The Gravelings

Bio: Pyotr Wolfsbane

2012-01-20T09:16:38Z

Pyotr Wolfsbane

Survivalist
Wild man

Name: Pyotr Wolfsbane, he earned the title
Age: 321
Gender/Preference: Male. Unknown.
Title: Mage.
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Hearth taught until his parents' deaths. He learned most of his magic on his own.
Residence: Marion Woods
Familiar: A grizzly bear named Ralph. Ralph is also very good at healing magic, but has jinx to boot. He helps Pyotr on his hunts and sets traps.
Magical abilities: Wood, iron, earth. Abjuration. Healing.
Appearance: Typically unkempt. He looks like a man on the run who has been living in the wild most of his life (probably because he has).

Personality: Single minded, once he has a focus he sees it through to the end.
Strengths: He's a survivor. Can live in the woods unaided for months on end.
Weaknesses:
Quirks:
Secrets:

Biography: Pyotr is a survivor, born in the Marion Woods. His mother was born with the gift of fortuna, but she never quite mastered the use of it. She disobeyed her parents to be with her lover (who was not the sort of man they wanted their daughter to end up with and therefor forbidden). Much of Pyotr's childhood had been swept under the rug due to his mother's frequent psychotic breaks; she had become addicted to vision enhancing drugs and while pregnant she stopped taking them. Without the drugs she lost her grip on reality; no amount of poking from Pyotr's father could get her to start the drugs up again. Pyotr's father did what he could to shield the child, but Pyotr had to grow up very fast as a result.

Pyotr's family suffered a vicious attack by a pair of werewolves. His mother died instantly, his father took days to die from his wounds. Pyotr remained unscathed, protected by his strong abjuration magic. He buried his parents in the backyard of their little shack in the middle of the Woods.

After the death of his parents Pyotr vowed to never meet a werewolf and leave them alive. Much of his adult life has been spent keeping this promise and he became known as Pyotr Wolfsbane.

His reputation precedes him and he makes his living in the revenge business, tracking and hunting the werewolves who killed and maimed others loved ones.

Biography: Ohana Hitomi

2010-09-07T05:28:45Z

Ohana Hitomi

Weaver of dreams
Wanderer
Woman of words
Winding of path

Her familiar Casius

The journal she shares with her twin brother Oharu is covered in black silk, weathered with age and frequent travel. It used to have a velvet pouch that the siblings carried it in but Ohana lost it many years ago, now it sits in her usual pack among her few other possessions when she has it, upon his desk at home when he has it. It also used to have tiny crystals studding the front, like stars in the night sky, but all of them fell off at one point or another and Oharu reused them to make jewelry for his sister. The writing in their journal is as changing as the twin moods, breezy then blustering.

Name: Ohana Yukiko Hitomi (translated into prose: O flower snow child who sees)
Age: 39
Gender/Preference: female, at best she'd be considered bi, but gender doesn't matter to her
Title: Weaver
Student/Scholar/Graduate: she was kicked out of Salem before she could finish middle school
Residence: she's a wanderer. Currently she's been bunking in New Meridian, but she's been known to kip in Hamlin if there's a spare bed
Familiar: her familiar is a coal black raven who flies over her head at most times. Occasionally he will sit on her right forearm when she offers it and whisper to her. His name is Casius.
Magical abilities: Weaving (obviously). Her elements are water, wood, and earth. She weaves a majority of the time. She also has mild Fortuna magic though it is nothing she can control, unbidden visions of mundane things that come to her in dreams (which is peculiar as Weavers typically do not dream for themselves and cannot weave for each other). She has a natural ability at Daemon magic, however she doesn't use it and has not developed it.

Appearance: She bears the asiatic looks of the lost Daemon clan, though she makes no claims as to whether or not she is descended of them. She has a bizarre sense of fashion and wears gaudy, mismatched pieces of clothing and jewelry. Her hair grows very long in her sleep, a trait of the weavers and she has a tendency to cut it in a new length or style every day. Occasionally she will sweep it up and not bother with scissors, but since she always has a pair on hand those days are rare.
Personality: She is not as cruel as her contemporaries, however she will cast a nightmare for someone whom she feels deserves it. She is in love with nature and spends a good majority of her time out of doors. Her biggest dichotomy is that she also loves the city, the thrill of adventure and all of those open minds for which she can weave her dreams. She tries to split her time evenly between both places. She's a bit of a drama queen. She is blunt in her speech and opinions. She seems to like strange friends and has been known to consort with werewolves (among other magical beasts) as easily as she does with a typical mage. She does not see the lines mages draw with their magic and their abilities and likes to muddy them up.
Strengths: extremely sensitive hearing (which is also a weakness); she can hear a single blade of grass singing in the wind, though when she is in the city it can be deafening. She is dreadfully kind, even given her bad luck as a weaver.
Weaknesses: she has a penchant for the overly dramatic, her clothing choices alone speak to that.
Quirks: besides her bizarro fashion sense? Perhaps the way she carries herself and the blunt manner of her speech. She always has a pair of scissors on hand to cut her hair when she first wakes up in the morning.
Secrets: Ohana has only one secret, and one which she cannot reveal to anyone. She had a daughter with a shapeshifter on Linoa Island. She was exiled from the island because of her weaving (something which shapeshifters have HUGE disdain for). Because of Linoan law she was not able to take her daughter with her, something which weighs heavily on the otherwise happy-go-lucky Ohana.

Biography: She was born a fraternal twin to regular mage parents Kaori and Makoto Hitomi, both of whom practice Daemon magic. Ohana showed no interest in her obvious talent for Daemon magic and focused on her other abilities. Her parents were quite woebegone when her weaving abilities surfaced and did all in their power to stop it; they knew the history of Weavers and how unfortunate and unlucky they usually are. However it couldn't be helped and Ohana was weaving dreams before she properly understood how.

She grew up in New Meridian and has considered it her home for the length of her life, however often she has actually lived there. Even with her frequent travels she maintains a decent relationship with her parents (who are not very pleased with her weaving) and a very deep relationship with her brother.

At age 7 she was accepted to Salem Academy. At the age of 14 Ohana discovered her first weaver life match (a fairly rare thing for a weaver so young, though not unheard of); she recently learned that this life match is Garage Chance. Her early career at the school was spotty and her interest in weaving left her vulnerable to taunts and retaliations which led to her expulsion from the Middle School at the age of 16. Her brother attempted to protect her, but he was not always with her and could not shield her from everything. After a rather cruel prank was played on her she spread a particularly nasty wave of nightmares upon all the students who had ever teased her to the point that some had night terrors for weeks. The incident (or incidents, as they were spread out over a few days) could not go unpunished and Ohana was one of the few students ever expelled from Salem Academy.

She wandered around for some time at the behest of her parents who wanted her to return home, or attend another school. Ohana had had enough of schooling in her opinion and felt the heedless joy of traveling on her own. She drifted from town to town for almost eighteen years until at the age of 34 she had her first dream. She felt so very strange because those things she had been weaving her entire life had finally happened to her. She didn't yet realize that it wasn't a dream, but a vision in the guise of a dream, the first inklings of the Fortune magic she'd been born with.

In the vision she was standing at the front of Graves Hall, simply looking up at the building. She knew of the place and felt prompted to go there. Nothing spectacular happened (or so she believes), though in following the vision she changed her course of fate. Instead of drifting she settled down in Hamlin for a while and weaved her dreams for the people who lived there.

Every vision that followed the first was some mundane action that Ohana was bound to follow. At each course of action her fate would change in some peculiar way that seemed like the flowing current of a gentle river; Ohana hardly noticed and never questioned.

She has crossed the paths of many in Hamlin, Salem, and New Meridian whether or not they know it and has collected a coterie of bizarre friends. In more recent years she's taken up her habit of wandering aimlessly again. She'll travel for a few days before she grows tired (she uses spells to keep her awake and energetic otherwise) and find some random place to sleep, sometimes with a friend, sometimes at one of the brothels in New Meridian, sometimes in the first place she lands.

Ohana recently married Cressida Wolff, a woman whom she has fallen deeply in love with.

Biography: Isadore Morrow

2010-09-07T05:24:04Z

Name: Isadore Morrow (formerly Bellefleur)
Age: 19
Gender/Preference: Female. Straight.
Title: Mage
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Student at Salem Academy
Residence: New Meridian
Familiar: None as yet.
Magical abilities: Water, Illusions, Jinx, Spells
Appearance: Very short and slim. She likes to wear skirts and dresses a lot more than pants.

Personality: Very manipulative. She's very clever about getting her way; she's careful to make sure no one is aware of her hand in every scheme.
Strengths: Clever
Weaknesses: Selfish, impertinent, self-important.
Quirks: Loves swimming and water.
Secrets: Isadore helped arrange the situation for her pregnancy.

Biography: Isadore was born to Franklin and Priscilla Bellefleur. Both of her parents died when Isadore was only 7 months old in a horrible magic related accident that is rarely spoken about. She was raised by her aunt, her mother's sister, Cressida Wolff.

Cressida did what she could with the child, but it was difficult being that she had been living and working down the Dark Way since long before her niece was born. She knew that Priscilla wouldn't want her raising her child (mainly because of her lifestyle, but also because the sisters had a tremendous falling out a few years earlier). Still, there was no one else. In a way, raising Isadore was Cressida's act of attrition. She was a good mother, despite her peculiar lifestyle.

Isadore attended Salem Academy, however with her pregnancy she is debating if she will continue to go. Her child (whom she is aware is a girl) is more important to her than continuing her studies.

She became romantically involved with Gideon Morrow one evening when he wandered down the Dark Way. She found him curious, at the very least interesting and decided to learn more. Over time, playing coy and innocent (which was so far from what Isadore really is) she began to win him over. She decided that the only way she could keep him was to become pregnant; it would guarantee that he would marry her.

She contacted one of her associates on the dark way, a bald man by the name of Aries. She was pleased to find that he was already on a task to ruin Gideon Morrow's life. What better way than to have the man impregnate and later marry a very young, and presumably innocent girl. Aries wasn't even remotely reluctant to work on it, though he had to ensure that Isadore would play along.

She was only too willing and submitted to a lust spell which would make Gideon insane with desire. Shortly thereafter Isadore began having symptoms of pregnancy and was overjoyed to share the news with Gideon (who was of course, flabbergasted to say the least).

They were married quickly and as quietly as possible. Isadore has been living with Gideon ever since. She gave birth to her daughter, Katrana and almost immediately handed the girl off to a live-in nanny. She doesn't try very hard to be a good mother, since she's convinced that she's not particularly suited to it.

Biography: Circe

2010-09-07T05:22:42Z

Name: Circe
AKA: Aries, Eden, Gunnar
Age: Unknown. Her age changes every time she shifts forms, so she doesn't have a really strong grip on how old she is.
Gender/Preference: Usually female. Unknown.
Title: Mage, Shapeshifter
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Did not attend Salem Academy.
Residence: New Meridian.
Familiar: Has no familiar.
Magical abilities: Gifted with illusions and abjuration. Her birth elements are iron and fire. She is a skilled persona shapeshifter.
Appearance: When she's Circe she likes to wear hooded things and jewelry with big, polished stones. Aries wears fitted shirts with casual slacks and dress shoes, more disposable clothes when he's on a job. Eden wears the latest fashions and expensive jewelry. Gunnar wears ratty jeans, t-shirts, and army-style jackets.

Personality: Dynamic. Semi-fluid. She can be a bit erratic. Clever, mostly smart. When she shifts personas her personality shifts too. Eden is more social and also more exclusive. Gunnar is more gregarious and a serious substance abuser. Aries is easily the darkest and most violent of her personas.
Strengths: Her ability to adapt. Her personas are fairly cohesive and Circe can easily control them even when she's not "herself."
Weaknesses: She doesn't stay in one place for very long and she's terrible at keeping friends.
Quirks: She adores crackers and cheese.
Secrets: They're secret.

Biography: Very little is actually known about Circe's past and she never speaks on it. What is known is that she grew up on Linoa island. At some point she emigrated to the mainland. Circe claims not to remember much of her past and explains that she was the victim of an extensive amnesia spell. This is a calculated lie.

Circe grew up on Linoa island. Her parents were both persona shifters who lost themselves from shifting too often in and out of personas. Her mother went entirely mad and leaped into the volcano at the heart of Linoa. Her father went mad more slowly and deteriorated during Circe's formative years. He eventually died from starvation when he stopped eating.

Circe learned from their example never to leap too fast from persona to persona. She always shifted back into herself before shifting into another. She took her time learning how to be one persona, developing connections between them and her base persona. Of all the persona shifters on Linoa island Circe is easily the most integrated. Even when she swaps into another persona she still has a measure of control.

She developed the cutthroat persona Aries to help her get off Linoa island (and the hard memories that plagued her there). She took assassination contracts and other unseemly jobs from Bonne LaChance and other shapeshifters in the business. He botched one job (having to kill two innocent bystanders) which landed him in a volcano shaft working to keep the volcano from exploding by venting magma safely for an entire year. This punishment prevented Circe from shifting into Aries for a whole decade.

Once she'd earned enough trust to be allowed to travel to the mainland at will (and keep the secret of shapeshifting from those curious parties on the mainland), she moved to an apartment in New Meridian. It was here that she developed the personas of Eden and Gunnar. Gunnar was a way to let loose, to party frivolously and loudly. Eden was a way to enjoy the finer things in life; through Eden she gained access to high class parties and high class people.

She returned to Linoa briefly when her brother impregnated a Weaver from the mainland. She wanted to get to know her niece (who wouldn't be allowed on the mainland for some time). Unfortunately the weaver, Ohana, was banished from Linoa for weaving for its residents. This was against all of their laws. Ohana was not allowed to take her daughter with her and begged Circe to help raise the girl.

Circe helped until she was called back to the mainland on business from Bonne. She figured that Amaterasu, being 13 was old enough to handle herself and her father was certainly able enough to keep the girl out of trouble (both of which were horribly wrong assumptions). Ama snuck out to the mainland to find out about her real mother. It was here that Ama discovered her ability to weave dreams and found her life match.

Unfortunately for Amaterasu, Circe's business from Bonne was to locate and terminate a family of shapeshifters who had traveled to the mainland without permission. As Aries, Circe had to kill the entire family. He assumed the boy, Nix, had died with the rest from his injuries. Nix survived without his memories and started school at Salem. Nix was Ama's life match. Aries didn't know his connection to the girl she'd raised and killed him in his sleep, while Amaterasu was weaving for him. Ama knows that Circe was his killer since her mind was connected to Nix as he died. Circe has yet to learn this or the deep seated grudge Ama carries as a result.

Recently Aries killed Kiri Lossehelin on a job from Bonne. His next bit of business will be to impersonate the girl and gain access to the Lossehelin Hotel's safe to retrieve an item for his client.

Biography: Margaret Caldwell

2010-09-07T05:17:57Z

Margaret Caldwell

Demon
Lawyer
Not above irony

Name: Margaret Caldwell
Age: Unknown. Margaret doesn't disclose her age in general, but she'll lie to other humans, claiming she's in her "late 30's." She's not entirely certain how old she actually is because the flow of time varies from one realm to another and she travels quite frequently. It's not a huge concern to her, as the human facade she has taken on does not appear to age.
Gender/Preference: Female. She prefers anyone who can tussle with her and hold their own.
Title: Demon.
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Never went to school in Aylasia. She has a degree in law from Harvard.
Residence: Previously Burnham City, currently New Meridian.
Familiar: None.
Magical abilities: She keeps her abilities private, due in part to the fact that she physically changes when she uses them. However she can utilize them to protect herself when working with most other magically related creatures/people (and she only likes to use them in this realm when she has to), revealing her true nature and demon appearance in the process. She'd rather use her wits and charm to work through difficult situations.
Appearance: Her human appearance does not seem to age. She looks well presented in public, gorgeously dressed and coiffed. At home she doesn't bother so much, but she's still usually pressed, prim, and proper.

Personality: Charming and witty. She's has a strong sense of right and wrong (and is happy to do wrong anyway). Extremely Professional. Has little to no motherly ambitions, though she adores Bernadette and has relished raising her.
Strengths:
Weaknesses: Using her magic reveals her true form
Quirks:
Secrets: (1) She's an old school demon (2) She won't tell me the reason why she's afraid of Bet's mom

Biography: Margaret Caldwell is a demon and formerly a lawyer for Westerveldt & Parrish. She is the guardian of Bernadette. Bernadette calls her Mags, but she is the only one allowed to call her so.

Margaret worked in odd-job contracts for W & P. She was often in contact with the shadier element in Burnham City (as well as many other urban settings). Some of her favorite contracts to negotiate deal in dark magicks and those who cast them.

Recently she's had to uproot Bernadette and return to Aylasia for fear that Bernadette's natural mother will find them.

Margaret was actually born in Aylasia when demons still walked the world. She was one of the fortunates who escaped from the Demon/Daemon conflict by traveling to another dimension. She hadn't returned to Aylasia until now though she's known for some time that the war was long over.

Adjusting to her old home world is going to be a process.

Biography: Bernadette

2010-09-07T05:16:13Z

Bernadette

Secret half-demon
Fish out of water

Name: Bernadette
Age: 19
Gender/Preference: Female. Mostly interested in boys.
Title: Half-Demon
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Bet's been in and out of schools in our world and just barely got a high school degree.
Residence: Previously Burnham City. Currently New Meridian.
Familiar: None.
Magical abilities: At present her abilities are untested and unknown. Margaret has been unable to properly train her.
Appearance: Bet likes to dress casually, wearing tank tops or t-shirts and jeans. She has her hair braided and sometimes pulls it back into a ponytail or dresses it with a bandana or headband.

Personality: Emotionally unstable.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Quirks: She doesn't much like cold weather, but endured Burnham's tough winters while living with Margaret by drinking hot cocoa every day an wearing super heavy sweaters and thick socks.
Secrets: (1) She's displaced in time (2) She doesn't know she's a native Aylasian

Biography:Bernadette is the ward of demon-lawyer Margaret Caldwell.

"Born" to a drug addicted mother and absentee father, Bet didn't get the best start in life. She'd been in and out of foster homes for many years after the accidental overdose death of her mother and the continued absence of her father. Despite her frequent moving and behavioral problems, she was a very bright student and quick learner.

She came to the attention of Margaret after some peculiar happenings at the girl's junior high school. It didn't take long for Margaret to conclude that Bernadette was a special girl who needed a particular kind of help. Margaret took her in and the two have lived together since.

Bernadette was supposed to start college last year, but she had some setbacks personally which kept her from going. She was supposed to start at Burnham University in the fall, but Margaret uprooted her and brought her to Aylasia.

It turns out that this is the world Bernadette belongs in. Her real mother (which up until now Bet has not known about) is a demon who hid her daughter in another dimension. Margaret realized that Bet was actually Aylasian like her and insisted on taking her in (though keeping all of this secret from her charge).

When Margaret became fearful that Bet's real mother would find them in Burnham City she arranged for them to travel and has set up an apartment in New Meridian. Bet doesn't know much about her secret past, but she's already pressing Margaret for answers while trying to acclimate to this new setting.

Biography: Beatrix Teufel

2010-09-07T05:14:41Z

Trix Indeed
AKA: Beatrix Teufel
The intensely lusty vamp
of Isla Nuit

Name: Beatrix Teufel, AKA Trix Indeed
Age: Unknown.
Gender/Preference: Female. She'll do anyone who isn't nailed down. And then eat them.
Title: Vamp
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Former Student of Marik Academy. Left after middle school.
Residence: 13 Hex Way Apt Z, Isla Nuit.
Familiar: Has no familiar. It's not certain if she had one and scared it off or if she killed it when she became a vampire.
Magical abilities: Mostly vamp related stuff. She's a stitch at jinx magic, which was her specialty at Marik.
Appearance: She has tattoos down both of her arms, most of them gotten down the Dark Way, all of them with some magical purpose (like protection wards).

Personality: Intense. No real moral compass.
Strengths: That whole awesome vamped thing.
Weaknesses: Sunshine.
Quirks: She has a particular love of people that smell and taste like cake.
Secrets: none as yet.

Biography: Trix grew up on the mainland in Marik. Her dad was a bit out of his mind back then (and he only got worse when Trix got the bright idea to turn him). He raised her after her mother died in childbirth (which is probably why Trix has skewed values and intense behaviors).

She herself was turned during a visit to Isla Partei only a few years back. She made quick work of turning on her maker and having him as her first meal. She found that she didn't mind being a vampire so much, in fact, she was fairly well suited to it. She moved to Isla Nuit, the vampire haven, but frequently traveled to other places to eat.

Trix shares an apartment with Amon, whom she is always dragging out to the parties, and her cousin Imma (who she did not turn, but who came to her when she was because sweet little Imma had NO idea what being a vampire was all about). Trixie has a weird obsession with Anjelique Ostadar; it's kind of cute.

Biography: Teàrlag Chance

2010-09-07T05:11:16Z

Teàrlag Chance

Half-faerie girl
All faerie body

Name: Teàrlag Chance
Age: 19
Gender/Preference: Female. She doesn't talk about preference.
Title: Faerie
Student/Scholar/Graduate: She was home-schooled.
Residence: Hamlin
Familiar: Teàrlag has no familiar.
Magical abilities: she has all of the fey abilities, more so than her sister. Her mage abilities are few and far between. She has had visions, but she tells no one of them.
Appearance: She is short and slender. She has long brown hair and dark eyes. Her skin is pale and luminescent, usually coated with a thin layer of faerie dust. Her wings are translucent white, sometimes appearing to have a bluish hue to them; they're stronger than they appear. She wears long dresses most of the time, clothing that she makes specifically for her faerie form from cloth woven by faeries and bought with fey coin. She's often barefoot, like her sister, though this is more because it's difficult to get shoes in faerie sizes.

Personality: She has a typical fey temperament. She'll move through emotions quickly. She is fiercely loyal to those who've earned it. She's not ashamed of her lineage, but she's not particularly proud of it either. Teàrlag is more complex than she appears on the surface. She's a dreadful romantic and she believes that there is someone in the world for her to love.
Strengths: Her fey abilities are unparalleled among half-faeries. Her wings are strong and she can fly great distances.
Weaknesses: She has great difficultly maintaining a mage form. She has the typical allergy to iron. She becomes extremely intoxicated from any sort of caffeine (she can't drink caffeinated teas, coffee, or eat chocolate without getting completely high).
Quirks: If she sneezes in mage form she'll revert to fey form. She observes the high fey holidays, though her father and many of her fey relations do not. Her fey name is Emer Fionnghuala (meaning swift, fair white shoulder). She sheds a lot of faerie dust.
Secrets: Has had a few visions in her lifetime, but she's never told anyone about them. She knows what they are and what they mean, but she doesn't want anyone else to know that she's had them.

Biography: She was born in the town of Hamlin 19 years ago to a faerie father (Tadg) and a human mother (Suri). She is the younger sister of Samra Chance. She doesn't have a very good relationship with her sister, though that may have to do with their difference in age and abilities.

When it was time to decide whether or not to go to school Teàrlag decided that her form hindered her from properly learning at a place like Salem. She decided to be home-schooled and was taught magic by her mother and father.

She was educated in hearth magic by her mother, though she had little talent for it. Her father taught her all manner of faerie magic; what she couldn't learn from him she learned from her grandmother and other faerie relations.

She travels frequently between Hamlin and the outlying areas closer to her faerie relatives. She usually flies in faerie form to do so. She's grown accustomed to travel in this way and her wings are strong; she can travel great distances without growing tired.

In her lifetime she has had three visions. The first was the breaking of her sister's marriage thread. The second was the birth of her sister's child. The third was Samra's child grown, able to shift his age at will as well as his form from mage to faerie (as yet to happen). She has told no one of these visions.

When she turned 19 she ceased her studies at home. Because of her belief that there should be a faerie scholar teaching at Salem Academy she asked for a job and has begun teaching fae magic to anyone willing to learn.

She briefly dated Elliot Waldemar and found that her mage abilities began to disappear. She did not connect the two immediately, but confessed to Hamlin that she believed Elliot had somehow transmitted the Blanket Plague to her. As a result of the loss of most of her mage abilities Teàrlag decided to have a changeover ceremony. She gave up many of her abilities to become a full-fledged faerie, but she decided to keep her peculiar fortuna gift in order to protect and help her family.

Biography: Samra Chance

2010-09-07T05:10:19Z

Samra Chance

Half faerie inventor
Mom
Beloved wife
Best friend

Her journal was made of pressed paper, bound with pieces of bark cut in a roughly rectangular shape. The pages were filled with swirling lines and cryptic poetry, but not much else. Recently another journal had been purchased for her by Hamlin. It's softer, pink and black designs in fabric binding together clean, white paper. It smells vaguely of flowers when she opens it (he spellbound it to do so).

Name: Samra Chance
Age: 27
Gender/Preference: She's a straight girl.
Title: Faerie/Inventor
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Very recent graduate of Salem upper school.
Residence: a quiet house on the outskirts of Hamlin
Magical abilities: She's a faerie gifted with daemon magic. She's a water and wind element. She has faerie magic as well, though only in faerie form (as she doesn't spend much time in that form she doesn't practice her fay magic much; it is her weakest point)
Appearance: She's shorter than average and of a lean build. Her hair is long and hangs almost to her waist in wispy waves, or sometimes pin straight depending on the weather. She usually has it bound up in a series of clips, or braids. She typically wears skirts and dresses, given to overalls when she's in her workshop thinking up some new invention (she grew tired of oil spots on all of her favorite clothing). She's also a fan of bare feet (much like Hamlin) and only wears shoes when she goes into the city.

Personality: Stubborn and self reliant. She's got a fierce temper, though it is difficult to rouse. She is victim to the fickle faerie nature from time to time, prone to giving up on something if it doesn't go her way. She leaves a lot of projects unfinished (her workshop is full of half finished inventions). Rarely will she throw a hissy fit in such a mood, but it has been known to occur. She's smart and creative, the skills almost interwoven into her designs, though when she's in a mood both skills are quickly forgotten. She's very fond of nature and spends lots of time outdoors, simply breathing in the scents and soaking in sunshine.
Strengths: She is bright and determined. When she sets her mind on something she commits one hundred percent (until her faerie nature interrupts, which would be her weakness). She is physically very strong in mage or faerie form.
Weaknesses: She gets caught up in silly details and can be self-defeating. When in mage form she cannot access her faerie magic. She is allergic to caffeine and iron.
Quirks: She is one of few faeries who can stay in her larger mage form even when she is injured. This is because of her determination and physical strength, as well as her parentage (half faerie, half mage). Occasionally her mage form does fail her, but it's rare enough.
Secrets: that she is in fact a faerie. Only Hamlin Graves and Garage knew this before it came out in the newspaper by a gossip columnist. She has a secret fae name even though she's only half-faerie, another secret that only Hamlin, her parents, and sister know. It's Honoura, meaning honor.

Biography: She was born in the town of Hamlin 27 years ago to a faerie father (Tadg) and a human mother (Suri). Her birth was a curious thing because humans and faeries rarely have children together. Hamlin Graves was present for the birth and observed the little girl with much interest to see how her abilities would develop. It was apparent that she had faerie magic and had faerie form, but that she could also shift into a mage form and maintain it for much longer than a normal faerie. She was born with a strong water element and developed her wind element in her early childhood. At 7 she was admitted to Salem Academy and remained in mage form. She cannot access her faerie magic in that form, so it was far easier for her to pretend she was a normal mage in her youth.

She has a younger sister Teàrlag who was born after Samra left for school. Her sister assumed far more faerie traits than Samra and has a harder time maintaining her mage form. Teàrlag opted to be taught magic from her parents and has never attended school. Sam's relationship with her sister is strained for many reasons (age difference, schooling, the difference in their fae abilities). She does not often speak of her sister, to the point where most don't even know she has one.

She grew and aged, showed an aptitude for Daemon Magic. She met Garage at upper school and the two formed a fast and steady friendship. They caused a lot of mischief at school, her faerie nature and his own peculiar attitudes led them to it. Three years ago Garage learned Samra's secret, when in utter exhaustion after attempting a particularly difficult Daemon spell she collapsed and reverted to faerie form. He was deeply surprised to learn this secret and promised to keep it until death. He cared for her until she could revert to mage form and their trust was solidified, as were the early blooms of their love for one another.

Upon her graduation from Salem Academy this past summer she was invited by Hamlin Graves to join Graves Hall. She knows Hamlin's secret and keeps it in trust, mostly because he was highly involved in her early magic training, but also because he keeps her secret. When he attended Lesser school as his grandson he and Sam developed a delightful friendship. They often hang around and laugh at nothing for hours, or run out to barren fields and cause thunderstorms (the combination of their birth elements makes this incredibly easy).

Samra was married to Garage Wells two months ago. They are in the earliest stages of marital bliss and unaware that there are problems in the marriage.

Hamlin is trying to talk Samra and Garage into taking Enki, as sort of an adoption as his parents have been dead several years. Sam is not convinced that she'd like to have children, though she finds Enki fascinating (since he's a shifter and some of her crazy inventions might actually help him). Garage is even less convinced, since he's around children all day at Salem Academy.

Samra and Garage adopted Enki before their marriage dissolved (a result of Garage beginning a relationship with Ganymede Orion. Hamlin confessed his love for her and she examined her own feelings; they later got together, got pregnant and married. Sam gave birth to her son, Camden (who is predicted to later become King, as told to Samra by a prophet).

Biography: Gideon Morrow

2010-09-07T05:08:17Z

Gideon Morrow

Government Official
Iron element
Practitioner of Fortuna Magic

His familiar Agave

His journal is pristine, white paper, bound in black leather. There is an iron clasp that binds the book from being opened by anyone who cannot control the iron element. He gifted a similar journal to his nephew Garage. He uses the journal to record his private thoughts.

Name: Gideon Morrow
Age: 99. His birthday is in January.
Gender/Preference: He's a single man with no apparent preference
Title: Official
Student/Scholar/Graduate: he attended Salem school many years ago.
Residence: he lives in New Meridian
Familiar: a lizard named Agave. He often sits on Gideon's left shoulder.
Magical abilities: he is skilled in fortuna magic, but not so much that he could be considered a prophet. He practices Jinx magic as well. His element is iron, something of a family trend.
Appearance: he is slightly shorter than his nephew, a touch above average height. He's a little more built than you'd expect, hiding his muscle under well-tailored suits. He is never without a tie and jacket, his appearance for his chosen career is very important to him. He has a scar running along his left forearm. He is good looking for his age, though he was always a ruggedly handsome man.

Personality: Gideon believes himself to be far superior than most mages. His ego is impressive for his magical abilities, which are great but not the greatest. He is smart and witty, with a wonderful sense of humor. He enjoys fine things like wine and music. He is very crafty and able to work his way into and out of various situations. He has a certain degree of amorality which allows him the freedom to do what he desires without the accompanying guilt.
Strengths: his conviction and craftiness. When set on accomplishing a goal he will do whatever it takes to succeed. He also has the guile and craft to do so.
Weaknesses: his ego, which does not help him to see his own weakness. His belief in the law (even when it is clearly wrong), he believes that what the King says is iron cast law. His amorality is a weakness and a strength.
Quirks: he has a tiny scar running down his left forearm from an incident where trying to control iron backfired on him
Secrets: he harbors a desire to be King. He does not let his ambition be known, but Hamlin Graves has his suspicions about it.

Biography: The firstborn child of the Morrow family. His younger sister Gwen has a son Garage that Gideon lavishes all of his attention on, as Gideon has no children of his own. It was clear early on that Gideon was talented at fortuna magic and encouraged wholeheartedly to study that at the behest of every other subject. He did as he was told as he never questions his superiors.

He did study control of the iron element in Lesser School, but not to the extent that he should have. In his first year at Middle school he ripped open part of his left forearm trying to control a large amount of iron for a class demonstration. He did not have the concentration or the focus to do so much and it resulted in his rather serious injury. He was healed immediately by the school's current headmaster, but the scar of his mistake always remained. He spent more time studying his element from that point forward and never again tried to do something that he was certain was beyond his ability.

He was a brilliant student and went to Upper school at Salem Academy to study fortuna magic to its fullest. It was here that he grew interested in the government of Aylasia (he foresaw some measure of greatness for himself in the government offices). When he graduated he took a little time to travel the wider world of Aylasia, but returned home as none of these places felt much like a place to stay. He decided to join the office of magical enforcement upon his return and began to study jinx magic from his colleagues. It was here that he found his uncanny skill for jinx magic. It didn't take him long to acclimate to this office and his associates. He spent several years investigating the mysterious comings and goings of the faun Jones, however any of his efforts ended in dead clues and frustrations; Jones' political asylum was impermeable. In the end law enforcement was not where Gideon's heart was set.

Gideon's eye was ever set on Parliament, that gray stone building with the tall dome that can be seen all throughout New Meridian. His love of the law was a natural fit with his second career, a move he made rather abruptly. He retired from the magical enforcement office and one week later was finding his way into a seat at Parliament. All of this movement has an underlying strategy; Gideon's greatest dream is to be named King. He does not know the mechanics behind it, but he believes if he shows a certain degree of knowledge in magic and law, and his abject passion for the latter that he will become a sound candidate for the Prophets to consider.

Gideon believes in the law and follows it to the letter, but his morality is questionable. When not backed up (or tied down) with laws he will do almost anything to achieve his goals. Besides his great desire to become King.

In the recent past he got involved in a tryst with a young woman named Isadore Bellefleur. What he doesn't know is that Isadore is just as manipulative as he is (if not more so). They are probably a match made in heaven. He's also having some issues because he insisted on marrying Isadore who became pregnant with his child. His daughter Katrana has since been born.

When Gideon learned that his sister Gwen was Hamlin Graves' secret keeper he killed her with poison. Gwen later haunted him, but Gideon's wife performed a banishing ceremony to remove her from the house.

Biography: Garage Wells

2010-09-07T04:58:22Z

Garage Wells
formerly Garage Chance

Scholar
Iron element
Practitioner of spell magic
Former husband of Samra Chance

His familiar Été

His journal is clean, white paper, bound in brown leather. There is an iron clasp that binds the book from being opened by anyone who cannot control the iron element. It was a gift from his Uncle Gideon. He uses it as a spell book and writes down new spells he invents or learns.

Name: Garage Wells, formerly Chance
Age: 31. His birthday is in February.
Gender/Preference: He's a straight boy
Title: Scholar
Student/Scholar/Graduate: Former graduate of Salem Academy.
Residence: formerly a quiet house on the outskirts of Hamlin with his wife Samra. Now that they are no longer together he is living with Ganymede Orion
Familiar: Garage's familiar is a little calico cat named Été. She helps him remember spells, or wording for spells when he gets it confused.
Magical abilities: born an iron element. He practices spell magic and has mild skill with fortuna magic; he needs tools to use it (usually runes, though he has a deck of tarot cards gifted to him from his uncle Gideon).
Appearance: he's taller than average, though not by much. He's usually seen with his hands in his pockets. He doesn't smile as often as Samra or Ganymede would like. He's the king of hooded sweatshirts and casual slacks.

Personality: Quiet and unassuming, however he's wild. He likes to cause mischief when and where he can. It's almost like he's two people at times, showing a very demure side to most people. Sam is one of the few people who sees his wild side. He's smart and secretive. When it comes to magic he's very focused and with practice he'll achieve most anything he sets his mind to.
Strengths: He's loyal to a fault.
Weaknesses: He doesn't share important information when really he should. He has a jealous streak that he hasn't shown to anyone.
Quirks: While attending upper school he had a habit of moving from apartment to apartment on an almost monthly basis. He doesn't like to stay in one place for very long.
Secrets: He keeps Samra's secret, though it's since come out in game.

Biography: Born to mages Gwen and Brant as their only child. He grew up in New Meridian, the busy streets and crazy activity of the city kept his interest and he spent a good portion of his youth causing trouble and running away from home. Despite his wild nature, he's quiet and unassuming. He doesn't often show his wild side, Samra seems to bring it out in him. He was born an iron element and developed his skill with this element very early. He has a strong control over it. His Uncle Gideon helped him a lot with this, as he's an iron element as well. Garage had a very good relationship with his Uncle in his youth; he grew more distant in his adolescence into adulthood, though they still communicate. In his youth Garage liked to experiment with magic and developed some spells on his own, jotting them down in a beaten up leather journal.

Garage met Samra at upper school. They became quick friends and discovered the mischievous natures in common. They caused a lot of trouble at school, playing pranks and tricking other students. As Sam was good friends with Hamlin it was only natural for Garage to meet him and become friends with him as well. He won't admit so out loud but he is terribly jealous of the close relationship Sam and Hamlin have. He trust Hamlin and does not question his motives, but his own jealous nature preys on his insecurity in regards to Samra's fickle faerie ilk. Three years ago, just before his graduation from Salem Academy he discovered Samra's secret when she reverted back to faerie form. He was terribly alarmed and frightened, which was when he realized his romantic feelings for her. He took very good care of her and vowed to keep her secret until death. They began to date in earnest and moved in together when he found a place to live in Salem after graduating. After she graduated they found a quiet place to live near the edge of Hamlin. A short time later they were married. He took her last name as a way of proving his support of her heritage.

Since graduation he's become a scholar and teaches at Salem Academy. He rides a bike to work every day. He teaches spell magic at the Salem middle school (and sometimes the Lesser school if they need help), every now and again he helps students learning to use the iron element, at any of the schools.

He met his weaver and life match Ohana and formed a solid friendship with her. He adopted Enki with his wife Samra, though his marriage thread with her broke when he slept with Ganymede Orion. He has reclaimed his last name Wells and is currently living with Ganymede. He shares custody of Enki with Samra and Hamlin since they were married and the three of them all consider Enki their son.

Biography: Ganymede Orion

2010-09-07T04:56:50Z

Ganymede Orion
Daughter of Stars

One for Thoughts
One for Feelings
One to take home to the stars

Name: Ganymede Orion
Age: 541 years old. She is not entirely certain what day her birthday is, but her human family always celebrated the day she came to live with them, which was April 4th.
Gender/Preference: female form, stars don't really have gender or preference in the human sense, living among mages she sees herself as female, but that's as far as she'll go
Title: Star
Student/Scholar/Graduate: she did not attend school
Residence: Homestead, though she travels often and stays other places
Magical abilities: The star has magical abilities beyond that of a normal mage. In particular she has control over light and her body can emit it (she could be her own flashlight). She can fly and exist in the vacuum of space. She doesn't need to eat or drink, but she does around her adoptive family and will share a bottle of wine with Hamlin. Other abilities have not become truly apparent.
Appearance: She does not appear to age, at least not like a regular mage. She does not quite look real, perhaps a side effect of being an ethereal being. She has long blondish hair. Her eyes are dark and often lined with kohl; they have a surreal sparkle. Her lips are often pouty, usually pale like her skin. Her skin does emit light even when she's not trying to, very pale and enough to make her stand out even in a well lit room. She is slender and of medium height.

Personality: Quiet and unassuming. She doesn't put on airs or have any grand idea of herself. She is rather humble and quite literally down to earth. She's very bright, quite smart for not being educated. She is still very young for a star, though she acts like a very old mage.
Strengths: She is very smart.
Weaknesses: She gets sleepy during the daytime and will often fall asleep if out in the sun too long.
Quirks: She likes to be sung to sleep. Alcohol and natural drugs (as there are no synthetics in Aylasia) do not affect her. However, what can get her drunk is the genuine laughter of faeries. She likes things to be quiet, part of the reason why she still lives in Homestead.
Secrets: Ganymede doesn't keep many secrets, though few people know that she was married to Hamlin. This secret has since been learned.

Ganymede doesn't know that during her marriage to Hamlin she had a daughter who was taken from her and her memory of the child was erased.

Biography: Born of two of the stars in the Orion constellation (Meissa and Saiph), Ganymede was a surprisingly pale star. It was if she didn't have the constitution to be a star, burning bright in the ether. Her parents were not ashamed, but they realized she couldn't live in the sky as they did, that she'd be far better off somewhere else, maybe in a place of magic. They found Aylasia more than suitable and trusted her with a family that could raise her into being more mage-like.

She loved her adoptive family, but even trying, it was clear that she couldn't be much other than a star, even if a lackluster one in the heavens. She did not attend Salem Academy (as it hadn't been formed yet) and did not learn much by way of home-schooling. She simply didn't have a knack for basic mage magic.

She was briefly married to Hamln Graves in his youth and what could be considered her adolescence. They were young and impetuous with their love, marrying early and fading slowly after several years until their marriage bond dissipated entirely. They remain good friends to this day and few people even know that they were once married.

Most of the mage family that adopted her has died of old age, but the grandchildren remain to call her auntie Ganymede. She rolls her eyes at that, since most of them are taller and older looking than she is. She currently resides in a quiet, little house in Homestead close to her adopted family.

She began a relationship with Garage Wells who moved into her house. As a result she also has a part in Enki Chance's life as a kind of step-mom, aunt figure. Last year Corvus, another pale star who is also very young, landed in her backyard. She suspects that her mother had a hand in this. She has taken guardianship of Corvus and is raising him alongside Enki.

Biography: Hamlin Graves

2010-09-07T04:42:24Z

Hamlin Graves

Secretive immortal
The man with the plan
Avid gardner

His journal is creamy colored paper, scented like ozone (it smells like fresh rain whenever it is opened), and bound by dark, velvety cloth. He keeps his journal hidden in a secret drawer, behind a false panel in Graves Hall. He writes all manner of things in his journal, from schematics for his latest invention, to plans, or even simply to record his day.

Name: Hamlin Graves
Age: 348 years old, he looks to be in his late twenties (because he's an immortal). His birthday is May day.
Gender/Preference: He's a staight, married man
Title: Inventor. He's an immortal
Student/Scholar/Graduate: he attended Salem school (in his second youth), during his first youth he was privately tutored in magic by Gabriel Headwind. He helped found Salem Academy in his later life.
Residence: a quiet house on the outskirts of Hamlin, very near to the residence of Samra and Garage
Familiar: Hamlin is one of those mages that does not have a familiar
Magical abilities: Born a lightning element. Gifted with spells and wand magic. He's a big fan of spellbinding and his home is filled with such objects as self-setting silverware and self-washing clothing. He has practiced Daemon and healing magic, though they are not his particular favorites. He dabbles in experimental magic frequently and this is the field that most keeps his interest.
Appearance: he's of average height and build. He's fixed his age to his late twenties and looks roguishly handsome. When older he retains his good looks, but with salty streaks in his hair and a myriad of laugh wrinkles. He typically wears dressier clothes, as he's often seen in and around Parliament where the dress code requires a tie and suit jacket. When at home he loses the tie and jacket. When with Sam he unbuttons his shirt a bit and untucks it from it his perfectly pressed pants. He's not a big fan of shoes or socks. He usually wears flip flops with his nice suits and takes them off whenever he thinks he won't get caught.

Personality: Incredibly intelligent. Curious to a fault. Even as old as he is he's still amazed by some things, like a child in awe. He adores Samra because her faerie nature always makes him feel this way. He loves to learn new things and is dangerously optimistic. He is also exceedingly modest.
Strengths: His mind and his knowledge are unsurpassed. He's gifted with his magic and inventions.
Weaknesses: He's prone to mistakes, like any person. He has a tendency to overestimate people. He often likes to interfere.
Quirks: He's addicted to herbal teas and gardening.
Secrets: Hamlin Graves is the original Hamlin Graves; he's immortal (this secret was spellbound). He was once married to Ganymede Orion. His father was Kenichi Abe (this secret is spellbound). Hamlin's been using daemon magic to prevent himself from dreaming for the last 20 years (so that a Weaver would be unable to learn of his immortality simply from weaving; it's kind of redundant, but he takes every precaution he can). During the course of the game all of these secrets came out.

He did have a daughter with Ganymede Orion. This is something that neither Hamlin nor Ganymede know. This occurred during their brief marriage. The child was taken from them and their memories of her birth was erased.

Biography: First and foremost the biggest secret about Hamlin Graves is that he's pretending to be his grandson. He didn't have children, something most people don't know, therefore he doesn't even have a grandson. He uses it as a cover to prevent people from knowing he's an immortal.

He was born 346 years ago to mages of no particular strength or gifts several towns over from what was then known as Great Spot (and is now known as Hamlin). He was third born of four children. His older siblings Ludlow and Marcela and younger sister Seraphina were never so talented as their brother, though they were more gifted than your typical mage. Living in a rural area he had a less-than-privileged existence. His parents couldn't afford many things for their children and many nights the children went to bed hungry. Even so, his parents were easy handed individuals who did the best for their kids. His siblings were of various temperaments and they had the usual rivalries and understandings among themselves.

Both his parents and all of his siblings have since died. His father drowned in his later years in a flash flood. His mother and sisters died of old age. Ludlow was killed by an old rival in an unfortunate argument that escalated to violence. To this day Hamlin mourns them all (and he was only mildly surprised to learn that immortality does not run in families; it is entirely random).

From early on it was easy to tell he was an extraordinary child. He was a quick thinker, bright and hungry for knowledge. Back then education was done mostly through the home and he absorbed all he could from his parents, then moved onto other adults for knowledge. When someone couldn't teach him something he had to teach himself, and found that he could learn all manner of new things on his own. During his teens he studied as an apprentice to the talented scholar Gabriel Headwind.

In his mid-twenties he grew something of an infatuation with a pretty girl named Ganymede and the two decide to date. They were eventually married and quite happily so for several years. Very few people knew that they had taken the marriage vows and it was something of a joke between them. Their bond faded, though on agreeable terms and they remain friends to this day. Both felt that their love was a temporary thing and that perhaps there were other people better suited for each other down the road.

Around the age of 30 he realized he wasn't aging as fast as others his age. It took some looking into and a lot of questioning. Most immortals don't realize they're immortal until they realize that they don't age as much, or as quick. Then all immortals discover that they can prematurely age themselves, or the opposite, to make themselves as young as they desire. He did this in private and was always very careful to maintain an age close to that of his contemporaries. He kept it a secret and very few people are now aware of the truth.

At the tender age of 43 he found the world he lived in to be an unsatisfactory place. He did everything in his power to make change, getting in touch with all of the right people and setting up government, using the prophets to guide him and agreeing with them that a Kingship would perhaps be the best way. He also set up schooling, as his own education had been spotty at best. He did all of this before he even turned 50. His other accomplishments include several invention patents, a blue ribbon from the best garden club, and the establishment of Graves Hall.

He decided most recently to fake a young age and went to Salem Academy, partly to keep up the illusion of being his own grandson, but also to see how his school was doing. He was pleasantly surprised at his findings. The school had moved in new and interesting directions, still the familiar halls of learning, but much more than that a place of discovery and camaraderie. He was pleased to find that Samra was now one of his classmates. Of course, she knew him for what he was. She recognized the way he smelled and more the way he acted. Most people could easily forget, but Samra had studied him with deep interest in her youth. Now, as an older faerie who had been keeping her own identity a secret, she could easily recognize Hamlin Graves as the original Hamlin and not his so-called grandson. He was pleased that he didn't need to blackmail the faerie and more so that they retained a kind of familiarity and became very good friends.

He still invites people to Graves Hall, for his "grandfather's" peculiar reasons and scattered logic. Having graduated Salem he now resides in Hamlin. He doesn't particularly like living in the town named after him, but he can't imagine living anywhere else. He has an extensive garden on his property, a small and unassuming house with a nice porch and green lawn.

Hamlin helped Enki find an adoptive family (ironically enough by marrying Samra he became a part of the boy's family). He married Sam, the love of of his life and they had a child together, a son named Camden. He's been living with Samra in her house, but he keeps his residence in Great Spot (and plans to one day leave the house to one of his children).