Farallon » Lair » Albatross

Albatross

(#56431074)

Laid to rest | they/ze

Familiar

Cumulus Seal

Energy: 0 50

Personal Style

Apparel

Skin

Scene

Physical Attributes

Battle Stats

Measurements

Length

19.68 m

Wingspan

22.83 m

Weight

8325.11 kg

Genetics

Smoke
Iridescent

Silver
Alloy

Grey
Scales

Hatchday

Oct 31, 2019
(5 years)

Breed

Adult
Imperial

Eye Type

Earth
Unusual

Level 1 Imperial

EXP: 0 / 245

STR

AGI

DEF

QCK

INT

VIT

MND

Lineage

Parents

Offspring

Biography

A L B A T R O S S^♫

THE EXORCIST

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I N F O
Nickname: Albus
Gender: Agender
Pronouns: Ze/Zir or they/them
Mate: Polyamorous
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R E L A T I O N S

_CONSORT

_CONSORT╰━━━━━━━━╯

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"A lone gray bird,
Dim-dipping, far-flying,
Alone in the shadows and grandeurs and tumults
Of night and the sea
And the stars and storms.

Out over the darkness it wavers and hovers,
Out into the gloom it swings and batters,
Out into the wind and the rain and the vast,
Out into the pit of a great black world,
Where fogs are at battle, sky-driven, sea-blown,
Love of mist and rapture of flight,
Glories of chance and hazards of death
On its eager and palpitant wings.

Out into the deep of the great dark world,
Beyond the long borders where foam and drift
Of the sundering waves are lost and gone
On the tides that plunge and rear and crumble."

- Carl Sandburg

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Some may find it odd that an imperial has taken up the Hunt, swearing zirself to the erradication of the undead. Some may mention that, perhaps, an emperor or other hazard may arise. This dragon would answer that hazards exist in all occupations, but they still need to be done.

Ze is a Hunter of the undead, and while zir eyes are sharp and zir blades are true, ze works primarily with silver dust and candle wax. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and ze spends time in the cemeteries and mass graves after old wars to sing quiet songs of peace and draw sigils in wax and silver to keep the bodies protected from any foul play. Zir greatest fear is shepherding a beloved clanmate towards the end only to have them return. Ze could not bear it.

Unlike many Hunters, zir work is done primarily in the light of day. Ze takes long trips to sites known to be hotspots for paranormal activity, and ze spends zir time there until ze is content that the area is protected again for a time. Ze is quiet but warm, and zir laugh is considered by friends and strangers alike to be a very good laugh.

Starter Lore by Ixris

Albatross’ ears had always been closed to the mortal world, for they had never been meant to hear mortal voices. But their existence was not a silent one.

Ze heard, instead, the calls of spirits. Their voices floated into the young Imperial’s mind from beyond, whispering of magic and matters that few dragons would dare to know.

Ze was fortunate in that many others in their clan had walked the same road, so ze was not without support and sympathy. In addition to sign language, their elders taught them how to deal with various spirits. And when the clan’s knowledge proved insufficient, they reached out to dragons living elsewhere.

This was how the Order of the Veiled Phoenix came to know about Albatross. Theirs was a secretive clan, for they too dealt with spirits, and rarely accepted outsiders into their ranks. But in Albatross, they saw potential that could be put to good use, for both spirit- and dragonkind.

One day, the youngling awoke, several otherworldly voices ringing in their mind. “Listener,” sang one, its breath tickling the Imperial’s brow. “Cygnus,” another declared, pointing with glittering claws.

Other entities clustered closer, murmuring further news. Albatross nodded and began moving about their room, calmly packing up their things.

By the time representatives from the Order arrived, ze was ready to leave. More signs were exchanged, more explanations—none of which surprised the child. The spirits had, after all, already told them much of what ze needed to know.

Ze departed their birth clan that day—and from that point on, ze was a dragon of the Veiled Phoenix.

The Order strove to push Albatross to zir full potential, molding a force that could be reckoned with—or relied upon—both in this world and the next. If the Imperial had been made of less stern stuff, ze would probably have broken down quickly, for working with spirits is not for the faint of heart. But even at that tender age, Albatross understood the great import of their work, and so ze approached zir training with fortitude.

The tools of a Hunter are many, and ze tried all of them, attempting to discern which one fit them best. Not for them were weapons of iron, despite their great efficacy against tricksters and fey. Ze shunned the copper and brass that could stymie demons, and the gold and gems that tempted more besides. Ze did not seem to find much meaning in rune-carved bones and shew-stones.

“Choose,” the Order elder rumbled, his claws sketching the sign. His familiar spirits repeated the word, more gently, into Albatross’ ears.

The Imperial’s paw hovered over the laid-out weapons. Ze did not look, for they were practicing how to sense rather than to see. Most of the artifacts oozed heaviness and coldness, and seemed like they’d hinder rather than help.

Albatross did not want to be dragged down. They wanted something that would help them soar. Something that would help them roam far, like the bird for which ze was named...

Delicately, as though plucking a flower, ze picked up a small, round jar carved from gleaming pearl. The cap was twisted off, and a puff of brightness emerged.

“Silver. A potent weapon against many undead. And a reliable one, if you can bend it to your will.”

Indeed, as Albatross focused zir awareness upon the tiny jar, ze seemed to feel it pushing back. It almost throbbed, seeming like a star in the Imperial’s vast paw.

Silver corrodes undead substance, and this delicate-seeming jar became, in Albatross’ grasp, as mighty as any sword. It took them many years to perfect the art of directing the dust. At the start of zir training, it was little more than a glittering cloud that floated around them.

But over time, the Imperial shaped it into an actual weapon. At a nudge from their mind, the dust leaped into the air, twisting and striking like a lash or cleaving like a sword. It flowed from one shape to the next, guided by its master’s will, searing into any specters that approached with malevolent intent.

Where there is a sword, there must be a shield; and early on, again, Albatross was made to choose from myriad options. A scroll of enchanted birch bark? Shed scales blessed by Serthis? Perhaps a mirror to reflect dark forces, or a literal shield of gleaming metal?

Much of a spirit hunter’s work is done in the dark, for that is where most fiends prefer to attack. Perhaps it wasn’t surprising, then, that Albatross turned to light sources. Enchanted gems, lanterns, elemental runestones...

And perhaps it wasn’t surprising that they chose candle wax. Like the silver dust, it was a versatile tool, useful in divination and defense. It, too, took time to master—but master it Albatross did, and it became one of the most reliable objects in zir arsenal.

Finally, many years later, Albatross’ training drew to a close. There was more to learn—so much more, for what mortal can hope to ever fully understand the realm of spirits?—but by then, they had learned all that the Order could teach them.

“Two paths now stand before you,” the elders told the Imperial. “Many of our clan have chosen to wander wherever their work takes them, helping any whom they encounter. But your talents have attracted admiration, and there are several lairs prepared to give you a home.

“Which course pleases you? Know that whichever path you choose, you will have our blessing.”

Perhaps the name Albatross was in itself a portent, for never had the Imperial considered permanently settling in one place. Always they had yearned to roam, experiencing the world in all its wonder—and terror.

“If it pleases the Order, I will go where my work guides me,” Albatross declared. Zir voice was quiet, but they stood taller, and seemed as immovable as a mountain peak.

The elders nodded in approval. They began chanting, murmuring blessings and well-wishes. Albatross could not hear them, but ze felt their goodwill wash over themself like a cooling breeze. Silver dust and candle wax flowed over zir scales, forming shining runes upon zir skin.

Ze felt heavier now—but also stronger, more powerful. Ze would never be truly alone, for the blessings of the clan were now alight within them.

Still, ze couldn’t help feeling a trace of doubt when they stepped beyond the Order’s lands. The road ahead would be difficult...but ze had chosen it of their own free will, and so ze was determined to see it through.

“There were others before you who chose this,” the spirits murmured. “Some were Hunters of great fortitude, and others...less so. Which one will you be, shining bird?”

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As Albatross journeyed through Sornieth, ze helped many people. The tools and techniques they had trained with were put to good use, easing spirits’ passage into the other world...or banishing them, if they were determined to resist.

At the end of each incident, Albatross always took the time to create a written record of what had transpired. On one hand, this was meant to help train future Hunters: Copies of these reports were sent back to the Order, where they could be added to the clan’s stores of knowledge.

On the other hand, this ritual was as much for Albatross’ own benefit: a way to process, and to come to terms with, whatever they’d just experienced. It helped reassure them, and that was important, for they never knew what else lay ahead. There was always just enough danger to remind them that every step forward could be zir last...

“Will you soar high, shining bird? Or will you plummet to the ground?”

It was not always easy to ignore the voices of spirits. These did not touch Albatross’ ears, but thrummed, instead, deep within zir soul. At times they had to concentrate hard to understand the writing and signs of the dragons seeking zir aid, and to consider what would need to be done.

Most spirits could be persuaded to peacefully depart, for the strength of a Hunter is not to be taken lightly. But many remained obstreperous, and in confronting them, Albatross shed their usual placid mien. The humble jar of silver dust, the rolls of wax, ceased being oddities; they transformed into flashing blades and swirling shields of light. And Albatross themself transformed as well: The strength of zir clan flowed through them, turning their wings into blinding blades of brilliance. The shining bird advanced, prepared to do battle...

But though ze prevailed, ze found that these victories did not bring much joy. There was always the danger that such conflict would foster dark feelings and lure even more dangerous entities.

And so ze began doing more of zir work in the daytime. With the sun overhead—the greatest shield a Hunter could ever hope to have—Albatross strode once more into the spirits’ lairs.

Ze questioned the spirits, hoping to learn how to placate them. These interactions were more like interrogations, and were not always successful.

Still the young Hunter persisted. This time, ze tried less intrusive approaches. Did the spirits, too, have missions they wished to be helped with? Perhaps there were boons they were hoping to find?

Over the course of many different encounters, Albatross understood that what many of these entities desired was peace. They wanted to exist freely, without hardship or conflict, just as many mortals did. And so the Listener learned not only to negotiate with spirits, but also to soothe them.

At times, the spirits did not wish to speak. And so, instead, the Imperial sang. Ze tried many different instruments—it was difficult, for ze could not hear, and had only the vibrations of the air to guide them. But zir gentle intent shone through, and even passing mortals, who could not hear Albatross’ songs, remarked on how much lighter the air around them felt.

This became the driving thought behind Albatross’ work: to seek out places where uneasy spirits gathered, that ze might soothe them in daylight and help them sleep through the darkness. More often than not, these were graveyards, small plots of land that could be tended in one night.

“But what happens when the graveyard is nearly large enough to drown the world?”

This was the question that Albatross soon found themself facing. Always before, they had been guided to graveyards by the calls of spirits. For the past several days, ze had been hearing these calls growing stronger and stronger, and so ze’d traveled more quickly. The voices washed over them like breaking waves...

And now, slightly dumbfounded, ze realized that they were breaking waves. For the next graveyard the spirits had called them to was the open sea.

Ze struggled to make sense of it. No fence could contain a space so vast! There were no tombstones, no mausoleums...

But there were graves, thousands upon thousands of them. All who had died here, their fire extinguished by the sea, or whose inert forms had been flung into her grasp. Their cries were in the crashing waves, the calls of seabirds in the air...

Albatross was stunned by the enormity of it all. Zir legs nearly buckled—how could they hope to undertake such a task? How could they dare?

But they could, and they would. They now saw the path ahead of them, a clear road sparkling upon the lead-gray sea. They knew they would not be able to silence all the voices here—but perhaps they could calm enough to ensure that fewer would join them.

Zir countenance calmed. Once again they were as resolute as they’d been all those years ago, when they’d first embarked upon their journey. Once again, ze made their decision.

And once again, the shining bird spread zir wings and soared away to face the world.

~ written by Disillusionist (254672)
all edits by other users

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Lore Notes:
- Originally from the Oakrest Citadel, born into a family line of Hunters.
- Zir body is imbued with silver with blade-like wings. Ze is unable to float in water because of this and must use the assistance of spells (silver and wax runes painted on zer scales) to fly.
- Quiet and patient traveler who ventures to graveyards and paints runes to keep spirits at peace.
- Eventually drawn to the most expansive graveyard of them all - the sea.
- Travels with Captain Odin and his crew and holds great concern for the Cathedral of Eyes for it is a place stained with the blood of innocents.

Hatched by Little Acorn Inn

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