreak and the closest thing to family she had, the Kennex. Yet with the approaching horrors and the problems at sea she has, with others of the house, retreated to the safety of Arx. While it is not her first visit to the city, it has been some time. Elara has found herself to be of use to her house using her talents with needle and thread. + |
| Elara Kennex + | Life for Elara has been full of loss and pain. Born the bastard child of a minor nobleman of House Thrax, she was quickly given up by her prodigal mother. Elara does not know much about her birth mother, just that she was formerly a Northern Shav and an entertainer in Port Stormbreak. Though she was given up by her mother as a babe, Elara was not raised by her father, Baron Dorian Helios, the Baron of Helion Rock. Instead he 'fostered' her with a Kennex noble and his wife, an old ally of her father's from the Tyde Rebellion days. The couple's family being quite huge, they were nowhere in line for inheritance nor did they have a need, or want, for children. Baron Dorian was childless besides her, and with Thrax succession at the time precluding women from rule, there was concern that if he fully legitimized her, that she would be used by another house to try to take Helion Rock after his death. Raised as more of a nuisance than a wanted child, Elara quickly learned the art of being silent. The girl had a keen mind and enjoyed reading. And since it kept her out of their hair they encouraged it. She also had a talented gift for embroidery. And that was a thing her foster mother and she bonded, though slightly, over. At the age of 17 her father arranged a marriage to a much older Kennex man out in the Mourning Isles, both to get her far from any succession issues and to stifle criticism of him by the Faith that made it extremely difficult for the man to rule when he failed in his responsibilities as a father. The wedding was on her birthday, the day she turned 18, and she tried to be happy. They left for his holdings in the Mourning Isles the morning after. Not ten months later she had her first child. And her first loss. The baby girl was born blue and still. Elara, however, managed quite well despite having few people to confide in on the remote holding. Unfortunately this would not change much over the next few years. Their next child survived their first year, a boy, who was named Erik, till a horrid fever took him. It would have been soul-crushing to many, but Elara held up strong. Never seeming to break even though she lost five children total, most in their first year of life, during her marriage. The most recent loss, two years ago, was a miscarriage at five months when someone poisoned both her and her husband. Her husband perished and she suffered for several months the effects of the lingering poison, but eventually recovered. Widowed as she was and free of needing to stay in the Mourning Isles she returned to Port Stormbreak and the closest thing to family she had, the Kennex. Yet with the approaching horrors and the problems at sea she has, with others of the house, retreated to the safety of Arx. While it is not her first visit to the city, it has been some time. Elara has found herself to be of use to her house using her talents with needle and thread. + |
| Eleanor Allenatore + | She was born on a ship, a trading vessel of the Velenosa. Her mother was a sailor who loved nothing as much as she loved the sea. Her father was a sailor too, and though her parents were rarely together, still they made what time for her that they could, when both ships happened to be in the same port or when there was time for her to run from one port to the other for a visit. But as much as she loved the sound of the waves and the gentle rocking of the ships on which she and her mother worked, she knew early on she was destined for something else. For aslong as she can remember she has wanted to be a Knight. And not just any Knight - a Knight sworn to protect the King, one of the Silver Swords. She doesn't remember the bulk of her early years, but she remembers the first moment when she saw them marching by, their armor gray against the blue sky as they protected the King. In fact, she measures her life by these defining moments - her first sight of the King's Own was followed by watching the tournament where Dayne Valardin won the title of Lord Commander. Then not long after that, she watched as Princess Leona Thrax was escorted to the edges of the Thrax holdings and turned out, no longer a Princess so that she could join the King's Own. At fourteen she walked with her mother to the gates of Crownguard Tower, and held her breath waiting for the answer to her demands to be let in to train. And she remembered the weight of the belt and chain, the moment the legendary sword of the King's Own dubbed her a Knight, the pride swelling in her chest. Her father was killed in the Tragedy of the Harbor when a third of the Thrax vessels were pulled down into the water. He would never see her be a Knight, but she knows he was proud of her. And still there is her mother, grief-stricken but safe, still comforted by the love of the sea and refusing to make a more permanent home near her only daughter. Even so, the King's Own is the family she longed for and she has vowed to be the best Knight she can be, no matter what it takes. + |
| Eleyna Velenosa + | Eleyna Velenosa started her life as just another Princess in a very large family, destined to be offered in marriage to create treaties between the House of her birth and its chosen allies. With no living mother and a mostly disinterested father, she was at the mercy of her ambitious aunt. Three times, she served in such a role. Three times, it ended in tragedy. Even the most spotless reputation cannot withstand the rumors that accompany three dead husbands. In the Lyceum, they called her the Black Widow of Lenosia. They sought to shame her for the tragedies that befell her. Eleyna took an insult meant to humiliate her and turned it into something to fear. If they wanted her to be a spider, she would be a spider. It was the spider's machinations that brought her to Arx in the wake of the King's Rest. That same spider built webs to climb from disgraced Princess to valued Voice and, eventually, all the way to the Grand Duchess' throne. It's amazing how power seems to wash away the sins of past. So, while the sharp mind and ambitious nature remain, the Black Widow is no more now that Eleyna has both remarried and ascended to the pinnacle of power within her House and within the Lyceum. Lenosia is the City of Flowers, so it makes sense that Eleyna would be the White Lily, the palest of blooms but also the one symbolizing rebirth for her and her people. + |
| Elfriede Waters + | Born across a salty shore of Thraxian domain, for the longest of whiles; for the lengthiest passings of time as child, Elfriede only knew salt. And blood. She was peddled around as child like useful product when her known-parents were slaughtered beneath a raid after having survived many from a ship of black and crimson colors on a serpentine stretch for sigil. Too young to serve as an adult, yet too old to be flung into the sea as burden, she was raised in a kitchenette jury rigged together beneath the quarterdeck of a Thraxian boat. Made to wash, clean and rinse the dirt of sailors since she has known memory, with callouses to speak of it, when time begun to develop her the few remaining women in the ever-dwindling kitchen of the declining pirate coordination smuggled her back inland; back into the several holdfasts that stand at the feet of the Maelstrom. Life in the Mourning Islands was hard. She no longer cleaned for anything other than herself, but food; but production and want for a thrall of so-few skills then made her a target - it made her a victim - and victimization became her life in such teen years while living in a society where the hope of end's meet came at the expense and compromise of her values. What few she had left. Inevitably, violence returned to her life. And it did so in storm- she worked the streets as thief and eyes alike; she shared her perceptiveness with those that'd dare purchase it. Experience taught her the networked ecosystem of 'knowing' - and through this knowing she thrived as young as she was. In this life of humble burglary, she finally came upon a man; an old, hardy Knight born in the Oathlands. Happenings led them to strike an odd friendship, for none would dare claim they fit. He called her squire. They travelled long, and left the lands of Thrax together to reach the capital under the care of this knightly old thing. Age took him from her not too short after arrival beneath the wary trip, and Elfriede now finds herself roaming the streets in search of purpose, like one too many. + |
| Elgana Redrain + | The younger daughter of a lesser line of a royal House has obligations, different obligations than those closer to the hot seat of the actual Prince(ss) of the Northlands, but obligations nonetheless. Elgana was trained to be a proper lady, but as a young girl found ways to approach at a gentle skew; not so far askew as her older sister, a human battering ram and spear warrior, nor so dedicated as some of her family who seemed to take to heart that it was duty and to the matter born. Yet if you are supposed to learn to dance, why not learn to make your own choroegraphy? If you are supposed to learn needlework, why not stitch up a banner that looks like it is oozing blood from every corner? If you have to learn history, why not write parody filks of ancient ballads and leave them lying around in ambush for your instructors? If you need to learn to ride, why not insist on sleeping overnight in the stable with your pony and treating it like your best friend? If you are supposed to learn to fight ... well, there wasn't much she could do about that aside from demonstrate very little natural aptitude and a tendency to whine and make sad faces about the bruises. As she blossomed into a lovely young woman, Elgana learned new ways of making her own way and having it her way. While her sister ramrodded through obstacles, Elgana danced and flirted and laughed her way around them: a much easier, friendlier, and better angled kind of life. Though she never entirely lost her ability to tilt issues at a slight skew from the ordinary, she learned to temper and sheath this inside the bounds of etiquette, and apply imagination to life as her personal arsenal, along with a careful hand at fashion and the ability to make her eyes really sparkle with eye makeup. She already owns Farhaven as adorably as possible and now it is time to apply that sparkle to the rest of the Compact! + |
| Eliana Steinmaison + | Eliana was born to a couple of bakers. They were poor, but happy. She has three brothers and a sister, and she's the youngest of them all. The baby. Fortunately, all of her brothers and her sister were very capable. They grew up to help the parents take over the business, and sprout wings and become successful in the many endeavors they attempted. They were all sharp, intelligent, and capable. Unfortunately, Eliana was not able to bloom in the manner her parents wished. She has the worst luck anyone has ever seen. If something bad will happen, it will happen over 90 percent of the time for Eliana. She's come to expect bad things occuring. She trips constantly, always has scrapes due to falling or running into something or something falling on her randomly. People consider her a clutz. There is nothing she can do about how people perceive her, so Eliana decided at a very young age to ignore them and to just look at the good things in life. There's so much bad that she's overwhelmed by it, the good is much more interesting to her, it also helps her to stay happy. Once, when she was in the kitchen attempting to help her mother bake some bread, she turned to grab a spoon, knocked over the container onto a lamp that just happened to be by there, shattering it and sending oil everywhere, which just happened to fling a drop towards the lit fire on the stove, and caused a chain reaction that literally exploded nearly the entire kitchen. Her parents have banned her from the kitchen since that time. She's too dangerous to be in there, she might kill someone someday with her luck. With all the whispers, and wards against evil signs against her, Eliana had a lonely childhood. Nobody really wanted to be her friend, so she grew up entertaining herself, and learning new things. She enjoyed figuring things out, it was something she was actually good at, and for once, it felt good to be good at something and not just a walking disaster. So, while she may have been lonely, she was never bored, she always had interesting and new things to do and explore, which made her quite the cheerful child. Her parents loved her, but she is hard to deal with sometimes. When Eliana turned 21, her parents were in a deep depression on what to do with her. They had no idea how to turn her into a successful person and nobody was interested in taking the 'Cursed Baker's Daughter' as a wife, so she still lived at home, turning into an old maid. Her parents could not really afford a freeloader like her, especially when she destroyed almost everything she touched. She was expensive! On one day, an Inquisitor came in for some baked goods and they had a discussion about the latest escapades of Eliana. She was becoming a town legend in her own right, just from her awful luck. The inquisitor suggested that he send her to them, to become an apprentice. She'd make good money, and her mind was sharp, she would do well and support herself as well as help the parents. At least repair the latest stove she destroyed. Her father agreed, very happy with the idea, and soon enough, Eliana was sent off to become an apprentice Inquisitor! She has absolutely no idea what she is getting into, but she trusts her parents, and feels very guilty about being at home. This is a new opportunity for her, and she's eager to do well and prove that she's good at -something-! + |
| Elias Leary + | Growing up with a knightly mother of Oathlands orthodox values and a stereotypically eccentric Leary father proved to be a bit of a thorn in Elias' younger years. A black sheep, Elias never put much thought into the Gods, nor did he in his studies. Despite not following closely in his parents footsteps, Elias naturally met them halfway as he made a name for himself as a hunter - whenever the motivation struck. Typically, the motivation was a diminishing purse of silver or, more often, a mystery that caught his attention just right. Whenever that desire struck, he became as fierce a warrior as his mother and as dedicated a scholar as his father. As a child, these endeavours usually involved sneaking out of the house late at night to explore old and abandoned houses, or to investigate and document strange sightings in the neighboring forests. So all it took was one little intriguing story; a secret untold, and Elias set off on spontaneous adventure. A long adventure. For an entire year. His path never circled back to the Oathlands, and instead he found himself a home with his distant Leary family in Arx while he dug up more mysteries to pick at. + |
| Elio Tortorici + | Though Elio grew up as an Abandoned, his people were relatively new additions to that title after the House has been exiled from the Compact for the sort of political and religious arguments that only make prideful old nobles angry. His upbringing was thus not that much different from a noble of some + |
| Elise Whisper + | Little is known of Elise's past, likely due to the fact that she never speaks about it. + |
| Elisha Falle + | A sickly child from the Lowers who nobody much noticed for his first ten or twelve years. Parents dead, or dusted? Fostered into a family? Something like that. Too week to grow into a proper earner, but a disgraced clerk, charlatan, or addict--or all of the above--took pity on the clever, often-bedridden boy and taught him. Maybe from kindness--maybe hoping for a better income from an educated Elisha. In any case, the boy took refuge in the written word more than the spoken one. Though when he does talk, he talks fancy, as educated as a silk--'uppity little shit,' the neighbors mutter, with more than a hint of pride. He makes the odd coin working as an unofficial scribe in the rare case that someone nearby needs reading or writing done, as he is extremely literate. Elisha is known to tell fantastical stories to his neighbors, sometimes in exchange for a bite to eat, tales which the kids occasionally spread throughout the Lowers. He's also known to beg from the silks if he gets hungry enough. + |
| Eliza Lavann + | Eliza was born in Arx, to a moderately successful shopkeekper and his wife. At a young age, she began to be tutored by a priest of Vellichor, who saw great potential in the clever young girl. But while she proved an avid student, her original ambition to join the Scholars of Vellichor eventually came to naught: she was too undisciplined, too unfocused to truly be an ideal scholar. So instead she took various jobs as a scribe and tutor to earn her living, all the while continuing her personal study of folklore, which had always been a passion of hers. Then, the strange happenings around the Silent War began to reveal that the old tales of magic might not be mere myth. Even though Eliza was only able to snatch second-hand rumors at first, she was nonetheless deeply fascinated, and her personal studies took a decidedly occult bend. + |
| Elizabetha Grayson + | Born for royalty, Elizabetha grew up in a dream as reality. She found it terribly romantic to be a princess, a damsel, her favorite archetype in the stories she adored throughout childhood. This sparked an early romanticism, which she first expressed on canvas and stage. Innately an actress, she took to performance around age 5, when a Grayson dinner party was witness to an impromptu song and dance atop the table. Art, nevertheless, she names as her true calling. Her work won a plethora of contests, competitions, submissions throughout her years, her growth evinced in each flux of style. Eventually, her touch was lent to halls of marble and gilt. In adolescence, she maintained all that life and vibrancy, with a newfound curiosity that rooted itself in something beyond the typical: the study of alchemy. Her interest budded from a yearning to push the boundaries of painting, but progressed into a deep love of knowledge and academia. Her pursuits led her to experimentations, often safe enough, though she did pick up a few of the less acceptable practices-tattoo artistry a result. Moreover, she adapts the science into her art, the product either disastrous or ingenious. As she matured, Eliza began to note the world around her, the potential it held for her. A budding hunger for exploration drew her from her gardens and halls, to the place where all converge: the capital. Arx is her canvas and her stage, hers the next mark to sweep its expanse. + |
| Elloise Leary + | Even though she was born smack dab in the middle of several siblings, Elloise had no trouble standing out. From a young age, she was always a little .. quirky. In another family, that might have been rooted out by her tutors and governesses but her idiosyncrasies were nurtured by the curiosity-inclined Learys. Intellectually, she was running before before she could walk; Elly was an enthusiastic sponge: she wanted to learn EVERYTHING. Due to this, she quickly emerged as a dabbler -- she picked up a bit of this, she became somewhat skilled at that, she knew a tidbit of just about everything. She was always looking to the horizon for discoveries and developed a habit of taking a little bit from Knowledge Column A, mashing it together with some of Knowledge Column B, and standing back to watch what happened. Sometimes, it ended up being a disaster and she would burn her eyebrows off. But occasionally it worked out and she would discover something AMAZING and hey! What's a little temporary hair-singeing in the name of progress? Elloise was always up to something -- if it wasn't one of her experiments, then it was building elaborate inventions. They were usually unnecessarily complicated for the problem they were solving -- like an intricate mechanism of pulleys, levers and various moving parts just to crack a hard-boiled egg -- but always flawlessly engineered and beautifully built. Her parents were equal parts patient with and protective of her: they gave her space to learn and create but feared that she was rather too naive to be given much freedom in the larger world. As such, Elly had a rather controlled upbringing: she associated mostly with family and had few friends her own age. That all changed when she was 15. A distant relation -- a second cousin's uncle's niece's third-husband's nephew's cousin-in-law once removed something something something or other -- came to stay with them for a while. He was a Sanna and so exciting! He was a hunter! And an explorer! And he believed in spirits! He was around the same age as Elloise and very different from her but because they were both so passionate about their respective interests, they immediately hit it off. They would spend countless hours together -- she showing off all her inventions and experiments, him telling her all about his life up North. They became quite a pair, the two of them. He would go out and hunt ingredients for her; she would design better ways for him to do so (with varying degrees of success but heck, failure is its own sort of progress). It opened her eyes to a whole world of possibilities and made her yearn for more outside of her sheltered existence. When he left and returned home a year and a half later, she recruited her younger sister, Arcadia, to fill his role. A wide-eyed adventurer, Cady was more than happy to scamper off to chase after whatever Elly needed. Eeeeeexcellent. After years of begging (and staging meticulously planned presentations on why this would be a Very Good Thing which included points such as 'Joining The Scholars: A Journey Through Knowledge', 'Perfume or Poison: Finding Out at the Apothecary College', 'OUCH!: New Interrogation Devices for the Inquisitor On-the-Go' and 'Inventions for the Crown: The Dawn of Possibilities' -- what sort of inventions for the Crown? I don't know, mom. STUFF. THINGS. I will know when I invent them), Elloise convinced her parents to let her travel to Arx. This was allowed mostly because they trust Fairen to look out for and keep a handle on her. Hopefully. Dear gods, please: don't let her accidentally set her hair on fire again. + |
| Elloise Stormbreak + | Even though she was born smack dab in the middle of several siblings, Elloise had no trouble standing out. From a young age, she was always a little .. quirky. In another family, that might have been rooted out by her tutors and governesses but her idiosyncrasies were nurtured by the curiosity-inclined Learys. Intellectually, she was running before before she could walk; Elly was an enthusiastic sponge: she wanted to learn EVERYTHING. Due to this, she quickly emerged as a dabbler -- she picked up a bit of this, she became somewhat skilled at that, she knew a tidbit of just about everything. She was always looking to the horizon for discoveries and developed a habit of taking a little bit from Knowledge Column A, mashing it together with some of Knowledge Column B, and standing back to watch what happened. Sometimes, it ended up being a disaster and she would burn her eyebrows off. But occasionally it worked out and she would discover something AMAZING and hey! What's a little temporary hair-singeing in the name of progress? Elloise was always up to something -- if it wasn't one of her experiments, then it was building elaborate inventions. They were usually unnecessarily complicated for the problem they were solving -- like an intricate mechanism of pulleys, levers and various moving parts just to crack a hard-boiled egg -- but always flawlessly engineered and beautifully built. Her parents were equal parts patient with and protective of her: they gave her space to learn and create but feared that she was rather too naive to be given much freedom in the larger world. As such, Elly had a rather controlled upbringing: she associated mostly with family and had few friends her own age. That all changed when she was 15. A distant relation -- a second cousin's uncle's niece's third-husband's nephew's cousin-in-law once removed something something something or other -- came to stay with them for a while. He was a Sanna and so exciting! He was a hunter! And an explorer! And he believed in spirits! He was around the same age as Elloise and very different from her but because they were both so passionate about their respective interests, they immediately hit it off. They would spend countless hours together -- she showing off all her inventions and experiments, him telling her all about his life up North. They became quite a pair, the two of them. He would go out and hunt ingredients for her; she would design better ways for him to do so (with varying degrees of success but heck, failure is its own sort of progress). It opened her eyes to a whole world of possibilities and made her yearn for more outside of her sheltered existence. When he left and returned home a year and a half later, she recruited her younger sister, Arcadia, to fill his role. A wide-eyed adventurer, Cady was more than happy to scamper off to chase after whatever Elly needed. Eeeeeexcellent. After years of begging (and staging meticulously planned presentations on why this would be a Very Good Thing which included points such as 'Joining The Scholars: A Journey Through Knowledge', 'Perfume or Poison: Finding Out at the Apothecary College', 'OUCH!: New Interrogation Devices for the Inquisitor On-the-Go' and 'Inventions for the Crown: The Dawn of Possibilities' -- what sort of inventions for the Crown? I don't know, mom. STUFF. THINGS. I will know when I invent them), Elloise convinced her parents to let her travel to Arx. This was allowed mostly because they trust Fairen to look out for and keep a handle on her. Hopefully. Dear gods, please: don't let her accidentally set her hair on fire again. + |
| Elonso Pravus + | As a clever, quiet child, Elonso learned the value of patience young. A confidante is not really something that exists within the watchful walls of House Pravus, but a co-schemer and willing tool? That is what Elonso became for Belladonna at a very young age. While their father's compassion and weakness slowly eroded the legacy of House Pravus in Setarco, Belladonna was not content to sit idly by and watch her birthright sink into the sea, and neither was Elonso, as her shadow. He had innocent eyes and good ears, and he was small and slight, clever enough to fit into small places, and his coloring was inobtrusive enough to make him not above playacting and pretending to be less than the son of a duke. Elonso learned the dangers of kindheartedness. He learned the dangers of a loose tongue. He learned the hazards of ambition overweening caution. He learned all this watching the mistakes of his father's vassals as his sister schemed, arranged, and reforged power that might have been lost. As a young adult, with his sister serene in her new post, Elonso thrived under the mantle of her authority, spreading his artistic talents, focusing on his religious pursuits as a mirrormask, and learning to apply himself for the power of House Pravus in subtle, interesting ways. It might be that in another life he would have been an actor (or a bartender). But in this one, Elonso was born to be a politician. + |
| Elora Ravenseye + | The fourth, and youngest child in her family, Elora was given a little more free reign than her brothers and sisters. She was spoiled in warmth, love, and safety. Growing up in on the family farm, she learned some of the tools of the trade, but they quickly discovered that she had a way with the animals, spending most of her time working alongside them. There was never much responsibility placed upon the young girl's shoulders, but even so, she was taught the value of hard work and the important of family. Thanks to the lack of responsibilities, Elora was able to focus on the things that she loved; Animals and healing. Given the chance, the girl will spend her time in the forest with the animals over a court full of people. With pressure from her family having become nobles, she has been looking to grow more involved, using her animal handling skills and medical knowledge in order to try to find work at the kennels. She hopes to prove herself worthy and make her family proud. + |
| Elora Whitehawk + | The fourth, and youngest child in her family, Elora was given a little more free reign than her brothers and sisters. She was spoiled in warmth, love, and safety. Growing up in on the family farm, she learned some of the tools of the trade, but they quickly discovered that she had a way with the animals, spending most of her time working alongside them. There was never much responsibility placed upon the young girl's shoulders, but even so, she was taught the value of hard work and the important of family. Thanks to the lack of responsibilities, Elora was able to focus on the things that she loved; Animals and healing. Given the chance, the girl will spend her time in the forest with the animals over a court full of people. With pressure from her family having become nobles, she has been looking to grow more involved, using her animal handling skills and medical knowledge in order to try to find work at the kennels. She hopes to prove herself worthy and make her family proud. + |
| Elpenor Ru-Taul + | Elpenor was born to a couple of Thralls in service of Redreef. He had earned his freedom and joined up with a crew of pirates quickly earning their trust and friendship through his good humour and hard working attitude. He is fiercely loyal to his crew and was even appointed to be the ship's quartermaster. After some time as quartermaster the ship received letters of marque making them privateers and also the crew given pardons for any and all past actions. + |
| Elrych Holzfahller + | Elrych was second born to house Holzfahller, the head family belonging to a small nomadic clan of woodsmen and warriors who wandered the Oathlands. His people were superstitious and weary of outsiders though still retainers to the House of Lyonesse. Long ago the Lyonesse were in battle with one of the other five Great Houses. Elrych's people were sought for removal and genocide. The Lyonesse helped them fight off their would be conquerors and as thanks and tribute, all non-heirs were to serve the Lyonesse and report to Lyon's Redoubt to train as Knights and Warriors and serve in the Oathlands armies under their Liege's command. Elrych spent his first 12 years learning the ways of his people, as was customary. He was expected to make his family proud when he went off to Lyon's Redoubt as generations did before him. His previous experience allowed him to excel among the other students rousing admiration and respect in some, and Disdain from those with more privileged backgrounds. Regardless of how many fights he got in, he was able to overcome and make the best of the situation. He was offered leadership positions in his units all throughout his squiring. Finally graduating, he was assinged to a detatchment and marched around the Oathlands with the Army. Making his way up the ranks and gaining experience in combat and leadership. Now, upon his 26 years--he is a veteran Knight loyal to the Lyonesse, wise with years of combat and ready to take on the challenges presented to him by his Liege. + |
| Elsa Shepherd + | Elsa began life as a Laurent, a cousin to the Duke, but far enough removed from the line of succession that she could largely do as she please. Provided she attended to her lessons as any proper Oathlands lady should, of course. Which gave her free reign to ride her horse across the fields of Artshall and plan hunting trips to the woods around Acorn Hill and what is now Duskshire. Her youth was very nearly idyllic, so far as Elsa was concerned. It was a shame adulthood had to go and ruin it. Her father arranged a match for her with a perfectly pleasant, if bland, young man from the Shepherd duchy... in the Crownlands. While she really had no interest in marriage or in leaving her home, she would never in a millenia dare to go against her responsibilities as a noblewoman. Her adult life was largely filled with gatherings, parties, the duties of a wife and soon enough, a mother. But she never quite lost that love of the wilds, of a fast horse or a good hound, of a falcon sent skyward. She merely shifted her focus, turning towards the breeding and training of the Shepherd duchy's stock. As her children grew, so did her freedom and Elsa found herself once more able to slip away to ride and hunt. The woods were farther away this time, limiting her trips to once or twice a year. But it was during one of those that her husband, having come along, suffered a fatal accident. A sudden attack by a wild boar left their horses startled. Elsa's mastery of her mount allowed her to retain her seat, but her husband fell from his stallion as the fierce beast reared and stomped at the boar, snapping his neck instantly. After the funeral, Elsa and her children stayed close to home, and while she helped to train the Shepherd troops in how to handle their mounts in battle, she never went into battle herself. The Silent Wars largely passed her by, though after, she did decide to bring her children to Arx to help round out their education, and bring herself closer towards the Gray Woods and the Lodge of Petrichor just outside the city. When the Gyre War came around, once again, Elsa helped to train Shepherd troops, but stayed home and ran fundraisers to help cover costs. When the Lodge was attacked, Elsa finally said enough was enough and joined the ranks of the archers helping to defend the Lodge. She took some hits, garnered a few scars, but came out the other side still breathing. + |
| Elsbetta Farshaw + | Elsbetta Farshaw is the younger sister of Duke Ryhalt Farshaw, a Lady of Westrock Reach. She serves as the duchy's Minister of Morale. From an early age she was an optimistic child; bright and cheerful. Happy in all of the things that she did. However, as she grew and she began observing the world around her she began to understand the darker side of life. Before her uncle Warwick Farshaw died and her brother inherited the Duchy, she was witness to an uprising against one of their vassal houses. A local Baron had been mismanaging Barony, and had been acting somewhat tyrannical. Her uncleHer uncle felt that it was properly the duty of the Count the Baron was sworn to, and so did not intervene until there was a mass revolt and the Baron was killed by an angry mob. This left a lasting impression on her young self, convincing her of the importance of keeping up the morale and trust of the people. When she was old enough she began to work with the new Baron and the people of that Barony to build trust back up in the nobility. It was this work that let her to petition the King for a place in the Observers. It is also this work that has lead her to be the Minister of Morale for Westrock Reach. She knows very much the cost of low morale and distrust of the people for the nobility, and she does everything in her power to prevent this lost of trust. + |
| Elyid Acheron + | As a boy, Lord Elyid was sent to populate House Acheron as another ward of his cousin Mydas. Following the revelation of his caretaker's princely status, it was decided that Elyid would remain at the Glacial Fortress for stability's sake rather than return to Stonedeep. Despite not being much older than him at all, Marquessa Rhea came to be Elyid's legal guardian until he came of age. It was, according to Elyid, the longest three and a quarter months of his entire life. Despite no sibling or parent bothering to share a similar claim, Elyid enjoys anecdotally touting out dramatized rumors of his familial relation to the fallen House Aviaron. While it could be argued that ANYONE with Nightgold blood could make such statements regarding Aron Nightgold's fallen line, nobody's ever bothered to contradict Elyid on his insinuated exclusivity. Oh, it's never the same! Sometimes he's a third cousin and sometimes, he's a second cousin once removed. The important thing to remember is that Rhea's got his total support. She's, uh, like a mother to him! With the construction of the Whisper Palace of Aviaron's Peak, Elyid has taken full advantage of his family's position. He's among the first crop of Northerners to receive an education in refinement, beautification, and diplomacy there. Instructed to glide on the palace's gilded ballroom floor and to entertain beneath the music conservatory's canopy of hand-painted nightingales, the courtier-in-training now travels leisurely back and forth between the picturesque Crimson Peaks and Arx, where reside many of his kin and the legendary Whisper motherhouse. + |
| Elyse Crown + | Elyse was born pretty poor, her father worked in a stable in the Lyceum and her mother had died when she was fairly young. It was a day to day struggle to get by, and Elyse fell in with a bad crowd fairly quickly, one that she honestly really never moved away from. There was two problems with this. Elyse felt she was too smart, and too clever, to waste her life away clawing and digging for even enough to survive. And two, well, two and one are really one in the same. Because of that, she joined up with the Valorous Few as soon as she was able to. Glory, money, adventure? It was the best options that she saw for the direction she wanted her life to go in. She cut her teeth on the jobs they had in the Lyceum, and then left with them when they moved on to different jobs. She started saving her money, determined to never be poor again. Admittedly, after Audric moved up to the Captain-General, she's gotten a little more free with her spending. But even still, she's fairly close-fisted with her money. + |
| Elysio Forza + | The heirloom weapon of Iriscal is not a sword, it's a hairpin. Diminutive and ornate, it represents yet one more granule of salt on an ancient wound. House Tessere's betters long ago saw fit to melt down that once-proud object, halving it and halving it again. Fitting that the young man who now wields it is as much a courtier as he is a knight. It's as if to say, 'What threat anymore are we who entrust our honor to one who favors beauty over bloodshed?' Dressage darling of Forte Carizzo, Lord Elysio Forza was summering at the finishing school of his childhood when word came of the attainder suffered by his head of house. In its broad strokes, the condemnation touched even him and he soon found himself a young Lord no more. It was the late Lucrezia Tessere, wife of Elysio's paternal uncle, who took the boy underwing. House Tessere was good to him. In exchange, Elysio endeavored to be a most steadfast servant and protector. Following the sudden demise of his long-time patron, Elysio has as much reason as anybody to seek answers. + |
| Emara Grayhope + | Emara's life started in the Lower Boroughs, the daughter of a Grayhope and a woman she knows very little about except she had a brief relationship with a married man and left her newborn daughter in his care before skipping town for parts unknown. For all that rough beginning, her childhood was a happy one since her father and his wife accepted her into their family without a qualm and raised her alongside their own daughter, Tanith, born only thirteen days after she was. Growing up in the Lowers meant that Emara had to learn to think fast, especially since she developed a smart mouth along with a quick mind. While she never really learned to avoid revealing her observations to the world, especially the less pleasant ones, she did learn how to fight and how to run. In order to keep out of trouble, much of Emara's early life was spent in the family garden, particularly once she showed evidence of a talent for getting things to grow. As she grew older, her skills in the garden were coupled with training as an apothecary and an ambition to become the foremost perfumier in the Compact. That ambition meant traveling to various locales in search of rare scents and flowers to add to her intoxicating concoctions. With her rarified sense of smell, she never lingers around cities for long since she finds them a little unbearable, but for her family, she makes exceptions. + |
| Ember Redleaf + | Born as the twin sister to Marina Redleaf, Ember Redreef endured the prejudice that left her and her sister treated like property by her father. She fought long and hard against the cage she was forced into, both in the social and martial worlds, spending a great deal of time outside the Mourning Isles learning the sword before finally returning after Thrax changed the law to allow women to hold lands and titles. Despite her small stature, Ember quickly grew a reputation as a frightening woman to spar against, having gravely wounded men who underestimated her without even a hint of remorse. Eventually, she and her sister found themselves as sailors on a ship, where they got their taste for adventure, working as an unparalleled team. + |
| Ember Redreef + | Ember and Marina were born twins, daughtering a father who needed someone to inherit. The politics of the question were always a struggle, and it was always his plan to marry in men for the twins and ensure the continuation of the bloodline. Still, his legacy was very important to him, and both his daughters were aggressively competent, defying convention to learn to fight as well as administrate land. When her father died, he was still daughtered, and although Ember was not the rightful heir under the law of the land, she held the land by virtue of the loyalty of her father’s men, and through political sway and fierce intensity managed to have herself declared ‘regent’ for her father’s spendthrift brother. She held the barony by the skin of her teeth, defeating two duellists on her uncle’s behalf who challenged her claim, and under her iron grip Redreef thrived. While her sister captained the first ship of the Redreef fleet with skill and verve to fight off all comers, Ember held her ground and held the land. When the law of the land changed and women were deemed eligible to inherit land under the Mourning Isles, hers was the first suit — by blood and by the choice of the Baron — in the Court of the Mourning Isles to confirm her claim. The case was settled in a publicly vaunted occasion for trial by combat, and Ember personally defeated her uncle’s chosen champion in a fight to the death, against all odds. Her uncle yielded and retired in ignominy, while Ember solidifed her rule and developed her reputation crushing revolts against her authority with an even-handed fist and the aid of her sister as her strong right arm. + |
| Emberly Crovane + | Youngest daughter of Emmeline Farshaw and Jacques Blanchard, Emberly showed a passion for the sea at an early age, though she was called back to land before she became lost to it. She was off sailing ever chance she could between lessons in ediquette. Emberly loves music and the art of subtility, she was keen to study under Marquessa Sunniva Harthall and her husband Marquis Orvyn Harthall. Here she has learned more about her passion for alchemy and intrigue. She is close to her brother Alban and talks to him often, this shy youth is still coming into herself. + |
| Emberly Crown + | Youngest daughter of Emmeline Farshaw and Jacques Blanchard, Emberly showed a passion for the sea at an early age, though she was called back to land before she became lost to it. She was off sailing ever chance she could between lessons in ediquette. Emberly loves music and the art of subtility, she was keen to study under Marquessa Sunniva Harthall and her husband Marquis Orvyn Harthall. Here she has learned more about her passion for alchemy and intrigue. She is close to her brother Alban and talks to him often, this shy youth is still coming into herself. + |
| Emberly Farshaw + | Youngest daughter of Emmeline Farshaw and Jacques Blanchard, Emberly showed a passion for the sea at an early age, though she was called back to land before she became lost to it. She was off sailing ever chance she could between lessons in ediquette. Emberly loves music and the art of subtility, she was keen to study under Marquessa Sunniva Harthall and her husband Marquis Orvyn Harthall. Here she has learned more about her passion for alchemy and intrigue. She is close to her brother Alban and talks to him often, this shy youth is still coming into herself. + |
| Emele Greenblood + | Emele Greenblood is a young prodigal woman of the Greenblood family. She and her twin brother, Eshken, were not even teenagers when their tribe was torn in two and her parents-- rebels --left to join house Riven and bend knee to Grayson. Her parents took the two young twins with them when they went. She remembers tribal life but feels that life with Riven fits her better. As the daughter of a Tribe elder she felt stifled by responsibility. She was going to be raised to hold some sort of power, like her older cousin Esoka-- but she just didn't /feel right/. She would have rather been out picking flowers, carving things, or playing in streams. As she grew up in Twainfort she was introduced to paintings, and she realized what she had been missing her short life. She took to painting like a fish to water, and saw potential in other materials, as well. Her twin, Eshken, is her rock and her anchor. When she started getting older he urged her to take on a creative profession that would also earn her money, so at eighteen she became an apprentice smith, specializing in armor. Since then she has only improved her smithing, until she was acknowledged a Master Armorsmith by the Crafter's Guild. She far prefers working on armor, finding the intricacies and the potential for self-expression much more appealing than other forms of metalworking, though weapons and jewelry are also tempting. When she can get away with it she adds a fantastical bent to her armor creations. Wings, feathers, beautiful etchings. Emele couldn't think of a world where she was not close to her brother and her niece-- Elia --so when he joined Whitehawk she went as well, offering her services as a smith to Baron Whitehawk. With her own shop in Arx and full membership of the Crafter's Guild, she's very much an asset to the Whitehawks, and she knows it. + |
| Emeline Smith + | Emeline is a criminal, plain and simple. She was born to a single mother who was an apothecary. While growing up in the lower boroughs she got in with the wrong crowd when she wasn't learning from her mother how to make perfumes and poisons. As she grew older she honed her skills in making poisons, deciding they would be quite handy should the need ever arise. Now in Arx she is trying to see who just so happens to be the criminal king pin. + |
| Emeric Redrain + | Life for Emeric has been an average one for a man of his upbringing. He was given the appropriate education and was taught the way of life he should be. Emeric, however, rarely puts his education and upraising to good use. Instead, he spends all his time having a good time and seeing what trouble he can cause. After all, what is the point of being born 'important' if one spends all their time working hard. He has two siblings, Nalea and Nathaniel, twins and his parents have passed on. + |
| Emery Ojitfor + | A young woman of new Imperial province Tongdjiyi, purportedly half-elven, if not, in fact, a byblow of the Horned Traitor. Haunted by abyssal whispers encouraging her to let go of her name and her loyalties to her people, she accepted a writ of the Undying Empire. She is grateful for the protection, and the silence in her mind. She travels the province and beyond, searching for other of half-elven blood who might be vulnerable to the influence of the Abyss. She's also training to be an adept. Word is. + |
| Emilia Godsworn + | They say that at a very young age of 14, Emilia, bruised and dirty, wandered onto the fields of battle against an Abandoned wartribe, hoisting an old war banner. As she did so, a single ray of sunlight pierced the overcast sky, and illuminated the golden and blue banner, and the soldiers took this as an omen from Gloria, that their battle would go favorably; and indeed, so it did. Emilia's story, of course, did not begin here, but more importantly, neither did it end. After the battle, Emilia approached a Knight of Solace, and asked him to escort her on a pilgrimage that will lead her all across of Arvum, and then to Arx. She warned the Knight of Solace that on this journey he will die. The Knight of Solace, nevertheless, agreed, even though he believed that the warning was true. Almost two years later, Emilia arrived at Arx, alone, the grieving bearer of tragic news about the Knight's demise to the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solace. She did not speak much of her journey, except that she tried her hardest to take the Knight's place- but he would have none of it, and defended her from the Abandoned until his last breath. Shortly after, refusing the hospitality or the company of the Knights of Solace, Emilia once more went to Pilgrim, insisting that she must go alone. Years have passed, and only rumors, for those interested in her whereabouts, existed of her deeds. She had pilgrimed the lands, giving away much of her wealth that she earned during her travels-- she was often seen at the sites of battle, as if uncannily guided there, inspiring the righteous to fight on and to struggle, and when the battle was over, she was gone. Knowing only her appearance, but not identity, had inspired a small folktale by itself, and she came to be referred to simply as the 'Paragon of Gloria'. A few years later, she was at the Siege, in the mien of a renown Godsworn Templar Knight fearlessly charging under the banners of her own unit-- the Strifebearers-- and breaking into the ranks of the Silent Army. Finally, heeding the summons, she relocated to Arx. + |
| Emilia de Lys + | They say that at a very young age of 14, Emilia, bruised and dirty, wandered onto the fields of battle against an Abandoned wartribe, hoisting an old war banner. As she did so, a single ray of sunlight pierced the overcast sky, and illuminated the golden and blue banner, and the soldiers took this as an omen from Gloria, that their battle would go favorably; and indeed, so it did. Emilia's story, of course, did not begin here, but more importantly, neither did it end. After the battle, Emilia approached a Knight of Solace, and asked him to escort her on a pilgrimage that will lead her all across of Arvum, and then to Arx. She warned the Knight of Solace that on this journey he will die. The Knight of Solace, nevertheless, agreed, even though he believed that the warning was true. Almost two years later, Emilia arrived at Arx, alone, the grieving bearer of tragic news about the Knight's demise to the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solace. She did not speak much of her journey, except that she tried her hardest to take the Knight's place- but he would have none of it, and defended her from the Abandoned until his last breath. Shortly after, refusing the hospitality or the company of the Knights of Solace, Emilia once more went to Pilgrim, insisting that she must go alone. Years have passed, and only rumors, for those interested in her whereabouts, existed of her deeds. She had pilgrimed the lands, giving away much of her wealth that she earned during her travels-- she was often seen at the sites of battle, as if uncannily guided there, inspiring the righteous to fight on and to struggle, and when the battle was over, she was gone. Knowing only her appearance, but not identity, had inspired a small folktale by itself, and she came to be referred to simply as the 'Paragon of Gloria'. A few years later, she was at the Siege, in the mien of a renown Godsworn Templar Knight fearlessly charging under the banners of her own unit-- the Strifebearers-- and breaking into the ranks of the Silent Army. Finally, heeding the summons, she relocated to Arx. + |
| Emily Deepwood + | Her mother's father was a Deepwood, first cousin to the main Deepwood lineage, who married into the Grayridge family two generations ago. The Grayridge holdings were so far from the seat of Deepwood that neither Emily nor her mother ever went on Deepwood lands, but even so she knows that's her heritage. "Be as serene as the deepest wood," her mother told her often, and she tried to take that to heart as she explored the woods in the Barony of Grayridge. But she always wanted to be more than the daughter of a minor noble, destined for obscurity and trying desperately to resign herself to that fact. And then Samantha Deepwood came to Arx and was recognized as a noble there - and Emily knew this was her moment. This was her moment to come to Arx and claim her ties with the Deepwood family. She could be something here, and she could be more important than a minor noble in the middle of nowhere, marrying and living her life without ever traveling, or adventuring, or seeing anything new. And so she came, and now she's here with a wanderlust and a curiosity about life and everything to do with Arx. She's ready to make her name as Lady Emily Deepwood. She's ready to take her place among the rangers of the Deepwood that Rymarr has so painstakingly trained. She's ready to stand against ancient threats and current enemies alike. She'll be brave, and bold, and forge right on in to this new place and family. And nothing's going to stand in her way. + |
| Emlyn Blackram + | Raised in the Northlands largely, Emlyn was born to a Northern baroness and a Blackram lord. He was the runt of the litter in his family, so to speak, and he never grew as strapping or muscular as his brothers - let alone his sisters. All in all, that never stopped him from running and playing hide and seek. Some reckoned he was the best as it. It was his love of finding places to hide, as well as his mother's encouragement to explore the wild that led to his career as a scout. What led to his career as a scholar was growing ill one winter - a winter that he nearly did not make it back from. He was close to being on the other side, and his mother proclaimed him touched by the Spirits. His father said that was poppycock (though not in front of his mother) and peppered the boy's recovery with books of every subject. Emlyn's desire to learn every nook and cranny of everything impressed his father. While his brothers and sisters were off fighting great battles, it was Emlyn who was scouting for them, assessing threats, studying enemy tactics and the wilderness around them, and calling upon the Spirits and Gods alike for their blessings and help. Emlyn has come to the city in hopes of rejoining his Blackram family and seeing about his societal debut; with most of his brothers and sisters married off, there is slight pressure from the family to do the same - though Emlyn is more curious about what knowledge and mysteries the city has to offer rather than the dating pool. + |
| Emma Valardin + | Emma was born in a line of heroes who seldom married outside the Valardin or Wyrmguard families, at least until Prince Sherrod Redrain and Prince Radley Valardin decided to marry her parents in an effort to ease the tensions between the Oathlands and the North. A full year of courtship later and Princess Larra Redrain married Prince Lyonis Valardin. Their story of duty and, some say, even love, saw the birth of three children and ended in the Sanctum decades later with the Tragedy. During her formative years Emma was touted as a bright star and hero-to-be within her household, and even though she excelled with a sword it was the people of the Oathlands who held her attention. Spending time among them she was close to their plight and while many wished she took her swordsmanship more seriously, it was in helping the downtrodden that Emma put much of her efforts, silently mustering the courage to declare to her parents a future among the Mercies of Lagoma. Her lofty moral standards and effortless grace had Emma clashing with her sisters often, all falling way too short of what Emma saw the Valardin should aspire to be. And then, the Tragedy hit. Unlike Gwenys and Damiana, she was not in Sanctum when it happened. Emma was far away delivering food and supplies to villages near Blancbier, and the guilt of not being with the Valardin in that moment completely changed Emma. Even though she immediately returned to Sanctum she did so to find Gwenys still missing and Damiana blinded, her parents dead and almost all the Valardin slain. At first she tried to stay true to herself, offer succor to the survivors, but searching deep in her heart Emma found nothing. She found herself empty of anything good, not a single word of wisdom to placate the despair of those around her. Everywhere she looked the Valardin were in pieces, and at the time, she felt completely hopeless they would ever return to former glory. Leaving Gwenys and Damiana she left Sanctum and rode to her family's home, unable to be around their suffering, unable to add anything but grief. Instead of hurting with them Emma had other plans. Those who knew Emma then and see her now are completely in shock. The woman who was once one of the most gifted singers of Sanctum, one of the most kind and warm Princesses of the Oathlands, and she has turned her gentle embrace into a furnace of righteous fire. Having abandoned the drapings of a healer, she rapidly ascended as a commander over the following years, her former training as a leader of war not forgotten, but left unused as she flirted with the life as a Mercy for so many years. All those who see the banner of her knights on the horizon know to hide their sins and failings for Dame Emma Valardin has sworn to be the cure to the disease the Mercies try to placate. + |
| Emmelline Harthall + | On the 22nd of October, Emmelline Harthall was born to Lord Edward Harthall, and Lady Jane Harthall. The baby of the family, Emmelline was given a good deal of attention by her parents. Sticking to family traditions, Emmelline learned to sew, cook, draw, and various other diversions to make her a well rounded noblewoman. Her easy temper, and amiable nature made it easy for Emmelline to befriend her governesses and tutors. She was encouraged to learn how to defend herself, but in the end, Emmelline's amiable nature made it rather difficult to learn. Eventually, she abandoned the attempt altogether, saying that it did not suit her in the least. + |
| Emmerly tyde + | Emmerly's memories of the days before the fall of Tyde are filled with shouted arguments between the father who died for the rebellion, and the mother who took her child away from it. Her mother found a couple fellow soldiers willing to sell their skills, and raised her child to follow in the same path. When she was a teen, her mother's small group merged into the Redwood mercenaries, and Emmerly joined at adulthood. After several years of competition and comparison with her mother, Emmerly accepted an invitation to join her old friend Ajax, jumping at the chance for a new start out of her mother's shadow. + |
| Emrys Whisper + | Emrys' arrival to the Whisper House is well documented. A young novice, arriving with the means to fulfil his education as a Whisper, and the talents to achieve it. His origins before that are less known, the man rarely speaks of it, and those in the know have either kept his confidence, or spoken only of fragments. Either commoners of high means, or low nobility, is the usual understanding. The man himself has never bothered correcting educated guesses, and besides, his rise to fame was always more interesting to follow than some nebulous origins. For indeed, Emrys' rise was spectacular. Finishing his education with the high regard of the current Radiant, he soon stole the hearts and minds of court. Ambitious, he rose to the highest heights, not just a star but the sun, shining bright without any rival to give him umbrage. In his twenties still, he took on the mantle of Radiant, and would keep it for a decade, till something peculiar happened. Having achieved his place in the heavens, now Emrys found fame... boring. The adoration of crowds left him indifferent, the countless requests for a companion from the highest of Peers, a chore. His interests had changed, and it was without regrets that he relinquished his title of Radiant at the earliest opportunity, choosing instead for himself the work of diplomat and teacher. It would be the path he followed for the next decades, working tirelessly to keep the peace and ensure the next generations of Whispers to enter the world stage prepared to face its challenges and bring honour and regard to the Whisper House. Now, as the world changes around him, the Whispers' patriarch must look not only to the preservation of th grandiose legacy left behind since the days of Alarice, but also to aid in ensuring that whatever future awaits the foremost courtiers of Arvum, that it lies under a bright, shining sun. + |
| Enid Frost + | Enid is not one to speak of herself often and so not much is known of the shaman's past beyond rumors that dance on the lips of the locals of Stormheart. Some say she was born of the sea and emerged from its depths on the guidance of a stormcrow. Others spin tales that she was raised by a feral pack of dire wolves in the high mountains surrounding Stormheart, driven to civilization out of hunger and a particularly harsh winter. The most broadly accepted version of her past is most mundane in its depiction of her life: a child of a nomadic tribe long lost to memory, its destruction founded at the blade's tip of a roving bandit group. Even so, Enid has stood as a beloved spiritual leader of her people for over a decade and a tie between the Stormheart of today and the traditions of its prior generations as house shaman for House Ravenseye. In that role, Enid decided it was time to expand beyond the known of Stormheart and learn what it truly means to be a part of the Compact so as to better assist her people and find the combining vein between the tenets of the Compact and the traditions she so fervently values. + |
| Ennettia Igniseri + | Growing up, Ennettia was overshadowed by her brilliant, talented older brother Karadoc-- and she loved him dearly for it. It removed all pressure from her to be outstanding. Sure, their parents encouraged her to apply herself, but in the end...everyone knew who the future of their Saik branch depended on. Instead, from an early age Ennettia knew precisely what she wanted from her place in the family: out of it. It wasn't that she had any problems with her family members. It's just that Ennettia longed for a more luxurious existence, and while she admired her family's ability to be satisfied and comfortable in their genteel poverty, she firmly decided such things were not for her. Of course her family did their best to instill good values into her... but she still insisted she was better off married to someone wealthy. And so in the midst of growing frustrations with their son's apathy towards his future, Ennettia was happily shipped off in marriage to Ilsoreno Igniseri, and moved to Granato. She had quite a comfortable, pleasant life, happily spending her husband's money and supervising the nannies raising their son. Until, unfortunately, the death of her husband in by opportunistic thieves threw a wrench in her plans to live the pleasant life of an elegant leech. Between the Arxian Siege, Ilsoreno's ill-organized records, and the lost of the Igniseri heirs in battle, Ennettia, with much lamentation, applied herself to making sure her husband's businesses did not fall. As the business recovered in the following years, Ennettia choose to relocate to Arx... and for whatever reason, also applies - and is accepted - into the forces of the Inquisition. This was as short-lived as her time in Arx, and she left a while later, back to her estate with her son. Only years later did she return, son in tow, back to Arx - apparently still on a whim. + |
| Enoch Grayson + | Prince Enoch Grayson was born as the second cousin to King Alaric Grayson IV and cousin to Princess Lark Grayson. As he grew up, he appeared to take a significant respect to the Gods of the Pantheon. While not much is known from how he was raised aside that he had been training to be a knight since a very young age, what is known is that despite his class in life, he //loves// the people, down to the lowest commoner. He often hung around the Lower Boroughs as a result. However, despite a promising life of a noble, he saw that in these troubling times, the pawns must protect the king and queen, much akin to a game of chess. Thus did he focus the majority of his life to his knighthood. Eventually, due to his skill and loyalty, despite his young age, he was given an offer to join the King's Own, the personal and elite guard of the King himself. The highest honor a knight could achieve. Thus, despite his royal bloodline, Enoch gave up his rights of nobility and joined the King's Own, where he walks this road to wherever that road will take him. + |
| Enri Jaeggere + | Enri was groomed to be a knight from a young age, as part of a family of knights serving the Cliffmore scions. This filled the young man with a sense of duty for the family and his fealty as a whole, while hoping that he would someday get to see a larger fraction of the world. As a squire, he proceeded to devour all pieces of knowledge that reached his hands, which led him to study more about the 'mad mage of the North.' Immediately identifying himself with the legendary god, Enri was fascinated by the philosophy of freedom of choice and allowing others to live their lives as they pleased. However, his experiences as a squire during the Silent War shaped the man so that he understood that true freedom would only be achieved when the enemies of the Compact are utterly defeated. As such, there's a desire in him to know the truth about the world and why so many seek to destroy the Compact. After the war, he joined what was left of the Cliffmore family to serve under the Acheron banner, eventually moving with the family to Arx, where he hopes he can keep them safe. That should also give him a chance to learn more about the world and perhaps find others with a similar mentality. + |
| Entropoly Ulbran + | They were born to social trash and grew old among poverty and strife. Their parents were without remorse in their sloven care of their child, and the world around that bubble of family did not care for what happened within it. Food was scarce and often ill prepared if prepared at all, and absentee caretakers would likely have been an improvement from the illusion of care that she must have received. From such foul ground grew an equally foul woman, remorseless for her own acts in what was likely a false sense of entitlement and revenge to a world that had provided little care back. Money has changed hands for acts of violence and vandalism before to keep this woman's life going. + |
| Enya Blackram + | An old commoner focused primarily on shamanism and mystical assistance, Enya was adopted into House Blackram as a mystical advisor after giving spiritual council to a member. + |
| Enyo De Lire + | Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own. + |
| Enyo Gilden + | Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own. + |
| Enyo Malvici + | Growing up as a single child inbetween two sets of twins was not ideal, especially considering that both her parents were dead in two different kinds of tragedies, leaving her older siblings and the rest of the family to pick up the slack. Growing up she had moments of not feeling like she belonged, that somehow she was the oddity in the family, but instead of letting that turn her bitter and angry, it made her work harder to fit in. For years she did her very best to be just like her siblings, her cousins, aunts and uncles, everyone that she could she would go out of her way to emulate her family. She learned to fight, she sharpened her mind and her body. As she grew older, however, she realized that being like everyone else (as she saw it in her head) wasn't going to make her fit in any more with the family. She was never not part of it, afterall, it was just her childhood impression of things. So she began to decide on who she was, who she wanted herself to be. There were plenty of aspects of people she had emulated that she loved, such as being active, reading, and getting into as much mischief as she could. But she had to do it her own way, to be true to who she was herself. Due to this, after fulfilling her duties to the family in service to the military she decided that she wanted to see the rest of the Lyceum, then after that she decided she wanted to see the rest of the islands that she could reach, then the mainland. Every time she went somewhere new, there was just one more new place to go after that. Eventually, though, she realized that she needed to come back home to the family and do more than just wandering around on her own. + |
| Eos Saik + | Eos' childhood was nothing out of the ordinary for a boy born to a noble house. He was raised alongside his younger sister Kima, five years his junior. As children, they were very close and competative with each other. When it came to the likes of sparring, he frequently had the advantage and he never let her win, insisting that the men in the world would always be bigger, and that they would not let her win either. As they grew older, approaching adulthood and responsibility began to invade their happy little life to pull their closely twined paths apart. It began when Eos first set off to begin his formal training as a knight, something he proved to have a natural talent and zeal for. It continued later when Eos was informed by his parents at the age of twenty that he needed to marry. He had some say as to whom he found the most agreeable of a small number of young noble women, but it ultimately came down to which was the most likely to help improve the Saik family status and coffers. Still, Eos sought counsel with his younger sister before making that final choice, trusting her judgement despite her years when she agreed his choice, a woman by the name of Rosalynn, would be good for him. Who knew him better than Kima? In a stroke of favor from the gods, he found genuine happiness with his wife, and in short time, a true love. In the two years to follow, he kept his fights close to home, never gone for more than a few weeks at a time with the small company of fighters from his father's lands that rode with him. His son, named Vomas, would be born when Eos was twenty-two, and everything flipped on its head. Rosalynn struggled with the birth of their child, and very nearly bled out. The physicians were able to save her, but her health never did fully recover. A deep depression took her that neither husband or child could lift. The toll of her worsening health, mental and physical, became more than the woman could bare. While Eos was away on another small campaign, before the first birthday of their son, she simply walked off a tower in the dead of night. Losing his wife broke something in the young man, and the man he is today began to form then. He left his son in the care of his family, a nanny, and a tutor, and threw himself even more fervently into any battle or fight he could find. He had always been a fearless combatant, but he became an eager one as well, developing a fierce bloodlust that gave rise to unsettling rumors of the man taking slices of fallen enemies' flesh to eat or collecting their teeth as trophies. His visits home, however strongly he loves his son, now ten years of age, and his sister, the two things which might anchor him to a less blood soaked life, stretched further between while he sought to find an answer to his pain in the visceral world of war. It was not something that could rage forever, however. In the ten years since, his years and experiences have finally started to see him to something resembling stability again. He returned home to assume the responsibilities to House and kin that had been set to the wayside while he found his way back to himself, only to find those responsibilities sending him to Arx.. + |
| Ephraim Mercier + | Ephraim came as an unexpected suprise to his parents. His mother was betrothed to the son of a wealthy Lycene merchant and certainly was not supposed to be involved with his father, but one thing led to another and their affair was eventually discovered. The impending nuptials were called off amid the small scale scandal, but to recompensate for the botched business deal the Mercier family agreed to a marriage contract instead. He arrived a few scant months later to bring panic and terror to the young and unprepared couple. Young Ephraim was a handful growing up. He was far too clever for his own good and routinely tested the boundaries of what he could get away with. Initially his flustered parents didn't know what to do and often handed him off to the servants to care for, but three more children followed and they gradually adjusted to parenthood and attempted to reign him in. Intense arguments were common between them, and when Ephraim was thirteen he was kicked out of the home for cutting his sister's long braid as a malicious prank. He spent a few days learning how to survive on his own, and while he was allowed to return, the wanderlust bug had already bitten. As his teenage years dragged on, Ephraim spent an increasing amount of time away from home, and befriended the hunters who frequently travelled through the wooded areas around Clemenstone. He began to accompany them. The time in the woods provided him with something more than useful skills - it provided him with freedom and solace. He had a natural talent for archery even as a boy and as he grew in years and practice that talent was honed. When he became an adult, he promptly left home for good to pursue new horizons and expand his knowledge of the world. The last several years were one adventure after the next, until he ended up in Arx with the city in unrest and not a silver to his name. When inquired upon, he's rather vague with the details... + |
| Ephrath Drake + | When she was but a small girl, Ephrath didn't speak. Her parents, thinking her simple, sent her off to the village smithy where she would at least be useful in assisting around the shop. Whether it was the older man's gentle ways or Ephrath's interest in his work, she eventually began to speak to and with him. After some time, he took her on as an apprentice rather than simply someone tending to cleaning the shop and around the forge. While Ephrath did take to the basics of forging, it was the smaller things she found skill at. When people would bring jewelry to be repaired, it was often Ephrath who did the work (even if none but the smith himself knew). She had a knack for it, particularly under his tutelage. When he passed away, another came to take over his shop and assumed the girl came with it. They had no time nor care for her 'playing' at the forge nor the pets (snakes, mostly) that she kept. Ephrath lost her voice again. When the new smith turned out to be an abusive taskmaster besides, Ephrath simply left. She was not beholden to him in any way: it was a job. And she felt herself skilled enough to find a job anywhere. 'Anywhere' turned out to be more difficult than she initially thought: most towns, villages, and even ships in the Isles having no need (or want) for her. So she turned her attention to Arx, opting to take the risk so many have before her. + |
| Erasmus Tyde + | Lord Erasmus Tyde was a legend. In his youth, the dashing captain and brother of Duke Victor Tyde was as respected through the Mourning Isles for his great talent as a sailor as he was for his honorable devotion to his family. Hardened in a decade of battles, he became most famous for bravely leading Tyde and Thrax forces into battle against the Pirate King Cordereon, serving as the overall commander for highlord Drake Thrax and Duke Victor Tyde at the Battle of Gray Ice Point. He distinguished himself well enough, but it was his actions after that made many of the hardened reavers take notice. It is said that Erasmus personally met with every family of every fallen Islander to relay his condolences privately, all because of a casual, offhand promise he made to deliver news to families if the worst should happen, and he was a man of his word. From then and half a hundred times since then, he showed his devotion to those that served under him. A devotee of Limerance, when he gave his word, it was certain. Well regarded throughout the Isles, he helped teach the young heir to Maelstrom, Prince Donrai Thrax, how to sail, though the lessons came to an end after Lord Erasmus respectfully disagreed with Donrai's callous treatment of commoners serving under them. "Nobles have their ranks and privileges due to our duty to serve our people," Erasmus had said to the young prince, and an argument with the heir apparent of the Mourning Isles left the two not on speaking terms. Not long after their quarrel, Lord Erasmus Tyde volunteered to lead an expedition into the Darkwater Deeps to attempt to rescue a galley of Tyde commoners who were blown off course by a storm and thought to have ventured into it by accident. He promised he would return, and the devotee of Limerance always had kept his word. Decades later, sailing out of the Darkwater Deeps, a man claiming to be the same legend has returned. While almost no one from his time period still lives, some of the oldest claim he does resemble Lord Erasmus Tyde, the great uncle of the current Duchess of Tydehall, Duchess Margot. While most think the story preposterous and he's clearly an imposter, the man has no claim to the duchy nor has he made any attempt at one- he promised always to serve the rightful head of house, which Margot clearly is, and the man keeps his promises. + |
| Erela Blackhurst + | Erela Blackhurst was orphaned on the steps of the Cathedral in Arx on a lightning filled night. The dark haired infant was unusually quiet and found only when one of the priests were returning from a late night. There was no crying from the bundle, so he feared that the child was dead, but after being picked up, the green eyes focused on the man. Hed never seen anything quite like the child before. Erela was taken in and raised by the priests until the found a family to settle her with. An older couple that couldnt have children. The Blackhurst family treated her like she was their own, but she always felt like an outsider. She was knocked down because of being an orphan. Kids taunted her mercilessly for it. When she got older she retaliated though and ended up knocking teeth out of one of her taunters mouth. Which amused more than one person. Her adopted father taught her the blade and to temper her anger, to use it when it was needed. He told her to use it at the right time. That is eventually what lead her to the Kings Own. Erela was twenty nine when she took her oaths to the Kings Own and became on of the 100. She figured with no real family, no titles and nothing else to focus on, that she could focus on protecting the King or Queen. That was eight years ago. So far shes still alive. + |
| Eric Thrax + | Eric was always an adventurous kid - nearly having gotten himself killed in his adventures as a little kid, he has always been attracted to the sea and it's mystery. He learned what he needed to be a proper sailor. He is a fierce fighter and brave to the point of foolishness at times, but he is fiercely loyal to his men and his house, never swaying from his command and always ensuring everyone gets their fair share. + |
| Erik Grimhall + | Erik{_Grimhall{_is{_the second{_eldest{_child{_of{_Abram{_Grimhall{_and{_his{_wife{_Alina{_Darkwater, along with his twin sister Sanya.{_In{_his{_youth{_he{_saw{_the{_many{_changes{_that{_Islander{_nobility{_went{_through,{_including{_the{_transfer{_of{_power{_in{_his{_own{_family{_several{_times{_over,{_as{_well{_as{_the{_issues{_of{_succession{_in{_Thrax.{_He{_was{_a{_studious{_young{_man,{_observing{_the{_ways{_of{_the{_world{_not{_with{_the{_usual{_fire{_and{_fury{_that{_his{_family{_often{_appeared{_to{_expect,{_but{_with{_a{_measured{_consideration.{_He{_understood{_that{_war{_and{_violence{_were{_the{_way{_of{_the{_Mourning{_Isles{_and{_he{_had{_a{_role{_to{_play{_in{_that{_as{_an{_eldest{_son,{_yet{_he{_also{_wanted{_more.{_{/{/It{_was{_no{_easy{_task{_to{_persuade{_his{_parents{_to{_allow{_him{_the{_opportunity{_to{_leave{_Grihem's{_Point{_in{_order{_to{_study{_among{_mainland{_academies,{_yet{_he{_did{_so.{_On{_the{_condition{_that{_he{_also{_continued{_to{_practice{_daily{_with{_a{_skilled{_arms{_master{_and{_spent{_half{_the{_year{_in{_the{_Mourning{_Isles{_in{_order{_to{_make{_sure{_that{_he{_maintained{_his{_'sea{_legs'{_(and{_was{_not{_overly{_influenced{_by{_mainlander{_ways{_of{_thinking){_he{_convinced{_his{_parents{_to{_allow{_him{_to{_study.{_And{_study{_he{_did.{_{/{/Erik{_put{_his{_mind{_to{_all{_sorts{_of{_topics.{_War{_was{_one{_of{_them,{_but{_not{_the{_details{_of{_battle{_and{_war{_craft{_alone,{_it{_was{_philosophy{_he{_was{_interested{_in{_as{_well.{_What{_was{_the{_purpose{_of{_violence{_between{_nations{_and{_how{_often{_was{_it{_served.{_What{_other{_means{_could{_be{_used{_to{_attain{_those{_desired{_ends?{_These{_were{_but{_a{_few{_of{_the{_things{_he{_put{_his{_mind{_to,{_and{_yet{_he{_did{_well{_with{_those{_studies.{_As{_he{_grew{_older{_and{_his{_education{_continued,{_he{_was{_invited{_to{_take{_a{_place{_among{_the{_Scholars{_of{_Vellichor.{_It{_was{_not{_ideal{_according{_to{_his{_parents,{_and{_more{_than{_a{_few{_heated{_arguments{_resulted{_from{_this{_invitation.{_Yet{_somehow{_he{_convinced{_them,{_and{_so{_it{_was{_he{_began{_studying{_in{_more{_depth{_in{_the{_city{_of{_Arx.{_{/{/Which{_is{_not{_to{_say{_that{_he{_did{_not{_take{_his{_proper{_place{_during{_battles{_where{_Grimhall{_was{_called{_to{_arms.{_Too{_young{_to{_fight{_in{_the{_Tyde{_rebellion{_he{_nevertheless{_heard{_about{_it,{_and{_was{_motivated{_by{_the{_stories.{_He{_has{_joined{_countless{_expeditions{_to{_quash{_pirate{_activity{_throughout{_the{_Isles,{_often{_placed{_as{_advisers{_to{_Admirals{_and{_Generals{_and{_considered{_for{_such{_positions{_himself.{_It{_was{_the{_war{_in{_Setarco{_that{_most{_recently{_brought{_him{_back{_from{_his{_studies{_with{_the{_Scholars,{_and{_has{_him{_seeking{_to{_reconnect{_with{_his{_family{_in{_Arx{_and{_serve{_as{_he{_may. + |
| Erika Blackwood + | Born within the Shav tribes of the Northeast, Erika was the apple of her father's, Ingemar Blackwood, eye. She looked so much like her mother, who had died giving birth to her. He held no resentment for his wife's death, and while it was hard and clumsy being a single parent, he raised her the best he could, refusing to give her up. And while most would have scorned her reckless childhood adventures, he praised her for the fire of her soul. He taught her everything she knows about surviving in the wilds, and discovering her affinity with animals, assisted her in honing her skill. It resulted in the young girl growing wildly, with strength and passion, and at the early age of 18 she began to assist in hunting, gathering, and exploring the wilds to protect against the dangers of the Heralds, which were a prominent danger. Her journeys away from home alone would grow longer and longer as she honed her skills at survival, but it was on such a journey that Brand and his army came for the Shavs. Her father was killed for opposing him and his barbaric recruitment methods, and Erika returned home too late. Devastated and consumed by rage, the ranger agreed to travel with her cousin Ysbail to the Capital, bringing the tribes with them, to seek justice and rid the world of the evil that preyed upon them. Living in Arx, Erika frequently retreats to the forest to feel closer to her father, and be enveloped by the familiarity of the wilds. But that doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate the civilised world of Arx and its less wild people. + |
| Eris Ibrianis + | Eris Ibrianis, born to a brood of mixed sons and daughters, was raised in a particularly martially inclined family. Ibrianis roots can be traced back to the very origins of Ostria, one of the first families to pledge themselves in service to the Mazetti family. They've had various reputations over the ages, but their claim to fame stems from their forging of House Mazetti's diamondplate sword, Allegiance. Rather than hang their hat on one accomplishment, the Ibrianis expanded over the generations to incorporate a vast number of skilled crafters mixed in with a particularly dedicated branch of soldiers. Into the latter does Eris fall, having decided young that her talents lay more in destruction than in creation. From an early age, Eris was taught under a particularly strict tutor regarding her duty to House Mazetti and to the protection of Ostria as a whole; these lessons she took to heart with all the preternatural sobriety of a youngster feeling a calling. The martial training that followed upon reaching adulthood indicated that while she was not fit to be a Glaivedancer, she proved in the early years that she was a talented swordswoman on her own accord. Thus began a brutal and utterly ruthless training regimen for the future Ostrian soldier. She worked slavishly and with great dedication alongside the young and precocious Mazetti duelist, Theron. They would later develop a friendly rivalry in their military training that would follow them well into their adulthood. When the Tor-Southport conflict occurred - in no small part due to the machinations of the former married-in member of House Mazetti, Lucien - Eris was goaded by Theron's early volunteership to sign up to military service as soon as she came of age to do so; she would die before letting him go off to battle without her. Together, they fought in the final stages of that brutal and senseless war, coming out the other side alive but marginally subdued. It was at Theron's recommendation that Eris was formally knighted post-combat and took her vows as one of the special Guardians. Afterward, she was assigned to protect then-magistrate Giulio, Theron's younger brother. The last handful of years since her assignation has seen Eris at Giulio's side and in his service. No longer destined just for the battlefield, the Ibrianis woman has slowly come into her own as more than a mere sword and shield; she has taken on the role of companion, confidante, and more. + |
| Esera Velenosa + | From her very earliest memories, Esera was being groomed to rule. For other great houses, such as the bores in House Valardin that drone endlessly on about honor and chivalric virtues, the grooming could have meant careful instruction on the proper morality and dignity expected of a just ruler. In the Lyceum and as the first child of the Archduchess of House Velenosa, that meant something rather else. Esera remembers childhood games based around guessing the motivations of other players, games of trickery and deceit. She remembers the pride of her mother when she managed even simple manipulation, and the lessons of her father that the other great houses respect strength and strength alone and remain vassals of House Velenosa only due to respect and fear. She remembers the lessons discussing other leaders that failed to heed those lessons, and how they brought ruin onto themselves and their families due to not being clever enough, not being strong enough, not being ruthless enough. Duchess Esera has never stopped learning such lessons. House Velenosa possesses neither the strongest army nor the largest coffers. They are surrounded by enemies wearing the masks of friends. But Esera knows despite that, the Fox is still feared, and that is solely due to their well deserved reputation for mastery of devious intrigue and sheer cunning. Even at a young age, Esera feels worthy of that birthright. She has a positive talent for understanding the complicated motivations and intricate interactions between all the noble houses that comprises the political sphere of Arx and her keenly agile mind has an intuitive grasp for the most beneficial way to position her house to take advantage of nearly any conflict. And if she is talented at managing groups, she is an utter master at the manipulation of individuals. Everyone has some weakness that's exploitable, has something they want. She'll find it, she'll use it, and it will be without apology or regret. She has to, after all. House Velenosa cannot afford weakness, and if she falters, they likely all die. Though perhaps it would be rude to admit that she actually rather enjoys playing the game, because she is so damned good at it. So she'll play it, and play to win... for herself, for her family, for her city, and for Arvum, but certainly in that order. + |
| Eshken Greenblood + | Eskhen Greenblood is a young prodigal man of the Greenblood family. He and his twin sister, Emele, were not even teenagers when their tribe was torn in two and his parents-- rebels --left it to join house Riven and bend knee to Grayson. His parents took the two young twins with them when they went. Eshken, being young, acclimated to life in Riven well. He threw himself into studies and learning of the new cultures. His sister also took very well to their new life. She found art and painting, and threw herself into it. Eshken being the more practical begged her to pick up a profession that would allow her a better income than painting. She apprenticed to a blacksmith and began to make armor. Shortly before his 20th birthday he met another prodigal of another tribe-- Lillian Leafchaser --she was a scout for Riven forces and he fell for her quickly. Just after he turned twenty and she twenty-one they married. Their daughter, Elia, was born eight months later. Lillian died two years later in an ambush by bandits while on a scouting mission. Eshken had just been apprenticed to Nigel Riven in matters of stewardship and finance. He threw himself into that work and to taking care of his daughter. He's utterly devoted to his daughter and to bettering her life. When the new Barony of Whitehawk was create he saw a chance for himself and his family. He offered to become the Steward of Whitehawk for Baron Silas. + |
| Eshra Rivenshari + | Born into a large family, Eshra had three older brothers, Gavier, Raqui, and Athaur, to watch out for her when she took her first steps. While she loved her father, Aegis, she was closest to her mother, Triega, and learned about the spirits and ways of navigating for their people. Instead of pulling ropes and setting sales, she was looking at maps, measuring distances and following the stars at night. For the rivers and sea were her home, and dry land was something she rarely touched. Growing up among ravashari smugglers, Eshra remembers a time when House Valardin were the enemy and tried to bring them to heel. They would try to stop their efforts to move goods for the other Abandoned Tribes. She liked nothing better than outwitting the stuffy Valardin knights who tried to enforce their rules on the Free. Of course Freedom comes with a price and she remembers the day Brand's dark magic enslaved her people and forced them to fight a battle that was not theirs. She lost many friends and family when House Thrax's navy struck down her people on the day Brand tried to breech Arx's walls. She mourns the loss of his father, former leader of the Rivenshari, his mother, former Voice, and two brothers. Their losses were devastating for the young woman. If not for Athaur and their younger brother, Mattheu, then she would have lost the will to live. When he to her and asked her help to rebuild Rivenshari, she accepted without second thought. Of course, she never realized her brother meant to take bended knee to House Greenmarch, so they would now serve their former enemy, House Valardin. At first she tried to fight it, but once it became clear that it was her only option, she put aside her differences and stood by her brother's side when he pledged to House Greenmarch. + |
| Eskandar Whisper + | Eskander was not born into the ranks of the courtesans or the diplomatic; rather, he was a bit lower. His family were mostly common-folk and he was one of the middle children, in theory doomed to learn his family's trade (his father was a rather middling merchant) and to toil out his life without ever really achieving anything of note. Eskander ultimately had other ideas. He was fortunate in that he was naturally rather intelligent and that he picked up the tools of his father's trade quickly as he grew, running errands nad messages, and helping with keeping the books straight. Of course, not being one of the eldest, he likely wasn't going to inherit anything (aside from more work) when he came of age. So Eskander applied himself and as he grew older tried to turn what he had into something more. He developed his own contacts, determined to make his own way eventually - and this brought him to the attention of the Whispers. While at the time he wasn't precisely the best of material, he had potential and in a way, he saw that house of courtiers as a way out of his situation. So he applied. Rough around the edges and still needing refining, he wasn't (at first) successful - but perseverance and a burning ambition and desire to better himself have managed to secure him a spot within their ranks. + |
| Esme Fidante + | The youngest child of Luzio Fidante and Amelia Lyonesse, Esme grew up in the city of Tor like almost all Fidante do. To say her childhood was a charmed one is an understatement. Whatever her heart desired was always at Esme's fingertips. She did not take these things for granted though and while some of her other family members might be spoiled and bratty, she was always humble and thankful for the opportunities that were given to her. There was always a strong sense of doing what was right, just, and noble within her. Though it was at a celebration for Limerance that took place around her birthday one year that truly opened her eyes, mind, and heart.{/{/They called themselves Devotions of Limerance and their songs and poetry about love, honor, and fidelity sung straight to Esme's heart. She flung herself into the studies and decided after some time of careful consideration, she would devote herself to Limerance and be one of the Devotions. She found a way to marry her passions together as she was already a champion equestrian and knew she would one day follow in her brother Ignacio's footsteps to train as a Knight - Esme founded the Calvary of Roses whose oath is to maintain Limerance's virtues. House Fidante has always been different from the other houses of the Lyceum and their moral compass of slightly more North plays well with Esme's vision for her Calvary. Leo was more than happy to see his cousin's vision come to life. The Chivalrous Duke backed the Calvary of Roses and saw to the training of Knights who wished to be mounted warriors. Esme has been working diligently on the cavalry in Tor for the past few years but when her brother Ignacio suggested they come to Arx after Leo's disappearance to offer their assistance and guidance to the new Duchess, Leo's sister, Calista, Esme knew this would be the right thing to do. + |
| Esoka Greenblood + | Esoka Greenblood grew up as the granddaughter of the Elder of her tribe, which lent her a certain status even in amidst the fluctuating lifestyle of her people. It came with a sense of responsibility, of the duty to serve her people as the Elder served her people, of the need to be well-behaved. Although war leadership was not hereditary, it was simply considered that there was going to be some kind of greatness in her future because there was some kind of greatness in her blood, passed down generationally and with wisdom. So it was a fairly structured childhood, built on expectations and hopes for a future that shattered in disaster when the tribe fragmented while Esoka was a teenager. It took her structured life and threw it into chaos and upheaval. Why she chose as she did -- to follow the rebels rather than stay with her family -- is a complex tangle of emotions for her even now, years later. But whatever the reasons she chose, she did. Young, and fierce, and too young to fight, she nevertheless followed, swore herself in defiant loyalty to Thesarin, and never looked back ... for long. Accustoming herself to a completely new set of disciplines and structures was very difficult for Esoka. The social mores of the Count's people were a struggle. Worse, her own position seemed to fluctuate and change with passing years. When she was 22, Count Thesarin knighted her. To this day, she still is uncertain why -- there were excuses given at the time about her great service to the countship, but she always had the sneaking suspicion that this was some kind of politically oriented compromise between Count Thesarin and Countess Mia about who was going to take up arms and serve the Twainfort under the aegis of knighthood. Hungry to prove herself, Esoka sought out ways to make herself critical to the county, and ended up making more mistakes early on in her service than she would have liked. The first time she was forced to face down former members of her tribe who had been raiding the fishing villages along the Daughter, she could not bring herself to raise her weapon, and stood behind her men while she sent them on ahead to take care of it. It was a 'cowardice' that she felt incapable of living down for years afterwards. She tried to resign her knighthood, but this was refused. Her need to prove herself has never gone away, not even with subsequent successes bolstering her military career and making it clear that Thesarin's judgment in raising her to a knighthood was not so strange as all that. Her early mistakes and confusions haunt her. + |
| Esra Wyrmguard + | Esra was born in Arx, the only child of a Scholar in a lesser branch of House Wyrmguard, second cousins to the current ruling branch. Bright, insightful and curious, the young Esra soaked up all the knowledge his parents had to offer, and then when he exhausted that his scholar father brought him to the Great Archive and so began a love story between Esra and all the ideas, facts and stories he could read. And read his way through the Great Archive he did, for years. Yet for all the Archive has to offer, Esra kept finding questions to which there were no good answers. Chasing answers is what got Esra out of the Archive in his late teen years, when he began spending a lot of time chasing down subject matter experts and witnesses of interesting events. Exploring and talking to people became as important as reading to expanding the young scholar's knowledge. It wasn't terribly surprising when Esra opted to join the discipleship of Vellichor at 19. His take on the religious side of matters is somewhat cerebral. He feels that ritual and liturgy are tools that people use to help reassure themselves, rather than something the gods need or demand for their own sake. He is honestly bored by ritual and less interested in the trappings of religion and the typical work of priests than he is in the ideals the gods advocate living up to. Esra believes that the domains chosen by the gods mean they want humanity to always be bettering themselves and enjoying the beauty to be found in creation. Thus his belief in the importance of going out and bettering the world directly. Esra's career has focused on field scholarship, and his penchant for resolving outstanding questions caught the leadership's eye even before his cousin Bianca achieved the Archlectorship. Today he works closely with Bianca as a reliable field scholar and has been known to gather information for other Archlectors and agents of the Crown. He is particularly interested in cases related to threats to the whole of the compact, mysterious deaths, and reported occurrences that don't make any sense. + |
| Essmor Siril + | Essmor was born and raised in the Lower Boroughs, and lived an early life full of strife and hardship. His parents were mostly irrelevant to his situation, giving birth to him was the one and only gift he received. But despite this difficulty, he learned early that those that worked hard for themselves could readily find a place in the world. Quick to make friends, he used his skills in observation to find those in the community that could help him better his situation, and never stopped. From there, especially as he grew older, he gathered a reputation for knowing people. If something needed to be found, he might know someone who could find it. A product needs to be purchased? Essmor was the man to ask. He happily positioned himself as a bridge between the lower classes and the higher, searching for any opportunity to gather the attention of those that might provide him a chance to better his lot in life. Though still working on it every day, he works hard to become someone of note. + |
| Estaban Saik + | *Background: * For the first many years of his life, Estaban grew up in the Saikland Greens where he stayed and learned to hunt and cared for his family, learning the basics of diplomacy from the noble around him. While he was a boy he learned how to hunt and helped teach his sisters how to enjoy nature, putting them in trees, having mud fights with them, and doing other fun children things with his siblings. When Estaban was fourteen years old his parents sent him off to foster his sense of adventure and desire to be on a boat. He sailed with many people but while his sister, Arcelia, was in Nilanza he often traveled with Argento sailors so that he could frequently visit her. He eventually taught his sister how to sail when her own curiosity consumed her. When Arcelia left the care of the Argento's he went to spend time with the Malvici where he spent four years learning more about the military arts. + |
| Estelle Blackram + | Estelle grew up a quiet girl, often keeping to herself and the occasional book that she was able to procure for perusal. As much as the cousin of the noble Blackram family enjoyed the indoors, she was hardly blind to the beauty of the surrounding wild lands. Often she could be found alone either atop a tower or among the tall trees near the keep. These excursions were particularly common during the transitional seasons of Autumn and Spring, giving her the chance to observe the many little changes nature wrought during such times. It wasn't until she was older that the young woman was brought nearer the aftermath of the frequent raids upon her family's lands upon her request. Driven by curiosity regarding the frequent skirmishes at the borders, Estelle couldn't bear to see the wounded soldiers in pain and did what little she could to help. Frustrated at her own unlearned skill, she turned her studies towards remedying that gap and even turning it into a focus. Finding a calling in easing the ailments of others as well as her fondness for observing changes ultimately culminated in her swearing to serve the Gods above all others, and Lagoma's service in particular. Still rather new to the Mercies, she is no stranger to orthodoxy given the militarism she grew up within, even if it never really took ahold of her own heart. + |
| Estil Navegant + | Estil knew that she would never rule after Valors passed on, even with Turo's lack of interest being Admiral of the fleet. It wasn't so much resignation to the fact of simply accepting that she will have to do something else to make herself stand out. She wasn't a fighter by any stretch of the imagination, but she was smart. A sharp mind to match her scathing wit. If nothing less, she would make herself a powerful opponent in the realm of politics. So she poured herself into the academics, or ruling an estate. While she might never be Countess, she could hope to at least assist whoever became Count. There may be a bit of resentment at the fact that she was passed over, but love for her family usually wins out. Dogedly pragmatic as the rest of the children, she's used to fending for herself and relying on her wits. While she was content to stay in Escuma, she felt somewhat left out when her father requested Turo to Arx, with her sister Regla, who she often bickered with, followed after him a month or so later. This left Estil in Escuma alone. Eventually this solitude got the better of her, and thinking that her two siblings would do well with her calm hand, decided to head to Arx herself, seeking out her family to bring prestige to the Navegant name. + |
| Ethan Merari + | Ethan was an orphan who grew up in a children's home. He has no memory of his parents, and his surname was something he chose himself when he got older. Hunger, it's been his companion through life. He knows what it's like to be on the bottom, scrapping with castoffs that no one else wanted. He knew at a young age that he was going to get out of the Lowers, by any means necessary. He fell into a gang of pickpockets, got himself in trouble with the Iron Guard. Luckily, the guard recognized the boy's actions were more out of desperation than criminal intent. He got the boy transferred to a better group home. Then he started checking in on the boy, making sure he had clothes and got him enrolled in school. Ethan, not being a fool, saw his lessons as an opportunity. He applied himself vigorously to his studies. He got into a university on scholarship. Applied himself fiercely even as he worked at the Courts running messengers. When he graduated, he got a job as a clerk and continued to work hard. Recently, he got a chance to meet a young lady, Baroness Skye Blackshore, through processing some of her paperwork. After a few conversations, he convinced her to take him on as a lawyer. It's his first big shot at serving a family and he intends like all this other stepping stones, to use this wisely. + |
| Etienne Telmar + | Born as third child to a branch family of the honorable and historic Oathlands House of Telmar, Lord Etienne Telmar was very well aware that no matter how clever or competent he was (and from an early age, he possessed a great measure of both these qualities), his most likely outcome would be as trusted adviser or Minister for his more prestigious relatives. It was not enough, and so the young Telmar convinced his parents to support his induction into the Faith at the quite young age of eighteen. There, he discovered that his intelligence and familiarity with the movement of money gave him a gift for uncovering when the Faith's funds had been embezzled, stolen, or otherwise misappropriated. After a few years of instruction and training, he found himself often assigned to suspicious parishes across the Valardin lands, where he would plot out the flow of funds and discover any misuse of them. In the process, this ended up restoring a significant amount of charitable funds to their rightful recipients. This made Etienne quite popular in some quarters (particularly those priests who valued the charitable works of the Faith, and the recipients thereof), which he parlayed into increasing roles of responsibility. But not a Seraph's position, as that would have chained him to a single parish, rather than allowing him to expand his knowledge of how the Faith was run. At least, until the Seraph of the Telmarch was discovered to be in conspiracy with the White Stewards, a secret cult which had a major part in starting the Silent War. This, and the accusations of collusion with the traitor Telmar in command of Arx's Iron Guard, could have drowned Etienne's career in suspicion and shared guilt. Instead, the priest thrived through his clear outrage and immediate request to help the Faith purge itself of other Steward collaborators. In the aftermath, he was appointed Seraph of the Telmarch, and it was thought that he would serve in that post for years before seeking another promotion. However, after the resignation of Archlector Caras, Etienne quietly called in a number of political markers in the Faith to make it clear that not only was he interested in the post of Archlector of Gild, but that he was clearly the best candidate for the job. No one is quite sure if this is simply an ambitious priest taking advantage of a shift in leadership of the Faith, or if he has a personal goal which requires him being in the heart of the Faith. + |
| Eudence Ghedren + | The last remaining member of her family, Eudence has outlived both parents, a sickly younger brother, and her husband, all while managing to spawn no children. Though her family had generally been known only as servants and stewards to the families of the west, it became an easy choice for her to abandon the name and swear herself a servant to the gods once she was left alone. Once, she was known to be a rather bright young lady, sharp of wit, graceful, and wise even in her youth - though any who knew her could remember her downfall, as her bright blonde locks faded to grey, she was left a widow, childless and alone. Despite her dashed hopes, the woman seems to have very little in the way of grand ambitions, seeming simply content to perform in the name of the gods rather than her own name. + |
| Eugene Caylerth + | Eugene found himself moving from town to town in the Oathlands, given his father's trade as a wandering blacksmith. Home was never really home for long as demand kept the Caylerth family on the road for weeks at a time. When he was of fine age, it was Eugene's turn to help where his brothers had; one having been enlisted in the provincial militia and another to a pox. Training abroad found Eugene taking up the family trade while his father ensured that old military contacts would be able to train his son in the ways of war. + |
| Eurion Ashford + | Eurion, as a child, was kind of a troublemaker, but the kind of troublemaker who is so cute about it that he only rarely actually faces consequences for his evildoing. Whenever he hurt someone's feelings, he was always so genuinely surprised -- and genuinely apologetic -- that his spontaneous gestures to fix it were generally accepted. It was not until he was a much older boy and his grandfather -- first of his close and beloved relatives to die -- died in front of him that he began to understand that there are powers in the world that one cannot out-charm or de-consequence. Still, he was a happy child, all told, so it was mind-boggling to most of his family when he suddenly -- after reaching the stubborn-jawed age of 15 -- ran away. It's not actually that unusual for young men and women of Ashford blood to think that adventure is their birthright and that they need to charge out into the world and take it, but it is a little unusual for them to do so while still too young to actually make a bank draw on their own. An Ashford cousin rescued him from himself, pulling him out of a fix that was almost entirely of his own making, and he was brought home and put to work as a scribe and squire, learning from Ashford's knights as best he could. It was during this period of time, where he was trying to prove to anyone at all that he could be well-behaved even for short periods, that Eurion spent half a summer learning what he could from the then-admiral of Ashford's navy. He was assigned as adjutant and gopher, and then as summer became autumn, he wheedled, begged and persuaded as best he could to take a position as a sailor. He was only 17, and no one would let him formally join a ship's crew until he was 18 and an adult, but he managed to earn himself an "apprenticeship" aboard a ship in the family that was, apparently, exactly the same as being a sailor aboard the ship except that he had to be supervised pretty much at all times. The open sea was Eurion's favorite, and although the hard, hard labor of a man aboardship was a huge eye-opener for the privileged son of generations of nobles, it did him good in terms of his personal growth and the strength of his muscles. Though it was a few years coming, eventually one of the ships that House Ashford commissioned was granted to his command - the STAR KNIGHT - and he has been sailing for the Ashfords' navy ever since. + |
| Evaine Silverhand + | The granddaughter of prodigals, Evaine has cultivated an air of culture, education and grace that pair well with the statuesque physiology that particular heritage has given her. She was born and raised poor, in the lower boroughs, her mother a washerwoman and her father working on the docks. They died fairly young, as people who work hard for not much money often do, and Evaine has been on her own since her early teens. They taught her well, though, and she did fine for herself through a combination of wits and training in a hand-to-hand style of combat her grandmother had brought from her tribe, taught to her own children, who in turn taught Evaine. Her beauty and grace made acting a natural choice of profession, and so she joined the Black Rose mummers and in a few years, she has risen to the very top. This is not to say she always plays the lead role in their productions, but she does oversee the booking of their gigs, vet scripts, hire and discipline actors and stagehands alike, and is the public face of the company among the citizenry. + |
| Evander Kennex + | For the first seven years of Evander Kennex's life, almost every letter sent from Stormward included the words: "And young Evander still lives." He was sickly from birth, and was so often ill and so weak even when he was well that everyone expected him to die in childhood. But year after year, somehow, he hung on. Evander's parents, maybe trying to insulate themselves from the inevitable pain of losing him, were never terribly close to him. Oh, they went through the motions, certainly, but there was almost a reluctance to it. And then Evander's mother, Lady Girasol, went missing when he was still only five years old. No one ever accused Evander to his face, of course, but still it was whispered that Lord Wayne's second wife had been unable to bear her son's sickly nature, and had thrown herself from the cliffs into the ocean in despair. But if he lacked in parental affection, his older half-sisters Catalana and Jan doted on him. Catalana was as much a mother to him as an older sister, always checking up on him, always seeing to his needs, and Jan protected him from more than one would-be bully through the judicious breaking of noses. He spent the days when he was well enough to leave his room in the library with Niklas and Elara, although he was always too ill to go with them on their various adventures. Evander grew up with the grim understanding that because of his poor health, most of the wide world would be forever closed to him, and because of this, while Niklas' interests veered towards legends and fantastic tales, Evander devoured non-fiction. History, travelogues, current events, practical books of instruction in esoteric subjects, it didn't matter. He read it all. He didn't expect his life was going to be a long one, and wanted to experience as much of the world as he could in the time he had, even if he could only experience it through books. Against all expectations (even his own), the years ticked by and somehow Evander didn't die. He got close more than once, but either through Victoria's stubbornness and skill or his own iron will, he always recovered. He even felt well enough to travel. Just a short jaunt to a neighboring island, but still the first time he'd ever left Stormward. It was a mistake that almost cost him his life. Evander was on that island, visiting what amounted to a Kennex country home, when Ford freed the thralls with the stroke of a pen, and without warning anyone. The island he was visiting held a large plantation where the thralls rioted, and violence consumed the surrounding countryside. Evander's guards were able to spirit him away in a daring escape just as the rioters closed in, but the whole experience was too much for his fragile health. He caught a fever that came as close to killing him as anything he ever had. But the experience left him more determined than ever to conquer his poor health and to use all of the knowledge he'd built up over a lifetime of reading to help his family. With the death of the Marquis, Evander has decided that it's time to make the journey to Arx, where he hopes to make himself useful -- assuming he can just catch his breath for a moment. + |
| Evangelina Masque + | Evangelina never knew her parents, from what she's gathered she'd been born to a sailor that'd perished at sea. Turned over to well-meaning priests at the next port of call on the shining shores of Setarco, she lived a childhood full of happiness and laughter, a lucky lot in life for a motherless child, she knows. Despite being raised by the faithful, she's a bit of a curious sceptic, and believes that life, love, and happiness are what you make for yourself. The stories of the gods are beautiful still, in her opinion, and like all things beautiful, she collects them as she can, though she's far from an academic. After coming of age, she became the apprentice of a smith, attracted to the proposition of making beauty with her own hands. As adept at working precious metals as she was at stringing shells onto cord to sell to visitors on the beach as a child, she soon decided to make her way to Arx, where her beautiful creations could be worn by the most beautiful and powerful people of the Compact. Who knows, maybe one day her jewellery could even be worn by the king himself, if she talks herself up enough. Modesty is, after all, overrated. + |
| Evangeline Whisper + | Evangeline crashed onto the shores of Setarco with not much to her name. In fact, she did not even have that! A tangled mess of seaweed, salt encrusted hair, and long, awkward limbs caught the attention of local sailors who eventually dubbed the young woman Evangeline.{/{/She never seemed to remember anything prior to arriving to the main island of the Lycene sea and never seemed to let it affect her as it would some others. Evangeline took it as the blessing of a new life and put herself straight to work. She proved to be useful and resourceful. Working in silk shops was a wonderful experience but the young woman did not enjoy staying indoors all day long. She had a stint working at the docks but that also proved to not keep her attention. When it was discovered that she had lovely penmanship, she was often asked to pen love letters in exchange for silver. She worked this little business of hers with glee. Evangeline was able to set her own hours and be her own boss; sort of.{/{/She drew the attention of a mysterious proprietor who inquired about the letters she wrote for people. It had never dawned on her that this lucrative job might require her to be exquisitely discreet. Letters between lovers often came with complications. Secrets that could become the ruin of a person or an entire house if she was not careful. There was a lot of power in the palm of her hand and some people were taking notice. This proprietor offered Evangeline the opportunity to study in the Courtier House right there in Setarco. He would pay for her education and she would have protection in the House as opposed to being on her own. Evangeline jumped at the chance. She had visited the house on occasion, delivering letters to and from the lead courtiers of Setarco.{/{/The rest, as they say, is history. Evangeline excelled in all of her studies and proved to be quite an asset to the house and for the other courtiers. She even assisted in the tutoring of some of the apprentice courtiers when they first arrived to the house, drawing on her own experiences from when she was an apprentice.{/{/Since her time in Setarco, Evangeline has done quite a bit of traveling and of all the places she's been to, it's amazing she's never been to the city of Arx before, and her extensive experience and talent in Setarco as a courtier leads her to believe she is prepared to join the Whisper House. She is ready for the challenges and the political intrigue that awaits in the Capitol. + |
| Evaristo Arterius + | Evaristo hasn't visited his parents since he left home at the age of seventeen, stowing away on a ship after running afoul of his stepfather - something having to do with stealing money, supposedly. When he was found, he managed to ingratiate himself with the captain and convinced the woman to keep him on her crew as a sailor. There he stayed for several years, travelling the world on a cargo ship which sailed the seas of the Saffron Chain. In late 1002 AR the ship was attacked by shav pirates intent on seizing the cargo. Evaristo and a handful of the crew managed to escape via life boat and swimming to a nearby island - thankfully the shavs had little interest in pursuing them. There they were stranded for four months, and Evaristo finally began to contemplate his life choices. They were eventually found and rescued by a passing Thraxian vessel and brought to Darkwater Watch. He made his home there for a couple of years, making silver by taking odd jobs and finding a new crew: his own. He accumulated enough money to build his own small ship and made enough "friends" to man it, and he was on the beloved sea once more. Trips to Arx have proven to be particularly profitable these days, and he finds the citizens of the Lower Borough to be his kind of people. Perhaps there are opportunities to be found... + |
| Evelin Culler + | Evelin was born as one of many in the gutters of Setarco in the Lyceum, a poor street urchin surrounded by the resplendent wealth and decadent lifestyles of the nobility that called the Silken City their home. She could only admire them from afar, and was too proud (or embarrassed), to beg from them. She watched the Ladies and courtiers with fascination, and while most would have loathed them, Evelin came to adore them. At the age of 17 she'd been dancing in dingy bars for years, but she knew she couldn't make a living in Setarco. Determined she set out to make a name for herself in the capital. Despite her work, she was still as poor as she was before, and with nowhere else to go the young woman turned to the Cullers in the Lower Buroughs. She had talent, and it wasn't long before she was adopted into their fold. They were not the only ones to notice her talents. While performing in a small darkened club in the Buroughs she was noticed by the stunning Belladonna Pravus. One thing led to another, and Evelin was employed by the Velenosean house, and sent back to Setarco not as a beggar, but as a student of the Courtier school. She would come to excel there, and now she's returned to the capital as a resplendent, shimmering dancer and performer for House Pravus' numerous parties, stealing hearts and wowing her audiences. All the while remaining loyal to those in the Lower Buroughs who supported her all those years. + |
| Evelin Starborn + | Born to a strict Valardin family, Evelin was raised as a single child fussed over by her parents. Stifled and locked down, she spent more time working than playing, and could only watch children her age play from afar. Her noble family had served the nobility for generations, and she was expected to do the same, learning much about politics and the struggles of court life. But the adolescent woman despised this life, and when she became the ripe age of 20, her rebellious streak reached a fiery crescendo. Inspired by a band of wandering lycene ravashari she took off with them, nonchalant of her parents scorn, and took to living amongst the wilds, travelling between the great cities and learning much in the way of magic. + |
| Evelynn Helianthus + | A member of a lesser known barony in the Mourning Isles, the barony of House Morewind, it was a surprise for many among the peerage when Duke Trevor Helianthus took the enigmatic noble woman as his wife. The domain seems to have thrived since she joined Helianthus and she -is- a noble woman right? so there's little reason for any concern. Of course, there are whispers that she was never seen in the domain of House Morewind in the decades prior to her marriage. Even if the family do claim her as their own. + |
| Everard Telmar + | As the youngest brother of the Duke of Telmar, Lord Everard Telmar strove to be the honorable paragon that was everything his elder brother was not. He clung hard to a knightly ideal, gaining the respect of the forces of the Telmarch as he helped lead them in battle, and quickly rose to being a well-respected knight all throughout the Oathlands. Briefly, he even held the sword of the Telmarch in his stewardship, until Arn's own son came of age to wield it as the Champion of House Telmar and the Sword of the Telmarch. Lord Everard served loyally and honorably in the wars against the Shavs for many years, before recently coming to Arx at Prince Radley Valardin's suggestion and due to his influence was appointed the Lord Commander of the Iron Guard by King Alaric Grayson IV. As Lord Commander of the Iron Guard, he has a reputation for honesty and integrity that stands in marked contrast to the sometimes corrupt reputation of the guardsmen that might abuse their rank and privileges over the lowest in Arx. While the Iron Guard is by no means perfect, Lord Everard has resolutely sought to combat their excesses and make them a force for law and order. + |
| Everett Malere + | Everett was born to a common family living a wealthy life upon a successful farm. The Maleres were well known for their incredibly fertile land, which yielded enough crops each harvest to sustain the Oathlands year-round. From his youth, Everett developed a sense of deep, unwavering responsibility for this farm. As the eldest of two sons, the land would inevitably be passed down to him; it was in his best interest to ensure its success for future generations. At the age of twenty-five, Everett married his childhood friend, Adrienne, and thereafter welcomed the arrival of their first and only child, a boy named Tristan. They lived and worked together peacefully on the farm for nine years, and then everything changed. It was a lovely summer's day that Everett took Tristan to the borders of Acorn Hill, deep within the woods, for a fishing lesson along the banks of a rushing river. When the trip came to a close and it was time to return home, they discovered all roads leading to the town were blocked by debris and littered with the bodies of dead soldiers bearing the sigil of House Moore. Panicked and fearing the worst, Everett cut a way through the debris and discovered the whole barony had been utterly decimated by an invading clan of shavs, and all those present had been killed, including his father and his sweet, innocent wife. With his home and livelihood in ruins, and a young son depending on him alone for survival, Everett had to settle and find work elsewhere. He enlisted with the Keaton Timberwolves, serving for over a year to defend Oakhaven and its forests from invasion by shav tribes and serving justice to those he believed destroyed his home and family. After a year of soldiering, and when it seemed at last all hope of returning home was lost forever, Everett learned that a surviving member of House Moore surfaced, pressed a claim for the barony, and led a successful expedition to reclaim and restore Acorn Hill to its former glory. Everett immediately reached out to his brother, Breccan, and together they committed to speak with the new Baroness of Acorn Hill about resettling on their former lands in the hopes of reviving their family legacy and starting anew. + |
| Evonleigh Whitehawk + | Evonleigh Mercier was born the third of four children in the merchant family, sister to Delilah, Kenna, and Gaius, and cousin of Silas Mercier, who would one day be ennobled as Lord Whitehawk. Evonleigh was always just a little dramatic, with a flair for tantrums or flights of fancy. She was fond of writing and putting on little plays for her sisters and cousins to perform -- a common hobby for many children, it became something she was rather good at. As she had no head for business, it was little surprise that she chose to become an actress rather than follow in the mercantile footsteps of her parents. Evonleigh joined an acting troupe that traveled extensively, though she stayed in close contact with her family. She forged a close, if tumultuous, relationship with the leader of the troupe. The two usually played opposite one another in the leads of the plays they performed, and their chemistry on stage and off was undeniable. It was rumored they might become betrothed. She chose at first not to join her siblings in her cousin Silas' House, because she was so in love with the actor Aurelius. Unfortunately, he proved less devoted than she, making excuses for putting off engagement while soaking up the attention of his fans wherever they traveled -- there were whispers of indiscretions, a "woman in every port" so to speak. Evonleigh, heartbroken, confronted him at a party in a bit of a tantrum. After a heated argument, he stormed off. It was the last she saw of him alive, because Aurelius died later that night -- intoxicated, he fell down a long flight of stairs to his death. Luckily there were many witnesses, and Evonleigh nowhere near, for otherwise Evonleigh might have been a suspect. The last words Evonleigh had spoken to the man had been unkind ones, but that seemed to make her grief all the deeper, full of regrets and guilt. The troupe disbanded without their leader, and, along with the loss of Aurelius, Evonleigh lost some of her friends as well -- those who felt he might not have died if she hadn't fought with him that night. The feelings of loss, betrayal, hurt and guilt were a complicated mix that she hasn't truly dealt with. She shut herself away for a time, returning to her childhood home, before accepting the invitation to join her siblings in Arx as a Lady of Whitehawk, eager to put the past in the past. + |
| Ewen Masque + | Ewen's journey to self-discovery began with a personal tragedy: the loss of his parents. Successful merchants from the southern city of Lenosia, they were a loving family and well-off, encouraging and supporting him in his education. Ewen never doubted, even as he came of age, that making his parents proud would be his life goal, and he excelled in legal studies motivated by the knowledge that a career as a lawyer would bring his family honor and prestige. But he had only been practicing as a defense attorney in Lenosia for a few short years before a freak accident sent his parents' wagon crashing into a ravine. All at once Ewen was faced with an existential crisis. Without his parents' eyes on him, what did he value and what purpose was there in his existence? For perhaps the first time, his penetrating insight turned decisively inward. He concluded that behind his passion to please his family had been a dark truth: that he had been afraid to think for himself or consider what else he could become with his talents. This realization of the darkness within him, and of the willful ignorance upon which his previous convictions were based, turned him to interest in the Mirrormasks and devoted study of the teachings of the Thirteenth. Having inherited his family's comfortable wealth, he has traveled to the capitol city of Arx to decide if he will try to become an official disciple of the Thirteenth. In the meantime, he broods on his purpose and mingles freely with all, commoner or noble alike, and he still practices his trade, willing to defend the accused for little or no pay (though he picks his clients more carefully than before). He is no hero and he is not particularly righteous, being willing to countenance the self-justifications of those whom others might find monstrous. But his relentless questioning has given rise to a deep sort of personal integrity, and he will face danger if it means learning what he's truly made of. + |
| Ezekiel + | There is very little to tell of the man named Ezekiel. Few records mention him at all, and those, almost exclusively in the Oathlands -- yet those that know him, would never think such. Perhaps its another fellow with a similar name? Perhaps he's a hidden identity, perhaps a host of other things. He makes his way in the world mostly as a teller of tales and occasional troubadour, yet, he's also some talents with dueling, or at least, that's what is said. He's served from time to time as a Champion for those with a need for such things, prepared as well as he might be for such things. + |
| Ezekiel Crown + | There is very little to tell of the man named Ezekiel. Few records mention him at all, and those, almost exclusively in the Oathlands -- yet those that know him, would never think such. Perhaps its another fellow with a similar name? Perhaps he's a hidden identity, perhaps a host of other things. He makes his way in the world mostly as a teller of tales and occasional troubadour, yet, he's also some talents with dueling, or at least, that's what is said. He's served from time to time as a Champion for those with a need for such things, prepared as well as he might be for such things. + |
| Ezmeralda Leporidae + | There is a song about a House Leporidae in the annals of pre-Reckoning Arvani history, an influential ducal power that had risen to rival House Pravus during the time of the Hundred Cities, before the creation of the Lyceum. Bards embellish a tale of romance turned sour and a tryst between the two houses that resulted in a violent, bloody conflict on a tiny nameless isle near Setara. The name of this war has been lost to history but the Leporidae were thought extinguished, holdings ground to dust, island razed and survivors scattered to the winds. What remained of the once proud House retreated far, far away into the Saffron Chain, vanishing during the time of the Reckoning. Ezmeralda is the last true blooded scion of the House Leporidae, a family reduced greatly in status and protected within a powerful Abandoned enclave, the Saffron Chain's city-state of Tremorus. For centuries, it was tradition that the ruling House Proscipi would marry a Leporidae into their lineage in order to strengthen their bloodline during times of great turmoil, but the numbers of the Leporidae continued to wane through the generations. The chaos in the Saffron Chain with its new Arvani conquerors from House Pravus saw turmoil in the Abandoned city-state, with the current Prefect of House Proscipi hoping ancient, ancestral ties might win favor with the new Arvani conquerors. In this time the starlit beauty was kept secured in Tremorus where she held out hope that perhaps the Pravosi might forgive her family and the last scion of Leporidae might be invited back into the fold. In order to avoid great bloodshed it was decided that Ezmeralda would be married to a Proscipi of her choice and the great city-state along with their vassals would be sworn to a new House beneath the banner of Pravus or rather, the return of a principle power in the far southeast of the Saffron Chains; House Leporidae. + |
| Ezra Riven + | Ezra found his place at a young age, or so he thought. His parents seemed to be cultivating him to help run the Twainfort. No doubt his sister would have needed help and second sons always seemed to find positions of influence and power, if never quite the title. He enjoyed the opportunity to get out with his father, Laveer, on the hunt and relished the closeness of their bond. About the time when Ezra felt that he was really starting to get into the heart of what a man ought to learn and to be, he had the opportunity to visit Pridehall. The intention was to get a feel of the larger world and build what could become important connections with their banner lords before focusing in on the needs of the Twainfort. It happened that while he was fostering with the Bislands, the Abandoned slaughtered his family in a brutal attack that left few survivors. Few things really left him feeling alone as hearing his family has been butchered and having no one else, none of his kin, there to comfort him. When it was finally deemed safe to return home, so much had changed that he felt out of place. Newly-made Prodigals seemed to be everywhere and his own sister had married one of them. It's not to say that Thesarin wasn't kind to him but it was the wrong age for him to be deprived of the father that he idolized and unlike his younger brother, he couldn't turn to this stranger to replace him. Though he tried to learn to serve the Twainfort and what was left of the House he knew as best he could, he always felt disconnected, out of place. It wasn't any fault of the people there, but it was a home that he didn't quite feel a part of. In the end, Ezra found more comfort in the forest. The woods provided a welcome respite from all of the clashing sounds and strange customs of so many new people where he doesn't quite feel natural, doesn't quite feel like himself. Better yet, he could find some lingering memory of times spent with his lost father there, and so as the boy grew into a man, he more and more his days went to stalking among the trees, seeking... who knows what as often as he was hunting down the night's supper. Peace. Or a sense of home maybe, except that home no longer really exists. His wandering uncovered long-abandoned places that left him wondering about what was and what could have been, stumbled into secret hiding spots that left him with more questions than they did answers. But at least those long, solitary days tracking a deer through the brush or scouring the ruins along the County's edge made him a fine explorer and an even finer scout. The latter is finally a role he can fill for his family and his House, a convenient middle-ground where he can rest instead of being torn between his unwavering loyalty to them and feeling as though nothing is ever quite still enough for him to settle into for very long. It hardly helps that Riven is changing still, always rushing on like the rivers they're named for. + |
F | |
| Faelan Navegant + | Faelan is neither the oldest, nor the youngest, of Dion and Annika Navegant's children. As such, there was really no expectations placed on him beyond being happy, and allowed to do what he wanted to with his life. Which was sail As a child he would accompany his mother and father out on the ships when they went, explored much of the Mourning Isles this way before many of the boys his age. When he was roughly ten years old he went to foster with Grimhall in some sort of inexplicable agreement that his parents made. Which, ultimately worked out for him for the best. See, Faelan was a little more aggressive, and surprisingly more traditional about some things, like raiding, than the others in Navegant. He ended up flourishing under the guidance of Grimhall, and has in fact spent the last decade of time sailing with them. With the rising trouble in the Darkwater Deep, and the attacks in Arx, he has been called to the capital to aid family and fealty against the Compact's enemies. + |
| Fairen Leary + | Fairen's older sister Hianara was the March. Throughout their childhood, she was an active, aggressive child, with ambitions to leadership, cavalryship, generalship. Fairen studied quietly a lot, and although he enjoyed walking outdoors amidst the trees and occasionally growing things in little garden plots on his own, he was disinterested in most of the rougher games the other children played, finding more solace in books and in the teachings of the priests and in the quiet of the stone passageways beneath the fort. As an adult, the military pursuits that had always intrigued his sister drew Fairen hardly at all. The human drama behind the history of warfare drew his attention far more than anything related to strategy or tactics. Hianara married a young Malvici cousin and began right away on the task of making new heirs only to lose her first two children still in the womb. Fairen was almost married out into the Oathlands due to an arrangement with the Laurents, but it didn't work out for a couple of reasons; the first was that shortly before the treaty signing, Hianara died in a brutal and bloody battle with some Shav'Arvani. So instead the Laurent cousin in question married in instead, tying herself firmly to the new March and essentially proving essential in teaching him to rule and lead. For the first few years of their marriage, their relationship has been one of crisp, competent tolerance, cut with occasional furors of rage-fueled drama and what Fairen testily refers to as "hullaballoo". With the Grayson banners called and war and disaster brewing on the horizon, though, even a kind-of mismatch like Fairen and Iliana must learn to set aside their differences and work together. + |
| Falak A'Sib + | Very little is known about Falak'a'sib, the so called Eye of the Prophet, save that he is a member of the Magisters of the Mirror, and that his arrival in Arx from Eurus was not spotted at all, which makes little sense with how much the tall, crippled Magister of the Mirror would stand out in the city. + |
| Farrah Whitehawk + | 'Born to House Malgentilega - a vassal house under House Pravus - Farrah grew up among the spoiled and feckless youths of high society. Granted every desire, and shielded from the consequences of her mistakes, she didn\'t quite understand life. Her mother died when she was young and her father might have wanted to keep her innocent of the world, but in truth he was inattentive and busy with his own social and financial ambitions. He believed that money was an acceptable substitute for love and did not pay attention to Farrah as long as she did not cause a serious embarrassment for the House. As might be expected, Farrah\'s freewheeling lifestyle led her into trouble. When she was fourteen years old, she was already involved with drinking and carousing with the children of other nobles. By this age she was almost considered an adult and given considerably more freedom than she enjoyed as a child. Her associations and revelries bored her eventually. She sought out more exciting pastimes and found herself gradually associating with a rougher crowd. Many of her friends at this time were nobles also seeking excitement, but into this circle of friends came some who were more interested in her money than her friendship. One of these suggested that thievery would be very exciting and enticed her into the trade. Her early failures were covered over by her family, or by "friends" in high society, and eventually she grew more skilled. But, fate took a hand as she turned nineteen years old. She planned a robbery of a temple, and during this daring raid her partner abandoned her. She was caught and created a tremendous scandal for her family. After paying a hefty fine and receiving widespread scorn, her inattentive father decided she needed to be ironed out with something to keep her out of trouble, and she was given a choice: travel to Tor and agree to study at the renown Apothecary College to learn a craft to worship Jayus and learn some discipline, or be cast out of the family and left to fend for herself as a commoner. To someone like Farrah, it wasn\'t much of a choice. She went to Tor and studied under her strict, no-nonsense uncle for three years. She grew to accept routine and the temptations which usually led her astray were removed. When she returned home her father was delighted by her progress, but Farrah had little interest in becoming a Mercy or scholar and found herself directionless once again. She reacquainted herself with the intrigues of the court, and she kept her eyes and ears open, occasionally selling information to a small group of influential clientele. Eventually, through her contacts and information brokering, she caught the eye of one of Setarco's foremost courtiers. Seeking a new thrill and being naturally suited to the profession, she traveled to Setarco and became a lovely courtier of modest noble birth, much to the chagrin of her parents who wished for her to avoid intrigues that could tempt her into scandal. But at least she was home, and she wasn\'t stealing any more. As far as they knew. House Malgentilega was destroyed along with its liege House Argento by House Pravus for treason in the fall of 1006 AR. While her father was found guilty of the same crimes of his brethren and executed, she and her siblings were given a choice to join him or to bend the knee to the new Count Amadeo due to their blood ties with House Pravus. Farrah wisely decided to do the latter, seeking to stay on House Pravus\'s good side even in spite of the family\'s losses. Farrah began to look for a way to better her social standing among her peers outside of being a courtier, and started marriage negotiations with several prominent families. In the end, however, those within the Lyceum were reluctant to commit so soon after the downfall of Argento and its vassals and Farrah began to look elsewhere. She traveled to Arx and situated herself at court, and eventually she found herself a husband in the newly ennobled Baron Silas Whitehawk.' + |
| Faruq Disowned + | Faruq was born to a long-lived and a fierce line of Ischia corsairs. His father, Abin Faruq, was sword before him and served the Seraceni family with similar tenacity as his son. Although the family was not originally related by blood to 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, and now being truly a part of the family The title of Sword has been passed down through six generations of this family. Faruq was taught a blade and expected to continue the line of succession and he has proven worthy of the title and honor. When his father retired following the death of the old Marquis and Marquessa, Faruq took up the responsibility. He is also a capable sailor and commands his own ship and is a feared corsair. Not particularly religious, Faruq finds his own way through duty to his liege and his House. The man took charge of his lieges safety upon the death of the Marquis of Seracenis parents and acted much as an older brother to Dario as the young man came into his own. Faruq's younger sister, Malika is the only other person beside his Marquis that he is deathly loyal to. While he is fond of his brother, Nadir, he cannot help but be a little displeased that the younger man did not follow their family into martial pursuits. + |
| Faruq Seraceni + | Faruq was born to a long-lived and a fierce line of Ischia corsairs. His father, Abin Faruq, was sword before him and served the Seraceni family with similar tenacity as his son. Although the family was not originally related by blood to 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, and now being truly a part of the family The title of Sword has been passed down through six generations of this family. Faruq was taught a blade and expected to continue the line of succession and he has proven worthy of the title and honor. When his father retired following the death of the old Marquis and Marquessa, Faruq took up the responsibility. He is also a capable sailor and commands his own ship and is a feared corsair. Not particularly religious, Faruq finds his own way through duty to his liege and his House. The man took charge of his lieges safety upon the death of the Marquis of Seracenis parents and acted much as an older brother to Dario as the young man came into his own. Faruq's younger sister, Malika is the only other person beside his Marquis that he is deathly loyal to. While he is fond of his brother, Nadir, he cannot help but be a little displeased that the younger man did not follow their family into martial pursuits. + |
| Fatima Thrax + | Many would expect Princess Fatima Thrax to be a depressed, somber young woman, haunted by her tragic upbringing. She is more than willing to let anyone think that, and then take advantage of that perception with shameless abandon. The ambitious and ruthless granddaughter of Donrai Thrax certainly would have ample justification to have turned out meek, considering the execution of her father and the banishment of her mother, but perhaps she inherited far too much of the spirit that doomed her parents combined with her grandfather's calculation. Fatima's mother, Princess Marjory Thrax, was no proper Thraxian woman in the eyes of Donrai Thrax. With far too much interest in sailing, Princess Marjory defied her father by accompanying a daring expedition to sail east to the rarely contacted continent of Eurus on a perilous voyage. Worse in the eyes of Fatima's grandfather, not only did Marjory have the temerity to succeed, but she returned with a husband, married without permission of her family, to the exiled Prince Asad of Petrioch, a royal fleeing a lost war of one of the distant Dune Kingdoms of Eurus. Prince Donrai Thrax had little choice but to recognize the marriage of the royals as Marjory was already with child, but it proved short lived- Prince Asad was found complicit in the plotting of the Tyde Rebellion and was executed by House Thrax, and Princess Marjory Thrax was all but exiled, married off to a Lord of House Pravus and unwelcome to the family. Fatima, however, is not bitter that she never really knew her parents. The half-eurusi princess was spoiled constantly by the many servants of House Thrax who sympathized and had loved Princess Marjory and Prince Asad, and she quickly learned how laughably easy it was to twist those sympathies to her own ends while seeming an utterly proper Thrax princess. As the princess grew, sometimes tutored in politics by her heartless grandfather, she saw the awe and sheer respect granted to the highlord by all of his vassals and quickly realized how vulnerable many of those same men were to deft manipulation. And oh, did she grow deft. A true princess of Thrax could never wield political power directly, of course, but why would she ever need to do so? The games are so much more entertaining with her controlling the pieces indirectly. + |
| Fawkes Laurent + | Growing up as the oldest son there was a lot that was expected of him. Having grown up in the Laurent holdings of Artshall, Fawkes, like the rest of his family, took part in the business of breeding and selling horses. A family business which his own Father and Grandfather had started. Fawkes would argue that he knew how to ride long before he knew how to walk, and might actually feel more comfortable on the back of a horse than on his own two feet in some situations. His father joined the military, while Fawkes was still young, giving the boy something more than horse breeding to fill his dreams with. Dreams of combat, fighting, sword play, and all those other adventurous, romantic notions that a child might have of what it means being an Oathlander, being a knight, being a soldier. His father eventually died in battle, leaving to to fall upon his shoulders to step up and be the man of the family. Upon hearing of his father's death, Timothy Laurent, whom only ever came to his father when his steed needed care beyond that of what his stable hands were capable of, took pity on the family and offered Fawkes the chance to become his squire, giving the family another source of income and greater social backing should they have need of it. While still alive his father would often return home from war and encourage Fawkes' dreams of joining the cavalry and becoming a knight; taking a hand in teaching him to wield a weapon, or to behave in the way many felt appropriate for a knight, or future knight. Upon being given that offer by Timothy, Fawkes at first tried turning it down, saying he needed to stay and help out his family, but it was his mother who nudged the young man into accepting and being able to actually chase after his dream. His time with Timothy was spent training to be part of the Laurent cavalry, and learning the ways of being a knight. Another war broke out in the region during this time, forcing Fawkes to join in the fighting alongside Timothy. Fortunately the campaign was short lived and successful, after which, Timothy having been impressed by Fawke's deeds worked to finish his training and further the process of getting him knighted. + |
| Fawkuhl Valardin + | Younger children of great houses that are extremely unlikely to ever sit as high lord are often encouraged to pursue other avenues for power for their families, and Fawkuhl felt an extremely early drive to make his mark in the Faith of the Pantheon. A precocious child that was marked by an early fervor for the Faith and the theology behind the different gods, he became a priest of the Pantheon while still a teenager. Even though in theory all priests of the Pantheon are equal and renounce their ties to their families as they take their vows, being the younger brother of a high lord cleared the way inside an institution that had historically been dominated by House Valardin. A popular, effective orator that was well regarded, he was still a surprise nomination for Dominus by the Legates when the previous elderly Dominus died of heart failure, but not before specifically adopting Fawkuhl as a protege and saying he 'saw the mark of the gods in him'. He was appointed Dominus unanimously by the Convocation of the Faith. + |
| Faye Ruger + | Despite growing up a commoner, Faye Ruger was treated with a degree of respect and even fear that she never could grow accustomed to. The daughter of the previous Master of Questions of the Inquisition, her father was responsible for ferreting out the threats to the Compact and bringing the enemies of the Crown to justice, and Faye quickly learned as a child just how feared the Inquisition truly was. It pained her to see innocent men and women legitimately afraid of the institution, and deeply offended her that some would imagine that her good and honorable father would be capable of the kind of arbitrary maliciousness that some ascribe to the Crown's investigative arm. Certainly the Inquisition has to make difficult, even cruel choices at times for the good of everyone, but she never saw her father be capricious or unjust, and she grew up expecting to follow in his footsteps to safeguard the Realm. Her father Berthold Ruger's death a decade ago solidified that vague expectation into a burning desire, and there's perhaps no more dedicated investigator inside the entire Inquisition. Certainly that's what her partner and constant companion Prince Laric Grayson feels about her, with his freewheeling and imaginative nature a perfect match for her dedicated, calculating resolve. It's not easy, and she's had to do plenty of things to protect the realm that can make one lose sleep at night, but this is what she was born to do. + |
| Fecundo Rubino-Zaffria + | Fecundo has a good sense of humor about his name. His 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, his younger sister Miranda was born not even two years later. Nevertheless, in his mother's mind, he was the perfect child, the favored one, and the world revolved around him, and anything Fecundo wanted he could have. This might have ruined someone less good-natured than he, but despite being spoiled, Fecundo is a charming and friendly sort. As a boy, he traveled to Southport to train militarily with his father's family. Before he left, his mother made sure he had the best armor and the best weapons a boy could possibly want. Yet he wrote home at least three times, begging for another sword, claiming his had broken. In reality, he'd given them away to fellow squires who were not as fortunate as he because he knew his wealthy mother would indulge him in anything he asked. He had to swear his little sister to secrecy so that she wouldn't squeal on him, but since he presented her with one of the nicer swords, she was quite mollified and has kept his secrets to this day. Fecundo sought out the knighthood because he thought it would be an opportunity to learn new and interesting things. He went with Gemecitta's troops to Setarco and saw some awesomely weird things, so he's quite interested and very excited about seeing more of the world. One of the reasons he set out for Arx was because there are so many bastions of learning there -- and it was also an excellent opportunity to get away from his stifling crazy mother. Good with a sword and a bit of a show-off, he's always kind to those in need. He's slightly overwhelmed at the number of opportunities available in Arx, but he's drawn to the throngs of people and the endless possibilities. + |
| Fecundo Valardin + | Fecundo has a good sense of humor about his name. His 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, his younger sister Miranda was born not even two years later. Nevertheless, in his mother's mind, he was the perfect child, the favored one, and the world revolved around him, and anything Fecundo wanted he could have. This might have ruined someone less good-natured than he, but despite being spoiled, Fecundo is a charming and friendly sort. As a boy, he traveled to Southport to train militarily with his father's family. Before he left, his mother made sure he had the best armor and the best weapons a boy could possibly want. Yet he wrote home at least three times, begging for another sword, claiming his had broken. In reality, he'd given them away to fellow squires who were not as fortunate as he because he knew his wealthy mother would indulge him in anything he asked. He had to swear his little sister to secrecy so that she wouldn't squeal on him, but since he presented her with one of the nicer swords, she was quite mollified and has kept his secrets to this day. Fecundo sought out the knighthood because he thought it would be an opportunity to learn new and interesting things. He went with Gemecitta's troops to Setarco and saw some awesomely weird things, so he's quite interested and very excited about seeing more of the world. One of the reasons he set out for Arx was because there are so many bastions of learning there -- and it was also an excellent opportunity to get away from his stifling crazy mother. Good with a sword and a bit of a show-off, he's always kind to those in need. He's slightly overwhelmed at the number of opportunities available in Arx, but he's drawn to the throngs of people and the endless possibilities. + |
| Felicia Harrow + | With ancestors who were Prodigal and growing up in the Lower Boroughs, life was far from easy for Felicia. Despite the hardships that the family faced, she and her ancestors did willingly serve the Crown in the form of the Iron Guard. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, grandmother, all the way down to Felicia and one of her other siblings. Service has been something which the family has conducted with stringent adherence to the simple concept: to integrate and find acceptance, one must be willing to serve. And serve the family has, for a number of generations in concurrence. It was only recent history when a fire broke out in the Ward of the Crown one evening while Felicia and a small number of the Iron Guard were on patrol. A home within the palace's ward was on fire and the majority of the Iron Guard in her presence froze. Notably at least one of them ran off to raise the alarm, but the rest stood marvelling at the flames. Felicia didn't have time for that, she wanted to get home and attend to her little garden, and have a stiff drink. She put boot to door and disappeared inside. Over the course of nearly ten minutes and multiple trips, Felicia was able to recover at least a half dozen nobles from indoors ranging from small children to adults. Covered in soot and reeking of smoke, Felicia had put herself at enormous personal risk on a whim. As happens when people of merit put themselves at risk for little noticeable gain, it gained the notice of some. In this case it was someone intimately familiar with the Ward of the Crown and that at least held a tacit relationship with the Iron Guard through mutual service. The First Captain at the time of the King's Own, Rymarr, reached out to Felicia. An offer was made, an offer was questioned. She was no knight and the King's Own were a collection of talented knights of varying degrees of skill but most assuredly known for their many acts of bravery and valor throughout the centuries. Rudimentary training was provided by a number of noteworthy names within the King's Own, prior to Felicia taking her oath. Bringing her to speed for the Silver Swords, instilling in her the importance of their duty, their professionalism, and ultimately the demand for their unified front again threats to the Crown. The price was high, without a doubt, but Felicia became Dame Felicia Harrow. Cast aside some of her obligations and ties beyond the King's Own, but in doing so earned the ability to call herself a knight of the King's Own. Which has also had the fortunate side effect of rarely wanting for at least basic needs. The palace baths? Too die for. Palace food? Amazing. The past few months has been completely worth the need to lay her life on the line in protection of the Sovereign. + |
| Felix Meadson + | Felix's mother was a barwench, and his father the bartender of a lower class hole in the Thraxian capital city. Everyone assumed Felix would become your typical ne'er-do-well, or wretch of a human being. No one expected a damned thing from him. Except one person. That one person saved Felix from a destiny of mediocrity and made him great. Everyone called him Ol' Jann. Most considered him to have the illustrious title of the Town Drunk or Crazy Old Man. He was the butt of jokes, the cautionary tale, and the constant in a seaside town full of fishermen. No one knew how old he was, but he was always there. Felix was just a kid, not old enough to hold a broom when he came upon Ol' Jann, sleeping it off in the waste behind the tavern. Felix watched him for a little while, before getting his stuffed animal and tucking it under the man's arm. Ol' Jann woke up as Felix was walking away and called after the boy. He had an old, old stuffed bear in his pack, and asked Felix if he wanted to hear a story. Ol' Jann told the best stories. Stories of glory days, of mighty battles, pirates, reaving up and down the coasts. He told stories of the mighty weapons, the heroes of legends, the great and the gory. Felix ate everyone up. He loved the stories, would often act out his favorite parts, much to the old man's amusement. He used sticks as weapons and one day, confided that he wished he could afford a real sword, so he could be a real pirate. Ol' Jann said four words that changed his life forever. "So make one, boy." Make one. So simple, so brilliant. Felix watched a blacksmith through the window one night, and thought it looked pretty easy. He snuck in and started pounding, which obviously woke up the blacksmith. Even more obviously, he was pretty angry, but saw what this kid had done, and how quickly, he cuffed the boy on the ear, told him he was doing it wrong, and showed him how. The blacksmith saw what Ol' Jann saw. There was something about this kid. Felix caught on quickly, and within the first year of his apprenticeship, the local garrison would only get their weapons repaired by the blacksmith and Felix. By the fifth year, the Commander of the garrison commissioned a weapon from Felix specifically. Soon after, the Royal Family commissioned swords from the boy, and moved him to Arx, to tend and craft for the royals there. Three months into his apprenticeship, Felix crafted his first blade, fashioned after a story Ol' Jann told about his very first sword. It was a plain thing, but heavy and sharp, and the boy rushed to present it to the old man who kept him from a life of nothingness. He found him in bed. Ol' Jann looked at the boy, and looked at the sword. He smiled, patted his hand, and then died, a look of pride on his face. Felix didn't cry. Thrax men don't cry. He left his sword under Ol' Jann's arm. The whole town showed up for the funeral of the man that had always been there, and to this day, they tell the story of the fine sword he went to the sea with, and the boy who made it. Felix never tells that story, only the ones he collects now, knowing how the world can change, because of them. + |
| Fenia Unknown + | A wanderer, Farmhand, Traveling companion of a minstrel, and village midwife for a time. Can ride well and is a decent shot with a bow and arrow, oddly enough, but her main talent is in persuasion and a knack for planning. + |
| Fergus Redrain + | Few warriors in the Northlands had as bright and promising start as Prince Fergus Redrain. Wild, bold, and a natural born talent with a blade, the prince accompanied high lord Sherrod Redrain on his first campaigns against the shavs, letting the the young man win the acclaim of his uncle and liege in battle. At first, Fergus loved the wars, winning the renown for his talents and ferocity and delighting in the honors heaped upon him, even as he was named Sword of Farhaven and champion of House Redrain. Fergus always expected the first few victories against worthy foes would be the end of it, but there never was an end. Battles dragged on, he lost more and more friends, and started to see things he had turned a blind eye to or did things he deeply regrets. Then he served with Duke Vercyn in some of the most brutal and bloody campaigns, helping 'the hungry wolf' crush some of the worst enemies in the Northlands in ways few couldn't label atrocities. That was enough to get Fergus to swear off the blade, and talented champion or no, he wanted nothing more to do with it and turned his uncle down on an offer to come to Arx, preferring to live a quiet existence up in Farhaven. And now there's more guilt for Fergus to live with. The retired champion was in Farhaven during the King's Rest, when forces unknown slew Prince Sherrod Redrain and put the king of the entire Compact into a coma. Fergus was arguably the strongest warrior in the entire north, the Sword of Farhaven, and he wasn't there. He should have been, he hates that he wasn't, but now there's no helping it. He's taken the sword again, and headed south to help his cousin Prince Darren, the new Prince of Farhaven and high lord of House Redrain. He doesn't even know who is responsible yet or who he'll be fighting, but all he can hope is he gets a chance to make amends for what's gone before. + |
| Ferrando Artiglio + | The Lyceum is renowned (infamous, from some perspectives) for its cultural bent towards a certain pragmatic flexibility in comparison to the rest of the Compact's norms and traditions. Every culture has its outliers, however, and Ferrando to his mild chagrin has turned out to be one of them. It's not that he doesn't take pride in being a Lenosian or love and appreciate his family. He is simply the kind of confident idealist that will stand up for what he thinks is right no matter the odds, and thusly is absolutely terrible at the hallmark pragmatic flexibility of the south. Growing up as an Artiglio and a prodigiously big, tough, and strong one at that, it was only natural that like his famed Captain of the Guard uncle Giovanni he would be fast tracked into the Lenosian Guard himself. Not only just because he was big, tough, and strong, but because it was also fairly clear early on that he did not have a merchant's aptitude for either wheeling or dealing or maximizing profit margins in general. Unfortunately, his tenure in the Guard was largely a debacle in the end. It wasn't because he wasn't any good at being a guard, per se; he took to armsmanship like a prodigy and went on longer patrols and worked harder than anyone. What he wasn't very good at, however, was following rules and authority. Or rather, he was when he thought they were good rules and good orders but unhesitantly went off-script when he didn't. The Guard was there to keep order, Ferrando was there to help people and lay the smack down on anybody who tried getting rough, and if that resulted in slightly less order on balance he was not bothered by it at all. He simply wasn't having any part of participating in the casual corruption or letting the minions of powerful people get away with things. Needless to say, this sort of loose cannon cop do-gooding did not exactly play well with either the criminal gangs or his superiors and Ferrando racked up a collection of immensely irritated enemies in a few short years. It was at this point that the Artiglios decided to pull some strings before Ferrando pushed somebody too far, and so he was for all practical intents and purposes kicked out of the Guard and sent to Arx. Ironically enough, he quickly thrived in Arx. As per usual, his sticking up for random strangers earned him a job when he came across someone being threatened by a minor noble and intimidated the noble into backing off. Said someone turned out to be a Whisper, and just like that he was a "remedial etiquette instructor" (i.e. bouncer) at the Whisper House with a steady salary and an excellently furnished suite to stay in, and from there soon enough rose to be the House's head of security. For a time, he also held a bit of a side hustle/hobby of "independent security consultant" (i.e. bodyguard) on a few expeditions here and there, but the return of Skald to the Pantheon of the Faith filled a hole he was never quite able to articulate before; the primacy of choices, and the importance of choosing to being true to yourself no matter if it means you stand alone. He became one of the founding Liberators of the Discipleship of Skald, and often spends time at the shrine having found it a way to help people that doesn't necessarily oblige him to intimidate bad guys (or punch them in the face) in the process. He also met the fiery forgemistress Eithne Thornburn, and over time ended up settling down with her to raise their daughter Carson together. It's an unconventional path for a kid from Lenosia, but he's made it work out, and it's worked out rather well for him at that. + |
| Ferris Ulbran + | Born an Ulbran on the streets of the Lowers, Ferris soon proved that he was never going to be a pickpocket or a sneak thief, and temperamentally he just wasn't suited to the criminal life - so his mother found him an apprenticeship with a smith, and he found himself enjoying it. After mostly churning out nails for the dockyards for a few years, he decided to take to the road and learn more; nails became horseshoes, arrow heads and tools, and Ferris wandered the breadth of Arvum as a travelling smith. After the first few crude bits of plate armour left his anvil he realised that that was what he most enjoyed making, and sought further training; after spending time with the armies of various Highlords, and more importantly with their smiths, he found himself supplying the soldiers retaking Bastion. In the wake of that conflict - and with a good purse of money in his favour - he's returned to Arx to rejoin the family and set up shop as a professional armoursmith. After all, everyone knows how much money you can make in Arx if you're good enough, and Ferris is entirely confident that he's good enough. + |
| Fiachra Greenmarch + | With a father crippled in battle prior to his birth, and a mother who fell to illness when he was but five, Fiachra grew up with the kind of fierce independence expected from those who had self-responsibility thrust upon them from youth. He always had a strong affinity for the Greenwood, and came to know its paths and all the variety of flora and fauna that called it home. Over time, he became a skilled woodsman and aided in the defence of the lands that his clan had held for centuries against all threats. Honestly, he probably would have been content living out his days there, but change is inevitable, especially as a nephew of the Greenmarch chief, Marcel. When the Greenmarch Abandoned bent their knee and became members of the Compact, the ability to be flexible in one's worldview became a trait necessary for survival. In truth, of all his immediate family members, it's probably his younger sister that most embodies that particular quality. She's headed now to Arx to embrace this new world of opportunity that has opened up to them, and their father has tasked Fiachra with accompanying Eirlys to keep watch over her. + |
| Fiachra Valardin + | With a father crippled in battle prior to his birth, and a mother who fell to illness when he was but five, Fiachra grew up with the kind of fierce independence expected from those who had self-responsibility thrust upon them from youth. He always had a strong affinity for the Greenwood, and came to know its paths and all the variety of flora and fauna that called it home. Over time, he became a skilled woodsman and aided in the defence of the lands that his clan had held for centuries against all threats. Honestly, he probably would have been content living out his days there, but change is inevitable, especially as a nephew of the Greenmarch chief, Marcel. When the Greenmarch Abandoned bent their knee and became members of the Compact, the ability to be flexible in one's worldview became a trait necessary for survival. In truth, of all his immediate family members, it's probably his younger sister that most embodies that particular quality. She's headed now to Arx to embrace this new world of opportunity that has opened up to them, and their father has tasked Fiachra with accompanying Eirlys to keep watch over her. + |
| Fianna Crovane + | Fianna was an impish child that delighted in jokes and pranks of a good-natured variety. She was instilled with a love of nature and animals from a young age by her family. While her older brothers were training with swords and axes, young Fianna could be found playing with the hunting dogs, visiting the stables, or climbing trees in the forest. There many an afternoon when her family would be forced into an impromptu game of hide and seek to coax her indoors for meals. As she grew however, her hoydenish ways became tempered as she spent more and more time working with the animals of Crovane. Her favorite lessons came from the stablemaster, learning to tame and train new horses, and later, how to breed them. Even as her eldest brother took on the mantle of Duke, Fianna stuck to her own little world of hunting and training animals. When Somhairle died and Asger was elevated to the title, she made him a promise that she would breed and train the best warhorses and hunting dogs in all of Arvum. Its a promise that she has worked hard to keep ever since. When her home was threatened by dark forces, she sent her beloved animals to the Ducal estate in Arx, hoping for a quick resolution so she could return to her self-appointed task. With Stormall in ashes, the young noblewoman finds herself shellshocked and making her way south to Arx. + |
| Fianna Volkov + | Fianna was an impish child that delighted in jokes and pranks of a good-natured variety. She was instilled with a love of nature and animals from a young age by her family. While her older brothers were training with swords and axes, young Fianna could be found playing with the hunting dogs, visiting the stables, or climbing trees in the forest. There many an afternoon when her family would be forced into an impromptu game of hide and seek to coax her indoors for meals. As she grew however, her hoydenish ways became tempered as she spent more and more time working with the animals of Crovane. Her favorite lessons came from the stablemaster, learning to tame and train new horses, and later, how to breed them. Even as her eldest brother took on the mantle of Duke, Fianna stuck to her own little world of hunting and training animals. When Somhairle died and Asger was elevated to the title, she made him a promise that she would breed and train the best warhorses and hunting dogs in all of Arvum. Its a promise that she has worked hard to keep ever since. When her home was threatened by dark forces, she sent her beloved animals to the Ducal estate in Arx, hoping for a quick resolution so she could return to her self-appointed task. With Stormall in ashes, the young noblewoman finds herself shellshocked and making her way south to Arx. + |
| Fidel Charon + | Lord Fidel Threerivers' childhood was defined by the beginning of his lifelong fascination with shamanism. Where did that fascination begin? Well, that's guaranteed to be a good story if the way the Threerivers' older generation quickly smiles, deflects, and pivots on to the next topic is any indication. Or, for that matter, the handful of his early years where not a single one of them, not even his father the late Count of Highrock, deign to mention him in their white journals at all. Those minor details aside, he seems to have had a productive adolescence and spent years traveling throughout the northlands with a more worldly aunt, acquainting himself with the land and its people, not that he ever became a shaman. They tended to find his interest uncomfortable, if not altogether off-putting. By sheer dumb luck or some vague misfortune, Lord Fidel was away from Highrock when the short but bloody conflict with House Bellerive began, serving as a wilderness guide for Scholars studying unique fauna a month out from his ancestral home, only returning as the last body was buried beneath the earth. The weeks following were something of a helpless whirlwind for poor Fidel. Uninvolved as he was in governance due to certain gaps in his education, Fidel found himself losing his cool more than once in angry tirades and rants that likely complicated the peacemaking process rather than bringing his feuding older siblings back together in friendship as he would have liked. Before long, he found himself swept away to the newly founded House Charon to serve as his sister Magaen's advisor on all matters pertaining the superstitious common-folk of their new holding. Not that he prescribes to any of it himself, of course! Let's change the subject, shall we? + |
| Filshiar Shieldborne + | Filshiar was a third son of a second son, and in many respects, no one special. His mother was a blacksmith who worked long hours at her smithy, serving the scouts of Farhaven and the knights of the House of Redrain; his father was a shaman and a healer who worked closely with the Mercies of Lagoma at Farhaven. As a boy, he trained aggressively, showing early aptitude for the blade. He was the strongest of the young boys his age, consistently; the fastest, consistently; and a stalwart influence on the youth and the squires who trained together. He was a firm hand to keep the strong from mocking the weak, gently insistent and too large and disciplined even in youth for even the sharpest young bully to defy him. It was this consistent attitude, as well as his strengths in the practice yard, that drew the attention of the knight who eventually took him on as squire. The boy whose instincts are to protect the weak until they grow stronger is a good boy to train. He spent long hours in the wilds as a squire and scout, listening carefully to the forest and learning the ways in snow or sunshine. He was never particularly boisterous, inclined to an introverted reserve, but his smile was always warm, and he made strong connections with the other squires, and as he grew older, with the other knights. His aptitude could not be denied. He was strong, and fast, and sure; and more than that, he was dedicated. He was a warrior, and an able one, who proved himself time and time again in the practice yard, and whose swordwork left nothing to be denied in the field, either. Filshiar drew many eyes by virtue of his prowess in the field and by virtue of his looks, but though he was not averse to warming the bed of this person or that, he found true connection elusive. The grand passion and romance of the storybook was simply not to be found for him in the arms of a pretty maid or a rough young scout, no matter how he tried, and he found that it made less heartbreak for others if he began to turn down advances. He focused on service and spent more time walking alone in the woods, listening to the sound of the wind in the trees, and thinking about how it could sound like music. He was in his twenties by the time he was assigned to travel to the South, part of Prince Darren's detachment to Arx, and bore quiet witness to many strange and interesting things. Already tested at the time of the siege of the Silence, he made himself impossible to overlook in battle against the Bringers, in an epic fight that should have been his last stand but for a combination of his abilities and some damned good luck. It was not the first or last time he would distinguish himself before the eyes of the Compact, but it was certainly one of the most memorable, and after it, the first overture was made to suggest that he might -- maybe, just maybe -- have the stuff to serve as a Knight of the King's Own. Someday. Someday came sooner than expected when a series of events and circumstances led him to take a warrior's samaritan aid to the King's Own in holding a bridge, during an attempt upon the life of His Majesty staged by corrupt influences within His Majesty's Inquisition. It was after that fateful day that Filshiar shyly accepted and took oath with the finest knights in Arvum. + |
| Filusae Tyde + | As a very young child the memory of screaming, jostling and the scent of just everything that can burn blazing away - Filusae still stares into the dark at night, remembering the dim gloom of days being carried away by frantic hands and a trembling voice she can only remember as Mother's. The sound of cracked lightning and feeling constantly soaked upon a small, questionable vessel through dark waters and heavy rains. Clammy hands, attempting to be comforting only creating a more horrifying experience to gaze upon a once serene face tear-stained with pale hair disheveled. Where was father? What was happening? The capacity to understand escaped her, only to be brought to light as she grew in the home of her Mother's inlaws, among House Groverfield, far from the destruction of the Sack of Tydehall and the fall of House Tyde. Murmurs through the years from her mother revealed that maybe it could have all been different if her grandfather were alive, were there. While the years passed by, Filusae was brought up fairly sheltered but well educated in things that brought her interest, taking a past-time in collecting objects that would shine or make pleasant sounds she naturally found an appreciation for coin and dealing with it. Only twice did those in the home she was raised by and with attempt to take her near the docks and ships, ending in a wildly violent exchange with some staggering away nursing scratched arms or a face. The absolute panic of being so near a ship for so little a reason as 'a fun trip' did not strike her well; Maybe just being at the docks would not have been so bad were it not for the intent to convince her to board the vile ship for such an unacceptable reason. Maybe were it to visit a pen-pal, one of two she would have been encouraged to try. Maybe. Recently a worn-looking old man has come to the door, blue eyes as so many. She shut the door in his face, a hint of unease settling over her. Only later to find the very same man in the parlor with her mother looking pale and confused... What grandfather? Who? That man would be ancient and was supposed to be long-assumed dead. + |
| Fiora Laurent + | Fiora is the eldest child of Lord Romeo Malvici, the younger brother of Duchess Adona Malvici and consequently the first cousin of the sitting Duke. Her childhood, for the most part, was consistent with those of most noble children - save for the Malvici fixation on martial pursuits, unique within the houses of the Lyceum. Fiora discovered early she had neither the bulk nor the drive to become a conventional sword and board warrior, and instead began to focus her training on archery and fencing with lighter blades and armor. She was naturally nimble, with the nearly poetic grace of a cat, and her regime was tailored to take advantage of such natural talent. When it rains, however, it pours. Her mother passed after a difficult birthing of a set of twins when she was nine, and a war between her family and the Fidantes engulfed Southport shortly afterward. Her father fell in one of the ensuing battles and she was nearly killed after a poorly thought out quest for vengeance. By age twelve, she was a significantly more sullen girl. She took her vow to mother to look after her siblings to heart, but it was difficult to do in lieu of her own emotional turmoil, especially as a teenager. No one doubted her intentions were noble, but she lashed out frequently, in public and in private. Adulthood has given her more patience and a longer perspective, but the hurt little girl is still there beneath the surface, seething and threatening to come out when she becomes overwhelmed. She is an enigmatic combination of ice and fire, and nobody is quite sure if there's more of one or the other. She served dutifully as a Voice for House Malvici for many years before the completion of the Great Road brought about a series of tense and uncomfortable situations along the border of the Oathlands and Lyceum. It was in the resolution of those burgeoning brushfire wars that she became better acquainted with the leadership of House Laurent, the Malvici's neighbor to the west. A marriage of duty was forged between herself and one of the many perfectly acceptable (and perfectly dull and utterly obsessed with horses) cousins of the duke. Since then she's been known as Lady Fiora Laurent and enjoys a position of trust within her married family. Sadly, her husband was one of those lost in an attack upon the keep that saw not only his death, but that of the duchess and several other nobles of the house. + |
| Fiora Malvici + | Fiora is the eldest child of Lord Romeo Malvici, the younger brother of Duchess Adona Malvici and consequently the first cousin of the sitting Duke. Her childhood, for the most part, was consistent with those of most noble children - save for the Malvici fixation on martial pursuits, unique within the houses of the Lyceum. Fiora discovered early she had neither the bulk nor the drive to become a conventional sword and board warrior, and instead began to focus her training on archery and fencing with lighter blades and armor. She was naturally nimble, with the nearly poetic grace of a cat, and her regime was tailored to take advantage of such natural talent. When it rains, however, it pours. Her mother passed after a difficult birthing of a set of twins when she was nine, and a war between her family and the Fidantes engulfed Southport shortly afterward. Her father fell in one of the ensuing battles and she was nearly killed after a poorly thought out quest for vengeance. By age twelve, she was a significantly more sullen girl. She took her vow to mother to look after her siblings to heart, but it was difficult to do in lieu of her own emotional turmoil, especially as a teenager. No one doubted her intentions were noble, but she lashed out frequently, in public and in private. Adulthood has given her more patience and a longer perspective, but the hurt little girl is still there beneath the surface, seething and threatening to come out when she becomes overwhelmed. She is an enigmatic combination of ice and fire, and nobody is quite sure if there's more of one or the other. She served dutifully as a Voice for House Malvici for many years before the completion of the Great Road brought about a series of tense and uncomfortable situations along the border of the Oathlands and Lyceum. It was in the resolution of those burgeoning brushfire wars that she became better acquainted with the leadership of House Laurent, the Malvici's neighbor to the west. A marriage of duty was forged between herself and one of the many perfectly acceptable (and perfectly dull and utterly obsessed with horses) cousins of the duke. Since then she's been known as Lady Fiora Laurent and enjoys a position of trust within her married family. Sadly, her husband was one of those lost in an attack upon the keep that saw not only his death, but that of the duchess and several other nobles of the house. + |
| Flavien Laurent + | Flavien was born second to an offshoot of the Laurent clan. While his older sister Lireth focused on the more political arts, Flavien was given to train as a knight to an elderly sort young. While no less grueling a curriculum, Sir Jarrek focused on imparting his wisdom to his student. As such, Flavien ended up being caught up in more intellectual pursuits by and large than the wars occurring around. While off handling some minor skirmish off for his mentor, there was some oddity at the family home. When his sister fell ill unders strange circumstances, he begged to be let back. While there were strange rumors surrounding the illness, an execution of a suitor presumably poisoning the woman seemed to allow her to come back to full health. At such a point, however, Flavien was asked to move on from this service. As such he petitioned a relative, Cristoph, to come and serve under this branch of the family should he have him. + |
| Flora Sanna + | A younger daughter of a lesser line out of Giant's Reach, Flora was called, young, to the Pantheon, in a holding that where shamanism was predominant. It wasn't that Flora felt any need to neglect the spirits particularly, but somehow she knew, Knew, with a whole heart, very young, that the gods were real, were necessary, were critical to her existence. Of course-- especially young children in an area of the North that could be scrappy, well, she ended up in a lot of ... scrappy little fights. Young and fierce, she drew the attention of a knight who was there with an entourage of Oathlanders who were seeking to potentially court one of the Marquis's family for a marriage alliance, and somehow, what with one thing and another, it was agreed that she would squire for him. Flora worked very hard as a squire, in service to Gloria and the Sentinel. It was the culmination of her life's work and her life's faith when she finally was sworn a knight before the Grandmaster of the Templars. She is still young and new to this career, but loves it with the fullness of her heart. + |
| Flynt Myrt + | Son of a commoner, who enlisted on a merchant ship and sailed the world in order to escape abuse at home. + |
| Forato Fidante + | Born a Fidante 23 long years ago, this lad fell into the hands of a southern tribe of Abandoned during the Tor-Southport war when but a toddler. Sold as a slave for a few years he ended up in the service of a Witch Doctor who was steeped in the Demonic traditions. While never truly allowed to forget his place as a slave, he gained great knowledge of the enemies of the Compact, of their religions and their tactics. For some reason the Witch kept him always near but never allowed him to be taught any vocation other than that of a menial servant. When found and rescued in a raid only a year ago, the young Fidante finds himself in a world he had only really been able to imagine, or dream of based on his most distant memories. Now suddenly a noble, instead of a slave. The fated Fidante has his future to find. + |
| Ford Kennex + | Sent away at an relatively early age to school and study in both Southern and Oathland cities, Ford gained unique and certain sensibilities from those 'mainlanders'. It is there he learned the nuances of politics and how to present one's self. It's also where he didn't grow the prickly, stereotypical Thrax exterior and interior. In a way he's a child of two worlds. This, was by the design of his father, Denholm Kennex knew what Thrax politics were like. His father knew that Thrax begets Thrax in an ever spinning wheel. So Denholm endeavored to take the Thrax out of his son, he needed a Thrax that wasn't Thrax to rule Stormward. And that's exactly what he got. When Ford returned to Stormward after word his father had passed in his sleep, the hold itself was already being courted for coup by an overeager captain with ambitions far larger than his status. The captain having positioned his ships in a way to blockade Stormward from the rest of the world. It's unknown precisely what happened, but within a week's time, the captain and all his ships had disappeared. While it was initially thought the would-be usurper and his cohorts had fled, months passed with no trace of them, and servants in Stormwald have refused to ever speak of what occurred. + |
| Fortescue Antoni + | Fortescue was born the middle child of three to a close side branch of the Antoni merchant family in Southport. Due to the family's relative privilege as commoners, he was afforded a solid education. He never worried about going hungry, always had a warm bed and a roof overhead. In fact, if you ask him, the great tragedy of his life was how utterly predictable and unmysterious his early years were. But things get hazy around his 14th birthday. He started realizing he could trade information for favors among the customers at his mother's shop. And then he ran afoul of the son of a smuggling operation, which - perhaps luckily - resulted in him being recruited to their cause for a little while. When he turned 16, his father enrolled him in the Southport Academy for military training in an attempt to straighten him out. It was a dismal failure. While he gained only minimal military prowess during his time at the academy, Fortescue did have the opportunity to meet Lord Martino Malvici. Seeing some potential in him, Martino agreed to take Fortescue on as a student once he completed the requisite two years at the academy. The Malvici lord brought the merchant's son in as one of the stewards and coached him on improving the skills he would need. It wasn't long after that Martino took on Lady Medeia Saik as a student, as well. In a wondrous turn of events, Fortescue and Medeia got along great! While Medeia stayed in Saikland Greens and only visited Southport on occasion, the pair exchanged friendly letters to help one another through various concerns about their studies or challenges they were facing. It took several more years, but when Medeia was called to Arx by her baroness, Martino saw the Saik Lady would bee in need of a solid assistant - who better than someone who already understood her? So, he arranged for Fortescue to travel to the city, too. With the pair reunited, they got right to work, with him supporting her efforts to host exciting events, keep a finger on the pulse of the city, and pitching in with the Saik staff. With Medeia poised to marry out, and the timely departure of the former head of staff of Saik Tower, Fortescue has found a new role to step into. How will the city treat him, now? + |
| Fortunato Grayhope + | Fortunato has always been a watcher and a sketcher, although the compulsive drawing was less charming on the household walls. And compulsive curiosity is not always charming when it involves prying into the kind of everyday secrets adults keep from children. But Fortunato survived childhood and his artistic skill got him an apprenticeship quite early. That he then learned what he thought he could from his mentor and promptly struck out on his own may be a factor in being less than financially successful. Fortunato remains on the periphery, if it's an oddly well-connected, adventuresome periphery. (Rumor has it he even ineffectually went after a Bringer or two with his staff.) Other than producing the occasional art show or temple mural, his primary public role is that of a disciple of Lagoma, and he does find fulfillment in helping people with the shifts and storms of their lives. For all his drive to know and experience, he seems to lack any ambition for personal advancement, anywhere. All that matters is the next epiphany, either for him or someone else. + |
| Fortunato Whisper + | Fortunato has always been a watcher and a sketcher, although the compulsive drawing was less charming on the household walls. And compulsive curiosity is not always charming when it involves prying into the kind of everyday secrets adults keep from children. But Fortunato survived childhood and his artistic skill got him an apprenticeship quite early. That he then learned what he thought he could from his mentor and promptly struck out on his own may be a factor in being less than financially successful. Fortunato remains on the periphery, if it's an oddly well-connected, adventuresome periphery. (Rumor has it he even ineffectually went after a Bringer or two with his staff.) Other than producing the occasional art show or temple mural, his primary public role is that of a disciple of Lagoma, and he does find fulfillment in helping people with the shifts and storms of their lives. For all his drive to know and experience, he seems to lack any ambition for personal advancement, anywhere. All that matters is the next epiphany, either for him or someone else. + |
| Franco Gilden + | Originally, Franco's family might've carried high hopes for him. He was far from the ruling line and didn't need to worry about a place of power, but he was intelligent and quick-witted enough to incite hopes of being someone truly accomplished. But too many pressures, too much fighting, and too many expectations finally began to take a toll on him. When he finally got his first taste of freedom - he took it and didn't look back. Signing up with an unruly crew of mercenaries, Franco's price for such a lifestyle was integrating himself into the darker rungs of society and travelling wherever the next wind would carry him. His contact with his family during those days were minimal, but he never completely lost touch. Stefano's understanding of his own wanderlust cemented a bond between them, even if they were rarely compared. When Alessandra disappeared and the guards that served her, obligation finally steered him closer to his roots. The death of the Archduchess Esera and the darkness hounding the walls of Arx had him abandon his more selfish intents and travel to Arx. He's picked up a variety of skills along his unconventional path, but intends to use them now to help safeguard his family. Maybe some sense of obligation reawakened in him with the recent strife. The surge of excitement in the City isn't likely to have dissuaded him near as much as it has drawn him back in, though whether or not he'll forever be able to steer away more selfish intents may prove difficult. + |
| Fray Tirkah + | Fray was born and experienced their early childhood in the slums, having to fight for scraps of food and clothing that could barely be called either. She kept to herself but was easily angered when provoked by others, which made some of the kids weary and left her alone, or others that purposely provoked her knowing she'd lose her temper easily. She lived like this for a while until about her early teens when a weathered-looking Knight who belonged to an Order called The Cleansing Blades, who looked the opposite of pristine caught her beating up other kids with a big stick. After it was over the Knight asked the girl why she was beating up the other kids, and she answered that she did it to stop them from harassing others and that she finally had enough of them provoking her and messing with others. The Knight admired her will to seek action and punish who she deemed guilty, so he took her back to his lowly, small, but recognized Order of Knights. She spent the rest of her childhood and teenage years there learning to be a Knight within The Cleansing Blades. There she was taught that everyone aside from the Crownship and gods themselves should be treated equally in the eyes of Justice. She was taught that her existence is to now defend the weak and punish the corrupt using her own judgement. + |
| Frederik Steelhart + | The middle child of his predecessor, the true heir, Roslyn Steelhart, died sick in bed after she took with an illness that to this day could never be truly diagnosed by even the best physicians in the Oathlands. Frederik never had ambitions towards the Highhill seat, but took to it dutifully, despite his younger brother, Gregor, being the favored son. Ruling the Steelhart lands with a patience few others could muster, Frederik served the Oathlands and Highhill both on the field of battle and as a shrewd statesman. On the eve of his fiftieth birthday, the nearest fishing community to his lands were attacked, and while his son Lionel and Gregor went to fight off the Shav raiders, Frederik's nephews attempted a coup in favor of their father. While the younger and cowardly of the two, Seth, thought his wife Lydia and daughter Sara easy targets, the older, Padraig, drew his sword against the Count, forcing an honor duel to the death. After killing Padraig and being badly wounded in the process, Frederik found Seth subdued by his wife, while his brother Gregor carried his son's corpse home. These events define the state of the Steelhart family now, a bitter sadness and resentment that led to Lydia's suicide. The Steelharts are loyal dogs however, and with the Tragedy at Sanctum still lingering in the minds of Oathlanders everywhere, their differences have been put aside to unite as servants to the Valardins first, and maybe, someday, a family again. + |
| Fredrik Redtyde + | Born as the third son to the Redtyde March, Fredrik was in no place to inherit any lands or real sense of political power, but he was blessed with a rather keen sense of observation and an attention to detail. And so he was often given the House's paperwork and left to tend to their businesses from as early an age as 16, a task he relished and embraced. And in time, he even married, a minor lady from a barony under Tyde, and they had two children, Garon and Alrik. Unfortunately, all of that was lost when the Tydes rose up in rebellion, washed away with the coming of thraxian banners. The Redtydes refused to abandon their liege lords, and were among the first houses wiped away in the Thraxian march to the Tydes. Fredrik managed to escape, but his wife and children, visiting the Tyde House at the time, were killed along with the rest once it was broken open and laid waste. Fleeing into hiding, Fredrik carried with him a bastard child of Tyde, along with a commoner child, and set to work disguising himself, posing as a merchant and eventually securing his own boat. He did all he could, never abandoning the Tyde cause and raising the children as his own. But many years have passed, and Tyde is reborn! After much caution and deliberation, Fredrik has come forth to meet with Margot, who he has been in contact with for many months, hoping to taie his place under the protection of House Tyde, and give his adopted children the home they deserve. And to serve. Always to serve. + |
| Freja Acheron + | A woman not made for courtly graces, Princess Freja Redrain has always felt at home in the wilds past Farhaven, prowling the wilds with a talent few can match. While many in House Redrain train for martial prowess, most of those soldiers become knights or commanders, as those of royal blood stand for the leadership for the House and rally all the northlands among them. Princess Freja pursued an entirely different calling. Something about Aunt Drea's teachings on shamanism and the old ways of the Northlands resonated deeply with the young woman, as she was raised on stories of Valeria and other women of cunning and strength and how they survived in the deep wilds. She started to train as a scout, an occupation far more frequent with commoners due to its immense dangers, and the bold and utterly fearless woman has showed little regrets of her choice. On more than once, she's led small, highly capable teams of Redrain soldiers patrolling the deep places where the shav forces hide, and leading nimble forces in dangerous games of cat and mouse agaisnt other stalkers in the wilds. As the daughter of Torrud Redrain, the former Sword of Farhaven and champion of the house, and sister to the current one, a degree of courage is expected from her. But the wild woman takes the fearlessness to a degree that catches enemies of House Redrain offguard, and is utterly relentless in seeing the North is safe and respected. + |
| Freja Nightgold + | A woman not made for courtly graces, Princess Freja Redrain has always felt at home in the wilds past Farhaven, prowling the wilds with a talent few can match. While many in House Redrain train for martial prowess, most of those soldiers become knights or commanders, as those of royal blood stand for the leadership for the House and rally all the northlands among them. Princess Freja pursued an entirely different calling. Something about Aunt Drea's teachings on shamanism and the old ways of the Northlands resonated deeply with the young woman, as she was raised on stories of Valeria and other women of cunning and strength and how they survived in the deep wilds. She started to train as a scout, an occupation far more frequent with commoners due to its immense dangers, and the bold and utterly fearless woman has showed little regrets of her choice. On more than once, she's led small, highly capable teams of Redrain soldiers patrolling the deep places where the shav forces hide, and leading nimble forces in dangerous games of cat and mouse agaisnt other stalkers in the wilds. As the daughter of Torrud Redrain, the former Sword of Farhaven and champion of the house, and sister to the current one, a degree of courage is expected from her. But the wild woman takes the fearlessness to a degree that catches enemies of House Redrain offguard, and is utterly relentless in seeing the North is safe and respected. + |
| Freja Redrain + | A woman not made for courtly graces, Princess Freja Redrain has always felt at home in the wilds past Farhaven, prowling the wilds with a talent few can match. While many in House Redrain train for martial prowess, most of those soldiers become knights or commanders, as those of royal blood stand for the leadership for the House and rally all the northlands among them. Princess Freja pursued an entirely different calling. Something about Aunt Drea's teachings on shamanism and the old ways of the Northlands resonated deeply with the young woman, as she was raised on stories of Valeria and other women of cunning and strength and how they survived in the deep wilds. She started to train as a scout, an occupation far more frequent with commoners due to its immense dangers, and the bold and utterly fearless woman has showed little regrets of her choice. On more than once, she's led small, highly capable teams of Redrain soldiers patrolling the deep places where the shav forces hide, and leading nimble forces in dangerous games of cat and mouse agaisnt other stalkers in the wilds. As the daughter of Torrud Redrain, the former Sword of Farhaven and champion of the house, and sister to the current one, a degree of courage is expected from her. But the wild woman takes the fearlessness to a degree that catches enemies of House Redrain offguard, and is utterly relentless in seeing the North is safe and respected. + |
| Furio Rossetti + | Rossetti was a name that carried influence in Tor. The leaders of the family all served the ruling house of Tor, Fidante, in some capacity or another as servants, but when a prominent leader of the Rossetti house was arrested for treason by Lucien, those that oppose the sentence split off from the spotlight and vanished into the darkness, intent on rescuing their elder. Furio was born among the sons and daughters of a generation that only knew two things; the shadows and vengeance. Independent of what the main branch of the Rossetti was doing, these cousins began to establish themselves as ruthless gangsters in the streets of Tor. Furio grew up on those streets alongside other kids, some siblings and cousins, who prowled the street like hungry and wild dogs. Mostly kids, they were spared when collected by the city authorities. Furio himself was picked up by his uncle Vulpiano who had finally gotten his freedom and returned to work for the Fidante household and vassal DiFidante. Disciplined and trained, Furio studied under the tutelage of Vulpiano, diverting from his studies to become a gardener. With the connections of his uncle, he was able to attend a prestigious university in Tor and upon graduation, he was recruited to work on Fidante's rose garden until he met the Duchess of Tor, Calista Fidante, one evening, and earned her appreciation, taking him with her to Arx. + |
G | |
| Gabriel Bisland + | House Bisland's proud lion banners have long been recognized as one of the most steadfast stalwarts of House Grayson, and none exemplar that as well as Duke Gabriel Bisland, the Crown's Lion. As a lifelong friend of the old king, King Alaric Grayson III, they were nearly inseparable in youth and the old king had told Gabriel on more than one occasion he was his brother in soul, if not in blood. A talented and famous knight, he was so trusted by Alaric III that he often led all of House Grayson's forces in battle and has spent the better part of two decades crushing the attempted incursions by Shav hordes trying to test the borders of the crownlands, and much of the stability of recent years was done by his tireless work on the king's behalf. More than once, Gabriel was the only vassal trusted enough to offer counsel to Alaric III, though he is as excruciatingly uncomfortable giving his opinion on the murky, shifting politics of the Compact as he is confident and dauntless when it comes to war. Perhaps his largest regret then is not accompanying King Alaric III when his majesty traveled east to visit House Thrax and try to put an end to the bloody slaughter of the Tyde Rebellion. The arguments at the time made sense- the king wasn't traveling to battle after all, just to speak to warring subjects and bring them to heel, and Gabriel needed to deal with some shav clans striking out of the Gray Forest at fringe settlements on Bisland land. After Alaric III's ship was lost at sea, Gabriel even briefly stood as regent for the king's young son, Alaric IV, and ruled with the concurrence of the five high lords until Alaric IV came of age. Since Alaric IV assumed his responsibilities as king, Duke Gabriel has returned to leading House Bisland and helping his godchild the elder illegitimate daughter of Alaric III, Lady Dawn, rule House Grayson's holdings while Alaric IV saw to the Realm as a whole. In 1015 AR, when the now awakened King Alaric IV found himself under threat by Eurusi and seditionists claiming to support his shockingly alive father, Duke Gabriel announced he was giving up his title and dedicating his life to the safety and success of King Alaric IV. Joining the King's Own, and serving as one of the King's personal bodyguards and advisors. + |
| Gabriella Pravus + | Gabriella is the oldest daughter of Tiberio Pravus, a Sword of Setarco known for his skill and charisma, and a few days after her fifth nameday, she was taken by a deadly malady. Despite all the efforts of House Pravus, and the mountains of silver offered, no physician gave Gabriella a chance. Her mother, Lady Aurora Pravus, would not have it. The headstrong woman gathered her personal guard and rode out of the Silken City and would not return for three weeks. What happened nobody knows, but Gabriella returned sleeping soundly in her mother's arms, resting peacefully for the first time in months. She was cured, a miracle, and Lady Aurora never spoke of it again. From that point forward a fire lit up in the girl. She and her sister Lucrezia were wild together, and Gabriella would find herself desiring to fight. The sisters planned their future together, and while Lucrezia loved the waves, Gabriella dreamt of the battlefield. She would be knighted at the age of seventeen by the ruling Duke then, in the same day her father and the duke were assassinated, and her sister Lucrezia vanished, all thanks to House Argento's machinations. The remainder of the House had no option but to fight back. Viviana would become Sword to protect the new Duchess, the inexperienced Belladonna, while Gabriella took over the command of the Swords of the Evening, her father's men. Consumed by a desire for revenge, Gabriella was vicious in the invasion of Nilanza. None were as cruel or violent as the daughter of Tiberio, something that earned her the title The Butcher's Daughter. War washed her father's honor, but it put a stain on Gabriella's soul. She has become more of a recluse in Setarco, and some say her disease, the one that almost took her life when younger, has returned, but the knight does not confirm or deny it. In the field she looks as healthy as ever, a deadly sin, so what gives? + |
| Gael + | This is the story of a man who, fattened by decadence and luxury, fell to his unconventionally extravagant ways from a high, high perch. Variations in public knowledge leave behind an obfuscated tell to the background behind the man named Gael, but if the right Faithful is prompted - especially if hailing from the Mourning Isles while under some measure of duress - they'll be given a story that leaves little space for envy or admiration alike. But before he was man, he was boy, and as a child he wanted little. Gael was born a royal to Thrax in a night of stormy Winter. Her mother oft told of how the windows cracked to the adversity of his arrival beneath the mighty hail, covered in verglas and piled snow that too mired the moorland surrounding Maelstrom in a sea of white arsenic for but a day. Some would see this as a vile and presagious portend of doom to come, but little Gael arrived fat, his skin was pink, he had five fingers in each hand and five toes in each foot, and so his parents cared little. Not an ailment upon his body, no stigmata of the eyes, markings, nothing; Gael was just a child, like every other, and Thrax embraced him happily for it. In the halls of Maelstrom he grew, joined by other contemporaries to his age in sinister but childish acts of naughtiness all thorough the domain. He grew without sisters or brothers, but with enough cousins to fill a Cathedral, how could he care? They were the siblings he needed. Like all sprouts when dutifully watered and fed, he then grew. And quickly, too. Too quickly. Coming into his teen years destructively like the very storm that bore him, Gael distanced himself from the usual family with which he mingled when much younger by deciding that a life of violence and martial training wasn't to his taste. That like his mother, coincidentally of Lycene roots, he'd partake in things seen as deviant to some and unlike the cultural expectation of Thraxian lifestyle according to his father. And so it was that he began a life of excess in every regard. He set aside the sword, the shield and duty, to care for only himself and his needs... soon learning, that though long years may seek to separate them, action and consequence will invariably have their dreadful reunion. War came to the Compact and, consequently, Thrax. While different and more selfish than his average peer, Gael loved his family and wouldn't dare be one of the only few in his kine to be left behind, regardless of having discounted for most of his life conventional training and tutors in leadership and command. Against his mother's sheltering wishes, when the call to arms came he answered, and the day the Army of Silence came upon Arx, there on the battlements was one unprepared and unreadied Prince Gael Thrax. The war bore many heroes, but he was not one of them. He, like most, was just another sacrifice. While he had proven to have an instinct towards the sword, a predisposition for violence even if he had been escaping it his whole life, it only served in keeping him yet living inside the shuffle of his mortal coil. Having gazed upon the Archfiend's herald with his own eyes and witnessed a darkness beyond the veil if for but a fleeting moment, something broke in the mind of the then young Prince. Something in his psyche that'd never return. He sailed back to the Mourning Isles hailed as a hero like many others, with many less cousins than he had when he left. Friends, colleagues made and lost. Once again, he turned to the things he once did for dalliance, but now out of need. Wine became an escape, luxury a hideout, fleeting companionship an excuse. He swum and waded through these three in superfluity, earning a reputation as cantankerous and fond of extremes. His respite was short-lived. It turns out the war wasn't finished, and the fleets of the Gyre marched upon the Compact yet again. Technically still tied to his duties, and crestfallen from the cling of life altogether, Gael was given command of a small armada - no more than a hundred - to lead a westerly flank of Thrax in defense of the Lyceum, an act merited to having 'proven' himself in the defense of the Capitol. In truth, his only true achievement had been survival and nothing more. The flotilla in his charge would never arrive to Lenosia. Ambushed while crossing across some straits near Setarco, by an eastern boundary, a fleet twice his number came out the dark of night in a hail of fire arrows and drums of war. Gael had proven an incompetent leader, more fond of hiding in his cabin in the company of alcohol and delegating every minute task to his officers than see to their refinement himself, so when the sound of alarm - like a clarion from hell - rung across the fleet's various bells, he panicked. And fled. He deserted his post, escaping the violence of the battle in a small but speedy cog commanded by a single other sailor. The sailor told on him, for no other witness living were left, and he was tried an abandoner, a shame to the household, and made a pariah. In his shame, Prince Gael Thrax turned to the waters and drowned with said shames and his dishonor. The man who has now surfaced in Arx once more in service of the Inquisition as Confessor must be someone else with a likeness of bearing and name only merited by fate, and to suggest any different is nothing short of lunacy. + |
| Gael Crown + | This is the story of a man who, fattened by decadence and luxury, fell to his unconventionally extravagant ways from a high, high perch. Variations in public knowledge leave behind an obfuscated tell to the background behind the man named Gael, but if the right Faithful is prompted - especially if hailing from the Mourning Isles while under some measure of duress - they'll be given a story that leaves little space for envy or admiration alike. But before he was man, he was boy, and as a child he wanted little. Gael was born a royal to Thrax in a night of stormy Winter. Her mother oft told of how the windows cracked to the adversity of his arrival beneath the mighty hail, covered in verglas and piled snow that too mired the moorland surrounding Maelstrom in a sea of white arsenic for but a day. Some would see this as a vile and presagious portend of doom to come, but little Gael arrived fat, his skin was pink, he had five fingers in each hand and five toes in each foot, and so his parents cared little. Not an ailment upon his body, no stigmata of the eyes, markings, nothing; Gael was just a child, like every other, and Thrax embraced him happily for it. In the halls of Maelstrom he grew, joined by other contemporaries to his age in sinister but childish acts of naughtiness all thorough the domain. He grew without sisters or brothers, but with enough cousins to fill a Cathedral, how could he care? They were the siblings he needed. Like all sprouts when dutifully watered and fed, he then grew. And quickly, too. Too quickly. Coming into his teen years destructively like the very storm that bore him, Gael distanced himself from the usual family with which he mingled when much younger by deciding that a life of violence and martial training wasn't to his taste. That like his mother, coincidentally of Lycene roots, he'd partake in things seen as deviant to some and unlike the cultural expectation of Thraxian lifestyle according to his father. And so it was that he began a life of excess in every regard. He set aside the sword, the shield and duty, to care for only himself and his needs... soon learning, that though long years may seek to separate them, action and consequence will invariably have their dreadful reunion. War came to the Compact and, consequently, Thrax. While different and more selfish than his average peer, Gael loved his family and wouldn't dare be one of the only few in his kine to be left behind, regardless of having discounted for most of his life conventional training and tutors in leadership and command. Against his mother's sheltering wishes, when the call to arms came he answered, and the day the Army of Silence came upon Arx, there on the battlements was one unprepared and unreadied Prince Gael Thrax. The war bore many heroes, but he was not one of them. He, like most, was just another sacrifice. While he had proven to have an instinct towards the sword, a predisposition for violence even if he had been escaping it his whole life, it only served in keeping him yet living inside the shuffle of his mortal coil. Having gazed upon the Archfiend's herald with his own eyes and witnessed a darkness beyond the veil if for but a fleeting moment, something broke in the mind of the then young Prince. Something in his psyche that'd never return. He sailed back to the Mourning Isles hailed as a hero like many others, with many less cousins than he had when he left. Friends, colleagues made and lost. Once again, he turned to the things he once did for dalliance, but now out of need. Wine became an escape, luxury a hideout, fleeting companionship an excuse. He swum and waded through these three in superfluity, earning a reputation as cantankerous and fond of extremes. His respite was short-lived. It turns out the war wasn't finished, and the fleets of the Gyre marched upon the Compact yet again. Technically still tied to his duties, and crestfallen from the cling of life altogether, Gael was given command of a small armada - no more than a hundred - to lead a westerly flank of Thrax in defense of the Lyceum, an act merited to having 'proven' himself in the defense of the Capitol. In truth, his only true achievement had been survival and nothing more. The flotilla in his charge would never arrive to Lenosia. Ambushed while crossing across some straits near Setarco, by an eastern boundary, a fleet twice his number came out the dark of night in a hail of fire arrows and drums of war. Gael had proven an incompetent leader, more fond of hiding in his cabin in the company of alcohol and delegating every minute task to his officers than see to their refinement himself, so when the sound of alarm - like a clarion from hell - rung across the fleet's various bells, he panicked. And fled. He deserted his post, escaping the violence of the battle in a small but speedy cog commanded by a single other sailor. The sailor told on him, for no other witness living were left, and he was tried an abandoner, a shame to the household, and made a pariah. In his shame, Prince Gael Thrax turned to the waters and drowned with said shames and his dishonor. The man who has now surfaced in Arx once more in service of the Inquisition as Confessor must be someone else with a likeness of bearing and name only merited by fate, and to suggest any different is nothing short of lunacy. + |
| Gage Grimshaw + | Gage comes from the Oathlands, born to poor peasant farmers with little other than the land they tilled to their name. He was the Grimshaw's family only child. His childhood was often spent under the beating heat of the sun, toiling away at the soil and carrying out labor-heavy tasks that eventually formed him into a strong young man. The environs housed other families of whom came one of Gage's earliest friends--the peasant son of another family named Jacobus. He and Jacobus would spend their off-time from work fooling around, and this would continue on for several years as the boys grew up alongside each other. One day, when they were both sixteen, they decided to run off and go on a grand, foolish adventure. They didn't get far into journeying through the wilds before Gage's friend was wounded on the trail, and with the little supplies they had Jacbous could not be saved. When his friend fell, instead of returning home to face his family and the family of Jacobus he continued on roaming and fell in with a mercenary group in time. Years passed as Gage climbed the ranks and accrued the skills necessary for survival. Deciding to call it quits with the group he ran with, he decided to break off from them in the dead of the night one day and traveled to make his fortune in Arx. + |
| Gailin Fireviper + | Gailin is the second born child of House stonewood. From a young age he knew he wasnt going to be marquis but he was always strong of mind spirit and body. Great with a sword, while his older brother was being prepped for taking on the duties of the head of the house Gailin focused on Martial training. Gailin gained all the skills he needed for warfare strateg and tactics. Now that his brother has taken over the head of house Gailin followed his older brother becoming the Sword of Stoneheart. + |
| Gailin Stonewood + | Gailin is the second born child of House stonewood. From a young age he knew he wasnt going to be marquis but he was always strong of mind spirit and body. Great with a sword, while his older brother was being prepped for taking on the duties of the head of the house Gailin focused on Martial training. Gailin gained all the skills he needed for warfare strateg and tactics. Now that his brother has taken over the head of house Gailin followed his older brother becoming the Sword of Stoneheart. + |
| Gaius Whitehawk + | Gaius is the eldest child of Jerome and Helen Mercier and the only son of the brood. As a result, all the tricks of the Mercier trade were impressed on him as soon as he was old enough to learn them, and he was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his mercantile-inclined ancestors who came before him. It turned out to be a natural fit for him, but a small part of him always insisted on doing things his own way - and he did, when he decided to invest in a troupe of actors and build his own theatre on the south bank of the Gray River as one his first significant business ventures. The theater proved to be a resounding success, and Gaius's property purchases and investments indicate that his association with the troupe made him an independently wealthy man. A few years later he bought one of the largest manors in Bastion. Unfortunately, a fire lit to the thatch of the building and burned the theater to the ground, forcing the company to relocate to Arx's Blackrose Theater and merge with the Black Rose Mummers. Gaius severed his ties with the company, looking to fortify his fortune elsewhere... His next venture saw him building a fleet of sturdy riverboats and trading luxury goods such as gems, silks, furs along the Gray River, which he often bought opportunistically through researching market trends. It went well for him, until 1006 AR brought a trade embargo on Mercier goods in the city of Arx due to the family publically cutting ties with House Grayson, and the family's reputation fell as a result. In response, Gaius adapted and switched gears again: he sold his lofty manor and offered his services as a merchant to his now-ennobled cousin in exchange for joining House Whitehawk. After months of correspondences and negotiations, his cousin finally accepted, and he became Lord Gaius Whitehawk, Treasurer of Hawkhold -- and joined his sisters in Arx. + |
| Galatea Pravus + | Librarian. Archivist. Alchemist. Galatea has been called all of these things. From a young age, she showed affinity for all that was written down in books, and at the Pravus estates, she found herself more often at the margins than in the limelight. This suited her just fine: for she is not a Pravus, not exactly, and there were those who would not let her forget it. The product of one of lord Tiberio's infidelities with a nameless highborn of Valardin fealty, Galatea would elsewhere have spent her life swept under the rug. Indeed, her Valardin mother did exactly that: she sent her away to Setarco, where Tiberio was more indulgent, arranging for the girl to be raised in court, even if as an unlegitimized, fostered commoner. Her questionable circumstances led for some to shun her socially, and she had to learn to entertain herself on her own terms. This she did most notably under a senior archivist, whose protege the young girl soon became. Intimately familiar with pen and ink, learning how to mix the latter led to the wider world of tincture and tonic, and so she has become a quietly confident young alchemist. The one thing she has inherited from her mother--rumored to send her rare, anonymous letters--is the importance of honor, accountability, and dignity. Galatea aspires to be the very picture of decorum and grace, and has worked long hours at protocol. Recently summoned to the crownlands, it remains yet uncertain just what she will make of herself. + |
| Galavan Vizier + | Galavan Vizer never knew his father, but always wondered if he would hate him as much as his mother Tessa, if he met him. Tessa the Cold was a strong willed, intelligent woman of charisma. But as one of the very few survivors of the destruction of Tyde she was also extremely bitter, pessimistic and hateful. Most of this ire was directed at House Thrax for the direct actions, but the hatred that pained her was the complicity of the Crown which did nothing to save her nation or any of the many people who were killed that she called her friends. This rage spilled out into her upbringing of Galavan, who in turn inherited many of her nastiest traits and resented her for it. In rebellion of his mother, he studied the religion of the pantheon, becoming fascinated with the power and reverance of the gods. When he became of age he left for Bastion to become a priest, hoping to wash his identity of anything that reminded him of his vicious mother, and re-model his image into something more beneficial for his desires. + |
| Galen Thrax + | Galen has always been far too refined for a Prince of Thrax, at least in his family's eyes. Growing up he was particular about his armor and particular about his appearance and particular in so many ways - but his weapon of choice and his skill with it made many teasing comments go unsaid. He built up a particular fondness for a large heavy warhammer that makes his opponents shudder and very often reconsider slights given. He grew up strong and stubborn and, in a final despairing effort to turn him into a proper Thrax man was sent to sea as a sailor on a ship. The ship disappeared in a storm, only to return eight years later with Galen at the helm as Navigator. He has seen the world, or more of the world than most people would, and it has only enhanced his determination to be the voice of civilization in the heart of Thrax proper. + |
| Gareth Grayson + | Dashing young Prince Gareth Grayson was another bright royal scion, a rising knight looking to make his mark in the most prestigious House in all the realm. Bold and reckless, Prince Gareth was eager to take the fight to enemies of House Grayson, to remind everyone just why House Grayson was the greatest house. He felt immortal as many young soldiers do, and took to patrolling the barely civilized borderlands with a relish, fighting back against the shavs attempting to prey on distant vassals of House Grayson. Initially he found great success, was wildly popular with the men under him, and couldn't even see why so many helpless peasants were so terrified of the hardscrabble Abandoned that turned to brigandry and would melt back into the Gray Forest after their raids. And one fateful day, responding to a minor raid, he lead his detachment into the heart of the Gray Forest to ride down the raiders... and found himself and his twenty men surrounded by hundreds of Gray Forest Reapers. It was a massacre, and Gareth himself was only spared because apparently the Reapers knew 'an idiotic prince' was headstrong enough to run right into a trap. He was beaten, tortured, and in the end had the humiliation of being ransomed after a captivity that saw the bright and bold optimist die and something far harder be reborn in its place. Gareth was left scarred and broken, his constitution never quite recovering, and his dreams of being a great knight forever shattered. In its place, the sickly and infirm Prince Gareth surprised his relatives in House Grayson by deciding he would pursue a different calling that traditionally no Grayson had embraced- the Inquisition. His body might have been shattered, but his mind was far sharper and more dangerous than it had ever been before his captivity, and he showed an alarming eagerness to turn that mind against the enemies of the Compact. As far as Gareth is concerned, no bards will ever compose songs about the jobs he now chooses to do, and there might be stories, but they'll be the ones children are told to get them to behave. Someone has to do the dark work for the Compact. + |
| Garnet Navegant + | Garnet grew up loving beautiful things. Whether it was art, fashion, nature, or people, Garnet would most often be found trying to make things around him as beautiful as possible. Growing up, he was the life of the party, creating events for his friends from a young age, and seeing nothing as impossible if it brought people together. None of this changed as he grew up, save that he also developed a social awareness that further motivated him to host amazing events for charity. The masque he hosted in Escuma in honour of the orphans of war in 1005 is still being talked about as setting the bar for events. If there is a party happening, Garnet is almost certainly either attending or planning it. For many years, it was assumed his destiny lay in becoming a Whisper, but Garnet's also fiercely loyal to his family and made the decision to forego that noble profession - he still does love hanging out with Whispers, though! Moving to Arx is the fulfillment of a dream for Garnet. He's with his family, whom he loves dearly, and he gets to be in the centre of arts and culture and parties! + |
| Garret Navegant + | Garret grew up loving beautiful things. Whether it was art, fashion, nature, or people, Garret would most often be found trying to make things around him as beautiful as possible. Growing up, he was the life of the party, creating events for his friends from a young age, and seeing nothing as impossible if it brought people together. None of this changed as he grew up, save that he also developed a social awareness that further motivated him to host amazing events for charity. The masque he hosted in Escuma in honour of the orphans of war in 1005 is still being talked about as setting the bar for events. If there is a party happening, Garnet is almost certainly either attending or planning it. For many years, it was assumed his destiny lay in becoming a Whisper, but Garnet's also fiercely loyal to his family and made the decision to forego that noble profession - he still does love hanging out with Whispers, though! Moving to Arx is the fulfillment of a dream for Garret. He's with his family, whom he loves dearly, and he gets to be in the centre of arts and culture and parties! + |
| Garza Crown + | Most people don't ask, they just assume. On assumption, then, that you heard it from your sister's friend's chatty aunt - and doesn't she just know everything? - Garza grew up in the Lower Boroughs. His pa was a good and upstanding working man, saw him every day down at the docks, loading and unloading ships. Was some real rough chuckles, too, that day when they found him in the gutter with his skull busted in. And his ma, why, she died of the bloody wheeze, and all his li'l brothers and sisters, too. Just leaving Garza to fend for hisself. Bless him, bless him. Somewhere in the interim of boy to man, Garza fell in with the Valorous Few. He's seen at least two leaders prior to its current Captain-General, with many and more sellswords coming and going (leaving and dying) as they are wont to do. During that time he's acquired a whole host of useful skills, the least of which are his penchant for smoking and the ability to read what good. + |
| Gaspar Tessere + | The life of a young prince was exactly what one would expect. Catered parties with food too rich for a child to enjoy, endless lines of Lycene Peers visitng and chatting, remarking on how 'big' he's getting. It was all as mother, Emma Velenosa, wanted. "Nobody pays attention to children" she would remark, when instructing Gaspar to listen for bits of intrigue at each gala they attended. Unfortunately, "nobody" included his mother for many years, when she wasn't teaching him to spy on her peers. Political manuevering left her unable, or more likely unwilling, to properly raise Gaspar. Nannies came and went. Boarding schools both near and far were his home just as much Lenosia had been. But it was at those schools, in those different places that he reinvented himself each time. A new persona for new classmates and teachers. There is only one place to put those new talents to use, one court where the posturings of peer and person will require focus and patience. With a new Archduchess in control, it's nothing less than his familial duty to aid her and the rest of his kin in Arx. + |
| Gaspar Velenosa + | The life of a young prince was exactly what one would expect. Catered parties with food too rich for a child to enjoy, endless lines of Lycene Peers visitng and chatting, remarking on how 'big' he's getting. It was all as mother, Emma Velenosa, wanted. "Nobody pays attention to children" she would remark, when instructing Gaspar to listen for bits of intrigue at each gala they attended. Unfortunately, "nobody" included his mother for many years, when she wasn't teaching him to spy on her peers. Political manuevering left her unable, or more likely unwilling, to properly raise Gaspar. Nannies came and went. Boarding schools both near and far were his home just as much Lenosia had been. But it was at those schools, in those different places that he reinvented himself each time. A new persona for new classmates and teachers. There is only one place to put those new talents to use, one court where the posturings of peer and person will require focus and patience. With a new Archduchess in control, it's nothing less than his familial duty to aid her and the rest of his kin in Arx. + |
| Gaspard Blackram + | Growing up in the Blackram family meant that rough was a way of life, and lessons that anything worth having was worth struggling for, and anything given to you wasn't really worth much. Gaspard learned quickly that a people did well when everyone determined what they were good at, and did that, for the good of all. Merchants traded, bakers baked, sailors sailed, and of course, the warriors fought and protected. When Gaspard excelled in his fighting training as a child, he threw himself into his study and workouts and stopped considering anything else. He joined the rest of the family's fighters in Cloudspine leading pikemen in defending the marches, and earned a few scars and his Knighthood in action there and at Gyre, as well as a name for dependably being at the front of battle. Gaspard saw himself as staying there until he finally caught a blade or an arrow and died honorably defending his people and the lands. Perhaps unfortunately for his plans, it has been made clear to him that a Knight is expected to set an example OFF of the field as well, and if the younger Marquis can be a shining example, then damned well can travel to Arx and support him. + |
| Gaston Blackram + | Gaston, it was said, heard and understood the tongue of beasts and wild places before he formed his first syllables. Born months after his sister, he grew much more quickly than his siblings, though his elder brother would eventually overtake him. Quick to fight but even quicker to laugh, he was adored and feared in equal measure. For a time Gaston himself despaired, the boy concerned that he was too quick to anger, that he would cause great harm to someone due to his great size and physical cunning. However, his concerns and a great deal of his ferocity seemed to evaporate when allowed to wander the hills and mountains of Stoneburn, or down in the forests west of the River Gray. At the age of fourteen he left the Blackram stronghold, and for several weeks it seemed as if the boy had disappeared, never to be heard from again. Gaston returned however, wrapped in the pelt of a great wolf, his face stained with blood, the majority of which was not his own. Although his parents and his siblings worried for Gaston, they eventually came to terms with his need for solitude and to be away from civilization, and weeks turned to months turned sometimes to as much as a year away from home, returning with the results of great hunts, journals filled with illustrations of beasts, plants, and natural formations of where he had been. He became something of a local legend, alleged to know every trail and footpath north of the Lycene Split and west of the Gray River, able to find concealment in a shadow half a normal man's size, and routinely wrestled bears. One particularly fantastic story claimed that all of the wolves of Valardin and Redrain recognized him as their king. Though Gaston did his best to repute these rumors, the folk of Stoneburn do love to spin a good yarn, and it seemed to be more important to them to believe the narrative they had spun around him. As mortifying as it was, he dealt with it, and was just starting to feel it was time to return to society and attempt to become the best noble he could be when he heard of his father's death. While he sometimes misses the wilds and the serenity he tried to find there, he doesn't miss the bleak loneliness, and looks forward to trying his hand at becoming a true noble of the Compact and a peacemaker that can win stability and honor for his house. Time to be a real noble and a good man. He spent enough time in the wilds to know that the lone wolves die first, after all. + |
| Gavin Reed + | Gavin's father was a carpenter by trade, and taught him a fair bit before he died in a fire. He only has his sister now, and will protect her with every fiber of his being. + |
| Gavin Surname TBD + | Gavin's father was a carpenter by trade, and taught him a fair bit before he died in a fire. He only has his sister now, and will protect her with every fiber of his being. + |
| Gawain Blanchard + | Gawain never expected a knighthood. He never expected to be Count'sVoice. He never expected to be in line for the Countship. He expected to run amok in the fields with the other younger sons, become a horse trainer, become a soldier, and live a quiet life, marry somebody, have kids, settle down, et cetera. What stood in his way, of course, is Gawain. He was just too awesome to be held back. He had a natural knack with the horses, a ready athleticism as a boy that had him winning most of the races, and then there was the whole deal where the main line seemed not to be producing any likely heirs, which just seemed to bring greatness trippingly into his path. His brother died in a Shav'arvani raid, and Gawain earned a knighthood rescuing other Wyrmguard vassals from a great fire -- which he ran inside a burning building to do, not because he wasn't afraid of fire but because somebody had to do it and by gods, he was the fastest, what was he going to do, let people die? Gawain was toying with a religious bent, as a lay devotee of Gloria, in his youth, but when his brother died, the young knight had to step up to the plate, taking on a role as heir presumptive to his uncle, Count Blanchard. If anything, the new attention only made him want to shine harder and brighter. His uncle is super boring and he's super awesome and hilarious. His real ambition may be to social climb with a glorious princess -- duchess? who knows, who cares -- but he also has hopes of proving himself in war, and maybe rounding out the trifecta by becoming ... no, he hasn't figured that out yet! + |
| Gehenna Redreef + | Gehenna hails from what could be called the 'very traditionalist' branch of the Redreef family tree. She embraced this identity from a young age, far moreso than either of her two siblings. When Baron Landis Redreef died, and his brother Tiberius's claim to the Barony was challenged by Landis's daughters, Ember and Marina, Gehenna was a young woman freshly arrived in Arx. She had excelled in what the Mourning Isles saw as 'women's work' -- administration and diplomacy. Through that talent and her family connections, she had secured a plum role as a diplomatic representative of Redreef Shores in Arx. She was quite certain that Tiberius would make short work of Landis's unruly daughters, that tradition would be upheld, and that things would all go back to normal very quickly. Gehenna was so certain of it, in fact, that she said as much to anyone who asked. The conflict between Tiberius and the daughters of Landis was a long, grueling one, and one that Tiberius eventually lost, after Ember slew his champion in a duel to the death. With Ember firmly established as Baroness, it was more than just an embarrassment to Gehenna -- it was the loss of her job. Gehenna was recalled to Redreef Shores, and since she had been so vocal in her support of Tiberius, she was effectively kicked back down to the bottom of the administrative ladder. As the years passed and Redreef steadily became one of the Mourning Isles' most progressive Houses, Gehenna was aghast. However, that displeasure with the new status quo only fueled her. She worked harder and pushed herself to be more clever than the rest, and climbed back up to the position she once held. Now, having returned to Arx after years away, she is once again a diplomat in the service of Redreef Shores. As she sets foot in the city again, the Mourning Isles is caught between tradition and progressivism, and Gehenna knows which side she'll try to tilt things toward. + |
| Gelassen Whisper + | Gelassen came to the Whisper House after several years serving as something of an advisor and companion to a Baron in the Oathlands. He doesn't speak much about his family or past, always gently (and skillfully) turning the conversation back to those he speaks with. This, he says, is a skill he learned during his advisorship, helping the Baron deal with some of the more unruly elements of his demesne (and family). + |
| Gemma Glass + | The first years Gemma can remember were spent among the other orphans of the Tragedy. It's so easy to be overlooked when there are so many others in the same proverbial boat to nowhere. Usually the smallest of the bunch, she had to fend for herself with an oversized personality to ward off trouble and stand her ground. All she ever wanted was for a family to take her in, and she /almost/ got her wish. Taken in by one of the less-than-reputable criminal organizations of the lower boroughs, she spent several years picking pockets and irritating guards and merchants with slingshots. It was an encounter with one of the Knights of Solace that changed her life for the better. Recognized as one of the wayward orphans, who now demonstrated a keen eye and a knack for landing small targets, she was swept into the fold and (mostly) reformed of her troublemaking ways with a little bit of care and warm meals. She has since pledged the rest of her life to serving Gild and the common good. Although a part of her will always long for a life of personal prosperity, she finds meaning in the aid of those with similar circumstances. She has high expectations of the wealthy, and is not too shy to publicly nudge them toward charitable acts. + |
| Genevieve Waldenwyn + | Born in an unremarkable farming village to an unremarkable family, Genevieve always wanted more from life. Although she could appreciate the wholesome routines of her rural community for what they were, she nonetheless found them tedious and uninspiring -- a never-ending cycle of ploughing fields, harvesting crops and foraging for food, occasionally broken up by a rustic festival or a wagon ride to the market in the nearest town. The only activity that really gave her some pleasure and made her feel alive was training in the village militia, but even then she found herself wanting for more discipline and more advanced tutelage than the local watchmen could provide. At the age of 18, Genevieve left her home village and set out on her own path. She would see sights beyond the fields and pastures with a sword on her belt and a bow slung across her back, seeking adventure and coin. + |
| Genevra Artiglio + | Genevra Artiglio was born into the family of Lenosia's loyal Hounds, meaning that any career she chose would likely be heavily influenced by the city's reigning House. Some might have chafed at that, but Genevra found herself to be quite happy learning to fight with the House Guard with her ultimate goal being to one day lead them as their Captain. She worked hard and mostly maintained discipline. There were a few scrapes here and there, mostly involving some of the involved pranks she would pull. Training and working left Genevra little time to start a family of her own, but she found satisfaction in doing her job well. By the time she was promoted to Captain in her late twenties, fewer people were poisoned in the palace under her watch than had been in generations! Genevra was considered quite success by anyone's terms and settled into a comfortable position in maintaining her charges and continuing to serve with diligence. Then, Archduchess Carlotta Velenosa was killed. Genevra remained in Lenosia to protect the family there. Then, Archduchess Esera Velenosa was killed. Still, Genevra remained where she was, believing that she could best serve the Velenosa by protecting their home. When Archduchess-Consort Deva Velenosa went missing, Genevra struggled to believe that she was more helpful in Lenosia instead of in Arx, where clearly the House Guard was failing in their one, most important task. After hearing more rumors of injury and death befalling members of the Velenosa family, Genevra requested a transfer to Arx to take over from the clearly incompetent House Guard Captain at the Velenosa Estate in the capital. + |
| Georgine Dubois + | Georgine Dubois comes from a wealthy merchant family in Sanctum, one that deals in the kinds of luxuries and trends that makes an apprenticeship with a jeweler just part of the family business. Even as a child, she always had her head in the clouds, spending hours just doodling pretty things like dresses and tiaras. It was not uncommon for the girl to be carried through the workshops by her father, and she grew into a creative and inspired designer of jewelry. After several years, she decided to leave Sanctum for the very first time. The news of the Cathedral's sad state after the Heretic, Georgine travelled to Arx with no thought but to lend her hands to the effort. + |
| Geraint Blackwood + | In the bleak climate of the stormwall, the Blackwood tribe has ever stood betwixt other tribes of Abandoned, holding the peace by strength of arms and sheer determination. It was to these people, in the shadow of the blackwoods trees, that Geraint was born. The blood in his veins was that of a ruler, his father the chieftain at the time, but it afforded him little softness or coddling - unlike the nobles of some 'civilized' lands, he was expected to stand as strong as any of their warriors or laborers, and faced as many hardships as they had to test and temper his body and resolve. When time came for war, he was expected to take up arms and prove himself the leader he was born to be - and he did, time and again, blood shed by his hands earning him the respect of the warriors and his people. He wed a woman by the name of Angharad, their first daughter born early in their marriage, and their fiery relationship was as vibrant and heated as the rest of the life that he lived. When the time of his father's death came, he was ready to step up to the task, with his aging mother Mati to advise him and his people behind him. He ruled the tribe in peace - and in war - and life was good, for a time, and the tribe prospered. It was only with the birth of his third child, a son, that things began to darken rather than the celebration it should have been. It was a hard birth, and Angharad did not survive - and to compound his sorrow, the old shaman spoke that it was an ill omen of times to come. It was the shadow that lingered still upon his brow that made him listen when his eldest daughter Ysbail came to him, when she spoke of a dark time coming for the tribes, of fire and blood and slavery that would rain upon them. When she spoke of the nigh-unthinkable - bending knee and joining the Compact that their ancestors had turned their backs on. Her foresight led the tribe to be ready when Brand's forces marched, and despite his pride he knelt to their Crovane neighbors for protection as Prodigals. With the aid of his daughter, after the Siege of Arx, they united what remained of the tribes and clans surrounding their ancestral lands, and he was named Marquis of Stormarch - and led his people into a new future. + |
| Gerald Wilkerson + | Gerald Wilkerson has worked his entire life in the business of business. Buying when buying is good, selling when selling is good. Losing it all. Regaining it. His life is tale of ups and downs as can happen with one over the years in a variety of fashions. Still, he takes it with equanimity, being the sort that is rather good at landing back on his feet. Most recently, he has landed in Arx -- not so much retired from business as accepting the fact that he simply doesn't have the desire or, frankly, the stamina to do the sort of running around he might have done in the past. Travel is just not so fun anymore. + |
| Geralt Crovane + | The North breeds hard men, but no men are harder than those born to the Stormwall. At least, that is Geralt's not-so-humble opinion. Born the younger brother of the former Duke Crovane, Geralt was seeped in the rich history and heritage of the far North, always aware of the potential of inheritance while doing what he could to ensure that potential did not come to fruition. Geralt and his brother both were natural born leaders, but that was where the similarities began and ended. While his brother took to etiquette and politics, Geralt took to the axe and sword, educating himself on the nature of the world through war and bloodshed. When his brother ascended to Duke after the death of their father, he granted Geralt an army and commanded he travel forth to extend the boundaries of Crovane land by whatever manner of force he deemed necessary. The force was almost always excessive. Geralt and his merry band of brothers became adroitly adept at extermination of threats to Crovane - both internal and external - and gained more than some notoriety with Abandoned tribes in the far reaches of the North. When he reached his early thirties, his group pushed even further and spilled out into the Everwinter on the behest of his brother, spending many a year combing the deep, unforgiving snows. He did not return to the Stormwall until long after the untimely death of his brother, and only then it was for a brief sojourn to report to the new Duke, before he returned to his men. Geralt and his men were called back during the battle of Stormwall, but even they could not prevent the subsequent burning of the city. He meant to return to the Everwinter soon after, but a call from his nephew - the new, new Duke, Asger Crovane - brought him to Arx instead. But of course, that call to Arx brought with it a heavy burden - the position of Asger's General, and Frostsea, the Great Sword of Stormwall. + |
| Gerard Dastrid + | Born the son of a reasonably successful blacksmith, Gerard abandoned his apprenticeship at the age of sixteen in order to heed the call to enlist as a Telmar armsmen and do his duty to his House. Long hours spent hammering metal translated well to swinging large swords and carrying the weight of heavy sheets of plate mail. And so it was that Gerard found himself rising quickly through the ranks of the Telmar military, quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best young swordsman in the Telmar ranks. He continued his service well past his initial enlistment, his skillful swordsmanship eventually earning him selection to the Duke Telmar's personal guard. A few years later, during a visit by Prince Radley, Gerard found himself riding out with Duke Arn and the Prince of Sanctum in order to quell a small shav incursion into the Oathlands. The invading force was larger than originally anticipated, and the Duke ordered his personal guard to reinforce a crumbling flank, placing Gerard in charge of the detail. When the dust finally settled, and the shavs routed, Gerard was found badly wounded, surrounded by a dozen shav corpses who feel victim to the armsman's dancing blade. Passed over by the first wave of medics, Gerard was left on the battlefield for dead, picked up almost by chance by another passing healer. After recovering from his wounds, Gerard was knighted by Duke Arn for his bravery in combat, and given the honor of serving as the Telmar family's personal sword instructor, responsible for teaching young Ansel, the future Sword of Telmarch, how to dance with a blade. Becoming known around the Telmarch as the Telmar's dance instructor for the armsman's graceful swordsmanship, it's to this assignment that Gerard has committed himself for the past decade. With the majority of the House now located in Arx, Gerard is eager to continue to serve his family in their new home, and to make sure that future generations of Telmars do not forget their proper forms. + |
| Gerrick Bradshaw + | Gerrick Bradshaw was born to Gabriella Bradshaw of Okahaven, and an unknown man from... somewhere. Growing up without a father, Gerrick would watch the other children interacting with their dads and often come home to pester his mother with his hundred and one questions about his father. Gabriella was always patient and she would spin the most fantastic tales of the man, his deeds and adventures. There was no question she did not have an answer for and Gerrick took these tales to heart, believing in them so completely it fostered in him a nascent belief of the unrealistic and the ability to accept things some others might reject out of hand. As he grew older, instead of abandoning the stories of his youth, he set out to prove them all true. Knowing he would need a specific set of skills to accomplish this, he volunteered to join the Keaton Trackers. His inventive mind was an asset, and he often saw connections that others might have missed. He had a knack for stumbling into clues, and though his interpretation was often... unusual, it typically worked for him. His reputation as oddly effective gained him the attention of Margerie Keaton who had him transfered to her personal guard. She shared with him her belief of the Keaton Curse, and Gerrick's fertile mind dug into the story. He became her personal investigator, looking into stories of Keatons past, hunting down rumors and trying to prove (or disprove... but totally prove) the Keaton Curse was real. When his lady and the new young lord were making plans to relocate to Arx, there was no way the faithful Gerrick was going to let them out of his sight in the big bad city. + |
| Gerry Taken + | He's a shady trader, the kind who doesn't ask where the goods come from. From some of his scars and his stance, he knows how to handle himself in a tough spot. He arrived in Arx not long ago, less than a year, and has made his business mostly in the Lower Boroughs. With hm he brought his daughter, Catryn, for whom he has a real protective eye. Already a few wandering hands have resulted in quiet retaliation in a back alley until the word's spread that he doesn't take kindly to showing her disrespect. + |
| Gertrude Grayhope + | Gertie was born into a common family. She was quite sickly and frail growing up, so she spent a lot of time at home, reading. All that time spent not feeling well seemingly sparked plenty of inspiration to become an Apothecary. Anyone meeting her for the first time probably won't hear her shut up about it, the girl clearly very passionate about her work, dreaming of one day making a big breakthrough. + |
| Gesa Whisper + | Gesa's life, she has always said, was shaped by the bad habits of her ancestors. Somewhere down the line there was a drunkard gambler who managed to get him or herself enthralled. She doesn't know who, and as far as she knows her family always served House Kennex of Stormward. She was born a week before Lord Aethan Kennex, and her mother served as his wetnurse and then nursemaid. Because of this she was always close to the family, but also very separate. She may have played with them, but birth had destined her to a different path. It was a path she had no interest in walking because who wants to walk when one can laze about? Gesa knew she didn't want to toil her life away as a thrall, mostly because she hates toil, and she always envied her noble masters for the fine things they had. Her path became clear at seventeen when a traveling entertainer came to Stormward. There was her easy life, she decided. She would escape and become an entertainer. Escaping wasn't difficult. She stowed away on a merchant ship heading towards Setarco. No one missed her until it was too late. They assumed she was hiding to avoid work as was her habit. Stowing away wasn't so hard, either. Gesa is very good about lazing about, and did so about the cargo. She is also good at making friends and flirting. She secured a friendship with a young sailor and with a few suggestive comments she had no intention of following through with she managed to gain food and water for the duration of the trip. Setarco was rough at first, but it also provided her with a place to learn the skills she needed to be an entertainer. She learned to sing, dance, and tell stories. She also learned how to smile even when it's hard so she could get what she wants. And if you're sad? Well, there is plenty of things to do or take that can be distracting enough to put a smile on your face. + |
| Gesa none + | Gesa's life, she has always said, was shaped by the bad habits of her ancestors. Somewhere down the line there was a drunkard gambler who managed to get him or herself enthralled. She doesn't know who, and as far as she knows her family always served House Kennex of Stormward. She was born a week before Lord Aethan Kennex, and her mother served as his wetnurse and then nursemaid. Because of this she was always close to the family, but also very separate. She may have played with them, but birth had destined her to a different path. It was a path she had no interest in walking because who wants to walk when one can laze about? Gesa knew she didn't want to toil her life away as a thrall, mostly because she hates toil, and she always envied her noble masters for the fine things they had. Her path became clear at seventeen when a traveling entertainer came to Stormward. There was her easy life, she decided. She would escape and become an entertainer. Escaping wasn't difficult. She stowed away on a merchant ship heading towards Setarco. No one missed her until it was too late. They assumed she was hiding to avoid work as was her habit. Stowing away wasn't so hard, either. Gesa is very good about lazing about, and did so about the cargo. She is also good at making friends and flirting. She secured a friendship with a young sailor and with a few suggestive comments she had no intention of following through with she managed to gain food and water for the duration of the trip. Setarco was rough at first, but it also provided her with a place to learn the skills she needed to be an entertainer. She learned to sing, dance, and tell stories. She also learned how to smile even when it's hard so she could get what she wants. And if you're sad? Well, there is plenty of things to do or take that can be distracting enough to put a smile on your face. + |
| Giada Godsworn + | Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosia, Giada was raised quick to understand that money makes life possible in the city. She was a quick student, picking up tricks and tips with alacrity. She was, however, too independent to stay at home, contented to run a market stall. She started branching out into other business ventures, eventually finding her way towards marketing her services to various mercenary outfits that would pass through to resupply. Their stories awakened a wanderlust in her that had probably been there all along, and she travelled with one of the companies to Arx. There, she came across a recruitment drive for The Redwood Mercenary Company, and they needed a quartermaster. She didn't even hesitate. So now she's in Arx and gainfully employed, looking forward to the next challenge. + |
| Giada Morello + | Born to a humble merchant family in Lenosia, Giada was raised quick to understand that money makes life possible in the city. She was a quick student, picking up tricks and tips with alacrity. She was, however, too independent to stay at home, contented to run a market stall. She started branching out into other business ventures, eventually finding her way towards marketing her services to various mercenary outfits that would pass through to resupply. Their stories awakened a wanderlust in her that had probably been there all along, and she travelled with one of the companies to Arx. There, she came across a recruitment drive for The Redwood Mercenary Company, and they needed a quartermaster. She didn't even hesitate. So now she's in Arx and gainfully employed, looking forward to the next challenge. + |
| Gian Fuller + | The son and grandson of clothmakers, he grew up among relative comfort in a rather well-off peasant family in Gemecitte (Crowned Hill side). A second son, marked by youthful curiosity as well as a strong back, when levies were called, years ago, Gian stood forward for his family, and marched off behind the knights and men-at-arms to do his feudal duty. Many found the expedition against an Abandoned tribe to be terrifying, but for Gian it was a thing of fascination. His mind was riveted by the sheer logistics of moving so many men, so many wagons for tents and food, not to mention smiths, cooks, and healers. Then the fighting came. More of a chase than a battle, he was in youthful awe of the knights on their chargers, running ahead of his fellow peasants in an effort to keep up. Once, a knight dropped her sword, and Gian was near enough to hand it back up. At the time, hed never been more proud. On the march home, two of the grooms ran off, and Gian begged and pleaded for the chance to take the runaways place. This was how he first joined the retinue of the Duke of Zaffria. In the near 20 years since, he has served as a groom, a common infantryman, drill master, man at arms, and finally as an officer. He has spent more of his life under arms in service to the Zaffria family than he has spent outside of it. + |
| Gianna Corvo + | Gianna doesn't speak much about where she's from. Refuses to, really. She sounds and looks Lycene, so that's probably a safe bet. If she has any brothers or sisters, she hasn't said. If her parents are still alive, she hasn't said. If she has any children, she hasn't said. While she arrived in Arx, she spent time playing songs and singing in various inns, taverns, and other public places where passersby might spare a little coin. Gianna quickly made a name for herself by becoming a Whisper and then founding the Bard's College, a social organization for singers, musicians, those hoping to better their musical skills, and supporters of such artists. Her rough edges (mostly) smoothed over, Gianna continues to strive for recognition and riches. Gianna has an eye for shiny things, and is unapologetic about her plans to obtain them. + |
| Gianna Delvecchio + | Gianna doesn't speak much about where she's from. Refuses to, really. She sounds and looks Lycene, so that's probably a safe bet. If she has any brothers or sisters, she hasn't said. If her parents are still alive, she hasn't said. If she has any children, she hasn't said. While she arrived in Arx, she spent time playing songs and singing in various inns, taverns, and other public places where passersby might spare a little coin. Gianna quickly made a name for herself by becoming a Whisper and then founding the Bard's College, a social organization for singers, musicians, those hoping to better their musical skills, and supporters of such artists. Her rough edges (mostly) smoothed over, Gianna continues to strive for recognition and riches. Gianna has an eye for shiny things, and is unapologetic about her plans to obtain them. + |
