Profile
. . . .P5. . . .
Laius's greatest fear would have to be failing in things she sets out to do. She's a lion with a lot of faith in herself and her abilities, and when she can't reach a goal she wanted to it frustrates her to no end. Especially now, lives could depend on how well Laius imparts her knowledge or secretly uses her magic. One or two casualties may be necessary, but still not entirely ideal. This leads to her double checking everything she does, to make sure it won't lead to some vast disaster - except, of course, when the only consequence would be other lions not liking her. That's one thing that doesn't scare her in the slightest.
. . . .P6. . . .
She's an old lion, a bit too old to be dreaming grand futures for herself. Life for her has been going quite well, and she has quite a good position in the Regiment. She isn't seeking anything big when she's satisfied where she is. Perhaps some more magic knowledge would come in handy, but it's hard to practice in secret. Maybe one day before she dies she'll do some dramatic magical explosion, really show everyone how powerful she is, but for the present, she prefers to keep it a secret, in case of emergency. There will be time for dramatics later.
. . . .P7. . . .
In ancient Greek mythology, Laius was the name of a king of Thebes, who was unfortunately killed by his own son. While Laius the lion knows nothing about this story, she has that same cunning worry for her own safety that ultimately killed her namesake. Thankfully, it hasn't ended in her own death, yet. Having a male sounding name as a female lion is a bit odd, but then, so is her mane, usually a thing only male lions have. She does enjoy messing with the expectations of others, and her parents contributed to this by giving her the name that they did.
. . . .P8. . . .
All these young lions, getting in the way, thinking they can just run into the ruins and secure fame and glory for themselves. Laius has lived a long life and she knows how things just aren't that simple. If she snaps at the youngest among the Regiment more often, it's because she knows more than them with all her years, and wishes they could just understand the complexities of the world right away, instead of having to learn the hard way. Though, learning through hardship can be quite valuable, too. It isn't useful, though, if it comes too late to change paths.
. . . .P9. . . .
The pursuit of knowledge, the ever present mystery of things beyond what Laius knows, and the promise of power - these things are when tends to drive her forwards. She can get quite single minded when she's on the hunt for more information about a specific topic, to the point of ignoring other lions for days, outside of answering the questions they have about the Ruins.
Laius knows much, but it never seems to be enough for her. She can understand the most complex things but still she yearns to learn more. It's a never ending cycle, and while she does help the lions of the Regmient gladly, she's even more happy about it when they offer to bring back things for her from the depths of the Ruins, or tell her details of when they saw and experienced down there. Nothing is as satisfying to Laius outside of seeking the truth to things.
. . . .P10. . . .
Laius has always been a solo lion. Even as a young person, just getting out into the world, she was fairly closed off from others. So much of her life was spent in the ruins, gathering information, and learning the darkest secrets of magic, that she hasn't had time to pursue romance. Not that she has ever wanted to, anyway. Laius has had friends in the past, but never any close ones. She has always kept her secrets close to her chest, even ones that weren't that important. It led to others being a bit confused and concerned by how closed off she is.
Now, she figures she's probably a bit too old for that sort of thing, and she's found plenty of fulfillment just playing her part in Brontes' mighty Regiment. Here, her skills are needed, and she's respected. That's as close to love as Laius has ever wanted.
. . . .P12. . . .
Sometimes Laius feels like she's being constantly attacked by wave after wave of dumb lions. It's ridiculous, how little these lions - practically cubs - know about the dangers of the world. No matter how much she can tell them about the monsters of the Ruins, it won't matter in the end. There will always be some youngling seeking adventure and glory who will head into the dark below and come back with new fear in their eyes. She's seen it so many times, and wonders if it will ever end.
Perhaps, then, it's actually the Ruins themselves that are her enemy, but she thinks differently. The Ruins had given Laius a wealth of knowledge for the many years she spent down there, and from all the magic training she did in the dark. No, the Ruins may be dangerous, but they are no enemy of hers. She fears instead for all the others who seek their own fortunes.
. . . .P13. . . .
Superstitious? No, that's not what Laius is like. She doesn't believe in good luck and bad luck, that a black cat leads to bad things and a rabbit foot the opposite. Everything out there has a reason for happening, a reason for being. If it seems unexplainable, she just hasn't found the right answer yet.
As to magic and magical creatures and the like - it's well proven that it exists, Laius is a living example, if a secret one. The monsters in the Ruins show that this is also true. She takes things in as they come and understands them as best as she can. Her knowledge then gets passed on to others, and she hopes that they use it wisely.
The world is big, and sometimes scary and dangerous, but there are delightful things to be found in magic, too. It's a big place out there. So much to see.
. . . .P15. . . .
Laius would make a pretty horrible parent, and that's just a fact. She knows it, and everyone else knows it. There's a reason why she doesn't take care of the young lions in the group. They're loud, they get in her way constantly, and they never stop asking questions. What if she wants to focus on her research or her work? She'd never get a moment of peace again.
Of course, she appreciates that young lions can grow up to be good, brave, and smart people, but it take quite some time, and that's not time that Laius is willing to put in. Thankfully, she knows plenty of lions who enjoy taking care of the young ones. Different lions have different strengths and weaknesses. Being a good mother would for sure be one of Laius's weaknesses. And that is something that she's not afraid to let other people know about.
. . . .P16. . . .
Laius is incredibly competitive. She really couldn't care less about matching her skills to those of other lions, but when it comes to her own endeavors, she'll do all she can to surpass her previous skill and ability as often as possible. Even as the old lion she is, she can get out there, practice her magic, and become even more powerful, even more wise. The only thing standing in her way are her own ambitions, her own time and effort, and she's going to put in all the time she possibly can. The deepest secrets of magic can't hide from her.
. . . .P17. . . .
This is a lion with a very high view of herself. She knows she's powerful, knows that she's excellent at what she does, and is quite proud of it, too. Laius demands respect among the members of the Regiment and enjoys getting that respect. Of course she is aware of her various failings and weaknesses, but she has put a lot of effort into finding ways to minimize those weaknesses. She has made a role for herself that capitalizes on all the good things about her, and she is going to stay in her position of relative power as long as she can.
. . . .P18. . . .
Laius doesn't have a real catchphrase, by any means. If there's anything she says a lot, it's 'hmm.' She's constantly thinking, constantly wondering about the mysteries of the universe. Whenever anyone asks her a question, she'll take a moment, say 'hmm', and think out a proper answer. She isn't the type of lion to speak first and make it up as she goes. Instead she'll pause, get her thoughts together, and formulate a proper sounding answer. She's a lion with a powerful position, so she had better act the part. No word Laius says is without some meaning behind it.
. . . .P19. . . .
Laius keeps her magic secret, and she keeps her magic knowledge close. She isn't willing to share about her magical abilities, and she thinks it's for quite the good reason. This lion is an old soul and just old in general, and she doesn't have much in the way of physical fighting ability. Pretty much everyone in the Regiment thinks she's a lion with knowledge but not someone who should be going out on missions, and that's exactly what she wants them to think. If things ever go badly and she gets attacked, or if the group is in danger, she can go flying out, magic spewing in every direction, and confuse the enemies completely. If she has a secret power no one is aware of, it's the perfect thing to save in case of emergency. That time hasn't come yet, so Laius only practices her magic on her own.
. . . .P21. . . .
Laius is an introvert for sure. She has too much going on in her head to think about, and prefers her own thoughts over the company of others. Quiet is bliss to her, and while she does enjoy knowing others, her favorite moments are making her own discoveries, on her own.
. . . .P22. . . .
Laius has a few lions among the Regiment she values more than the others, and there's one simple reason for that - she is endlessly glad to know lions who have smarts to them. There's nothing more valuable to her than someone who can carry a decent conversation and understand what Laius is saying without needing to ask half a million questions. Instead of the young lions with too much energy and naiveté, she revels in knowing those who can rival her in cerebral conversation. Being kind, a common trait wanted in friends, isn't really all that important to her.
. . . .P23. . . .
Laius is already quite happy with how she is, and who she is. The years have gone by and the purple lion has improved herself constantly - at least by her guidelines. When she thinks about how she would change herself, if she could, she wishes she still had some of her physical strength. Being old means that one can't really fight, and it's frustrating that she can't go into the Ruins safely herself any longer. Even a simple hike can get her feeling tired. If she could, she'd make it so that she had the energy of a young lion but keep all the knowledge she's gained over time.
Perhaps there's no way to really do that. But then, magic in Silvarum seems quite unlimited. There are rules, and guidelines, but every good rule was made to be broken, and Laius figures there's no harm to be had in a little experimentation.
. . . .P24. . . .
Her family? They were all good people, from what Laius remembers. Most of them have passed on by now, parents and grandparents and cousins having lived a good life and come to its natural conclusion. They were mostly smart, she remembers, and smiles at that knowledge. Common sense and a healthy respect for danger kept most of them alive for quite a while. She enjoyed her time with them, even if she didn't always get along with all of them, and when she moved on to her own journeys and studies, she kept in contact for quite a while.
She still has a sister somewhere that's alive, she remembers. The two meet three or four times a year and talk about life. It should really be a dramatically boring event, but for some reason, Laius enjoys speaking with her sister. It's nice to know someone out there has your back.
. . . .P25. . . .
She's changed quite a lot since she was a cub. All for the better, she would say, no matter how true or untrue that statement would be. As a little, energetic lion, Laius was full of fear of all sorts of things. She's learned by now that a lot of the things she was afraid of, or that she didn't understand, had quite logical explanations. If only she had been able to learn that sooner. Young Laius had several run ins with dangerous creatures and plants, all which could have been avoided if only she knew how they worked. Alas. Perhaps that's part of the reason why Laius has spent so much time learning about things? To not be afraid of them? But no, Laius has known she's better than most of the dangers out there for years and years. For her, there's nothing to worry about, no issue to be had.
. . . .P26. . . .
Laius remembers sorting flowers with her mother, in their home, one sunny morning. She was being taught all about the important properties of each one, what they did, which ones she should avoid. It was a fascinating experience, learning so much, and perhaps this was just wishful thinking, but she thinks she caught on pretty quickly. Being able to spend time with her mother, doing what she loved the most - it was a delightful time, and Laius always smiles when she remembers that time. Perhaps she'll even look up to the sky and wish her mother well, wherever she is now.
. . . .P27. . . .
Laius probably wouldn't be surprised by the attack. She's always very aware of her surroundings and keeps a careful eye on everything going on around her. If a dangerous lion, or anyone, really, attacked her, she would duck and, if no one else was around and would be able to assist, would send magic at her attacker, whichever spell came to mind, and she wouldn't care if it was lethal or not. There would certainly be an advantage at that, as her attacker would probably expect an elderly, easy target, not a magic master. There's a reason why she keeps that power of hers a secret.
Now, if she couldn't cast a spell in time, or if she had no choice but to run? She would very easily be defeated. Laius is a mental master, but lacks severely the physical side of things. It's why Brontes doesn't send her into the Ruins.
. . . .P28. . . .
Love is great, all full of sunshine and cheer and everything good in the world. ...Laius can't stand it when lions call love that. It seems like a big waste of time, really. Of course, lions who fall in love are fine in her book, or lions seeking love, but she is quite happy with her current life and sees no reason to seek a relationship, especially at her old age. She's quite in love with her work, as cliche as the phrase is. The pursuit of knowledge is everything to her and she is very happy doing her own thing and staying to herself.
In terms of having her heart broken, she has been betrayed by a few friends in the past - friends who she went on journeys with, and spent time with, uncovering the Ruin's secrets. Perhaps they abandoned her, or perhaps they got lost in the tunnels and she just couldn't find them again. It was tricky to tell, especially after so much time had passed, but it was after that, and after the deaths of her parents, that she closed her heart off even more. The few people she has connections to now, she appreciates, but with caution.
. . . .P29. . . .
Laius is far more of a bully, truthfully. She will snap at lions in the Regiment that get in her way, and get quite frustrated at the cubs. She's not one to go out of her way to insult others and hurt their feelings, but if it happens, she's not going to be sad about it. In her mind, everyone needs to just toughen up. A bit of a thick skin is good for any lion, especially one that's going to be fighting to keep others safe. Somehow, she still has people that like her even besides all of that.
. . . .P30. . . .
When Laius is angry, she'll shut out everything and everyone. She doesn't want to deal with anything when the world, or another lion, does something horrible. In these times, Laius holes up in her den in the side of the cliff and claws apart some sorry animal pelt, a branch, or anything else she can reach that doesn't have anything to do with her research. Laius is the master of quietly getting her anger out, and when she returns to the rest of the Regiment, she acts like nothing has happened, often refusing to talk about what got her mad in the first place.
. . . .P31. . . .
Laius is an extremely intelligent lion - that's her best and most important trait in her eyes, and for good reason. There's likely no lion in Starheart's Regiment smarter than her, and she's quite proud of the fact. When advice is needed or a question about something recently found in the Ruins comes up, she is the first and best person to ask. It's brilliant, being needed.
She tends to focus in on what the problem is to the point of ignoring everyone (and everything) else. Laius concentrates hard when she wants to, and even when she doesn't want to. It's hard to sleep with all the thoughts spinning in her mind all the time.
When solving a puzzle, Laius would first gather up all the information she could on the problem. Once she had done that, she would calmly try out different ways to fix the issue until one worked. Hopefully worked.
. . . .P32. . . .
Laius has her den, her simple hideaway in the mountain side, and it has everything that she needs. She often will have several random objects gathered in one corner, some just because, but many to puzzle out what they mean. The younger lions find all sorts of Ruins treasure, and she deeply enjoys figuring out what all of it is, what it does.
In addition, she has a lot of loose papers strewn around, all with her notes on them. Drawings, diagrams, theories - it's like a mad lab in there. Many are often pinned up to the various walls of the cave.
Beyond that, she doesn't have much. The beads Brontes gives everyone as a reminder of rank, of course, several feathers, and her bed. She specifically made it look as much like an old piece of meat as possible, just to scare people away from coming in and snooping around.
. . . .P33. . . .
Laius will keep a promise if she wants to. She's very wishy washy about those things. When Brontes or someone she truly respects asks something on her, she will definitely do it, but for anyone else, it depends on how she is feeling that day. If she's feeling nice, she'll assist random lions with whatever they need, but if she's feeling iffy, she'll just agree to do it and then... not, just to cause issues and confusion. It's pretty funny watching the chaos if everyone thinks something has been done and they suddenly realize that thing hasn't happened. Absolutely delightful.
. . . .P34. . . .
Laius dreams about all sort of things, but during the day she tends to stick to the practical things in life. If she's thinking about anything, it's always about her magic, or her duties to help the other lions, or perhaps her ongoing research. Though, sometimes she has daydreams about seeing her parents again, or perhaps uncovering the greatest secret yet, and solving it, and everyone cheering her on as a hero.
She might not be a hero, but when she returns to the present, she remembers that she has a place here, and that fact is good enough for her.