Age: 36

Alignment: Mage
Affiliation: Covenant of Scholars
Personality: William has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Literally being a walking library, William has no patience for fools - anyone who has no desire to seek knowledge like him. Fitting right in with the more intellectual types, William usually refuses to even acknowledge "brutes". However, if those "brutes" display a desire to learn more, William will quickly become the best teacher they ever had.

Bio: Born to a family of servants, who watched over a noble's huge library - a massive building full of books. It was their job to organize and catalogue the books, as well as taking care of them and the building itself. As soon as he could read, William started figuratively devouring books, one by one. Unlike anyone else, William displayed an uncanny talent to remember everything he read, capable of reciting entire books just out of memory. The noble they served made use of this, going as far as adopting him and parading him around, all for his own selfish goals. Nevertheless, William soon joined the top of the intellectual community of Meldiniar, and even had meetings with Dwarven inventors - a rare honor for a human.

But for all his success, William harbored a secret - his memory, his knowledge was caused by the Arcane power inside him. Though unlike most mages, his powers don't have visible effects, like creating sparks or moving objects without touching them. Careful about not being discovered, he sought protection and work in the vast underworld of the empire. It is there where he met Deliah Eternus and learned of his plan - a plan that works perfectly for him.

Power Description: William has little combat capabilities, though he can quickly disable an attacker, he lacks any direct combat magic or even fighting skills. He usually relies on his knowledge of the opponents biological and physiological weaknesses to overcome threats.
Spells:

• Lorekeeper - the passive magical effect that allows him to "store" any and all knowledge, which can also be used by his other spells. He can "load" one topic at a time, like "Medicine" and have full access to everything he knows about the specific topic, and not anything else. Switching topics requires a few moments of concentration. Since all of his stored knowledge requires magic to "access" and "remember", if he is for any reason unable to use magic, he cannot access his knowledge. Without anything "loaded", William is still extremely intelligent, just not the point he remembers every sentence he read in a book.


• Analyze - William places a minor enchantment on any object or creature, instantly "loading" all he knows about said object or creature. Furthermore, as long as the spell is in effect, he will be able to fully learn any move or spell the target uses. However, this information must be "loaded" just like everything else. And even though William might learn how a master swordsman fights, he still lacks the strength and muscle memory to copy it completely.


• Mend - William's healing differs from regular magic healing in that instead of just dramatically boosting a body's regeneration, he uses his own anatomical knowledge to heal. Though this process is far slower, it also has no side effects, nor can be interfered with various healing reduction magical effects.


• Exhaust - By manipulating the air composition around a target, William is able to quickly tire out and exhaust an attacker, without killing it. This spell is completely useless against anything that does not breathe.

Skills:

• Meditation - William does not sleep. Instead, he goes into a trance-like state, browsing and cross-referencing the knowledge contained inside him. However, he needs more time to achieve same level of rest than compared to just sleeping.

Equipment: None
Other: William has absolutely no sense of humor. Even though he sometimes tries to be "funny".

Age: 21

Alignment - Paladin
Affiliation - Covenant of Scholars

Personality - Alicia is a naive idealist, yet unfamiliar with the harsh reality of the world. Always with a cheerful smile on her face, and completely socially inept. Her childhood limited her social interactions, so she is not exactly sure what is offensive and what is not, and is easy to be offended herself. Due to her status, she always assumes she is in charge of her peers, though she respects the Paladin hierarchy and the chain of command. Her more courtly way of speaking makes for some issues when trying to talk with people of lesser birth, as they usually don't even understand or are annoyed by her mannerisms. And yet, when things get serious, Alicia changes completely - becoming solely focused on ending the fight.

Bio - Since birth, Alicia was taught and trained in a skill set that would allow her to join the paladins, and excel. Her father, though maintaining a guise of a loyal noble, did not forget what was taken away from him, and was plotting every single waking moment of his life. And Alicia were to follow his ideals, and be his eyes and ears from within. However, Deliah was still a loving father, and gave her everything he could, while trying not to spoil her... too much. Alicia's childhood consisted of luxury, lessons and training that very few children ever receive.

By the age of 13, she could almost go toe to toe with her combat instructors, if not for her natural strength disadvantage. Educated in etiquette, management, leadership and battlefield tactics, and imprinted with her father's ideals, Alicia was ready to join the Paladin training. Due to Deliah's connections, he knew very well of what the Paladin training is like, and the girl was prepared accordingly to deal with the strict discipline and indoctrination that will occur, without arousing suspicion.

Her days as an initiate were a mixed bag. She was raised to be a Paladin, and was completely prepared for anything thrown at her. Except socialization. Viewed as a "pampered daddy's girl who just wants to prove something" by some, a "Deliah's political move" by others, Alicia made very few friends. She did, however, prove that she is extremely capable combatant, probably the best one in her class. But even then, she had her personal maids in the barracks, doing all the chores and everything else for her, which raised more than a few eyebrows. Though anyone living in the same barracks did not mind that fact, at all. But in the end, Deliah's plan succeeded. Alicia became a paladin, passing everything with flying colors, and opportunities for her to join the Inquisitors arisen - just like he planned, while the girl still remained loyal to his cause.

Becoming one of the first members of Deliah's freshly created Covenant of Scholars, Alicia was granted official citizenship, and widely regarded a role model for other nobles. But after all this, Alicia was still with no true friends.

Power Description - Alicia supplements her aggressive fighting style by conjuring swords of light and manipulating them in various ways.
Spells:

• Sword of Light - Conjures a sword of light a bit above her shoulder, which can be fired on command. Up to 4 swords can be on standby. These require no extra gestures on Alicia's part, and are extremely deadly when released mid-attack. Swords create a small explosion of light on impact.


• Bladewall - Creates a small wall made from multiple Swords of Light pointing outwards. The blades can be released at will. Only one wall can exist at anyone time, and blades can only shoot forward.


• Shadow Eater - Detonates a Sword of Light, spreading tiny particles of light over a large area. Used to provide a minimal source of light, weaken or outright disable various magical cloud effects, and to weaken various supernatural senses. Multiple nearby detonations amplify the effect.


• Ring of Blades - Creates a dome-like formation of blades around the target.

Skills:

• Teathron Style - An exotic fighting style of forgotten origin. Utilizes two longswords of varying weight and length, this combat style leaves little room for opponents to retaliate, relying on evasion and parries for defense. To an outside observer, this combat style looks like a dance, a dance with two sharp swords swinging around.


• Tactician - Though lacking actual combat experience, Alicia is able to recognize and perform various tactical moves.


• Etiquette - While rather obnoxious to anyone trying to speak to her casually, it makes her invaluable when dealing with other nobles, allowing Alicia to mingle among them without drawing much attention.


• Wealthy - While not much of skill, money is never an issue for Alicia. Well, her father's money.

Equipment - Alicia is equipped with mastercraft light armor, decorated and fitted exactly for her, as well as the two swords. Compared to regular equipment most paladins are issued with, her gear is leagues above.
Other - Due to her lifestyle, Alicia is unable to take care of herself. On her own, she would quickly just starve to death, as everything was taken care off by her maids ba

Sylvestra Wyrmire

Age:
28

Sex:
Female

Alignment:
Paladin

Affiliation:
The Vanguard
(I suppose the military covenant of Meldiniar?)

Personality:
Described as a ruthless tactician dedicated to eradicating all illegal magicians from the land. While she is cold and calculating, she is not unfeeling. She has great love in her family of husband and two sons but feels she must set them out of her mind when doing her duty as a Paladin - which is most of the time.
She is a commander of sorts, often in charge of leading men into battle or laying strategies, which perfectly fit her "ruthless tactician" description. In short, enemies of Sylvestra are battled with any means available to her, and friends taken care of the same way: by any means.
She views all fellow paladins with respect and all mages with suspicion if not disgust. She feels the magic has caused so much suffering over the ages that it must be removed completely, and the light take it's place.

Bio:
Grew up in the capital, the youngest of her siblings, with two older brothers that were supposed to grow up and follow in their father's footsteps. He was a military commander and an accomplished one at that, proudly serving under Grinnoc. Her mother was a housewife and spent much time with Sylvestra and her older brothers while their father was away, his duty always calling him away from his family. Her father spent so little time with the family, in fact, that Sylvestra and her brothers grew up basicly only on the stories they had heard of their father. That he was a mighty warrior, a seasoned commander, a veteran... Needless to say, they all grew up in awe of their father, dreaming of the day they would follow his footsteps. Even Sylvestra did, despite her brothers teasing her and her mother telling her war isn't a place for a lady.

Her father was so successfull in combating the mages that they plotted to have him removed. When Sylvestra was 12, her older brothers were 15 and 17. The assassins came into their home in the night, but couldn't find the commander. They had been misinformed - he didn't stay at his home much at all! The three of them began arguing silently in the dark of the hallway, when Sylvestra suddenly appeared in the hallway. It was late at night and she couldn't sleep, so she was going to her brothers' room. The assassins stopped and stared at her as she stood unmoving in the hallway, shocked. A few seconds passed by, when finally Sylvestra found the strength to scream, her voice having faltered her before. The assassins lunged at her, but instead bumped into her older brothers who came storming out of the room, alarmed. In the heat of the moment, Sylvestra rushed downstairs, hearing the sound of metal scraping, moans and thuds. She reached the streets below, and luckily ran straight into the arms of a night patroll. When they rushed back up the stairs however, the assassins had fled and instead they found the bodies of two young boys, with their mother weeping over them.
She didn't know then that it was mages that had come to kill her father, but so angry was she as she continued to grow that she decided to take her brothers' place in military service. She enlisted at 17.

When learning that it was mages that had come to attempt the life if her father and instead killed her older brothers, Sylvestra hungered for revenge. The stories of Grinnoc came to mind, of how his power could burn away the mages' magic itself and directly counter them. She dedicated her entire being into harnessing that power and joining the Paladins. Eventually, at the age of 20, she was strong enough to begin the Paladin training. Her military training before that hadn't been easy for a young girl like herself, but her determination and iron will kept her from breaking. She did it for her brothers. She had endured it, and passed it with cunning and intelligence more than with mere brawn.
The training to become a Paladin was even worse, and now she found herself under heavy pressure every day. No longer could she "outsmart" the training. She had to adapt, and without knowing it the training made her stronger in body than she had ever been. This in combination with her sharp mind was what made her complete this training.

Then finally came the day where she would undergo the dangerous ritual to wield the powers of the light. While she cannot remember the ritual itself, she remember waking up in a bed after three days in a coma. Her body was broken, her mind hurt, but her spirit remained. The strength of her brothers empowered her, and she eventually recovered, finding herself successfull in the ritual and thereby able to wield the Light, or nega-magic as the scholars had called it.
From that day, age 23, Sylvestra began serving in the Vanguard Covenant, dedicated to combating the mages wherever they are and remove whatever threat they prove to be. Over the years she grew in rank and she went from veteran to low-officer, and continued to climb. Eventually, she became the commander of one of the groups within the Covenant, but she means not to stop there. She is bent on continuing her climb, for in her mind, the higher the rank the higher the authority, and the higher the authority the greater means of which to remove the mages from these lands are available to her.

((Note that the part of what became of her parents after her brothers' deaths and how she started a family of her own has been left out. I didn't see them as incredibly important and would just make this sheet much longer. It can be explained ICly instead.))

Power Description:
Sylvestra knows that one man's strength is nothing compared to the strength of many. As such, she has dedicated her powers to empowering her soldiers rather than use it to destroy individual mages. She can still fight, of course, but she is a commander and as such rather see her men safe and strong than gain personal triumph. In battle, she uses her power to increase moral and heighten spirits, empowering the weapons or armor of the soldiers under her command. Both offense and defense she uses it this way, but are sometimes bound to improvise.
In a one-on-one battle, she can use this magic on her own equipment, strengthening her own blows or blinding her opponent.

Spells:
Empower Weapon - Channeling nega-magic into her own or her soldiers' weapons, she can cause hits with said weapons to have the same effect as the magic itself has. For example nega-magic countering arcane magic, but through the form of a blow with a weapon.

Empower Defense - Channels nega-magic into her own or her soldiers' armor or shields, causing them to be extra resistant toward arcane magics and works as spell-shields of sorts. Works the same way nega-magic and arcane magic works when clashing, so the stronger the arcane magic attacking, the stronger the nega-magic infused into the armor or shield have to be.

Empower Morale - The same way that Sylvestra can infuse armor and weapons with nega-magic, so can she empower herself or her soldiers with it. Their bodies become termporarily strengthened by the nega-magic, causing them to do increased damage to arcane-magicians through weapon blows and makes them extra resistant to arcane magic that would strike them. This spell takes more power to work however, and as such is more tiring to use and can't be used as long.

Skills:
Experienced Tactician - Sylvestra has commanded men in battle and created combat strategies for a few years now and as such is capable of giving out orders in the heat of the moment and assess situations and plan around them.

Cold Iron Will - Because of her ruthless nature gained the day her brothers were murdered, Sylvestra has learned to keep calm even during the most stressfull of situations. Her will is iron and her mindset cold and calculating. Breaking her mentally is therefore incredibly hard.

Weaponmastery - During the years of training, Sylvestra has mastered many weapons and as such is able to fight well with most melee arms available. (Swords, maces, axes, pikes, spears, flails, etc). This includes shields of all kinds aswell.

Equipment:
Wears armor fitting to her rank and stature, but prefers to sacrifice some of the heavy protection for flexibility. Her armor is therefore light plate rather than the heavy plate most Paladins tend to wear.
In combat her weapons of choice are a longsword and a round shield or alternatively a halberd.

Other:
None at this time.

Name: Shara Vey

Appearance:

Shara stands taller than most other women, able to look most men in the eye. She keeps her brown hair above her shoulders, a style originating of rebellion, and continued through habit. While she is no pampered statue as so many other noblewoman, it is obvious Shara is no warrior.

Gender: Female

Age: 20

Alignment: Mage

Covenant/Affiliation: Member of Vey family, University Student

Personality: Shara is inquisitive to a fault. Her curiosity often lead her into places and subjects where she is not welcome. She can become easily distracted when working with something she considers dull, welcoming any excuse to move to something more interesting. She enjoys the company of others, and abhors fighting with others, preferring to find a diplomatic solution. Although usually kind, Shara often peruses her goals with a single-mindedly, unwittingly hurting and using those around her to reach those goals.

Shara is a very trusting individual, almost naive. She is quick to forgive as well, though those who have hurt or scared her lose the implicit trust she grants most people. Although open about all else, Shara is very shy regarding her magic.

Biography: Shara is the second daughter of a minor noble, with three elder brothers. The early years of her life were spent in ease, running through the Vey family's manor and the surrounding gardens. Being the youngest child of five, she was not burdened with the responsibilities of the others. She would not need to inherit and manage the estates, as her eldest brother Gregor would, nor did she have to face the trials of becoming a paladin as Jerem would. With Elana as her elder sister, she didn't even have to fear an early political marriage to some nasty lord, far away. She and Alend, the youngest brother, were the two who had their lives open. At least that was how she thought at the time.

Yet, things were fated to change. In her tenth year, her brother Alend discovered he was a mage. Dutifully, and blissfully unaware of how terrible the consequences would be, he turned himself over to be purified. When he was released by the paladins, he was not the same. He had great difficulty bearing the pain, and would often spend days paralyzed, occasionally breaking into convulsions and screams. A year later, he vanished, only to be found floating face down in the Vey's decorative fountain. So when Shara discovered she was a mage herself, she was very cautious in keeper her powers hidden, determined not to go through the torment that ended her brother's life.
Years passed, and Shara managed to keep her powers hidden, very rarely using them, despite how the magic seemed to call to her, to want to be used. It frightened her how it burned inside of her. Jerem went off to the mainland to become a paladin, Elana was dutifully betrothed to some other lords son, and sailed away shortly after. And while time passed, Shara learned, and that learning made her hungry for more. Her parents hired her a tutor, and she was taught to read and write, the basic history of the land, and of math and natural philosophy. Eventually, with the help of her tutor, she convinced her parents to send her to learn at Tiena University, for they could not afford to send her to the capital.

And so Shara left the island that had been her home for most of her life, and ventured out into the mainland. Tiena was a fairly small town, and it seemed to have grown up around the University, rather than the town existing first. She felt an odd sense of safety in the town. Perhaps it was the lack of paladins, or that it distanced her from the memories of Alend's torture and death. But finally, in her seventeenth year, she began to try using her powers.

Power Description: Shara is a deceiver. An illusionist. She can manipulate light, and eventually sound, smell, as well creating perceived touch. However that is far away, and she can currently only perform simple manipulations of light.

Spells/Abilities:

Illuminate: In it's current form, this spell creates a heatless flame to light up an area, however with more skill, it can be refined to create varying degrees of brightness, or can be controlled to only shine in certain directions, and create various colors.

Darken: A complement to illuminate. Unlike illuminate, which creates a point which eminates non-magical light, darken acts like a coating, sucking in light and making things seem darker. Darken can be used in conjunction with illuminate to create illusions. Things that aren't really there, but appear to all as if they are. At her current skill, these illusions are either small, or lack detail. Shara cannot yet control darken on its own, and only knows how to use it with Illuminate to create illusions.

Noise: The ability to create the illusion of sound from a given point. Shara does not yet know she can do this.

Scent: The ability to create the illusion of a smell. Shara does not yet know she can do this.

Other Skills:

Education: Having spent three years at the University before the call was sent out, and having spent time learning prior to that, Shara has a wide range of skills and knowledge. She knows basic healing and anatomy, surgery, and basic alchemy. Shara also has some knowledge of history, literature, architecture, and natural philosophy, although these will not likely be helpful in times to come. She is decent at sketching, though art is hardly a strong point of hers. Although she has a wide breadth of knowledge and skills, she is not specialized in any of them, and any who have specifically been trained will be able to outperform her.

Other: Shara is by no means a warrior. She has no fighting skills, and little experience surviving out in the world.

Appearance:


Underneath the armor, He has short, neatly-cut, black hair, and rugged (nearly clean-shaven) facial hair. His eyes are a deep blue color, and he has a light skin tone. Whenever he isn't wearing his armor, he usually wears a combination of a white shirt, and brown leather pants, often accompanied by a white cloak bearing the symbol of the Paladins of Meldiniar. Underneath the cloak is usually a brown belt carrying his sword and dagger.

Name: Varkasan Trenact

Age: 21
Sex: Male

Alignment: Paladin
Affiliation: The Guardians

Personality: Varkasan is a very approachable fellow, despite how some people may view Paladins. He is friendly to nearly everyone he meets, while still maintaining the image and discipline of Paladins as an elite fighting force of the Meldiniar Kingdom. He tries his best to find a peaceful solution to conflicts, and will avoid violence if at all possible. However, this does not mean he is any less capable in combat. Varkasan is a skilled swordsman, with his early training, he knows numerous ways to tackle an armed opponent. His skill is also backed by an unwavering drive to fulfill his duty as a Paladin. His loyalty to their cause is almost zealot-like, as he will do whatever it takes to bring to justice, anyone (magic-user or not) he believes to be a threat to his kingdom. Because of this, he is nearly incorruptible, and will most likely choose duty over any temptations and emotions.

Bio: Varkasan was born to a family who resided in the town of Paltrica, located near the Meldiniar capital. His father was a soldier, while his mother was a simple housewife. He lived a relatively normal life for a boy like himself. Though he had always looked up to his father and aspired to follow in his footsteps. His father often taught him different sword-fighting techniques in order to prepare him for the future, as he always expected his son to inherit his abilities and put them to good use. At the age of 17, Varkasan enlisted into the military and quickly made himself known to his superiors with his combat skills, and unwavering loyalty to Meldiniar. His ability to resist both fear and temptation so that he can carry out his orders made him a candidate for becoming a Paladin. Since The Paladins are considered the most prestigious warriors in Meldiniar, at the age of 19, Varkasan accepted the offer without hesitation.

He spent the next two years undergoing the special training needed in order to wield the “divine power of Light”. The two years were some of the hardest of his life, but his zeal managed to carry him through where some would surrender. Nearing the end of the two-year mark, Varkasan’s body was about ready to give, but his spirit refused to stop. At the end of his training, he underwent the dangerous initiation needed to hold the power of Light, and he survived. Though Varkasan could remember none of what happened, he was both joyful and relieved.

After being put into The Paladins, Varkasan was put into The Guardians. A Paladin branch dedicated to the defense of Meldiniar and her people from any Mages who would dare cause destruction and disruption of the peace. Despite his skills and iron will, Varkasan is still new to The Paladins and the way they work, and so he still has much to learn.

Power Description:

"The Gift of Light" - Varkasan's abilities are centered around being able to both coat and imbue objects with light energy. Using this, he can make his shield and armor repulse most magic thrown against it. While using it on other objects will allow him to turn things, from his swords and weapons to the most unsuspecting everyday object, into a weapon of light. Varkasan usually coats his equipment with Light during combat, in order to increase their effectiveness against Mages. However, he has almost no way to fight from a distance, and will often have to rely on allies when fighting Mages from long-range. Otherwise, he simply defends himself as he tries to turtle his way closer to his enemy.

Spells:

• Shield of Light - Varkasan will enchant an object, covering it with the power of Light Energy. This is usually used on his combat equipment, though he can also use it for other things if the situation calls for it. The intensity of the light depends on how much energy the wielder chooses to coat the object with. While he cannot create his own Light weapons, he can transform regular equipment into anti-mage weapons of equal caliber.



• Holy Flare - Varkasan will transfer Light Energy inside of the object (as oppossed to simply covering it). This will render the object unstable, and it will disintegrate and explode into a small ball of pure Light Energy after a few seconds, scorching any living creature and Magic Energy caught within a small shockwave when it explodes. The Flare will also remain in the air for 30 seconds (or less, depending on how much Magic Energy is thrown against it), and will release a weak aura that slowly burns away at Magic Energy close to it. It can also act as a light source due to the brightness of the flare. This ability lets Varkasan turn most everyday objects into lethal explosives.



• Burning Reflection - This ability is focused on assisting fellow Paladins. When a Paladin uses a more offensive type of Light Energy (such as using weapons or projectiles of pure light), Varkasan can put them in contact with his equipment (or basically, have them hit him) and amplify their power before "reflecting" the attack towards an actual target. This allows the attack to have as much as double or triple the intensity of its original strength, depending on how much energy Varkasan puts into it. This only works however, if the equipment it goes into contact with is under the effects of "Shield of Light". Otherwise (while he can still reflect the attack to hit something else), the power will not be increased.

Skills:

- Swordsmanship: Trained from a young age, Varkasan has skills that can rival some of the finest warriors in Meldiniar. However, he is not very effective in combat without his weapons.
- Loyalty: Varkasan will never turn his back on Meldiniar and its people. He will brush aside temptations to betray them, and will take on even the most terrifying of threats if necessary. Though, he does keep an open mind on some things, his loyalty to his kingdom is the one thing he cannot be persuaded otherwise about.
- Negotiation/Understanding: Thanks to his ability to listen and understand the point of view of others, he is often able to resolve disputes in a peaceful manner. In fact, he prefers a solution without bloodshed if at all possible. He values all forms of life and views unnecessary death to be a waste.
- Knowledge of animals: Spending time in farms during his free time (back in his childhood), Varkasan is familiar with the behavior of many domestic animals, and can put it to use when the time calls for it. However, his knowledge of wilder species is limited.

Equipment:

• Custom Paladin armor


• Kite Shield


• "Sentinel", his steel sword


• Silver dagger


• White cloak


• A container of water


• A small pouch attached to his belt for carrying various objects

Other: Dunno what else you need to know about him...

Name:
Calista Monsou

Age:
23
Sex:
Female

Alignment:
Mage
Affiliation:
None
Personality:
Energetic, playful, and approachable are all good words to describe Calista. Despite her hardships or setbacks, she is a positive person with a good heart. Having been an outcast her whole life, both by being a mage and having elven blood, she empathizes with those who are misunderstood or otherwise expunged from society. She tries to help anyone she can, especially other mages. She will go to great lengths, even for the benefit of a stranger, to fight against the repression of magic. She isn't offended easily, and has a slow temper. When she does get mad, her anger manifests in thought-out attacks and premeditated actions. Calista is a smart young woman, and when she feels someone needs justice she is not afraid to take matters into her own hands.
Bio:
Calista was born to a human mother and elven father. Her father, Kularow, came to human's lands to study their behavior and society. According to Calista's mother, he had watched them for some time, the race as a whole, from the outskirts of the Forest. He said he wasn't popular because of his curiosity, and although he wasn't hated for his interest, most elves did not like humans and stayed away from them. The elves, at least where he had come from, had viewed humans as... lesser beings, and had little desire for contact. That apparently didn't sway Kularow from studying them.

When Calista was born, her parents lived quietly, unobtrusively, in a small village in the West of the kingdom. Her father yearned to go live in the capital, to compare trade, but he knew his kind were strangers there, and feared what would happen to his daughter. So, they lived in small village, for him to still study human culture, called Fruor. The half elf was raised with love, and her young childhood was a peaceful and relatively safe time. The small town had quickly warmed to the strange elf and his adorable daughter. The only secret Kularow kept was his magic ability.

Calista first showed ability when she was six, and her training began immediately. Her training went easily and slowly at first because of her young age, but progressed as she did, becoming harder each year. Her father was a strict teacher, and pushed her to her limits. Calista loved every minute of it. She was eager to reach her father's skill. She had her father's skill in magic, the ability to commune with the earth and have it work for the caster. At first, it was nothing more than compiling dirt into compact bricks and, later, boulders, to the more complicated shaping of stone techniques that took her long to grasp. It is actually a specific special memory of hers, the night she had turned a block of stone into a more spherical shape, and her father was incredibly pleased. When Calista was young and being trained by her father, he used to speak of their kind's magical ability often. He spoke of great of feats of magic, both real and imagined, that helped shape the culture and daily lives of the Elven populace. He didn't speak specifically about the people or place though, just the magic tales to inspire her. He had never liked to talk of the people, and Calista and her mother knew his missed his homeland. He did teach her the elven language, which few humans find able to master.

When the half-elf was 16, her father died tragically in a storm. The village had evacuated to higher ground, Calista and her mother included, but her father had stayed to help gather the people who were still evacuating. Both he and the group he was leading were crushed by a windswept tree, or at least that was what Calista's mother was told. From then on, they survived thanks to the good of their neighbors, who employed her for odd jobs around the community for work. Calista, by that time proficient with her magic, and worked with their defense force. But by the time she was 20, she had grown restless, and she soon left home.

In her travels, she has had quite a few escapades, but over time she realized the cause of these were never her race, ideology, or actions, but because of her magical ability. She has developed a strong resentment for any threat against mages, and has begun to help more and more, whether it be a small family in need of escape or money, or an organization requesting her help.

Power Description:
Calista communes with the earth, through prayer to the Earth Mother, Cybele, to shape stone and dirt.
Spells:

• Rock Armor: Calista can either mold stone to fit her body in thin plates, or has a revolving shield of earthen slabs around her person.
• Throwing Stones: Calista can throw slabs of stone or masses of dirt and plant life at her enemies. The distance is relative to the weight of the projectile. For closer range, she can shoot a buckshot of light stones or pebbles.
• Heal: The half-elf can knit flesh and mend bones, depending on the wound's severity.
• Encourage Growth: She cannot spawn plant life, but she can encourage rapid growth, seeding, or other development in already sprouted plants.

Skills:

• Contrasting Attitudes: Her attitude and contagious smile often make people feel welcomed around her, and despite her initial strangeness, always makings lasting friendships and other beneficial relationships in her travels. Not only that, but her demeanor makes any social situation easy and propitious. However, when speaking elvish, wielding her elvish staff, and summoning magic that feels different even to those untrained in the art, she can become intimidating and fearsome, especially to those who aren't used to magic. She knows how to use this to her advantage.
• Animal Empathy: The half-elf can calm and, in a way, communicate with animals. They take a liking to her and work well under her direction.
• Unwavering Determination: She is a girl who struggles for what she has. She has no home, and must survive by use of her own intelligence and drive. She can get herself, and sometimes others, out of morale or emotional funks, and can invigorate people to keep working and striving.
• Herbal Alchemy: Calista has knowledge in the field of herbal medicine, and can often treat small ailments with simple concoctions and potions made from herbs, vegetable matter, and barks.

Equipment:

• Staff of Trampling Force: A staff that belonged to her father, it is of Elvish make. It is carved from a piece of straightened ivory, hollowed for mobility. The top has a parade of elephants carved into a socket on it's flat top, and a gray and black marbled stone, carved into the caricature of an elephant's head and flailing front legs, almost as if he were stampeding out of the staff's top, was embedded into the top of the staff. The shaft is smooth, and the whole staff is the cream color of aged elephant tusk. This staff helps Calista channel her magical abilities.
• Small Locket: A necklace that her mother gave her when she was young. It is a simple circle, silver in color, and inside is a piece of small parchment with tiny elvish writing. It is a prayer for the dead, and she keeps it for memory her father.

Other:
Nothing much

Age: Nineteen
Sex: Female

Alignment: Mage
Affiliation: None; yet.
Personality: Anwen is a rather quiet creature, who is often found lurking in the shadows or waiting until the perfect chance to strike. Since she is not a malicious being, many people classically mistake her for a thief or a possible threat if she is nearby. She prefers to stick to herself, for loneliness seems to be the only thing that she has ever known. Despite this flaw in her character, when she smiles, it often is like the sunshine on a rainy day. She is not afraid to put her input in a conversation, but she is rarely the one to start it. She won't fight or become angered unless provoked, giving her quite the "mood swing" when she does get pissed off. She does not feel the need to speak loudly and is often forgotten about, but she is wise in what she says, so it is best to quiet down and listen to her words of advice. She has a strong sense of justice and will take it into her own hands if she feels like someone is being abused or neglected. She has the mind of a wise man and the heart of a vigilante.
Bio: Anwen was born into a rather poor family, both of her parents were unable to use magic, and so when it was discovered that she was able to use it, they decided that it would be best to keep her hidden from the world. They made it seem as if she had died after she was a few years old, oftentimes leaving her on their farm if they had to go into the nearby village for trading purposes. Alas, because she had promised her parents that she would never use her magic--not even to protect them--she was completely unstable. The Arcane that ran through her veins started coming out in bursts and flares whenever she felt any strong emotions. This frightened her parents and when their barn had burnt to the ground-- it drew attention to them. They forced her to repress her emotions, telling her that it would be her downfall if she ever allowed her Arcane to be controlled by her emotions. Slowly, but surely, her bottled up powers came out with such a force that it nearly destroyed her and everything else they held dear. Taking this as a sign that she was no longer able to be protected by them, they sent her out into the world, telling her that there may well be other Mages that may help her train her magical abilities.

She went out into the world when she was young, but after many years of honing her own skills to fit her own needs, she found that she didn't really need a mentor. She allowed the Arcane to do as it will with her spirit, and she became rather powerful despite herself. Now she simply wanders the world, acting as a vigilante. Alas, she has been sighted and noted for the Paladins to find. She has been marked as the "Raven", since her black cloak that covers her from head to toe is her "trademark" of sorts. She could even be considered a type of "Robin Hood" in this time period.

Power Description: Arcane; illusion and very basic magic spells.
Spells:
Hidden Reflection - A spell that allows her to look into any reflective surface and use it to see through another reflective surface. If it's another's eyes, then she can see what they are seeing.
Shadow Blend - The ability to become one with the shadows. She can appear to even be another's shadow if she so chooses.
Glide - An ability that allows her to glide for short distances of time, but does not mean that she is truly "flying".
Fireball - Summons a simple fireball to be thrown at an enemy, or even used as a light source.
Skills:
Reflexes/Speed - Anwen's reflexes are swift and honed to be very elusive--almost catlike.
Climbing - Anwen is a master at climbing swiftly and surely to higher places.
Lying - Anwen is an adept liar, can convince almost anyone of anything.
Fencing - She picked up this ability from a blacksmith whom she'd helped a while back. Taught her the basics, but she had practiced enough that she became a phenominal swordsman.

Equipment: Her long black cloak (hood is pointed downward to give it the "beak" like appearance). Also has a small rapier that she named "Reborn", as she found that her life was given a new meaning when she took on the world.
Other: Meh?[/hider]

Conrad Felden

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Character Appearance:

Age: 22
Alignment: Paladin
Affiliation: The Vanguard
Personality: Having been raised and educated in the depths of Meldiniar Conrad has stiff and precise manners among the public. When in private with people who know him, Conrad shows a slightly rough but loyal attitude. He knows well the danger mages pose to the peace of his people, and will do what he can do protect that peace. Beyond that, Conrad has an incredibly high sense of honor and justice when it comes to dealing with other people.

In regards to the other Paladins, Conrad Felden has a little bit of awe and resentment. (So far as he was taught, all Paladins share similar experiences to his own when using their spells, but learned to control their emotions much better than he has ever managed.) Conrad possesses deep respect for what his comrades in arms do, and the sacrifices they make to keep the peace.

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Bio: Conrad was born an experiment. A child of a mage, guaranteed to wield magic as a gift- or curse- of his parents. He was given to the Inquisition willingly as a result of this lineage- but light magic showed little effect on the infant. Conrad possessed so little mana that it did little but spark and cause him to cry. Instead of disposing of him with other means, a plan was made. It was a waste of a perfectly weak mage to throw the child away when so much could be learned. A Inquisition ultimately decided to take responsibility for this particular project with a suggestion that satisfied law and amused the higher ranks. Raise the boy to a decent age, and put him through the ritual. A mage couldn’t survive the ritual, the obvious issue being their own magic abilities would likely backfire. But a mage with almost no ability? It was possible. And if such a mage could survive, his own magical advancement would slowly kill him over time. In the end, his own magic would eat him alive.

The experiment was approved as there was no risk to the institution itself, as someone with so little magic could be easily subdued by the weakest Paladin. Conrad Felden began life with a promise of an early death. The time of it dependent solely on his own advancements. As for his actual life, it was of beatings and constant learning. When he could walk and talk, he learned two arts, staying quiet and cleaning floors. Later came kitchen duties, and when he turned seven- life as a serving boy to the Paladins. This came along with some basic education, as it was important to the experiment that Conrad was heavily indoctrinated with the core beliefs and principles of the Paladins. As far as he was concerned, he was training to become one. His preparation to become a Paladin began when he turned ten. Monthly Conrad was ‘tested’ by the inquisition to observe his readiness for The Ritual. (Specifically to see if he was nearing the point where it would kill him.) The training was rough, and the suitability tests every month seemed increasingly unbearable to the boy. But, when he turned twelve, Conrad was relieved to know that he was ready.

The Ritual left Conrad fingertips from slipping off into The Abyss.

It was just over two moons before he recovered enough to leave his bed, with great pain. That was enough to continue training. As far as he was concerned, the loss of memory and his injuries were a sign that he had failed, as was the push to train harder. But he hadn’t. The next monthly test had shown no results. No pain, no burning, nothing. He must have passed, or failed horribly- no one would say anything. But the training stopped, and Conrad went back to the monotonous and harsh labor of upkeeping the Plateau. Testing stopped after it failed the next month. The failure and disgrace ruined him. The few other servants his own age scoffed and beat him. Conrad wasn’t a highandmighty Paladin in training anymore, just a regular servant like the rest. Before long Conrad was withdrawn and quiet, the perfect obedient servant. This carried on until his sixteenth year as the experiment. Conrad disappeared from management, and none of the other servants knew or cared where he went.

The Inquisitional branch that had created the experiment was determined to continue it, and that meant a continuation of training. As a boy Conrad had been incapable of some of the learning and tasks required of a Paladin, but at sixteen his body was prepared both mentally and physically to continue. And so they did.

Conrad reawoke one day roughly in his eighteenth year to the (false) information that he had just retaken and succeeded in the Ritual to become a Paladin. Of course he couldn’t remember the ordeal, no one could. But training extended to the use of his abilities, showing Conrad the true cost the other Paladins paid to create peace in the land. Each use of ones sacred abilities was painful, like thrusting ones hand in the fire. With time and practice Conrad’s abilities increased, as did his pain. It was just bearable, his entire life had been framed with pain, and this one was a familiar one. Each testing had brought this pain before his failed attempt. As a result, he could bear it and use the Blazing Light granted to him. On his twentieth year of life Conrad Felden became an official Paladin.

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Power Description: Conrad wields raw light magic with a rarely seen amount of power. Every use of magic causes immense pain, dependent on how much he uses, and how. The reason for this, and for unusual power he possesses, is that whenever Conrad uses his abilities as a Palidan, they are fueled by his own mana as well as that power granted him. The forced burning of his own energies is the cause of the incredible pain, and the gradual increase in power over time will lead to his own death. (Experts among the inquisitors have estimated this point to be between age 30-40, at his current growth of power.) This pain is also the reason he lacks refined control over his abilities.

Spells:
Blazing Body (Passive): The more magic Conrad uses, the brighter his body glows- this is residual of his mana burning, and is the cause of his pain. Spells focusing on certain body parts will affect those areas more. He has no choice in the matter, it just happens. Nearby mages can also be burned by this fire, and in a close situation, this could be considered for hand to hand combat.

Blazing Spirit (Passive): Conrad’s magic is greatly augmented by the mana he is burning. Despite the fact that the mana itself doesn’t represent a ton of power, it augments the power gained during the Paladin rituals. Because of the mana being burnt, Conrad’s light magic burns with heat like a real fire.

Blazing Beam: A beam of light magic, varying in diameter dependent upon how much energy is expended. The concentration of light is such that striking a mage with it is comparable to a soldier shot with an arrow. This can be predicted with careful attention, wherever the beam will come from will glow intensely a second from casting- and afterwords the beam will leave a slight trail in the air- displaced moisture and smoke.

Blazing Wall: A solid wall of raging light magic, useful for shielding against magical attacks, and even assaulting large groups. This can be predicted simply by watching Conrad’s gestures; a stomp forward to shoot a raging wall of fire out him, a wide sweeping hand gesture to indicate a wall in front of him. This magic will start at whatever limb casted it and sweep outward to form the wall.

Skills:
High Pain Tolerance: Conrad has lead a rough life, and can take a lot of pain easily. This tolerance is barely enough to stand using his spells, but Conrad can easily take kicks, punches, and even light cuts/stab wounds with barely a flinch. Doesn’t mean they won’t bring him down though.

Hand-to-hand Combat: Conrad practiced martial arts almost exclusively while training, and can be considered much more than proficient in it.

Equipment:
-Traveling Cloak
-Leather Armor, metal armguards
-Leather Traveling Pack (Rope, bread, money pouch, flint/steel, cup)
-12” dagger

Other: Conrad has a brand on the back of his right shoulder, marking him as both property of the Inquisition and a legitimate Paladin.

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