Character Backgrounds

Scylax grew up on the golden plains of Oreskos. He was the smallest and weakest of his siblings and cousins in the pride, but developed a fierce determination to prove himself. This was a source of great amusement to the other cubs, and they were forever goading him into challenges which inevitably ended in defeat and humiliation.

Eventually, as children's games often do, this went too far. None of the cubs had yet been able to climb to the top of the Black Rock, so they dared Scylax to see if he could do it. By the time he was halfway up, the others had become frightened and called for him to come down, but once he neared the top he could barely hear them any more. The peak of the monolith was an overhang, barely out of his reach, but there was just enough strength left in his shaking legs for one last jump. He leapt, his claws scratching the tip of the stone... and it broke, and he fell.

The other cubs scattered in panic when they saw Scylax's body broken and twitching in the grass. He could not tell how long he lay there, but when a shadow fell across him, he opened his eyes. A centaur, tall and muscular, regarded him with a look of curiosity and pity, and then knelt beside him. Scylax smiled at him with blood-stained teeth.

"I did it," he said. "I reached the top. I was first."

"Was it worth it?" The centaur's question rang in his ears. The sun seemed to be going dark.

"Oh, yes," he sighed, still clutching the stone fragment.

The centaur laid a hand on Scylax's chest, feeling the weak fluttering of his heart. At the touch, a deep warmth spread through Scylax's body, washing away the pain.

"Then hail to thee, young champion. It would not be right for you to die now, having just tasted victory for the first time. You shall have many more challenges to overcome. Let this life be your first prize, and let it not be your last."

When Scylax woke again, his body was whole. He found his way back to the pride, told them what had happened and showed them the piece of black stone that was his trophy. The adults were angry, scolding him for a fool, and muttering about interfering gods. The children were simply afraid of him. Scylax no longer cared - he had proven himself, and that was all that mattered.

Over the next few years, Scylax caught up to the other cubs in strength and skill, then surpassed them all. When the Swiftclaws met with other prides, he would seek out similarly eager opponents to spar, wrestle, and race, and was more often than not the victor. While he had little use for the knowledge and wisdom of the elders, they did at least give him the name of the god who had intervened to save his life, and in secret he prayed to Iroas to guide him to victory.

When he came of age, Scylax chose to leave the pride and strike out on his own. He would travel beyond Oreskos, to find whatever challenges would meet him there.

The Lethe triton are a small collection of the aquatic race who live near a border between the ocean and the river's that ring the world. Most are very resilient, the water they grow up in toughening their skin. The tribe worship Arethos, and guard the boundary, even if only ceremonially. Every other child born to a family is brought up to directly serve Arethos as a cleric, or other servant, and when of age are given a specific role to fulfil. The triton continue these traditions, even if it is rare fro Arethos to directly acknowledge their actions.

Sarlyn was one such child, and grew up learning how best to serve him. When she came of age she was assigned her role, to travel Theros and hunt returned, and others that would defy death. The assignment took her by surprise, she had not been expecting to leave the waters she called home, still it was Arethos's wish, even if it came through the head priests.

She is still new to her travels, and cautious about interacting with others, though has found many are grateful to have someone to ensure the proper rites are followed for the dead.

Astraea is one of the worst Dawngreets ever to leave the Skola Vale.

Born under the rising moon of the Spring Equinox, Astraea was marked as a one of Nylea's Favoued. Indeed, she quickly found she could interact with the magic of the Vale on an intuitive level that left the druids shaking their heads in disbelief. But, she resisted any sort of education. Might as well ask a river to flow up hill as get Astraea to study the ancient ways.

The Sibyls kept a close eye on Astraea, recognizing her wild nature needed a nudge. They noticed that the only time she put her wine cup down willingly was to right some injustice, whether that be against nature or people. So, much to Astraea's surprise, they chose her to be a Dawngreet - an ambassador of the Skola Vale that explores the world and shares the stories and knowledge of the Skola Vale with the rest of the world.

Astraea has definitely done some exploring since her mission began, but mostly of the drink menus of Theros's taverns. She's righted a few wrongs along her way and occasionally wronged a few rights out of cultural misunderstanding ("Of course I freed them, chickens shouldn't be kept in cages!"). She's not sure why she was chosen, feels tremendously homesick when she thinks about it, and figures it'll all be over quicker with the help of some liquor.