Description
With a gentle flap of his wings, this brightly colored arial hovers just
above the ground here. Light and lean like most of his kind, his body moves
with uncanny grace and agility. His feathers, though, are what most
immediately catch the eye. This remarkable plumage forms a beautiful rainbow
of blues, greens and purples, which can be glimpsed through his armor as
they blend seamlessly across his wings, chest and down his back. At the top
of his head rise very long feathers, seemingly crafted by a fine jeweler.
This yellow-gold crest stands erect, shining brilliantly and reflecting
light almost as well as a mirror. In stark contrast to his dazzling
feathers, his beak is a modestly dull charcoal-gray, and very small compared
to most avians. It remains slightly open and seems almost to form a natural
curve at it's base, giving the impression of a friendly smile, matched by
the kind gaze of his luminous azure eyes.
Role
The Arun'otyl Family
Added Fri Jun 25 15:45:28 2021 at level 1:
Niov'Lvyr Promenade is home to two types of Arial families. There are those
who descend from the original founders of Ayr' Trinil, well-respected and
admired by all Arials. And there are those who.. came upon their riches far
later in life. The respect for this second group waxes and wanes based on the
current events and, most likely, by the most current gossip. Their place atop
the mountain of the Arial elite, both figuratively and literally, is always
hanging at the precipice.
The Arun'otyl is one such family, fighting daily to maintain their place. They
have lived on the highest levels of Ayr'Trinil for far longer than any mortal
Arial can remember. But still.. they are not founders, and such, their place
is never assured.
The Arun'otyl family is large, as are most Arial families, but the primary
line consisted of three heirs to their immense wealth.
The eldest, a young man known as Kayven, was a harsh and extremely ambitious
young Arial. His focus was always on his family, and schemes to increase their
wealth and reputation further.
The second eldest, Melya, might have been described as blind to the social
maneuvering of most of the Arial elite, though those who knew her best would
say she knew but did not care. She lived her own life, ruled by her emotions
and dreams, regardless of what anyone else thought. It was a trait her younger
brother admired greatly, though he could never mirror it.
That brings us to the youngest, Elokhi. A quiet boy, by Arial standards, he
was unusual in his calm disposition. Outwardly he was always slow to anger,
rarely offering much in the way of emotion. His unusual behavior made him
something of an outcast among his own family, but one easily forgotten rather
than a cause for concern.
Few realized it, but in his quiet way, Elokhi was deeply conflicted on the
maneuvering of his elder brother. He wanted to support his family of course,
but did not agree with many of their tactics. To his own fault, he kept his
beak shut far more often than he ever should have.
A Grave Embarrassment
Added Fri Jun 25 15:47:03 2021 at level 1:
Like all of the elite families, the Arun'otyl were constantly seeking new
riches - or at least the illusion of new riches. One tactic was to invest in
the most extravagent, most luxurious, and (in Elokhi's opinion) most
ostentatious upgrades to the nest that gold could buy.
Hiring the Dhrev'Amalyi builders from below was a common practice for such
tasks, and the Arun'otyl were among their best customers. There is customarily
little interaction with these lowly workers and their employees. But young
Melya never really did succumb to such customs.
She would sit and watch their work. She would talk idly to them, fascinated
with stories of their families, their homes and their lives below. In short
time, she struck up a deeper friendship with one of the builders in
particular, a boy not much older than she. As things happen, that friendship
quickly blossomed into something more.
As the secret relationship grew, Melya could contain herself no further. She
came out to her family with the truth of her love, of her desire and marry the
Dhrev'Amalyi builder, and of her intent to move down the mountain to make a
nest of her own with him.
She refused to acknowledge the obvious problem - Arial do not move down the
mountain. At least, not by choice. To do so would be disaster for the
Arun'otyl family. They may well lose all standing and would tumble down the
mountain after her. That is what they feared and that fear is what stoked
their outrage.
As their rage grew, Elokhi remained quiet, silently supporting his sister but
taking no action. He did not sleep that night, knowing he failed his sister.
Divine Inspiration
Added Fri Jun 25 15:48:02 2021 at level 1:
The very next morning, Melya Arun'otyl's body was found. The builder she loved
was found a level below, apparently pummeled to death by the Zrynk'Alyl. He
was labeled a criminal, caught running from his crime of murder by the city
guards and punished accordingly.
It was a simple explanation. Believable. All accepted it, it would seem. All
except Elokhi. He knew his sister well and knew the love she felt was true.
She was not murdered by the boy she intended to marry.. no, his sister's
killer was still out there, somewhere. And no one was looking for who it
might be.
Elokhi wanted to act. He wanted to do something. But, little more than a dozen
years out of the egg, what was he to do?
As always, Elokhi looked upwards for answers, to the Gods above. Perched atop
a boulder in the sky Shrine, Elokhi prayed for guidance. He prayed for a sign
of some kind. Looking east towards the rising sun, Elokhi saw statues. A
Phoenix and other mythical creatures.
He gazed at those strange statues as he asked the Gods of Light for an answer.
What should he do? As the question slipped from his beak, Elokhi found
himself locking eyes on the distant Paladin's guild. Within, for the first
time, Elokhi caught the briefest glimpse of a statue - that of the great Lord
Shokai.
He was an Arial of legend who never sat quietly by, who never allowed an
injustice or wicked deed to go unanswered. He would never be afraid to act.
Elokhi knew then that he had his answer. He could not be afraid to act. He
must do what was right, regardless of the cost. Regardless of the risk.
A Dark Confession
Added Fri Jun 25 15:49:38 2021 at level 1:
That very same afternoon, an Arun'otyl family meeting was called.
Traditionally, such a meeting would be called by the matriarch or patriarch of
the family. But now, something had changed. It was not Elokhi's mother who
perched at the head of the table, but his elder brother, Kayven.
And when Kayven spoke, it became clear that this was not a meeting to discuss
the fate of his sister, or a quest to find her true killers. No, this was to
plan how the family may use the tragedy to its advantage. To wield the
sympathy for their own gain.
Elokhi's patience had always outweighed most, but remembering that sign from
above, he could hold his beak shut no longer. In outrage, he spread his wings
and raised his voice. He demanded retribution. He demanded that they find the
true killer, and see that justice was served.
Eyes still burning with divine outrage, Elokhi continued, promising he would
find help from the Gods above to see it through, to bring righteous wrath down
upon the wicked creatures who killed his sister.
The entire family erupted at once, but Kayven's seething rage dwarfed it all,
as he hurled himself at his brother.
Holding him by the throat against the wall, Kayven glared murderously into his
little brother's eyes.
"Embarass our family further, little brother, and I will do to you what I did
to your sister!"
Realization came slowly to Elokhi, as he sank bonelessly to the floor. Looking
up, he looked at all of his family in turn: cousins, aunts, uncles.. and
finally his own mother. None wore an expression of shock. They knew. They all
knew that Melya was murdered by her own brother. And they did nothing.
As Kayven turned back towards him, dinner knife in hand, Elokhi hesitated no
longer. He ran.
A Second Sign
Added Fri Jun 25 15:53:31 2021 at level 1:
Fleeing his murderous brother, young Elokhi retreated down the mountain. He
found shelter in Udgaard, but such a vile city offered no warm welcome for a
young boy who arrived with nothing.
Living a life in squalor for time he could not count, Elokhi struggled just to
survive - a year passed, perhaps longer. It was a dangerous life and Elokhi
may well have succumbed, either to brigands and thieves or to simple hunger.
But he was saved at last by a huge man in a long robe. It was a man Elokhi had
seen many times in the city. Always present, but rarely noticed. Elokhi saw
him once, quickly dispatching a jaette in a dark corner, before he disappeared
once more.
And that mysterious man found Elokhi when he needed him most. He offered the
young Arial food, clean water and shelter. He mended his wounds and nursed him
to health. All without ever giving a name. But he did allow the slightest
glimpse at his right hand, which bore a ring of the Paladin's guild.
This man, this paladin was doing good in perhaps the most evil place in Thera.
He did not act in fear, despite being surrounded by men who wished for nothing
more than his death. He did what was right, regardless of the risk.
At that realization, Elokhi was certain he'd recieved a second sign from the
Gods of the Light.
They'd shown him twice that he must take action in the face of fear.. and now
they showed him for the second time how he must act. He must follow the path
of the Light into the Paladin's guild.
A Peculiar Path
Added Fri Jun 25 15:55:02 2021 at level 1:
Returning to Ayr'Trinil was, in some ways, the easiest thing Elokhi had ever
done. He knew, for the first time in his young life, that his path, however
peculiar, was true. Fear would not stand in his way again, which meant nothing
else ever could.
Elokhi flew slowly past his home, that opulent gold-plated nest, without a
word. Kayven glared, but dared not to take action in broad daylight. Instead
he watched passively, with seething anger, as Elokhi moved onwards and
upwards, to the Sky Shrine.
Few Arials ever approach the Paladin's guild directly. None, with the
intention that Elokhi now held. He approached slowly, deliberately by foot.
But he did not stall. He did not hesitate.
As Elokhi approached the Inner Sanctum, the guardian of purity stepped
immediately aside, as if his arrival was expected.
Taking a deep breath, Elokhi thought back to that Paladin who saved him,
serving the Light in the darkest place. He looked ahead to the holy statue of
Shokai, a symbol of the divine wrath of the Light.
His next steps were to live up to the inspiration of each of those symbols the
Light, if not to mirror them.
These steps, he knew, were for his sister. And for others tormented by
wickedness, afraid to act. Afraid to do what was right.
But mostly, these steps were for those who preyed upon the innocent. The
wicked, who Elokhi would fear no more. The wicked, who Elokhi would bring
divine judgment upon.
Without looking back, Elokhi took those final steps into the Inner Sanctum,
pledging his intention to Tamar Skyshorn, to follow the Code and to serve the
Light in all things.
With that, he found himself welcomed within the Paladin's guild.
A Life's Purpose
Added Sat Jun 26 06:44:11 2021 at level 6:
With his path now set, all that was left was for Elokhi to follow it.
His time within the Academy was a blur, though memories of surprised and
confused adventurers remained imbedded in his memory. The guildmaster as well,
did little to hide his own curiosity. It had been quite some time indeed since
an Arial had followed this path.
But there was no denying it now. Elokhi Arun'otyl of Ayr'Trinil was.. a
Paladin. A champion of the Light.
Elokhi had promised himself he would never again hold his tongue in fear. He
would never again hold back from the true course, when he saw it before him.
It was that realization that saw him this far. And it was that promise that
drove Elokhi further.
He knew he must live up to the ancient, righteous symbol of his people. To
serve as a new example of what it truly meant to be Arial - not to live a life
of extravagance, but of righteous purpose. To stand against the wickedness he
had seen within his murderous brother, to fight against it wherever it might
be found.
Arial live short lives, but Elokhi was determined not to let his go to waste.
He would make Thera better, make it safer, that the innocent souls like his
sister could live the lives they deserved.
But he also knew he could not do it alone. Turning to the Gods above, there
was but one who could guide him to that purpose.. A figure of legend spoken in
reverence mirroring that of the late Skyborn. A fierce warrior Elf of
unquestioned courage and purity of purpose. The returned Spirit of the Jaguar,
Lady Baerinika.
A Paladin and Initiate
Added Sat Jul 31 08:32:35 2021 at level 37:
With his path now set, all that was left was for Elokhi to follow it.
His time within the Academy was a blur, though memories of surprised and
confused adventurers remained imbedded in his memory. The guildmaster as well,
did little to hide his own curiosity. It had been quite some time indeed since
an Arial had followed this path.
But there was no denying it now. Elokhi Arun'otyl of Ayr'Trinil was.. a
Paladin. A champion of the Light.
Elokhi had promised himself he would never again hold his tongue in fear. He
would never again hold back from the true course, when he saw it before him.
It was that realization that saw him this far. And it was that promise that
drove Elokhi further.
He knew he must live up to the ancient, righteous symbol of his people. To
serve as a new example of what it truly meant to be Arial - not to live a life
of extravagance, but of righteous purpose. To stand against the wickedness he
had seen within his murderous brother, to fight against it wherever it might
be found.
Arial live short lives, but Elokhi was determined not to let his own go to
waste. He would make Thera better, make it safer, that the innocent souls like
his sister could live the lives they deserved.
But he also knew he could not do it alone. Turning to the Gods above, there
was but one who could guide him to that purpose.. A figure of legend spoken in
reverence equal that of the late Skyborn. A fierce warrior Elf of unquestioned
courage, unparalleled skill and purity of purpose. The returned Spirit of the
Jaguar, Lady Baerinika.
Seeking out the Spearmaiden, Elokhi found himself blessed and also challenged.
He was a weak Arial in his youth. Passive, afraid and forgiving of the
wickedness he knew was present in others. But where he was weak, the Jaguar
was strong. He would overcome that passive reaction, replacing that inaction
with righteous combat in defense of the good. He would overcome the fear of
his youth, standing tall with courage under the Light. And he would never
again overlook wickedness, rooting out evil leaving only the pure to prosper.
It was only through the Lady Baerinika, Elokhi knew, that he could be the
Arial he knew he needed to be, to show his own kind and the good people of
Thera a better way.
PK Wins
Jun 27, 2021|Lv 16|Arkham|Vroas vs 1: [16] Elokhi (100%, wrath)
Jul 4, 2021 |Lv 29|The Plains of Arendyl|Usunguui vs 1: [29] Elokhi (100%, quick strike)
Jul 5, 2021 |Lv 30|The Village of Azuremain|Raska vs 1: [30] Elokhi (100%, electrical discharge)
Jul 5, 2021 |Lv 30|The Village of Azuremain|Raska vs 1: [30] Elokhi (100%, quick strike)
Jul 5, 2021 |Lv 30|The Village of Azuremain|Istorvir vs 1: [30] Elokhi (100%, quick strike)
Jul 16, 2021|Lv 35|The Battlefield|Leirathria vs 1: [35] Elokhi (100%, quick strike)
Jul 16, 2021|Lv 35|The Imperial Lands|Karnay vs 3: [35] Elokhi (3%), [33] Grimthel (0%), [37] Zaktai (96%, burst of energy)
Jul 17, 2021|Lv 35|The Eastern Road|Rottgur vs 3: [40] Drimbakka (61%, critical hit), [40] Merana (31%), [35] Elokhi (6%)
Jul 25, 2021|Lv 35|Outlying Villages|Mafigen vs 1: [35] Elokhi (100%, slice)
Aug 1, 2021 |Lv 40|Galadon|Apia vs 1: [40] Elokhi (100%, cut)