▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ⇝USERNAME: Rarian ⇝FULL GIVEN NAME: Diremi Maximus Lucca ⇝TITLES / NICKNAMES: Remi. ⇝THEME SONG: Fall Out Boy- Immortals ⇝AGE: 13 ⇝GENDER: Male. ⇝HAIR COLOR: Predominately rust-red, however a fair bit of cream/blonde softens his pelt along his face, ears, neck, torso, belly, and the tip of his tail. ⇝EYE COLOR Deep emerald. ⇝HEIGHT: 5ft ⇝WEIGHT: 98lbs ⇝SPECIES: Etsuma. ⇝NOTABLE FEATURES:
Much to the displeasure of his late Nan, his right ear is pierced twice with thin golden rings along the lower lobe near the tip of his ear.
Just his natural claws and fangs, along with a old dagger of Human make. Sheathing it at the small of his back it is obvious he is diligent in caring for the blade by how well preserved it is.
⇝MAGIC
Despite wishing otherwise, no.. Magic is difficult and he is too young yet to seriously pursue it..
⇝OTHER NOTABLE SKILLS / ABILITIES
Genetic Traits: The standard hyper-sensitivity present in most his species, they can be as much of a boon as a curse depending on the situation. Remi has shown himself to be very quick on his feet and flexible, unafraid to test his limits and even savoring the challenge of failing so he can continue to improve himself.
Fighting: While somewhat trained by his late guardian in the elegant movements of using a staff in self defense he has much to learn regarding that style of combat.. He can do the basic movements but it just doesn't fit his personality very well so he struggles with it. Still, when he needs to evade others with weapons, he'll use whatever staff-like objects are near to hand readily to deflect their attacks and defend himself. Remi prefers to rely on his physical ability ( biting, clawing, kicking, etc.) in day to day things if he can help it, he doesn't use his dagger in combat unless it is very important; Mainly because he was taught to respect the seriousness of the gesture. In his mind one wouldn't draw their blade unless they were going protect something at any cost or planned to end a dispute quickly and cleanly. A bared blade isn't a threat, it is a promise, and the wielder is responsible for whatever comes next. Surprisingly enough, he has more skill with the blade if not the experience of time or tutelage to truly hone this fighting style. He learned the basics from someone dear to him and, when alone, practices them religiously to this day inventing his own unique way to wield the weapon.
⇝WEAKNESSES:
Genetic Traits: His inherited allergy to Silver and incompatibility with cold in general. Due to his age and physical development he isn't particularly strong, certainly no more so than a young human.
His Youth: For his species he is rather young still, little more than a cub and just as erratic as most children at his stage of development. There is much he doesn't know yet about the world and honestly.. That makes him uneasy, creating doubts and stalling his productivity. When conflicted in emotional matters he gets restless and rebellious, known to make bad choices in the heat of the moment and then stewing on it out of guilt and wounded pride. It is difficult for him to apologize in these situations, wanting desperately to.. but dreading admitting he did something wrong as well. Another unfortunate quirk in this is, like most younglings, he can be gullible, willful, and oblivious to dangerous situations.
⇝LIKES
- Birds, they taste good and he likes the way their bones crunch. - Exploring, learning, and in general 'new' things. - Being praised for his abilities, simple maybe but he is a kid after all. - Physical contact, not that he'll admit it.
⇝DISLIKES
- Being alone. - Admitting when he is scared, he'll bluff hard to make it seem otherwise. - When he is treated like a child, he wants to be an adult. - Plant-based foods. - Hurting people that do not deserve it. - Being Cold.
⇝EXTRAS
While not necessarily a 'skill' Remi was taught how to fend for himself out in the wilds and he shows a natural ability to survive and even thrive in uncivilized settings. He can hunt, (somewhat) cook his kills, and vaguely remember what some of the helpful herbs are in the wild. He.. didn't really pay attention to the plant lectures so his memory is sketchy in that subject.
Outspoken, social, brave, rebellious, curious, and a little dense when it comes to more emotionally delicate matters. He is honest to the point of bluntness but he has a good heart and aims to keep those he cares for happy. He is quick to jump to physical action, pranks or scuffles, due to his upfront nature.. But he is just as quick to forgive and forget and it is very rare he holds any sort of grudge. Losing? No big deal, playing the game was fun. Pointless rule? He's going to argue until he personally understands the logic behind it. Just about the only time this kid is serious is when it comes to the safety of those he cares about. He's protective and loyal and isn't afraid to get in trouble if it means having someone's back. Mischief is his calling and he loves harmless jokes, taking things lightly and rarely getting upset or discouraged in the face of challenges. Remi is determined, a bit of a goof, and more than ready to say or do what most would not dare. When things require a degree of control or sensitivity he leans heavily on his trusted Elders to help him, struggling in those areas, and they are some of the few that can get past his ' don't wanna, can't make me' attitude.
Don't mistake his cheery disposition as being a pushover, he may be laid back, but he will not hesitate to step up and say something if he feels the need to and he will hold his ground with a stubborn pride. The harder strangers push for him to behave or obey the deeper he digs his claws in, testing every limit he encounters and naturally finding a creative way around it. Caution is in order, he is highly energetic and personal spaces mean little to him.. Once he likes someone he sticks to them like good friends and at times pulls them into his ornery pranks if they see the trouble coming or not. He also has a rather short attention span and can get bored easily, but he thrives in self-amusement much to the despair of any Elders trying to keep him in line. Despite appearances and behavior he is rather intelligent, few seem to realize that and he often shocks people with his 'sudden' spurts of deep-thinking or casual insights on situations when he actually pays attention. He is a child and he is prone to emotional reactions, society standards don't have much weight over him and he is quick to go against the grain. The boy doesn't seem to fear much beyond his own desire to 'need' people, finding fickle attachments safe but sincere companionship to be.. scary. The only thing worse is the fear of himself. Or, rather, the predator that exists so naturally in him that only grows stronger as he ages. Few would guess he has a rather wicked bite under his jovial smile when severely stressed or pushed into a corner, Remi himself unnerved with the growing temper and restlessness creeping in the back of his mind. Humor distracts him from it but it doesn't change the fact that something vicious lurks under his typically playful behavior and he isn't sure what to do with it. By nature he is a Beta personality, borderline Alpha, and too young to understand the ramifications of this natural species behavior he vents his frustrations the only way he knows how; Through scuffles and other physical tasks. He is very much a youth and just as easily influenced if people realize it or not, impressionable and a bit gullible due to his age. To a true Alpha/Leader he is subconsciously malleable, difficult to control but entirely loyal once it is earned.
⇝BIOGRAPHY
The memory of his parents is very vague, little more than a fuzzy dream composed of scents, voices, and colors rather than images no matter how hard he tries to focus on it. Remi was very young when his adoptive guardian found him in the ashes of a smoldering forest, the elderly human woman studying the damage of a rampant fire that had only just died out in the area when his weak whimpers lead her to his hiding place in a surprisingly untouched root-hollow under a now-dead tree. Had he been placed there or simply stumbled in with dumb luck to the safety of the hollow? There was no way to tell if he had been alone or with his pride when the fire touched the area, the little lion-like child alone and clearly fading from lack of care. So, as was her way, the woman picked him up and gave him a home. The boy grew to call her Nan, loving and fearing the feisty human as family. He never knew, in those tender years, that he was 'different'.. Sure he had a tail and Nan's beautiful silver hair was limited to her head but he never questioned the 'why' of it, it never mattered. At least, that is what he thought until his beloved Nan's health started to decline. Her memory would slip away more and more and, after a time, she seemed to forget him entirely for long lengths of time. She was never cruel of course, always friendly and gentle, and Remi spared no energy in keeping food on her table or ensuring she was comfortable.. But it was so lonely and, in a deep corner of his heart, he was hurt every time the woman would treat him like a stranger. The nearby villagers, who would trade with the pair for supplies, said it was normal for humans her age to act in such a way and warned that it 'wouldn't be long'.. and sure enough the night came just after his eleventh birthday that his beloved Nan went to sleep for the last time. Her passing was peaceful , the villagers came and helped him build her funeral pyre, and from the light of dusk deep into the depths of midnight the community mourned the loss of such a noble member of their group.
Many in the village offered to adopt Remi into their homes, worrying for the child alone in the forest so far from the village's walls, but with a bittersweet smile he refused each time in favor of staring into the pyre's flames. It was warm, like Nan, and so very bright as it illuminated the simple rustic cottage and yard that had housed his memories up to this point.. and a nagging awareness planted itself into his heart. His life with her had began and ended in fire. The warmth was gone.. and he was alone again. The Pyre eventually faded and the villagers returned to their homes, life moving on without the boy that continued to sit at the fire pit through the morning and into the late day. How long he sat waiting, grieving in the silence, he had no idea but he came to find that he wasn't alone. A hand touched his shoulder and, to his surprise, one of the human Traders stood waiting with a pack and a crooked smile. Thane, a good man that had spent time in the area each year, and a friend of his late Nan. Gifted goods and trinkets filled the satchel that the man handed to him firmly, announcing it as a 'farewell' and 'return safely' gift from the village itself when the man had spoken up to taking Remi with him on his travels to the other Elders. The boy, of course, refused at first.. Until the old man named Thane gave him a rather swift punch between his ears and barked about 'helping him grow into a fine man for Nan's sake'. It stupefied the boy.. and motivated him. Nan had always talked about her travels in her younger years, how she wanted him to experience the world beyond the fringe of trees for himself, so with a lowered head and hunched shoulders the boy swallowed hard and agreed to follow.
The time spent with Thane was hard, the man gave him no room to take things for granted, but he was kind in his gruff way and strong despite his age. It was in this short year that Remi learned how to use a dagger and how to navigate the 'civilized' roads of the world, everything was a lesson according to Thane and the old devil made it a point to keep Remi busy. Maybe this was why, once again, Remi would see too late that time was stealing something precious away. Thane was slowing down, mentally sharp as ever and yet quieter as the months passed.. and when their small party was set upon by bandits on the road the old man made the choice not to slow his ward down. Thrusting his old dagger into the boy's hand he urged the other members of their traveling group to take him and run. Alone, waiting, Thane gave his last moments as a distraction to let his comrades escape the bandits as he rose to fight them. Age slowed the once-strong Trader and he fell to a raider's blade after a brief struggle, Remi held back and muffled by the other travelers in the hidden depths of the brush as he watched his teacher fall. Thanks to Thane everyone else survived and they went their own ways, moving on with life. Remi returned to the campsite along the road, cautious but determined, and gave his teacher a proper burial.. then, alone again, he simply started down the road without thought to where he was going or why. That was a year ago and he has been on his own ever since, surviving in the forests along the roads and trading meats for other supplies with traveling merchants. He likes to socialize with those on the road, joining camps when invited, but.. while he easily gets attached to people and jokes around with them a part of him fears needing them again. So he wonders alone or in small merchant groups, oddly avoiding the notion of returning to his village. He promised Nan, and Thane, that he would grow into a good man and in his mind that requires traveling and learning.
His natural coloration is a bit odd, pale with red eyes, and his right earlobe is pierced twice with simple black stone studs. His left earlobe is only pierced once, also filled with a black stone stud.
In a desperate situation he'll use anything in reach, if he has time to think his mind is by far his best tool. Nate is a mad genius when it comes to chemicals and creative ways to mix/use them... and he certainly isn't above tossing a makeshift bottle of sleeping gas or paralyzing serum at hostile parties when threatened.
⇝MAGIC
Necromancy: The manipulation of undead tissue and souls is a hereditary gift passed down through the generations of his family tree. Potentially this could be a powerful skill if the youth ever tried to actually learn the art but he seems to lack any real motivation to do so beyond the 'healing' of life energy transfer. Note, this isn't healing in a classic sense but rather the transfusion of life energy from other beings into wounded ones to fuel repairing tissue. Passive traits with this magic grant him the ability to 'feel' undead creatures like ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and zombies instinctively and even interact physically with intangible spirits with ease. In general he seems to have a strong protection against death magics such as vampiric influence or ghostly possessions, though it is important to note this is a ' resistance ' not a ' immunity ' to such powers. Due to both his natural affinity for the magic and a recent trauma Nate has taken the first steps into becoming a Lich; Latent skills born from this evolution of magic include the ability to spirit walk (he can't stay away from his body for more than a hour before getting jerked back to it), manipulate death energy to a fair degree (if he likes it or not) to repel or influence such creatures, and strengthen/protect these beings with his own life energy. To a weak ghost Nate is like a walking battery, to a vampire his blood would energize them like few other living creatures.. For obvious reasons the boy avoids sharing this information and takes steps to protect himself from such situations. It is important to note that though the seeds have been planted for Nate to transition into a Lich it is a slow process, offering passive benefits to the lad as his soul accepts the potential evolution and forms a Soulstone.
⇝OTHER NOTABLE SKILLS / ABILITIES
Domestic Ability: Young or not he has been around long enough to pick up on where he fits in life and he has shown a knack for house keeping. He has had plenty of time to polish his skills as the eldest child with a working parent and since he was often left alone to care for his little sisters he had the time and motivation to gather the knowledge such a field would require including but not limited to cleaning, shopping, and ingredient awareness. Regardless of the species he is catering to he can generally whip up something sinfully delicious for their unique palates.. after, of course, he learns what is safe for them to eat through careful research. He also picks up basic skills rather quickly, seeming drawn to idle chores or repair-work as if the tasking brings him joy. Nate will NEVER poison food he makes; It is a point of pride and personal standards that ensure nothing even remotely harmful comes near the meals he prepares for himself or others.
Pharmacology : Few things fascinate the boy as much as the investigation and study of unusual substances; As well as how these things can be used to help people and creatures in need of medicine. How they are created, what they can be mixed with, and what is born from his experiments.. Nate has hundreds of notebooks stashed around his work space with recipes for tonics and poisons including a personal favorite of his: Shambler's Tonic, the mixture of zombie bile, human opiorphin, and a few other choice ingredients that produce a rather potent (non harmful) sleeping draft. His Father's keepsake work journals gave him the formula to build off of and it quickly enthralled him in the delicate art of alchemy. No doubt, in time, he could be a truly dedicated healer but at his current age it is clear that he has much still to learn in the grand scheme of this medical art. Though the lad himself isn't the type to use his potions for nefarious intentions (without provocation or motivation via a well paid job) he doesn't avoid customers who are; Business is business and many of his 'friends' help keep his little corner of town safe so he isn't going to judge what they do with his products or why.
⇝STRENGTHS:
His Intelligence: A fast learner and someone that thrives in challenging situations Nate understands the importance of approaching issues from multiple angles and differing view points. His alchemical work also affords him a way to interact with others, either by gathering ingredients from them or testing the product to mend their woes.
Social Awareness: Generally getting along with most people pays off and, since he has helped a number of friends in his life already, he has a small network of social contacts he can call upon for help if needed. Nate is also very aware of the social dynamics around himself... and which cords to strike to set off or soothe tensions and better serve his personal needs at the time. If he needs to fade into the background? It is easy enough to start a pub brawl. If a client is acting hostile? All he has to do is remind them of all the people that rely on his tonics for their peculiar personal tasks and how pissed they would be to lose his business. So no.. Most people have no idea just how much influence this boy has in his new niche and Nate isn't the type to show all of his cards even to his dearest of friends.
His Experience: Every skill, recipe, and important memory has helped shape the youth into the jack-of-trades he is today and keeps him strong in troubling situations.
⇝WEAKNESSES:
His Inexperience: Both in a professional and a personal sense there is much he doesn't know yet and honestly.. That makes him uneasy, creating doubts and stalling his productivity. When conflicted in emotional matters he gets restless and rebellious, sinking himself to his chores to avoid revealing his 'weaker' side in front of others. This includes the fact that Nate is homosexual; The environment in which he was raised neither addressed nor repressed his orientation so while he isn't exactly hiding it the lad isn't entirely comfortable acknowledging it either. The subject of attraction is a 'unknown' in his mind and therefor a topic he approaches with caution.
His mortality: Nate is human and just as fragile as any of his breed. Honestly? Perhaps more so, he is not nearly as strong as some other humans nor as fast for that matter. Due to his Oculocutaneous albinism he is also very sensitive to sunlight, developing burns easily.
Loyalty. For someone dear to him there is no telling what he would do, good or bad, when asked. Quite at odds with his independent mindset he craves the feeling of belonging, of having a home and something akin to a family to fill it... so he will defend it ruthlessly even if it means doing something very wrong in the process
⇝LIKES
○Puzzles. ○Exploring new things. ○His work, he can get lost for hours in research. ○Teasing people he likes. ○Ice cream.. preferably coffee flavored. ○Cleaning. Few things help him relax or work through stress as effectively.
⇝DISLIKES
●Not being able to complete his work. ●Onions. Hands down, worst food ever. ●Stagnation. He needs stimulation. ●Being told what to do. ●Scary or gory situations.. He'll never admit it, but they creep him out and he hates the mess. ●Messy places, it makes him restless until he can clean the area. ●His Albinism being pointed out. He Knows. ●Kids getting hurt. Want to actually see Nate lose his temper? This is a button that should not be pushed.
⇝EXTRAS
Though still mortal at this time the youth has triggered a self evolution into becoming a Lich; Nate is currently trapped between his desire to remain morally 'good' which holds him back from committing to it and the knowledge that he has to keep his options open to survive which won't let him fully reject the change either.
Nate is what one would call a friendly soul with a playfully twisted humor and a convivial façade that rarely betrays the depths of his thoughts or emotions; Loyal to those he likes yet independent and fond of his personal freedoms the young man prefers to observe and learn about his surroundings before making rash decisions but he can think on his feet when he needs to. He is adaptive , willful, ingenious when he wants something, and entirely too pragmatic for his own good. Being the eldest child, and the primary care-giver for his siblings growing up, has sculpted much of his character and without intending to he can seem quite brotherly to those around himself; Listening to problems, offering advice, and actively comforting or cheering up those that need it simply because it is his nature to do so. The youth is tactful in delicate situations and expresses his thoughts or concerns sincerely if asked for them, though he may not share everything on his mind if he doesn't think his company can handle the information. Oddly when it comes to the well being someone dear to him he displays a much more stubborn temperament, refusing to submit to blind obedience and standing his ground firmly when he believes it is right to do so. Nate is fairly audacious when it comes to the world around himself, though admittedly more than a few things seem to scare him and he does value survival he never lets himself be cowed or controlled without a fight. Knowing he still has much to learn Nate makes it a point to expand his medical knowledge and abilities whenever possible, ever reaching to improve himself in his own unusual way. Thanks to his father Nate learned the importance of a good work ethic at a very early age. Well rounded and quite the home maker, though not one to flaunt this information, the youth strives to keep his home neat and his loved ones cared for. It is important to know that, necromancer or not, he has no strong feelings towards or against his innate magic heritage or abilities. They are a part of him, neither good nor evil, and Nate generally ignores public opinion on the matter. Nate's sexuality is something that does trouble him; His unease with his attraction to men isn't born from shame or fear of rejection but rather from the very simple fact that he has never really had time to worry about or focus on his own romantic passions in life. In short... Nate can be quite clumsy and cautious when it comes to intimacy.
In all honesty the boy 'needs' to learn like a starving man needs food, his curiosity often motivating him to investigate new things and at times landing him into trouble. More often than not Nate is trying new things simply for the sake of finding out how it works or what it is like. New food? Down the hatch. Strange button? He's going to push it. Maybe even twice, if he was told not to do it in the first place by someone he doesn't like. Despite his sincere and assiduous focus on his work Nate is young by most standards and just as uncertain as most his age when it comes to personal emotional matters, not entirely a honest soul about his feelings or wants but never afraid to pursue his goals when he does commit to them. The boy is affectionate and gentle even if he seems a bit eccentric with his work and shows signs of subtly mischievous habits.. Not to mention his almost obsessive need to organizing and cleaning things when stressed. Under his mellow mirth Nate is diligent and very much a nurturing personality, there isn't much he wouldn't do for someone that needs a helping hand even if it causes him some problems along the way. Few can keep him in line or get past his 'don't tell me what to do' mindset when he gets serious about something and he is the type to go for the figurative 'throat' of his enemies to end conflicts quickly and quietly; The boy offering a compromise to ease hostilities once he has his foe in a vulnerable position with the hope they will come to a understanding at let the conflict rest. Many underestimate Nate because of his compassionate and quiet behavior but the youth has shown himself to be reliable, self confident, and patient; Often displaying a clever mind and impressive self control in difficult situations by knowing when to back down and weigh his options carefully. If taking a beating is the only choice to protect someone he cares about he'll go down swinging, determined to give as good as he gets. Having two very strong willed little sisters taught him how to pick his battles and honed his skill of wielding the sentiment of tough love like a well-worn sword to keep his dear ones on their best behavior. This sentiment now includes many of the orphaned and otherwise vulnerable souls that survived the Darkness Village purge; He takes responsibility for those he helped to save and he cannot ignore a child in need.
⇝BIOGRAPHY
The respected name of Darbinyan was well known in the Old Country from which Nate's maternal bloodline traced its ancestry, generation upon generation of 'Blacksmiths' honing their trade as void-crafters or 'Necromancers' in the dark corners of history. A Matriarchy by nature, as the strongest magic passed from mother to daughter in their line, it was common practice for the husbands of his clan to take their wife's surnames.. Why, one might ask, is Nate's last name Hobbs instead of Darbinyan then? The simple truth is that as the world pulled itself out of the Dark Ages so too did the practitioners of the old magics; The name of Darbinyan was kept only by the eldest daughter of each generation and the rest of the young women had the choice to keep or forsake the name as they wished. The bloodline immigrated to America as so many others did in the early years of the country and they thrived, mindful not to show their magic to the suspicious new neighbors even as they set down roots and passed their craft from parent to child. This continued on through the years until the world well and truly fell apart.. and the Ages once again turned Dark as humans were forced to acknowledge and embrace the magics they once tried so desperately to ignore or suppress. Cautiously the family of Darbinyan bloodlines slid into the background; Not quite staying out of the battle for human survival but never fully revealing themselves to their fearful brethren to avoid any ignorant backlash from mobs with torches. Mercenaries.. Doctors.. So many jobs served as cover for the clan to hide their arcane gifts and yet none were so brazen as a pair of lovebirds that would shake the very foundation of the family's choice of secrecy. Eva, Nate's mother, met his father John and the two fell in love like some sort of silly story book in the before-times. John was not a Necromancer, he wasn't even a mage, but unlike the general public the man didn't shy away from his beloved's unusual abilities and together they traveled far and wide under the disguise of being unauthorized ' Exorcists ' much to the ire of the Church; Nate's mother loved to use her gift to help put troubled or trapped spirits to rest rather than following the ghoulish and gory footsteps of her undead-raising kin and she taught this mindset to her son throughout his early years. Love, respect, and acceptance were the building blocks of her beliefs and realizing her male child had a uncommonly strong affinity with their craft she did everything she could to teach him to use it properly while his father taught him the basics of Alchemy. Traveling with his parents was by far one of his favorite memories even though it was rough work and it forced the boy to mature quickly. Towns and villages rarely welcomed his parents due to their profession, despite the fact that they were there to help, and life was a struggle Nate had no trouble understanding the danger his family faced on a daily basis. Time seemed to speed up as his little sister Tonia came into the world when he was Eight; Given how busy his parents were with their work it fell to Nate himself to look after the little one and he took to it with startling enthusiasm. By the time Ellie was born two years later the little family was bustling with energy and excitement but.. sadly between the lack of medical care and the distinct distance their neighbors enforced from local church authorities his mother didn't survive childbirth. John was never quite the same and though he tried his best to be there for his children the man's grief drove him into the thralls of hunting for Work. Gathering his three young children the man returned to his wife's hometown; Swiftly settling into a small home on the town's outskirts as he sank himself into whatever jobs he could get as a Alchemist... If they were legal or not. As the eldest care of the house and his siblings fell to Nate entirely and slowly the boy grew into the role required of him, learning to cook and clean from his nearest neighbor in exchange for doing repair work around her house. As odd as it is Nate thrived in this challenging time; The boy desperately needing some way to vent his grief without worrying his baby sisters so he threw himself into the daily chores with zeal. Cooking for his family, cleaning their home, helping educate the girls, playing mediator when they bickered over silly things? Being needed helped Nate move on and come to peace with the loss of his mother and, though he often wondered why her soul never came back to them, on some level he was just grateful he had so many memories with her to share with his little sisters as they grew up. Of course as the girl's magic started to manifest new issues arose.. Any time a family pet passed away Nate inevitably had to chase a undead animal through their neighborhood before anyone noticed the bizarre 'Pet Cemetery' scenario playing out in their back yards. Teaching the girls to control themselves, to follow their mother's training, was incredibly difficult for the boy given that their personalities drifted so much closer to the more nefarious side of their craft.. and considering how little training he himself actually received in that side of Necromancy he finally had to admit defeat and ask his father for help. Aware that he was out of his depths with his Six and Eight year old girls as well John did the only thing he could, he called his estranged mother-in-law for backup.
Why John and Beth, Nate's maternal grandmother, didn't get along the boy never quite understood but the old crone was a godsend for all of them. Stern, but loving, the woman came from the far side of the town as soon as she was called for and took all three of her grandchildren into her arms in a heartbeat. Without asking she dragged all of them back to the maternal family home, installing herself as the head of the family unit with a ease that left John exasperated and Nate in a state of awe. Over the next few years the old woman taught them the true art of Necromancy and how to control it, as well as coaching Nate himself on how to do his housework more efficiently and giving him resources to truly study the wonderful art of alchemy that his father had dedicated his life to. When she wasn't pushing for him to relax his grip a little and go to make friends, of course. There was no fooling the old woman, she knew why her grandson took his work so seriously and determined to let him grow beyond his self-built crutch Beth started urging him to act his age. Go become part of the town, learn new things, make some friends.. Be a good example to your little sisters! The clever crone played him perfectly with these words and the boy did exactly what she wanted, steadily pushing himself out of his shell to be a better role model, and it was hard to say who was more shocked by how well he adapted to having a social life. His father, thanks to his grandmother's nagging, started working less and spending more time with the family and as a result Nate's teenage years were full of laughter and joy. Having the same gifts as his mother Nate did consider following her path for a while, helping ghosts and spirts move on in his spare time, but his grandmother and his father both swiftly put a end to that daydream as they pointed out the potential dangers he could invite back to his family so instead he focused on what was in front of him. Often members of his family such as Aunts, Cousins, and the like would visit the Family home and bring Nate materials for his Alchemic training; experimenting and spending time with his friends soon ate up much of his spare time in the peaceful years that followed. Eventually the time came that Nate had to branch out on his own and it was a difficult step... but again his grandmother wouldn't allow for him to give up his future, firmly stating that life wouldn't wait for him to make up his mind to live it. Apparently it was a tradition that the Darbinyan descendants would strike out alone for a few years upon reaching adulthood; Most becoming Hunters or Mages for hire but almost all (surviving members) would return to the family home every once in a while to check in.
Following the example of his nomadic cousins Nate took to studying medicinal Alchemy first, drifting from town to city and hounding anyone that could teach him new information about the craft. By the time he turned 24 his father had started pestering him about finding a house or apartment in their home town and honestly Nate considered it at first. What stopped him were the words of his grandmother, so many years earlier. Life wouldn't wait fir him. His sisters didn't need him, the house was well taken care of, and his father was happy... It was time for Nate to find his own nest and he knew it. So, swearing to his little sisters he would come back for the holidays he started to travel farther abroad for his work. Alchemy was very much a special interest and, though dangerous, Nate spent a fair amount of time running down leads to deepen his knowledge on the subject as his focus shifted from medicinal ingredients to arcane and monster-part regents. Unfortunately... The very first promise he broke to his precious family turned out to be the last one he could ever make to them as the young man they knew; Halfway through a work contract Nate was kidnapped and tossed aboard a ship with other likewise troubled yet unique looking souls. Never once in his young life had the boy's Albinism been a hindrance or a point of shame, his family had treated him normally and his friends (aside from good natured ribbing) had accepted him with ease... So when his pale complexion and sanguine gaze drew the attention of Human Traffickers it took the lad entirely by surprise. To this day Nate isn't sure if it was good or bad luck that caused the ship to sink in a freak storm but there are still nights where the screams of his fellow captives wrack his nightmares; The group had dissolved into a wriggling mass of panic in their small cell as the boat floundered and the crew outside screamed at each other over the roar of rain and the crashing waves that rattled every inch of the ship's frame. In the chaos someone managed to nail Nate's temple, the boy having knelt next to the huddled group of children in their midst in a attempt to calm them, when a particularly large wave lurched the vessel and sent everyone inside bouncing against each other. It knocked him out cold, his last memories of the ship were filled with fear as the voices faded into darkness, and yet when the boy awoke among the debris on a desolate shore he was alone and in intense pain. No bodies, no ghosts... Neither victims nor jailers to help him come to terms with the fact that he was well and truly lost as his battered body labored to function. Nate was certain he'd died in the wreckage and that this lonely waterline was his purgatory; The deafening quiet and trauma of his ordeal trying to suck the youth into a depressive state of stillness. What snapped him out of it? Life won't wait.. His grandmother's voice was so piercing as Nate laid on the sandy bank and stared up at the cloudy night sky above him. The boy's fingers sank into the earth, his nails digging deep as he felt that all too familiar flutter of magic in his chest and his emotions swiftly latched on to it with a vengeance. Life? Death? He'd take either one. There had been books in his Grandmother's study about how one would go about becoming a Lich.. A monster by all accounts and yet one that had time and again been a saving grace for members of his family throughout their many journals and memoirs. No longer would he be just.. Nate. What would his family hate more... never finding his body on this gods forsaken shore line or welcoming home something wicked wearing his skin? The book had made it clear he'd become something far more dangerous than the human he'd lived as and while that thought made his heart break the lad couldn't shake the image of his baby sisters from his exhausted mind. If it meant holding on to this life, these memories he treasured so dearly... he'd gladly embrace death to do so. Hell, he'd kiss the Reaper himself if it meant another chance to survive. Death magic soaked into the land the boy had thought to be barren as that dry thought slid through his mind; life energy seeping out of the many small creatures that called the soil home as Nate drained the environment's vitality desperately. It wasn't healing the classic sense... No sweet relief awaited as the stolen essence flowed into his broken body and started repairing the damaged tissues threatening his survival. Necromancy wasn't about blessings and debts to higher powers like holy magic, his grandma would say. It was about the brutal, bittersweet fairness of life and death. For him to live something else had to die and like every hunter chasing a Stag for food Nate made the choice to survive. Hours passed and the dead spot around Nate grew, the pain in his body slowly subsiding as his mind started to drift and he finally released the magic syphon on the land. It was here in this withered shell of space that some locals found the youth though, ultimately, their intentions were far from pure as they swiftly tossed him into a cell upon returning to their village. It is true that the people of this town fed him, nursing him back to health with a crude yet effective diligence.. But it wasn't out of kindness. The Slavers that had captured Nate had been bound for this town to start with and, when the ship hadn't arrived, a search party had been sent along the river's course; Nate had been the only living merchandise they'd found and to let him die would be a waste in their words. In the following weeks, as Nate regained his strength and his amplified magic started to settle into his body, the boy paid keen attention to his captors and played the passive role expected of him.. watching, listening, and slowly hardening the sense of ruthless cunning he would use to turn his situation upside down. Polite, submissive, and quiet as he was the Slavers soon put him to work cooking and cleaning and Nate took to the tasks with enthusiasm. Weeks passed and talks of buyers started to come up given how docile Nate had seemed in his role. The idiots let their guard down and the very night before he was due to be shipped off the lad did something he'd once thought impossible of himself; Nate spiked the morning meal with a rather subtle yet potent poison he'd been steadily gathering from rat traps while cleaning. Would his father have done such a thing? Smiling and watching as other living beings ate their own deaths and praised the flavor? That little piece of Nate that wasn't... Just Nate anymore held back any guilt the humanity in him wanted to feel, calmly reminding him of his own promise to do what he had to do. Twelve men and Seven women died that night, each and every face ingrained in Nate's memory as he later took steps to bury them in shallow graves just outside their now-ghost town. There was no pride in outsmarting them... no fear of punishment in doing something so very wrong.. Just a chilling awareness that he would do it all again if he had to. Stealing what supplies and items caught his interest from the Slaver's den Nate then picked a direction on a map he'd taken from the head-man's office; The youth wandering as he pondered just where on earth he was. His captors had clearly taken him far from his homeland, the map's features were alien and the accents of his 'hosts' had been a bit off from what he was used to, and Nate found himself with another layer of trouble to sort out as he roamed along the River's edge deeper into this new land. To get home he first had to learn about where he was and who could find where he came from. Sadly with the Slavers dead he had no one to question readily at hand... So a new plan came to the lad.
Gathering herbs in the forest as he traveled Nate took time to study them, working as traveling apothecary along the roads and towns while learning about his surroundings. Eventually Nate came into contact with darker clients, the boy saving a swindler's life from a botched poisoning attempted, and seeing the benefit of having such a talented alchemist on his payroll the man convinced Nate to set up shop in a town called Darkness Abounds. At first glance Nate knew exactly what sort of place the village was; His grandmother would have spit and called it a Den of Sin and yet something about the atmosphere of it seemed almost soothing to the youth. Deadly, chaotic, and yet.. Familiar. This place reflected that cold piece of himself like a mirror and Nate couldn't resist accepting the job offered to him to stay while he gathered intel on how to find his way home. Clients came naturally, all sorts of nefarious and dubious customers came through his door and for each person Nate did is best to meet their satisfaction. No personal questions beyond what he needed to do his job; Before he knew it the lad had a rather intricate network of connections and a very firm place in the town's underbelly. Funnily enough, despite how well known he is for his work amongst the darker elements of the place, his customers make it a point to protect his privacy just as much as he protects theirs and Nate finds it easy to blend into the background rather easily thanks to this. No doubt it was this protected web of his that gave Nate time to defend himself when local powers waged a battle in the town; For the first time in his life Nate used his necromancy in front of others as he called on his Lich's seed and soaked the stranger's rampant death magic from the earth to channel it into a barrier. Luck allowed him to survive the ordeal, as well as a number of the locals who lived near enough to be shielded by his magic, but far... far more people died in what Nate would later call the 'Purge'. Perhaps worse than the death toll was, at least to Nate himself, the knowledge that the effort of resisting such a powerful magic had thrust him deeper into the path of becoming a Lich. Ultimately the boy doesn't care much about what the fight was over or who won, only that it caused him trouble and almost cost him another fraction of his soul to the Lich's side forming inside him.. the only sentiment he can muster beyond vague unease at the scale of violence would be disgust at the people who caused the needless deaths of so many children in the town. Of course information spread like wildfire among the survivors and the names of those who caused the bloodshed became common knowledge and yet.. No word of the youth that saved so many people ever slipped out beyond those that witnessed the event; The townspeople Nate had saved returned the favor and kept him safely out of the limelight to avoid any backlash from those in power. Safely on the sidelines, ever hidden behind the crowd, Nate continues his work as a Alchemist and watches as the town of criminals rebuilds itself after the chaos. A part of him, the human in him, still longs to go home to the safety and warmth of his family. The stronger side of him, the pieces of his soul that had hardened and sharpened throughout his exposure to this life, can't seem to recognize any home but the village he now lives in.. Now Nate struggles between the two sentiments, balancing his priorities precariously while he focuses on surviving.
Your character will be starting in darkness abounds, also in the future could you please utilize the profile template provided for future characters.
Ah.. This was still a WIP, converting to the template and trying to fit the guilds storyline. As soon as I'm done editing I'll let you know for review. Sorry for any confusion. sweatdrop
Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2024 9:40 pm
Rarian
Wolfe Garm
Rarian
Approved.
Your character will be starting in darkness abounds, also in the future could you please utilize the profile template provided for future characters.
Ah.. This was still a WIP, converting to the template and trying to fit the guilds storyline. As soon as I'm done editing I'll let you know for review. Sorry for any confusion. sweatdrop
what's still being worked on as both Gypsy and I see everything looking good and useable?
Your character will be starting in darkness abounds, also in the future could you please utilize the profile template provided for future characters.
Ah.. This was still a WIP, converting to the template and trying to fit the guilds storyline. As soon as I'm done editing I'll let you know for review. Sorry for any confusion. sweatdrop
what's still being worked on as both Gypsy and I see everything looking good and useable?
I see, then I'll keep him as is. I'll be careful to use the provided template for any future characters.
Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2024 5:46 pm
Rarian
Work out how he got to DA and/or how he survived Ilea's tantrum (page seven of Darkness Village). If he was there, his abilities may have helped him survive that, and possibly keep some others alive as well. Of course, he would now have a very healthy respect/terror of Ilea...
