Post by Lyrian Zel on Sept 16, 2021 15:08:37 GMT
LYRIAN ZEL
Languages - Common, Elder Common, Thieves' Cants, High Sylvic, Low Sylvic, High Durish
Aliases - The Raven King, The Bloodhound King, High King of Overna, Ashevall, the Stray Feather of Skuen, The Bloodhound, Babau,
Aliases - The Raven King, The Bloodhound King, High King of Overna, Ashevall, the Stray Feather of Skuen, The Bloodhound, Babau,
Class(es) - Assassin, Mystic
Racial Ability - Instinct
Race - Human, partially Elvish
Gender - Male
Racial Ability - Instinct
Race - Human, partially Elvish
Gender - Male
Height - 6'1
Weight - 178 lbs
Age - 67
Age - 67
(BELIEFS)
Never let it be said that honor is all-encompassing. Protecting the people you are vowed to shield from harm is widely regarded as honorable but the fact you needed to stab someone in their sleep is not. To Lyrian Zel honor comes to those that make the best out of the results of death and deceit.
Honor is not golden medal nor is it titles and land. Honor cannot feed you nor can it lead for you. But in all of his years, Lyrian has come to understand that honor is one of the keys to power, both internal and external, the other being resource and wisdom. An honorable man has more power in his words and strength in his vows. When Lyrian Zel says he promises safety, you are safe. When he promises death, there will be death. When Lyrian Zel lies, you will never know it.
Never let it be said that honor is all-encompassing. Protecting the people you are vowed to shield from harm is widely regarded as honorable but the fact you needed to stab someone in their sleep is not. To Lyrian Zel honor comes to those that make the best out of the results of death and deceit.
Honor is not golden medal nor is it titles and land. Honor cannot feed you nor can it lead for you. But in all of his years, Lyrian has come to understand that honor is one of the keys to power, both internal and external, the other being resource and wisdom. An honorable man has more power in his words and strength in his vows. When Lyrian Zel says he promises safety, you are safe. When he promises death, there will be death. When Lyrian Zel lies, you will never know it.
(PROFESSION)
Many know him purely as the High King and only has High King. He has served over the Unified Kingdom for over 40 years and 32 of those years as High King, during which time many have been born and many have died. The older humans of the world, and among them, only those with a reason to know it, can remember a time when he was only the former King's Bloodhound, a profession only thought to be legend by those with no reason to know it.
The Bloodhound's job was simple. If the King wanted someone dead, the Bloodhound will sniff them out and then snuff them out. The Bloodhound was officially a singular man that worked alone though there will be people working for him unofficially. They worked in shadows, with no badge and no identification. They had to dodge the law just as much as any criminal would. Everything they did was done with no formal permission or legal backing, but it was the order of the King, and that was reason enough to risk it, though often times the King would have High Inquisitors to pull strings for the hound.
The Bloodhound also did espionage if the King saw it fit. He is, in essence, also the King's Spymaster. He is a murderer, a thief, a spy, a criminal and everything else in between. Lyrian Zel, then Lyrian Skuen, was a Bloodhound, and was one of the best Bloodhounds in the history of Bloodhounds. When the King wanted someone dead, they would be found dead by an unfortunate accident, found killed by robbers, found eaten by wild beasts or not found at all.
Lyrian Skuen had never failed the King except for one time. When the King asked that Lyrian give him the mercy of death from his illness, Lyrian refused. The King had died slowly losing his memory and mind, barely remembering the faces of his own daughters until he couldn't at all. He barely remembered how to breathe until he couldn't at all.
In his will, he would propose that Lyrian Skuen marry his eldest daughter and having died without birthing a son, Lyrian Skuen, now Lyrian Zel, was heir to the throne.
(PERSONALITY)
Many know him purely as the High King and only has High King. He has served over the Unified Kingdom for over 40 years and 32 of those years as High King, during which time many have been born and many have died. The older humans of the world, and among them, only those with a reason to know it, can remember a time when he was only the former King's Bloodhound, a profession only thought to be legend by those with no reason to know it.
The Bloodhound's job was simple. If the King wanted someone dead, the Bloodhound will sniff them out and then snuff them out. The Bloodhound was officially a singular man that worked alone though there will be people working for him unofficially. They worked in shadows, with no badge and no identification. They had to dodge the law just as much as any criminal would. Everything they did was done with no formal permission or legal backing, but it was the order of the King, and that was reason enough to risk it, though often times the King would have High Inquisitors to pull strings for the hound.
The Bloodhound also did espionage if the King saw it fit. He is, in essence, also the King's Spymaster. He is a murderer, a thief, a spy, a criminal and everything else in between. Lyrian Zel, then Lyrian Skuen, was a Bloodhound, and was one of the best Bloodhounds in the history of Bloodhounds. When the King wanted someone dead, they would be found dead by an unfortunate accident, found killed by robbers, found eaten by wild beasts or not found at all.
Lyrian Skuen had never failed the King except for one time. When the King asked that Lyrian give him the mercy of death from his illness, Lyrian refused. The King had died slowly losing his memory and mind, barely remembering the faces of his own daughters until he couldn't at all. He barely remembered how to breathe until he couldn't at all.
In his will, he would propose that Lyrian Skuen marry his eldest daughter and having died without birthing a son, Lyrian Skuen, now Lyrian Zel, was heir to the throne.
(PERSONALITY)
Lyrian Zel is a King that rarely smiles even to his family, even on his happiest of days for him and his people. His voice sounds like sturdy oak bending until its on the edge of breaking and remaining there until he stops to take a breath. People say that listening to him speak feels like you're on the edge of the world, sitting on a tree swing of wood and the moment he begins speaking you feel the stress of your weight on your rusty swing.
In spite of the gravitas that comes with being King and being Lyrian, many favor his rule. Perhaps if the people had known he was a ruthless assassin before he became King, they would not be so trusting, but the vast majority don't. If there was one thing that Lyrian Zel throughout his years as a Cutthroat Nobleman, it was to listen. Listen to counsel, listen to pleas and listen to your enemies.
Calculated and cold as he may be, no one has ever called Lyrian Zel a tyrant or a weak ruler. Just and fair, as death is to everyone. Lyrian Zel is an inscrutable King, however, and it makes the skeptics skeptical. Lyrian has not called for a changing of the status quo in all his years - he's maintained a fine balance but the foundation has change very little. Corrupt Lords, while made example of during his time, will still abuse the common folk after it.
Lyrian Zel is regarded with caution as a cautious man. Decisive when it comes to conflict but slow when it comes to change. He is a good king, a wise king and one respected by the nobility and the commoners alike, out of love, if need be, out of fear. And when Lyrian Zel gives you a true reason to fear, you will fear him like you've feared nothing else in this world.
All in all, when Lyrian Zel smiles at you, you have either done something outstanding, or you'll be dead before you've reached your next birthday. Rarely has he ever smiled at his children and he has never smiled for Kyron. When it comes to family, he is rarely ever there, supporting them only from afar, save for his wife.
His feelings for his bastard is complicated. He was not unfaithful but many see it as a stain upon his honor, yet it is honor that binds him to the bastard. His opinion of Kyron is less complex though just as difficult to deal with. He is fond of his little games, all of the assassins he's tried to send, all of the schemes he tries to hide - as much as he is proud of the boy, he is in equal measure reminded constantly of all of the disappointments.
His assassins are often one of three. There are exceptions but the norm is that they fall into three types of people. The Half-Baked: people that thought they could kill a king but were obviously wrong. They get caught by the guards and arrive at his chambers already beaten half to death and disarmed. The Professionals: people that can actually kill a King, just not Lyrian Zel. These arrive to him whole but leave broken in more ways than one. Finally, there are old friends: people that can keep up with Lyrian Zel, perhaps even kill them, but most know better than to try.
More often than not, these assassins serve as his spies, willingly or unwillingly. He knows well enough that Kyron sends them but they're more useful to him than a detriment. Though, he'd be lying if that was the main reason he allows Kyron to continue on sending them. When an assassin comes to his palace, Lyrian Zel smiles.
Assassination, the art of death, is the most beautiful art to Lyrian Zel. He likes killing but not by armies. Not by execution. He does not get pleasure from death but more over the extension of his skills, the drama that comes with being an assassin. If Lyrian Zel truly was a religious man, killing was his baptism, his confession, his penance and his anointment.
Yet, there are many enemies he refrains from killing, either from emotional attachment or the fact that they're more useful alive. An assassin is not only about killing, it is about dancing from partner to partner in a great ballroom before sliding your dagger between the ribs of your partner. Lyrian Zel has not tried to kill Kyron because he is his son, and because he strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. If he wanted to, it wouldn't matter if no one would ever believe that the charitable son of the King would ever try to hurt him, cause no one would know the King was ever involved, or so Lyrian Zel thinks.
Admittedly, much of his pride lies in Kyron. He sees many of his qualities in his son. As a father, he is proud, but as a man, he wouldn't mourn over his son's dead body if it were to reveal himself to him.
(SKILLS & ABILITIES)
MASTER ASSASSIN (Skill, Deep Magic) - When it comes to the art of assassination, there is few that can parallel Lyrian Zel. He's been practicing the art since he was but a child, religious in its craft. So much so that he had reached a level of enlightenment with each death, eventually culminating in the blooming of his Prowess, turning his skills into magic in their own right. He could run across rooftops without making a noise before it, but now he was untraceable. Even the sharpest of hearing could not hear him landing from a jump - all sounds from him could be muted. Scent, as well, even bloodhounds could not catch a whiff of him. In darkness, he was said to be able to become near invisible, with Prowess, he really is.
His weapons are said to become poisoned when it comes into is hand. Any wound he inflicts are always profuse, even the nicks, and were difficult to heal. Blood comes gushing out like a flood from even a graze on the finger, causing a man to bleed out before the next thirty minutes is done. Armor often couldn't withstand him with his blades often ripping through metal and steel, sometimes even high steel, with ease. And he was fast, very fast, said in inner circles to be able to kick open a door, dash across the room and slit the throats of three armed men before they could even blink, and those inner circles are underestimating him.
But an being an assassin, as said before, isn't just about the kill. His power shines through in the dance, as well. He's able to read emotions extremely well, with light influence, with fear being his strongest. He has a less hands-on form of projection, one that mixes with his Instinct, gifting him an extreme level of spacial awareness, said to be able to feel the footsteps of another Assassin from several rooms away, feel their heart pounding in their chest.
He has mastered the covert ways of an Assassin but his overt abilities while still memorable, are lacking in comparison. He knows of many ways to disguise himself to the point where not even his family would be able to recognize him as Lyrian Zel and forge papers and even carve out the stamps of Lordly families with a dagger on seals, but there is little magic to the craft. He cannot change his face on the switch of a dime nor replicate the voice of another man instantly nor deform his body upon command to become smaller, frailer and less imposing. Still, he is a master of the art, just not as passionate with this particular piece of it.
There are people that may think he has gotten rusty with age, slower, frailer, and if he were to lift a blade again, his arm would snap in half. Those people are often dead. Assassination has given him a level of enlightenment physically and mentally, in a way it is sustenance. It has kept him young, to some extent, and the partial Elven heritage has helped on the other parts. Death can heal the aching of his bones, helps him sleep at night when the stresses of kingship make him toss and turn. It is meditation for him, this gift of his.
LEADERSHIP (Skill) - Leadership of the Kingdom, and sometimes armies melded well with his tactical mind. As a Noble kin of Skuen, he was lectured and taught of what it means to be a Lord. Though he wouldn't lead an army till he was King, Lyrian remembered what he was taught and, as mentioned, listened to counsel. Lyrian didn't have a passion for warfare as he did for assassination, he found little fascination in the hundreds of deaths he would cause, but he practiced it as duty
He eventually became a notable General King, perhaps even a great one, but his wars were won his way. He could crush an army with the size of his but, as mentioned, Lyrian Zel is a man for the small details. He preferred playing with political drama, gaining allies and ripping the opponents of theirs. There is a personality in it, Lyrian enjoys the game.
But leadership isn't just about warfare. When it comes to leading his council, Lyrian Zel is stern and hands-on. He personally reads every report and will not accept omitted or ignored information from lack of foresight or loyalty, not without good reason, and he will appraise them personally and frequently. If there is a problem, chances are he already knows about it.
Lyrian Zel has connections to unusual people. Once, he brought his personal guard along to an inn far from Overna and greeted a beggar when after another attempt on his life by an Assassin, though that one had gotten away. He then proceeded to the Church to Parem'zel, of which he gifted a curious coin. Why he did this, no one knows. But the beggar was never seen again until rumor caught hold of the beggar having a drink with Lyrian Zel in his office without alerting the guards of his presence whatsoever.
MASTERED INSTINCT (Skill) - When there is danger, Lyrian Zel knows it. When there is foul intent, Lyrian Zel has already dealt with it. An arrow out of the dark caught between his fingers; a room of hidden traps, all evaded without triggering a single one, all without opening his eyes. He can sometimes feel it when a Lord pays an Assassin after him, puts a smile on his face.
His weapons are said to become poisoned when it comes into is hand. Any wound he inflicts are always profuse, even the nicks, and were difficult to heal. Blood comes gushing out like a flood from even a graze on the finger, causing a man to bleed out before the next thirty minutes is done. Armor often couldn't withstand him with his blades often ripping through metal and steel, sometimes even high steel, with ease. And he was fast, very fast, said in inner circles to be able to kick open a door, dash across the room and slit the throats of three armed men before they could even blink, and those inner circles are underestimating him.
But an being an assassin, as said before, isn't just about the kill. His power shines through in the dance, as well. He's able to read emotions extremely well, with light influence, with fear being his strongest. He has a less hands-on form of projection, one that mixes with his Instinct, gifting him an extreme level of spacial awareness, said to be able to feel the footsteps of another Assassin from several rooms away, feel their heart pounding in their chest.
He has mastered the covert ways of an Assassin but his overt abilities while still memorable, are lacking in comparison. He knows of many ways to disguise himself to the point where not even his family would be able to recognize him as Lyrian Zel and forge papers and even carve out the stamps of Lordly families with a dagger on seals, but there is little magic to the craft. He cannot change his face on the switch of a dime nor replicate the voice of another man instantly nor deform his body upon command to become smaller, frailer and less imposing. Still, he is a master of the art, just not as passionate with this particular piece of it.
There are people that may think he has gotten rusty with age, slower, frailer, and if he were to lift a blade again, his arm would snap in half. Those people are often dead. Assassination has given him a level of enlightenment physically and mentally, in a way it is sustenance. It has kept him young, to some extent, and the partial Elven heritage has helped on the other parts. Death can heal the aching of his bones, helps him sleep at night when the stresses of kingship make him toss and turn. It is meditation for him, this gift of his.
LEADERSHIP (Skill) - Leadership of the Kingdom, and sometimes armies melded well with his tactical mind. As a Noble kin of Skuen, he was lectured and taught of what it means to be a Lord. Though he wouldn't lead an army till he was King, Lyrian remembered what he was taught and, as mentioned, listened to counsel. Lyrian didn't have a passion for warfare as he did for assassination, he found little fascination in the hundreds of deaths he would cause, but he practiced it as duty
He eventually became a notable General King, perhaps even a great one, but his wars were won his way. He could crush an army with the size of his but, as mentioned, Lyrian Zel is a man for the small details. He preferred playing with political drama, gaining allies and ripping the opponents of theirs. There is a personality in it, Lyrian enjoys the game.
But leadership isn't just about warfare. When it comes to leading his council, Lyrian Zel is stern and hands-on. He personally reads every report and will not accept omitted or ignored information from lack of foresight or loyalty, not without good reason, and he will appraise them personally and frequently. If there is a problem, chances are he already knows about it.
Lyrian Zel has connections to unusual people. Once, he brought his personal guard along to an inn far from Overna and greeted a beggar when after another attempt on his life by an Assassin, though that one had gotten away. He then proceeded to the Church to Parem'zel, of which he gifted a curious coin. Why he did this, no one knows. But the beggar was never seen again until rumor caught hold of the beggar having a drink with Lyrian Zel in his office without alerting the guards of his presence whatsoever.
MASTERED INSTINCT (Skill) - When there is danger, Lyrian Zel knows it. When there is foul intent, Lyrian Zel has already dealt with it. An arrow out of the dark caught between his fingers; a room of hidden traps, all evaded without triggering a single one, all without opening his eyes. He can sometimes feel it when a Lord pays an Assassin after him, puts a smile on his face.
(INVENTORY)
ROYAL CROWN - The Royal Crown has long been the jewel of Overna. It is very similar to Vudhaism, created by Parem'zel, who mastered all forms of Magic. The crown itself is inhabited by a Spirit Of the Crown, a Spirit for the Crown, who exists of the Crown. Its domain is the crown and those that wear it. It is unknown how this Spirit came to be but Parem'zel had bound the Spirit of the Crown to it, and it molds and bends, grows more powerful with every knew King and Queen as they add to their domain. The Crown holds the power, memories, skills, and wisdom of every past bearer.
Temporarily, Lyrian can call upon the power of the crown to gift him memories of old Kings to retrieve wisdom from, or their tongues to speak languages he cannot or their power and might to win battles he no longer has the strength for. However, doing this may have an adverse affect on his mind and body, such as the old King, who had been thought to have been absorbed into the crown early, but in reality, his mind just couldn't take the stress, and he degraded.
However, six centuries worth of knowledge, skill and strength is an immense repository. Among those Kings and Queens were valiant warriors who had the skill to defeat a hundred men in combat on their own, masters of the arts of magics and professionals of a variety of professions that the current King has no knowledge on. From there, he can pull any knowledge he wished, though he must be careful not to abuse it.
PERSUASION - Persuasion is an ancestral longsword belonging to the House Skuen, gifted to him dishonorably by his sister after he had been given up by the family. Persuasion is made of Mythril and High Steel create a unique balance that allowed the blade to be longer without making it harder to wield. It is an incredibly sharp blade on both the point and the edge and can keep its edge even with run through the worse impacts without a nick or any signs of degradation, and curiously, it doesn't bend like blades are supposed to most times. It can bend, in spite of this, just like any sword, but it simply requires an inhuman amount of force to do so. This quality makes it strong but not brittle - it will not shatter, and it vastly improves its thrust.
Persuasion is primarily a dueling blade for self-defense, style and, as Lyrian had used it, a formidable tool for assassination. It can cut through light armors like nothing and because of it being seemingly inflexible in most duels, can allow the user to simply punch through plate armor with a stab without much effort.
However, the more notable characteristic of Persuasion is that it causes pounding pain, all across the body. It has been made with a persuasive concoction in its steel that causes writhing pain from even small nicks, often impairing an opponent in battle if they are not killed in a single attack.
CLOAK OF GREENWOOD MIST - The Cloak Of Greenwood Mist was once his nurse blanket. He's worn it from infancy to old age and long has it protected him. The Cloak Of Greenwood Mist was created by the Wood Elves whom saw favorably on the rule of the Skuen. It allowed the wearer to create illusions of themselves, replications completely identical, and control them, though more illusions require more focus. He was trained with it ever since he was young and he can create up to 10 without impairing him in anyway. He can also see through these illusions, hear with them, and touch with them, but they cannot affect the world physically.
ROYAL SIGNET RING - With the mark of the Dragon representing the royal family, it is used to make seals, deals and everything else that he'd need to sign.
DAGGERS - He was an Assassin; having daggers is something of a trademark. He has an assortment of them on him, usually two long ones then several short ones for throwing. He has been known to be be able to throw daggers with better accuracy than master bowmen at 30 yards, faster too.
HIGH PLATE ARMOR - He is not fond of wearing plate armor. While he can still certainly climb, run and with his skills and magic, even sneak reliably in it, it is tiring to do so. He can feel his age so much more when he wears this but he must admit, when he is on the battlefield, it is much safer than his assassin's garb.
TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE - Assassin's garb. After all these years, it still fits him. Perhaps its a bit looser now - he wasn't as big as he used to be, but he can run, climb, and sneak to his hearts content in this. Twilight's Embrace is mostly black and light blue brigandine riveted tightly and in away that it doesn't jungle or make any noise, not that it matters now. The rivets are covered well to eliminate shine. It lacks pauldrons to not restrict shoulder movement, and has boots made to endure whatever surface there is without discomforting the wearer while still remaining quiet.
MASTERCRAFT LONGBOW - While not alchemically enhanced nor magical, the longbow simply is well-made. It came from a friend of his, one of those old friends that Kyron had unknowingly sent to him. He wanted to say goodbye before he left the business and asked that Lyrian help kill him. He left behind his bow and disappeared and Lyrian hasn't seen him since.
Temporarily, Lyrian can call upon the power of the crown to gift him memories of old Kings to retrieve wisdom from, or their tongues to speak languages he cannot or their power and might to win battles he no longer has the strength for. However, doing this may have an adverse affect on his mind and body, such as the old King, who had been thought to have been absorbed into the crown early, but in reality, his mind just couldn't take the stress, and he degraded.
However, six centuries worth of knowledge, skill and strength is an immense repository. Among those Kings and Queens were valiant warriors who had the skill to defeat a hundred men in combat on their own, masters of the arts of magics and professionals of a variety of professions that the current King has no knowledge on. From there, he can pull any knowledge he wished, though he must be careful not to abuse it.
PERSUASION - Persuasion is an ancestral longsword belonging to the House Skuen, gifted to him dishonorably by his sister after he had been given up by the family. Persuasion is made of Mythril and High Steel create a unique balance that allowed the blade to be longer without making it harder to wield. It is an incredibly sharp blade on both the point and the edge and can keep its edge even with run through the worse impacts without a nick or any signs of degradation, and curiously, it doesn't bend like blades are supposed to most times. It can bend, in spite of this, just like any sword, but it simply requires an inhuman amount of force to do so. This quality makes it strong but not brittle - it will not shatter, and it vastly improves its thrust.
Persuasion is primarily a dueling blade for self-defense, style and, as Lyrian had used it, a formidable tool for assassination. It can cut through light armors like nothing and because of it being seemingly inflexible in most duels, can allow the user to simply punch through plate armor with a stab without much effort.
However, the more notable characteristic of Persuasion is that it causes pounding pain, all across the body. It has been made with a persuasive concoction in its steel that causes writhing pain from even small nicks, often impairing an opponent in battle if they are not killed in a single attack.
CLOAK OF GREENWOOD MIST - The Cloak Of Greenwood Mist was once his nurse blanket. He's worn it from infancy to old age and long has it protected him. The Cloak Of Greenwood Mist was created by the Wood Elves whom saw favorably on the rule of the Skuen. It allowed the wearer to create illusions of themselves, replications completely identical, and control them, though more illusions require more focus. He was trained with it ever since he was young and he can create up to 10 without impairing him in anyway. He can also see through these illusions, hear with them, and touch with them, but they cannot affect the world physically.
ROYAL SIGNET RING - With the mark of the Dragon representing the royal family, it is used to make seals, deals and everything else that he'd need to sign.
DAGGERS - He was an Assassin; having daggers is something of a trademark. He has an assortment of them on him, usually two long ones then several short ones for throwing. He has been known to be be able to throw daggers with better accuracy than master bowmen at 30 yards, faster too.
HIGH PLATE ARMOR - He is not fond of wearing plate armor. While he can still certainly climb, run and with his skills and magic, even sneak reliably in it, it is tiring to do so. He can feel his age so much more when he wears this but he must admit, when he is on the battlefield, it is much safer than his assassin's garb.
TWILIGHT'S EMBRACE - Assassin's garb. After all these years, it still fits him. Perhaps its a bit looser now - he wasn't as big as he used to be, but he can run, climb, and sneak to his hearts content in this. Twilight's Embrace is mostly black and light blue brigandine riveted tightly and in away that it doesn't jungle or make any noise, not that it matters now. The rivets are covered well to eliminate shine. It lacks pauldrons to not restrict shoulder movement, and has boots made to endure whatever surface there is without discomforting the wearer while still remaining quiet.
MASTERCRAFT LONGBOW - While not alchemically enhanced nor magical, the longbow simply is well-made. It came from a friend of his, one of those old friends that Kyron had unknowingly sent to him. He wanted to say goodbye before he left the business and asked that Lyrian help kill him. He left behind his bow and disappeared and Lyrian hasn't seen him since.
(BACKGROUND)
He was the 2nd son of his late father, Lord Xander Skuen, and the 3rd child after his older sister, Kaela Skuen. As the 2nd Son of Lord Xander Skuen and with the recent death of a distant uncle of his, he was an heir to a different domain that his father ruled over. The Skuens were not only a merry band of Ranger Lords but had a trade of death, managing teams upon teams of assassins that often interacted and pulled form the Wood Elves of Greenwood, man hunters meant to cause instability or prosperity, whichever was better for the House Skuen at the time.
Lyrian Zel was trained from birth - his father said that one could tell that an infant was born a killer by grip of their hands. He learned all the ways to stick a dagger into a man before he learned any scriptures from the Churches. Lyrian was a most promising assassin to inherit this this legacy until he made a mistake. He was sent to kill the old Bloodhound of the King, not knowing it was the Bloodhound.
And he did. But he got caught. The encounter broke out into combat rather than a clean kill - the Bloodhound may not have been as good Lyrian was, but he was certainly close. The guards found their way to restrain the young Noble Assassin and brought him to the King, accused of killing a servant in the palace itself.
He expected that his family would pull him out of this but they didn't. They disowned him, not wanting to associate them with the killer of the King's Bloodhound. After all, the Bloodhound was on their case about mysterious killers in the Eastern Coast, and Lyrian was their scapegoat. He was responsible for all the murders, which was partially true. He was responsible for most of them.
In spite of their betrayal, Lyrian remained silent in the face of the King. He didn't give him any information, even when he had been subjected to starvation and torture. Though, one day, the King himself went down to his cell and escorted him to his table. They had dinner together, and the King offered him a job. He did it.
Then he offered him another. He did it. When it came to the third, he did it, and then he was offered replacement as his Bloodhound. The other option was death so Lyrian didn't quite have a choice. His existence was kept hush, said to have rotted away in the dungeons. All the while, Lyrian found new loyalty in the King, yet it was only seven years into his service, a year before the King would die, that he told him why he killed the first Bloodhound.
During this time, he had served the King well. He killed merchants supplying usurpers and made an example of them at his request. He dismantled an order of Felyan Assassins and consummated with their leader, willingly with her consent, of course. One of his worst was the necromancer that had an obsession with hands, gifting him a distaste of necromancy.
Two years into the job, he was contacted by his family again. Well, only one of them - his sister, Kaela. She said she had discovered he was alive and had told no one else. With her was the sword, "Persuasion", one of the great weapons of House Skuen. That was the last time he would see her before she was married and died of childbirth.
Then eventually, at the age of 56, the King began to fade. His use of the crown had been too much for too long. Two years into the sickness, he asked Lyrian for one more killing and it was to kill him. Lyrian refused and the King dismissed him, removing his position as Bloodhound.
Lyrian remained in Overna, working as somewhat of a vigilante. For a while, he wanted to do basic contract work but it became too troubling to get the work he wanted without revealing more of himself to contractors. But he needed to kill.
He began work as a sort of vigilante thief. Killing the corrupt he could find, taking what was theirs and if there was something stolen, he'd return it, with a cut or an expectation of reward. He did this for a year; a short tenure, but he was suddenly called back to the palace.
The King had died in his sleep while he was gone. He was told that it was his wish if Lyrian would marry his eldest daughter and the King had not sired any sons. The Queen was hesitant to give her daughter and the crown to her husband's cutthroat but, as if on command, his family had arrived in Overna.
Fuckers.
They backed him and confirmed his Noble Blood. His service to the crown, even if unrecognized by the public, was still service. With that, the Queen acquiesed. Lyrian Skuen would become Lyrian Zel less than a month later.
It took less than a few months for his first child. And yet, it was a child not of their Queen. The Felyan Spymaster had come to him with a child, roughly 3 years old as he could tell, Felyans aged differently but he could well tell that this child had human blood. His blood. It was his child, his bastard. He knew it the moment he looked at him.
The Spymaster died later than night. He did not kill her but someone did. Before that, he made a promise, one of the few he resolved himself to make. Two, actually. One was when they consummated years before, and another the night she would die.
The bastard would be adopted, which caused controversy that till today, they are still trying to live down.
Soon after, their next child came. Lyrian was 36 when Kyron was born. His heir, the High Prince and future King of Overna. That moment, he looked at his hands, and let him grip his fingers. Lyrian Zel thought back to what his father said and sighed.
Lyrian Zel was trained from birth - his father said that one could tell that an infant was born a killer by grip of their hands. He learned all the ways to stick a dagger into a man before he learned any scriptures from the Churches. Lyrian was a most promising assassin to inherit this this legacy until he made a mistake. He was sent to kill the old Bloodhound of the King, not knowing it was the Bloodhound.
And he did. But he got caught. The encounter broke out into combat rather than a clean kill - the Bloodhound may not have been as good Lyrian was, but he was certainly close. The guards found their way to restrain the young Noble Assassin and brought him to the King, accused of killing a servant in the palace itself.
He expected that his family would pull him out of this but they didn't. They disowned him, not wanting to associate them with the killer of the King's Bloodhound. After all, the Bloodhound was on their case about mysterious killers in the Eastern Coast, and Lyrian was their scapegoat. He was responsible for all the murders, which was partially true. He was responsible for most of them.
In spite of their betrayal, Lyrian remained silent in the face of the King. He didn't give him any information, even when he had been subjected to starvation and torture. Though, one day, the King himself went down to his cell and escorted him to his table. They had dinner together, and the King offered him a job. He did it.
Then he offered him another. He did it. When it came to the third, he did it, and then he was offered replacement as his Bloodhound. The other option was death so Lyrian didn't quite have a choice. His existence was kept hush, said to have rotted away in the dungeons. All the while, Lyrian found new loyalty in the King, yet it was only seven years into his service, a year before the King would die, that he told him why he killed the first Bloodhound.
During this time, he had served the King well. He killed merchants supplying usurpers and made an example of them at his request. He dismantled an order of Felyan Assassins and consummated with their leader, willingly with her consent, of course. One of his worst was the necromancer that had an obsession with hands, gifting him a distaste of necromancy.
Two years into the job, he was contacted by his family again. Well, only one of them - his sister, Kaela. She said she had discovered he was alive and had told no one else. With her was the sword, "Persuasion", one of the great weapons of House Skuen. That was the last time he would see her before she was married and died of childbirth.
Then eventually, at the age of 56, the King began to fade. His use of the crown had been too much for too long. Two years into the sickness, he asked Lyrian for one more killing and it was to kill him. Lyrian refused and the King dismissed him, removing his position as Bloodhound.
Lyrian remained in Overna, working as somewhat of a vigilante. For a while, he wanted to do basic contract work but it became too troubling to get the work he wanted without revealing more of himself to contractors. But he needed to kill.
He began work as a sort of vigilante thief. Killing the corrupt he could find, taking what was theirs and if there was something stolen, he'd return it, with a cut or an expectation of reward. He did this for a year; a short tenure, but he was suddenly called back to the palace.
The King had died in his sleep while he was gone. He was told that it was his wish if Lyrian would marry his eldest daughter and the King had not sired any sons. The Queen was hesitant to give her daughter and the crown to her husband's cutthroat but, as if on command, his family had arrived in Overna.
Fuckers.
They backed him and confirmed his Noble Blood. His service to the crown, even if unrecognized by the public, was still service. With that, the Queen acquiesed. Lyrian Skuen would become Lyrian Zel less than a month later.
It took less than a few months for his first child. And yet, it was a child not of their Queen. The Felyan Spymaster had come to him with a child, roughly 3 years old as he could tell, Felyans aged differently but he could well tell that this child had human blood. His blood. It was his child, his bastard. He knew it the moment he looked at him.
The Spymaster died later than night. He did not kill her but someone did. Before that, he made a promise, one of the few he resolved himself to make. Two, actually. One was when they consummated years before, and another the night she would die.
The bastard would be adopted, which caused controversy that till today, they are still trying to live down.
Soon after, their next child came. Lyrian was 36 when Kyron was born. His heir, the High Prince and future King of Overna. That moment, he looked at his hands, and let him grip his fingers. Lyrian Zel thought back to what his father said and sighed.
