Flames of Hyperion
06-21-11, 10:02 AM
Update - revising skillset slightly, and retconning a few history details in the process. Previous profile is here (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?20925-Flames-Rekindled-Level-7). Abilities are tied to specific skillsets and are given in list format beneath the appropriate headings.
Name: Unknown except to a select few.
Pseudonym: Ingwe Helyanwe
Titles: Dawnbringer, The Last Crusader
Age: 26
Race: Human
Hair Color: Black/Brown
Eye Color: Black/Brown
Height: 178cm (5'10")
Weight: 70kg (155lb)
Details
Occupation: Shusai, Kensai, Monjutsushi
Personality: Ingwe is a quiet young man, forged by years of martial training and academic isolation. The single-mindedness in which he applied himself to his regime, as well as his shy and sentimental nature, meant that for much of his childhood he lived a relatively solitary existence, forgoing many of the perks of the early years of life in favour of rigorous self-improvement. Ingwe is often characterised as a moody person, with swings carrying him from happy one instant to morose the next, and also suffers from a certain lack of self-confidence bordering on self-hate. At heart, though, he is pure and honourable.
Maintaining a healthy desire to learn just for the sake of expanding his knowledge, he often tries to see an issue from all possible viewpoints and to see the positives in all of them, albeit tempered by a strong moral code. As such, he rarely ventures a strong personal opinion; if pressed, he will usually try to give a balanced middle view rather than taking a side. Ingwe often tries to avoid outright conflict whenever possible, encouraging discourse over arms, and retains a childish naivette and both perfectionist and romantic streaks.
Appearance: On first glance, Ingwe is not much to meet the eye. Slimly toned and sure of foot, his face (while not handsome) still boasts a youthful innocence that the world has not quite yet destroyed. The dark eyes that peer out from above a pair of battered half-rim glasses are friendly and intelligent, albeit somewhat haunted if you manage to catch him in one of his more vulnerable moments. Said glasses tend to slip down his nose more frequently than necessary, and one of Ingwe's most recognisable gestures is the owlish manner in which he pushes them back to where they belong. Clear pale skin and cropped coal-black hair speak of his origins far from the northern continent, but somewhere within the contours of his face, traces of Coronian and Scarabrian ancestry can be seen. Soft fuzz - more whisker than actual beard - tends to gristle his chin when he hasn't bothered to shave for a few days, but other than that he tries to maintain a neat and tidy appearance.
Although his fortunes in war have been kinder than most, Ingwe now bears a deep and very ugly scar across his upper chest, courtesy of one Xem'zund the Forgotten One. Stretching from shoulder to shoulder, collarbone to second rib, it sits like a cancerous scab as a reminder of his weakness and inexperience, and no amount of healing magic has proved to be of use against it. Its presence is made even more pronounced by the fact that Ingwe has no other scar upon his body despite all of the battles he has somehow survived, not to mention that thus far not once in his life has a wound he has sustained failed to heal cleanly. The young man is extremely conscious of the grotesque hideosity of the wound, and makes substantial effort to avoid unnecessary questions regarding its origin.
Ingwe tends to favour a lightweight martial tunic that allows for great freedom of movement, trimmed in a fiery red but white as snow save for when he's been on the road for a while. Often this is worn under a heavy deepblue cloak that doubles as a warm blanket at night, although recently he has also acquired a Raiaeran Bladesinger's tabard, in the same deepblue as his cloak but emblazoned with the golden bird-of-prey that has become his personal ensigna. He is also a proponent of traveling light, and is fond of the saying that any material thing needed in life can be carried in a travel pouch. His, in fact, contains little more than ink and tome, handy-knife, and perhaps just enough coin to see him until the next town, although this is usually supplemented by a small haversack that carries a spare change of clothes and a towel or two.
Ingwe's voice is a softspoken and mild tenor, and only very rarely does it ever harden or raise its volume. It is debatable whether he has ever cursed or sworn in his entire life.
Belongings
Weapons:
Two guardless short swords of a distinctly Oriental style, inscribed with the characters "Yamato" and "Musashi" respectively at the base of the blades. Made of finely folded and fire-hardened steel, the swords are single-edged and approximately fifty centimetres (twenty inches) long. The pair are tethered together at the hilt by a fine silken rope and are usually kept within the folds of Ingwe's tabard, safely ensconsced in their lightweight wooden saya.
The Sceptre of Valour (Kaane'wandil), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Sceptre of Valour is a masterwork adamantine staff approximately seven feet long and topped with an ornately crafted bird-of-prey, enchanted to enhance the wielder's arcane abilities and to aid in their spellcasting (effectively doubling the power of the spell and halving the strain on the caster). Originally created to be brought out and used only in times of great need, the sceptre enables with sufficient preparation the casting of spells of truly epic nature. Although not a weapon in its own right, the sceptre incorporates a concealed adamantine blade of ancient Raiaeran design: slender and hiltless, the very touch of which causes great pain to those of an evil alignment. The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
The Shield of Conviction (Tinechor en'Voronwe), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Shield of Conviction is a masterwork titanium heater shield lined with trakym, embossed with the same golden bird-of-prey that decorates the Sceptre of Valour, and able to channel its wielder's magics to further resist enemy attack. Equally resistant to magical and mundane assault, the ancient shield has nary a scratch to mar the gleam of its surface... testament to its sheer resilience.The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
Armour and Clothing:
Two sets of white martial tunics, trimmed in fiery red, from the Toho Institute of Higher Learning in Nippon. Simple cotton shirt and trousers, designed to wear well on the road but starting to fray due to constant abuse.
A cotton Raiaeran Bladesinger's tabard, emblazoned with the golden bird-of-prey that has become Ingwe's personal ensigna.
A heavy cloak of dyed midnight blue wool, held in place by a simple clasp at his neck.
A pair of light leather boots that have walked the roads from Nippon to Raiaera and remain as sturdy as ever.
The Dawn Armour (Anoronatost), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Dawn Armour is a set of masterwork mythril armour (cuirass, greaves, boots, vambraces, and helm), light as a feather despite its great resilience and non-inhibiting of any spellcasting that its wearer may wish to perform; bright gold and stylised to resemble a phoenix, it stands out as a beacon of hope and justice even on the darkest of battlefields. The Dawn Armour also includes a plain white undercoat of vlince to be worn underneath the mythril plate, and a similarly pure white vlince cloak embroidered with orange flames at its base. The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
Books:
A plain leather-bound tome entitled The Book of Travels, enchanted with a simple spell that means that it never runs out of blank pages despite always remaining at a constant size. Part journal, part notebook, part encyclopedia, and part spellbook, the tome is a repository for everything that Ingwe has learnt and seen for the past fifteen years. Given the young man's natural curiosity and aptitude for study, this is quite the amount of knowledge, yet the book has always remained unchanged in size and even seems to be able to turn to a specific page when required. Finding enough ink to keep up with the speed at which he writes into it, though, has always been a problem.
In addition to this tome, Ingwe can often be seen toting up to two other books for light reading, which he will often pass on at the next town after summarising their main points within his own tome. At the moment, however, he carries none.
Accessories:
A leather travel pouch worn on the belt, containing little more than ink and tome, handy-knife, and perhaps just enough coin to see him until the next town.
A small brown leather haversack designed to be slung over the shoulder that usually carries a spare change of clothes and a towel or two.
In order to help conserve his relatively limited stamina, Ingwe favours single-use arcane Cards of Destiny that store imbued spells for later release. A maximum of thirty of these are kept in a simple case worn on his belt alongside his travel pouch, crafted by Ingwe himself from leather found in Nenaebreth (and as such not of very stylistic construction albeit fairly sturdy). These cards generally require an evening or so of dedicated time to prepare, and Ingwe can often be found at night replenishing what he has used during the day.
A golden locket that Ingwe wears on a light chain around his neck. The locket itself is in the shape of a pair of outstretched wings enveloping a sword, while a small fiery red stone is set in the middle. It is one of only two like it in the entire world; a portrait of the owner of the other locket - one Kayu Kanamai - is held within. The locket and its counterpart are linked by the faint essence of a magical connection that allows one owner to sense the general mood of the other, and to communicate via emotion if the other is open to it - this most notably manifests itself in an occasional ability to share dreams, but has been proved to allow one owner to send raw innate power to the other. Of all the items that the somewhat possessive Ingwe owns, this is the one that he is most likely to fight to the death to protect.
Familiars:
A snow-white male gyrfalcon named Hayate. Originally bred by Ingwe's mentor and arcane tutor, Hayate is fully intelligent and able to converse with his owner via mental link. A free spirit, the bird is more of travelling companion than pet or familiar, often working in concert with Ingwe by scouting out the lay of the land and keeping a careful sentinel during the night in turn for safety and security during the day. Ingwe's travels to the Mountain-Tear Falls revealed that Hayate is a summoned creature who has been using Ingwe's innate magic to persist in the material plane as if real, and is actually a fledgling phoenix with powers of his own (albeit somewhat chaotic and uncontrolled). As well as helping to focus and bolster Ingwe's arcane skills, Hayate is also Ingwe's close confidante, perhaps having a greater insight into the young man than any other.
Skills and Abilities
Shusai: Jack of all trades, master of none. Perhaps a slightly derogatory description of his scholarly talents, but the truth is that Ingwe cannot help but want to learn. His insatiable appetite for knowledge means that he has had an extensive self-taught education in a wide range of diversely varied subjects; his perennial favourites, however, have always been culture, magic, science, and the art of war. Amongst the most useful of his academic skills is his fluency in two languages (Nippon and Common) and command of two more (Elvish and Dwarven). He has great knowledge about the history, geography, and customs of the continents of Althanas, gleaned from a heavy set of books that he purchased upon arrival at Scara Brae (the particulars of which have been recorded in his own tome, the originals long since given away). Ingwe has also absorbed further knowledge from his mentors Ecthelion of the Ivory Spire and Telchar Quakefist, both senior members of the Legion of Light, and finally from his own studies and exploration throughout Althanas and Dheathain.
Eidetic Memory (Kiokujutsu): A combination of his prodigious hunger for knowledge and the savant-like methods he uses to keep track of what he's learned; given sufficient time and stimulus, Ingwe is able to recall seemingly insignificant details about subjects he's shown interest in previously. As can be expected, however, he cannot recall what he hasn't studied in the first place.
Kensai: Ingwe had only cursory training in the variety of martial arts native to his homeland, but the one discipline that he favoured above all the rest was the use of the blade. He is an expert in the dual-wielding Hyoho Niten ryuha of swordsmanship, and also has rudimentary skill in a variety of other forms including the use of longer swords (both Nipponese and Althanasian), daggers, spear, staff, san-setsu-kon, nunchaku, and unarmed combat. His daily martial training has also had some unexpected benefits... he is nearly ambidextrous in that his off-hand is less of a liability than would be normal, and the intense meditation inherent to his regime has had a positive effect on his magic. His fighting style relies more on speed and agility, dodging and parrying rather than taking blows on armour; thus, what he lacks in physical strength and toughness he makes up for in acrobatic nimbleness and reflexes.
Blades of Burning Flame (Gogyoto En): By channelling magic through the steel of his swords, Ingwe infuses them with sacred flame that burns and scorches all that it touches. When in this state, Ingwe can also cast Phoenix Petals through his swords rather than using his hands.
Blades of Cutting Wind (Gogyoto Fu): By channelling magic through the steel of his swords, Ingwe increases their cutting edge to the equivalent of titanium. When in this state, Ingwe can also cast Zephyr Blades through his swords rather than using his hands.
Dance of the Peregrine Falcon (Hayabusa no Mai): An offensive sword dance, combining Ingwe's swiftness of foot with his skill utilising dual blades to place the enemy under a relentless assault of steel. Adapted from Raiaeran bladesinging techniques, the dance is useful against both single and multiple foes.
Dance of the Evening Breeze (Yunagi no Mai): A defensive sword dance, useful as a desperate measure when Ingwe is engaged in melee with multiple or superior foes. By no means impregnable, the flurry of skilled parries and nimble dodges does tend to extend his lifespan just long enough to think out a different solution to the problem.
Monjutsushi: One part imitation and three parts innovation, Monjutsu or Lesser Wizardry is what spawned when Eastern spellcasters came into contact with techniques from the West. Neither as structured nor as refined as True Wizardry, practitioners of Lesser Wizardry rarely reach the heights of power that their True counterparts do... but such statements apply to Eastern magic in general, rather than Monjutsu in particular, and on occasion raw talent matched with hard work defies all expectations. Building on the basic tenets of Monjutsu, Ingwe amalgamated aspects of elvish and dwarven magic into his own to create a unique blend of spell and sorcery; his greatest strength lies not in his effort, his intelligence, or his discipline, but in his ability to create something new and individual from researches into the already established. Ingwe's natural proficiencies as a spellcaster seem to lie in pyromancy and aeromancy (the control of Fire and Wind elements), as well as in more fundamental arcane magic; the breadth of his knowledge, however, seems to come at an expense in terms of his arcane stamina, and he can only reliably cast up to ten medium-strength spells per hour (and up to thirty a day) without over-exerting himself and risking collapse. The potency of his spells can be enhanced by chanted incantations that allow him to focus his powers better, or even simply by calling out the name of the spell as it is cast. Ingwe can also channel his magics into other objects; in addition to the sword arts above, he is able to store his spells within uniformly-shaped pieces of cardpaper that serve as analogues of scrolls (the aforementioned Cards of Destiny), thus helping to conserve his limited stamina. Finally, an intriguing fact about the sacred flame that Ingwe manipulates is that it is significantly more powerful against undead and daemonic creatures; whether this is a conscious effect or an innate ability (or perhaps a combination of the two) is as yet unknown.
Fireball (Kaendan): Creates a fireball on Ingwe's palm, from a wispy flicker to an explosive spheroid the size of his head. This can then be thrown or manipulated as he wishes, exploding and burning upon contact. The spell, while basic, is effective at dealing significant damage to most unarmoured opponents, and repeated hits will wear down even the toughest of foes.
Phoenix Petals (Housenka): Similar to the fireball spell, generates up to ten wispy balls of flame rather than one whole, which can then be guided and manipulated as wished. Used against multiple opponents or to attack a blind spot, each flame is usually no larger than the palm of his hand and is weaker than a single fireball.
Pyroclasm (Gurengoku): Ingwe's most powerful elemental spell, manipulates flame in such a way as to conjure a wall or wave of intense fire large enough to fill most city squares. Ingwe can only maintain this magic for a few moments at best, but the intense heat created by the spell is enough to trouble daemons or dragons.
Windball (Reppudan): Creates a fist-sized ball of compressed air on Ingwe's palm, similar to a fireball with the exception of the element and the nature of the damage it causes. The Windball is generally used for scything through light metal or bone rather than wearing down an opponent.
Zephyr Blades (Kuhazan): With a sweep of his arms, Ingwe conjures sharp blades of wind that can be launched towards a target. The blades can shred through leather and light metal, deflect arrows and other thrown weapons, or deal considerable damage to exposed skin; they cannot penetrate heavy metal or parry real weapons, although they do have enough force behind them to stall such attacks for a very brief amount of time.
Aerostorm (Senpujin): Focuses torrents of scything wind into a compressed vicinity approximately a room's width in size, creating a vicious tempest of swirling blades that can tear raking shreds in anything up to light metal armour or protect against incoming projectiles. Again, can only be maintained for a few moments at best.
Disrupt (Sakuran): By projecting his mind into the vicinity of an enemy spellcaster, Ingwe seeks to disrupt the flow of mana and magic in order to disturb the formation of a spell. Not the most reliable of abilities, higher-level mages are usually able to shrug it off with ease, but it remains effective against an unprepared or intensely concentrating foe.
Dismiss (Houchiku): By concentrating further upon a single spell and wresting control of it from its caster, Ingwe completely neutralises its effects upon the corporeal world. Cannot be used on enchantments or curses already cast, but can prevent them from being cast in the first place. Can only be reliably used on magicians on a lower level than Ingwe; anybody at his level or above may or may not be able to withstand Ingwe's will.
Repulse (Haigeki): Hurls Ingwe's will at his foe as a manifested force, forcing them backwards or even into temporary stasis. Cannot deal lasting physical harm to living entities, but will banish arcane summons and constructs outright.
Wards of Protection (Mabou): A basic defensive spell that places a layer of magical protection around the caster. Can be cast multiple times for cumulative effects; although a single ward does not tax Ingwe's stamina at all, there is an exponential effort involved in maintaining more than one. Each layer is roughly equivalent to a sheet of steel in strength.
Flames of the Phoenix: Many Nipponese mages are associated with a guardian spirit to match their personality and their talents. Not all are so lucky, and some will spend their entire lives fruitlessly searching for such an entity. Ingwe, on the other hand, has been exceptionally fortunate in that he has known his spirit all his life - the phoenix. Ingwe's experiences during the Raiaeran conflict, particularly his battle against the Forgotten One Xem'zund, did much to unlock this hidden potential within, and it is slowly beginning to manifest itself in reality.
Indomitable (Fukutsu): From a young age, the power of Ingwe's will drove him ever onwards, never giving up even in the face of great odds. The awakening of his inner powers has helped to hone this quality into something tangible on the field of battle. Long after Ingwe's body has been torn to tatters and the reserves of his strength exhausted, the young man will continue to stand up after being knocked down, clinging desperately to the ideals that he believes in and the bonds that he holds dear.
Character History
"Ingwe Helyanwe" was not the true name given to the eldest child of a Scarabrian explorer and the Nippon miko priest-girl that he married at the end of his journeys; rather, it was the name that the local Elves gave the young lad when they found him, at two years of age, intently staring at the magical grimoires in the nearby academy. Ingwe has since adopted this pseudonym, loosely translated as "The One who Bridges the Skies", as his identity during his travels. His reasons are manifold, but are mostly centred around three - a desire to maintain a facade of anonymity, the difficulty in accurately pronouncing his true mixed-heritage name, and the deep-held superstition that a magician's true name should not be given lightly.
From his early days he showed a natural aptitude for study, devouring books of knowledge like the other children his age devoured food. The Elves long suspected his innate magical talent, but they remained silent about it for reasons known only to them; on the other hand, when his human teachers first discovered the traces of magic that flowed through his veins, they were overjoyed, for such affinity was rarer in his homeland than elsewhere in Althanas. Some surmised that it was his father's blood that gave him his ability; in any case, they were careful to nurture them slowly and cautiously rather than attempt to bring them out in full at too early a stage.
A fundamental belief in his homeland was that mages should strive to be great in body as well as in mind, just as the warrior should not neglect strengthening his will in favour of honing his swordarm. Thus it was that Ingwe was inducted into a small class of children gifted with magical talents, who were given training both in the arcane and in the martial, at the famed Toho Institute of Higher Learning. Though not necessarily gifted with any greater talent than his contemporaries, his application and his discipline saw him rise to the forefront of his class, albeit at a heavy price in terms of social development. It was also about this time that he first became acquainted with the one the Elves called Elerrina, "Crowned with Stars", and fell deeply in love with the young woman.
But things were not destined to last.
Ingwe was still a young boy, not even into his teens, when the fateful daemonic incursion occurred. Suffice it to say that when dawn broke, the Institute lay a smouldering battleground with many dead or injured. The only person who had any idea of the details behind the incident was Ingwe, who was found unconscious and near death in the devastated central courtyard, incoherently mumbling one word over and over again.
Haidia...
The Institute had no choice but to expel him.
It took a year for the physical wounds to heal, and even longer before Ingwe could speak again. In his intense grief and pain, Ingwe blamed himself for being unable to prevent the deaths of his tutors and contemporaries and the breakup between his friends. Stricken, he vowed to take it upon himself to find out the truth, and, if at all possible, bring everybody back together again. At first, the young man sought the wisdom and the advice of the great warriors and sages of his homeland; then, he delved into self-study at the numerous libraries and academies throughout the nation, teaching himself not only the fundamentals of magic but about the rest of the world as well. When the institutions of learning could satisfy him no more, he turned to introspection, holing up in his own private world to focus on further researching and developing his abilities.
Two factors served to stir him from his state. The first was hearing on the wind - three years after the event had transpired - that Kayu Kanamai had disappeared upon graduation from the Institute, likely fled into Haidia along with her friend Touma Kamikaji and the daemon Natosatael. The second was finally unlocking the memories that had been repressed for years: reliving the bloody night of daemonic incursion, and learning that the aforementioned Natosatael had been responsible... and that he in turn had been the one to banish the daemon.
After diligently confirming the facts and finding them to be truths, Ingwe knew that now was the time to rise. With his family's blessings ringing fresh in his ears, he spent all but a small pittance of his hoardings on a ship journey to the northern continent. His only worldly possessions were the clothes that he wore and the equipment that he carried, but his heart clung to hope and his mind overflowed with memories as he bade farewell to his home.
Three months later, Ingwe finally arrived at Scara Brae... and this was where his adventures truly began. A trip to the bazaar for tomes was accompanied by a mysterious prophecy by an even more enigmatic oracle. Upon hearing of the Dragon Hermit of Mountain-Tear Falls, Ingwe set out to meet him in an attempt to locate Kayu; whilst it was a failure, the journey was not in vain, for it gleaned him valuable self-knowledge and experience along with a new friend in the form of Cael Strandssen, as well as pointed him in the direction of Raiaera where the necromancer Xem'zund was running amok over the ruins of the University of Istien. The hermit also warned him of the daemon Natosatael - instigator of the incursion at the Institute, and now Kayu's new patron.
When one Arminas Ereinon requested his help in leading a band of adventurers to relieve Anebrilith and liberate Eluriand, Ingwe did not have to be asked twice. Joining the newly formed Legion of Light on their expedition to Raiaera, Ingwe was almost immediately plunged into the heart of the fighting when the ship he was sailing on was wrecked not far from the harbour. During the weeks that followed, he participated in the grim skirmishing outside the city gates, the desperate defence of the harbour when it came under a full-scale undead assault, and a daring raid into the hinterlands that defeated the band of necromancers known as the Coven of Six. As Nariel's call to arms rang about the beleaguered country, Ingwe prepared himself in the full knowledge that the worst was still to come.
But there was only one direction in which he could proceed, and that was forwards. In the shadow of the Emyn Naug he led the Legion to victory at the Battle of Nenaebreth, striking the first major blow for the Defenders of Raiaera against their undead opposition. It was there that he acquired the Raiaeran relics known as the Regalia Valora, and though far from comfortable with the consequences and implications of wielding such power as the Last Crusader of Raiaera, he allowed himself to be reluctantly convinced by the Elf-Princes of Tor Elythis and the Dwarven elders of Gunnbad that it would be for the benefit of all for him to do so. It was also at Nenaebreth that he witnessed Kayu in league with the armies of undeath, but she did not hear his appeals as he passed out after the battle.
From Nenaebreth, he spearheaded the advance of the Legion westwards across the plains of Raiaera with the aid of the Dark Elf Alydia Ettermire, liberating Eluriand only to find that the central spires had vanished completely into the void, and then racing to relieve Nalith at the Battle of the River Escaldor. From there, circumstance and flow led him to Xem'zund's underground sanctuary, where he and a group of similar-minded heroes - known to later ages as the Dawnbringers - eventually brought to battle and defeated the Forgotten One himself, thus putting an end to the Raiaeran Wars. Among those whose acquaintance he made that day was the Wizard Blueraven, Caden Law.
The hard-won victory, however, came at great cost. His mind shattered and his body broken, Ingwe wandered in solitary trance northwards into the night from the sunken remains of the Necromancer's lair, clinging with the last vestiges of his lifeforce to the only thing remaining that he could still call dear.
Falls of Mountain Tear (Prelude) Arc
A New Dawn (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12122) - Solo, in which a young man arrives at Scara Brae, full of hope and fresh adventure.
Looking for a Good Read (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12353) - Transaction, in which said young man stocks up on knowledge.
The Prophecy (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=106117) - Vignette, in which said young man receives warning of his destiny.
Words of the Auld Hoose (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12388) - Quest, in which said young man hears wind of possible Answers.
The Meeting (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=114904) - Vignette, in which said young man is ambushed and threatened.
When Mountains Cry (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=14869) - Quest, in which said young man searches for Answers and gains a friend instead.
Legion of Light (FQ - Raiaera) Arc
The Muster (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=14057) - Quest, in which a young man takes the first steps towards becoming a hero.
First Dream (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=120480) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant dreams a dream.
The Tides of war (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=16455) - Solo, in which said hero-errant makes new friends within the Legion of Light.
The Ancient City (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=16507) - Quest, in which said hero-errant makes landfall upon the war-torn shores of Raiaera.
Reflection (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=124170) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant has a chance meeting with a familiar face.
Second Dream (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=128041) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant dreams a dream once more.
The Annals of War (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=17540) - Solo, in which said hero-errant fights to liberate the city of Anebrilith.
Miracle on a Silent Night (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=18028) - Quest, in which said hero-errant blurs the lines of dream and reality.
Hear Us Now, We Weary Few (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=137245) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant heeds the call to war.
In the Shadow of Ancient Champions (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=18463) - Solo, in which said hero-errant travels the Emyn Naug and wins a battle.
The Speech (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=154060) - Solo, in which said hero-errant makes a speech.
Salvation's Banner (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19883) - Solo, in which said hero-errant learns of the Legend of the Last Crusader.
Concerto Liberatio (Pending) - Quest, in which said hero-errant gains aid in advancing upon Eluriand.
Spring's First Crimson Blossoms (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19884) - Quest, in which said hero-errant arrives too late to save the lives of many.
Dawnbringers (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=20244) - Quest, in which said hero-errant goes toe to toe with the Forgotten One himself.
Name: Unknown except to a select few.
Pseudonym: Ingwe Helyanwe
Titles: Dawnbringer, The Last Crusader
Age: 26
Race: Human
Hair Color: Black/Brown
Eye Color: Black/Brown
Height: 178cm (5'10")
Weight: 70kg (155lb)
Details
Occupation: Shusai, Kensai, Monjutsushi
Personality: Ingwe is a quiet young man, forged by years of martial training and academic isolation. The single-mindedness in which he applied himself to his regime, as well as his shy and sentimental nature, meant that for much of his childhood he lived a relatively solitary existence, forgoing many of the perks of the early years of life in favour of rigorous self-improvement. Ingwe is often characterised as a moody person, with swings carrying him from happy one instant to morose the next, and also suffers from a certain lack of self-confidence bordering on self-hate. At heart, though, he is pure and honourable.
Maintaining a healthy desire to learn just for the sake of expanding his knowledge, he often tries to see an issue from all possible viewpoints and to see the positives in all of them, albeit tempered by a strong moral code. As such, he rarely ventures a strong personal opinion; if pressed, he will usually try to give a balanced middle view rather than taking a side. Ingwe often tries to avoid outright conflict whenever possible, encouraging discourse over arms, and retains a childish naivette and both perfectionist and romantic streaks.
Appearance: On first glance, Ingwe is not much to meet the eye. Slimly toned and sure of foot, his face (while not handsome) still boasts a youthful innocence that the world has not quite yet destroyed. The dark eyes that peer out from above a pair of battered half-rim glasses are friendly and intelligent, albeit somewhat haunted if you manage to catch him in one of his more vulnerable moments. Said glasses tend to slip down his nose more frequently than necessary, and one of Ingwe's most recognisable gestures is the owlish manner in which he pushes them back to where they belong. Clear pale skin and cropped coal-black hair speak of his origins far from the northern continent, but somewhere within the contours of his face, traces of Coronian and Scarabrian ancestry can be seen. Soft fuzz - more whisker than actual beard - tends to gristle his chin when he hasn't bothered to shave for a few days, but other than that he tries to maintain a neat and tidy appearance.
Although his fortunes in war have been kinder than most, Ingwe now bears a deep and very ugly scar across his upper chest, courtesy of one Xem'zund the Forgotten One. Stretching from shoulder to shoulder, collarbone to second rib, it sits like a cancerous scab as a reminder of his weakness and inexperience, and no amount of healing magic has proved to be of use against it. Its presence is made even more pronounced by the fact that Ingwe has no other scar upon his body despite all of the battles he has somehow survived, not to mention that thus far not once in his life has a wound he has sustained failed to heal cleanly. The young man is extremely conscious of the grotesque hideosity of the wound, and makes substantial effort to avoid unnecessary questions regarding its origin.
Ingwe tends to favour a lightweight martial tunic that allows for great freedom of movement, trimmed in a fiery red but white as snow save for when he's been on the road for a while. Often this is worn under a heavy deepblue cloak that doubles as a warm blanket at night, although recently he has also acquired a Raiaeran Bladesinger's tabard, in the same deepblue as his cloak but emblazoned with the golden bird-of-prey that has become his personal ensigna. He is also a proponent of traveling light, and is fond of the saying that any material thing needed in life can be carried in a travel pouch. His, in fact, contains little more than ink and tome, handy-knife, and perhaps just enough coin to see him until the next town, although this is usually supplemented by a small haversack that carries a spare change of clothes and a towel or two.
Ingwe's voice is a softspoken and mild tenor, and only very rarely does it ever harden or raise its volume. It is debatable whether he has ever cursed or sworn in his entire life.
Belongings
Weapons:
Two guardless short swords of a distinctly Oriental style, inscribed with the characters "Yamato" and "Musashi" respectively at the base of the blades. Made of finely folded and fire-hardened steel, the swords are single-edged and approximately fifty centimetres (twenty inches) long. The pair are tethered together at the hilt by a fine silken rope and are usually kept within the folds of Ingwe's tabard, safely ensconsced in their lightweight wooden saya.
The Sceptre of Valour (Kaane'wandil), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Sceptre of Valour is a masterwork adamantine staff approximately seven feet long and topped with an ornately crafted bird-of-prey, enchanted to enhance the wielder's arcane abilities and to aid in their spellcasting (effectively doubling the power of the spell and halving the strain on the caster). Originally created to be brought out and used only in times of great need, the sceptre enables with sufficient preparation the casting of spells of truly epic nature. Although not a weapon in its own right, the sceptre incorporates a concealed adamantine blade of ancient Raiaeran design: slender and hiltless, the very touch of which causes great pain to those of an evil alignment. The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
The Shield of Conviction (Tinechor en'Voronwe), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Shield of Conviction is a masterwork titanium heater shield lined with trakym, embossed with the same golden bird-of-prey that decorates the Sceptre of Valour, and able to channel its wielder's magics to further resist enemy attack. Equally resistant to magical and mundane assault, the ancient shield has nary a scratch to mar the gleam of its surface... testament to its sheer resilience.The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
Armour and Clothing:
Two sets of white martial tunics, trimmed in fiery red, from the Toho Institute of Higher Learning in Nippon. Simple cotton shirt and trousers, designed to wear well on the road but starting to fray due to constant abuse.
A cotton Raiaeran Bladesinger's tabard, emblazoned with the golden bird-of-prey that has become Ingwe's personal ensigna.
A heavy cloak of dyed midnight blue wool, held in place by a simple clasp at his neck.
A pair of light leather boots that have walked the roads from Nippon to Raiaera and remain as sturdy as ever.
The Dawn Armour (Anoronatost), part of the Regalia Valora (acquired by Ingwe upon the liberation of Nenaebreth). The Dawn Armour is a set of masterwork mythril armour (cuirass, greaves, boots, vambraces, and helm), light as a feather despite its great resilience and non-inhibiting of any spellcasting that its wearer may wish to perform; bright gold and stylised to resemble a phoenix, it stands out as a beacon of hope and justice even on the darkest of battlefields. The Dawn Armour also includes a plain white undercoat of vlince to be worn underneath the mythril plate, and a similarly pure white vlince cloak embroidered with orange flames at its base. The Regalia Valora is an extremely valuable cultural relic, and as such is too precious to be risked in battle in all but the direst of needs. Ingwe will not make use of this item unless against a foe of evil alignment of substantially greater ability than he. Neither does he travel with it, instead entrusting it to the care of the Princes of Tor Elythis in times of peace.
Books:
A plain leather-bound tome entitled The Book of Travels, enchanted with a simple spell that means that it never runs out of blank pages despite always remaining at a constant size. Part journal, part notebook, part encyclopedia, and part spellbook, the tome is a repository for everything that Ingwe has learnt and seen for the past fifteen years. Given the young man's natural curiosity and aptitude for study, this is quite the amount of knowledge, yet the book has always remained unchanged in size and even seems to be able to turn to a specific page when required. Finding enough ink to keep up with the speed at which he writes into it, though, has always been a problem.
In addition to this tome, Ingwe can often be seen toting up to two other books for light reading, which he will often pass on at the next town after summarising their main points within his own tome. At the moment, however, he carries none.
Accessories:
A leather travel pouch worn on the belt, containing little more than ink and tome, handy-knife, and perhaps just enough coin to see him until the next town.
A small brown leather haversack designed to be slung over the shoulder that usually carries a spare change of clothes and a towel or two.
In order to help conserve his relatively limited stamina, Ingwe favours single-use arcane Cards of Destiny that store imbued spells for later release. A maximum of thirty of these are kept in a simple case worn on his belt alongside his travel pouch, crafted by Ingwe himself from leather found in Nenaebreth (and as such not of very stylistic construction albeit fairly sturdy). These cards generally require an evening or so of dedicated time to prepare, and Ingwe can often be found at night replenishing what he has used during the day.
A golden locket that Ingwe wears on a light chain around his neck. The locket itself is in the shape of a pair of outstretched wings enveloping a sword, while a small fiery red stone is set in the middle. It is one of only two like it in the entire world; a portrait of the owner of the other locket - one Kayu Kanamai - is held within. The locket and its counterpart are linked by the faint essence of a magical connection that allows one owner to sense the general mood of the other, and to communicate via emotion if the other is open to it - this most notably manifests itself in an occasional ability to share dreams, but has been proved to allow one owner to send raw innate power to the other. Of all the items that the somewhat possessive Ingwe owns, this is the one that he is most likely to fight to the death to protect.
Familiars:
A snow-white male gyrfalcon named Hayate. Originally bred by Ingwe's mentor and arcane tutor, Hayate is fully intelligent and able to converse with his owner via mental link. A free spirit, the bird is more of travelling companion than pet or familiar, often working in concert with Ingwe by scouting out the lay of the land and keeping a careful sentinel during the night in turn for safety and security during the day. Ingwe's travels to the Mountain-Tear Falls revealed that Hayate is a summoned creature who has been using Ingwe's innate magic to persist in the material plane as if real, and is actually a fledgling phoenix with powers of his own (albeit somewhat chaotic and uncontrolled). As well as helping to focus and bolster Ingwe's arcane skills, Hayate is also Ingwe's close confidante, perhaps having a greater insight into the young man than any other.
Skills and Abilities
Shusai: Jack of all trades, master of none. Perhaps a slightly derogatory description of his scholarly talents, but the truth is that Ingwe cannot help but want to learn. His insatiable appetite for knowledge means that he has had an extensive self-taught education in a wide range of diversely varied subjects; his perennial favourites, however, have always been culture, magic, science, and the art of war. Amongst the most useful of his academic skills is his fluency in two languages (Nippon and Common) and command of two more (Elvish and Dwarven). He has great knowledge about the history, geography, and customs of the continents of Althanas, gleaned from a heavy set of books that he purchased upon arrival at Scara Brae (the particulars of which have been recorded in his own tome, the originals long since given away). Ingwe has also absorbed further knowledge from his mentors Ecthelion of the Ivory Spire and Telchar Quakefist, both senior members of the Legion of Light, and finally from his own studies and exploration throughout Althanas and Dheathain.
Eidetic Memory (Kiokujutsu): A combination of his prodigious hunger for knowledge and the savant-like methods he uses to keep track of what he's learned; given sufficient time and stimulus, Ingwe is able to recall seemingly insignificant details about subjects he's shown interest in previously. As can be expected, however, he cannot recall what he hasn't studied in the first place.
Kensai: Ingwe had only cursory training in the variety of martial arts native to his homeland, but the one discipline that he favoured above all the rest was the use of the blade. He is an expert in the dual-wielding Hyoho Niten ryuha of swordsmanship, and also has rudimentary skill in a variety of other forms including the use of longer swords (both Nipponese and Althanasian), daggers, spear, staff, san-setsu-kon, nunchaku, and unarmed combat. His daily martial training has also had some unexpected benefits... he is nearly ambidextrous in that his off-hand is less of a liability than would be normal, and the intense meditation inherent to his regime has had a positive effect on his magic. His fighting style relies more on speed and agility, dodging and parrying rather than taking blows on armour; thus, what he lacks in physical strength and toughness he makes up for in acrobatic nimbleness and reflexes.
Blades of Burning Flame (Gogyoto En): By channelling magic through the steel of his swords, Ingwe infuses them with sacred flame that burns and scorches all that it touches. When in this state, Ingwe can also cast Phoenix Petals through his swords rather than using his hands.
Blades of Cutting Wind (Gogyoto Fu): By channelling magic through the steel of his swords, Ingwe increases their cutting edge to the equivalent of titanium. When in this state, Ingwe can also cast Zephyr Blades through his swords rather than using his hands.
Dance of the Peregrine Falcon (Hayabusa no Mai): An offensive sword dance, combining Ingwe's swiftness of foot with his skill utilising dual blades to place the enemy under a relentless assault of steel. Adapted from Raiaeran bladesinging techniques, the dance is useful against both single and multiple foes.
Dance of the Evening Breeze (Yunagi no Mai): A defensive sword dance, useful as a desperate measure when Ingwe is engaged in melee with multiple or superior foes. By no means impregnable, the flurry of skilled parries and nimble dodges does tend to extend his lifespan just long enough to think out a different solution to the problem.
Monjutsushi: One part imitation and three parts innovation, Monjutsu or Lesser Wizardry is what spawned when Eastern spellcasters came into contact with techniques from the West. Neither as structured nor as refined as True Wizardry, practitioners of Lesser Wizardry rarely reach the heights of power that their True counterparts do... but such statements apply to Eastern magic in general, rather than Monjutsu in particular, and on occasion raw talent matched with hard work defies all expectations. Building on the basic tenets of Monjutsu, Ingwe amalgamated aspects of elvish and dwarven magic into his own to create a unique blend of spell and sorcery; his greatest strength lies not in his effort, his intelligence, or his discipline, but in his ability to create something new and individual from researches into the already established. Ingwe's natural proficiencies as a spellcaster seem to lie in pyromancy and aeromancy (the control of Fire and Wind elements), as well as in more fundamental arcane magic; the breadth of his knowledge, however, seems to come at an expense in terms of his arcane stamina, and he can only reliably cast up to ten medium-strength spells per hour (and up to thirty a day) without over-exerting himself and risking collapse. The potency of his spells can be enhanced by chanted incantations that allow him to focus his powers better, or even simply by calling out the name of the spell as it is cast. Ingwe can also channel his magics into other objects; in addition to the sword arts above, he is able to store his spells within uniformly-shaped pieces of cardpaper that serve as analogues of scrolls (the aforementioned Cards of Destiny), thus helping to conserve his limited stamina. Finally, an intriguing fact about the sacred flame that Ingwe manipulates is that it is significantly more powerful against undead and daemonic creatures; whether this is a conscious effect or an innate ability (or perhaps a combination of the two) is as yet unknown.
Fireball (Kaendan): Creates a fireball on Ingwe's palm, from a wispy flicker to an explosive spheroid the size of his head. This can then be thrown or manipulated as he wishes, exploding and burning upon contact. The spell, while basic, is effective at dealing significant damage to most unarmoured opponents, and repeated hits will wear down even the toughest of foes.
Phoenix Petals (Housenka): Similar to the fireball spell, generates up to ten wispy balls of flame rather than one whole, which can then be guided and manipulated as wished. Used against multiple opponents or to attack a blind spot, each flame is usually no larger than the palm of his hand and is weaker than a single fireball.
Pyroclasm (Gurengoku): Ingwe's most powerful elemental spell, manipulates flame in such a way as to conjure a wall or wave of intense fire large enough to fill most city squares. Ingwe can only maintain this magic for a few moments at best, but the intense heat created by the spell is enough to trouble daemons or dragons.
Windball (Reppudan): Creates a fist-sized ball of compressed air on Ingwe's palm, similar to a fireball with the exception of the element and the nature of the damage it causes. The Windball is generally used for scything through light metal or bone rather than wearing down an opponent.
Zephyr Blades (Kuhazan): With a sweep of his arms, Ingwe conjures sharp blades of wind that can be launched towards a target. The blades can shred through leather and light metal, deflect arrows and other thrown weapons, or deal considerable damage to exposed skin; they cannot penetrate heavy metal or parry real weapons, although they do have enough force behind them to stall such attacks for a very brief amount of time.
Aerostorm (Senpujin): Focuses torrents of scything wind into a compressed vicinity approximately a room's width in size, creating a vicious tempest of swirling blades that can tear raking shreds in anything up to light metal armour or protect against incoming projectiles. Again, can only be maintained for a few moments at best.
Disrupt (Sakuran): By projecting his mind into the vicinity of an enemy spellcaster, Ingwe seeks to disrupt the flow of mana and magic in order to disturb the formation of a spell. Not the most reliable of abilities, higher-level mages are usually able to shrug it off with ease, but it remains effective against an unprepared or intensely concentrating foe.
Dismiss (Houchiku): By concentrating further upon a single spell and wresting control of it from its caster, Ingwe completely neutralises its effects upon the corporeal world. Cannot be used on enchantments or curses already cast, but can prevent them from being cast in the first place. Can only be reliably used on magicians on a lower level than Ingwe; anybody at his level or above may or may not be able to withstand Ingwe's will.
Repulse (Haigeki): Hurls Ingwe's will at his foe as a manifested force, forcing them backwards or even into temporary stasis. Cannot deal lasting physical harm to living entities, but will banish arcane summons and constructs outright.
Wards of Protection (Mabou): A basic defensive spell that places a layer of magical protection around the caster. Can be cast multiple times for cumulative effects; although a single ward does not tax Ingwe's stamina at all, there is an exponential effort involved in maintaining more than one. Each layer is roughly equivalent to a sheet of steel in strength.
Flames of the Phoenix: Many Nipponese mages are associated with a guardian spirit to match their personality and their talents. Not all are so lucky, and some will spend their entire lives fruitlessly searching for such an entity. Ingwe, on the other hand, has been exceptionally fortunate in that he has known his spirit all his life - the phoenix. Ingwe's experiences during the Raiaeran conflict, particularly his battle against the Forgotten One Xem'zund, did much to unlock this hidden potential within, and it is slowly beginning to manifest itself in reality.
Indomitable (Fukutsu): From a young age, the power of Ingwe's will drove him ever onwards, never giving up even in the face of great odds. The awakening of his inner powers has helped to hone this quality into something tangible on the field of battle. Long after Ingwe's body has been torn to tatters and the reserves of his strength exhausted, the young man will continue to stand up after being knocked down, clinging desperately to the ideals that he believes in and the bonds that he holds dear.
Character History
"Ingwe Helyanwe" was not the true name given to the eldest child of a Scarabrian explorer and the Nippon miko priest-girl that he married at the end of his journeys; rather, it was the name that the local Elves gave the young lad when they found him, at two years of age, intently staring at the magical grimoires in the nearby academy. Ingwe has since adopted this pseudonym, loosely translated as "The One who Bridges the Skies", as his identity during his travels. His reasons are manifold, but are mostly centred around three - a desire to maintain a facade of anonymity, the difficulty in accurately pronouncing his true mixed-heritage name, and the deep-held superstition that a magician's true name should not be given lightly.
From his early days he showed a natural aptitude for study, devouring books of knowledge like the other children his age devoured food. The Elves long suspected his innate magical talent, but they remained silent about it for reasons known only to them; on the other hand, when his human teachers first discovered the traces of magic that flowed through his veins, they were overjoyed, for such affinity was rarer in his homeland than elsewhere in Althanas. Some surmised that it was his father's blood that gave him his ability; in any case, they were careful to nurture them slowly and cautiously rather than attempt to bring them out in full at too early a stage.
A fundamental belief in his homeland was that mages should strive to be great in body as well as in mind, just as the warrior should not neglect strengthening his will in favour of honing his swordarm. Thus it was that Ingwe was inducted into a small class of children gifted with magical talents, who were given training both in the arcane and in the martial, at the famed Toho Institute of Higher Learning. Though not necessarily gifted with any greater talent than his contemporaries, his application and his discipline saw him rise to the forefront of his class, albeit at a heavy price in terms of social development. It was also about this time that he first became acquainted with the one the Elves called Elerrina, "Crowned with Stars", and fell deeply in love with the young woman.
But things were not destined to last.
Ingwe was still a young boy, not even into his teens, when the fateful daemonic incursion occurred. Suffice it to say that when dawn broke, the Institute lay a smouldering battleground with many dead or injured. The only person who had any idea of the details behind the incident was Ingwe, who was found unconscious and near death in the devastated central courtyard, incoherently mumbling one word over and over again.
Haidia...
The Institute had no choice but to expel him.
It took a year for the physical wounds to heal, and even longer before Ingwe could speak again. In his intense grief and pain, Ingwe blamed himself for being unable to prevent the deaths of his tutors and contemporaries and the breakup between his friends. Stricken, he vowed to take it upon himself to find out the truth, and, if at all possible, bring everybody back together again. At first, the young man sought the wisdom and the advice of the great warriors and sages of his homeland; then, he delved into self-study at the numerous libraries and academies throughout the nation, teaching himself not only the fundamentals of magic but about the rest of the world as well. When the institutions of learning could satisfy him no more, he turned to introspection, holing up in his own private world to focus on further researching and developing his abilities.
Two factors served to stir him from his state. The first was hearing on the wind - three years after the event had transpired - that Kayu Kanamai had disappeared upon graduation from the Institute, likely fled into Haidia along with her friend Touma Kamikaji and the daemon Natosatael. The second was finally unlocking the memories that had been repressed for years: reliving the bloody night of daemonic incursion, and learning that the aforementioned Natosatael had been responsible... and that he in turn had been the one to banish the daemon.
After diligently confirming the facts and finding them to be truths, Ingwe knew that now was the time to rise. With his family's blessings ringing fresh in his ears, he spent all but a small pittance of his hoardings on a ship journey to the northern continent. His only worldly possessions were the clothes that he wore and the equipment that he carried, but his heart clung to hope and his mind overflowed with memories as he bade farewell to his home.
Three months later, Ingwe finally arrived at Scara Brae... and this was where his adventures truly began. A trip to the bazaar for tomes was accompanied by a mysterious prophecy by an even more enigmatic oracle. Upon hearing of the Dragon Hermit of Mountain-Tear Falls, Ingwe set out to meet him in an attempt to locate Kayu; whilst it was a failure, the journey was not in vain, for it gleaned him valuable self-knowledge and experience along with a new friend in the form of Cael Strandssen, as well as pointed him in the direction of Raiaera where the necromancer Xem'zund was running amok over the ruins of the University of Istien. The hermit also warned him of the daemon Natosatael - instigator of the incursion at the Institute, and now Kayu's new patron.
When one Arminas Ereinon requested his help in leading a band of adventurers to relieve Anebrilith and liberate Eluriand, Ingwe did not have to be asked twice. Joining the newly formed Legion of Light on their expedition to Raiaera, Ingwe was almost immediately plunged into the heart of the fighting when the ship he was sailing on was wrecked not far from the harbour. During the weeks that followed, he participated in the grim skirmishing outside the city gates, the desperate defence of the harbour when it came under a full-scale undead assault, and a daring raid into the hinterlands that defeated the band of necromancers known as the Coven of Six. As Nariel's call to arms rang about the beleaguered country, Ingwe prepared himself in the full knowledge that the worst was still to come.
But there was only one direction in which he could proceed, and that was forwards. In the shadow of the Emyn Naug he led the Legion to victory at the Battle of Nenaebreth, striking the first major blow for the Defenders of Raiaera against their undead opposition. It was there that he acquired the Raiaeran relics known as the Regalia Valora, and though far from comfortable with the consequences and implications of wielding such power as the Last Crusader of Raiaera, he allowed himself to be reluctantly convinced by the Elf-Princes of Tor Elythis and the Dwarven elders of Gunnbad that it would be for the benefit of all for him to do so. It was also at Nenaebreth that he witnessed Kayu in league with the armies of undeath, but she did not hear his appeals as he passed out after the battle.
From Nenaebreth, he spearheaded the advance of the Legion westwards across the plains of Raiaera with the aid of the Dark Elf Alydia Ettermire, liberating Eluriand only to find that the central spires had vanished completely into the void, and then racing to relieve Nalith at the Battle of the River Escaldor. From there, circumstance and flow led him to Xem'zund's underground sanctuary, where he and a group of similar-minded heroes - known to later ages as the Dawnbringers - eventually brought to battle and defeated the Forgotten One himself, thus putting an end to the Raiaeran Wars. Among those whose acquaintance he made that day was the Wizard Blueraven, Caden Law.
The hard-won victory, however, came at great cost. His mind shattered and his body broken, Ingwe wandered in solitary trance northwards into the night from the sunken remains of the Necromancer's lair, clinging with the last vestiges of his lifeforce to the only thing remaining that he could still call dear.
Falls of Mountain Tear (Prelude) Arc
A New Dawn (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12122) - Solo, in which a young man arrives at Scara Brae, full of hope and fresh adventure.
Looking for a Good Read (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12353) - Transaction, in which said young man stocks up on knowledge.
The Prophecy (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=106117) - Vignette, in which said young man receives warning of his destiny.
Words of the Auld Hoose (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=12388) - Quest, in which said young man hears wind of possible Answers.
The Meeting (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=114904) - Vignette, in which said young man is ambushed and threatened.
When Mountains Cry (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=14869) - Quest, in which said young man searches for Answers and gains a friend instead.
Legion of Light (FQ - Raiaera) Arc
The Muster (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=14057) - Quest, in which a young man takes the first steps towards becoming a hero.
First Dream (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=120480) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant dreams a dream.
The Tides of war (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=16455) - Solo, in which said hero-errant makes new friends within the Legion of Light.
The Ancient City (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=16507) - Quest, in which said hero-errant makes landfall upon the war-torn shores of Raiaera.
Reflection (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=124170) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant has a chance meeting with a familiar face.
Second Dream (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=128041) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant dreams a dream once more.
The Annals of War (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=17540) - Solo, in which said hero-errant fights to liberate the city of Anebrilith.
Miracle on a Silent Night (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=18028) - Quest, in which said hero-errant blurs the lines of dream and reality.
Hear Us Now, We Weary Few (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=137245) - Vignette, in which said hero-errant heeds the call to war.
In the Shadow of Ancient Champions (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=18463) - Solo, in which said hero-errant travels the Emyn Naug and wins a battle.
The Speech (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=154060) - Solo, in which said hero-errant makes a speech.
Salvation's Banner (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19883) - Solo, in which said hero-errant learns of the Legend of the Last Crusader.
Concerto Liberatio (Pending) - Quest, in which said hero-errant gains aid in advancing upon Eluriand.
Spring's First Crimson Blossoms (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19884) - Quest, in which said hero-errant arrives too late to save the lives of many.
Dawnbringers (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=20244) - Quest, in which said hero-errant goes toe to toe with the Forgotten One himself.