Jay Darkcrest

[Jay Darkcrest]

Name: Jay Darkcrest
Race: Kelvic (Marten)
Age: 5 years (born Spring 15, 511 AV)

Songs


APPEARANCE

At first sight, Jay is hardly an imposing figure. His muscles are slender and streamlined rather than bulky, granting him speed and the ability to squeeze through surprisingly small gaps. His skin is naturally pale, yet lightly tanned due to the time he spends outdoors. A long face is crowned by curly hair the color of rust, albeit with a few lighter streaks. When he smiles, dimples form on his cheeks and his black eyes shine. A bit of stubble can often be found covering his jaw as he frequently forgets to shave.

When he shifts, he takes on the form of a marten, slightly bigger and heavier than average due to his sheltered youth. (2.2 ft/66 cm & 3 lb/1.4 kg) His fur is dark brown and extremely soft with the head colored lighter, legs and tail darker. His throat and chest are marked by a pale yellow spot. In this form, large ears provide him with excellent hearing. The semi-retractable claws on all four paws allow him to climb trees and other structures with ease, bushy tail keeping his balance. As a carnivore and versatile hunter, the marten feeds on squirrels, small rodents, fish and insects.

As a Kelvic, Jay is comfortable with nudity and often wears as little clothing as possible. He stays away from jewelry as it would keep him from shifting. The only exception is a gold earring which he wears on his left ear in both forms and never takes off. The other accessory that both forms share is his gnosis mark, the ornate turquoise and blue swirling of a gentle breeze. It curls around his shoulder and upper back, looking like an incredibly vivid tattoo. In his animal form, it is hidden under thick fur.


CONCEPT

• Social and enthusiastic: Jay has no problem approaching strangers and beginning conversations if something or someone catches his interest. He is extremely curious and tends to forget that others can be private, occupied or even dangerous. Because of that, however, he is a good friend and entertainer.
• Good people skills: He is sensitive to moods and problems of others, reading their body language as well as undertones in their words very well. Direct eye contact makes him nervous, but the other person will still know that he is giving them his full attention. When a friend or relative is in trouble, he will never hesitate to give advice and help them in any way he can.
• Carefree yet practical: Jay lives in the moment, having adopted the carefree and fun-loving lifestyle of the Svefra he grew up with. He loves nature, especially the sea and sky, because they represent the freedom he wants to live. At the same time, he is more practical than idealistic, valuing everyday survival over lofty and vague ideals.

• Avoids conflict: While he is always ready to help others, Jay tends to avoid conflict when it concerns himself. If he feels something is wrong, he tries to ignore it until it goes away. This does not include physical battle, however, as he can and will defend himself and his friends if necessary.
• Irresponsible: Highly spontaneous, Jay tends to ignore duties and responsibilities as much as he can. He feels they tie him down and keep him in one place for too long. Freedom is important to him, so much that he often fails to notice when he is inconveniencing others through his irresponsible actions.
• Short attention span: As he lives in the moment, Jay finds it hard to focus on one task for extended periods of time. He is also easily distracted due to his extreme curiosity. He is bad at long-term planning, preferring to jump at opportunities and let himself be carried wherever the wind takes him.

ESFP Personality


FAITH

Jay was born during a storm, feels drawn to high places and was never afraid of even the biggest storms. Unsurprisingly, Zulrav claimed and marked the Kelvic a Stormwarden in his youth. Since then, Jay has begun worshipping the Lord of Storms privately and publicly. While Laviku is the God of his people and his culture, his relationship with Zulrav is more personal and special to him. It was the Storm Lord who came and spoke to him, not the Sea Father. With that, his connection to the wind has deepened. Breezes have personalities, so he has come to see them as sentient beings, sometimes even friends.

Jay is singularly marked which means he can communicate with breezes and control the gentler ones. He can also judge the moods of stronger winds and storms. With a little concentration and practice, he can get a breeze to do simple things like blowing out a candle flame, rippling a calm surface of water or whispering words in people’s ears.

Secret :

Fall 6, 513 AV

Despite the cold wind in their hair, Sanna and Jay were sitting on soft cushions, backs against the railing. Jay grinned as his mother told the story for the hundredth time. “And while the ship was rocked by waves as high as houses and the wind howled against the sails, I gave birth… to you.”

“Weren’t you afraid?”

She smiled. “A little, but I also knew Caiyha and Zulrav were watching over me and that turned out to be true. I also realized they held a hand over you, especially the God of Storms, because he was present when you drew your first breath.”

“Really?”

Sanna nodded and Jay lost himself in image of an actual God watching over him. He knew his Svefra cousins and other relatives were blessed by Laviku. They could drink seawater, feel the tides, swim and dive for long times just like sea animals. But he had never thought Zulrav would claim him in a similar way, although he did like climbing around in the rigging and sitting in the crow’s nest to watch everything from above.

“I’m sure that one day he’ll come for you.”

Jay chuckled a little. He was still young and oblivious to the accuracy of his mother’s instincts. To his ears, it sounded like a fairytale in which the God was either the bad guy or a knight in shining armor. Neither sounded like it’d happen anytime soon, so he went back to hunting rats and napping in his hammock and singing to the wind in the sails of their big Palivar.


Fall 14, 513 AV

After one of those nights that everyone spent partying, all the Darkcrests were passed out in their hammocks below deck, sprawled out or curled up on deck. Usually they kept a small part of the crew on watch for storms and other dangers, but that night the ship had anchored just off the Syliran coast, jagged cliffs visible in the distance, and everyone had joined in the drinking. It had been a wild night.

Jay usually rose with first light, partly due to his nature, partly because he was young and full of energy – even after a night full of singing, dancing and drinking. When he woke with a start, however, it was in broad daylight. Next to him, Rand and Hamel, two of their best fishermen, were leaning against the railing, snoring.

The next thing he noticed was the cold wind and then, lifting his gaze to the sky, the dark dark clouds. His eyes widened. Scrambling up, he filled his lungs with air to shout and raced across deck at the same time. “Storm! Wake up, everyone! A storm’s coming, sleepyheads, it’s almost upon us! By Laviku…”

Moments later they were moving towards the open sea. If the storm threw them against the cliff, they’d all die impaled on jagged stone or pushed to the bottom of the ocean by violent currents. Some of their nimble Casinors had been tied up, some had already sailed far ahead and out of danger. Their biggest ship had set sail too. Pushed by the strong wind that announced the storm, the Palivar moved surprisingly fast. Out of their Tavans, the sea animals had dived deeper to escape waves on the surface while the airborne ones had fled out of reach on swift wings. As for the other Darkcrests, everyone was working hard to escape disaster.

They all followed Rerria’s commands delivered in Nasir’s thunderous voice as the Lia and her brother held on to the railing of the bridge. Organized, focused, working together like they always did.

Still, despite Jay’s warning, they weren’t fast enough. Soon the clouds had reached them and the world collapsed into towering waves, salt water and gusts of wind stronger than grown men. Those on deck who got a chance tied themselves to the mast with long ropes.

Jay helped tie up their cargo below deck and then did the same with everything on deck. The wind was so strong it almost lifted him off his feet, but somehow he managed to stay upright and keep his feet planted on the slippery planks.

“Man over board!”

Fortunately, it had been someone on a rope, so the moment his father yelled, several strong arms hauled silver haired Dunnar back on deck. Jay slipped and almost fell when he turned back around. Fighting against the wind, he made his way towards the main mast to tie himself to it as well.

All the time, the ship was being pushed around like a toy, trapped between waves like mountains. People were growing anxious, closer to panicking every moment. “We’re going to sink! Look at the mast!”

Through the rain and thunder, his father’s voice reached Jay’s ears. “The sails! Damn it, pull up the main sails, you fools!”

When he reached the foot of said mast, Jay embraced it for balance and looked around frantically, yet nobody seemed to be nearby. Blinking rapidly, he checked the rigging. One of his cousins was wrapped around the ropes to his left, but he seemed to be going down, not up. Clenching his teeth, Jay steeled himself and began climbing the footholds carved into the mast. If his cousin saw him coming, he might change his mind and help.

Halfway up the mast, the footholds ended and Jay reached for the rigging. The ropes were soaked and slippery. He had to be careful and ensure he had a steady grip on them before moving. His tunic and pants were clammy and stuck to his skin.

Two ropes up, he gave in. His human body erupted in a flash of light as he shifted into the marten, wriggled out of his clothes and kept going. Sharp claws dug into the wet material and his bushy tail kept him balanced as he shimmied up and up.

Yet the higher he climbed, the slower he got. The mast was swaying this way and that as the ship was rocked between waves. His fur that was soon drenched in water and salt, but he kept going. Truth be told, as he got closer to the yard, a feeling of exhilaration mixed with his grim determination. Jay couldn’t hear or see anything but the storm all around, the wood and ropes and hemp sails under his paws. The wood croaked under impossible strain and the thick fabric was flapping noisily.

Then he hit the yard, the horizontal length of wood supporting the sails, and shifted back into his human form. Naked and shivering, he clung to the wood and inched forward to pull up the cordage. Usually someone else would pull up the opposite side at the same time, but Jay had no idea if his cousin had followed him into Hai.

When he got as far as he dared, he clung to the wood with both legs and one arm while yanking at the line. Hard. It was soaked, of course, and didn’t move. He yanked again, cursing under his breath. It wouldn’t budge.

Suddenly the howling around him stopped. Altogether.

Jay didn’t even take the time to look around and find out what happened. He used the moment of calm to pull up the lines that half the sail was tied to. The fabric folded and he tied the knot. It was surprisingly easy.

The mast started swaying back and forth again, gently, as faint whispers filled his ears. Hurrying across the yard, Jay was determined to pull up the rest of the sail before the storm returned with full force. The rain had subsided to a cold dribble.

The whispers grew louder. When Jay could understand words, he stopped moving.

Little marten… little marten on a mast, what a sight.

Jay stayed frozen, only moving his eyes to detect who was speaking to him. Nobody was there. And who would, anyway, on a ship’s main mast, in the middle of a terrible storm, wet and dangerous?

Who indeed? Hold on to that thought and you might guess who I am.

Jay shook his head. He was alone on top of the Palivar and he hadn’t pulled up the sails all the way yet. Hesitating was insane and could cost lives. At the same time, the disembodied voice seemed to speak directly into his mind. It seemed to come from the howling wind, yet it sounded calm and in control.

Jay Darkcrest… When I watched your mother on that stormy night, I was expecting something like this. You still surprised me though… You know breezes and winds can be dangerous, yet you are not afraid… never were… instead you welcomed strong winds and thunderstorms in your heart, is it not so?

For the first time, Jay answered, one whispered word. “Aye.”

Indeed he had always known the truth, although he only realized when the voice pointed out as much. After that, silence fell and a feeling of comfort and warmth spread over his back, dispelling all the tension of climbing and holding on. It felt as if big soft hands were touching his shoulders, embracing him from behind.


Fall 15, 513 AV

He didn’t remember much after that. Only a breeze, fresh as the scent of spring, as it caressed his cheek and ruffled his hair. He didn’t remember if he pulled up the rest of the sail after that, if he got down safely. Yet the next morning, he woke up in his hammock.

When he tried to rise, Jay nearly fell flat on his face. His muscles were still sore and slowed his reflexes. Sanna jumped up from a cushion to help, but when she laid a hand on his shoulder, her fingers dug into his skin. She gasped.

“What?”

Sitting on the planks in front of her, Jay saw the shock in her face mixed with a strange glitter in her eyes. Slowly, almost reverently, she lifted a hand to brush his shoulder. “You have been marked. This wasn’t on your back when we swam together yesterday. It… it must be a mark from the Storm Lord.”

Jay stared. The next moment he strained his neck to get a look at said mark. He couldn’t, but Sanna took him to the mirror in the Lia’s cabin. Finally he could see the turquoise and pale blue swirls that looked like a salty breeze. Covering his right shoulder and part of his upper back, the mark looked like a tattoo, only more colorful and vibrant. He could almost see it moving across his skin.

Jay couldn’t stop looking at it. “That’s the mark of a God?”

Sanna smiled. “Zulrav. It has to be Zulrav.”

Her happiness was so contagious, Jay felt himself smiling too, although he still didn’t understand what it all meant. On the stairs towards the deck, they ran into Nasir and told him the news.

He smiled too and patted his son’s shoulder. “Jay, that’s great! It means a lot to have a Stormwarden on board again. Grandpa Karkas was the last one, you see, but he left us years before you were born. That’s wonderful tidings! We have to tell Rerria, it’ll take her mind off the wet flour…”

Jay grinned. He didn’t mind his parents telling everyone else and he laughed at his sister’s jokes. At the same time, he was acutely aware of the fact that Zulrav had spoken to him and only to him. Those words between them belonged to Jay alone… and he’d keep them in his heart like a rare treasure.

He learned to listen to breezes and guess their moods. Yet when the time came, it didn’t save them.

[Jay Darkcrest]

HISTORY

Born into the Darkcrest pod, Jay grew up among a tightly knit community of proud seafaring Svefra. From an early age on, he adopted many of their habits and customs. Between his older sister and handful of cousins, he was the baby of the family. As soon as he was mature, they encouraged him to use his natural talents which meant keeping the ship free of rodents and lending a hand on deck. As a marten, he had always loved climbing around in high places, often acting as a lookout. According to their lifestyle, the Svefra taught him how to survive at sea and behave among sailors. Jay never learned how to read and write properly, instead he fished, swam with dolphins and danced around campfires. He learned about the Darkcrest history, culture, superstitions and omens through stories and stick figures drawn into the sand rather than from books and scrolls.

As a Kelvic, he grew up faster than his Svefra relatives despite being younger than all of them. Despite that, he has never felt isolated or different from them, mostly due to the small size of the pod. Their sinister heritage and what happened before his birth had always seemed like fairytales to Jay. Because of that and his Kelvic nature, the tragedy hit him harder than it did the others.

They were helping a stranded pod outside Matthew’s Bay when it struck. Nobody could tell what it was, it happened too fast. Alone on the shore, Jay did not know who had survived and where they had landed. So he followed his instinct and traveled inland, seeking shelter in forests and the highest treetops. He forgot everything to stay sane as his young Kelvic mind had difficulty processing the loss. For two seasons, Jay rarely shifted into human form, relying on his animalistic senses and instinct to traverse the land. By the time he reached the Suvan Sea, enough time had passed for him to remember what had happened. Together with a friendly Svefra pod he crossed the Suvan Sea and arrived in Alvadas. Spending time in solitude had intensified his desire to bind himself to someone else and support that person with his entire being. In Alvadas, he hopes to make new acquaintances, although he still has not dealt with the loss of his family.


FRIENDS

Karin Ironyach [PC]
Race: Human, Svefra
DoB: 498 AV
Relations: Friend
First Met: Fall 515 AV
Gnosis: Oceanus 1
Description: They met in fall 515 AV when Jay mistook her for his sister. In time they got to know each other better and had a lot of fun together. They even went skinny dipping in broad daylight, had their own little party with a campfire and worked as deckhands on the Mischief together before they landed in Riverfall. Tba.

FAMILY

Sanna Darkcrest
Race: Kelvic (Killer whale)
DoB: 483 AV
Relations: Mother, wife to Nasir
Gnosis: None
Skills: Wilderness Survival 25, Sailing 15, Sea Navigation 10
Description: Sanna is a gentle and compassionate Kelvic who was born and grew up in the outer ocean near Zeltiva. In those waters she encountered the Darkcrest pod multiple times and eventually fell in love with Nasir, the Lia’s younger brother. They were a happy couple and gifted the pod with two children, Jalaal and Jay. As a Kelvic who shifts into a sea mammal, Sanna has helped the pod through multiple times of crisis. Since killer whales live up to fifty years, the shorter lifespan of her son saddened her, but she took care to hide those feelings from him.

Jay does not know what happened to her during the attack, but he suspects she survived due to her Kelvic nature. HD approval.

Nasir Darkcrest
Race: Human, Svefra
DoB: 471 AV
Relations: Father, husband to Sanna, brother to Lia Rerria
Gnosis: Oceanus 1
Skills: Projection 20, Unarmed Combat 15, Sailing 15
Description: A strong and virtuous man, Nasir has always been happy supporting his sister. Expanding his talent in both magic and combat skills, he served the pod with everything he had. There is a joke among relatives that the only selfish thing he ever did was falling in love with Sanna. They seem to be the perfect couple, Sanna acting on impulse and compassion, Nasir always reasonable and sober. Despite that, he is very superstitious like every Darkcrest. Sanna often makes fun of him for fearing dark birds in the sky or stones found in fish bellies.

Jay does not know whether he has survived the attack. He thinks Nasir was near his sister when it happened which would speak for his death. HD approval.

Jalaal Darkcrest
Race: Human, Svefra
DoB: 499 AV
Relations: Sister, daughter to Sanna & Nasir
Gnosis: Oceanus 1
Skills: Fortune Telling 20, Sailing 10, Wilderness Survival 10, Weapon: Trident 10
Description: Jalaal has inherited her mother’s spirituality and her father’s belief in superstitions which created a natural talent for reading signs and telling fortunes. When they anchor in towns, she earns the most money by reading palms and laying out tarot cards. Although more sensitive than the average Svefra, she has a mouth almost as big as her trident and is not afraid to use either to protect herself.

Jay does not know whether she has survived the attack. HD approval.

Eliro Darkcrest [PC]
Race: Human, Svefra
DoB: Spring 78, 493 AV
Relations: Cousin, daughter to Lia Rerria & Ancar
Gnosis: Oceanus 1
Description: Jay and Eliro are cousins, but they have always lived and played together like siblings. Like every Svefra, Eliro is superstitious to a fault, straightforward and loud. Proficient in both magic and weapon skills, she is a strong woman who can take care of herself. Jay does not know that she survived and lives in Zeltiva now.

Aoide Darkcrest [PC]
Race: Kelvic (Dusky Dolphin)
DoB: Fall 5, 509 AV
Relations: Cousin, daughter to Sanna's brother
Gnosis: Stormwarden 1 (pending)
Description: Despite being cousins, Jay and Aoide have so many things in common they grew up fairly close. They are both Kelvics, the dolphin being the older one, they both love the wind and storms, they both grew up among Svefra without being human themselves, they are both playful and adventurous. At first Jay suspected she survived due to her Kelvic nature, but never found any proof or signs of her whereabouts after the catastrophe. Aoide lives in Syka now, having joined the first settlers.

Family Tree :

[Jay Darkcrest]

SKILLS

Acrobatics 1
Bartending 8
Cleaning 2
Climbing 18 (15 SP)
Cooking 2
Endurance 2
Flirting 1
Hunting 10 (10 RB)
Intelligence 1
Interrogation 1
Land Navigation 1
Leadership 3
Observation 16
Organization 1
Persuasion 2
Philosophy 1
Planning 2
Prayer 1
Rhetoric 2
Running 3
Singing 1
Socialization 19
Teaching 3
Unarmed Combat 10 (10 SP)
Wilderness Survival 29 (25 SP)*

*Biomes: Sea (25), mountain


LORE

Secret :

001. History of the Darkcrest Pod (SP)
002. Structure of a Svefra ship (SP)
003. Fish don't belong in the woods
004. Jay: A new experience with sleepwalking
005. Dreams: Connecting real-life with fantasy
006. Alvadas event: The day/night divide
007. Cosimia: Mysterious, beautiful Ethaefal
008. Socialisation: Shaking hands
009. Ethaefal: Celestial beings fallen from cracks in the sky
010. Jay: Tries to avoid bad memories
011. Alvadas location: The Wolf's Cave
012. Winona Timbrel: Owner of ‘The Watering Hole’
013. Patrons of ‘The Watering Hole’ are wilder than most
014. Symenestras can’t eat solid food
015. Bars: A place for people to gossip in
016. Alvadas: Nothing Is As It Seems
017. Flipping Coins
018. Climbing: Faster than Walking
019. Wilderness Survival: Traversing Mountainous Terrain
020. Karin: Podless Svefra
021. Karin: Taken From the Sea
022. Svefra: Not All are Connected to the Ocean
023. Karin: Afraid of Heights
024. Alvads: Suspiciously Good at Navigating the City
025. Karin: Wet is Good
026. Alvadas: Constantly Changing
027. Location: The Watering Hole
028. Alvadas: Can't assume you'll arrive anywhere on time
029. Cleaning: Doing dishes and polishing glasses
030. Cooking: Preparing a salad
031. Bartending: Taking orders and answering questions
032. Bartending: Keeping the tip separate from the rest of the payment
033. Danisar: Regular male symenestra customer
034. Bartending: How to pour ale from a cask
035. Karash Divine: Six-armed owner of Divine Legacy
036. Menna Moresly: Girl who stays with Karash
037. Karash rumored to be looking for Menna (Winter 515)
038. Location: The Bizarre Bazaar
039. Acrobatics: Bracing against a sudden fall
040. Alvadas is like a person who changes mood
041. Planning a picnic
042. Alvads tend to have large celebrations in honor of Ionu
043. Socialization: Encouraging someone to open up
044. Karin: Alvad svefra friend
045. Socialization: Basic body language in kelvic form
046. Karin: Accepting of my kelvic side
047. Prayer: Throwing a pebble into the sea in Laviku's name
048. Wilderness Survival: Gathering driftwood
049. Wilderness Survival: Arranging wood for a fire
050. Wilderness Survival: Starting a fire using flint and tinder
051. Cooking: Basic cooking of a fish
052. Karin: Knows how to talk but also how to be silent
053. Location: Patchwork Port

Languages: Fratava & Weasel Tongue (fluent), Common (basic), Kontinese (poor)
Note: cannot read or write in any language, only write his name with some difficulty


INVENTORY

Housing

• Small room at Kulkukan Inn (2 sm/day)

Clothing & Accessories

• 1 linen shirt, white
• 1 pair of linen pants, black
• 1 leather vest, burgundy
• 1 pair of leather boots, black
• 1 wool cloak, black
• 1 gold earring (family heirloom)

Survival & Equipment

• Backpack (with toiletries, eating knife, flint & steel)
• Waterskin
• Hammock
• 50 ft of hemp rope
• Fishing kit
• Fishing net & pole

Weapons

• 2 daggers

LEDGER

Employment: Server at the Almond Blossom (2 gm/day)
Former: Deckhand on The Mischief (2 gm/day)

100 gm (starting package)
+500 (traded in starting package housing)
-5 gm (hammock)
-1 gm (hemp rope, 50 ft)
-10 gm (fishing kit)
-5 gm (fishing net & pole)
-4 gm (2 daggers)
-135 gm (living expenses, Fall 515 AV)
-9 gm (lodging at Wolf's Cave, Fall 515 AV)
+270 gm (wages, Winter 515 AV)
-135 gm (living expenses, Winter 515 AV)
-9 gm (lodging at Wolf's Cave, Winter 515 AV)
-135 gm (living expenses, Spring 516 AV)
-135 gm (living expenses, Summer 516 AV)
152 gm

[Jay Darkcrest]

THREADS

513 AV, Summer 10: Nets, Rods and Patience I (Solo, ongoing)
513 AV, Summer 32: What the Water gave us (Eliro Darkcrest, abandoned)

515 AV, Fall 7: Of Pans and Plates (Solo, graded)
(Bartending +5, Observation +2, Socialisation +3)
515 AV, Fall 32: Sweet Alvad Nights (Cosimia, graded)
(Observation +2, Persuasion +1, Socialisation +3)
515 AV, Fall 65: All the Luck in the Sky (Karin Ironyach, graded)
(Observation +5, Climbing +3, Socialisation +5, Running +2, Endurance +1, Wilderness Survival +2)

515 AV, Winter 2: What Luck! (Karin Ironyach, ongoing)
515 AV, Winter 37: Where Lights Lead (Naia Whitewater, abandoned)
515 AV, Winter 48: Kitchen Duty (Solo, graded)
(Land Navigation: 1, Socialization: 3, Cleaning: 2, Singing: 1, Organization: 1, Bartending: 3, Leadership: 3, Rhetoric: 2, Observation: 2, Cooking: 1, Intelligence: 1, Persuasion: 1)
515 AV, Winter 55: Bruised and Bewildered (Aislyn, Cyrene, Yisanareysin, abandoned)
515 AV, Winter 81: Visions and Apparitions (Solo, ongoing)

516 AV, Spring 4: Lucas, the Fortune Teller & Jay's Fortune (Lucas Arias, abandoned)
516 AV, Spring 11: Knotted Rope and Ties that Bind (Karin Ironyach, ongoing)
516 AV, Spring 50: You Stole from the Wrong Girl! (Winona, ongoing)

516 AV, Summer: Inactive

516 AV, Fall 4: Cooking with a Kelvic (Orin, ongoing)
516 AV, Fall 14: Vegetable Season (ongoing)