CHARACTER NAME(S): Thara to close friends. Celehar to basically everyone else. Othala which is a general term of address for a priest like him, or Prelate Celehar. Witness vel ama for the Dead is his official title, which means he can speak to the Dead and is empowered in the legal system of his home to act as their advocate. CANON: Linking to Thara's page here, because he's the main character of two of the three books in that universe. CANON POINT: Grief of Stones, During the confrontation with the Revethavar. He survives this in canon, but for the purposes of the game it will kill him. (Grief of Stones p. 152)
How did your character die? Celehar's death is an AU! In canon, he's forced to go at knifepoint into an ancient tomb, by a woman who believes that the place holds ancient treasure. It's guarded by an undead creature (a Revethavar) that was made via human sacrifice ages in the past, and has since lost all shreds of its' human mind to hunger and cruelty. In canon it toys with him until he manages to find its' name buried in its psyche and use that to quiet it. In the AU, he won't have been able to do so before the creature finally killed him. Does your character's canon have its own afterlife? Nope! Or at least not a definitive one as described. There's a lot of religious fragmentation so any answer would be debated greatly. The prayer used to quiet the undead is; "[name], you have been wrongly taken from your sleep. You must rest again. [name], let the darkness take you," and there's discussion of souls, so Celehar at least believes in death as something like an eternal slumber, after the soul departs the body.
What are some of their favorite things? He likes cats, and in canon feeds a group of strays. Terrible penny-dreadful novels. A particular blend of tea (orchor). Thanks to Pel-Thenhior, he's coming to appreciate opera. Learning new things. Who are some of their favorite people? Evru Dalar: His former lover, executed after Celehar identified him as a murderer. Anora Chanavar: A fellow Prelate of Ulis and one of Celehar's dear friends, who helps him often with the politics of the city's prelacy. He's practical and often tries to prod Celehar into standing up for himself. Velhiro Tomasaran: A recently-awakened Witness for the Dead and a widow, she was recently appointed as Celehar's apprentice and has joined him in his work. She's often overwhelmed but has a good sense of humor and practicality. Iäna Pel-Thenhior: The principle director of the Vermilion Opera, and Celehar's newest friend and confidant, a flamboyant and effusive goblin man. They've flirted at something more but never confirmed it. What are they proud of from their life? Celehar would not necessarily describe it as proud, but he is satisfied and compelled by his work as a Witness for the Dead. It's important to him that he use his ability to bring peace and justice to the dead and to act as their advocates, particularly those who are unjustly murdered.
What do they dislike? Brightly colored clothing, politics and power-jockeying, idiots, reporters! Heights. Singing. Do they have any enemies, or anyone they particularly hate? Oseian Dalaran: Evru's former wife and abuser, whom Evru murdered. Shulivar, Bralchenar, and Narchanezen: Three dissidents and radicals who plotted to and succeeded in killing the previous Emperor of the Elflands and most of his family by causing an airship crash. Celehar's investigation brought them to be captured. They've gone to trial, and have probably been executed, though canon isn't clear on their fates. Eshevis Tethimar: A nobleman who worked with the three dissidents, though didn't mean for the Emperor's assassination to happen because of it. He tried to assassinate the new Emperor when Celehar sent in the results of his investigation, and was killed by the Emperor's bodyguards. A man with a few different aliases; a serial killer who would marry his victims and poison them to death. Celehar uncovered the evidence of his murder, that led to the man's execution. Pavalo Temin: A former noblewoman, she ran a school for foundling girls who she was exploiting. During Celehar's investigation into her school, she took him captive and was the one to bring him into the ancient tomb to hunt for treasure. She was killed by the Revethavar. The Revethavar! It didn't die by his hand, but it is an undead thing, and has a terrible fascination with him as a Witness for the Dead. What are they afraid of? Losing his ability to speak with the dead. He's also afraid of a lot of different kinds of death that he's experienced secondhand over the years. Becoming dependent on the mercy of his cousin (again). Ghosts and ghouls. He's afraid of seeking romantic intimacy, though he also longs for it. Do they have any regrets from their life? His biggest regret is identifying Evru as his wife's killer, a decision that killed the man he loved. Related to that, that he could not bring any officials to intervene on Evru's behalf before the man was driven to a desperate act of murder to save himself from his circumstances.
Second to that, his attempt to give up his Calling as a Witness for the Dead, something he called a living death to go through.
Thara Celehar
CANON: Linking to Thara's page here, because he's the main character of two of the three books in that universe.
CANON POINT: Grief of Stones, During the confrontation with the Revethavar. He survives this in canon, but for the purposes of the game it will kill him. (Grief of Stones p. 152)
How did your character die? Celehar's death is an AU! In canon, he's forced to go at knifepoint into an ancient tomb, by a woman who believes that the place holds ancient treasure. It's guarded by an undead creature (a Revethavar) that was made via human sacrifice ages in the past, and has since lost all shreds of its' human mind to hunger and cruelty. In canon it toys with him until he manages to find its' name buried in its psyche and use that to quiet it. In the AU, he won't have been able to do so before the creature finally killed him.
Does your character's canon have its own afterlife? Nope! Or at least not a definitive one as described. There's a lot of religious fragmentation so any answer would be debated greatly. The prayer used to quiet the undead is; "[name], you have been wrongly taken from your sleep. You must rest again. [name], let the darkness take you," and there's discussion of souls, so Celehar at least believes in death as something like an eternal slumber, after the soul departs the body.
What are some of their favorite things? He likes cats, and in canon feeds a group of strays. Terrible penny-dreadful novels. A particular blend of tea (orchor). Thanks to Pel-Thenhior, he's coming to appreciate opera. Learning new things.
Who are some of their favorite people? Evru Dalar: His former lover, executed after Celehar identified him as a murderer.
Anora Chanavar: A fellow Prelate of Ulis and one of Celehar's dear friends, who helps him often with the politics of the city's prelacy. He's practical and often tries to prod Celehar into standing up for himself.
Velhiro Tomasaran: A recently-awakened Witness for the Dead and a widow, she was recently appointed as Celehar's apprentice and has joined him in his work. She's often overwhelmed but has a good sense of humor and practicality.
Iäna Pel-Thenhior: The principle director of the Vermilion Opera, and Celehar's newest friend and confidant, a flamboyant and effusive goblin man. They've flirted at something more but never confirmed it.
What are they proud of from their life? Celehar would not necessarily describe it as proud, but he is satisfied and compelled by his work as a Witness for the Dead. It's important to him that he use his ability to bring peace and justice to the dead and to act as their advocates, particularly those who are unjustly murdered.
What do they dislike? Brightly colored clothing, politics and power-jockeying, idiots, reporters! Heights. Singing.
Do they have any enemies, or anyone they particularly hate?
Oseian Dalaran: Evru's former wife and abuser, whom Evru murdered.
Shulivar, Bralchenar, and Narchanezen: Three dissidents and radicals who plotted to and succeeded in killing the previous Emperor of the Elflands and most of his family by causing an airship crash. Celehar's investigation brought them to be captured. They've gone to trial, and have probably been executed, though canon isn't clear on their fates.
Eshevis Tethimar: A nobleman who worked with the three dissidents, though didn't mean for the Emperor's assassination to happen because of it. He tried to assassinate the new Emperor when Celehar sent in the results of his investigation, and was killed by the Emperor's bodyguards.
A man with a few different aliases; a serial killer who would marry his victims and poison them to death. Celehar uncovered the evidence of his murder, that led to the man's execution.
Pavalo Temin: A former noblewoman, she ran a school for foundling girls who she was exploiting. During Celehar's investigation into her school, she took him captive and was the one to bring him into the ancient tomb to hunt for treasure. She was killed by the Revethavar.
The Revethavar! It didn't die by his hand, but it is an undead thing, and has a terrible fascination with him as a Witness for the Dead.
What are they afraid of? Losing his ability to speak with the dead. He's also afraid of a lot of different kinds of death that he's experienced secondhand over the years. Becoming dependent on the mercy of his cousin (again). Ghosts and ghouls. He's afraid of seeking romantic intimacy, though he also longs for it.
Do they have any regrets from their life? His biggest regret is identifying Evru as his wife's killer, a decision that killed the man he loved. Related to that, that he could not bring any officials to intervene on Evru's behalf before the man was driven to a desperate act of murder to save himself from his circumstances.
Second to that, his attempt to give up his Calling as a Witness for the Dead, something he called a living death to go through.