Dragon Age: Shattered Dreams - OOC & Sign-up

[SolemnOath]

I'm not saying his family should abandon him--I'm saying they wouldn't have trained a person in the works of a specified mage field if he didn't show any aptitude towards magic. Mages can sense magic and if he hadn't expressed any talent, say by puberty, then they wouldn't have trained him. There simply would be no point in it. Mortalitasi use magic to preserve the dead and reanimate bodies--none of which he can do. If you think about this way; a person does not get sent to a Circle of Magi simply for being related to a mage. They might be watched closely to see if the power manifests, but they have to have shown the capacity for using magic first then taken to the Circle where they learn to harness their power before they made to go through their harrowing. One does not come before the other. It's just common sense to wait and see first before training him in a craft that uses magic extensive to perform their duties.

Another thing is, Mortalitasi are linked by royal blood and it is quite customary for Nevarran royalty to employ them as advisors. So he would have to be part of the lower royal family in Nevarra. The Mortalitasi was founded by a Tevinter Mage Vitus Fabria who was an advisor to Caspar Pentghast the 1st or Caspar the Magnificent--that was three centuries ago in the Steel Age in the chronological timeline of Dragon Age lore.

So, he can help out the Mortalitasi--but he can't and would not be trained as one nor would he be labeled as such.


That is correct. I researched it and they do use lyrium-based explosives.I think the only reason why I thought they had gunpowder is because, in Origins, they show Dwarves with cannons, catapults, and ballistae fighting Darkspawn. Thought the Sha-Brytol can use it as well with the rods that break apart barriers that Earthshakers use.



Yeah...I might have made a male dwarf and dated Cassandra for the comedic value of watching how far she had to bend down just to kiss the guy. lol It was a little awkward to watch him dance with Floriane--kept asking how he was doing all that waltzing and keeping up with her when she obviously had a longer stride than him. XD

That's fine by me, seeing as his family is part of it though, I guess that means he has Royal blood in him. Even so he could learn and ask his family to teach him what they know even if he has no magic talent. Like in Orgins a dwarf woman was allowed to go to the circle to study magic even though she is a dwarf. He may not have magic but he would still try to learn all he could about everything they knew so he could be in some ways useful. I'm fine with him not being labeled as such in society and the like. However he would see himself as one because his family is part of it and he has been attempting all his life to be apart of it despite not being a mage.

Basically. Royal blood, learning what he can about the Mortalitasi and traditions. Can't do them still learning them. Considers himself as part of the organization, everyone including his family sees him as outside help who is of royal status but not an actual Mortalitasi like the rest of his family

 

[Justin]

My guy is not coming out the way I want him too. Sadly, so good luck guys. Will stalk this though XD.

 

[Cerulean]

Dwarves are just awesome, that's why. XD

 

[Arlathina]

I'm still waiting on your character. :)

You'll have to forgive me! I've been excessively busy with holidays. However, I am back at home and can start focusing on catching up! You can expect her to make an appearance in the next few days!

 

[Arlathina]

The 'Characters' tab has been updated! I tried to make it fit with your request @Mangekyō . Let me know if there is anything else that needs to be changed. I hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Also, since Lvl told us she probably won't be joining us, I went ahead and took the liberty of making Zephyr the third person to meet Tiberius. If it turns out she is able to make it into the roleplay, we can accommodate her then. Let me know if there are any broken links that need to be replaced or fixed!

 

[Arlathina]

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✾ Name: Arlathina
✾ Date of Birth: Unknown
✾ Place of Birth: Arlathan
✾ Gender: Female
✾ Race: Elf
✾ Language: Elvish, limited Ancient Tevene, Common Tongue
✾ Relationships: None that persist into the modern world.

✾ SOCIAL STATUS ✾​

Bartuasha'te'druem dir'vhenan (Promised One). The ancient society of the Elvhen was highly structured and rigid, with limited social mobility. A strict caste system was enforced, which essentially determined an individual's role in society. Adherence to the caste system, or vir myath'adahl (lit. "Way of Honour") as it was called by the Elvhen, was predominantly focused in cultural and economic centers such as Arlathan. In less populous areas, this system of structuring society was less prevalent for obvious reasons. It should also be noted that there were methods to bypass this system, such as joining the military or becoming a powerful mage.

Arlathina's place within this social hierarchy was rather privileged. A child of the evune'adhal, one of the ruling dahls, she was raised in relative luxury. However, her particular caste was also responsible for the worship of the Elven goddess of hunting, animals, and sacrifice. In order to appease the goddess, the elders of the evune'adahl convened once every fifty years to select one child from the caste that would be sacrificed to Andruil on his or her twentieth birthday. In the world of the Elvhen, sacrifice and death did not have the same implications that they carry today. For those who were sacrificed, they were permitted to walk alongside the goddess in the Fade as one of her messengers, while their corporeal form withered.

It was regarded as a great honor, and those who were chosen accepted their duty willingly. The promised ones, as they were called, were removed from their homes and raised in the Temple of Andruil in preparation for the day that they would walk amidst the goddess. Arlathina would have met this fate if not for the destruction of the Veil and the gradual decline of Elvhenan. In the interregnum that followed, traditions such as this were postponed or entirely forgotten as society began to unravel.

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❖ Height: 5'7"
❖ Weight: 129
❖ Hair: Ash Blonde
❖ Eyes: Chestnut Brown

❖ DETAILED PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION ❖​

Standing 5'7" at full height, Arlathina is of a shapely, albeit smaller, frame. Her torso and appendages are rather lithe and willow-like, but her hips and mid-section are full enough that she does not appear diminutive. With a humble bust, Arlathina's body type can readily be characterized as pear-shaped, with most of her weight being carried in her hip and thigh. Although she is technically thousands of years old, her body has been preserved by uthenera and the magic lingering in the Temple of Andruil. By modern standards, she would appear to be rather young, somewhere around the age of nineteen.

❖ EQUIPMENT ❖​

After ditching the ceremonial garb she had found draped around her body upon waking from uthenera, Arlathina found within the Temple of Andruil a discarded set of shabby leather armor. It was in extremely poor condition, the only remaining artifact of some unfortunate dungeon-delver. After making several repairs and modifications to the padding, however, it proved an acceptable traveling outfit. Although superstructure of the temple was largely destroyed by the ravages of time (and looters), many underground corridors and rooms remained untouched, sealed by the magic of the ancient Elvhen.

One such room was a secondary armory, where Arlathina was able to procure the strips of leather needed to repair her newly-found gear, as well as an acceptable bor'assan (bow). Although not the finest example of craftsmanship amongst the ancient Elvhen, the elegance and strength of the carved ironbark body would surely induce a double-take in any modern-day bowyer. Aside from this, the bow is rather ordinary. In fact, it is rather poor in terms of shooting power and range. Upon waking from uthenera, Arlathina's muscles had suffered considerably from atrophy. As a result, this bow was suitable since she needed one that did not require a massive amount of draw strength. She was also fortunate enough to find a small Elven dagger, which she keeps tucked away in the mouth of her boot.

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✠ Skills & Talents: Alchemy (Poisons), Archery, Singing, Sneaking, Tailoring, Tracking, Weaving
✠ Likes: Ants, Apples, Cats, Conversation, Hunting, Hydrangeas, Lightning, Moon, Music, Nature, Owls, Persimmons, Reading, Snow
✠ Dislikes: Darkspawn, Marketplaces, Dogs, Humans, Qunari Horns, Rain, Small Talk
✠ Goals & Ambitions: Unknown
✠ Strengths: Intelligent, Adaptable, and Dexterous.
✠ Weaknesses: Sub-par Physical Strength, Moody, and Isolated
✠ Fears: Disappointment, Loneliness, Trusting Others, Being Perceived as Weak, Failure
✠ Hobbies & Interests: Gardening, Philosophy, Poetry, Singing, Cooking
✠ Philosophy of Life: "This world is one of terrible suffering, but also great beauty if you can teach yourself to see."
✠ Attitude Toward Death: "The final hour of silence shall be of great en'an'sal'in (comfort)."
✠ Religion/Beliefs: Arlathina is a devout follower of the cult of Andruil. She remembers the destruction wrought by Fen'Harel (Solas), and despises him adamantly.
✠ Fetishes/Strange Behaviors: Sexually, Arlathina is inexperienced. She has a bad habit of biting the inside of her cheek when she is anxious. Also, during times of extreme duress, she may slip back into her native tongue. Her inflection may sound odd even to modern-day Elves, who retained only fragments of the original language; even what is left has been tainted by the many years the Elvhen spent living amidst the Tevene as slaves.
✠ Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience: One of the most painful experiences Arlathina witnessed was the gradual decline of Arlathan. She witnessed many Elvhen driven mad, tainted by the dark magic of the Tevene. Many members of her own family were taken in the many wars waged between the Elvhen and the shemlen. There is also the loss of the many close friends she had attained in the Temple of Andruil. Each time they awoke to defend the temple from various threats, fewer and fewer returned to uthenera until, eventually, Arlathina woke to find that she was the only one remaining in the temple. The other uthenera chambers were empty, and Arlathina cannot say whether her companions died defending the temple or simply abandoned their post. It is true that she has endured much loss and sorrow. As such, the past is not a subject she cares to discuss at length.
✠ Sexual Preference/Experience/Values: Heterosexual; Arlathina is a chaste woman.
✠ Education/Special Training: Highly literate and a keen intellect. She learned to speak the Common Tongue through close study of modern-day humans.
✠ Place/Type of Residence: A string of inns & taverns.
✠ Occupation: When in need of gold, Arlathina has mainly done work as a tailor.
✠ Place of Work: None.
✠ Work-related Skills: Weaving & tailoring.

✠ PERSONALITY ✠​

Reserved and analytical by nature, Arlathina is a woman of few words—this is not to say, however, that she struggles to get her point across when it is necessary. Although she has a very strong sense of intuition, she does lack experience with the modern world, rendering her quite naive in most circumstances. Her general disposition does appear to be sunny and cheerful, even if it is overlaid with a slight air of indifference. She is mistrustful of most humans, particularly those hailing from the Tevinter Imperium, but she is forced to veil this distaste due to their numerousness. As such, she appears to be happiest during short periods of solitude. Too long alone and Arlathina may feel drained, as she derives energy from her interactions with others. As poor company as the shemlen are, Arlathina is a social creature that requires interaction to avoid feeling stifled and lonely.

Quite understandably, a dominant aspect of her personality is that of a wistful maiden that longs for a past that cannot be recovered. While it is not something she usually likes to dwell on, Arlathina has suffered in the past from idiopathic fits of hopelessness and depression, especially during the first month or so after she had awakened from uthenera. While Arlathina tries to move forth from her troubled past, it is a process that is—to borrow a phrase that the shem are fond of—easier said than done.

Others may get the sense that she is plotting against them, and they would probably be correct. Highly independent, intelligent, and creative, Arlathina has a very unique set of desires and goals that she keeps well-hidden from those outside her circle of trust. At times, she can be manipulative, although she rarely holds malicious intent. She works hard to keep her inner-vibrancy hidden from those that she believes may wish her harm, almost to the point of paranoia. This hypersensitivity towards the intrusion of others may leave her compatriots feeling as though she is withdrawn. In reality, the combination of Arlathina's naturally skeptical, introverted demeanor and complicated past results in a mental landscape that leaves a considerable buffer zone between herself and those she encounters. It is not a distance that cannot be crossed, but it would take a considerable amount of time, effort, and skill to do so.

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[LVL1337N00B]

@Arlathina - Yeeeeaaaah. I want to join, but am feeling terrible. At first I just lost motivation because of depressing family drama, but now I'm sick and have been sleeping and laying around a lot. I will still write something up if I can, but don't wait for me or anything.

Btw I'm not a gal, just sayin'.

 

[Arlathina]

@LVL1337N00B - I hope things get better for you, love. I'm sure everyone will understand if you need to take some time to focus on yourself. In fact, it is appreciated. I cannot tell you how preferable that is to somebody starting a roleplay and then dropping out due to their circumstances. If you ever need someone to speak with about your situation or simply to vent, I am always here! Feel free to send me a message if you're feeling down. ♥

Also, sorry about confusing your gender. So hard to tell online!

 

[Cerulean]

Don't run from your womanhood, Nooby! Connie would be upset. ;_;

 

[LVL1337N00B]

@Arlathina - It's still depressing but I have more or less accepted my whole family situation, I'm just glad I don't live in the middle of it anymore. Right now the only thing stopping me is this cold, though I am starting to feel a little better. Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll be okay. Oh, and that's alright. I /am/ using a cutesy display picture.

@Cerulean - Con probably would be excited to see Gretchen come back lol.

 

[Cerulean]

 

[LVL1337N00B]

Hrm. I never got that art I mentioned, but I still want to go with that character. Maybe I'll start up DA: I and do what CursedDawn did for a character picture. It'd be nice if Qunari could actually wear Gray Warden armor though.

 

[Cerulean]

You didn't get your art?




Where did you hide the bodies then?

 

[Arlathina]

I already miss your surprised orangutan icon, Cerulean! It was the most darling thing I've ever seen.

@Cerulean

 

[Cerulean]

It was so cute!

And I might change it back, but right now I'm in the caption the avatar thread and I am trying to keep it fresh. XD

 

[Arlathina]

I remember! That was where I first met you. I should head back over there soon. That was fun.

@Cerulean

 

[Cerulean]

Please do, I grow weary of having to always respond to the damn Fantastic Beasts person. XD

 

[LVL1337N00B]

Somewhere very well thought out, I assure you Ceru. Definitely not under a rug.

 

[Apollyon]

I'll be posting my character sheet soon, as well as re-writing and better organizing the introduction and plot line. There will be new information, as well as a map. So be sure to read over it carefully to make sure you understand how this will play out.

The official start date will be January 5th. I will be out the 4th as I am celebrating my 10th year of having survived two strokes from when I was 19 years old. So, please be ready by then.

 

[Arlathina]

It is with a heavy heart that I share with you all that I will not be able to participate in the roleplay. It seems that there are some outstanding discrepancies in interpretation of the lore between @Twilight Dream and myself.

[Censorship is the height of vanity. —Martha Graham]

I wish you all the best of luck and success. If any of you have another Dragon Age-themed roleplay in the works, please feel free to contact me via private messaging! I put a lot of work into Arlathina's premise and I regret that, for the moment at least, I have no roleplay in which to explore her persona further.

It has been a pleasure.

—Arlathina