Cloëdig Drws
Description
[edit]Cloëdig Drws (pronounced CLOY-dig DROOS) is a Vulpine Erilgari, born on the Festival of the Moon's Dreams, between the first and second months of winter in the year 1977 ANC. She stands tall, as most Erilgari do, but with a leaner and frailer build than most. She hails from a town in the mountains of Northern Erilgar called Cawell, located equidistant between Berg, Hinterosh, and Qalosh.
Appearance
[edit]- Head:
- Rounded and soft, but with a slightly sharpened facial structure giving the impression of gauntness when viewed from the front or side. Her head fur is mostly dark, but with a thin highlight running down her snout and an awkward patch of light fur on the left side of her head and face.
- Ears are often raised in a “ready” position, and tend to anxiously flit about in response to sound. Tufts of lighter hair in the inside of the ears cause them to stand out from the rest of the head.
- Her left eye is orange, but her right eye is an iridescent light cyan color, matching the Balai scarring which radiates outwards from it in a pattern reminiscent of electrical arcs.
- Torso:
- Covered almost entirely in dark fur, with a highlight running down the middle portion of her spine, growing wider in the middle but tapering off at both ends. Built somewhat leaner than most, with little muscle mass and even less fat.
- Legs, Arms:
- Dark, but foot- and hand-paws are both covered in the lighter highlight fur, resembling mittens. Her right arm is covered in branching Balai scarring, radiating upwards from her paw and stopping just short of the shoulder. The fur is permanently burnt and misshapen in the scarred areas.
- Tail:
- Dark, with a tuft of lighter fur on the end. Wags infrequently.
- Clothing:
- Loose-fitting cloths, optimized for comfort and fastened with belts and straps where necessary. Often dyed a deep crimson or purple.
Personality, Presence
[edit]Cloëdig lacks the physical bulk to take up space in a room, but her dramatic scarring and deliberate way of moving and speaking do this amply enough for her. She carries herself as if every bone and ligament were a valuable piece of scaffolding responsible for holding her off the ground, and when she moves it is as if the scaffolding is being arranged, strung out, and reconstructed in real time.
She is a remarkably still person, which unsettles some and comforts others. Her external appearance is one of carefully curated calm, designed by her to contradict the violent nature of her scarring. If she must run, or otherwise move her body quickly, she can, but she will be uncomfortable and run out of breath if the movement is sustained. During these moments, as well as any recovery periods afterwards, the facade of calm falls away, and she moves and acts like a hunted animal, hair on end, thin muscles snapping to and fro.
Her voice is low and even, with a slight rasp to it suggesting damage to the vocal cords. She is the type to spend a long time choosing her words, which means she alternates rapidly between seeming eloquent, dim-witted, or mute. When she does speak, she does so with a lilting accent, stressing vocal sounds and sliding dramatically in pitch. She does not yell in battle, though she may cry afterwards.
She can seem guarded, drawing a veil around herself with her body language and words. Her approach to many social interactions is stealth; the less they can remember about you after meeting you, the better. When the veil comes down, however, she is nothing but motherly and emotionally fragile. She feels a deep, spiritual need to care for everyone she becomes close to, a trait especially visible in unguarded conversation.
Life and Times
[edit]Anomalous Birth
[edit]Cloëdig Drws was born to Addfwyn Drws during a total solar eclipse with an umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. The father, Llym Drws, was absent, and had been absent since two weeks after Cloëdig’s conception. The story of Addfwyn and Llym is one for another time, but suffice it to say that Llym was never really capable of love.
Of immediate concern following the removal of the umbilical noose was the scarring. Bright cyan Balai scarring branched across Cloëdig’s right eye and arm, despite the fact that the child had barely even been born, let alone had time to cast magic. Despite all this, Cloëdig did not cry, and stayed not-crying for quite some time.
Early Childhood
[edit]Following Cloëdig’s birth, her paternal grandfather, Tynged Drws, took a leave of absence from his work in the Delore Library to move up to Erilgar and help raise her for the first few months. She had an odd habit of remaining calm and placid during the day, but becoming distressed bordering on colic during the night.
During those first few months, Addfwyn received frequent visits from priests and priestesses of various faiths, from light, dark, and shadow, all claiming that Cloëdig belonged with them. This distressed Addfwyn a great deal, as, following the solar eclipse, her daughter was aspected to everything in some ways, and in other ways, to nothing.
In the end, Addfwyn, herself aspected to light and devout in the local church of light, started bringing Cloëdig to church with her, though Cloëdig herself never felt quite at home. When she grew older, she began singing with her mother in the choir, and that at least gave her something to do in church to avoid thinking about the eyes on her.
My choir robes arrived today. Mama says I look pretty in them, but the yellow color doesn’t look good on my scars. I don’t sing pretty either, but everyone says I do.
That priest keeps looking at me funny, too. He talked about “finding a home in the church” today, and I didn’t know what he meant. He kept looking at me like he wanted me to say something.
Late Childhood
[edit]As Cloëdig entered her tweens and teens, she began withdrawing from the church choir, remaining in the church only to appease her mother and choosing instead to help tend the communal gardens. It’s later during this time that she began experiencing visions, and receiving the first of her magic, though she kept these mostly hidden – especially the visions – out of fear of appearing more abnormal than she already was. She attended some schooling, which helped her hone her magic, though the source of it in the absence of a clear aspect was a mystery to all, including her.
Cloëdig also began exchanging letters with Tynged, who was now too old to make frequent visits to Erilgar. It was only in him she confided; she had a great amount of love for her mother, but was too close to her to really speak to her like she could with Tynged.
I had another vision tonight, just like the other ones. She and I, floating in the rocks, and the sun, the stupid blinding sun. I couldn’t see her. But I think I heard her murmuring this time…I can’t remember. It slips away like dreams do. That sense of longing though, of something lost…that sticks.
You’re sure nothing in your libraries speaks of her? No goddesses of eclipses, or of sadness? I’m beginning to fear that she’s not even real; then again, she’s real to me. Perhaps you’re right, and it doesn’t really matter … perhaps, but I’m not convinced quite yet.
Leaving Erilgar
[edit]At the age of 19, Cloëdig, with the motheringly reluctant blessing of Addfwyn, journeyed to Delore to study under Tynged in his house (located in the absolute southeast of the Cliff Quarter). There she spent five years sorting books, reading whatever tomes on magic or the moon Tynged could snag for her, and being paid a tiny wage under the table.
Pa got me another book today, a tome on the Lunarians. Thinks I might find something of use in there. I’ve already checked all the Lunarians, and none of them feel like her; still, I won’t turn down a book.
He says he stole it from the aisles, but it’s got his signature Khender-smell on it. Cute how he thinks I don’t know, smoking outside the back and everything. I suspect this book is his, or if he’s stolen it, he’s had it for a long time.
A few weeks before Cloëdig’s 24th birthday, Tynged disappeared without a trace, leaving Cloëdig without income, and no real means to seek a job in the Library, since she never officially worked there. The only evidence she ever found of his departure was a forced lock on the door. Tynged left her his life savings and estate, which have been sustaining Cloëdig on a meager lifestyle for some time but are gradually draining.
I finally worked up the nerve to go into his old bedroom today and tidy up a bit this evening. Of course, I found his pipe and favorite greenery. I’m not sure why, but I took some out back and lit it. It tasted like fire and ash, and I nearly coughed it up; but, it also tasted like Tynged.
Had a good, long look at the stars and moon after that. Seemed like they were dancing. I made sure to put the Khender back in a safe place.
Involvement with the Society of Broken Bounds
[edit]Soon after Tynged’s disappearance, she joined the Society of Broken Bounds. She was tapped by fellow Breakers who knew Tynged, and slightly accelerated through the recruitment process into third degree along with Baki and a certain bird.
Lluead
[edit]Cloëdig receives magic from a patron: Lluead. She bound Cloëdig to her service during the solar eclipse, when the light of the sun behind her gave her shattered corpse enough strength to reach out and affect one person.
As Cloëdig receives magic, she also receives visions in her dreams. They are usually somewhat consistent, with the same few elements:
- A shattered field of moon rocks floating in space
- The sun, frequently making everything viewed in front of it an indistinguishable silhouette
- A feminine presence
- A sense of yearning
As Cloëdig aged, the visions became more clear, revealing a female silhouette (features imperceptible, due to the sun), and, eventually, a murmuring voice, though her words were initially unclear.
Additionally, Lluead will occasionally take a hit for Cloëdig in her stead. Should Cloëdig be struck but defended by Lluead, the flesh will part, but close behind the blade, and Cloëdig will feel no pain. However, Cloëdig will hear the pain, as a mental sensation, since it will cause pain to Lluead.