D&D Campaign: Suleki V'lgess
Mother,
Remember that time you ran as fast as you could through the halls from your bed-chamber? Father was stirred and confused. Your footsteps rang through the court and it spoke of your fear. The first of your children, the light of this family, the Sword of the V’lgess, your daughter, I screamed. It was the first of many of my sweat drenched nights, awake and crying. I was five. The horrifying dreams I would get. You knew I hated it but you knew there was nothing we could do. I was on a ship that sailed, a mere accomplice to the Dogma of the heavens. Their meat puppet on celestial strings. These dreams are not of my subconscious, they are force fed to me.
The mystic you spoke to cajoled you into believing that I had a higher purpose and yet, you and Father could do nothing as your court belittled a fragile child. ‘Chicken Wings’, Mother? I didn’t appreciate being called that just because you birthed me with tiny stubs on my shoulders.
You.
You had me sent away.
I love you mother, but you’re an arsehole.
Send my regards to the family, remind them that their oldest sibling is in fair health and jovial spirits. Tell them I miss them and I’ll be home soon. And tell Alezia to stop poking around my chambers.
With love,
Eki.
Chapter None.
“I can’t even hold a sword.” Suleki mused as she stared into her cask of Ale, letter in hand. The dim light of the tavern barely illuminated the motley crew around her. “Jovial spirits, ha. If only I could actually be drunk.” Eki folded the letter and put it in an envelope which she passed to the Barkeep to send home. He smiled as she got off the chair and stretched as she sauntered out the door.
The bright afternoon light flooded into her eyes as they adjusted, her wings flexed and ruffled in the June air. She heard her name being called out from a distance and turned around, plumes accidentally brushing a bystander, she grinned sheepishly before slurring out a quick apology and jogged towards the direction her name was called. There stood the twins, Baldur and Eblas.
“Fancy seeing the daughter of the Countess in a dingy old tavern, hey Eblas?” Said Baldur to his brother.
“Shhh!!! I’m trying to keep that a secret! What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you for another 3 nights!” Suleki half hissed as she hugged them both.
“Surprise…” said Eblas with an eyeroll. “Your chicken wings are in my eyes.”
“Suck it up.” Suleki replied, happy to be reunited with two of her closest friends.
The odd three walked past the Tavern, stopped and looked at each other. Suleki smiled and shook her head. It was not a time for sitting in a gloomy tavern when there’s reminiscing, sunlight and laughter to be had.
* * *
“Leave her alone, Eblas. She might trip and die and we can finally be rid of her!” Balder shouted as he lay his head on the grass, book half open. “Besides, the Headmaster will call her when we have class anyway.
Eblas turned back and looked at his brother, brown eyes wide with glee. Suleki’s penchant for running off gave them both a reason to practice their skills as the apprentices to Master Shanzi’s Way of the Open Hand. While she avoided them, they gave chase. Their sparring so swift it could almost not be seen except the flashes deep red.
* * *
Suleki is the first child of the Countess of Ran, Lady Protector of a province under the Council of Six and home to the Floating Temple of The Sun. On the day of her birth, the sun shone brilliantly within an azure sky yet gasps from the servants and charges within the castle betrayed the merriment of birth. Echoes of ‘chicken wings’ sped through the hallways before reaching the outside splitting the people into camps, each believing the newborn either as a curse or as blessing. Sweat drips down the furrowed brows of the Countess as she smiled. Her daughter, cocoa brown skin, silvery white hair, covered in blood and crying loudly between huge gasps of air. The Mystic Mother and Doula spoke of Suleki’s future and ties to the Godly Planes, her role as the new protector and the duty which had been thrusted upon her. The Countess’ smile cast upon the room shone brighter than the star that gave life to the Earth.
The child, plagued by nightmares, burdened by existence, was sent to be trained at the Floating Temple to harness the skills gifted to her by On-high so that she may control her dreams and her existence given meaning. At 21, her training complete, saw the mark of the sun tattooed in the middle of her shoulder blades reminding her where and why she should stand proud. At 26, her faith in dogma wavered and she longed to be free of the chains of her pedigree and strict rules of the Temple. The wings that gave her grief for the longest time ached for movement. She ached because her heart has sunk into hallowed ground, the breath of life, existence, a shadow of what may be. She feared that her ivory towers shielded her from the realities of her people, of the people of the Nations under the King. She knew that being so far away from the common people meant she was out of touch. She needed to leave.
On her 27th birthday, after a year of planning, she packed her things and set out in the dead of night. She had sent her mother, the Countess, a letter of explanation a day after and assured that she had gotten the blessings from her Master.
The cool breeze was not the only thing that followed her that night. Her best friends and brothers in arms appeared swiftly behind her, angry. Regretfully, and with eyes full of tears, she promised to meet them in 2 years, they will know where when the time came.
“We can’t protect you if you run away, Eki.” mumbled Eblas as Suleki’s form began to fade out into the distance.
“I know,” Whispered Suleki.
_______________________________
Eki Musings:
"When you have wings you can fly really high, but nobody ever teaches you how to land,"
BONUS DATA!
- Bit of a snob when it comes to food, wine and music.
- Sometimes sarcastic and blunt
- Extroverted
- Hides her ancestry and ties to the Godly Plane.
- Is out Adventuring to prove that she is not just a conduit for the Godly Plane and will work for her seat as the Countess and Lady Protector of Ran.
- Pretends to be drunk to hide emotions, almost never gets drunk
- Doesn't tell people she's an Aasimar and hides her wings using the enchanted scarf, a family heirloom. Once someone knows about her wings it cannot be hidden once again.
- Hides Noble birth unless absolutely necessary
- Lackadaisical when she doesn't want to do something.
- Will begrudgingly put on a dress and attend formal events
- Is a tinkerer and her ideas comes from how she interacted with her world (Wisdom based)
- Doesn't like birds because as a child she was made fun of due to having wings and being too different.
- Tries to move around as incognito as possible.
- Hides noble heritage as much as possible, though deeply cares for family (born and in monastery)
- Dispenses with the sagely advice every so often
- Eki's wings started to grow and mature after she got her first period. From ragged, barely feathered stumps (think baby parrots), it grew to be 5 feet high and 15 feet wide within 3 years, with Ombre feathers going from Dark Red to Titanium White.
- Only thing that shows her pedigree (and is always around her neck) is a kain tenun type scarf with her family pattern and in Deep Red. -- not sure if it's magicked to be safe from harm.
- Clothes: Plain cream or tan halter neck or wrap (to accommodate wings) and black loose 3/4 pants, Comfy slip-on shoes or foot wraps
- Aasimar Guide: Byark Angels (the receptionist), replaced the nightmares Eki would get as a child. She sends messages at breakfast, it's usually pretty direct but it's really annoying when most of the time it's weather predictions.
Eki's eyes shine brilliantly as she's
overcome by a vision.
"The weather today will be warm with
a 30% chance of rain," said a voice from the aether,
slightly raspy with a mix of static interference.
"And, by the way, watch out for card games,"
Bond:
Duty to Family and the Monastery and the good of her people
Ideals:
Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me.
(Do good even if it looks bad and don't brag about it. Help where you can as you find it.)
Flaws:
Cannot resist a sad face or a person in need, unless they really look suspicious.
Has a tell when lying.
Man chaser
Noble House (Matriarchal): V'lgess Keep
- Mother: Zenia V'lgess, Countess of Ran
- Father: Fizband V'lgess, Count Consort.
- 3 siblings (Sordan, Alezia and Adreitch)
The V'lgess family is an old and strong Warrior family who, for as long as the reigning monarch has overseen the country, has been the protector of Ran, a small city South of Esphurta and East to Lake Eshmel. There's a story told, passed from parent to child, about the V'lgesses having a proginator or Garudan decent, a large bird-like humanoid from the Godly Plane who settled in Ran and took a human male consort. A Dark Red Garuda is the family crest and is featured on all family paraphernalia from sigils to banners.
Countess V'lgess holds a seat in Eshpurta's Council of Six taking over from Mikaal Dannihyr who was expelled from the council for reasons unknown. Since Ran is a Matriarchy, Alezia was asked to hold the seat, after Zenia retired, as one of the Twin Suns of The V'lgess -- The other being Suleki who was out being an adventurer and seeking greatness. Alezia being much more proficient when it comes to Politics than her older sister, takes over when it comes to actively participating in the Council of Six. Suleki's only call for return is only during a time of great need and to be at her younger sister's aid.
Monastery: Temple of The Sun
- Sifu: Master Shanzi
- Classmates: Twins, Eblas and Baldur Baker. (The Baker Boys), Same age as Eki
The Temple of the Sun is a Monastery between Lake Eshmel and Ran and where Master Shanzi frequently runs training camps. Travel from temple to beach is several day's camp and is quite taxing to outsiders. They rarely get visitors. Eki and the Baker Boys are allowed leave once a year for 3 weeks -- But only because the Countess demanded her daughter be back for the Summer Festival in Eshpurta.
The Baker Boys' father is in service to the Countess so she made the Boys be Eki's keeper. On her 11th Birthday she got angry and told her mother off for asking them to be glorified servants. Eki set them 'free' but they stayed on and swore fealty to her, not as servants but as friends.
Town of Ran
Is watched over by the V'lgess Family and is prosperous and fair. The Town itself is built in concentric circles with the innermost area being V'lgess Keep. The wealthier denizens live nearer the inner ring whereas the farmers are given large tracks of land to til on the outskirts. It's very much existing in a feudal system but with tax laws that serves to the betterment of their society. Farmers are tax exempt if they reach a defined quota to feed the town. City also gets a lot of trade coins through merchant and tourist taxation. Is smaller than Esphurta and lends support to Esphurta when in need of military might.
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