| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BACKGROUND[]
Eulogia is the illegitimate child of the baron of Oire, the product of a liaison with an elf. She was raised with discretion by a merchant family in New Myssar, and thanks to her ambiguous features, passed as "human" growing up. The Baron's long-suffering wife had always turned a blind eye to the several illegitimate children he'd sired over the years, her own inability to bear him an heir playing no small part in that decision. But when she learned he had sired a "half-breed," she demanded the child be killed so as to salvage what was left of the family's honor. And so Eulogia was spirited away from Oire, and wound up at Wehnimer's Landing, outside the Empire and her father's reach.
PERSONALITY[]
Eulogia is on the older side of half-elven adolescence (in her late 20's age-wise, but developmentally 17 or so on the theory that half-elves mature later than pure humans). Forced to live on her own from an early age, Eulogia is distrustful and always sure to demonstrate her strength and status, to scare off physical threats as well as social scorn. She is also less mature in many ways than a person with a normal upbringing.
Although at this point a legendary slayer of Ithzir, grimswarm and tritons, she still at times can display the vulnerable mentality of a child and is likely to be intimidated by anything macabre or sinister. Somewhat paradoxically, she is drawn to dark and "evil" objects, and longs to wield them so as to display her toughness and intimidate others. She even worships Eorgina so she can threaten those who cross her with Her vengeance.
Eulogia is aware she is half-elven, but has no pride in her elven heritage and thinks of herself as human. She has a disdain for all things elven typical of your average resident of the Empire. A bit of a tom-boy, she is quick to mock elven (or "elfy") manhood. She only speaks and understands a token amount of elven. Additionally, she has an innocent mentality, and is easily embarrassed by anything sexual, romantic or ribald (though slightly less so in recent years).
Eulogia is puckish, irresponsible, prone to giving bad advice, easily confused, bewildered by magic but attracted to it, and in her never-ending search for status, a show-off. She also is a lover and collector of daggers, possessing without doubt the most powerful daggers in the lands, and is known for her appreciation of rare metals like rolaren and golvern, and her vituperative dislike of vultite.
Eulogia is only dimly aware of her background. She knows she is a Villaunne and proudly wears her family name, but only as a cheeky sign of status, not out of respect for her heritage. Eulogia's exploits as a hunter and adventurer are famous, but muddled due to their strangeness, so the family she has left behind in Oire is not aware of the strength she has gained in exile.
EULOGIA'S BROTHER, ADLAI[]
Adlai is Eulogia's brother, a full human bastard son of their father, the Baron. Adlai came to the Landing under an agreement with his father that would legitimize him if he could kill Eulogia and bring home proof of her death. Quickly realizing this undertaking would be impossible, Adlai has since become a Paladin of Oleani and found a number of patrons willing to back him financially in his quest to become the heir to Oire. He avoids Eulogia and she is only dimly aware of his presence, as he is no threat to her.
SHADOW MAIDEN[]
Eulogia came into possession of a pair of greater Shadowdeath vambraces a little over a year ago. They were a gift to her from Yorek, a burghal gnome, as thanks for rescuing him from brigands. The circumstances related to the gifting were suspicious, as the gnome seemed excited to bequeath them to Eulogia. Eulogia gladly took the vambraces as their dark aura would surely intimidate her enemies and increase her stature. Since then, Eulogia has reveled in wearing the vambraces and has only rarely removed them. While not under their thrall the way others who have worn Shadowdeath armor have been, Eulogia shares their hunger for blood, and they revel in her ability to feed them. The intelligence within the shadows has crept into Eulogia's personality, tempering her innocence with a cynical amusement and sense of quiet superiority. The intelligence within the shadows at times speaks through Eulogia, which is obvious because it is usually in flawless and articulate Elven, a language Eulogia cannot speak well. Eulogia isn't being possessed by the vambraces, nor is her personality being overtaken by them; they are more like friends who speak a single voice, one sometimes more loudly than the other. Indeed, if the shadows in the natural world are to be considered an element, they are nearly in thrall of Eulogia, not she in thrall of them.
PLAYER'S INTENTION[]
The overlap of Eulogia's personality with the vambraces is in development and something I like playing with. The semi-split personality gives me a chance to play Eulogia in a more intelligent voice, while still allowing me to revert to the old, puckish Eulogia. Shadowdeath aside, Eulogia has matured in recent years and while still young, she is more mature and stable and I consider her childish, but no longer a child or an adolescent.
Further, I have no intention of making Eulogia evil, nor having her take any evil actions, but she certainly isn't afraid of seeming evil, as she has from her childhood a deep-grained need to project strength in whatever form in order to deter threats. With Eulogia, I am interested in the portrayal of a character who seems evil but acts for good; conversely, as I play Adlai more, I am interested in the portrayal of a character who wraps himself in good but in deed acts for evil.