There is a limit of four weapons per-character in this rp (without special permission to do otherwise). Weapons in the sheet are divided into four categories, large weapons, medium weapons, and small weapons. Remember when planning your character that weapon size is relative; a two-foot sword might be a medium weapon to a human, but to a minotaur that’s practically a toothpick. Below is a description of each kind of weapon and a list of what kind of weapons would fall into the different categories:

Large weapons, as the name suggests, are the biggest type of weapon. A good rule of thumb for large weapons is anything that either requires two hands to use or is as tall/taller than the character. Shields are also in this section. There is a limit of one large weapon per-character. The following weapons qualify as large weapons:

• Two-handed swords
• Mauls
• Halberds
• Bows (both long and short) You must indicate how many arrows a character has on them at one time.
• Magic staffs
• Shields of any size (round, kite, tower, etc)
• Spears
• Two-handed crossbows. You must indicate how many bolts a character has on them at one time.

Medium weapons are weapons which require one hand to wield and are too big to easily conceal. Medium weapons are the most-common weapons used in combat, and often function as the main weapon for the character. There is a limit of one medium weapon per-character. The following weapons qualify as medium weapons:

• And kind of sword that does not require two hands to use (sabres, rapiers, arming swords, broadswords, you name it)
• Battle axes
• Maces (which aren’t too heavy to use with one hand)
• Flails
• One-handed crossbows (like what Ezio uses in Assassin’s Creed). You must indicate how many bolts your character keeps on hand at one time.

Small weapons are weapons small enough to be concealed. These are usually used as secondary, or backup weapons. Generally-speaking, if your character can hide it without looking awkward, it is a small. There is a limit of two small weapons per-character. The following weapons qualify as small weapons:

• Daggers
• Magic wands
• Knives
• Small throwing weapons (bolos, throwing knives, darts) You must indicate how many of these your character has on them at one time.
• Medicine/potions
• Any kind of ranged magical explosive. You must indicate how many of these your character has on them at one time.

These are just suggestions, of course, as there is no limit on what kind of weapon your character uses so long as it fits the time period (nothing with gunpowder, basically) and isn’t overpowered (no daggers covered in incurable insta-kill poison).

Weapon Trading: Now I know what you’re thinking; “What if my character’s a super badass who uses two swords and no dagger!” Well, my super-badass friend, I have the solution for you! Weapon sizes can be traded up! What I mean by this is that if you want two medium weapons, you can trade your two small weapon slots in for a second medium weapon slot, and turn two medium weapon slots in for a second large weapon slot. So if you feel like using two swords or a tower shield and a Scottish Claymore (I don’t recommend that even a little bit) you can by trading in smaller weapons slots. These slots do not work in the opposite direction, however (as it would be ridiculous for someone to trade their large weapon in for two medium weapons and have more swords than they do hands). Also remember that if you ask permission and are approved by me or another mod, you can use more than four weapons. Weapons can be changed later on in the rp with permission, but no one can use firearms until I say so.

A Very Important Note on Magic: If your character uses combat magic, it takes the place of one of their weapon slots, meaning that you can only use three other weapons. It does not, however, matter what slot this is, so it can take the place of a small, medium, or large slot.

So you wanna be a wizard, eh? Well magic in Tithe is pretty complicated, more complicated than cleaving your enemy in two with a sword or poking your enemy full of holes with arrows, but the rewards are worth it.

So firstly, let’s set some ground rules. Magic is an art which requires serious time and effort to perfect, even for Fairfolk. It is difficult to train at, and a true mastery of magic takes decades. Remember this when making sheets. In addition to this, the following rules apply to magic:

• No spells that cannot be blocked. Magic spells cannot go through defenses to damage an enemy, though they can damage defenses.
• No spells that automatically kill. No matter how potent, any individual combat spell cannot kill a combat-ready foe. This doesn’t mean that your character cannot kill another character/mook with magic, but you can’t own a spell that if casted has a zero percent survival rate against an armed combatant. That being said, if a dumbass is standing naked in a field and is cursing your momma, feel free to wipe his ass off the planet.
• Necromancy is extremely complicated and hard to perform. It is illegal in every kingdom of Tithe, and is punishable by death everywhere. Only the strongest of wizards can reanimate the dead, and it is never without side effects. Necromancers cannot control creatures like ghouls and ghosts, which are dead but were not made by them.
• Telepathy is impossible. The mind is too confusing and complex to to be read by another.
• No spells of absolute defense. Shield spells are allowed, but shields cannot be unbreakable.
• Magic is not limitless. Each form of magic has different limitations, and exceeding either of those limitations will cause serious and most likely life-threatening damage to your character.
• Transfiguration is not possible. You cannot turn yourself into something else. That means no turning into a gigantic demon or dragon or fifty-foot ghost version of yourself (looking at you, Korra). However, cosmetic potions can allow you to change your appearance slightly.
• While each form of magic is based upon whatever it is you believe in, keep in mind there are a few forms of magic. offensive magic (like casting fireballs), defensive magic (healing yourself and others or making shields), and effect magic(illusions, invisibility, etc)

There are two primarily forms of magic: what is referred to as Light Magic and what is referred to as Darkness Magic. Any one character can only learn one form of magic, and no living being has ever learned both simultaneously (and no being will ever do it so don’t try).

Light Magic was created by the Fairfolk, and is based off of nature. It is the more common form of magic between the two. Like in Avatar, Light Magic focuses on the four elements (fire, water, earth, and air) and uses the relationships between them to cast a wide variety of spells. At a very basic level, Light magic looks like elemental bending. A novice Light mage can do things like shoot fireballs, create gusts of wind, and form shields of rock from the ground below them. But, while doing those things are cool, the true nature of light magic involves understanding the balance between the four elements and being able to alter that balance to create more various attacks. Those who understand how to alter the proportions of the four elements can do much more powerful things, like create magical shields by combining proportions of water and air or covering one’s skin in an iron coating by combining proportions of earth and fire. Because of this, Light Magic can get somewhat complicated and most mages do not go beyond simply controlling the four elements and their hybrids (mist, dust, smoke, mud, steam, metal, ice). It generally takes about twenty years of training and meditation to be able to use the four elements and their hybrids, and much longer to master the control of elemental proportions. Unlike darkness magic, light magic can heal as well, and some light mages can patch up wounds. With the exception of things like healing, light magic always takes a concrete form of an actual object (like lightning, a fireball, a big rock, etc).

Limitations: Light Magic stems from some sort of nature god/goddess, though there are different forms of this. Fairfolk believe in Matrem, the mother goddess who conceived the world in her womb, whereas elves believe in a Pantheistic view of nature and orcs believe in individual nature gods (humans are a mix of all three, though the majority worship Matrem). No matter which nature deity a species believes in, however, this natural deity grants magic power in exchange for service to the earth. Now what does this mean? It means that if a mage does not plant a seed of some sort after using a lot of magic, they develop a sickness known as Matrem’s Wrath. Matrem’s wrath causes extremely high fevers and convulsions that often lead to death or permanent paralyzation. Mages who contract the disease almost always lose the ability to ever use magic again if they survive. There is no set limit for how many spells a mage can use before having to plant a seed, but they generally know that they need to when they begin to feel fatigued and light-headed (or when Maxx tells you to plant a seed or die).

Dark Magic is a form of magic that was created by the cyclopes, and is based off of emotion. It is generally a less-common form of magic, and is harder to learn since it does not involve actual concrete things. Despite its name, dark magic is not actually evil. Dark magic deals with emotions in a similar way that light magic deals with elements. Except, unlike Light Magic, there are more than four elements of dark magic, since there are more than four emotions. Each emotion in Dark Magic has a different effect, and emotions can be combined in a spell to combine effects (this is known as catharsis). The three primary emotions in dark magic (the ones that are used most) are anger, sadness, and happiness. Anger is generally involved in destructive spells that burn or smash. Happiness is generally involved in defensive spells like shields, and sadness is involved in effect spells like illusions and invisibility. Different emotions can be combined in different ways to do different effects (for example, combining happiness and anger gives you a spell which weakens your opponent’s attack and hits them with the same force they hit you with). If you want to know what happens if you combine different types of emotional energies, pm me and I’ll tell you. The more intense an emotion is in a dark mage, the more powerful the spell will be. Some wizard towers actually set up activities in secret where they trick mage trainees into feeling extreme emotions (euphoria, blinding anger, love) so that they can remember how they felt later and use it. The two most powerful emotions in Dark Magic are love and vengeance. Love spells are extremely powerful defensively and vengeance spells are extremely powerful offensively. To be skilled in dark magic, mages need to be very emotionally strong; if a mage loses control of their emotions, they lose control of their magic. Unlike Light Magic, which takes a concrete form, Dark Magic is more like Harry Potter magic where everything is just colored energy. While Light Magic is more useful for constructive things, in a combat situation Dark Magic is generally superior, as it does not rely on the elements to deal damage.

Limitations: While Dark Magic is not rooted in any religion, it has limits similar to the limits of Light Magic. If a mage uses Dark Magic too often, they become very emotionally exhausted and fatigued. Overuse of Dark magic causes terrible migraines and mood swings which can cause mages to lose their magical abilities temporarily. If a mage does not rest after these symptoms kick in, they can very easily cause themselves to go into a mental breakdown which occasionally kills (and always takes magic away permanently). Dark mages make up for this by meditating after using excessive amounts of magic. Calming the mind and the body through meditation allows dark mages to regain control of their emotions and rest their fatigued minds. It usually takes an accomplished dark mage a little over a half hour of meditation to keep themselves healthy.

Places To Learn Magic
Tithe includes several different prestigious academies which specialize in teaching the arcane to perspective students. The following is a brief list of the best of these academies.

The Grand Tower/ Location: Orarius, Nepharie / The Grand Tower is a cluster of five stone towers in Orarius, each slightly shorter than the one to the left of it. Four of the towers have red-shingled roofs, one has an observatory atop it, and the tallest one has at the top of it a gigantic teardrop-shaped dome of red glass. The Tower is incredibly famous around the region, and has become a symbol of Nepharie. It teaches both light and dark magic, as well as astrology, potion-making, and archeology.

The Temple of Matrem / Location: Concordius / The Temple of Matrem, the Goddess of creation and nature. The temple is made of pink marble, and is roughly in the shape of the Jefferson Monument (though larger). The gaps between the marble columns outside are shrouded by white veils so that the inside cannot be seen from the shore. The temple is in the middle of a small island in the center of Lake Castus, and is only accessible via gondolas which ferry people between the shore and the Temple. The main floor of the temple contains a large well of a glowing water-like substance, which are believed by the Fairfolk to be tears of Matrem. The place primarily functions as a temple of worship, but the second floor (in the roof) and the basement both contain the best light magic schools in Tithe. This is where Fairfolk priests are trained in the arcane, and occasionally outsiders will be allowed to learn in a few of the departments.

The Academy / Location: Lychellon,Ostracus / The Academy, as it is called, is a large university in Lychellon, the capital of Ostracus. The Academy in appearance looks somewhat like Oxford, a massive castle of white stone with domes and minarets. It has courses for many things, from agriculture to architecture, but also houses a prestigious magic school where astronomy, history, light magic, enchantment, and potion-making are taught. The Academy is only open to the first four tiers of Gnome society, and the price is stratified in such a way that the fourth tier pays more than the third, second, or first tier.

Stormfront Castle / Location: Concordius / On the border of Concordius and Nepharie stands Stormfront Castle, the home of the Stormfront family, an ancient family of seers. Stormfront Castle is massive and magnificent, looking very similar to Chambord in the Loire Valley of France. It is surrounded by a wrought-iron gate which has so many protection curses on it that it actually glows purple and steams. Stormfront Castle isn't an actual magic school, but the patriarch of the Stormfront family, Mentus Stormfront, often takes in apprentices and teaches them the magical arts. He teaches light magic, potions, and divination techniques to particularly bright students, though those born without the Sight can use this very little (and only the Stormfront family has the Sight)

King Draco of Ferdinand: The king of Talbor and leader of the Knights of the Ram. Draco is a haughty ruler who is somewhat disconnected with his lower-class people, causing some stirring amongst peasants and factory workers. While Draco isn't particularly skilled as a politican, he is a gifted military leader. Prince John of Ferdinand: The eldest son of the king of Talbor and heir to the throne. John is a lecherous and hedonistic prince who doesn't seem even slightly interested in the affairs of the kingdom despite being heir to the throne. He would much rather party and sleep with harlots than fight in a battle or lead a kingdom. Sir Randolph Fallon: The head of the Knights of the Ram, Randolph is a prideful and envious noble, obsessed with his reputation. Once a good and virtuous knight, peer pressure combined with his excessive pride is beginning to lead him down a path of corruption. Lady Ericur Tolkien: The somewhat offish baroness of Debbeshire, a town in the central plains of Talbor. She seems to have an unhealthy fascination with sheep, and in the past has been known to put the welfare of the town's livestock before the welfare of her people. Some say that her strange idiosyncrasy is the product of combat fatigue from years of being a dragon rider in the war on Ostracus. Lord Jesse Chrysostom: A renowned and widely-respected baron from the village of Harrinshire. He is known to be a gifted poet and wordsmith, and has incredibly long hair which some peasants tell stories about, saying that his hair is magical. He is known to sing and recite poetry at the king's banquets. Lord Alastair Solem: The solitary and cryptic baron of Olenport, Alastair is known to be a bit of a shady customer. He is reclusive and antisocial, preferring to sit in his tower all day rather than go to banquets or celebrations. Despite allegations, he is one of the least corrupt of the barons. Lord Aaron Steele: A rough and cruel baron residing in the Oreshire, a mining town up in the mountains. Despite his generally grumpy disposition, Aaron is fairly social and personable towards his people and will often walk through the farm terraces, talking to farmers and personally assessing the state of the crops. He used to be a longbowman in the army, but he got his eye cut out by a gnome. Tara Ichumenon: A renowned alchemist and the best apothecary in Talbor. She is an elderly woman who runs a small shop in Maceron where she makes particularly powerful brews, so powerful that many people will send their sick or injured to her before they send them to the hospital. Tara is from Orarius originally, where she studied magic at the Grand Tower. She travelled the world for quite a while, but that was long ago and her old bones have grown too tired to go far from Maceron. She is cranky and somewhat senile, but she has the best intentions at heart. Chancellor Feuille: The Chancellor of Nepharie. Feuille is a somewhat overconfident ruler who, while a good politician, might not be the person you want to be going into war with. He is somewhat cowardly when it comes to bloodshed, but wields the largest army in Tithe and knows it, though he prefers peace over war. He is incredibly indecisive about combat, something which may lead to his downfall. Kjed Svero: The prince of Ensom and Bjorns successor. Kjed is a young and naive lad who thinks he's invincible. He is headstrong, reckless, rebellious, and the perfect ruler to drive Jikari right into the ground if a major threat showed up. Emperor Sheng Huo: The second emperor of the Huo Dynasty of Ostracus, Sheng is a young and inexperienced leader. He just recently took over after his father died of old age and is still grieving his death. Sheng tends to be somewhat petty, and holds grudges for long periods of time, though he has the means to be a great leader someday. Qsr. (queen of servants) Castira Lux: The current high priest of Concordius, Castira is a wise and venerable ruler from another time. She's fair and just, but she's slow to adjust to new threats and is beginning to lose some of her touch. King Skeron Kahnge: The king of Haderlock. Skeron is a cold and angry ruler with a short temper and a brutish disposition. He is a seasoned veteran judging by his missing eye and facial scars, and doesn't care what it takes to win so long as he does it. It is said that he once tried to have a woman beheaded for treason and when the executioner wouldn't do it, he took the axe and did it himself. Sir Arrond Blount: Sir Arrond is a Haderlockian general and the commander of the Nordavind. He is a living legend around Haderlock, and is said by some to be a demigod due to his incredible strength. While he's an excellent and ruthless military leader, Arrond can be somewhat cocky, as his reputation has grown quite widespread (Being recognized every time you walk into a bar tends to make your ego grow). King Moroz Kulak: The king of Glaces. Moroz is a territorial and xenophobic leader who has learned a lot in his four hundred years of being king (because he is the only king who has ever been there, like, ever). He is an ice giant, and is known to torture foes for information. He rivals Skeron in brutality. Led Kobye: The general of the Glacial Knights. Led is a wise and prideful general who hates to lose. He takes time to individually test every man under his command in combat, and is rarely defeated; those who beat him become lieutenants. He has also been the general of the Knights for literally ever (ever since Glaces came into existence four hundred years ago). Grand Patriarch Mumuruk Gatoa: The current Grand Patriarch of the Dorak. A burly, light-hearted fellow who has kept the country in good standing for nearly two decades. Prone to friendly competitions, gatherings, and demonstrations of his own strength and prowess, Mumuruk exemplifies the carefree and life-loving nature of the Dorak immaculately. Isaiah Stormfront: A wise and cryptic Fairfolk seer who lives on the border of Concordius and Central Nepharie. He is said to be a powerful psychic who can see deep into the future, but he acts somewhat senile. Isaiah is often called in as an advisor to Chancellor Feuille and Qsr. Lux. Nick: Nick is a wandering Saurian drunkard who was once believed to be an oracle. He stumbles about the southern kingdoms, making references to places that do not exist and people who are not present. He is known to break the fourth wall.

I'll say this now because I know I'll only forget later: did you know Polaris is the name of my dead hamster?

Name: Honoria, aka ‘The Grey Lady’ (formally ‘The Wandering Lady’) Age: 491 Gender: Female Species: Shade Kingdom of Origin: Concordius Physical appearance: Honoria stands at around 5’9” and weighs about 115lbs. Her skin, as a Shade, is now a dark grey colour rather than the silvery white that she once was. Her dark smoky eyes are as alluring as they are intimidating, and it’s impossible to tell which direction she is looking in. She has some faint scaring around her body from where she was chained with Iron, a grim reminder of the pain she was put through. Her voice is deep (for a female) and somewhat majestic sounding, similar to the voice of Galadriel in the LOTR movies. She has great posture and walks with a royal grace. Attire: She is covered by root like things that are in fact a part of her body. She is able to extend these for better coverage and provide some minimal defense. Fortunately her turning did not seem to affect her control of this. Her only real clothing is a belt which she wears purely to house a money bag and her dagger. She also wears a small vial on a necklace, filled with a small few drop from Matrem’s Well. The necklace was a gift she received from a suitor when she was very young. She has contemplated getting some armour but after half a millennium of being naked, she struggles with the idea. Personality: Honoria was once a kind and gentle soul, willing to help any who came to her for aid. Since turning into a shade however, she has changed drastically. Feeling as if her entire world has been stripped from her, she is now an incredibly vengeful entity and finds herself in fits of rage from time to time. She is very slow to make friends, being distrustful of most (especially humans) but she is willing to cooperate if it means achieving her goals. She has also grown bitter and has grown jealous of others who have a close connection with nature, feeling as if her own connection has been permanently severed. She is angered by those who don’t understand nature or wish to do it harm. In fact, she seemed to be quickly angered by anyone these days but at least is able to control her emotions and vent them in creative ways. Hobbies/interests: She mostly spends her time brooding, but can occasionally make time to retrain her magical abilities or to sing. Skills: Honoria has a natural penchant for befriending and even (to a certain extent) understanding animals and creatures. This doesn’t mean to say that she can talk to them or read their minds, but can, on some strange level, empathise with what they currently feel. She is also a nice singer, as are most Dryads. Backstory: Honoria was until recently known by many as ‘The Wandering Lady’ because of the tree that she was bound to, for it was a moving tree known as ‘Young Bark’. Young Bark was a gigantic tree that, unlike other moving trees, rarely stopped. For more nearly 500 hundred years Honoria sat atop Young Bark as the colossus drifted around Concrodius, protecting it when need be. Some of the more religious people of the world, including many Fairfolk, would find and tend the tree. Others sometimes came looking for The Wandering Lady because her healing skills were extraordinary. And so it was a peaceful existence for Honoria, one that lasted almost half a millennium… but unfortunately all good things must come to an end. When the Red Legion begun attacking settlements in the Wilderness, twas not only the forces of Brighton and Pyreton that felt the Legion’s sting. There were many small scale attacks and shows of support from their agents and secret sympathisers in the south and as it was, Honoria was one of the victims. A mob of twenty human men tracked down The Wandering Lady, claiming they sought her help with their afflictions. But when Honoria left the safety of Young Bark to aid them, they brandished weapons of Cold Iron and pinned her down. She tried to fight them off but her combat magic was limited and she was easily overpowered. They wrapped her in Iron chains and made her watch as they sprung an ambush for Young Bark, who had heard her cries and rushed to her aid. It was torture in every sense for her as she watched in agony as the tree was set aflame and her natural object was destroyed. They no doubt would have killed her (and worse) were it not for arrival of Fairfolk who had seen the flames from a distance. Much to her anger, the Fairfolk managed to assure Honoria's release through intimidation rather than go to blows. Meaning that the men responsible for this defilement are still out there somewhere. In the time since then she has been staying at the Temple of Matrem. Not much time has passed and yet her personality has already changed drastically. At first she spent her time trying to reconnect with nature or find some semblance of peace or purpose, but to no avail. Her world is shattered and now all she seeks is revenge. Much to the disdain of the Fairfolk around her, she has begun to learn Dark Magic with worrying speed. Given this and the fact she is now a Shade, some have begun to refer to her as ‘The Grey Lady’, especially when telling the tale of her defilement. Family: (Optional. Talk about your character’s family. If you are a dryad, this is going to be depressing) Relationships: WIP Weaponry: Large Weapon: Staff | Medium Weapon: Magic | Small Weapon: Daggers Abilities: Honoria has only recently become a shade and so is still trying to relearn magic. Rather than relearning light magic however, she appears to only be able to practice dark magic. She believes this is because her connection to nature has been lost, although some of the High Priests assure her this is not the case and that she just needs to give it time. Unfortunately for the Red Legion, she does seem to be picking up Dark Magic rather quickly, thanks to her utter lust for vengeance and her staff. Most of her abilities are courtesy of her race or use empathy on some level. Her abilities include:

• Her ability to grow roots around herself could be considered a magic ability in itself, although it is hardly a game changer (not since becoming a shade anyway). The roots do provide some very mild protection, but certainly not enough to stop a decent thrust. It does help her grip things with her hands and feet, meaning she has more balance. It is now used more for modesty's sake than anything else.
• Her singing, as a Dryad, could also be considered a magical ability as it helps nearby wildlife grow. This is nowhere near as potent as it was now that she's a shade, but she has managed to alter this ability slightly through Dark Magic: By singing with certain emotions she can conjure certain emotions in others (but they have to be fairly weak willed and even then it's only a mild effect).
• How to cast chain lightning. This requires her to conjure strong feelings of wrath and anger. This is much harder to control than the light magic counterpart, but can be more devastating. If her feelings are not strong enough then she may only generate a small shock at best. However if her feelings are too strong then she will be unable to direct the lightning or will loose control of the Dark Magic completely (until she rests).
• By remembering the torment she went through and the emotions she felt, she is able to inflict a similar pain onto others. That is to say that she is able to make them feeling as if they are wrapped in burning chains, leaving them in pain and restricting their movement. This is only possible because of the severity of the memory, and it requires a very great amount of strength and concentration to work. As such, she is only able to cast it on a single target and normally finds herself having to rest afterwards before using any more magic.
• She also has the ability to control and see through the eyes of Colubra (her companion) but this leaves her own body vulnerable. This ability is fairly easy for her to use but she has to be within a certain range to maintain this.

Weaknesses: Like all Dryads, she is vulnerable to fire and Cold Iron, and is not very physically strong. As a shade she is also not as magically powerful as she once was and is somewhat more cut off from nature. At just the sight of fire she becomes emotional, filled with feelings of both fear and utter anger. As a new practitioner of Dark Magic she can lose control of her magic and suffer some negative effects due to her temper flaring out of her control. Socially she has become an outcast at almost every turn, meaning that she cannot rely on others as well as most. Companion: Honoria has a companion named Colubra (pronounced Col-oo-bra), a massive shadow-snake that lived with her atop of Young Bark. Colubra resembles a giant anaconda and its skin is currently black with streaks of varying shades of green. She is currently around 5.5m long and is fairly thick. As a shadow-snake she gradually changes her skin colour to blend in with her surroundings. This is hardly a quick process and its effectiveness varies depending on her movement and on how much the colours in her environment are shifting. She can also only do this once per skin-shed, which in itself is a long process. She is poisonous, but only mildly so; her bites are likely to leave you feverish and weak but will only kill you when combined with other afflictions. She relies more on biting and restriction than she does poison. In terms of personality Colubra is perhaps what one would expect from a giant shadow-snake: she’s a sneaky, vicious b****. However she is extremely loyal to Honoria and will glad put herself in harm’s way to protect her. She has been trained not to attack sentient beings unless in defense or when commanded. Honoria has recently gained the ability to see through Colubra’s eyes and control her. They have to be within a certain range for this to work. Surprisingly, Colubra is either unaware of this or simply doesn’t appear to mind. Other: Oh Polaris, how I miss you so!

@Credit for image used in Physical Appearance goes to lowenael over at dA Name: Sikarthis Age: 470 Gender: Male Species: Glacial Knight Kingdom of Origin: Glaces, The Northlands Physical appearance: Standing at a sizable height of 6'5", Sikarthis is readily recognizable even among a throng of his fellow Glacial Knights. Though somewhat slender, his frosty form has been honed and hardened by centuries of warfare, training, and hardships into an almost unmatched fighting machine. Narrow eyes, high cheekbones and a permanent look of irritation give Sikarthis a rather unapproachable appearance that mirrors his feelings towards the majority of those he is forced to deal with. Sikarthis keeps his hair long, preferring to keep it on either side of his face and out of his eyes. As he shaves only every so often it is not uncommon to find him with stubble or the beginnings of a beard on his face. His skin, like all Glacial Knights, has the appearance of a frosted, iced over lake. Attire: Like all Glacial Knights, Sikarthis dons a uniquely crafted set of armor made of extremely hard and durable ice, though he had changed quite a bit of it throughout the centuries. His armor consists of shoulder pauldrons, a cuirass with an attached groin and thigh guard, flexible 'mail and micro-plate' sleeve coverings that extend over his hands, and a pair of greaves. Sikarthis has long chosen to forfeit the use of a helm, choosing instead a simple head wrap that leaves little more than the area around his eyes exposed. This has serves the dual purposes of protecting him from smoke and similiar battlefield hazards as well as keeping his identity hidden from his enemies. Much of this armor is lighter than the kind commonly worn by Glacial Knights and therefore not quite as good at protecting him from harm. This does mean however that he is significantly more flexible and agile than most of his fellows, allowing him to make full use of his weapon of choice and the fighting style that goes with it. When not wearing his armor Sikarthis wears a simple covering over his genitalia for decency's sake. Personality: Among the speciesist Glacial Knights Sikarthis is counted as one of the most difficult members of leadership to pinpoint in terms of political standing. While he makes no attempt to hide his contempt and irritation towards those outside his own species it has not gone unnoticed that he has little praise or time even for his fellow Knights. Added to that are recent rumors that he and the Haderlock envoy Tári Númenessë have been attending to one another at night, further putting doubts on his views towards outsiders. Whatever his actual stance on the matter, none can argue that he is unfit for his current position as both lead diplomat and renowned lieutenant for Glaces. Renowned for his cold, calculating approach to both diplomacy and war, Sikarthis views every conversation, debate, engagement and even every tumble in the sheets as a battle of wits and wills where one side must come out on top. Lacking nothing for patience he bides his time in all matters, feigning disinterest or foolishness until such a time that he can make use of an opponent's overconfidence or laxness to gain the upper hand. This approach to life has won him many battles and enemies, both on the field and inside the walls of Glaces. Despite any misgivings about his views on foreigners his success as a commander and a tactician have also earned him great respect from those serving under him and it is rare to find him without attendants or hanger-ons looking for approval or handouts. He is fond of using simple board games as a means of gauging his opponents off of the battlefield as well, much to the irritation of several of his regular correspondents. Sikarthis, unlike the rest of his kind, has for the past century had his gaze turned towards the south, past the borders of the Northlands and into The Wilderness where he claims untold power and resources await his people. His fellow officers (and indeed the general himself) have attempted to dissuade him from that line of thought, pointing out that the distance, weather difference, and manpower required to make such an expedition and hold any territory claimed would stretch thin their already small numbers. Were he more approachable Sikarthis might find allies in his arguments but as it were his blunt, callous approach to dealing with others does not translate well to making friends or good first impressions. Some have wondered how he managed to become the finest diplomat in Glaces given this fact. Hobbies/interests: Sikarthis generally spends his free time locked away in his chambers while inside the walls of Glaces, reading from an extensive and ever expanding library of scrolls, tomes, tablets and carvings on a variety of subjects. Often his focus is on military and political history and the tactics of the past, both inside and outside of the Northlands. Trade with Haderlock has given him many a new avenue with which to pursue this interest. Not content just read about such matters, it is not uncommon to find Sikarthis one of the many training halls about Glaces, practicing constantly to turn studied material into practical, proven techniques. As Tári Númenessë is currently the only ambassador in Glaces he has recently spent a sizable amount of time verbally sparring with her about matters both important and inane. The two have also taken to bouncing languages off the other in a sort of impromptu dialect trade. So far Sikarthis has learned more words in more languages for the male genitalia than he had likely been expecting. Skills: Sikarthis speaks several languages and dialects thanks to his centuries of dedicated study, though his understanding of some is more rudimentary at best. Diplomacy is also a strong suit of his and he is well known for his ability to gain the upper hand (or at least even the playing field) in even the most seemingly one sided of talks. He for finding Backstory: While it is no mystery that Sikarthis has risen to two positions of power within Glaces few seem to recall exactly how it was that he managed to reach the heights he has today. Many attribute his position and power to connections within the king's court while others talk of favoritism from the general. In reality however Sikarthis rose through the ranks as anyone did, from the very bottom upwards by his own hand. Low ranking soldiers themselves, the young Glacial Knight was groomed for war long before he had reached even his first decade of life. In the years before his enlistment into the military proper Sikarthis had little interaction with his family outside of daily training when they were stationed inside of Glaces, preferring instead to spend his time out by the harbor watching and waiting for ships to come in. Serving as little more than a foot soldier for half of his first century of life Sikarthis drew the attention of his commanding officers through his tactical insight and prowess with his redaktsyia on the battlefield. The young soldier was difficult not to notice, his unwillingness to back down from a challenge and his apparent skill making it quite clear to his superiors that he intended to do better for himself than his low ranking parents ever had for themselves. From there it was not long until he was leading small squads of his own men and eventually taking orders directly from the general himself. No matter the task Sikarthis proved himself to be an able and adaptable commander as well as a talented warrior. After two centuries of continually proving his worth there were few above him who could deny that a lieutenant's rank was his by rights and even those detractors fell silent on the day that Sikarthis held a mountain pass with a small number of soldiers at his command against a force several times their size. Despite heavy losses, his own parents among them, Sikarthis managed not only to drive back the assaulting force but even beheaded the enemy commander in single combat before leading a counter attack that left the enemy force entirely shattered. A lieutenant's rank now attached to his name, Sikarthis was able to focus on other matters of interests him, namely the study of history and diplomacy. Three decades of study brought him to a point where he believed he could match wits with the best of them and it quickly became apparent to those in Glaces that he was right. As the decades have passed his studies have continued alongside his military career, his experience in both expanding along with his power within the ranks of the general populace. Recently, with the trade between Glaces and Haderlock as well as the arrival of their diminutive ambassador, Sikarthis has stepped up his discussions about expanding south of the Frost River. So far few have been willing to give the idea much thought. Family: Both of Sikarthis' parents died in battle under his command. They were low ranking soldiers of little importance and therefore not worth mentioning as far as he is concerned. Relationships: Tári Númenessë | Questionable | Frienemy | As cunning as she is small, yet overly fond of vulgarities. Little more than an irritating elf in my book. And yet... Weaponry: Large: Sikarthis carries into battle the same weapon he has carried since the first day he stepped onto a battlefield, a redaktsyia (Bladestaff in the Iceman tongue) forged from the same enchanted ice as all Glacial Knight weapons. Perfectly balanced and fairly light despite its size, this polearm gives Sikarthis an impressive amount of flexibility in how he uses it as well as quite a bit of breathing room to work with. The weapon is around ten nine feet in height, the extremely sharp and durable blade making up three of those feet. (It's basically just a really big, reinforced naginata) Medium: Though he rarely uses it, Sikarthis possesses a short sword measuring roughly two and a half feet in length. It is crafted from the same material as his polearm, though the design is less elegant and more designed around causing maximum trauma upon retracting a stab. Small Abilities: Centuries of study, training, and combat experience have turned Sikarthis into one of the most dangerous warriors in the Northlands, his icy polearm leaving bloody trails through the air as it cleaves through flesh and bone alike. Lethality and grace mark his every movement, from the way he seems to dance away from blows to the twirling of his hands as he slices through the neck of a hapless foe. With his body tempered and his mind razor sharp it is no wonder that he has amassed a collection of heads belonging to the commanders and champions who faced him in battle and lost. Where Sikarthis is truly skilled however is in his grasp of military tactics and his ability to marshal men to his side. Few lieutenants are as capable of inspiring their soldiers into an unwavering fighting machine or playing mind games with an enemy commander until he finds himself surrounded and half his troops dead at his feet as Sikarthis is. Weaknesses: Along with all of the usual weaknesses common among Glacial Knights Sikarthis adheres to a strict warrior code (and a nagging voice in the back of his head) that prevents him from turning away from most challenges presented to him. Given the choice he will gladly face an opposing force twice his size with little more than a handful of men, so sure of his own abilities that he fails to foresee any negative outcome. His attitude towards others is also often a hindrance, as despite his current positions within the Glacial Knight society he has little in the way of allies or friends and even less luck making any outside of his species. With this comes an unwillingness to accept support from most individuals, seeing it as a sign of weakness when he cannot rely fully on himself. Some within Glaces would say that the recent arrival of a certain ambassador has also count as a weakness, though not within his earshot. Companion: Loshad' - A horse made of enchanted ice. Loyal, quiet, and with an attitude quite similar to his master's. Other: Capricus