Next Event: A Marriage In Cold Blood

Details

Parent Category: The World Has No Mercy

Published on Friday, 04 February 2011 06:48

A Blood & Tears Event on Sunday, June 12th, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Seven Hundred and Eighty Two Years after the fall of the Aelva Danna, the Season is Summer...

 

Amongst the Ven, marriage is not a matter of love...it is a contract, a way of cementing family alliances and ensuring the production of heirs and a stable order.  Love is best saved for Romance, where there is risk and danger and you are in no way guaranteed the thing that you want.  The Ven seem to have a deep-seated belief that conflict and strife is the ultimate sign of worth - a love that is easily consumated, or that can be safely expressed, isn't much of a love at all.  Romance is hot but always short-lived - a marriage is cold, but lasts forever.

Well, forever or until one of the spouses dies.  Close enough.

Normally the bride and groom would not even have met each other prior to being wed, but Maura Tal and Godfren Adrente are old wolves who have both been through this dance before - their parents long passed into Solace (or the oblivion of a premature death), they are free to pick their own partners.  Of course, this hardly means the two of them will be choosing for love!  Love is too fragile and fleeting an emotion to found a marriage on.  Instead, the marriage is meant to cement a political alliance...and a dangerous one at that.  The two Blooded of the Wolf are influential nobles, and combining their holdings will make them even more a force to be reckon with.  As many of their guests are rivals or outright enemies come to keep an eye on the shape of things as friends and family come to help the couple celebrate, but having enemies at one's wedding is generally a good sign - it means your rivals respect you enough to want to see and be seen by you.  But with a marriage alliance between two wolves, Godfren and Maura may well end up being each other's most dangerous rivals.

(If you need a character still, take a look and e-mail me at storyteller@postmodernanachronism.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your top 3 character picks to request a character.  If you are reprising, please check to make sure I have you on that list and that the correct character to reprise is there!  All of the untaken characters are easily gender-flippable.)

SOME NEW CHARACTERS HAVE BEEN ADDED - I'll keep on adding them, about five or six at a time, as all selections are taken.

The Cast of Characters:

 

Lady Aeronwen Sheeda, Baroness of Riardryn
(Available)
Blooded of the Wolf
Aeronwen is Fyx Sheeda's youngest daughter, and has just recently won her own Barony.  She is sworn to her parents as vassal, though most of the support they gave to her in siezing her lands has been moral instead of material.  She is idealistic and honourable - a warrior just as her father is, to be certain, but not nearly as wild as he was when he was in his younger days.

Lady Alanya Tal, Baroness of Arild
(Taken by Brittany B)
Blooded of the Wolf
Alanya and Sorio's marriage was born out of a desperate attempt to put an end to a feud between Alanya's mother, Maura Tal, and Sorio's father.  The pair seem to have grown close in that time, and although Alanya displays some of the same vicious streak her mother used to have, she seems to have learned softer ways as well as she has grown to adulthood. Now some might even see her as relatively gentle for a wolf, and hope that her marriage with Sorio will continue to provide some reassurance of peace, but others fear that the Blood will tell...

Lord Arvel Burghe, Baron of the Bururn Heights
(Taken by Tyler B)
Blooded of the Bear
Unfailingly civil but very ambitious, Arvel Burghe has a reputation for stalwart service to his liege, Lord Ianto.  He is Lady Siwan Ashken's husband.

Dame Ashla Ashken
(Taken by Katrine N)
Blooded of the Falcon
Ashla is Sorio's young daughter(Ven mature more quickly than humans, so Ashla would be the rough equivilent of a teenager now). She has just recently been Blooded into the House of the Falcon.  Of course, Sorio and his wife Alanya will also soon have to look to Ashla's marriage prospects as well, if they don't already have the matter well in hand...

Lord Ato Bowen, Baron of North Atlye
(Taken by Chirs F)
Blooded of the Bear 
A pleasant demeanour seems to hide a lust for conquest in Ato Bown, one of Marquis Rajh Mwrr’s barons.  His lands are close to those formerly belonging to Sagay Mwrr, and he seems interested in them…

Lord Bajinoth Tal, Baron of Perem
(Taken by Wayne S)
Blooded of the Wolf
One of Maura's Vassals, Bajinoth is ever-eager to prove his worth. Calling him impulsive is probably an understatement - he's a good man to have one's back in a fight, but he's highly likely to be the one that starts that fight in the first place.

Lord Cadfan Reinhold, Baron of Valacre
(Taken by Jim T)
Blooded of the Bear
The husband of Lady Shajar, the bold and brash Cadfan seems a poor match for the more cunning Shajar but, then, their match was never about their personalities.  A good man to have at any party, Lord Cadfan is usually a boisterous but well-behaved guest.

Lord Dagal Adrente, Baron of the Deep Busyk
(Taken by Carson A)
Blooded of the Wolf
Not the most socialable man to have at a party at the best of times, Dagal has recently been through some marital woes of his own...  He is currently estranged from his wife, Feyla, after having claimed publically that she is, in fact, dead.

Lord Ddwyer Ballan, Baron of Risyl
(Taken by Mark C)
Blooded of the Elk
Ddwyer is an experienced player of the great game, and seems to see himself as somewhat of a mentor to Alanya and Sorio. He is also Ul's vassal and, given his reputation for Cunning many wonder what his angle really is.

Lady Dranna Mwrr, Baroness of the Lyash Hills
(Taken by Jackie C)
Blooded of the Serpent
Dranna's brother Sagay was slain in a duel by Godfren just under a year ago.  Of course, no one was quite sure whether Dranna and Sagay were friends and allies in the first place, or how she feels about her brother's death.  Dranna isn't saying - she isn't a woman who gives her secrets away for cheap.

Lord Drystan Eshu, Baron of Vorund and Herald of the Westsong Archipelago
(Taken by Clint M)
Blooded of the Fox
The youngest son of Lady Protector Cerridwyn, Marquise of the Westsong Archipelago, Drystan is the type of young man ladies write poems about...and he's pretty decent at writing some poetry himself.  If the Ven used armor (they don't), he's be a knight in shining armor.  He is no doubt in attendance to ensure Godfren and Maura that Lady Protector Cerridwyn has not forgotten about them on their special day, and that they are, indeed, in her thoughts.

Dame Eadroma Burghe, Roadwarden of the Bururn Heights
(Taken by Audra B)
Blooded of the Bear
Athletic and seemingly possessed of boundless energy, Eadroma is Arvel and Siwan's eldest daughter.  She knows her family's lands perhaps even better than her parents, and is currently serving them as their Roadwarden.  Quick to defend her family's honor, it is fortunate that she possesses much of her father's skill with a blade.

Lord Ecc Uvan, Baron of Skeltane
(Taken by Josh L)
Blooded of the Elk
Ecc has served as Gryndil and his wife Regana's Master Poet - a term most assume to refer to the rank of master of spies.  There have been doubts about Ecc's true loyalties, since he was always the most loyal to Regana's first husband, but Gryndil and Regana have attempted to ensure his loyalty by giving him lands of his own and elevating him to the status of Baron.

Lord Eilian Thayl, Baron of Iroldar
(Available)
Blooded of the Elk
A patient and deliberative young man, Eilian makes a show of humility but it is no secret that he sees himself destined for greatness.  A baron in Tatjan Steele's service, Eilian has recently begun studying the life of Moryandal Steele, a local Marquise of great infamy who passed into Solace a few years ago.  Considering Godfren Adrente was known as Moryandal's greatest rival, Godfren's wedding seems a perfect place for a budding devotee to learn all sorts of interesting things about the new Elk Suaven.

Lord Emlyn Burghe, Baron of Irayi
(Available)
Blooded of the Bear
Emlyn Burghe is a straightforward kind of Bear who enjoys strong wine, buxom women, and really big Swords.  He gets along quite well with his older brother Arvel, though it is clear that sometimes Emlyn's relatively boisterous nature makes Arvel a bit awkward.  Emlyn has a tendancy to be hard to get rid of when he hears a big party is coming, so of course when he heard Siwan and Arvel were hosting the wedding of such illustrious people as Godfren Adrente and Maura Tal, Emlyn wasn't about to go anywhere...

Lady Eysllt Valar, Baroness of Asardight
(Taken by Danielle G)
Blooded of the Serpent
Eysllt was, for many years, close Regana and Aban and, indeed, the Serpent once tutored Regana's son, Drial, in some of the lore, though just how good a pupil he was remains in question - he certainly never showed much Wisdom in life, but as it is rumoured that Eysllt's knowledge of intrigue and poison is at least equal to her book learning, perhaps Drial paid more attention than some thought.  She blames Godfren for Drial's death, it appears, and has previously petitioned for - and been denied - permission for the rite of High Revenge against him.

Lord Fyx Sheeda, Count of Rados
(Taken by Gray M)
Blooded of the Wolf
Fyx is known widely as a priest of Falvren Dyr, old one-eye, the greatest of the Wolf Suaven.  Worshippers of Falvren Dyr are an odd lot - valuing courage and independence, Falvren Dyr is a Suaven who doesn't like being relied upon, worshipped by those who don't like relying on anyone.  Of course, despite his reknown as a priest, Fyx sees himself primarily as a warrior, reclaiming land both from the wilderness and from those who weren't protecting their own.  He is sworn into the serve of Wyel Adrente, though for the most part that just means letting Wyel manage the politics while staying the hell out of the way of the latest conflict Fyx has found himself immersed in.  Godfren shares Fyx's devotion to Falvren Dyr, and the two men are friends of a sort, though friendship with Fyx Sheeda doesn't come easily or without conflict.  With him, nothing does.

Lord Godfren Adrente, Count of the Nordostlich Marches
(Taken by Sacha R)
Blooded of the Wolf
Godfren is a fiercely proud Wolf whose Prowess with the Sword is well known, even as the years tick on and his greatest rivals pass into Solace. The last man to fall before his Sword was Sagay Mwrr, who Godfren slew during a Duel in Sagay's own home.  His marriage alliance with Maura has become the event of the Season.

Lord Gryndil Thorne, Count of Aled
(Taken by Des B)
Blooded of the Falcon
Not born to the Blooded, Gryndil earned his Blooding into the House of the Falcon through courage and feats of arms.  Not a year ago he was married to the young widow Regana Yvarai, and his rise to power has been rapid - already calling himself a Count underneath Godfren Adrente.

Lady Gweneth Silja, Countess of Lylon
(Available)
Blooded of the Fox
Academy-trained and filled with courtly graces, Gweneth sometimes surprises those who seem to assume that because her holdings are so cold and remote that she must be uncultured or simple.  Of course, those who are lulled into a false sense of her security by her charm sometimes find out too late that the warm smiles and soft manners conceal hard edges and a sometime cold heart.  She is a rising star in the service of Marquis Rajh Mwrr, and her attendance at Godfren and Maura's wedding is a sign that other regional powers are paying attention.

Lady Halia Thali, Baroness of Tharowyd
(Taken by Rhea L)
Blooded of the Falcon
A young and somewhat naïve Falcon, Halia has just recently earned land enough to call herself a Baron.  Her parents were of very high rank, and there is hope she will distinguish herself equally in time.  She is one of Godfren Adrente's newest vassals.

Hywel Banin, no title
(Taken by Daniel S)
Blooded of the Wolf
Hywell used to serve Vardas Thorne as one of his Roadwardens - it was there that he originally met and befriended Gryndil Thorne.  Unlike Gryndil, Hywel was born to Blooded parents, whom he received his Blooding from, and assumed that his service as a Roadwarden was but the first step of many before he gained lands of his own and climbed to fame and greatness.  However, Hywel has yet to earn his land and title, and recently left Vardas' service for unknown reasons, being sworn into Gryndil and Regana's service not long after.

Lord Ianto Steele, Count of Burnal
(Taken by John B)
Blooded of the Elk
There was a rumour that one of Ianto's vassals once saw him actually loose his composure, and for that Ianto had the man assassinated in a fit of pique.  Of course, his friends and allies all say the rumour is obviously false...but they don't specify whether it is the "had a man assassinated for something trivial" or the "Lord Ianto once lost his cool" part which is more likely to be false.  A consummate statesman, Ianto plays politics with a mind for the long term.  He is the liege of Arvel and Siwan.

Sir Isla Tal, Baron of the Vesnt Expanse
(Taken by Mike M)
Blooded of the Wolf
Gryndil's first Blooded Vassal, this young Wolf served him as his Master of the Road before being awarded Gryndil's old Barony. Some might say he spends a little too much time attending the opera, for he is idealistic and romantic. Still, he has served admirably in helping to keep Gryndil's lands free of Orks, and no one can deny his ferocity.

Lady Lura Reinhold, Baroness of the Northern Sulr Isles
(Taken by Shyla Z)
Blooded of the Bear
As Lura's father served Maura Tal as Roadwarden, so Lura served Sorio and Alanya as Roadwarden...but she has recently been promoted to Baroness. Striking a dashing and romantic figure, Lura has yet to earn a full barony from Alanya, but often seems more at home on the open road anyway. For now she seems content to build up a legend about herself, and as she is charismatic and likable(if rugged in demeanor) she has an easy time about it - she is the type of woman poets enjoy writing about.

Mair (Ashken-Burghe), no title
(Taken by Jackie K) 
UnBlooded 
The youngest of Arvel and Siwan's three children, and the only one as yet UnBlooded, though it is expected she will undergo the Blooding shortly.  Less aggressive than either Aeronwen or Robhartach, she is perhaps struggling to sort out her own identity - and the pressure is on her to choose to be Blooded Bear or Falcon.  She is definitely the closest of the three children to her parents, and is perhaps the most observant member of the family.

Lady Maura Tal, Countess of the Kinechenth
(Taken by Cindy G)
Blooded of the Wolf
There was a time that Maura Tal was renowned for both her viciousness and her ambition, but much of the fire left her after her husband Dagul was slain in a duel by Sorio's brother, Rali. Many believe the death of her husband was the last straw in the feud between her and Sorio's father, and it was shortly after her husband's death that she helped arrange the marriage of her only daughter, Alanya, to Sorio.  There was a time some of her rivals might have begun to discount her - that time is now passed, as she is moving to solidify her power base with her marriage to Godfren.

Lady Mererid Burge, Baroness of Sulr's Teeth
(Taken by Alison S)
Blooded of the Bear
Lady Mererid served Sorio's father as a loyal vassal for many years, but has always been fiercely indepdent and stubbron.  During Davan's waking years, he made Mererid swear to assist his two sons - Sorio and Rali - keep Davan's holdings, and despite rumours she might seize his lands for herself, she ended up swearing herself to Sorio and Alanya.

Sir Neirin Thali, Vashna
(Taken by Joey S)
Blooded of the Falcon
The colors black and silver mark Neirin was one of the Vashna - wandering investigators appointed by the Senate (the collection of all titled Ven), going where the Dukes cannot go and carrying back evidence and testimony.  Some join the Vashna hoping to profit from the authority, but for most it is an undesirable role of low rank, sought only by the landless and those disinherited by their families.  Neirin, of course, refuses to say which catagory he falls into.  The Vashna seems to have become fast friends with Eysllt Valar...

Lady Protector Nia Thorne, Marquise of the Kiad Lands
(Taken by Jessica R)
Blooded of the Falcon
If their parents had hoped Nia would soften Wyel Adrente's hard edges when they wedded him to Nia Thorne, they picked the wrong woman.  If nothing else, she has been the whetstone he has honed himself against all throughout the years, Nia fanning the flames of Wyel's ambition and helping to keep him focused on conquest instead of merely losing himself in individual battles.  Though their enemies are perhaps more easily intimidated by Wyel, the smart ones are more wary of offending Nia - her pride is easily slighted, and her memory is long.  She is the older sister of Count Vardas Thorne, Trixauna's father.

Lord Rali Yvarai, Baron of Danlye
(Taken by Trent Y)
Blooded of the Fox
Graceful like his mother and deadly like his father, Rali has the dubious honor of being the last one to kill a member of the opposing family during the feud between the clans of Davan Ashken and Maura Tal - it was his blade that ended Abhaz, Maura's first husband.

Lady Regana Yvarai, Countess of Aled
(Taken by Ayla C)
Blooded of the Fox
Regana was only recently widowed, but has since remarried. Her first husband, Aban, used to manage their lands and was the prime plotter of the two, and some of her family were worried how she might fare without him. They needn't have worried however, for not too long after she made the acquiantence of Gryndil Thorne who has now become her second husband. She used to be primarily concerned with the finer things in life, and some thought of her as weak as a result, but only those who had not seen her image disgraced or manners misplaced in her presence. She is vain, but no less dangerous for it. She is one of Sorio's cousins.

Sir Robhartach Ashken, Master Falconer of Burnal
(Taken by Patrick P)
Blooded of the Falcon
There is a surprisingly high turnover amongst those who keep the falcons of Ianto Steele, a fact that contributes to rumours that the Master Falconer of Burnel is far more involved with Ianto's spy networks than his birds.  Robhartach has served in the position for only a couple of years, and his bold and uncompromising nature seems to have won him favour with Ianto.  He is the middle child of Arvel and Siwan.

Lady Siwan Ashken, Baroness of the Bururn Heights
(Taken by Cori M)
Blooded of the Falcon
Lady Siwan is Sorio's aunt, but she is only a few scant years older than him.  She had kept relatively distant from Sorio's branch of the family for some years - Siwan never got along particularly well with Sorio's father Davan, and there is gossip about a Romance of Siwan's that ended when her brother put the fear into her suitor to prevent Siwan from dishonouring herself.  Certainly, there was some kind of grudge there that was never forgiven.  She has recently sworn herself to Gryndil and Regana - on the same night as she gave birth to her and Arvel's latest child nonetheless - a complicated alliegence considering she also is sworn to Lord Ianto.

Lady Shajar Ru, Baroness of Valacre
(Taken by Marie M)
Blooded of the Serpent
Shajar is Maura's younger sister, and, from outward appearances, the two could not be more different.  Maura took their mother's House and became Blooded of the Wolf and acquired reknown as a warrior, while Shajar took her father's House and became Blooded of the Serpent - a House known for wisdom...and treachery.  The one thing the both have in common is their ambition.  They have been rivals as often as they have been allies, but both seem to appreciate how the other's presence helps to keep them sharp.  Shajar has yet to make her opinion on Maura's impending marriage known...

Lady Talaith Yvarai, Countess of Burnal
(Available)
Blooded of the Fox
Lord Ianto might be good at making allies, but he's never been particularly good at making friends...that is where his wife, Talaith, takes over.  There has probably been more than one young lord or lady who has found themselves ensnared in Ianto's schemes, but has come to think of themselves as voluntary friends and partners instead of unwilling accomplices as a result of a conversation with Talaith.  Typical of Blooded of the Fox, Talaith prefers charm to intimidation.  Though as with any beautiful wife of a powerful man, there are rumours Talaith's indescretions, few of those rumours seem even close to credible...perhaps either most men are just too wary of crossing Ianto, or perhaps Talaith is simply extremely subtle.

Lord Tatjan Steele, Count of Highiron
(Available)
Blooded of the Elk
Serving the same liege as Maura, Tatjan Steele had been close friends with Maura and her former husband once upon a time, but drifted away from his fellow vassal after her husband was slain by Rali Yvarai.  As always, Tatjan keeps his cards close to his chest, and never revealed the reason for creating distance between himself and Maura.  It is anyone's guess whether he is attending Maura's engagement party for personal reasons, or merely fulfilling his obligations as a fellow vassal of Wyel Adrente.

Lady Trixauna Thorne,Baroness of Belir
(Taken by Kitty G)
Blooded of the Falcon
Trixauna Thorne started her career as a bold Baroness, beholden to no liege, though she has recently sworn herself to a Lord. She makes enemies quickly and easily, it appears, but makes friends quickly too - her and Gryndil seem to have become fast friends over the past little while.

Lord Van Tal, Baron of Therar 
(Taken by Don B)
Blooded of the Wolf 
A mean-tempered Wolf, Van would be more feared if he wasn't so often lost in the bottom of a bottle of wine. He is Maura Tal's brother and Alanya Tal's uncle, and he doesn't even pretend to approve of Alanya and Sorio's union.

Lord Protector Wyel Adrente, Marquis of the Kiad Lands
(Taken by Richard J)
Blooded of the Wolf
A vicious old Blooded of the Wolf, Wyel Adrente has had to fight for everything he has...and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.  In his youth, he was a reckless and wild fighter, and still shows the scars from that early disdain for his own safety.  He has matured, however, into a cunning and even detached tactician - Wyel is well aware that most of the battles he needs to fight are not ones won with a Sword.  He is Maura Tal's liege.