Profile
Basics
Leonel is a shy yet amicable young man who grows up in a quiet rural town in Archwood. He stays close to home for much of his childhood, studying avidly under his father's specified curriculum and learning to tend to the land under his mother. When he meets Xander the two strike up a whirlwind friendship that leads Leonel to adventures... and the truth about his father's past.
Likes
- animals
- flower crowns
- going on adventures
- momgoose
Dislikes
- crowds
- disappointing people
- ghosts
- spicy food
About
soon
childhood
Leonel was born and raised in the humble town of Archwood by his overbearing father Cetus and free-spirited mother Aliaga. Leonel was a shy and quiet young boy who preferred the company of animals to people. Cetus taught Leonel from home with an extensive curriculum and, partially due to his own paranoia, tried to keep Leonel close to home. On the trips to the neighboring city of Noachis, Leo meets and befriends a chipper young elvish boy named Xander, the son of President Sophronia. While Leo knows Sophronia and his mother are old friends, he does not make the connection between his father, Sophronia, and Noachis.
While in Noachis Leonel learned of the history of the University and its ruling family, the Raffertys. The Rafferty family held the city of Noachis in its iron grip for generations, creating something of an aristocracy, running the city behind the scenes and snuffing out those who sought to end their reign. Though Xander knows that Leonel's father is in fact the Cetus Rafferty that once ruled the University, he doesn't bring it up. While in the forest around Noachis Leonel also came across the skeleton of the Rafferty family's former adviser Selah, brought down by Xander's mothers. From this point on, Leonel becomes haunted by nightmares of the nefarious lamia.
adulthood
With all the little tidbits he learned about the Rafferty family, Selah's ghost haunting him, and the gaps in his father's history, Leonel slowly begins to suspect his father's true identity. In a bold yet desperate move, Leonel seeks out the former mob boss of Noachis, a ferocious tiefling named Notorious. Though he gets the information he wanted he barely escapes with his life. He is unable to face his father having learned the truth and seeks out the only person left in his mother's traveling party that he thought could help him - Punica, a Paladin of Persephone.
Leonel attempts to enter the service of Persephone as well, but her husband Hades senses the turmoil inside Leonel and offers to take him on instead. Under Hades Leonel learns that he cannot let the shadow of his father control his every action, and comes to forgive him. With Hades' help he puts Selah's spirit to rest and ends her grip on him.
During his travels Leonel inadvertently assembles a party of his own in a dryad named Wisp, a rabbitfolk named Ruby Walnut, and a fire genasi named Urla. Urla and Leonel go on to have two daughters, Maryweather and Hestia.
Relationships
Cetus [ father ]
For most of his childhood Leonel sees his father as a slightly overbearing yet loving father. While he held a special connection with his mother, Cetus is the one who provided structure for Leonel, and he respected him above all others. This is shattered once he discovers the truth of his father's past. As a young adult Leonel is conflicted on how to feel about his father before finally coming to terms with it. The two reconnect after Leonel's first daughter is born.
Aliaga [ mother ]
Ali was the "fun parent" growing up, though she was often away on expeditions. She instilled in Leonel his love of nature and animals and life in general. While she sometimes found it difficult to connect with him emotionally, Leonel knew his mother loved him unconditionally. She never kept her past a secret but did not share everything unprompted, and once he learns the true gravity of her previous research he finds it hard to reconnect with her. After Leonel has spent time under the service of Hades and come to terms with his relationship with death, he is able to rectify his feelings.
Xander [ best friend ]
Xander and Leonel met by accident after one of Xander's antics led him down the river to Archwood. The two became fast friends, both outcasts of sorts in their societies. While Xander already knew about Leonel's father he does not share it simply because Leonel never brought it up. Xander and Leonel spent much of their childhood visiting each other's towns and getting into trouble together. After Leonel leaves his father to work for Hades he still meets up with Xander on occasion.
Sophronia [ aunt ]
Because Ronnie did not know about Leonel's identity when they first met she treated him as she would any other child, and Leonel thought she was a very pleasant and loving woman. Ronnie appreciated Leonel acting as Xander's voice of reason seeing as her son didn't seem to have one of his own. Once she finds out Leonel is Cetus' son she tries not to let this affect how she treats him. Leonel appreciates this when he himself finds out the truth but respects Sophronia's feelings and distances himself from her later in life. Only after she and Cetus get back on decent terms does he reintegrate himself into her life.
Punica [ mentor ]
After Leonel leaves home and learns about his family's past, he clings on to Punica in hopes that he can find purpose in holy work to Persephone. Punica's motherly nature takes over and she allows him to travel with her, though she tries to dissuade him from the service and force him to confront his issues on his own. Once Persephone declines his service and Leonel instead goes to work under Hades, Leonel eventually ceases traveling with Punica. He is grateful to her being there in his time of need.
Selah [ rival ]
The only relationship Leonel has with Selah is after she has passed. Her essence, still tied to her corpse trapped in the gnarled brambles of the woods outside town, senses the Rafferty bloodline returning to Noachis and seeks Leonel out. She torments him with what little power she has remaining, and once Leonel has grown and accepted his past he returns to Noachis and finally puts her spirit to rest.
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