Kozen Vetle
It was not Death that had grasped him by the hands and pulled him beneath the surface. It had been Darkness, and there was no way he knew where to swim in order to come back up for air.
The House of Vetle
Kozen is the second son of the Vetles, his brother, Evrin, Lord of the noble house after an illness rendered their father unable to continue duties and is living his days in retirement with love and care from his sons at their small estate in the outskirts of Valenntenia.
Kozen often struggled growing up, in the shadow of his brother and the greatness and good fortune that followed him, it never happened the same for him. Despite their physical similarities, their personalities differ immensely. This such difference has led Kozen to deeply wish he had the same path as his brother, where in his mind Evrin has an easier life for things being handed to him. Evrin married into a family of importance in Valenntenia, but Kozen struggles to open up to anyone else outside his own family. Evrin is a skilled soldier, Kozen relishes in a style that would be beaten out of him if he were to join the Vanguard.
Evrin was everything a future Lord of the House should be, carrying on the traditions of the Vetles, but Kozen could not be anything more opposite. Seen as the spare, he had learned everything the same as his brother, but when he deeply gave the idea some thought, he knows it to be true that being Lord was no interest to him. Kozen named his niece, Odelaya Vetle, as his heir, and supports her growth into learning to run the household.
Kozen often struggled growing up, in the shadow of his brother and the greatness and good fortune that followed him, it never happened the same for him. Despite their physical similarities, their personalities differ immensely. This such difference has led Kozen to deeply wish he had the same path as his brother, where in his mind Evrin has an easier life for things being handed to him. Evrin married into a family of importance in Valenntenia, but Kozen struggles to open up to anyone else outside his own family. Evrin is a skilled soldier, Kozen relishes in a style that would be beaten out of him if he were to join the Vanguard.
Evrin was everything a future Lord of the House should be, carrying on the traditions of the Vetles, but Kozen could not be anything more opposite. Seen as the spare, he had learned everything the same as his brother, but when he deeply gave the idea some thought, he knows it to be true that being Lord was no interest to him. Kozen named his niece, Odelaya Vetle, as his heir, and supports her growth into learning to run the household.
Bloodline
His maternal grandmother was part Infurian, a devil born bloodline of witches that were found only in a city beneath the earth. A witch had seduced his great grandfather, and left him with a daughter that fortunately bore human features, but as time went on, it was understood that humans were seen to be a lowly blood in the Everlasting City of Night.
This strain of bloodline gave his grandmother and mother the ability to be comfortable in the darkness of night. Pale skin was passed down by them, skipping Evrin. Sunlight bothered them all, but due to their human heritage, are able to withstand the heat of the sun than a full blooded Infurian.
Infurians are capable of harnessing the dark, the shadows. It strengthened in Kozen, and in his brother's daughter, Odelaya, but it was only he who was unafraid to embrace this call to power. It is said the Ancients had beckoned him through this connection of dark, had been whispering to him for months until news spread through Valenntenia that the Stone of Darkness was in need of a new Guardian.
Instead of looking to the hopefuls that trained to harness this Stone, the Ancient of Darkness made her pick for the next Guardian through the Guardian of Faith. This relaying of message contributed to the Faith Guardian's decline in mental health, heartbroken and wounded. Guilt weighed on him as he accepted the Stone's calling, but Kozen knew it was not his own guilt, but the Stonebearer before him.
This strain of bloodline gave his grandmother and mother the ability to be comfortable in the darkness of night. Pale skin was passed down by them, skipping Evrin. Sunlight bothered them all, but due to their human heritage, are able to withstand the heat of the sun than a full blooded Infurian.
Infurians are capable of harnessing the dark, the shadows. It strengthened in Kozen, and in his brother's daughter, Odelaya, but it was only he who was unafraid to embrace this call to power. It is said the Ancients had beckoned him through this connection of dark, had been whispering to him for months until news spread through Valenntenia that the Stone of Darkness was in need of a new Guardian.
Instead of looking to the hopefuls that trained to harness this Stone, the Ancient of Darkness made her pick for the next Guardian through the Guardian of Faith. This relaying of message contributed to the Faith Guardian's decline in mental health, heartbroken and wounded. Guilt weighed on him as he accepted the Stone's calling, but Kozen knew it was not his own guilt, but the Stonebearer before him.
Guardian of Darkness
It takes a certain being to withstand the darkness of Arethil. No pure human would be able to hold it for so long, and it has been observed that beings with non-human heritage are favoured to Guard this Stone. His Infurian bloodline was better preparation to wielding the Darkness, for he embraced it heart and soul.
It is said that Guardian Vetle had made a bargain with the Stone, that it will only have a new Guardian only after his life ended. This sacrifice pleased the Ancient of Darkness, and bestowed on him the shadows at his beck and call, day and night. The ability to shut out the sun for a certain amount of time has made traveling through darkness a faster endeavour, and easier to source intelligence once he begun to understand the whispers through shadows.
He is also able to steal shadows, a practice he actively uses to protect the Faith Guardian's wits in her own home as she recovers. There were to be no reminders of the Guardian that broke her spirit, and thus is the only space in Valenntenia that he could not spy on.
It is this ability that has made Kozen offer himself to serve as spymaster to the Absalon. The darkness and shadows speak to him, and eventually news of Arethil reach him, but messages often become muddled over distance.
It is said that Guardian Vetle had made a bargain with the Stone, that it will only have a new Guardian only after his life ended. This sacrifice pleased the Ancient of Darkness, and bestowed on him the shadows at his beck and call, day and night. The ability to shut out the sun for a certain amount of time has made traveling through darkness a faster endeavour, and easier to source intelligence once he begun to understand the whispers through shadows.
He is also able to steal shadows, a practice he actively uses to protect the Faith Guardian's wits in her own home as she recovers. There were to be no reminders of the Guardian that broke her spirit, and thus is the only space in Valenntenia that he could not spy on.
It is this ability that has made Kozen offer himself to serve as spymaster to the Absalon. The darkness and shadows speak to him, and eventually news of Arethil reach him, but messages often become muddled over distance.