Rennic

Rennic The Poisoner - Five of Swords On the Lightning border of Driftwood Shore are a set of abandoned sandstone cliff caves, standing empty and flame-scarred since the war. They would make good dens, but dragons do not live here any more. Instead, the blood-stained tunnels are patrolled by guards- usually Firn and Isril- who watch the caverns. More specifically, they watch Rennic. Rennic was once one of the most beloved members of the clan. His gentle, authoritative voice and kind words were a comfort to many, and his strength with his battle partners brought pride to the Shore. But this was only the surface of the glittering Tundra's presence. Now Rennic is imprisoned, shunned, hated. Driftwood Shore cannot kill him, he made sure of that: The crystals growing from his hide are a symptom of the poison he slowly, carefully infected the clan with, a poison to which he himself is the only antidote. His death would mean the death of the clan, and so they keep him in frigid chains that shackle his Plague nature, inhibiting him from gathering Breath and making his escape. Although, as it has been remarked: He seems oddly content to remain where he is.

History: Rennic was an early diplomatic exchange from Scarbrood Clan, a friend of the Shore. His hatchling days were spent by the Sea, with Aucanor and those dragons from the young days of the clan's founding, and he has been a permanent face at the Shore since then. He took frequent walks to his homeland, and so nobody thought it too strange when he disappeared during his first Riot of Rot. The festival was a catalyst for Rennic's nefarious plans; allowing him to construct the poison and then later seed it throughout his clanmates via the gentle accumulative effect of dust in his fur. Soon after the Riot, Rennic mated in secret with the wild Mirror Siragesh, raising the four offspring who would later ally with Serthis and dragon forces to launch the War of Swords against Driftwood Shore. The War eventually revealed his betrayal, when he was spotted conversing with his daughter, the blood-stained general of the Serthis Allies. Rennic switched sides and fought against Driftwood Shore in the final days of the War, battering his forces nonsensically against the dragons of the Shore until they were all dead or scattered, where he was then captured by Driftwood Shore and imprisoned in the once homely caves at the cliffs.

Physical: Rennic is a large and heavy Tundra with exceptionally soft and beautiful fur. His heavy-lidded gaze is mild and observant, his features attractive, though marred by the invading spears of crystal biting through his skin. The crystals themselves are somewhat brittle, like glass, and Rennic's fur is dusted with the stuff. His wings are very small and although he can fly, he requires a running takeoff and has very poor aerial manoeuvrability. His swimming skills are negligible, though he is extremely fond of bathing and claims it is the thing he misses most in his incarceration.

Rennic's fighting style is unique among the clan: Although he is a physical fighter he meditates to gather Breath, allowing faster warriors to leap ahead into the fray and deflecting as many blows as he can while he waits. When his fatigue drops, Rennic becomes a horrific menace, laying about with savage lion punches and Plague-soaked claws, until he must retreat to meditate again. Rennic is especially proficient at using a sword for this technique, a preference that lent its name in part to the Swords War.

The clan fears any contact with Rennic, but the poison is slow accumulative and requires seasons of exposure to infect through the air. The crystals alone will serve as the antidote, but their effectiveness has an expiration date, after which the antidote part of them will run out, leaving nothing but poison.

Familiar: Rennic has deliberately never spoken to anyone of his familiar's significance, though some have an inkling. The sly little mousebird serves as the Tundra's factual memory; reminding him of dates, names, faces, anything that Rennic would usually need to smell to recall, and essentially never leaves his side. This memory proxy is the bird's only purpose, and their bond is so deep and interwoven that the bird serves almost as an extension of Rennic, though a rather beady-eyed and unpleasant one. Some have referred to it as 'mousebird .bd', whatever that means.

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Sig: Rennic's relationship with Sig is complex. On the one hand he seems very fond of the murderous Mirror, on the other he made specific and personal arrangements during the War against his life. While they have not seen each other since Rennic's defeat, Rennic speaks wistfully and often of his former battle partner, makes jokes, and inquires after his wellbeing.

Yvelte: Rennic's relationship with his other battle partner is somewhat less complicated. When the dusty gold Tundra first arrived at the clan a young Rennic seemed smitten, pursuing her affections but thwarted by her obsession with Sig. Eventually his advances cooled and he settled into a strange, wordless friendship with her, which was only broken by his betrayal.

Amiyen: Rennic fooled Amiyen. The steadfast Imperial was entirely convinced he was working for Rennic for the good of the clan, and when the full bloody implications of the War were revealed, he fled in horror. Rennic laughs about this when asked. Unlike most of the clan, he seems to believe that Amiyen is not entirely gone for good.

Offspring: Rennic has four unexalted daughters. He spends much time thinking of them, though some are a blur from before his familiar was fully bonded: Tetrazene, who thinks of fire. Niamh, who returned to Scarbrood. Kalura, who is Trouble. And finally the war child calling herself Clawbreaker, whose location and health remains unknown. Unbeknownst to him one of his war children, The Madman, returned from exaltation. Additionally there is Kellinlii, who carries a bond to Rennic the depths of which he is unaware of, and refers to him as "uncle".

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