Obscene Symphony

Of Blood and Magic

The girl accepted his hand, to Aaron's great relief, and returned his smile. Good then, she wasn't upset. He would have hated for his first impression on this campus to be a bad one.

"Oh, it's quite alright," She assured him, "I am Lilie. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Aaron shook her hand gently, noting the softness of her skin, then released it before anyone looking on would have the chance to mistake the gesture for something inappropriate. He gave a curt bow as he did so, more of a nod really, briefly tousling his hair.

"Lovely to meet you too, Lilie," Aaron replied, regaining his composure at last. Lilie, a gentle name. He wondered what kind of mage she was. Ice, perhaps? Did she even know at this point?

He was just inhaling for further pleasantries when a commanding presence came onto the scene, a blue-haired woman with a sing-song voice and a posture like she owned the place.

"Ah! There you are, my darling! Ooh, you are even prettier than you looked in the picture! I'm Arianna, and I do feel we will get along splendidly, my dear partner. You will not have to worry in my care~"

Aaron's breath caught in his throat. Her partner! Of course! That was the whole point of this gathering, and here he was gawking at a girl while his partner stood alone somewhere!

Suddenly very self-conscious, Aaron's smile shrunk to an expression of polite horror. As much as he would have liked to stay and chat a tad more with Lilie, it was not his place to take up her time while her partner was waiting, let alone making his own partner wait because his mage happened upon a pretty face.

"...Please excuse me," he said, tossing an apologetic glance at Lilie, "I should be going, surely my partner is waiting for me." He gave Lilie and her partner a smile and another nod-bow and turned back into the crowd, chastising himself with every step.

Oh well done Aaron, he scolded in his head, you train all your life for this just to get derailed by the first girl you see...

Taking a deep breath and straightening his jacket, Aaron wove his way through the crowd with renewed vigour, searching ever harder for the mop of red hair that would give away his charge. This time, he cut through the middle of the crowd instead of the outskirts, and found his efforts this time to be far more fruitful.

There, in the very spot where Princess Ryner had stood on the fountain's edge, sat a pale gentleman with a glass of blood swirling in one hand, the other weaving through his shock-red hair. A few people separated him and Aaron, and the mage quickly drew out his envelope for a last-minute comparison. Yes, this looked like his partner.

Aaron tucked the envelope neatly back into the folds of his jacket, gave himself a final mental once-over, and took a deep breath.

This is it...

With that, he politely nudged through the last few remaining people and stepped in front of the fountain, in full view of the vampire. He remained as far away as the crowd would allow him, which gave him a few feet. A respectable distance. On his face he wore an expression of polite contentedness; not straight-faced, but not jovial. He clasped his hands behind his back and bowed, bending at the waist and keeping his head steady, but his eyes down. It was a formal bow, but nothing less would be expected when greeting vampiric nobility.

"Count Sinnenodel," he greeted cordially, loud enough to hear over the rising din of the crowd, "My name is Aaron Starag. I'll be serving as your attendant."

Mentions and Extras

@Achronum@Hero@Crusader Lord

If you're wondering, here's what the bow looks like:

Except with hands behind his back.

Of Blood and Magic

Leading up to Pairing Day

The Noilas' mage population had thinned a bit over the past few weeks, as it did every year, as Princess Ryner's personal flock of organizers and instructors prepared for the new session at Noila Academy, and the new arrivals that came with it; one such new arrival, for the first time, in their own midst.

When Aaron first heard the news, he'd been nearly bowled over in shock. He hadn't heard by customary hand-written letter (although he did eventually receive one as a formality) but rather by his mother, sent by Princess Ryner herself, beaming in pride as she delivered the good news that he would be the first ever in the Starag line to attend the Academy.

Except for Aaron, it hadn't been good news. Rather, it felt like a punch to the gut, for a moment turning his entire world hazy. Prestigious as it may be, the Academy had never been a place for the Starag mages; their place had always been at the sides of the Noilas, having been tutored and trained individually under their watchful gaze, finely tuned specifically to serve them. Yes, it was true that the Academy was Princess Ryner's pride and joy and only child, but it had just never been necessary for a Starag to go there. Their partners had always been decided far in advance, and always from the Noila line, unlike the melting pot of the Academy. A long, long standing tradition being defied for the first time.

Initially devastated, Aaron had thought he'd done something wrong, that he'd somehow failed and was being disposed of in a classier manner than most. He didn't dare refuse or voice his concerns (being a squeaky wheel wouldn't improve his standings) but his mind swirled all the same. What had he done? Why didn't any of the Noilas want him? He'd been dedicated and well-performing all his life, had that not been enough?

For days his mind reeled, until finally he came to a few different conclusions. The Noila family had always held the Starags close at hand, had never once given one to anyone outside of the family. When there had been poorly performing Starag mages, they'd been given to distant relatives of low standing, but never outside the family and never outright ejected. So what had changed now?

With the Moonlight Court, it could have been anything. What snippets of gossip Aaron heard (there was no shortage of those) always spoke of turbulent relations between this house and that one, the names always changing but the theme remaining the same. Friction. In the past, mages of other prestigious lines had been given as gifts, gestures of good will, from one house to another. Could this be something like that? If so, why choose such a young mage as himself and not one of the many excellent older ones who had already proven themselves?

Or perhaps Princess Ryner thought it was time to integrate the Starags into her precious Academy? She took such pride in it, it would make sense for her to think it more than adequate for the training of young mages for her own family's use. Maybe she wanted their representation in the Academy as a gesture of goodwill and confidence, to show that even the royal family valued an Academy mage. Aaron had wracked his brain for a young Noila vampire who might also be attending the Academy. Maybe he was to be given to a Noila, but through a non-traditional method.

As the days ticked down toward the opening ceremony, Aaron decided he preferred the latter option. It made far more sense. The royal family was deciding to get with the times and admit their mages to their own Academy. That must have been it.

With that in mind, Aaron's mood pricked up considerably, excitement growing for the first day. Yes, he was being given an opportunity to represent the Starag family (and by extension, the Noila one as well) at the most prestigious academy in the world, and he was determined to make the most of it, and make his family proud.

The mage's quarters of the Noila castle had abuzz with anticipation all evening, some of its residents having gotten up early to make any last-minute preparations for the occasion ahead.

Aaron had been up since before sunset, running through mental checklists, making doubly and triply sure nothing had been forgotten. He'd sharpened and polished his sword to a mirror shine and conditioned the leather grip to a velvety softness; his suit had been thoroughly pressed and steamed, and now there he was, meticulously groomed, repeatedly smoothing the lapel of his black suit jacket, straightening his mustard yellow tie and making sure his slacks hung nicely with the scabbard on his hip.

Naturally, he was ready before he needed to be, and now was stuck, abuzz with excitement and nervous anticipation, sitting on a bench in the mage's foyer and waiting for the moment he'd be called out to the car. Elbows on his knees, his whole body bounced as his one leg tapped a feverish rhythm on the marble floor. He could see his expression of tense energy in the toes of his mirror-polished shoes. His hands ceaselessly fiddled, spinning the crystal ring on his finger.

Gentle footsteps cascaded down the foyer staircase, announcing the arrival of Aaron's mother, gliding down the stairs and taking a seat next to her son on the bench. Her eyes, the same cerulean blue as Aaron's, shone wetly with unshed tears; however, her lips were stretched in a bittersweet smile across her gently lined face.

"Look at my boy," she cooed, a slight shake in her voice, "all grown up and leaving the nest." She reached out a pale hand in motherly fashion to swipe a stray hair into place, and settled it on Aaron's lapel, flattening it. Aaron hadn't left much undone by way of preening, but a mother could always find something to fix.

Aaron smiled at his mother's words, eyes stinging and threatening to tear at the tone of her voice. "Don't say that Mom," he reasoned, taking her hand in his and settling them on his leg, "You know I'll be back."

His mother nodded, flicking her gaze away to search for something in the pocket of her cardigan. "I know," she said, producing a small object.

It was a pair of little gold cufflinks, barely the size of a fingertip, shaped like little shields and embossed with the symbol of a rampant stag. A very small rendition of the Starag family crest. Aaron's mother busied herself with fastening them to his sleeves.

Aaron felt a lump form in his throat, but he firmly swallowed it. The little crests shone against the black of his jacket, catching the warm light of the room. When he looked up from them, his mother's welled-up tears had dried. Just then, a horn sounded outside; it was time to go.

The two stood. "I know you'll make us proud, my sweet." His mother's voice no longer shook, but it was soft and gentle as ever.

Aaron pulled her into a hug, her face barely reaching his collarbone. "I will, Mom." He said, looking down at her. From this angle, he could see how the silver in her hair was starting to overwhelm the gold. "I'm going to make you all proud."

His mother broke away as the horn outside sounded again, and Aaron bent to give her a kiss on the cheek before she ushered him out to the car.

~ / / / ~

The two hour car ride it took to reach the Academy was the longest of Aaron's life. He'd spent it fiddling with his ring and clothes, spending close to twenty minutes making absolutely sure the crisp white collar laid properly and another five staring at his cufflinks. Periodically he drew out his phone, but there was nothing to say to anyone, so he settled for cleaning the screen.

When the ride mercifully ended at the gates of the Academy, it took a good chunk of Aaron's self-control not to burst out immediately and instead wait for the driver to open his door. A lot of formality for a mage perhaps, but there was nothing the royal family did that they didn't do in style. For a second, Aaron was mildly amused by the fact that he would probably be the one opening doors from now on.

The moment the door opened, amusement turned to awe. Aaron's heart fluttered with excitement, and he took a deep breath to steady its beating. He glanced down at the heart rate meter on his smartwatch. 78. Good.

"Thank you Mathias," Aaron nodded to the driver as he stepped into the moonlight. The driver nodded back and got back into the car to take his luggage to his new lodging; an address Aaron had yet to learn.

The crisp nighttime air was a welcome change from the stuffiness of the car, and Aaron took another breath. He was a touch early, as he should be, but the opulent courtyard already had people milling about. He was handed an envelope and tucked it into the inside pocket of his jacket. Back straight, Aaron walked through the crowd (careful not to hit anyone with the scabbard on his left hip), greeting people with a genuine smile and the occasional handshake. He introduced himself to a few mages and made small talk (even got rudely brushed off by a brown-haired one who looked to be sulking), but made sure not to address any vampires unless they addressed him first; one of many etiquette lessons he'd learned and adhered to that some might find a little stiff.

At some point he accepted a glass of champagne from a server's tray - it was rude to refuse refreshment when offered - but sipped it sparingly. It certainly wouldn't be enough to get him drunk, but he had made it a general rule to avoid alcohol with the interest of preserving his blood quality. He could see a couple of mages in the crowd who might not have adhered to such principles.

Suddenly, the crowd parted, and a regal figure strutted through and onto the lip of the spectacular fountain in the centre of the courtyard. Aaron's face split into a wide smile. It was Princess Ryner, flanked on either side by her mages William and Sariel, both of whom Aaron was very familiar with. Turbulent as the situation was for Aaron, it was nice to see some familiar faces.

He listened intently to the princess' speech, depositing his champagne glass with a server so he could applaud when she finished. He had always loved hearing her speak; her silver tongue had been sharpened by centuries of practice and she was a pleasure to listen to. When the applause died down and the princess made her leave, he finally pulled out his envelope and deftly tore into it.

The picture was of a red-haired young vampire, a male, with a strange expression - something like smugness, but something else too. The name, however, dropped a cannonball into Aaron's stomach: Varis Sinnenodel.

A noble, yes, but not a Noila. Not a member of the family the Starags had served for hundreds of years. The family Aaron loved, the one he had always dreamed of dutifully serving until the day he died. In fact, he was a member of the family who had made a sport out of antagonizing the Moonlight Court.

The name rung a bell in Aaron's mind, however. Chatter from some of the Queen's advisors. Varis Sinnenodel... Lady Sinnenodel's protege?

Okay, so maybe he wasn't being thrown away by the royal family after all. Maybe he was a gesture of good faith - albeit the first one so close to the royals - to the Sinnenodel clan. To foster good will. That must be it. If so, he had to make a good impression.

Aaron nodded down at the photograph, flicking it absently with his ring finger before tucking it back into his pocket and taking off searching.

He weaved through the crowd, not sure where to start, and decided on checking the open bars in each corner of the courtyard. The first two turned up nothing, and it was getting harder by the minute to make his way through the crowd as people searched for their own respective charges. As he made his way to the next one, eyes searching over the heads of the crowd for a red spot, he bumped right into someone.

Aaron jumped back, inwardly cursing himself for being so irresponsibly inattentive. "Oh my goodness," he blurted out before even looking up, "I am so-"

His words caught in his throat when he finally looked down at the person he'd nearly bowled over, and for a second his eyes went wide.

She was... beautiful.

Long white hair tumbling in spiral waves, jewel-toned blue eyes, and radiant pale skin that practically glowed in the moonlight. She was stunning, and for a second, Aaron didn't know what to do.

He blinked once, and quickly recovered, clearing his throat and straightening himself, suddenly remembering his manners. "...Aaron," he finished as he stuck out his hand in greeting, a grin splitting across his face. "I'm Aaron, and so sorry for bumping into you." Genuine concern bloomed in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Mentions

@Achronum@Hero

Of Blood and Magic

@Scribe of Thoth@Crusader Lord

Just to let you know, pairings should be coming out in the next few days and we will start shortly thereafter. Also, it isn't mandatory but if you want to keep up with the rest of the group, we have been pretty active on discord!

@Achronum

Of Blood and Magic

Aaron Starag

_{Portrait of Aaron in ceremonial dress, a tradition of the Starag family. Painted soon after his Awakening, when he was eighteen.}

| Male | 21 | Light Mage |

Appearance

Aaron stands a little over six feet tall and weighs around 185lbs, lean but well-muscled. Shown in his portrait in ceremonial dress, Aaron normally dresses more modern, insisting to keep himself looking presentable. Clean-shaven, hair neatly styled, stuff like that. Long-sleeved dress shirts, slacks and khakis make up his everyday wardrobe, always clean and nicely pressed. On cooler days, a blazer or peacoat is usually never far behind.

Personality

Aaron was raised very disciplined, and that discipline has shaped him as a person. He keeps to his routine, maintains good self-control and is very well organized. However, he's no emotionless robot. Aaron is a vibrant young man who loves life, but also loves work. Very purpose-driven, he will never start a project he doesn't intend to finish, and is extremely goal-oriented (the goal usually to be the best attendant he possibly can and uphold his family's legacy). As a result he is always trying to better himself, be it in academics, art, or any other discipline. To some, especially other mages or humans, his dogged persistence and desire to be (essentially) the best slave he can be, can be a little odd or even off-putting. For him, his work is a matter of pride.

He is a perfect gentleman, well-spoken, and well-versed in etiquette (admittedly, to a point where those who weren't raised to be servants to royalty might find him to be a bit much). Friendly and dignified, he maintains composure in public, disliking overly emotional behavior. Luckily, he's not quite uptight to the point of awkwardness.

Aaron holds himself to impossibly high standards and as such, is prone to pushing himself and his limits too hard. He becomes angry with himself in failure, but tries to use failure as a motivator. He also has a bad habit of keeping his emotions bottled up inside until something snaps. Being devoted as he is to being a good attendant, he is at risk of betraying his principles on the command of his master. Hopefully, though, it won't come to that.

Bio

History of the Starag Line

The Starag family name was made famous during the Blood Wars when Landar Starag made a name for himself as arguably the most powerful mage on the human side, as well as the most tenacious. He took to his magic more easily than most, ever so slightly shifting the power balance in each battle he fought. Fighting off the vampires and freeing the human race was his singular goal; he led mage forces against them time and time again, wielding fire at the head of each encounter, and even accrued the most vampire kills on the human side. He was strong-willed and well-respected, and even in the face of certain defeat, would not surrender.

His resolve didn't falter when the werewolves attacked. Even in the face of sure destruction, he was the last to be swayed in favour of the Blood Treaty. Fortunately, his desire to save humankind won out over his hatred of vampires and he did finally sign the Treaty as the co-signatory to Queen Anastasia Noila herself. After the combined armies of the humans and vampires fought off the werewolf invaders and a shaky peace was finally established, Queen Noila took Landar as her personal mage and, to set an example, declared that from that day on the Noila family would take only Starag mages as their attendants. Outwardly, Landar accepted his place under Queen Anastasia's thumb and performed well as her mage servant until he eventually died of old age.

Ever since, as Queen Anastasia declared, the Noila vampires have only taken Starag mages as their attendants. As a result, the Starag family came to be held in high regard by House Noila and the Moonlight Council for their history of dedicated service. In return, the Starags have developed an affection for the Noila line and vampires in general, having reaped benefits from their service most mages are not so fortunate to recieve. As such, the Starags have changed from begrudging servants submitting for the greater good to enthusiastic attendants who consider their position to be a noble one and take it as a source of pride, telling themselves and their offspring that through their work they are participating in the system that emancipated mankind from tyrannical rule.

To this day the Starags are some of the best trained and highest regarded mages in the Treaty. However, this will be the first year a Starag will attend Noila Academy, having traditionally been privately tutored.

Born to a mage family well-respected by the Council, Aaron's pedigree is long and impressive. Directly descended from Landar Starag himself (albeit many, many generations on) he has big shoes to fill and a sparkling reputation to uphold; as such, it comes as no surprise that he had a very structured and disciplined upbringing. Indeed, Aaron has been held to a high standard all his life, his entire childhood having been spent learning everything from etiquette to swordsmanship. He was taught academics and etiquette alike from private tutors, and has been kept on a strict diet and exercise regimen since he first became a teenager. You see, in the Starag family, the best thing you can become is an attendant to a vampire, and they take their assignment to the royal family very seriously. Therefore, their children are taught from a young age anything and everything that could be of use to make them the best attendants out there; how to conduct themselves in a vampiric court, how to keep themselves fit and healthy (i.e. in good feeding condition) and everything they might need to keep their future masters happy, from organizational skills to keep their master's appointments to martial training should they have to defend them.

Aaron was no exception. In fact, he was a glowing example of a Starag child on his way to great accomplishment as a royal attendant. Only one thing stood to impede him: whether or not he was actually a mage. One of the things Aaron remembers best from his childhood was a combination of anxiety and desperate hope that he would have magic and be accepted, as his ancestors were, into the ranks of royal mage attendants. Most of the Starag descendants before him had been mages, with the few who had not having left royal service and having their names forgotten by history. His Awakening day was the most exciting, terrifying, and highly-anticipated one of his life; he remembers practically shaking as he held his crystal in a white-knuckled grip, eyes tight shut, hoping with all of his might that the damn thing would light up. To his considerable joy and great relief, the crystal glowed brightly, emitting sharp rays of golden light all throughout the chamber.

In the two years since his Awakening, Aaron has been training harder than ever under the watchful eye of his tutors, knowing any day could be the day he was finally chosen to take his place at a Noila vampire's side. However, only a few weeks ago, he was informed that, against tradition, he would be attending Noila Academy instead of completing his studies under a tutor - at the command of Princess Ryner herself, the vampire whom his mother and other relatives served - and, consequently, end up possibly being assigned to a vampire outside of the Noila family. As of now, he will be the first Starag mage to ever attend the academy.

Likes

Self-improvement / success / magic / routine / formality / some animals / structure / swordsmanship / playing cello / the night sky / quiet / dressing up / sunlight, on occasion

Dislikes

Failure / feeling overwhelmed / sloppiness / blatant emotion / crassness / laziness / noise / ungrateful mages

Habits

Journaling / tugging on his left ear / grooming / foot tapping / fidgeting with his ring / twirling his sword before combat

Other

Aaron keeps extremely good care of himself, partly because it's good for him both physically and mentally, and partly to make himself the best protector and most satisfying feed possible for his future master.

He was raised nocturnal in anticipation of his service to a vampire, so he'll have no trouble adjusting to the night life.

He uses full-spectrum lighting to prevent vitamin D deficiency and seasonal affective disorder.

Aaron also keeps a diary and a detailed log of his health and habits. He uses a smartwatch to track his steps and activity.

Aaron wears a ring on his left middle finger (although it changes fingers frequently what with his fidgeting) made from the crystal that was used in his Awakening as a tool to help channel his magic. When he uses it, it glows bright yellow. When it's not being used, it appears translucent yellow. He also wears a longsword on his hip, for ceremonial reasons as well as for caution; it acts both as a weapon and another object through which to channel his magic. The scabbard features an embossed royal emblem on the hilt and a smaller embossed Starag crest on the tip. The sword's name is Dawn.

Aaron has a jagged scar on his left ear, as if the upper and lower halves had been separated and fused back together.

He’s a talented cello player, but also knows a little piano. His voice is alright, but nothing to write home about.

He’s not the type of guy you’d expect to like country music, but you’d be wrong.

Themes

Others

Of Blood and Magic

Aaron Starag

| Male | 19 | Light Mage |

Appearance

_{Portrait of Aaron in ceremonial dress, a tradition of the Starag family. Painted soon after his Awakening, when he was eighteen.}

Aaron stands around six feet tall, with a lean athletic build. Shown in his portrait in ceremonial dress, Aaron normally dresses more modern, insisting to keep himself looking presentable. Clean-shaven, hair neatly styled, stuff like that. Long-sleeved dress shirts, slacks and khakis make up his everyday wardrobe, always clean and nicely pressed. On cooler days, a blazer or peacoat is usually never far behind.

| Personality |
Aaron was raised very disciplined, and that is reflected in his personality. He keeps to his routine, maintains good self-control and is very well organized. However, that doesn't mean he has the attitude of an army officer. Quite the contrary, in fact. He is a vibrant young man who loves life, but also loves work. A very purpose-driven guy, he will never start a project he doesn't intend to finish, and is extremely goal-oriented (the goal, of course, being to be the best attendant he possibly can and uphold his family's legacy). As a result he is always trying to better himself, be it in academics, art, or any other discipline. To some, especially other mages or humans, his dogged persistence and desire to be, essentially, the best slave he can be, can be a little odd or even off-putting. For him, though, his work is a matter of pride.

He is a perfect gentleman, well-spoken, and well-versed in etiquette (admittedly, to a point where those who weren't raised to be servants to royalty might find him to be a bit much). Friendly and dignified, he maintains composure in public, disliking overly emotional behavior. Luckily, he's not quite uptight to the point of awkwardness.

Aaron holds himself to impossibly high standards and as such, can sometimes push himself a little too hard. He becomes annoyed with himself in failure, but tries to use failure as a motivator. Being devoted as he is to being a good attendant, he is at risk of betraying his principles on the command of his master. Hopefully, though, it won't come to that.

| Bio |

History of the Starag Line

The Starag family name was made famous during the Blood Wars when Larand Starag made a name for himself as arguably the most powerful mage on the human side, as well as the most tenacious. He took to his magic more easily than most, ever so slightly shifting the power balance in each battle he fought. Fighting off the vampires and freeing the human race was his singular goal; he led mage forces against them time and time again, wielding fire at the head of each encounter, and even accrued the most vampire kills on the human side. He was strong-willed and well-respected, and even in the face of certain defeat, would not surrender.

His resolve didn't falter when the werewolves attacked. Even in the face of sure destruction, he was the last to be swayed in favour of the Blood Treaty. Fortunately, his desire to save humankind won out over his hatred of vampires and he did finally sign the Treaty as the co-signatory to Queen Anastasia Noila herself. After the combined armies of the humans and vampires fought off the werewolf invaders and a shaky peace was finally established, Queen Noila took Larand as her personal mage and, to set an example, declared that from that day on the Noila family would take only Starag mages as their servants. Outwardly, Larand accepted his place under Queen Anastasia's thumb and performed well as her mage servant until he eventually died of old age.

Ever since, as Queen Anastasia declared, the Noila vampires have only taken Starag mages as their servants. As a result, the Starag family came to be held in high regard by House Noila and the Moonlight Council for their history of dedicated service. In return, the Starags have developed an affection for the Noila line and vampires in general, having reaped benefits from their service most mages are not so fortunate to recieve. As such, the Starags have changed from begrudging servants submitting for the greater good to enthusiastic attendants who consider their position to be a noble one and take it as a source of pride, telling themselves and their offspring that through their work they are participating in the system that emancipated mankind from tyrannical rule.

To this day the Starags are some of the best trained and highest regarded mages in the Treaty. However, this will be the first year a Starag will attend Noila Academy, having traditionally been privately tutored.

Born to a mage family well-respected by the Council, Aaron's pedigree is long and impressive. Directly descended from Larand Starag himself (albeit many, many generations on) he has big shoes to fill and a sparkling reputation to uphold; as such, it comes as no surprise that he had a very structured and disciplined upbringing. Indeed, Aaron has been held to a high standard all his life, his entire childhood having been spent learning everything from etiquette to swordsmanship. He was taught academics and etiquette alike from private tutors, and has been kept on a strict diet and exercise regimen since he first became a teenager. You see, in the Starag family, the best thing you can become is an attendant to a vampire, and they take their assignment to the royal family very seriously. Therefore, their children are taught from a young age anything and everything that could be of use to make them the best attendants out there; how to conduct themselves in a vampiric court, how to keep themselves fit and healthy (i.e. in good feeding condition) and everything they might need to keep their future masters happy, from organizational skills to keep their master's appointments to martial training should they have to defend them.

Aaron was no exception. In fact, he was a glowing example of a Starag child on his way to great accomplishment as an attendant. Only one thing stood to impede him: whether or not he was actually a mage. One of the things Aaron remembers best from his childhood was a combination of anxiety and desperate hope that he would have magic and be accepted, as his ancestors were, into the ranks of mage attendants. Most of the Starag descendants before him had been mages, with the few who had not having left His Awakening day was the most exciting, terrifying, and highly-anticipated one of his life; he remembers practically shaking as he held his crystal in a white-knuckled grip, eyes tight shut, hoping with all of his might that the damn thing would light up. To his considerable joy and great relief, the crystal glowed brightly, emitting sharp rays of golden light all throughout the chamber.

In the two years since his Awakening, Aaron has been training harder than ever under the watchful eye of his tutors, knowing any day could be the day he was finally chosen to take his place at a Noila vampire's side. However, only a few weeks ago, he was informed that, against tradition, he would be attending Noila Academy instead of completing his studies under a tutor - at the command of Princess Ryner herself, the vampire whom his father and other relatives served - and, consequently, end up possibly being assigned to a vampire outside of the Noila family. As of now, he will be the first Starag mage to ever attend the academy.

| Likes |
Self-improvement / success / magic / being organized / dogs / structure / swordsmanship / playing cello / the night sky / quiet / dressing up

| Dislikes |
Failure / feeling like he's not in control / sloppiness / blatant emotion / crassness / laziness / noise / most modern music / ungrateful mages

| Habits |
Journaling (keeps both a personal diary and a habit and health tracking journal) / scheduling / near-obsessive grooming / foot tapping

| Other |
Aaron keeps extremely good care of himself, partly because it's good for him both physically and mentally, and partly to make himself the best protector and most satisfying feed possible for his future master.

He was raised nocturnal in anticipation of his service to a vampire, so he'll have no trouble adjusting to life with a vampire.

He uses full-spectrum lighting to prevent vitamin D deficiency and seasonal affective disorder.

Aaron also keeps a diary and a detailed log of his health and habits. He uses a smartwatch to track his steps and activity.

Aaron wears a ring on his right middle finger made from the crystal that was used in his Awakening as a tool to help channel his magic. When he uses it, it glows bright yellow. When it's not being used, it appears amber. He also wears a longsword on his hip, for ceremonial reasons as well as for caution; it acts both as a regular sword and another object through which to channel his magic.

@Achronum here I am!

EDIT: Made some edits to the "other" section; added info on a ring he wears and a sword he carries.

Obscene's Scratchpad

Obscene's Scratchpad

| Male | 19 | Light Mage |

Appearance

_{Portrait of Aaron in ceremonial dress, a tradition of the Starag family. Painted soon after his Awakening, when he was eighteen.}

Aaron stands around six feet tall, with a lean athletic build. Shown in his portrait in ceremonial dress, Aaron normally dresses more modern, insisting to keep himself looking presentable. Clean-shaven, hair neatly styled, stuff like that. Long-sleeved dress shirts, slacks and khakis make up his everyday wardrobe, always clean and nicely pressed. On cooler days, a blazer or peacoat is usually never far behind.

| Personality |
Aaron was raised very disciplined, and that is reflected in his personality. He keeps to his routine, maintains good self-control and is very well organized. However, that doesn't mean he has the attitude of an army officer. Quite the contrary, in fact. He is a vibrant young man who loves life, but also loves work. A very purpose-driven guy, he will never start a project he doesn't intend to finish, and is extremely goal-oriented (the goal, of course, being to be the best attendant he possibly can and uphold his family's legacy). As a result he is always trying to better himself, be it in academics, art, or any other discipline. To some, especially other mages or humans, his dogged persistence and desire to be, essentially, the best slave he can be, can be a little odd or even off-putting. For him, though, his work is a matter of pride.

He is a perfect gentleman, well-spoken, and well-versed in etiquette (admittedly, to a point where those who weren't raised to be servants to royalty might find him to be a bit much). Friendly and dignified, he maintains composure in public, disliking overly emotional behavior. Luckily, he's not quite uptight to the point of awkwardness.

Aaron holds himself to impossibly high standards and as such, can sometimes push himself a little too hard. He becomes annoyed with himself in failure, but tries to use failure as a motivator. Being devoted as he is to being a good attendant, he is at risk of betraying his principles on the command of his master. Hopefully, though, it won't come to that.

| Bio |

History of the Starag Line

The Starag family name was made famous during the Blood Wars when Larand Starag made a name for himself as arguably the most powerful mage on the human side, as well as the most tenacious. He took to his magic more easily than most, ever so slightly shifting the power balance in each battle he fought. Fighting off the vampires and freeing the human race was his singular goal; he led mage forces against them time and time again, wielding fire at the head of each encounter, and even accrued the most vampire kills on the human side. He was strong-willed and well-respected, and even in the face of certain defeat, would not surrender.

His resolve didn't falter when the werewolves attacked. Even in the face of sure destruction, he was the last to be swayed in favour of the Blood Treaty. Fortunately, his desire to save humankind won out over his hatred of vampires and he did finally sign the Treaty as the co-signatory to Queen Anastasia Noila herself. After the combined armies of the humans and vampires fought off the werewolf invaders and a shaky peace was finally established, Queen Noila took Larand as her personal mage and, to set an example, declared that from that day on the Noila family would take only Starag mages as their servants. Outwardly, Larand accepted his place under Queen Anastasia's thumb and performed well as her mage servant until he eventually died of old age.

Ever since, as Queen Anastasia declared, the Noila vampires have only taken Starag mages as their servants. As a result, the Starag family came to be held in high regard by House Noila and the Moonlight Council for their history of dedicated service. In return, the Starags have developed an affection for the Noila line and vampires in general, having reaped benefits from their service most mages are not so fortunate to recieve. As such, the Starags have changed from begrudging servants submitting for the greater good to enthusiastic attendants who consider their position to be a noble one and take it as a source of pride, telling themselves and their offspring that through their work they are participating in the system that emancipated mankind from tyrannical rule.

To this day the Starags are some of the best trained and highest regarded mages in the Treaty. However, this will be the first year a Starag will attend Noila Academy, having traditionally been privately tutored.

Born to a mage family well-respected by the Council, Aaron's pedigree is long and impressive. Directly descended from Larand Starag himself (albeit many, many generations on) he has big shoes to fill and a sparkling reputation to uphold; as such, it comes as no surprise that he had a very structured and disciplined upbringing. Indeed, Aaron has been held to a high standard all his life, his entire childhood having been spent learning everything from etiquette to swordsmanship. He was taught academics and etiquette alike from private tutors, and has been kept on a strict diet and exercise regimen since he first became a teenager. You see, in the Starag family, the best thing you can become is an attendant to a vampire, and they take their assignment to the royal family very seriously. Therefore, their children are taught from a young age anything and everything that could be of use to make them the best attendants out there; how to conduct themselves in a vampiric court, how to keep themselves fit and healthy (i.e. in good feeding condition) and everything they might need to keep their future masters happy, from organizational skills to keep their master's appointments to martial training should they have to defend them.

Aaron was no exception. In fact, he was a glowing example of a Starag child on his way to great accomplishment as an attendant. Only one thing stood to impede him: whether or not he was actually a mage. One of the things Aaron remembers best from his childhood was a combination of anxiety and desperate hope that he would have magic and be accepted, as his ancestors were, into the ranks of mage attendants. Most of the Starag descendants before him had been mages, with the few who had not having left His Awakening day was the most exciting, terrifying, and highly-anticipated one of his life; he remembers practically shaking as he held his crystal in a white-knuckled grip, eyes tight shut, hoping with all of his might that the damn thing would light up. To his considerable joy and great relief, the crystal glowed brightly, emitting sharp rays of golden light all throughout the chamber.

In the two years since his Awakening, Aaron has been training harder than ever under the watchful eye of his tutors, knowing any day could be the day he was finally chosen to take his place at a Noila vampire's side. However, only a few weeks ago, he was informed that, against tradition, he would be attending Noila Academy instead of completing his studies under a tutor - at the command of Princess Ryner herself, the vampire whom his father and other relatives served - and, consequently, end up possibly being assigned to a vampire outside of the Noila family. As of now, he will be the first Starag mage to ever attend the academy.

| Likes |
Self-improvement / success / magic / being organized / dogs / structure / swordsmanship / playing cello / the night sky / quiet / dressing up

| Dislikes |
Failure / feeling like he's not in control / sloppiness / blatant emotion / crassness / laziness / noise / most modern music / ungrateful mages

| Habits |
Journaling (keeps both a personal diary and a habit and health tracking journal) / scheduling / near-obsessive grooming / foot tapping

| Other |
Aaron keeps extremely good care of himself, partly because it's good for him both physically and mentally, and partly to make himself the best protector and most satisfying feed possible for his future master.

He was raised nocturnal in anticipation of his service to a vampire, so he'll have no trouble adjusting to life with a vampire.

He uses full-spectrum lighting to prevent vitamin D deficiency and seasonal affective disorder.

Aaron also keeps a diary and a detailed log of his health and habits. He uses a smartwatch to track his steps and activity.

Obscene's Scratchpad

Of Blood and Magic

This looks cool! What does the current mage/vampire ratio look like? I’m thinking about a mage, but I could be convinced to go vampire as well if the ratio isn’t balanced.

@Achronum regarding mages, how do elder mages determine which humans to bring in for the magic test? Do all humans undergo it, or just the ones born to mage families?

Also: would it make sense to create a lineage of mages descended from the representative who co-signed the treaty, and who are very serious about fulfilling the treaty and making good partners to vampires? I’m thinking about making a character from one such lineage who was raised with the ideology that his work as a vampire’s partner is very important and honourable and as such, should be conducted well and be a source of pride.

Prized Bride (A New Beginning)

@Belle @Saltwater Thief @ghastlyInc @eclecticwitch ^^^