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Player Name: CMAK
Player LJ/DW: [Bad username or unknown identity: ”kuriboh”]
Email/AIM/Plurk: Cmakyouupgood@gmail.com /Cmakyouupgood /cmakyouupgood. I am the most creative. It is me
Timezone: Eastern Standard (EST-5)
Other Characters: Mu, Isaac
Character: Castor Drisde
Series: ORIGINAL
Deviance:1
Age: 20ish? Nobody's quite sure - Castor counts back as many birthdays as she can remember, then adds two, which puts her at 20.This is generally considered a good estimate.
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Appearance: As played by Sarah Vonderhaar (feat. photoshop)
Psychology:
On a first impression, one may be startled at how easy-going Castor appears. She has about her the air of one who walks to the beat of her own drum and is just fine with that. She takes life in stride and tends to not get worked up about things, and she’s often been praised for her level-headedness. Behind the calm facade is a woman of indomitable will, rock-hard stubbornness and a heart as large as the world itself.
Castor holds a great respect for life, and will generally avoid bringing harm to another or shedding blood. While she’s quite content to spar, wrestle, and play-fight, she never truly tries to hurt an opponent in situations like these. However, one should not mistake her for a bleeding heart. If threatened, Castor will defend herself, but never use excessive force to do so - she’ll never willingly take another’s life unless no other option exists. To this end, she rarely, if ever, uses a bladed weapon although she’s been trained with them. Castor’s weapons of choice tend to be staves and other blunt weapons (She keeps a hunting knife on her person, however, mostly for utility purposes). The best way to know if she’s fighting seriously is if there’s no weapon in her hand at all.
She’s fiercely protective of the people she cares about - losing her family at a young age has made her determined to keep people safe. Coupled with a stubborn streak a mile wide, Castor can go into full out Mama-Bear mode if provoked. She’s considered by her friends to be very motherly in that regard, and she always tries to take care of the people she considers to be “under her protection.”
Castor’s moods are like the weather - easy enough to see coming, but often transient. Happiness is like a sunny day - Bright, infectious, warm and generally very pleasant. Given her laid-back attitude, she tends to default to this so the Sunshine is a constant for whatever company she keeps. Sour moods linger like rain, rarely entirely pleasant, but occasionally necessary. Anger, like a storm, can be seen building from a mile off - it takes awhile to make Castor mad. When the storm breaks, however, her rages are intense and violent, though she’s often aware enough to isolate herself while she blows off the steam.
Generally, she’s very gentle with others, both in actions and manners, and tries her very best to get along with everyone she meets, although she can be somewhat more reserved around strangers. She likes children well enough, but feels awkward around them at times. Her strongest bonds are of the fraternal and familial sort, having only very scant memories of her parents, and otherwise having been raised as part of a community in which she was one of many sisters. Even the man she considers her father figure is more of an elder brother than proper father. This upbringing has coloured her view of romance as well. Namely, she refuses to see it, even if it’s smacking her in the face.
Because of how she considers her relationships (Part of my family or not part of my family), she doesn’t really consider feelings in a romantic or sexual sense. She doesn’t see any part of her body as sexual, and consequently, doesn’t feel any shame or stigma attached to her body (tl;dr, she won’t scream and throw things if you walk in on her naked). Some may see this as innocence or naivety, but it is nether. She knows full well about all the grody details, but chooses not to care, just as she chooses to ignore how she feels about Allistair and carry on with the status quo.
Her feelings for Allistair can be something of a touchy subject. On one hand, she loves him very deeply, but on the other hand, she can’t put that love in front of her goals, and certainly not in front of her monastic vows (at least not yet). She suspects that he is aware of, and reciprocates, her feelings but hasn’t acted either because she hasn’t, or because he knows and respects her situation. This has made her not bitter persay, but testy about the subject around him, and leaves her feeling profoundly lonely at times.
Castor loves traveling. LOVES. TRAVELING. Her wanderlust is one of the driving forces in her life, but a large part of her doesn’t mind at all. As far as she’s concerned, the biggest and best thrill in life is seeing something new, and that’s a feeling that keeps her going from day to day. On the other hand, she hates herself for this very same thing, since it means she’s never truly ‘at peace’. Her order strives for spiritual ascension, and Castor finds herself continually blocked in that attempt - the monastery is too isolated, her life inside stagnant and uninspiring, and she grows restless, but the world outside is bright and exciting, and she cannot find her focus for long enough to make progress. Little things help from day to day - little rituals in the morning, teaching and tutoring the initiates, but she knows they are temporary fixes at best. Castor knows all too well that in order to reach the perfection she strives for, she must be calm in body, mind and spirit - sadly, she’s still in a phase where she can only pick two.
Other Skills/Abilities:
Physically, Castor is very strong. She’s a talented martial artist and wrestler, and trained with several weapons, including swords, and with staves being her favourite. Castor is, however, most dangerous without a weapon in her hand - barehanded is her specialty, and it’s very rare that she loses a straight up fistfight or grappling match. She also keeps a small utility knife on hand and she could probably shank someone with it if she tried.
Her legs are also extremely strong. So much so that, in her world, she can jump about her own height from standing, and about 7’ up with a running start, and higher still if she’s got a charm allowing her to do it. (Her world possesses slightly lower gravity than what would be considered normal. Jumping one’s own height is not unheard of over there, but it does take training to manage it.) She’s also a decent runner, but can probably be considered more “agile” than straight up “fast.”
She’s also a decent singer if that counts for anything 8|
Other Weaknesses:
Magically, however, Castor is a ‘dud.’ Unlike most people in her world (‘dud’s account for about 0.01% of the population), she has no capacity for using magic (Ether, as it’s called in her world), and most magic used ON her is less effective than would be expected. This is because her body acts like something of a lightning rod when ether is used on her - it dissipates and reverts to its natural state faster than normal. Most magical items/relics in her world don’t respond to her either, which can be handy if one isn’t sure if something is going to kill them if poked.
As to what is/is not effective, think of it this way: Castor has a natural resistance to lasting spells - buffs or debuffs alike(to use RPG terms). HOWEVER, Something like a fireball spell, or magic missile - something instantaneous, or which manifests as other thing (Like fire or ice or whatever), will affect her as normal.
Her way around her inability to maintain long-term spells is to carry charmed items. The charm still wears off faster than normal, but still lasts significantly longer than if it were cast on her directly. Charms and other set-spells need to be recharged periodically, normally once every three months or so, but Castor needs to have them looked at every few weeks. Charms of this sort aren’t ‘activated’ and ‘deactivated’ as it were, but are perpetually ‘on,’ provided they’re in physical contact with a human body. Castor’s charms have been keyed specifically to her by the original spellcaster, so if anyone else grabbed one of her charms, the spell would not activate for them.
Otherwise, usual squishy meatbag human, usually with no more armoring than good, thick leather.
History:
Castor’s first, faint few memories are of her mother, and many of them are sad, but warm. From early childhood, she’s lived around the Varans area, though never in the city itself. She’d spend her days getting into trouble and roughhousing, and then coming home, bruised but victorious, to a meager meal - all her mother could provide. It was during these years that Castor developed the beginnings of her martial skills, fighting both for the fun of it, and for whatever spare coins she could win or steal off of other children.
Before Castor’s childhood ended, her mother died of illness, leaving the girl alone. She managed to fend for herself for a few weeks, learning to forage and steal when possible, but wanderings eventually took her to the doorstep of the Ai-Jin monastery, wherein she found food and shelter. She planned only to stay a while, and head into the city to continue her life, but found herself liking the way of life of the monks and before long, officially joined their ranks.
Growing, however, was not easy. Into her teenage years, Castor found a restlessness welling up inside of her - a desire to see and experience the world beyond the walls of the monastery. She could ignore it at first - such things, she was told, were a part of growing up, after all. But the feeling would not abate and, one day, in her fifteenth year, Castor found herself sneaking out of the old stone walls, simply for the thrill.
From there, she walked the hour to the city of Varans. She loved every second of the trip.
Her first experience in the city was the Port of Pirae, and Castor found herself enthralled despite how crummy the area actually was, and it was in her wanderings this day that she met one Allistair Techne, an apprentice to one of the area’s craftsmen, an amateur historian, and a scholar of all things mechanical. The pair were taken with each other rather immediately, and became fast friends.
Her visits into the town became more and more frequent as the years wore on, much to the irritation of fellow monks and, indeed, to herself. The desire to get out and move was beginning to impede her growth , for without freedom, she found herself unable to attain the level of spiritual stillness required of her at the monastery.
At 17, Castor took a short trip to west in an attempt to alleviate her wanderlust, and came across a small fighters tournament, which she stayed to watch - but it wasn’t the tournament that ended up holding her attention - it was a boy, Riven, using an Ai-Jin style learned from his father, a retired monk, who was denied a spot in the tourney proper. Castor was impressed by the young man’s spirit and how far he’d progressed with no formal training. Upon her return, she sponsored Riven into the monastery, and has since been his mentor and protector.
In the long run, that journey did little to alleviate her restlessness, and within a year, she was on the move again, this time traveling east with Allistair, on a trip to survey some old ruins. It was a fairly uninteresting trip (for her), but the pair found themselves followed home by a small puppy that was rather taken with Castor. The feeling was mutual, but Castor was unable to keep pets, and thus left the puppy, Leda, with Allistair.
Allistair, at this time, was becoming somewhat renowned for his research and work on automatons and using Ether as a power source for more than just magic, as well as his work on excavation and restoration of ancient relics. To that end, he was being called on more and more to travel to old dig sites and ruins, and Castor managed to get herself and Riven attached to him permanently as a bodyguard of sorts, along with an agent from one of the local universities, a woman named Aliaga Chorster, which brings us to the now.
Castor splits her time between the Monastary and travelling with Allistair, Riven, Aliaga and Leda, always seeking the sort of spiritual stillness that has evaded her thus far. Presently, the party is heading west from Varans, into the territory of Centaurs...
Reality Description:
Ourissia is a continent. It is a very nice continent. It is, as far as its inhabitants know, the only inhabited continent on the planet. It’s decently large - an experienced traveler could get from one end to the other in about two months on horseback, and from it’s north border to it’s southern coast in about half that time.
There are no real ‘countries’ in Ourissia, but instead there are 5 city states. The two larges of these are Varans, which is to the east, and Ahatha in the southwest. Varans is the centre of learning and culture, and Ahatha the centre of commerce, the road between them being called the Merchant’s Highway. Overall, the technology level is 30-50 years away from a steampunk-flavoured industrial breakthrough and mostly centred in the urban areas. Though some outlying communities are modernizing, the majority of Ourissia remains largely rural.
Up to the north and east of Ahatha are mountainous foothills that support a rather large population of centuar tribes. They’re not so much uncivilized as simply largely uncultured, and low on resources, often leading to small raids on Ahatha and it’s outlying territories for food and the like. Some Centuars actually live in Ahatha, though it’s not a common trend.
Varans and Ahatha are not so much at war as they are simply not particularly friendly with one another. Both cities control a fair bit of territory around them, mostly small hamlets and trading villages.
Castor lives in the Ai-Jin monastery about an hour and a half’s ride away from Varans. The Ai-Jin order prays to none of Ourissia’s gods persay, but strive for the perfection of the human body, and ascension of the human spirit.
Also they do martial arts. They are all very good at it.
The Ai-Jin “rent” their monastery space from the city of Varans and pay nothing for it, except for at Wartime, when the monks are expected to fight for the Varanian government. However, there has been no need for this for decades. The Monks are also keepers of lore and wisdom from around Ourissia, and laymen often visit the monastery for advice, education, and occasionally, just to hear the stories they tell. The Monks are almost universally respected, and their presence in cities outside Varans is often considered a good omen.
Monks are able to marry, and sometimes do, but only once they reach a certain point in their training. There is about a 60/40 split between genders, in favour of men.
Ourissia’s magic revolves around an intangible element called “Ether.” Ether exists as another ‘plane’ overlaid upon the physical. Most people on Ourissia are, to some degree, sensitive to Ether, but about 1 in 10000 are not (As explained in the “weaknesses” section). Ether can be summoned to the physical plane by people who are exceptionally sensitive to it. These people are the ‘mages’ of Ourissia, and most of them study in Varans. It’s not unheard of for mages to train apprentices abroad, however. Ether that is called to the physical plane may be shaped to the summoner’s will, be it to protect or attack. It can be manipulated on the spot - ignited or condensed to simulate the physical elements, solidified and bent to create a barrier or sorts, or ‘tied’ to a specific object to make a charm. Mages are trained in most aspects of Ether manipulation, though many tend to specialize once their basic training is done.
Ether does, eventually, dissipate back to its own plane, much the way that Water eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere. The easiest way for this to happen is for Ether to move back the way it came - through people. This is where those aforementioned duds come in. Normal people sort of ‘resist’ Ether moving backwards, but duds do not. Thus, Ether finds an easier way back through them, and gives duds something of a reputation of being Ether-eaters, since spells seem to fizzle and lose effectiveness in their presence.
Additionally, about 0.1% of Ourissia’s population are considered Psionics. Psionic abilities usually manifest towards the end of puberty, and are often actively sought out by the individual standing armies of the City States. The Ai-jin monks often will locate and recruit so-talented people into their own ranks, effectively saving them from being conscripted and helping them reach their full potential in the meantime.
Psionics usually manifest as telekinetic abilities of varying degrees, but a user can often shape his or her powers to enhance their own physical attributes (making themselves faster or stronger for a time), levitate, and turn away attacks (not unlike a barrier). A particularly powerful and well trained Psionic can go so far as to move Ether away from a place without summoning it, effectively crippling mages in the area. The most powerful among them can go so far as to control another person’s body.
NPCs
Allistair Techne: Allistair was a genius apprentice to one of Varan’s craftsmen when Castor met him, and has since broken out of his master’s shadow to become a prominent mechanical historian and inventor, spending his days digging up and restoring old Ether Machines found in ruined sites around Ourissia. He’s easily distracted and very excitable, often losing himself in babbles about his work that Castor can follow about 10% of. He and Castor are best of friends and she does love him quite deeply, though she’d never say so.
Riven Ash’Tal: Riven is a boy of about 13 who Castor brought home from one of her trips. He’s a precocious kid and a fast learner. Castor treats him like a little brother, and, being his sponsor is almost wholly responsible for his training. Castor suspects Riven is developing Psionic abilities, but can’t confirm it as of yet. (spoilers: He is.)
Aliaga Chorster: Lady Aliaga Chorster is the youngest daughter of a noble house of merchants within the Varanian aristocracy. Instead of hanging around and waiting to be a political marriage like her sisters, she up and enrolled in a Mage’s college whereupon she was revealed to be something of a prodigy at set-spells and charms. Though not officially graduated, she’s spending her last year as Allistair’s research assistant on the Ether Machines, unraveling and decoding the spells that make them tick. She and Castor didn’t see eye-to-eye at first, but they’ve since grown on each other (Like mold, Castor will assure you).
Evzam: The monk who sponsored Castor into the order, and the closest thing she has to a father. Castor loves him lots and lots.
Leda: LEDA IS CASTORS DOG AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER VERY MUCH OKAY?! Leda is seriously the size of a small bear. A child could ride her. She’s huge. And hugely intelligent, for a dog. Aliaga suspects Leda’s dam or sire was a mages’ familiar, or similarly magical beast.
First Person Speaking Sample:
[Onto the Plane steps - yes, steps - a young woman whom some may recall from that one time the Plane was letting any old foggie in. It only takes Castor a second to recognize her surroundings, and she’s quick to take stock of where she is and what’s immediately around her....which is a whole lot of nothing.]
Alright, once I can chalk up to a bad dream but this is a little ridiculous. Why am I in the sky again?
[She quickly begins to check herself over, muttering as she does so.]
‘M not feverish, head’s fine, no aches, no blood, stomach’s alright... So I’m not sick, not poisoned, not concussed, and not bleeding out. Well, there go the easy answers. Spell? Nah, I’d notice by now...
[Almost as an afterthought, she pats herself twice more.]
And definitely not dreaming. Good job, Castor - you’ve gotten yourself into a right mess this time.
[She looks around a little more, wondering why the place isn’t as full as last time, and eventually brings her hands up to her mouth.]
HEY! HELLOOOO??? ANYONE HERE? [And when she doesn’t get an answer, her hands drop to her hips and she makes something of a face] Tch, just my luck huh? Alright, what did Fire-head say last time...something about a plane? Middle world...? Bah! [Castor shakes her head, finally looking back down at herself.] Well, I’m dressed and have my pack. I suppose I’ve been in worse situations, but I’d feel a little better if Leda were around...
Third Person Writing Sample:
Castor's room was a small one on the first floor of the Monastery. It faced south, the shining white gem of Varans sparkling in the distance. The direction was a boon, since it meant Castor would get very little sun in the morning (which gave her an excuse to sleep late some mornings), and a lot of light all through the afternoon and into the evening, which was also nice since it meant she didn't have to light her lanterns until later. She didn't really like having them lit - the smoke made her drowsy and heady, even if the small window was open, and that made meditation hard. For the same reason, she very rarely burned incense, either.
The downside to this room was its heat. Even on a good day, the room was stuffy as anything, even though Castor had both window and door open in the hope she'd get a crossbreeze in. So far, no luck, and she'd stripped off the outer layers of her Gi to stay cool while she assembled her traveling pack. Not that she had too much to pack anyways - a few changes of clothes, a knife just in case, and an overcoat for cold weather. She reached back to grab a roll of bandages to wrap her wrists with, but found them offered to her by a rather old hand. Castor looked up in surprise, following the hand up to a smiling face of Brother Evzam.
"I heard that my little one is heading out on another adventure."
Castor stood, taking the bandage and embracing the older man. "You heard right."
Evzam's smile turned a bit sad as they parted. "I'm beginning to think she no longer loves me, with how often she's been running off."
Castor turned away, trying to hide the hurt blossoming on her face, and stuffed the bandages in her pack. Evzam sighed and his smile dropped. "I'm sorry, my dear. That was uncalled for.'
"Nah," she said, turning back to him, "I think I deserved that."
Evzam put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a little shake. "Ah, but I'd never doubt your faith or your heart. Now tell me, my dear, where will your feet take you this time?"
"We're heading west, out to the Spirit's Grave."
"We?" asked Evzam, one of his bushy black eyebrows raising in questioning, "and so far? Child you could get killed out there."
Castor nodded, turned away. "Allistair and I are going, and Riven is coming with as well." The older monk looked about to protest so Castor continued, "I did ask if he wanted to come, and he said yes. Don't worry, I'll keep him safe."
Evzam sighed. "I know better than to argue you out of a journey, but I will demand you keep out of harm's way."
"I will try."
Evzam pulled away, thinking a minute, then reached into a layer of his robes. He withdrew an old string of beads which he then presented to Castor.
"Take these. Make memories with them, then come home and share them with me, yes?"
Castor was taken aback. "...Your prayer beads?" Every monk had a string to meditate with, but this..."Are you sure?"
Evzam smiled and nodded his assurances. "I would like them back one day."
Castor held them carefully, feeling their weight and texture - old and polished wood instead of her own string of glass. With a smile, she slipped the beads around her neck and threw her arms around Evzam. "Definitely."
Did you read the rules? At this point, I REALLY HOPE SO.
Player LJ/DW: [Bad username or unknown identity: ”kuriboh”]
Email/AIM/Plurk: Cmakyouupgood@gmail.com /Cmakyouupgood /cmakyouupgood. I am the most creative. It is me
Timezone: Eastern Standard (EST-5)
Other Characters: Mu, Isaac
Character: Castor Drisde
Series: ORIGINAL
Deviance:1
Age: 20ish? Nobody's quite sure - Castor counts back as many birthdays as she can remember, then adds two, which puts her at 20.This is generally considered a good estimate.
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Appearance: As played by Sarah Vonderhaar (feat. photoshop)
Psychology:
On a first impression, one may be startled at how easy-going Castor appears. She has about her the air of one who walks to the beat of her own drum and is just fine with that. She takes life in stride and tends to not get worked up about things, and she’s often been praised for her level-headedness. Behind the calm facade is a woman of indomitable will, rock-hard stubbornness and a heart as large as the world itself.
Castor holds a great respect for life, and will generally avoid bringing harm to another or shedding blood. While she’s quite content to spar, wrestle, and play-fight, she never truly tries to hurt an opponent in situations like these. However, one should not mistake her for a bleeding heart. If threatened, Castor will defend herself, but never use excessive force to do so - she’ll never willingly take another’s life unless no other option exists. To this end, she rarely, if ever, uses a bladed weapon although she’s been trained with them. Castor’s weapons of choice tend to be staves and other blunt weapons (She keeps a hunting knife on her person, however, mostly for utility purposes). The best way to know if she’s fighting seriously is if there’s no weapon in her hand at all.
She’s fiercely protective of the people she cares about - losing her family at a young age has made her determined to keep people safe. Coupled with a stubborn streak a mile wide, Castor can go into full out Mama-Bear mode if provoked. She’s considered by her friends to be very motherly in that regard, and she always tries to take care of the people she considers to be “under her protection.”
Castor’s moods are like the weather - easy enough to see coming, but often transient. Happiness is like a sunny day - Bright, infectious, warm and generally very pleasant. Given her laid-back attitude, she tends to default to this so the Sunshine is a constant for whatever company she keeps. Sour moods linger like rain, rarely entirely pleasant, but occasionally necessary. Anger, like a storm, can be seen building from a mile off - it takes awhile to make Castor mad. When the storm breaks, however, her rages are intense and violent, though she’s often aware enough to isolate herself while she blows off the steam.
Generally, she’s very gentle with others, both in actions and manners, and tries her very best to get along with everyone she meets, although she can be somewhat more reserved around strangers. She likes children well enough, but feels awkward around them at times. Her strongest bonds are of the fraternal and familial sort, having only very scant memories of her parents, and otherwise having been raised as part of a community in which she was one of many sisters. Even the man she considers her father figure is more of an elder brother than proper father. This upbringing has coloured her view of romance as well. Namely, she refuses to see it, even if it’s smacking her in the face.
Because of how she considers her relationships (Part of my family or not part of my family), she doesn’t really consider feelings in a romantic or sexual sense. She doesn’t see any part of her body as sexual, and consequently, doesn’t feel any shame or stigma attached to her body (tl;dr, she won’t scream and throw things if you walk in on her naked). Some may see this as innocence or naivety, but it is nether. She knows full well about all the grody details, but chooses not to care, just as she chooses to ignore how she feels about Allistair and carry on with the status quo.
Her feelings for Allistair can be something of a touchy subject. On one hand, she loves him very deeply, but on the other hand, she can’t put that love in front of her goals, and certainly not in front of her monastic vows (at least not yet). She suspects that he is aware of, and reciprocates, her feelings but hasn’t acted either because she hasn’t, or because he knows and respects her situation. This has made her not bitter persay, but testy about the subject around him, and leaves her feeling profoundly lonely at times.
Castor loves traveling. LOVES. TRAVELING. Her wanderlust is one of the driving forces in her life, but a large part of her doesn’t mind at all. As far as she’s concerned, the biggest and best thrill in life is seeing something new, and that’s a feeling that keeps her going from day to day. On the other hand, she hates herself for this very same thing, since it means she’s never truly ‘at peace’. Her order strives for spiritual ascension, and Castor finds herself continually blocked in that attempt - the monastery is too isolated, her life inside stagnant and uninspiring, and she grows restless, but the world outside is bright and exciting, and she cannot find her focus for long enough to make progress. Little things help from day to day - little rituals in the morning, teaching and tutoring the initiates, but she knows they are temporary fixes at best. Castor knows all too well that in order to reach the perfection she strives for, she must be calm in body, mind and spirit - sadly, she’s still in a phase where she can only pick two.
Other Skills/Abilities:
Physically, Castor is very strong. She’s a talented martial artist and wrestler, and trained with several weapons, including swords, and with staves being her favourite. Castor is, however, most dangerous without a weapon in her hand - barehanded is her specialty, and it’s very rare that she loses a straight up fistfight or grappling match. She also keeps a small utility knife on hand and she could probably shank someone with it if she tried.
Her legs are also extremely strong. So much so that, in her world, she can jump about her own height from standing, and about 7’ up with a running start, and higher still if she’s got a charm allowing her to do it. (Her world possesses slightly lower gravity than what would be considered normal. Jumping one’s own height is not unheard of over there, but it does take training to manage it.) She’s also a decent runner, but can probably be considered more “agile” than straight up “fast.”
She’s also a decent singer if that counts for anything 8|
Other Weaknesses:
Magically, however, Castor is a ‘dud.’ Unlike most people in her world (‘dud’s account for about 0.01% of the population), she has no capacity for using magic (Ether, as it’s called in her world), and most magic used ON her is less effective than would be expected. This is because her body acts like something of a lightning rod when ether is used on her - it dissipates and reverts to its natural state faster than normal. Most magical items/relics in her world don’t respond to her either, which can be handy if one isn’t sure if something is going to kill them if poked.
As to what is/is not effective, think of it this way: Castor has a natural resistance to lasting spells - buffs or debuffs alike(to use RPG terms). HOWEVER, Something like a fireball spell, or magic missile - something instantaneous, or which manifests as other thing (Like fire or ice or whatever), will affect her as normal.
Her way around her inability to maintain long-term spells is to carry charmed items. The charm still wears off faster than normal, but still lasts significantly longer than if it were cast on her directly. Charms and other set-spells need to be recharged periodically, normally once every three months or so, but Castor needs to have them looked at every few weeks. Charms of this sort aren’t ‘activated’ and ‘deactivated’ as it were, but are perpetually ‘on,’ provided they’re in physical contact with a human body. Castor’s charms have been keyed specifically to her by the original spellcaster, so if anyone else grabbed one of her charms, the spell would not activate for them.
Otherwise, usual squishy meatbag human, usually with no more armoring than good, thick leather.
History:
Castor’s first, faint few memories are of her mother, and many of them are sad, but warm. From early childhood, she’s lived around the Varans area, though never in the city itself. She’d spend her days getting into trouble and roughhousing, and then coming home, bruised but victorious, to a meager meal - all her mother could provide. It was during these years that Castor developed the beginnings of her martial skills, fighting both for the fun of it, and for whatever spare coins she could win or steal off of other children.
Before Castor’s childhood ended, her mother died of illness, leaving the girl alone. She managed to fend for herself for a few weeks, learning to forage and steal when possible, but wanderings eventually took her to the doorstep of the Ai-Jin monastery, wherein she found food and shelter. She planned only to stay a while, and head into the city to continue her life, but found herself liking the way of life of the monks and before long, officially joined their ranks.
Growing, however, was not easy. Into her teenage years, Castor found a restlessness welling up inside of her - a desire to see and experience the world beyond the walls of the monastery. She could ignore it at first - such things, she was told, were a part of growing up, after all. But the feeling would not abate and, one day, in her fifteenth year, Castor found herself sneaking out of the old stone walls, simply for the thrill.
From there, she walked the hour to the city of Varans. She loved every second of the trip.
Her first experience in the city was the Port of Pirae, and Castor found herself enthralled despite how crummy the area actually was, and it was in her wanderings this day that she met one Allistair Techne, an apprentice to one of the area’s craftsmen, an amateur historian, and a scholar of all things mechanical. The pair were taken with each other rather immediately, and became fast friends.
Her visits into the town became more and more frequent as the years wore on, much to the irritation of fellow monks and, indeed, to herself. The desire to get out and move was beginning to impede her growth , for without freedom, she found herself unable to attain the level of spiritual stillness required of her at the monastery.
At 17, Castor took a short trip to west in an attempt to alleviate her wanderlust, and came across a small fighters tournament, which she stayed to watch - but it wasn’t the tournament that ended up holding her attention - it was a boy, Riven, using an Ai-Jin style learned from his father, a retired monk, who was denied a spot in the tourney proper. Castor was impressed by the young man’s spirit and how far he’d progressed with no formal training. Upon her return, she sponsored Riven into the monastery, and has since been his mentor and protector.
In the long run, that journey did little to alleviate her restlessness, and within a year, she was on the move again, this time traveling east with Allistair, on a trip to survey some old ruins. It was a fairly uninteresting trip (for her), but the pair found themselves followed home by a small puppy that was rather taken with Castor. The feeling was mutual, but Castor was unable to keep pets, and thus left the puppy, Leda, with Allistair.
Allistair, at this time, was becoming somewhat renowned for his research and work on automatons and using Ether as a power source for more than just magic, as well as his work on excavation and restoration of ancient relics. To that end, he was being called on more and more to travel to old dig sites and ruins, and Castor managed to get herself and Riven attached to him permanently as a bodyguard of sorts, along with an agent from one of the local universities, a woman named Aliaga Chorster, which brings us to the now.
Castor splits her time between the Monastary and travelling with Allistair, Riven, Aliaga and Leda, always seeking the sort of spiritual stillness that has evaded her thus far. Presently, the party is heading west from Varans, into the territory of Centaurs...
Reality Description:
Ourissia is a continent. It is a very nice continent. It is, as far as its inhabitants know, the only inhabited continent on the planet. It’s decently large - an experienced traveler could get from one end to the other in about two months on horseback, and from it’s north border to it’s southern coast in about half that time.
There are no real ‘countries’ in Ourissia, but instead there are 5 city states. The two larges of these are Varans, which is to the east, and Ahatha in the southwest. Varans is the centre of learning and culture, and Ahatha the centre of commerce, the road between them being called the Merchant’s Highway. Overall, the technology level is 30-50 years away from a steampunk-flavoured industrial breakthrough and mostly centred in the urban areas. Though some outlying communities are modernizing, the majority of Ourissia remains largely rural.
Up to the north and east of Ahatha are mountainous foothills that support a rather large population of centuar tribes. They’re not so much uncivilized as simply largely uncultured, and low on resources, often leading to small raids on Ahatha and it’s outlying territories for food and the like. Some Centuars actually live in Ahatha, though it’s not a common trend.
Varans and Ahatha are not so much at war as they are simply not particularly friendly with one another. Both cities control a fair bit of territory around them, mostly small hamlets and trading villages.
Castor lives in the Ai-Jin monastery about an hour and a half’s ride away from Varans. The Ai-Jin order prays to none of Ourissia’s gods persay, but strive for the perfection of the human body, and ascension of the human spirit.
Also they do martial arts. They are all very good at it.
The Ai-Jin “rent” their monastery space from the city of Varans and pay nothing for it, except for at Wartime, when the monks are expected to fight for the Varanian government. However, there has been no need for this for decades. The Monks are also keepers of lore and wisdom from around Ourissia, and laymen often visit the monastery for advice, education, and occasionally, just to hear the stories they tell. The Monks are almost universally respected, and their presence in cities outside Varans is often considered a good omen.
Monks are able to marry, and sometimes do, but only once they reach a certain point in their training. There is about a 60/40 split between genders, in favour of men.
Ourissia’s magic revolves around an intangible element called “Ether.” Ether exists as another ‘plane’ overlaid upon the physical. Most people on Ourissia are, to some degree, sensitive to Ether, but about 1 in 10000 are not (As explained in the “weaknesses” section). Ether can be summoned to the physical plane by people who are exceptionally sensitive to it. These people are the ‘mages’ of Ourissia, and most of them study in Varans. It’s not unheard of for mages to train apprentices abroad, however. Ether that is called to the physical plane may be shaped to the summoner’s will, be it to protect or attack. It can be manipulated on the spot - ignited or condensed to simulate the physical elements, solidified and bent to create a barrier or sorts, or ‘tied’ to a specific object to make a charm. Mages are trained in most aspects of Ether manipulation, though many tend to specialize once their basic training is done.
Ether does, eventually, dissipate back to its own plane, much the way that Water eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere. The easiest way for this to happen is for Ether to move back the way it came - through people. This is where those aforementioned duds come in. Normal people sort of ‘resist’ Ether moving backwards, but duds do not. Thus, Ether finds an easier way back through them, and gives duds something of a reputation of being Ether-eaters, since spells seem to fizzle and lose effectiveness in their presence.
Additionally, about 0.1% of Ourissia’s population are considered Psionics. Psionic abilities usually manifest towards the end of puberty, and are often actively sought out by the individual standing armies of the City States. The Ai-jin monks often will locate and recruit so-talented people into their own ranks, effectively saving them from being conscripted and helping them reach their full potential in the meantime.
Psionics usually manifest as telekinetic abilities of varying degrees, but a user can often shape his or her powers to enhance their own physical attributes (making themselves faster or stronger for a time), levitate, and turn away attacks (not unlike a barrier). A particularly powerful and well trained Psionic can go so far as to move Ether away from a place without summoning it, effectively crippling mages in the area. The most powerful among them can go so far as to control another person’s body.
NPCs
Allistair Techne: Allistair was a genius apprentice to one of Varan’s craftsmen when Castor met him, and has since broken out of his master’s shadow to become a prominent mechanical historian and inventor, spending his days digging up and restoring old Ether Machines found in ruined sites around Ourissia. He’s easily distracted and very excitable, often losing himself in babbles about his work that Castor can follow about 10% of. He and Castor are best of friends and she does love him quite deeply, though she’d never say so.
Riven Ash’Tal: Riven is a boy of about 13 who Castor brought home from one of her trips. He’s a precocious kid and a fast learner. Castor treats him like a little brother, and, being his sponsor is almost wholly responsible for his training. Castor suspects Riven is developing Psionic abilities, but can’t confirm it as of yet. (spoilers: He is.)
Aliaga Chorster: Lady Aliaga Chorster is the youngest daughter of a noble house of merchants within the Varanian aristocracy. Instead of hanging around and waiting to be a political marriage like her sisters, she up and enrolled in a Mage’s college whereupon she was revealed to be something of a prodigy at set-spells and charms. Though not officially graduated, she’s spending her last year as Allistair’s research assistant on the Ether Machines, unraveling and decoding the spells that make them tick. She and Castor didn’t see eye-to-eye at first, but they’ve since grown on each other (Like mold, Castor will assure you).
Evzam: The monk who sponsored Castor into the order, and the closest thing she has to a father. Castor loves him lots and lots.
Leda: LEDA IS CASTORS DOG AND THEY LOVE EACH OTHER VERY MUCH OKAY?! Leda is seriously the size of a small bear. A child could ride her. She’s huge. And hugely intelligent, for a dog. Aliaga suspects Leda’s dam or sire was a mages’ familiar, or similarly magical beast.
First Person Speaking Sample:
[Onto the Plane steps - yes, steps - a young woman whom some may recall from that one time the Plane was letting any old foggie in. It only takes Castor a second to recognize her surroundings, and she’s quick to take stock of where she is and what’s immediately around her....which is a whole lot of nothing.]
Alright, once I can chalk up to a bad dream but this is a little ridiculous. Why am I in the sky again?
[She quickly begins to check herself over, muttering as she does so.]
‘M not feverish, head’s fine, no aches, no blood, stomach’s alright... So I’m not sick, not poisoned, not concussed, and not bleeding out. Well, there go the easy answers. Spell? Nah, I’d notice by now...
[Almost as an afterthought, she pats herself twice more.]
And definitely not dreaming. Good job, Castor - you’ve gotten yourself into a right mess this time.
[She looks around a little more, wondering why the place isn’t as full as last time, and eventually brings her hands up to her mouth.]
HEY! HELLOOOO??? ANYONE HERE? [And when she doesn’t get an answer, her hands drop to her hips and she makes something of a face] Tch, just my luck huh? Alright, what did Fire-head say last time...something about a plane? Middle world...? Bah! [Castor shakes her head, finally looking back down at herself.] Well, I’m dressed and have my pack. I suppose I’ve been in worse situations, but I’d feel a little better if Leda were around...
Third Person Writing Sample:
Castor's room was a small one on the first floor of the Monastery. It faced south, the shining white gem of Varans sparkling in the distance. The direction was a boon, since it meant Castor would get very little sun in the morning (which gave her an excuse to sleep late some mornings), and a lot of light all through the afternoon and into the evening, which was also nice since it meant she didn't have to light her lanterns until later. She didn't really like having them lit - the smoke made her drowsy and heady, even if the small window was open, and that made meditation hard. For the same reason, she very rarely burned incense, either.
The downside to this room was its heat. Even on a good day, the room was stuffy as anything, even though Castor had both window and door open in the hope she'd get a crossbreeze in. So far, no luck, and she'd stripped off the outer layers of her Gi to stay cool while she assembled her traveling pack. Not that she had too much to pack anyways - a few changes of clothes, a knife just in case, and an overcoat for cold weather. She reached back to grab a roll of bandages to wrap her wrists with, but found them offered to her by a rather old hand. Castor looked up in surprise, following the hand up to a smiling face of Brother Evzam.
"I heard that my little one is heading out on another adventure."
Castor stood, taking the bandage and embracing the older man. "You heard right."
Evzam's smile turned a bit sad as they parted. "I'm beginning to think she no longer loves me, with how often she's been running off."
Castor turned away, trying to hide the hurt blossoming on her face, and stuffed the bandages in her pack. Evzam sighed and his smile dropped. "I'm sorry, my dear. That was uncalled for.'
"Nah," she said, turning back to him, "I think I deserved that."
Evzam put his hands on her shoulders and gave them a little shake. "Ah, but I'd never doubt your faith or your heart. Now tell me, my dear, where will your feet take you this time?"
"We're heading west, out to the Spirit's Grave."
"We?" asked Evzam, one of his bushy black eyebrows raising in questioning, "and so far? Child you could get killed out there."
Castor nodded, turned away. "Allistair and I are going, and Riven is coming with as well." The older monk looked about to protest so Castor continued, "I did ask if he wanted to come, and he said yes. Don't worry, I'll keep him safe."
Evzam sighed. "I know better than to argue you out of a journey, but I will demand you keep out of harm's way."
"I will try."
Evzam pulled away, thinking a minute, then reached into a layer of his robes. He withdrew an old string of beads which he then presented to Castor.
"Take these. Make memories with them, then come home and share them with me, yes?"
Castor was taken aback. "...Your prayer beads?" Every monk had a string to meditate with, but this..."Are you sure?"
Evzam smiled and nodded his assurances. "I would like them back one day."
Castor held them carefully, feeling their weight and texture - old and polished wood instead of her own string of glass. With a smile, she slipped the beads around her neck and threw her arms around Evzam. "Definitely."
Did you read the rules? At this point, I REALLY HOPE SO.
