cae @cae-ruleam - Tumblr Blog

Feb 20

i had the idea to play a danny inspired character for a high level dnd campaign last year. the dm kinda lost motivation for it for a good while but i recently reminded them of it and now we've all been cooking... and i got obsessed w this character that i haven't even gotten to play yet

naturally, i had to try make a mini with shrinky dinks for the first time for him

cae-ruleam

@littlekitchenboy THANK YOU FOR ASKING!!! i'm so glad you like him :3 (and i'm so sorry for taking this long - i started it a while ago as you can see from the screenshot but i got busy and this also got way longer than expected lmao,.,. ;v;)

here's the chart i made with his main appearances from before the campaign along with a few small notes for each with key aspects/details about them. if you wanna know even More, then that'll be under the cut... i'll take this as an excuse to yap regardless hehe ^.^

this will be long. it's written neater but it will be a doozy. you have been warned.

OKAY so, some preliminary notes you can skip.

Depending on how familiar you are with D&D I want to preface that this campaign will be taking in a different world than that of WoTC's Forgotten Realms. It's really primarily using classic D&D systems to make gameplay management easier. The setting is the DM's own spin on high fantasy, with some player input. (And it's really so cool... But I won't get into that much here because it's not my world and I can already see just how long this post already will be even without allat.)

Now, let's get on with it.

Some general information: - His name's Vanth! The name comes from a psychopomp in Etruscan mythology; who also has a moon named after her. It felt perfect for him.

- He's biologically a winged "angelic" humanoid. As far as D&D races go, he's an Aasimar, but races/species work a bit differently in this setting.

- In normal D&D they live until ~160 age usually, here more around 100-120. But you may live longer in this setting when you become really powerful, even before max level. ("Immortality" is a different discussion.)

- He's a class switcher, from paladin to a rogue-warlock multiclass. The why I'll explain later :D Just know that he's a phantom rogue subclass because the name and abilities fit him too perfectly hehe.

- He's transmasc. This isn't important and barely matters for him plot-wise. I just felt like mentioning it. You can take transmasc Dannys and the like from my cold, dead, hands. (Or his.)

- Gods in this world practically all reached their status through becoming really powerful to the point they essentially ascend. There are also intangible gods made up from people's beliefs that can grant power as well, but there are no actual beings behind them.

The way his character works is that he died once and came back, not quite right of course, with the help of a powerful being. Hence the "cycles" mentioned in the timeline chart art. I'll be tackling every cycle one by one ^__^

Actually... let's stop right here again. After finishing everything, this really ended up way way longer than expected. Over 5k words long. If you're interested in reading that much lore about someone's oc... then go ahead and ignore this. If not, I totally understand and here's a way shorter tl;dr! Everything past this block of subscript will be the actual nitty gritty of the backstory. Both are color-coded per cycle.

- He's born into a family of workaholics and with an older sister, all obviously based loosely on the Fenton family. The family members don't have names yet.

- The family doesn't have a good rep in the city due to his parents being whack job alchemists whose work only functions properly maybe half the time.

- He also comes from a long line of paladins - a line his parents broke. To restore family honor they force young Vanth to take up the blade. His sister is spared because she's too magically gifted to waste that potential.

- One day, during training when he'd had enough and wanted to quit, he runs away and gets lost. He gets into some trouble and is saved by a strong adventurer who inspires him to continue trying anyways.

- Clutching on a bit of hope, he actually becomes a pretty good and trustworthy paladin. Too bad he eventually got hired for a job that turned out way more dangerous than everyone expected, and he dies failing to save one of the clients.

- In the meantime the god of time, Nyrtim, had taken an interest in him and decides to try and revive him because Vanth intrigued him too much. But when he goes to do this and brings Vanth's body to his island, it is inexplicably put into a type of stasis... making the god decide to try and reverse time on him instead of reviving him normally. This takes about 10 years in universe for him to figure out the process of.

- Vanth spends this second life (cycle) largely confused and with identity issues. His paladin magic depends on his belief in his own ability to help others, which he'd since lost largely due to his failure before death.

- This is where he starts to pick up rogue skills (with the warlock abilities coming from Nyrtim helping him).

- While he first tries to regain the magic lost/weakened, he ultimately decides that era is past him and he eventually focuses on honing more cunning skills.

- His second death was a lot less extravagant than the first. But much like last time, he's "revived" again. This time, however, he had to face a trial related to his death to prove himself before getting revived. While he took the trial, about a year had passed.

- Vanth is mad to be revived again, and spends this third cycle largely reckless. He doesn't have much to live for anymore as many of his loved ones already passed - what, with him being a longer lived species and having lost 11 years with people when he was MIA due to death and trials too.

- This only grows stronger when he learns he'd missed a chance to say goodbye to his sister, as she passed during the year he was MIA.

- He's reckless and an adrenaline/thrill seeker. He takes on the most dangerous jobs carelessly. He gets a lot stronger during this period and also starts to make a name for himself here.

- Naturally, he eventually dies of his own carelessness and hubris.

- After going through another trial, he stays on Nyrtim's island for a few decades. Honing some magic (mostly for flavor more than actual mechanics) and tends to some mutated creatures.

- Eventually, after a dog he's close to passes he leaves the island again. The stationary and boring life finally getting to him. The dog was the final drop in the bucket.

- He's still quite aimless here but slowly but surely regains some pleasure in just ... doing things, as well as helping people.

- It's when he's hired for a job, alongside some other mercenaries to protect someone, that he meets a young Dragonborn girl, another hire. He starts to worry and care for her. He can only imagine what could've put someone so young in a position such as this, and sees some of himself in her.

- Then, of course, as Vanth can never catch a break- danger strikes again. It's a situation similar to his first death... He takes the hit for the young girl, but this time he successfully protects her with his own life.

- He feels like he can die in peace now, but he knows that won't be the case.

- He takes on the next trial with a renewed vigor. And when Nyrtim reveals to him that it's possible to end the seemingly endless revivals and cycles by failing the trials, he vows to cherish this cycle as he will properly die the next time he falls.

- He properly lives life for the first time in almost two decades. Visits people, meets new ones and visits locations just for pleasure - not only because of some commitment or greater motive.

- As we're closer to the present, a certain condition has started worrying people. Lifespans/lifeforces are decreasing, people are dying sooner with no apparent cause. As he's made a name for himself by now, Vanth is asked to help and get to the bottom of this.

Cycle #1

- The original life/attempt, of course. The one where he should've just died and be done forever.

- He was born to neglectful workaholic parents, they're whack job alchemists whose creations only somewhat work half the time if they're lucky. He also has a sister.

- His family is obviously also based on the Fenton family, but even more loosely than Vanth himself is based on Danny. I don't have names for them yet.

- The city they live in is still rather young around the time they're living there, being roughly 100 years older than Vanth if not less.

- His parents moved there several years before having any kids as well and quickly made a name for themselves. Not in a good way, of course.

- His sister took on a lot of the responsibilities to take care of the two of them since young, sometimes even providing dinner for the parents when they were too caught up in their work.

- While they have biological sexes, Vanth's species doesn't generally distinguish between them socially a lot. However, they tend to live in smaller, more secluded settlements and quieter villages unless they're out for work. His parents were oddballs for choosing to live in a large city.

- There, there were many different species that had some social differences between gender and that's the influence Vanth grew up with.

- He realizes he's trans around the age of twelve.

- Coincidentally, his extended family start pressuring for him to become a paladin around this age.

- In fact, he comes from a long line of respected paladins. His parents were the ones that broke that pattern.

- Now, they're pressuring Vanth even more, essentially in the hopes that'd fix their family image/honor. His sister was spared because she was very smart and showed magical potential and gift since young.

- He ... didn't really like it. He wasn't interested in lots of fighting and heavy physical jobs.

- One day, age 14, he escaped from his training session and got lost in the large jungle forests that surround his city.

- He got into some danger and got wounded, but was thankfully found by a (famous) experienced adventurer before more dangers could start targeting him.

- The adventurer, the grandfather of another player character, brought Vanth to their nearby village. His wounds got tended there and he stayed for a few days before everyone felt like he was well enough to return. (Not that he minded the wait, he didn't really want to get back to all the training and neglect, after all.)

- However, he had (re)gained some motivation and inspiration to continue practice and training thanks to the man that helped him. Getting rescued and witnessing all he did for the village as well as the surrounding areas was ... cool. And really made him respect the man and what he did for everyone. If Vanth just focused a bit on trying to help people similarly ... Maybe this would all be bearable for a bit longer.

- So he continued his apprenticeship. To everyone's delight but his own, he was quite good and showed a lot of genuine potential. Many times over he did still consider quitting - running away into the woods, to the village or something like that - but he ended up not doing it again.

- Meanwhile, his sister had gotten a scholarship at a highly appreciated magical academy. He was so proud of her. He was so jealous of her.

- Eventually, he'd gotten far enough in his training and became a proper paladin.

- Unlike in usual D&D where a paladin's magic stems from the divine in combination to one's oaths, in this setting they derive power from their own beliefs as well as their trust in their capabilities.

- For almost two decades he was a genuinely pretty good paladin. While he still couldn't put his entire heart in it all, the smiles and breaths of relief and appreciation he sometimes saw from those he helped helped him through it all day by day.

- However, this does mean that his willpower was weaker than that of your average paladin. While his magical prowess was quite good, the basis for it was weaker and more finicky. It'd be more easily dismantled and fuck him over.

- His martial ability was excellent through and through on the other hand.

- This all came to a halt one day in his early 40s when he was escorting a small group of people on his own.

- Generally, this world is pretty dangerous. But the journey the group had set out on wasn't a very long one, and it should've gone past many larger, quieter roads. While Vanth still questioned the fact they only hired one protector, it did make enough sense.

- Unfortunately, as luck would have it, shit of course hit the fan. Just because it was him, it felt like.

- They encountered a large beast adept with lightning magic. Vanth tried to stall it to allow the others to escape. It should've been easy enough if everyone helped each other - that wasn't the case, of course.

- All the group members got up and left, fending for themselves, helping each other only if they happened to cross each other and keep up with one another.

- They were already much further away when Vanth realized there was one person left. A young adult with an injured leg who couldn't stand, let alone run.

- Against all his better judgments, Vanth stopped stalling the beast and tried to help the straggler get out of the danger zone.

- Of course he didn't succeed.

- The beast struck his left side with lightning, the arm that had been supporting most of his client's weight. They both fell to the ground.

- Vanth didn't get to register much more of the pain that he must've suffered at the hands of the beast before his lights went out. He could only hope that was the case for his companion as well. - And with that, he'd failed to protect despite his best efforts. He'd failed himself. He'd broken his oath.

Of course, he's inspired by Danny, there's no way I'm letting him off the hook so easy or letting him have a peaceful death.

Cycle #2

- Unbeknownst to Vanth, as well as his family and really - most modern-age people, one of the more powerful gods alive is an ancestor of his from over a millennium ago. He's a real recluse, so most people in general wouldn't know anything about him besides his name - sometimes not even that.

- It's Nyrtim. His name is inspired by an alternative spelling of Nortia: Nyrtia. Another figure in Etruscan mythology. Fittingly, she's a goddess that partially oversaw the domains of time, fate, destiny and chance.

- Nyrtim had taken an interest in Vanth as one of the things he enjoys doing is to just look at how people are living their lives. (He's kinda jobless, but cut him some slack he lives alone on a remote island there's not much to do.) He tends to be especially curious about his descendants and Vanth was an ever more curious case.

- Nyrtim has limited future sight/predictive ability. Its accuracy also partially depends on how well he knows someone - this can be through their bonds' closeness or from prolonged observation. The better he knows someone, the more accurate his predictions could be.

- Due to a shared lineage, he can somewhat predict his descendants' futures decently, even if he's not spent much time learning more about them.

- You can probably already guess that Vanth was an exception to this! Not the only one, but the first where Nyrtim actively noticed it and it piqued his interest greatly.

- He enjoyed occasionally poking into Vanth's endeavors because he was unpredictable, and he never knew for certain how events would transpire.

- ...Similarly, he never got a feeling for when Vanth would die. His death came as a complete surprise to the god.

- Usually, he can estimate if someone's going to die within the next few years - it'd be especially accurate with those he's more familiar with as well as descendants. This was not the case with Vanth.

- Against all his better judgments, Nyrtim decided to go out of his way to resurrect Vanth purely out of his own curiosity.

- As Vanth was on the cusp of death, the god arrived at the scene and teleported the two of them back to his remote island.

- Perhaps because of the two being distantly related, perhaps because of the being underneath the temple had more unsung abilities besides giving Nyrtim the remainder of their strength, or maybe just because, the moment they arrived, Vanth's body went into a stasis, never allowing him to pass on to the next stage. Hell, maybe there really was something weird going on with Vanth's connection to the timeline, even.

- This changed things for Nyrtim. He'd intended to try and revive Vanth once he truly died - he still could do this, if he went to a different location, most likely. But his fears for the unknown, given how his interest in Vanth was literally based in not understanding the guy, he decided against that.

- He needed to figure out a way to reverse time on a (living?) being.

- While gods are powerful in this setting, they all did start as mere mortals and their power levels vary. Nyrtim's strong, but to go against the way of the world and to reverse but one creature's time while keeping everything else's intact was a whole different ordeal. He needed a way to bring Vanth back to moments before death and restore him from there to ensure his safety.

- Finally, Nyrtim found a certain method to be able to bring Vanth back after about 10 years.

- After waking up, Vanth had been incredibly confused. To him, he'd gotten what should've been a fatal blow moments ago. Or at the very least one greatly painful and disabling - even if he was comatose and healed in the meantime, or something.

- Then, he saw a type of creature he'd never encountered before and couldn't help but be reverent- He bowed in front of Nyrtim.

- The god explained what happened and let's just say it took a while for Vanth to adjust...

- He was surprised, anxious, scared, surprisingly a bit relieved, but mostly: concerned.

- Also, turns out he did still need time to continue healing from the ordeal before.

- He spent some time (some months up to 2 years, I'm unsure) on Nyrtim's island to get back on his feet. But he never quite did that quickly.

- Interestingly, one of his wings had unfortunately become unusable and it couldn't heal... Then, even more oddly, his good wing started cannibalizing the hurt one, becoming larger and somewhat stronger. However, of course, he still couldn't properly use it. Not much you can do with one wing.

- While he healed physically aside from that, his failure had scarred him and he noticed how his magic was finicky... almost permanently so. It wouldn't be reliable, at least not for now.

- Still, he decided to set out anyways... If anything, he wanted to try regain trust in his protective abilities and strengthen his magic again.

- Nyrtim had looked fondly ... if not painfully at him.

- He quickly realized he needed to pick up some other skills if he was gonna survive long enough in this dangerous world to regain his magic.

- This is when he starts to pick up more cunning and dexterous abilities - as he's on his own for now, and his familiar fighting styles were too flashy, too reliant on teammates and also on magic. Gameplay wise, this is the moment he multiclasses into Rogue.

- Sometime during the starting days of his second chance at adventuring he gets into a scuffle ... And when he was backed into a corner, the enemy suddenly backed off - or well, was thrown off him essentially. When he looked around, he only saw a buzzing green energy originating from his hands...

- Nyrtim had left traces of his power with Vanth since he brought the man back; he just chose not to say anything.

- Gameplay wise, this is the moment he multiclasses once more into Warlock!

- So now Vanth wasn't just juggling trying to regain magic with learning a new physical skillset, but a different magic skillset too.

- Unsurprisingly, that wasn't very good for him. It made it all the hard to juggle everything and caused a lot of confusion.

- Slowly though, he started losing hope he'd be able to regain the self confidence needed to use protective magic again. And he'd also grown more accustomed to his new lifestyle of being something more akin to a bounty hunter rather than a bodyguard or the occasional merc job.

- He ultimately decided to hone in on his rogue skills as he'd found he has a genuine knack for it that went untapped before.

- That aside ... this second chance allowed him to find his loved ones again and make up for lost time - both in the 10 years he was in stasis and from him eventually sometimes neglecting contact with some people in his life for other matters.

- Needless to say, everyone was completely taken aback and also suspicious at first, especially considering how long it's been.

- Said loved ones include but aren't limited to: his sister, his childhood best friends that made training just a bit more bearable and the adventurer that helped him all those years ago.

- He frequently visited Nyrtim's island as well. Despite Nyrtim being able to follow Vanth's days here and there, the two very much enjoyed sharing stories. And by this I mean Nyrtim loved to listen to Vanth talk animatedly. It brings a small smile to Vanth's face that Nyrtim never sees when just looking at him from afar.

- The rest of this part of his life wasn't that extraordinary. He joined a lot of temporary adventuring parties - and a small amount he joined for a bit longer. He made a decent if tight living from this for a while and also managed to make a bit of a name for himself in a few small towns that appreciated his help.

- His life wasn't that eventful this time around, really. Though notably he didn't really physically age ever since being revived. Something usually only experienced by the ultra powerful.

- He died almost boringly this time - I haven't figured out exactly how, but it'd be in the same vein as making a mistake during a fight, having been up against a stronger opponent than expected, or something like that. Nothing dramatic like last time.

- It still came quite sudden. Such is the life of an adventurer. But he was content this time around. Most of his regrets still being from his past life, not this one.

Cycle #3

- Sike.

- Turns out Nyrtim imbued Vanth's future deaths with a "fail-safe" should it happen unexpectedly again.

- Which, yes, it did. Despite after dying once as well as getting a lot closer seemed to have helped Nyrtim's ability to predict Vanth's futures, it was still more finicky.

- This revival was an entirely different experience for Vanth compared to last time, however. While last time his lights felt like they went out forever one moment just to open his eyes again the next, something deeper was afoot this time.

- The next time he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a weird location that didn't feel real, atop a floating island. In the middle a familiar temple.

- Once he entered, some of his questions were answered. He was put into a situation similar to what caused his death "just now". There were no instructions but it didn't seem out of the realm of possibility that ... something was trying to test him.

- He diligently tried to overcome a trial he'd just failed and soon enough he found himself awake again in the real world. Once more, on Nyrtim's island.

- He goes to find the god and it isn't long before he spots him enjoying nature outside, as he'd come to learn the other likes doing.

- Nyrtim doesn't seem surprised at his awakening and entrance, just pleased.

- "I'm glad you've passed the trial, my child."

- The cryptid god finally explains that he'd put Vanth in a trial to test his ability and resolve as he's become more and more convinced that his unexpected deaths aren't just due to his own faults and that there's something bigger at play in his life at times.

- Vanth ... doesn't really take this well???? What do you MEAN he can't die-die? What do you mean eternal rest doesn't exist for him? It feels like he just got spat in the face especially considering how his previous two lives had been hell, and he'd barely managed to understand himself well enough to keep going in the last.

- He leaves the island quickly this time, not really in the mood to spend any more time with the time god. The latter let him leave. Once again, he wasn't surprised. Though he couldn't help but be just slightly shocked and hurt, that this prediction of his turned out true.

- Oh also, as Vanth was busy proving himself with the trial, a year passed. Time moves differently during the trials from everywhere else.

- As shown in the chart, this is the shortest cycle by far. It's for good reason. This is essentially his rebellious era.

- He's depressed and utterly aimless. What can he even hope to accomplish- There's not really anything for him to do, is there?

- His first life was one forced upon him that he didn't agree with. His second consisted of him trying to regain honor he never cared for in the first place before ultimately being content with what he had ... So what's left now? What could he possibly do?

- So he does what he does best. Look for trouble. Take on stupid challenges since no one is relying on him anyways-

- This era is defined by him ignoring the past and just living in the moment as an adrenaline junkie.

- He never visits any of his family and friends either - something he'll come to regret later down the line, obviously. But unfortunately, he'd come to this decision because his sister had apparently passed in the year he'd been "away" on his trial. It made him want to shut himself off from thinking about others, ironically.

- This is also an era wherein he makes no meaningful new connections with anyone.

- What does happen, however, is that he gets a shitton stronger. He essentially doubles his ability/power level that he'd gained last time over 50+ years in just 5. Albeit, those previous decades were also not fully focused on his current expertise and he also didn't take on only tough combat jobs like he is in this cycle.

- Vanth's accomplishments start piling up during this period of time. He also manages to best the beast that killed him the first time. He's starting to make a bit of a name for himself out there- people are recognizing him here and there and talking about him. Some with fear/wariness.

- It shouldn't come as a surprise that this time his untimely demise was due to his own overzealousness and hubris.

- He'd silently hoped for it to come sooner rather than later, really.

- Plus, if his luck really was bad enough, this probably wouldn't be the end anyways.

Cycle #4

- Of course, and unfortunately he was right.

- Unsurprisingly, the trial he went through this time had him facing the adversary that'd killed him. But it didn't end after that, like it did the last time. He continued to face off against a barrage- monster and creature and adversary after another. It felt like his stamina and willpower were being tested ... and he couldn't just find a way out of it.

- Eventually, he'd had enough and just stopped in his killing. Not knowing what'd happen if he just gave up entirely and not willing to risk it, he started going on the defense instead. As he did so, more and more creatures started spawning... But not all seemed hostile, now.

- A spark reignited in him slightly and he started to try and help these people that didn't really exist anyways (right?). But there was still seemingly no end...

- Not until one time, he failed to rescue one of these figments-

- Suddenly everything turned white and he opened his eyes to the familiar island again.

- When he finds Nyrtim this time, neither of them speak a word. Vanth just goes to sit next to him, eventually leaning into him. Nyrtim tenses ... it's not a sensation he'd felt in so long. He'd foreseen this would happen, and he still didn't feel prepared.

- This time, Vanth stays on the island much longer. He's still aimless, but he doesn't even have an ego to empower him anymore. He becomes much quieter too.

- Perhaps, due to his presence as what's essentially an undead on the island, some strange creatures start showing up more and more. Beings that often look to be mutated animals, but they're not hostile. He starts taking care of them for some semblance of normalcy and connection beside the god that has become utterly disconnected from humanity. Something he's realizing is also slowly happening with himself.

- Beside that, he also starts to practice more types of magic, partially with the help/guidance of Nyrtim. Those two finally get some much needed bonding time in this period.

- Mechanically, nothing really happens here. It's mostly a way to tie mechanics into lore in a more fitting way... The best example would be his black skeletal wing.

- In D&D it's something Fallen Aasimar can conjure once per long rest (Necrotic Shroud) - they actually don't have wings normally but we ignore that :) - But I wanted it to be stronger narratively, especially considering celestial/heavenly gods don't even quite exist in this setting.

- The wing was gained through tons of practice and even then he could only conjure it momentarily. But when it exists, he's able to fly again (Ghost Walk subclass ability). It's not entirely ideal that it looks so mismatched ... But isn't it kinda cool? And maybe its eeriness can be used in his favor somewhat anyhow... (once again, Necrotic Shroud).

- Many small and miscellaneous, mostly flavor related magics or changes happen during this period. Other examples are the way his hair and clothes sometimes flow like they're underwater, in space, or not bound by time - much like Nyrtim. His freckles may sometimes glow and move around (into the shapes of our constellations ... something strange and unknown to this world), though the triggers are not entirely clear.

- Eventually, the critters on the island that first arrived start to slowly leave or pass. It is when the canine-like creature he'd gotten the closest bond with passes that he finally leaves the island again figuring that he'd been stagnant enough.

- As Nyrtim watches him leave, a deeper regret settles in him. He realizes just how much of a torment this entire experience has been for Vanth; something he was sort of oblivious to before as his rationale toward the other had been overshadowed by mystery and curiosity. He decides then that if Vanth were to ever ask, he'll reveal that it's allowed to fail the trials. Though he isn't sure what that'd mean for one's final death.

- Surprise surprise, he's still not really back in the game!! He's stronger, more reliable and less reckless now, though. That's something.

- He once more starts to take jobs to pass the time, but he tries to care more again. Unlike the last cycle, loads of the jobs taken this time are specifically to help people - not just to protect an entire city's people by slaying a dangerous monster or two.

- More and more people yet start to recognize him as well. Many are also starting to connect all of his previous lives together and ... it creates an interesting dynamic.

- People are catching on, to how he's not quite normal. He's really been living for far too long now - he already had been before he got strong enough to the point it could've had a substantial impact on his lifespan... What's going on?

- The people's uncertainty don't really land well with Vanth, naturally. It doesn't help that some people seem outright scared and/or reverent toward him either.

- Still, he tries to continue on, letting people's happiness, gratitude and hope at the help and saving fuel him once more.

- Eventually, quite some years later, he takes on what should've been a simpler guarding job. And if that doesn't bring him some unpleasant memories and feelings of deja vu...

- Thankfully, he's not on his own this time at least, so the clients were a bit less reckless, at least... But it could never be this easy, could it?

- First, one of the other people hired seemed way too young. A Dragonborn girl, another player character, that could only have been in her mid-teens max. What brought her here? What were they thinking-

- Unfortunately, if it was for the money, it'd make sense. And it seemed like the group she was a part of had a good reputation...

- Whatever the case, it was also sorely obvious that this kid had it rough, she wouldn't be here otherwise. And Vanth couldn't help but see a bit of himself in her which ultimately made him soften up a bit.

- This was the first time he'd made a meaningful connection with someone other than Nyrtim and the creatures on the island in a long time. He'd ... missed the experience, and he didn't even know it.

- He starts caring for the kid a lot on their journey. All the while it makes him realize that he'd lost his humanity along the way.

- Just as he starts to slowly regain it, danger of course rears its head again because this guy is naturally not allowed to ever have a break.

- He fights to protect, alongside the others - no one is abandoning each other this time. When he notices the Dragonborn girl in the face of danger he doesn't hesitate to take the hit for her.

- Unlike the first time, it'd kept her and the others safe and he could "pass" without regrets... Though he figured it won't be that simple, so he looks forward to a life he'll make worth living as his lights go out.

Cycle #5 (current, final)

- Nyrtim watches as Vanth takes on the trial once more. He sees a fire burning in his eyes that he'd never witnessed before. He passes this trial easily, with flying colors even. Nyrtim is almost shocked - this kid never ceases to surprise and amaze.

- He's there to greet Vanth this time as he wakes up for the first time since the initial arrival. Despite having no injuries, as per what the trial does to the body, Vanth seems out of breath but also ... happy?

- It spurs something inside Nyrtim, and despite the other not having asked him yet, he reveals that it's possible - okay even - to fail a trial in the future if Vanth really wishes to. Though he can't promise his death will be gentle, as no one's gone through the same experiences as he had.

- This, along with the people he met at the very end of his previous cycle inspires something long lost inside him. A genuine desire to live. He didn't really do that in the past cycles.

- A majority of cycle 2 was spent with confusion and a loss of identity, cycle 3 was as reckless as he felt himself worthless, cycle 4 was aimless for the most part with him clearly not wanting to be there anymore as there was nothing left to live for. Really, something that was a fault of his own for forgoing rekindling and creating connections.

- And so he makes a decision. He vows that this cycle will be his final one. He'll take care of it, himself and others while still trying to live his by now way too extended life properly in a way he's neglected to the last 2 centuries.

- He still adventures and takes on jobs to get by - getting a decently pretty penny nowadays too due to his ability and notoriety - while also visiting people and places he once cared about but had since come to neglect. Besides that, he also starts to visit different locations as a tourist, just to appreciate and enjoy, rather than only going places with greater motives.

- He rekindles old connections, those that still exist at least, and gains new ones. He also semi-frequently visits Nyrtim here, never letting more than a few years pass by without one.

- It's as he does this that he notices a gradual change in the man. He seems more ... concerned and uncertain, something Vanth isn't used to seeing from the man.

- Perhaps due to whatever is concerning him, or maybe it's something else, the last time Vanth visited (some years ago now) he warned him to avoid a certain region if he were to travel upward. He said it all cryptically without context.

- It confuses Vanth, what may be going on? That is, until people start taking notice of a ... plague? A virus- or is it a disease? No, none of those descriptors quite fit. Regardless, some kind of condition is wreaking havoc all over the world. It's stealing people's lifeforce - people first noticed as healthy people started dying sooner than expected without ailment all over the world.

- It's when researchers start to figure out that it may be something magical afoot, that Vanth receives a call to action by a northern kingdom that Nyrtim's advice falls into place. Despite Vanth still being curious and suspicious, he isn't about to ignore the advice of someone who is quite literally a god. He travels northward with a detour through his hometown as Nyrtim advised him years ago.

And that's where we're at...! We'll be playing the first session in... just about two days. I'm so excited to see where this will all go-