Name: Dravon Grey (christened name after being turned), Chief Uta (during mortal existence) Aliases: The Bastard of Hecate, Black Wolf. Titles: Planewalker, Black Wolf, The Vampire King Age: 4,210. Time of Death: 4,375 years ago. Place of Origin: Illisk. Gender: Male.
Physical Attributes
Eyes: Varies. Hair: Short fade. Day To Day Attire: Light leather armor. black leather gloves. Strengths: Willpower, physical capabilities, martial ability. Weaknesses: Reckless, belligerent, short-sighted.
Sexuality: Heterosexual Relationship Status: Single. Personality: Through and through, he is a warrior. Before he died a millennia ago, those who knew him spoke primarily of his proficiency in battle and his martial prowess. Beneath his warrior's veneer, there is a touch of humanity. Many of his ilk--most vampires that is--have a disdain for human beings, Dravon does not. He cares deeply for them all, regardless of how some of them have treated him when he was a mortal himself. In the afterlife, his sentiments have not changed in the slightest. While he can sometimes be spiteful, he is also understanding and will listen to the plights and pleas of many, even those who have wronged him--before he drives his sword through their heart.
Those who endear themselves to him, or those to whom he wishes to endear himself to, Dravon will protect until his death comes again in another millennia. There are no boundaries for his love for someone--there are also no boundaries for his hatred. If one makes themselves Dravon's enemy, he will hunt them to the ends of earth--and into Eternity if he must--until he has retained vengeance for the wrong done to him.
Skills & Abilities
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking and abilities or magic. You can have a total of ten, but temper them to not be overly powerful - except one can be noticeably more powerful, usually the one skill/ability/magic/item that makes them recognizable.
Skill (Master): Magical Regenerative Healing Factor: The primary ability of a vampire of his type (a human vampire), Dravon can heal from all injuries if his body manages to be cut by a magical weapon. He can heal from major injuries in a matter of minutes when lanced by magical weapons,repairing even major organs in a short amount of time.
Enchanted Vampiric Body Enhancements (Master): Aside from his naturally heightened speed, strength, reflexes, and durability as a vampire, Dravon gains further enhancement from the Eternal curse placed on him by his owner, an Impundulu witch. Of his physical abilities, it is his insane supernatural speed that is chief.
Reflexes: His reaction time is so great he can dodge several arrows before being struck. At his peak, he can catch a single arrow in hand depending on the distance. The closer someone is, the less his chance of dodging an arrow--the farther, the better.
Durability: Normal weapons (swords, knives, arrows) slightly injure him. Only magic weapons truly harm him, and those weapons of the highest order of magic (e.g. Excalibur) have been shown to cause him noticeable pain.
Strength: While not limitless, it is vast. He can lift boulders, large chests, large statues, etc.
Night Vision (Skill, Expert): One of his few abilities that does not pertain to combat, he can see in normal and magical darkness with the same clarity. This makes him a fine tracker and hunter, as few things can escape his sight.
Supernatural Vampiric Senses (Master Skill): Unlike fully undead vampires, Dravon has retained his humanity and thus has possession over his six senses. His sense of smell as a mortal was average--but as a vampire and with further enchantment, all six senses have been heightened to levels on par with magic Familiars. He can: see with equal clarity for seeing, hear the smallest noise from a hundred or less feet away, sense heartbeats and the flow of blood, feel the seismic tremors made when one moves, amongst other things.
Weapons Master (Master): He is a skilled fighter. Indeed, fighting has been what he has done his entire life. As such, his proficiency with different types and kinds of weapons, including crossbows, arrows, daggers, and swords is vast. Unlike others, however, he does not have much knowledge as to how one operates magic weaponry, nor is he keen on the secrets of arcane magic and how to utilize it. He owns two swords whose blades are made of diamond steel--they are designed specifically for slaying creatures of the night, but they cannot harm spirits or creatures with no physical body. They have no other properties.
The Silent Hunter: Dravon has honed his stealth abilities throughout his many years of existence. In physis and by arcana, Dravon can move about without being heard or seen. Not only can he mask his scent and the sound of his steps using certain enchantments, he can--if stationary--mask his presence to those with magic tracking abilities and those with supernatural senses. Even without enchantments, Dravon is a fine hunter, able to move in complete silence when necessary.
Spells
Kiss of Impundulu: A passive ability, this is the curse Dravon is subject to persist under for the rest of his days thanks to a jealous vampire-witch. It grants Dravon semi-immortality in that he has ceased to age and simply exists for a period of 1,000 years before dying once more. While he is alive for these one thousand years, he cannot die by conventional means.
Planewalker: In legend, Dravon is said to be one of the few Vampire Kings who have mastered the art of traversing surfaces--physical or magical--as though they were normal. He can move across any surface, regardless of height, slant, length. Changes in solidness or form of a surface do not effect his movement. He completes unnatural and seemingly impossible movements without much struggle. A rare ability developed over his several existences. Trapping spells and any spells which cease movement can mitigate this ability.
Not So Easily Slain: Otherwise known as supernatural subsistance, Dravon simply never seems to just... die. He has been blown to ashes, ha his head 'cut off', been burned by hellfire, and still he always seems to return. It is not yet known what exactly can 'kill' him. He also lacks the weaknesses of traditional vampires as he is human and vampire at once. That is, he can survive stakes to the heart, blades of silver, sunlight, etcetera. He is what is refereed to by many as a Daywalker, a vampire who can sustain themselves in sunlight and in moonlight without suffering any degenerating effects.
History
Backstory: Once a chief of an ancient tribe. Dravon, formerly Chief Uta, was the first of the tribes chieftains in the year 400. He rose to power after leading a coup against an organizing band of tribal groups to the south of Illisk's tip. There was nothing heroic or noble about Uta's insurrection. He simply wanted power. He always wanted power. Back then, that was the reason he did anything. Over the course of the next decade, he and his band of warriors subjugated any opposing tribes with swift vengeance. Blood filled the Cape's green marsh. Once he had conquered most of the southern tip, he expanded north. It was here that his downfall began.
Every great empire met their end by spreading themselves too far. It was near the case for Chief Uta as well. When one's empire grows, one must find a mate. Near and far Uta searched, but no woman suited his licentious appetite. Untold, and often relegate to unimportant folklore in the west, the mysticism present in Africa at the time of Uta's reign was no sooth tale. Across his growing kingdom, fractured as it was becoming, there was a tale of a beautiful 'sorceress'--a woman whose power lie in more than just her soft looks and fine curves, a woman who made men and mystics bow before her might. Her name since lost to legend alongside many of the myths of Africa's history, who she was held less importance than what she did; her influence over chief Uta changed the course of his life--and the life of his tribe members, forever.
It is said that in his old age, after his tribe had grown in number and less was required of the aging chief, he married this sorceress. On the night of consummation, the sorceress sunk her fangs into the unsuspecting chief's neck. Rumors were, in part, true. This 'sorceress', however, was no sorceress at all--she was one of the legendary Impundulu vampires. In legend, the Impundulu vampire is a servant of a great witch who possesses immense power of her own; these witches turn women and men into their servants, and in turn these Impundulu act on the behalf of the witch. That is, of course, until the Impundulu wishes to free herself from the reign of the witch! There is, of course, one problem. Once an Impundulu no longer serves a witch, she becomes ravenous until she finds another 'lover'; that is, another victim.
Once the Impundulu has found its victim, he (or she) is transformed into an eternal servant of the beast, until the servant--in this case, Chief Uta, now christened Dravon Grey, meaning 'the faithful man'--destroys the one who robbed him of his immortality, and the cycle begins anew. Thus, this is Dravon's mission, and it has been for the last four millennia: find the woman who destined him to this miserable eternal existence, and free himself once and for all from the curse which has caused him to persist far beyond his life's intended expiration date. But alas, as with the millennia before, a new obstacle stands in his way of release; the world is shattered, and he is awoken early from slumber this time--only to find himself lost in a world far, far, different from the one that he had known for the last four thousand years. A world far more sinister.
Myth: A leader and chief capable of slaying entire armies without drawing a single blade. His ability on the battlefield was unrivaled by his peers. Some say they have seen someone who resembles Old Chief Uta from so many centuries ago, but none can confirm such sightings. These sightings happen every one hundred years or so, but all those who report said sightings mysteriously vanish, never to pass the tale on. The legend of Chief Uta, as a result, is a dying one--to all those who are mortal, at least.
I think I'm going to reply here, so others have some information as well that might help them. Might as well mention this..
Vampires
Not normally seen or even heard of, they do exist, but they are both rare and powerful. They are often deemed the title of King or Queen of the Undead, even above the elusive and magically powerful liches. I'm really not going to spoil much beyond this, since delving into their lore or even knowing about them is only exclusive to the most learned scholars of legend (Auges or Nimue might know some about them). Suffice it to say, if they sire a child with a human, that child is significantly weaker and definitely cursed. They would share some of the vampire weakness, such as being uncomfortable in sunlight (but not dead), be weak to silver, weak to holy weapons in particular, need to eat raw meat (though wouldn't need to drink blood), and feel tired during daylight vs. nighttime. Though they would gain heightened senses, speed, strength, agility, minor regeneration, and an affinity with shadows. With that in mind, I'm not keen on completely 100% immortal characters. The whole aura of the role-play is that these heroes died and are now revived - not that they die over and over and just simply lived until this time. Besides it being extremely over-powered to not be able to die anyways.
His regenerative powers are way too much. Regenerating entire organs or limbs within hours? That's a bit crazy. And then magical weaponry doesn't even seem to do much, if he's even hit. I'd also say that he either needs to be strong or quick, not really both? Kind of seems a bit like a Mary Sue character to me at the moment.
You've also not reworked the entire character, since there are still references to Africa. Also, what is Hellfire? On that note, he can't be stronger than normal vampires either, which is exactly what it sounds like. Though I'm not sure what you mean by "Human Vampire?" How was he turned.. and yet only half-vampire?
Wrote up some Lore about Harena that me and Pyro worked on. Not sure if it'll ever be relevant, but I figured it'd be better to have at least some information about it, in case it does for whatever reason. Figured you might be interested in it and maybe could use it for something if you want.
Also I just really like making lore and history for places.
-Artists Rendition of Palace Hill, where Harena was first founded and where the royalty stayed
Ancient land of Sun and Sand, City of the Seven Hills.
The ancient civilization existed from roughly three thousand, to fifteen thousand years ago near modern day Zidel. The Magnus twins lived in the Middle Harena period. The period where Harena's problems started to manifest. In its day, Harena saw many heroes and notable figures lead its country and lead its armies, though not all have been lauded in history for their acts of heroism and greatness.
The ancient civilization was built upon seven hills, and situated around the Great Tiberis River which flowed through them. The empire started out little more than a handful of tribes, thriving in the number of freshwater oasis that dotted the hills around them. In time, through either peace treaties, deals, or conquering, the tribes eventually became united under one banner until they built the Grand City of Harena.
At first, the city was a series of sandstone houses built atop one of the seven hills, to help avoid the flooding of the Tiberis River that snaked through the land. As time went on though, and the city flourished they began setting their sights higher. The built massive, grandiose buildings and structures as a testament to their cities wealth and prosperity.
Of course, the seasonal flooding was always a problem - but thanks to a little inventive ingenuity from their architects and mages, they were able to combat this. Massive bridges were built from one hill to another, and when the Tiberis river flooded the residents could safely cross using these grand bridges. Indeed, they were one of the marvels of the world at the time.
The hills themselves were each separate districts. The smallest, was the palace district, where all the royalty and important people of the day lived.
The next most important one, was the 'Library of Vis'. The Temple to the goddess and other minor deities that they believed in, was also one of the more notable features. A massive four-sided building, shaped like a diamond. This 'Pyramid' was situated on its own hill, the 'Library of Vis' as it was called. It was a place of esoteric practices and magic study.
The next, was the Merchant District. This was where all the shopping was held and took place, and where a majority of the more business inclined spent their time.
Then there was the 'Entertainment District' This massive, open area was where the arts were performed. Plays in the Theater, the coliseum could always be heard roaring in the background.
The residential districts took up the next two hills, and they were divided between the 'Slums' and the 'middle class' workers.
The last hill, which was also the largest - was where a number of the agricultural pursuits took place. Farming, livestock raising, etc.
Harena itself was a marvel at the time. Airships at their command, grandiose architecture...its not far fetched to say it was the most prosperous, largest, and wealthiest Empire in its time
The Culture of Harena was one might expect. It was ruled by an Emperor who ruled everything. It was an Empire who greatly valued both physical prowess with soldiers and gladiatorial combat, as well as offered many boons to the scholarly and academic sorts, such as Julius and Auges. It had strict policies regarding such things, however. Women were actively barred from any position in the army, and if they wanted to contribute they had to walk the path of Healer or Scholar.
Present day:
Harena was once a great nation - but like all nations, eventually it fell. It was great, but not invincible to the tides of time, sands of the desert, or the blades of its enemies. For all its internal wealth and greatness, outside forces would eventually be too much for the Empire to handle...and without its Immortal Saints it grew so used to relying on, it crumbled.
Nashaan finally got the revenge it wanted, and with the help of its allies it beat, broke, and burned the city. Years of mismanagement, riots, and civil unrest followed resulting in nearly the complete destruction of the once grand city.
Today, almost none of its former glory is left...though, the great bridges they built, the Library of Vis and part of the Palace still stand, swallowed by the sands of the desert and only half accessible. The Library of Vis is a shadow of its former self. Years of grave robbery, looters, and other undesirables have seen that a number of ancient artifacts, wealth, and history were lost.
A few of the bridges, can still be used for travel across the Tiberis flood plain, which still exists. The ancient stone monoliths standing as the only testament to a once great nation.
@Lyla I was still in the process of editing as you posted this (currently re-writing and adding things to his backstory as I write this as well). Glad you added them to the lore so I have a little more to work with and can properly edit him to fit your setting. When I'm finished fleshing out his backstory, I'll make a point to tone him down more. Magical weaponry does harm him, though I suppose I should add more of a description than 'they cause him noticeable pain.' Noted.
Hellfire was a thing I was not sure existed in this realm or not, just something I threw in to see if it would fit. Hellfire is the mystical fire of 'hell' in the underworld (and it seemed like there were some darker spirits present here, so I thought there may be something similar). Hellfire isn't something that exists in all mythologies though, so I'll remove it.
Since I want him to be more of a hunter/tracker/ranger type, I'll trade his strength for speed. The whole 'half-vampire' idea is that of a Dhampir, a person who has parentage of both human and vampire descent, but I was trying to work it a different way and took some creative license since at the time, there wasn't anything in the lore delineating it wasn't acceptable. I wasn't trying to follow the Balkan lore; like I said on Discord, I drew inspiration from Blade and he was a human who was 'turned' but maintained human qualities while gaining the abilities of the vamp'. Given the limitations you've added, I can now properly incorporate him into the RP. Thanks.
@Rune_Alchemist Philosopher's stone, desert-bound empire of ancient origins....i am getting a serious FMA: Brotherhood vibe from this. :P
What gave it away? Me using the main theme of FMA:B as Auges' general theme for now? xP
Oddly enough though, we actually didn't use it as inspiration when making the country. The similarities are there, certainly, but we were actually going for a more Ancient Rome feel. We ended up taking some inspiration from actual Roman history, geography of the land, and their own internal policies and whatnot.
I did have a lot of FMA:B in mind when creating Auges, though, so expect some similarities there and between the twins.
Name: Al'nehak Aliases: She made no effort to have an alias. Titles: The Scourge, the Mad, Seeker Age: 33 Time of Death: 432 years ago from present day. Place of Origin: Zidel Gender: Female
Physical Attributes
Eyes: Grey Hair: Black Day To Day Attire:
Strengths: Magitech and surgery, Cunning, Necromancy and transmutation Weaknesses: Callous, selfish
Psychological Attributes
Sociopathic * Inquisitive * Headstrong * Social
Sexuality: Heterosexual Relationship Status: Single Personality: On the surface, Al'nehak is friendly and enjoys socializing with others. However, she lacks the empathy and it is rare for her to form long lasting bonds with other people. She will readily take advantage of others to further her own goals. In spite of her sociopath tendencies, Al'nehak finds kinship with those who are shunned by society as she was ostracized by society because of her dealings in necromancy. That is the exception to the norm as Al'nehak does not care what others think of her. She is primarily concerned with herself first and will generally only lend aid when it will benefit her.
Her inquiring nature comes from her parents; both were mage-scholars of Zidel that stressed the importance of education and would often take her along in their travels all around Zidel. This inquiring nature, this desire to learn, turned into an obsession for the worst. For the most undesirable magic of all-necromancy-grabbed her attention the most. In her pursuit of this art, she had become something less...human.
Skills & Abilities
A listing of skills, such as horseback riding or cooking and abilities or magic. You can have a total of ten, but temper them to not be overly powerful - except one can be noticeably more powerful, usually the one skill/ability/magic/item that makes them recgonizable.
Necromancy (Master): Inheriting both of her parent's magical skills, magic comes intuitively for Al'nehak. Though she was taught a generalist course in her youth, circumstances lead to her seeking necromancy out instead and mastering it.
Transmutation (Expert) To further enhance her creations, Al'nehak delved into transmutation as the ability to transform her creation's properties, and even herself, lead to a myriad of possibilities.
Surgical Skills (applicable to humans and humanoid, mileage will vary on anything else) (Master): To understand the inner workings of the human body will allow one to appreciate its strengths and weaknesses. After an "apprenticeship" with a renown surgeon over a period of 5 years, Al'nefak has put those skills to good use, creating much sturdier and stronger constructs including herself!. She is technically a certified surgeon.
Magitech inventor (Expert-Master): Many of the devices Al'nehak uses are made by her and experimental which can be potentially deadly if something goes awry. Tools of trade from both necromancy and magitech are utilized in the surgery she performs on her creations (no exhaustive list as they will change).
Strange Amulet (Artifact):: Amplifies negative feelings around her in a 50m radius. This amulet passively feeds on negative emotions which is then converted into magical energy. Can be turned off at will.
Numbed: Her pain receptors have numbed considerably. Wounds that would normally cripple a person or leave them screaming in agonizing pain will barely register for Al'nehak. The potency of poison and toxins not along take significantly longer to occur, it is also weaker in its effects.
Xa'nuro, Dagger of the Deep (Artifact): This dagger was once held by a king from the obscure and ruined Kingdom of Nazereth. The dagger's true origin is unknown. It is a sentient blade that can consume the latent power of any organic being, be it living or dead (killing the living in almost all cases). The consumed's powers is transferred temporarily to the owner but only by stabbing themselves do they obtain all of it. Thus, if the dagger no longer sees the wielder as its owner for any reason, there is a very dangerous risk that the dagger will consume the wielder instead. Any wielder that is not the owner risks significant backlash from the dagger. A special sheath limits the presence from the dagger from surfacing.
Cooking (Expert): Cooking genuinely gives her joy as it reminds her of much better times.
Skitters (Magitech+Necromancy): Magical automatons given the power to perform simple surgical tasks on the battlefield and/or bring back bodies to a rendezvous point. One of the more important inventions she's created. These constructs are not far away from the main horde. The surgeries they perform pales in comparison to hers but it will nonetheless provide a sizable boost the strength and aggression of whatever that will be raised later.
History
Backstory: Just make sure to include all relavent details - it can be as short as three paragraphs or more, so long as everything is there.
Al'nehak was born to 2 influential mage scholars in the Southern Kingdoms. As a young girl, she showed an affinity for magic just like her parents. They were thrilled to see that their child could also grow up to be wondrous mages like them so they instilled within her a studious work ethic and nurtured her curiosity for knowledge, be it through education or take her sightseeing in other places.
Enrolled in a prestigious school, Al'nehak was proficient in magic but showed a knack for inventing magical devices. In the beginning, they were fairly mundane and simple creations but by the age of 12, she created a miniature arcane golem on her own, a noteworthy feat for someone so young. Yet, despite her successes, there was one school of magic that was gnawing at the back of her mind.
Necromancy. It was a restricted field, available to only those who were deemed trustworthy by the Council. No matter how well she performed in her studies nor how eloquently she stated her case to learn it, she was rejected. It was far to dangerous to give a 15 year old access to such dark arts, no matter how mature she appeared, especially given her potential already. Dejected, she accepted the Council's decision and promised to never pursue the matter again until she was called upon once more.
In the backdrop of this, conflict was heating up between Zidel and Vraweth again. Small skirmishes would periodically erupt and the ever looming threat of an all out war seemed inevitable. For Al'nehak, could it be possible to minimize the loss of life through necromancy? They were a magician's nation after all. It would be dumb to not embrace ALL schools of magic.
After graduating at the age of 16, rather than pursuing higher education, Al'nehak decided to travel around the world for a year or two in a journey of self discovery. Reassuring her parents that it was just a simple trip, with her parent's blessings, she took off and headed for Bervenia Trade City. Six months into her journey, correspondence with her family ceased completely as if she vanished without a trace.
In truth, Al'nehak became consumed with the dark art. Her inquisitive nature turned to obsession. More and more she found the atmosphere in Zidel to be suffocating and restrictive. In her travels, all the books and people she spoke to regarding necromancy was the same. Always she saw worried and disgusted looks. Always they gave the same reasons to shun it, "it is a corrupting magic", "to profane the dead is sacrilege to the gods". Such magic could prove immensely beneficial if it was just wholeheartedly embraced. To understand the unknown would give even more reasons to not be afraid of it.
Magic does not corrupt. It is not evil nor good. It is the user who determines the nature of their magic. That is what her parents have taught her. But since it was so restricted in all the kingdoms or even banned, how would it be possible to teach herself it, let alone find a mentor to guide her?
It finally hit her. The Eastern Kingdoms. A kingdom slowly falling into disarray for whatever reason. A dangerous place to be nowadays but perhaps the chaos and strife that had taken over the region would allow her to sneak out some restricted materials from a magical library. Such a place would attract all sorts of people looking to take advantage of the situation, perhaps even a necromancer! She knew that such a plan was foolish and far-fetched but nonetheless resolved to see it carried out.
When she stepped into the Eastern Kingdom's all was fine at first. But as she made her way deeper into the interior of the land, something felt off. Though she did not understand what it was, she would occasionally sense a...darkening that hung over the interior of the land. It was incomprehensible, subtle, and sinister. The people she met as she approached the capital were forlorn and brooding and almost alienlike in their treatment of outsiders. It frightened her for the first time in many, many years, enough to make her reconsider her decision and return home instead.
She pushed away her indecision and pressed on towards the capital. In what could only be described as an encounter of chance, she came across a raided caravan. From her texts, she recognized the banner was that of the Eastern Empire's mage corps. It appeared to be swiped clean of everything but underneath the rubble and dead bodies she found a strange dagger still inside a broken lockbox.
She took up the dagger and unsheathed it as if compelled to. The dagger was unlike any she had seen. Strange runes covered the blade and fuller appeared to be made from a scale of...something. She stared at it absentmindedly wondering if she had just wasted her time when the dagger suddenly came alive, organic and writhing, writhing! And then it spoke.
"Ah are you my new master?" spoke the dagger
"Wha-what?" Al'nehak stammered.
"A simple question. I ask you again, are you my new master?" the dagger repeated.
"No, I mean I don't think so? Am I hearing things?" Al'nehak questioned herself.
"Your trepidation is not unwarranted. After all, this is quite a strange development by your standards. But I am real, very real. You have a lot of questions, all can be answered in due time. What's important is this. You have great potential. I know things and that which you seek. What do you say?"
"You're sentient...I don't trust you-" Al'nehak began before getting cut off by the dagger.
"Then perhaps as a bridge to build that trust, I shall tell you the location of that which you seek. Some very enterprising individuals made off with a very, very important spellbook among other things. If you move now, you can catch them."
"Alright I will humor you, if this is a fool's errand I'm tossing you off a cliff."
"Oh ho ho, do not worry Al'nehak I keep my word. You may call me Xa'nuro, your most humble servant. I look forward to improving our relationship."
From that fateful encounter, Al'nehak gained immense knowledge. For the next 8 years she secluded herself somewhere in the Eastern Kingdoms and devoted herself to necromancy with the books she acquired thanks in part to Xa'nuro. Alongside her studies, she also robbed graves to dissect them to understand more about the human anatomy to better repurpose her creations. When she desired to refine her surgical technique, she mind controlled a surgeon to tutor her for even more precise techniques, eventually letting the surgeon go when she felt she could learn no more. Combining her love for inventing magitech, her newfound skills as a surgeon, and her ability to raise the dead, Al'nehak created some truly wonderful abominations.
As her magic over the dead grew, she was able to send familiars over long distances to gather news, especially news concerning her family and the geopolitical climate at home. When she was 19, war erupted once again between Zidel and Vraweth. Though she had wanted to return to her family's side, dark thoughts convinced her to stay and complete her education...
At the age of 26, 10 years after she had left home with the war raging on for 7 years, she returned to her homeland, eager to show what she had learned, new forms of magic completely new even to the Council of Twelve and to defend her home! Death and devastation was became more frequent as she made her way back to the Southern Kingdoms and with it, new servants raised. Unsubstantiated rumors regarding a smaller but amassing army of the dead reached both sides but few believed it as there wasn't a necromancer in recent memory who could raise an army.
In what is known as the the Battle of Pila, Al'nehak proved pivotal for Zidel. The Vraweth were slowly pushing inland and Pila was a major port city that was vital to the war effort for Videl. Losing this port city would cut off supplies for the Videlens. Outnumbered 3 to 1 and surrounded at all sides with just the sea behind them, it appeared to be a losing battle for Videl. Even worse, two very capable Knight Commanders, Zerau and Wila, were leading the siege.
But fate is whimsical. Upon hearing about the besieged port city, Al'nehak gathered her army of the dead and attacked the Vraweth army from the rear. Empowered by Xu'nuro she unleashed her pus infested and diseased horde, whilst casting all manners of infernal and damning spells. Taken completely by surprise, the morale of the Vrawethen troops shattered when they suddenly turned around to see abominations clawing and eating through their friends. Despite being a disciplined army, encountering the dead horde awakened a primal fear in all men. Now the Vraweth army was surrounded; arrows in the front shot by defenders of Pila and the ravenous horde in the back. Despite his best efforts to rally his troops against this sudden and unknown threat, Knight Commander Zerau was isoloated and surrounded, meeting a grisly end. A retreat was sounded by Wila who was infected and barely escaped with her life. As the sound of battle quieted, Al'nehak made her way towards Zerau and plunged the dagger into his heart, an obscene and terrible act witnessed by a retreating Wila.
[In the aftermath of this battle, Wila reported to her superiors and fellow knight commanders what had transpired before succumbing to her infection. Alarmed by the appearance of such a powerful necromancer and accusing the Zidelens of conspiring in the dark arts (after all, it was a Zidelen who brought the dead upon them), a holy crusade was called and almost the entire garrison was sent to put her and the Zidelens down. The Zidelens in turn, vehemently refused that they had a necromancer in their ranks calling it the work of a rogue mage and they also called for her to be killed on sight]
Presently, the port city defenders were horrified that an army of dead had just massacred a powerful host of Vrawethen soldiers and were even more frightened that they were next. Fear seized every man, women and child as the necromancer approached the gate.
"May I speak with your leader?" she called out in firm and resolute voice.
There was silence and Al'nehak waited patiently. Finally, a familiar appeared above the castle walls and slowly made its way towards Al'nehak.
"Father, I didn't expect you. How good to see you again."
"Al'nehak? You are the one who controls these...things?"
Al'nehak's eyes lit up "Yes father! These creations are all mine! You've told me before, do you remember? Magic is not good nor evil. It is the user of magic that determines its nature. What do you think of them? Aren't they amazing? The Vrawethens never had a ch-"
"Oh! Gods, what we have done to deserve this? Oh what has happened to you? We've feared the worst when we lost contact with you, we thought you were dead! But to see you like this, these past 10 years I cannot begin to imagine the terrible damage you have inflicted on your soul! This-this betrayal of our trust, of our hopes, you are my daughter no longer! Leave my sight! The Council of Twelve will decide your fate. I cannot say it, my heart cannot bear it..."
"...Father...I just wanted..."
In that moment, it was eternity. No one appreciated her work and sacrifices. She had showed them the great potential that was necromancy but they reject her. The whole world rejected her. Yet she loved her country and she loved her family even more. Thus she resolved end the war in her own way.
The war would continue for another two years with all three sides fighting against each other. Though Al'nehak initially exclusively attacked only the Vraweth, her love for her country and family eventually became perverse and twisted. If they did not accept her in living, then they will accept her in death. All of them, Vrawethen or Videlen would be welcomed to her family with open rotting arms. For both armies, combating the dead after so long required was complete change in warfare.
Eventually, an emergency meeting was set up between the two leaders of Vraweth and Zidel. They agreed to a tenuous ceasefire and to focus all of their efforts on killing Al'nehak. At the zenith of the war, Al'nehak was cornered on aboard her boat as she tried to flee. It is said the Queen of Vraweth herself dealt the final blow at the now Profaned City of Pila. Her body fell into the sea and it was never found. The location of the dagger that she clung so dearly to in the last moments of her life was also lost.
[Her last words according to those who were present for her final moments were reportedly "Why have you abandoned me? Why have you abandoned me? Come back! COME BACK! WHY HAS EVERYONE LEFT ME?!" seemingly at the air before she was struck down]
Completely exhausted by the war, both sides agreed to a peace treaty. More stringent measures were put up to restrict necromancy. As to how Al'nehak became so powerful, historians and her family have tripled their effors to retrace her steps but the lead ends somewhere in the Eastern Empire.
Al'nehak had actually survived her wounds due in part by her altered body. The dagger was gone and she ended up washing up somewhere desolate and unknown to her. Broken by her experiences and finally realizing the horrors she had committed, she spent the rest of her days living alone in peace before the guilt and loneliness was too much on her and took her own life at the age of 33.
Myth: What's the myth surrounding their life? You can go crazy about rumors and legends here, since it's just the story revolving around their previous life.
Al'nehak is a distant memory but her presence can still be felt today. Within the deserts of Zidel, signs of her corruption can be seen. Most prominent is the area the once Pila. It experienced the worst when Al'nehak chose it to be her base of operations and turning all of its denizens the dead. To this day the land is still healing. Her story is a mandatory one in Zidel textbooks to teach aspiring mages to humble themselves lest they destroy themselves and all they love in their pursuit of knowledge and power. As for the Vraweth, she is reviled for the deaths of 4 knight commanders and many many soldiers in addition to her heinous usage of plagued rice to infect the other rims of their populace (this was eventually done to her own people near the end of the war). Meanwhile, the Queen of her time has been elevated to something of a sainthood. Within the inner circles of both nations, efforts have been made to find the dagger she had once wielded to no avail.
Many necromatic magitechs were destroyed over the years but a number still survive. These contraptions have fueled a renewed interest in necromancy underground and small cults have risen in her name. Many efforts have been put in to stomp out these cults but they keep springing up elsewhere. Indeed, there are stories, wild and outrageous tales of a series of books and artifacts stashed away somewhere in the now desolate Eastern Kingdom. Many have tried to locate this fabled trove of knowledge. All of them failed to return.
The Lilliefore family name disappeared shortly after the war. If there are still descendants, their family name must have changed to ensure their own safety.
Character Quote: Something they say a lot or live by Theme Song: What would be playing when they walk up if we were in a movie? Anything Else: Her intentions were initially to prove her father's words that nature of magic does not care for morality such as good and evil and that its usage depends on its user. In addition, she also found it strange and unfair that for a nation of magicians that touted a lassiez faire attitude regarding magical studies, necromancy was the one school that was restricted. It looked hypocritical to her and she felt her potential was stifled because she wasn't given a choice insomuch as to look at it.
Thus her initial curiosity with necromancy became a full blown obssession as the Council continued to deny her access to the restricted archives. Whether the Council was right to deny her given what has transpired in the war or if they had just been a little more open and taught her in a more controlled environment to satiate her curiosity is in the air, who knows? What does happen as a result is that Al'nehak begins to disregard the Council as fools and old farts who cling on to old traditions. Combined with her father's words, it's clear she feels that change is needed and what better way to do that than to prove that she has become versed in necromancy and use it for good?
However noble her intentions for necromancy were, they became twisted when she met the sentient dagger. Remember, she was initially skeptical of the dagger's word initially and she was ready to go home, unnerved by the strangeness that has taken over the Eastern Kingdoms. When the dagger was actually true to its word and she found in her hands a tome about necromancy, caution was basically flung to the wind and she became more susceptible to the daggers more morally grey and then outright black "suggestions" over time. She had reason to trust it. After all, it lead her to her heart's desire.
By the time she went to rescue the city of Pila, she was convinced by the dagger that she would be hailed as a hero though there was a small part of her that wondered if what she was correct in her course of action. Instead when the battle was finally over, she was disowned by her father and her own countrymen declared her a traitor for breaking an ironclad rule (the decree was issued by the hated Council).
This broke her spirit and she lashed out at what she saw as a huge misunderstanding on their part, causing her to be more callous and aggressive. However, she still had love for her home and family yet by this point, her thinking and logic had been thoroughly screwed over and she believed she could redeem herself by slaughtering everyone on the other side. It certainly did not help that the dagger was always pushing the right buttons for the wrong reasons.
Thus her methods became more cruel and callous. Her ability to empathize with the living, weakened over the many years, becomes non-existent from spending so much time with the dead and communing with the dagger. The dead became her new family. The dagger more so. Eventually, she concludes that if they don't accept her now, they will have no choice but to accept her when they are her thralls.
After her defeat, she regains much of her senses back over time when she loses the dagger. She is remorseful for her actions and unhappy that she has caused so much death but she feels it was worth the sacrifice learning about necromancy. With no one to talk to besides herself and plenty of time to reflect on her actions, it becomes too much for her and she takes her life, wondering once more if it was worth it in the end and how things would turn out differently if she hadn't succumbed to the whispering of the dagger.
Name: Avilus Brimhild Aliases: The Laughing General Titles: Grand General Age: 22 Time of Death: 4300 years ago. Place of Origin: Hibyan Gender: Male
Physical Attributes
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Day To Day Attire: Avilus wears anything that's large and hides his figure. Regular clothes don't do at all - mostly because he's 7 feet tall and tired of trying to make clothes that actually fit. Strengths:
Genius Tactician
Never Unhappy
Humorous
Weaknesses:
No physical combat ability
Insecure
Psychological Attributes
Joyous * Lighthearted * Lowbrow * Humorous
Sexuality: "Who knows? Ehehe..." Relationship Status: Single Personality: Avilus is a jokester. Despite his prestigious position, he is unable to take his life seriously and constantly says things he doesn't mean. Everything he says is usually a bunch of trash, meant to make (mostly himself) laugh. Even so, he constantly makes jokes at other's expenses. He finds them especially funny.
In battle, Avilus calms down. He takes a rather serious demeanor - more disconnected than anything else. He becomes a brutal pragmatist that takes whatever solution would be best. He isn't afraid of retreat or losing a single battle. After all, he's willing to sacrifice a few losses to win the war.
He's a happy man, all things considered. He has a rather large ego. After all, he was promoted to the general of an army at 15. Because of this large ego, he considers himself to be an extraordinary everything. Especially dancing. Sadly, he's a terrible dancer. Still thinks that he's amazing, though.
Skills & Abilities
Tactician Magician (Master): Avilus is a genius when it comes to tactics. His eye for detail is impeccable. His ability to control a fight's outcome is undeniable, not to mention his talent for utilizing others to their full potential. His combat abilities are, by far, lacking, but his magical power is still above average for a hero. As a tactician, he is skilled in evoking, abjuration, and divination.
Tactical Reverse Advancement (Expert): Avilus can run extraordinarily fast, but only while being chased. It's rather embarrassing and Avilus would rather forget about this talent of his.
Oculi Terra (Spell - Divination): The user can sense things around them. Without requiring vision, they can sense the near landscape and anything in it. The ability normally has a radius of about 100 metres, but the user can meditate and ignore all other senses to extend the range.
Parma Divum (Spell - Abjuration): The user ejects all things they consider evil from an 8 meter radius and creates an impassable barrier around the perimeter. The barrier, while able to be destroyed, is still extremely durable. The spell is rather exhausting to use for a long period of time.
Anima Tutor (Spell - Abjuration): The user creates a barrier around an object. The barrier is extraordinarily strong - able to fend off the basic attacks of even a hero.
Dolus Ignus (Spell - Evocation): The user creates an invisible mine out of mana. When the mine is disturbed, it erupts into an explosion of flame. Though weak for a hero, the user can create dozens at once. The mines last for an indefinite time, but take a toll on the users stamina.
Telum Gelus (Spell - Evocation): The user creates a spear out of ice, freezing whatever comes into contact with it.
History
Backstory: The great library Hibyan lay to the east. It was so large that a city sprung around it, looking to learn from the books. A boy named Avilus was born in the library. While the boy's formative years were not of note, his parents had been rather absent from his life. As such, his only teacher were the books. He learned of ancient kingdoms and romances, great histories and strategies. The library was amazing to him. The boy wished only to read - and for the first twelve years of his life, he read any book he could find.
Though, that came to an end when other nations attacked. Hibyan was no longer the safe haven of knowledge it once was. All citizens were to be drafted in a last ditch attempt from others stealing and destroying the knowledge they held. Avilus was conscripted as a footman. Of course, their military was a joke. A militia consisting of countrymen using pitchforks and shovels. They were quickly pushed back, barely able to defend against the oncoming raiders and soldiers.
In one particular meeting, the few generals Hibyan possessed tried to form a strategy to defend the land. Avilus was there - not as a general, but as a guard. Avilus, for some reason, began to laugh. The strategies the generals were trying to use were all terrible. No matter how hard he tried to stifle it, he would laugh. It got to the point where he fell over and began to strike the ground. A general, so ashamed from this soldier, asked if he could do better. Avilus quickly snapped out a yes and continued to laugh. The general left. Seeing how they wouldn't get anywhere with their current strategies, the remaining generals, in an act of desperation, agreed to let Avilus be a general. After all, they were willing to try anything.
Thus began five years of ambushes and traps. Hibyan managed to hold on, much to the surprise of the remaining generals. All because of Avilus' strategies. Hibyan began to build walls - to the point of becoming more wall than city. Slowly becoming safe, Avilus had gained notoriety as the man who turned a useless library into an impenetrable fortress. Rumors spiraled into legends. The tale of a foot soldier who outsmarted even the smartest generals crossed the land, cementing its place in history.
As quickly as he appeared, Avilus vanished. The city continued his strategy, despite lacking any guidance. Soon, Hibyan would become the lost library - a mysterious place holding all knowledge in the world, but so heavily defended that it would be impossible to enter.
Myth: Legends tell of the time that Avilus accidentally entered an enemy encampment. He saw their force as so pitiful he began to laugh. They got angry and took arms. Avilus fled. They chased him. The chase lasted for days, but they could never catch him. Until Avilus stopped. He stood still. The soldiers, so insulted, charged him. The weight of their force caused the ground to collapse. Weeks earlier, Avilus had dug a hole and covered it, prepared to get the group to fall into the hole.
Another time, Avilus managed to get the enemy general, a master chess player, to play with him. The enemy general accepted, and the two fought. Avilus decided to toss out all of the pieces except for his king and a single pawn. The enemy general, insulted by this act, flipped the table in rage and demanded that Avilus left. Months earlier, Avilus had prepared the table to explode seconds after it was quickly flipped. Avilus ran away. Extremely quickly.
There was also the legend that Avilus built many replica libraries, filled with books that would explode when opened. To this day, it is said that if you find a book in the middle of nowhere, don't open it, as it will explode.
Avilus will neither confirm nor deny any of the stories. They're too funny to him.
Character Quote: "I could tell you anything, but you'd never believe it, ehehe..." Theme Song:Despite his dark appearances... Anything Else: Despite being 7 feet tall, he still extends his height with the head on his clothes actually being a hat. This makes him basically 8 feet tall. He finds it hilarious.
@LiverisGood - So to clarify.. the dagger is what drove her mad, basically? So while she's rather.. apathic thanks to her life and not a very happy person.. is she still considered good, deep down? I'm just trying to grasp the character.
@SilverDawn - I don't see anything wrong with him, though he is a very unusual character, haha. Hope to find out how he died in character. ^-^ I don't see any reason to deny him. =3 So approved!
tl;dr Yea, she had good intentions for necromancy and she had a bit of pride to go along with that when she left home to prove a point. She grew up normal and well adjusted except for that one obsession. Dagger takes advantage of her, she goes off the deep end and becomes more apathetic and crueler during the war. It's only when she is alone on some unknown land does she feel repentant for her actions.
Long Post
Her intentions were initially to prove her father's words that nature of magic does not care for morality such as good and evil and that its usage depends on its user. In addition, she also found it strange and unfair that for a nation of magicians that touted a lassiez faire attitude regarding magical studies, necromancy was the one school that was restricted. It looked hypocritical to her and she felt her potential was stifled because she wasn't given a choice insomuch as to look at it.
Thus her initial curiosity with necromancy became a full blown obssession as the Council continued to deny her access to the restricted archives. Whether the Council was right to deny her given what has transpired in the war or if they had just been a little more open and taught her in a more controlled environment to satiate her curiosity is in the air, who knows? What does happen as a result is that Al'nehak begins to disregard the Council as fools and old farts who cling on to old traditions. Combined with her father's words, it's clear she feels that change is needed and what better way to do that than to prove that she has become versed in necromancy and use it for good?
However noble her intentions for necromancy were, they became twisted when she met the sentient dagger. Remember, she was initially skeptical of the dagger's word initially and she was ready to go home, unnerved by the strangeness that has taken over the Eastern Kingdoms. When the dagger was actually true to its word and she found in her hands a tome about necromancy, caution was basically flung to the wind and she became more susceptible to the daggers more morally grey and then outright black "suggestions" over time. She had reason to trust it. After all, it lead her to her heart's desire.
By the time she went to rescue the city of Pila, she was convinced by the dagger that she would be hailed as a hero though there was a small part of her that wondered if what she was correct in her course of action. Instead when the battle was finally over, she was disowned by her father and her own countrymen declared her a traitor for breaking an ironclad rule (the decree was issued by the hated Council).
This broke her spirit and she lashed out at what she saw as a huge misunderstanding on their part, causing her to be more callous and aggressive. However, she still had love for her home and family yet by this point, her thinking and logic had been thoroughly screwed over and she believed she could redeem herself by slaughtering everyone on the other side. It certainly did not help that the dagger was always pushing the right buttons for the wrong reasons.
Thus her methods became more cruel and callous. Her ability to empathize with the living, weakened over the many years, becomes non-existent from spending so much time with the dead and communing with the dagger. The dead became her new family. The dagger moreso. Eventually, she concludes that if they don't accept her now, they will have no choice but to accept her when they are her thralls.
After her defeat, she regains much of her senses back over time when she loses the dagger. She is remorseful for her actions and unhappy that she has caused so much death but she feels it was worth the sacrifice learning about necromancy. With no one to talk to besides herself and plenty of time to reflect on her actions, it becomes too much for her and she takes her life, wondering once more if it was worth it in the end and how things would turn out differently if she hadn't succumbed to the whispering of the dagger.
@LiverisGood - So her revival is a story of redemption it seems! Awesome! I can dig it. =3 Though just one minor thing - the people seeming alien, what's that? The current darkness only happened a couple decades ago, so it can't be that. Was it just something else? Or the dagger somehow?
A strange malaise held a firm grip over the interior of the Eastern Kingdom some 400ish years ago and was responsible for its slow decline. It caused its denizens to be more erratic and hostile. Whether it was imperial policy or some supernatural occurrence, I'm honestly not sure.
To be fair, I figured if the current darkness is occurring a few decades ago and it is approaching from the east when the Eastern Kingdom is all but ruins, perhaps some 400 years ago that was a portend of things to come. A small, small glimpse of the future.
Or it was just a separate incident that is not at all related to the current darkness. Regardless, the overt hostility of the citizens just gave Al'nehak fright and concern for her safety but she sensed something wrong about the region. Whatever it is, we won't know since she didn't investigate it. Maybe an important plot point will come out of it but I honestly doubt that.
@LiverisGood - Fair enough! Well, with all that cleared up, seeing as it's a tale of redemption... I really don't have any misgivings about the character! Some may not like her necromancy, but.. =3 She's right, necromancy isn't evil in of itself. Anyways, she's approved!
@rechonq - Okay! So the goddess thing is awesome (though not truly a goddess, but that's just nit-picking), but if I'm reading it right... the.. men / spirit / gut-things?... are like, his previous evil manifest in physical form, somehow? I'd like to understand that. Also again, his Tao. I have absolutely no idea what it does for him. Does it just grant him extra speed and strength?
@Afro Samurai - Yeah, I'm sorry to say, but your character just doesn't fit this setting or role-play. I wish you luck elsewhere though! I hope you find a home for him. ^-^
Hey, sorry for making this difficult, but I made some changes and I think he's good now.
I changed the goddess into being a woman that was merely called a goddess. So, she's a powerful woman.
The negative gut weapons are basically just that. I added some more detail on them being physical manifestations of his evil, and that he was able to turn them into weapons by defeating and controlling that evil. He changed its manifestation.
I realized the Tao was vague because I was trying to describe where it came from instead of what it did. So, I nixed that and just made it into abilities.
