Profile
VILAS
You already know how this will end.
A performer through and through, Vilas has always been a pawn in someone else's game. Reared into a spy by the Iron Empire first, and then trained as a mage in Namarast, Vilas is friendly enough but empty. He plays his many roles well, yet hopelessly keeps wanting more from life.
Details
PERSONALITY
Dishonest / Bitter / Histrionic / Self-destructive
At his core Vilas is a deeply unhappy person. On the outside though, he is a man of many faces and many more desires. Confident, yet pleasant when he wants to be, he is surprisingly easy to be around for someone so prone to seemingly senseless mischief. A little superficial maybe, but Vilas is rather seen as flippant than risk opening up to the wrong person. Being a bore, he has never abided though.
Equally as sarcastic as he is clever, Vilas is difficult to read by most, but somewhere between his quips and cold smiles lie hints of his true nature. He is friendly, but never patronizing. Blunt, but not to be cruel. Critical, yet fair. For all his foul tendencies, at the very least he can't be faulted for being as mindful as he can be frustrating to both acquaintances and strangers alike.
He cares - often much more than he'd like to - but not unconditionally.
While very little escapes Vilas' attention, honesty on the other hand has never been his strong suit. His promises are as fleeting as are his morals, but he’d never even dare to dream of another soul trusting him in the first place. Not wholly anyway. Rarely can he provide a genuine connection, and even then it's often plagued by a web of lies. The few exceptions keep him rooted, but the fear of being known never leaves his side completely. At the end of the day his mission from the Iron Empire is all that he has, and can have. That, and his deep sense of loneliness which has faithfully kept him company ever since childhood.
Where once might have been opportunism and natural enthusiasm, now resides deep-seated bitterness. Incredibly hateful and relentless, Vilas isn’t quick to let go of past wrongs for he is anything but indifferent. An eye for an eye, there's no other justice to him than direct action - and preferably by his own hand. His anger rarely breaches the surface though. By contrast, he is awfully keen to keep pushing people's buttons once given a reason to, almost childishly so at times. To him there's simply no thrill like seeing what happens when someone else is pushed a bit too far for a change.
For good or ill, at the end of the day the mage can't help but love and hate people with an equal fervor in his desperation to connect with others.
WC: 406
NOTES
- Fluent in both Nymenian (common tongue) and Ivran. He has a slight accent that other Nymenians will most likely pick up on.
- He is an extrovert by nature, but the trauma of his upbringing has warped his personality for the worse. He lives for the drama of his own making, and probably would have died for it too already, if it wasn't for sheer luck.
- Hates mages. Him, you, and everyone else is a monster in his books, but he has also come to accept this as his lot in life. His view on magic is much more muddled, feeling constantly torn between his personal fears and his life purpose as a Face.
- Almost always has a ghost of a smile lingering on his face. His grievances are none of your business.
- Skilled in combat, but especially with knives. Genuinely enjoys brawling.
- His birth sign is the Wreath.
HISTORY
cw: implications of child abuse, institutional abuse, injury
- As a bastard son of a Nymenian nobleman and their live-in servant, Vilas was born in the middle of a fresh family drama. Him and his mother were ultimately allowed to stay, but he never quite fit in. Neither with the servants or his father's family - the least with his half-siblings. Yet when his magic made itself known at the age of 9, being given up by his House still cut deep. Unbeknownst to him, his mother had opposed this after the officials had already taken him away. Vehemently even, but be it as it may, he didn't hear from any of them again.
- Much to his surprise, instead of being shipped off to Ivras like so many mages before him, he was enlisted in the Iron Empire's new military program. Their goal was to prime young mages to not only spy on their neighboring nation, but to one day return home with the Order's secrets as well. Everything he was taught from there on out was coated in a thick layer of nationalistic propaganda, but the grand promises of future glory didn't lessen the boy's bitterness one bit.
- At the Cabinet's care he met his to-be handler, Damian. A noble brat, just like him, but where Vilas was quiet and wary, Damian was assertive and focused. The two of them couldn’t have been more different at the time, but against his expectations, the mage would find a genuine companion in the other boy over the years. The two of them weren’t equals and would never be, but their bond became a comfortable pillar to lean onto for him nonetheless. Life under the Cabinet’s care was often cruel and stressful, whereas Damian was predictable - stern and cold in his own right, but a friend all the same. Beneath their crafted roles the two of them were more similar than either would ever admit.
- Years went by and while Vilas' dislike of magic dissipated, he never quite grew out of his fear of it - nor his hatred of mages. He learned to disappear, to squeeze out every last bit of his magic that was deemed useful by those more important than him, but he also learned of violence during those long years. A certain kind of darkness took root within him the more he was pushed to reach new highs in one moment, only to be humbled the next. In time, he learned to do what was asked of him, regardless of the consequences. The boy held no love for the Cabinet, but it had given him a purpose in life - something that he had never had before. Feeling useful was as good of a reason as any to him to forgo his insecurities, and embrace the future chosen for him by the Empire. One couldn't ask for a more compliant spy; the Cabinet became his everything, and he their loyal tool.
- At the age of 14 Vilas was finally sent off to Ivras with Damian and a few other trainees. Crossing the sea in the ship’s cargo hold was a terrifying experience for a youngster who had never known life outside of Nymene’s borders - not to mention the fear of being found out that haunted the boy’s mind through the journey. To strangers though, he was no different from any other unwanted mage. Unwanted and soon alone. Once in Namarast, Vilas was on his own for the very first time in years. In spite of the years worth of training, he found himself at a loss without Damian’s constant presence.
- The boy turned out to be a burdensome student, but just inquisitive enough to stay on the professors' good side. He was quick to make acquaintances in their new home, especially among other Nymenians, but the loneliness that had once been kept at bay by his handler continued to grow. More and more, year by year. No matter what kind of company he surrounded himself with, nor the affection he held for those around him, his role as a spy never afforded Vilas the freedom to truly open his heart for others. Nobody could find out who he was, none. In his self-perceived isolation the young mage immersed himself in studying obscure branches of magic instead, gaining a rather good grasp of theories that he’d put to use years later as an assistant.
- While meetings between him and Damian remained few and far between by design, Vilas continued to find comfort in them - and more. When the mage was around 20 years old, his handler suddenly disappeared. Concerned, he sought out the young man through his own web of connections and eventually found distraught Damian in Faline. He had been almost caught, Vilas soon learned, and while his handler wasn’t physically hurt, never had he seen them this scared before. Wanting nothing more than to soothe his long-time friend, Vilas offered Damian the only thing that was truly his to give - his affection. He cared little about the line both of them should’ve known better than to cross, lest they endanger their mission, and for a time they were happy. Yet, the solace the two of them had found in one another would have to be abandoned just as suddenly as their relationship had started. Only a year later, new orders came from home and Damian withdrew, leaving Vilas feeling cold - and bitter. Even in Ivras there was no escape from their masters in Nymene - a fact, the mage wouldn’t allow himself to forget again.
- After their little romance came to an end, Vilas befriended a Siregalese mage, Flavia. It was a troubled alliance between the two of them even at the best of times - both held back by roles and expectations placed upon them a long ago - but Vilas cared for her. Much like his dalliance with Damian though, theirs too was met with a sudden, albeit more sorrowful end. Not due to the forces beyond their control, but because of Flavia’s powers. All too similar to its wielder, her magic turned out to be far too volatile to be controlled in the end, and the novice Mage Protector got severely hurt during a hunt. Flavia didn't die, but she was never quite the same afterwards; she was here, but unaware - her mind lost somewhere else. Vilas hid his sorrow and grew more unpredictable, more wary.
- Done with his base studies, Vilas - now a young adult - has taken it upon himself to learn more about esoteric topics, and the true nature of magic under the Order's watchful eyes. In spite of this budding calling, as well as his training, he has grown restless too - feeling stuck in the tower city with its mundane routines, and the people he is forced to keep at an arm’s length. The occasional field missions are a little more than an excuse to see more of Ivras to him, to calm his growing unease. Still, Vilas does his best to make things work and uncover whatever his handler advices him to. It's what he was raised for, after all.
WC: 1174
Updates
▸ Winter 1234
- Accompanies a Witchfinder patrol on professor Agathias' request to capture another mage. The mission is a success, and he is accepted within their ranks.
- Meets a mysterious stranger in Mead during that same mission - Mordreaux. A fond encounter, but left to believe the two wouldn't cross paths again.
- Reveals to Agathias that he can "see" magic, becomes the man's Apprentice proper.
- Comes across Mordreaux in Namarast (much to his surprise); the two pay a visit to the imprisoned mage, Natalya Firebird. Vilas symphatises with the pain her magic has brought upon her.
- Receives a deeply disturbing letter from the Cabinet. Chooses to head to Faline under the pretense of an escort, accompanying another Order mage and fellow Nymenian, Ade Branch (tba).
- Had a jolly good time in Faline; met a criminal on the run (Harrow), got his ass beaten at the Black Jug, and went on a date. Returns to Namarast to be a menace to his mentor.
Aesthetic
Blink
Blink and he's gone. Vilas' magic lends him the power to unravel his physical form at will, either wholly or partially. The effect is instant. Turning into threads of aether - a mass both weightless and transparent - the affected parts of his being will disappear from view in mere seconds, leaving behind but hazy, undulating hollows.
While completely formless, he is able to pass through solid objects of almost any kind, but he cannot interact with the physical world directly. If he were to touch something (or someone) with clear intent before using his magic though, he could take them with him. The weight of object matters not while his magic is active, but they will return to their original shape and size the moment Vilas does. Right now this skill is limited to objects roughly his size - anything bigger is simply too taxing to alter.
Whenever the magic envelopes his entire being, Vilas can't breathe, yet curiously enough his senses work almost the same. He is also extremely difficult to detect while in this state - even by magical means - but invulnerable to harm he is not. Although most physical objects will pass right through him, past experiences have taught the mage to be wary of spells even while lacking a solid body.
Cost: Magic use fatigues the caster. (1)
- Although his disappearances aren't painful, they still take a toll on his body. If he were to push himself too much, shortness of breath and general dizziness are quick to follow in suit.
Cost: Magic disables one or more of the caster's senses while it is in use. (2)
- Aside from the inability to breathe, Vilas will temporarily lose his senses of smell and taste while formless. The jarring sensation tends to linger for a while.
USE & LIMITATIONS
Magical barriers are difficult and often plain impossible for him to get through. Similarly he can be barred from using his magic altogether by certain kinds of magically imbued items.
Besides disappearing, Vilas is able to perceive the raw essence of magic in his surroundings when formless. It's not a skill in its own right, but more so a side-effect of him becoming one with his own magic and "seeing" through it.
STAT & ITEM LOG
PURCHASE HISTORY & STAT CHANGES
- Handmade idol. 16/01/2022. Vilas can now lift heavy things.
- Mending Scroll. 09/04/2022. Vilas can fix broken, cracked or torn objects with a simple spell.
- Minor healing Scroll. 09/04/2022. Vilas can perform a rudimentary healing spell, serves as first aid at best.
- April 2022 Prompt. 01/05/2022. +1 Corruption
- Great Hunt (Ravenous). 19/05/2022. +2 Power, participation reward.
- Extended telekinesis. 20/09/2022. Can grab and manipulate things from further away, and far more precisely than before.
- January 2023 Prompt. 03/02/2022. +1 Corruption.
- Magic Detection Amulet. 28/08/2023. He can sense faint traces of magic, if he focuses properly.
- Exploding Flask. 28/08/2023. Hunt item, used.
- Holy Water. 03/09/2023. Hunt item, used.
- Great Hunt (Aleister). 14/10/2023. +1 Power, +1 Discipline, participation reward.
- The Dancing Market (Dec-Jan Prompt). 07/02/2024. +1 Power.
DESIGN NOTES
▸ Cervine- Misses two tines from the left antler. His antlers are like that of an unicorn, as in they are permanent and likely won't regrow if they break off
- Heterochromatic eyes (outer rim is dark green, while the center is copper brown)
- Has malformed dewclaws on his front legs; whether or not they are caused by the magic in his veins, he doesn't know. In the human AU he was born with polydactyly which presented itself as a sixth finger in both of his hands, but these extra digits were surgically removed in childhood
- Has multiple scars/healed injuries, but the scar on his left cheek and the notch on the right ear are the most apparent ones
▸ Human
- Has notable dimples when he smiles
- Has a roman nose and slightly upturned eyes. Naturally wavy hair but keeps it close-cropped
- Often seen wearing the same pair of brass earrings; they were a precious gift
- Around 6 ft tall, very masculine in overall presentation
Original HTML by Eggy. Edits by @skycode
