Post by Rugs on Jan 6, 2010 0:59:45 GMT -5
Password: Vornskr
Name: Kvothe (k-VOTH 'long o, like in 'row') Algaterra
Race: Rilan
Age: 32 (looks about 25-ish)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 207 lbs
Birth place: Aiaru/The Tower
Appearance:
Kvothe in his heavy armor. Not my image, though I did color it in. Here's the original and the artist.
Kvothe in his robes. Image drawn by berserker
Kvothe is a little above average height. His hair as a rusty reddish-brown in color, if a bit closer to the red end of the spectrum than the brown (Recent research tells me I could call such hair 'auburn.' Fancy that). He looks younger than he is, due to both the extended lifespan of his species, and the fact that those who are a part of the Mythics tend to live longer than normal for their species. His body is fit and lean, covered from top to bottom in strong, well-defined muscles that've come from years of intense exercises and training in the arts of combat. He is heavier than one might think, due to the heavy bone mass of his species. There's a scar that runs across his face, from just underneath his right eye across the bridge of his nose to end right above his left eye. There are some others across his torso and back, but the one on his face is the only visible one when he's fully clothed. The tattoos on his face are a dark green in color.
Kvothe's eyes are naturally hazel, though they change with his mood in the way that Rilans' eyes are prone to do, if a bit differently than the normal. Orange tends to be the color they turn when he's a bit irritated or wary of someone. Red covers the range of anger that goes from just beyond irritated to the edge of extreme anger. Black is still the color of extreme anger, and not something one would want to see. Grey is still for coldness and despair. A very pale yellow, for fear, often with touches of grey, as it reaches into the depths of horror. A very light blue, often with streaks of green is the color for when he's got a sort of curious interest in something. His eyes turn a brilliant gold when he's feeling resolute and determined about something, or in some other otherwise courageous mood. The various shades of solid green cover the range of good feelings, from happiness to playfulness to the highest heights of joy, and generally, the darker and more vibrant the color, the more pronounced the emotion. Silver often appears in streaks within the green when he's feeling particularly wry or sarcastic, or in some otherwise playful mood. A deep, dark maroon means he's embarrassed in some fashion. Solid purple is, as normal, for love and compassion. Deep blue is as usual, for sorrow.
While Kvothe certainly has need of his armor from time to time as a Sword of Diligence, he's not always in it. When he's not, he's in the robes he wears underneath, which are loose. The body of the robes is dark brown in color, with a band of green near the edges. The sleeves, as well as the area surrounding the collar of his robs, are cream. He wears a cream-colored sash with his robes, and he wears a pair of simple leather boots, rather than the armored ones, and sometimes some plain gloves that cut off at the middle knuckles of his fingers.
His true form, as Rilans tend to have, is a rather interesting sight in the very rare occurrences where one would be able to see it. Great, majestic wings sprout from his back, and they are a brilliant gold with touches of a deep red. At the same time, his skin changes, becoming bronze in tone, and his facial features grow more sharp and angled. Kvothe's aura, for those that can see it, is for the most part, like his wings, a brilliant gold. It too, has streaks of a deep read, though there are often touches of green as well.
Personality:
Perhaps the most notable quality of Kvothe's is his loyalty. He is completely devoted to the Mythics, perhaps even to the point of being a bit naive, or as some others would say, blindness. It's lead to some problems in the past, and is one of the things that lies at the heart of a long a brutal conflict he's had with his brother over the years. But he made the decision long ago that he would serve the Order with all that he had to give, no matter what hard or painful decisions he might have to make in order to do so. He's also very devoted to those he considers his friends, and would only do something to hurt them if he thought it was for the good of the order of Mythics, and even then, it'd be the source of a great deal of anxiety on his part.
On a more personal level, Kvothe can be affable enough, though he tends to be a bit reserved. He's a soft spoken individual, and prefers to keep to himself. He is forgiving to most people, though once someone has made an enemy of him, they often find that it's rather hard to get back into his good graces. And, though he is a gifted fighter, years of living in the shadow of his older brother have left Kvothe with the tendency to doubt his own abilities from time to time. He can, at times, be susceptible to those that attempt to get under his skin while fighting, and it's very nearly brought ruin to him in the past. Of course, some that have tried to do that have succeeded only in weeing him off, so it's a bit of a gamble.
While his loyalty is certainly an asset to the Mythics, it's also been mentioned by some as Kvothe's biggest weakness. He has a deep-seated dislike--a hatred, even--for the Forsaken: those Mythics who have betrayed the order. To him, their betrayal has put them beyond redemption, and the only possible judgment for them can be death. This is doubly true (in part, due to certain events in his life) for the particular Forsaken in the group Potissimus Egregius Unum, the group that has banded together and amassed enough strength to openly challenge the Mythics. This mentality also extends to his older brother, who, in addition to be a fairly high-ranking member of the Unum, has done things Kvothe refuses to forgive him for. For heretics such as him, there can be nothing but death. Some in the order have said, amongst themselves, that if someone could somehow take advantage of the anger and the bitterness that lurks deep within Kvothe's heart, especially towards his brother, there's the possibility that they could cause him a great deal of harm.
Faction: Stellar Mythics
Profession: Sword of Diligence
Rank: First Sword
Mastery Level: Knight
Skills:
Basic Alchemical knowledge
Previous Faction: N/A
Staff Pietas(pictured)- Pietas is Kvothe's staff. He made it when he was a teen, and it's served him well over the years. As is the case for many Mythics, it serves as a focus for his powers, but he's also learned to use it as a rather effective weapon when he has to get up close and personal. It has three little blades on it: two on either side of the head that can be folded into the staff when not ended, and one on the end. His staff is his preferred weapon in melee combat. Due to the way it was imbued with the Force during its construction, in a way similar to what the Matukai do with their wan-shen, it is immune to damage from a lightsaber.
Sword Orcus (pictured)- Orcus is Kvothe's aptly-named blade. He's only had it for a few years, even though he's been fighting with blades for a very long time. He received it upon rising to join the Swords of Diligence. It's a rather ornate thing, but it is every bit as deadly as a more normal looking sword would be, as those who have fallen to it can attest. It, like Pietas, was imbued with the Force on creation, and bonded to him. It also shares Pietas' lightsaber-proof qualities.
Talio- Talio is Kvothe's second sword. It was presented to him on his return to Aiaru from his short tour of the Galaxy. While Orcus is special to him, as it was the gift he received upon joining the ranks of the Swords of Diligence, Kvothe has taken to using Talio a bit more than Orcus, becuase as one can probably imagine just from looking at the two, it's much more practical. It, like Orcus, is wickedly sharp, and is made of phrik. The end of the pommel is made of phrik as well, and the point on it is quite sharp.
Dagger- That handy sidearm for when you need it. Phrik, like Talio. Very useful for throat-slitting. Often coated in Zyphter venom.
Glaive-[/url] Kvothe's newest construction, made of songsteel. He had it forged shortly after the mission to rescue Iri. It's finely made, and has a soft luminesence to it. Strips of cloth are kept around the shaft.
Ship: The Masada
Note: None of these pictures belong to me
Armor Link
Languages:
Basic- Fluent
Rilan- Fluent
Namaru (Aiaru's language)- Fluent
Mythos Abilities or practices:
Ventakinesis; sub-specialization in Terrakinesis (has some ability in all the schools, but these two are his strongest by far)
Flare
Specialized Skills:
Telepathy (Racial power, communication only)
Mind Speaking (Racial power, can access Silmorne)
Healing (Racial Power, only works on others, and is dangerous to the user)
Force Wave/Repulse
Projected Fighting
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 4
Body: 5
Sense: 5
Protection: 6
Healing: 3 (doesn't include natural Rilan ability for healing others)
Destruction: 0
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 6
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 6
Leadership: 4
Unarmed: 6
Melee Weapons: 8
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: 0
Bio:
Yes, this is long. Too long, I dare say. I didn't set out with the intention to make this huge thing, but this is what's come out. For those of you who may just want a summary, there's a tl;dr summary in thesecond God help me, it's in the third post now, right before the RP Sample. To all one or two of you who might actually read it, I hope I've crafted something you'll enjoy, rather than wasting your time xD
A New Beginning Years 0-5
It would perhaps be wise to say that Kvothe's story begins several years before he himself was born. It begins twenty years before then, and on the world of Rilia, rather than Aiaru. It was then that a young Rilan couple, Uriel and Etain, fled the world, guided by a somewhat older woman that went by the name of Alethea. Alethea was a priestess, and had long been a friend of their families. Uriel and Etain knew that they would marry, and desperately wanted to flee the war torn world in the hopes of one day being able to settle down and raise a family of their own in peace. Alethea had lost the last of the family she had some years ago to the fighting, and when Uriel and Etain came to her for assistance in escaping, she agreed to help them in their escape.
Alethea had connections, and she knew there was a man that routinely smuggled those that wanted to escape the harsh rule of the War Lords off-planet. She went to him, and he agreed to take him them away, though he could not stay with them once they had escaped. They had to wait for a few days while preparations were made, but finally, the time arrived. The three were hidden away in large cargo storage containers aboard the smuggler's ship, and were smuggled away to freedom. They fled to Aiaru. It was a fairly remote world, and peaceful. It was also home to the order of the Stellar Mythics. The three settled down in a small town close to The Tower. Uriel and Etain had their wedding, and they thought they'd live out their lives in relative normalcy. But they wouldn't. One thing led to another, and Uriel ended up joining the order of the Stellar Mythics. Of course, he was a Force sensitive, as many Rilan tend to be, and after years of training, rose to become a very respected member of the order. He was an extremely skilled healer, and had learned to use the Force--or Mythos, as the Mythics call it--to heal, in addition to the ability his species possesses. Etain also joined the Order, and she became one of the many that helped to maintain the Mythics' expansive library. It wasn't as glamorous as other things she could have done, but it was where her passion lay. Of course, she would discover later on that she had the ability to have visions of the future, as some of her race do.
Time went on, and the couple was happy. They maintained their relation with Alethea, though she did not join the Mythics herself. They had their first child a year before Kvothe was born. Upon his birth, they took him to Alethea, and she performed the ritual to determine the boy's true name, something of extreme importance in Rilan culture. It was found, though it would remain a closely guarded secret, even from him, until he reached an age where he could understand the importance of it. The name they gave him for day-to-day use was Vorian. About a year later, Kvothe was born. He was put through the same process--his true name, Ishar, found and held secret until he was older--and was given the name Kvothe for normal use.
The early part of Kvothe's life was as normal as one could expect for the life of one born to two Mythics. It was found early on that he--like his brother--had the ability to wield Mythos--the Force--and so he would one day become a Mythic. In fact, it was felt that he had a great deal of potential, and could become quite capable with proper instruction, the beginning of his tutelage would wait until he was older. However, most of the attention went to Vorian. If those that sensed his potential were correct, Vorian would be strong. Very strong. Stronger than they'd seen in a very long while. But that too would have to wait until he was old enough to begin tutelage. For the time being, they were raised as any very young children would be. And from the beginning, some differences were apparent between the two. Vorian--or Vor, as he was also called--was a loud child, while Kvothe tended to a bit quieter. But things went well. Vorian started his training a year before Kvothe's, and finally, when Kvothe's fifth birthday arrived, his began as well.
Schooling Years 5-7
The age of five came, and with it, lessons. Kvothe's learning began as it does for all young Mythics: with the basic classes that one would expect from at the beginning of a child's schooling. Of course, knowledge is everything for the Mythics, and so the classes were a bit accelerated, and progressed at a faster pace. And, as a Force-sensitive, his learning also included being taught to touch and manipulate Mythos, much like the way Younglings are taught to touch and wield the Force. Kvothe performed well enough. He grabbed on to some things--such as histories--better than others, as everyone does, but he was a fairly well-rounded student. Of course, even as he was learning these things, his parents raised him as a Rilan, teaching him their language and their ways. And, when the time came, they would teach him how to use powers that he held by right of his Rilan blood, but that would come later.
Kvothe also started to make some friends during this time. That had been a bit of a surprise to him. He knew that his eyes changed colors based on his mood, and he'd expected that some of the others would make fun of him for it, or be put off. But no, the Mythics loved and encouraged diversity, and the order was filled with species that were less common elsewhere. And so Kvothe's ever-changing eyes were taken in stride, and all was well.
One who would grow to be one of Kvothe's best and most reliable friends was a young Selonian that went by the name of Fides. The two met in a new class they were both in, where they would start to learn about Etherium, the naturally-occurring substance on Aiaru that was one of the main pillars of the order. It was after class, and they both found themselves talking to each other about how strange the instructor--an old Rishii who wasn't right in the head by many accounts, though he knew his stuff--was. The conversation went on and turned to other subjects, and before they knew it, they were fast friends.
All in all, it was a good time in Kvothe's life. He and Vorian got on well enough, though their relationship was a bit strained in the way that relationships between siblings can be. Perhaps it was because of the way that the two were developing such different personalities. Kvothe was quiet, and tended to keep to himself, except for when he was with his friends, and he was always respectful and level-headed. Vorian, on the other hand, was loud and brash, and his excellent performance in his lessons was starting to lead to him developing bit of an ego. Or perhaps it would have been better if almost everything Kvothe did wasn't put up for comparison against what Vor did. And it seemed like Vorian was better than Kvothe at everything, and everyone--save his parents--felt the need always say things along the lines of "Oh you're good, but if you could be just a little more like Vorian..." It started to become a point of mild frustration for Kvothe, and it would only get worse as time went on.
A Vision Years 8-10
Kvothe's training stepped up a bit shortly after he reached the age of eight, and started heading more in the direction that it would go in his teenage years. The young Rilan's classes continued to advance along as normal, of course, and his training in Mythos use and manipulation turned to slightly more advanced applications. He also learned how to use the Flare power, which is really just a basic Mythos ability that's used to make light. Of course, he also started to learn some basic things about combat. He liked that. A lot. And so he practiced more, and as he practiced more, he got better. Of course, Fides wasn't too fond to it. Oh, the Selonian would probably grow to be decent enough at it, but even at his young age, he knew he wanted to be a member of The Light's Guide, and a healer, if he could. And as such, he didn't really care too much for the whole fighting thing. But Kvothe did, and started to think that he could perhaps be a Battle Mythic one day. Of course, that was a long ways off, but a kid could dream.
Shortly after he turned nine, Uriel and Etain started to teach him about the powers that he possessed as a Rilan. He had the ability to heal others, though not through the Force as the Jedi did--or Mythos rather, being a Mythic and all. Rilan healing was done using one's own life energy, and while it could be a powerful tool to allies, it would also present a danger to Kvothe. The more he healed, the weaker he would become, and obviously, the weaker he became the more danger he would be in. Kvothe also learned about his ability to use telepathy and Mind Speaking, two more Rilan abilities. Telepathy was what one would imagine, including the ability to read the thoughts of others, though he was told that reading others' thoughts was not something to be done lightly. Mind speaking was, as the name implies, the ability to communicate mind-to-mind with others. He would be taught to use these abilities as he grew and learned, just as he would be taught anything else in his studies.
But they also taught Kvothe and Vorian more than just the the abilities that the Rilans possessed. They told them of their history, and of their culture. They learned the Rilan language, and were told stories of the conflict between the War Lords and the Feanturi that was devastating their world. Uriel and Etain taught the boys all they that could so that they could better understand who they were as Rilans, and where they'd come from. Kvothe enjoyed these lessons, and found the things that his parents taught him very interesting. As the years passed, both he and Vorian would grow to be able to speak the Rilan language quite well--fluently even--and they'd often have conversations with each other in the language for practice, or with one of their parents.
Finally, Kvothe's tenth birthday came. It was a special thing for a number of reasons. For one, his studies would soon pick up quite a bit as he entered the more intensive phase of learning during his teen years. But more importantly, his parents decided that he was old enough to be told what his true name was and mature enough to know that it would have to stay a secret. And so they took him and Vorian--for even though they'd felt Vorian had been ready for some time, they decided to wait until they could tell both of the boys at the same time--on the night of his tenth birthday and had a talk with them. They explained to the brothers the importance of a true name, and that it was something that would have to remain an absolute secret from all save their family. That is because the Rilan believed there was power to be had in a name, and dangerous things could happen if it fell to the hands of an enemy. That is why they used different names for day-to-day use. But when the talk was over, the brothers were told their names that the priestess had found for them years ago: Ishar for Kvothe, and Typhos for Vorian.
And then it happened. It was an event that would stick with--and haunt--Kvothe and Vorian for the rest of their lives. Etain suddenly went stiff, as she did when a vision came upon her. Kvothe and Vorian moved to help her, but Uriel motioned for them to leave her be; there was nothing to do but wait when the visions took her. A few moments later, Etain returned to herself, and started to weep to herself. When Vorian asked what was wrong, she looked up, and her eyes were a pale grey of despair. What's more, there was something different to them than their usual warmness and cheer; they were... haunted, like she'd seen something terrible. It was then that she told them what she'd seen. One of them would die at the hand of another. She couldn't say who would be the one to die, but one of them surely would.
For a long while, the only sound in the room was the sound of her weeping. Kvothe and Vorian could only stare at each other in shock. Surely, it couldn't be true. Could it? Certainly, they'd had their disagreements, and they probably would as the years went on, but for one of them to kill the other one? Etain must have seen incorrectly, or misinterpreted the vision. But had a vision ever been wrong? It was very disconcerting, to say the least. After a while of silence, Uriel sighed and told them that the matter was something best kept among them. Kvothe asked Uriel if it was possible for a vision to be wrong. After pondering in silence for a while, Uriel looked his son in the eyes and told him he didn't know. But they couldn't let hang on it. They'd just keep on moving like they had before this had happened. If the vision was true, then there wasn't anything that could be done to stop it. It was a somber end to what was supposed to have been good day for Kvothe. And though they would try to look past what their mother had said, it would always linger on in the back of his and his brother's minds.
Etain became very ill over the next few days, and not even the vast knowledge and abilities at the disposal of the Mythics could do anything to heal it. Physically, she was fine. There wasn't anything that could be found that pointed to what was wrong with her. But, as the days went by, her conditioned worsened, and things finally reached the point where Kvothe, Vor, and Uriel knew that her death was imminent. And then it happened. A few days later, it happened. She slipped away to the next life as Helios rose over The Tower at the start of a new day. Her loss hit the family hard, and the ominous warning she'd given a few weeks earlier only served to add to the shadows that surrounded Etain's death. They took her to Alethea to be buried, and she was laid to rest in a field outside of The Tower. For someone's who's life had been going so relatively well, the turn of events frightened Kvothe. But he knew, in his ten year old mind that there was nothing else he could do but keep moving forward. And so, after a period of mourning for the loss of his mother, that's exactly what he did.
New Horizons Years 11-14
Time rolled on, and Kvothe found himself preparing to move on to some of the more advanced classes. He was entering the final leg of the first phase of his tutelage. The next phase would involve focusing much more heavily in learning in for the caste of the Mythics he would want to be a part of. Kvothe was still fairly set on being a Battle Mythic, so once he completed the first phase, he'd be trained much more heavily in the ways of combat and the various ways that Mythos use would pertain to that. Of course, he could switch to training with another caste if he found that the one he chose wasn't for him--it was something that happened often enough--but that'd set him back a bit. Of course, for once he had the advantage of having Vor as his older brother, as Vorian wanted to do the same. Though, Vorian sometimes spoke of one day joining the mysterious ranks of the Blood Mythics. But, given the number of Blood Mythics in fairly high-ranking positions in the military forces of the Mythics, the beginning of the training for the two groups was remarkably similar. But for once, Kvothe was jealous of his brother, rather than irritated. Vorian got to do things that were so much more interesting, and he even got to spar regularly as part of his combat training! It wouldn't be much of an understatement to say that Kvothe's desire to get to the part of training that Vor was in pushed him to perform as best he could for the final end of his classes, and he did well; though not as well as Vorian did, obviously.
Finally, the time had come. Kvothe would begin the training that would ultimately lead him to join the ranks of the Battle Mythics. It was a proud moment for him.
The first major change that Kvothe noticed that he had was increased freedom. Of course, this would come in steps as he got progressively older, but he was not nearly as limited in moving about the tower as he pleased as he had been when he was younger. It was nice. The next thing was that he got to start using Etherium--the substance that Mythics used and trained with for increased clarity of mind. That too was nice. As the years went by he would start develop the telltale buildup of tapetum lucidum, which causes one's pupils to 'glow' with reflected light.
As Kvothe expected, the thing that he liked the most about his new level of tutelage was the new lessons. His lessons with Mythos started to focus more on actual applications he could use in battle, and he found that he had quite the gift for using telekinesis, if not much else--though he showed some promise with protection. Manipulating things came easily to him, and with time, he'd grow to be very good at it. He had hoped that would finally be what he needed to best Vorian at something, but alas, it was not. Vorian, was, of course, better than he was at it, if just barely. But the area Vorian really shined in was in telepathy--not the Rilan kind, though more on that in a bit--and the use of Mythos to manipulate the mind. It was an area Kvothe wasn't really showing much promise in, at least with regards to using telepathy through Mythos.
Of course, there was also the combat training. It was focused on a wide berth of subjects at first, from fighting with a staff to fighting with a blade to fighting unarmed(and with Mythos, obviously). Kvothe loved it. His favorite instruction was learning how to fight with a weapon in hand--particularly a sword or a staff--and he looked forward to those lessons more than anything else. He fought hard and learned fast for his age, and gained the respect of a number of his peers through sparring sessions. He didn't win every match, of course; no one did that(except Vorian, or at least he seemed to), but he won often enough to be counted as one of the 'good' ones.
Now, Kvothe's academic lessons didn't stop during this time. Far from it, actually. Often times, when he wasn't learning about wielding Mythos or the best way to break someone's face in, he was learning from one of the many tutors in the Tower. The subjects varied here, but his continuing studies were well rounded. One aspect that he was rather interested in was about the cultures of other places and groups in the galaxies. He even tried looking up things about the Rilans, but his attempts were unsuccessful. But though the lessons continued, the amount of time they took up was much less than it had been before, as his area of learning was much more fighting oriented. Even so, it wouldn't do for the Mythics to have a bunch of stupid warriors running around.
Kvothe's father would also continue to teach the two brothers about the powers they possessed as Rilans when he could, since the brothers' schedule often left them quite busy, and Uriel had things to do around the Tower himself. One thing that he focused on for them--particularly Kvothe, since he wasn't very skilled at using Mythos-based telepathy--was how to shield their minds from intrusions from outsiders, and to hide it behind layers of protection to keep things that should be hidden hidden. He also continued taught the two about Rilan healing, and they would grow to be decent enough at it. Mind Speaking came easily enough to them, and they were soon able to talk both to each other and to others at will.
For a time, all was well. It even seemed like they'd moved on from Etain's prophecy. But things would not carry on as they were for much longer.
Frustrations Year 15
Time continued to roll on, and Kvothe continued to progress in his training. By this point the bulk of his time was split between training in the weapons yards or practicing his skills with Mythos. He'd often go from sunup to sundown, practicing mythos in the first part of the day, and finishing with sparring and such in the late afternoon and evening. It was a hard schedule, and he'd often end up quite exhausted by the end of the day, but he loved it, and he constantly had to push himself to try to keep up with Vorian. And, as one would expect, such hard work reaped results. Kvothe didn't grab onto everything, but he progressed fairly quickly in the things that he did have a knack for. So as his training continued on, both he and his trainers began to focus more and more on his strengths--though clearly, they didn't leave his weak areas unattended--and he grew in ability quickly because of it.
When he trained with Mythos, most of his lessons were focused on the art of using it to manipulate physical objects in the world around him. These lessons focused on the various forms of Telekinesis: Venta, Levi, Seri, and Terra(which is really more of a specialization than a branch, but more on that in a second). Kvothe had some ability to use all of them, but he showed the most ability in one area, as most tend to do. He showed the most promise in Ventakinesis, or using Mythos to manipulate the air currents around him. Kvothe also showed a great deal of interest in Terrakinesis, a specialization that focused on the use of the other branches of Telekinesis to manipulate objects in the world around the user. It was a skill a Battle Mythic could put to good use, and Kvothe liked it, so he worked at it. Work, of course, brought improvement over time.
Kvothe's favorite times were his times in the practice yards around The Tower. These were, of course, the times when he'd get his combat training and sparring time. It was hard at times, and he'd often have a few bruises at the end of his sparring sessions--though the huge number of healers in The Tower didn't make that much of an issue--but Kvothe loved it. All Battle Mythics were taught the same thing: unarmed fighting, fighting with a staff, and fighting with a blade. Kvothe was merely decent with unarmed fighting, though he was growing to be quite good with a weapon in his hands. The lessons were structured so that they'd receive their instruction from the various instructors, and then they'd have some time to spar, either amongst themselves or with the instructors. As was mentioned earlier, Kvothe was pretty good. He didn't win every round, but he won fairly often, and he gained the respect of a number of his peers through their practice fights.
But through it all, Vorian continued to loom over him. Maybe it had just been Kvothe's bad luck to be born the younger brother of one who, by all accounts was turning out to be some prodigy, but it was so frustrating. Kvothe had hoped that when he started his Battle Mythic training, the countless comparisons to his brother would stop, but nay, they only seemed to grow worse. If he'd thought that it had been bad before, now it was simply terrible. Everyone did it. His instructors, his peers, everyone. The only people that didn't do it were Fides, his Selonian friend, and his father. But it happened so much that he just began to merely reply "I am not Vorian" to anyone that would make any kind of comparisons between him and his brother
Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad, were it not for the fact that Vorian was quite aware of the praise he got, and was growing more and more arrogant by the day. After all, Kvothe knew how strong and how talented his brother was; there were even whispers that Vorian might one day reach the rank of High Elder, though Kvothe thought that was stupid. Yes, the High Elder had to be powerful, as Vorian was, and yes, they had to be smart, as Vorian also was. But more than anything, at least in the way that Kvothe viewed things, they needed to be wise and Vorian was most definitely not wise. And that was where the tensions between Vorian and Kvothe started to grow.
Vorian was, as mentioned, very much aware of his abilities. He was also aware of the way that Kvothe was constantly compared to him, and the way his younger brother constantly pushed himself to try to keep up. A more noble older brother might have tried to lend a hand, but Vorian was not at all noble. The only thing Kvothe's struggles seemed to do was fuel his pride. And so, as Kvothe spent his time trying to scramble to catch up with Vorian, Vorian spent his time swatting down Kvothe. And, though it took a lot for Kvothe to get angry at something, Vorian knew how to get under his skin, and did it quite well.
The practice yards were where the tensions between the brothers would boil over into physical combat; and that may have been for the best, since the two were always under the watchful eye of at least one instructor when they sparred, as all Understudies were. They didn't always spar because one was mad at the other, though that certainly became more the case as time passed. No, since they were only a year apart in age, they were in the same age group, and sometimes they just ended up going against each other. But, as things between them grew more and more strained, Kvothe would often find himself challenging Vorian to a sparring match, though the outcome was always the same: he would lose. Now, his performance against his brother was very inconsistent. Some of his best fights were against were against his brother, and there were a number of times where he came very close to beating Vorian (and those were, without a doubt, the most frustrating losses for him), but other times--especially if Vorian's taunts were able to get to him--he performed terribly, and ended up just getting embarrassed by Vorian. Vorian was the only person that seemed to be able to get under Kvothe's skin so regularly, and he was the only person Kvothe ever performed so poorly against. It irritated him to no end. But Kvothe refused to give in. Vorian was not unbeatable--he'd seen him lose a few times--but he'd have to beat him himself. Kvothe had something to prove. To himself, if no one else.
Things came to a head a few weeks before Kvothe's sixteenth birthday. Vorian had recently completed the making of his staff--something almost all Mythics do in their youth, or relatively early in their time in the Order, for those that join in their later years--and his Kvothe had thought his ego was bad before, it was terrible now. It wasn't blatant, but it was there; the subtle teases at Kvothe about how he didn't have a staff of his own, or in the way he'd often tell of how hard he had to work to make it, things like that. Of course, such behavior wasn't odd for an Understudy that had just completed their staff--they were a point of pride, after all--but it just added to the things that Vorian did to irritate his brother.
It happened that one day, Kvothe was walking through the halls of The Tower with Fides, his Selonian friend from his childhood. Fides was working to become a healer in The Light's Guide, so the two had gone separate ways and didn't get to see each other very often, and Kvothe was just glad to have someone who would listen as he tried to blow off some steam that had been building up. So, as he was going on about the ways Vorian had been incessantly irritating him, the two crossed paths with his brother, who was rather amused by Kvothe's complaining. Vorian told Kvothe that he was welcome to do something about it if he had a problem with him. Kvothe wasn't stupid, and got the challenge in his brother's words, though he hadn't been looking to get into another fight with him that day. But he wouldn't back down, especially not in front of his friend, so the group made their way out to one of the practice yards that wouldn't be occupied by a class.
They arrived in the yard, found and instructor to watch over them, and started preparing for their little bout. Kvothe would fight with a staff, Vorian with sword. The fight began. Vorian had already been taunting Kvothe on the way down to the practice yard, and Kvothe hadn't been in the best of moods to begin with, so he didn't do so good. At least at first. Vorian's taunts continued as he proceeded to embarrass Kvothe, but Kvothe found himself becoming determined not to lose. Not in front of Fides. If he did, he'd never hear the end of it from Vorian. So he fought harder, and for a time, he held his own against Vorian. But then Vorian started to fight harder, and Kvothe couldn't keep up with him. He lost, as usual. That rankled enough in and of itself, but the way Vorian ended the fight threatened to set off a real fight between them. He feinted low, making Kvothe go to block low before he brought his practice blade up and hit Kvothe in the face. Hard. The blades used in the practice yards were dull, obviously, but it still hurt quite a bit when you got hit hard enough. And there was a general unspoken rule of trying to not hit others in the face when sparring. Well, Kvothe was knocked to the ground, the instructor halted the fight, and that was that. He didn't have any serious injury, though his lip was bleeding, but that didn't matter. He was angrier than he'd ever recalled being before. The nerve of his brother! He could have ended the match in a normal fashion, such as his blade held close to Kvothe's neck, rather than hitting him in the face, but he hadn't. And Kvothe had been beaten enough times by his brother to know that hadn't been an accident. In fact, as he pushed himself to his feet, his brother spoke to him, but using their Rilan mind speak ability, rather than speaking aloud. As Kvothe glared at him and his eyes turned the red of anger--with black starting to creep in around the edges--Vorian told him that he should know by now that he'd be stuck living in his shadow, and that he should just stop trying to constantly best him, because it would always only ever end in frustration. Kvothe was too angry to think of response, and for a time, the two just stood there, with Kvothe glaring at his brother and Vorian smirking smugly back. Finally, Kvothe turned and left with Fides. Fides urged Kvothe to be calm and to let it pass, and Kvothe listened, even though at the time, he'd wanted to do little else than break Vorian's face in.
Kvothe made a decision that day. Vorian was right, in one regard. As long as he constantly tried to beat Vorian at the same things that Vorian was good at, he probably would be stuck in his shadow. So Kvothe decided to do something else. He would be everything that Vorian was not. In a way, he already was the opposite of his brother, at least as far as personality went. But Vorian's goals were different than what his would be: Vorian seemed to only be after ways to make himself stronger, and while Kvothe was hardly going to stop training and growing, was that what he wanted? No, what Kvothe would do would be dedicate himself completely to the order, rather than the search for power. He'd also try to keep himself a good distance away from Vorian when possible, just for good measure.
A Bet Year 16
Things continued along at the rate they had been going--with periods of tension between the brothers building up and then erupting before fading away for a while--into Kvothe's sixteenth year. Fortunately, the times where things would come to a boil between them had become less common since the sparring match where Vorian had hit Kvothe in the face. Now, most of their conflicts consisted of shouting matches, though Kvothe would usually back down before things escalated. There were still a few times where he was stubborn and refused to back down, and things ended as they always did. But for the most part things were relatively(compared to some earlier times) stable between the brothers, though Uriel still harbored some concern about the seemingly constant tension between them.
Anyway, it was during Kvothe's sixteenth year that he reached the point that all Understudies look forward to: the point where he was deemed ready to travel as he wished to and from The Tower; after all, it wouldn't do for them to go through all of their training without ever getting out into the real world away from The Tower. Though, 'as he wished' didn't lend to excursions that were as frequent as one would think. He couldn't go out at times when he was supposed to have lessons, and he had lessons quite frequently, so he didn't get to go out much. But, he found time, as all Understudies do. Most of his trips out of the Tower were to Demas, the capital city of Aiaru, which was a short ways away. He could go alone on these, since the Mythics were well respected in the cities of Aiaru, especially Demas, and incidents involving visiting students were rare. Not to mention the fact that he had the whole years-of-combat-training thing and could break things with his mind. Even so, he and Fides would often try to coordinate trips out when possible, and they'd usually have a good time seeing the sights and sounds of the cites of Aiaru.
But while Demas and the other major cities were interesting, the place that drew the most interest from the younger Understudies lay to the south of any major population centers. It was the Culsu Swamp. The Culsu Swamp was, as the name indicates, a swamp. It covered most of the mid-southern region of Eostre, the main continent of Aiaru. And it was within this swamp that many understudies made their staffs. Many of the trees there were old, and the Force was strong there, making them excellent conduits to use for focusing one's powers. Now, obviously, a staff didn't have to be made in the Culsu Swamp, or of wood, for that matter--Vorian's was metal--but many of the students liked doing things that way, and it was a popular place to go about the staff construction process. When the students went out to the Culsu Swamp, they were to be accompanied by a full member of the order, as the Culsu Swamp was vast, and it could be dangerous.
Kvothe decided to start working on his staff in the same way that many Understudies do. See, a staff isn't required for one to complete the training, but they are made by almost everyone in the order, since no one wants to be the loser without a staff. They're often made soon after an Understudy is allowed to move to and from The Tower, and often are the objects of some friendly competitions, as Kvothe's would be. Fides declared to Kvothe one day that he was going to start working on his staff, and Kvothe told his friend that he'd been considering starting on his own. And so the two decided to have a little contest. Each of them bet that they could successfully complete their staff before the other. They didn't bet anything on it, though. It would be a matter of pride, and for the two of them, that was all they needed.
Kvothe headed out with his father to the Culsu Swamp as soon as he could. They arrived at a one of a number of small villages on the edge of it, which acted as checkpoints for Mythics traveling to and from the swamp, and places to get supplies, or even medical treatment if they were needed. After getting some supplies, the two headed out into the swamp. It was Kvothe's first time in the Culsu Swamp, and it was an amazing experience for him. Uriel knew of an area where the Force was particularly strong, making for good staff wood, though it would take a day or two of walking for them to get there. But even as they traveled, Uriel was teaching Kvothe. Teaching him not only about the flora and fauna of the swamp, but how to reach out and feel the life around him. To feel the heartbeat of Aiaru, as he called it. Kvothe loved it. It was good to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the major cities of Aiaru, and even from that of The Tower.
They arrived at the grove after about a day or two of trekking through the swamp. It was of fair size, and the trees within were tall and ancient, and had a sense of grandness to them. Kvothe could feel the Mythos energy within the place, and it wouldn't at all be wrong to say that the young Rilan was awed by the place. Uriel told Kvothe that there were place like this all throughout the swamp; places where the holy energies were manifested and could be felt by those who could touch them. Kvothe began to meditate with the help of some Etherium and soon was led to one of the trees. It was smaller than the rest, though it was still quite large, but that didn't matter. Kvothe knew his staff would come from this tree. Uriel told him to select a branch, and from there he could meditate on it and begin to shape it into a staff. Kvothe did as he was instructed, and a short while later, he had a large branch that he could start working on. From there, he begin to meditate, imbuing the wood with more of the Mythos energies and binding it to himself, so that it would better serve as a focus later on. From there, he started to carve it, shaping it into the form it would have as his staff, rather than just merely being a branch. The endeavor took a few days, and he and his father set up camp on a patch of dry land in the grove. Once it was done, Kvothe began a second round of Etherium-assisted meditation, using techniques his father and tutors had taught him over the years to strengthen the wood and to make it much, much more resilient than it would have been naturally. But finally, the work was done, and Kvothe and Uriel left the swamp to head back to The Tower. Now Kvothe just had to hope that he'd beaten Fides.
He hadn't. But he hadn't lost, either. From what they could gather, the two friends had completed their staves at nearly the same time, and so they both agreed to call it a tie. Fides had gone to the Evus Forest, near the base of the Itzli Mountains. His staff was wood as well, obviously. Still, the newly completed staves were points of pride for both of the understudies, and for a little while, they both had a habit of strutting around with them, as most understudies do upon the completion of their staff construction. Kvothe was happy about his work, and for once, he didn't rightly care if Vorian had completed his first. Vorian even complimented Kvothe on his work, much to the young Rilan's surprise. But it was not a sign that things between the brothers might finally smooth over and get better. No, things were only about to grow much, much worse.
The Gathering Storm Years 17-19
Time passed, and events started to move in the direction that would end up tearing the brothers Algaterra apart. But it would happen slowly, as a result of things done in the dark being brought to light and being mixed into the stream of discontent that flowed between the brothers.
At first, things were as they always were, for the most part. Kvothe started to focus his training on his Terrakinesis abilities more than his melee fighting ones, as he was growing to be quite skilled in that area. In fact, his training took a turn to be more Mythos-focused in general, as he also started focusing more on using protective mythos abilities. That's not to say he forsake his combat training though; it was still a critical part of what he needed to work with, and he still devoted a good amount of time to it, just not as much as he had been in the past. He progressed quickly enough.
Vorian, on the other hand, was starting to become the subject of some scrutiny from a number of people. His lust for power was starting to outgrow his devotion to the Mythics, and he was butting heads more often, with more people than merely Kvothe. Kvothe tried to warn his brother that he was on a dangerous path, but Vorian wouldn't listen to him, instead accusing Kvothe of being jealous, as he always had been. This angered Kvothe, of course, but he took the insult and let it slide; he was starting to realize that he'd never get anywhere by directly challenging Vorian in their arguments, so he tried to avoid it when possible. Uriel also tried to provide a warning voice to Vorian, but he was as about as successful at getting through Vorian's skull as Kvothe had been. All of the warnings from everyone--not merely Kvothe and Vorian--started to become the source of a great deal of frustration to Vorian. As he saw it, they were just trying to stop him from becoming all that he could be, under the ruse of serving their order. That, he would not suffer.
The changing point came one day when Vorian left on a routine trip to Demas. He didn't return. Kvothe was the first to raise a voice of concern about Vorian's prolonged absence, and he and Uriel, along with a few others went to the capital city to see if they could find Vorian, or at least get some idea as to what happened. Their efforts were unsuccessful. They returned to The Tower with no more information than they had left with, and a great deal more concern. Where had Vorian gone? Had something bad happened to him? Was he in danger? And that night, as Kvothe lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the voice came. The little voice of doubt, of fear. No matter what he did to tell himself otherwise, it was there, whispering of betrayal. Of defection. There was group of those that had defected from the order. The Forsaken, as the Mythics called them. They were loved by few and hated by many, and the chances of mercy for one who became a Forsaken were slim to none. What if that was what Vorian did? After all, he'd seemed to have grown rather frustrated with the Mythics as of late. But no. Surely Vorian wouldn't do that. His brother was rash at times, yes, but Kvothe couldn't see him going that far. Could he? Time would tell.
Days rolled into weeks, weeks into months, and still, there was no sign of Vorian to be found. Kvothe continued along his daily routine as best he could and forced himself not to think about it. If Vorian was well, he'd return as soon as he could, and if not... Well, that would be dealt with if needed. Even so, Kvothe often found Uriel pacing around in worry, and could never find the words to try to support his father; as much as it pained him, more and more of him was starting to agree with the voice. And that made him afraid.
Finally, after an absence of almost four months, Vorian returned. He was physically weak, and had received numerous wounds, but he seemed to be alright, all things considered. Kvothe and Uriel were the first to sense him, and they rushed out to meet him. He was taken to the medical wing of The Tower, and left to rest. Vorian's return helped to ease some of Kvothe's doubts. If Vorian came back to The Tower, he couldn't be one of the Forsaken, right? But something had obviously happened. Kvothe would soon find out what.
When he'd had some time to recover, Vorian told his story. He'd been ambushed in Demas, and taken hostage by a group of Forsaken that called themselves Potissimus Egregius Unum, or the Unum for short. There were more of them than he could take on, and they'd poisoned a meal he'd eaten earlier in the day so that his mind was too clouded to fight effectively. So he was captured, and taken to some hidden base of operations in the Itzli mountains. There, he'd been tortured, as they attempted turn him, or get information about The Tower from him. Vorian had resisted, though it had been hard, and found a chance to escape. The journey back was slow and hard, and he almost got captured again on multiple occasions, but he made it. His explanation sufficed for the time being, though he'd have to retell it again in greater detail at a later date. For the time being, everyone--even Kvothe--was glad to have Vorian back.
So, things went back to normal with Vorian back. Kvothe continued his training, as he had been, and Vorian went back to his. The two even got along better, and spats were relatively few and far between. As time passed, any remaining doubts Kvothe had about his brother faded away. All was well.
But all would not remain well.
One day, a little while after he turned eighteen, Kvothe was taking a walk around the outer grounds around The Tower after his training for the day was complete, when Vorian found him. His brother wanted to talk to him privately about something, and so they took a walk back to their quarters. Kvothe noticed that Vorian seemed a bit on edge, though he couldn't figure out why; he didn't say anything about it, though. The reason would soon become apparent. When they arrived, Vorian told Kvothe about what had happened during his time when he'd been held by the Unum. The story that he told everyone else was false; they'd turned him. Kvothe was shocked, clearly, and was a bit stunned that his brother had chosen to reveal such information to him. Vorian told him it was because the leader of the Unum--or at least the one he'd seen--knew about both of them. She knew that Vorian had a brother, and he'd been coerced to tell her about their mother's vision through a number of torture sessions. She'd offered Vorian something that day. In addition to power, and knowledge about things that Mythics couldn't give them, she could give them a way out. A way to escape their mother's foretelling. She'd told Vorian that she'd had her own vision a short while ago, one of two children of Rilia among the Mythics that were set on a path to destroy each other. But, if they joined the Unum, they could escape that. She had foreseen it. That was the reason Vorian joined them. That was the reason he returned to The Tower: to try to make Kvothe see the light and go to join the Unum.
Kvothe, of course, would have none of it. Vorian's offer didn't entice him in the least. Rather, it made him angry. Very angry. Vorian was suggesting the betrayal of the Mythics, an order they'd been in for their entire lives, and for what? Because of some story a Forsaken woman had made up? Kvothe was infuriated. So much so that he launched out with a blast of Mythos at his brother while proclaiming that he was a heretic and would be brought to judgment. Vorian was caught off guard and was forced down, and Kvothe, knowing he'd have to press his advantage to have any hope of beating Vorian, attempted to use the stun ability on his brother to end the fight quickly. But Vorian reacted quickly, and Kvothe's efforts failed. Vorian warned Kvothe that he was starting a fight he couldn't win, but Kvothe would not suffer the words of a heretic, and so the fight began. Even so, Kvothe, fueled by his indignation, had the upper hand at the beginning, to the surprise of both of them. But as it moved on, two things became apparent: first, this battle was playing out in a much more intense fashion than any of their scuffles before, and two, Kvothe couldn't hold up against Vorian for long. The fight dragged on, and Kvothe's upper hand slipped and fell into the usual disadvantage. That was the cause of a good deal of worry on Kvothe's part. His brother was one of the Forsaken now. How far would he take things if he took a firm upper hand in the fight? Apparently pretty far. Vorian was just as mad at Kvothe as Kvothe was at him; after all, here he was, trying to give them both a way out of a seemingly inescapable destiny, and this is how Kvothe reacted? The fight got worse, as the two started flinging various things at each other. Most of them were deftly knocked out of the air, but Vorian surprised Kvothe with a brutal blast of energy that sent his brother into a wall and then to the ground. Kvothe's staff was knocked loose, and he tried to retaliate with a blast of Ventakinesis, but Vorian blocked it before returning his own blast and slamming Kvothe's head into the wall, dazing his younger brother. In a moment of rage, he picked up Kvothe's staff--which had a blade on one end--and prepared to hurl it at Kvothe. If Kvothe wouldn't do what it took to try to escape their fate, then Vorian would just bring that fate and be done with it all. Dazed though he might have been, Kvothe still saw the threat, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it.
How fortunate for him the Uriel arrived when he did.
Uriel didn't do much. There was no blast of energy, no bonds thrown around the brothers to prevent what was about to happen. Just a single word, shouted out in a moment of horror.
"VORIAN!"
Name: Kvothe (k-VOTH 'long o, like in 'row') Algaterra
Race: Rilan
Age: 32 (looks about 25-ish)
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 207 lbs
Birth place: Aiaru/The Tower
Appearance:
Kvothe in his heavy armor. Not my image, though I did color it in. Here's the original and the artist.
Kvothe in his robes. Image drawn by berserker
Kvothe is a little above average height. His hair as a rusty reddish-brown in color, if a bit closer to the red end of the spectrum than the brown (Recent research tells me I could call such hair 'auburn.' Fancy that). He looks younger than he is, due to both the extended lifespan of his species, and the fact that those who are a part of the Mythics tend to live longer than normal for their species. His body is fit and lean, covered from top to bottom in strong, well-defined muscles that've come from years of intense exercises and training in the arts of combat. He is heavier than one might think, due to the heavy bone mass of his species. There's a scar that runs across his face, from just underneath his right eye across the bridge of his nose to end right above his left eye. There are some others across his torso and back, but the one on his face is the only visible one when he's fully clothed. The tattoos on his face are a dark green in color.
Kvothe's eyes are naturally hazel, though they change with his mood in the way that Rilans' eyes are prone to do, if a bit differently than the normal. Orange tends to be the color they turn when he's a bit irritated or wary of someone. Red covers the range of anger that goes from just beyond irritated to the edge of extreme anger. Black is still the color of extreme anger, and not something one would want to see. Grey is still for coldness and despair. A very pale yellow, for fear, often with touches of grey, as it reaches into the depths of horror. A very light blue, often with streaks of green is the color for when he's got a sort of curious interest in something. His eyes turn a brilliant gold when he's feeling resolute and determined about something, or in some other otherwise courageous mood. The various shades of solid green cover the range of good feelings, from happiness to playfulness to the highest heights of joy, and generally, the darker and more vibrant the color, the more pronounced the emotion. Silver often appears in streaks within the green when he's feeling particularly wry or sarcastic, or in some otherwise playful mood. A deep, dark maroon means he's embarrassed in some fashion. Solid purple is, as normal, for love and compassion. Deep blue is as usual, for sorrow.
While Kvothe certainly has need of his armor from time to time as a Sword of Diligence, he's not always in it. When he's not, he's in the robes he wears underneath, which are loose. The body of the robes is dark brown in color, with a band of green near the edges. The sleeves, as well as the area surrounding the collar of his robs, are cream. He wears a cream-colored sash with his robes, and he wears a pair of simple leather boots, rather than the armored ones, and sometimes some plain gloves that cut off at the middle knuckles of his fingers.
His true form, as Rilans tend to have, is a rather interesting sight in the very rare occurrences where one would be able to see it. Great, majestic wings sprout from his back, and they are a brilliant gold with touches of a deep red. At the same time, his skin changes, becoming bronze in tone, and his facial features grow more sharp and angled. Kvothe's aura, for those that can see it, is for the most part, like his wings, a brilliant gold. It too, has streaks of a deep read, though there are often touches of green as well.
Personality:
Perhaps the most notable quality of Kvothe's is his loyalty. He is completely devoted to the Mythics, perhaps even to the point of being a bit naive, or as some others would say, blindness. It's lead to some problems in the past, and is one of the things that lies at the heart of a long a brutal conflict he's had with his brother over the years. But he made the decision long ago that he would serve the Order with all that he had to give, no matter what hard or painful decisions he might have to make in order to do so. He's also very devoted to those he considers his friends, and would only do something to hurt them if he thought it was for the good of the order of Mythics, and even then, it'd be the source of a great deal of anxiety on his part.
On a more personal level, Kvothe can be affable enough, though he tends to be a bit reserved. He's a soft spoken individual, and prefers to keep to himself. He is forgiving to most people, though once someone has made an enemy of him, they often find that it's rather hard to get back into his good graces. And, though he is a gifted fighter, years of living in the shadow of his older brother have left Kvothe with the tendency to doubt his own abilities from time to time. He can, at times, be susceptible to those that attempt to get under his skin while fighting, and it's very nearly brought ruin to him in the past. Of course, some that have tried to do that have succeeded only in weeing him off, so it's a bit of a gamble.
While his loyalty is certainly an asset to the Mythics, it's also been mentioned by some as Kvothe's biggest weakness. He has a deep-seated dislike--a hatred, even--for the Forsaken: those Mythics who have betrayed the order. To him, their betrayal has put them beyond redemption, and the only possible judgment for them can be death. This is doubly true (in part, due to certain events in his life) for the particular Forsaken in the group Potissimus Egregius Unum, the group that has banded together and amassed enough strength to openly challenge the Mythics. This mentality also extends to his older brother, who, in addition to be a fairly high-ranking member of the Unum, has done things Kvothe refuses to forgive him for. For heretics such as him, there can be nothing but death. Some in the order have said, amongst themselves, that if someone could somehow take advantage of the anger and the bitterness that lurks deep within Kvothe's heart, especially towards his brother, there's the possibility that they could cause him a great deal of harm.
Faction: Stellar Mythics
Profession: Sword of Diligence
Rank: First Sword
Mastery Level: Knight
Skills:
Basic Alchemical knowledge
Previous Faction: N/A
Staff Pietas(pictured)- Pietas is Kvothe's staff. He made it when he was a teen, and it's served him well over the years. As is the case for many Mythics, it serves as a focus for his powers, but he's also learned to use it as a rather effective weapon when he has to get up close and personal. It has three little blades on it: two on either side of the head that can be folded into the staff when not ended, and one on the end. His staff is his preferred weapon in melee combat. Due to the way it was imbued with the Force during its construction, in a way similar to what the Matukai do with their wan-shen, it is immune to damage from a lightsaber.
Sword Orcus (pictured)- Orcus is Kvothe's aptly-named blade. He's only had it for a few years, even though he's been fighting with blades for a very long time. He received it upon rising to join the Swords of Diligence. It's a rather ornate thing, but it is every bit as deadly as a more normal looking sword would be, as those who have fallen to it can attest. It, like Pietas, was imbued with the Force on creation, and bonded to him. It also shares Pietas' lightsaber-proof qualities.
Talio- Talio is Kvothe's second sword. It was presented to him on his return to Aiaru from his short tour of the Galaxy. While Orcus is special to him, as it was the gift he received upon joining the ranks of the Swords of Diligence, Kvothe has taken to using Talio a bit more than Orcus, becuase as one can probably imagine just from looking at the two, it's much more practical. It, like Orcus, is wickedly sharp, and is made of phrik. The end of the pommel is made of phrik as well, and the point on it is quite sharp.
Dagger- That handy sidearm for when you need it. Phrik, like Talio. Very useful for throat-slitting. Often coated in Zyphter venom.
Glaive-
Ship: The Masada
Note: None of these pictures belong to me
Armor Link
Languages:
Basic- Fluent
Rilan- Fluent
Namaru (Aiaru's language)- Fluent
Mythos Abilities or practices:
Ventakinesis; sub-specialization in Terrakinesis (has some ability in all the schools, but these two are his strongest by far)
Flare
Specialized Skills:
Telepathy (Racial power, communication only)
Mind Speaking (Racial power, can access Silmorne)
Healing (Racial Power, only works on others, and is dangerous to the user)
Force Wave/Repulse
Projected Fighting
Telekinetic: 8
Telepathic: 4
Body: 5
Sense: 5
Protection: 6
Healing: 3 (doesn't include natural Rilan ability for healing others)
Destruction: 0
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 6
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 6
Leadership: 4
Unarmed: 6
Melee Weapons: 8
Ranged Weapons: 1
Force Attunement: 0
Bio:
Yes, this is long. Too long, I dare say. I didn't set out with the intention to make this huge thing, but this is what's come out. For those of you who may just want a summary, there's a tl;dr summary in the
Marchons, marchons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
~ La Marseillaise
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons
~ La Marseillaise
Beginnings
Years 0-10
A New Beginning Years 0-5
It would perhaps be wise to say that Kvothe's story begins several years before he himself was born. It begins twenty years before then, and on the world of Rilia, rather than Aiaru. It was then that a young Rilan couple, Uriel and Etain, fled the world, guided by a somewhat older woman that went by the name of Alethea. Alethea was a priestess, and had long been a friend of their families. Uriel and Etain knew that they would marry, and desperately wanted to flee the war torn world in the hopes of one day being able to settle down and raise a family of their own in peace. Alethea had lost the last of the family she had some years ago to the fighting, and when Uriel and Etain came to her for assistance in escaping, she agreed to help them in their escape.
Alethea had connections, and she knew there was a man that routinely smuggled those that wanted to escape the harsh rule of the War Lords off-planet. She went to him, and he agreed to take him them away, though he could not stay with them once they had escaped. They had to wait for a few days while preparations were made, but finally, the time arrived. The three were hidden away in large cargo storage containers aboard the smuggler's ship, and were smuggled away to freedom. They fled to Aiaru. It was a fairly remote world, and peaceful. It was also home to the order of the Stellar Mythics. The three settled down in a small town close to The Tower. Uriel and Etain had their wedding, and they thought they'd live out their lives in relative normalcy. But they wouldn't. One thing led to another, and Uriel ended up joining the order of the Stellar Mythics. Of course, he was a Force sensitive, as many Rilan tend to be, and after years of training, rose to become a very respected member of the order. He was an extremely skilled healer, and had learned to use the Force--or Mythos, as the Mythics call it--to heal, in addition to the ability his species possesses. Etain also joined the Order, and she became one of the many that helped to maintain the Mythics' expansive library. It wasn't as glamorous as other things she could have done, but it was where her passion lay. Of course, she would discover later on that she had the ability to have visions of the future, as some of her race do.
Time went on, and the couple was happy. They maintained their relation with Alethea, though she did not join the Mythics herself. They had their first child a year before Kvothe was born. Upon his birth, they took him to Alethea, and she performed the ritual to determine the boy's true name, something of extreme importance in Rilan culture. It was found, though it would remain a closely guarded secret, even from him, until he reached an age where he could understand the importance of it. The name they gave him for day-to-day use was Vorian. About a year later, Kvothe was born. He was put through the same process--his true name, Ishar, found and held secret until he was older--and was given the name Kvothe for normal use.
The early part of Kvothe's life was as normal as one could expect for the life of one born to two Mythics. It was found early on that he--like his brother--had the ability to wield Mythos--the Force--and so he would one day become a Mythic. In fact, it was felt that he had a great deal of potential, and could become quite capable with proper instruction, the beginning of his tutelage would wait until he was older. However, most of the attention went to Vorian. If those that sensed his potential were correct, Vorian would be strong. Very strong. Stronger than they'd seen in a very long while. But that too would have to wait until he was old enough to begin tutelage. For the time being, they were raised as any very young children would be. And from the beginning, some differences were apparent between the two. Vorian--or Vor, as he was also called--was a loud child, while Kvothe tended to a bit quieter. But things went well. Vorian started his training a year before Kvothe's, and finally, when Kvothe's fifth birthday arrived, his began as well.
Schooling Years 5-7
The age of five came, and with it, lessons. Kvothe's learning began as it does for all young Mythics: with the basic classes that one would expect from at the beginning of a child's schooling. Of course, knowledge is everything for the Mythics, and so the classes were a bit accelerated, and progressed at a faster pace. And, as a Force-sensitive, his learning also included being taught to touch and manipulate Mythos, much like the way Younglings are taught to touch and wield the Force. Kvothe performed well enough. He grabbed on to some things--such as histories--better than others, as everyone does, but he was a fairly well-rounded student. Of course, even as he was learning these things, his parents raised him as a Rilan, teaching him their language and their ways. And, when the time came, they would teach him how to use powers that he held by right of his Rilan blood, but that would come later.
Kvothe also started to make some friends during this time. That had been a bit of a surprise to him. He knew that his eyes changed colors based on his mood, and he'd expected that some of the others would make fun of him for it, or be put off. But no, the Mythics loved and encouraged diversity, and the order was filled with species that were less common elsewhere. And so Kvothe's ever-changing eyes were taken in stride, and all was well.
One who would grow to be one of Kvothe's best and most reliable friends was a young Selonian that went by the name of Fides. The two met in a new class they were both in, where they would start to learn about Etherium, the naturally-occurring substance on Aiaru that was one of the main pillars of the order. It was after class, and they both found themselves talking to each other about how strange the instructor--an old Rishii who wasn't right in the head by many accounts, though he knew his stuff--was. The conversation went on and turned to other subjects, and before they knew it, they were fast friends.
All in all, it was a good time in Kvothe's life. He and Vorian got on well enough, though their relationship was a bit strained in the way that relationships between siblings can be. Perhaps it was because of the way that the two were developing such different personalities. Kvothe was quiet, and tended to keep to himself, except for when he was with his friends, and he was always respectful and level-headed. Vorian, on the other hand, was loud and brash, and his excellent performance in his lessons was starting to lead to him developing bit of an ego. Or perhaps it would have been better if almost everything Kvothe did wasn't put up for comparison against what Vor did. And it seemed like Vorian was better than Kvothe at everything, and everyone--save his parents--felt the need always say things along the lines of "Oh you're good, but if you could be just a little more like Vorian..." It started to become a point of mild frustration for Kvothe, and it would only get worse as time went on.
A Vision Years 8-10
Kvothe's training stepped up a bit shortly after he reached the age of eight, and started heading more in the direction that it would go in his teenage years. The young Rilan's classes continued to advance along as normal, of course, and his training in Mythos use and manipulation turned to slightly more advanced applications. He also learned how to use the Flare power, which is really just a basic Mythos ability that's used to make light. Of course, he also started to learn some basic things about combat. He liked that. A lot. And so he practiced more, and as he practiced more, he got better. Of course, Fides wasn't too fond to it. Oh, the Selonian would probably grow to be decent enough at it, but even at his young age, he knew he wanted to be a member of The Light's Guide, and a healer, if he could. And as such, he didn't really care too much for the whole fighting thing. But Kvothe did, and started to think that he could perhaps be a Battle Mythic one day. Of course, that was a long ways off, but a kid could dream.
Shortly after he turned nine, Uriel and Etain started to teach him about the powers that he possessed as a Rilan. He had the ability to heal others, though not through the Force as the Jedi did--or Mythos rather, being a Mythic and all. Rilan healing was done using one's own life energy, and while it could be a powerful tool to allies, it would also present a danger to Kvothe. The more he healed, the weaker he would become, and obviously, the weaker he became the more danger he would be in. Kvothe also learned about his ability to use telepathy and Mind Speaking, two more Rilan abilities. Telepathy was what one would imagine, including the ability to read the thoughts of others, though he was told that reading others' thoughts was not something to be done lightly. Mind speaking was, as the name implies, the ability to communicate mind-to-mind with others. He would be taught to use these abilities as he grew and learned, just as he would be taught anything else in his studies.
But they also taught Kvothe and Vorian more than just the the abilities that the Rilans possessed. They told them of their history, and of their culture. They learned the Rilan language, and were told stories of the conflict between the War Lords and the Feanturi that was devastating their world. Uriel and Etain taught the boys all they that could so that they could better understand who they were as Rilans, and where they'd come from. Kvothe enjoyed these lessons, and found the things that his parents taught him very interesting. As the years passed, both he and Vorian would grow to be able to speak the Rilan language quite well--fluently even--and they'd often have conversations with each other in the language for practice, or with one of their parents.
Finally, Kvothe's tenth birthday came. It was a special thing for a number of reasons. For one, his studies would soon pick up quite a bit as he entered the more intensive phase of learning during his teen years. But more importantly, his parents decided that he was old enough to be told what his true name was and mature enough to know that it would have to stay a secret. And so they took him and Vorian--for even though they'd felt Vorian had been ready for some time, they decided to wait until they could tell both of the boys at the same time--on the night of his tenth birthday and had a talk with them. They explained to the brothers the importance of a true name, and that it was something that would have to remain an absolute secret from all save their family. That is because the Rilan believed there was power to be had in a name, and dangerous things could happen if it fell to the hands of an enemy. That is why they used different names for day-to-day use. But when the talk was over, the brothers were told their names that the priestess had found for them years ago: Ishar for Kvothe, and Typhos for Vorian.
And then it happened. It was an event that would stick with--and haunt--Kvothe and Vorian for the rest of their lives. Etain suddenly went stiff, as she did when a vision came upon her. Kvothe and Vorian moved to help her, but Uriel motioned for them to leave her be; there was nothing to do but wait when the visions took her. A few moments later, Etain returned to herself, and started to weep to herself. When Vorian asked what was wrong, she looked up, and her eyes were a pale grey of despair. What's more, there was something different to them than their usual warmness and cheer; they were... haunted, like she'd seen something terrible. It was then that she told them what she'd seen. One of them would die at the hand of another. She couldn't say who would be the one to die, but one of them surely would.
For a long while, the only sound in the room was the sound of her weeping. Kvothe and Vorian could only stare at each other in shock. Surely, it couldn't be true. Could it? Certainly, they'd had their disagreements, and they probably would as the years went on, but for one of them to kill the other one? Etain must have seen incorrectly, or misinterpreted the vision. But had a vision ever been wrong? It was very disconcerting, to say the least. After a while of silence, Uriel sighed and told them that the matter was something best kept among them. Kvothe asked Uriel if it was possible for a vision to be wrong. After pondering in silence for a while, Uriel looked his son in the eyes and told him he didn't know. But they couldn't let hang on it. They'd just keep on moving like they had before this had happened. If the vision was true, then there wasn't anything that could be done to stop it. It was a somber end to what was supposed to have been good day for Kvothe. And though they would try to look past what their mother had said, it would always linger on in the back of his and his brother's minds.
Etain became very ill over the next few days, and not even the vast knowledge and abilities at the disposal of the Mythics could do anything to heal it. Physically, she was fine. There wasn't anything that could be found that pointed to what was wrong with her. But, as the days went by, her conditioned worsened, and things finally reached the point where Kvothe, Vor, and Uriel knew that her death was imminent. And then it happened. A few days later, it happened. She slipped away to the next life as Helios rose over The Tower at the start of a new day. Her loss hit the family hard, and the ominous warning she'd given a few weeks earlier only served to add to the shadows that surrounded Etain's death. They took her to Alethea to be buried, and she was laid to rest in a field outside of The Tower. For someone's who's life had been going so relatively well, the turn of events frightened Kvothe. But he knew, in his ten year old mind that there was nothing else he could do but keep moving forward. And so, after a period of mourning for the loss of his mother, that's exactly what he did.
The Brothers Algaterra
Years 11-20
New Horizons Years 11-14
Time rolled on, and Kvothe found himself preparing to move on to some of the more advanced classes. He was entering the final leg of the first phase of his tutelage. The next phase would involve focusing much more heavily in learning in for the caste of the Mythics he would want to be a part of. Kvothe was still fairly set on being a Battle Mythic, so once he completed the first phase, he'd be trained much more heavily in the ways of combat and the various ways that Mythos use would pertain to that. Of course, he could switch to training with another caste if he found that the one he chose wasn't for him--it was something that happened often enough--but that'd set him back a bit. Of course, for once he had the advantage of having Vor as his older brother, as Vorian wanted to do the same. Though, Vorian sometimes spoke of one day joining the mysterious ranks of the Blood Mythics. But, given the number of Blood Mythics in fairly high-ranking positions in the military forces of the Mythics, the beginning of the training for the two groups was remarkably similar. But for once, Kvothe was jealous of his brother, rather than irritated. Vorian got to do things that were so much more interesting, and he even got to spar regularly as part of his combat training! It wouldn't be much of an understatement to say that Kvothe's desire to get to the part of training that Vor was in pushed him to perform as best he could for the final end of his classes, and he did well; though not as well as Vorian did, obviously.
Finally, the time had come. Kvothe would begin the training that would ultimately lead him to join the ranks of the Battle Mythics. It was a proud moment for him.
The first major change that Kvothe noticed that he had was increased freedom. Of course, this would come in steps as he got progressively older, but he was not nearly as limited in moving about the tower as he pleased as he had been when he was younger. It was nice. The next thing was that he got to start using Etherium--the substance that Mythics used and trained with for increased clarity of mind. That too was nice. As the years went by he would start develop the telltale buildup of tapetum lucidum, which causes one's pupils to 'glow' with reflected light.
As Kvothe expected, the thing that he liked the most about his new level of tutelage was the new lessons. His lessons with Mythos started to focus more on actual applications he could use in battle, and he found that he had quite the gift for using telekinesis, if not much else--though he showed some promise with protection. Manipulating things came easily to him, and with time, he'd grow to be very good at it. He had hoped that would finally be what he needed to best Vorian at something, but alas, it was not. Vorian, was, of course, better than he was at it, if just barely. But the area Vorian really shined in was in telepathy--not the Rilan kind, though more on that in a bit--and the use of Mythos to manipulate the mind. It was an area Kvothe wasn't really showing much promise in, at least with regards to using telepathy through Mythos.
Of course, there was also the combat training. It was focused on a wide berth of subjects at first, from fighting with a staff to fighting with a blade to fighting unarmed(and with Mythos, obviously). Kvothe loved it. His favorite instruction was learning how to fight with a weapon in hand--particularly a sword or a staff--and he looked forward to those lessons more than anything else. He fought hard and learned fast for his age, and gained the respect of a number of his peers through sparring sessions. He didn't win every match, of course; no one did that(except Vorian, or at least he seemed to), but he won often enough to be counted as one of the 'good' ones.
Now, Kvothe's academic lessons didn't stop during this time. Far from it, actually. Often times, when he wasn't learning about wielding Mythos or the best way to break someone's face in, he was learning from one of the many tutors in the Tower. The subjects varied here, but his continuing studies were well rounded. One aspect that he was rather interested in was about the cultures of other places and groups in the galaxies. He even tried looking up things about the Rilans, but his attempts were unsuccessful. But though the lessons continued, the amount of time they took up was much less than it had been before, as his area of learning was much more fighting oriented. Even so, it wouldn't do for the Mythics to have a bunch of stupid warriors running around.
Kvothe's father would also continue to teach the two brothers about the powers they possessed as Rilans when he could, since the brothers' schedule often left them quite busy, and Uriel had things to do around the Tower himself. One thing that he focused on for them--particularly Kvothe, since he wasn't very skilled at using Mythos-based telepathy--was how to shield their minds from intrusions from outsiders, and to hide it behind layers of protection to keep things that should be hidden hidden. He also continued taught the two about Rilan healing, and they would grow to be decent enough at it. Mind Speaking came easily enough to them, and they were soon able to talk both to each other and to others at will.
For a time, all was well. It even seemed like they'd moved on from Etain's prophecy. But things would not carry on as they were for much longer.
Frustrations Year 15
Time continued to roll on, and Kvothe continued to progress in his training. By this point the bulk of his time was split between training in the weapons yards or practicing his skills with Mythos. He'd often go from sunup to sundown, practicing mythos in the first part of the day, and finishing with sparring and such in the late afternoon and evening. It was a hard schedule, and he'd often end up quite exhausted by the end of the day, but he loved it, and he constantly had to push himself to try to keep up with Vorian. And, as one would expect, such hard work reaped results. Kvothe didn't grab onto everything, but he progressed fairly quickly in the things that he did have a knack for. So as his training continued on, both he and his trainers began to focus more and more on his strengths--though clearly, they didn't leave his weak areas unattended--and he grew in ability quickly because of it.
When he trained with Mythos, most of his lessons were focused on the art of using it to manipulate physical objects in the world around him. These lessons focused on the various forms of Telekinesis: Venta, Levi, Seri, and Terra(which is really more of a specialization than a branch, but more on that in a second). Kvothe had some ability to use all of them, but he showed the most ability in one area, as most tend to do. He showed the most promise in Ventakinesis, or using Mythos to manipulate the air currents around him. Kvothe also showed a great deal of interest in Terrakinesis, a specialization that focused on the use of the other branches of Telekinesis to manipulate objects in the world around the user. It was a skill a Battle Mythic could put to good use, and Kvothe liked it, so he worked at it. Work, of course, brought improvement over time.
Kvothe's favorite times were his times in the practice yards around The Tower. These were, of course, the times when he'd get his combat training and sparring time. It was hard at times, and he'd often have a few bruises at the end of his sparring sessions--though the huge number of healers in The Tower didn't make that much of an issue--but Kvothe loved it. All Battle Mythics were taught the same thing: unarmed fighting, fighting with a staff, and fighting with a blade. Kvothe was merely decent with unarmed fighting, though he was growing to be quite good with a weapon in his hands. The lessons were structured so that they'd receive their instruction from the various instructors, and then they'd have some time to spar, either amongst themselves or with the instructors. As was mentioned earlier, Kvothe was pretty good. He didn't win every round, but he won fairly often, and he gained the respect of a number of his peers through their practice fights.
But through it all, Vorian continued to loom over him. Maybe it had just been Kvothe's bad luck to be born the younger brother of one who, by all accounts was turning out to be some prodigy, but it was so frustrating. Kvothe had hoped that when he started his Battle Mythic training, the countless comparisons to his brother would stop, but nay, they only seemed to grow worse. If he'd thought that it had been bad before, now it was simply terrible. Everyone did it. His instructors, his peers, everyone. The only people that didn't do it were Fides, his Selonian friend, and his father. But it happened so much that he just began to merely reply "I am not Vorian" to anyone that would make any kind of comparisons between him and his brother
Perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad, were it not for the fact that Vorian was quite aware of the praise he got, and was growing more and more arrogant by the day. After all, Kvothe knew how strong and how talented his brother was; there were even whispers that Vorian might one day reach the rank of High Elder, though Kvothe thought that was stupid. Yes, the High Elder had to be powerful, as Vorian was, and yes, they had to be smart, as Vorian also was. But more than anything, at least in the way that Kvothe viewed things, they needed to be wise and Vorian was most definitely not wise. And that was where the tensions between Vorian and Kvothe started to grow.
Vorian was, as mentioned, very much aware of his abilities. He was also aware of the way that Kvothe was constantly compared to him, and the way his younger brother constantly pushed himself to try to keep up. A more noble older brother might have tried to lend a hand, but Vorian was not at all noble. The only thing Kvothe's struggles seemed to do was fuel his pride. And so, as Kvothe spent his time trying to scramble to catch up with Vorian, Vorian spent his time swatting down Kvothe. And, though it took a lot for Kvothe to get angry at something, Vorian knew how to get under his skin, and did it quite well.
The practice yards were where the tensions between the brothers would boil over into physical combat; and that may have been for the best, since the two were always under the watchful eye of at least one instructor when they sparred, as all Understudies were. They didn't always spar because one was mad at the other, though that certainly became more the case as time passed. No, since they were only a year apart in age, they were in the same age group, and sometimes they just ended up going against each other. But, as things between them grew more and more strained, Kvothe would often find himself challenging Vorian to a sparring match, though the outcome was always the same: he would lose. Now, his performance against his brother was very inconsistent. Some of his best fights were against were against his brother, and there were a number of times where he came very close to beating Vorian (and those were, without a doubt, the most frustrating losses for him), but other times--especially if Vorian's taunts were able to get to him--he performed terribly, and ended up just getting embarrassed by Vorian. Vorian was the only person that seemed to be able to get under Kvothe's skin so regularly, and he was the only person Kvothe ever performed so poorly against. It irritated him to no end. But Kvothe refused to give in. Vorian was not unbeatable--he'd seen him lose a few times--but he'd have to beat him himself. Kvothe had something to prove. To himself, if no one else.
Things came to a head a few weeks before Kvothe's sixteenth birthday. Vorian had recently completed the making of his staff--something almost all Mythics do in their youth, or relatively early in their time in the Order, for those that join in their later years--and his Kvothe had thought his ego was bad before, it was terrible now. It wasn't blatant, but it was there; the subtle teases at Kvothe about how he didn't have a staff of his own, or in the way he'd often tell of how hard he had to work to make it, things like that. Of course, such behavior wasn't odd for an Understudy that had just completed their staff--they were a point of pride, after all--but it just added to the things that Vorian did to irritate his brother.
It happened that one day, Kvothe was walking through the halls of The Tower with Fides, his Selonian friend from his childhood. Fides was working to become a healer in The Light's Guide, so the two had gone separate ways and didn't get to see each other very often, and Kvothe was just glad to have someone who would listen as he tried to blow off some steam that had been building up. So, as he was going on about the ways Vorian had been incessantly irritating him, the two crossed paths with his brother, who was rather amused by Kvothe's complaining. Vorian told Kvothe that he was welcome to do something about it if he had a problem with him. Kvothe wasn't stupid, and got the challenge in his brother's words, though he hadn't been looking to get into another fight with him that day. But he wouldn't back down, especially not in front of his friend, so the group made their way out to one of the practice yards that wouldn't be occupied by a class.
They arrived in the yard, found and instructor to watch over them, and started preparing for their little bout. Kvothe would fight with a staff, Vorian with sword. The fight began. Vorian had already been taunting Kvothe on the way down to the practice yard, and Kvothe hadn't been in the best of moods to begin with, so he didn't do so good. At least at first. Vorian's taunts continued as he proceeded to embarrass Kvothe, but Kvothe found himself becoming determined not to lose. Not in front of Fides. If he did, he'd never hear the end of it from Vorian. So he fought harder, and for a time, he held his own against Vorian. But then Vorian started to fight harder, and Kvothe couldn't keep up with him. He lost, as usual. That rankled enough in and of itself, but the way Vorian ended the fight threatened to set off a real fight between them. He feinted low, making Kvothe go to block low before he brought his practice blade up and hit Kvothe in the face. Hard. The blades used in the practice yards were dull, obviously, but it still hurt quite a bit when you got hit hard enough. And there was a general unspoken rule of trying to not hit others in the face when sparring. Well, Kvothe was knocked to the ground, the instructor halted the fight, and that was that. He didn't have any serious injury, though his lip was bleeding, but that didn't matter. He was angrier than he'd ever recalled being before. The nerve of his brother! He could have ended the match in a normal fashion, such as his blade held close to Kvothe's neck, rather than hitting him in the face, but he hadn't. And Kvothe had been beaten enough times by his brother to know that hadn't been an accident. In fact, as he pushed himself to his feet, his brother spoke to him, but using their Rilan mind speak ability, rather than speaking aloud. As Kvothe glared at him and his eyes turned the red of anger--with black starting to creep in around the edges--Vorian told him that he should know by now that he'd be stuck living in his shadow, and that he should just stop trying to constantly best him, because it would always only ever end in frustration. Kvothe was too angry to think of response, and for a time, the two just stood there, with Kvothe glaring at his brother and Vorian smirking smugly back. Finally, Kvothe turned and left with Fides. Fides urged Kvothe to be calm and to let it pass, and Kvothe listened, even though at the time, he'd wanted to do little else than break Vorian's face in.
Kvothe made a decision that day. Vorian was right, in one regard. As long as he constantly tried to beat Vorian at the same things that Vorian was good at, he probably would be stuck in his shadow. So Kvothe decided to do something else. He would be everything that Vorian was not. In a way, he already was the opposite of his brother, at least as far as personality went. But Vorian's goals were different than what his would be: Vorian seemed to only be after ways to make himself stronger, and while Kvothe was hardly going to stop training and growing, was that what he wanted? No, what Kvothe would do would be dedicate himself completely to the order, rather than the search for power. He'd also try to keep himself a good distance away from Vorian when possible, just for good measure.
A Bet Year 16
Things continued along at the rate they had been going--with periods of tension between the brothers building up and then erupting before fading away for a while--into Kvothe's sixteenth year. Fortunately, the times where things would come to a boil between them had become less common since the sparring match where Vorian had hit Kvothe in the face. Now, most of their conflicts consisted of shouting matches, though Kvothe would usually back down before things escalated. There were still a few times where he was stubborn and refused to back down, and things ended as they always did. But for the most part things were relatively(compared to some earlier times) stable between the brothers, though Uriel still harbored some concern about the seemingly constant tension between them.
Anyway, it was during Kvothe's sixteenth year that he reached the point that all Understudies look forward to: the point where he was deemed ready to travel as he wished to and from The Tower; after all, it wouldn't do for them to go through all of their training without ever getting out into the real world away from The Tower. Though, 'as he wished' didn't lend to excursions that were as frequent as one would think. He couldn't go out at times when he was supposed to have lessons, and he had lessons quite frequently, so he didn't get to go out much. But, he found time, as all Understudies do. Most of his trips out of the Tower were to Demas, the capital city of Aiaru, which was a short ways away. He could go alone on these, since the Mythics were well respected in the cities of Aiaru, especially Demas, and incidents involving visiting students were rare. Not to mention the fact that he had the whole years-of-combat-training thing and could break things with his mind. Even so, he and Fides would often try to coordinate trips out when possible, and they'd usually have a good time seeing the sights and sounds of the cites of Aiaru.
But while Demas and the other major cities were interesting, the place that drew the most interest from the younger Understudies lay to the south of any major population centers. It was the Culsu Swamp. The Culsu Swamp was, as the name indicates, a swamp. It covered most of the mid-southern region of Eostre, the main continent of Aiaru. And it was within this swamp that many understudies made their staffs. Many of the trees there were old, and the Force was strong there, making them excellent conduits to use for focusing one's powers. Now, obviously, a staff didn't have to be made in the Culsu Swamp, or of wood, for that matter--Vorian's was metal--but many of the students liked doing things that way, and it was a popular place to go about the staff construction process. When the students went out to the Culsu Swamp, they were to be accompanied by a full member of the order, as the Culsu Swamp was vast, and it could be dangerous.
Kvothe decided to start working on his staff in the same way that many Understudies do. See, a staff isn't required for one to complete the training, but they are made by almost everyone in the order, since no one wants to be the loser without a staff. They're often made soon after an Understudy is allowed to move to and from The Tower, and often are the objects of some friendly competitions, as Kvothe's would be. Fides declared to Kvothe one day that he was going to start working on his staff, and Kvothe told his friend that he'd been considering starting on his own. And so the two decided to have a little contest. Each of them bet that they could successfully complete their staff before the other. They didn't bet anything on it, though. It would be a matter of pride, and for the two of them, that was all they needed.
Kvothe headed out with his father to the Culsu Swamp as soon as he could. They arrived at a one of a number of small villages on the edge of it, which acted as checkpoints for Mythics traveling to and from the swamp, and places to get supplies, or even medical treatment if they were needed. After getting some supplies, the two headed out into the swamp. It was Kvothe's first time in the Culsu Swamp, and it was an amazing experience for him. Uriel knew of an area where the Force was particularly strong, making for good staff wood, though it would take a day or two of walking for them to get there. But even as they traveled, Uriel was teaching Kvothe. Teaching him not only about the flora and fauna of the swamp, but how to reach out and feel the life around him. To feel the heartbeat of Aiaru, as he called it. Kvothe loved it. It was good to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of the major cities of Aiaru, and even from that of The Tower.
They arrived at the grove after about a day or two of trekking through the swamp. It was of fair size, and the trees within were tall and ancient, and had a sense of grandness to them. Kvothe could feel the Mythos energy within the place, and it wouldn't at all be wrong to say that the young Rilan was awed by the place. Uriel told Kvothe that there were place like this all throughout the swamp; places where the holy energies were manifested and could be felt by those who could touch them. Kvothe began to meditate with the help of some Etherium and soon was led to one of the trees. It was smaller than the rest, though it was still quite large, but that didn't matter. Kvothe knew his staff would come from this tree. Uriel told him to select a branch, and from there he could meditate on it and begin to shape it into a staff. Kvothe did as he was instructed, and a short while later, he had a large branch that he could start working on. From there, he begin to meditate, imbuing the wood with more of the Mythos energies and binding it to himself, so that it would better serve as a focus later on. From there, he started to carve it, shaping it into the form it would have as his staff, rather than just merely being a branch. The endeavor took a few days, and he and his father set up camp on a patch of dry land in the grove. Once it was done, Kvothe began a second round of Etherium-assisted meditation, using techniques his father and tutors had taught him over the years to strengthen the wood and to make it much, much more resilient than it would have been naturally. But finally, the work was done, and Kvothe and Uriel left the swamp to head back to The Tower. Now Kvothe just had to hope that he'd beaten Fides.
He hadn't. But he hadn't lost, either. From what they could gather, the two friends had completed their staves at nearly the same time, and so they both agreed to call it a tie. Fides had gone to the Evus Forest, near the base of the Itzli Mountains. His staff was wood as well, obviously. Still, the newly completed staves were points of pride for both of the understudies, and for a little while, they both had a habit of strutting around with them, as most understudies do upon the completion of their staff construction. Kvothe was happy about his work, and for once, he didn't rightly care if Vorian had completed his first. Vorian even complimented Kvothe on his work, much to the young Rilan's surprise. But it was not a sign that things between the brothers might finally smooth over and get better. No, things were only about to grow much, much worse.
The Gathering Storm Years 17-19
Time passed, and events started to move in the direction that would end up tearing the brothers Algaterra apart. But it would happen slowly, as a result of things done in the dark being brought to light and being mixed into the stream of discontent that flowed between the brothers.
At first, things were as they always were, for the most part. Kvothe started to focus his training on his Terrakinesis abilities more than his melee fighting ones, as he was growing to be quite skilled in that area. In fact, his training took a turn to be more Mythos-focused in general, as he also started focusing more on using protective mythos abilities. That's not to say he forsake his combat training though; it was still a critical part of what he needed to work with, and he still devoted a good amount of time to it, just not as much as he had been in the past. He progressed quickly enough.
Vorian, on the other hand, was starting to become the subject of some scrutiny from a number of people. His lust for power was starting to outgrow his devotion to the Mythics, and he was butting heads more often, with more people than merely Kvothe. Kvothe tried to warn his brother that he was on a dangerous path, but Vorian wouldn't listen to him, instead accusing Kvothe of being jealous, as he always had been. This angered Kvothe, of course, but he took the insult and let it slide; he was starting to realize that he'd never get anywhere by directly challenging Vorian in their arguments, so he tried to avoid it when possible. Uriel also tried to provide a warning voice to Vorian, but he was as about as successful at getting through Vorian's skull as Kvothe had been. All of the warnings from everyone--not merely Kvothe and Vorian--started to become the source of a great deal of frustration to Vorian. As he saw it, they were just trying to stop him from becoming all that he could be, under the ruse of serving their order. That, he would not suffer.
The changing point came one day when Vorian left on a routine trip to Demas. He didn't return. Kvothe was the first to raise a voice of concern about Vorian's prolonged absence, and he and Uriel, along with a few others went to the capital city to see if they could find Vorian, or at least get some idea as to what happened. Their efforts were unsuccessful. They returned to The Tower with no more information than they had left with, and a great deal more concern. Where had Vorian gone? Had something bad happened to him? Was he in danger? And that night, as Kvothe lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the voice came. The little voice of doubt, of fear. No matter what he did to tell himself otherwise, it was there, whispering of betrayal. Of defection. There was group of those that had defected from the order. The Forsaken, as the Mythics called them. They were loved by few and hated by many, and the chances of mercy for one who became a Forsaken were slim to none. What if that was what Vorian did? After all, he'd seemed to have grown rather frustrated with the Mythics as of late. But no. Surely Vorian wouldn't do that. His brother was rash at times, yes, but Kvothe couldn't see him going that far. Could he? Time would tell.
Days rolled into weeks, weeks into months, and still, there was no sign of Vorian to be found. Kvothe continued along his daily routine as best he could and forced himself not to think about it. If Vorian was well, he'd return as soon as he could, and if not... Well, that would be dealt with if needed. Even so, Kvothe often found Uriel pacing around in worry, and could never find the words to try to support his father; as much as it pained him, more and more of him was starting to agree with the voice. And that made him afraid.
Finally, after an absence of almost four months, Vorian returned. He was physically weak, and had received numerous wounds, but he seemed to be alright, all things considered. Kvothe and Uriel were the first to sense him, and they rushed out to meet him. He was taken to the medical wing of The Tower, and left to rest. Vorian's return helped to ease some of Kvothe's doubts. If Vorian came back to The Tower, he couldn't be one of the Forsaken, right? But something had obviously happened. Kvothe would soon find out what.
When he'd had some time to recover, Vorian told his story. He'd been ambushed in Demas, and taken hostage by a group of Forsaken that called themselves Potissimus Egregius Unum, or the Unum for short. There were more of them than he could take on, and they'd poisoned a meal he'd eaten earlier in the day so that his mind was too clouded to fight effectively. So he was captured, and taken to some hidden base of operations in the Itzli mountains. There, he'd been tortured, as they attempted turn him, or get information about The Tower from him. Vorian had resisted, though it had been hard, and found a chance to escape. The journey back was slow and hard, and he almost got captured again on multiple occasions, but he made it. His explanation sufficed for the time being, though he'd have to retell it again in greater detail at a later date. For the time being, everyone--even Kvothe--was glad to have Vorian back.
So, things went back to normal with Vorian back. Kvothe continued his training, as he had been, and Vorian went back to his. The two even got along better, and spats were relatively few and far between. As time passed, any remaining doubts Kvothe had about his brother faded away. All was well.
But all would not remain well.
One day, a little while after he turned eighteen, Kvothe was taking a walk around the outer grounds around The Tower after his training for the day was complete, when Vorian found him. His brother wanted to talk to him privately about something, and so they took a walk back to their quarters. Kvothe noticed that Vorian seemed a bit on edge, though he couldn't figure out why; he didn't say anything about it, though. The reason would soon become apparent. When they arrived, Vorian told Kvothe about what had happened during his time when he'd been held by the Unum. The story that he told everyone else was false; they'd turned him. Kvothe was shocked, clearly, and was a bit stunned that his brother had chosen to reveal such information to him. Vorian told him it was because the leader of the Unum--or at least the one he'd seen--knew about both of them. She knew that Vorian had a brother, and he'd been coerced to tell her about their mother's vision through a number of torture sessions. She'd offered Vorian something that day. In addition to power, and knowledge about things that Mythics couldn't give them, she could give them a way out. A way to escape their mother's foretelling. She'd told Vorian that she'd had her own vision a short while ago, one of two children of Rilia among the Mythics that were set on a path to destroy each other. But, if they joined the Unum, they could escape that. She had foreseen it. That was the reason Vorian joined them. That was the reason he returned to The Tower: to try to make Kvothe see the light and go to join the Unum.
Kvothe, of course, would have none of it. Vorian's offer didn't entice him in the least. Rather, it made him angry. Very angry. Vorian was suggesting the betrayal of the Mythics, an order they'd been in for their entire lives, and for what? Because of some story a Forsaken woman had made up? Kvothe was infuriated. So much so that he launched out with a blast of Mythos at his brother while proclaiming that he was a heretic and would be brought to judgment. Vorian was caught off guard and was forced down, and Kvothe, knowing he'd have to press his advantage to have any hope of beating Vorian, attempted to use the stun ability on his brother to end the fight quickly. But Vorian reacted quickly, and Kvothe's efforts failed. Vorian warned Kvothe that he was starting a fight he couldn't win, but Kvothe would not suffer the words of a heretic, and so the fight began. Even so, Kvothe, fueled by his indignation, had the upper hand at the beginning, to the surprise of both of them. But as it moved on, two things became apparent: first, this battle was playing out in a much more intense fashion than any of their scuffles before, and two, Kvothe couldn't hold up against Vorian for long. The fight dragged on, and Kvothe's upper hand slipped and fell into the usual disadvantage. That was the cause of a good deal of worry on Kvothe's part. His brother was one of the Forsaken now. How far would he take things if he took a firm upper hand in the fight? Apparently pretty far. Vorian was just as mad at Kvothe as Kvothe was at him; after all, here he was, trying to give them both a way out of a seemingly inescapable destiny, and this is how Kvothe reacted? The fight got worse, as the two started flinging various things at each other. Most of them were deftly knocked out of the air, but Vorian surprised Kvothe with a brutal blast of energy that sent his brother into a wall and then to the ground. Kvothe's staff was knocked loose, and he tried to retaliate with a blast of Ventakinesis, but Vorian blocked it before returning his own blast and slamming Kvothe's head into the wall, dazing his younger brother. In a moment of rage, he picked up Kvothe's staff--which had a blade on one end--and prepared to hurl it at Kvothe. If Kvothe wouldn't do what it took to try to escape their fate, then Vorian would just bring that fate and be done with it all. Dazed though he might have been, Kvothe still saw the threat, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it.
How fortunate for him the Uriel arrived when he did.
Uriel didn't do much. There was no blast of energy, no bonds thrown around the brothers to prevent what was about to happen. Just a single word, shouted out in a moment of horror.
"VORIAN!"
