Entities (Northflame)
Characters Introduced in A Coward's End
Darlhía Morley
-Also known as: the Tarnished Key, Valeska (to N, borrowed name from Darlhía's friend, who had passed away several years prior)
-Daughter of Sarhía Morley, Granddaughter of Lhash Morley
-Friend and partner in crime of Ridley Donahue; romantic partner of Khella Airus.
-Thief by trade, specializing in cat burglary and infiltration.
Personal Timeline:
1165:
-Darlhía Morley is born to Sarhía Morley (21)
1170:
-Darlhía’s (5) father dies at sea; her mother Sarhía (24) is presumed dead in the same wreck, but in fact kidnapped by Pryors; Lhash (44) adopts her orphaned granddaughter
1189:
-Khel (26) and Dar (24) meet investigating the murder of Dar’s friend Valeska (24, deceased), have adventures, and begin dating
1191:
-In the wake of his falling out with Dunlat (33), Ridley (31) nearly kills himself in his despair, but the act is averted by Dar (26). He soon becomes her friend and partner in crime.
1194:
The Raid on Tarengheth:
-Eramis (60) orchestrates an attack on Tarengheth using P’lharin (90, appearing 20s or so) and Sarhía (50, appearing 30s or so), bringing them in via Gaelyn’s (41) smuggling contacts; The Tarnished Spade and Shears are killed.
-Ultimately, the attempt is thwarted by Lodin Volsyr (3000+) and Darlhía (29); however, Dar is licked, leading to a cascade of misery for her friends and family; the Host of the Tarnished Key sacrifices herself so that Darlhía may inherit it, which lets her retain moments of lucidity as Corrigan attempts to undo the damage
-Dar is taken into the care of the Church, with visitations from her Grandmother and friends; however, tormented by her lack of physical and metaphysical freedom, she asks Ridley and Khel to break her out. When they do so, with Khel assuming her identity as part of the operation, Dar escapes from Ridley and throws herself into the Ghant; as a natural born witchling, of sorts, bearing a Tarnish, she is bound to the fate of an enduring spirit, to eventually reform as a revenant.
-The cause of Dar’s death is kept secret between Ridley and Khel; the latter returns to Kerwhick. Ridley is unable to face Lhash, and breaks contact without explanation.
1195:
-Dar’s spirit begins to re-solidify, connecting her to other Norn spirited witchlings like N. Lacking some parts of her memory, she introduces herself as Valeska. Eventually, she is able to reach her loved ones as well, though only in states of altered consciousness, including their dreams.
1196:
-Dar (31) helps N (12) to escape Grimshaw (62), early in the year
Ofhelia Dyre
-Also known as: Mother Melody, the Tarnished Song.
-Killed Ezik, traumatized and caused brain damage to Flitch, nearly killed Rhaze and Esher.
Personal Timeline:
1144:
-Ofhelia Dyre is born a Witchling
1164:
-Ofhelia (20) inherits the Tarnished Song by chance, when the former host is killed during a solar storm and thus unable to revive through the swarm.
1171:
-Major Plague Event sweeps through Dimirha; Ehlíath is ravaged by the epidemic
1172:
-Mother Melody events, involving Flitch (10), Rhaze (11), Esher (10), and Lhash (46), who comes to the children's’ aid; Ofhelia (28) is killed, but her combined triple spirit remains and continues to haunt the night on the anniversary of her death; as her Tarnish is not passed on, the host is reduced to nine
Nheo (Deceased)
-Also known as: Ne; The Dead God
-Friend of Corrigan
Corrigan
-Also known as: Kor; the Rust
-Core sentience of the Tarnished
Lodin Volsyr
-Pryori dissident, follower of Corrigan
Personal Timeline:
(1200 BC)~-1900:
-Lodin Volsyr is born
(1150 BC)~-1850:
-The Dominion launches an operation to control its unruly citizens through magic; however, the device does not account for the resonance that occurs between the spirits and minds of its targets, which triggers and uncontrolled catatonia of all life in Kheld, and begins spreading across the planet.
-The Death of Nheo; the entity ignites itself into an equivalent of a coronal mass ejection; this unexpected even damages the satellite array that acts as a relay for the device, and ends the engine’s effect.
-Kor is devastated by the loss of its only friend, and shatters; the pieces that try to follow Nheo intermingle with other spirits over the next few decades, and form the basis of the Tarnished lineages: Coin (Hope/Bargaining), Chain (Yearning/Dwelling), Shroud (Fear/Panic), Mask (Denial/Abandon), Ring (Shock/Numbness), Key (Determination/Acceptance), Mirror (Loneliness/Isolation), Adze (Rage/Retaliation), Grail (Confusion/Helplessness), Shears (Rest/Surrender), Spade (Guilt/Shame), Song (Despair/Sorrow), and finally Crown (Control).
(1100 BC)~-1800:
-The Revenge of Corrigan; Tarengheth is built as a haven for the dissidents Witches and Tarnished; Orë the Tarnished Crown begins their eternal vigil below the fortress.
854:
-Jharik (40) is sent to Ehlíath as an agent of the Pryors, having agreed to do so to save Drhani (24); he has since been trained to better harness his abilities. There he meets Lodin, and learns the truth of Corrigan and the Tarnished, as well as his personal history with the order.
1194:
-Eramis (60) orchestrates an attack on Tarengheth using P’lharin (90, appearing 20s or so) and Sarhía (50, appearing 30s or so), bringing them in via Gaelyn’s (41) smuggling contacts; The Tarnished Spade and Shears are killed.
-Ultimately, the attempt is thwarted by Lodin Volsyr (3000+) and Darlhía (29); however, Dar is licked, leading to a cascade of misery for her friends and family; the Host of the Tarnished Key sacrifices herself so that Darlhía may inherit it, which lets her retain moments of lucidity as Corrigan attempts to undo the damage
Vani Taalesin
-Pryori Witch; created the concept of the Second Engine and later became part of it
Personal Timeline:
(1200 BC)~-1900:
-Lodin Volsyr and Vani Taalesin are born
(600-700 AD)~-100-0:
-The tenuous peace between Karda and Lhakhar snaps, leading to a war that lasts roughly a century. The war is brought to an end when a group of Lisidionites and refugees from mixed backgrounds encounter a pryor, Vani Taalesin, on Lisidion; Vani proposes a possible, supernatural means of bringing an end to the animosity between nations, and setting a standard for peace that may continue its influence for generations to come.
(700 AD) 0:
-The Country of Aracon—named for the fictional paradise created in bedtime stories by the group for a child (Kloë) in their care—is established by survivors of those who summoned the Norn; the forest, still containing the engine created by those who sacrificed themselves (Sabelleus of Lisidion, who gave himself for the future of children; Tyrhía Odrhin, who gave herself for history to mark; Marin Arkshaw, who gave themself in defiance of power; and Vani, their Pryor companion, who believed staunchly in the end of all tyranny)