Amaranth Sireign

Backstory

Born to a sailing couple. Not planned but much loved, they were raised on the sea in their houseboat as they sailed between the many scattered islands of their archipelago nation, trading goods between them. They've always loved the sea, but more than that they've longed to know what lay beyond the endless blue horizon they'd been watching since infancy.

Their desire to see the world only grew as they discovered their magic, which was so rare among their people that several generations had passed since it was last seen, and there was no one living there who could teach them. Soon after that, at about 13, they joined the crew of a close family friend whose own merchant business frequently took them outside their island system, and they haven't looked back since. They love their parents dearly, and miss them, but they love exploring even more. In the years since they’ve left, their parents have had 2 more children, and adopted another 2, so they feel safe in saying that they’re not too missed these days. Before the whole plague situation they would still regularly write home, sending little treasures and souvenirs home, along with sketches of their latest adventures.

Their travels have allowed them to learn many different magical traditions, though by necessity their education has been broad but shallow. Still, their inquisitive, clever nature has allowed them to continue their learning on their own long after they’ve left port, experimenting and piecing together understanding from what bits and pieces they’ve had time to glean in their time ashore. On occasion they would find themselves someplace too fascinating to ship out so soon, and they would spend up to a few months in one place, learning and exploring the cultures and traditions of their new surroundings. Eventually, though, without fail, they would inevitably hear the song of the sea calling in their bones, and be off on the next ship that would have them. They're a capable sailor, able to do most sailing jobs at an at least passable level, and a god-tier haggler. They're fond of cook positions, through over time and with ever more training under their belt, they began to accept more and more medical positions as well.

They arrived in Vesuvia with the intention to get as drunk as possible and forget about their latest trip entirely. They’d been serving as an assistant to the ship’s main doctor, and there had been. Casualties. People had been injured, and not all of them had been saved. It hadn't been the first time they’d had to bury crewmates at sea, but this time had hit particularly hard. At the bar, they bumped into Julian, and they got talking about doctor-ing. Julian was impressed by Amaranth’s knowledge and sympathised with their struggle, and offered them a place at his clinic, where he could teach them some of the more complicated stuff that had been too fiddly or dangerous to learn on a ship at sea, and hopefully help them save more lives in the future. Usually, Amaranth's solution to a difficult trip was to set back out again as soon as possible and work until they forgot about it, but the thought of getting back on the same ship was unthinkable right now, and there were no other ships in port in need of new crew, so they agreed. Besides, there was some kind of festival coming up, and they’d always loved a good party.

They met Asra at that festival, and they fascinated each other from the start. Asra adored their tales of travel and foreign magic, recognizing a kindred wandering spirit, and Amaranth was drawn by his knowledge of the Arcana, which they’d heard about in passing but had never found anyone who actually studied them.

Between the two of them, Asra and Julian were enough to keep Amaranth around longer than they’d stayed anywhere in all their years of travel. Occasionally they’d feel the call of the sea, but invariably on their voyage their mind would turn to thoughts of what they’d left behind, and before too long they’d be back in Vesuvia once more. Gradually they found themselves spending more time in on shore than out at sea, and then, one day, realised that somewhere along the way, they’d started thinking of Vesuvia as “home”.

And then, of course, the plague came. Hundreds, thousands of people, dying all across the city, as the ports closed and quarantine enforced, but for the first time in their life amaranth found the thought of leaving could not be further from their mind. How could they leave, when they had the capacity to help? After everything they’d learned, how could they turn their back on those who now needed their knowledge. Of course, we all know how that turned out.