PrinceOfQuills

The Dead Cairn

Does the Magical Attunement refer to the God/dess upon whom one's magical capabilities naturally incline to? Or is it dynamic and therefore changeable (whether willfully or not)?

The Dead Cairn

~ Volanna Wintrys ~

Age
22

Gender
Female

Nationality
Claims to be a native East Vallakien, but is actually from the Veilglade mage tribe. Technically speaking, she has no nationality since the Veilglade Tribe is not a universally recognized sovereignty, nor is it actually known of in the first place.

Birthplace
Veilglade

Affiliation
Veilglade Tribe, The Vigil

Occupation
Sorceress

Favored God
Vysold

Weight
59 kgs/ 130 lbs.

Height
5'9"

Build
Volanna walks with a slender, though visibly agile, frame.

Hair Style
Volanna sports long, flowing hair that waves into locks behind her.

Hair Color
Her hair is of a vivid dark brown color that shines with a tinge of auburn under the sun.

Eye Color
Volanna's eyes are a deep brown hue, with flecks of honey and amber streaking radially.

Facial Features
There would be the unnaturally devilish lashes, framing a pair of looking-glasses like almonds perching proudly upon high bones. Falling, then, gently below like a fountain, are the hues of roses down under, singing by a softly bridged nose. The further one descended, a gaze upon the jaw of an ancient warrior-queen awaits, commandeered by lips kissed by scarlet and blood. Some would perhaps call Volanna a breath-taker, but she had never really placed much thought upon such an irrelevant matter, preferring more so the solace of her books and the forest to mirrors of vanity.

Personality
If there is to be drawn a single word that veritably defines Volanna, it would be "outspoken". Truly, she is as voiced as the skies on a thunderous night. Some of the people of her tribe would even go so far as to describe her as having "the mind of a thousand storms" for her bold and critical spirit.

It is her dream to revolutionize the world's perspective of mages, for she believes that magic had been bestowed upon mankind not as a curse but as a boon. In her own perspective, magic is simply like a bowl of apple pie - the danger it entails depends solely on how wields it. In other words, she finds it to be tameable and potentially of great use. Thus, unlike the conventional mages who secretly connive to overthrow the government, Volanna wishes to abolish the lingering prejudice not through war but through example. Defying the mage stereotype, for instance, and carving the annals of history would be more effective than, say, a revolution, for this would stir an internal self-debate among the masses and potentially alter their perspective on magic - all without any unnecessary bloodshed.

Nevertheless, behind this fiery and calculating exterior is a woman of genuine warmth. Though Volanna may be among the most argumentative individuals in the continent, this had not stopped her from sustaining a kind heart. Evidently, she had lived her whole life knowing that the world despised her kind, but she had also lived knowing that she, or anyone willing to take the mantle for that matter, could change all of this. It would explain, for the most part, how she could still afford to carry an altruistic spirit despite the bigotry that constantly surrounds her.

But life as a catalyst of change, of course, is not the sole thing that piques her interest, for one would find that beyond these inextricable facets of life, Volanna is incredibly proud of one thing about her: the soul of art. Since the dawn of her consciousness, Volanna had been an avid writer, shaping worlds only she ever comprehended; then as she matured, she found herself more and more writing stories and technical works reflecting, prominently, the plight of the mages in Lerayis (for obvious reasons). Volanna has also written works that reflect her strong denial of destiny, as she believes that we, humans, do not have a predetermined fate, and that it is in our hands to forge our tomorrow.

Clothing and Weapon



Upon Volanna's chest there lay a dark leather jerkin, followed below by a pair of black trousers overlaid with a skirt flowing like tendrils from her hips. She walks with a pair of black leather boots, designed apparently for forest-walking which would shed some clue on her origins. Her accessories include a gold necklace with amethyst inlays (a family heirloom), and a lightweight silver pauldron on her left shoulder.

Volanna carries always with her person a spear, ornately adorned with the feathers of the various fowls of the Vallakien canopy as well as the teeth of the circling forest wolves. The head of the weapon itself appears to be the horn of an unknown animal. Unbeknownst to many, this spear actually doubles as a staff with which magical energies can be channeled.

Miscellaneous Items
A dagger strapped conveniently to her right thigh; two vials of weak sleeping draughts; a half-filled diary; quills and ink; "The Female and Her Sphere," by Myceris Hawkfort; a collection of essays and short stories penned by Volanna herself.

Magically Talented
Yes

Magical Attunement
Cibest

Skills

Magic: Being born into a world dominated by the arcane, magic has grown to become an integral part of Volanna's existence. Bending the fabrics of the world thus comes as naturally to her as breathing, perhaps, or talking. Nothing pleases her more than to give her magical talents free rein.

Creative Writing: What first appeared to be a diversion from her magical studies emerged to become a passion. Volanna is a fervent writer of stories and essays, works that mostly reflect her opinions of the world around her.

Foreststriding: Volanna considers herself a child of the woods, and she has grown so incredibly accustomed to the forest environment that she finds traversing it a simple trifle. Dashing upon the forestfloor, leaping from branches, walking mutely with a stance that could soothe many an animal - such things have become more a joy than anything.

Spear/Quarterstaff Combat: Utilizing her trusty spear both for direct combat and for channeling spells, Volanna had become quite the capable fighter with such weapons. However, her raw talents in the use of magic still greatly surpass this skill.

Biography
Born into a magically secluded glade (hence the tribe's name), Volanna had never thirsted her eyes of the fickle beauty afforded the deep East Vallakian forests. As the daughter of the tribe's chieftain, Evlorineth, and an unspoken father she had never known, Volanna found - though the Veilglade Tribe lived a modest culture - that she would never fall short of the very foundation it had prided itself on.

Truly, she had been raised a mage since she first laid her eyes upon the world. As a child, she would be taught to put out candles with her mind; or perhaps, in need, rekindle it. And as she flowed into the skein of time so did ebb her aptitude for the arcane, well under the tutelage of her mother; carving out, in practice, the more elaborate spells that were ushered to her. She had a remarkable Attunement, Volanna, one found commendable even to mages her senior, and slowly she matured into an object of pride, fostered both by her mother and by the tribe as a whole.

Mostly, she kept to herself, entrenched within her impalpable dome of candles and musty tomes; venturing, page by page into the world unknown and beyond her. Yet there were times, she found, when the temptation of curiosity would come upon her, and in a flight of steps she would succumb to her restless spirit and step beyond the glade.

There was a particular instance in her treks into the woods, when she stumbled upon a little boy drowning in the river. He was helpless, evidently, choking at the weight of the current carrying him. As a primal instinct it was Volanna's impulse to save him, and so with the whiff of her fingers vegetative tendrils sprouted from the ground and sieved the child from the raging waters, intertwining with his limbs and grappling his body into the serenity of the earth and grass.

But as Volanna approached the boy, she saw not a tinge of joy or salvation in his eyes, for by then he quivered uncontrollably, wailing as though he had been pinned by a hungry lion ready to feast upon his flesh. The boy screamed, his voice echoing uneasily with the forest's still pulse, and Volanna could only stare back, frigid. It had come upon her, then, clarity at the spur of the moment - the stigma that had always afflicted her tribe, the very same damnation facing her people well and beyond, was before her. That was the moment Volanna promised to change it all: the prejudice, the disgrace, the inextricable ghost of terror in the little boy's eyes. Brimming with this epiphany, she fled the scene in silence, turning round in flight as she tread the underbrush.

And so it was then, one cold dark night, when the darkness had reached its apex and the moonlit flowers succumbed to the frost, that Volanna crept out of her chamber, clandestine as she went; breaking off into the naked silence with only the curious stars watching from above. She touched the vines that walled the glade from the world out, and they bended, briskly, to the imploration of her fingertips. The path unfurled as it did that cold, fortuitous day. She ran, steps revealing as she trod, the screams of the unnamed little boy ringing within her ears.

She ran.

The Dead Cairn

Are you pushing through with your archer, Remnant? I'm excited to see your CS. So with everyone's, for that matter. :)

The Dead Cairn

Currently making CS

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

Remnant said
I've been thinking about a hunter concept. How would it be received if I ran a field interrogator? Kind of sadistic in nature, very much enjoys the hunt and prefers the long drawn out kills to the quick painless ones. He'd primarily use a clockwork rifle with specially crafted ammunition that is specifically designed to shatter and break bone at range, rather than kill the target. On top of this he would use a pair of crafted hooks attached to a serrated chain that he would use for 'forceful interrogation' up close.

Still debating a background, but it will explain his sadism and why he has learnt to enjoy his work; rather than suffer through it.

Hmmm . . . I think that's a great character idea, Remnant! I believe, however, that he wouldn't get well together with my character at first haha. I kind of find it easy to imagine, too, how such a weakling my character would appear facing combat with your character, unless my character resorted to magic to help even out the odds. But since we're on the same page I assume my character would just try to steer clear of yours as much as possible. At least, until they get to know each other more closely :)

Peik said
I'm also interested.

Welcome aboard, Peik! ;)

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

Saber said
While guns exist, they would be a rarity. A large portion of the cities that produced guns were destroyed, as they were in the northern part of Lerayis. However, I am willing to make exceptions for Mage Slayers. As they are provided for by Vigil, it would make sense for them to carry a rifle or pistol.

Most folk, however, carry simple weaponry.

Pleased to meet you, Remnant!

EDIT: I'm excited to see what sort of character you concoct :)))

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

Sicarius said
Hello, our resident cartographer and Lerayissian geography expert is here to answer questions. There is a map however I'm having issues adjusting it to the Dead Era, I only have A.T.F* and A.B* era maps finished. The two major forest areas are Laurosa and Vallake. Laurosa however is a port region along the coast and has trains running all through it, also the Vigil happens to be located there so it's highly unlikely any mages would be living there even if hidden away. The second major forests are in the mountainous region of Vallake, a former proud land with rich natural resources but after the Gods' death the Rahxbrant* moved south into the region as they cannot live in the Godwastes. As such, the region was mostly abandoned, the great underground cities left to decay and fall to ruin. I suggest if you don't want your mage being from the Godwastes, she could be from here though it's a dangerous area now. If she is from here, she will be looked upon as an outsider but far more welcomed than if she was from the Godwastes. The mage tribes are all from mostly either the Godwates or some, though very few that the Vigil cares about, from the Hattavori desert far to the south.

Thank you for that, Sicarius. Though I just wanted to ask, who/what, exactly are the Rahxbrant? Are they that dangerous? And how possible would you wager is the existence of a small mage tribe in Vallake? I just keep thinking that my character would not have been able to foster such an ideology if she were gazing at the horrid Godwastes for the most part of her life (and in fact, she would have had harbored a deep resentment for the people of Merrifort), whereas a greener and more nature-attuned atmosphere could have been more conducive to such a thought.

EDIT: Scrap the Rahxbrant question, lol. Ninja'd while making this post haha :DDDD By the way, do you plan on taking part of the RP itself, or just its technical aspects? I mean, the more the merrier, right? :)

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

Ashgan said
Since you're curious, I'll indulge you. I've exchanged some PMs with Saber where we discussed the concept of my character. It's most likely going to be a Mage Slayer who happened to be born close to the Dead Cairn. Being conceived in such an ill fated place has resulted in an ill fated future for this character, as they are afflicted with a condition called aberrant magic; in a nutshell, they possess a powerful boon or gift (the nature of which is still up for debate, but will inevitably be something of use to the Vigil) that is granted to them through the eldritch energies that course within the Cairn, but by the very nature of this terrifying artifact, these energies ask an even greater toll from this character. So in order not to be consumed by the curse and die, the character has to regularly end a human life, or become the sacrifice themselves. The character doesn't find this terribly amusing and would rather find a cure to this condition, but the Vigil on the other hand would prefer to keep this blessing within their grasp, so they always keep a watcher near the character to keep tabs on them (basically an NPC controlled by Saber). There, that's the rough idea. As you can tell, it's just a concept so far; I haven't even settled on a gender or anything.

Ashgan. Your name sounds familiar. So with your pic. Not sure if we've RPed together in the old guild before because it's been n years since I've been RPing (I heard of the cataclysm only days ago when I came back). Anyway, I love your character idea :D

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

Hi babbysama! Welcome to the party :))) Why thank you for the compliment (I'm starting to blush). And yes, I agree with Saber. Your signature... :D

I think your idea of archer-from-the-steppes would work out really greatly. I don't know about you guys, but I've grown so accustomed to having the various niches in the party filled (the ever-protective sword-arm, the hawk-eyed archer, etc.). I mean, variety is one the best things ever in an RP. I would hate to see everyone acting as "the pompous knight" charging into battle with their identical swords and identical stances and identical warcries. So with everyone being archers or everyone being mages. Horrible.

Anyway, I think I'm settled in going for the character I described, and I would welcome anyone willing to aid her in her plight. However, for the sake of the RP, I think we should all consider that we were meant to be on the hunt for mages (our recruitment rests in this general idea in the first place), and at the same time, it's rare enough as it is to be pro-mage in this universe. What I'm basically saying is, if any wish to be pro-mage in the long run, they should logically be starting with the philosophy that mages are, beyond reasonable doubt, evil, or if not, these people could be relatively indifferent to them (many mercenary-like characters might lean on this ideology; i.e. they care not who to kill, etc.). A little drama and some heated rocky beginnings wouldn't hurt haha.

EDIT: I think this RP has the potential to be one of the very best, and I would really hate to see this die. In my long time as an RPer, I found this to be almost inevitable, save for a certain special few. And this certain few, I've found, had rules implementing that they would kill off the characters of those who fail to respond after a while without prior notice (or some would put them into an inactive spot, then eventually kill them off). I'm not saying anything; it's just that, I want everyone to know how horrible it feels when an RP you've really enjoyed suddenly dies, simply because one member didn't give a damn about it anymore. Just saying. Let's make this fun, guys :D

By the way, would there be a map to complement this RP? I plan on making my character originate from the forests or something similar, and I hate to be making up Forest A or Foothills B when they actually aren't existent or geographically accurate. Or at least, are there any forests/swamplands/places devoid of civilization nearby (by nearby I mean adequate distance so as not to be accidentally ventured upon) Merrifort? I mean, it would only be logical that a mage originated from outside the conventional civilizations.

EDIT 2: Oh wait, mage tribes have been mentioned.

The Dead Cairn Chronicles [Interest Check]

That's very...enthusiastic of you. I don't know what totes means but from context clues I can, um, understand. A little. Anyway, pleased to meet you, Bunnita! You're certainly one of the most jovial ones :)

And I agree, if people wish to have intertwined backstories, now would be the ripe time. :D