NovMo 25: Hallowed Ground

images are just general ideas, hair is more like the second pic in style but the first in colour


Physical Description: Long, dark red hair, heterochromia (one blue eye, one violet), fair skin, lots of freckles. Average height and build (about 5'5ish, give or take a few inches). looks early 20s-ish. has tiny dark reddish-black horns hidden in his hair. he's fit and lithe, built for stealth and speed, not brute strength. often wears darker colours with hints of red/purple/silver/grey. currently wearing high quality clothing in soft greys with dark accents as he's trying to blend in with the other servants in the Royal Palace in Tar Adessa. To most people, he'd b quite appealing. Beneath the high quality clothing, it's a different story; along with all the freckles are faint scars from various injuries--from claws and fangs to blades and lightning.

Personality: Rel is usually quiet and watchful, kinda skittish, and tends to keep to himself and to the fringes of spaces (the shadows, the corners, behind a pillar, that kind of thing). Rel prefers to go unnoticed, which is kinda hard to do when he's Fey'ri, which are incredible rare outside of the Hungry Isles and Firen Isle in particular, and with his colouring. The dark red hair? Paired with fair skin and an abundance of freckles? Kinda hard not to be noticed, but he manages. Probably with gratuitous use of illusion magic--which is probably one of his weaker schools of magic. He's vicious in a fight with his words, his magic and his blades, but he prefers not to get violent if he can help it. which makes him a poor assassin, but with his magic, sometimes he doesn't need to pull blades. he has a sort spot for kids and animals, and prefers the quiet and his own company to others.

Habits/Mannerisms: He fidgets a lot, usually with his jewelery--necklack, earrings, rings--or his hair, anything that stops him from touching his horns. Often curls in on himself, trying to appear smaller than he is, less likely to be bothered or noticed that way.

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Background: Relfyn was born on Firen Isle in a tiiiiiny settlement before being gifted at a young age to the Guild in Tar Iriax to begin his training as a mage and assassin. he grew up in a rough area and learnt to be sneaky very early on, as well as how to pick a pocket or a lock quick-smart.

Internal Conflicts: his feelings for Theron vs his family vs the guild, frustration and anger over how he was raised vs what Theron and others have been telling him. also his unstable health and magic causing issues

External Conflicts: loyalties torn between guild, family and new lover. political conflicts within the royal court and how those conflicts are causing tension with neighbouring kingdoms. Rel's bloodline (descended from a destroyer god) and how people view him because of that. and not to mention the danger Theron is in as a member of the royal family

Magic/Skills: Rel is a powerful mage, skilled in blood and healing magic, though the healing side is weaker. He's also a skilled fighter, thief and assassin which means he knows how to pick locks and pockets, and is aware of a wide range of dangerous poisons. he also has enough of a solid base of anatomy that he knows the best places to strike to make it hurt or bleed or numb a being. For humans, fey'ri and orces, at least. He's not so sure when it comes it to the others.

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Notes: Rel's magic is mainly primal (and forbidden) in nature (blood magic) with some learned magic (healing), though his talents do not lay in learning magic as they're more instinctual.

Physical Description: Dark hair, dark eyes, tanned skin. He's tall (6ft or so) and solidly built, but not overly so. More athelete than bodybuilder, but all soldier. Theron keeps his hair long like all Imperial Family members doand when out of his military uniform or his armour, he tends to dress the traditional long robes of Zelkari royalty.

Personality: Theron is calm and serious with an eye for detail. He seems pretty strict, too, but he's way more relaxed than he lets on. He might even seem paranoid to some, but that's just his hypervigilence due to being a military commander and a prince. Theron adores his horses and his sister's pet cat (who doesn't seem to actually like anyone else apart from Theron and Aiyana).

Habits/Mannerisms: He's very observant but it can come across as very paranoid, so he tries to pretend he's not watching everyone else or all the exits in a room. He's used to assassination attempts and is very adept at avoiding them--and noticing those who are out of place.

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Background: Theron was born as the eldest prince to Empress Saffryn and Consort Taeren. He has an older sister, Aiyana. He has trained from a young age in various things from politics to war and everything inbetween, all the things an Imperial Heir needs. He was sent to the military at 15 and has been there ever since.

Internal Conflicts: His feelings for Rel vs his family vs everyone else. What he knows of his family vs what the reality is. His inability to truly relax in the palace or on the battlefield. The only time he truly feels relaxed is in Rel's presence.

External Conflicts: His loyalties are torn between Rel and his family, the political conflicts that come from being Crown Prince and having a fey'ri assassin for a lover, along with the conflicts within the court and their neighbouring kingdoms, as well as the dangers he faces Imperial Heir, along with all the assassination attempts.

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Notes: Theron doesn't have much magic, only a heightened sense of perception (his surroundings, dangerous intent, potential poisons). It's very weak and only helps by heightening his senses.

Bhaeryn / Bhaerin to the North East
Dar'Shien to the Far East
Alythir to the Far South
Qarlan to the Far, Far North

Ruins;
(Mainland)
Tar Cormir
Tar Valen
Tar Rasard
Old Pasnia
(Hungry Isles)
Tar Onis

Main Cities
Mainland, Large
Tar Adess
Tar Odessa
Tar Bellur
Maindland, Small
Marnis
Rasar Port
Dessa Port
Hungry Isles, Large
Tar Iriax

Towns & Villages
Maindland
Vespar (Town)
Meiris (Town)
Dalheller (costal village)
Draan (Port Town)
Shaar (Fishing Village)
Kellur (Village)

Mountains
Mount Bellur
Mount Rasard (The Hungry Mountain)
The Severed Mountains (hoem to Tar Cormir)
Pasina Peak
Mount Rasar
West Adessa Mountain Range
East Adessa Mountain Range

Bays, Coves, Islands, etc
Bay of Odessa
Adessa Bay
Attiry Bay
Sagtarre Coast
Jade Beach
The Misty Shores
Rasar Sound
Blind Man's Cove
Stormy Point
The Eyes of Garcour
The Graveling Abyss
The Hungry Isles
Dalheller Point
Cape of Old Pasnia
Tisquet Point
The Sea of Kaeryn

Lakes & Rivers;
Lake Adessa
Adessa River
Odessa River (West)
Odessa River (East)
Rasard River

Forests & Woods;
The Runewood (Or Rhunlands in the Old Tongue)
Attiry Woods
The Misty Wilds (South of the Servered Mountains and west of the Misty Shores)

The Hungry isles
home of the fey'ri, orcs, dark elves and one black dragon
Ettin -
Firen
Rel's birthplace, thought he was sent to Tar Iriax within a few years of birth
Iriax
demon's stronghold, a den for pirates and criminals
Onis
Modegan
Norhen
Turia

based on Real World Flora & Fauna
monkshood/wolfsbane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum
baneberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_pachypoda
flowering thistle/cardo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argemone_mexicana
deadly nightshade/belladonna/nightshade https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_bella-donna
hemlock https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conium_maculatum
meadow saffron https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchicum_autumnale
lily of the valley/lily https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_valley
thorn apple/jimson weed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura
bishop's lace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota
mountain lauel/laurel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalmia_latifolia / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphne_(plant)
foxglove https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitalis_purpurea
wood ferns/buckler ferns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryopteridaceae
pigeon berry/golden dewdrop/skyflower https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duranta_erecta
wallflower https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erysimum_cheiri
spindle/spindle tree https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euonymus_europaeus
snowdrop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanthus_nivalis
flame lily/fire lily https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriosa_superba
silky oak/spiderflower https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevillea
hogweed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum
henbane https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyoscyamus_niger
ragwort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobaea_vulgaris
golden chain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laburnum
bleeding heart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamprocapnos
big-sage/wild-sage/tickberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantana_camara
wax-leaf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Privet
darnel/ryegrass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolium_temulentum
mandrake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandragora_(genus)
pennyroyal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentha_pulegium
blue passionflower/common passionflower https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passiflora_caerulea
pokeweed https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytolacca
buckthorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhamnus_cathartica
alpenrose/snow-rose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhododendron_ferrugineum
elder/elderberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus
bloodroot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanguinaria
winter cherry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum_pseudocapsicum
common yew https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_baccata
false hellebore/corn lily https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adonis_vernalis / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veratrum
cocklebur https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthium
firethorn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyracantha
nettle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urtica_dioica

Bittersweet - a type of herb that makes one sluggish and sleepy, although too much can kill (derived from the roots) Plant leaves kinda looks like sage, roots look like ginger or tumeric.
Heat-root - a hardy rooted plant often used as an aphrodisiac, dangerous in large doses. looks a lot like horseraddish
sweet petal - a soft pink flower whose petals are used to counteract most aphrodisiacs and/or poisons (based on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sowerbaea)
Dragon's tear - a blue flower resembling teardrops that's used for pain relief in low/mild doses, but dangerous in high doses, may cause cardiac arrest/organ failure (kinda looks like this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iris_sibirica)
Orbweaver- a pretty orchid that looks like a spider, usually a soft, golden yellow but can be found in other colours. Also known as spiderlily or spider orchid. Not known to be poisonous in any capacity (based on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caladenia_excelsa)

inspo for some flowers local to the hungry isles; https://orchidswa.com/genus-images/

human
fey'ri
elf / dark elf
half-elf
dwarf
dragons
orc
]half-orc

Rasard - the hungry one, a betrayer, a god of war
Cormir - the creator, a god of life and creation
Onis - a god of islands, a protector of the shores
Valen - protector goddess, mother figure, guardian of the lost
Iriax - a demon, dark god, a destroyer
Adessa & Odessa - the lovers, gods of love and beauty
Bellur - the hidden one, a god of mystery, masks and the unknown
Kaeryn - goddess of the sea and prosperity

natural talent vs learned
natural talent is rare and often highly sought after. it varies in strength, too, so weaker magic is more common. strong mages are extremely rare. humans born with natural talent are pretty rare but they often find it easier to learn magic. natural talent is more common in non-human races like elves, orcs and fey'ri. half-breeds (a derogatory term for half-orcs, half-elves etc) are less likely to have natural magical talent but more common than humans. fey'ri have much stronger magic, though it's usually not the levels of most elven mages. orcs are less strong than elves but often have great talent in other ways, such as magic that makes metals and bodies stronger. orcs often end up as blacksmiths specialising in enchanting equal only to dwarven metalsmiths. dwarves have their own kind of magic, usually something to do with minerals and gemstones, along with their enchanting. dark elves and fey'ri usually deal in dark magics but that's not necessarily so. fey'ri have demonic ancestry, so their magic can be quite dangerous if it's too strong and left unchecked, as it tends to corrupt them, especially if they're enouraged to reach for their darker natures. a fey'ri in a demonic rage is most dangerous. most can resist it, but for a rare few, sometimes it can be quite overwhelming--a curse of their demonic ancestry. primal mages often have trouble leaning magic, so there's a bit of a difficulty spike there for them.

types

primal (pure instinct, requires no runes, spells or rituals, often just gestures, usually non-verbal)
runic/sigils (using symbols, often non-verbal, usually mildly complicated, often simple)
spells (usually verbal, can be complicated or very simple)
ritual (requires time to set up and often includes runes and spellwork, often complicated)
enchanting (has aspects from all other types woven into the metal, often in the form of jewelery or weapons)

forbidden magics (things like blood magic actually fall under this and is something one can be punished for)