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 Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:33 pm
 Portrait General Information Biography Inventory Pets Friends and Enemies Role Play Links Abilities General Information Gallery
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:37 pm
General Info
Name: Taliesin D'bren
Alias: Thatantar Despund
Gender: Male
Age: 108
Height: 5 ft
Description:Taliesin looks... well, average. Nothing about him really sets him apart from any other typical Drow male and that's exactly how he likes it. He has spent a lot of effort in maintaining the image that he is average and totally unremarkable and hence undeserving of any kind of special attention or scrutiny.
He dresses in clothes suitable to one of his station, in the brown and red colours matching the livery worn by his House. Although since he has been elevated to the station of being the eldest son of the family he has been allowed the distinction of golden trim on his collar of his clothes. Meant as a minor sign of favour from his Matron, Taliesin considers it a curse, as he does anything that sets him apart from others.
Now older, Tal still dresses in the colours of his house, but it's more a matter of taste than anything else, he just likes the colours. Taking a liking to magic rings, Tal let his hair grow out and braided a number of rings into his hair. his thinking being that should he ever be captured, his captors would certainly strip him of any spell books, weapons, wands and such, but could easily overlook the rings hidden in his hair as ornaments.
Personality:Quiet, often coming across as shy, though this is part of a carefully crafted veneer to avoid drawing attention to himself. Beneath he is simply stoic, keeping his emotions in line and his thoughts to himself, he's learned the best way to survive is to avoid making himself a target.
While he claims to have no ego or hold onto ideas like honour or pride,deep down he has a superiority complex, often having feelings of contempt for those he views as being too dull to see what's going on around them.
Tal has changed some what since his early days as a student of magic. having the power of teh elements at his command has made more confident and less fearful. He isn't as withdrawn as he used to be and has come to enjoy receiving credit and praise for his accomplishments.
Hobbies: Reading, taxidermy, ring making, imagining perverse and unusual uses for common spells
Favourite Place: A quiet cliff edge near his home that overlooks the Glimmer Sea. Tal has also become rather at home in libraries. People rarely try and kill you in libraries, it's a common decency thing, you don't disturb a man when he's reading a good book.
Likes:Being alone and going unnoticed, the belief that he is superior than those around him. Has also come to terms with teh fact he likes scantily clad and pretty males. Also has a new fondness for making magic rings.
Dislikes: Being the centre of attention, lack of choice or control. Being manipulated and used; for all the intelligence and wisdom he's supposed to have, he's rather slow and inexperienced when it comes to dealing with people.
Quote: "If Knowledge is Power, then to be Unknown is to be Invincible."
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:38 pm
Biography
The Matron of the D'bren family became burdened with child, but must have done something to offend Lolth during the pregnancy because she only got another son. As far as the rest of the clan is concerned that's were the story lost interest....
((Will fill this out once I have more time.))
Taliesin was born into the House of D'bren, once a house of some power and influence it's based from a medium sized city in the Northdark territories on teh coast of teh Glimmersea. However it's days of glory are behind it. Several centuries ago during a major power struggle between the local houses, the Matron of D'bren at teh time choose the wrong side to Support. While the matter was settled quietly with an assassins blade before things boiled into a full on war, House D'bren was severely diminished in the aftermath. It's rivals gaining in prestige and power at D'brens expense as teh victor's split the spoils of the deposed houses. And while D'bren survived relatively intact if significantly less influential the blow to it's pride is still felt generations later and since then every Matron of the House has sworn to not only regain that past glory but to surpass it and raise teh house to new heights of power, which in truth makes them little different to the Matrons of any other House.
One thing that does set them apart from some though is they're unbridled hatred for male's, somehow after teh dust had settled it was concluded that the cause of D'brens fall were the men. Everyone knew males were weaker and inferior to females and so D'brens weakness must have been because of too many males were members of the House. Since then the worst thing that could happen in the D'bren house would be to be born a male
Into this House was born Taliesin, biologically the Matrons fifth son, he never knew his father, who was sacrificed to Lolth soon after Taliesins birth for the intolerable crime of siring three sons in a row. Growing up Taliesin quickly learned one important fact that forever shaped his character, males of House D'bren had a brutally short life span and could find themselves going to "special meetings" with Lolth for the slightest of failings. Under these conditions Taliesin learned not to draw any attention to himself, always endeavouring to complete any task given to him to teh letter. He never gave others a reason to criticise or praise him, for being too good at something might get him killed just as quickly as failure, the last thing he wanted was to make an older sister jealous or resentful for some reason.
For years Taliesin lived without drawing attention to himself, taking a sense of pride in the simple masquerade he put on to keep himself seeming unimportant and as small a threat as possible. In his mind he always assumed he'd one day become a rogue, keeping to the shadows and deceiving others sounded much like his current life, but it was not to be. One day he was called before the Matron, for hours he sat outside her room, worrying over what was to happen, convinced he had made a mistake somewhere and either failed in her eyes or brought about the wraith of his sisters. The truth was in his eyes far worse.
That day his eldest surviving brother had died in a slightly suspicious accident when sword training, which meant that Taliesin was the eldest Male heir to the House. From the way the Matron spoke it was obvious Taliesin was expected to be pleased at this news, what Drow didn't seek advancement at any cost? But to him, being given that much attention was an end to all his efforts over the years, but there was worse. Taliesin was convinced none had seen through his rouse, realised how smart he really was, he had however severely underestimated how quick and cunning the Matron was. She had seen through his childish pretence and recognised his intelligence and more, that he had the good sense to hide it, which made him more valuable than the other pathetic males she had spawned. And so she had decided it was time to make use of his wasted talents, D'bren was lacking in those with magical talent and hadn't had a skilled El'faeruk since before Taliesin's birth, so it was now upon Taliesin to fill that gap.
Taliesin was dumb-struck, he had no option but to do as his Matron wished of course, but he now had to rethink the entire strategy which he had lived his life by. He had to succeed and become a wizard or risk being seen a failure and disposed off by the Matron, but wizards were powerful individuals, and one day his older sisters would be vying for the position of Matron of D'bren and anyone of them might see him as a potential threat or obstacle to their own power.
With these fears in mind Taliesin set off from his comfortable and secluded life in the shadows to uncertain future at the university of the arcane studying for his new profession......
--------
Tal actually settled rather quickly into his new setting, developing tactics much teh same as when he lived at home, keep your head down and try not to draw too much attention. This met with some initial resistance as some of the other students went out of their way to single Tal out, but it turned out Tal had more mettle in his character than even he was aware of. After a few encounters ending with his adversaries the worse for ware, Tal was given a wide berth and aloud to follow his studies in piece.
Tal's studies was the next problem; Tal had never envisioned himself as a mage before his Matrons decree, so Tal had to use trial and error to establish the best path to follow. After repeated failures with his preferred choice of Illusion and telepathy and a few unpleasant experiments in necromancy, Tal found an apptitude for Elemental magics. Tal was a little disappointed by his failures, but learned to accept what faith Lolth had laid out for him and make the best of it.
As it happens Tal soon warmed to his new calling, he found new confidence in having the ability to incinerate a person with a wave of his hand and a few quick words. The fact he was no longer being constantly nagged an demeaned by his female relatives was also a boon to his growing confidence.
Now that he's graduated from teh school of magic, Tal has begun forging his own life which has as little to do with his given house as possible. His chief focus is aiding a young cleric in training with whom Tal has stuck a deal, one that would hopefully free him of his family once and for all and place him in the position to achieve his ultimate goals.
Another step in his independence is in setting up a small workshop, it gives him a place to call his own and carry out his constant experiments and trials. It also provides him with an independent source of money, by means of making and selling magical rings, a surprisingly lucrative line of work.
All in all the future is starting to look rather good for Taliesin.
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:40 pm
Inventory
Tome of Books - An unusual book in that it contains no info in itself, but has the ability to hold numerous other books, effectively allowing a mage to carry an entire library in just one book.
Magic Rings - The numerous rings that are braided into Tal's hair are all enchanted. Some were made by Tal himself, while others were procured by various means. They act as his all purpose contingency plan, relying on the various powers he's stored in them only when left with no alternative.
... Has yet to find an effective means of organising them so that he can find the specific one he needs in a hurry
Staff - The staff Tal wields has been in his family for generations, passed between the House Mages. Tal rarely travels anywhere without it, while the spells it holds are less than terrifying it does act as a clear sign that Tal is a Mage and not to be taken lightly.
Powers- Burning hands, Fireball, Wall of Fire
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:44 pm
Pets
Nothing
I really should think about a familiar, most mages have one right...
Hm.. what would suite Tal the best?
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:50 pm
Friends and EnemiesAcquaintances:Micarreth Barrith: Looking for a thief to steal a ring and sabotage a demonstration of a magic that could ruin Tal's future ambitions, Tal inadvertently hires this young assassin for teh job and soon regrets it. Competent for the task, Mica turns on Tal and attempts to make off with the ring for himself. Tal eventually dealt with teh ring, and has made Mica his student, but it's hard to say whether the two are allies or rivals waiting for teh chance to strike. For now though Tal sees untapped potential in Mica, a potential he intends to exploit for his own ends. Allies:Shrisin Baen'duis: After a chance encounter, Tal came to Shri's attention and she decided to enlist his aid in seeking revenge against her cousin. Tal in turn saw an opportunity to further his own plans for revenge and agreed to aid Shri in exchange for adopting him to her house and elevating him to House Mage. For now he is fiercely loyal to her seeing her success as being tied closely to his own. Mas'Daun Barrith: The elder brother of Micarreth, Tal and Mas met in a library, where Tal saw teh two brother together. His curiosity piqued Tal approached Mas and the two soon formed an alliance of shorts. Tal supplying what information he can about the nature of Mica's plots, as well as serving Mas in other ways, provided teh price is right. There partnership also carries a more intimate aspect, as the two developed a mutual attraction and the relationship become more physical in nature. Enemies:Trielnolu Baen'duis: Cousin of Shrisin. While Tal has never met Tri-no, nor has any idea what she looks like, she is his sworn enemy. His part of his alliance to Shri is to devise means of striking Tri-no and countering her power as a mage. Tal would destroy Tri-no outright but for the fact that Shri wants that pleasure herself. Vas'ryna Kil'rahel : An assassin that Tal had a brief but bitter encounter with while on the street. The two definitely rub each other the wrong way and that first encounter could easily have been teh end of the road for one of them. After a stare down, Tal emerged the victor? though it was more of a standoff that ended in a stalemate. Suffice to say that should Tal ever meet her again in a dark alley, he won't be coming out again.
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:51 pm
RP Links
Name/ Participants/ Status
Free Time/ Shrisin Baen'duis/ Closed
A chance encounter in a cafe leads Tal into the service of a young priestess, hoping to tie himself to her success Tal agrees to aid her in exchange for one day becoming her house Mage, should she ascends to Matron of her house. This gives Taliesin hope of fulfilling his greatest and most dangerous of ambitions.
Buy me a Drink?/ Micarreth/ Closed
A mage with more skill than common sense has forged a ring that could shake the balance of power and destroy what influence Mages have in the Underdark. Seeking to end the threat Taliesin seeks out a thief to enact hastily formed plan. The thief is more than he seems though and worse, Tal has let himself become smitten by the young rogue...
Strange Meetings/ Vasryna Kilrahel/ Closed
While out shopping, Tal has an unpleasant encounter with an assassin, things go sour and the two come with in a hairs breadth of killing each other
Return to the Tavern Room/ Micarreth/ Closed
Mica succeeded in stealing the ring and the Mage who made it is dead, but Tal has suspicions of the young assassin motives and soon realises the boy is trying to double cross him. After some threats, bullying enough innuendo for a sexual harassment case and a 'small' curse, Tal and Mica settle on an arrangement, that sees teh ring destroyed after Mica gets one chance to use it. In teh end Tal even persuades teh assassin to study a few spells under Tal's tuition in exchange for some expert advise on poisons.
Journey to the Center of the Westdark/ Faer'da/ Ongoing
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Library of Gaulli/ Mas D'aun/ Closed
While in a library looking for some research material, Tal encounters Mas, Micarreth's elder brother. The encounter leads to a new alliance between the toy as well as a more personal relationship.
Mama's Love/ Divintra/Closed
Unexpectedly a messenger arrives from Menzoberranzan with a message from Tal's mother. What ever it contains has set Tal on edge and prompted him to take some drastic measures (Will probably make a journal post about the letters contents)
Off the Deep End/ Mas D'aun/ Closed
An unexpected bump in the road, leaves Tal weighing his options now that his House is gone. Running into his lover Mas, Tal manages to settle himself into Mas's House after learning some interesting revelations about Mas's back stabbing brother Mica as well as Mas's newborn children?
Settling In/ Mas D'aun/ Ongoing
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:38 am
Abilities
Tal's special abilities include the use of magic (duh) and the skill of crafting rings. Tal specialises in Elemental magics, so mostly Conjuration and Evocation for those of you who are familiar with the D&D magics. Tal also has a fair grasp of Transmutation, but a major lack of ability when it comes to Illusion, being capable of only the most basic spells. He has similar problems with Necromancy, he knows a few curses, but anything involving actual dead bodies always seems to go horrible wrong.
Spheres: Tal's magic mostly takes the form of creating spheres of energy, balls of fire, acid, lightning, etc. though he has a definite preference for fire and acid. His two most powerful spells would be the Sphere of Destruction, a ball of negative energy that can potentially disintegrate anything it touches and Meteor Swarm which hurls exploding balls of fire at his target.
Rings: Tal has developed quite the knack for forging rings, which he has turned into a profitable little business for himself. Given teh nature of Tal talents though, most of his rings come imbued with destructive Evocation type spells, as aposed to the usual illusion or transmutation spells one might expect from a magic ring.
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:39 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:40 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:43 am
(Post number). Journal Title Post Format
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:45 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:00 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:03 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:04 am
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