Characters

From Convergence

Benten Faradan

Name - Benten Faradan

Features - Stands 6"3, slender and toned, with slender hips and a pretty six-pack on his stomach. Used to be skinnier as a teen, but filled out with age.

Face – He has a face that must be made to look pouty or brooding. Long chocolatebrown hair that he is very proud of, dark eyes, pronounced cheekbones. Keeps himself always well-groomed.

Place of origin – 978 Winter 64, Mentis. That would make him 22 at the time of the Fall of Steravia.

Magic user – yes

Age of Awakening – 13

Element – Air

Strength - 55

Skill: 87

Elemental Features – White ka'tara (they look like he doesn't have any pigment at all on those places) and an accompanying white lock in his hair.

Focus Aid – he wears a small pouch with white sand on a leather thong around his neck at all times.

Bio –

Benten was born to Mentissi nobility in the winter of 978. He was the second child - having an older sister who would probably be married off to some other noblemen, and he would inherit his parents' money and estates if he would reach the right age. He was brought up in the full knowledge of that, and since his parents were pretty high nobility - full cousins of Josif Faradan, the Prefect of Kirkenes - he got everything he always wanted. This made him snot-nosed and willful as a child, but his nannies usually caught the brunt of those temper tantrums. His parents had little time for him.

His parents were Dor supporters, but never very fervently. They said their prayers and went to church pretty much because it was the socially accepted thing to do, but they never were too enthusiastic about believing. They were more devoted to money and status in the right-here-right-now than they were about a god in his Castle in Eternity. That was a good thing for young Benten, because when he showed all the signs of Awakening one winter morning right before his fourteenth birthday, they didn't lament but hauled a Patternbearer off the streets to guide him through his Awakening.

It never was a frightening experience for Benten - it was handled pretty clinically. He knew what was expected of him, the moment that the Air Bearer - one of the Steravians - sat down with him and told him to focus 'it' OUTwards and the world started spinning. There was a talk with his parents, the Steravian Patternbearer arranged stuff, and just like that, his life in Mentis ended and he was shipped off to Steravia. His parents never treated him as anything less than he was, though. They simply told Benten that he was to walk a different path in life than they thought he would, but that he would do well at it as he did at anything else, and that he should make them proud. From that they on, his parents also became major investors in the University of Steravia, which would gain him some stature as well.

In those days Patternbearers were unusual and weird, but not reviled as much as they would be ten years later. It wasn't regarded as a disease as much yet; and in the circles of Mentis where he resided, the Church of Dor didn't have that much sway yet. Also, the attitude of his parents helped a lot. They treated the whole situation with a cool professionality that didn't allow anyone to speak out against them. They had a situation, they dealt with it. End of story.

As for Benten, he went to Steravia, followed his classes, and decided that if he were to be a Patternbearer, he'd better be a damn good one. Being a bright student, he went through his classes easily and quickly was able to get the maximum out of his potential. He wasn't very strong in his element, but he was able to Portal large distances just because he knew very well what he was doing. This made him arrogant and snot-nosed at times, wry and sardonic at others. During his years at the University he didn't have many friends, mostly acquaintances. He did have girlfriends aplenty, though.

He joined the Student Council at age nineteen, right before his graduation. His extended network of people on the mainland offered him a plethora of information about the political state of being that made him very useful to the council. He was keenly interested in politics and knew very well how to deal with situations - his advice was always valuable. Benten is a sociologist, he knows how people in groups respond. He was one of the first to say out loud: "It'll be war, they're just trying to postpone it." And he was right. He was pro-Weapon use; in his opinion they needed to be punished for having the gall to attack Steravia. It was soldiers coming to attack them, and they would fight back with all the energy they could muster. That it would be a slaughter didn't interest him much: they were attacking, so it was self-defense. When the news came that the Crannan fleet had left Circha to sail for Steravia, he spent the night packing his bags. He only waited for the Weapon to be used and when he felt things go wrong, he made himself ready to leave.

It was Lord Steran, Protector (and owner) of Steravia who begged him at the last possible moment to please take his daughter Ninja along. Until that point Benten had only seen the young blond girl about on the University. The girl was pretty quirky and mercurial, always butting in on things, but because she was the daughter of Lord Steran she was tolerated by everyone. Right there and then, as Benten was ready to flee, Lord Steran offered Benten unlimited access to the Steran fortune if he would only bring Ninja to safety. And Benten agreed.

Ninja blinked, navy blue eyes filling with tears once more. “Are you coming, Dad? Can't you, too?”

“I can’t take your father along, Ninja,” Benten confessed. He felt oddly troubled about this, watching the touching scene before him. “I am not strong enough.”

“I feared so,” Steran said, getting up and fighting to regain his balance as the earth rumbled once more. “You’re the only Air Bearer left who can get my daughter out of here. Where are you going?”

“Jarden. The Junkai Mountains. I would aim for the Western Continent, but the Pattern is crazy around here and I fear for a backlash.”

“Excellent.” He sank through his knees again and gave her one last hug. “Ninja, be a good girl and go with this nice young man. He’ll protect you.”

Ninja did not protest. Large teardrops trickled over her face, but she took a hold of Benten’s outstretched hand, her fingers twining around his. She was eerily quiet while the world outside raged.

Benten sighed and began to draw his runes.

“Godspeed, Air Bearer,” Steran told him. “May the Heavens bless you.”

Benten just nodded. “Let me know if you get out of here.”

And even though they both knew that he wouldn’t, Lord Steran replied: “I will.”

And that was that. They made a visit to Lady Lyanna Toren of Jarden first, the Prefect whose sister had been on the Steravia Council. Lady Lyanna had supported them for as long as she could, and then had suggested that the mountains were so terribly hard to patrol against anyone who would be a 'danger' there. He met with her, got a location out of her where they could live, and then he went to the mountains, with Ninja Steran in tow. The young girl kept up with him, toughing out every situation they got thrown in, she never complained but only cried at night, when she thought he couldn't hear her.

The girl Awakened to her own Pattern not long after they'd found the Stronghold. She turned out to be a Water Bearer. Benten spent his days trying to contact other Patternbearers, making good use of his old network on the continent and Portaling whenever the elements would let him. It was hard in the beginning and he nearly killed himself twice because it was so hard to control his element, but he did get in touch with a few older Patternbearers. Especially Jardenite Lir Vermont (sent to him by Lady Lyanna) proved invaluable, as he was an Air Bearer as well. They recruited heavily, and as time went by and the Stronghold began to take form, more Patternbearers joined their rank.

It was Benten's vision to start a new society, much like the University had been. Once they'd be strong enough, they'd be a force to reckon with, he thought. If they would live their lives and study their elements and the world would not die, then that was prove enough that their elements did not cause the tipping of the Balance, not the amount of energy channeled. Sienna and Stephanie had fucked up somewhere, he knew that. His Portals and his air manipulations did not cause tidal waves and tornado's. If they did, the world would have ended a long time ago. The Balance wasn't broken, it had just received a bad hit from the wrong use of a focal point that was too strong.

From this vision he built up the Stronghold - and, what would be later called; the Resistance. As time went by, Ninja grew up into a gorgeous young woman. She idolized Benten and when she was sixteen, she confessed that she was in love with him. He could hold her off only so long - despite the age difference he had grown terribly fond of her and couldn't refuse her anything. She got pregnant pretty quickly, giving birth to a beautiful daughter they called Mirella. Later another daughter called Merel would follow, then then a son they named Yoshua. They never officially married, since marriage was a church institution and they'd both renounced their faith in Dor - but they were partners and everyone treated them as such.

Personality – Benten is a hard person to love. He is moody, broody, and prone to sarcasm and sardonical commentary. However, he would walk through fire to protect those he loves. He is passionate, eloquent, outspoken, and very direct in his communication. He knows a lot of people, and is a pretty damn good sociologist. He knows how groups of people respond to situations, and he is the kind of person who always remembers the names of your children and when your birthday is. He excels in smalltalk if he puts his mind to it. He loves Ninja more than anything in the world.

Paris Greene

Name: Paris Greene

Features: stocky build, broad-shouldered, not very tall. 5"6. In good shape for his age. ;) Eternally tanned - a bit of an olive-coloured skintone. Dark-haired, slightly wavy hair that reaches to his jaw. It's not clear whether he's just too lazy to cut it a proper length, or whether it's a fashion statement. He's also lazy with shaving, so he usually walks around with either stubble or a bit of a goatee ;)

Face: pretty striking features - cheekbones, jaw are very promient. Expressive mouth and chocolate-coloured eyes with long dark lashes that any girl would kill for. Easy grin.

Age: Born Summer 972, which makes him 27 during the Fall of Steravia, and in his late fourties when the story starts.

Place of Origin: Marisule.

Magic User?: Yup.

Age of Awakening: age 13

Element: Life

Focus aid: a necklace of wooden beads around his neck.

Elemental features: white ka'tara, white lock in his dark hair

Bio: Paris Greene was the second son of the rich merchant Sennon Greene, and because his older brother Derek was being trained to inherit the business, Paris had lived the easy life of a rich boy without many restraints. He was always out on his own, making friends and hanging out, because nobody kept tabs on what he was doing exactly. He had always been a sort of afterthought in the life of his parents, but he did not care much about them anyhow.

Because he was such an easygoing fellow, he had made friends easily with the tourists on Marisule. The island had a lovely climate all year, so the nobility and rich people of Cranna, Mentis, Kirkenes and Jarden used the Southern Islands to build their summer houses and to spend their vacations. For Paris this meant that there was always something to do on the islands. Also, the young noble kids did not shun Paris because he was probably richer than them anyway. He was a familiar face on the whole island. When he turned twelve, he started to go to parties – the wilder, the better. And Paris did not have much else to do, so he craved interesting things to do like socialization. That did end up in smoking grasses and losing his virginity at the tender age of twelve-and-a-half, but Paris did not mind at all.

That was, of course, until he woke up one afternoon on the beach without his pants on and with the mother of all headaches. It did not feel like a hangover, not exactly. It was more of a pressure in his mind and body somehow, as if there was something inside of him that wanted to come out. He felt like a bucket or a vessel even, on the brink of overflowing.

After lying on the beach, completely tripping out with an overdose of Life in his being, seeing pretty colours because of it, he's thankfully saved by two Patternbearers passing by. They tell him to push the Life outside of him, and not try to contain it all by himself. He manages and passes out. The next morning his brother is sitting at his bed. "You’re a Patternbearer. What you’ve experienced was your Life magic awakening. You were basically drunk on Life itself.” his brother chuckled. “It seems kind of fitting for a party animal like you, don’t you think?” It turns out that Paris is quite lucky. If the Patternbearers hadn't intervened and he would have remained in that state of utter tripping, either his heart would have given out or he would have gone insane.

Paris says his goodbyes on Marisule, gets a lovely goodbye party from friends and family, and then he's shipped off to Steravia - because he wants to learn how to control his Element... maybe do something good in the world for a change. Make a difference.

The life of at the University is perfect for Paris. He breezes through his studies-- when he is arsed to study, that is. All of the lessons and the practical elemental control is something he figures out quickly. He excels at Pattern Philosophy -- but he just doesn't show up for exams and always hands in his papers weeks, months or even years too late. He's an ultimate slacker, preferring to spend his time hanging out with friends or playing with his art and paints. (There's this one instance where he's bored, so he paints his desk orange and aquamarine blue, for example).

During his third year at the University Paris met Vivien. They got to talk because she was dumped messily by one of his friends and during a fieldtrip they spend a lot of time talking, and after that they're fast friends. People often mistake them for lovers, but with Vivien's mercurial lovelife Paris would think twice before ever committing to her; as a teenager Vivien is way too quirky in relationships. Even though she's gorgeous and funny and smart, Paris never even considers dating her.

He joins the Student Council initially as another of his myriad ways of procastrinating from studies, but quickly enough he becomes passionate about the politics of the island and their advice position towards the Steravia Council. In 998 his eye falls on one of the two new Student Council members: Stephanie Tiselle. Even though she's quite a bit younger than he is, he completely falls for her. They're flirting while the world around them is crumbling. They are with the Steravia Council in Circha when the riots happen at 998 Spring 9 - right at the streets, they experience the horror of it firsthand. It's a complete mess, and terribly traumatizing. They seek comfort with one another, and from that moment on they are in a relationship.

Stephanie is devastated by the events and suffers from a bit of shellshock over it. She is worrying about the state of the world and the possibility of war. Paris tries to console her by saying that a better world starts with herself, and if she's worried about protection and war, maybe she should do something about it. She does so; she proposes the Steravia Council that as her graduation project she will try and build a focal point that can access multiple elements at once, used by multiple Patternbearers. It's highly experimental, a theory. But she works on it with Fire Bearer Sienna Maris, and it seems to be working.

And then comes the cincher; Solares' Dissertation on Elements. The dissertation basically says that the elements of the Pattern draw upon the natural balance of the world, unbalancing the elements and creating freak weather phenomena (among other things) The tornadoes in Jarden… the snowfall in Hedmark in summer… the droughts in Lascana… The Steravians realize that even though chances are big that this is not true, if Cranna gets its hands on it, they are in deep trouble. Which is of course what happens, and the situation escalates.

When Stephanie's Focal Point is then proposed to be used as a weapon in self-defense, it is Paris who charts out that if it would be used, according to Solares such force might very well blow up half the plannet. The balance of Elements could shatter, thousands, millions could die. When he presents his findings, this is the cause of a heavy breach in his relationship with Stephanie. The two break up over politics.

When things indeed go wrong so horribly and Stephanie dies, Paris flees the island on a small sailing boat together with Vivien. Vivien contracts pneumonia and nearly dies after the tidal wave has capsized the boat and it's been hailing and storming all day, but they make it to the shore of Stibotan on luck alone.

Paris uses his element for the Last time to Heal Vivien, but it's far from enough. The Elements are out of whack, he's fatigued to the point of collapse - and he swears this is the last time, because he believes Solaris, as does Vivien. They settle on Stibotan, because the gentle climate is pretty much the only place where she can survive with her pneumonia-ravaged lungs. As time passes, they try to come to terms with everything that has happened - the death of Stephanie, their friends. The drowning of Steravia. Their life. They find comfort in one another while they create their own life on Stibotan on the outskirts of the small island community, tending to their own devices.

In time, Vivien becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby daughter they call Styria. The pregnancy nearly kills her, and from that moment on her health takes a turn for the worse. She starts to suffer from racking coughs that sometimes make her cough up blood. This happens especially during the rainy season, when all'ss wet and damp and colder than usual. When Styria is ten years old, the winter is cold, damp and chilly, and the coughing doesn't subside all night, Paris breaks down and begs Vivien to let him heal her. They've never spoken of it, save once - direct after her near-fatal pregnancy. Vivien believes in Solares, believes that drawing upon her Element unhinges the world's balance. She never wants to live through another such cataclysm again Neither does Paris, but when his love is dying and he knows he can heal her, he cracks. He begs her, crying: "Please, let me heal you Vivien, it's killing you!"

And she refuses. "Don't you dare. I'll kill myself before I let you heal me. It's not worth it, love, it's not worth the cost..."

She dies later that morning. Paris is devastated. Vivien was his last anchor, his last guarantee of understanding and love in a world that had gone wrong and he now loses this. The only reason he doesn't kill himself there and then is a blue-eyed dark-haired ten year old girl that is as heartbroken as he is. So for her he stays strong.

One year later his daughter awakes to the element of Fire. He expertly guides her through her awakening, but then tells her never to use her element again, because it's dangerous. That day, her lessons in Pattern Philosophy and Bearings began. Paris has always been great with explanation and teachings, so he teaches her well where it comesto Philosophy. He tells her all she wants to know about what the world thinks of the Pattern and its existence, how people regard the Pattern, what it should be used for and why it is so bloody dangerous. He tells her about Solaris and his dissertation. He tells her about charting power fluxes and the Balance of the Elements. And finally, he tells her of Steravia and its downfall, and how even now the capital of Cranna is still being rebuilt.

But he just can't bring himself to teach his daughter, and as the years progress it is becoming a nasty subject between them. Then when Styria is eightteen one of the children in the village is sick, and she tells her father to go and heal the kid... it's just a child, it shouldn't suffer. Paris thinks of Vivien and everything he's lost over the years and says sadly. "It's no use anyway. It's not worth it. All that lives will die eventually."

"Some lives are worth saving, dad. Mom could have lived if the two of you had not been so adamant about it. She could have lived!"

Something breaks there and then between the two. It is also the moment that Paris decides to send his daughter to Benten Faradan and the Resistance in the Junkai Mountains. Faradan has visited him when Styria was two years old, asked him to join them, but both Vivien and himself had refused. They had argued over Solares and the elements, and Faradan had left again. He knew where it was, so he resolved to send his daughter there... and bring her all the way.

Personality: Paris used to be terribly easy-going, always bright spirited and relaxed. After the Drowning he's been prone to long periods of depression and an anger at the world in general. He's smart, eloquent. Sees the bigger picture. But he also has a good sense of humour and when he's feeling okay, he's a great guy to hang out with. He's a fierce believer in the teachings of Solares and has sworn never to use his Element again. Although he might surprise himself in a life or death situation, I think.

Lael Morgen

Name – Lael Morgen

Features – Lael stands at an average height for a Hedmarker, at 5’10”. She has a womanly figure, which softens her looks a bit. Lael is a tough woman though, with a strong body to go with that.

Face – Her features are fair like those of the average Hedmarker, despite her dark hair. Dark bluish grey eyes look into the world sharply. There are some lines in the corners of her eyes, indicating that she’s no youngster anymore.

Age - 32

Place of origin – Lael was born on Steravia, but she lived on Derventa most of her life.

Magic user – yes

Age of Awakening – 14

Element – Earth

Elemental Features – an indigo lock of hair and pale blue ka’tara

Focus Aid – a harpoon

Bio – Lael was born on the isle of Steravia, a child of two Patter Bearers. Her mother was a water bearer, as fickle as the weather on Steravia, and her father was an Earth Bearer, as unmoveable as it’s stone. Lael grew up around pattern bearers, who were all proud of what they were. While her childhood was happy in general, Lael was sensitive to the tension between her parents. Her mother enjoyed Steravia and its competitive nature, while her father thought it was all a bunch of ruckus over nothing. The tensions reached a peek when Lael was ten. Her father decided that with the dislike of pattern bearers all around and Steravia’s arrogant attitude, it was time for the family to leave. They argued long and hard, but in the end her father was just not moving even an inch from his position.

That was when Lael and her parents found themselves on a boat to Derventa. Hedmark was not as unkind to Pattern Bearers as Cranna, but it was decided that anywhere near the mainland was too close to danger for comfort. They had a child to tend to, after all. Life on Derventa was harder than life on Steravia, but the Morgen family adapted, as they always did. Lael’s mother worked on one of the whaling vessels, while her father took up a job in the smithy of the whaling community they lived in. They didn’t hear about the fall of Steravia until months after it happened.

At first it seemed like life would go on as it had for the past two years. Lael’s parents worked hard, and were accepted by the community. The people of Derventa had little to do with this thing between Steravia and Cranna, and if the Morgens had chosen to leave before all went wrong then that was probably for the best. They used their patterns for the good of the community. Until disaster struck, and Lael’s mother finally cracked under the pressure of knowing her friends had died while she fled. The whaling vessel she set out on that day returned without her. Years after the fact Lael would find out that her mother had thrown herself overboard, using the tides to pull herself into the deep.

Things weren’t the same after that. At age thirteen Lael took on the role of her mother, cooking and cleaning the house while her father worked. He had never been a talkative man, but after his wife’s disappearance he turned to stone. Perhaps it was the influence of these years that determined Lael’s pattern when it chose to reveal itself. When Lael pushed her pattern out for the first time she shook the village to it’s core. Several buildings collapsed, but as usual, life went on in Derventa. Lael herself helped to rebuild the buildings her first earthquake knocked down. In any other place than the small whaling community she would have stood out with ka’tara as pale blue as the ice, and an indigo lock of hair. Here it was accepted as a fact, which changed little about the fact that Lael and her father were valued members of the community. The only negative sounds she heard were wishes that she had been a water bearer like her mother, to help with the whale hunt.

At age eighteen Lael married Kai, a shipper. There was little love in their marriage, but at least it helped her provide for her father, who had fallen ill four years after his wife vanished. Kai was away often, and it suited Lael just fine. A year after she married, her father passed away. It wasn’t long after that that Kai started to demand that she focussed more on being a good housewife, instead of being a good stonemason. It was a point of strife between them, but Lael was like her father, unable to be moved if she did not wish to be moved. Kai eventually stopped bothering, seeking his happiness elsewhere. Lael didn’t care, focussing on her work instead.

Being as withdrawn from her personal life as she was, Lael never noticed the change in the atmosphere of the whaling community until it was too late. One of the supply vessels brought a priest of Dor with it, and Kai soon found himself enthralled by the priests speeches. It wasn’t long before he turned away from is Patter Bearer wife, saying she bewitched him with her demon magic, and forced him to marry her. While most of the community thought that the story was absolutely ridiculous, a dangerous number believed him. Lael decided that her life would be in danger if she stayed. Before she left for the northern part of the island, she asked the same priest that turned Kai against her to divorce her from him. During the night Lael left, taking nothing with her but the harpoon she had always used as a focus point for her pattern, and her two snowdogs, Valdis and Vigdis. At age thirty two she finds herself without a family for the first time, alone in an unknown community in the north of Derventa.

Personality – Though Lael knows how to use her pattern in a destructive manner, there is very little in her character that suggest she does such things lightly, or even with joy. Lael enjoys the company of people, and yet at the same time she enjoys silent. She’s calm, perhaps even stony at time, but behind the outer layer there is a warm and kind woman. It takes a great deal to surprise her, as she’s already seen enough of life to be called experienced.

Lael is quite good at duelling with other pattern bearers. Though her father disliked the competition on Steravia, he taught her much so that she would be able to defend herself. She’d not particularly fast, but her strength with her pattern makes up for it.

Adeline Naroqa

Name: Adeline Naroqa

Features: 5'1" 46kg, thin and tanned.

Face: Her face is soft and heart shaped. Dark green eyes, her jet black hair is straight, curving either side of her face to meet at her jaw. Eyebrows are thin and neat, with a fringe hovering less than an inch above them. Deceptively small mouth, patrician nose.

Age: 25.

Place of Origin: Alta.

Faith: Dor, though very loosely.

Magic User?: Yes.

Age of Awakening: 14.

Element: Air

Elemental Features: Pale blue ka'tara, dark blue lock of hair that is parted to the left.

Foci: Feathers on a leather thong worn as a bracelet.

Bio: Born to a family of sea merchants, Adeline Naroqa was a girl that was destined to be married off to a young nobleman when she grew older. To this end, she was well educated as a child in matters ranging from ettiquete to hunting. No amount of education or discipline could ever quite tame a willful manner that her father often ascribed to her mother.

The manifesting of her power took place during a rather nondescript afternoon. One moment she was reading, next she was in mortal danger. It was her parent's understanding nature that she owed her life, as they had hidden a Pattern Bearer who had fled Steravia amongst them. This pattern bearer was the one to help her come to terms with her powers.

No longer marriageable, she was sent to a remote estate for her own protection more than anything else, and the pattern bearer with her. When she turned eighteen, the rumours of Patternbearers in Jarden led to the pair seeking out the Stronghold. It took them a year of searching, but soon they were taken in and Adeline found people to train her.

During her twenty second year while traveling, a series of mishaps led to her meeting Lev Costin. A more unlikely partner to be found, they have nevertheless stayed together for the past three years, through thick and thin. In the current day, Adeline serves as a scout, retriever and a messenger due to her refined ability to teleport from place to place.

Personality: Fiery, quick to accuse and quick to forgive (usually). Not entirely predictable, and not always understanding, but will try and do the right thing usually.

Jeroen de Rood

Name: Jeroen De Rood

Features: 6'2”, 107kg, broad shouldered and well built.

Face: His face looks like a sculptor shaped it out of stone, but the chisel slipped a few times on his nose. Dark red hair with streaks of iron grey and deep brown eyes, he usually has a slight smile on his face.

Age: 51.

Place of Origin: Mentis.

Faith: Fervent believer of Bya, though he acknowledges the value Dael's message as well.

Magic User?: Yes.

Age of Awakening: 13.

Element: Earth (specialty is metals)

Elemental Features: Grey Ka’tara and a lock of silver hair.

Foci: Simple ring of silver.

Bio: Born in 969, Jeroen De Rood began his days as the son of a smith in Mentis. Being the third son, he soon found himself studying at the Temple of Bya as an acolyte. He may have become a priest of Bya if he had not been kissed by god as the Amereli described it. Thankfully, the Temple had a Patternbearer present, and Jeroen was helped through his awakening.

Sent to Steravia to study, he spent ten years in study as he learned how to use his powers. Those years were a culture shock to Jeroen, and furthermore they also served to drive him away. The constant competitions of the Arena, the politics of the university, all of it frustrated him. Bya asked of people to do good deeds, and those who were blessed with the pattern had a greater responsibility still. In his mind, they should be out in the world using them rather than hiding on the island as they did.

At the age of twenty three, Jeroen turned his back on the university and took a ship back to Mentis. Visiting his parents for a time, he also sought solace and direction at the Temple of Bya. The priesthood, something he had once aspired to, he found was no longer his path. But his guiding principle remained the same, do good deeds.

Good deeds or not, he still needed to earn a living, and he took on a job as a merchant. On their first voyage, their ship was boarded and those who survived were taken prisoner. It was pure luck that the slavers (who had knocked him out early when they’d first boarded) hadn’t realised he was a pattern bearer. Using his powers, he freed himself from his shackles, and then released his fellow prisoners, some of which were from his own ship.

Taking the ship from the slavers, who they proceeded to throw into the ocean, the decision between them all came, what were they to do? Jeroen proposed that they take the ship, The Storm Spear, and wage war against the slavers. Rescue others who had been taken like they had.

Making their homeport in Bolan, they proceeded to fulfill their promise of war on the slavers. For eight years, that was exactly what they did without pause or interruption. Looting slaver’s ships, they would liberate all slaves and take those who were willing into their crew, and those who were not would be dropped off at the next port to start their lives anew. The ships they raided, they would often commandeer them if they were seaworthy after a battle to bring them into dock for sail.

The cataclysm that Steravia unleashed, although making the seas far more dangerous for a time, did not dissuade Jeroen. Indeed, his reputation had grown over the time, and in addition to freed slaves, he also found other willing blades that wished to join him, or at least support him.

The result was the beginnings of a small fleet, occasionally they would have enough men that when they took a slaver’s ship they would split their crews with the new ship being Captained someone Jeroen felt he could trust.

By his fifty first year, his name has become fairly well known amongst the southern islands in different harbours for his exploits against slaver ships, be it fondly or with scorn. His fleet numbers nine ships including his own, for the most part working independently.

While in Mantiro, Jeroen learned of talk about Patternbearers hiding in Jarden, and amongst them perhaps survivours of Steravia. Deciding he wanted to learn the truth for himself, he has set sail with Jarden as his final destination, where he will relinquish his command to his first mate so the fight against the slavers can continue without him.

Personality: Quietly strong, he is not given to arguing with people. While he is willing to discuss issues, he is steadfast in his beliefs and can’t be pressured into doing something he doesn’t believe is correct. Exudes calm, a palpable aura in its own right.

Sera

Name: Sera

Features: 5'6”, 58kg, slim and light, skin carries a golden tinge. Neck is callused.

Face: Smooth features, both her eyebrows and her hair that reaches her waist is dyed white. Soft green eyes that are distinctly oriental in shape, she has a neat nose and her cheeks, while round, are not fat.

Age: 19.

Place of Origin: Unknown.

Faith: Strong faith in Bya.

Magic User?: Yes.

Age of Awakening: 15.

Element: Life

Elemental Features: Golden Ka’tara, a white lock of hair.

Foci: A golden amulet in the shape of an ankh.

Bio: Unhappy were the memories of the girl that came to be called Sera. Taken from her mother without ever knowing her, she was raised alongside her master’s daughter as a playmate. Perhaps plaything would have been a more appropriate term. With no choice but to endure whatever came, she was in effect nothing more than a living and breathing doll. To do as she was told, and to suffer when petulant rage came over the daughter in silence, which was often.

When she was thirteen, or at least she assumed so as the daughter was, they were on a ship, though she could not have said why. One night when all was dark, there was a violent crash followed by shouting. Afraid, her fear was made worse when men with blades came and took her away onto their ship with the other slaves.

It was a gentle man, one with red hair and an odd silver lock of hair that came to her and freed her from her collar. Unable to coax a word from her, he spoke instead, his name was Jeroen De Rood, he was a Captain of the ship, and he was there to make sure she was safe. Accepting it took longer, but by the time they had reached port and she was to go with those put off, she chose to stay on The Storm Spear instead.

It wasn’t long after that, realising that she had no name, Jeroen called her Sera after a Byan angel. While the Captain had known no wife, he soon found he had a daughter. When she was not occupied with her chores aboard the ship, she often spent her time with him, around the man who made her feel safe.

In time, she felt similarly about the rest of the crew who accepted her. All on the ship had to know how to defend themselves, so it was with them that she learned how to handle a blade, eventually settling on a thin longsword, light enough for her to handle. With this came a confidence she had not had before, to know that she could defend herself was a powerful thing.

This was not the only revelation for her. When she was fifteen, her awakening came. With Jeroen to guide her, she survived with the help of an amulet he had given her, an ankh that was the symbol of her namesake.

While she had no teacher beyond what Jeroen could suggest, there was still a good deal she could achieve intuitively. For several years, she used her powers to help those who needed it after battles as best she could, yet she felt she needed to know more, could know more, could help people better with training.

It was to this end that when her father heard of the rumours of patternbearers in Jarden’s mountains, she decided she needed to go. With the reluctant blessings of her father, she took up the trail as best she could, hoping to find someone to teach her.

Personality: Innocent. Near ignorant for the majority of her life, many things are still new to her and give her a childish sense of wonder. Sensitive to those around her, especially those who are suffering.

Alexandra

• Name: Alexandra Marisol
• Features: Tall and well built - lean and muscular, but not bulky
• Face: Long, straight lightblonde hair which she mostly keeps unbound. Grayblue eyes. Heartshaped face, strong chin. Strong cheekbones of her native land. Light skin. Not dropdead gorgeous, but very looking. Mouth is broad and she smiles often.
• Age: 21
• Place of Origin: Chet, Jarden.
• Magic User?: Yes
• Age of Awakening: 15
• Element: Air
• Elemental features: darkblue ka'tara, white lock of hair

• Bio:

Alexandra Marisol - Alex for short - is a strongwilled woman who originates from one of the little mountain villages in Jarden. She was the eldest daughter in her mother's household, and as such destined to start a household of her own (Jarden is a matriarchical society). As such, she was raised as a very independent girl, who should be able to take care of herself and those she would be in charge of.

She also displayed interest in hunting, fishing and tracking at a young age, and could most often be found with the party of village men who would forage the nearby mountainpasses for anything edible. Her mother did not approve, but Alex always found ways to come along. She is very selfsufficient in rugged country on her own and knows all the practicalities of life outdoors.

On the night she was supposed to marry a lad from one of the adjacent villages and start her own household, she displayed signs of sickness. Thinking it was nervousness, her mother brushed it away, until a lock of her blond hair turned bright white and the ka'tara started to show themselves. While Jarden had been far away from the cataclysmical happenings when Steravia sank beneath the waves, Patternbearers were still shunned in Jarden, and her mother turned away from her in horror. Knowing that Awakening Patternbearers would die without aid of an already fully trained mentor, the whole village knew that Alexandra was meant to be doomed. They chased her out of the village, into the mountains, where she spent the next two days wondering, crying, hoping it would be over soon.

She was rescued by Lir Vermont, one of the rare Patternbearers in the Resistance who could spot emerging Patternbearers across long distances. He helped her through the first initiation and took her back to the Resistance, where she developed as a particularly strong Air Bearer, and later on developed the trait to sniff out emerging Patternbearers herself.

• Personality: Down to earth, practical, with a sense of humor. Her upbringing has given her a sense of leadership which she will not hesitate to use. She is still young though, and prone to error.

Styria Greene

• Name: Styria Greene
• Features: Slender, average height. Feminine forms, curvy, flat stomach.
• Face: A pretty girl with striking lightblue eyes in a tanned face with delicate features and a shock of thick black hair. She usually keeps it bound back in a careless bun.
• Age: 19
• Place of Origin: Stibotan, western beach area.
• Magic User?: Yes
• Age of Awakening: 11
• Element: Fire
• Elemental features: white ka'tara, lightblue lock in her hair

• Bio:

Styria Greene is the only child of two of the survivors from the Fall of Steravia: Paris Greene and Vivien Madraksdaughter. Her parents, both gifted (or cursed) with the Pattern, have passed on their talent to their daughter. Styria inherited her father's Pattern, Life. She was born on Stibotan in a beachhouse from parents who did all they could to hide who they were and lived in the shadows of what had befallen at Steravia at the turn of the millennium.

Throughout her youth, her father and mother have taught her the danger of the Pattern and how it should not be used lightly. They would speak of ambition and foolishness and pride, of dead friends and loves - and everytime they did, Styria could see the shadows on their faces and traces of a grief that would never leave. Over the years, she had heard bits and pieces of their story, but she did not dare to ask too much because she knew it hurt them to speak of what had befallen them.

That was not the only shadow in Styria's young life, though. Throughout her life, her mother had suffered from racking coughs that would sometimes make her cough up blood. This happened especially during the rainy season, when all was wet and damp and colder than usual. Stibotan had a gentle climate, but for her mother's delicate lungs it was not enough. One night, after a round of hacking coughs she had heard her father plead with her mother. Tean-year-old Styria was shocked to the core to hear her father weep. "Please, let me heal you Vivien, it's killing you!" And her mother had hissed: "Don't you dare. I'll kill myself before I let you heal me. It's not worth it, love, it's not worth the cost..." Two weeks later her mother had passed away between two shuddering breaths, blood and spit flecking her lips.

After that, Styria never saw her father smile anymore. They went about their tasks, but it was all on automatic pilot. And then the day came that she felt odd, not-quite-there, full of a nervous energy that she needed to channel somewhere. She was dizzy, distracted. Things dropped from her hands and she had no control over it. At some point she even felt delirious and asked her father what was happening to her. Paris Greene took one good look at his daughter and said: "I should have expected you to Awake early, love. You're a child of two Patternbearers, they always Awake sooner. I'm sorry."

Her father guided her through her Awakening by making her focus on the garden they were standing in. He gave her his bracelet with carved wooden beads to focus her energy upon and she pushed it outwards. It was as if the world instantly snapped back into focus again and she felt instantly better.

That day, her lessons in Pattern Philosophy and Bearings began. Her father was a natural teacher and he taught her well; where it came to Philosophy. He told her all she wanted to know about what the world thought of the Pattern and its existence, how people regarded the Pattern, what it should be used for and why it was so bloody dangerous. He told her about Solaris and his dissertation. And finally, he told her of Steravia and its downfall, and how even now the capital of Cranna was still being rebuilt. "It is dangerous, and it upsets the balance of the world. Try not to use it, or it will cost you...and the rest of the world... dearly."

"Is that why mom didn't let you heal her?" Styria had asked.

He just nodded wordlessly. "She didn't figure her life worth a tipping the Balance. I couldn't convince her otherwise."

He did not say it, but Styria realized that her mother had not been bluffing. She would have killed herself if her father had attempted to heal her.

It was such a sad, sad story. Subconsequently, Paris taught her preciously little about actual Elemental use. He told her about natural healing, herbs, about setting bones, about the natural healing process of the body and the balance of Life and Death within every living being, but none about how to actually use her own fiery Element. It took her a while to figure it out and a bit longer to actually confront him about it. It all came to a head one night when one of the villager's children was sick and he refused to go there and heal the kid when Styria asked him to. "It's no use anyway. It's not worth it. All that lives will die eventually," he had said.

"Some lives are worth saving, dad. Mom could have lived if the two of you had not been so adamant about it. She could have lived!"

Styria was eighteen years old when her father hit her in the face for the first and the last time. It was a reflex, born of grief and horror and a terrible, terrible helplessness. It immediately dawned upon him what he had done and he fell to his knees, crying and apologising. A man nearing his fifties, crying to his daughter. "I'm so sorry Styria, I truly am. I don't know what came over me."

Styria wept too. "You really can't bring yourself to teach me, can you?"

"I am so sorry."

"We'll just have to find someone who will, then. Because I have to do this."

"I know," Paris Greene had said. "And I know where you can go."

• Personality:

Styria is a passionate young woman, just outgrowing her teens into maturity, still suffering from the spasms of puberty. She is angsty, hot-headed, has a hot temper (which is interesting because her parents were both so laid-back) and is very, very angry at all the injustice in the world that has targeted her person especially. She'll be an interesting one to play. I think that she'll come to ressemble Sienna eventually; full of idealism and ambition to make the world a better place.

Felix Martin

Name: Felix Marcel

Features: 6'8”, 104kg, while he is thin he is still well muscled. His naturally dark skin hides the fact that he spends a great deal of time outdoors, be it on land or sea. His back is a thick layer of scars. A burn under his right foot resembles the crescent of a waning moon.

Face: Strong cheekbones and jaw, fairly lean face. Hazel eyes, white hair that is usually in small braids that only ever reach as far as his neck. Usually cleanshaven, his appearance reveals that he pays a certain amount of attention to himself. Eyebrows are neat, etc etc.

Age: 33

Place of Origin: Leon, Alta.

Faith: Dor & Dael. Belief is far from zealotry though, and definitely does not agree with the Dorian's assertion that pattern bearers practice demon magic.

Magic User?: No

Bio: Born into a minor landowning family in Alta whose land was just outside Leon, while his father (Ives) was Altan, his mother (Estee) was Amereli. A good thing too, his mother was a servant in his father's home. Within a year of his birth, his father married the daughter of a nearby neighbour (Lucille), the marriage meant to bring the family's together.

Felix presented a problem, for even though he was a bastard, he was a son, and his father had acknowledged him. Added to this was that for many years, his only half siblings were sisters (Adele and Monique), meaning he could possibly inherit. While a legitimate son was finally forthcoming (Roul), by this time Felix was thirteen. His father had also taken a care for his education and training in case he had no other heir to pass his land to.

Determined to see her own son take the land, Lucille took rather drastic action. A day trip in Leon with some friends turned horribly wrong for Felix as they were jumped by thugs and he was knocked senseless. By the time he woke, he found himself in the hold of a ship out at sea.

Felix spent the next three years in Lerete, or rather, owned by different masters from Lerete. Made to work on different ships, the last few years of his youth were harsh ones. They were to leave scars on both his body and his soul. The cataclysm occurs during this period, though in port in Lerete and with his status as a slave, this concerns him little.

Salvation came in the form of The Storm Spear. Offered a place on the crew, Felix gladly accepted and earned his keep. The Storm Spear was sailed by Captain Jeroen De Rood, a privateer from Mentis that for the moment had turned pirate. The Storm Spear was quickly gaining a reputation amongst slavers as most of its crew had been slaves themselves, a reputation Felix was happy to add to for the next ten years as he felt he owed it to their Captain.

But after so long, there was something he needed to attend to, a desire to avenge himself as he knew that it had been Lucille that had betrayed him. Traveling to Alta, he returned to his home to find the object of his hatred at her deathbed. Robbed of his anger seeing her in such a piteous state, he was left with the other reason for returning to Alta, his parents.

His father had died a few years after he had gone while hunting. His mother had remained in the household, relying on his father's coin to try and get news of him. After his father's death, his mother took to the road, hoping to find him.

Now it was Felix's turn to search. In order to fund his search, he fell in with all sorts of people to make coin along the way as he tried to find word of her. Now he is thirty three, and he still searches though he has his doubts that he shall ever find her.

Personality: A certain arrogance when he wishes to annoy someone, otherwise rather pleasant. Can have depressive moments when his doubts and memories get the better of him.

Lev Costin

Name: Lev Costin

Features: 6’7” , broad shouldered and muscular. Dark blonde hair. Moves rather gracefully for someone of his size.

Face: Grey blue eyes, fairly heavy eyebrows and a strong jaw give Lev a strong, masculine face.

Age: 27

Place of Origin: the Junkai mountains. He’s from a raider tribe, which is always on the move.

Magic User?: No

Bio: Lev’s birth was an occasion accompanied by troubled times from his tribe. His mother had led the tribe for years, but people had been nibbling at her power for almost as long. Upon the day of his birth, his mother was cast from the tribe, her resistance against those who opposed her broken. Lev was raised by one of the women of the tribe, a sister of his mother. This was the way of the tribes, and no one protested, not even his mother as she bled out, dying alone, in the snow.

As Lev grew, it became obvious that he had inherited the stature of his father. As a boy he was already taller than the other boys. When he turned twelve, he was sent on his first raid. Being used to the raids, villagers near the mountains offered little resistance. That was different the farther they got from the villages though. At age fifteen, Lev had a series of bloody battles behind him.

Life in the Junkai mountains continued that way for a long time. Villages were raided, and raiders of other tribes were captured, and sold to slavers from Lerette. Lev found himself growing dissatisfied with this life. He was raised to be a proud and hard man, but his father’s heritage consisted of more than just broad shoulders. He wanted more than the constant routine of fighting, stealing and killing. At age twenty four he turned to the woman who raised him, now the matriarch of his tribe.

She wasn’t interested in his complaints though. Seeing him as a disturbing factor in her tribe, she cast him out. Alone and without support for the first time in his life, Lev set out on the path that would lead to meeting Adeline, and eventually becoming a scout for the Pattern Bearer resistance.

Personality : Though his size and past might lead to people thinking otherwise, Lev is a calm and peaceful man. He is a stable person, and it takes a lot to anger him. Once angered he is a force to be reckoned with though.

Moana Bo’Oneida

• Features – lean and limber, yet standing rather short at 5’4”. Moana appears a lot less strong than she is, but years of swimming and climbing have imbedded the strength common to her people in her. She’s not particularly curvaceous, but no one would mistake her for a man.

Face – A pleasant heart shaped face and an almost ever present smile on full lips are Moana’s most prominent facial features. Her eyes are dark and almond shaped, and her nose is a little flat compared to the noses of those not from the southern islands. Her hair, though often wet, is dark and curly when it’s dry.

• Age - 21

• Place of origin – Though Moana was born on the south point of Micoud Vatoa, she moved to Micoud Leyu no more than a week after her Awakening.

• Magic user - yes

• Age of Awakening - 13

• Element - Water

• Elemental features – ivory white ka’tara, steel gray lock of hair

• Focus aid – An intricately worked necklace with black and white pearls from Micoud.

• Bio -

Moana was born on the slopes of a hill on the south point of Micoud Vatoa, overlooking the bay. Her father held her high when she was born, showing her all of Micoud that could be seen from the hill, binding her to the Isles more tightly than any set of chains every could. Moana is the child of two Pattern Bearers, both with Water as their element. While Moana grew into a playful child, Moana’s father was often away, guiding pirates through the reefs, and into the outside world. Moana’s mother often warned Moana against the dangers of the world outside the reefs, but while her connection to Micoud was strong, her desire to follow in her fathers footsteps, into adventure was even greater.

She would get her chance eventually, but at twelve young Moana was still convinced that her mother meant to keep her from ever experiencing everything by herself. This lead to an even stronger desire for danger and adventures in the young girl. Moana dived from cliffs as though she was the swiftest fisher bird, and challenged the older boys in the underwater duels. She started winning these duels when she was thirteen. Moana could hold her breath almost as long as the pearl divers, and her neighbours had already started encouraging her to dive deeper, to find the hidden treasures of the deep caverns. Mother had given up trying to discourage her wild daughter, instead turning to her husband with a mournful look in her eyes. “’T is you she takes after.” She would sigh. Moana’s father would shrug, but not without a look of worry and pride in his eyes.

It was during the summer after her thirteenth naming day that Moana’s life would change forever. She had felt odd all week, drawn more than ever to the coolness of the water. The need for air seemed to become less and less important compared to the need to be underwater, in de deep where the tides would pull at her. She avoided the boys she often quarrelled with, and it wasn’t until after her parents had called her time and time again that she would return home, picking at her food while staring out over the bay with a look of longing on her face. Both her parents looked at each other worriedly, vowing to keep a close watch on their generally cheerful child.

It was to no avail though. When Moana Awoke, it was accompanied with a rush of the tides that would suck her away from Micoud Vatoa, tugging her along until she reached the shore of Micoud Leyu, where a giant wave dropped her on the rocks near Momma Pinja’s home. Up to this day Moana doesn’t know if it was her Pattern that brought her to the eldest Water Bearer of Micoud, or if it was just a coincidence. It matters little. From that week on, Moana stayed at Momma Pinja’s house, learning all there was to know about being a Water Bearer.

From the day she Awoke, it was obvious that Moana had a strong affinity with the tides. Not just those that flowed and moved the oceans, but also those underneath the earth, the underwater rivers. With Momma Pinja Moana spent many days finding hidden steams and hidden caverns, exploiting her talent to the fullest. Even when Moana was on dry land she felt the pull of water, be it ocean or puddle.

On her nineteenth naming day Moana received her tidal markings, a set of tattoos on her hands and feet. For the trained eye they are a map to the currents around the Micoud Isles, a guide to be used when sailing to and from Micoud. For Moana they are a reminder of her home. A reminded that all she needs to do is follow the currents, and they’ll bring her back to Micoud, where her heart will always be.

She went on some sailing trips with older Waterbearers, learning the ways of the greater ocean before Momma Pinja sent her on her a mission of sorts. With great reluctance Moana travels forth, seeking out other Pattern Bearers in the hope of learning the truth about what happened to Steravia, and how the world reacted to it.

• Personality – Moana is a bright and cheerful young woman. She’s proud of what she is and where she’s from, and also a little arrogant because of it. She’s generally quite calm, though her anger, when unleashed, can be quite stormy.

Ninja Steran

Name - Ninja Steran

Features - 5"5, slender, delicate - but stronger than she looks. She seems to sparkle with tireless energy.

Face – Delicately boned face, big guileless darkblue eyes. There's the beginning of laughter wrinkles around her eyes, but all in all she looks younger than her years. Blond straight hair that she usually wears in a braid.

Place of origin – 988 Spring 78, which makes her eleven during the fall of Steravia, and in her early thirties when the story starts.

Magic user – yes

Age of Awakening – 11, not long after the Fall.

Element – Water

Strength - 65

Skill: 60

Elemental Features – A blue lock in her hair on the side, which is usually not visible because she braids it away. Lightblue ka'tara.

Focus Aid – A long string of bright blue glass beads that she sometimes wears around her neck, and around her wrist or ankle at other times.

Bio –

Ninja Steran was born in a nest full of love, from loving parents. Her father was Lord Timon Steran himself, Lord and rightful owner of the Isle of Steravia (and the accompanying small islands). Lord Timon's family had owned the Isle since people could remember. They said he'd won it over a game of dice, but whether that was true or false nobody knew. The only records that were kept of that time was that Steravia functioned as a summer vacation estate for a while, but when all three Steran children in the family turned out to be Patternbearers the family went to live there fulltime. They hired teachers for the children, they invited other Patternbearers to come over and found an institution... and from there on, the University of Steravia came in existence.

Centuries later Timon, Island-born as his family was but not talented with an Element in his blood, fell in love with a Water Bearer at University. He married Mia Lentan and the two had a few deliriously happy years together. Ninja was born of this union, but the pregnancy'd had so many complications that Mia died in childbirth, despite the two Life Bearers present.

Lord Timon was devastated. He never blamed his little girl though - soon enough she became his reason to live. Ninja and the University were all that he lived for. He would protect both with the ferocity of a lion - and would do so, until the end. When the situation between Steravia and the mainland spiralled quickly out of control, he did his best until the very end to keep the danger away, until the Prefects left him no choice but to call for independence. And that was when the fleet sailed (surprisingly quick after the announcement, everyone knew that Cranna must have been preparing the attack for months already), ready to kill everyone at the Island.

So Steravia hit back with a strike that would have consequences that nobody had ever thought of. There was a volcano coming into existence on the island, the seas were boiling and it was raining ashes upon the Island. Never mind the frequent earthquakes - and everybody was trapped. Lord Steran did the only thing he could think of: he bribed an Air Bearer to portal his little girl out of there, in hopes that she would live.

Ninja lived. She'd lived a protected and cuddled life so far which had resulted into some eccentric behaviour, but taken from her home and her people, she didn't wither away and die. She showed some unexpected resilience. She toughed out every situation they got thrown in, she never complained but only cried at night, when she thought Benten couldn't hear her. Benten took her to the Stronghold in the Junkai mountains, where she Awakened to her Element: Water. That didn't surprise either of them very much. It was useful though, because water was one of the most important ingredients of life. Especially in those first few years life was hard in the Stronghold, hard, cold, and sometimes downright scary or lonely. Ninja could always cheer Benten up during the darkest hours. Just with her presence alone she had the gift to light up a room. Her smile could be like sunlight breaking through.

While Benten was working on reconstructing the vision of Steravia as it has been, Ninja became the one who kept things running through the Stronghold. She always seemed to be there when things had to be done, and did her tasks quickly and flawlessly as if she'd never done anything different. Apart from that, she was always there if someone needed a shoulder to cry on or an ear for listening. Everybody loved Ninja - but as she grew up, the blond girl only had eye for Benten, who she idolized.

She was sixteen years old when she cornered Benten and professed her love for him. He managed to hold her off for a while, but Ninja was a young girl on a mission, and eventually she had him where she wanted him. Nine months later Mirella was born.

Later another daughter called Merel would follow, then then a son they named Yoshua. They never officially married, since marriage was a church institution and they'd both renounced their faith in Dor - but they were partners and everyone treated them as such.

On the matter of the drowning of Steravia, Ninja never spoke much. She had grieved terribly for her father and her home - it was all she had known before she came to the Stronghold, but that old sadness only touched her eyes sometimes, nothing else. It was the reason she was so terribly attached to Benten, though. Sometimes during the night she held him tightly and whispered things like: "Don't you ever die, I wouldn't know what to do..." It was a good thing that Benten matched Ninja's love for him bit by bit. They were a terribly tight couple, and there was nothing that came between them.

Ninja wasn't as much into Patternbearer and the Elements as he was. She simply accepted her element as part of her, but it was a part of her that scared her somewhat. So she used her Element if needed, but she never played with it for fun. She taught her children well, as she did with all the young Patternbearers that had come to follow her lessons... but it was not the most important thing in her life. Her children were, her husband, her home.

And to today, they still are.

Personality – Ninja is quirky, full of energy - she sparkles like sunlight on the water. She has a warm, nurturing personality and the sweetest smile you'll probably ever encounter. She is easy-going, but when push comes to shove she can be strict and stubborn. When she really wants something, she will get it... usually because everyone loves her so much that nobody can refuse her. :) She is pretty artistic; she'll spend hours on end sitting in the small courtyard in the Stronghold, painting beads (of gemstones, wood, and glass) and creating necklaces out of it. If you can't find her - chances are big that she'll be hanging out right there.

Addison Andres Séaghda

• Features - Addison stands tall at 6’5”. His physique is quite impressive, though he prides himself in only having to work a little to keep his natural muscle tone in good condition.

Face – He has strong cheekbones and a slightly bold nose. Hard blue eyes show little affection even when he smiles. It takes a rare event to warm these pools of ice. When the warmth of his smile reaches his eyes he is radiant, but when it doesn’t one would simply call him handsome. His dark brown hair is down to his shoulders by now, and often tied back.

• Age - 23

• Place of origin – Born in Chircha, but with the destruction of the city, his family moved to the new capital of Cranna, to be near the centre or power.

• Magic user – yes

• Age of Awakening – 15

• Element – Fire

• Elemental Features – Black ka’tara and an amber lock of hair

• Focus Aid – a 2.5 inch round amber disk which he wears on a thong around his neck

• Bio –

Addison was born in Chircha, not far away from the Prefect’s palace. This was as his father’s status demanded, because he might not have been all that closely related to the Prefect, a relative he was, and all relatives of the prefect were held in high esteem. This didn’t keep his father from wanting to reach higher still, especially in his cousin’s regard. His cousin however had little time for the mutterings of his relatives at the time of Addison’s birth, because he was too busy starting a war against Steravia and listening to the maddened priests of Dor who wished to see all Pattern Bearers dead. Addison’s father didn’t exactly support this notion, because his own wife had been saved by a Life Bearer when giving birth to Addison proved to be to hard a task for her.

This was kept secret from all but the first servant of Addison’s father, and Addison’s mother, and they never spoke of it, fearing the Prefect would one day come to think that being touched by a Pattern Bearer was as bad as being a Pattern Bearer yourself. Addison grew up without this knowledge, thinking himself the luckiest boy alive just because his father could get him the most precious toys and his mother seldom berated him when he didn’t say his prayers to Dor at night. So Addison would have lived happily, no doubt falling into the thrall of his father’s ambitions before he turned fifteen if not for the Fall of Steravia.

No one really knew what happened at the time. When the fleet was sent West to Steravia, accompanied by Addison’s father, he told his precious wife and child to visit relatives in the east, away from the shore. Whether he feared an attack on Chircha, or was just worried his wife would be bored remains unknown. He never returned to Crannan shores again and neither did Addison and his mother, not after the tidal waves hit and swept Chircha away. Thus it was that five year old Addison was without a father, left behind with a grieving mother. They moved to the new capital of Cranna, if only to provide Addison’s mother with some reprieve from her endless grief over her husbands death. She grew passionate about her hatred of Pattern Bearers at that time and young Addison followed her in this, having no other way to go.

The priests of Dor saw to his schooling after his private teacher was found to have traitorous writings about the good of Pattern Bearers and was executed because of them. The priests worked long and hard to cleanse Addison’s mind from the no doubt impure ramblings of his old teacher. At age fifteen Addison was a hard and pious boy, having received no mercy from his teachers or his mother. Spare the rod, spoil the child had been their motto during his younger years, and indeed the rod had not been spared. Addison would rather die than miss a prayer or speak good of Pattern Bearers. Unfortunately for Addison, irony dealt the cards in his life. During the winter after his 15th naming day, Addison fell ill.

His mother brought in the brightest of doctors, fearing that her only son, the only true reminder of her lost love would die on her after all the effort she put into him. No one could find what was wrong with him, but Addison burned. Fevers wracked his body, until finally, in the dead of the night when his mother finally left him his Awakening came to it’s full glory. The old servant of his father, whom had been at Addison’s side for 15 years left him for a moment only to return with one of the dreaded Pattern Bearers. Times were dangerous, but this Life Bearer still remembered the family he aided so many years ago. Seeing that the boy was dying because of his Pattern he sent the servant away, sitting by Addison’s side as he advised him to push outwards. Release. Release… Release…

And Addison did, pushing the heat out, pushing the fire out until he was finally cool again. When he woke up the house was in chaos. Servants were rushing to put out the fires started by his Awakening. Before Addison had the chance to ask questions, his mother entered his room and screamed, after which she fainted. A single glance in the mirror told Addison why. Little dark spots on his temples. A strangely coloured lock in his hair. Bending over the side of the bed, Addison emptied his stomach repeatedly, heaving still even after there was nothing left to purge. A Pattern Bearer. Did Dor jest with him now, after all these years of faithfulness?

Despite his reassurances that he would never use his Pattern again, his mother didn’t want to see him. Accusing him and the old Life Bearer of tainting her life with their very presence, she had them chased out of her house, and out of the city Addison had lived in for ten years now. Having nowhere to go, he went with the Pattern Bearer. During their trip to the east of Mentis Addison tried to convince the man to renounce his Pattern, and accept the love of Dor. If they only prayed enough and were good people, surely Dor would take them in. The Life Bearer, Anthos, proved Addison wrong by taking him to a temple of Dor, where they were promptly asked to leave lest they wished to be killed by the wrath of Dor.

This was the start of a confusing time for Addison. While he didn’t want his Pattern, he was reluctant to renounce it as well. Anthos took him to live with the Fire Bearer Rhozwin, who taught him about the power he held, as well as the dangers of using it. Rhozwin hadn’t seen the destruction of Steravia with her own eyes, but she had heard rumours, and she was sure that the weapon made to destroy Cranna’s army had actually destroyed Steravia itself. Addison saw this as a confirmation that Pattern Bearers were tainted, but he was quite sure that if he just prayed enough… if he was good enough, Dor would still have him for a son.

At the age of twenty, Addison had no more energy left. Between controlling his Pattern, dealing with the hatred against him and what he had reluctantly come to call ‘his kind’, and trying to get back on Dor’s good side, he became disillusioned. Perhaps his mother had been right. Death was easy, just a small mistake away. Would Dor not be pleased, if he used the taint in himself to rid the world of the creature he had become. His mind was made up. He would free the world of his taint. Yet life had other things in store for Addison. A mere hour before his planned exit, a knock resounded on the door. When Addison opened the door he saw a face he had long forgotten about. His uncle, a well respected priest of Dor and closer to the Prefect now than any had been before the Fall of Steravia. “My son…” his uncle spoke, “I have a task for you.” And so the next phase in Addison’s life began, with a little bit of hope that he may use the taint within him for some good, and that both Dor and the Prefect will accept them once more.

• Personality – Addison is a calculating young man. The past five years of his life have brought out a lot of the natural charisma he’s inherited from his father’s side of the family, and he knows when a smile can win a battle in his favour. Despite his new mission he can’t quite help being disgusted and afraid of what he is, and of those around him. He struggles with his emotions quite often, but always in private. Addison was raised to be a well-mannered person, and he tries to be that person quite often.

Mirella Faradan

Name: Mirella Faradan

Features: slender to the point of skinny, still developing her curves.

Face: heartshaped, as prone to pout as to grin nastily. Very expressive face, hazel eyes, goldbrown hair. Slightly freckled, tanned from spending so much time outside.

Age: 15

Place of Origin: The Stronghold, Junkai Mountains.

Faith: agnostic

Magic User?: Yes.

Age of Awakening: 11 -> both parents are PB, those kids awaken sooner

Element: Earth

Elemental Features: darkbrown ka'tara (like hennatattoos), bright red lock of hair.

Foci: a metal bracelet on her left wrist; she smithed the thing herself (under supervision of another Earth Bearer)

Bio: Ninja Steran and Benten Faradan were the ones to set up the Stronghold, and for a long time they were on their own in the old building. Despite the age difference between the two, the young girl idolized Benten, even though he was about eight/nine years her senior. And from one thing came another; at age 17 she found herself expecting her first child. That turned out to be Mirella. Later two more children would follow; a chocolate-haired girl named Merel (two years younger) and a blond boy named Yoshua (four years younger).

Mirella's mother was a talented Water Bearer and her father was a moderately talented Air Bearer, so it seemed logical that she would Awaken early. And indeed, it was right before her twelfth birthday that the little girl - prone to climbing on top of the roof of the Stronghold to watch the sky over the Junkai Mountains, who was an expert skier at age four, who was always butting her nose in things that didn't concern her and who would always be curiously asking the how's and the why's of things - awakened to her Pattern. It turned out to be Earth, which was not weird considering the fact that she always knew how to tap into hidden strength reserves, and her penchant for climbing and how comfortable she was in the mountains.

Her father raised her deliberately to be proud of her Pattern, to feel priviledged with the flecks on her brow - but that they were misunderstood, blamed for crimes they did not commit, and that she had to be careful to show her skills to the outside world. Not that she had much opportunity; in the fifteen years of her life her father only ever took her to Jarden mountain villages sometimes for trading goods and supplies, but that was about it. So she grew up proud of what and who she was, and excited about the thrilling secret about herself and her parents. She knew she was special, and she indulged in that knowledge.

Her parents taught her Pattern Philosophy and the utilisation of her talents, and the local Earthbearer taught her about her element. Mirella turned out to be a fairly talented Bearer; about 65/100 in strength.

At age 15, she's itching to see more of the world, though. She's started to beg her father to take her along on Patternbearer recruitment trips, she wants to meet new people and see the world. There's an itch there - curiosity, and she doesn't quite know how to solve this because her father won't let her go.

Personality: spunky, quirky quicksilver like her mother, but with the easy practiced arrogance that her father has. She's been raised in the knowledge she's special, and she is proud. She's also fond of teasing people, and nosing around in their business. She'll always be the first to talk to people, because she's so damn curious. It's just that once she knows what she wants to know, she loses interest just as quickly. :D

Daric Blacktree

• Features: 5’11”, 83kg. Lean yet muscled figure, the muscles on his body show he’s no stranger to work and the scars that he’s no stranger to fighting. Well tanned from most of his days spent out on the seas. Hands are heavily callused from both work and weapons.

• Face: Short and curly black hair, hazel eyes that rest under thin eyebrows. Strong jaw but cheeks aren't prominent with a large scar running down the right one from the hairline to the jaw. Narrow nose, average sized mouth that usually expresses his disdain, dislike or outright hatred for something.

• Age: 23

• Place of Origin: Bolan, Marisule.

• Magic User?: No

• Bio: Growing up on the docks of Marisule, never knowing his father and his mother simply disappearing one day when he was seven, life for Daric Blacktree was a hard one with only his mother’s family name to remind him he had even had a mother. Taking to pickpocketing for a time, he soon ended up hauled onto a ship one evening when he was nine, sailing for Lerete to be sold on a slaveblock.

Yet the ship was intercepted by pirates that, despite the heavy losses, overpowered the slaver crew. Those slaves that survived were incorporated into the pirate crew, and Neric himself became a cabin boy upon the Storm Spear. For eight years, he was on the ship and slowly began taking on more duties until he was capable in any part of the ship. With the fighting they did, he also ended up becoming fairly competent with a range of weapons from cutlasses to rapiers, boarding poles to hatchets, even firearms.

Leaving the ship in Bolan, he spent some time there before taking up with a mercanery crew. Making a name for himself, sometimes known as Black Daric, he served on different ships as a guard, even pirate ships, yet he still calls Bolan his homeport where he visits after every contract is finished for a time before taking another contract. With his skills, he can easily find work, and the coin he makes allows him to keep himself well armed. No real allegiances except to coin, the only limits the man has are known only to himself.

• Personality: Oblivious at best, outright hostile at worst, he is a man he doesn't care for those about him very much

Astrid Tatjoi

Name – Astrid Tatjoi

Features –Astrid stands tall for a woman at 6’0 and weighs 165 pounds though any fat is found strictly in the typical feminine deposits. Finely muscled, she is strong in appearance with broad shoulders and skin wrapped tightly around finely muscled limbs. Astrid is intimidating despite the obvious feminine curves of her form. A large tattoo of a tidal wave curves from her right shoulder blade around her rib cage ending just above her right hip bone. Long, platinum blond hair, raggedly cut, hangs straight to mid-back even though it is rarely worn free.

Face – Her skin which is meant to be fair like the typical Jardenien is sun bronzed from her years upon the sea. Eyes of ice blue are set large and wide in a heart shaped face with high cheekbones. Astrid’s mouth is broad with thin lips and above that is an average straight nose adorned with a small silver hoop nose ring. A cleft indents a delicate chin and small lines branch from the corner of her eyes more so due to her years on the sea than age.

Age - 33

Place of origin – Astrid was born on the southern coast of Jarden, but she has spent most of her life on the sea.

Magic user – yes

Age of Awakening – 13

Element – Water

Elemental Features – a pale blue lock of hair and bright blue ka’tara

Focus Aid – a wide silver cuffed bracelet she wears on her left wrist

Bio – Astrid was born one night during a storm at sea, an eloquent declaration of her future as captain of the Valkyrie. Her parents, both Patternbearers, had left Steravia and the university several years before the disagreement with the mainland of Cranna. Coming from a long line of sailors, Sinjin and his wife, Brigid, had become discontent with the politics and dueling of university life and with great hope they set sail beginning their life as merchants of the sea.

In her twelfth year, her parents fearing their daughter’s Awakening and the devastation that could occur on a ship in the middle of the ocean took their daughter and traveled deep into the mountains of Jarden and into the midst of the clan her mother had called family as a child. Sinjin, a native of Hedmark, found the culture strange to say the least, but he soon settled down and awaited the Awakening of his only child. Their wait came sooner than expected as not long after Astrid’s thirteenth naming day her Awakening began.

Once her powers were under control and it was assured that she would cause no harm to the ship or her crew the family of three returned to their salty home on the sea where Astrid began her true training, the mastery of the ship. They spent years traveling from port to port trading in everything from spices to textiles, but when Astrid was twenty-three her idyllic world crumbled around her ears.

Anchored in a port of the Southern Isles her life took a dramatic change for the worse, changing her destiny and solidifying her path. While Sinjin was trading with men he’d done business with for years, Micoud privateers interjected. Not one to sit by while injustice was being served, Sinjin moved in defense of the islanders he’d come to call friends over the years. During the scuffle he was shot and after a burial at sea Brigid took to her cabin and died shortly thereafter. They say that one cannot die of a broken heart, but Astrid knows better.

During the next ten years Astrid captains the Valkyrie, but she is no longer a merchant in the traditional sense. Steal from the rich and give to the poor is her motto. Her life is now spent pirating the same privateers that stole her family. They may be of a different nationality, but they are all one in the same in the mind of Astrid. She and her crew share the wealth of their bounty with the poor of several nations with a moderate profit for themselves.

Personality: Stubborn, a shrewd business woman with a keen eye for opportunity, Astrid is congenial and easy to laugh, but can turn cold quicker than the wind shifts directions earning her the title of Ice Queen.