In a land far away, there was a castle that helped run an entire kingdom. This royal family consisted of a king, his wife and queen, and their children. There were two princesses and a prince. Three potential heirs. They ran their kingdom fairly. There was hardly any trouble. But, one day, that all changed.
It seemed like a fairly ordinary day. The kingdom and its' citizens were unaware of anything that wasn't human, besides the animals, living outside of their kingdoms borders. They continued to go about their business as if nothing was wrong. Then, suddenly, a loud roar could be heard in the distance. The sound of various storming footsteps grew louder and louder. Then, in a matter of moments, the ones guarding the border could hardly believe their eyes.
An army of animal-like people, or anthros(beast-kin) could be seen. They were lead by a trio of what looked like the strongest of them all. Before a proper reaction could be seen from the border guards, the army charged forth. After defeating the outnumbered guards, they charged through the towns. They would keep fighting and charging until they got to the castle. Once there, the leaders called out, demanding to see the royal family at once.
After a bit of hesitation, the king and queen would come out. However, there was a demand for their three heirs to come out as well. With no other choice, they did. Once everyone was gathered, a couple of big demands were made. Firstly, the beasts wanted their land back. They claimed the humans stole the mountains and surrounding meadows from them when their kingdom was expanded. The second demand, was compensation for what they had done in the first place.
The first part of that compensation was an apology in the form of the king handing over half of the kingdoms wealth, and anything they had grown or made from the land they had stolen. The second part? This would come as a total shock. This was because they wanted....the heirs! It would seem the three leaders took a liking to them and wanted them as part of their ranks, so to speak, human or not. The king and queen, as well as their children, were in disbelief.
Anyway, if the demands were not met, great tragedy was to befall their kingdom, and all who lived there. That was what was threatened anyway. And so, the beasts would remain until a decision was made. However, time would tell. After all, the longer they stayed there, the longer the humans in question would get to know them better.
Would they agree to the demands? or not? Was there a chance at friendship or even romance? Who knows? But, one thing was for certain, this was war. Something had to be done, outnumbered or not.
Name: Craith Keltiss (Her given name is Sarah ... ) (Last name to be determined with other players) Titles: The 1st Princess of (Kingdom Name), Duchess of Gelbrook, The Lord Knight, The Slayer of Avanach
Age: 28
Physical Description:
Craith is tall, reaching all the way to above her father's height. Adorned with near white flowing locks, a result of the sickness she suffered at an early age, the very sight of her is said to swell a young knight's courage. Her piercing blue are often compared to the legendary ice drakes of the High North. The blue markings upon her skin function as prosthetic mana channels for her rather limited magic. The scar across her left eye is the source of her chosen name. It was given to her by the beast Avanach, a great burning wolf the size of houses.
Personality:
A fierce protector of her people, Craith spends most of her time protecting the kingdom along their northern border. Her Duchy of Gelbrook, which she inherited from the last Lord Knight, takes up that whole swath of land. Forgotten by most of the common-folk of the south and ignored by most of her fellow nobles, the creatures of the long winter still rage against the stalwart hearts of the Northmen and their Lady. As such, she irritable and dismissive in most matters of court, and sees most of her fellow nobles as nothing more than a waste of her time. Never one to turn down a duel, she can often be found practicing her blade or mastering her body in one form or another.
Backstory:
As the first child of the reigning monarchs much hope was placed upon Craith at her birth. A hope that many have now lost. Craith fell sick as a babe to a disease that has been universally feared. Afflicted with Magebreath Sickness (called a curse in some circles) (It is called such for the most recognizable symptom which cause the afflicted to release their mana in their breath) she was written off as dead by the court physicians. Most of the kingdom mourned for the child and feared for their own as it had been believed that the fatal disease could only affect adults. Particularly those who dabbled in magic.
As can be said today, Craith did not die to the disease. While her parents stopped seeing her for fear of their hearts breaking when she passed young Craith's protector, a knight by the name of William of Nodlam, began to teach her. The older knight cared for her as his father did for him when he got sick with a hay fever as a child. William would often take Craith to the training grounds and teach her how to wield a blade and how to wear armor. Unknowingly, the knight helped his young charge fight off the last effects of the sickness though she would be forever changed.
After suffering through the sickness for 12 years, during which her two siblings were born, Craith's body was permanently changed. Her mana channels had been completely destroyed and rebuilt, but due to her constant and often times overwhelming training, her mana channels grew throughout every fiber of her body. Unlike those of the normal individual hers did not extend past her skin, they stayed within circulating her mana through every single one of her cells. This caused her to grow taller, stronger, and faster than her peers. While mages could cast spells to the same effect the were weaker and temporary. The cost is that Craith cannot use her mana outside of her body and is barred from even the most domestic of cantrips. (As a side note, the sickness is also the reason for her iconic blue eyes and white hair, traits that her family do not share)
In the following years Craith was eventually reintroduced to her family, a family that she didn't know. For Craith her father would always be William Keltiss of Nodlam, and she later took his name as her own as the man had no living family members or descendants. But alas, Craith was still the 1st princess of the realm and expected to act as such. An expectation that she would come to grate against.
At the age of 18 the princess fled from her gilded cage. It caused an uproar in the courts of the nobles. Everyone thought she had been kidnapped and thus their searches always failed. Craith would later learn that her sickness had once more helped her. Since most divination magic used for missing people involves locating that person's mana signature, they failed. And so, Craith went north. She visited the lands of her caretaker's family. This is where she took his name for her own. Claiming to be his daughter she lived in Nodlam for a year before word of the northern border crossed her ears.
Going to the border she signed up with the Winterguard. It is here she met the hedge witch by the name of Elorah. Craith would often find herself in the witch's quarters constantly covered in one injury or another. Here she learned of the great beasts, of legends and heroes, of prophecy and old magic. In search of those legends Craith kept her ear out, and eventually it came. Avanach, the fiery hound risen from the pits.
Craith, hearing of the beast went to it immediately and after a fight that some say lasted 3 days and 3 nights, slayed it. Victorious, she dragged the head not just to the Keep of Gelbrook, but onwards to the royal palace. She, the missing daughter, returned covered in strange blue dyes and carrying the head of the beast. And it was upon the steps of the palace, with a voice that reached the multitudes of the common-folk that had followed her she declared:
"I am Craith Keltiss. I am the Lord Knight. I am the North."
That was 6 years ago. Since then she has become the Duchess of Gelbrook and the Lady of Nodlam. Having cut most public ties with the royal family she spends little time in the capitol unless legally required and instead mans the northern border with her fellow members of the Winterguard.
Flaws/Strengths:
She cannot normally wield magic and has very little political power.
On the other hand, Craith is the strongest knight in the kingdom and leads the largest and most feared military on the continent. Most are merely happy that she is focused on the north.
Other:
This curse is believed to be a disease by all those who do not dabble in it. Undetectable to all but the most powerful of mages, the curse is the single most effective poison known to man, and is priced accordingly. Due to the very precise nature of the curse it must be tailor made to each recipient. A process that can take years.
It functions by overriding the afflicted's mana channels and well. The two metaphysical organs that allow for proper mana generation and distribution, and what allows mages to actually use magic. They are also vital for life. Much like the heart and blood vessels of the corporeal body, the mana organs feed and nurture the cells of the body. Uneven mana channels can cause all sorts of different phenomenons such as giantism, deformation of the bones, blindness, and in rare cases it can cause individuals to fall into a catatonic state. One thing is for certain, the human body needs mana to live and that is how the Magebreath curse kills its victims.
The curse burns away the victim's mana until it reaches their mana well at which point it detonates and immediately kills its victims in a manner similar to heart failure. The only known way to detect the curse's presence is on the breath of victim, which is always laced with their mana as it tries to escape the curse that is devouring it.
In an adult the curse is always fatal. In a child though...
Craith Keltiss is the only known child to suffer the curse. Not only that she is the only known individual to survive longer than a year under it's influence. The second longest survivor of the curse is the Court Wizard of the Kingdom of Gallias, a nation far to the west of Craith's home, Halberg Frankston. He lasted 11 months and 13 days, a feat he accomplished only by staying at a natural ley line and drinking copious amounts of mana potions. So, how did Craith, a child, last not just 1 year, but 12 and lived?
It is entirely because she was a child. Craith was cursed at the age of four. The age at which the body starts to develop mana channels. Before that the body's need for mana is so low that they aren't required. Because of this the curse had a much harder time actually devouring her mana. The second reason for her survival is attributed to William of Nodlam. A seldom researched topic is how the body generates mana as most mages believe that it is simply easier to stuff their mana wells with natural mana and force it to become theirs. However, the body can do this naturally. Working out, training, and exerting force on the world allows the body to take in natural mana and convert it. The process is typically slow and unfruitful and is therefore ignored. However, every once in a while a story of a warrior with incredible strength or a bricklayer who could build a castle in nothing but a day will circulate. These are entirely because the individual's body is instinctively taking in and using mana. And that is what happened with the young Craith.
As the child grew her body began to need more and more mana but the curse would not allow her mana channels to properly form and thus her body could not get it. But the human body is nothing if not adaptable, and Craith proves that very point. The child's mana gates, the metaphysical organs that allow a mage to take in or send out mana, widened incredibly and her channels started to grow in backwards. This caused her body to lose any sort of mana signature as it was no longer radiating mana and instead began absorbing the natural mana around her at faster and faster rates.
Because the mana she was taking in was naturally converted at such quantities the curse could not burn it all away, only about 95 out of a 100 units of mana would be burned up by the curse. Which was just enough for the child to live. As time went on, young Craith's training grew, which causes her mana gates to widen even more. As they grew though, the curse continuously burned them away. This caused her mana channels to split and fork, and to twist and turn all around her body. The effect of this phenomenon once they were eventually finished growing was to flood every single one of her cells with mana. Which is the source of her prodigious strength, speed, and resiliency.
This process of her body growing took 10 years, far longer than natural. The result was that the channels were extremely large and expansive for her age. It also ended with her having extremely large mana gates, though they only function in one directions, inwards. The last two years saw her body fully acclimating to the curse. In fact, unknown to all, in the core of her being, where one's mana well would be, beats a curse flame. It is her greatest strength and her greatest weakness.
The physical characteristics are relatively minor. Her height, musculature and other such physical characteristics are due to the oversaturation of mana in her cells while undergoing puberty. Her hair, eyes, and pale skin tone are a result of the mana burn that ran rampant in her body. It is unknown whether or not she is barren, but due to the abundance of mana it is believed that she will age incredibly slowly as an adult.
IC Sample:
A runner had found his way to the great walls of Gelbrook keep. Very few ever wanted to find themselves here. But the message in the man's arms was important. He had to get it to the Princess. He was often confused by the rumours he heard about her. There was one that she wasn't even the princess and instead a demon that had bewitched the throne. He gulped involuntarily. A demon would live here he thought. With trepidation he shouted to the fast approaching guards. "A letter! I have a letter for the Princess!" His heart hammered in his chest as the steel clad figures rode up to him. He had heard of the dire horses of north, but seeing them in person was another thing entirely. He swore he could almost see fire blow from the nostrils of the giant black beasts. "A letter..." His voiced trailed off as he saw the weapons of the two figures. The greatest smiths of the kingdom flocked to the north, for that was where heroes were born. And monsters, he thought. As the figures stopped in front of him, he could almost swear that they glared at him. He couldn't tell due to their helmets but that was what it felt like to him. The following moments felt like a blur to the young man, and he soon found himself within the great halls of the Keep. It was busy and loud. Unlike the castles of the south, those of north were built to house whole populations. to keep out the all-pervading cold. The sight of it all shocked him. Bang! The man jumped as the knight next to him slammed the butt of their polearm on the floor. "The Duchess comes." He heard the knight, who was now confirmed to be a man, say softly. And that was when he saw her. A creature unlike any he had seen before. They called her a demon in the south, but that wasn't what she was. The man remembered all the stories of nymphs his grandmother told him as a child. Of creatures so beautiful as to bewitch a man with naught but a glance. That was what he saw now. A nymph, clad in fur and steel. A great blade strapped to her back and her helm in the crook of her arm. She was smiling and laughing with those around her even though she towered over most of them in height. Then her eyes turned to him and he felt his body go weak. "And who might you be? I don't believe I've seen your face before." The Duchess, as the knight had been so kind as to remind him, looked up at his guard. "Unknown Your Grace, he claims to have a message for you." "Oh, and I assume this message is from our most illustrious of kings?" The amount of venom in the woman's words was palpable and I could only nod in response. "Well then, out with it. What does he want of me know?" I stammered, my mouth unable to speak for a moment. Not until my guard coughed pointedly next to my. "The Beast-kin are surrounding the Capitol. They've called for the royal family." I gulped, audibly, as I saw her eyes narrow on me. "The king would like to remind you that you are still his daughter."
*updated*
If anyone wants me to write of her slaying Avanach let me know.
"To not only bear a curse, but to make it one's own. That is the very essence of a Curse Flame." ~ From the journals of Hallas Crytherion, 5th of his name, Grand-Wizard of the Tower
The Curse Flame. A subject only spoken of in the highest of circles. Only two to be exact. The Grand-Wizards of the Tower and Lord-Bishops of the Auranian Theocracy. These two groups are tied to the only known bearers of a Curse Flame.
James Othelm would come to be the first Grand-Wizard, and it is through his power alone that the Tower rose to heights it knows today. His curse was of the familial kind. Passed from father to son without fail. His grandfather spoke of how their ancestor had insulted the fire spirits and thus they were doomed to burn for eternity. Of course, that ancestor died, but the spirits didn't care and passed his curse onto his first born son. This curse would manifest upon their 25th birthday and slowly start burning them from within. Little is known of how his curse became a Curse Flame, but the effects are known. James' control over flame and fire was second only to the Elder Spirits themselves. It was with this power that the man made nations fall to their knees and capitulate to his demands. From this he gathered supporters and other mages and formed the Tower, the preeminent leader of magical knowledge and power.
The second known bearer of a Curse Flame is the GodQueen of Aurania, Hypatia Ganthros. She was rumoured to have been cursed by her very god for her lack of faith. The effects and cause of her curse is zealously guarded by the Bishop-Lords. However, we do know how she morphed it into a Curse Flame. The woman single-handedly built the Auranian Theocracy. An expansive empire far to the east whose sole focus was the worship of the god, He of Shining Brow. The resulting power she gained turned the woman into the greatest saint to ever cross the lands. With the ability to practically resurrect her forces and give them unending stamina, the Theocracy's armies marched on their neighbors and conquered their continent in only a few short years. However, the woman would soon pass away halting their spread across the waves. No one knows how she died or if she truly even is.
Now while there are undoubtedly other examples of Curse Flames they either did nothing impressive and were thus lost to time or were not even aware of their Curse Flame. This leads us to the third bearer of a Curse Flame, though even she is not aware of it.
Craith Keltiss is the estranged first child of the king and queen of (Kingdom name). Her Curse Flame is from her survival of the Magebreath Curse. And it is her very survival that morphed the curse. It is unknown what it's true effects are or what the long-term consequence of it being located where her mana well should be (James' Cruse Flame covered his hands while Hypatia's rested upon her brow) as the effects on her body are attributed to her body's strange accumulation and use of mana. It is theorized however, that since the curse was meant to kill her that her Curse Flame will grant her an abnormally long life. Even by the Tower's standards (Which is quite hefty as the average Tower mage can live for up to 400 years).
There are a few effects we do know as they seem to be inherit to Curse Flames in general. The first is that while the bearer can use holy magic they cannot be affected by it. A bearer cannot be healed or strengthened by a cleric of any faith be they worshippers of Bright or Shadowed gods. They can, however, be purified. Though that is a difficult process even if the bearer was submitting to it. The Curse Flame does not want to be extinguished and will thusly lash out at any who attempt to do so. The purifier must also be of a commensurate strength to do so. OF the two historical samples scholars have debated on whether or not there were any holy men or women who could have pulled off such a feat. If such a thing was done to Craith she would most likely perish as her Curse Flame has taken the spot of her body's mana well.
Bearers of a Curse Flame are also not welcome in holy and consecrated areas. More specifically places consecrated by the gods and their followers. The spirits of the world seem to not care even with bearers whose curse was given by a spirit as we've seen with James. It is theorized that the GodQueen of Aurania died due to merely living in her own country. A country that had entirely been consecrated by their god.
While not necessarily caring, Elder Spirits are always aware when a bearer of a Curse Flame is nearby. Why this is no one knows, but it has been theorized that curses themselves were originally from the Spirits and that gods and mages merely stole them.
Oh shit, sorry meant to ask and forgot. Is it ok if I write about extra lore stuff as it pertains to my character or do you want me to scrap it for the RP? I don't mind if you want me to do that, they'll just go into my future ideas bin.
Coolios I think most things I've written so far can be fit in. Like her getting queasy or feeling sick if some priest decides to do a blessing or why a lot of the common-folk/nobles see her as some sort of demon imposter of the true 1st princess. I think those two things in particular would open up some RP and maybe allow for a relationship to form naturally between her and the Anthros as they are probably also seen as some sort of monster by at least some of the nobles.
I am interested in this idea. I'd like to take up one of the beast-kin(anthro) leaders.
Zhiniba, Anthro Cougar, Sorceress Queen.
I see WolfHorns has contributed quite a lengthy submission and a lot of information. What information / How much information would you like other than my interest and the barest of ideas?
Physical Description: - Zhiniba stands about 5'5". Her tail is about 30 inches long. Her fur is a light golden brown with soft white along her front. Without any adornments, she looks like many of the other feline humanoids in their prime. Powerful muscles are hidden beneath the luxurious coat of fur. A minor physical difference between her and the average Concolor is missing teeth. Premolar teeth behind her upper left canine are missing. A major physical difference and noticeable from a distance is a distinctive pattern of fur that grows along her front from neck to pelvis. The fur has hues of green and blue in swirling circles and arcs, an ancient script tattooed onto her flesh, that changes the color of the fur that grows from the marks.
Zhiniba is rarely without any adornment. Her love of shiny metal is ever present in the necklaces, bracelets, anklets, taillets, and rings that she wears. Brilliant yellow Golds, flashing white silvers, rich red and orange coppers are maintained and often swapped out daily or weekly. Some of the jewelry bears precious stones of a variety of colors. Like many of her people, Zhiniba rely on their fur to stay warm and only use cloth for modesty and fashion. She wears a short wrap around her waist a bit of cloth over her shoulders that covers her upper arms, neck, and chest. It hangs loose most of the time. An additional set of functional jewelry can often be found in her possession, rune carved iron teeth to fill in the gap in her mouth where her own teeth are missing.
Personality: - Zhiniba is known to be Seductive and Cruel. More than one male has tried to bed the sorceress queen only to be discovered as a shredded corpse the following morning. Zhiniba does have a few males that she keeps as he personal harem. Each are tall and strong near seven foot apiece and fiercely loyal. They are also rendered mute by runes carved into their mouth. Zhiniba is sometimes playful and occasionally meek around these few harem/guards.
When dealing with other rulers, she is authoritative and a fierce defender of her people. "Diplomacy is just another form of seduction," she might say, but she gives no ground in negotiations. Others have learned that if she backs off, then she is still coming out ahead.
She has no children and while is not necessarily cruel to children, she also has nothing to do with them. Her people remember her as her queen for generations and generations, if Zhiniba has family, they would have died a long time ago. When the Concolor speak of Zhiniba it is both in fear and admiration. They know that her life is unnatural and this gives her the air of wisdom and intelligence with that enigma of longevity.
Backstory: The only establishment within the Concolor with longevity to match Zhiniba is that of the Lore Keepers. The Muukii clan keeps the records of the Concolor and is the only family of the Concolor to be given respect by Zhiniba. One of her harem/guard is always from the Muukii clan. Even the Muukii clan are not as old as the Sorceress Queen, but this is the record of her beginning as told to the venerated first Muukii by Zhiniba herself.
"I was on a hunt. The morning dew on the grass smelled fresh and clean and the lingering trail of a grazing deer was pulling me along the thin trails in the mountain. The early morning light was more than enough to see by but in the far sky, I could still see the pinpoints of light of a million distant suns.
"I climbed the mountainside slowly until I saw my prey. She was beautiful, sleek and fat. I could nearly smell the blood and meat in my nose. Then the ground shook. Not just the mountain, but all the ground for miles around. The deer bolted and I jumped, but the ground opened and I fell into the underworld.
"I do not know how far I fell. The landing was ... unkind. I felt the pain from head to tail and could not move my limbs. I could twitch my tail and see only from one eye. But with my one eye I could see something approaching. A massive skeleton draped in black and fiery orange flesh, the tiger demon Pagukzhin. He went to eat me as carrion but I batted him with my tail. I had enough life left in me to have him pause. He looked in my eye and I could smell his breath filling my nose. He offered me a deal. I accepted."
The first Muukii does not record the deal, or any more details than this. The records indicate that Zhiniba said more, but the first Muukii refused to inscribe the words of the demon. His note is 'I am burdened with testament'.
"I was restored with the agreement of Pagukzhin on my flesh. He stitched me back together with the agreement and he took one of my teeth. As per part of the agreement I watched and waited for a hundred years on the mountain until the ghost of my prey returned. Thousands, hundreds of thousands of deer came and went and I watched them all. I saw daughters and sons graze and frolic and run and die. Then I saw Jimonibay, the ghost deer, a deer without a body, and I continued the hunt I had started so long before.
"Of course she ran. But I had new vigor, new purpose. Pagukzhin thought he could test my will. He only taught me to be more patient than ever. When I caught Jimonibay, I did not kill her. I did not kill the ghost of my past as Pagukzhin thought I would do. Instead I fulfilled the agreement and I waited with Jimonibay in my mouth day and night. She begged and she pleaded. She wanted the long death. She made promises and begged for deals. When Pagukzhin finally could not contain his patience any longer he stalked to the surface and demanded his prize.
"I gave Jimonibay to Pagukzhin, and then I said to Jimonibay, 'I accept.' Pagukzhin held the tortured spirit of Jimonibay in his mouth and I pulled a tooth from my head and placed it in the head of the spirit deer. 'The Concolor honor their deals and they honor their prey.'"
The first Muukii does not record the words of Jimonibay and the specifics of the deal made, but the first Muukii states, 'The prey that is deer should never be tortured. If you are to eat them, be swift and remember that Jimonibay also gives.'
Pagukzhin lost Jimonibay as the spirit slipped away. Zhiniba told many things to the first lore keeper. The second lore keeper records that Muukii was the only Concolor she refered to as he friend. All the Muukii are grateful for this.
Abilities: The seemingly immortal Zhiniba wields mystical powers giving her the title of Sorceress. The limits of her abilities are unknown, but many have taken note of the things she does.
- The rune binding in the mouth of her harem/guards. They do not speak and never appear to tire. - Sometimes, the Sorceress Queen finds herself in the role of a midwife. For a bit of jewelry, Zhiniba will inscribe the health markings on the child and they will not know sickness until they lose their youth marks. - The Sorceress loves illusions and will appear in one place while being in another. She will also create many duplicates of herself, some of which appear to have more substance than illusion. - The disgrace of the Chimash clan is kept by the Lore Keepers as a lesson to all Concolor. A young Chimash disobeyed the commandment against the deer. Zhiniba hunted them all, male and female, old and infant, and gutted them all. She then gave the pelts to northen humans far away from her home so that their spirits would never find a way home and the clan would forever be separated even after death. None survived and only their name remains as a lesson. The magic to ensure this was tracking/hunting spells. - It is thought that Zhiniba keeps a pet that no one can see. This is true in that the pet she keeps is a spirit mouse, Inoonoo. She always has one eye in the spirit world. Some say that if you look deep into the eye that saw Pagukzhin, you too can see spirits for a time. - A large amount of her jewelry has strange runes inscribed on them, but Zhiniba hardly ever explains what it does. Most feel it is more protection and enhancing her physical characteristics.
