Blitzy

The War of the Lions - A narrative roleplay set within the Dragon Age universe

Male • Dwarf • 31 • Warrior/Rogue

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The War of the Lions - A narrative roleplay set within the Dragon Age universe

I'll likely be playing a surface dwarf, warrior/rogue hybrid, throwing axes and all sorts.

A Tale of Blood and Fog

A collaborative post by @Blitzy and @Eneui

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Upon entering the servants’ quarters, Amathel and Ralorin were treated to a most putrid odor. The smell of centuries of decay with little maintenance was repugnant, and the pair could all but hear the squirming of insects and mice from within the walls. Once inside, the elves noticed five skeletons laying idly on five separate beds. There were four beds that line the left wall, but the farthest inward had no skeleton of its own. There was little light in the room, and with neither Ralorin or Amathel being dark elves, it made seeing all the more difficult. Even still, their sharp elven senses were enough them both to make out the silhouette of tomes, scattered on the bed along with a stuffed bear. On the floor beside the bed were a host of blankets, no doubt imbued with the musk of old blood and dirt. Likewise, one of the three beds along the right-hand wall was also without a skeleton. This one was closer to the entranceway. This bed was barren, as if someone had been moved out of their quarters. All that remained on the bed were a few spots of long-dried blood and the ripped arm of a stuffed bear.

Ralorin surveyed the room through small, squinted eyes. He had followed the high elven giantess up the stairs to the servants’ quarters simply because he didn’t care for the smell of whatever it was that Elias was maiming, but this certainly was not an improvement. The stench was hardly better, and the sight of all these decayed corpses was certainly worse than watching their ward rip the arms off a hollow man. Ralorin couldn’t recall even one occasion in his life where he’d felt so disgusted. The small elf stepped further into the room, pointed ears twitching slightly as he tried to ignore the squeaks of rats behind the rotten panels of the walls. He walked slowly between the rows of beds, looking to his left, then to his right, taking in the sheer horror of the sight, wondering what could have caused all of these people to die in their beds. “Well, this is just lovely,” he remarked sarcastically. He stopped at the edge of the empty bed, littered with dusty old tomes. Dragging a slender finger along the rotting wooden bed frame, Ralorin brought the grime up to his face, before blowing away the years of dust and dirt in disgust. He turned to face Amathel. “5 people, dead on their own beds. It doesn’t look like they tried to run, or defend themselves from anything, it’s like they just… died.” He paused for a moment and looked over the skeletons once more. “What could have done this?”

Amathel did not know what to make of the tiny man following her up the stairs, he was a Wood Elf, and her Father had his own choice words for them, but Amathel herself had yet to properly decide. The place they found themselves in however, “Well it certainly is a delight, as far as the deaths go, context is everything, when it happened, those involved, let us hope they are not fresh kills and that something is skulking around melting flesh.“ Amathel was perfectly aware of the dried blood, and the fact that anything she just said was extremely unlikely, but making the already seemingly twitchy elf even worse was becoming a passtime. “As for a real answer, they died in their beds, if it were a beast of any kind I would hope they would notice it. More than likely one of their own may have caused this or somebody new who was not supposed to be here." Amathel twisted the tiny gold ring around her finger, of all the things here for some reason, the little arm of the stuffed bear worried her more than anything else, she hoped she would not find a child here in any form of death, though looking around it was as if she had to be more specific to herself, She hoped there were no children here at all. As far as a proper search was concerned, Amathel’s closer inspection of the bunks, as if it were not in plain sight already, lead to the sight of the words written above each bed in dried blood. “I am beginning to like my theory of, they were killed by one of their own. Liar, Traitor, Maligner, False Witness, Either we have a murderous priest of some kind purging people for their sins, or mayhaps somebody here has a few gripes with the servants.“

She had a point. Ralorin turned his attention to the words above the beds. Every bed with a corpse had a word to match, and the beds that were lacking bodies were also missing words. Ralorin processed them one by one, trying to make sense of the gruesome puzzle before them. Liar. Traitor. Those two seemed simple enough, self explanatory. Maligner. Ralorin wasn’t even sure he knew what it meant, but assumed it was in keeping with the theme of dishonesty. False Witness. Deceiver. Perplexed was an understatement. Whoever had taken it upon themselves to commit this atrocity clearly had very strong, personal feelings driving them on. It was likely that the empty beds were not a mere coincidence. The small elf visibly shuddered, imagining what it would be like to live and sleep feet away from someone who would later murder you and write on the wall with your blood. It didn’t bear thinking about. “I don’t understand this.” He walked to the end of the room, to the empty bed littered with books. He lifted the first tome; the cover was obscured by years of dust but a short sharp breath soon revealed it to be a children’s book. So was the next one. Children’s books and a stuffed bear. If children had been involved here, that just made things even creepier. Ralorin picked up the third tome, and flicked through the rotting pages. “Look at this,” he said, beckoning Amathel to come closer. He held the book out so that they could both see the pages. “Minerva. A human goddess?” He flicked through the pages. Sure enough, the name was repeated on every single one. He handed the book to Amathel and picked up a fourth. Sure enough, there was that name again, except this one spoke about magic, a ponderous tome. “All of a sudden murderous priest doesn’t sound so far-fetched. What do you think?”

Amathel rolled her eyes, her quip about the priest thing had been a joke but now that a human goddess had found it’s way into their little mystery Amathel was afraid to make any more jokes. “I seriously doubt a priest is involved, If I remember correctly from my encounters with humans Minerva is a goddess of magic in one way or another, guardian of mages or something along those lines. If she has anything to do with it, it would be more likely that one of the servants was a mage and this is the result of a rather fearful employer finding out, but then the messages make no sense in this context.“ Amathel found little more than what Ralorin did, she knew quite a few humans, or at least was spoken at by those who felt that her scowl meant she wished to hear them speak. While some humans revered magic, as evidenced by the existence of Minerva, like any race of peoples just as many tended to fear what they do not understand. “Really though, I suspect that learning about this will do little more than satisfy morbid curiosity. I doubt any monsters other than human had anything to do with this. I suspect we should move on, back with the others and see what they found.“ It was almost as if she planned it, the horrible shrieking that pierced the air echoing from outside. Amathel grimaced and cursed herself under her breath, it was almost a quiet mission, she loved the quiet missions. “Right on que, let’s go.“

The War of the Lions - A narrative roleplay set within the Dragon Age universe

Oh yes please.

A Tale of Blood and Fog

Ralorin

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Ralorin

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Character Summary

Name: Ralorin Illaeric
Titles: None
Aliases: Ral, Rin
Age: 27
Race/Ethnicity: Wood Elf
Continent of Origin: Valenndale
Gender: Male
Class/Subclass: Mage/Cultivation

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Stats

Strength: 8
Dexterity: 15
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 12

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Physical Attributes

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 139lbs
Appearance Description: Ralorin stands at around average height for a wood elf. He is thin and athletic in build, with a good amount of muscle packed on to his small frame while still looking somewhat wiry. He has light brown hair that falls just past his shoulders, sitting at the top of his back, and he is completely clean shaven at all times. His dark brown eyes are small and sit somewhat wide on his head, and like most wood elves his ears are long and pointed. Ralorin's features are soft by Elven standards, and if it wasn't for his pointed ears, sharp jawline and pointed chin he could easily be mistaken for a human.
Day To Day Attire: Ralorin typically wears a simple grey shirt, as well as tight-fitting brown breeches and sturdy boots. He wears a hooded green cloak, which is waterproofed with wax, and fastened to leather pads that sit on his shoulders and provide a small amount of protection. His hairstyle varies, but normally he won't do anything with it, leaving it to hang around his shoulders. The right hand side of his face and body is covered in intricate, swirling black tribal tattoos.
Strengths:

• Adept Mage
• Born Survivor
• World-Wise

Weaknesses:

• Judgemental
• Overprotective
• Physically Weak
• Sceptical

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Psychological Attributes

Disciplined * Humble * Insensitive * Spiritual

Sexuality: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Ralorin is brave and disciplined. He does as he is told, when he is told, with little to no hesitation. This has waned somewhat over the last 6 years while he has been on his own with no one to command him. He is humble, never seeking praise or reward and in many cases pushing it away even when it is deserved. He is wise of the world around him, having travelled various parts of Ithea, and he often stops to take in the beauty of the world around him. Generally speaking he prefers to be alone, but this does not mean he cannot be in a group or get along with others. Ralorin possesses a fierce love for nature, fostered by the beliefs of his people and the lessons of the Old Ones. These beliefs influence almost every aspect of his daily life; despite his skill at magic he knows from the lessons of the Old Ones and the warnings of Rilifane that abuse and overuse of his powers can have dire consequences. He is indifferent to most people, never really growing emotional attachments to anyone outside of his own tribe.

As such, many can find Ralorin to be rude or insensitive. He speaks his mind with little regard for how that may make others feel, and his barbed tongue has frequently wound him up in trouble. He is judgemental of other faiths and customs, being deeply spiritual and zealous himself, and has been known to cause offence when addressing topics such as this. He is also deeply sceptical, refusing to accept that something is true just because someone else told him it is, and often going out of his way to research the topic and prove the other person wrong. He sees it as a win-win; if he is wrong, he ahs learned something new. If he is right, he got to prove someone else wrong.
Habits:

• Biting his fingernails and the skin around them
• Fidgeting in his seat
• Moving his hair off his face

Hobbies:

• Collecting coins
• Long walks on his own
• Writing a diary of his pilgrimage

Fears:

• Fear of intimacy
• Fear of not being able to escape
• Fear of public speaking

Likes:

• Animals
• Being Alone
• Being Right
• Debates
• Good Food
• Nature
• Reading
• Spring
• Travelling

Dislikes:

• Alcohol (most of the time)
• Crowded Rooms
• Drama
• Exaggeration
• Hot Drinks
• Hypocrisy
• Loud Noise
• Shallow People

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Skills

• Agility: The wood elves are an extremely agile and nimble people and Ralorin is no exception. To be able to hunt and move efficiently in the forests of Ralorin's homeland, one must be able to jump high, move quickly and with grace, and rapidly traverse sheer surfaces like tree trunks and rock faces with no aid.
• Combat: Ralorin knows how to fight with light weapons like short-swords and knives. He is not a combat master by any means, but is competent and knows basic self defence techniques that allow him to defend himself against aggressors when he can no longer rely on his magic. A more experienced and skilled swordsman would likely cleave him in half in single combat.
• Cultivation Magic: The wood elves are gifted in magic and Ralorin more so than most. Under the best instruction his tribe had to offer and a consistent, rigorous training regime, Ralorin has become an adept cultivation mage capable of manipulating the natural world around him to act as both his sword and his shield. Cultivation magic is Ralorin's greatest weapon and strongest defence, but he knows thanks to Rilifane's warnings that overdependence and abuse of these gifts and powers can have serious and dire consequences, hence why he has learned to defend himself with blades so that he doesn't have to rely solely on these powers.
• Endurance: Growing up in the forest breeds hardy folk. Naturally more resistant to diseases and some forms of natural poisons, Ralorin, like most among his people, has a high pain threshold and boasts exceptional stamina, useful for manoeuvring through the forest for extended periods of time, tree to tree or along the floor, without needing to stop.
• Healing: Ralorin knows basic first aid procedures, as well as a variety of natural poultices and herbal homeopathic remedies. He won't be able to save lives on the battlefield without some use of magic, but may be able to stabilise a casualty until a specialist can help, and knows remedies for a variety of diseases and ailments.
• Marksmanship: Competent with a bow, a requirement if one is to hunt the forests and survive as part of the wood elf tribal culture. Ralorin is a good shot, but not a master.
• Stealth: Ralorin is lightweight, graceful in his movement and well versed in stalking. He is capable of covering distances in the wilderness making minimal noise and largely not drawing attention to himself, which gives him utility in a scouting or ranging role.
• Survival: A plethora of survival skills necessary for anyone who wants to thrive in a tribal culture. Knowledge of flora and fauna, the ability to navigate without a map, making fires and shelters, fishing, hunting, crafting basic tools, tracking and sourcing water are all part of Ralorin's survival toolkit, a set of skills absolutely necessary and taught to wood elves from a very young age. His tracking is aided by Ralorin's sensitive hearing.

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Magic

Animal Manipulation

• Command Animal: When in close proximity to an animal (not including magical creatures), Ralorin can issue a command which the animal will then carry out. Typically, casting requires physical contact with the animal, but it can be done from a short distance at a greater energetic cost.
• Insect Swarm: Requires Ralorin to concentrate for the entire duration. Summons all insects within a 50 foot radius to swarm a target of Ralorin's choosing, biting and otherwise creating a distraction. Once finished, the insects simply revert from Ralorin's control and dissipate.

Terraforming

• Move Ground: Allows Ralorin to manipulate and reshape soft earth substrates such as sand, dirt and clay. Allows him to create pitfall obstacles, and temporary access routes through ramps and flattening terrain. Must have both hands on the ground while casting, and must stay in this position the entire time the earth is being moved.
• Rock Pillars: Like all of Ralorin's earth-based abilities, he must have both hands on the ground to cast this ability. This spell allows Ralorin to erect stone pillars from below the ground. These can serve as platforms, obstacles, and weapons. When summoned under an enemy they can be used to inflict damage, especially if summoned with a spike. He can change the size of these pillars to match their purpose, but cannot raise a pillar more than 15 feet from the ground..
• Stone Skin: Ralorin can either place both hands on the ground to coat his own body in a casing of thick rock, protecting him from physical damage. Alternatively he can place one hand on the ground and one hand on someone else, in order to coat that other person in stone and protect them. This protective casing must be actively sustained. In order for an ally's protection to be maintained, Ralorin must stay in physical contact with that person. This protects against physical damage but is vulnerable to magical attacks.
• Stone Wall: Ralorin can summon a thick barrier of rock in front of himself, stretching up to 50 feet wide in total, standing a maximum of 20 feet tall, and a maximum of 5 feet thick. Any dimension can be sacrificed to extend another. Ralorin must be in casting position for the entire time the wall is up. He can also erect individual panels of stone, allowing him to create obstructions or funnel opponents through a choke point. Like his Stone Skin spell, the Stone Wall is effective defending against physical damage but vulnerable to magical forms of attack.

Nature Magic

• Bark Skin: Enchanted tree bark blessed by Rilifane envelopes Ralorin's form, or the form of anyone he is in contact with. This bark has the same properties as the Stone Wall spell, except that this form is particularly strong against magical attacks and vulnerable to simple physical damage.
• Entangling Vines: Thick vines come forth from the ground or canopy on Ralorin's command, wrapping around and entrapping up to three targets. Useful for crowd control on the battlefield. The vines can persist for around one minute before retracting back, and in that time can be cut through with any sort of bladed weapon.
• Lashing Vines: Ralorin can extend his arm in the form of a thorn-covered vine with whip-like properties. A simple offensive strategy, low-cost and with great utility both as a lacerating weapon and a makeshift grappling hook, allowing him to grab hold of distant objects and pull himself to them.
• Lotus Ward: A Valenndale Lotus blooms between Ralorin's hands, initiating a protective ward bubble around it for as long as Ralorin can hold it for. The longest he has ever been able to manage is one hour and twenty minutes. This is very costly, but creates a protective bubble that is impenetrable to both physical and magical creatures. Useful only for protecting a team while someone is receiving treatment, or in dire circumstances where it provides an opportunity to re-evaluate the situation and make a plan. As soon as Ralorin releases the lotus, it evaporates, and so does the ward.
• Poison Spray: A cloud of noxious gas sprays from Ralorin's fingertips, the properties of which are adjustable between causing disorientation, drowsiness, blindness, nausea, vomiting or fatal poisoning, on a spectrum from lowest cost to highest cost dependent on the severity and combination of effects. A simple defence mechanism capable of obstructing an area and acting as a deterrent. The longer Ralorin casts for, the larger the cloud will grow.
• Sunblast: A burst of bright light from Ralorin's palm causes temporary stunning and disorientation for a few seconds, effectively working like a flashbang grenade from his hand. Low cost, low duration.
• Wall of Thorns: A wall of tough, pliable, tangled brush bristling with needle-sharp thorns comes up from the ground, up to five feet thick and 10 feet high. This ability can either manifest as a circle around Ralorin with a diameter of 20 feet, or a 60-foot long wall. This ability requires complete concentration to be maintained in the same way as the stone wall. It provides more magical protection, and the vines can be cut through with weapons. However, at five feet thick, the wall is incredibly tough to move and cut through, and any who try will be cut by the thorns, which can be seeped in poisons.

Shape Shifting

• Bird Form: An incredibly strenuous and energetically expensive escape mechanism, through which Ralorin can transform his entire being into a bird and fly for around 3 minutes. If he hasn't landed by the end of the three minutes, he will simply revert to his usual form and fall, which he learned the hard way. This is only ever used as an extreme last resort to escape from desperate situations, and as such Ralorin will avoid using it at all costs.

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Possessions

Possessions Generally On Person:

• Amulet: A wooden amulet on string about his neck, with a small green jewel embedded in it. Supposedly confers protection from Rilifane but is purely a symbolic religious item.
• Coin Collection: A small collection of different coins from the places Ralorin has visited over the years.
• Coin Pouch: A small leather coin pouch containing all of the currency that Ralorin currently owns.
• Hooded Cloak: The hooded cloak that Ralorin has on his person most of the time, providing warmth and also hiding his slender figure so as to not make him look an easy target.

Weapons:

• Arrows: Twelve iron-tipped arrows, suitable for taking down prey and soft targets. Could be tipped in poison but by default are not.
• Bow: A wooden hunting bow hand carved and strung by the craftsmen of Ralorin's tribe. Meticulously maintained, sturdy and lightweight, but lacking the punch to drop hard targets.
• Elven Blade: A hand-crafted blade, somewhere between a sword and a dagger. It is light and curved, an ideal weapon for an agile fighter like Ralorin to defend himself with.
• Hunting Knife: A utility knife for carving, skinning, and general purpose. Could be thrown if the situation called for it, but is not designed to be thrown and would be inaccurate.

Armor:

• Bracers: Leather bracers protecting the forearms, fastened over the shirt.
• Shin Guards: Leather shin guards fastened over the breeches.
• Shoulder Pads: Leather shoulder pads fastened over his shirt that protect his shoulders and the top of his arms from light attacks, while still affording full mobility.

Pack Contents:

• Bandages: Basic bandages for treating small wounds and making poultices.
• Bedroll: A simple but comfortable sleeping bag and mat, lined to keep the user warm on cold nights.
• Diary: A personal diary detailing Ralorin's travels and adventures.
• Fishing Hooks: Can be affixed to twine and a sturdy stick to make a makeshift fishing rod.
• Food Rations: Emergency rations, consisting of dried herbs and vegetables, salted meat, etc., just enough to survive on for a few days in an emergency.
• Kindling: A small packet of dry kindling so that even when it's been raining there is still a way to make a fire.
• Tools: A basic toolkit including scissors, a whittling knife and a small hatchet for chopping wood.
• Torch: A basic wooden torch, not much use in the rain.
• Twine: Strong thread with a number of useful applications.
• Whetstone: For sharpening any of Ralorin's knives or his dagger.

Creation Materials:

• Deeproot
• Nightshade Berries
• Witch Hazel

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History

History: Ralorin was born a member of the Tavaani tribe, inhabiting the eastern region of the Dorvanhun, an expanse of dense forest and low-lying marshes to the east of the Horned Peaks. The Tavaani, or the People of the Wood as they are colloquially known, placed a strong emphasis on tradition, making their way through life as hunter-gatherers and contributing to greater wood elf society as a largely agricultural tribe. Ralorin and his family were no exception to this. Ralorin’s father, Ayred, was an herbalist, while his mother Ealirel was a huntress. Ralorin was the first born of the pair’s two children, the other being a younger sister named Auraen. As young as five, Ralorin began learning the ways of the forest, and how to respect and protect the land as Rilifane intended. The lessons to be learned from the tale of the Old Ones was ingrained in him from a young age. It was chiefly his father who taught him about the various flora and fauna, how to read the land and how to take what he needed without taking what he did not deserve.

As Ralorin grew older, the lessons became more martial. It was one thing to not abuse the land, it was another to protect the tribe and the meagre lands the wood elves still held. He was taught how to shoot a bow and arrow, first at straw dummies and eventually out in the wilds, stalking prey and learning to hunt. Ralorin had a connection to the world around him that very few among them ever did, and sure enough, after coaxing from one of the elder members of the tribe, Ralorin’s magical potential was unearthed. Those talents were to be nurtured. Ralorin trained day and night, under the guidance of various elder members of the village. His mentor, an elderly mage named Vulwin, pushed him harder than any other, teaching him all he knew and how to manipulate the world around him to protect those he cared about without repeating the mistakes of the Old Ones and ignoring Rilifane’s warnings. Vulwin began grooming Ralorin to take his place as a village elder, teaching him more than just magic, but also about the complex interactions of the various wood elf tribes, how to lead and allocate, about politics and society. He taught Ralorin the most important lesson of his life; that one perspective is not enough to live a fulfilling life. With this in mind, Ralorin made the necessary preparations.

Like most Tavaani youngsters, Ralorin prepared for a pilgrimage. The tribe placed an emphasis on teaching its members that there was more to the world than the swamps and forests of the Valenndale heartlands. Ralorin had acquired the survival skills, the combat skills, the knowledge and the magical potency he would need to rise to the rank of elder, but there was still one key ingredient missing. Wisdom. Wisdom that could only be obtained by leaving the heartlands and seeing the world, learning their beliefs and cultures and customs, in the hope that he could one day return him enlightened and assume a leadership role with a deep and profound knowledge of the workings of Ithea. He left Tavaani lands aged 20, first travelling the heartlands, spending time with the Endaani, Tarcaani and Neldaani tribes where he observed the subtle differences and similarities between even these supposedly identical cultures. From there he travelled the Ellvenaan, learning about high elven culture, trying to understand the ancestors from whom his people had been isolated and alienated. Over the next six years, Ralorin lived among other wood elves on the Fleeting Isles, and observed the importance of the Dread God at the Four Pillar Cities and the brutish customs of the Orcs of I'Canxu in High Mist. He visited the Great Summit, the Londessellan and eventually the Wilds of Penault, where he spent time learning combat skills from the Drow. Eventually his travels bought him to Carthus. Here, he toured various wood elf encampments, taking him to Astoria, Viguard and eventually, Vicelles. It was in Vicelles, near the end of Ralorin's pilgrimage, that he became affiliated with the Order of Vigilance.

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Extras

Character Quote: "Everything has beauty, but not everybody sees it."
Opinions of Other Characters:

• Elias Black:
• Heinrich von Wolfram:
• Roselyn Delire:
• Hadar Mizrahi:
• Anwyn Apostolos:

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A Tale of Blood and Fog

@Famotill should be completed, let me know what you think.

Ralorin

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Ralorin

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Character Summary

Name: Ralorin Illaeric
Titles: None
Aliases: Ral, Rin
Age: 27
Race/Ethnicity: Wood Elf
Continent of Origin: Valenndale
Gender: Male
Class/Subclass: Mage/Cultivation

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Stats

Strength: 8
Dexterity: 15
Constitution: 12
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 12

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Physical Attributes

Height: 5'7"
Weight: 139lbs
Appearance Description: Ralorin stands at around average height for a wood elf. He is thin and athletic in build, with a good amount of muscle packed on to his small frame while still looking somewhat wiry. He has light brown hair that falls just past his shoulders, sitting at the top of his back, and he is completely clean shaven at all times. His dark brown eyes are small and sit somewhat wide on his head, and like most wood elves his ears are long and pointed. Ralorin's features are soft by Elven standards, and if it wasn't for his pointed ears, sharp jawline and pointed chin he could easily be mistaken for a human.
Day To Day Attire: Ralorin typically wears a simple grey shirt, as well as tight-fitting brown breeches and sturdy boots. He wears a hooded green cloak, which is waterproofed with wax, and fastened to leather pads that sit on his shoulders and provide a small amount of protection. His hairstyle varies, but normally he won't do anything with it, leaving it to hang around his shoulders. The right hand side of his face and body is covered in intricate, swirling black tribal tattoos.
Strengths:

• Adept Mage
• Born Survivor
• World-Wise

Weaknesses:

• Judgemental
• Overprotective
• Physically Weak
• Sceptical

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Psychological Attributes

Disciplined * Humble * Insensitive * Spiritual

Sexuality: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: Ralorin is brave and disciplined. He does as he is told, when he is told, with little to no hesitation. This has waned somewhat over the last 6 years while he has been on his own with no one to command him. He is humble, never seeking praise or reward and in many cases pushing it away even when it is deserved. He is wise of the world around him, having travelled various parts of Ithea, and he often stops to take in the beauty of the world around him. Generally speaking he prefers to be alone, but this does not mean he cannot be in a group or get along with others. Ralorin possesses a fierce love for nature, fostered by the beliefs of his people and the lessons of the Old Ones. These beliefs influence almost every aspect of his daily life; despite his skill at magic he knows from the lessons of the Old Ones and the warnings of Rilifane that abuse and overuse of his powers can have dire consequences. He is indifferent to most people, never really growing emotional attachments to anyone outside of his own tribe.

As such, many can find Ralorin to be rude or insensitive. He speaks his mind with little regard for how that may make others feel, and his barbed tongue has frequently wound him up in trouble. He is judgemental of other faiths and customs, being deeply spiritual and zealous himself, and has been known to cause offence when addressing topics such as this. He is also deeply sceptical, refusing to accept that something is true just because someone else told him it is, and often going out of his way to research the topic and prove the other person wrong. He sees it as a win-win; if he is wrong, he ahs learned something new. If he is right, he got to prove someone else wrong.
Habits:

• Biting his fingernails and the skin around them
• Fidgeting in his seat
• Moving his hair off his face

Hobbies:

• Collecting coins
• Long walks on his own
• Writing a diary of his pilgrimage

Fears:

• Fear of intimacy
• Fear of not being able to escape
• Fear of public speaking

Likes:

• Animals
• Being Alone
• Being Right
• Debates
• Good Food
• Nature
• Reading
• Spring
• Travelling

Dislikes:

• Alcohol (most of the time)
• Crowded Rooms
• Drama
• Exaggeration
• Hot Drinks
• Hypocrisy
• Loud Noise
• Shallow People

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Skills

• Agility: The wood elves are an extremely agile and nimble people and Ralorin is no exception. To be able to hunt and move efficiently in the forests of Ralorin's homeland, one must be able to jump high, move quickly and with grace, and rapidly traverse sheer surfaces like tree trunks and rock faces with no aid.
• Combat: Ralorin knows how to fight with light weapons like short-swords and knives. He is not a combat master by any means, but is competent and knows basic self defence techniques that allow him to defend himself against aggressors when he can no longer rely on his magic. A more experienced and skilled swordsman would likely cleave him in half in single combat.
• Cultivation Magic: The wood elves are gifted in magic and Ralorin more so than most. Under the best instruction his tribe had to offer and a consistent, rigorous training regime, Ralorin has become an adept cultivation mage capable of manipulating the natural world around him to act as both his sword and his shield. Cultivation magic is Ralorin's greatest weapon and strongest defence, but he knows thanks to Rilifane's warnings that overdependence and abuse of these gifts and powers can have serious and dire consequences, hence why he has learned to defend himself with blades so that he doesn't have to rely solely on these powers.
• Endurance: Growing up in the forest breeds hardy folk. Naturally more resistant to diseases and some forms of natural poisons, Ralorin, like most among his people, has a high pain threshold and boasts exceptional stamina, useful for manoeuvring through the forest for extended periods of time, tree to tree or along the floor, without needing to stop.
• Healing: Ralorin knows basic first aid procedures, as well as a variety of natural poultices and herbal homeopathic remedies. He won't be able to save lives on the battlefield without some use of magic, but may be able to stabilise a casualty until a specialist can help, and knows remedies for a variety of diseases and ailments.
• Marksmanship: Competent with a bow, a requirement if one is to hunt the forests and survive as part of the wood elf tribal culture. Ralorin is a good shot, but not a master.
• Stealth: Ralorin is lightweight, graceful in his movement and well versed in stalking. He is capable of covering distances in the wilderness making minimal noise and largely not drawing attention to himself, which gives him utility in a scouting or ranging role.
• Survival: A plethora of survival skills necessary for anyone who wants to thrive in a tribal culture. Knowledge of flora and fauna, the ability to navigate without a map, making fires and shelters, fishing, hunting, crafting basic tools, tracking and sourcing water are all part of Ralorin's survival toolkit, a set of skills absolutely necessary and taught to wood elves from a very young age. His tracking is aided by Ralorin's sensitive hearing.

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Magic

Animal Manipulation

• Command Animal: When in close proximity to an animal (not including magical creatures), Ralorin can issue a command which the animal will then carry out. Typically, casting requires physical contact with the animal, but it can be done from a short distance at a greater energetic cost.
• Insect Swarm: Requires Ralorin to concentrate for the entire duration. Summons all insects within a 50 foot radius to swarm a target of Ralorin's choosing, biting and otherwise creating a distraction. Once finished, the insects simply revert from Ralorin's control and dissipate.

Earth Magic

• Move Earth: Allows Ralorin to manipulate and reshape soft earth substrates such as sand, dirt and clay. Allows him to create pitfall obstacles, and temporary access routes through ramps and flattening terrain. Must have both hands on the ground while casting, and must stay in this position the entire time the earth is being moved.
• Rock Pillars: Like all of Ralorin's earth-based abilities, he must have both hands on the ground to cast this ability. This spell allows Ralorin to erect stone pillars from below the ground. These can serve as platforms, obstacles, and weapons. When summoned under an enemy they can be used to inflict damage, especially if summoned with a spike. He can change the size of these pillars to match their purpose, but cannot raise a pillar more than 15 feet from the ground..
• Stone Skin: Ralorin can either place both hands on the ground to coat his own body in a casing of thick rock, protecting him from physical damage. Alternatively he can place one hand on the ground and one hand on someone else, in order to coat that other person in stone and protect them. This protective casing must be actively sustained. In order for an ally's protection to be maintained, Ralorin must stay in physical contact with that person. This protects against physical damage but is vulnerable to magical attacks.
• Stone Wall: Ralorin can summon a thick barrier of rock in front of himself, stretching up to 50 feet wide in total, standing a maximum of 20 feet tall, and a maximum of 5 feet thick. Any dimension can be sacrificed to extend another. Ralorin must be in casting position for the entire time the wall is up. He can also erect individual panels of stone, allowing him to create obstructions or funnel opponents through a choke point. Like his Stone Skin spell, the Stone Wall is effective defending against physical damage but vulnerable to magical forms of attack.

Nature Magic

• Bark Skin: Enchanted tree bark blessed by Rilifane envelopes Ralorin's form, or the form of anyone he is in contact with. This bark has the same properties as the Stone Wall spell, except that this form is particularly strong against magical attacks and vulnerable to simple physical damage.
• Entangling Vines: Thick vines come forth from the ground or canopy on Ralorin's command, wrapping around and entrapping up to three targets. Useful for crowd control on the battlefield. The vines can persist for around one minute before retracting back, and in that time can be cut through with any sort of bladed weapon.
• Lashing Vines: Ralorin can extend his arm in the form of a thorn-covered vine with whip-like properties. A simple offensive strategy, low-cost and with great utility both as a lacerating weapon and a makeshift grappling hook, allowing him to grab hold of distant objects and pull himself to them.
• Lotus Ward: A Valenndale Lotus blooms between Ralorin's hands, initiating a protective ward bubble around it for as long as Ralorin can hold it for. The longest he has ever been able to manage is one hour and twenty minutes. This is very costly, but creates a protective bubble that is impenetrable to both physical and magical creatures. Useful only for protecting a team while someone is receiving treatment, or in dire circumstances where it provides an opportunity to re-evaluate the situation and make a plan. As soon as Ralorin releases the lotus, it evaporates, and so does the ward.
• Poison Spray: A cloud of noxious gas sprays from Ralorin's fingertips, the properties of which are adjustable between causing disorientation, drowsiness, blindness, nausea, vomiting or fatal poisoning, on a spectrum from lowest cost to highest cost dependent on the severity and combination of effects. A simple defence mechanism capable of obstructing an area and acting as a deterrent. The longer Ralorin casts for, the larger the cloud will grow.
• Sunblast: A burst of bright light from Ralorin's palm causes temporary stunning and disorientation for a few seconds, effectively working like a flashbang grenade from his hand. Low cost, low duration.
• Wall of Thorns: A wall of tough, pliable, tangled brush bristling with needle-sharp thorns comes up from the ground, up to five feet thick and 10 feet high. This ability can either manifest as a circle around Ralorin with a diameter of 20 feet, or a 60-foot long wall. This ability requires complete concentration to be maintained in the same way as the stone wall. It provides more magical protection, and the vines can be cut through with weapons. However, at five feet thick, the wall is incredibly tough to move and cut through, and any who try will be cut by the thorns, which can be seeped in poisons.

Shape Shifting

• Bird Form: An incredibly strenuous and energetically expensive escape mechanism, through which Ralorin can transform his entire being into a bird and fly for around 3 minutes. If he hasn't landed by the end of the three minutes, he will simply revert to his usual form and fall, which he learned the hard way. This is only ever used as an extreme last resort to escape from desperate situations, and as such Ralorin will avoid using it at all costs.

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Possessions

Possessions Generally On Person:

• Amulet: A wooden amulet on string about his neck, with a small green jewel embedded in it. Supposedly confers protection from Rilifane but is purely a symbolic religious item.
• Coin Collection: A small collection of different coins from the places Ralorin has visited over the years.
• Coin Pouch: A small leather coin pouch containing all of the currency that Ralorin currently owns.
• Hooded Cloak: The hooded cloak that Ralorin has on his person most of the time, providing warmth and also hiding his slender figure so as to not make him look an easy target.

Weapons:

• Arrows: Twelve iron-tipped arrows, suitable for taking down prey and soft targets. Could be tipped in poison but by default are not.
• Bow: A wooden hunting bow hand carved and strung by the craftsmen of Ralorin's tribe. Meticulously maintained, sturdy and lightweight, but lacking the punch to drop hard targets.
• Elven Blade: A hand-crafted blade, somewhere between a sword and a dagger. It is light and curved, an ideal weapon for an agile fighter like Ralorin to defend himself with.
• Hunting Knife: A utility knife for carving, skinning, and general purpose. Could be thrown if the situation called for it, but is not designed to be thrown and would be inaccurate.

Armor:

• Bracers: Leather bracers protecting the forearms, fastened over the shirt.
• Shin Guards: Leather shin guards fastened over the breeches.
• Shoulder Pads: Leather shoulder pads fastened over his shirt that protect his shoulders and the top of his arms from light attacks, while still affording full mobility.

Pack Contents:

• Bandages: Basic bandages for treating small wounds and making poultices.
• Bedroll: A simple but comfortable sleeping bag and mat, lined to keep the user warm on cold nights.
• Diary: A personal diary detailing Ralorin's travels and adventures.
• Fishing Hooks: Can be affixed to twine and a sturdy stick to make a makeshift fishing rod.
• Food Rations: Emergency rations, consisting of dried herbs and vegetables, salted meat, etc., just enough to survive on for a few days in an emergency.
• Kindling: A small packet of dry kindling so that even when it's been raining there is still a way to make a fire.
• Tools: A basic toolkit including scissors, a whittling knife and a small hatchet for chopping wood.
• Torch: A basic wooden torch, not much use in the rain.
• Twine: Strong thread with a number of useful applications.
• Whetstone: For sharpening any of Ralorin's knives or his dagger.

Creation Materials:

• Deeproot
• Nightshade Berries
• Witch Hazel

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History

History: Ralorin was born a member of the Tavaani tribe, inhabiting the eastern region of the Dorvanhun, an expanse of dense forest and low-lying marshes to the east of the Horned Peaks. The Tavaani, or the People of the Wood as they are colloquially known, placed a strong emphasis on tradition, making their way through life as hunter-gatherers and contributing to greater wood elf society as a largely agricultural tribe. Ralorin and his family were no exception to this. Ralorin’s father, Ayred, was an herbalist, while his mother Ealirel was a huntress. Ralorin was the first born of the pair’s two children, the other being a younger sister named Auraen. As young as five, Ralorin began learning the ways of the forest, and how to respect and protect the land as Rilifane intended. The lessons to be learned from the tale of the Old Ones was ingrained in him from a young age. It was chiefly his father who taught him about the various flora and fauna, how to read the land and how to take what he needed without taking what he did not deserve.

As Ralorin grew older, the lessons became more martial. It was one thing to not abuse the land, it was another to protect the tribe and the meagre lands the wood elves still held. He was taught how to shoot a bow and arrow, first at straw dummies and eventually out in the wilds, stalking prey and learning to hunt. Ralorin had a connection to the world around him that very few among them ever did, and sure enough, after coaxing from one of the elder members of the tribe, Ralorin’s magical potential was unearthed. Those talents were to be nurtured. Ralorin trained day and night, under the guidance of various elder members of the village. His mentor, an elderly mage named Vulwin, pushed him harder than any other, teaching him all he knew and how to manipulate the world around him to protect those he cared about without repeating the mistakes of the Old Ones and ignoring Rilifane’s warnings. Vulwin began grooming Ralorin to take his place as a village elder, teaching him more than just magic, but also about the complex interactions of the various wood elf tribes, how to lead and allocate, about politics and society. He taught Ralorin the most important lesson of his life; that one perspective is not enough to live a fulfilling life. With this in mind, Ralorin made the necessary preparations.

Like most Tavaani youngsters, Ralorin prepared for a pilgrimage. The tribe placed an emphasis on teaching its members that there was more to the world than the swamps and forests of the Valenndale heartlands. Ralorin had acquired the survival skills, the combat skills, the knowledge and the magical potency he would need to rise to the rank of elder, but there was still one key ingredient missing. Wisdom. Wisdom that could only be obtained by leaving the heartlands and seeing the world, learning their beliefs and cultures and customs, in the hope that he could one day return him enlightened and assume a leadership role with a deep and profound knowledge of the workings of Ithea. He left Tavaani lands aged 20, first travelling the heartlands, spending time with the Endaani, Tarcaani and Neldaani tribes where he observed the subtle differences and similarities between even these supposedly identical cultures. From there he travelled the Ellvenaan, learning about high elven culture, trying to understand the ancestors from whom his people had been isolated and alienated. Over the next six years, Ralorin lived among other wood elves on the Fleeting Isles, and observed the importance of the Dread God at the Four Pillar Cities and the brutish customs of the Orcs of I'Canxu in High Mist. He visited the Great Summit, the Londessellan, Otmonguard and even the Wilds of Penault, where he spent time learning combat skills from the Drow. Eventually his travels bought him to Carthus. Here, he toured various wood elf encampments, taking him to Astoria, Viguard and eventually, Vicelles. It was in Vicelles, near the end of Ralorin's pilgrimage, that he became affiliated with the Order of Vigilance.

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Extras

Character Quote: "Everything has beauty, but not everybody sees it."
Opinions of Other Characters:

• Elias Black:
• Heinrich von Wolfram:
• Roselyn Delire:
• Hadar Mizrahi:
• Anwyn Apostolos:

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Star Wars: The Beat (closed)

Corros Meeran

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Sergeant Vytuia ran over the plan while the squad took their seats in the shuttle. Corros swung his pack lazily off of his back as he fell into his seat, securing himself and holding his equipment upright between his knees. He resisted the chance to liken the stench of Lotho Minor to his own dear squadmates; as much as he enjoyed being a smart-ass, even Corros wasn't stupid enough to upset the people that he'd be dependent on in a few moments if things were to go south. Instead he did something he rarely ever did; he just shut up and listen. The plan seemed relatively simple. Land to the south, reach the building, clear the building, secure the building. Two more squads would do the same from the opposite side and the roof respectively. Corros couldn't tell what the Sergeant was thinking as he flashed up a holographic map. His face was calm, which was reassuring, but then again, even if they were about to jump out of the shuttle straight down a saralcc's throat, Sergeant Vytuia would look like he was on his way to dinner.

The devil was in the detail, or more accurately, the complete lack of it. Situations like this always made Corros nervous. Even just being told they had to be ready to split into squads, without designating them, left room for confusion that could cost someone their life under the wrong circumstances. They had no real intel on why the facility had gone dark, and no idea who may be responsible. Their scans had shown no signs of activity on the outside, but it didn't take a genius to know that this was not any form of reassurance at all. It could have been a number of things, from unhappy locals, to rebellions, to a horrific industrial accident. For the whole facility to go dark just like that, it had to be something pretty major. The thought of it made Corros shift in his seat, and for a moment he thanked his helmet for masking his probably very concerned-looking face.

When the Sarge was done talking, he opened the floor for questions. The new guy, Malik Skaya, spoke up first. "How important is it that the facility remains intact? Will we be able to use thermal detonators inside or should such destruction be avoided?" It was an important question, and the main one that Corros had been wondering too. He always felt safer with a Smart Rocket at his disposal to bail him out but if they were under instruction to keep the facility intact, which was most likely, he may as well leave it on the shuttle and enjoy having a slightly lighter pack for once. Corros liked this guy, which was helpful considering he may well be smearing bacta on Corros' chest in the next few hours. He seemed switched on, and it took a certain confidence to speak up with questions first in a room full of complete strangers, no matter how drilled you were.

Callus asked a question along similar lines, about breaching vs slicing. Corros hoped it was breaching so that he hadn't hauled all these explosives from the armoury to the shuttle for no reason, but knew it was likely to be slicing, again in the interest of protecting the integrity of the Imperial facility and minimizing the cost of getting it up and running again. Corros didn't really have any questions himself. The only thing he wondered was what had caused it to go dark down there, and with any luck they'd find that out very soon. Besides, no one else knew either, so it was a pointless question to voice. Instead he held his tongue, fidgeting slightly in his seat as the shuttle ramp went up.

A Tale of Blood and Fog

@Famotill hey, I know a guy from another site that would thrive in this setting. He's not signed up here so he would be 0 days, 0 posts but I can vouch for him as a committed writer. Would you be open to him signing on as well?

A Tale of Blood and Fog

@Famotill if you don't mind me asking, how did you make the maps? Both the continent maps and the individual maps of Vicelles and Astoria? They look awesome, is there a site or software you did this on?

A Tale of Blood and Fog

Also interested!