These character biographies make up a good deal of my work as a writer for the project The Lost Element. I submit them here in the hopes that someone will read them and give me their input. Any feedback, critiques, and criticisms are most welcome. Be warned, though, they are quite lengthy; I am more than fine with comments on any one of these, should reading all of them in a single sitting be too great an undertaking.
Without further ado:
I apologize in advance for any vague areas; I had to alter some passages and leave some information out to try and keep the game's primary plot line unspoiled. I realize this is somewhat counter-intuitive when asking for critique, but I don't really have any other option.
Please note that the names are placeholders, not of my own design (especially "Reapz"). There are several more rough character drafts, as well as various historical pieces and the like, but these are the only fully completed final drafts for each character's biography. I imagine that I'll update this page as I finish the others.
Without further ado:
Seven was born in 462 AEB. Her father was a miner with a penchant for gambling. Seven months before she was born, Seven?s father had a particularly lucky night and walked away with a ring inlaid with a precious stone, reputedly from the Elemental Wars, and perhaps even older. Having no use for it himself, he mustered up the courage to give it to the object of his affection, a merchant?s daughter. He had loved her from afar for some time, and the acquisition of the ring made up his mind for him. He proposed and she accepted, giving her the ring for their engagement. They both loved each other dearly, but as the pregnancy progressed the mother?s health steadily worsened. The girl was born a large, healthy baby, and the overjoyed mother suggested giving her the curious name of "Seven", presumably after the father's lucky streak that had introduced the pair. Sadly, the birth took a terrible toll on her mother, and she died a few weeks later.
While Seven had great intelligence, she didn?t enjoy the cramped classroom environment, and by the time she was eleven she was committed to become a full-time miner, partly out of love for her father, and partly to supplement their constantly fluctuating income (Avid gambler, remember?) . She was born with unnatural strength and despite ridicule and/or even outright loathing from the other miners, in a few years she was competing with the best of them. Her subconscious drive to be accepted led her to dig deeper and farther than any other miner, often taking unnecessary risks for a chance at a particularly rich vein of ore. While this was a disaster waiting to happen, she was aided by her Sartuk *. While all miners followed the movements of the wild Sartuk much as miners of old used canaries, only Seven had the benefit of a Sartuk which she had domesticated as a pet. Thus, she was able to take bigger risks and by the age of seventeen was the most successful miner in all the Seavian mountains. Her success only served to fuel the other miner?s hatred, however. Many were indifferent to her, some were outright malicious, and virtually none respected her.
One day, whilst digging deeper than even she had ever dug before, she accidentally opened up an existing shaft, but one unfamiliar to her. Its sides had been smoothly carved out, rather than roughly hewn out of the rock like the other mining tunnels, and went on for far too long to be the result of some freak accident or chance. Upon sounding out the tunnels sides she found that it had been carved out of the hardest and oldest rock, the kind so difficult to chisel away at that it was almost never done, even if it housed the most valuable deposits; and, even stranger, she found that there were no such deposits anywhere down the shaft. What, then, had been the point of the shaft, and who had tunneled it out?
She explored deeper down the shaft, and upon reaching what she thought was the end found it went further, but was blocked by rubble and dirt. Her curiosity fully piqued, she dug like mad to clear it out. Finally she broke through, and couldn't help herself from gasping at what she saw.
The shaft opened up into a circular room big enough to fit her house inside of. She could make out the vague opening of tunnels like the one she had uncovered all around the room, but they were all filled in. There were chests of a strange material stacked all over the room, and knocked over shelves scattering the floor. There were spots in the ceilings that had cracked, letting loose earth fall to the ground below, and cracks and ripples running through the floor, but on the whole the room seemed remarkably well preserved. In the very center of the room she noticed there was a sort of pedestal. Ignoring the other things in the room, she cautiously approached it.
Upon further examination she found encrusted in rock a single canister, the likes of which she had never seen. The canister itself was perfectly smooth, inherently cold to the touch, and was emblazoned all ?round with a strange symbol consisting of three triangles with rounded bases, all pointing towards a central point. The tips of the triangles were cut off, and in the space where there tips would intersect there was instead a small circle (here). It also was covered with many strange scribbles and scrawls which Seven could make no sense of. Despite never having seen one before, she instinctively knew that this was a Relic, such as the ones that were used to power the village?s running water system, which was itself a Relic. Those were only obtained from the traders who came a few times a year, though, and at steep cost. She had certainly never heard of mining them from the earth, but here one was.
Knowing she had discovered something of potentially enormous value, she decided to consult with her father before acting further. He immediately brought the issue up with the Lord of the village, who was extremely agitated at this revelation. He told Seven and her father to forget the matter, and as they were leaving his study she noticed a censorship troop apparently waiting in an adjoining room. Not understanding fully what was happening, she nevertheless knew something bad was afoot. As they left the Lord's estate she slipped away from her father and hastily headed back to the mines. Before she could make it to the tunnel she encountered a small group of unkempt strangers, also apparently headed towards the tunnel. Knowing the mines much better than they, and perceiving that they were warriors or mercenaries of some sort, Seven kept her distance and tailed them as they progressed deeper into the mine, trying to catch snippets of their conversation. She heard the canister mentioned several times, which they apparently referred to as a ?containment unit?. She also heard the Censorship Troops referred to in a way that was almost certainly treason. Suddenly it dawned on her: these were the fugitive members of a rebellious faction!
She had heard vague rumors about a band of rebels who fought against the regime of those in power, but lately it had seemed like there was always a Censorship Troop or two around, and in their fearsome presence any treasonous rumors quickly evaporated. While she was reflecting on all this, however, she noticed that there seemed to be one less among their party than there was before?All of a sudden a pair of rough hands encircled her throat and pressed a thick cloth against her face. She tried to struggle, but found she couldn?t move at all. She could smell the faint trace of some strange poison, and as she began to black out a gruff voice seemed to be chuckling. ?Silly girl, you really thought you could sneak up on Reapz??
When she came to she found she had been dumped unceremoniously in a clump of bushes outside the village proper. She immediately knew something was wrong, as there was a huge crowd gathering in the village square. She saw that a podium had been set up, and that the Lord was reading from a scroll to the crowd. She also couldn?t help but notice the large number of censorship troops. She walked farther into the village, to here the Lord?s announcement.
??been fully closed down for a matter of Imperial investigation, and Imperial inspectors have found the mining network as a whole to be unsafe for daily work.? At this there was a huge uproar, quickly silenced by menacing looks from the troops. The Lord, now clearly distressed, continued to read. ?The mines will remain closed for all unauthorized personnel until the inspection is over. Anyone found trespassing will be?? Here the Lord had to stop and handed the scroll to a troop, apparently a captain, before slumping over on the edge of the podium. The captain looked at him with disgust before continuing to read. ?Anyone found trespassing will be considered a traitor to the Imperial Crown and executed on sight. The entire village is now under martial law. There is a now a twilight curfew. Anyone found to have any connections with any suspected rebel activity will bring down retributions upon the village as a whole. Anyone with information on the rebels who does not report it immediately will be considered a traitor. That is all. Glory to Seavia!?
Seven felt like retching. This was horrible! They weren?t even trying to pretend that nothing was happening! She immediately headed home to talk things over with her father. However, when she arrived inside her home she found not only her father but the leaders of the miners, as well as the other village leaders waiting for her. Before she could say anything the Lord entered behind her.
?Seven, you have done a most terrible thing. You have brought the wrath of the king upon us, and now the village is ruined. We were one of the foremost mining towns in Seavia. Without mining, we'll be subservient dogs at their every beck and call, lest they cut off the rations which now must depend on! The troops have already shut down our water system, and now they?ve put us under martial law!? He seemed overcome for a second, but quickly resumed. ? But if history has told us one thing, it?s that we will survive. We?ll somehow bear with the fruits of your folly, and one day the King will lose interest in us, and the mines will reopen and we?ll flourish once more.? He paused, giving a nervous glance at Seven?s father, who nodded. He continued ?But you will not be here to see that day. We?ve all agreed, even your father, that you shall be exiled now and forevermore from the village. It?s best this way; if you stayed, your life might be in danger.?
Wordlessly, Seven nodded in silent agreement, and walked, as if in a dream, out the door and away from the villager forever. She walked without purpose or direction for what seemed like days, but eventually her thoughts cleared and her feelings turned toward anger. She was consumed with a hatred, first for herself, then for the king, then the villagers, and finally for the rebels, for ruining her village and her life. Despite being a miner most her life she knew that tracking the rebels would be key, and that she could get a good head start on the troops, who would waste days and manpower locking down the village and fully inspecting the mines. She knew the rebels would be long gone by then, but if she acted quickly now she could catch them off guard. There was only one main road in and out of the village, but logically they?d avoid that. They had to have some knowledge of the village not to get lost in the mines, and it stood to reason they?d know of a smaller, less used path, and so she set down that one. She traveled for two days down the path, and sorely began to regret not taking some provisions before leaving the village, but the sound of the mocking rebel?s voice in her head kept her going onwards.
Finally, as she neared the brink of exhaustion she came upon a lonely inn, and entered. Besides a group of about six or so in a corner it was empty. She approached the proprietor, an elderly man, an ordered a huge steaming plate of food. It was only when she had devoured half of it that she realized she had no money. Almost on cue a member of the party, a young man, stood up and approached her. ?Need some help picking up the tab?? he asked. She laughed nervously, and he chuckled with her. She knew that chuckle?
She sprang up and landed a massive punch right on his nose, which immediately burst into a bleeding mess. She prepared to throw another but before she could land the blow Reapz struck her with full force in the jaw. Her head snapped to the side as she slumped forward, dazed. She distantly noticed the other rebels standing up, some drawing weapons. One (a woman? They still wore their cloaks and cowls) tried to restrain Reapz, but he shook her off and before Seven could react picked her up and tossed her outside into the street.
She made a feeble attempt to get up, but found herself still too groggy from the force of Reapz? vicious strike. She lay there for what seemed like an eternity, cursing herself for being too weak to keep fighting and for ever discovering the container. Eventually though hunger became stronger than guilt or even anger, and when she was sure that she would starve to death, alone on this barren dirt road, the door to the inn opened. The woman who had tried to restrain Reapz before ( now minus her cowl) was the one who came out. She walked over to Seven, gave a gasp, and helped her to her feet. The woman withdrew from her cloak a tiny compress, which she applied to Seven?s rapidly swelling jaw. Whispering words of encouragements, she used herself as a crutch and helped Seven into the inn.
Seven sat down, and smiled gratefully at the plate of hot food before her, all of which, she noticed, required little or no chewing. She was about to try and thank the woman, when she saw Reapz coldy glaring at her from across the room. She attemped to spring up, and would have fallen if the woman had not caught her. She said:
?Easy there; you?re in no condition for sparring.? Seven tried to protest, but the woman cut her off. ?I know you have no reason to feel sympathy for us, we who ruined your life and who?? She glared at Reapz ??outright attacked you, but before we let you go and attempt to continue this mockery of a fight, consider this: it was not us who sealed the mines. It was not us who declared martial law. Why hate us for the King?s deeds?? Seven was silent, and she continued. ?Therefore, I want to make you a proposition. You have proven yourself resourceful in tracking us down, strong in your mining and,? She pointed to Reapz? still bleeding nose? your fighting. You were the one to originally discover the canister, and you are an exile without a home. Surely you can harbor no love for the king, so my proposition is thus: Join us. Join the rebellion, and we?ll help you get revenge on the King, and right his wrongs. We?ll also fill you in on our greater purpose, one that very much involves the canister you unearthed. Well? What do you say? You can think it over, if you like. We?re staying the night here.?
Seven was overwhelmed. She tried to stay angry, but what the woman said had made perfect sense. She winced as she answered:
?I?I accept.?
?Great! Then let?s eat!?
While Seven had great intelligence, she didn?t enjoy the cramped classroom environment, and by the time she was eleven she was committed to become a full-time miner, partly out of love for her father, and partly to supplement their constantly fluctuating income (Avid gambler, remember?) . She was born with unnatural strength and despite ridicule and/or even outright loathing from the other miners, in a few years she was competing with the best of them. Her subconscious drive to be accepted led her to dig deeper and farther than any other miner, often taking unnecessary risks for a chance at a particularly rich vein of ore. While this was a disaster waiting to happen, she was aided by her Sartuk *. While all miners followed the movements of the wild Sartuk much as miners of old used canaries, only Seven had the benefit of a Sartuk which she had domesticated as a pet. Thus, she was able to take bigger risks and by the age of seventeen was the most successful miner in all the Seavian mountains. Her success only served to fuel the other miner?s hatred, however. Many were indifferent to her, some were outright malicious, and virtually none respected her.
One day, whilst digging deeper than even she had ever dug before, she accidentally opened up an existing shaft, but one unfamiliar to her. Its sides had been smoothly carved out, rather than roughly hewn out of the rock like the other mining tunnels, and went on for far too long to be the result of some freak accident or chance. Upon sounding out the tunnels sides she found that it had been carved out of the hardest and oldest rock, the kind so difficult to chisel away at that it was almost never done, even if it housed the most valuable deposits; and, even stranger, she found that there were no such deposits anywhere down the shaft. What, then, had been the point of the shaft, and who had tunneled it out?
She explored deeper down the shaft, and upon reaching what she thought was the end found it went further, but was blocked by rubble and dirt. Her curiosity fully piqued, she dug like mad to clear it out. Finally she broke through, and couldn't help herself from gasping at what she saw.
The shaft opened up into a circular room big enough to fit her house inside of. She could make out the vague opening of tunnels like the one she had uncovered all around the room, but they were all filled in. There were chests of a strange material stacked all over the room, and knocked over shelves scattering the floor. There were spots in the ceilings that had cracked, letting loose earth fall to the ground below, and cracks and ripples running through the floor, but on the whole the room seemed remarkably well preserved. In the very center of the room she noticed there was a sort of pedestal. Ignoring the other things in the room, she cautiously approached it.
Upon further examination she found encrusted in rock a single canister, the likes of which she had never seen. The canister itself was perfectly smooth, inherently cold to the touch, and was emblazoned all ?round with a strange symbol consisting of three triangles with rounded bases, all pointing towards a central point. The tips of the triangles were cut off, and in the space where there tips would intersect there was instead a small circle (here). It also was covered with many strange scribbles and scrawls which Seven could make no sense of. Despite never having seen one before, she instinctively knew that this was a Relic, such as the ones that were used to power the village?s running water system, which was itself a Relic. Those were only obtained from the traders who came a few times a year, though, and at steep cost. She had certainly never heard of mining them from the earth, but here one was.
Knowing she had discovered something of potentially enormous value, she decided to consult with her father before acting further. He immediately brought the issue up with the Lord of the village, who was extremely agitated at this revelation. He told Seven and her father to forget the matter, and as they were leaving his study she noticed a censorship troop apparently waiting in an adjoining room. Not understanding fully what was happening, she nevertheless knew something bad was afoot. As they left the Lord's estate she slipped away from her father and hastily headed back to the mines. Before she could make it to the tunnel she encountered a small group of unkempt strangers, also apparently headed towards the tunnel. Knowing the mines much better than they, and perceiving that they were warriors or mercenaries of some sort, Seven kept her distance and tailed them as they progressed deeper into the mine, trying to catch snippets of their conversation. She heard the canister mentioned several times, which they apparently referred to as a ?containment unit?. She also heard the Censorship Troops referred to in a way that was almost certainly treason. Suddenly it dawned on her: these were the fugitive members of a rebellious faction!
She had heard vague rumors about a band of rebels who fought against the regime of those in power, but lately it had seemed like there was always a Censorship Troop or two around, and in their fearsome presence any treasonous rumors quickly evaporated. While she was reflecting on all this, however, she noticed that there seemed to be one less among their party than there was before?All of a sudden a pair of rough hands encircled her throat and pressed a thick cloth against her face. She tried to struggle, but found she couldn?t move at all. She could smell the faint trace of some strange poison, and as she began to black out a gruff voice seemed to be chuckling. ?Silly girl, you really thought you could sneak up on Reapz??
When she came to she found she had been dumped unceremoniously in a clump of bushes outside the village proper. She immediately knew something was wrong, as there was a huge crowd gathering in the village square. She saw that a podium had been set up, and that the Lord was reading from a scroll to the crowd. She also couldn?t help but notice the large number of censorship troops. She walked farther into the village, to here the Lord?s announcement.
??been fully closed down for a matter of Imperial investigation, and Imperial inspectors have found the mining network as a whole to be unsafe for daily work.? At this there was a huge uproar, quickly silenced by menacing looks from the troops. The Lord, now clearly distressed, continued to read. ?The mines will remain closed for all unauthorized personnel until the inspection is over. Anyone found trespassing will be?? Here the Lord had to stop and handed the scroll to a troop, apparently a captain, before slumping over on the edge of the podium. The captain looked at him with disgust before continuing to read. ?Anyone found trespassing will be considered a traitor to the Imperial Crown and executed on sight. The entire village is now under martial law. There is a now a twilight curfew. Anyone found to have any connections with any suspected rebel activity will bring down retributions upon the village as a whole. Anyone with information on the rebels who does not report it immediately will be considered a traitor. That is all. Glory to Seavia!?
Seven felt like retching. This was horrible! They weren?t even trying to pretend that nothing was happening! She immediately headed home to talk things over with her father. However, when she arrived inside her home she found not only her father but the leaders of the miners, as well as the other village leaders waiting for her. Before she could say anything the Lord entered behind her.
?Seven, you have done a most terrible thing. You have brought the wrath of the king upon us, and now the village is ruined. We were one of the foremost mining towns in Seavia. Without mining, we'll be subservient dogs at their every beck and call, lest they cut off the rations which now must depend on! The troops have already shut down our water system, and now they?ve put us under martial law!? He seemed overcome for a second, but quickly resumed. ? But if history has told us one thing, it?s that we will survive. We?ll somehow bear with the fruits of your folly, and one day the King will lose interest in us, and the mines will reopen and we?ll flourish once more.? He paused, giving a nervous glance at Seven?s father, who nodded. He continued ?But you will not be here to see that day. We?ve all agreed, even your father, that you shall be exiled now and forevermore from the village. It?s best this way; if you stayed, your life might be in danger.?
Wordlessly, Seven nodded in silent agreement, and walked, as if in a dream, out the door and away from the villager forever. She walked without purpose or direction for what seemed like days, but eventually her thoughts cleared and her feelings turned toward anger. She was consumed with a hatred, first for herself, then for the king, then the villagers, and finally for the rebels, for ruining her village and her life. Despite being a miner most her life she knew that tracking the rebels would be key, and that she could get a good head start on the troops, who would waste days and manpower locking down the village and fully inspecting the mines. She knew the rebels would be long gone by then, but if she acted quickly now she could catch them off guard. There was only one main road in and out of the village, but logically they?d avoid that. They had to have some knowledge of the village not to get lost in the mines, and it stood to reason they?d know of a smaller, less used path, and so she set down that one. She traveled for two days down the path, and sorely began to regret not taking some provisions before leaving the village, but the sound of the mocking rebel?s voice in her head kept her going onwards.
Finally, as she neared the brink of exhaustion she came upon a lonely inn, and entered. Besides a group of about six or so in a corner it was empty. She approached the proprietor, an elderly man, an ordered a huge steaming plate of food. It was only when she had devoured half of it that she realized she had no money. Almost on cue a member of the party, a young man, stood up and approached her. ?Need some help picking up the tab?? he asked. She laughed nervously, and he chuckled with her. She knew that chuckle?
She sprang up and landed a massive punch right on his nose, which immediately burst into a bleeding mess. She prepared to throw another but before she could land the blow Reapz struck her with full force in the jaw. Her head snapped to the side as she slumped forward, dazed. She distantly noticed the other rebels standing up, some drawing weapons. One (a woman? They still wore their cloaks and cowls) tried to restrain Reapz, but he shook her off and before Seven could react picked her up and tossed her outside into the street.
She made a feeble attempt to get up, but found herself still too groggy from the force of Reapz? vicious strike. She lay there for what seemed like an eternity, cursing herself for being too weak to keep fighting and for ever discovering the container. Eventually though hunger became stronger than guilt or even anger, and when she was sure that she would starve to death, alone on this barren dirt road, the door to the inn opened. The woman who had tried to restrain Reapz before ( now minus her cowl) was the one who came out. She walked over to Seven, gave a gasp, and helped her to her feet. The woman withdrew from her cloak a tiny compress, which she applied to Seven?s rapidly swelling jaw. Whispering words of encouragements, she used herself as a crutch and helped Seven into the inn.
Seven sat down, and smiled gratefully at the plate of hot food before her, all of which, she noticed, required little or no chewing. She was about to try and thank the woman, when she saw Reapz coldy glaring at her from across the room. She attemped to spring up, and would have fallen if the woman had not caught her. She said:
?Easy there; you?re in no condition for sparring.? Seven tried to protest, but the woman cut her off. ?I know you have no reason to feel sympathy for us, we who ruined your life and who?? She glared at Reapz ??outright attacked you, but before we let you go and attempt to continue this mockery of a fight, consider this: it was not us who sealed the mines. It was not us who declared martial law. Why hate us for the King?s deeds?? Seven was silent, and she continued. ?Therefore, I want to make you a proposition. You have proven yourself resourceful in tracking us down, strong in your mining and,? She pointed to Reapz? still bleeding nose? your fighting. You were the one to originally discover the canister, and you are an exile without a home. Surely you can harbor no love for the king, so my proposition is thus: Join us. Join the rebellion, and we?ll help you get revenge on the King, and right his wrongs. We?ll also fill you in on our greater purpose, one that very much involves the canister you unearthed. Well? What do you say? You can think it over, if you like. We?re staying the night here.?
Seven was overwhelmed. She tried to stay angry, but what the woman said had made perfect sense. She winced as she answered:
?I?I accept.?
?Great! Then let?s eat!?
Reapz was born in the bustling Seavian metropolis of [The City], to two hardworking lower-class workers, a carpenter and his wife. [City]?s success had originally sprung from the fact that it was built on the foundations of an unbelievably ancient relic city, and had a wide of supply of miraculous devices from ages past. With the institution of the King?s new anti-relic laws, however, the city became a haven for censorship troops, and while the city had by then grown large enough to survive without support from the relics, many of the town?s leading members were taken away, never to be seen or heard from again. In spite of this strict penalty, scholars and marauders alike swarmed to the city in the hopes of making off with a relic undiscovered.
Reapz was always an inquisitive child, with a probing mind that refused to accept anything that had no logical explanation. Naturally, then, was he attracted to the few remaining remnants of the town?s ruins, all of which were strictly off-limits. As he grew into his teens and began spending his days as an apprentice to his father, he devoted just as much energy in his nights and what little free time he had to finding a way around the strict rules enforced by the troops. Once ever-vigilant, they had become lax after decades of peace, and at any rate were no match for Reapz? sheer tenacity and determination. Consequently, over the next few years he amassed a small hoard of relics and ancient remnants. While the vast amounts of what he uncovered was worthless junk, every once in a while he would turn up something that still functioned, and those he studied furiously. Soon his knowledge became so great that he felt he could learn nothing new from studying dusty junk in utmost secrecy, and, still thirsting for more, began to make connections with some of the cities more unsavory types, in the hopes of making contact with some member of an underground history group. For over a year he was unsuccessful, and it was during this year that, unaware of the growing suspicion his association with other disreputable figures of the city harbored within the troops, that he began construction of his ultimate project, the culmination of all his studies. Using existing materials and some choice relics, he managed to create a self-powered automated nailing device, which he dubbed a ?fletcher? for the dart-like, needle-thin nails the gun used as ammunition. He was eager to gain recognition for his great achievement, and disregarding common sense immediately unveiled his invention to his father the next day.
Instead of the warm praise and adoration he was expecting, however, his father immediately recoiled and exploded on his son, furiously recounting how the mere knowledge of such a device could land them in jail or worse. He then told Reapz to leave and dispose of it immediately. Hurt and shocked, Reapz did leave immediately, but not to dispose of his creation. He instead headed to a certain seedy tavern, where he met a man who he had talked to previously, in vain, to allow him to gain entrance into the ?back room?. It looked as if it would be the same this time, but a single flash of the fletcher was all he needed. The man instantly took him ?round the shoulder, whispering that he shouldn?t be showing such a thing in public, before shooing him behind the counter and through the back door.
The room was empty except for a handful of large barrels, and, hunched over a lone desk in the corner, an old man. His dark complexion, style of dress, and dignified air all exuded the presence of a stately Sentinii scholar. He was deeply absorbed in some sort of work, poring over a disheveled pile of faded scrolls and manuscripts. Reapz stood there in silence for several awkward minutes, and was just about to speak when the man did so for him.
?Well, are you going to just stand there all day?? he asked without looking up.
Not sure what to do, Reapz pulled over a barrel across from the man, and sat down.
?Are you the boy [Barkeep] has been telling me about? The one who claims to have made new from the unthinkably old??
Dumbstruck, Reapz nodded in agreement before realizing that the man still wasn?t looking at him.
?Yes?Yes I am. I made thi-? He was stopped abruptly as the man looked up for the first time, peering at him over two thin round lenses curiously attached and placed over his nose.
?Well, stop beating around the bush! Let?s see it.?
The man?s piercing gaze and curious mannerisms had robbed Reapz of his short-lived bravado, and it was now with some hesistation that he took the fletcher and placed it beside the man.
For the first time the man displayed an emotion other than mild annoyance, letting out an audible gasp. He immediately picked it up and examining it, turning it over in his hands and muttering quickly to himself.
?Incredible! A seamless grafting between relic technology and a modern frame! But is it functional??
?No, wait! You?ll-?
Reapz? cry came to late, as the fletcher silently discharged a nail into the wall with a dull thud.
?Amazing! Simply amazing! And you so young! But no doubt you didn?t come here to hear me sing your praises. What is it you want, boy??
Gaining confidence from the man?s enthusiastic comments, and slightly peeved that he had set it off, Reapz spoke much more freely now.
?I?ve come to find out the truth. Why we aren?t allowed to visit the ruins, or even speak of relics. Why??
?Well, there?s no easy answer. You had better make yourself comfortable.?
Over the next several hours the man told Reapz of something called ?The Element Wars?, of the terrible power of ?the divine element?(as his people called it), and how the King forbade any mention of it for fear of losing his own power. Reapz frequently interjected with questions of his own, but by the time the man had finished Reapz felt for the first time that he truly knew what was going on. It all seemed to make perfect sense, when all of a sudden?BOOM!
The door burst open and a squad of censorship troops marched under, their captain reciting ?You are both under arrest on suspicion for conspiring to commit treason against the state of Seavia. Do not resist or??
Reapz did not know what to think. He had it all figured out, and then the troops came to ruin everything and continue their propagation of lies and deceit. Well, not anymore! He suddenly became aware of the fletcher in his hand (he did not remember picking it up), and suddenly the captain was keeling over, a thin red line running down from the head of the nail fully embedded in his forehead. As if in a dream the four other troopers rushed forward, short swords drawn and ready for to avenge their leader. They never got the chance. Reapz seemed to be watching himself from another?s viewpoint. He saw himself lift the fletcher again, saw himself discharge nail after nail into the onrushing troops. And then, abruptly, he was back. There was a dull ringing in his ears, and his vision had clouded. Still tightly grasping the fletcher, he keeled forward and slumped into a heap, his energy suddenly gone.
This reverie was not to last, however, as quickly the scholar grabbed him, and with surprising strength half-lifted, half-dragged him out of the back room, past the shocked barkeep, and into the street, where a horse was waiting. Wordlessly he strapped Reapz behind the saddle, and climbed up into the saddle himself. He set the horse out at a break-neck gallop, trying to leave the soon-to-be ringing alarm bell. He did not stop or slow for the next two towns, and finally when the horse could go no further he stopped, checking into an inn for the night.
When Reapz came to, neither of them spoke for a long time. Finally the scholar broke the silence.
?You know what you have done will make you a marked man for the rest of your days.?
Reapz said nothing.
?I can set you up with people who can keep you hidden, outlaws like you and me, but I can do no more.?
And so Reapz came to join a band of people who called themselves ?The Word of Truth?. There were eight other members, and they neither asked nor told of his or their own pasts. They all were extremely interested in the secret of his fletcher, however, but he soon made it clear that it was one of a kind, and eventually they treated it as merely another asset, something unique Reapz brought to the group. He stayed on with them for several months, but the naturally inventive young man could not stand to be a follower for long.
It was around that time that The Word picked up a very special new member, a former government worker who had had quite a prominent position. She quickly befriended Reapz, and soon he approached her with the idea of forming a group of their own. She agreed, along with two members of The Word. A third member also joined them, a woman, but with the intent of traveling with them only until she could make it back to her hometown, where she said she had a daughter and a husband waiting. They agreed to travel halfway there with her, and split up after that. The journey was a long and arduous one, filled with many adventures and mishaps, and along the way picked up an additional two members.
Tragically, the group was caught by censorship troops along the way, and in the ensuing panic to flee the woman was fatally wounded. Bound by the woman's dying wish, and a promise of a certain valuable artifact, Reapz decided to finish the long journey which originally only the woman wished to undertake...
Reapz was always an inquisitive child, with a probing mind that refused to accept anything that had no logical explanation. Naturally, then, was he attracted to the few remaining remnants of the town?s ruins, all of which were strictly off-limits. As he grew into his teens and began spending his days as an apprentice to his father, he devoted just as much energy in his nights and what little free time he had to finding a way around the strict rules enforced by the troops. Once ever-vigilant, they had become lax after decades of peace, and at any rate were no match for Reapz? sheer tenacity and determination. Consequently, over the next few years he amassed a small hoard of relics and ancient remnants. While the vast amounts of what he uncovered was worthless junk, every once in a while he would turn up something that still functioned, and those he studied furiously. Soon his knowledge became so great that he felt he could learn nothing new from studying dusty junk in utmost secrecy, and, still thirsting for more, began to make connections with some of the cities more unsavory types, in the hopes of making contact with some member of an underground history group. For over a year he was unsuccessful, and it was during this year that, unaware of the growing suspicion his association with other disreputable figures of the city harbored within the troops, that he began construction of his ultimate project, the culmination of all his studies. Using existing materials and some choice relics, he managed to create a self-powered automated nailing device, which he dubbed a ?fletcher? for the dart-like, needle-thin nails the gun used as ammunition. He was eager to gain recognition for his great achievement, and disregarding common sense immediately unveiled his invention to his father the next day.
Instead of the warm praise and adoration he was expecting, however, his father immediately recoiled and exploded on his son, furiously recounting how the mere knowledge of such a device could land them in jail or worse. He then told Reapz to leave and dispose of it immediately. Hurt and shocked, Reapz did leave immediately, but not to dispose of his creation. He instead headed to a certain seedy tavern, where he met a man who he had talked to previously, in vain, to allow him to gain entrance into the ?back room?. It looked as if it would be the same this time, but a single flash of the fletcher was all he needed. The man instantly took him ?round the shoulder, whispering that he shouldn?t be showing such a thing in public, before shooing him behind the counter and through the back door.
The room was empty except for a handful of large barrels, and, hunched over a lone desk in the corner, an old man. His dark complexion, style of dress, and dignified air all exuded the presence of a stately Sentinii scholar. He was deeply absorbed in some sort of work, poring over a disheveled pile of faded scrolls and manuscripts. Reapz stood there in silence for several awkward minutes, and was just about to speak when the man did so for him.
?Well, are you going to just stand there all day?? he asked without looking up.
Not sure what to do, Reapz pulled over a barrel across from the man, and sat down.
?Are you the boy [Barkeep] has been telling me about? The one who claims to have made new from the unthinkably old??
Dumbstruck, Reapz nodded in agreement before realizing that the man still wasn?t looking at him.
?Yes?Yes I am. I made thi-? He was stopped abruptly as the man looked up for the first time, peering at him over two thin round lenses curiously attached and placed over his nose.
?Well, stop beating around the bush! Let?s see it.?
The man?s piercing gaze and curious mannerisms had robbed Reapz of his short-lived bravado, and it was now with some hesistation that he took the fletcher and placed it beside the man.
For the first time the man displayed an emotion other than mild annoyance, letting out an audible gasp. He immediately picked it up and examining it, turning it over in his hands and muttering quickly to himself.
?Incredible! A seamless grafting between relic technology and a modern frame! But is it functional??
?No, wait! You?ll-?
Reapz? cry came to late, as the fletcher silently discharged a nail into the wall with a dull thud.
?Amazing! Simply amazing! And you so young! But no doubt you didn?t come here to hear me sing your praises. What is it you want, boy??
Gaining confidence from the man?s enthusiastic comments, and slightly peeved that he had set it off, Reapz spoke much more freely now.
?I?ve come to find out the truth. Why we aren?t allowed to visit the ruins, or even speak of relics. Why??
?Well, there?s no easy answer. You had better make yourself comfortable.?
Over the next several hours the man told Reapz of something called ?The Element Wars?, of the terrible power of ?the divine element?(as his people called it), and how the King forbade any mention of it for fear of losing his own power. Reapz frequently interjected with questions of his own, but by the time the man had finished Reapz felt for the first time that he truly knew what was going on. It all seemed to make perfect sense, when all of a sudden?BOOM!
The door burst open and a squad of censorship troops marched under, their captain reciting ?You are both under arrest on suspicion for conspiring to commit treason against the state of Seavia. Do not resist or??
Reapz did not know what to think. He had it all figured out, and then the troops came to ruin everything and continue their propagation of lies and deceit. Well, not anymore! He suddenly became aware of the fletcher in his hand (he did not remember picking it up), and suddenly the captain was keeling over, a thin red line running down from the head of the nail fully embedded in his forehead. As if in a dream the four other troopers rushed forward, short swords drawn and ready for to avenge their leader. They never got the chance. Reapz seemed to be watching himself from another?s viewpoint. He saw himself lift the fletcher again, saw himself discharge nail after nail into the onrushing troops. And then, abruptly, he was back. There was a dull ringing in his ears, and his vision had clouded. Still tightly grasping the fletcher, he keeled forward and slumped into a heap, his energy suddenly gone.
This reverie was not to last, however, as quickly the scholar grabbed him, and with surprising strength half-lifted, half-dragged him out of the back room, past the shocked barkeep, and into the street, where a horse was waiting. Wordlessly he strapped Reapz behind the saddle, and climbed up into the saddle himself. He set the horse out at a break-neck gallop, trying to leave the soon-to-be ringing alarm bell. He did not stop or slow for the next two towns, and finally when the horse could go no further he stopped, checking into an inn for the night.
When Reapz came to, neither of them spoke for a long time. Finally the scholar broke the silence.
?You know what you have done will make you a marked man for the rest of your days.?
Reapz said nothing.
?I can set you up with people who can keep you hidden, outlaws like you and me, but I can do no more.?
And so Reapz came to join a band of people who called themselves ?The Word of Truth?. There were eight other members, and they neither asked nor told of his or their own pasts. They all were extremely interested in the secret of his fletcher, however, but he soon made it clear that it was one of a kind, and eventually they treated it as merely another asset, something unique Reapz brought to the group. He stayed on with them for several months, but the naturally inventive young man could not stand to be a follower for long.
It was around that time that The Word picked up a very special new member, a former government worker who had had quite a prominent position. She quickly befriended Reapz, and soon he approached her with the idea of forming a group of their own. She agreed, along with two members of The Word. A third member also joined them, a woman, but with the intent of traveling with them only until she could make it back to her hometown, where she said she had a daughter and a husband waiting. They agreed to travel halfway there with her, and split up after that. The journey was a long and arduous one, filled with many adventures and mishaps, and along the way picked up an additional two members.
Tragically, the group was caught by censorship troops along the way, and in the ensuing panic to flee the woman was fatally wounded. Bound by the woman's dying wish, and a promise of a certain valuable artifact, Reapz decided to finish the long journey which originally only the woman wished to undertake...
Samzi was born the daughter of two poor Greckans, who had emigrated to Areia to escape the country's quickly growing tyranny. They had tried to start a new life in Areia, a country free from any peacekeepers or censorship troops. They soon found, however, that it wasn't a simple matter for a pair of foreigners to make ends meet. They had spent what little money they had to come to Areia, and they were forced to live in a slum of the city. But, the husband did odd jobs at the marketplace, and the wife even managed to land a factory job as one of many seamstresses. They managed to get by on very little, and despite their poverty found happiness in each other.
And then all of a sudden their world was shattered by a new revelation: the wife was pregnant. At first the father wanted to kill it in the womb, for though he would love to have a child he knew that they could not sustain another mouth to feed, especially since once the child was born the mother could not work. She could not allow this, and so, reluctantly, he allowed the child to be born. As she grew his doubts vanished, for little Samzi proved to be beautiful and full of grace and kindness. When the time came to pay the bills he was desperate. He now loved the child and could not bear to see her hungry. So great was his need that he sought ways of payment that he normally would never have considered, which was how he met [Gangster], a small-time crook who wanted to be something more. He agreed to help the father out, and in return asked only "a favor", to be called upon on a later date. The father gratefully agreed, and sure enough within a week he had obtained a position as a fishermen upon one of the city's most successful fishing boats, a job which paid magnitudes more than the errands he had been running.
So, the family's problems were solved, and they lived happily. The father was so successful as a fisherman that the family was able to move out of the slums and get a decent apartment, the mother was able to continue minding the home long after she was able to work again, and Samzi never wanted for anything. She grew more beautiful every day, and by twelve was quite mature as well. It was about then that the father's old acquaintance, now the head of his own fledgling criminal family, began paying visits to their home with increasing frequency. The father respected him as the man who "saved his little Samzi", but the mother could not help but notice the lecherous glares he seemed so often to flash Samzi's way. Finally on the day of her thirteenth birthday he announced that after thirteen long years of waiting his payment was ready: Samzi herself. The father begged and pleaded for him to take anything and everything else, but to no avail. When he attempted to physically restrain the man from entering his house, two thugs pushed him away and proceeded to beat him within an inch of his life. [Gangster] himself entered the house and pried Samzi away from her hysterical mother, and left.
Life for the young Samzi soon became a living hell. After the gangster had his way with her every night for weeks, he became bored and had her sent to a brothel, owned by his brother. Despite her tender years she already had fully blossomed as a woman, and soon lost whatever innocence and faith in the world that she had to the ravenous onslaught of the brothel's customers. She lived this way for nearly two years, and in all those two years she found only one moment of happiness: One customer had asked her to dance for him, and while she was dancing it seemed as if all the pain and suffering she had lived through was lost in the whirl of the dance. Had he cared the customer would have been moved by the sheer beauty of her dance, but alas, he merely cared for how her gyrations and swirls revealed her body. However, the dance did not go wholly unappreciated. The owner of the brothel, having his own desires, often made a habit of watching his "employees" as they worked. After seeing Samzi's dance the man knew that she was worth far more than a simple whore to the right customers. He soon began marketing her as an exotic dancer to his customers, and the unanimous opinion was that she was one of the best in the business. She soon began taking in more and more select audiences as her skill became known. Soon the price on her body was such that she began bringing in more money than any other girl in the brothel. Of course, she cared for none of this, but only that she was able to dance. She spent four years wholly as a dancer, her beauty and skill only becoming greater as the years went by. Eventually though she realized that while she had it good in the brothel, the other girls were in constant suffering. For the first time since she had been taken away her situation was good enough for her kind, caring side to once again surface. It was a far cry from the simple innocence of a little girl, though, and she took it upon herself to solve the problem by taking out its source: the owner. She waited for the opportunity, and one night it came.
The man requested a private "session" with Samzi, alone in his private chamber. She made sure to make it her best performance ever, and, in the climax of her routine, strangled the owner with a sash.
Being free for the first time in seven years, she did not know what to do. She made it clear to the girls that they were free, but she herself was at a loss. The only thing she knew how to do was dance, so dance she did. She was picked up by a group of traveling entertainers, before settling in a city on the other side of Ariea, where she joined a professional dancing troupe.
And then all of a sudden their world was shattered by a new revelation: the wife was pregnant. At first the father wanted to kill it in the womb, for though he would love to have a child he knew that they could not sustain another mouth to feed, especially since once the child was born the mother could not work. She could not allow this, and so, reluctantly, he allowed the child to be born. As she grew his doubts vanished, for little Samzi proved to be beautiful and full of grace and kindness. When the time came to pay the bills he was desperate. He now loved the child and could not bear to see her hungry. So great was his need that he sought ways of payment that he normally would never have considered, which was how he met [Gangster], a small-time crook who wanted to be something more. He agreed to help the father out, and in return asked only "a favor", to be called upon on a later date. The father gratefully agreed, and sure enough within a week he had obtained a position as a fishermen upon one of the city's most successful fishing boats, a job which paid magnitudes more than the errands he had been running.
So, the family's problems were solved, and they lived happily. The father was so successful as a fisherman that the family was able to move out of the slums and get a decent apartment, the mother was able to continue minding the home long after she was able to work again, and Samzi never wanted for anything. She grew more beautiful every day, and by twelve was quite mature as well. It was about then that the father's old acquaintance, now the head of his own fledgling criminal family, began paying visits to their home with increasing frequency. The father respected him as the man who "saved his little Samzi", but the mother could not help but notice the lecherous glares he seemed so often to flash Samzi's way. Finally on the day of her thirteenth birthday he announced that after thirteen long years of waiting his payment was ready: Samzi herself. The father begged and pleaded for him to take anything and everything else, but to no avail. When he attempted to physically restrain the man from entering his house, two thugs pushed him away and proceeded to beat him within an inch of his life. [Gangster] himself entered the house and pried Samzi away from her hysterical mother, and left.
Life for the young Samzi soon became a living hell. After the gangster had his way with her every night for weeks, he became bored and had her sent to a brothel, owned by his brother. Despite her tender years she already had fully blossomed as a woman, and soon lost whatever innocence and faith in the world that she had to the ravenous onslaught of the brothel's customers. She lived this way for nearly two years, and in all those two years she found only one moment of happiness: One customer had asked her to dance for him, and while she was dancing it seemed as if all the pain and suffering she had lived through was lost in the whirl of the dance. Had he cared the customer would have been moved by the sheer beauty of her dance, but alas, he merely cared for how her gyrations and swirls revealed her body. However, the dance did not go wholly unappreciated. The owner of the brothel, having his own desires, often made a habit of watching his "employees" as they worked. After seeing Samzi's dance the man knew that she was worth far more than a simple whore to the right customers. He soon began marketing her as an exotic dancer to his customers, and the unanimous opinion was that she was one of the best in the business. She soon began taking in more and more select audiences as her skill became known. Soon the price on her body was such that she began bringing in more money than any other girl in the brothel. Of course, she cared for none of this, but only that she was able to dance. She spent four years wholly as a dancer, her beauty and skill only becoming greater as the years went by. Eventually though she realized that while she had it good in the brothel, the other girls were in constant suffering. For the first time since she had been taken away her situation was good enough for her kind, caring side to once again surface. It was a far cry from the simple innocence of a little girl, though, and she took it upon herself to solve the problem by taking out its source: the owner. She waited for the opportunity, and one night it came.
The man requested a private "session" with Samzi, alone in his private chamber. She made sure to make it her best performance ever, and, in the climax of her routine, strangled the owner with a sash.
Being free for the first time in seven years, she did not know what to do. She made it clear to the girls that they were free, but she herself was at a loss. The only thing she knew how to do was dance, so dance she did. She was picked up by a group of traveling entertainers, before settling in a city on the other side of Ariea, where she joined a professional dancing troupe.
I apologize in advance for any vague areas; I had to alter some passages and leave some information out to try and keep the game's primary plot line unspoiled. I realize this is somewhat counter-intuitive when asking for critique, but I don't really have any other option.
Please note that the names are placeholders, not of my own design (especially "Reapz"). There are several more rough character drafts, as well as various historical pieces and the like, but these are the only fully completed final drafts for each character's biography. I imagine that I'll update this page as I finish the others.