Liron

[Liron]

Liron

The Bloodstained Rose

Race: Human
Date of Birth: 14th Ymiden, 697
Age: 25 Arcs old
Languages: Fluent Common, Broken Gernevoir

The show must go on

[Liron]

Personality

"So beautiful. So, so beautiful."

Obsessed with the spectacle and glamour of his performances, Liron is a fanatic of the fine arts. Each day is a show he must perform to the greatest of his abilities. This unhealthy obsession combined with the mental sickness that plagues him leaves Liron as a murderous, self-obsessed narcissist capable of heinous acts - all in the name of ‘beauty’. Subtle music rings through his mind at all times, a side effect of his psychosis and a constant reminder that the show must go on.

Outside of his mental breaks and cold murders, Liron is an eccentric and obsessed man, envisioning a beautiful world in which he brings joy and life to each show he performs. Any that stand in the way of that goal, that try and outdo him or simply will not allow beauty to thrive?

Dies.

Appearance

"Perfection. That is what I seek."

Slicked-back black hair, a clean face and a wicked smile, Liron is a beautiful man by many accounts. He stands at an even 5’11” and has a relatively strong build, though he prefers to keep himself on the slimmer side. Thanks in part to genetics, a healthy routine and his mark of Syroa, Liron suffers rarely from any sort of ailment and makes sure to take perfect care of his body. Any scars or the like would ruin his perfect image, making him less than the best, so he takes delicate care of his body - although Syroa’s mark quickly heals over any flaws in his otherwise flawless visage.

When performing under the stage name of The Rose, Liron wears a simple mask with a blank expression, covering his face as he feels it enhances the show and allows the audience to focus more on the beautiful performance rather than himself. His identity is no secret, however, and once the performance is done he will often remove his mask to bow to the crowd.

[Liron]

WARNING - PLEASE READ

This history covers VERY serious topics such as:

Parental Suicide
Mental Health
Abuse


And other dark themes. Please take care before reading, and if you yourself are having ANY difficult emotions or mental health struggles, please use resources like WWW.CHECKPOINTORG.COM to get help.

You're all beautiful and deserve the world <3 Keep safe out there

History - Crescendo

"Perfection is not a fallacy. It is a goal, and I MUST reach it."

Simply born to a mother who didn’t want him, Liron was raised on the road, travelling from place to place. Liron was solely raised by his father - his mother never known to him and never revealed. His father was a performer, a musician talented in the piano, who would venture from place to place with a small group and make his money performing for anyone who would give the coin. As such, Liron saw what performing entailed, actors running around desperate to get a last bit of makeup added to their faces, musicians practicing over and over. All of them were dedicated to their craft.

His father and his group was dedicated to their show to a whole other level.

Over the course of years, every single night from the age of four and upwards, Liron was made to play an instrument for three hours with no pauses. Over and over, testing different instruments until he eventually landed on the violin. With a natural talent for the instrument, Liron’s father was immediately insistent that Liron play it, upping the time he spent practicing to five hours a day. Even when his fingers grew sore or started to bleed he must keep playing. This manic, constant abuse of his mind was futhered by what quickly became a physically abusive situation. When Liron would make mistakes he would be hit, his father growing increasingly harsher as the years went by, constantly repeating a mantra - that he must be perfect. Meanwhile, with each performance his father did, the magic improved each time. Sparks danced around him as he played and beautiful visuals seemed to follow him.

Watching as the years continued, eventually becoming a teenager, Liron had found his calling in life, performing music alongside his father. But alongside this talent came a darkness that stewed within him. Years of constant abuse and perfectionism had driven the boy mad. Every small mistake he made led to another crack in his shattered psyche. This point only grew worse upon his first time witnessing death, a group of bandits attacking the travellers one night. The group fought back and, almost effortlessly, Liron’s father took the lives of two attackers. But killing the men had not been enough for him. He almost seemed to dance as he fought, a poetic and beautiful sight, before slashing the men down. As other men tried to run they didn’t manage to go far, before they joined the pile of those cut down by Liron’s father. Once they were all dead he called Liron over to the bodies and explained that in death these men had become immortal, like a painting on a canvas. That now, for the rest of time, Liron would remember the faces of otherwise unremarkable men - that they were now another verse in the symphony of Liron’s life. Death was to be admired as much as any other art, and should life be taken, it was a gift to those who were worthless - giving their name some value. Making them…immortalized.

This final lesson snapped what little sanity was left in Liron, causing him to become obsessed, a perfectionist with no empathy and little regard for the lives of others. In his father's eyes he was finally ready, but for more than simply performing, for a well-guarded secret. With some of the other musicians, they took Liron out at night, telling him that they were finally ready to teach him the true secret of his trade. They warned him that the music was not enough, that the real spectacle went beyond the music, but every sense imaginable. A true show was vibrant, it had colours and lights, it had energy and sound. A stage could give such a sensation, but they couldn’t carry a stage anywhere. So with a small flick of their hand sparks started to fly like fireflies, scattering around from nowhere. The beautiful visuals of their show had not been any kind of science, it was magic. Pure magic. A magic that Liron would take up, his father had decided it so. Before he knew what was happening, the mages took the boy and handed a knife to him. They gave him a choice. Take the spark, mutilate his eyes and join them - or they would do it for him. So, afraid of what would happen if he didn’t and deeply damaged mentally, he did as he was told - undergoing the initiation at the age of only sixteen. Blinded and in agony, the boy was told he would either heal, or he was unworthy. The barrage that came next was an assault on all of his senses. But, after some time and many snide and harsh comments from his own father about how his son would likely fail due to weakness, he felt his eyes beginning to heal and the assault ending. The other performers returned to their tent, congratulating him on the ‘gift’ he had been given. Some nights later he told his father he would be leaving, finding his own way in the world. Liron’s father was enraged, the mentally ill man insisting that Liron was a fool and would be nothing without him, that he would never learn the magic without his help. But Liron had grown tired of the abuse of an old, washed-up musician with no beauty left in him - and the mutilation of his eyes had been the final straw. So the boy drew the same knife that had taken his eye, placed it on the table of the man and looked him directly in the eyes, telling him exactly how he felt. That his father was nobody, just as much as the bandits he had killed that night, That his shows had hit their peak and that he would never improve and his life had come to nothing, but watching his own son surpass him. With those words, Liron left the tent the man was in and went on his way. News quickly travelled in the local city, Rynmere, that they were visiting of a musician set to perform - found dead by his own hands, a blood-covered knife the only piece of evidence of the suicide. But, as was true of all things, the world moved on, as did Liron - travelling on his own.

In time he landed in his favourite city of them all, Rharne, a place of drinking, debauchery and an appreciation for beauty of all kinds - or as far as he was concerned. The pretentiousness of the Rynmere nobles was absent and a beauty was present in many ways. Brothels contained beautiful seduction, theatres contained beautiful performances and even the streets of the lowly dust quarter contained the beautiful death he had witnessed time and time again. The city made no attempt to mask any element of itself. True beauty. It was in Rharne that he bought his first home with the money he’d made travelling and signed up for a job performing. At first it was the streets he performed at, playing as money was given occasionally to him by passing citizens. It grated him mentally, however, as some people would walk past him and ignore his music. Could they not hear the beauty he heard? The symphonies that echoed with each moment?

Motivated by their ignorance, Liron continued to practice, improving his skills over arcs. He was recognized by many, sometimes even invited to perform at small gigs, local parties or taverns, before he was eventually noticed by a man named Ruvio Lancier, who stopped to watch the performance. Impressed by the commitment displayed, once the show was done Ruvio approached the handsome performer, looking him up and down for a moment before introducing himself as a general manager and master of ceremonies at a newly established opera house. He was invited, should he accept, to come and view the establishment and to talk with Ruvio on the way.

Excited by the prospect before him, he headed to the opera house, taking in the beautiful stage and sight before him. While they walked, the man explained that occasionally groups of performers worked together here, orchestras and other such performances - before offering a job to Liron. It wouldn’t be a starring role, nor would it be a consistent job, but when the time called for a Violinist they would reach out to him if he took the offer. Without a moment of pause, Liron agreed to the job, shaking the man's hand and agreeing to come back tomorrow to practice and keep fresh.

History - The Pinnacle

"Art is only one form of beauty"

Having worked some trials at the theatre, preparing for his future performances and otherwise helping where possible - Liron met some fellow performers. There was, of course, Samona, a woman with a voice that left Liron with goosebumps. But other, smaller names that were only performing temporarily made appearances from time to time. It was there that he met a group of performers in Rharne, often travelling to other cities to share music and perform on the streets of poorer places. Despite usually featuring in the Dust Quarter, the group had finally booked the night to show off their talents here, wanting to draw in a broader audience. Among the group of twenty was a woman who immediately caught his attention. As the two locked eyes, in that moment, it was as if sparks were flying all around. His heart raced deeply in his chest. His entire life has been the pursuit of beauty through performance, chasing the impossible dream of pure, unfiltered beauty - and it had appeared before him in the form of this woman. Each wave of her deep brunette hair, the blue of her eyes, her pale and delicate skin. It was incredible, a beauty that no musical piece had ever shown him - until the group performed. Not only was she beautiful, but she was talented. She played a harp and the noise was exquisite. The way the harp echoed across the room as her hair draped over her shoulder.

After the performance Liron approached her, offering his hand out. She smiled and offered her hand in return, lowering his head down to kiss the back of her hand. With a captivated voice, he told her she was beautiful, lowering his head in respect. The woman was flustered but thanked him, before asking if he worked here. He nodded his head and showed his violin, the girl smiling and asking if he would play for her sometime. Without missing a beat, Liron asked if she was free that night to stay late at the theatre, saying he would be happy to play songs as late as she wished. She agreed immediately, and the pair of them stayed later in the theatre as the rest of her group returned to the tavern they were staying at. The two talked for some time before starting to play together. At first, it was messy, but for the first time in his life he didn’t care. The music didn’t need to be perfect when she was, when her beautiful hair swayed so wonderfully to the music. The two grew more and more attuned to each other’s playing after an hour passed and, eventually, played in beautiful unison. It wasn’t the best playing ever seen, it wasn’t even amazing, but the moment itself was exquisite. She sat, eyes closed, playing as he knelt on the stage before her, trying his hardest to perfect his violin skills at that moment.

Soon, however, a noise came across the room, a yelling of one word - “Rose”. The girl turned her head to see her father looking her way, clearly angry that she had been away for so long. Rose spoke up defiantly, saying that Liron was her friend and was taking care of her, but her father insisted that she was too frail to be alone with anybody, much less a man she didn’t know or trust. As she started to talk back he snapped that it was enough and told her to wait outside, the girl looking apologetically to Liron before walking away, eyes hanging low. The father approached him and stood over him, towering, told him that he had to stay away from her - that she was his little girl and that no scum like Liron would go near her. Then the two left. Once the room was empty, aside from Lorin and his violin, there was a twitch in his face and he knelt on the stage. Why? Why had he found someone so beautiful, so perfect, and lost her after just a few hours? Why would her beauty be hidden from the world like this? Did her father truly believe he was helping her, by hiding her perfection away? It was unfair. More than that. It was insanity. Had the world gone mad? No. No, this wasn’t right. It was bullshit! They couldn’t get away with this, hiding her away this way, her beauty and talent! She had to be shown to the world. She had to be…immortalized.

History - Decrescendo

"Stop it! Stop the music, stop playing!"

Broken, he walked down the streets of Rharne that night. As he did he heard…sound. Unfiltered music, ugly instruments clashing against one another, a symphony that was out of tune. There was always music in his head, always a song playing, a beautiful mix of wonderful noises that would always be there to comfort him. But now it turned ugly. All the notes were misaligned, out of tune and grating. All colour had been drained from the world around him. Was he the only one who appreciated true beauty? Had the whole world been desensitized to it? So obsessed with their own darkness that they couldn’t begin to appreciate the true beauty of this world. No matter. He could fix this. The world would appreciate her beauty. ‘Rose’. She would be locked away no more, prisoner to her wicked father no longer.

Eventually, he made his way to the dust quarter, walking as fast as he could. He needed to silence the music, to reset the symphony back to its beauty. After some time of walking, desperate, he heard her voice - raised and shouting at her father as the two walked down the street. Shouting that her father was limiting her, that she hated him and wished she could just run away. Was this her moment of defiance, as he had those years ago, freeing herself of the limiting factor?

Growling with anger, her father yelled back, the two stopping in the road. He yelled that men like Liron were not to be trusted, that they only cared to use and hurt her, and that some day when her father died she would have nobody to fend for her and would need to fend for herself. This was it. The music started to shift back to beauty for just a moment, the expectation, the rising Crescendo in his mind as he waited for her to snap back and finally be rid of this beautyless monster. She opened her mouth to speak. The curtain rose.

Until she spoke. Apologized, told him that she believed Liron was different, that he never once tried to hurt or abuse her - simply played music with her. But that she was sorry. She…apologized. Apologized for her own beauty, apologized for the actions of others rather than spread her wings and fly? Violins scraped aggressively, harp strings shattered and metal clanged in Liron’s mind as his whole world seemed to come crumbling down, his brain full of an emotion he had only felt once before. Fury. Rage. Hatred. The world had broken down this beautiful woman and taught her to be scared of her gift. It was cruel. It was so, so cruel. But they would see. They would all see. His anger was so blind he barely remembers what happened that night, simply following the two until they got to their home in Rharne, waiting until dark and sneaking in through a window left open. Taking the nearest blade he could find from the kitchen and killing the pair in their sleep. If Rose could not be allowed to be beautiful in life, then she would be remembered beautifully in death. Only once they were dead and he was back home, after stopping to grab the violin from work, did the melody return. Everything was right again. After the murder was found much of their group disbanded, no leadership to run them, and many people grieved for Rose - Liron included. He may have killed her, but had she just spoken up in defiance one final time, she could have been so much more. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Now, over an Arc later, Liron often has roses in his home and uses them in his performance in tribute to the woman who showed him pure beauty - and gave him his new goals. To learn to play beautifully, to become as incredible as she had been. But foremost. To rid this world of those who would suppress beauty and immortalize those who deserved to be beautiful but couldn’t.

[Liron]

Belongings

"Shower me with riches. Praise my beauty."

Beautifully crafted mask, used in performances (Heirloom)
Violin
Average quality steel Side sword
Average quality steel Stiletto dagger

Housing

"This will work for now. The road to beauty is paved with ugliness"

Living out of a simple home in the Earth Quarter, his home is currently basic and bland, though he tries his best to decorate it with as much finery as he can. Hoping to some day leave the dull and unpleasant streets behind in favor of the Glass Quarter, Liron keeps his home exquisite, wanting it to be as clean as possible.

[Liron]

Mutations, Marks and Magic

"I didn't know I could get more beautiful."

Sesser (Favored)

Transformer's Toolbox [Minor]
The bearer is able to make superficial changes to his or her form. Facial skin, hair, eyes, nails, voice - through Syroa's blessing, the bearer becomes a minor shapeshifter, a faint echo of the winged goddess of transformation. Minor alterations are instant - the bearer could be a brunette with a pixie cut and brown eyes one moment, a long-haired, blue-eyed blonde the next. Minor alterations can be held effortlessly for trials at a time, while major alterations will start showing signs of reversion within a few breaks. While users of Makeover can attempt to mimic another, at this level the resemblance will always be a little off.

Ever Alluring I
The bearer has an enhanced constitution, staying strong and healthy in conditions where others would wilt and fall ill. Scars never remain, disease rarely seems to visibly touch the bearer, and he/she recovers from injuries much faster than the average member of their race. The bearer seems to age more slowly, though the effect is superficial rather than biological. In addition, everyone encountered is subconsciously attracted to the bearer, even those of incompatible sexual orientation. Those of alternate tastes may not feel compelled to flirt or pursue the marked, but the spark of incomprehensible arousal, however slight, is there all the same.

Grifter's skills I
A The character is granted an extra three skill points which may be spent only on the following skills: Acting, Intimidation, Seduction, or Socialization. Any skill points granted by this Mark can break the 250 (or 100 if fast track) point cap on skills. Within these skills, the points may be spent how the pc chooses.