NPCs · Mythic/ Historical · Artistic/Performance

Celenia of the Everchanging Eyes

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3 marks from 2 Strolenati

Bestowed by readers who would defend this scroll.

The tragic fate of the legendary beauty has left traces behind until this day.

240 xp 8,073 views 3 Hall of Honour First place

First place

Quest - Legendary People

Every society has their stories of mythic heroes. King Arthur. Hercules. The Monkey King. Sometimes villians also get in on the mythic status action: Professor Moriarty. Sauron. Jack the Ripper. In the end, eve… Open the quest

Full quest brief

Every society has their stories of mythic heroes. King Arthur. Hercules. The Monkey King.

Sometimes villians also get in on the mythic status action: Professor Moriarty. Sauron. Jack the Ripper.

In the end, every game world needs a fine assortment of larger than life people, if only just the stories of their exploits.

So this month's quest is Mythic/Historical NPCs.

'For such was the miracle in her, that her eyes always changed; some whispered there was not only mortal blood in her veins. And she was of a silent, calm nature, yet kind to everyone, so even hardened warriors felt unsure and shy around her.'
The fate of Celenia has been described fully in the Legend of the Arrow.

Mythical impact
Celenia is the symbol of innocence destroyed by a cruel world. A woman in the bloom of her youth, touched by love but never embracing it fully, she is the romantic hero of many a noble daughter, who would seek to imitate the charisma of her calm ways. The story does not speak of open resistance to her family, still, her tragic ending does not make for suggested reading for young women. But it is well known anyway, it was read many times, and many tears were shed on her behalf. Strangely, noble daughters of little education may know the Legend of The Arrow better than any knight of today.

Every bard worth his lute will know a song or two about the first meeting of Celenia and Nevario, or a gentle re-telling of the tragic ending. Seducers of repute know to win a girl's heart with mentioning their likeness to Celenia at a proper moment, or his own torment to be akin to the hero.

Lastly, given her supernatural ancestry, Celenia may also be associated with a fitting goddess of nature; not as a saint, but a symbolic character of the legends.

Appearance
Were it not for the eyes, she would be simply nice, but not of the kind men kill each other for instantly. Darkly brown hair envelopes her round face, with medium height and slender built, she can hide for a while between other women of her innocent age.

Dressing simple, she is depicted wearing white robes with few ornaments that fit her well. A small brooch contains a strand of her mother's hair.

Then there are her eyes.

The best painters create an image with slightly glittering eyes, that change their colour if the viewer moves. (A little magic can help in this regard especially well.) It is a matter of proud understatement that their true beauty can never be captured in fullness.

The Power
It is firmly believed now, that her mother was gravely wounded while still pregnant. Loosing precious blood, she prayed to the Goddess of Nature, the Mother and Protector. She prayed not for her own life, but for the unborn baby, her only child to come. The wound has closed, and no blood seemed to be lost. As people whispered from then on, the Goddess borrowed her own blood. Celenia's mother has died at birth, loosing what she has been borrowed. But the child survived, and was marked from then on.

Her eyes percieved the world as it is, not deformed by illusions most people tend to see. She might have seen things visible as invisible, ghosts even when others wouldn't notice them.

While she may see a lot on people's outside, she will not see much of their inside, a fact she has learned from a few nasty experiences, and considered her weakness. Over time, she would notice of what nature people are, but she is helpless in this regard as anyone else.

That she noticed the glimpses of the spirits of people in their bodies, was felt by them in turn and could disquiet many. Were it not for her kind presence, she would literally spook people as a ghost (interestingly enough, ghosts would avoid her as well).

Sages theorize until today, that the powers of their eyes varied according to the colour of the moment, but that detail is lost to the sands of time. It appears though, that she had little control in that regard.

Some even argue, that hers was the gift of foresight, and she knew of the fate before her, but could not stop it.

Celenia
She was liked by many, though few knew more than her outside. Born a curiosity, a thing to be seen and talked about, having almost learned to ignore the glances and stares, she only tried to keep her privacy, a lost battle indeed.

A few young men have build up the courage to flirt with her, and boast of it, but not a single one has actually thought of starting anything serious with her. The marriages were offered for political reasons, or of curiosity. Then came a man along, that was not afraid of her strangeness... the rest, they say, is history.

And personally? What was it really like to be her? Did she feel like a chosen for a special fate? A simple girl paralysed by destiny, that could not avert what happened around it? A freak of nature? A child of a greater power that did not reveal its intentions? Some things will never be known.


What if she is reborn? (plot hooks)
What if there is a child born, that has the same changing eyes? Chance or fate, both would produce turmoil.

- Will the Legend repeat itself, or is it just a chance? Will the Arrow be drawn to her, and kill her, possibly never working again? Or does she have the power to destroy it? If someone wants the Arrow, she has to be watched.

- Could she be 'used' to produce another artifact, a dangerous weapon perhaps? A maiden with godly blood is something the typical villainous archmage would gladly pay (or kill) for. A strong element of fate is also welcome.

- 'Find me a way to see through that protection, _any_ way. I will pay you... '

- A sentient monster is so horribly deformed, that it drives people mad with but a look, or even scares to death. A legend claims that it (or a large treasure) can be freed, if someone can endure the look. Sounds like an adventure.

- The warlord XY long sought something really exotic for his haarem. Will you help to return her to the desperate father, before she is dishonoured?

- Insert random prophecy concerning the child of a certain deity of Nature. Could she be the, at least indirect, child that makes the good thing or bad thing happen?

- Alternatively, powerful, otherwise not possible rituals may only succeed in the presence of such a child. Think of potent regenerative spells, even Raising Dead if it is not available in the game world. What a mad race could it provoke... entire wars might start if the chance looks real enough.

As in her first life, she would be more a plot-attractor, than an actor.

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Discussion

12 comments

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  1. manfred

    Updated: A last-minute submission, released to make it to the quest. Her Artistic/Performance focus, btw, is not her nature, but what seems to be her largest mythical impact. (Since we do not have one for romantic heroines. ;) )

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  2. MoonHunter

    This is the sort of thing I enjoy. It is a background thing that GMs should spend their time doing, but are always more concerned with 'events of the moment'.

    This mythic as nice symbolic elements. The reasons I knotch it up some, is that it has applications today as well... if that is your cup of tea.

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  3. Cheka Man

    I like her.

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  4. valadaar

    A truly excellent NPC!

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  5. Iain

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  6. Murometz

    BUMPING one of the Quest Finalists

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  7. Strolen

    I was a little torn with this one. Reading the Arrow helped a little bit, but I just didn't know what to think of this. I will read it again tomorrow and see if something sings to me but I guess I am just not getting it. I think mostly because I didn't understand her power...was I suppose to?

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    1. manfred reply

      Right... you weren't. It is a symbolic tale, one that is shaped by those who re-tell it, explaining her power as much or as little as desired, with facets added or removed to emphasize some aspect of the story. She can be an ordinary human with special eyes, or something much more.

      (Okay, it is my personal preference, that I would like to keep her mysterious and leave the power unexplained. Should you choose to make her alive, there are plenty of options to choose from. We can discuss this further, but you won't get a final answer from me. :) )

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    2. Strolen reply

      I am just going to have her able to shoot fireballs from her eyes and call it good. ;)

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  8. Strolen

    Congratulations to the winner of the 'Legendary People' Quest.

    First place and 100XP goes to manfred and this awesome submission!

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  9. Cheka Man

    Why have the 100XP not been added to this?

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  10. manfred

    Right! Where is my phat XP?

    (It's possible it was added to my account and not to the sub, but who can count that at this point. :) )

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Continue the path

Three more steps through the hall.

  1. The Arrow That Always Killed by manfred Bound
  2. Senach I, King of Tir Earrach by Wulfhere Same quest

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