i aim to be lionhearted, but my heart aches and my voice isn't loud enough

warning: dark themes, depictions of violence and traumatic eventsRagged breaths exhaled into the cold night air of Calpheon only to inhale the scent of blood and foliage thereafter, the muffled thumps of heavy footfalls against grass and gravel, the flickering lantern light that lit far too little for the pale haired elf running for his life. Sharp hearing would catch the sound of shouting behind him, but the words wouldn't stick, not over the pounding of his heart in his ears. Dark spots in his vision masked the exposed root of a tree and as his foot caught beneath it, he'd be sent lurching forward into the cold late-autumn dirt with a clatter of his lantern and a heavy thump of his hands rushing forward to meet the ground.He couldn't stop. Get up, get up, they'd catch him, they'd kill him! Desperation flooded through his veins as he would try to get his legs back under him, mauve eyes turning to look over his shoulder only to see the legs of beaten and worn pants just as a hand would grab at his hair and yank his head back fast enough to leave his head spinning. He felt his back hit the ground, and with fuzzy sight, above him he'd catch a glimpse of the shine of steel in a wide arc.Immediately, instincts became the driving force of his actions as he'd try to pull his head away and roll only to feel a boot pressed to his shoulder and pushing him back to the ground. Hands rose to try to defend against what was to come, yet that only meant the sharp pain of an axe embedding into flesh would shoot through his nerves, overwhelming enough to drown out the jeering of the humans above him.He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry for help, to beg for mercy, but he had no voice to save him. He was cursed to remain silent as he felt the handaxe lifted and dropped over and over, all he could do was keep his arms up to protect his face. The warmth of his own blood splattered across his face, covering pale skin and soaking even paler hair. The rest was a blur of pain, fear, and the sharp stench of gunpowder.

age - approx. 70yrs
gender - male
sexuality - asexual heteroromantic
romance - spoken for, unavailable
alignment - chaotic good
race / ethnicity - ahib luthraghonplease note: this character deals with various dark themes in his backstory and what he is actively dealing with. please ask beforehand if you're worried or may be sensitive to certain themes.

by the stars and by our fate

preferred rp themes:
dark | long-term | crime | informantnotable skills:
illusions | medicine | rune magic | stealth | info gathering | lunarmancy

Born mute to a soon-wartorn home of Kamasylvia, Caelvalian was too young to join the war efforts and instead settled with his mother in O'draxxia. In his youth, he often was coddled due to his weak heart and sickly childhood. His heart would keep him from casting magic from his own energy, causing him to aspire to become a mage regardless and find a way to draw power from external tools and items. So, over the years, Caelvalian would dedicate himself to researching a new form of magic alongside his partner at the time. By his forties, he and his partner would find themselves plagued by blackstone corruption due to their heavy use in their studies. He survived, but she was unable to recover. So, she asked him to put her out of her misery. With hesitation, he did.This would be met with pointed fingers and accusations, so Caelvalian was forced to flee his homeland. He would come to settle in human cities, changing his name to Niles and using illusions to alter his appearance to avoid immediate recognition. While he would be found by Calpheonean farmers intent on collecting his bounty, he'd find himself saved by Booker Cain, an infamous pirate at the time. She took him in as part of her crew, teaching him about rune magic and fostering his curiosity for people and magic. Over time, the two would grow to become chosen family, and as a result Niles can often be contacted via Booker or her Waxwing Trade Co.

then may the day guide us...

Over the years, Niles has created a name for himself by working as an informant and a courier, especially as of late. Earlier, he would almost always hide his true face behind illusions of less notable features, instead he would make himself recognizable by a small yellow wildflower worn somewhere on his clothing.But now, after nearly thirty years since escaping O'dyllita and living on the run, it appears he has settled his legal business back home and openly appears as himself, unafraid of the judgment others intend to hold towards him. And while he once held pacifist ideals, as of late he's been reported to be notably more willing to spill blood and take lives. He's grown paranoid, overly protective of the few he deems his close allies, and it's easily said that he grows obsessive about ensuring their safety and keeping them herded like sheep. As though he's their keeper.

...and may the moon shield us

Now, Niles has been seen wandering through the human cities, most notably those of Serendia and Balenos. He's opened a medical practice with his partner Aylainna in Heidel, often being seen assisting her there or running letters as a side job.He's also often seen slinking about at night, and he's been known to work with the Compass despite his name not being on their ledger. He may only have two hands, but somehow he finds a way to have them in every cookie jar imaginable.

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informant

common hookNiles is known as an informant across the mainland, notably in Mediah, Serendia and Balenos.To find him, one must look for a yellow wildflower tucked into the shirt of one whose face may never be the same. At least, that's what it used to be like. While Niles still wears the yellow wildflower, he no longer changes his face unless required. So, those looking for him can easily find him wearing the same pale Ahib face.The type of information he is willing to get changes the price one must pay, but his only main rule is that he will not kill anyone for the purpose of gathering it.

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neutral courier

common hookAs his official occupation, Niles claims to be a courier with no outward affiliations. He is occasionally difficult to hunt down, yet can often be found in taverns around the markets of various cities. Notably, he is most often found at night.The majority of his courier work consists of delivering small parcels, personal letters, official documents between companies, and sometimes, even death threats.His cost for his courier services is in fact quite affordable, and he will even offer the exchange of favors or goods instead of coin, landing him in good graces with the lower class.

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lunarmancy

uncommon hookOver the decades, Niles has spent much of his time studying a seemingly new paradigm of magic: Lunarmancy. This magic stems from the energy from the stars and moon and, oddly enough, souls. Rumors of this new early form of elven magic has spread through a small group in O'dyllita, and some in the human cities for those who have seen it used, yet it remains highly experimental and untested.His studies on it remain unpublished, and he has been openly unwilling to share the secrets of it with others, but it seems to be tied to a grimoire he carries, one that has little glimmering stars along the spine of it and the faintest hum of magic when opened. Perhaps this was the magic he was hoping for, one he could use to draw magic from outside sources rather than himself. Perhaps it could be used for various other purposes.

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disgraced, murderer

rare hookThose within Ahib society may know of the disgraced son of a well-respected professor within O'draxxia. While the information was intended to be kept quiet, the knowledge that the son had escaped O'dyllita to escape being held accountable for murdering a young woman - his research partner and companion Syndraeva.Twenty years were spent before Caelvalian was caught and brought back to face his sentence for murder. Yet, after proving that Syndraeva had requested he kill her due to her suffering from blackstone poisoning, his sentence was lightened and he was stripped of the little standing he had in O'draxxia.And yet, some still don't believe his innocence. They say he's turned cruel since his childhood.