Hatzurmarana Etse Tsorovah

The Sell-Spell

Alovia - Witches’ Huts

26

Female

Hatzur is a tall woman, standing at about 1.75m, with a slim and elegant figure. Her hair is silver colored and usually kept short, her eyes, in contrast, are of a deep black colour. She has a sense of fashion that seems very atypical for a witch, with practical and sophisticated outfits which are kept impeccably clean. The colors are typically matching white and black with rarely ever any other color except the occasional gemstone accessory. She likes to wear gloves and boots to avoid touching things with her skin. She sticks to her style no matter what, though she adapts what pieces she wears depending on the environment they will always follow a similar style.

- Technology
- Thelannian Culture
- Fashion
- Expensive meals
- Architecture
- Wine
- Falconry

Hatzur is a cold, aloof individual who sees the world through an equally cold mindset, often victim blaming those who are less fortunate. She faces such a world with a focus on practical, if not utilitarian, behaviour, she knows the very people who created traditions and codes of honour would break and bend them to fill their personal objectives, so why should she abide by them? The good side of this is that she is also open minded, not rejecting to look into other cultures and philosophies as she doesn’t assume her background is the best. In particular, she has a keen interest in Thelannian culture and all of their technology.

Her number one objective is to simply live well, being a witch makes that an issue, as many struggle to just live by, seldom living in the wealthy standards Hatzur wants for herself. Many people say that the strongest animals survive, but she recognizes many animals survive by being not worth the trouble, and that is somewhat her approach to her own survival, keeping things discreet and having a lot of fallbacks to rely on. She considers herself to be clever, and definitely has shown some persuasive power in her dealings, be it in a straightforward manner or playing around with people’s psyche, and she often values similar traits in others while thinking overly idealistic people will just bring about their downfall.

She was one of the daughters of a merchant family in a city that was booming with the newfound peace between the kingdoms. Of course, where there is coin there is crime, and while the ports and fancy estates were growing in size, so was the underworld, and her family was not one that thought twice before applying underhanded practices to get ahead. Thinking the girl would grow to be part of the family, they shared a lot of their ‘wisdom’ with Hatzurmarana, which, along with a life of luxury, made the girl start to dream about the day she would be an adult, have her own shops and ships to command, make decisions.

And then the witch nature manifested itself. One day she was resting in bed with silk bed sheets, the other, she was scorned, sent off to the end of the world with barely anything but her own clothes, off to cross a murky swamp all by herself. It was a shock and it left her extremely bitter. She was discovered to be adept to black magic and revealed herself to be a diligent student of the arts, yet also one that seemed to question everything around her. One day, while being told the classic cautionary tale of the young witch who tries to save a kid just to be met with suspicion by the parents and eventually hunted down, it clicked on her that maybe that witch was just a fool, people don’t understand the value of gifted things, perhaps if she had asked for a high price, if she had mocked the foolish peasants for thinking they could ever afford her medicine, they would have understood the value of what she was offering.

This eventually led to her starting to play around with the idea of selling her services as a witch. There were many things she could do that had clear practical value, be it a pretty gemstone glowing with magical charge or an enhanced item, she just needed to convince the non-magical folk that they had a demand for such items. And it worked, with a careful approach and some intrigue she found herself some clients, those first transactions starting rumors, rumors which, once guided properly, ended up bringing her more clients. Many witches didn’t like that, calling her a “sellspell” due to her acting just like a mercenary, a sellsword, she didn’t mind it, it was a truth she wasn’t afraid off.

It was all going awfully well which was why she expected something to go wrong. The disappearance of Queen Anice was exactly that. The type of business she was growing was an alternative to the typical war services witches provided, if hostilities were resumed she was sure she would be forced into that outdated model. Furthermore, she had an honest interest in Thelan, not just as a place of potential business but as someone who held a legitimate interest in their culture and philosophy, she didn’t want this war.

Morgane

The White Witch // The Scholar

Alovian

32

Female

Homosexual

Morgane keeps herself as simple as a witch could ever hope to keep herself, modestly brushed black hair that frames her face until it falls to her shoulders. Stunning eyes that shine white with subtle power behind them. She is lithe and fit enough, having traveled the swamps and ruins of her people with little to no scars (though she does have a faint gash in her stomach). She dresses in white to not only match her eyes but in contrast to other witches - mostly to put others at ease - though the style is unique and archaic as if from a time long passed.

☽ Myths, Legends, Fables
☽ The study of magic
☽ Water & The Moon
☽ Musicians and the art of Music
☽ Art

Morgane is very unusual for a witch and perhaps the only one like her in this current age. Unlike other witches that simply practice magic, she has delved into the study of how it functions and why it works and where it comes from - speaking very closely to her scholarly intelligence. She is often interested and fascinated by the supernatural and out of the ordinary such as dragons and magical beasts, ruins, and ancient sites. This is by far one of her stronger traits.

She is otherwise untrusting of others and yet friendly and polite, a mix of her personal experience and tales of heroes long past. A concoction of traits that allows her to be empathic and kind and yet somehow bitter at how the world has treated her. She usually keeps others at arm's length while allowing them the chance to get closer and break her walls down, if someone takes the effort to do so. Normally, this attitude allows her to also wave off suspicion and distrust from others as nothing but obstacles to her studies.

Morgane was like in any other witch child only in the sense that once her magic flared up and started a small fire, she was sent into the swamp to fend for herself, alone, to make it to the witch huts. However this is where the similarity stops for even when she was young, she would question things far beyond her peers - always thinking outside the box. This was a frustration to both herself and to her tutors within the witch community. When they attempted to teach her magic, she would constantly question its nature and functions which were mysteries to the witches as a whole. Most likely, the only reason any tutors stayed with her was because of her amazing grasp of the incantations and rituals that often exceeded her peers and at times - her masters.

By the time she was a teenager, she had all but exhiled herself from the community by simply being who she was, most of them ignoring or trying to manipulate her for her genuis, causing her to become somewhat bitter with others - since it felt like she didn't belong anywhere. However what did push her on was a pursuit of magical study in a way that no one else did. Instead of treatly it with mystery and something that was beyond the understanding of mortals, she took the time to decipher it like a science - a logic puzzle - writing down common incantations, symbols, words and recording them all into a spellbook of sorts.

Her first major breakthrough however was when she was in her young adult years, having moved out from the other witches into another area of the swamp that bordered the jungles of the Nantego Tribe. While taking the time to study the tribe from afar, understanding they knew their own kind of magic, she was visited by a vision of an ancient ruin. At first she wasn't sure how to take it, but a scholar's bravery at times, has no bounds. So she soon found herself wandering into the jungle - on the northern edge towards the sea. Amazingly enough, she found stairs carved into the face of the cliff where trees and salt water met and delved downwards.

What she found there, would only encourage her in her own theories. They seemed to picture many of the things she had deciphered on her own about the varations of her own magic and in fact, hinted at far more, though the language was an old, possibly lost dialect of sorts. From this point forward, she would study the ruins until she had everything recorded and learned a few new tricks - such as casting some spells without the need of any reagents at all and various other spells that are more tricks than anything else.

All this only increased her drive to learn more. So when the Queen went missing, it was no surprise that she gathered her things and headed to try and venture with the group that would go after her. No doubt the Queen's disappearance was a mystery to be solved and with the possibility of seeing more ruins, magical beasts, and increasing her understanding - she had no reason not to travel with them.

Morgane loves cats.

Aruna Shirazi, known to all as Arun

Blade Dancer

Baldori

25

Female, known to all as Male

Demisexual

The body of a dancer, elegant lengthy limbs that hold a surprising amount of strength and flexibility for swift precise movements. She has a feminine curve to her body, one that has been learned to be hidden by wearing certain clothes and wraps which helps hide other female qualities that would give away secrets. Aruna stands at the height of 5’10, a pixie/boyish cut of dark chocolate hair, bangs slightly framing even darker eyes that grace the soft features of her face. A dusting of freckles that dapple across the bridge of her nose, cheeks and the curve of her shoulders over caramel colored skin . Normally, it would get her made fun of as a man if she didn’t let her swords or small blades do the talking. There were many a time this was the case, until they learned to keep their mouths shut.

It is do to the hiding of her true body frame that most think she is a rather scrawny and weak man, an easy target. It is their downfall to find that she is an elite warrior. One that should be feared and would make her people proud. Her elegant and swift movements on the battle field look as if to be a dance. She is not perfect though and has had many a scar. The worst ones in areas that could not be attended to be real physicians/healers, such like her back and other areas. She doesn’t mind though, she views them as an honor.

- Art
- Music/Ballads
- Reading
- Nature/Different Environments
- Riding, whether by horseback or other animals
- Swords/Dueling
- Dancing
- Camping

They say there is two sides to every coin and the same could be said about Aruna in many ways. She is a bit of a contradictory creature as she can be gentle and soft one moment while harsh and rough the next. She has a fiery temper, one that flares up and causes her a good amount of trouble if she doesn’t bite her tongue to rein it in. She calls it passionate but most call it trouble.

She is kind and giving, one that would take a blow for another or offer anything to help someone else out. Fighting wasn’t something she had truly wanted, peace being much more pleasant but if she was going to learn something, she was going to give it her all. Once she sets her mind to something and is determined, it is hard to keep her away from doing her all. She puts her heart into everything she does. Pain is a part of life. How do you know how to live or the happy moments without it?

She has hopes and dreams but with things how they are right now for her, it might be impossible. It is these kinds of things that keep her guarded and on her toes. She may have people close to her but even they would probably feel like she keeps them at a distance. She has to keep up appearances and it gets harder the closer you get to people and let them in.

Aruna was born in Baldori but as far as she knows, she could actually be a part of any other clan or region, well....at least the ones allied with Thelannians. It would be hard to imagine any other being able to be her father but the world was strange. Her mother worked in a brothel and her creation was just an unlucky circumstance. She was mostly kept hidden in her younger years, told to keep out of the way so the both of them could be feed and taken care of. Customers don’t want to see you caring for an infant or toddler after all. The more she grew, the prettier she became but her mother didn’t want her to share the same life she had.

It was at the age of 5 that her mother changed her clothes to that of a boy, even calling her by a masculine version of her given name. It became normal for her not to question it. She was just as religious as any other but in all honesty, she didn’t want to devote her life to it. The tending of the fields wasn’t a bad option, the things you could learn were interesting but....did she want to do that forever? No...not really. It seemed like the gods were designed to step in because at the age of 10, her mother passed away and at the same time was a call for more boys for the war front. It seemed logical for them to pick an orphanage to join and she was placed with the other candidates.

Trained in the art of battle and thrown out to defend. She found the new role she had been placed in as thrilling. It gave her purpose and a way to show that she could be just as good as the others. There was nothing else for her. She grew, learning to rely on herself and to watch the back of her fellow soldiers. She was given the name Blade Dancer because of her skill on the field. When she got word that the Queen Anice had disappeared. She had made sure she would be in the group that would attempt to find her. She had great respect for the woman and it seemed like destiny was calling for her to follow this path.

- To the world and everyone she knows, she is viewed as a male. That means cross-dressing and acting are a necessary.
- When she is not at the front lines, she is in the place of her birth to defend the royal family and protect the palace.
- Loves the rain & snow
- Night is her favorite portion of the day
- Has a beautiful singing voice but never shows it. It might give away her secret.
- Carries a Journal to draw in and create maps of where she has been. Sometimes she will write her thoughts
- Loves a good red wine

Talia Foa’i

Kaieke Tohorā | Whale Rider

Nantego

27

Female

Heterosexual

The first feature outsiders would notice is Talia’s moko kauae, or her chin tattoo. Starting from just under her full lips, the thin black lines are a sacred rite of passage that symbolised her transition from a girl into a woman and a warrior. The black lines of her tattoo and black hair complements her lightly tanned skin, acquired partly from the many hours spent outdoors. Her eyes are a dark brown that somehow manage to transmit her determined nature. A few moles are scattered throughout her body; outnumbered slightly by minor scars accrued from countless years of hunting and training. Not particularly tall, her strength and force lies in the strong muscles that have resulted in a slender figure. All in all a pretty, but unexceptional, appearance. Her one touch of aesthetic pride is her hair, falling thick and shiny halfway between her shoulder and elbows, which is the envy of many of the other girls.

One of her most prized possessions is the whale bone necklace that was given to her, along with her title as Kaieke Tohorā, or Whale Rider, before leaving Nantego for the quest ((except her necklace depicts a whale instead of a dolphin)). For the most part, Talia wears a mix between the traditional, nature-based textiles of her people, such as flax and grass as well as animal skins, and the traded Alovian textiles, such as cotton and leather. Day to day, she is mainly seen in simple skirts of varying lengths, pants (modeled after the lighter Alovian style), and a cloth as her top. When wearing clothes worn in battle, she wears pants and a simple top underneath chainmail and light armour. For special occasions, she wears a peacock feather cloak (depicted above), brightly patterned and beaded bodice and headband, which has two prized huia feathers tucked in the back, and a flax skirt.

She is also rarely seen without at least her atlatl, darts (essentially small spears), sling shot and accompanying pouch, and knives. Initially creating the spear-thrower, atlatl, in order to compensate for her lack of strength is throwing spears, when compared to the men, she has become highly skilled and proficient in the use of atlatl, having since created one for general use and one for big game. Her atlatls have been adopted by the Nantego warriors and people in her town, allowing for powerful, deadly and silent weapons able to pierce through metal and thick hides/furs. When fighting, she also uses a small circular shield and a basic sword in the Alovian style.

Talia’s most defining trait is her determination and drive. Once she has committed herself to an idea, plan or person, it is almost impossible to change her mind. This can be both good and bad, as many others have observed. While her determination and steadfastness means she is extremely loyal, and unwilling to give up, it could easily translate into stubbornness and bullheadedness. She also has an inability to take the easier path, always choosing the path of most resistance primarily because she feels like she has something to prove, but also because she relishes the challenge. As such, she tends to view those who give up easily or take the easiest road as weaker and less worthy of respect. She’s a bit of a thrill seeker, and enjoys excelling at tough challenges. As such she is an eternal optimist, bouncing back from failure time and time again in order to succeed.

For those she loves, Talia is selfless, and sometimes self sacrificing. She will often take on great burdens or risks in order to help her loved ones in their time of need. That said, Talia is also smart and creative which allows her to easily and quickly problem-solve a variety of situations. In particular, her invention occurred as a way to compete with the male warriors. With experience she might one day make a great strategist and leader, like her father before her.

Despite her accomplishments, she isn’t boastful or proud, mainly due to the fact that she feels a continuous drive to attain respect and status similar to those granted to warriors and leaders she admires. While she is touched by words of praise from her family and her idols, she is deeply uncomfortable in those situations. Preferring actions over words, this has challenged her communication with others as she likewise expects her close relations to observe and intuit what she needs, rather than her telling them. In most situations, barring the personal and emotional, she has great communication skills.

Talia was born into the highest ranks in her town. Her father, the brother of the Chief, was the foremost warrior and strategist, while her mother was one of the Chosen. Sadly, Talia never met her father as he was killed during one of the battles between Alovia and Thelan a few months before her birth. Through tales told by her uncle and mother, she learned of her father and grew to greatly admire him. With her mother one of the Chosen, requiring many trips to the Mother Tree, the two of them moved to live with the Chief and his family.

As such, she spent much of her youth following her aunt, the town’s healer and herbalist, and uncle during her mother’s many trips. As children, her cousins and her would go hunting and foraging, developing useful tools for the future. Although hunting primary with sling shots and spears, Talia developed a real interest in hunting and weaponry. It was through the mock fights and contests, however, that her desire to become a warrior solidified.

During their youth she was pretty evenly matched with her cousins, allowing for intense competition and steady improvement. Over time, however, the distance between the abilities of her male cousins and herself grew. Determined to beat them, she set out to invent something that would even the scales, and possibly tip it in her favor. Through observations of her childhood weapon, the sling shot, creativity and blessings from the Mother Tree, she fashioned a spear-thrower, adding extra force and power to her throws. Through rigorous practice and testing, she further developed her novel weapon, the atlatl.

Becoming an expert markswoman, she quickly started beating all her cousins— male or female. Following her formal womanhood ceremony, she was encouraged by her uncle, despite it not being a normal avenue for women, to participate in many of the contests and hunts held for the young adults of her town. Unable to deny her skill, in both inventing such a weapon and her usage of it, the elders finally allowed her to begin warrior training.

There she learned not only how to fight and defend oneself against a variety of weapons in a number of situations, ascertaining her aptitude for strategy and leadership, the older warriors trained her to one day follow in her father’s footsteps. By the time she had joined the rank of warriors, she was leading small hunts and given the honor of leading a couple of the protection details for the Chosen’s pilgrimage. She also makes atlatls for everyone in her town and trains many people in its use, becoming the expert in her town.

Despite this, she still has an underlying desire to prove herself, primarily because she wants to prove that she got her role through merit and also because there are many males in her town who still find it isn’t her place. Her decision to join the quest was motivated by her desire to prove to herself, and her town, that she is a great warrior. Recognising the learning experience, she has been entrusted with leading her people during the quest.

For the journey, she is taking her horse, Tihei. Additionally for the colder climate she’s going to be dressed more like this because ya girl is not used to the cold.