Ürei
07-30-06, 05:18 PM
Physical Information
Name: Catherine Ravencraft of the House of Vali, First Daughter of Lotrimus Ravencraft and Awaiting Matriarch of the Ravencraft Lineage. Aliases: ‘Raven’, ‘Cat’, ‘Kitty’
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Species: Vanir
Race/Nationality: Mi`Dragari
Height: 5’10”
Weight: ~ 130 lbs.
Hair Color: Raven black.
Skin Color: Softly tanned Caucasian.
Eye Color: Dull green.
Appearance: Catherine appears to be a stern, noble figure that instantly gives off a sense of intelligence and calm. Raven black hair drapes down to her shoulder blades, perfectly straight and without a single frayed end. Her skin is softly tanned, and quite exposed. She wears a dress from the waist down that is black embroidered with a silver thorn design around the edge, it reaches about 4” past her feet, draping on the ground around her feet. The dress is open in the front where a 6” wide rectangular piece of clothe covers her front, exposing only her legs, this cloth comes down to just above her ankles, so that she does not step on it when walking. The cloth is also rimmed with the silver thorn design, and is separate from her dress but is attached at her black-dyed leather belt. Around her shoulders is a jacket cut so that it travels from one shoulder, across her back, to be symmetrical on the other shoulder. It comes halfway down her upper arm, and does not come across the front of her neck or torso at all. On the back there is an outline of a spread-winged raven that is the symbol of the Ravencraft lineage done in silver thread. It, like the rest of her clothing, is rimmed with a silver thorn design. Her petite chest is covered with a bra-like piece of clothing. The strap keeping it in place is designed to complement her other shoulder clothing, reaching back to be hidden by the other piece. It is also rimmed by the silver thorn design. A black cloth that is pulled across her eyes finishes her clothing, acting as a blindfold; the cloth was sewn tight so that no light or image can come through it. It is rimmed as well by the silver thorn design, and the ends in the back are tied so that there is extra slack on each side, coming down to just barely touch her shoulders. The blindfold is tied under her hair. Catherine’s feet appear to be bare, however she wears enchanted comfortable shoes that protect her feet and allow her to run and move as if she was barefoot. When she takes them off, they appear to be black low-cut socks.
Physique: Catherine’s physique is quite good for a woman of her age. She has a strong yet still delicate build and a beautiful face. Though marred by the heartless dedication and blindfold, she is quite beautiful and has held most of her youthful vitality. She is in no shape to be battling, but she has a powerful will and endurance due to the stress of casting.
Physical Stats: Catherine could easily lift 50 or 60 pounds, but she would probably hurt herself if she punched anyone. She has the physical strength to do battle with a staff, but none of the training to do so.
Vanir – Human differences: Vanir and Humans are very much a like. In fact, there are only two distinct differences between them. First of all, the Vanir have the ability to wield the Eldritch, an ancient form of magery that is exclusive to a select number of races. Nobody knows why only certain races can wield its powers, yet the Vanir know they, and all the other races that wield it, have connections with the Weir. The other difference is that, unlike humans, Vanir do not move on to Purgatory/The Antifirmament or any of the other realms after death. In stead, they return to the Weir and are reborn as a Foulthing. Other then that, they are physically the same. [Genetics are different however Vanir seem to be descended from the same race as Humans and Vanir can mate with Humans and have fertile offspring.]
Arsenal and Inventory
Bifrost: Named after the bridge between the spiritual [called the “Weir” by the Vanir] and mortal plane, this staff is an inheritance of the Ravencraft lineage and is passed down between the first daughters of each of the Masters of the House of Vali. As the Ravencraft has held a dynastic rule over the House of Vali, Catherine received it shortly before her 21st Night of Mani celebration. It is on this day that the blood oath of the Ravencraft lineage is commemorated, and the receivers of the Artifacts are either chosen, or honored. Among the Vanir, it is an instant sign of status to be even touching one of the Ravencraft Artifacts.
The Bifrost is, as all the Ravencraft Artifacts are, very unique. It has many powers, which their usage cannot be explained aloud to others, and thus must be learned through experience by each wielder. Again similar to the other Ravencraft Artifacts, the Bifrost is bonded to the Ravencraft member that was willingly given to, and cannot be wielded by any others unless the current owner willingly gives them it. Also, all powers commanded from the staff require a tithe of blood from the wielder, and are canceled if the staff leaves their touch. In certain circumstances, the staff can leave their touch for a period of time.
Bifrost resembles a black-shafted wooden staff, however the wood and silver on it is as strong as iron. On its shaft are soft designs that can only be seen in close proximity etched in silver filled engravings. They resemble the four elements at play, twisting around the unbroken darkness of the staff. At the base of the staff is a silver point, first a sphere then a spike the same width as the shaft ending. The head of the staff resembles 4 bat wings arched upwards, their wing tips touching 1 foot above their base, reaching out about half a foot in the 4 directions. At each interval of the wing is a spike, a long end pointing outwards and a short end pointing inwards, the short ends reach towards, but do not touch, a large oblong hexagonal emerald that floats in place within the embrace of the staff head. The emerald is immovable, yet it slowly rotates in its prison. When a spell is being prepared or cast, the emerald will glow a dull or bright eerie green, depending on the strength of the spell.
Powers of the Bifrost: Currently Catherine only knows of two powers that the Bifrost can grant her. Neither of which help her in any real way. The first is the ability for the Bifrost to regenerate its own form if Catherine places it in open sunlight or moonlight. It will regenerate slowly, and the entire staff can be recovered from even ash or a single sliver. The more damage done, the longer it will take. The second ability she knows of is to activate the crystal held in the staff and emits a soft yet radiant white light. The gem will slowly grow in brightness until it is a comfortable level of ambiance, and can enlighten the surrounding area better then a simple candle or torch. This is, of course, useless to Catherine, but is often helpful for others. The light can be summoned instantly, but is not considered either sunlight or candlelight, and is an unnatural ambiance created by magic. Creatures normally affected by light, whether helped or hurt by it, will not be affected by this ambiance. It cannot be used as a weapon. Using the light requires a trace amount of her blood, but if she keeps it active for more then a few hours, it will begin to tire her. She can pour a surge of blood into the staff and let it be on its own for a while, acting as a lantern, but if she doesn’t continue to give it blood before the surge runs dry, the light will blink out. It always drains the same amount, consistently, and will not allow Catherine to hurt herself with the draining, thus there is a failsafe that after three hours it will automatically stop until it feels she has recovered enough.
The Tattoo of Sigurd: The Tattoo of Sigurd is the large tattoo across Catherine’s back that resembles wings in a Celtic knot style. This tattoo at first seems to be for appearances only, but is actually another Ravencraft Artifact. Currently its powers are unknown to Catherine, though.
Ravencraft Emblem: The Ravencraft Emblem is embroidered on the back of her top shirt and has no special powers. If someone related to or with knowledge of the Vanir, that symbol etched into her shirt may have a profound effect on them, for it marks her as high royalty. Of course, there aren’t any known Vanir left, so only rumors of the Vanir exist.
Abilities and The Eldritch
Abilities:
Dark Sight: After learning of her Ravencraft heritage and the ability to see with the blessings of the Eldritch instead of her own eyes, she has taken to her blindfold with confidence. Whilst she is blinded physically, Catherine can see as well as any other person can, and possibly better. Her vision is based on what her soul sees, and thus illusions of sight have a slightly reduced effect on her, and the level of light does not matter. What she sees is impossible to describe, but she can still only see what is in front of her.
Proficiencies: Catherine has no proficiency in using her staff as a weapon, or fighting in general. She is dependant on her magic at this point, and is harmless even with it.
The Eldritch: The Eldritch is a special type of magery that was developed by the Vanir. The Ravencraft lineage is the most talented in it, however, for it was their ancestor that discovered it. The Eldritch is used by a combination of words to activate different elements of mana. When used in a sentence, it is a command for mana. Instead of learning individual spells, one can simply learn the Eldritch language and have a complete control over mana. At her current stage of ability in mana, Catherine is only able to do the most basic, insignificant things with her magic. However, even these practically useless things, like lighting a candle or blowing one out with a tiny gust of wind, take a great ammount of concentration and time. For the effects of any spell to be even enough to annoy -the extent of her current ability- it will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes of unbroken concentration [2-3 of my posts in battle, 2 in a quest when not in battle].
Once the concentration and energy is gathered, the speaking of the mantra words to command that energy into use ignites the spell. If Catherine’s speech is disabled, she cannot cast.
The Mantra Words
An – Negate/dispel
Bet – Small
Corp - Death
Des – Lower/down
Ex - Freedom
Flam - Flame
Grav – Energy/Field
Hur - wind
In - Make/Create/Cause
Jux – Danger/Trap/Harm
Kal – Summon Invoke
Lor - Light
Mani – Life/healing
Nox - Poison
Ort – Magic
Por – Move/Movement
Quas - Illusion
Rel - Change
Sanct – protect/protection
Tym - time
Uus – Raise/Up
Vas - Greater
Wis – Know/Knowledge
Xen - Creature
Ylem – Matter/Substance
Zu – Sleep
History
~22:01,2; Mi`Drigard, House of Vali~
“Alice, I will tell you for the last time, you are not allowed outside of the castle walls at night! There are Reapers and Stalkers and Pluckers out there! They would grab you and gobble you up! Don’t you ever wonder why there is a constant brigade of guards patrolling around the castle grounds? We want to protect you.”
The old man fumbled with his words, trying to find something that would convince the immature little girl out of her ambitions. She stared at him for only but a moment before huffing and running to the patio door. With a grandeur flourish, she whipped the two doors open wide and breathed in the night air. Sighing with his failure, the mage limped his way over to the archway with her. The moon was showing brightly in the sky, hovering above the northern mountains of Salvar. Though the rest of the continent was covered in ice and snow, the magic of the Weir kept back the bite of Everwinter. Cherry trees surrounded the castle grounds in a grove that seemed innocent enough. Yet, hidden in those branches were camouflaged archers and sentries, watchful and restless eyes forever protecting their lifestyle.
Alice sat on the ivory stone ledge, draping her legs over the side and turning back to look at Oren. With a childish smile and a little giggle, she waved the man to come out into the brisk night air. It was lovely outside, and she didn’t believe in fairy tales anymore. Succumbing to her charm, Oren hobbled on his staff into the cool air, his joints complaining to him. Dissatisfied with the cold of the night, he glanced to the south, staring at the monumental column that radiated with energy. It was still active; so it must just be an extremely cold night out in the continent of Salvar, for it was often warm inside the protection of their dome. Oren hadn’t feared any differently.
Reaching up and holding a guardian’s hand on the little girl’s shoulder, the elderly mage spoke up in his story-telling voice. “When I was but a child, this city was wracked with the miseries that you hear in the fairy tales. Dark spirits and shadow entities came broke through the Weir Gate and assaulted our people. Despair and tragedy ran rampant in the streets like a foul plague, yet there was hope. A little boy, about your age, came and did something that we never understood. He spoke to one of the Foulthings and asked them to leave them alone. After, a white light shot from the ground where he stood and there the pillar was erected. None of us ever knew who the boy was, or where he came from, not even where he went after the pillar rose. Yet, we honor him to this day. He was the first Eldritch. From his enchantment, we learned the secrets of the Eldritch powers and learned of the Weir. As you have probably learned in your classes, our city lines halfway between the Weir and the solid realm of mortals.”
Having heard all this before, Alice sighed and laid down on the edge, staring at the stars. The moon eclipsed the sky this far north, and she could see a fierce snowstorm just outside the shimmer of the dome. It was a harsh world out there, and her sister hadn’t returned from it yet. Worry ate at her gut like a fierce flame, spreading to her body and sending a chill down her spine. What if Kitty doesn’t come back this time? What if a Wendigo or a Plucker got her! As if reading her mind, Oren touched her shoulder and smiled warmly, reassuring her that Catherine would return.
“It’s okay to be worried, Alice, but you need not worry for Lady Catherine. Her Warden, Segfreid, accompanies her. That man can handle anything this frigid wasteland can throw at him.”
Alice, of course, wasn’t so sure of that. Settling back against the comforting warmth of the old mage, she felt herself beginning to doze off. The edge of the dream world touched her as she felt her body lifted into the air by those weak but familiar arms. Eyes closed, mind drifting, the last thing the felt was being set down on her bed. The elder whispered a ‘good night’ to her sleeping form before shutting the balcony doors and blowing out the candles.
To be continued in a Solo Quest upon approval...
Name: Catherine Ravencraft of the House of Vali, First Daughter of Lotrimus Ravencraft and Awaiting Matriarch of the Ravencraft Lineage. Aliases: ‘Raven’, ‘Cat’, ‘Kitty’
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Species: Vanir
Race/Nationality: Mi`Dragari
Height: 5’10”
Weight: ~ 130 lbs.
Hair Color: Raven black.
Skin Color: Softly tanned Caucasian.
Eye Color: Dull green.
Appearance: Catherine appears to be a stern, noble figure that instantly gives off a sense of intelligence and calm. Raven black hair drapes down to her shoulder blades, perfectly straight and without a single frayed end. Her skin is softly tanned, and quite exposed. She wears a dress from the waist down that is black embroidered with a silver thorn design around the edge, it reaches about 4” past her feet, draping on the ground around her feet. The dress is open in the front where a 6” wide rectangular piece of clothe covers her front, exposing only her legs, this cloth comes down to just above her ankles, so that she does not step on it when walking. The cloth is also rimmed with the silver thorn design, and is separate from her dress but is attached at her black-dyed leather belt. Around her shoulders is a jacket cut so that it travels from one shoulder, across her back, to be symmetrical on the other shoulder. It comes halfway down her upper arm, and does not come across the front of her neck or torso at all. On the back there is an outline of a spread-winged raven that is the symbol of the Ravencraft lineage done in silver thread. It, like the rest of her clothing, is rimmed with a silver thorn design. Her petite chest is covered with a bra-like piece of clothing. The strap keeping it in place is designed to complement her other shoulder clothing, reaching back to be hidden by the other piece. It is also rimmed by the silver thorn design. A black cloth that is pulled across her eyes finishes her clothing, acting as a blindfold; the cloth was sewn tight so that no light or image can come through it. It is rimmed as well by the silver thorn design, and the ends in the back are tied so that there is extra slack on each side, coming down to just barely touch her shoulders. The blindfold is tied under her hair. Catherine’s feet appear to be bare, however she wears enchanted comfortable shoes that protect her feet and allow her to run and move as if she was barefoot. When she takes them off, they appear to be black low-cut socks.
Physique: Catherine’s physique is quite good for a woman of her age. She has a strong yet still delicate build and a beautiful face. Though marred by the heartless dedication and blindfold, she is quite beautiful and has held most of her youthful vitality. She is in no shape to be battling, but she has a powerful will and endurance due to the stress of casting.
Physical Stats: Catherine could easily lift 50 or 60 pounds, but she would probably hurt herself if she punched anyone. She has the physical strength to do battle with a staff, but none of the training to do so.
Vanir – Human differences: Vanir and Humans are very much a like. In fact, there are only two distinct differences between them. First of all, the Vanir have the ability to wield the Eldritch, an ancient form of magery that is exclusive to a select number of races. Nobody knows why only certain races can wield its powers, yet the Vanir know they, and all the other races that wield it, have connections with the Weir. The other difference is that, unlike humans, Vanir do not move on to Purgatory/The Antifirmament or any of the other realms after death. In stead, they return to the Weir and are reborn as a Foulthing. Other then that, they are physically the same. [Genetics are different however Vanir seem to be descended from the same race as Humans and Vanir can mate with Humans and have fertile offspring.]
Arsenal and Inventory
Bifrost: Named after the bridge between the spiritual [called the “Weir” by the Vanir] and mortal plane, this staff is an inheritance of the Ravencraft lineage and is passed down between the first daughters of each of the Masters of the House of Vali. As the Ravencraft has held a dynastic rule over the House of Vali, Catherine received it shortly before her 21st Night of Mani celebration. It is on this day that the blood oath of the Ravencraft lineage is commemorated, and the receivers of the Artifacts are either chosen, or honored. Among the Vanir, it is an instant sign of status to be even touching one of the Ravencraft Artifacts.
The Bifrost is, as all the Ravencraft Artifacts are, very unique. It has many powers, which their usage cannot be explained aloud to others, and thus must be learned through experience by each wielder. Again similar to the other Ravencraft Artifacts, the Bifrost is bonded to the Ravencraft member that was willingly given to, and cannot be wielded by any others unless the current owner willingly gives them it. Also, all powers commanded from the staff require a tithe of blood from the wielder, and are canceled if the staff leaves their touch. In certain circumstances, the staff can leave their touch for a period of time.
Bifrost resembles a black-shafted wooden staff, however the wood and silver on it is as strong as iron. On its shaft are soft designs that can only be seen in close proximity etched in silver filled engravings. They resemble the four elements at play, twisting around the unbroken darkness of the staff. At the base of the staff is a silver point, first a sphere then a spike the same width as the shaft ending. The head of the staff resembles 4 bat wings arched upwards, their wing tips touching 1 foot above their base, reaching out about half a foot in the 4 directions. At each interval of the wing is a spike, a long end pointing outwards and a short end pointing inwards, the short ends reach towards, but do not touch, a large oblong hexagonal emerald that floats in place within the embrace of the staff head. The emerald is immovable, yet it slowly rotates in its prison. When a spell is being prepared or cast, the emerald will glow a dull or bright eerie green, depending on the strength of the spell.
Powers of the Bifrost: Currently Catherine only knows of two powers that the Bifrost can grant her. Neither of which help her in any real way. The first is the ability for the Bifrost to regenerate its own form if Catherine places it in open sunlight or moonlight. It will regenerate slowly, and the entire staff can be recovered from even ash or a single sliver. The more damage done, the longer it will take. The second ability she knows of is to activate the crystal held in the staff and emits a soft yet radiant white light. The gem will slowly grow in brightness until it is a comfortable level of ambiance, and can enlighten the surrounding area better then a simple candle or torch. This is, of course, useless to Catherine, but is often helpful for others. The light can be summoned instantly, but is not considered either sunlight or candlelight, and is an unnatural ambiance created by magic. Creatures normally affected by light, whether helped or hurt by it, will not be affected by this ambiance. It cannot be used as a weapon. Using the light requires a trace amount of her blood, but if she keeps it active for more then a few hours, it will begin to tire her. She can pour a surge of blood into the staff and let it be on its own for a while, acting as a lantern, but if she doesn’t continue to give it blood before the surge runs dry, the light will blink out. It always drains the same amount, consistently, and will not allow Catherine to hurt herself with the draining, thus there is a failsafe that after three hours it will automatically stop until it feels she has recovered enough.
The Tattoo of Sigurd: The Tattoo of Sigurd is the large tattoo across Catherine’s back that resembles wings in a Celtic knot style. This tattoo at first seems to be for appearances only, but is actually another Ravencraft Artifact. Currently its powers are unknown to Catherine, though.
Ravencraft Emblem: The Ravencraft Emblem is embroidered on the back of her top shirt and has no special powers. If someone related to or with knowledge of the Vanir, that symbol etched into her shirt may have a profound effect on them, for it marks her as high royalty. Of course, there aren’t any known Vanir left, so only rumors of the Vanir exist.
Abilities and The Eldritch
Abilities:
Dark Sight: After learning of her Ravencraft heritage and the ability to see with the blessings of the Eldritch instead of her own eyes, she has taken to her blindfold with confidence. Whilst she is blinded physically, Catherine can see as well as any other person can, and possibly better. Her vision is based on what her soul sees, and thus illusions of sight have a slightly reduced effect on her, and the level of light does not matter. What she sees is impossible to describe, but she can still only see what is in front of her.
Proficiencies: Catherine has no proficiency in using her staff as a weapon, or fighting in general. She is dependant on her magic at this point, and is harmless even with it.
The Eldritch: The Eldritch is a special type of magery that was developed by the Vanir. The Ravencraft lineage is the most talented in it, however, for it was their ancestor that discovered it. The Eldritch is used by a combination of words to activate different elements of mana. When used in a sentence, it is a command for mana. Instead of learning individual spells, one can simply learn the Eldritch language and have a complete control over mana. At her current stage of ability in mana, Catherine is only able to do the most basic, insignificant things with her magic. However, even these practically useless things, like lighting a candle or blowing one out with a tiny gust of wind, take a great ammount of concentration and time. For the effects of any spell to be even enough to annoy -the extent of her current ability- it will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes of unbroken concentration [2-3 of my posts in battle, 2 in a quest when not in battle].
Once the concentration and energy is gathered, the speaking of the mantra words to command that energy into use ignites the spell. If Catherine’s speech is disabled, she cannot cast.
The Mantra Words
An – Negate/dispel
Bet – Small
Corp - Death
Des – Lower/down
Ex - Freedom
Flam - Flame
Grav – Energy/Field
Hur - wind
In - Make/Create/Cause
Jux – Danger/Trap/Harm
Kal – Summon Invoke
Lor - Light
Mani – Life/healing
Nox - Poison
Ort – Magic
Por – Move/Movement
Quas - Illusion
Rel - Change
Sanct – protect/protection
Tym - time
Uus – Raise/Up
Vas - Greater
Wis – Know/Knowledge
Xen - Creature
Ylem – Matter/Substance
Zu – Sleep
History
~22:01,2; Mi`Drigard, House of Vali~
“Alice, I will tell you for the last time, you are not allowed outside of the castle walls at night! There are Reapers and Stalkers and Pluckers out there! They would grab you and gobble you up! Don’t you ever wonder why there is a constant brigade of guards patrolling around the castle grounds? We want to protect you.”
The old man fumbled with his words, trying to find something that would convince the immature little girl out of her ambitions. She stared at him for only but a moment before huffing and running to the patio door. With a grandeur flourish, she whipped the two doors open wide and breathed in the night air. Sighing with his failure, the mage limped his way over to the archway with her. The moon was showing brightly in the sky, hovering above the northern mountains of Salvar. Though the rest of the continent was covered in ice and snow, the magic of the Weir kept back the bite of Everwinter. Cherry trees surrounded the castle grounds in a grove that seemed innocent enough. Yet, hidden in those branches were camouflaged archers and sentries, watchful and restless eyes forever protecting their lifestyle.
Alice sat on the ivory stone ledge, draping her legs over the side and turning back to look at Oren. With a childish smile and a little giggle, she waved the man to come out into the brisk night air. It was lovely outside, and she didn’t believe in fairy tales anymore. Succumbing to her charm, Oren hobbled on his staff into the cool air, his joints complaining to him. Dissatisfied with the cold of the night, he glanced to the south, staring at the monumental column that radiated with energy. It was still active; so it must just be an extremely cold night out in the continent of Salvar, for it was often warm inside the protection of their dome. Oren hadn’t feared any differently.
Reaching up and holding a guardian’s hand on the little girl’s shoulder, the elderly mage spoke up in his story-telling voice. “When I was but a child, this city was wracked with the miseries that you hear in the fairy tales. Dark spirits and shadow entities came broke through the Weir Gate and assaulted our people. Despair and tragedy ran rampant in the streets like a foul plague, yet there was hope. A little boy, about your age, came and did something that we never understood. He spoke to one of the Foulthings and asked them to leave them alone. After, a white light shot from the ground where he stood and there the pillar was erected. None of us ever knew who the boy was, or where he came from, not even where he went after the pillar rose. Yet, we honor him to this day. He was the first Eldritch. From his enchantment, we learned the secrets of the Eldritch powers and learned of the Weir. As you have probably learned in your classes, our city lines halfway between the Weir and the solid realm of mortals.”
Having heard all this before, Alice sighed and laid down on the edge, staring at the stars. The moon eclipsed the sky this far north, and she could see a fierce snowstorm just outside the shimmer of the dome. It was a harsh world out there, and her sister hadn’t returned from it yet. Worry ate at her gut like a fierce flame, spreading to her body and sending a chill down her spine. What if Kitty doesn’t come back this time? What if a Wendigo or a Plucker got her! As if reading her mind, Oren touched her shoulder and smiled warmly, reassuring her that Catherine would return.
“It’s okay to be worried, Alice, but you need not worry for Lady Catherine. Her Warden, Segfreid, accompanies her. That man can handle anything this frigid wasteland can throw at him.”
Alice, of course, wasn’t so sure of that. Settling back against the comforting warmth of the old mage, she felt herself beginning to doze off. The edge of the dream world touched her as she felt her body lifted into the air by those weak but familiar arms. Eyes closed, mind drifting, the last thing the felt was being set down on her bed. The elder whispered a ‘good night’ to her sleeping form before shutting the balcony doors and blowing out the candles.
To be continued in a Solo Quest upon approval...