Helo

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Palace-Library
Interaction: Auguste@Inertia

As was often the case, Callum’s peace was interrupted by someone who bore the name Danrose. At least, this time, it was neither his father nor his eldest brother, but Auguste. Out of all his family, Auguste was the most tolerable, generally decent, and not outwardly cruel like most of the family. But when watching his brother’s duels, Cal had noted what he would call bloodlust in the other man’s eyes, that coupled with his brother’s desire to please their father kept him on edge around Auguste all the same. As a rule, Callum didn’t trust anyone who willingly served his father, even while understanding why Auguste might simply choose the path of least resistance. He sighed, and placed a piece of paper inside the book before, dramatically, snapping it closed. He stood, placed back on a bookshelf, and made no effort to smooth the wrinkles from his clothes.

“Managed to tear yourself away from playing with your own sword to run errands for father?” He asked an eyebrow raised as he approached his brother. In typical Callum fashion, he resorted to snide remarks that he immediately regretted. He didn’t think Auguste wanted to be fetching him for the ball any more than he wanted to be fetched.

“Has Duke Vikenzo brought a new rodent to court?” Rather than apologize he tried to pull some of the coldness from his tone. While he sincerely hoped Lorenzo hadn’t gotten himself in worse trouble, he did love the way the Duke wound up King Edin. The fact that Lorenzo managed to make Edin’s eye twitch and the veins of his neck pop with anger, made the Duke one of the few nobles Callum liked. He grabbed the waistcoat from the chair, tightened the cravat around his neck, before adding the coat back to the outfit. At least this was a sign he had missed all the grand entrances and forced introductions.

“Best to get this all over with.” He added as he gestured for Auguste to lead the way. He loosed up his jaw as he walked, preparing himself for a night of fake smiles and meaningless exchanges.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Aboard The Harem
Interactions: Tigerlily @Potter, Tesoro@Infinite Cosmos, Lizzie @Tae, Barboda @Alivefalling, Helio @princess, and a rival ship and her crew @FunnyGuy
Equipment: A cutlass, 2 knives and a dagger strategically hidden, a spyglass, a wayfinder, pouch of amas, various jewelry.

---

As Barboda, Lizzie, and Tesoro dealt with those who had dared to try and board The Harem, Nym lit a cannon for the second time, this shot aimed directly at the mast of the enemy vessel. The riflemen were all dead, no enemy remained standing up the deck of The Harem, and aboard the other ship, was a lone dark elf locked in combat with Helio. There also remained at least one enemy below deck. Nym grabbed one of the grappling hooks from the side of The Harem, used his teeth to rip away the cut rope, and quickly re-tied it with rope aboard The Harem. He gave the grappling hook a strong tug to ensure the knot was secured and swung it towards the other ship, locking on and tying the loose end to The Harem.

The lone dark elf should be distracted enough by Helio that Nym was not worried about his own attempt to board the enemy ship. But if today his luck took a turn for the worst he had no fear of the ocean below him. Upon the other ship was surely something to be gained; guns, supplies, and perhaps even a snack if he found an enemy to take a bite of. Once he finished the climb over to the enemy ship, he’d leave Helio to finish up his fight with the dark elf. Nym’s plan was to keep the grappling hook secured so that anyone else from The Harem heading over had cover just in case any more enemies came from below deck on the enemy ship.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Myriamor Plaza
Mentions: Slick@FunnyGuy, Aurora@Mole, Sophie@princess, Caelen@Alivefalling,
Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.

---

The skies above Leaf shifted, no longer a peaceful clear day with few clouds and the welcoming glow of the sun. From above a horrible scene played out, a collective of identical dark creatures that were all sharp edges, horned and tailed, with glowing embers for eyes pulled a man apart. It spoke only in boasts and of violence, nothing about the strange creatures were familiar, utterly un-Avalian in every possible way. And the human, the human shrieked for mercy, and his bones popped from joints while skin tore with wet sounds until the screams stopped. Then the creature that called itself sin and Pride, laughed.

Leaf gripped tightly to the reins of Champ, pulling them to keep the horse from looking up at the scene; no innocent beast should witness that. The young cat felt everything inside him turn sour, both of his breakfasts threatened to curdle back up his throat. His tail fell from its confident up high position and his hackles rose from the freight. He looked at Slick first, then Sophie and Caelan, three humans who were a combination of decent, sweet, and fun, and who had been full of joy playing in a swimming hole. They had seen this too. The creature that called itself a sin wanted those humans, all humans here, to share the same horrible fate as the man who had been torn apart.

Had Aurora known of this? Was that why she insisted on keeping them all together? Why hadn’t she warned them? Did those who had left to walk the desert know as well? These sins, they scared Leaf more than dark elves could, this was something far worse than just dark elves. He, still walking with Champ, headed closer to the swimming hole, wanting to keep as close to the humans and Aurora as possible. Leaf’s eyes kept scanning through the crowds, Myriamor’s streets now filled with shocked and horrified faces, looking for anything that seemed not of this world, searching for threats. The whole war felt more real, more pressing, and he knew staying out of it was not an option. Leaf, who was neither a soldier nor a warrior, wanted to protect these humans just the same, it was the only right thing to do.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Palace-Library
Interaction: Thankfully alone

The Danrose palace in the capital of Sorian was sparling, and every effort had been made to ensure it was nothing short of grand. To Callum, this meant that room for just about everything. If one must live in a cage, he supposed a cage with dozens upon dozens of rooms was the best one could hope for. His favorite room was the library, filled with books and antiques, all of which really ought to be dusty, but the strict cleaning schedule of the palace never allowed a good amount of dust to collect anywhere. Other than the sheer amount of books to choose from, the best part about this room was his parents rarely stepped foot in here, they preferred to simply order someone else to fetch what they wanted for them. Thus it became Callum’s favorite place to lurk about. He knew the layout well enough that he could probably find whatever he was looking for while blindfolded if such a situation ever arose.

Cal, playing his favorite game of semantics, had followed his father’s instructions for the day to tee all while exploiting any loophole he could find. He was both dressed and ready for the ball at a prompt time, he had simply neglected to enter the ballroom itself. He wore dark dress shoes, new and not yet broken in, so they were unpleasant. Just as uncomfortably as the shoes, were the overly stiff trousers and dress shirt. The stuffy waistcoat was left behind on the chair because Cal hated it too, and his cravat was loosened as it had already been threatening to strangle him not ten minutes after he’d put it on. All of it was either black or a dark gray, chosen so that he would not draw more attention to himself as currently, the youngest Danrose prince preferred not to stand out whenever possible. Even worse than how uncomfortable the mandatory formal wear was, was the knowledge that all of it together equaled a substantial amount of money for anyone who actually worked in the damn palace. And that fact made him feel like shit for wearing it, hating it, and wanting to complain about it.

Cal could neither help the fact that almost every aspect of royal life made him deeply unhappy, just as he couldn’t help the fact that his father’s word was basically the law. So, he had followed the letter of the law, ignoring the spirit of it. Since ol’ King Edin had neglected to add actually show up to the ballroom on time, likely due to the king’s preoccupied mind with everything going on tonight, he spent his few remaining moments of imaginary freedom in the only room in the palace he actually liked, the library. He sat, back against the wall, on the floor, allowing his fine and fancy suit to get wrinkled, reading a book concealed behind one of the many rows of bookshelves. He found a small sense of joy knowing that his parents would disapprove of something as simple as sitting on the floor. Cal knew eventually he had to go to the ballroom, he had also been told that he would ‘dance, behave cordially and with manners, and greet the guests respectfully,’ but being on time, that was his loophole.

The library held no overpowering perfumes, only the comforting scent of ancient tomes, and no idle chatter or gossip, just simple silence, and best of all, in place of dozens of insufferable nobles, it held only one noble, himself, and stacks of books. Callum planned to miss all the obnoxious introductions and awkward hand, and ass, kissing that kicked off such events but arrive about when the good drinks came out to replace the wines. Next to him, on the floor, was a glass of whiskey, and it was far from his first one of the day. No one should endure his parent’s events, or company, sober, least of all him. So he sat, and drank, and read, and stalled for time, alone, in the very best room of the palace, until eventually, he forgot all about time and was lost in a book about a farmboy destined to stop a great evil.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Roshmi City
Interactions: Yuka@princess, Aiko@CitrusArms, Xavier@Potter, Augus@Funnyguy
Equipment: Sword, bow and arrows, small knife, wayfinder, fire kit, a pouch with 137 amas

---

“It is that man you have with you that requires the attention of General Maximus and perhaps even Governor Brightfeater.”

The words spoken by Captain Verencia stuck in Orias’s mind, tangled with concern for what the Avain City would want with Xavier. Were they simply concerned with the threat a human could pose? Did they want the human for their own benefit? Either seemed a strong possibility. Rather unlikely, but still within the realm of possibility was that they could use a human to gain favor with dark elves. The Captain himself was certainly not aligned with dark elves, but those above him, those who gave orders and pulled strings, Orias had not a clue what their intentions would be nor what loyalties they held. He stuck close to Xavier the entire way towards Augus’s home. He had to keep Xavier safe, Yuka and Aiko as well.

The next time Captain Verencia spoke directly to him, his words caused Orias’s veneer of confidence to crack. “Word of advice. You should probably do the talking, prince.”

That familiar sense of dread, the crushing burden of responsibility, rushed back in through those cracks. Even Captain Verencia had buckled before General Augus Maximus, sweat visible on the captain’s brow as he winced before the wall of winged stone. This alone told Orias enough; the general would be a tough man to convince of anything.

And who am I to speak for anyone? Incompetent. A disgrace to my family and people. Should’ve stayed dead. Should’ve actually died a century ago. We might be in real danger, why should it fall to me?

Yuka was better at talking, she could probably spin a thousand different tales that could get them out of this if they would only listen to her instead. Aiko had all the charm, they were disarming in a way that easily won others over, that made others want to work with them. And Xavier, he truly held power here, magic that far exceeded most anyone in Avalia, this man could turn the tides of the war. And what do I have? A title I’ve never done a damn thing to earn. A name I am unworthy of.

What did he know that could help? In his youth, he paid no attention to his mandatory studies of the other cities and he retained no knowledge of Avian culture. His interactions with Captain Verencia were brief, but what he had picked up from that Avian was that he was patriarchal, stoic, and seemed to value truth. Maybe Orias could work with that, maybe the general didn’t want a convincing story or charm, and certainly, the general didn’t want lies. At this point, all he really could offer was the truth and hope that would be enough for the general. Xavier stepped forward first, enough distance between the humans and the others that what happened to Yuka was unlikely to happen again. Orias watch Xavier as he tried to plan out what he should say. The human did better than even he’d expected, showing an impressive amount of control over his magical gift, harming neither the party nor the members of the Skygaurd, and showing that his ability to control lightning was no mere trick. Orias gave Xavier a nod of approval before he stepped forward to present the general with the truth.

“General Maximus, the tale I told upon arrival at your doors, was that the I, and my companions, were representatives of the Sun Elf Kingdom. That we sought allies and aid in this war. I ask your forgiveness because unbeknownst to my companions, I lied to your Captain.

I hold no authority to speak on behalf of the kingdom I abandoned. Before you stands a coward of a prince, one who fled responsibility and consequences for his actions. But I am Orias Biren. My intentions are to seek allies and aid in this war, for the benefit of the kingdom I have failed to serve for too long. Dark elves now occupy Roshmi, the Twin-Headed Dragon sits upon a throne just beneath your door. The Sun Elf Kingdom does not want them there. I’m sure Avain City does not want them there. And you, are not a foolish man. You know exactly what my people, my family, have brought to Avalia. This wayward human is my responsibility, it is my family that brought his kind here. The mistakes made at your gates, are my mistakes.

Despite how my family may feel about my actions, they are reasonable, they need this human, and they will meet with me. And that is how I can be of use to you. If you wish to offer any aid, I can bring your terms to my siblings, elves with more say and power than I have. If not, I humbly request safe travel away from Roshmi, and I will ensure my family hears of the kindness of Avain City, ensure that you are rewarded for it. They will know how this great city helped keep safe one of the humans with the power to sway this war in our favor.” Orias spoke with his head held high and eyes never fleeing from the cold gaze of the general. His voice cracked in places, sometimes from the shame of his past, sometimes from trying to grasp at faltering confidence, but nothing short of his best effort would do.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Time: Early Evening
Location: Caesonia Castle Ball Room
Interactions: Lady Thea@Tae, Prince Felix@Mole
Mentions: Pretty much everyone in the drama

Leo, despite the tension that surrounded him, felt no real sense of danger, even as Mayet reprimanded him. He nodded his head, accepting it, but hearing his own name spoken by a Shehzadi was victory enough. He was comfortable, not because he thought the Alidasht were weak or simply being dramatic, but Leo lived under the assumption that danger could only truly touch him if he wanted it to. The young lord grew up with every imaginable privilege and comfort, danger was always something he had to seek out. Sure, the court could offer a scandal or two, hits to one’s reputation, but life or death, for a Varian noble, that was rarely seen in civilized society amongst one’s peers. The situation went more or less as he expected, Alidasht called for the Duke’s head, but they settled for a lesser punishment. Beheading, in the middle of a ball, in front of so many northern noblewomen, would have caused mass fainting spells and ruined the festivities.

The honor of having spoken to one Shehzadi only to have his name uttered by another one paled in comparison to having caught the glance of the third Shehzadi in the room. A quick glance but her gaze was not one that saw him as something more akin to an insect the way the other two Shehzadis’ seemed to, but one that held a mild interest. He resisted the urge to smile, now was not the time but the night was young, and the chance to speak with the royal would have to be revisited. Of the two Shahzades in attendance, one was very clearly, and understandably, entranced by Lady Mina, and the other seemed entirely collected and spoke of mercy. The elder of the two Shahzades seemed more easily approachable as well.

What he hadn’t expected was the intervention of so many notable people of the court. Prince Wulfric stepped up to demonstrate exactly how well prepared Caesonia’s prince was to one day hold the mantle of king. The man with the unsightly cowlick he’d seen earlier offered a story to the sultan, which was truly bizarre. Then Lady Mina, with her confusing words encouraged the Kadirs to accept Lottie as a servant. He had trouble pinning down her intentions; was she another wolf that roamed the court looking to extinguish any competition by any means available, or trying to spare Charlotte another loss? Mina had certainly always struck Leo as a bit of a mystery. His thought interrupted as more of the dramatic scene played out, only for Prince Felix and his own dear sister to approach as well. Why on earth did Thea look so deeply upset? Maybe he did need to keep a closer eye on the young prince.

Seeing Lorenzo reduced to such a weeping puddle of a man stopped any thoughts Leo had of the man’s questionable honor. It was embarrassing to watch as the man threw out what remained of his own dignity for the sake of his daughter. But to go to such lengths to protect one’s family, was an act of honor, a sign that Lorenzo deserved some credit and Leo was glad for the sake of that family that Sultan was a merciful man. The drama that began the evening began to subside, the music played once again and so Leo turned his attention to Thea, offering a small grin.

“That was thrilling. Did you hear, one of them even spoke my name.” Leo whispered to his sister before offering a bow to Felix.

“Your highness, a pleasure, I look forward to the day I call you a brother.”He added towards Prince Felix. “This season is sure to be anything but dull. What an exciting group of people.” He continued to speak to the both of them but kept an eye on the puzzling look of distress Thea wore. He also noticed how, although Lottie had claimed she did have time for him tonight, she quickly headed off without another word towards the feast. In all fairness, he doubted there was anything that would keep Charlotte from a feast.

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Prince Callum Danrose

Sorrow-Bad Religion

Callum Alaric Danrose | 20 | Male

---

Appearance

Height:
5’9

Weight:
160 lbs

Eye Color:
Bluel

Hair Length/Texture:
Short

Hair Color:
Black

Skin Color:
Fair

Facial details:
none

Distinguishing features:
Sharp angular features and inquisitive eyes.

Clothing Preferences:
Although he prefers to wear more casual clothing, and in his younger days often purposefully underdressed for events, Callum has given in to dressing as expected. He likes dark colors, things that keep attention from him, make it easier to slink about in the shadows.

---

Psychology

Likes

-Drinking
-Creative arts
-Old and dusty books
-Thunderstorms
-Magic

Dislikes

-His whole damn family
-Noble culture
-Himself
-Violence
-Rules and expectations

Sexuality:
Heterosexual

Hobbies:

-Disappointing his father
-Learning
-Reading
-Drinking
-Studing magic

Life Goals/Dreams:
Cal has never really had the space to develop real dreams, he knows what he doesn’t want, to be anything like his father, to lead the sort of life most noble’s lead. Currently, he finds himself thinking devoting his life to a religious order might be best. It would be honorable enough to keep his family satisfied, give him space to just study and learn more about what interests him, and keep him away from political games. A quiet, peaceful life, sounds good enough for him.

Fears:
His deepest fear is that the streak of cruelty that runs in his family lives within him as well. That he’ll get people hurt, or worse, and that with time he will be just as uncaring to such things as those around him are.

Personality:
For a man who spends so much of his time alone, he despises loneliness, becoming an introvert more out of necessity than desire. Trust is difficult when so many would betray him to simply earn favor with his father. Close relationships are dangerous when his own father is willing to use others to hurt him. A lifetime of having to carefully consider his moves leaves every action tainted by fear and anxiety. Still, he can’t always keep his honest and outspoken nature in check. Self-control doesn’t come easily to Callum, indulgence does. He is drawn to anything that brings his mind away from his current situation.

Cal puts on a show of apathy, showing no interest in power or wealth. He doesn’t care to play the types of games so many nobles around him engage in, manipulating and exploiting those around them. At his core, he has a kind nature, avoids confrontation when he can, and tries to keep a cool head and open mind. But his own family brings out the worst in him; draws out a buried temper, provokes venomous words, pushes him to seek out self-destructive behaviors. Anything to prove to himself that he is unlike the lot of them.

Even while knowing at the end of the day his father is a king, and Cal can never really hope to win, he still searches for small ways to get back at the man. He is rebellious in his own way, understanding that he can’t be as brazen about it as he would like, but always looking for some way to show his disdain for everything he has. He often speaks too freely, is honest to a fault, and can be tactless and sarcastic. Violence, however, has never been something that has sat well with him, a borderline pacifist, Cal would only ever lift a hand in the direst of circumstances if it were to save another’s life. Despite this view, he finds forgiveness difficult, resents the way his own anger lashes out through his words and wishes he had an easier time letting go of grudges.

Background

---

Current occupation:
The Third Prince of Caesonia, though Callum would hardly count that as an occupation, pissing off the old man, now that’s more his purpose in life.

Any past occupations?:
None

Relatives:
Father-King Edin Danrose
Mother-Queen Alibeth Danrose
Brother-Prince Wulfric Danrose
Brother-Prince Auguste Danrose

Skills:
Keeping secrets, basic knowledge of magic, learns quickly and has a curious mind.

History Summary:
The third-born son of the Danrose family, not destined for the crown, not even the backup plan. Callum was an extra, he was a pawn to be used in the political plans of his parents. He knew this at a young age and resented it. His parents never even bothered to hide this fact from him. Wulfric was always the golden son, a perfect heir to the crown, and everything his parents could want to continue their reign of cruelty and indifference. Auguste had what it took to be a military leader and a mind for political games. Then there was Callum, who lacked both tact and a tactical mind. A boy with a weak constitution, who abhorred violence, shied away from competition and hated nearly every aspect of noble life.

Cal spent a large portion of his childhood sickly, perhaps that was first caused his father to see him as the weak link in the family. He was so unlike the rest of his family, both in action and appearance, rumors that he was not even the king’s son began to circulate. A dark-haired apathetic boy, next to two blonde, ambitious brothers, and Callum honestly hoped such a thing was true, maybe it would spare him the cruel streak that ran in the family. He never felt as loved by his parents as his brothers were, and the older he got, the more evident his father’s cruelty was, and the less Callum wanted to be loved by them. While his brothers found themselves drawn to activities like swordsmanship, Cal found himself sick at the mere sight of blood and preferred to spend his time reading philosophy or poetry. The older he grew, the more defiant he became. He took every opportunity to argue with, disappoint, and enrage his parents. If they hated him, it meant he was doing something right.

Cal snuck out of the palace at every given opportunity. He would’ve traded every privilege for a simpler life away from it all. At first, punishments against him did nothing, Callum held no concern for his own well-being, but it wasn’t long before King Edin found the young man’s true weakness; the suffering of others. So now King Edin keeps his youngest son in line with the threat that some innocent Cal has come across will bear the punishment for his mistakes. Once in his youth, an entire family was banished simply because young Callum had found a friend. So, Cal had to find new ways to rebel, ways that gave him satisfaction and that were hidden from others. Eventually, he settled for seeking out the most hidden and forbidden knowledge, magic, believing that if he was discovered, his father would have no choice but to deal with him directly.

Q & A

History

Did you grow up nurtured or neglected?

“The first time I heard that there were people out there growing up with kind, loving parents, I was pretty pissed off. Does that answer the question?”

When you were upset, where was your sanctuary?
“I live in a gilded cage surrounded by my father’s servants and spies, I guess anywhere I could actually be alone was good enough. Not that I really enjoy being alone.”

What were you like in your teenage years?
“Unhappy.”

How close are you to your parents?
“Unfortunately, I happen to live with them.”

Do you have any trauma that haunts you?
“Plenty. Not exactly light conversation though.”

What advice would you give your younger self?
“Give up sooner and stick to the background.”

Were you an obedient child or defiant?
“I was the picture of obedience. Sarcasm, obviously.”

What is your biggest regret?
“Thinking I could get away with half the things I tried.”

Romance

Have you ever been in love?
“No. Well, I fall into infatuation with anyone who shows me the slightest affection, but I’ve never chased after it.”

What is most important in a partner to you? Describe your dream partner.
“Someone who has no interest in all this. But a more serious answer, trustworthy, kind, intelligent, things like that.”

How do you display affection? What is your love language?
“I like being helpful, doing things for other people, making them smile.”

Have you had your first kiss? What was it like?
“Kiss and tell, are you looking for a scandal?”

Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?
“Sometimes, but usually not. I think real love takes more work than that.”

What does marriage mean to you?
“For me, it would mean bringing someone else into this rotten family and I imagine that would be rather selfish.”

Are you currently crushing on anyone?
“I honestly haven’t given it much thought lately.”

Do you ever consider having children in the future?
“Absolutely not. The world doesn’t need another set of Danrose children, though I’m sure my brothers feel differently.”

Personality

Describe your ideal Sunday morning:
“Asleep. Or never having gone to sleep, to have spent the night before reading by shrinking candles, lost in dusty texts, with a strong drink, only to fall asleep as the sun rises.”

What kind of person do you aspire to be?
“Free, maybe that would be enough. Then again, maybe I’d just like to feel that who I am already is enough.”

What bad habits do you have?
“According to his majesty, all my habits are bad ones. But my worst, that would be how easily I let it all get underneath my skin. I let my family and my father, in particular, bring out all my worst traits.”

If you could go back in time and change anything in your past, what would it be?
“I would tread more carefully.”

What is your greatest fear?
“Becoming what I hate; cold, cruel, indifferent.”

What are your pet peeves?
“Casual indifference.”

When you are in a sour mood, do you like to be alone or with others?
“Alone, mostly not to burden others, and there are few I can trust when I think I might speak the truth too freely.”

Are you more likely to fight with your fists or your tongue?
“I’d rather not fight at all, but, there's another bad habit, I am too careless with my words.”

🗡 Roses and Daggers 🎕

Prince Callum Danrose

Sorrow-Bad Religion

Callum Alaric Danrose | 20 | Male

---

Appearance

Height:
5’9

Weight:
160 lbs

Eye Color:
Bluel

Hair Length/Texture:
Short

Hair Color:
Black

Skin Color:
Fair

Facial details:
none

Distinguishing features:
Sharp angular features and inquisitive eyes.

Clothing Preferences:
Although he prefers to wear more casual clothing, and in his younger days often purposefully underdressed for events, Callum has given in to dressing as expected. He likes dark colors, things that keep attention from him, make it easier to slink about in the shadows.

---

Psychology

Likes

-Drinking
-Creative arts
-Old and dusty books
-Thunderstorms
-Magic

Dislikes

-His whole damn family
-Noble culture
-Himself
-Violence
-Rules and expectations

Sexuality:
Heterosexual

Hobbies:

-Disappointing his father
-Learning
-Reading
-Drinking
-Studing magic

Life Goals/Dreams:
Cal has never really had the space to develop real dreams, he knows what he doesn’t want, to be anything like his father, to lead the sort of life most noble’s lead. Currently, he finds himself thinking devoting his life to a religious order might be best. It would be honorable enough to keep his family satisfied, give him space to just study and learn more about what interests him, and keep him away from political games. A quiet, peaceful life, sounds good enough for him.

Fears:
His deepest fear is that the streak of cruelty that runs in his family lives within him as well. That he’ll get people hurt, or worse, and that with time he will be just as uncaring to such things as those around him are.

Personality:
For a man who spends so much of his time alone, he despises loneliness, becoming an introvert more out of necessity than desire. Trust is difficult when so many would betray him to simply earn favor with his father. Close relationships are dangerous when his own father is willing to use others to hurt him. A lifetime of having to carefully consider his moves leaves every action tainted by fear and anxiety. Still, he can’t always keep his honest and outspoken nature in check. Self-control doesn’t come easily to Callum, indulgence does. He is drawn to anything that brings his mind away from his current situation.

Cal puts on a show of apathy, showing no interest in power or wealth. He doesn’t care to play the types of games so many nobles around him engage in, manipulating and exploiting those around them. At his core, he has a kind nature, avoids confrontation when he can, and tries to keep a cool head and open mind. But his own family brings out the worst in him; draws out a buried temper, provokes venomous words, pushes him to seek out self-destructive behaviors. Anything to prove to himself that he is unlike the lot of them.

Even while knowing at the end of the day his father is a king, and Cal can never really hope to win, he still searches for small ways to get back at the man. He is rebellious in his own way, understanding that he can’t be as brazen about it as he would like, but always looking for some way to show his disdain for everything he has. He often speaks too freely, is honest to a fault, and can be tactless and sarcastic. Violence, however, has never been something that has sat well with him, a borderline pacifist, Cal would only ever lift a hand in the direst of circumstances if it were to save another’s life. Despite this view, he finds forgiveness difficult, resents the way his own anger lashes out through his words and wishes he had an easier time letting go of grudges.

Background

---

Current occupation:
The Third Prince of Caesonia, though Callum would hardly count that as an occupation, pissing off the old man, now that’s more his purpose in life.

Any past occupations?:
None

Relatives:
Father-King Edin Danrose
Mother-Queen Alibeth Danrose
Brother-Prince Wulfric Danrose
Brother-Prince Auguste Danrose

Skills:
Keeping secrets, basic knowledge of magic, learns quickly and has a curious mind.

History Summary:
The third-born son of the Danrose family, not destined for the crown, not even the backup plan. Callum was an extra, he was a pawn to be used in the political plans of his parents. He knew this at a young age and resented it. His parents never even bothered to hide this fact from him. Wulfric was always the golden son, a perfect heir to the crown, and everything his parents could want to continue their reign of cruelty and indifference. Auguste had what it took to be a military leader and a mind for political games. Then there was Callum, who lacked both tact and a tactical mind. A boy with a weak constitution, who abhorred violence, shied away from competition and hated nearly every aspect of noble life.

Cal spent a large portion of his childhood sickly, perhaps that was first caused his father to see him as the weak link in the family. He was so unlike the rest of his family, both in action and appearance, rumors that he was not even the king’s son began to circulate. A dark-haired apathetic boy, next to two blonde, ambitious brothers, and Callum honestly hoped such a thing was true, maybe it would spare him the cruel streak that ran in the family. He never felt as loved by his parents as his brothers were, and the older he got, the more evident his father’s cruelty was, and the less Callum wanted to be loved by them. While his brothers found themselves drawn to activities like swordsmanship, Cal found himself sick at the mere sight of blood and preferred to spend his time reading philosophy or poetry. The older he grew, the more defiant he became. He took every opportunity to argue with, disappoint, and enrage his parents. If they hated him, it meant he was doing something right.

Cal snuck out of the palace at every given opportunity. He would’ve traded every privilege for a simpler life away from it all. At first, punishments against him did nothing, Callum held no concern for his own well-being, but it wasn’t long before King Edin found the young man’s true weakness; the suffering of others. So now King Edin keeps his youngest son in line with the threat that some innocent Cal has come across will bear the punishment for his mistakes. Once in his youth, an entire family was banished simply because young Callum had found a friend. So, Cal had to find new ways to rebel, ways that gave him satisfaction and that were hidden from others. Eventually, he settled for seeking out the most hidden and forbidden knowledge, magic, believing that if he was discovered, his father would have no choice but to deal with him directly.

Q & A

History

Did you grow up nurtured or neglected?

“The first time I heard that there were people out there growing up with kind, loving parents, I was pretty pissed off. Does that answer the question?”

When you were upset, where was your sanctuary?
“I live in a gilded cage surrounded by my father’s servants and spies, I guess anywhere I could actually be alone was good enough. Not that I really enjoy being alone.”

What were you like in your teenage years?
“Unhappy.”

How close are you to your parents?
“Unfortunately, I happen to live with them.”

Do you have any trauma that haunts you?
“Plenty. Not exactly light conversation though.”

What advice would you give your younger self?
“Give up sooner and stick to the background.”

Were you an obedient child or defiant?
“I was the picture of obedience. Sarcasm, obviously.”

What is your biggest regret?
“Thinking I could get away with half the things I tried.”

Romance

Have you ever been in love?
“No. Well, I fall into infatuation with anyone who shows me the slightest affection, but I’ve never chased after it.”

What is most important in a partner to you? Describe your dream partner.
“Someone who has no interest in all this. But a more serious answer, trustworthy, kind, intelligent, things like that.”

How do you display affection? What is your love language?
“I like being helpful, doing things for other people, making them smile.”

Have you had your first kiss? What was it like?
“Kiss and tell, are you looking for a scandal?”

Do you believe in love at first sight? Why or why not?
“Sometimes, but usually not. I think real love takes more work than that.”

What does marriage mean to you?
“For me, it would mean bringing someone else into this rotten family and I imagine that would be rather selfish.”

Are you currently crushing on anyone?
“I honestly haven’t given it much thought lately.”

Do you ever consider having children in the future?
“Absolutely not. The world doesn’t need another set of Danrose children, though I’m sure my brothers feel differently.”

Personality

Describe your ideal Sunday morning:
“Asleep. Or never having gone to sleep, to have spent the night before reading by shrinking candles, lost in dusty texts, with a strong drink, only to fall asleep as the sun rises.”

What kind of person do you aspire to be?
“Free, maybe that would be enough. Then again, maybe I’d just like to feel that who I am already is enough.”

What bad habits do you have?
“According to his majesty, all my habits are bad ones. But my worst, that would be how easily I let it all get underneath my skin. I let my family and my father, in particular, bring out all my worst traits.”

If you could go back in time and change anything in your past, what would it be?
“I would tread more carefully.”

What is your greatest fear?
“Becoming what I hate; cold, cruel, indifferent.”

What are your pet peeves?
“Casual indifference.”

When you are in a sour mood, do you like to be alone or with others?
“Alone, mostly not to burden others, and there are few I can trust when I think I might speak the truth too freely.”

Are you more likely to fight with your fists or your tongue?
“I’d rather not fight at all, but, there's another bad habit, I am too careless with my words.”

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: River Port Beach
Interactions: Rue @Potter, Eris and “Valerie”(Raven)@Tae, Annya @princess,
Mentions: Inori@Shard
Equipment: 1 hunting knife, a flask of alcohol, a backpack, small tent, blanket, waterskin, rope, fire starting kit, lightmaker, cooking pot, a bar of soap, some drugs; skaula (8 grams) and zemak (a bit less than an ounce), rolling papers, and 191 amas.

---

Bowyn listened to Annya speak just as intensely as she had for him. His mind combing over her every word, weighing them, desperate for common ground, for reassurance that this war would go the way he needed it to go. He saw the fire that sparked behind her eyes, a sign that this fight had a personal resonance to her as well. Their goals were the same; keep safe those around them, protect humans, kill dark elves, and that was all he needed to hear from her. At this point, diplomacy was a waste of time, but she had her hands tied by those above her. He could understand that and he could work with this elf.

He stayed quiet as Rue spoke next. A small and tired smile crossed his face as Rue’s arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Rue's embrace was both welcoming and painful. Like days so cold the chill crept into his bones and everything inside felt impossibly numb and going home and standing too close to a fire. When even though the fire was uncomfortably warm and the heat stung, it also meant life and warmth and sensation once more. A fire that fought away the kind of cold so brutal it forced life to fade. Rue was like that, like a fire that hurt in the best possible way, the way that kept things alive and that reminded him of everything he missed and had lost.

Bowyn would do anything for people like that, to keep them whole and safe from what the world was capable of.

And Rue had always been like that, someone who brought the type of energy that made the world brighter, more beautiful. She saw good in people, in the world, and while it made her too trusting, naive even, it was also why being around her made the world seem brighter. Fire like Rue spread easily, it lit up the world.

Maybe he’d been like that once too. But it wasn’t physical pain or losing his wings that was the worst that the world, or dark elves, had done to him. It was the loss of being able to see beauty in the world; to see the good, dreaming of possibilities, of trusting people, of hope.

So even as every part of him disagreed with her words and the sentiment they held, they sounded like the last piece of beauty left in the world. And it meant everything that made Rue, Rue, was still there, and he had no heart to argue with her, to try and smother a fire. Bowyn only leaned towards the warmth that was Rue, resting his head against her. For now, Bowyn was content to find comfort from Rue.

Eris then spoke and Bowyn found himself liking this elf much less than he had the night before. Even though her words echoed Rue’s, they didn’t sit right with him. Maybe it was that she lacked Rue’s gentle sincerity, maybe it was the emphasis she placed on the pain of the Twin-Headed Dargon, or maybe it was just the fact that she was just another elf to him. Bowyn couldn’t find it in him to care about why the twin rulers of the dark elves were the way they were, only that they encouraged the malevolence of their people.

Raven, who never looked away from the ocean as she spoke, went so far as to claim pure evil didn’t exist. A point he could sort of see, maybe the dark elves treated each other just fine but that changed nothing. They were still the purest source of evil he had seen in the world and at the end of the day they had to be dealt with. Even with good and evil subtracted from the equation, Avalia would be a better, safer, place without dark elves. Fairies, light elves, demihumans, dwarves, and orcs; all had their faults, but it was the dark elves who declared war.

Bowyn moved away from the comfort that was Rue before he spoke again.

“Evil will creep into those who let it. It is a choice, and dark elves have made their choice overwhelmingly clear for centuries. Light elves banishing dark elves was a mistake. They should have shown no mercy. Avalia would be a brighter place had they cut the rot when it was first discovered before it could fester and infect.” He spoke coldly, but honestly. He saw no need to soften the bluntness of his thoughts.

"I guess our goals align as much as they can, for as long as that is true, I will follow your lead.” He added, addressing Annya, and that was true. Bowyn could take orders and he could respect the elf princess enough to trust her lead. He had no problem protecting humans and those who traveled with them, even Arn if the dwarf could behave himself. He had no doubt that diplomacy with dark elves would fail. He’d at least be around to try and lessen the damage. After diplomacy failed, he’d also be there to feed his need vengeance, to kill dark elves, and leave Avalia a better place.

Bowyn was not as oblivious to his own hypocrisy as he might sound, he knew his own hatred, desire to kill, towards the dark elves made him just as bad as his enemy. The fairy was aware of just how much of his empathy and kindness had been stripped away. But he also believed that his darker nature could be used for the greater good, and that was enough for him. After the war, if there even was an after the war for him, Bowyn had no idea what he’d do, because he also knew the darkness he carried wouldn’t just vanish. Would it redirect towards something else? Would it eat away at him from the inside? How long would he be able to struggle with it before he too was a monster? Mostly he wished he wouldn’t have to find out.

“But maybe the rest of you are right, maybe’s it better to kind than to be right. I really don’t know. What I do know is that I could use a drink right about now. Anyone else?” Bowyn stood up; he no longer found any comfort or desire for warmth. The unrelenting sun of River Port was growing worse by the second and more than anything he wanted to feel numb again. He waited for a moment to see if anyone else wanted a drink or a walk before heading off. It was right about then that Bowyn noted the blue floating creature that seemed to be watching them. So, he did what he usually did, met the other man's gaze, and eyed him with suspicion.

Avalia

Time: Morning
Location: Myriamor Plaza
Interactions: Champ the horse
Equipment: The clothes on his back and a pouch of amas.

---

Leaf kept a good grip on Champ’s reins and wondered for a bit what exactly he was supposed to do with the horse. He supposed pets unusually needed some walking so that’s what he settled on, walking around with the horse and keeping an eye on the elves, well elf, and the humans. Then he started thinking all about how everything he had thought he knew about Slick wasn’t true at all. Not an elf, not a bounty hunter, heck he’s probably not even the princess’s bodyguard. When he really thought about it, humans were in a lot of danger here in Avalia. Dark elves wanted them captured, probably even killed, it was no wonder why Slick wasn’t honest about who or what he was. Despite how well he lied, Slick still seemed like a good guy.

“Hey now, I bet it’s really those lovely princesses who are bodygaurdin’ Slick.” Leaf whispered to the horse. Leaf had a good chuckle on that one, imagining a guy like Slick needing protection. The horse continued to stare with blank, flighty, eyes that showed little signs of intelligence. Then Leaf worried that humans might have super hearing and gave a quick check to make sure Slick wasn’t glaring daggers at him. He wasn’t.

Leaf wasn’t exactly paying close attention to Champ, his mind occupied with thoughts of humans, dark elves, war, and what that all meant for him. So he wasn’t sure what set the horse off but before he knew it the horse was stomping. kicking up sand, and making all sorts of huffing and puffing noises.

Great. He thought. Slick had asked one thing, not to scare the horse. And Leaf wasn’t sure why he was worried about letting Slick down, he definitely wasn’t getting a job from Slick now. Leaf tried to keep the horse from hopping all over the place, speaking calmly, petting the creature's long puffing nose.

“Easy there Champ, I bet your a wonderin why I gone off and left ya with some big ol’ cat. Don’t go a worrying yer purdy empty head there Champ. He ain’t gonna eat ya. I just found me some real purdy womenfolk that need looking out for is all.” Leaf did his best interpretation of Slick, even tipping an imaginary hat as he spoke. The horse did not seem amused. In fact, it just stared at him with those flighty, empty, prey eyes.

Now when it came to prey animals, Leaf found their eyes a bit unnerving, something about the expression and the eye placement just prickled his fur. He could never really tell how they’d react, they just weren’t rational the way a predator was. Now Leaf had met centaurs and similar creatures of Avalia and they were loads smarter than their animal counterparts, always had a story to tell too. Maybe Champ the horse had a story to tell but Leaf couldn’t speak horse, which made finally getting the horse to calm down some quite the challenge.

Never again would he agree to horse sit.

Once Champ had finished his tantrum Leaf stopped to buy the creature a snack. Maybe it was just hangry. Eventually, he found a stall nearby, The Fresh Stall, selling all sorts of fruit, vegetables, and worst of all salads. None of this was what Leaf would consider real food but it would do for Champ. He traded a handful of amas for some apples and carrots and went ahead giving the horse some snacks. This at least seemed to help some as Champ seemed calmer, but it left a bit of slimy horse saliva on his hand.

Gross. He thought as he stared at the foamy slime on his hand.

"You know I could best you any day in a race. Leave you right in the dust ol’ Champ.” He said as he wiped the horse’s slobber from his hand onto the horse’s fur. Champ only shot a puff of air through his nostrils as though he disagreed. Disrespect from a horse. Just what I wanted.