The Wretched Rite - Round Three - DSRS Darwin

Originally posted on MSPA by MrGuy.

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Username: MrGuy
Name: Nempelio Poran kala-Sun
Gender: Male
Race: Leskrin
Font colour: #00C957
Weapons/Abilities: Carries a harp, a quill pen, and a bow, both scaled down to his size, as well as twelve crudely-fashioned arrows, an inkwell, and six sheets of paper.

Through music and poetry, he is able to bring forth flashy illusions. These serve no purpose but to confuse, distract, or entertain.

Description: Resembles a common mouse, but with a short, pointed tail and cyan dragonfly-style wings. About 13 centimeters tall, with gray fur and yellow eyes. Wears a black feather behind his ear, and a purple sash with three pouches attached.

Cheerful and friendly. Tends to exaggerate his own experience, and get in over his head; in particular, while he's somewhat skilled with a bow, he's by no means the expert he often makes himself out to be. Greatly enjoys gardening and stargazing. Often gets lost in thought.

Biography:

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SpoilerRozan, the fifth planet orbiting a binary star known as Rastus, was inhabited-- at least in part-- by the Leskrin, creatures resembling insect-winged mice or rats. Their civilization, at the time, was highly clan-based: the hierarchy of each geographical region was clearly outlined, with different families holding different amounts of power wherever they were. There was little resentment, but this was likely because no major philosophical movement had occurred in the past century or so; each individual, even if they were unhappy with their station, either resigned to it and did their duty or moved somewhere where they would hold more power.

Poran kala-Sun was born to Lance Skelrit eben-Sun and Redun Nalri toro-Garz of the western plains, the sixth of eight children. From a young age, he showed an affinity for music and wildlife; during the Vocational Ceremony on his tenth birthday, he made the decision to become a bard, adopting the career name of Nempelio.

The training process took five years, but could not be said to be particularly strenuous, although Poran did not slack off. On his fifteenth birthday, his apprenticeship complete, he began traveling from town to town, exchanging ballads and performing music. He was rarely well-off; though he was skilled enough, particularly in the illusions all trained bards used when telling tales for children, he rarely had any actual salary, making do merely with tips and the occasional performance for a festival. What's more, he spent much of his time writing unconventional work, trying to comfort himself with the idea that it would be appreciated in fifty years, that it would herald the coming of a new artistic movement. He rarely truly believed it, but kept at his work, convinced that it was better to write what he wanted than solely what others wanted. And, for the most part, he truly was happy.

Poran found himself caught up in a small town the evening it was attacked by a Tropari, a ferocious black bird so large as to crush an entire family with one foot; they were said to be able to fly across the entire ocean, and to have beaks strong enough to crack diamonds. He had claimed to have helped the great hero Lorin ili-Paros take down three at once, and unfortunately for him, those who listened to his story believed it. Though nervous, he did his best to fight valiantly, and managed to inflict a couple of wounds without being harmed; but soon, he was cornered. Unwilling to die a hero's death, he cast the largest illusion spell he could muster, and prepared to flee, praying that the townspeople would be able to fend off the weakened predator.

He was never heard from again, but was kept on in lore-- inspired by his apparent hero's death, the townspeople fought off the Tropari, never realizing the true cowardice behind his actions.

Question: "Have you seen time itself, sir? And if you have, what does it look like?"