Lane is an odd fellow, seemingly human but with pointed ears belying some form of elvish ancestry. A self proclaimed 'Wandering Wizard' Lane seems to have a severe wanderlust, never staying in one place for too long. Ever seeking change, finding a strange connection with the very concept, seeking a life where things never become dull or mundane. Lane seems ever eager to find new experiences, sometimes finding trouble when they do.
As a child they went to the Maestro Magica Academy, a fairly prestigious school for the Arcane. There was some confusion at their admission, as nobody on the admission board could remember receiving their application, but Lane's paperwork was all in order, immaculate even, so they were accepted. Over the years Lane learned of the mystic arts and found themselves focusing on the School of Transmutation, the magics of transforming one thing into another. Lane became so focused on that one type of magic, they somewhat dulled on learning any other spell. Their fellow students balked at this path, and Lane's teachers insisted that while specializing in one school was something many Wizards did, almost all Wizards still learned other spells. Lane didn't care though, the transformation magic was all they wanted to learn... And their grades suffered for it.
Barely an adult Lane found themselves leaving the Maestro Magica Academy, technically a drop out, but finding they had what they needed. Also, somehow, despite being a drop out Lane does seem to have a certification of being a graduate from the school? Being seen as not just a common Wizard, but a scholar from a renowned academy sure has it's uses on travels across the land, which is what Lane decided to do, having grown bored of duty halls and musty classrooms.
In truth, Lane is a Changeling, child of two Changelings who had decided to take one form and make a life for their offspring. Though tragedy came some years later when the people of the town discovered the parent's. They were called Doppelgangers, and accused of stealing the lives of the people they always were. They were put to death, and the search for the child they had forced the newly orphaned Lane to use the skills she had learned from their parents to forge documents that would allow them to hide at the Academy.
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Malcolm Thanatos [Backstory]
Necromancy... It brings to mind villainous Mages and the despicable Lich. Armies of the undead marching across the land commanded by some deranged megalomaniac bent on conquest. Pale skinned wizard with hooked noses and gaunt features, hunched forward and keeping to the shadow, boney fingers crafting unspeakable spells. The Dark Arts, the ultimate Taboo, the arrogance of thinking man could control the very nature of Death. This is what the mind conjures when the word Necromancer is bandied about.
This was not, however, Malcolm.
He seemed it, at times, pale skinned and a little on the skinny side, but his skin was not the white of a Lilly petal due to hours spent in a shadowy crypt, but due to his heritage as a Tiefling. As well, some people are just naturally lanky, there's nothing to be done! Where Malcolm differed from the popular consensus of Necromancers was his demeanor. He did not scowl or sneer, did not speak with a rasping growl or snarl with an air of superiority to those he felt common. He was quite well mannered, soft spoken at times, and contained a zest for life and pleasure.
Malcolm's was drawn to Necromancy at a young age, a somewhat odd boy he was always drawn to the dark and macabre. But his was a fascination not born of the desire to control death, but to understand life. It wasn't always an easy path, Necromancy is not highly regarded in society, especially when a Tiefling, Planetouched by creatures of the abyss, seek it out. He was able to find a way though, and became a Wizard. His skill would not come to drawing up armies of zombies from the soil of long forgotten battlefields, but as a Mortician, a Coroner, and a Funeral Home Director.
It made sense. Necromancers are specifically skilled in dealing with the dead, Malcolm's ability to suss out causes of death was a boon to the city, which put coin in his pocket and kept the locals from running him out of town, his talents also lead him to being well practiced in the Rights of the Dead for those who did not follow any particular god, or for those who did but lacked the necessary coin for a proper Cleric. Malcolm made a modest name for himself within New Castle, the largest city on the eastern coast, the Thanatos Home for the Dead was kept under some scrutiny, but it's owner was always quite kind, and even jovial to his neighbors.
But then that came to an end.
Malcolm one day decided to stop, close the doors to his Funeral Home, and venture off into the world to become an "Adventurer." When asked by associates why he would decide suddenly to give up on a modestly successful business to try his hand at such a dangerous career he would answer
"I'm simply tired of focusing on the Death, it's time to get out there and focus on living!"
When pressed further, he would add.
"Do you know the words on a dead child's lips? Because I do, and I no longer wish to hear them..."
This was not, however, Malcolm.
He seemed it, at times, pale skinned and a little on the skinny side, but his skin was not the white of a Lilly petal due to hours spent in a shadowy crypt, but due to his heritage as a Tiefling. As well, some people are just naturally lanky, there's nothing to be done! Where Malcolm differed from the popular consensus of Necromancers was his demeanor. He did not scowl or sneer, did not speak with a rasping growl or snarl with an air of superiority to those he felt common. He was quite well mannered, soft spoken at times, and contained a zest for life and pleasure.
Malcolm's was drawn to Necromancy at a young age, a somewhat odd boy he was always drawn to the dark and macabre. But his was a fascination not born of the desire to control death, but to understand life. It wasn't always an easy path, Necromancy is not highly regarded in society, especially when a Tiefling, Planetouched by creatures of the abyss, seek it out. He was able to find a way though, and became a Wizard. His skill would not come to drawing up armies of zombies from the soil of long forgotten battlefields, but as a Mortician, a Coroner, and a Funeral Home Director.
It made sense. Necromancers are specifically skilled in dealing with the dead, Malcolm's ability to suss out causes of death was a boon to the city, which put coin in his pocket and kept the locals from running him out of town, his talents also lead him to being well practiced in the Rights of the Dead for those who did not follow any particular god, or for those who did but lacked the necessary coin for a proper Cleric. Malcolm made a modest name for himself within New Castle, the largest city on the eastern coast, the Thanatos Home for the Dead was kept under some scrutiny, but it's owner was always quite kind, and even jovial to his neighbors.
But then that came to an end.
Malcolm one day decided to stop, close the doors to his Funeral Home, and venture off into the world to become an "Adventurer." When asked by associates why he would decide suddenly to give up on a modestly successful business to try his hand at such a dangerous career he would answer
"I'm simply tired of focusing on the Death, it's time to get out there and focus on living!"
When pressed further, he would add.
"Do you know the words on a dead child's lips? Because I do, and I no longer wish to hear them..."
Herenya Laurë Milmë Goldstandar III [Backstory]
[A lot of stuff has been going on in my life that made things, well, crazy. I have been writing, not nearly enough and not in the style that I wanted, but I have put word to paper. I just hadn't had the time to upload it to this blog (more accurately I completely forgot). I will be uploading a handful of character backstories I've written over the past couple months.]
Two millennia ago there was a forest, and in this forest were the fey folk, and presiding over the fey folk there was a Dryad. They lived well and free for some time, until the Humans came. The humans did not care for the fey folk, seeing them as tricksters and ill omens, they only cared about the resources they could take from the forest. This was a tumultuous time for the Dryad and her people, there was little they could do against the humans and their weapons. They began to resign themselves to their fate, but then came champions! A band of Elves, who had been in bitter conflict with the Humans already over land borders, felt the forest of the Dryad was clearly their land, they had dispatched a family of gifted warriors to expel the humans, and expel them the warriors did. For this the Dryad and her fey folk were ever grateful and bestowerd a boon upon the warriors. A blessing of magic with the prophecy...
"Magic will run through your blood until the last leaf of the last tree falls."
This gave the family power.
Ten or so generations passed, and the border conflicts with the Humans had, mostly, ended. Now came a new conflict, though this was not skirmishes over borders, this was War. The Elves were fighting the Dwarves to the north now, and the battles were harsh and bloody. The descendants of those Elven warriors, now living in a small manor outside the Dryad forest, were keen on staying out of it but the Elf King begged them to use their magic to turn the tide. They were promised land, wealth, spoils that would leave them rivaling the king himself in influence. They agreed. With their sorcery the family was indeed able to turn the tides and in reward was gifted a mountain the Dwarves had agreed to abdicate in their loss. This mountain was filled with jeweled stones and precious metals waiting to be mined.
This gave the family wealth.
The family home was no longer a small manor, it was now a sprawling mansion.Over the next few centuries the family grew their wealth and power exponentially. Their influence within the kingdom grew to the point the King himself would regularly dine at their table, and still it grew further. The family began expanding their empire of money and industry, taking over fineries, luxuries, and all matter of expense and well living. If you were wealthy and looking to buy something? You got it from them. They were once called the Gold Standard family, they liked it so much, they made it their name. All the while, as they gained more influence and power, the Dryad and the Fey seemed to speak to them less and less. Their magic remained, the Fey's prophecy could not be taken back, but the forest behind the Last Tree Manor became silent. Until Heren came along.
Herenya III was born to his father, Herenya II, who was considered a bit of a renegade. The father didn't take to his families greed so strongly, preferring the freedom the wealth he controlled gave him to see the world. Wanderlust kept him away from the home for great periods of time, there were also rumors amongst the family that Herenya II took to adventuring as well, the thought! Through Heren was a Goldstandar, which meant however much of a renegade he may have been, he was still driven by coin and influence, so when it came to handling his part of the family business, he was just as good as any... so the family tolerated his eccentricities... Even when he decided to marry a non-sorcerer, Luana. This was considered incredibly taboo for the family, a danger to their magical line. When Luana II, their first born, was revealed to be not just a Dragon Sorcerer but a Gold Dragon Sorcerer, this quieted the rancor a little.
But then Herenya III was born.
Heren was his father's first born son and carrier of his name. And his magic was tinged Wild. This became apparent when the boy cast his first spell and destroyed an entire library in the east wing of the manor. 'This was the punishment!' The family cried, for Herenya II's constant dalliances in the world and bringing a non sorcerer into the family. This is what they all warned him against! A Wild Magic Sorcerer? It was a disgrace, a stain on their family! The entire family would be the laughing stock of High Society! While this fight raged on in a burnt out library, Heren sat alone in the forest, disheveled and crying. It was then that the Dryad appeared... She didn't say much, she smiled for the young boy and comforted him. She took him into her arms and soothed his tears. From then on, when Heren was alone, they Fey Folk and the Dryad would come to him when he was down to cheer him up and make him laugh. He didn't know why they spoke to him and after an encounter with his sister Luana II, the only person he ever told, left him with a black eye... he did not ask.
Heren grew into a fairly confident, if spoiled, man. His Wild Magic left him mostly untouched by any of his families influence aside from his immediate family, who were still mostly distant. Basically being raised by the Fey, Heren became charming, confident, and quick to dominate a room with his raw charisma. But this would lead to ruin, as while at a Gala held by his family, with not just dukes, not just nobles, not just other members of High Society... but with the Queen of the largest human kingdom on the continent, Heren's magic went wild. He was in the middle of the Gala, entertaining not but two dozen people of staggering influence and power that nearly rivaled his own families when he cast a spell to amaze... The magical energy inside him twisted, it crackled in his hand... A confusion spell erupted forth, spreading over the guests. There was pandemonium. The Queen nearly killed. And Heren was arrested for high crimes against the crown.
Heren was released, to his great relief, when his family bailed him out. Though they soon informed him that the massive monetary expense to 'convince' the Queen to not have Heren executed and the additional expense of buying him out of prison all came from his personal inheritance of the family fortune. He was then told in no uncertain terms that he was no longer welcome in the Last Tree Manor. He was homeless and broke. A dandy expected to make his way on the streets. In high society his name carries great respect, but on the streets? It was little more than a mocking jab at best, a liability at worst. He became known as the Pauper Prince, a derisive moniker given to him with jeering laughter... Now Heren uses his only real gift, his sorcery, to try and keep his head above water.
Two millennia ago there was a forest, and in this forest were the fey folk, and presiding over the fey folk there was a Dryad. They lived well and free for some time, until the Humans came. The humans did not care for the fey folk, seeing them as tricksters and ill omens, they only cared about the resources they could take from the forest. This was a tumultuous time for the Dryad and her people, there was little they could do against the humans and their weapons. They began to resign themselves to their fate, but then came champions! A band of Elves, who had been in bitter conflict with the Humans already over land borders, felt the forest of the Dryad was clearly their land, they had dispatched a family of gifted warriors to expel the humans, and expel them the warriors did. For this the Dryad and her fey folk were ever grateful and bestowerd a boon upon the warriors. A blessing of magic with the prophecy...
"Magic will run through your blood until the last leaf of the last tree falls."
This gave the family power.
Ten or so generations passed, and the border conflicts with the Humans had, mostly, ended. Now came a new conflict, though this was not skirmishes over borders, this was War. The Elves were fighting the Dwarves to the north now, and the battles were harsh and bloody. The descendants of those Elven warriors, now living in a small manor outside the Dryad forest, were keen on staying out of it but the Elf King begged them to use their magic to turn the tide. They were promised land, wealth, spoils that would leave them rivaling the king himself in influence. They agreed. With their sorcery the family was indeed able to turn the tides and in reward was gifted a mountain the Dwarves had agreed to abdicate in their loss. This mountain was filled with jeweled stones and precious metals waiting to be mined.
This gave the family wealth.
The family home was no longer a small manor, it was now a sprawling mansion.Over the next few centuries the family grew their wealth and power exponentially. Their influence within the kingdom grew to the point the King himself would regularly dine at their table, and still it grew further. The family began expanding their empire of money and industry, taking over fineries, luxuries, and all matter of expense and well living. If you were wealthy and looking to buy something? You got it from them. They were once called the Gold Standard family, they liked it so much, they made it their name. All the while, as they gained more influence and power, the Dryad and the Fey seemed to speak to them less and less. Their magic remained, the Fey's prophecy could not be taken back, but the forest behind the Last Tree Manor became silent. Until Heren came along.
Herenya III was born to his father, Herenya II, who was considered a bit of a renegade. The father didn't take to his families greed so strongly, preferring the freedom the wealth he controlled gave him to see the world. Wanderlust kept him away from the home for great periods of time, there were also rumors amongst the family that Herenya II took to adventuring as well, the thought! Through Heren was a Goldstandar, which meant however much of a renegade he may have been, he was still driven by coin and influence, so when it came to handling his part of the family business, he was just as good as any... so the family tolerated his eccentricities... Even when he decided to marry a non-sorcerer, Luana. This was considered incredibly taboo for the family, a danger to their magical line. When Luana II, their first born, was revealed to be not just a Dragon Sorcerer but a Gold Dragon Sorcerer, this quieted the rancor a little.
But then Herenya III was born.
Heren was his father's first born son and carrier of his name. And his magic was tinged Wild. This became apparent when the boy cast his first spell and destroyed an entire library in the east wing of the manor. 'This was the punishment!' The family cried, for Herenya II's constant dalliances in the world and bringing a non sorcerer into the family. This is what they all warned him against! A Wild Magic Sorcerer? It was a disgrace, a stain on their family! The entire family would be the laughing stock of High Society! While this fight raged on in a burnt out library, Heren sat alone in the forest, disheveled and crying. It was then that the Dryad appeared... She didn't say much, she smiled for the young boy and comforted him. She took him into her arms and soothed his tears. From then on, when Heren was alone, they Fey Folk and the Dryad would come to him when he was down to cheer him up and make him laugh. He didn't know why they spoke to him and after an encounter with his sister Luana II, the only person he ever told, left him with a black eye... he did not ask.
Heren grew into a fairly confident, if spoiled, man. His Wild Magic left him mostly untouched by any of his families influence aside from his immediate family, who were still mostly distant. Basically being raised by the Fey, Heren became charming, confident, and quick to dominate a room with his raw charisma. But this would lead to ruin, as while at a Gala held by his family, with not just dukes, not just nobles, not just other members of High Society... but with the Queen of the largest human kingdom on the continent, Heren's magic went wild. He was in the middle of the Gala, entertaining not but two dozen people of staggering influence and power that nearly rivaled his own families when he cast a spell to amaze... The magical energy inside him twisted, it crackled in his hand... A confusion spell erupted forth, spreading over the guests. There was pandemonium. The Queen nearly killed. And Heren was arrested for high crimes against the crown.
Heren was released, to his great relief, when his family bailed him out. Though they soon informed him that the massive monetary expense to 'convince' the Queen to not have Heren executed and the additional expense of buying him out of prison all came from his personal inheritance of the family fortune. He was then told in no uncertain terms that he was no longer welcome in the Last Tree Manor. He was homeless and broke. A dandy expected to make his way on the streets. In high society his name carries great respect, but on the streets? It was little more than a mocking jab at best, a liability at worst. He became known as the Pauper Prince, a derisive moniker given to him with jeering laughter... Now Heren uses his only real gift, his sorcery, to try and keep his head above water.
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