Orla the Reluctant Assasian
This is a character background for my Gnomish Assassin. I find the idea of a shadow tainted character who kills against her will to be intriguing. And of course I love fairy tales and had to blend the two. I wrote this super fast so its not my best work. He'll I haven't even proofread just stream of consciousnesses it all out. Yes I know there are a ton of fragments. I like it that way.
Once upon a time Lord and Lady Ivory ruled together beauty was the highest law of their land. Now the Lady and her Lord had a child; a son. And as is the way of things a son will always supplant his father. This the Lord knew in the way the fae know such things, the moment he held him. And yet if he had not known it. It would not have come to pass. The shadows found a way to fall upon the realm of light and ivory and so they did. It is their nature.
As his son grew. The Lord's heart began to darken. And one day it was darkness entire save a tiny speck of light. And on that day he fled unable to bear the realm of light he and his Lady had created. And at that time unable to destroy it for he loved it still and loved her as well. The shadows did not grow impatient at this. They could wait, it is their nature.
He fled to the starlit mountains. For here the light of their realm was softer and with his magicks did he darken the stars until true night fell over half the realm. And thus was it sundered.
There was an age of heroes then. War betwixt those who loved the King, and those who loved the Heir. Battles and Songs for some and the darkness that follows when one takes a life and a time of lamenting for others. The shadows fell even over the face of the Lady. But she never let her heart darken, no matter the pain of Son and Husband warring. And so follows many of her subjects.
It has been an age since this happened and the great balance was forged. It is not our story only the beginning of it. The realm was split. Lady Ivory to rule the light and Lord Onyx to rule the night. And one to live no more. Though if it is Son or Husband not even the Lady knows.
It has been an Age. Lord Onyx is bored with hunting fox. Orla the post mistress sits on coach top. Driving her team to the town of Border and back again to the Ivory city for commerce must continue where even love had failed to bind. Her passenger, a faun she thinks, though it is hard to tell with all the cloth he wears to protect him from the light. The faun rat-a-tat-tats on the roof of the carriage and she leans down to answer him. He offers her a tidy sum to take him past the border instead of making him wait for the coach. She considers and takes up his offer. The faun smiles. Lord Onyx will hunt more then fox tonight.
And Oh! her death a thing of terror and shadow, running until running is all she can remember of living. Running until the light of the Lady's realm seems like a dream. She dies thinking I must get to the border. She dies and though shadows were all around her, her heart is still light. Lord Onyx quite enjoyed his sport. He raises her, enslaves her bids her bring him more. Shadows wrapped in her soul, though they cannot touch her heart. And she is something new. Something terrible. Something that does not want to be alive.
He bids her go and bring him more. He does not know what he is asking. She cannot. She fails him. He turns her over to her Lady's justice. And now, her home...it pains her. The light blinds and burns. She has been hunted and murdered and defiled. But this is worse.
The Lady is merciful. Oh little one, you cannot stay. It burns you I know. But there is a place where there is both light and dark. I will show you the way through and there you may find some peace.
She finds herself in a city. And her clothes, a mere laborer's adornments in the feywild are studded with gems worth a king’s ransom here. Men with knives demand them of her and take them from the timid shivering thing. Some leave then their business complete. One is not so business like about it, his cruelty demands he linger and further torment this trembling thing. The shadows wrapped around her soul take his life. This is almost worse then what he wanted. Almost. She learns that while she is no longer purely white. She is not wholly shadow either. Not yet. She takes up his sword and gold. She finds a new way to live. She tries to contain the shadows. She tries to never let them out. They are patient. It is their nature.
Once upon a time Lord and Lady Ivory ruled together beauty was the highest law of their land. Now the Lady and her Lord had a child; a son. And as is the way of things a son will always supplant his father. This the Lord knew in the way the fae know such things, the moment he held him. And yet if he had not known it. It would not have come to pass. The shadows found a way to fall upon the realm of light and ivory and so they did. It is their nature.
As his son grew. The Lord's heart began to darken. And one day it was darkness entire save a tiny speck of light. And on that day he fled unable to bear the realm of light he and his Lady had created. And at that time unable to destroy it for he loved it still and loved her as well. The shadows did not grow impatient at this. They could wait, it is their nature.
He fled to the starlit mountains. For here the light of their realm was softer and with his magicks did he darken the stars until true night fell over half the realm. And thus was it sundered.
There was an age of heroes then. War betwixt those who loved the King, and those who loved the Heir. Battles and Songs for some and the darkness that follows when one takes a life and a time of lamenting for others. The shadows fell even over the face of the Lady. But she never let her heart darken, no matter the pain of Son and Husband warring. And so follows many of her subjects.
It has been an age since this happened and the great balance was forged. It is not our story only the beginning of it. The realm was split. Lady Ivory to rule the light and Lord Onyx to rule the night. And one to live no more. Though if it is Son or Husband not even the Lady knows.
It has been an Age. Lord Onyx is bored with hunting fox. Orla the post mistress sits on coach top. Driving her team to the town of Border and back again to the Ivory city for commerce must continue where even love had failed to bind. Her passenger, a faun she thinks, though it is hard to tell with all the cloth he wears to protect him from the light. The faun rat-a-tat-tats on the roof of the carriage and she leans down to answer him. He offers her a tidy sum to take him past the border instead of making him wait for the coach. She considers and takes up his offer. The faun smiles. Lord Onyx will hunt more then fox tonight.
And Oh! her death a thing of terror and shadow, running until running is all she can remember of living. Running until the light of the Lady's realm seems like a dream. She dies thinking I must get to the border. She dies and though shadows were all around her, her heart is still light. Lord Onyx quite enjoyed his sport. He raises her, enslaves her bids her bring him more. Shadows wrapped in her soul, though they cannot touch her heart. And she is something new. Something terrible. Something that does not want to be alive.
He bids her go and bring him more. He does not know what he is asking. She cannot. She fails him. He turns her over to her Lady's justice. And now, her home...it pains her. The light blinds and burns. She has been hunted and murdered and defiled. But this is worse.
The Lady is merciful. Oh little one, you cannot stay. It burns you I know. But there is a place where there is both light and dark. I will show you the way through and there you may find some peace.
She finds herself in a city. And her clothes, a mere laborer's adornments in the feywild are studded with gems worth a king’s ransom here. Men with knives demand them of her and take them from the timid shivering thing. Some leave then their business complete. One is not so business like about it, his cruelty demands he linger and further torment this trembling thing. The shadows wrapped around her soul take his life. This is almost worse then what he wanted. Almost. She learns that while she is no longer purely white. She is not wholly shadow either. Not yet. She takes up his sword and gold. She finds a new way to live. She tries to contain the shadows. She tries to never let them out. They are patient. It is their nature.