Blythe
Blythe Agnes Harrow-Locke (a.k.a. Madame Harrow)
Always looks 5 years younger than her actual age thanks to a game of truth-or-dare and a random potion she made. (She literally rewound her age 5 years.) Sisters of the Blood Aether The Wvytchmen
Physical Description
Identifying Characteristics
Apparel & Accessories
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Pre-Excommunication (12/12/1871 - 4/24/1893)
Blythe and Ceres were the only two witches born from the Ostara sabbat of 1871. Because of this, they grew up particularly close friends. Their birthdays were only days apart.Blythe was a particularly bright young witch. She was the envy of other girls during lessons with the Matrons. She was a sociable and easy-going adolescent and pushed the boundaries of the rules when her mother wasn't around.
Her mother, Sanguine Guinevere Harrow, was in line to be Matron Supreme because of her prowess, cunning, and sheer power as a witch. Sanguine was an absolutely terrifying person and showed more affection toward her raven familiar than she did toward her daughter.
"My MOTHER?! Of COURSE you're not my mother! What in NINE HELLS were you THINKING?!" she screams. "My mother is a powerful matron--in line to be Matron Supreme! My mother loved her *familiar* more than she loved me! Do you think that my mother had the patience or the time to tell me I was being a brat? Do you think I ever had the AUDACITY to be a brat around my MOTHER?!"
- Blythe to Yazme
During Exile (4/24/1893 - 1/13/1897)
Blythe was in exile for six years, from ages 19 to 25, before coming to Ossen.She was referred to as "The Witch of the Woods" after the incident with the Hunters on 6/10/1893 (see: Trauma section).
"Adventurers and travelers would sometimes pass through, because I had set up my home in a place that was lush and full of plant and animal life. I was close to a stream for water as well. It was very useful for bathing and retrieving drinking water."
Eleven months after her exile, she rescued an old man named Roric who had been badly hurt when his horse got spooked, threw him, and kicked his head before it ran away.
Sexuality
Education
Mental Trauma
The Death of Terebith
"I was careless, and I told Joliette, Katherine, and Florence about Terebith. And, of course, Ceres knew. About two moons after we first met, the preacher in Rutherville was stabbed to death. No one in the coven thought much of it. But a week later, Terebith was next. I was the one who found her, and I barely escaped without detection."She idly picks at the grass, lost in the memory.
"When I returned covered in blood, I was scolded by the Matrons. They told me, Blythe, that's not how we kill people. You must always leave room for doubt, doubt keeps us safe." Her voice cracks on 'safe' as a tear slides down her cheek. "They weren't even upset she was dead. They weren't even phased at the thought of me killing her. They were just mad about how they thought I did it."
- Blythe to Aslaug Her eyes roll back into her head as she chants a few words in Deep Speak. With a deep exhale, fog rolls out of her mouth, thickly covering the surrounding area.
Blythe unhitches her cauldron from her staff and begins muttering in Abyssal. Light dances out of the cauldron, and in the air, from the lights, floats a ghostly imprint of a teenage Blythe. A hood covers her braided hair. A cloak is draped around her.
A dead body is cradled in her arms. A girl, Blythe's age. Long black hair. Eyes wide, frozen in horror.
The ghostly image looks like it's screaming but no words come out. She shivers and shakes. The more she holds the dead girl, the more covered in blood she becomes.
- Blythe showing the discovery of Terebith's body to Soren and Yazme
The Death of Ceres
"But a few days later, I found Ceres, stabbed just like the other two. Still barely breathing, but not enough air in her lungs to tell me who had done it. So I held her as she passed, and they found me like that, and they assumed it was me. The one who fraternized with outsiders. They wasted no time excommunicating me. Killing one of our own was the last straw, in their eyes...even though I didn't do it."- Blythe to Aslaug The image shimmers. Blythe's hood is down, her outfit has changed. The face on the body is different now. Another girl. Her chest rattles. Blood speckles her lips. Blythe screams as the girl draws her last breath.
So much blood.
- Blythe showing the discovery of Ceres's body to Soren and Yazme
The Excommunication
"Ceres is why I was excommunicated from my coven," she replies. "There were three murders. Two in the nearby down. One in the coven. A religious town sprung up nearby, and their preacher died first. Then Terebith died. They assumed it was me, and they scolded me for not using magick."She inhales and exhales slowly.
"Ceres was my best friend. She died like the other two. They also assumed it was me, and killing a witch crossed the line. So they burned me..." She lifts up her skirt and shows him the burned birthmark. "...as a way to make sure I could never find my way back."
She pulls the skirt down.
- Blythe to Sterling Blythe's coven, The Sisters of Blood Aether, exists in a pocket dimension parallel to the material plane. One can only enter the coven if one has a Witches' Mark. If the Witches' Mark is removed with magickal fire, one can never return home. Burning off the Witches' Mark is the same way the coven banishes baby boys, thus creating The Wvytchmen. Blythe is the first witch to be excommunicated from the coven in living memory.
The Hunters
"When I was exiled, I spent six years by myself. I grew up fearing the outside world, so I didn't want to become a part of it. But that world had a way of finding me."Adventurers and travelers would sometimes pass through, because I had set up my home in a place that was lush and full of plant and animal life. I was close to a stream for water as well. It was very useful for bathing and retrieving drinking water.
"I'm not sure if I told you this, but there are very few spells I can cast without my staff. They're called 'cantrips.' They're very...low-power spells. Simple ones. I can only cast two without my staff in hand. Almost all my magick is in my staff. And as you can see, I am a...small person. Magick is the only defense I have.
"Hunters, it turns out, are good at sneaking up on *anything* they consider prey." She pauses for a while. "I made the mistake of bathing without my staff in hand. I left it leaned against a tree. I didn't hear them coming.
"To cast the cantrips I know, I need to speak words and make gestures with my hands. Without those two things, the cantrips do not go off." Her eyes are focused on nothing; she has turned completely inward. "One of the men held my hands. The other cupped my mouth."
"At the very last moment, before the unthinkable, I bit, and I bit hard. I bit off a finger, and he screamed and let go. I spit it in his friend's face. It shocked him enough that his grip loosened and I jostled free. I firebolted them both in the eyes. Their flesh smelled like roasting pig.
"I did not grab my staff.
"I grabbed my athame.
"I stabbed them both over and over until the brook babbled with their blood, and then I took their clothes and I shoved their bodies downstream." Tears spill onto her cheeks as her eyelids flutter. "To send a message. A warning. A promise."
- Blythe to Kheleron
The Death of Yaz
During the mission to guard The World Winds, Yaz died in Blythe's arms after one of her limbs was ripped from her body. By the time she reached the top of the stairs, Yaz was knocked to the ground. One of her arms had been torn off. Her eyes were unfocused. Her breathing grew more shallow with every shaky, rattled gasp.Blythe was filled with rage and determination. Her raven familiar, Arrow, shifted his weight on her shoulder. Without a glance, Blythe snapped her fingers, and the attacker advancing on the loxodon paladin burst into a coughing fit.
Blythe ran towards Yaz. (In the background, the humanoid shark spit up a tooth that may or may not have been his own.) She glanced around desperately for Yaz’s other arm, but quickly gave up her search.
Blythe grabbed Yaz by the feet and heaved her into the top of the staircase where she had emerged from, taking a seat and putting Yaz’s head on her lap. Blood from Yaz’s stump of an arm began to soak Blythe’s skirts.
With trembling hands, Blythe opened her satchel and sifted through it. She grabbed a healing potion and parted Yaz’s lips. Yaz’s eyes were beginning to roll back. She was fading.
“You are my sunshine,” Blythe sang softly, the elixir dribbling onto Yaz’s chin. She struggled to grip the bottle, hands soaked in sweat and blood.
“My only sunshine…” Yaz’s jaw went slack.
“Y-you make me happy…when skies are grey…” The movement on Yaz’s chest stopped.
“You’ll never know dear…how much I love you…” The last of the potion drained into Yaz’s mouth.
“Please don’t take my sunshine away…”
And all was painfully still.
Social
Religious Views
Relationships
History
Kheleron was the sex worker that Helen "Mother" assigned to Blythe at The Soaking Maiden. She was originally frightened by his advances, so Celeste helped her drug him. After she stole Celeste's necklace and Celeste turned to dust, everyone regained their memories. Kheleron was originally angry with Blythe for drugging him, but Blythe alluded to "The Hunters" story (see: Mental Trauma section) in her apology, and he forgave her. Because both of them have such unique views and experiences with sex, and since sex has historically been disconnected from love for both of them, their relationship is mostly hand-holding, forehead touching, and napping together.
Nicknames & Petnames
"Sir Big Arms"
History
After Blythe almost burned down the guild hall, Keedrix took her under his wing and showed her how to hone her talent for potion-making. She constantly gives him something to worry about.
Nicknames & Petnames
"Father Matron" "Brat"
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Potion-making; annoying and pranking Thaldor Gildedbeard
Shared Secrets
Keedrix stops as Blythe pulls on his wrist, "What? Oh no you're still banned from the bar. Well at least until you can prove to me that you can brew and test your potions safely and in the proper location." Looking to the witch, the Tiefling gives a slight pause before continuing, "But if you don't learn from your mistakes then you are doomed to repeat them. I see a lot of myself in you, and I don't want you to stumble in the same areas I did. So let's call this community service. Your brewing gets more efficient thus you can serve the community better. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly were you expecting this to be?" Blythe's eyes light up with determination when Keedrix says "prove yourself," but then go dark again when he asks her her thoughts. "I--I thought--" She pauses, then lifts her skirts up to her thigh, exposing the large X-shaped burn over her "birthmark." "...I thought you were going to punish me, or kick me out," she whispers. Keedrix's takes in a sharp inhale as he sees the burn, "Oh...Oh Blythe, no, I would never harm you. I wouldn't kick you out of the guild even if I could, my dominion just extends to where alcohol is. No, no you just caused a little damage, something someone who knows Mend or their way around lumber can fix." Keedrix hugs Blythe. "People back across the sea, they can be awful...I think we both know that. But not the people here. We protect each other here." Blythe embraces Keedrix tightly and blinks away tears of relief. "Thank you!" she gasps, clutching the fabric of his shirt. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll do my best! I promise!" She squeezes tighter. "I'll be the best student ever! I'll have so much restraint and tons of safety! You'll see!"
Shared Secrets
"When we heard the rumors about Rutherville--that was the name of the religious settlement--Ceres and I had to go see it for ourselves. It was forbidden, of course, but we went anyway. We snuck out on a new moon. As we wandered the small town we ended up getting separated--only for a few moments. She darted down a street to look in some shop windows, right as I saw a light flicker on in an apartment above the bakery." Blythe smiles. "She peered out over me. Like a princess leaning out from a tower window. Her black hair was falling over her shoulders, spilling onto her white nightgown. She stared at me, and I stared back. And then I had to run to catch up with Ceres. "But I kept coming back for a chance to see her. And eventually I got the courage to talk to her." Blythe stops drawing circles on Soren's back long enough to give him a tight squeeze. "And even though she's gone, I wouldn't trade that for anything. I'm so happy I knew her. I'm so much better for having known her. She made me a better person." Then, lowering her voice: "Imagine how shitty I was before."
History
They met when their familiars, Arrow and Sir Reginald, had a bird stand-off. Blythe screamed "outsider" in Abyssal and Max hid behind a door and insulted her hair. She broke down the door with her staff and dislocated his shoulder.
Nicknames & Petnames
Max, Doc
Commonalities & Shared Interests
Mystra, magic(k), flying
Shared Secrets
"Really? I got excommunicated from my coven for two murders I didn't commit and spent six years in exile until I found out my father is of Ossan descent, so I joined a circus troupe and THAT'S why I'm here. You studied your whole life JUST to come here?" She glances over her shoulder at Max. ”No, as far as my magical abilities. It’s a constant learning process. I left my old life to chase a goal of mine. Seeing the world beyond the library was a bonus,” he replies. There’s a slight pause. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
She looks at her staff and her mouth tightens into a thin line. "Sometimes people can cross your boundaries when you're vulnerable." She touches her staff. "And sometimes that leaves scars people can't see. And it's hard..." She grips the staff. "...it's hard to let down your defenses. So when you find someone who makes you feel safe they are worth holding onto." She lets go of her staff, letting her fingers trail off of it as she does. "I met someone like that in Camptown. Kheleron is like that. He held me, too. I liked it a lot. He feels safe. You feel safe too." She draws Max into a long, gentle hug. "You have a good heart."
"When I was little, my grandmother would teach the young witches how to make poultices, just like this one." She begins to mix the poultice to a froth. "We would bring the poultices home to our mothers for them to try. If the poultices worked, they would praise us and give us flower crowns. If they broke out in warts, they would chase us with a besom through the village and beat us, yelling, 'Do you want your mother to look like a hag??' But my mother was too busy teaching advanced potion making to make me flower crowns. She was never too busy to beat me, though."
History
Thaldor was introduced to Blythe through Keedrix, and through talking to one another they have built up a father daughter relationship. Thaldor is very protective of Blythe and the other guild members and seeks to shield them from the same fate that his brother, Groglimar (Grim) met.
Nicknames & Petnames
Thaldor calls Blythe dearie, lass and lassie.
History
Vran is the estranged father of Blythe. Vran's patron "The Great Old One" showed Vran that Blythe existed while Blythe and the others where on a mission to Nende. Vran is trying to make up for lost time.
Nicknames & Petnames
Dad Kid, kiddo, dear, Brooke
History
Blythe went drinking with Aslaug and they immediately became ride or die. Aslaug accidentally fell in love with Blythe for a little bit when a poultice went wrong. Soren has no idea how close Blythe was to stealin' his girl. Aslaug is REALLY familiar with Blythe's backstory, see below.
Shared Secrets
After there were no more tears to cry for either of them, Aslaug pulls back, her coal eyeliner has also run all down her face. And she just looks with so much empathy at Blythe and then she leans her forehead against Blythe’s as she speaks telepathically to her. “*We’re going to find out who did this, and we’re going to end them.*” That’s all Aslaug can mentally mutter before she looks back up into Blythe’s eyes. As Aslaug speaks those words into Blythe's mind, she starts to hear a song faintly stir in Blythe's subconscious... Sing me a song of a lass that is gone, Say, could that lass be I? Merry of soul she sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye... Blythe's conscious mind responds: They are an ocean away... The bittersweet song softly continues, roiling in the undercurrent of her mind. Billow and breeze, islands and seas, Mountains of rain and sun, All that was good, all that was fair, All that was me is gone... An ocean away... The haunting melody plays in Aslaug’s head, leaving shivers crashing like waves down her spine. She replies telepathically, looking deep into Blythe’s eyes. “*I don’t care if they are three oceans away. We will find them one day*.” She pauses, entranced by the song. “*Do you know who framed you?*” The song is so hypnotic though that she can’t help but start humming it aloud; so absorbed in it that she closes her eyes while she does so. After she finishes humming in tune with the song in Blythe’s mind, she opens her eyes and asks aloud, “what is that song?” Her eyes are sad and thoughtful. The waters of Blythe's subconscious shift from the rhythmic pulsing of the song to a maelstrom of names and faces. Aslaug is assaulted with images and names of people she has never met, along with emotions of confusion and anger and sorrow and betrayal and pain; JolietteKatherineFlorenceHildaMotherMotherMotherHildaJolietteHildaKatherineMotherBridgetHildaHildaJolietteMother Through the chaos, Blythe's conscious mind cuts through: No. I do not know. ...and the storm dies down, replaced one more by the song. Blythe does not move, but opens her eyes as she listens to Aslaug hum the tune. "It is a song I learned in my exile," she whispers in reply. "I found a man lost in the woods on the brink of death and I saved him. He sang it as he recovered. His name was Roric." At hearing the storm filling Blythe’s head, Aslaug has to put her fingers to her temples and take a deep breath. Subconscious thoughts can be so erratic and she needs to ground herself when it becomes too much. So she focuses on the song and hums it to calm herself from the onslaught of thoughts until it’s just the song again. All those names and no idea who could’ve done it. She stirs from her thoughts when she hears Blythe speak aloud again. Her head tilts slightly to the side. “How soon after your exile did you find him? Where is Roric now?” Blythe pauses for a moment. You'rethewitchofthewoodsAreyougoingtokillme?Myname...?RoricYou'rethewitchofthewoodsWitchofthewoodsWitchoftheWitchWitchWitchMyname...?Roric "Eleven moons after my exile. I don't know where he is now. But he was nice enough. The first person I talked to after I was excommunicated." Aslaug takes deep breaths as more unconscious thoughts come in. They’re all braided together with so much emotion. “That’s a really long time to not speak with anyone... I would have gone crazy going that long.... and I enjoy disappearing into the wilds for extended periods of time.” She pauses collecting her thoughts. “How did you convince him that you weren’t a threat?” She looks at the stream and let’s her fingers move along the surface of the water. YouaredeadifIdonothingYouaredeadifIdonothingYouaredeadifIdonothing "I told him that he was going to die if he didn't let me help him," she replies, staring into space. "It was an easy choice once I pointed out the obvious." ”That act alone makes you different from those in your old coven. I hope you know that that difference is good.” She smiles weakly at Blythe. “Did Roric say anything else to you in your time with him?” A swarm of fragmented phrases rises to the surface of Blythe's subconscious. Guessyou'renotmuchofatalkerYousavedmylifeatleastletmehelpwiththisAreyouscaredofme?LetmetellyouastoryLetmetellyouastoryLetmetellyouastory "He told me some stories and taught me some songs while he recovered. I was not as good at potion-making then as I am now, so it took him about a moon to have enough strength to get out of bed. It did not help that he was old."
History
yikes
- Common
- Abyssal
- Infernal
- Draconic
- Deep Speech
- Undercommon
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