Marchosias
Summary
Appearance
Marchosias is a rather large, strange being, black-furred and feathered, with small splashes and highlights of ashen grey. Their body and neck is long, lithe, and cat-like, with knobby elbows and long-fingered front paws, black mane, bat-like ears and ridged horns, and a long tufted tail. Massive wings come from their back, feathers twisting to-and-fro on the trailing edges. They weigh no more than a light or youthful human, lifted quite easily save for their gangliness.
Their face is reminiscent of a barn owl, a white cat, and a human all at once, almost as though it is mimicking familiarity. Their eyes glitter in direct sunlight like a prism, and may shift betwixt a pair of analogous colours in ambient or fire lighting. They give off a vibrant orange-yellow eyeshine at night under direct moons- or fire-light in most all situations, or may fall completely black and unseen with the forced constriction of their pupils, at a nightsight detriment. Their expression may seem blank to the untrained eye, though they are neither neutral, nor unkind.
Their body and wings are laced and patched with stark grey fur and feathers. Under these patches can be found scars from old injuries.
On top of this all, Marchosias frequently wears a wonderful necklace, crafted from large bits of metal, beads and smooth shards made of glass, and polished stones, strung from a mix of fine chain and braided cord. It tinkles like melodic windchimes when Marchosias walks, a fact that seems to please the creature.
Their face is reminiscent of a barn owl, a white cat, and a human all at once, almost as though it is mimicking familiarity. Their eyes glitter in direct sunlight like a prism, and may shift betwixt a pair of analogous colours in ambient or fire lighting. They give off a vibrant orange-yellow eyeshine at night under direct moons- or fire-light in most all situations, or may fall completely black and unseen with the forced constriction of their pupils, at a nightsight detriment. Their expression may seem blank to the untrained eye, though they are neither neutral, nor unkind.
Their body and wings are laced and patched with stark grey fur and feathers. Under these patches can be found scars from old injuries.
On top of this all, Marchosias frequently wears a wonderful necklace, crafted from large bits of metal, beads and smooth shards made of glass, and polished stones, strung from a mix of fine chain and braided cord. It tinkles like melodic windchimes when Marchosias walks, a fact that seems to please the creature.
Skills and Abilities
Melee - Short
Marchosias' main attacks are a sweep of claws, a kick of back feet, a determined strike of wing, or a frighteningly swift headbutt or bite, in all of which they are somewhat proficient. Often they will whip with their tail, more for distraction or unbalancing than a harming blow. When it comes to blades, Marchosias can wield a dagger with moderate skill, although they are not built for close-ranged tool-based attacks, and find the objects far more interesting to look at or use in non-combative ways.
Melee - Long
If a fierce sky-based diving attack can be considered long-ranged, Marchosias is capable, though may not land every single strike. They can throw daggers, with decent accuracy. Marchosias can certainly pelt an enemy with a hail of rocks, and drop larger stones or even the enemy's own unhappy comrades on their heads with even more startling accuracy. Spears are a fun challenge to utilize, and are more often picked up and thrown back at their owners than they are brought along by the creature.
Archery
Marchosias loves to watch the bowmen at the range, and is fascinated by other knights' skill with the stringed instrument. The creature has tried, and been quite successful, at aiming and hitting a target, but finds it difficult to use it in combat, and leaves it to a range hobby.
Misc.
Depends on the weapon.
Magic
A lofty creature of imprecise origin, Marchosias loves playing with magic, gleefully throwing it around in a not-uncareful but certainly enthusiastic manner whenever possible.
Sanctum and Pursuit
Marchosias is of the Dawn sanctum, an unusual piece of knowledge given their appearance, at least until one sees the creature lounging on the rooftops in the best available beams of sun, or swooping amongst the clouds like a large, particularly caught-up dust mote.
Pursuit of Death
With Life also tends to come Death, and Marchosias is no stranger to it. Their respect for Death runs along the same deep vein as Life.
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Pursuit of Wild
A fantastic and unusual beast, Marchosias is rather inherently Wild, and the expression of it can oft be a sight to behold.
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Pursuit of Life
Marchosias loves Life, it saved them once, and their respect for pursuants of Life runs deep.
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Pursuit of the Loch
Marchosias doesn't really get wet in large quantities. It isn't their thing. But they can appreciate a light rain.
- Some forms of meditation utilizing Loch. The recognition of the use of Loch magic in some but not all cases.
Pursuit of the Flame
As much as Marchosias loves Sunlight and Warmth and Campfires, they are not overly skilled at Flame magic.
- Recognition of the use of Flame magic in many but not all cases. It's typically hard to miss, really.
General Knowledge
Marchosias can hunt and forage quite well, and is aware of many humanoid skills and abilities, and can often carry out fact-of-life tasks appointed to them. Skinning and butchering animals, cleaning and mending arms and armour, and tending to cooking pots fall in this category, with only the amount of zeal one might or might not expect from such a being. Their highest joy comes from tending to medicine vats, mixing salves and tinctures, bandaging wounds, and other necessary but rather less boring tasks.
Marchosias can sing and mimic very well. They can carry single tunes, and provide harmony, as well as utilize polyphonic vocal techniques for dual tones of haunting beauty. Their usual mimicry tends to be birdsong, insects, prey animal vocalizations, and predator vocalizations, and as of shortly after joining the KoA, musical instruments or specific bards.
There have been several occasions in which they have mimicked the voices of others around them. They are just beginning to use this to an effect for humour, but usually use it as a recall tool, repeating exact phrases of colleagues as a reminder to themself or others. There are a couple of notable cases in which they've mimicked the voice and words of overheard brigands, but these are not frequent happenings.
Marchosias' main attacks are a sweep of claws, a kick of back feet, a determined strike of wing, or a frighteningly swift headbutt or bite, in all of which they are somewhat proficient. Often they will whip with their tail, more for distraction or unbalancing than a harming blow. When it comes to blades, Marchosias can wield a dagger with moderate skill, although they are not built for close-ranged tool-based attacks, and find the objects far more interesting to look at or use in non-combative ways.
Melee - Long
If a fierce sky-based diving attack can be considered long-ranged, Marchosias is capable, though may not land every single strike. They can throw daggers, with decent accuracy. Marchosias can certainly pelt an enemy with a hail of rocks, and drop larger stones or even the enemy's own unhappy comrades on their heads with even more startling accuracy. Spears are a fun challenge to utilize, and are more often picked up and thrown back at their owners than they are brought along by the creature.
Archery
Marchosias loves to watch the bowmen at the range, and is fascinated by other knights' skill with the stringed instrument. The creature has tried, and been quite successful, at aiming and hitting a target, but finds it difficult to use it in combat, and leaves it to a range hobby.
Misc.
Depends on the weapon.
Magic
A lofty creature of imprecise origin, Marchosias loves playing with magic, gleefully throwing it around in a not-uncareful but certainly enthusiastic manner whenever possible.
Sanctum and Pursuit
Marchosias is of the Dawn sanctum, an unusual piece of knowledge given their appearance, at least until one sees the creature lounging on the rooftops in the best available beams of sun, or swooping amongst the clouds like a large, particularly caught-up dust mote.
Pursuit of Death
With Life also tends to come Death, and Marchosias is no stranger to it. Their respect for Death runs along the same deep vein as Life.
-
-
-
Pursuit of Wild
A fantastic and unusual beast, Marchosias is rather inherently Wild, and the expression of it can oft be a sight to behold.
-
-
Pursuit of Life
Marchosias loves Life, it saved them once, and their respect for pursuants of Life runs deep.
-
-
Pursuit of the Loch
Marchosias doesn't really get wet in large quantities. It isn't their thing. But they can appreciate a light rain.
- Some forms of meditation utilizing Loch. The recognition of the use of Loch magic in some but not all cases.
Pursuit of the Flame
As much as Marchosias loves Sunlight and Warmth and Campfires, they are not overly skilled at Flame magic.
- Recognition of the use of Flame magic in many but not all cases. It's typically hard to miss, really.
General Knowledge
Marchosias can hunt and forage quite well, and is aware of many humanoid skills and abilities, and can often carry out fact-of-life tasks appointed to them. Skinning and butchering animals, cleaning and mending arms and armour, and tending to cooking pots fall in this category, with only the amount of zeal one might or might not expect from such a being. Their highest joy comes from tending to medicine vats, mixing salves and tinctures, bandaging wounds, and other necessary but rather less boring tasks.
Marchosias can sing and mimic very well. They can carry single tunes, and provide harmony, as well as utilize polyphonic vocal techniques for dual tones of haunting beauty. Their usual mimicry tends to be birdsong, insects, prey animal vocalizations, and predator vocalizations, and as of shortly after joining the KoA, musical instruments or specific bards.
There have been several occasions in which they have mimicked the voices of others around them. They are just beginning to use this to an effect for humour, but usually use it as a recall tool, repeating exact phrases of colleagues as a reminder to themself or others. There are a couple of notable cases in which they've mimicked the voice and words of overheard brigands, but these are not frequent happenings.
Personality
Personality