Description
Vartin stands tall and lean, with graceful, almost elven features. The man
seems striking in conventional appearance, with a chiseled jawline, high
cheekbones, and piercing golden eyes that seem to glow when within dim
light. Tresses of shining silver mingled with lingering golden threads, the
sign of age, run down his spine to just above the rear, painstakingly
braided in an ancient elven heritage style despite his background as a
human. This azuretouched stands with a slight slouch, the years showing in
his bearing and hunch, yet still stands at an imposing six feet tall.
Role
Blossomed Orphan
Added Thu Oct 5 03:29:50 2023 at level 1:
Vartin was given up to the Balator orphanage, his parents victim to the
Imperial war engine - centurions, cut down on the road like so much chaff.
Since they were only Oaths and not true citizens, Vartin did not have the
fortune of being given to an Imperial officer's academy or adopted by a Sect,
and was cast aside. He grew up meek, humble, in that family of outcasts,
learning to treasure each and everything he managed to acquire - including his
group of friends. Unfortunately, a band of Imperial children - those more
fortunate - would regularly cross into Balator to mock and bully the poor for
what little they did have, and eventually, after one knocked his friend Javid
to the ground, Vartin snapped.
He couldn't take it anymore, and he stood in front of the leering human crowd,
and in the biggest voice he had, he told them to knock it off.
Instead he found himself on the floor next to Javid, but he got back up, blood
streaming from his nose and from a cut across his forehead, and began to
fight, blindly, yet with such unnatural skill that one would swear he could
see through the blood in his eyes.
As he fought towards the sound of laughter that quickly became the sounds of
fear, he didn't realise that he'd been touched by an Archon that had latched
onto this show of defence of the innocent until he stood, eyes glinting
silver, glowing, panting, in a bloodstained yard with all of the orphans
staring at him with a mixture of fear and awe.
He fled. He knew their parents would return and kidnap him, punish him, kill
him for daring to stand up to their injustices, for fighting for those who
couldn't protect themselves, and he enrolled in the guild of Paladins as an
azuretouched squire. Years later, now he is an adventurer in his own right. He
worships Azorinne, the Golden Host, due to his archon being predisposed to
seek Justice, and seeks to become an Acolyte of the Fortress to assist others
the way he wished he would have been helped as a child, to spread the beacon
of Light.
Joined Fortress
Added Sat Oct 7 15:57:47 2023 at level 23:
Vartin spoke with Zaisino about joining the Fortress, and was recommended to
Bazz with her approval. Meeting Bazz, he gave Vartin an interview about why he
wanted to join the Acolytes instead of the Maran, and Vartin replied that he
felt more of a calling to assist and aid others in their growth and protection
rather than seek out the wicked for slaughter. He was impressed by how Bazz
bore the mark of being one of Azorinne's chosen, and Bazz gave him one of the
books of the eclipse so that Vartin could educate himself beyond simply
seeking Justice to try to seek and understand a synthesis of all of Her
tenets.
Travelling with the squire-aspirant conjurer Abehnanka, Vartin finds himself
enjoying her company and her praise more than he should, and reminds himself
to guard himself against pride as he prays to Azorinne for Her continued
assistance in walking the path of a paladin, visiting the shrine north of
Voralian to give a quick prayer of devotion before returning to his works.
Task Completed
Added Tue Oct 10 14:32:49 2023 at level 30:
Vartin has continued adventuring. Bazz gave him the goal to find and interview
three different Maran or Squires to learn about them, and in his desire to
overperform, Vartin interviewed four of them instead, collating a dossier so
that Bazz could better learn about the new additions to the Fortress.
Zaisino, a self-hating Maran that burns for revenge, only finding peace in
sleep.
Plazki, a saurian that took up magecraft to try and root out the corruption of
weh from his people and discovered that he can only free the soul so that his
patron Baerinika can kill the evil in them.
Abehnanka, Vartin's closest ally, a mysterious former wyvern-rider who is
tight-lipped about her past.
And Ylena, a skyborn who was hurt and who Vartin suggested keep a pet since
she seemed to have a great love of animals.
Bazz praised him for this, and he feels happy about that and optimistic about
their shared futures in the Fortress.
Tension
Added Sun Oct 15 13:27:00 2023 at level 51:
In his adventures, Vartin has made many mistakes that have resulted in
Abehnanka suffering for them. He reached out to Erorm, Arinayar and Travanz
for assistance, as everyone has been explicit about wanting him to reach out
if he felt off, because Abehnanka has been noticably colder towards him than
in their earlier adventuring days when she'd praise him regularly, even
leaving such remarks as 'You left us, again' or 'Let's not make this about
you' when he would ask for advice on what he should have done better.
Travanz has advised him that what he needs to do is give her time, because
suffering is difficult to process, and that they'll all be there for her when
she's willing to speak.
He's been worried that everything he would say would become ash in his mouth,
so that is advice he is greatly willing to take. He only hopes Abehnanka does
not lose her vim for life.
He's also asked many of the Avowed for advice for when he does get to meet
Azorinne and was told to 'just be himself' by multiple of them, including
Arinayar and Ilythyrra. It is difficult advice for an archon-souled who wishes
to stand on propriety and formalities, but he will do his best to do so.
Planned Oath
Added Sat Oct 21 16:52:07 2023 at level 51:
Vartin is very pleased to have received the Golden Host's blessing, as well as
another task.
Unfortunately his player is a dumbass and didn't write down all three of the
names, so he's missing one between Bazz, Svethra and ? on who Azorinne told
him to converse with about vows and their past.
So his idea is that he's going to just continue conversing with literally
everyone since that's his job as a member of the Acolytes anyway, even as just
a scribe.
He's had an excellent conversation with Svethra and helped Svethra develop his
vow, that to never give up on bringing the Light forth, even from dark hearts
- very ambitious for one who sent the paladins to kill their former 'mother',
a necromancer that stole his egg from his true parents.
Bazz assisted in refining his, which was an oath that was too long and did not
suit his core desires, in Bazz' opinion. Vartin has decided to drop the former
sentence of 'I swear to temper Justice to deed, reaction to action, to never
leave any of the young as abandoned as I was. I will go out of my way to
render aid when asked by the weak even if I'm otherwise engaged.' to just 'I
will go out of my way to render aid to the needy.'
The former sentence was more out of his own pain from the orphanage anyway.
Bazz' backstory intrigues him and Bazz mentioned that Vartin's one of the only
people who has ever asked about it. Similar to Vartin, Bazz said that the
feeling he got from helping others was why he joined the Light, which is a bit
selfish, and that Vartin should learn to be more selfish(!) so that he
wouldn't burn out.
Vartin rescued the druid of Joihe, Zcarad, from an avalanche, and has been
discussing the Veil with Coqui. He intends to speak with Zcarad more about the
veil and about his schism with the Outlanders because he also owes much of his
'power' to a similar thinness in reality.
If Vartin was permitted to select a virtue, it would be that of Temperance -
failing that, Charity. He is very pleased with Prudence, however, and no
matter what happens he intends to give life an earnest go.
Avowed
Added Thu Oct 26 20:26:33 2023 at level 51:
Vartin successfully made his oath to Azorinne after a long discussion about
the role of the Fortress and what his role is - what he wants to be, anyway -
in life.
He's discovered a hatred for gnomish philosophies and twilight dogmas in
general, as professed by those like Pititti, that place good and evil as
equal, opposing sides instead of presenting good as superior to evil, and has
penned a note to the Fortress urging consideration of what it really means to
be 'balanced'.
He hopes to continue holding to the Code and assisting his fellows, because he
finds a great sense of fulfillment in their gratitudes.
He is continuing to keep an eye on the Zicdorgle situation because it
intrigues him.
Sinnerman
Added Tue Nov 14 12:39:12 2023 at level 51:
Vartin defended Zicdorgle from the claws of Naobyn.
This resulted in a great deal of tumult for him.
He believes that he is a failed paladin because he cannot get over the hatred
in his heart he has for Naobyn, another one of the Light, because of his
attitudes and the dogma Naobyn adheres to as an Outlander.
He places his head down, believing that he should remain in the spot he is
until he expires in the process, with the power he already has, as a Scribe
and not an acolyte, because he cannot forgive himself for what he views as a
violation of the Code.
Vartin has less self-preservation than he otherwise would, throwing himself
into battle against the Empire with abandon, especially if there are
centurions to slay. This has resulted in the combined pressure upon
antipaladins, the Emperor and Harlsreen both, resulting in their deaths - he
likes to think that his constant attacks were part of it, even though he died
far before villagers secured the kills. After all, they only have to mess up
once, he can fight dozens of times...
He genuinely thought he was doing the right thing, and that scares him. He was
trying too hard to make what he SAW as the right thing, to BE the right thing.
So now he has less of a feeling that his judgement is valid.
Lady Azorinne seems to believe he is beating himself up about it enough and
that he needs to find reasons to smile, so he's going to be asking those in
the Fortress what makes them happy to try and share in that joy with them.
Sun Breaks Through Clouds
Added Sat Nov 25 01:21:14 2023 at level 51:
Remarkably, as soon as he started looking for the positive again, everything's
been working out perfectly for Vartin.
He took an oath of humility to get his pride under control and has been
stunned by the strength of his supplications.
He's been helping the Fortress to the best of his ability, both materially and
spiritually, giving guidance to many that brings him a sense of fulfillment.
Attending the wedding of Zicdorgle and Damil gave him the courage to try to
ask out someone he'd been attracted to, and she said yes, so now Pititti and
him are a couple, having gone paragliding and other fun activities together,
and Lady Azorinne even seems to approve when he proudly declared as much.
Oszuarre made mention that he thought it was strange that Iroenyphe was so
'chipper' but that after talking to Vartin he understood that happiness was a
shield against the Maran 'falling', and Vartin was the one who learned from
Oszuarre there, and feels like now he knows what Azorinne was so concerned
about in the first place.
Watching the Fortress grow brings him joy, he enjoys fighting at the side of
his fellows, he gets along very well with Gherod and Pititti and Damil and the
rest of the Heralds, and he's comfortable in his own skin as an Acolyte. He
even gets to slaughter the wicked from time to time, with a few more Vampire
and Imperial kills under his belt.
He has two thoughts on what he could do in the future, and he intends to ask
Lady Azorinne if She would consider granting him either the virtue of Charity
- so that he could guard and protect the weak, the Maran, Pititti on
adventures - or Retribution, so that his healing and lay on hands could strike
those who curse his allies with just retribution and that he could experience
the full strength of a paladin's humility. Additionally, it would let him
utilize the teaching of Divine Retribution to see who of those in the Twilight
regularly kill the Good, and thus deserve justice for those sins. These are
greatly appealing to him in his studies at the moment because he's realised
his 'style' as a paladin is far more supplication-centric than someone like
Erorm who focuses on Punching Really Hard.
Of course, Vartin is also aware that She may decline on account of the Naobyn
issues, but having not seen Naobyn for a long time, Vartin is sanguine and at
peace now with it. After all, he's just happy enough to be an Acolyte when he
thought he would justly be a Scribe forever.
PK Wins
Oct 13, 2023|Lv 35|Graveyard|Yerek vs 3: [35] Vartin (57%), [31] Sranttai (4%), [36] Kitaro (37%, bleeding artery)
Oct 23, 2023|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Yfetris vs 4: [51] Arinayar (2%), [51] Vartin (55%, chop), [51] Travanz (16%), [51] Ryfin (25%)
Oct 23, 2023|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Khorat vs 4: [51] Axlicth (0%), [51] Coqui (1%), [51] Aobe (48%, lightning bolt), [51] Vartin (50%)
Oct 23, 2023|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Laisren vs 2: [51] Vartin (70%, cleansing fist), [51] Sumura (29%)
Oct 28, 2023|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Rholgor vs 4: [47] Naobyn (20%, KB), [28] Aegmar (0%), [51] Erorm (25%), [51] Vartin (53%)
Oct 29, 2023|Lv 51|Galadon|Brof vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, lightning strike)
Oct 31, 2023|Lv 51|Galadon|Buoi vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, heavenly wrath)
Nov 2, 2023 |Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Rholgor vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, cleansing fist)
Nov 3, 2023 |Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Rholgor vs 3: [51] Gwythienne (0%), [51] Erorm (36%, heavenly wrath), [51] Vartin (63%)
Nov 17, 2023|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Xzelyx vs 2: [51] Vartin (90%, heavenly wrath), [49] Alceros (9%)
Nov 21, 2023|Lv 51|Gol'Galath|Nesostrei vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, heavenly wrath)
Nov 24, 2023|Lv 51|The North Road|Vylisa vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, pierce)
Nov 25, 2023|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Vylisa vs 2: [51] Iroenyphe (0%), [51] Vartin (100%, heavenly wrath)
Nov 27, 2023|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Sekhnah vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, heavenly wrath)
Dec 4, 2023 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Baznul vs 2: [51] Vartin (91%, lightning strike), [51] Kertar (8%)
Dec 5, 2023 |Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Dajedal vs 4: [51] Bazz (65%, claw), [51] Arinayar (5%), [51] Vartin (14%), [51] Bynna (13%)
Dec 5, 2023 |Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Setpegotmoo vs 4: [51] Vartin (9%), [51] Osvolisso (17%), [51] Malliokh (47%), [51] Kareloth (25%, iceball)
Dec 8, 2023 |Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Darbod vs 2: [51] Travanz (12%), [51] Vartin (87%, heavenly wrath)
Dec 8, 2023 |Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Darbod vs 2: [51] Arinayar (56%, wall of wind), [51] Vartin (43%)
Dec 8, 2023 |Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Darbod vs 1: [51] Vartin (100%, righteous assault)
Dec 10, 2023|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Dajedal vs 5: [51] Hylaphiinae (14%), [51] Coqui (0%), [51] Bazz (5%), [51] Travanz (17%, bite), [51] Vartin (61%)