Post by Venus on Jun 20, 2009 10:33:46 GMT -5
Name: Rafael - full title translates as 'the raven, hidden death'
Nickname: Raf, to those who knew him before his possession. Afterwards, giving him a nickname may result in a rebuke and/or death, depending on his mood and the identity of the speaker.
Age In Moons: Beyond recording - Rafael has watched the passing of millennia.
Clan: None. If there ever was one, it is long lost.
Description
Physical description: Rafael doesn't wear a skin made up entirely of scales like other dragons of the Western breed. Instead his hide is smooth, flowing seamlessly from the deep darkness of midnight to shades closer to the violet of poison, near enough to black to be called it if seen in the right light. His body is compact; not extraordinarily large but well-defined, muscled and moulded for battle and chase. His most distinctive characteristic is the hundreds of raven feathers dangling from the many gaps and rents in his skin, the lines of his face and the frames of his wings as well as the chips in his horns. Whether these are bound by magic or an actual component of his physiology is unknown. The only scars on him that are feather-free are the two sweeping marks beneath his eyes; the right follows the line of his eyelid, while the left lies vertical, both of them going from wide to narrow like the angle of a blade. Their significance is also unknown. Rafael's eyes are scalene and sunken, almost triangular and make his thin features seem almost unnatural. The pupils are too small to be seen, leaving behind twin pits of pure darkness. Hard armour runs along his underbelly as protection from attack, while an opaque black fin lies along his back at sharp angles with the rest of his body. His claws are deadly curved and serrated, stark white against the rest of his body - Rafael sometimes darkens them via magic as a method of stealth ambush.
Personality: The best way to describe Rafael is unpredictable; his mind is as wickedly fast as his claws and he takes time to finalise his plans before even thinking of implementing them - whether they be mundane or extremely important. However normal this 'caution' may seem, when combined with his abiding insanity and obviously twisted nature, it can become deadly to any whom he actively targets. He is well-versed in the arcane arts and loves playing with words, using them as a method to manipulate others. He has an innate talent for sensing the weaknesses in his enemies and isn't above exploiting them if necessary - his moral code is certainly questionable, if not plain non-existent. But despite the sadistic streak which makes him such a malicious creature, Rafael does sometimes have moments of clarity in which he reflects upon his motives. It is at this time his resolve strengthens - and due to his age, his resolve is now very strong indeed. He is difficult to dissuade once he sets his eyes on a goal and is dedicated to carrying out his intricate plans to the bitter end. His strategies are well known for being spread across a long period of time: unlike most, Rafael chooses to view events in the long-term rather than simply the short. Just because he has been silent for a while definitely does not mean the danger he poses is gone.
History: Rafael's history very much runs in circles. He began life almost two thousand years before as a normal dragon - gold scales, violet eyes, laid-back disposition. He travelled in a group with his two friends, Esmeya (later his unofficial mate) and Fenrill (previous incarnation of Venus). Life was good - until they stumbled across an uninhabited island practically radiating evil. Their subsequent investigation revealed a bitter war raging between Isandre (found to be using Fenrill as a host) and the spirit residing beneath the island, known simply as Kre. A cycle was explained, one which involved the continual sealing of the spirit but also the death of the sealer - going on and on with each deterioration of the deal and reincarnation of Isandre.
The trio decided to wage battle against this enemy to prevent the need for the renewal of the seal. Unfortunately, disaster struck their attempt: Rafael was possessed by Kre and sealed by Fenrill and Isandre, who both died. Esmeya, alone, left to travel but eventually returned to the island, founding a clan which became the Shantari. Their sole purpose was to guard Rafael in his slumber inside the cradle of the earth, and to prevent his awakening.
Ironically, it was the very thing they warded that caused their downfall: he stirred, gathering forces to him which eventually manifested in reality and caused the war which wiped out the Shantari. Guardians gone, Rafael was free to awaken at his own leisure...
Other: United with his newly recruited lieutenant Neraika and long-time ally Direina Lich after his awakening, Rafael commenced the first stage of his plan to eradicate Isandre; the result was something of a stalemate, ending in the demise of Lich and the escape of Rafael's quarry. The planning continues...
Rafael's current position is unknown, but he is thought to be taking residence in his labyrinth beneath the mountains, making preparations for stage two of his offensive against Isandre. His ultimate hope would be to destroy the hellkite utterly, therefore breaking the circle of seal and escape, ensuring his freedom and power in the centuries to come. His strength lies very much in his ability to plan, to lay out the paths he could take and decide the most advantageous, as well as an uncanny talent for working out which course of action his opponent would be most likely to choose. His fighting skills are also not to be underestimated; his brutal style takes no prisoners and neither does his magic, which is heavily influenced by the power of Kre.
Picture: None, yet. *pouts*
(Long, again - but there is a history this time! *cheers* Hopefully it makes sense and clears a few things up.)
Nickname: Raf, to those who knew him before his possession. Afterwards, giving him a nickname may result in a rebuke and/or death, depending on his mood and the identity of the speaker.
Age In Moons: Beyond recording - Rafael has watched the passing of millennia.
Clan: None. If there ever was one, it is long lost.
Description
Physical description: Rafael doesn't wear a skin made up entirely of scales like other dragons of the Western breed. Instead his hide is smooth, flowing seamlessly from the deep darkness of midnight to shades closer to the violet of poison, near enough to black to be called it if seen in the right light. His body is compact; not extraordinarily large but well-defined, muscled and moulded for battle and chase. His most distinctive characteristic is the hundreds of raven feathers dangling from the many gaps and rents in his skin, the lines of his face and the frames of his wings as well as the chips in his horns. Whether these are bound by magic or an actual component of his physiology is unknown. The only scars on him that are feather-free are the two sweeping marks beneath his eyes; the right follows the line of his eyelid, while the left lies vertical, both of them going from wide to narrow like the angle of a blade. Their significance is also unknown. Rafael's eyes are scalene and sunken, almost triangular and make his thin features seem almost unnatural. The pupils are too small to be seen, leaving behind twin pits of pure darkness. Hard armour runs along his underbelly as protection from attack, while an opaque black fin lies along his back at sharp angles with the rest of his body. His claws are deadly curved and serrated, stark white against the rest of his body - Rafael sometimes darkens them via magic as a method of stealth ambush.
Personality: The best way to describe Rafael is unpredictable; his mind is as wickedly fast as his claws and he takes time to finalise his plans before even thinking of implementing them - whether they be mundane or extremely important. However normal this 'caution' may seem, when combined with his abiding insanity and obviously twisted nature, it can become deadly to any whom he actively targets. He is well-versed in the arcane arts and loves playing with words, using them as a method to manipulate others. He has an innate talent for sensing the weaknesses in his enemies and isn't above exploiting them if necessary - his moral code is certainly questionable, if not plain non-existent. But despite the sadistic streak which makes him such a malicious creature, Rafael does sometimes have moments of clarity in which he reflects upon his motives. It is at this time his resolve strengthens - and due to his age, his resolve is now very strong indeed. He is difficult to dissuade once he sets his eyes on a goal and is dedicated to carrying out his intricate plans to the bitter end. His strategies are well known for being spread across a long period of time: unlike most, Rafael chooses to view events in the long-term rather than simply the short. Just because he has been silent for a while definitely does not mean the danger he poses is gone.
History: Rafael's history very much runs in circles. He began life almost two thousand years before as a normal dragon - gold scales, violet eyes, laid-back disposition. He travelled in a group with his two friends, Esmeya (later his unofficial mate) and Fenrill (previous incarnation of Venus). Life was good - until they stumbled across an uninhabited island practically radiating evil. Their subsequent investigation revealed a bitter war raging between Isandre (found to be using Fenrill as a host) and the spirit residing beneath the island, known simply as Kre. A cycle was explained, one which involved the continual sealing of the spirit but also the death of the sealer - going on and on with each deterioration of the deal and reincarnation of Isandre.
The trio decided to wage battle against this enemy to prevent the need for the renewal of the seal. Unfortunately, disaster struck their attempt: Rafael was possessed by Kre and sealed by Fenrill and Isandre, who both died. Esmeya, alone, left to travel but eventually returned to the island, founding a clan which became the Shantari. Their sole purpose was to guard Rafael in his slumber inside the cradle of the earth, and to prevent his awakening.
Ironically, it was the very thing they warded that caused their downfall: he stirred, gathering forces to him which eventually manifested in reality and caused the war which wiped out the Shantari. Guardians gone, Rafael was free to awaken at his own leisure...
Other: United with his newly recruited lieutenant Neraika and long-time ally Direina Lich after his awakening, Rafael commenced the first stage of his plan to eradicate Isandre; the result was something of a stalemate, ending in the demise of Lich and the escape of Rafael's quarry. The planning continues...
Rafael's current position is unknown, but he is thought to be taking residence in his labyrinth beneath the mountains, making preparations for stage two of his offensive against Isandre. His ultimate hope would be to destroy the hellkite utterly, therefore breaking the circle of seal and escape, ensuring his freedom and power in the centuries to come. His strength lies very much in his ability to plan, to lay out the paths he could take and decide the most advantageous, as well as an uncanny talent for working out which course of action his opponent would be most likely to choose. His fighting skills are also not to be underestimated; his brutal style takes no prisoners and neither does his magic, which is heavily influenced by the power of Kre.
Picture: None, yet. *pouts*
(Long, again - but there is a history this time! *cheers* Hopefully it makes sense and clears a few things up.)