Name: Lorien Decazes
Nickname: Lor
Age: 26
Species: Human
Home World: Erkivares
Home Land: Derianir
Sex: Male
Sexual Orientation: Demisexual
Height: 5'9"
Hair Color: Dark Brown
Eyes color: Hazel

Background

Nearly a century ago the commoners of Derianir attempted to overthrow the government, and it was only by happenstance they didn't succeeded. Those in power knew that any future attempts needed to be prevented because fortune might not smile upon them the next time around. They decided to creating the culling---an purging of the commoners that took place whenever the aristocrats deemed it necessary. The culling wasn't just prevent the poorer civilians from rebelling, but was also used as a population control because it was determined that they were only dissatisfied with how things were due to their numbers and their ineptness in control their own population. They were like rabbits, if left uncheck they would breed to consume the world. Over the years, the commoners found ways to keep themselves protected during these culling, and the aristocrats would render these methods obsolete by doing things like burning down districts with their entire population sealed inside. Over time any large scale and obvious attempts to avoid the culling ceased.

It was during one of these culling that Lorien's parents were killed. Their death is the only memory he has of them--a reality that is all to known to the poorer population. Having no where else to go, he turned to the streets and eventually he found a gang of children whose stories were similar to his. Realizing there were strength in numbers, Lorien decided to join this gang, and while being a member did provide some protection against the horrors of the streets it did not shield him completely, and some might argue that in some ways it served to increase the impact of these horrors. He quickly grow to be a child of the streets, learning whatever skills he needed to ensure his survival and those of his new found family. It was a few years later when his magical talents first revealed themselves. Those within his new family didn't bat an eye at his use of magic because he was far from the first person who had joined their ranks to display a skill in the arcane arts. They regarded it as just another skill to be honed. Yet, they understood that not everyone saw it like this, and knew they had to take care to hide it from prying eyes.

The aristocrats regarded magic as an elite talent, and didn't like to be reminded that this wasn't the case. Display of magic among the commoners have been known to invoke a culling, but most of the time in order to keep the facade that only the elite possessed magic those commoner with arcane talents were claimed by an aristocratic family and brought to The Arcanorium for training. Nothing is known about what takes place within the Arcanorium, but those who have come upon the building has described a feeling of dread that increased the closer they got. There are those who claim it was this sense of foreboding whenever one wandered to close to the Arcanorium that inspired the rebellion a hundred years ago, or at the very least played a large role in it. Whatever the truth, the commoners knew they wanted nothing to do with the place. Even those like Lorien and the other street rats, whose only encounter with the place was from the stories they heard. Lorien learned magic from the older magically talented members of his gang, but it soon became clear that his abilities were beyond theirs. They wanting him to reach his full potential began to look for more skilled magic users to train him.

They knew they were out there: Mages who have left the Arcanorium, or mages who have developed their magical talents to a level that rivaled those who had been officially trained. More than that they realized they needed to be careful because there were mages loyal to the Arcanorium who set up shop within the poorer districts in hope of catching magically gifted individuals trying to avoid detection. Whether it was sheer luck or skill, they managed to find a mentor with no loyalty towards the Arcanorium for Lorien. He was harsh yet effective teacher, and Lorien magical abilities grew tremendously over the next three years. Things, however, took a turn within Lorien's third year when he came upon his mentor murdered within his place of residence. Lorien stared at his mangled body unable to process what he was seeing. Death was not new to him. He had seen many dead bodies. He had seen many people killed before him--both because of the culling and quarrels that took a nasty turn. This death seemed different from the rest. He told himself that it was because he believed his mentor invincible, but deep down he knew something else was at play.

Amongst this hidden knowledge was the desire to flee. A feeling that grow with each passing moment, and when was finally able to tear himself away from the horror before him it was too late. Standing before him were two mages that chilled him to the bones. He tried his best to play it off, making up a story about how he came to acquire a potion to help a sick family member from the mage, but as the words tumbled out of his mouth he realized that he was never going to see anyone he knew again. He thought it was because they were going to kill him, but they quickly revealed that wasn't their intent. They had learned about his magical talents and came to bring him to the Arcanorium. They had tried to convince his mentor to hand Lorien over, promising him absolution for crimes that caused him to have to take residence within the poorer district in the first place but he refused, and they were left with no choice but to kill him. Without any further ado, they seized Lorien and brought him to The Arcanorium.

He realized that the stories were not only true, but worse than what had been described. When they pulled into the front gate of the Arcanorium he was a screaming mess, pleading with them not to bring him into that place. If they hadn't secured him with ropes he would have made a more vehement effort to flee. One of them, growing tired of his screams, decided to gag him, and they rolled into the courtyard of the building where other newly arrived apprentices were waiting in various states of restraints. He was dragged to stand with the others before the Archmage who gave them a speech about how they were chosen for greatness, and within these walls they would discover the tools as well as the knowledge to shape the world into whatever they wished. Those words were pretty lies, but many of the newly arrived apprentices were soaking them up. They were told they would have a day to rest, and then their training would begin. Each and every one of them would start at the same level, it didn't matter if they had received training from elsewhere. There was no way of knowing how their previous training compared to the one they would receive here.

The next day Lorien discovered that his mentor had been rather lenient with his training, but he quickly adapted to the new method. Not only that, he excelled. Others within his class regarded him with disdain, and any attempts to win them over failed. It didn't take him long to realize that he was not the only one regarded in such a manner. More than that their mentors incited any rivalry between apprentices, and as much as Lorien tried he couldn't keep himself from being entangled within these games. Six months into his training, he was told that he was going to meet his family. He stood there for a few moments confused before he realized that the aristocrats claimed any commoner with magical talents. He told his mentors that wasn't necessary--a boldness that was only brought on by the knowledge that many aristocrats only offered a potential meeting but had no real desire for one. They quickly informed him that this wasn't a request, and within a few moments he was brought before his new family whom regarded him in a heavy silence that seemed to stretch on forever before telling him that he was now a member of the Decazes family--one of the higher aristocracy who arguable had more right to the throne then the current royal family--and they expect his behavior to reflect this.

They made it clear that they were going to send him tutors to teach him how to behave as a proper member of the upper class because when his training was completed within the Arcanorium he would be expected to take his proper place as one of them. Unable to stop himself, Lorien burst out laughing. There was no guarantee that he would successfully complete his training and even if he did he doubted that the Arcanorium was going to let him go off and play prince. They acknowledge the former as a very real possibility, but the latter was not up for debate. It was within that moment he realized just how much power they had as the command for a meeting had been for the Arcanorium as much as him. The next day his training as a member of the Decazes family began, and unlike with his magical training he did not excel--particularly when it came to reading and writing. There were times that he became so frustrated with his incapability that he would destroy whatever was the source of his ire as well anything that was near it in a display of irrepressible rage much to the amusement of his instructor, and despite any feeling of inadequacy he had towards the subject matter he eventually picked up the skills expected for a member of the Decazes family.

The only thing that was left was to see whether or not he would successfully completed his training, and the answer to that question arrived not  long later. He along with the other apprentices were waken up in the middle of the night and brought into a room with a large decorative mirror on the other side. They stared at the mirror wondering its purpose, and within no time those thoughts were spoken aloud. Lorien found himself with the overwhelming desire to flee, but knew any attempt to do so would be cut short. A belief that was proven true when a few moments later the highest members--including the archmage--of the Arcanorium entered the room and locked the door behind them. They congratulated them for making it this far but they had one more task to complete before they were accepted as full member of the Arcanorium. One at a time they would walk to the other side of the room, gaze into the room for a period of five minutes then return to this side in utter silence. Lorien was far from the first person to take the trek across the room and it didn't take him long to realize that not everyone made it back, at least not completely.

The first incident of this happened when the second apprentice made her way towards the mirror, and within moments of she let out a loud bloodcurdling scream that caused several of the apprentices to try their luck with the door. Their horror intensified when upon her return  they found her empty. Several others shared her fate then it was Lorien's turn. He didn't know whether or not it was fortunate that he wasn't among one of the last to take his chance with the mirror. He had been closer to the middle. The walk towards the mirror felt like an never ending stretch, but then he found himself standing before it. Right away he noticed movements within the mirror then quiet murmuring that grow louder with each passing moment. He couldn't understand what they were saying. At first he thought it was because they were speaking so soft, but then he thought it was because they were speaking in a language he didn't understand then it dawned on him that there were more than one voice and each one were clamoring to be heard. His head felt like it was going to explode causing him to briefly wonder if that what happened to the others. Had endless bombardment of voices been too much for them to endure? Before he found himself suffering from a similar fate he commanded the voices to be silent.

Anger laughter followed suite. The voices seethed at his insolence. He was speaking to the gods and they have slew mortals for less. They went silent when he told them to do it. He thought that meant they were gone, but they revealed that wasn't the case as he was walking back to join the others. They told him to kill the Archmage when he asked them why the voices said because they said so. He refused. He wasn't going to kill someone just because they demanded it. This did not please them as they expected him to do it simply because it was their will, but in the end they convinced him by telling him that the Archmage's continued existence would spell disaster for the world. The actual killing didn't happen for another few hours as the rest of the apprentices made their way across the room to try their luck with the mirror. Some made it back intact while others did not. The Archmage started calling out each of those that had been stripped of their essence by name and told them to leave. It was within that moment that Lorien realized he had seen others like them around the Arcanorium. They were the servants who completed the more mundane task of the place.

Then the Archmage turned towards them, asking which of them had heard voices when they gazed into the mirror. For a moment they only glanced at each other, knowing there was a correct answer but uncertain which one it was. Remembering what the voices had ordered him to do, Lorien stepped forward and told the Archmage he heard the voice. A few others joined him. It was far less then Lorien had expected. The Archmage dismissed those that didn't step forward before acknowledging those that had in a voice that held way too much glee. A couple of the apprentices stepped back, visible disturbed by his voice. He asked them what the voices said. Without hesitation, he killed the Archmage with a ball of lightening to the chest, and the words of his fellow apprentices dying upon their lips as they witness the act. The voices told him that the others had not been able to understand them, and therefore were of no consequence. He could kill them if he wished, absorbed their powers like the Archmage had intended to do with them if he wished, but it made no difference to them. He wasn't going to kill them or anyone for their power, but he did ask what happened to those that came back empty. The voices told him that some people were just magic--no soul. There was no point in a body having possession of magic if they were unable to use it. So, they took their magic.

Their words rang false, and recollection of their bloodcurdling screams only added to the falsehood. He, however, didn't let them know this. He thanked them for answering his question before turning towards the others who were still in the room. They were all staring in disbelief at the dead Archmage before turning their attention towards him. They said nothing. The voices told him that they were waiting for his order. He had killed the Archmage and now he was the new Archmage. He didn't want it. He didn't want to be their leader and so the first thing he did was turn to one of the senior mages, and told him that he was going to be the new Archmage before walking out of the room. While the mage he declared to be the new Archmage took to the role, those within the Arcanorium regarded him as he was the leader. More often then not they would ask him his opinion on a matter than make a decision that reflected that opinion--even the new Archmage. He had taken to not voicing his opinion when asked.

Just as the Decazes had told him, he took his proper place as an elite of society. He maneuvered the world of the aristocrat better then he had thought. Some part to do with his training, but a large portion he credited to the voices whom he had truly came to regard as his gods. They are constantly there, giving him commentary and advice that has more often than not proven useful. Time marched by, and he developed strong friendships and even took two lovers--a husband and wife who were very aware and opened to the idea of the three of them being an item. Life it seemed had settled into a happy rhythm that was until one day he stumbled upon a group of people speaking of rebellion. His first thought was to kill them because they spoke of treason, but the voices told him to stay his hands because he was going to help them. Those who currently held the power were leading them towards the apocalypse. Lorien thought he could just kill them, but the voices told him that had been done before. Assassination would only replace one with another just the same. More than that those who he truly needed to kill were pulling the strings from the shadows, and those who the world regarded as the one in control were nothing more than puppets. He needed to keep to the shadow and try to find where these strings lead and kill the ones that it lead to.

Once he heard these words he removed himself from the room and waited for the war to break out, and it did just that not long after. Both Lorien's lovers and the Arcanorium joined the side that he was fighting on. The former because they believed the corruption in their homeland needed rectifying. The latter would follow him into the depths of the netherworld if he commanded it. The war seeped into other lands, proving to Lorien that the profligacy that was the true power of Derianir had spread to the rest of the world and if left unchecked it really would destroy it. Lorien committed many horrific deeds for the sake of the preservation of his world. Much to the disgust of his lovers he made no attempts at a different method nor apologied for the things he done. They began to argue constantly until one day they decided to go their separate ways, and that was the last time they spoke to each other because the next time Lorien came upon them the laid slaughtered upon the ground with an upside down bassinet next to them. Crying ranged through the air before he was able to process the scene before him, and without a thought he went to the bassinet to find the baby within. The voices told him to kill the child, but he refused. This shocked them as he had no issue with killing infants before.

They tried to convince him that this one's death was much more important then the others he had killed regardless of their age. Her death would ensure that the apocalypse didn't happen. He didn't care. He didn't care if they all were suck into the great nothingness to endure an eternity of torment before they ceased to be, he wasn't going to kill her. She was the only thing left within this entire world that was theirs, and he was going preserve that. The voices realizing that this was going to be one of those times they weren't going to persuade him to do as they willed, but unlike the other times they became out right infuriated, screaming at Lorien that he was going to regret not obeying their will. He silenced them by telling them to find another puppet before taking the infant towards some unknown destination. They traveled together for a few days before he was found by the enemy, but he was not worried about the encounter at first. The leader of the group, however, quickly revealed he knew whom he was dealing with and just how to render him powerless.

Then to Lorien's horror he slaughtered the infant right before him. Lorien began to scream at them, vowing and going into graphic details about how each and every last one of them were going to pay for killing her. The leader of the group began to laugh and it was only the sense of familiarity within that laughter that caused Lorien to cease his outburst then the leader grabbed Lorien by the chin and telling him that he was going to learn his proper place before planting an unbridled kiss upon Lorien's lips. He then ordered his men to secure Lorien within one of the wagons as they had a long journey back to the capitol. The journey was indeed long, but not because of the actual length of time it took. It was the leader incessant urge to torment him that made the journey longer. When they finally reached the capitol he had killed the man thousands of times within his head. He was brought to a public square to be sentenced for treason and committing unspeakable atrocities. The people demanded blood. They believed he should be killed in the most horrific way imaginable and the queen was going to give them what they wanted until Lorien's tormentor whispered something into her ear.

The queen decreed that death--even the most painful one--was too lenient of a punishment for his crimes. They needed to ensure that his agony was eternal, and the only one to do that was to send him to the beyond. Many of those gathered wanted the queen to show Lorien clemency as they viewed sending him to the beyond too harsh of punishment even for his sins, but the queen would hear none of it--the decision had been made and Lorien's tormentor made it clear he was going to be the one to complete the ritual. Lorien's began to plead with his gods to save him and they spoke--the first time in days--to tell him that they had told him that he was going to regret his disobedience then he was cast from his world and into another. At first because he couldn't sense the voice he really thought it was the beyond. He had been used to not hearing them, but he always felt their presence within the back of his mind. The world felt unbearably empty. He spend weeks trying different methods to summon them before it occurred that they had abandoned him.

Then it dawned on him that he wasn't in the beyond, and more than that it was a realization he had before he actually acknowledged it. He doesn't know if he will ever make it home, but he vows that if there is a way he will find it until then he will explore this new world he had found himself within. He finds it to be extremely alien compared to his own, but he manages to adapt to it then he discovers with his magic ways to travel to other worlds and now he believes he is that one step closer to returning home.