Post by streamofthesky on Aug 11, 2008 22:08:07 GMT -5
Full Name: Dais Araneae, or so he claims
Age: 52 (about 21 in appearance)
Family: Unknown; was raised by Illumians and never met real family
Height: 3'9"
Weight: 45 lbs
Hair Color: Silver-white
Eye Color: One grey, one hazel
Origin: The Blackflame, a gauntlet cabal with strong ties to Elirhondas
Profession: One of Hypnogogia's only priests
Likes: Confusing people, killing unseen, defeating large foes, poptarts
Dislikes: The rest of the gods, being noticed, waking up early, seeing brawn win
Brief History of Dais:
Compared to his patron god, Dais had fairly peaceful early years. Raised in the Blackflame cabal since he was still a newborn, Dais was fond of his extended "family" -- the entire cabal considered themselves a family unit -- even if they weren't his biological ones. While some Illumians had misgivings about performing the core duties of the cabal, Dais was always cheerful and eager to help. For example, when the council of elders decreed the assassination of commander Purlaeux's daughter with a dart tipped in the poison used by the Lieftwine mercenary unit employed by the Hargrove estate nearby, so that Purlaeux would then turn his recently acquired flaming catapults upon the estate in revenge -- all to remove the Hargroves from their seat of political power they were about to use to launch an investigation into the Blackflame's puppet, a head warden keeping their go-betweens out of the jails -- many Illumians were hesitant. Not so much for the murder of innocents as the burning of the Hargroves' famed library of tomes, which they saw as a parallel to the destruction of their own great library. Dais stepped up to the task, seeing the need for some destruction in order to maintain the balance of power in the world.
Due to this willingness to do whatever was asked of him, Dais rose through the ranks astonishingly quickly, especially for a non-Illumian, with many praising his skill and dedication. In time, he was even a trusted envoy to Elirhondas itself, the famed metropolis of the Illumians, and one of the only areas all of the race was barred from hostilities between rival cabals. As his trips to the plane of shadow grew longer in duration, he came to think of its unique environment, considered dangerous and desolate by most, as a sort of home. He would even embark on lengthy walks when he had free time, enjoying the surroundings and the fact that finding his way back to Elirhondas was part of the adventure, thanks to the shifting and transient nature of the plane itself.
As all great stories begin, one day Dais became hopelessly lost, wandering for what he perceived to be hours and no sign of life in sight. Stopping his pointless walking to rest and think, he felt a strange foreboding. For reasons beyond his comprehension, he began pondering his life, perhaps fearing he was stranded and going to die. His life had been pleasant enough, and he had many happy memories. But, what had he actually done with it? Looking back on all those coups he had staged, assassinations planned, flirtations with his own demise...what was the purpose of it all? Those in power constantly would fall and be replaced, but the new rulers were no different. "No matter how much things change, they always stay the same," he pondered, becoming deeply depressed. "It looks like I figured out what to do with my life a little too late. This endless cycle of futility needs to be broken, but it seems my end will come long before that." With that, he reclined fully onto his back, content to lie there until the grains of wind-swept shadow had fully encased him.
It was at the moment as his head came in contact with the "ground" that he felt something. Something vaguely metallic, likely a shadow-version of such material. Curious, he fumbled around with his hands, feeling out what now was clearly a knob to a door, right below him. He struggled to lift the door open, ajar enough to slip through. Immediately, he felt himself plummet down, panic setting in. He tried to calm himself, closing his eyes and meditating, and it was at this point he discovered he could will the rate of his own descent. Finally touching a ground of sorts after the massive freefall, Dais was again bewildered. He could see nothing, not even with his natural born gnome eyesight, and the dark felt piercing, like infinite spear points. Grimacing from the pain, he thought, "wonderful, now I fell into a great trap," and was too dejected to resist. No longer fighting against the invasive darkness, the pain went away, and a sensation of soothing replaced it. A voice whispered directly into his mind some long forgotten verse:
"Let us try to live our lost illusions
They are the sun at night
If we don't, we'll never taste
The spice of life"
Dais repeated the verse, intrigued by it. It was this moment, he would later claim, that Hypnogogia first spoke to him...
(to be continued...)
Age: 52 (about 21 in appearance)
Family: Unknown; was raised by Illumians and never met real family
Height: 3'9"
Weight: 45 lbs
Hair Color: Silver-white
Eye Color: One grey, one hazel
Origin: The Blackflame, a gauntlet cabal with strong ties to Elirhondas
Profession: One of Hypnogogia's only priests
Likes: Confusing people, killing unseen, defeating large foes, poptarts
Dislikes: The rest of the gods, being noticed, waking up early, seeing brawn win
Brief History of Dais:
Compared to his patron god, Dais had fairly peaceful early years. Raised in the Blackflame cabal since he was still a newborn, Dais was fond of his extended "family" -- the entire cabal considered themselves a family unit -- even if they weren't his biological ones. While some Illumians had misgivings about performing the core duties of the cabal, Dais was always cheerful and eager to help. For example, when the council of elders decreed the assassination of commander Purlaeux's daughter with a dart tipped in the poison used by the Lieftwine mercenary unit employed by the Hargrove estate nearby, so that Purlaeux would then turn his recently acquired flaming catapults upon the estate in revenge -- all to remove the Hargroves from their seat of political power they were about to use to launch an investigation into the Blackflame's puppet, a head warden keeping their go-betweens out of the jails -- many Illumians were hesitant. Not so much for the murder of innocents as the burning of the Hargroves' famed library of tomes, which they saw as a parallel to the destruction of their own great library. Dais stepped up to the task, seeing the need for some destruction in order to maintain the balance of power in the world.
Due to this willingness to do whatever was asked of him, Dais rose through the ranks astonishingly quickly, especially for a non-Illumian, with many praising his skill and dedication. In time, he was even a trusted envoy to Elirhondas itself, the famed metropolis of the Illumians, and one of the only areas all of the race was barred from hostilities between rival cabals. As his trips to the plane of shadow grew longer in duration, he came to think of its unique environment, considered dangerous and desolate by most, as a sort of home. He would even embark on lengthy walks when he had free time, enjoying the surroundings and the fact that finding his way back to Elirhondas was part of the adventure, thanks to the shifting and transient nature of the plane itself.
As all great stories begin, one day Dais became hopelessly lost, wandering for what he perceived to be hours and no sign of life in sight. Stopping his pointless walking to rest and think, he felt a strange foreboding. For reasons beyond his comprehension, he began pondering his life, perhaps fearing he was stranded and going to die. His life had been pleasant enough, and he had many happy memories. But, what had he actually done with it? Looking back on all those coups he had staged, assassinations planned, flirtations with his own demise...what was the purpose of it all? Those in power constantly would fall and be replaced, but the new rulers were no different. "No matter how much things change, they always stay the same," he pondered, becoming deeply depressed. "It looks like I figured out what to do with my life a little too late. This endless cycle of futility needs to be broken, but it seems my end will come long before that." With that, he reclined fully onto his back, content to lie there until the grains of wind-swept shadow had fully encased him.
It was at the moment as his head came in contact with the "ground" that he felt something. Something vaguely metallic, likely a shadow-version of such material. Curious, he fumbled around with his hands, feeling out what now was clearly a knob to a door, right below him. He struggled to lift the door open, ajar enough to slip through. Immediately, he felt himself plummet down, panic setting in. He tried to calm himself, closing his eyes and meditating, and it was at this point he discovered he could will the rate of his own descent. Finally touching a ground of sorts after the massive freefall, Dais was again bewildered. He could see nothing, not even with his natural born gnome eyesight, and the dark felt piercing, like infinite spear points. Grimacing from the pain, he thought, "wonderful, now I fell into a great trap," and was too dejected to resist. No longer fighting against the invasive darkness, the pain went away, and a sensation of soothing replaced it. A voice whispered directly into his mind some long forgotten verse:
"Let us try to live our lost illusions
They are the sun at night
If we don't, we'll never taste
The spice of life"
Dais repeated the verse, intrigued by it. It was this moment, he would later claim, that Hypnogogia first spoke to him...
(to be continued...)