Pairess
Ancient of Ocean: Pairess (a.k.a. Lady of the Sea)
The ocean is a curious thing. It is calm and peaceful, and yet it is angry and passionate. It is nurturing and motherly, and yet it is destructive and murderous. I have felt the anger, the passion. I have felt the urge to destroy, to kill. It is a part of me, as much as it is a part of my magic. I seek not to control my magic. I seek not to suppress the urges. I simply want to understand the ocean's power. I want to know why it is the way that it is. I want to know why it is so unpredictable, why it is so curious. Perhaps, someday, I will. The question that nags at me is this: Will I still be Pairess when it happens?
- Pairess, Ancient of Ocean
Divine Domains
Pairess's divine domains are those of the oceans, rivers, lakes, and Oceanic Magic.
Divine Symbols & Sigils
One of the more common symbols of Pairess is a wave, but anything representing water or the ocean can be used to represent her. The symbol she shares with her opposite, Arson, is a type of stone from their respective domains. Pairess's symbol is a pearl.
Holidays
As with the rest of the Ancients, Pairess has a month dedicated to her. The month, Parresia, is the fifth month in the Etrian year and the first month of winter. This month is the most powerful time of the year for oceanic magic. The last Oceanday of the month is Pairess's day, a day to celebrate Pairess and oceanic dragons and magic. The day is often preceded by a festival of water, taking place around oceans and rivers, the most impressive taking place in the city of Meidell, where fishing contests and boating races and all manner of water based competitions are conducted.
Divine Goals & Aspirations
Pairess's ultimate dream was a world in which her dragons and her magic could live in peace. This, however, was her more commonly known goal. Her more personal desire, however, the one that her close friends and dragonmagi were aware of, was her desire for knowledge. Meidell served as both a prolific oceanic academy and a home for research on both her own magic, and that of the rest of the Ancients. Pairess would often disappear into her own quarters for days, studying something she discovered.
Physical Description
Body Features
Pairess is covered in turquoise scales that can change color with the light. Her scales might look like any color from dark indigo to seafoam green. Her horns, indigo-blue in color, curve downwards, following the arch of her neck. There is a long fin running down her spine, from where her neck meets her head to about halfway down her tail, that can lie down flat when needed. The talons at the edges of her wings are small, as she doesn't use them all that often, and the same indigo-blue as her horns. She has webbed feet and fins on her tail for swimming. There is a strange lighting effect on her scales that looks like light reflected from water, ever shifting and swirling.
Identifying Characteristics
As with all the Ancients, Pairess has teardrop-shaped markings around her eyes. Her markings are indigo-blue, but can sometimes look lighter or darker depending on the lighting.
Special abilities
During her time, Pairess held incredible power over all water. Whether it be ocean, lake, or river, Pairess could control it. She was often called on to divert rivers, whether to make space for a town or to bring water closer to one. A number of oases in Eqoris were the result of her intervention.
Though most of Pairess's abilities were used to help others, some of her powers are much more terrifying.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
As with her brethren, Pairess was created at the very beginning of the Magic's involvement with life. She was created fully grown as a physical, draconic manifestation of her magic in order to be a guide for those who wield her power. From the very beginning of her life, Pairess was always as fond of humanity as she was of dragons. She fought to maintain good relationships will all of the other Ancients and was widely regarded as a wise and trusted source of advice for all creatures, not just those of oceanic magic.
Near the beginning of her life, Pairess made her home beneath the surface of the Center Ocean. However, she soon realized that it was very difficult for humans to reach her if they required her help. After a few hundred years of isolation, Pairess made the decision to move closer to land. She made her new home, Meidell, off the coast of Eislela, where she would eventually establish the Temple of Pairess of the Ocean Magic.
For all her life, Pairess adored humans. She often sheltered them in her cities, helped them in tragedy, and generally guided them as best she could. However, Pairess's priority was always her own dragons. If there was an instance in which she had to choose between humans and ocean dragons, she would always choose her dragons.
After Diseo chose her first dragonmage, Pairess was one of those who followed suit almost immediately. Pairess was the third Ancient to choose her dragonmage, after Ozzanth. Her choice was a young man named Lucero Ricci, who she believed was cool-tempered enough to wield oceanic magic. Ricci would eventually found the School for Oceanic Magic in Meidell, and became the first in a line of humble, powerful dragonmages.
Pairess's most recent roles in history were in the Light Wars, the Last Day, and the Rescission. Her dragonmage, Ulliam O Durcain, survived the final battle of The First Light War with serious injuries, and was therefore largely unable to participate in the Second Light War. Pairess, however, sided with Kersyg and shadow magic from the very beginning. Though she occasionally fought in the battles, her more common role was to rescue and protect shadow magi and dragons. She would rescue them from captivity with her dragons and bring them somewhere safe, often the temples of Diseo or Kersyg. After O Durcain recovered, however, the two of them took on a much more active role in military conflict.
After the Second Light War, Pairess spoke wholeheartedly on the side of Rescission. Despite the fact that she loved her magi, she believed that Etria would be better off if humans no longer gained control over magic. Pairess spent the Last Day of Magic in Meidell with her magi. There were many people who were angry with her, demanding explanations, and she spent the day defending her decision. Pairess joined the rest of the Ancients in the Center Ocean for the Rescission. Immediately afterwards, Pairess supposedly vanished into the Center Ocean, not returning to Meidell beforehand.
Gender Identity
An Ancient's gender is a curious thing, as they choose their genders upon creation. Pairess chose to be female, with she/her pronouns, and has not since changed.
Accomplishments & Achievements
The most notable achievement of Pairess is the creation of Meidell, otherwise known as the Ocean City, off the coast of Eislela. Meidell is, to this day, a home and safe haven for all creatures of oceanic magic. Before the Rescission, Meidell was also home to the Ocean Academy, where oceanic magi would travel for training during the Age of Magic. The Ocean Academy has been where a large number of oceanic dragonmagi have been found and chosen.
Failures & Embarrassments
Pairess's greatest failure, as admitted by herself, was the destruction of the human settlement Ruthorham. The original problem was that the people of Ruthorham were attacking oceanic dragons in and around their town, selling their scales and skins for profit and cooking their meat for food, even after being warned by Pairess to stop. This incident took place near the beginning of Pairess's life, at a time when she was more hesitant to be firm or harsh. After a particularly bad attack on a clan of ocean dragons, Pairess finally decided she had had enough. She attacked Ruthorham, destroying it within a few hours. In the incident, which would eventually become known at the Wrath of Pairess, the Ancient supposedly went into a rage, nearly wiping Ruthorham from the face of Etria. If Diseo, the Ancient of Light, had not arrived to stop her, Pairess has admitted that she would have killed every last person living there. As time passed, Pairess eventually admitted that she regretted her harsh retaliation. She later offered shelter, assistance, and apologies to the descendants of Ruthorham. She also helped to rebuild the town, turning it into a powerful and wealthy, industrial city.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Throughout her life, Pairess was always motivated by the pursuit of knowledge and the protection of her people. She created Meidell as a place to study her own magic and to teach others how to wield it correctly. Many of her actions, such as the destruction of Ruthorham, were motivated by the need to keep her dragons and magic safe.
Virtues & Personality perks
Pairess was highly intelligent. She studied, not only her own magic, but the magic of all her brethren as well. When it came to knowledge on the Magic, Pairess was always the most reliable source of information. She was very strong with her power and, later in life, quite cautious with how it was used. She was selfless and generous, offering protection to sailors and others who relied on the seas. In times of great famine, she would often call upon her own dragons to gather fish from the oceans and offer it as aid to suffering peoples.
Vices & Personality flaws
Pairess was, especially in the beginning of her life, hesitant and temperamental. Much like her opposite, Arson, she could easily go into a rage, in which her powers spiked, but she focused on nothing but destruction. Furthermore, she has always placed her own people ahead of others. Even though she is often hailed as a generous deity, her selflessness only came when her own dragons were well off. In times when oceanic magic was suffering, she would often become much more selfish and harsh.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Relationships
History
Arson and Pairess are Opposites, meaning that their magics, and they themselves, are irreversibly bound by the laws of the Magic. For this reason, though they have never been close friends, they have a deep respect and care for one another. Arson held a lot of respect for Pairess, and viewed her as a powerful ally, somebody not to be trifled with. Pairess saw Arson in a similar manner, knowing she could rely on him. They would often offer aid to one another in times of hardship.
Relationship Reasoning
The relationship stems from their magics and the Law of Opposites. Arson is the Ancient of Fire, and Pairess the Ancient of Ocean. Their magics are powerfully connected, and they are almost physically incapable of being in conflict with one another due to the Law of Opposites. Therefore, the pair has decided to maintain a good relationship for the good of themselves, their magics, and Etria.
Commonalities & Shared Interests
By the Law of Opposites, Arson and Pairess cannot be in conflict without causing great damage to Etria. This forces them to maintain a steady relationship.
History
Pairess and Ozzanth were friends. They worked closely, and their dragons can be seen together on multiple occasions. They studied the Magic together, learning about their own powers and the powers of their brethren. Pairess was never bothered by Ozzanth's kingly attitude, and instead respected and understood his outlook on the world and his dragons.
Relationship Reasoning
The relationship between the two was born from a shared love for knowledge and their dragons. Their care for each other developed through years of study and friendship.
History
While most Ancients were put off by Nirsie's fun-loving and innocent disposition, Pairess was more amused by it. The two of them were respectful allies, often crossing the line to friendship. Nirsie believed Pairess to be intelligent and kind, if a bit serious. Pairess, however, got to see a side to Nirsie that most didn't, allowing her to truly respect the Ancient of Sky, but also causing her to be anxious. Pairess was well aware that Nirsie was more powerful than she appeared.
Relationship Reasoning
Their relationship was prompted by their status as fellow Ancients. At first, it was only this, but soon their interactions came from more than necessity - a true friendship, even if they hesitated to admit it.
History
Pairess and Kersyg were not close. However, they weren't enemies, either. Their relationship existed, but was nothing special. Pairess knew that Kersyg was powerful. She knew he watched everything, and knew secrets about everyone. She was uncomfortable with the fact that he might know more than her, and that she would never know those secrets. Kersyg, however, thought Pairess was amusing. He thought that her infatuation with knowledge was strange and sometimes overbearing, that she tried too hard. However, due to her animosity with his opposite, Diseo, he never found that he liked her.
Relationship Reasoning
Pairess and Kersyg did not have as many conversations as they did with other Ancients, prompting their relationship to be shallow, but respectful and necessary.
History
Pairess and Diseo's relationship was shaky at best. Pairess was rubbed the wrong way by Diseo's demeanor, while Diseo found herself indignant at Pairess's behavior. They were respectful of each other's goals and achievements, but could never get along. A few times, they forced themselves to put aside their differences, but those instances are few and far between in history.
Relationship Reasoning
Neither Ancient could pinpoint exactly why there was such animosity between them. They believed it was because of disagreements in opinion and clashing personalities, and, ultimately, the necessity of working together that revealed more and more dissonance.
History
Pairess and Kanais had a relationship of respectful tolerance. Pairess believe Kanais's apathy was abrasive. Even though she admired and respected him, she actively avoided him. Kanais admired Pairess's search for knowledge, but was annoyed that she didn't make more logical decisions, at least, as they appeared to him.
Relationship Reasoning
As Ancients, Pairess and Kanais were forced to work together on multiple occasions, revealing their opinions on one another.
History
Hervaess and Pairess considered each other friends. They worked together often, studying together, fighting alongside one another, building together, and protecting each other's dragons. Pairess thought Hervaess was a bit too energetic, but that she was a good dragon nonetheless. Hervaess, on the other hand, thought that Pairess was certainly not living up to her potential in battle. It was only in a rage, Hervaess believed, that Pairess's true power was revealed.
Relationship Reasoning
Through a series of battles in their early lives, the dragons found friendship for one another. As Ancients, they were forced to work together and ultimately discover their commonalities.
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Author's Notes
Something you'll probably notice as you explore this world is that some articles are better written than others. This is because I'm still a developing writer, so the later articles will be done better because I am, in fact, a better writer upon making them. You'll have to forgive the older articles and their writing style. I do plan on going back and revising them! ...Eventually. Truth be told, at this point I'm more focused on understanding my world than I am with making amazing articles. Thanks for being patient/understanding/tolerant of me and my flaws!