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Post by Admin: Otto on Apr 1, 2023 20:35:40 GMT -5
Cultural GroupsThe VavasseurleWhile the Vavasseurle can be found across the social class spectrum of Sol City, they are primarily concentrated amongst what could be considered the middle class. Their long tradition of using the written word lends to high levels of literacy which enables them to easily take up positions as various tradespeople and merchants. Due to this cultural tendency, a large majority of the Vavasseurle are considered to be pacifists or at least avoid violence as much as possible. Their neighborhoods are often decked out in full building murals celebrating cultural events, local heroes, or just plain landscapes.
The Vavasseurle come in all shapes and sizes, but you can instantly recognize one by their trademarked red or yellow scarfs that they wear. More subtle indicators would be various shades of nut brown skin tone and blonde hair that ranges from platinum to straw. Their clothing tends to be flowing robes, colorful tunics, and sandals. Make-up is common across both genders and tattoos follow designs of family tradition as the Vavassuerle consider the body to be as much of a canvas to paint on for self expression as anything else. The SolyavariThe Solyavari are almost as old as the inception of Sol City itself. They like to consider themselves the patrons of the crown’s epicenter. This group of Sun Elves are composed of a vast array of merchants, nobles, artisans - some even make up the ranks of orders such as the Knights of Duros. First and foremost, however, the Solyavari consider themselves patrons of all mortal pleasures under the sun. Being the society of descendants of those who funded the building of the gilded city, they alone believe themselves as the inheritors of all it has to offer.
Curiously enough, though, the Solyavari hold no seat of governing power within the castle. Their history is a well-kept one… supposedly. The first mention of the Solyavari can be traced back to financial ledgers which describe notable families making sizable donations during the period where the royal family established their presence in the capitol. Due to their generosity, their names can be found all across the city - theaters and churches and statues and halls can be found on the streets which have been dedicated to these esteemed family names. During historical times of turbulence where the Sun Elves sought to take away all power that the other elven tribes wanted, the Solyavari doubled down their efforts by rallying the common people of the city in honor of the cause, which only cemented their position as a positive force.
But it is all a lie.
The truth of the Solyavari is that they were opportunistic sharks. Their inception can be traced back to the early days of the Elven Wars, where tensions between the Sun, Moon, and Dark clans were at their highest but not yet come to a head. A financier and bookkeeper for the archives found evidence of goodwill donations from Moon and Dark Elf families. Where one might have seen evidence of unity, the financier saw advantage. He held a secret auction, where a handful of select elven families who offered him all manner of riches - the highest sums of money, rare arcane artifacts, or influence in high places. The winners were thus written in as the benefactors of these donations. The true history was scrubbed out, and the Solyavari were born. It was hardly fair. But history belongs to the victors, and the Solyavari have always sought to take what they believed was rightfully theirs.
It is such that the Solyavari have painted themselves as a generous, benevolent force in the nation’s capitol. So entrenched are their lies that even the current members have no clue what their true origins are. They are truly and utterly convinced that they have always been the backbone of Sol City. And it is for this reason that they believe their cause is well and truly noble. For they know they have helped create Sol City in the sun’s image, and Solaria himself has returned the favor by giving them the power to win the Elven Wars and cement the Sun Elves as the proper divine rulers of the country.
Depending on where they live, the Solyavari are also naturally gifted in either the Light or Sea Domain. Solyavari who live within the city itself generally possess powers of light, where those who live on the coast have become gifted in the powers of the ocean. Both are believed to be another sign that they are blessed with the Sun’s Bounty. It is more a status symbol than anything, and few Solyavari are truly well-honed and gifted with their magic, as few hone their skills at the Arcane Academy.
There are certain ‘manners’ which must be obeyed within the Solyavari. They have developed a strict set of rules by which they conduct themselves, where obeying them is the bare minimum of common etiquette. For example, one must always carry a single, small concealed weapon on their person when they enter a business meeting. To go into a meeting unarmed means that they do not perceive their business partner as a threat, and they therefore do not respect them. However, a weapon out in the open is seen as an act of aggression and as a show of power. If one person takes up a new fashion trend, others must follow within the next half century - neither too early or too late lest they be considered offensive - to cement that first member as a trend setter. These rules are arbitrary, unspoken, and more than a bit pointless, but they keep the social wheels greased and keep the Solyavari at the top of all social influence in the city.
Though they hold no political power under the crown, the Solyavari have their own system of governance - ironically, they choose a leader based on an electoral system. Every century, each family that makes up the Solyavari elects one person, generally their matriarch or patriarch, to act as the ruling body for their society for the next one hundred years. This is generally regarded as a glorified popularity contest, and being a leader amounts to little more than planning parties - though recent events have meant there is a higher burden placed on this position.
All in all, the Solyavari are a vapid peoples who are more interested in enjoying life; but at their core, they do care about their city, and they will do what they can to keep it safe. For the first time in eons, the Solyavari must confront the reality that the home they love is under threat. And they are utterly out of their depth.
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Post by Admin: Otto on Jun 17, 2023 16:45:26 GMT -5
Guilds
The Lesser Triumvirate Despite the common notion that The Lesser Triumvirate should strive to work together for the well-being of the people and the progress of Charon as a whole, the relationship between the three major guilds of Charon is far from peaceful. Marked by jealousy, intrigue, and internal strife, the full scale of the drama that unfolds between the guilds does so behind closed doors. It remains secret to the public as a result of the Crown and its spies smothering the root of the issue before it can be publicized.
The Fighter's Guild The Fighter’s Guild is the most robust of all the guilds. Their hierarchy is rigid, their connections are tight, and their members are known for bending over backwards to protect one another. It is widely known that they have an inner jury and justice system, which sometimes rises even above the law of the King.
Their strained relationship to the Crown relates to the guild’s origins and persists even to this day. It is said that during the Rune Wars, a prominent commander of the Sol City’s army, Belanor, grew tired of seeing the price paid by the common folk for King Darius’ recklessness. Soon, Belanor left the army after being tasked to sow distrust into a dark elves’ settlement. After swiftly being branded a traitor, Belanor was welcomed by the rebels opposing King Darius, and became an important figure among them due to his experience as a military leader.
After Belanor’s rebel group was nearly destroyed by an operation of mages working under the King’s influence, Belanor took the reins of the group - or, what was left of it. Belanor’s leadership shaped two important aspects of the rebellion: its military-like organization, and its distrust for mages. His commander’s skills were put to good use, as Belanor began gathering masters in their respective fields to train the rebels.
When Belanor managed to strike an alliance with the Venator, a famous family of monster hunters, things really took a turn. The Venator, a famous family of dark elves of the Dragon’s Cradle, has claimed its bloodlines can be traced back to the legendary figure of Alcaeus Venator, a powerful warrior who fought during The Collapse. Legends speak of Alcaeus as the first mage hunter in history, although little is known of the origin of his hatred for the arcane and its users. His name rose in prominence as a result of his success in slaying not only the godless mages, but the chimeras and horrid aberrations created by arcane users and alchemists who wished to put forth a front in the fight against the gods.
One by one; and with determination, strength, and strategy; Alcaeus defeated hundreds of monstrous aberrations, and those who had created them, throughout his lifetime. After being raised to a new height of political power and nobility, the Venator remained isolated and recluse, and did not take part in the political influence of Charon. Instead, the Venator remained hyper-focused on honing their abilities and skills, which had wielded an unbroken line of phenomenal warriors. Through mercenary work, monster slaying, and the assassination of mages, the Venator built their great wealth.
Even King Darius attempted to isolate the family in order to prevent them from taking sides during his rampage; and rumour states that King Davius, King Darius’ father, had once tried to subjugate the family by sending the royal army to their doorstep to no avail. Little is known about the incident, as the failure of the royal army was so spectacular, that the Crown has seen to it to erase such a humiliating chapter from the annals of Charon’s history.
Once the Venator family had finally stepped from its state of political neutrality - or apathy, some might say - the scales of the rebellion tipped. The head of the Venator at the time of King Darius’ rule, Tyliana Venator, was a dark elf woman rumoured to be at the head of the rebellion alongside Belanor. Under proper, experienced leadership, the group of rebels took up the name of The Crownbreaker, and actively contributed to the downfall of King Darius by arming and training civilians for war against the Crown. It is said that Belanor himself was the one who decapitated King Darius’ son, Dante, on the steps of the castle - but official sources state otherwise.
Some say King Emanious made a mistake for not dismantling The Crownbreakers immediately; instead, he allowed the remaining members, still under Belanor’s leadership, to be incorporated back into the kingdom under the Fighter’s Guild. In an attempt to atone for the sins of his father, King Emanious gave them a place to call home, and provided them funds to begin anew.
However, the Fighter’s Guild has always been at odds with the royal army: since the brotherhood of the guild often appears to have more to offer and less to ask compared to the servitude of the royal army, the guild often steals good fighters and commanders from the royal army’s ranks. More often than not, the members of the Fighter’s Guild distrust everything that royalty and nobility have laid their hands on… including the Golden Consortium, with its twisted and suspicious origins.
The rivalry between the Fighter’s Guild and the Mage’s Guild is legendary: but from the Fighter’s Guild’s perspective, it stems directly from their jealousy of the attention, care, and funds that the Mage’s Guild receives from the Crown. (And, of course, from the arrogance of the mages themselves.) Adding to their distrust and rivalry towards the Mage’s Guild is the fact that a large percentage of mages tend to come from noble families.
Since their officialization, the Fighter’s Guild rarely receives monetary help from the Crown; and many suspect that it is because the Crown fears its independence and its detachment from its duties to the realm… making the Fighter’s Guild a threat to the royal army itself. Because of this, a slight spin on the guild was needed for its survival during times of peace, causing the guild to turn to mercenary work.
The Fighter’s Guild is a community made by, for, and with the people’s best interest at heart: and this has never changed since its foundation. In numbers, it is the largest guild amongst the three, with fewer impediments to new members.
It was the least corruptible of the three guilds, given its military outlook, but recent years might have seen a change… The Mage's GuildScholars will debate of the origins of the Mage's Guild, saying it can be traced back to the Age of Wonders, and that they were the main source of innovative technologies that helped Charon become the powerful nation that it was at the time.
During the Age of Wonders, a man named Malaki Maazeric was the first one to start the long journey of studies and experimentations that shaped the understanding of magic Charon has to this day. Considered to be the Prime Mage of Charon, Malaki was told to be gifted with a sharp intellect and intuition, which made for his progress as pioneer in this new source of power that became so important for Charon.
It is said that, when Malaki started to understand how to manipulate this power, he took off on a pilgrimage to find other people who understood it or were said to be able to use it to some extent. Malaki documented all of his findings during his journey and was quick to associate this powers to each major deity. Some people whisper, however, that Malaki was somewhat of a dreamer, and had all of his work documented and organized by his wife, Faleena.
An ancient draft of an organization called The Archanum, some kind of ancient mage's guild was found, and the ranks of hierarchy were labeled as "Rings": there were seven rings in total, being the first reserved to who would Exalt in at least one aspect of magic, or "Domain"; the second for those who Exalted in two Domains, and so on. The seventh ring of power was reserved to Malaki himself, who had previously Exalted in all known Domains of magic and achieved a higher comprehension of the arcane powers, becoming, on top of it all, the First Archmage of Charon.
With his wife keeping him grounded, his bright insightful mind guiding and more than a bit of incentive from his peers, Malaki became a legend as the First Mage of Charon, said to be blessed by all the Gods of the pantheon. His work shapes the understanding of magic, the discovery of the different domains, how to draw into this power and how to alter reality with it.
Some say that the outlining of this guild was made by Faleena, not Malaki, and they both acted synergistically: him, at the forefront of the research of everything arcane, and she, at an organizational level. It was a great communing of the sharpest minds across the entire continent, all flocking together to create new technologies and discuss on the discoveries of this new source of power that was magic. If that is true, very little of The Archanum is left. Most of the relics and magical artifacts that are being found today are probably from this era, collected and kept by The Archanum.
The story of the guild that is known now actually begins during the Age of Renewal, when magic was an essential element to the rise of the new civilization, but still distrusted due to the conflicts with the gods that turned Charon into a pile of rubble. One of Mamadon Solarian's counselers tried to solve this impasse by trying to revive - or create for the first time, depending on which scholar to believe - the Mage's Guild under the seal and protection of the Crown. From the very start, the association between the Crown and the Mage's Guild has been tight: the Crown provides money and influence, and the Mage's Guild provide the monarchy with counselors, technologies and everything arcane. However, there was one modification to the organization of this guild in comparison to the old one: there were now Six Rings of power inside the guild, since teaching the Dark Domain was forbidden at this time.
Everything went well until the rule of King Darius. The guild had become elitist, subjugating and snobby under the cruel king's rule, being one of the main weapons of the Crown against his own people - a lot of the distrust and hatred the Fighter's Guild has for the Mage's Guild comes from this period of time. Doing the bidding of King Darius, the guild became rich and powerful like never before.
The problems started with the rise of a new threat: just as Darius proclaimed his holiness and imposed restrictions on the use of magic and religion, a group of mages suddenly resurfaced from the depths of Frost Gale. This group of mages claimed to belong to the organization The Archanum, the ancient Mage's Guild that was thought to be extinct. They claimed they followed a Seer, who supposedly had visions of the Collapse, and urged a small group of them to hide in Frost Gale with a few, important and powerful artifacts, scrolls and tomes, to protect the knowledge for the future. All this time they remained in a self imposed state of "time stasis": they were able to create an area around their hideout where effects of the passing of ages wouldn't apply, until it was time for them to bring their knowledge out in the world once again.
It is uncertain if their magic shield failed for another reasons or if they simply were found out, but once they were found, the King immediately ordered them to submit and give their tomes of ancient knowledge and powerful artifacts. They didn't, and while the Fighter's Guild went out in the field to challenge the royal army, a portion of the mages fought a smaller, silent war amongst themselves, adding to the resentment among the guilds. Eventually, the King's Mages won - and nobody knows what was done of the tomes The Archanum was protecting, or if they were destroyed by their fight.
With the end of the war and the death of King Darius, a shift was also needed in the Mage's guild. Most of the mages reverted back to a status of protector of knowledge, deeply ashamed and inspired by the conflict on Frost Gale and the lives and knowledge that was lost. Some of the ones that were more loyal to King Darius and vocal about their superiority disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The Fighter's Guild expressed their will of dismantling the Mage's Guild, but their plea went unheard.
Since then, the leadership of the Mage's Guild always fell under malleable, moderate hands, always in tune with the Crown's need - in exchange, the Crown would always give money and procure young new mages for the guild. With the thirsty for power and supporters of the late king gone, the guild assumed a much more academic approach to magic, turning away from the political intrigues and focusing on preserving, restoring and recuperating information and knowledge for the future generations.
The Mages, being much more individualists than the members of the Fighter's Guild, make up for a more dispersed group - it is often said that to put mages to work together is akin to herding cats. They rarely ever have the same sense of brotherhood of their fighter's counterparts, which leaves them prone to the manipulation of the Crown and of the Golden Consortium.
However, it is said that recent leaderships of the Mage's Guild have taken a great interest in standing up for themselves, instead of leaning on the Crown. A strong hand may band the mages together once again to have them become more than mere puppets of the nobility...
The Golden ConsortiumThe most calamitous chapter of Charon's history, The Collapse, was responsible for the breakdown of many organizations, structures and ancient orders that had flourished the eras prior to the war with the Gods. And curiously, amongst mayhem and chaos, a dubious organization was able to take root.
During times of strife and war, an alchemist known as Nikolay Flameweaver made his name known by helping those in need of healing with his potions. And when his name rose amongst people trying to find refugee and healing, it was bound for him to attract the wrong kind of attention: a sun elf named Nethelas Smoothsail saw the opportunity to put a spin to her business that would make her succeed where other have failed.
Behind the curtains, the spice merchant turned her attention to more profitable sources of revenue during times of war: weapons, both made of steal or chemicals. While still keeping her spice trading on the forefront of her business, Nethelas managed to unite several small blacksmithing organizations that had been popping up during such chaotic and trying times, supplying them with the resources and protection they needed. At the same time, she also stroke an alliance with Nikolay, funding him and the small sect of alchemists that had followed into his footsteps.
There was, however, always a lot of strife between Nethelas and Nikolay's right hand, a great alchemist on his own right and dashing adventurer, Gabriel Silverleaf. Gabriel was a generous soul and daring explorer, always wanting to research potions and discover new ingredients that would benefit mankind. Gabriel wanted to have a more charitable approach to the guild, giving potions away for free for those in need and living off of donations, which clashed with Nethela's point of view. There came a time when Gabriel went on a journey to find an Origin Matter that was supposedly around since the beginning of the universe - only to never come back. Being her strongest opposition among the alchemists, with him gone, Nethelas had an open path to do as she saw fit.
It is still unknown how many conflicts and wars Nethelas and her offspring after her were able to maneuver by changing the supply of arms, armor and potions to the warring factions - nor how much influence the Smoothsail family truly had or have. Officially, the formalization of the Alchemists Guild under the name of The Golden Consortium happened during the rule of King Davian, but it was during King Darius' rule that another side of the guild became known. As the cruel king plotted to divide the elven families, poison became one more weapon at his disposal. The research on the matter was, curiously, very advanced even before the King turned his attention to it...
The Golden Consortium's loyalties were always foggy for one who's paying attention: while at the surface level they were always in tune with the needs of the Crown and the people, trying to fit into the role of "intermediators", in truth it has always been a self serving entity. Always on friendly - enough - terms with both the Fighters and Mages guild, for the longest of times the Golden Consortium had managed to hold them both "hostages" to some extent. The Fighters guild was provided with armaments, and the Mages Guild with reagents.
It is thought that the inner conflict between the mages of both The Archanum and present Mage's Guild was instigated by the Golden Consortium; at the same time, some whisper about the insurgent Fighter rebels being armed by it, under the table. None of the other guilds truly trust the higher rank members of the Golden Consortium, but it has been proven hard to break from their influence. And since this distrust hasn't yet turned to hatred, the Golden Consortium still stands...
Unlike the other guilds, The Golden Consortium has kept their positions of power based on birth, rather than merit. Since the union of Nethelas' son with Nikolay' daughter, it has become tradition to train at least one successor to take up the mantle of leader of the guild. To this day, the Golden Consortium keeps a docile enough façade, welcoming researchers and alchemists and inventors under the pretense of "expanding horizons". A disturbing event during recent years had sent the guild into a quiet, subdued silence: just as Charon was starting to recover from the Elven Wars, a mysterious illness fell upon its people, noblemen and common folk alike. When the Consortium quickly whipped up a supposed cure for the illness, even the Crown started to suspect.
Other than that, recent years have found the Golden Consortium to have ties with some groups of spies, though it has been impossible to prove it. Some say this has been happening since the conceptualization of the organization, back to Nethelas' business. It is thought the guild had been twisting and turning the way information is carried out and how it reaches the ears of the common people, but it is fairly hard to trace it back to the head of the guild.
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Post by Admin: Otto on Jun 17, 2023 16:45:58 GMT -5
Important NPCs Eldenwar Solarian, King of Charon
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Eldenwar is the current King of Charon, Emanious's youngest son, and considered to be a fairly kind ruler. He inherited the throne after his oldest brother went into exile. He Is married to Alessia Solarian and has two children, Alemeno and Alyssa, with Alemeno set to inherit the throne. | Eldenwar is a kind, brave man that truly loves his kingdom and its people. He strives to create a better Charon. Despite this, peace has made him complacent, he has never experienced war or conflict, with the majority of his council making the hard choices. |
Athena Morok, Martial Dean Capitol Landing, Fellblood, Female | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Athena grew up in combat, training under previous martial masters and honing her skills in the field. At a young age she moved up through the ranks of the Fighter's Guild, eventually becoming its leader. After several years of growing and improving the guild, she also took over as the Dean of the Martial Academy, teaching and training the next generation of warriors. She has gone missing over the last few months. | Athena is practical and level headed, stoic and determined. The definition of a self-made woman, Athena is the middle child in a family of farmers, with nothing lined up for her in life except, maybe, a marriage. Athena took her fate into her own hands and started to work really soon in the city - not her family's farm - which eventually led her to be discovered by a master swordsman.
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Sor'Adien, Arcane Dean
Capitol Landing, Dragonkin, Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Sor'Aidien is a genius mage who has spent his entire life training and studying under some of the worlds best mages. He hails from a noble family of spice merchants that are well known throughout Charon, but chose to study the arcane arts instead of continuing the family business. He spent most of his life in the Mage's Guild, becoming an important member of the King's Council and holds a place in the Crown's Court. More recently he took over as the Dean of the Arcane Academy, and has already started making big moves. | Despite his nerdy and focused nature, Sor'Adien can be very brash, impulsive, and more importantly, he loves challenges. Some people speculate that his climb through the ranks of the Arcane Academy hinge merely on a drunk dare from one of his uncles who was trying to have him give up on his studies to focus on the family business. It is widely known that Sor'Adien loves a good dare. |
Sigmund Corvinus
Dragon's Cradle, Osendel (Human), Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Leader of the Winged Expeditionary Force, Sigmund Corvinus represents the guild that has the closest ties to the crown as it was initially a military task force commissioned by the king. Though the leader of the guild, Sigmund is often absent from Capitol Landing leaving his secondaries to deal with any political fallout that his actions could have caused. | Sigmund is a gregarious individual with a severe case of gallows humor. With as many life or death situations he has survived there’s not much else that he finds more hilarious than clinging to the edge of a cliff or facing down a giant avianbear. These situations are used to tell tales at whichever tavern in Charon that Sigmund finds himself at and within you can easily find the giant of a man surrounded by people listening to him tell those tales wondering if they were true or not. |
Madam Evalyn
Ash Lands, Fellblood, Female | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Evalyn is a sorceress from the Ash Lands who now spends her time working in Sol city. She has left her life of witch craft and now studies weird and interesting things rarely found around Charon. She has taken a scientific approach to understanding the darker, more mysterious aspects of magic and the world itself. She is most commonly known for her shop in the city that sells odd, sometimes frowned upon services. | Evalyn is a coy and flirtatious woman who has spent most of her younger years as a witch in the north. Having turned a new leaf, her old habits and personalities sometimes peek through. She can be devious, vindictive and loves to tease others, for good or bad. Despite her past, she has now become an important part of the city and the greater Charon. |
Corvak Tumbletoe Moonglade, Gnome, Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Corvak is an enchanter from Moonglade who has spent his life studying magic and its affects on other items. He now works for the Crown and specializes in crafting rare and unique magical items to be used. He is the go to expert when it comes to the advancement of magical technology and is always looking to create new items. When he is not working on the Mystical Archive he can be found in his shop selling some of his items. | Corvak is simple, kind man who enjoys reading, tinkering and sharing a conversation. He is a tinker at heart and would rather spend his time crafting then entertaining others. When he does have company, he greets them kindly and makes tea, ready to tell a story of the old days. |
Herbert Alvini
Dragon's Cradle, Half-Orc, Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | | Herbert is a warrior from The Dragon's Cradle who has been in countless battles and has even lead troops across the battlefield. Now a retired veteran, the Half-Orc works in Sol City, training and teaching others how to fight. He believes that everyone should be capable of defending themselves. His shop is one of the best places in all of Charon to learn new techniques and train themselves further. | A proud but kind man who values life and has seen a large amount of violence and bloodshed in his life. He know believes that his purpose is to train others, preparing them for the world. He loves to laugh, spend time with his family and wishes to bring peace tp his land. He is an active member of the community and also advocates against war. |
Gottfried von Hedelsen, Legionnaire Marshal
Capitol Landing, Half-Dwarf, Male
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| Description | Personality | As commander of the Legions of the Black Sun, Gottfried finds himself as the force to maintain peace across Charon as the main threat to that same peace. As such you will often find him as quite a recluse so as to avoid being seen as favoriting any particular political position.
| Despite is self inflicted reclusiveness, Gottfried is quite the gregarious individual and before his assignment as Legionnaire Marshal was known to host quite the social gatherings around Capitol Landing. On the battlefield that gregariousness morphs into a more barbaric frenzy as one can hear a deep laughter echo in time with the cleaving of his two handed sword. |
Father Lucien, Head Priest and Liason to the Gods
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Male
Appearance
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| Description | Personality | Considered elderly even by Elven standards, Father Luicen has been the head priest of the Golden Temple for a very long time. Longer than there are records of his employment, or so it is said. He is a member of the High King's Royal Council and the final voice in matters of the law, if they cannot be agreed upon in court proceedings. His judgement is final, in the eyes of the gods. Recent revelations he has denounced as heresy against the Golden Family, and vowed that they will be dealt with accordingly.
| To be in his presence is to feel wholly unwelcome, not only in his vicinity, but on this plane of existence. While he speaks with honeyed tones and a silver tongue, Father Lucien is a wolf in sheep's clothing. In the name of the Gods, he has exacted cruel and unusual punishment against suspects and offenders alike, and is not above claiming rank above that of certain members of the Royal Families, should they happen to step out of line.
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Alius Skyborne, General Postmaster of the Royal Mail Service
Capitol Landing, Dwarf, Male | Appearance | 
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| Description | Personality | The third General Postmaster of Charon to have been appointed to the position since its establishment in 14180. In his youth, Alius was a messenger for the Royal Mail Service. He introduced the first Postal Drake to his home of Sky Peak in 14820; and then continent-wide in 14970 after his appointment to General Postmaster. He has done much for the Royal Mail Service since then, but rumours state that Alius may be at the end of his lifespan, and a fourth Postmaster may soon be appointed.
| An old man deeply passionate for his work. Alius has a reputation for becoming hyper-focused to the point of self-neglect, and often must be reminded to take care of mundane tasks. He always seems rushed; and is always going somewhere, or always busy with something; making him a hard man to find. He is soft-spoken, hard-working, and has been a massive boon to optimizing the processes in his field.
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Queen Consort Alessia Solarian
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Female
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| Description | Personality | Alessia Solarian, (nee. Omarie), is the wife of King Eldenwar, Queen Consort of Charon. It was to her immense surprise after being betrothed to Eldenwar that instead of becoming Duchess of King's Valley, that she was instead thrust into the spotlight of the regency and all that entailed, only a few short years after her matrimonial journey to Sol City. While not educated in statecraft or in the leadership role she now holds, Alessia is skilled in matters of mediation and persuasion, making her an effective advisor to Eldenwar.
| Alessia is dignified and elegant, the very pinnacle of stability in these most uncertain times. At her husband's side, she fulfills her role as confidant and careful advisor, though she has little mind for strategy beyond the standard social engineering of day-to-day court life. While supportive of her husband, she often finds herself frustrated with his perpetual cheerfulness, especially given the rising tensions across Charon. She has made requests for added security in Sol City, especially at the palace, should the people of Charon turn on their divine leaders.
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Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Female
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| Description | Personality | Born identical twins to the King and Queen of Charon, Princess Alyssa Solarian is well-known for being shrewd, and oft times cruel. It is said the only person she truly cares for in all of Capitol Landing is her elder brother, Almenos... though it does rankle her, a little, that she was not named heir to the throne. She believes her brother to be ill-suited to the task, though she is determined to help him regardless. She has suspicions about the truth regarding the circumstances of her and her brother's birth, but knows better than to ask.
| Ambitious, forthright, and sharp. Alyssa is a polyglot, an accomplished player of no less than six-instruments, a master of chess, and has taken an interest in archery and the borders of the Capitol itself. It is thought that she is a fervent supporter of the Golden Company, an anti-witch militia group that has roots in Sol City and has been spreading throughout Moonglade to weed out heretics of Solaria and seditionists of the Crown.
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Crown Prince Almenos Solarian
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Male
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| Description | Personality | The Crown Prince of Charon, Almenos Solarian takes closely after his father. Known for being personable, jovial, and the life of the party (and there are many, many parties), Almenos has won many allies and a not inconsequential number of enemies. In many ways the opposite of his twin sister, Alyssa, Almenos speaks boldly of his accomplishments, with such bravado that one would have a hard time not accusing him of being a braggard. Even so, he is generally well liked among royal circles even of other families... even if partying and scandalous dalliances seem to be what he's best liked for.
| Being the Crown Prince is a heavy burden to bear for one who does not wish to wear the crown. Almenos would much rather have become a Knight Errant, travelling Charon in service to the Crown, like in his stories. While he is an idealist, charming, and terribly convincing, His playboy reputation is, unfortunately, no facade; it is the only life he has known, spoiled on excess and entitlement granted someone of his station. The only person who seems to have any sway over him at all is his younger sister, Alyssa, who has done wonders to reign in some of his worse impulses.
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Capitol City, Half-Elf, Male
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| Description | Personality | Ward of the Solarian family and nephew of King Solarian, Gideon is technically first in line to the throne... or he would be if his father, Eldacar Solarian, former Crown Prince to Charon had not been exiled in disgrace. While he will never be allowed to rule (it is even uncertain if the Solarian's will allow him to marry), he has a reputation among the staff at the palace as a studious and thoughtful man. He is currently serving as a Page under the tutelage of Reichsritter Volariil Aedael, the head of the King's Guard. Despite the "general unpleasantness" that is his parentage, Gideon is well treated, if distantly by his cousins, the Solarians, though Eldenwar seems to have taken to him the most readily. Now if they could just do something about those pesky scales. And that tail.
| A meek young man who houses a profound and thoughtful mind, Gideon knows he does not quite belong here, among these people who banished his father and ripped him from the arms of the one who bore him, among other elves who would turn their nose up at the half-blooded 'reason' for his father's disgrace. Though he does his best to hide it, Gideon does have a temper... one that can make it's presence known through gouts of fire. Volarill Aedael took him under his wing to help Gideon avoid any further trouble, and to help him better understand his origins. Even with the occasional outburst, Gideon on the whole is a kind soul who wants more out of life than just these palace walls in which he is trapped. In reality, Gideon has no idea just how precarious and complicated his situation truly is.
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Exile, Sun Elf, Male
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| Description | Personality | Eldacar Solarian, elder brother of Eldenwar, was once first in line for the throne. Exiled for crimes against the Crown, the Solarian Royal Family, and the Gods themselves, many believe him to be an interesting, if long irrelevant, point of history. It happened long enough ago that there are many people alive today who had never heard the name Eldacar, or known that there could have been a High King other than Eldenwar, a fact that rankles Eldacar thoroughly.
| Being forced into obscurity, demeaned, slandered by his own family, and having his birthright stripped from him has caused Eldenwar over the many years of his exile to change. He has only grown more certain of his ideal role as Imperator of all Charon, that it is beyond birthright and has become more akin to destiny, one with which he intends to reshape all of Charon in. A better world, under his iron fist. Eldacar holds himself with the grace and poise of the High King he ought to have been, but make no mistake; Eldacar is still every ounce of his Royal lineage, perhaps even more so than Eldenwar. Where his younger brother is jovial and prone to spending money, Eldacar lives an ascetic lifestyle... and thinks everyone else should too. He is strict and terse and will offer no mercy when he tries to retake the throne.
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Unknown, Unknown, Nonbinary
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| Description | Personality | One of the reasons Eldacar was exiled was his forbidden relationship with an individual known only as Ellaeddyf. Not much is known to the public about this person, but in Dragon's Cradle, they were quite well known. The pair met while Eldacar was on campaign in the mountains, and hit it off quite well. Too well, according to some sources. Whispered rumors range wildly: Ellaeddyf bewitched Eldacar with dark magic to convince him to betray the Crown; that they made Eldacar see the error of his ways and turn on his family; that he did everything he did out of love for Ellaeddyf. What is known is that they are a powerful sorcerer, that their whereabouts are currently unknown, and that their son, Gideon, resides in the gilded cage of the Solarian palace. Very likely, as they are assumed to be a Fellblood, general consensus is that Ellaeddyf died long ago.
| Playful, sweet and capricious. Not much is truly known about them outside of the scant memoirs of soldiers on campaign in the mountains of Dragon's Cradle, but it appears that most of what is known of Ellaeddyf has either been edited within most historical text to be decidedly unflattering, including the aforementioned memoirs themselves, or has had any and all references to them simply destroyed. Although these things are true and Ellaeddyf is thought to be dead, every year on the anniversary of Gideon's birth, a little gift arrives at the palace for him. The note attached is always unsigned, but even so, the Palace has gone to great lengths to ensure that Gideon will never see the contents of these gifts under any circumstances.
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Captain Volariil Aedael, Baron of Dragon's Cradle
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Male
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| Description | Personality |
Volariil Aedael is a man who is best described as larger than life. He has always been and will always be gregarious and impossibly skilled at whatever he puts his mind too, making him both a subject of envy and awe within Sol City and the realm of Charon at large. He is tall and broad shouldered, well built from a life of martial training yet not in a way that is frightening or off putting in anyway.
| Volariil is cunning, kind, charming, and powerful in every sense of the word. His demeanor and the air about him can feel both stifling and empowering all at once, making him seem like a maelstrom of personality constantly pushing and pulling on you once you are caught within his sweeping persona. He himself knows all that he is, and his confidence is legendary amongst the nobles of the realm. Most if not all would say that he could stare down a dragon and come out with an ally.
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Duchess Caraelle Fernando
Capitol Landing, Sun Elf, Female
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| Description | Personality | Duchess Caraelle Fernando (nee. Omarie) sister of the Queen Consort, has recently become a widow after the tragic assassination of her husband, Duke Francois Fernando, in Sol City. While her husband died in the streets, her estate mysteriously caught fire, and she and her family were left with the scars of the incident. While she had no especial love for him, Caraelle is fiercely protective of that which she perceives as 'hers' and will not tolerate such flagrant disrespect of the Crown, her family, or her person. Thus, is on the hunt for those responsible, and as a diplomat who travels to the different areas Charon often to see to it that the Crown is being held in high regard, she certainly has the connections to find out who it was indeed. While often at odds with her elder sister, Caraelle is often at Alessia's side, detailing her own thoughts on how to better manage Charon at large, words that she hopes Alessia passes on to the High King-- a man as simple as he is incompetent, in her view. As such, she is extremely close with her niece and nephew; young minds are so much more easily shaped.
| Caraelle has always been a proud and opinionated woman, and her time in service to the Crown as a diplomat has not softened her at all. If anything, it has made her bias against other elves especially that much stronger. Unlike other nobility, however, Caraelle does not hide her vitriol beneath a pleasant mask; it is plain for all to see, and she does not particularly care who sees it. She has a talent for being civil and amicable while thoroughly insulting others, and is not afraid to use the power that her status gives her to get what she wants. There are many in Charon who owe her favors, and in light of recent events, she plans to start making good on those collections soon.
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Capitol Landing, Half Sun Elf, Half Moon Elf, Agender
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| Description | Personality | Third Cousin of King Eldenwar, Poldo is a Ward learning statecraft to better advise Moonglade, part of an interfamily exchange program. They seem to relish being immersed in the culture of the Sun Elves, and does not seem to pay any mind to those who would think lesser of them as a result of their mixed heritage. Their progress speaks for itself; Poldo is on the way to becoming a fine diplomat, learning how the Crown expects things to be run and handled so that they may better advise Princess Nimia in Moonglade when they return. This is, of course, a fair cover for the truth. Poldo is a junior spymaster of Moonglade, and their presence in Sol City is by no means an accident, and nor is it simply for the purposes of learning to be a diplomat. They are gathering information at a rapid rate; the Solarian's have either lost their touch, it seems, or they are better at misdirection than anyone could have thought. In either case, Poldo is gaining valuable intel for their people. Now they just have to survive long enough to return home.
| Cheerful, bright and full of mirth, Poldo is a delight to be around. There is no denying their intelligence, as Poldo enjoys many avenues of study that they are quickly becoming a master at. In spite of the trappings of noble life being quite tempting to give in to, Poldo strangely seems to refrain from the general debauchery of the nobility in the Capitol at large. They partake in parties and events, but only to the barest minimum, offering quips and jokes to keep things lively. Otherwise, they are very quick to offer advise to those closest to the High King, especially in matters concerning Moonglade, so hopefully even out some moderation against the more militant voices in the Solarian Royal Cabinet. While Poldo is very social and gregarious, little is known about their personal life save for the small details that they deign to reveal about theirself.
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Yakov Vasilievich
Sol City, Human, Male
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| Description | Personality | Yakov is the eldest Vasilievich brother, and the head of operations of the Observatory in Starfield in Mooglade, the first human to hold such a prestigious position. A gifted Elementalist, Yakov took to astronomy at a young age when he was introduced to the auroras of Frost Gale. Now a tenured professor with the Arcane Academy, he runs a program for budding students of the arcane with an interest in astronomy.
| Where his younger brother, Viktor, is well-liked, Yakov is simply tolerated. He is considered a polymath, with the ego to match, boasting several areas of expertise from botany to medicine to chemistry. Working for him is almost akin to masochism... but it does look very good on one's resume.
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Synnøve Alströmer
Sol City, Faeborne, Female
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| Description | Personality | Much to the chagrin of her two mentors, professor Vasilievich, Synnøve is a student astronomer and an average one at that... despite this, she has made considerable waves in the astronomical world. Synnøve's most recent proposal that the world is not flat was met with incredulity and wide criticism. Not at all deterred by her detractors or a lack of funding to prove her theory, she engaged in thorough research, which involved putting together several kites and using them to glide off the peaks of Dragon's Cradle, propelled upwards by thermal updrafts. Using this method, she was able to visually see the curvature of the horizon, proving her theory... before she promptly fell out of the sky. She is still recovering in the infirmary of the Mages Guild.
| Considered to be an average student with the attention span of a goldfish, Synnøve is nonetheless considered an expert in her field, that being "Theoretical Arcanum", by which the Formulae Arcanum-- magic-- is used to explain the world as we know it, create new spells, understand how magic works, and how that relates to the worlds beyond our own, such as the heavens of which she is so fond. Other than this, Synnøve is best known for being outgoing, incredibly friendly, deeply reckless, and intelligent to a fault.
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Saelethil Elnaril IangeirosSol City, Sun Elf, Nonbinary| Appearance |  |
| Description | Personality | | Currently the elected leader of the Solyavari, Saelethil took up their position hoping that it would come with endless popularity so that they may be showered with adoration. But the events of the Sol Stone have thrown this young elf’s life into disarray. Their faith shaken and a group of uncertain, cushy nobles to lead, Saelethil is utterly out of their depth. They must do all they can to keep their people safe, but Saelethil is relatively young in their life - and they must confront the fact that they might not be on the good side of this conflict. | Though they are generally haughty and sure of themselves, recent years have left Saelethil’s demeanor far more muted than usual. They are rather good at keeping up appearances, though they are more troubled than they have ever been. Saelethil was once proud of the fact that they were relatively powerful with the magic of the sun - but ever since they heard Scern’s story, Saelethil’s faith has been so deeply shaken that they seem to have lost the ability to cast their own spells.
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Mausica Llustara Sol City, Sun Elf, Female| Appearance |  |
| Description | Personality | | Mausica is one of the older members of the Solyavari communities, and quite comfortable where she is - she was the previously elected leader of the community, and now that she has served her time in the spotlight, she was more than happy to live out the rest of her life in retirement - until Sol City was thrown into instability. Now, she uses her fleet of ships to smuggle out valuables that the Solyavari fear to lose in the event the city falls. She hopes for the best, but expects the worst. | Not much bothers Mausica. She is generally a calm individual, and she has never known stress because there is nothing in her life to be stressed about. She is a weak mage with prowess in the sea domain, though she uses it for little more than aquaculture and maintaining her sea-garden. She is a widower and generally prefers to keep to herself in her manor by the sea.
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Global Moderator
545 POSTS & 0 LIKES
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Post by Admin: Otto on Jun 17, 2023 16:46:02 GMT -5
Important LocationsThe CitadelLocation
Sol City
Description
Where most prisons exist to send criminals away from society, The Citadel is quite the opposite. Built as a tower within the heart of the Capitol, not far from Sun's Keep itself, The Citadel serves as a maximum security prison for those who are deemed enemies of the crown-- individuals charged with treason, political opponents of the regime, dissidents, and would-be usurpers of the Crown and its holdings are located here. It is considered a fortess among fortresses, occupied by hundreds of guards that work in rotating shifts who are frequently tested for their loyalty to the Crown; anyone found wanting is immediately dismissed, or joins the ranks of the imprisoned. Only those that the Crown wishes to keep a close eye on are kept here, away from the rabble of typical prison populations, lest their ideas become infectious.
History
Constructed during The Rune Wars, The Citadel is a large, towering structure that stretches up into the skyline of Sol City. The top of the tower is manned by a constant patrol on the exterior ramparts to observe the city at large for any unauthorized persons approaching. But this watchtower pales in comparison to the one within.
The architecture of The Citadel is well documented and considered a marvel of engineering. The cells of the prison are arranged within the walls of the tower in a circle, and rising from the center, a pillar in and of itself, is a watchtower that is capable of observing on all sides. Known as a 'panopticon', it ensures that prisoners have watchful eyes trained on them around the clock. Throughout history, The Citadel has been a site of mass protest and a cultural touchstone, for better or worse.
Conditions are horrible nominal given the crimes of which the imprisoned have been found guilty, at least, in the eyes of the crown. Everyone is given exactly what they need and no further. A prison is not meant to be a place of comfort, but one of punishment.
While there have been escape attempts throughout history, not one has been successful... until recently. Considered a blemish on the otherwise perfect record of The Citadel, the guards have been reported to be even more stringent and cruel than they were previously. Unknown; Colloquially referred to as "Elsewhere"Location
Unknown.
Description
This prison's existence is little more than a rumor and has never been visually located by anyone.
History
For as long as the Sun Elves have ruled Charon, there have been whispers of a hidden prison where individuals are kept under lock and key for an indeterminate amount of time. Who is within and why is largely unknown. Some believe it is solely for magical users, to steal them away for specific projects or stumble across information that they should not have, and such disappearances throughout history are often attributed to being kept Elsewhere. Others believe it is for the Crown to stash its secrets and other inconvenient truths away in darkness, where no one will ever find them. Yet others still believe that it is a prison for things that are not people; spirits, minor gods, and other high-powered beings that cannot be imprisoned by normal means.
The Crown has long denied the existence of such a place, citing the sufficiency of preexisting prisons already and that the Crown has nothing to hide from its people. At one time, they offered a financial reward and a noble title for any who could find this supposed prison, a task that many took up. Needless to say, none were able to find anything of note.
What these ideas lead many to surmise is that this prison does not exist on this plane at all, but rather, Elsewhere Voyageur's SoundThe name is given to the area of water and coastline that forms the curved interior of Charon and is home to Sol City itself. Home to several natural estuaries and calmer waters than that found in the Luna Sea, Voyageur's Sound is the main path of sea-faring trade routes in Charon due to its reliable weather patterns and abundant sea life. While storms that form here can last for days at a time, they rarely come even close to matching the raging tempests that are better known to areas like Dragon's Cradle and the near the Arid Mesa. Indeed, the area is a favorite spot for pleasure cruises and tourism of all kinds.
Littered throughout Voyageur's Sound are multiple islands that the Crown has been known to sell to the wealthy members of society for their own private use, though some may be rented on a schedule of time shared among others. Though these are not the only habitable places along the coast; there are many settlements that take advantage of the Sound's bounty, all of which produce and ship necessary goods all around Charon.
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protect him at all cost. (can’t use discord anymore so making use of this here)
Oct 9, 2024 3:16:11 GMT -5
protect him at all cost. (can’t use discord anymore so making use of this here)
Oct 9, 2024 3:16:11 GMT -5
Oct 9, 2024 14:58:16 GMT -5
Oct 9, 2024 14:58:16 GMT -5
