#nornsintro

[ofbardsong]

[ Santiago Cabrera, cis male, he/him, 45 ] we've followed [ GIDEON FABRIA ] for awhile now, the [ HUMAN ] has been in Skellige for [ A WEEK ]. They're known to be [ HEDONISTIC ] and [ AMIABLE ]. They often remind us of [ SATIN SHEETS, A GLASS OF GOOD WINE, A SOFT TUNE PLAYED IN A TAVERN, THE WARMTH OF A FIRE IN A HEARTH  ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ BARD ] experience it.

name: Gideon Fabria age: 45 species: human occupation: Bard gender & sexuality: cis man & bisexual face claim: Santiago Cabrera

Background.

— Gideon grew up as the second son of a wealthy family. Being the second son he held no real responsibilities and so he spent his days enjoying food, wine and a plethora of lovers. He had no interest in the family affairs or business. Gideon was always gifted in music, but excelled in the training in combat that he actually paid attention to. Daggers are his weapon of choice but he can also fight well with a short sword. When his elder brother was killed he knew the position of head of family would eventually fall to him, though he knew his younger brother, who he adored, was much more suited and so he silently slipped out one night and hasn't looked back. Since then he's been wandering around as a traveling bard. Stopping in towns and settlements for while until he feels like its time for him to move on (sometimes because he's flirted or bedded the wrong person) recently he's made his way to Skellige, looking for a bit of a fresh start.

wanted connections. (open to ideas)

— friends/enemies/lovers/etc... — family members — will add more as I think of them

[theforgehearted]

[ Katheryn Winnick, cis Female, She/Her, 46 ] we've followed [ SIGNE REINULFSDOTTIR ] for awhile now, the [ HUMAN ] has been in Skellige for [ HER WHOLE LIFE  ]. They found a true kinship within the [ CLAN TORDARROCH ]. They're known to be [ ASSERTIVE ] and [ CHARISMATIC ]. They often remind us of [ THE SMELL OF SMOKE CLINGING TO YOU, LONG HAIR PULLED INTO A BRAID, THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON YOUR SHOULDERS  ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ MONARCH OF CLAN TORDARROCH ] experience it.

name: Signe Reinulfsdottir age: 46 species: human occupation: Monarch of Clan Tordarroch gender & sexuality: cis woman & heterosexual face claim: Katheryn Winnick

headcanons.

— Signe was born and raised on Skellige by a widowed father, Reinulf, that was the former head blacksmith. — From a young age she always assumed she'd take over the blacksmith position. She was raised in the forge, taught how to make all the weapons anyone would ask for. — Signe got into quite a few fights with the boys her age and a little older. — She was well known within the clan as responsible, caring, helpful as well as very maternal to the younger children as she grew older. Good at problem solving. — The previous Monarch of the clan, a man by the name of Harald, fell in love with Signe. He went to her father and asked for her hand in marriage. Wanting the best for his daughter and knowing she would be well taken care of, Reinulf agreed. — Signe held no love for Harald, but she did her best as wife and to help run the clan who came to love her. — Harald, being quite a bit older than Signe, died before he could produce an heir and the title of Monarch has laid solely on Signe's shoulders since

wanted connections. (open to ideas)

— Clan members — friends/enemies/lovers/etc... — Members of other clans, could produce interesting outcomes — will add more as I think of them

[ofbardsongs]

[ SANTIAGO CABRERA, CIS MALE, HE/HIM, 45 ] we've followed [ GIDEON FABRIA ] for awhile now, the [ HUMAN ] has been in Skellige for [ TWO WEEKS ]. They're known to be [ LICENTIOUS ] and [ CHARISMATIC ]. They often remind us of [ LAZY MORNINGS IN A WARM BED, THE TASTE OF A SWEET WINE, A SWEET MELODY BEING PLUCKED ON A LUTE ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ BARD ] experience it.

basics

name: Gideon Fabria age: 45 species: Human occupation: Bard gender & sexuality: cis man, bisexual face claim: Santiago Cabrera

headcanons

came from a well off family, ran from home at 16 when they tried to arrange his marriage

spends most of his time moving from place to place, earning a living through playing songs in taverns, though also the hospitality of his latest paramour

good with a sword, prefers to use a rapier as his weapon of choice also carries a dagger hidden on his person

connections

connection

connection

connection

connection

[hugdjarfur]

Týr the God of Justice

[ Travis Fimmel, gender fluid, he/they, 1000+ ] we've known [ TÝR ] forever now, the deity of [ JUSTICE ] has been in Novigrad for [ ON AND OFF FOR 500 YEARS ]. They're known to be [ FATALISTIC ] and [ COMPASSIONATE ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ SIDE WITH ] the humans and have been working as a [ MERCENARY ]. They often remind us of [ THE SMELL OF HONEY, LONGING BUT NEVER RECEIVING, FLOWERS IN THEIR TANGLED HAIR, HANDS STAINED WITH BLOOD AND HEART WITH TEARS, THE DISTANT SOUND OF COMBAT ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see them experience it. 

Name: Týr (Tyr) the god of justice

Age: 1000+

Gender: Gender fluid

Pronouns: He/they

Sexuality: Homosexual

Occupation: Mercenary

TW: Mention of blood and violence

How strange it is that for eternity you have been known to represent bloodshed, but you are also the bringer of order and justice. In the past your sword never truly dried from all of your fighting, you marched into battle ready to right the wrongs with violence. If this is what you have done for all eternity then why was is your heart always so heavy afterwards?

Then came the humans. While many of the Gods found them intolerable and far less important than the gods, you adored them. You saw the beauty in their flaws, even in their short lives. How thrilling it must be to only live for one fleeting moment and yet be able to embrace death with open arms? 

Oh, how you would watch them and dream of being able to live like them, so naively and so freely. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anyone when you moved to Novigrad to live among the people you admired.

After centuries of living with humans, others may have learned to despise humans for being anything but perfect, but you have grown to love them even more. You spend your days and nights near them, always trying to bring them joy. I know that you have seen the worst in humanity, I know that you do not shy away from punishing those who deserve it, and that you always protect those who can not protect themselves. It torments you that you have not punished the Eternal Flame for their ruthlessnes, doesn't it?

Wanted connections

Enemies - He has strong opinions about most things, so he is bound to make enemies with those who disagree with him, or perhaps they have gotten into a fight about something?

Friends - They are also the type of person who tries to make friends with most people so that they have many friends. They are the type that constantly tries to help everyone, even if they do not know them at all.

Lovers - He has always been curious and fascinated by people who are not gods, and therefore he has perhaps had one lover too many. So they can be former lover, current lover, a fling or anything in between.

I will probably add more on the list but I'm tired oof

[immolatios]

[ marina ruy barbosa, nonbinary, she/her & they/them, 25] we've followed [ CAIDHA ] for awhile now, the [ HALF-ELF ] has been in Novigrad for [ ALL THEIR LIFE ]. they're known to be [ FANCIFUL ] and [ RESILIENT ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ WANT TO BELIEVE IN ] the gods. They often remind us of [ ACHING FOR CONNECTION WHERE IT CANNOT BE HAD & DREAMS OF FREEDOM THAT DISSOLVE WITH DAWN ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ PROSTITUTE ] experience it.

come now ,lambling . left for the slaughter by the point of your ears . bright eyed , inhuman , heart too large for the cage it is kept in . you were worth a few coppers , same hue as your barely grown in locks , and fed at a stranger's breast .

family is struggle , is clinging to one another in the dawn , is bathing one another and applying ointments . family is a dream out of reach .

Caidha , nothing but a babe , product of an affair that ended in public beheading , was sold for coppers that would be left to her . Bought to a brothel , she was raised within its walls , doted on by those who could , and worked to the bone by those who could not . A life of toil was all there was , dotted with moments of gifted treats and market journeys , the child grew sturdy -- but even more important,

the child grew beautiful .

And suddenly , of age , her hair was tied up to display the point of her ears . She was taught the lyre , prodded to preform . A selling point of the ramshackle brothel , and a high commodity for it . Like this , they finally grasped at the straws that were the realisation of their worth .

From then on, it was work and save , and look to Passiflora with bright , hopeful eyes . On her back , she'd dream , on her feet she'd work extra for tips . Her money slowly , slowly gathered into her little trinket box , with that handful of coppers and some sort of crested brooch she could never quite pinpoint . And when the box was heavy and full , she would don her cloak and carefully follow whispers towards mages , heart full of lifelong dreams of finding the truth to said crest and any blood shared .

----

GENERAL

Name: Caidha.

Nickname(s): n/a

Age: 25.

Physically appears: Early 20s.

Gender: Nonbinary ( demiwoman ).

Pronouns: She/her & they/them.

Orientation: Pansexual , panromantic . A romantic at heart.

Vocation: Prostitute.

Affiliation: None.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Faceclaim: Marina Ruy Barbosa.

Hair color: Copper.

Eyes: A soft pink.

Height: 5'3".

Notable features: The gentle pink of her iris and the point of her ears show her elven blood. She also has no blemishes, marks or freckles on her skin.

Attributes: An overflowing kindness, and an open heart leads her to find the current regime nothing but cruel. She struggles, due to this, with finding love for the gods, and yet she still pushes herself to worship despite it. Her capacity for hope and resillience is second to none. Her body is also very strong, and she is capable of taking extreme amounts of damage and surviving.

Weaknesses: Above all, her kindness and insistent hope is also in part, naivity. Caidha is not the cleverest person in the city , in fact a little far from it , and is insistent on making up for this in kindness and earnestness. She is also prone to mild delusion in other's intent , weaving internal stories to soften the blows of reality.

[oceanmelodies]

[ Simon Gong, nonbinary/gnc, he/him, 78 ] we've followed [ KAI OF NOVIGRAD ] for awhile now, the [ ELF ] has been in Novigrad for [ PERIODS OF TIME DURING THE LAST CENTURY ]. they're known to be [ IMPISH ] and [ SUNNY ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ WORSHIP ] the gods. They often remind us of [ THE SUNLIGHT REFLECTED OFF OF A STEADY OCEAN, A CLEAR SKY, THE WARM HEARTH BENEATH A DECK ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ SAILOR/NUISANCE ]  experience it.

SUMMARY

Kai was given over as a child surprise as a baby after Kal of Novigrad had spared a small settlement of elves during one of his missions. The brief mercy was awarded with a baby, a prize and a hope that a man so powerful and merciful could do right by an elven child.

For nearly a century, Kai and Kal have traveled together as father and child. Although raised by Witchers, Kai has no interest in partaking after witnessing the 1000 yard stare in his father's eyes and prefers to spend his days with his feet in the sand and water licking his heels.

Although grateful for his comfortable life, Kai's keen on trying to discover what it is that he'd like to do with the rest of his life. After all the stories he'd pried out of Kal, he's near certain that he didn't want violence to be any part of it.

SAILING

Being raised on the coast made him particularly fond of water. With Kal's encouragement, Kai took to sailing early on only to find out later that he much preferred loitering around and fishing over battling raging waters.

MISC.

-Kai is adept at projectiles. He's quite the marksman, thanks to the Cranes who raised him.

-His love for throwing and shooting things comes from a distinct fear of blood. Given a choice of a melee weapon, he'd likely choose a spear to maintain distance but otherwise prefers a bow.

-Given his kind and fearsome father, Kai was given a measure of freedom of expression and tends to lean towards more effeminate fashion and hobbies when he's able to stop by the market.

-He likely has a small spending problem and is a tiny bit spoilt.

-Kai plays the flute.

[theheavensbloom]

[ Zehan Zhang, cis male, he/him, 30/143 ] we’ve followed [ TIAN ] for awhile now, the [ WITCHER ] has been in Novigrad for [ A WEEK ]. they’re known to be [ APATHETIC ] and [ JUST ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ DON’T WORSHIP ] the gods. They often remind us of [ BLOODSTAINED PETALS; A FOGGY MOUNTAINTOP AT DAWN; AN EMPTY FLASK; WORN COLD STEEL ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we’re eager to see the [ HERBALIST ] experience it.

SUMMARY

Largely retired from hunting for coin, Tian has lived his life as a lowly herbalist/beggar for nearly half a century. The contractual obligation to worldly value has impacted his sense of morality immensely and has made him reevaluate his life's work, purpose and sense of self.

Coming from the school of vipers, he's not only slain monsters but kings and peasants alike. Such bloodshed and destruction had once been something he never considered until they'd been betrayed by the very people they'd worked for.

One part survivor's guilt and one part disillusion, Tian has committed his life to vagrancy and making his living by selling herbs he's collected along the way.

Although he avoids conflict as much as possible, it's inevitable when he finds himself unable to resist those who are in trouble and with all the skills he'd painstakingly honed since childhood, it's not difficult to pinpoint exactly what he is once his sword his drawn.

HERBALISM

A unique aspect to the vipers were all the ways they'd learned how to kill. With their contracts varying from man to monster, knowledge of herbs and the poisons they make were key to getting the job done when opportunity was sometimes hard to come by.

Tian is a master at making poisons, potions and antidotes after finding that sometimes, less effort was preferable than slaughtering a whole town. Although, he'd never tout himself an alchemist for the kind of obligation that comes with when he'd much rather pick berbercane fruits by the roadside.

ORIGINS

Tian originates from a small mountainous tribal community of hunter/gatherers, fabled to take after the ghost tribe of ancient folklore. They respected their own tradition of not pledging their faith to any man or god and practiced swordfighting and martial arts in order to become the next generation of breadwinners for the clan. They had been honorable people, undisturbed by Northern/Western politics and warfare. In turn, they'd fostered a naïve child in Tian who never knew any better than what he'd always known: that people were compassionate, just and fair.

Tian had been the star pupil of his generation and was sent to Gorthur Gvaed to become the best hunter he could be. Becoming a Witcher was seen as gaining 'godhood' and ultimate enlightenment when it came to allegiance due to the Vipers' known neutrality and the expectation was for him to become the pride and joy of his community.

However, the strenuous training took a toll on Tian's mentality, moving away from community and towards selfishness and survival. He saw his own greed in coin once he was introduced to a world where money was exchanged for goods and luxury.

His ambition to introduce his clan to the outside world beneath the mountains veered away of the values in which they thrived upon and slowly, his tribe's customs and traditions began to dissipate into the ease of township and feudalism.

MISC.

Tian Lang is his full first name, although he found it to be too identifiable in its naming convention and tends to just use 'Tian'.

As a Witcher, he was often regarded under the moniker 'Venom' due to rumors that he was able to take down his foes with a single nick of his poisoned blade.

Tian masquerades as a hapless, blind and drunken herbal merchant. Always blindfolded to conceal his telltale eyes, his other keen senses tend to make up for the one he's ashamed to let the world see.

Although his hair has turned white due to the toxicity in his blood, his knowledge of herbs allows him to dye it a reasonable colour. He’s also very dirty.

[offwilds]

something wild and untamed / cruel and proud / beautiful & sometimes evil

SORCERESS. ENCHANTRESS. Mage.

[ eva green, cis woman, she/her, 32/200 ] we’ve followed [ Nereinne of Gors Velen ] for awhile now, the [ MAGE ] has been in Skellige for [ on and off throughout her life but has only recently returned ]. They found a true kinship within [ The Lodge of Sorceresses ]. They’re known to be [ DECEITFUL ] and [ POWERFUL ]. They often remind us of [ the dark night when the moon is blood and the night sky cold & silver, ink-black velvet skirts that billow like sails on a burning sea / radiance and heat & the smell of crushed lavender ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we’re eager to see the [ SORCERESS ] experience it.

inspired by: Yennefer of Vengerberg, Morrigan & Morgaine le fay

name: nereinne ( of gors velen / of the deadwight wilds )

age: 32/200

race: she is of an unnatural origin of olden sylph (nymph) and part aen saevherne elf blood / mage. Her Mother, a powerful sorceress herself, never gave birth to her: she, powerful witch of the Deadwight Wilds, forever dabbling in necromancy and ancient forbidden dark magics, bound old sylvan spirits to the womb of a half human, half elf handmaid, and borne of it, a daughter of Chaos, terribly powerful and full of ancient magics: the death of her natural mother further nourished Morgante's power, who meant to sacrifice her daughter as she had done before with other mages and magical creatures, to harness their Chaos and bind it to hers, meaning to make of herself, a Goddess, almost. The most powerful woman in the world.

gender: cis woman

occupation: Sorceress

stories • musings • aesthetic • the lady

ORIGINS

daughter of Chaos, pitiless and powerful - Nereinne of the Wilds, was born in the sacred groves of Deadwight one moonless night with neither sun nor star to light her path - her cries, a bloodless wound, an offering to Morrigan, to olds gods of strange lands - to maiden, mother, crone. An offering to the Queen of the Veil.

Nereinne is the daughter of Morgante of Gors Velen, the legendary Witch of the Deadwight Wilds who has reputedly dabbled in the darkest of magics and ended the lives of scores of magical creatures to harness their Chaos for her; she has lived for well over four centuries.

Her mother: she who refuses to bow; she who wrecks destruction gladly for all the ages of man. Sylph, they had often called her. Spirit. And that she had been- more Nymph than woman, possessed by spirits from beyond the natural world after centuries upon centuries of prowling the realms beyond and dabbling in forbidden magic.

An apostate mage, who had once been a powerful sorceress of the conclave. Accused of dabbling with forbidden blood magics, goetia & necromancy. Accused of being a member of the conspiracy, which murdered the king whom she served. She had then been, married to a powerful diplomat of the Kingdom of Redania; and yet, the life that swelled her belly, had been unnatural - for every soul alive and dead well knew- a mage could not give life to that which chaos had claimed as its price. And yet... She had ( only it had been something else growing inside of her, a demon - a bes, bound to her blood, her body becoming a vessel for it as long as it gave her that which she desired.)

She was captured and imprisoned, only for her to disappear into the Deadwight wilds one bitter, sunless dawn.

And thus Nereinne was raised by Morgante in isolation from civilization. Mor instilled a distrust of humankind in Nereinne, strictly forbidding her from venturing out into settlements. As such, Nereinne sought solace among nature and the animals of the Deadwight wilds and groves.

Daughter of Chaos, mother had too often called her. Magic-laden blood in her veins, her chaos consumed her at very early an age; she could summon the storms and gather the power of the sky itself between her hands before Morgante could teach her how to better command it; and that she did, and that was all that she had been, then, daughter of Chaos, water and fire- magic.

On the 6th of Birke, Morgante, whom she was captured by witch hunters during raids in Redania, whom she had slain every last one of them, came home dripping in blood.

That night, Nereinne, too, awoke in the Dark Grove where mother did her goddesses homage in sour mead and bones, crown to foot dripping in blood. She had screamed then, had tore her throat raw with it- she had been, for the first time in her life, powerless. Mother, she realized (had she truly been her mother? Had she ever even been born at all?) meant to make her blood an offering to the Goddess - ancient, sacred silvan blood of the spirits she had summoned from beyond and tied to this realm to give her this daughter of hers— this daughter that could purify her; this daughter who would spill her life's blood for the gods, a sacrifice, a gift to the Mother, to the Crone, and make Morgante the most powerful woman in the world.

They say clouds wept stones that night; leaves and fruit were dashed to the ground. Morgante’s rage became winter wind; her tears the first snow.

Something had come for her then, darkening the sky with a terrible storm and a vicious flock of ravens — The Morrigan, — she had later thought, in secret- something cold and terrible and ancient cometh to spill over her as she lay in the grove with her blood flowing into the earth...

when next she awoke, she was half naked on the banks of a river, far, far away from home.

She had been only a girl then- a wild thing, beggared and on the run, more prey than woman, hunted down. From town to town she went, using her magics and whatever knowledge she possessed of herbs and poisons, to scrap together a living; then, prowling the dark forests of Redania at the side of a Witcher chanced upon her— the fabled Witcher of Gradobor whom would become her lover; until she was soon discovered by another - another powerful enchantress, Isadore - and brought to Aretuza where she, a wild thing of pure, primal magic and chaos, remained for a long while, until a summons to her old blood came to her one moonless night before the Belatain... She could no longer stay there, a prisoner, refused her freedom, a puppet to be toyed with, ordered about by a chapter she had no care for. She refused to become what they wanted her to be.

Close to solstice, when the sun barely rises, skims the heads of skeletal trees, and drops, she fled Aretuza, older now, wiser - seeking justice; seeking her truth.

To Skellige she dwelt a long, long time, near the Drummond Clan, favored by the jarls. Arcane advisor, they called her, for a time. Enchantress. Witch. She who gives.

Until the time to flee the northern isles came calling, hands dripping in jarl blood- treason, they called it, later; betrayal. Only she had been the one hunted down by those who stood against her; fearful of a mage's influence over a King.

Apostate, she has been called, blood witch of the wilds; a poisoner she has been, a powerful enchantress; once, arcane advisor to the jarls of Clan Drummond.

Sacred, ancient lass of the forest.

IMPORTANT (Synopsis)

She has lived many lives: she has been prowling the lands for decades, a powerful daughter of primal Chaos hunted down by her own Mother and the bes demon she has bound to her, brought to Aretuza only to flee it after years of suffering their suffocating ways in which they meant to have her wield her chaos — gone to Skellige a powerful enchantress, where she lived as an arcane advisor to jarls of clan Drummond; advisor, who was then accused of betraying her King when the blood of the innocent was spilled only to flee to the Kingdom of Redania once more.

She has worked as a poisoner, has worked as a healer. She has traveled the lands before and after her years at Aretuza at the side of the fabled witcher of Gradobor, the white wolf of Kaer Morhen. @ofgradobor

She has been captured by witch hunters during raids in Ard Skellig, has dwelt in the dark woods of the lands beyond the Dragon Mountains where hags and druids gather and learned of their secret, dark magics; she has - as her mother had once done too - dabbled in necromancy and blood magic ( Goetia. ) She has travelled the continent, learning of ancient magics and spells, from druids and mages and enchantresses, forever seeking to grasp in her hands everything that Chaos has to offer and more— power and knowledge.

After fleeing Skellige and reuniting with Aldric, she prowled the continent at his side— and while he hunted monsters and coin, making a living for the both of them, she hunted Morgante, dabbling in the shadows: in dark, forbidden magics, summoning the bes demon Morgante had once bound to her to find her. After finding her mother, she fled the Witcher's side, meaning to capture and kill her herself, but he followed her anyway— and so did catastrophe...

Facing off with Morgante proved fatal: she overdrew Chaos from the place of power upon which they met one another, and in the firestorm of magic that followed, the fight for power between the two of them, Aldric of Gradobor would die, and Morgante would disappear.

Nereinne believed the Witcher to be gone and dead— she spent two days upon that mountain amidst ice and snow, trying to bring him back to life only to fail and leave him dead and buried (and she, ruined and unrecognisable, a shadow of a woman savaged by loss) —

— Morgante came back for him, using dark, ancient spells to heal him, indebting him to her. (In truth, the Witcher had never truly been dead— it had been only a powerful enchantment laid upon him and Nereinne by Morgante to make her believe she's killed him after unleashing colossal floods of arcane fire upon Morgante in hopes of killing her. )

She has eluded her ever since, and so has the Witcher who's denied her attempts of reconciliation throughout the years.

NOVIGRAD

During her time in Novigrad, destiny spun another thread for her to follow: a daughter of Chaos was thrust into her path, changing the course of her fate: Fjandi @sircnum. The sorceress came to care for the girl to such extraordinary lengths, that she fought tooth and nail to keep her safe and out of the sights of the Eternal Flame, extremist witch hunters that sought to snuff out all magic from the Kingdom of Redania. During the witch hunts, Nereinne remained in the city, in spite of being personally targeted all throughout the cleansing, from the very moment the fires began, to the last, as there were wanted posters of her plastered all over the whole of Novigrad, offering up a hefty reward for her capture: still, the enchantress had nowhere to flee what with Morgante (the only thing she's ever feared) once more coming to hunt them down: between one evil and another, the sorceress was ready to give everything that she had to keep her child-surprise of sorts, safe; amidst the chaos that trailed after her every step, she reunited with the fabled witcher of Gradobor @ofgradobor - a hopelessly unexpected turn of events that saw the witch's destiny once more interweaving with that of the witcher's; she tirelessly worked alongside the Lodge to help mages escape the city, and did everything within her power not to let control slip from her grasp. Nereinne was eventually captured by the Eternal Fire and suffered horrible abuses at their hands before escaping them with the help of trusted allies (family, at this point) and fleeing once more to Skellige.

PERSONALITY / ABOUT.

Morgante's harsh lessons has engendered in Nereinne a self-serving attitude. She can be callous to those she has little respect for, pitiless and cruel in obtaining that which she desires or believes to be the right thing to do − even if it comes at the expense of others.

Powerful, pitiless, fearless enchantress of Chaos, she is a six foot pillar of golden weaponized beauty, adept at using her wiles to manipulate people.

She has a fascination with ancient, dark spells and forces. Power is what she lives for (...or had been until crossing paths with Fjandi and reuniting with her witcher.)

A svelte, exotic-looking young woman with long black hair and large violet-blue eyes.

Menacing, they have often called her; malicious. Too proud, too cruel, too cold.

Languid, pragmatic, cold-hearted and oftentimes, sardonic, Nereinne cynically values power and autonomy. She looks down on mages who refuse to command the full, true power of Chaos and blindly follow rules imposed upon them by a Conclave she has little regard for.

She worships The Morrigan, the Queen of the Veil.

She is an extraordinarily powerful sorceress. Elemental control fascinates her, and she has mastered commanding nature to her wills. ( Particularly, fire magic. )

[amarathcrne]

[ adelaide kane, cis woman, she/her, 30/125 ] we've followed [ AMARA THORNE ] for awhile now, the [ MAGE ] has been in Novigrad for [ SIX MONTHS ]. they're known to be [ CUTTHROAT ] and [ STRONG-WILLED ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ DON'T WORSHIP ] the gods. They often remind us of [ CHAOS CONCEALED BY BEAUTY, THE SMELL OF EARTH AFTER RAIN, FLAMES SNUFFED OUT AT MIDNIGHT ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ MERCENARY / KINGFISHER INN WORKER ] experience it.

GENERAL

name: amara thorne age: 30/125 species: human, mage gender: cis woman pronouns: she/her sexuality: bisexual occupation: mercenary, worker at kingfisher inn

HEADCANNONS

Amara was raised in Aedirn in a little countryside cottage just outside of Aldersberg. Her family were farmers who brought their produce and cattle to the market every week, and she grew up helping out on the farm and learning about all of the different plants around her. It was a quiet, humble life, but she loved having the freedom to be around nature and spend time with loved ones.

Her parents had noticed Amara's unique traits and attempted to conceal it from her and the world - not because of any dislike for magic, but because they did not want to lose their only child. However, they knew she needed to learn to control her chaos, and soon after Amara was sent to Aretuza where she learned to control her power and finally saw what she was truly capable of. Back then, she had high hopes of using magic to make the world a better place... not knowing how immoral the world truly was.

After Aretuza, Amara became a royal advisor for Lyria, serving two generations of kings. It was there that she learned even more about the state of the world and how to use her wits to manipulate the ambitions of men.

However, after enough time aiding and protecting the interests of greedy men against her own wishes, she left her esteemed position. She did enjoy the power and prestige of her role, how she could use her newly-developed cunning nature to achieve almost impossible goals, but a lifetime of covering up immoral deeds was not what she desired. And over time the world and the work had hardened her.

Amara still carried enough influence from her position and desired to continue to make a difference in the world, so she became a mercenary, accepting only jobs that targeted those who were truly monstrous and evil.

While a mercenary with a code is usually not one that is paid well, the mage's connections allowed her to discretely create a lucrative career where she is able to eliminate evil men and erase immoral deeds to make the world a better place... which is how she ended up in Novigrad.

Despite leaving Lyria decades ago, she remained strategic ties with the kingdom that has now given Amara her most important assignment to date: to unmask and kill the leader of the Eternal Fire.

Now, Amara is in Novigrad working at the Kingfisher Inn where she hopes to learn more about the religious cult in addition to being able to help her own kind, mages, flee the city to safety through the inn's tunnels.

PERSONALITY & EXTRAS

++ strong-willed, clever, sharp-witted, passionate, loyal, resourceful

-- cutthroat, cunning, stubborn, headstrong

One could easily argue that being a mercenary and hoping to better the world are opposites, but Amara believes that the ends do justify the means. Just as Witchers kill monsters for a living, so does she... only a different kind of monster.

She may appear a bit cold, but this is mainly due to her current line of work and past as a political advisor in Lyria. She always feels as though she needs to have her guard up, but with those she cares about she lets loose and is herself again.

She is a fiercely loyal friend and ally, but once an enemy it is hard for her to ever see someone differently.

When composed, Amara can be cunning and strategic but rash and impulsive when angry, especially if it's about someone she loves. The girl is a fighter (literally) but with a ~moral compass~

In another world, she wishes she never had magic and could live in that very same small cottage she grew up in - with someone she loved and spending every day reading and tending to plants

Those she went to Aretuza with will know what she is truly like. There, Amara was able to let loose and probably got into all kinds of trouble - and that troubled streak definitely didn't disappear.

WANTED CONNECTIONS

closest friends: this trio became Amara's family back at Aretuza, and not much has changed. no matter where they are in the world, she would do anything for her friends. (satya milva, open)

ex-fling/lovers: as a mercenary, amara never stays in one place for too long. maybe these two fell in love or had a fling. maybe there's something unresolved there, whether it be love or hatred. either way, it definitely was a surprise to find this person at novigrad. (open)

enemies: open to plotting (open)

love/lovers: could be enemies to lovers, new love... anything! I'm always a sucker for angst, so very open to plotting this (open)

unlikely friends: there's no way these two would get along, and somehow Amara has found herself enjoying their company. (open)

the threat: someone who may have known her from her work as a mercenary or royal advisor (could have hired her in the past), but this knowledge is a threat to her current position right now. they could become confidants or someone she sees as a loose end she needs to get rid of. (open)

new friends: open to plotting (open)

anything and everything!!

[lightningcrane]

[ jessie mei li, nonbinary, they/them, 28/50] we've followed [ LYN ] for awhile now, the [WITCHER] has been in Novigrad for [ ON AND OFF FOR A DECADE ]. they're known to be [ STANDOFFISH ] and [ PRACTICAL ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ WORSHIP ] the gods. They often remind us of [ THE FLASH OF LIGHTNING ON A STORMY NIGHT; ROCKY CLIFFS STANDING TALL AGAINST THE SEA AND THE WIND; WELL WORN ARMOUR, NEVER FULLY REMOVED ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ CRANE WITCHER ] experience it.

FULL BIO TO COME! Quick intro here:

Compared to the Witcher who is the closest thing They've ever known to a father, Lyn is far closer to the expected Witcher type. They prefer as little company as possible, reluctant to make connections with anyone, and come across as rude or standoffish much of the time. But despite what it appears, when Lyn cares for someone, they care extremely deeply. For Kal, they would risk everything, no matter what they might say or how much they resent him at times. But so far, no others have truly pierced through the exterior to see their heart beneath.

Although raised by Kal for the first few years of their life, Lyn spent most of their childhood and adolescence at the Crane School, training to become a Witcher. It was there that the more traditional values were imparted on them, along with the monster-hunting skills needed to survive in their line of work. Kal's mentor in turn helped train Lyn, and worked hard to impart the values that Kal had failed to embody.

And yet, Novigrad is somewhere that Lyn tends to drift back to. They'd be loathe to admit it, but Kal's influence rubbed off on them just a little, and it's the place--outside of the school they grew up in--that feels most like a home. And over the last decade, some faces become familiar. And, perhaps, some became a more welcome sight than Lyn would like.

Connection ideas:

Friend/Acquaintance: Someone Lyn has met multiple times in Novigrad, possibly someone they have had business with or just someone who has crossed their path

Closer than Expected: Someone that Lyn cares for, cares about, and knows they shouldn't. Their feelings can be romantic or platonic, but this person gets to see a rare side to Lyn. A softer, lighter side.

[thealfsonpellar]

[ kathryn newton, cis female, she/her, 25 ] we've followed [ AGNES "AGGIE" ALFSON ] for awhile now, the [HUMAN] has been in Novigrad for [ 25 YEARS ]. they're known to be [ IMPULSIVE ] and [ ALTRUISTIC ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ ARE NEUTRAL ABOUT ] the gods. They often remind us of [ THE SMELL OF DRYING HERBS, THE WARMTH OF FLAME, A COMPASS ALWAYS POINTING NORTH ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ PELLAR ] experience it.

FULL BIO TO COME! QUICK INTRO HERE!

Agatha Alfson is the youngest of her four siblings, and as such could get away with everything and nothing at all. No one is quite sure if that's why she's always gone for more than anyone expected she could handle, or if that's a side effect of growing up in the Bits. Probably both. Life had always hit her hard, and Aggie intended to hit back with every piece of her, fighting for what she saw as right no matter the opponent. Like her eldest brother, she was loathe to back down from a fight, but in her case it was less about anger and more about principles.

From a young age, she had an eye on medicinal arts. She learnt from anyone she could, at first mostly grannies and their wisdom of cures to common ailments that one could make at home when there was no way to afford anything else, but then finding anyone she could who would train her. A proficiency towards the magical--far less than anything that would make her a mage but enough to be useful in her healing and protection work--pushed her towards becoming a pellar.

She's still young, but to those who know her, she's the one to turn to when you can't afford the services of anyone else. Or if you fear consequences should the wrong people find out what happened. Her little practice in the Bits isn't much to look at, but it affords her a living and a sense of pride.

The Eternal Flame's push against magic has affected business, but she's never been one to let anything get in her way, nor let someone frighten her away.

Connection ideas:

Childhood friend(s): Someone who also grew up in the Bits, around her age, who got into trouble with her or tried to help her stay out of it. Also open to a group of friends. Could still be in the Bits or have moved away.

Regular client(s): Your character, or someone in your character's family perhaps, is a regular client at Aggie's place. A treatment or protection or remedy of some kind needed regularly and they've become a familiar, hopefully friendly face, around.

Emergency!: Aggie came (or will come) to this person's aide in a time of dire need to help them as best she could, saving them from what would otherwise have been a likely death.

Threat to business or life: Aggie's views on magic and the Eternal Flame may have attracted the wrong kind of attention here, and it's getting her in some hot water. Perhaps her impulsive bluntness has put her squarely on someone's bad list. She's no mage, but that might not stop someone intent on framing or defaming her.

[ghostlyhq]

𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 .                                 freya , the deity of war .

name: freya age: 1000+ ( 30 appearance ) gender: demi woman pronouns: she / they sexuality: bisexual occupation: bounty hunter hair colour: white eye colour: grey height: 5'2" inspired by: freya , god of war ( video games )

𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝

you were a warrior long before you were a wife, defended your home with a valour which always belonged to you. heroism — you wanted it, but in the end it was a sacrifice. wedding yourself to a man you hated, an invader — you formed an uneasy alliance with odin and to asgard you went. you lived with it until you couldn't, this man you despised. the day you broke free of him, he stole your warrior spirit, cursed you, exiled you. lonesome, you retreated, left behind the children you adored for you were bound for a life away from asgard. you found yourself in novigrad, established a home far from the humans you were so wary of. later you would begin to collect bounties, etching out a life in this strange land, far from everything you know. the longer you spent here, the more you grew to know them. you can't help it, the shell of your heart yearns to understand them. humankind, though a strange and angry thing, is something you love. you know now that you will not stand by the gods that shunned you, but with the humans that need you.

𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬

baldur's death drove freya to the brink of madness. closed off, she shut herself off from those around here, anyone who tried to care for her or simply just to know her. she wishes for vengeance more than anything, and curses the gods for the injustice.

𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

bounty hunting partner — a katniss and gale type vibe? someone who works alongside her, the only real person that knows her and what makes her tick.

informant — someone they speak to regularly and pay well for information on bounties.

lovers, past and present — freya has needs and has taken many a lover to bed. would love to explore the dynamics of those she might have lingering feelings for (or vice versa), or someone who now dislikes her, etc. lots of possibilities!

[d3yja]

[ alina kovalenko, cis woman, she/her, 1000+ ] we've known [ HEL ] forever now, the deity of [ DEATH ] has been in Novigrad for [ 100+ YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE ]. They're known to be [ MORBID ] and [ INSOUCIANT ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ ARE NEUTRAL ABOUT ] the humans and have been working as a [ PELLAR ]. They often remind us of [ A FACE HALF-HIDDEN BY A DARK VEIL, THE BRIGHT EYES THE ONLY THING TRULY VISIBLE BENEATH ; A HAND AROUND A FINE GOLDEN THREAD, PULLING ; DEATH COMES FOR ALL SOME DAY, AND SHE GREETS YOU WITH COOL EYES AND A SLIGHT SMILE. ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see them experience it.

tropes ; all are equal in death, no animosity in the afterlife, chess with death, the problem with fighting death (is that you will eventually lose), don't fear the reaper, psychopomp, we all die someday, death and the maiden.

you have always been, in some ways. humanity has always feared death, and you've never understood it. death is no scarier than life. their lives are tawdry things full of illness, injury, betrayal, anger, fear. why would they be more afeared of what comes after? you like to think yourself not CRUEL. the inevitable can never be cruel. you do not fret over the humans plights, but you've never encouraged them, either. NO MATTER WHAT, YOU WILL RECEIEVE THEM IN THE END.

your own kind are as petty and squabbling as the humans, and it forever grates upon you. perhaps it's because should they die, you will see them within your own domain as readily as humanity. maybe they fear you, too. so their lands are scarcely where you spend your time, preferring to either remain in your realm or among the humans that would flee in terror doublefold if they knew who you were ; first because you are a god, second because you are death. they cannot see truths the way you can, though, and they do not see through the disguise you wear.

the disguise is that of a pellarwoman on the outskirts of novigrad. you move, sometimes, so they don't become overly suspicious - - - when you return it's with a story of coming back to take the place of a grandmother, or a great-grandmother, or an aunt who once was a pellarwoman here as well. you sell herbal remedies and offer wisdom derived from bone-throwing. if you become bored you leave. when you become bored elsewhere you return. there has always been a young pellarwoman just outside novigrad. there likely always will be.

when murmurs of wanting war between gods and humans found you, you shrugged your shoulders and carried on with your day, tending the garden outside your human home and not letting it worry you. there is always some war. perhaps that's CALLOUS of you. there's always a war, even when there isn't one declared. there are always scores of the dead passing through the gates to your home. what is another war? what are more dead humans and more dead gods to you, when you will keep them someday besides?

wanted connections are ; mortals who are a little onto her, mortals who come to her for aid and guidance as a pellar, gods who do not like that hel is neutral / that she is indifferent, gods who are also neutral, gods trying to sway her to one side or the other - having death on your side can never be a bad thing, a romance with someone who makes her reconsider her worldview, enemies, good friends.

[sorceresstm]

[ olivia cooke, cis-female, she/her, 29/152 ] we've followed [ CORDELIA ASPAREL] for awhile now, the [ MAGE/SORCERESS ] has been in Novigrad for [ FIFTEEN YEARS ]. they're known to be [ SHORT-TEMPERED ] and [ INTELLIGENT ]. We find it fascinating that after all these years they [ NEUTRAL ABOUT ] the gods. They often remind us of [ COLD AND EMPTY CASTLE WALLS, BOOKS BY THE LIGHT OF CANDLES, WHISPERS IN THE DARK ]. Our thread has already been woven on what their future is looking like, but we're eager to see the [ DOCTOR/HEAD OF THE LODGE OF SORCERESSES ]

QUICK STATS

GOES BY: Cordelia SEXUALITY: Bisexual WORSHIPPED: Frigg STUDIED: Fire-Based Magic & Mild Divination Magic PREFERS: Elemental-Based [Fire] Magics CAN’T USE: Telepathy

HISTORY

Cordelia’s family was fortunate in life. Her father knew the ins and outs of balancing books, making deals, and profiting from those far less intelligent than he was. Her mother knew how to heal almost any ailment known to humanity. Life was charming and simple in her youth, but quickly became stressful and extravagant in the years before she joined Aretuza. She was a lady’s maid and confidant of a noble family her father had helped secure wealth. Though she’d known there was magic deep within her veins all her life, she’d never found it as hard to deal with until she was stuck within the stone walls of castles in unfamiliar lands. The parties she attended were too loud, too chaotic, and her grasp on control felt as though it would slip from her fingers at the slightest of breezes. She snapped at everyone who came near and spooked many potential suitors with her sometimes erratic behaviour.

To release the energy that kept building within, she would lock herself into damp cellars with only a candle to guide her. She read the pages of books and scrolls she managed to confiscate from whatever libraries she could. She prayed to Gods to give her some sort of guidance, but it was no help and she was certain she was going to loose her mind and the Gods were laughing at her misery. It wasn’t until the mages from Aretuza took her to their school that she began understanding and mastering the magic within. It was the answer she’d been looking for all along and while she wished desperately to cling to her belief in the Gods, she knew this was not their doing. After training, she was assigned a role as advisor to some up-and-coming lord who thought he was a gift from the Gods. What she’d thought would be a grand time was nothing more than a political nightmare. The walls echoed with rumours and lies. Magic wasn’t revered for anything more than bargaining chips and political advancements. She left after a decade and refused to return to Aretuza to be placed with another high born prick. Instead, she moved from town to town selling potions and offering healing like she’d learned from her mother until she eventually settled in Novigrad. 

Now, however, she does not use her magic to heal, relying only on the skills she developed as a human might. She knows the priests of the Eternal Fire are ready to raze the city in their search of mages, so she’s kept her head down and tried to heal the less fortunate of the city while still reporting to the Lodge what’s happening within the city walls. She has also taken an intense interest in the Witchers, their schools, and histories. 

PERSONALITY

Cordelia is quite simply tired. She’s tired of having to hide herself for fear of persecution and she’s tired of the constant fighting between everyone and their damned mothers. She’s devoted to her work and studies, but often hates interruptions as she claims her time is far too valuable to waste on anything but bettering herself and her use of magic. 

HEADCANONS

Like Triss Merigold in the games, she cannot use potions to heal herself due to allergies. 

Has the most in-depth Gwent collection with some very rare cards, but she never plays the game. They’ve all been gifts or payment for healing.

Her hair is immaculate at all times and if you see it down, you’ve likely snuck up on her or she’s extremely comfortable with you. She wears her beauty and former nobility like a weapon and will rely on it to keep her out of trouble. 

Witcher medallions are more likely to vibrate in her presence because she doesn’t expend her magic enough, so it just sits beneath the surface -- which is also the reason she’s stressed at any given moment. 

To relieve stress/keep her magic contained, Cordelia either reads or researches -- currently her obsession is understanding more about the Witcher schools. 

WANTED CONNECTIONS

Sisters from the Lodge

Friends who likes to read and have simple discussions

A nuisance she keeps around while claiming she has no interest in them and threatening them every other day.

Potential enemies to lovers

INSPIRED BY: Fringilla Vigo (Book/Game version, not the villainous arch the show took), Triss Merigold & Nesta Archeron PLAYLIST: Here

[enduredmagics]

CORDELIA ASPAREL -- intro / EVALDI SUBEDI -- intro /  NAERYA LENRALIS -- intro /