“Nothing is quieter than Snow.” 18 | Female | Human | Vossoriya | Kozaky | RAS: 6.79 (Manas: 57) | Icevein
P E R S O N A L
❖ [ Pronouns ] - She / Her. ❖ [ Honorifics: ] - Biro, Miss. ❖ [ Nicknames: ] - "Sana" ❖ [ Titles: ] - Biro of St. Yuri's Academy of Thaumaturgy. ❖ [ Relationship Status: ] - Single. ❖ [ Character Alignment ] - Chaotic Good. ❖ [ Brief Introduction: ]
The Stanytsya lay in silence. A haunting stillness that lingered in Oksana's memory. From her perch in the snow, she witnessed the chilling events unfold. The crackling flames consuming the thatch roof. The raiders lurking in the shadows. Crimson hues staining the ground. The world around her became a canvas of silence. Punctuated only by the soundless gestures of chaos and destruction. Silence.
In the aftermath of that fateful night, Oksana found herself immersed in a realm of perpetual silence. Embracing her deafness with pride, she became resolute in her identity. While she had once experienced speech, she now relied on lip-reading and phonetic cues to comprehend spoken language to a passable degree. Contextual hints and familiarity with certain words and phrases aided her understanding, although subtleties and nuances often eluded her grasp. Oksana's mastery of signed language, adapted from the silent communication of hunters and scouts, further enriched her means of expression.
Unfamiliarity with her communication style often led others to misinterpret her as cold or unsociable, unaware of the barrier that separated them. In group settings, she struggled to keep up, her shyness exacerbating the challenge. This apparent aloofness served as a protective shield, discouraging unwanted approaches. She becomes overwhelmed by sensory overload if too many attempt to attract her attention or speak to her at once, Oksana would occasionally retreat into emotional seclusion, seeking solace in quiet, intimate conversations. She revelled in activities that engaged her hands, channelling her proficiency in ice magic to sculpt intricate and breathtaking creations. Endurance pursuits resonated deeply with her, a testament to her upbringing in the tundra, where trudging through snow was an everyday feat. Her affinity for tracking and animals granted her solace, a connection she sometimes found more profound than with her fellow humans.
Oksana possessed a discerning eye, judging others not by their words but by their actions and body language. Sincerity revealed itself through gestures and movements, which she keenly observed. Her own manner of communication mirrored this directness, unadorned and straightforward, conveying her intentions without ambiguity. Her egalitarian perspective transcended titles of nobility, though she held a deep respect for the wisdom and knowledge of the elders within the Stanytsya.
Oksana's attire consists of close-fitting leather garments, hugging her form with a blend of functionality and style. The supple material provides flexibility, allowing her unrestricted movement as she navigates her surroundings. The leather's deep hue harmonizes with her surroundings, subtly blending her presence within the environment. Her hair, intricately braided, showcases a tapestry of vibrant red and blue beads woven throughout that adds a touch of whimsy to her appearance. These beads represent cherished memories, tokens of adventures and connections made along her journey. Oksana's cloak is an exquisite creation adorned with an array of feathers. When the need arises, she deftly spreads her cloak, transforming it into makeshift wings that allow her to glide through the air with a sense of ethereal freedom. Her attire is adorned with an assortment of trinkets and charms, each holding sentimental value. Tiny pendants dangle from her neck, carrying intricate engravings. Bracelets and anklets adorned with delicate charms tinkle with each movement. Her style reflects both her practical nature and her whimsical spirit, merging functionality with personal expression. Each element of her attire tells a story, weaving together a tapestry of memories and aspirations, creating a visual narrative of her unique identity.
T H E G I F T
❖ [ Arcane:Thermal Cryomancy ] – [ IV. Journeyman ] - Oksana frequently uses arcane magic to create light from auditory sources to help her ‘hear’. It has the appearance of sparkling, which can be distracting. Oksana feels at home within the cold and regularly creates ice sculptures. ❖ [ Binding:Material: Destruction ] – [ II. Apprentice ] ❖ [ Chemical: ] – [ 0. Neophyte ] ❖ [ Kinetic:Stasis ] – [ III. Adept ] ❖ [ Magnetic: ] – [ 0. Neophyte ]
"No matter how much I wished for my simple life back, I can’t reverse time to dance with the cherune." “I only have one complaint, brother. You only sent a bottle of good beer, not a whole case.”
Curiosity: Roslyn enjoys exploring the world around her. Often she prefers a direct and more hands on approach, but she's not afraid to ask questions. This makes her open to new experiences and ideals easier than most.
However, this trait has a negative side. If her curiosity is too great over a topic, she forgets that her actions can have consequences. She tends to ask questions or explores for answers, even if those places are off limits. She's gotten into plenty of trouble and even hurt herself a few times. Mostly it has been minor, but that can't last forever.
Kind: Roslyn's kindness shines in her gentle nature, politeness, and observant nature. Being both of the working nobility, she struggles with acting her class and seeing it in others. For her, only the individual matters. This has caused her brother grief numerous times as she should keep up appearances.
When it comes to pain and suffering, she tries to be empathetic with others. She struggles not to burden her family with her troubles. One day she will hit her limit as the stress of her family's reputation, brewery, and more increasingly depends on her.
Hardworking: Roslyn isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty when it comes to working. In her mind, a little bit of sweat and blood is good for her soul. It also helps that she loves the feeling of pride that comes when someone enjoys her hard work. This also means when someone hates it, she tends to hide the hurt and wonders what went wrong.
Sadly, in her focus, she forgets her limitations. Long nights of studying, skipped meals, and exhaustion have become habits of hers. Starting since last year, her balance of those habits has started to tilt in the worst way.
Naive: Roslyn gives off an obvious air of innocence. She tends to trust before questioning others motives, believing the best in others. This flaw makes her ignorant to hints of manipulation and its dangers. This doesn't mean she will blindly follow and never learn from it. She will start to question the relationship of those that hurt her and even those that haven’t yet if she is exposed enough.
Genuine: When Roslyn speaks about things, she tries to be as genuine as possible. She uses her own experiences and knowledge because it is all she knows. This doesn't mean she will speak of everything on her mind. When it comes to secrets or uncomfortable topics, she rather avoids speaking of them instead of lying.
C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E
Born in Hendland, Roslyn's fair skinned and stands at 5'2" (157 cm). Clusters of light freckles scatter across her cheeks and nose, adding a young charm. Her brown hair flows down to the center of her shoulders with flowing strands that refuse to be tamed. Often, she manages it by tying it up in the back just to keep it out of her hazel eyes. Her figure has a budding hint of curve and rather lithe, like one made to move gracefully. On her fingers are old calluses and a few burn scars on her arms from brushing hot surfaces.
Her dress, though limited, varies depending on the occasion. They lean into simple and practical for her upbring with only hints of decoration.
Within the brewery's inner walls, she wore breeches and a tunic due to the heat. As she bloomed into a young teenager, additional coverage beneath the shirt was required.
On normal days at the academy or for travel, she wears a simple blue dress with shortened sleeves. In front was a criss-cross corset that helps keep her waist the ideal slimness. Beneath the dress are a pair of travel boots stopping at her ankles.
L A N G U A G E S
-Hendlish -Avinican -Perrench
T H E G I F T
Primarily Mana Type: Blackblood Secondary Mana Type: Agitator
0- Magnetic 3-Arcane 2-Binding 4-Chemical 2-Kinetic
When Roslyn first came to the academy, she dove into the magics that benefited her craft the most. This included a focus on arcane, binding, chemical, and kinetic with each serving a different purpose.
With arcane, she heated and maintained temperatures based on what was best for the brew. Sometimes she had to mend damaged metal or extend the light of a candle during the darker hours of the day. However, her favorite use of the light side of this magic is turning herself invisible. It reminds her of her childhood and lets her melt into the background, escaping the family pressure for a short time.
Her chemical studies allowed her to observe the changes in the wort and hops. If pressures reach unwanted levels, she can speed up or even stop the reaction. She's saved a few keelers from rupturing in this manner.
Workplaces tended to have injuries so she included lessons in binding. A part of her hoped to also ease her brother's pain by removing more dangerous tumors and prolonging his life. Despite this, she still carries a salve on her person as a precaution.
Kinetic aids in moving larger barrels and speeding through the building to relay information among the workers. They might not be the biggest producers around, but there are numerous workers aiding their production.
B A C K G R O U N D
Roslyn grew up in Arkney, Hendland as the second daughter of Aaren and Blythe Wicke. Due to a genetic disease that riddled her with tumors, her mother's first marriage arrangement had been canceled to save face. Even with the Binder's best efforts, they believed her body would one day give out from all the unusual masses. The noble family’s debt forced them to accept Eustace’s request for Blythe to marry his son in exchange for funds.
Despite the grim reality, the two adults grew to love each other. First came their son, Garith, and two years later their daughter Rolsyn. The noble side of her family remained distant until Roslyn turned five. Blythe's father had passed in a carriage incident bestowing them a modest inheritance. A manor, few servants, and a small reputation.
Within the same year, they moved into the home and established their new status.
Her brother underwent a RAS test at the age of eight after nearly setting the drapes on fire. He scored rather high for a child his age, surprising everyone. At this point they lacked the fund and came to an agreement. They would wait until his fifteenth year before he went to the academy. For most of this time in her life, her father focused on her brother and his future.
In her seventh year, Roslyn wandered off from a servant girl into a small open field. There, she had her first encounter with the cherune. She recalled fond memories of giggling and chasing these 'people' about her size. Often she danced while they appeared at the corner of her vision, only to disappear as she twirled about.
No one ever believed her. Any adults she mentioned to it often told her that it was just her imagination. Eventually she started to believe it was.
A year later, she manifested magic. She used what she spotted from the cherune to try and sneak up on her brother. Sadly, it was more like a shimmer than actually hiding her from sight. Still gave him a fright causing her to giggle then apologize. When she underwent the test, she scored notably lower and her father decided she would use her magic in the brewery. She was never meant to follow her brother into the academy, but they shared basic lessons beside each other. After this point in her life, she began to bond more with her father and grandfather in their efforts to survive. This was their role in the family and in time, it would become hers too.
By the time she was nine, her mother became bedridden. Her head was plagued by aches, weakened limbs, and failing eyesight. An ugly memory to the mother that spent time on family picnics and games with her children. Blythe’s time was starting to dim. Roslyn immediately took more interest in caring for her mother, spending nearly morning and meal times with her. Despite her efforts to lift the woman’s spirits, Roslyn slowly watched her mother's health decline even more. The last happy memories were on the morning before Roslyn’s twelfth birthday. The day’s routine started off normal as her mother closed her eyes, resting upright in her bed. Roslyn touched her cold skin and realized she had passed peacefully shortly after. Funeral arrangements followed shortly as the family grieved, any prior celebrations forgotten.
In the weeks after mourning, Roslyn found her life slowly changing.
Her brother continued to focus on his studies, rarely leaving his room. Their once strong bond began to wan in the wake of their mother's death. Meanwhile, her father withdrew into himself for a few months. This left her grandfather and her to run the brewery until he recovered. Sadly, age had started to catch up with Eustace. This left much of the leg work on her shoulders as she relayed orders, kept the keelers at the proper temperature, and more. It was the hardest time in her life, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through it.
When her brother began to show signs of bumps along his eye, her father summoned the binder. Much to their dread, her brother had inherited their mother's disease. Her heart dropped knowing she had to face another loss of her family. So far, the binder told her that she had a clean bill of health.
Roslyn watched her father, with good intentions, withdraw his decision to send Garith. Instead she would take his place after her fifteenth birthday.
In less than two years, she shifted her focus from the brewery to other studies. She never thought she would have to cram years of information in her head in such a short time. The worst part was that her brother was forced to become her tutor during this. This drove away any enjoyment from whatever she learned under his bitter lessons. She saw the darker aspects of him rise to the surface and their tensions rose the longer they spent time in each other's company. Despite her soft protests, her grandfather and father refused to change their minds. Was for her brother’s own safety and health. Finally, she fell into silent acceptance of their decision.
The building tensions finally broke on the day Roslyn left. An argument had erupted in her room, resulting in Garith leaving it in a huff. Meanwhile, Roslyn stood in the corner and hid her pain from sight.
The time had finally come.
Roslyn didn't know what to expect when she arrived at the Ersand’Enise Academy of Thaumaturgy. Before she left, her father's words rang in her head. They might not have the funds for a second year and she would need to wait to return. That dreadful fact haunted her for most of her first year and drove her to find a solution. Most of it was a bit of blur as she struggled to adapt, learn, and grow. Some events stuck out like the Forked Towers challenge and the Silk Gates incident. Other things faded to the back of her thoughts, no reason to remember them. Somehow, she managed to obtain a scholarship before the year's end, but this was just a small bandage for a continually bleeding issue.
M O T I V A T I O N
Roslyn's main focus within the academy is her family's brewery. In a way, it feeds her an excuse to learn about the various magics while she's forced to focus on the most beneficial. She hopes with the right knowledge it will improve production and quality. In addition, she plans to figure out connections to spread their goods from their little town. The main struggle is figuring it all out.
In the back of her mind, Roslyn misses the simplicity of the brewery. A time where things didn't depend on her to solve everything. Now if she stops or stumbles, the weight of her responsibilities starts to crush her. It’s the last thing her family needs and she wants.
Roslyn fears watching her loved ones die. Her mother's decline and sudden death left scars below the surface, even when she chose not to think about it. Even worse, she hates the sensation of helplessness as she knows her brother's fate. No matter what she finds or does, Roslyn knows it changes nothing. Perhaps this is why she secretly dreads going home every holiday.
I N V E N T O R Y
On person: Small pouch (hidden in her dress) with a few small coins Tiny, hand pounded tin with salve for burns, cuts, and other small wounds. Dress depending on the occasion (cloak for colder weather) Ankle traveling boots
In room: Large book with several pressed flowers (a wide variety) Small wooden box with a single, untouched beer bottle A small bundle of letters from her brother, father, and grandfather hidden underneath her bed (includes problems/successes with the brewery, fund information, updates over her brother's condition, etc) Clothes- Pair of breeches, shirt, a few dresses, etc. Some string for tying her hair up. All of them are worn slightly in places, but suitable for her station.
S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S
❖ Knowledge of Brewery ❖ Sharp memory ❖ Strong Tolerance to Alcohol ❖ Light on her Feet/Agile Dancer and Runner
W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S
❖ Fear of watching another loved one slowly dying ❖ No Fighting Experience/Skills ❖ Easily/Inexperienced with Manipulation/Easily Trusting ❖ Curiosity of the Unusual ❖ Handling Overwhelming Stress
M I S C E L L A N E O U S
-Roslyn enjoys dancing, especially the more fast paced ones. Something about it calms her and reminds her of simpler days. In the moment, her body moves with purpose, fluid gestures and steady pace that reflect her love. It's not a surprise that it is a side subject she's been studying on and off.
-Magic casting style: Movement (short, sharp gestures) + Words (learned from her mother)
Alcohol tolerance bonus (mana shots): +2 to keep down
Keelee was deeply affected by the loss of her father and the disavowal of her ability to take over his research and life’s work as she was still a child. This influenced her personality and in-part her blood type when her necromancy had manifested, wishing she could bring the dead back to life and live with the ones she loved forever, she acquired a special blood which allows her to bring the dead back to life even if only as zombies. Some operated by strings while others are hosts for demons from the void and beyond. The host inhabiting her father's vessel has only further served in exacerbating her paranoia and delusions that plague her mental wellness.
Keelee is particularly shy and usually melancholic, often speaking to corpses and animals as if they were people. She has a sincere desire to help others, especially to achieve their dreams and save lives. However, precisely because of his ingenuity she is also easily manipulated and easily gets involved in dangerous and illegal projects. Probably due to her background and her experience in medicine, she does not seem to feel disgust at working with human bodies, even if they are decomposing, nor does she feel remorse at awakening their bodies and manipulating them to achieve her end goal of perfect resuscitation. Keelee is a hard worker, giving all her strength and resources when given a task, locking herself in on the job until it is finished or completely exhausted.
C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E
Keelee’s skin color, perhaps from the aberration that passed down to in birth, led her skin color astray from most Eeaiko. Rather than a pallid or pale blue the hue that flushes her skin is a soft yellowish-green color, similar to the algae that hangs at the water’s surface. No, rather more akin to algal blooms seeing as her nature predilects the nature of algae that grows out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds, inevitably killing them. Her facial features are a bit more rounded and humanoid, possibly from her location in the Arid Sea exposing her to many a race and culture.
A deep brown, almost tattoo-like, mark runs down the edge of her right eye matched only by several fish scales she has adorned onto her skin as her own personal flair of aquatic fashion. Her fascination with the shimmering of scales and refraction of sunlight glistening off them has triggered her to cover her body in sporadic locations. Aside from the marks and scales she dresses herself in dressed with the base or affections being made from sea fans. Her hair is left messy with a braid forming from the center of the back of her long cyan colored hair. The rest of her attire and accessories are made up of corals, tunicates, and other aquatic invertebrates.
L A N G U A G E S
Naturally fluent in both water and surface languages of Helbauron, Keelee saw no real use for learning any languages outside of that seeing as they were a people that kept to themselves. It wasn’t until she was older and felt a bit more ostracized did, she frequent the surface more and more. Due to her geographical positioning in the Arid Sea, Keelee was exposed to several dialects and languages, most notably with Xochi. She’s built up a working knowledge of phrases and words that assimilated together form a very broken version that’s exclusive to foreigners. Her latest addiction is Avician seeing her enrollment at the academy.
T H E G I F T
Keelee’s RAS borders on the high end for most Eeaiko, ending at 6.91. Beyond the RAS she has grown into she was blessed or perhaps cursed with the aberrative mana type that is known as Necromancy. Her ability to reanimate the corpses of nearby enemies or allies into vessels for the possession of minor demons allowing her to become a puppet master has piqued the interest of the prominent university. More so in her breakthrough with keeping a permanent, dominant puppet in play that possesses somewhat of a higher intuitive demon than most basic summons. Dark and Chemical is where she draws from the most to keep her zombies quite potent while masking the smell they denote. Her zombified father has benefited from the two schools so much so it is hard for those to mistake him for a dead man. Binding and Kinetic are her second focus mostly for preservation and constitution of her puppets while kinetic is her least focused school but aids in fine control of her machinations movements.
Before the inception of Keelee, her parents, part of the nobility with the Eeaiko demographic, enjoyed a life of comfort and ease. Her father was responsible for overseeing many inventions that saw the light of day. These ideas weren’t stolen from the Yasoi nor the humans as they usually were, but elevated or expanded on for the use of water dwelling people. His contributions were significant yet decadent in display which was something the other niche populations of Eeaiko were not used to. They were more traditionalist in nature and had grown accustomed to just one-to-one copies of Yasoi and human constructs. His inventions were then labeled heretical and dangerous that turned off some, but gained traction by forming a large cult following, gaining the eye of Royalty and ensuring funding since they enjoyed the nuanced inventions and the crowd it brought in. This put him in direct competition with a few other creators and in a negative light that led to the greasing of palms, exchanging of good for services, and mortal peril. Unaware of his position and security he thought nothing of it and returned day after day to his wife at home, ready to welcome his child along the way. Except he would never live to see the birth of his daughter, for on return to his workstation, he fell victim to an assassination attempt that proved true.
When news arrived to his wife the grief would not subside, which she knew was actively effecting the health of her child. To circumvent this and her sorrow she used the riches that were now in her name to contract a temporal mage to use their magic to reverse the Ymeehook bestowed on her husband. Unskilled in the ways of magic, she was none the wiser this mage had scammed her using a very chaotic spell. The temporal magic had worked as promised but ignited an aberration within her body that unbeknownst to her, manifested in their child, generating a cryptic mana type. Her father now back in the picture he was able to return to his family and his research. News quickly broke and hushed whispers spread through the localities, eventually dying out to plain gossip. No retaliatory actions were taken by the father or against him. Instead, years went by where he raised his daughter with his full attention, not wanting to waste his second chance. Keelee grew up more or less a happy child under the love of her parents, but waves of behavioral and mental disorders flared up from time to time.
It wasn’t until he unveiled his newest invention to streamline power to multiple localities did a new devious plot arise. A Quazoomik had found its way into his ranks, attempting to vie for his research and head of development. Surely another attempt at his life would be made, and so it was, or was it? He met his fate once more, but the details were a bit sparser this time around. His passing appeared to be a genuine accident, or had it? Unable to declare Hemvoorik, there was no clear perpetrator or anything to link to a murderer. The news broke to his family once more, completely breaking the wife, creating a catatonic husk that had spurious bouts of lucidity, presenting itself in laughter and denial. And awakening the magic in Keelee, giving rise to her obsession. Keelee was helped in burying her father, adorning his body with kelp and coral. Kelee wondered why people have to die and expressed her desire to bring everyone back to life, to be able to live with everyone she cares about for a long time.
Soon after she would begin to reanimate small creatures until she was plagued with staunch morbid curiosity, she ignored sentimentality and revived her father. The first iteration was an abomination from a child playing God, but she never quit. Afraid of being rejected and outcast from her home she moved on her own to a port city in the far east of Xochiyeteteo. There she was able to slowly perfect her reanimated father to a passing Eeaiko at the price of her sanity and entertaining a more notable demon to possess the vessel of her father that whispered indiscriminately in her ear. Word of her magic and research hit Ersand'Enise, making her a person of interest. Correspondence had reached her time and time again, yet Keelee was unsure if that is what she wanted or needed.
M O T I V A T I O N
Keelee’s motivations are painfully simple, she wants to be able to perfect necromancy to the point she can fully reanimate a deceased boy with their original soul. Eeaiko religion in relation to the afterlife centers around the idea that, “You have two deaths. When you physically die and the last time someone remembers you." Keelee doesn’t accept that, rather, she fears the prospect of losing a loved one to the void for all eternity. Keelee is hellbent on preventing her father’s Ymeehaup and so needs the resources that no one but Ersand'Enise can provide, whether that is tools or faculty that support her. To her the relationship feels very quid pro quo, which phases her very little. Becoming a grandmaster and mastering her mana type for her own means justified the ends of what the school would do with her research, altruistic or not. The fear of failure is not an option of a symptom she's allowed to feel, once you're aware of it you can't remove it.
I N V E N T O R Y
Keelee doesn’t carry much, she has no particular attachment to anything physical seeing as she holds bonds to a higher regard. She does carry around a small botanist pouch where she carries a few aquatic medicinal herbs but more importantly some marine mammals for chemical extraction. This can range from tunicates to sponges to bryozoans. Other than that, she keeps a necklace given to her mother by her father and a few pretty shells and pearls she can barter for coin if she ever needs it.
Necromancy has become her, Keelee’s strengths are shaped and catered around her obsessions and mana type. This has manifested into skills and strengths that help develop those abilities to a higher level. Being a puppet master has made her excellent at manipulating the living just as much as she can with the dead. She has no sense of morality, a given seeing as she pilfers the dead to join her army and will get her hands dirty where others would cower. In practice, it’s made her a better physician and botanist. What started off as a hobby due to the nature of her people that live in rich flora and fauna areas, turned into a tool. Her intimate knowledge of the interworking’s of the human anatomy and what they can endure and be prescribed has facilitated her goal to perfect her necromancy. There is a method to her madness and while the vision is lost on others, for Keelee it needs to be trusted to execute properly, regardless of who gets in her way.
Her strengths are also her weaknesses. Not completely of her own doing but the tragedy that had awarded her, her mana type and the constant forum with her dad’s vessel demon has served to erode much of a healthy mentality and trust of those around her, specifically in regard to the conspirators in her father’s death. Her need to strive for perfection and have such a lofty goal looming overhead has made her stubborn and obsessive, often making it hard to pry her away from anything but the tunnel vision road she’s laid out for herself. Stemming also from how devout her beliefs and traditions to the Eeaiko culture. While she is heavily adept at necromancy and the use of puppets, she has no real versatility outside of that. She has basic spells she can pull from but no secondary talents. Specifically in any kind of physical combat which makes it hard for her to fight in close quarters or in melee range, distance is key for her which makes her so nimble.
"I don't spread rumors about myself. That's just a rumor."
Legend has it that if you wander the streets of Mudville at night, inquiring about a certain "Five-Tailed Fox," the locals will point you in a general direction—and if you're lucky, a woman of indistinguishable ethnicity will appear to give you aid for whatever you require, for the right price. Make no mistake, though—you do not find the Five-Tailed Fox. The Five-Tailed Fox finds you.
Of course, that's just a rumor. There is no Five-Tailed Fox. The locals are playing a prank.
If one were to grow frustrated in their search and inquire about a "Six-Tailed Fox," however—well then, they might get somewhere.
Meet Xiuyáng. She's a bit of an oddball, or as the sailors say, a fish out of water. If that's the case, though, this fish is elegantly gliding above the surface of the waves. Though it could accurately be said that her complex family history leaves her with no place to fully belong, that suits a habitual traveler like her just fine. In fact, she would rightfully argue in retort that someone like her can go just about anywhere—and though her odd appearance may raise many questions, none of them would be too serious or inconvenient—merely curious. This is her strength. Her vaguely ethnic face blends into almost any crowd you'd find at any port in the Ensollian Sea. Nothing to see here—just another traveling merchant, on a very normal business venture. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Though she comes from a wealthy family, she hides it well, dressing and acting more like her merchant father than her noble mother. Though she is, in theory, a magician with markedly high potential, she doesn't flaunt it; some even say she once paid the Little RAScals a modest fee to spread a rumor that she'd been invited to join them. Though she is young, she gives off an air of being wise beyond her years, her face seemingly tailored by Oraff himself to perfectly wear a knowing wink and smirk at all times. Her devil-may-care attitude belies a quiet, deadly strength. She knows when to play up her shady, cutthroat merchant act, implying that her services will require a dire price to be paid—to reserve her hidden kindness and generosity for those who truly deserve and need it. In all, she keeps everything close to her chest, her cards always hidden from prying eyes. Everything one thinks they know about Xiuyáng is equally likely to be either the truth or a misdirection. Xiuyáng associates with very few and trusts even fewer. It's only recently that the wider student body has even become broadly aware of her existence.
B U S I N E S S A N D P L E A S U R E
"Sure, I'll lend you some hats—as many as you can balance on your head. No, I am talking about the currency. Now hold still, I need to concentrate."
Like her father, Xiuyáng is a shrewd businesswoman, always on the lookout for opportunities not seen by the untrained eye, listening in on a variety of conversations for any juicy gossip she may encounter. She frequents the streets of the markets, the alleys of port towns, and the parties of the nobility in equal measure. She keeps a low profile, but those in the know will take note of her presence—and more importantly, her absence. If she's absent at an event that everyone else in her circle is swarming to, it generally implies that something even more interesting is going on elsewhere, behind the scenes. Either she's scheming something big, or she's at an even wilder, secret party, likely getting drunk with some yasoi friends. Some say she doesn't truly get drunk, merely absorbing the alcohol by drawing from it and using it for some subtle, deceptive magic that'll get others talking—but that's a rumor.
While she's smart with money, Xiuyáng isn't what one would call a miser. She'll gladly pay full price for quality goods and services, and leave the bargain bins and flash sales for those who need such things to make ends meet. It's simply an aspect of her dedication to the ways of the gods. While she is an open but innocuous critic of the church, she is profoundly spiritual. Broadly speaking, she mostly adheres to the Quentic faith, but draws some inspiration from the Angic Way, believing that balance in life and self is important to both religions. After all, the most coveted fate one can be assigned after death is reserved for those who pleased all five gods equally. Her interest in the beliefs of the yasoi's Chosen Creed—and the sixth—is just a rumor. Don't believe those kids.
A T R O U B L E D S O U L ?
"If I told you that you owed me a favor because I gave you a Gift, you'd look at me funny. It's not a Gift if you owe me. Why, then, do we apply different standards to the gods?"
That's how some of the more "religious" practitioners of the Quentic Faith would describe Xiuyáng, anyway. She's a good-natured and well-meaning child of the faith who's just a hair or two off the straight and narrow road; a little patient, gentle correction will set her right. Most others see her as an innocuous religious progressive with the vapid opinions typical of youth. She's in a rebellious, edgy phase, and she'll grow out of them and wise up eventually. In reality, Xiuyáng does seriously consider other worldviews, and has nothing but disdain for the secrecy of the church, and the academy. They keep so many secrets—openly and arrogantly—that it begs the question of just how many secrets are kept in absolute secrecy. So far, though, she hasn't made any bold attempts to unveil those secrets—at least none that anyone knows about, or that came to any sort of fruition. She also definitely has no involvement in any high-profile protests that never officially happened, and whose instigators were never seen again. That's not even a rumor at this point, it's just straight up slander.
S O P H O M O R I C W I T
"To catch fish, cast a net. To teach music to a crab, castanets."
Sophomore: from Thalak 'sophos' (clever or wise) and 'moros' (foolish). A wise fool. Intelligent and philosophical—but young and yet inexperienced—Xiuyáng spouts both profoundly wise proverbs and a unique brand of abject nonsense in equal measure. Some say this is just yet more misdirection, and she's secretly a genius. That's just a rumor, though. In reality, Xiuyáng is quite at home playing both the roles of Sage and Scoundrel equally. Even so, she still has quite a lot of growing left to do. While she's quite knowledgeable in history, politics and religion, and is always expanding her repertoire of cultural experiences—one may want to find a polite excuse to leave the room when she starts going on and on about something she heard while "accidentally" eavesdropping on the Truth-Seekers Society. Of course, she's not actually a member—nor does she periodically disguise herself as a variety of first-year students who only visit the club once and never return. Don't be ridiculous. That's just a rumor.
U N F I L T E R E D F U N
"Don't try to butter me up—unless we're making sandwiches—in which case, you butter me right the fuck up—capito?"
While Xiuyáng is viewed in much the same light as a comically useless rebel without a cause, it is widely known that she is a wild party animal and a drunkard to boot, and this is generally more concerning to others with an eye for the well-being of the students. It can't be helped, some say, knowing she essentially spent all of her teenage years surrounded by sailors, and even longer shadowing her father's business deals at extravagant drinking parties. What can she say, she's a fun little thing with a taste for the fun juice, and she'll drink you under the table. She also knows how that sounds, and is totally here for it. Xiuyáng actively seeks out people and places to relax, chill and vibe. Her quiet disdain for the pompous manners and ceremony required in the presence of nobles is nonetheless quite strong, and a sailor's mouth is what to expect when she lets her hair down, especially if she's genuinely drunk. In her mind, it's all part of her spiritual philosophy. Study hard, party hard—and as it happens, her preferred crowd to hang with is the yasoi. She finds their hunger for new life experiences endearing, and their culture fascinating to a fault. Perhaps she even feels some measure of belonging with them, as an eternal traveler in both a physical and spiritual sense—but that's just a rumor. Really, the Yasoi'riimel are just fun to be around.
L A N G U A G E S
"Go ahead, call me a dumb bitch in a language I don't understand. I'll wait."
Xiuyáng is well-traveled, as is her heritage and her birthright. As such, she's fluent in not just Avincian and Revidian, but Torragonese and Rettanese—and by extension, understands a good amount of Nikanese as well. She's also quite competent with Virangish and Perrench, able to navigate various forms of negotiation just fine. Her Inipori and Belzaggic are barely passable at best, and her Eskandish is, how do you say... mjög slæmt? No, that's not the one. Anyway, you get it. She's trying to learn the yasoi language as well, but it's proven difficult for her. Learning languages was much easier when she was younger.
C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E
"Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. ...This is really painful, by the way."
Xiuyáng is not your traditional pretty girl or classy lady. She keeps her hair short and most of her body covered, despite her ostensibly open personality. Some even say that her true appearance has never been seen, but that's just a rumor. Other rumors include that she's secretly a Bloodchild, or a yasoi with dwarfism, or that she has some horrific disfiguration or skin disease, or that she's a Sanguinaire protecting herself from the sun, or that she has Blackrot and covers herself to protect others from being drained to death. Still others, especially the girls, say that it's a simple case of body dysmorphia and breast envy. Rumor has it she's been seen hanging with the Corpse Flowers once or twice. Honestly, nobody knows why she's so shy or secretive about her figure, but one thing is certain: in both appearance and spirit, she's "one of the boys."
Her manner of dress is a cultural hodgepodge. The outer layer is mostly of Rettanese design, with bandage-wrapped limbs reminiscent of the old desert nomads of Torragon, all in the much-beloved flamboyant colors of modern Revidian fashion. It's quite an eye-catching conversation piece—which, given her mercantile tendencies, is probably the primary function, rather than being fashionable abroad—though it is a nice side effect. She's also rarely seen without a medicine box strapped to her right hip (as is tradition, so that one makes the sign of Oraff when administering first aid, for good luck). As one of the more skilled students in binding magic, she sees it as something of a responsibility to always be quietly available to assist in any medical incidents, leading many to question where she suddenly appeared from. It violates her rule of staying low profile, but what can you do. When her fellow students are up to no good and somebody starts bleeding, it's her moment to shine.
"With just a bit of magic, and a lot of creativity, you can outshine the reverse."
With her high RAS score and family wealth and connections, her admittance into Ersand'Enise was essentially a guarantee. However, her almost singular focus on the binding school of magic was cause for concern. After rigorous testing, though, she was—somehow—able to convince the relevant authority figures that she is someone of upstanding moral character. Imagine thinking that Xiuyáng is actually a goody two-shoes underneath all the misdirection, and that her shady persona is a façade—mostly. That's definitely just a rumor. Anyway, with a bit of pressure, she selected arcane as her second school of magic, which has worked out pretty well for her, though she is still mostly interested in binding. Her skill in it as a second year student is quite remarkable, but one must wonder what she'll do once she's mastered it. Certainly, her parents will pressure her to pursue other schools more seriously so that she can graduate Summa cum Laude and become the Arch-Zeno she's clearly meant to be, but others worry that she might start to crave darker, unmentionable pursuits.
She keeps her status as a Devourer close to her chest, but those in the know have casually mentioned to her that she could probably rely on her family's massive wealth to afford enchanted items that may alleviate her struggles to draw quickly from the energies around her—but she believes the solution to be both greedy and lazy in execution, and so she chooses to work within the limitations of her Torragonese heritage, using stealth techniques to buy her time in the heat of battle. In order to obfuscate her secondary blood type, she'll sometimes play at being a Truecaster, a type which also has its origin in Torragon. Truthfully, there is a bit of her own personal bias in that as well. She believes it's only fitting that, when borrowing (drawing) from one god's domain of magic, it's just good manners to deposit back into the same account, so to speak. She doesn't keep a ledger or anything like that though; that's just a rumor.
Another method that she's devised to work around the limited drawing speed is a technique she calls "Casting the Net." Essentially, while she's mostly outgrown the need for focus words, she can use them as a crutch to ease multitasking, allowing her to cast a spell while drawing at the same time, giving her actions in battle just a little more efficiency. Naturally, it requires a near-meditative state of concentration to maintain both full strength of her spells and full drawing speed, and unless an ally is covering for her or her enemy is cowering in fear, one or both will have to be compromised to maintain it. It is undeniably cool to watch when she's using both hands to work her magic, but many rightfully argue that it's more trouble than its worth.
Let's get technical. If, hypothetically, the regular drawing rate is 1.0 and a Devourer's drawing rate is 0.6 then when using this technique her drawing rate will be somewhere between 0.65 and 0.75 when considering how "cooperative" the enemies are being. It's meant to be a very, very small boost mainly for character flavor, to show her ingenuity at work. More than half of the drawing penalty should still be there.
One unique trick her obsession with binding magic has resulted in is the art of drawing from physical matter, basically storing the drawn object inside her manas, and reconstituting the exact same object later. What began effectively as little more than a party trick became seriously useful when she realized she could use it to pickpocket with a degree of plausible deniability. Of course, she's not interested in stealing some poor kid's lunch money. No, she's much more concerned with the keys that various faculty and Lamplighters carry on their person. It's said that she has quite the collection of duplicate keys she's made out of reconstituted metal, but that's just a rumor. She often practices this trick in secret, attempting to store and reproduce a functioning pocket watch. Thus far, though, it's always come out broken, alas.
B A C K G R O U N D
"I could probably teach my family history for an entire semester. You're getting the redacted version."
Roughly three generations ago, various families of Rettanese nobility loyal to the Jiang Dynasty fled the pursuing Ten Dynasty, all the way across the Asperic Ocean to Virang, marrying into their noble houses, changing their names. Others who were unable to do so drifted to neighboring countries, including Torragon, where they did much the same. This is a very brief summary of her mother's side of the family. A young Sofia Yihan Xiang Esparza would inherit the Esparza Crown Jewellery Company here, and later marry Cosimo Solari, the successful owner of the Sant'Agata Albignese Trading Company, who would take the jewelry business to the next level in exchange for marrying into the Torragonese nobility. The arrangement proved profitable, affording the man nearly everything he wanted to achieve while supporting Prospero Malatesta's rise to power in Revidia. Cosimo had been an idealist, and wound up jaded by the whole affair, as in the end, merchants were still not afforded the same rights as the nobility—namely, the ability to be appointed Doge. He retains a cordial relationship with l'Anguilla, as he is not fool enough to tangle with the Eel.
The marriage proved fruitful as well, resulting in several daughters, of which Xiuyáng is the youngest. The others would marry off into other noble families, living quiet lives, quietly expanding Cosimo's influence. However, Xiuyáng's raw magic potential was too great to ignore, and so it was decided that Ersand'Enise would be her future home. The news came to her as a mixed bag. Having the Gift made her special, but also, it meant that her adventurous life of traveling with her father was probably coming to an end. Being a clever and sneaky little girl, she would—in an unspoken bid to delay the inevitable—choose the binding school of magic, adding various trials and tribulations to the whole enrollment process. Much of her time in the following years would be spent shadowing various binding mages as they treated injuries and cured the sailors of her father's trading company of their illnesses. After a while, she'd become unironically interested in it, and took to the subject with notable enthusiasm. However, they wouldn't let her attempt any binding magic immediately, instead encouraging her to feel the wind of the Ensollian Sea, and use it for some small kinetic feats, in which she proved herself capable of picking up new skills quite quickly. She was brilliant, and had great potential—later to her chagrin.
At the same time, she was continuing to shadow her father as he conducted his business. As she grew older and more confident, she began fraternizing with various peoples: namely sailors, captains, and merchants, who'd have the most influence on her future temperament. While her father pushed her to be as productive as she could manage, her binding mage mentors were more relaxed, encouraging her to play and take breaks. They'd never imagine that she'd spend them watching the sailors brawl below decks, betting on the outcomes. This sparked her interest in martial arts, prompting her to pick up a few skills from her family's personal bodyguards. Soon, she'd begin joining the fights herself, and dammit, she fought hard for a 5' 3'' little lady. She lost about as often as she won, but by Eshiran was she trying, and the sailors loved her for it. It wasn't long before she was considered "one of the good old boys," welcomed to drink with them and join the locker room talk. Her father would have hated this, of course, but he never found out about it. It was the best-kept secret of the fleet that Xiuyáng let loose whenever she was on a separate ship from her father. He did pick up on her new social skills, however, and began inviting her along to important meetings to listen to the nobles discuss business and politics. Once or twice, she even got to meet a princess or two—never a prince, though. She's not a serious candidate for a royal marriage, much to her relief.
Once she'd finally begun attending the academy, she started doing what she does best—making connections. She's in the maximum number of student clubs, and eavesdrops on a few others, namely the Truth-Seekers Society, Faithkeepers, and Egalite Fraternite. She also keeps tabs on the Faceless—or so she thinks—but is never directly involved in their activities. Probably. Unbeknownst to her, they may be scouting her. Notably, she's absent from both the Carnation Accord and the Malturra Society, despite her obvious interest in binding magic, and alleged dabbling in blood magic. Some say she's a secret member of the Malturra Society, but given she's in the Magicians' Guild, that's impossible. It's possible that she's attending in secret, somehow, but that's just a rumor. She's too busy drinking and partying with yasoi friends to be of any real threat. Then again, her spotty attendance in most of these clubs speaks volumes...
M O T I V A T I O N
"If the best doctors in the world can't handle it, I'll become better than the best."
If one were to use magic to force Xiuyáng to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, she would tell you that she wants what she can't have—a simple life on the high seas, traveling with no higher purpose in mind. She's convinced that this is impossible, though, and so she's settling for what, in her mind, is the next best option: to become truly, unfathomably, unreasonably skilled at exactly one thing, and ensure that her skills are needed worldwide. In her case, that would be the use of the Gift to preserve and improve the lives of others. She believes that service to the gods should be entirely voluntary, and in her case, she's chosen Oraff—not to the exclusion of others, mind you, but it's simply not plausible for a mortal to be in five places at once—not that she hasn't considered that route, as her high RAS score probably opens the door to temporal magic. However, she rather values her sanity, in spite of her flagrant alcoholism. Look, she's working on it.
She fears disappointing her family, or being badgered, pressured, or even forced to pursue something more than her personal interests encompass. Her parents will probably give her no small amount of trouble if she won't broaden her horizons to other schools of magic so she can graduate with the highest honors. In particular, her father drills into her the importance of maintaining wealth, status, power and influence. Hoard money openly, and spend in secret, he says, that none may know your intentions. Fraternize with the nobility whenever possible, that you might someday marry up into a reputable and wealthy family. Carry the biggest sword, and do not reveal the full extent of its reach to your enemies. Bring all others to heel with a gentle hand. She's taken some of this to heart, but rejected most of it. She loves the mercantile life that her father cynically left behind, and dreads the day that his newly acquired noble title will come back around to thrust its tired, predictable expectations upon her colorful, fun life.
I N V E N T O R Y
"Of course I've got the goods. I'm a Solari. Now, what're ya buyin'?"
Xiuyáng carries a large but nonetheless portable medicine box, not just for her personal use during any medical incidents she may be present for, but also to sell and trade with. Within the right circles, she's known to deal in borderline illegal, recreational substances, if given the right code phrases. Her medicine box also contains a few small tools useful for gathering more ingredients. Generally, she uses her manas to store much of the same stuff within her own body, able to create more medicine in the unlikely event that she runs out. She'll have to give that stuff up if she finds herself in combat, but that's a pretty rare occasion.
Of course, she always has money on her—and lots of it. Occasionally, she'll open up a tent in the market and sell some Torragonese jewelry from her mother's company at a nominal student discount. The brand is quite a hit with the ladies, and rings are very popular. She's often seen with a smoking pipe in her hand, but she doesn't touch the stuff, instead drawing the chemical energy directly. Amusingly, she'll use it as an impromptu wand, if she's suddenly attacked. It also gives her an air of shrewd maturity that she finds quite advantageous when making business deals—a trick she learned from her mother. Another trick she learned from her is that a full sack of coin makes for an effective impromptu bludgeon. Aside from that, Xiuyáng doesn't carry any weapons aside from her cherry wood wand, unless she's forced to. On such occasions, she prefers claw-like weapons such as the Nikanese tekkō-kagi or a pair of the Sawandi equivalent, the baghnakh. The fancy Nikanese katana on display in her room of the merchant dorms isn't even sharp—it's just a mantlepiece.
Name: Mask of the Relentless Pursuit Item Description: A fearsome mask made of dark steel and padding to provide comfort and protection. This mask is tailor-made for hunting threshers, but can also comfortably be worn on land. It purifies toxins the user would breathe, allows the user to breathe underwater, and also allows them to alter their voice to speak clearly underwater with their teammates (or conceal their identity, for illegal poaching activities). This mask is made with an interlocking plate design that will shift with changes in the user's facial structure and changing levels of pressure, maintaining a proper seal regardless of whatever challenges the wearer may face.
Special:
Clean Breathing: With Maladyshield, manas within the mask allow the user to breath in air that may be poisonous or caustic. Anytime the user is to breath in a toxin, poison, illness, or disease, they are immune to the aerosolized substance.
Self repair: The mask is enchanted to take energy from the surrounding area to repair itself. Such as heat from the sun, the kinetic energy of the wind or even the mask moving. It leaves no abusable openings.
Water breathing: The mask is enchanted so while underwater, it will undergo the constant chemical process to break down the molecular structure of water to create breathable air for the user.
Voice Alteration: The mask is able to alter the sound and loudness of the users voice, the pitch, the frequency, and many other things to recreate a voice the user can think of. Allows the user to use a voice other than their own, or even project it in certain ways to distract or disorientate.
Use: As someone who often finds themselves on the water, never having to worry about drowning is a big plus. Disguising her voice is its primary purpose however. The interlocking-plate design comfortably accommodates her changing facial structure when using Facemimicry. Clean breathing is rarely useful, but redundant layers of protection are always welcomed when dealing with sketchy types. It offers a degree of plausible deniability when and if her immunity to toxins gets noticed. It's obviously the mask. She's not a Devourer; that's just a rumor.
Name: Sea Legs Item Description: A slightly flashy pair of cannonball thresher leather boots that provide a customizable fit. These boots are made to help the user maintain balance, speed, and stealth. They're also quite sturdy and nominally heat resistant. Rumor has it Xiuyáng nicked these off a pirate captain. Nice booty!
Special:
Kinetic Absorption and Reflection: The boots are also enchanted to absorb external kinetic energy the user would feel from the boots and will reflect it back in the direction the user received it from. Allowing the user to increase many things, such as their kick power, jump height, running speed, and can even be used for defense to try to negate the energy of a strike. Gives the user advantage when using Kinetic based spells, and double the users effective running speed and jump height.
Sound dampening: Any sounds the user produces are dampened and reduced, making the user much quieter. This will give the user a +2 to stealth.
Use: Running fast while carrying a medium-large quantity of medicine can be awkward. Wearing these can make the load easier and safer to bear without worrying about damaging the goods. Sound dampening is another redundancy measure; if Xiuyáng's focus slips, her footsteps will still be quieter than they would be otherwise.
A regular looking gourd that naturally refills itself with any alcoholic beverage according to the owner's desires and tastes. This enchanted container has often been disregarded as a below average refill bottle that has gotten into fashion during the last decade, however Mountain Spring has kept the particularities of the gourd a secret for the most part. He left it with Xiuyáng after the battle with Marhazannet in the Forbidden Quarter of ReTan (Metropolis) as a parting gift after swearing an oath of sobriety to himself and the gods. The two had gotten along quite well in such a short amount of time, and Xiuyáng had said she needed a drink, only to be given a lifetime supply. Ask and ye shall receive!
The More the Merrier: Anything properly smacked by the gourd (d2 for 3d8 or 4d8) will have up to 48 manas taken from them (roll a d32 with a minimum of 16 guaranteed). Anyone that drinks from the gourd next will assimilate those manas. This will wear off after a while. This can only be done once on a target.
Chug chug chug: Drinking from the gourd can provide a random buff or debuff: (Roll a d6, use up to 4 times per scenario) -Advantage on next action -+6 on any action this turn -Double action on your turn -8 HP instant heal -Double Disadvantage --6 on your next action
Use: Xiuyang doesn't quite know what the gourd does, yet. She hasn't tried smacking anyone with it, but she has chugged from it 3 times, and received a positive energizing effect each time. She'll experiment with it more soon, but for now it seems like a very promising item to her.
On top of providing 24 manas, this bo staff will bump all arcane spells except for cryogenic ones up by one skill modifier tier. If twirled rapidly, it will create a blazing shield of heat capable of absorbing up to 6 damage twice per scenario.
Use: Xiuyang hasn't used it yet. She can feel the increase in manas. She'll test it out soon enough.
Sacred Plum: Grants +2 healing every round when eaten. If healing is not needed, grants a buff instead.
Cold Soup's Spoon: Imbued with some kind of magic. Purpose unknown.
Fruits of Nature and Construct:
Nature: twice per cycle/encounter, the bearer of this fruit may completely negate any bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her opponent and their abilities and come from items, potions, or other external sources.
Construction: Three times per cycle/encounter, the bearer may roll with advantage and +3, so long as she is making use of any items, potions, or other external factors that apply bonuses, effects, or advantages that are not naturally a part of her.
S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S
❖ Sneaky Combat Medic ❖ Master of Disguise ❖ Duchess of the Ensollian Sea ❖ Escape Artist ❖ Surprisingly Tough ❖
"Oraff keep you, but at the same time... I never forget a face. Fuck around and find out, yeah?"
Surprising no-one, Xiuyáng's specialization is in stealth and subterfuge. Truly, she can go almost anywhere just by being herself, but when that's not enough, being a Facemimic is the icing on the cake. It's said that she used to use this ability a lot, but the agonizing pain eventually made her stop. Anyway, that's just a rumor. She's definitely not a Facemimic—and while she's busy not being a Facemimic, she's usually avoiding combat through arcane light-bending and kinetic sound-dampening, remaining undetected on the battlefield while gathering up useful resources and tending to the injured. It may seem unnecessary to some, but having studied Tan Keoulean and Nikanese history, Xiuyáng laughs at the notion of "rules of war." Blindly trusting her enemies to spare her life because she's a medic, or because she's a woman—or whatever other vapid, comforting notions others may rely on—is the privilege of children and of the naïve.
Xiuyáng is quite well-connected within the bounds of the Ensollian Sea, having spent her teenage years on various ships in her father's fleet, shooting the breeze with sailors, captains, merchants, nobles, and even a few royals on glorious occasion. Really, it's her father's name that pulls the weight when she decides to make use of these connections, but she's not above it. Because of these past experiences, she also knows a great deal about how to run a ship, as well. One might think she'd be a valuable hostage—and one would be right—but anyone looking to kidnap her has their work cut out for them. Not only does her raw magic potential and strength of binding technique make her nigh impossible to contain—and her arcane and kinetic skills nearly impossible to catch besides—she's also pretty tough. You kind of have to be tough to impress sailors who are a foot taller than you. She picked up a unique style of physical combat from her family's personal bodyguards called Liu-Tian, which borrows techniques from both Machorro and Seun-chi-go. Many hapless street thugs are caught unaware by just how willing this seemingly pacifist girl is to enter into a brawl, and just how favorable her chances are when she has the element of complete surprise.
"I'm a binder with blinders, on a lifelong bender!"
With the lion's share of an entire continent as her oyster, one may wonder what Xiuyáng can't do. Truthfully, she wonders the same. One answer might be that a big oyster is pretty empty with nobody to share it with. She trusts very few, and struggles to make genuine connections or trust others completely. While she's not so much of a lone wolf that she can't follow simple orders, asking her to do anything that might put her in a compromised position where she must rely on others to bail her out of said position will earn you a scoff and a polite counteroffer to fuck right off. Her teamwork leaves much to be desired. Another answer to the whole oyster dilemma might be that she's stretched too thin, filling it with junk. She is ever in the information gathering phase of various projects, but somehow—according to her—always lacking that special little piece of critical information that would cause her to act. She suffers from a loosely defined identity, too many options to choose from, and, to put it quite plainly, a lack of ambition. An excess of ambition, she will remind you, is portrayed as a critical character flaw in Thalak tragedy, and—as she'll rant on and on about, in the right setting—she hates how wealth, power, status and influence have become the nobility's raison d'être. With the introduction of the middle class into the structure of society, they—including her father and mother—have lost their way, and will incur Dami's wrath in the afterlife for exerting their will on the populace.
On the other hand, it could also be said that Xiuyáng suffers from tunnel vision. She rigorously studies the binding magic arts, to the exclusion of almost everything else. Her interest in other schools of magic only truly manifests to the degree that said school might make her a more effective medic. Arcane and kinetic help her to keep a low profile, while chemical lets her spread some of that happy brain juice that she desperately craves around to others. Some say that her true interest lies in blood magic, but that's just a rumor. True, she skirts the line, often snidely remarking to her critics that "blood magic is not used for defense," and "binding magic isn't real." However, no-one can mount any evidence against her that her interest in blood magic is anything more than an extension of her focus on medical applications, or even just idle curiosity. Because of her myopic view of the schools of magic, though, she generally makes for a pretty poor combatant. Oh sure, she hides overwhelming potential behind her veil of secrecy, but it'll take more than a little heckling from other students to get her to use that RAS score to do harm to others. Her spiritual nature makes her a bit of a pacifist; though she will throw hands to protect herself and others when necessary, she will scarcely take a life except in the service of preserving it. Her dedication to Oraff is in no small part responsible for why her less scrupulous activities are largely tolerated. This tolerance, though, has left Xiuyáng a bit spoiled. While her recreational activities on the water keep her in reasonable physical shape, she scoffs at the notion of doing any hard labor herself. She tries to couch it by saying that it's her role in creation to pay skilled workers a livable wage for such things, but anyone with any sense knows that's a flimsy excuse to spend less time working and more time drinking. The girl loves her alcohol—and loves to blame the stuff for her occasional outbursts of emotion. A silver tongue will become a double-edged sword when wielded in anger, and words that cut deep with surgical precision can't easily be taken back.
M I S C E L L A N E O U S
"Shune won't kill you if you learn too much, but curiosity killed a cat or two."
Points History for Salty Rat Bois: Starting Points: 1 Binding, 2 Arcane, 1 Chemical, 1 Kinetic First Semester: Took Binding and Arcane. 2 Binding, 3 Arcane, 1 Chemical, 1 Kinetic Second Semester: Took Binding, Chemical, and Blood. 3 Binding, 3 Arcane, 2 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 2 Blood Also gained that year: 1 Arcane (daily stealth practice) Year One Final Tally: 3 Binding, 4 Arcane, 2 Chemical, 1 Kinetic, 2 Blood
SK102A: Making Camp, Foraging, Hunting and Travel in Remote Areas
MF107A-B: Blood Magic
AC101: Fundaments of Philosophy and its Relation to the Magical Arts
Classes, Year 2, 1st Semester:
MR201A-J: Containment & Efficiency
GR201A-J: Mathematics
MF204A-D: Chemical Magic
MF203E-H: Binding Magic
MR202K-T: Freecasting
GR202K-T: Written Avincian
AC201A: Philosophy in the Ancient World - Zaqhoria to Avince
SK201B: The Art of Persuasion by All and Any Means
MR203A-J: Preservation
GR203K-T: Theology
AC203A: Cartographical Practice and Measurement
SK204C: Advanced Gardening & the Myriad Uses of Plants
Free
AR206B-C: Tailoring & Fashion
MF208B: Blood Magic
SI10: Angic Philosophy, Practice, and Meditation
Classes, Year 2, 2nd Semester:
MR204A-J: Focus Words & Triggers
GR204A-J: History
MF204I-L: Chemical Magic
MF203M-P: Binding Magic
MR205K-T: Multiplicative Effects
GR205K-T: Logic
SK208A: Glassmaking
AC207B-C: Philosophy in the Modern Era
GR206A-J: Avincian Rhetoric
MR206K-T: Defense Against Magical Threats
SK210A-C: A Merchant's Guide to Finance & Accounting
Free
SK212A-C: An Introduction to Martial Arts & Combat Sports
AC212C-D: An Introduction to Chemistry
SI02: Recognizing and Resisting Dangerous and Radical Philosophies
SI06: Living with a Disability
Magicians' Guild - Officially a member, and a pretty active one—expected, given her heritage. She's always eager to do business, and others are always eager to meet her parents by way of her referral—a win-win for everyone involved. Will leverage the available discounts for others outside the Guild if they ask nicely.
Steamchurners - Got in before anyone realized that she comes from a noble family. They were so cool with her that they voted to just let her stay without a test. She appreciates their unpretentious and humanist vibe. Philosophy and drinking is her way of being—preferably both at the same time. She picked up a few neat arcane tricks here, too.
Innovators' Exchange - The place to be when looking for business opportunities, though it's usually the members of the club who are seeking out Xiuyáng for her interest in various projects of theirs. Xiuyáng herself is interested in where technology is going, and whether or not it may someday restructure society entirely, in some kind of technological revolution.
Society of the Grapes - A place where nobles parody themselves while throwing incredible parties? Xiuyáng was born for this. She's right at home with the other masked attendees, and well respected for her high magical power, unique insight, and—somewhat paradoxically—her willingness to be casually and flagrantly incorrect.
Waveriders - Xiuyáng very much enjoys their activities. Access to their equipment is generally useful to her too, if not for nefarious purposes. Anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of her body by signing up is sure to be disappointed, though, as she covers herself even while surfing. Seriously, in this climate? Torragonese genes are something else.
Brotherhood of Brew Appreciators - Naturally, Xiuyáng will try just about any brew, and can drink pretty much the entire club under the table one after another, despite being a woman of average proportions. Nobody knows her Devourer secret, as she mostly only pretends to be drunk, using the beer for chemical energy to give her the high using a Blessing of Joy. It takes an unreasonable amount of alcohol to actually inebriate her.
Yasoi'riimel - Most outsiders and even a few insiders assume Xiuyáng is only there to learn all about the secrets of the academy. However, she's unironically interested in yasoi culture and religion as well, and at least one or two of the members genuinely know it, while most others just agree she's harmlessly fun and generally tolerant of strangeness. These guys are her home away from home—don't fuck with 'em.
Tommy is someone who fears nothing. Not because he is brave, but because he does not understand the consequences to his actions. He lives as he wishes, and relishes in the joys that the world has to offer. Gambling? What a thrill. Fighting? Exhilarating. Debauchery? He's all for it. What defines him is a continuous search for excitement, pleasure and joy in the world he's been so lucky to survive in as a commoner, all the while he continues to expand power and accumulate such wondrous experiences. A dilemma rests within his crass, confident personality though. Is he slowly becoming a member of the ruling class that he once so despised? Should he seek its downfall, when he lies so close to truly joining that circle that's so far away?
Tommy is an unshakeable confident guy, yet he does not mind being the underdog. He lets people underestimate him, jeer, jape, laugh behind his back. He lets them think he's a dumb commoner scumbag that was stealing rings and horses before getting a lucky scholarship here because he takes pride in who he is, and makes no attempt to deny it. And it makes him look all the more better when he knocks them flat on their ass. Tommy loves who he is, he loves his family and he loves the way of life he follows.
C H A R A C T E R A P P E A R A N C E
Tommy isn't the picture of beauty, but it's not like he's ugly either. Messy brown hair, grey eyes and sharp cheekbones carry a decent chunk of the load, and to be quite honest, he's probably one of the better looking people in his family. He stands on the shorter side(around 5'7), but doesn't display the typical insecurity by a shorter man, but revels in it. Besides that, the man has an exceptional physique, one that both holds an extraordinary amount of musculature and yet looks very aesthetically pleasing. What is even more odd is that he is not the type to train in that regard. Do drunken bar brawls really give you that kind of build?
His dress differs greatly depending on what he's aiming to accomplish. Strutting through lessons, or going about his business? Loose, casual attire. Trying to impress a highborn lady? The only suit he owns, perfume, the works. The man knows little about fashion sense, and usually looks for advice on the matter, but does have a love for jewellery when he's not on the job. Rings, chains, necklaces, the works.
Tommy was born to a mother on the streets of Barrowton, a middling city in the state of Enth, in a rather large family of travelers. He grew up in a massive household, with over 7 siblings, typical of a peasant. But he was somewhat special, in that he had a latent magical ability. Only a couple of his siblings could say the same, and he was the youngest. Surprisingly enough, also the only trueborn human of the group. For among his siblings counted a menagerie of halfbreeds, and nary a father that stayed among them. Perhaps it was because such a large family kept on expanding, growing bigger and bigger. For the Kavanagh's did not move alone, but as a unit. Uncles, aunts, grandparents, the troupe stayed together whenever and wherever they went.
Even though Tommy knew he was special among his family for possessing the rare gift of magic, he believed he was special for another reason. His mother told him that she had only bore children of important and special men, and that he was one such child. A bastard son of Prince John of Enth, who had visited her bed. Whether this is true is something that is highly questionable, even given the Prince's demeanor and antics, but there is something of a resemblance in the two. Besides, he had a bloodtype! Isn't that something only those fancy noble folks get?
And growing up around his vast family in the rougher parts of Enth, Tommy quickly learned what it was like to go to bed with an empty stomach. The thrill of stealing a horse from some middling merchant, and eating securely for a week. He became something of a myth in Barrowton, or so he says. The truth of the matter remains, he learned a lot of the tricks of the trade in that not so lovely part of the world. Thievery, gambling, drinking, spending every spare coin he got on a sneaky trip to a brothel, it was more than enough for him to live happily.
One day, the Kavanagh's packed their bags and set off on a boat to the city of Ersand'Enise. He was upset to leave his hometown behind, but the way of their people dictated that they travel, and so they did. This city was nicer, richer, but they never saw much of inside the walls. Instead, they worked in Moli's emporium in Mudville. A pleasant enough place, not too dissimilar to his homeland despite better weather. Surprisingly, he adapted far better to this climate than to his former homes.
Job security was snatched away from him when Moli's was destroyed by a band of rampaging noble kids. He saw a lot of it. As did his family. Thankfully, they never lost anyone, but a lot of people he cared about perished in the fires and collapses that occurred. It was not something the school could so easily sweep under the rug. And having lost their jobs, his parents were given a boon to stay silent. A free ride for one of your kids to attend the prodigious academy, if they had the manas. His sister would have been a prime candidate, a half-yasoi, but she sadly was a couple years too old. He, however, was in the prime age range. 17 years old and just enough manas to pass the test, he was admitted in.
The next year of school was a grand old time. He learned a lot of magic, and his innate ability helped with that learning, but the books were still an issue. It took him a while to learn how to read properly, He made plenty of comrades, and enemies in the beer hall. A drunken night lead to something special, and he emerged from that night significantly more confident, for what reason is yet to be seen.
A fateful night also came when he got a stipend from his scholarship. A vast amount of money for a commoner of his station, meant to be spent on living expenses. What the school didn’t account for is the impulsive brain of Tommy. He took that paycheck and spent it at the Vermillion Swirl, on a rather pretty Eeiako. A night of fun, japes and joking, and once again, he emerged more confident and enriched from the experience. A friendship made over pleasures of the flesh.
Now, he awaits the next year. A chance to show off in the trials.
M O T I V A T I O N
Tommy is here because he's a lucky bastard. When Mudville was wrecked, he was given this chance as one of the only kids with RAS to stay hush about the whole event, and he intends to make good on this scholarship. Before school, he was a traveling carnie, thief, bruiser, whatever people would pay him to be. Here? He gets to mix with the upper crust, romance some pretty noble ladies, beat up some highborn lads with little consequences and enjoy life to its fullest, all the while gaining strength and experience. What better reason could someone have?
I N V E N T O R Y
❖Brass Knuckles ❖A butterfly knife ❖A hand crossbow ❖A pistol ❖Tripwire ❖One decent suit ❖Bottle of too strong cologne ❖Some firecrackers and smoke bombs. ❖A comb
S T R E N G T H S & S K I L L S
❖Peak physicality - Even though he’s got a good muscle mass and a rather aesthetic body, he’s strong. Immensely strong. Beyond human strength, reaching into the realm of monsters like sanguinaires and wildbloods. Not that he even knows what those are, or why he has such immense strength.
❖Incredible instincts - As a result of being an unleashed, Tommy has beyond human reflexes, instincts and overall awareness. What some describe as a ‘sixth sense’ or ‘the zone’ is in constant application in the man’s life.
❖Seasoned brawler - Tommy is a fighter. He’s fought in more than a fare share of drunken bar brawls, street fights, pits, boxing matches, the works. He has a good instinct for battle, and definitely knows how to throw a punch
❖Confident - Belief in oneself is paramount to success. For if you do not believe in your own abilities, you’ll never take risks or try. Tommy’s always willing to take those risks. He’s always willing to talk to a girl that’s way out of his league. And simply because of that, those many swings will eventually lead to a hit. That’s how he’s got by in life, and that’s how he intends to keep living. His mindset doesn’t allow the possibility of defeat, and even if it occurs, it was simply unlucky, or out of his control.
❖Sturdy - Not only is he immensely strong and fast, he’s got a ridiculous constitution. Being brought up on the filthy streets of Barrowton, he’s had his run ins with disease, and sickness, and not once has he succumbed in a significant way. He has a strong tolerance for alcohol, pretty much never gets sick and can function on very little sleep.
W E A K N E S S E S & F L A W S
❖ Arrogant - Facts are, the guy believes in himself. A bit too much. At the end of the day, he’s a low ras commoner flaunting around power and one day, he’s going to get squished like a bug because he’s not careful in who he picks a fight with.
❖Crass - The guy is not a eloquent speaker. He tries to be, if there’s incentive, but he doesn’t understand court etiquette, nor does he really show people the respect they probably deserve.
❖Uneducated - He’s not had a formal education. He’s worldly wise to an extent, but as far as actual knowledge goes? He’s got almost nothing there. Sciences, languages, etc are foreign to him.
❖Impulsive - Tommy doesn’t ask, he acts. He’s rash and headstrong, and doesn’t understand danger because he doesn’t believe that he could lose. He’ll happily drag people down with him due to his bad decisions.
❖Overclocked - The downside to being an unleashed is he is prone to mental instability. An overworked mind leads to him seeking pleasures to soothe it, whether that be of the flesh, drugs, gambling, or whatever else. He’s prone to addiction by virtue of his being, as well as being somewhat unstable.
M I S C E L L A N E O U S
Guy has a massive fucking family. Like 30+ members. All here, in Mudville. Nearly all his siblings are half-breeds of some kind. Half yasoi, half-eeiako, the works. Color Code = Gray
