Aaren Kendrick

[Aaren Kendrick]

Aaren Kendrick Pleased to meet you. OOCThis CS is a work in progress. Once everything is posted expect personality, appearance and history to get revamped so they actually sound decent... Also, I have permission to have a BV ghost.

[Aaren Kendrick]

Vital Stats I hardly think they're vital anymore... Race: Ghost, once human Born: Mid-Fall, 26 BV Died: Early Spring, 5 BV at age 20 (536 years old) Sex: Male ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ethereal Images Looks are always important, even for the dead. The living, breathing boy that Aaren once was had soft brown hair. It was light and long, easily tossed about by the breeze and constantly in need of being brushed away from his eyes. . These eyes were bright and energetic, almost frivolous sea-foam green. The eyebrows above them were much more stern though, and darker than his golden brushed hair, lending drama to his boyish face. For most of his life the young man's face was round and full of laughter, with gentle hints of high cheekbones and a smooth jaw. His body was of average build and only slightly taller than the average height. This began to change in his final years. As Aaren delved deeply into arcana his body began to show the strains of extensive djed use. His face narrowed, and fresh angles began to emerge, catching dark shadows on his cheeks. The effects of overgiving would leave more drastic changes on his corpse, but the image of his final days is reserved for special occasions. How Aaren presents himself as a ghost is most reflective of the beginning of his final year, though the warm hues of his flesh have faded, replaced by gentle tendrils of silvery soulmist. He chooses to dress himself in simple, sleek clothes, most often a black tunic and pants. And though the clothing lacks substance it consistently appears to be made of fine fabrics. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Soul Remains After all, isn’t that the important part? Aaren was once a bright, cheerful and eager young man. He hid behind the effervescent personality of his youth when the first signs of overgiving began to sink into his mind, and recalls it often when interacting with the modern Mizaharian population. It is an act he needs often because, surprisingly, very few people are willing to socialize with a ghost who's mind had been warped by magic. His real psyche is rather twisted, and far darker and distant than the amicable boy he once was. When magic use claimed his soul it took the strongest points of his personality, bending and beating them into ominous forms. While the boy had always been fiercely proud of his Alahean and magical heritage in the final year his patriotism exploded into a wildfire. Obsession over the war and the magical prowess he was certain would finally end it burned through his soul. Nominally Aaren was searching for tools to help his countrymen, or to better his reach in the wizard elite. Truthfully the boy was addicted to magic, and rapidly becoming more paranoid and losing control to the Sweet Whispers that floated through his mind. It is this desire to cast magic, experiment and play with dangerous djed that seems to be binding Aaren to the mortal realm. He calls it “research” and refuses to allow the selfishness of the deities to purge his soul of the knowledge he has gained. But knowledge and new powers come frustratingly slow to ghosts. The Sweet Whispers still cling to Aaren, and have followed him so long he hardly questions the desires they kindle. But after death his ability to feed his addiction floundered. Having lost the war against Suva Aaren’s mind claimed this problem as its new obsession. In life Aaren was known for his amusing impersonations of professors. In death he impersonates his old self, trying to move closer to mortal bodies, and applying his acting skills to disguise the possession once he has succeeded. Like all ghosts he favors spiritists, being the easiest way to move closer to his ultimate goal of obtaining a permanent form to practice magic in. Any other body the ghost moves into is rarely more than a quick fix. He possesses uses and overgives, very often discarding the host once their djed has lost its usefulness. Those who are not left insane and crippled often die. Aaren insists that it need not be their end, if they have the desire to continue all they need to do is exert their will. After all he did it, and the ghost has taken to referring to his death as his “first step toward immortality”. Despite this seemingly callous handling of the living not all of the souls Aaren encounters become fodder for his magic using. He was a social young man in life, and shreds of this seem to have survived his plunge into insanity. Intelligent and easily bored Aaren often seeks out the company of the living, though rarely does he reveal himself as a ghost if he can prevent it. Most often he adopts the persona of his youth on these forays, though the indifference of having existed so many centuries without a body of his own occasionally slips through his mask. He revels in telling stories, particularly about his many exploits, evening going so far as to reveal his ghostly nature so he can regale an audience with dramatic, though often false, tales of his death. Whether this urge to socialize sprouts from a seed of his old self enduring the centuries, or is a subconscious way to hunt for a more permanent means of existence it is unlikely even Aaren knows. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Being History I've never been very good with dates. It's a lot to remember. Though Emperor Kovinus’s reign had bolstered the peoples of Alahea, life was still difficult for many of his citizens. Aaren’s parents were not a member of this demographic. Heila and Wyden brought their first and only son into the comfortable life magic had secured. Though the Kendricks were by no means famous or powerful, they were skilled in their small spheres of influence. The family owned a small shop in a wealthy district of Treval. In the front of this store Wyden took commissions for small animated items and scrolls. Heila’s hypnotism had reign over the back of the shop, ushering in her patients who sought relief from the stresses of life and the trauma of war. The strife of Alahea only helped his parents’ business and Aaren was raised in a comfortable home, fed good food and kindly loved throughout his childhood. Though the boy was protected from suffering he was not blind to it, and noted the strain in his mother’s patients and the fear his father’s customers hoped to assuage with magical trinkets. Wizardry was the answer to any and all troubles it seemed, and Aaren was fortunate enough to be raised with ready access to this wonderful, if dangerous cure-all. It was not difficult for Aaren to see where his life would go. His parents were proud of their son, and readily taught him small pieces of their own magics. By fifteen he had been inducted into the Royal Academy of Magic. The boy was far from a prodigy, but he was intelligent and eager in his application. And, the board of admissions noticed, he already had demonstrated strong control over his djed as he dabbled in the arts his parents knew. Through his own abilities and his parents’ good standing in the magical community Aaren was admitted to the Academy. The year his studies began was the same year Emperor Kovinus was assassinated, leaving his young daughter to rule the magical empire. It leant a serious and urgent atmosphere to the boy’s studies. Aaren was diligent, studying as many magical paths as he could each season. The young boy knew the gifts magic could grant, and that Alahea’s strength lay in the noble art. He was eager to join the ranks of wizards who defended the country. Though serious in his studies Aaren’s enthusiastic personality quickly made him friends, and more. A little over two years into his time at the Academy Aaren and a young woman named Tyma began to grow close to one another. As in all things the boy was an energetic suitor, and hardly shy of expressing his feelings or doting on the young lady, though she was more cautious. Despite the differences in their energies the relationship blossomed, and Aaren felt himself falling in love. But the giddy feelings of passion were not the only emotions stirring inside the young man. Alahea’s situation was growing desperate, despite Queen Kova’s best efforts, and Aaren was unsettled by the suffering around him, and magic’s seeming inability to stop it. Filled with patriotism and a youthful desire to do something Aaren began delving deeper into dangerous arcana. Obsession began to creep into his soul. He spent hours sifting through the library collection, searching for astral coordinates to summon new and interesting beings, insisting there was something to be learned from foreign life. This was the most visible clue that something inside of Aaren had become unsettled. At the same time the mage had begun practicing more personal magic, and extensive use of flux, reimancy and voiding were quietly but steadily destroying him. But he acted well, insisting the headaches were only mild, and never letting the laugh Tyma had come to love falter. It was a long time before his friends and family could no longer deny that something was wrong. The intervention did not go well. Tyma came to Aaren one day, the last time they would willingly meet, and told him her parents were concerned about his “addiction to magic”. They had arranged a marriage for her, to a mage from a wealthy family who they considered less dangerous. It was this farewell that pushed Aaren’s self-contained insanity out of control.Using his parents’ money the boy bought a poison to drug Tyma with, and removed her to a secluded building on the south borders of Treval, sealing her inside of a room with shields. During her captivity Aaren spoke to her about his fears. Alahea would soon fall, her parents could not keep her safe. But he had the powers, the knowledge to prevent all of Suva from harming her. When the rescuers found them at last he accused them of being Suvan spies, and attacked. His body was destroyed under the combined effects of his wild djed use and the less than gentle efforts to subdue him. Insisting that nothing had changed, he merely lacked a body, Aaren continued to “live” with his parents. But he could not continue his studies at the Academy, his djed was dead. But the sweet whispers he heard so often continued to thrive. Aaren needed an outlet, and offered his services to the Royal Academy. For the next five years he acted out hauntings to tests and teaching spiritism students, possessing them and allowing them to practice their skills on him. It was a fun job, until the world ended. With the population of the living decimated Aaren slowly found his way to one of the few places still teeming with souls, Black Rock. He lingered in Dira’s domain for many years, learning more about the restrictions of his “condition”. Over the next century many of the ghosts birthed by the Valterrian began to recover from the shock, moving on to Lhex’s antechamber. Not Aaren, he was searching for a way to fuel his obsession, a more permanent means than possessing the living. The longer the ghost remained on Black Rock the more he felt that he and his goals were only patiently tolerated, and so he moved on. He left for Sahova, hopping from body to body to supply his addiction with fresh djed. Aaren had hoped to find a way to a new body, where his magic use would no longer be limited on the island of undead scholars, and he lingered a long time among the Nuit. He learned a lot from the wizards practicing there, but was unable to find a permanent form, and so moved on, scouring Mizahar for a way to escape the temporary state of his death. Aaren has spent the past several centuries moving from city to city as they reformed in the wake of the apocalypse. Very often he is forced to flee from spiritists once they track down the cause of disappearing bodies and non-magic users gone insane from overgiving. He has been dusted twice, the first time in Syliras for disturbing the inhabitant, and remained in that form for nearly 35 years until Dira’s Omens found the wizard responsible for preventing his soul from reincarnating. The second time it was Aaren who managed to free himself. The ghost had spent many years in Windreach, uses and abusing the dek of the city unnoticed, but was quickly swept into a jar once he reached for a young endal. However, the ghost was stronger by now, and able to speak despite his form, persuading and harassing the poor Inarta who had captured him until he was released. As a ghost Aaren has been voided, dusted and exorcised but he refuses to move through the cycle of reincarnation and pass before Lhex. His paranoia is now directed at the gods. Though he doesn’t dare deliberately cross them having seen the power unleashed at Ivak’s rage, he begrudges them their existence. The pantheon was gifted powers and unending time from the first. I have earned mine, and I will not have my work, my efforts, memories and achievements stolen from me so easily.

[Aaren Kendrick]

Bookkeeping It seems even in death I cannot escape paperwork… Plenty of Time to Practice : Ghostly Materialization 25 Novice (15 SP, 10 RB) Possession 25 Novice (25 SP) Soulmist Projection 10 Novice (10 SP) Arcana Flux 0 Unknown Reimancy 0 Unknown Voiding 0 Unknown Shielding 0 Unknown Hypnotism 0 Unknown Animation 0 Unknown Summoning 0 Unknown Glyphing 0 Unknown Social Acting 0 Unknown Storytelling 0 Unknown Mundane Skill # Source/Level Combative Skill # Source/Level Many Lessons Learned : Languages: Common ~ Fluent Nader-Canoch ~ Basic Lores: Witnessing The Valterrian (SP) The Cost of Overgiving (SP) Ledger 100 gm Starting Pack +500 gm Cashed in Housing -500 gm Magical Upgrades to Chest -3 gm Notebook -3 gm Inscribing Ink -2 gm Ink -5 cm Quill -5 cm Chalk 91 gm, 9 sm Total Otherworldly Possessions : 1 Engraved Chest with animated lock that only opens to his voice, protected from damage and djed by shields; contains all possessions (Heirloom)The chest is the heirloom bit, the costs of the magical upgrades were approved and deducted from ledger 1 Notebook (Purchased) 1 Pot of inscribing Paint (Purchased) 1 Vial Black Ink (Purchased) 1 Quill (Purchased) 5 Pieces of Chalk, White, Red, Green, Blue, Yellow (Purchased) Stories To Tell : Fall, 511 AV Summer, 511 AV Flashbacks AV Flashbacks BV

[Aaren Kendrick]

Final Inquiries Go ahead, ask. I love telling stories. General Information : 1. What is your Name? 2. Do you go by a nickname or pet name? 3. How old are you? 4. What is your height? 5. What is your weight? Aesthetics : 1. Describe yourself as you see yourself. 2. Describe yourself as others typically see you. 3. What is your favorite body feature? 4. How physically fit are you? 5. How do you typically dress and what is your style? Family : 1. Who are your parents and what are they like? 2. Do you have any brothers or sisters? 3. What is your extended family like? 4. Do you consider close friends as important or more/less important than family? 5. Do you treat animals like family? Location : 1. Where were you born? 2. Where do you live now? 3. If you could live anywhere in Mizahar where would that be? 4. Do you have a favorite place to vacation or spend leisure time? 5. Where do you fear to be? Traits : 1. Do you have any physical weaknesses (disease, scars, and missing limbs?) 2. Are you right handed or left handed? 3. What languages do you speak? What do you sound like? Do you have an accent? 4. Do you have any odd mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics? 5. Do you have (or want to get) any tattoos or piercing? Why do you have them (or will get them)? Occupations : 1. What is your occupation? 2. Do you like/dislike your work? Why? 3. If you could be anything you wanted to, what would you be? 4. What occupation do you admire the most? Why? 5. What occupation do you lest like? Why? Childhood : 1. What sort of child were you? 2. What is your favorite memory from childhood? 3. What is your worst memory from childhood? 4. What sort of relationship did you have with your parents? 5. Who was your most influential rolemodel? Education : 1. What sort of education do you have? 2. Do you like/dislike learning? 3. Where or how did you learn most of your skills/abilities? 4. How do you learn best? 5. What are your educational goals for the future? Relationships : 1. Do you form close bonds with people? Why? Why not? 2. Do you trust people easily? If not, why not? 3. Do you consider yourself straight, gay, bi, or something else? 4. Have you ever been kissed? If so, describe the first time. 5. Have you ever had sex? If so, describe the first time. Drugs and Alcohol : 1. Have you ever been drunk? If so, describe your first time. 2. Do you like to drink on a regular basis? 3. What sort of alcohol do you prefer? 4. Have you ever tried drugs (mood altering substances)? If so, which kinds and what did you think of them? 5. What do you think of drugs and alcohol? Be specific. Likes and Dislikes : 1. What are your hobbies? 2. Do you like to read? 3. What annoys you more than anything else? 4. What do you find the most relaxing activity to do? 5. What kinds of things embarrass you? Why? Favorites : 1. What is your favorite color or colors? 2. What is your favorite time of day? 3. What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? 4. What do you like to eat? What do you hate to eat? 5. What is your favorite type of weather? Does any kind scare you? Outlook : 1. Are you optimistic or pessimistic? 2. What are your religious views? 3. Would you be able to kill? 4. What are your views on sex? 5. What, in your opinion, makes a successful life? Actions : 1. What is the worst and best thing you’ve ever done? 2. What is your greatest regret? 3. What is your best/worst memory? 4. If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be and why? 5. What are you the most proud of doing in your life? Emotions : 1. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings with others? 2. Do you have any biases or prejudices? 3. What makes you happy? 4. Who or what, if anything, would you die for? 5. What makes you angry? Relationships : 1. In general, how do you treat others? 2. Who is the most important person in your life, and why? 3. Who is the person you respect the most, and why? 4. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If not, describe an ideal lover. 5. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why? Group Situations : 1. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict? 2. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations? 3. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not? 4. Do you care what others think of you? 5. What do you think of others, in general? Self Image : 1. What is your greatest strength as a person? 2. What is your greatest weakness? 3. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 4. Are you generally introverted or extroverted? 5. Are you generally organized or messy? Beliefs : 1. What God or Goddess do you find most appealing, if any? 2. Which God or Goddess do you fear, if any? 3. Do you have any Gnosis Marks? If so, how did you receive them? 4. What lengths would you go to to please your deity? 5. Where do you draw the line at pleasing your deity? What is too much? Life & Death : 1. What do you absolutely live for? 2. What is the best part of life? 3. What is the best part of death? 4. If you could choose, how would you want to die? 5. What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?