There are a myriad of religions scattered throughout Ithea. Below is a compendium of some of the most prominent.

In Ithea magic flows through most everyone and everything. Most people have some magic though for most it is latent and irrelevant to their lives. Only some have the ability to actually become mages. Only those who are mute or who have been forcefully muted have no capacity for magic. This means that they cannot perform magic, even blood magic. Adversely, they cannot be used as components for ritualistic magic either. Magic is about the ebb and flow of power, and it oft involves a trade of some sort or another. There are a number of magic foci.



In human societies magic is feared and controlled through decree. Upon discovery of high-magic capability, would-be-mages are forced to live in academies. They must undergo a Rite of Conscription, and choose one area of magic to focus on. Any mage practicing outside of their foci is branded a witch. If caught they are muted, and could potentially be put to death.


In elven societies, and in some parts of the Union, magic has typically been less heavily restricted. Elven culture encourages the exploration outside of one's foci. The mastering of more than one foci is rare, even for elves, but those who do are among the most powerful of mages. Muting is outlawed in all Elven holds (including Glimdale) save for extreme cases.

Name: Karlus Marsh

Titles: N/A

Aliases: Karl the Flame, The Half-Mage, The Half-Mad, The Half-Mute.

Age: 29

Race/Ethnicty: Human

Continent of Origin: Carthus

Gender: Male

Class/Subclass: Mage, Ruination


Strength: 10
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 20
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 12


Height: Five feet and seven inches.

Weight: Seven stone and nine pounds.

Appearance Description: Karlus the Half-Mage is a small, thin, waif-like man. He has not seen his thirtieth year, but bears many of the hallmarks of a much older man. His pale face seems unduly worn, his swept back hair is brittle and prematurely white. Deep bags hang beneath his strangely luminous green eyes and this, along with his general air of weariness, confirms that Karlus sleeps little each night. The features upon this gaunt and drawn face are fine and effeminate, and could be considered handsome in another life. Handsome that is were it not for a hideous scar that mars the right side of his face.

Day To Day Attire: He dresses in faded black leathers beneath which the clink of mail can be heard, covered by a grey hooded great cloak clasped with a silver ring pin. From Karlus's sword belt hangs more silver, a silver-hilted short sword, its pommel set with a green cats eye stone. It seems to glow unnaturally in darkness. His left arm is bound and bandaged beneath his cloak.

Strengths:

• Knowledgeable in many academic subjects, particularly those related to the arcane.
• Relatively powerful mage.
• Skilled in countering other magical users.

Weaknesses:

• Emotionally unstable and subject to periods of mania and depression.
• Suffers from a sickly constitution and often physically unwell.
• Mistrustful of others.

Eurdite * Compassionate * Unstable * Secretive * Ruthless

Sexuality: Unknown

Relationship Status: Single

Personality: Karlus is a person who often comes across cold and reserved when first met, not in a cruel or uncaring way, but as if separated from all others around him by an immense unseen chasm. Distant is probably the lasting impression that he leaves on acquaintances. He has a habit of gazing off into the middle distance, almost as if he’s looking right though someone to something beyond. Normally he’s quiet, in particular about himself and his history, and when pressed upon a subject he does not want to discuss will be highly evasive. Despite this its easy to see that he someone of considerable learning and intelligence by the cerebral nature of his conversation. If Karlus were to smile it would normally be a sad one, his laughs are harsh and a little unhinged. He sleeps little, haunted by nightmares that make him wake in fits of terrible screams.

There is some hint madness in him as well, one that manifests in periods of energetic mania followed by deep and dark depressions. During his mania he will often rant and rave on the nature and theory of magic to anyone who will listen to him, and is prolific in the creation of treatise, papers, plans and schemes. During his inward periods he becomes even more uncommunicative, scarcely eating or sleeping, burying himself in his books and maintaining absolute solitude.

Habits:

• Scratching at the scar on the side of his face or at his bandaged arm.
• Plays with fire when bored, passing a single flame from finger tip to finger tip.
• Staring out into the middle distance for extended periods of time.
• When nervous paces and moves incessantly.
• Fitful sleeper.

Hobbies:

• Amateur antiquarian/historian.
• Calligraphy

Fears:

• Tightly enclosed spaces or being restrained.
• His mentor.
• Muting.

Likes:

• Learning new things.
• Shadows/night time.
• Children and animals.
• Personal Space.
• Hot baths.
• Good wine.

Dislikes:

• Being touched.
• Sleeping.
• College trained mages.
• Vulnerability.
• Telling the truth.
• The muted.

• Arcana: The knowledge of all things related to magic and its practice.
• History: The knowledge of the past ages.
• Perception: The ability to keep watch and notice things.
• Short-blade: The use of daggers and short swords.
• Multi-lingual: Languages include Common, Old Speak, Elven and Old Elven.
• Keen memory: The ability to recall details and information with ease.

Ruination focus with an emphasis on fire magic and rending.

Spell list:

• Produce Flame - a gout of flame created in the palm, can be thrown offensively.
• Burning Hands - a large burst of flame in a cone like projection.
• Hold Person - using rending magic to prevent a person from moving.
• Telekinesis - using rending magic to move, manipulate and levitate small objects.

Possessions Generally On Person:

• Dagger: A short utilitarian knife.
• Waterskin: A flask for containing water or another liquid.
• Coin-purse: A pouch containing money and valuables.
• Good Boots: A pair of unusually nice and expensive boots.
• Journal: A leather bound journal tucked into a pocket of Karlus's cloak.
• A pocket mirror: To check appearance

Armor:

• Chain-shirt: A shirt of chain mail.
• Leather Jerkin: A black leather sleeveless jacket.

Pack Contents:

• Bedroll: A bedroll for sleeping rough.
• Walking stave: A staff for walking extended distances.
• Books and scrolls: Mostly relating to arcane matters
• Ink, paper, quill: Used for writing
• Rations Food for one or two days.
• Ritual Components Chalk, incense, crow feathers etc.

Magical Items:

• Green Flame Blade: The silver hilted short sword at Karlus's hip. The blade burns with green fire when activated.
• Alchemical Tincture: A potion of troll pepper, nightshade, and witch hazel. Assists with Karlus's various injuries and ailments.

History: A mage-blade known as Karl the Flame arrived in Carthus from the lands of Penault around five years ago. He said he was trained in the arts of ruination by the Elves of that land. He quickly found employment as a bodyguard and adviser to various small time crime bosses and underworld figures who valued the protection against magical threats a pet mage provides. There are many inconsistencies in the story he presents as his past, why would a man from Penault speak in with an Astorian accent? Why would an elf trained mage leave to work in the much more oppressive environs of Carthus?

But stranger still are whispers that the Karl conceals that brands of the muted... yet still somehow practices magic. And then there are the other whispers, those of the college mages that disappear or are found dead in gutters wherever the Karl the Flame goes.