Character Creation Thread

Qiora Jaymie Geng was the youngest of four siblings, raised by parents that ran a modest roadside inn. The lodgings were quaint, but comfortable, and the inn prospered thanks to its prominent location and frequent travelers. Qiora helped bus tables and turn rooms, but her main focus was entertainment. She played to the common room and kept the guests full of music and song.

In time, Qiora's talent caught the ear of a wandering minstrel named Dame Rezario, who offered to take on the young halfling as an apprentice. Though it was difficult to obtain her parents' blessing, Qiora soon found herself on the road with the noble bard. She studied the tales and added ancient songs to her repertoire, and reflected on the arcane aspects inherent in bardic lore.

While traveling with the troupe, Qiora was offered a place in the Omon court as both an entertainer and an instructor of the arts to the dragonborn family. It was a noble calling (in more ways than one) and Qiora jumped at the opportunity. Unfortunately, fate twisted its strings and the discordant play of Genera's political theater saw the bard exiled to the remote realm of Kamatayan, along with Lady Tsira Omon.

Ever the optimist, Qiora figured a change in key wouldn't necessarily break the music, but rather allow for a different song to be played and recorded.

Yrsa "The Kraken" Eclipse was born on the high seas, daughter to a pirate captain, conceived during a one-night stand at some far-flung port with a wizard of ill-repute (which was part of a complicated plot to remove certain artifacts from the wizard's tower, and did not go as well as planned... talk about accidents). Yrsa's mother wasted no time in teaching her child the arts of sailing and survival in a cutthroat world.

On a fateful night, Yrsa's ship was attacked by a rival. The assault was practically complete; her mother and crewmates killed, ship plundered and Yrsa herself left mortally wounded afloat on timbers. In her last moments of consciousness, Yrsa pledged herself to whatever powers of the Deep there would be in the unspoken waters that if she survived, she would enact vengeance.

Something responded.

The pirate found herself washed ashore heavily wounded and delirious from the loss of blood. Yrsa was taken in by some local fishermen and nursed back to health. She was appreciative of her saviors, but there was a hunger deep within her and she knew she had to leave. Yrsa did not know whether it was revenge that she sought or something far more sinister, but somehow the knowledge of dark, shadowy tentacles of ancient and eldritch power seemed to beckon, and Yrsa did not back away. She willingly embraced this hunger, a black pit within her very core, and yearn to fill its need.

Yrsa pursued this desire far inland, away from the vibrant seas that she once called home. She found herself now on the roiling oceans of sand and heat in Kamatayan and sought employment and shelter at the oddly-named Omon Treasure Horde as a sellsword. Yrsa reasoned that being away from the water would give her time to strengthen herself, and one day she will return to consume the very waters that claimed her first family.

Hadari, Water Genasi Tempest Cleric

Personality Traits: The grace of Setharis is visible in all things, and I will tell you about it again and again and again and again...
Ideals: Even the weakest and the most worthless can be saved if they so choose.
Bonds: My god and those who worship alongside me are my family. I trust them with my very existence.
Flaws: I am afraid of ever returning to the pathetic life I once suffered. I will do anything to avoid such a fate.

Age: 1 [68]
Weight: 270 lbs.
Height: 6’ 3"
Eyes: Sky blue
Skin: Ocean Blue
Hair: White

Character Appearance: Hadari is unsettling to most. He is a large man of considerable strength, and he is rarely seen out of his wave-engraved armor or without his storm-scarred warhammer. Yet it is the blue hue of his skin and the pale white of his beard that confuse and frighten those who have never seen anyone like him before. He rarely smiles, instead staring at the world with a dour determination. He is most animated when speaking of Setharis and the greatness that the Soul of the Sea brings to the world.

Allies & Organizations:
> The Priesthood of Setharis, Soul of the Sea
> The Stormtide Sanctuary [Cathedral of Setharis]

Character Backstory:
3 Important Events
> "Shattered" — One day, it dawned on Addis what he was: vermin. Filth. Ridiculed by most, pitied at best. An old man, filled with regret, booze, and the bile of a life lived as if dying. This moment of clarity was all it took. When the true import of my existence, my worthless existence, fell upon me, it destroyed me. It was the beginning of my first death, the start of my second life. A life I did not know would be blessed until I stared into the heart of the ocean and it gave to me of its power.
> "Sheltered" — After that day, I wandered with nothing to sustain me save the will to live. Though I had lost all else, my instinct for survival persisted. Curious. To this day, I do not know why. Yet wander I did until by the lights of a resounding storm I found the cathedral. Built into a cliff facing the sea, I saw a monument to Lord Setharis’ greatness: the Stormtide Sanctuary. At its great gates I stood: shivering, hungry, faithless. I knew not where to go anymore. My wandering legs ceased their wandering. I faced the threshold and it opened for me. Opened by the hand of a welcoming shadow, the hand that pulled me out of the drought, the hand that was the extension of the sea.
> "Ascension" — Setharis saw my faith. After years of prayer, years of atonement for my sins, I stood before the ocean, allowing the tide to caress my toes. There, in the full moon’s light, he came. A titan of the oceans, appearing before me. He spoke in the crash of thunder, the seething of the tide, and the muttering of popping bubbles. Yet I understood every word. He told me he had need of me, that he had need of one who would give everything for him. I knew not how I could help Setharis, but I pledged my loyalty nonetheless. "I am old and frail and I am no warrior, but I shall follow every command of the Soul of the Sea." He said that with his blessing, I would become a warrior. The tide swallowed me, and as Addis Bordenson drowned, I transformed. When the waves spat me back on shore, Hadari emerged. I am one with the waves now, and I go where my Lord commands.

3 Essential Places
> Emris — I remember the hamlet of Emris. A place of good people and hard workers. All save one. A broken man with nothing to live for that turns instead to drink. To malfeasance and deception. Yet that is of the man, not the place. The place is a shining pool, undisturbed by harsh winds. A village of virtuous peasants who deserve far more than what they receive. It is the home of my eternal shame. I thank Setharis that those who live there are unlikely to know Hadari, and more unlikely to connect him with the man they once knew. I know of no penance which could absolve me of the shameful memories from that place.
> The Stormtide Sanctuary — There, in the cliffs of the Semmet Coast, lay a great Cathedral. One that would not break beneath the pounding of the waves, yet still paid homage to their power. By the will of Setharis, the water that floods its walls brings fresh water and fish, instead of salt water and weeds. What windows that adorn the outside are made of sea glass and shells, which glow in pale exuberance when lit by lightning. All those harbored in that magnificent port ebb and flow in concord with the Soul of the Sea. We are mighty school, each and every droplet among us part of a greater whole. My true home lies in the Sanctuary, where Setharis’ ways are taught.
> The Semmet Coast — Before I fell into the arms of Setharis, I walked the Semmet Coast, entranced by its beauty even in my lowly state. Within the care of the priests of Setharis, I walked the Semmet Coast, meditating on the powers of the sea and the bounties provided to us by Setharis’ grace. One day, I walked the Semmet Coast and was swallowed by the ocean. That was my final day as Addis, and my first as Hadari. I have seen much change along those shifting sands. I wonder if I shall see such changes there again.

3 Allies
> Holly Corbond [Human Female] — A kind spirit, a worthy soul. She cared for Addis as best she could. Sometimes that meant cutting me off from the drink, sometimes it meant filling up my cup. She knew what was best for me, but she also understood what she could not change. She did not try to fight the waves, and instead she followed their flow. Whenever she could, she kept me talking. Kept my mind off my vices and on my words. For that, I will always thank her. Perhaps without her, I’d never have realized how broken I was. Perhaps I’d never have been mended.
> Setharis, Soul of the Sea [God of Water] — Setharis is vast. He embraces the strong, those who will not break beneath the crushing waves. He cradles the weak, washing their self-inflicted wounds with his cleansing waters. He vanquishes those who hunt his faithful and exalts those who preach his virtues. His is the typhoon. His is the hurricane. His is the tide. His law is my law. His strength is my strength. I shall follow the will of the waters forever.
> Seawarden Isilia [Tiefling Female] — On the day when Addis’ bleary gaze first saw the light streaming from the Stormtide Sanctuary, Isilia’s was the welcoming shadow. She defended the gate on that day, and she chose to invite a hopeless man within those walls, a man she believed might be saved. She fed me and sheltered me until I could walk without hobbling. She read to me from Setharis’ scriptures and explained that she did not save me, but the Soul of the Sea did. When I could think clearly and ask questions, she would answer them and smile, pleased by the passionate and curious nature of my faith. She is a mentor and a leader, one I will always be glad to follow.

3 Rivals
> Billos Vinscht [Human Male] — Billos was a friend of Addis' and similarly flawed. He enjoyed his liquor and debauchery. He encouraged it within others, including as the man that I once was. Many would call him a bad influence and that would be the truth. Still, he was a good friend to one such as Addis. Kindly, in his own way. The kind of man who loved to share a drink and a story. The best of bad apples, perhaps. I wish that I could save him, as I saved myself, but Setharis has showed me that only those begging for their own salvation can be saved.
> Wavewatcher Apollon [Gnome Female] — I saw the young Wavewatcher as I was nursed back to health. She began her journey into Setharis’ order not long before I arrived, so I witnessed the initiation rituals she underwent as Isilia filled my empty stomach and sated my hungering mind. Soon I began that same journey, following Apollon through the tests and trials required as an initiate in Setharis’ priesthood. We have always been cordial, but I see her not just as a fellow acolyte, but as a marker to measure my own progress. I believe she views me similarly: as an impetus to push herself toward better and brighter things. I do not blame her: I too would feel crushed if one such as myself surpassed me in the goals I chose.
> Telus Vex [Air Genasi Female] — In my short time as Hadari, I have met one other such as myself. Her name is Telus Vex, and she serves Elotyr, the Keeper of the Wind. Our meeting was a pleasant one, for Setharis and Elotyr are allies, and their child, Ulos the Stormbringer, is a mighty god in his own right. Yet when I looked upon one who has ascended as I have, I cannot help but desire to bring to Setharis even more than what she brings to Elotyr. What if she too began as one such as Addis? What if I, as Hadari, could not surpass the devotion of one who came from the same dark place from which I crawled? I will not let that happen. I wish Telus Vex and her goddess good fortune and prosperity so long as they do not stand in my way.

3 Enemies
> Addis Bordenson [Human Male] — Addis Bordenson was weak. Addis Bordenson was ancient. Addis Bordenson knew not tranquility nor kindness. He was a man of vices, of liquor, of failure. He was a man who stepped too far into sin and could not be saved. He had to atone. He had to transform. He had to become Hadari. I have not forgotten the sins of Addis Bordenson. I will continue to atone for them. I have only Setharis to thank that I am no longer him. I never want to be him again.
> Sheriff Altha Mentis [Half-Elf Female] — In my first life, I did shameful things. Terrible things. The crimes of a petty man, committed against innocents. Despite this, I never received justice. No, instead I received torment at the hands of Sheriff Altha Mentis. Harassment, anger, hate: she gave me what I gave to others. I thought it was what I deserved, but now I have learned of justice, the ways to mete out punishment that cleanses sin instead of perpetuating it. That woman lacked such refinement, and I harbor a deep resentment over her failure to do right by Addis and his neighbors.
> Tidewaker Fantoth [Dwarf Man] — Isilia invited me in, but her charity was not viewed by all as Setharis’ will. Tidewaker Fantoth, in particular, pushed for my expulsion at every turn. He claimed that I lacked the will to follow Setharis, that I was too dirty, broken, and pathetic to be included in their great order, even as a lowly acolyte. The latter may be correct, I cannot deny him that, but the former… the former is the utmost of falsehoods. When I began to believe, he questioned my faith more than any other, an insult I can barely stand. Even becoming Hadari did not sway him to my side. Fantoth will someday answer for his unjust persecution of me, but unlike him, I will wait for Setharis’ word to carry out punishment.

Leilara Thistlefeather, Lightfoot Halfling Wild Magic Sorcerer

Personality Traits: I have a tough time hiding that I’m far more interested in talking about artifacts and history than about people. This leads to a lot of awkward, half-spoken sentences. Did I mention that I talk a lot?
Ideals: Preserving the beauty of the world and the mortal contributions to history is the greatest of goals.
Bonds: I am devoted to the Royal Museum of Eskilar. I live to build the Museum’s magnificent collection.
Flaws: I am willing to leap headfirst into danger if I might come out of it with a worthy piece of treasure. Which will be donated, not sold (obviously).

Age: 26
Weight: 38 lbs.
Height: 3' 0"
Eyes: Green
Skin: Light Brown (Tanned)
Hair: Mutable (See Character Appearance)

Character Appearance: Leilara is energetic and cheerful, apparently containing more excitement that her halfling body can handle. She dresses in light, practical clothes that befit both her collecting and her spellcasting. Whenever she casts a spell, her hair turns a different color.

Allies & Organizations:
- The Royal Museum of Eskilar, League of Collectors
- Lady Osiria Argentmoor, adoptive mother

Character Backstory:
3 Important Events
> "Taken In" — Leilara will never forget the day when she noticed those fine robes floating through the Fernton streets. She was enchanted by them, dazzled so completely by their quality that the woman wearing them noticed her. When Leilara realized this, she started to flee, but the woman beckoned her over with a kind smile. The regal figure asked her "What is it that you like about what you see?" and Leilara answered honestly: "It looks like something Mom would’ve worn." To this day, Leilara is not sure how she would classify the look on the woman’s face, but Leilara remembers what she said: "Why don’t you come with me, little one?" Leilara followed, entranced. After all, it’s not like she had anywhere better to be. That day, everything changed.
> "The League of Collectors" — Three ideals are championed by the Royal Museum of Eskilar above all others: education, preservation, and procurement. While the museum handles the first two itself, the latter is not such a simple matter. Only the most careful, knowledgeable, and courageous of the Museum’s staff become Collectors, so Leilara found herself drawn to the position more than any other. She loved the Museum, but eventually even it became static scenery. She wanted to go out into the world, collecting magnificent artifacts and preserving them for eternity so that their beauty would never be lost. After thorough training and exhaustive examinations, Leilara entered the Royal Museum’s League of Collectors and set out to search for the majesty of history.
> "Touched by Chaos" — She’d known it was a dangerous thread the moment she began to follow it. The signs were all there: strange symbols, haunting tales, and even reports of mysterious curses. In a way though, that made it all the more fun. Leilara tracked that magical cloak to the far ends of the kingdom and eventually discovered it in an eerie crypt. She knew that the cloak, which seemed woven from starlight itself, would be her greatest contribution to the Museum to date. Until she touched it. Immediately arcane power rippled through her body, pulsing and searing, changing her forever. When she awoke, she was shocked to find herself alive, but even more shocked to discover the magic that lay within her. She ran, leaving the cloak behind and returning to the Museum with a far different treasure.

3 Essential Places
> The Fernton Alleys — A student of history, Leilara often attempts to recall as much as she can about her own past. With the exceptions of some foggy visions that she’d prefer to forget, her first memory is of Fernton. She’s fairly certain she was not born in that minor city in the shadows of Eskilar, if only because those foggy bits contain many more greens and pinks than she ever saw in Fernton. She remembers Fernton being dusty, brown, and boring. Except when it wasn’t, which is when it was dangerous. It wasn’t easy living on her own in Fernton, if for no other reason than the only people crueler than the town guard were the criminals that ruled her streets. On the other hand, she muses, I did learn a lot about surviving there. That has to count for something.
> The Halls of Silver — The Argentmoor Estate was a palace to the young Leilara, a home fit for an angel or a dragon. Even now she is impressed by the Halls of Silver, a monument to the past and present glory of the Argentmoor line. Of course, Leilara never learned exactly why the Argentmoors are so important, but she’s also never been too curious about it. Where the streets of Fernton were narrow, dark, and foul, the Halls of Silver were inviting, expansive, and majestic. Most importantly, the Halls of Silver are Osiria’s home, so they are Leilara's home as well.
> The Royal Museum of Eskilar — Leilara had no idea that her life would change for a second time on the day that Osiria woke her early and commanded her to dress in her finest clothes. The coach marched through the city’s wide boulevards, ultimately coming to a stop before a colossal building engraved with statues and bedecked in stained glass. Leilara’s mouth was already agape at the face of the building, so Osiria merely smiled as she ushered Leilara inside. Within the Museum’s halls, Leilara saw all the colors and stories and beauty she'd never seen in the disgusting Fernton alleys. So many pieces of history, so many tales of events long past. Leilara decided then and there that she’d spend her life among this majesty.

3 Allies
> Ked [Male Human] — Fernton residents often complained about the "dirty orphans" in the streets, but even they were probably never aware of just how many there actually were. The lost children had to stick together, Leilara remembers, at least so long as it put food in our mouths. Of the many friends she made in her time there, Ked was the closest. A natural symbiosis created their relationship: he was tall, strong, and good in a fight, while she was small, nimble, and able to procure food from a market stand without causing a fuss. They worked well together and that made them close. Of the all orphans she left behind, Ked’s the one Leilara wonders about the most.
> Lady Osiria Argentmoor [Female Halfling] — After her impromptu adoption, Leilara rarely left Osiria’s side. She was everything Leilara wanted to be: intelligent, regal, unwavering. Lady Argentmoor could wither most mortals with a well-placed glare and an artfully-chosen word, but with Leilara she was nothing short of motherly. Everything Leilara knows about politics and culture she learned from Osiria. Most importantly of all, Osiria introduced Leilara to the place that she loves more than anywhere in the world: The Royal Museum of Eskilar.
> Melchin Borsahd [Male Dwarf] — When Osiria believed Leilara to be ready, she used her connections to introduce Leilara to Melchin Borsahd, the caretaker of the Royal Museum. Though Melchin was against it at first, he found himself unable to resist (or perhaps tolerate?) Leilara’s incessant begging. He reluctantly agreed to take her on as an apprentice, and, despite his insistence that it would never happen, the two became close friends. They shared a love of the museum’s art that brought them closer than either of them ever expected. Even now, Leilara only wishes she could talk to someone as knowledgeable and passionate about history as her old, curmudgeonly mentor.

3 Rivals
> Darius von Dolas [Male Human] — Though Leilara believed Osiria knew everything there was to know, Lady Argentmoor nevertheless insisted that Leilara receive a proper education. This meant more than manners and housekeeping, but history, diction, and all other subjects that might befit a woman of stature and action. Despite her status as an "outsider," Leilara excelled in school, a fact that she attributed solely to her prior tutelage under Osiria. This discrepancy irritated some of her contemporaries, but none so much as Darius von Dolas, a young and pompous noble. When Leilara realized his convoluted sentences were woven with insults, she made it her mission to best him whenever possible. They remained at odds while in school, and the score between them was never properly settled.
> Duchess Tialassa Cevani [Female Elf] — While Melchin took to Leilara in due time, she could never gain the friendship of Duchess Cevani, the owner and chief curator of the Royal Museum. Tialassa simply could not abide Leilara’s overwhelming enthusiasm, what she referred to as her "pedestrian passions." It took Leilara a long time to realize that Duchess Cevani’s air of refinement and delicacy was the elven woman’s own way of loving the museum, but at that point Leilara could not forgive all the curator’s slights from her years of employment. Leilara decided that if the two of them could not be friends, then at least she would gain Lady Tialassa’s respect. Luckily, there was one way Leilara was certain she could do so: joining the League of Collectors.
> Kerovarus Bellodraska [Female Gnome] — Trying times tend to create temporary alliances, which is how Leilara explains her rivalry with Kerovarus. Together, they struggled through both adventuring exams and combat training in their pursuit of membership in the League of Collectors. When both of the young ladies entered the prestigious organization, the friendliness remained, but it became twisted by their results. It seemed to Leilara that whenever she brought back a notable trinket, Kerovarus returned with something better. Leilara found it galling, and it forced her to put even more work into finding worthwhile pieces of history. She and Kerovarus still interact pleasantly, but there is a tension between them now that stems from Leilara’s desire to give the Museum the very best.

3 Enemies
> Mom and Dad — Leilara doesn’t know why her parents abandoned her. She’s not sure she wants to. Nevertheless, here are the facts. 1) Leilara was at least six in her first memories of Fernton. 2) She remembers gardens of green and pink from before that, as well as the beauty of her mother's robes. 3) She sometimes dreams of yelling, of a conflict she can’t help but feel that she caused. Not enough for a satisfactory conclusion. But that’s okay: this life is better than any other I could’ve had.
> The Fen Wolf Gang — Leilara saw many awful bands rise and fall in the underbelly of Fernton, but none were so vicious as the Fen Wolf Gang. Consequently, perhaps, no other gangs commanded the streets for nearly as long. Leilara rarely butted heads with the brutes, a fact proven by the fact that she’s still alive. That being said, she’d seen enough friends get cut down by the violent thugs to carry a grudge long after she escaped those dusty alleys. While she’s never returned to Fernton, she hears that the gang’s holdings have only grown in her absence. Someday, she swears, I’ll find a way to erase those brigands from history.
> Menacing Shadow — Ever since the "incident with the cloak", Leilara has felt like something is following her. She’s never been quite sure what it is, or even been able to see it, but she knows that it’s there. Watching. Waiting. For… something. She doesn’t want to find out what.