Phillip Sommer

Sleeping Beauty

Bellegarde

No

31

Well, there's obligation and then there's something else.

"Father, this marriage has no meaning. A marriage that will not last is built without love. I say the same for a kingdom."

And yet how does a boy differentiate between love and fantasies? Fairies have a certain way about them. Whether it's filling a quota, like some, or truly believing in their own work. Whether it meant either is another matter entirely. Phillip does not approve much of meddling, but in the throes of his own passion, he cannot see the strings forcing him along. Love, to him, had only been in his dreams and in a girl who wiled her worries away in forest songs - a girl he'd barely even met.

Now, older and wiser - or, perhaps, just more cynical - Phillip finds the approach of fancy skeptical. More so, he requires a lot more than dreams and whimsy to connect with an individual. He may not care for gender, but he certainly cares for more than a strange meeting and the possibility of fate as the lead in an ever complex scheme - nothing to do with love. Phillip needs that more than ever: love for love's sake, and nothing else to complicate matters.

Before everything, before the Cataclysm, before the fairies and the curse, Phillip's attire never really consisted of outwear or armor of any kind. Knowing only royalty meant only the finest in tailoring. Custom made capes of fur and finery wrapped around a broad set of shoulders, along the silk of a shirt tightly woven across his torso. In his father's kingdom, and adjacent kingdoms, royalty dress code tended to range from extravagant to slightly impractical (especially when concerning women's dress). However, that quickly changed into attire that he deemed more comfortable on horseback, out in the woods for both hunting and scouting. It became a dire need for Phillip to let himself slide further and further away from his family - their ideals never matched his own as he grew older.

Now, without royalty and his own namesake backing him up, Phillip's resorting to comfortable attire. Things less likely to chafe and constrict, often going for plainness and comfort over anything else. He's never been the type to want the attention, nor to call for it, and thus he strays from flamboyance more than anything. However, hats tend to be a thing of his and he's grown accustom to wearing a ball cap or a regular flat cap, all in varying colors with varying logos.

When asked about his favorite team, he usually just points to his hat and smiles. The inevitable barrage of questions often come at the exact time he decides he really needs to leave, sorry, good bye.

Every hero needs a counter balance. In this case, the balance tipped all the over to his side. Love had been a driving force for Phillip in many ways and in many ways love also betrayed him. In that, Phillip has develop and molded himself into what he sees today. Perhaps it's not that simple, however, even tho he wishes it so. Things that revolve around the choices we make and why we make them seldom do. For Phillip, much of his decision lie in emotion and impulse. If he felt it right, he would consider it with his whole heart and leave none of it undone. And many, many times has Phillip come out of a situation lacking another piece of himself. Certain actions demand tribute. If he had taken the time to sit and think, instead of constantly leap to aid, many of these situations would cease to exist and Phillip would perhaps contain more pieces of himself he had so willingly tossed away.

Now, in a world driven made and torn at the seams, Phillip tends to perceive things in a calculated manner, often looking toward logic to make the decision for him. And yet, two extremes don't necessarily make a whole person. Many of Phillip's life, now dictated by facts and skepticism, has gone under a far grayer lens that the ones he'd accused his father of looking through. Most of what he does now includes his self-interest as a number one priority, rather than the well-beings of others. Perhaps feeling scorned far too much has spoiled the heart he once wore on his sleeve.

Fit for a king. Or rather, a prince. On the surface, nothing seems oddly striking about the young man, royalty or not, and yet interest piques without much provocation. Perhaps charisma has been far kinder to the prince in his younger days, but a man with words is a deadly man no doubt. Knowing trades and tricks often associated with diplomats and negotiators comes in handy in quite a lot of situations. Those situations, however, tend to vary and come few and far between during times of strife - when self-preservation trumps all. Not necessarily where this prince shines, he seems a solo operating man, tending to traverse areas alone with a perceptive eye and a knack for explaining in curt detail things of import. When all else fails, a sword in his hand is no deadlier than with a knight.; however, a shield finds no better master than he.

Nothing kills a man quicker than falling on his own sword. Before it had been impulse, spontaneity, leaping without thought that endangered the prince. Now it remains the opposite: fleeting cold calculations, logic, over analysis, indecisiveness. Most of all, a selfishness that presents itself at every corner. A question, "how does this benefit me?" at the tip of his tongue no more and no less than three times within the span of a few seconds rattling his brain. Even before, it's been selfishness that has cost him dearly. Selfishness of his thoughts and a freedom of his emotions; now, a selfishness of his heart and a freedom for his hardened mind.

Prince Phillip's upbringing didn't venture far from the usual 'royal prince' regimen. At a young age, many things had been expected of him: to eventually lead a kingdom, to marry, to sire an heir, to win wars, to negotiate treatises. Even early on, Phillip hadn't known much beyond the lessons he'd been given and going from one lesson to the other as the days rolled on. Proper etiquette, proper speech, knowledge of his kingdom's history inside and out. Obedience was an expected trait in order to properly fit into the mold accustomed to him and his kingdom.

However, Phillip quickly grew out of any box they'd attempted to put him in. Emotions guided him first and foremost. As a young teenager, he grew quite rebellious for his age and often took long hunting trips in order to safely distance himself from his duties. Eventually what became a solace for him became a nuisance for his father. It quickly led to Phillip's eventual arranged marriage. His outburst had woken the entire castle and Phillip quickly escaped to the confines of the forest.

During this retreat, he'd happened upon a dream, one influenced by a fairy worried for the future of this portion of Bellegarde. It was fast approaching the event that would topple an entire kingdom and desperation had driven the magical being to ruthless manipulation. True love's kiss would awaken the sleeping beauty, but whether Aurora considered it true love or not didn't matter - as long as this Prince designated to kiss her believed he loved her hard enough. Truly loved her. And that was quite easy regarding young, testosterone filled prince's wandering the woods.

The dream had ended abruptly, with Phillip dancing in the woods with a fair young maiden. Fortunately, his dream had been interrupted with the same singing he'd heard in his dream. Driven to find the source, Phillip happened upon a young princess, of which he found was 'Aurora' of the kingdom close to his own borders. They'd spent the day talking, dancing, generally 'falling in love' as it were. As the forest grew dark, Aurora quickly left with no true promise of return. Of course, Phillip hadn't minded then, too entranced to truly care as he left for hom immediately.

When he arrived home days later, he'd heard of the unfortunate news that befell the kingdom over. It wasn't until his father uttered her name did Phillip jump to their aid. Though young and brash, Phillip had an inkling of an idea in his mind of how to get rid of the course. Unwilling to share with his father, he took up arms that night and plotted his advance toward the tower the princess resided in. Word had it that the keep was guarded by a powerful dragon, one that spit green fire and was nearly invincible.

Upon arrival, however, Phillip saw no sign of this monster and he quickly scaled the tower to his awaiting princess. He lay one kiss upon her lips in order to awaken her, yet, after moment nothing happened. He attempted one more and still nothing. After a few moments of confusion, Phillip heard stifled grumbling in the room adjacent. Inside was a small lady with a pair of translucent wings and a wand, dressed in orange. Her scrunched up face looked up at him in surprise and he demanded an explanation. She told him of the spell she placed on his dream, that she intended for him to fall in love with the princess and didn't realize that it would backfire like this.

At that instant a deep rumbling shook the tower and green fire flashed against the windowpane. Wanting more than just her flimsy few sentences, Phillip rushed the fairy out of the keep and rode off into the forest before the dragon could sniff them out. There, the fairy explained her plan in full and apologized for the making him just another tool to use, much like his father did and much like his kingdom expected of him. Coming home, he soon learned of his soon to be betrothed, though misfortune tinged the news. His betrothed had been Aurora and with her kingdom in shambles, they had nothing to do but wait and wait until someone could eventually lift the curse from their lands.

That never came. So many years after the curse had settled, the eventual Cataclysm tore Bellegarde to shreds. A great wall of thorns ran through the entirety of their kingdom, leaving Phillip's people in perpetual shadow. With it came the once slumbering citizens of the kingdom over, of Aurora's kingdom. These people had the curse twisted and run foul by the ambient magic tearing their world apart and they were now tasked to walk these lands in a slumbering haze, hurting and harming anyone who obstructed their path.

Being of royalty and having a few skills abound, Phillip was quickly rushed out of the kingdom, though he escaped his own parents' custody to assist his kingdom's people as they were left to fend for themselves in this crisis. Unfortunately, before he could take a step back into his home a figure whisked him away. Finding out that it had been Merlin, the grand wizard himself, Phillip succumbed to his own fate and followed the crowd of people into a new haven, of sorts, a new world.

The potential of going back ran rather high, even in the five years they've spent in Mystvale. That is cause itself to keep Prince Phillip safe, as he is among the few with any knowledge of negotiating and diplomacy, something that would likely do them well when it comes to aiding the various nations in their home world. Here, though, it still provides a good use, as Phillip using his skills in order to discuss and negotiate with those not like him - even if plain humans don't know, it's good to keep them on their good side.

Of course, Phillip takes his new found freedom to heart. He doesn't see himself as royalty in this world and thus wishes not to be treated as such. If anything, he prefers earth to his home world, as it lacks any restricting laws and rules that keep him from living a full life.

Mostly, Phillip does what he thinks is best for him and, in the long run, it may or may not affect Mystvale in a harsh manner. He's in it mostly for his own self-preservation, though here's to hoping that eventually he comes to his senses. He is among the few that wish to start over on Earth, rather than fix their home lands. Now it's a matter of survival and keeping this new home in tact.

Formerly Robin of Locksley, now Robin Hood.

Robin Hood, British historical and folklore figure

Albion, in the Kingdom of Anglia.

Much to Robin's annoyance, no.

Five-and-thirty years of age.

Although they're not married and rarely admit it, Robin and Marian are deeply in love. Really. All that mocking is just how they show affection.

In his life time, Robin has dressed in the finery of a lord, the garb of a warrior, the rags of an outlaw and the clothes of a modern man. Of all of them, he much prefers the soft, warm fleeces of a citizen of Washington, with their incredibly useful zips and many pockets. In the first years of his residence on Earth, he wore increasingly eccentric and unusual outfits, determined to plumb the depths of this new world's supply of clothes until he found the most comfortable he possibly could.

Since then, he's come to understand the version of comely (or handsome or cool) that the people of this world subscribe to and how much one's clothes play into it. He has toned down his choices to something a bit more traditional so while his clothes are still quite practical and warm (Robin has spent many a night crouched in the bracken and doesn't want to be cold like that again) they now reflect a man who carefully selects his outfits in the morning with measured consideration.

When you meet Robin, two things are immediately apparent. The first is that he thinks a great deal of himself. The second is that he thinks you should to. And what's more, it's rather hard not to. Quite apart from his dashing good looks and immense charisma, Robin is the nicest and most generous fellow you'll ever meet. Say you're cold and he'll steal you a jacket, say you're hungry and he'll slay a deer for you. And if you say you're poor... well, he's spent years of his life in a forest, fighting the lawful authority of his own home due to a similar plea.

But within Robin there is now a great doubt. He is, or at least, was a great hero who was famed throughout the world for his selfless deeds. However, he cannot escape the feeling that the causality most people would assume is false; people think that good deeds bring fame, but Robin has began to wonder whether it was not fame that made him do good deeds. When he had a country of adoring peasants singing his praises and a group of merry men looking up to him, it was easy to tweak the nose of the Sheriff and damn the consequences. But without them, without that legend to surround him and sustain him, Robin constantly worries that one day, he'll simply not have the motivation to be a hero.

He needn't worry, of course. Maid Marian would kick him into shape before letting that happen.

As everyone knows, Robin is a master of the bow and arrows. Despite not being a traditional noble's weapon, he has spent most of his life firing arrows at targets near and far can therefore perform feats of near mythical skill. Splitting arrows that have already struck a target, he says, is child's play. A more interesting exercise is splitting them in mid air... Apart from that Robin is a skilled woodsman, able to live off the land, track, evade pursuit and scout. As a noble, he has also bee trained with the more traditional weapons of sword, hammer, spear and lance but lack of practise has eroded his ability with them somewhat. And, though he says so himself, he's rather charming.

Robin's flaws are twofold; he thrives on and requires the adulation of others to function and he is aware of this. His need for fame and admiration is bad enough but his new found self awareness leaves him constantly crippled by second guessing himself. Did he make that donation because it was the right thing to do, or because he knew that the charity worker would look at him with grateful eyes? It's only with the reaffirmation of those that know him will he be able to be sure that you can be good and famous.

Born into nobility in the Ablion kingdom of Anglia, Robin of Locksley was all that a noble should be. He was strong, a natural swordsman, a clever study, a cunning tactician ad a devoted son to his father. The only problem was that for all his potential, he showed little interest in anything other than having fun. He would slip from his rooms in the castle, down into the courtyard and play with the dogs or creep out to run through the woods. And all the harsh words from his father did nothing to change his mind. They had never gotten on particularly well, and the old Earl's contemptuous dismissal of the peasantry had further soured relations.

It wasn't until Robin laid hands on a bow for the first time that he ever showed interest in anything. But that moment was, even in a world with a single light bulb, was electric, a perfect connection of man and tool. From that day on, rarely was he sen without a bow and arrows, whether he was at home or touring the countryside. Everyday he rose early and hammered shot after shot into the central ring of far off targets, with more and more ease. His father told him that it was a peasant's weapon, for the common man who couldn't afford sword, shield and armour. But Robin still had no interest in listening to his elders.

In time, of course, things changed. Robin's father died and he became the Earl of Locksley, intending to be a more open handed and generous liege lord that his father. And had he been given time, he would likely have followed through on such lofty ambitions but fate played a different hand. The monarch of Anglia, King Richard the Lionheart, was raising his banners to march upon his old enemies in Bellegarde. All loyal nobles were called on to raise the levies and join him to sail across the narrow sea for gold and glory. Robin wanted to resist the call but another part of him longed for such heroism, longed to stand beside the Lionheart and slay foes by the score.

War, of course, is never that easy.

The campaign was long and bloody and, for many, pointless. Land was taken, held, defended, lost, retaken. Men and women died with roars of defiance or shrieks of despair, more and more each day for an entire decade. Robin had many illusions stripped away in those years and everyday he longed to return to Sherwood forest, to see the people of Locksley and to never touch a sword again in his life. But he had sworn to stand by his King and stand by him he would, for Robin was no oathbreaker. Luckily for him, he did not need to be. During an ambush, he saved the King's life with a few well placed arrows and the Lionheart asked what reward he could give such a loyal follower. All Robin asked for was the freedom to return to his home and the King granted his request, albeit grudgingly.

But in Richard's absence, Anglia had changed. His cowardly younger brother, prince John, had seized power and given land to his cronies and those prepared to forsake Richard. Locksley, for example, was now the province of one of Robin's previous underlings, the former Sherif of Nottingham. A cruel and greedy man, he had taxed the province terribly with more and more ridiculous demands on the people. He was not best pleased to learn of Robin's return, knowing that there wasn't a man, woman or child in the county who would support him over Robin. So he sent a dozen rough men to end Robin's life and ensure his own rule.

Needless to say, it didn't work. Robin dispatched the mercenaries and was put on his guard by the attempt on his life. Rather than ride back to Locksley beating a drum and telling everyone to rejoice, he disguised himself and crept back into town, gently gathering information on the situation and the times as he did. What he learned was dire; his land taken, his castle occupied, his people oppressed and his name slandered. For a moment he considered retreating to Bellegarde to warn Richard of John's treachery and perhaps petition him for aid. But the thought of returning to the battlefield was abhorrent to him and he could not face it.

Instead, he decided to stay but not in the castle. One piece of gossip that had reached his ears was that the Sheriff's tax revenues would be transported by two dozen armed guards through Sherwood forest in the next few days. After years of tracking cunning Bellegardian scouts, Robin was easily able to locate a cart guarded by thugs and managed to liberate the coins. Most men would have fled and happily retired on such a fortune but Robin could no more leave Locksley than he could put down his bow. So he gave the wealth of the people back to the people, promising the peasantry that he would not rest until the Sheriff was disposed. So the name Robin of Locksley was lost and so began the adventures of Robin Hood.

And what adventures they were. He fought the good fight with such staunch allies as Little John, Friar Tuck and Will Scarlet and against such fiendish villains as Guy of Gisbon, the Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John himself. He met the love of his life, Marian, and bickered with her ceaselessly. More gold poured through the county than ever before but no sooner had Robin stolen and redistributed it than the Sheriff's men would arrive to take whatever they pleased again. Robin would doubtless have one day defeated his foes entirely (probably in some way that was poetically just) and would likely even have gotten around to marrying Maid Marian (if she would have him) but something happened to put all bets off; the cataclysm.

Despite being some of the lucky few to escape the collapse of their world, Robin and Marian were unable to bring their Merry Men with them to Earth. They arrived and immediately began to beg, threaten and cajole Merlin to go back for their band but the wizard refused. He told them to make do with each other and a whole new world, that it aught to be enough.

Since then Robin has tried to be a proper man, tried to hold down a job and even tried to keep helping people as best he could. But every job he's tried, from security to management, has felt to him like painfully, mind numbingly boring suffering. For the moment, he works at a charity for disenfranchised youths and goes out on bi-monthly excursions with Marian to rob from the rich and donate to the less well off.

It's a life.

Guinevere of Cameliard
- Gwen Scot

Arthurian Legend

Albion

Unknown. A controversy that questions if the rumors of dark magic is simply rumor or fact.

26

She can appreciate, perhaps even welcome attention shown to her by men, but past memories ensure that she keeps them at a distance and does not allow ties to form.

There is something about Guinevere that invites fascination, though it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly it is about her that causes such feelings. A cool, mysterious darkness hides within vivid green eyes, lending a curious contradiction to the gentleness and warmth of her voice.

Having the fine taste that usually goes hand-in-hand with growing up in a royal household Guinevere normally reverts to well tailored, elegant clothing. In recent years she has developed a taste for fashion that flirts with the idea of edgy elegance, such as pairing flowing summer dresses with leather jackets and boots.
Blazing auburn hair spills in rampant waves down her back, tucked, smoothed, and pinned into tenuous submission to achieve a look of effortlessness instead of rebellious chaos.

Quiet, delicate, respectful, and enticing. All qualities a proper princess should possess.
Possess them Guinevere does, and thanks to many many tutors and lessons drilled into her skull, she knows how and when to use them to the best advantage. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not break her of a strong willed, independent nature.

Though she keeps it hidden, tucked away in a secret part of her soul, an untamed wildness burns in her blood, chafing at the restrictions attached to the title of 'Princess' or 'Queen', along with the knowledge that all that is required and expected of her is to behave properly, marry power, and bear an heir for her husband.
For years she displayed a hot temper inherited from her father, questioning everything and refusing to see reason. But as time went on she realized there was no point in such tirades, for they only prompted equally hot retaliation from King Leodegrance, making her life that much more difficult.

Because of this realization Guinevere altered her way of reacting to the world. She has learned to take things as they come, studying and analyzing until a proper reaction comes to light.
It was not an overnight change, but she has found use for the lessons from her old tutors. There was wisdom in what they taught, even if they had only meant to pass on to her how to behave in court, not how to manipulate those around her with a quiet grace that was far more cunning and effective than temper tantrums and sharp arguments.

While she may not always express her opinions outwardly Guinevere knows her own mind, perhaps a little too well, for often she will lapse into a dazed state of being that some consider a clear sign her mind has been 'touched' and is not quite all there. What she accomplishes during these states of absentmindedness no one is quite certain, although when she snaps out of them there is usually an unsettling, vacant expression in her gaze as she responds to others much like a child would, innocently and naively, as though somewhere along the way she lost herself and is waiting for herself to catch up once more.

Possesses a bewitching quality that many have whispered to be a result of dark deeds and spellwork.
More at home in the woods and wilderness than she is around people Guinevere has a close connection to nature, able to identify and use many plants and herbs in various forms.

Also the small matter of causing conflict of some sort, or a war or two here and there . . .

In a time of knights, dragons, and bravery, it was a sign of success and honor to produce and raise an heir. A son to conquer and protect the lands, to forge a reputation befitting that of knights and kings, and to carry on the name of his father.


The night had been long and painful, and just as the sun began to color the edges of the world the house fell silent, hushed and breathless in the brief moments after the agonizing scream died away. Servants stood where they were, sharing looks and silent questions, all waiting for the joyful news.
Yet joyful the day was not to be as the pale, dying mother handed a tiny, wailing infant into the hands of King Leodegrance. Though he smiled and caressed the cold skin of his wife's cheek he could not help the sense of dread and feeling of disappointment as he gazed into his daughter's tiny, crumpled face.

So it was that Guinevere came into the world, motherless and already a burden to her father.

It was a cruel twist of fate the day Guinevere realized she was not truly loved, or even desired, by her father. She was merely a chess piece to a king. Though she was titled and of royal blood she was no more than a lovely Pawn, to be shuffled about and used when needed to bring the best advantage to the kingdom.

The moment she became old enough to marry King Leodegrance found out she was a perfect bargaining item when it came to treaties and alliances, for her beauty was renowned, and her dowry enticing enough to attract many powerful suitors. Because of the fickleness of such treaties her betrothals never lasted more than a month or so, a fact that caused the kingdom a different sort of conflict.
With so many promises of marriage it was only natural there would be offenses taken, and hard feelings that eventually prompted the kidnapping of Princess Guinevere on not once, but several occasions. For, after the first kidnapping, it seemed several knights and kings thought it an acceptable course of action to claim what had been promised them, resulting in a confusing mess of heated altercations.

Of course Guinevere was eventually rescued and brought home, but a change had come over her and she took to spending hours wandering through the forest by herself. At first no one thought much of it, shaking their heads in sympathy and saying it was a side effect of the tremendous strain that her delicate nerves had been put through.
As time went on, however, and there was no improvement, new rumors began to circulate.
Rumors that said she had been put under the spell of a sorcerer, or that she herself was a witch and seeking lost souls she could lead astray.

When it was rumored that she had caught the eye of a young King Arthur there was not only confusion for the odd pairing, but there were also many that pronounced the match doomed from the beginning, certain Guinevere had cast her net at him for the sole purpose of mischief.

Apparently they were not the only ones, for Merlin himself did not approve, eventually taking drastic measures to make sure a marriage between the two never came to be.

Because of these actions Guinevere was entirely unaware of the Cataclysm and the danger it brought, until one day in the midst of rending and burning worlds Merlin came to fetch her.

Honestly, as callous as it may sound, the Cataclysm has provided Guinevere with the most freedom she has ever had. It was confusing, and downright terrifying at first, but once she became accustomed to the place she rather enjoys the ability to craft a brand new life for herself, void of all the expectations and assumptions of the old.
Well . . . almost all of them, that is.

She has found relative contentment and enjoyment working at a local florist and greenhouse, flourishing among the plants just as much as they seemed to under her care.
Though she will not admit it there is an empty void within her that refuses to be filled, a feeling that whatever she is unconsciously searching for is nowhere to be had. This, like many other things, she blames on the wizard Merlin, her dislike of him having grown to such an extent that she would not mind terribly if he met a rather untimely demise. After, that is, he answers a few pertinent questions.

Sebastian V'allish, Prince of Kesion, Earl of the Deep Wood, Keeper of Secrets.

The Six Swans/The Seven Ravens - There are conflicting tales of what they were, be they swans, ravens, or some other winged creature.

Bellegarde

Not exactly . . . his ability to shift into the form of a raven is more of a side effect than natural ability.

29

Someone special would be nice, but there is that whole mistrust-women-thing that makes meeting someone difficult. But surely not all of them are all conniving and manipulative . . . right?

Sebastian doesn't really care what he's wearing, as long as it's comfortable and isn't falling apart. His wardrobe on Earth consists of pretty much the same as at home, give or take a few different fabrics. Jeans instead of riding pants, loose t-shirts instead of a tunic, a worn leather jacket when weather requires, and whatever shoes are handy, normally a pair of worn leather boots. He rather misses his leather bracers, bow, quiver, and battle axes, but truth be told they tend to freak people out just a little bit if he wears them around town. Unless he says he's going to a costume party, and then no one bats an eye. Strange . . .

Stands at a solid 6' 2" and wears the scruffy look pretty well. Steel grey eyes that can be warm and friendly or sharp and cold as ice. A jagged pair of twin scars slash down his left shoulder, curving across his back and right ribcage.

As a child Sebastian wasn't the one convincing a younger brother to jump off the wall into the moat, that was far too basic for him. Not only was he the one that came up with the idea, he was also the one that hurled himself into open air a fraction of a second after the idea entered his brain.

Time did little to temper such an impetuous nature and the older he got the bolder he grew, always up for anything and paying no heed to broken bones or bleeding cuts, the flame of adventure and rash decisions burning in his gaze. Not to say he didn't mature, for eventually he did manage to do some of that as well. It didn't seem to lessen the number of dangerous stunts he pulled, but there was the sliver of comfort that, at the very least they were thought through a bit better.

While he still clings to bits and pieces of an easy going nature, time and hardship have moulded him into something different than what he might have once been.
A volatile side lurks beneath the surface, developed with the necessity to survive in the wild and face the darkness of murderous creatures and overcome an evil queen. Already a force to reckon with when cool headed and rational, the combination of naturally reckless tendencies and pure, unchecked rage can be downright dangerous.

An unexpected side effect of such a tumultuous childhood is his deep mistrust and wariness of women.
Not that he had the most shining examples growing up.
It was a woman that cursed him and his brothers with the form of a raven, killed their father and turned their kingdom into a torture pit; It was a woman that put his sister through overwhelming pain to free them; A woman who attempted to burn his sister at the stake; and a woman that killed a brother.
The only woman he has ever truly loved and cherished with a fierce loyalty is his sister, otherwise he holds fast to the unshaken belief that women, in general, are all out to trick and deceive.

While being known for the ability to shift into a large, black raven isn't exactly something everyone wants to be known for Sebastian suffers from just such an affliction. No matter his other hard earned or naturally gifted talents the first thing people normally focus on is the whole bird thing. Typical.

If you were to look past that you would find he possesses a number of reasonably useful qualities that he happens to excel at; Commanding elite forces of soldiers that focus more on guerilla type tactics than open conflict - Excellent skill with bow, battle axe and poisons - Scouting and tracking through unpredictable terrains - Exceptional eyesight that is probably another side effect of his stepmother's curse - Interception and deciphering of messages - Rumored to be fairly effective with certain torture methods, but those are probably just bitter ideas planted by jealous, thwarted villains . . . . probably.

The rather dubious situation of being stuck in raven form might not seem all that fatal. However, try spending a couple months stuffed into a cage and then see how you feel about it.

Once wronged he never forgets and returns the favor one way or another, not realizing until after the fact that it could hurt others in the process.
Does not deal with down time all that well, always needing something to occupy a restless, adventurous mind. Which sometimes means that he actually goes out and finds trouble, inadvertently dragging others into it at the same time.

First of all - Five.
Remember this number, because all of the stories never get it right. Yes, there was indeed a pair of twins, but two plus three more hardly added up to the ever popular Six or Seven.

*ahem* Moving on . . .

Kesion was a tiny kingdom, hardly noteworthy at all if you did not take into account that it held claim to five princes to rule over it. Five princes that just so happened to be ravens . . .
The beginning of their story is tucked among the pages of old fairytales, usually packaged up in a quaint little tale of a king becoming lost in the woods and meeting a woman who promises to show him the way out on the condition that he marry her. Which, in retrospect was a deplorable and frankly disappointing decision of a king who ought to have known better, enchanted wood or not.

Eventually he realized his mistake, but the resulting consequences not only threatened to tear the little kingdom into pieces, but also caused much heartbreak and pain before things could begin to be mended.

Ravens the five princes did become, at the merciless hands of their father's new wife, and their sister did indeed very nearly die trying to save them from their fate. But what none of the storytellers mention is that it was just the beginning.

After regaining their true forms the brothers spent a brief time with their sister, ensuring she was no longer in danger, before returning to their own kingdom.
What they discovered was a land torn with conflict and darkness.

After she had effectively removed the threat that the king's sons presented, banishing them to a fate of never belonging anywhere, Queen Shieema turned her attentions upon her dear husband, weakening his resolve until he succumbed to her tricks, plagued by horrors and illness until he wasted away.
Left without their king or his heirs the people of the kingdom found themselves in the clutches of a woman whose sole purpose seemed to be inflicting as much misery and pain as possible.
Once pure air became clogged with the smoke of smelting pits. Strange, twisted black creatures replaced the palace guards. And life became one long battle to simply stay alive another day.

To say she was surprised to see her stepsons return is not important. The fact that it didn't seem to faze her was unsettling, and it took several armies, assassins, and a gryphon or two before they managed to best Shieema.
When it was all over they were left with a broken kingdom to knit back together.

In order to ensure nothing of the kind happened again the five brothers formed an elite group of protectors, each with an assigned specialty and position. At first it was just the five of them - Keeper of Borders; Keeper of Skies; Keeper of Roads; Keeper of Secrets; and Keeper of Dungeons, but ever so slowly they added to their group until they commanded the most effective group of guards in several kingdoms. Never would you know when a Keeper was around unless they wanted you to, and if they did, it was probably cause for concern and immediate soul searching.

Hardly had life begun to settle down when the world itself turned against them as the great Cataclysm tore through their already weakened kingdom. Attempting to flee to a neighboring kingdom was the first reaction, until they discovered that the entire world was being ripped to shreds.

Sebastian and his brothers worked tirelessly to find a solution, or at the very least a haven, for their people, but there was none to be had.

How he had ended up in the company of a wizard called Merlin is still a piece of information that escapes Sebastian, although it most likely has something to do with the head wound he had suffered somewhere along the way. It had taken a good month or so before he had even remembered who he was, and when he did there was a part of him that wished he hadn't.

Ever since arriving in Mystvale the feeling of self loathing and reproach have been constant company, reminding him with every breath that he abandoned his family to a fate he could only imagine. Not knowing if they are alive or dead has nearly driven him crazy, and he has never given up trying to find a way back.

Beauty

Beauty and the Beast

Bellegarde

None.

25

Beauty thrives on attention. It doesn't matter who gives it to her.

Having been born to a lifestyle of jewels and extravagant gowns, Beauty loves to indulge in the finer things in life. When that lifestyle was abruptly taken away from her family, she sought out the Beast to gain it back. She only wore the best gowns, the brightest and boldest jewels; she had an endless supply to the best things life could offer. Now, she still only wears designer clothing. Even if she has to bid her pet to get them for her.

As she uses her body to get what she wants, she makes sure to wear certain attire that accentuates her hourglass figure. The tightest jeans, mini skirts, low riding tops; anything to catch a glance.

This little Beauty is no belle of the ball. She is nasty, spiteful, and an all around mean girl. Beauty will do whatever and whomever to get what she wants. She doesn't take no for an answer and loves to pick fights. She is known in her tales as being pure of heart: people can be so easily manipulated. All it seems to take is her name and a simple smile for people to automatically warm up to her. After all, she's the trusty heroine who tamed a frightful beast.

The one thing Beauty is known for, and still rings true, is her intelligence. She spent many of her childhood days reading, learning, exploring. Anything she could get into and study was free game for her. Now, she has also learned that almost anyone will do anything for a kind face, which she always uses to her advantage.

Beauty can get seriously too involved in her own head and become volatile if things do not go her way. She is extremely stubborn and always has to have the last word in an argument. Because of this temper and her manipulations, she has begun to believe that she is untouchable. That she can do anything and never suffer the consequences.

Being the daughter of a wealthy merchant, she never wanted for anything. However, her three older brothers and two older sisters always stole the limelight from her. She was seen as the baby, the nuisance. The nobody. Everyone ignored her, including her own beloved father. Since their mother had died during childbirth with Beauty, she was also blamed for her death.

It wasn't until more trade became coming through Bellegarde that things began to turn around for Beauty. Her father had hosted an extravagant gala to boast his newly acquired riches. Men started hovering around the young ten year old, proclaiming her wondrous beauty. She learned she could get these men to do her bidding as long as she fed them some attention. They adored the sweet, mild-spoken child and praised her kindness to any who could hear them. The men didn't know it was all an act.

Due to the years of torture and slavery bestowed upon her by her siblings, Beauty had grown spiteful and vengeful. She swore she would take the first opportunity that arose to be rid of them. And it so happened, the very trade that continued throughout her hometown was devastated by several losses at sea. Beauty's father had been on one of those cargo ships and was presumed dead. However, he had stumbled upon a palace and was welcomed by a mysterious host. Upon leaving, he noticed a garden of the most red of roses. The beauty and innocence of the flower reminded him of his youngest child. And so his fate was sealed, as well as Beauty's, when he decided to pluck just one for a token. The mysterious host happened to be a ferocious beast who demanded payment for ruining his garden. Beauty's father was quick to offer up one of his children.

And so it was that Beauty ended up with her Beast. He was kind to her and she had no shortage of the most exquisite of luxuries. But this Beast wanted love. The very love that could turn him back into a handsome prince. Beauty wasn't interested.

Upon finding the library, she found a spell book that spoke of such a curse that had been placed upon the prince. It spoke of the alternate outcome should he not find someone to love him. It would be pretty and joyous to think that Beauty was able to tame her precious beast and they would live happily ever after. Instead, she allowed the final petal to fall. She accused the Beast that he didn't truly love her as much as he said he did. Beauty convinced him that she loved him with everything she had, that he was the only one for her. And so she fed off of his disappointment. She had him wrapped around her thumb as he desperately tried to prove his affection for her.

News spread throughout the Beast's kingdom that he had managed to make his wedding vows with Beauty before he succumbed to his curse. Not only did Beauty finally have everything she could want, but she was now officially a princess. She ruled the kingdom into the ground, making their people believe it was still part of the evil witch's curse. People feared the castle and yet they adored their sweet, stricken princess.

Until the Cataclysm destroyed everything. Her castle, the servants, everything was ripped from her. The only thing that seemed to protect Beauty from any harm was her pet. She had lost everything, which started to poke at her spiteful nature. She wanted it back. And she wanted it now.

It wasn't long before a funny looking man offered to take her and beast away to a land far from this sullen mess. Beauty greed-fully accepted. Once they arrived, her eyes took in everything this Earth had to offer them. But, then, something strange happened to her beast as well. He was transformed into a man. This caused Beauty to panic as she didn't want him blabbing all her secrets. Thankfully he seems to remain under her control, ready to do her bidding. Beauty was ready for this Earth. She was going to make it her bitch.

Beast. Or Adam, as he prefers.

Beauty and the Beast

Bellegarde

None, but has one hell of a temper. Oh, and he's been brainwashed by Beauty.

29

He thought he had found his happily ever after. Then realized that his long lost Beauty was nothing short of a wench. Alas, he has given up on love. As if Beauty would surrender him to another, anyway.

Adam was no stranger to the finer things in life. After all, he was a prince. When it was taken away from him, he was left in rags and torn clothing. And then a woman arrived, and he was determined to impress her. He had his people tailor the finest clothing to fit his beastly body. Now on Earth, as a man, he is once again reduced to rags. Most of his clothing stays dirty and his long blonde hair is always a disheveled mess. Helps to keep the nosy away, says Beauty.

He used to be kind-hearted, generous, loving. And then one day, after a little too much barley, he came upon the most disgusting woman at his door. After drunkenly refusing her help, he was turned into the same disgust and hatred he betrayed. Adam fell into despair, a deep depression. He shut out anyone and everyone. He was very convinced he had nothing else to live for. Now a beast, his once warm heart turned ice cold. Being quick to anger and completely irrational, his once loyal subjects started to despise and fear him.

Beauty entered his life and she started to chip away at his frozen heart. He became attentive, kind. Adam began to trust again, and soon found love for the first time in his life. And then it was stripped away when his love's true self emerged. Once his last petal fell, all he could see was red. He was furious, angry, full of rage. When their world fell to pieces, he was ready to die. But he refused to watch the woman he still loved perish.

Once on Earth, he was completely shocked to find himself transformed into his former self. But then came the realization that Beauty still had control over him. He keeps to himself, but is still quick to anger. He seems to always be on the edge of turning back into a beast.

As a lad, his father made sure he was taught the skills necessary to one day be king. When not angered, Adam is well-spoken, articulate, and quite the swordsman. He has also learned that indeed, patience is a virtue. After being stuck under Beauty's thumb for now eight years, he has waited patiently for the right moment, the right person, to free him from this curse.

He is fiercely protective of Beauty and is a great fighter, as he had trained himself in hand-to-hand combat.

Even though he has the body of a man, his mind still believes him to be a beast. He always assumes he is bigger than he is and doesn't back down from anything, even obstacles he clearly cannot overcome. His rage, anger, still boil within his blood, ready to explode. Adam is a time bomb ready to cause mass destruction.

Adam took everything for granted. Being born into royalty seems to make a person that way. He was spoiled, unappreciative, an all around rotten child. With the passing of his beloved mother at the age of eleven, her last words were simply 'be good'. From that moment on, he swore he would be. His attitude completely turned around. He started reaching out to his kingdom, helping anyone who needed it. He was a young boy, but that didn't stop his determination from becoming a great man. One his mother would be proud of.

When he was nineteen, his father died of a rare illness. The kingdom looked to him, now. The pressure and his grief drove him to drink. It was that fateful night that the wretched witch decided to visit his castle. She was looking for the generous prince, and instead got a hateful drunk. And so set forth the curse, that he had until his twenty-first birthday to find someone he loved, who he could love back.

This curse was one to stop time completely in it's tracks. It was as if everything froze within the palace walls. His once faithful servants were transformed into mere centerpieces and hardware. Adam's hard-earned physique grew into a chimaera of sorts. Suddenly he had the body of a wilder beast, the head of a lion, horns of a yak, tusks of a boar. Coarse, dirty blonde hair covered every inch of his body. He was a thing of nightmares. After the transformation, the most exquisite red rose appeared before his eyes. And then, the witch's voice filled the palace:

"From this day forward, you will be a living example of the ugliness you have supplied me. Your world will be isolated, desolate. Your faithful servants will be of no more use to you. This rose will continue to lose petals until your twenty-first birthday. On that day, the last petal will fall, and you remain a monster forever.

However, should you be able to find someone who loves you, and you love them in return, your heart will be mended and tamed. Upon that day you will resume the former glory of your once beloved kingdom."

His depression and despair quickly flooded every thought as he watched his once golden boy looks turn into a horrendous creature. Not only was he cursed, but his staff as well. Everyone was in this situation because of what he had done, what he had let his anger do to him. He hid away inside the castle walls, never daring to venture out unless it was to tend his mother's garden. The only thing left of her.

Fast forward to a man stealing one of his mother's precious roses. Adam would take nothing less than one of the man's most valued possessions. That possession turned out to be a woman. He hated having to put up with a stranger in his home, but she eventually wore him down. Adam found himself wanting to be around her, to tend to her every care. By the time he realized he loved her, it was too late. Beauty had revealed herself to be the true monster. Upon the drop of the rose's last petal, nothing happened. His fate was forever sealed in the body of the beast, lost to everything. Adam was unsure why he didn't change; surely his love for Beauty, and her love for him was enough to break the curse?

Unbeknownst to him, Beauty didn't truly love him. However, according to her, she loved him with everything she had- he was the one who didn't love her enough to break the spell. The realization of that possibility broke him. He swore to continue to prove his love, his loyalty, knowing that was the only way to end his curse and save his people.



And then the world started to crumble around them. Adam had spent three years devoted to his supposed wife, obeying her every whim. Even though he clearly realized her love for him was not everything she said it was. When the castle threatened to fall apart around them, he couldn't help himself. He had to save her. Amidst the rubble came a wizard. Merlin took them to Earth.

Once settled on land, the transformation from beast to man took place. With his old self back, he is determined to separate himself from Beauty. Surely she can't be the only woman able to break his curse. He will find his kingdom and bring it back to the glory that it once was when his parents ruled. He will prove to his father that he is the king that he was groomed to be. And most importantly, he will be good.

Tinker Bell

Peter Pan

The Never

Yes

Who knows? Tink is one of the oldest fairies around, but she looks no older than 27.

Come and have a go, if you think you're hard enough.

Back in the Never, clothes were hardly a necessity, and so Tink covered herself in outfits made of leaves, held together by magic. Now that she's living on earth, she's discovered an affinity for fashion, a love for clothes. She generally dresses in leggings or skinny jeans, and other form fitting clothes to show off her fit frame. She keeps her pale blonde hair cut short, abandoning the long locks that she kept back home. Her skin has been paled by the Seattle clouds, and her eyes are a brilliant blue, with a mischievous sparkle to them.

Tink's the wild child of the fairies. Flirty, fun, petty as all hell, and with a wicked temper, she's quite the trouble maker. She'll flirt with just about everyone, though most of the time it's really just her being playful. She's incredibly adventurous, her spontaneity being one of her defining traits. It's not uncommon to find her shop closed for the day while she hikes around the forests around Mystvale, or goes into the city on an impromptu shopping trip. However, don't fuck around with her. And if you do, make sure she doesn't know about it. Her vengeance is scary, and she'll do whatever it takes and then some to make sure you pay.

The most obvious one is her flight. When she's in her realm, she can pick between two forms, her fairy form, where she's incredibly small, and her normal human form. In both of these forms she has two wings on her back, translucent and resembling a dragon fly's, they allow her to fly at incredible speeds. And, as with all fairies, she has an innate ability to use magic, casting spells and manipulating pixie dust. One skill that found it's way to earth is her innovation when it comes to engineering. She's skilled with all sort of machines and gadgets, hence her name.

Her jealousy. Tink is quite the envious fairy, and it can make her do incredibly stupid things. Like dangle girls over shark infested waters, or give them over to pirates. You know, the usual.

No one is quite sure how Tinker Bell came to be. Even she isn't positive. One day, she just was. Born of pure magic like all the other fairies, she awoke on Neverland, and immediately began doing the only thing she seemed to know how to do. Build. She constructed the miniature metropolis that the fairies of Neverland called home, Pixie Hollow, and helped to harness the magic of pixie dust.

Sometime after her "birth", Tink found it imperative that the island she and the other fairies called home have a guardian. After some experiments that many called unethical, she created the Boy Who Never Grew Up. Peter Pan. Peter became her best friend, and she raised him to be the bright young man he is today.

When the pirates came to Neverland, she helped Peter fight them. She was by his side every step of the way, even when he brought that bitch back from London. She and Wendy didn't exactly get along, and when Peter returned her to where she came, Tink made sure she'd be impossible to find, hid her from all of Peter's senses. A secret that she'll take to her grave.

When the Cataclysm struck, she watched as her home was torn apart, and it tore her to pieces. She and Peter struggled to keep the Island together but their efforts were useless against the Cataclysm. It couldn't be stopped. When Merlin arrived, she and Peter went, begrudgingly. It's her one true regret.

Tink adapted surprisingly well to life in Mystvale. She opened up a repair shop, one where she fixed everything from children's toys to TVs. She helped raise Peter, a boy who was now not so ageless. She kept herself intertwined with the town politics, and was one of the few people who actually attended the town meetings. With signs of the Cataclysm now more and more prevalent, she's been preparing for the destruction it might bring, fearing for the lives of her and Peter.

Ariel

The Little Mermaid

The Seven Seas

Well, she's a mermaid, so...When there is magic, she has a tail. And can speak to marine life. With no magic...She's just a girl.

21

After being rejected by her prince, her heart is broken. But she always remains hopeful that her true love is out there somewhere.

Ariel tends to stick to loose fitting clothing that are easy to move around in. Whether it be sundresses, shorts with tanks, anything that allows for free movement. She loves showing off her tanned land legs and would constantly live in flip flops if she could get away with it. Her makeup is minimal, as she only usually just uses eyeliner and lipstick. Other than that, she prefers to remain natural. If she can't wear it while she's in the water, she tends to stay away from it. When relaxing, she usually just puts her hair up and adorns her glasses. In public, she prefers her contacts.

This young woman is as resilient as they come. After being publicly rejected by her prince, any other person would become depressed and hide away. Not this mermaid. She is determined and hopeful that the future intended for her is out there if she continues to look for it. Ariel is still a bit naive about certain things on the human world, but several years of experience has made her eager to learn and experience everything she can. She is rather adventurous and can be quite spontaneous in her activities, always ready at a moment's notice to try the next daring thing.

Ariel loves to dance, sing, and just enjoys everything life has to offer. She is rarely upset and always can see the silver lining in upsetting situations.

Being a fish herself, she has the unusual ability of being able to communicate with all marine life. Well, she did. Being thrown into a world with no magic, she has lost that ability. She has, however, been able to hold onto her strong knowledge of the water world and all of it's creatures. This skill helps her out in her job at the aquarium where she works closely with the dolphins.

Seeing as she has limited knowledge of the human world, she can come off as a bit ignorant in certain situations. If she hasn't personally used it, or has daily interactions with it, more than likely she will have absolutely no clue what you are speaking of. That, and she trusts people way too quickly as she always wants to see the good in others.

Born to the sea king, Ariel is the youngest of six daughters. Everything was grand under the sea, but Ariel always awaited her sixteenth birthday, when a mermaid was allowed to view the human world for the first time. It was then that she caught sight of a human ship and the prince who was constantly aboard it. For months Ariel watched this ship, growing more in love with the human every day. She dreamed of a life where she could walk on land and live with him for all eternity.

One fateful night as she broke the surface of the water, she watched as her beloved's ship began to burn. The mermaid watched her love be tossed out to sea. She was soon able to find him and pulled him to the shore, where she waited for him to be found by his people before returning back to the sea. For several nights all she thought of was her prince. Word reached to her of the evil sea witch and the magic of her potions. Against the warnings of her friends, she sought out the witch. In exchange for her voice, she was given legs on one condition: if she was able to get the prince to fall in love with her and marry her, she would remain human forever. If the prince were to marry another, Ariel would die.

Confident that her prince would love no one else, she downed the potion in one gulp. Her voice was stripped away and her lungs filled with water. She watched as her beautiful tail ripped itself into two, creating human legs. Ariel was escorted quickly to the shore where she was found by merchants the following day.

That day she was reunited with her prince. Even with having no voice, she was able to build a strong friendship and learn about the human world. However, his love was for the woman who rescued him on the shore. Unbeknownst to Ariel, a temple woman had been beside her prince when he had awoken. Thinking this woman was his rescuer, he soon married her within days of meeting Ariel.

Her fate was sealed. She could feel her body draining as she awaited death. However, her father had learned of this contract between the sea witch and his daughter. He was able to defeat the witch for good; this act destroyed all of her contracts. Ariel was once again a mermaid and returned back to her kingdom. Since her life was saved, she was determined to never again take anything for granted. Her true love was out there waiting for her, and she only needed to live life to it's fullest until her love came to her.

The mermaid was able to enjoy several months of her new bliss when her world began to crack. The ocean floor began to separate, the waters started to turn black. People started to disappear. She was soon separated from her father and sisters and was caught in a whirlpool. Ariel knew this was the end of her existence. Except, it wasn't. A man came to her and brought her to a new land with the promise of a better life. A safer life. And so there she was, once more on two legs.

Ariel strives to live a more full, richer life. After facing a certain death twice in one year, she never again wants to allow life to hold her back. She is determined to find her true place in life, whether that be on land or in the sea. And she will be happy, and she will dance.

---

---

Rapunzel

Rapunzel

Bellegarde

None what so ever.

24

Waiting for someone to sweep her off her feet. Or for someone she takes such a fancy too she'll go after them herself if they just don't get the hint.

Rapunzel never had the chance to develop much of a fashion sense. Here on Earth she still doesn't quite understand what people consider 'fashionable' and pays no heed to what is currently popular, opting instead for her normal go-to of an effortless, carefree look that generally consists of light, airy sundresses and sandals. In colder weather she opts for cozy oversized sweaters with jeans or leggings, and comfy boots. She adores accessories and normally adorns her long tousled hair with some sort of scarf, flower, or slouchy knit hat.

Somewhat average at a height of 5' 6" she has a petite build that rather makes her resemble a china doll, what with her golden locks, pale complexion, and crystal clear blue eyes.

Rapunzel has always been bubbly and charismatic. A free spirit with a smile almost as bright as the sun itself and the ability to be friendly toward almost everyone she comes across. Warm and caring she does her best to see the beauty and wonder in the world. Not to say she doesn't know darkness exists, she would just prefer to focus on the good things until it is absolutely necessary to acknowledge the bad.
Has the innocent, unchecked nature of a curious child, saying exactly what she thinks and completely unafraid of telling people when they're being ridiculous and unreasonable.

Never one to back down when she sees what she views as an injustice, Rapunzel is the type of person that will go to any lengths to defend or help friends and loved ones out of difficult situations.

Being somewhat of a social shut-in (quite literally) for most of her life she hasn't exactly gotten the grasp of what is widely held as 'socially acceptable'. Instead of tiptoeing around and ignoring touchy subjects that may not be any of her business, she will barrel right into it without so much as a by-your-leave. She may have the best of intentions, and she is slowly learning what is deemed as acceptable, but her lack of certain filters and innocent ignorance of how to act properly around other people sometimes rub them the wrong way, causing her to be labeled as somewhat of a naive nuisance.

After being shut away for so long she is determined to make up for lost time, always on a mission to explore and discover every single new thing she can find. Even if it is as basic as riding a bike or trying a new treat Rapunzel exudes an infectious enthusiasm that turns even the simplest experiences into something amazing and worth being remembered.

It has been said that Rapunzel's disarming personality could charm away hard feelings and tense arguments in even the stickiest of situations.

While she has no trouble fearlessly standing up to defend others, Rapunzel does not always do the same for herself. Having a trusting, friendly nature she can be easily taken advantage of, seemingly unaware of people using her to their own purposes and willfully causing her pain.

The beginning of Rapunzel's story is a hazy affair, so hazy that Rapunzel herself doesn't even know, and the only people that do are lost.
Or, she has been lost from them.

Some stories say she is the missing daughter of a king and queen.
Some say she belonged to a humble peasant couple that, in a sense, bartered her off in exchange for the most mundane of things because her mother had intense pregnancy cravings. Basically she was traded for a spring salad.

Whichever story was true did not really matter.
At least, not to the little girl who knew no better. Whose whole existence was a single vaulted room.
She knew every single worn and chipped stone, knew the tilt of the floor, and how, on windy days, her entire world would shift and roll much like she imagined a ship at sea would.

The years trickled by in a steady flow of normalcy. Little changed and, as she knew no different, Rapunzel was not discontent. She would spend hours amusing herself in as many different ways she could discover, examining and treasuring the few new things that Mother Gothel would bring for her on rare visits.

Yet awareness was bound to spark to life, a yearning for something more. The feeling that there must be more to the world than this small piece of it, so far removed from what she could see out of the window.
In the end it was the littlest of things that awoke an intense desire to know what was beyond.

It was the middle of autumn, when the rich green of the trees had turned a glorious shade of burnished reds and oranges. Wind whistled through the eaves of the tower, and one day it brought a present with it.
A single, delicate golden leaf spinning through the window and drifting slowly to rest on the floor, its smooth edges curling up slightly to display a soft, gauzy back.

Already curious by nature Rapunzel was fascinated with the little treasure. It was different than any other leaf she had ever seen, and definitely did not match the rich, bold colors of the forest below.



From that moment Rapunzel did everything she could to leave. Begging, pleading, crying, and cajoling. But nothing worked, and Mother Gothel began to visit less, perhaps believing that Rapunzel's obsession would merely fade away if she was left to herself.

It was the worst decision the woman made, because in the end it was her lack of attention that ultimately gave Rapunzel the opportunity to leave her little nest. To have enough of a taste of the world that she would rather die than return to seclusion.

She wanted to know everything about the world. Explore it all. Meet everyone. Find out who she was and where she had come from.

But it was not to be, for the world was different than she had imagined.
It was not quiet and peaceful, just waiting to be discovered. It was being torn apart, morphing into a harsh, broken landscape where beauty now only existed in memory.

Perhaps it was chance Merlin came across her wandering in the broken, twisted forest. Perhaps it wasn't.
Whatever it might have been he whisked her away to a strange new place, along with a whole group of interesting strangers.

While she misses her home terribly, heartbroken by lost possibilities, Rapunzel hasn't wasted the last five years here on earth. Completely immersing herself in the world she has compiled a long list of things she wants to do, methodically checking each new experience off as she manages to complete them.

Being the social butterfly she is Rapunzel works at the Fairy Godmother's diner, the one place everyone is guaranteed to show up at some point or other.

Hua Mulan (花木蘭)

Ballad of Mulan

China, Easternmost

No.

32

Since the loss of her homeland, including her family, Mulan has been reluctant to start any meaningful romantic relationship. Her mind is too occupied by other things like her job and fixing the Cataclysm. Though she has the occasional fling here and there, any attempt at something more will be politely rebuked, unless there’s someone out there impressive enough to pique her interest and invested enough to coax her out of her shell.

Short side-swept hair that varies between shades of black and brown, depending on if she remembers to re-dye it. A generally cute face with a button nose and cheerful double-lidded eyes, which is a poor indicator for her now brusque personality. Could usually be found with a dozy content smile on her face, though that has been rare ever since the Cataclysm. Now that smile is replaced with an unimpressed-looking stare. Somehow looks androgynous when she ties her hair up, which catches the attention of people of all genders.
Mulan is the proud owner of quite the athletic body, forged during her military service and maintained by her morning routine and weekly visits to the gym. She is noticeably toned, a lot more than a usual woman of her age. Callused hands and several scars can be found on her body, the noticeable of the scars being a large, deep cut on the left side of her torso.
Doesn’t put much effort or money into her appearance but still barely passes as “not unfashionable”. Wears clothes that are easy to move around in, usually light-coloured jeans, sneakers, a simple loose t-shirt and light jacket. Doesn’t own much clothing and has one particular army jacket she seems to prefer. Overall, her fashion sense is slightly masculine.

When examining this legendary warrior, it is important to distinguish between the clumsy, tomboyish teenage girl who entered the war, the disciplined yet gentle soldier who emerged, and the guilt-ridden pessimist who currently resides in Mystvale.
Fundamentally, Mulan is a warm hearted person. Before the conscription, she was outgoing, spoke her mind and helped others whenever she could. Of course, Ancient China wasn’t a sort of society that welcomed these traits in a young woman. Her personality generated some friction between her and her elders, which led to a lot of self doubt and a general awkwardness that was apparent whenever she engaged in conversation with anyone.
Her time in the army changed much of this. Over time her confidence grew and constant exposure to her comrades made her more outgoing. Both these elements evolved as she became more capable, physically and emotionally. By the time her service was over she was an accomplished adult who was admired by her peers. Most of her youthful sheepishness was gone, though occasionally it reappears. A notable trait of her personality that emerged during this era is her fierce loyalty, to her fellow soldiers and her country. From this primary trait also came a new respect for honour and tradition.
Now as a detective in Mystvale, most people view her as antisocial and gruff. Many attribute it to her years in the company of soldiers. In reality, it stems from the lack of progress done to fix the Cataclysm, which has worn through her patience long ago. Mulan exudes an air of tiredness and though her kind nature still lies under the surface, her overall demeanour makes it seem like she has a raging hatred for most people.

Mulan’s skillset is that of any soldier who has served in an army for 12 years. In terms of combat, she is experienced in Chinese swordsmanship, archery, horse-riding, and unarmed combat. She has also gained limited skills in war tactics and leadership. In recent years, some of these skills have gotten slightly rusty. When working as an officer, Mulan utilises her sword skills with a police baton or heavy torch.

Like many heroes, Mulan possesses a strong loyalty to those close to her. Rather than it being a self-sacrificial sort of loyalty, Mulan’s is more of a single-track-mindedness. When faced with a goal she absolutely must achieve, Mulan will do whatever it takes to achieve it and help those close to her. This could lead to the alienation of people trying to help her or even overriding the wishes of those who she is trying to help. Though she has never been pushed so far, her strong sense of honour may also be tested by this flaw.

Mulan was born the eldest to a loving family. Though she served her duties as a daughter faithfully, the others in the village regarded her with distaste. She was at the prime age for marriage, yet Mulan could not devote herself to that particular duty.
With the threat of invasion coming from all around the borders of China, conscription was a common occurrence. The draft poster made it clear. One able-bodied man from every household was the requirement. Her little brother wasn’t anywhere near old enough to be considered a man. Her father, having spent his glory days on the battlefield, was far from able-bodied. Failure to produce a soldier would result in punishment. It took some convincing, but after many lengthy and heated discussions, Mulan was able to convince her parents to let her go. The townsfolk wouldn’t miss her if she left. And she would do anything for her family. She was gifted with enough money to buy a horse and some supplies. And with that, she set off.
Army life was tough at first. She was physically weaker than all the other soldiers. Constant marching and camping and training made her question her life choices almost every night. Muscle pains would be met with more pains the next day. And then there were the wars themselves. Bloodshed, lots of it caused by her own blade. It might have bothered others, the act of taking countless lives. Scratch that, it definitely bothered others. As she lay at night, woken by the screams and sobs of her comrades, Mulan would ask herself if she should be feeling the same. She quickly decided against it. She was doing all this for her family after all. She needed to be strong, stronger than the rest. It got easier as time went on. She learnt well, made friends as well as highly-ranked connections. Mulan entered the fast-track of military life in due time.
The Cataclysm struck five years into her service. By then she had climbed the ranks comfortably, and was sitting on the title of Captain. The army dwindled considerably as men needed to return to their farms and combat the famines. Neighbouring countries grew more desperate as the seas blackened and crops started dying, leading them to try and seize more Chinese territory. Mulan fought hard during these years, gaining her a reputation as a national hero. But the problems only grew worse over time. During the tenth year of her time in the army, the soldier was offered a promotion from the Emperor himself. Instead Mulan humbly requested a horse to ride back on, so that she could help her family during these troubled times.
After reuniting with her loved ones, Mulan did her best to maintain her family’s livelihood. But she was beginning to lose hope. A few months passed and she was suddenly approached by a strange man named Merlin. He offered her a chance to go on another journey, one to find a solution to the Cataclysm in another world. Mulan put on her former armour, packed her things and bid her family farewell, hoping to find a chance to save them in this strange land.

She didn’t let the marvels of this new world get to her head. She knew what she was looking for, and who would be able to find it for her. Out of all the new inhabitants of Mystvale, Mulan was probably one of Merlin’s frequent visitors and the one who pestered him the most about his progress with the Cataclysm. In the mean time, she took a job with the local police force. As the years went on, she grew most dejected and impatient. She hasn’t lost all her hope yet. She continues to wait as she begrudgingly picks up Holmes’ slack at the station. With rumours of a Second Cataclysm, Mulan is both on edge and excited. Maybe this one will give her the answers she needs. If she manages to live through it.

Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstilzchen.
Rupetta "Ettie" Steube-Sitz.

Rumpelstiltskin.
The Emperor's New Clothes.
Mentions of Frau Trude, but not the explicit story.

Bellgarde.

Yes and no. Rumpelstiltskin was not born with magic, but has stolen it from Frau Trude, a witch.

Thirty-one.

Above every other want in her life, Rumpelstiltskin wants love. She just wants someone to love her in a way she never has before and will do anything to get it. Unsurprisingly, Rumpelstiltskin has never had any luck in dating and has been single since the day she is born. At this point, if someone is willing to love her, she'll accept that love no matter the gender, sexual orientation, or even if Rumpelstiltskin loves them back. She just wants to know how it will feel to have someone care about her well-being.

Rumpelstiltskin was born ugly. Not just ugly, but downright hideous. Though Rumpelstiltskin refuses to talk about it, rumors have been spread about her appearance due to her name being related to goblin-like creatures. The main rumor is that she was born incredibly short, with a long pointed nose, and wrinkled rough skin. People claim that her eyes were bulbous and a cataract-like blue color and her teeth were crooked, gums black. The most talked about is how her head was nearly bald, with only a few straggly oily strands hang around her face. Of course, this is all just a rumor and can’t be proven – but don’t dare say such rumors around her, no way to make her angrier quicker. After her transformation, there was no way to describe Rumpelstiltskin as anything but beautiful. She has a diamond-shaped head with a strong jaw and a slightly-pointed chin. Her eyes are small and a light blue color with a dabble of brown by the pupil. They are almond shaped and shrewd-looking, giving her a sly appearance like a fox or a snake. Her nose is pert and pointed, but her nostrils are rather wide, making her nose look slightly disproportionate to the rest of her face. Rumpelstiltskin has thin, twisted lips, with the right side higher up than the left, and her cupid’s bow is narrow and undefined. She is rather pale and with a light pink-peach coloration that makes her look awkward when wearing yellow or other light colors. Rumpelstiltskin’s hair is thick and the perfect amount of curly and wavy, the color of it a pale golden blonde.

She stands at 5’6” in height and is a rather healthy weight. She has a slightly wide set of hips, but the rest of her is average. Rumpelstiltskin tends to hold herself rather oddly, idiosyncratically almost. When she moves, she moves in two ways: lazily, with languish movements and a dazed eye, though she is completely sober; or jerkily, with energetic snaps of the wrist and bouncing of the feet. But both of the ways she moves she does so gracelessly and clumsily, often causing an accident that she’s not sorry for whatsoever.

In Bellegarde, Rumpelstiltskin traditionally wore a black outfit. Her pants were made of tight leather, though her shirt was made of cotton, dyed black. The black shirt exposed her sternum, though the exposure stopped where the black cotton belt tied the shirt together, and the extra stiff material flared out at her waist. Her sleeves were scrunched around her forearms. Rumpelstiltskin wore a metal choker around her neck, imbedded with diamonds, and painted her lips a dark red as well as lined her eyes with kohl. Her blonde hair cascaded down her chest in soft waves.

In Washington, Rumpelstiltskin typically wears comfortable yet elegant clothes. Silk button-ups, cardigans and tanktops, slacks and dark skinny jeans and heels or flats. Rumpelstiltskin, or Ettie as she is at this point, does not dress to catch attention, but for comfort. When out and about, she looks collected and comfortable, but with a business-like quality in the way she presents herself. However, when at home, Ettie typically sheds most of her clothes and walks around in her button-ups and her silky undergarments.

Rumpelstiltskin is a villain, it’s plain and simple for everyone to see. The blonde is selfish, and puts not only her safety above everyone else, but her wants and whims. Many times she has earned someone’s anger by screwing them over for her own gain – sometimes, even, for her own amusement. To even further villain-ify Rumpelstiltskin, she obviously has a lack of morals which can be seen in her tricking women into giving her their children, murdering those who have provoked her ire, and making a fool of everybody in humiliating ways. She’s cruel and doesn’t bother to spare a glance at the hurt she has caused or even question her actions. Though she doesn’t revel in the anguish and pain she causes, she’s careless and nonchalant about things that she inadvertently (or directly) brought about. Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t think about her actions and impulsively does things on a whim, diving head first recklessly, not thinking of the consequences – whether it harm her or someone else. A lot of times, Rumpelstiltskin acts smug, like she knows something you don’t, which is certainly not true, but she likes to pretend she does.

What makes her truly dangerous, however, is her rather unpredictable nature. She does things on whims as they come and go and her mind is rather creative in coming up with tricks and plans to make fools of others for personal amusement. She’s sly and purposefully hides her intentions with a pretty smile and friendly disposition. Rumpelstiltskin makes herself appear like a friendly ear and open, she acts expressively and tends to joke around with people, almost never serious. Though she has sarcastic quips, most of the type she displays a weird sense of humor with vague observations and references as well as a tendency to make others feel awkward.

The main flaw in her faux friendliness is her impersonal take on things. People can bare their souls to her, but she will not do the same to them, and instead keeps others at a distance from her inner emotions and conflicts. If there is someone who thinks they are close to Rumpelstiltskin, and someone else asks for secrets concerning her, they wouldn’t be able to tell anything because they simply don’t know most of the time – unless they find it out through other means.

In truth, Rumpelstiltskin keeps others at a distance because she distrusts humanity. Due to her experiences as a youngling, Rumpelstiltskin has developed a cynical view of the world and other people. She believes that everyone else is vain and cruel, deep inside, though they try to act as if they don’t – she firmly holds that, even when someone does something kind, they do it for selfish reasons, such as recognition or favor. Over everything, Rumpelstiltskin has a deep hatred for vain and narcissistic people because of how she was treated. It’s because of these vain and narcissistic people that Rumpelstiltskin is extremely insecure. Though she searches for people to love her, she is afraid that she is unloveable and a monster undeserving of attention. Her biggest fear is rejection, so she keeps others at a distance so they can’t reject her – even when she has had children in her grasp, she ends up giving them to another family, because she’s afraid that when they cry, they cry because of her (though this is typically not true). Her insecurity has rendered her incredibly lonely and she longs to be loved and to have company – if someone were to love her, she would accept them, even if she didn’t necessarily love them back. Her yearning for such love as secretly developed itself into a hopeless romanticism. Rumpelstiltskin has a positive outlook on love, though she has a terrible view on everything else. Because of her lack of relationship history – extreme lack, since Rumpelstiltskin has never been in a relationship – she is naïve when it comes to dating, and expects things to go smoothly and perfectly. She has preconceived, stereotypical notions about dating that are, mostly, not true.

A sly, cruel trickster, Rumpelstiltskin's ultimate skill is her ability to outwit and trick others. Rumpelstiltskin is creative in finding ways to fool others to succumb to her plans unwittingly. Furthermore, Rumpelstiltskin is amazing in spinning and weaving clothes (can even spin straw into gold) and is rather proficient in most things textile.

Rumpelstiltskin's fatal flaw is her key characteristic: her selfishness. She has made many enemies because of her quick disregard of loyalty and screwing others over to get what she wants. Rumpelstiltskin is cynical when it comes to the world and expects people to betray her, so she is quick to do it first. There are many people who wish her dead because of her actions and Rumpelstiltskin always has to be careful not to give them an opportunity to make their wish come true. Furthermore, it is without a doubt, that someday, her selfish actions will lead to her downfall - much like Beni Gabor's did in The Mummy.

Though Rumpelstiltskin, or "Ettie", despises this new world she finds herself in, she does admit it has its uses. For instance, she won't have to steal children to have her own. Rumpelstiltskin's ultimate goal is to make someone love her - whether it be a lover, a surrogate family, or a baby of her own.

Despite her new surroundings, Ettie still keeps at her old ways and has plans to trick people at every chance she has - starting with making multiple fake profiles online and "catfishing" as many people as possible. She also has a couple of get-rich quick schemes in the making.