App for Fade Rift

[kallian_endris]

PLAYER

Name: Ardruna
Age: 31
Contact: Ardruna
Other Characters: Isabela
Interests: For Kallian specifically, bringing her out of her shell, maybe research aspects, possibly working for mage and elven rights

CHARACTER

Name: Kallian Endris
Canon/OC: Dragon Age Native OC
Journal: kallian_endris
Race: Elf
Nationality: Fereldan
Occupation: Shopkeeper's assistant/apostate spirit healer
Age: 23

History

Kallian was born in the Denerim alienage, raised there by her mother, a bard named Alavda Endris, originally from Orlais, and never knowing her father, a Dalish her mother had seduced in a one-night stand en route to Denerim, or anything about his clan. Her life was a simple one of poverty with money coming from whatever Alavda's songs or other "services" could bring.

Kallian grew up listening to her mother's stories, and the constant promise that one day, they would return to Orlais together and find service in a noble household and live a life of luxury alienage Elves could only dream of. But not every story was pretty, and Kallian was raised with a healthy distrust of humans.

When the Blight came, Kallian's mother was among those affected by the sickness in the alienage. Eleven-year-old Kallian wished with all her might that something--anything--would happen that could help. That was when her magic first manifested, but it startled Kallian so much she accidentally started a small fire. In the resulting chaos, Kallian's mother was taken by the humans, and it was the last Kallian saw of her.

Kallian, meanwhile, was taken in by an old elven woman named Niella, who turned out to be an apostate long-ago escaped from the Circle. She said she'd seen "signs" in Kallian and began training her to use her newfound abilities. Niella excelled in healing, and, in secret, taught Kallian what she could over the course of 12 years until her death: how to control and hide her powers, the powers of herbs and how to use them, as well as how to use magic to heal, to enhance or (if necessary) to destroy a body from within. And how to fear Templars.

To support herself, after the Blight's end, Kallian found a job as an assistant to a merchant in the Denerim market district, typically performing menial tasks like cleaning, sorting invoices and stocking the inventory. But she eventually felt too recognizable as such, and, after her mentor's death, fled to the Inquisition.

Personality

Kallian is a kind young woman with a gentle heart. She would never purposely hurt anyone, except in self-defense or in defense of someone important to her. She loves stories and songs, and is a romantic, in love with the idea of chivalry and courtly love (not that she expects it for herself). She enjoys reading, has a bright, intelligent mind, and is an eager learner—in some ways, it’s almost too bad that she feared the Circle of Magi when it existed, as she would likely thrive in such an environment. She sometimes has a tendency to get lost in daydreams if she is doing mindless work.

However, years of trying to convince the world at large that she is beneath notice have taken their toll on her. She is frequently self-deprecating and suffers regular bouts of self-doubt. Despite this, she possesses a surprising reserve of inner strength that she uses to get through the rough times. In her attempts to be entirely forgettable, she often comes across as nice, but very reserved, even shy. She keeps displaying her emotions to a minimum, and will rarely allow anyone to see her angry or crying, or much of anything beyond being rather blandly cheerful and helpful.

Her magic is her most treasured and greatest-kept secret, and her worst fear was always that someone would discover she is an apostate and turn her over to either the Chantry or the Circle. This has made her beyond shy, deeply distrustful of strangers, particularly humans (and she is downright skittish when it comes to templars), and guarded even among people she knows. This is not to say that she is cold or rude to them—-often, quite the opposite. She is usually polite and pleasant in her demeanor, although she seems utterly incapable of relaxing. Secretly, she is lonely and would love to have someone to confide in, but she is terrified of getting too close to people lest they find out her secret and betray her. People she has considered “friends” are few and far between, and she has never had a lover, nor even considered the possibility of taking one. Kallian’s trust is hard-won, but once earned, she is unswervingly loyal to those she cares about.

Politics generally don't interest Kallian, unless they somehow affect her directly. Of greater interest to her is any news regarding the development of the on-going struggles of the Chantry, and the dealings with mages. She is not a very pious Andrastian, and keeps a sliver of hope that one day her choice to remain a free mage will not be likely to result in her death upon being discovered. Rumors about the Dalish are also likely to pique her curiosity. Though never outspoken about it, Kallian is a staunch believer in the rights and freedoms of both elves and mages.

She considers herself Ferelden, but if she had to identify with her heritage, she would most definitely call herself Orlesian, not Dalish.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Magic - Kallian has twelve years of training primarily in the schools of Creation and Spirit, specializing as a spirit healer, although she is roughly at the journeyman level in terms of her abilities and has not mastered them. She was motivated in that field by her childhood inability to aid her sick mother, and her favored spells are those of healing and protection. To a far lesser extent, she has some Elemental abilities (hence fire being her first manifesting of power) and knows a few protective Arcane spells, but has no training in Primal or Entropy. However, deep-seated fear and paranoia over her abilities being discovered by the wrong people means that she does not use her powers unless it is absolutely necessary, and would prefer to use nonmagical means of healing, e.g. poultices and homeopathic remedies before resorting to magic, which she does have moderate knowledge on how to do. She is happy to step back and let more experienced healers and herbalists take the lead over her and act as a supporting healer.

Intelligence - Kallian is smart, and a quick and eager learner to whoever chooses to take her on as a student.

Inconspicuousness - Kallian has spent most of her life trying to avoid attracting anyone's attention, and has become very good at making herself "invisible," hiding especially from humans who might want to use her as a plaything and templars who might kidnap or kill her for her abilities as a mage. However, she does not have any actual stealth abilities, nor can she actually disappear from sight.

Noncombative - Kallian has absolutely no weapon skills, no skill in fisticuffs and virtually no offensive magical abilities. She is a very squishy little mage, and will cower on the sidelines of a fight if running away isn't an option.

Prejudice - Kallian is highly distrustful, even paranoid, of humans, especially males and especially Templars. Nor does she trust those professing to be part of the Circle. She would prefer to trust long-time apostates and elves like herself. Her fear has cut her off from making a number of connections. She has virtually no friends, few business contacts, has never been married, taken a lover, or even considered the possibility of doing so.

Inventory

-Simple clothing and outerwear
-First aid kit
-Small work knife
-An Orlesian mask she keeps as a keepsake from her mother

Motivation

Kallian was terrified of becoming too easily recognized in Denerim, fearing that might lead others to the discovery of her magical abilities, and so has fled to join the Inquisition to blend in with their vast numbers and offer what little help she can for the mages and the Grey Wardens, whom she hero-worships.

SAMPLES

LOG:

Kallian didn’t look up when she heard the door chime. It was a customer, she knew, but she wasn’t in charge of the shop today. She kept making tallies on her inventory sheet instead.

“Good afternoon! What can we do for you?” Kallian heard her employer say.

“Looking for an herb…” she heard a man say.

“Well! We can certainly help you there,” her employer said cheerfully, “You! Elf! Help the man, will you?”

“Of course,” Kallian said, putting down her paperwork. She didn't mind that she was rarely called by name--it just made her all the most indistinguishable among the elven population. Then, her blood turned to ice when she saw the customer. He was wearing armor that marked him for a templar. What was a templar doing here, of all places? Surely he wasn’t here for her. No… if he were trying to hunt down an apostate, he wouldn’t have arrived alone nor under the pretense of shopping. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

He doesn’t know me. He barely even sees me now. I am nobody. I am nothing. He won’t be able to tell me apart from any other elf in the city. He will forget me as soon as he walks away. My secret will be safe. Kallian put on a vapid smile and walked over, not raising her eyes.

“Yes, ser?” she asked politely.

“I need an herb for the Revered Mother’s tea. Something to settle her stomach. Been troubling her lately. Have you anything that will help?” the templar asked.

“Yes, ser. This way.” Kallian led him over to their herb stock. “Our herbs, ser.” The templar, unfortunately, looked utterly nonplussed at the selection.

“Which one should I get?” he wondered aloud.

“Here, ser.” Kallian picked one out, a variant of elfroot and good for most general ailments.

“You’re sure this will work?” the templar asked.

“Yes, ser,” Kallian answered simply.

“That’ll have to do, then,” he agreed, “How much?”

“Twenty coppers per bundle, ser,” Kallian replied. The templar fished out some coins and handed them to her.

“There you are. Thank you!” he said, heading out of the shop. Kallian breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone.

No, thank you, for being just like all the other humans, she thought to herself.




NETWORK:

[The young elf holds her crystal in such a way it half-obscures her face.]

Um. Hello. I noticed that the infirmary is running low on healing poultices. I would like to offer my help. Does anyone know if there are herbstocks available beyond those growing in the garden, and where they might be located? Or... if someone would be willing to bring loose herbs to the infirmary, I could just work on them there.

Thank you very much for your kindness.

[She quickly closes the connection.]