ˢᵉᵗ ʸᵒᵘʳˢᵉᶫᶠ ᵒᶰ ᶠᶦʳᵉ

( TRIGGER WARNINGS: DEATH, VIOLENCE, BLOOD ) 

STAND UP STRAIGHT. don’t let them see you falter -- do not show even a shred of weakness , no traces of fear. don’t smile, either. no one needs to know that you care. 

zephrine was born into a very strict household, both of her parents high ranking military officers. being the youngest of three, there was a lot of pressure to follow in her siblings footsteps, who had of course followed in their parents’. it was expected that she would join as soon as she was of age, but zeph was never like the rest of her family. she didn’t share the same sense of duty that seemed to be instilled in her siblings. she dreamed of leaving walech & becoming her own person, separate from the guilt bestowed on her by parents every day that passed that she did not join them. 

AS IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE. 

despite having no interest in joining the military, she was still trained to be a warrior from a young age. like her older siblings, her parent’s let her choose a weapon to master. being a little more timid than the rest, she immediately chose a bow and arrow. they warned her that it would take practice and determination to master such a precise weapon, but their doubt only solidified her choice. anything that made her just that much more different than them. by the time she was twelve years old, she could hit her mark without fail, every time. her training gained momentum as she got older, her parents challenging her more and more every day. they began setting her up with moving targets, starting with animals. large and slow to start -- it didn’t take long before she had advanced to small, flying creatures like birds and bats. 

after years of excelling at this type of training, she was getting too comfortable. it was all... too safe. she needed to be tested in order to prove that she would one day triumph above her peers. her parents were determined to change her mind, whether they had to force her into their ranks or not. they wouldn’t stand to let their reputation be broken, not now, not ever. 

this will show her.  

HIT YOUR MARK OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. 

zephrine was eighteen when her parents decided that she needed something that would really challenge her. she’d been too used to killing animals, creatures who posed no threat. they used their standing in the military to get ahold of some thieves and traitors who had been captured by their platoon, rotting away in a jail cell just begging to be used for just this. they didn’t tell her what her targets would be, just that it would be life or death. her life or theirs. shoot them or die. 

she wasn’t in any position to question their instructions ; she trusted her parents. she couldn’t have imagined they would really put her in harm’s way, not without some kind of back up plan. they were there to protect her, as always, if anything went wrong.... right? 

the training grounds had been enclosed by a tall fence, and inside were plenty of large obstacles to hide behind, as well as perches for her to be able shoot from above. they sent her in first, her head spinning with possible scenarios and outcomes, readying herself for the exercise ahead. the young girl had no idea what was coming. what she thought would just be a few predatory animals, like wolves, perhaps even a bear -- turned out to be living, breathing human... targets?

confusion clouded her thoughts with doubt as she lowered her weapon and watched as they scattered around the arena. they each held a different weapon in their clutches ; one with a spear, one with an axe, and one with a---she ducked as an arrow came flying her way all of the sudden, barely missing her head. she felt as if her heart was about to beat right out of her chest as fear coursed through her veins for the first time in a LONG time. 

“ FOCUS, ZEPHRINE. THIS IS HOW IT IS OUT IN THE WORLD YOU’RE SO EAGER TO SEE. KILL OR BE KILLED! ” 

her father’s voice bellowed from the shadows, hidden in the distance, somewhere she couldn’t see. his presence gave her no sense of peace, especially after what he’d just said. his words echoed in her head over and over: kill or be killed. she took a deep, stabling breath as she pushed all of her fear down, something she’d been taught to do her whole life. she’d never been put into a situation so seemingly dire, but she had to compartmentalize. they’re just targets. you’ve never missed your mark before, you’re not going to start now.

her eyes quickly surveyed the area below her as she ran across the platform she was on, her eyes catching a glint of light reflecting off of someone’s blade. without a second thought, and in one fluid motion, she pulls an arrow from her quiver and lines up the shot, releasing it a split second later. she doesn’t look to see if she hit her mark -- she already knew that she did. she rolled behind a large cart that had been placed in the arena for cover, a place to catch her breath and take in her surroundings. one down -- two to go. 

what she didn’t know -- what she couldn’t have known -- was that every time she hit her target, a new one was released into the arena. it didn’t take her long to figure out, of course, as one enemy turned back into two, and two to three, over and over again. just when she thought she’d gotten them all, more came out of nowhere. after twelve of them, she was exhausted ; partly from the energy it took to draw her bow, partly from the constant fear that someone was going to be quicker than her, that her life would be over before it began. she no longer believed that her parents cared whether she made it out alive. 

kill or be killed. kill or be killed. kill or be killed. 

she drove an arrow through what she hoped to be the last target, she’d lost count at that point, collapsing to her knees as their body dropped with a loud thud. she hadn’t come out unscathed, her body littered with slashes from swords and deep penetrating wounds from stray arrows. her bloodied body had had enough, but despite her exhaustion, she kept her guard up. there was no telling if she was finished. her parents were known to be ruthless commanders. she knew that, but she never imagined that they’d use their tactics against her.

DON’T SHOOT ! 

just when she thought it was finally over, she heard footsteps approaching rapidly. aha -- they were trying to catch her off guard !  they were moving quickly, but she was quicker. she pulled her last arrow from her quiver, knowing she would have to be precise if she wanted to live. she turned to make the shot, all without realizing that the person coming at her was indeed not a target. she heard loud voices around her--don’t shoot! don’t shoot!--, but it was too late. the arrow was plunged straight into her older sister’s chest. NEVER MISS YOUR MARK.

the look of horror on her face was soon mirrored by zephrine as soon as she realized what she’d done. she caught her before she hit the ground, tears already streaming down her face. all she could do was apologize profusely, over and over, as they were the only words that would come out. what happened after that was a blur -- she knew that her parents had pulled her off of her sister’s body, despite trying to cling to her for dear life. she remembered crying until there were no tears left, falling asleep from exhaustion only to wake up and start all over.

WHAT DID I DO? WHAT DID I DO? 

zephrine spent an entire year after that refusing to pick up her bow, feeling completely and utterly defeated. how could she have done such a thing? the overwhelming guilt broke something inside of her, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t mend the pieces. her parents took full responsibility, knowing that they had pushed her too far & they shouldn’t have let their other daughter enter the arena. ‘it was irresponsible of us to let this happen.’ she didn’t care -- it was her hands, her arrow, that lead her sister to her dying breath. 

---- 

( ok switching it up to bullet points now thank u for making it this far my dudes ) 

she left home about a year and half after the incident, not being able to be around her family anymore.

she vowed to never use her bow unless she was protecting herself or someone that she cared about / who needed her help. 

throwing herself into the world after little to no experience was a little scary, and often difficult as she struggled to stay fed and rested. she hunted her own food when she could, also trading furs and meat for ale and a warm place to sleep along the way. she adapted to life on her own fairly quickly, preferring the freedom and the lack of pressure. 

she lived like this, as a vagabond of sorts, for a few years. her heart softened as she met people who were actually good, instead of ones who claimed to be something they were not (her parents)

she loved visiting and trading with merchants at the marketplace, telling them of her journeys and in turn listening to their troubles and experiences. 

after saving someone from some rogue bandits on the road one day, they offered to pay her to escort them on the rest of their journey. she happily obliged, earning a decent amount of coin. their destination was arella, where her companion spread the word of how her bravery made it possible for her to complete her journey. this is how she became a guard for hire, loving the opportunity to keep people safe. 

it was easy for a while, escorting simple traders from one town to the next, fending off simple bandits. a lot of the time, not even having to take out her bow. of course, as her reputation grew, her jobs scaled higher. looking out for nobles who were in real danger, ones with prices on their heads simply for being related to someone in power. she took the jobs in stride, even when it became dangerous for her, too. 

she’s only failed a select few of her clients, mostly when they undersell the amount of danger they’re really in. she always tells people up front that if she doesn’t have all of the information, she can’t properly protect them. she has to know what she is to protect them from, or else she cannot be prepared. despite it usually being the fault of the client, she takes the losses personally. 

CURRENTLY ... 

she still works as a guard for hire, quite proficient at it now, although she does struggle because of the what the doom did to her. 

being an escura, it takes everything in her not to let the dark thoughts that intrude inside her mind get the better of her. if she can help it, she does not use her magic. sometimes it comes without warning, especially when she gets angry or upset. she uses it to her advantage against STRONG enemies, like that of magical nature. 

she’s VERY against the doom, for obvious reasons. she’s tired of fighting within herself, especially because she’s had this battle with darkness too many times before. it would’ve been easy for her to give into it when she was younger, but she has hardened herself in order to remain strong against it. 

she tries to use her magic for good, despite it going against her newfound instincts & the nature of the magic she uses. 

rumors of necromancy has had her thoughts racing about her sister, contemplating whether she even wants to go down that road. she would love to see her again, to tell her she’s sorry, to have more time with her. she is curious about it, but without someone encouraging to try it, she likely won’t do it herself (hint, hint) 

pretty serious most of the time, almost always has her guard up. the only time she’s ever relaxed is when she’s around people that she trusts & knows that she’s not in any immediate danger. keeps her bow close at all times just in case tho. 

will defend ANYONE that she sees is in trouble / danger, esp if they are defenseless. she will NOT put up with any kind of shit. 

drinks ale when there’s something to celebrate, but usually doesn’t ever get drunk. hates the feeling of not being in control. 

pretty easy to get along with, so long as you’re not a complete piece of garbage (i.e. icarius alkdjgAG) 

due to her parents behavior when she was younger, she has a bit of a problem with authority. thinks soldiers in the military are basically just brainwashed goons with superiority complexes 

DOES NOT TRUST EASILY 

but when she does trust you, she is SO loyal and will always have ur back 

kind of want her to have a pet wolf ??? is that weird. a hunting buddy. extra protection. warm cuddles in winter. a cute archery themed name like quiver ???? 

OKAY BEFORE THIS GETS ANY LONGER IM GONNA END IT. i’m sorry this got so ungodly long & if u made it all the way thru .. bless u . i love u. COME PLOT W ME < 3 

(but wait there’s more) SHORT LIST of possible connections 

CLIENTS !! people who have hired her to guard them at one time or another, whether it be recent or in the past

someone who is/was in the military and know her folks and maybe think she’s wack 4 leaving bc they don’t know the whole story ! 

a RIDE OR DIE who she met when she left home & knows everything about her & what happened . :) 

her OLDER BROTHER ... who i’ll probs put a wanted connection up for but if any of y’all want it . come @ me 

HER PARENTS ... lmao same thing as above ^^^ 

an experienced escura friend who helps her with her powers n sheeeit 

hello my fellow hellbeings, i’m nova & i’m so stoked to be here tbh i’ve been wanting to join a good fantasy rp for SO LONG !! between (re)watching shit like the last kingdom & the witcher & merlin i have neeeeeeeded this ... anyways this intro is probably going to be a mess but ! pls bear with me . 

born & raised in etille on a small farm, by a kind stranger who took him in after finding him abandoned as a child along the side of the road. he doesn’t remember his parents, or know what happened to them. he assumes that they’re dead, although they could still be out there somewhere

he worked on the farm growing up, until he was old enough to venture out on his own. as soon as he started discovering all of the wonders of the world, he hardly ever returned home. he was grateful to the woman that raised him, but he always felt trapped on that small little farm. it was too far away from anything and everyone. 

he never stayed in one place for long, his curiosity leading him to want to see more and more. he was insatiable. 

it wasn’t until he traveled to arella that he found a passion for the arts. he always loved seeing beautiful places, and he’d always wished he could somehow encapsulate them forever. painting allowed him to do just that. it took a lot of practice, but after a while he excelled at painting just about anything. and since he didn’t like sitting still for long periods of time, he got pretty fast at it too.

 word travelled across the kingdoms and soon he had many offers. it suited him perfectly, being able to venture out to different places, taking in all of the different culture and people. oh, the people. growing up with little to no interaction with people, it was always a kind of relief to be surrounded by so many now. especially the pretty ones. 

he often found someone to lay with in each city he visited, always charming his way into someone’s bed, both women and men alike. he didn’t much have a preference, but he had to admit it was easier to find women as it was more ‘socially acceptable’. he doesn’t give a shit, but there are many men who would rather keep it secret. 

the more paintings he finished, the greater his reputation became and he was able to charge more and more for his services. he rarely had time to paint the things he truly desired, but the temptation of riches got the better of the young man. 

after a few years, he grew bored of jumping from city to city just to paint for rotten nobles who never truly appreciated his art. he hated having to put up a polite facade whenever around them when all he wanted to do was tell them how pathetic he thought their lives must be, stuck in such a repetitive & controlled environment. the thought of being any kind of royalty sent shivers down his spine. he knew he would hate it, as he was starting to hate just working with/for them.

upon returning to arella to gather his bearings and pick up some art supplies for personal use, he met a quite enchanting woman named francys at a shop he’d wandered into. they bonded over a shared interest in painting, and as he often did, he charmed his way into her bed. then, as always, he would leave just as abruptly as he would arrive. something about her always had him coming back, though, every time he returned to arella. was it her warm bed or something more ? --- eh, likely just the bed. 

currently . . . 

he still travels frequently, craving adventure & never able to sit still, despite having a daughter in arella that he barely knows. he likes to blame francys’ sister for banishing him, when in reality he just doesn’t want the responsibility of being a father. 

spoiler alert he is 100% a shithead 

he still paints occasionally but never for money. instead he hustles, placing bets that are rigged to his advantage, or convincing people to buy things from him at a higher value than they’re worth. he’s got a silver tongue so it’s hard to dispute the things he says, especially when you don’t know him. 

will sleep with ANYONE and everyone ,,, hit it & quit it type of mans 

a certified MESS like seriously 

someone pls kick his ass . im begging 

although he DOES ... know how to fight since he’s travelled so much ,, learned how to defend himself after getting his shit absolutely ROCKED one time (lots of times lbr) but he never starts fights for no reason ... unless he’s drunk then there’s no telling wtf he’s gonna do . 

very indifferent to this whole doom thing since it didn’t alter him in any way, bc he’s a selfish prick so like ??? what ?? this horrible thing happened but it didn’t effect me in any way .. oh well ! doesn’t concern me ! (or so he thinks)