28-03-2015, 09:24 PM
In Game Name (IGN): cerberus23
How did you find us?: Previous Member from a year and a few months. I think.
About You: 22 year old (Just, yey) Englishpersonmanthing. So I live in a giant scone, and sip tea from a scone, and so on. I work as a Network Technician and spend my free time playing games, and watching people play games, and thinking about games, and games. Also RP, in games.
Name: Celyn Esrok
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Family:
Parents: Arua Esrok & Xemnes Esrok
Siblings: Fiorello Esrok
Appearance:
Clothing:
Personality:
Skills:
Possessions:
Backstory:
How did you find us?: Previous Member from a year and a few months. I think.
About You: 22 year old (Just, yey) Englishpersonmanthing. So I live in a giant scone, and sip tea from a scone, and so on. I work as a Network Technician and spend my free time playing games, and watching people play games, and thinking about games, and games. Also RP, in games.
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Celyn Esrok
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Family:
Parents: Arua Esrok & Xemnes Esrok
Siblings: Fiorello Esrok
Appearance:
![[+]](/images/collapse_collapsed.png "[+]")
Spoiler
Inheriting most of his ‘definable’ appearance from his Mother, he is relatively short of stature, even for his young age. With relatively long hair, of a deep black colour, it is rarely under control, being almost a mop, in need of wringing, and although it clearly annoys him much of the time, he at no point shows signs of cutting it. From his Father’s side, a slight lankiness lends itself to his limbs, and at his point in life, it is even more noticeable, as growth takes its toll, making him somewhat clumsy in general movement, especially when unfocussed. As he has been told, many times, he has his mothers eyes, deep green and caring, at least when he smiles. His face again shares similarities with both parents, sharper features from his Father, along with a warm smile from his Mother.
Clothing:
Wearing what is obviously a rather threadbare, and almost certainly a previously owned coat, from behind; one may mistake him for his Mother, at least from a distance. The patched holes, worn brown leather and missing buttons all suggest that the coat has had at least one previous user, the additional fact that it’s still a little large on Celyn, covering his hands at times, only helps to solidify that fact. Sporting several pockets, both inside and out, the coat is useful for anyone having to carry lots of small things.
In addition to his coat, he also wears a simple grey tunic, and thick black woollen trousers, the knees of which are covered with a protective leather. Over his shoulder is slung an old satchel, equally as worn as his coat, its seen a lot of the world, as is shown in its sun bleached fabric, and stained spots.
In addition to his coat, he also wears a simple grey tunic, and thick black woollen trousers, the knees of which are covered with a protective leather. Over his shoulder is slung an old satchel, equally as worn as his coat, its seen a lot of the world, as is shown in its sun bleached fabric, and stained spots.
Personality:
Unlike any of his family, Celyn lacks the energetic nature of an Esrok. He prefers to quietly observe, or listen to the world, or people around him. Rarely speaking, except in necessity, he usually gestures to display his intent. Often mistaken as shy, or nervous, it is often quite the opposite, as he holds some of his Father’s curious nature, he however prefers to watch and understand by watching, rather than stick his nose into danger/unwelcome conversations.
Standing at a rather small height, he can often get away with being overlooked in crowds, and can enjoy watching the world turn from his own little spot. He is rather musical, inheriting a love of humming and occasionally singing, from his Mother, and all the songs she used to sing him. Not as well travelled, however, his knowledge is limited mostly to his Mothers favourites and the occasional song from Sailors.
Standing at a rather small height, he can often get away with being overlooked in crowds, and can enjoy watching the world turn from his own little spot. He is rather musical, inheriting a love of humming and occasionally singing, from his Mother, and all the songs she used to sing him. Not as well travelled, however, his knowledge is limited mostly to his Mothers favourites and the occasional song from Sailors.
Skills:
Healing: (Competent)
Having spent all of his younger life in the company of his Mother, he was naturally exposed to Healing from an early age. Whilst his brother often spent little time with their Mother, Celyn began to help out more and more as he grew, starting with just gathering and preparing the occasional herb, he soon began tending to Patients during their recovery, bringing them food and water, and checking their injuries healing progress.
Whilst she appreciated the help, Arua was reluctant to really educate her son in her practices, as her teachings restrained her. However soon enough, Celyn’s aptitude and simple desire to help shone through, and Arua began to properly teach him, at the age of eight.
His teaching would continue, and as his parents moved around he would encounter many patients, injuries and sicknesses, which he helped his Mother to work with. Eventually ending up in a Port town upon the coast of the mainland, Celyn, having reached the age of 15, had begun tending to patients on his own, along with supporting his Mother.
Eventually leaving his Family, he took the role of ‘Ships Doctor’ upon a small trading ship. With limited supplies, and a somewhat hazardous environment, his patients came thick and fast, often as simple as sickness from a Sailors poor diet, or as problematic as Broken limbs. In such conditions, Celyn’s training was tested to its limits.
With his experience, Celyn can deal with a relatively wide range of injuries and sicknesses. However he’s limited to external injuries, and has no surgical experience, outside of resetting broken limbs, so can only do so much.
Herbalism: (Novice)
Necessities of Healing, herbs are a requirement in almost any treatment, in one form or another. Arua attempted to instruct her son in identifying, collecting and preparing the herbs necessary to their work, but due to frequent travel, their chances were limited.
Woodcarving: (Novice)
Those who knew Celyn well, knew that of all his possessions, a small, carved wooden bowl was his most important. Made of a simple design, and carved by his Father, Celyn loved playing with the bowl, and still owns it. In spare time, and during one of his Fathers frequent visits, he would practice carving any spare piece of wood he had, whittling away at it carefully to form shapes, symbols, and rough animals.
As the family travelled, it became more and more of a hobby, and pastime of the young boy, during quiet periods, he would happily find himself a corner in which he could reside peacefully, and just work away at a lump of wood.
With the frequency of their movements, it was often the case that many of his ‘creations’ had to be left behind, so he usually gave them to anyone he’d met, and the better made items were given to anyone he thought highly of, or considered a friend.
Having spent all of his younger life in the company of his Mother, he was naturally exposed to Healing from an early age. Whilst his brother often spent little time with their Mother, Celyn began to help out more and more as he grew, starting with just gathering and preparing the occasional herb, he soon began tending to Patients during their recovery, bringing them food and water, and checking their injuries healing progress.
Whilst she appreciated the help, Arua was reluctant to really educate her son in her practices, as her teachings restrained her. However soon enough, Celyn’s aptitude and simple desire to help shone through, and Arua began to properly teach him, at the age of eight.
His teaching would continue, and as his parents moved around he would encounter many patients, injuries and sicknesses, which he helped his Mother to work with. Eventually ending up in a Port town upon the coast of the mainland, Celyn, having reached the age of 15, had begun tending to patients on his own, along with supporting his Mother.
Eventually leaving his Family, he took the role of ‘Ships Doctor’ upon a small trading ship. With limited supplies, and a somewhat hazardous environment, his patients came thick and fast, often as simple as sickness from a Sailors poor diet, or as problematic as Broken limbs. In such conditions, Celyn’s training was tested to its limits.
With his experience, Celyn can deal with a relatively wide range of injuries and sicknesses. However he’s limited to external injuries, and has no surgical experience, outside of resetting broken limbs, so can only do so much.
Herbalism: (Novice)
Necessities of Healing, herbs are a requirement in almost any treatment, in one form or another. Arua attempted to instruct her son in identifying, collecting and preparing the herbs necessary to their work, but due to frequent travel, their chances were limited.
Woodcarving: (Novice)
Those who knew Celyn well, knew that of all his possessions, a small, carved wooden bowl was his most important. Made of a simple design, and carved by his Father, Celyn loved playing with the bowl, and still owns it. In spare time, and during one of his Fathers frequent visits, he would practice carving any spare piece of wood he had, whittling away at it carefully to form shapes, symbols, and rough animals.
As the family travelled, it became more and more of a hobby, and pastime of the young boy, during quiet periods, he would happily find himself a corner in which he could reside peacefully, and just work away at a lump of wood.
With the frequency of their movements, it was often the case that many of his ‘creations’ had to be left behind, so he usually gave them to anyone he’d met, and the better made items were given to anyone he thought highly of, or considered a friend.
Possessions:
- Old Healing Coat
- Old worn Satchel, containing:
- Old Healing Kit, Knife, needle and thread, etc.
- Old Healing Kit, Knife, needle and thread, etc.
- Several Rolls of Bandages
- Two old wooden vials with stoppers, containing what remains of a Cat Nip Tincture and Comfrey Liniment respectively. The vials have had basic Icon’s carved into them by Celyn later on, to help identify them.
- Wooden Flask for holding fresh water.
- Several herbal wraps containing what remains of Celyn’s supply of prepared Herbs.
- A small old Wooden Bowl, carved with several swirling patterns.
- A basic wood carving blade
Backstory:
Origins:
Born to A loving Mother, and a Caring Father, along with his Brother Fiore, Celyn's youngest years were spent in the Healing House of Ravenna, looked after by his parents. Quiet from Birth, some showed concern at his unresponsive nature, but for his parents, and especially Arua, it was clear that while reserved, he'd respond in his own way, a happy smile, a subtle shift of gaze and the likes, and as such, they showed no such worry.
As he grew, and movement shifted from shuffling to crawling and toddling, Celyn and his brother would often leave the healing house, although always in the company of Arua, or their Father, or their close friends Dusken and Lyrxi. Often visiting other members of Ravenna's community, their travels would often end up at the Inn. While Fiore's energy compelled him to crawl, jump and climb over and around things, yelling to people and flailing about in his own way, Celyn rarely left his mother’s side, although he would often pay attention to visitors, or those whom addressed him.
Often found gazing at the most mundane of items or events, such as a Flame flickering, or grass waving in the wind, Celyn was often a source of light amusement for those around him, especially with his favoured bowl, which Xemnes had gifted to him, having carved several patterns into it, which Celyn adored to touch and trace.
At the age of Two, Xemnes left, seeking trade opportunities and lost friends. In the wake of his departure, times in the Healing House grew quieter, even with Fiore's usual noise. With the steady influx of patients, their Mothers time was strained, and as such they often spent much of their time stuck with little more to do than to play together, with what toys they had.
And so it was, as a year passed, and the situation in Ravenna slowly deteriorated, even their Mothers cheery disposition was affected, and despite her attempts to smile, and play with her children, the brothers could hardly miss the crying that would echo through the small bedroom above the Healing house.
Times grew darker still, as tensions between the people of Ravenna grew worse. With poor weather, and trade being cut off entirely, food grew ever scarcer. Worry was forever etched on their Mother’s face, and Celyn almost never left her side, as his own concerns, even at his young age, ensured that he cared for her, as she cared for others.
In the last few months of Celyn’s third year, the patients came thick and fast. With worsening weather, many struggled, and some whom couldn't handle the cold suffered from sickness. With her hands full, Arua often gave the Brothers simple instructions to help her, mainly feeding her patients with what food they had. While Fiore showed little interest in helping, treating the work as little more than a chore, and doing while whining as he usually did, Celyn seemed to enjoy it, at least, he would smile while he worked, seeming satisfied whenever he returned to his Mothers side with an empty bowl.
The Situation grew ever worse within the town, and it wasn't long before Arua, along with the Minwu's decided to leave. Putting her family first, Arua chose to seek out Xemnes, and reunite the Esrok family.
Collecting together what food they could spare, and after Arua had ensured her patients were fine, they set off, leaving the frozen City behind, hope for a better future elsewhere driving them on.
Leaving Ravenna:
Snow, such a strange thing, cold, unforgiving, life threatening. Yet, a thing of beauty, a thing of creation. Celyn hardly held the same opinion as Fiore as the Esrok family tramped through the snow. Compared to his brother, laughing and frolicking far too happily through the cold snow, kicking it everywhere and rolling in it occasionally, Celyn was far more reserved, simply watching the impressions his feet made in the white, crunching cold, occasionally glancing back at the trail they left behind them, inbetween the tall trees, until he was tugged along again by his Mother.
It had been several months since they had left Ravenna, yet in his young mind, it felt as if it was only a few days. While his Brother had been happy, eager even, to go on an ‘adventure’ as his Mother put it, Celyn had been more reluctant. His reluctance had waned somewhat when Jie and his family came with them, and Celyn often spent most of their travel following the happy, smiling boy around, enjoying the warmth of his company, and his energetic enthusiasm.
However, upon the Minwu’s departure, Celyn grew more distant, and quiet, doing little more than eating, sleeping and following his Mother in their travels.
Their lives were hard. Leaving Ravenna with whatever supplies they had remaining to them, food was consumed sparingly, and often the family moved upon empty stomachs. Even after they reached what civilisation they could find in the surrounding area, the Winter had been harsh upon most, and aside from Arua's services, little could be given as payment, and so food became ever more strained.
Unlike Fiore, whom had enjoyed his food aplenty in Ravenna, and thus struggled the most with the rationing of his food, spending much of his time whining and crying for food, Celyn remained stoic, and mostly silent, only occasionally speaking up to his Mother, along with telling his Brother to shush.
Eventually settling in small town, fed by a trade route, the family set up in a tent on the outskirts. Again, utilising her trade, Arua allowed for trading with the townspeople for food, which ensured that the family could eat, and that they could enjoy relative silence from Fiore, as well as safety.
Reunion:
As the poor weather finally settled into warmer seasons, Arua struggled with the desire to find Xemnes. Having grown somewhat content with their place in the town, and with Celyn and Fiore's young age, Arua resisted dragging her children across the land once more, without necessity
So it was, that the family remained in the town, with Arua earning food and the occasional payment for treatment, or herbal remedies. As they grew, Fiore and Celyn tried to help their Mother out as best as they could, the latter of whom, spending most of his time once more in her company, feeding patients under his Mothers supervision.
With little changing, time passed, and Celyn grew slowly but surely. Unlike his Brother, he rarely left the tent that had long been their home. Preferring to only leave whenever his Mother went gathering herbs, helping her to carry things back.
Soon enough, Celyn's 7th birthday had been and gone, and the young boy showed ever more deep interest in his Mothers work. No longer content with simply feeding the patients, he often took it unto himself to check their injuries and health, which on occasion earned him a scolding from Arua for disturbing wounds, or distressing patients.
Having become so settled into the town's environment, the family would often make daily visits into town, whenever there was a Market. It was on such an occasion that the Esrok family reunion finally occurred.
Celyn held tightly onto his Mothers hand, while Fiore raced ahead, making the young boy roll his eyes as his brother laughed and jumped over things, soon enough tripping and falling over in an almost comical way. Soon enough however, he was back on his feet, as if nothing had happened.
As they stepped into the busy streets, the loud calling of stall owners, hawking their goods drowned out most other sounds, and Celyn was dragged along towards a farmers stall, as his Mother started to pick out several items. Celyn left her to it, and began to watch the crowd; he often found it interesting to watch the world move by, watching each individual, with their own goal and need move on by. Whilst so many performed the same action, they each did it their own way, some rushing around, while others lazily strolled.
Lost in his thoughts, the sharp colour of a purple cloak caught his eye, its hem fluttering in the wind as memories suddenly flooded his mind. His hair being ruffled as he gazed up at a large smile, a chuckle vibrating through him as he was spun around in his Fathers grip. As his grip increased on his Mothers arm, and he tugged a little more, Arua turned to look at him, a small basket of groceries in her other hand.
As she followed her sons gaze, her breath suddenly hitched, the basket falling from her hand as she suddenly rushed at the figure.
Celyn remained standing where his Mother left him, watching her rush towards the figure, the word “Xemnes” forming on her lips, the man turning just as she embraced him. Celyn was too far to hear anything more, but he stood still, quietly watching his Mother and Father embrace.
Celyn held onto his Mothers hand, while Fiore held onto their Fathers as they walked home. Along the way, Xemnes told the story of his time since leaving Ravenna. Having set out so long ago, he travelled from settlement to settlement, seeking trade opportunities with which to bring back gifts and wealth for his family. Along his journey he was attacked by a Dusk creature, and was badly injured, only just surviving due to intervention by a nearby hunter. Suffering from several injuries, he was tended to by the hunter for many months, and was eventually back to full health.
Leaving the hunter behind, after giving him his eternal thanks, Xemnes set out once more, but with so much time wasted, he gave up his trading, and instead headed for home.
Moving On:
With the Esrok family reunited, it wasn't long before they looked towards moving on to greener pastures. There was not much call for woodcarving, or mask making trades in the town, and with the warmer seasons coming, demand for Arua's skills were in decline.
So they began to move, travelling from village to town, settling down for some time, before moving on again. With more sustained towns, often they would stay for many months, in which time Xemnes would often leave on journeys to nearby settlements, and as he grew older, Fiore would often accompany him, mainly due to his restlessness from being stuck in boring villages and towns with little to do.
While his Father and Brother went off on trips, Celyn chose to remain with his Mother, spending most of his time helping her with her work, just like before. As time moved on, and Celyn grew, he became more and more interested in helping Arua with her work.
With the dusk portal open once more, and events on the mainland growing more tense and in some cases dangerous as the racial past came to the fore once more, many families and settlements chose to flee, taking whatever chance they had to leave, often on overburdened ships, poorly equipped with supplies. As such, many would arrive at port ill, and weak, requiring tending. On top of this, the occasional arrival of members of the other races often sparked brief, but often dangerous conflict within the town, and so the number of daily patients swelled dramatically, pushing Arua's ability to its utmost.
It was clear at this point, that Arua required help, but having a poor history of trusting previous Healers, she instead looked towards her family for support.
Initially, Arua had been reluctant to educate her son in her ways, with her Master's own teachings echoing in her ears, but as Celyn showed his eagerness, and his empathy for the patients he helped eventually convinced his Mother to begin his teaching.
Starting out with the most basic of tending, Celyn was tasked with applying and replacing patients bandages, soon progressing to replacing any salves or balms that wounds or sores may require. On top of that, Celyn often ventured out to help his Mother gather herbs, being educated as best Arua could on what herbs are needed most, and how best to take, and prepare them.
It wasn't until his 12th birthday, that he was 'issued' with Healing clothing and tools. Having settled in a Port town relatively recently, and taken over an abandoned building, Arua had earned quite a bit by tending to the large influx of injured and sick sailors that came and went, and as such had managed to purchase newer tools and clothing she could use to replace her worn outfit and tools. At this point, Celyn had been working under his Mothers tuition for over 4 years, and with her replacements in hand, Arua chose to hand down her old tools and coat to her son.
Equipped with a Healers coat and satchel, Celyn enjoyed more tutoring from his Mother, working hard under her careful gaze, and he became more adept with his skills. In the quiet times between influxes of patients, Celyn would often spend his time with his Father, whenever he was home, learning the art of woodcarving. Whenever his Father and Brother were away, and during quiet times, he would practice his Fathers teaching, crudely carving away at spare lumps of wood he could find amongst his Fathers belongings.
Time continued ever onwards, as Celyn continued to grow older, and become ever more used to the work of a Healer. At the age of 15, his Mother finally permitted him to work outside of her supervision, often heading out of the Healing House to wander the port, looking for those in need of aid.
Ship's Doctor:
It was on such a day, as Celyn wandered the harbour side, that he came across a sick man, not an unusual occurrence, all things considered, with a poor diet, and an equally poor lifestyle, sailors often returned home ill, or injured. Offering the man some water, and a herbal remedy, and after tending to a small wound on his arm, Celyn guided the man back to his ship, leaving him with his crew mates.
Heading home however, he was accosted by one of the Sailors from the ship. He was asked why he helped the man. Stating the simple fact that it was his job, and that the man needed his help, Celyn turned to head home, but was pulled back, gently, by the sailor. The man spoke of how often they lost men during their travels, as a merchant vessel, often spending months at sea, with no Doctor or Healer around, they could use Celyn's skilled, and would pay him well.
Stating that he would think about it, he headed home, greeting his Mother and Father, and grumbling a little as Fiore punched him in the arm, saying hello in his own way. Celyn discussed his day, and talked at length about the Sailor, and his proposal. Xemnes disagreed immediately, saying that he was still young, and that his family needed him. He would have continued, had Arua not spoken up; reminding Xemnes that Celyn and Fiore were hardly children anymore, and that as a Healer, it was Celyn's duty to tend to those in need.
His parents began to argue, but in the end, an uneasy consensus was reached, agreeing simply that it was up to Celyn, as to what he should do. Unlike his Brother, Celyn was rarely one for impulsive decisions, and so he thought long and hard about it. Pondering the opportunities he might gain from going, and what he may do if he was to stay.
Eventually, his decision was made, and his few belongings were packed. His Family waved him off as he boarded the ship, and he stowed his things in small quarters that were assigned to him.
It took quite some time for him to simply gain stable sealegs, and he himself suffered from dreaded seasickness, which he couldn't quite repress even with the application of herbs. Soon enough however, he had settled in, and become somewhat comfortable with his 'crew mates', and begun his work with earnest.
Initially, the worst Celyn had to deal with was sickness, and the occasional injury from poor safety precautions. But as the ship travelled from port to port, they were often caught in poor weather, which resulted in more serious injury, broken bones which needed setting, along with severe cuts and bruises from falls.
Weeks became months, and Celyn grew more settled in his new home, rarely missing his Family's company, especially since he often felt his Mothers hand still, gently resting on his shoulder as he worked, guiding him with her teachings.
A few weeks before Celyn's 16th Birthday, the ship was caught in a heavy storm, more severe than any other it had encountered thus far in its most recent journey. Celyn remained in his cabin, as the ship rocked and creaked around him, tossing some of his things around. On the main deck, the crew scrambled to maintain their course, fighting with the sails.
It was during the worst of the storm, that some of the rigging gave way, and part of the mast came crashing down. Celyn heard all this from his cabin, along with screams of pain. He gathered his things together, preparing himself to head out onto the main deck, when two sailors barged in, carrying a third with them.
He had been crushed by the mast, and as Celyn removed his tunic, it was clear the man wouldn't survive. As the other sailors departed, Celyn appraised the deeply bruised injuries, and carefully wiped the man's lips, as he coughed up blood. He quickly offered him something to dull the pain some, before sitting beside him, holding his hand.
The main babbled in pain and fear, rarely making sense, but soon his voice quietened, as he felt the oncoming end. He turned his head weakly to face Celyn, before whispering a word of thanks, as his last breath left him.
The news was not taken well, as the weather settled to a more manageable state, and the crew relaxed some. As the dead crewman's friends arrived at Celyn's cabin, yelling and shouting ensued, as they grieved over their fallen comrade.
After the crew had paid their respects, and the man was committed to the sea, it was clear that opinions had shifted amongst the crew. From the shifty glances, to the muttered words and ignoring of any attempts by Celyn to interact. For over a month the ship continued to travel, heading inland, only stopping for basic repairs and resupply, before continuing its journey onto its trade destination. As the growing animosity affected him, forcing him into isolation, rarely leaving his cabin. Fewer and fewer patients arrived for treatment, and soon he had little to do at all, except sleep, and play around with a few pieces of wood he'd been working on during the voyage.
As his times grew ever less active, and with the ever growing feeling that his life was in danger, he chose to leave the ship. Announcing his decision to the ships captain, he was surprisingly permitted to leave, for, as the Captain explained, after he 'caused' the death of a crewman, he had since become what many believed a curse upon the ship, and with his leave, the curse should be gone, and those that remained, safe.
So, as the ship lazily drifted along its slow journey inland, Celyn packed his things, what few things he had, taking care to avoid all that he could, more for their sake than his own, as he awaited the next port of call.
It wasn't long before the ship eventually anchored at a dock, and as Celyn stepped off the ship that had been his home for what felt like a lifetime, he inhaled slowly. Gathering all the tension, and frustration within himself, he exhaled, and gazed about himself, a small sense of hope resting within him, as he left the ship behind.
Born to A loving Mother, and a Caring Father, along with his Brother Fiore, Celyn's youngest years were spent in the Healing House of Ravenna, looked after by his parents. Quiet from Birth, some showed concern at his unresponsive nature, but for his parents, and especially Arua, it was clear that while reserved, he'd respond in his own way, a happy smile, a subtle shift of gaze and the likes, and as such, they showed no such worry.
As he grew, and movement shifted from shuffling to crawling and toddling, Celyn and his brother would often leave the healing house, although always in the company of Arua, or their Father, or their close friends Dusken and Lyrxi. Often visiting other members of Ravenna's community, their travels would often end up at the Inn. While Fiore's energy compelled him to crawl, jump and climb over and around things, yelling to people and flailing about in his own way, Celyn rarely left his mother’s side, although he would often pay attention to visitors, or those whom addressed him.
Often found gazing at the most mundane of items or events, such as a Flame flickering, or grass waving in the wind, Celyn was often a source of light amusement for those around him, especially with his favoured bowl, which Xemnes had gifted to him, having carved several patterns into it, which Celyn adored to touch and trace.
At the age of Two, Xemnes left, seeking trade opportunities and lost friends. In the wake of his departure, times in the Healing House grew quieter, even with Fiore's usual noise. With the steady influx of patients, their Mothers time was strained, and as such they often spent much of their time stuck with little more to do than to play together, with what toys they had.
And so it was, as a year passed, and the situation in Ravenna slowly deteriorated, even their Mothers cheery disposition was affected, and despite her attempts to smile, and play with her children, the brothers could hardly miss the crying that would echo through the small bedroom above the Healing house.
Times grew darker still, as tensions between the people of Ravenna grew worse. With poor weather, and trade being cut off entirely, food grew ever scarcer. Worry was forever etched on their Mother’s face, and Celyn almost never left her side, as his own concerns, even at his young age, ensured that he cared for her, as she cared for others.
In the last few months of Celyn’s third year, the patients came thick and fast. With worsening weather, many struggled, and some whom couldn't handle the cold suffered from sickness. With her hands full, Arua often gave the Brothers simple instructions to help her, mainly feeding her patients with what food they had. While Fiore showed little interest in helping, treating the work as little more than a chore, and doing while whining as he usually did, Celyn seemed to enjoy it, at least, he would smile while he worked, seeming satisfied whenever he returned to his Mothers side with an empty bowl.
The Situation grew ever worse within the town, and it wasn't long before Arua, along with the Minwu's decided to leave. Putting her family first, Arua chose to seek out Xemnes, and reunite the Esrok family.
Collecting together what food they could spare, and after Arua had ensured her patients were fine, they set off, leaving the frozen City behind, hope for a better future elsewhere driving them on.
Leaving Ravenna:
Snow, such a strange thing, cold, unforgiving, life threatening. Yet, a thing of beauty, a thing of creation. Celyn hardly held the same opinion as Fiore as the Esrok family tramped through the snow. Compared to his brother, laughing and frolicking far too happily through the cold snow, kicking it everywhere and rolling in it occasionally, Celyn was far more reserved, simply watching the impressions his feet made in the white, crunching cold, occasionally glancing back at the trail they left behind them, inbetween the tall trees, until he was tugged along again by his Mother.
It had been several months since they had left Ravenna, yet in his young mind, it felt as if it was only a few days. While his Brother had been happy, eager even, to go on an ‘adventure’ as his Mother put it, Celyn had been more reluctant. His reluctance had waned somewhat when Jie and his family came with them, and Celyn often spent most of their travel following the happy, smiling boy around, enjoying the warmth of his company, and his energetic enthusiasm.
However, upon the Minwu’s departure, Celyn grew more distant, and quiet, doing little more than eating, sleeping and following his Mother in their travels.
Their lives were hard. Leaving Ravenna with whatever supplies they had remaining to them, food was consumed sparingly, and often the family moved upon empty stomachs. Even after they reached what civilisation they could find in the surrounding area, the Winter had been harsh upon most, and aside from Arua's services, little could be given as payment, and so food became ever more strained.
Unlike Fiore, whom had enjoyed his food aplenty in Ravenna, and thus struggled the most with the rationing of his food, spending much of his time whining and crying for food, Celyn remained stoic, and mostly silent, only occasionally speaking up to his Mother, along with telling his Brother to shush.
Eventually settling in small town, fed by a trade route, the family set up in a tent on the outskirts. Again, utilising her trade, Arua allowed for trading with the townspeople for food, which ensured that the family could eat, and that they could enjoy relative silence from Fiore, as well as safety.
Reunion:
As the poor weather finally settled into warmer seasons, Arua struggled with the desire to find Xemnes. Having grown somewhat content with their place in the town, and with Celyn and Fiore's young age, Arua resisted dragging her children across the land once more, without necessity
So it was, that the family remained in the town, with Arua earning food and the occasional payment for treatment, or herbal remedies. As they grew, Fiore and Celyn tried to help their Mother out as best as they could, the latter of whom, spending most of his time once more in her company, feeding patients under his Mothers supervision.
With little changing, time passed, and Celyn grew slowly but surely. Unlike his Brother, he rarely left the tent that had long been their home. Preferring to only leave whenever his Mother went gathering herbs, helping her to carry things back.
Soon enough, Celyn's 7th birthday had been and gone, and the young boy showed ever more deep interest in his Mothers work. No longer content with simply feeding the patients, he often took it unto himself to check their injuries and health, which on occasion earned him a scolding from Arua for disturbing wounds, or distressing patients.
Having become so settled into the town's environment, the family would often make daily visits into town, whenever there was a Market. It was on such an occasion that the Esrok family reunion finally occurred.
Celyn held tightly onto his Mothers hand, while Fiore raced ahead, making the young boy roll his eyes as his brother laughed and jumped over things, soon enough tripping and falling over in an almost comical way. Soon enough however, he was back on his feet, as if nothing had happened.
As they stepped into the busy streets, the loud calling of stall owners, hawking their goods drowned out most other sounds, and Celyn was dragged along towards a farmers stall, as his Mother started to pick out several items. Celyn left her to it, and began to watch the crowd; he often found it interesting to watch the world move by, watching each individual, with their own goal and need move on by. Whilst so many performed the same action, they each did it their own way, some rushing around, while others lazily strolled.
Lost in his thoughts, the sharp colour of a purple cloak caught his eye, its hem fluttering in the wind as memories suddenly flooded his mind. His hair being ruffled as he gazed up at a large smile, a chuckle vibrating through him as he was spun around in his Fathers grip. As his grip increased on his Mothers arm, and he tugged a little more, Arua turned to look at him, a small basket of groceries in her other hand.
As she followed her sons gaze, her breath suddenly hitched, the basket falling from her hand as she suddenly rushed at the figure.
Celyn remained standing where his Mother left him, watching her rush towards the figure, the word “Xemnes” forming on her lips, the man turning just as she embraced him. Celyn was too far to hear anything more, but he stood still, quietly watching his Mother and Father embrace.
Celyn held onto his Mothers hand, while Fiore held onto their Fathers as they walked home. Along the way, Xemnes told the story of his time since leaving Ravenna. Having set out so long ago, he travelled from settlement to settlement, seeking trade opportunities with which to bring back gifts and wealth for his family. Along his journey he was attacked by a Dusk creature, and was badly injured, only just surviving due to intervention by a nearby hunter. Suffering from several injuries, he was tended to by the hunter for many months, and was eventually back to full health.
Leaving the hunter behind, after giving him his eternal thanks, Xemnes set out once more, but with so much time wasted, he gave up his trading, and instead headed for home.
Moving On:
With the Esrok family reunited, it wasn't long before they looked towards moving on to greener pastures. There was not much call for woodcarving, or mask making trades in the town, and with the warmer seasons coming, demand for Arua's skills were in decline.
So they began to move, travelling from village to town, settling down for some time, before moving on again. With more sustained towns, often they would stay for many months, in which time Xemnes would often leave on journeys to nearby settlements, and as he grew older, Fiore would often accompany him, mainly due to his restlessness from being stuck in boring villages and towns with little to do.
While his Father and Brother went off on trips, Celyn chose to remain with his Mother, spending most of his time helping her with her work, just like before. As time moved on, and Celyn grew, he became more and more interested in helping Arua with her work.
With the dusk portal open once more, and events on the mainland growing more tense and in some cases dangerous as the racial past came to the fore once more, many families and settlements chose to flee, taking whatever chance they had to leave, often on overburdened ships, poorly equipped with supplies. As such, many would arrive at port ill, and weak, requiring tending. On top of this, the occasional arrival of members of the other races often sparked brief, but often dangerous conflict within the town, and so the number of daily patients swelled dramatically, pushing Arua's ability to its utmost.
It was clear at this point, that Arua required help, but having a poor history of trusting previous Healers, she instead looked towards her family for support.
Initially, Arua had been reluctant to educate her son in her ways, with her Master's own teachings echoing in her ears, but as Celyn showed his eagerness, and his empathy for the patients he helped eventually convinced his Mother to begin his teaching.
Starting out with the most basic of tending, Celyn was tasked with applying and replacing patients bandages, soon progressing to replacing any salves or balms that wounds or sores may require. On top of that, Celyn often ventured out to help his Mother gather herbs, being educated as best Arua could on what herbs are needed most, and how best to take, and prepare them.
It wasn't until his 12th birthday, that he was 'issued' with Healing clothing and tools. Having settled in a Port town relatively recently, and taken over an abandoned building, Arua had earned quite a bit by tending to the large influx of injured and sick sailors that came and went, and as such had managed to purchase newer tools and clothing she could use to replace her worn outfit and tools. At this point, Celyn had been working under his Mothers tuition for over 4 years, and with her replacements in hand, Arua chose to hand down her old tools and coat to her son.
Equipped with a Healers coat and satchel, Celyn enjoyed more tutoring from his Mother, working hard under her careful gaze, and he became more adept with his skills. In the quiet times between influxes of patients, Celyn would often spend his time with his Father, whenever he was home, learning the art of woodcarving. Whenever his Father and Brother were away, and during quiet times, he would practice his Fathers teaching, crudely carving away at spare lumps of wood he could find amongst his Fathers belongings.
Time continued ever onwards, as Celyn continued to grow older, and become ever more used to the work of a Healer. At the age of 15, his Mother finally permitted him to work outside of her supervision, often heading out of the Healing House to wander the port, looking for those in need of aid.
Ship's Doctor:
It was on such a day, as Celyn wandered the harbour side, that he came across a sick man, not an unusual occurrence, all things considered, with a poor diet, and an equally poor lifestyle, sailors often returned home ill, or injured. Offering the man some water, and a herbal remedy, and after tending to a small wound on his arm, Celyn guided the man back to his ship, leaving him with his crew mates.
Heading home however, he was accosted by one of the Sailors from the ship. He was asked why he helped the man. Stating the simple fact that it was his job, and that the man needed his help, Celyn turned to head home, but was pulled back, gently, by the sailor. The man spoke of how often they lost men during their travels, as a merchant vessel, often spending months at sea, with no Doctor or Healer around, they could use Celyn's skilled, and would pay him well.
Stating that he would think about it, he headed home, greeting his Mother and Father, and grumbling a little as Fiore punched him in the arm, saying hello in his own way. Celyn discussed his day, and talked at length about the Sailor, and his proposal. Xemnes disagreed immediately, saying that he was still young, and that his family needed him. He would have continued, had Arua not spoken up; reminding Xemnes that Celyn and Fiore were hardly children anymore, and that as a Healer, it was Celyn's duty to tend to those in need.
His parents began to argue, but in the end, an uneasy consensus was reached, agreeing simply that it was up to Celyn, as to what he should do. Unlike his Brother, Celyn was rarely one for impulsive decisions, and so he thought long and hard about it. Pondering the opportunities he might gain from going, and what he may do if he was to stay.
Eventually, his decision was made, and his few belongings were packed. His Family waved him off as he boarded the ship, and he stowed his things in small quarters that were assigned to him.
It took quite some time for him to simply gain stable sealegs, and he himself suffered from dreaded seasickness, which he couldn't quite repress even with the application of herbs. Soon enough however, he had settled in, and become somewhat comfortable with his 'crew mates', and begun his work with earnest.
Initially, the worst Celyn had to deal with was sickness, and the occasional injury from poor safety precautions. But as the ship travelled from port to port, they were often caught in poor weather, which resulted in more serious injury, broken bones which needed setting, along with severe cuts and bruises from falls.
Weeks became months, and Celyn grew more settled in his new home, rarely missing his Family's company, especially since he often felt his Mothers hand still, gently resting on his shoulder as he worked, guiding him with her teachings.
A few weeks before Celyn's 16th Birthday, the ship was caught in a heavy storm, more severe than any other it had encountered thus far in its most recent journey. Celyn remained in his cabin, as the ship rocked and creaked around him, tossing some of his things around. On the main deck, the crew scrambled to maintain their course, fighting with the sails.
It was during the worst of the storm, that some of the rigging gave way, and part of the mast came crashing down. Celyn heard all this from his cabin, along with screams of pain. He gathered his things together, preparing himself to head out onto the main deck, when two sailors barged in, carrying a third with them.
He had been crushed by the mast, and as Celyn removed his tunic, it was clear the man wouldn't survive. As the other sailors departed, Celyn appraised the deeply bruised injuries, and carefully wiped the man's lips, as he coughed up blood. He quickly offered him something to dull the pain some, before sitting beside him, holding his hand.
The main babbled in pain and fear, rarely making sense, but soon his voice quietened, as he felt the oncoming end. He turned his head weakly to face Celyn, before whispering a word of thanks, as his last breath left him.
The news was not taken well, as the weather settled to a more manageable state, and the crew relaxed some. As the dead crewman's friends arrived at Celyn's cabin, yelling and shouting ensued, as they grieved over their fallen comrade.
After the crew had paid their respects, and the man was committed to the sea, it was clear that opinions had shifted amongst the crew. From the shifty glances, to the muttered words and ignoring of any attempts by Celyn to interact. For over a month the ship continued to travel, heading inland, only stopping for basic repairs and resupply, before continuing its journey onto its trade destination. As the growing animosity affected him, forcing him into isolation, rarely leaving his cabin. Fewer and fewer patients arrived for treatment, and soon he had little to do at all, except sleep, and play around with a few pieces of wood he'd been working on during the voyage.
As his times grew ever less active, and with the ever growing feeling that his life was in danger, he chose to leave the ship. Announcing his decision to the ships captain, he was surprisingly permitted to leave, for, as the Captain explained, after he 'caused' the death of a crewman, he had since become what many believed a curse upon the ship, and with his leave, the curse should be gone, and those that remained, safe.
So, as the ship lazily drifted along its slow journey inland, Celyn packed his things, what few things he had, taking care to avoid all that he could, more for their sake than his own, as he awaited the next port of call.
It wasn't long before the ship eventually anchored at a dock, and as Celyn stepped off the ship that had been his home for what felt like a lifetime, he inhaled slowly. Gathering all the tension, and frustration within himself, he exhaled, and gazed about himself, a small sense of hope resting within him, as he left the ship behind.