Twilight Driiquar

Common Statistics

True Name: Castiel

Race: Aril-Tel-Quessir (Avariel)

Age: 60

Height: 6'3

Weight: 70 lbs

Hair: Shoulder length silvery hair with long silver feathers intertwined within it.

Skin Tone: Slightly tanned

Skin Texture: Smooth and unlined as any young elf

Eye Color: Silver flecked clear quartz

Accent: Whether he is speaking Common or Elvish Twilight's voice carries an usually sharp ring, almost as if he is use to speaking in higher tones.

Recognizable Features: Twelve feet of silvery feathered wings flare around the young man, often times covered by a cloak but more often than not unbound and free.

Spoken Languages: Draconic, Elven, Avarial, Auran

Left or Right Handed: Right

Deity: Deity: Aerdrie Faenya

“The ever-changing reaches of the sky are the great gift of the Winged Mother. Take flight into her windswept embrace, and gambol amid the clouds. Honor those who dwell with the Aerdrie and cherish the birds dancing on her tresses Change is beautiful and chaos births new life. Ascend, soar, glide, dive, and ascend again and relish in the freedom that the Winged Mother bequeaths”

Class: Wizard

Alignment: Neutral Good

Relatives: The Family Driiquar (Airdance)

Base Ability Scores

Strength (-): 10 (Physical strength comes last in Twilight's list of traits, his muscles are toned and lean and he maintains just enough brute force to manage through life)

Dexterity (-): 18 (Though he lost the grace of a dedicated and highly trained warrior Twilight is still agile and quick, his reflexes stay sharp dealing with the various regents and spellwork his new path requires)

Constitution (-): 10 (Like all Avariel Twilight was quite fragile, his delicate hollow bones afford little protection to brute impact, however years of calisthenics and training has reduced his natural frailty to passable toughness and the time wandering the mist has convinced him to bring even that higher than most other Aril-Tel-Quessir) Intelligence (-): 20 (Although he once lacked the desire for endless hours of scholarly pursuit recent events have swiftly changed his mind, cunning and sharp Twilights mind works with an almost ruthless clarity when needed, a dangerous combination when coupled with his almost single minded determination in the face of disorienting change.)

Wisdom (-): 10 (Wisdom comes with age, but the ability to read people and judge well can be learned at any time, Twilight may not be the most sensitive person around but he functions as well as any normal person who fare with passable skills of perception)

Charisma (-): 10 (All of The People are beautiful, and Twilight is no exception, tall and beautiful his most striking asset are his wings, at a wingspan of nearly twelve feet the silvery white feathers shine on him, especially in moonlight, laid back and clever Twilight tends to be a people person, well as much as any of the Winged elves are.)

General Character Information

Appearance: Standing at 6,3 Twilight is tall, not unheard of but above the norm for Avariel, A head of long silvery hair also makes the young elf stand out, With sharp angular features, and an almost fierce hawk like expression Twilight would seem more strikingly handsome than the usual softer beauty of the elven kind. His large silvery white wings tend to glimmer in the light. His eyes are an unusual shade of silver flecked light gray, almost like a clear crystal. At first glance, everything about him screams light and airy, a direct contrast to his darker companion. But the longer one watches the two the more they seem to meld together, as though the straddle the line somewhere in between light and dark .

Personality: In a nutshell Twilight is calm, and cheerful, loving and ruthless, joyous and serious, he is a a playful if overall good fellow with a fierce protective love for Eclipse.

Relationships

Eclipse Xilokerym: Eclipse is young arrogant foul mouthed and the only reason Twilight smiles these days. Although they started off rocky the pair had become close friends and learned to depend on each other. even so their relationship had been strained until only recently, when the pair found out with just a little help from their new friends, the underlying feelings that have always been present.

Isiolia NightStar: A young and beautiful Moon Elf that Twilight has only just meet, she is quirky and seems to dwell in a state of perpetual amusement, Despite being a mage with a penchent for fire Twilight still enjoys her presense and will always be thankful for her insight into Eclipse and himself

Alabyran Halandar: A strange unknown elf that seems to spend much time in the company of Isiolia. He to took a part in opening the eyes of the two Avarial lovers.

Character History and Background

Character Background and history:

The Journal of Warrior Driiquar,, The Twilight Phoenix

Perhaps before I began a little background knowledge would help, My name is Twilight Driiquar, however I am known as Twilight Phoenix. The first is a name I took once I reached the age of majority, the second is one I kept from my childhood days. I cherish my family name though I do not use it unless it is of great importance. Of all my new acquaintances only Eclipse knows it. Again I’m sidetracked, its how I’ve been lately, especially when I think of him, its rather disconcerting and very confusing but that will have to wait. Eclipse and I are Aril-Tel-Quessir, The Winged Elves, Avariel we have been dubbed in the common tongue. I do not know if you know much about us, we seem to be rare in this world so close to the earth, almost mythical. Im not sure how to feel about that, obviously we exist, but at the same time I understand, we prefer to remain above all that goes on under the skies, that mentality is dangerous I think, for it has been proven time and again ignorance is weakness.

But I digress, this is not the story of my life, at least not yet. This is the story of how my truest friend and I came to a dark and closed place, a city the humans name Yulash. It is a tale rift with terror and surprises, good and bad. It began a week before The Dance of Swirling Winds…

It was the hour before sunset, the clouds had decided to release their burden, and cold drops of rain fell in what seemed to be a never-ending deluge. I both loved and hated the rain. It drenched my wings, made my feathers heavy and flying almost impossible. But I also welcomed it. You see I’m a competitor and the water was my advisory, the sheer struggle of trying to fly with soggy plumage was exhilarating. My lungs burned and my wings beat the air furiously, I couldn’t gain much altitude, but that was fine I was only flying between the mountains of the settlement. The mountains, they were quite a sight, they were massive. They hide us from the human dwellings below us, the human city, Sundabar its called. When we had free time Eclipse and I use to fly down the mountain pass and travel to the city, we kept our wings hidden under thick cloaks, of course this meant we were restricted to going in fall and winter, and even then we had to make most of the trip on foot, so we didn’t do it often. Feeling particularly energetic I tilted up and shifted my flight feathers. My wings thumped loudly as I strained against the rain, I soon tired but refused to give up, eventually I managed to angle myself enough to cut the drag and rose inches up. satisfied with the minor victory I wheeled around and returned to the settlement.

Exhausted but pleased with myself I returned to my room to dry off and take a very much desired nap, at least that had been the plan, on my way to the barracks I got caught up in the training field, a circular clearing in the Aerie. A striking young warrior was there, I recognized him because no one else at the settlement had wings as dark as his, pure black. Eclipse he has called himself, I remember he just reached majority not to long ago, he was an amusing young elf, he seems to take everything I say as a direct challenge. I couldn’t help but grin as I changed course and made my way over to him he was practicing his forms. I have to give it to him, he may not pick up the disciplines as easily as I do, but he gives each and every one he does learn a great deal of attention, not that I’m a slacker, I simply don’t have to try as hard. My decision is made even as I step into the clearing, as quiet as a mouse I remove a practice glassteel spear from the rack, I practice with the spear now even though I wont truly need it for decades yet, there is a style the masters learn and only the masters.

It is called Desert wind, the skilled who study it can create flames from their will and steel alone. Naturally it is not commonly taught here, but it is necessary for the greater mastery of our art. So I study now in hopes of one day I will be worthy enough to be the few who are taught once they reach a masters level.
The spear was very well crafted to be a practice weapon, nicely balanced. I spun it once before spreading my wings and leaping into the air, my shadow alerted him to my attack and he spun, sweeping his rapier up to parry my strike, it was a excellent defense, I spun with the momentum of the parry and dropped to the ground, legs split between me as I thrust the spear at his practice pad. I could only grin at the irritated glare that flashed across his face before he used his shield to deflect the thrust. Before I could retaliate he stepped in my guard and swing his rapier at my arm, I recognized the move as a feint and suspected he attempted to disarm my by piercing my hand, my grin only widened, I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. I leaned back and swung my legs up, kicking into a circle before spinning on one hand and flipping to my feet. The spear glittered in the morning sun as I spun it between us, his raven black hair swirled around his face and his beautiful black wings spread in preparation.

“Your looking good today Stud.” I remembered my words as if I had said them yesterday, I said them tauntingly but I meant them as well, he was entirely unique, completely opposite of me and different from the other Warriors in the Aerie. He fascinated me. We continued circling each other for another two minutes before he came at me in a furious wave of shimmering glassteel, I fended with both ends of my spear, another reason I like the weapon. It seemed for each strike I parry or evade he returns with two more, He fights smart and I was loosing ground, but his attacks were getting repetitive. I waited for the pause in his attack sequence, at first opening I stepped inside his guard and spun the spear, the smooth wood knocked his arms wide and allowed me to press closer to him, our faces were barely an inch apart, his large sapphire eyes blinked once at my trademark grin, and I winked before hooking my leg behind his and twisting, We both feel but I retained control of the drop, I braced my arms and fell on top of him, the spear digging into the dirt above him holding off the hand with the rapier while my free hand pressed the shield down. He struggled for awhile before realizing I won. My voice was slightly breathy when I spoke but I made sure it held all the amusement and fun I had in the match “I win Stud.” I couldn’t help but smile as I watched him, my infuriatingly nickname works wonders on him. His cheeks turn a deep red and I quickly released him, its all fun and games but I think I angered him greatly. I smiled and flexed my wing muscles, I make sure to keep my grin friendly as I tried to diffuse the tension in the air. “That was fun though, we should do it again” Before he could gather himself for a retort I snapped my wings down and took to the air.

I flew for the rest of the day. My reverie was shadowed by doubts and something more, I couldn’t pinpoint it but I had a feeling it had to do with Eclipse. Plagued with a sense of unease I slipped out of my reverie and decided to go for an early morning flight, it was fortunate I did, I caught site of a pair of shimmering dark wings about a mile off, no one else at the camp has wings like those, my eyes as sharp as any normal eagles picked out the knapsack slung around his waist. Where was he going? He knew as well as I that The Dance of Swirling Winds was only hours away, preparations had been going on for weeks. I tilted my wings and caught an updraft, rising above the cloud line, I intended to follow him.

We flew for quite some time. I knew we should turn around but he seemed so carefree. All Avariel are graceful in the sky, it is our home, but he seemed to draw strength from his flight, against my better judgment I left him alone, content to remain above and behind him until we arrived at our destination. Lost in my own musings as we flew I failed to notice the signs of danger, no birds were in the air, the sky was completely silent, it was when I noticed a slight shimmering in the air that I understood what was wrong, I willed Eclipse too turn with all my heart, thank the gods he did, my hands flashed through Avariel sign with a speed that astounded even me. My warning came to late and my eyes widened in horror as the invisibility spell fell when the wyvern opened its mouth and engulfed Eclipse in a cloud of burning flames. I barely had time to glance over the Skymage before I folded my wings and spiraled into the fastest dive of my life. My wings protested at the painful jolt they took as I swooped under Eclipse, his weight was slight but I had to adjust for his wings, the charred feathers seemed to weigh more, this was not the time to be focusing on his pain, a roar above us brought me back to my full attention, my wings beat furiously as I took in our situation, We were tired, one was to wounded to fly and a Zhentarum Skymage had the upper ground, I tilted sideways to catch a updraft, I had to gain altitude and quickly, as long as we were under the Skymage we were vulnerable to not only the wyvern but the mages magic.

Im was not sure how long we flew, I was exhausted, but we both knew that if I faltered we would die. Yet we also knew if I continued as is I would drop from the sky, already I could feel my wing muscles begin to cramp. I conceded to land after a particularly rough wind stream, Eclipse was in pain after all. I chose a fairly shadowed copse near a wood, the landing was awkward but the best we could hope for in our current states. Eclipse was weak and when I set him down he fell against me, this worried me but I pushed it aside, he was strong, he would survive. I stroked his hair and whispered into his ear, all to aware of the shadow the Skymage casted above us. ““I need you to hide in the bushes right over there, as soon as the Skymage is busy with me sneak away to the west, not far is a town I saw, maybe three miles or so” He tried to interrupt as I knew he would but we did not have to time, I cut him off as he began and pulled him into a quick hug “don’t worry about me Stud, ill meet up with you when I can. Just stay safe until I come and find you” We both knew this was a lie, I wouldn’t survive, but we could hope. I pushed him towards the bush and loosened the glassteel spear from between my wings, I would be ready.

We didn’t have to wait long, I picked this copse for a reason, it was far to small for the wyvern to land in. But the Skymage was a power unto himself, he ordered the wyvern to stay above him and floated gently to the ground, I felt a flash of pity for the creature, even though the Avariel and Draconic races hold no love for each other hovering takes a great amount of energy and can be very tiring. My attention was drawn back to the Skymage when he took a single step forward, by all rights he was so silent I shouldn’t have noticed him, but I did, he was oozing a dark seductive charm. His clothing was impeccable, shadowed robes stretched over a broad chest and even broader shoulders, a human in his mid twenties if I am any judge..(which I am not). His voice was slightly melodious, enticing when he spoke. “Hmm, where is your little girlfriend? We saw you land with her, but she isn’t here now. What a shame. . .” the Skymage’s words may have been apologetic but his toned was full of amusement. His words, his carelessness at nearly destroying my friend infuriated me, It was a fury beyond rage, clear and cold it was precise. My voice was laced with a cold venom and a slight hint of pain. "He died sadly, I landed to bury his body, care to give me the time Skymage?” I only had to distract him, keep him occupied until Eclipse escaped “Tsk, a shame.” Again his words held no truth in them “Im surprised that he was a he actually. So are you two-”
There is only so much one man can take, and I had had my fill of the serpent. “Does it really matter Mage? He’s dead. So your prey isn’t here anymore. Why don’t you go away.” The Mage only smiled “That’s not a nice thing to say, and now it seems I caught something larger then I bargained for. Your wings will be of much more use to me I think, and after I may just keep you as well. The ‘boy’ I most likely would have killed. After realizing his gender of course. But no, you’ll be a good slave for me” I drew the spear and spun it once, the time for words has long passed, I lunged at the Mage, shifting the spear towards his heart, I should have known it would be useless, Skymages weren’t made in a day, they were all at least passable Mages before they trained their Wyverns. The shadowed figure gestured and the spear shattered in my hands, my gloves kept the worst of the shards from piercing my skin, I ducked and drew my rapier, in truth it was my favorite weapon, I took a moment to study the Mage, he sat there with a slightly amused grin, I took longer than normal but it paid off, I launched into a spin and struck low, executing the Saphire Nightmare blade technique, I did not expect it to do any better than the first but I was not fighting to win, only to stall for time. As I thought the mage sidestepped, almost as if he knew where I would strike before I did. Lazily, as if he were tormenting me he raised a wand I wasn’t even aware he had and softly spoke a word, the world went dark as a globe of pure darkness surrounded me. I knew this spell, I studied it, and I would use it to my advantage, I felt the ebbs of the world around me,.I studied this, the darkness was supernatural but it helped me, I ducked behind a tree in the corpse and pulled the shadows around me, using the darkness as cover I leaped into the sky. My wings beat the air furiously as I erupted from the cloud, the shadows slipped away, I gained altitude quickly and was dozens of feet above the Wyvern by the time the Mage seen me, I glanced back just in time to see the Mage levitating into the wyverns saddle, he seemed untroubled by my trick, and I understood why, the Wyverns were powerful fliers, with great stamina. I did the only thing I could do. I turned and fled.

We flew for hours, I used every trick I ever learned and some I didn’t. I always made sure to fly with the wind and force the beast to fly against it, I milked every thermal and updraft, flying as high as I dared, my lungs were strong and my body small, the beast was tiring, flying against the primal forces and drawing the thin air in its massive lungs, every now and then the mage would throw a lightning bolt or volley of rays and beams at me, I dodged them all easily so I suppose he was toying with me, I retaliated with my own volley of darts and the like, I wished I could use a bow but its awkward in the air. As quickly as the beast tired I was faltering myself, exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me, the sky darkened and I was unsure if it was the time or simply me. I was aware enough to know we were over a body of water. I was tired and the wind was beginning to pick up, it was so strong, so powerful it awoke something in me, and then I knew. The Dance of Swirling Winds had begun, the time we worship The Winged Mother. The knowledge that my kin elsewhere were celebrating and paying homage gave me new strength, not enough though, As I dived towards the water the mage released another bolt of lightning, one I could not dodge, the lightning struck me squarely in the back and my wings crumpled as my body went numb, The world went dark as I plummeted towards the water. My thoughts turned to Eclipse and I hoped to the goddess he made it to the city, his wings would be exotic but someone would help him. I hoped.

Ill end my story there, suffice it to say I am not dead, I washed up on the shore of what looked like a beach, I wasn’t sure I’ve only read about them, I’ve been doing odd jobs for now, trying to gather gold and knowledge, I need to know what city Eclipse is in. A cloak hides my wings and a hood my face, I am just another elf here. But my time is long and just beginning, Ill find him.

After:

True to his words Twilight did find Eclipse. The days passed as the pair settled in Yulash, After the encounter with the skymage Twilight was sure Magic must defeat magic,and so the warrior set down his rapier and took to his prayers and books, the path of the warrior closed and the path of the scholarly Priest opened up. And if perhaps a tome or two of arcane lore slipped int he did not complain.

Once his mind is set his task would be completed, though he allotted small stretches of time to meet remarkable people such as the Elven Lady Isolia or the strange yet wise human Haladar. Even so so engaged in his studies Twilight did not take into account his direction in life. His strong emotions for his darker counterpart pushed him further away from the young elf even as it fueled his determination. Even stranger was the path he chose. He found himself studying Arcane lore almost if not more then he immersed himself in the teachings of The Winged Mother. Eclipse began to venture out more and more, Twilight trusting in the young elves companions remained detached in his studies. At such a point he was so engaged that he missed the happenings around Yulash, the war and battles held no interest to the elf. As most Aril-Tel-Quessir he distanced himself in favor of his purpose, a practice they had mastered more than any other of the People.

Suffice it to say it was a surprise when Twilight found himself accosted during his escape of the city. While he acknowledged his own declining skill in combat he was confident enough he can outmatch or evade whatever came after him. What he did not anticipate was an incorporeal and all encompassing opponent such as mist. Swift and athletic neither flight of foot nor wings allowed Twilight to escape. So he trudged on. Occasionally he spent bouts of time on foot in an attempt to outrun the mist, other times he spent hours simply gliding through it, careful to follow the road and avoid any trees. It was not long before the young elf lost track of time. Just when he began to wonder if he had subtly entered the Fugue Plane the mist parted and he emerged upon a hilltop, a dark dank place overlooking what looked like a settlement recently under siege. Annoyed, curious, and slightly worried the elf slipped his cloak over his wings and made his way to the gates, sharp eagle like eyes roaming over the settlement of Mistriven.

It did not take Twilight long to determine the atmosphere in Mistriven, not only was it hostile to Magic of any kind but he was once again displaced without a clue to where Eclipse was...his folly was only just beginning to dawn on him. The single minded task of ensuring he was capable of protecting both him and his counterpart had consumed him to the point that he lost track of the younger Avariel altogether. The mist was a catalyst but was it really the objects fault? Why would Mother allow that to happen? After the Zhentarum, the strange new location and albeit he may have been deaf to most of it, the struggle of conflict, why would she take him now? The question thoroughly baffled twilight nearly as much as it enraged him. Though the need to pay homage to The Winged Mother was so ingrained into his persons that even the sheer pain, confusion, and sense of betrayal could not keep him from turning from her Twilight did distance himself from his Goddess, and thus the majority of her gifts. Severally disoriented, in pain, and weakened the young elf did what he could around the refugee town, all the while centered upon locating his other.