Ash's Hoard

[AshenAmbrosia]

Hello yes this is my hoard of characters, places, and other various things that I may stick here according to my whims!

INDEX

Dramatis Personae

Main Cast

Cassandra Lee: A hedge wizard, mercenary, and thief, with a taste for magical items.
Kal Blackthorn: A flamboyant knight errant with a dark history.

Recurring Guest Stars

Asterios: A half-minotaur, half-orc bartender who heads the bar at Bloodsong’s Oasis. Flirtatious, charming, and friendly, he’s considered a main attraction for anyone who likes their men big, furry, and approachable. Currently in an open marriage with Kyran Bloodsong.

Princess Yoonji Sky: A princess of 17, the heir-apparent of Skyside’s ruling dynasty, who remains yet uncrowned for political reasons. In a state of de facto house arrest due to an arrangement by the royal house with the other nobles and the most powerful megacorps, though she personally resents this arrangement, wishing to take a more active hand in bringing Skyside to the ‘right’ path. A burgeoning battlemech pilot, she believes strongly in the ‘traditional’ values of an active, knightly monarchy.

Lucien: The youngest son of Genevieve, a dark elf homunculus child of around 9. Enjoys the outdoors, music, and painting. Birthday: May 5th

Lux: The name of Brightstar’s highly advanced central AI, as well as a cybernetic biomechanical avatar that serves as Vix Brightstar’s personal assistant. LUX was developed after an advanced AI discovered in a memory core unearthed by Brightstar, determined to be a notorious AI malefactor that once terrorized the Nexus. Stripped of its aggressive tendencies, it was quickly adapted to operate Brightstar’s central mainframe, with derivatives making its way into the operating systems of Brightstar’s next generation computers. An additional biomechanical unit, taking the form of a attractive, androgynous human male was commissioned to serve as the Chief Executive’s personal assistant, giving her on-demand access to the mainframe’s advanced functions in a user-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing package.

Cyrus: An apprentice sorcerer, responsible for Cass being currently a mouse.

Dr. Vincenzo Graves: An enigmatic street doctor and warlock, encased in a strange eldritch life-support suit. In residence on Skyside. Known to provide medical care to almost anyone who walks into his clinic, often for no payment other than answers for a few questions. Those more knowledgeable in the matters of Skyside’s underworld know him to be a powerful information broker and fixer, particularly in Skyside’s magic markets.

Vix Brightstar: The acting CEO of Brightstar Technology, a rising star poised to inherit the massive corporate empire from her father, the aging and sickly Wolffe. Known to be a ruthless and cunning businesswoman, she infamously outmaneuvered and pushed aside her older brother, taking his place as heir apparent, and expanding Brightstar’s operations from aerospace and weapons manufacturing to high quality cybernetics, communications, and even breaking into biotechnology and magitech. In contrast to her famously ascetic father, Vix has quickly become notorious for her lavish galas and appreciation for beauty and luxury.

Yasril Xar'cha: A young drow woman, the eldest daughter of the current Matron Mother Danube. Conceived as a result of a demonic pact, due to the Mother’s infertility, Yasril was born intersex, with male genitals and a natural affinity with Arcane magic, a traditionally masculine talent among drow, making her an abomination in the rigidly sex-based matriarchy of Menzoberranzen. She is being raised in secret by Sornnulu, where she has discovered a startling affinity for blood magic, perhaps owing to her demonic origins.

Zero: A cyborg mercenary in residence in Skyside. Once a member of Skyside’s Royal Guard, but his politically recidivist views saw him dissatisfied with the largely ceremonial position. Considering the Royal Guard to be little more than parade ornaments, he quickly brought his skills to the freelance market. Friend and frequent collaborator with Nocturne. Possesses cybernetic legs, eyes, and left arm. An oddity among mercenaries, he completely eschews guns and other ranged weaponry for a personalized sword made of a hyperdense alloy, preferring the personal touch of melee combat. With his advanced cybernetic enhancements and reflex software he’s able to move fast enough to deflect bullets, though he chooses to fight completely without enhancement for those respectful enough to engage him hand to hand.

Sets

Aelfisborough and Cass' Tower: The lakeside farming village of Aelfisborough, as well as its nearby wizard tower, currently home to one Cass Elegast.

[AshenAmbrosia]

CASSANDRA LEE

Gender
AFAB, Genderfluid, they/she/he

Sexuality
Bisexual

Ancestry
Mouse

Age
7 (apparent age early 20s)

Profession
Mercenary, Thief, Hedge Wizard

Physical Description
Cass is relatively short and slight of frame, with pale blue-grey skin and short black hair. Their features are delicate and striking, even by elven standards, with well-defined cheekbones and narrow, silvery-blue eyes. Cass’ gender presentation changes frequently according to their whims, aided by the strategic use of clothing and enchantment to accentuate or obscure their naturally feminine features.

Personality
Cass has a reckless, arrogant nature, owing to their precocious talent and youth. Cass’ emotions are mercurial, and they can often switch between an awkward, introverted temperament or a more outgoing, flirty attitude. Their hobbies include studying dubious tomes, tinkering with magical items, drinking, and flirting with boys (and sometimes girls). Dislikes include going to sleep at a reasonable hour, spiders, and considering the consequences of their actions before they take them.

Equipment
Sorcerous Overcoat - Cass’ favorite adventuring garment, this big coat is warm, exceptionally comfortable, and contains many interior and exterior pockets that can be filled with useful things. An adamantine mesh layer stitched into it means it doubles as defensive wear in a pinch.

Infiltration Gear - A heavily customized and practical outfit favored by Cass for more dangerous work, particularly when under the guise of ‘Nocturne’, a mercenary of modest reputation in Skyside. The darkly colored garments present a sleek profile well-suited for stealth, and light enough to provide sufficient freedom of movement for combat and dashing over rooftops and through alleyways. Subtle adamantine reinforcement stitched into the garments provide the wearer with a decent level of protection.


Very Large Wizard Hat - Pointy, water resistant, and exceptionally fashionable.

Knives - Cass is skilled in the use of knives as a personal defense weapon, and often carries at least a few daggers or stilettos on their person, just in case. They are also reasonably skilled in the use of a smallsword, and may occasionally carry one.

Magical Foci - Cass occasionally uses a staff or wand as a magical focus for channeling their magic, though strictly speaking one isn’t necessary, merely helpful. Cass owns a number of such items that they switch through depending on situation or whim, with none having any notable unique qualities.

Magitek Pistol - Cass’ preferred weapon, of their own design, which resembles an antique pistol with a small magical core in place of the firing mechanism. By default, it fires disabling magical bolts, however custom-made bespelled shells can be loaded and fired for more powerful magical effects.

Inquiry - One of the most powerful magical artifacts in Cass’ possession, this well-crafted longsword is etched with runes that amplify magic channeled through it. When used as a magical focus, it boosts Cass’ already significant magic potential to terrifying degrees, though with a corresponding decrease in control.

Talents
Magical Prodigy - Possessed of significant magical talent, with a particular skill in illusion and enchantment. Cass has an unusual interest in magic considered by most to be unsavory or outright forbidden, including demonology, necromancy, and blood magic. They have better than average elemental control excepting in earth magic, which they are notably unskilled at. Due to being largely self-taught, Cass is somewhat sloppy when it comes to many fundamentals and lacks knowledge

Designer Body - Possessed of a healthy, athletic homunculus body that would be considered to be exceptionally attractive to many humanoids. Cass is well trained for speed and dexterity, and is reasonably strong for their size by the standards of a typical elf, though their speed, strength, and durability are not superhuman by any measure. They are often lacking in energy due to poor sleeping habits.

Flexible Mind - Cass is highly intelligent, with in-depth knowledge of many subjects, particularly arcana and technology. Cass is proficient in speaking a handful of languages, and can read many more (particularly those that are of interest in magical study), and has a good visual and aural memory. Cass is practiced at drawing technical schematics, glyphs, and magical circles quickly and precisely, and is a developing sketch artist and painter. They have experience with textiles and hard material fabrication. They possess a moderate degree of musical skill and have a particular preference for piano and guitar.


Birthday
Jan 25, 2017

Misc

Pets and Companions
Ptolemy - a shocker lizard, male, 5 years old
Aristarchus - a shocker lizard, male, 3 years old
Darika - a chocolate point Thai/Wichien Maat cat, female, 1 year old. Currently banned from being in Cass' presence.

Quill - an imp, who frequently takes the form of a severely put upon rat. Assists Cass with various menial and administrative tasks.

[AshenAmbrosia]

KAL

Gender
Trans Man, he/him

Sexuality
Pansexual

Ancestry
Tiefling, Dragonblooded

Age
50s

Profession
Knight Errant

Physical Description
Kal is a tall, muscular tiefling with a sandy brown complexion and dark red hair. With his strong, handsome features and adonis body, Kal is easily recognizable as the demigod he is, his beauty not really that marred by a few scars here and there from a lifetime of conflict. His diabolical heritage is apparent in his smoldering orange eyes, his long, arrowhead-tipped tail, and the four short horns that crown his forehead.

Personality
Kal is confident, outgoing, and effortlessly charming. He rarely keeps his own company, preferring to find himself at the center of some party or gathering, taking life with a cocksure, devil-may-care grin on his face. In part, this is a front. Armor that Kal wears to prevent himself from getting too attached to anyone. But wear a mask too long and you start to become it, and Kal is certainly become guilty in this instance, yearning for human connection and yet constantly sabotaging his own relationships with his unempathetic attitude.

Talents
Castle Trained - Kal is skilled in the use of multiple kinds of weapons, most notably including daggers, poleaxes, and zweihanders.

Golden Tongue - because it's better than a silver one.

Demigodly Physique - Kal is incredibly strong, fast, and durable. In addition, he's naturally adept at both sorcery and pyromancy, though he disdains the use of his abilities, not using sorcery at all, and only rarely using pyromancy for crude applications.

Equipment
Dragon's Fang, Rose's Thorn - A pair of matched daggers, finely made and engraved, forged out of magical black iron from the dragon mines of the Blackthorne Isles. The dragon iron, aside from being near-indestructible, thirsts for violence and destruction, making the daggers uncommonly vicious weapons.

Infernas Gauntlets - a pair of gauntlets, rarely worn, forged in bronze, quenched in the waters of the Styx, and infused with hellfire. The gauntlets are equipped with cunning clockwork mechanisms that can extend them into claws, and when worn dramatically increase Kal's diabolical abilities, including his strength and innate pyromancy.

History
Once a mortal noble, who became a knight, bodyguard and lover to a prince. After a tragic betrayal led to the death of all of Kal's loved ones, Kal left his homeland for a life as a wandering sellsword. After several years, he managed to fall under the attention of his diabolical forebear, the Archdevil Morgana, for whom he became a high ranking agent.

After decades of violence and other ill-done deeds for masters both mortal and infernal, life in the Nexus is a welcome reprieve. Kal is aware that his vacation is short-lived, however. The passing months and years are but a brief respite until Morgana calls on him again - or if his services are no longer required, until others like him are sent to tie up loose threads.

Birthday
Sep 1

Misc

[AshenAmbrosia]

WREN

Gender
Cis Man, he/him

Sexuality
Bisexual

Ancestry
Dark Elf Homunculus

Age
Subjective 150

Profession
Bard, Assassin, Older Brother

Physical Description
Tall for an elf, with pale blue-grey skin and silver hair. His features are elegant and striking, even by elven standards, with well-defined cheekbones and narrow, silvery-violet eyes. Wren presents himself with a cool, mature form of masculinity, often appearing dressed in immaculate formalwear or other forms of elegant menswear, taking a lot of care and pride in his appearance, even in dangerous situations.

Personality
Wren is a reserved and morose individual, in stark contrast to his rambunctious younger siblings. Due to the circumstances of his existence, he tends towards a more cynical, passive outlook - he’d prefer to play the part of the snarky observer, than an active participant to events he sees around him. This combined with his wealth of life experience causes him to often act the annoying know-it-all older brother to Cass in particular - something that frustrates them to no end, resulting in frequent fights between the two siblings. Wren is not immune to his own vices, particularly for flirting, and he often finds himself engrossed in banter with beautiful women and men to the point of foolishness, ignorant of apparent risks. He also has somewhat of a mean and selfish streak.

Talents
Silver Tongue, Golden Voice - Wren, like many bards, is gifted with the use of his tongue. In oratory, that is. Indeed, he's with persuasion and an excellent singer, who can play a number of instruments. His skill at music has been enhanced by his new homunculus body, which has enhanced his hearing and sensory processing, giving him innate perfect pitch.

► SHOW SPOILER

He's also pretty good at oral sex.

Designer Body - Possessed of a healthy, athletic homunculus body that would be considered to be exceptionally attractive to many humanoids. Wren is well trained for speed and dexterity, and is reasonably strong for his size by the standards of a typical elf, though naturally limited in the amount of brute force he can bring to bear to a problem by said size, and his speed, strength, and durability is not supernaturally enhanced in any way.

Child of the Spider Queen - Wren has memories of growing up among the drow of the Underdark. Among the cult of the Spider Queen, Lolth. As such he's a master of many of the arts the drow practice, like moving and striking unseen in the dark and shadows, or of brewing and using a variety of exotic poisons. Such skills are only more refined by his assassin past, making him a terrifying purveyor of death.

Demonhost - Like his siblings, Wren is the union of demonic essence and homunculus body. Unlike Cass and Lucien, however, whose essence and will are united and mostly indistinguishable from one another, the demon Rahvi and the dark elf memories that make up Wren remain semi-distinct from one another, though their autonomy is largely merged. This increased awareness of his demonic nature gives Wren insight into Rahvi's memories and experiences, as well as greater access to powers provided by his essence, much like a traditional possessed mortal, though overuse of those powers is degrading to both body and will. Still, in a pinch, the essence of the incubus Rahvi can be used to increase his might, or to subvert the will of others around him, allowing him to escape situations he otherwise could not.

Arcane Background - While not a wizard himself, preferring the more freeform expression of his bardic magics, having a sibling and a mother who are both magicians, as well as once having shared a mind with Cass makes him much more versed in the magical arts than most. Wren is well versed in arcana and the practices of the various arcane arts - including how best to combat them.

Equipment
Blades - Wren is skilled in the use of knives and thrusting swords, like smallswords and rapiers, and will generally carry them as personal weapons.

History
Wren was born from the mind of Cass, an alter formed due to a botched memory spell performed on Raril, a drow bard. Unable to process the full memories and personality of a being a full century older than them, Raril's memories were shunted into a corner of Cass' brain, where it eventually grew into a full consciousness, drawn from both Cass and Raril's personalities.

Eventually, Wren was able to gain a body of his own, due to the aid of both Cass and Geneviève's crafting a homunculus body for him, as well as the essence of the incubus Rahvi, who had been forcibly bound to Cass. Knowing that he is one who should not exist, with a head full of memories that he cannot truly claim as his, Wren has thrown himself headfirst into his newfound 'family', readily accepting Geneviève as matriarch and Cass and Lucien as his new siblings.

Birthday
Jan 19

Misc