JEAN
DAL'DANIA LORRAINE
DAL'DANIA LORRAINE
AKA Jack Ela'norai
"What can I say? I have a passion for the empowerment of my race."
Full Name:
Jean Dal'Dania Lorraine
Race: Sil'Norai
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 142 Lbs
Birthdate:
85th Ash, 297 AV
25th of Wither
Birth: Bardona of Ciseperant
Location: Daravin
Raw Magic:
Malformity (Expert)
Sigilic Pyromancy (Expert)
Resonance (Novice)
Bane (Novice)
Professions:
Veir (Noble/Politician)
Ebon Knight
Titles:
Veir of House Lorraine
Cleric of the Black Remedy
Factions:
The Daravin Entente
The Black Remedy
Enemies:
The Court of Dusk
Religion:
Ulendreaism
Address:
Landrys Estate,
4 Gleaming Way,
Bardona, Ciseperant,
Daravin
Partners: N/A
Sexuality: Pansexual
Languages:
Fluent: Gentevarese, Silvain
Jean Dal'Dania Lorraine
Race: Sil'Norai
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 142 Lbs
Birthdate:
85th Ash, 297 AV
25th of Wither
Birth: Bardona of Ciseperant
Location: Daravin
Raw Magic:
Malformity (Expert)
Sigilic Pyromancy (Expert)
Resonance (Novice)
Bane (Novice)
Professions:
Veir (Noble/Politician)
Ebon Knight
Titles:
Veir of House Lorraine
Cleric of the Black Remedy
Factions:
The Daravin Entente
The Black Remedy
Enemies:
The Court of Dusk
Religion:
Ulendreaism
Address:
Landrys Estate,
4 Gleaming Way,
Bardona, Ciseperant,
Daravin
Partners: N/A
Sexuality: Pansexual
Languages:
Fluent: Gentevarese, Silvain
DETAILS
.
Possessed of a stalwart, rigid-bodied posture, this short yet imposing figure can be seen as a soldier at first glance. His hands are rugged, coated in nicks and scars, his face pale, gaunt and narrowing yet soft and smooth with the vigor of youth. The silver hair upon his head is often cut to a gangly, yet appealing mess and tied in the back. Meanwhile, his bright, amber eyes - backlit with flames like tiny daggers - always carry a perceptive and discerning edge to them.
Jean can usually be found donning the regal military uniform of House Lorraine, a dark, ashen coat of woven cotton fibers with the silvered winged sword heraldry of his house emblazoned both on the chest opposite the heart, and more prominently upon the center of the back. The jack is bedazzled with more of this silvery, stylized Sil'Norai symbolism down the connecting, laced hems.
Jean can usually be found donning the regal military uniform of House Lorraine, a dark, ashen coat of woven cotton fibers with the silvered winged sword heraldry of his house emblazoned both on the chest opposite the heart, and more prominently upon the center of the back. The jack is bedazzled with more of this silvery, stylized Sil'Norai symbolism down the connecting, laced hems.
Marks of Control
The Black Sigil
Also referred to as the 'Beacon', the Black Sigil is a conduit for powers harnessing the soul. It serves at the Mark of Control for Sigilic Pyromancy. This was imparted upon the right side of his chest, and it will thwart most methods of prolonging one's lifespan. Given to Jean by Aldrin, Jailor of the Black Remedy. [SP]
The Mark of Malformity
A dreamcatcher-shaped symbol tattooed upon the center of his chest. It allows him to channel the power of Malformity through his soul. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, upon his birth. [SP]
The Mark of Resonance
Appearing as a sound wave, this mark was imbued upon Jean's outer-right bicep. It allows him to channel the power of Resonance through his soul. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, before being sent to Sil-Elaine. [CT]
The Black Seed
Appearing as an opaque, inward-curving triskelion emanating dark vines twisting across the skin, the Black Seed germinates steadily as one progresses with Bane. This mark was imbued upon Jean's inner-left bicep such that it may be hard to find. It allows him to channel the power of Bane through his soul. As it grows, Jean's lifespan shrinks. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, after returning from Sil-Elaine. [CT]
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The Black Sigil
The Black Sigil
Also referred to as the 'Beacon', the Black Sigil is a conduit for powers harnessing the soul. It serves at the Mark of Control for Sigilic Pyromancy. This was imparted upon the right side of his chest, and it will thwart most methods of prolonging one's lifespan. Given to Jean by Aldrin, Jailor of the Black Remedy. [SP]
Malformity
The Mark of Malformity
A dreamcatcher-shaped symbol tattooed upon the center of his chest. It allows him to channel the power of Malformity through his soul. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, upon his birth. [SP]
Resonance
The Mark of Resonance
Appearing as a sound wave, this mark was imbued upon Jean's outer-right bicep. It allows him to channel the power of Resonance through his soul. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, before being sent to Sil-Elaine. [CT]
Bane
The Black Seed
Appearing as an opaque, inward-curving triskelion emanating dark vines twisting across the skin, the Black Seed germinates steadily as one progresses with Bane. This mark was imbued upon Jean's inner-left bicep such that it may be hard to find. It allows him to channel the power of Bane through his soul. As it grows, Jean's lifespan shrinks. Given to Jean by his father, Landrys Lorraine, after returning from Sil-Elaine. [CT]
MENTALITY
Likes: Order, Ambition, Animals
Dislikes: Gods, War, Criminals
Merits: Brave, Discerning, Loyal
Flaws: Empathetic, Stubborn, Solitary
Personality
Overview
Tinker Scholar Soldier Spy
Jean is a nobleman and a scholar, but also a form of soldier. It is his birthright, his expectation, and his pride. He is trained to be the best loyal lap-dog he can be, and this is also the expectation he levies upon others in exchange for his camaraderie. Those who are lazy do not deserve his respect. Those who oppose the Montese Lorraine are anathema. Those who oppose Daravin itself should be subjected to destruction.
While his more bookish days are beyond him, Jean spent much of his youth studying to prove his worth. He enjoys musing on sciences or participating in crafts when time allows, but his true fascinations lie in clockwork gadgets or engineering marvels. To him, the body is another form of engineering that Necromancy may then adapt. Beyond this, he is incredibly patient. He knows he has hundreds of years yet to live. Jean is never in a rush except when it is to meet a quota or impress upon his liege.
Jean is a nobleman and a scholar, but also a form of soldier. It is his birthright, his expectation, and his pride. He is trained to be the best loyal lap-dog he can be, and this is also the expectation he levies upon others in exchange for his camaraderie. Those who are lazy do not deserve his respect. Those who oppose the Montese Lorraine are anathema. Those who oppose Daravin itself should be subjected to destruction.
While his more bookish days are beyond him, Jean spent much of his youth studying to prove his worth. He enjoys musing on sciences or participating in crafts when time allows, but his true fascinations lie in clockwork gadgets or engineering marvels. To him, the body is another form of engineering that Necromancy may then adapt. Beyond this, he is incredibly patient. He knows he has hundreds of years yet to live. Jean is never in a rush except when it is to meet a quota or impress upon his liege.
The Entente
A Noble of House Lorraine
Jean was born to nobility. How he thinks and acts is guided highly by his prestigious upbringing, to the point where some may see him as pretentious or snobby. However, this attitude serves a purpose. Everything in Daravin is highly politicized concerning nobility, and information about the flaws or failings of another can lead to shame, which can lead to being made a pariah. Being disowned is rather easy, even for low-ranking Veiren, and having the family name of Lorraine makes things even harder for Jean. More than most, the bar is set very high for Jean's performance, and he is willing to grandstand, manipulate, or be subversive to keep up those appearances.
Jean was born to nobility. How he thinks and acts is guided highly by his prestigious upbringing, to the point where some may see him as pretentious or snobby. However, this attitude serves a purpose. Everything in Daravin is highly politicized concerning nobility, and information about the flaws or failings of another can lead to shame, which can lead to being made a pariah. Being disowned is rather easy, even for low-ranking Veiren, and having the family name of Lorraine makes things even harder for Jean. More than most, the bar is set very high for Jean's performance, and he is willing to grandstand, manipulate, or be subversive to keep up those appearances.
The Candor
Daravinic Etiquette
The Candor and what is or isn't taboo guides much of Jean's attitude, as he was raised on these subjects. Information shall not be revealed without a price. Appearance matters. Get to know one's rivals. Choose alliances well. Be valuable. Do not break that which is taboo. Seeking only the best from his race, Jean is extra critical towards Sil'Norai. However, other 'lesser' races bereft the flair of nobility or a bond forged in warfare are examined and remarked upon as one would an animal. In short: he's a snobby racist. Jean is willing to subtly break taboo traditions when it comes to these Sil'Norai, even affording their homeland of Sil-Elaine an empathetic truce when it comes to the Contra-Jingoistic views of the Entente. He will betray his class to a degree concerning them, fraternizing with the well-kept pointy-eared rabble. All of these considerations will evaporate under the presence of other perceived nobility, as he is fully aware of the social risk he must always face.
While Jean has an aversion to nudity and showing excessive skin—and he will actively shade those who choose to act immodest—Ulendreaism allows him to make exceptions: certain appealing qualities of Templates and Integrations may be a form of showing one's divinity, and Mark of Control derived mutations that necessitate showing skin are also unlikely to be criticized. Even roaming the world as a beast, Jean takes great care to leave the dirt and grime upon his paws and nowhere else. This desire for cleanliness only begins to fade during life and death situations, or the heat of warfare.
The Candor and what is or isn't taboo guides much of Jean's attitude, as he was raised on these subjects. Information shall not be revealed without a price. Appearance matters. Get to know one's rivals. Choose alliances well. Be valuable. Do not break that which is taboo. Seeking only the best from his race, Jean is extra critical towards Sil'Norai. However, other 'lesser' races bereft the flair of nobility or a bond forged in warfare are examined and remarked upon as one would an animal. In short: he's a snobby racist. Jean is willing to subtly break taboo traditions when it comes to these Sil'Norai, even affording their homeland of Sil-Elaine an empathetic truce when it comes to the Contra-Jingoistic views of the Entente. He will betray his class to a degree concerning them, fraternizing with the well-kept pointy-eared rabble. All of these considerations will evaporate under the presence of other perceived nobility, as he is fully aware of the social risk he must always face.
While Jean has an aversion to nudity and showing excessive skin—and he will actively shade those who choose to act immodest—Ulendreaism allows him to make exceptions: certain appealing qualities of Templates and Integrations may be a form of showing one's divinity, and Mark of Control derived mutations that necessitate showing skin are also unlikely to be criticized. Even roaming the world as a beast, Jean takes great care to leave the dirt and grime upon his paws and nowhere else. This desire for cleanliness only begins to fade during life and death situations, or the heat of warfare.
The Remedy
The Black Remedy
Beyond his service to to the Montien, Jean secretly owes allegiance to the Black Remedy. He takes his oath to order seriously enough, at least in a militaristic sense. Blight must be rooted out, and expunged. None should remain forever immortal. His people must be strong; they will serve to benefit the most, uplifted and unified once the Court of Dusk is vanquished. Keeping his service to the Remedy anonymous serves to help protect him from scheming Dranoch, and political persecution alike. Use of his fire magery is oft hand-waived as a demonstration of his Malformity by most, as Jean is known to be well traveled.
Keeping his identity separate from the Black Remedy, Jean has chosen to adopt a nickname in the presence of the order given to him by his superior. "Jack Ela'norai" is what he will answer to, and he will not acknowledge this name even in the presence of his non-affiliated Valran. He will be careful to avoid sharing with other Clerics that he is Veiren, but he doesn't make an effort to truly hide or obscure this fact; other members of the Remedy stationed in Daravin are good at making an educated guess considering his stature, manner of speaking, and personality.
Insofar as loyalty, Jean has been clear with the Jailor: he cannot promise that he will do as the Remedy asks should this conflict with the interests of his family. Until that moment, he will put his life on the line for Aldrin, as a supporter of the rebellion. However, it is not the idea of a Dranoch that disgusts him. Like many mages of Daravin, Jean does privately fancy the power a Blight can bring. It is more the idea of his race being persecuted and the political stigma Blights carry that drives him to oppose the blood harnessing deviants operating Sil-Elaine. Were he to meet a Dranoch that avows themselves of the Court of Dusk, he would weigh his oath against the value of letting them be free at the price of never setting foot upon the demesne of House Lorraine, and in exchange for this amnesty he would want something in return.
Beyond his service to to the Montien, Jean secretly owes allegiance to the Black Remedy. He takes his oath to order seriously enough, at least in a militaristic sense. Blight must be rooted out, and expunged. None should remain forever immortal. His people must be strong; they will serve to benefit the most, uplifted and unified once the Court of Dusk is vanquished. Keeping his service to the Remedy anonymous serves to help protect him from scheming Dranoch, and political persecution alike. Use of his fire magery is oft hand-waived as a demonstration of his Malformity by most, as Jean is known to be well traveled.
Keeping his identity separate from the Black Remedy, Jean has chosen to adopt a nickname in the presence of the order given to him by his superior. "Jack Ela'norai" is what he will answer to, and he will not acknowledge this name even in the presence of his non-affiliated Valran. He will be careful to avoid sharing with other Clerics that he is Veiren, but he doesn't make an effort to truly hide or obscure this fact; other members of the Remedy stationed in Daravin are good at making an educated guess considering his stature, manner of speaking, and personality.
Insofar as loyalty, Jean has been clear with the Jailor: he cannot promise that he will do as the Remedy asks should this conflict with the interests of his family. Until that moment, he will put his life on the line for Aldrin, as a supporter of the rebellion. However, it is not the idea of a Dranoch that disgusts him. Like many mages of Daravin, Jean does privately fancy the power a Blight can bring. It is more the idea of his race being persecuted and the political stigma Blights carry that drives him to oppose the blood harnessing deviants operating Sil-Elaine. Were he to meet a Dranoch that avows themselves of the Court of Dusk, he would weigh his oath against the value of letting them be free at the price of never setting foot upon the demesne of House Lorraine, and in exchange for this amnesty he would want something in return.
Faith
Ulendreaism
When it comes to matters of faith, Jean is resolute. He was raised on the principle of Ulendreaism. While he does not consider himself a zealot, he still adheres to and obeys the whims of the faith, and the Omen who facilitate it. On the other hand, he owes perhaps at least a sliver of his approval to the Living God Malek; the Black Sigil has helped to shape him. However, his cautious acceptance of this god does not extend to his words; Jean would never openly endorse Malek outside of superiors in the Remedy testing him, though he would look over heresy from his followers in private. Other gods are entirely heretical. The other Living Gods, the Choir of Fog, and the Elven Gods, Tyrnac and Lotheric being major threats and frequent matters of discussion.
Jean believes in the existence of the Living Gods, but is reticent to offer them little more than disdain; these Living Gods do not intervene, and when they do, their intervention brings about disorder and conflict. None have been able to prove him wrong regarding this observation, and much of his knowledge about them stems from Nardothis libraries filled with books that are biased enough to highlight more misdeeds than any good they might have shown the world. He even feels this way regarding Malek, to an extent.
When it comes to matters of faith, Jean is resolute. He was raised on the principle of Ulendreaism. While he does not consider himself a zealot, he still adheres to and obeys the whims of the faith, and the Omen who facilitate it. On the other hand, he owes perhaps at least a sliver of his approval to the Living God Malek; the Black Sigil has helped to shape him. However, his cautious acceptance of this god does not extend to his words; Jean would never openly endorse Malek outside of superiors in the Remedy testing him, though he would look over heresy from his followers in private. Other gods are entirely heretical. The other Living Gods, the Choir of Fog, and the Elven Gods, Tyrnac and Lotheric being major threats and frequent matters of discussion.
Jean believes in the existence of the Living Gods, but is reticent to offer them little more than disdain; these Living Gods do not intervene, and when they do, their intervention brings about disorder and conflict. None have been able to prove him wrong regarding this observation, and much of his knowledge about them stems from Nardothis libraries filled with books that are biased enough to highlight more misdeeds than any good they might have shown the world. He even feels this way regarding Malek, to an extent.
Arcane Philosophy
Malformity
As a graduate of Nardothis, Jean's views on the subject of Malformity have been shaped by the scientific and strategic values instilled unto him by his instructors. As Malformists must work harder and smarter than other mages to make the most out of their magic, he must utilize a set of principles and a greater level of distilled knowledge to guide him towards utilizing his forms in complex ways during spurious moments such as war or ambush.
In addition to these tenets, Jean has his own thoughts on the matter. Rare creatures should be treated as any secret weapon, and Jean still hasn't seen many of the Templates belonging to other Malformists within his House. Acknowledging which fauna one utilizes for forms or being a braggart can be seen as a breach of candor, or just plain idiocy. This air of mysteriousness helps him to play off his Pyromancy as an aspect of his Malformity.
It is worth noting that Jean would rather abandon someone to the harshness of the desert than allow them to 'ride' him as one would a steed. He would opt for dragging someone instead if absolutely necessary, only conceding the worth of doing so in matters of war and politics. He is reluctant to cede the 'dominant' role in any situation involving contact.
Sigilic Pyromancy
While the discipline of Sigilic Pyromancy may be Jean's preferred choice of weapon, he scarcely uses it except to make a show of force. He utilizes his Pyromancy more passively to bolster his Malformity, avoiding the more devastating aspects of the discipline to better protect himself politically from the truth.
Resonance
The mobility of Resonance and the ability to control sound has proven highly useful to Jean. He utilizes it to dampen his own sounds on the hunt, position himself favorably within warfare, and to distract or confuse. He has only just begun his foray into the discipline, but he applies his analytical mindset towards the discipline to extract more utility, thinking in terms of how sound will travel and be perceived by others.
As a graduate of Nardothis, Jean's views on the subject of Malformity have been shaped by the scientific and strategic values instilled unto him by his instructors. As Malformists must work harder and smarter than other mages to make the most out of their magic, he must utilize a set of principles and a greater level of distilled knowledge to guide him towards utilizing his forms in complex ways during spurious moments such as war or ambush.
- Fauna must first be sought and explored wholly, then given a subjective judgment based on their unique considerations for synchronicity, especially general motion, mass, musculature, reflex, and senses.
- Templates must be broken down into their constituent traits, distilled to the point they may be recited, as Malformity requires a fluid stream of refined thought to compose its chimeric forms and integrations.
- They must constantly compare and study the natural or unnatural materials from their Templates against the standard metals, as Malformists more than any other face the bite of weaponry in battle.
- The process of adapting forms to one's martial prowess is an art in and of itself. Their approach to combat must take into account their body shape, agility, size, reach, and ability to endure retaliation. They must also consider when swapping to another form would be advantageous.
- The element of surprise is key. Malformists must be strategic and patient ambush predators in warfare.
- The Malformist must know their own limitations, studying how far they can push their own discipline before succumbing to Magithermal Entropy. They should consider staying within a form for a span of weeks before warfare to utilize the discipline in a passive manner, as freeing that small amount of stamina for other spells may very well be the difference between life and death.
In addition to these tenets, Jean has his own thoughts on the matter. Rare creatures should be treated as any secret weapon, and Jean still hasn't seen many of the Templates belonging to other Malformists within his House. Acknowledging which fauna one utilizes for forms or being a braggart can be seen as a breach of candor, or just plain idiocy. This air of mysteriousness helps him to play off his Pyromancy as an aspect of his Malformity.
It is worth noting that Jean would rather abandon someone to the harshness of the desert than allow them to 'ride' him as one would a steed. He would opt for dragging someone instead if absolutely necessary, only conceding the worth of doing so in matters of war and politics. He is reluctant to cede the 'dominant' role in any situation involving contact.
Sigilic Pyromancy
While the discipline of Sigilic Pyromancy may be Jean's preferred choice of weapon, he scarcely uses it except to make a show of force. He utilizes his Pyromancy more passively to bolster his Malformity, avoiding the more devastating aspects of the discipline to better protect himself politically from the truth.
Resonance
The mobility of Resonance and the ability to control sound has proven highly useful to Jean. He utilizes it to dampen his own sounds on the hunt, position himself favorably within warfare, and to distract or confuse. He has only just begun his foray into the discipline, but he applies his analytical mindset towards the discipline to extract more utility, thinking in terms of how sound will travel and be perceived by others.
Flaws
Chinks in the Armor
In spite of his ideals, Jean has a weakness: his empathy. There are holes in the ramparts of his psyche. Holes filled with disgust, fear, and love, and attraction. As much as he might try to bury them, they still, at times, get the best of him. When others are suffering, he cannot help but mentally suffer with them. These facets of his being must never be shown, and he keeps his emotions beneath the surface as much as he can.
In spite of his ideals, Jean has a weakness: his empathy. There are holes in the ramparts of his psyche. Holes filled with disgust, fear, and love, and attraction. As much as he might try to bury them, they still, at times, get the best of him. When others are suffering, he cannot help but mentally suffer with them. These facets of his being must never be shown, and he keeps his emotions beneath the surface as much as he can.
HISTORICS
Shorthand History - The Life of Jean Dal'Dania Lorraine
► Show Spoiler
- Born to Vier Landrys Lorraine and his wife, Vier Rubella Dal'Dania.
- Initiated into Malformity at birth.
- Raised in a household of Candor among several competitive siblings.
- Sent to Nardothis at sixteen. Studied Malformity and Necromancy, graduating at nineteen.
- Wounded when sent to the Imperial Badlands to aid in campaign to quell incurring Raiders.
- Patched up by Necromancy, has an artificial heart that must be replaced every five Arcs.
- Initiated into Resonance, he was sent to Sil-Elaine under secrecy to investigate the Dranoch threat.
- Feeling sympathy for the impoverished, enslaved Sil'Norai, Jean became an Ebon Knight.
- Initiated into Sigilic Pyromancy, receiving the Black Sigil from the Jailor Aldrin Sil'Jalus
- Eschewed social needs entirely to pursue personal and political growth.
- Earning the trust of his father, he was initiated into Bane.
- Lives a complicated life balancing the needs of his family and the Montese, and that of Black Remedy cells across Daravin.
• Chapter 1.
► Show Spoiler
Jean was born to a cradle of fleshy, Necromantic incubation to a sprawling family of dozens of other heirs, each branded with Malformity moments from their 'birth'. The date of birth was never of importance, and he never knew which among his brothers and sisters were older and younger without any obviousness. Only his own date of birth mattered, and only then for documentation. Was he old enough to be sent to Nardothis as another fleshy war puppet? That was the only way in which age mattered to him. Legacy as a Veir meant power in Daravin, and he wouldn't inherit a single farthing from his father if he didn't outshine every last member of his village of a sibling rivalry.
Life was precarious. His brothers were merciless. As age did not matter, a senior might ravage their junior for stepping out of the line. They were always looking for an excuse to be savage within the lines of the Candor. It was a form of fun Jean conceded to them, and he found himself playing those games before long. If a brother died, there were more, and many of his brothers did die. Magithermal Entropy. War. Initiation. Death was a common facet of his life, and religion was the only thing that helped to make sense of his emotions as they spiraled towards apathy: Ulen would return one day, after all.
Jean attended Nardothis the very day he came of age. It was then that his brothers knew exactly how old he was, and he was sure a good half of them marked that event in their ledger. Were they younger, or older? Even such a small detail was a dagger when trying to win these games of Candor. Jean never bothered to obsess, however. He preferred to cultivate his Malformity rather than spend his days frolicking in a zoo of ego-driven nirvana and boring excess. He wanted to live. He wanted to experience more, and war was his fancy.
Driven by a need for excellence, Jean teetered between exceptionalism and outright failure during a grueling three year education. Along the way, he met many other Veiren. Many were incessant, yet he found solace in the scarce few he formed pacts with those loyal to House Lorraine for mutual protection; Nardothis was not absent the Candor, after all. The place was a smithery of minds and bodies, breaking many in the process. Instructors were rarely admonished for felling a student or pushing them beyond their limits to the point of fatality or corruption-induced retardation, yet some more idyllic members of the collegiate helped keep these sadistic tutors in check by shielding students with timely withdrawals for 'pre-planned' tasks.
Other instructors were highly eccentric, and equally as dangerous. Knowledge from one of them might mean chopping a finger off with a race against the clock to learn how to reattach it via Necromantic tools. Another might have pit a student against a dangerous beast to ferret out their potential. Torn apart only to be stabilized by these machinations, many of Daravin's failures would come under the needle repeatedly by untrained, unskilled hands until an instructor stepped in and performed the procedure. Torture was an acknowledged way to make a sensitive student callous. Even cheating on an exam was met with adoration in this strange place, yet punished severely with automatic failure if caught before the grade. After all, guile was yet another way to be of use.
A young teen was regarded as a valuable tool in Nardothis, and a tool that was too weak to harness would soon be cast aside. Athleticism then was constant and daily, with performance measured to meet minimums. Those who could not keep up with a forced march might have been Necromantically altered with Addendums to counteract these deficiencies, doomed to pay costly sums to replace these alterations as they weather. Leaving Nardothis with debt was commonplace; the institution uses this debt to strongarm mages across Daravin to serving as instructors. Jean worked hard to avoid giving them leverage.
In all of this misery, the Candor never ended. Juniors still learning were scolded with increasingly brash corporal punishment. Pain was preferred to humiliation, as everyone knew what happened in Nardothis could reflect poorly upon their family and prospects. Gossip was a favored solace for some, but Jean chose to spend his time studying, having been broken down long before ever attending.
By the end of it, Jean was galvanized with scars as he stood before the graduation committee, yet addled with false confidence and jingoistic ego. Just days prior, he had been squirreling away private notes and drawing diagrams on how he would best pursue the art of Malformity in service to his Montese, using what little time he had left with the sprawling bastion of knowledge Nardothis had to eke out that last bit of philosophical contrivance. He left Nardothis with a profound education in arcana, and an extensive assortment of experience in martial combat.
Returning home, Jean was given an audience with his Montese. He expected Lady Lorraine to have more words for him, but he was presented as one would a tool. She wielded him, and pointed him south towards the Badlands. There, he joined a repeated skirmish between his house and a gang of raiders. A tall man seething with corruption stood before him, a huge pillar of statuesque meat and musculature. Venom of octopus, nor shock of eel, nor primal ferocity were enough to fell this monstrosity of a man. Hurtling into his chest like a huge pendulum, a large and heavy blade struck the mage. It cleaved through solid steel plating and crashed through his ribs to crumple his heart. Catching the hulking man’s dark skin, he remembered the flanged helmet and lifeless visage turning away as if he were just another lamb slaughtered on the battlefront.
Everything went dark. Were it not for a sudden surge of his brothers and the noble act of an accompanying Druid to stabilize him that day, he would have died. Even so, he was left with a barely functioning heart. Jean awoke to a certain kind of humiliation and shame. Shunned by his father and brothers for his failure, they did not reward him with kindness. His father waited to arrange a Necromancer to replace his heart until well after he had let this perception seep in. There would be no weakness within House Lorraine, and certainly not from his sons and daughters. Many of his brothers still mock him for having a 'Broken Heart', as they say.
It took months before Jean adapted to the heart he was given. Following this, he summoned the finest tutors to learn what little remained, forging his way through the last few etheric puzzles within his soul to further the art of Malformity. Those days were a seething rot of corruption upon his soul, and he was a miserable mess drooling bile. Sores littered his body, and his ashen face was riddled with pain. There had been times like this at Nardothis, but it was something else to push himself to this degree for seemingly so little benefit. In the end, he got what he wanted out of it, but again, he suffered for it.
Matching the talent of even his father, Jean impressed the man enough to be gilded in spite of his shame, and he was recommended for further service to the Montese. It only took one glance from the woman before she seemed to know what he would be best suited for. Recently, a number of Dranoch Blights had been captured and disposed of by her Halamire at the borders of Ciseperant, but not before an ambitious Cardinal splintered through a valuable mage and felled them. Jean was ordered to spend a single year spying upon the activities of Dranoch from the sky and rooftops, reporting any useful information he could acquire. One year of solitude, of being an animal. His social life had been nonexistent until then, so he scarcely batted an eye at the request and simply bowed in obedience before he answered to her council on how to best approach the task.
Before this, Jean knew little of Sil-Elaine beyond it being the place his family had fled from. His family seemed keen on avoiding the subject, as many political barbs had been levied upon them for the newness of their presence among the Entente. An elf as Veir was a new thing, and still rare in the political climate. Nardothis left him with fewer allies than a human might have won as a testament to this fact. His father gave him a gift before he could leave, however; a reckless one, in hindsight. Jean was initiated into Resonance as soon as his body could handle the toil, forever altering the way he perceives sound and amplifying his ability to spy for Lierel Lorraine's task.
By way of wing, Jean crossed the border of Sil-Elaine, and he was taken aback by what he saw at the first city he encountered. The level of poverty among the serfs mirrored that of Daravin, yet the people were afforded even fewer liberties. They were fearful, and their gods had abandoned them. Stalking the rooftops as a lowly pigeon, he witnessed a land ruled in the shadows by the Blight that treated them like cattle. Many went about their lives blind to the truth, but there was a growing rumor of rebellion. The Black Remedy.
Fire. Magical fire unlike anything. Following along from a distance, he saw these dark knights of the flame swiftly retreat from the scene of their retribution, leaving behind the ashes of their Blighted victim. Tailing them from a distance for some days through the Darklands, he found their stronghold and descended to the gates of the Citadel Gallows, taking a regal form of scale and feather.
On arrival, Jean was greeted with curious glances before he was halted by a tall, armored Cleric guarding the gates. One thing led to another, and he was brought before The Jailor, Aldrin Sil'Jalus. They conversed at length, and Aldrin seemed to know him well: for every fact Aldrin shared about this secretive order of rebels, Jean offered up more about himself and his motives. In the end, this was deemed sufficient, and Jean was sworn to secrecy and inducted into the order. Swearing an oath he spent several hours deliberating upon, he received the Black Sigil and became a Cleric of the Black Remedy, given an alias to answer from within the order, "Jack Ela'norai."
Life was precarious. His brothers were merciless. As age did not matter, a senior might ravage their junior for stepping out of the line. They were always looking for an excuse to be savage within the lines of the Candor. It was a form of fun Jean conceded to them, and he found himself playing those games before long. If a brother died, there were more, and many of his brothers did die. Magithermal Entropy. War. Initiation. Death was a common facet of his life, and religion was the only thing that helped to make sense of his emotions as they spiraled towards apathy: Ulen would return one day, after all.
Jean attended Nardothis the very day he came of age. It was then that his brothers knew exactly how old he was, and he was sure a good half of them marked that event in their ledger. Were they younger, or older? Even such a small detail was a dagger when trying to win these games of Candor. Jean never bothered to obsess, however. He preferred to cultivate his Malformity rather than spend his days frolicking in a zoo of ego-driven nirvana and boring excess. He wanted to live. He wanted to experience more, and war was his fancy.
Driven by a need for excellence, Jean teetered between exceptionalism and outright failure during a grueling three year education. Along the way, he met many other Veiren. Many were incessant, yet he found solace in the scarce few he formed pacts with those loyal to House Lorraine for mutual protection; Nardothis was not absent the Candor, after all. The place was a smithery of minds and bodies, breaking many in the process. Instructors were rarely admonished for felling a student or pushing them beyond their limits to the point of fatality or corruption-induced retardation, yet some more idyllic members of the collegiate helped keep these sadistic tutors in check by shielding students with timely withdrawals for 'pre-planned' tasks.
Other instructors were highly eccentric, and equally as dangerous. Knowledge from one of them might mean chopping a finger off with a race against the clock to learn how to reattach it via Necromantic tools. Another might have pit a student against a dangerous beast to ferret out their potential. Torn apart only to be stabilized by these machinations, many of Daravin's failures would come under the needle repeatedly by untrained, unskilled hands until an instructor stepped in and performed the procedure. Torture was an acknowledged way to make a sensitive student callous. Even cheating on an exam was met with adoration in this strange place, yet punished severely with automatic failure if caught before the grade. After all, guile was yet another way to be of use.
A young teen was regarded as a valuable tool in Nardothis, and a tool that was too weak to harness would soon be cast aside. Athleticism then was constant and daily, with performance measured to meet minimums. Those who could not keep up with a forced march might have been Necromantically altered with Addendums to counteract these deficiencies, doomed to pay costly sums to replace these alterations as they weather. Leaving Nardothis with debt was commonplace; the institution uses this debt to strongarm mages across Daravin to serving as instructors. Jean worked hard to avoid giving them leverage.
In all of this misery, the Candor never ended. Juniors still learning were scolded with increasingly brash corporal punishment. Pain was preferred to humiliation, as everyone knew what happened in Nardothis could reflect poorly upon their family and prospects. Gossip was a favored solace for some, but Jean chose to spend his time studying, having been broken down long before ever attending.
By the end of it, Jean was galvanized with scars as he stood before the graduation committee, yet addled with false confidence and jingoistic ego. Just days prior, he had been squirreling away private notes and drawing diagrams on how he would best pursue the art of Malformity in service to his Montese, using what little time he had left with the sprawling bastion of knowledge Nardothis had to eke out that last bit of philosophical contrivance. He left Nardothis with a profound education in arcana, and an extensive assortment of experience in martial combat.
Returning home, Jean was given an audience with his Montese. He expected Lady Lorraine to have more words for him, but he was presented as one would a tool. She wielded him, and pointed him south towards the Badlands. There, he joined a repeated skirmish between his house and a gang of raiders. A tall man seething with corruption stood before him, a huge pillar of statuesque meat and musculature. Venom of octopus, nor shock of eel, nor primal ferocity were enough to fell this monstrosity of a man. Hurtling into his chest like a huge pendulum, a large and heavy blade struck the mage. It cleaved through solid steel plating and crashed through his ribs to crumple his heart. Catching the hulking man’s dark skin, he remembered the flanged helmet and lifeless visage turning away as if he were just another lamb slaughtered on the battlefront.
Everything went dark. Were it not for a sudden surge of his brothers and the noble act of an accompanying Druid to stabilize him that day, he would have died. Even so, he was left with a barely functioning heart. Jean awoke to a certain kind of humiliation and shame. Shunned by his father and brothers for his failure, they did not reward him with kindness. His father waited to arrange a Necromancer to replace his heart until well after he had let this perception seep in. There would be no weakness within House Lorraine, and certainly not from his sons and daughters. Many of his brothers still mock him for having a 'Broken Heart', as they say.
It took months before Jean adapted to the heart he was given. Following this, he summoned the finest tutors to learn what little remained, forging his way through the last few etheric puzzles within his soul to further the art of Malformity. Those days were a seething rot of corruption upon his soul, and he was a miserable mess drooling bile. Sores littered his body, and his ashen face was riddled with pain. There had been times like this at Nardothis, but it was something else to push himself to this degree for seemingly so little benefit. In the end, he got what he wanted out of it, but again, he suffered for it.
Matching the talent of even his father, Jean impressed the man enough to be gilded in spite of his shame, and he was recommended for further service to the Montese. It only took one glance from the woman before she seemed to know what he would be best suited for. Recently, a number of Dranoch Blights had been captured and disposed of by her Halamire at the borders of Ciseperant, but not before an ambitious Cardinal splintered through a valuable mage and felled them. Jean was ordered to spend a single year spying upon the activities of Dranoch from the sky and rooftops, reporting any useful information he could acquire. One year of solitude, of being an animal. His social life had been nonexistent until then, so he scarcely batted an eye at the request and simply bowed in obedience before he answered to her council on how to best approach the task.
Before this, Jean knew little of Sil-Elaine beyond it being the place his family had fled from. His family seemed keen on avoiding the subject, as many political barbs had been levied upon them for the newness of their presence among the Entente. An elf as Veir was a new thing, and still rare in the political climate. Nardothis left him with fewer allies than a human might have won as a testament to this fact. His father gave him a gift before he could leave, however; a reckless one, in hindsight. Jean was initiated into Resonance as soon as his body could handle the toil, forever altering the way he perceives sound and amplifying his ability to spy for Lierel Lorraine's task.
By way of wing, Jean crossed the border of Sil-Elaine, and he was taken aback by what he saw at the first city he encountered. The level of poverty among the serfs mirrored that of Daravin, yet the people were afforded even fewer liberties. They were fearful, and their gods had abandoned them. Stalking the rooftops as a lowly pigeon, he witnessed a land ruled in the shadows by the Blight that treated them like cattle. Many went about their lives blind to the truth, but there was a growing rumor of rebellion. The Black Remedy.
Fire. Magical fire unlike anything. Following along from a distance, he saw these dark knights of the flame swiftly retreat from the scene of their retribution, leaving behind the ashes of their Blighted victim. Tailing them from a distance for some days through the Darklands, he found their stronghold and descended to the gates of the Citadel Gallows, taking a regal form of scale and feather.
On arrival, Jean was greeted with curious glances before he was halted by a tall, armored Cleric guarding the gates. One thing led to another, and he was brought before The Jailor, Aldrin Sil'Jalus. They conversed at length, and Aldrin seemed to know him well: for every fact Aldrin shared about this secretive order of rebels, Jean offered up more about himself and his motives. In the end, this was deemed sufficient, and Jean was sworn to secrecy and inducted into the order. Swearing an oath he spent several hours deliberating upon, he received the Black Sigil and became a Cleric of the Black Remedy, given an alias to answer from within the order, "Jack Ela'norai."
The Vow of the Ebon Knight
• Chapter 2.► Show Spoiler
From Oaths, Order.
Order is my commitment. Strength is my tool. Belief is my weapon.
I am one blade among a million, pointed to the forms of our slavers; meant to drive through their necks. To rectify their scourge.
I am the Cleric that will cure the land. I am the Wraith that will cull the deathless. I am the Revenant that will hunt them beyond the grave.
From Oaths, Order. With Order, Strength and Belief, we will be free.
Order is my commitment. Strength is my tool. Belief is my weapon.
I am one blade among a million, pointed to the forms of our slavers; meant to drive through their necks. To rectify their scourge.
I am the Cleric that will cure the land. I am the Wraith that will cull the deathless. I am the Revenant that will hunt them beyond the grave.
From Oaths, Order. With Order, Strength and Belief, we will be free.
► Show Spoiler
For the next few months, Jack as they knew him, was trained as an Ebon Knight in the ways of Sigilic Pyromancy, opting for a clawed gauntlet as his choice weapon to compliment his myriad of forms. His very first Flame Lance was a liberating experience, and he soon found himself addicted to the magic. As an already talented mage, he was able to solve his abilities and grow rapidly in strength to the point of being in a constant state of mild mageblight. Rations were not so plentiful here, so he lost plenty of weight. When his training came to an end, he was perceived as strange and unnatural for how quickly he took to this Pyromancy.
His association with the Entente kept between he and Aldrin, Jean allowed several ways for which the Remedy could contact him. He agreed to assist the Black Remedy in culling the Dranoch that had fled Sil-Elaine to Daravin and the world over, serving among the forces assigned to contain the Blight and quell its reach. This Living God, 'Malek', he would never speak the name of, even when his thoughts might fall upon this wrathful being of flame and death meddling in the affairs of men.
When Jean arrived back in Ciseperant of Daravin, he was given an audience with the Lady Lorraine once more. His eyes had become like fiery jewels, a sign of divinity she remarked upon before he informed her of the state of Sil-Elaine. Withholding the Black Remedy, he told her a story of a land ruled by blight, of heathens, and of poverty and corruption. She did not seem so surprised, and promptly dismissed him to pursue another matter. A year of work for Lady Lorraine, and he wasn't given so much as a compliment? Such was the life of the Entente. The thought barely weighed upon him after a fortnight of self pity.
Jean chose to put aside his social concerns, favoring personal and political development in the matters of magic, war, science, and the betterment of the lands of his Montese. After so many years, he was starting to feel like a rank and file Entente. Yet he knew now, what made a mage of Daravin so fearsome. This drive for excellence saw him develop both Journeyman and Expert Quirks for his Pyromancy and Malformity. Serving his Montese, he drew enough trust from his father to be initiated into Bane; the weight of the decision haunts him now. Life is short, with the Black Seed.
To fulfill his oath to the Black Remedy, Jean snuck out to an inn within Bardonna on the regular, waiting for correspondence from the Remedy cell stationed in Daravin. These were delivered in the form of letters ordering him to gather information in Daravin to assist with elven recruitment to the cause, and to sniff out suspected Dranoch. It was a job uniquely suited to a Malformist with muddled allegiances, and a task he pursued almost as one would a hobby. His life balancing these two obligations became rather complicated: hunting Blights was only so important to his family, especially beyond the borders of Ciseperant. Instead, he penned written arguments regarding his hunt for the Templates of Malformity, and this has seemingly kept his family at bay… for now. More excuses would become necessary with time. Many of the rumors of Blight stemmed from the deserts to the south. Jean was still weary of those corrupted raiders, but he still took every task he could to do with that Ulen-forsaken hell of dirt and filthy miscreants.
His association with the Entente kept between he and Aldrin, Jean allowed several ways for which the Remedy could contact him. He agreed to assist the Black Remedy in culling the Dranoch that had fled Sil-Elaine to Daravin and the world over, serving among the forces assigned to contain the Blight and quell its reach. This Living God, 'Malek', he would never speak the name of, even when his thoughts might fall upon this wrathful being of flame and death meddling in the affairs of men.
When Jean arrived back in Ciseperant of Daravin, he was given an audience with the Lady Lorraine once more. His eyes had become like fiery jewels, a sign of divinity she remarked upon before he informed her of the state of Sil-Elaine. Withholding the Black Remedy, he told her a story of a land ruled by blight, of heathens, and of poverty and corruption. She did not seem so surprised, and promptly dismissed him to pursue another matter. A year of work for Lady Lorraine, and he wasn't given so much as a compliment? Such was the life of the Entente. The thought barely weighed upon him after a fortnight of self pity.
Jean chose to put aside his social concerns, favoring personal and political development in the matters of magic, war, science, and the betterment of the lands of his Montese. After so many years, he was starting to feel like a rank and file Entente. Yet he knew now, what made a mage of Daravin so fearsome. This drive for excellence saw him develop both Journeyman and Expert Quirks for his Pyromancy and Malformity. Serving his Montese, he drew enough trust from his father to be initiated into Bane; the weight of the decision haunts him now. Life is short, with the Black Seed.
To fulfill his oath to the Black Remedy, Jean snuck out to an inn within Bardonna on the regular, waiting for correspondence from the Remedy cell stationed in Daravin. These were delivered in the form of letters ordering him to gather information in Daravin to assist with elven recruitment to the cause, and to sniff out suspected Dranoch. It was a job uniquely suited to a Malformist with muddled allegiances, and a task he pursued almost as one would a hobby. His life balancing these two obligations became rather complicated: hunting Blights was only so important to his family, especially beyond the borders of Ciseperant. Instead, he penned written arguments regarding his hunt for the Templates of Malformity, and this has seemingly kept his family at bay… for now. More excuses would become necessary with time. Many of the rumors of Blight stemmed from the deserts to the south. Jean was still weary of those corrupted raiders, but he still took every task he could to do with that Ulen-forsaken hell of dirt and filthy miscreants.
