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wearsblack) wrote2012-11-11 01:47 am
wearsblack) wrote2012-11-11 01:47 am
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INFO
» CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character NAME: Teravian
Canon & MEDIUM: The Last Rune (book series)
Canon PULL-POINT: Book 5, The Gates of Winter - the morning after Lirith comes to him in his chambers but before the confrontation on the field outside Calavere.
Character AGE: 18
Character ABILITIES: Teravian is a witch, meaning he can manipulate the web of life energy on the planet known as The Weirding. Primarily among his capabilities are illusions, enchantments, telepathy, and the manipulation of natural elements. He also has a unique ability called The Sight, which is ability to sense or outright see the future. A more in-depth analysis of his powers can be found on his journal, here.
Character HISTORY: Much of the relevant part of Teravian’s history occurs before his actual birth. Ages ago, on the world known as Eldh, there were the Old Gods – the Eldhari. Among them was Mohg, the Lord of Nightfall, who lusted for control of the world. Eventually, some of the Old Gods were forced to sacrifice themselves to help seal Mohg away beyond the circle of the world. However, the god had servants. Among them was Berash, known as the Pale King. Using artifacts known as the Imsari, the Great Stones, he waged war on the world. In his employ were feydrim, members of the Little People twisted by magic, as well as the Necromancers, thirteen of the New Gods which had risen up in the wake of the disappearance of the Old Gods and seduced by power into taking physical form. What would be known in future ages as The War of the Stones was nearly successful, except for the efforts of King Ulther of Toringarth who arrived to fight the Pale King and, with the help of the fairies, struck Berash down. Afterwards he and his servants were sealed up within Imbrifale and Ulther and Queen Elsara of Tarras forged the new kingdom of Malachor to watch over it. Or so they thought. Some of the Necromancers still roamed free, and they worked in secret to bring about the fall of Malachor.
Seven centuries later the runes holding the gate at Shadowdeep are weakening and two people – Travis Wilder, who is unwillingly gifted with the power of a runelord, and Grace Beckett, a doctor who discovers her talent for healing might actually be magic – are pulled from Earth to Eldh and into the struggle. Travis soon returns to Earth after re-sealing the gate, but Grace remains. Unfortunately their work isn’t done so easily. Servants of Mohg continue to spread over the kingdom – cultists, feydrim, and black knights. While on Earth, Mohg cultivates an evil megacorporation called Duratek that is secretly working on a portal to Eldh which will allow them to exploit it for its resources. Though, in reality, Mohg simply wants to return to Eldh so he can destroy it and remake it in his image.
In the world of Eldh, there exists a rivalry between two factions: The Warriors of Vathris and the Witches. This came about as a result of a prophecy, which told that a man called Runebreaker would come and destroy the world. The warriors, on the other hand, have the belief in an event called the Final Battle, which they are destined to lose. The witches, seeing themselves as the caretakers of life and nature, interpreted this as concurrent with the end of the world and believed that the warriors would only facilitate it in their quest for a glorious and bloody end. Thus, another prophecy was made. In order to oppose a man of Vathris, the witches would need a man of Sia – a male witch. This is more difficult than it sounds, since all witches are female and most males born with the talent have only a small amount which they tend to lose upon reaching adulthood. However, in order to see this through, witches were dispatched to seduce warriors and produce a male heir of power. They were unsuccessful for a long time, until the young witch Ivalaine was sent to assist Narenya, wife of Boreas and also secretly a witch, in a ruse. Using herbs and magic, they had Ivalaine take Narenya’s place in his bed, since Narenya was barren, and allowed Ivalaine to produce the male heir they required, all the while making Boreas believe it was Narenya who carried the child.
Narenya dies some time after Teravian is born and Boreas becomes the king of Calavan. According with custom, he is sent to be fostered with Ivalaine, who is now the Queen of Toloria and Matron of the witches as a whole. When he is sixteen, High Coven is called at her court, meant to discuss how the witches would handle the warriors and the appearance of the man they believed to be the Runebreaker – Travis Wilder. Among the witches in attendance are Boreas’ ward, Lady Aryn, and Lady Lirith, upon whom Teravian seems to develop something of a crush. Both women had travelled with Travis Wilder in the recent past and helped in averting a burning plague that was infecting their world. He keeps his distance, though, predicting that she would be leaving soon. During the High Coven, another witch by the name of Liendra arrives and turns the tide of opinion against Travis – trying to push the witches to kill him. Secretly, Liendra herself is being manipulated by the Necromancer Shemal, who wants control of both factions, as well as the actions of the fabled Runebreaker. She nearly turns the tide of opinion until yet another witch, Mirda, alters the pattern to make it so their goal is to find and capture him. Having already joined with popular opinion, Ivalaine is forced to send Aryn and Lirith to follow Melindora Nightsilver, another of Travis’ companions, on her journey to Tarras, fulfilling Teravian’s prediction. They are gone for more than year.
After he turns eighteen, Teravian goes back to Calavere and Lady Aryn is recalled back to the kingdom so that they two of them can be married. Neither of them is terribly happy about this, having known each other as kids before Teravian was sent away (and technically being cousins). Ivalaine informs Boreas of the fact that the Witches seek to use Teravian, and in turn he tells his son. They hatch a plot to have him cooperate and work with them, so he might learn what they were planning. Soon after she departs, Grace (who is confirmed to actually be the lost heir of Malachor), Travis, and the others return to Calavere. Moments after arrival, a couple of the castle’s towers are blown up by agents of Duratek, proving they were close to a working portal. Instead of frightening him, King Boreas is galvanized into action and begins to call his warriors together for the final battle. Grace soon leaves with a complement of warriors pledged from the other Dominions, in hopes of delaying the Pale King while the rest of the Warriors assemble at Calavere.
Meanwhile, driven increasing mad by indecision and the loss of her place as the matriarch of the witches, Ivalaine returns once again to Calavere in hopes that she might have a chance to act as a mother to Teravian. Soon after, having taken her place as Matron, Liendra and the rest of the coven arrives as well. While it isn’t revealed to the reader exactly when, it seems reasonable to assume that this is when Ivalaine reveals the truth of his birth to the prince. Angry at her and at being used, he rejects her. Seeing it as her only option to save him, the Queen tries first to poison his drink, which Teravian senses because of the Touch. Now beyond reason, she goes to his chamber and attempts to stab him with a poisoned needle, but is saved by Lady Aryn. Ivalaine is taken to the dungeon and the next night mysteriously killed. Suspecting the Necromancer, Aryn and Lirith try to warn Teravian, but aren’t allowed in to see him. They discover the warriors, in accordance with their traditions, are waiting for a woman to visit him and make him a man before he rides to his first battle. Hoping to prevent the witches from getting a hold on him, Lirith takes the woman’s place. Having been drugged, Teravian has little fortitude to resist. Afterwards, when Lirith tries to warn him, he throws her out – not because he does not believe her, but because he can sense the Necromancer coming. In truth, Teravian has known all along Shemal was behind the plot. She had revealed her presence to him and threatened to kill both his parents if he disobeyed. In secret he worked with his magic to craft a spell that would gift her mortality and allow her to be killed, but knowing he didn’t have the power to succeed.
Now at full power, Teravian is given the task to use his magic to construct the image of a bull, the symbol of Vathris, out of the clouds, and in so doing turn the warriors to his side and against Boreas. However, it is on this morning of this confrontation that he will arrive.
Character PERSONALITY: In many ways Teravian is exactly what you would expect from a teenage prince. He is spoiled, entitled, and somewhat lacking in respect for anyone other than the people who outrank him. He can be exceptionally childish and possesses a rather large case of schadenfreude. Not only does he enjoy it when people are embarrassed or demeaned, but often deliberately goes out of his way to trap people into those kinds of situations. That said, he isn’t overtly cruel; he doesn’t seek physical pain in others. In fact, despite his own social standing what he seems to enjoy most is seeing people of higher standing, or simply people that are aloof or arrogant, get taken down a peg or two. He’s known to move about in the shadows (aided by his magic) and learning people’s secrets.
The prince’s general demeanor is persistently surly. He is nearly always described as scowling, the one thing that keeps him from appearing especially handsome. He exhibits little patience for people in social situations – up to quitting conversations entirely and without excusing himself, or simply avoiding people altogether. Simply stated, he is angry, though the reasons are a little more complex than simple teenage angst. One of them is his mother, and the second is his magic.
Even early on, Teravian expressed frustration and anger with Ivalaine. He felt ignored and devalued by her – that she was watching him carefully like some kind of experiment. Which is completely true, given that Ivalaine kept herself at a distance, knowing what the witches intended for him. But it comes off a little odd that Teravian would care for a woman that, for all he knew at the time, wasn’t even related to him. While it isn’t said explicitly in canon, it seems reasonable to guess that much of this has to do with his developing magic - specifically that of the Sight. It’s possible he simply suspected something early on – the same way he often seemed to know things without knowing how – something potentially frightening to a young man. The situation of course only gets worse the stronger he becomes. After being told of his gifts and his parentage, his mood only worsens, leading to his last confrontation with Ivalaine.
The Sight also seems to impact other parts of his behavior. Teravian enjoys and respects people who are matter-of-fact with him about things, likely in part from having been lied to for most of his life, but perhaps because he simply already knows what most people are going to do or say. Lirith, on whom he develops a crush, and Aryn, whom he later develops a genuine affection for, both treat him this way. For all that he will push his authority when the situation suits him, he really only wishes to be treated like a person – neither to be treated as an object, as he was by his mother, or with blind deference, as he is by the peasantry.
Underneath his moodiness is a real maturity that only appears to develop near the end. Though only a young man, he’s forced into a very difficult position of having to be a spy in game he did not chose to participate in, but working in secret from all sides to develop a spell that he knows for a fact will kill him in its execution – because he knows it’s better for him to die than hand Shemal and the Witches his power. Even though he expressed anger at his parents, he did his best to protect them, vain as the attempt proved to be.
» EXSILIUM INFORMATION
Chosen WEAPON: Teravian’s weapon will be his witch magic. As it develops, along with a general increase in the level of his power, he’ll likely develop a few abilities to assist him. First would be the ability to create a reservoir of power to draw on, should the case arise that he is in an area where there is little to no life energy to draw on. The size of his reservoir will also increase proportionally with his power. Later on, he will also develop the ability to quick cast spells. The rule with witch magic is that they can only weave one spell at a time. I’d like Teravian to gain the ability to multitask – perhaps in a sense pre-weave some spells like the one he uses to remain unseen and still be able to cast others. He should also develop some greater control of his Sight.
Chosen SKILLSET: Theoretically Teravian is capable of fighting, but it’s specifically mentioned in canon that he’s never actually been in a battle before. He’d likely do alright in light skirmishes, after some experience, but his particular style of magic makes him more adept at missions that involve infiltration, subterfuge, and stealth. His Sight might also be adapted, once he’s more powerful, to gain advance knowledge of missions or movements of the United Earth.
Character INVENTORY: Teravian will be dressed in black armor with a red cloak, as well as a silver circlet and a sword (likely a well-made longsword). Underneath is likely his typical black clothing.
Character NAME: Teravian
Canon & MEDIUM: The Last Rune (book series)
Canon PULL-POINT: Book 5, The Gates of Winter - the morning after Lirith comes to him in his chambers but before the confrontation on the field outside Calavere.
Character AGE: 18
Character ABILITIES: Teravian is a witch, meaning he can manipulate the web of life energy on the planet known as The Weirding. Primarily among his capabilities are illusions, enchantments, telepathy, and the manipulation of natural elements. He also has a unique ability called The Sight, which is ability to sense or outright see the future. A more in-depth analysis of his powers can be found on his journal, here.
Character HISTORY: Much of the relevant part of Teravian’s history occurs before his actual birth. Ages ago, on the world known as Eldh, there were the Old Gods – the Eldhari. Among them was Mohg, the Lord of Nightfall, who lusted for control of the world. Eventually, some of the Old Gods were forced to sacrifice themselves to help seal Mohg away beyond the circle of the world. However, the god had servants. Among them was Berash, known as the Pale King. Using artifacts known as the Imsari, the Great Stones, he waged war on the world. In his employ were feydrim, members of the Little People twisted by magic, as well as the Necromancers, thirteen of the New Gods which had risen up in the wake of the disappearance of the Old Gods and seduced by power into taking physical form. What would be known in future ages as The War of the Stones was nearly successful, except for the efforts of King Ulther of Toringarth who arrived to fight the Pale King and, with the help of the fairies, struck Berash down. Afterwards he and his servants were sealed up within Imbrifale and Ulther and Queen Elsara of Tarras forged the new kingdom of Malachor to watch over it. Or so they thought. Some of the Necromancers still roamed free, and they worked in secret to bring about the fall of Malachor.
Seven centuries later the runes holding the gate at Shadowdeep are weakening and two people – Travis Wilder, who is unwillingly gifted with the power of a runelord, and Grace Beckett, a doctor who discovers her talent for healing might actually be magic – are pulled from Earth to Eldh and into the struggle. Travis soon returns to Earth after re-sealing the gate, but Grace remains. Unfortunately their work isn’t done so easily. Servants of Mohg continue to spread over the kingdom – cultists, feydrim, and black knights. While on Earth, Mohg cultivates an evil megacorporation called Duratek that is secretly working on a portal to Eldh which will allow them to exploit it for its resources. Though, in reality, Mohg simply wants to return to Eldh so he can destroy it and remake it in his image.
In the world of Eldh, there exists a rivalry between two factions: The Warriors of Vathris and the Witches. This came about as a result of a prophecy, which told that a man called Runebreaker would come and destroy the world. The warriors, on the other hand, have the belief in an event called the Final Battle, which they are destined to lose. The witches, seeing themselves as the caretakers of life and nature, interpreted this as concurrent with the end of the world and believed that the warriors would only facilitate it in their quest for a glorious and bloody end. Thus, another prophecy was made. In order to oppose a man of Vathris, the witches would need a man of Sia – a male witch. This is more difficult than it sounds, since all witches are female and most males born with the talent have only a small amount which they tend to lose upon reaching adulthood. However, in order to see this through, witches were dispatched to seduce warriors and produce a male heir of power. They were unsuccessful for a long time, until the young witch Ivalaine was sent to assist Narenya, wife of Boreas and also secretly a witch, in a ruse. Using herbs and magic, they had Ivalaine take Narenya’s place in his bed, since Narenya was barren, and allowed Ivalaine to produce the male heir they required, all the while making Boreas believe it was Narenya who carried the child.
Narenya dies some time after Teravian is born and Boreas becomes the king of Calavan. According with custom, he is sent to be fostered with Ivalaine, who is now the Queen of Toloria and Matron of the witches as a whole. When he is sixteen, High Coven is called at her court, meant to discuss how the witches would handle the warriors and the appearance of the man they believed to be the Runebreaker – Travis Wilder. Among the witches in attendance are Boreas’ ward, Lady Aryn, and Lady Lirith, upon whom Teravian seems to develop something of a crush. Both women had travelled with Travis Wilder in the recent past and helped in averting a burning plague that was infecting their world. He keeps his distance, though, predicting that she would be leaving soon. During the High Coven, another witch by the name of Liendra arrives and turns the tide of opinion against Travis – trying to push the witches to kill him. Secretly, Liendra herself is being manipulated by the Necromancer Shemal, who wants control of both factions, as well as the actions of the fabled Runebreaker. She nearly turns the tide of opinion until yet another witch, Mirda, alters the pattern to make it so their goal is to find and capture him. Having already joined with popular opinion, Ivalaine is forced to send Aryn and Lirith to follow Melindora Nightsilver, another of Travis’ companions, on her journey to Tarras, fulfilling Teravian’s prediction. They are gone for more than year.
After he turns eighteen, Teravian goes back to Calavere and Lady Aryn is recalled back to the kingdom so that they two of them can be married. Neither of them is terribly happy about this, having known each other as kids before Teravian was sent away (and technically being cousins). Ivalaine informs Boreas of the fact that the Witches seek to use Teravian, and in turn he tells his son. They hatch a plot to have him cooperate and work with them, so he might learn what they were planning. Soon after she departs, Grace (who is confirmed to actually be the lost heir of Malachor), Travis, and the others return to Calavere. Moments after arrival, a couple of the castle’s towers are blown up by agents of Duratek, proving they were close to a working portal. Instead of frightening him, King Boreas is galvanized into action and begins to call his warriors together for the final battle. Grace soon leaves with a complement of warriors pledged from the other Dominions, in hopes of delaying the Pale King while the rest of the Warriors assemble at Calavere.
Meanwhile, driven increasing mad by indecision and the loss of her place as the matriarch of the witches, Ivalaine returns once again to Calavere in hopes that she might have a chance to act as a mother to Teravian. Soon after, having taken her place as Matron, Liendra and the rest of the coven arrives as well. While it isn’t revealed to the reader exactly when, it seems reasonable to assume that this is when Ivalaine reveals the truth of his birth to the prince. Angry at her and at being used, he rejects her. Seeing it as her only option to save him, the Queen tries first to poison his drink, which Teravian senses because of the Touch. Now beyond reason, she goes to his chamber and attempts to stab him with a poisoned needle, but is saved by Lady Aryn. Ivalaine is taken to the dungeon and the next night mysteriously killed. Suspecting the Necromancer, Aryn and Lirith try to warn Teravian, but aren’t allowed in to see him. They discover the warriors, in accordance with their traditions, are waiting for a woman to visit him and make him a man before he rides to his first battle. Hoping to prevent the witches from getting a hold on him, Lirith takes the woman’s place. Having been drugged, Teravian has little fortitude to resist. Afterwards, when Lirith tries to warn him, he throws her out – not because he does not believe her, but because he can sense the Necromancer coming. In truth, Teravian has known all along Shemal was behind the plot. She had revealed her presence to him and threatened to kill both his parents if he disobeyed. In secret he worked with his magic to craft a spell that would gift her mortality and allow her to be killed, but knowing he didn’t have the power to succeed.
Now at full power, Teravian is given the task to use his magic to construct the image of a bull, the symbol of Vathris, out of the clouds, and in so doing turn the warriors to his side and against Boreas. However, it is on this morning of this confrontation that he will arrive.
Character PERSONALITY: In many ways Teravian is exactly what you would expect from a teenage prince. He is spoiled, entitled, and somewhat lacking in respect for anyone other than the people who outrank him. He can be exceptionally childish and possesses a rather large case of schadenfreude. Not only does he enjoy it when people are embarrassed or demeaned, but often deliberately goes out of his way to trap people into those kinds of situations. That said, he isn’t overtly cruel; he doesn’t seek physical pain in others. In fact, despite his own social standing what he seems to enjoy most is seeing people of higher standing, or simply people that are aloof or arrogant, get taken down a peg or two. He’s known to move about in the shadows (aided by his magic) and learning people’s secrets.
The prince’s general demeanor is persistently surly. He is nearly always described as scowling, the one thing that keeps him from appearing especially handsome. He exhibits little patience for people in social situations – up to quitting conversations entirely and without excusing himself, or simply avoiding people altogether. Simply stated, he is angry, though the reasons are a little more complex than simple teenage angst. One of them is his mother, and the second is his magic.
Even early on, Teravian expressed frustration and anger with Ivalaine. He felt ignored and devalued by her – that she was watching him carefully like some kind of experiment. Which is completely true, given that Ivalaine kept herself at a distance, knowing what the witches intended for him. But it comes off a little odd that Teravian would care for a woman that, for all he knew at the time, wasn’t even related to him. While it isn’t said explicitly in canon, it seems reasonable to guess that much of this has to do with his developing magic - specifically that of the Sight. It’s possible he simply suspected something early on – the same way he often seemed to know things without knowing how – something potentially frightening to a young man. The situation of course only gets worse the stronger he becomes. After being told of his gifts and his parentage, his mood only worsens, leading to his last confrontation with Ivalaine.
The Sight also seems to impact other parts of his behavior. Teravian enjoys and respects people who are matter-of-fact with him about things, likely in part from having been lied to for most of his life, but perhaps because he simply already knows what most people are going to do or say. Lirith, on whom he develops a crush, and Aryn, whom he later develops a genuine affection for, both treat him this way. For all that he will push his authority when the situation suits him, he really only wishes to be treated like a person – neither to be treated as an object, as he was by his mother, or with blind deference, as he is by the peasantry.
Underneath his moodiness is a real maturity that only appears to develop near the end. Though only a young man, he’s forced into a very difficult position of having to be a spy in game he did not chose to participate in, but working in secret from all sides to develop a spell that he knows for a fact will kill him in its execution – because he knows it’s better for him to die than hand Shemal and the Witches his power. Even though he expressed anger at his parents, he did his best to protect them, vain as the attempt proved to be.
» EXSILIUM INFORMATION
Chosen WEAPON: Teravian’s weapon will be his witch magic. As it develops, along with a general increase in the level of his power, he’ll likely develop a few abilities to assist him. First would be the ability to create a reservoir of power to draw on, should the case arise that he is in an area where there is little to no life energy to draw on. The size of his reservoir will also increase proportionally with his power. Later on, he will also develop the ability to quick cast spells. The rule with witch magic is that they can only weave one spell at a time. I’d like Teravian to gain the ability to multitask – perhaps in a sense pre-weave some spells like the one he uses to remain unseen and still be able to cast others. He should also develop some greater control of his Sight.
Chosen SKILLSET: Theoretically Teravian is capable of fighting, but it’s specifically mentioned in canon that he’s never actually been in a battle before. He’d likely do alright in light skirmishes, after some experience, but his particular style of magic makes him more adept at missions that involve infiltration, subterfuge, and stealth. His Sight might also be adapted, once he’s more powerful, to gain advance knowledge of missions or movements of the United Earth.
Character INVENTORY: Teravian will be dressed in black armor with a red cloak, as well as a silver circlet and a sword (likely a well-made longsword). Underneath is likely his typical black clothing.