Altaire - Revision history

ZERO-ELEMENT: Minor inventory update.

2025-10-19T00:52:42Z

Minor inventory update.

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:52, 18 October 2025
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	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
	<br>		<br>
	He is typically seen wearing a ~~greenheart~~ ~~battle~~ ~~bow~~ ~~adorned~~ ~~with~~ ~~golden~~ ~~feathers~~, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a smooth diamond-hide quiver overlaid with fine silversteel mesh, a ~~deep~~ black ~~scabbard~~ ~~crafted~~ ~~from~~ ~~fine~~ ~~damascened~~ ~~steel~~, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.		He is typically seen wearing an oceanic orichalcum shortbow draped in lengths of azure songsilk, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a smooth diamond-hide quiver overlaid with fine silversteel mesh, a heavy black soldier's pack with a silversteel wolf's-head buckle, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a sleeveless muslin shirt cut to compliment the male physique, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

ZERO-ELEMENT: Minor appearance update.

2024-08-13T16:36:29Z

Minor appearance update.

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:36, 13 August 2024
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	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
	<br>		<br>
	He is typically seen wearing a ~~reinforced~~ ~~ironwood~~ bow with ~~a heavy leather~~ ~~grip~~, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a smooth diamond-hide quiver overlaid with fine silversteel mesh~~, a heavy black soldier's pack with a silversteel wolf's-head buckle~~, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.		He is typically seen wearing a greenheart battle bow adorned with golden feathers, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a smooth diamond-hide quiver overlaid with fine silversteel mesh, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

ZERO-ELEMENT: Minor cleanup.

2024-07-01T17:27:56Z

Minor cleanup.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:27, 1 July 2024
Line 15:		Line 15:
	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
	<br>		<br>
	He is typically seen wearing an ~~oceanic~~ ~~orichalcum~~ ~~shortbow~~ ~~draped~~ in ~~lengths~~ of ~~azure songsilk~~, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.		He is typically seen wearing a reinforced ironwood bow with a heavy leather grip, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a smooth diamond-hide quiver overlaid with fine silversteel mesh, a heavy black soldier's pack with a silversteel wolf's-head buckle, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

	''ca. 349 AV:'' Arrived in the Crossing, joining the Warrior Mage Guild after a brief survey of the city and surrounding environs.~~<br>~~		* ''ca. 349 AV:'' Arrived in the Crossing, joining the Warrior Mage Guild after a brief survey of the city and surrounding environs.
	''364 AV:'' Married to Larilliana Lychis.~~<br>~~		* ''364 AV:'' Married to Larilliana Lychis.
	''350-380 AV:'' Fought in every major conflict faced by Zoluren.~~<br>~~		* ''350-380 AV:'' Fought in every major conflict faced by Zoluren.
	''380 AV:'' Departed Zoluren to search for those who had wronged his family. Vanished without a trace after entering Dwarven lands.~~<br>~~		* ''380 AV:'' Departed Zoluren to search for those who had wronged his family. Vanished without a trace after entering Dwarven lands.
	''438 AV:'' Returned to the Crossing.<br>		* ''438 AV:'' Returned to the Crossing.<br>

	==Character Origin / Background==		==Character Origin / Background==

ZERO-ELEMENT: /* Appearance */

2023-12-02T13:48:34Z

Appearance

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:48, 2 December 2023
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	}}		}}
	==Appearance==		==Appearance==
	He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn ~~pulled~~ back in a ~~loose~~ ~~ponytail~~ bound ~~with~~ some miniature silversteel greatswords. He has tanned skin and a massive build.<br>		He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn tied back in a thick rope-like column bound by some miniature silversteel greatswords. He has tanned skin and a massive build.<br>
	He is ~~tall~~ for a Dwarf.<br>		He is of commanding height for a Dwarf.<br>
	He is mature.<br>		He is mature.<br>
	He has a thick mustache and a full beard that is split into thirds and woven into three thick braids that hang down to his waist. Wound around each beard plait is a wide kertig ring graced with a fractured spear of night black zephyr's heart.<br>		He has a thick mustache and a full beard that is split into thirds and woven into three thick braids that hang down to his waist. Wound around each beard plait is a wide kertig ring graced with a fractured spear of night black zephyr's heart.<br>
	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
	<br>		<br>
	He is wearing a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, a ~~green~~ ~~punka~~ cloak ~~with~~ ~~black~~ ~~braid~~ ~~trimming~~, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.		He is typically seen wearing an oceanic orichalcum shortbow draped in lengths of azure songsilk, a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, an elegantly draped heartname leather cloak edged in bone warding beads, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

ZERO-ELEMENT: /* Appearance */ - minor update

2023-06-18T19:57:40Z

Appearance: - minor update

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:57, 18 June 2023
Line 9:		Line 9:
	}}		}}
	==Appearance==		==Appearance==
	He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn pulled back ~~from the face by~~ a ~~small~~ ~~Dwarven~~ ~~iron trident graced~~ with ~~bloodstone-tipped prongs and left to tumble~~ ~~over~~ ~~both~~ ~~shoulders~~. He has tanned skin and a massive build.<br>		He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn pulled back in a loose ponytail bound with some miniature silversteel greatswords. He has tanned skin and a massive build.<br>
	He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>		He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>
	He is mature.<br>		He is mature.<br>
			He has a thick mustache and a full beard that is split into thirds and woven into three thick braids that hang down to his waist. Wound around each beard plait is a wide kertig ring graced with a fractured spear of night black zephyr's heart.<br>
	Clinched with an orichalcum beard band inset with a brilliantly cut stormfire topaz, his mustache and beard form a bristly and bushy mess of statically charged whiskers.<br>
	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
	<br>		<br>
	He is wearing a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of ~~black~~ ~~wool~~ pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.		He is wearing a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, a green punka cloak with black braid trimming, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of sleek morgawr leather dueling pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

ZERO-ELEMENT at 18:37, 30 May 2023

2023-05-30T18:37:39Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:37, 30 May 2023
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	}}		}}
	==Appearance==		==Appearance==
		⚫	He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn pulled back from the face by a small Dwarven iron trident graced with bloodstone-tipped prongs and left to tumble over both shoulders. He has tanned skin and a massive build.<br>
	You see Altaire Zenshrike, a Dwarf.<br>
⚫	He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn pulled back from the face by a small Dwarven iron trident graced with bloodstone-tipped prongs and left to tumble over both shoulders. He has tanned skin.<br>
	He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>		He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>
	He is mature.<br>		He is mature.<br>

ZERO-ELEMENT at 14:04, 22 April 2023

2023-04-22T14:04:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:04, 22 April 2023
Line 10:		Line 10:
	==Appearance==		==Appearance==
	You see Altaire Zenshrike, a Dwarf.<br>		You see Altaire Zenshrike, a Dwarf.<br>
	He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn ~~in a simple,~~ pulled-back ~~style~~ ~~held~~ ~~in place~~ by a ~~thin~~ ~~bloodlace~~ ~~ribbon~~ ~~adorned~~ with ~~tiny teardrop~~-~~shaped~~ ~~bloodmist~~ ~~garnet~~ ~~charms~~. He has tanned skin.<br>		He has silver-flecked blue-green eyes. His snow-white-streaked red hair is shoulder length and thick, and is worn pulled back from the face by a small Dwarven iron trident graced with bloodstone-tipped prongs and left to tumble over both shoulders. He has tanned skin.<br>
	He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>		He is tall for a Dwarf.<br>
	He is mature.<br>		He is mature.<br>
	Clinched with an orichalcum beard band inset with a brilliantly cut stormfire topaz, his mustache and beard form a bristly and bushy mess of statically charged whiskers.<br>		Clinched with an orichalcum beard band inset with a brilliantly cut stormfire topaz, his mustache and beard form a bristly and bushy mess of statically charged whiskers.<br>
	He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>		He has a tattoo of a golden hawk with its wings spread wide on his chest.<br>
			<br>
			He is wearing a sleek black hauberk fitted with bright silversteel plates, a deep black scabbard crafted from fine damascened steel, some ashen grey bitterweave robes strung with holy spiritgem icons, a thick diamond-hide war belt with a silversteel shield buckle, a pair of black wool pants with narrow cuffs and some storm grey diamond-hide boots buckled with darkstone.

	==Key Events==		==Key Events==

ZERO-ELEMENT: /* Origin */

2022-09-27T20:51:59Z

Origin

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ''438 AV:'' Returned to the Crossing.<br>
-==Origin==
+==Character Origin / Background==
 {{PCSkills
 |Collapse=Yes

ZERO-ELEMENT at 19:59, 4 September 2022

2022-09-04T19:59:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:59, 4 September 2022
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	Altaire was born 310 years after the Victory, his life beginning on a small homestead at the outskirts of Axe Clan land. His father, Anzarn, was a smith of some distinction among nearby militias. His mother, Ralla, was an herbalist and seamstress, among other talents. Altaire's early years were blessed by peace, with his father hoping to turn him toward the forge and his mother teaching him to survive nature's general indifference to life. This much, at least, is fairly well known. The rest of this tale is pieced together from anecdotes relayed by those who've come to know Altaire over the years...		Altaire was born 310 years after the Victory, his life beginning on a small homestead at the outskirts of Axe Clan land. His father, Anzarn, was a smith of some distinction among nearby militias. His mother, Ralla, was an herbalist and seamstress, among other talents. Altaire's early years were blessed by peace, with his father hoping to turn him toward the forge and his mother teaching him to survive nature's general indifference to life. This much, at least, is fairly well known. The rest of this tale is pieced together from anecdotes relayed by those who've come to know Altaire over the years...

	In the fall of his 17th year, after a particularly unremarkable day's work in the fields, Altaire ~~arrived~~ home to find his father in animated discussion with a leather-clad Human and his retinue of gruff-looking Dwarves and men. The conversation rapidly devolved into angry shouting, and Anzarn dismissed the men from his home with a scowl and a muttered curse. Anzarn then tucked a glinting disc with silvered edges under a floorboard of the home, a look of concern creasing his brow. Altaire asked, "What'd they want anyway, pop? Didn't anyone tell them that you make good on all your contracts? I don't remember ever seeing a customer leave like that..." Anzarn answered, somewhat cryptically, "I hope you never come to know those men. They're not customers. They want somethin' we don't sell and can't give." Anzarn trailed off, then, and retired to a stump behind the house, puffing on an heirloom pipe and ~~shaking~~ his ~~head~~ ~~occasionally~~.		In the fall of his 17th year, after a particularly unremarkable day's work in the fields, Altaire returned home to find his father in animated discussion with a leather-clad Human and his retinue of gruff-looking Dwarves and men. The conversation rapidly devolved into angry shouting, and Anzarn dismissed the men from his home with a scowl and a muttered curse. Anzarn then tucked a glinting disc with silvered edges under a floorboard of the home, a look of concern creasing his brow. Altaire asked, "What'd they want anyway, pop? Didn't anyone tell them that you make good on all your contracts? I don't remember ever seeing a customer leave like that..." Anzarn answered, somewhat cryptically, "I hope you never come to know those men. They're not customers. They want somethin' we don't sell and can't give." Anzarn trailed off, then, and retired to a stump behind the house while puffing distractedly on an heirloom pipe. Altaire forced down his growing unease, heading into the house and immersing himself in the last of the day's chores. He stirred a stew pot that smelt of pungent herbs and sweet root vegetables from the garden, but the routine afforded him no comfort. Altaire knew he'd have no luck prying anything further from his father under the circumstances; he prayed, instead, that his own instincts were wrong. He reasoned that his father would share more of what he knew if it were necessary, and that he'd handled the confrontation as well as was practical.

	Several weeks later, with ~~the~~ odd visit ~~of that day~~ and his father's distress nearly forgotten, Altaire returned ~~home~~ from the village market to find a scene conjured from his own nightmares. He heard it before he saw it: the sounds of cracking and splintering wood were joined by muffled cries, and carried easily through the still afternoon air. As Altaire padded past the gate at the edge of the property and looked toward the house, it became apparent that the walls of his family's home had been crushed inward in several places, as if the air itself had set about reclaiming the space for its own purposes. Altaire raced toward the sound, his heart thumping in his ~~chest~~ as his nerves arced warnings to parts of his mind that were no longer capable of responding. Arriving finally at the clearing where the remnants of his home stood, he saw that his father and mother were impaled on short-hafted spears, their blood staining the earth just outside the front door. He realized that the sounds he'd heard were their quiet farewells, and that his opportunity to say his own had likely already passed. As he surveyed the carnage and struggled to contain his desperate fury, Altaire heard the voice of one of the 'customers' from that fateful day echoing within the house: "Burn it. Burn the whole damn thing. Burn the garden, the forge, and that stupid Dwarf and his wife. It'll give the rest of these smallfolk something to think about."		Several weeks later, with that day's odd visit and his father's distress nearly forgotten, Altaire returned from the village market to find a scene conjured from his own nightmares. He heard it before he saw it: the sounds of cracking and splintering wood were joined by muffled cries, and carried easily through the still afternoon air. As Altaire padded past the gate at the edge of the property and looked toward the house, it became apparent that the walls of his family's home had been crushed inward in several places, as if the air itself had set about reclaiming the space for its own purposes. Altaire raced toward the sound, his heart thumping in his ears as his nerves arced warnings to parts of his mind that were no longer capable of responding. Arriving finally at the clearing where the remnants of his home stood, he saw that his father and mother were impaled on short-hafted spears, their blood staining the earth just outside the front door. He realized that the sounds he'd heard were their quiet farewells, and that his opportunity to say his own had likely already passed. As he surveyed the carnage and struggled to contain his desperate fury, Altaire heard the voice of one of the 'customers' from that fateful day echoing within the house: "Burn it. Burn the whole damn thing. Burn the garden, the forge, and that stupid Dwarf and his wife. It'll give the rest of these smallfolk something to think about."

	Light and sound receded as ~~Altaire's~~ ~~vision~~ ~~swam~~ ~~with~~ ~~mottled~~ ~~black~~ ~~shapes~~. The world shrank ~~and~~ his perspective ~~warped,~~ as if he ~~were~~ watching his own life through a perversely fashioned looking-glass. A howling wind exploded in his mind, joined ~~shortly~~ by coils of fire and lightning. At first, the elements seemed to fight with the material of space itself, and then later with one another. After a long moment, they fused into a coherent mass that whirled and danced, roaring forth with a single word: "No." It repeated, again and again, each time louder than the last, until the sound was a torment all its own. This went on for what ~~felt~~ ~~like~~ ~~minutes~~: the voice reverberated like the beating of war drums inside Altaire's ~~mind~~, uncontrolled and accompanied by nearly blinding pain. Finally, the shrieking maelstrom abated, and Altaire's battered consciousness emerged once more. He stumbled to one knee as if struck, and took several measured breaths before attempting to right himself.		Light and sound receded as mottled black shapes intruded on Altaire's vision. The world shrank, his perspective shifting until it seemed he was watching his own life through a perversely fashioned looking-glass. A howling wind exploded in his mind, joined swiftly by coils of fire and lightning. At first, the elements seemed to fight with the material of space itself, and then later with one another. After a long moment, they fused into a coherent mass that whirled and danced, roaring forth with a single word: "No." It repeated, again and again, each time louder than the last, until the sound was a torment all its own. This went on for what could have been seconds or hours: the voice reverberated like the beating of war drums inside Altaire's head, uncontrolled and accompanied by nearly blinding pain. Finally, the shrieking maelstrom abated, and Altaire's battered consciousness emerged once more. He stumbled to one knee as if struck, and took several measured breaths before attempting to right himself.

	Altaire looked up to discover that the men in his home, the ~~home~~ itself, and the ground around it were almost entirely ablaze. Coated in pristine white fire that flowed like oil, the surrounding environment was unmade wholly, seemingly eaten by the voracious flames rather than burnt. The man who'd been tasked with torching the house was, himself, nearly gone already; his still-unlit torch lay beside him, partially disintegrated by a turbulent pool of rippling white flames. Bizarrely, an island of untouched earth lay around Altaire's mother and father, their flesh ~~as yet untouched~~ by the elements. His father, still clinging to life and with eyes as wide as moons, stared out over the chaos surrounding him before focusing on his son.		Altaire looked up to discover that the men in his home, the house itself, and the ground around it were almost entirely ablaze. Coated in pristine white fire that flowed like oil, the surrounding environment was unmade wholly, seemingly eaten by the voracious flames rather than burnt. The man who'd been tasked with torching the house was, himself, nearly gone already; his still-unlit torch lay beside him, partially disintegrated by a turbulent pool of rippling white flames. Bizarrely, an island of untouched earth lay around Altaire's mother and father, their flesh unmarred by the elements. His father, still clinging to life and with eyes as wide as moons, stared out over the chaos surrounding him before focusing on his son.

	Altaire ~~walked~~ to his father's side and knelt down, the flames receding wherever he stepped. Anzarn summoned his remaining energy and spoke, quietly: "Don't stay. Don't... let them find you here. If you can learn to use whatever that power was, you can... well, maybe you can... stop them. From doing this to anyone else. To the ones they buy and sell..."		Altaire trudged heavily to his father's side and knelt down, the flames receding wherever he stepped. Anzarn summoned his remaining energy and spoke, quietly: "Don't stay. Don't... let them find you here. If you can learn to use whatever that power was, you can... well, maybe you can... stop them. From doing this to anyone else. To the ones they buy and sell..."

	Altaire paused, puzzled, and ~~said~~, "Power? Tawr... just stop talking already. I might be able to get a surgeon or Empath here in time. They know you in the village, so mayb--"		Altaire paused, puzzled, and asked, "Power? Tawr... just stop talking already. I might be able to get a surgeon or Empath here in time. They know you in the village, so mayb--"

	"Yes, 'power'." Anzarn cut in, his voice nearly breaking as he continued, "I was dead ten minutes ago, boy, I'm ~~just~~ too stubborn to quit breathing yet. This fire ain't natural. I've never seen its like before. When these men came out of the house, you somehow..." he faltered, now, struggling to describe the scene. "You used forge-fire like cannon shot. You just stood there screamin'... it tore through these two and what was left of our house, and I haven't a clue how. These ones won't be yer problem, though. The one they work for is somethin' else. That tall fella who visited us before is a monster worse than anything in the deepest caves. You have to... you have to let the fire take us. Let it cover this place, end to end, gate to stream. If there's nothin' to go on, they can't find you. ~~They'll~~ ~~eventually~~ ~~stop~~ ~~lookin~~'."		"Yes, 'power'." Anzarn cut in, his voice nearly breaking as he continued, "I was dead ten minutes ago, boy, and I'm too stubborn to quit breathing yet. This fire ain't natural. I've never seen its like before. When these men came out of the house, you somehow..." he faltered, now, struggling to describe the scene as he cast his gaze over the ruined homestead. "You used forge-fire like cannon shot. You just stood there screamin'... it tore through these two and what was left of our house, and I haven't a clue how. These ones won't be yer problem, though. The one they work for is somethin' else. That tall fella who visited us before is a monster worse than anything in the deepest caves. You have to... you have to let the fire take us. Let it cover this place, end to end, gate to stream. They didn't see you during that first visit... and if there's nothin' to go on, they can't find you. You can disappear, at least for a time. You can be... you'll be safe."

	Altaire's eyes blurred with tears as he began to grasp what his father had said. He ~~stood~~ ~~after~~ ~~what~~ ~~felt~~ like ~~hours~~, and spared a last glance at his family as his father nodded his head. ~~At last,~~ Altaire stared into the fire and, bending his mind intuitively to the task, fused the flames to the ~~shape~~ of the land. The white fire spread in all directions, blanketing the earth, as quiet descended on the clearing.		Altaire's eyes blurred with tears as he began to grasp what his father had said, his fingers digging into the damp earth like anchors. Steeling himself, he stood, and spared a last glance at his family as his father nodded his head. Altaire stared into the fire and, bending his mind intuitively to the task, fused the flames to the contours of the land. The white fire spread in all directions, blanketing the earth, as quiet descended on the clearing.
	{{PCSkills		{{PCSkills
	\|Collapse=Yes		\|Collapse=Yes

ZERO-ELEMENT at 15:46, 2 September 2022

2022-09-02T15:46:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:46, 2 September 2022
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	Several weeks later, with the odd visit of that day and his father's distress nearly forgotten, Altaire returned home from the village market to find a scene conjured from his own nightmares. He heard it before he saw it: the sounds of cracking and splintering wood were joined by muffled cries, and carried easily through the still afternoon air. As Altaire padded past the gate at the edge of the property and looked toward the house, it became apparent that the walls of his family's home had been crushed inward in several places, as if the air itself had set about reclaiming the space for its own purposes. Altaire raced toward the sound, his heart thumping in his chest as his nerves arced warnings to parts of his mind that were no longer capable of responding. Arriving finally at the clearing where the remnants of his home stood, he saw that his father and mother were impaled on short-hafted spears, their blood staining the earth just outside the front door. He realized that the sounds he'd heard were their quiet farewells, and that his opportunity to say his own had likely already passed. As he surveyed the carnage and struggled to contain his desperate fury, Altaire heard the voice of one of the 'customers' from that fateful day echoing within the house: "Burn it. Burn the whole damn thing. Burn the garden, the forge, and that stupid Dwarf and his wife. It'll give the rest of these smallfolk something to think about."		Several weeks later, with the odd visit of that day and his father's distress nearly forgotten, Altaire returned home from the village market to find a scene conjured from his own nightmares. He heard it before he saw it: the sounds of cracking and splintering wood were joined by muffled cries, and carried easily through the still afternoon air. As Altaire padded past the gate at the edge of the property and looked toward the house, it became apparent that the walls of his family's home had been crushed inward in several places, as if the air itself had set about reclaiming the space for its own purposes. Altaire raced toward the sound, his heart thumping in his chest as his nerves arced warnings to parts of his mind that were no longer capable of responding. Arriving finally at the clearing where the remnants of his home stood, he saw that his father and mother were impaled on short-hafted spears, their blood staining the earth just outside the front door. He realized that the sounds he'd heard were their quiet farewells, and that his opportunity to say his own had likely already passed. As he surveyed the carnage and struggled to contain his desperate fury, Altaire heard the voice of one of the 'customers' from that fateful day echoing within the house: "Burn it. Burn the whole damn thing. Burn the garden, the forge, and that stupid Dwarf and his wife. It'll give the rest of these smallfolk something to think about."

	Light and sound receded as Altaire's vision swam with ~~flowing~~ black shapes. The world shrank and his perspective warped, as if he were watching his own life through a perversely fashioned looking-glass. A howling wind exploded in his mind, joined shortly by coils of fire and lightning. At first, the elements seemed to fight with the material of space itself, and then later with one another. After a long moment, they fused into a coherent mass that whirled and danced, roaring forth with a single word: "No." It repeated, again and again, each time louder than the last, until the sound was a torment all its own. This went on for what felt like minutes: the voice reverberated like the beating of war drums inside Altaire's mind, uncontrolled and accompanied by nearly blinding pain. Finally, the shrieking maelstrom abated, and Altaire's battered consciousness emerged once more. He stumbled to one knee as if struck, and took several measured breaths before attempting to right himself.		Light and sound receded as Altaire's vision swam with mottled black shapes. The world shrank and his perspective warped, as if he were watching his own life through a perversely fashioned looking-glass. A howling wind exploded in his mind, joined shortly by coils of fire and lightning. At first, the elements seemed to fight with the material of space itself, and then later with one another. After a long moment, they fused into a coherent mass that whirled and danced, roaring forth with a single word: "No." It repeated, again and again, each time louder than the last, until the sound was a torment all its own. This went on for what felt like minutes: the voice reverberated like the beating of war drums inside Altaire's mind, uncontrolled and accompanied by nearly blinding pain. Finally, the shrieking maelstrom abated, and Altaire's battered consciousness emerged once more. He stumbled to one knee as if struck, and took several measured breaths before attempting to right himself.

	Altaire looked up to discover that the men in his home, the home itself, and the ground around it were almost entirely ablaze. Coated in pristine white fire that flowed like oil, the surrounding environment was unmade wholly, seemingly eaten by the voracious flames rather than burnt. The man who'd been tasked with torching the house was, himself, nearly gone already; his still-unlit torch lay beside him, partially disintegrated by a turbulent pool of rippling white flames. Bizarrely, an island of untouched earth lay around Altaire's mother and father, their flesh as yet untouched by the elements. His father, still clinging to life and with eyes as wide as moons, stared out over the chaos surrounding him before focusing on his son.		Altaire looked up to discover that the men in his home, the home itself, and the ground around it were almost entirely ablaze. Coated in pristine white fire that flowed like oil, the surrounding environment was unmade wholly, seemingly eaten by the voracious flames rather than burnt. The man who'd been tasked with torching the house was, himself, nearly gone already; his still-unlit torch lay beside him, partially disintegrated by a turbulent pool of rippling white flames. Bizarrely, an island of untouched earth lay around Altaire's mother and father, their flesh as yet untouched by the elements. His father, still clinging to life and with eyes as wide as moons, stared out over the chaos surrounding him before focusing on his son.