Hank

Mahz's Dev Journal

I don't even know why I've received half the likes I have accumulated. Now imagine accumulating dislikes you wouldn't know why you received. Would most people rather be liked and not know why, or disliked and not know why?

@Shienvien

Yes.

The Guardians of Dara: Fantasy City Governing

While Nasharia spoke, Ephraim sat back down, his face still contorted into a scowl, but his temper diminished by her words. He let the others speak for a while on the matters that he had no experience with or influence in.

Kanros proposed that Ephraim be the one to root out more information about the sorcery that had occurred in the Hall of the Guardians, and Ephraim had replied with a curt nod. Of course, he had already begun his investigation immediately after the attack, but it would do well to have the consent of the rest of the Guardians to continue the investigation without fear of reprisal. Quietly, of course, but Ephraim drove a hard bargain until he got the truth out of people.

Ignoring the current conversation about who the Guardians should hire to increase the capacity of the city guard, Ephraim cleared his throat and turned his attention to Landar. "I agree with Kanros; I would very much like to investigate the events that transpired here. My own network is respectable, but not nearly as extensive as yours. Will you grant me access to your informants so I may have the greatest amount of resources available to me?"

He hated asking (for anything, really) but it was necessary. And, Ephraim thought to himself, it would actually be good not to be total enemies with everyone else. He still didn't know what to do about Leytan and Alaric, but he would let that matter rest until a later time.

With even greater reluctance, he turned to Haljon. "With your permission, of course," Ephraim said, smiling wryly.

Mahz's Dev Journal

The day Twitch leaks onto RPG is the day true shitposting can begin.

The Guardians of Dara: Fantasy City Governing

<Snipped quote by Hank>

Awwwh man I was hoping that Ephraim and Leytan would be buds. Ah well, I respect this choice, it should be fun.
(I'm now hoping for a battle between the two.)

@Sypherkhode822

That would be great. The elven duelist versus the human monk.

I already love the tensions building between the characters.

Donations.

On the topic of donations, from his Dev Journal:

<Snipped quote by Robeatics>

No need. I'll be putting ads back up soon. They pay for the server. Thanks.

@Mahz

_{credit goes to the search function to allow me to find this quote}

HamburgerHelper: The glove comes off

The Guardians of Dara: Fantasy City Governing

Ephraim's ritual had been simple. In his own culture, such a blessing would have been a matter performed by the presiding arch-curate, an elder chosen for having the most powerful connection to the spirits of the wild. However, the Far North was too far after all, and Ephraim hadn't even tried to contact his tribe to convince the arch-curate to travel hundreds of miles to Dara. As such, the Pale Avenger had been content to have Anu perform the ritual that made him a Guardian. As expected, it involved a lot of chanting and fragrant incense. Ephraim didn't understand a word of it.

The vision that had followed brought back unbidden memories, images of Melazus that Ephraim figured he had forgotten years ago. The darkness, the strange imagery on the walls and the pillars... nothing he wanted to remember at all. In the shadows, he could see things lurking and circling him; he could hear their guttural panting and growling. A maniacal laugh echoed through the catacombs, and the hairs on Ephraim's neck stood on end. Cyrabassis's laugh. Staring into the shadows, Ephraim noticed something bright was casting his own shadow in front of him. Whirling around, Ephraim saw one of the murals change, and he heard a word in a language he had not spoken for close to 30 years; something that translated to "Opened" or "Unlocked". With a flash of light, he suddenly came to on the floor of the Great House of Silence. Ephraim had rushed to his feet and unsheathed both of his rhyming swords, almost attacking the old Anu, but the fear and surprise in the old man's eyes stopped him. Frustrated and confused, Ephraim put the swords away and apologized, explaining he had received a vision of things he had never wished to see again. Anu nodded slowly and sagely.

---

The lictors annoyed him to no end. The human children and adolescents were so small he was unable to see them if they got in his way, and Ephraim found himself having to look down occasionally to make sure he wasn't about to trample one of his lictors. He could tell that they feared him; his height, his outlandish appearance and the twin rhyming swords strapped to his waist were responsible for that. Not to mention his reputation.

So now he was a Guardian after all, a station he had silently craved for years. Being a Guardian greatly expanded his political influence and put him above the magistrates he had relied on previously to fund his work as the Pale Avenger. To mark himself as a Guardian, he had wrapped an olive-green sash around his waist. Today, he wasn't wearing his usual red, but old white robes woven by his own people; one of the few possessions he brought with him from the Far North. Olive-green and red wasn't a particularly appealing combination, after all.

Climbing the steps of the Hall of the Guardians, Ephraim's jaw clenched and he ground his teeth. The thought of being in a room with the likes of Alaric and Leytan unsettled him greatly. When one of the lictors brushed gently against Ephraim, he spat out a curse and scolded the Pureblood child; fear bright in his eyes, the boy withdrew several feet and kept his distance. Too consumed by his own internal struggle, Ephraim paid him no further mind.

When he stepped into the Hall, many of his former comrades were already there, like Kanros and Landar. Without speaking a word or even acknowledging the other Guardians, Ephraim strode to one of the chairs and sat down, busying himself with cleaning his rhyming swords, his gaze turned downwards. His lictors, unsure of what to do, positioned themselves by Ephraim's flank or sat themselves down on the bench behind him.

Ephraim didn't look up until Anu began the opening ceremony. Leaving his rhyming swords crossed in front of him on the table, a statement of his hostility, he leaned back in his chair and looked around the room at the other Guardians for the first time. Kanros, ever the leader, was the first to speak. Predictably, he was concerned with the mundane consequences of the murder of the previous Guardians, like what would happen to the Great Spice Road; something that Ephraim couldn't possibly care less about.

Landar followed. He, at the very least, touched on the subject of the occult but skimmed over it. Ephraim had always known that Landar wasn't involved with the occult much and this was confirmed once more. Wise man, to keep his nose so far out of it, Ephraim thought to himself. Alas, Landar also spoke of mundane matters, like a military assault on the city. Ephraim almost let out a chuckle but maintained his composure. What use would a military attack on Dara have if their enemy could already slay Guardians without impunity, inside the city walls?

And then Leytan. Thrice-damned Leytan and his insatiable curiosity, his heretical interest in the occult. Ephraim sneered as Leytan spoke of his knowledge of the mysteries of magic. I should kill him where he stands, Ephraim thought, fingering the hilt of one of his rhyming swords. But it was what Leytan said afterwards that caused him to break out into mirthless laughter; a high, cold sound that caused Ephraim's lictors (and many of the other Purebloods in the room) to shift uncomfortably.

Smoothing his robes, Ephraim stood up, hunched over the table, leaning on his knuckles. "A lion? A bear? Leytan, Leytan, for someone who calls himself Master you lack sheer common sense. The Hall of the Guardians is situated in the middle of the city. For anyone to smuggle a bear into the Hall a lot of blind eyes would have to be turned. And don't get me wrong, I know that wild animals can be ferocious and dangerous, but have you seen the scorch marks? If there is one thing all animals fear, it's fire. The kind of damage wrought by the fire in this Hall is incompatible with a wild animal tearing our beloved Guardians to shreds simultaneously. Even a bear would have been cowed by such heat and light. Thirdly, do you really believe the lictors and Guardians themselves would have been overwhelmed by a wild animal, or even a group of them? We faced far worse in Melazus, Leytan, and all of us are still alive... for better or for worse."

Ephraim let the last few words he spoke hang in the air for a few seconds before continuing. "The only reason I have not killed you sooner, Leytan, is that we were comrades once. I have spent more than a decade hunting down anyone who dabbles in the occult in Dara. I have seen aspiring witches and wizards attempt all manner of sorcery. I believe that, so far, all of them have failed. Nothing I have seen reminds me of Melazus, until now. I was in the Hall of the Guardians less than two hours after the attack. The air was heavy with the smell of cooked flesh; bodies littered the place, scorched to a crisp or ripped to shreds, sometimes both. It reminded me of only one thing -- all I could see in my mind's eye was those catacombs. They say smell is the sense most powerfully associated with memory, and I believe this to be true. It was the smell of sorcery, of that I am sure."

Ephraim's rant over, he glared at Leytan and then let his gaze sweep with the room, daring anyone to disagree with him.

Mahz's Dev Journal

<Snipped quote by NuttsnBolts>

There is a lot I could say here, but I'll keep it succinct. Panda isn't the type that gets butthurt even when there is insult offered. That sort of critique is generally more of a commentary on the person giving it than on the actual merits of the work being critiqued.

@HeySeuss

#shotsfired

The Guardians of Dara: Fantasy City Governing

Character Sheet
Name: Ephraim ju-Karnur, the Pale Avenger.
Age: 44.
Gender: Male.
Race: Elf.
Physical Description:

Hailing from a secluded tribe of elves from the far north, Ephraim sticks out like a sore thumb in the city of Dara; an outlander among outlanders. His hair and skin are stark white, bright as fresh-fallen snow, and even the irises of his eyes are a milky white that makes his gaze seem unflinchingly sharp. Like a wildling, his shoulder-length hair is unkempt; Ephraim makes no effort to tame his mane. Traditional tattoos of black ink, the meaning of which have been lost with time, line his cheeks, mark his lips and emblazon his forehead. His arms and legs are also lined with thin, gently curving lines that follow the general flow of his vital arteries.

Like all elves, he is tall and thin, towering over men (and especially dwarves) but not matching humans for girth or stature. At their respective physical peaks, Ephraim would never match a human for strength, but his lithe limbs and porous bones mean he is faster than they could ever be. Aside from his appearance, there is no significant difference between the physiology of Ephraim's tribe and the more southerly elves.

Reference image.

Skillset:

Before Ephraim traveled south to seek fame and fortune, he was educated in the flashy and deceptively nimble style of swordplay his tribe has practiced for centuries. They wage no war and suffer little infighting, so the style is practiced mostly ceremonially; despite this, however, it is decidedly deadly. It requires two swords, both light and with curved blades, called rhyming swords. The weight and handling of the two swords is identical, which means neither has a specific purpose: both swords can be used for all possible moves and techniques, creating a very fluid fighting style. The elven swordsmen are taught not to have a dominant hand and train excessively to become equally proficient with their right and their left hands. It is not unfair to say that Ephraim is a master.

In the cold, harsh lands where he is from, agriculture is all but impossible; hunting and gathering is the only way of life. Out of necessity, Ephraim is proficient with the bow and arrow and is an expert at tracking prey through snowy lands. This skill is mostly applicable to the sandy lands near Dara as well, but considering Ephraim's current position in Dara, he has not practiced it for many years.

Ephraim's greatest talent is his ability to instill fear with a few whispered words, and his presence demands authority wherever he goes. He acknowledges this skill and uses it often, and to great effect.

Far Ancestry:

Ephraim's tribe, which no longer has a name, used to be very widespread in the snowy lands of the Far North. They never formed a centralized empire, which was eventually their undoing, but for thousands of years they defended their lands through insurrectionist and terrorist tactics whenever an invading force showed up at their doorstep. In ages past, all pale elves could call upon the snow to serve them; invaders could not trust their eyes, as the elves could wade through the snow without leaving a trace, and turn it into a whirling, blinding storm that only their gazes could pierce. It wasn't until an unknown enemy -- vaguely described as bringing fire and shadow with them -- almost wiped them out that the pale elves lost their hold over the Far North. Without a standing army or a single, strong leader, they were unable to repel the enemy force. Now, the survivors, Ephraim's single tribe, ekes out a living, numbering merely a few hundred.

Character History:

As previously mentioned, Ephraim is a pale elf from the Far North. As a young adult, he became fed up with the tough life his tribe led, and when his parents were killed by a fierce blizzard on a hunting trip, Ephraim realized there was absolutely nothing keeping him there. He gathered his possessions, including his prized rhyming swords, said his tribe farewell and set out for the sunny south. He did not stop until he reached sand.

He quickly discovered that his (what he had previously assumed to only be) 'ceremonial' fighting style was actually very effective against more the more conventional human style of combat. He was too fast for the knights wearing plate and wielding greatswords, and his curved blades reached behind shields and other defenses. Pleased, he took up the mantle as a soldier-of-fortune, mercenary and assassin. The tough life of the Far North hadn't exactly instilled a great sense of appreciation for life in Ephraim, so he had no qualms with killing strangers for gold.

It wasn't until King Pykas threatened to take the whole region by force that Ephraim used his abilities for good. The pale elf fell in with a band of adventurers who teamed up to eliminate the King and his accursed advisor, Cyrabassis. Ephraim reasoned that war was bad for his particular kind of business; it relied on a stable region with various factions vying for dominance, not an out-and-out war where all the city states were fighting for their independence.

In the catacombs of Melazus, Ephraim was confronted with the horrors of real magic. He had been raised with stories of the things the pale elves were supposedly capable of in ages past, the snow magic, but this was different. Terribly, terribly different. Where some faltered, other steeled themselves, and Ephraim was amongst them. He personally slew several of Cyrabassis's conjurations and almost executed Cyrabassis on the spot, were it not for the other adventurers, who were forced to restrain Ephraim until he agreed not to slay the defeated sorcerer.

That event instilled him with a single, unshakeable idea: magic was an abomination. He had always been a hard sort of fellow, but after the catacombs he was entirely made of sharp edges. Using his talent for intimidation, he installed himself as Dara's resident witch-hunter, and has been hunting down occultists ever since, backed by a few city magistrates who share his ideals. The fact that so many of his former adventuring colleagues have turned to gathering occult resources and learning about it has been a major thorn in his eye for years, but he can't bring himself to persecute them. The common folk of Dara have (predictably without little imagination) dubbed him the Pale Avenger for his efforts.

Now that Dara's Guardians have been slain, Ephraim is planning to immediately seize the opportunity to become a Guardian himself. Perhaps he can use the greater authority of that station to finally justify bringing his former friends and colleagues to justice.

Psychological Profile:

Ephraim is a difficult, dangerous individual. Ever since the incident in the catacombs he has been filled with cold fury and an almost zealous hatred of magic and those who think it's anywhere remotely near an acceptable idea to dabble in it. This has caused a huge rift between himself and his former adventuring colleagues, none of whom have taken such a strong stance against magic as Ephraim. Because many of them, like (especially) Leytan, have learned as much about it as they can, Ephraim is constantly unsettled and torn, feeling simultaneously unable to persecute his former friends, but also guilty over letting them get away with what they do.

This colours all of his interactions with other people; he is terse, direct and often rude, incapable of forming friendships with anyone. Even those who work with him and back his witch-hunting efforts don't personally like Ephraim much, but he is damn good at what he does and commands enough respect and fear that nobody turns against him. His cultural upbringing is also radically different from anyone else in Dara, which further alienates him.

Equipment:

- A matching pair of rhyming swords; thin, curved blades crafted in the rimefire forges of the Far North. The handle is also curved to fit snugly into the palm. Neither sword has a crossguard; Ephraim uses the flat of the blade to parry and deflect. They are light in weight but deceptively strong and require little maintenance to retain their edge.
- Ephraim wears no armor, instead dressing in loose-fitting robes of various colours (mostly red) that allow him total freedom of movement. Soft leather boots protect his feet.
- He owns a bow, but keeps it in his home as he has no real purpose for it in Dara.
- Various knives and daggers strapped to his chest and legs beneath his robes for emergency work.

Titles/Holdings/Power Base:

He is the Pale Avenger, Dara's resident witch-hunter extraordinaire. Ephraim works together with a small group of informants and mercenaries throughout the city; there is much overlap between his network and the Undertaker's, and the two often end up working on the same case. The biggest difference is the fact that Ephraim is backed and funded by a few of Dara's magistrates, who use Ephraim to solidify their own political influence (being "tough on magic" is popular with the common folk). Ephraim also persecutes and executes people who have technically not committed any crimes (there is no law against owning occult materials), which means he relies on the magistrates to keep the City Guard off his back.

The only property Ephraim owns is his home, a dark and gloomy house hidden away in an alley in the poor part of Dara. He keeps records of all persecuted would-be witches and wizards there, and a large, cast-iron furnace where he burns occult materials.

Relationships

- Kanros: Ephraim and Kanros remain on good footing, as Kanros hasn't turned to the occult at all. In fact, his fear of it nurtures Ephraim's fondness for the man. Ephraim occasionally calls upon Kanros for favours in his position as Dara's most influential mercenary.

- Nasharia: Her nosedive into Daran politics means she and Ephraim have drifted apart completely, as they move in radically different circles. Ephraim considered asking Nasharia to become one of the magistrates to back his witch-hunting efforts, but he hasn't yet. She seemed to have her hands full anyway.

- Erwun: The Pale Avenger and the Undertaker run into each other frequently and maintain a professional working relationship. Ephraim respects Erwun for his crime-fighting exploits, but they were never friends and still aren't.

- Landar: The Blood Rider is a useful source of information, but Ephraim has no respect for the man's bloodthirsty exploits abroad -- why had Landar not turned his rage on those actually deserving of it, like those who dabble in the occult?

- Haljon: Ephraim plays a dangerous dance around the commander of the Khavi, as the Pale Avenger could easily be labelled a criminal and hunted down himself. So far, however, this has not yet occurred (to Ephraim's knowledge). Haljon and Ephraim have not spoken in years.

- Leytan: Of all his previous colleagues, Leytan is one of Ephraim's greatest enemies. Ephraim vehemently disagrees with Leytan's habit of collecting occult knowledge, and his position as an authority on the matter pains Ephraim greatly. So far, Ephraim has not persecuted Leytan yet, but this may change soon.

- Alaric: Much like Leytan, Ephraim despises Alaric's collection of grimoires, tomes and artifacts. However, also much like Leytan, Ephraim has not been able to bring himself to turn on his former colleague. Recently, however, since the death of the Guardians, Ephraim has noticed Alaric's activities and silently approves. If the man can make up for his moment of weakness in the catacombs by turning all his occult knowledge to bear against this new enemy, it would be a good first step towards redemption.

Edohr: That CS is still WIP.

The Guardians of Dara: Fantasy City Governing

Hold your horses, old sports. I'm submitting a character as well.

EDIT: Done. Assuming there's still room for more characters and I'm accepted (HeySeuss?), please edit your Relationships section accordingly.

EDIT 2: Of course, if you don't agree with the kind of relationship I've established between Ephraim and your character, let me know and we'll rework it until we're both satisfied.