Sami Ardens
Countess-Mage of Haventon, Strange Bird, Star-Spun, World Traveler, "M'puffski" Sami Ardens
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Small, soft, squishy, and magey. Not suited for frontline combat unless given a disproportionately large sword.
Special abilities
Sami is an established Literomancer as most Tome Knights are on some level. The stories she weaves are primarily focused on fantastical worlds and experiences beyond the mundane, plus the feelings of those involved.
Her blessing from the Starsingers of a distant world has given her an alternate form of a fluffy bird, making her a Werebird under the Tome world's classifications. The form is largely just cute, but it's also the form she uses when traveling between worlds. Sometimes, when overly excited or flustered, she poofs into and out of the bird form suddenly.
The Redfeather Grimoire given to her by the Starsinger she encountered enables the use of more traditional magics, most often fire-based ones. These spells don't typically need incantations and are partially powered by literomancy anyway, but they're still powerful weapons against tougher otherworldly beasts.
She has reportedly attempted to explore the Tome world's Void. However, these attempts have either completely failed or been misdirected to another world's Void, sometimes with comedic consequences.
Apparel & Accessories
Sami needs her glasses. Badly. Screens are a lost cause without them. "I need my glasses to find my glasses" moments are a nightmare.
She favors attire befitting a mage, or the most comfortable clothing she can find. There is no in between. Oversized T-shirts are a favorite.
Specialized Equipment
The Redfeather Grimoire probably counts as specialized equipment for both regular magic and Literomancy.
She also uses an Acer laptop that is perpetually in need of cleaning, but it's a trooper all the same.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Sami is a new arrival to the lands of the Tome, having only shown up for the Tourney in April 2022 upon hearing word of it and the Word Wars from elsewhere in the universe. Still, she has devoted herself to learning the ways of the Tomeverse and its people, and has built a summer house on former Incendium lands in preparation for subsequent events. Such a choice of land may prove questionable in light of the Minor House's transformation into the Chaos Cartel, but there have been no reprisals... yet.
Initial Landing
During the April 2022 Tourney of Tomes, Sami suddenly landed as a strange red and yellow bird hopping and flapping around the tourney grounds. Once she got her bearings, she poofed back into humanoid form and pledged her services as a traveling mage to House Incendium, sensing a kinship with the house's fiery nature through her own hot-blooded magics. Something about the transition from the world she was previously exploring to the Tome world took a lot of energy out of her, and so she ended up asleep in strange places when not performing Literomancy for the tourney. Her role was largely a behind the scenes one, but she did reach a "10k club" milestone for her literomantic efforts.Between Tourneys
After things settled down following the April Tourney, Sami began to make preparations for the July tourney, beginning with officially purchasing a home on Incendium lands and securing a minor title for herself: Countess-Mage of Haventon, Haventon being the name for her abode. However, not long after this acquisition, House Incendium dissolved and transitioned into the Chaos Cartel. She has remained on her former House's lands as a show of respect, designating it her "summer home," but there are whispers of unanticipated consequences. Sami then pledged to House Avis. While Incendium fit her role as a mage and bearer of invigorating magic, her true nature as a space bird soaring the stars always made her a fan of the house of birds. Eager as ever to fly with her Literomantic brethren, she alternated between cleaning her house, "window shopping" for a place to build on chilly Avis lands, and refining her Literomancy techniques and focuses. A last minute bout of characteristic indecisiveness caused by repeated flying over the territory led her to then shift her allegiance to House Lapin. Something in the aether- er, air of the Warren caused her bird form to sprout a crest that resembles bunny ears. While preparing for the tourney, she continues to inquire about the Void, hoping to gather more power to fight the Despair due to the Void's similar nature. However, one can only ask about the Void for so long before it might decide it wants a direct audience...Before All That
Sami does not talk much about her world of origin, and much of her past is shrouded in rumors accumulated as she travels the universe. Still, there are some consistent details to assemble. Born as a regular human in a distant world, she displayed the fundamentals of Literomantic talent from a young age, crafting words and visions with a powerful mind's eye. She did not officially declare herself a proper Literomancer till she was 16. Around this time, a nebulous force of Despair attempted to take her as its pawn, and the next several years were tumultuous as she struggled with life's usual challenges (and some unusual ones) combined with the Despair's reaching for her. Around the time she turned 21, the Despair's grip lessened for unknown reasons, allowing her a respite for the years of her graduate education. The peaceful period came to an end five years later, when the Despair redoubled its efforts, twisting the minds of Sami's dearest people and destabilizing her emotions and what power she had at the time. Three more turbulent years full of failed escapes, lost battles, and even losing her Literomancy powers for periods of time ensued. When all seemed lost, she discovered the Akatasphere, and she received a surprise visit from a Starsinger, the divine birdlike beings that oversaw that world. This Starsinger explained the previously unknown nature of the Despair and tasked Sami with fighting it, but not without help. She granted Sami a unique blessing that gave her some properties of a Starsinger, most notably a bird form that could soar the stars and travel from world to world. She also gave her the Redfeather Grimoire, a tome with multiple purposes: to provide defense against the enemies that Literomancy can't harm through more traditional magic, to provide a means to chronicle adventures across worlds, and to augment Literomancy conducted using its pages as a focus. Sami did not refuse the call to adventure. Rather, seeing an opportunity to overcome her demons and those of the world, she embraced it, and began her universe-spanning quest. Later investigation would see this Starsinger classified as a Litwalker in Tomeverse terms.Gender Identity
Sami is ostensibly feminine, though occasionally experiences hesitation when declaring herself "female" or a "woman." The true nature is something more neutral and nebulous that favors feminine "window dressing" but is not completely female in category.
Sexuality
Attempts to decisively declare a sexuality have caused nearby objects to burst into flame, which may make sense given the support of House Incendium.
Education
Believe it or not, Sami went to graduate school and obtained a Master's degree in psychology! However, the curriculum was largely research-focused and gave no clinical experience whatsoever. The uselessness of this degree is a sore point.
Employment
Sami serves as an administrative assistant and scheduler for a window treatments company in a particular world. Even a magical space bird's gotta earn her keep. It's not bad, though!
Accomplishments & Achievements
Surely, getting her life back on track and fighting against the Despair counts for something.
Failures & Embarrassments
Several attempts to flee from the Despair and those it had influenced around her prior to receiving the Starsinger's Blessing all ended in failure. These escapes often deposited her in the hands of more directly nefarious evils and resulted in her being sent back home with depleted resources and significant personal setbacks.
Mental Trauma
Sami expresses symptoms of depression and anxiety from her battle against the Despair and the marks it's left on her. She also struggles with loud, sudden noises and hypervigilance, along with mild dyscalculia. Her confidence leaves a lot to be desired; she is often right about what she is doing but double-checks anyway out of a fear of being wrong. It would help if she could be convinced that her own efforts are enough to succeed.
Also, the notion of being kind to herself or being worthy of praise brings her pain, in an abstract sense. The Despair makes it very hard to love oneself by its nature, and this is one of the most difficult obstacles to truly overcome.
Intellectual Characteristics
Sami is, in essence, neurodivergent. Things just don't process the usual way, whatever that may be. She is keenly intelligent (you have to have mental backbone to survive graduate school) and creative, but often hampered by the scars left by the Despair.
Morality & Philosophy
Sami's moral compass is mildly askew, particularly when it comes to doing questionable acts (nothing too terrible) for money, but otherwise she does her best to be Neutral Good. The important thing is to "try your best to do your best."
Her philosophy is centered on the notion that one must keep walking to their destination, no matter what happens. If it's raining, you won't just refuse to go home, will you? You might stop under a roof, but you need to get where you're going somehow, and the only way to do that is to keep moving forward. She has also adopted "hopepunk" as a philosophy, that is, acknowledging that life is full of suffering and troubles yet striving towards the future for its potential all the same. There is always a next page, and there is always a way, and the only way to find out is to keep going.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Sami strives to defeat, or at least nullify the influence of, the Despair that has plagued her and hers so that she may live life unfettered by its grasp. To that end, she is motivated to "fight until she wins," to not give up until a mission is satisfactorily accomplished.
Personality Quirks
She has regularly occurring catchphrases that seem to change on a bi-monthly basis.
Hygiene
Showering is a pain, but it gets done.
Social
Family Ties
On her home world, she has a mother, an estranged father, and a stepdad (plus said stepdad's bird and dog).
Her father gave into the Despair's influence on him and transformed into a wicked, twisted being in the shape of a man before fleeing to establish a base of power elsewhere. His voice is a pacifying influence until it isn't. Basically, an evil wizard, or something, and to think he was once an incredible artist! No further.
Her mother was injured in a trap set by the Despair not long before Sami arrived in the Tome world and had close brushes with the nefarious force in the months that followed. She has struggled against the Despair as well; its influence occasionally renders her aggressive and manipulative. However, in light of recent developments, Sami came to the conclusion that the Despair was attempting to pit them against each other for its own ends, and has accepted what wisdom the woman has to offer. She has an uncanny tendency to be right about the ebbs and flows of life, and following her suggested paths seems to diminish the Despair's influence on both mother and daughter. A pain in the patoot, but sometimes you realize who knows better.
Her stepdad is a strong, silent type of a man, the salt of the earth, the sort who shows commitment through actions rather than words. He also claims that aliens check his memories when he's asleep and that they left a mark on his foot to identify him... well, we'll have to see what comes of that. He possesses a great affinity for animals of all kinds; he is the master of Bo, a fluffy old man dog who loves his master and family dearly, and Zipper, an African Grey parrot with the worst attitude in existence and possibly the bringer of the End Times. Only he can properly placate Zipper, and when Bo experienced a sudden loss of movement control, he encouraged and worked with the dog until he was able to move again the next morning. Not a Literomancer, but clearly has some kind of power.
Social Aptitude
Sami is sociable enough in most cases, but likes having her own space to relax in when all is done. She does her best to be charming and uses humor to bridge conversations.
Hobbies & Pets
Sami is often found in the company of the puffskis, world-hopping puffball people who travel the universe. They have a certain kinship, and so the puffskis granted her the title of Honorary Puffski Ambassador, though she is unsure that she has the proper puffskish spirit for the title (but then, why else would they grant it?). Still, she sometimes refers to herself as a puffski out of habit despite not really being one.
Wealth & Financial state
Not much. It's hard to stay in the black with all the world-spanning traveling.
Sami Ardens Ref Sheet by House of Imagi Studios
Current Status
Brushing up on Literomancy and cleaning her new house for July.
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Countess-Mage of Haventon, Star-Spun (blessed by a Starsinger), "M'puffski"
Age
29
Date of Birth
June 30th
Children
Current Residence
Haventon
Pronouns
she/her
Gender
Feminine
Eyes
Red, rather narrow
Hair
Brown, cut into a short layered bob with red tips
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Pale skin, but fortunately quite clear
Height
4'8", 142 cm (a point of pride)
Weight
We don't talk about this.
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