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Character name: Xanth Aumeli

Background: Xanth was born Lavirena du Xanth Lesani. In the night elf city of Lux Lucis, the Lavirena are the highest social class. They have the most power, both politically and magically; one cannot become a Lavirena without proving their magical worth. To prevent stagnation of the bloodlines, every fifty years the high priests test a fresh crop of people for magical ability. Among the tested was Aust du Ilya Loutrel. She was born of the Austs, the low class, but her magical power was incredible. She was immediately chosen to be wed to Lavirena du Serxi Lesani.

In the months after, Serxi was tied up in politics. During one of his many absences, Ilya met Aust du Kallik Adamas and grew close to him. He was tall for an elf, his eyes were darker than any Ilya had ever seen, and his magical ability was extremely poor, but she didn't care. One night, she and Kallik consummated their relationship. It was the next night that Serxi returned and Ilya, not wanting to raise suspicion, slept with him as well. Some nine months later, Xanth was born. This, in itself, was strange, but Xanth was small; most figured him simply an early birth. His arrival was celebrated as any other Lavirena's would be.

Something stranger appeared as Xanth grew. His growth rate was twice that of any elf - equal to that of a human. There was no way he could be Serxi's son, so Ilya went to question Kallik of his heritage. Kallik admitted that he didn't know his mother, but she didn't live in Lux Lucis and his father never spoke of her. There were only two conclusions to be drawn: Xanth was a rare anomaly, lacking much magic at all, or the far worse one - that Xanth was part human.

Ilya gave him time to grow and show any magical promise, but he didn't. A few months before his first birthday, Ilya realized that Xanth needed to leave Lux Lucis or the entire Lesani family could face harsh punishment. The next time the traders came into town, Ilya searched through them and found Eladora Aumeli, a kind and older Atlian elf. She begged Eladora to take Xanth, even offering her money for doing so. Eladora agreed to take him to Falas, trading capital of Atlia. When the traders left, so did Xanth, never to return.

Eladora grew to love Xanth, but she noticed some very strange things about the boy. He looked like a full-blooded night elf, but he had no magic at all. As he grew older, he realized that absolutely everyone else could do things that he couldn't. Every time he asked Eladora about this, she could give no explanation, but Xanth began to form his own theory. He drew the same conclusions that Ilya did: that he was a freak, or that he was half-breed trash. Eladora and her grandson, K'lai, tried hard to make Xanth feel accepted, but that was impossible. The other children in town, all of them wood elves and perfectly magical, teased, taunted, and ostracized him.

Xanth's self-esteem wore down to nothing. The only people Xanth felt any measure of comfort around were Eladora, K'lai, and a select few crewmembers of the Ella Blue, the ship K'lai worked on. K'lai frequently took Xanth onto the Ella Blue, letting him help here and there and introducing him to work on the ocean as a whole. Xanth grew to love the ocean, despite its temper. When Xanth was twelve, he began work on the Ella Blue as the cabin boy. The captain was laid-back man and treated his whole crew fairly, even going out of his way to punish those who gave Xanth trouble. It was at first out of pity and loyalty to K'lai, but Xanth showed himself to be a hard worker and a kind person.

But as the years went by, Xanth retreated further into his shell. He constantly worried as to whether he was doing enough, believing that he had to constantly prove himself useful. Xanth grew shyer, more jittery and more nervous. Eladora and the crew of the Ella Blue saw it happening, but they couldn't always protect him. Their positive influence was much too small to nullify the massive, negative influence of the social rejection. It was crushing.

Xanth has been working on the Ella Blue for five and a half years when he heeds the Call.


Personality: Xanth is nervous, self-deprecating, and will do almost anything for approval. His self-worth was torn to pieces, burnt, and then the ashes were stepped upon by the constant bullying from his peers. He's panicky and easily startled, too - the flight instinct within him has been ingrained. He will run rather than stand his ground, and agree with an insult rather than fight it. Over the years, he's become resigned to his fate and has grown more and more bitter towards strangers, especially the rare few who are nice to him. If they're being kind, they must want something. Generally, he tries to keep his head down and fade into the background.

Beneath all this, Xanth is not a cruel person. He likes animals, because they don't seem to care what you look like or whether you can make fire. He tries to be as kind and forgiving as he can to those who he has befriended. Mentally, he clings to those close to him like a life raft, but he hates to burden anyone.

Appearance: Xanth is 5'9", which would be very unusual for an elf, but Xanth is part human. Generally, though, he inherited his mother's appearance: light blue eyes and a mess of white hair. Xanth is not as pale as would be usual for a night elf, either; working on the Ella Blue and getting so many sun burns has given him a faint tan. He's filled out over the years thanks to puberty and work on the Ella Blue, but Xanth is tall, gangly, and more than a little awkward-looking. He has plenty of lean muscle, but he rarely uses it to do anything but work. Xanth's ears are also pointed at the tips, though they are the same size as human ears. He's also collected many small scars over the years; these are mostly on his arms.

Skills/Abilities: Xanth can sew, patch clothing, and has a basic knowledge of cooking. In addition, moving on unorthodox paths on the ship and scrambling up scaffolding to escape torment have given him a quick sprint and good climbing ability.

Spoken/Written languages: Xanth speaks Common. He cannot read or write.

Items: Only his clothing.


Third person sample:

When Xanth doesn't work, one of his favorite things to do is watch the ocean. Whether the sea is rough or balmy, Xanth will sit one the edge of the dock, legs dangling, and watch the waves. Near the dock, below his feet, the water was dark and greenish. Rarely, he can see fish swimming below, but more often he can spot floating pieces of debris; broken pieces of wood; old seaweed; and things so worn by the currents they were unrecognizable. Sometimes Xanth fishes them out of the water to examine them, but more often than not he lets them be.

What he enjoys more is to look upon the horizon. There, the blue of the ocean meets the blue of the sky in a perfect line, never mixing or changing. The set and rise of the sun across the ocean is a sight Xanth would be sorry to miss. The way the oranges and pinks contrast against and shine upon the cool dark ocean is simply enchanting.

Simply to be on the ocean is another thing he loves. When the Ella Blue leaves the dock, some of the sailors are nervous, but that is the one thing Xanth is rarely nervous about. The sway of the boat and the spray of the breeze are comforting. The sea is harsh, but it's equally harsh to everyone. There is no judgment behind its actions; there is only the will of the waves. They are predictable, if one pays close attention - and Xanth always does. It is not his duty to examine the currents and watch the tides, but still he does. K'lai notices and tells him that's good - any sailor worth their salt knows the way of the tides - but this, Xanth would do even without another's approval.

Xanth loves the ocean. It is cold, harsh, and completely beautiful.


First person sample:

[Xanth fidgets where he sits. He's avoided turning on the communicator before, and was hoping to continue to do so, but there is a pressing question he must have answered.]

I-- I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to, t-to, um, i-interrupt or-- uh, a-anything, but...

[Xanth swallows hard and twiddles his fingers, picking at the knuckles.]

Um. C-Can-- maybe, can you-- t-tell me, uh, what this... th-thing, this brown thing be--behind me, is? It-- I-I, uh, I get-- w-where I am, and, w-what I'm su--supposed to do, b-bu--but...

I-I just, I don't... really get it, I-I, I g--guess. It's-- it w-won't... leave me a--alone. I-I tried to, uh, se--set it free, but... i-it just... c-came back? A-All dirty? L-Like it had been... r-rolling in, um, s-something?

S-So. Uh. Y--Yeah.

[Click.]