Auk
Roleplay Hooks
- Auk is a former Air-Pirate. Do you ride the skies, or have a past that is a less than savory?
- Auk's right leg is a creation of artifice that he designed himself. Ideas for upgrades?
- Auk is an adherent of Tarien, and enjoys games of chance and honest pranks.
- Auk is not only an Artificer, but a crafter of rare and dangerous firearms.
- Auk loves a good jig, and with his handy concertina he will help play most any lively shanty. His singing though is the absolute worst.
Background
In the high reaches at the Roof of the World, the Egalrin roost and rule the air. The morning after a fierce storm was hatched Auk, son to Pestrel and Razorbill. That storm that his egg rocked in would come to define much of his life, its rise and falls a chaos that he would flow with as only those with wings could. His mother Pestrel was a strong willed priestess of Ceiwen the Huntress, who strove to ensure her hatchling revered the natural world. His father Razorbill was a warrior of no small repute, who knew that his son's mastery of his wings would help him survive and defend their mountain Aerie. While over the next few years Auk had several siblings hatched, his parents were always sure to pride themselves on the first born son. Quick of mind, and wing, Auk became a paragon of what a young Egalrin should be at ten years of age. Unfortunately Auk was aware of his status and allowed arrogance to cloud his judgment. Many hatchlings attempt to fly early, but their wings are too under-developed to hold their bodies aloft. Climbing too far out, Auk's attempt to fly ended in disaster, his descent into the mists below the mountain top bringing him far below the world of the Egalrin.
This fated fall began a downward spiral of life for Auk, for below his high mountain home were colonies belonging to the Empire of Charn. Fifteen years away from being a adult, injured, and unable to climb or fly himself back home Auk did not remain a free creature for long. A passing caravan picked up the injured chick and brought him along, all be it in chains. A rarity, he sold for a decent price to a local country noble, a creator of Charn's chief perversion, Artifice.
While he was injured Auk needed to make himself useful to his new master to ensure his survival. His Egalrin dexterity and his own swift mind found him a spot assisting his master with his diabolic creations. As young as he was, Auk did not do much. Measuring something here, labeling a jar there. But fear of the rod kept him diligent and on task. As long as he worked his master was not unduly cruel, but punishment when it came was swift and brutal.
Long lived are the Egalrin, and his first Master was already long in the tooth. After twelve years his first master died, and the master's son took his place. Having grown into adulthood with his new Master made his life significantly easier than that of a field slave, or a worker. He was a house slave, a special servant, and with that came a measure of arrogance towards the others. Years in that environment had in small part made him like his masters. Taking out his small concerns on those beneath him so he could feel better about his own plight.
Under his new Master he learned more of the cursed art of Artifice, even lending a hand in minor creations. Lenses that could see better than the eye. Balls that exploded in bursts of brilliant light. But this life of learning and eking by as slightly better than nothing did not last. As a rarity and now a great deal bigger than he was, Auk was soon noticed by a noble higher than his master, who was persuaded to hand Auk over has a gift. No longer a favored servant Auk now was lower than he was before. A slave for labor that was occasionally spruced up to be put on display for some rival. Cruelty was more this master's style, but Auk persevered through the life of his human master and into the service of his daughter, his only remaining heir. Seventeen years he had served her father, and it would be ten more before the next upheaval in Auk's life.
To keep her families house alive Auk's mistress needed to marry into another house. A powerful house. And of course that meant a dowry. Almost fifty, and Auk found himself being loaded aboard an airship along with a myriad of other slaves, devices of artiface, and treasures bound for the Charn mainland to buy the mistress a husband. Aboard that ship Auk met another slave from below the ground. His name was Corail. Despite his frail size, the dark skinned Sildanyar had a viciousness that not even his masters could rival. With his forceful words and actions, the subservient slaves followed him quickly into a complete massacre of the airship's crew. This began what Auk considered his darkest years. After several duels to the death, and several more lives lost to discovering how their newly obtained airship worked, the slave crew made their way to the east.
In the east they found the Jade Islands, a place with a culture the former slaves' impromptu leader relished in. With few other options Auk and others remained aboard the airship, and turned their life to piracy. At first they preyed only on ships and airships of the Charn Empire, murdering and pillaging wantonly. But soon greed and a loss of moral standards led them to prey on others. Merchants, and anyone who showed weakness be they on water or sky. Throughout their travels Corail kept Auk as his first mate, and for over a decade they were a force of evil in the southern lands.
Soon though it became too much for Auk. At the age of sixty six, the souls of the many that had fallen before the weapons of Auk and his fellow crew members had reached their peak. The nightmares and moral dilemmas began to clash with the few precious memories Auk retained from his childhood. Soon in secret Auk would neglect to mention people hiding in rooms he was suppose to search, or a captive would miraculously escape once they made it to land. Of course such activity does not go unnoticed long. After a few years Auk had no choice but to abandon ship.
It took several years, wandering on foot, and working passage on ships but Auk finally put as much land as he possibly could between himself and the places that he thought had made him a monster. Auk doesn't abhor killing, or dark deeds, but to do these things wantonly, and only for self gain are now a thing of his past. It is his nature to be gruff and hard, but if Auk polishes hard enough he hopes to find a heart of gold where his old captain only had a heart of coal. At the age of seventy six, Auk is only just beginning his new life.
"Don't be crackin on me now. Good or ill, no one wants a parcel of hen-pecked numbskulls on the job. Now pick yeself up by the bootstraps. Tis guild work, and good or no, tat means pay. The shiny bits. And if nuttin' makes you do nuttin, it should be gold."
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