Name: Erwyn Kásimir Hendryk Szilveszter van Amstetten-Szatmár-Bereg
Sex: Male
Race: Norsidic (Asmeiner) Human Vampire
Age: 834
Appearance: i.imgur.com/LvPhszT.jpg?2
Religion: None. Not that the Count doesn't believe in the existence of deities, but he doesn't consider worshipping them to be an activity worth bothering with.

Backstory: Erwyn is currently the Count of Amstetten-Szatmár-Bereg, a province in southern Asmeinland consisting of the city of Amstetten, the large towns of Szatmár and Bereg, and the surrounding lands and villages. A map of Asmeinland showing the location of these settlements, amongst others, can be found here: i.imgur.com/MIuyHbs.jpg

Born in 472 AS, and experiencing a privileged upbringing and fine education, he inherited the title of Count van Amstetten in 494, shortly after his 22nd birthday, upon the death of his father in the famously brutal Asmeinian civil war. At the time, Amstetten was a modest town, although its location made it a prime target for the forces of the mad King Siegfried II to attack. With very few troops under his command, the young Erwyn managed to utterly cripple the king's forces through a prolonged guerilla campaign, driving them back from Amstetten and whittling away at their strength further as they pushed back towards the capital. When Wilhelm I finally killed his brother and took the throne, winning the civil war, he granted Erwyn an addition to his holdings, in the form of the town of Bereg, whose own count had died fighting for Siegfried's side.

It was around this time, shortly after the war, that the Count was attacked during a hunting trip by an unknown assailant, who gave him a nasty bite, retreating back into the trees before Erwyn or his hunting party could even aim their crossbows. Erwyn fell sick the next day, and his condition continued to deteriorate for a week before finally he was pronounced dead by his physician. This was not entirely the case, however, as the Count awoke the next day, seemingly in perfect health - albeit a little paler - his return coinciding with the mysterious disappearance of the physician who had proclaimed his demise. The Count continued to rule over his holdings for many years, his pragmatic and stable leadership resulting in the expansion of Amstetten into a major trading city, and ensuring the prosperity of every settlement within his county.

In the year 623, Baron Maximilian of neighbouring Szatmár, having theorised about Erwyn's nature, sent vampire hunters to assassinate him. The hunters ambushed him on another hunting trip, shooting his horse out from under him and attempting to pierce his heart with a stake. They failed, however, and the Count personally fought them off and slaughtered them, sending their severed heads back to the Baron of Szatmár as a warning of what was to come. Mustering his forces, Erwyn marched on the city, battering down the gate and leading his knights directly to the Baron's castle. Challenging Maximilian to a duel, the Count's superior vampiric strength and speed easily defeated the Baron - although some say the unpopular noble was shot dead by an unknown peasant in the middle of the fight. With his rival vanquished, Erwyn added Szatmár to his holdings, quickly ushering in the same prosperity that he had given rise to in his existing lands.

The Count has been known, however, to seek adventure of various sorts, participating in expeditions to far-off lands, inventing a variety of strange new contraptions, and challenging himself to hunt particularly legendary prey. After all, what else would you do with infinite spare time?

Motivation: To alleviate the boredom of eternity for a short while.

Magic: As a vampire, Erwyn has natural magical ability. Centuries spent studying the arcane arts have taught him a fair amount on the subject, and he is a proficient mage as a result. That is not to say he will use his full potential lightly, however. The Count far prefers to challenge himself, and hence prefers to limit himself to lesser spells except in extreme circumstances.

Skills/Strengths: Vampiric strength and speed make Erwyn far superior to any human in any physical pursuits. He is capable of moving entirely silently, and his senses are greatly heightened - perfect night vision, hearing far surpassing that of a normal human, et cetera. His extremely long life has given him plenty of time for study, leaving him very knowledgeable in a wide variety of subjects. The Count is a formidable fighter, capable mage (when he wants to be), master of strategy, accomplished man of science, exceptionally persuasive speaker, talented artist, and rather good cook.

Weaknesses: As a vampire, Erwyn suffers several notable weaknesses. He cannot enter a home without the permission of the owner - although permission gained through deception and violent or magical coercion is valid, and the interpretation of 'permission' is somewhat open to loopholes. When exposed to direct sunlight, he is moderately weaker than a normal person, cannot use his natural magical ability, and experiences some pain. He can be repelled by someone wielding a holy symbol of any major deity - including the Shaituns - so long as that person has paid genuine homage to the deity long before attempting to wield the symbol against a vampire. He can be slain by magic, fire, silver, decapitation, or a wooden stake through the heart. Note, however, that garlic has zero effect.

Gear:
The Count is able to call on the resources, funds, and forces of his province if necessary, but the following list is what will be present with him on an expedition.

• Hooded cloak, dark glasses and face mask for being out in daylight.
• Armour: i.imgur.com/VDtYK2o.jpg?1
• Zweihander: i.imgur.com/rh0tCS0.jpg
• Crossbow: i.imgur.com/df93AZh.jpg
• Daggers x2: i.imgur.com/mpbFlfR.jpg
• Warhorse: i.imgur.com/bASWSfS.jpg
• Soldiers x2 (with poleaxes): i.imgur.com/DRMnnqq.jpg
• Servant
• Cart Horses x2
• Supply Cart containing the following:
  • Dried/salted food
  • Two large barrels of clean water
  • Two barrels of Amstetten Witbier
  • Several bottles of wine and brandy
  • Secret compartment containing several bottles of blood
  • Medicinal herbs and potions
  • Tents and bedding
  • Money
  • Books
  • Two spare swords
  • One spare crossbow
  • Two spare poleaxe shafts and heads
  • Ammunition
  • Miscellaneous tools, rope, etc.

Other: Erwyn is not initially travelling with the party, and has instead set off to kill Htraknu on behalf of the dark goddess Lilith. Technically. Really, he's bored and he likes a challenge, and Lilith conveniently provided him with one.

Name: Ceara Eachaidh

Sex: Female

Race: Human

Age: 23 (Born 1285 AR)

Religion: None

Backstory: Ceara Eachaidh was born in Cairnleath, a land independent from the Kingdom of Bryon in every way except officially. The young girl was raised in Helrith, a large city near the northern coast of the country. The poverty of the city was crippling, and Ceara, the daughter of a lowly shoemaker, was unable to escape any of it. She starved for the majority of her young childhood, and when she reached the age of seventeen, the young girl turned to theft to support herself. She fell in with street gangs and eventually even began to associate with members of the infamous Narbosi mafia. Her faithful father vehemently disapproved of her conduct, feeling it incredibly unbecoming of a young woman. Ceara ignored the patriarch of her family, refusing to return to a life of lawful poverty. Even with their disagreements, the two remained close.

In 1303, conflict broke out between Bryon and Cairnleath. A band of Cairnleathite nobles raised their banners in rebellion, refusing to allow Bryonic tax-collectors to enter their lands. The King of Bryon, Henry Redmoor the Tenth, raised his own army and met battle with the rebellious men and elves. He soundly defeated them and went on to sack three cities, including Helrith. Ceara and her father were caught in the chaos of the looting, and they were forced to seek refuge in different sections of the city. Ceara was taken in by the Narbosi mafia, who hid in the sewers while the streets were burned, and her father claimed asylum in the temple of Solanius. When the destruction finally subsided, Ceara emerged from the underground and learned that the temple had been burned to the ground and everyone inside had been killed. With nothing left in Cairnleath, she used the last of her money to pay the Narbosi mafia and sailed north. The young woman spent years wandering throughout the continent, stealing from both the poor and rich alike. She left the mafia and spent time in Rosiland, where luxury could be purchased easily.

She left the great elf-cities as they began to war with each other, following their armies and looting the dead nobles of their finery. On the bloodied ground of one such battlefield, the thief found a large group of dead Sindhusi slave-soldiers. Ceara attempted to remove the obsidian ornament from a sword belonging to one such soldier when the man she had believed to be dead began to protest. The thief quickly gave the wounded man her water, letting him drink while she apologized profusely. After a short moment of thought, Ceara decided to help the wounded soldier and spent the next few weeks bringing him food and using her basic understanding of medicine to heal his injuries the best she could. Nima made a full recovery, and when he was on his feet, he offered to leave Rosiland and pledge the remainder of his holy service to Ceara. Although she rejected his pledge, she let him travel with her, and soon, the two were friends.

Ceara spent the next couple of years stealing and traveling through Narbos, Asmeinland, and Illyrica with Nima in tow.

Motivation: Htraknu is bound to have bundles of dragon gold - Ceara intends to take more than her fair share once he’s dead.

Magic: Ceara cannot use magic.

Skills/Strengths: Ceara is handy with picking both pockets and locks, and she is proficient in a certain brand of stealth that can only be learned from years of hard experience. She can use a knife well enough, but fighting isn't her strong suit.

Weaknesses: Ceara tends to be untrustworthy and not willing to trust - she has a hard time forging any sort of relationship with anyone except Nima. She is arrogant, spiteful, and generally unpleasant to everyone she meets.

Gear: Ceara usually wears plainclothes.

Other:
Her appearance — i.imgur.com/r1ErLIh.jpg

Name: Nima

Sex: Male

Race: Human

Age: 34

Religion: Nima follows the Path of the Sacred Flame.

Backstory: Nima was born into slavery, raised the harsh northern mountains of Sindhus.
He was to be a man of complete loyalty and discipline - Sindisi, a holy soldier from the ancient citadel of Sindis. Compassion, empathy, fear - all emotion was painstakingly drilled out of him as he grew up with steel in his hand. By five, the master of Sindis put a sword in his hand. At eight, he was ordered to kill a lamb. At twelve, he would stab and kill another condemned slave to complete his psychological training. Now, he was to become fully proficient in the art of war. He would need to know the sword, the shield, the spear, and the charge. He would ride to battle on horseback, but his masters did not ease his dismounted training. At eighteen, Nima was an expert with all his weapons and ready to fight for the Sacred Flame. He was ordained as 'Sindisi under the standard', a soldier legally bound to holy service for fifty years of his life.

Nima was inducted into the Sixth Cohort of Sindisi, a respected regiment. Emir Razah of Sindhus pledged the Sixth Cohort to the House of Virtanen, a powerful family of Rosilandic shadow elves. The Emir did this as an act of friendship because many in the Virtanen court had converted to the Path. Nima, a soldier born and bred for the only heat of combat, was assigned to protect the stables of a Virtanen estate. Many of his brothers in the Sixth were also squandered in similar positions. His life remained unchanged for many years, during which he simply guarded, trained, and slept. Then, one day, a war would come to his post. A military order dedicated to Solanius attacked the estate, breaking the elvish army and entering the plantation. Nima joined the last stand near the main residence, filing in with his brothers from the Sixth Cohort, a collection of mercenaries, and drafted slaves. The two armies clashed, and as the battle raged on, it became clear that Nima’s master was tactically inept. His centre collapsed, and although the Sindhusi lines in courtyard held against the enemy at their front and now their flank, a cavalry charge directed at the rear broke their formation and allowed the enemy to slaughter the Sindhusi ranks. Nima was stabbed, and he was then trampled by the advancing enemy.

When he woke, he was being robbed by a strange woman. He raised his voice in protest, but only began to cough weakly. The thief decided to tend to his injuries, and once his wounds had healed and it became clear his former elf-master had long since been killed, he decided to accompany Ceara wherever she went. After all, a soldier needs a commander.

Motivation: Nima will follow Ceara wherever she goes, and if that means slaying an ancient and incredibly powerful dragon, then he will be along for the ride.

Magic: Nima has been trained to use some combat magic with the help of beastblood, but his knowledge is far from extensive and heavily restricted by religion.

Skills/Strengths: Nima is expertly trained, virtually fearless, and completely without mercy. In battle, he cares for nothing except defeating the enemy. Becoming proficient with all of his weapons - the shield, the spear, the sword, and the charge - at a very young age, he does little but practice and wait for the next fight. In single combat or fighting in rank, he is a truly a force to be reckoned with.

Weaknesses: Nima has difficulty making individual decisions, and although he is able to make suggestions and think independently, he is unable to act on most things without an order or a plan. This makes him a very inflexible fighter, which can sometimes be detrimental.

Gear: Nima wears a full suit of chainmail, with overlapping steel plates that cover more vital areas. His helmet is conical in the Sindhusi style, and his shield is painted with an inverted triangle - the symbol of Sindhus, his home. He carries a sword, a large oval shield, and a spear.

Other:
His appearance, in full armour — i.imgur.com/DtaBgJx.jpg?1

Name: Erjak the Savage

Sex: Male

Race: Plains Orc

Age: 31

Religion: He and his clan follow no true deity, instead they have a set of beliefs that they follow that specify that one must keep the world at balance... or peace, else evils beyond this world might be attracted by the chaos of the world, causing it to be consumed in a endless abyss, however, not even he knows how these beasts exist, he is not sure even if these beings exist, however he is sure that something will arrive and then, not even the dragon Htraknu will be able to resist.

Backstory:

Since he was a little orc, Erjak has always been a bit different than most orcs. First of all, he was about a head bigger than most of his fellow orcs, making him quite a sight to behold. His mind however was another piece of work, he was very inquisitive and he trained both his mind and his already quite large body.

Erjak had the fortune of being born as the son of the one of the clans that formed the Karanos Tribal Confederation and though orcs do not necessarily follow the son of their leader as he has to prove his strength, he has had no trouble doing that, being born both with a great mind and a great physique, he earned the respect of both his clansmen and the leaders and clansmen of the other tribes that formed the tribal confederation of orcs.

Most of his life has been a normal one in terms of an orc, he had no real conflicts that he could speak of and no tragedies that affected his family or his clan and other than a few raids coming from orcs that did not follow the confederations mantra there were no large battles in the tribe... though these raids have allowed him to get one some hands-on experience in terms of combat.

Until the age of 24, nothing serious had come in Erjak's way, however, only a day later a massive raid was launched by a force of unified orcs with only rape, slavery and plunder in mind. Erjak had never seen raids in which there more than 100-200 orcs present, however, this raiding force had more than a thousand orcs, all with the purpose in mind to plunder the riches of this confederation. And though the raid was pushed back(barely), thanks to Erjak's savagery inspiring his fellow orcs, there were great losses in his own clan, including nearly all of his siblings(5 brothers died and 2 of his sisters were kidnapped) save for one brother and one sister.

Needless to say, the Karanos Confederation was not pleased and as such, they decided to amass a force of orcs to chase these raiders back to wherever they were going since they were moving woefully slow due to their plunder. At first, his father was chosen to lead this army, however, due to having sustained a wound, Erjak was placed as leader of the army.

Erjak allowed his rage to take over him and instead of using any actual strategy, he simply charged at the force and started butchering any hostile orc that entered his sight and though the allied orcs fought with less rage than he did, they too hewed their way through the raiders. Erjak's merciless nature and savagery during the battle gave him the nickname that he would try to remove his life... Erjak the Savage.

After killing the raider force nearly to a orc(with a few of them escaping), he returned back to his clan, bringing back what the raiders stole and much more, enriching the Karanos Tribal Confederation all the more.

However, as the years passed it was clear that the rest of the world did not like the this confederation of orcs, whether because they were more threatening than a singular clan or whether because they were simply orcs, it wasn't clear, but it was obvious that people did not like them.

So, in response to that, the Confederation sent Erjak to serve as ambassador to the surrounding kingdoms so that he may be able to improve relations with them and mayhaps secure an ally.

Motivation: As his beliefs specify, beings that seek to threaten the balance of the universe must be swiftly dealt with and Erjak truly believes that only by keeping the world state of peace and balance that it can truly prosper and Htraknu and his minions very much threaten this balance.

Magic: No magic here!

Skills/Strengths:

Erjak is big, nearly a head bigger which means, he has strength to match his size. He is also, much more intelligent and much more knowledgeable than his kin, having read many books by foreign scholars on many different topics. Again, defying the standards of his own race, Erjak despite his intimidating size, is quite charismatic.

Weaknesses:

Erjak probably has one of the shortest tempers you might see, even for a orc. A few misplaced insults, or even a few friendly jabs might make him snap, no matter of they are friend or foe. Not even he knows why he loses his temper so quickly and while he has tried to work on it, he hasn't made much progress in this point.

Gear:

A Full set of chainmail and plate armor.
His Zweihander
A few leather-bound books about various topics.
A warbow
Two Short-swords
2 Orcish Bloodkin(basically his personal guards)

Other:

Name: Arrak the Burner

Sex: Male

Race:

Dragon- Though he was not born a dragon, but a half-dragon, half-orc, the Dark God Grimnos chose him as the champion of the Dark Gods and turned him into a fully fledged dragon and now he has three forms, his pure orcish form, his half-dragon form and his full dragon form. Despite all these, he knows is a fully fledged dragon.

Age: 34

Religion:

Grimnos- patron deity of tyranny, war and strategy.
Afgur the Blood King- patron deity of anarchy, destruction and bloodshed(he follows only the latter of the two for Afgur)

Backstory:

Arrak was born 34 years ago, by two parents who did not seem to want him as they simply left him in the forests as a baby and though could have been the end of him, a large group of orcish raiders found the little half-orc/half-dragon baby and for whatever, instead of putting it out of it's misery, they decided to raise him as some sort of mascot of theirs, of course he would still take part in raids as such as soon as he could hold a weapon in his hand for more than 3 seconds.

And Arrak seemed to thrive with a such a job, mostly helped by his half-dragon from, which made him much more deadly than a regular orc. And as the years passed, the less his raiders treated him like a mascot and more like a comrade, resulting by the time he reached 20 years of age for the raiders to treat him like a brother both in combat and outside it, this was the closest that Arrak had come to have a true family.

However, for Arrak, life was becoming mundane with most days being the same, either they did nothing, or launched the occasional raid on a defenseless village with nobody to oppose them, it had become quite boring. And though he loved everyone, including their chief, as brothers, he decided that there needed to be a change in leadership in their raiding clan and so, he challenged the chief of his clan to a duel. The chief may have been quite old, but he was still one of the strongest orcs in this raiding clan, so the fight would not be easy... or so everyone else thought.

The duel lasted less than half a minute. The chief charged towards Arrak, but Arrak did not move one finger, instead, he opened his maw and breathed flames on the chief, burning him to ashes in only a few seconds. For a few moments, the onlookers were mute, they stared at what was supposed to have been a duel in disbelief... then they all roared in support of their new chief, Arrak the Burner.

Though soon, it was proven that Arrak would have deserved the nickname of Arrak the Savage for the boldness and the savagery of his attacks. Nobody would be spared from his bloody raids, humans, elves, samothaurs or even orcs, all of them suffered the same fate. A few special ones would be given the option to either die or join them in their bloody raids on everyone else and as one could imagine that did not sit well with a lot of people... or rather with anyone for that matter.

However his raids did not attract the attention of only mortal beings, but of a few certain immortal ones as well, though not ones a normal mortal might like to interact withwith. The first figure was a large one, clad in a imposing armor and with a stern look on his face.

The being introduced itself as Grimnos and - without taking Arrak's opinion - named him his champion. Now, Grimnos told him that he would bless both his mind and his body to be like none other. And while felt his mind grow sharper and his thoughts more organized, his body did not feel any different at all, until Grimnos himself said that in order for him to be better able to subdue his enemies, he turned him into a full dragon. However, as a final warning, the armor-clad god warned him that there would be consequences for these powers, though whatever those would be, the deity vanished before Arrak could find out.

Arrak did not even have time to sigh in relief, before a second being appeared. This one fit the textbook definition of a barbarian, a large muscular brute covered in blood and sporting quite the large and sadistic smile on his face. He - again, without taking Arrak's opinion in mind - named him his favored one, instead of his champion, since he already had become the champion of another Dark God. This god's name was Afgur the Blood King and somewhat true to his name, the blessings he received from the Blood King, allowed to spill him much more blood, namely, his body was strengthened nearly to point of the limits of his body.

The dark god Afgur offered him one last piece of info. The sole being that might be able to threaten his future rule of the world, Htraknu, a incredibly powerful dragon with something of a cult following. And on that point, the Blood King, vanished in thin air and his vision ended abruptly. At first, he was momentarily confused, he was not sure whether what happened was real or simply a hallucination... at least for a moment, before he turned into a large black dragon

Motivation:

The Dark God Afgur told him that Htraknu was one of the obstacles that would prevent him from taking over the world and ruling it with an iron claw. That meant that this prideful dragon had to be taken down from his pedestal, even if it meant that he had to temporarily team up with other people.

Magic:

Dragonflame: As a true dragon now, he can with ease breathe flames that are capable of melting even metal.

Conjure Armor: Though rather a odd spell, this spell allows him to conjure himself a set of plate armor for a few hours to protect himself from any enemy attacks.

Skills/Strengths:

Blessing of the Body: Arrak is very strong physically, even for an orc and with the strength he received from Afgur as a blessing, he is even more so, much over most humans, elves or most orcs.

Blessing of the Mind: While Afgur blessed his body, Grimnos on the other hand blessed his mind, making him something of a charismatic genius.

Weaknesses:

If dragons were considered to be prideful and egotistic, then they have nothing on Arrak, upon receiving his gifts from the Dark Gods, he became very prideful, thinking the world deserves to bow before him. This has not earned him many friends outside of his raider band.

Unspecified consequences for his blessings.

Gear: Other than the sword of the previous chieftan(in his orc form picture) he has nothing with him as any actual armor would be lost upon transformation.

Other: Nope, nothing here.

Name: Rhiara "Weiss" Ludenburg & Athaliah Priscou
Sex: Both Female
Race: Rhiara is half-winged unicorn, as a result of her mother's actual form being that of a winged unicorn. Athaliah however, is a full human.
Age: 18 & 19
Religion: Rhiara worships Althaea and Lysandra; she acknowledges the existence of the other gods, though she feels these two and their aspects to be what she cares about most. Athaliah worships Celestis because of her family's maritime traditions before they moved further inland.
Backstory: Rhiara: Rhiara was born in Hoffen in 1288, and had a humble upbringing. From an early age she was taught woodcarving by her mother and it has been her hobby for years. Because of her skill at this, she became an apprentice at the carpenter's workshop in town. In addition, she goes hunting with her dad once a week, where she gained the skills to use a bow somewhat effectively.

Athaliah: Athaliah was born in 1287 in the Foverósi capital city, Kalargos to a family with strong maritime traditions. She and her parents left Kalargos in order to escape the city's restrictiveness and the crowds, and moved to Hoffen when she was 7. She joined the town militia when she came of age and as such, is quite skilled in the use of spears and shields, and swords to a lesser extent.

They both became good friends when they were both 9, when both their parents practically forced them to spend time together. The two have been almost inseparable ever since and where one is, the other isn't far away.

Motivation: Rhiara initially gets dragged onto the adventure because she doesn't like disappointing anyone and finds it hard to say no to people, however she gradually becomes more invested in the cause and believes that if Htraknu were to succeed, it would be the end of everything she knows. Athaliah skips the first stage and is aware of Htraknu's danger more or less from the outset.
Magic: Rhiara's only magic is her shape-shifting ability that naturally comes with being a half-breed. While she is aware of this, she has only done it once and is inexperienced as a result. Athaliah, on the other hand, has no magic to speak of.
Skills/Strengths: Rhiara: Rhiara's main combat skill lies with her bow and arrows, and knives to a lesser extent. As a result of being quiet, she is rather observant and while she doesn't enjoy doing so, points out flaws in plans and discrepancies in stories (if important enough to mention). Because of her hunting trips, she has above-average eyesight as a result of having to pick out small game running through the forest.

Athaliah: Athaliah's strengths in combat lies in her skill with spears and shields. She has fantastic amounts of stamina which enables her to fight (or run) for longer than the average person. She is more skilled in a defensive approach, hiding behind her large shield with her spear pointing forwards.

Weaknesses: Rhiara: Rhiara's most obvious weakness is her tendency to do what other people want regardless of her personal feelings; the reason for this is that she finds it extremely hard to say no to people, else she risks disappointing them. In combat she is no good at all in close quarters and will likely be killed due to her lack of experience in defending herself.

Athaliah: Athaliah's weakness in combat is that she usually overestimates opponents, meaning she will commonly put too much effort and energy into a fight that simply doesn't need it. In regular life she will always think of her family and friends first, which some people could use to their advantage.

Gear:
Rhiara
Armour: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/d2/…
Bow and arrows
Small dagger (usually used for skinning game, but can be used for other things)

Athaliah
Armour: 2static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Female_367…
Shield: primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/romans/imag…
Spear
Shortsword

Other: Can't think of anything to put here at time of writing.

Name: Teysa, the Weaver

Sex: Female

Race: Dragon

Age: 22

Religion: None

Backstory: Teysa the Weaver is an uncommon outlier compared to her fellow scaled kind. Where most of her brethren treated humans and the lesser races with naught but cruelty and belittlement, she was one who offered her hand in benevolence. For in the struggle for survival, she had seen first hand the kindness that could be found in the hearts of mortal kind.

When she was naught but a whelp, she was the runt of her brood and with the cruelty of her mother, she was abandoned. Too small and too weak at first to survive on her own, the little newborn whelp foraged for food as best she could until it simply became too much. On the side of an old road, lined with dust and filth, she had collapsed upon one stormy eve.

The crack and rattle of thunder awoke her once, to the sound of a carriage, and the warmth of a soft blanket wrapped around her form. In the days and weeks to come, she was fed, given medicine, and nursed back to health by the careful tenderness of the maternal kindness of a Elven nobkewoman. With a family filled with distinct wealth, she eventually thrived. Catching up to the rest of her fellow dragonkin in terms of proper growth and weight.

Where she thrived, she also learned. Her newfound "mother" taught her magic and all the wonders it brought. Becoming ever affluent in the nature and the elements, the little whelpling's black eyes turned into opaque white filled with light as she began to harness magic more and more. Over the years she toiled and studied, even learning how to craft herself a humanoid state to ease such a process. And before long, the child had grown into a peculiarly stunning young woman. With her maturity came wanderlust, and with her mother's permission she set out upon the open road.

Three years passed, and all that was ever heard of Teysa was of a violet Draconic Magus who helped protect and save those she came across on the road. When she had returned home however, she soon found that her home was no longer quite what it seemed. Her adoptive family, once a proud assemblage of nobles, had faded into madness and obscurity. Their wealth, her home, all gone to a curse of destructive corruption laid upon them.

All for the ancient relic that lay in the family's vault. A horn gilded in silver, belonging to an age of distant history. One whose cry was rumored to remove the Gods invulnerability.

Believing she could burn away such corruption, Teysa took up arms but was stopped soon into her attempt. For her corrupted family were far more potent magi than she, renown for their capabilities, and she narrowly escaped with her life.

Now homeless, she wanders the lands, still helping those she can, and seeking frantically for a way to free her family of their madness.

Motivation: Altruism, as much as she would prefer a peaceful solution, Teysa recognizes that there is such a thing as true evil. She wishes to aid those that cannot aid themselves, and those who fight against the darkness.

Magic:
Transfiguration - The Magic of Shapeshifting. Teysa can shift between her Dragon Form, her Humanoid Form, and a Black Panther form at will. She was taught this by her adoptive family of magi.

Elemental Conjuration - Where some magi are of the arcane, Teysa orders the elements. Wind, Fire, Earth, and water. From conjuring fireballs and lightning to causing a miniature landslide, she can deal extensive damage with elemental magic. However, as her mother taught her this, she insisted that it be a last resort to save her life or the lives of others.

Healing Restoration - Teysa's most preferred art of magic. With it she can rapidly minor heal wounds within seconds and major wounds broken bones in the matter of a few minutes. This was thwart her mother was most adept with, and with meditative "weaving" states, she can cleanse away magical corruption over a small area.

Cleansing Flame - Like most dragons, Teysa can breathe large gouts of flame. What is peculiar is its magical properties. It damages her enemies with explosive damage, and heals her allies while cleansing them of diseases and the like. This can only be used while in Dragon Form. This was learned after she had accomplished much of her magic studies, and she enchanted her own firebreathing to be less destructive.

Skills/Strengths:
Intellectualism
Magic
Multilingualism
Historical Knowledge
Religious Knowledge
Arcane and Elemental Knowledge
Cultural knowledge
Herbalism/Medical Knowledge
Draconic Knowledge

Weaknesses:
Prideful - She is proud of her Dragon lineage, despite her family's sins. Hence her Humanoid transformation still has horns and intermittent scales.

Bookworm - While Teysa is an incredibly potent magi and healer, that is all that she is. Stealth, subtlety and subterfuge are things she fails at. She prefers books over people, more often than not, so social interaction is also not a strong suit.

Pacifist - If at all possible, Teysa will try to find a peaceful resolution to conflicts. Like mentioned before, her offensive capabilities are an absolute last resort.

Gear: None. She is a Dragon. Her equipment would be lost upon transformation.

Other: Additionally, Teysa seeks to end the witch who cursed to her adoptive family. With the only clue she has being a strange, spilled goblet of bronze and gold and beset with runes. If she ends, If she perished, she believes that the curse that addled their minds will be lifted.

Name: Roy Lancelot
Sex: Male
Race: Human Undead
Age: He was 25 when he died.
Religion: Once a devotee of Solanius, he has abandoned his former Diety to make a pact with Dolekar for his chance at vengeance.


Motivation: Roy has no life let to spare, at the very least, aiding the heroes in the slaying of the elder dragon might redeem some honor; at least for his own comfort. He still has a sense of heroism that he once had when he was alive after all., and there is a small desire to redeem himself if only for the possibility of being revived. Most important to him now is to defeat his betrayer, Gawain, which he strongly believes he will have the chance through fated justice along his adventure.
Magic: By being undead he has an innate affinity towards the dark arts, but does not perform any spell or trick whatsoever.
Skills/Strengths:

• Axe-Wielder: Roy is proficient in wielding his great axe, the primary weapon he used in life. His skills are a bit above the standard soldier, though being dead has made him a bit rusty.
• Hunter: A sport he had done in his less exciting times in his life, Roy had learned to be a remarkable tracker and hunter. He has a good shot with his crossbow, and while he no longer eats, this talent can become useful for retrieving food for his allies, his companion, or in some other tracking-related circumstance.
• Not-Alive: Being undead Roy feels no pain and can withstand most forms of damage save anything that would cripple or destroy his body. While he cannot directly regenerate, pieces of dead flesh and bone from humans or similar races can be attached and assimilated to his dead body almost perfectly, to the point where he can replace an arm or leg from another corpse and have it be practically the same limb he lost. He must however keep them attached somehow, usually by stitching, for that to work. Things that would usually affect mortals such as poisons, and soul stealing powers that don't consider cursed souls, and other such things won't have any affect on him.
• Wyvern-Rider: The God of Vengeance has gifted him with a wyvern whom he can command at his own will alone, which Roy has named Jorboros.

Weaknesses:

• Being dead sucks: While he can't feel pain, he also can't taste, or have any meaningful sensation in his miserable existence.
• God doesn't like me: As an unholy abomination, holy wards can keep Roy out, holy magic can burn and even banish his cursed soul.
• I'm melting!: Moving (relatively fresh) water or holy water can dissolve his undead body, and like holy magic, exorcise his soul. Rain, Rivers, blessed ponds, and the like are all toxic to him.
• Salty?: Excessive exposure to salt can temporarily petrify his undead body. Salt can also be used as a magic ward to seal him off.
• Sorry but you must be at least this short to enter: His wyvern is large and cannot fit in every dungeon nor is a giant monster a welcomed visitor in most cities. There will be times where Jorboros will have to wait outside for his master to return. And while Roy can call to him over great distances, he can't exactly warp him instantly to his side.

Gear:

The great axe he used in life his now his instrument of vengeance. While nothing has really changed about this axe from his transformation from alive to undying, he takes great pride in the steel armament

A standard crossbow with a quiver of 30 bolts.



Other:

Name: Lucian Aquila

Sex: Male

Race: Human (Aesernian)

Age: 28

Religion: Solanian (Patron: Solanius)

Backstory: Lucian Aquila is the Grandmaster of the Order of the Knights Solanian. Born to a priestess and an unknown father out of wedlock, he was assumed to be a bastard by the peasants and clergy of his native church town. Excommunicated from the Solanian Church for adultery, and subsequently committing blasphemy by claiming Solanius as Lucian's father, Lucian's mother was later murdered by (as he was told) church radicals. He would later join the Nursian military at 16. Though he showed remarkable combat prowess, his social status prevented him from ascending far up the chain of command. At the age of 18, he deserted his unit after releasing then-hostile Cathionic civilian captives, and fell in with a mercenary troupe. Shortly after, it was signed on to assist in the ongoing Crusade for the province of Iurusolym. Eventually breaking away from the mercenaries, Lucian formed his own chivalric order, building up enough manpower to repel an invading demon horde opportunistically attempting to destroy his fellow Crusaders. Though the Crusade eventually failed, the Order of the Knights Solanian - for their role in saving countless lives from the wrath of the Shaituns, experienced a surge of recruitment of people from all walks of life coming to lend their assistance to the cause of protecting the world from monstrous and unholy threats.

Motivation: Htraknu poses a massive threat to the world and all those who inhabit it. He additionally threatens even the gods in his mad pursuit of power. It is Lucian's destiny to take up arms and slay death.

Magic: Perhaps Lucian's best evidence for divine descent is his natural ability to wield holy magic, destructive to the evil-hearted and unholy, restorative to the righteous and the living.

Skills/Strengths: Lucian is a master swordsman, being proficient with single-handed and two-handed blades (preferring the former). He demonstrates exceptional control over his magical abilities, a natural sense of leadership, and command over a loyal and numerous chivalric order of knights, with connections in many provinces of the old Aesernian Empire.

Weaknesses: Strong convictions and sense of honor and duty lead to stubbornness and a refusal to fight dirty, even in instances where the enemy is doing so. Fierce loyalty and protectiveness of his followers can lead to easy manipulation should any of them be captured/threatened.

Gear:
In Heavy Armor w/shield : i.imgur.com/b51g4CI.jpg
Longsword: i.imgur.com/BflRW7D.jpg
Holy Codex (Solanian Bible)
Personal water canteen
Flask of wine

Large Wooden Cart w/Horses (x2)
Crates of dried, salted, and smoked meats (x3)
Barrels of clean water (x3)
Kegs of Mead (x2)
Barrel of Sacred Wine (x1)
Medical Kits (x5)
Bandages
Alcohol
Restorative potions
Milk of the Poppy (Painkillers)
Large Military Tent and bedding (x1 tent / x3 bedrolls)
Chest of gold arums (x1)
Small box of books (x1)
Bag of whetstones (x1)
Miscellaneous supplies (rope, leather, cloth, tools)

Other: N/A

Name: Sorano Loraethal
Sex: Male
Race: Sun Elf
Age: 49
Religion: Solanian (Patron: Solanius and Acanthio)
Backstory: Born on the east coast of Tarraconia to minor nobles in the port town of Allilona, Sorano of House Loraethal was raised with an extensive education and a strong desire to further pursue greater knowledge. Most of his adolescence was spent with the local Mages Guild as they frequently traveled on expeditions to ancient Imperial Aesernian ruins. However as he came of age, he began to see just how secretive and restrictive the Mages Guild actually was. Disillusioned with his ability to progress while fettered by the Guild's chains, he struck out on his own, taking with him his most trusted servants and handmaidens, travelling to the province of Narbos. There he sought out the old Empire's most skilled mages, clergy, and alchemists. One eventful afternoon, during a routine excavation of Norsidic ruins, Sorano was attacked by Hargash's demons and their undead minions. Able to hold his own for a time, Sorano was eventually captured, bearing witness to the profane rituals of Hargash's cult. Before he could be subject to such unholy sacrifice however, the Order of the Knights Solanian attacked the cult's lair, freeing all surviving captives. Having heard much of the Order and of the deeds they had done and the things they knew, Sorano pledged his service to the Order in gratitude. After careful consideration from the Grandmaster Lucian Aquila himself, Sorano was elevated to the status of Apostle, quickly becoming the Grandmaster's right hand man.
Motivation: Htraknu threatens the world and the Order. As it is Lucian's destiny to be the world's guardian, so Sorano will follow.
Magic: Natural Elven Magic. Proficient in Electromancy
Skills/Strengths: Powerful electromancer, skilled with a sword. Highly intelligent. Fluent in several languages (Sun Elf, High Aesernian, Low Aesernian (Common), Foverosi, and Great Savarian).
Weaknesses: Extremely arrogant/proud, quick to anger, and highly protective of Lucian. Takes imperfections, criticisms, and defeats to heart. Not as physically strong as other party members. Quick to boast of his own feats and traits as well as his friends's. Whether they want it or not.
Gear:
In Mage's Robes: i.imgur.com/rAwn0G0.jpg
Arming Sword: i.imgur.com/YGPjWCW.jpg
Focusing Wand: i.imgur.com/iP4dZIJ.jpg
Various tomes
Personal water canteen
Other: N/A

Name: Kinara of Nikidon (Nye-Key-Dawn)
Sex: Female
Race: Samothaur
Age: 26
Religion: Solanian (Patron: Solanius and Veturia)
Backstory: Kinara was born in a settled tribal community known as Nikidon, in northeastern Samothrace. At an early age, both her and her parents were captured during an Orcish slaver raid and sold to a plantation owner in Rosiland. Over the course of her life as a slave, Kinara suffered great physical and psychological abuse from her masters and their slave drivers; beatings and starving periods were common practice, though her Shadow Elven masters could be exceptionally creative and cruel in their torture methods. For her strength, she was used primarily for plowing the fields in the farming seasons, and mining in the nearby darkiron mines after harvest. In the years just before she came of age, her mother and father both grew sick and died, leaving her alone to face the world she barely knew. Surviving into adulthood, Kinara had grown up knowing nothing of her Samothaur cultural roots save for what her parents could teach her, did not know her birthday (having estimated her age based on how long she was at the plantation), and was totally illiterate. Then, the Order of the Knights Solanian launched a series of liberation raids on numerous plantations and mines in the Northern Kingdoms. Kinara's was attacked by Order forces led by the Grandmaster Lucian Aquila himself. After the fighting had ended, Kinara's masters lay dead in their manor. Having been freed by the Order, Kinara felt that she was in their debt. It was Lucian who personally initiated her into the Order, and after careful observation, named her an Apostle. For several years she has served faithfully, mastering the bow and arrow as well as the use of the mace and buckler. The Order taught her how to read, write, and fight. Additionally, they have given her many things. Among them, good pay, good food, a sense of purpose, a culture, and, as proposed by Grandmaster Aquila and the other Apostles, a birthday: March 21st.
Motivation: Lucian's quest to slay Htraknu pulled her into involvement; her personal vendetta is that Htraknu's cult runs a prolific slaving operation, something she wants to destroy entirely.
Magic: Limited ventomancy (control of air/wind). Mostly done to control the direction of her arrows while in flight.
Skills/Strengths: Kinara is almost preternaturally skilled with a bow and arrow, and her aim can be corrected with her ventomancy, allowing her to curve shots. As a Samothaur, she is remarkably strong and durable. Kinara is calm, collected, and gentle, even to enemies. As such, she is hard to anger or irritate. As a result of her upbringing as a slave, she has resolved to resist manipulation -- her willpower is indominable.
Weaknesses: Kinara is hesitant to start conflict, preferring to defend herself or her allies rather than fire the first arrow, unless it is absolutely necessary (e.g. killing demons, undead, and evil mortals).
Gear:
Leather/Cloth Armor: i.imgur.com/0GdqJkR.jpg?1
Elven Longbow: i.imgur.com/DvW4zOv.png
Steel Bodkin Arrows
Flanged Mace: i.imgur.com/NiBP0nG.png
Personal water canteen
Additional Ammunition in Cart
Other: N/A

Name: Aldebrand Alscher

Sex: Male

Race: Aesernian human half dragon

Age: 30

Religion: Worships Acanthio the most of the gods.

Backstory: The third born son of a minor noble house, Aldebrand has always been curious. When he wasn’t bombarding his tutors with questions, he was practicing his fire magic, often singeing himself in the process. He also founded that he preferred the solace of books over that of the outdoors.

It came to no one’s surprise when he went off to university. There he learned much about magic, from basic spells of almost every school, to the most advanced fire spells he could get his hands on. However, despite the great libraries and professors, he found that several of his questions had no clear answers, mainly about magical creatures.

With his curiosity unsatisfied, he set off to perform his own experiments. He soon picked up a good knowledge of alchemy and the creatures’ biology out of necessary for his experiments. He soon ran into a problem, the specimens that he got from hunters were often expensive and not up to par due to decay and battle damage. Along with not being able to see how the creatures natural reacted to their environment, he decided to solve his problems by taking his studies from the lab to the field.

Motivation: As he has dragon heritage Aldebrand feels a special responsibility for the actions of dragons and is very curious about the effects of Htraknu’s magic.

Magic: Dragon blood flows through his veins because of his dragon ancestry. He learnt most of his control from university along with some tips from his dragon relative when she checks up on his family every decade.

Skills/Strengths:

Skilled pyromancer.
Knowledge of many magical creatures’ biology and abilities.
Passable knowledge of most schools of magic as well as alchemy.

Weaknesses: His curiosity about magical creatures tends to get him into potentially dangerous situations. In addition, his pride in his abilities tends to make him overestimate them, and waste magic on flashier spells. He has also never fought without magic a day in his life.

Gear: Quill, parchment, knife, books, basic alchemist equipment.

Name: Élise Marianne Lucie d'Astier

Sex: Female

Race: Narbosi Human Vampire

Age: 22

Appearance: Here and here

Religion: The Cult of the Dark Lady

Brief Backstory: Élise was born into this world as the sixth child of the exceedingly wealthy Count of Astier, Gaspard. She lived a relatively uneventful and quiet childhood, and she was mostly ignored by her ambitious father who lacked a place for his youngest child in his grand plan. Élise grew increasingly rebellious as she progressed through her teenage years, and with her being confined to the palace in the centre of the City of Astier by the strict Count, she was forced to spend most of her time in the palace’s library where she read countless tomes dedicated to the arcane and the many religions of the world. At first, this was more to pass the time than to actually study, however after she discovered a seemingly ancient book hidden deep within the library mentioning dark magic and a mysterious figure known only as Lilith, her studies took a more serious turn.

By her nineteenth birthday, Élise had developed a great understanding of the arcane arts in an attempt to unravel the secrets of the ancient tome she found years ago, even though she did not possess any magical abilities herself. This secret studying was easily kept hidden because of her father’s lack of care towards her, however she had to cease her studies after the Count decided to wed her to the young son of the Duke of Asselineau in an attempt to secure an alliance between the two men, much to Élise’s dismay. A betrothal had been secured, and after the Duke’s son, Adrien, turned sixteen two years from now, Élise would marry him. Over those two years, she grew increasingly desperate and sought any escape possible, turning to her study of the dark arts all the more fervently. This would culminate on the night before the wedding. Lilith herself finally appeared before Élise after years of desperate pleading by the Narbosi noblewoman, and offered the distraught woman two gifts: an enchanted sword, and the Blood Kiss.

Following this exchange, Élise awoke on her wedding day a woman reborn. She was no longer among the living, but neither was she dead. She was transformed by the Dark Lady herself into a pureblood vampire. She was now a Daughter of Lilith, filled with nought but an unquenchable thirst for blood and seething rage, and in her hands was a sword so sharp and cold to the touch that it could only have been crafted by a goddess such as Lilith. Suiting her vampiric nature, it was as if the sword itself also had a desire for blood. It was on this day that the Massacre of Asselineau Castle would take place. After first murdering and feasting on the blood of one of the maids who came to awaken her for the wedding, she proceeded to slaughter all of those she came across like a savage animal, rending them with the sword, her magic, her fangs, and her bare hands. Among those she murdered were her parents and her five siblings, her fiancé and his immediate family, a large number of ducal guards, and the other guests at the wedding. After she was finally satisfied with her blood feast, she began to calm and collect herself, and only then did she come to the realisation of what she had done. The scene was gruesome and nightmarish, with untold disfigured corpses littering the blood soaked halls of the once beautiful castle. The bodies of her own family surrounded her, but only when she realised that the body in her arms that she had been feeding on, with its neck torn open, was her own mother did she completely break down. Élise let out an ear-splitting wail filled with such immense sorrow and regret that even Lilith was fazed by it. As Élise’s tears streaked from her stained cheeks and mixed with the blood that pooled around her, she soon realised that she must flee, lest she be found by the legion of guardsmen that were inevitably on their way to the castle.

From that day forward, Élise was never seen again in Narbos, and indeed the authorities presumed that she must have been one of the many unidentifiable corpses found at the site of the Massacre. In actuality, she had fled north, committing regular and regretful murders in order to sustain her unholy life as she struggled to contain the monstrous predatory instincts that were now a part of who she was. She did not blame Lilith for what had happened, and instead blamed only herself for losing control. As such, it was also during this time that she was visited a number of times by the goddess that gave her the gift of vampirism, offering Élise the comfort that she sorely needed in order to keep the memories of the Massacre at bay, as well as an enchanted set of clothes and jewellery to replace her bloodstained attire and that would help to both protect her and to keep her undetected in a world hostile to her. Since then, Élise has continued on her journey north, constantly staying one step ahead of those who are looking to bring the one responsible for the Massacre to justice as well as a number of vampire hunters, hoping to find a way to either control her vampiric urges, or to give in and embrace them entirely.

Motivation: To either learn to control her vampirism, or to embrace her role in the world as a predator amongst prey. She will learn about Htraknu after encountering the party bent on killing him, and will stay with them after offering her assistance to both prevent them from killing her and in an attempt to learn how to control herself.

Magic: Like all vampires, Élise possesses a natural affinity for magic. Even though she has spent relatively little time studying the arcane arts, she has become a very proficient mage with the help of Lilith, especially with regards to shadow and blood magic. She rarely uses her magic to kill (although this does not mean that she is unable to do so) due to her being too worried that it could lead to a situation similar to the Massacre of Asselineau Castle. Instead, she usually relies on her magic to remain undetected as a vampire and to influence others into doing what she wants, be it for seduction or simple persuasion.

Skills/Strengths: Due to her vampiric nature, Élise is far stronger and faster than any human could physically ever be. She can move without making a single sound, and has greatly heightened senses. Even among vampires, her eyesight and night vision are phenomenal. Whilst she is a formidable fighter with a sword in hand, if the situation allows for it she actually prefers to kill with her fangs and claws, especially as she begins to lose control over her predatory instincts. If she does lose said control, the immense strength and savagery that she exhibits can be described as nothing short of monstrous.

Weaknesses: As a vampire, Élise suffers several notable weaknesses. She cannot enter a home without the permission of the owner - although permission gained through deception and violent or magical coercion is valid, and the interpretation of ‘permission’ is somewhat open to loopholes. Due to her only recently having been turned into a vampire, when exposed to direct sunlight, she becomes incredibly weak, cannot use her natural magical ability, and experiences immense pain as the rays of the sun burn her skin like flame. She can also be repelled by someone wielding a holy symbol of any major deity - including the Shaituns - so long as that person has paid genuine homage to the deity long before attempting to wield the symbol against a vampire. She can only be slain by magic, fire, silver, decapitation, or a wooden stake through the heart. Note, however, that garlic has zero effect.

Gear:
• Enchanted Clothing
• Cloak
• Enchanted Necklace
• Enchanted Sword
• A significant amount of money

Name: Master Mortirmir, Magister Maximus of the Imperial University of Aesernia

Sex: Male

Race: One eighth wood sylph. Human. (Somewhere along his family tree is a wood sylph, though distantly related to him).

Age: 26

Religion: Skeptic. Pays homage to Acanthio of the Solanian faith out of custom, more-so than belief.

Backstory:
The son of a wealthy merchant, Mortirmir's upbringing was one of comfort and occasional luxury. He spent most of his youth in Illyrica, travelling between the major commercial centers of the region on his parent's caravan. Thus, he had ample opportunity to pursue his fascination with a wide variety of academic subjects, becoming a staggeringly well-read individual. Mortirmir found his true calling, however, in the hermetic arts - that is to say, magic. His bloodline was that of the mystical wood sylphs, though distantly related, and thus he had a natural (if weak) aptitude to magic.

And so Mortirmir, at the tender age of sixteen, found himself travelling far, far away from his home to study at the illustrious Imperial University, the premier academy in the circle of the world for the hermetical and arcane. There, his studious intellect and natural talent propelled him to the coveted rank of professor a mere five years later. Though his raw magical strength was severely lacking, the fineness and precision of his control was without rival anywhere. After another five years of rigorous study and occasional lecturing, Mortirmir departed the University to seek the sort of practical knowledge that cannot be obtained from ancient libraries and dusty tomes.

Motivation: An unquenchable and rapacious thirst for knowledge, and a curious wanderlust. He believes by slaying Htraknu he may be able to obtain knowledge he would be unable to find anywhere else.

Magic:
Ward Abjuration - Mortirmir is a master of creating magical wards and barriers, though his skillset is ill-suited to the creation of such powerful mana-draining spells. He manages to get around this limit by casting small, light barriers at the precise time of impact, and then rapidly extinguishing the spell before it drains too much of his power.

Elemental Evocation - The most recognizable form of magic, elemental evocation focuses on so-called "battle magic": flashy and destructive spells such as bolts of lightning and balls of fire. Though he laments this type of magic becoming the stereotypical face of all that is arcane, Mortirmir secretly finds immense satisfaction in using this school. And he is quite good at it, too.

Alchemical Artificery - The physikal side of the arcane arts, Alchemical Artificery is the creation of magical items such as potions and protective trinkets. Mortirmir is an able practitioner, though it is not his specialty.

Polymorphic Transmutation - Otherwise known as "enchanting", polymorphic transmutation creates such well-known effects such as ever-sharp swords, magically-hardened armor, and other wonders. Again, Mortirmir is an able practitioner, though this is not his specialty, either.

Extra-dimensional Conjuration - The summoning of demons, monsters, and all manner of other-worldly magical beasts. Mortirmir has an academic interest in the subject, but precious little practical experience. He has long been considering making a pact to increase his magical power, but has yet to create a sufficiently binding contract.

Skills/Strengths: Besides the aforementioned schools of magic, Mortirmir has extensive knowledge of many subjects, particularly those related to the hermetical and arcane arts. He is a multi-lingual, speaking four languages. He is an intellectual in the purest sense, and thus has many connections in the academic world. Though he does not look it, he is an old hand at travelling.

Weaknesses: Mortirmir has little experience fighting or reacting in potentially stressful situations. He has no skill with a blade, and his very weak direct power in magic forces him to use his powers sparingly and with planned caution.

Gear: His academic robes, travelling robes, and court robes; a backpack full of various provisions and magical knick-knacks; a small eating knife; a heavy purse of gold; various writing utensils; an impressive assortment of magical scrolls and tomes; and a belt full of thrice-refined vials of his own blood.

Other:

Name: Allen (his adoptive father never gave him a last name)

(Tentative) Appearance

Sex: Male

Race: Human

Age: 17

Religion: He worships Calidorus, but not diligently.

Backstory: Allen’s mother died in childbirth. He never knew her, and he never knew to be sad about her. Allen’s father was a monster hunter with an over-inflated ego. He challenged a man that insulted him to a duel. The rules were simple: the first man to wound wins, but you may not kill. Unfortunately, the other man did end up accidentally killing Allen’s father; feeling bad, the man adopted Allen, then 3 years old, to be his son.
The man worked as the weapons master at a finishing school nearby, and having never wanted children nor knowing how to raise them, he raised Allen the best way he knew how: lots and lots of martial training. Unfortunately, Allen was not enrolled as a formal student at the school, so he did not receive any of the benefits of a formal education. His adoptive father was always busy except for to train him, so Allen had very few rules he had to follow. When he wasn’t training, he spent his time climbing trees or building homes for the field mice out of bits of wood and dirt. The rest of the faculty of the school watched him provisionally, sometimes giving him small treats; they cared for him as one might care for a stray cat.
When he was old enough, Allen’s adoptive father allowed the boy to spar with students of the school to further develop his skills. His sparring sessions were some of the first close human interaction he had had with peers, and it was some of the only he would receive. The other boys grew resentful of Allen’s skill, and his relationship with the faculty of the school; however they feared the retribution of their teachers were they to harass him, so they ignored and avoided him when they weren’t busy in classes. Instead of growing despondent, Allen blithely accepted their excuses as to why they couldn’t hang out with him, and he was content to carry on living how he had before.
On his 17 birthday, Allen’s adoptive father, growing old and tired, gave him a horse, some money, and a sword and set him out into the world. Allen travelled to the nearest town, Tiraști, not knowing that it was where he was born. He'd been working there for about a week when the demons attacked. Having never fought a non-human enemy, and even then never more than a few at a time, Allen stayed behind with those too afraid or incapable of fighting. He helped to protect them, but he had no kills in the battle.

Motivation: Initially, he wants to travel and train. Later, after getting to know the group and of the atrocities that Htraknu’s followers commit, his motivation will change to be helping to protect his new friends.

Magic: IC, not as far as he knows; OOC, his mother was Solymic. Instead of spells however, his magic manifests itself passively as enhanced speed, strength, and reflexes. At his introduction into the rp, he has only slightly better capabilities than a normal person, but not enough to be significantly noticeable. As he trains and travels with the group, he will have the potential to get better, especially with some sort of mentorship. If/when somebody ever figures out that it’s magic, he might be able to figure out how to control it. The drawback: he tires faster than a normal person, and if he ever figures out how to control it, he would suffer all of the normal drawbacks of magic.

Skills/Strengths: Because of his passive magic, Allen has slightly better than normal human abilities, with great potential to grow. He is skilled in a few combat styles, including unarmed, with polearms, and especially swords.

Weaknesses: Though his magic is passive, his stamina still suffers from it. His naïveté means that he is extremely gullible, and he’s oblivious most of the time. He’s received very little i way of classical education, and as such he can barely read.

Gear:
Ringed Bastard Sword
Hunting Trousse; essentially a huge knife and some cutlery
Lamellar Cuirass
Padded Gambeson
Splinted Bracers and Greaves
Kite Shield
Odd Ring; he’s had it for as long as he can remember; it’s engraved with ancient Solymic runes, unrecognizable except for by a scholar ie. he doesn’t know what they are
Small Backpack containing:
A blanket
Salted meat
Dried peas
A tin cup
A change of clothes
A Small Purse of Coins
Old Chestnut Mare

Other: Allen has never killed a person, and has never witnessed death firsthand. Well, I guess that's wrong now.

Name: Gottmar von Eibenschütz

Sex: Male

Race: Human

Age: 42

Appearance: i.imgur.com/pkLztc7.jpg

Religion: Like the rest of the Order of Witch Hunters, Gottmar worships only Calidorus, seeing him as a natural patron of their crusade against the users of dark magic.

Backstory: Gottmar was born in the small town of Eibenschütz in southern Asmeinland, the second son of the ruling Baron, August von Eibenschütz. As a young noble, he received a good education in both academic disciplines and the art of combat, showing a particular aptitude for the latter. When he was 16, he and his elder brother Manfred were sent with a small force to deal with a suspected band of brigands in the nearby forests. Coming across a campsite in the woods, however, they could find no-one but an old woman, sat at the campfire brewing some kind of herbal tea. Gottmar’s brother enquired as to whether the woman knew of any criminals in the area – unfortunately, she was less than cooperative, and he gave her a sound beating before the party left. A week later, he was dead; taken by an unknown illness, suffering in unbearable agony for the last days of his life.

Shortly afterwards, the old woman from the forest was seen in Eibenschütz. Nobody thought anything of it, until she entered the castle one day and demanded to speak with the Baron. Reluctantly granting her an audience, he watched in utter confusion as she shuffled into the Great Hall and proceeded to rant at him in an obscure dialect of Solymic. Annoyed that his time was being wasted, he had the crone spend a day in the stocks, pelted with shit and rotten food.

That night, August rose from his bed, grabbed a knife from his bedside table, and stabbed his sleeping wife to death. Covered in blood, he proceeded to stagger through the castle, not awake – animated instead by some unseen force – murdering anyone in his path. Bursting into the bedroom of Gottmar’s younger sister, he put out both her eyes before slitting her throat. Her screams were the only thing that roused the sleeping castle guards, who, along with Gottmar, awoke and rushed to where the sound had come from. Seeing what his father had done, Gottmar rushed forward with sword in hand to kill the man. He was too late. August turned his knife on himself, plunging the blade into his own heart.

It did not take a genius to connect the deaths of August and Manfred with the strange old crone who both had angered. Gottmar took the castle’s garrison and roused the citizenry, who gathered their torches and pitchforks and stormed the old woman’s camp in the forest. Even a witch must sleep, and the furious mob burned her alive in her own tent, her terrible screams and attempts to cast spells coming far too late to save her.

After a lengthy period of consideration, Gottmar decided to journey to Altenschloss, the nearest city that housed a chapter of the radical Order of Brother-Soldiers of the Temple of Blessed Calidorus in Asmeinland (better known as the Order of Witch Hunters). Passing their initial trials, taking their vows, and undergoing their purification rituals to render him devoid of – and also immune to – sorcery, the young nobleman became a fully-fledged Witch Hunter, sworn to seek out and destroy dark magic wherever it manifested. For 26 years, this has been his profession. Now a senior and well-respected member of the Altenschloss Chapter, Gottmar still relentlessly carries out his duties with a dedication both admired and feared by his brothers in the Order.

Motivation: Initially unaware of Htraknu, merely tracking a witch across the country. When he learns of Htraknu, however, he will see it as his duty to rid the world of such a foul magical threat.

Magic: None at all. As a member of the Altenschloss Chapter of the Order of Witch Hunters, Gottmar was subjected to a ritual whereby the blood was completely drained from his body, “purified” by Order priests to rid it of all magical taint, and reinjected into him. This ritual renders the participant partially immune to magic – magically summoned fire, creatures, weapons etc. can still harm him, but illusions and direct magical attempts to manipulate the mind and body have no effect. Unfortunately, this also means that he is unable to use magic in any form, even with the assistance of substances or artifacts that would normally assist in sorcery. Technically, as being drained of all blood does have a tendency to kill the victim, Witch Hunters are no longer strictly speaking alive, occupying a grey area between life and undeath. They still require food and water, like any living person, but are somewhat desensitised to pain and do not sleep. Their skin has a deathlike pallor, and flesh wounds rarely heal fully, leaving most Hunters covered in scars from their various exploits.

Skills/Strengths: Extremely physically fit, highly proficient swordsman and marksman, good knowledge of tracking, survival skills, and alchemy, expert knowledge of the occult. Immune to direct magic.

Weaknesses: Gottmar’s inability to utilise magic in any form is a clear weakness, and in some cases his immunity to its effects can also be a disadvantage – it is not just harmful magic that he resists; healing magic will not work on him either.

Gear:

• Clothes, long leather coat, wide-brimmed capotain hat with internal steel reinforcement
• Hardened steel cuirass, pauldrons, rerebrace and vambrace on right arm
• Arming sword
• Hatchet
• Short falchion
• Pair of daggers, one iron and one silver
• Set of stakes and mallet
• Repeating crossbow and bolts
• Dried food
• Waterskin
• Small hip flask of brandy
• Medicinal herbs, bandages, needle and thread
• Flask of holy oil
• Holy symbol of Calidorus
• Small bag of salt
• Firesteel
• Money

Other: Nothing I can think of that isn’t covered above.

Name: Angela Kõivli
Sex: Female
Race: Human
Age: 32
Religion: She follows the Solanian Faith; she mainly worships Solanius, though Calidorus also gets a lot of attention.
Backstory: Angela was born to an extremely devout minor noble family in Ryymoyod, in the south of Rosiland. Ryymoyod was close to Vilvere Castle, home to the renowned Vilvere Order and the largest brick castle in the world. The Vilvere Order is a holy order of dragonslayers whose ultimate loyalty rests with Solanius and his pantheon.

Angela's parents sent her off to the Order when she was six years old to eventually become a priestess; Angela was excited about the prospects and was one of the most enthusiastic students in the castle; however, when her lessons were over she spent some of her time pestering the local knights to teach her how to use a sword. She was determined to learn all that she could about being a part of the Order, and knights tended to be the most well-taught in the whole organisation.

While few knights were women, the men were rarely put off since Angela showed a willingness to learn that many male squires did not - initially, it was just a fun way for both Angela and the knights to pass the time. After some time, however, the knights realised that she showed potential and with the right guidance, she had the capacity to become a knight herself.

Much of her life in the castle consisted of training to become both a priestess and a knight - knight training in the Order was unusual, in that squires must learn magic as well as swordsmanship. Magic training begins early because it is one of their main methods for defeating dragons in battle.

Her training was difficult and it took years and years to complete. Finally, when she was 19 she completed both of her training programmes. Because she did two lots of training, she was ultimately given a choice of whether she wanted to become a dragonslayer or a priestess - by this stage, Angela had seen how the world really was, and ultimately decided that she could do more good as a knight of the Order. In addition, her knowledge as a priestess would likely come in handy anyway, as there was no shortage of simple people looking for the word of the Gods. After her knighting ceremony, she was granted the rank of Chevaleresse.

She went on to participate in the Eastern Crusade along with the vast majority of her comrades; she took part in the disastrous 'Battle of the Red Flats', where the Western army was soundly and decisively defeated by the Easterners. The soldiers and knights that routed were ran down by Eastern cavalry, while those that surrendered found themselves at the stake if they weren't killed outright. Angela managed to escape with her life, but many of her brothers and sisters within the Order's ranks had perished.

Upon seeing the massacre of her friends by their heretic foes, Angela was filled with nothing but hatred for Easterners of any walk of life. When the Order regrouped, the decimated army spent the Crusade laying siege to and conquering Sindhusi-held castles and towns; if any Easterners were found within (they always were), then Angela and other Vilvere knights killed them without a second thought. She stayed in the East for two years without any contact with her friends and family back home; when the weary army returned back to Vilvere Castle, Angela had become extremely bitter from her experiences, but surprisingly, her faith wasn't shaken.

Since she was knighted, Angela has risen through the Order's ranks at a reasonable pace; by the time the story begins, she is officially a Chevaleresse-Lieutenant. Angela, when present at Vilvere Castle, is in charge of the day-to-day running of castle's priory. However, she is sometimes sent out to cities across the Solanian world to carry out various tasks for local Order chapters or the Church.

Motivation: Angela believes that Htraknu is a serious threat to the Solanian Faith and to all people (living and dead) in the entire world. In addition, she believes that as a dragonslayer, she is obliged to at least attempt to hunt down and kill the dragon-god like the heretic it is.
Magic: As mentioned above, Angela acquired her knowledge of magic from her training in the Vilvere Order; the vast majority of her knowledge is mainly fire- and ice-based, though she has a little bit of knowledge in shield spells as well.
Skills/Strengths: As a knight and a dragonslayer, she is a superb swordfighter and her skill in the magical arts is also very good. In addition, she is strong-willed and does not lack determination.
Weaknesses: She has a tendency to put her religion and her Gods above plenty of other things; many people would call her zealous. Angela also has a tendency to try to help the common person as much as she can, even if it may be at odds with her assignment - that said however, she treats adventurers and landless/wandering knights with nothing other than absolute contempt.
Gear: imgur.com/a/x3CxTB6 + appearance
Other: Yes - she has a plethora of other weaknesses, some of them almost crippling, though I will refrain from mentioning them since it could compromise her story immediately, which isn't satisfying. If I need to tell the GM what they are, I will.