Backgrounds

[Iron Dragoon]

Aramas was born into a failing family of mages, and became the focus of his father, Magoren. His father, once part of the Mage's Guild, had been shunned by his guild for delving too deeply into the magic and influence of the Abyss. His father's fall began when he found an old book, hidden in the family's ancesterial home. The book was the history of Dagoren's rise in power. In it, was hidden the secret of their family; that one of their fore fathers had entered into a pact with a Demon in exchange for power. Blinded by the current 'normality' of their line, Magoren was convinced his ancestors had found a way to safely enter into pacts with those of the Abyss, and began to dream about refreshing their power.

After many years of research, Magoren began testing his theories, initially using himself. The demons he contacted began to slowly corrupt him, and once he had progressed far enough to figure out how to make the pact, he discovered the trickery of the demons; that he was unable to enter into the pact. Desperate to gain the power, and with the Guild begging to get suspicious of his actions, he began teaching Aramas what was needed to enter into the pact at the age of eight. By the time Aramas was twelve years old, he was preparing for the final stages to form the pact, but his father was denied the final chance by the Guild, who had discovered his delving into the Abyssal magics. Convinced by his father that the pact was all important, young Aramas continued to attempt to reforge the pact, without his father's help.. Though unable to form a new pact, he managed to reawaken the power hidden in his family line at the age of 17. Having no one to guide him, Aramas spen the next few years getting a handle on his power, and using it covertly to support himself, always cautious of crossing the Mage's Guild's path..

Recently, Aramas has worried that rumors of his hiring himself out as a strong arm mage have circulated into the Guild's attention, and he has begun to wander, always watchful for any who show a great interest in his abilities.

------

Aramas stands at an unimpressive five foot, six inches, and weighs in at 130 pounds. With his slender build and common black hair and coal black eyes, many ignore the small man, mocking him. They are usually fearing for their lives shortly after, as Aramas shows his power.

Though arrogant and self centered, Aramas knows his limits and rarely oversteps them unless needed. As difficult as it is for Aramas to make friends, the few comrades he has, he defends fiercely, but is always wary for a double cross. Taught by the Mage's Guild turning on his father, he is wary of a similar fate, but has sworn not to lose his own dignity by stooping to such actions himself.

***************

Recently, Aramas has taken to looking through ancient ruins, in hopes of coming across demonic lore or artifacts, hoping to study them and gain some insight into what exactly the pact did to him. Wary of coming into further direct contact with a demonic entity again, he searches for these areas, hoping to find a way to protect himself from further influence.
While exploring one of these ruins, he happened upon a vault room which, to his disappointment, had already been looted. He continued his search of the room, hoping to find some over-looked bit of information in the few books that had been left behind. While studying these few books, of which very little had been of any use, he felt a slight shift in the room, and looking up came face to face with a small woman, which he would have overlooked, had she not overtly made herself known, even if she did so in such a subtle manner.

Cautious of the new comer, Aramas hesitantly introduced himself, as she did, giving her name as Serene. After a few tense moments, which were punctuated by the arrival of a slightly twitchy woman in robes, named Alveria, a cautious feeling out of each other was made. After exchanging information, and the reasons of the arrival of each, the three came to an agreement; Aramas would join the other two, and lend his knowledge of magical and demonic lore, while Serene and Alveria would lend their knowledge of where the ruins were.

[Carthrat]

Alveria was actually born in Evermeet, the far-off shore where elves travelled in the days of yore to live out the rest of their lives in, what humans might say, idle luxury. She spent her childhood training in magic under the tutelage of wise, clever old elves, elves who had tired of affairs back on the Faerunian mainland and preferred a more sedentary life. With a talent for evocation magic, not to mention her natural instincts for witchery, her future was all but planned for her... just one more invoker as part of the Evermeet guard.

But the almost-idyllic peace of Evermeet was shattered when King Zaor was assassinated, forty-three years ago. The stable bulwark of isloation, it seemed, was not enough to prevent the real world from intruding. At the time, Alveria was eighty-four years old- a teenager by elven standards.

From that moment on, the elves lived in a state of subtle paranoia. To keep spirits up, they increased the defences, locked themselves away from intruders, closed portals... so many things that contributed to isolation, as if it was a true defence.

Yet, in recent years, elves have been returning from Evermeet, gone back to Faerun as they realise that the world across the sea isn't so far away, after all. Through portal, boat, and magic they travel.

But Alveria was not permitted to travel, for her mind was unsound. A recent magical experiment went out of control. Alveria was not a participant, but she was nearby when the attempt to siphon energy from Limbo went awry. The mystical force was trapped within her mind, and since, she has been prone to erratic ramblings; hallucinations, voices that aren't really there, urging her onwards, forward, to glory!

The voices in her head speak to her of the forces that bind the weave, and indeed all the Material- and other- planes, forces that determine fate and the infinite possibilities of magic! Forces that are impossible to codify by mind alone- but to the one who is willing to try, great secrets await, at the mere cost of cohesion and stability. It is a gamble that she's willing to take, like many she's taken before- only now, for higher stakes!

They guided her to a portal (which she knew of before) that would lead her to somewhere east of Waterdeep. From there, she listens to them speak to her of ancient ruins and fell magic (that she's read of in history books) lying to the north!

Her stable mind wars with her twisted thoughts, reminding her of the events in Evermeet; the reminder that evil's hands know no bounds, and can strike in the most protected fortress, the most distant shore. But long ago, great elven Mythals were able to protect vast landscapes- but over time, they were tarnished, destroyed, damaged, corrupted.

But if she could discover the means to reforge, repair, or craft anew such glorious works of magic, surely she would be capable of protecting Evermeet from any offender!

Her addled mind cannot comprehend the idea that her own magical philosophy is the very antithesis of protective stability, yet, it's her subconcious need to progress forward that shields her mind from recognizing her own paradox. And thus, she wildly walks north, seeking out ancient lore.

And if a few orcs get in her way, too bad for them.

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[Anastasia]

Simplistic.

That's the word for Varul's life when it started. Born to a distinctly uninteresting family in the middle ranks of Waterdeep, his life was a mix of some schooling and some manual work. A bright child gifted in many areas, his one flaw was that...well? He just was kinda there. Some people have talent and strive, some people strive without talent. Then there are the rest - those that have it or not, but don't care to apply themselves that much. This lead to a contrary, bored nature. Sure, he was a natural with the blade and a passably decent student to boot, but it was stewing there.

There wasn't any grand awakening. There wasn't any dramatic demise of a beloved family member(They're okay, but y'know.). There was simply...boredom. Waterdeep, for all it's splendors, never kept Varul's attentions. Why only the Gods know, but so he struck out to find his way. I mean, why not?

---

I'm aiming for a fairly normal but gifted person turned adventurer. He wants to see the world and not be bored; most things tend to. What he's good at he tends to put a lot of effort into, which is reflected by a high concentration on only four skills. His feats are more varied, mostly for gameplay reasons. I'm thinking a slightly laid back and witty fellow, whom will grow around the game tone.

[Dracos]

Serene

Physical appearance:

Serene is subtle presense in any environment.  Slender of build and on the short side, her black hair frames her soft face, coming down to about her shoulders.  She doesn't stand out well in a crowd, half from training and half from simply being naturally attuned towards being a wallflower; any prettiness offset by simply minimal experience in commanding presence.  Soft of voice, she speaks fluently common with a hint of an elvish accent from her upbringing and is commonly seen dressed in a green tunic with long sleeves, a brown cloth hat that protects her head from the sun and somewhat keeps the shade over her face and slender badge leggings that provide both protection from the cool winds and modesty during her craft.

Personality:

Serene is a friendly sort, very naive about the world outside having had most of her teachings from archaic behind the times priests and ninjas.  She's more of a loner, but that's mostly due to inexperience with people rather than any tendancy towards it.  In battle, she tends to almost switch, her training coming to the fore as she gets quite serious.  Death was not an unfamiliar part of her training and she can be quite cold and fast in combat, despite her fragile appearance.

Backstory:

The Clan of Lost Moon is an ancient order in Faerun said to date back to Eaerlann and indeed was part of that ancient empire, or so the masters of the order claim.  Secretive, they hold much knowledge from that era, carefully preserved in awaiting the return of the days of glory.

Headed by the aged elven ninja Kae'le it has prospered through the years, occassionally lending its services to certain causes and particularly surviving through mutual pacts with nearby villages.  Among the services it provides to them is dealing with orphans that arise from time to time.  While primarily an elvish order, the group is glad to indoctrinate young unlinked children to help protect it's way of life.

Serene was one of such and her earliest memories are of the chapel of Sehanine Moonbow, the priests tending to the young child between her training and teaching her of history and duty.  She was not alone in this, for the training they were given was harsh and strict.  These children, both of orphans and sired by the order themselves, were taught all that the order had to teach but kept busy in constant training within the walls of their monastary.  Occassionally they were taken out to train in the art of blending in with society, but by and large, Serene is naive of the world around here, knowing nothing of cities like Silverymoon and the like.

Talented for her age, she was eventually called upon during her late teens for a mission from Kae'le.  She was to head forth and investigate the ruins around the north, seeking artifacts of old that once belonged to the Eaerlann kingdom.  Equally so any other old artifacts were welcome as Kae'le believed that it would be soon that the sun would rise again over the moon.  Soon though in kae'le's reckoning was likely long after Serene's life, but knowing nothing of this, she took a map and set forth on her mission to seek out the relics of old and secure them, safe from misuse (defined as: Use by not them).  Upon her departure, one of her old mentors, Racheen, gifted her with a set of bracer which could be used to hide her weapon motions among flowing clothes and beyond that magically assisted in the task making it difficult to perceive what direction a weapon was coming from or what exactly was in her hand.  Given some gold as well and a purebred brown riding horse by the name of Fiera, she made her way into the wide world beyond her humble forest beginnings.

She went in simple clothes to blend in, heading first to a nearby ruins in the high forests by herself, where she discovered an odd sight.  An elf dressed in a strange multicolored robe fleeing madly from a group of armed humans, seeming to have fun at her expense.  Of course, it was shortly apparent that they meant to kill the young woman and Serene was not one taught to sit by while others suffered.

A shuriken in the back brought one down quickly and the barbaric bringards turned their attention to finding who had killed their friend.  On open ground, they surely would've put an end to her quickly for they were skilled fighters, but in the darkness of the ruins, the advantage was hers as they soon learned, every shadow seeming a point of death.

Making her way back, she found the woman examining the place and checked to see if she was okay.  Once assured of that, and a bit confused at her strange manner of speaking, Seren tried to convince this Alveria to head back and away from the potentially dangerous ruins before heading onward.

Not to be dissuaded so simply, Alveria followed behind, helping Serene with a few spells despite the younger girl's quiet protests.  Eventually convinced of the woman's <strikethrough>insanity</strikethrough> helpfulness as well as Alveria's intent to seek out the self-same ruins of the past, Serene agreed to travel with her as a traveling companion in her own quest to "See the ruins and explore them" (as Serene claimed).  While the woman's erratic nature was a bit offputting, Serene, now weeks from any of her old friends, was glad to have the companionship of the elf on the road.

concept:
Sent by order to collect ancient treasures long forgotten in ruins around the northern countryside.  Some are claimed to be owned by the order, as she was told.  Some should simply be 'in better hands'.

[Corwin]

Everyone knew you had to be a boy in Mulhorand and its remaining daughter states to count, so as a young child in the semi-autonomous satellite of Tesherit to the east, Amonet did not even try. Instead, she used the other thing everyone knew to her benefit. Religion was important, clerics were respected... it was the perfect way to accumulate power, power she could then use to act for the greater good within the limits of the law.

But then the law got changed, giving women more rights. Opportunities began to surface, and she kept half an eye open for those, just waiting for her chance, as she progressed in her studies. Once she was finally accepted into the order of the Sun God, graduating from her many years as an acolyte, that break-through she had been waiting for appeared. Hearing rumors of the Gold Swords and their glorious triumphs, Amonet took a sabbatical from the temple and left for Skuld. Once there, she used every bit of her charm and status to be accepted into Knight training.

And then, news from home arrived. With things as they are, Mulhorand focusing on Unther and it's more prosperous neighbors, some back home believe that conditions for formal secession have never been better. Disregarding the threat to their entire populace should they guess wrong, these forces have begun amassing in a bid for control. The House of the Vigilant Hawk decided to oppose them and, believing it the righteousness of its cause, Amonet has thrown her lot with them. What her house lacks at the moment, however, is a strong leadership. It is governed by a council of elders, and they are not getting any younger. In the face of the opposition, lead by the charismatic desert warrior Sutekh, Amonet wishes to present a united front, with her at the helm. However, before a young woman can attain such a position, regardless of changing customs or lineage, she is to prove herself. And to have any hope of staying in power, she has to outdo everyone else.

Thus, Amonet set out to travel across Faerun seeking scattered relics lost to time. She travels from place to place, following rumors and legends, ostensibly to show her worth to her House back home for when she gloriously returns with priceless artifacts holding power beyond imagination. Beyond that, it is also a training journey she can take away from prying eyes, without naming it as such and appearing weak. Amonet fully realizes that the life she has lead to this point left her behind in many areas, most prominent of which being combat. If she is to compete with Sutekh on even footing, she must first improve herself and her skills drastically, and there is no better way to do that than adventure through the continent, absorbing the wisdom, knowledge and fighting techniques of the different cultures residing on it.

-----

Amonet is seventeen years old, still young enough for a career change as far as she is concerned. She stands at five feet, pretty much down to an inch, and her weight is a closely-guarded secret. Her hair is black, slightly curly and goes down almost all the way to her waist in a long braid. Her eyes are a pleasant shade of soft brown, mingling with the green of her pupils. On the center of her forehead is a birthmark in the shape of three white, feathered wings extending outwards at equal distance from each other. Some take this symbol, usually contained within a circle, to mean peace. To Amonet and her people, it is a sign of favor of their God and protector.

Amongst Amonet's most prized material possessions are a medal she was bestowed by her father, from the time he was a glorious paladin, and an armband with a small wooden shield strapped to it passed down many generations in her family. Though the benefits it bestows upon its user would be considered weak compared to even the commonly used items for many adventurers, not to mention true artifacts, the relic represents Horus-Re favoring their line. When the person wearing it is endangered, a greater tri-winged shield is summoned to their air! The wings extend from the wooden shield, feathers ruffling from the motion, and a translucent protective screen of bluish-white energy springs between them!

-----

As Amonet was passing through Waterdeep, she met Varul at the outskirts. It was nearing lunchtime, and over a shared meal, they decided to travel together for the time being. Amonet's Knight training brought her close enough to the life of a warrior that she could relate to Varul and vice versa, and she has long since leaving home learned the value of having someone you can count on watch your back, whether by taking shifts when resting in dangerous territory or in a fight.

[Iron Dragoon]

Eagan Feragoth grew up with only his father; wandering from town to town, from work to work. His father had been a retired soldier, and spent many years teaching his son what he knew, preparing Eagan to follow in his own footsteps. Eagan, though lonely, never complained about this wandering life, often entranced by the tales his father wove of adventure, and the many sights he himself saw.

Growing up on tales of battlefield valor, Eagan egarly helped his father in his duties whenever he could. During his twelfth year, Eagan's father, Dominic, hired into a small army for a border-war. Not being old enough to go into combat with his father, Eagan was regulated to camp chores, and helping where he was needed. In one perticularly brutal battle, Eagan was pulled into the Hospitalar tent to help carry bandages and move men. It was in this tent that Eagan found his calling.

He watched as clerics moved from wounded man to wounded man, healing them with the word of their god, and came to idolize them, realizing that any of the men they saved could soon be his own father. Sadly, Eagan's father did die in this battle, leaving him alone. Asking sanctuary of the clerics, he was soon learning their ways. As time passed, Eagan moved up to battlefield duty, and often charged headlong into battle to drag a wounded man to safety for healing. Quickly gaining notice for his seeming fearlessness in saving his comrades, he caught the eye of one of the experienced combat medics, and was brought into their ranks. After gaining his adulthood and comming into his wanderlust, Eagan parted from his mentor and began to search for a group to call his own, even if only for a time. Understanding this, his adopted unit sent him with well wishes, and advice to head for Silverymoon, as many knew of the large numbers of groups that tended to recruit in the area..

[Ebiris]

Though initially hesitant when asked about her past, Marjorie eventually opens up and shows some willingness to explain the circumstances that led to her current existence.

"I'd lived in the High Forest as far back as I can remember... Mother said she originally came from Waterdeep, while Father said he had always been in the forest himself, and his family before him. It was pretty lonely, I guess... I mean, I loved my parents and they loved me, but still, just the three of us - well, three of us plus the cat. Mother had a familiar named Sooty. I never really liked him, though - he'd always fidget and wind up scratching me when I tried to pet him.

Oh, sorry, where was I? Right, it was really just me and my parents in our little cottage, for as much as things matter. Mother or Father would sometimes go on trips to a town on the edge of the forest for supplies, but they'd never take me, and one of them would always stay home to watch me... well, not just me. They said they had to guard something in the forest, but never told me what. I guess they figured they'd tell me when I was older, but so much for that.

I suppose because I was so lonely, that's why I had to make do with my imagination. I used to love hearing mother's stories about fairies and pixies and things like that, and I remember when I first saw Sylvelle... she was so beautiful, I must have spent half an hour just watching her fluttering around that glade and humming to herself before I finally plucked up the courage to walk out of the bushes I was hiding in and introduce myself. Of course, she panicked and vanished right away... pixies just don't like to associate with humans, normally.

Anyway, after that I spent a lot more time exploring the forest, hoping to catch just the slightest glimpse of Sylvelle or one of the other pixies... I didn't see them often, but I treasured every time I did. They were just so beautiful and carefree, I wished I could be just like them, and live among them. Mother didn't like me running off like that, but Father just smiled and said that even if the pixies avoid me, they'd still make sure nothing bad would hurt me, either.

Hmm... I think I was about eleven when I first found out I could do magic. It was small stuff, making lights that dance around me, or picking up small objects with my mind... still, even stuff like that's really cool when you've never really experienced real magic before! I didn't even know Mother was a mage until that started happening and she told me all about it. She never seemed able to make up her mind to be proud that I could do magic from the heart, or disappointed that she couldn't teach me the spells she knew.

Still, when all's said and done, it was a nice and peaceful life I had... until that night. It hurts just remembering it, but I said I'd tell you the whole story, didn't I? So... I was staying up a bit late, playing with my dolls - what's wrong with that? Didn't you have dolls when you were younger? Well, okay, Gourash I can understand, but surely the rest of you would... okay, anyway that doesn't really matter I guess.

It was pretty late and dark outside, when all of a sudden Mother ran into my room and grabbed me - I'd never seen her look so frightened in all my life... she was the type that never let anything get to her, you know? Even when she was worrying or lecturing me, I could always see a smile in her eyes. But she wasn't smiling that night... I think because she knew. Hugging me, she told me to hide under the bed and not to make a sound, and then she cast some sort of spell on me and practically pushed me under there before she ran outside.

I did the best I could... I hid, curling myself up real tight, and I didn't make a sound, even when I wanted to cry out at the noises and flashes of light coming from outside the house. But I was a good girl, I kept quiet the whole time, even when I heard Mother scream like I'd never heard anyone scream before, and even when I saw them from under the bed, coming into my room...

They shouldn't have been so pretty.

I hate myself for it, but when that first dark elf walked into my bedroom, her long, straight hair looking like fresh and pristine snow, her skin so dark yet so clear and flawless, and those ruby red eyes set on a face that might have been carved by the greatest artist in the world... I was entranced. It was almost like the first time I saw Sylvelle.

There were others with her, but for the longest time, she was all I could see... she seemed to be giving orders to the others, but I didn't understand her words. They were looking for something, though - something in particular, since they ignored Mother's magic broom and her spellbook like they weren't even there. One of them stabbed a sword through the bed, just missing me - it was enough to jolt me from my fascination with the dark elf leader, and I almost drew breath to scream before Sooty suddenly leapt up to attack the dark elf that was stabbing the bed... Stupid, stupid cat... I thought he hated me and he had to do something like that. Then I could only watch as they held him down and impaled him on the floor barely two feet from me. I was shaking so badly, half of me desperately wanting to do something to help even if I knew it useless, the other half trying to keep quiet like Mother told me to...

It didn't matter, anyway. One of the dark elves kicked the bed, flipping it right over and away from me, while their leader cast a spell... She cast that spell, and then she looked right at me. Looked right at me and smiled, baring those too perfect white teeth of hers.

Two of the other dark elves picked me up, and that's when she spoke in a language I could understand... her voice was like music, but the words that came out... She told me she had killed my parents, and would kill me too if I didn't tell her what she wanted. But first she was going to show me pain... make me understand, she'd said, keep me honest, she promised.

I... I don't want to talk about what they did, and you probably don't want to hear it. I would have told her anything she wanted, though... but I couldn't. She kept asking, "Where is the key, little one? Tell me and this will all be over..." But I didn't know what she was talking about... I couldn't tell her what I didn't know! After a while she said she believed me, and I thought for a second she was going to let me go... instead she cast a spell to summon these... these demon spider things, and they, they... Oh, I'm sorry, it's too... No. I'll tell you my story, but I won't... I can't relive that, I just can't!

I don't know how long passed, but when I was next... aware, the house was a mouldering ruin. I thought I maybe had passed out, and they'd used some magic to wreck the house, but when my hand passed right through the wall I was trying to steady myself on, that's when I realised even more was wrong, and then I looked down and saw... me. I flipped out pretty badly... must've been at least a week before I came back to my senses. Funnily enough, it was seeing the pixies that did it - they were having some sort of community dance, and I was able to get closer to them than ever before since they couldn't see me. Seeing them like that, it soothed me... I couldn't reveal myself to them, knowing now what I was, but I could at least return home and... try to clean things up.

I suppose I just watched the house and the graves for a while, not really knowing what else to do besides explore my new abilities and my magic. I couldn't leave that part of the forest, and I don't know why I couldn't pass on. I guess the loneliness eventually got too much for me, though... it got to the point where I convinced myself I'd be doing the pixies a favour by keeping them close... as if I could protect them after what had happened to me...

It's probably for the best I met you guys when I did, all things considered. Living there, with the memories and the fake normality... it wasn't a good thing I was doing. I think I was losing myself, becoming lost in a destructive and selfish fantasy... But that's the past now, isn't it? And our journey's not over yet, so we should probably stop talking and get moving, right?"