[OOC] The Wolven Storm

[Hexaflexagon]

The Wolven Storm

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S W O R D S O F F A T E

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The third day comes a frost, a killing frost,
And, when he thinks, good easy man, full surely
His greatness is a-ripening, nips his root,
And then he falls, as I do. I have ventur'd,
Like little wanton boys that swim on bladders,
This many summers in a sea of glory,
But far beyond my depth. My high-blown pride
At length broke under me, and now has left me,
Weary and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
~ William Shakespeare

The heavy mountain winds whip about you in a fevered frenzy as you draw your body more supine against your stead. Night had fallen quickly as it does this time of the year with no remorse or hesitation. The path ahead of you is long and winding, you alone in your journey across the old moutain passess. Somewhere up ahead you see a flicker, growing steadily larger as you approach. As you come closer what turns out to be an old oil lantern of dwarven make casts a scene in front of you. An old man sits on a fur mat. A tent composed of various furs behind him, and a mule with a large pack grazing nearby. The man looks up to you, his wrinkled face worn by years of travel and age, teeth marked yellow with the use of smokesong as he gives you a wide smile. He offers you a seat as he takes off a container that was heating above the small fire, and soon he begins to pour the liquid into two old wooden cups.

You know his type, your mother warned you of them when you were young. A tinkerer, the traveling merchants that dot the land. Thieves, peddlers, scavengers, storytellers and tricksters. You never trust a tinkerer, they are men of mischief. But are they not also the harbingers of adventure? Do not all the old tales and legends begin with the young heroes finding one such wandering merchant who sets them down the path. Was it not a tinker that give Leofel the rope which he used to capture the Sun? Besides the man looks harmless enough, with his wrinkled skin and milky eyes. So you sit down with him and take the wooden cup he offers from his worn and calloused hands. Tentatively you raise the cup to your mouth and take the first sip. The strong taste of Navariarin Fire Water seeps into your mouth burning its way down your throat bringing warmth on the cold night before it rests as a warm collesed pit in the center of your stomach. He's intrigue if anything by your presence, the roads these days are anything but safe and most stay in the towns at night for fear of the boogeyman and werewolves that haunt the night. You could say the same about him, a lone old man could be a very tasty morsel for any beasts and the contents of his pack a great prize for any enterprising bandit. But none the less he seems glad to have your company on this darkest of nights.

After some time passes he asks if you would like to hear a story. Your interest is peaked as you raise an eyebrow at the man. From what you know of Tinkers they are supposed to be some of the grandest story tellers in all of the lands, collecting tales and legends wherever they go. You've never had a chance to listen to one of their stories, and now seems like as good as an opportunity as ever. Humoring the man you pass five gold crowns over the fire and into the man's outstretched hand. Giving you a more welcoming smile than before, he disappears into his tent the sound of bones cracking and shifting into place as he rises from the ground. He returns a little bit later with a large leatherbound book thick enough to serve as armor against blade or bolt. He tells you that he will tell a tale not that old, per say but important all the same. A tale that shaped the world as the Swords of Fate clashed sending echos across the mountains. The story of the Wolven Storm. As he finishes his introductions with a flick of his hand the flames begin to dim and the rest of the world becomes muted accept his voice as the smoke of the fire begins to warp and take shape - a wolf running through the forest and so he begins.

"Something ends, something begins."

Something ends, something begins.

Like all good stories this one begins with a death and a resurgence. In the Northern Lands King Arience Tyerial Kadover Estionia Lysteria dies after two months of battling an infection set on by a wound taken in battle. The king died without a legitimate heir to his throne and without a strong claim, the Northern Lands fell to chaos. Bastards, and nobles all fought with their own self raised armies for claim over The Throne of The Ironmount. Two hundred years of peace that had been established and maintained by the Lysteria destiny ended. The wars of succession were long and bloody and in the end no winner could be decided amongst the dead. The Northern Lands fractured among old territorial boundaries and the remnants of the Lysteria's empire were soon relegated to only old crumbling monuments and broken roadways as a dozen petty kingdoms were formed in the wake, continually plagued by wars of expansion and aggression.

As the North fell into chaos and butchery, in a verdant land far to the south celebration were held in every village and hamlet and every citizen of the capital was dressed in their best finery. On this late spring day, marked the coronation of Emperor Katovier eld Kovari, Otersern tryst Yaught var Neir. Emperor Katovier eld Kovari was the youngest son of the late ruler of the Vorstag Empire. Born from the union of his father the Emperor of Vorstag and his mother Queen Elzya de Sirvell of the Kingdom of Sirvilla. Thier union and Emperor Katovier ascension marking an age old plot to combined two of the greatest nations in all of the known world Sirvilla and Vorstag and marking the creation Greater Vorstag Empire. Katovier was a young man in his mid twenties, charismatic and charming he was a favorite among the complex games and multitudes of plots of the Vorstagian courtiers and nobles, and as a great military officer and accomplished swordsman he also had the heart of the common man safely within his grasp. It was a time of great celebration and bountiful feasts in the lands across Vorstag and Sirvilla. The feasting would continue for two weeks, all the while the Empire's subjects were unaware of the greater plan that lay ahead for them. Katovier eld Kovari had his eyes set on the objective that his father had trained him for since he was still a young boy. He would bring unity to the land. The world would remember him as the Emperor who united the realms.

Thirty years have passed since the death of King Arience and the coronation of Katovier eld Kovari. The Emperor of Vorstag is no longer the young man that took the throne all those years ago. The dreams and ambition of a conqueror are never an easy task. The Wars in the South to secure Vorstagian domination were relatively bloody affairs. Vorstag's borders grew yearly encompassing more and more land through either war or politics. For a time Katovier eld Kovari was considered the greatest emperor Vorstag had ever seen. The lands acquired and the many victories in battle pleased the courts and nobles at least long enough to keep his coffers fueled and his armies armed and ready. The new subjects of the empire were quickly assimilated into the fold of the Empire, their peoples kept complacent with bread and circus, and they quickly learned that while Vorstagian rule was harsh to those who would break it, it was a fair rule that brought civility to a more unified land.

But these days public opinion of the Emperor has fallen from the glory days of his peak. The main reason for this sudden turn of events being the war in the North. The Vorstagian people had grown accustomed to quick victories watching their army destroy all those that stood in their way. They were the hammer that forges the raw metal into shape. But the men of the North provided surprising resistance. The once fractured states were unified once more under the rule of one man, King Jaython of Arden. Arden was one of the larger broken kingdoms to have come out of the wars for the Ironmount that came after the death of King Arience. A former grand kingdom in the North in its own right before King Arience beat them in a long and bloody war forcing them into submission. The reformation of the lost kingdom came from one Tehtran Velston, the only surviving member of the Velston Dynasty who held control over Arden before its fall. Jaython his son was a strong military officer and in many ways was a reflection of his adversary Katovier eld Kovari in his youth. The young king lead a decisive campaign called the Red Summer in which he tore a hole through the north crushing all in his way until he sat upon the Iron Mountain retaking control of the North. During the Red Summer, Jaython showed his skills as military officer and his intolerance for those whom he deems less than him. Mass beheadings were held and the north soon became littered with mass graves for the dead, but the young king of Arden held the close ear of many officials both in military, economic and religious spheres retaining his influence and marking those that he killed as Vorstagian traitors.

These two men stand opposed to one another. Katovier eld Kovari the old wolf of the south, with his entire legacy on the line and King Jaython the white wolf of the north, fighting to retain a rule that he only just managed to cement. As they bear their fangs the world trembles beneath their weight. The Vorstagian Invasion makes slow yet steady progress continually pushing ever northward, but ever persistent the Ardenian forces continually push back and as the front crawls forward in one area in another it slowly crawls backwards until the two forces readjusted and the cycle starts again. The people of the North are kept in check through the fear and strong arm of Jaython and his men but at the same time he is the only hope they have in keeping their valued independence. While Katovier fights for his honor, to be remembered as the Emperor that united the Realms and brought generations of Vorstagian peace and rule, even as his coffers began to run dry and the murmurs of the nobles who tire of this tiresome war.

And even so another force moves on the horizon as unnatural weather patterns and large magical disturbance mark the landscape as the monsters become more and more ravenous and aggressive do the chaos and the bloodshed. There are whispers of an ancient prophecy accounting the end of time itself as the world succumbed to frost and fire. A prophecy that speaks of two rulers one in the North and one in the South and a great war between them. The coming of the Wolven Storm.

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H A N D S O F D E S T I N Y

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Wolves always hunt in packs

Caught in the middle of this terrible conflict are the Wolves. The Company of the Wolf, was a loose confederation of sellswords almost as old as the realms themselves. The wolves took from all walks of life from beggars, to murders, and trained knights. Most give up their old identities upon taking the oath, forgetting whoever they once were and becoming soldiers for hire. It was a hard life if anything, but you were given training to defend yourself, a warm bed and a gurtainee of three meals a night. If you needed a job done and you needed it done with professional service and ability they were the men and women to call. Up to about one year ago they were preoccupied with their most recent job working as the protector of Lord Van of Starly. A job which paid well and was relatively luxurious in its contents having to put down the occasional peasant revolt and killing the foolhardy bandit lord here and there. But, Lord Van in his arrogance did not succumb to the demands of the Vorstagians and instead backed King Jaython as the traditional ruler of the north. As it turns out the small mountainous kingdom though bountiful in its supply of raw materials was not worth the bloodshed and once the going got rough, Jaython made a tactical retreat across the River Tally leaving King Van to his fate.

With Van's head on a pike after a month long siege of his castle, the Wolves beaten and having surrendered and left the Vorstagians in after it became quite obvious that the siege was only going to end with them all dead. for them at least the Vorstagians admired their skill in the defense of Van's castle and as long as the sellswords would considered their contract with Van void all would be forgiven. And soon after the execution the Wolves were approached by a messenger requesting that they come to the Imperial Capital for an audience with the Emperor himself. Not one to argue with orders from powerful emperors whose armies surrounded them on all sides and seeing no harm in a friendly meeting they made way to the imperial capital. It was here that the Wolves received their next job. The job was simple with his forces preoccupied with fighting the barbarians in the north, he needed another set of eyes to go investigate something for him.

His spies had continued to bring back disturbing reports from isolated northern cities and villages of mysterious events. Entire villages slaughtered in a single night and the culprits never to be found. The whispers of the Wolven Storm. While not a superstitious man Katovier was not a stupid one either and knew when events ever strange needed to be look into and dealt with. He could not have an unknown element foiling his war. The wolves of course would have no true acknowledgement of their position and would receive no aid from the Vorstagian forces in the north. The Job was simple enough and even if it wasn't the standard affair, checking into baseless legends and the superstitions of the peasantry seemed like an easy task. Little did they know what would follow was how closely the Wolven Storm, the war and everything else was intertwined.

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T H E R A C E S O F T H E R E A L M S

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While other races do exist within the Realms, three races make up the so called "Greater Races". The Elves, Dwarves and Humans. The Humans have become the dominate force in the realms mostly just from population as they are generally much more short lived than their two companions and because of it can just outgrow them fielding larger armies and dealing with plagues and famines easier. High racial tensions exist between the humans and their other companions. With humanity holding the top spot considering the other two to be lesser creatures and treated as second class citizens having to live in ghettos and designated quarters of cities. To see a Elven Noble would be a great shock indeed. The abuses that occur also involve vented anger from the failed Elven Revolts in which the Elves with help from the Dwarves and a few enterprising groups of humans tried to star mass revolutions and retake their place as top dogs in the realm, slaughtering many along the way.

Humans

Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.
— Sophocles, Antigone

The most populous of the three Greater Races and chronologically the last to arrive in the Realms. They came as little more than barbarians, crossing the frozen seas following herds of large furry animals. They settled in the north and that is where the first human kingdoms began to grow and at a rate that surprised the Elves and Dwarves to a great degree. The Dwarves were the first of the other two races to begin to trade and open up with them finding the humans at least a relatively nice change to the standoffish elves and eventually the three came into an odd sort of coexistence with one another. But as the humans continued to reproduce and their borders grew over the years as they needed more land to convert for farming and building large cities and towns things changed. The Humans began to encroach upon age old elven land and soon a few minor skirmishing became all out war between the old Elven kingdoms and their eventually replacers.

The Elves thought the war would be easily won with their superior intellect and magic they could crush the barbarians with little more than a flick of their wrist. But little did they know of the human's skill in death and destruction. The wars were long and hard fought but eventually by pure birth rates alone the humans were able to crush the last of the Elven kingdoms and cement their rule as the new masters of the Realm. They destroyed most of the old eleven cities and built their own atop their ruins. They were dead set on setting their own history as the truth where the elves had always been lesser than them and human dominance was clear and well set. The world slowly changed as forester were cleared and roads were crafted where there was once none. At first two human kingdoms ruled one in the North and the other in the South but eventually these kingdoms fractured into the many smaller ones that still fight for supremacy to this day.

As the superior intellectuals leading in the world of the sciences and understanding the world around them, human dominance and subsequent racism seems to be a fact that will remain, as long as they don't all kill one another first that is.

Elves

"Nothing is worse than an elf that does not know his place."

The Oldest of the Greater Races and the first non-natives to come to the lands crossing the Sea of Tears in their great ships of white. The Elves as masters of magic and already possessing a developed and well advanced civilization quickly began to spread out across the southern half of the realms setting up great kingdoms that lived in general peace and prosperity along with their neighbors the dwarves. These kingdoms lasted for hundreds of years and would only fall to the human invaders during the Wars of Human Aggression as the Elves still call them. Their culture destroyed, their cities sacked and burned and most of elven history was lost in the wars. The only remnant being the Old Tongue, the old language of the elves and even then the most common form still spoken today is one singular dialect that manged to survive out of hundreds that used to exist. They were forced into submission as peasant workers and whores confined to ghettos or small villages where the local ruler could do whatever he or she felt fit to them. They were often displaced and moved from their homes and given land where it was hard for even the most persistent of weeds to grow.

Because of this Elven resistance has always occurred. As natural horseman having brought horses over to the Continent when they crossed the seas, guerrilla war bands of mounted eleven riders were not uncommon on the fringes of civilized society were not uncommon. These isolated villages would tell horrible stories of the riders slaughtering every villager to the man. Because of these individuals and the failed Elven Revolts, Elves at least by humans are considered bloodthirsty fiends always looking for an opportunity to rape your wife and sacrifice your firstborn under a newborn moon to their false gods.

Elves of course hold their own prejudices against the Humans. As their religion and beliefs state they were hand crafted by the gods and placed as the seed that would bring the world into a new dawn, and that humans as creatures that evolved as opposed to being handcrafted by the gods were lesser creatures basically hairless apes that don't know their place. They view humans as arrogant and foolhardy, and that all their advances in the sciences and learning were just the relearning of concepts the elves had found out about centuries ago. Though their is some truth to their preconceptions as Elves are different than most of the other creatures of the realm. The possess a magic entirety of their own, a more raw and potent sort of magic different from the human sorcerers and dwarven runiests. While some conceptions are held about Elven immortality, it is not the case while they certainly do live longer than any human most elves have a general lifespan of 1,000 years long enough in human years to be considered immortal but they do age just very slowly.

Dwarves

Never anger a Dwarf.

The stout race of merchants and craftsman, the Dwarves if we are being technical are the true inheritors of the continent being the only native species of the Realms. Though they are technically younger than the elves. The Dwarves are more or less a solitary race, they live within their masterfully crafted citadels and fortresses. Dwarves tend to like high places and build high up into the mountains of the Realm making their small city state collections very hard to either infiltrate or attack. As mentioned previously dwarves keep to themselves, having their own affairs and politics to worry about and most stay within the confines of the city that they are born in for the entirety of their life. Those seen walking amongst the "ground-walkers" as they are called are either merchants or exiles criminals casted away from their high mountain homes to wander until they can at least try and die with a warrior's death.

Because of the Dwarves generally isolationist attitudes and staying out of the affairs of everybody else for the most part they are treated better than the elves. They have value as craftsman making some of the best armor in the land and dwarven merchatns carry exoitct goods from the moutain caverns they call home that can not be found anywhere else. Despite that though they are still considered barbarians by the humans and drunken fools by the elves.

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M A G I C A N D S O R C E R Y

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Magic is the art of bending the Will. The Will is an otherworldly power source that lays beyond the veils of known reality. Sorceress, Cleric, Druids and the like can use this power to perform great feats. The mastery of Magic involves the memorization and knowledge of vast sums of knowledge whose complexities and intricacies mean the difference between a successful spell and instantaneous insanity or worse. Children who show natural skill are often sought out by the many cabales, lodges and colleges that exists in the world for sorcerers.

The power bound in spell formulae may be used for healing, teleportation, destruction, creating illusions, and altering form. Though the will is also affected by the Caster themselves and each magical burst is different from mage to mage, cleric to cleric, druid to druid, sorceress to sorceress. Magic is considered a curse, a blessing, the future, an art and a science all wrapped into one tight bundle. People fear magic users becuase of their independence and their general hotheadedness, their is no governing body that maintains ethical codes and morals for magic users they are owned held back by their own minds and morals. Because of this stories of mad necromancers and warlocks trying to take over towns and cites is not an all uncommon story.

Most kings and queens hold at least one magic user of some kind in their court. They usually serve as a cheif advisor as most are very well versed in the history of the world. Even so to the common man prejudices are held high, as most religions condemn magic as gifts of delivery and the play of tricksters. Righteous inquisitors and witch hunters don't help to stifle those myths either in the long run. When bad things happen and little Jimmy falls down the wall, or the crops fail the sorceress is the first to be blamed and many a poor individual has been burned on a pyre for crimes they did not commit.

It is also important to note that tapping into the Will has certain peculiar side effects, the most notable being the longevity of Magic Users. The Will preserves them and keeps them young and they age at a very slow rate, not long when compared to other creatures like the elves but much longer than the standard human life span.

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R E L I G I O N I N T H E R E A L M S

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Believers of all kinds populate the realms as a land of sorcery and monsters tend to breed superstitious bunches. Religions small and large dot the known world from the smallest cults to the Celestial Path of the Vorstag Empire, all with their followers and preachers, all contesting over the faith of the populace. While some of these faiths do hold the best interests of the people at heart, serving as places of peace and healing in a collapsing world, most are nothing more than tools. Tools used by Kings, generals and madman using ideology and the blind faith of the followers to do their bidding. In these dark times religion is becoming more and more prominent in the lives of the daily peasant as they need something to cling to in all the chaos, something to point them in the right direction, something they can follow blindly without want or care.

The Order of The Glorious Light.

May the Light guide us.

The Order is the most common religion found in the North and the official religion of Arden. The myth of the Order beings long ago when the first King of the North was defending Highbrook Pass from a much larger and formidable Elven Force during the Wars of Human Aggression. His forces were tired and severely outnumbered and reinforcements were still a week's ride away. Desperate for help and having lost his way in the middle of the night the king fell down up his knees in his tent and looked up to the skies and prayed, to someone, anyone. And at that moment a flicker of moonlight fell through the torn hide roof of his tent and hit the finery scattered about. The King was taken aback by the beauty of the scene around him as the light seemed to dance and move about him, taking him into its tender embrace. It was then that he heard a voice, a voice that told him that so long as he walks in the light will he and his kin be victorious. With a newfound resurgence on the next morning when the elves attacked, the King rallied his men as the light from the sun shined down up his gilded armor making him glow like a holy specter from above. And somehow, the forces held for seven days and seven night until reinforcements came and they were able to route the Elven marauders and preserve the north.

The worshipers of the Order belive in the personification of the Light, the Nova as it is called. The voice that spoke to the king on the eve of the battle. This personification came to represent glory, courage and survival through the perilous and long dark. Once the Order was only the religion of the Nobility as most of the peasantry still clung to their old druidic beliefs but as time progressed, the populace was slowly converted until a strong majority now believe in the Order's teachings. A fact that only strengths the Order's presence and only further aides in their rather aggressive tendencies. The Order teaches strict revance and faith from its worshippers and the Speakers of the Order can quite easily arouse a mob of peasants to supplement their own knights of the Order. These mobs and knights are often turned against nonhumans and magic users who are considered blasphemous creations of the dark that need to be watch closely or purged if they threaten the sanctity of the Light.

The Order has more recently become a much larger player on the political scene. This started when King Jaython made the Order the official state religion of the North once he conquered the Ironmount. In this Jaython made a strong ally in the Light Bearer, the religious head of the Order securing his support and his large supplies of fanatic believers and knights. And so as the world crumbles as more blood is shed every day and more monsters appear every night more and more begin to look for any sense of hope and solace they can hold onto if only briefly. And what better beacon of hope than a shimmering light in the darkness?

The Path

Glory in the Path.

The Celestial Path is the state religion of the Vorstag Empire. The religion has it roots in Vorstag proper being based upon a century old cult that had its home in the capital who worshipped the old Elven Goddess of the Moon. The Path was one of many religions within Vorstag fighting for supremacy in its rule. Empress Cyldia eld Kovari was searching for a way to maintain the dynastical succession of the eld Kovari name as emperors of Vorstag. Something to rally the populace to, to serve as a symbol of their holy and destined rule for centuries. The Path which was already becoming popular among the nobles of the notoriously contentious and troublesome Vorstagian court seemed to be the best answer to their problems. By skillfully managing with cash and giving priests monarchic favor, she made that the cult began to gain a new crowds of followers in the whole Empire. In exchange for it, Emperor demanded an absolute support for her policies from the clergy, practically making priesthood another form of civil service. The Empress and her descendants were soon named as the Caretakers of the Path basically making them head of state both in standard government and in the church. Securing all the privileges and support that the Path provided.

The Path still worships a goddess of the moon. The Lady of Eight Faces a mysterious spirit who can take the form of a young child to an elderly matron as the physical representation of each stage or so the legends goes. She is side to represent life, death, birth and most important of all change. She is the herald of Change and the Caretaker her mortal arm the caretaker to make that a reality. Compared to the almost castle like temples of the Order, the Path have much more ornate affairs with large cathedrals stretching into the sky with beautiful carved sculptures dotting the walls both inside and outside. Though in all honesty the path is little more than another bureaucratic office of the Emperor at this point. With priest being another noble title for little boys to aspire to, but the people still need something to believe in.

The Druidic Faiths

May the Spirits watch over you.

The Druidic Faiths or as it is more commonly called the Old Ways, is the religion of humanity's ancestors. The faith that the first barbarians took with them when they first crossed the frozen seas long ago in search of new food sources. They believe in a sprawling pantheon of Great Spirit. These Spirits often taken the forms of animals were the representation of the primal elements themselves. They did not seek sacrifice or even worshippers but for the wilds to be treated with respect and reverence. Those that did not would be punished b disease, bad harvests and other natural disasters. The Druids serve as the communicators with these spirits and commune with the Great Spirits and because of it have great control of nature and have even been known to stomp floods in their tracks with a well placed spell.

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B E S T I A R Y

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There are many creatures out in the realms, some more dangerous than others. As we encounter them they will be recorded here so that we can remember them more easily.

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T H E A N N A L S

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Important GM messages, updates on story progression and anything else that needs to be viewable by all will be posted here.

1/24/16 We are live and now accepting applications! Please post the application to the OOC and not the character sheet tab. Only accepted character sheets can go in that tab. Thank you and have a nice day.

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R u l e s

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01: I'm not the biggest fan of rules because I like to assume everybody is sane human being so I'll keep this short. If you have to abide by any rules be it these two. Common decency and common sense is something that everybody should strive for. Treat your fellow humans like they are just that your fellow humans and with all the respect that implies. Disputes between players should not be long blown out affairs in the OCC, hell disputes should not happen at all if we are doing this right. If you want to argue have your characters dispute about something mundane like the importance of starch or something.
02: In regards to any roleplay involving the dark depravity of mankind and giant monsters there are mature themes within this story. This is not a very nice world and terrible things happen to good people for no good reason. In that regard I heavily suggest you treat these matters with the weight that they would actually entitle. Romance falls into the same thing, sure it can happen just don't be stupid about it
03: Quality matters people, show me that you care. And remember I'm asking for your best not the best of Shakespeare or the like. I've been doing this shit for about a decade now and I'm still learning things everyday. Just remember Quality over Quantity and always remember Fail Faster.

[Terminal]

Beginning work on character sheets immediately. Expect them later today.

[Lexicon]

I'm starting my sheet after work. A question, though: do you want those of us who will be playing magically gifted characters to discuss our character's gift in detail? On the CS it just says 'Magical Potency (Y/N).' I'm all for keeping it simple because I tend to go a bit crazy on character sheets. I'm just curious. Also, would we be able to get a general timeline of some kind? Just of major world events the Company might have been involved in. Prior to their current job, of course.

EDIT: I guess we could include our character's magical talents in the 'Skills' section of the sheet. I didn't think about that.

[Hexaflexagon]

@Lexicon
Alright some good questions.

Question #1:
Well that's really up to you. In terms of filling the parameters of the sheet you just have to check off the box saying if you are wizard or not. If you would like to go into detail about their powers than I'm all for it. But I tend to try and just keep it simple. They are wizards and can do all the wizardy things that wizards do because wizards. xD You know leave it up to the imagination more fun that way. Or putting them in the skills section works as well. Once again whatever floats your boat.

Question #2:
A timeline of the Companies shenanigans well for sake of simplicity we are going to go by the Imperial Calendar. So the year is 1172 IC. And the zero date is the founding of the Vorstagian Empire.

The Company of Wolves was founded in 2700 BIC as one of the many Dwarven Free Companies (Before Imperial Calendar)
1226 BIC: the Elves cross the Sea of Tears and arrive on the continent.
200 BIC: Humans cross the frozen seas.
125 BIC: The Wars of Human Aggression began
100 BIC: The Wars end as the last of the Elven Kingdoms are razed.
30 BIC: The Northern and Southern Kingdoms begin to shatter and the Age of 100 kings begins.
0 IC: The Vorstag Empire is founded.
Now we skip forward a bit.
1142 IC: King Arience Tyerial Kadover Estionia Lysteria dies in the North ending the Lysteria dynasty and Emperor Katovier eld Kovari ascends to the Imperial throne in the South.
1143 IC: The Wars in the South begin (The Company partakes on whoever pays them more throughout either the defenders or their Vorstagian aggressors.
1152 IC: The Wars in the South end with the Treaty of the Golden Sun, sealing Vorstagian dominance in the region.
1162 IC: The Wars in the North Begin and King Jaython of Arden takes control of the Ironmount and the North. (The Company once again takes up mercenary work fighting for both sides depending on the month)
1167 IC: The Company is hired by Lord Van of Starly. To help defend his small kingdom on the border between North and South.
1172 IC: The kingdom of Starly is conquered by the Vorstagins, The Company is sent to the Imperial capital to speak to the Emperor and rumors of the Wolven Storm arise in the far north.

In terms of what the Company was doing during all of this well they are sellswords, mercenaries who take on contracts for the biggest amount of pay. They have had their hands in many major events as combatants or setting the scene, they have fought for defenders of the peace and warlords out for blood. In short they've done a lot. So I'm not going to post any certain major jobs or mission they have done but they have done everything from hunting monsters, to killing kings. But I'll leave the history itself a blank, something that you can all help fill in as we go along. So major events they've been in? Well that's only limited to your imagination of course to some levels of reasons.

[Lexicon]

Triala Veclis

Basic Information

"I'm going to count to three. If your weapons aren't on the fucking ground by the time I finish, I will set every last one of you on fire."
-Quote attributed to Triala Veclis at the Battle over Silver Lake, 1170 IC

Name: Triala Veclis [Tree-awl-uh Vek-liss], also referred to as "Tri" or "Ala"

Race: Elf

Age: 75 years old, which means she's considered to be an elf on the cusp of adulthood

Magic potency: Yes, Triala's pyromantic abilities are outlined in the 'Skills' section

Physical Description

Triala knows she'll never have the luxury of blending in with the crowd. Her lackluster control over her magical abilities, long ears, and blood red hair make it impossible for the she-elf to hide effectively. In fact, ancient elven legends claim those born with red hair are beloved by Angharad the Crimson King, the wrathful deity of flame, blacksmiths, and courage. They aren't hard to spot, and many elves believe these blessed souls possess unusual talents. Unfortunately for Triala, this particular legend is completely true. A few weeks after her sixtieth name day, the elven girl destroyed the estate of her master, High Lord Ulster Howe, with a barely controlled eruption of pyromantic fury. Due to her emotional state at the time and limited experience with the Will, Triala also managed to set the right side of her face on fire. The teal flames ravaged the elf's visage for several agonizing seconds before she quelled them.

Now, a little less than fifteen years later, the right side of Triala's face is a mass of hideous scar tissue with a single, cat-like amber eye hiding amidst the pink flesh. While many people cannot move beyond this horrific injury, those with stronger stomachs might be able to catch a glimpse of how lovely the she-elf used to be. While Triala was never the prettiest girl in the Realms, her heart-shaped face, bright eyes, and prominent cheekbones still radiate the same otherworldly beauty found in all elves. Sadly, life has a tendency to destroy beautiful things as the years pass. Luckily, Triala's red hair has grown long enough that she can use it as a curtain to conceal her wounds. The elf also has a button-like nose surrounded by freckles, which are quite visible thanks to her pale skin.

Due to spending most of her life as a household servant, Triala's 5'7" frame is soft and lacks the toughness found in the Company of the Wolf's battle-hardened veterans. She has narrow, bowed shoulders that encourage slouching and moderately toned arms, a testament to hours spent washing the floors of the Howe Estate. Triala's slender hands are delicate, almost fragile-looking, and she's missing the littlest finger on her right hand. Only a stump remains. An ample bust, prominent beer belly, and wide hips give the elven woman a buxom, if unhealthy-looking, physique. Triala isn't the most physically capable or agile member of the Company, but she doesn't seem to mind her curvaceous figure. It's actually helped her on more than a few occasions. Long legs and dainty feet complete the picture of a woman who wouldn't look out of place in an alehouse or brothel.

Thankfully, she found the Company of the Wolf first.

When it comes to her attire, Triala's race and mystical abilities typically force her to dress as conservatively as possible. She would much rather be ignored than draw attention to herself. The elf normally wears long-sleeved tunics made of linen or, if she wants to impress someone, silk dyed in various shades of green or brown. Occasionally, she'll wear a leather jerkin over her tunic, though this is mostly to keep herself safe amidst the chaos of battle. The elf's lower half is normally shrouded in black-dyed calfskin leggings and boots. Triala is also rarely seen without her oilcloth wineskin, knapsack, and quarterstaff. Every now and again, usually when the Captain or one of her senior officers deems it necessary, Triala will don a ridiculous blue robe of crushed velvet with the constellations stitched on it in white thread. This garment, which was "liberated" from a mummer's troupe after the Battle over Silver Lake, also has a staggering amount of gold scroll-work along the edges. Triala refers to this as her "magicky outfit." It makes her look like a sorceress from a children's story.

Military Background

Years Spent in Service: Triala has been with the Company of the Wolf for the last 15 years.

Equipment:
-A well-polished silver dagger with a hilt carved in the shape of a sleeping dragon

-An oilcloth wineskin that is rarely empty

-A threadbare leather knapsack containing everything from parchment scraps to a satchel full of gold coins

-A weathered quarterstaff shaped like a shepherd's crook and made of flame-resistant thornwood

-A hooded cloak of black satin lined with aurochs fur and the heraldic symbol of the Company stitched into the back

Skills:
-Pyromancy: Triala possesses a type of pyromancy dependent on her current emotional state. For instance, if she witnesses another elf being beaten by his human master then this might elicit strong feelings of sorrow or rage. This is when she can access and manipulate the Will. As soon as these emotions dwindle, however, her grip on the Will lessens before fading completely. While this makes her talents notoriously unreliable, Triala’s gift allows her to perform incredible feats of mystical prowess despite her limited knowledge of the craft. A cloak of teal-colored flame that burns everyone around her, darts of fiery agony, and even columns of blue fire are all within Triala’s purview. Apart from needing to feel a strong emotion, the only limitation to this gift is the she-elf must be able to see the flame she wants to manipulate. Triala can also create fire from nothing, but this is much harder and quickly exhausts her. After burning down the Howe Estate, the elven woman was running on pure adrenaline and terror. Otherwise, she would’ve fainted on the spot and probably died. The presence of several torches in the estate's kitchen also helped keep the elf from crossing into the realm of Sindarin, the elven goddess of death, winter, and loneliness. Finally, any flame under Triala’s control turns a brilliant shade of teal and tends to be much harder to douse without magical assistance.

-One of the finest horseback riders in the Company of the Wolf

-Capable of drinking more than most Company members and knows a great deal about the Realm's various alcoholic beverages

-Understands basic combat strategies and can fight with her quarterstaff and knife

The Mind

Psych Profile

Quiet. Obnoxious. Aloof. Compassionate. Triala Veclis is an elf of contradictions, and she sees little point in trying to change. It's who she is. For example, the she-elf can be warm, amusing, and attentive around people she knows well and cares about. Osric "The Mad Mage" Weaver knows he can always confide in his apprentice, because she wouldn't dream of betraying the trust of the few Company members she considers friends. This small circle of individuals has become a surrogate family of sorts to the young elven woman, and she'd do almost anything for them. On the other hand, newcomers and strangers often believe Triala to be uncaring, cold, and outright rude. And she most can be at times. Especially on those rare occasions when she allows her mind to wander the old, painful roads of her past. Her childhood as a servant in the house of the Howe family has fostered a burning hatred and resentment towards mankind within her that persists to this day. Thankfully, as she's matured and grown older, the she-elf has started to realize the merits of letting someone's actions speak for them. After all, Triala knows she undoubtedly killed innocent people when she unleashed her pyromantic abilities and razed the Howe Estate. And she still feels incredibly guilty about the entire incident.

Still, the mage isn't going to go out of her way to be kind to any humans unless she has to. Or unless they might be useful to her.

Regardless, the past lays heavily on Triala's shoulders, and she often lapses into grim, miserable silences. She can usually bring herself out of these moods by drinking or spending coin on useless finery, but these remedies don't always work. The elf's amber eyes are constantly drawn to the south as if she's trying to see how her mother is faring. Obviously, displaying this kind of behavior in a company of sellswords would make Triala an easy target for mockery and derision. So, she compensates by drowning herself in alcohol, making jokes, and cursing like a sailor on shore-leave. Whenever she's given an assignment, however, all unproductive and inefficient behavior ends with shocking abruptness. Her task consumes her, and she throws herself into it with an intensity most find unnerving. Triala also has a tendency to become furious and upset whenever someone suggests deviating from the orders she's been given. The she-elf is determined but decidedly inflexible. Strict adherence to her superior officers' commands is comforting in the crucible of war, but the mere thought of improvisation is enough to send Triala into a screaming fit.

In the end, much of Triala's behavior is a facade to hide the deep-rooted insecurities buried within her. She is incredibly sensitive about her burned face, and her mood can change from pleasant to enraged in the blink of an eye. The she-elf is also an adolescent on the brink of adulthood, and she has no idea what her future holds. The Company of the Wolf gives her life meaning, and it might even grant her the resources she needs to rescue her mother from High Lord Howe one day. Beyond that, however, the young elven woman acts competent and crass in hopes of disguising how uncertain she is about what her destiny might be.

She is terrified of change yet remains powerless to stop it.

History

Triala Veclis was born in the spring of 1097 IC to Selune Veclis-Arathan, an elven serving woman working for the Howes of Estermont. The Kingdom of Estermont, also known as the "Kingdom of Plenty," was a small southern nation enjoying an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. And the Howe family was largely responsible for this fruitful time. By swearing oaths of fealty to the fledgling Vorstagian Empire in his youth, High Lord Wilcott Howe guaranteed his family and territory would be protected in the event of a major conflict. Why try to fight the Empire when the idea of a unified Continent under Vorstagian rule was so much more appealing?

Unfortunately for Triala and her mother, they were elves. This golden age didn't affect them too much. While the high lord and his wife were unusually kind to their servants, the majority of their time was spent cooking, cleaning the estate, and attending to the needs of their masters. Since both of them were household servants, Selune was permitted to teach her daughter how to read and write, though Trial often struggled with these higher concepts. Day after day passed in a pleasant, if somewhat arduous, haze for the young elf as she learned her place in the Howe Estate and the world at large. How much clover honey does the high lord like in his tea? Can you fetch High Lady Catriona's red silk robe from her wardrobe? When was the last time you and the other servants mucked out the stables? These were the questions Triala's life revolved around, though she did manage to find the time to enjoy herself on occasion. The Howe family's stable master, a handsome elf named Ingmir Shadras, insisted on teaching Triala how to ride a horse, and he was pleasantly surprised to realize she was a natural. No matter how often her mother scolded her for coming into the house reeking of horses, the fiery-haired child always found her way back outside for another lesson with Ingmir.

Everything in Triala's life was simple and predictable, an endless list of chores and tasks, until the winter of 1137 IC. There were troubling whispers concerning King Lysteria's health coming down from the north, and imperial emissaries were being sent throughout the southlands to affirm the loyalty of the Vorstagian Empire's many vassals. The forty-year old Triala, along with several other elven attendants, were ordered to prepared and serve a sumptuous dinner to the high lord and his important guests, but something went wrong almost immediately. One of the younger elves accidentally emerged from the kitchen too early with the first course, which consisted of several platters of stuffed eggs and blue prawns, and forced the rest of his fellow servants to do the same. Presentation was everything in the house of the High Lord of Estermont. After the youth in question was chastened back in the kitchen, an older elf named Myranda Tavellan suggested it might be best to serve the suckling pig now. If they waited too long then the high lord would undoubtedly punish them for making his guests wait. Of course, if they didn't let the initial course digest then nobody would eat much of the pig. The argument grew increasingly heated until, in a fit of anger, Triala somehow caused Myranda's wispy gray hair to catch on fire.

The flames were the color of a bright summer sky.

Luckily for Triala, Myranda was a mage of some skill, and she discretely used her own gifts to quell the hungry flames. Humorously, the time the elves spent bickering and trying not to scream when Myranda's hair started burning meant the imperial emissaries were practically drooling when the suckling pig was brought forth. The dinner was a success, but this night would be a turning point in Triala's life. Myranda, after promising Triala all was well and she wasn't hurt, brought the younger elf to her mother and took Selune to another room. The two elves discussed what transpired in the kitchen long into the night until they reached a decision. Starting the next day, Myranda would begin teaching Triala about the Will. Both Selune and Myranda knew if the elven child's abilities were discovered then she'd be sent to the human-dominated Mysterium Lodge in southern Estermont. The lodge had a well-deserved reputation as a haven for greedy, racist, and incompetent mages with little understanding of their abilities. If Triala was sent there she'd probably die within the month.

To avoid this dire fate, Myranda began taking Triala with her during her nightly excursions into the nearby Wrenlock Forest. Once they were safely hidden within the greenery, the older elf would instruct her new pupil in the ways of the Will, the otherworldly force that allowed mages to cast spells. Unfortunately, Myranda's talent revolved around the manipulation of plants while Triala felt more of a kinship with flames. There was only so much the withered elven woman could teach her young friend, though most of her lessons were about control as opposed to actual use of the Will. The two grew close over the years, and Myranda became something of a surrogate grandma to Triala. Selune was immensely relieved. She'd already lost her husband, and the thought of losing her daughter was too much to bear. Still, if Myranda could hide her own mystical powers for so long then she could surely teach Triala to do the same.

In 1152 IC, everything changed as the Wars in the South ended and the Empire claimed the southlands once and for all.

Estermont didn't contribute many soldiers to the cause, but High Lord Wilcott ensured the Vorstagian forces never wanted for supplies. In addition, he sent a small cadre of soldiers led by his twenty-year old son, Ulster Howe, to assist his allies during the conflict. Ulster Howe had always been a quiet, unassuming boy, but his first taste of real battle changed him in ways his father couldn't have possibly foreseen. When he returned home, the lad had transformed into a man of violence, passion, and a complete lack of respect for anyone he considered beneath him. Regrettably, this included his father, who'd taken ill earlier that same year and become bed-ridden. After a valiant struggle, High Lord Wilcott Howe died of the damp lung in the fall of 1152 IC, and Ulster was declared the new High Lord of Estermont. His mother would act as his advisor and confidante. This signaled a major shift in the way the Howe Estate was run. Suddenly, elves were beaten for the slightest mistakes and treated like animals by their once benevolent masters. Filled with sorrow over her husband's death and perhaps recoiling at what her son had turned into, High Lady Catriona Howe-Maddox passed away during the dismal winter of 1153. Without his mother to curb his base impulses, Ulster Howe earned the nickname "The Grim" fairly quickly, and his reputation as a cruel, drunken monster of a man spread throughout the kingdom.

Only his devotion to the Vorstagian Empire kept him from being usurped or replaced as High Lord of Estermont.

Regrettably, the situation worsened in 1154 when the high lord decided to take a late night walk through the Howe Estate's renowned rose garden. During his stroll, Ulster spotted Myranda and Triala running off into the Wrenlock Forest to continue practicing with the Will. He sent several guards to bring the elves to him, thinking they were trying to run away, but his soldiers brought back dire news. The older elven woman was showing her younger companion some magical cantrip or spell. Horrified and enraged, the high lord sent Myranda to the Mysterium Lodge the next day and beat Triala senseless for keeping this secret from him. He demanded to know if she also possessed the gift of magic. Through tears and a broken nose, the red-haired elven girl swore she didn't, and the young nobleman decided to let her remain at the estate.

After all, he was having sex with her mother on an almost nightly basis. The last thing he wanted was for Selune, his favorite elven doxy, to start blubbering because he'd sent her daughter away.

With Myranda gone and her mother known throughout the estate as the "high lord's whore," Triala longed to escape from the Howe Estate. She marveled at how many opportunities she'd had with Myranda to simply vanish into the Wrenlock Forest. Of course, she hadn't because the older elf wouldn't have been able to keep up, and the idea of leaving her mother behind was repulsive to her. The resentment and fear she felt towards High Lord Howe came to a head in 1157 when Ingmir, Triala's friend and tutor in the art of horseback riding, approached his master and told him the truth. Triala did, in fact, have the Will. Furious and inebriated beyond rational thought, the aristocrat ordered his guards to bring Triala to the kitchen while he fetched Selune. When the two elves were in the room together, the High Lord of Estermont began beating Selune with a truncheon while shouting at Triala for being a "pointy-eared monster" and a "lying, thieving elven bitch!" Horrified and barely in control of her emotions, Triala let loose. Everything Myranda had taught her about control vanished in the blink of an eye.

The resulting explosion of pyromantic magic engulfed the kitchen and nearly killed the young elf. Only the presence of several torches in the room allowed Triala to survive this colossal expenditure of mystical energy. She did, however, set the right side of her face ablaze. Screaming in pain and barely cognizant, the elven girl fled through one of the side doors and raced towards the forest where she'd once practiced magic with Myranda. She only looked back once and saw the high lord, with her mother in tow, sending a dozen guards after her while the rest began trying to douse the fire. Triala quelled the flames scalding her face and ran until her legs gave out. Weeping in pain and terror, the elven girl decided her only hope of escaping her master was to try and leave the kingdom. Perhaps she could head north? There was a village called Last Hope a few days to the south of the border between the southlands and the northern kingdoms. It seemed like as good a destination as any.

Triala barely survived the long journey northwards, but she finally reached Last Hope after nearly two weeks of walking and living off the land to the best of her abilities. Outside of the ramshackle settlement, the she-elf saw a standard that would alter the course of her life: a simple black field with a running dire wolf on it. The Company of the Wolf was looking for recruits in the area since there were rumors of a new war starting in the north. In light of her desperate circumstances, Trial wondered if she should join, but she kept seeing the expressions of horror and disgust on the faces of those she'd met on the road. Her scarred face was too revolting. Who would be willing to tolerate an elf with no combat experience and a visage only a mother could love?

The trembling elf turned to walk away...only to run into an older member of the Company, Osric Weaver. The man immediately sensed this dirty creature's connection to the Will, and he told her she wasn't going anywhere. Triala was too weak to fight him. He dragged her over to the recruiter and helped her sign her name. The mage promptly declared that she would be his greatest pupil ever. She would be the one the "Mad Mage" would teach all his secrets to. The recruiting officer simply rolled his eyes and told Osric to take his pet into the encampment to await further instructions from the Captain. The mage complied and, with a hearty chuckle, led his new student into a life that would reshape her both literally and metaphorically. The next fifteen years were some of the best and worst of Triala's life thus far. Her new teacher taught her how to use her abilities in ways Myranda had never discussed, and he even bought her a quarterstaff and dagger.

"You can never know too many ways to kill a man," Osric always said. Triala took him at his word.

The Wars in the North began in the year 1162, and the Company of the Wolf fought for whatever side was willing to pay them the most coin. Gold flowed like a wondrous, clinking river through their encampment as they prospered off the chaos engulfing the Continent. For the first time in her life, Triala knew what it was like to have money of her own to spend. And spend it she did. When she wasn't buying clothes or alcohol, the elven woman bought the most expensive meals she could afford and even purchased an old Vorstagian Charger from a horse merchant after the Battle of the Celebron Fields. The scrawny, starving wretch Osric found on the streets of Last Hope blossomed and grew into a plump, money-hungry elf with a taste for the finer things in life. However, this doesn't mean Triala forgot about her mother and her old master, the High Lord of Estermont. Even during the Company's time serving Lord Van of Starly, she kept one ear to the ground in hopes of hearing something that would tell her what was happening in Estermont. Triala had long ago come to the conclusion that she might be able to save up enough coin to hire the Company to help her exact revenge on High Lord Ulster Howe. They might even be able to save her mother.

Now that she was making a decent amount of coin, this idea became more and more solid in the elf's thoughts. In 1168 IC, the seventy one year old elf decided to make this her purpose. She's squirreled away nearly two hundred golden pieces thus far, though it's a start. In 1172 IC, however, Lord Van's kingdom fell to the Vorstagian Empire and the Company of the Wolf has now been ordered to travel to the imperial capital to meet with the emperor. Although Triala's grip on her pyromancy is better than ever, and she's survived numerous battles alongside her companions, the she-elf is more than a little nervous about returning to the southlands. For now, she's content with keeping quiet and staying close to Osric. If worse comes to worse, Triala plans to abandon the Company at the first sign of danger to herself. It's hard to rescue anyone when you're dead.

Denouement

Character Motivation: Triala is concerned with her own well-being and little else. However, the she-elf plans to save enough coin to hire the Company to sack the Howe Estate so she can rescue her mother from Lord Ulster Howe.

Significant Relations: -Selune "Delightful" Veclis-Arathan: Triala's mother and primary caregiver until the destruction of the Howe Estate fifteen years ago, knew her child had magical abilities but tried to hide them, this ultimately resulted in her being beaten senseless by High Lord Ulster Howe in front of her daughter, given the nickname "Delightful" by the high lord in reference to the many hours of pleasure she gave him in bed, refuses to talk about Triala's father, currently living in the reconstructed Howe Estate

-Myranda Tavellan: An ancient elven servant born and raised in the Howe Estate, an intuitive mage who successfully concealed her abilities for decades, she often went out into the nearby Wrenlock Forest at night to practice using the Will, Selune persuaded Myranda to help Triala master her own gifts so the girl could avoid being sent away, Myranda and Triala grew close over the years, High Lord Ulster Howe discovered Myranda had been deceiving him in 1154 IC and ordered several household guards to escort her to the Mysterium Lodge, nobody has seen or heard from her since though the guards returned to the estate a few days later, currently missing and presumed deceased

-High Lord Wilcott Howe: The ruler of the kingdom of Estermont and High Lady Catriona Maddox's beloved husband, his heir and sole child is Ulster Howe, High Lord Wilcott was a kind and generous man who treated his servants exceptionally well, a staunch supporter of the Vorstagian Empire and the idea of a unified Continent, died from damp lung in 1152 IC and his son inherited the Howe Estate, his wife passed away almost a year after his death, deceased

-High Lord Ulster "The Grim" Howe: The only child of High Lord Howe and High Lady Maddox, assumed the title of Lord of Estermont in 1152 IC and continued his family's support of the Empire, nicknamed "The Grim" by his household guards since he rarely smiled, a cruel and spiteful drunkard who believes non-humans are little more than beasts, discovered Myranda Tavellan was a mage and sent her to the local spellcasters' lodge in 1154 IC, flew into a rage when he learned Triala Veclis could also use the Will and beat the girl's mother in front of her, this caused Triala to lash out with her abilities and she razed the Howe Estate to the ground before fleeing, the high lord sent a few guards to pursue her but his focus was on rebuilding his family's home, currently living in the rebuilt Howe Estate and seeking a wife

-Osric "The Mad Mage" Weaver: A cantankerous and eccentric spellcaster serving the Company of the Wolf, a talented mage with a thorough understanding of the Will and how to wield it properly, has spent most of his thirty years with the Company teaching new members how to use their mystical talents, took Triala under his wing as his apprentice in 1162 IC and still considers her to be a "work in progress," rarely talks about his past unless he's drunk or smoking witchleaves, currently employed by the Company of the Wolf

Opinions on Others: N/A until character is accepted

Other: Triala's closest friend is an elderly and temperamental Vorstagian Charger named Blackheart. When he isn't blatantly disobeying his rider's commands, Blackheart spends most of his time pooping in inappropriate places and making a nuisance of himself. Several Company members have ongoing bets to see who will have the honor of killing the bastard when he's no longer fit to ride. At the moment, the Captain seems to be the most likely candidate. After all, Blackheart devoured his favorite hat not too long ago. And the Captain has a long memory.

Blackheart the Vorstagian Charger

[Hexaflexagon]

And as reminder to @Terminal @DontCallMeZelda and anyone else.

1/24/16 We are live and now accepting applications! Please post the application to the OOC and not the character sheet tab. Only accepted character sheets can go in that tab. Thank you and have a nice day.

Hexaflexagon

Meaning that while I'm okay if you did not see that and posted your sheet directly to the CS Tab, I do have to stick to my guns. So if you want your sheets to be reviewed please, please, please post them to the OOC.

[Lexicon]

@Hexaflexagon Thank you for the answers. That was delightfully fast. Also, if it's all the same to you, I'm going to hold off on the 'Opinions of Others' section until I know for sure who has been accepted. That way I'm not writing about Triala's opinions on people who don't get accepted lol. I hope that's alright.

[Rockette]

Guh, I told myself: "No, nonono."
But I've been peeking on this since the Interest Check I noticed a couple days ago, and I haven't played in a fantasy epic in so long. So consider this as my official signing up and I'll flesh out the concept of my character here in the next couple days.

[DontCallMeZelda]

Posting in OOC. Sorry about that!

Hider

Name:

Gideon Wryder

Race: Human/Lycan
Age: 37
Magical Potency: None
Physical Description: Gideon stands at a stout 6'4 with stocky shoulders and a good head on his shoulders. His hair is a light dusty brown with hints of gray hair scattered throughout. Though he will do his best to keep them hidden. He has light blue eyes to match his hairstyle. His voice has a distinctive gruff tone to it.
He has muscle as well due to his rough life growing up and the occupation he had before joining the company. Though it obviously does him some good. He has a few definitive scars across his face. Most notably: One large scar on his left cheek. He wears it with pride.
When in combat, his attire consists of a leather based armor with small metal shoulder pads and gauntlets. The boots and pants are of a light material and he has a patch of fur lining the collar and left shoulder.

His civilian attire consists of a brown pair of pants with a white shirt to go with it. He will usually not wear any boots or footwear when he is lounging due to the nature of relaxation, but if he is wearing foot attire it would be his same pair of boots.

Military Background

Years spent in service: Gideon has been with the Company for about two years now.
Equipment:

Gideon's armor style

• Two long silver straight swords
• An assortment of tonics and oils
• A steel locket engraved with the torn inscription written by his loved one

Skills:

• Superb Monster Hunter
• Skilled Tracker
• Versatile
• Lycan Curse

The Mind

Psych Profile:
There are many things that Gideon has endured and struggled with. Due to this, Gideon has been given a rather bleak view on the world. He believe that everything happens for a reason and that the sins of his past life, even for things he may not have committed but inertly affected him, are causing his bleak out look on life. Gideon lost his most beloved wife when he was about 25. The two married rather young as they both desired no other. It was a true love story some would say. But, when his wife left this world, Gideon was permanently scarred. The two were only wed for two years or so. But he loved her like no other.
Gideon does not play games. He will be as brutally honest as he needs to be. But, he can lie if he wanted to. As a monster hunter, Gideon desires to wipe the stains of evil life off of the realm. He joined the company when he needed a warm bed and meals to fuel him to keep going. He holds the codes and morals of the company to his heart. Gideon is not a downer and will not dwell on one thing for long. When he is given a job he will do whatever it takes to get the job done quickly and effectively.
Due to his curse, he will keep it under wraps as best as he can. He has hidden it thus far. He tries to stay calm and collected as that is the best way to combat the curse.

History

Gideon was raised on a small river town nestled in some corner of the Realm. His father was an honest fisherman and his mother mainly stayed at home and did things around the house, but she would do an odd job for some extra income here and there. During this time, Gideon was about 9 or so. The town he lived in was divided into two sections: One section for humans, and one section for non humans. As a child Gideon never understood why the town was divided, but he never questioned the values of the head of the town.
The leader of the Town, was constantly under fire and heat due to the heavy monster attacks and raids that occurred about once a week. Gideon can recall having to hide in the small shelter in their home about twice a week due to the raids by monsters.

After a few months, a party of noble warriors was formed and they went out to try and combat the monsters and end the raids once and for all as the town could not take much more. Gideon was about 10 now. His father was one of the men who enlisted to help with the raid. His mother pleaded him not to go, but Gideon's father was too proud of a man.
So, the soldiers left into the marshy land to end this.
Weeks later, only a few of them returned. Gideon's father returned with one arm missing and his left eye gouged out. How he was walking was a miracle. The townsfolk rushed down to greet the survivors but a trap was laid and the monsters attacked in full force.
House were burned and shrieks of women and children could be heard. Gideon was grabbed by his mother and she dragged him along, but a large beast jumped out of the water and clasped his mother and killed her right on the spot. Gideon tried to escape but his mother's arm was locked onto his and her body was trapped under the water beast. At this moment, Gideon thought it to all be over, but something made the beast retreat.

Gideon's father slashed at the beast with his one arm and eye and freed him from his dead mother's grasp. Before Gideon and his father could escape, his father was engulfed in a pillar of flame. His screams could be heard throughout the town as he was charred to a crisp. Gideon watched this happen with tears in his eyes and a confused mind.
A woman's cackle could be heard as she calmly walked amidst the monsters and dead citizens. She was human, but she had strong magical properties. She was a witch.
The leader of the river town was brought to her as the village burned. She grabbed his head and threw it back and as if on command, the monsters attacked his body and ravaged it. They ate everything.

It was then, Gideon sprang up and ran as fast as he could. He ran so far and so fast that before he stopped the breath(figuratively) it was nightfall. His emotions were at an all time high. Tears were strolling down his face as the cries of the wildlife and wolves could be heard all around him. The scared boy panicked and continued to run.
He was ambushed by a small pack of wolves that thought him to be an easy snack. One jumped and bit his arm with such strong force. Gideon let out a shriek and fell to the ground.
An arrow came out of nowhere and punctured one of the wolves and the rest scattered. Gideon faded but he remembered being picked up by a dwarf and taken away.
When Gideon awoke, he had bandages on his arm and dwarves all around him. The one who saved him gave him a smile and told him he was happy he was alright.
The young boy thanked him and would spend the new few years of his life with the dwarf. The dwarf really wanted the small Gideon for menial labor and tasks around his shop for no pay, but Gideon didn't mind it.

When Gideon reached 19, he started to court a girl. He left the dwarf who had saved him those years ago and he and the girl moved to a small village not far from the town he had lived in with the Dwarf.
Though he and the girl he was infatuated with were not yet married, they lived together. Even though they were young, they wanted no other person in their life.
Months into living with her, Gideon asked to have her hand in marriage and she accepted. Gideon got a job in the village as a guard of sorts to help have some income. It was during this time that he learned his basic fighting and tracking skills. His emotions had never reached a high like when he was 10, but he was doing his best to suppress those memories.
When Gideon was 21, he was enlisted as the village's local monster hunter's apprentice. He was young but he had great potential. His wife did not like this... But Gideon loved the job. He slayed monsters from here and there with the elder at his side.
It wasn't until late in his age of 21, that his wife fell ill. He scoured for a cure for her sickness but his wife swore up and down that she had been cursed when she was out in the forest picking berries. Before she could tell him anymore, she passed and Gideon was left alone.

On that night, Gideon took his sword in hand and latched on to his steed and rode to the woods his wife spoke about. When he arrived under the cover of night his emotions got the best of him. A black wolf leaped at him and did not attack, but instead pushed him to the ground. His eyes were blurry as he was still worked up.
His head started to throb and he lost his sword. He thrashed about and became angry with the world. He wanted the world to burn and he wanted to burn with it. The black wolf he had seen looked to him once more and then transformed into a woman. A woman, that Gideon remembered. It was the same witch from his previous village.
She snickered to him and waved her hand above his head whilst saying some incantation. Gideon shook his head and staggered back to find his sword. But he soon fell to his knees and then on all fours. The curse had been placed on his. Soon, the transformation into a ragged clothed, bipedal wolf monster was finished. He let out a howl and was fueled by one thing: bloodlust. His desire to watch the world burn sparked the fire of his emotions and triggered the change. The curse was in him. It was a part of him.

In his state, he rushed to the village and killed only a few people under the cover of night. When he awoke the next morning, he was naked and confused. He rushed home and was reminded of his wife's passing. Not remembering last night, he gave her a proper burial by himself and thought it best to leave town.
During the next few years, Gideon came and went from town to town. Unaware of the curse placed on him at first, he got odd jobs as a monster hunter of sorts. He spent his days slaying monsters and beings alike.
Every once in a while, his emotions would take over him and he would transform, but he would always awake with no memory of it.
In one town he stayed in, an oracle gave him guidance and told him of his curse. She said the only way to combat the curse would be to not let his emotions get the best of him.
The next few years were tough as he did his best to forget about everything he hated. But it proved difficult.
Now about 26, Gideon had an idea. He asked around for the name of the village he had been born in and only got scrambled pieces of information since it had been destroyed. Eventually, he found his way there through backwards information givers and his own luck and initiative.

Once there, he found trace monster remains and noticed they still inhabited the marshy area near the ruins of the village. Gideon trekked on and killed every monster in his path. He was fueled by the desire to kill them all so this seemed like justice to him. Eventually, he was confronted by the witch who had planted the curse on him and that had killed his parents. She used her magic to the best of her abilities and wore him down. But when she thought him dead, he came back and cleaved her head clean off. He sought no reward for killing the witch, but in the years to come he made a habit of killing the ruthless once who used their magical properties for evil.

It wasn't until he was about 35 that Gideon heard of the Company. He sought them out and joined when he could. He has been with the company ever since and hopes one day, to see his beloved again. His curse still affects him. But he keeps it a secret.
He seeks only to lend those a hand if they need it and to bring honor to the company.

Denouement

Character Motivation: To seek vengeance for himself and his wife and family. He desires to make the world a safe place. One dead monster at a time.
Significant Relations: His deceased wife Cilia
Opinions on Others:

[Hexaflexagon]

@Lexicon
No problem. And that is a completely reasonable thing to do, you don't have to write done any opions of others just yet. lol

@Rockette
Alrighty then! Welcome aboard the everybody is going to die horribly train super happy fun time train!

Edit:
@DontCallMeZelda
Thanks and don't worry about it, just had to point it out so I don't seem like a hypocrite later. I'll look over the CS in a little bit when I have some actual time to read it over and give it the attention it deserves.

[vietmyke]

@Hexaflexagon This looks very well done Hex, I'll be writing a character sometime tonight.

[Hexaflexagon]

@vietmyke

I knew I liked you for a reason Myke. XD

[Terminal]

@Hexaflexagon This looks very well done Hex, I'll be writing a character sometime tonight.

@vietmyke

You will be seeing some familiar faces.

[Littlefinger]

Hi there, I've been looking for a good fantasy RP and I am so glad to have found this one. Here's my CS and I hope I get approved. Thank you!

Connor Vaelis

Basic Information

Name: Connor Vaelis, more often referred to as Cub or simply Vaelis
Race: Human
Age: 25
Magic potency: Y. Telepathy and telekinesis. His capabilities and skills in depth are found in his history.

Physical Description:

Connor Vaelis

Connor stands in contrast to his newbie status quite tall (6'2 ft) with a lean intimidating posture, this is quite ironic considering his naive and childish personality and his illogically great skills in stealth. He often makes a joke that his good camouphlage skills are due to the fact that people could mistake him as a tree. Connor prefers to wear reinforced leather armor and leggings which's brownish collor help his attempts to blend in natural surroundings, his boots are of tough leather softened at the bottom to help him achieve as much silence as possible when moving. His physical fighting style with his shortsword resonates with his armor as unlike chainmail and plate armor wearers, Connor is much more cautious of enemy attacks. This warryness causes him to have less attacking chances than other combatants. He wears a black, not well kept, at places torn, cloak on his back which also has a hood to cover his face. Vaelis has a leather belt on his waist which holds a sheather for his dagger and his short sword, along with with his pouch.

His physical description along with his sharp facial features might intimidate commoners and help in resolving tavern conflicts before they turn into brawls, only when he keeps silent. And Connor staying silent is rare enough that people can commit a whole feast and celebration to cherish such an occassion.

Military Background:

Years Spent in Service: 10 months
Equipment:

• A well-made shortsword
• Reinforced leather armor that reflects his focus on agility rather than brute strength
• A pouch containing herbs, liquid and powder poisons, and coin.
• A dagger sheathed in his belt

Skills: (List from most potent to least)

• Excellent stealth skills
• Very perceptive of enemy movements
• Good swordsman
• Erratic skills in magic but with vast potential

The Mind

Psych Profile: Connor Vaelis:
Q1: What annoys you?
"If there's something that quite annoys the living hell of me, well, that would be waiting.I am quite impatient, yeah. Oh yeah, and I can't understand why everyone in the Company keeps calling me Cub or Fresh Blood and orders me around to do errands. By the Spirits, I've been with them for almost a year."
Q2: What could you say about your experience in life ?
Hmm, I have seen quite much of the real world, I mean I am twenty five years old, I know everything there is, can't surprise me, no. There's nothing out there that could lift me off my shoes, I tell you I've seen a lot. (Yeah,right.)
Q3: Other 'colleagues' of the Company say that you're completely out of your mind, what do you have to say about that ?
What ? Who said that ? Has to be that quartermaster, keeps giving me a lecture everytime I pass by him, can't even take my time in the backhouse if he's waiting for me to get out of it. I am pretty sure that guy was a teacher in a college of Magic, they're all like that there and that's-
Q3 2nd attempt: Could you answer to the question please?
Oh yeah, of course, sure. Um, by completely out of my mind I think he means I am brave. And I am really brave, I don't know why they keep calling my actions stupid, I call them brave. You get what I mean ? I like adventure, that's why I am here.
Q4 Describe yourself with five words.
Hot, Sexy, Genious, Temptation at its best-
Q4 2nd attempt: Seriously now.
Fine, fine. Geez. Umm, funny, brave, totally brave, sometimesidontthinkmuch, very stubborn, independent.
Q5 Do you find yourself in the right place, being here in the Company?
Oh yeah, definitely. It's really what I wanted, damn the college, they were all stuck-up nobles there anyway. Here you feel free. Yeah, you get your obligations and duties but people are honest, or they do really damn good job at acting honest. You get all type of people here, you get silent and keen listeners, merry folks, people with no hope in their eyes, vengeance driven people, honorable knights probably fleeing stuck up nobles just like me and so on. Oh, and the Cap'n, he's the right man for this job, can't think of others being at that position and as I told you I've see a lot (not really a lot at all), this man knows what he's doing and he has my respect. All in all, I am happy to be here despite how people judge us.


History:
Connor Vaelis was born to two parents in a village called Five Streams, for the five streams around it (originality), a very small village on the borders of the South with the North. The village was situated on a really forsaken location much isolated from the rest of the world and it awaited monthly arrivals of peddlers to restock equipment and goods they could not get from nature itself. As such, Connor developed great respect and love for the nature and the wild finding the wild as his home. Although taught to be a farmer, he often played with other children in the forests and hills surrounding the small village. Ever since he was a child he would get in as much as trouble as he could get in such a village, and he was prone to mischief and dangerous adventure. One such adventure was Connor's solo journey to the closest village which was two nights of walking through a rough terrain of endless hills. During that journey, at night time, he was ambushed by a predator, a predator so black he could not make its shape in the dark. Struggling against deadly jaws with flying kicks and reckless punches, feeling helpless against the predator did he repulse against the beast and send it flying away crashing its spine in an old tree.

He found he had magic.

Scared to death from his encounter he grew a patch of his hair white. As he returned home, Connor explained his story to his parents which were greatly shocked by this. His father's eyes gleamed with pride as he declared he was leaving Five Streams to find a mage to teach his son but deep inside his father feared the taking of his son by a college or a cabal, yet he knew that without control Connor would destroy himself.

As the father left Five Streams, no news of him was heard until Connor became fifteen. During that time, believing his father dead, Connor did his father's duty with great concentration and effort and had a lot of success with every harvest. He was glad his life was peaceful, but longed for an adventure, longed to find the fate of his father, but he could not leave his mother here. During those days Connor became aware that he could hear people's thoughts, not as full sentences but as background sound, only once did he grasp that he had skill concerned with the school of magic - telepathy, this of course was explained to him when he was taken to the college of magic. In his mutual conversations with the other villagers, Connor found out to become quite persuasive and people were wilful to do what he asked for. He found that whatever his magic was, he had no idea of it and how to control it, Connor knew he had to leave soon. As that thought began to take form, his father returned.

With a mage.

The tall, skinny overdressed with cloth garments mage stood well above the fifteen year old Connor, he held a wooden staff in his right hand and looked as much as a mage could look in a fairy tale. The mage confirmed that indeed the boy has the magic, and by the looks of it with not just an average amount of potential. The mage questioned Connor for 'symptoms' and deduced that Connor had an affinity towards the school of magic that employed magic to influence thoughts upon others or convey messages to other's minds, the latter would be a base to his role as a good recon and scout. And with that, the mage declared he would take Connor away to the Imperial capital in a Mage College to be trained in art of magic.

Connor was found to be a quick learner in his classes and excelled in the beginning, yet every day he grew tired of his peers who to him seemed as stuck up and plain boring children of nobles of which some scarcely had the flame of magic within. As he grew more tired and began getting into trouble, his teachers noted that his character reflects the application of his magic - erratic. And that was true, sometimes he was able to influence whole decisions upon people (like you know that random going to the fridge and opening it with no idea or whatsoever) and sometimes he could barely try the same and get questioning looks from his targets.

Years passed and Connor restlesness was at the edge, that was the time when he was picked along with other students to partake in a skirmish between the South and North. Connor was so excited he nearly fainted. Leaving the capital riding with a capable force of men and a few other students, Connor prepared his mind for the battle.
At the skirmish he proved his capabilities by influencing men's emotions, he struck a handful of Northern soldiers with a mood of hopelessnes and defeat while boosted Southern's men with motivation. Numerous times he attempted on finding the general of the northern forces, skipping through minds, thoughts and emotions until he located the leader. Connor attempted numerous tries to influence the man's choices of strategy, trying to force him a movement of soldiers that would result in sending them in an ambush, yet Connor felt his strength drained from his vast search for the general and the previous influences on moods on both sides and thus he was just ended the day with a headache. During that skirmish, as the other students had magic that was quite shown such as the creation of fire, the strikes of lightning, soldiers began mocking Connor as useless as they could not make out his magic. Annoyed, he concentrated all his energy on bending the Northern general's mind to commit an illogical act, with his mind beating like hooves of horses on the general's mind barriers, Connor finally broke in and succeded on his act. Of course, the soldiers did not believe such and maintained their mockery even after the battle. That day he realized that his days in the college were numbered.

Three years passed since he had left the College and sought to make his own fortune and go throughout the world which was in war alone, Connor's solo adventures during that time lead him to another community of believers of the Old Ways where he apprenticed under an old yet experienced master of the sword and a hermit who brought great knowledge upon Connor about the links between the Old Ways and magic itself. For two years he stayed there until he left, feeling surprisingly adept enough to wield a sword to guard himself and with a bit better control of his magic, yet still erratic and far from achieveing an outstanding skill of it.

Thus, now at twenty five years of age, he sought to find a place to be in, a place full of adventure and to develop his abilities to people who would appreciate them. And fate met him with the Company of the Wolf, in which he is part of for almost a year now.

Denouement

Character Motivation: Have a life full of such adventure, independent from both warring sides, so he could write a book about his adventures and leave a legacy of a legendary writer.
Significant Relations: His parents back in Five Streams, he last saw them right after he took his leave from the College, and now it has been years since that.
Opinions on Others: Will be added as the RP goes on, if I get approved that is.

[FantasyChic]

I am here. Working on my CS as I type

[vietmyke]

Almost done! I'm not a fan of posting unfinished CS's, so I'll wait until tomorrow to wrap up my battle-scarred Company oldsman.

@Terminal, aye, familiar faces be the best of faces.

[Hexaflexagon]

Alright first round of reviews has been done. So far everything is looking dandy. To reiterate what I said in the interest check, this is not a first come first serve kind of roleplay, we are open as long as you provided me with an interesting character that I feel would add something to the world. So nobody has to feel the need to rush out a Character Sheet, I want to see your best not something you shat out all quick and dirty like. That being said off to the reviews!

@DontCallMeZelda
We already hashed out most of the details through the PMs that you sent me, but I was interested to see where the concept headed. And after examination and review on my part everything seems to be in marching order. That beings side you are missing one part of the Character Sheet. The Physical description. While a picture can be used to supplement the description, I would prefer a written description as well none the less, I feel it helps paint a more lively picture your head and can help you cover some details that a picture wouldn't cover. Doesn't have to be anything major maybe just a paragraph or two describing them and what they usually are wearing in terms of clothing et cetra. If you need reference refer to Lyssa's sheet in the GM tab. (The only reason my NPC sheets will avoid this rule is just because I'm going to be cranking out a lot of them over time and not having to write the description helps ellivate the time crunch needed.) Probably should've stated that somewhere but besides that once that is added everything looks ship shape to me.

@Littlefinger
He's so young and innocent! I can't wait to see his native crushed by the cruel, cruel world. xD Though to be honest with you I really like the character concept so far. It'll be interesting to see how he mixes with some of the more serious members of the Company especially since he is more a welp at this point rather than a wolf. That being said, you also have the same problem as your comparative above, I also need a written description from you as well. It's just a me a thing really but it would make everything just a little bit more perfect.

Oh and a message out to everybody.
Pretty looking character sheets go a long way with me. I don't know I just like being able to see all the information splayed out in front of me all nice like. This means put it in a hider and to avoid putting too many hiders inside of your hiders if you need to like an image like a character image reference to supplement your description or a picture of a weapon or something rather than putting a hider with the image inside of it. If I could ever so kindly suggest that you rather like I did in my CSs instead use the [url=Example URL goes here] Words go in here that you want to be able to click to go to image [/url] method of linking them instead of putting the picture in. Thanks!

[Littlefinger]

@Hexaflexagon Thanks for the nice words! I will fix the physical description now and moreover I will switch the word Newbie with cub as it fits more to the whole Wolf theme. I think it would be better. Oh yeah, he's gonna see the real real world now. xD

EDIT: Made the neccessary changes, if you would like anything more please do say so! Thanks!

[DontCallMeZelda]

@Hexaflexagon Well I feel dumb for missing that segment of the app. But, I wrote up a quick description and added it to the CS!

[Hexaflexagon]

@Littlefinger
Nah it all looks good on my end now. By the power invested in me by me I consider you accepted. You may post your sheet to the CS tab!

@DontCallMeZelda
Alright than everything else looks in order on my end. You are also accepted! You can transfer the sheet over at your leisure.